image c/o Flickr

600 Metropolitan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.599.4440

Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Mon-Fri, 3pm-4am; Sat-Sun, 1pm-4am
Price: $
Subway: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: Free pizza when you buy a pint
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: No, but they have free pizza!
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.

NY Mag says:

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 3:30 a.m., 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 green pool table. A booming jukebox and Big Buck Hunter Pro game in back provide entertainment. A selection of 10 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.

Anchorred Inn

57 Waterbury Street
(between Meserole St & Scholes St)
Brooklyn, NY 11206
view map
347.881.9095

Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$
Subway: L Train to Montrose
Hours: Mon–Fri 1pm–4am; Sat, Sun noon–4am
Food and Drink Menu: Click Here (pdf)
Booze: Full bar
Website: www.theanchoredinn.com
NY Post says:

The new watering hole signals comfort after a long day or night for the world-weary rockers and other tattooed, skinny-jeanswearing locals who people the bar, which mashes up a maritime theme with a dive bar vibe.

Co-owners Adrienne Dowd and Carmen Mello dreamed up the nauticaldive fusion while working together as bartenders at The Half King, and opened the doors to their Brooklyn joint in February. A golden mermaid and a wood sign emblazoned with an ornate anchor and the bar’s old-timey logo (which Dowd, who’s an artist, created) mark the entrance. Inside, Mello’s collection of kitschy velvet paintings lines the walls, and true to the bar’s seafaring focus, one depicting a whale and a giant squid in a oceanic death match hangs over the bar, while a vintage deep-sea diving suit suspended from the ceiling hovers nearby. Cushioned red vinyl booths, salvaged from a pizza parlor Dowd frequented in her youth, offer spots to kick back and enjoy the suds and tipples on hand.

On a recent night, the beer selection was ample and reasonably priced enough to meet the needs of those with only a little cash to spare as well as those with money to burn, and happy hour brought a $1 discount for all drafts. Six taps rotate seasonally, and recent drafts included a standard low-priced lager, Yuengling ($4) and craft brews from local breweries, such as Sixpoint’s Brownstone ($6) and Bluepoint’s Toasted Lager ($6), as well as some further afield, including Left Hand Milk Stout ($6) from Colorado. The cans and bottles covered a wide range, from the ever-popular, low-budget drink of the effortlessly cool, Pabst Blue Ribbon in a can ($3), to the bottled microbrew Dreamweaver Wheat ($7) from Tregs Brewery in Pennsylvania.

The Anchored Inn’s cocktail list steered away from the oceangoing theme and into the realm of divey rock ‘n’ roll with a menu of drinks inspired by the local bands that tend to make up the majority of The Anchored Inn’s crowd. The Mutante Supremo ($9), named after the death metal band Mutant Supremacy, was a Tecate Michelada with a shot of chipotleinfused mezcal, and The Bad Dream ($7), created in honor of the grime metal band Bad Dream, mixed stout with Stoli Vanil. Simpler well cocktails go for $6, and several fine liquors, including Woodford Reserve bourbon ($9), Whistlepig Rye whiskey ($10) and Ron Zacapa rum ($9) were available. And cheap shot possibilities abounded. Any canned beer paired with any well shot costs $5, and the ubiquitous pickle back shot, with well whiskey and pickle juice, was also a mere $5.

But despite all its welcoming qualities, The Anchored Inn’s intense noise level sometimes made it hard to relax. On a recent night, the sound of the hardcore band playing at The Acheron next door was so loud that The Anchored Inn’s bartender had to blast the Black Sabbath blaring from the bar’s speakers just to make it audible above the din.

TimeOut says:

Adrienne Dowd and Carmen Mello, longtime bartenders at the Half King, break out on their own with a nautically themed drinkery in Williamsburg. The bar features a golden mermaid bust outside and a hanging Russian metal diving suit indoors, plus 20 black-velvet paintings, including a squid-versus-whale rendering. Tip back one of six draft beers (Left Hand Milk Stout, Sixpoint Sweet Action) or opt for a sipping liquor (Woodford Reserve bourbon, Flor de Cana rum). Overboard boozers can counteract the night’s tippling with salty bar snacks, including nachos, boiled peanuts and an intriguing combo of pickles with whipped pork fat.

