November 3, 2011
I mentioned yesterday that MAD commenter, ragin’ rr (who’s missing in action, by the way), suggested I start going back to bars that I tried to go to on last year’s 365 bar crawl, but never made it to for one reason or another. That got me thinking to one place that I really wanted to document, but kind of got thrown out of after asking to take a picture inside. The bar is called, The Distinguished Wakamba Lounge and the atmosphere and some of the patrons are “sketchy” to say the least. When I visited here on the bar crawl, I asked a bouncer if I could take a picture and was told to leave in pretty hostile tones. I was always pissed I didn’t get at least a couple of pictures in there, so tonight I’m going to go back and try to discreetly snap a few without the flash. Here’s hoping I don’t write this post from the hospital!
Alright, it's straight up here on 8th Avenue. I've kind of obsessed over this all night and I think the mistake I made was asking to take a picture. In a place like this you should have an air of confidence about you and not show any weakness. You don't want to be cocky, but you should walk in with your camera like it's no sweat to be taking pictures, it is a place open to the public, after all and I have every right to snap a few photos in there. I hope I don't get my legs broken!
Okay, moment of truth time. I took a shot outside and then said hi to these two guys as I went in and even shook their hands. So far, so good.
The bar is crowded and maybe it's my attitude, but the vibe isn't quite as scary as the time before. The bar is a combination of Spanish and tiki themes. If Tony Montana and Don Ho had a love child, it would be the Distinguished Wakamba Lounge.
The bartenders here are dressed in skimpy outfits and don't speak much English. After attempting to order a Budweiser for several minutes, she held up a bottle of rum with a questionable look on her face. I gave her a thumbs up and got some sort of rum concoction to drink, when in Rome...
And here she is ringing up the drink.
My point of view of the brown Formica-topped bar. Spanish disco music blares from the jukebox and every once in a while a bartender will do a little dance in your area and I think it's customary to tip a couple of bucks for the action, so I did.
This bartender was chatting with a woman who just got off duty. They were speaking in Spanish of course. The place doesn't feel like New York, it's got kind of a San Francisco vibe to it and you kind of feel like Dirty Harry is going to bust in at any moment.
There's tables up front, opposite the bar.
And there's more tables in the back area.
Here's a shot of the bar from the back end.
These two are having trouble getting the drinks they are trying to order. They should just take a glass of rum and be happy. In a place like this you should just go with the flow.
Your change in here is always delivered in ones, I think to encourage the tipping for drinks and coochie-coochie dances. This is my stack after about an hour in here. Okay, I think I pushed my luck as far as I should and it's time to get out of here. The Distinguished Wakamba Lounge has been documented on MAD!
One obligatory bathroom mirror shot for the road and it's adios, amigos! See you tomorrow after dark.
The Distinguished Wakamba Lounge
543 Eighth Ave. (Near 37th St.)
No phone (What a surprise!)
Further reading: New York On Tap, Midtown Lunch and NFT.
He's so honest that the dishonest dread,
Meeting the kid with the replaceable head.
(Surprise link...click on it...I dare you!)
-------------------------------------
Bonus Linkage To More Ruby's Photos At The Gog Log!
Goggla posted more photos from the closing day at Ruby's. Check them out here: The Gog Log.
27 Comments
Reader Comments (27)
WOO WOO Midtown style.
Awesome ! ..... I sort of like this place ... been here before - once with Terry and once with Smoopy ---- the Wakamba and Girl From Ipanema are very similar places :)
Well done Wombacher ! .... and you lived to tell us all about it !
There always were sleazy Hispanic bars all up and down 8th Avenue, you could get shot as much as you could get laid there. It seems as if somethings remained the same. My compliments on your daring to walk in, it proved you're not a real drunk but a MAN, as well, bravo!
What you described reminded me of some other establishments I've been to. On a hunch I googled other reviews.
"One time two coworkers were there getting a quick drink when they noticed that a ton of drinks and food were being sent to some backroom/downstairs area behind some door. When they asked about it (as in whether there was a private party), the bartender said there was nothing going on. They pressed the issue and said they’d like to check out this place where the food and drinks were being sent and the bartender got hostile and got some bouncer-type of staff involved. They were asked to not return and got thrown out."
Just sayin'.
