Tunnel Bar

I thought this place was quite cute and quaint! It’s very unusual compared to what we have in Northern Virginia. This was probably the closest thing in the area to a speakeasy atmosphere, which I’m obsessed with. The drinks were delicious and strong. The server/​bartender was great as well. I’d come back if I wasn’t going back home!

Place was better than I had remembered, still don’t understand all the hype, but it’s a fun little spot and the drinks (at least the ones I had) were pretty good. April’s review is right though, in the right areas there’s definitely an odd aroma.

This place literally smelled like vomit tonight. I haven’t been here in a year or so, and I used to love coming here for their awesome drinks. But now it smells terrible and I can’t stand it.

Why does this place always smell like vomit? I’ve been here three times now… It’s such a cool space (and there isn’t much in Northampton), so I keep trying to make it work. But this place is on my permanent veto list.
Pros:
— It’s in a tunnel!
— nice seating
— almost always a lively crowd
— well located
Cons:
— the constant puke smell
— sometimes a douchey crowd
— specialty cocktails are meh
— at least one bartender does not seem to know much about mixing drinks

Went in with a group of six and, due to the layout, four sat on one side of the tunnel and 2 on the other, sort of cut off. The sound carries when it’s full, making it an effort to carry on a conversation. Our bartender/​cocktail waitress was pretty amazing. Considering how crowded it was, we didn’t have to wait much for a drink. She also mixed a hell of a cocktail. I drink a «modified» Old Fashioned and she nailed it from the description I gave her.
I will go back.

Supposedly, the Tunnel Bar is the #1 bar in America. I don’t frequent too many bars, so I can’t vouch for the ranking, but I can tell you that this place is certainly unique and a must-​visit if you’re in Northampton. Very cool bar.

For me this place is more a 4 or 4 ½ but I am going to go with a 5 to increase the rating. There is NO WAY this place is a 3 or 3 ½ as it currently shows. This place was mentioned on Buzzfeed as one of the top 20 bars to have a cocktail in… right here in WMass.
For sure this place gets busy on the weekends and it can be harder to get a table and the service slows a little… but that is to be expected. Go in off peak and those issues disappear and you still have a totally cool bar with an incredible cocktail menu. That menu is great. Other places should take notice (are you listening Green Room — a great place that lacks a strong menu). Tunnel Bar has all the classic cocktails even the ones that require some work. As a 50 year old guy I have to say thanks Tunnel Bar for educating America’s youth on the classic cocktails my parents drank and recreating them for me! Tunnel Bar also has a crazy amount of martinis and lots of the fancy trendy sweet ones as well — if that is your thing. I have had Old Fashioneds, Daiquiris, Caipirinhas, Scotches, and my companions have had martinis, cosmos, beer and tons of other stuff. All were perfect.
Atmosphere is totally cool, hipsters love it and well traveled folks appreciate it. The bar is in the old tunnel where Northampton folks of yesteryear would exit or enter the railway station. As stated earlier, service is excellent non peak and standard at peak times. I will give a shout out to my last bartender Kate who besides being super nice makes great Daiquiris. Prices are what you would expect for a higher end cocktail place but they pack a punch and the value is there. Be sure to have your driving or transportation arrangements in order before you spend any significant time at the Tunnel Bar. All in all this place is an A+. Cool vibe, great menu … it is a definite do again and/​or recommend.

I’ve been lukewarm to this «iconic» bar the last several times I’ve been there, enjoying a different socializing space once the always overwhelmed and socially difficult bartenders notice you and serve a drink. Granted, this is not the place you go on a regular basis, but the place you have to go when out-​of-​town friends visit as it’s probably the only bar in New England shoved in a small, cramped underground walkway death trap, surely pushing the envelope in regards to fire code. As mentioned in prior reviews, the employees have some attitude issues, the kind you’d expect in underground people. I don’t Unilocal every place I go, but only the amazing, terrible, and strange enough situations to alert other people. My most recent visit, bringing several friends from out of state, was one of these strange/​bad situations.
The bartenders need help, badly. We waited 20 minutes at the bar initially for a drink, watching the staff run around and bump into each other in the tight space looking like a bunch of frazzled interns on their first day at work at their new real job. It was not proportionate to the number of patrons being served at the bar.
Secondly, the weird underground social issues are worsening. A creepy looking bartender thought he could gauge my gfs blood alcohol content while we were standing 10 feet from him discussing our next drink. He either couldn’t make eye contact or the glasses rims were too thick, don’t know. As she did not appear drunk to any of us we asked, he couldn’t explain. He made the rest of us drinks but we decided to take our business elsewhere and those drinks disappeared behind the bar.
Third, attitude extends to all employees. We said nothing to the bartender but back at our table while collecting coats, the little table cleaning guy eavesdropped on our conversation and reported the insulting nature of our conversation to the bouncers. We were talking in normal voices amongst one another at our table. With the grace of a baby bird trying to fly and the look of adrenaline and nervousness in their eyes that comes only through inexperience, they told us it was time to leave.
We weren’t heartbroken and our lack of caring rubbed these rooks the wrong way, getting us a «actually, don’t come back for 30 days!», while we were walking out. This is a twice per year type of bar. 30 days, no problem. Ha.
So here’s the story of how our free speech was censored at tunnel bar, a bar staffed full of overly sensitive underground people in an overly sensitive town. Speech isn’t free if it’s not PC.

