Subject

This place is absolutely amazing. It’s a little bit of a trek from the train, but I’d say it was worth it.
Came here for a friend’s birthday and it was a lot of fun. They reserved a few tables for us and were very attentive. They have awesome beer and shot specials starting at $ 5. Very worth it.
They have a lot of house specialty shots that you can pay extra for. I tried the nutella bourbon. Definitely can taste the nutella, but it was still quite strong. I also tried the jalapeño tequila, which I thought was quite spicy and pretty awesome.
Would definitely recommend to a friend!

Really wanted to like this bar, but ordered three drinks between us and all three were just completely undrinkable. Just ended up walking out and going to Suffolk Arms instead (which was delicious) and ordered there Trinidad Sour.

Met one of the bartenders at a café down the block getting a coffee. Very cordial and nice gentlemen. Fast forward to my birthday and we definitely had a great time with the service the drinks and the composure of such a cozy venue. I recommend this bar to anyone looking for a good time out in the LES.

Brian is the Master Mixologist who takes the science and passion in his craft seriously and you can taste it in every drink and see it in him when he serves it to you!

This place is so great! I made a reservation for my birthday on a Saturday, they reserved a spot for me in the back and let us bring in a cake, gave us plates, forks, free shots, and cleaned up the rest of the cake, plus changed the music at my request and put on old school hip hop even though the bar was packed. The bartender (Mike? Matt? I honestly can’t remember but he’s amazing) chased down my birthday presents that some jerk had stolen! This place is great — very chill and relaxing and the perfect 29^th birthday.

I wonder how many people do Unilocal reviews of bars while they’re still intoxicated. I tried to do this on Saturday night after having a couple of drinks at Subject. I instead wrote a few sloppy paragraphs, hit Save Now, and fell asleep. Here are a few surviving paragraphs:
«Subject is one of those bars that works on a number of levels. You can stop in here randomly during a night out in the LES; it works quite well as that kind of place. But it can also be a destination bar.»
«My favorite drink of the evening was actually the house-​made root beer mixed with rum and cinnamon-​burdock bitters. It was a simple but delicious infusion, and only $ 11. The house-​made soda and cinnamon really added something to the drink!»
Wow, did those two ingredients really add something to a drink that has a total of three ingredients? Great job, drunk me. Anyway, I do generally agree with myself on both of these points. The root beer-​rum-​cinnamon bitters drink was indeed enjoyable and affordable.
The reason we decided to try out Subject was actually the Chai Old Fashioned (bourbon, applejack, chai-​rooibos spice, aromatic & orange bitters). I’m always looking for a new spin on the classic cocktail, and TimeOut recommended Subject for its riff on the drink. It was good, if understated. The Chai flavor was barely noticeable, but it was still tasty and made for an interesting variation.
I also sampled my boyfriend’s Remember the Alamo (Espolon Blanco Tequila, Don Amado «Rustico» Mezcal, Jalapeño-​Honey, Lime, Housemade Habanero Bitters) and Trembling Bees Knees (Lavender Infused Farmers Gin, Agave Nectar, Honey, Lime, Thyme). Both were tasty but fairly standard offerings for a good cocktail bar. The Remember the Alamo was pretty spicy.
Prices are on the lower end, there’s not much seating except at the bar, and there’s a pinball machine, so. Expect a young crowd. This is no place for hushed conversations and furtive glances. It’s more of a place for yelling and looking at people right in the eye. But there’s really no shame in that.

When to spot on the coldest day of the year for my friend’s birthday! THE DRINKS WERE SOOOOOO GOOD!
Drinks I Had (in order of preference):
— Remember The Alamo (tequila/​mezcal with spicy goodness!!)
— Smoke Signal (whiskey/​mezcal)
— Chai Old-​Fashion (bourbon/​apple liqueur w/​chai)
— Monk’s Heart (Gin base drink that is very rosy in color and taste)
The bar tenders were EXTREMELY FRIENDLY and I do plan on returning for another night of fun!

