Best Theme Bars and Clubs

Despite the celebrated demise of the Fashion and All-Star cafés in recent years, theme bars and nightclubs haven’t gone the way of the Dodo as an idea just yet. New York has seen its fair share of gimmicky theme bars, and sometimes, they’re just a passing fad. But, the best motifs, they’ve always thrived (despite the fact that most of us view themed-establishments as infantile, boring, and tacky – and let’s face it, folks: most of them are just that.)

While theme bars, restaurants, and nightclubs are, at their very heart, designed to attract out-of-town tourist dollars (can you say Mars 2112?), there are a few in Manhattan that are. . .should we admit this?. . .fun. While not all theme bars work, there are a few gems out there. The following’s a list of some of JoonBug’s favorites. As always, if you feel we overlooked a couple, by all means, let us know. It’s easy – just click on the “Comments” link below, and post your comments; you know we’d love to hear what you think.

Beauty Bar
231 East 14th Street, Manhattan, (212) 539-1389
Inside an old hairdresser’s shop, this theme bar draws its inspiration from a 1950s beauty salon. The bar’s decorated with hair dryers you can sit under, vintage beauty salon chairs, and Glamour magazine covers adorn the walls. There is even an in-house manicurist available. It can get annoyingly crowded on the weekends, but it is worth a stop for the décor.

The Frying Pan
63 E. River Drive, Manhattan, (212) 989-6363
It’s hard to imagine this rusty, formerly sunken steel-hulled ship’s legally allowed to serve as a party space. Bunkrooms, catwalks, exposed pipes, and an air of haunted maritime decay make this one of the wildest, most unusual spaces to attend an event. There are so many nooks and roosts to discover that it makes you want to run around playing pirate or hide-and-seek. Well, that might be a stretch.

Bowlmor Lanes
110 University Place, Manhattan, (212) 255-8188
Can you say “Cosmic Bowling?” Well, if you can’t, check out Bowlmor Lanes, a retro-chic bowling alley that’s become a mecca for New York hipsters looking to work on their game (both bowling and socially.) With a spacious bar area and some delectable bar grub, Bowlmor is hands down the city’s hottest bowling spot.

Idlewild
145 East Houston Street, Manhattan, (212) 477-5005
At this airplane-shaped hot spot (the interior is an amazingly authentic replica of a 747, complete with portholes and plane seats), the staffers are adorably dressed up as stewardesses, ground crew members, and pilots. It has the distinction of being one of the least tasteless theme bars in New York. The best part about Idlewild? No one cutting you off, or calling airport security, if you’d had to many.

Bubble Lounge
228 West Broadway, Manhattan, (212) 431-3433
This shrine to champagne and cigars is the best place to pretend you’re rich and famous – and if you are rich and famous, well then it’s just a great place to visit. There are over 200 kinds of champagne available here – most can be purchased by the glass. It’s also a cigar bar, so you can add the finishing touch to your multi-millionaire swagger with a fine stogie.

Korova Milk Bar
200 Avenue A, Manhattan, (212) 254-8838
When it comes to cool theme bars, this one set the standard. Inspired by the surreal watering hole in A Clockwork Orange, this theme bar isn’t nearly as disturbing as its fictional counterpart. Considering how ultra-violent and frightening Stanley Kubrick’s film is, that is not really such a bad thing. Instead of amoral thugs, the crowd is made up of young East Village eccentrics who really dig the association with the film, the jumping house DJs, the inexplicable naked mannequins in the window, the vinyl chaise lounges, and the banks of TVs playing a schizophrenic selection of films, cult or otherwise. Korova is one of those places you must see at least once.

Welcome to the Johnsons
123 Rivington Street, Manhattan, (212) 420-9911
Remember drinking in your parents’ basement back in the ‘70s, sipping suds while surrounded by wood-paneled walls, orange or green shag carpeting, tacky, oversized lamps, and family photos in gold frames? Well, recreate that feeling at Welcome to the Johnsons, a rec-room-turned theme bar. Kitchy and cool, this nostalgia-emporium attracts everyone from hipsters to the down-and-out; perhaps this is due to the low prices. We know that’s why we go.

Burp Castle
41 East 7th Street, Manhattan, (212) 982-4576
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit an ancient monastery and have drinks served to you by friars while listening to Gregorian chants? Well, this East Village theme bar comes pretty close to achieving that goal. Waiters dressed as monks serve the more than 250 excellent brews available here to an appreciative, often-times-celebrity-laden crowd.

Remote Lounge
327 Bowery, Manhattan, (212) 228-0228
Remote Lounge, one of the city’s most novel and certainly most technology-driven nightlife environments, works like this: Consoles throughout the space include monitors and 60 remote-controlled cameras that can be manipulated by joysticks. Additional controls provide the ability to contact people at other consoles and talk to them on handsets while viewing them on your monitor, a feature that is wildly popular and results in the occasional exhibitionist display. Careful: what’s on a given monitor may also appear temporarily on any of the 30 or so TV screens directly over the bar. So, keep your tops on, ladies.

Comments

The "halloween" theme i think ur talking about is Jeckle and Hydes

[Krista]

i went to a bar in manhattan in 2001. It had a Halloween sort of theme, costumed employees, skulls on the wall that talk to you, etc. It was really cool, I cannot remember the name of it. If anyone knows, please e-mail the name. Thanks!

Nice site. You are doing a great service to the web.

:

[JEN]

I'VE BEEN TO THE REMOTE LOUNGE AND I MUST SAY THAT IT'S LOADS OF FUN. YOU GET TO SEE WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO AND YOU CAN SPOT ON ANY CUTIE THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IS AROUND...HE COULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CLUB.
BUT OVER ALL, I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD TAKE A MINUTE AND CHECK IT OUT. AND BTW, IF YOU TAKE PICS, ITS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE THE VERY NEXT DAY.

I really like the fact that oyu mentioned some new spots to visit. For instance "remote Lounge"..just casue of the article I am making plans to visit this spot with friends.Really cool thanks