If you haven't been to Gowanas, I guess I can understand. It is a no-mans land near a stinky canal, and it's all warehouses, so not much residential here. That said there are some great things opening up here, sandwiched between Carroll Gardens and Park Slope. Bell House is one of those little gems. Though I shouldn't say little, this place is huge. You walk in and think, wow, they have space in brooklyn, huge lounge, big spaceous bar, and $4 beers. Wow! That's before you even walk to the cavernous back room, which is where the main stage is. Also the stage edges out into the room a bit, so you really surround the stage. I didn't go for live music, but for the superbowl believe it or not. Had a great time as it was full of hipsters rather than the usual college beer swilling c0ck-fest that is the usual superbowl party. If all of this isn't enough, besides the cheap beers they not only let you order from outside delivery places, they have a *FOLDER OF MENUS* for your convenience.!! read more

Ok, I've been here twice. The first time was for the hot dog cookout which promised (and provided) free hot dogs. I had a good time although they sure did run out of hot dogs, and I did think the venue was not so special that I would often trek out to Brooklyn for it. However, my friends assured me that their other events are even better and in general I would have given it three to four stars. The second time was for the Naughty Holiday Office Party which promised games, prizes, and free drinks for the first hour and a half. This "event" had so much potential for awesomeness but fell completely, breathtakingly, spectacularly flat. I paid my $10 cover online in advance with the understanding that I could surely drink $10 worth of free drinks in the first hour. So imagine my dismay (and the dismay of the poor bartender) when we were told that our drinks were not in fact, free. So, strike one, no free drinks. But surely there would be games, prizes, hooking up! Right? Right?? Alas, I've never been to anything that seemed more like an awkward church dance... except, well, an actual awkward church dance. But those at least are free. Everyone just huddled nervously by the bar, clutching their drinks and hoping that the creepy guy who couldn't even get laid at an awkward church dance would not come talk to them. Yeah, there was a DJ but no one was dancing and the room was uncomfortably unbalanced with the bar at the end and the empty dance floor. Note to event coordinators: No one will hook up if there are no drinks or activities to get them mingling. That's why it's called a "mixer." You gotta get them mixing. I was angry and left early wanting my money back. read more

Great venue to see a show. 1) The floor extends horizontally enabling a good view in this room no matter where you stand. 2) No problems with the sound. 3) The staff is friendly. 4) Enough room to move around comfortably even when the show is sold out. 5) Abundant street parking close to the venue. read more

Went here for an "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" trivia night. Huge spot, just a little off the beaten path to get to. Beers aren't that affordable (maybe because it's a music venue too?), but place is decent for events. read more

This place is awesome! Great space close to my house, woo hoo! I must admit though, when I was walking there for the first time I thought to myself 'This isn't a place I would want to walk alone at night. Oh wait. That's exactly what I'm doing right now.' Woops. I absolutely love the decor, and how you feel like you walk into a mountain lodge rather than an industrial garage. The live music stage in the back is great. The beers on tap are great too. Why is this place not packed every night?? I'm a big fan. read more

Love this spot! Great vibe and nice staff! Looking forward to going back. They have seated and standing room but I like watching a show seated. I'm old school. read more

Gotta love venues like this -- on the verge neighborhoods bring with them reasonable rents and distressed but usable industrial real estate, which allow places like this to just sprawl the heck out. The Bell House, an old 1920s warehouse that's served as a printing plant, is huge. The stage is on the side, which makes for unobstructed views, but if you mosy around to the side, you'll lose out on the sound. Sound is best out front. We saw three bands: Motel Motel, Mike Bones, and Phosphorescent. Motel Motel was OK, had a bit of a Slim Cessna-like warble going on, but took some getting used to. Mike Bones was a cross between the Royal Trux and Lou Reed -- and did a great cabaret-like number with dueling pianos. And Phosphorescent played their new Willie Nelson cover album from start to finish. We left a little into the second side. Didn't get a drink. Didn't check my coat. Didn't use the restroom. So I can't speak to the amenities. But I'd go back. The tickets were reasonable, and they seem to book well. Nice! read more

