Beer Table (CLOSED)

I live in the neighborhood and have been a regular at Beer Table for some years. On most nights the co-owner/founder, is around, which is great since he's extremely knowledgeable about beer, extremely helpful, and an all-around nice/kick-ass guy. The place features an extensive list of bottled beer that changes regularly as well as half a dozen or so draft beers (plus a cask beer). I've twice ordered a beer here and decided it was the best beer I've ever had in my life. If you are not looking for a cozy place to kick back for a couple hours, try some interesting and very likely delicious beers that are mostly in the $10-15/bottle range, I'd suggest not coming here. (There are, for the record, beers for $7-8 a pop, which strikes me as a pretty average price in NYC for a good glass.) If you are, however, in search of a great beer you've never heard of, a cool and communal environment, and some tasty nibbles (the pickled eggs, for example, are excellent), Beer Table is your spot.

I can't believe all the hype this place gets. The beer list is so out of touch economically. I think the cheapest beer they had was over $10 and it was pretty bad. Sure, they have $50 beers but who cares? It's beer! So bourgeois! You can just imagine the conversations we heard going on at our awful communal tables. And the food? Well, we only tried the pickles but they were not that great and I love pickles. Pickles are not that hard to make well if you keep it simple, but much like the beer menu, this place's ambition is ahead of it's execution. Oh, and the staff is oh too happy to spend 15 mins talking to you about beer even if you don't want to hear about it.

Go to this place. Try the beer. Try the food. You will find that both will make you happy.

Stopped by the other day - great place, great people, great beer... and some tables.