Gotham City Lounge Co-Owner Ray Torrellas busts some moves with his lightsaber behind the bar. — Photos by Diego Cupolo.

While many comic book fans spend their lives collecting superhero memorabilia only to keep it locked up in their bedrooms, Ray Torrellas chose to decorate an entire bar with his extensive assortment of figurines, comic book clippings and rare sculptures to create the Gotham City Lounge, a neighborhood dive bar unlike any other.

Wonder Woman, Underdog and Darth Maul are among the popular action heroes that populate the bar walls. Click to enlarge.

Located directly below the Central Avenue M stop, it’s hard to miss this comic book-themed bar thanks to the colorful mural of Superman and Batman busting out of its façade. On the inside, superhero collectibles cover all available wall space as Bushwick natives and newcomers play pool, arcade games and Guitar Hero on a 7-foot projection screen. (There’s also an outdoor garden area in the summer.)

First-time visitors, whether comic book enthusiasts or not, are welcomed by the crowd and will find themselves coming back after getting acquainted with the drink prices. A PBR with a shot of whiskey costs only $3 — probably one of the best combo deals in the city — and on Tuesdays PBRs are just $1 and well drinks are $3. While the bar might seem to be geared towards a specific audience, the clientele is always mixed and the experience feels more like hanging out in a friend’s basement than going out for drinks.

Adidas shelltops bearing the Gotham City Lounge logo with images of Batman and the Joker that were specially made for co-owner Ray Torrellas by a local artist. Click to enlarge.

Ray, who grew up in the neighborhood, can be commonly found on the pool table with his friends. He opened Gotham City Lounge about three years ago with his wife, Lou, and has been fairly successful with his low-key watering hole. The two share their passion for comic books and recently named their newborn son Thor, after the mighty, hammer-yielding descendant of Norse gods with superhuman powers.

In the near future, Ray said he wants to start displaying comic books by local artists. For the time being, Gotham City Lounge is conveniently located and worth a try, if not to admire the glass-encased Wolverine claws on the wall, then for the recession-conscious drink menu and friendly atmosphere.

Gotham City Lounge
1293 Myrtle Avenue | 917-710-7123
Tue-Sun 7pm-4am

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