I am overall a fan of Bell House. It is a great bar for live music events or birthdays - also the couches in the front room make it more inviting. I have read about other people's mishaps - in the bathroom, going down the stairs to the back room - and yes it is a big venue, things can happen. What I like is that the bartenders are nice - when I suggested a change to the Twin Cinema drink (which I like, but I wanted to try something different) - they were open to doing that. Sometimes, if I am there solo, it gets annoying when guys come up and bother me (no offense guys!) and I just want to hang out and relax. But, I will be going back now that I picked an apartment in the neighborhood. read more

good things come to those who Yelp! Blip Festival 2009 returned here after the phenomenal and epic outing that 2008. snow be damned, the chiptune insurgency lives on! the beer selection is still spot-on. a good mix of imports and craft brews at fair prices. the Dub pies are pretty tasty, although kind of small for $6. I enjoyed getting a chance to rest in the bar between sets. comfortable couches and seats provided a much-needed respite from moshing/dancing. read more

My friends and I never miss a month of 90s night at the Bellhouse! It's the first or second Saturday of each month - follow their Facebook page for events. DJ Steve Reynolds is the best! He plays all the hits from pop to rock to hip hop. It's a large space so perfect for plenty of room to dance. I also like to hang by the bar so I can talk to people while overlooking the dance floor. Its a great crowd - super friendly and not too young. It's always a fun time and worth the trip to gowanus! read more

Trekked out to this place on a snowy Saturday to see Project Jenny, Project Jan and was it worth it! We got there early since we weren't sure when the band was going on so I had time to soak up the atmosphere. The bar is spacious with a decent amount (though there should have been more) of chairs and couches for lounging in the low light (generated by chandeliers). Some wood tables and chairs lined an adjacent wall... though they were designated as reserved. Fairly standard bar offerings of wine and beer, with a list of cocktails named for different alternative album names (Park Life, Electric Honey, Mellow Gold...). I didn't have the Dub pies, but I heard they were pretty tasty. The venue part of the bar was excellent. Lots of room for dancing and a small stage that managed to hold the 8-piece band that started the show. The hall also has an additional bar, even though you can carry your drinks in from the main bar. Apparently the coat check was even free, but I only found that out after I made a spectacular pile of coats and bags. There were a few high-top tables around the hall floor, but it's standing room only for the most part. It is located in an industrial part of Brooklyn (Gowanus) but it's also about 6 or so blocks from my house so that's not a deterrent. In fact it makes the venue even more attractive. Easy to get to (even in snow) and not scary if you're already familiar with the neighborhood. Saw the French Kicks are playing next month... I'm in! read more

I was here for a 90s dance party with a group of friends and we had an awesome time! It was the first time I found a venue in NYC that was playing music I actually wanted to dance to, and the feeling seemed mutual. Everyone was having a great time and everybody was dancing! Even a lot of guys got into it and were singing along too. The vibe was great and the crowd had tons of energy which added to the atmosphere. Drink prices were actually very affordable.. they had an $8 beer and shot special and a $6 mixed drink special. I'm already planning my return for more events! Being able to dance (in public) to "I would walk 500 miles" was certainly the highlight of my night! read more

4.5. Very cool and charming place to chill, people watch and listen to bands without any of the pretense. Came here last weekend for their annual Johnny Cash Birthday bash and had a terrific time minus the few rude people and long coat check line. The huge concert space was packed with people at a comfortable volume (no claustrophobia, sweating or b.o.) and you can see the performer at any angle and location. With well stocked bars inside and outside the concert hall, a photo booth and Dub Pies to eat in case one gets the munchies, there was hardly any moment of thirst, hunger or boredom. Am definitely coming back to check out their other shows! Note: Get off the 4th Avenue exit for the shorter walk. We took the 9th St-Smith exit, walked the wrong way and had to take a cab to get over to the other side of the canal. read more

