I would just love to sit down with whoever owns this place and ask them what they could possibly be thinking when making their hiring choices. It's clear from these reviews that they are losing money because of their staff. The most unpleasant bartenders you may ever experience, and it's been this way for years. I always say I'll give it one more chance, but last night was my final straw. It's a tale as old as time: people with gigantic chips on their shoulders make for very poor bartenders. read more

I've now been here 2 times and have nothing but great things to say about the place. For starters, and as many people state, there is so much character and history and I truly love a bar/restaurant like that. A bar from the 1800s are few and far between, OR primarily in Manhattan. Being a hardcore Brooklyner, I do my best to stay out of Manhattan for casual drinks because I'll end up paying my left leg for a few cocktails. Speaking to that, the drinks are cheap! I dislike that it's cash only, but that's a simple fix and it doesn't take much to go to a bank beforehand or use the ATM in the back ($3 charge). Circia $5 for beers, no more than $10 for cocktails. The drinks are well-made, and I can attest that the Old Fashions by Kevin are UNREAL. ALL THE ORANGE. *insert drool emoji*. Onto bartenders - I'm shocked to read some of the negative reviews! I was there when the blonde female bartender was working and last night when Kevin was working. Both were wonderful! I didn't interact much with the female bartender, I was pretty engulfed in the date I was on with my boyfriend but she was on top of making sure we were all set with drinks when we started to get low, was really friendly about a mispriced drink and served us pleasantly all night with a drink or two on the house! Kevin was awesome. My boyfriend and I chatted with him for awhile and he also gave us a round on the house! He was always checking in with us making sure we were good, made time for us with a full bar to attend to, and was incredibly appreciative of the tip we gave which was higher than 20%, but nothing excessive! And like I mentioned previously, his drinks are unreal - he knows what he's doing. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because if you can't find a seat at the bar (my preference), you either have to stand around the bar, or go to the private seating area where music/noise doesn't reach. It's a personal pet peeve of mine to be sat in a quiet area with no music where other tables can clearly hear your conversation. I prefer to be surrounded by people than the only people sat down, but if you wait 5-10 minutes, generally seats open up at the bar. I've never played the pool there either so I don't know what it's like but the table is always in use so it must be alright! I highly recommend Brooklyn Inn. There's a reason this place has been open since the 1800s and I will be attending many more times in the future. read more

This place reminds me of the Auction House on the UES. It's laid back and has a lot of seating considering the layout - a lot of barstools and booths. It'd be great for a date or casually catching up with friends. The prices are fair and the crowd is pretty young compared to the rest of the neighborhood - plus as a HUGE bonus it's walking distance to Hanco's vietnamese. FYI : cash only. read more

I really was hoping to love this place, as it's in the neighborhood and a little piece of history, but i can't say that i fell in love the way the other yelpers did. I'll admit the look of this is pretty cool because the place itself is a relic, but the interior black paint and bars outside the windows gave me a bit of a claustrophobic vibe once I took a seat at the bar. Maybe it was too overcast outside to really get the full effect of the place? read more

Imagine a scene in a movie where it is snowing outside and you and a friend (or date) are looking for a drink to escape the cold weather. You two are walking through the slushy streets and stumble across a bar at the corner of the street. You walk through the doors and what you find is a cozy, dimly lit bar with jazz music playing softly in the background, and candles on tables. That is Brooklyn Inn to me after visiting this place for a night-cap. My friend and I came here on a Wednesday night after dinner around 11pm and Brooklyn Inn was surprisingly busy. When we left around 12:30, it was even more packed at the front! I would break the bar into 3 areas- one is the front, with the bar and many high-top tables, the second area is a cozy room in the middle (oh if only there was a fireplace in this room, it would make everything even more perfect), and the third area is a place to play pool and more small tables. My friend got a rum & coke, which was too strong for her to finish for $5, and I got a beer on tap for $5 too. I can't wait for the Holiday season to come... this is a gem in Brooklyn. Too bad I don't live in Brooklyn or else I would be a regular here! read more

The Bar has A nice look And good prices But no real pizazz and still gets crowded. read more

My friends and I stopped in here one recent Saturday after eating dinner on nearby Smith Street. The place has lots of dark woods and a pool table in the back. It gets pretty packed and there is limited seating. The large wooden bar is the highlight of the bar. As far as the crowd it certainly filled with transplant hipsters. When we were standing outside deciding where to go next one of these patrons suggested one of friends should go back to Jersey. Little did he know my friend was a born and breed Brooklynite. Needless to say we weren't impressed with crowd but I would consider going back if pressed for cheap beers. read more

