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Sharlene's
- Nearest Transit:
-
7 Av (B, Q)
Grand Army Plaza (2, 3, 4)
Bergen St (2, 3, 4)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 1 pm - 4 am
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Marivic F. said: "Went here on a groupon/living social deal. I believe it was a Wednesday night because we wanted to take advantage of the cheap hookah deals. I have to say, I was glad we got it for cheap because the hookah was okay but they were cute.…" read more »
53 reviews for Sharlene's
Review Highlights
"And board games are behind the bar."
(in 7 reviews)
"The juke box has a random but good mix of Motown and Rock..."
(in 5 reviews)
"...be back with some wings from Wing Wagon next door."
(in 3 reviews)
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53 reviews in English
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Review from Lindsay M.
Brooklyn, NY
2/7/2012
I'm here a lot. Probably because of their awesome happy hour special and lots of space.
$3 drafts from 1-7. Unbeatable.
You can bring food. MMM.
They bartenders are all pretty great.
Needs a little more light though- it would really make a difference! Especially in the booth area. I'd spend a lot more time there if I could read a book while boozing, but not enough light! -
Review from Sydney B.
12/25/2011
A great local spot that this Manhattanite crosses a river for. It's spacious, has several quality beers on tap (and a couple of cheapies too), a pretty good amount of seating, decent bathrooms, a big screen for the World Cup, close to the subway (Q, 2/3, as well as the Atlantic-Pacific hub), etc.
The friendly bartenders might have even given us some chocolate once :) -
Review from Melanie B.
Brooklyn, NY
12/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Sharlene's is a pretty cool place, I gotta say. I've been here twice now and I have yet to be disappointed. Although, I do wonder if the people calling it a dive have ever actually BEEN in a dive bar... because to me, it's just a normal pub. There are not blacked out windows, nor an exclusive monopoly on Natural Ice, nor pee on the floor in the bathroom - in fact, nothing in here in bajankity. Which I'm pretty sure disqualifies it as a dive.
What Sharlene's IS, is a good, old school neighborhood bar. They have awesome 60s music on the jukebox, three dollar happy hour beers (awesome selection, too - I got Allegash white ale (from Maine!) the first time I was here, and local regulars who keep to themselves and/or start up a normal, every day conversation with you... no hipsters here, just workin' people from the neighborhood. The one time I was here at night, it got busy but not crowded - this place is pretty big and holds a good crowd while not being overwhelming. It's basically my kinda place. The only issue for me, which has nothing to do with the actual bar, is the location... it's on Flatbush as opposed to Vanderbilt, which is where most of the other bars in Prospect Heights are. You can't really bar hop from here, but I definitely recommend it for an after work beverage. -
Review from Nyota W.
12/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am a self proclaimed fan of dive bars. I try to ignore it, but I just can't. They have character and Sharlene's is no exception. The bartender has a bunch board games behind the bar that can be used at no price. Nothing like enjoying an adult beverage with friends while playing a game of Scrabble.
Don't look for any ambiance here, but do look for a laid back good time. -
Review from Tim M.
Long Beach, CA
1/31/2012
Sharlene's is the jump-off. Good prices, good beer selection, and excellent bartender!
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Review from Kelly S.
11/7/2011
As the weather turns cold, my thoughts turn to warm. Warm cocktails. Mulled wine, hot apple cider (rum/whiskey), Tom & Jerry's, Egg Nog...you name it...I drink them all.
Sharlenes...ahhhh, has the plug-in tea kettle right at the bar, cloves, cinnamon sticks and honey. Heat up water, chat with bartender, all a wallop of Jameson and I'm on my warm and merry way.Listed in: Vino Sweet Vino, Dive IN!
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Review from Danielle T.
Falmouth, MA
11/28/2011
My Brooklyn host called Sharlene's a dive bar, but I'm here to tell you it's everything you'd want and anything you make of it.
