Williamsburg Brooklyn Bar Guide

* The Abbey

536 Driggs Ave. (between N. 7th & N. 8th)
PHONE: 718.599.4400
HOURS: Daily, 3pm-4am
CARDS: Cash Only
GAMES: Pool, Big Buckhunter 2, Ms. Pacman, MegaTouch
HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri, 3pm-8pm; $1 off all drafts; 2-for-1 bottled beer and house drinks; $4 wine
Sun, 3pm-8pm; $3 Stella; $8 Guiness plus shot of Jameson
Sat, 3pm-8pm; 2-for-1 Yuengling and Budwiser
DIRECTIONS: Exit the back of the train at Bedford Avenue. Make a left on Driggs, The Abbey is on your left.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Ave
POTTY GIRL BATHROOM REPORT: Click here
WE SAY: A non-touristy staple. It has a maroon pool table, a pinball machine, and a an occasionally used DJ's booth populate the back. It is a largish space, and the air conditioning rocks in the summer. Beers start at $4 or so and the bartenders are always competent and often quite friendly. Small but solid tap selection (Guinness, Brooklyn Beers, etc.) and in general, no b.s. or hassles. Definitely worth visiting and the growing gay scene at The Abbey makes this bar even more appealing whether you are straight, gay, or undecided. Plus the jukebox will pleases fans of early 90's indie.

]]> From NYMag: Aside from the stained glass windows and wooden pews turned booths, it's kind of hard to compare The Abbey to a church. The long, narrow room has been used as a bar since 1937, and it shows: everything seems to be coated in a thin film of beer, including the staff. And there’s nothing cloistered about the hard-drinking clientele—unless, of course, they’re all secretly novitiates of some boozy secret sect, one that worships pinball and free popcorn. Unlike more traditional religious orders, the Abbey attracts and welcomes devotees of all ages, races, genders and sexualities. The weeknight boy-crowd that used to hang out exclusively here now divides its allegiance between more recent additions to the gay scene, but thug-chic lesbians have picked up some of the slack. Sundays are still the gayest night to go.

From City Search:
"Step in and you feel like you've entered a tunnel, with the wooden bar that runs 30 feet back, through a wall partition and into the spacious back room. As in a casino, it's difficult to keep track of the time, with the only outside light coming from a small window up front, and numerous diversions including a TV (sometimes showing Japanese anime), two pinball machines, a pool table and jukebox.
The Abbey has a solid selection of liquor and seven beers on tap, which are a buck off during happy hour (Monday through Friday, 3pm to 8pm). The clientele ranges from edgy hipsters to Hasidic men and blue-collar townies, the latter of whom pile in Monday nights for the pool tournament. Be sure to visit the bathrooms, as they're wallpapered with the visages of Leif Garrett and other teenybopper stars from the '70s. "

From Village Voice "The red lights give the Abbey a goth feel, until you see the deer hunter game, throwing counter-culture out the window. When DJs occupy the booth, the music varies from Brit pop to rock, and the jukebox caters to those who peaked during the early '90s while worshipping indie rock. The area around the pool table is often packed, so unless you arrive early, don't even think about it."

From NY Times:

"Seeking a cozy cloister on a chilly night? Take refuge in the monastic intimacy of The Abbey. Exposed brick and a red felt pool table exude warmth, while torch-like wall candles dripping big blobs of wax enhance the medieval feel. Spiffy local art adorns the walls of this space that has housed a bar since the 1930's. Within, talkative, dressed-down 20-somethings cluster in booths, perch on stools, and circle the pinball machine. The DJ turntable is used only on special occasions, but the jukebox features a pleasingly eclectic mix. The Abbey had its inauspicious opening in October 1997, when some young toughs crashed it. But as the story goes, the local mob quickly (read bodily) fought back and The Abbey hasn't looked back since."

* Alligator Lounge

image c/o Flickr

600 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211 (near Lorimer St.)
PHONE: 718.599.4440
HOURS: Mon-Fri, 3pm-4am; Sat-Sun, 1pm-4am
CARDS: Cash Only
GAMES: Pool, Ms. Pacman, Buckhunter 2
SPECIAL EVENTS: Thurs. Karaoke, 10:00 – 3:00AM
Tues. Open Mike Comedy, 9:30PM
HAPPY HOUR: buy a drink and get a free brick oven pizza (all night)
DIRECTIONS: Exit the front of the train at Lorimer and exit. Walk one block away from the BQE on Metropolitan and Alligator Lounge will be on your right.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.
WEBSITE: http://www.alligatorlounge.com
WE SAY: The dive meets frat boy decor is nothing to write home about, but the free brick over pizza (which is actually REALLY good) makes it hard to pass up.

