Beer, Bar Food, And The Backyard At Sea Witch
On a beautiful day like today, who wouldn’t want to spend as much of it outside as possible? With all the backyards and patios at restaurants, bars, and even bodegas in South Slope, we’ve got a lot to choose from, but we’d like to take a closer look at some of the spots so you have a better idea of what to expect.
Our first stop is Sea Witch Tavern (703 5th Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets), which has weekday hours (M-Th 5pm-4am) to accommodate the after-work crowd, and weekend hours (F-Su, 12pm-4am) to help you get the work-week behind you. The friendly bartenders will help make that happen, as they serve up some fun special cocktails, or pour you a pint of one of their 20 draught beers — they’ve got a pretty interesting selection, most of which are around $5-6.
Sea Witch gets a lot of praise for its food, and it’s well deserved. It’s not your typical bar food, but after you eat it, you sort of wish all bar food was like it. While the sea-inspired dishes are really what you should try, being in a sea-themed bar after all, there is still something for everyone, and all at prices affordable enough that you can try a few things.
Though the kitchen closes at 1am Sunday-Thursday and at 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, a nice bonus is that they’re open and serving brunch items on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-4pm.
If you’re just looking to snack, the french fries are one way to go — one reviewer on Yelp, who calls the fries “exceptional,” notes that you can get them as cheese fries, which is a tip we didn’t know about. But if you’re looking for an alternative to fries, try the shishito peppers ($4.50, pictured on the left). They’re seared off in a pan and sprinkled with salt and garlic, and with the smokey char on the sweet peppers, they’re just as addictive as the fries.
If you want something a little more decadent, try the fried whole belly clam roll ($12), which the Times calls the best of their sandwiches, or the Blue Oyster Cult ($9.50, pictured on the right), which is a plate of deep-fried Blue Point oysters covered with blue cheese dressing, hot sauce, and bacon. It’s like taking the sea and adding a bit of Brooklyn attitude, all while keeping the essence of the original in tact. And they go great with beer.
The backyard is a great space to spend an hour (or several) with friends, sharing plate after plate of food from the kitchen. Large trees provide some shade, but if it’s sunny out and you’re there during peak daylight hours, you may want to bring a hat and/or sunscreen. With the water feature out there, you’ll also notice it can get a little buggy, so you might want to have bug spray on hand as well, otherwise you might be forced back inside. The space feels quiet and private, but note that you can only hang out back there until 11pm on weekdays, and midnight on weekends.
A final tip for the freelancing crowd: Sea Witch has free wifi, and plenty of outlets. But with the welcoming staff and patrons, and inexpensive beers and bites, we can’t guarantee you’ll get any work done.
Sea Witch Tavern, 703 5th Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets, 347-227–7166, seawitchnyc@gmail.com. Bar hours: Monday-Thursday, 5pm-4am; Friday-Sunday, 12pm-4am. Kitchen hours: Sunday-Thursday, open-1am; Friday & Saturday, open-2am. Backyard closes at 11pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends.