Smith's Tavern

Stopped in to watch a college football game midday Saturday. Half the people knew the bartenders…read more(who were great - covering table service as well, duper friendly). Good fried chicken sandwich, good variety of NA beers. Would definitely swing by here again.

As someone who has come to this bar regularly to watch Knicks playoff games, I can confidently say…read moreI will never return after what happened during the NBA Finals last night. What this bar pulled was completely unacceptable. They were openly reserving seats at the bar for certain people while telling everyone else they were unavailable. There was no advertised reservation policy, no advance notice, and no opportunity offered to regular customers. Apparently, the only way to get a seat is to know the owner, know the bartenders, or be part of the inner circle. What made it even worse was that my group had been sitting at the bar, ordering food and drinks starting around 7:30 PM, only to be forced out of our seats at 7:45 PM. The reservation signs on those seats clearly stated they were reserved for 8:15 PM. We were paying customers actively spending money, yet we were removed 30 minutes before the supposed reservation time. That is absolutely egregious behavior. I've worked in sports bars and have owned sports bars in New York City. In all my years in the business, I have never heard of reserving seats directly at the bar--especially during a major sporting event. It goes against everything that makes a sports bar successful. Bar seats have always been first-come, first-served. That's Sports Bar 101. I've spent plenty of money here over the years because it was always a great place to watch big games: good atmosphere, sound on the TVs, and a fun crowd. Unfortunately, last night proved that customer loyalty means absolutely nothing. Regular patrons were treated like second-class citizens while preferred customers received special treatment. For a bar that markets itself as a neighborhood sports destination, this was incredibly disappointing, unprofessional, and frankly insulting. If you're planning to watch a major game here, don't assume you'll be treated fairly. Unless you're friends with the right people, don't expect the same experience as everyone else. There are plenty of other sports bars in Brooklyn that understand how to treat customers. After last night, I'll be spending my money there instead. I won't be back, and I certainly won't be recommending this place to anyone. Let's Go Knicks

Photo wall

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Park Slope Ale House

4.5(82 reviews)

0.2 mi•Park Slope

I was yesterday years old when I experienced the glory of the chicken spiedie sandwich at this fun…read moreneighborhood ale house. Oh my gawwwd.... 'Twas served on ciabatta with a side of garlic aioli and the most perfect shoestring fries. I've been here a couple times prior and have always had excellent service and good food/drinks, but this time was especially delicious and the happy host made my friends and I feel so very welcome.

Pretty good service and so cozy, amazing Park slope local place :) Perfect for brunch! It's in one…read moreof the best neighborhood. They serve amazing food and hospitality. Our waiter was so so sweet and friendly. Thank you and we will come back soon.

0.9 mi•Boerum Hill, Gowanus, Park Slope

Dining tables

Burger with a side of onion rings

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Pain Killer

4th Avenue Pub

4.3(319 reviews)

I've stopped by the 4tg Ave Pub a few times now, and it has yet to let me down!…read more It's a spacious spot with a nice backyard area, and has a lot of fun memorabilia around. But the reason I keep coming back - the sheer selection of incredible and unique beers (and reasonably priced for that manner!). Everything from the desthil spicy sour pickle beer to many variations to le chouffe, you can't go wrong! Oh and they have free popcorn as well... tough to pass up! Service has always been friendly and knowledgeable about the beers. I can already see myself back there for the next time I'm craving some delicious craft beer!

Disappointing Service and Atmosphere…read more My brother and I had a disappointing experience here. I'd been here before and we were in the neighborhood for an event at Barclays Center so I suggested your pub because it was close by. The African American bartender, whose name I believe was Rebekah or Renata, took an excessive amount of time to serve customers. Her interactions were short and snappy. The music was unnecessarily loud, making it difficult to have a conversation without practically shouting. The excessive volume also seemed to go unnoticed by the bartender and she appeared more engaged in conversations with her friends at the bar than attending to patrons Between the slow service, lack of attentiveness, unprofessional demeanor, and uncomfortable noise level, the overall experience fell well short of expectations.

Backyard Beer Garden

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North Pole Pub

4.8(58 reviews)

0.9 mi•Park Slope

Solid bar that has an incredible draft list and reasonably priced drinks. They also have some…read morepretty interesting "shots", such as a pickled herring and vodka, mushroom and vodka, etc. I ended up getting two of the herring and vodka because I surprised by how much I actually liked it! Def do yourself a service and try it. It's cozy and dark inside, but has outside seating in front of the bar. Bartender was also super friendly. Would go back again!

