The Gate

09/02/2008 Posted by jigolomiles

The same thing happened to my friends and I as what happened to moudro. my friend was eating a cupcake and offered to buy me a round. I said thanks and off he went. He came back and said that he needed my ID. My wife said that was weird and I gave him my ID. Two seconds later he came back to our outdoor table sans drink. He said he went to the bar, gave the bartender my ID and told the bartender that it was weird, in his opinion, that he was ID'd considering we were drinking there for a while before the shift of bartenders. The young, long bearded bartender said that his job was to check ID's and told my friend he would no longer be welcome at the bar. When my friend told me this, I thought it was weird so I went to check it out. "Jesse", the bartender said the same thing to me as what my friend said he was told. I shook my head walked back to my seat and not 3 seconds later, "Jesse" said we had to leave immediately. We left in complete shock and wondered if "Jesse" was a bigot as my friend and I were the only people of color there. I hope that's not the case in 2008, however, this was obviously not a one time thing as evinced by other reviews. The Gate will not see me or any of my other friends at that bar again.

09/02/2008 Posted by Wickey

I am barred from writing my story by this site's guidelines, but ask that you do not patronize this establishment. My friends and I actually had to walk out of this bar -- leaving our drinks -due to the service.

07/26/2008 Posted by moudro

My friend was visiting me from Brussels and I decided to take her to The Gate because I liked the outdoor seating and the fact that they let you bring food from other restaurants to the bar. When we arrived my friend and i went to the bar she ordered a glass of wine and the barman carded her. She showed him her Belgian ID card and he gave her drink. I am 8 months pregnant so I ordered a seltzer water. The same barman asked for my id and I told him that i did not have my New York ID with me however I do have my European ID card with me. He told me that they did not accept foreign ID cards (even though he just accepted one 5 minutes before from my friend who he served alcohol to!!!). He then asked me to leave as I was not allowed in a bar without the proper identification even if i was only drinking water. I don't know what his problem was but he was rude and inconsistent with his service. I will never go back there again even after I am able to drink alcohol.

Pros: Outdoor seating, can bring in food

Cons: rude service

03/10/2006 Posted by winterwren

(Disclaimer: I am not a dog fan.) Let's see: reasonable prices, good pours on excellent scotches and tequilas, an interesting assortment of beers, and the ability to bring in food, or to sit and write for a couple of hours with good music playing. Both the jukebox and the staff's selections are always interesting. And the staff are friendly and knowledgable about their music and their liquor. You have to watch your feet, sometimes, because not all of the dogs (or dog owners) feel a need to stay out of the aisles, but otherwise it's a great place to hang out.

Pros: good scotch selection, good tequilas

Cons: untrained dog owners

09/27/2002 Posted by golinveaux718

In its pre-hype days, The Gate truly was one of the all time great neighborhood hangouts. Now, it has been over-run: a friendly bar scene has been pushed out by an aggressive, proprietory crowd of entitled 20-somethings (one unapologetically stepped on my dog). Conversation is impossible. The staff has become surly and although it still has a great selection of affordable beers, the taps are in need of a proper cleaning. I've clinged to hope that it would revert back, but after several disappointing visits, I have given up hope.

Pros: good selection, affordable

Cons: loud, crowded

09/06/2002 Posted by robbbrooklyn

At risk of ruining my favorite spot, I enthusiastically encourage everyone to experience this excellent bar. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable; the regulars are friendly and knowledgeable. Good place to meet people. Bring friends to sit in the cozy booths or out on the patio, or sit at the bar for Mets or soccer on the TV. Leave your attitude at home, or check it at the door. This place is unpretentious and real.

Pros: comfortable, friendly, great bartenders

Cons: crowded late, no billiards

08/12/2002 Posted by Ramonsalazar

Excellent anbiance. Affordable drinks. Beautiful people. This is a fabulous bar that allows one to sit back and ponder on the simplicity of life.

06/27/2002 Posted by gary

and a nice outdoor patio. great place to relax after work or at 2 am. the crowd is the same, all friendly with no pretention. comfortable place to sip a beer, talk, shoot darts and listen to the juke. it's what makes this neighborhood bearable, really.

Pros: comfortable, friendly

05/20/2002 Posted by Angela

Went here Friday night. We could not sit outside becuase of the rain, but the inside was fine. They have a great selection of beers on tap and a good size place. Even though it is not in my hood i will definitely go back.