The antithesis of a limited beer menu. I've subtracted one star due to the disturbing trend of bars, such as d.b.a., charging $7 for draft beers. read more

I've been to d.b.a. for three different events, all Cookies & Booze hosted by the lovely Lisa and Cara. Great events. If you don't know of this place, it will be easy to miss. Each time I come here I get confused and practically walk right by it. It seems every place on the block has a very visible sign but this spot. Not complaining, just noting, in case you want to check it out: take note of the address and you'll figure it out. It's a cool enough bar, with an enclosed patio with picnic-type table seating out back, and you can even venture further outdoors for some fresh air or a smoke. Nothing fancy, but definitely accommodating. Great for these events. The great thing I've experienced with this bar is the service, which is where I mostly base my stars on this review. Each time I've been here the bartenders, and whoever has to clean up after us out back are extremely nice and accommodating. No matter the staff, I've had nothing but great service here. And they make a good Long Island iced tea (if you're into that.) And during the cold months, they make a great mulled cider. Warning: you may not want to be here if you have to drop the kids off at the pool. The bathroom door doesn't close completely, and whoever walks in this tight spot won't be able to help being all up in your personal space upon entry. And it could use some air freshener/cleaning in there. Seriously. But it's a bar, so... read more

I've been wanting to come back here for a while, especially since I had such a good time here at the Cookies and Booze event (http://www.yelp.com/biz/cookies-and-booze-part-iii-new-york#hrid:WNyYwoLH9USHgcSjmDGLbA/src:self) and wanted to check it out sans sugar high. The backyard was empty, which was great because my friend and I could sit and chat without being overwhelmed by other peoples chatter. We did get interrupted by an exploring cat several times (that thing came out of nowhere), but it just added to the atmosphere I guess. Only sad point about this visit was that the interesting beer I wanted, from the Belgium Witte section of their immense blackboard of selections, wasn't available. I stuck with good ol' Hoegaarden then, which was in the end better on my wallet. I think I might come back again because sometimes having a beer is just having a beer. A-OK read more

Many, many pluses about this place: -a drinker's bar: no coor's light, no cosmos, no sex on the beach and no mojitos here! -they specialize in three things: Beer, Whiskey and Tequilas...check out the very detailed and comprehensive menu selection above the bar. -cozy ambience: the perfect place to meet a friend or a small group of friends on a weeknights. -outdoor beer garden: small patio outside is open until 10pm on warm days (I'm already thinking of Spring). -and my favorite reason -- they are dog friendly! I've brought my mutts here on many a night and enjoyed a pint (or two) and my four-legged companions enjoyed dog biscuits from the great staff. Only minus: - One word: Bathroom. It's horrid! My favorite time to come here by far is Sunday night -- especially with Kelly behind the bar -- she's an awesome yogini/ninja/bartender who is just wonderful! read more

I loved this bar, mostly for its outdoor space, weirdly not packed on a dry and warm May Friday during happy hour, when you'd expect any place in Manhattan to be uncomfortably packed. There are other reasons to love this bar, I'm sure--I hear tell of a great selection of beers and whiskeys and all that. I'm sure that's true. I didn't notice, I was too busy enjoying being outside. I'm not in this neighborhood that often, but I'd like to come back to d.b.a, and if it's somehow consistently this chill, I'll update my review, bump it up to five stars and throw in some all-caps enthusiasm. read more

Dude. There's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SPECIAL about this place. I don't understand. It's a bar. A bar with shitty bartenders who won't make eye contact with you and who act like they're doing you a favor when they finally pour you a drink after you and your (also female) friend have been waiting for literally 20 minutes to order. D.B.A. = Douche Bag Asshole. Not the worst bar in the world, and I've been for happy hour and it was perfectly fine, so two stars. But I repeat (from my last review) - YOU DONT HAVE TO BE A DICK JUST BECAUSE YOU WORK BEHIND A BAR or WAIT TABLES. F'in a. read more

