Lolita Bar

I like the vibe of this place. It’s casual but intimate and if you can get the seat by the window it’s extra nice ;D Pretty ample seating too.
Glass of wine is nine bucks so it’s a little pricey.
Got really crowded as the night progressed, but it was friday night.

In the wake of my previous negative review i received a thoughtful email from Matt, Lolita’s owner.
Here’s the gist:
1. They don’t want to scan, but Lolita, and many other LES watering holes were recently slammed by NYPD for not carding. The only way these folks were allowed to keep their liquor license was to scan every ID regardless of the age of the patron.
2. The scan does not collect demographic information, per se, but does record your name, date of birth, expiration date of license and address. (wait, isn’t that demographic information?) Not to be snarky. I think he meant that they were not using it for marketing. So… thanks Lolita!
3. I still think its effed up. I am old. I have a valid ID. I do not want to be scanned. I just want to get a drink, and enjoy the good company. Perhaps Lolita and other bars can use a review like this to demonstrate to the city that these big-​brotherish policies lose them legitimate (of age) customers.
4. That said, I appreciate the explanation, and the fact that the new policy is not voluntary. Lolita remains a nice unpretentious spot in my book. I’m just not sure if I’ll go there again.

Good: great happy hour! Nice divey bar vibe;
Bad: only one bathroom; stupid bartender too busy speaking with friends at the bar; super aggressive i.d. checking;
I’d meet up here early for happy hour, but when this place gets busy, all it’s worst qualities really burst forth.

This place is a joke. The woman bartender here is either technology illiterate or just plain stupid. Since when did bars start relying on faulty phone apps to verify age?
Today I stopped by here to meet up with a friend. Upon entering I handed over my ID card for the bartender to check. She swiped it on her android phone several times, impatiently pressing buttons and swiping.
She then told me she wouldn’t serve me and I had to leave. *OK — now if I were under 21 using a fake I.D. than I would’ve been like «okay, caught me, ha-​ha.”* But that is not the case — I’m 24 years old, and my Cali-​issued ID is 100% legit!
Working in tech, I appreciate seeing restaurants adapt to new technologies. However, I do feel embarrassed for ignorant businesses that choose to rely on a technology that is either faulty/​broken or have incompetent staff that are unable to use it properly.

We recently held a Trivia Night here. The space and set up is nice and conducive for poetry readings, live music, etc., but it’s not very big if you’re expecting a large crowd. I think we had about 30 people in our group.
I didn’t like the service at all. The bar tender is a little off. He asked for my ID two times. They only take American Express and cash. WHY? WHO DOES THAT?
I came for Happy Hour and asked about the specials. I ordered a raspberry vodka and he forgot to mention that’s not a part of the specials. It ended up being double the price. Just rubbed me the wrong way.
I wouldn’t steer away completely if my friends chose this place for whatever reason, but it definitely wouldn’t be my first choice.

I came here around 9pm on a Saturday night to meet a friend, who got stuck on a train and was a half an hour late. While I was waiting, I decided to order a drink to pass the time — easier said than done. The bar is not conducive to ordering unless you’re sitting at it, maybe only because the bartenders that night didn’t even look up past the seated customers. I did notice a line of people standing at the end of the bar to order their drinks, which seemed unnecessary considering this place is a bar, and you should be able to order pretty easily. When I was finally able to get a bartender’s attention, another person sitting in front of me at the bar gave me a dirty look for reaching behind her to pay and get my drink.
The seating in the back looked comfortable, but it looks like you need to get there early to get one of those seats because people camp out for the night. When my friend arrived, we were able to get seats at the bar, and once we were sitting, the service was a huge improvement. Drinks were a little weak, but not overly expensive so really not a big deal. I would maybe come back here earlier in the night and hope to get seating and better service. On the plus side, this bar is in a good location, so if you can’t get service here, you can take a quick walk to any of the other bars instead.

This place is stinky. It is divey like but I think the smell of BO is from the people that hang out there. I can’t tolerate it.
Even the pleather couch reeked, which my friend only noticed after she was already rolling around on it.

Attended a networking event for Be Social Change here right now. Pretty cool space :)
We are definitely going back for the drinks whenever we are going to be in the China Town next time.
Great happy hour too. $ 5 mojitos ;)

Cute little bar in a neighborhood that isn’t too terribly crowded with bars. They’re also near my favorite dumpling joint — and NO, it’s not Vanessa’s.
This bar has some good beers on tap, I usually go for Shock Top because it’s generally what I’m in the mood for when I’m there. Lolita’s serves no food, but they’ll let you bring food from anywhere while you wash it down with tasty, tasty booze.
They’ve got a pretty good happy hour — $ 3 draft beers and $ 4 wells from 4−8pm (I think I got the hours right, definitely got the $$$ right).
My only gripe with this bar is that their bathroom is usually pretty dingy. I know they try to keep it clean (judging from the sign inside asking people to be clean, mindful and not write on the walls) but it’s a challenge to keep a unisex bathroom in a dark bar clean and for some reason people have a tough time aiming their urine into the freakin’ hole. Perhaps a bigger toilet should be installed… anywhoo, bathroom tangent aside, I like this bar. It’s a good starter place to meet friends, grab some quick noms, cheap booze and then carry on with the rest of your night.
On Tuesday nights they also host comedy shows downstairs, I’ve heard they’re fun… ohh and every so often they change the art work on their walls and if you fancy something that is being exhibited (by local artists, NEAT!) then you can buy it — I think that’s pretty cool.
Also, they only accept cash and AMEX but they do have an ATM so keep this in mind kids.

Great little neighborhood bar in the LES. Good selection of beers on tap, as well as a full bar. Just around the corner from a number of small eateries.
Friendly bartenders, and a mellow crowd. Plus they let doggies hang out in the bar!

«And the rest is rust and stardust.» So said Nabokov in the namesake novel for which this bar is named.
It pains me to say Lolita bar has little charm and an even worse guiness pour. And I do sincerely hope the floors aren’t covered in rust, as a drunken patron was doing pushups in the middle of the back room last night to with an idle audience circled around him. Actually, maybe stardust could explain that.
Otherwise, this bar is unremarkable. In fact — I had been here once before, and had no recollection until I walked in the second time. Rather than an «ahh! I have been here before!» It was more a «oh. Yeah I guess I do recall this place.» Someone should teach them how to pour a guiness. Seriously. What I was handed looked like a frothy glass of baby vomit with a pool of bile in the bottom. Don’t get me wrong, I still drank it — but dear bartenders, a guiness is a tender thing and takes time to get it right. Patience is a virtue! Whoever originated that proverb is clearly a better guiness drinker than nabokov. Extra star for the guy doing pushups.

I could see myself spending many hours here, like we did the other night for happy hour. Cool bartender who obliged us engaging in music discussions about what was on his ipod and currently playing in the bar. They even have binder full of menus. Hello, bonus (b/​c sometimes you need to nosh when you’re consuming booze). The bathroom could use a little work, but it’s nothing compared to say, cbgb’s*. Ha.
*but, is anything?

I came here with a date on a Thursday night around 9pm. The bar is spacious and we easily found seats in the back. We both ordered a Lolita cocktail. It was ok.
I enjoyed that it’s a very casual place where you can actually have a conversation as the music isn’t too loud. The only downside is that the bar only accepts cash and AMEX, so plan accordingly.
It’s a decent place to bring a group of friends or a date to relax and kick back.

I came here for a book reading for a friend’s colleague and it’s an interesting space. I loved the reading, as it was for a collection of food/​drink-​related titles, but the bar itself wasn’t the best venue — no matter how interesting the event, it competed with a happy hour crowd who were more interested in $ 4 well drinks than anything else.
That said. .. $ 4 well drinks — not bad. I’m a lightweight, so I limited myself to one cocktail.
The bar is cash-​only unless you’re paying with AmEx, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Small but cozy, with a space in the basement for larger groups.