Bushwick Country Club

618 Grand St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.388.2114

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-4am; Sat-Sun 4pm-4am
Subway: L Train to Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Daily until 8pm buy one, get one free on pitchers. Pitchers of beer, from PBR to Red Tail, run $15 to $17.
We say:

A beautiful addition to the new Grand Avenue bar scene. The restored oak bar will make you feel like you should wear a smoking jacket. The tiny makeshift miniature golf course in the backyard will make you wish you had worn your Seersucker. Several beers are on tap and a full liquor bar is available. Definitely worth a visit.

Citysearch says:

Bushwick Country Club ups the ante on Grand Street’s burgeoning bar scene. A mellow neighborhood crowd mixes in the kitschy bar, with shabby chandeliers, a photo booth and ironically hip action figures and pop culture lunchboxes. In the back yard, pickup games of mini-golf are played for free on a DIY course, with obstacles such as a windmill made of flattened PBR cans and a rudimentary hobo mannequin. BCC carries a range of lowbrow and high-quality beers, wines, bourbons and tequilas guaranteed to improve the putt. Try Delirium: a full-bodied Belgian beer with nine percent alcohol by volume, available for only $6, a relative bargain. Members of the Country Club get that fuzzy feeling of fitting in, with additional perks such as special discounts. The jukebox keeps it all going with everything from Men Without Hats to the Descendants.

Cy Lounge

216 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.0100

Rating: ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Mon-Thu 4pm-4am; Fri-Sun, 2pm-4am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Daily 2pm-9pm: $2 PBRs; $5 shot-and-beer specials; $5 margaritas; varying other drink specials
NY Mag says:

Like a homesteader who finally landed a house on Main Street, the owner of Williamsburg’s almost impossibly out-of-the way dive Rockstar Bar has set up a second joint just two blocks from the Bedford Avenue subway stop. Given the prime location, you’d think that this cozy, red-and-brown candy-striped room would teem with the young and fashionable. But Cyn, like its predecessor Rain Lounge, is a chasm in the middle of the swirling hipness that surrounds. Aside from the replacement of the former tenant’s hip-hop soundtrack with an internet jukebox and DJ’s spinning rock, little has changed. Amidst the dim red lighting and the modest crowds, you come here not because you want to join the see-and-be-seen carnival outside, but because you want to escape it with a $2 Pabst in the spacious back garden.

Shecky’s says:

It’s not easy being the new kid on the block, but then again, if the new kid wore striped pants in a sea of plaid, it might be more difficult to fit in. Cyn Lounge, formerly Rain Lounge and now owned by the same guy who owns Rock Star Bar under the Billyburg Bridge, isn’t as cool as its über-trendy Bedford neighbors, but there is charm in going against the grain. Gone is the hip-hop image, or anything with the word hip, really. Inside, there’s a DJ spinning in the middle of a low-key, drama-free crowd. During happy hour (2pm-9pm), grab a $2 PBR or $5 margarita, pull up a plastic lawn chair and head for the spacious back patio, where keeping it “real” means snuggling under red paper lanterns.

Duckduck

161 Montrose Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11206
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No Phone

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-4am; Sat 5pm-4am; Sun 5pm-2am
Subway: L to Montrose Ave., J,M to Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5 pm- 8 pm: $1 off bar; 2-for-1 Rolling Rock; 2-for-1 well drinks
Metromix says:

Though it resembles a garage sale, don’t look for any price tags on the mismatched, second-hand chairs and couches at this off-the-beaten-path East Williamsburg destination, where locals are drawn in by cheap shot-and-beer combos (and which was a former garage, incedentially). The namesake waterfowl—in rubber ducky, wooden mallard, stuffed and hand-drawn varieties—litter shelves behind the small bar, while a stairwell that ends halfway from the ceiling to the floor and other works from local artists add to the colorful vibe. DJs and occasional live bands lay down the soundtrack to a cast of regulars in attendance.

Metromix says:

Safely east of the Williamsburg bar scene circus, this local dive features $2 beers and a lack of attitude.

Duff's

168 Marcy Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.599.2092

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Daily 6pm-4am
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Food/Menu: No food available (except for free hot dogs from time to time)
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Daily 6pm-9pm: $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon
NY Mag says:

