Gothamist: Brooklyn Drinks - Vegas

h.tomato

Sat, 05 May 2007 10:18:13 -0500

I live next door to Vegas and could not be happier that place has gone away. I've left my apartment a'Sunday morning for coffee and had to jump over a pool of barf on the front doorstep. Many's the day I've plucked cigar butts off my doorbell box and kicked aside small hills of cigarettes--and many's the night I've come home late to find packs of baseball-capped, loud young dudes lurking at my front door, a favorite haunt for the nicotine fix. And I didn't ask for it by moving to Smith Street by the by--it was a religious candle shop when I came to the 'hood. I'll take the wideload twin-babystrollers of Tea Lounge any day.

Gabe

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 17:46:34 -0500

I was all excited to tell my 81-year-old grandma Flossie to visit this bar, until I realized that "South Brooklyn" meant Smith Street -- and not her neighborhood, which is a block away from Coney Island. Dudes, we MUST come up with a new name for this area, dudes. How about "South NewBrook" (South New Brooklyn)?

dan selzer

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:35:30 -0500

Not really. I remember seeing something about Vegas on NYCTV or something and a bartender went on about how when Vegas opened there weren't any bars on Smith St. If I remember correctly, Quench, Boat, Smith St. Bar and The Roxy were all there for some time before Vegas.

Runs With Scissors

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 08:26:14 -0500

Vegas has been great for teachers in the area becuase it opened earlier than the other bars on the Smith Street strip. I think I've drowned many a bad day at work there.

dacgotham

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:33:45 -0500

Oh no! Vegas is one of my favorite places on Smith. Great place to hang out and play pool. Everyone's very friendly. I'm sad to hear it may be closing. I guess that leaves Angry Wade's if you want to shoot some stick. On a side note, just a couple blocks down is another favorite of mine, Ceol (at Smith & Warren). No pool table, but great atmosphere. Bingo on Monday nights, Pub Quiz on tuesday. Camp is a great bar too, situated between Ceol and Vegas.

Ed

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 20:05:29 -0500

I've been in Vegas a few times and really, really wanted to like it, because of all that space. But the fact is, its a blah bar, usually dead unless there is an event. I think too much space can kill a bar, plus it opened right as the supergentrification of that area was beginning, too many suburban imports in an area will kill a bar.

bob

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:08:08 -0500

From all indications, Vegas is indeed closing. However, the owners of the Brooklyn Inn have apparently decided to compromise and maintin its bar-like atmosphere. Last I heard they are taking out the pool table in back and will be serving bar grub there. The front will remain as is. Hope this is how it happens.

EricGewiz

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:19:23 -0500

South Brooklyn refers to many neighborhoods south of Downtown, including the BoCoCa area, Gowanus Red Hook and Park Slope. It was named at a time when many areas of Brooklyn further south were farms.

bklynd

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:19:01 -0500

Yeah, for some reason it is traditional to call the Carroll Gardens area "South Brooklyn." Doesn't make any damn sense.

Spud Spudly

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:39:48 -0500

Smith Street is "south brooklyn?" I thought the story was referring to Sheephead Bay or a place like that.

EricGewiz

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 16:32:35 -0500

Went there for a birthday party a few months back, and really enjoyed, though mostly b/c of the space.

TomP

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:50:30 -0500

Vegas is neither good nor bad -- it's a little skeevy, but as you say, the extra room is nice, so it balances out. Whatever you do, though, stay away from Apartment 138 across the street. Terrible place.