(212) 777-7987

93 Second Ave. (Between 5th and 6th Sts.)
New York, NY 10003 40.7271 -73.9889

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Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown

Last updated 4.28.10

Category:

Bars & Clubs, Bars & Pubs, Dive Bars, Lounges

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Bar & Club Type of Music:

DJ - Rock

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Lit

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

One part H.R. Geiger-esque gallery (the "Alien" designer's art graced the walls when the bar first premiered), one part understated DJ bar and one part hype that materializes in the night's darkest hours, Lit in its finest moments is, well, smoking hot. Intended to fund the Fuse Gallery in back while serving a like-minded, creative clientele, it attracts an alt-glam crowd of B-side artists, actors and indie filmsters. The gallery, frequently baring grim, nightmarish images, has limited hours, but can be seen anytime through its locked glass doors. Downstairs, in the dungeon, well-known DJs do…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Happy hour is every day from 5pm to 9pm, with $2 domestics, $3 drafts and well drinks and $4 call drinks.
Know Before You Go:
There's a $20 minimum for credit card tabs, so plan to stay and drink a while if you want to run a tab.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Good music to dance to, an up-beat crowd and an original, dark, dungeon-esque atmosphere make this place my favorite place in New York.”
  2. “Love the music and decor, but it's alittle tight and smokey.”
  3. “They took themselves way too seriously, considering Lit is a fun, casual bar best known for playing hipster music and having a great vibe.”
  4. “Aside from the staff consisting of a bunch of tools, the bar is fun.”
  5. “i've been to lit twice now, and both times i've felt that the atmosphere is excellent.”
  6. “keep going to Lit because of the great music and interesting atmosphere, but as for most of the people I see there - let's just say that this is a very dimly lit bar, and that's a good thing.”
drinks
79.62999820709229% positive
  1. “lame bar”
  2. “was first came here for a party downstairs, great space this bar has a great happy hour and fast bartenders.”
  3. “am heading back next week to purchase something-The bar upstairs and downstairs are big and long and bartenders are great-Fast, Friendly and hot!”
  4. “Getting a drink can be a hassle, but the bartenders are polite when you get their attention.”
  5. “keep going to Lit because of the great music and interesting atmosphere, but as for most of the people I see there - let's just say that this is a very dimly lit bar, and that's a good thing.”
  6. “In those times, I have been severely disappointed with the service (it took me almost 15 minutes to order a stinkin' pint of beer), the DJ's (they never play the classic stuff much anymore and the same new wave-y dance music got on my nerves after five mi”
  7. “they try to play it off like they're a cool punk rock club with good values and ideas, but u can see right through that the second u try to get a drink.”
  8. “Great bartender who lights every girl's cigarette, good selection of beers and drinks, fabulous prices, in a really different and good-looking space”
  9. “Great crowd, great music, cheap drinks.”
  10. “Aside from the staff consisting of a bunch of tools, the bar is fun.”
  11. “used to go here a good amount for the quiet chill happy hours with cheap drinks, beer and good music.”
  12. “Now if it had a decent smoke eater for when it gets crowded I would rate it my fav bar.”
  13. “The most absurd thing you will probably notice in the dungeon basement is that you cannot simply order a drink.”
  14. “You have to like a crowded bar and interesting artsy types.”
  15. “On a positive note, this is the kind of shady place where if you do enough coke and drink enough watered down liquor you might wake up with a nasty scar and a few missing organs.”
  16. “The music is incredible, stuff you've never heard out at a bar.”
  17. “Lit is a great bar and is one of my favorites in the city.”
  18. “They took themselves way too seriously, considering Lit is a fun, casual bar best known for playing hipster music and having a great vibe.”
food quality
100.0% positive
  1. “plenty of tasty, young birds among the crowd.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Great bartender who lights every girl's cigarette, good selection of beers and drinks, fabulous prices, in a really different and good-looking space”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “The staff were great and it was a good place to people watch and even pick up a girl occasionally.”
  2. “happy hour is generally not busy until later great place to meet up with friends.”
  3. “Overall it is a great place to hang out and people watch without any attitude.”
  4. “The happy hour is generally not busy until later and is a great place to meet up with friends”
  5. “They act like its the best place to be in Manhattan.”
service
72.91999816894531% positive
  1. “Getting a drink can be a hassle, but the bartenders are polite when you get their attention.”
  2. “bunch of people who think they're too cool for school”
  3. “am heading back next week to purchase something-The bar upstairs and downstairs are big and long and bartenders are great-Fast, Friendly and hot!”
  4. “The staff were great and it was a good place to people watch and even pick up a girl occasionally.”
  5. “From the awesome happy hour to the friendly staff to the sick as hell Fuse gallery in the back, everything about this place is perfect.”
  6. “could say the workers are very friendly but the crowd is not great at all.”
  7. “looks/acts. Oh well, this guy and his club would be a complete loss if it weren't for the friendly soundguy.”
  8. “Aside from the staff consisting of a bunch of tools, the bar is fun.”
  9. “Also the sound people are cool and Lit always pay bands fairly.”
  10. “Great bartender who lights every girl's cigarette, good selection of beers and drinks, fabulous prices, in a really different and good-looking space”
  11. “In addition to the nasty Kevin James look-alike bouncer, and his skinny, idiotic sidekick, the bartender (the one who wears a fedora) was a complete a-hole.”
  12. “was first came here for a party downstairs, great space this bar has a great happy hour and fast bartenders.”
  13. “The clientele is a joke; people who moved to NYC last week and revamped their look based on terrible MTV bands like Fall Out Boy.”
  14. “anyhoo, the place is great, totally friendly staff, great music (especially fri & sat nights).”
  15. “my fire for LIT has been put out by poor treatment and service”
  16. “Overall it is a great place to hang out and people watch without any attitude.”
  17. “The bartenders weren't so bad either.”
  18. “In those times, I have been severely disappointed with the service (it took me almost 15 minutes to order a stinkin' pint of beer), the DJ's (they never play the classic stuff much anymore and the same new wave-y dance music got on my nerves after five mi”
  19. “keep going to Lit because of the great music and interesting atmosphere, but as for most of the people I see there - let's just say that this is a very dimly lit bar, and that's a good thing.”
  20. “Some people dont like this place but I think it rocks.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “Great bartender who lights every girl's cigarette, good selection of beers and drinks, fabulous prices, in a really different and good-looking space”
  2. “It's the type of place started by a rich kid with daddy's money, who is attmepting to act like a big shot because he got beat up in high school.”
  3. “used to go here a good amount for the quiet chill happy hours with cheap drinks, beer and good music.”
  4. “they try to play it off like they're a cool punk rock club with good values and ideas, but u can see right through that the second u try to get a drink.”
  5. “Great crowd, great music, cheap drinks.”
wait time
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “In those times, I have been severely disappointed with the service (it took me almost 15 minutes to order a stinkin' pint of beer), the DJ's (they never play the classic stuff much anymore and the same new wave-y dance music got on my nerves after five mi”
  2. “am heading back next week to purchase something-The bar upstairs and downstairs are big and long and bartenders are great-Fast, Friendly and hot!”
1 Star Rating: Poor

