Lizard Lounge — Restaurant in Town of Islip

UPDATE: Thank you for your response admitting and proving you are sexist and a liar! Yes everyone was IDed upon entering as was stated. I was never told anything about outside drinks until you yelled at me and took it, which I never argued about because it was a genuine mistake. If someone else in my group had an outside drink that is not my problem I am not responsible for anyone but myself. It is very strange and embarrassing for an owner to make up things especially about being rude to bartenders?? I would love to know when that happened when all I did was buy two shots and tipped generously, said thank you and went on my way. Many of us are regulars and some recall you coming outside to the parking lot and hanging out with them in the past. Not my fault you don’t remember who comes to your bar and gives you business. I suggest you seek therapy for your anger issues instead of taking it out on a young girl who only apologized to you for the matter. We gladly will not be supporting a place that values bullying and misogyny 🙌🏻 MISOGYNISTIC MANAGER used to love this place! Friends and I were regulars, brought a lot of business to the place. Came with friends for one of our friends birthdays, bought drinks and sang karaoke, I brought one drink in (that I’ve been nursing since outside) didn’t think anything of it (I’ve worked as a bartender where people were allowed to bring drinks) finished my drink and was just talking with friends and the man who I am presuming is either the manager or the owner came up to me and yelled “you can’t have that in here” then swiftly grabbed the drink and threw it away, which was fine- my mistake I apologized for it sincerely and he left. He then circled back and quickly met me with a major attitude asking for my ID (mind you I purchased a few drinks just before at the bar showing my ID) I asked why? Which I have a every right to do when I’m being asked for my ID which has already been provided to the bar and he said “because you’re in a bar” rudely, his attitude and aggressiveness became quite apparent so I met him with an apology and provided my ID with no pushback. I told him it wouldn’t happen again and it was an honest mistake. Again I was met with aggressiveness and attitude, he said the sign said no outside drinks (there were about 10 different signs on the door, no one ever reads signs) I told him once again I’m sorry and it wouldn’t happen again, I didn’t see the sign- my bad. I was once again met with aggressiveness, he kept reiterating what the sign says, I once again tell him I’m sorry but I did not read the small hand written sign. He also kept rudely saying you never bring drinks to any bar! Which is not entirely true, I’ve worked at a bar that allows outside drinks but once again it was genuinely an accident and my drink was empty, so I didn’t even try to excuse it. It seemed he just wanted to let out his aggression on some girl who wasn’t willing to fight him back or just looking for a reason to kick someone out because after this he went an aggressively IDed everyone from my group and they were all confused as to why, especially since most of them are regulars and I’m quite sure he knows who they are. The part that is misogynistic is when my boyfriend went to talk to him about the incident (the attitude not defending the drink) he instantly apologized to him NOT me. Why did it take a man for him to realize his attitude? Was I not owed an apology after willingly complying with his rules and only met with aggressiveness? I would understand the behavior if I kept ignoring his rules and knowingly brought drinks into the bar but I apologized and did not cause a problem-...

I saw after coming to this establishment that it’s not nearly as busy as it used to be. I truly feel that a change of staff is what’s best to get lizard lounge alive again, owning a business myself. The bartenders are pretentious and misanthropic. I came very late around 1:00 AM. I had been at home drinking with my three friends before hand. I was already intoxicated so I was responsible as just got a sprite and a water. My one friend was the designated driver because she had not drunken anything the whole night. Subsequently she drinks two Long Island iced teas and ends up drunk. My other friend also had a couple drinks and does not have a drivers license. I was a little frantic. I kindly asked the bartender the equivalent of a Long Island iced tea in terms of drinks. Trying to figure out our best course of action, having being somebody who takes drunk driving very seriously. The bartender was extremely rude and said “at least she’s paying money, you only drank water you can drive”. I tried to explain I had been drinking before we came but he just walked away. Aside from that I was carded twice. First when I came in. And after I ordered my sprite I was carded again. My two other friends were only carded once. I explained that I was already carded when I first came in, but he said I have to card you again. Not only was this humiliating, I am also 26 years old. I was made to feel like my ID was fake and I was a delinquent. I believe the rule in places that serve alcohol is you get carded once. I was in the parking lot for a while due to a fight with my drunken designated driver, who chugged two Long Island iced teas and also has an incredibly low tolerance. She went to use the bathroom and they asked for us to give them a yelp review. I sat on this thought for a couple weeks. You’ll realize that you are losing business but don’t necessarily seem to be getting bad reviews. What I can tell you is most people will not write bad things online with their name under it. Most feel too ashamed or embarrassed to bad mouth people. Which is honestly how I felt the past couple weeks. However I was just watching my karaoke video and realize how unique and fun lizard lounge is. I believe if you got rid of the surly bartenders and hired more personable, out going people you’d drive more business. A long with continuing the $5 dollar drink specials. I do feel bad for writing this review. But felt I wouldn’t be doing another business owner any favors if I didn’t tell him the truth. I wish you the best of luck. I wanted to add usually I will order a lot of drinks and get the pizza as well. However because it was last minute and already intoxicated I didn’t order any alcoholic beverages. I have run up an 100 dollar bar tab at this lounge and always loved coming here. Unfortunately I have had bad encounters with the bartenders. There was only one bartender I liked, she was an average sized brunette, looked Italian, in her early 20s, she was so sweet and friendly, you should get her back. I don’t want to seem like I am attacking this bar or the owner. Lizard lounge is one of the only bars I like to go to. Over the course of about two years I have been there many times. I just wanted to give some honest feedback. I do however love the atmosphere, the $5.50 drink specials are all amazing, the pizza is very good and nothing beats being able to sing your favorite songs with friends in a clean/near bar. However the people that work behind the bar have ruined my...

I got yelled at by the bartender for ordering more drinks after closing my tab… who does that? I thought we were staying for one drink, and then we wanted to stay longer so I went back to the bar for another drink and the bartender said “are you really opening and closing another tab? If you keep doing this we’ll have to ask you to leave” and after that, the same bartender kept skipping me on the karaoke line… the place wasn’t packed at all… I guess that’s what you get in a place called the Lizard Lounge. I tip 20% minimum because I have worked in the industry. I tipped 20% on my first tab, and even though they were rude, I tipped 20% on my second (and final) tab. Won’t return here, and won’t recommend it to anyone. Which is a shame because there aren’t many karaoke places on Long Island. There was a guy in a star wars costume just hanging around all night and we went outside to catch our cab home and the star wars guy was like “yeah, that’s the owner, I used to work here and he’s always been miserable and rude”. Edit: The Lizard Lounge's reply does not accurately capture what happened that night. I did not ask to close my tab repeatedly after purchasing a single drink - each tab consisted of a drink for myself and drinks for 4 others and each tab was well over $50 before tip. I was definitely skipped on the karaoke line, which was weird because there was hardly anyone in the bar, except for the aforementioned star wars costumed guy (who sang repeatedly and frequently re-started songs if he messed a part up) and another small bachelorette party. I've never been asked to leave a bar/restaurant up until my visit to the Lizard Lounge and have never been treated that way elsewhere. Again, I tipped the industry standard 20% but I regret doing so. Bottom line: don't come here expecting a typical or clean bar with standards. The couch in the back was falling to pieces and the tables were very sticky. If you want a dive karaoke experience, go to the...