The Gate
321 5th Ave
(between 2nd St & 3rd St)
Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 768-4329
- Nearest Transit:
Union St (M, R)
9th St-4th Ave (F, M, R)
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Mon, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
41 Reviews for The Gate
Would be a great place if i ever-- just once!-- got there in time to grab a table outside. Alas i've only ever sat inside where it's just ok.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
I really like their beer selection and the outdoor seating, although it is pretty swamped with babies and dogs. I'm really into Wee Heavy because of this place. I just wish I could use my credit card without the minimum.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
OH MY GOD really, Park Slope? I just don't get it. With the hype and constant buzz surrounding this place you'd think it was the greatest bar on earth. But no, it's pretty similar to a lot of other bars on earth, but with the added bonus of dogs and babies! No thanks.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
The Gate is great, and not just for it's primo poetry set up as demonstrated in the opening of this review.
Booze? Check! Unpretentious crowd? You got it. Kickin' outdoor area? Yep.
Put it all together and you make me happy.
That being said, it doesn't get 5 stars because I still mostly avoid it Friday and Saturday nights. It's a good place to go, and it seems the secret is out. I prefer hanging on a weekday evening when I have a little room to breath and hang. For a weekday rating, I'd go at least 4.5 stars.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
It's like all my friends are here and they want to give me an intervention. That is, if my friends were beers and they were intervening me to drink them. Harp and Leffe and Guinness! Boddington! You made it! Hefeweizen, you flew all the way here for lil' old me? Aww, you shouldn't have!
A decent sized bar, some semi-comfy benches and an outdoor patio for me to exercise my right to pollute my lungs and piss off the snobs. Wow, did they just let puppies in here? This bar rocks! I'll definitely be back to kill a few summer nights around the hood.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
The Gate is my favorite bar in all of New York City. It has such a casual atmosphere; you can go there without feeling as if you have to put on airs. They have a long list of beers, so anyone with a taste for hops can find something to their liking. They are also a dog-friendly bar, which adds to the laid-back feel; how can anybody be uptight or false with a dog around? Most importantly (from my perspective, anyway,) The Gate has the best jukebox in the whole city. I discovered the music of Terry Callier as a result of hanging out there. Gotta love the place!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
This place is great in terms of what it has to offer, but a little too mobbed and overcrowded by the stroller and dog set. Walking a few more blocks could change your life.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
The Gate is one of the pearls of Park Slope...but not the waspy kinda pearl drank with vodka..it's an off beat black pearl drank with craft beeeerrrr. Silly tangents aside, if you like good beer and like to relax this is your joint. Relax means reeeeelax -- cuz u can order food in from anywhere and keep the beer flowing! Also, they have special brew events, tons of great beers on tap, knowledgeable bartenders and a killer patio....that welcomes everyone.
As for those of you who are generally harassed with the dogs, strollers, etc ... it seems like you might hanging out in the wrong hood/borough.
However, the strollers stroll on home when the sun sets... for those of you who get rowdier as the night wears on. :)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
beer does circulate . location is perfect lots of space to park your bike. outdoor patio area perfect to relax in but its always PACKED. so even if you happen to find a spot you really wont be able to enjoy it because you;ve got so'n' so's elbows on you. this was on a monday. i could imagine how this place gets on the weekends! nothing extrodinary here! I'LL KEEP walking down 5th
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
For those of you who like a drink early enough to enjoy the patio mostly empty, I recommend 3pm on a Saturday. AND I recommend the Bloody Mary. Who knew a place with this many awesome beers also does a badass bloody?? Tall, horseradish-y, spicy, and a few olives on a shwizzle stick. After 3 of these, man, the hot afternoon was slammin'.
Also, it's a good people mix. A little local, a little badass, a little slopie, a little trendie, and people here give good ink! This place is the shwizzle.
Long time neighborhood local...good beer selections, loads of seasonal micro brews, nice juke box, DARTS, and it is dog friendly.
Same staff for years, sports, proper pint of guinness , and great outdoor seating in the warm weather.
Little bit meat markety on the weekends, but it is a bar afterall. I like the outdoor space for a post work nip in the early evenings. I wish they would ban the smoking though out there.
The chalk wall in the darts room is good for passing the time with rudimentary porno doodles.
I like The Gate. Don't love it, don't hate it but on a balmy, weekday night during the summertime when you crave a nice cold drink and some casual conversations with friends, this is as good a spot as any to relax. And, during the winter when you want to wash those blues away, a few pints in a warm pub work wonders. For better or worse, it brings in a pretty good cross section of the inhabitants of Park Slope. Make of that what you will - I happen to like dogs.
Decent, rotating beer selection [check the chalkboards on the side of the bar for the latest lineup]. Ample seating. Dart board in the back room. Been in and used bathrooms much worse than the ones here. Great outdoor patio, if you're lucky to snag a seat. Weekends are crowded, as to be expected of, well, just about any place in Park Slope these days.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Doesn't it seem like The Gate has stepped it up a little bit lately in terms of beer selection? Lots of brewery nights from the likes of Rogue, Lagunitas and Troegs. Keep it coming, TG!
