Is Brooklyn the new Manhattan? No, that will never happen. It is definitely a very slightly cheaper place to go drinkin’. And slightly hipper.
Brooklyn is probably the second most name-checked of the five boroughs. Originally known as the kings county, and composed of tiny little burgs, Brooklyn was further expanded and annexed primarily in the 1950s. It broke off into many more little neighborhoods.
Now each of those neighborhoods have their own distinct flavor and reputation, and those flavors are reflected in the tastes of the neighborhood drinking holes.
Here’s a guide to the Best Bars in Brooklyn where you can drink like the king of the county!
Best Bars In Brooklyn: The Top 5
Here are the Top 5 watering holes throughout the five boroughs, the ones worth trekking too even if it’s not your neighborhood. They represent the best each entire borough has to offer. Make it a point to hit these joints.
Yours Sincerely
Yours Sincerely calls itself “tasty AF” and you know what that means. Most of the major local media, including New York Times and Village Voice, agree. The beers are draft only, no bottles, delivering on their commitment to sustainability. But not just beers – the cocktails are on draft too – that’s the twist you don’t want to miss!
Westlight
Westlight is in Williamsburg just over the bridge from good ol’ Manhattan island. And that’s why it has such a beautiful view of the skyline. Which is why it’s known for being the best rooftop bar in Brooklyn and maybe all five boroughs. Which is why you simply must enjoy a cocktail there at dusk.
Mood Ring
The first theme bar on the list. Moodily lit to complement the cosmic atmosphere and all the drinks are astrologically inspired. To complete the retro vibe, they have a photo booth alongside a laserific dance floor. The place to be for the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.
Dick And Jane’s
The best-kept secret in Brooklyn. Well, maybe not best-kept, but definitely the best “secret” bar in Brooklyn. Tiny so as not to attract attention or get too overcrowded and loud, Dick and Jane’s is accessed through an unmarked door in roaring twenties speakeasy style. You just gotta feel the vibe, know what I mean? Inside, cocktails are prepared with a mixologist’s precision.
Maison Premiere
Maison premiere is not just a cocktail bar, it’s also an oyster bar! Inspired by Absinthe Bars in Paris and New Orleans, Maison boasts the largest selection of Absinthes in the country. The cocktail list includes dusted-off classics from bar manuals of yore. The centerpiece is a meticulously assembled Absinthe Fountain. Maison Premiere is one of the highest-regarded cocktail bars in all of New York City.
Best Bars In Williamsburg
In this section, let’s zero in on each of the distinctive neighborhoods and their particular best bars so you can make a whole day of each neighborhood.
Williamsburg is the hippest and probably most recognized section of Brooklyn. It’s where all the cool artists migrated when lower Manhattan got too expensive. Now it is an expensive place in it’s own right. Which is a good thing because it forced other neighborhoods to meet the overflow of demand for Brooklyn living, leading to a thriving borough.
Lemons Rooftop Bar
If Westfield is too packed to breathe in the fresh skyline air, which can and often does happen, try Lemons rooftop bar in the Wythe Hotel. Lemon’s is more unstuffy and mixes delicious summer cocktails. Best Happy Hour is also on a rooftop – at Night Of Joy, which usually lives up to its name.
Four Horsemen
For a real indie rock stamp of approval, try Four Horsemen. The proprietor is none other than James Murphy, lead singer of LCD Soundsystem. Sometimes Murphy himself will spin some wax in this intimate and cozy natural wine bar.
Skinny Dennis
For the exact opposite, try Skinny Dennis. It’s honky tonk, baby! The atmosphere is appropriately divey and they have a weird coffee and liquor concoction to keep you partying on overdrive. Cheap beers, too! Plus live honky tonkin’ tunes.
St. Mazie’s
Finally, for live music not of the country genre, try St. Mazie’s. It’s a classic bar and supper club like in days past and besides live music, they have a comforting drink and food menu. The specialty is bourbon cocktails designed to warm your soul.
Hotel Delmano
Hotel Delmano, like it’s name, conjures a bygone New York atmosphere and serves seasonal cocktails, just like in the old days. Time travel back to Williamsburg to visit this way back machine.
Best Bars In Bushwick
Bushwick is also home to two of the top fivers on the list – Yours Sincerely and Mood Ring. Yup, Bushwick kind of became Williamsburg 2.0. So it hosts a ton of other cool places as well. In alphabetical order:
At Booby Trap, the theme is, well, boobies. But it’s not tasteless, just a little bizarre and mostly fun and kitschy. It’s not your everyday dive bar, but you are encouraged to take a dive there.
Dromedary Tiki Bar
Dromedary Tiki Bar practically has fun in it’s title. This is where you can really get your tiki tiki toe on. There are a few tiki themed bars in Brooklyn, but Dromedary’s is the most aloha-ist!
Finally, Bushwick has its own view of the skyline, coming from a different angle and should not be missed either. The best rooftop bar in Bushwick is called Our Wicked Lady. The space is also a home for Brooklyn’s artistic community, hosting rehearsal spaces, artists studios and live shows.
Carroll Gardens
Carroll Gardens is a dose of homeyness in the middle of the big borough. Low-key and pretty, this small, primarily Italian American neighborhood is perfect for a pub stroll.