Great little bar in Brooklyn. An oasis of reasonably priced drinks in a cool atmosphere. The sign on the wall "celebrates 130 years." According to he bartender, they have been open since 1885... read more

The Brooklyn Inn - Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Old-school pub with a great juke and a pool table. You'll always find a great crowd of friendly, artsy intellectuals who enjoy imbibing. Good, hearty draft beers. Plenty of space with seating to the side of the bar, standing room behind it and a large back room. Just don't expect to catch the game while you're here - no TVs. read more

Mysterious and intriguing, you can feel the chatter of lost conversations and smell the history of social interactions. Originally opened in 1885, seems little has changed within the musky old wood-worked walls. When you feel you need a break from the fast paced of the modern city, Brooklyn Inn stands ready to transport you back to simpler times. read more

Great local neighborhood bar. Historic. Requires further research. Nice mix of a crowd in a neighborhood that is increasingly very affluent.

Best old fashion I've ever had. We come here every December to celebrate the holidays and this is our favorite bar. Good vibe and great ambiance. read more

A great old bar with pretty cheap drinks that doesn't feel like a tourist trap. Take a seat at the mid-19th century bar and talk to the locals, or have a secret meeting in the intimate back room and explore their ample selection of well-priced single-malt scotch, or enjoy the pool table in the billiards room. The Brooklyn Inn isn't the place for you if you're looking for something trendy or a wild night, but for a quiet drink it's perfect. read more

Oldest bar in Brooklyn and it feels like it. Great place to stop in for a drink if you're in or around Boerum Hill. Can be tough to find a seat on weekends. Simple beer selection and lots of booze. Pool table in the back room. read more

An old bar with an old bar attitude. Classic and simple drinks, nothing fussy. If you try to order something stupid the bartender WILL roll his/her eyes. Cash only. Pool table. Juke box works when the bartender feels like it, jams are always good. No Chumbawamba, thankfully. read more

Love this place during the week, very low key and can have a convo with your friends. It's a cash only place and kinda dark but it's pretty great local hangout. read more

for those dopes expecting mixology: don't. Not every bar has to impress you. Although you should be; this is a real bar, an historic one and they're immune to your dumb requests for infusions and spoiled demands for cocktails. The bartenders are great characters and the establishment is the heart of the neighborhood Just have a beer and lighten up. read more

CASH ONLY. ATM on site. On the corner in a neighborhood. Old building and appeared to be original finishings. A cool look for sure. Pretty small but there was a nice little space with tables and chairs. Low key for sure. Pool table in the back but only one table back there so no waiting back there for your turn. Staff was friendly would visit again if with a small group or looking for low key spot. read more

Such an awful experience!! The bartender had decided my friends and I hadn't tipped enough so she did not let us get a second round and then 20 minutes later as we were playing pool in the back some guy came back as told us we were no longer welcome because the bartender said so! I will never go back there. read more

I made the mistake of inviting a group of friends to the Brooklyn Inn this past Saturday night to celebrate my birthday. I have never in my 26 years of living in New York City met a bartender less equipped to handle the job, not to mention how nasty and miserable this woman acted towards every customer. She killed the vibe immediately. Getting a drink was a painful and tense process as this "bartender" struggled to handle the small group patiently waiting, giving dirty looks to each customer before making a grossly weak drink. Another major buzz kill - she refused to allow friends to buy drinks for me, insisting that she had to check IDs before each purchase and then coming over to make sure everyone was drinking what they purchased. We are all 27+ so it was bizarre to be treated like children and creepily watched by someone who couldn't even handle the bare minimum required of her job. No hospitality is an understatement. Do NOT celebrate anything at this bar. Although the interior is nice, it's just not worth dealing with the intense hostility coming from the weird, incapable Saturday night bartender. Only wish we left sooner. (Or never went at all) read more

