The sleepy neighborhood of DUMBO was rocked yesterday when the 'hood's hottest club Brooklyn Monkey threw open its doors for "the yuppies and the hipsters." That wasn't the crowd at last night's opening, however, which skewed a little older and most definitely were not of the local variety. Yes, Gothamist attended Big Ang's stepping out party—it's difficult to resist the call of the margarita.
Upon arrival, two burly men outside Grimaldi's pointed us to the darkened back corner of the restaurant, where we ascended a creaky, wooden staircase up to the building's third floor. We arrived at 5 p.m., a little early for the inevitable club vibe that would unfold later, but it meant we were able to fully take in the space, which was much nicer than we'd expected. The huge windows let in lots of light—though the views aren't as interesting given the direction they face—the floors were newly varnished, the space clean.
The bar itself is quite small and tucked into a corner; we noted two Brooklyn Brewery beers on tap, plus three flavors of frozen cocktails, which are served (of course) in Mason jars. Gotta give the hipsters what they want! Margaritas were decent, if a little sweet, and only $8, not bad for the size. We were directed to "check out the outside," though it turned out to just be an outdoor stairwell. Big Ang promised outdoor seating "on the second floor" coming this summer, though it wasn't immediately clear where that would be implemented.
Given that it was opening night, the crowd seemed to be mostly friends, family and SI transplants who wanted to show support. The rogue "hipster" (most likely curious Dumbo workers or fellow media folk) were interspersed; you could tell them apart by the lack of hair product (men and women). So will Dumbo denizens flock to something new in the bar-deprived neighborhood? Will Staten Island travelers be enough to keep the bar afloat? Will Big Ang accidentally (?) rest her hand on your butt while posing for a photo? Only time—and a few more margaritas—will tell.
All we know for sure is that we need to practice our twirling fist pump:
