Nightingale Lounge

I started off my birthday party here after Ian C. recommended it. They don’t charge cover, there are no lines, and you don’t have to pay for bottle service to sit down at a table. The DJ played a good mix of music. The place never got packed, even though it was a Saturday night, which was a surprise.

Friend and I came here just before dinner at Momofuku. The place was relatively quiet when we came around 8PM on a Friday night, but on the plus side, it’s very spacious and the happy hour specials (two for one cocktails) were decent. The bartender was very nice though — we had two supersized appletinis, but due to a mix-​up, we were still charged the regular happy hour price.
Don’t think this is a destination, but a good place to hang out if you’re waiting for a table at a nearby restaurant.

Visited here a few times over the past year and, as other reviews have pointed out, this place is consistently low in attendance and/​or has a bit of a strange/​mixed crowd. The pool table in the back is good fun if you’ve got a group and don’t mind the amusing dance scene near the bar accompanying the decent music (see previous sentence regarding strange/​mixed crowd). Wouldn’t make a special trip to come out here but might stop by if I wanted a quieter break.

After drinking one big bottle of sake and then a smaller one shortly after, my two friends and I decided to wander around the neighborhood and keep the party going. So, we stopped inside Nightingale Lounge and it was pretty dead. On a Saturday night. Everywhere else seemed to be hopping, except this place. There was a DJ, too. But we decided to stay and hang out and get more drinks. Not counting the staff, there were probably 15 other people here. There was a lot of space to move around. So much, that my friends and I started to dance like nobody was watching. Well, maybe the few people were watching (and laughing at) us. This place should have been packed and full of pretty girls for me to dance with. Nope… it was really just the three of us in the front trying to revive a dead party. Sad.

We strolled into this place with a party of 8 last night since we needed to kill time until our table was ready at Booker and Dax, and it definitely met our needs. It was a little weird at first because the lounge was completely empty at 10pm on a Thursday (literally — we were the only ones there), but the happy hour was still going on, and the 2-​for-​1 drink special made everyone happy. $ 2 for pool, free popcorn, and little poufs and couches to sit on — not bad at all.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to go here, but it’d be a great place to rent for a private party, or like I mentioned, a suitable option to kill time while you’re waiting for a table somewhere else.

I dont understand the mediocre ratings…
I’ve been here on a few occasions and had a nice time. the service is very friendly and I enjoyed my time there. Ive even had a nice time on a not so busy day: ate popcorn, had drinks at a good price, and i didnt find myself shouting over the tv at all. Its a nice place to get cozy with a date or 1^st date for sure
This place also has some busy nights! they had poetry tonight and it was a full house. People were gathered around the small platformed stage and i realized this venue brings a variety of crowds so i respect that as well. I will definitely be keeping posted on this venue and it’s events

We wandered in after dinner one Friday night around 10pm. Every other bar in the area was packed to the gills and trying to get one drink would’ve taken longer than the damn Odyssey.
The bartender was nice and efficient and gave us the Happy Hour discount just as time expired. I think the manager brought us popcorn. It seemed like it had potential but the place was like a graveyard. Were it any more dead there would’ve been guys in lab coats going around harvesting organs.
Will stop by another day at a later hour but the dearth of people was troublesome.

I’ve come here on several occasions with my girlfriends and we had such a good time.
The place was pretty empty for a while but the music and drinks were flowing. The bartender gave us bowls of popcorn and we played a few games of pool. How cool is that?
I will definitely go back because this is my girls spot and when we want to chill without the crazy crowd, Nightingale is the place to go to!

I was here only for an hour last Saturday night. The place was half empty at around 11p, but it does have potential. I liked the sofas and pool table in the back of the room. I was sitting by the glass door beside the console of the DJ. I only had a beer, but I would totally go back at a different time to see if it gets more crowded.

On a Friday night:
Weird-​ass crowd
Good music
Amazing drinks

I was going to come here and give Nightingale Lounge a one or two star review but then I realized that would make me an inconsiderate Unilocaler. I had neither a really good nor a really bad time here. I had a time. I tagged along with a VERY large group, and Nightingale was very accommodating. There was a pool table, and that was fun. The other patrons were respectful and there were no altercations, the staff was friendly enough. The bathrooms were clean enough for me. So, nothing to merit a below 3-​star review.

I joined a group of my friends at Nightingale Lounge to begin an evening on the town together. They had commandeered the pool table in the back of the room and were just finishing up a game, so I joined them and got a drink to sip while catching up with them. Thankfully, the crowd there was pretty laid back — people were either at the bar ordering drinks or looking at the tvs, or they were seated on the couches and around tables, chatting and drinking. Even though music was playing (and somewhat loudly), it wasn’t a dancing environment.
It would’ve been a more pleasant place if the music hadn’t impeded conversation and also if one of the staff hadn’t started babysitting us. There’s no place to put coats, so we accidentally placed them next to a door. He asked us to move them, so we did. He then proceeded to hover over us, watching our every move as we started another pool game, and would instantly jump on us if we put a drink down somewhere we shouldn’t. Needless to say, we quickly left without finishing our round. No one enjoys feeling treated like a child, so they can forget any continued patronage if they want to act that way towards a tame group of girls.

As a prolific poet, I’ve crossed paths with Nightingale’s Lounge name many times yet due to my work schedule I’m unable to participate in the Saturn Series on Monday nights. Yet that changed in accord one day…
I agree with fellow poet and Unilocaler (Puma P.), Nightingale’s is a large sleek lounge bar with a raised stage for open-​mics and live music performance. Atmosphere and décor is sleek and appears recently revived from a dive bar appeal to an upscale velvet draped backdrop. My first poetry recitation at a sleek lounge which nearly depleted my week’s funds for an utter dismayal of $ 10.00 drink requirement, pleading gratiutiy for the bar tender at $ 2.00, along with an additional donation solicitation of $ 3.00. Ayia, a total of $ 15.00 every Mondays as an emerging poet who is fairly new in the industry to establish my presence? One drink after Happy Hour is $ 12.00 which is average for my usual Cosmopolitan. To repeat patronage every Mondays amid my interest to increase my presence in the poetry industry = hello poverty!
Service is warm and inviting for newbie poetic artists from Bob, the bar tender. Amid no food is available as it is bar lounge, yet outside food is permitted. One pool table is available for patron usage and a microphone which is projects clarity throughout the venue without the faulty echo or muffled inaudibility.

The only place on 2^nd Avenue on Saturday night at midnight (¹⁰⁄₃₀) without a line. and we had a fun time. This could be because we were drinking since 7pm, but that is neither here nor there. It seemed like a pretty decent place to get your dance on and the drinks weren’t too shabby either. I can’t say that I’ll be running back here, but I live too close to rule it out entirely.

Great drinks, great service and the bartenders are very knowledgeable. I like the atmosphere, and the décor is really nice.
Great place to come and chill for a drink at any time!

Stopped by here with some friends after a long and eventful day! We wanted to find a place to watch the Flyers game and to grab some drinks, some place relaxing and not crazy crowded and noisy. Walking down the street we saw this place showing the Flyers game so we went in. It was not crowded at all and actually very dead for a sat night! No complaints as we were able to all sit at the bar to watch the game and to chat with each other and with the bartender Bobby, who btw was nice and made good drinks. Also, he was a Flyers fan! :) For someone who is not a fan of girlie drinks,(but if you’re into them), try a Dirty Bong Water, French Pear martini or a Love Potion. My sister had all three and they were pretty good. The love potions has a hint tootsie roll pop flavor to it. Very interesting flavor indeed. Also for a NYC bar, they have surprisingly a very clean bathroom!!! hahaha. Nightingale is a pretty nice sized bar and they have a lot of chairs and couches around with little table for people to chill and hang out. There’s even a pool table in the back for you to shoot around with. I found it odd that this place was so empty but I dont mind the relaxing and clean environment. If you’re looking for some place to grab drinks that is relaxing, then stop by here. If you’re looking for loud music, a lot of people shoving each other, then this is not your place to be.

After living in East Village for 4 years, this was my 2^nd time stepping into Nightingale Lounge. I kind of regretted not coming back earlier.
Nightingale is huge and on Saturday night they have live DJ spinning mostly hip hop and pop. Unlike neighboring bars and lounges, Nightingale is huge but oddly empty. They have couches around and drinks here are surprisingly cheap. I got a vodka cran for $ 6 and my boyfriend got a big Long Island Ice Tea for $ 11.
If you are looking for a lounge to hang out with your friends, where you expect good music, reasonably priced drinks, decent space and chill environment, Nightingale is just perfect.

I had not been to Nightingale lounge in years. I was under the impression it was a gay lounge. Nightingale isn’t exactly a spot I would go to normally, it did seem a bit dead on a early Friday night. But my 4 stars go to the bartender Bobby.
He was very friendly and talkative with the clients. Easily became my favorite bartender because of his laid back & cool personality. Had a lot of spunk! He knew how to make drinks and the Tokyo Iced Tea was awesome. Stop by and get a drink from Bobby, pretty awesome dude!

There is a reason why I never had a desire to go into this place despite walking past over 7 years. I really want to give them minus stars. And y’all know I rarely give bad reviews, so listen…
I went tonight (¹⁰⁄₂₄) for a friend’s birthday. Greeted with your typical top 40 hip-​hop (as forewarned by Meghan F.) which was not bad… Drink prices were decent. Male bartender was horrible (Girl was great). As a fellow bartender, I must say, he could not handle his shit. But that’s not why Nightingale deserves only 1 star. My friend lost her bag during the night. We asked the incompetent male bartender if anyone turned in a bag, and he just looked at us as if we were crazy, «Do you see a bag back here?» No sympathy. Long story short, got the cops involved and found out the bouncer knew the guys who took the bag. Inside job? I’m not sure yet, but I would not recommend this place. Bad energy, bad karma. Stay away.

Jackie: «Wait Nightingale. Someone was telling me about this, was it you?»
Me: «No! It was Chae! She’s singing here tonight, stupid!»
Lee: «Oh, yeah…»
A haphazard craving for fro-​yo led us to a chance encounter at the open mic night at Nightingale where we were supposed to be anyway. The continuing adventures: my new crew rolls on.
Venue:
The ultimate word to describe Nightingale is chill. It’s relaxed and in its own way sophisticated for the area. Lounging is what you do here, on couches and booths and little square stools. The music was never too loud, and sure the sound system had some reverb on it, but it was all tolerable. It’s just a dark bar with a stage and some decent space. I know I usually comment on décor, but I there wasn’t much to speak of save for some odd bamboo-​ish thing and some random lights, mishmash of seating and crowd that was only there to support the guitars-​players and singers.
But they have a pool table, so props, Nightingale. (I took on both boys, and should have won, I just went too easy on them.) But at $ 2 bucks a game, I’d rather go to Amsterdam for $ 9 an hour. I’d like to give you a 3, but I just, I can’t. Your sound system was a mic plugged into speakers, no sound board, so I couldn’t even fix anything to make my girl sound better.
Food:
None to speak of, but $ 6 Coronas make it a bit steep. In all honesty, if it weren’t for my girl singing, I probably would have never stopped by. Still, if it’s a week night and you want a relaxing place to drink before hitting up super-​crowded bars in the LES, then sure, check it out, it might be your place. Also, because of it’s slowness, I might throw and event here, as they’d be sure to want people buying their drinks on a Tuesday night.