12th Street Ale House

 

2

31

Randi H.

Brooklyn, NY

when i saw this place opening, i was really excited to try it since the surrounding blocks are some of my favorite.

first time i went the bartenders were rude (it was their 2nd night open, you think they would have realized they needed to build a clientele...). only had about 5 beers on tap, 2 of which were light domestic beers. i wasn't impressed considering they are an "ale house".

I kept trying...i wanted to like this place, i really did, but alas it's just not for me.

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16

95

Kate C.

New York, NY

I never go out of my way to head here, but every time I pass it I think to myself I should stop in more often.

There's nothing particularly great about it, but it's got a solid, chill feel to it. Bartenders are friendly, and there's always a place to sit and rest your drink.

Decent selection of draft, including one of the few places I've been able to find in the East Village with Tennents.

Only been there on weekday nights for happy hour, so I know nothing of these beer pong rumors. Sounds a shame, because the bar I've experienced is usually low-key, and I like it that way.

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Elite '08

86

494

Rachel A.

Jersey City, NJ

If Blue Owl is not your scene, then come next door to 12th Street Ale House. Stiff shirts, jazz music, and romance is NOT what you will find here. Sports, beer, flat screens, and meat heads versus date nights, dim lights, and swanky cocktails. Come on!!!

Fortunately, I got to drink here during a really awesome football game, met some really cool people, and had a chilled out night. The 12th Street Ale House is as relaxed as you're gonna get.

Unfortunately, it was my birthday and watching a football game was not how I envisioned my night. I wanted something a little more intimate and a little more classy.

Come here with the guys, don't bring the ladies- unless it's one of those nights and your lady friend can roll like that. In that case, this bar is tight.

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Elite '08

104

418

Jen N.

New York, NY

Despite the friendly bartender, I still can't love this place.  With the frat-boy-turned-banker clientele, the teles, and the beer pong, the nerves get grated quite quickly.  Still, the imports on tap are nice, as well as the bowl of trail mix to accompany the pints.  It's a good place to have a chat with friends on weeknights, but I'd imagine it's already frat boy central on the weekends (haven't tested this out yet and probably won't).

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Elite '08

37

75

Chris C.

New York, NY

Just a few months ago, 12th Street Ale House was an old gay bar that played porn on TV screens that you could actually see through the windows... it was a friendly neighborhood place, I'm sure. These days, the only thing playing on their five TV screens are any and every sport imaginable. Given the place's history, the owners really wanted to strip it down and start from scratch. In a matter of a couple of weeks, they brought in a new bar, new furniture, and a new hardwood floor. They turned the place around really quickly.

When I walked in on Wednesday night, I experienced something I had never experienced before at a bar: new bar smell. The bar smelled like fresh sawdust - a bit like a lumber yard. In fact, it actually smelled a lot like Home Depot. I was expecting the bartenders to be wearing orange aprons and directing me to the tool department.

Actually, they're supposed to be bringing a beer pong table into the place soon, so come the start of NYU's spring semester, the bar will have a "tool department." Once that thing's in and pitchers of beer are flowing to the frat-set, the new bar smell will fade away quickly. But if you go this weekend, you can enjoy new bar smell while it lasts, as well as their selection of 12 beers on draft - a solid list, mostly European imports, but nothing too exciting or extraordinary.

A side note: when did $6 for beer become the gold standard in the East Village? It's not just the new bars doing it, but the older bars' prices are creeping up, too. I can buy a cheap 6-pack at a bodega for the same price, take it home, and not deal with the Bridge-and-Tunnel crowd that invades this neighborhood every weekend.

Review, in haiku:
Now: a decent place
for beer. Next month: probably
Mobbed with Douchebags. Sad.

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17

79

Ellia J.

New York, NY

the former location of Dick's Bar has now become a decent place to grab a pint and catch up with an old friend.  there's nothing special about the place and at least earlier in the evenings it's not infested with douchebags (so far).  i'm not quite sure that brooklyn lager and blue moon on tap makes you an actual ale house...but whatever.

I've been here many a time to drink while having a conversation with old friends.  so far, this arrangement has worked out.  it's not heavily trafficked (for which i'm thankful) and the staff is friendly.  

it'll get another star if 6 months from now, the douchebag mafia hasn't staked the place out for nightly dbag conventions.  

they have beer pong in the back, which is cool on weeknites, but weekends it becomes a little too much of a hi-fiving yea bra! amateur party.

i pretty much agree with Chris C.'s assessment and recommend this place for weeknites only.

(happy hour's 4 dollar pints even on weekends which is nice)

i do miss the sight of the black dick's bar exterior as viewed from the windows of shima across the street.  sniff.  it's the end of an era.

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