What I have always appreciated about Friends and Lovers is how seamlessly it blends old‑school New York nightlife spirit with a warm feeling of community‑driven connection. The programming is thoughtful and deliberate: great DJs who actually play what the crowd wants, live acts, and events that draw people of all ages without feeling chaotic. Even on busy nights, the staff keeps things running smoothly, and the crowd is respectful and upbeat. It's a place where you can enjoy good music, good company, a feeling of community thinking that we're all in this together, and a sense of authenticity that's getting harder to find in the city. In conclusion, 5 stars for the crowd and the club that keeps it happy read more

I have a love/hate relationship with this place. I have had horrendous experiences here where an entire birthday group of 15 people left the line outside to go elsewhere because bouncers were on a weird power trip beefing with random people behind us in line. I have also had fun nights here with great music, dancing, and vibes. I'm officially old now and my thoughts on the place are tempered --that I'm glad it exists and it's an important space for the whole community. This has been a fairly reliable and solid place to dance which a good mix of genres, crowds, and vibes for years now. Used to frequent as I lived right over in Clinton Hill while in college. Oftentimes it has been the only place close by to dance in that kind of setting. The drinks are fine and bartenders typically chill. They did look at us like we were crazy one night when we asked for two long island iced teas haha... ...but also like actually why not? Maybe I want that chaos in my life. They said no, probably for the best. Bouncers outside have been hit or miss over the years but honestly you can say that about any place, they keep BS out so i can't blame them. I don't think the place should really ever have a cover including when it was at its busiest, but I think it may be necessary for overhead. The bathroom line can get long and people take their time in there doing what they'll do.. Can be a wildcard for what it will be like inside, but if you come with a fun group, problem solved. Overall the staff is "no BS" to put it simply, so as long and you're chill and respectful, you *shouldn't* have any problems. read more

Cute cozy bar. Came for salsa night and the music was good. I appreciate the coat rack. The bathroom gets stuck tho lol

Friends and Lovers is an awesomely fun space for dance parties, comedy shows, and community events. It's very welcoming and I highly recommend their vibe. read more

There is a bartender with long dreadlocks who simply does not care about women's safety. He refused to charge my phone when I politely asked, emphasizing i would only need maybe 2-3 minutes to charge just enough to get an uber to my hotel. it was very late and I am not from the area. He did not want to touch someone else's charger which was out in the open charging the same phone for over an hour. His coworker, another bartender was so lovely and immediately found a different charger behind the bar and plugged my phone in so I could request an uber. When I looked at the original bartender I simply said do you see how easy that was? You guessed it... his fragile ego got the best of him and his hurt feelings so he immediately had security escort me out with a DEAD phone in the middle of the night. Every other guy there was in shock. Some even saying something to him and security. "Let her charge her phone. Her hotel is in the lower east side she needs to get back." Nope. He wouldn't listen. This man has a power complex and displays no sense of hospitality whatsoever. No PERSON let alone man has ever disregarded my safety so flippantly. How easy it could have been for him to simply plug in a phone, seeing a woman from out of town in a bind. He did the exact opposite. LADIES stay far away from this bar. read more

Fun dancey bar in prospect heights! Was in the area and didn't feel like changing neighborhoods but was in the mood to dance so decided to stop by. I was a huge fan of the dj set that was on for the evening. Only ordered one drink while here and it was...very strong. Almost too strong, so much so I had to split it with a friend. The bartender was also not super friendly but it was also super crowded and they were likely overwhelmed. I think the crowd here is generally in their early to late 30s, at least the night I went. If I'm ever back in the neighborhood I would go back to dance for sure! read more

Small ... quaint but SUPER DOPE music ... that I never hear especially coming from Houston... I felt it was a breath of fresh air hearing old cuts. In Houston I only hear screw or top 40 in clubs. They had a dance floor not big but you can get lit. Pure eclectic vibes... I miss being in Brooklyn. Oh yea you can't use cc's CASH ONLY! ROCK ON! read more

