Buttermilk

Fifth Avenue and 16th St.

South Park Slope

Brooklyn 

I like bars, I drink a lot and I am fussy. Buttermilk has been my local go to spot in South Park Slope since I moved to the neighborhood. This place is a great no nonsense spot to grab a couple lagers and harp with the locals about ConEd price increases. Buttermilk pulls off the low-light, beat up furniture atmosphere of a classic dive but without the putrid stench of puke and stale beer. Its comfortable and friendly, usually with a few regulars posted at the bar and a scattering of hipster types around the various tables. They have a great selection of board games and if you start to feel frisky you can annihilate some elk on their big buck hunter pro machine. On most nights the bartender controls the tunes but several nights during the week they have special vinyl nights where they play only country, blues, etc. Also one thursday a month a Johnny Cash cover band plays and you can get up on stage and let your inner Sue out with them. Finally Buttermilk has several weekly evening promotions, the best of which being $3 Yuengling's on Wednesdays from about 9-Midnight. This is the place I go for my relaxing midweek beer but it also has potential for serious weekend drunkenness. 

Location- 3

It depends where you live, for me its a great location. It's near the Prospect Ave stop on the R but it is on the end of the slope for all you punks living down north.

Value- 4

The beers are standard $4-5 and shots vary but are affordable. $3 Yuengling night is easy on the wallet.

Clientele- 4

You probably wont meet your soulmate here but you get a good mix of people. Everyone tends to be laid back and minds their business.

Atmosphere- 3

Good dive vibe with some unique seating options.

Service- 2.5

Sometimes the bartenders are busy outside smoking and talking to their friends so you have to wait patiently for you beer, if you say something about it be prepared for a showdown and dont try to get out of it by challenging anyone to a "Boob off" cause it wont fly.

Bar Penguin Review - 3 Penguins

Bar 4

Somehow, they screwed up the one thing you HAVE to get right


444 7th Ave(@15th)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Bar 4 on MySpace

For my first post, I will review the bar closest to my house. Theres not much to say about this place, other than the Guinness tastes strange and sour. And you cant see inside. And there is an annoying procession of wannabe Bob Dylans playing on stage most nights of the week. The TV, while occaisionally playing Mets games, is often tuned to some avant-garde silent movie or something from Japan. The atmosphere seems like a strained dinner party most of the time, as the lean-back couches and low coffee tables kill any intimacy in the main seating area. The foosball table is nice, but squeezing past it to get to the dog kennel-esque area where you can smoke while continually imbibing is not so. I guess thats a bit more than not much. The shining light of this place is the padded benches covered in pillows in the back corner near the bathroom, where one can recline, sip a drink and lament the downfall of the local watering hole. Overall, its a whiny hipster bar that doesnt particularly grab my interest, but will still do for a quick pint at the end of the day.

Location- 3
6 blocks from 7th Ave stop on F, but plenty of retaurants and funky places around.
Clientele- 2
Did I mention the hipsters and singer-songwriters?
Value- 3
Typical pint prices($5-6) and the whiskey is reasonable($5-6).
Atmosphere- 1
Foosball and Guitar Hero nights wont redeem the "too cool for school" vibe.
Service-3
Decent mostly, but I was kicked out once because the bartender's friends showed up and it became a private party.

The Bar Penguin Rating- 2 Penguins