]]> From City Search
"Pink flamingoes and swimsuit-clad mannequins jut from the walls at this pizzeria-cabana club-sports bar. Either the Alligator Lounge's identity crisis is expanding its clientele, or word has gotten out about the complimentary brick-oven pizza with every drink. Free food is the great equalizer for a friendly mixed crew of artists in paint-stained overalls, local ladies shrink-wrapped in tube tops and tight jeans, and neighborhood dads in baseball jackets. Though the pies are free, the toppings will cost you ($2 for the first, $1 for each additional), but the pepperoni and caramelized onions are hard to resist. Groups crowd into booths and wash down slices with well priced pitchers of Guinness and Stella or get more beer for their buck with pitchers of Rheingold. Regulars shoot pool and watch sports at the bar, and an easygoing rock jukebox--spanning from Steely Dan to the Shins--aids the digestive process."

From NYMetro Inside what was once the Galleria pizza place, this bar's turquoise walls, pink flamingoes and Romanesque details don't quite gel, yet one crucial feature remains intact: the arched, wood-burning oven. Because of the owners' sensational idea of serving free personal pizzas every night until 3:30am, this unremarkable joint has turned into a loveable hangout that's a great first or last barhop stop. Young and old Williamsburg folk congregate along the bar, in the maroon, open-angle vinyl booths, and around the red pool table. A booming rock 'n' roll jukebox and Big Buck Hunter II game in back provide entertainment. A selection of eight draft beers complements the delicious crisp-crust pies, which are on the house with every drink; toppings like pepperoni, caramelized onions and flavorful sweet sausage are available for an extra $2.-- Karen Hudes

* Art Land

609 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718.384.9802
HOURS: Daily 5pm-4am
CARDS: All Major
GAMES: Pool, Megatouch, Ms. Pacman
HAPPY HOUR: $1 off drinks
Sun-Thur: 5:00 – 9:00PM
Fri-Sat: 3:00 – 9:00PM
EVENTS: Click Here for shows, etc
DIRECTIONS: Walk east 3 blocks on Union Ave. (Kellog's Diner will be on your right). Take a left on Grand Avenue and walk a block. Art Land will be on your left.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Lorimer
MYSPACE: Click Here
WE SAY: We love this place. It's dark and out of the way. It has Ms Pacman and a nice pool table. And best of all, it has a real neighborhood bar vibe. Don't go, we want to keep it for ourselves.

]]> From City Search
"As rent rises in Williamsburg, local artists move eastward, and the cheap Pabst at Art Land gives them incentive to make ends meet around the 3rd L-train stop in Brooklyn. The neighborhood jet set of painters, DJs, folkies and jazz musicians provide the wall decor and nightly music, and the crowd changes with the entertainment. Comfy secondhand furniture pleases lounging bohemians and lawn chairs in the garden make smokers feel at home."

From New York Magazine
"Is Greenpoint's Enid's totally played out for you? Well, head out to the East Williamsburg/Bushwick border! You arrive and realize... Damn it! Yours is not the only Joan Jett shag on the block! But you know what cures that bitter sting? Liquor. Just don't assume that you'll be getting a discount for schlepping all the way out to the—gasp—third Brooklyn L train stop. You will, however, get a seat in the place. Besides, being an Art Land latecomer does have its advantages. If you were the first non-local here, you'd remember why they have a "no drug dealing" sign in the bathroom. The scruffy furniture and thrift store decor? True, that probably hasn't changed much.—Ken Miller "

Balanza

image c/o Flickr

426 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
between Ten Eyck and Stagg Sts.
PHONE: 718.302.5055
CARDS: Cash Only
GAMES: Pool
HAPPY HOUR: Sun, 6pm-2am; $1 off wine, beer, and well drinks
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.
NY MAG SAYS: In 2003, Jede Brahma (who also owns nearby Art Land) took over a struggling, almost exclusively Latino bar in a rapidly shifting neighborhood and transformed it into an amiably scruffy spot to bridge the gap between longtime residents and younger transplants. Named Balanza (Spanish for "balance"), the orange-bronze space hosts heavy metal battle-of-the-bands contests, djs and burlesque shows for half its clientele and pool league tournaments (the home team's trophies line one wall) and live Latin acts for the other. On a typical night, both sides come together to recline on beat-up couches or dangle bottles of Negra Modelo at the painted-mahogany bar. The jukebox is expansive (Marc Anthony and Lynyrd Skynyrd) while the low-priced Mexican beer reflects the idea that some tastes are universal.

