A little above a dive bar, but not sophisticated enough to be called a lounge, with horrendous jumbled music. I mean, utterly confused, JOURNEY to Bob Sinclar to 50 cent? REALLY?! To add icing to the cake, my friend and I must be the only two retards drinking sparkling wine from mini champagne flutes. Thanks to Heman for making us two classy ladies and letting us set the tone for Solas. Because we sure can get accustomed to the high traffic that kept weaving in and out where we were standing... mental note- the first floor is skinny like a thin stripped bowling alley. Not to mention the polite way of getting through is a simple excuse me and tap on the arm or shoulder... NOT grabbing the back of my neck. To sum... Solas is very.. how shall we say.. BLAH. read more

The Bouncers were jerks. The crowd was pitiful. So many shiny sequence tops, meh. The worst part of it all? There was a party going on upstairs with loud music. There was a party going on in the room next to the bar area that was separated by a curtain with loud music. The bar had it's own music thing going on but not as loud as the other two which made my head whirl with confusion. So many beats!! So many baselines!! OMG Invest in doors!!!! The 2 stars are for Magners and the fact that it was a rainy Friday night and every place that didn't involve food was a let down. Waaa Waa read more

I love Solas. Every time I go, I lose something, but every time I go back to try to find it, it's always there! I lost my jacket. They still had it. I lost my cellphone. The bartender was holding onto it for me. I've been there once for a party, and the bar had the strangest set up. We couldn't order directly from the bar, because there was a velvet rope sectioning it off. Instead, we had to order from this one waitress who acted as a liaison between the patrons and the bartenders. It seemed very inefficient. Overall, though, decent place. I'm happy to go back. read more

I went there once a year or so ago with my roommate for a World of Warcraft meetup. SUPER NERD! Last night however, I went to tip my hat to a friend moving away. The bartender was super nice, the atmosphere nice -- a subtle steampunk -- and the drinks were strongish. If the bartender asks you what you want and you reply with "Surprise Me," be forewarned. It will be bad-slash-fruity-slash-gross-slash-yuck. read more

When I feel like dancing my face off and drinking like a fish, I come to Solas! Yes it gets really packed in the dance area and making your way over to the bar past the crowd is difficult but you get the club experience without having to pay cover or ridiculous $$$ for drinks. It's a win-win! And if you don't like the Top 40's, you just haven't drank enough ;) take care of your bartenders and they'll take care of you. read more

I am still not over the bathroom situation at Solas. Me and my bestie who's a guy wound up using the bathroom at the exact same time... strangest experience ever. I do not know why the second floor bathrooms are like this. But it's weird. Very weird. I am truly shocked there's no glory holes. Ahem. Aside from that, Solas is a chill place in the East Village with cheap drinks (top shelf Bacardi and coke was only $8) and a cozy private room on the second floor. I definitely recommend reserving this room for a group of more than two people because otherwise, Solas gets packed!! The crowd is what you'd expect, young ladies and the old creepers that love them, along with a few bro-ish guys. It's more like a 3.5 star place though because 1. those effing bathrooms and 2. they kept repeating the same songs over, and over... like Nicki Minaj's "Starships". All the cheap drinks in the world couldn't wash that out. Brotip: Arrive early for more space and a less awkward bathroom line. read more

This is my spot. Great place to hang out. Very low key, unpretentious. You can dress up or dress down. Cheapest happy hour ever.

There are three main areas to Solas-- one dimly lit room that, from what I could gather, plays techno or house; another that plays 80s, 90s and other classics; and yet another that generally plays pop music. Weekends it gets really tight in here, but you can get out of the crowd by hanging out in one of the lounge rooms upstairs. Drinks are usually strong and your typical East Village prices. Other nights, Solas is more of a relaxed bar--two of the rooms are closed off, so no dancing and no techno. Just people in their late 20s and 30s hanging out talking over soft music. They have happy hour from 4pm-8pm on weekdays and Sunday nights, which is when we, bringing with us fries from Pommes Frites around the corner, like to go and drink $4 beers and cocktails. read more

Recently hosted a bday event for my bf's 30 party. Although I didn't reserve a table, we found ample space to setup camp for the night in the room to the right of the main bar. The music was a bit loud but you adjust after a while (and a few drinks). Service was ok, considering there was only 1 bartender but the drinks were quite strong which almost made the wait worthwhile. He did give me a buy-back after I bought a few drinks which was very pleasant on a busy Saturday night. I tried venturing upstairs but it was far too packed w/ Oxford shirts and over-age fraternity boys. No thanks. Those days are over for this ol' lady. I would recommend this place for a birthday party but I don't think I'll make this a default drinking venue anytime soon. read more

