Best bar in Gowanus? Mellow, great prices, community friendly. Great start.

Been twice. Great experiences both times. Relaxed atmosphere (beautiful wood/bar), friendly bartenders, music not too loud or crowded, tasty cocktails. Whisky selection is above average. Haven't tried the food yet, but I'm sure it's decent. read more

Halyard's not only has excellent drinks and bar bites, but it's also one of the few bars in this city that I feel completely safe at as a woman. Their bar staff and entire environment are relaxed, fun, and not creepy or predatory like many other places I've experienced. There are always shows going on which is fun, not to mention the pool table, the cool private booths, and the new downstairs venue is insane!! Definitely a place I feel comfortable recommending to my female friends. read more

Pretty cool spot. Loved the vibe. It's a pretty huge space. They are always busy. Their pizza is amazing and they have a pool table in the back. read more

I really liked the vibe/atmosphere of this bar. They have a pool table, darts and a solid beer selection. I did not try any of the food but thought it was a great neighborhood spot. Will definitely be back. read more

Fun local bar. Great playlists going, some board games and standards like a pool table and darts, surprising amount of room with some booths in the back that create some nice private corners...outdoor seating on the side street, events, an awesomely pressed toasted cheese, and I hear the bartender with the Beatles-like haircut makes the best Sazerac you may ever have, true story. read more

What a beautiful space. The owner did an amazing job on this bar. They have great beers on tap and make fantastic cocktails. I will be back again and again. read more

My friends and I are regulars on Wednesday nights for at least a few years. Love it. Good prices, pool, darts; the staff has never been less than awesome. The window pass is a nice touch, and the nautical theme is refreshing. They attract a very creative clientele from around Gowanus and beyond. read more

PRICE GOUGING - AVOID AT ALL COSTS! This is the most overpriced bar in Brooklyn. $9 for a Guinness without tip! $10 total! They don't post the price of their drinks on the chalkboards because they are so expensive. Saturday afternoon 2pm - no happy hour prices. The bartender pours me a drink, I ask how much and she says $9, I said $9 for a Guinness?, she says $9 with tax that's Brooklyn. I happen to be standing by the register when she rang up the bill. It was actually $8.74...I couldn't care less about the .26 cents but they are rounding up and keeping the extra money from each customer, which isn't cool on principle. I assumed (that's on me) that a Guinness wouldn't cost $9 - which I think is a safe assumption. After the bartender told me $9 I checked the menu and it said the Guinness was $8 - most bars factor in the price of tax in the drink price - they don't charge you tax on top and then on top of that round up. She already poured the beer so I wasn't going to tell her I didn't want it and I wasn't going to punish the bartender and not leave her a tip - she may have been the owner, I don't know but regardless I wasn't not going to tip her - total $10 for one pint of Guinness in the middle of the afternoon!!! That is absurd!! Maybe if it was some kind of craft brew or hard to find beer but $10 for a pint of Guinness?!?!?!? Needless to say, I had one beer and left and won't be back. I know a ton of people in the neighborhood as I have lived here for a very long time and I have been and will continue to tell them to AVOID AT ALL COSTS - PRICE GOUGING!!!!! read more

wow, what a delight. i found halyards thanks to a quick yelp search (oh fellow yelpers, you never let me down), and was really happy grabbing a drink here. i had a $6 hefe weiss, which yeah isn't exactly bargain pricing, but won't kill you. a friend got a very well made old fashioned for $9. they also had the added bonus of some snacks from dubpies (a great little joint by prospect park that you should check out). i got the spinach roll and was in heaven ($6). i can't wait to come back on a thursday for vegan food and trivia (two of my most favorite things in the world). read more

Not open til 4am. Not consistent about its hours, which makes the trek often not worth taking. Only bar consistent about its hours is The Owl Farm. 4AM always. read more

Halyards is one of my favourite bars in the neighborhood. Whenever we are in the mood to head out for a night, Halywards is one bar we always seem to wind up at. With a good beer list, cheerful locals, awesome cocktails, great staff and a great grilled cheese, I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to come here. Sunday is one of our favourite nights to go because they show The Walking Dead on the projection screen. Everyone is there for the same reason and Carrie is bar tending which always leads into a great time. Needless to say it's fantastic and welcoming! read more

Cute spot with a pool table and local scene. Stopped here after night at The Bell House. Standard, good, strong drinks. . .

