Triple Threat
May 2nd, 2007 by Lola
For once in my Manhattan-centered life, I began to regret that I don’t live in Brooklyn. I ambled down the spookily uninhabited streets of Park Slope a few Saturdays ago, hoping to catch a glimpse of Heath, Michelle and baby Matilda. Instead, I found myself three times charmed at my new favorite outer-borough bar Loki Lounge.
Pronounced “low key,” the spacious spot does the work of three bars in one. Upon entering Loki’s door on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Second Street, night crawlers first find a pub with polished red oak bar and friendly bartenders serving several drafts on tap, including wheaty-delicious Hoegaarden. A bit farther back, playful partiers find a pool table and dart board that derive meaning from Loki’s namesake, the Norse god of mischief.
Loki saves the best for last in its luscious back room. Velvet curtains hang from the 24-foot ceiling, which is accented by a central skylight. When I arrived early on this Saturday night, the crowd was still sparse at 8:30 p.m., and mellow tunes from the jukebox tickled my fancy over the dull roar of conversation. I nestled into one of four clusters of roomy velvet and brocade antique couches surrounding sturdy wooden tables that give the lounge area a touch of elegance. The pièce de résistance during the last onslaught of these chilly not-quite-Spring nights is a crackling, glass-covered fire place with a couple of couches located at just the right distance so lucky loungers can soak in its warmth and cuddle casually. When the weather outside finally catches up with the long-past Vernal Equinox, a patio outside provides seasonally suitable satisfaction.
With so many different atmospheres, it feels like this bar could never get boring. You will be tempted, as I was, to pack your stuff up, vacate your sublet and settle in for good next time, but save yourself the cost of a U-Haul. Loki is open seven nights a week starting at 4 p.m. There is room and charm to spare.