Community Corner
Merrymaking on Christmas Night
After a night with the family, reward yourself with a drink (or three) at one of these local spots
There are few experiences that demand a drink more than spending hours on end with one's family. Who doesn't need a drink after Christmas? Whether you made the Naughty or Nice list, it's a moot point now. Go out and enjoy yourself at these bars in Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, and Cobble Hill. All of them are open on Christmas (we checked). And who knows? You might catch Santa himself tying one on after work
A little bit of 'Frisco in Brooklyn. This bar specializes in West Coast microbrews, and the Chez Panisse posters and California license plates on the walls reinforce the vibe. This is a landing-spot for California ex-pats, but even born-and-bred New Yorkers will enjoy the elegant oak bar and the comfy couches in the back room.
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Drink enough of the 23 beers on tap and you'll better enjoy the multi-leveled (and now chilly) outdoor patio. There's plenty of entertainment for those staying inside, too, like Big Buck Hunter and an eclectic jukebox. They won't be doing their semi-regular pig roast on Christmas this year, so try the brick oven pizza.
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This classic no-frills neighborhood bar closes on Christmas Eve but then re-opens on Christmas night for its traditional potluck dinner for "The Legion of the Lost." According to Lou Sones, one of the owners, the potluck is "for people who aren't with their family or who are burnt out from being with their family." Well said. Happy hour lasts all night, and Lou is cooking meatballs and eggplant rollatini.
The dark, cozy beer bar is ideal for a cold winter night. There are 14 beers on tap, mostly microbrews, and a weekly "Beer Can of the Week." The food – which is ordered and picked up from the kitchen window – gets high marks as well. Try the pork sandwich with the double-fried French fries. Located just off the Southwest corner of Prospect Park.
Get transported to the South Pacific in the dead of winter. If the Polynesian masks and bamboo on the walls don't do it, the Scorpion – a sweet and potent concoction meant to be split among four people – will.
Three things you need to know about this bar: bourbon, bocce, and beer cheese (a sharp-cheddar based spread that is made in-house). If your arteries won't allow it, go ahead and bring your own food. On Christmas, the line for the indoor bocce court shouldn't be too long. The place has a Middle American vibe; it's named after a bar Iowa, the owner's wife's native state. Try the $12 six packs of domestic beer.
A wide-ranging selection of beers, scotches, and whiskeys takes a back seat to some of Brooklyn's best-executed bar food. The fried mac-and-cheese and Irish Nachos approach the Platonic ideal. Also, check out the impressive list of scotches and bourbons.
This Slope dive bar has been here since 1931, but its biggest claim to fame is that Elliot Smith penned much of his iconic XO album while seated at one of its barstools. Drinks are cheap, and the ambience is old-old-old school (tin ceiling, decrepit tiles).
