For my 600th review, I will be writing about my visit to The Rub on my birthday weekend (4/30/2016). The Rub is a monthly hip-hop dance party, that plays old school hip-hop, the kind of music I listened to in high school. It takes place on the last Saturday of every month at the Bell House. It sounded like a great time, so I headed over to the Bell House around 10pm. There was no line around 10pm, so I got in quickly after paying the cheap $10 cover. There's a (non-mandatory) coat check at the door, and the space is split into a smaller bar/lounging area and a large (dark) dance floor with a stage and another bar. I'm glad I heeded the warning to come before 11pm, because the space filled up quick. Drinks were fairly priced. Beer ranged from $5-$8 and mixed drinks were $8. I had a good amount to drink. It's great that there's no dress code, because you wanna be comfortable when you hit the dark dance floor. They played all the types of music I had expected, including old Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, and a lot of Prince (R.I.P.) I did notice that the smaller bar area had different music than the dance floor. The music at the bar was older, late 90s early 2000s hip-hop, and the main dance floor had later 2000s. I'm not sure if that's a usual thing with this event, but it wasn't bad. I had a great time read more

I LOVE this event. This past Halloweekend Saturday, Nick C. thought of the genius idea to come to the Rub, an event held every last Saturday at the Bell House. It was about a 45 minute wait in line but well worth it. They charged a $15 cover that day, I hate covers but that's pretty damn cheap considering how huge the venue is and great the event was. The Bell House is a warehouse divided into a small bar area and a huge stage area. The crowd is great and the place has a very Generation Y feel to it. The music that night and the last/first time I was here, featured classics of the 90s/early 2000s (basically my childhood). I would assume that's the theme and motif of the Rub, to replicate a night out in the city during that epoch. So for that, I bestow it a very emphatic 5 stars. read more

The Rub - a man cheetah, Jeremy Lin, Gingy, and Barney - Dance Clubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Fun music spot warehouse in Gowanus, 2 rooms with different music which varies every weekend. Cover charge to enter great place if you just want to go dancing. No need to get dressed up sneakers and jeans are fine and you'll be comfortable to dance like no one is watching read more

I have been wanting to check this event out for quite some time. The venue (Verobten) was really nice. It is very spacious and the workers are really nice. I ordered a malibu bay breeze from the bar in the smaller room. The girl made it with orange juice, instead of pineapple juice O_o I hate orange juice -_- The next drinks were ordered from the other bar. They made the drink the correct way, although one of the drinks was made with straight pineapple juice and no cranberry juice. Anyway, from 11:15 to 1am, we were having a GREAT time. They dj's other than Mister Cee were amazing. We were dancing non stop and really had a great first experience at this place. I was dead set on coming back again. Then Mister Cee came on and OMG why doesn't he stay quiet? He talks through out all the songs that he plays and he plays only 30 second to one minute of every song. It was the most ANNOYING thing I have EVER had to experience. When he came on, it felt more like a concert than a dj playing for his patrons, so they can dance and have a good time. He literally did NOT shut up throughout his whole set. We were so annoyed that we left. I still can't believe how much he talked. He was the worst dj I have ever experienced. People around me were annoyed as well. I heard a few people shouting for him to shut up. smh Although I loved the other two dj's, it is not work coming to the event for a couple of hours and paying $20. I would have to leave at 1am, when that horrible dj would come on because it is IMPOSSIBLE to dance when the song changes every 30 seconds and is being interrupted every 10 seconds. Ridiculous. I had high hopes for this place, but it was extremely disappointing, thanks to Mister Cee. read more

I was under the impression that the rub was an old school hiphop party - but when I went that didn't seem to be the case. South Paw has two floors - upstairs which was packed and downstairs which was less filled... I don't know if i caught it on a wrong night because the other reviews say pure hiphop, but I wasnt really feeling the vibe...... So, I've decided to use a new rating system for nightspots, 1 - 10... 1 being the worst, 10 being the best. Ethnic Diversity - 6 Not really diverse, but some variety mixed in - but let's be real - the Rub takes place in Park Slope... Style Diversity - 2 Regardless of Ethnicity, most people looked the same... Borderline hipster/bohemian style Dancing - 4 People dancing in groups, rhythmless jumping and odd movements.. lol Music - 5 Upstairs - a mixture of 80s music over a techno beat.... song after song.. Downstairs - more lounge/triphop type music.. at least this music was danceable (even if every beat sounds the same) Alcohol Price - 7 Cheap drinks. People Attractiveness - 4 Self Explanatory. read more

