New York City Park Slope And Prospect Park

Buttermilk Bar, 577 5th Ave. (at 16th St.) Small and down to earth, Buttermilk offers a refreshing dose of grit to the increasingly upscale Park Slope scene. A young crowd fills the brick-walled, wood-floor interior over inexpensive beer and the odd board game. The first Thursday of every month is the CasHank Hootenany Jamboree, an acoustic country concert named for two of the genre's legends. Beer $4-6, $3 at happy hour. Mixed drinks $6-9. Open daily 6pm-4am. Happy hour 6-9pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Loki Lounge, 304 5th Ave. (at 2nd St.) (www.lokilounge.com), The long Loki Lounge seems bathed in red velvet, but the haughty decor masks an unpretentious, even low-key option. The front is a traditional crowded bar, but the back opens up to provide fancy plush seating areas and a slightly more upscale vibe. Even further and you're in a back “garden” where potted plants do their best to make you feel at home. Beer $4-8. Mixed drinks $6-11. Open daily 3pm-4am. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Commonwealth, 497 5th Ave. (at 12th St.) This no-frills dive bar is topped off by an old-school jukebox playing a predictably eclectic mix. It's a perfect backdrop to the sleek and polished but simple interior (bar to one side, tables with random chairs to the other) and the generous patio out back. Beer $3-7. Mixed drinks $6-11. M-F 3pm-4am, Sa-Su 2pm-4am. Outdoor patio open M-Th and Su until 11pm, F-Sa until 1am. Happy hour M-F 3-7pm ($1 off everything). Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Black Horse Pub, 568 5th Ave. (at 16th St.) (www.blackhorsebrooklyn.com), Get your pints on at this spacious British-style pub with plenty of standing room. The huge bar is fully stocked, and the hardwood floors fill up quickly with crowds coming to socialize or just watch the latest soccer match. Pints from $6. Wine $7-9. Open daily 2pm-4am. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.