Located on a side street, the North Pole Pub can be easy to miss if you're not searching for it…read more With an expansive beer selection, great music (alternative rock blaring at 11pm on a Monday, how can you go wrong) and relatively cheap pricing, it's a must visit if you're in the area after a show at Barclay's Center!

Herring with vodka, old speckled hen draft, gose sour draft

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Mushroom shots

Nostrand Avenue Pub

3.9(109 reviews)

1.9 mi•Crown Heights

Its a local bar no bites, so a great place to pregame. The bartender was really cool and made good…read moredrinks. I would definitely come back here for a very chill/divy bar vibe.

I live about 4 streets down from the pub, so it's location couldn't be better when I want a quick…read moredrink. Closing at 4am every day is also a huge selling point. I typically get a shot and a beer, but the last time I went I ordered a Manhattan and a slushy. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of both drinks. Another selling point for the pub is the staff. The gentleman that made my drinks was personable and pleasant, while still respecting my space. No matter the time of day, the place is pretty dimly lit. There's adequate seating at the bar and around it, and outside space in the back. I've yet to check out the back space, but I'm sure I will in the future.

Just because I love this mirror

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Hartley's

4.8(82 reviews)

1.6 mi•Clinton Hill

Great little bar! Super friendly bartenders and great drinks. I will be going back. This place will…read morebe my local haunt, especially once it gets old out. Super cozy bar and I enjoyed the crowd too.

Great pints, cool pub. No clue why non Irish music was blasting here, definitely negatively…read moreimpacted the ambience and turned us off from a repeat visit.

Heaven in a glass

Lacing

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Perfection

Fulton Hall

4.0(123 reviews)

1.3 mi•Fort Greene

Great local spot to watch sports, entrance on Ashland Pl. TVs on every wall, each one is probably…read morearound 40" and they play multiple sports including soccer and tennis, with sound. Order at the bar. If seated at a table they will bring the food to you when it's ready. Service is excellent. They open promptly at 12 noon on weekdays. Food is decent. The fried calamari is too breaded and too fried, but it passes for bar food. Rating 6/10 The nachos have a good amount of crunchy chips with a decent amount of toppings including guacamole and jalapenos. Rating 7/10 Seating is spacious and comfortable but tabletops etc can be a bit sticky, like at many other bars. Good sports vibe and energy from the patrons.

A dope cool sports bar. Theres a "first come, first serve" seating however it looked like when it…read moregot later it was sign in method. The energy was more mature which I preferred in a sports bar. Tons of benches, some bar seating and pool tables in the back. Lots of tvs as well, saw all the March Madness games playing. I imagine it would be great for big games. That being said I came to pregame Knicks-Nets and as we got closer to start-time a lot fans came to watch game (very easy walk to Barclays- 10 min walk). The food was solid and service was pretty good. Good beer options, had the happy hour margarita. They are strong! You've been warned.

February 7, 2026; Old Fashioned ($13).

Ginger mule

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Tomato soup with grilled cheese 5/5

The Canary

4.5(65 reviews)

1.5 mi•Crown Heights

Stopped by again but this time for Taco Tuesday happy hour! We ordered margaritas, tacos, nachos,…read moreand loaded fries. It was all great! The meat alternative (impossible meat) was also really good! It's a small intimate place where each table has a candle light. It can get noisy but that adds to the ambiance. Service was great!

Absolutely love this place. I come here from Manhattan for the food, the atmosphere, the staff…read more They always have game on the tvs. Food is stellar.

1.5 mi•Prospect Lefferts Gardens

Bar area

April 21, 2024; Chicken Goujons with Black Truffle Aioli ($13).

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Back seating area

Midwood Flats

3.9(354 reviews)

Midwood Flats was having a pop-up event by Mischief Merchants and their food was fantastic. We went…read moreinside to enjoy some drinks and they were great - an encyclopedic list of beers and of course a fully stocked bar. The beers I had were cold and refreshing, and my friend enjoyed her drink. The service was great and bartender friendly and attentive. The bar manager played a great selection of music. I will definitely come back again to try their own food which looked great.

Always a great time coming here. Grace and the rest of the staff kill it every time. In the past…read moreI've only gotten drinks. But yesterday, I did rhe Boozy Brunch (90min for $40). Definitely worth another trip. I got the Cajun club (w/o tomatoes) sandwich and the frozen margarita. Both were soooo good! The place might be small but it's big on the "home away from home"/chill atmosphere!

Drafts and Frozen Margaritas

Midwood Flats

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McMahon's Public House

4.0(285 reviews)

1.0 mi•Park Slope

First time in the area today, arrived early to a work event and decided to stop by the pub for a…read morebite and a pint. Although it was empty, I could tell immediately that it had stories to tell and a true authentic Irish touch. Katie, the bartender was great. Fantastic Guiness and even better "Irish egg rolls". Will be back!

