Barcade
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Phone: (718) 302-6464
- Cross Street:
- Between Powers Street and Ainslie Street
- Directions:
- L at Lorimer St; G at Metropolitan Ave
- Best of Citysearch:
- Neighborhood Bar 2006, Neighborhood Bar 2005
- Hours:
- Mon-Sat 5pm-4am, Sun 5pm-2am
Editorial Review for Barcade – by Kara Zuaro
The Scene
This industrial-sized drinking and gaming space hides on Williamsburg's still-sleepy Union Avenue. A large bar keeps more than 20 taps running, but the attraction here is the wide selection of '80s-era video games like Asteroids, Frogger and Donkey Kong. Slim wooden counters between the games serve as a place to stash your pint.
The Draw
Lest the set-up be too reminiscent of a friend's 8th birthday party, a heavy '90s alt-rock soundtrack conjures memories of high school, and the extensive beer list is comfortably grown-up. An ever-changing giant chalkboard over the bar lists the varieties, and photocopied menus detail each brew. For those with a competitive streak, a smaller blackboard on the opposite wall lists high scores. Plus, the abundance of beer and video games skews the boy-to-girl ratio. It can be a great place to meet guys--if they can be wooed away from Ms. Pac-Man.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
What to DrinkThe complex Brooklyn Weissbock is a local favorite with a slightly sweet finish, and the Southampton Imperial Russian Stout, served in a wine goblet, is rich and smooth.
Happy HourGet $1 off draft beers and well drinks every day from 5pm to 8pm; better yet, happy hour recurs from 2:30am to 3:30am Monday through Thursday.
User Reviews for Barcade
04/24/2008 Posted by asana
OK, maybe I felt a little old here, but those games brought me back! So easy to strike up a convo with anyone, and I even danced to the rock music there. Lots of "hipsters" but they're not so bad to play with!
Pros: chill, relaxed, mixed crowd
Cons: not diverse enough
02/13/2008 Posted by Hymburglar
Jesus, this place floored me on how hilariously douchy people can get. It is the hipster mecca, I'd say. If you want to laugh at people with Gel-Made bedhead and "ironic" short shorts, as well as tattered tourist shirts from Bermuda and Oklahoma, look no further. I actually had a pretty good time laughing at the guy with the Prince Valiant Medieval-style bowl cut. I'm not kidding. The bar has all sorts of weird microbrews, but the majority of them taste like brewed sewage, honestly. You can probably hear the hipsters talking about how they're beer experts, but really, they should shut up. The videogames are cool for like 2 minutes, then you realize that they weren't all that fun to begin with. It does have some appeal in that it's kind of like being in a warehouse with a bunch of a-holes. In all honesty, I did enjoy myself laughing at people talking about the latest indie rock or films as if they were all geniuses waiting to be discovered. So if you're down for people having identity crises and hearing some skinny dude in a pork-pie hat and thick rimmed glasses talking about Matt and Kim or some other stupid "underground" band while drinking some sludgy dumpwater, then look no further. I know I'll be back. I haven't laughed so hard in ages.
Pros: Hilarious comedy show; great for people watching
Cons: Your realization that all of the draws are really lame.
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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