Drawing bars in Brooklyn
November 11, 2012 2:26 AM Subscribe
Bill Roundy is a cartoonist living in Brooklyn, who has a strip in the Brooklyn Paper in which he draws and reviews local bars. 'Nuff said.
Those are awesome. If that's a paying job, he wins.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:17 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by Ghidorah at 4:17 AM on November 11, 2012
After reading the first page, I'm fairly even the best bars in my area are no where close in quality to any of the bars he reviewed. Which makes me really sad.
posted by Folk at 4:29 AM on November 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Folk at 4:29 AM on November 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's neat that he gives a feel for the overall ambience of the place, rather than nitpicking on details.
posted by carter at 5:26 AM on November 11, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by carter at 5:26 AM on November 11, 2012 [4 favorites]
This is excellent! I love how positive he is about all these places. And now I have a ton of new bars to check out.
posted by lassie at 7:11 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by lassie at 7:11 AM on November 11, 2012
I'm thousands of miles away...but I can dream.
posted by incandissonance at 7:14 AM on November 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by incandissonance at 7:14 AM on November 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
I am merely two hundred miles away, and I'm dreaming there with you.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 7:19 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 7:19 AM on November 11, 2012
These are wonderful. I have heard (or been to) so few of them. I feel like such a bad Brooklynite.
posted by Jonathan Harford at 7:25 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by Jonathan Harford at 7:25 AM on November 11, 2012
This is brilliant! Next time work sends me to NYC, I'm printing out a few of these as scouting reports. :)
posted by BZArcher at 7:34 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by BZArcher at 7:34 AM on November 11, 2012
If this pays more than ten bucks a shot I'll eat my hat.
( but it it's seriously cute)
posted by The Whelk at 7:39 AM on November 11, 2012
( but it it's seriously cute)
posted by The Whelk at 7:39 AM on November 11, 2012
Who will perform a like service for SF? Come on! Step up, people.
posted by kenko at 7:40 AM on November 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by kenko at 7:40 AM on November 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
If this pays more than ten bucks a shot I'll eat my hat.
You think he earns two cheap beers, a glass of wine or three quarters of a mixed drink per comic strip?
That's awful.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:47 AM on November 11, 2012
You think he earns two cheap beers, a glass of wine or three quarters of a mixed drink per comic strip?
That's awful.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 7:47 AM on November 11, 2012
Ten bucks is more then I got when I did this same thing for the The L Magazine a million years ago.
I did get to go to some strange bars, wonder if they're still around.....
posted by The Whelk at 7:50 AM on November 11, 2012
I did get to go to some strange bars, wonder if they're still around.....
posted by The Whelk at 7:50 AM on November 11, 2012
I've just got to invite him to Brussels, it'd blow his mind.
posted by quarsan at 8:28 AM on November 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by quarsan at 8:28 AM on November 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Really, every city and town should have a guy doing this. How else are people expected to choose where to live?
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:06 AM on November 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 9:06 AM on November 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
Bah, envy, I have it.
posted by bswinburn at 9:08 AM on November 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by bswinburn at 9:08 AM on November 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
These are really charming. The information about the atmosphere and the people who frequent the bars is invaluable. You can get a drink anywhere - it's harder to judge where you can have the kind of experience you're looking for, and most reviewers don't stick around to get a feel for that stuff.
posted by louche mustachio at 9:09 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by louche mustachio at 9:09 AM on November 11, 2012
Love it! These are fantastic and he even reviews Hillside, the little wine spot by my house.
posted by sweetkid at 9:15 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by sweetkid at 9:15 AM on November 11, 2012
I would be willing to provide such a service for the Twin Cities if I weren't so easily annoyed.
"This place is packed to the rafters with smarmy yuppie douchetrucks. I bet they're all 'consultants'"
"I'd be afraid a fight would break out if everyone didn't look so sad."
"This is a great place to get your ass groped and the staff don't give a crap because ol' Dwayne "is a nice guy, he just gets a little rowdy."
