(212) 539-1389

231 E 14th St (nr. Second Ave.)
New York, NY 10003 40.7331 -73.9864

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Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown

beautybar.com/

Hours:

Mon-Fri, 5pm-4am

Sat-Sun, 7pm-4am

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Bars & Pubs, Nightclubs, Neighborhood Bars, Singles Bars, Taverns

Payment Methods:

Cash

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Happy Hour

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Beauty Bar

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

Who would have thought of a derelict beauty shop as the nightlife gateway to all points south? Deb Parker, that's who, and if you don't believe the owner's tchotchke tattoo, believe the drag queen-caliber collection of vintage beauty-shop ephemera with which she has tarted up her East Village bar. With walls of nail-polish sparkle-ness and rows of bouffant-accommodating hair dryers, you'd think Beauty Bar drew mostly hip chicks and the queens who love them, but the crowd is mixed and twice as urbane as any $15-a-glass velvet nightmare south of Spring Street. From 8pm to midnight (and later on…

Editor's Tips

When to Go:
Sadly Flo, former proprietress, no longer does them, but you can still get the manicure-drink special on weekends ($10 for both, less tip).
The Extras:
Nearby Bar Veloce offers excellent wines with simple Milan style.
Fun Fact:
The beauty parlor spirit lives on with the bar's famous "Martinis & Manicures" deal: For $10 (plus tips), patrons can get a manicure and the cocktail of their choice (available weekdays between 6pm and 11pm, and weekends from 7pm to 11pm).
The Extras:
An additional room in back also boasts a second bar that's usually open on crowded weekend nights, and can also be rented for private events.
When to Go:
The scene is always happening here, but arrive early to take advantage of assorted drink specials and nab a seat before the crowds roll in later on.
ambiance
80.0% positive
  1. “The atmosphere is pretty hip and the back room can be fun for dancing.”
  2. “Otherwise it has a cool ambiance.”
  3. “Plus the decor is so lame - Barmacy was so much better and cooler :( too bad for 14th street.”
  4. “Great music, fun people.”
  5. “so fun, drinks were pretty good, but the best part of this place is the atmosphere.”
drinks
93.33000183105469% positive
  1. “My friend's and I accidently stumbled upon this place the other night while trying to find a good, COVER FREE, bar to go to.”
  2. “the female bartender is friendly and makes the drinks strong.”
  3. “Not all of my visits there have been exceptionally great but the people make it the good bar that it is.”
  4. “Besides the shifty and sometimes rude bartenders (which is a risk you run at any bar), its a good place with good music and djs, with friendly people.”
  5. “Ok, so $15 for a drink and a manicure is not bad but advertising a $10 special is kind of slimy.”
  6. “The bartenders were pretty cool, the drinks inexpensive which is always a plus in NYC.”
  7. “so fun, drinks were pretty good, but the best part of this place is the atmosphere.”
  8. “The drink was tasty (I dream of Jeannie Martini) but the manicure end of the deal was not worth it.”
  9. “Nothing wrong with doing shots on the job but having a thug display a thug mentality at what I thought would've been a cool bar is enough to have me and any bands represented by my band management team to avoid this place at all costs.”
  10. “Good bar on the "off hours.”
  11. “(they also have more "normal" colors too) The drinks were great - I highly recomment the PRELL.”
  12. “since when did this cool bar get snotty?”
  13. “This bar has the worst sound system and the bitchiest bartenders.”
  14. “love beauty bar, it is amazing.”
  15. “While waiting, sit at one of the hairdryers, or sit at the bar and chat with the cool staff.”
  16. “love the idea of a combination beauty shop bar; the originality alone was enough to make it an interesting experience.”
  17. “great manicure + drink deal!”
  18. “really enjoyed this place, and had no idea before going in that it literally is a beauty parlor AND a bar.”
food quality
100.0% positive
  1. “The drink was tasty (I dream of Jeannie Martini) but the manicure end of the deal was not worth it.”
overall
95.0% positive
  1. “so fun, drinks were pretty good, but the best part of this place is the atmosphere.”
  2. “Besides the shifty and sometimes rude bartenders (which is a risk you run at any bar), its a good place with good music and djs, with friendly people.”
  3. “Beware of shifty bartenders other than that great place”
  4. “The place itself is nice enough, but the doormen have attitudes which don't belong at a place like this.”
service
90.0% positive
  1. “The music was also nice and the crowd a great mix and very friendly.”
  2. “the female bartender is friendly and makes the drinks strong.”
  3. “Not all of my visits there have been exceptionally great but the people make it the good bar that it is.”
  4. “Besides the shifty and sometimes rude bartenders (which is a risk you run at any bar), its a good place with good music and djs, with friendly people.”
  5. “This bar has the worst sound system and the bitchiest bartenders.”
  6. “The people were friendly funny and welcoming.”
  7. “and great bartenders.”
  8. “While waiting, sit at one of the hairdryers, or sit at the bar and chat with the cool staff.”
  9. “Beware of shifty bartenders other than that great place”
  10. “Great music, fun people.”
  11. “The bartenders were pretty cool, the drinks inexpensive which is always a plus in NYC.”
  12. “Great bartenders (especially Lara) , great crowd (most of the time) a.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “rachael was a fantastic beautician and the whiskey pours were v generous.”
  2. “Drinks are good and fairly strong w/ moderate prices.”
  3. “The bartenders were pretty cool, the drinks inexpensive which is always a plus in NYC.”
  4. “The drink was tasty (I dream of Jeannie Martini) but the manicure end of the deal was not worth it.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

