Bongo

This place has been a go-​to for YEARS. Have celebrated so many birthdays and engagements and other special events here (including Pride!). Such a perfectly cozy, chic space for a small gathering. And the owners are such chill, brilliant, great people. Great vibe and would keep coming back just to patronize their business on principle even if it weren’t for the fact that…
THIS IS THE BEST LOBSTER ROLL IN MANHATTAN.
Hands down, I will not be swayed. I’m not even sure I should be sharing this because it might make them that much harder to come by (lobster brought in fresh and when it’s gone it’s gone!) but would be unfair not to give them their due. Good, strong cocktails too, served in great vintage barware and also try the mac n’ cheese and fried shrimp. Yum!!!

one of my favorites for oysters, bloody mary’s, lobster rolls and mac-​n-​cheese. clam rolls and other bites are also pretty great.

I used to love this place in its original location on 10^th Avenue. The drinks were stiff and the atmosphere was welcoming. It’s no fault of the business that they were priced out in a hyper real estate boom. The new location offers a lot more room and it has a lot of potential.
But now promoting itself as a seafood restaurant on the West Side Highway, you get the impression that its days are numbered.
I was part of a private party of about 25 people last week. The guests seemed to really enjoy the passed hors d’oeuvres, which I didn’t eat. They appeared to be small fried seafood items, mini lobster rolls, mini cookies, etc. I had just returned from Cape Cod and had eaten a lot of very fresh seafood and the entire restaurant here smelled like fish sticks. I had several glasses of wine, which was fine and my friends complimented the cocktails.
The problem? Sadly the building has had scaffolding up for months. Again, not the fault of the restaurant. But the fluorescent lights all the way around the storefront blast into the windows of every room of the bar really ruining the mood. The guests were all basically squinting without realizing it because it’s so bothersome. As soon as there was an opportunity and the freebies quit flowing, people snuck out seeking a more friendly atmosphere elsewhere.
On the way out, my friend mentioned this in a friendly way to the bar owner, to which she was very defensive, saying «you pay for it then.» Umm, we don’t own the place. I get it, it was the end of a long day and night and owning a small business is tough, especially a bar. After a few drinks, we may have been a little insensitive. But unless you listen to feedback you won’t survive. We said what everyone in the group was saying. That is over 25 return customers lost. We were dragged over there for a party and had it been pleasant, some of us would have returned. In our business, we throw a party every four to six weeks.
Put some window tint up, buy some curtains, invest $ 500 to make the environment warmer or you’ll suffer. And when someone offers a criticism, say thank you, consider, and address it… even if you’ve had a long day.

Absolutely horrible. First impression was the smell of humidity/​mildew. When the oysters finally arrived (after 25 min) there were miniscule, broken up and full of shells. After 45 min, our mains still hadn’t arrived, and not a peep from the waitress or manager, who despite standing 3 feet away complete ignored us. When asked, the manager dismissed us without even looking in our direction, saying «oh we’re a bit backed up.» When I finally found the waitress, she meekly explained that the health dept had come and their kitchen was shut down. and that they were just STARTING our meals now. I realize these things can happen; had they made a minimal effort to communicate what was happening I could be understanding, but given the extremely unwelcoming and flat out rude service, this place earns minus one star from me.

Enjoyed mid century décor in lovely large room. our party ordered Oysters and Fried Oysters Rockefeller. they were very good. Nice Malbec wine. Unique environment. relaxing in that lovely room.

What a beautiful spot!!! Just went there today and fell in love with the décor and drinks. Beautifully set up in a lounge setting with a full menu and full bar, this place is a hidden gem! I’ll be going there a lot more and definitely would recommend to any one in the area.

BONKERS IS MORE LIKE IT!
Owner please listen — get a clue — anyone who walks into your establishment, even if they have a group in tow aint no reson to behave the way you did… SHAME!
understandably this would throw anyone but did you have to show us that you were uncool and UNINVITING and PS your left you front bar UNATTENDED AND MORE THAN ONCE!!! and from the looks of your reveiws you do this often … your are asking for trouble i WOULD NEVER STEP INTO YOUR PLACE EVER!
READ YOUR REVIEWS AND CHANGE YOUR STORY — UNACCEPTABLE

