Stars: *****
Price: $$$$
Weirdness Factor: 1.5
I LOVE Raglan Road!
It is one of my favorite places to go and grab a drink or snack and watch some live music, which they have 5 nights a week. The atmosphere is friendly, especially in the open "performance" area and at the bar.
Because it's on Disney property, the pub is very safe and there is virtually never a "rowdiness" problem. The bartenders can call for security at any time.
They have great whiskey, needless to say, and *almost* every Irish draught beer you can think of off the top of your head. I would have liked to see some Kinsale ale, but no such luck. I recommend you try their "flights" (of either whiskey or beer), in order to sample a lot of different things at a reasonable price.
The food is pretty tasty. We had a very interesting liver pate, with berry jam, on toast. If this sounds weird, it was. But still good! Don't let the strangeness of the menu offerings scare you... there is a real chef in the kitchen. This isn't your ordinary plebian pub!
On the downside, this place is not the cheapest. But you get what you pay for, what with the live entertainment and free parking. Plus, if it's not too late, you can go to Pleasure Island next door and finish the night out at the clubs over there.
I can't tell you how many times I had planned on going to PI, but stopped for a quick drink at Raglan Road first, never making it to my final destination! :)
I do not know if they serve half-pints here. This is important in a pub, but not all that common in the US. I would like to think they do, as Orlando sees many British tourists, but I'm not sure about the half-pint situation.
Anyway, I am a local and always enjoy bringing guests to Raglan Road. It's always a fun place with an eclectic mix of people. There is no such thing as a "local" crowd there, and everyone is welcome. Two thumbs up.
Showing posts with label draught beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label draught beer. Show all posts
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Beast - Beastly good deals in Park Slope
Stars: *****
Price: $$$
Weirdness factor: .5
Beast
638 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, New York, United States
We were craving a drink and a nosh on St. Patrick's Day. So, from an offhand referral through a friend (and Park Slope local), we decided to try Beast. We headed there originally because of the catchy name, but the outside decor lured us in, the staff was super-friendly, and we never looked back.
A cozy, eccentric little watering hole-slash-eatery-slash-tapas bar, Beast is kitchy yet tasteful; deliciously nouveau-Brooklyn. I loved it.
The entire "kitchen" (tiny and probably smaller than the one you have at home) is set smack in the middle of the dining room; you can see exactly what's going on and exactly who's cooking, at all times. It was quite unlike anything I'd ever seen before, and it really added to the communal, homey, anti-yuppie feel of the place. I imagine on extremely slow nights it's kind of like being at your friend's house during a laid-back dinner party. And I don't know about you, but that's an experience I'd like to have again and again.
The brews on tap are another of Beast's points of interest: Grimbergen, Weihenstephan, Krusovice, and "Peak Organic" Pale ale aren't beers you see at your everyday bar.
Refreshingly moderate in price, the limited menu consists of smaller, cheaper appetizers and considerably larger appetizers (big enough to be entrees anywhere else). Furthermore, we didn't see a single item over $20, which is "kind of a big deal" for NYC, even in Brooklyn.
The "Big B's" burger was thick, moist and delicious. The exorbitant $2 fee for an addition of cheese is only there so that the management can discourage you from "detracting from the way the burger was meant to be"... oh and FYI, they're right, it's wonderful just the way it is, so don't ask for cheese!
The garlicky bleu cheese potato salad was equally tasty.
My warm grilled flatbread (thick, charred, and soft) with black bean hummus and chipotle aioli was delicious; at $5 I can't think of a better New York deal.
The whole environment at Beast is charming; there's an archaic video game in one corner while silent movies play on tv in the other; the management even throws a basketball game in for good measure (or political correctness, take your pick). Gargoyles, fairies, even a jackalope head adorn the walls and the music is "ambient"... a good mix of loungy background(and some classic) tracks which can only be described as I describe the entirety of Beast itself; that is to say, well... pretty cool.
It's a shame we didn't try their holiday-inspired corned beef and cabbage, as I'm sure it would've been great. Oh well, next time... and there WILL be a next time! Time Out NY voted Beast "Best New Restaurant" in Brooklyn, and for good reason... check it out if you happen to swing that way!
Price: $$$
Weirdness factor: .5
Beast
638 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, New York, United States
We were craving a drink and a nosh on St. Patrick's Day. So, from an offhand referral through a friend (and Park Slope local), we decided to try Beast. We headed there originally because of the catchy name, but the outside decor lured us in, the staff was super-friendly, and we never looked back.
A cozy, eccentric little watering hole-slash-eatery-slash-tapas bar, Beast is kitchy yet tasteful; deliciously nouveau-Brooklyn. I loved it.
The entire "kitchen" (tiny and probably smaller than the one you have at home) is set smack in the middle of the dining room; you can see exactly what's going on and exactly who's cooking, at all times. It was quite unlike anything I'd ever seen before, and it really added to the communal, homey, anti-yuppie feel of the place. I imagine on extremely slow nights it's kind of like being at your friend's house during a laid-back dinner party. And I don't know about you, but that's an experience I'd like to have again and again.
The brews on tap are another of Beast's points of interest: Grimbergen, Weihenstephan, Krusovice, and "Peak Organic" Pale ale aren't beers you see at your everyday bar.
Refreshingly moderate in price, the limited menu consists of smaller, cheaper appetizers and considerably larger appetizers (big enough to be entrees anywhere else). Furthermore, we didn't see a single item over $20, which is "kind of a big deal" for NYC, even in Brooklyn.
The "Big B's" burger was thick, moist and delicious. The exorbitant $2 fee for an addition of cheese is only there so that the management can discourage you from "detracting from the way the burger was meant to be"... oh and FYI, they're right, it's wonderful just the way it is, so don't ask for cheese!
The garlicky bleu cheese potato salad was equally tasty.
My warm grilled flatbread (thick, charred, and soft) with black bean hummus and chipotle aioli was delicious; at $5 I can't think of a better New York deal.
The whole environment at Beast is charming; there's an archaic video game in one corner while silent movies play on tv in the other; the management even throws a basketball game in for good measure (or political correctness, take your pick). Gargoyles, fairies, even a jackalope head adorn the walls and the music is "ambient"... a good mix of loungy background(and some classic) tracks which can only be described as I describe the entirety of Beast itself; that is to say, well... pretty cool.
It's a shame we didn't try their holiday-inspired corned beef and cabbage, as I'm sure it would've been great. Oh well, next time... and there WILL be a next time! Time Out NY voted Beast "Best New Restaurant" in Brooklyn, and for good reason... check it out if you happen to swing that way!
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