Lovecraft Bar Lounge

attended an event here sat night. bar was very interesting. only had drinks so i cant comment on the food. .drinks affordable. ambiance delightful. stop in if your close.

How can I forget this night. We were there for our short film screening. The place is very nice and cozy, the owner of the bar was very friendly the bar tender was very cool, food was good and the best thing the basement where they screen movies was also good for private or birthday parties !! We enjoyed our time there and the best thing was it was not too expensive !!!

Came here last Sunday for brunch and the food was amazing. Their menu is better than most of other East Village places and the mimosas were, well, REAL MIMOSAS :) Will be coming back.

I wish I could give this place 0 stars but Unilocal won’t make that possible unfortunately. By far the worst place my friends and I have ever been; not just in NYC, but in life.
The waitress was boisterous and slow, our steak was COLD, the clams had hunks of sand in them, and the salad and pastas were loaded with so much dressing and heavy cream so as to mask the mediocrity of everything else in front of us. At least when we tried to drown our sorrows in gin and vodka, the drinks served to us had failed at their one duty. We didn’t even get ice water until halfway through our «meal» and when the first round of food came, it took almost 5 minutes just to get utensils for everyone!
The best part was the dinners came out before the appetizers (which never even came out and they still tried to charge us for them!). It took over 30 minutes to get a bottle of beer, and it took over an hour for everyone to eventually get their food. At that point it didn’t even matter how it tasted because we were starving. They also kept bringing us dishes and drinks that we didn’t even order to the point where it was almost humorous yet sad that a restaurant in a renowned NYC neighborhood could literally be THIS bad at their job.
The place itself tries (keyword: ‘tries’) to be a mix of a low-​key Lower East Side bar/​lounge, with way overpriced food and drinks given the ‘quality’ (or lack thereof), and a menu the size of one you would find at a local diner.
If I see this place out of business at some point this year I would not be surprised in the least way. John Taffer, I think this place is beyond rescue.

This place feels like it’s having a bit of an identity crisis; darkly lit with an actually really incredible Cthulhu sculpture piece on the ceiling and some weird like, water tubes that as far as I could tell didn’t serve any purpose but looked cool along with bright as hell tvs playing sports and early 90s rock music playing in the background. It reminded me of some sci-​fi bar Jon Taffer tried to save on Bar Rescue by turning it into a sports bar, the end result being a mishmash that fails at both varieties.
For a Friday night, it was pretty dead but a young female bartender had several slightly younger than middle aged men sitting at the bar who seemed to be pretty enamored with her company. Good thing they were buying because the drink I ordered (baked apple infused bourbon «Old Fashioned») honest to God tasted like a shot of Fireball mixed with water and a splash of cherry juice. It was so bad I couldn’t finish it and definitely wasn’t gonna throw away another $ 12 for the same swill.
I was disappointed. If you’re actually a fan of Lovecraft or honest to goodness horror/​literature themed bars, I would steer clear. Or if you just like well-​made cocktails, I would also steer clear. This is little better than a theme bar you might find around Times Square.

Shitty food and poor service. Waitress didn’t know what a Gin & Tonic is.
They have shows downstairs which I didn’t see so maybe that makes it worth it.

Eclectic and cool place. Doorman is such a nice guy. Been there a few times, once for the live music/​bands which were great. Enjoyed the hip hop room another night. Much bigger downstairs than expected. Fun spot.

The liquor infusions are amazing and apparently the bartender makes them himself, which is even more amazing. The drinks are expensive but worth it (so strong! not for the faint of heart!), though the expensiveness of the food led me to eat first at a place down the street. Our bartender was very attentive, fun, and friendly, and gave us lots of great suggestions.
I feel like, considering the price & strength of the drinks, this bar would be a perfect last stop on a bar crawl. It was a serviceable second stop for me, and if I didn’t live so far away (the Bronx), I would definitely make this a regular spot.

