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.

c/o NY Mag

104 S. 4th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.237.7828

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Tue-Thu, Sun, 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat, 6pm-2am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Food/Menu: Tapas
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Tue-Thurs 6-pm buy one cocktail, get one free
NY Mag says:

Every so often, an establishment lands in a certain neighborhood like a flying saucer — and what Kurve was to the East Village, the tapas bar Bar Celona undoubtedly is to Williamsburg’s South Side. Cynthia Diaz, the 27-year-old owner, has worked with her mother (a designer) to turn a former glue factory into something vaguely akin to the meatpacking’s APT. What really shines here are the drinks by Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay of the Tippling Bros., who also put together the list at Mercadito Cantina. There are two commendable savory options: savory options: a “gazpacho” spiked with Akvavit, sherry, and yellow Chartreuse; and a Paellarhinha that contains cachaça and sherry, but tastes mostly like a fresh pepper thanks to red-pepper saffron syrup. Also interesting, if you don’t mind a bitter take on the old fashioned: a version of the drink made with grapefruit and non-aged whiskey (if you haven’t tried whiskey before it has been aged in the barrel, it’s as clear as white tequila and tastes vaguely like oyster).

Blackbook Mag says:

Owner and former fashionista Cynthia Diaz’s stylistic prowess informs unabashed, swanky décor. Crystal chandeliers, benches suspended from gold chains, animal print lounge chairs, glittery marble bar, and fireplace. Artisanal cocktails complement Spanish tapas with a Latin twist. Ideal spot to impress a first date or spice up a long-standing relationship. Ultra sexy drinks Muy Sucio, Missionary’s Position, and Murcielago sure to ignite fiery passion. Romance over delectables like shrimp al ajillo, braised oxtail, and mushroom and morcilla tostones.

Barcade

388 Union Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.302.6464

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-4am; Sat-Sun 2pm-4am
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full Bar
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 5pm-8pm & Fri-Sat 2pm-8pm ; $1 off tap beers, $1 off well drinks, $6 Fisherman’s Brew and shot of Jim Bean
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.

NY Mag says:

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.

Beauty Bar

921 Broadway
Brooklyn NY 11206
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347.529.0370

Rating: ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: 6pm-4am Daily
Subway: J,M,Z to Myrtle Ave.
Food/Menu: Small Bar Snacks
Booze: Full Bar
Happy Hour: Martini and Manicure Happy Hour ($10) is offered Wed-Fri 7pm-11PM & Sat 9-12.
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.

Metromix says:

The divey and much-loved booze-and-parties-and-manicures chain extends its family tree to Brooklyn, planting a Beauty Bar branch deep in the heart of Bushwick. Larger than its East Village sister, the Brooklyn branch has a ’70s vibe, plenty of beauty-parlor fixtures, super-low drink prices and lovable, old-school bar bites—as well as, duh, dirt-cheap manicures and martinis at happy hour (6-11 p.m., same as always).

Berry Park

4 Berry St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.782.2829

Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Mon-Thurs 5pm-2am; Fri 4pm-4am; Sat 12pm-4am; Sun 12pm-2am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave., G to Nassau Ave.
Food/Menu: Click Here
Booze: Full Bar
Happy Hour: Thu, 5pm-9pm; Win a coin flip with the bartender and get your drink for free.
Time Out New York 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?

c/o NY Mag

103 Berry St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.302.9811

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Fri 3pm-4am; Sat-Sun 12pm-4am
Subway: L Train to Bedford Ave
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: $5 Specialty Drafts, $4 Brooklyns $4 Imports, $3 Domestics & $4 Well Cocktails! Daily until 7pm, Wednesday Happy Hour All Night!
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.

NY Mag says:

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?

Brooklyn Brewery

79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.486.7422

Rating: ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Fri 6pm-11pm; Sat-Sun Noon-5pm
Subway: L Train to Bedford Ave
Food/Menu: Chips
Booze: Beer
Happy Hour: Fri 6pm-11pm; $3 beers
Citysearch 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.

The Village Voice says:

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.

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.

c/o NY Mag

264 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.387.9617

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Daily, 2pm-4am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave or Lorimer St., J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Food/Menu: No food available
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Daily, 2pm-8pm; $2 off liquor, wine and draft beer
NY Mag says:

At his day job as a sculptor, owner John Clement renders sinuous shapes in rough industrial materials, but the design touches in his railroad barroom are non-ostentatious: Just a few antlers and antique beer cans adorn the slate-grey walls. A possibly overly generous happy hour special encourages drinkers to be serious about their craft, which they practice at the sidewalk seats during the summer, at the people-watching-perfect window perches, or at the bar where unharried attendants custom cater drinks such as a peanut-butter and jelly shot (Stoli raspberry and Frangelico) and dole out beers from the esoteric and often-changing varieties on tap. Bargain-hunters choose sides between two long-running specials: The Patriot is a PBR can and a shot of Jim Beam while the Federale pairs Tecate with a Sauza shot.

Citysearch says:

Williamsburg has long been approaching its nightlife saturation point, but among its old pubs, sexy lounges and factory performance spaces, one type of bar was always missing: the handsome cocktail joint. Compact little Clem’s fills the niche and looks spruce with a copper-painted, pressed-tin ceiling, polished bar and corner picture windows. The room has yet to pull in a large following, but even a scattering of couples brings it alive. Cocktail standards (including a “Southside” Car) mix with house novelties such as the Yellow Boxer–smooth tequila brightened with Galliano, Rose’s lime juice, sugar and soda–and the Straight Story, which softens rye whiskey with sweet vermouth and bitters. The selection of eight beers on tap also offers surprises: the hearty Blue Point from Long Island and the subtle, lemon-wedged Weihenstephan (est. 1040 A.D.). The solid rock-and-roll bartender will let you sample a brew and gallantly tear open your bag of Utz Party Mix before serving.

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.