I’ll admit that I walked into Beloved a little ready to hate on it. When I passed by the newly opened space a few nights earlier, I peered in through the gray doors painted with the name of this new place that inhabits the recessed cave that used to belong to the denizens of Stones Tavern thinking that this was just a bar hurriedly wedged into an odd middle space in Greenpoint. A bar like a street-fair goldfish: short-lived. Best not to get too attached.
Entering, I passed a sign out front promising ‘gangster times’ to be had within. If the times of a gangster include:
- Donuts,
- Amazingly delicious original cocktails,
- Friendly, laid back times, and
- staying 2+ drinks longer than you meant to just because,
then yes, Beloved delivered on the promise of ‘Gangster Times.’ While I can’t say there will always be donuts waiting there for you, talking to René, designer of the cocktail list, and Vivek, one of the owners, suggested that what you will reliably find is a bar that honestly cares about what they’re serving you. They believe that they’re not settling by focusing on just being a solid place to drink, and while there were certainly hints about parties in the future – a DJ booth may one day soon occupy a back corner, and the yard has serious potential – Vivek suggested that Beloved has no intention of becoming an ‘event space.’ The focus is on a killer cocktail list, a well-designed interior sporting luxe wallpaper and custom lighting, and bartenders who actually seem to want you to enjoy your time there. I love being wrong sometimes.
Beloved
674 Manhattan Ave
Fun Fact: “Gangsta Situations” is a beloved tag from the Williamsburg loft, 79 Lorimer St. It’s in the stairwell and was always a favorite or friends who lived there and us who just visited friends there. I personally hate tagging, but even I have gotten chuckles out of that one.