"There is no way anyone in this bar is actually of legal drinking age."
"The drinks are good, the food is good, the staff seems friendly, the music is inoffensive and unobtrusive. GOD I HATE THIS PLACE."
posted by louche mustachio at 9:23 AM on November 11, 2012 [19 favorites]
"This place is packed to the rafters with smarmy yuppie douchetrucks. I bet they're all 'consultants'"
"I'd be afraid a fight would break out if everyone didn't look so sad."
"This is a great place to get your ass groped and the staff don't give a crap because ol' Dwayne "is a nice guy, he just gets a little rowdy."
"There is no way anyone in this bar is actually of legal drinking age."
"The drinks are good, the food is good, the staff seems friendly, the music is inoffensive and unobtrusive. GOD I HATE THIS PLACE."
posted by louche mustachio at 9:23 AM on November 11, 2012 [19 favorites]
louche mustachio , even those descriptions would be better than the usual photo of the outside and a photo of a beer . A couple of months ago a friend tried to do bar reviews in only 4 words. he made a pretty good go at it to start with. So do your approx. 140 char bar reviews and go from there.
I have a ( neglected ) blog which is just sketches of where the doors and toilets are in bars so people arent left wondering where these things are.
posted by stuartmm at 9:32 AM on November 11, 2012
I have a ( neglected ) blog which is just sketches of where the doors and toilets are in bars so people arent left wondering where these things are.
posted by stuartmm at 9:32 AM on November 11, 2012
If this pays more than ten bucks a shot I'll eat my hat.
Yes but he can write off all the money he spends in bars. Let me repeat that: HE CAN WRITE OFF ALL THE MONEY HE SPENDS IN BARS.
posted by nathancaswell at 9:46 AM on November 11, 2012 [8 favorites]
Yes but he can write off all the money he spends in bars. Let me repeat that: HE CAN WRITE OFF ALL THE MONEY HE SPENDS IN BARS.
posted by nathancaswell at 9:46 AM on November 11, 2012 [8 favorites]
Also I really wish you could search cause I want to see Ice House. Am I missing the search feature?
posted by nathancaswell at 9:54 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by nathancaswell at 9:54 AM on November 11, 2012
Wow, this is really great! Thanks for sharing this.
If LA wasn't so devoid of bar culture I'd make a callout for someone to do this here. But SF has a much better chance.
posted by starscream at 10:48 AM on November 11, 2012
If LA wasn't so devoid of bar culture I'd make a callout for someone to do this here. But SF has a much better chance.
posted by starscream at 10:48 AM on November 11, 2012
louche mustachio, I just want to take a moment to thank you for the word "douchetruck".
posted by brennen at 11:25 AM on November 11, 2012
posted by brennen at 11:25 AM on November 11, 2012
Guess I picked the wrong time to move out of Brooklyn...
Beef and red wine risotto balls. Drool...
posted by Splunge at 11:48 AM on November 11, 2012
Beef and red wine risotto balls. Drool...
posted by Splunge at 11:48 AM on November 11, 2012
Hey guys, this is the cartoonist for Bar Scrawl. I'm glad you like the strip! Most people read it in the newspaper, so I don't get a lot of direct feedback.
I've been drawing it for two years now, and it's been a lot of fun.
To answer some of the comments:
Yes, it's a paying gig, which means that I win at life. It doesn't pay very much, but it usually covers my drinks with a few bucks to spare.
Whelk: You did this for L Magazine? That's awesome! I figured that I couldn't be the first person to think of it, but I hadn't found any others.
louche mustachio: I would love to see your version of a bar review. Those snippets sound great.
nathancaswell: I drew the Ice House last night! It should be on the Brooklyn Paper site in a few days, and on mine a week after that.
young-rope-rider: Yeah, I've been meaning to update the map, but it's a tedious process. You can see a complete list of bars at my other site: Bar Scrawl. That list doesn't show up on the main site because it gets mixed in with my journal comics and D&D comics.
