222 Smith Street, Brooklyn, New York

Time/Date visited: 11/11/2009 (Wednesday) @ 4:00 PM

Quick Peek Inside: Quaint, traditional pub feel with a well-stocked bar, solid beers on tap and in bottles, with free nibbles available along with the best Happy Hour in Brooklyn.

Angry Wade’s is the kind of bar/pub that should be in everyone’s neighborhood – a spot where anyone can stop in, grab a refreshing beverage and engage in some casual conversation with the bartender or other fellow imbibers. Any time is a good time to stop on in and put down a frothy pint or three: before a night on the town, after a hard day of work, during a football or soccer game, or just if you want to sit back, relax and write.

In fact, this review is being written smack dab in the middle of a Wednesday happy hour, with the idle chatter of the other bar-goers mingled with alternative rock tunes floating in the background. There are only a few folks here – mostly men – but they keep the pool table and dart board busy, while the bartendress alternates between fetching pints and killing off idle time. The fireplace roars from behind, warming an otherwise chilly, overcast November evening in Brooklyn. The firelight is accented by the flicker of tea candles strategically placed all about the bar. The music, as always, is just a tad bit too loud, but not annoyingly so. My frosted pint glass is filled with the goodness that is Harpoon IPA, this humble beer-drinker’s beverage of choice at our cozy pit-stop. As people slowly pile in, patrons are greeted by both the resident boozehounds and the bartendress alike. Speaking of hounds, one gentleman just walked in with a pooch in tow!

Now make no mistakes – this place is your traditional Brooklyn neighborhood pub, nothing fancy (besides the 5 HD TVs) and nothing ritzy. But what is lost on novelty value is gained back ten-fold by friendliness and variety. The beer selection is strong and more than sufficient, and the spirits shelf is well above average. While the pool table area is a bit cramped and is shared with the dart board (not to mention a perilous staircase just a few feet behind), Angry Wade’s takes advantage of every square foot of space to offer its patrons with as many amenities as possible. There is even a hunting video game set up next to the front door.

It is suffice to say that Angry Wade’s value is greater than the sum of its parts. The low light, the antiquated cash registers, the pub-sized pool table, the friendly bartenders, the jovial crowd – all of these things would be different at any other location. But here in the heart of Brooklyn, Angry Wade’s star shines brightly. Boasting the best Happy Hour this side of the East River, it would be imprudent not to swing through if you’re in the neighborhood. Plus, you can accumulate your laundry change whilst drinking $2.50 pints! This is a place where people from all five boroughs trickle in to visit, and you should too.