Bembe

Came on a Monday night (technically Tuesday) a little before 2am. It was the last day we’d be in NY and we really wanted to grab some drinks and go out dancing. Although we had other options near by since we were staying in midtown Manhattan, we were really looking for some good dancehall/​reggae music. We found this place on Unilocal and the place definitely lived up to its reputation.
Good music. Great bartender – Jessica. She was extremely nice, attentive and took care of us.
Very satisfied with our last night in NY and we have Bembe & Jessica to thank!

After reading the reviews I had super high hopes for this place. Unfortunately it fell short of the mark. The reviews are true the place exudes a rhythm that is captivating. I got there early after a dinner about 10pm hoped for more reggae and Soca to be played but it was mostly latin and world music that was played here. Maybe it was just that night (Saturday). My date and I still gave it a chance but after 2 hours we called it quits. The rum punch wasn’t up to par to keep us in the building. Speaking as person who is from the Caribbean. That said tge atmosphere and venue is on point. I’d probably give it another shot on a different night.

Great place to a night out. Only downfall is the space, way too small for the crowd size.

Had an awesome night there with my girl Evelin however the venue is tiny. I got confused who i was dancing with but regardless it kept me from drinking which is a plus and danced till my feet bled. I loved the reggae and Spanish music really gave it that latino vibe

We showed up between 2−3am on a sat nite/​sun morn and had a helluva time after leaving All Right Baby (that really was the name of the place we were partying @).
Quite a small place, but they make it happen here. Raggae music was rocking, people were there playing instruments and peeps were dancing their asses off. Great crowd here as everyone was enjoying life and each other. Very dark inside which is cool because you can grab someone and get your dance on!
Good spot and hella fun!

Bembe to di wurl
Up like seven. Its a quaint little apot in Williamsburg. Music is a universal language and Bembe forxws all. ethnic groups to xommunicate.

I’ve been getting my bump and grind at Bembe on and off for 10yrs. Back when the downstairs was open. Yeah, that long ago. Everything about Bembe is just right if all you want is to have a good time.
Here are some tips so that your visit to Bembe is enjoyable:
~Show up early (before 11:30) Otherwise, you will deal with a line.
~Ladies carry as little as possible. There’s no space for coats, bags, or anything.
~Don’t wear high heels, the floors are uneven and it is dark
(you’ve been warned).
~Leave your inhibitions at the door! This place is very small and you will be touching many bodies whether it’s unwillingly or willingly.
I prefer the latter. So let loose and bust some moves.
This is the place where you come to shake your ass, play drums and throw down shots. You’ll have plenty of options to pick from to dance.
Is refreshing to be in a tight room with a mixed crowd of people. The music is very diverse as well. You’ll get everything you want, and more to dance to your heart’s desire.
If you want to have THE best time at Bembe… don’t bring sand to the beach! It is great to come in here and dance with whoever you like without being attached to one particular person all night. If you are not single, you will be jealous of those who are… just saying.
Don’t judge those people that you’ll see tonguing each other down like savages. I think it is the mix of alcohol, the heat, and the music that makes them do it.
Live and let live.
BE WARNED;
The lights are turned ON without a notice a quarter before closing time.
Bump and grind at your own risk.

Went to Bembe this last Friday and I had an absolute blast! The place is pretty small and very crowded but the music and environment were amazing! They have Latin music and these 2 guys playing the drums which add a great beat to the music. People really come here to dance! I do warn you that at times, there can be some hot and steamy dancing going on! The crowd is very diverse, I met people from Africa, Mexico, DR, PR, etc. Love, love this place definitely go of you wanna dance your ass off!

