08/14/03

Friendly service and homemade, fruit-infused vodka at prices that won't have you seeing red.

by Contributor

The Scene
When they named it the Red Room, they weren't kidding. The deep red paint--inside and out--makes this bar stand out on its quiet Carroll Gardens corner, but it's the chummy atmosphere and boozy bargains that win with the locals. The glass block bar is the room's undeniable centerpiece, and it's backed by an impressively lit display of signature vodkas.

The Draw
The fruit-infused vodkas (lemon, raspberry, peach, apple and pineapple) make for serious shots, and much-touted martinis, poured tableside by a smiling server. For the beer-minded, a lengthy menu displayed on chalkboards above the bar lists draft beers available by the pint or pitcher. Yuengling is the best bargain, at $3 a pint and $10 a pitcher, but all are reasonably priced. Ditto the menu, which has standard bar fare and more exotic dishes such as blintzes and varenki (stuffed dumplings).