* Barcade

c/o Flickr

388 Union Ave (Cross Street: Between Powers Street and Ainslie Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718.302.6464
HOURS: Mon-Sat 5pm-4am, Sun 5pm-2am
CARDS: MasterCard, Visa
GAMES: Dozens of vintage arcade games including Asteroids, Rampage, Moon Patrol, 1943, Tempest, Tapper,
Dig Dug, Donkey Kong, Gyruss, Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!, Rolling Thunder, Super Mario Bros, Crystal Castles,
Arkanoid, Out Run, Zaxxon, Smash, Gauntlet, Star Wars, Frogger, Tetris, Galaga, Ms. Pacman, Rock Field, Centipede, Berzerk, Rush 'N Attack
HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri, 5pm-8pm; $1 off tap beers, $1 off well drinks, $6 Fisherman's Brew and shot of Jim Bean
Mon-Thu, 2:30am-3:30am; $1 off tap beers, $1 off well drinks, $6 Fisherman's Brew and shot of Jim Bean
DIRECTIONS: Walk east 2 blocks on Union Ave. (Kellog's Diner will be on your right). Barcade will be on your left.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Lorimer; G at Metropolitan
WEBSITE:: www.barcadebrooklyn.com
MYSPACE: Click Here
WE SAY: A fabulous bar with tons of classic arcade games like Moon Patrol, Centipede, Frogger, and Donkey Kong,and Zaxxon. Plus, there are a dozen beers on tap and its spacious. Barcade rules.

]]> From NYMag
Some people's idea of a romantic nightspot involves candles, slow jams, and a heart-shaped box of candy. But for girls on the hunt for that elusive small-torsoed, tight-jeaned, floppy-haired species known as the Emoboyis Williamsburgus, there's no better pick-up spot than Barcade. Here, finding and chatting up prime specimens is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel--or, more accurately, as easy as shooting aliens in Moon Patrol, one of almost thirty vintage arcade games that give Barcade its name. The airy, loft-like space never feels crowded, and there’s plenty of room to sit and watch Union Avenue’s finest compete for high scores of all varieties. Most importantly, the rotating list of more than 20 microbrews includes many local beers on tap. The heavyweight ones, with names like Sixpoint Diesel and higher-than-usual alcohol contents, may be just what’s needed to seal the deal with that dude in the faded Smiths T-shirt--or to sabotage your opponent at two-player Tetris.

From CitySearch
The Scene: This industrial-sized drinking and gaming space hides on Williamsburg's still-sleepy Union Avenue. A large bar keeps more than 20 taps running, but the attraction here is the wide selection of '80s-era video games, like Asteroids, Frogger and Donkey Kong. Slim wooden counters between the games provide a place to stash your pint.

The Draw: Lest the set-up be too reminiscent of a friend's 8th birthday party, a heavy '90s alt-rock soundtrack conjures memories of high school, and the extensive beer list is comfortably grown-up. An ever-changing giant chalkboard over the bar lists the varieties, and photocopied menus detail each brew. For those with a competitive streak, a smaller blackboard on the opposite wall lists high scores. Plus, the abundance of beer and video games skews the boy-to-girl ratio. It can be a great place to meet guys--if they can be distracted from Ms. Pac-Man.

* Beauty Bar Brooklyn

image via

921 Broadway, Brooklyn NY 11206, near Melrose Street
PHONE: 347.529.0370
HAPPY HOUR: Martini and Manicure Happy Hour ($10) is offered Wed-Fri 7-11PM and Sat 9-12.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: J, M, Z at Myrtle Ave.
NY MAG SAYS: In order to build his seventh location including outposts in L.A., Vegas, and Austin, owner Paul Devitt acquired the fixtures of a Lancaster, Pennsylvania, beauty salon for $1,500 (including the crucial dryer chairs) and hauled them back here, along with some finds from a local flea market. Devitt describes the feel of this larger space (about 1,500 square feet compared to 900 square feet in the East Village) as "more seventies soul, Super Fly." The prices, funny enough, are more in line with the 1996 ones at Beauty Bar’s original location (think $3 to $5 beers, $5 to $7 mixed drinks), and another difference is that “retro finger foods” such as pigs in a blanket are served. Also: Manicures start at 6 p.m.