Mmmmm......beer. I love that as an LA "tourist" ...gaaah...don't hate me, New Yorkers...I have cred, I promise... I was born and raised on the East - 20 yrs! (yes, that is my disclaimer used solely for the purpose of praising all that is NYC) Anyway, I LOVE that I was able to quench my thirst with Anchor Steam (mmm... one of my favorites and often difficult to find - ironically - in bars in Ca, even tho it's a g-d SF beer) and rest my legs - Holy BALLS... I forgot what it is to use my legs for the purpose they were intended for!!! (LA peeps don't "do" walking much... you wouldn't either if you lived here, as LA peeps often turn into blind dickholes behind the wheel of a car and that is like, totally, suicidal if on foot."Curb? What curb? What's a pedestrian?" I digress... I really like D.B.A. ... we sat out back, despite the chill in the air, it was nice and cozy and warm under the heat lamp and close proximity to the smoking area as well as occasional Maggie the cat sightings. I can see how it gets crowded easily, but kudos to a bar where you can actually sit down instead of dealing with a bunch of rude push and shoves from the next supposed "It" girl/guy. Ahhhh, NYC... unpretentious...anonymous...endearing... I love you so. read more

I don't party hard on Sunday nights Hence DBA's vibe was quite alright With votive candles on tables alight Not a popped collar douchbag or skank in sight My only complaint; when we wanted a bite We had to go elsewhere, in the cold, what a fright. Never in my life have I been overwhelmed by a bar's beer selection before. Hands-down, the perfect place to go if you or your friends are into well-crafted beers without an elitist attitude. The garden, with its heat-lamps, would have been an awesome place to sit...had the temp not been 13 degrees at night. Next time, I'm planning on making a day of it by parking myself at a table with a pound of hummus from Hummus Place, a bunch of pitas, and a good book (because they don't serve food.) read more

I really want to love DBA. It's a nice enough space, and they always have an amazing (and rotating) selection of beers and whiskeys (although I don't care for whiskey). But... I've never been treated with such contempt by a group of bartenders before. Generally, they are completely impossible to get the attention of. When you finally manage to catch their eyes, they are generally curt and unpleasant. They also make you wait forever before they bring you any change. One time I was at the bar on a Sunday afternoon, there were three people behind the bar, and maybe five people at the bar. The bartenders basically ignored me for about ten minutes, at which point I decided I wasn't wanted. read more

It's the afternoon of Easter Sunday. What do YOU do? Why, go searching for a great bloody mary of course! After a failed attempt at entering Prune (family dinner), we sauntered over to Old Reliable, d.b.a. The clientele was interesting, a cat lounging on the bar, several people with large, fake flowers in their hair (or, tucked behind their ear...baldness won't stop the best of us), skinny, nervous hipster boys, and us. A coupla schlubby losers, drinking their way around the city. So, the bloody mary. It was delicious, with some nice touches. Spicy, with VERY spicy green bean pickles thrown in for good measure. IT wasn't the CLEANEST Mary I've tasted (the was something almost musty about it) but it gets major points for being interesting. read more

I wish I liked this place more but I have decided not to go back here....here's why... Just moved to East Village - and this joint is 1 block from my apartment. Okay, that sounds good. Have sampled 3 times in one week. First time - weekday, 9pm, met 2 friends for drinks. We sat at table in corner at front which is nice. Quiet and we could talk over our beers. They didn't have Brooklyn Lager on tap even though it's listed. Second time - Friday night at 1230a. Creepy guy at door checked IDs. Sat at sticky, smelly bar. Obnoxious, unattractive crowd. Random cat walking through restaurant. (Health code anyone?) Attitudinal bartender who could have cared less we were there. Third time - Wednesday night at 10p, met two friends for drinks. We go to bar to order beers - Brooklyn Lager please. Oh, it's still not on tap. Then why is it listed? So when we ask the barmaid what's on tap, she gestures to a board with the list of beers on tap. Well, the reason we asked you is because your board is incorrect!! She was short and rude with us. Brings us our beers and I hand her my card to run. I wait at end of bar. I see her run my card. I wait some more. She giggles with her male customers. I wait some more. She's standing there. Finally I walk down to the other end and ask for my card. She lazily hands me the card and receipt. She got a $1 tip. I couldn't believe the utter lack of politeness and service. Clearly she doesn't understand that her customers are paying her rent. Which is why I will NEVER give d.b.a. my money ever again. Save yourself and skip this joint. Permanently. read more

