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Gothamist tried to see the eponymous Lillie of Lillie's in Red Hook this week to report on bar’s reopening. It didn’t quite work out for us (we tried going twice this week- they are reopening slowly). But she promises this weekend is a good time to check out the renovation and changes, and everytime we’ve visited we’ve had fun- either staring wistfully (read:tipsy) at the rest of Brooklyn through the garden or drinking shots of tequila from shot glasses in a waitress’s cleavage instead of off a bar and seeing the legendary bombshell Lady Ace perform strip teases for Valentine's day event. Lillie Haus is a bit of legend herself, bartending at Orchard Bar for ages and attracting all the misplaced and lonesome Southerners with her charm before owning her own place on a neglected corner a short bus or car ride from the Smith & Ninth Street F station. But she wasn’t there to make us her famous Red Hooker (ask for it, it’s too sweet and too vicious not to try).
From Beard Street we headed to Conover to Sunny’s. Sunny’s is the longest continously operating bar in Red Hook, managed by the Balzano family sine the 1880's. We spoke to Sunny’s wife, Tonne, and she told us the remarkable story of the bar as she served us a Bass ($4). She met Sunny when he took over the operation about ten years ago after his father (who had been a chef and run the kitchen) and his uncle (who ran the bar) passed away. Looking around the bar we saw the history everywhere, from the decoupage of pin-ups a sailor contributed to the holes in the archway (we thought they were supposed to resemble portholes but they were from before the bar was wired for electricity) and the boxing gloves of unknown provenance. Sunny’s is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and also hosts plays, music, what sounds like a phenomenal Christmas party and a reading series the first Sunday of every month. This week’s reading features author Alison Smith (Name All The Animals) and is sure to be packed. Get there early to soak up the history.
Leaving Sunny’s we headed back towards the subway and to Liberty Heights Tap Roomat Van Dyke and Dwight. We ordered an amber ale ($5) from their own brewery, Six Points, a cider ($5) and some fries ($4 and large enough to share with an amazing red pepper aioli). We were comfortable in the warm room not knowing where to look between the exposed brick pizza oven, the pool table, the sofa in the middle of the room and the ancient posters (CBGB’s tenth anniversary, 1983) on the hallway walls. Liberty is surprisingly kid-friendly with overstuffed booths and only the one bartender to wait on every table. We had heard about the stunning view of Manhattan from the roofdeck but the roof is cluttered with the brewery’s kegs for another week. Liberty is great place to eat and drink in Red Hook and we daresay to feel free to do so. Our misadventures left us happy and full.
Lillie's festivities
Friday 4/29 Reggae Party with Jerk BBQ
Dj Spirit With Roger Boom, Jimmy All Stars
Saturday 4/30 Red Hook Hootenanny with
The Maybelles, Strung Out String Band, & Midnight BBQ
($5 all-you-can-eat BBQ)
Sunday 5/1 May Day
1st Official Sunday BBQ in the garden
DJ RRxing, DJ Spencer
Lillie's
46 Beard St (at Dwight)
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718)858-9822
Sunny's Reading Series
Sunday May 1st, 7pm
Alison Smith, others
Sunny's
253 Conover St.
between Beard and Reed Sts.
(718)625-8211
Liberty Heights Tap Room
36 Van Dyke St., at Dwight St.
(718)246-8050
Photos courtesy of Maya Corneille.
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You left out one great place, the Red Hook Bait and Tackle on Van Brunt.
http://redhookbaitandtackle.com/
Yes, now you have to go back for the Bait and Tackle. It is clearly the best new bar in Red Hook. The interior features all sorts of taxidermy and fishing gear - even a huge virtual fly fishing video game. The bar itself is apparantly one huge wooden section of some old church. Beer on tap, food, darts and amusements. Run by long-time Sunny's barhands out of an actual old bait and tackle shop... I'd rather be there right now, actually. Is 3:00 too early for a Duff? No, you say? I'll see you there, friend. Can't get enough of that wonderful Duff.
Not sure about the Duff (tho have you seen those "Bart Marley" shirts?), but I do happen to know that
the bar was made from a felled tree from the Visitation Church property, not really part of the church itself. Nice for the youngins to dance on as well.
Ah yes, Lillie. So addled and dissolute that she recently had to throw a rent party, then closed to scramble for a partner to stay afloat. And dear Sonny, who operated for years without a liquor license. What a hero. How bohemian! And Liberty Heights - whose owner is ready to sell the neighborhood out to Ikea in the desperate hope of getting construction workers into his nearly bankrupt business. And Bait & Tackle. Just what Red Hook needed - another bar! Why didn't I think of that? We might not have a green grocer or a hardware store, but by golly everyone's ready to drag a felled tree into a storefront and sell beer to six people. What a help to the neighborhood!!!
For anyone interested, I have launched an online publication called B61 Productions. It will cover Red Hook much like a small town newspaper. Currently you can read about Lillie's reopening, Sunny's reading series and Portside NY's plan for the waterfront. On Monday, I will post articles on the spate of recent burglaries and BWAC's first weekend.