Looks like a cool bar - feels like a sham - mixed-image, owner abandoned, no-one cares shell of one... The Spanish menu provided the poorest, most undercooked, boring Spanish Tortilla ever, and so sorry to bother the waiter for a weak dirty martini. I didn't mean to disturb you Ms. I remember when this used to be a cool bar 10 years ago. I guess the suits keep it going. Wa-waaaaaaa. read more

If I lived in the area this would become my neighborhood bar. Two levels with a slightly different vibe on each floor. I came on a Friday night and the ground level was chill and intimate (which I prefer since I can actually have a conversation with someone). Upstairs had several different room full of lush couches. There's definitely more room upstairs and more pheromones in the area. Good mix of people. I came casually dressed and didn't feel out of place. The bartenders were very nice. Amy was my bartender for the night. I now have a favorite go to drink thanks to her. Gin and tonic with grapefruit juice. :) I'm on the prowl to find a similar bar in my neighborhood. read more

Hit-or-miss experience with this place - during prime hours on Friday or Saturday nights, the dance floor feels like the crowd has been stuck inside a vacuum-seal bag and all the air taken out, that's how jammed it can get. Trying to dance those nights is always some combination of my elbow in someone's stomach / other's feet on my toes... When I've been there on off-times, the music still great, but there's room to breathe, actually! During these times - the place is a blast. read more

Never going here again. To start with, one of my friends called ahead and asked to reserve a table. The person he spoke to told him he couldn't, presumably because there were no reservations left, and also told him that if we just showed up early we should be fine. We got there around 9, and were told that every table in every one of the three rooms they have were reserved. (I couldn't figure out why, since this bar is nice, but it's not that nice, the drinks weren't that good and it's not that inexpensive.) In the end my friend spoke to one of the managers and we got a table. It was crowded because there were so many of us, but it was fine. A couple hours in, though, the bouncer started coming around, telling everyone that they either needed to check their coats or put them on, because apparently leaving coats on the backs of the booths is a fire hazard. He actually picked some of them up, demanding to know whose they were, just generally being an asshole about it. He continued to prowl around, because making sure flammable coats are safely tucked away is far more important than checking people's IDs at the door. The coat check is only $2, so whatever, but I've never been to a bar where people were forced to check their coats because they might catch fire and burn the place to the ground. The whole thing was incredibly obnoxious and unnecessary; they should at least warn people about this policy so they can make sure they have cash on them. read more

This place is AWESOME for getting blackout drunk. I went there last night for my girlfriends birthday and the first thing I get was a Long Island Iced Tea. Yeah I'm from Long Island and that's the stuff everyone drinks there so I had to. I was also rollin with 8 of my boyz that just took the LIRR in. Money. Anyway after the bartender rolled her eyes I get this 20 oz. cup, I mean MUG of Long Island iced tea-ness. Kill it in 5. Don't remember much. Chicks were plenty smokin. Dudes were all snotty like they went to Cornell or somethin. Whatever, I'd go back. read more

Solas is a great 'in-between' stop on a night out. I can never recall a time when it was ever difficult to get in. Average wait time: 3 seconds; average cover charge: $0.00. The room to the right is where all the action happens, and somehow it always manages to be just busy enough but never as cramped as most happening spots on a weekend. The music is pretty danceable and tends to present a good mix. Drinks are very reasonably priced. Many points for Solas on ease of entrance and favorable location (Artichoke, Halal Guys, St. Marks, etc, etc...) read more

I love it here honestly. The music the crowd the drinks. The one thing is, there is this one bartender who probably is of Polish background who was giving everyone a problem with drink orders. I don't think I'll be back due to the service. Poor staff attitudes meaning the bartenders. If you can't handle the pressure of working behind the bar, get out. That specific bartender was rude and an asshole. I was literally at the bar for about 20 mins waiting, I know he saw me cause we clearly made eye contact and to top it off he took about 6 people before me (mind you these people arrived to the bar after me!) money was in my head ready to pay, but nope. I guess my money wasn't good enough smh. I also came with a bunch of people so we ended up leaving to find another better bar with better service that'll take our money. Pls pls get rid of that bartender! Otherwise people stay away! read more

