We stopped into Zeba for a drink before dinner. The downstairs bar gives off dive bar vibes. It's dark, kind of small. They were playing college football and a Spanish sitcom on the TVs. The service was good! The happy hour deal is unreal for DC! They have happy hour everyday, including weekends, and it goes until 8pm. The cocktails during happy hour are $6! We each tried 2 cocktails. I had the Perfect Storm (3/5) and the Strawberry Lemonade (4/5). My partner had the Zeba Iced Tea (5/5) and the margarita (5/5). My fiancé accidentally spilled his drink, and the staff was super nice about it and helped clean up. We felt bad that we made a mess. We would definitely recommend checking out Zeba. They have an upstairs that we didn't get to check out, but they are open late and apparently have Latin dancing (Friday) and EDM (Saturday). read more

Zeba - Perfect storm, Zeba Iced Tea - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Owner is a gem! Had a really good time at this super cute and safe located bar! Food was yummy too! The wings, score! I had the pizza too. Looks super small but it's 2 levels and a Patio. So so fun on Wednesday. Definitely coming back! Great music too! read more

Zeba - people sitting outside a restaurant - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I purchase tickets for a sip and paint event being hosted here. The event didn't start at the time specified so, my friends and I went down stairs to have a drink. They have 7 day a week $5 happy hour specials! Let's just say I had a few specials. We also had chicken tacos that were amazing (was too hungry to take photos) but they looked and tasted amazing. read more

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This is a chill lil local bar. The vibe is cool. Good conversations were had with strangers. Jokes were thrown around. Laughs went on all night. Service was good. Drinks were good and a good price. They kept your cup full. This place has an outdoor spot. They have hooka. read more

A chill bar tucked away behind a gate under a building, it's very unassuming, and noting too unique happening, but the bartenders created such a nice vibe that I was thoroughly enjoying myself! They also have a nice happy hour deal, definitely a locals spot! Drink weren't bad, nothing crazy! read more

Zeba - Strawberry Lemonade - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great club for weekend music, live DJs, nice outside patio with heaters. Drinks are made well ;) The crowd changes a few times throughout the night. Not your scene give it an hour the scene will change. read more

Three and a half stars for a Jekyll and Hyde neighborhood watering hole. I had two very different experiences in as many weeks here, and second visit was enough to make me round down. Three bars: one downstairs where you can order food, adjacent to a front patio with communal picnic tables; one upstairs by the dance floor; and a cash only bar in the windowed back deck. Hookah available on either patio as well as downstairs because of the open front format. Multiple TVs. For food, I've only shared in some fries, lightly coated and semi-crunchy. Weeknight scene sees a lot of local regulars, thanks to a calendar ripe with trivia, karaoke, live music, and comedy open mic night. I've had one of the best mojitos of my life here, as well as one of the worst. Francis and the dude with great hair are the only ones who can mix a drink. They're all evenly attentive. Skip the strawberry lemonade, as the alcohol content is negligible. I'd probably end up dancing here again when Wonderland's too crowded. The DJs who spin here are bumpin', and the discounts are good for the wallet-- daily drink specials plus happy hour until 8 pm. Both are factors enough to draw me in again despite the weekend meat market vibe. read more

Zeba - Mojito. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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One hates to give a place bad reviews for failing to do something it does not try to do, but because Zeba is getting good reviews that might mislead you into expecting too much, let me tell you what it is not. It is NOT a restaurant. You can get some surprisingly tasty, and very overpriced, kebabs here, plus a little hummus and eggplant dip. But that is it. You can eat here if you get hungry. You should not come here because you want to eat. It is NOT a place to get good cocktails. I don't care who designed them, but the mojito and the margarita are both way too sweet, which is no surprise because of the amount of oversweetened sour mix they contain. It does, however have a kind of decent back deck. So if you are looking to sip oversweetened cocktails on a kind of nice deck, and you don't have a friend in Columbia Heights who will let you use his deck, you might think about coming here. read more