I'm going to work on the next strip now, but I'll check back in if you guys have any questions.
posted by Bill_Roundy at 12:39 PM on November 11, 2012 [36 favorites]
I've been drawing it for two years now, and it's been a lot of fun.
To answer some of the comments:
Yes, it's a paying gig, which means that I win at life. It doesn't pay very much, but it usually covers my drinks with a few bucks to spare.
Whelk: You did this for L Magazine? That's awesome! I figured that I couldn't be the first person to think of it, but I hadn't found any others.
louche mustachio: I would love to see your version of a bar review. Those snippets sound great.
nathancaswell: I drew the Ice House last night! It should be on the Brooklyn Paper site in a few days, and on mine a week after that.
young-rope-rider: Yeah, I've been meaning to update the map, but it's a tedious process. You can see a complete list of bars at my other site: Bar Scrawl. That list doesn't show up on the main site because it gets mixed in with my journal comics and D&D comics.
I'm going to work on the next strip now, but I'll check back in if you guys have any questions.
posted by Bill_Roundy at 12:39 PM on November 11, 2012 [36 favorites]
Well shit, now I kind of have to do it, don't I.
posted by louche mustachio at 1:11 PM on November 11, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by louche mustachio at 1:11 PM on November 11, 2012 [4 favorites]
I'm glad you're here, Bill Roundy! These are awesome.
posted by sweetkid at 3:20 PM on November 11, 2012
posted by sweetkid at 3:20 PM on November 11, 2012
So glad someone decided to post it; I always thought this was awesome.
posted by ejaned8 at 3:24 PM on November 11, 2012
posted by ejaned8 at 3:24 PM on November 11, 2012
Well shit, now I kind of have to do it, don't I.
posted by louche mustachio
Put your money where your mustachio is, dude!
Don't sell your integrity for a free beer.
Never mind.
posted by BlueHorse at 3:38 PM on November 11, 2012
posted by louche mustachio
Put your money where your mustachio is, dude!
Don't sell your integrity for a free beer.
Never mind.
posted by BlueHorse at 3:38 PM on November 11, 2012
The Comics are cool, but those bars, jesus. Are there any bars left in brooklyn without a gimmick?
posted by Ad hominem at 6:42 PM on November 11, 2012
posted by Ad hominem at 6:42 PM on November 11, 2012
Put your money where your mustachio is, dude!
My mustachio is at work.
I will have to figure out when to go to some bars, which is very hard considering that I work during similar hours to when bars are open.
I've been mostly good at not being forced to go to crappy bars lately, which is unfortunate for our purposes here, since that would be funnier.
Maybe I can draw stuff about bars I remember, but none of it will be as complete as Bill's reviews, because I have to buy my own drinks.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:07 PM on November 11, 2012
My mustachio is at work.
I will have to figure out when to go to some bars, which is very hard considering that I work during similar hours to when bars are open.
I've been mostly good at not being forced to go to crappy bars lately, which is unfortunate for our purposes here, since that would be funnier.
Maybe I can draw stuff about bars I remember, but none of it will be as complete as Bill's reviews, because I have to buy my own drinks.
posted by louche mustachio at 7:07 PM on November 11, 2012
Only for a bit, Mr. Mustachio. Do well, and they will be bribing you with booze to review.
And don't forget, it's a business expense. Not sure if a liver transplant can be written off, though.
posted by BlueHorse at 7:47 PM on November 11, 2012
And don't forget, it's a business expense. Not sure if a liver transplant can be written off, though.
posted by BlueHorse at 7:47 PM on November 11, 2012
Do Montero. Just avoid karaoke night. I fucking love that bar.
posted by nathancaswell at 9:12 PM on November 11, 2012
posted by nathancaswell at 9:12 PM on November 11, 2012
Pepe Montero taught my religious ed classes at Sacred Heart. I knew that bar was still there but it must be very different now that retired longshoreman are all dead.
posted by Ad hominem at 11:33 PM on November 11, 2012
posted by Ad hominem at 11:33 PM on November 11, 2012
Very little to add except that I really like these, and I am strangely interested in the bar where everyone has a moustache...
posted by running order squabble fest at 1:46 AM on November 12, 2012
posted by running order squabble fest at 1:46 AM on November 12, 2012
I am strangely interested in the bar where everyone has a moustache...
