Bar of the Week: d.b.a. Williamsburg

d.b.a. Williamsburg, the Brooklyn outpost of the East Village brew palace, has been open since the new year, but unfortunately our first visit wasn't until last weekend. The upside to a later review? The food menu, often a secondary addition at new bars, is up and running, and while it currently consists solely of a New Orleans-style muffuletta sandwich ($8) topped with a spicy olive salad, it's hearty and perfect for sharing. The beer menu was, expectedly, more diverse: There are over 60 bottles on the menu, and 16 on tap, including a light Guldenberg Abbey ($7) and a bitter Victory Hop Wallop ($6) ideal for I.P.A. drinkers. Hot spiced cider, Irish coffees, and d.b.a. coffee egg creams (all $7) will remain on the menu for a few more weeks. Like their East Village sibling, they also have a lengthy whiskey menu, featuring 30 singles malts and 22 bourbons with more to come. But unlike its counterpart, where we once witnessed a cat batting a live mouse around while the bartenders cheered, the space is open, modern, and airy, with concrete floors and fresh daisies in vases around the room. Their outdoor patio is already open for the summer, too. If times are tough, stop by Monday nights for "Liquids of Interest," when owner Ray Deter offers free tastings of new whiskeys, tequilas, and beers, and sample away.

d.b.a Willamsburg
113 N. Seventh St.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
(718) 218-6006

Image from Ultraclay