When the Misfits sang about a “hybrid moment,” they might have been referring to the perfect combination of Bellevue Bar’s seedy Hell’s Kitchen ambiance and Williamsburg’s gritty waterfront that has resulted in the birth of Duff’s. Bellevue Bar was a dirty, red-lit den with pin-up murals and dusty horror artifacts sharing shelf space with the bottles. Owner Jimmy Duff has moved his collection of baby skulls and taxidermy, along with his staff of inebriation specialists, to a former check cashing store on the other side of the river. He’s also added a nice big patio with built-in grill, and kept the metal-heavy jukebox and cheap drink specials that made Bellevue a dive cum laude. Patron hygiene ranges from “fashionably unkempt” to “possibly homeless”–yet another sign that Jimmy Duff hasn’t left Port Authority too far behind–but the bar and its bathroom are surprisingly clean. And though Bellevue regular Dancing Dominick won’t be frequenting the new space (he passed away after a full life of shimmying for drinks), he won’t be forgotten: A cut-out photo of his manic grin adorns CDs in the jukebox. Look out for free hot dogs in warmer weather when Duff’s occasionally fires up their outdoor grill.

CitySearch Says

Remember that kid you used to know in high school–the one who liked hard rock–who plastered his bedroom with whatever he picked up off the street? Well, he’s opened a bar in Williamsburg and covered every inch of the space (including the ceiling) with street signs, random posters, an Elvis bust, disembodied doll heads, red lights, a Gorilla suit and pin-up shots. Longtime fans of Bellevue Bar in Hell’s Kitchen may recognize the memorabilia; distinctive owner Jimmy Duff packed his stuff out of that space and into this one. In warm weather, the patio promises to be a raucous ode to cheap beer, crop tops and egregious facial hair. But you can find that inside, too. A laundry list of beer from Coors in a can to Guinness in a glass is served ice-cold, but it seems very wrong not to order a shot of whiskey on the side.

East River Bar

97 South 6th Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.302.0511

Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Sun-Thurs 5pm-3am; Fri-Sat 5pm-4am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave
Food/Menu: Bring Your Own BBQ
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri, 5pm-8pm: $3 drafts and well drinks
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.

Citysearch says:

At this lofty former after-hours spot, red-painted brick walls, poured concrete floors and a custom Western-themed stained-glass mirror define the space, adding a soulful, personal touch without appearing to try too hard. The laid-back crowd gravitates to the elevated pool table and neat pairing of couches in the rear, kicking back outside when the weather permits. On sunny weekends, groups of neighbors spill into the lively patio, which is decked out with garden furniture, canopies and free-for-all grills–just bring your own meat. Among the eight beers on tap are a rich Hacker-Pschorr wheat beer and a well-priced, fruity Flying Dog, which add extra zest to the barbecue spirit. For dessert, the bartender can pour you a homemade shot, like the Caramel Apple with apple and butterscotch schnapps.

Full Circle

318 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
view map
347.725.4588

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Fri, 3pm-4am; Sat-Sun, 1pm-4am
Subway: L to Lorimer St.; J,M,Z, to Marcy Ave.
Food/Menu: Bar Snacks
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Mon-Thurs 4pm-9pm;Fri-Sun 2pm-9pm $3 Full Circle Wheat $3 BREWmosa, $4 Well Drinks, $4 Moo Thunder, $4 Pork Slap,$4 Snapperhead IPA, $4 Whiskee Fizz, $4 Arnold Palmer, $4 BROTY Mary
Metromix says:

The “National Home of Brewskee Ball” is home to all sorts of Skee-Ball league tournaments, game nights, special events and other beer- and game-related parties—and it serves Coney Island hot dogs and hand-twisted pretzels, too. But wait—what is Brewskee Ball? We’re sure you can guess, but just in case: “Brewskee-Ball is the first-ever competitive Skee-Ball league, and Full Circle Bar is its national home.” Just like we thought. Game on!

NY Mag says:

They take their Skee-ball seriously at this South Williamsburg mecca of cheap beer. A Skee-ball machine greets you in the tiny front room, while the back boasts a proper game room stocked with … more Skee-ball! For die hard players, the bar hosts a semi-competitive league – known as Brewskeeball – that meets on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays. As for the rest of the regulars, they come for the cozy atmosphere and prices that are uber-friendly: $5 will get you a can of Moo Thunder or Dale’s Pale Ale, Genny Cream Ale is $3, and Stella and Sweet Action on tap are $6. Cans are the name of the game — the bar carries over 15 canned beers, from Golden Pheasant to Pork Slap. One of the best deals is the $4 Ginny Dog (a Genesee cream ale and a decent hot dog) or the $6 10th Ball (a cream ale and a shot of well whiskey). Weekday crowds are mostly locals, while the weekends see some spillover from The Lodge next door.

c/o NY Mag

225 N 8th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.388.3088

Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Daily 4pm-4am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave or Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Daily 4pm-9pm: $1 off well drinks and draft beer
NY Mag says:

