Bed-Stuy Pub Crawl: Round Two

The set up: While Bed-Stuy’s bars are few and far between (minus the burgeoning bar block that seems to be forming on the northern end of Franklin Avenue), you’ve probably spied a few neon “Miller High Life” signs flickering painfully in the twilight, or noticed an unmarked, black metal door that adults seem to stream through, without a clue as to what awaits on the other side. So your cocktail-quaffing beat reporters, The Changeling and Inquisigal, will walk through those doors (if we can find them) and report back to all of you about just what kind of bar experience you can expect to have in some of the bars and lounges around the neighborhood.

The rules: Any bar or gathering spot that is known to attract solely a young hipster crowd or only blossoming gang bangers will not be reviewed by the Pub Crawl. We try to be anonymous when sampling the goods, but as the drinks keep coming, we sometimes let our prestigious positions here at the Bed-Stuy Blog be known so that we can pump the owners or bartenders for more information about the history of a joint, or what the crowd is like on a night we’re not in attendance. So far, the most “pay-for-play” we’ve gotten has been a bowl of cheese doodles, so you need not worry about bias. Ah, the glamour and the prestige….

The destination: The Tip Top Bar & Grille, 432 Franklin Avenue, between Putnam and Madison Avenues.

Time: Around 8:00PM, on a Friday night

The conversation:

The Changeling: I had heard a lot about the Tip Top Grill. First from Inquisigal, who frequently rode past the place and enthused that we should check it out sometime, and then a few months later from some guy I met while participating in the Bed-Stuy Steeplechase Bike Ride back in 2008. That guy, whose name escapes me, told me that the Tip Top had a rockin’ birthday party bash for the owner every August. The owner was a James Brown fan and would have a James Brown impersonator do his thing each year at her huge birthday gathering.

Inquisigal: Well, hearing the James Brown thing definitely piqued my interest – but I have to say, I had my doubts about the Tip Top. Not only did the place look kind of run-down from the outside, it has a siren light – no two siren lights – perched above the street-level entrance. These frenetic beacons are constantly lit up in shades of magenta and green and spin around like a tired disco ball beckoning people down into what could feasibly have been a bar in the last throes of its long life. But. When The Changeling and I arrived for our night out at the Tip Top, and eyed the old security bars and what looked like a locked front door, we fondly thought back to our visit to the New Casablanca, and excitedly hoped that The Tip Top just might live up to its name.

The Changeling: One thing I don’t like about the Tip Top is that you go down a few steps to enter and there’s someone at the door to let you in. At first I was a bit turned off by this, but the minute that I stepped into the bar, I knew that this place was cool. Down home cool.

The Changeling and Inquisigal amble into the narrow and low-ceilinged room that features a small, 10-15 person bar on the right. There is a jukebox near the door, and the smell of southern food wafts from what we assume is the grill area. We pick two stools toward the end of the bar, in front of the grill, and order some drinks.

When Linda pours the drink in Inquisigal’s glass, she waits to make sure we are both happy with our beverages. She then pours us a bowl of puffy Cheetos to snack on while we enjoy our drinks.

The Changeling: I never liked puffy Cheetos…until tonight! Who knew that vodka on the rocks and puffy Cheetos went together?

Inquisigal: (whispering to Changeling) And the prices! Only $6 for mixed drinks?! Let’s check out the rest of the place….

We walk back toward the door and stick our faces in front of the jukebox. It’s a limited selection, but includes gems by Lou Rawls, Sam Cooke, James Brown, and Elvis. For a couple of nostalgia buffs like us, it’s the perfect soundtrack. We go through a door toward the left and enter a longer, more wide open space with a small stage at one end. Linda follows us in, and explains that they use this space for parties, and for events such as karaoke. She points us toward a non-descript door at the back, and encourages us to check out their back yard.

Inquisigal: Back yard??!! Can people smoke out there? (Inquisigal’s husband is a die-hard American Spirits man).

Linda: Sure.

The Changeling and Inquisigal give each other wide-eyed looks, and eyeball a large, outdoor space with a cement floor, and a high, vaulted ceiling covered by a corrugated tin roof. There are several long tables with simple, elementary-school-looking chairs and a few inflated palm trees dressed up in rope lights.

Inquisigal: This is like, East Berlin bus station meets grade-school cafeteria… but for outdoor space, this is huge. It must be great in the summertime.

There are a couple of guys having a smoke, who share with us that the Tip Top has a really welcoming, neighborhood vibe. We nod in approval.

When we get back inside, we eye the other patrons hanging at the bar; there are three African American seniors chatting animatedly, sitting next to two white, hipster types who are canoodling. Linda’s daughter, a vibrant African American lass in her twenties, is now stationed behind the bar and tells us about the DJ’s that spin on weekend nights, and the fact that there isn’t only one type of scene playing out at the Tip Top. It’s just a place where anyone who lives in the ‘hood can go and relax.

The Changeling: That’s cool. A peaceful coexistence between old and new residents? Count me in!

Inquisigal: Well, I’m feeling like the Tip Top is going to be a regular stop for us. Shall we break it down, Changeling?

Our rating system: A scale of 1 to 5 frothy mugs of beer, 5 being excellent.

Ambience:
We like the mix of old and new residents, and everyone was very welcoming. In fact, an elderly gentleman who appeared north of 80 told the Changeling that she “was lovely.” Although she felt like projectile vomiting, she appreciated the sentiment.

Service:
Linda and her daughter were attentive, aimed to please, and seemed to do a good job of mixing friendly chat with their customers, while keeping an eye on emptying glasses. We didn’t order any food, but it looked like the patrons who had got it pretty quickly.

Decor:
The Tip Top’s décor is pretty similar to the New Casablanca. The ceiling is white and covered with a web of Christmas lights, the walls are wood paneled, and the entertainment room felt a lot like a church basement. If we could make one suggestion, it would be to turn the lights down lower and get some candles lit.

Selection:
The bar was well stocked with a good variety of well and top-shelf liquors, but there were no signature drinks or special cocktails offered.

Location:
It’s less than 4 blocks from the Franklin C and S trains, and on the B48 bus route, which runs south down Franklin, and close to the B44, which runs north on Bedford. It’s on the southwest side of Bed-Stuy, bordering Clinton Hill, and there are several other bars along Franklin Avenue within walking distance (Sweet revenge, The Amarachi Bar & Lounge, and Franklin Palace).

Overall rating: 3.8

Stay tuned for the next Bed-Stuy Pub Crawl, when The Changeling and Inquisigal hit Amarachi Lounge.