First off the comments on here are laughable! Don't want to drink with mid 20's-30's grad students? Go to Fitzwilly's, Packards, or countless other " Family Friendly" establishments in town. This bar is an after- work martini bar, and on weekends becomes the place to be in NOHO! Friday and Saturday eve are packed so standing room only is the norm. My friends and I are usually in large groups and get to roam around freely, so this works for us.
As far as the staff, I have personal service from each of them and cannot say there are better bartenders in town. I often go when the bearded gentlemen, or the young brunette are working but have been served by all. Service here is exceptional, every single time I have been. They do not have WAITERS, they have bartenders taking your order and then making your drink personally (as to why some people would have to wait longer than others.) That would be them shaking your delicious drink for everyone in your party.
I go for there strawberry-basil martini in the summer, as they muddle the basil and strawberries in front of me, my mouth is watering just thinking of how delightful and well balanced this drink is! Â For the winter, I usually stick with a bourbon martini because there bourbon menu boasts a plethora of choices! Bulleit, Knob creek, Woodford reserve, are some of my faves, and I know they have more to offer. Â The decor is outdated yes, but the soft lighting, big comfy leather chairs, and jazz music coming out of the speakers suits me.
Too stiff of a drink? You are in a MARTINI BAR. Enough Said.
Before you go keep this in mind; Tunnel Bar is about as classy as you can get in a college town. The allure is the fact that it's a bar in an old tunnel. It's one of those places you have to see if you're in noho. It is rather pricey but for the most part the drinks are great. I would recommend the dessert martinis like the key lime pie or oatmeal cookie, they are delicious. However, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is to get there early. Start your night there because once it gets busy it is awful. Â The tunnel is narrow and packed wall to wall with people, you are constantly being elbowed and pushed as people pass and its all around bad. But if you can get there before its packed and find a nice seat it is wonderful.
Review Source:Basically:
-- it looks classy, but it's run like a college bar. Not many other bars in the 5-college area can boast of such a unique location, so it's such a pity to see it wasted by poor standards(low-lighting to hide the lack of cleanliness and disrepair of the furniture, unprofessional service by rude kids that can't mix properly, etc.)
--The seating is clearly configured in a way to promote small, intimate gatherings for couples. And it's a tunnel. So why are we cranking the tunes so loud that I have to yell??
--I've already stated about the bartenders' tendencies to overpour, but when we last visited, my companion complained of a stomach ache after only a few sips of her drink. I can confirm this when I finished her drink. I don't know what this signifies, but I recommend being careful when ordering from the skinny, bearded server.
In my previous review, I noted that service in the lounge areas can be pretty bad. On a recent Saturday night, I was reminded of that unfortunate fact. Four of us snagged a table and chairs right next to the bar, and after watching cocktail servers walk past us with nary a glance in our direction for close to ten minutes, our friend finally went up to a waiter who was standing at the bar to ask for a cocktail menu. He was advised to "look around" for one. Some time later, a waiter appeared (with a couple of menus, to his credit). We ordered drinks. We drank them. We waited with empty glasses for another insanely long period of time. The people at the table next to us started screaming at each other. I mentally prepared myself to fill out a police report.
If the wait staff can't keep up with the volume of customers, it's time to hire more servers. (And print more flipping menus!) The novelty of drinking in a tunnel doesn't outweigh the interminably slow service. Also, the place smelled really musty.
It's a tunnel. Â It's a bar. Â It's a tunnel bar.
Service was absolutely atrocious when we came in on a busy Saturday night, but the drinks were good and fairly priced. Â I can't speak to the food. Â The clientele gets increasingly loud and annoying later in the night when college students filter in.
Basically, The Tunnel Bar tries to be classy but can't quite do it. Â That being said, it's really cool sitting in a tunnel and drinking.
Best lounge in Northampton by far. Â I wish there was a Tunnel Bar in every city!
The place has amazing, elegant ambience in a former train station. Â It's very intimate and private with lovely seating areas (comprised of clusters for 2 to 4 comfy stuffed chairs), making it the perfect place for a date or to catch up with friends. Â Everything on the drink menu is delicious: over the years I've had the chocolatini, martini, side car, manhattan, grasshopper, and lemon drop. Â The service is outstanding, as waiters will serve you in the seating areas.
