St Lucian Paradise

Went here for a local punk show during the first week of its opening. I think that it was even the first show they hosted. Great venue, I like that they have two bars (one on each floor) and the rooftop patio is super chill. Plenty of room for a smaller show, but small enough to feel close to the action. The wings were on point! I think I was the first person to buy the wings and I was not disappointed! This place has lots of potential, I would love to come back for more shows!

This is the best place in Brooklyn to hang out. The owner is so hospital and a great singer. The food is on point and the song selection is extensive.

When the island winds blow… it will lead you to interesting experiences. I nominate this place for a Flash-​Mob as «Best Kept Secret Sound-​System in Bed-​Stuy».
On a recent trip to NYC, my hip (not hipster) aunt decided that a night of fun and karaōke was in order. It was my first visit to a local nightclub in Brooklyn. We came at 11:30PM, left to a Dominican place, and returned at 2AM. I was surprised to find the place empty because it sounded so… vibrant. It turns out that the reason it was empty was because they had a private party that cancelled at the last minute (BOO).
I can’t say what it looks like on a crowded night, but it has ALOT of potential and I’m guessing that this means the secret isn’t out yet (outside of Karaōke Circles). I’m pretty sure there are some local musicians that would be DYING to have an eclectic chill-​spot host their next show.
Neighborhood: YAY, THIS PLACE IS NOT GENTRIFIED!!! As an outsider this can be a mixed-​bag due to stereotypes of this Brooklyn area as «über-​Ghetto» or newly «up and coming». Yes, the location for 12AM on a Friday night isn’t in the best neighborhood, near a freeway underpass, and has little foot-​traffic — but I felt safe. We were able to find parking across the street. I’m happy to report it as «middle-​of-​the-​road». The average person who has common-​sense and intelligence won’t feel scared, alienated, or skeeved here.
Atmosphere: The venue looks pretty small from the outside — but once you walk-​in, you realize it’s pretty deep and has a sizable dance-​floor. There is nothing special about the décor since it’s your typical club interior with bluish/​purple lighting, walls of mirrors, flashing lights, and one long full-​bar to the right with nods to the island theme via flags. Despite all of this, I still felt transported to this man’s vision of St. Lucian Paradise. It has the air of one of those super fun local clubs you find in Tijuana or any Carribbean dancehall. At first you want to say… meh…and then you let go of your stupid expectations and actually have fun.
Music: The music was banging. I was shocked that the D.J. was popping out with some deep-​cuts of Island /​Calypso /​Dance-​Hall /​Reggae sexiness to an empty room. He didn’t perform like he was on-​bored auto-​pilot. I’ll put it like this — it was good enough to get my Baby Boomer mother to twerk on her own with no help or instruction. I’d say we went a good hour before stopping out of sheer tiredness. This is not a fist-​bump hole or a glitter-​pop disco.
Sound System: I’ve gotten used to small clubs scrimping on their sound system. I was pleasantly pleased at the amount of «thump» this room produced. I was cushioned in a steady stream of island bass that had none of those annoying pops of over-​used sound systems. Better yet, the sound person knew enough about setting levels that the bass didn’t overpower the musical elements of the songs or blow out my ears.
Drinks: I had a decent Long Island served by a female bartender that was unusually distracted — definitely more spirit than mixer though. This is probably not the place to get an artisanal cocktail. However, if you are paying attention to the taste of your drink rather than shaking your rump you are probably doing this place wrong. Stick with beer, uncomplicated fare, or whatever the owner orders for you.
People: You know a place is fun when you feel the good vibes and hardly anyone else is there. As a reviewer, I like to pay attention to the personalities attached to a business. It’s clearly friendly to the Reggae /​Dance Hall /​Hip-​Hop crowd. The crowd that did walk in through the evening was diverse in both age and ethnicity. There is more than a Caribbean ex-​pat community or diaspora that patronizes this joint. My Brazillian/​Greek aunt introduced this place to me as one of the best-​kept Karaōke secrets in town. I can’t attest to that fact — BUT… she’s a loyal fan because it is an inclusive environment with an amazingly friendly owner. Despite the local feel, nobody made me feel like an outsider. The club’s owner could be found in a fedora sitting at the bar laughing with his staff and singing the occasional tune. In our conversation he mentioned that he was from St. Lucia and wanted to create a space where people could have fun and dance like «back home». I get the impression that the whole neighborhood knows him; however like paradise, they won’t know his secrets :) If you see an excellently dressed brother and sister duo here, talk to them — they are really chill folks.
I look forward to visiting this place on my next visit to New York City, as I gleefully skip over Williamsburg and gag. It made my life a bit sweeter by giving me the experience of clubbing with my mom like it was Studio 54 — Booty Bass Edition. I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed if you go on any of their featured performance /​club /​Karaōke nights with a large group of friends that like to dance.