This monthly dance party never disappoints. I kind of miss the grittiness and proximity of southpaw but the AC and ventilation actually works at the bell house Pros No Bottle Service. No Pretentiousness Decently priced drinks and People really dancing and enjoying themselves. Cons People with crazy dance motions Waiting on line if you get there late My vote bring some friends and prepare to dance the night away. read more

I've been craving a groovetastic dance party for quite a few weeks now. You know, the kind where you close your eyes and you just move. The music surrounds you. Each song transition move seamlessly together and you never lose your groove. That takes me to The Rub this past Sat 2/5 with DJ crew The Freshest. A perfect seamless mix of new and classic R&B, rap, hip hop, disco and pop.Sample their sounds: http://soundcloud.com/get-2/nothin-on-shooz There are two dance floors at Southpaw (the venue that holds The Rub). The main space upstairs which is a tri level area and a stage for the DJ's to spin their beats. Downstairs boasts the bathrooms, coat check and a lounge-esque dance area with it's own bar and couches for intimacy. Now, things to note. Though Laura A covers this in her review as well, I feel they should be mentioned again. I've added a few extra notes of my own :) - Arrive 10-15 minutes early and grab a drink across the street or around the corner. Doors really open between 10:15 - 11 so we were told by our bartender. It moved swiftly in the beginning of the night but gets long quick. Arrive early, but even if you don't it's worth the wait. - $5 for ladies and $10 for guys. (Sorry dudes). The extra $5 doesn't matter though, the party is totally worth it. - Comfy shoes that let you move. - Light weight clothes. Even in the winter time. It get's HOT IN THURRR - $2 for coat check (the line gets LONG so check that coat early). - Shots, beer, mixed drinks the bar is fast and not to expensive. $6 tequila shots ain't too shabby. - The bathroom line moves fast so ladies, don't worry about missing your favorite song. There was a group of about 6 of us all together and we had a great time. Even the skeptics of the bunch couldn't stop movin'. This is our go to sure fire dance party fix. We'll definitely be back and you should definitely go. http://www.itstherub.com/ read more

Everyone hyped this place up for me and I have to say that I wasn't too impressed. I mean it's a cool place and the main floor is decent. Some people say this is the event to go to once a month but I'm okay with just going once in a while. PROS - fun music - DJ changed it up every minute or so so he went through a lot - nice vibe - food items available - smaller bar/dance floor available CONS - sometimes you wanted to jam to that song just a little longer! - not a fan of the people who pushed their way to the middle of the dancefloor just to stand there and not dance - coat check line was way dramatic, people trying to cut and service was moving not so fast - mixed drinks were way too expensive and portions tiny read more

Proud to say that I went to the last Southpaw iteration of The Rub and it hurts so good. I wish I'd been going to this since I moved to the city. Like an idiot, I didn't think to get to Southpaw early and there was an insane line, this being the last Rub at Southpaw. We waited for about 40 minutes, chugging beers in line and chatting up some good folks. Then we went to a shitty bar nearby for about 2 hours, then went back and there was no line. While we were only inside for about an hour and a half, it was magical. Really solid music, cheap drinks, and the shots come in teeny tiny plastic cups. Neat! The upstairs was a sweaty mess and people were really going for it. Downstairs was a lot cooler (temperature wise) and less crowded. It was a good scene, people were letting loose but not to the point of obscene. Southpaw will be missed, but psyched to return to The Rub at Bell House! read more