I was at the Brooklyn Inn last night and had one of the worst experiences ever with a bartender. He was incredibly rude and hostile towards me and my friend, from the get-go. Here's what happened... We went up to the bar to order and the bartender ignored us for some time, but we didn't really mind because we were chatting. We ended up having to stop our conversation in order to make it clear that we were there to order something before he came over to us. We ordered two cocktails, an old fashioned and a manhattan, and he initially informed me that he could not make an old fashioned for me because he did not have oranges. Before I could respond, he walked away. When he came back, I asked him to make it with a lemon (which, by the way, is a totally legitimate way to make an old fashioned). He huffed and said "REALLY???" and when I said "yes, I don't mind." he turned, stomped away and started muddling cherries and a full lemon slice in the bottom of a glass for the drink (not exactly what I would call the correct method of making an old fashioned). He added a lot of soda water and then some bourbon to the mix and handed me the drink. Now I want to pause here, because old fashioneds are my drink and I've had them many different ways. They should NOT be fizzy and cloudy with tons of chunks of lemon and cherries in them. That's what I got. I was a bit surprised, but I did not say anything about it. He then announced that it would be $16. I was surprised, handed him a $20 and when he came back with change I realized it was for both drinks (phew!). We asked him how much for each so that we could figure out on the side how my friend should pay me back for her drink (rather than insisting on him letting us pay separately). He threw his hands up into the air and yelled "I DON'T KNOW. I'M REALLY BUSY." Then he walked to the other end of the bar and pretended to take someone's order. I purposefully left him only a dollar for tip because he had been so immensely rude to us, and we went to the back area to join our other friends. This was not the end. My friend got accosted by the bartender as she was entering the bathroom a few minutes later. He came running from behind his "very busy" bar and asked her "Are you one of the girls who ordered a manhattan and an old fashioned?" When she said yes (really he didn't remember us from two minutes ago??) he threw the dollar we'd left at her and said "Here, you obviously need this more then I do." and stomped away. So suddenly he had enough time to come from behind the bar and track us down, but not enough time to just tell us how much each drink costs?!?! My friend was stunned and didn't respond, which is better than what I would've done. His service was absolutely awful and when I get bad service I give a bad tip. This isn't the first time I've had bad service at the Brooklyn Inn. I've been there a few times before and I always get treated like dirt and looked down upon, even when I'm just ordering a simple beer. It's such a shame because the bar is so nice. It's dark, beautiful, and old. The music is great. The crowd is interesting. And the pool tables in the back make for some good fun (although people seem to be very serious about their pool games and can get a little pushy/rude). I wish that the bartenders would lighten up a little bit. The bar hasn't even ever been that busy when I've been there, so I don't know why they feel the need to put their nose up at customers. I definitely will not be returning here unless my friends drag me kicking and screaming. read more

I feel like I have to preface this by saying that I used to work in the service industry and I often cringe when I read negative reviews about service, so it is saying something that I was truly shocked at the bad experience I had here tonight. I came with a few friends and since I was paying on my own, I ordered a gin and tonic by myself, not realizing that one of my friends was standing close behind me. The bartender - an older man who is apparently also the owner? - rolled his eyes at me when I said no, I had nothing else to order. When my friend heard what I ordered, she decided she'd like a gin and tonic as well, so she ordered one next. He gave us an incredulous face and said "SEE THAT'S WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. Now I have to go back and make another one." He acted as if we had broken a serious social taboo. This honestly baffled me. Since when is it a *requirement* to pre-plan your order with your friend and order together? Is it that big of a deal that the bartender has a right to be overtly rude, literally rolling his eyes and making nasty comments? He continued to give us nasty looks throughout the night, much to our dismay and the dismay of the rest of our group, who were also at a loss as to what we had done wrong. Apparently there is a correct way to order a drink here, and we just didn't get it... read more

Incredible, heartbreakingly beautiful space filled to the brim with the sort of regulars that viciously defend their bar against all newcomers. Very cliquey. Let's be straight here; I love bars with personality! Read my other reviews and see how rare my 1 star reviews are. Contrary to several other comments I never had a rude run-in with a bartender. For me it was a customer before I even ordered a drink. The problem for me is that every few years I forget the terrible taste in my mouth that this place leaves and walk in again only to have a lousy time every time. David Wondrich (the bespoke cocktail historian) extolls the virtues of this bar in print as one of the true great and unpretentious spots. I admire his work but feel like this must be an insiders view. The place is busy all the time so I have no illusion that anything ever needs to change. They don't need my business and will obviously continue to thrive despite the protests by those who have had a bad experience. I write this review strictly as a heads-up to the newcomer who peeks in and sees the lovely dark wood interior and high ceilings. Your money will be more graciously accepted and your bar mates will be more welcoming elsewhere. read more

