This place is the bar equivalent to a butter face. On the outside it doesn't look too bad, on the inside yikes. I mean it's a dive bar no doubt about it. I wasn't impressed with the place at all from a dive bar perspective. But, this is exactly what I think it wants to be. Here are some highlights in brief:
-cash only, and they're kinda dicks about it
-Aluminum beer bottles that are kept cold in 5 gallon buckets that look like they are also a puke bucket
-bathrooms - enter and pee at your own risk
-Band that night was actually pretty good
-$5 cover when we got there, friends came 20 minutes later and it was $10 cover.
I guess compared to other bars we went too that were charging the same amount for beer this place doesn't get my vote as a place to go. I hate to say it but I'd rather hit the other touristy places that were the same price and oh I dunno...clean.
Bar is terrible, bouncer is un stable and should not be working, cannot handle the line and looks to start problems with the people in line. Â Would go anywhere but this bar. Owners need to re-evaluate who they hire to check ID's. Â After dealing with the bouncer went inside and couldn't find seating, drinks were terribly priced and tasted like garbage. Music was okay but the sound level was to high to hold a simple conversation.
Review Source:Always the best entertainment and BEST staff. The place is always filled with girls and is always a party. Definitely the place to be for a fun night out in Newport. I went down while the band "Run for Covers" was performing and couldn't believe the energy in the place. They apparently have a guarantee on their entertainment so I can only assume its always that great. Good pricing on drinks and quick service despite the capacity crowd.
Review Source:Nearly all of the reviews are accurate...yes, positive and negative. Â But hey, I've been going there more than 20 years. Â We used to get let in the back when we were alcoholic "in the biz" locals. Â Now, I'm 40 and can still mix it up there. Â It's worth a stop, prepare to yell if you want to have a conversation.
Review Source:One Pelham East is the bar of choice for my friends and I. We go there A LOT. Probably too much. But you only live one, and we're in our 20's, and what else is there to do at night in Newport??
To touch on some points other people have made below:
Do they take credit cards? No. But my banks ATM is right outside, so it's really not a big deal. There's an ATM in the back of the bar, a Bank of America ATM across the street, and a Sovereign ATM down the street. And a lot of bars downtown that DO take credit cards, usually screw you over with tips and overcharging when you keep your tab open, so cash is better anyway...
Is the floor sticky sometimes? Sure. But what bar in a party town has a clean floor from 11PM-1AM?? Seems like a silly thing to complain about.
I've never ventured into the mens room, but I can tell you of the 100+ times I've been here, only once did my stall not have tp. I let the bartender know, and she was VERY apologetic. I can't say that for other bars in Newport that are ALWAYS out of the essentials, and when you inform the staff, they don't seem to care. And the Pel ladies room ALWAYS has soap, and sometimes even hand sanitizer too.
The bartenders are awesome and totally hook up the locals like myself who they know are frequent customers. They also take care of you (especially Mama G), when it comes to the drunk douche-bag crews that come down for the weekend from NJ or Long Island, and will basically tell them to get out if they don't take a hint... Which is always a good thing, to have a sober someone looking out for you.
They have a shuffleboard table, and 2 pool tables for people who don't like to dance. And the back bar is usually not as packed as the lower level.
They usually have awesome cover bands, and local fav's on Wednesday and Sunday night. The cover is usually $5-$10 which is typical for a waterfront bar in Newport. Is it higher on holiday weekends? Yes. But if people are willing to pay $20 to drink on Labor Day weekend, or St. Patricks day (and they do, because it's packed), why not charge $20?? Every other bar on Thames does the same thing.
The bouncers are all very professional. They're only "not nice" when they need to remove dirt bags from the bar who have either tried to start a fight with someone, or slapped a girls ass or something. They're obviously not going to ask someone who needs to leave, to leave politely.
It's a great place for us single folks to meet people. There are always bachelorette party's, groups of navy guys in town for school, irish 20-somethings here for the summer, and the Newport crew.
If you want a nice bathroom, go to Fifth Element. If you want to sit at the bar and pay $10 for a watered down martini and sit next to a "yachty", go to Christy's. If you want to just sit at a bar and drink a Guinness, go to Fastnet. If you want to sit on velour couches and catch up with a friend, go to Star Bar. If you want to get some kind of fungal thing on your feet, and use a bathroom with NO soap OR toilet paper, go to Dockside. If you're a guy and want to hit on girls who just turned 21, go to O'Briens.
If you want to have the most epic night of your life, go to Pelham. You won't regret it. Trust me.