Claiming the bar's namesake is often behind the bar herself only made me feel better about taking in this local bar as part of my most recent trip to Brooklyn. It's classic with flowers in vases and candles evenly placed along the bar, but hip with the latest twists on retro cocktails and stocking some of the latest trends in spirits. It has a great beer selection (though I haven't been to a bar in Brooklyn that didn't) and the bartender was the perfect amount of friendly and business.
If I lived here...this would be my bar. -
Review from Malarie B.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 10/9/2011
I'm updating to confirm that this place is still classy as fuck.
Also adding that the crowd is a bit more mature than what you'd find at some of the other places around here, which makes for a calm atmosphere pretty much always.Listed in: Get My Drink On
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/20/2011
LOVE this bar. There is so much to love, too. Comfy, spacious, friendly and fun music, too.
Prices… Read more »
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Review from Bryn H.
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Review from Francisco H.
Astoria, NY
10/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
In about 48 hours, you'll be pulling off an elaborate heist. Delroy Lindo is the guy who swears that this is his last job; he's retiring to Arizona where he has a home, and he'll play golf 6 days a week. Sam Rockwell is in charge of studying the security system. Cilian Murphy is the heavy; he is in charge of crowd control. He doesn't like you and the feeling is mutual. You? Who cares, you're going to be rich after this job.'Okay, you're not really going to be involved in a heist. However, Sharlene's is the kind of place that makes you feel like you're in a damn good flick.
The lights are low and the music isn't deafening. The BoSox t-shirt-wearing bartender seems to know his stuff. The Guinness flows like water here. They seem to always have a good selection of specials. -
Review from Donna A.
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is banana pants! Why haven't I been here before? This is sooo my type of place. OK. Pause. Confession. I work out at the gym across the street and I always envisioned it as a seedy lil joint with leprechauns hobbling around. Come to find it, this bar is laid back, pretty roomy, and has clean bathrooms. The service is super chill and friendly. Disclaimer; my friend is a bartender here, but I would still go here regardless. The juke box has a random but good mix of Motown and Rock tunes. Best of all they have board games, which is perfect for a Sunday evening out for drinks. I think this should be a bar requisite.
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Review from Jack T.
Brooklyn, NY
8/26/2011
I will try to keep this brief but forgive me because I love this place.
I live in the neighborhood and am a regular here. They treat me accordingly, I tip well, and it's a fantastic mutualistic relationship. Very simply, be nice to the bartenders and they will take care of you.
They encourage you to bring in food from outside of the establishment, they have board games, they have a wide selection of liquor and they have a lengthy happy hour. They also have the cleanest bathrooms ever. EVER.
There is no television and great music so you (or those with you) are not distracted if you want to have a nice conversation. If you want television, go to the sports bar down the street.
Sometimes it's crowded but people who bitch about places being crowded are stupid because that's basically saying "I want this business to fail". I want this place to stay open forever, no questions asked, and I will be a regular here until I move somewhere else. In the event that that happens I will have a tearful goodbye with the bartenders and will buy them all shots.
Go here. You will love it and if you don't, that's most likely your fault. Bring in some hot wings from Wing Wagon, too and share with me. -
Review from Clyde N.
Brooklyn, NY
8/15/2011
Was by Grand Army Plaza looking for a bar to grab a drink. Happened to come across this lovely little place. Awesome bartender. Blondish-haired girl. Can't remember her name but she was very nice. Drinks were avg priced.
Definitely recommended. -
Review from rachel h.
11/5/2011
went here for a date on a friday. very good spot. never got insanely crowded, the way so many other bars can. and the music was definitely hoppin'. it wasn't too loud to talk over, and was a real conversation piece. of course, this was before we realized it was a juke box. i thought it was just some schizophrenic ipod playlist. "really? ABBA? now the theme from shaft? alright."
the beer selection is solid, and prices are spot on. $6 for a coney island lager.
saw lots of people drinking some fancy schmancy looking cocktails. they all had smiles on their faces. -
Review from Sean B.
7/20/2011
I just ended up here because a certain yelping friend had to pee. Her full bladder led us to this wonderful bar. What's good about it?
1. Decent cocktails at reasonable prices. 3 of us started with Dark and Stormys. While not quite as good as what I've had at Patty Boom Boom in DC (WHAT? something that's BETTER in DC than NYC? Is that possible?? Apparently so, woo woo), it still was well done and had enough kick to make one of my companions intoxicated after 3 of them. I was feeling relatively sober though, so I suppose he's a lightweight like that or was just looking for an excuse to poorly attempt to hit on a lady- but I digress. Anyway, I also had a bourbon based cocktail that I felt was superior to the Dark and stormy but unfortunately I'm blocking on the name (hmm, maybe I wasn't as sober as I thought I was).
2. Good jukebox that plays music just at the right level where you can clearly hear it but can also tune it out and converse with your companions.
3. It's CLEAN. I really was amazed how clean it was. The decor was dive bar like but the cleanliness made it clear this place was not a dive. So nice to go into a bar's restroom and not be inspired to puke. I also dug the candles on all the tables.
4. Friendly bartenders who happily engage the clientale.
The only downer was the draft beer options. I mean there were a couple good options but it really wasn't that extensive and too many macrobeer choices if you ask me. If I were the bar owner or manager, i'd definitely ditch a couple of them and choose different beers. Maybe I've just become a snob like that...
Regardless, that is a very minor blemish and if I lived in the area, I'd definitely frequent this bar often. -
Review from Claudia E.
Tampa, FL
10/11/2011
Great spot. Strong drinks. Friendly service.
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Review from Kate B.
Brooklyn, NY
3/4/2011
This place is everything I want in a bar. It's friendly. It's unpretentious. It plays early 60s girl groups and Johnny Cash on the jukebox, and not so loudly that you & your friends will have to yell to be heard. The barstaff are cordial and quick to put an affordable draught in your hand.
Bonus points for cozy banquette seating if you can snag the corner table. -
Review from Tanya S.
1/26/2011
I was pleasantly surprised with Sharlene's atmosphere. The room is much longer than it is wide, and there is a row of seats/tables on the opposite wall parallel to the bar.
There are small candles at each table, which gives it a surprisingly romantic vibe. In fact, I would suggest Sharlene's for that awkward first date when you want to do more than just "grab a coffee" but don't want to commit yourselves to a full meal. It's the perfect, quiet setup for some drinks and first date "get to know you" conversation.
We came on a Thursday night around 8ish, so it wasn't packed by any means. It reminds me of the kind of bar my parents would go to in their home town and refer to it as "their bar." I got the feeling most of the patrons there were regulars.
I wasn't the biggest fan of their beer selection on tap. I got the Blue Point lager and then remembered I don't like Blue Point all that much, but looking at the rest of the beers on tap, I didn't really see anything more appealing than that. Their table menus listed a better, larger, tap selection which must revolve. I suppose I was just there on an off night.
On the other hand, I saw hot toddies on their menu and vowed I will return to try one. There are also notes on their table menus that encourage people to bring food in. I will definitely be back with some wings from Wing Wagon next door. -
Review from joanna m.
Brooklyn, NY
12/4/2010
This might just be my new favorite place.
Sharlene's has the feel of a dive bar without any of the griminess. With two pinball machines, a jukebox in the back, and plenty of seating, it's easy to enjoy a round here without any pretension or needing to empty your bank account.
Light fare is also available for snacking. And board games are behind the bar.
You won't regret stopping by...Listed in: Let's drink...a little, at…
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Review from Renee M.
Brooklyn, NY
4/5/2011
I like Sharlene's. They have a nice jukebox and lots of space and no one I don't know talks to me.
I like that sometimes. -
Review from Stephanie F.
Brooklyn, NY
8/29/2011
What's my favorite neighborhood bar? After living in Prospect Heights for over a year, I really didn't have an answer. That made me sad because, well, I really like bars.
Last week I went to Sharlene's for the first time. Great prices, chill people, pinball, and they encourage you to order in from local restaurants. I think I have an answer now. -
Review from Zeina M.
New York, NY
8/1/2011
Pineapple juice used in their 3 rum punch was BROWN. I've been suffering with a bad bout of food poisoning since :(
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Review from Jim P.
3/21/2010 3 photos
Good bar. Good Juke box.
Crowd seems pretty cool. Very diverse. But a little "cliquey".
Beers are a good deal for happy hour.
Couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I had Mr. Wonderful also as my bartender. (mentioned in another review for this spot)
I was drinking for at least 2 or 3 hours, having a good time with my buddy. Being my normal, cordial self. Not over the top, and not too cool. We weren't being loud, and just mixing up some good tunes on the diverse track jukebox.
Tipping normal prices per each round.
When I asked for a short beer instead of a pint, I was rudely steered toward the $3 pint.
I kind of KNOW WHAT I WANT, and I really don't like asking twice.
Also.....I don't know... Maybe I expect too much? But if I'm hanging out for a couple of hours, the bartender usually gives me at least ONE drink on the house. It's just good for business.
However, unfortunately that didn't happen.
(even though that wouldn't sway my review)
Even with all that stuff being really just an annoyance, this place still rates a solid 3 stars. Decent free food of pigs in a blanket, etc. under sterno heaters.
Unfortunately sometimes business' give off a feeling that they don't want you to return. Sometimes they get their wish. -
Review from Sharlene C.
Brooklyn, NY
9/10/2011
how i have never reviewed my bar is beyond me. so here goes...it's awesome. happy hour until 7pm = $3 drafts and $4 well. can't beat that. i've celebrated 2 birthdays, a going away and nye here and always never disappointed. it's not a scene and you can always get a drink promptly. my allows outside food (ie. wing wagon next door and christie's a half block away). there is a handy jukebox. board games on request. wifi. seriously peeps get your butts to my bar.
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Review from Furyk C.
Chicago, IL
11/18/2009
Wow - i seem to be the only one to buck the trend on this and that makes me wonder if its not you its me or something but i have to put this out there anyway.
I have gone in here a few different times and was thrilled to find that they had cider on tap....the first time there were two bartenders and one was fine, not overly friendly but amiable, but the other (some Asian guy) was a full on A55H073. I was alone, just stopping to see how the place is so i made small talk with the fisrt bartender with the standard banter.
The second one, i asked a simple question about the obscure football (real, not American) jersey he was wearing. I asked what team it was (yes i know all the major teams and their colors, but this was bright green black and orange. so i asked "what team is that?" he looked at me with annoyance, pointed to the tiny crest on his chest (halfway down the bar) and said "it says it right here" Dic*
I went back twice after this and the same thing transpired. At one point i was even getting on well with the bartender on first shift and this ray-of-sunshine jerk comes in and proceeds to ignore me except to throw my drinks at me until i left with a sudden and mysterious gastronomical EMERGENCY just as though someone put saline (visine) in my drink....
Never going back -
Review from Abigail M.
Brooklyn, NY
5/7/2009
The best parts of Commonwealth have moved over to Sharlene's*... which is to say, this is Sharlene's bar. Aptly titled, right? Soft opening was last night (5/7/09) and in her own words it was "like an episode of 'It's Your Life'!" (Sort of like Cheers, too, since everyone knows her name.)
The bar is huge and has great mood lighting, but not so dark you don't know who you're talking to. Juke-box in the back seemed to have a good array of songs, but I've yet to parse its contents. There are a bunch of tables in the back as well as an extra counter parallel to the bar in the front and a few choice window-bar seats.
Drinks are well-mixed and affordable. Behind the bar is a massive mirror that allows you to spy on the attractive people behind you as well as check your bangs/hair (and, okay fine, make the room look even bigger).
The only reason I'd want to take a half-star away would be because it's no longer a block from my house!
* This is not to say Commonwealth is closed, as it's not. But you know... I'll play favorites every now and then.Listed in: Drink! Drink! This town is so…
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Review from Natascha R.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 3/18/2011
Shuhei is the nicest bartender ever!!! I go there every Friday and he's fast with the drinks and pours a perfect Guinness complete with shamrock in the foam.
1 Previous Review:
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11/9/2009
The Friday happy hour is great!! Free food, $3 tap beer and great folks!!!!
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Review from enero s.
Brooklyn, NY
10/21/2009
I love this bar! The peeps are great and the bar is chill. Great music in the box, not too loud not too soft. You dont leave with a sore throat from screaming like in most places and it's not (yet) full of lame-a$$ hipsters! This isnt the kind of place you want to go if you are dead inside and constantly need to be surrounded by hordes of screaming people and deafening music. This is a neighborhood bar, a nice place to have a drink, chat with some friends, and relax. There arent enough of these places anymore.
Would be the best place on the planet if there were a Buck Hunt game and a photo booth...but I guess that would just attract more hipsters ;) -
Review from Anne H.
Brooklyn, NY
3/27/2010
Wow, I've been slacking off in my reviewing. All ya'll foodies can lash me with a wet piece of pappardelle.
So Sharlenes...where do we begin. You lack the following things a) ambiance b) character c) comfortable chairs d) food e) a jukebox with music released after the Reagan presidency.
What you do have is 3-dollar anything on tap before 7 pm.
Win!! -
Review from Max E.
Brooklyn, NY
2/6/2010
I was pretty skeptical about Sharlene's as my friends and I came upon it. I was hoping to go to Beer Table on 7th Ave, but this was right by Christie's Jamaican Patty, where I'd just had dinner.
Once inside, my doubts were erased. The music is good, the patrons easy-going and open. I didn't catch the name of our bartender but she had some arms tats and was friendly.
Tap selection is limited but with some quality choices (I was very happy with Smuttynose Winter and Goose Island IPA). Same goes for whiskey selection, both scotch and bourbon. They also had some interesting cocktails. I got the spiced cider and bourbon, which was pretty good.
All these things, combined with table space plus board games made for a good night, will definitely return next time I'm in the area. -
Review from Dean C.
Brooklyn, NY
7/29/2010
Sharlene's is one of my favorite bars. Their happy hour lasts for huge expanses of time and means $3 drafts of a very solid variety of beers.
Bartenders (especially Matt) are extremely friendly and attentive. Ambiance is simple and a bit odd.
Trivia night is Mondays and starts at 830/9. Is truly an experience and is fun to return to. (Hint: Check their Facebook so that you know which movie will be the subject of the Movie Rounds. Showing up having not watched the film ruins a team's score).
Did a great job covering the World Cup. Doesn't normally have TV's but used a projection screen and opened very early for (almost) all games. -
Review from Jocelyn B.
Brooklyn, NY
3/3/2011
Sharlene's is a great neighborhood bar with some of the nicest bartenders in the world. My husband, who doesn't drink, spent most of the summer here watching the World Cup. He ordered sodas and stayed for hours. No one cared, probably because the beer and the soda are basically the same price throughout the day. There's a huge TV and while some food is available, they have plenty of menus on hand for delivery. It's great to have such a welcoming place nearby.
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Review from Todd A.
Astoria, NY
3/4/2011
Came here for a birthday party. The crowd sort of ebbed and flowed. Packed then empty, packed then empty. But the bartender was fantastic! She had a smile on her face and even gave me a free beer on about my 4th trip to the bar. I'm a sucker for a nice bartender. Nothing makes me not want to go back to a place more than a stuck up drink-maker. Anyway, pretty big place, right off the train. And pinball machines. PINBALL MACHINES.
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Review from Charles C.
Brooklyn, NY
3/17/2011
This place has a lot of potential. The owner is friendly as are most of the bartenders. They have some fun events as well.
Don't go there if that Asian guy is working though! It's true and relieved to hear it wasn't just me after reading the other reviews. That guy is a first rate jerk. I go to a bar to relax, this guy acts like he is up for a fight. Im not talking about lack of special service, I'm talking about flat-out rudeness.
