BPM

Homophobic gay owner. Nothing but shady business practice and overall disregard to us LGBT New Yorkers. Avoid.

Pretty fun but service is iffy. Boils down to which bartender you get

I’ve been here a few times and I feel like the experience gets worse every time.
Sure, there’s some good music and the venue is big, but everything else is lacking. There’s an enormous line at the door. From the entrance to the register, it took at least 20 minutes. The staff that’s accepting the money seem so completely disinterested in what they’re doing that they move at a snail’s pace.
I would also agree with everyone that the drinks are insanely expensive. Because I didn’t anticipate that three drinks could cost $ 60 and I didn’t have enough cash in my wallet, I decided to use my credit card. I realized the next day that either I forgot to take the card or the bartender didn’t give it back. Obviously, it’s not the bar’s fault that I forgot my own card, but I tried three different phone numbers and left a few voicemails about getting my card back. At no point did someone live answer the phone and I called throughout the day and late in the evening at least a dozen times.
For a place that is operating inside of a hotel, you’d hope that the service was better. I’d be furious if I was a patron staying in the hotel and couldn’t get my card back from the club just downstairs.
There are SO many other places in the city that have a great crowd, excellent music, cheaper drinks and better service with NO COVER. I will not be coming back anytime soon.

I hate this place. I don’t know how many words I can use where I can describe how awful this place is. I went in and went out for a cigarette. Then the security started to harass me about getting checked again just to come back in even though I have my wristband already. After I refused because I felt a person shouldn’t face to wait in line again if they have already paid to get in, they told me they need to have my coat check number so they can grab my stuff for me and refused to let me in. First off, this is a very rude and pretentious establishment and should be shut down for their hypocrisy and tyrannous behavior. If you want cheap drinks, great nice people with good non pretentious attitudes, don’t go here. Save yourself the trip.

So I accidentally checked into XL Lounge in Newark, NJ because the place I went to this past Saturday with friends is actually called XL Nightclub, only it’s not called that anymore either because it’s now BPM. Maybe that’s why we had a bit of trouble GPS navigating there: P
In any case the venue (at least the day I went) is very gay-​friendly. Actually, I should say it’s predominately gay as you will see scantily clad male dancers all over. I came here with a big group for a friend’s birthday and we had a lot of fun. The main floor consists of a back bar area and a larger area with a wide stage. There’s a downstairs but not sure if it leads to another area or just coat check/​bathrooms. crowd and music are great. They even had a hype man onstage which was pretty awesome.
However, as I’ve noticed with other reviews, they don’t seem very credit card-​friendly. I was overcharged like hell for using a card. My friend explained that they charge what they want if you use a card and that it’s common practice for Manhattan clubs/​bars, but I’ve been to my fair share and never been charged $ 32 for two shots of Jameson! The slow and terrible service at the bar doesn’t help.

It’s midtown NYC and it’s a club so I expected expensive, weak drinks but I didn’t anticipate the terrible treatment by the staff. I checked my coat at the coat check when I went to retrieve my coat they couldn’t find it. When the assistant manager «Tameka» showed up the coat check attendants lied and said that I picked up a ticket off the counter and tried to claim someone else’s coat and that is why it coudlnt be found. Thankfully I’d taken a picture of my ticket when I checked my coat in case I lost the ticket during the course of the evening. I asked for compensation for my jacket and (after much time and enduring futher rudeness from the security staff) was offered 50% of the coat’s value and told to go outside. It was 30 degrees that day so I was calling an über, as I no longer had a jacket. Asshole security guard «Quincy» demands I wait outside. I decline because it’s freezing and he attempts to cause a scene. Miraculously after I make them give me money for my jacket, they «find» my jacket to give back to me. Not one apology was offered.
Obviously one of the coat check people «misplaced» my jacket and then when the club had to come up with some money and when back to press the coat check girl, she was able to «find» my jacket. I will never come back to this venue and from the looks of the other reviews, this is a wise decision. If you enjoy paying a ton for weak drinks, being disrespected, insulted, called a liar/​thief and having people try to steal your belongings, then I encourage you to give this place a try. Otherwise spend your time and money at the 5 million other places to go in NYC.

