Feel the beat of New York at this grungy, hip-hop bar along Ann Siang Hill. An unassuming doorway on Ann Siang Road opens up into Brooklyn. Lit by low mood lighting, it has three sections: settle into plush seats for a proper sit-down meal, grab a seat by the main bar to chat with the mixologist, or head down a flight of stairs to the basement where an open-air kitchen shows all the chefs in action. Brooklyn bills itself as Singapore’s first hip-hop bar, so you can bet that hip-hop music will be playing all night long.
On the cocktail menu, 12 tipples are divided into three parts: Heart & Soul, King x Queen, and Ghetto Streets. It’s Brooklyn’s way of paying homage to all that makes up New York — its art, music, and culture. Ladies, come through with the Queen B*tch ($24), a refreshing cocktail with gin, elderflower liqueur, dry vermouth, orange marmalade and yuzu.
Or try punchy signatures like The Brooklyn! ($26) and The Big Apple ($26). The former is spirit-forward with its use of barrel-aged wild turkey bourbon, while the latter blends Tiki Lover’s Pineapple, Baldoria dry vermouth, Laird’s applejack, apple maple syrup and black walnut bitters. The usual Maraschino cherry is replaced with a bright red candy apple that bleeds artistically onto a Brooklyn-stamped ice cube. In the Ghetto Streets section, the bartender’s virtuosity and skill come through in complex drinks like the Grandmaster Bear ($24), a fruity concoction with clarified cream.
Cocktails aside, the food menu does not disappoint as well. Brooklyn is all about New York, and what’s the Big Apple without its soul food? Do yourself a favour and order the beef birria tacos ($19). These are arguably some of the best we’ve had — eight-hour slow-cooked chuck is stuffed into flavourful taco shells, and the trick is to drench each piece in the accompanying beef consommé for the perfect mouthful.
The bar also serves up a mean bowl of crispy yet fluffy fries ($19) loaded with beef and cheese sauce. We also hear that some regulars return just for the Ghetto Brussels sprouts ($16), which retain a lovely char even after being tossed in miso butter, honey, and bacon bits. Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find burgers, pizza, crab cakes, and more.
And what’s a hip-hop bar without hip-hop parties? Brooklyn has thrown parties with the likes of DJ Killian.db – look out for more down-diggity on its Instagram page, where they also update about guest shifts and more hot happenings.
Find out more about Brooklyn bar here and make a reservation here.