Love this place! I was just chilling in here on a Sunday afternoon( 2/19/17.) Not too crowded, but the people who were here were cool and friendly. Got in a nice little game of pool on the table at the back. Drinks are cheap, bartender is friendly and sweet. The mushroom and truffle oil pizza we got to munch on as we drank was VERY tasty. Nice little hangout spot! read more

Love this place. I was introduced to it by a buddy. I have to say it has such a great feeling and the bar is really nice. They have a great pool table in back. There is a VIP table in the back area as well. I love the long rustic table in the front. Plenty of room for all of your friends to meet up. Michael is a fantastic bartender and can make just about everything. read more

The perfect neighborhood bar. This place is perfect for groups or just by yourself! Halyard's is one of my favorite bars in Brooklyn!

Doesn't hurt that I live within stumbling distance of this place. It's never too crowded, always a good vibe, good drinks and some fun stuff laying around (pool, darts, etc). Haven't tried the trivia night yet but intend to soon. read more

Updating a previous post, the bartender that was such a pain in the behind seems to have moved on. A neighbor thanks you.

this is a cool place. A+ for having jenga, darts, and a pool table amongst other entertainment. this drinks are very reasonably priced and the bartender was more than generous. The set up, lighting and music makes it a great place to chill and get away from the crowds. i can see myself in here often. read more

Came here for free beer during a promotional beer crawl around the area. The beer on tap isnt all that special but its a cool little bar that's full of locals, there's a quiet corner by the pool table you can hang out at and play darts. Its a nice neighborhood watering hole. Its pretty far from the train station. read more

Just went there with some friends for the first time and would definitely go back. Dart board is new, as is the pool table. A good spot.

If you want to actually watch TV in a bar, rather than just having the TV on, this is the place. I went to watch the Mad Men finale last night and everyone actually watched, the noise was very minimal, they DVRed it so that there were fewer commercials, the layout of things made viewing easy enough for a bunch of people, and the image quality was actually good Aside from the TV aspect, I liked the atmosphere, though I didn't pay all that much attention to it. Old-school library-parlor-with-a-pool-table thing going on, cool lampshades. It was frustrating that they were out of the wines that I was interested in, but the bartender attempted to sate me otherwise and I ended up 75% satisfied--in their defense, I think they're basically all about cocktails. I saw someone with food that actually looked good, which is nice to know. The patrons were very friendly and the staff was too, even when it got rather busy. I recommend. read more

I love Halyards. The bartenders are always so nice, and the atmosphere is always great. Sometimes it's empty, and sometimes it's packed - you never really know what you're going to walk into, but I always end up having a good time. Also, my husband and I had a private party here the night before our wedding, and it was awesome. Everyone at Halyards was very accommodating to our requests, and all of our guests had an amazing time. I would definitely recommend Halyards for a chill weeknight cocktail (try the old fashioned - it is seriously the best I've ever had), a private party, for viewing Dexter on Sunday night, or for pretty much anything. I love it. read more

This is a great neighborhood spot. They have a good beer list and a very nice atmosphere. The staff has always been friendly and helpful, even when we showed up with 30 people after my wedding. The front space is open and has good feel. The dart board and pool table can be a fun way to pass the time too. read more

This is one of my locals. The staff is great. The prices are really decent for NYC. Plus it's the only place in NYC I've found a halfway decent Dishwater. Comedy is hit and miss but it's worth checking out. read more

The grilled cheese is the best I've ever had. I would go back just for that. Great drink selection also.