It's Brooklyn, you're gonna have to be more specific than that.
posted by nathancaswell at 2:44 AM on November 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
It's Brooklyn, you're gonna have to be more specific than that.
posted by nathancaswell at 2:44 AM on November 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
Hmm. I had a fairly different experience at Dick and Jane's - I was getting a definite "I'm not cool enough to be here" vibe. (But that may have been from the two bartenders, a pair of women who were giving off an air of feeling they were too cool to be bartenders in the first place.)
Bill - you'd have a lot of fun doing Way Station.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:54 AM on November 12, 2012
Bill - you'd have a lot of fun doing Way Station.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:54 AM on November 12, 2012
Bill - you'd have a lot of fun doing Way Station.
He's already travelled back in time to review it.
posted by zamboni at 7:10 AM on November 12, 2012
He's already travelled back in time to review it.
posted by zamboni at 7:10 AM on November 12, 2012
Oh, it wasn't on the map!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:43 AM on November 12, 2012
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:43 AM on November 12, 2012
Sorry, my mistake missing Way Station. So I promise I checked first and can confirm that Bar Scrawl had not yet done Alibi - a dive bar where they have an arcade version of "Buck Hunter", lively games of pickup pool, and an eclectic clientele that all takes turns at the jukebox (one night the jukebox went from a couple of Prince songs to playing Nina Simone's "Sinnerman" twice in a row).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:55 AM on November 12, 2012
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:55 AM on November 12, 2012
Sycamore! Tell me when you'll be there and I'll swing by and buy you a beer to sweeten the pot.
posted by lassie at 2:45 PM on November 12, 2012
posted by lassie at 2:45 PM on November 12, 2012
Hey Lassie: I included Sycamore in my Summer Drinking Guide last year, but I really need to give them a full review. I'll hassle you before I head down there again.
EmpressCallipygos: I've never been to Alibi, but I've heard stories. I'll check it out!
In other news, I talked to my editor today about this week's strip (it'll be three times normal size!). Turns out he reads MetaFilter regularly, and he was excited to see Bar Scrawl on here. I think he was disappointed he didn't get to tell me about it himself.
posted by Bill_Roundy at 5:14 PM on November 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
EmpressCallipygos: I've never been to Alibi, but I've heard stories. I'll check it out!
In other news, I talked to my editor today about this week's strip (it'll be three times normal size!). Turns out he reads MetaFilter regularly, and he was excited to see Bar Scrawl on here. I think he was disappointed he didn't get to tell me about it himself.
posted by Bill_Roundy at 5:14 PM on November 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
Alibi is kinda fun.
posted by nathancaswell at 6:43 PM on November 12, 2012
posted by nathancaswell at 6:43 PM on November 12, 2012
This is great! I've been to a bunch of these bars as too much of a cocktail snob for my own good, and the comics get their atmosphere just right.
Bill_Roundy, I second lassie's suggestion to come to Sycamore!
posted by mlle valentine at 8:50 PM on November 14, 2012
Bill_Roundy, I second lassie's suggestion to come to Sycamore!
posted by mlle valentine at 8:50 PM on November 14, 2012
Also, please check out this week's triple-size Bar Scrawl feature, which covers every bar in Red Hook: Red Hook bars.
posted by Bill_Roundy at 2:07 PM on November 16, 2012
posted by Bill_Roundy at 2:07 PM on November 16, 2012
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posted by saladin at 4:08 AM on November 11, 2012