I didn’t eat or drink here, but I think I got a pretty good idea of what the people who work here are like.
There were 5 of us walking back from Hudson River Park after seeing a movie there. During the long walk back, we needed to stop somewhere and use a restroom. We came across Bongo and decided to stop there, since we could see through the windows that there were literally 5 or 6 patrons in the entire place.
When we walked in, there was not an employee in SIGHT. No host/​hostess, no bartenders, no waiters. What kind of place is open on a Friday night and has no staff manning it? I mean, seriously, we could have robbed the place if we wanted to. We waited a minute or two for someone to show up, but when no one did, we just went right into their restrooms.
After my group used the restrooms, we re-​convened in the lobby to leave the place. That’s when a woman (didn’t catch her name, but she was tall with long dark hair) appeared out of nowhere and asked us in a nasty tone if she could help us. We explained we were just using the restrooms, and in an even ruder tone of voice, she said, «WELL, the bathrooms are for CUSTOMERS ONLY, so I can’t have all of you using them!» We told her we had already used the bathrooms and then she proceeded to call US rude. My sister was using an outlet that was completely out in the open to charge her phone while we waited for our friends to finish in the restrooms, and the woman employee said, «And it’s REALLY rude for you to just use our outlets like that to charge your phone!» As we were walking out, we told her we would never return to this place, and she started shouting insults at us as we exited the restaurant.
Okay, seriously? If the bathrooms are for customers only, why not put a sign? Or better yet, why not, oh I don’t know, actually have EMPLOYEES working there to greet people and TELL US that it’s customers-​only?! Instead, we walked into an empty place, used their restrooms, and THEN got yelled at for doing so. Also, this woman was overly rude to us. If you’re representing a restaurant, you really shouldn’t behave like that. The way she was acting, you would think she was someone who stumbled in off the street, and not someone working at a supposedly «nice» restaurant/​lounge.
Overall, just a jaw-​dropping experience, in the worst way possible.

Such an unfortunate evening. We entered Bongo, and the manager sitting in a corner didn’t move. We were half convinced they were closed. When we asked if
we could have drinks and food, the manager responded with a snarky comment: «you better have at least one.» We were originally seated in a room that contained a small but motley crew of characters but then decided to move to another room for more privacy. We sat in another open section and was told by the same woman, «don’t make a mess… this room was cleaned already.» Beg your pardon? The room wasn’t roped off; the lights were on. Do you want customers in this nearly empty establishment? Try even a touch of hospitable decorum.

Found this place on Unilocal and had a great time. The décor is nice and cozy, like hanging out in someone’s re-​purposed basement. The oyster happy hour was wonderful, a great mix of oysters for $ 1.50! Not just blue point (not that I have anything against blue point). The servers/​bartenders are sassy but sweet. Drinks were really strong and well made. It was a fun place! But still being sort of broke in the city this is probably going to be a once in a while place, the drinks we were drinking were $ 12ish which is just a little too much for us to make it a regular go to spot. But we did love it, it was a great experience, and we will be going back!

Had a great night here on Wednesday with my buddy (and fellow Unilocaler) Louis drinking and oystering it up.
Pros:
— $ 1.50 Oysters 5−8pm
— Amazing L-​roll and Mac & cheese ie: 2 of my fav foods
— Music here is sick! It’s throwback hit after throwback hit. I literally asked if I could buy a copy of the playlist!
— Killer Drinks. Loved the 395… quite girlie yes, but delicious nonetheless
— Great space for a party. I would seriously consider throwing an event here. Andrea is cool as hell and will make sure you have a good time!
Cons:
— It’s practically in the dirty Jerz… although this can also be seen as a Pro as it makes the place much more laid back and more neighborhoody.
Solid crowd, solid company, solid service, solid snacks, solid oysters, solid beats. That’s a whole lotta solid if you ask me… oh, and the drinks were super solid too, so solid liquids (ha, see what I did there?)

Off-​the-​beaten-​path location: Loved it.
Chic, hip, fancy décor: Loved it.
Dope tracks pumped by the friendliest owner/​bartender: Loved it.
$ 1.50 oystaaahsss combined with strong mutha F’in drinks for happy hour: Loved it.
Buttery lobstaaaah roll, garlic bread, salmon crostini, tuna lollipops and deelish mac n’ cheese: Loved it.
Chillin with my homegurl in this spot: Loved it.