Came here for brunch around 230 on a Saturday. Not crowded at all. I was served promptly. The brunch menu does not have much but the food was delicious. They offer bottomless mimosas, Bloody Mary, or Bellini for an additional $ 15

Good food — I got the crabcake ($ 15) and the brussel sprouts ($ 5). My boyfriend got oysters and french fries and said it was good but the quality wasn’t the best.
We came for the steampunk murder mystery show but was give no direction where to go. After asking some people (including the bartender upstairs) we were told to go downstairs. So, we did. We sat down at one of the tables and ordered our food while a band played some pretty good music.
There were a few vendors all around selling stuff (like artwork, fashion designs, corsets, etc.). Anyway, since we were told the show would start at 8pm, we waited and waited and when the band finished at 8:40pm were quite confused as to where the murder mystery was happening.
Finally, a woman passing by informed us that it had started a long time ago and they were about to start the monologue for part 2 in the room in the back. We also were supposed to be getting clues from the bartender every time we bought a drink (which didn’t happen).
We ventured to the back and sat through 3 monologue before leaving because we didn’t know what was going on and also, the monologues were not very entertaining.
On our way out, there was another dj playing in the room we had spent the majority of the evening sitting in. We sat through 3 songs and it was entertaining but very, very loud. The singing was not my cup of tea, but the music/​beats were decent.
All in all, I’d say the $ 5 cover each, plus the expensive food, and general lack of organization leads me to give this place 3 stars.

I happen to live around the corner from Lovecraft Bar, and I am glad that I do. Drinks in a very quaint setting, the bar is decorated in a fantasy/​horror/​science-​fiction kind of a blend which is incredibly imaginative and just really fun and enjoyable to experience. The waitstaff are warm, welcoming and friendly. The food is very well executed, too. I love this place. I would recommend Lovecraft Bar to anybody, especially fans of H.P. Lovecraft. There are also frequent events, so stay tuned.

With a name holding dear to that of Lovecraft, the mind paints certain expectations, and this place fell flat. The drinks were worse than «terrible dive bar» quality.
I know people rave about the décor here, but it’s so terribly done, I feel like I’m in Disney’s terrible version of Lovecraft, complete with that sickly chlorinated water smell. And for a place very much themed after the author, you’d expect it to not feel like a sport’s bar. The area was so brightly lit, plus the glow from the TV really takes you out of any fantasy of a horror-​themed bar you were holding on to.
Not a fan!

A friend and I had been wandering around the area after dinner when she suggested we stop by Lovecraft because it was a Wednesday, the streets were relatively quiet, and we were both in need of a cocktail. The inside was so welcoming right off the bat. One long table in the center, a bunch of 2-​person tables along the walls, and a cozy bar that is nicely decorated with all of the various liquors they have to offer. Our bartender (I forgot to catch his name) didn’t even offer us the menu at first. Instead he asked what kind of alcohol we like and if we like spicy, sweet, or smooth. My friend went with sweet but I drink like a man so I went with smooth.
The bartender whipped up a fantastic strawberry margarita for my friend. I’m not a margarita gal but I’ll even say this was delicious. He surprised me with bourbon (which I requested) and I am still unsure what it was infused with… But it was great! Smooth with just the right amount of kick. We ended up taking a corner table so we could chat. Every once in a while, our bartender would stop by to make sure we were doing alright. We ended up wrapping up the night with some beer. When the seasonal beer I wanted was out of stock, the bartender gave me a porter that ended up being absolutely delicious.
If you like cocktails with bartenders who actually give a shit about your likes and dislikes, then Lovecraft is the place for you!

Homemade bourbons-​win. Bartenders hot. Nat the bartender is awesome!

Came in here awhile back for a friend’s pregame drink birthday bash. Place was pretty dead. Ambience was just dull. It felt like a wanna be dive bar but trying to stay classy. Honestly the bartender was just trying way to hard to entertain us with his personality, comments and jokes. Like stop it, less is more.
Drinks to be honest I don’t even remember what I had but all I know was that I didn’t even finish it. Wasn’t that great if I didn’t finish my drink and I always finish a good drink.
I don’t know. I’m ehh about this place.

