It’s June – vaccinations are up, COVID cases are down, and the sun is out (a little too intensely sometimes). It’s everything you need for a safe and fun Father’s Day on Sunday, June 20. Below are some ideas for local items and outings alike, for the Greenpoint-loving dad.
Father’s Day Things to Do
Bury the Hatchet (25 Noble Street)
Axe-throwing has been sweeping the nation, and the activity has now found its way to North Brooklyn. Let your dad get some aggression out in a safe and fun way at Bury the Hatchet – he’ll appreciate the joke-y name too. Sessions last 1.5 hours and cost 39.99 per person. If he enjoys it enough, he can even join a league team.
The Gutter (200 N. 14th Street)
If your dad is a little more traditional, stick with what he likely already knows with bowling at the Gutter. Step back in time while playing on one of their eight vintage hardwood lanes from the Midwest – he’ll like that it’s a no frills kind of place (with a full service bar). You can either pay by the game ($8 per person per game) or by the hour ($25 per half hour per game). Apologies to the kiddos, but patrons must be 21+.
Be sure to check out the rules before you go, but there are a few places in Brooklyn that allow fishing, including our very own WNYC Transmitter Park.
Father’s Day Food and Drink
Greenpoint Fish & Lobster (114 Nassau Ave)
If you can’t actually go fishing together, you can both pretend to have caught a quality fish and swing by Greenpoint Fish and Lobster to pick up a few filets for dinner. Or take the work out of the equation entirely, and enjoy the fact that they’ve finally reopened their restaurant with outdoor seating. Either way, you can’t go wrong with fish tacos or shrimp cocktail.
Spritzenhaus 33 (33 Nassau Ave)
There’s a good chance your dad is a beer and brats kind of guy, which is exactly what they do at Spritzenhaus 33, a large beer hall right next to McCarren Park. Spritzenhaus 33 has a lot of outdoor seating and Jenga, for when you’ve run out of things to talk about.
Amber Steakhouse (119 Nassau Ave)
Treat dad to a special meal he won’t get everyday at Amber Steakhouse, which claims to be Greenpoint’s first and only steakhouse. If you’re lucky, he’ll split the 48 oz Porterhouse for two with you. Amber also has an extensive wine and bourbon list to round out a decadent experience.
Things to Buy
Vinyl records from Academy Records Annex or Dream Fishing Tackle (85 Oak Street, 673 Manhattan Ave)
For dads of a certain age, an album might induce some warm and fuzzy nostalgic feelings. Or perhaps your dad already has some albums collecting dust in a basement somewhere. Regardless, swing by Academy Record Annex and pick up an old favorite. They also sell merch and memorabilia, so if your dad lived through NYC in the seventies and was extremely cool, get him a punk zine. Dream Fishing Tackle also sells records, as well as….um….fishing tackle, if you undertake the aforementioned fishing suggestion.
New threads and accessories
You love your dad, you really do, but his look might need some zhooshing up. Alter (140 Franklin Street) and ID Menswear (6 Bedford Avenue) are two great options for picking out something he might not feeling like buying for himself – a nicer leather wallet, cologne, or even some beard balm! If your dad is a fan of Carhartt, swing by Pop’s Popular Clothing (7 Franklin Street).
A quality bottle of alcohol from Duke’s Liquor Box (114 Franklin Street)
The staff at Duke’s are always very knowledgeable and helpful about the products they sell. They stock mostly independent and smaller batch brands, so you’re bound to find something more interesting than a standard bottle of Jack Daniels.
Note to hipsters. Most fathers want a card or if the child is young, a hand written card.
Save your money on lavish gifts. Most men don’t care.