Where to Watch Election Night in Brooklyn

By Brooklyn Magazine

At around 6 p.m. tonight, hours before polls officially close, dozens of bars all over NYC will be helping the worried, anxious, and engaged voters of this great city transition into Election Night, the party/memorial/post-mortem on the battered heels of every Election Day since time immemorial.

Historically, it’s one of New York’s most energetically volatile and unpredictable evenings of the calendar year, full of hope, nerves, a touch of despair, and rarely any relief, as results trickle in and we identify, and then grapple with, the version of the city’s future we’re about to confront. But no matter how the polls swing or whichever visions (good, bad, or ugly) materialize after the last ballots are counted, it feels pretty safe to assume you might need a drink tonight. Because, hey, what better way to celebrate or grieve than surrounded by community at the local watering hole?

And, as we’ve noted, there’s really no shortage of options across the boroughs this evening. Just in case you need a few suggestions, though—or want to make a real night of it—we’ve scoured the schedules and flipped through the fliers to find some of the best Election Night watch parties in Brooklyn this year, from glammed-out venues to sports bars to wine spots to dives and the spaces that defy any and all classification whatsoever.

Scroll on and decide where you want to be when the next mayor of New York City is announced. And if you haven’t voted yet, don’t worry. There are still a few hours to step into the booth, and we’ve got everything you need to know to get through this year’s ballot with utmost confidence.

Courtesy of Barbes

Barbes
376 9th St.
The Slavic Soul Party has performed at Barbes in Park Slope on every Tuesday, save for a few COVID-era ones, for the last 22 years. This means, they’ve been the official house band for every Election Night since—checks records—Bloomberg’s first term. And tonight, they’re keeping the tradition alive and hoping to reignite a little institutional faith with another horn-heavy run on 9th Street as the votes get tallied.

Courtesy of The Bush

The Bush
333 Troutman St.
Happy Hour goes a little long and voting stickers get you a $2 discount on all drinks after 8 p.m. (finally, a little post-ballot utility) tonight at The Bush, where the regulars already party like it could actually impact an election. Pull up and prove them right.

Courtesy of Bad Therapy

Bad Therapy
1008 Cortelyou Rd.
For even more deals and a livestream of the election’s coverage in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, hop into Bad Therapy, where wine and beer will be $10 per glass from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the yard will offer needed reprieve.

Courtesy of Greenwood Park

Greenwood Park
555 7th Ave.
Gather, grub, and glug through the ups and downs of the tabulation process at this (un)holy collision of Taco Tuesday and Election Night in Park Slope. The sound kicks in at 7 p.m., but the drink specials will be running all night.

Courtesy of Lips Cafe

Lips Cafe
1412 Nostrand Ave.
The Organizhers, a trusted source for Election Night shenanigans, is taking over Lips Cafe in Flatbush tonight. The fun starts at 9 p.m., but that just means you can catch the early movement elsewhere and make your way down gradually to catch the final tallies.

Courtesy of The Rum Bar

The Rum Bar
733 Franklin Ave.
If you’re looking for some Election Night action on the main strip of Franklin in Crown Heights, The Rum Bar is making sure you can “sip, debate, and celebrate democracy” with your fellow politically engaged and emotionally pressed community members. The event is advertised as going from “6 p.m. to late,” so whether you come through for the first count or the last, the vibes should be impeccable.

Courtesy of Somethin’ Else

Somethin’ Else
445 Albee Square West
Another party proper in one of Downtown Brooklyn’s most slept-on spots, Somethin’ Else, the cocktail bar tucked away in Dekalb Market, is inviting the civic-minded to raise a glass as the ballots get counted, because “democracy deserves a dance floor.” Rebecca Lynn is hosting, Misbehavior is spinning, and the drinks, as their flier suggests, will be flowing.

Courtesy of Starr Bar

Starr Bar
214 Starr St.
Despite the DIY-ness of its flier, there’s nothing slapdash about Starr Bar’s Election Night party. The Bushwick bar will be cracking its doors at 6 p.m. and offering discounts on their signature cocktail all night long. So eat up, and make sure to hydrate, if you plan on doing a stint here tonight.

Courtesy of Gabriela

Gabriela
90 Wythe Ave.
It’ll be pretty easy to dance through whatever’s on the other end of Election Night at Gabriela, where a righteous roster of local DJs is assembling (with Eli Escobar, Stretch Armstrong, and DJ Moma in tow) to provide the soundtrack to what’s promising to be, according to every political pundit of every election cycle in my lifetime, the most consequential night of voting ever.

Courtesy of C’mon Everybody

C’Mon Everybody
329 Franklin Ave.
Speaking of local institutions, C’mon Everybody, the Bed-Stuy venue that’s been a reliable host of watch parties for events as disparate, but no less important, as the Love Island finale and the presidential election, will be welcoming friends, neighbors, lovers, and all passersby to talk shit and breathe deeply as the city’s next mayor is announced.

Courtesy of Lise & Vito

Lise & Vito Wine Bar
126a Nassau Ave.
Here’s one hoping to do some good regardless of who ends up in the city’s highest office by the end of the night. The good folks at Greenpoint’s Lise & Vito have teamed up with North Brooklyn Mutual Aid to turn their Election Night party into a food drive, and you’ll get free shot on the house for donating some non-hallucinatory edible or flashing your voting sticker at the door.

Courtesy of Lou’s Athletic Club

Lou’s Athletic Club
384 Knickerbocker Ave.
See the results roll in at one of the best bars to watch anything of little or immense consequence at Lou’s Athletic Club, where the wings are reliable, the photo booth is functional, the screens are plentiful, and the pool tables aren’t beat to hell (but good luck getting a crack at them).