Park Slope Brunch Beat: Park Slope Ale House

With so many places in the neighborhood to grab a mimosa and a plate of eggs on the weekend, how can you decide which is the best spot to take your visiting in-laws or where you’ll want to sit quietly for a couple hours with the hair of the dog? The Park Slope Brunch Beat aims to guide you through the choices — we’ll break down the basics, share some special tips, and provide a quick scorecard to help you pick the best place for what you need next Saturday and Sunday.

This week we bellied up to the bar of the Park Slope Ale House (356 6th Avenue), which has a few things going for it — not the least of which is its location off the main commercial strips of 5th and 7th Avenues, which can often mean seats are available for you and your group immediately. Whether you grab a booth (with space for four, maybe more if you’ve got small kids, who are welcome for sure), one of the many tables, a seat at the spacious bar, or, in the warmer weather, a spot outside on the sidewalk, you probably won’t have to wait long, if at all.

Another plus is the price. For $12.95, you get to choose from a broad range of brunch items — from French toast to design-your-own omelettes to a chicken burrito — and then one non-boozy (coffee, tea, OJ, or cranberry juice) and one boozy (Mimosa, Bloody Mary, or Screwdriver) beverage. It’s one of the best deals for a prix fixe brunch in the neighborhood.

The Park Slope Ale House is, at base, a bar of course, so if you’re not headed there with brunch cocktails in mind, maybe you should consider another venue. Their Bloody Mary might not have the million quirky ingredients and accoutrement of some nearby spots, but it’s a solid, straightforward drink — sort of the liquid analogy of the bar itself — with no pretensions, just the drink you’re expecting, served with a smile.

The same holds true for the food. There are no real bells and whistles, just eggs and potatoes. They get a bit creative with their “Spanish Specialties,” which includes the huevos rancheros — and while we might prefer our huevos with a runny yolk, it’s still a decent dish, and there’s plenty of it.

In the end, the Ale House is what it is — a neighborhood joint, with regulars at the bar, and comforting, filling plates coming out of the kitchen. While other places may pop up with trendy brunch items, they’ll be there for you when you’re just looking for some straightforward eggs benedict, a little hair of the dog, and a comfy booth to sink into for an hour or so, without feeling rushed to leave.

Park Slope Brunch Beat Rundown: PARK SLOPE ALE HOUSE
Where: 356 6th Avenue, on the corner of 5th Street
Phone: 718-788-1756
Brunch Hours: Saturdays & Sundays 12-4pm
Reservations: No
Outdoor Seating: Yes, there are a few tables out front in a fenced-in area on the sidewalk.
Who To Bring: Hungry, hungover friends; also a good spot for children, or if you want a solo brunch, grab a stool at the bar. It’s laid-back, and probably not where you’d go for a fancy, impress-the-in-laws meal.
Best Time To Visit: Because everyone seems to forget about 6th Avenue, a good spot to come to if you want to avoid crowds during peak brunch hours, though it can, like all places, occasionally get busy — call ahead if you’re headed there will a larger group to make sure they can accommodate you.
Best Bites: Any number of their versions of eggs benedict, a straightforward Bloody Mary, and coffee, which comes as part of the prix fixe brunch menu for $12.95 — one of the best brunch deals in the neighborhood.