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- The Long Island Bar
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110 Atlantic Ave., at Henry St., Cobble Hill; 718-625-8908
The Long Island Bar and Restaurant, which opened in 1951, was a local joint for its time, serving burgers to dockworkers. It managed to hang on until 2007, leaving behind a big neon sign: a fossil of old Brooklyn. In October, the place reopened with new owners Toby Cecchini and Joel Tompkins—they kept the same Art Deco diner-booth look, gruff attitude (a sign in the back says NO DANCING), and even a bit of the old floral wallpaper. It’s now a place of $12 cocktails—try the tart gimlet or cherry-liqueur-meets-lager Tailhook—without the theatrics. (With enough people, you can make your own scene: The room in the back is available for parties.) Food will eventually return, but for now, order a bowl of the excellent nut mix ($5).
Best Neighborhood Haunt
From the 2014 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine