O'Connor's Bar
I’ve had two suggestions to go to O’Connor’s bar in Brooklyn in the last week. One was from onemorefoldedsunset and the other was from my former co-pilot from 365 Bars, Al Rizo, who is an expert at New York taverns. To prove I take suggestions and because I’ve wanted to check this classic Brooklyn dive bar for quite some time, we’re off to O’Connor’s! Never let it be said I don’t take requests!
And it's down into the subway we go to begin our journey to Brooklyn.
We're taking the Q train, which you always have to wait forever for it to arrive.
I'm always paranoid about someone pushing me on to the tracks down in the subway and always have a hand on a pole. It always amazes me to see someone standing so close to the tracks, texting away with earplugs in her ears and oblivious to everything that's going on around her.
And five minutes later, she still can't stop texting.
I'm so tempted to push her on to the tracks myself!
Finally the train arrives!
And she's still texting!
I should've pushed her on to the tracks when I had a chance!
Okay, through the miracle of the internet, we're here in Brooklyn and I'm done obsessing over the woman who couldn't stop texting. I still wish I'd have thrown her on the tracks though!
And here we are at O'Connor's. There's no sign and I walked by it once without realizing this was the bar. Let's check it out.
This is about as old school as it gets! It's one of those bars that feels like night time, even when it's the afternoon. Let's grab a stool at the bar.
Here's Chris the friendly bartender serving up a bottle of Budweiser. Chris told me that O'Connor's has been on this block since 1930.
As you can see, it's a well-stocked bar.
Here's the front window from my point of view at the bar. I can't wait for the sun to go down!
There's rugged and well-worn booths opposite the bar.
Lights built into ceiling fans hang overhead and illuminate the bar.
Love that vintage cash register behind the bar.
A longshot of the wooden bar, if only it could talk!
They have a great selection of tunes on the jukebox ranging from Devo to Syd Barrett to Patsy Cline to the Sex Pistols and everyone in between.
The New York Press voted them Best Brooklyn Bar back in 1996.
And they were featured in a "Best of New York" in New York magazine as well.
A Smithwick mirror hangs in the back of the bar.
And when I got back to my seat, Eric had arrived at the bar. Cheers! One More Folded Sunset was also there, but she's a little camera shy and opted to stay out of the photo.
And after several beers, night time has fallen on Brooklyn.
Time to head back to Manhattan. If I see that texting woman down there, she's going down on the tracks!
O'Connor's
39 Fifth Ave. (Near Bergen St.)
718-783-9721
Further Reading: Brokelyn (last entry), Broke-Ass Stuart’s Goddamn Website and F’D In Park Slope (last entry).
What's your story,
Well I don't even care,
Cause I got my own double-cross to bear.
Brooklyn, O'Connor's, Texting Posted on Friday, April 13, 2012 at 10:14AM
Reader Comments (18)
Look's a lot better at night, darker. Seems some slight remodeling was done since I went there, if you can believe it. It was so divey and worn out, you would of thought a bomb went off in there. Still looks like a great old dive with the booths all worn out,,,,and the bar top in need of varnish but hey,,,,,its a dive,,,,they can wait another fifty years to varnish it,,,right? Great place and thanks. You should of pushed her on the tracks,,,,LOL
That's as cool as you can get in a old-time bar ! .... I think I might have been in there 4 years ago ? ... I was also in a few others in the neighborhood ------ I know some of them had to "go away" for the Atlantic Yards project ... so it's nice to see this place survive ! Need to make it out there again - I got 5 places I want to hit within the vicinity of Atlantic Yards. but .... every time I get on the subway to head to Brooklyn - somebody is having a heart attack or seizure - and everything is clogged up waiting for the EMT's to arrive :( -- then I'm thirsty and go back out to the nearest pub ...
texters drive me nuts too, what are they all texting about? love oconnors bar! nice to see classic dive bars still exist and great tom waits tune! a perfect match for this place. happy friday the 13th!!
Ah, I love that Tom Waits song. O'Connor's looks like a great place. Love the worn-out booths and those barstools look so much more comfortable than those overstuffed black ones that everybody has these days - always leaning too far left or right or forward. Never back, to make it easier to settle in at the bar. Good jukebox, sweet register, and I love those juice glasses over the rocks ones. Beer doesn't taste as good in anything else. Not even a frosty mug. Thanks for taking us to Brooklyn, Marty! It's time (again) to update my list.