Clover Club
Pubs don’t get classier than the Clover Club. An Old-Fashioned cocktail menu spanning generations of cocktails. A place to bring your Grandma for a Happy Hour like back in her day.
Leyenda
Across the street, Leyenda brings a little bit of Latin America flavor into the neighborhood with Mezcal and Pico cocktails designed to wash down the spicy food.
Zombie Hut
Zombie Hut is another tiki bar and the best in Carroll Gardens. Cheap drinks and board games await to help you wait out boredom. Zombie Hut encourages sharing, with monster drink specialties like The Scorpion on the menu.
Brooklyn Social
Brooklyn Social is a former neighborhood Italian Social Club and the walls hold on to that energy. If you listen closely, you can still hear the godfather giving the order to whack Joey. And the cocktails are as sharp as the bartenders wardrobes. Plus, paninis!
Bar Great Harry
Don’t skip a visit to Bar Great Harry. Multiple visits, actually, since their extensive craft beer menu is habitually rotating and the pinball games never stop being fun!
Best Bars In Park Slope
Park Slope is the fancy neighborhood. So dress up when you’re hitting these upper class establishments.
- Black Horse Pub feels more like an unpretentious, friendly local pub, carting a British flair to their typical pub fare.
- Union Hall is the place to go for live entertainment while you sip. It’s a huge space and hosts some of the best comedy and live music in the borough.
Finally, the aptly and cleverly named Brookvin. Brookvin is another wine and small plate charcuterie nibbler that is a great way to start off the night. Enjoy them in the garden! Bonus – it’s not just human friendly, but also man’s best friendly!
Best Bars In Other Brooklyn Neighborhoods
There’s no shortage of cool neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Here’s a quick overview of some more cool places to check out if you find yourself stranded in one of these Brooklyn hoods.
Bedford Stuyvesant
Bed-Stuy, the cool way to say Bedford-Stuyvesant, is arguably one of the more famous Brooklyn neighborhoods and it never goes out of stuy-le. When you hear Bed-Vyne, you might think wine but they also have a wide selection of craft beers. Swell Dive is exactly like it sounds – a swell dive with the weirdest mix in Brooklyn: Filipino Tex-Mex!
Greene Point
Greene Point is close to the waterfront and getting hipper by the second. Some tasty and classy joints include Black Rabbit, a cozy fireside setting that hosts trivia nights, and Goldies, which boasts a Las Vegas atmosphere, intentionally.
Red Hook
Red Hook is coming up, too. Brooklyn Crab is a rooftop bar with beautiful views of the waterfront and buckets of fresh crabs. Fort Defiance is an actual fort, built in 1776 and feels vintage while serving the traditional Americana food and drinks you would expect.
DUMBO
Dumbo is the artiest-fartiest neighborhood in the Borough. So it’s eating and drinking establishments have an artistic vibe. Looking for inspiration? Try Brooklyn Bridge Garden Bar. Or indulge in the two T’s at Roccos Tacos – Tacos and Tequila! They have a diverse selection of tequilas you’ve probably never heard of – and may never want to drink again!
Prospect Heights
Prospect Heights is underrated but full of surprises. Like the Bearded Lady. Or the place where everything is always hunky dory – Hunky Dory! Which, yes, is named after the David Bowie record. Bar Meridian is new but welcoming.
Tooker Alley in Prospect Heights is local, low key, and customer focused. They will make you your favorite cocktail or invent something on the spot, catered to your tastes, plus Monday Jazz Nights!.
Coney Island
Brooklyn even has a beach! It’s the world-famous Coney Island, setting for many a classic New York movie. The bars are similarly beachy and there are many! Sample, in alphabetical order: Coney Island Brewery, Freak Bar, Margarita Island, Paul’s Daughter, Ruby’s or the always reliable Tom’s. I can’t choose one so choose yourself or try them all!
Here are a few more places in random locations that are surely worth a visit to the neighborhood.
- Long Island Bar in Cobble Hill is an homage to the Brooklyn that used to be, from the creator of the Cosmopolitan cocktail.
- Finally, Basik is exactly that. Basic. Beer, nuts, snacks, games, heck might as well have called it Cheers! Industrial chic in the middle of Williamsburg.
Speak Low, Speak Easy
This last section spotlights some secret spots. The trend of speakeasies in New York City started a few years ago and shows no sign of slowing down. In Brooklyn, the most well-known hidden joint is Townhouse 275 in Bay Ridge. It was the first and still craftiest mixological speakeasy in Brook Land.
If you can’t find it, look for Mezcaleria La Milagrosa in Williamsburg or Sunshine Laundromat and Pinball, entered covertly through a dryer machine door at 860 Manhattan Ave in hip new Greenpoint!
Now you know the hidden gems and the not so hidden gems. Crossing the bridge has never been so tempting.
Born and raised amidst the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, I’ve witnessed the city’s many exciting phases. When I’m not exploring the city or penning down my thoughts, you can find me sipping on a cup of coffee at my favorite local café, playing chess or planning my next trip. For the last twelve years, I’ve been living in South Williamsburg with my partner Berenike.