Call Box Lounge

If you want to have a party here and think that less than 50 people might show up then you may want to reconsider. We wanted to have a pop punk/​soul/​garage music dance party for my husband’s birthday and we «reserved» the bar weeks in advance and were promised we could play our music and dance. Another party of people were there on the same night and since they out numbered us that promise was thrown out the window and we ended up listening to top forty hits. Boooooo!!!

Friendly staff, seems like friendly regulars on a football Sunday. Just wish the screens were a little bigger to go along with the DirectTV.

This has become the hipster hang out for the neighborhood. It is always busy. If you’ve tied one on and dignity is in the wind, buy a round and drop your booty to the ground.
Note: McDonalds doesn’t not allow pedestrians to order via the drive-​thru.

If there is one thing I can tell you with absolute 100% certainty in this life, it is that the Call Box Lounge is THE place where good friends go to party hardy.

Hidden gem of greenpoint. Not fancy, below average drinks, but a great place to dance with friends.

I came for the dance floor, which was teeny tiny, but oh so much fun! Haven’t been there on other nights, but Friday & Saturday nights have been a blast, and people want to have a good time, without being self conscious! They play hip hop, R&B, techno, dance hall, and other assorted music genres, depending on the DJ. They even let me play my own music once, as the night grew late, and the crowd died out after the DJ left. A night I’ll never forget: D The staff has been very friendly each time I’ve been. Now I’m sad that I moved so far away.

OMG I haven’t been to a bar like this since I was a kid living in Florida hanging around the American Legion Halls for girl scout meetings (yes…this was Florida living). Ultimate townie bar that just so happened to play tons of A$AP Ferg. Hidden treasure!

Let’s just get one thing straight — Their credit card policy fluctuates depending on the night, so don’t assume you can run up a tab.
The night I came here I had no access to cash, as the weekend before my card had been stolen. Do you know what it’s like being at a cozy, packed, dance party and have no $$ TO GET BUZZED?
DO YOU?!

Don’t use the ATM here. After an hour of me using it, I had upwards of $ 500 worth of transactions at a liquor store in Las Vegas. I don’t know if it’s the fault of the bar, the ATM company or some rogue identity thief, but regardless… just don’t use it.

Came in on a Friday night. Despite the bar having very few people in there and an easy night for the staff, the Russian lady bartender was a total jerk! My cheerful, friendly peers and I were quite taken aback by her unprovoked crabbery. Boo!

«WHERE GOOD FRIENDS PARTY HARDY»
I don’t know that I can think of a single other bar that even has a slogan, but theirs is just completely accurate. We got a tip that the illustrious Notorious R.U.G. was going to be DJing that night, and we couldn’t say no. As we approached from the outside, we had no idea what we were in for. «Was this the right place?» was the first thought that went through my mind. But when I heard Bone Thugs from about 2 blocks away and could see lasers blasting through the window, I was pretty sure that it was. It had probably the most intense sound system I’ve ever seen, mirrors on the ceiling, and a very serious laser show. My ears were ringing for maybe 3 days afterwards.
I have a feeling that when there isn’t a DJ that it’s prooooobably a bit more mellow of an experience, but I can’t say for sure. I might not ever know, and I think that’s ok.

I’ve been racking my brain trying to succinctly wax poetic of a favorite new dive of mine in Brooklyn, but it’s just way too hard to put into words. Instead, just know this: the sign outside reads, «Call Box is where friends come to party hardy.»
Truer words have never been spoken. Look out for a Notorious R.U.G DJ session soon!

Maybe I have to go again but everytime I go, it is either empty or it is invaded by hipsters who are being gawked at by the local regulars! So, owe the place another try to give a fair review!

Let’s talk about Sunday football — if you’re a Jets or Giants fan you can go wherever you want to watch the game. Otherwise, you have two options in the Burg — Mulholland’s or Call Box. Mulholland’s has great food, attractive bartenders, is jammed to the gills, and plays 90s music during the entire game. It’s great. The Call Box looks like it was a strip bar in a former life, has the McDonald’s from hell across the street, stole the giant-​styrofoam-​cup of beer idea from Rosemarie’s/Turkey’s Nest, and has one of the most ridiculous websites you’ve seen since the 90s. It’s fantastic. This is a true dive bar — love it or leave it.

I lived near here for a while but never went in. When I finally did I loved it. It’s a weird mix. Sort of an off-​duty cop bar mixed with latin dive. They were playing latin dance music and they have a dance floor that nobody really seems to use. 32oz. styrofoam cups of Coors. Good place to watch a game.

Like the smell of your own farts, this bar is somehow less disgusting than it should really be.

This is the place to go on Fridays, the drinks are good and the DJ plays all type of music. I went there with my friends and didn’t leave until 4 am, we danced all night, I recommend this lounge to anyone that wants to have a great time and not end up broke by the end of the night.

«WHERE GOOD FRIENDS PARTY HARDY»
With a slogan like that I wonder why it took me 2 years to wander in here, but dont be fooled, party hardy has a new meaning here– «watching the news while half of the patrons sit in silence and nod while 4 people make rhetorical remarks»
Welcome to the call box, allow me to give you a tour…
Over there is a suspiciously dark dance floor– to the left, this is where people go to have conspicuous cell phone conversations and come teary eyed.
Straight ahead to the slight left sits a rather inviting chair– I would say of the semi-​classical dental epoch– perhaps 1964 (a great year for dental chairs) Wouldn’t you love to take a seat here? oh sorry there is a sign «Do not sit in chair»
Ok now to the bar– L shaped, people of varying ages, sizes and races and lingual persuasions– but they all seem to share a single gift– Witty comments while watching ABC world news tonight– My favorite TV show at a bar as well– So I join in.
I dont think I can contain myself till 7– just the thought of the JEOPARDY play by play from these folks makes me whet.

In all of my drinking and time spent in bars throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan, I have never had as much fun as I do when I party at CBL. The staff definitely have seen some brighter days, but they are friendly nontheless, the drinks are cheap (bucket of BLL (bud light lime) for 12 bucks), if you attend on a friday/​saturday night they have great DJ’s, and the best part is that there is a McDonalds about fourty feet in front of the entrance and they LET YOU WALK THOUGH THE DRIVE THOUGH!!! COME ON!
I have been to CBL maybe 5 – 6 times and every single time 1 – 2 of my friends brings someone home with them. ALSO, if you are a daytime drinker they have 26 TV’s from 1997 to watch sports and serve you food, for free!!! I’m saying it, Best Bar in Brooklyn.

The Call Box should hardly be in the nightlife category is is def dive bar status. Now, dive bar sound real bad but it’s just a label. I like to think of it as getting back in touch with where I came from [sort of]. They get three stars because that should be the top in the «dive bar» category. There is a question as to whether a 1 star is the top rating in this category .
The interesting story is how the Call Box got its name. Back in the olden days when this area of Brooklyn was located in the now departed 87^th police precinct police officers on the beat and in cars [RMPs] stopped at little green boxes mounted to light poles to make their hourly call ins. The original Call Box Lounge was located at the corner of Meeker and Graham [ I think] and out side the door was one of those green NYPD call boxes. Wow, no cell phones and no radios –[ 10 – 4 central K ]