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    Essence Bar

    3.3 (116 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order Essence Bar Takeout or Delivery

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    ESSENCE BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    DJ
    Live music
    Moderate noise
    Casual

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    Recommended Reviews - Essence Bar

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    Tremaine R.

    Food - 3.5 Service - 4 Ambiance- 3 5 For years I've lived a few blocks away from this place but never contemplated going in. I was judging the book by the cover and it didn't seem to be my vibe. My friend suggested we check it out when we couldn't find another late night spot to go to. Lucky for us it was comedy night and they had at least one really good comedian who had us laughing her entire set. The food was surprisingly decent and I would probably order again. Not a fan of the decor or the everything wood color furniture and walls but outside of that it's an okay spot. I wouldn't rush to go back but I would definitely order the food as take out. We got the collard greens, wings, pasta and fries.

    I love fingerprints and lipstick on my glass
    Freddy G.

    They gonna make you a drink from these dirty glasses, and when they asked me if I wanted another drink and I said yes, they poured out like 3oz of beer into the sink. That doesn't even make sense lol. 3 stars bc I want to love this place - the vibes are old school Brooklyn and community focused, but bruh clean ur classes properly and let me finish my drink

    Thanks Ma for the dinner! Thanks cool waitress for taking our pics:)
    Shyne F.

    Don't judge a book by its cover! From the outside I thought the place was closed, gate was down, it was around 7pm on the weekend, called to be sure, they were open. Found parking in front, on Atlantic, scoreeee. Server was super personable, loved her personality, so attentive, customer service down to the man checking bags at the door was A1. Food was really good, flavorful, portions weren't too big but just right, left me wanting more lol. Drinks also really good. The vibe of this place was chill. It's a restaurant/bar. Gave girls night vibes. I came here with my mom to break bread for my 35th. Not mad about coming here. Gem is in the back/outdoor area. We checked out the outdoor area after eating to take pics, how cute is this garden gem, loveee. Can see it coming alive like if you threw an event etc. overall great dining experience, will come again. Thank you for your business!

    6 Fried Shrimp and Fries with a side of hair
    C I.

    They are not only unhygienic but their staff who's says she's the supervisor is extremely unprofessional, rude and ghetto. I ordered fried shrimp with French fries which apparently came with a side of hair. It doesn't matter how small, hair on food is a BIG NO! UBER EATS SUCKS and refused to help me! Then... I called to tell them about it and the supervisor told me that no one there has any hair. It could be public hair, and eyelash, hair from someone's arm who knows. And I'm pretty damn sure all the staff is not completely bald. As if to say I'm lying or making it up she then says I'm not disputing you, you're the customer. She placed me on hold then came back having a full conversation with someone else. I asked for the manager and of course she claims they weren't there. I will continue to call and post my review until they correct this. P.S. Doesn't this establishment screen their employees? I can get over how ghetto she was and how unprofessional she was/spoke. She needs som phone etiquette... Yikes!

    8 Honey Essence Wings
    Maggie A.

    Man the best chicken wings in the world. I just came here for the honey wings. Wings were well seasoned and made to perfection. Sad happy hr ends early now , happy hr is now from 12pm-6pm. I enjoy the mixture of music played , essence caters to a more mature audience. I suggest coming early so you can grab a seat by the bar. Essence is not an upscale restaurant, but don't judge a book by its cover. Essence is the only establishment that wasn't impacted by gentrification: feels like I'm sitting in a time capsule.

    really good but oxtail rasta pasta only had 3 tiny pieces. i guess the chef got hungry. in all seriousness though for almost 30 ($27) you guys can put more than $5 worth of oxtail on the plate

    Arlene H.

    Will never order from here again. Went in to order a passion fruit margarita to go. The bartender insisted she knew how to make one but said we have to order food. Fine no problem. Ordered some wings. First of the margarita tasted like frozen juice. No liquor in this margarita what so ever. How does a bartender working in a bar not know how to make a margarita. Second of all they dont even give you a full cup. They are lucky i paid before i received the order and i was not in the mood to make a issue.

    Essence
    Elton L.

    I love this spot; the food is nice, and it has an old school feel. The spot need a little upgrading but it has a family vibe and it's black-owned. Vey low key vibe and it feels great!

    Spicy & Sweet Shrimp and French fries

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    Food is excellent!!! Bartenders are very friendly. And comedy on Wednesday nights karaoke on Fridays live band on Sundays

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    Paradise Lost

    Paradise Lost

    4.4
    (171 reviews)
    4.4 mi

    Thank goodness we FOUND paradise LOST. You ring the doorbell, and are buzzed in to be put on the…read morelist. For my group of 2, it was approximately a 25 minute wait on a Saturday at 7. We jumped over to the bar right beside and drank some girly drinks before getting the notification our table was ready. As with nearly every establishment in NYC, it is very close quarters in paradise lost. We stood at a table while waiting for seats at the bar to become available. Which, we didn't mind. I could see how this might be a little harder to get a seat for a bigger group if you aren't there before 6. It seemed that once a group got a big table, they camped out. The drinks were strong and creative. Friendly bartenders, good music, and yummy options for bar snacks. Also, the bathroom is a nice touch. Given the hell theming for the bar, the bathroom is a 180 and while using the Lou, you can listen to the bible being recited. Theres also a spooky surprise if you press the button in the bathroom. Speaking of the bathroom, it is at the bottom of some decently narrow stairs. So, try and stay sober enough for stairs or you may fall. Go to this bar. You will have fun.