I've made many friends here, many memories here, a few mistakes here, but it will forever be my fav bar, as long as I'm a Newporter...
I'll make this short and sweet because it is a fairly typical New England dive bar:
The cover bands are great! Â I saw a Madonna cover band here in 2009 and it was one of the best cover bands I've EVER seen.
The bathrooms are disgusting. Â They're like peeing in a cow's trough with no dividers or privacy. Â Your feet stick to the floor as you take steps
The drinks are fine and I have no complaints about anything I've been served there.
The owner is lacking in hospitality in his management. Â He is humourless and he seems to get upset over a wink. Â He hasn't done anything bad to me to criticise him for; however, I have seen him treat other guests rather inhospitably. Â (Someone made a sexual joke in a bar? Â Horrors!) Â He acts as if his caca doesn't stink, as is one of my mum's favourite sayings. Â He is quick to take offence and doesn't try to interact with his guests much at all. Â His bouncers are also not very hospitable and seem to throw people out for very minor things. Â I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt and we don't throw customers out where I work unless they become abusive or belligerent.
(I love his dog though! Â He has a very adorable Golden Retriever that he always brings in)
The crowd is not bad, but it is usually so crowded in there it is virtually impossible to talk to anyone. Â It does have quite a laidback vibe that is typical of Newport. Â It's not a pretentious place and has a casual atmosphere. Â I have enjoyed my visits there in the past but there are definitely better places in the area, so I usually frequent them instead.
I don't like it enough to make it one of my regular stops on my Newport visits, but if I hear a cover band I like as I'm walking by, I won't hesitate to go in
2.5-3 stars
Walked in since this seemed to be the most packed bar. $5 cover charge on a Saturday night to see a live band seemed a little lame but there was no other choice.
Drinks were cheap. $14 for johnnie & diet & vodka tonic. $7 patron shots. $4 bottled beer.
Pretty small bar. The second level had a pool table where people were playing and relaxing/watching the band. The bartenders were okay.
Great Bar on Friday and Saturday nights. The band was pretty decent on both nights, the bar is what it is it's a typical East Coast Seaside Irish bar. Both nights the bar was packed wall-to-wall, you had to fight your way to the bar both downstairs and upstairs....but what else would you expect on Friday and Saturday night.
Review Source:Good place. looks like this is the only place in Newport to go out it that was pretty crowded. the live band was very good. Drinks were expensive and the upper level bar is cash only. i only went to that bar they have the main bar behind the dance floor and  another one to the side. one thing that i didn't enjoy was that the bouncers decided to  move some of the tables when the bar was packed. they just picked it up and moved it through the crowd. my friend almost got hit twice with a table.
Review Source:The pelham is an awesome bar to hang out at if you want good music and hott bartenders. Â In previous posts where people say it is overpriced, they clearly have never been to another bar in Newport. This spot is great if you are looking to have a good time with your friends. I like the unique green house and back bar.
Review Source:This review is for the weekends in the DAY TIME. Yes, we all know its a shit show at night. Drunken debauchery all over the place. People puking in corners, loud music, etc.... blah blah blah.
BUT...
If you want to do some serious people watching while listening to some tunes, and meet some locals & tourists a like, swing by during the day. Its bright and sunny, and they have huge windows that face Thames.
Its a great day drinkin' local and I highly recommend it.
One Pelham east is 100% accurately portrayed by the reviews on it. Let the jury observe that only one person even rated it as average; it's consistently below average to horrible. The reasons:
1. The cleanliness is terrible.
2. The service is horrible.
3. The bouncers are macho egotistical pricks.
4. The drinks are boring and overpriced.
5. The clientele is usually a mix of skanks, meatheads, and obnoxiously @*!$faced college kids.
6. Drinks are difficult to get.
7. Overcrowded.
I still end up going to One Pelham at least once a year. Why, you ask? If it's so mind numbingly terrible, why punish myself? Masochistic tendencies buried deep?
Wicked Peach, Badfish, and the Joshua Tree all make for a fun night on the town, regardless of locale. They play here every summer....and I usually end up having a blast when they're here. Even the lesser known bands are usually pretty good.....and can be worth the aggravation and reasons above.
Pelham East should come with a warning label....use at your own risk!
I don't understand what the deal is with all of the 1 and 2 stars. It is a pretty standard bar that is right on the water with fun bands that play on the weekends. One Pelham East is a staple in my summer trips to Newport. Is it the nicest place in the world? No But it isn't trying to be the nicest place in the world either. If you want to just hit a bar with a fun band in Newport this is an easy choice.