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Beco

images via

CUISINE: Brazilian
LOCATION: 45 Richardson Street Brooklyn NY 11211
PHONE: 718.599.1645
CARDS: All major
HOURS: Tue-Thurs 5:30pm-12am, Fri 3pm-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-11pm. Brunch Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. Closed Mondays.
BOOZE: Full bar
MENU: www.becobar.com/menu.htm
BRUNCH: Yes
DELIVERY: No
WEB: www.becobar.com/
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Lorimer or Bedford
NY MAG SAYS: Williamsburg's Beco has flown pretty much under the radar during the month it's been open—maybe because it's located in a sort of Williamsburg-Greenpoint netherland, but also because the owners wanted to keep the place a neighborhood secret while getting it off the ground. Rather than a full-blown restaurant like Miss Favela, David Giddings says he and his partners envisioned it as a modest São Paolo boteco, where you can laze about while popping made-to-order pão de queijo and sip cocktails made with fresh passion fruit and pressed sugar cane. As Giddings describes it, the décor harks back to the days of Pele, and "doesn't scream 'Brazil' in your face, but it's more like what a boteco is—a real hangout." Starting next week, you'll be able to hang there during a brunch that will include açaí and granola, omelettes, bife a cavalo (Brazilians refer to their steak and eggs as "steak on horseback"), and a feijoada that's prepared over the course of two days by a Carioca chef, Casia Steinberg (Fabiane Lima, the Brazilian owner of Fabiane's, also consulted on the menu).

* Bembe

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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photo care of velocityweekly.com

From Village Voice:
"A refreshing break from the lily-white Williamsburg hipster scene, this cozy brick-walled lounge is a relaxing place to enjoy sweet island-flavored drinks early in the evening. But Bembe heats up as the night goes on, with DJs spinning multicultural beats, often accompanied by hand percussionists as the sexiest people you'll ever see rub up against each other."

From Paper
"Even with new multimillion-dollar lofts, the southwestern edge of Williamsburg is still pretty far from paradise. This Afro-Cuban lounge has few windows, which allows little of the external world to disrupt the Brazilian fantasy inside. Everything here is authentic, from the bamboo tables and wood-planked floor to fresh cocktails. You can snag a spot on the hammocks — though trying to mount them can prove dangerous after a few glasses of rum punch. Official closing time is 4 a.m., but crowds have been known to keep the party going all night."

From City Search:
"Island soul infuses this earthy spot for live drumming and drinks. This two-level South Williamsburg lounge has the rustic air of an out-of-the-way Caribbean dance hall. Talented nightly DJs, often joined by live percussionists, spin Brazilian, Afro-Latin funk, rock and reggae tracks that saturate both floors through an excellent sound system. The main room is furnished with a long, cushioned banquette, woven-straw chairs and a festive hammock; exposed brick and richly crafted wood walls hold Cuban photos as well as nooks for candles, incense and instruments. Coasting on vibrant tunes, a lively, sociable crowd mingles at the bar and spills into the large, poured-concrete rec room below. Guava margaritas, potent rum punch and dessert-like capetas (with fresh coconut milk, sweet condensed cream or honey, fresh coconut meat, coconut rum and fragrant guarana powder) keep the buzz going strong."

* Berry Park

image c/o Brownstoner

ADDRESS: 4 Berry Street, Brooklyn NY 11211 (corner N. 14th)
PHONE: 718.782.2829
CARDS: Cash Only
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Ave, G Train to Nassau
OTHER: Has a 3,000 squarefoot roofdeck with a bar, sports bar
TIME OUT SAYS: Williamsburg welcomes its latest beer hall, a bi-level behemoth with a 3,500-square-foot ground floor and a roof deck almost as large. Brooklyn boosters may be disappointed to find that the 15 taps are dedicated to imports (mostly German and Belgian drafts). Other amenities that might make up for it: a 13-foot-wide screen dedicated to soccer, Manhattan (and McCarren Park) views and a forthcoming beer-friendly food menu.