Tunnel bar is almost a landmark bar in Northampton because of its unique origins and space. I visited on a Saturday at around 10pm and it was already packed. Smelled a little funny –kind of like clorax but worse?- and that’s why I deducted one star. Everything else was excellent, prices for drinks other than beer ranged from 8 to 14 dollars, and considering the strength of the drinks, My friend and I agree that the pricing is reasonable. I tried French 75, I recommended it if you like more of a tart flavor in drinks. The sparkling wine was also good, and my friend who generally enjoys stronger drinks was also happy with Sibling Rivalry. The bartenders are nice, friendly, and accommodating.

Possibly one of the best hidden locations in Northampton! Great service, friendly and fun staff, knowledge of their menu is incredible. Drinks and cocktails are always spot on and made to perfection and if they aren’t they want to know. I always enjoy visiting Tunnel Bar either before or after dinner or both. Anyone I bring there loves it and it’s just a great atmosphere.

The drinks are amazing and generous. You don’t need a lot, but you are going to want to try multiple martinis. My personal favorite is the Southern Gentleman. Pricey in comparison to other places in town, but still enjoyable. Beer is available, but this is a predominantly martini and cocktail bar for those who enjoy (or want to learn to enjoy) liquor.
For the most part it is a mixed mature crowd with somewhat posh taste, so this can also mean there are a lot of people who want to sit and talk for extended periods of time. It’s downright awkward attempting to order a drink when people are having an intimate conversation at the bar, obviously on a date.
The space is beautiful albeit small. The atmosphere is intimate and quiet– you are quite literally in a tunnel so the lighting is low and nothing is overly fancy. The space’s acoustics can be poor as well. You grab your own menu off the wall, unless you have a server hand you one. The best seats are the leather ones in the back, but they are almost always taken.
If you don’t arrive early you may never get a seat. Bartenders will attend to you eventually if you wait in the open long enough. I’d say I have to spend at least 30 minutes at the tunnel bar trying to get a seat and order drinks, and occasionally longer for busier nights, holding my card at the bar between two awkward souls. I’m honestly not sure how I feel about the bartenders and bouncers– I’ve had a mix of good and lukewarm experiences with attitudes. However, the drinks! Oh, the drinks make me think I could care less about that!
The best times I’ve had at Tunnel Bar were when I had a small group of 4 – 6 people go early. Then, we found a group of seats, and a server came to take our drink orders. The server then brought our drinks and nicely came back to check on us. It is much more pleasant when you have less of a wait.
Otherwise, it’s kind of a free for all with drink orders, in classic speak-​easy fashion. The drinks and the quiet atmosphere are what keep me coming back. I always show it off to friends when they visit. It’s definitely a treat.

I got a few cocktails here last night… They were pretty hit ‘n’ miss.
The sidecar was weak. Tasted overly diluted. It didn’t have that warm booziness that I was craving and expecting.
The negroni was great. I drink a lot of negronis, and this was one of the better ones I’ve had.
Also tried a drink called sibling rivalry… It was very good.
The bartender was very cool and polite, as were all of the other people working here that I interacted with.
It liked the whole tunnel thing… It wasn’t overly played up, nor too gimmicky (well) … You really feel that you’re in a tunnel.
I found the glassware to be stupid… Everything in martini glasses with a zigzag stem.

