Bootleg Bar

In the slew of pretentious bars, with one theme or another, popping up all over Bushwick, this bar stands out as unpretentious. If reminds me of some of my favorite dives (Mars bar, Serbia, the Holiday cocktail lounge, all long since dead) and some that still hang on (Coalyard, Jimmy’s corner, Holland bar) where a Big and a Shorty was /​is standard fare, and there are more different types of people straddled up to the bar then craft beers on draft.
I like everything about this place, the bartenders are no bullshit, they actually buy you back a drink (unlike all of the other young kids slinging beer, who don’t know shit), the patrons range from artists to musicians to cross-​dressers to local drunks to wanna-​be yuppies. They have an awesome pool table, a good jukebox, what more could ask for?
So why only 3 stars?
It’s too loud all of the time.
Why have a great cast of characters when you can’t have a conversation with any of them?
Why have the great democratic musical invention, the Jukebox (where people can choose whether or not they want to listen to music, and what they want to listen to) if you were just going to override it with an iPhone behind the bar?
I get it, there is always a time and a place for rocking out, i.e. Friday Saturday night, but sometimes you want to sip your whiskey at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, or meet and greet some cats getting blotto on a Tuesday.
Turn it way down, and I’ll be here three nights a week.

Not a bad place. Your typical dive bar. Decent prices, great music. A little too dark, but it’s okay because it gives the place an ambiance that makes you feel like you’re a little bit of a badass just for being there.
There’s a pool table in the back and a few arcade games. The bartender certainly could have been more attentive, but it wasn’t the worst service I ever received. All in all, a nice place and I’ll likely stop by for a drink or two again to start off a more chill night.

One of the best bars I’ve uncovered in Brooklyn. Great vibe, cheap drinks, awesome crowd! Will def be back!!!

4.5 stars. cheap drinks, generally OK-​to-​good service, usually lots of space, backyard to smoke (oftentimes full of very friendly-​drunk people). sometimes the music is too loud to be able to hear anyone speak but w/​e. it’s «worth it.»

came to Bootleg on Halloween night and was dreading it (I hate Halloween) but was pleasantly surprised.
the female bartender was friendly and fast, prices were cheap, patrons were normal, and there was a free rock show. (sound system for the bands was the shits though)

This is the kind of place where you see lots of okcupid dates between guys with bad knuckle tattoos and girls in big floppy hats.

Randomly walked into Bootleg and was pleasantly surprised. Adam is a badass bartender and had the bone structure of a hairier David. Pickle juice, beer, pool, pin ball I’ll be back

So funny that so many people complained about the male bartenders, completely agree. Not the friendliest bunch, or the kind of bartenders you would actually expect a greeting from. Very dry but not with everyone.
But apart from that,
Cool bar love the vibe and it has a pool table which is AWESOME– Like ME why were you so MEANN?! Okay no seriously,
There was also a jukebox but apparently they have a DJ?
Wonder what that’s like. Might go back, maybe, even though it is my local bar.

30 seconds in the door and already feel right at home. Great, friendly bartender Sarah takes great care of everyone and is fun to talk to. Pinball and Donkey King in the back are an added bonus. Drink prices are more than reasonable, and the bar is very clean. :)

Solid bar. Great bartenders. Patio space out back. Cheap beers and the original Donkey Kong arcade. Definitely worth a visit if your in the neighborhood.

I love this place. Cheap beer and it’s never too crowded. Nice addition to the area and it has enough space to hang out.

Always have to wait forever to get a drink. Had a bartender make me wait ten minutes while he flirted with a girl. Very unprofessional staff every time I’ve gone. Will not return

I love this local bar! Walking distance everything i like cant beat that. Chill people hell yeah.

Bootleg was pretty fun. we just celebrated a friends birthday here and is great to meet for a Sunday get together. The drinks are pretty simple but straight to the point and a cool bartender. Play pool here too!

A pretty good local spot for drinks.

Solid punk-​rockish bar with a little backyardish area. Pool table and sweet pinball machine and Donkey Kong. No complaints here!
Side note: I got a little drunk and it took every fiber in my body not to succumb to the naughtily delicious fast food gauntlet that is Myrtle Ave.

I actually totally love this place, live two blocks away and watched it pop up along with the other happening spots in the neighborhood. The owner is a nice dude, the selection is totally fine and the staff is fine. BUT the music is ALWAYS obnoxiously loud. So much so that my friends and I constantly leave once the «DJ» pops up because we can’t possibly share a conversation, would be great if they just lowered the damn volume.

Went there tonight. Music was obnoxiously loud and the bartender was ridiculous. He dropped the entire cash drawer on the floor. And wasn’t too friendly. Also the beer kegs were warm. Warm beers all around. If you have no other place to go, Bootleg Bar will do. But you’d think they’d up their game considering the nicer bars popping up in the area.

The Bar itself is 4 stars. Go. But not On Thursdays.
I would recommend it to drink alone, meet with friends, or have a night cap with a date. It’s beautiful with a pretty chill ambiance.
Plenty of seating and a great juke box. the owner as well as the girl bartender are stellar bar company to talk to. Once had a pretty intellectual and controversial conversation about the «gayness» of Queen (the band).
But that Asian mfker here with long hair and, of course, the beanie — is a complete asshole and I let him know as much the last time I encountered him. Defensive. Snarky. Rude. Quick to jump to shit you didn’t say. My neighbors hate him too.
Attempts to belittle you while «laughing» to himself. I’m going to start calling him «Triumph the Insult Comic Dog». Unfortunately, he’s not that clever, or funny. He’s just a brat trying to be an asshole to patrons until his shift is over where he can hightail it back to williamsburg to his loft apartment that daddy pays for.
My review marks the 3^rd bad review specifically about him left here. Fire the fucker and lets all be done with it.

I’m sitting in the backyard smoking a cigarette and drinking a lukewarm beer, surrounded by the warm glow of white Christmas lights amid classic Brooklyn brick and steel walls. Inside, the pool table is in excellent condition, though it costs $ 1.50, and it has a sign up chalkboard, so there is no fighting over who is next. The cloth runs a little slow, but it’s easy to adjust to after one or two shots and the shooting space is not obstructed at all. The jukebox is playing some salt & peppa, and the bar is clean and pleasant. Shining hardwood floors, clean bathroom and nice candle light. I’m surprised to see all the Unilocal negativity.
One previous commenter said he didn’t feel diversity was welcomed. I look pretty white, but I’m shooting pool with a very tattooed Puerto Rican, cheersing with a Black guy at the bar, flirting with an Asian girl, and eavesdropping on some broken Spanish spoken by quite rural looking Mexicans. Needless to say, it seems pretty diverse.
As for the service, I haven’t waited more than one minute for a drink yet, but there’s not that many people in here right now. Maybe it gets worse on weekend late nights. Oh, there’s also a change machine so you don’t need to wait on the bartender to get quarters for pool or pinball.