Tips: Arrive early to snag a seating area, otherwise you'll be waiting at the bar. Â Drinks can be pricier, so it's best to start your evening here first if you plan to bar-hop.
The Tunnel Bar is really not a bar that is going to appeal to everyone, but it seems to appeal to enough people as it is always packed. Â Personally, I love everything about the place. Â The concept of using the old walkway tunnel for a bar is ingenious and gives the place so much atmosphere. Â The rough hewn stone on the lower walls and the smooth tile that stretches up gives the place a charm that you don't find in many places. Â Coupling that with the high back leather chairs lining both sides of the tunnel and it becomes a cozy place that you just want to sit and drink the evening away...which is what I tend to do when I get the chance to visit. Â I make it a habit to try and introduce my friends to the Tunnel Bar whenever they are in town as I know that they will fall in love with it.
The only downside is that you tend to have to get there pretty early in the evening if you want to have any hope of scoring a place to sit. Â By the time it's 7 or 8, you'll be one of many who are standing around, watching and waiting for a seated group to depart so you can jump in and claim the vacated real estate.
The prices are on the high side, but I find that the quality of the drinks justifies the cost. Â You won't find any watered down, flavorless concoction here.
The introduction of some wi-fi would be a nice improvement, but the absence of it and the lack of cell reception (gee...no cell signal when you're sitting inside of a rock tunnel? Â Who'd have thunk it?) means that you get to spend more time enjoying the company of your companions without the distraction that phones can be these days.
I will always end up heading back into the Tunnel whenever I have the chance to enjoy a night out with my friends as I have yet to be disappointed by them.
I like to bring friends who are visiting Northampton for the first time to Tunnel Bar. Â The atmosphere is great and the drinks are delicious. Â It's a pretty small place, so you have to plan accordingly. Â I tend to go earlier on weekend evenings, before it gets super crowded. Â Favorite drinks: the espresso martini (espresso vodka, kahlua, bailey's), the 3g (grapefruit juice, gin, and st. germain), and the ancient mariner. Â
My only consistent complaint about Tunnel Bar is that the service usually leaves something to be desired. Â I was there a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday night...there were probably ten people in the whole place, and most of them were sitting at the bar. Â It took the server almost twenty minutes to come over to where I was sitting with my friend, no more than ten feet away from the bar.
I love the ambiance and drink selection at this bar... The chairs are very comfortable and I love the low lighting. They get a star deducted because sometimes the servers can be very rude. But I had my first date with the boyfriend here so it will always hold a special place in my heart!
Review Source:Visited recently on our first trip to Northampton. Â We were on a mini-honeymoon and had been told we def. had to check the Tunnel Bar out. Â We like martinis and who doesn't like a good tunnel? Â
The drinks? Â Top notch.
The tunnel? Â Middle-to-top notch.
The darkness? Â Too dark.
I like it dark. Â I like that it made it hip and mysterious. Â I don't need to see the faces of all the other patrons. Â However, I WOULD like to see my wife's face while she's sitting across from me. Â
Yes, it's expensive. Â But it's a high-end martini bar. Â This isn't the place for happy hour specials.
We plan to visit again next time we're in town.
Amazing concoctions! I've enjoyed every bartender I've ever had here. The ambience is lovely.
Because it's so great, it's usually crowded at peak bar times and one must fight for a cozy armchair. With that said, it's also a nice place to meet other yuppies of sorts.
I don't want to sound like a light weight but two beverages here will definitely put you in an amazing mood!
Architecturally, Tunnel Bar is a perfect example of reuse of space. Taking the lower tunnel entrance out of the old Northampton train station, the bar has become a cozy setting to sit back with friends and enjoy one of the many martinis or other drinks available. The room is appropriately dim, with massive leather and cloth armchairs. Efficient space use? Not really, but it looks really classy.
Drink menus are both massive and readily available. For the size and strength of the drinks, the prices are appropriate.