Friends and Lovers - Gotta love BROOKLYN! - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Friends and Lovers is tucked away so well! I definitely questioned if I was heading in the right direction once I started towards Classon Avenue -lol. Actually, I walked by it twice before I realized where it was....Once I arrived there, I got myself settled by the bar which had cool decor. There is stool seating as well as a few regular sized seats by the front door area. Friends and Lovers is cozy and has a very chill atmosphere. We came that specific evening to see the free " Side Ponytail" Comedy Show which is every Monday at 8pm. Before the show started, the bartender was kind enough to let us know the drink specials. Once the show was set to begin,we proceeded into the back where the audience sits to view the stage. The "Side Ponytail" Comedy Show was about 2 hours long and consisted of about 10 comedians. Everyone from the Master of Ceremonies, to the DJ, to the comedians were funny!. Every great comedy show has to end properly and the final comedian's "food rhyme" that she rapped along to Cardi B.'s "Bodak Yellow" beat was hilarious!!! Is the night over once the comedy show ends?....of course not-lol. There was a DJ that continued to keep the party going with good music. We stayed a bit longer and hung out by the bar. I almost forget that it was Monday night and came back to reeality that there was work the next day-lol. Having way too much fun....lol. I recommend at least coming here once to hang out, enjoy the comedy show and to hear the DJ play a song or two.... read more

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Gem of a bar! Love the culture and makes you feel like home. Great comedy shows and they don't force you for "two drinks minimum". Good drinks and friendly bartenders read more

Warning Incels! There is so many men just standing around you standing there angrily drinking. Would not recommend unless you desperate to get a middle aged man read more

I wanna give it a higher rating but the bouncer out front was mad homophobic. Charged me $10 at the door. And after he saw that I (male presenting and identifying) had painted nails, said it would be $20 for "people like 'me". Of course I refused to pay that amount so the let me in for $10. But how gross and unappealing, when I found out that everyone from my group who had entered 5 mins earlier wasn't required to pay a cover. Will not be coming back. read more

I actually love this place as a venue, but cannot always get down with the crowd. The spot is incredible though. Nice size bar and social/hangout space in the entrance. Grab you a drink, chat up some people. Friendly and responsive bartenders. Then head into the black walled rear, normally occupied with quality DJs spinning their heart out. Take some air in the patio/whatever in the rear (also good place to chat with people because lower volume. The problem is the crowd, if there is a problem. I think those two should be separated though: business and crowd. Look on the events list, find some DJs you rock with, and bring a bunch of the squad (not your 'brunch crew' T_T) to show out...... sometimes the dancing spirit is straight buns; non pair-dancing stunt'rs, off-beat to rhythm groov'rs, no hip-usin' wackst'rs.. we like to say it gets occupied with too much 'Seattle' (and Corn Fed...) type lol... gets bad on occasions 〰〰 but 〰〰 When you find the right DJ/crew, the right night (I find better parties here in the winter months), and the proper dancing spirit... WOAH! You'll only wish you could rent legs in order to dance more Just the other week I walk over on some 'its close by, so lets check in on ol' girl' tip. Turns out that night 'Easy Mo Bee' (produced most of Biggie's first album) was just spinning tracks from his massive vinyl collection all the while. D-stroyed the dance floor (although the crowd wasn't on his level (besides myself))! Pro tips: Cash only (stop crying) There is a second WC near sound booth in dark room. (stop crying) Dont be corny: dance with strangers read more

Friends and Lovers - Early night shows great way to catch some raw local talent - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Came specifically to see the Side Ponytail comedy show that's free every Wednesday night and last Saturday of the month. Pretty cool venue although it was insanely crowded (to be expected on a Saturday night in a relatively small bar). Writing this review because I absolutely loved the show and thought most of the sets on Leap Day were hilarious. Would definitely come back. read more