Zeba hosts an all ladies party on the last Fridays of the month. My coworkers and I decided to check it out. The bottom floor is more of a chill bar where you smoke your hookah and you can actually hear each other talk. The upstairs is where the dancing occurs. The place is pretty small, and it gets hot super quick especially if there are a lot of people. There were a lot of people last night and it was ridiculously hot until someone opened the door on the top floor and let the nice cold breeze come in. The restrooms upstairs are for single use, so be prepared to wait to use the restroom if you go there on a crowded night. As for the ladies who show up to these parties, it's geared more towards the younger crowd. I'm 28 and I felt super old compared to all the 21 year olds. Still a great time if you're looking to dance the night away during these parties. This was my first time there and I would definitely go back. read more

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Four Words: One Small Baby Roach So I come out for Trivia Night, and you will not believe what happened as I sat down at the bar. A small baby roach crawl across the bar O_O . Were there is one baby roach there is a family of roaches. My friend informed me that roaches are everywhere, but we just don't see them. I shake my head to that. I can't help but think that the roaches live in the ice bucket that was not far from where I was sitting. That being said, I don't know about when I will be returning. Now that I have saw that one small baby roach I can't stop think about it. read more

Zeba - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've been to Zeba a few times and I think it's time to drop a review. I've always been to Zeba as a hookah bar and lounge. They have food that looked good so it might be worth checking out for happy hour. They had a menu and there are a variety of foods on special for happy hour as well as $10 hookah. The Hookah review: You can smoke hookah on the outdoor patio and on both floors. The downstairs area is more bar like and upstairs is more like a lounge. For me the hookah is okay. The smoke is never the nice thick smoke that let's you blow O's and do other smoke tricks. it's also a little windy in the 1st floor bar so every attempted O just turned into a light cloud. The shisha blends are okay as well, they tend to not get too harsh and have a decent flavor. They've played primarily 90's hip hop and R&B. The vibe is chill. The most recent time I was there the bartender kind of treated people like idiots but that's just my opinion. The upstairs is the lounge/late night party area and it's a decent crowd. Wednesdays is a Spanish themed night and they play Reggaton, borchata etc. It's an okay spot that's not at the top of my list but I'll still meet friends there if that's where they want to go. read more

So the bf and I stopped by here for a quick drink before going out to dinner. We always pass this place when we are walking our two dogs. It's easy to miss, but be sorry if you do. They have good happy hour drinks as well has happy hour hookah. I will definitely be back for a longer period of time since I hear that they have a dance floor. read more

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Thanks zeba for staying open during the pandemic everyone's welcome the drinks are good and Wednesday nights they have Latin dancing on the second floor . patio in the back and the front everyone's welcome . read more

Zeba is a great neighborhood watering hole if you want a quick drink or bite to eat. Come here for hookah or dancing or drinks. 2 Vodkas and 2 Jameson will run you $26.The treehouse is a cool bungalow, canopy type area. Zeba is open late. People frequent this location for their brunch and happy hour specials. I like the Mediterranean vibe, and being able to people watch if I'm seated outdoors. read more

This is specifically for the happy hour: Yes yes yes! I will definitely be back! Zeba is a great HH spot that is walking distance from my place. I love the extensive HH menu with cool cocktails and the fact that food is included in the HH (Check out the pics of the menu). I got a classic pepperoni pizza and the cucumber basil martini. Um YUM! I got a second martini and my total bill was $13.50! It's pretty hard to beat that! My drink could have been a little stronger for a martini, but it was still pretty tasty. I was sitting on the cool patio out front, but wasn't too crazy about having to go inside to order at the bar. All in all I will definitely be back! read more

Zeba - cucumber basil martini - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Cool spot. Very chill. You can't beat their happy hour! Love the hookah here. This place fills up FAST on the weekends and if you're sitting at the hightop tables away from the bar you have to go up to the bar to order food. I like the upstairs level as well as they have a dance floor and people are really cool here, always. Def becoming a regular spot. read more

Zeba is one of my favorite neighborhood bars. It's no frills, but has great music (usually), good drinks, decent bar food (I really enjoy the wings and you can't beat the 1/2 price pizza), and hookahs. Would not recommend this space for smoke-sensitive folks, as the room is not well ventilated. The 5-8 happy hour everyday makes it easy to have a great time and not spend too much money. Very much has a regular neighborhood crowd, so expect to see some regulars if you come here more than once. read more