The Tunnel bar used to be an old passage way that has been revived and turned into a bar.
Note: If you are from out of state, the bouncer will ask for another proof of identity, a credit card with your name on it works.
You need to get there rather early, since the bar tends to fill up relatively fast, it is not a colossal bar, but totally worth a visit. No joke!
The lighting fixtures and the décor of the space made me feel as if I were on set of Mad Men. The bartenders are quick and excellent at what they do, very attentive! They also have coffee for the designated drivers! Score for me!
It’s totally worth a visit! I would come again, especially when I have out of town visitors

A very cool, hip place that everyone seems to know about.
The interior is dark and modern, with a speakeasy feel. The leather chairs are comfortable, which causes its customers to stay forever and not leave until closing.
This is just fine if you have a party of two, but not for a party of 11. My friend wanted to here for her birthday, which was fine, but there were too many of us, which resulted in waiting quite awhile for seats. Throughout the evening, we grabbed what seats we could, which resulted in some people standing up the entire night.
The menu is extensive, with every kind of cocktail you could imagine, from the traditional martini to a fun fruity concoction.
While they were good, they were a bit inconsistent. The first drink was good but the second had too much vodka.
I also wish they were closed off from the sports bar, as it’s really not fun competing for a bathroom stall with another place.
I’d try it again, but with less people.

This is one of the coolest places in Massachusetts. No, in America! Before moving to Northampton a few weeks ago, I read about this spot on many a «Best Of» list and was dying to check it out so I made it one of my first stops upon arrival. I was not disappointed.
Built inside of an old subway tunnel from the 1800s, this place can be a little hard to find. It’s sort of off-​the-​beaten path, and tucked under a bridge, but it’s worth finding! Once you discover it, plan to stay for a while and enjoy a couple martinis in their super comfy wingback leather chairs.
It’s a very loungey vibe. There’s a restaurant (Union Station) upstairs, so some people are enjoying a drink while they wait for their table. It’s not super loud, so you can definitely have a conversation with whoever you’re with. This is definitely a date night spot, or a place to hang out with just a friend or two. It’s an older crowd. Not «old,» but it isn’t a college kid vibe.
The martinis are excellent! The bartenders and servers are really knowledgable and really helpful. They can help you decide on a martini or cocktail that’s right for you, and everything’s served really quickly. You’ll definitely get your drinks sooner if you sit at the bar, as opposed to sitting in the lounge seating, but I think it’s worth waiting a few more minutes to enjoy the space.
If you’re in Northampton, or nearby, and looking to checkout a really unique, delightful spot, definitely check out Tunnel Bar.

The bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly. It’s a mellow place to have a good drink and relax with friends. Also a romantic spot with soft lighting and comfoy chairs. Try the keylime martini or the grasshopper if sweet drinks is your style.

Tucked away under the bridge under the old railroad tracks built in an old subway tunnel from the late 1800’s. An amazing atmospheric location that is hard to beat no matter where you live or go. At night it does get darker in here even with the lighting but the intent is for it to feel like a swank upscale Bar. Beer is available and on tap but that isn’t really the vibe here, they have more of a martini and cocktail vibe, with an extended lounge are. They are aptly connected to the Union Station Restaurant, so people waiting there come into the lounge for a drink. Much older crowd typically than the college scene and much more social and refined than the sports bar scene. 21 only, don’t bring your kids, for good reason, this is an all drinking lounge that wouldn’t work for them and they truthfully would probably get weirded the F out. Best cocktails in NoHo. They have a list that is a little overwhelming. Would be easier if they broke up by type of alcohol. Absolutely brilliant on some of their drinks. Only two issues that were in reality nonissues were, we could see if you were sitting in the lounge seats it may take longer to get waited on. So if you want to hit a couple drinks quick and bounce sit at the bar. Two, the bar was a little sticky, there was only one bar tender when we came and she really didn’t have time to do anything more than make drinks when the crowd developed like it did on a Thursday at 7 PM. Can imagine this place getting really really packed out.

I think this is a very cool place. It is a great venue for going out on a Saturday night.
I wish they would fix the chairs!

We got there about a half hour after they opened on a Saturday, place was already pretty packed but still had a few of the nice leather seats open. We sat right in the front by the door and our waiter came right over. He asked me what kind of drinks I liked, I replied with «something strawberry-​ish.» There was no strawberry type of martini on the menu so he said put something together for me, and it was delicious!
There is a very cool/​sophisticated atmosphere inside… You really do feel like you are inside a tunnel! Will definitely go back next time I am in the area.

Whenever we spend an evening in Northampton, The Tunnel Bar is where we begin the night. We have been coming to this bar since our undergrad and we continue to come back for a few reasons.
1. The martinis here are incredible, our favorite has to be their Jolly Rancher.
2. The bar is really unique and we love to sit in both the tunnel as well as in their upstairs area.
3. The ambience here is creepy which leads to some fun conversations.
That being said, we have had some criticisms after our last few experiences.
1. The bar itself has a weird smell since the floor is carpet that doesn’t get cleaned often.
2. The newer bar upstairs is great, but the comfort of sitting in their upstairs area has been ruined because people come in and out of the upstairs door and make a ton of noise.
3. The bathrooms have become increasingly more gross in the past few months.