BEST COCKTAIL BARS BROOKLYN

Sunken Harbor Club is an immersive tropical cocktail bar in Brooklyn inspired by tales of maritime adventure and tropical escapades. Located above Gage & Tollner restaurant on Fulton Street, the venue features exotic theming, craft cocktails, and a merchandise shop, with Chief Cocktail Officer Garret Richard at the helm. The walk-in friendly space also offers memberships with exclusive benefits, private event hosting, and regular special happenings alongside a sister location in Bermuda.

Sama Street is an Asian-inspired cocktail bar located at 988 Manhattan Ave in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, offering sharable street food dishes alongside carefully crafted drinks. Founded by childhood friends, the venue brings authentic and diverse flavors of Asia to the neighborhood through a cocktail-focused bar program that uses classic drinks as a foundation while experimenting with new flavor combinations. The menu features signature creations such as the Eastern Medicine, composed of Japanese whiskey, cardamom, yuzu, honey, and galangal. An elegant, modern aesthetic with warm lighting and cozy seating creates an inviting environment, and reservations are recommended as the intimate space books up quickly.

Leroy's is a lively cocktail bar and New American restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, specializing in responsibly sourced cuisine focused on seafood and small plates. Located at 195 Franklin Street, the venue features a chef-driven menu alongside a contemporary cocktail program with both classic and innovative drinks. The bar offers full dining experiences including oysters, seafood preparations, and American fare, with a dedicated happy hour. Open for dinner, weekend brunch, and private events, Leroy's combines quality libations with refined food service and reservation availability through Resy.

Lovejoys is an art deco-style cocktail lounge in Williamsburg featuring tasteful chandeliers, bespoke wallpaper, and hanging plants that blend retro and modern aesthetics. Located at 412 Troutman Street, the venue showcases homemade shrubs, salts, tinctures, and infused spirits crafted in-house, creating distinctive cocktails unavailable elsewhere. The bar features a back balcony dance floor, garden wall outdoor space, and programming that rotates high-energy DJ sets, sports watch parties, and themed celebrations spanning afrobeats, amapiano, reggaeton, hip-hop, and R&B, while allowing outside food to enhance the flexible social experience.

The Water Tower Bar is a rooftop cocktail lounge perched 45 seats high in a glass-and-steel encased lounge atop the Arlo Williamsburg Hotel, offering unobstructed Manhattan skyline views through floor-to-ceiling windows. The intimate space features bright colors, kitschy murals, and velvet couches, serving artisanal cocktails, rare spirits, champagne, and caviar tastings alongside fancy small bites. As evening progresses, the venue transitions into a nightclub atmosphere with rotating lineups of New York City's most popular DJs, creating a quintessential Brooklyn rooftop experience accessible to hotel guests and the general public alike.

Sunken Harbor Club is an immersive tropical cocktail bar in Downtown Brooklyn inspired by tales of maritime adventure and mystery. Located above Gage & Tollner restaurant, this walk-in establishment operates nightly with hours from 5-11 PM Sunday-Thursday and 5 PM-midnight Friday-Saturday. The venue combines sophisticated cocktail service with tropical ambiance, offering signature drinks, merchandise, gift certificates, and a membership program. The bar also operates a reservation-required location at Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa in Bermuda, extending its destination appeal.

Westlight is a sophisticated 22nd-floor rooftop cocktail bar from Chef Andrew Carmellini's NoHo Hospitality Group, perched atop The William Vale hotel at 111 North 12th Street in Williamsburg. The venue offers 360-degree panoramic views of Manhattan's skyline, the East River, and Brooklyn landmarks including the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, and Brooklyn Bridge. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround the bar and interior lounge, with outdoor seating on a wrap-around balcony offering year-round rooftop entertainment. Chef Carmellini pairs playful small plates inspired by global street food with handcrafted classic cocktails, rare spirits, and wine selections. The venue transforms into a cozy Winter Village during colder months, making it a destination for both walk-ins and reservation-seekers seeking elevated cocktails with Manhattan skyline vistas.