I have been to their branch in Baltimore, one of the best services - they great authentic Indian food; the owner cooked for me byriani which the best ever. their Dal tadka is also good and very tasty with kaju kati is just hit the spot. one of my friend slept with owners. Btw the owner allows people who smoke weed and alcohol into their place with zero stigma read more

I came here for happy hour. The strawberry lemonade signature drink is good! I had a groupon so we got the Zeba cheese pizza, buffalo and teriyaki wings, eggplant dip with pita bread, and fries. The fries are good, the buffalo wings were better than teriyaki wings. The eggplant dip was surprisingly pretty good. The pizza was average. It's basically just your typical bar food. It's also kinda hipster in here and divey. Overall just your average bar with food, good for hh if you're in the area. read more

HH review only. The good: 1. HH specials on a couple food dishes. The wings aren't bad. 2. HH specials on the cocktails, which aren't bad. 3. Outdoor seating both in front and in the back. 4. Bartender was pretty quick and efficient. The not-so-good: The HH beer options suck. Miller Lite, Corona, and some other crap macrobrew (can't remember). Overal Zeba isn't a bad HH spot in Columbia Heights. I wouldn't recommend it if your drink preference is beer, but at least it has some food specials and the cocktails are a reasonable value. read more

Friday night - music upstairs was a pretty good/funny mix..Spanish...90s and some other hip hop....definitely got the crowd moving most of the night. Bring your dance shoes since they got a big open floor upstairs. Prices are also good. I'll be going back pretty soon. read more

Oh Zeba. How ratchet art thou? All jokes aside this place isn't bad. It's pretty much like Queens Cafe but with a bar. The music was decent and the hookah was good. The crowd wasn't bad either. I'll definitely be back especially because I peaked their Happy Hour menu and that shit looks savage! Even off of Happy Hour their prices are very decent. My only two complaints is that the kitchen closes WAY too early. The kitchen was closed before 11pm on a Friday. Dude. That can become an issue because people are drinking and smoking. Most hookah bars I know stop serving food at 11pm weekdays and 1am weekends the menu just becomes limited. My second complaint is the bartender. He asked for my order and I turned my head for ONE second to ask if a table was a available and he floated away on a Mario Star. Really dude? I could understand if I was still looking at he menu but I literally did a hair flip. Also by the way he was dealing with other customers I could tell it wasn't a bad day. His bad day is everyday. But besides the party pooping bartender I'll be back! read more

Friday night, 2 floors Of house music...great place to dance & smoke good hookah. Reasonable prices

My first time here and I enjoyed it. Kind of like a hole in the wall hookah spot. Parking can be a little difficult since it is on 14th street but not too hard. When I got there, they were playing hip hop, reggae, soca, and reggaeton, all music which I enjoy. Packed around 8 pm. Dark inside with colorful lights reminds you of a bar or nightclub. Found a table close to the window and ordered mint hookah which was great and smooth. Also ordered a pepperoni pizza and cocktails, all of which were great. The waiters and busboys were all attentive and polite. Loud but not too loud that you can't hear the person you are talking to. It's a fun neighborhood spot! read more

This place is divey, but not in a cute way. It's more of a I think-I'm-going-to-get-hepatitis-from-this-dirty-hookah-hose type of divey. The first level is super dark and the floors/walls are scuffed up. It's a hookah bar, but not very well ventilated so the first floor is filled with charcoal/hookah smoke and a little bit much to handle. The upstairs gets popping at night but be prepared for some reckless dancing and probably getting something spilled on you. The beer was $3 but overall it wasn't really my vibe. I just felt kind of icky the whole time I was here. read more

This place is everything Columbia Heights needs. You want raw dance music, separate areas for chilling/ragin, a hookah bar, and interesting people - you found it. Spread over two floors and an outdoor patio Zeba sets to provide something for everyone. The drinks are relatively inexpensive and the atmosphere inviting. There are three bars - one downstairs, one upstairs, and one on the patio. I've never had to wait longer then a few minutes to grab a cocktail/beer. What's the biggest selling point? The music. The music is an amazing mix up during the week. One night eclectic, one dirty hiphop, another Tieso-esque night and so on. Did I mention there's something for everyone? Be advised you may walk in here on a lesbian/gay night - which in all honestly is awesome everytime it happens. I have never seen more glitter in my life! Big ups on the party those nights! The Hookahs are reasonably priced and you can chill at the inside bar on the first floor or the front patio next to the entrance and let 'er rip. Typically no cover unless there's a special event going on. If you're trying to plan a Columbia Heights bar crawl then it would look something like this. Lymans Red Derby Zeba Wonderland Bonus points - you can walk down the street and grub out hard on one of the many late night restaurants. read more