]]> Metromix says

The sharp-looking bi-level beer bar and beer garden provides a much-needed alfresco (and unfresco? how do you say indoors in Italian?) drinking cavern for beer-loving Williamsburgers. The downstairs section houses a smattering of picnic tables, a stage and a bar stocked with European brews, while the spacious rooftop garden offers umbrella-ed tables and benches, as well as a secondary bar (also umbrella-ed), providing lovely views of Bedford Park and the city. Maybe start with a round on the roof before heading to The Gutter for gaming?

Bodega

image c/o BrooklynVegan

ADDRESS: 1089 Broadway, Williamsburg Brooklyn
CALENDAR: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: JMZ to Myrtle
WEBSITE: www.chiefbodega.com/
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/bodegabk
WE SAY: New bars and venues open constantly in this neighborhood--it almost feels like the community board consists of a solitary robot with a giant rubber "Approved" stamp for liquor license applications. To which I say "Huzzah!" because papa needs his sweet, sweet booze. Anyway, today we take a look at a new music venue in Bushwick called Bodega (1089 Broadway), which is run by those hip souls over at Chiefmag. The space holds 300 people and used to be an actual bodega--one which used to sell crack I am told, which goes great with beef patties and Boar's Head turkey sandwiches. Most bands they host are of the Todd P variety, including Japanther, The Death Set, Ninjasonik, etc. Shows are usually in the $5-$6 range, perfect for the club's young, eight-people-to-a-loft crowd. [review by Keith Wagstaff]

* Boulevard Tavern

579 Meeker Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
between N. Henry St. and Monitor Ave.
PHONE: 718.389.3252
HOURS: Daily, 3:30pm-4am
CARDS: Discover, MasterCard, Visa
GAMES: pool
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: G to Nassau Ave.
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/boulevardtavern
NY MAG SAYS: Despite the fresh paint and free wi-fi, this pub is in truth a Greenpoint relic. Opened in 1928, the bar weathered most of the last century as J & D's before giving up the ghosts (more than one owner has died on the premises) just after the new millennium. A few years later, the owners of East Village bohemian bar Raven pried off the boards to find a diamond in the rough: To the original high tin ceilings and extra-long, dark wood bar, they've added high-backed wooden booths, a pool table, a jukebox and a majestic 12-beer tap that makes it clear that—neon signs and reasonable prices notwithstanding—this is not a dive. When rock bands aren't throwing after-parties, bemused retirees who still call the joint by its former name make neighborly conversation with the latest 24-year-old graphic designer who thinks he knows better. The bar's owner, Harold David Kramer, is himself a slice of NYC history, since he's the grandson of the owners of the Thunderbolt, the beloved, vine-covered Coney Island rollercoaster that was torn down in 2000.

* Bridge Vineyards Urban Winery

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.

]]> FROM NYMAG: Partners Greg Sandor and Paul Wegimont named their seven-year-old Cutchogue winery Bridge Vineyards, and that name has become particularly apt. “We want to bridge the distance between city and winery,” says Sandor, who collaborates with Long Island legend Eric Fry on Bridge’s estate-grown Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Riesling. Those varietals, along with a line of table wines called Brooklyn Red, White, and Rosé, are available to taste and to purchase at a satellite tasting room in the Brooklyn shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge. Their farm-winery license allows them to sell and pour only New York State wines, including, besides their own, a Hudson Valley Pinot Noir and a Finger Lakes Riesling. The partners will start pairing finger foods like stromboli and panini with $5 tastes of wine, and selling locally produced groceries like Long Island goat cheese and Sang Lee Farms salads. By next fall, just in time for the 2008 harvest, the space will function as a bona fide “urban winery,” with clients doing their own barrel sampling and small-batch blending.

* Brooklyn Ale House

image c/o flickr

103 Berry St. (between N. 7th & N. 8th
PHONE: 718.302.9811
HOURS: Mon-Fri, 3pm-4am; Sat-Sun, noon-4am
CARDS: All Major
GAMES: Pool, Darts
HAPPY HOUR: Mon-Fri, 3pm-9pm; $2 domestic bottled beer, $4 imported bottled beer, $3 well drinks, $4 20oz drafts
EVENTS: click here
DIRECTIONS: Walk on north Bedford Ave. to North 8th Street. Take a left on North 8th and walk another
block. Brooklyn Ale House is on the left corner.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Ave.
WEBSITE:: Click Here
MYSPACE: click here
WE SAY: One of our favorite Bedford-stop bars. Brooklyn Ale House is completely lacking in pretense and attracts a surprisingly hipster-free and tourist-free crowd. The beer selection is great and the vibe reminds us of the neighborhood circa 1995. Dog lovers especially like Brooklyn Ale House since the bar is dog-friendly.

