good bourbon bars for my diverse set of friends!
March 10, 2011 8:21 AM Subscribe
I often want to head somewhere with a friend in Brooklyn or Manhattan for a quiet bourbon or two in a dark setting. Nothing snobby. Dives are great. But somewhere that two people can sit at a table and chat, in a somewhat disarming setting. I love bourbon, and I want to share my love of bourbon with new friends in charming or crappy settings. I'm a bit of a hermit, so I just don't get out enough to find new places!
Anywhere is fine, not a location-snob. Any one with any good ideas out there? Just a place you'd feel good about drinking a bourbon of any variety of quality. Thanks!
Anywhere is fine, not a location-snob. Any one with any good ideas out there? Just a place you'd feel good about drinking a bourbon of any variety of quality. Thanks!
I was also going to recommend d.b.a. (boubon list here).
posted by Frank Grimes at 8:44 AM on March 10, 2011
posted by Frank Grimes at 8:44 AM on March 10, 2011
Yeah, another vote for d.b.a., which also has a location in Williamsburg, although as a warning, it is not going to be particularly quiet on a weekend night. I've always had pretty good luck getting a seat there, though!
posted by whitneyarner at 8:50 AM on March 10, 2011
posted by whitneyarner at 8:50 AM on March 10, 2011
Sycamore. THE BAR IS IN A FLOWER SHOP.
I loved this place when I lived in the neighborhood. IIRC, they have a $5 Whiskey of the week which was always nice. And the place never got too loud even when packed. And outdoor patio is nice in summer.
posted by jng at 8:53 AM on March 10, 2011 [2 favorites]
I loved this place when I lived in the neighborhood. IIRC, they have a $5 Whiskey of the week which was always nice. And the place never got too loud even when packed. And outdoor patio is nice in summer.
posted by jng at 8:53 AM on March 10, 2011 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Following jng's suggestion, I am of the starving-artist-type, so cheaper options are always welcomed. I'm not looking to expose people to the fancy wonders of boutique bourbons, just to drink a tasty drink in a low-key setting that is a mix of fun and relaxed. Thanks for all the suggestions though, I am looking into all of them and am sure each will be great for a particular occasion. Thanks again.
posted by wombat stork at 8:59 AM on March 10, 2011
posted by wombat stork at 8:59 AM on March 10, 2011
Char. 4 is a temple to whiskey on Smith St. It stocks something like 200 different whiskeys, sells them in 1 oz. portions if you want to taste a number of different varieties, and serves them to you neat with a bucket of rocks on the side. There ice is also the purest and cleanest of any bar in Brooklyn, and, as a Bourbon drink, I'm sure you know how important this is. Oh, and the deep fried spicy pork nuggets are some of the best bar food I've ever ate. The place certainly isn't cheep, though, and it's certainly not divey, so for that, you can go to...
Boat, just a few blocks down the street from Char. 4. This is one of my all-time favorite Brooklyn dive bars. The vibe is warm, dark and red. It feels 'cool', but it's definitely not a 'scene.' It's jukebox can't be beat, and is changed up often. It used to have a shufflepuck table, but I think that might have been replaced by buck hunter. There are low tables and couches in the back, and lots of two-tops up front. It's got a fireplace, when it's cold. The whiskey selection is pretty standard; nothing to write home about. All around great bar.
If you're more up in the Williamsburg (*cough* Bushwick *cough*) area, I'd recommend Kings County, though only for weeknights, as it gets loud on Friday and Saturday. It's dark, divey, and has a surprisingly good selection of whiskeys at altogether reasonable prices (for gentrified Brooklyn.) Oh, and there's also Fette Sau in Williamsburg proper; they have an excellent selection of American whiskeys, which kind of gets overshadowed by the tasty BBQ.
posted by patnasty at 9:04 AM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Boat, just a few blocks down the street from Char. 4. This is one of my all-time favorite Brooklyn dive bars. The vibe is warm, dark and red. It feels 'cool', but it's definitely not a 'scene.' It's jukebox can't be beat, and is changed up often. It used to have a shufflepuck table, but I think that might have been replaced by buck hunter. There are low tables and couches in the back, and lots of two-tops up front. It's got a fireplace, when it's cold. The whiskey selection is pretty standard; nothing to write home about. All around great bar.