Zeba is pretty sweet. The prices are perfection and the food is really good. (I tried the pizza, chicken wings and seasoned fries). Their happy hour is on point and the bartenders are really friendly. My first 3 drinks were tasty, but not strong at all...they were prepared quickly, though and they were fine. I went on a Thursday. There was really nice music playing, but the DJ kept stopping the music to say things on the microphone...it seemed like he was playing a game or something, but no one else was playing with him so it was confusion and pretty irritating. There also was a dog walking around the patio where my friends and I were seated. I'm not sure who the dog was with, but he even went inside of the place once. He was walking under our table and across our feet and all. It was wild. Seemed like he belonged there, though. Other than that, everything was just fine. I would actually give this place 3 stars because of the DJ, the dog and the first few drinks I had, but my last two drinks were made by a bartender named Arion. Arion made me very happy. He made my drink to perfection and he tasted it with a straw prior to serving it to me...I always know which bartenders know what they're doing because of that move right there. He also knew what a woo-woo was, which was refreshing...I get so tired of ordering "cranberry, vodka, peach schnapps." Arion was the bomb...his personableness, excellent service, funny small talk and expert bartending skills earned this spot an extra star. Overall, Zeba is solid and I'd visit again. read more

**** 3.5 stars **** Sheila got me drunk. No, this isn't a popular Australian drinking game (that I know of), but it will be your reality if you follow in my footsteps and hit the happy hour specials at Zeba. It runs from 5-8PM, and is certainly one of the best deals that I've found in DC, and is pretty much the focus of this review. While the food isn't on par with other great DC happy hours such as Scion or BlackSalt, the drinks do not disappoint, and they come in super cheap. The place itself seems betwixt in figuring out what it wants to be, and I wouldn't quite call it 3 levels so much as 2.5 confused levels. You walk up to a patio, with no obvious sign that it's Zeba, and then go down into the actual restaurant, with the bottom level bar and some very basic looking tables, then have the option of heading back upstairs to another bar and dance floor and out another door is a second patio. To say it's a rooftop is a bit misleading, it's more like outdoor space, but relatively nice at least. The place was pretty much deserted when I arrived around 6, so I won't even bother to comment on the nightlife factor or the dancing or DJ which other reviews will certainly touch on later. They seem to be suffering from a lack of PR at the moment, and the drunken idiot at the bar who kept shouting and trying to assert himself as a "regular" (of a 2 day old bar) certainly wasn't helping. I almost left early rather than listen to him any longer. Thankfully my waitress Amanda kept me occupied with a constant stream of drinks and food. The mixology was all done by the bartender Sheila, who surprisingly claimed it was only her second day ever working as a bartender. To be fair, the Zeba Iced Tea was pretty lame (granted I'm not a fan of iced tea, but thought I would try the house-named drink), and the Pisco Sour seriously needs refining, less ice, and a proper glass in order to really get the egg white separation necessary. But, the real rockstar was the mojito, and had I stuck to them I might still be there instead of writing this review. She mixed them very strong, but very well balanced at the same time, and they're no doubt some of the best I've had in all of DC. Even better is the fact they're only $4 during happy hour, along with many other drinks (the Pisco however is not), and some generic beers at $3 (including DC Brau). Along with the cheap beers, the happy hour features half off their pizzas, which come in 7 and 9 inch sizes, and charge additional for every topping. I went with a 7 inch ham and pineapple, which came out to $6, and could easily fill one person with a small appetite or just looking for a light meal. The freshness was definitely there in the ingredients (should be the case regardless on day 2, though), although there was a bit of a snag when I originally ordered. I wanted to start with a pizza, and probably just stick with that, but apparently their oven apparently blew out (even when the pizza came out the crust really needed to be cooked more). I wound up ordering the chicken kebab platter instead, and was a bit disappointed when they didn't offer to comp it at half-price since they couldn't offer the pizzas (which were priced identical). I probably could have pulled a little sway and gotten it, but I wanted them to have the sense to offer it on their own. The kebabs themselves were well seasoned, and a very healthy portion, and they supposedly make their own tzatziki style sauce which was pretty decent. Overall it was a decent platter at $12 compared to many of the kebab places around DC, at least in quantity (although it was missing the stereotypical rice component). I wouldn't go so far as to call this menu "upscale bar food" as they do, but more along the lines of typical bar food done correctly. I am curious to see how this scene in this place changes once it picks up momentum. I still don't see many people at The Getaway just across the street during happy hour, and I find this one to be slightly better on the drink side but behind on the food side. Either way, I hope it survives, as I'm always glad to have more outdoor dining and drinking options in the city (minus the smoking assholes). read more