09/16/11

Not making the cut in the coming Economy...

by ThisIsfromJerry at Citysearch

This bar scene is the reflection of the owner and managers selected who are obviously remnants of the pot smoker days of yesteryear. Talented Hair and beauty stylists who go to conferences are NOT the people who would ever work in this dive. You then end up with loosi goosi's who get their hair done or whatever and they are too young to know that the alcohol they crave is going to make them very fat and very no job as the economy heads to where it is going as they carry on for nothing in the joint. Its Las Vegas location is a derelict hodge Podge of late night frogs who got suckered to come and listen to outside loudness put on by no talent giggers selected by the no talent owner manager who can't sing or dance "in hollywood." Give me a break. It should be called Bar of the Lost.

2 Star Rating: Below Average

07/07/11

Ugh

by amandaek at Citysearch

Okay, so $3.00 for a pint of Brooklyn lager is good. $10.00 for a drink AND manicure is great.

BUT, the manicurist DOES NOT know what she's doing -- Rachel, I believe her name was. I'm okay with the fact it's not a "real" manicure, just a shortened version of one -- I didn't really expect much, coming from a bar -- but this Rachel made me bleed. Instead of cutting a hang-nail, she decided (or maybe she just had really old, dull equipment) to just rip that thing off. OUCH! After my other two friends were done, we saw a cuticle on my one friend was bleeding. Rachel apparently told her "oh, your cuticles are just dry" -- WHAT? I've never bled during a manicure before.

Rachel also got really mad when she put the wrong color on my other friend. She wanted nude, and Rachel put clear. When my friend corrected her, she was extremely displeased.

I'd go back for some happy hour drinks, but I don't think I'll be getting my nails done there again, thanks.

1 Star Rating: Poor

08/07/10

Worst Bar Ever!!!!!!!!!!!!

by LilMomma at Citysearch

Worst Bar Ever. I would give this zero stars if I could.

You walk in and are overwhelmed by the smell of nail polish remover. Strange, because there is only 1 manicurist (that I could see).

Pros: nice enough bar tenders, ok prices, and the 1 cool guy who let me squeeze in up to the bar to get a drink

Cons: 1) the most God-awful, undancable, wierdest, worst music I have ever heard,

2) the constant revolving door of people coming in, seeing it sucked, and leaving, so no place to stand without getting shoved

3) one of the only TWO toilets had a broken flusher, so, if you chose to flush, you had to stick your hand inside the tank and lift the lever. G-R-O-S-S.

We went looking for a quirky, fun, offbeat bar with good music to dance to. Did a search on CitySearch and this looked like an interesting place. WRONG.

Quirky, and offbeat, yes. The decor and ambiance had potential to be really fun. Disco balls and trippy 60's decor.

Fun and danceable music NOOOOOOOOO.

The music was, what I can only describe, as 60's radical psychadelic Austin Powers on acid. Our group was all in our 30's and no one has ever heard anything like that before. But then, we dont take acid, so maybe it was us. The DJ was asked to play something, ANYTHING different, and said No.

We left after our whole party arrived and went across the street to a place with danceable music.

Suggestion: The website should post what type of music will be played on a given night !!!!!!!!

Definitely do not dress to impress. If you want to come to a bar straight from the gym, wearing a backpack, get high off nail polish fumes, and not dance, this is the place for you.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/04/09

great manicure + drink deal!

by hilbo19 at Citysearch

rachael was a fantastic beautician and the whiskey pours were v generous. an excellent place for girls night. or boys night.

  • Pros: great place for a group
  • Cons: tiny
1 Star Rating: Poor

07/07/09

worst bar EVER!!

by nyconeohone at Citysearch

This bar has the worst sound system and the bitchiest bartenders. Plus the decor is so lame - Barmacy was so much better and cooler :( too bad for 14th street.

  • Pros: none!!
  • Cons: Gray haired managers!

The Details on Beauty Bar

Place Categories:

  • nice place
  • cool beauty bar
  • great manicures
  • cool quirky music
  • great drinks
  • great bartenders
  • friendly fun people
  • great rachel
  • worst bitchiest bartenders
  • completely cool terry
  • great happy hour
  • awesome happy hour special
  • worst sound system
  • but love nothing
  • lame decor
  • cool staff
  • too bad doorman
  • great conversation
  • not bad ok
  • amazingly cool interior
  • favorite rituals
  • great lara
  • good djdance party
  • great crowd
  • good cover free
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