My fav quiet lil’ cozy LES bar. Doesn’t get too crowded/​crazy like other bars in LES. Drinks are good, music is good. It’s a block away from where I live, yay!

This is a nice place to just hang out and talk over a few drinks with friends or even a date. I came on a Tuesday night and it was quiet and almost empty minus the 2 people at the bar and the 2 people playing pinball in the back. You definitely don’t get any pretentious vibes here, which is a huge plus — I can’t stand pretentious cocktail bars.
The cocktails are really creative and fun. I tried the first one on the menu. I forgot its name, but it had peach and vodka in it. Strong, delicious, and flowery. I liked it. The chai old fashioned was definitely too strong and bitter for me, but if you’re into whiskey, I’m sure you’ll like it.
The bartender was also so friendly and nice. He even offered us shots as we were leaving (we respectfully declined though since it was a Tuesday night, lol)

Subject is cool. It’s a very basic tavern but has good cocktails and friendly staff. I come here for the Phish webcasts. This is one of the best/​few bars that will stream live Phish shows. And word has gotten out because it gets packed. If you’re going for a webcast, I recommend getting there early and post up by the bar or a table. It’s a small place and fills up very quickly. They offer beer + shot specials and Phish-​themed cocktails. They’ll always have at least 3 guys behind the bar for the shows and the bartenders are good so getting a round is not as daunting as it may look. My one complaint is the lack of space, oh and that there’s only one bathroom, but overall good bar, love the live Phish!

I came to Subject after a dinner around the corner at Gaia. What I really enjoyed that the location is fairly sequestered from the heart of LES, and that even though we came in a fairly large group, and meeting more people, that there wasn’t too much of a crowd, even on a Saturday night. There were a few open tables with bar stools, so we put our jackets down and immediately headed to the bar for drinks, and regretfully, shots.
The vibe is considerably more laid back and casual that most cocktail bars, but don’t let that make you think that the cocktails weren’t well-​made or overly simple. The bartenders know their stuff, and they were really friendly and helpful when it came to recommendations. The shelves were well-​stocked with a lot of lesser-​known ingredients, like gentian or burdock root. Not too shabby. I didn’t actually try anything with those ingredients, but the fact that they’re experimenting with those flavors is quite impressive. I went with my typical old-​fashioned, which packed quite a punch.
Not only did we try the cocktails, but we also tried just about every shot they had on the menu. The Nutella bourbon shots we took were pretty darn strong, yet the creamy hazelnut flavor really came through, which was pretty awesome. I can understand if that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it, and I don’t typically enjoy shots that are on the sweeter side. We also got their version of «Fireball» shots, which I’m guessing was cinnamon mixed with a maple-​syrup type taste. Not bad at all, but there was a reason I was hurting the next day, and I’m guessing it was the sugar from those shots. Woof.
Prices are fairly standard, perhaps even on the cheaper side at $ 10 – 12 for a cocktail, and the booze in general is pretty inventive, and not something you can really find anywhere else, so it’s a pretty good deal. Plus, the cocktails are also just delicious, so there’s that. It should be worth noting that they do have a $ 8 beer and a shot special, which ain’t half bad. The service in general was excellent, and the friendliness of the staff really made the experience that much better.
I’ll be back, no doubt, and I can easily see this becoming one of my go-​to bars in LES.

The cocktails were good, all the bitters and sodas are made in house which is pretty cool. The chai old fashioned was really well made. Overall a great place to relax with a few friends to have good drinks.

