Yesterday I was walking down in the Franklin and Green neck of the GPT trying not to stare at the minimalist facade of T.B.D. (but gawking despite my efforts) when a sandwich board posted outside caught my eye. It read: “Recession Pricing – $1 dollar off all drinks, all day.” Being that I am fanatically frugal, I decided to pop my head in just to see how much I could save if I were to say, have a beer there. Well, the answer is, not much. Plus you would have to put up with the weird, padded blocks (Are they tables? Are they chairs?) and the big flat screens with creepy, undulating images. There was one redeeming aspect of this unfortunate encounter: it was Monday night, which in T.B.D land, means “free movie night.” Yesterday evening’s pick was Dr. Strangelove and to celebrate the cinematic selection, they were having a drink special on black and white Russians (haha). I found this to be a surprisingly cute spin on an otherwise alienating bar that I wanted to share with ya’ll. Next Monday they will be screening Escape from New York with a $2 off drink special on Manhattans (I wonder how that fits into the recession pricing). The movie starts at 9 and promises to be nothing like Wet Hot American Summer at McCarren pool (a positive thing) – a perfect activity for you if you are feeling open-minded on July 14th…
I’ve been to this bar a dozen times and really like it. The staff and people who hang out there are friendlier than most of the other bars around. Fine if it’s not for you, just means more room for me.
First of all, I live across the street from t.b.d. and actually frequent it because I like the look and feel of the space.Therefore I fundamentally disagree with your opinion of the space, but hey diagreements are a part of life. I feel however that I must take issue with your reason and logic. You say…..
“Recession Pricing – $1 dollar off all drinks, all day.” Being that I am fanatically frugal, I decided to pop my head in just to see how much I could save if I were to say, have a beer there. Well, the answer is, not much.”
Maybe I`m missing the point, but if it says $1 off, what were you expecting to save? Maybe $2 or $3 off everything despite what the sign said. I honestly don`t know any other bar in the nabe where you can get a draft pint for $3 or $4 at any time of day or night (other than happy hours). I`m sorry, but it is a business. Are you maybe expect a charity.
The seating is obviously of the modern slant and you don`t like them, but they are quite obviously (to me at least) seating and not tables.
The “creepy undulating images” on the tv`s are the work of a local video artist called Peter Hlinka (I asked the bartender because I found it interesting). I actually like the fact that they support local artists whether I like the art or not.
Anyway, I had to get that off my chest and now I feel much better. Maybe we can disagree some more over a Manhattan while watching Escape from New York.
Jeez, some staunch defenders of T.B.A. here. I poppd into the establishment the other day while waiting for my laundrey to dry. Seemed like a bar I’ll never go to again. Habitat, Pencil Factory, Tommy’s Tavern, Van Gough’s all better bars in my opinion. The modern feel to the bar is a big turnoff.
Ya know Matt, there were even a couple of other comments that were downright NASTY in regards to this post that I didn’t even bother to publish.
Also, it seems like the first posters claim of the people being friendlier there is a little off since this is the first time I’ve ever had to not publish comments just cause they were so nasty.
Justine, I agree that there is no need for nastiness, but I think that some of your comments regarding tbd were a little imflammatory and may have caused some people to overreact.
Maybe some of the people who do in fact like the bar and it’s modern aesthetic felt that your somewhat uneasonable attack on the “recession prices” was unjustified or at the very least requires explanation. Again this does not justify nastiness.
Maybe some of the posters whose comments you did not publish are local artists who felt slighted by your description of the video art as “creepy undulating images”
When I read the initial post, my impression was that you obviously didn’t like the bar beacuse of it’s modern design which is all well and good, but then you tried to justify your dislike with arguments (or at least one argument) that lacked any substance whatsover. The sign said $1 off all drinks all day. What was there to figure out?
The post reads:
“I decided to pop my head in just to see how much I could save if I were to say, have a beer there. Well, the answer is, not much”
NO….the answer is $1. No calculus required. (Not to be interpreted as a nasty comment. Just my attempt at humor).
It might serve you well to explain exactly what you meant by that comment as I think it may be the root of some of the more harsh replies to the post.
Matt, I think it goes without saying that if you enjoy the look and feel of Tommys and Van Goughs, both good bars within their given “genre”, then you would never like a bar that looks like tbd. I’m surprised you would even venture through the doors in the first place. But each to their own as I always say.
Well just for the record I didn’t write this post.
I’ve actually never drank at t.b.d. because the three times I’ve attempted to go in, it just didn’t seem like my kinda place. So I can’t really attest to the pricing.
But what I can say is that I absolutely know that I will never have a drink there now just because of the drama and the nitpicking of LL’s post. It seems so ridiculously overzealous and it reflects on the people who *do* like to hangout there.
Seriously, no one I could imagine I’d enjoying hanging with. To each his own, but I’m glad LL wrote this post and I got to see that I was missing nothing at all by not going there.
Wow, this bar really seems to get people going.
My experience: pleasant enough, but no one really seems to be having much fun. Kind of uncomfortable.
Maybe needs some red wine stains on the concrete…
Man, what’s all this hubbub about?
This bar sucks. Me, and every friend who’s ventured to go there has come out with the same response. It feels like someone picked up a Hempstead, LI, fake-tits-gelled-hair-hangout and put it in Greenpoint.
The “art” sucks too.
When TBD closes in the next year (which it surely will) I for one will not shed a tear.
Hey, whatever anyone thinks of t.b.a., whether you’re for fake tits and gelled hair or have no idea where Hempstead, LI is, I hope we can all agree: Snake Pliskin is a BADMUTHAF**KA!!
I get the feeling that this bar was created to serve the future clientele of Viridian, which itself a gross anomaly in the neighborhood.
Wow. Why is everyone fighting over a bar? It’s just a bar. I don’t think this place sucks at all, I just think it needs to find itself. They occasionally have some good bands there now. Last week they had an Obama fund raiser with 7 or eight bands. Some of the music they’ve been having on the weekends isn’t quite a fit for the neighborhood. Also, the bar always does feel very empty. I wish they’d put better furniture in and paint the ugly white walls. It’s not a very comfortable place to hang out with all the odd shaped furniture. I know from a lot of friends this is why this hasn’t become a big hangout spot yet. Simply put, I think they’re going for a yuppie bar in a hip neighborhood. But I think they’ll figure this out soon enough and make the place a cool spot to hang out. My suggestion is get some better lighting, paint the walls and get bands that people in this neighborhood want to see. And please, make the place more cozy and not so awkward feeling….