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From New York Magazine:
"Yes, the name is generic, almost to the point of complete mental irretrievability. And, being a jukebox-with-billiards spot in Williamsburg, it faces fierce local competition: The Sweetwater siphons the punks, the Abbey the mods; Mug's has greater beer variety, plus food and televised sports. So what nevertheless makes B.A.H. the Northside's choice watering hole? One word: acoustics. You can talk here. You can speak low and still make yourself heard over the Pixies or the Stones. And since it happens to be a favorite of both dog owners and motorcycle owners, it's the best place in town to spot a dog on a motorcycle. And that's pretty cool, right? -Matt Kelly"

From City Guide:
When this small bar opened across from Teddy's you could see the immediate depletion of the regular Teddy's stock. No TV, much dimmer lighting and one long jutting, rustic bench seat with its twin tables make for more intimate conversations -- and more focused sight lines each time the door opens. Teddy's still serves its purpose and has survived just fine, but the Ale House has carved out a niche with a late-20s crowd more interested in the big drunken talk than the big drunken game. While the early influx of models has mostly left the Ale House for Black Betty, the dogs scurrying through your legs, the handsome men brooding over beers, and the diva women intoxicating themselves and others, all remain loyal to their new house of ale repute.

* Brooklyn Bowl

(Bowling Alley with food by Blue Ribbon)
LOCATION: 61 Wythe Ave Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718-963-3369
CARDS: All Major
HOURS: Monday - Thursday 6pm-2am, Friday 6pm-4am, Saturday 12pm-4am, Sunday 12pm-2am
Family Day is SATURDAY! NOON -6pm is ALL AGES!
BOOZE: Full Bar
CUISINE: American/Southern
MENU: Click Here
DELIVERY: No
MAP: Click Here
WEBSITE: http://www.brooklynbowl.com
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford
WE SAY: A stunning sprawling space, albeit pricey.

* Brooklyn Brewery

79 North 11th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (between Wythe & Berry)
PHONE: 718.486.7422
HOURS: Fri, 6pm-11pm; Sat, noon-5pm
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
HAPPY HOUR: Fri, 6pm-11pm; $3 beers
EVENTS: Tours every Saturday from 12-5pm on the hour. For more events Click Here.
DIRECTIONS: From Bedford L Train, walk north on Bedford Avenue four blocks and
take a left on North 11th Street. Walk a block and a half. Brooklyn Brewery will be on your right between Berry and
Wythe Avenues.
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford Avenue
WEBSITE:: www.brooklynbrewery.com
CITY SEARCH SAYS: In a neighborhood that once housed a pre-Prohibition "Brewers Row," this big-name beer company founded in 1987 does right by its craft and community. Friday nights, the brewery opens up its 300-seat tasting room for happy hour, pouring Brooklyn Lager, Pilsner and up to 10 other varieties, including such seasonal brews as Blanche De Brooklyn. On Saturday's free tours, visitors learn about the company, walk through the brewhouse and receive a free beer.

]]> From Village Voice
"It's Friday night. Rush home from work, grab the gang, and head to the Brooklyn Brewery, where you can take over a picnic table, guzzle fresh-brewed malt beverages, and order food from one of the numerous local Thai restaurants for delivery. For the really cheap bastards, take a Saturday afternoon tour and enjoy the free "tasting" afterwards."

From NY Mag: It seems like it should've been here for decades, but the now-famous Brooklyn Brewery has only been around since 1988, setting up shop in this ivy-colored, yellow-brick warehouse in 1996. The brewery opens its doors to the public on Friday nights, allowing visitors to imbibe surrounded by enormous vats of prized brews like Monster Ale and Brooklyn Brown. For hops aficionados, there are free hourly tours of the brewery on Saturdays between noon-5pm. In the spring, check out the brewery's annual Pigfest barbecue in the Tobacco Warehouse at Brooklyn Bridge Park