Lets be frank, The Rub parties are the sh*t. The music is bumpin', the DJs definitely played the best that Hip Hop offers. Now on the venue, Southpaw, wow. Times have changed, and Southpaw, has gotten real popular. The waiting time on the line was an astonishing two hours. Ain't that some sh*t, SMH/yep. Never again will I arrive post 11 PM. to go to Southpaw on a Saturday. But once inside,the drinks were bold, that explains why I woke up with a nasty hangover, and I was in excruciating pain the next couple of days. Its not my fault that I like to have a good time. The Rub, keep up the good work. Tip: Arrive as soon as the venue opens, if not, you will be sorry. :( read more

GREAT MUSIC that gets you dancing through the night..! Went last night, May 7th (http://www.itstherub.com/?p=1550), my first time there because my friend has been to this place and highly recommends it... My friend and I got here a little before 10PM and the line went up to 2 store fronts long and before you knew it, the line got so much more longer. They started letting people in a bit after 10:30PM and they slowly let people in until at about 12PM, the place gets pretty filled up. The drinks are good, bathroom's in the basement. Some of the lights could use some improvement and give it a disco dancing vibe, but other than that, great place to dance your booty through the night! Oh, also, it does get warm in there so you may want to dress light and comfy. read more

Best dance party in NYC for years now, and it's in Brooklyn at Southpaw. First Saturday of the month pretty much. Show up at 10:15. It'll be dead for 20-40 minutes and then people will come streaming in, but at least you won't have to stand on line outside for hours. It becomes packed. Hip hop, 70s, 80s music. Don't come if you're a knucklehead. Only come if you want to have fun - that's what everyone there is having. My favorite quote from there, a friend of a friend who was surprised how everyone is just there to dance - "no guys were even hitting on me!" And downstairs there's a room I think of as the break room - smaller bar, couches, and sometimes alternate DJ with a little more room for some killer dancers to pop and lock. read more

This place can be fun or it can be just "eh" depending on the DJ and whether they let you listen to a song for more than 30 seconds. Openers may or may not play hip hop. I've come and heard some lounge/electronic/whatever you call it music but thank goodness the main DJ didn't continue with that kind of music. The main dance area is huge but it still fills up. This place is in the middle of nowhere though and getting an uber can be a pain because it always seems like 20 other people are trying to find their uber too. read more

4 weeks and 45 min waiting is a serious time to consider and it starts to count from now on. This is the time that you have to get ready for the next trip to Park Slope where you will enjoy one of the best hip-hop session that you could ever imagine. You will need the following.. 1. $5 to get in ($10 if you are a guy) 2. Comfortable shoes, any kind, heels, sneakers, flip-flops .. name it. 3. Light clothes, just for covering not to keep you warm. .. and you will want the following 4. $6 for a great tequila shot after just 5 min waiting in the bar. 5. $6 for the next one a bit later after just 5 min waiting 6. $11 for a great red bull with vodka after just 1 min waiting The Rub is a hip-hop party happening on the first Saturday of every month at Southpaw (http://www.yelp.com/biz/southpaw-brooklyn) . Cosmo Baker, DJ Ayres & DJ Eleven are the genius DJs. The good news is that you can do whatever during this 4 weeks but the last 45 min you better be there. The show starts by 10pm and by 1130pm, when we got there, the line was already insane. Read Chris R.'s FTR too because he describe it really well. This waiting may not happen sometimes for what I hear, but the comments behind us were that pretty much is the waiting time if you don't show up earlier Count me in anyways While the line was insane and we were afraid it would be pack, the nice surprise is that it wasn't that night. At any case, its hot and you will actively contribute to increase the temperature, for real not only in a figurative sense, because even if you are not a big fan of hip-hop but just satisfying the friend that has been crying over a month, and I cried a lot, you will be certainly catch by the surrounding ambiance. While in Manhattan the most commercial seems to be played unless you know specifically where to go, like bOb Bar or joints where DJLive is playing, The Rub plays more genuine and authentic. You know, Brooklyn style. Old school hip-hop mostly, but also some other hits belonging to funk, R&B or dancehall reggae. It doesn't matter neither your gender, your height, what you wear. No chasing games. No hitting games. Just people dancing and crazy about this type of music. The line is not about how exclusive they are, that word doesn't really exist there, but because is worth it .. you have never see me waiting for that long anywhere. DJ's are playing upstairs and its a pleasure see them enjoying as much as you do. Going downstairs will bring you to a lounge area with an interesting lighting, white, pink and blue, white couch, white walls that resembles Miami. Hip-hop is also being played but lacking the live DJs. But it was really good too. I have to thanks to Jonas M for his recommendation about this party and introduce us to The Rub 2 days ago for first time. 4 weeks for the next one .. the next The Rub party, not my next 200th review. I truly know that. The Rub is awesome and deserve such a tag in my Yelp history. And you will find me there quite often from now on. Will you be ready to join? "Deuces" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iJqlhg6TdU read more