Dang, this place has gone downhill! The one star is for the crowd: generally a cool crowd, grownups, no big groups, no bros. But the service, the last time I went, was are-you-kidding-me bad. The bartender just could not be bothered to finish her conversation with another person who worked there, made me stand there for forever by myself. I mean, I get it, life sucks, working at a bar is tough, etc etc. But crazy when you're the only person in the place and you have to wait 20 minutes at the bar, and they are just SO over-the-top surly when they give it to you. The whole place was a downer. I needed a Zoloft on my way out, to combat the existential dread that it gave me. It's a shame because it used to be a really fun place. read more

There was one bartender on an extremely busy Saturday and the service was painfully slow. It wasn't because HE was slow, it just was impossible to serve that many people, collect and clean glasses and cash people out in a timely fashion. It was one of those super warm, sunny winter days where people rejoice at the weather and come out in droves. I am still giving four stars because 1)he was doing his best 2)there were so many dogs in the bar that I almost screamed out of cute overload 3)the outdoor space is great 4)great beer selection. This is a great place to go on a sunny weekend day drinking extravaganza, and I assume they will have more staff when the weather is nicer. read more

D.B.A. takes its beer and booze seriously. They have a lot of different types and if you're into beer or feel like trying new ones, it's a good place to go. The downside is that it gets really, really crowded and there never appear to be enough bartenders to get a drink. My boyfriend last night left to get us drinks and came back, I'm not kidding, a half hour later. That's a very long time, especially when thirsty people are depending on you, and it's just sort of ridiculous. Besides hating that as a patron, clearly they'd make more money if they had another bartender back there to sell more drinks faster... so it's just bad business. In the summer they have a sizable patio area out back, which is nice. read more

Just like their New Orleans location, d.b.a NYC has gazillions of bottles of beer from everywhere, the most diverse draft beers, a fantastic selection of whiskeys and bourbons and a very cool atmosphere. There is a lovely backyard to sit in the warmer months and in the cooler months it can be very cozy, uh, OK crowded, inside...but a pretty low key crowd, so not annoyingly crowded. The thing that is missing from this location is the live music. d.b.a. in New Orleans always has the best live music and there is so much more room. But this being NYC, space is always an issue so I guess I can deal. read more

I went back to d.b.a. for the Cookies & Booze IV event this week. I had only visited the place once before, approxmiately five years ago, on a LES pub crawl with my girlfriend (now wife) and my sister and her husband. We were drunk, it was late, and I barely remember it. I recall, between shots of tequila, my sister mentioning that she and her husband had started trying to conceive a child, and that weekend was the first time she started to believe she was actually pregnant. She then ordered another drink. Anyway, this time around, we wandered in around 6:30 and made a bee-line to the back room, which is more or less a covered patio. The atmosphere is pretty good, despite the lack of climate control (either too hot or too cold, most of the evening) and the upstairs neighbors raining birdseed on the patio roof, enticing dozens of fat, clumsy pigeons to descend on the plastic roof, sounding like so much hail And pooping. Yes, the birds were pooping. In spite of that, it was nice to sit in the almost outside and stare at the old church wall in the back of the place. Service was good! Our one waitress managed to keep drinks in our hands most of the night. Everyone I had to deal with was friendly and efficient, and I'm reasonably certain I got larger pints of beer than I'd ordered. The beer selection, by the way, is diverse and well-managed. The menu even lists out how long the beer has been on tap, so you can judge the relative freshness of the beer. That's a new experience for me in NYC. Usually, I'm happy to find out that the taps are ever cleaned. The negatives are that the men's room was really atrocious, the drinks are just slightly overpriced, and I think there is a lack of general seating in the main area. When I drink, I like to sit around rather than stand around. And the main area of the bar can get full rather quickly. Additionally, two people might take over a table for four or six and not move for ages. The men's room reminded me of bad dive bars or sketchy concert clubs, where you have to fight the cockroaches for the last scraps of toilet paper. The beer prices on their face are reasonable ($6-$8 for a pint, usually), but a lot of the pours are small, only 10oz drinks. I can get better prices for the same drinks less than three blocks away (SLAINTE, achoo!) Oh, and my sister was pregnant, and her child turned out just spectacular. She's going to be four in July, I think, and introduces herself as "Mrs. Lightning McQueen." read more