11/19/10

LIT IS RACIST. RACIST BOUNCER. WORST BAR IN NY

by litisracist

I came to lit around 11 PM on a Thursday Night. I was with a few friends and we decided to go to LIT. My friends who are caucasian were in front of me and they got to go in the bar after they showed the bouncer their ID. As I was walking in, the bouncer told me that he was waiting for a few other girls to come in before he let us in. I told him that our friends were right in front of us and had already gone in but he told us it would just be a minute. He then proceeded to let a group of 8 white guys come in as my friend and I (who are asian) waited for him to let us in. We then approached him and he told us to wait one more minute. We asked him why the other guys got in and he again told us to wait.

I am 24 years old and have lived in the city since graduating college three years ago. I have never been racially discriminated against in my three years in the city. Please dont go here unless you support racism.

Also, one of my friends said she got groped by the bouncer as she walked in. Eventually we confronted him about letting the Caucasians in and he started to get confrontational using racially derogatory remarks. I soon walked away to avoid unnecessary confrontation.

1 Star Rating: Poor

10/22/10

racist bar

by thainick

i live across the street from here and enjoy a good dive bar in the area. i've been here a few times but every experience was dealt with the racist patrons of this place. my theory is that all the customers arent from new york so they think its ok to say racial slurs to me and my friends. my last visit was with a bouncer that said hold on at the line and let all the white people in first and made us stand there for 20 minutes when it was clearly quiet inside. they should of named the place "lite skin". i would also like to point out how violent the people are. theres always a fight outside and people are always shouting on a work night in the streets. if i lived right over them i would be throwing eggs out the window...lit needs to be closed down. its ruining the neighborhood!

3 Star Rating: Average

12/19/09

Bipolar Bouncers

by JCgelo

I totally agree with the reviews below. This place is ridiculous when it comes to the guys at the door. They act like its the best place to be in Manhattan. So first off every night is a "private event" which is complete BS. All you have to tell they guy is "your here to see the band" and presto your in.

Once you get in its not that bad but its not worth the harassment at the door. That's really it!

1 Star Rating: Poor

02/26/09

Skip This Place

by nibles

Darn shame to see reviews this bad - thought we were moving into a more progressive lifestyle.

NOT AT THIS PLACE! Save your time and money - read more below.

SHAME ON LIT LOUNGE!

1 Star Rating: Poor

01/01/09

Worst Bar In The City

by Drewh07

This place is a complete joke and waste of time. The Kevin James look -a-like bouncer is a total douche who mans the door with a holier than though attitude reminiscent of Hitler. He turned me and my friends away from the door because he said we were too Jewish.

  • Pros: Location
  • Cons: Kevin Jame look a likes

The Details on Lit

Place Categories:

  • good music
  • always great crowd
  • like crowded bar
  • probably better sound
  • not so bad bartenders
  • great friendly staff
  • cool venue
  • worst dive bar
  • big downstairs
  • excellent atmosphere
  • worst lit
  • like types
  • great vibe
  • awful service
  • great happy hour
  • great art gallery
  • sick fuse gallery
  • not simply order drink
  • annoying coke head
  • nasty idiotic sidekick
  • like kinda
  • too cool bunch
  • great place
  • worst experience
  • lame max
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