My friend and I worked together for a year on a Lovecraft book putting together the writer’s letters and essays about religion and enjoy all things Lovecraftian.
The waitstaff was nice, though evesdropped on our conversation of whether or not Lovecraft would like a place like the Lovecraft Bar. He wouldn’t have, but this was more of a joke, as the guy wouldn’t much have liked any loud NY bar, though most certainly not this one.
A guy with a handful of menus for the neighboring Italian restaurant was in our face and harassing people on the sidewalk, talking his game, standing right outside of the entrance. Apparently the bar and this restaurant are somehow linked, but wow, what a way to undercut any Lovecraftian feel right at the front door.
Loud, classic rock pounded in our ears when we entered. One of the first things you see is the large flat-​panel TV. It was playing SyFy channel, (okay, fine), only Goldeneye was on.
The friendly waitstaff pushed their infusions. Given our fandom and willingness, I ordered an infusion and got a bottom shelf-​tasting, though nicely infused, shot glass of vodka. A tiny, unimpressive serving. Why not a traditional lowball? My friend ordered the Lovecraft beer, which was just fine. This cost us 20.00 total.
The décor was vaguely Lovecraftian, vaguely steampunk, vagulely illuminati-​ian, and vaguely Guillermo Del Toro-​ian. We found the steampunk elements were the most pronounced, and had to wonder if anyone having to do with this place’s inception had ever read a Lovecraft story, let alone checked the dates when they were published.
We ventured into the musty-​smelling basement and found another mural and large, illuminati-​an pictutres. More larger flat-​panel tvs playing sporting events were down here as well.
Does every bar need sports playing these days? Probably, but I don’t have to like it.
Some of the old newspapers lacquered to the tables having to do with Egypt expeditions did hit the right spot, but this floor was oddly laid out, the benches plastic-​feeling and hard. We settled the bill and left, but not before we were reminded to buy the pizza from the neighboring Italian restaurant guy again.
Lovecraft is a hard thing to get right, though this place was surprisingly off the mark. We were expecting a speakeasy feel with played-​up undertones of Lovecraftian menace. Some Egyptian glyphs here and there, a few esoteric drawings and one or two odd idols, but we got an overpriced, overdone steampunk-​sci-​fi theme restaurant with giant freemason symbols emblazoned on the walls and a Cthulhu action figure submerged in a fishtank.
This bar seems more directed toward a lively nightlife audience looking for something a little different, and they might find what they’re looking for, though should dodge the pricey cocktails, and be in the mood for pizza.
Lovecraft snobs or fans might be happy when venturing to a place like this on the late-​night tip, but those looking for a more authentic Lovecraftian vibe can skip this place.

This review is for brunch only, which I had in a group setting.
We got there really early for this neighb (11 a.m.) and were seated immediately. Sadly, it took the kitchen awhile to make our food. And by awhile I mean 45 minutes. By the time it arrived, we were famished.
…but the food was FANTASTIC. Seriously, incredible. Everything we had (and people tried a bunch of stuff on the menu) was awe-​inspiring. The French toast was certainly a favorite!
Service was slow, though, and with that came frustration. Maybe going at a peak time is better, when the kitchen is up and running? Who knows!

A dive bar crowd with an upscale bar/​possibly speakeasy feel. Infusions were tasty, but not ‘$ 14 for one shot’ tasty. Maybe I’d come back for happy hour?
Bartenders looked spiffy, but service was pretty slow. There’s a downstairs area where they sometimes hold events (the night I went was a comic book/​superhero party).
For the East Village/​Alphabet City area, Lovecraft stands out because it’s calmer, but isn’t a must-​do destination.

Amid a sea of similar bars in the area, this one does not stand out in the least. I went for an afterwork event and ordered a cosmo and calamari. The bartender was really nice and the cosmo was good. Their menu highlights a variety of absinthe drinks, though I wasn’t interested in trying them. The calamari was definitely not the best I’ve had, although the pineapples were quite an interesting twist.
The décor was nice enough, there was also a downstairs area which I suppose gets more lively later at night. Overall nothing spectacular about this spot, a quite average NYC bar.

HP lovecraft themed bar.
Pricier but highly crafted drinks.
My lavender infused vodka was delicious.
Good service.
Interesting theme but could of used a bit more to their décor?