Monday, December 14, 2009

Top Brooklyn Bars, All Jumbled Up


The Village Voice's Sarah DiGregorio has put together a top-ten list of Brooklyn's best bars.

First of all, I need to state that I hate lists like this. They're essentially meaningless, utterly subjective and usually negate their rankings by pitting apples against oranges. But I feel compelled to comment. (That's why they put these damn things together, to get readers riled up, right?) First, old school dive bars like Smolen Bar and Grill, Sunny's, Montero's and Denny's shouldn't even be talked about in the same breath as egghead, artisinal cocktail and beer joints like Clover Club and Beer Table. They're not even in the same room. It's like saying the pyramids and the Flatiron Building are two of the best buildings. More specifically, I like Brooklyn Social, but it makes better cocktails that Clover Club, Weather Up, and Quarter? And Beer Table would be on anyone's short list.

Anyway, here's the crazy list.

10. Palace Cafe (206 Nassau Avenue, Greenpoint, 718-383-9848)
9. KeBeer Bar and Grill (1003 Brighton Beach Avenue, Brighton Beach, 718-934-9005)
8. Smolen Bar and Grill (708 Fifth Avenue, Greenwood Heights/Sunset Park, 718-788-9729)
7. Freddy's (485 Dean Street, Prospect Heights, 718-622-7035)
6. The Brooklyn Inn (148 Hoyt Street, Boerum Hill, 718-625-9741)
5. Tip Top Bar and Grill (432 Franklin Avenue, Bed-Stuy, 718-857-9744)
4. Sunny's Bar (253 Conover Street, Red Hook, 718-625-8211, open Wed., Fri., and Sat.)
3. Brooklyn Social (335 Smith Street, Carroll Gardens, 718-858-7758)
2. Montero's Bar and Grill (73 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn Heights, 718-624-9799)
1. Spuyten Duyvil (359 Metropolitan Avenue, Williamsburg, 718-963-4140)

Our 14 runners up, in rough order of preference:

Irish Haven (5721 Fourth Avenue, Sunset Park, 718-439-9893)
Clover Club (210 Smith Street, Carroll Gardens, 718-855-7939)
Denny's Steak Pub (106 Beverley Road, Kensington, 718-435-2156)
Ruby's Bar and Grill (1213 Boardwalk West, Coney Island, 718-372-9079)
Quarter (676 Fifth Avenue, Greenwood Heights/Sunset Park, 718-788-0989)
Weather Up (589 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights)
Beer Island (3070 Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island)
Barcade (388 Union Avenue, Williamsburg, 718-302-6464)
Botanica (220 Conover Street, Red Hook, 718-797-2297)
Franklin Park (618 Saint Johns Place, Crown Heights, 718-975-0196)
Union Pool (484 Union Avenue, Williamsburg, 718-609-0484)
Beer Table (427 Seventh Avenue, Park Slope, 718-965-1196)
Moonshine (317 Columbia Street, Red Hook, 718-852-8057)
Sycamore Bar (1118 Cortelyou Road, Ditmas Park, 347-240-5850)

3 comments:

Anthony said...

Just the name Spuyten Duyvil sounds like an awesome bar. I checked out their site and it definitely confirmed my suspicion, they play good music like Ben Harper and Fiest, and their beer selection looks outstanding to say the least. I can't wait to take a trip to Brooklyn.

Anonymous said...

Spuyten Duyvil is a great bar, and should be high on the list. I like Robet's list better though. Some other notable drinking establishments:

- d.b.a, Williamsburg
- Radegast Beer Hall, Williamsburg
- Brooklyn Brewery, Williamsburg (yes, if you haven't been there, it's a great place to drink beer, though technically not a bar)
- 4th Avenue Pub, Park Slope / Gowanus
- Jake Walk, Carroll Gardens
- Great Bar Harry, Carroll Gardens

And that's just off the top of my head. It seems perhaps that the original list was going for neighborhood diversification, which is commendable, but not really identifying the best bars on in Brooklyn (which, agreed, is also in the eye of the beholder). I like the Brooklyn Inn, but wouldn't include it in my top 10. And Montero's? Interesting choice, but I feel like bars like that are a dime a a dozen.

Anonymous said...

How can you forget about The JakeWal?k - this is my favorite spot for after work and to bring a date on the weekends...i almost don't think this list is valid with them not on