Summer in the city for many means a mass exodus to the beach, whether it be the Jersey Shore, Fire Island or the Hamptons. For those not willing to brave the traffic, or opted not to go for the summer share (read lack of funds) it doesn’t mean we have to miss out on all the nautical bliss. We can enjoy that beachy atmosphere without having to inhale the exhaust on the Long Island Expressway. Turns out a short ride on the F train takes us to that lazy, seaside watering hole. Trout in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn has everything that you would want for a laid back Saturday afternoon – outdoor seating, killer bloody marys, steamed to perfection littleneck clams -- well, except the beach part, but don’t worry, you’ll never notice it’s missing.

As you walk through the wooden gate of Trout, a sense of casual relaxation greets you. The tables are scattered around with mix-matched chairs that are aptly weathered and broken in, just perfectly. Without question, once you’ve selected your seat, the first thing you should do is order their bloody mary. The initial draw might be that they are only $4 all day Saturday and Sunday, but the perfect balance of flavor, heat and refreshment will be the real lure. The other summer specialties of the house are the Brooklyn Iced T that is made with sunbrewed iced tea, Jameson, lemons and a touch of honey and their Two Jewels, which is Bombay Sapphire, ruby red grapefruit juice, topped with a splash of tonic and a lime wedge. If cocktails aren’t your speed then the harpoon seasonal brew, Whitbread pale ale or the $2 PBR cans are hard to resist. Or if making decisions is just a little too much work, you can let your luck ride and have the wheel of death choose for you. Every hour, on the hour, the wheel is spun to determine what the drink special will be. During our visit, the $8 pitcher of Bud Light beer was the crowd pleaser. Especially since we brought a set of playing cards and relived our college days with a game of Kings.

Now, no fake day at the beach would be complete without barbeque and seafood and on this front, Trout comes through. The BBQ pulled pork sandwich ($5) was moist and messy, the corn on the cob ($2) sweet and glistening with a “touch” of butter and the steamed littlenecks with chorizo, onion, garlic and beer (market) were the perfect foil to our pilsner. The perfect end to this light snack is the slice of watermelon ($2), which requires at least 3 sheets of paper towels, which are readily handy on each table.

There’s no reason to get bummed if you can’t escape for a weekend getaway. Let the rest of them go off to their beach shares, that just leaves more seats at Trout for us.

Trout, 269 Pacific St, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 935-1295
Cash Only