what i really love about the rub is that everyone is down for the get down. When i go to the rub, i'm wearing flats or sneakers cuz there will be no standing around. fuck all that shit, i'm here to dance. And theres no need for the dance "warm up" where you're kinda lookin for a spot, or a person....you walk in and (for some reason i have the song Da Rockwilder by Redman and Method Man in my head as i type this lol), its this immediate turn up. The energy and vibes in this place are great, cuz you can tell everyone is there for the same thing....a fun ass good time with a chill ass mix of people. No bougie ass men and women. No tryin to be "cute." No "i'm wearing heels so i cant dance." No dirty looks over stepping on someones shoes. diverse ass crowd. awesome DJs. 2 rooms. (I've been going to the rub since Southpaw days and I am so happy it hasn't lost it's edge) #darockwilder read more

The Rub used to be my go-to hip hop dance party, especially for Ole Skool. I waited all month for this party for years. However, ever since moving to The Bell House from South Paw, I have noticed a very sad change in music and crowd. The crowd is younger and more obnoxious. The music is newer and not as good. I am not sure if this is the loss of the great Cosmo Baker, or just a change in venue, but Eleven and Ayers just aint what they used to be. Its depressing. read more

Finally made it to The Rub after years of saying I would. Their shtick is that it's a plain-old all-inclusive Brooklyn dance party. And on that front, it definitely delivered. Great dance music, tons of people, cute girls, and nobody too aggressive. I've never seen the HVAC system at the Bell House work so hard, but it only got unbearably hot towards the end of the night (sometimes, a guy just needs to take off his shirt, y'know?). Get there before 10pm or suffer the line of doom! read more

They sell it as: "The Rub is a classics & hip-hop party held on the first Saturday of every month at Southpaw. We do it Brooklyn style: great dance music mixed well, affordable drinks, and real people; no dress code, no bottle service, no VIPs and no celebrity DJs." ... and you get exactly what's promised: straight up no bullshit hip hop dance party. Great crowd and even better music - the DJs are geniuses. Then again, do you expect any less than from the crew who compiled a 30-volume history of hip-hop from 1979 to 2009? (http://www.itstherub.com/?cat=15) Southpaw - not to much to say about the venue but drink specials (on 10/1) included $5 beer and $6 sweet tea vodka (which was mixed 1:1 - strong). Drinks may take a while to get and line-up gets massive unless you show up pretty close to opening time (10pm) - cover is $10 for dudes. I often brag about being only hung over once in my life. Strong drinks, great music and good crowd -- it really pushed my record. Definitely will try to schedule my next trip to NYC to include the 1st Saturday of the month. read more

So I'm guessing that this is just an event that happens every first Saturday of the month and not the name of the actual venue? The bar itself (if I'm correct) is actually called The Bell House. Talk about good ol' fun. The music went from 90's pop rock to 90's hip hop and r&b and then to 90's pop. That means Ginuwine, Michael Jackson, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys and "Barbie World" yup! That happened and yes, people are there to dance so if you think they're a little too crazy then you need another drink! The bartenders were great and the drinks were a lot cheaper than any other bar in the city. Fun time! read more

Parties come, and parties go, but Cosmo Baker, DJ Ayres, and DJ Eleven have been putting on a consistently good one for the past several years. Their parties are a reminder of the halcyon days where clubs were about dancing, drinking, and having a good time, rather than standing, leering, and displaying fancy bottles on tables for the sake of ego-stroking. The music is old-school hip-hop, funk, and soul, and everyone gets down, because for a party that's about having a good time, what else do you do? Think of The Rub as the hip-hop version of LCD Soundsystem's "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House." You've got to set them up kid, set them up. read more

