Ballybunion

It was rather lame, actually –when it was open. I don’t like the goofy front façade (looks like a Cracker Barrel); I didn’t like the block it occupied. It was as stupid-​looking, barn-​like building; and that part of 3^rd Ave just doesn’t have anything else interesting nearby. 5^th Avenue is the best drinking street! There’s always a choice of another venue every two blocks.
A good dive bar should be cheek-​by-​jowl with a lot of other sorry-​ass, down-​and-​out, dispirited-​looking places. And any block containing a dive-​bar should itself, be dark and little-​touched by sunlight. This block is much too «open-​to-​the-​sky».
Inside the Bunion, what was also un-​enticing was that the space was just a big, open, polygonal area. It had ‘Central Park’ syndrome; people being reluctant to walk out to the middle of the space. See, drinkers like walls and sides-​of-​rooms and things to lean on. Once the center DID fill up, of course (due to a band) it became impassable. That’s what makes the current location for Wicked Monk so great: it narrow. That means people mingle more and mix in with one another, more.
If Monk truly does move to the Bunion; I will not likely follow it.

FYI, BY-​THE-​WAY, JUST-​IN-​CASE, NB…
This place was closed and locked a few months ago.

i stopped by sunday night to have some dinner and was surprised to find the lights on, but nobody home and as some one passed us, he mentioned that it had been closed down by the board of health for violations. does anybody know what happened here? The store front looked the same, but the inside appeared to be stripped.

Our place in the neighborhood. Haven’t yet stopped by when a band is playing. The bar is nice, friendly bartender. The waitresses are always pleasant and laugh at our silly jokes. The burger is good. The Guinness is great. It is a restaurant that attracts all sorts… well, let me rephrase, I think my husband and I are often the youngest in the restaurant… it tends to attract an older crowd, often post-​Mass. Basic pub fare. We have heard rumors the owners are facing some difficult times… it is our civic duty to make sure the «Bunion» stays in business for many, many more years.

I just moved to Bay Ridge so this is my neighborhood pub. From Thurs — Sun, they usually have a band playing. According to our waitress, Thurs can be 80s music or karaōke, Friday and Saturday’s usually a cover band and then Sunday is Irish folk music.
We were there on a Sunday with extended family. The music was a little loud for conversation but seeing people get up and dance was entertaining. They sat us next to the fire pit (gas) in the dining room which was perfect on a cool evening. They were recently voted best fireplace in the city by the NY Daily News.
The waitress was very attentive, very friendly, giving the place a very neighborly atmosphere. They are a real napkin, not paper napkin type of place, which i consider higher end than a bar so it’s a nice place for entertaining guests. The dishes average from about $ 17 – 19, with a few that are less or some that are more. The burger at $ 10 is a nice draw for my husband and I had the sherpherd’s pie, $ 15 which was a nice size and pretty good. Just a little more veggies and it would have been closer to great. The corn beef cabbage could have also had some more cabbage but the corn beef was cooked perfectly. The dishes were a nice size and surprisingly only 2 out of 7 of us had doggie bags.

I have no problems anymore with BB. Went here on Christmas Eve eve and the bartender was so cool to my family and I. So I had to upgrade my review, the people here are a great bunch and the drinks are reasonably priced :)

My friends from the neighborhood recently introduced me to Ballybunion. Since then, we have made it one of our stops on almost every Bay Ridge hangout.
I can’t comment on their food because I’ve never tried it. Every time I have been there, I’ve sat at the bar or at one of the tables near the bar. Its a very big open space. One side of the place is table seating if you want to have a meal. The other side is the bar with some tables and plenty of room for a large group (and even some dancing!).
The staff is super friendly and I never have a dull moment. Its further down in Bay Ridge (95^th st) than where I’d usually be but if I find myself in that vicinity, I would definitely stop by for a beer or three!

Great food… great service. One of Bay Ridge’s best places!
I’ve been going to Bally Bunion for years and I love it there. It has a welcoming bar and restaurant to the side. The service in the place is fantastic on both sides. In the winter, the fireplace gives the restaurant a great feel. It’s a great place to have a small party in Bay Ridge as well!

My family and I have been going here for over 20+ years and you can always feel at home with the staff. they are friendly and they remember the regulars and what you drink. The onion soup is one of the best in bayridge, and the salmon is so good. They also offer regular lunch specials at affordable prices. The fire place during the winter months is enjoyable and makes you feel like you are in an Irish pub.

I first heard of Ballybunion when I was sitting at a Far Rockaway bar and an elderly Irishman was drinking Guinness and he mentioned that he spends his summers in Far Rockway and his winters in Bay Ridge and more specifically Ballybunion.
I went here to see an Irish folk band and had dinner beforehand. Though it is your typical pub grub, the baked half chicken and burger are pretty good, and the Guinness is a great pour here.
The staff here was friendly, even if they did take our stools away once we were done eating. It made sense though, as this place was jammed with people to see the group playing. Despite the crowd, it was easy to get a drink and easy to get to the restrooms. The place is big enough to accommodate great crowds and a stage.
It’s a fun bar, and the kind of place I would go to frequently if it were my neighborhood bar.

I am in love with their Shepard’s Pie! That’s all I ever get there; once I tried the fish and chips and I hated it — the fish was so slimey but I felt bad showing them that I didnt like it so I wrapped some up in a napkin and put it in my purse… never again… however, DO have the shepards pie, it’s the best and I get shepard’s pie in every Irish Restaurant I go to so I have many to compare to.
Full bar, nice size seating area with a fire pit in the middle in the cold months. It’s pretty casual but not cheap. I dont LOVE the décor, but I love the irish accents so it evens out for me.
I also had brunch here once which I thought was okay, not fantastic.

A piece of Ireland in Brooklyn. Ballybunion (which is named after a coastal village in County Kerry, Ireland) offers locals a great bar and restaurant right on the very popular 3^rd Avenue section of Bay Ridge.
Don’t go here for a fancy dining experience, this is pure pub grub at it’s finest. One of the best burgers in Brooklyn… also try the Gaelic Steak which is dressed in Jameson Irish Whiskey of course.
The staff is absolutely great and give you a taste of that great Irish charm from the time you walk in until the time you stagger out. Go here and enjoy a damn good bar.