Other than that . . . guy . . ., the place is friendly and a nice place to meet 'cause its centrally located. -
Review from Beth H.
Brooklyn, NY
10/22/2010
Amazing bar I loved it. I was only there from 4-7pm, so I do not know what the night life is like, but when I went it was great nice and low key. the bartender was friendly and personable, he even let us have tastes of the taps when I had trouble deciding which to get. Also the music they played was 50's music, none of the top 40 stuff. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience, and 3 dollar draft beers are the best.
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Review from natalie b.
New York, NY
12/25/2009
I happened to walk in on xmas eve bc I had nothing else to do. been spying the place from my precor machine at crunch across the street.
Greated by THE Sharlene, she was super kind, friendly & welcoming. The bar smelled good, it was tastefully decorated with old b&w photography and new vintage inspired chairs & booths.
The drink menu was good - from the traditional, seasonal & some fun stuff like the Antioxidant Martini.
Going back tonight! -
Review from Ben S.
Brooklyn, NY
1/9/2011
Great, cozy neighborhood bar. Pretty good beers on tap, hot drinks available in the winter, decent prices, and never too crowded.
The Asian bartender, as others have noted, is a (the?) problem here, though. He walks away from my friend while she's in the middle of ordering (three drinks; you can't remember three drinks?), comes back with an $8 hot toddy containing, based on the taste and complete transparency, zero liquor, and then is an asshole about it when politely asked to top it off. Sorry you couldn't get a job in the LES, bro, but at some neighborhood joint in Brooklyn it's part of your job not to be a jackass.
The other bartenders are great, including a gal I take to be Sharlene herself and an Irish guy, also very friendly. But I may just turn around and go somewhere else next time I see that guy working; I don't have enough money to spend it on his tips. -
Review from Lisa F.
New York, NY
11/5/2010
Any bar that has a good happy hour, and let's me order food from next door to soak up all that happy houring, is good by me!
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Review from M s.
Brooklyn, NY
7/24/2010
Matt the bartender is very cool, Sharlene herself is behind the bar fairly often, and you can get a Christie's beef patty or veggie patty at any hour of the night.
This is all I need. -
Review from mag m.
Brooklyn, NY
11/30/2009
8pm Saturday. me, the boyfriend, the 3rd most bored bartender i've ever met, 3 cold beers and a jukebox all hopped up on credits playing song after song of my personal favorites. when what to my wondering eyes should appear? the grinch of flatbush -- AKA sharlene herself, showing up to make us poor drunken Who's pay for the juke! (warranting a 1/5 deduction from the irish judge)
i don't mind a dead bar--just the opposite, in fact. but seriously--making your only 2 customers pay for the juker? come on now. i was expecting a little more hospitality--- like perhaps a freaking round (or at least a shot) on the house! but to be forced to PAY for juke which had previously been FREE? it's indecent.
but let's start at the beginning.
the set up:
back in the day, sharlene's was the most kickass irish dive in whoville ("whoville" is herein defined as the trinity of green/slope/heights) and had been around for 20-sumodd years. sharlene took over last spring and re-did the place. i hadn't been here since Mooney's went to that big guinness spout in the sky, and i have been curious to see what the new owners had done to it.
the scene:
with the dartboard gone AWOL, there's really nothing to do here at all except drink beers and shots and play the radical jukebox (generously stocked with guided by voices and the replacements in addition to the requisite cash/zep permutations). i'm all for the newish, spit-clean bathroom, but the 50s-style vinyl-covered cafe chairs and tables are weirdly out of context, especially since new-mooney's doesn't serve food.
what they do serve is 7 kinds of beer and plenty of whiskeys (thumbs WAY up).
the pay off:
i think with time and patience, sharlene's has potential to turn into a favorite nabe joint, and hopefully sharlene herself will loosen up a bit. times are tough, but you don't win regs by gouging them, honestly.Listed in: Choo got against Park Slope?, pubs PUBS pubs