My mom and I ended up at this club for a drag show while in Manhattan a few weekends ago. Do not go here! XL, BPM, whatever it chooses to call itself is not where you should spend your money.
For starters, it is shocking to me that this place can call themselves a gay bar when their bouncers are homophobic. As we were waiting to enter, a group of girls walked up to ask if they were at the right place for the drag show. The girl seemed embarrassed to ask since the club is pretty unmarked from the outside, and once bouncer told her «you should only be embarrassed to ask about drag queens if you’re a guy,» while the other bouncer laughed.
That said, the drag show there is NOT catered to fans of drag. It is catered solely to drunk bachelorettes who want to do something «crazy» for a night. The drag show (Diva Royale) is followed by a male strip show (Hunkomania), something that was very unclear when I booked the drag tickets. If I had known the drag portion was just a glorified pre-​show during which no less than nine bachelorette parties would be arriving noisily, I would never have booked it, especially not for ~50 dollars per person.
The show and club were very disorganized. We had to clarify at least 3 times that we were just there for Diva Royale and that we had VIP seats. I would try to show them my emailed tickets, but the door people went solely off another list they had instead of just viewing my confirmation. It was also very unclear if dinner and drinks were included or not. I did not select the included meal option, but we were still given menus to choose food and then were asked about drink tickets that we knew nothing about. They seem to have multiple systems and booking websites in place, so no one knows what’s going on.
The drag show is billed as «5 queens and 1 king.» It’s on their website and every sign in the club itself. Instead, we got just 3 queens. The host was funny and tried her best to work the crowd, but was clearly told to cater to the bachelorettes. Of the other two queens, one worked it as hard as she could, but the other was a complete mess. In addition to the fact that the show didn’t feature the number of queens advertised, the host announced which celebrity impersonations we would be seeing at the beginning of the show, but we ended up with a different cast of celebrities. There were also several delays when the queens weren’t ready to come on stage yet. As an experienced drag show attendee, I know queens can run on «drag time» but when there is a professional stage, a schedule, and expensive entry fees, they need to step up their game.
Don’t make the same mistakes I did — if you want to see good drag in NYC, look elsewhere, and don’t give this club your money.

CREDIT CARD USERS!!! I was at BPM/​XL on 8÷1÷2015 and I used my card to pay $ 14 for 1 cocktail. The bartender who processed my payment, altered the tip amount and gave himself a $ 128 tip! I’ve disputed the charge with my credit card company and this place has the audacity to claim that I authorized the charge and provided my credit card company with phony documentation. Not only are the bartenders thieves, the management is complicit in the thievery! I will never be back that there and I encourage others to stay away!

BPM or XL as most people know it is not worth it. The bouncers at the door are the most nastiest attitude people and will turn you off to even wanting to spend your money there to pay their salary! I know a few of the promoters on Saturday and have no problem paying for entry because I know they have to make money too, but went yesterday night and the bouncers ruined the experience for me. You stand on line outside blocks away from the club and it’s one bouncer walking the line just being disrespectful to patrons. Then my friend who is the promoter walked me to the front and the bouncer there told me he wouldn’t let me in without the promoter walking me in. When I get in another bouncer checks me for weapons and makes disrespectful comments about me. Not worth it. If I really wanted to be a bitch I could file a class action lawsuit and have that place closed down. They were even rude to a well known BuzzFeed writer. Smh…

Went there last night for pride. Got inline for what seemed to be a hip hop night, ok if that’s it I’m cool with it. The door guy was screaming at people told us to stand in one line against the wall. Wasnt a warm welcome but ok then proseated to enter. Went to pay the cover at 330 am twenty dollars, went to hand them my XL club they laughed and said the place isn’t even the same place and that’s not the name, ok then went to enter and saw this huge step and repeat that said XL all over it. If it’s not XL why do they have a step and repeat that says XL all over it? Ok went to go to the bigger room cause I was with a club owner who had wanted to see the place from Ct. Was yelled at that it was closed. Alright so just spent 20 bucks for cover for a half hr to go to a hip hop party at the small bar in the front with 8 people, so then went into the front bar where some cracked out guy was sitting on the bar trying to mall all of us till he was finally kicked out. Then was shoved after by another security guy trying to kick someone else out. Let’s just say it was ratchet and not our cup of tea. The crowed was gross and roudy. Made the best out of the night but really turned off by our expreiance. Did I mention XL logo was all over the screens in the front bar. So if they are trying to start a new with rebranding to BMP they are not doing a good job. Besides all the rumors I was trying to give it a shot cause I really enjoyed events ther before. Lets just say I won’t be going back. I think this may have been the worse place Iive ever come to in New York.

Since the change in management and name, I have been to BPM a few times specifically for their Disco and House music events. On the nights I went to those events, I enjoyed myself given the fact many of the people attend similar events around the city/​tri-​state area. I have no interest in the other events because I don’t feel comfortable with them and/​or would feel very out of place. I cannot comment about the other events because they do not interest me. The bartenders mix cocktails well. The prices are average for Manhattan. The restroom are good. Coat Check is economical, especially the large coat check area off the stairwell going towards the restrooms. Do your research about the event you want to attend BEFORE you go.

It’s a mixed bag– you can get in for free on weekends if you sign up beforehand, but you have to get in before midnight and they don’t start letting people in until just before midnight, so sometimes you might have to pay because of the long line. It can be fun though, I like going on Tuesdays for $ 5 drinks between 10 and 12.
I’m writing this review though to voice my frustration about something that happened to me last night. It was a mixed bag. The good part of the night was that Sonia Morgan from real housewives of NYC showed up and I got a picture with her. The bad was that I ordered 5 vodka tonics, 4 of which were before midnight ($ 5 each) and the 5^th one I ordered after midnight ($ 10). When I got my tab, the bill was $ 109(!!!). There were four fireball shots, 2 house vodkas and 2 absolutes. I told the bartender this couldn’t be right because I ordered 5 drinks total. The bartender then said he «saw me drink them», which is a total lie. I asked him how many drinks I ordered from him and he said 4, then I asked the other bartender how many drinks I ordered from her, she said 1, and they both said they were all vodka tonics. They then had the manager and a bouncer come over and threaten to kick me out if I didn’t pay my tab, and then the manager called me a liar and said he saw me drink them. Clearly they mixed up my tab with someone else’s. I told him I will pay $ 30 for my drinks and nothing more. He ended up charging me the $ 30 but I was horrified at the treatment I received by all of the employees, and being accused of lying FOR THEIR MISTAKE. I will never return to this place unless I get some kind of apology.