Dirty Precious was a casual and welcoming cocktail bar located at 317 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood, founded in March 2016 by bartender Katipai Richardson-Wilson, restaurant designer Shana Sandberg, and restaurateur Amy Cole. The modern space featured skylights creating an open, inviting atmosphere where patrons enjoyed clever cocktails, local draft beers, and thoughtful bar bites. Known for its laid-back vibe and quality craft cocktails, the bar became beloved by locals who appreciated its accessible approach to mixology and genuine hospitality. Dirty Precious closed in August 2025 after nearly a decade of operation, leaving behind a legacy as a cherished neighborhood gathering spot that balanced creative bartending with an unpretentious, community-focused atmosphere.

Le Boudoir is an elegant cocktail bar located in Brooklyn Heights, featuring a sophisticated aesthetic with refined ambiance and upscale presentation. The venue showcases craft cocktails in a gold-toned, gallery-like setting that evokes a sense of refined luxury. Known for signature drinks served with meticulous attention to detail, the bar attracts discerning patrons seeking an elevated cocktail experience in a carefully curated space that balances classic sophistication with contemporary craft bartending.

Sweet Polly is an intimate cocktail bar in Park Slope featuring unconventional, creative cocktail offerings served in an upscale, candlelit setting. According to Time Out New York, the venue's ambience is sumptuous, with circular tables arranged for intimate conversation and a focus on innovative drink creations. The bar welcomes both individual reservations and private events for larger groups, establishing itself as an elevated cocktail destination where craftsmanship and atmosphere combine.

Bar Goto Niban is a craft cocktail bar in Park Slope specializing in Japanese spirits, particularly shochu, and traditional highballs. The venue operates on a walk-in basis with first-come, first-served seating and features a unique "Shochu Sunday" menu alongside its regular cocktail offerings. Happy hour specials run daily from 5-6pm, making the bar an accessible destination for those seeking expertise in Japanese-style cocktails and a more specialized spirits program compared to traditional American bars.

Basik is an intimate public house in Williamsburg that opened in 2011 near the Graham Avenue L-train stop, embodying a revival of neighborhood bars as gathering places. The 40-seat indoor bar and outdoor garden space host regular Sunday live jazz performances and a menu of simple, fresh small plates including Greek salads, house-made pretzels, and charcuterie. Cocktails range from classic to creative, served in a relaxed atmosphere encouraging extended stays and social connection. Extended weekend hours and a straightforward approach to hospitality made Basik a cornerstone of the East Williamsburg cocktail scene, attracting both regulars and visitors seeking unpretentious craft drinks and community.

Barely Disfigured, located at 257 Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, is a chic cocktail bar ranked in the Top 10 Best New Bars on the East Coast by Tales of the Cocktail. Established in 2017, the venue occupies a historic building and features intimate narrow rooms decorated with oversize double-starburst mirrors, vintage book shelves, antique potion bottles, and curated memorabilia. Named after a 1932 surrealist poem, the bar combines speakeasy aesthetics with vintage glamour and presents meticulously crafted seasonal cocktails using creative flavor combinations by skilled mixologists.

Otis is a neighborhood cocktail bar and restaurant housed in a historic 1914 Bushwick building that was formerly a tailor shop. Located in Brooklyn's Harrison Place, the venue combines flavor-packed dishes with intriguing craft cocktails and a curated wine selection. Known for its warm ambiance and friendly service, Otis offers a welcoming gathering space featuring seasonal cuisine and signature drinks. The bar operates with extended happy hour on weekdays and serves as a destination for both casual dining and cocktail appreciation in a carefully restored, character-filled space.

Palmetto is a neighborhood cocktail bar in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood owned and operated by experienced local bartenders. The intimate venue features booth and bar seating with terrazzo tables and vintage décor, offering excellent and affordable craft cocktails alongside natural wine selections. Weekly vinyl DJ nights on Thursday and Saturday complement a curated record collection, while small food offerings like charcuterie create a relaxed hangout atmosphere that welcomes walk-ins and builds community through casual, unpretentious hospitality.