"Much as a lot of New York clubs exploit musicians, there are other venues that actually support and nurture scenes: Barbes, with its global talent base; the Jalopy’s oldtime Americana roots crew; punk rock at ABC No Rio; jazz at Smalls. Count 68 Jay St. Bar in Dumbo on this short but crucial list. If Jan Bell (a poignant and potent Americana singer and tunesmith herself) has booked a band for one of the bar’s Wednesday and Saturday night shows, that’s a guarantee that the music will be good." - Lucid Culture, NYC
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Critics' Pick - NY magazine:
The kind of sophisticated neighborhood hangout one finds in spades all over European cities, the generically named 68 Jay Street Bar turns down its ambient music to encourage conversation. The lighting is muted and flattering, and the terra-cotta archways, paint-splattered colonnades and touches of light wood lend an ambience of age and history. Like most other places in post-industrial DUMBO, the bar caters to an art-world crowd, although it is more often filled with gallery honchos and design execs than avant-garde painters. That's not to say that 68 Jay is snooty or expensive: several cheap-but-charming wines are offered by the glass, and happy hour drinks are priced comfortably low.
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CITYSEARCH says:
Inside Dumbo’s Grand Union Tea Company warehouse, this simple yet sophisticated neighborhood joint is where gallery executives mingle with local Brooklynites to discuss the buzz and happenings in the art world. Even though the bar caters to a culturally elite clientele, terracotta arches and warm wood accents give it a down-home Americana feel. When not hosting live acts, bartenders throw in classic rock music (like the Rolling Stones) at volume levels that encourage chatter among patrons.