If you're more up in the Williamsburg (*cough* Bushwick *cough*) area, I'd recommend Kings County, though only for weeknights, as it gets loud on Friday and Saturday. It's dark, divey, and has a surprisingly good selection of whiskeys at altogether reasonable prices (for gentrified Brooklyn.) Oh, and there's also Fette Sau in Williamsburg proper; they have an excellent selection of American whiskeys, which kind of gets overshadowed by the tasty BBQ.
posted by patnasty at 9:04 AM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'll also second Boat and Kings County as being worth a visit.
posted by josher71 at 9:07 AM on March 10, 2011
posted by josher71 at 9:07 AM on March 10, 2011
Angel's Share in the Village. It is pricey, but worth it for a special occasion.
No groups greater than four. No standing. No loud talking. Sigh. If I could afford to, I'd go there daily.
posted by davidjmcgee at 9:12 AM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
No groups greater than four. No standing. No loud talking. Sigh. If I could afford to, I'd go there daily.
posted by davidjmcgee at 9:12 AM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Love Sycamore.
What about Dram Shop in Park Slope? For some reason none of the Yelp reviews mention the superb whiskey list, but it is definitely there. I think it skews more to Scotch and Irish whisky, but there are definitely Bourbons if that's your thing.
Angel's Share is the classic, I think. The Campbell Apartment is ideal in terms of atmosphere.
posted by Sara C. at 10:29 AM on March 10, 2011
What about Dram Shop in Park Slope? For some reason none of the Yelp reviews mention the superb whiskey list, but it is definitely there. I think it skews more to Scotch and Irish whisky, but there are definitely Bourbons if that's your thing.
Angel's Share is the classic, I think. The Campbell Apartment is ideal in terms of atmosphere.
posted by Sara C. at 10:29 AM on March 10, 2011
Char No.4 times a million. If you go PM me, as I have friends there and can let you know when to go so they can serve you.
posted by sweetkid at 10:36 AM on March 10, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by sweetkid at 10:36 AM on March 10, 2011 [2 favorites]
A lot of these places aren't for starving artists. Check menus before you go.
There's a small, quiet, not TOO pricey new whisky bar in my hood called On The Rocks. (10th ave and 49th st.)
posted by CunningLinguist at 12:28 PM on March 10, 2011
There's a small, quiet, not TOO pricey new whisky bar in my hood called On The Rocks. (10th ave and 49th st.)
posted by CunningLinguist at 12:28 PM on March 10, 2011
There's a new place in Williamsburg with decent prices that was quiet enough when I went at 8 p.m. last Saturday: Post Office. Great pulled pork sandwiches and lots of small batch bourbons.
posted by pineappleheart at 12:36 PM on March 10, 2011
posted by pineappleheart at 12:36 PM on March 10, 2011
Last time I was at d.b.a (on a weekend, admittedly), my 3 friends and I had to leave to go somewhere quieter. I could barely carry on a conversation with the person next to me. Maybe it's better on a weekday.
We ended up going to Burp Castle, the place run by "beer monks." There's no bourbon there, beer only, but it's definitely easy to talk. The monks shush everybody about every 15 minutes or so. It's kind of relaxing.
posted by brgale at 12:55 PM on March 10, 2011
We ended up going to Burp Castle, the place run by "beer monks." There's no bourbon there, beer only, but it's definitely easy to talk. The monks shush everybody about every 15 minutes or so. It's kind of relaxing.
posted by brgale at 12:55 PM on March 10, 2011
Fette Sau has a pretty diverse selections of whiskies, including a bunch of bourbon, but can be insanely crowded at times because of the amazing barbecue.
lady jay's is also great. They have some affordable drink specials as well.
posted by dubold at 1:00 PM on March 10, 2011
lady jay's is also great. They have some affordable drink specials as well.
posted by dubold at 1:00 PM on March 10, 2011
The Campbell Apartment is ideal in terms of atmosphere.
It certainly depends on what time you go, but when I went last fall, it was not "somewhere that two people can sit at a table and chat", but "somewhere so packed you could barely move".
posted by Jahaza at 1:46 PM on March 10, 2011
It certainly depends on what time you go, but when I went last fall, it was not "somewhere that two people can sit at a table and chat", but "somewhere so packed you could barely move".
posted by Jahaza at 1:46 PM on March 10, 2011
A lot of these places aren't for starving artists.
