Congress Bar

Nice little place for cocktails, dim lighting and intimate setting.

I like this bar a lot. Maybe the first time I came i was supposed to meet a friend, but I couldn’t find the place, because my friend kept mistakenly calling it «Liberty» (Which I think is a great name for a bar). Anyway, the place has a warm feel to it, so much so that the front windows are usually fogged. The bartenders are on point as well as personable and interesting, specifically Amanda & Rocco. The beer selection is small but good, the cocktails are well made, they have spicy snacks and… pop tarts. In the back are some candlelit banquettes, and the side room has tall tables where sometimes I find myself channeling Hemingway and doing some self indulgent writing. Like I said, I like this place, and I come here often.

Avoid the Monday night bartender who worked on Jan. 11 at all costs.
Went here with my girlfriend on a whim Monday night. Pulled up a chair at the bar and the following ensued :
Bartender: «Whoa! Are you two twins?!»
Me: «no we are a couple.»
Bartender: «seriously you guys look like twins. Are you sisters?»
My girlfriend: «no. We are a couple.»
Bartender: «I’m not joking. You guys look identical.»
Me: (raised eyebrow) «maybe we should just move on»
Bartender: I’m not trying to be funny. You guys seriously look related.“
Me: that’s disgusting
My girlfriend to me («should we just go?»)
We pick up our bags to leave.
Bartender: «you’re leaving?!! Seriously?»
Bartender: (screaming as we walk out the door): «F**K OFF!!»
All this happened in front of the other patrons.
We are now at The Chocolate Room enjoying a glass of Cava. The staff here is welcoming and lovely.

What can I say about this abomination? It’s cash only and the in-​house ATM machine looks about as secure as an Automat compartment.
I loved the produce store though I shopped there only four times in the 30 years I’ve lived in this neighborhood. I just liked knowing I could get decent produce even though I eat mostly at McDonalds.
Charlene is awesome, though. Seriously. She makes a Moscow Mule that will blow you. Hence the three stars.

Small. Dimly lit. Perfect spot to duck in out of the rain. It was not crowded street all when we arrived here for a drink before dinner at Buttermilk Channel. The Bar tender made a great Maple Retox. Decent happy hour as well. I am trying to lure friends to Brooklyn so I can pop by this place again after work.

Jesse was an AMAZING bartender. Full of knowledge on drinks and full of personality. A highlight in our day to Brooklyn!

I was tempted to take a star away from this place for always making me stay longer than I should, but tasty beverages, cool bartenders, and great tunes will do that. And they serve Pop Tarts? 5 stars, but only because I can’t give 6.

There are cocktail bars and there are dive bars. Congress falls solidly in the fertile ground between the two. It is a shoebox-​sized, mostly-​locals bar with a slightly larger backroom that is pretty good for small groups. They have a good selection of beers, ciders, wines, and a small list of tasty craft cocktails. The thing that impresses me most about Congress (besides the unpretentious attitude of the place) is the quality of their booze. My father always used to say «life is too short to drink bad wine» which I have amended to «life is too short to drink cheap booze». So, when I walk into a not-​a-​cocktail bar like Congress, I’m expecting your typical low-​end well liquors with a few bottles of somewhat better hooch on the display shelves that you’ll pay a premium for if you want to hear them splashing in your glass.
I was surprised to find myself nodding in approval at everything on their display shelves and even more pleasantly surprised when nearly all of the drinks Rocco mixed for us used booze pulled straight off the shelves — not from the well. For a place that isn’t a serious cocktail bar… that is extraordinary. So, if you like decent booze of any sort (beer or liquor) served in a low key venue, with some odd bar munchies (pop-​tarts and rice crackers), swing by Congress.
TIPS:
Congress has happy hour every day — nice!
The drink prices are fair… especially considering the good liquors they use in the craft cocktails.
Congress is cash only… but they have an ATM in the back so problem solved!

Tasty drinks, awkward bar

So wonderful. The mood is perfect for light reading and the conversations don’t get overly loud. I went there on a weekday, so I’m not vouching for how it is on the weekends. But for a bar in the middle of a bunch of bookstores, this is definitely the place.

Best cocktails in town. Rocco is the best bartender — very attentive and nice. love this place.

Solid cocktail bar on Court Street. The bartender was very friendly and helpful in selecting a cocktail. Drinks that we had were delicious and will keep me coming back.

Our go-​to bar.
It has very minimal seating and is pretty small but the music is at a volume that is just right. and its always a good time here.
You always meet good people and the bartenders are really nice.
Super chill.

Came here on Election Day, of all days, and was very pleasantly surprised. I didn’t even know this place existed, but I’m glad I do now. It’s a very small and understated neighborhood bar. It’s got style and flavor, but they’re subtle about it, which I like. Doesn’t feel forced or contrived, it just is.
Chill vibe, kinda sexy but also fine for just hanging with a friend. Good mix of tunes, which I appreciate. They have a nice cocktail list as well as a well-​curated beer list. The only buzz kill — and this is admittedly a pet peeve of mine — is that they’re cash only. Grrrr. Otherwise I have nothing but positives to share about this place. Check it out.

I love this place, I really do. I spend a lot of weekends here, but not a lot of happy hours… perhaps that’s why my last visit left a bad taste in my mouth.
We went on a Friday for Happy Hour, and I threw down a tip that apparently the bar tender didn’t like (we were still drinking, I hadn’t planned on it being my las tip of the night or anything, and had tipped prior…) and he called us out. Legit, wouldn’t serve us and when he finally came over, he told us we «had to tip better than that.» WTF?! We were totally shamed in front of a good amount of people and felt super shitty. believe me, I know the value of good service and hard work… but this didn’t seem like it was worth it over literally a dollar or two…
We explained the situation– we’re regulars, we weren’t finished tipping, we live around the corner… (when really we should’ve flipped out at the audacity…)
We decide to finish the beer we paid for and I guess he had a change of heart. We made up and he offered us an olive branch (shots!) so that was great. I still love this place, but hope that this isn’t a regular occurrence for others.

Simply one of the best bars in Brooklyn that I’ve been to, very well decorated classic minimal, music is not overwhelmingly loud in contrary they actually play good music like QOTSA and Howling Wolf so you get the idea and what’s more important NO TVs-​thank god!!!
Roco the bar tender is the MAN, very cool/​friendly and knows his drinks!
Can’t wait to go back.

Really love this neighborhood bar! It used to be an old produce shop called Jim & Andy’s, and they still kept the cute old farmhouse wallpaper on some of the walls to preserve the shop’s legacy.
We came in on a scorching hot Sunday afternoon and nothing quenched my thirst quite like the Jim & Andy cocktail — this drink makes the old produce shop owners proud! Easily the best cocktail on the menu, and maybe the best cocktail… ever? I’ll definitely be back.

Congress is now in session! (Pretty sure I’m not the first to use THAT cheese line here), but deal with it, I’m 60% review, 40% cheese. This place hits all the right bar sweet spots in my book. Great bartenders, good happy hour, nice chill vibe, and close enough to home. Finally, something regarding the government I can get on board with!

It’s nice to have a bar on Court Street that isn’t a sports bar. Yay.
Tight little space specializing in cocktails as well as some small craft beers. Space in the back with tables that seem to fill up quick.
Doesn’t take credit cards which is a bit of a deal breaker for me (I like to drink a lot?)

Definitely a nice addition to the watering hole anemia in Cobble Hill.
Most bars in this area close by 2am.
But this place has been consistently open until 4am on several occasions. So it is a solid choice when you need just that one more beer before your eyes glaze over.
Nice interior, good selection of tap beer. And that’s all I remember before the light went out. On several occasions.