Went to this bar after a dinner nearby. Zero on ambiance. Strong and sugary cocktails. Music wasn't great either. The only good part was the bartender who was super nice to us. read more

Came by recently early on a Friday night and my friends and I headed straight to the dance floor area because we've had so many great moments here many years ago. It wasn't packed yet which was awesome. There was actually room to breathe. Anyway solas is always a nice spot to chill at or to go wild. There's the clubbing area as mentioned which can get very sloppy and sticky with college kids, the classier lounge upstairs and the bar room next to the clubbing area. I just had a beer so I can't say anything about their mixed drinks. read more

One of my favorite dance clubs because it's more like a casual bar with a DJ. This is not a place you should find yourself sober. It's always full of people, I've heard it's hit or miss on the crowd but I always seem to meet decent people here. It's a good place to dance your heart out. Try making it your 2nd or 3rd stop of the night, and you'll have a great time. (Take advantage of coat check in the basement, my friend's coat got stolen here) read more

Fun for people of all types. Whether you enjoy chillin with a group with drinks, dancing, or hanging at the bar, this place has it all! The dance floor is very fun for people who want to just dance. Outside, there is also a really nice bar for people who want a more bar-y experience. Then, if you have a group and want to sit at a table and chill and have drinks, there are tables upstairs in a relatively quieter place. Would come back - it was fun! read more

On most new years eves I find myself at an overly crowded bar or club where I can't move or get a drink and everyone around me is miserable but trying to have a good time because they paid a ton to get there. But this year, I kept it low key and had a great time! I ended up at Solas with a group of friends and it was just the right mix of fun without all of the ridiculousness of a times square NYE. I had dinner with a friend on St. Marks and then headed over here around 10:30. There were a good number of people there, enough to make it full and fun but not so packed that you start a mosh pit everytime you try to move an inch. Had no problem getting a drink at the main bar, and at a reasonable price no less! The place has 2 floors and a bunch of different little rooms with varying vibes. There were dance floors downstairs and places to sit upstairs, and bars pretty much everywhere which very easily accessible. I spent a little time downstairs, counting down to the new year, and some time upstairs relaxing and hanging out. The only thing I didn't understand about this place was that the main bar had no credit card minimum but the one right next to it had a $20 min. What the deal?! Headed out of there around 2:30, woke up the next day and wasn't so crippled by my hangover that I spent the entire first day of 2011 in bed (can't say the same for some of my roommates), and pretty much decided that this is really the way to enjoy NYE! (I may have also come to the realization that this means I am getting old, but if it means I get to chill at places like Solas then maybe it's not such a bad thing after all) read more

Solas has definitely become a great fall back venue for a night out. It's always a good time with areas to chill, lounge, and dance and bars everywhere. I've never had a problem getting in and the bartenders are attentive especially if you start talking to them and you aren't a crappy tipper (comes in handy when it's crowded). The crowd is mixed, which I prefer, and people are generally pretty friendly and good looking. It can get REALLY crowded in all areas on Saturdays. The music is pretty good on the dance floor and they usually have a DJ spinning. Solas really is a full service venue with just about anything you could want to do on a night out. Will be back many times. read more

I've had to come here quite a few times now. This bar definitely has elements that you can't find at other bars around the area. There are three bar areas. One on the main section of the first floor, one in the side room where you can dance, and one in the upstairs, loungey area. I've been in all three sections, and I don't know how to say it - I've never really had a lot of fun. The main section is crazy dark with semi-loud music playing. Good for groups of 3-4. Upstairs, I think you need a reservation, but it's a lounge with a completely different playlist. Music is good, but when I went yesterday, it was basically deserted except for us, which was sort of weird. And then the dance area, I've been to that section twice, and it's been completely dead every time. Hardly anyone dancing, and there are creeper guys that just hit on the girls in your group. Maybe I've always gone on the wrong days, but I would never choose to come here when in the area and looking for bars. read more

I like the place and the location. I was there with a group of people from meet up to commemorate a great man who passed away. The bartenders were nice, drinks were good , variety of great musics. We were on the upper level and we had a good time. I would recommend that place to anybody. read more

Attended a meetup event here at 7pm on a Thursday night in their inner room. The outer bar area wasn't that crowded. The drinks were strong, cheap and very non fancy. They also have happy hour specials. $4 for mojitos margaritas, sangria and beer. $6 other cocktails. They had a 2 drink minimum for credit card. For some reason there was no network on my phone here even though the inner room was on the 1st floor and not the basement. read more