Always been a fan of this place - what's not to love? Good location, pool tables AND darts at reasonable prices and a good selection of beers. The only downside was the food. The pies they used to have were ok - something to eat if you were hungry, but nothing to write home about - too dry and greasy. I don't know what happened, but the pies have changed and their new pies are amazing. Flaky pastry and tasty fillings - everything a good pie should by. Quaff that down with a barley pop and you're good to go. This is now my go to spot in the 'hood. read more

Crappy. The drinks are cheap, but you get what you pay for. The dark and stormy was weak, and had ginger ale instead of ginger beer (or ginger syrup, in good bars). Go only if you are in the immediate area. And even then. read more

Fantastic ambience and drinks. Clean, friendly crowd. Sometimes they have movie/tv show viewing parties. Only negative is the pool table is a piece of crap. read more

Great space! Perfect for a big group. Bartenders are great at the basics - nice beer selection- no frilly complicated cocktails here - but to me that's a positive! read more

We rented out the basement of Halyards for our wedding after party back in October. It was super easy working with Jeremy. We discussed the details over email and then we went in to check out the space. We were able to have an open bar set up as a cash bar, and only had to spend $200/hr which wasn't a problem for our friends! We rented from 9pm -1am. My group of friends were able to arrive early for our reservation and decorate the space and it looked really nice! Love the brick walls and the rustic feel it has. They provided tables & chairs, sound & PA system, so we could play our own music and use the mic during speeches. We had about 50 people so it got a little warm down there but we were able to go to the rest of the bar as well or to their outside area for relief. After our time was up, we cleared out and some of us spent the rest of the night sitting and drinking outside. Halyards is a very nice bar, and we've been there a few times for open Mics and drinks as well. Highly recommend especially if you need an event space! read more

you can say I am a regular , as I come here (almost) every Wednesday. they have good beer, a pool table , soft music so you can talk, mini (seriously) ping pong table and good vibe. but above all, it's the Wednesday staff that makes this place feel like home to me: so friendly, always with a smile, an open ear and a cool beer. big thumbs up for this place. read more

nice little spot tucked away in an industrial strip along the soon-to-be burgeoning 3rd ave. they have cute little vegan-friendly small plates available on thursdays, a decor & set-up reminiscent of a loungey seaside country house (in a good way), & refuse to stock jameson (tullamore dew instead). while jamo may be my go-to whiskey, i respect the integrity of refusing everyone's favorite brown irish liquor. oh, & mickey is the man. read more

Been here a couple of times. Definitely a great addition to the neighborhood. I'm a beer/bourbon guy and been happy with the selection of both. Not broad, but very good quality. The space is really well done - nice but comfortable. I think its only going to get better as it gets that lived in look. On my short list for a nice drink. read more

chill , dim good drinks and beer selection. off the beaten.

Delicious cocktails! I've been here a couple of times, usually before events at the Bell House nearby. The neighborhood has changed a lot over the last couple of years and there's now a bit more competition in the area. The cocktails are delicious and strong--I can usually only have one. The Moscow Mule and the Rosemary Gimlet are both awesome. The environment is very home-y. I like the amount of space, I've never felt overcrowded here. I haven't tried the menu (it's small, snacks moreso) and I haven't noticed anyone really ordering food, So I can't comment on the food. read more

This place is great. We celebrated my friend's birthday there last night and it was the perfect place. Ping pong, pool, darts, clean bathrooms. The staff was super friendly, helpful, and chill. We brought a cake and candies to decorate the table, and they happily provided us with a knife to cut the cake, and forks and paper plates. Jeremy was super easy to coordinate with ahead of time, and reserved booths for us just like he said he would. Alex was so friendly and helpful throughout the night. Music was good, but not too loud. Highly recommend! read more

One of my favorite new SloGo joints. Open pool table on a Friday night ($1), tasty drafts, cocktails for the ladies, burlap walls and a Maine flag! What's not to like? read more

Stopped in here recently on the way to an art show in the area. Nice, dark, relaxed space Good crowd and a great selection of whiskey. The bartender was personable as well. read more

i like this bar because they show New England Patriots games. The only problem is the girl who bartends on Sundays could use a lesson on customer service. Not one smile, only a miserable scowl on her face. Also it took forever to get drinks. When she came over to us she just looked at us. Didn't even say hello or what can i get you, just stared. We asked for her drinks and she walked away. Eventually she came back, grabbed money without a thanks or anything. How this girl has a job is beyond me. I've seen her here for games a few times and I'm thinking of finding another bar for my friends and I to go watch the game. It's a shame. It was great before she arrived with her grey cloud, kill joy attitude. It wasn't even just us complaining. There were other patrons complaining about her as well. Please hire nicer bartenders who at least can say hello or not make you feel like you're a burden. There's a ton of people who have a great attitude looking for a job! read more