Lounge Bartinis

wasn’t bad. cool spot to go to for some drinks. they had some variety of drinks that you can choose from. just remember the stinky floors and dark dance floor

The one thing I always did remember from Bartinis was the stick floors and the stairs you had to safeguard your friends in heels from.
Wandering around later at night a few years ago, we all somehow wobbled across those cobblestoned streets to reach this little hole in the wall. It was really a hole in the wall because you would never expect it to be there. At first I thought my friends were walking me to a hotel or someone’s apartment for a party but I guess the party was in the basement in a not so creepy way.
There was a mandatory coat check which really sucked because they weren’t even charging for it, if it’s not making you money as a business then why are you doing it. Once you mastered those stairs and you reach the point where you’re told there’s a cover charge. I’m not sure why someone couldn’t tell us before we struggled on our way down here. Well passing the level one of the legendary stairs, it’s onto a large basement dancefloor with enough couches to take a nap on. The music was hip hop and reggae, we were a bit tipsy so it didn’t matter what was playing because we would still enjoy it.
The bar is pretty large and it wasn’t to hard to quickly buy a ton more drinks (which were pretty expensive) to pump into our already music pumping blood system. The bouncers seemed to have a real good handle on the location but it still seemed like the creep warehouse. It’s a place you go when you have nothing else to do and you’re with people who can support you because going by yourself would just not be wise.
We made the best of 45 minutes here before we decided it was time to travel across Queens to somewhere more exciting. This place was dead, it had a few older couples hanging around and a bunch of creepers staring at you. I wouldn’t come back here by choice but no worries, it’s closed now.

This use to be the place to go to a couple of years ago, but after hearing on the news someone got into a fight here & later died, & the bouncers threw out the guy getting beat up, not the guys doing the beating up… never again would I come here. I wouldn’t suggest anyone else come here either.

Ummmm why has no one informed us this place is no longer around. I looked it up on Unilocal and decided to go with some friends last Friday night. We get there and see that its been shut down by the fire marshals. Fellow Unilocalers this dive no longer exists don’t waste your drinking time lol

This is truly a dive. It stinks and the bathroom is disgusting.
On a high note the music is always GREAT. If your looking for a good ladies night, Thurs are awesome. I wouldn’t suggest the free drink though. I’ve had to call out of work some Friday’s due to the apple martini.
Overall I always have a blast when I go. Just stear clear of the free drinks… it’s not worth the after effect

This place has the potential to be a four star spot but for right now its worth 2.5÷3. First off the music is great. The drinks are strong. I had an apple martini which was a little overbearing with flavor, but that plus 2 patron shots had me nice. The DJ (kassanova) announced half off shots for 5 minutes around 1am n then again about 10 minutes later… thought that was great! The drinks here are expensive. It was $ 24 for a henny/​redbull and an Apple Martini. We got here an hour late after ladies night, which was ladies drink free (Apple martinis and cosmopolitans only) and I thought those drinks would still be a special price for ladies but guess not. The half off shots were $ 6, meaning a regular shot was $ 12 (too expensive especially for queens). This place is definitely part of the forest hills inn.
There is also a bad mold problem here because my eyes were going crazy all night (the strong smell of mildew was nausiating). Because of this I only MIGHT come back here. I can deal with the smell, but not the physical side effects.
NOTE TO MANAGEMENT: please clean this place up, you would get such a wonderful crowd if you did!

First night was great — I met my boyfriend!
Second Night — Realized this place was a real dump!

Came here to meet my intoxicated girl Angie I. and her co-​workers on their debauchery celebration of liberation from the chains of Bank of America. She greeted me at the door and brought me in where I encountered what seems to be a retired NFL player of a bouncer. He let me know that normally I wouldn’t be admitted because of my sneakers but the girls saved me. Umm really!!! In Queens!!! GTFOH, that’s a sign of horseshitness already.
Downstairs was spacious and the DJ wasn’t spinning too bad but it was BARREN. Other than my girl’s crew of 5, a couple sitting in the dark corner, 2 bartenders and 2 people at the far end of the bar who looked like employees… there was NO ONE ELSE. Yes our group was a tad drunken rowdy and they were shoving ice cubes down each other but it seemed like they aren’t fond of business and money because we were kicked out at 11:00. So now they were down to the couple in the corner who probably ordered 2 piña coladas and a freaking coke.
Au revoir, definitely won’t be back.