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I must begin with a caveat: I am not a bar fan.
I am, however, a beer fan. And the selection at the Gate makes me glad of them and the fact that they exist. The bartender's pretty knowledgeable and willing to take a moment or two to consider a selection, and the beer I wound up with was a pretty tasty wheat brew.
As for atmosphere - it was a bar. I've never quite seen the appeal of taking out a bunch of friends to drink beer in a bar as opposed to your own kitchen. You're talking to friends, you're drinking beer. Why it needs to be out in the community is unclear to me, unless you're of the crowd of singles checking each other out, in which case, you should go elsewhere after determining the sexy bastard in question is not a freak. Because then you can actually hear what he's saying. He might be saying he runs a shop, but he could also be saying he stunned a cop, and cops in New York are particularly hard to stun, so this is not a good sign.
The bathrooms are wretched. Woe betide ye who pass The Gate with small bladders.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (4)
Cool (2)
It has a patio. And bathrooms. And beer (that is always full price). Not life changing.
Beards, beards, and more beards.
Yes, please.
The Gate is great.
It's the kind of place you want to sit around with your best friends, playing old favourites on the jukebox and laughing loudly. It feels like driving through Texas in the middle of the summer with the windows rolled down and the radio turned up. Speaking of the middle of summer... sitting outside in August, drinking beer, and wearing sundresses can't be beat.
I don't live in Park Slope, but I plan on being a regular here.
The Gate is just freakin awesome. As a member of a posse prone to roll 15-25 deep, we like places that we can get to early and stake out a large spot. The outdoor patio not only holds all of us, but there is still room for other groups.
The only quarrel is that they don't serve any food, which sucks around 1am when the munchies hit. That stretch of 5th is also EMPTY, so it's a schlep to the nearest bagel/pizza/bodega.
I got no beef with the Gate.
It's nice inside, the beer selection is impressive, and the bartenders are friendly. The outside seating is fun, if it's not too crowded.
(Sidenote: I do actually have a beef with the Gate, but it's not their fault. It's the people that bring their strollers and brood along with them while they booze it up. I wish parents would stop ruining everybody else's fun by toting their babies everywhere. It's a bar, people. You don't get to hang out and have beers with your infant anymore. That phase of your life is over once you pop out a kid. Them's the rules. No one wants to hear baby-talk and smell diapers while they're having a drink with someone they're trying to hook up with. Pay for a baby-sitter, you selfish Bjorn-jockeys!)
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (3)
Cool (1)
I enjoy spending time at the Gate. They have a great selection of beers and serve cheap margaritas. However the wine tastes like cough syrup. Do not order wine!!
The outside area is a great place to people watch, socialize and make new friends in the neighborhood. I love the chill and relaxed attitude. People bring thier gorgeous and friendly dogs that also mingle and get in on the socializing.
Yes there is smoking in the outside area - but I am a social smoker and enjoy a cig ever now and again with a drink so that is a plus for me!
They don't serve food there but have a binder of menus allowing you to eat whatever you are in the mood for and according to your budget.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
Whats not to love about The Gate?! (Ok, well if you have an aversion to dogs - don't go! People in the hood love to bring em out on the patio.) Wonderful selection of beer (try the Hefeweizen or Delerium Tremens), beautiful outdoor seating area and a great jukebox (I'm a sucker for a good juke, kids!) You can even bring your own food if you want (as they don't serve any.) Can get crowded on the weekends, but I've never had to stand for long...
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
People seem to have a problem with the dogs and babies. I myself love dogs. Anyway...this is probably the only place in Park Slope I don't mind popping into on occasion. The bartender was nice ( we had a good conversation about music one night) and the vibe feels a little more inviting and diverse than most places I've been to in the neighborhood. I don't live in Park Slope, but the patio ensures I'll be there at least once in a while in good weather.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Hello Gate?
It's Berkeley on the phone...it wants its bar back.
People thought this was:
Funny (7)
4.5 stars
To the people who complain about the Gate, please get a life
I really like the Gate and I don't exactly know why. Sure, you'll see dads/moms with their baby sometimes during a lazy afternoon but so what? Sure, you'll see people stroll in with their dogs, so what? I like the beer selection, the bartenders are laid back and cool, the people are great...you know when you walk into a neighborhood bar and it just feels right even though you aren't from that hood? That's what the Gate feels like.