Was here for Saint Patrick's Day and it was bumping! Energy was at an all time high! It was a bit…read morechaotic but found a seat in like 10 minutes. The venue is pretty spacious they have a back dining area, a big bar when you enter and a full bar upstairs. There's a ton of televisions if you are watching sports as well. They have a pretty deep beer menu which I loved. The food menu is Irish influenced bar bites. We had the wings which were nice and crispy. The center of attention was the waffle fries nachos. You can't go wrong with a potato vehicle to fresh toppings. All and all great fun spot for sports and gatherings. Also this is a melting pot. Various ages, groups, backgrounds, saw a few families. All are welcome. One flaw is St. Patty it appeared that our waiter who was superb was the only one working so it was a bit of chase to close out.

The McMahons Chicken Ceasars Salad.

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11 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

J. J.

2 months ago

Is this Where RACISM is tolerated ? This is where RACISM is tolerated!! Is this Where RACISM is tolerated ? This is where RACISM is tolerated!! Is this Where RACISM is tolerated ? This is where RACISM is tolerated!! read more

William B.

9 years ago

Great dive bar. Cash only but the bank is right next door. Juke box is digital and has everything. Come in for the hard stuff. No fruity tuity bs. Bring a pizza lol read more

Patrick B.

2 months ago

Love visiting NYC. I won't be visiting this place though. I am curious why the bartender would allow a patron to be racist to another patron. read more

Cloud S.

2 months ago

racist, cracker bar in NYC!!! the audacity is baffling. if you are a person POC don't even bother. GTFO my city!

Gino S.

9 years ago

The last great neighborhood bar left in park slope. Best, and cheapest draft beer in Brooklyn.

Thomas S.

13 years ago

Basic dive bar. No more, no less. I come here every now and then for a quick cheap drink.

Tay G.

4 months ago

Establishment continued to serve an openly racist patron. Don't support this business!!!!

Caroline R.

7 years ago

a local favorite! love the bartenders and the overall vibe - love the music.

Brien W.

10 years ago

Sorry - earlier review was petty. To each his own bar

Kenny D.

6 years ago

Good times. Good service. Good people.

Steve M.

15 years ago

Scary

Smith's Tavern - pubs - Updated November 2026

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I love this little bar. Great options on tap and a great custom menu. Not a great assortment of…read morecider - but otherwise they have a great menu. They have 3 pinball machines in the back! GBH has an ATM but they do not have a change machine. If you're looking to play pinball definitely bring some singles as the machines do not have Apple Pay/tap to pay/accept credit cards. They do NOT serve food (sometimes they sell chips) but they welcome outside food. Not a sports bar but they have TV's with the sports game of the eve! They take card & cash. Street parking.

We stopped by this bar on the way home for a quick drink. It was busy, but we found some stools in…read morethe back room where the pinball machines are. We got some mixed drinks, but surprisingly they didn't have Jack Daniel's. It's a typical bar with limited options, which we weren't so impressed with. Also, no food except some snacks but that does mean dogs are allowed. Probably the only thing that'd bring me back here, so I can have my pup join me out.

Uncle Barry's

4.2

(139 reviews)

Nice little neighborhood bar where regulars come back year after year. Rachel, one of the…read morebartenders, has a memory like an iron trap, and really tries to remember the friendly customers. Can't go wrong here.

I was in there tonight with a friend before a show at the Barclays C. We sat at the bar - we will…read morenever go back there. The guy behind the bar was either having a really bad night - or just hated his job, or both. Rude and uninterested in being there. He needs a reality check, it's not cool to be rude in Brooklyn dive bars anymore. For anyone looking for a dive bar, there are lots of other better places in the neighborhood with better staff. Ciao!

The Monro Pub

4.3

(95 reviews)

The best place to watch a big Liverpool match in New York?…read more You better believe it. This place is tiny compared to the 11th street bar let alone Carraghers. But the atmosphere here was amazing and LOUD. As we stumbled out at the end of a great game, throats hoarse from singing, a few well heeled park/south slopers were looking in thinking "What is this place?". It is not easy to create a space where that kind of an atmosphere can thrive. But these guys have done it. Of course, my experience is coloured by the fact that I went for a big game in a season where Liverpool are doing well. The beer is good, the banter good natured. A few more seats would have been ace, but where would you put it? I'll be back.

Bartender is on some kind of power trip. Asked for a water for my wife and a beer for myself. Felt…read morefine. Asked us to leave? Gimme a break dude. Your bar is lame and no one is ever there and your music blows. Buh bye mate!!!! I'll go to the countless other bars in the neighborhood. Wanker!

