Searching for events near me in Bushwick usually means choosing between a proper night out and something you can join without buying a concert ticket. Elsewhere gives you the former: a three-storey venue at 599 Johnson Ave with five rooms, three performance stages and a seasonal Rooftop stage facing the Brooklyn and distant Manhattan skyline. For live sport, Clara's is the practical answer, with 14 TVs, a projector and free-entry game events. Wonderville turns the same search into arcade games and community programming, while Kick Axe makes you book a timed activity. Here is what each option is actually suited to, including prices, door rules, transport and the point at which turning up becomes a poor plan.
Ask Karpo in the app which Bushwick event fits your evening, then check the door time, admission price and simplest route before you leave. You can also compare Elsewhere with Clara's, Wonderville or Kick Axe in one plan.
Elsewhere, Bushwick — multi-room nights with a seasonal rooftop stage
Elsewhere is the strongest match if your search for events near me means music, dancing and a venue that changes character from room to room. The former-factory shell at 599 Johnson Ave stretches across three stories and contains five rooms and three performance stages, including the seasonal open-air Rooftop stage with skyline views. Inside, the visual shift is deliberate: concrete rooms and sculptural lighting lead to a disco-ball-lit Zone One, a minimalist Hall and a colourful, plant-filled Rooftop looking over Brooklyn and distant Manhattan. It is a multi-room music venue, nightclub and arts space, so concerts, club nights and rooftop events all belong to the same address.
Do not treat Elsewhere as a venue with a dependable nightly timetable. Its hours are not regular, and the Rooftop opens only when an event is scheduled. A current Rooftop listing gives a 6:00 PM door time; a September 13, 2026 full-venue event is listed at $30 face value plus fees. Entry depends on the room: Rooftop, Loft and Zone One events use the large courtyard entrance on the left, while Hall and full-venue events use the narrower corridor entrance on the right. Bring government-issued ID or a foreign passport. Elsewhere is about a five-minute walk from the Jefferson Street L stop and 10 minutes from Morgan Avenue.
Clara's, Bushwick — free-entry sports nights with plenty of screens
Clara's is the useful answer when events near me means a match, fight or game rather than a concert. The Bushwick sports bar at 53 Wilson Ave has 14 TVs plus a projector, and its listed programming covers NFL, MLB, UFC, NBA and Premier League games. The room is arranged for watching, not staging: multiple screens, a projector, pool table, jukebox and full bar make it a neighbourhood bar with a sports focus. It is also a genuinely local, low-cost alternative to a ticketed night out, with free-entry game events advertised by the venue.
The Bushwick location opens Monday to Friday from 3:00 PM to 4:00 AM and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4:00 AM. Food and drink give you a clear budget: buffalo wings are $18, draft beer starts at $7 and well cocktails at $10. The wings are brined for 24 hours, and online pickup and delivery orders are produced from the Bushwick kitchen at this address. Choose Clara's for a group that wants to follow a fixture, compare screens and stay late without arranging a formal activity. The Bushwick branch is at 53 Wilson Ave, Floor 1.
Wonderville, Bushwick and eastern Brooklyn — arcade games and low-cost community events
Wonderville suits the looser version of the events near me search: somewhere you can play, watch or join in without committing to a conventional club night. This 21+ bar and community venue at 1186 Broadway is built around independently made arcade games, with recurring indie-game events, karaoke, movie nights and game-developer programming. The room is compact and dark, with glowing cabinets and playable machines doing most of the visual work. That makes it a different proposition from Elsewhere: the point is interaction and community programming, not a large dance floor or a concert-room layout.
Wonderville opens from 5:00 PM Monday to Friday and from 2:00 PM Saturday and Sunday; the official site does not publish a closing time. A Budweiser draft is $4, and weekday happy hour from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM lists $6 well drinks. Many events are free admission with suggested donations, which makes this the easiest option for an uncommitted evening, though the venue is strictly 21+. Its directions put the J train's Kosciuszko Street stop directly by the door; the M train's Myrtle Avenue stop is about a 10-minute walk. Pick Wonderville when your group wants games and a programme rather than a scheduled sports broadcast.
Kick Axe Throwing Brooklyn, Gowanus — a bookable social session with targets and drinks
Kick Axe Throwing Brooklyn is the most structured answer on this list. At 622 Degraw St in Gowanus, it combines guided indoor axe-throwing ranges with a bar, restaurant, lodge-style seating, board games and an outdoor patio. The activity is the evening's centre of gravity: wooden targets and interactive games replace the stage or wall of sports screens, while giant Jenga and Connect Four give groups something to do between throws. It is useful when you want a social plan that starts at a defined time and does not depend on finding a free event or waiting for a band to begin.
A 75-minute axe-throwing session costs $35 per person. Kick Axe is closed Monday; it opens Tuesday to Thursday from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Friday from 11:30 AM to midnight, Saturday from 11:00 AM to midnight and Sunday from noon to midnight. Arrive 15-20 minutes early, wear closed-toe shoes and book ahead if possible. Public ranges are the default; a private range requires a group booking of 8-10 tickets. Walk-ins may wait for the next fixed session start. The venue is closest to the F/G at Bergen Street or the A/C at Hoyt-Schermerhorn and has no dedicated car park, so allow time for street parking.
How to choose
Start with the activity rather than the neighbourhood label. Choose Elsewhere for a ticketed music or club night, particularly if the listing uses the Rooftop and you want skyline views; confirm the event date, door time, room and entrance before setting out. Choose Clara's when the fixture is the event and your group wants several screens, wings and a full bar. Wonderville is better for a casual 21+ evening where arcade games, karaoke, films or a donation-based programme matter more than a fixed headline. Kick Axe is the clearest choice for a group willing to pay $35 each for a timed, guided activity.
The transport order is fairly simple from Bushwick. Elsewhere is roughly five minutes from Jefferson Street on the L and about 10 minutes from Morgan Avenue. Wonderville is directly by the J at Kosciuszko Street, with Myrtle Avenue on the M around a 10-minute walk away. Clara's stays within Bushwick at 53 Wilson Ave. Kick Axe is the outlier in Gowanus: use Bergen Street on the F/G or Hoyt-Schermerhorn on the A/C, and build in extra time if driving because there is no dedicated lot. For Kick Axe, the booking and early arrival rule matters more than spontaneity.
One correction before you search
Older guides can leave you with the wrong Clara's result because they describe only one Bushwick location. The operator now lists a second Clara's at 393 Second Ave in Gramercy, while the Bushwick branch remains at 53 Wilson Ave. If your plan is to watch NFL, MLB, UFC, NBA or Premier League games in Bushwick, use the 53 Wilson Ave address and not the Gramercy listing. That distinction matters when you are searching for events near me and choosing a venue based on walking distance, opening time or the screens available.
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Ask Karpo first
Before leaving, ask Karpo in the app to compare the day's Elsewhere listing with Clara's, Wonderville or Kick Axe, including the event door time, admission or session price and age rule. For Elsewhere, confirm which room is in use and use the correct entrance; for Wonderville, check the J train option and 21+ rule; for Kick Axe, book the session and arrive 15-20 minutes early. If you are driving to Kick Axe, allow extra time for street parking rather than relying on a dedicated lot.
