81 South 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (at Berry Street)
PHONE: 718.387.5389
HOURS: Mon-Thu, 7:30pm-4am; Fri-Sun, 7pm-4am
CARDS: Cash Only
MUSIC/EVENTS: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: J, M, Z at Marcy Ave. ; L at Bedford Ave.
WEBSITE:: http://bembe.us/
NY Mag Review: Alongside the Williamsburg Bridge, Bembe is a world apart from its concrete, industrial environs. Inside, the bi-level lounge feels more like Miami or a steamy, fun-loving Latin American hotspot, with a tropical drinks menu—mojitos, rum punch, a tasty vodka concoction marinated in and served from an actual watermelon—and an airy, island-like décor of exposed brick and blonde wood. (The slightly exotic, accented bartenders, both male and female, lend another degree of authenticity.) But more than anything else, it's the sexy, ethnically-diverse crowd dancing (some expertly, some not) to vibrant Latin music, spun by a DJ but sometimes accompanied by live drummers, that really makes you feel like you're on vacation. Be warned: These booty shakers move with an enthusiasm and determination—sans attitude—that's contagious.

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image c/o Eater

20 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (nr. Kent Ave)
PHONE: 718.384.2800
HOURS: Wed-Sun, noon-midnight; Mon-Tue, closed
MENU: Click Here
CUISINE: mainly a wine bar but Italian & Spanish Tapas are available
SUBWAY: J, M, Z at Marcy Ave.; L at Bedford Ave.
MAP: Click Here
WEBSITE: http://www.bridgevineyards.com
WINE PRICES: $6-$12
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
BOOZE: Beer and Wine Only
RESERVATIONS: Not Accepted
NY TIMES SAYS: Greg Sandor and Paul Wegimont, the owners, have opened Bridge Vineyards Urban Winery and Tasting Room, an industrial, brick-walled space nudging the Williamsburg Bridge. Their wines and others are available for tasting with small plates of wine-friendly food ($4 to $10). Come fall, they hope to start using the stainless steel tank on the premises for blending wines and bottling, too.

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97 South 6th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, near Bedford Ave.
PHONE: 718.302.0511
HOURS: Daily, 5pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 5pm-8pm; $3 beers, $1 off all other drinks
EVENTS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: For the L train, get off at the Bedford Ave stop, the 1st stop in Brooklyn on the L line. Walk down Bedford Avenue (south) towards the Williamsburg Bridge, take a right as soon as you pass underneath the bridge (on S 6th Street), half way down the block you will see the East River Bar on the right hand side.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: J, M, Z at Marcy Ave. ; L at Bedford Ave.
WEBSITE:: www.eastriverbar.com
NY MAG SAYS: Before becoming the East River Bar in early 2004, this venerable space was an illicit Latino speakeasy, and before that, an underground biker bar. Its first incarnation, though, was as a paint factory, and the giant room retains a great industrial feel, with beautiful pressed-tin ceilings and weathered floorboards. Instead of accentuating such things, though, the owners have opted to camp it up, marring the antique ceiling with a disco ball and shoving a cowboy-themed mirror behind the bar. The result is a comfortable but generic dive, complete with the standard handful of beers on tap, the standard dartboard and pool table, and the standard smell of Murphy's Oil Soap. Some of the barflies are about as stylish and appealing as the broken-down furniture, most of which looks like it was just dredged out of the bar�s namesake estuary. If the weather's nice, East River Bar justifies its existence by grilling BYOBBQ on the patio. These meaty treats compete with the beefy fumes emanating from nearby Peter Luger's.

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image c/o Flickr

349 Broadway, Brooklyn NY 11211 (Corner of Hooper)
PHONE: 718.599.6895
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
HOURS: Mon-Fri, 6pm-1am; Sat-Sun, 6pm-2am
SUBWAY: J, M at Hewes St.
MAP: Click Here
WEBSITE: Click Here
WE SAY: South Williamsburg's hidden surprise. There is no sign on the door so hopefully this jewel will remain hidden from the masses. See some pictures on their website. This place is beautiful and affordable. The food is unique with French flair and the drinks are cheap!

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1089 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718.599.2474
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Grand Street
WE SAY: Williamsburg's only titty bar. Think seedy with mop buckets.

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(AKA Ship's Mast, AKA Local, AKA Mermaid Bar)
351 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
at S. 5th St.
PHONE: 718.384.8730
HOURS: Mon-Sat, 11:30am-4am; Sun, 11:30am-4pm
CARDS: Cash only
GAMES: Pool
HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Sat, 11pm-8pm; $1 off draft beers and well drinks
SHOWS/EVENTS: Click Here
DIRECTIONS: From the Bedford L Train - Walk south on Bedford all the way to South 5th (just before the bridge) and take a right. The bar is on the corner of Kent and South 5th.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave. ; J, M, Z at Marcy Ave.
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/rockysrockstarbar
WE SAY: Also called the mermaid bar (um, there's a mermaid sculpture on the bar), Local hosts a mixed bag of live music on the weekends. Line-ups are often very strong, (Lightning Bolt played recently) but the sound usually sucks. Don't miss Pies & Thighs in the front of the building when you get hungry.

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90 South 4th Street at Berry St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718.218.7478
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave. ; J, M, Z at Marcy Ave.
MAP: Click Here
WEBSITE: www.south4thbar.com
L MAGAZINE SAYS: "South 4th Bar and Café is not a trans-borough destination bar. It may not even be the kind of place where you'd want to have a birthday party or special occasion, even if you lived next door -- it is, however, a nearly perfect spot to spend time by yourself... An inconspicuous corner bar on a quiet block, South 4th doubles as an early morning coffee place, ideal for playing hangover hooky from work (especially when it's a hangover you earned at the very same barstool, only eight hours previous); as with everything else about South 4th, the coffee is not flashy, but is very good. And that’s just it about this place -- unlike numerous other bars that have opened in Williamsburg in the last five years, South 4th doesn’t expect anything from its clientele, it doesn’t have a hook. You don’t have to be particularly fashionable, you don’t need to be knowledgeable about music or beer or wine -- you can just relax and go about your business. In this respect, South 4th is a lot like a French café, serving the needs of its locals from seven in the morning all the way to last call in the wee hours. As for the details, they are easy to recount: a surprisingly good selection of beers on tap includes Belgian standout Three Philosphers (a dark, fruity pleasure), O’Hara’s Stout, Duck Ale, and, curiously, Molson Canadian.

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174 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211
near Driggs Ave.
PHONE: 718.302.4427
HOURS: Mon-Thu, 3pm-1am; Fri, 3pm-2am; Sat, noon-2am; Sun, 2pm-midnight
CARDS: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
CIGAR MENU: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: J, M, Z at Marcy Ave.
WEBSITE: www.velvetcigars.com
CITY SEARCH SAYS: The sweet smell of cigar smoke lures patrons down a desolate industrial stretch and into a sophisticated change of scenery. Amid deep burgundy hues, exposed brick walls and dark wood cases, gentlemanly aficionados and novices alike burn down the lounge's own line of hand-rolled and aged cigars, which are prominently displayed around the bar. Between conversations from plush velvet sofas and barstools, clients can also quaff bottled beers, wines and vintage ports.

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