Despite other reviews, I really didn’t think it was that bad. I got a deal through Livingsocial and went here for a drag show a year ago when it was called XL nightclub. I had a hell of a lot of fun. Sure the food and the drinks were overpriced but that is expected when considering the location. The music was good, the queens were energetic and the waiters were super competent. I definitely want to go back.

They «lost» my leather jacket in coat check and offered me a free drink to compensate. What kind of business is this? Definitely will not return.

Went with a couple of friends last night, wasn’t too bad. The line to get in was the slowest moving line I’ve ever experienced — weren’t too many people even in the line, it just took forever to get on with it. Once we finally got in, we went to the bathrooms and they were pretty damn amazing. Huge bathroom, nice lighting, but the urinals are all so close together, doesn’t offer much privacy.
The main (?) dance floor (where the majority of people are) played more hip-​hop/​urban music, which we weren’t into, so we avoided that place and went into the side room. It had a nice circular bar — the bartenders were extremely nice and attentive (surprising for NYC, right?) — got a rum & coke for $ 10, not bad, and it was very strong; also surprising for NYC. It was a bit on the brighter side, too — they could definitely benefit from having dimmer lights and maybe some strobe-​lights going. The place wasn’t very packed (okay, it was empty) by the time we got there around 12-​ish.
The music in the circular-​bar room was great dance-​y stuff that was easy to dance to. I danced by myself because it was so dead but slowly the place got packed and it became an actual party. The environment was super chill — not pretentious like other clubs. There were a lot of straight women there, so my straight guy friends were pleased.
Overall, it’s a pretty solid place; the music was good, the staff is very nice, the drinks were strong and at a great price… there just wasn’t very many people, which killed the fun a bit. Luckily I don’t need others to have a good time.

Are you kidding me!!! I was supposed to meet the drag queens from rupauls drag race… it’s now 2 am, been in line since 11pm, and all I hear is the same rhianna song… worst experience ever I’m getting my money back

One of the reasons I stopped going to this place is the fact that for a club that advertises as a «gay» club, it’s certainly been overrun with straight women who walk around with a sense entitlement. Apparently these chicks don’t get that we ain’t interested in what they are sellin’. Might as well make it a straight club for suburbanite bachelorettes as they seem to be the main problem people who’re rowdy, entitled, and think they run s***. This club use to be true *gay* club for good house music and hott guys. Shamefully, after John Blair, Beto Sutter, Justin Luke, and Alan Picus’ departure from this joint, it’s become a fast moving downhill racer. There are better ACTUAL *GAY* parties done by the aforementioned guys and they manage to keep the number of entitled women and other undesirables to a MINIMUM. I’m surprised BPM/​XL is still in operation but I can’t see them making it to their third year, which will be January 2015!
I haven’t been here since February 2013 when it was still known as XL.

BPM is the new XL… But not really new, just less bars, more curtains on the walls and the crowd is not the same. it really does seem like there was an investment in advertisement but not in the actual location.
This was a place to go, but the music is so so, the crowd is actually very much more diverse, which is not a bad thing, I guess the real problem is that it’s 1am and the crowd is made of like 50 – 60 people… There is no line at the bar which is good for those that enjoy a drink while dancing!
The bathrooms keep being the mayor event here haha! Seriously, they are pretty great bathrooms but might offer too much comfort for others to peek over …
This place still can pack a huge crowd and could really do well for shows and an event space. the location is pretty neat as there really isn’t anything else nearby that requires space outside for the line.
For some reason, it always seems like there is a wait to pay for entry but then inside, it’s not as packed as you would expect.
I would say this is a not a date night type place, but can be very fun with the right crowd of people.
Looking forward to seeing what becomes of this place!

Newsflash: XL Nightclub is technically closed. BPM took its place. They are trying a few different things with the «new promoters» and «new management» but essentially it is still the same olé place.
They have covered many of the XL logos, but even the handstamp is still for «xl.» Given their lack of crowds, they have only one bar open now, to the left of the dance floor. The huge benefit to BPM is there 50 foot (give or take) LED light screen behind the dance floor’s main stage. The front lounge area that was part of XL, turned Rosebud, turned «42west» is now a loungy event space that can be reserved for special occasions only. That is now a blocked off area as part of BPM. I really don’t see what they renovated.
For some reason, the night we went, the cranberry and orange tasted extremely syrupy, and the soda-​water, was practically just water. Not sure what is going on there, but hopefully that’s not the norm.
That all said, the service and the staff were VERY attentive, and VERY cool. I do hope that BPM can make a comeback in some form, given that the space is, in fact, worth it.