(Photo courtesy of Kingsland Bar)
Remember back in 2009, when Chloe 81, the subterranean Lower East Side lounge, was the “new Beatrice”? (We do! It was one of the few times the author of this post has been a bold-faced name.) Well, now there’s a “new Chloe 81,” and it’s launching tonight. With free vodka.
Brooke Smy and her partner M Kouger are opening an “unpretentious dance club” (just how we like ’em) in their home neighborhood of Williamsburg — on Grand Street, to be exact (though it’s named after Kingsland Street). Kingsland Bar will feature the obligatory beer/shot combos, a classic cocktail menu that leans toward brown liquors, and a food menu that takes its cues from the south (“I’m from Texas and it’s my jam,” Smy explains) — though there’s also a Minnesota-inspired Jucy Lucy burger (you can choose which cheese to have packed into the patty).
(Photo courtesy of Kingsland Bar)
Eventually there’ll be a nightly lineup of DJs and bands (“local up-and-comers, mostly,” says Smy). In the meantime, just settle into one of the red leather booths you see above. You can try your luck at the door tonight, when there’ll be free Tito’s and Jameson (there’ll be a “loose guest list” for the opening party) or come back for the official first night of business tomorrow, when the door will be wide open. The vibe will be “laid back, mellow Williamsburg, where people are encouraged to come in and just have a good time,” says Smy.
MENU
House Burgers
SOUTHWEST spicy monterey jack, pico de gallo, tortillas
COWBOY bacon, cheddar, straw potatoes, fried egg
AVOCADO avocado, mushroom, swiss cheese
SHORT RIB braised short rib, horseradish, fried onions
VEGGIE roasted beets, mushrooms, brown rice
DOUBLE two 5-oz. patties, two slices of cheese, sautéed onions
CRISPY PORK BELLY sriracha mayo, pickled vegetables
JUCY LUCY 10 oz. burger stuffed w/ choice of cheese KINGSLAND chorizo, jalapeño + monterey jack cheese
Mains
CATFISH [ FRIED or BLACKENED ] mayo, lettuce + pickle
FRIED CHICKEN chipotle may, iceberg lettuce salad
Kingsland Bar, 524 Grand St., bet. Lorimer and Union; open daily from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. (kitchen till 11 p.m.)