East River: East River claims to be legit grit as opposed to hipster-imposed faux trash, but nonetheless it has the vin-tage décor, open space, and funk Billyburg is known for, with an added view of the bridge and river. The recycled décor includes a ping-pong table, Western mirror, and a pool table, with origins ranging from a local alcoholic to international friends of the owners. A disco ball and wall projections add funk, and the interior otherwise holds the building’s history, which included incarnations as a paint factory, biker bar, and speakeasy. The massive patio feels neighborly, with BYOBBQ fests throughout the summer. On South Sixth it’s refreshingly outside the nightlife buzz, and the view lets you drift from the neighborhood and gaze pensively at the East River, perhaps imagining it had blue rather than brown water and fish rather than deceased mobsters. |