The initials stand for Krystyna and Margaret who made pierogis here before two musicians, Merle Chornuk and Daddo Bogich, acquired the plant. Now walls of Art Deco tin, honeycomb-tiled floors, and retro fans reflect an approach to restoration that’s in keeping with nearby Royal Oak, Daddy’s, and Sweet Ups. What’s novel here isn’t the impeccable period detailing but the beer selection: German Wurtzberger usurps the ubiquitous Stella; Milwaukee’s Best subs in for PBR. On draft, you’ll find brews like La Chouffe, a spicy, citrusy blonde from Brussels while Dale’s Pale Ale asserts its claim as the discerning palate’s canned beer. Bottles of Perla and Tyskie may nod to the old nabe, but in lieu of Polish day laborers parked on the leather bar stools, at the Formica tables or in the tufted leather booths, locals better acquainted with Pieroggi 2000 than the former tenants are lured by a location that’s far enough from the subway to discourage weekend warriors and a soundtrack of obscure indie bands that, like the beer and bourbon selections, yields pleasant discoveries.

The Village Voice says:

I love this bar, because there always seems to be about eight women per every guy,” said a man sitting on a barstool at K&M in Williamsburg. If this supposed disparity of the sexes really exists, we’re not sure. We were too distracted by this former pierogi plant’s tin ceiling, which is embossed with a sleek, art deco pattern, and its decorative white candles, which stretch film noir shadows across sea-green walls, to do a head count. Open windows facing North 7th and Roebling streets make for ample people-watching as well. We lucked out on catching an a capella version of Melissa Etheridge’s “Come to My Window” by a group of slaphappy passersby, while the DJ played ’60s soul indoors. Lounge in the black-leather booths with puffy, button tufts or hang out at the bar and sip on a not-too-bitter Würzburger German pilsner ($5). The rest of the impressive beer menu is an extensive United Nations–lineup of choices from Japan (Hitachino White Ale, $7) Italy (Tapetto Valente lager, $5) and Poland (Tyskie and Lomza, $5 each) among and obscure Belgian and French drafts that would send brew buffs straight to heaven. Whether you’re going with hopes of gaggles of girls or to try an unusual pint, K&M is a neighborhood breath of fresh air among overcrowded weekend spots.

c/o Flickr

286 Seigel St
Brooklyn, NY 11206
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718.418.8823

Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Daily 4pm-4am
Subway: L to Morgan Ave.
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Daily 4pm-8pm: $3 drafts and $5 Buds with shot of Jack Daniels
The Village Voice says:

Best Bar In Brooklyn For Great Whisk(e)ys At Reasonable Prices – Kings County
Tourists: They are the bane of New Yorkers’ existence, clogging the sidewalks and subways, babbling at top volume about some Broadway behemoth no true city dweller (native or longtime transplant) would ever want to see. But not all visitors to our fair island are so oblivious to what makes New York truly fab. Recently a music industry pal visiting from London wanted to meet up in a “real New York bar” as he’d grown weary of the usual Manhattan hipster showplaces. So I took him to Kings County, the pride of bright young Bushwick. Tucked away behind a door of artfully rusted metal, this tiny, gorgeous neighborhood bar offers a connoisseur’s selection of Scotch and Irish imports, high-end domestic bourbons ($5- $7 a shot), as well as a great selection of beers (Chimay Blue, Bud, and Guinness). Add to this a tasty mixed crowd of attractive locals, a respectable jukebox, and Chops–the tattooed and bewhiskered biker-esque artist-proprietor who designed and built his bar as an oasis of love and culture in the post-industrial wasteland of East Nowhere—and you’re home free.

NY Mag says:

Aside from the crown that was forged from a sheet of iron then pegged onto the heavy door, there’s nothing regal about this whisky bar, although the sturdy stools and the thick wood tables do lend the former welding studio, now painted black, a bit of the feel of a medieval tavern. Like the bar, the furniture was built by the owner himself: His DIY aesthetic is also seen in the T-shirts and haircuts of the patrons, who tend to cluster in the brick-lined smoking alley out back rather than navigate the tight quarters where subtly ironic MFA art hangs asymmetrically on the walls. As the iPod behind the bar blasts the latest anthem of alienation and the bourbon flows generously, an unspoken agreement looms: Better to be out here, where the buildings may be ugly but the people are young and beautiful, than in any of those celebrated Manhasbeen nightlife strips.