Why a late night happy hour? I say, why not a late night happy hour. It’s only right that after spending the better part of an evening patronizing an establishment, we ought to get some sort of reward for our endurance, or just a kickback to keep us buying until last call. The late night happy hour is both a thank-you to customers and a fuck-you to curfews, gathering the night owls for one last surge of drinking before the night’s truly questionable decisions unfold.
Since we first rounded up Brooklyn’s late night happy hours in 2012, at least half the spots we had are now defunct. Some have shuttered, and others have simply realized they can afford not to offer cheap drinks past 8pm anymore. But much like we believe in your right to wear jorts, we also believe in your right to save money on alcohol this summer, especially since you’re going to be spending it on all those dumb music festivals and bottomless brunches. So we’re championing the late night happy hour once again, with these seven spots where you can still get an affordable drink after dark.
Soft Spot
128 Bedford Ave. Williamsburg
Technically, this is just an extended happy hour that goes late into the night, but are you really gonna criticize when it comes to cheap drinks? On Tuesdays, Soft Spot offers 2-for-1 drafts and well drinks all night until 2am. The bar is long, narrow and warmly-lit, and benefits from added space in the backyard patio when the Bedford Ave. crowds start piling in. If you can bear the occasional bro-cust, head here and treat yourself to a couple of drinks after a long day at work; you can tuck yourself into one of the cozy side booths where no one will see you throwin ’em back.
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Black Swan
1048 Bedford Ave., Bed-Stuy
I’ve definitely fallen asleep in a bowl of poutine at Black Swan, but that doesn’t mean you should. What you can do instead, from 1-4 am, is enjoy a $5 well drink, $5 house wine or $5 drafts. If you’re feeling hungry you can also nosh on something off their late-night menu, since the kitchen is open until 3am. I recommend the poutine only if you have your wits about you, otherwise stick to the veggie burger. The bun is like a pillow.
Canal Bar
270 3rd Ave., Gowanus
Even if it didn’t have a great late night happy hour, Canal Bar would be the place you want to end up at the end of the night. The bar offers cheap drinks, board games, free popcorn (biggest selling point IMO) and an eclectic mix of clientele. From Sunday through Thursday 8pm-close, Canal offers a $6 beer and shot special which includes a PBR and either whiskey or tequila. It’s nothing fancy, but if you’re rolling up at 2am then you’re probably not that fancy either, you know?
Barboncino
781 Franklin Ave., Crown Heights
There’s a lack of real dive bars with dive bar prices in Crown Heights these days. But if you’re looking for cheap swill south of Atlantic Avenue before you go dancing at Friends and Lovers, Barboncino’s late night drink deals are pretty decent: $2 off well, draft beers and cocktails, from 11pm-1am. The kitchen closes at 1am, too, so snag yourself one of their mouthwatering pizzas with the money you saved on drinks. Or just keep the money you saved, like a smart person.
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Pacific Standard
82 4th Ave., Park Slope
Pacific Standard has wi-fi and wasabi peas, two of the essential amenities I seek out on the rare occasions when I’m still awake late at night. If you, too, like to snack and get work done, then do it alongside the Standard’s lat night beer + shot combo available Sunday through Thursday, which includes a $5 draft and a $4 shot of Jameson. It’s not as cheap as other beer and shot specials, but that’s because it’s fancy craft beer and Jameson, and according to the New York Times’ expert trendspotters fancy is just par for the course.
Oxcart Tavern
1301 Newkirk Ave., Flatbush
Putting aside the fact that Oxcart boasts serving up “nostalgic cool,” whatever that means, their happy hour deal is great. From 10-11pm daily the bar offers a “twice is nice” deal with 2-for-1 cocktails, plus $4 well, draft and select wines. They also offer these deals from 5-6pm, but you’re not here to read about that. You’re here to stay up and drink past (my) bedtime. Also, $5 fried pickles. That’s not a happy hour thing, either, that’s just a delicious anytime thing.
The Sackett
661 Sackett St., Gowanus
The Sackett is one of those quiet, simple spots you go to enjoy a beer without all the fuss, but without all the vitriolic bathroom scrawl, either. They’ve got brick walls, café tables, a jukebox, a small food menu and, oh right, a nice little reverse happy hour with $1 off all drinks after midnight. Save those Washingtons for the jukebox, why don’t you?
Sycamore Bar
1118 Cortelyou Rd., Ditmas Park
Sycamore Bar is sometimes a bar and sometimes a flower shop, and is only both of those things for a few hours a day. I guess you could call drinking near flowers a “happy hour,” but in my opinion the better happy hour is the one that happens Monday through Thursday from 12am – 2am, when it’s $1 off draft beer, wine and well drinks. Sycamore also boasts proximity to the newly-renovated Kings Theatre, so you can come here after seeing Sigur Rós, or something.
Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments section!
Follow Sam for more tips on how to forgo sleep in favor of more alcohol: @ahoysamantha