Review Source:One Pelhman East is exactly what I would expect, in a sense, from a Newport, seaside bar. Â On a recent trip to the bar I encountered, a bachelorette party, a large group of sailors in their white uniforms carrying their hats around, overpriced drinks, and a small band playing early 90's pop/rock hits. Â Not exactly what I look for in a bar, but I dealt with it none-the-less.
Bartenders were very unhelpful when making drink choices. Â A friend and I had gone out drinking for the night and were annoyed we could not be more adventurous with our drink choices. Â Who wants to drink the same 'ol things each time they go out? Â Most bartenders are quick with suggestions and even sociable at that. Â Not here, at all.
Gets crowded quick, bathrooms are small and located up a flight of stairs and past closely positioned pool tables. Â I highly enjoyed the band, Wicked Peach, had a great time listening to some old favorites. Â Probably the only reason I stayed here for as long as I did. Â I would definitely consider trying out one of the many other options for nightlife in the area. Â Plus. . . cover at the door for a place like this? Â Not worth it.
I stopped going here a long time ago.
It's hard to get drinks. Â It's cash only - no tabs. Â The floor is sticky. Â The bouncers are notoriously aggressive. Â The bathrooms are horrendous.
If you're going out in Newport, EXPLORE. Â There are a bunch of good bars around, everyone just goes to this one because of its location - not because it has any merit whatsoever.
Just so you know - I was dragged out of here by a bouncer at the end of the night...
I begin the night checking the scores of the sox game and watching the end of the stanley cup, The tvs were nice, had a beer while i watched. The cover band "heavyweights" was playing along side us - they were pretty great. The bar itself was actually mediocre, you have these bar tenders who aren't really good for anything other than being these really less than perfect abercrombie/hollister models that are trying to typify what you can get at the end of the night?... There was a cover that I'm fine paying, but it was veriable, depending on when you got there. If it went to the cover band, I'm ok with that, because they were worth it.
My feelings about the bar end up being really negative: they pulled me out at the end of the night because I looked at some creep the wrong way.. Â he blatantly ran into my friends ass and I looked at him trying to convey - you're overweight, a sexual predator, and pathetic - and some monkey's arm wrapped around my throat and dragged me out. Then, the police tried to give me a hard time... I wasn't pleased. The crowd was a mix of locals and bachelor/ette parties - basically people who thought that they were socially raising ranks for the night. Newport in general has this aurora about it that screams rich and famous, while being located on a beautiful nook on the coast it is some of that but, if you're looking for something special when you go to Newport/pelham make sure you bring it.
The bathrooms were barbaric and smelled worse than ass. The place has a ton of potential to be cool, but know yourself - it's never sustainable to hire people who have no self idenitity.
Don't know why this is a popular spot... really?!
Went here with a bunch of people with the intention of a good time. Â There were people here.. but two big negatives:
1. Â Cash Only. Â That sucks when you are buying alcohol. Â
2. Â No dance floor... or too tiny to call a dance floor.
We ended up leaving after half an hour... too bad, they could have made so much money off of us.
Perhaps it is better with a cover band.. but the growly bouncer kind of scared me.
My friend took me here this weekend as part of my nightlife tour of Newport since I might be moving here. I'll go through the pros/cons...
Pros:
- big place!
- decent cover band
- normal prices
- pretty good crowd...gave me hope for the bar scene
- back bar and front bar with friendly staff
Cons:
-cover...lame
-the bathrooms are nasty
-the back smelled like balls...actual testicles
-the front area got a wee bit crowded
The Pelham is quintessential Newport. Â And, I hate it. Â It constantly overcharges for cover. Â Typical cover is $10 on weekends, goes up to $20 or even $40 for holiday weekends. Â Top-40 cover bands account for 95% of their booking. The other 5% is comprised of acts that involve some douche-bag playing Dave Matthews-esque singer/songwriter BS.
The drinks are expensive as fuck, like $4.25 for a bud light bottle. Â The crowd is a mix of Newport aristocrats who are "slumming it" for the evening, the ever-present bachelorette party contingent, shot-buying douches, and whoever happens to be vacationing in Newport that weekend. Â In the summer, there actually can be some pretty hot women in there, which fuels this ridiculous douche-machine that is The Pelham.
So, if you enjoy singing shit like Maroon 5 and Third Eye Blind at the top of your lungs while holding a mixed drink that you probably paid close to $10 for, then come on down to The Pelham.
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