The bartender was so rude we left without ordering. The door was open when we arrived so we assumed that was intentional. We were surprised when she literally screamed at us to close the door. She then blatantly ignored us for 10 minutes. When my husband reached the menu she grabbed it away. We waited another few minutes and then asked for a menu, which she slammed down in front of us. I've never experienced anything like this before. Definitely don't waste your time. read more

One of the cheaper bars in the area, but the service is better than many of the trendier and pricier spots. I was served by a blonde veteran bartender who obviously knew what she was doing. We were greeted, served, thanked, and bid goodnight. When you pair basic yet well executed steps of service with rich history, it's practically a slam dunk. $4 bud bottles don't hurt either. read more

Probably my favorite bar in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Inn was literally an Inn back in the day and it is about 125 years old with an aesthetic that shows it. Beautiful tin ceilings, hand carved wooden bar, and you'll notice several panes of stained glass with varying initials which were the initials of the Inn's previous owners throughout the years. There is also a great jukebox with everything from Wilco to rare jazz. The back boasts an uneven pool table that has both blessed and cursed me and you can always find someone to shoot with, the crowd tends to be really fun and friendly. Definitely worth visiting even if you are not a local. read more

I love bars like this. Unassuming, lots of character, old tin ceiling and tile floor, cool jukebox, good beer selection, and a pool table... What more could one ask for. This place is super chill and laid back, I am lucky to have it in the neighborhood. My only gripe is that it can sometimes just get a little overrun with hipster wanna-be's. I remember walking in there one time with a friend who lives a couple blocks away and this guy kind of gives us a suspicious look as if we didn't belong. DUDE, I'VE LIVED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ALL MY LIFE, WAY BEFORE IT WAS CONSIDERED TRENDY SO WISE UP! Now that I've had a chance to get that off my chest I'm still gonna give the Brooklyn Inn 5 stars because the bar itself is awesome and I've met some nice chatty people around the pool table there too. read more

The bartender is a bitch! I have been regularly coming to the Brooklyn inn and for almost 12 years and I really appreciate the neighborhood Vibe. However, Terry is absolutely one of the worst bartenders I have ever encountered. She has been working there for so many years and for some reason she seems to have gotten away with providing the worst customer service I have ever experienced as a bartender. She is mean. She will mix you a drink and she will say the polite things that you are supposed to say but she is absolutely unkind to her customers. Ironically it seems that she does not like drunk people and I see her being ruder to customers who she thinks are inebriated. Separate from Terry, the Brookln inn is a neighborhood classic with a pleasant atmosphere and affordable drinks. As long as Terry is not working you will have a lovely time. But after so many years of getting mediocre service from her I am going to call the manager. If you are the manager, please talk to your bartenders about not being jerks. If you are Terry, I'm sorry that your life did not turn out how you planned it. But if you don't like people who are out having fun you shouldn't work in a bar. read more

I'm afraid the downward spiral I described in 2012 has accelerated. Now, in addition to banker scum, the staff has gone sideways. What were once a crew of unpretentious, calm and exceedingly pleasant bartenders has been replaced, at least on Saturday afternoon around 6 p.m. on April 23, by a bartender who insisted on making sure everyone could hear her above the screaming woman from Bayridge and the blasting juke box by smashing beer bottles every time she had an empty to dispose of. Teeth jarring, brain rattling bottle smashing, slamming noise, by the bartender, for hours. She smiled each time, too. The Inn is dead. read more

It's one of those places that recent locals would defend like surfers their spot. Trouble is, authenticity does not need to be rude, but the people behind the bar think they're in Northside Williamsburg. They're not, and this bar has only the good looks, but I'd definitely recommend to go somewhere else for a drink. read more

The female bartender was so rude. I won't waste my time here again. She yelled at my girlfriend for some reason regarding the bathroom and screamed across the bar about it. The other patrons sitting at the bar got the brunt of her shrill loudness and were completely confused. There are WAY too many better places to go. This is NY after all.. read more