Avoid this place at all costs on a Friday or Saturday night. It's too crowded to be worthwhile, as seating disappears and standing room is limited.
I have only been to the Tunnel Bar a handful of times...okay maybe two handfuls. It is expensive. Obviously it is a martini bar, but if you don't want one of those, their mixed drinks are huge as well. The drink list is extensive. I only ever find I want to go here with a few girlfriends, or maybe if I have dinner across the street at Sierra Grille first.
On a weekend night, it is possible that you won't be able to find a seat. This can be potentially uncomfortable, as there isn't a ton of standing room. Given the price of the drinks and my budget, however, I usually only stay for one drink anyway, so I don't mind standing. They also don't seem to mind if you rearrange the chairs a bit if you come with a large group.
That said, last time I went my experience was terrible. My bartender, who has been my kind, friendly bartender previously, must have been having an off night. My parents were in town for my graduation, my roommate and her boyfriend were along. It was busy but not too busy. He literally yelled at us to decide what we wanted (remember - extensive drink menu) and even threw my mother's credit card at the computer. I work in foodservice, and thus am rather understanding when it comes to having a bad day, but this was inexcusable. You have to able to put the face on, especially when you've got an easy ten bucks coming your way for 3 minutes of work. Needless to say, it didn't turn out that way for him. Hopefully it's better next time I find myself there.
I used to love this place because it was (as another poster stated) eccentric. The martini's were ok though I'm not a big martini fan. When I went I usually had something else-a beer, a rum and coke, etc. and no problems. For me this bar was more about meeting friends for a drink and having good conversation in an unusual environment. I loved the dark, rich decor, it felt like you were on some kind of spy mission.
HOWEVER, the last time I went which was back in Dec/Jan. I went with two friends.
We chit chatted with the nice bartender about the furnishings. He then began to tell us "You wouldn't want to see this place with the lights on, this carpet is so dirty" . We thought, well maybe he should get the message to the owner and he/she/they  could do something about it. Bartender: Yea the owner will never change it, he hasn't changed anything since he bought the place just look at how all these chairs have been ripped. He's only into this place to make money and that's what he's doing.
The 3 of us looked at each other, a little disturbed by the comments but hoping he was somehow exaggerating-though the quality of the chairs was immediately noticable. These chairs had seen better days.
3 beers and a chocolate martini later, a couple of us went to use the restroom upstairs, when we came back we sat down and went on with our conversation...until...we saw them!!!!!!! Â I noticed something moving on the wall beside me and earlier we noticed a couple of other patrons acting skittish as well. Waterbugs! ( I think that is what they are called ) running hurridly up the wall. My friends and I bolted from the area so fast, dusting ourselves off in the process and long afterwards. Who knows where they came from or what they got into (my friends purse on the floor? Â my shoes? ) but even in the dim lighting I was able to see them. We left and never came back. I have never been so disgusted and have never seen anything with so many legs in an establishment meant to serve food/or drinks to people.
I'm very saddened  by that, as this place had a really cool and different vibe to it. Whoever the owner is really needs to get crackalackin' with sprucing this place up and calling pest control. I understand that the place is technically in an old tunnel which is all the more reason to keep up with the bug control!  It honestly deserved 1 star after my last trip there but I am giving it 2 because of my many fond memories of what it USED to be. A very cool, clean and inspiring place.
I really can't express my disappointment at the experience that we had at Tunnel Bar. We were in Northampton for a long weekend getaway and having seen the bar's website, along with photos and the many positive reviews, I was excited to have after-dinner drinks here.
Maybe we were just there on a bad night, but I don't think I've had a worse experience at a bar. We went around 9 pm on a Thursday night. Granted, the place is cool looking and truly unique. There's a bar in the middle and lots of cozy, comfortable leather chairs for seating options. We settled into the chairs and saw there was a waiter taking orders so we checked out the martini menu and waited. And waited some more. It was probably 20 minutes before the waiter came over and gruffly said he'd be right with us. That's fine, maybe he was the only one working and was swamped. No biggie.