I've come here for a few events and it's OK. There's a room with a stage separated from the main bar area, beer selection was small but varied and the bartender whose there for every event I attend is friendly, but absent minded. They have self serve water but it wasn't prepped at the start of the event so everyone formed a line to ask for individual glasses. He turns his back to the bar sometimes so it's hard to get his attention, or will go to get more ice only an hour after the venue has been open. It's Friday night, the venue seems chill so maybe it never picks up like a normal bar would but that doesn't mean you don't have to have everything prepped at the start of your shift. After the event was over there was a free comedy show offering free beer to people who stuck around, I didn't but I heard it was good. Other than coming for something in particular I didn't find much of a draw here, it seems like the space is kept intentionally neutral so whatever is going on has a backdrop they can make their own. Someone said it's less of a bar and more of a room with a bar, and I agree. read more

I don't know, meh I've heard about this place before as being a pretty good bar for 20-30 year olds, especially from my friends living in Crown Heights But I wasn't impressed, kinda, at all It was crowded and I came here on a Wednesday night, which would be a good sign. But the place is pretty small and people kept bumping into each other even though there was space to move It looks kind of like a room with a bar. It doesn't have a bar feeling to it There was was a DJ which is always a plus, but the music was whatever.. maybe it was themed that night but it was a weird type of dance music that was very loud Also its cash only and the location kinda sucks Bar service was fast and I paid $8 for a beer for price reference read more

Ok so I was pretty tipsy the entire time I was here but wow finally a good DJ! I feel like everywhere I go lately the DJ has been not great and had no idea how to mix or transition songs and then I found Friends & Lovers. I was here on 90s hip hop night and was blown away at how good the music was. There was plenty of room to dance and the drinks were strong and delicious. Def will be coming back! read more

Rad new venue in an area that needed one. The sound is awesome-- I've seen several shows here already and they were all great. Love the bartenders. Can't wait to hit up one of their weekend dance parties! read more

Friends and Lovers - a dimly lit bar - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Friends and Lovers never disappoints if you want to dance. The waiting to get in is never longer than 5 mins. and although the bar may seem too crowded to dive into I would suggest making one big drink order if you're with a group. Destiny was an awesome bartender also , she remembered my drink orders after the first round and I can always appreciate that. The backyard is super convenient if you are a fellow smoker, however make sure you close it when you leave or go in winter, nobody wants to dance in the cold. Great bar for dancing, quick drinks and pretty fair pricing. read more

The New York dance scene is not something I know much of but the atmosphere of this location really seemed like... a classic New York experience: as in whatever dance venues are anywhere else is amplified/exponentially more difficult here. Just a debrief of the dance floor: 1) NYC = city with huge population but tiny, tiny burrows. Friends and Lovers = dance venue with a ton of people packing it in (so hot and steamy) but tiny, tiny space for movement and two bathrooms, each with lines as long as the line of people waiting to get into the venue. 2) Clubs/dance venues = hard AF to get the bartenders attention because there are so many people that need to get their drank on. Friends and Lovers = hard AF to get the bartenders attention because there's a ton of people that have nowhere else to stand after getting a drink 3) DJs = are they really playing this? Friends and Lovers = are they still playing this? Not my top choice for a Friday night, but college kids, keep em coming! Got to say that the drinks were great and reasonably priced, but it was too much to try to fight my way back for another. read more

I had my first experience with Friends and Lovers finally and I'm so excited I got to come during a free comedy show. This bar is the perfect event space with the fun bar popping up front and then a door that closes off an open area with a stage and few seating. I would definitely recommend getting there early to snag a seat or you'll be cramped with the 100 other guests trying to see the stage. You would think they'd have a limit to how many people can fit in that space, and forget about trying to get another drink during the show! It's impossible to move through the sea of people to get to the bar. All that to say I was one of the lucky few who had a seat and thoroughly enjoyed the show! The bar is spacious out front as well and had decent prices on drinks. I stuck to wells but I hear they had a good selection of beers as well. I'm excited to come back for the next comedy show especially now that I now this place is so close by. read more

Hated it. Music was atrocious, bouncers were rude and disgusting. As my party were trying to figure out where to go for our next event outside, we had a bouncer tell us to move up the block while his minion shouted "bye bye". This took place on September 11th around 1:15 am. We weren't even in front of the establishment so his demand wasn't even warranted. People shouldn't be subjected to such horrible treatment. In all honesty you're better off going to Ode to Babel or Basquiat's Bottle. Much better venue, respectful customers and employees. read more