Phew, I can breath again.
That’s how I felt as I walked into Subject after traversing the LES via Stanton St. on Friday night. It’s not that I dislike the LES – it just gets absolutely insane on the weekends. I’ve had Subject bookmarked for months now simply because I had seen the cocktail menu, which is very enticing. What I didn’t know beforehand, though, is that Subject is quite removed from the heart of the LES (there’s pretty much nothing else on this block). So when we finally arrived here, I was pleasantly surprised by how laid back the place was. It’s got a bit of a divey vibe but considerably nicer than a true dive. Just more down to earth than your average cocktail bar.
So, not only is Subject free of the pretentiousness that you can easily find at other cocktail bars in the city, but the cocktails here are refreshingly affordable (relatively – you’re not going to find super creative/​tasty drinks in the city for under 10 bucks). All drinks range from $ 10-​$ 13 as opposed to the usual $ 15 concoctions you’ll find at comparable spots. And the lower price does NOT mean lower quality. The drink menu here is vast, interesting and creative – and the bar setup is quite impressive as well.
I came here on a chilly fall night, so the Chai Old Fashioned (Weller Special Reserve Bourbon, Laird’s Applejack, Chai-​Rooibos Spice and Subject Aromatic & Orange Bitters) seemed like the perfect drink for this avid whiskey drinker. Made me get allllll of the warm and fuzzies inside. Sweet but not overwhelmingly so, rich and wonderfully balanced. The perfect fall drink, in my opinion (I suppose something pumpkin-​flavored might rival this for some people but I’ve been a chai fan for years).
If you want to explore the LES but would prefer to avoid that whole dancing/​clubbing/​stiletto-​ing/​woo girl-​ing vibe, definitely give Subject a try. It doesn’t look like much, but if I had to pick a cliché to describe this place, it would be «more than meets the eye».

Brian was amazing!!! So attentive and knowledgable and an all around amazing mixologist!!! He’s great and I highly recommend this bar :)

Love this bar!
Great place for a more relaxed vibe than most places in the LES.
The drinks are seriously fantastic, and if you aren’t feeling anything on the menu, bartender Brian will mix you up something personalized. He’s never failed me. The slushies are a must on a hot summer night!

I stopped by here with my friends on a thursday evening to start off celebrating a friend’s 21^st. We walked in around 8pm and found the bar almost empty and very clean. Happy hour was until 9pm and so we took advantage of some of the deals.
1) The Boozy Slushie (?) in watermelon at $ 6 was easy to down drink for all of my friends. It was refreshing and had a subtle flavor to it.
2) Shots + PBR for $ 6 was another cheap deal! I gave my beer to my friends and just took shots instead to avoid running to the bathroom.
3) Lemon Drops were just amazing… Just enough of lemon juice and vodka.
By the time we jumped to a different bar it was around 9:30 and definitely more crowded. I would give them 5 stars for the great drinks and our friendly bartender (Brian) but the music wasn’t really our type so I’m gona go ahead and take off 1star.

Great little bar off of Houston that has a local feel despite the crowded area. The bartenders are super laid back and nice, and the bar has plenty of standing room with a few tall tables and of course, bar seating. Unilocal brought us here in search of cocktails and we weren’t disappointed. They had a menu of about 10 drinks that had all sorts of bases, as well as a couple of frozen cocktails for $ 5 in a small glasses. Prices were pretty good at $ 12 a pop, but I was expecting a little bit more of a variation in flavor from drink to drink. This definitely won’t stop me from coming back, but I was expecting just a tiiiny bit more creativity.

This is a pretty cool neighborhood bar. We shot here for an episode of our web series #RTSWFL. The owner or manager (I’m not sure but his name is Matt) was very kind to us. We had a number of request and occupied his space for quite some time. Some great people passed through. I can tell you for sure that Matt is a cool guy.
Now onto the drinks. His drinks are good. He actually makes many of the juices himself. He told us how to make cranberry juice because he makes it for the bar. He also made the ginger ale that he serves as well.
When you check the spot out, tell Matt that Running The Streets With Felice Leon sent you.

Chill neighborhood bar by LES w friendly bartender and unpretenious vibe!
Great cocktails
Happy hours!

Super cute bar in the LES. Went there for a friend’s birthday who had reserved some space for her guests. She also had customized a drink at the bar for the event (and the drink even made it on the permanent menu!). Super friendly bartenders, strong pours, decent prices. The place is tiny but it makes for a great night.

