10/30/09

An East Village 80's dive bar in the West Village

by mattshaw0

I am not sure how to explain some of the negative reviews. The Bartender is wonderful and creative (try the Jolly Rancher), the service is fast and friendly. The food is a couple of steps above average bar food (try the popcorn shrimp and nachos grande). It is noisy and hard to talk but not impossible. The people are a very mixed lot from working class to students to ?. The music can be almost anything and usually is - but always excellent. The front is narrow and has tattered seat booths, while the back is larger. I have been going there for 10 years (work nearby) and enjoyed every visit. I have never noticed employee or patron to be snobbish or rude and I have lived in NYC since 1980. The bartender makes excellent cocktails (her own concoctions). It is usually decked out for holidays, very creative eye, esp. Halloween. I think the place is great and I always go back (like tonight). Enjoy.

• Pros: Good Drinks, Atmosphere, Food, Service, People
• Cons: I usually eat and drink too much - wait - is that a Con?

03/03/09

Moronic Manager - Can't plan an event to save their lives!

by emilys4588

Manager (Robyn) - couldn't understand the concept of asking for a minimum quote to rent the back room for a la cart drinks. Some of my friends drink soda, some drink scotch...I didn't want to do open bar per person. This girl could not understand typical event planning basics! She kept talking me in circles about how a la cart with minimum is not any different than doing open bar per person. Then after I told her a dozen times that it would all be under one tab in the back (a la cart) she asked me if it would be under one tab. This girl seriously is a bar manager?! She also didn't understand how having my guarenteed reservation is different than having regular customers. Duh, I would have guarenteed them $XXXX.00 dollars for three hours of boozing under one credit card in advance. Would not want her working for me - she can't do simple math. The owner just lost business b/c of her idiocracy.

11/18/08

Hey! Are you pleasant, out going, polite, and tough. Do you like cheap drinks, tasty food, and oh so SASSY bartenders?

by TimmyPennywhistle

I'll tell you what! I always have a fun night at Art Bar... You cant be too sensitive, a cry baby, or snobby, If you are any of these things this bar just wont do...

I get a kick out of the people who work there!!! The bartender girls are fast, lovely, mix a mean cocktail, and are VERY SASSY!!!! So you better be able to take it ,and you better know how to tip right too, or watch out! Yowsa!!!! The Juke Box is good, the grub is above average for a bar! The atmosphere is warm and cozy...

Give this place a shot! If you're like me you will love it!

• Pros: Great atmosphere, tasty food, fun Bartenders....
• Cons: Dont be a wimp!

05/24/08

Rudest & Most Idiotic Staff Around

by LauraMarieNYC

Art Bar is terrible. It's a shame, because it has potential, but the people who work there totally ruin it. I've never encountered a ruder bunch of servers and bartenders in my life, and this is New York. I'm surprised that the staff doesn't connect with the fact that they're working for tips, and that the management lets them get away with this. My friends and I left after our server made several rude comments about our group of 6 taking up too man chairs in her section (1 per person). WTF? Bottom line... don't waste your time. There are plenty of other better places in the area.

05/05/08

Horrible.

by Omsense

If you like incredibly rude service and overrated atmosphere, this is the place for you. We were not served for 20 minutes and when we requested drinks, the female bartender was completely rude and acted shocked about the concept of paying customers, wanting to enjoy themselves. My friend gave her a very generous tip in cash which she grabbed out of his hand and scoffed at him. I said, "Sorry, we just wanted to order and pay for our drinks." She acted like it was the biggest chore in the world even after she grabbed the money out of his hand. She then told another rude waitress to hold on while she "dealt" with these people. Later in the night, she refused to close our tab so I had to get the male bartender to give us our card to even get out of the worst staffed bar in the city. If Art Bar ever wants to survive, they need to replace the female bartendar in the main room. Never been treated so horribly in my life and no human being deserves to get such horrid service.

• Pros: Absolutely NONE.
• Cons: SERVICE. ATMOSPHERE. ATTITUDE.

01/05/08

if you like visitors a la Joe's Apartment (if you get my drift) crawling on you...

by barcrawlmissus

I went to this bar on a date and we sat in the cozy couch area in the back. We were having a nice time, until I saw visitors "a la Joe's Apartment" (if you get my drift) crawling on my date. I'll give you a clue, it starts with C and ends with OACH. To think we'd been sitting there for two hours with them crawling on us!

When we told the wait staff, they were rude and even suggested we still pay for our drinks. We weren't even around food - now THAT's dirty.

Hostile staff, dirty conditions, bad customer service - i don't know why anyone would go here.

12/19/07

Very accomodating

by jeanineh

I had been to Art Bar once last year and had an okay time, but was a little turned off by the overly crowded small front space (I was there on a weekend, so wasn't that surprised) But, in organizing a holiday happy hour with about 15 coworkers, I decided to give it another try and reserve the large, comfy back room. Everyone I dealt with on the phone to make the reservation was incredibly friendly and accomodating. Unfortunately, shortly before my group arrived, there was actually an electrical problem in the back room, and it was a bit smoky smelling. They resolved the problem quickly, the manager was genuinely apologetic, and they gave us the option to keep our party in the back room. But in the meantime (before we even had arrived) had called a nearby bar to reserve a smiliarly sized space for us if we chose to relocate. Then, they bought my whole party a round of drinks while we contemplated the situation! Though we did end up relocating to the other bar due to the smoky smell in the back, I couldn't believe how well they handled a situation that could have potentially been a nightmare. Robin, the manager on at the time, was fantastic-I have never been so accomodated at any bar! Thanks, Art Bar! My co-workers and I will all be back!

• Pros: service

11/09/07

VERY BAD.

by under_pressure

Hostile and physically aggressive staff make it a horrid place. Would never subject freinds from out of town to this place. A seasoned New Yorker might hold their own - but even they will find the service repellent. If you want to spend five minutes to an evening risking fights with hostile staff this is your bar. If you want a nice time -- avoid this bar. The physical nature of the agression shown by their staff is dangerous.

• Pros: Location
• Cons: Service, Environment

05/24/07

21?

by stroffsky

I have recently found out about this place and I would like to take some of my friends that are coming into town. Since not all of them are 21 I would like to know ifthis is strictly 21 and over place.

• Pros: ________________
• Cons: __________________

04/13/07

Great atmosphere!

by cicekcan

Whenever I have guests, I take them here. It can get pretty crowded on the weekend after 10, but it's easy to find a friendly spot before that. The backroom is extremely cozy and romantic as well. The drinks are so-so, but the appetizers are veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery delicious!

• Pros: atmosphere, food
• Cons: service