Came here recently for my birthday as it was close to my dinner venue. The staff is pretty nice and the venue was great. It does get SUPER crowded as the night progresses and getting through the door can be a hassel. Multiple people told me that they were wandering around the place for hours and couldn't find me because they were drunk, there are 3 sections to Solas and because they were barring people from entry into the section where I was having my party. Also, the scene was hook-up central, at one point I even saw the DJ making out with 2 girls. The crowd was also a bit on the young side. Having turned another year older (but non-the-wiser apparently), I felt a bit like a cradle-robber talking to 21 and 22 yr olds/ NYU students. I had a good time and this was a great place to have a casual but still organized party. Only complaint is that the DJ was too busy looking for his tongue down his young companion's throat than to play any of the music I requested 2 hrs ago. If I were to go again, I would definitely make sure to get there before 12am on weekends. I have no idea what the drink prices are but since it's East Village (and a step, hop and skip away from the ilk of 13th Step & other dive bars) I'd imagine pretty cheap and a bargain for the space. read more

Let me start this off by saying this place has one of the BEST SANGRIA (Preferably red). Happy hour has $4-$5 margaritas/mojitos/sangria from 4-8pm. Very comfortable/cozy atmosphere and the staff is friendly. No food but you can order or bring food in. Never been upstairs (lounge area) but always see a crowd waiting to enter around 10pm. PS. Best day for happy hour is Sunday (Very cool bartender, and connect 4 available), but they have happy hour everyday... read more

Solas, from my personal experience is a college/young bar ranging from ages 21-27. I went on a friday at around 11:30 and it was already packed. There is two floors, but be warn that is doest GET PACKED. I would say this is deff a lounge and not a dance bar, it does have dancing once someone gathers the courage to start the dancing group upstairs. PLEASE!!! watch the drinks, I ordered two long island ice tea's my bill came to $36.00. RIDICOUSLY OVER PRICED, especially for a place with college kids and not too much sophistication. Pros: Chill spot/young people Neg:Overpriced drinks read more

Never stepping foot in there again. My friends tried to reserve a table for their birthday, and when they called, the person they spoke to said that they didn't accept reservations, but when we arrived, early I might add, all three of their rooms were reserved. When we finally bargained and got a table, the bouncer was walking around ripping coats off of chairs and from in booths, and bringing them to coat check... so when you got back to your chair/booth, your coat was gone and you would have to pay $2 to get it back. Ridiculous. Also, the bouncer was extremely rude to my friends and I when we refused to give them our coats. Bottom line: overpriced, weak drinks and rude service. read more

Er, in all honesty I wasn't a fan. There wasn't anything horrible or even bad that happened, it's just that the top floor was blocked off so there were literally 10 square feet of space with some average guys watching the basketball game and no real bar social scene. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, whether you want to watch a sports game or hardcore go out, there are lots of better places. Not to mention, the vodka tasted cheeeap. Not better than smirnoff at all. So that was a disappointment, since the cost was still bar cost. read more

to call this a Latin bar is a joke. the DJ doesn't even know Bad Bunny! huge disappointment, we were ready to dance our asses off....but not to 2006 top 40. spend your money elsewhere! read more

Solas has gotten completely out of control. Gone are the days where you can come in on a Saturday night and have a fun night out with your friends. Solas has become the venue that everyone thinks of when they're thinking of where to have their birthday party. And apparently no one ever gets turned down because it feels like there are 20 parties going on at once. This means some serious shoving and screaming over everyone else. And good luck fighting your way to the bar. Basically, this place makes me feel old. read more

It was so great! They reserved a table for us and followed up accordingly. It qas grwat for our group no hanging at the bar and they were so attentive. Such a great happy hour spot! New spot for us to go to after work! read more

Solas is completely hit or miss, at least for the ladies. Their happy hour is great all around, and it's a phenomenal place to go for catch-up drinks after work, but on Friday and Saturday nights it's either spectacular or horrible, in my experience. It seems to me that their DJ is better on Friday nights, with a more equalized crowd, but there are definitely some weekends I've come here with friends where it's a complete sausage fest and you are the main course for EVERYONE. Though if you're looking for hysterical pick-up lines, you're sure to get some here. All in all I'd say it's a fun place to go to get in the mood before truly starting your night elsewhere, especially since the bartenders don't at all skimp on the liquor. read more