Wow, this place def takes the cake for just about the worst «bar» «club» «lounge» experience I’ve ever had, EVAR. Can Unilocal start allowing minus-​star ratings?
Right off the bat, you know this place sucks when you see the small-​ish hand-​written scribbled note pasted on a wall near the entrance to descending stairs that reads something like «Cash Only, sorry.» Then you head down those stairs to what’s basically a basement-​level joint and immediately encounter the distinct mustiness of an unkempt below-​ground space. We then see a «No Dancing» sign tacked to the mirrored wall near DJ. What the heck???
The layout, décor, lighting, sound system, aforementioned smell, etc etc are just BAD, which def sets the tone for your experience there. We all hit up the bar since we agreed we’d for sure have to be tipsy/​drunk to even stay there and make the most of it. We all order top-​shelf drinks, which were priced about $ 6-​$ 8, not bad. Then we found out why. I’m sorry but you can’t really fake the taste of any of the liquors you are familiar with and usually order at any given bar, restaurant, buy at liquor stores, order on airplanes, etc etc, so WHY DOES BARTINIS THINK THEY CAN FOOL US WITH FILLING PREMIUM BOTTLES WITH LESS-​THAN-​PREMIUM ALCOHOL???
I realize this happens a lot in these seedy-​types of establishments and as a consumer in that type of situation, my best bet would be to make nice w/​the bartender in hopes they’d make nice back and offer me another beverage of my choice. In fact, the condescending, arrogant bartender called me «honey» and asked me to speak to the manager since he basically accused me of trying to cop another drink on the house as I took 2 sips of my drink. Not phased, I sought this manager, who was already made aware by bartender of my (friendly) complaint by a series of hand-​gestures and signals, and I overheard the manager, who hardly looked my way or acknowledge me as he was too busy groping some honey in a tight dress, and said he would honor my request JUST THIS ONCE and give me a new drink. Silly me, I ordered the same premier vodka + soda water and it tasted the same as it did the first time around… just GROSS. The rest of my crew wanted to complain too but after what I had to go through, we just ordered a round of bottled beers and called it a night.
Sure enough, I have the hangover I usually reserve for less-​than-​premium alcohol as I write this review. Thanks Bartinis for making me write probably my most horrible review of an establishment to date.

Okay, so it’s not a trendy NYC club, but Bartini’s tries!
The Manager and bartenders are extremely nice. Drinks are strong. Around $ 9 a martini. They have martini encyclopedia! Fun to flip through… until you order it and they tell you they don’t have half the ingredients listed in there. But it’s still fun. Then you realize the bartender has no idea how to make it and flips through their own recipe book haha. But they will work with you until you find something you want and that’s all that matters.
The music is played off a CD until 11pm (more like 11:30pm) when the DJ decides to arrive. M-​F are pretty dead. We showed up on a Fri night at 10pm when they opened. Wait till midnight, still just a handful of people. The décor inside is nice, the couches are rock hard or old but look nice. If you are going with a bunch of close friends, who cares if the club isn’t rockin? It’s like a private club. Plus, it’s Queens– what do you expect? Bring a bag so you can stuff your coat in because they still force you to coat-​check.

Avoid this place at all costs. Forest Hills doesn’t really have too many great lounges to hang out at, but this doesn’t mean Bartinis is even a viable option.
Other reviews already said it, but basically:
— Ugly basement
— Expensive drinks
Ugh.

Not a bad place to hang out. The doorman was cool, but the bouncers inside — not so much.
Music was good as was the crowd. I would give this place another try if I end up back in Queens, but it wouldn’t be high on my priority list.

*Sigh* I wish you were fun Bartinis Ive tried you out a few times because I was hopeful, but you always disappoint.
The place is dirty, in a basement, its always dead… and the drinks are expensive. Music is ok, but not enough to go back.
I will however hold you dear to my heart because 3 years ago I made out with my boyfriend for the first time, in your smelly unoccupied couches.

This place is a pit.
On a Saturday night I trekked here for a surprise birthday party. After wandering around the suburban block and asking at Jade where I could find Bartinis, I spied the mini neon sign with an arrow pointing down. I should have paid attention to the direction of that arrow, as it was the direction the rest of the night went, with quickness.
I sat there, alone, for an hour, waiting for the party to arrive. (Turns out they were vastly delayed, but that’s another issue.) There was one unfortunate couple that came in for 20 minutes and started dry-​humping in the middle of the dance floor. Besides them it was me, the cocktail waitress who could not hear me over the too-​loud music and therefore got my drink order wrong twice, and two muclehead bouncers/​managers. The rest of the night I remember only in flashes of misery:
Upon opening that door I was affronted with the dueling scents of pee and cleaning supplies.
The stairs under my feet are saggy and covered in carpet so tired it made me want a nap.
An empty low-​ceilinged basement with tile floor that in general reminded me of the Saw movies.
Wet (wet!) fake velvet banquets whose torn edges pressed damp foam up against the back of my knees.
The awful too-​loud bass beatz straight out of 1998. Were there a crowd they surely would have been fist pumping.
I gave up on waiting for the other party guests and took the long train ride home to Harlem, where even in the ghetto our clubs are not that ghetto.
Now you might think, Kate F., «How can you judge a lounge if it was basically empty the whole time and you were just sitting there by yourself?» and at first I might agree with you… but then I’d realize that the dirty pit of despair that I was able to see unfettered by drunk patrons covering the gum-​covered floor and without the scent of Axe body spray and sweat equalizing the smell of pee was a gift of knowledge which I, on a busy night, otherwise would have missed. If their floor looks like that how well tended must their bar be? If a basic beer costs $ 7 but they let their their torn couches look like that, how well managed must their staff be? I’m lucky I learned the easy way, instead of catching salmonella from a dirty glass or catching attitude from a nasty bouncer.
Never ever ever in a thousand years would I ever go the Bartini in Forrest Hills again. It was so gross I came home and showered even though my hair was still wet from my gettin’ ready shower hours previous. Ew.

