Disgusting facility. Super dirty. Snooty employees and ultra crowded place with little to no room to enjoy yourself. Will not return.

My friends and I have been to the place countless times for so many shows, food, and overall entertainment... but have more recently felt unwelcome and made to feel hated by BAM just because we are different from them. This venue needs an attitude adjustment of what it means to be a part of a COMMUNITY! Just because we might be different from you gives you no right to treat us with such hostility and hate. We have been nothing but kind, outgoing, understanding and patient neighbors in the face of nonstop hate and vitriol. The food that feeds some of these hurtful and hateful emotions is toxic and filled with an extremely low frequency agenda. A business and venue should pride itself on serving a community, not an ideology. Shape up and practice love or lose our business forever. read more

This place has really went downhill... The ego permeates from every single employee... place has got down hill...treated like I was less then them because of a hat. I will never come back. read more

BAMCafe is super cool....Actually, I just really like coming to BAM (movie theater, auditoriums to see live shows etc.) and their cafe is just another one of the interesting places to visit. Once I take the escalator upstairs and approach BAMCafe, I use a minute to take in the ambiance. The bar area is located towards the back near the escalator, followed by a mini art exhibit, multiple tables and chairs for dining), a small couch area on the right hand side closer to the stage (gives the place a semi-lounge feel), the stage and the bathrooms are located behind the stage area. Inner decor is really special at BAMCafe as the walls have a brick - like structure, there are decorative lighting fixrures in the windows and the overall lighting/color aesthetic is gorgeous. Recently, the BAMCafe Live Series has been quite entertaining. It is a free live music showcase featuring different types of music. BAMCafe Live has been taking place on Friday + Saturday nights at 9pm. Pleasurable does not begin to describe my experience as I have been going several weeks in a row to enjoy BAMCafe' s live music itinerary filled with great bands. Baraji is a Korean Music Group that blended the use of musical instruments and singing to give a lovely performance. Alvin Flythe and his band served the crowd with spectacular Jazz Music and Arthur Russell Concert last night was wonderful. Staff here at BAMCAFE enforce strict rules such as where you can stand etc, to ensure everyone's safety. The bar staff try their best to get you your order in a timely manner (it gets very busy w/ customers during live music nights). The happy hour is from 6 -8pm but one can get a alcoholic/ non-alcolohic beverage for the duration. I have only had a glass of juice which was $3.50. The DJ is there and plays an excellent selection of music before and after the live band performances. He keeps the party going from the beginning to the end! read more

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Awesome place and cafe with periodic free music. Don't really want to advertise how great this place is for movies on the weekends...when no one is around. One of the best movie houses - weekends can be a bit crowded- read more

Can't believe I've never written about BAMCafe! This has been a great spot for a long time now, especially the free events they have on many a Friday and/or Saturday night, but even for the pay ones as well. Beautiful during the day ornight, it gets packed for the free night concerts so get there early if you want a seat facing the stage. Even if you're not though, the tunes carry through to the back couches where you can chill with a friend or three or with that special someone. This is also a great first date spot. The drinks aren't cheap, but, they are strong - which I like! Come check it out, but don't steal my seat! read more

BAMCafe - Film Festival After-Party we had in February - Music Venues Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

One of the most stunningly beautiful spots where to have a drink in NYC. Very spacious, with barrel-like ceilings as high as a cathedral, with beautiful lighting[1], I never fail to stop at BAM Cafe before a performance at BAM, and I never fail to be impressed by this place. I also come here occasionally to listen to live music and DJ shows. Last time I came here the bartenders managed to reconcile me with the art of making a good cocktail[2]: my BAMhattan was nice and dry the way I like it, and my gf had a jalapeno margarita that was one of the best spicy cocktails this side of the East River[3]. The only minus point was that that night there was no music on, which was a bit odd... This would also be a fantastic space for a private event. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] http://www.h3hc.com/index.php?p=h3&flashid=2282 [2] see my review of The Vanderbilt... http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-vanderbilt-brooklyn [3] Kampuchea makes a phenomenal spicy cocktail with Cambodian katiev called Bon Om Tuk. read more