I've only ever been here during the week, or for private events. The staff is always helpful and accommodating. Kevin rules. Great drink specials. The weekend crowd sucks, to be quite honest. They are usually loud, obnoxious and drunk beyond belief and insist on standing around outside the establishment letting all manners of passerbys know just how loud, obnoxious and drunk they really are. One of these days someone is going to wander too far over to the indoor parking garage and get smushed, and I won't be sorry for them. read more

Again, I've only been here on Halloweens and on one NYE night. No cover and because of that, insanely packed! I think the drinks were pretty weak, as I had 2, and nothing happened. The music is my kind of music to dance to. Top hits that will get everyone jumping up and down, but sometimes, it's so packed that you can't even do that, let alone raise your arms up. You'll find yourself swaying in place... When I went on Halloween, I was barely able to move. Crowded as hell, and some douchey, drunk guy just pushed me and I yelled at him. My friend noticed, and pushed him back. We almost started a fight with the guys there. Then 10 minutes later, an actual fight broke out between some guys. After awhile, we just left because it was just insanely packed. NYE night was ok. It wasn't as bad, but that's because when we got there, it was 3am. I went with a guy bud and my best friend. Some Asian girl who was dancing with a really skinny and nerdy guy started to hit on my guy bud. Kind of a funny sight because I'm thinking, are they together? Maybe he's her wingman. But yea, she tried to dance with my friend, but didn't get lucky. After awhile, some brown guys started to hit on my best friend. They were old, and one of them was very short. Maybe they should try to find a place with people more of their age. My friend and I tried to block them off, but the shorter, older brown guy kept going at it. When the club was about to close, he kept trying to talk to her and actually gave her his number. Gross. Anyways, Solas is ok, but if you're gonna go on a major going out day, be prepared to be crammed in. It can be too loud though, but at least it's the good songs blaring into your ears. I don't know if I will come back here. I guess I'm feeling kinda old to be hitting these scenes... read more

The doorman said the birthday party was upstairs, and once we got up there and ordered drinks we realized there were at least four birthdays being celebrated at Solas. Ours was in fact downstairs. The many rooms and "areas" spread over the two (and a half?) floors make for different djs, none of which were playing anything remotely original or interesting, and different vibes, which is great for mingling. It's a loud bar just on the casual side with a relatively young clientele. If you're with a party, it might be worth it. We were associated, but not tied to our group, so we skipped out after a couple of drinks. I would normally give my night here only two stars (since, meh, I've had better), but Kelly wherever you are, so very entertaining, cute, and I promise, not a bitch, you were the third star. read more

I respect what Solas has going on, but to be honest it's not for me. I'm more of a dive bar / beer bar / low key type of person, and that is just not Solas. First off, the options for beer are abysmal here... all everyone drinks is Amstel Light. I've never eaten here but I'd probably avoid the food on principle. As a place for nightlife, the highlight is that there are multiple rooms... a dancing room, a regular bar room and then a large loungey-type space upstairs. There's sort of something for everyone. But beware! The crowd is not varied at all... expect a crowd similar to the rest of the East Village meet markets, but not quite as bad as the Murray Hill vibe. More than once I've been emotionally abused by women I didn't know here. I cannot explain it... On the other hand, like I said, this is a suitable solution when my friends all want something different... the girls want to dance and nobody wants to pay a cover or wait on a line, and the guys wanna just have some drinks and be able to hear each other. Personally I don't like this place, but it serves its purpose as a middle of the road bar that we can all enjoy a little bit. Thus, three stars. At least it's not a wannabe club... read more

Great staff! Came here for my birthday last weekend and as busy as they were, they were very accomodating in helping us get a table. We asked the guy checking IDs about getting a table although we didn't have reservations and he directed us to another guy. This guy pulled out a piece of paper I think to see their table set up for the night and he then directed us to go see the hostess/bartender upstairs and to let her know where to put us. We found her, relayed the message and she knew exactly what he was referring to and sat us at a table. I expected to be blown off, but in dealing with three different people in just a few minutes, they were all as nice as can be! Keep up the good attitude and I'll be back for sure! Drinks were good and not overpriced. Pop music upstairs and hip hop room downstairs. If it wasn't so cold down there, we would've moved down there. How cold? The DJ even had his coat on. read more

LOL didn't know there was a dance area upstairs. I'm sure if I've had gone upstairs I would have given this place 3 stars instead. The bar area is nice. It's usually never crowded when I go for happy hours. During their happy hours, they have some drinks for $4 each, which is a good deal for how much liquor they pour in. read more