They have an outdoor garden and an airy back porch to sit in. YAY! They permit smoking in the outdoor garden. Booo. They have very attentive waitresses. YAY! It still took them 10 minutes to bring my friend and I our respective beer and hard cider from the tap. My other friend got her cosmo quicker! Booo. They played N.E.R.D.'s "Tape You" in the bar whilst I was there. YAY! The song eventually ended. Booo. The bathroom stalls have amusing smack-talk about the Boston Red Sox scrolled on the walls. YAY! My bathroom stall door didn't have a lock on it and I had to hold the bottom of the doors closed with my left hand. Booo. THEY HAVE A CAT THAT LIVES IN A BOX ON THE BAR! EPIC YAY! Thus concludes Allison's Yay & Boo Review. read more

Very nice chill spot on a Thursday evening. The weather was holding up so we hung out in the back yard. Good happy hour special until 9pm.

OK, so I have come here a few times, each time hoping it will be better than the last. Instead, it gets worse. Not a good sign. Has anyone else noticed that they just can't seem to get the temperature right in here? During the summer it is freezing, during winter, boiling. I dun get it, is temperature control that hard, or is the dim lighting just making it difficult for managers to see the dial? The dim lighting also becomes an issue when you try to read the itsy bitsy listing of all the fabulous beer. And the selection is intense, for sure. Sadly, as Sheryl pointed out, the only thing you can read is Brooklyn Lager, so they must make a killing on that! Last Friday, this was the bar that made us positive we needed to get out of Manhattan and go back to Queens immediately. Maybe I'm just not an East Village girl any more...can that be? read more

I have been coming here for over 10 years and I still have yet to receive good service from a bartender. They are too interested in chatting with customers or texting their friends. Last night I tried to flag a bartender down while she was flirting heavily with her male co-worker. I finally had to move to stand in front of her so she could see me. I got a drink and did not tip her. read more

My dearest d.b.a., I don't quite know how to say this, so I'm just going to come right out with it...I don't think this is working out. We've been together for four years now and I wish I could say that it's not you, it's me...but I just can't... Was it something I did that made you start treating me so poorly? The first time it happened I thought that maybe you were just upset. Then it happened again...and again...and again. You gave me the cold shoulder while I waited at your bar. You wouldn't look me directly in the eyes when I tried to talk to you. You even cheated on me...servicing others right in front of me! While I was waiting there just watching you do it! ...we did have our good moments though. And for a while your fantastic beer, diverse whiskeys, and wonderful garden were enough. But that is no longer. So I'm afraid this is it. I truly hope that you get the help you so desperately need and that one day we can be friends once again. Until then, take care of yourself. Love, Tyler read more

I came here a long time ago for a Cookies and Booze UYE. I meant to review it a long time ago, but couldn't remember the name until I saw the event listing for the most recent Cookies and Booze. Perhaps I should enjoy more of the cookies next time. I don't recall drinking a ton here, though. Who knows? Anyway, the reason for the five star rating is simple. They have a ridiculous bourbon selection. Do you know how hard it is to find any kind of Weller in the Northeast? I'm not just talking about at bars. Try to find it at a liquor store. It's impossible. d.b.a. has it, along with about a million other types of bourbon. They also have three kinds of Tennessee whiskeys that are not made by Jasper Daniels' company, as well as four kinds of rye. It's also worth noting that they have a good sized back area which is separated from the rest of the bar enough that you can have a nice private function there. read more