Oh BAM Cafe with your weird seating policies and your great free lineups! I like this place, but it's so sad you have to get here so early to see someone for free. I wouldn't mind spending money to see a good performance and no one minds standing, but sometimes it's a little disheartening to travel there and find out you won't be getting in. When and if you do get in, you have to stand in weird spots. It's usually a good time, and I wish they would just do a fun afterparty, since there's always a great dj there, but alas, they don't. Fun if you're in the neighborhood and can get upstairs to catch the show before they turn off the escalator! read more

I love this venue. So spacious, beautiful, nice tall ceilings with beautiful lights. But what I am still salivating over is their kick-ass jalapeno margarita. Its a little spicy and all margarita ;-) MR had a BAMhattan and that was made very well too! When we went, it was almost 7:30 and there wasn't anyone playing, and the cafe just seems a bit weird without music. Bring on the music! I will go back just to have a few more jalapeno margaritas!! The best ever!! read more

This venue is beautiful! They host a variety of events including films, performances, comedy sketches, and FREE live music. BAM Cafe is located on the second floor of the Peter Jay Sharp Building and is opened Friday and Saturday nights (6pm-11pm). Last night (Friday 9pm), White Prism performed some of their catchy, breathy synth-pop songs. The audience were all nodding to the beat, some even stood up to shake their shoulders! I can't believe this was a free performance! At 8pm, around the time we arrived, the tables were about half occupied. By 9pm, they were all filled. So my recommendation? Come early, take a seat, have a drink, and enjoy the ambiance :) read more

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BAM Cafe is a cozy loft atop the Brooklyn Academy of Music that has a bar, food pickings, live music and readings. While up there, you are sitting behind their gorgeous spherical kaleidoscopic glass windows. It's a great spot to grab a drink before or after visiting BAM cinema or the theater. It's also great as a stand alone date spot for drinks and live music on a Friday/ Saturday night. It's one of those small, charming Brooklyn spots that (seems to me at least) is a well kept secret. If you're in the park slope or fort greene neighborhoods it's close enough and definitely worth checking out. read more

Very nice! Spacious. Great bar, dance floor, and seating area. A variety of dj's and great sound system. I definitely recommend!

I've been to BAM several times for movies, concerts and shows, but never made it to the BAM Cafe. Finally had a reason to go for a free BAMCafe Live concert. The space is gorgeous (the spinning lights you can see from Lafayette Ave are also visible on the inside). The bar is pretty big. Cocktails are reasonably priced (around $12) and when it's HH pricing, beers are more reasonable. The acoustics are great. Just keep in mind that it's more of a sitdown dining table venue with some standing/dancing room (but not a lot). read more

BAMCafe - Cocktail menu - Music Venues Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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ARRIVE EARLY!!! This place is always packed and it's always a great time. Low light, small seating tables, standing room. There is always an eclectic/artsy/musical performance going on. A great first date place. However things tend to come to a close early...11pm or so...so this is definitely a great way to start a date and finish it with dinner/dancing at a late night hot spot. Love it and plan to go again and again! my amaretto sour tasted like someone scooped peanut butter into it...eek... 0_0 ...a very odd flavor...so not sure but just a heads up on that! read more

If you are fortunate enough to find the enterance, and then again to find the cafe you're in for a treat. I don't mean the food, I mean with the people. I've witnessed break-ups, arguments over where a complete stranger should and should-not sit as well as numerous behind-beatings from mother to child. Why pay the fare for a film when I can get my entertainment for free? read more

The space in the cafe at BAM is awe-inspiring. It's huge and has a great deal of aesthetic appeal starting with the space, to the lights, to the stage. It's a great place to catch free shows on Friday and Saturday nights. I caught a show from the Sounds Like Brooklyn Music festival and it was a great mix of jazz, blues, and classical music. I would definitely say it's worth visiting for both tourists and New Yorkers. How can you go wrong with a free show? It's also not far from the 2 or 3 train. If you're going to catch a show at the BAM Cafe, I recommend showing up early. Seating is limited. It wasn't packed on a Friday night, but there were a great deal of people who had to stand along side the walls and around the bar because all the seats were taken. They have bar food here and serve good cocktails, but it is a little pricey. read more

I went here last night (Saturday) for a free poetry and music show. This was my first time here and I loved it! The cafe is so pretty. And it was FREE!!! The show was very good. Great singers and nice, entertaining poetry. It was cool because they mixed the singer/band/dancers and poetry together. Yes the show had all those elements and they were good! I gave it four stars because its kind of impossible to get a table. You would probably have to get there like 2 hours in advance if you want a table. We were lucky enough to get 2 good spots at the bar. But I really wish they would do reservations for shows because standing would totally suck. womp. I also ordered food. The pizza. It was okay. My fiance ordered a drink, bourbon and ginger, for $8.00. She liked it considering she ordered 2. Anywho, I really liked the crowd and the free entertainment! I def recommend checking out BAM Cafe happy hour and music. It's really NICE! and I will be back for many more shows!! read more

I came here last Saturday night to watch Heather Park and Mahasin. I don't think I've ever been to a "cafe" with an escalator. Talk about fancy. Both artists were fabulously amazing. The crowd however, was not. I'm not really into being subdued. It's kind of awkward when you're the only one using vocalizations (instead of the more subdued applause) to show your love for artists at the end of a song/set. Just a little awkward. I was also slightly agitated about the lack of seating. Being the midget that I am, of course "mister tall man" would always hover right in front of me. Just my luck. Plus my entire bottom half of my body was so tired from all the walking around the city I did previous to the show. It was brutal having to stand especially while so many other people were enjoying their tables, chairs and cocktails. So I suggest coming extra early if you're expecting to be comfortable. This way you can snag a table, chair and cocktail and enjoy the lovely FREE music every weekend night. That is, if you're a subdued kind of person. read more

I was just here for a free show (came to see Takka Takka) and it was really nice save for all the people who were clearly not interested in the music and talked the whole time and got progressively louder with each overpriced cocktail they threw back. Bitter much? BUT. With that sad. I love the space upstairs. It's so large and airy and the floating body casts are really awesome. And even though it was so large the acoustics were still really good, there wasn't too much echo or anything. I look forward to going to more events here! read more

Please tell me the last time you enjoyed totally FREE (but actually good) musical entertainment on a weekend night within a completely gorgeous, spacious indoor setting. That's what I thought. BAM. read more

More people need to know about this place. They have great shows on the weekend and its in a very nice venue. The cafe is classy, modern, and spacious. The food and drinks are pretty good too! I have seen stand up comedians here, live music, and I'm sure they have even more than that. To my knowledge its free, and if I lived in Brooklyn I would be here all the time! read more

Wow! BAM Cafe is beautiful. I can't believe my first visit to this place came more than eight years after moving to NYC! They have free music performances on Friday & Saturday nights. Yes, I said FREE. You just need to make sure to show up about an hour before show time so that you can get a table. There is a really nice bar in the cafe, so you can sit and have cocktails while you wait for the show to start. They offer a few bar munchies like fries, pizza, chicken satay, etc. We ordered the rosemary pommes frites and while they were very good fries, they totally skimped on the rosemary. And the giant bowl of fries only came with one small side of ketchup. Some mayo would have been good with them too. Wines range from $6 to $12 and they have special cocktails like a jalapeno margarita and a drink called The Coltrane, which was YUM! Cocktails are around $10. A little pricey, but you're seeing a show for free so it's kind of hard to complain. The space is cavernous, with really high ceilings and lots of twinkly lights. It's really gorgeous and worth going at least once just to see the space. BAM Cafe, I will see you again soon! read more

This may be one of my new favorite places in all of New York. The space is beautiful and large, and you can't beat free live music. Their house DJ is also great, with fun mixes that are relevant to the type of performer they have each night. Drinks are reasonably priced for the city, but definitely stick with beer or wine. The cocktails and mixed drinks are pathetically weak. Definitely come a bit early to get a seat at one of the tables. Performances start promptly at 9, and they tend to wind down by quarter to 10. read more

Fantastic spot for live music, drinks, and dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. Located on the second floor of BAM, it's a beautiful space with unique lighting features (and you can see the cool spiral lights that adorn the outside of BAM from the inside!). If possible, go early to beat the crowds (music usually starts around 8 or 9 so arriving before then can usually get you a seat). There's a large bar area and an extensive amount of tables/chairs. Service is top notch. Happy hour is from 6 to 8 and offers $5 beers and $6 cocktails. For food, it's a lot of small plates. We very much enjoyed the burger, chicken sandwich, and fries but the menu changes seasonally so it's worth a second visit to see what's on the menu! read more

BAMCafe - Music Venues Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I adore the BAM Cafe. I ended up there one night with a male friend, when the movie we were planning to see at the BAM Rose Cinema was sold out. We started our night here, before making our way to Bembe for some dancing. The bartender was so friendly; he made us drink after drink. My companion, very much a man's-man was not the slightest bit shy about sucking down several Malibu Sunrises (bartender's suggestion.) He said they were delicious--the best mixed drink he's had, if I recall correctly! I was amused. We relaxed here for several hours. It is a very beautiful, minimal, wide open space. I'll be back, as I live close by; never got to try their food, but I shall, soon. They have some wonderfully chill musicians perform here on Friday and Saturday evenings; reason number 4580439539 to come back. I'm open if someone wants to take me on a date :) read more

Wow had never been to the Cafe. Visited as part of the Si Cuba festival to hear the O'Farrill family band play live latin jazz....for free! Loved the space, the vibe, the sound...the DJ was pretty awesome. read more

Went last night before Threepenny Opera (which was quite disappointing). The cafe is fantastic. Beautifully designed, with steel and arches of amber colored lights, the cafe is stunning in the evening. I do miss the little book shop they had to the left of cafe, now a mini-art gallery, but I'll live. The bartenders were all very nice and casual, and the drinks were done well and promptly. The food was much tastier than I had expected (warm pretzel bites, and a very cool "potato" ring dish were both well-seasoned). I really loved the cheese selection for the cheese/bread platter - with these crispy mini-bits of raisin/nut bread. One little "concern" more than a critique was the bar itself. From our side, by the host/hostess station the bar side was wobbly and may want to be looked at. A great place to meet up before a BAM movie or show - you can't go wrong here. read more

BAM Cafe is an experience that never disappoints. The concept is simple, on select Friday and Saturday nights, BAM cafe opens it's doors for free concerts by top-caliber performances. You can arrive early, sip drinks, chat, and if you want, eat upscale bar snacks while waiting for the performance to begin. Of you can arrive a bit closer to the performance, stand along the walls, and watch the performance. Either way it's a good time. The Cafe space is absolutely gorgeous. A tall-dimly lit loft-style space, with dark walls (brick I believe), several gigantic windows to one side, and small dim bulb lights flanking the walls. The stage is all the way at the front of the room, level with the dining tables, with the bar, which is a large square shape with chairs on all sides, is all the way towards the back. The only design flaw with the setup is that the bathrooms are located at either side of the stage. Each and every time I've attended a performance, there are issues with people walking in front of the band en route to the bathroom in the middle of a song. You'll have to arrive at least an hour early for a seat. And I've found that the back is generally noisy, due to the bar, so the closer you can get to the front, the better. The drinks are reasonable enough for NYC, but the food seems to be overpriced for what you get. I highly recommend having drinks at BAM before hitting up a restaurant on Fulton Street or DeKalb after the show. read more

This place really feels like it belongs in Brooklyn and in its own world. It's is absolutely stunning and filled with old art, beautiful paintings and more. Here you can see some cool, new age eclectic style operas, plays that push the boundaries of creativity and most importantly you can catch some good indie films. I love their upstairs cafe and full bar. They even serve food that isn't bad. It's a bit expensive, but you are at a theatre. I signed my husband and I up one year for their season package which allowed us to see 4 plays and 2 operas. Some were better than others, but the theatre is gorgeous and the stages were always very well done. Also the acting varies depending on the play but still very good. Can't wait to be able to go back. read more

Love this place, the venue is beautiful! BAM Cafe is located on the second floor of the Peter Jay Sharp Building and is opened Friday and Saturday nights (6pm-11pm). Last night (Friday 9pm). We went for the live music and enjoyed the DJ who got the vibe going before. The performance was awesome and we left having an amazing night with great service and loving the entire vibe. read more

What a beautiful space! The food also happens to be pretty damn good too. I've had everythign on the menu. Drinks are a bit limited and there's nothing particularly special about them. The bar tenders are fast and responsive. I recommend catching a seat at the bar during a comedy show. You get quick service and a guaranteed view of the show! The seats up front are always taken an hour or two before the starts, which is very annoying. I've been there more than a dozen times and they're always taken. read more

Perfect date spot, or place to take visiting family or a group for a chill experience. Get here early Bam Cafee Live-- it's free and Brooklyn. I've seen many great shows here. Prime people watching. Very interesting crowd. Try a Bamhattan, delicious! My boyfriend and I frequent this spot. It's always a perfect place to have a drink or two while enjoying live music on a Friday or Saturday evening. read more

Upstairs, airy and calming.. beautiful arched windows.. relaxed boho atmosphere... and what? yes.. there is a very groovy bookstore with nearly any kind of book you would need for your hipster collection.. poetry, architecture, taschen books on design... novels.. non fix... enjoy.. take your time.. read more

I love Friday Nights @ BAM Cafe! In the last four weeks my best friend and I have yet to be disappointed about any live performance we have seen thus far. Its a nice chill spot for students (free friday and saturday nights) to unwind from a long week of books and professors. Who knows you might see your professor there too! It is such a relaxed casual setting you would not even mind. They serve Cakeman Raven Cake for those of you who are fans because I am! In total...I am a fan of Bam Cafe! read more

The quality level of musical talent that performs here for free is so high that tonight's show that was the worst I've seen there was just good instead of great. Whoever books the talent there is to be commended. They have made changes recently to where menu items seem more expensive and smaller portions than they were in past years (or maybe I'm remembering wrong?) and they put the kibosh on putting tables together, which my group of friends used to do all the time. But because you could in theory go and pay nothing at all, it's still a good deal. The ambiance of the space is nice, and the vibe you get from the performers, the audience, and the bar staff is always friendly. I recommend getting there no later than 8 if you want to get a seat. How quickly the space gets filled up with people varies depending on how well known the act is, but know that sooner or later the whole place does fill up, especially at 9 o'clock when the show is about to begin. read more

This a beautiful venue for some drinks and live music. I went there on a friday night with some friends and had a good time. There's no cover, the crowd is cultured and the music is diverse. The cocktails weren't even that pricey. Definitely will be going back again. read more

BAMCafe - Music Venues Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This is definitely about to be my new spot!! Didn't know much about it until my friend mentioned a free show. It's super close to the subway-- Barclays center. BAM is a great location for those wanting to delve into arts and music just as much as those that believe these things are their lives! The show was actually free and EXCELLENT!! The free shows are Friday and Saturday evenings probably ending btw 2200-2230. Nice timing. Coffee and hot water are also served--$3 per hot beverage. I was even able to snag a seat which was nice. Eclectic crowd read more

BAMCafe - Music Venues Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I went for a Valentine's day date to see Mo Beasley perform spoken word. We arrive at around 7:30 for the happy hour. Great deals on the food and the drinks, though the quality of the food is nothing to write home about. It started to get more crowded towards 8:30 or so. If you want to get seating for the "free performance" nights, I would recommend getting there around 8, though if you want to make use of the happy hour specials as well, a bit earlier would be great. read more

This place was super cute. The environment was very welcoming and modern for a coffee shop. I had a chocolate and fried dough balls with ice cream and pecans. The friend dough balls were delicious! They were crispy and soft in the inside. The guy at the counter was helpful and willing to answer questions. Loved this place!! read more

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Great venue to listen to live *often FREE* music. It's in a great old building that resembles a church but it has crazy cool fiber optic light displays instead of stained glass windows......so it's basically a temple of good music. Not too crowded at all, nice staff, not too far from the subway. I haven't seen a film here yet, but they have lots of revivals and art films with unique speakers that I need to check out. Oh BAM, why can't I live next door to you?? read more