Art Bar

I think this place has a really nice vibe especially in the back room. I love the couches and the décor. The music is always fun and varies in style. The staff is nice and accommodating. My only problem with this place are their drinks. I think that while they have a very comprehensive cocktail list, I’ve never been impressed with the taste of them. BUT, for the price I can let it go! Oh also the food is delicious. Overall a really nice place to spend an evening!

Here again at art bar such a lovely place specially with the staff here that treats you so well and April the best bartender ever so kind and, all I can say is that I love this place so much.

I did have a great time with 2 friends of mine one calm Sunday night after I picked up my snowboarding gear from GreenPoint Brooklyn.
The lounge is great.
Warm and cozy with a great fireplace. The attrition here is pretty fast so not to fret if there are no seats when you arrive. When you walk in it looks like just a bar but the lounge is behind the curtain.
Great place to buy a bottle of red on a cold night and share it with some friends. The food is also pretty good. The Cesar Salad was big and tasty. (yes I know what a chic thing to say… whatever I got a wedding in a week)
Also, because of the west village location, you will see the gamet of variations of couples!
If you dont like this, or you don’t agree with it (everyone is free to be WRONG, hahahaha), then maybe you should stick to another bar.
I ON THE OTHER HAND LOVE IT, so super happy with the ambiance!

I’m a total fan of the joint as I used to live above it. It’s a bit of a dive, but the lounge in the back really makes it. The drinks are good, the service can be a hit or miss depending on the server you get and the food is reasonable. It’s open late and the fireplace is awesome!

This place is a like a beautiful mullet. Pretty normal looking from the front, total surprise in the back.
Order a drink at the bar then walk through the curtains and procure your spot in front of the fireplace immediately!
A truly cozy way to spend Blizzard Jonas.

Awesome relaxed and friendly environment, the food and service is fantastic here! Although I’m not a cheese connoisseur, the staff was very helpful at helping us make a delicious selection!

So Art Bar is really 3 stars for me… the drinks are fine (martinis all very sugary) and the food is standard food. The place is a little old and dingy. But they have great prices, and a fireplace in the back (past the bar!) — without being pretentious. Instead of feeling like you’re sexing it up in a cozy old school library, you’re sitting on old beat up college-​style leather couches. There’s a bit of art of the wall, but when I inquired, the server didn’t know the artists (there’s one big, particularly interesting tableau in the back). She said it’s the most famous piece there and she should probably remember the name of the artist…
Bottom line: the place doesn’t meet my standards of what I like or expect in a bar, especially in the WV/​MPD area. But it’s chill and laid back, and does that well, which I appreciate.

Art Bar is a great spot in the West Village barely a stones throw from the mayhem of the Meatpacking district, but couldn’t be any farther away.
It definitely has a cool, West Village vibe to it. The front of the bar is typical bar — well, umm a bar and then there are booths across from the bar. Many people may think that this is all there is to the place.
You would be mistaken, my friend. There is plenty more to Art Bar. This place is business up front and party in the back. If you walk past the bar and through some curtains, you enter a much larger room with a high ceiling and tons of couches and ottomans. It is my favorite place to sit for drinks. It is a bit less nuts than the front bar. The service is good, too. The servers are never too far away and they turn around drink orders quickly. Another great thing about Art Bar is that the drinks are not super pricey, which is a good thing.

Great make out spot. Great canoodling jawn. Lots of nice things to rest your eyes on. Never grow tired of this place. I give Art Bar 5 stars not because the food is anything special, nor the service. It’s just being there, the layout, the setup, the lighting, the lusty dark sexyness of this place… no matter what time of day. I love it. I love the Last Supper painting in the back, just the space as a whole. I love the fact that there are wonderful random paintings on almost every wall, and that this has been a staple in this neighborhood for 20 years all the while retaining their namesake. Not the fastest service, not the most extensive menu. You definitely go here for the drinks, light banter, some fondling, some making out, and some taking in of dope ass art. Love this place.

Really cool space that just goes on. There is almost a hidden back room (I didn’t know about that initially).
Drinks were reasonable and the atmosphere was really relaxing (I wish I had on sweats though).
I would go back.

Worst service I have ever received at a bar. I sat down at bar, no hello, no menu, nothing from bartender and manager (Alexa E.) When I asked what the happy hour wine was she rudely walks away though she heard me. Two men sat down after me (nicely dressed) and same bartender goes right up to them right away, checks in with them several times, clears their plate, meanwhile she basically ignores me. I asked for menu twice, she doesnt come back to ask me if I want another drink or give me menu, ever. All she asked for is my credit card. My friend calls after I’m already there 30 min, its hard to hear my friend as the place is extremely loud so I have to tell her I can’t hear her and ask her to call back after we talked 10 min. I waited again for service ftom Alexa E. Im not on phone, and I obviously need service but she rudely ignores me. Later When I complain to her bartender about lack of service and that she never brought me a menu, she complains, «You already have men,.» which I had to get up & find myself, and then rudely adds, «To be honest with you, maam, I didnt approach you because you were always on phone yelling at someone.». Really? how rude & judgemental, I was on cell only 10 min not rest of time she ignored me. I wasn’t yelling at someone, I was trying to help a friend who could not hear me due to how loud Art bar was.
I ask bartender for manager and she says she is the manager… this manager l, Alexa E, should get out of service business or go get training how to smile & service customers.
When I was there another older woman came up to complain about how long her to go order was taking and the bartender manager also gives her an excuse & explanation. Customers expect service and a simple «I’m sorry» if something goes wrong or it’s busy, not to rudely treated and treated with a long list of explanations and excuses. Read the other reviews who also have been mistreated by this bartender/​manager. They use the word «rude» several times.
Lastly, menu is basic bar food, nothing special and drinks are watered down. This place is overrated.

