It’s Nice And Warm At The North Pole Pub
The North Pole Pub quietly opened its doors at 428 Bergen Street, between 4th and 5th Avenues, about three weeks ago.
North Pole Pub is owned by Krystian Kukulski and Damien Seczak, whose other watering hole, Bar 718 (718 5th Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Streets) has been going strong for about five years.
According to bartender Rebecca McCarthy, the naming of the new pub is a play on the owners’ Polish backgrounds. “North Pole Pub is north of Bar 718,” explains McCarthy. Well, a couple miles north.
Some Polish traditions from Bar 718 are coming into the new space. McCarthy told us there will be Polish pickle shots on the menu, so be prepared to experiment. The pickle shots have been received with a lot of enthusiasm by Bar 718’s Yelp reviewers.
The intimate bar area at the North Pole is stocked with a strong beer, wine, and spirits menu without being overly fussy. There’s also a a row of simple tables and stools that run along the wide side of the bar. It’s a warm, welcoming space that invites you to linger.
Most of the pub consists of an open area in the center with a long, high table for standing and talking. This will do well as the passersby from the Barclays Center stop in for a post-Nets/Islanders/concert drink.
What remains to be seen is if North Pole Pub will function primarily as a neighborhood watering hole, or a post-Barclays stop for non-residents of the area. The space has been set up to be both, and we’ll be curious as to how those two different sets of clientele get on with each other.
Overall, the corner of Bergen Street and 5th Avenue now has a very different feel. According to Here’s Park Slope, the previous tenant, Black Sheep Pub, closed in February of this year. The owners of the Black Sheep Pub also ran the now-closed Cyprus Avenue next door at 52 5th Avenue (corner of Bergen Street). 5ive Spice — the new Vietnamese restaurant in that space — will open by the end of October.
North Pole Pub is located at 428 Bergen Street, between 4th and 5th Avenues, 718-867-0049. The bar is open 2pm-4am Mondays-Fridays, and 12pm-4am on Saturdays and Sundays.