    Paradise Lost is a speakeasy tiki bar located on 2nd Ave in the East Village. A friend & I went…read morethere after having dinner at Spicy Moon a few blocks away. We wanted to have after-dinner cocktails in a chill space, so we searched on our phones & saw Paradise Lost address via Google. We proceeded to walk down & was unable to find the establishment due to their being no front sign. After walking back & forth a few times, we saw another group walking towards the door & they confirmed the place. We walked inside the front door pressed a "doorbell" & lo & behold we gained entry after the previous group went inside. Definitely an incognito entrance. Once inside that door there is someone to greet you, & take your information. There is a forest/ grass/ jungle-looking foyer/ hallway we walked down to get to the next door. Before we knew it, we were near the "Paradise Lost No Vacancy" neon sign w/ an arrow pointing towards the snake-shaped knob door. It gets opened & a supercool speakeasy awaits.... Paradise Lost has mixed style table / seating arrangements throughout the place. A bar seating section, booth-style seating area, lounge- style seating area, etc. We got there a little after 7pm, so the afterwork crowd was in full swing. Paradise Lost has interesting atmosphere. At times a Gothic / Medieval Vibe, meets place w/ shipwreck decor, meets eleganct /club vibe w/ beautiful ceiling lighting, etc. Music played in the background. Staff are friendly, energetic, & attentive. We were pleasantly overwhelmed w/ the vast selection of tiki cocktails that were on the menu. Paradise Lost also have an intimate selection of snacks/ food menu items. This included Popcorn, Tater Tots, Devilled Eggs Rangoon Dip, etc. We ordered some cocktails served in unique tiki mugs & a bucket of popcorn to munch on w/ our drinks. The popcorn is flavored w/ Sea Buckthorn & Browm Butter, which gave it an special flavor profile. Our cocktails were well-prepared & nice & strong. Paradise Lost has individual unisex bathroom stalls & a communal vanity & sink area. The bathroom stalls have spooky voices coming from a speaker as you use the bathroom. I was so humorously taken aback, it had me laughing when I came out...Definitely a different thing to experience in the bathroom - lol. Before we left we watched one of the bartenders do a cocktail "fire" presentation for some patrons in a booth seated area. Wow.... Paradise Lost accepts walk-ins only, no reservations. Paradise Lost accepts groups of 8 or less, unless you are requesting to book the space for a private event. Ages 21+ paradiselost.nyc @paradiselostnyc Paradise Lost is open everyday - 5pm-2am.

    Photos
    Amazing atmosphere!
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    Sunken Harbor Club

    Sunken Harbor Club

    4.5
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    I've been trying to go to Sunken Harbor for over a year now. I don't know how it's possible but…read moredespite being local it always seems to have a private event whenever we have plans to go. The stars finally aligned this winter and I had the opportunity to try it out. The vibes are perfect. Fog and bubbles, sea noises and all of the art go together seemlessly. Drinks were great. We had three and left suitably sloshed for the night with no aftereffects. We didn't have too many bites but the food was very good for a bar. I'm excited to go back and I hope we have just as much luck getting in next time.

    This is a "speakeasy" above Gage and Tollner. An undersea Tiki style adventure with a sexy mermaid…read moreheading up the bar. Nautical theme throughout with weathered leather, ropes, fish. Cocktails are made with various types of rum and ingredients like grapefruit, maraschino, wormwood amaro, falernum, thyme, Assam tea, spiced lime, allspice, coconut, cucumber, nutmeg, sour orange. All the drinks keep with the tropical, fruity taste with a hint of spice. They are also broken up into categories (dry land = no alcohol, shallows = average amount of alcohol, and abyss (larger amounts of alcohol). The abyss section has some cocktails that are limited to two per customer. They have some bar bites like fried green tomatoes, shrimp toast, broiled oysters, ricotta, dumplings, sliders. I had the French fries with kimchi ranch, which were underwhelming. Bartenders were cool and kept the drinks coming. I got in immediately without an issue or a wait, but it was right after a snowstorm. I've seen some people struggle to get in or have a long wait.

    Photos
    View of the bar
    View of the bar
    Mary Pickford - IG @bougiefoodieboi
    Mary Pickford - IG @bougiefoodieboi
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    Bembe

    Bembe

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    Bembe is one of those places. If you know, you know -- and…read moreif you don't, you should fix that immediately. Tuesday nights? Reggaeton goes crazy. The room is moving, the energy is right, and it feels like a real party instead of a playlist on shuffle. Friday nights with the live drums? Different level. That's when Bembe really shows its roots. The drums add this raw, authentic feel that turns the whole night into an experience instead of just a bar stop. Now let's talk drinks -- because this one deserves its own moment: The tequila with the lime dipped in coffee grounds is surprisingly delicious. I wasn't expecting it to work... but it absolutely does. Must-drink. Non-negotiable. This is a place to dance, drink, sweat a little, and leave feeling like you actually went somewhere. Bathroom Review (2 out of 4) Safety - Bouncer presence helps a lot. You feel secure moving back there. Accessibility - Easy enough to get to, no maze or weird hallway journey. Space - Bathrooms are small and tucked way in the back. Gets cramped fast. Privacy - Sinks are outside the bathrooms, which kills the privacy a bit when it's packed.

    Where to start with Bembe... reimagined from years ago... not the Bembe that Dj Gringo cultivated…read morethrough the years but a new vibe with Reggae/dancehall, afrobeats and other themed nights. Music is always good, sometimes a couple decades back as they dig in the crates and nostalgic dancehall plays... the service is always attentive and the female bartenders are always friendly... my fave drinks are the passionfruit margarita or the rum punch either one will do you just right. The real vibe starts a little late for the weeknight events... so be prepared to lose some sleep before work... always a vibe.. always safe and a staple in the Williamsburg communityfor Caribbean.

    Photos
    Margaritas
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    Entry door.

    Essence Bar - soulfood - Updated June 2026

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