-1 star for being so damn far out of the way. Came here on a Friday night with a few friends and had a great time. Warning: CASH ONLY BAR! The bartenders were attentive...which can be hard to come by these days. The crowd wasn't too crazy but it definitely fills out the later it gets. I left around 12:30 and there were at least twice as many people there as when I arrived at 10:30. Be prepared to dance! The music was great the whole time. DJ played a mix of new and throwbacks with a new twist. Will definitely come back next time I'm in the area! read more

I used to love this spot but last night completely changed my perception. The entire night men were harassing my friends and I on the dance floor. One man was filming us on his phone and we confronted him about it. He complained to security and we got kicked out. Security said that it was a "he said/she said situation" (although the man literally has footage of us on his phone) and we were in the wrong for "choosing violence" (???). We were violated, yet we got kicked out for confronting the issue. Beyond disappointed in this spot. read more

Cool low key local spot- mixed bag of top 40 hits, comedy show (depending on night), dj/dance floor/ bar scene ... good vibes. Cozy location

Had been hearing about this place forever finally a friend of mine took me there wow what a waste of time first of all a $10 cover charge for nothing only to get inside and encounter one of the most rudest disrespectful bartenders I have ever seen in my life ordered a drink gave me the drink pay for with my card try to get a receipt when I asked for the receipt she handed me an iPad to put my information in which I did press print and then she informed me her printer is broken that's why she handed me the iPad like I was supposed to know that this place sucks dance for a small backyard is hot as hell like a sauna if you want to go out and have a lousy time and a horrible customer service this is the spot for you but if you want to enjoy yourself stay away from friends and lovers read more

So I went there for comedy night on Monday. The set was okay, and it was free. Some comedians were just blah. My three stars were for two of the comedians that I thought were pretty damn funny. It was free so something to do on a humid summer Monday night. The bartender was just kind of checked out. Not many people there and had to stand at the bar for like 5 minutes literally before he came over. When he finally did, he wasn't very accommodating. Asked him for a beer that was light, something that reflected summer. He kinda gave me en empty stare and was dazed for a few. It seemed as if I asked him a trivia question. We took what he brought us. I knew that I wasn't ordering any more drinks after that and just shuffled in to see the show. read more

Friends and Lovers - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I really enjoy the vibe here. It's a super dive bar. Music is usually great: pop, r&b, some 90s, hip-hop. And the bartender is generous with her pour. Haven't been to a ticketed event here so can't speak to that but a cool place to just be lowkey, dance and drink. read more

Music on a Saturday night is great, fun party vibe. Unfortunately, the drinks are really terrible. Vodka shots, vodka mix drinks, bubbly options, and cider tasted watered down and like very cheap liquor was used despite requests for Tito's. Eventually just purchased Coronas. This would've been a great place to come to if I was already drunk and ready to get my dance on. read more

Had a nice time. Subdued atmosphere, cocktails, and god company. The name says it all, somewhere to sit and have a nice chat with a friend or lover over elegant drinks. read more

Charity is a great thing. Giving away money for nothing is good because it helps those people in need. However, I don't believe I should just be giving the people at Friends and Lovers my money for nothing, because I don't think it's a good cause. This place offers the same product as some other spots in the neighborhood, but charges money or more money. The live acts here are nothing special. I've seen better shows at The Way Station or Branded. And they don't even charge most of the time there. Here there's a cover and I'm not sure why. It's Brooklyn. Pay the band some money out of your money. They make plenty too. They charge way too much for beer. And they use poor ingredients for their cocktails and mixed drinks. Overall I don't care for the place and have been disappointed on numerous of occasions. read more