I'm not quite sure what the fuss was about since I've heard so many rave reviews about d.b.a that finally, on a crisp Saturday afternoon, I convinced my friends to walk over after an indulgent trip to the Hester Street Fair. We walk into a dimly lit room and a only a handful of people were sitting at the bar and 3 at a table. We were immediately carded but not warmly greeted. After the initial check-in, no one asked us if we wanted drinks or be seated in the garden so I walked over to the back and picked a spot at the far end of the corner hoping someone would materialize and offer menus. After 5 minutes, my friend said, we should go to the bar and just pick the drinks. I was definitely feeling something heavy so I was looking over the Belgian and German selections but I was already over the Duvels, Chimays and didn't see the Radeberger. My friend wanted a Leffe Blonde but we didn't see that either so I suggested the Norwegian Wood since you can't go wrong with any type of Nordic beer. Norwegian Wood costs $12 each and it's 6.5% alcohol which is relatively low for a Scandinavian beer. It didn't have that overpowering taste after the first sip but went down relatively easy. It was a good choice for a chilly afternoon, allowing you to converse with friends without giving you that buzz after the final drop. Luckily, the place didn't get too loud or crowded, but it was still early evening before it got too rowdy. read more

Overrated. And getting worse. EXTREMELY hard to get served in this bar, any time of day. They do not hire enough bartenders. The ones they hire are aloof and arrogant. Often gets very crowded and then you can FORGET about being served without a long thirsty wait, flailing your arms uselessly at the overworked bartender who makes it clear that she does not want to be serving you, or working at all. (Remember the staff at Kim's video? Like that.) "Drink good stuff?" I would if I could, but usually they don't have the first 2 or 3 bottles (beer) I order off of the blackboards. This is so routine that I don't even bother asking any more. They send a runner to the basement and 10 minutes later you learn they don't have what you want. 15 taps are usually put to mediocre use, poorly curated. **Bathrooms are DISGUSTING, even for a guy** I'm talking CBGB bathroom-disgusting. And finally, the last straw, they weren't playing Beastie Boys on the day that MCA died. How irrelevant is this New York bar? This L.E.S. bar? Absolutely disgraceful. read more

My friends are leaving the country for some time. So we had a dinner then went to there because one of them used to live in the area and liked this bar. However, it's obvious it has changed a lot since then.... First of all, hard to hear the music and your friends because it's VERY loud. I don't know why other folks thinks it has "an incredible offer" but it's just-another-nothing-special bar. Second, unfriendly, no no no let me correct this, really rude bartender. I couldn't even get to him for 20 minutes; I wonder how anyone ever gets drinks while he is not responding to anyone at the bar. Hey why do I go to a bar? Hint: Have a good time, not to get to be scolded by the bartender because he couldn't hear me! (Duh, I just said, it's loud.) Plus, he was just standing at the back of the bar, and not even trying to understand what I was ordering. Little suggestion guys, if you have a loud bar, you really must try to pay more attention what the customer is saying to you. Being cool is way different than being a jack! If there is no star option, I'd pick that. Such a bad place and service. read more

There is a kitty in this bar named Maggie that I love finding. And because I'm a sucker for all things furry (what?), d.b.a. gets four stars. I felt like a four-year-old chasing her around all night, but who cares? KITTYYY! (This is me: http://xkcd.com/231/) ...That said, there's a fantastic selection of beer at d.b.a. at very reasonable prices. Though it gets crowded, there's often plenty of room in the back, even with the garden closed. Crowd is unpretentious and easygoing, and though it gets loud, the overall vibe is relaxed. The crowd is not quite yuppie, not quite hipster-- just easygoing. I love the beer list and really enjoyed this delicious obscure South Hampton ale so make sure you do yourself a favor and really squint up at that poorly-lit chalkboard list of beers on tap-- you won't be sorry. Not pretentious in the slightest, with a great no-fuss atmosphere, helpful bartenders, and an outdoor garden (that is closed at night to prevent noise complaints). I've been to a few of my guy friend's birthdays here because of its central location. read more