Waiter finally came back, took our orders (apple martini and Old Fashioned). Drinks finally came and the Old Fashioned literally didn't have alcohol in it. No exaggeration, this wasn't just a weak drink, this was a VIRGIN drink. It tasted like club soda and bitters. The apple martini was also pretty pitiful, it consisted of mainly sour mix with maybe a splash of vodka and schnapps. We were so disgusted at that point that my husband downed both of our drinks and we settled up and went to another bar. The lack of alcohol in these drinks was pretty evident at that point since he was capable of walking in a straight line on the way to the next place.
The bottom line - bad service, terrible drinks, nice atmosphere. I had been looking forward to these stiff martinis I'd read about it, but unfortunately got quite the opposite.
The name states the obvious.
A fabulous martini bar in an eccentric location! The person that thought of turning a tunnel into a bar is a genius. Â I say this because, it has the perfect ambiance. Â No windows, therefore its dimly lit all around... Â great music playing (from what I can remember), small, cozy but just enough room. Â
Okay enough about the actual bar....
On to the Martini's.... large martini menu!!!! LOVE IT. Â I didn't have much time, otherwise I probably would have sat down and tried a few different kinds. Â I stuck to my classic "dirty martini - extra dirty" and it was DEF strong, had to ask for more olive juice... and once that was added it was a perfect martini! I hope to be going back to this place soon to try more drinks on the menu, even if it is VERY far from my home. If your in the area, make sure you stop in for at least one drink.
I want to try the Creamsicle flavored martini next,.... it is on my bucket list! :)
It's a tunnel! It's a bar! It's a Tunnel Bar!
You can't argue with this place, I mean - common! The biggest gripe is that the martinis are strong!? Not a problem for me, thanks.
This is a great place to bring out of towners, because it's unique. People will remember it, and that's what you want to be spending your money on. Memories! So man up and get your booty down there, if you can handle it.
Ok, if this bar was anywhere else, it would be a 4 star. With that said, Tunnel was a f'in delight. We came into Northampton with low expectations, realizing that a town of 29,000 will probably offer you a few dives and a half ass club. No way. Tunnel has history, some of the stiffest (but delicious) martinis and a soothing, claustrophic ambiance.
Contradictory adjectives? Nope. It really is soothing. Announce it how Stewie from Family Guy would. Sooooothing
Cool upscale martini bar! Great place to stop for a drink or two, to relax or hang out before or after going out. Â They offer a bunch of different types of martinis, all of which are yummy! You can also get other cocktails as well.
Beware, this place fills up fast so come early and get a seat!
Place was OK. Â The venue as a whole is unique, but kinda creepily cramped. Â If you're claustrophobic you'll probably hate it. Â Overall I'll probably venture around to see what else NoHo has to offer before I go back here.
Drinks:
They didn't have Maker's Mark, which was disappointing, but the drinks we had were still pretty good. Â You better have a taste for STRONG drinks though. Â I wanted a Manhattan, so it was fine by me as those are strong everywhere, but one of the ladies was less than pleased with her Flirtini being all 'tini and no Flirt. Â
Price:
Less than $10 for a solid and strong Manhattan in a very large martini glass treated me just fine.
Tunnel bar is great because its really classy, and a nice place to sit and talk with friends. The prices are good and drinks are big. Those are the pros for Tunnel bar.
The cons: Two friends ordered the same drink but they looked and tasted vastly different. Our waiter had a very hard time remembering our drinks and it took about 3 or 4 trips to get our full order correct. Â It was very warm in the bar, and theres never quite enough room. However, it was a Saturday night so its probably good that it was crowded.
Used to be the perfect cigar bar. Â Still miss that aspect of coming here. Â If any Massachusetts bar deserves to be smoked in, it's inside this claustrophobic, dimly lit tunnel full of pseudo-classy armchairs. Â Drinks are very strong for better or worse, but you do get your $8 worth of booze. Â Stick with the more classic renditions of martini and you should be okay. Â I often go with scotch, as they have a pretty nice selection. Â Ah, Laphroaig. Â
Whatever their recent aesthetic shortcomings, this is still the most unique location and atmosphere around the Valley!
By far the fanciest late night establishment in Northampton, this place looks incredible, but BY GOD, their cocktails are horrendous!
