Bar in New York City, United States
1 OR 8
100Pearl PointsLow-key Fort Greene bar, no booking needed.
About 1 OR 8
1 OR 8 on DeKalb Avenue is a low-key Fort Greene bar that works best for two people on a weeknight when the room is quiet enough for conversation. Walk-ins are easy, no advance planning required. If a specialist cocktail program is your priority, Attaboy or Amor y Amargo offer more defined experiences — but for a neighbourhood drink without the fuss, this delivers.
Who Should Book 1 OR 8 — And When
If you're someone who's already made one trip to Fort Greene and wants to know what to try next, 1 OR 8 on DeKalb Avenue is the kind of neighbourhood bar worth returning to on a quieter weeknight, when the room settles into a lower register and conversation is actually possible. It's a better fit for two people catching up over drinks than for a group looking for a scene. Come Thursday evening rather than Saturday, and you'll get the version of the place that rewards repeat visitors.
The Atmosphere
The ambient feel here is low-key and deliberate — not the high-energy cocktail theatre you'd find at Attaboy NYC or the hushed reverence of Angel's Share. 1 OR 8 occupies a middle register: present enough to feel alive, quiet enough to hear the person across from you. That balance makes it a solid call for a second date or a low-stakes catch-up with someone you actually want to talk to. Weekends push the noise level up; early evenings during the week are when the room works well.
The Drinks
The address, 229 DeKalb Ave, puts this squarely in Brooklyn's Fort Greene, a neighbourhood that has developed a credible bar culture well away from Manhattan's more competitive cocktail corridors. For context, by-the-glass wine programs at this tier of neighbourhood bar in Brooklyn tend to offer more flexibility and better value than what you'd find on a restaurant wine list at a comparable price point, where markup structures favour bottles. Whether 1 OR 8 leans cocktail-forward or wine-driven isn't confirmed in our data, but the format of a neighbourhood bar on this street typically rewards those who ask what's poured well that evening rather than defaulting to the obvious order. If a strong by-the-glass wine list is your primary reason for going out, Amor y Amargo in Manhattan offers a more specialist program with clear focus. For something more cocktail-structured in Brooklyn's orbit, Superbueno gives you a defined program with consistent output.
Booking and Access
Booking difficulty is easy, walk-ins are the norm for a bar at this address and price tier. No reservation stress, no weeks-out planning required. That accessibility is part of the appeal: 1 OR 8 is the kind of place you can suggest at short notice without anxiety. For more on where to drink, eat, and stay across New York, see our full New York City bars guide, our full New York City restaurants guide, and our full New York City hotels guide. If you're planning further afield, Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston are worth bookmarking.
Know Before You Go
- Address: 229 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
- Neighbourhood: Fort Greene, Brooklyn
- Booking difficulty: Easy, walk-ins are fine
- Ideal time to visit: Thursday evening for a quieter room and easier conversation
- Group size: Leading for two; groups of four or more may find the energy harder to manage on busy nights
- Nearest guides: NYC bars | NYC experiences | NYC wineries
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 1 OR 8 worth the price?
Pricing varies at 1 OR 8; confirm via check the venue's official channels.
Where is 1 OR 8 located?
1 OR 8 is located in New York City, at 229 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205.
How can I contact 1 OR 8?
You can reach 1 OR 8 via check the venue's official channels.
Location
229 DeKalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
New York City, United States
Compare 1 OR 8
| Venue |
|---|
| 1 OR 8 |
| The Long Island Bar |
| Dirty French |
| Superbueno |
| Amor y Amargo |
| Angel's Share |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Also Consider
- The Long Island Bar, Notable alternative
- Dirty French, Notable alternative
- Superbueno, Notable alternative
- Amor y Amargo, Notable alternative
- Angel's Share, Notable alternative
Against Manhattan's more structured cocktail bars, 1 OR 8 wins on accessibility and neighbourhood feel rather than program depth. Amor y Amargo is the clearer call if you want a focused, bitters-driven experience with genuine specialist credentials, it's a more deliberate destination. Angel's Share in the East Village offers a quieter, more refined atmosphere with a stronger cocktail track record, but requires more planning and a willingness to cross the bridge. For a spontaneous Brooklyn evening, 1 OR 8 is easier to commit to.
Superbueno is the better pick if you want a defined cocktail identity and a livelier room, it has a clearer point of view and tends to attract a more cocktail-focused crowd. The Long Island Bar in Cobble Hill beats 1 OR 8 on both program polish and historical character, and is worth the extra effort if you're already in Brooklyn and willing to travel a few stops. Dirty French is a different proposition entirely, restaurant-driven, louder, and better suited to a full dinner booking than a drinks-only evening.
The honest comparison: 1 OR 8 is for the evening when you don't want to plan, don't need a destination bar, and just want a decent drink in a room that isn't trying too hard. If any of the venues above are already on your radar and you have the flexibility to book ahead, most of them will outperform 1 OR 8 on cocktail quality or atmosphere specificity. But none of them are as easy to walk into on short notice in Fort Greene.
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