The best dance party ever!!!!! If you want to dance your rump shaker and have fun jumping from one room to the next between tracks

Good place to go and dance, but not the same as it used to be. Not worth the trek for just any club.

while the rub is not a venue, it's a night at southpaw in brooklyn, i had to leave a line here, too. the legendary rub dj's came to play my hometown, and they showed why they are the best party dj's around. such a great variety of music, know how to move a crowd, have the place packed to capacity within 30 mins of opening. i wish the venue they used was larger (southpaw), but i love that it's in my hood. i wanted to stay even though i couldn't really move, and that is a rarity for me. if you get a chance to go see the rub go down - get to it! don't be stuck up, shake yo booty! read more

For years I've been a follower of DJ Ayres, DJ Eleven, and Cosmo Baker, but never got around to going to the Rub (even though the parties have been going on for a decade on the first Saturday of every month). This all changed this past New Year's when my date and I arrived at the Southpaw. Outside of select DJs at Santos Party House and Bob Bar I really can't think of any other venues that can put it down like the Rub. Not only are you going to experience hip-hop, but also rock, soul, house, dancehall, and anything that knocks. Upstairs you can expect to see people dancing, lounging, or cooling out by the bar. Downstairs people just have their dancing shoes, but don't dress too heavy because it gets hot as hell down there. Drinks were reasonably priced and it's good to go to a spot that has the highest quality of music without any pretentiousness. You're rolling with the Rub baby. read more

Great spot...all around good vibe, affordable drinks, and great music. Definitely worth leaving the EV/LES to check out this monthly event. It was great to be at an event in NYC that wasn't too crowded and it was relatively easy to get a drink. I definitely will be going back. I showed up at 11 and gladly paid the $10 cover. I was also pleasantly surprised to order two buds and a jameson for $15 bucks. This was what I would expect from Q-tip's Friday joint at Santos, but it just gets too crowded there and the line is too long, but I've got love for Rich Medina's tunes. read more

Ive been in Brooklyn less than two years and I'm still learning my places/parties to hang out at. With that said this is the BEST hip hop party I've ever experienced since moving to Brooklyn. The music is always great and the crowd is chill. I liked Southpaw a bit better but Bellhouse is really good also. I'm sure there are bars/lounges in Brooklyn that have the rub vibe but I haven't found it yet. read more

My friends and I all agree that of all the dance parties in NY, the Rub is the one place that guarantees a good time, if you're into good old skool hip-hop without any pretention. Love it. read more

The Rub has moved to the Bell House, and is now on the Last Saturday of every month. More at http://www.itstherub.com

I came expecting main stream old school hip hop but the DJ played a lot of hip hop beats of the songs. He did the song tease with 30s of an anthem but then changed. Despite all that I thought the music was great. Thanks to yelp I got here at about 10:30 to beat the crowd and beat them we did because after 11pm (I was informed by my smoking friend) that the line was around the block and I met someone inside who said she waited 1.5hrs in line! Drinks were fairly priced although you get the canned version by default if ordering beer which I don't like. read more

I went to the Rub last night and it was some metal band playing. Not what I expected. Terrible!! at least represent that it isn't a DJ every Sat night. read more

This review is long overdue. My girlfriend and I are from Los Angeles and we came out here to experience New Years in New York. (Hell no we weren't going to Times Square) We wanted to hit a bar that would play my favorite music to dance to which is 90s hip hop and rnb. Luckily for us, the last day of the year was also the last Saturday of the month, I'm not sure how many times that happens but for us, the stars aligned themselves and presented us with the unique opportunity to experience "New York's hottest hip hop party" on New Year's Eve. Ticket was a little steep but i quickly realized it was worth the money. The music was dope, the people were chill.. definitely one of my favorite places to go to for that type of music. Too bad its way on the other side of the country. For now, my local favorites will have to do. If any of you New Yorkers are ever out here in la, go to honeycut, down and out, or saddle ranch. Really cool places to dance at. read more