LOVE LOVE LOVE Bembe!!! I danced my butt off last Friday night and I cannot be happier. Originally the plan was to go to Brooklyn Bowl but they had sold out their tickets when we got there so we decided to go to Bembe (of course I suggested it since I had a blast the first time I went haha).
We got there around 10ish, bought some drinks, and chilled in one of the couches. It wasn’t crowded at all until it was around 11:30 — that’s when more people started pouring in. I don’t want to brag but I killed it on the dancefloor — the girl that works there made me dance with her in the middle by the drummers (oh yeah they have two guys playing the drums which adds a cool feel to the place!!). I just have to point out that it was prob the best feeling — to show off my dance moves — ah so great — this place offers me that! I’m an engineer (don’t get me wrong it’s awesome) but if I could I would just be a dancer full time — if only haha! I love that everyone here loves to dance and the music is so good — it’s dancehall, salsa, cumbia, and others — so much variety! Every song makes you want to move your bones — I love it. If I could come here every night I really would.
The only con is that this place is small but WHO CARES! This place is hands down one of the best places to go out dancing.

everyone i encountered here was nice. from the bouncers, to the coat check. even the male patrons are nice when you decline a dance.
didn’t feel hipster despite the nabe. a lot of us yuppies (myself included) don’t know how to dance to this stuff, but there isn’t enough room to move anyway. bop along.
whether you like it or not, you’ll be hot and touching other people, but also transported out of brooklyn to a carribean hideaway. think dirty dancing, reggae style.

Why are all the best music spots the size of a studio apartment???
This place is tiny, and feels 10 times smaller when it’s busy and packed literally wall to wall with people, which hinders my ability to dance, which is the whole reason of coming here!
They only start a line once they can’t physically fit anyone else through the door. So, if you come here and there’s a line outside, trust me you’re already too late.
Aside from that, the bouncers and bartenders I’ve encountered are friendly. Drinks I feel are a little on the pricey side for brooklyn. But I see everyone raving about the rum punch so I’ll have to try that next time. The music of course, is amazing. Nobody else plays the stuff they play here, so that’s what gets them 4 stars.
Luckily for me I’ve learned the times to go when it’s not completely claustrophobic. I’ll let you guys figure it out yourselves :)

Probably the best music i have ever danced to in a club here in NYC!!! I was dancing for hours and I was glad I wore comfortable but cute clothes. It is very crowded though but it makes you meet people easier.
Pros: Free to get in on Saturday, great music, great vibes
Cons: All cash, really hot
Conclusion: TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

IMPORTANT TIPS — CASH BAR (there is an ATM right outside)
and GIRLS — it will get hot — do NOT wear a sweater.
Decided to come here after a lovely date night in Brooklyn for some dancing after dinner. Some BK joints can get a bit stuffy and too ‘hip’ but I LOVED the vibe this place gave off. I am a white lesbian and fit right in! Does not matter where you come from, what color your skin is, and how horrible you dance, you won’t feel uncomfortable here.
I had 2 drinks — 1 was not strong at all, the other was made by another person and was SO STRONG. (I obviously preferred the latter)
IT. IS. SMALL. Smaller than you are imagining in your head. If this is your first time — I suggest you come a little early — enjoy dancing without getting bumped into. After 11, all bets are off and you will be grinding on some one whether intentional or not. Don’t come here if you want to stay in a corner and not dance. That is basically not allowed.

I first came here two years ago but didn’t stay long enough to make a decision because the people I was with were not feeling it. I recently went back on a Saturday night and I loved it.
Ambience: This place is small and it gets super tight. Honestly, I think this is the only downside to this place. Crowd is diverse in age and race. All in one place I met a nigerian, Dominican and Tibetan/​Nepalese.
Music: They play music from all over the world. Brasilian, Spanish, African; love it!
Overall, I would go back. I recommend if you are open to experiencing music from all over and if you like to dance and boy do I like to dance!

