7 Best Nightlife in Bushwick, New York City

Featherweight

East Williamsburg Fodor's choice
The cocktail list at this small spot is full of the hits you'd expect at a bar run by the experts behind the two Weather Up spaces in Manhattan and Prospect Heights. Part of the allure, though, is that bartenders will mix a cocktail to your precise specifications. Prime time here is late night. Finding the entrance is part of the fun: look for the painted feather and the three-story-tall mural of a boxer.

Bizarre

Bushwick
Live music and theatrical performances at this appropriately named bar range from burlesque to circus to all kinds of quirky performance art. Even when there's no show going on, the dance floor fills up on weekend nights thanks to the cheap drinks and fun tunes; there's even a disco ball in the bathroom. Burgers, pastas, crepes, and other standards are served for lunch and dinner, and there's a weekend brunch.

Lot 45

Bushwick
A sleek warehouse space, this loungelike affair bills itself as a "local living room,” and that's definitely the vibe, though the cocktails and food are of a higher than casual caliber. DJs keep the dance floor crowded, and the spacious outdoor area has plush couches when you need a breather.

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Nowadays

Bushwick

Think of Nowadays as a club with a conscience. This sprawling, indoor/outdoor space on the border between two neighborhoods (Bushwick and Ridgewood) in two boroughs (Brooklyn and Queens) and right next to a huge cemetery is up for just about anything. You'll find it packed during daylight hours with families enjoying drinks, Asian-inflected bites and ramen at picnic tables, or pulsing in the evenings with civic-minded Brooklynites taking in a lecture or documentary screening before dancing the night away. Sunday is the most popular here, with an all-day outdoor DJ dance party called Mister Sunday that draws a diverse crowd.

Pearl's Social and Billy Club

Bushwick
Emblematic of the new Bushwick, this chill spot looks cool and has a laid-back personality as well as patrons who have lots of interesting things to say. The expertly mixed cocktails are served in mason jars. Locals love Pearl's for day drinking; nighttime can rock until 4 am.

Pine Box Rock Shop

In a former coffin ("pine box") factory, this bar and performance space is best known for its beer selection, though the specialty vegan cocktails are worth checking out, too. Weekly trivia, karaoke, and live-music events take place, and every month or so the space hosts a Saturday "vegan shop-up" with vendors selling crafts and notably fine vegan food.

The Cobra Club

Bushwick
Locals love this multifaceted hangout from early morning to late at night: it's a fun cocktail bar in the evening, with karaoke, dance parties, live music, and movie screenings. During the day it's a café and yoga studio, including an infamous metal yoga class (vinyasa practice backed by doom metal music).