Custom House: Brooklyn Heights At Last Has A Hang

By on September 6, 2012 12:02 pm in Food, Fun, Streets

It appears that Brooklyn Heights at last has a reliable neighborhood hang. While Jack the Horse Tavern draws a consistent crowd and Eammon’s of Brooklyn had its day, arguably there hasn’t been a true pub to stop by (and/or stay) for a beer or a splash of booze in the nabe for a decade-plus.

A walk by Custom House at 139 Montague Street on Wednesday around 10 p.m. revealed a bustling crowd of all-age ‘hoodies, from the 20s on up past AARP members. Be sure to say hello to Brother Jimmy, pictured at the entrance. Score one for Brooklyn Heights.

The joint offers 80 seats, 16 tap beers, a 40-foot marble-topped bar, a trio of flat screens showing live sports; and grub to wash it all down like burgers, wings and Shepherd’s pie.

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  • Tclinton11201

    What about (no particular order):
    1. Henry Street Ale House
    2. Waterfront Ale House
    3. O’Keefe’s
    4. Chip Shop?

    this looks more like a commercial than any form of journalism…

  • DrewB

    The wife and I actually went by there last night for the first time. Had a nice pint and said hello to Jimmy. It’s nice to have a bar that is open late night back on Montague.

  • Wiley E.

    Someone has to help pay BHB’s bills.

  • Homer Fink

    This is unpaid, believe me. I’d cop to an informercial.

  • Andrew

    Unfortunately, much of BHB’s editorial content tends to be uncritical boosterism that would read no differently as paid advertising.

    That said, Custom House is the only pub on Montague St. right in the middle of the ‘hood. And although both the Henry Street and Pete’s Waterfront Ale Houses have been serving those needs ably for years, Custom House’s kitchen is open late.

  • Homer Fink

    Well NewYorkology called it quits today. Looking at the comments on this thread makes me ponder popping a cap in this site. Y’all just have so much hate in your souls for us.

  • Knight

    Is it really “y’all”, Homer, or is it just a few people using multiple screen names? I tend to notice very similar writing styles among a few of the crankiest posters. But you should be able to tell if they share the same e-mail or IP addresses, no?

  • Scotty

    What exactly does “Brother Jimmy” do besides stand there and look creepy in bus boy garb? This whole place has a super awkward feeling to it.

  • DrewB

    Homer, don’t let a few jerks get you down. You can always find someone to complain about anything in this town.

  • http://bob@bobrowen.com Bob R.

    I see Homer promoting the neighborhood and its businesses in general – and I think he does a great job of it !

  • DrewB

    Agreed Bob. THis blog offers a valuable service to neighborhood residents.

  • Tclinton11201

    Simply voicing my personal thought over what I thought was a:
    1. inaccurate review; and
    2. embelished review.

    now maybe I’m biaised since I really like O’Keefe (and I too thought that Custom House while well located lacked something) but now no need to pop anything in anything…

  • Homer Fink

    I think the next BHB mixer will be subtitled: Buy Homer a Drank

  • C.

    @ Homer:

    Just make sure it’s not at Custom House. Boom!

  • Mr. Crusty

    @Tclinton11201: simply voicing my personal thought over what I thought was a:
    1. inaccurate review; and
    2. embelished review.

    I don’t think it was meant as a review. It was a neighborhood blog talking about a neighborhood business.

  • AEB

    Jesus, yes! To those dishing BHB, consider what it’s like to find relevant news items virtually 24-7–stories that reflect what’s happening in what is, after all, a very small nabe.

    Which is precisely what Homer and Chuck do. Day in and day out, and with admirable balance.

  • north heights res

    I think it’s fine for posts to cheerlead for local businesses, as long as the opinions expressed are a) genuine (even if readers disagree, those opinions aren’t inaccurate) and b) uncompensated, which everything in this post seems to be.

    What gives the post, though, the whiff of insincerity is the sentiment, strongly expressed, that there there hasn’t been such a place to hang out in the neighborhood in over a decade, which, as has been pointed out, just isn’t true. Take that [unnecessary] sentence out, and I think the post reads quite differently.

  • GHB

    Nothing wrong with a little cheerleading once in a while. It helps to balance out all the griping and negativity that so many BHB readers spread (even before trying a place) just because that’s what they do. Any thread, any time…

  • Jorale-man

    I’d be more skeptical of the post if there were banner ads for the Custom House on the site. But this seems like straightforward enthusiasm for a good night out.

    I would agree on the one point: “at last has a hang” is perhaps a bit overstated. In addition to the bars previously mentioned, there’s the Roebling Inn on Atlantic, the Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar and even Tazza, which serves wine later in the day.

  • Teddy

    @Homer Fink

    Thanks for letting me know about the demise of Newyorkology.com. Just deleted the bookmark. Too bad.

  • Marmac

    Homer, keep up the great work! The attack on your credibility for such an innocent post is just sh*tty.

  • x

    its his site. Let him post whatever he likes.

  • Livingston

    Kudos to BHB and Homer! I love reading all these fun neighborhood stories (big & small). I think it’s great to have someone with such diverse interests to keep us informed (and that goes for the other contributors, too!)

  • malanga es malanga

    I have bought Homer a drank before, and I look forward to doing it again.

    And I should, because the blog site he created is a link to my neighbors and to our community. Thank you, Homer.

  • Lifer

    when’s the next mixer?!

  • http://chucktaylorblog.blogspot.com/ Chuck Taylor

    I’ll add my 2 cents to Homer’s dime-sense… after posting what was meant as a rally for our neighborhood as I walked past Custom House on my way home Wednesday night, and was jazzed to see a crowd inundating a LOCAL biz, with a great buzz coming from within… I was thrilled to see that we have a joint that brings together all ages, at last, as I wrote in the post.

    How could this be interpreted as anything but positive?

    Every time a chain opens in the vicinity, there’s a loud grumble… And here I praise a local business for at last drawing a crowd… and yet there are random accusations of writing an advertorial?

    You few really might consider taking a step back and thinking twice about spewing such nonsense every time you have a bitter whim. Fortunately, Homer, Claude, Karl & I recognize that the loudest voices are often the most ignorant. And so… we carry on.

    Hugs-
    =CT=

  • http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/author/homer-fink Homer Fink

    actually the loudest voices are either the most or least medicated

  • James

    So persons who disagree with your posts are “ignorant”?

  • Jim

    LOVE this blog, albeit the ‘naysayers’ are a bit of a distraction at times. THANKS homer for the informative reads on our Great Hood !!!

  • JV

    Waterfront ale house is in dumbo!
    Henry street ale house is so boring!
    I love that montague finally has a bar worth going to. Let’s face it montague street should be the main drag for fun in Brooklyn heights and with all it’s crappy stores and restaurants it just isn’t. Very poor planning.

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