Raven Bar

Raven Bar... what can I say... two words. AWESOME BARTENDERS!!! Ever so attentive, fun and friendly... I feel like they just take ONE look at you and know EXACTLY what you want...

Ok lots more words than just two... my friend introduce me to this place and have been back a couple times.  One of which I remember, the other not so much... BUT what do remember every time is that I have a BLAST.  Very cute unique bar/lounge/club that's not ghetto and the crowd is just right.  Best of all, the drinks are unique and amazing (the ones I remember at least).  Very chill on the weekdays, and fun dancing on the weekends.  Even though I DO like the edm scene, its nice to bring it back to the hip hop days where everyone can actually sing along to some of the songs.  Upstairs is where most of the dancing is and if i remember correctly there are two big screens with videos!!

I'd definitely come back again! Oh and did I say.. AWESOME bartenders? run, don't walk, to this bar if you are looking for a fun night out!

We held a college alumni happy hour here on a weeknight and the staff was awesome.  They were more than happy to set aside some couches for us towards the back of the bar, making it really easy for us to gather in once spot.  I loved the ambiance of the space and their clever cocktails as well.  Now I really want to get here on a weekend.   Nice work Raven!

Sometimes you can judge how ratchet or crazy your night will be based on the TYPE of cup your drink comes served in. At raven, you get most of your mixed drinks in a plastic clear cup.

Details:

The Venue (3/5): Two story venue with two dance floors and bars. If you're signing yourself up for lung cancer, there's even a smoking patio outside connected to the club, so you don't have to go through the bouncers again.  I came at 11pm on a Friday and there was no cover and no line. When we left around 12:30am to go to another bar there was a line. At 11pm, the club was already poppin' on the inside. You'll find your pushing and shoving yourself to the bar or to finding yourself a place to boogie down on the dance floor or to wall flower.  Bathrooms both on the first and 2nd floor near the staircase.

I would recommend being careful in the staircases if you're a girl. A narrow, very dimly lit, crowded staircase with spilled drinks in heels isn't safe at all! The front staircase outside has lights lighting the steps, but not the back one. Another thing that I didn't particularly like about the venue is that drinks were getting spilled everywhere and the floor was wet and often gross and I didn't spot too many staff around cleaning things up and keeping things from just getting SLOPPY.

The crowd (2/5) : You see a lot of younger faces here - everybody looked like they had a newly minted fake or just crossed the line of 21. This isn't the financial district or marina crowd. There are a lot of RUDE people dancing like they don't care throwing arms everywhere, people who wouldn't let you through the crowd and a bunch of awkward asians taking selfies.

The music (4.5/5) : The DJ's do a good job of hitting a lot of hip hop/pop jams... but at the same time i'm in my mid 20's and i could barely recognize some of the oldies they played. Still good to whippin my hair back and forth though.  If you're looking for an EDM type vibe, it wasn't there. They had music videos playing on the walls on the second floor.

Bartenders (5/5) : One guy I swear looks like Ryan Gosling. They deserve an extra star for this.  The bartenders themselves are great. They make drinks quickly, don't ignore you, aren't snotty and serve the pretty people first. Only downside --- they bartenders pour just a little too much over the rim and most drinks just end up spilled everywhere. Well drinks and shots $7, pretty standard.

Verdict: The overall vibe at this place is one that could be summed up as: Divey, chic-ratchet, dancing on the line of  trashy and classy, yet a SOLIDLY fun night. Good bartenders, 2 dance floors, poppin' music will ensure you a fun night. Just remember to not accidentally fall on your butt, laugh at the awkward kids taking selfies, and whip your hair back n forth!