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Best toilet paper of any bar bathroom I've ever been to. Pretty sure it was Charmin Ultra Strong. Excellence. read more

Great ambiance and good prices for drinks. The bartenders were cool and efficient. They also showed multiple games on the TV which I was pleased to see. In a nice area too where I can grab some food before or after. read more

Glad to see this CUTE lil spot move IN! Had the "Lemon Sheila" martini out on the patio for happy hour. Pre-Ladies-Who-Lush Happy Hour. Yesss! Citrus vodka, elderflower, lemon, of course. Yum. I love this spot already. Word to the wise: bug spray yourself before sitting outside! read more

This is a fun spot for a drink! There's a patio outside, the main level bar area, an upstairs bar area, and then a covered rooftop bar area. The drinks are above average and the food is alright. The happy hour specials are pretty good too. And if you get here somewhat early, it's nowhere near crowded - which is always a big bonus for me. All in all, I'm a fan and will assuredly be back. read more

This bar gets five-star rating not for it's appearance or its well known name, but for its versatility. You'd think that you'd have to go downtown to find good DJs and clubbing. Not so. Very unpretentious, but great music to be had on the second floor and a decnet crowd. The lower level has got a good sports bar feel to it, with a couple televisions and narghile if you want to partake. As if it weren't enough, walk out back and there's also a back bar as well on the rooftop, where you can have some conversation and hear one another. This bar forced me to reconsider the status of the gentrification of Columbia Heights and accelerate it a few steps forward. Hipsters, hookah-enthusiasts, clubbers and friends alike can and will find what they need in this neighborhood bar. While it might not be a place you'd want to go out of your way necessarily to go to, it's definitely a gem in your back pocket if you're a local. Great neighborhood bar, fills the niche and no dealing with the Metro at 3 in the morning...what more can you ask for? read more

This place is a home-run!!! I was here for one of my meetup groups for a Happy Hour from 5-8 with $4 Signature drink specials. Their bartenders are friendly, and not shy about giving you some damn alcohol! *very important, bartenders* I SO had no problem hooking them up. They have food (I didn't have any, but it looked appetizing) The place has two levels w/a covered/heated deck. They keep this place very well kept with a dark cherry wood decorum. Clean bathroom *extra star* Very upscale without being pretentious, As for the people, they're pretty laid back and a pretty fun a crowd. I would definitely go back some time soon...wanna go? read more

3.5 Stars I've always been intrigued by Zeba; it seems to fly under the radar. Maybe it's the location (up 14th Street away from the center of the action), lack of marketing, or poor promotion, but I just don't hear much about this place. More likely I just don't hang in the right circles or I'm not the right demographic (whatever that is), Anyway, I found myself in Colombia heights recently and decided to drop in for happy hour. I was the sole person there at 5pm (the bartender, Yuri, said it gets crowded later in the evening). They have six draft lines, including Allagash White and Lagunitas' A Little Sumpin' Sumpin'. Unfortunately none of the drafts had happy hour pricing. Although they do serve a burger, food seems to be for nibbling rather than gorging (think hummus, eggplant dip, and sweet potato fries) The main bar is located in the basement, which has kind of low ceilings. The black tile covered bar seats a dozen. The upstairs dance floor doesn't open till late, but there's also a covered deck out back (with four draft lines) and a small patio out front for hookah smoking. Different nights of the week are devoted to different types of music and different promoters, i.e. Bachata Wednesdays, Techno Thursdays, BYT party etc. Adding to the somewhat eclectic decor are a bunch of vintage (although not original) rock and roll concert posters. The coolest feature, though, is the psychedelic mural that covers one entire wall of the basement with scenes from DC, including what appears to me to be a giant stoned panda. read more