My boyfriend and I were UNABLE to finish ours because they were so VILE. And we can drink, trust me. These glowing concoctions were so strong it was actually unpleasant (and virtually impossible) to even sip them. We left them half full.. and they were not cheap, either.
My friend ordered a Dreamsicle from the dessert cocktail menu (smart girl), which was very strong but at least POTABLE.
Something about the low lighting made me suspect things were a lot filthier than you might imagine. The service is also nothing to congratulate.
Definitely an experience.. but stick to the dessert cocktails if you brave the Tunnel Bar!
Almost a speakeasy; this stylish bar gets my vote for great spots to visit in Northampton. Â My beefeater extra dirty was shaken to perfection, but totally did me in for the night. Â I should have stuck with one of their Sam Smith beers of which there were ALL flavors offered.
Bring your friends looking for some class here. Â It's a one of a kind establishment.
Great concept, adequate execution, marred by the crowd. Â The guy in deck shoes, a white polo shirt, and khaki shorts across from me was so WASPy it hurt--but he was miles away preferable to the jerk who decided to rearrange his big armchair to block the aisle. Â We had hoped the server would call him out on that, but alas.
The drinks are girly as all get-out--really, really sweet and fruity. Â There's a page of menu items that I'd consider to be sweet dessert cocktails and then *another* page of "dessertinis" that up the sugar quotient. Â How many dessert cocktails does a non-TGIFriday's spot need? Â My Manhattan had a touch too much sweet vermouth but it was recognizably a Manhattan (and a decent enough one that I ordered another). Â Their bourbon selection was more limited than I would've liked (no Woodford Reserve, no Bulleit, no Maker's), but it fills an essential niche for the area.
Totally awesome and unique building. Very fun to look at. On the other hand,...the curve ceilings made for uncomfortable acoustics. I could hear peoples personal conversations about the first time they shot heroin. Umm...yeah.
They're supposedly famous for their martini's, so I tried one. It tasted like rubbing alcohol. Hit me hard though, so I guess I got what i paid for.
The chairs are comfy, but too far apart to have a non-awkward conversation...especially with a first date. I think I managed alright, but c'mon...
I was told by my date that it was an 'early' place...meaning that we might be going some place after? Please? No. We headed home after that. Oh well!
Not sure if I will suggest a return...not with $9 drinks that taste like their sole purpose is an antiseptic.
It seems that this little gem could use a serious facelift.
When I lived in the area, I would frequent this enough. Good place for a first date, fancy cocktails with girlfriends. I loved the overstuffed leather chairs, the long tunnel, the dark lighting.
I went a few months back, and was really sad. Where were all the young, mature 20-30 somethings, enjoying cocktails and beers? It was replaced with college co-eds and meat heads. Girls making out at the bar, egged on by the bartender. Bad 90s music (Offspring?!) was playing, and the whole place just looked really worn.
I was quite sad. I hope this was an off night, 'cause this was a great joint.
Yep, it's a tunnel alright. There is definitely a lovely ambience at night, the way they light their walls. You may feel a bit claustrophobic at first, but it's just a ploy for you to approach the bar area.
The bartenders are clean, kind, and look like pros. The drinks are fantastic, and worth the price. This is a place for martinis. Martinis martinis martinis. Most of them are very very good, and if I had anything to complain about it would be that some were too strong to enjoy.
Dreamsicle: Dead on. Not very strong, but it's a dead on orange creamsicle.
Lemon Drop: You need to squeeze your lemon slice into this one before you can enjoy it. It's very strong, almost enough to make you wince.
Had the first of many, many vodka gimlets here. It is basically my favorite bar of all time, rivaled only by Packard's.
Ambiance is amazing. Overstuffed leather sofas and the unique rounded tunnel roof make for a cozy, sophisticated and quirky feel, which truly adds to the experience. This place is almost always packed, even on weekdays, but I found that instead of being a point of contention, the lack of space and seating usually leads to conversations with perfectly amiable total strangers.
Martinis are pricey but strong and delicious. If I recall correctly, they also have a decent stock of wines. I would definitely suggest a visit (or ten) if you've never been.
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