I REALLY wanted to be here for this bar + venue space. I like supporting local and this place is so new you can still smell the sawdust. The bar space is nice and the venue in the back looks great. The drinks and the service were abysmal. I watched the bartender pour my Jameson & ginger, paid him the $8 + tip, took one sip and realized immediately that the whiskey was diluted, if not entirely non-existent. Diluted to the point that my drink didn't smell OR taste like it contained an ounce of whiskey. Maybe drinks with just the essence of whiskey is a new trend I don't know about. When I brought this up to my friends, they all said they had taken their drinks back to the bar for the same reason. A friend returned my glass of ginger ale + whiskey essence to the bar with my complaint and the bartender replied that he's been a bartender for 12 years and knows how to pour a drink. Cool. Do you know how to pour actual whiskey in drinks? Or just watered-down Jameson? He topped off my glass with a long pour from the bottle, which was nice--except it still tasted EXACTLY the same. I don't know what's going on here, but I hope these folks don't get themselves into an Operation Swill situation. Further, as we were leaving--one of the bartenders quieted the room by shouting 'UHHH DON'T FORGET TO TIP YOUR BARTENDERS. WE ARE WORKING HARD BACK HERE." Really? If you still want to support, get yourself something in a can. read more

Awesome place! Came here for Trap Karaoke last night a ticketed event, I have no idea what the final count was but standing right in front of the stage I never felt packed in or stuck. The backroom with the stage was surprisingly big. I heard there is a backyard and I am looking forward to coming back to experience that. The event featured an open bar for an hour and the bar staff were pretty great too! read more

Friends and Lovers - My view of the stage - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Remember dark, sweaty college parties filled with grinding, dancing drunk people? After 10-11 PM on a Friday and a Saturday night, that is exactly what Friends and Lovers is. Don't get me wrong. Dancing is great. Friends and Lovers has a special place in my heart. I don't expect anything more from it though. The beer is not extraordinarily interesting, the lines for the bathroom are usually long, and the music is hit or miss. I recommend Soul Night usually held every other Saturday. Great music, nice vibe. read more

Such a lovely concert venue. Came here to see friends perform. They have a bar to the left as soon as you come in. Bartenders were nice! Music was dope! Very chill environment. There are places to sit as well. I'd come back here again. read more

All I have to say is you should come here on a Saturday night - it's soul night. My date and I had so much fun and it was refreshing to watch all you dreadful hipsters actually dance and enjoy some Curtis Mayfield and Gladys Night. Super fun, very romantic - I highly recommend it. Why the fuck is there only one toilet here? Do y'all know how long these chicks took in the bathroom? Not cool. read more

Good time, good vibe, good beers at a great price. Love going to places where I can get a good draft beer, and this one didn't dissapoint. Only $5 for cover entrance, and awesome music. Would likely visit again. read more

Where am I? Is this Williamburg? Wait no this is Crown Heights. Now that I've established where I am lets get down to the venue. Friends and Lovers is a random bar on an otherwise vacant part of Classon Ave. Its split into two sections - bar and stage/dance area. The bar area is dimly light with Christmas lights and candles. Fully stocked with liquor. In the back, there's a stage and then an open dance floor. Lots of space to dance but it does get packed. Its def a place to let loose and NOT be a wall flower. OK! This isn't a swanky club. Dance drink and have fun. read more

Not too bad when the band doesn't suck. Good brew selection and pretty dead area so you can be a little loud outside and no one gets that mad. read more

What a cool spot. So happy i checked this place out (AKA was take here after attending a party at a friend's nearby). Warehouse style venue with stage upfront, little outdoor smoking area and bar foyer right when you walk in. Arrived at around 12:30 and a bunch of people were dancing to some sort of reggae type electronic music. No lights but sound was good. A guy named Iemanjo was playing live trumpet over the DJ, which was awesome.. Really diverse local and friendly crowd. Love finding new places like this in the less obvious parts of brooklyn. Descriptions from FB event: '"Ade Soke" means Crown Up in Yoruba. We gather monthly in Brooklyn's Crown Heights to celebrate global dance music, focusing on folkloric rhythms of the diaspora with soulful and electronic interpretations, mixed and selected for maximum dancing.' read more

Great, nice addition to the neighborhood. I do have to agree that their cocktails / liquor seems to be severely diluted. I got the "dear diary" and it tasted like straight up apple juice with no alcohol. I suggest just buying beer if you don't want to risk it. read more