(212) 677-3160
51 1st Ave
(3rd Street)
New York,
NY
10003
40.72477
-73.98736
Neighborhoods: East Village, Downtown
Hours:
Daily 1pm-4am
Last updated 8.16.11
Category:
Bars & Clubs, Restaurants, Cigar Lounges, Lounges, Bars & Pubs
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Bar & Pub Special Features:
Bar & Club Special Features:
Romantic Nightlife, 21 & Over, After Work, Smoking Permitted
What People Are Saying About Karma Lounge
Featured Review
Julie Mehta
Contributor
"You can smoke here," proclaim signs all over this lounge, exempt from the city's ban on smoking in bars because its hookah pipes classify it as a tobacco bar. The child-sized chairs and red velvet couches are crammed with friends and couples just as likely to be smoking cigarettes as the naughty-looking hookahs. Pounding, hypnotic music discourages conversation, and everything has a red tinge, from the ashtray-littered bar to the somewhat sinister-looking artwork to the eyes of the constantly puffing patrons. Of course the main attractions here are the hookahs, which stand like golden fire…
Editor's Tips
- Where to Sit:
- Downstairs you'll find more seating, more hookahs, a dance floor and guest DJs.
- Know Before You Go:
- They're so serious about carding that you get a free drink if they forget to check your I.D.
- The Extras:
- A short menu of mostly Indian appetizers is served until closing.
- Save Money:
- Come during the day (until 8pm) to get half-price on all drinks $8 or less.
| ambiance | 100.0% positive |
|
|---|---|---|
| drinks | 76.91999912261963% positive |
|
| food quality | 100.0% positive |
|
| overall | 75.0% positive |
|
| service | 64.0999984741211% positive |
|
| value | 50.0% positive |
|
| wait time | 33.3299994468689% positive |
|
Cool Mix of Party and Chill
by Beer Enthusiast
Karma gives you the best of both worlds - you can go to a (usually) open party downstairs or stay upstairs to relax in the quintessential hookah lounge. Drinks were good, same with food. In regards to service, they were actually really good to my group of friends, even though we were using a NookOut (www.nookout) deal that let us get 1 hour of hookah and 2 drinks for just $18 - 50% off!
The Most Horrible Service Ever!
by GautamCity81
I called on the phone to book a marketing event for my company. The person on the phone was very rude. I was told to ask for Sam, he told me that Sam just died. I asked him to speak to someone who can help me and he told me that no one works there anymore. I told him that he was being very rude and had absolutely no phone etiquette, to which he just made more rude comments to. I asked him his name and he wouldn't give it. If this place has these kinds of people answering their phones, its no wonder they stay at the lower end of Manhattan's hot spots! They definitely lost our business, which we had a huge guest list of our clients that we were taking out for a thank you event. We will definitely go elsewhere. If the owner cares about his business, he will definitely look into firing the guy answering the phones. I have to give this place one star even though they deserve zero!
Best place ever!!!!
by Les Junkie
I've been to Karma on several occasions and I don't understand these recent negative reviews. The staff is ALWAYS friendly and nice. Sometimes I have to wait a little sure but what busy place do you NOT ever wait. As far as the crowd.... Karma welcomes EVERYBODY, the basement is filled with all kinds of shows. Gay Nights, S&M nights, comedy shows, Open Mics, House Parties, you name it there is probably a show or a group that has some kind of function at Karma at LEAST once a month. The drinks are very reasonable and the bottle prices are fantastic!!! For my birthday last year I ordered a bottle of grey goose and it was only TWO HUNDRED bucks!!!! i've never gone anywhere and gotten a bottle for less than THREE!!!! I think Karma is GREAT and i will continue to go again and again, I guess there is just NO pleasing some people................
the most disgusting place on earth
by DaveSoba
They need to get new managers. This place is falling apart. Not only is the place dirty and smelly (yes I know it's a smoking bar, but I am a smoker myself and still found it to be gross), but the people are strange. Sad old neighborhood people. I thought it would be better on the weekends but it's just full of low class scum.
The worst part is on a slow night I had to watch one of the managers harass his bartender. He made lewd comments and even rubbed up against her when she was trying to get something. Then the other manager, I'm assuming it was him or maybe an owner, just made a joke about it. It was really awkward to be there while this was going on. He didn't seem to care that she was uncomfortable and that people were staring at him.
I also don't get the deal with gay night? Or...not gay night? Their signs often make jokes about gays, but I thought they had a gay night so I don't know what that is about.
Not really a place I'm proud of having been to a few times.
Each time gets worse.
Liked it...didn't love it
by icarress
I found this spot online, and decided to check it out last night.
I LOVED the atmosphere. There was a gay party downstairs, and the music was banging. Upstairs, they were playing pop stuff from my junior high years with lots of long gaps between songs - so I got to enjoy the good music during those gaps. The lounge was dark, couches lined the walls, and tables were separated by black curtains (which I WISH could be drawn around to create a private booth). Everything seemed clean.
I ordered a margarita with a couple changes, it was delicious - though small.
We ordered in from one of the 397 Indian restaurants that surround this joint (yum).
The server was an inattentive hottie. My coal was going out, and it took him about 15 minutes to bring another- this was after we were able to track him down and get his attention. They sure did charge us $4 more for the second one.
The hookah itself wasn't great either. The flavor was supposed to be coconut and apricot, but I tasted mint in there.
The hookah was small, and they only put one single coal on it... Color me unimpressed.
All in all, great spot for a hot date (you could totally make out without being gawked at!), tasty drinks, super cool atmosphere, but if you're a hookah enthusiast, you may want to punch someone in the mouth.
- Pros: Nice, dark, romantic atmosphere
- Cons: hookah was weak, slooooooow service
The Details on Karma Lounge
Place Categories:
- great place
- fantastic staff
- great good music
- horrible bar service
- drinks delicious cordial
- rude bouncers
- pleasent manager
- like smoke
- love karma
- like hookah
- once enjoyable crowd
- great drink
- awesome prices
- cool moody lounge atmosphere
- love smoking
- pretty hot majority
- wonderful birthday party
- great vibe
- fantastic whole experience
- great service
- sucked dj
- great divebars
- favorite hooka bars
- great bet