Subject is the subject. Well, of this review.
This spot fought my eye. I’m not much of a dive bar gal. I lean heavily towards cocktail and speakeasy spots.
Yet, if I’m convinced to try a good divey spot, I’ll go for it.
I came here with a good friend during the summer time. We came here at opening time.
Drinks strong, atmosphere perfect. I’m not much for crowds that spill into the aisles at places.
This spot is a decent neighborhood staple.

What a find! I just had my birthday party here, and they were able to easily accommodate a largish group (20 – 25 people) on a Saturday night. And ALL Saturday night at that– we stayed until at least 1 am. I made the reservation about a month in advance after attempting with several other bars with no luck. Other bars I talked to couldn’t do reservations on weekends, could only do less than 10 people, only allowed reservations if you spent $ 2000 to rent out the back room, etc. Subject, on the other hand, allowed my reservation at no extra charge and with no drink minimums– the only limitation was that it had to start before 10 pm.
But don’t let the availability of reservations make you think Subject isn’t popular — it got pretty packed! And with good reason: the drinks are fantastic but not horrendously expensive, it’s unpretentious, and the owner is a really awesome, friendly guy. He’s happy for you to bring outside food or even order delivery to the bar. I felt like he genuinely cared about whether I was having a good time.
All the cocktails I had were quite tasty. All the sodas and bitters are made in-​house. If you try one thing, go for a nutella-​infused whiskey shot. Dangerously good!
Added bonus: there’s Star Trek pinball.

Subject! I was very excited to try this place for after dinner drinks on a Sunday night.
The drink menu was very interesting, particularly the cocktail list.
My wife got the chai old fashioned which was very unique, quite delicious, and potent to boot! I got the white negroni, which didn’t have quite enough bitters for my taste. It may have been the drink (and to be fair I didn’t ask the bar tender to alter /​fix it), but wasn’t one of my favorites.
It was veryyyyyyyy sleepy on Sunday night, and while the look of the place was awesome, the atmosphere was just kinda of a dead bar. Drinks were $ 12 – 14, and all were intriguing looking.
Beer selection was pretty good as wel (only a couple drafts) but a wide bottle selection.
I would come back, but think a little more lively /​different music selection might have mAde it a more enjoyable experience.
I went with 4 stars because I didn’t feel it was fair to dock them an additional one because I didn’t ask to get the negroni fixed (my wife liked it ok).

I came here due to the high reviews of the place for drinks to catch up with friends. Subject was in a convenient place off of East Houston and relatively quiet, though things got louder as the night went on. I had a refreshing gin cocktail and a whiskey cocktail, both of which were strong drinks with great mixing of bitters that complemented the taste (rather than overpowering) of the liquor.
My main issue is that service is very slow compared to many of the other bars of the same price range (~$ 40 per person for two drinks). Also, they evidently gave me back the wrong credit card after I had paid! (Though the strong drinks may have impacted my ability to recognize this at the time I paid)

Low key bar with great cocktails. The bartender was awesome, he made great suggestions based on what I like and made great drinks.
Music was great, and they played these old movies on the screen. I definetly recomend this place.

Subject is an interesting subject. It’s a dive bar, but also a cocktail bar… real casual, even a bit hipster, but also some dressy dressed peeps (no doubt some happy hour regulars exploring off the beaten path). Nevertheless, this all amounts to an interesting concoction of a bar, and it’s quite fitting that this bar churns out interesting (and tasty) cocktail concoctions.
Got here right at 6:00 and the place was relatively quiet, giving me and a friend some time to catchy up. Happy hour prices, $ 2 off per drink, made it easy to start sampling the goods. I started off with a gin base, Bittersweet Symphony, and there was really no need to switch off to anything else after that. And the drink definitely lived up to its namesake: it was bitter/​boozy and it was sweet… resulting in me to hum a song of joy in my head, kinda like a symphony (you clever son of a bitch).
Come here in a t-​shirt, come here in a suit and tie, come in with a t-​shirt and tie (a la Avril Lavigne)… it’s all good. Grab a cocktail, or a shot and beer ($ 6 spicy tequila and Tecate combo), this joint can do no wrong.