REAL hidden gems of Park Slope

Can a town such as Park Slope even have hidden gems?

Donuts – 7ave, btw 8th and 9th. For my money there is not a better BLT in the hood. Plus they are open at 4am which is huge for me… Plus they can spot me coming 2 blocks away.

Best blog/message board that isn’t the Brooklynian: http://www.brooklynbabydaddy.blogspot.com/

Best ping pong game: Yes, Brownstone has some tables, but at $11.95/hr and with the risk (or accidental, uh, joy) of backhanding a stray teenager from the duck bowling lane wouldn’t you rather check out Royale? From time to time they set up a table on the dance floor… think daytime, or early Tuesday evening.

Closest thing to an after-hours joint: Royale, again. That place is still bumping on a Saturday at 3:30… the rest is up to you.


Best Dive bar: Canal Bar – it truly is a divey bar on a divey street (3rd ave + President or Union). Popcorn machine, pool table, bucket nips of MHL, Bud, and Corona. The bathroom doors don’t close all the time, the inflatable ornaments are not for show, and the giant plastic shark will scare you on an acid trip. Bonus features: at any given moment the owner may come in from the back with giant try of sausage and peppers (they have a garden and a grill), a biker gang might roll in thick, or that one dude might fart mid sentence… there is no noise limit and I doubt that even I could get cut off here. Seriously, good times.

Best doctor: Dr. Burton Fletcher. He is bearded, left handed, kind, and old school. He admits when he doesn’t know and will not over prescribe. He is a member of a dying breed: classically trained in the art of family care with a wide ranging knowledge base. I like that he delivers your fate directly, clearly and without deviation.

Best pickup softball game: Let me start by saying: http://www.buttermilksoftball.blogspot.com/
Field 5, 4pm, Sundays, 4th of July through Labor Day and possibly beyond… anyone is welcome. You will have fun, you will laugh, you will pull a hamstring…

Best One Two Punch of a corner: If Barbes didn’t smell like a French woman’s armpit and if Collson’s wasn’t always out of whatever I might want I’d say 9th St and 6th Ave. As it stands, however, 6th Ave. and 20th street gets the nod. Kitchen Bar is just flat out good. Nice bar, good, small, fresh dishes… next door is BBQ or something… huge plates of meat – like bring a suitcase for leftovers size plates, beans, collard greens, etc… Much more importantly, it has the best bourbon menu in Park Slope and likely beyond. We are talking 30-40 wide ranging varieties all for $5-$7. You cannot beat this place.

Worst loss to the hood – the Bourbon menu at Bar BQ. They’ve closed.

Best way to blow $20 – Car wash. 4th Ave. and Garfield or Carroll. This one also falls into “best massage chair”. I recommend getting blazed beforehand. Anyway, it’s one of those where you get out and watch your four wheeled steed through soapy glass. While you’re waiting on that crack team of cleanliness technicians to barely vacuum your floor yet somehow get every penny out of your ashtray I recommend checking out the “store”. There you will find some of the best air fresheners and fuzzy dice along with a wonderful, coin op, massage chair and tons of other shit you don’t need. On your way out your snag a gum ball and don’t forget not to tip. You just blew $20. Bonus: your radio is now blasting that Mexican station you didn’t know existed.

Best place to boycott – Sheep Station.. 4th Ave. Why you ask? Well, you’ll have to come up with your own reasons. Mine are that the bartender is a complete dickhead… and second, well, I have my reasons. It’s really too bad because that place has some interesting drinks, good food, and is gay friendly.

Best way to extend a weekend of partying – Sunday, 8pm, Bar Reis. 5th Ave btw 5th and 6th. Jim, the bartender, is cute, engaging, and funny. Pool table, backyard, and a decent crowd for a Sunday. The literal bar is brand new. The bars namesake, Reis, may pop in to answer any trivia specific to the bars’ decade plus history. Also, pretty soon they will be opening a restaurant next door. I hear it’ll be Tapas type stuff.. small dishes, affordable and certainly tasty. Oh, don’t ask about the “full bar tour” because it doesn’t exist.

To be continued….

Best place to go with super low expectations –

Best first/blind date spot -

etcetera etcetera