A bar for database administrators? No wonder they need all that booze, all the dbas I know are loathsome grey toads who moan horribly and claw at the cubicle floor when sunlight hits them. dba is a crowded pick up bar on the weekends, perfect for slobs like me who want a reasonable selection of drinks but don't want to pay whiskey bar prices. Of interest is that they have both a great selection of hard liquor and beer, while most other places content themselves with catering to either the beer snobs or the scotch snobs. Scotches are mostly in the 8 - 12 dollar range, and they have a reasonable selection. They have 4-5 Irish whiskeys and a couple tequilas. The pour is good, you get a nice 2+ oz of fine whiskey for your hard earned dollars. The beer selection is gargantuan and my only complaint is that they need bigger chalkboards since the crowded scrawls are tough to read on a dim late night after a few drinks. Bartenders are overworked and businesslike on the weekends, but you can't blame them when the place is packed. Hats off to the woman openly pinching her nipples through her top while making small talk with her suitor(s); can't ger much more forward than that. read more

I'm gonna be quick on this one. Great beer selection. Wanted to be outside on a beautiful night, so randomly chose this place for its "beer garden," which is indeed outside but rather small and so full of smokers that if you were hanging out in a folding chair by the entrance to the Holland Tunnel you'd get more fresh air. The inside seems dark and dank and like any kinda divey bar. read more

Love this place. I have spent many a summer afternoon hanging out in the back patio, drinking my way through the many beers on tap. What makes this place a go to spot for me is its proximity and allowance of excellent outside food that can be brought in and consumed along with beers. Last week, we strolled over to Russ and Daughters, picked up some new catch herring ('tis the season!) and brought them back to gulp down like seals. The bartender noted us doing this and sent over vodka with our next round of beers. A+. read more

I really wanted to give this place a good review because the bartenders are friendly and it's supposedly a Saints bar (boyfriend is a Saints fan). Unfortunately, it was underwhelming. 1) No food or hot beverages. Just booze. Which honestly, for the 1pm game... ugh. They were nice enough encourage Seamlessing, but c'mon! I'd rather give THEM my money, not the Seamless guy! 2) Teeny tiny TVs that were poorly positioned. Can't see other games across the bar. Possibly tweaked my neck looking straight up at the TV that the Saints game was on. 3) LAME Saints crowd. This doesn't need an explanation. Which I applaud them for trying to continue the Williamsburg DBA tradition, it's just not all adding up. read more

This place is a nice neighborhood spot with reasonably priced drinks. I like that they have a camera so you can tell your friends at home to go to the bar's website and check out your date, or show them all the fun they are not having! I've seen some sketchy clientele here but I think it's the location. They lose a star for the questionable smell (bathrooms?) that sometimes permeates the place. read more

Please: hire additional staff to serve drinks Pretty please: toss any open bottle of wine that's been uncorked for 4+ days (yup, aware this is a beer bar, but don't even offer wine if you can't keep a fresh bottle on-hand) Thanks: for being dog friendly read more

Awful Bartending service. Very slow and unprofessional(clearly drunk at 2pm). Saw many people leave the bar due to this.

