Chain restaurants or bars don’t seem to jibe with Brooklyn (or New York City as a whole) and what most of us love about it. They almost go against the paradigm.
For instance, why go to Starbucks (where they grind up beetles in some of their coffee by the way) when you can hit , or enjoy Stumptown or Intelligentsia almost anywhere. But with both Dinosaur BBQ and Terrior set to open and already here, maybe Park Slope is the place where a chain or a mini-chain at least can exist and thrive.
I must admit, I spent a good deal of time in the salon-themed Beauty Bar on 14th Street in Manhattan while I was in college and some after. Now, more years than I would like to admit later, I was surprised to hear that it has become a chain of bars running from here to California. There are two in Texas and one each in Portland, Chicago, Denver and Vegas. And after a brief stint on Broadway in Bushwick, the latest location lands in Park Slope in was formerly Ozzie’s coffee on Fifth Avenue between Carroll and Garfield Place.
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If you’re familiar with the original spot, you can expect the same shtick in the new one. Back is the retro vibe, with plastic covered couches, chair dryers and sparkly, colorful walls. All which lend themselves to a fun atmosphere.
Large windows look out onto Fifth Avenue, great for people watching if that’s your thing. The large center bar does take up a surprising amount of space leaving little for customers who aren’t lucky enough or come early enough to grab one of the comfortable bar stools. But everything else here makes for a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
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Most draft beers are from local breweries, such as Brooklyn, Kelso and Captain Lawrence ranging from $6 to $8. Some changes like the addition of Stella Artois, are not yet reflected on the menu, so make sure to inquire. Happy hour runs every night until 8 p.m. with $2 off any drink costing $5 or more. I can’t recall seeing anyone getting manicures in the East Village location but they are here and with their $10 drink and manicure special, why not?
The salon theme also finds its way onto the small house cocktail list that includes options like the Paul Mitchell Swizzle, Vidal Sassoon or Blonde Redhead, each made with fresh fruit. Admittedly, as a Fellini admirer I was drawn to the Fellini’s Dream cocktail made from egg white, rhubarb aperitivo, lemon, simple syrup, bourbon, absinthe rinse and bitters but the bartender recommended the tequila based El Diablo Bonito with fresh lime, grapefruit and cucumber, honey, ginger bitters and candied ginger. Light, refreshing and delicious.
In a Park Slope bar, there’s always the question of the crowd. Early on during my visit at around 6 p.m., there were very few people in the bar. But as the night progressed, the crowd grew to a decent amount of diverse, younger people than one might expect.
Sure, the bar isn’t perfect. But really the thing is that Park Slope needed a bar like this. It feels less adult, in the best way possible.
Beauty Bar, 249 Fifth Avenue between Carroll and Garfield, (718) 788–8867, thebeautybar.com