One of my favorite places to go dancing in NYC. The music is always something with a dope bass you can groove to, and usually they throw in some reggae, yay!
The drinks are good and the bartenders are friendly, even when you have multiple requests. Yesterday, I ordered a mojito with no sugar and forgot to ask a specific type of rum. The bartender made the drink and then when I mentioned this she made me a new one without a problem. It was delicious!
Couples are always free, so fellas, make sure you come with a group of girls.
Cons:
Cash bar only
They have an ATM but it’s outside of the club, tough when it’s freezing outside

This is such a nice place for dancing. It just gets too crowded and fills up with hungry men who want to dance with you, regardless of whether you’re with another man.
Would love to go back if I wasn’t hounded for a dance.

Most of my experience here was ’07 — ’08 but I returned May 2015 and was a little worried that they may have fallen off as it was pretty empty. I remember it being so packed you had to switch up your dance style because of the tight crowd. But if you are loving the music and you love to dance, you will make it work. That’s part of the unique appeal about this place – it prevented dance floor show-​offs because of the tight space lol.
I decided to make the most of it that night (May 2015) and really enjoyed the music and eventually started dancing anyway because it was a great selection. Then the most wondrous thing happened. a live band came in and played their hearts out like it was nobody’s business! My spirit and body rejoiced to their rhythmic sounds by dancing like it was nobody’s business! They brought it out in me.
Sure enough, I had not even realized that the place was filling up and had become packed until I found myself sharing the dance floor with many. I had a great time!!! And I believe it was on a random weekday night.
So I am not sure if this review will give you what you need… but it will set your level of expectation that every single night may not start out bumpin’ but give it a shot by sticking around for a while, take matters into your own hands and have fun anyway, this is the perfect place for it!

Warning: this place gets full as hell!
The variety of music is awesome and people aren’t afraid to show their moves. Wear comfortable shoes (no heels, girls!) and be prepared to stay hot.

Two words — Afro Punk!!!
This place has the best music– Afro punk, Caribbean and Latin blasting into the Brooklyn air. They also have live percussion to accompany the music to get dancers extra hype and feeling the music, and themselves, and each other.
The atmosphere is fun without being stuffy or fake. Good people just dancing and having a good time.
Except for the two girls pushing people out of their way. Literally pushing and shoving like barbarians. They were quickly dealt with by the staff.
The bar is great but it is CASH ONLY. The bartenders are super nice and chill and make amazing drinks.
Don’t pee because the line for the toilet is super long.
I could have spend days here dancing am feeling the music and conversing with all of the cool people from around the world. This place has a real presence in Williamsburg!
I will be coming back. Great place!

I felt like I was home in the Caribbean, Jamrock to be more specific, scanting out in one of those shebeens that I love oh so much. «AYE MON! «
I was there on reggae Tuesday and there was no cover charge. Don’t forget your ID. It’s tiny but much better for rubbing up butt to butt (dancehall style) under the sweet influence of Busy Signal (artiste) without having the title pervert attached to you. ***GRINS***
Here’s what you should lose at the door:
Inhibition
Pride
Fancy dress
Vanity
Makeup
Coat (leave in the car if it’s not too cold out)
Here’s what Bembe will replace the above with once you’re inside:
Happiness
New dance moves
Sweat
Laughter
Drinks
Eye candy
Sing-​a-​long and many more that leads to FUN FUN FUN!
I can’t wait to go back… I can’t wait to try the other nights.
The End.

I just came to ny from Peru a week ago to visit my cousin, so you can imagine my face when they started playing psychedelic amazonic cumbia. That night i had a blast! It was a friday night; me, my cousin and her husband danced our asses off and even ended up being cheered by other people.
Overall a real fun place, cool music which came around salsa, some samba, dancehall, cumbia villera, cumbia amazonica, reggae, hip hop and latin american hits (tho at certain point the dj played the song for 30 seconds and switched to another one). Drinks were good tho a little watered down for my taste, but with fair prices (8 for a mojito, 3 for a can of beer). It is true that the place is rather small and gets crowded, but if you’re willing to sacrify a little personal space for an awesome time dancing then this is the place (i wish they opened the basement more often as i read they do tho).