NYC Bar Review: Gowanus Yacht Club

There’s some saying out there that goes something like “life is what happens while you make other plans.”  Pretty good point.  Lots of times, its the in between moments in life that are the most memorable.  The walk from a train to a restaurant, the few hours spent with your friends getting ready to go to that party that was the real plan for the night, the cooking and preparing of an amazing meal.  Bars that have that same feeling–that chill vibe that lets you just be in the moment–are spots to be treasured.

Gowanus Yacht Club is one such place. In the grand tradition of ironically-named Brooklyn bars (Bushwick Country Club, par example) this one is a clear winner and its in an otherwise fairly mellow part of BK, which is always nice.

New York Magazine called it “garage sale chic meets Gilligan’s Island,” and while I think that’s needlessly reductive, it’s not off the mark. GYC, like a rosebush, or a prohibitively expensive heirloom tomato flourishes only in the summer, but when it does it is a true delight.

The space isn’t much: just a corner lot with a couple of grills, benches and a little bar area, but the burgers and dogs are plentiful and the draft beers are free-flowing and affordable.

The quarters are tight but that’s part of the appeal.  The small, casual space lends itself perfectly too eavesdropping and striking up conversation with your neighbor and its the perfect spot to pregame, begin an evening of heavy alcohol consumption by lining your stomach with some bbq burgers or just to grab a quick bite and a couple of beers on a Sunday or afterwork.

Take advantage while the summer’s still here.

323 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY 11231  at President St