I love this place! This bar is in my "hood!" I have only been there a few times but the owner and the bartenders always make you feel welcome and remeber you very well! If you want to get "wasted" for cheap, good music, and not really in the mood for large crowds and huge establishments, this is the place to be!. You can smoke outside on the front patio and also on upper deck in the back of the bar!!.. If you walk by this place it always looks dead -but rest assured after a few strong drinks.. its a blast in a glass! Oh and one last thing.. its tiny and not super duper crowded but as far as company goes.... its always an eclectic, diverse mix of people and fashion styles!.. Its only set back .. is it could use more customers on a weekend night.. but one may never notice this place if you didnt know it was there! read more

I've loved this place for a while but love it even more now since they expanded their upstairs dance floor! Also, they provide TAP WATER and GLASSES (not plastic!) at the end of the bar. If you're like me, you come to shake your booty but don't buy any drinks, be sure to tip your bartender for the tap water they provide. Thank you! I wish more place would provide tap water! read more

Sunday brunch review. Hit this place up with a group of friends after a rumor of bottomless brunch mimosa's and bloody mary's for $10. Rumor turned out to be true, but the experience itself left something to be desired -- to put it mildly. Brunch food itself deserves 3 stars, no more, no less. Mediocre omelets and eggs benedict, above average bloody mary's and mimosas, sub par breakfast potatoes. Service was awful. Would put it in one star territory, had they not brought the table free mimosas and taken the drinks off our tab. Picture this. Party of seven. First round of entrees brought out of the kitchen 45 minutes later -- but only four -- in a restaurant where there are only perhaps 12 other customers seated. Server comes back ten minutes later to check and see if everything is alright. The remaining three of of us who still don't have entrees yet point it out. Server apologies. Twenty-five minites later TWO more entrees come out, one of them the wrong order, but we take it anyways, and server says next entree will be out soon. Ten minutes later, final entree has still not surfaced. I excuse myself from table to go talk to to server. I find him him in the back, and explain to him that, while I'm not trying to be difficult, somewhere between the kitchen and the server, something has CLEARLY been lost in translation, culminating into some of the worst service I've ever experienced -- especially at a sit-down cafe. "Pass this message onto the owner or manager," I say, "hire another cook or server to make sure this doesn't happen again." Server is very apologetic, and says, "I'm sorry, we're just a neighborhood bar." "Okay," I say, "but if you're going to offer brunch, you have to do better than this." To the servers credit, he brought out a pitcher of free mimosas, and then took all of the drinks off the final tab, dropping the price by about 50%. This move saved them from a one star review. On food alone, I would have given them three stars. Service drops them significantly. If they fix this, I'll bump them up to three stars. REVIEW KEY: ***** - Best-in-class **** - Really Solid *** - Average ** - Red Flags * - Epic Fail read more

Very cool, unpretentious place with a ton of outdoor space, creative cocktails, good food and stellar service. A great addition to Columbia Heights and totally worth checking it even if you don't live close by. Zeba has three different levels, an outdoor patio in the front and a big deck on the third floor. There are three bars, and the second floor is a dance floor. The cocktails, designed by Yuriy (formerly at Masa14), are delicious. We had the pisco sour and the cucumber basil martini, both amazing and very reasonably priced (the martini was on special for $4!). From the food menu, the kabobs were out of this world. This is owner David Jafari's secret recipe, and they're well worth it. We also had the eggplant, which is not babaganoush, but rather a tomato, pepper and eggplant dip - also delicious. Oh, and this place has its own magician! Frank, who was there on Friday night, does all sorts of neat tricks and had quite a crowd. read more

I like "divey" places and this place fits the bill (I'm sure this will probably be an insult to the owners, as I feel like it's trying to be something other than "divey"). What I really like is that this place has a balcony area where you can have a cigarette if you like. It's even decorated with a half-assed string of Xmas lights! The prices here are decent, 5 dollars for a variety of mixed drinks, happy hour food, and unpretentious staff. read more