Probably the best music venue in Brooklyn that I have been to. There is a full service bar with a decent beer selection. The music space is very cool. It makes you feel like you are in an old factory/barn - love the ambiance! A fun place to meet friends to have a few drink and listen to live music. read more

I had great time with all the yelpers at the bell house. the drinks are good and beef/chicken/veg pie were very good too. I did have trouble of finding this place. it surrounding by warehouses and I had doubts wherever if I went the right way or not. Once I found the place, it's great. the place is very spacious, I met few new yelps and had great conversation with my friends. Many Thanks to Billy C again for inviting us, nice seeing Ingrid, Jane again. Nice meeting some of new faces.. once again I am bad with names.. please keep in touch on yelp Looking forward for another event =) read more

This is my second time here on a Saturday night, so I come just for the mixture of old school & new school & to dance my ass off. It's an old school basement/backyard party in a warehouse. Wear something comfy & airy cuz it gets super hot. Otherwise, you will have a great time. read more

Cool venue. Luckily we found a spot on the side sitting on an old church pew because the majority of seating options were fold out chairs which would not have been comfortable for a 2+ hour show. The drinks are on par with NY prices and poured with a heavy hand (which I love, give me that bang for my buck). The food before hand was decent. Turkey chili was good but didn't come with sour cream as advertised (bummer) and the meatball sub my husband got could have used more sauce. But it's more of an event venue/bar than a restaurant. The staff were friendly and the location was good! We'd definitely go back. read more

As others have said, the Bell House is in the middle of nowhere. If you're not familiar with the area, walking down the long industrial area blocks can be a bit scary, but once you find it, it's great! The Halloween show offered an hour of free beer and delicious BBQ in October. REALLY good burgers. The bathrooms are clean, the staff is nice (especially security, which is a plus). They have a good variety of beers. The space is nice and there's plenty of room to move, even on Halloween. read more

Recently came for a cookie takedown competition. The bar in the front has standard bar prices ($5-6 for a beer), and has small seating area and large standing room. The room in the back was pretty large and could probably fit a few hundred people, and there is another bar in the back. Pretty divey feel to it. read more

Love this space but what the HECK is up with not having a trash can to throw the paper away on the wristbands?! Come on guys it wouldn't be hard. read more

The Bell House - Music Venues Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I've always loved the Bell House, but to my surprise when I attended a concert last night I saw they had food! Around the corner past the door to the stage area was a small counter with pulled pork, meatballs, and McClure's pickles! One more reason to keep on comin' back! read more

I came here for a recording of a comedy podcast last Sunday, this was my first time at this venue. The show itself was great but the standing/seating arrangement was not. I had to stand along the back on the hard concrete floor for two hours, had I had known I would have shown up as doors opened to claim a seat. In addition the standing the view was not ideal, I was doing a lot of swaying to stay comfortable and also see the stage. The beer selection was good and the staff was friendly. There was a food vendor selling sandwiches and empanadas but this was not well advertised so we had to run down the street to eat at whole foods after failing to find a quick restaurant that was actually open. We found parking down the adjacent street without a problem and probably could have even parked on the actual street. I would return to this venue but would show up when doors opened to claim a seat. read more

I'm in love with Bell House after seeing The Little Willies perform here. Maybe it's because I'm crazy about Norah Jones and this intimate room put me inches away from her, or perhaps it's the charm of a smaller venue that makes the music sound better. I didn't even know about this Gowanus spot until I received an email from her mailing list. For $35, plus fees much less than Ticketmaster (they use TicketWeb), I secured a General Admission spot to the show just days before. Doors opened an hour before and a small crowd was gathered around the stage, which is in a separate room aside from the main bar/restaurant area. Some of the fans had what looked like delicious BBQ and the beer prices seemed fair; I wouldn't stray from my spot near the stage and attended alone, so I pretty much planted myself there for the next few hours. The acoustics were wonderful and I felt like I was inside a roadhouse somewhere in the South (attribute that to the musical selections of largely Country covers). Nothing like a real, down-home concert that doesn't feel commercial. I'm interested in seeing who else plays here and when The Willies will come back. read more