Had dinner at the very crowded Barrio Chino just before and needed to find a place to accommodate two others who wanted to join for post-​meal drink. We saw the welcoming pink sign outside, and I was delighted to find it very spacious and comfy, with music at just the right level so that we could all hear each other — perfecto!
I loved the comfy chairs and couches, and the floors looked new and clean, though the place is pretty dark — go here for first dates, no one can see anything! I noticed a door to a downstairs which appeared to be a venue for shows or some sort.
I otherwise did not spend enough time to rate the bathroom or other drink making skills (had a bottle beer) — my jetlag clock struck at 10 and I had to bounce!

Really interesting location, great space though. I liked the sitting at the window, bar, or tables/​couches feel of it. The drinks are pretty good, I particularly liked the Champagne Mojito… very interesting. Good selection of beers as well, and shots, shots, shots! The bartenders are very attentive and actually I found them quite friendly.
Please consider taking something OTHER than American Express, because that was a little off putting! It is the 21^st century!
I’ll go back if in the area again. I will say the traffic to get down there on a Friday night wasn’t too nice… other than that, good times with good people.

After starting the night with (several) bottles of wine and amazing nibbles at Jadis, we ventured over to Lolita for a few drinks. This place has a typical LES feel, with different types of people ranging from grungy to pretty classy. The paintings on the walls are phenomenal, and the waiters are fast and efficient. The pineapple infused vodka makes a killer $ 9 martini, and sitting at the bar affords you a good view of the scene. The music was great and overall we enjoyed it.
Definitely bring cash if you don’t (yet) have an Amex as its cash or Amex only.

— overall rating: 3.5
— dark and intimate, the back couches are a fantastic upgrade from the average bar stool
— good for dates
— wasn’t crowded at all for a friday evening around 11pm
— dj wasn’t great but wasn’t terrible, good setting for talking though a little loud, wasn’t quite appropriate for dancing if that’s what you’re into
— fantastically lovely blonde female bartender
— there’s only one unisex restroom and the door is warped from the frame so it doesn’t close, you’ll need someone to hold it closed for you

I love Lolita for what it is – just a solid neighborhood bar with a reasonable selection of beer, wine, and cocktails (something for everyone) that aren’t expensive (for Manhattan), non-​douchey people, and more importantly places to sit (I’m getting older and I’m no longer finding it «fun» to stand for six hours straight in heels). It’s the Von of the Lower East Side.
The cocktails run $ 9 – 10, if I remember correctly. I can’t remember the name of my first drink, but it had ginger in it. Not the same quality of exquisiteness that you would expect from places like Milk & Honey, Raines Law Room, and the like, but still decent, if a little too sweet. The champagne mojito was much better and I could have drank that all night long.
Thanks to my friend, Jonas M., for this suggestion. It hit the spot!

So before beginning, I have to qualify that I was at this venue for a private function, so my experience may not reflect the typical one (although I think It probably will).
A friend and I went down to the LES for a birthday party, being thrown in the honor of our friend Joe, the editor of the popular humor publication, The Onion. The bar itself is cozy, low-​lit and with only a lone bartender running back and forth along the rail, trying to take all of the drink orders that came in waves.
Because it was Joe’s birthday, the legion of now-​famous comedians that once graced the hallways of The Onion showed up en-​masse, and brought the funny with them. Aziz Ansari (of Parks & Recreation fame, most recently) even agreed to perform his just-​finished standup routine for us, so we all sat down as we were serenaded by the baby-​death jokes of this extremely emotive, 90-​pound gentleman. Following this, we started to get very drunk, so the next part of the evening gets a little hazy.
I recall meeting a cute blonde girl in a bowler hat and tattoos, who looked roughly my age, yet claimed she was 40 years old. I also met a few guys who entourage for my favorite comedian of late, Zach Galifianakis, and they were a riot to stand outside with (the bartender didn’t mind me taking a beer outside so I had something to do while the others smoked). What a sweetheart.
On that note, the bar was engaged in a drink special (and I have no clue how long this special extends itself) that provided a shot of bourbon and a pint of Yuengling for only 7 dollars. Not too shabby.
Side Question: Guess how lame and not-​with-​it Campbell is?
Answer: He didn’t realize that yesterday was Mardi Gras until this morning.