Brooklyn Beer Bar Guide: Pacific Standard
When I first moved to New York from San Francisco, I was achingly homesick. I missed burritos and produce and craft beer I recognized. I wanted the comforts of home in a place that I was still trying to make my own, so when I stumbled upon Pacific Standard, I was pleasantly surprised. Located on that weird strip of 4th Avenue in what I like to call almost-Park Slope, Pacific Standard is a bar that’s influenced by Northern California in a way that doesn’t make it feel like a theme park. Here are some solid reasons to check it out, after the jump:
Number of Taps: The focus here is West Coast microbrews, but the 17 beers on draft are a nice mix between West Coast rarities and local brews. We like the Ninkasi Tricerahops, which is a super-punchy, hoppy and flavorful double IPA out of Eugene, Oregon.
Vibes: It can get a little crazy during happy hour and on the weekends, but the bar has done its best to channel some of the West Coast’s chill. The spacious back room is kitted out with comfy couches and built-in bookshelves that line the walls. The decor is Berkeley dive bar but sourced at the Brooklyn Flea: framed baseball cards in the bathroom, San Francisco 49ers pennants, and old-timey maps of California. If you’re a displaced Californian sports fan, forget Finnerty’s in the East Village — this is the best place to watch a San Francisco Giants game, hands down.
Music: Bartender’s choice — a nice mix of indie guitars, and oldies.
Price: Fair. A pint will run you maybe $6 or $7, but that’s standard in the times we live in.
Seating: There’s a big bar that runs down the main room with some high tables and stools nearby. Once you get into the back room, head straight for the couches in the corner, tucked away next to bookshelves, for the best seats in the house. Really, more bars should have couches.
Typical Crowd: If Cal is playing Stanford, enter at your own risk — the bar will be packed to the gills with sports fans. If it’s a normal night, expect a normal mix of neighborhood folk, who are either hanging out for the night, or making their first of many stops. It feels like the kind of place that’s good for a nightcap or an early drink.
Outdoor Space: Sadly, none.
Food: They don’t have much real food, per se, but I do recall being able to order a couple of California corner-store imports, namely Casa Sanchez chips and salsa, which are absolutely delicious, and It’s-It, which I would argue are the real San Francisco treat.