The only complaint I have about The Bell House is it's just close enough to feel like a neighborhood staple and just far enough for me to complain about it being just outside of walking distance. Come for any literary event and you won't be disappointed. The front room is great for a night out - you need a couch and a drink? They have it. The best part about this place is that the people who go here are NEVER douchebags. You will always be in a good crowd and you will never have to chase the scoundrels away. read more

We had fun here. It was acoustically well done. By this I mean, it wasn't so damn loud you have to scream at your friends to hold a "conversation." The sound was perfect both in the front bar and the back room where the stage is and the bands play. And the music in the rear stays there. If you need to make a phone call or get a beer, you can have a totally different experience. The bands we heard were excellent. The crowd was not huge, which was a pleasure; it made hanging with a college friend easy and fun. We could actually talk and enjoy the music. read more

Awesome venue. Great beer selection. Down to earth employees/crowd. I likey. I walked from my apartment and it was pretty desolate between 2nd and 3rd aves...maybe take a cab if you're a girl walking alone, I was a bit creeped out by the journey there. Pretty industrial around Bell House, a seemingly random location for a bar/concert venue, but nice and spacious. read more

So I haven't actually seen any shows here, but we did swing by here to grab a beer with some friends and I'm impressed. Well planned venue with plenty of room for groups, a great beer selection (kudos on having Allagash White, one of my favorite beers ever). Prices are decent, at around $5 a pint, and there are some interesting cocktails and snacks available. With nice walking distance form my place, you can be sure I'll be back. read more

An attractive venue for hearing fabulous music. Nice bar, friendly and efficient bartenders. Good layout, sound system, etc. Fun cocktails and beer list. Sole factor marring an otherwise lovely evening (at the Johnny Cash Birthday Bash) was extreme rudeness from the unintelligent women running the coat check and "will call" area--observed great rudeness to others who patiently waited on the ridiculously slow coat check line, and then got a taste of it first hand. Too bad. Everything else here was great. read more

I really do like this place. They host a variety of shows and I appreciate that. whether I want to see a band, go dancing, see stand-up, maybe the "Secret Science Club" lectures, or maybe a Burlesque, they host it all. I need variety in entertainment and places like this offer that. Its also great that Brooklyn has all these great venues, like Bell House, to host shows that 10 years ago Id have to trek into the city to see. As a native NYer/Brooklynite, I love going a couple of stops from my house to see a great show. read more

I agree with the reviewer who gave them 4.5 stars. It'd be solid five stars if the neighbourhood was a bit friendlier. Good sound, reasonably priced bar, friendly staff. I like the decor, the space and how everything is organized. read more

As a Union Hall regular, I was anxious for the opening of The Bell House. Similar to it's sister bars Union Hall and Floyd, the decor is shabby chic with comfy vintage couches and quirky antique artwork on the walls. And that's just the spacious front bar. The performance space itself is huge with exposed wood beams across the vaulted ceiling and golden chandeliers dressing up the raw space, which used to be a warehouse. The sound is superb and the sight lines are fantastic from every possible location in the wider than it is deep room. Sure, it's not the kind of place you are going to stumble into on a stroll through...Gowanus? At least not yet. And for now that's a nice feature that keeps away the B&T crowd leaving The Bell House for the locals willing to make the walk from the F train, which isn't really that far away. I look forward to trying the Dub pies! read more

I still love the Bell House... The Pinball Machine itself would have won them the extra start to a perfect score... If they didn't have that despicable and nonetheless illegal $15 credit card minimum. C'mon TBH show some love (and ethics) to the guy who will happily tip you an extra dollar if he doesn't have to be reminded that he has no one to share a beer with tonight. read more