A temple to NYC historical boozing. Its an old school New York Saloon. Well, actually imported from Germany but nice not to have some Irish pub knock off for a change. First - the negative. I note many reviews refer to rude bartenders. I always get a drink and follow simple rules of the drinker's code. If you don't know it, more practice is required. Now maybe the charm of this place is lost on any less practiced in the craft but you journeymen of drink, masters of booze, patrons of hooch should all appreciate the ambience. Its like a Brooklyn version of Old Town (Manhattan). Beautiful building inside and out. Large space set up long before any of us were of drinking age. Perfected for its purpose. Great pool table. Jukebox. Excellent seating and standing space where one can rest an elbow as it bends to toss back another beer - - until 4am every day as all bars should be . . . . Its a destination bar but not like the latest place where all the kids are going these days. Its more of a discreet alter to days past where men and women drank in a culture uncluttered with Gen X, Gen Y and millennial baggage. Where YOLO was not some newly coined term but rather the mean reality of tuberculosis ravaging the muddy streets of old Brooklyn. So embrace your reincarnate original hipster (yup - it wasn't invented in the 2000s you hepcats).Have a beer and a whiskey at the Brooklyn Inn. Shoot a game of 8 ball. Be happy the bartender doesn't whip out a Colt Peacemaker and ask you to take it outside when ordering a Cosmo. read more

This is one of my favorite bars in the neighborhood. The crowd here is much more pleasing than the bars on Smith Street. I would categorize this is my favorite winter/cold weather season bar because I prefer to be outdoors if it's nice weather and the interior here is warming on a cold winter night. The bartenders here are much better at mixing drinks than most of the bars in the neighborhood and they cater to a mature crowd who knows what to expect when they order a cocktail. I never get the chance to settle into one of the little tables or even a seat at the bar, but I also have never been here on off hours. read more

Me: "Hey man, what say you to a beer?" My Pal: "Dude, I want one of those too." Me: "Where shall we trot to? I've been thrown out of a few bars in my day and need a new spot where I can kick back my heels and smash a brew or two." My Pal: "Well then." Me: "I know man, life is hard." My Pal: "Hey!" Me: "What?" My Pal: "What's that gem up the street?" Me: "Let's check it out, brah." --- Me: "Woah." My Pal: "F*** yeah." Me: "High roof." My Pal: "I like the big glass on the wall so you can see the veins in your arms." Me: [does a flex] My Pal: [sips] Me: [sips] My Pal: [sips] Me: [sips] My Pal: "These great beers will make you lose those guns if you drink too much!" Me: "Ha! Just like my dad." My Pal: "What?" Me: "Think not of it." My Pal: [sips] --- Me: "Thank god for this pool game. Now we need a babe to lean on the felt so we can feast our eyes on what god has made in his good grace." My Pal: "Well then." Me: "Have you found Christ?" --- [post eight beers and mix drinks] Me: [lies on floor] "This room is like it is made by Van Gogh." My Pal: "It drives me to make art." Me: "I'm glad I skipped work to get crunk." --- Have you felt like the world is a weight on your back? This is the spot for you. Chill. Crunk. With pool. Beers. And a friend. read more

Bartender was a rude blonde who shot our group dirty looks every time we asked a question or tried to order. Not sure what was going on - she seemed to have a whole clan at the bar that were her friends and it was clear that she wanted to serve them, not other people. We came here to celebrate a birthday and had to make an invisible wall from her bad juju --- I would definitely not come back!! read more

Love this place! Feels like being inside the hull of an old ship.. it's more or less casual, but elevated well above dive status. Terry and Kevin are incredibly hospitable bartenders : )) this is also the most friendly and proper place to play pool in the neighborhood! read more

Best bar in America...more than ten years strong. Simple. Solid jukebox. Good bartenders. Mixed crowd.

Like a friend you almost never see, but when you do, it's just like it always was: a comfort and welcoming that doesn't really need upkeep. For years, stumbling and re-stumbling on the Brooklyn Inn on crisp autumn Sunday bike rides and random walks through antique yuppiedom, I always got the same warm & fuzzy feeling stepping through the doors and grabbing a chair across from the too-big-for-the-building bar with the huge tall mirrors & woodwork, usually finding myself next to an older guy with hours worth of newspaper to go. I'm not sure I've ever even gone after dark, so, for me, this a late-in-the-day bar with a vibe that's hard to find anywhere. read more

I almost don't want to post this because it's the kind of place you'd like to keep secret... One of the oldest bars in New York. Beautiful, comfortable, wonderful bartenders and friendly patrons. The bar is full of incredible time-worn original fixtures from the late 1800s... yet remains inexpensive and unpretentious. Basically it's the perfect neighborhood watering-hole. read more

The Brooklyn Inn is a great bar. I only take off one star because if the bar is full, there's really no other appropriate place to sit and do a crossword. And yes, that's an important critieria to me. If I could I'd give the Brooklyn Inn 4.5 stars. read more