Well, I never did manage to get back here until yesterday which was again Manhattan Pride. This year I knew the area and the approximate location. However thanks to street closings on West St (or the West Side Highway whatever you want to call it), it was a little more cumbersome to get to. When I get there with a few other people with the New York City Anti-​Violence Project, the bouncer let us in since the Director told her we were with her. They had a Pride special of $ 6 Pearl Vodka drinks. I had ordered a screwdriver with he Pearl Citron Vodka. Nice and strong.
After my first drink I was ready for some food. Since this place is known for seafood., I ordered the «sticks and chips» starter which i didn’t realize was a starter. They wanted a credit card to hold while they placed my order. It came out rather quickly. The fish was well seasoned and flaky. The chips were thin and crispy, also tasty.
When I went back to order more drinks for myself, the bartender remembered my name which is unusual, especially for such a busy place as it was.
Later I had to come back in because my ride was late and I wanted someplace to be for the pickup. Again, remembered my name even when they didn’t have the benefit of a credit card to go by.

I have lived in the west village for… ever and BONGO is what it’s all about — friendly interesting people, great food and fantastic beverages. Run, dont walk to BONGO, especially as the sun sets over the Hudson, especially during oyster happy hour.
Lobster rolls and potato chips taste like summer… and make sure you meet Sophia!

The lounge is located in the spot where the notorious 70s leather bar THE RAMROD was closed down because of an uzi shooting. With that kind of history, you wouldn’t expect MELLOW. You’d be wrong. With music only in the background, loungy tables, soft lighting, couches and NO TVs!!! This is the perfect place to unwind… right by the Westside Highway.
You won’t notice the highway, though, as you relax with your compatriots, over a nice beer selection, an exotic cocktail menu and good seafood. It ain’t cheap. It cost us $ 50 each and we drank nothing more than beer (but a lot of it). The oysters are $ 39 for a baker’s dozen. It’s best to skip the spot if you’re on a tight budget. But if it’s splurge night… or someone else is paying (seems like a great place to impress a date!), this is the place to splurge. –Drink Club NYC is a roving group of NYC drinkers.

I went to Bongo for a private party and the staff was so hospitable. I am eager to return. The drinks are delicious and the eclectic decorations with colorful glass is a great small space that could be an awesome spot to celebrate an occasion with a small group.
A must is the lobster roll and the mac and cheese hmm mmm mm

So according to Unilocal,the oyster happy hour (5−8pm) was $ 1.25/oyster with a purchase of a drink.
NOT TRUE!
It’s actually $ 1.50. Not a huge difference but still kinda annoying. They do have 4 varieties to choose from (2 east coast, 2 west coast) and they change depending on what their vendor feels like selling them. They had 4 types that I had never heard of but I really enjoyed the Discovery Bay oysters.
Drinks here are pretty good but a little on the pricy side — $ 10 for a mini martini and $ 14 for a regular one with Ultimat Vodka? Never heard of it but I’m not really a vodka connoisseur.
It’s a bit out of the way and requires a little trek from the subway. It’s also right on West Street which is the precursor to the Westside Highway so traffic is pretty noisy.
The facilities were nice, the waitress/​bartender was a little aloof but also nice, and it seems like it might be a fun spot at night (especially for the gay crowd which they seem to cater to). Will I come back? Probably not.

How am I supposed to give them more stars if I’ve already given them a full rack?! Went back this weekend (the night before «The Rapture»). Didn’t get any oysters this time, wanted to try their specialty cocktails instead. We loved EVERYTHING they brought to us, EVERYTHING! Pricey, a tad, but delicious and poured strong. Well worth it!

Rude service, ok food, overpriced.
I came with a group of 4, we had a groupon for 50% off a party platter which included — 8 oysters, 8 clams, 16 sliders (tuna, lobster, crab cake, fried clam), 4 drinks and 4 dessert shots. Nothing stood out — the raw selection was fine except the clams had a lot of grit, the tuna was overcooked, the rest of the sliders were pretty good.
This was not nearly enough food, and without the groupon it would have been $ 240 — way overpriced.
Also, the service was poor start to finish. When we made the reservation the host was adamant that 6pm was the only time open and that if we were late at all we would lose our spot. When we arrived, the place was empty (as it was when we left), and our waitress was very rude.
I will not be returning.

HELLO FOOD POISIONING!!!
I got some serious food poisoning from the «homemade» salsa at this place. The owner insisted that we try it — both the tomato and the corn varieties — which were both tasty but man did I regret it afterwards. Oddly enough only been here twice and the first time I went here the cranberry juice I ordered tasted so «off» I was afraid to continue drinking it. And seriously folks, I am not a fussy person, never send anything back, never get food poisoning and never really worry about things tasting «off». There is something very odd going on at this place — be careful!!!