This place is not what i expected.. more low key..but cool low key..
glad you got pics.
see the things is to just do what you want!
fuck authority!
can they even tell you to not take pics.. she dont even know a budweiser.
she reminds me of rosie perez a bit..
WTG Martster.. proud of you!
I might have been expecting dancing naked flying monkeys.
@Melanie: A WOO WOO moment indeed!
@GENE: Thanks! I always felt like this was a chapter from 365 bars that was left undone and now it's done. I can sleep better tonight!
@Mykola Mick Dementiuk: Today I am a man! This place is known for a murder that took place in the doorway years ago. I've read the mood and vibe of this place changes nightly and I think I got lucky with a laid back night.
@csp: Ha! I feel like I've lived that review and in a way I have. The bouncer that threw me out the first time pretty much pushed me out the door. Luckily he wasn't there last night!
@Gidget: Thanks! She did have a little bit of a Rosie Perez vibe to her. It's funny, most of the bartenders in here can't speak a lick of English and you see people straining trying to get a drink order, better just to take what they give you, it's easier! "I might have been expecting dancing naked flying monkeys." Ha ha ha!
Congratulations in surviving your Wakamba Lounge experience...wise call in just excepting the Rum drink in good grace...with high toned hispanic or Italian female baretenders, a steel rat-tailed comb buried in your femoral artery can be the price for rubbing them the wrong way....
Shoot first, ask later!
I actually got the "talk" in Mars Bar once when I took a picture of some nice looking men at the end of the bar. As soon as I pushed the shutter button, I felt the cold, heavy hand of Hank on my shoulder. He whispered, "No, honey..." and I thought I was dead. Turns out Drew Barrymore was sitting at the end of the bar (he'd promised her there would be no pictures( and I'd been totally oblivious. Doh!
@Jaws: I was just happy to get a drink and be able to snap photos without getting tossed out on my ass like last time!
@Goggla: That's a great Mars Bar story! I love this line: "I felt the cold, heavy hand of Hank on my shoulder." Ha ha ha!
Skimpy outfits/don't speak English very well? Sign me up! hahahah
Goggla- that is HILARIOUS!!!!
The term “sketchy” always cracks me up. And kudos on taking those sneak photos! But, how the hell can they have bartenders that don't even know what Budweiser is?
@MH: Cerveza says...Because it's not an El Presidente.
This place was featured in "No Reservations", Bourdain loves it, though with a whole filming crew I am sure he was very safe. Thanks for mustering up the "intestinal fortitude".
@Lindsay: Ha ha ha! You should apply there, you'll make a fortune in tips!
@Meleah: This place defines, "sketchy!" And the bartenders don't speak English.
@csp: Amigo said the same thing!
@Al: I'll have to search the internet for that, would love to see the episode!
¡Coño!
@Marty-Who knew that Wakamba was a "singles" bar.
@csp-puñeta
@Duncester: Ha ha ha! Good one!
What a great name the bar has. Love it, & well done for heading back there. These are the kind of places it's interesting to read about. Always more fun than the safer options.
MIA...no no no...let's just say overwroked and one or two too many "rotgut 45's" between the door and the computer...nice return and some good stealth photos to boot...one to strike off the "list"...
In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.
~Patti Smith
rr
@onemorefoldedsunset: You ought to check it out sometime, the mood and customers seem to change on a nightly basis.
@rr: Ha! I thought maybe those "rotgut 45's" were involved somehow! Great quote, I've missed them!
Good post Daddio!
"Dancing Naked Flying Monkeys" would have cost you that entire stack of singles.
@"Boris:" Ha ha ha! Too true, Daddio!
Hmmm...let me know if you figure out what No Reservations episode that's in-I've seen them all but don't remember them all. I think it's strange to have bartenders that can't understand a drink order
@Britta: I'm going to search for it this weekend. The reason they can't understand the drink order is that they don't speak English, just adds to the weirdness of this place!
While I'm not certain that anyplace with a reflection of a Dunkin Donuts sign in the front window should call itself distinguished, the Wakamba Lounge looks pretty cool. Yeah, I'd hit that. And, believe me, I'll be sure to bring plenty of ones.
@Biff: We have to stop in here next time you're in town and don't worry, they have plenty of ones and god knows what else!