I have close friends who love the Gate. And why not really? It is what is. A beer lovers bar with a huge area to smoke and hang out on during a great summer day. Just get there early. Cause everyone else has the same idea.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Quiet most times during the week, regulars-type place with a penchant for beer and a classic place for 40ish guys with long gray hair from years of living to stop by. Or slopers. I went here with a couple friends to chat up a storm over a couple of quick pints and it was condusive to that. In general, I feel like not just the Gate, but the strip of bars along this part of 5th some nights are bustling, and other nights are really, really ghostly dead.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
It's just a bar. Nothing particularly special about it. Thank goodness i wasn't here on one of the nights that other people are reviewing. Dogs? Children? At a gotdamn bar? What is this? Oh yeah, Park Slope. Anywho, I had a good enough time; the bathrooms were pretty disgusting though.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
The intense cigarette smoke in the otherwise nice outdoor area might cut short your time enjoying an excellent beer. Notwithstanding the sooty aspect of the place, the selection of beers is more than impressive, and the bar is roomy and spacious. Perfect for a relaxed summer night.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Before I moved to PS I came for drinks here with my boyfriend. After drinking one Hefeweizen in a tall glass with a slice (not wedge) of lemon on the Gate's patio on a warm summer afternoon, I decided that The Gate was going to be my bar in the Slope!
Fast forward one year, and you'll find be still loving the beer, the atmosphere and the fact that you can grab an Onion, sit down at the bar, order a "Big Glass of Shut The !@#$ Up" (seriously they have it on tap right now!) and wile away an afternoon.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
You can bring your dog...need I say more? Truthfully, no....but I will....there is a dart cubicle/vestibule!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
i love The Gate
even took my giant dog there once - he liked it too
chill
nice bartenders - great beer selection
yep what those other people said.
RE the smoking patio and people whining about smokers smoking too much out there on the - uh - patio - outside - where people smoke and stuff - uh....
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This is the place my roomies and I go when we want to have a couple of beers in our own neighborhood. They have a good beer selection, a pleasant, old-fashioned atmosphere, friendly clientele, and a general laid-back atmosphere. I love their outdoor patio when it's warm out. I would say though small, it's the closest you will ever get to a beergarden feeling in New York City, without feeling overwhelmed and crowded. This place just always feels like home.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Am I allowed to be annoyed with people who review a bar based on if they like beer or cigarettes in general? This is a fantastic bar for what it is, which is a nice neighborhood bar with a great beer selection, an outdoor section, and a great chill vibe.
Great local watering hole spot. Dark, wooden booths...the type of place you can cultivate a healthy drinking problem.
Could definitely see how it could get too crowded on a Friday or Saturday night -- but for a weeknight or a weekend day, it's the goods.
And with a decent-sized outdoor bar, not a bad place to grab a drink and relax outside, weather permitting.
Great neighborhood bar.
There is always good beer on tap, friendly bartenders (except for the one that kicked my friend out last month), dog-friendly, and a sweet jukebox. I've met some great people/friends there and its always a good time, esp when its warm enough to chill in the patio outside.
At the risk of being a contrarian, I have to say that this place might be great on the week days, but try on a Friday or Saturday night and it is way too crowded. On the plus side they have a menu book with hundreds of local restaurants in it that are willing to deliver to you, so you have unlimited food options.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Best bar in Brooklyn!
Great beer selection, great music
gets a little crowded on weekend nites, the outside closes at 2 due to noise considerations
Best time to go is Sat afternoons, all locals and very nice folks
when i moved here from SF - they were the best place to be, made me feel right at home.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Had a swell time here last night, but it helps that it was pretty nice out and I was with a bunch of friends. The outdoor area is definitely the attraction here, but they closed it down around 2, which was kind of annoying. Good drinks, relatively inexpensive, but not something I would go out to Park Slope specially for. In short, a good local pub, as long as you're local.
People thought this was:
Cool (2)
I always liked this spot when I lived in the Slope. I don't really find myself wandering over there much anymore since I am closer to the Gowanus Yacht Club for outdoor drinking, and the indoor portion of the bar is nice and tavern-y but nothing incredibly special about it. The staff has always been cool and I too like the fact that they let you eat take out there. Great if you happen to be in the neighborhood but nothing I'd travel for.
Oh, I do like the swings in the park across the street. I take it back, I might travel for that bonus. 3.5 stars.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
there's nothing i specifically dislike about The Gate, but there's nothing about it that particularly appeals to me either. let's see... they have a large selection of beers but i don't drink beer... they have a large outdoor seating area but as someone who HATES cigarettes, i actually find it very unpleasant to sit outside in the smokers' heaven... it's not even the bar closest to my apartment. i prefer going to one of the dozen indoor bars i pass along the way, where the air is smoke-free (thank you, bloomberg!) and i don't get a look of disdain from the bartender for ordering something other than beer.
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (1)
definitely a sweet spot when its nice out, but the inside leaves a little to be desired. Park Slope could use a good low key bar with a pool table and dart board, this place should be that.
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Park Slope/ Noe Valley
Currently going between Snookys & the Gate in… -
in the nabe
we all know park slope is one of the hottest… -
Life in the Slope
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,… -
My Neighborhood
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Hot and New
- Flatiron Lounge
72 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Gramercy-Flatiron
- BonChon Chicken
220 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Murray Hill
- Tom & Jerry's
21 reviews
New York, NY
- The Redhead
11 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/East Village
- Fried Dumpling
81 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Lower East Side