This place has been around for years, growing up in the area it was one of the first places I hit up when I was younger and staying local. 5 – 6 years ago this place was cool and chill, now… wow I don’t know what happened but it was a totally different scene, a lot more of a relaxed and ghettofied crowd to say the least. lol
I thought maybe it was the night… but no I went on a different night to give it another shot but no luck, the crowd was lame, the 40 year old bartender who always showed preference to the females (seriously guy we all know its the guys who spend and leave the heavy tips) was lame… so overall lame experience twice for a spot that use to be a sure thing. Very disappointing!

Rude bouncer staff. Extremely rigid about coat-​checking coats and hats. Place is a little full of itself, considering what it is: a basement dump underneath a train station with expensive drinks and a not-​so-​sophisticated crowd. «Ladies night» is a pretty useless promotion.
One (+) though: DJs plays pretty good music.
Been there twice, never plan on going back.

This is a tiny basement lounge/​club next to Jade lounge.
On rainy Saturday, we were trying to get in to the lounge, and the bouncers blocked my friends because they were in sneakers. (gosh I was lucky that I was all kinda dressed up.) Anyways, we finally got in, and checked in our coat.(Coat check is $ 2.) There was a tiny lounge/​dance floor a half full of people in the basement. A half of the people were on a side just watching the rest dancing. (hm. kinda creepy, fellas!) The dance floor was a bit slippery and I saw a lady fell down. Drinks were expensive. A bottle of beer costs $ 7. It was ridiculous that there was a (looking like a normal high school boy) bathroom boy in the bathroom giving paper towels and waiting for tips.
I am not a fan of this lounge, but if I am around I will come back for more discovery. :)

Can’t go wrong a far as having a «local» night out.
You cannot compare this place to anywhere else in the city. It’s apples and oranges. Queens is a whole different animal… and forest hills is a whole different sub-​species of that animal.
I’ve come here as a single guy and in relationships and always was treated with respect at the door and at the bar. The music can be hit or miss sometimes (with the over-​mixing), but overall the energy in this parent’s basement style lounge is good to very good.
Yeah, you’ll see the occasional 65 year old man dancing around with his fedora cap on but you know what… there were still 3 or 4 girls dancing around him. All I can say is good for him.
Drinks have always been mixed well and the martini selection has something for everyone. Every time I brought a date to this place after dinner they always had a good time. Good drinks + Good Mix + Decent Crowd = Nice Evening = second date
So what if the bouncer looks like Deebo from Friday. Crack a smile, pay the $ 2 coat check and get your 2 – 5 minutes worth of dance moves ready.

whoa! I imagine this is what «Queens does LB» looks like. Apologies to Queens.
Music too loud, sketch crowd (sorry, my friends didnt want to get «superman’ed that ho» by random strangers), floor tiles missing en route to what really should be a basement level apartment rather than made a quasi-​martini bar. I’d trust the frat guys to throw a better party– yup, its like that.
Wait, did this guy really try and ask me for two bucks after I got my own soap and my own paper towels in the bathroom? toilet bowl attendant, double-​you Tee eff? I didnt even take one of your starlight mints! I respect the hustle, but back off son.
Pluses– music is good. 3 martini’s, 2 vodka tonics, 2 margarita’s ran $ 44 which I thought was a deal. Minuses– everything else.
Moral of the story– bring lots of friends, or better yet, throw your own party. or bring a taser to Bartinis.

Ring Ring… Jamel…what are you doing… mindin my bidness… why? We are going to Bartinis… meet us there… click…
Not knowing what I was walking into, I head to this Forest Hills venue after getting the address from Unilocal.You walk in to a bouncer and a coat check girl. After paying two dollars and watching her climb the room like spider woman, I walk down stairs, still not knowing what to expect. I pan the room. The heat is on. Literally. It was hot. As I listen to hip hop and some old school being spun I look around and marvel at the rainbow coalition that I was to spend my night with. Bartinis is a reflecting of everything local, black, white, asian, older and younger all vibin to the beat. Well, some people had their own beat, but they got an A for effort. They have blue moon. This is a plus. They serve it in a bottle with no orange. But I lived. And that is Bartinis. If we were vampires, the club with the amazing time is blood and bartinis is tru blood. (
). You get just what you need and it will help you live. Oh. and they have lots of Martinis. however, when you are in a club like lounge, do you really wanna be rollin with a martini glass? Unless ur taking shots of it, someone might be wearing it. That someone might be you! Friends are mandatory. Coat check is not. However, unless you live on the sun, you are going to be uncomfortable and you will stink. Do yourself a favor, spend the two bucks. ok. ok…do me the favor. Thanks.