Drinking top shelf whiskey in bars is not for starving artists. Starving artists hit the liquor store for a bottle of Maker's.
posted by Sara C. at 2:55 PM on March 10, 2011
Drinking top shelf whiskey in bars is not for starving artists. Starving artists hit the liquor store for a bottle of Maker's.
posted by Sara C. at 2:55 PM on March 10, 2011
Oh, and it is a known fact that drinking in any well-known bar on a weekend night is anathema if you want quiet and a table to yourself. It's just not going to happen in New York City.
posted by Sara C. at 2:57 PM on March 10, 2011
posted by Sara C. at 2:57 PM on March 10, 2011
Sara C., the OP called herself a starving artist type and said she was looking for someplace not too expensive. You recommended the Campbell Apartment, which famously serves some of the most expensive drinks in town. It's also decidedly the opposite of low key.
posted by CunningLinguist at 3:31 PM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by CunningLinguist at 3:31 PM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Last Exit on Atlantic Ave is dark, has couches, and is low-key. Cheap, a little divey.
posted by Ollie at 4:14 PM on March 10, 2011
posted by Ollie at 4:14 PM on March 10, 2011
yea, but to Sara C.'s point, you have to shell out a bit to drink some good bourbon. That's why people are suggesting more specialized/expensive places.
Otherwise this question is just "where is there a bar in NYC."
posted by sweetkid at 4:52 PM on March 10, 2011
Otherwise this question is just "where is there a bar in NYC."
posted by sweetkid at 4:52 PM on March 10, 2011
Yeah, sorry, if there is a bar in New York that is quiet 24/7 with plenty of room to have a table to yourself no matter what, and cheap even for top shelf small batch liquors, and has amazing atmosphere, it's also probably full of unicorns.
posted by Sara C. at 5:20 PM on March 10, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by Sara C. at 5:20 PM on March 10, 2011 [4 favorites]
I think the question is more about finding a good bar and not about the bourbon. Thus, I think the cheaper, divier, having tables, type places are the best answers.
posted by josher71 at 5:30 PM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by josher71 at 5:30 PM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
In all seriousness, OP, just about any neighborhood bar that isn't a horrible dive will have a few decent bourbon selections. If all you want is a fun and relatively quiet/empty place to hang out with friends and drink X LIQUOR, head on down to your neighborhood bar. That will probably be a great place to do that. Just last weekend I enjoyed some Knob Creek on the rocks at High Dive in Park Slope. It was perfectly nice.
If what you want is a bar that specializes in small batch bourbons, you are probably going to pay for that. It's also probably going to be full of all the other people in New York who are into drinking carefully curated selections of high end whiskey. That's just the way it is here. In a city of eight million, chances are at least a few hundred of us are going to want to take part in the same somewhat obscure social activity at the same time.
posted by Sara C. at 8:31 PM on March 10, 2011
If what you want is a bar that specializes in small batch bourbons, you are probably going to pay for that. It's also probably going to be full of all the other people in New York who are into drinking carefully curated selections of high end whiskey. That's just the way it is here. In a city of eight million, chances are at least a few hundred of us are going to want to take part in the same somewhat obscure social activity at the same time.
posted by Sara C. at 8:31 PM on March 10, 2011
Thirding Sycamore. It's a fun place, generally quiet on weeknights, much less expensive than Char No. 4, with a great stock of bourbon and lovingly selected beers on draught. Ray Gish, the owner of High Dive and Commonwealth, also knows his bourbon (he's from KY after all), and his places are my second favorite after Sycamore.
posted by lassie at 8:52 PM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by lassie at 8:52 PM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Okay, thanks for the suggestions. I guess I just wanted a sense of a place whose atmosphere mixed well with the feeling of drinking a bourbon with someone nice. Not silent, not fancy, but also somewhere not-so-divey that I could order off the styrofoam-cup-of-beer menu. My favorite place for this kind of thing (Fedora's) closed up shop, so I thought someone might get a sense of what I was looking for. I may not have asked clearly. (I promise I realize that most bars in NY serve bourbon of varying types, and I have a nice big bottle of Makers in my house too.) But thanks for some ideas that I hadn't considered, folks!!
posted by wombat stork at 4:20 PM on March 11, 2011
posted by wombat stork at 4:20 PM on March 11, 2011
Response by poster: Also, thanks sweetkid for your incredibly sweet offer...that would be fantastic and I may take you up on it sometime! I love Metafilter with all my bourbon-loving heart.
posted by wombat stork at 4:22 PM on March 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by wombat stork at 4:22 PM on March 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by knile at 8:30 AM on March 10, 2011 [1 favorite]