If you ever find yourself in Gowanus, this place is a must. It's a converted warehouse (as are most places in Brooklyn) that has a bar/lounge area in the front, and a large performance space in the back room. I've been here for a few different events and talks, such as NPR's Ask Me Another podcast taping and a Buzzfeed Live event, among others. I'm curious what Bell House is like when there isn't a hosted event going on. All in all, it's a really unique spot, has a great happy hour until 7pm, as well as several local beers on tap. Plus, they have food truck-esque food being served next to the bar, such as tacos and empanadas. Can't complain! read more

Two times here - and both times i was really impressed with the sound ... and the empanadas. Heard both acoustic and rock shows live and the sound was on point. Whoever is the sound engineer - thanks man. So many times I've been to club shows and been subjected to horrible distortion and drums overpowering vocals. But the Bell House gets it right. Intimate setting, although if youre short hard to see from the back. PS. the empanada was overpriced but dangerously good. read more

Every time I come here..: the security guards are SOOOOOOOO rude. No matter what event it is... they are rude and are on a complete power trip. I'm done with the Bellhouse. read more

Great new music venue in Gowanus. Owner of Union Hall brings this venue to the outer skirts of Park Slope. Huge space for music featuring bands like The Wrens and front lounge open every night with no cover. Be on the look out for their events like an upcoming ping pong championship, game show nights and a summer block party in June. $5 meat or veggie Dub Pies and $4 beer cheese w/ crackers are your food options. read more

I've been her many times for many different things, and it's always a great time. Yes, the location is a bit "far," but when you get there, you don't end up leaving until close to last call, so it's not that big an issue. I've seen to Burlesque here, first Fridays of the month (90s hip-hop and pop night), and random events throughout the year like The Rub. The ambiance is different for every type of night, but it's always what you're expecting. First Friday's are off the hook if you like to listen/sing out to some Alanis, Mariah, with a mix of A Tribe Called Quest, and Run DMC. Takes you back to the good days. The Rub is also great since DJ Ayres is great. Specs: It's large, has two bars, one room with a projector screen for the games, and cheap alcohol - you can get shot and beer combos. Grab a group of friends and make your way down there. You won't regret it. read more

They host some great events but the crew there was the worst I've ever met. Went to Ask Me Another show on Monday with a friend, on the website it said you pay $25 at door so I didn't get online tickets. Before entering I confirmed with the security guy that I could buy tickets inside. And when we started to enter they told us there was no at door tickets! A what-they-called manager said he couldn't give me two tickets due to safety reasons. I found some pictures online with the area fully packed but he still told me I could get in due to "safety" reasons. He even asked security to force me to leave. Luckily there was a guy saying he had 2 extra tickets so we finally made it. And the area was far away from fully packed-was not even crowded. So I didn't understand what their safety reason was. Yes I did not get advanced tickets but they HAVE TO make themselves clear that they do not sell at door tickets, instead of literally saying "$25 at door" on the website. And also, they were really rude to me. Even the guy sold me tickets was saying "you look pretty nice but they are treating you like sh*t" Really didn't understand that and definitely won't visit again read more

Went for a Doctor who Event. Great place, big versatile space. Bar in front and in the main venue. 15 dollar minimum for credit cards FYI. Park slope drink prices. Right next to the Chip shop so great drunken eats. Check out there Calendar. There was a very interesting one posted when I went for an Aladdin sing along. read more

I saw Paul F. Tompkins do stand-up here a few weeks ago, and it was a fantastic show. I noticed about a dozen of my favorite comedians there watching the show, which was sort of amazing. Good drinks, reasonable prices, and friendly bartenders contributed to the five stars above, but what really made the difference is what happened after I left: I walked out of the venue without closing my tab. Meaning my credit card is still there, and they haven't even been paid for the drinks I ordered. I called them later that night and left a message saying I would be back the next day to pick it up. However, I didn't make it in before I had to leave town. I emailed them and asked what they could do, and Andrew, the events coordinator, got back to me within a few hours. My credit card was delivered to me in California two days later! Amazing customer service, amazing venue, amazing show. I can't wait to go back! read more