Just came back from a LONG road trip and stopped by my old college stomping ground. The Bartender-(coleen i think) was funny, smart assed and attentive-​my favorite qualities in a server. Laid back and friendly was the general vibe. Great, chill place to meet for a date (saw at least 3 couples on them) or decent food with some friends.

This bar really doesn’t deserve this name. When my friend told me that she was gonna have a birthday party at Art Bar. I thought it would be a cool place ran by decent, kind and open-​minded human beings. Unexpectedly, I encountered the rudest bar tender here. Quite an experience.

Art Bar is two small bars in one: the front and back. Can’t stress this enough.
The difference is so distinct that you could meet up with your friends to pre-​game before a date in the front at a local dive, and then you and your date go to a cute date spot in the back. Feel free to use this idea, because I don’t frequent this place as much as I wish.
The front is your typical, more East Village-​style dive with retro curved vinyl booth seating with loud music; and the back is more candle-​lit low-​brow lounge. The back is what makes this place. If you can get a good seat back there, it’s a great low-​cost first date spot if he or she isn’t expecting anything fancy.
I’d go here all the time if it were closer.
Why can’t it move closer?!

I can’t think of anything wrong with Art Bar! It was the perfect spot for a date or catching up with a friend, with comfy seating, dim lighting, reasonably priced food and drinks, and non-​obtrusive service.

I go to this place once in a while because I love the back area. It’s full of art and very quiet. Perfect for a date or just to have some conversation with friends. Their food is very good, considering I don’t usually eat bar food at all. The bartenders/​waitresses are very friendly and this is definitely a place I’ll continue to bring my business too.

It is so odd to me that this Bar has a Low rating…
Maybe I was there at the Best time possible, early evening (so I was told by a Mr. Louis, an all things NY connoisseur).
The outside is so laid back I almost walked right passed it. When walking in, the front area had the same vibe. After realizing I was to go to the back room, the inner Alice in me was ready to go! The entrance to the back room lounge area is so un assuming I thought it was the entrance to the kitchen. cool. Once in, the words Neat, Cool, Sweet, Artsy awesomeness come to mind. I believe I noticed fellow midwesterners walking in the room, just because they uttered the same words upon walking in! NYC cool people may be able to hold back their AWE but why should the rest of us mere mortals do so. I don’t. The couches are an eclectic mix of interesting coziness.
There are paintings, this alone makes me like a place close to 90% already.
Very Romantic without being cheesy. Although wine, cheese & bread are the epitome of romance!

Possibly the most awesome happy hour in NY. So cheap! They also have plenty of room in the back. It’s really dark inside so watch your step lol.

Whenever someone has something bad to say about Art Bar, I always have it’s back. And by that I mean it’s back room. I love their back room. Other areas leave something to be desired, but you have to love what the back room provides.
Art Bar is a great spot for small party 10 – 20 heads on a weekend night, if you can get some seats. They don’t take reservations, but they do take requests. Though I’m not sure what that means. Call them up, let them know you’re interested. Then call an hour before you intend to show up. If a spot is not taken, they’ll then reserve it for you. I would target getting there after happy hour, but before the night crowd starts to come in. Like 9:30ish.
If you score a section in the back for your small party, you’re in for a treat. The place plays great music, has some funky décor and gives your group space to chill out. The back does waiter service and they do not like it if you order from the bar. Even if someone wants to buy you a shot for your birthday, or you go to the bathroom and just happen to see an old friend by the bar. They will wag their finger at you. I don’t really mind using the waiter service, but they don’t divide bills which is a bit annoying. They should consider changing that.
The front area can get a bit tight. Don’t plan on standing. You’ll be getting knocked into and you’ll be blocking everyone, you jerk! The best spot to be in the front is one of the booths. Nice, plush and able to hold four comfortably, the booths are perfect if you’re with a few other people.
The place is really well priced for the West Village, and isn’t sketchy, douchey, B&T, or filled with young kids. Score!
Art Bar is a great place to peek into if you’re walking by and want to see if it can accommodate you’re current needs or if you need a spot to throw a small party. Just plan accordingly.

Divey bar– standard bar in the front and kind of a basement with a whole bunch of couches in the back.
Two reasons to come here:
1) daily happy hour (READ: DAILY HAPPY HOUR) 4−7pm
House wine ~3 $; beer around ⁴⁄₅ $
Food prices are pretty good. Standard bar food.
2) The seating in the back. Its Dark. It has all these couches to just relax in or take a date to. (and the place wont break the bank!)
Keep in mind this is for a person who is really chill and wants to waste some hours over draft beer or house wine. If you’re looking for mixologists, or a chic interior, the latest furniture, or a pretentious doorman this is not the place. You WILL get a really chill bartender who has a trusty flashlight to help you find lost items (it pretty dark in there), TVs in the front if you wanna watch some football, spacious back of the bar (its past the restrooms) where theres enough space for everyone to enjoy and keep their convos private. The whole place is divey. Oh and theres a jukebox playing music for the front of the bar.
Take it for what it is and enjoy the daily happy hour.