This is one of my favorite bars in NYC. As I get older and everyone else seems to get younger, the crowd is always sophisticated and edgy. But what really draws me here is the beer. There are always new and interesting beers served here; it's a must-go-to for beer aficionados. It does get super crowded, but for a pre-dinner drink, it's the perfect place to go to wet the palate. read more

What happened to the best beer bar in NYC, a place that I have been going to before the new millennium? First of all 100+ degrees in the place and it smelled like a sewer. I haven't been there for a few years but seriously what happened? Two bartenders behind the stick, about 7pm on a Thursday night and they just don't look up..i was there probably 15 minutes, maybe one deep at the bar and they never made eye contact, they were too busy rifling down pizza behind the bar. The beer? I was shocked to see Stella on draft and a sign that said "$5 Stellas during footy"...really, you were arguably the best beer bar in NYC long before the craft beer craze........whew, what a disappointment... This place has fallen faster than Lance Armstrong.... read more

d.b.a. Drunk Bastards Anonymous? I applaud their finding of obscure beers and whiskey, but the B&T stench on Fridays and Saturdays is difficult to deal with. It also makes me wonder if their extensive booze list is meant for one-upmanship. I wouldn't be surprised... However, the staff usually is pretty cool, and if you go on a weekday or very early on a weekend, it's a decent spot. read more

This place is not hip, nor is chic, nor does it have a droolworthy cocktail menu, nor is it the ideal place to go at 11:30 on a Saturday night (too packed). It also tends to have a male-female ratio that can approach Professor Thom's in skewedness. That doesn't mean you can't love it. This is a beer bar, kids. Above the bar is a giant, giant chalkboard that tells you exactly what's on tap. There are lots of super yummy ones. This is where you go with one or two close friends, order a round of something you've never heard of, sit in the back garden, and talk about awesome things like travel plans that probably won't materialize. So my disclaimer, I guess, is that I grew up surrounded by preppy people and consequently have a high tolerance for polo shirts. This bar isn't particularly preppy, but as I said, it's not particularly edgy either. If you're the kind of downtowner who has a tendency to sneer and say, "Since when am I in Murray Hill?" at the slightest hint of frattiness, don't go here. But if you like good beer, and you like people who like good beer, come here. You'll have fun. read more

I totally have to agree with Linna C., Liz L. and mc t. - this place is the absolute pits! Will never again venture here. The staff here are unhelpful, full of attitude and absolutely arrogant. A group of friends and I drank here recently - part of a farewell drinks of sorts (my last night in NYC after a 5 day visit). Our night was totally ruined by an obnoxious African-American female bartender who threw nothing but attitude at us all night. To top it off, she involved her bald douche-bag bar manager to give us the 3rd degree because apparently our dollar per drink tips (for beers and straight spirits) were not sufficient - we had a group of around 8, so even if only one person from our group didn't tip sufficiently, I'm sure the gracious tipping of 7 others would have over-compensated. Even in my tipsy state I was able to recognize rude, arrogant bar staff, possibly the worst I've ever experienced. For the record, they didn't deserve a dime in tips. We rightly and promptly left, after the bar staff tried to start a confrontation with us. I mean, really? So, congrats DBA - on having the worst barmaid/bartender ever, and the worst bar staff period. You successfully turned a memorable night into a miserable night! read more

d.b.a. is one of my favorite places to hang out during the spring and summer months. It has a great garden in the back and plenty of room for smokers there too - something nice for those of us still with the habit after the ban. I usually go there during the day and leave as it gets crowded at night. Anytime before five and you're sure to get a seat outside. After that, it's best to have an advance party to scout. I usually avoid it on weekend nights as it will get very very crowded and not always with the best of people. The frat boy banker quotient can get awfully high. But the rest of the time, it belongs to us - polite drunks. The beer selection, is of course, amazing. And the whiskey selection is next to none. The garden really is the selling point though. read more

I came here once, and it was so crowded that I managed to only get one beer the whole night. At some point, I just gave up and decided to just watch other people drink, which is a first for me, I think. It's no surprise that this place is so popular. It has a great selection of tasty beers, a rowdy barnhouse atmosphere, and a spacious backyard perfect for the summer days. Unfortunately, I can't stand a place so packed that it resembles the Flanders' bomb shelter (see Simpsons Season Six Episode 14, "Bart's Comet"). But if you really want to go, aim for early in the week, when you have the best chance of actually reaching the bar. read more