Try not to let the texters get on your nerves Marty...judging from what I read today, you sound like you're going to have an episode of Law and Order or Criminal Minds based on you eventually...
@Al: Thanks to you and onemorefoldedsunset for the recommendation! O'Connor's is a classic bar!
@GENE: I'm sure you've probably been to O'Connor's in your bar travels, a perfect stop for the BBC!
@Bobby D: I too wonder what everyone is texting about! Happy Friday the 13th to you, I need to get a Mega-Millions ticket today!
@Biff: I love that Tom Waits song too! If I hit the Mega-Millions on Friday the 13th, we'll hit all the spots on your list and then some!
@Jaws: I try, but it's hard not to ignore them! Hopefully one of those shows will do an episode based on these travels and then it's royalty city!
Great old school joint with a lot of character (and characters, I'd imagine)
Maybe your new local Superhero 'Snackman' can also help clean up the texters on the subway while munching.
I'm going to have to shine the 'Pringle shaped' light into the night skies of Gotham City.
Knew you'd love this bar - great to see you & Eric.
My husband just proudly drew my attention to this headline in the News this week:
BEER MAKES MEN SMARTER: STUDY
And on a related note, I'm sending you a beer-themed picture in a sec.
What happened to the moose??? I haven't been there in years; they used to organize great drunken fishing trips from Sheepshead Bay.
Next time you head out to Brooklyn ya gotta check out our local dive, Denny's Steak House (where they haven't served steak since the 70s). A straight run on the F (or G) to Church Avenue. I salute you on yet another foray into..... (shudder) Brooklyn.
I also admire your restraint re: the texting zombie.
Was O'Connor's suggested as a former Mohawk bar? My memory isn't what it was.
It looks ... Spartan?
INRE the Purple Bag and Nails Texter:
"in sbwy there iz a guy behind me taking pics"
"Guy still there + pics."
"Guy iz all in blck"
"Im fraid better not try 2 push me"
"Hope hez not in my car"
"Fuk same car"
"sitting still. ignring him"
"more pics wtf"
@"Boris:" Ha ha ha! We were talking about "Snackman" last night! A new viral superhero!
@onemorefoldedsunset: Great seeing you and thanks for dinner! Best tacos ever! Nice to know that beer makes men smarter, I'm going to start working on my IQ soon! I'll go check my email soon!
@Katrink: I'll try and check Denny's soon, I love a steakhouse that doesn't sell steak! As far as the texting zombie, I didn't push her, because we all know zombies don't die, they would just text: "LOL...WTF!!!!"
@csp: Mohwak bar??? Now she's texting: "OMG...now I'm on his blog...wtf!!!!"
Mohawk? Thought that was Third,/Nevins/Atlantic area (Doray/Hanks, Nevins Bar & Grill) but maybe they drifted over to O'Connors too?
@1MFSS: Thanks.
Hey Marty, Next to Guinness I love Smithwick's. Had it for the 1st time in Galway ,Ireland. Been reading your blog's later these past few days. Ive been working freelance for Jerid at Duggal . Another fine Irishman.
Beer & Bars never get boring. Going out for Indian food tonight & picking up some Kingfisher Beer, BYOB
@Danny the Freelancer: Glad to hear you've picked up some freelance over there! Enjoy the Indian food and Kingfishers! Cheers!
I dont care if people text their lives away but it is irritating to see people when they practically run up to the very ledge of the platform to look down the tunnel. I mean is it really necessary to leave such little margin for error. It seems like people are always trying to prove how non chalant they are. Hey I like being nonchalant as much as the next guy but the subway platform is no place to play it fast and loose. I am not skittish or paranoid but I do approach the ledge with caution. Slips and loss of balance tend to happen unexpectedly in life. What's the point of giving one's self zero margin of error. And its true people are way too trusting about standing with their nose within inches of passing trains. I consider myself a compassionate person and yet I have had the urge to push someone over the ledge, maybe as a punishment for being so oblivious. Just think of all the mental defectives and psychotics running around the city who would give not a second thought to pushing someone over. Trust no one in New York, is a motto of mine.
@legitimate beef: True words of wisdom there! I agree with that motto!
I love O'Connor's. It reminds me how very much I would like to travel to Ireland someday.