This is the 27th in our series on the venues featured in the second Brooklyn Beer Book. This week we’re going back to Clinton Hill for Beer Book newcomer, Rustik Tavern.
RUSTIK TAVERN
471 Dekalb Ave., Clinton Hill
What it is: All that it’s name implies, plus more: a cozy neighborhood watering hole and food joint framed by rich oaks, exposed brick, antique wall hangings, and red velveted seating, with patrons and bar staff as warm as the decor.
Why We Love it: The bar easily masters the charming down-home/uptown aesthetic we’ve seen replicated dozens of times, but without any of the pretense that’s often associated with these bucolically inspired spots. A large ivy-drenched back patio tips the scale into heavyweight status as the perfect place to reap the effects of cold booze, chummy neighbors and warm nights.
Who to Bring: Your artistic and musically inclined friends who haven’t thought to venture out of the GreenBushBurg triangle for a night out. Live hip-hop, jazz, blues, and salsa along with comedians and spoken-word performances can be heard on a weekly basis, and open mics draw a well-mixed sample of local artists and musicians. Bring also: your chatty pals. The regulars here aren’t shy about sharing a spirited history of the neighborhood.
What to Order: A plentiful list of local and well-known taps sets the tone, but I opted for a house cocktail dubbed the “Lusty Rustik,” a fruit-juicy blend with a generous pour of whiskey. A gigantic food menu flanked by hearty bar fare and Southern-style seafood will please the empty or boozy-bellied.
Rustik Tavern fun fact: Wednesdays are the taverns big music nights with Chapelle show bluesman Catfish Turner performing on the third Wednesday of every month. Come for the music (no cover) and get liquid courage from $2 PBRs to give it a go on the open mic that follows.