The Brazen Head

3.8

(151 reviews)

We were looking for a local bar to have a couple drinks in Brooklyn and came across the Brazen…read morehead. What a cool spot!! They have a few lines for draught beer as well as a good can selection and some nice whiskeys / bourbons. The young woman behind the bar was super nice and we chatted for quite a while. We stopped by twice in 2 days. Check this place out!

Cute pub near downtown Brooklyn with Monday night trivia and happy hour. The trivia was fun, with…read morevaried topics and not too challenging. Definitely worth arriving early to hold a table and enjoy happy hour, as it fills up quick. Dog friendly too, which is a plus in my book. They don't serve food, but you can bring outside food in.

The Commissioner

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Paddy's of Park Slope

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(29 reviews)

Great neighborhood Irish pub. Almost don't want to let the cat out of the bag but this place is a…read moremust visit. The owners Mark and Theresa are such kind individuals. They have made it such a joy to visit and drink by far, hands down the best Guinness pour I've had in YEARS. They have a dart board/league, TVs surrounding the whole place so you won't miss any action for any game you want to watch. Very reasonably priced but you go here for more of the vibes it gives. Such a fun place to drink at. I'll be back every Sunday . Cheers

$9 for a stella is criminal. Good location though and nice outside space. Wouldn't go here again…read moredue to the insane prices tho

Buttermilk Bar

3.8

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This was one of the first places I visited on 5th Ave when I moved back to Brooklyn. They had a…read morebeer and shot special which was perfect for cooling off on the hot summer day. They had just opened so I was the only one there save for a barfly or two. The bartender chatted me up and even gave me suggestions on other places to visit in the area. Those suggestions turned out to be why I was recently reminded that I was the baron of Park Slope! Lol. This is the definition of a dive bar. They have a pool table on a platform in the back. They also have at least half-a-dozen pinball machines used by a local pinball league. The vibe is chill and friendly and the drinks are strong. There's a loyal Jeopardy crowd too, so how can your go wrong?

So the first time I went to this bar, I kept being referred to as "Ming." I'm Asian, but my name is…read moreNOT Ming. Recently I walked in late around 3am. There were about 20 male patrons in the bar. The female bartender informed me that she called last call. I said okay, but she said I had to leave. I looked around. There were still 20-25 DUDES sitting around. Long story short--I questioned her, and instead of explaining her reasoning like a normal human being, she called me dumb and said I had to leave. It was weird. She's a lanky brunette woman who apparently works on Saturdays? She obviously doesn't know what customer service means and sadly revels too much on the attention of male patrons. I would've said more to her that night, but I simply felt bad for her. Even the bouncer apologized for her behavior... Edit: I've lived in the neighborhood for over a decade. Wish this could be my local spot, but time and time again it's been proven to harbor the worst of attitudes and behaviors. Below response = indication of the classy staff running the place...

High Dive

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A group of my cousins and I tried to visit a nearby board game cafe in Park Slope but it was…read moresurprisingly packed on a Monday night. We were about to drive to Dave & Buster's when we spotted the board game shelf at High Dive, which looked robust enough for us to stop in. The adults in the group all got frozen cocktails while we ordered Shirley Temples for the kids and played Pictionary, Scrabble, and Codenames. The games were picked over and missing pieces but we made makeshift pieces with our own tic tac box and the bartender was nice enough to provide us with extra slips of paper and pencils for pictionary. We ended the night playing pinball and other arcade games in the back while admiring their backyard and soundtrack. They were really welcoming and chill and "Sunny Came Home" played on the speakers, which made me very nostalgic. The prices here are nostalgic too, harkening back to pre-covid prices. This is a great neighborhood dive that probably gets pretty packed on weekends but was perfect for our Monday night visit.

The part of this place that gets five stars is the music! It was a highly curated and very fun…read moreplaylist of all female artists! My husband and I absolutely loved it. While the design of the space is visually interesting, we couldn't get physically comfortable. Both the space and the chairs just didn't allow you to settle in and chill. Everything else about the place was neither above nor below par for what a place with the word "dive" in it should be.

The Gate

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The Gate is a true neighborhood staple. They've been open for 25+ years! The beer selection is…read morealways excellent, and I love that they regularly have Wolffer's Rosé Cider on tap. It's across the street from a lovely park. The patio is perfect on a sunny day, and the inside has a cozy vibe that makes it just as inviting in the colder months. They don't serve food, but there are plenty of great nearby spots to grab something and bring it in (pizza, anyone?). My only wish is that they opened a little earlier on weekends because it's one of my favorite places to relax.

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