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Community Corner

Zombie Hut or Bust

In Carroll Gardens, even tiki-themed things are not always what they seem

Carroll Gardens boasts a vibrant and friendly community of people who like to sell their old belongings on stoops. There are beautiful, tree and brownstone-lined streets, restaurants that serve meals to die for amidst carefully orchestrated atmospheres, book stores in which to happily spend entire lazy Saturdays, antique shops, clothing boutiques... Oh, and on top of all that? We've also got some seriously killer bars to brag about. 

Smith Street, Court Street, Atlantic Avenue and some of the side streets, too, boast a great number of diverse watering holes, each more thoughtful and unique than the one before it. Have you ever tried to steer clear of the words "cute" or "adorable" while peering in the windows of the dimly-lit, small spaces in this neighborhood, while eyeing suspender-clad bartenders that serve up specialty cocktails and rare wines to an especially engaged group of customers? Seriously, try it!  It's hard. 

The one bar that seemingly diverges from the "cute" factor is Zombie Hut.  My evidence? It's tiki-themed. The sidewalk in front is also the only area on Smith Street where you may have to step over or around drunk people. And also, Zombie Hut is called Zombie Hut. Because of this, I'd always considered The Hut to be some kind of party mecca for the drunk and wild set. But I'd never stepped inside. 

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What better place, then, for the first installment of Night Shift? 

My sidekick and I anticipated an epic Thursday night. Approaching the bar I whispered, all crazy-like, "See! Look at all the drunk people outside!" 

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And with that, I gripped the tiki mask that serves as Zombie Hut's door handle, and in we went.  To my great surprise, there were no sweaty, young, drunk things. Instead--Scrabble and Yeasayer. Yep!  Zombie Hut is a board game bar! The Hut really is quite pleasant. Sure, the tiki-theme is definitively over the top, but really, who doesn't enjoy a decorative drink stirrer from time to time?

Two guys next to us ordered a large drink in a bowl that the bartender nonchalantly lit on fire. They sipped the drink through colorful straws, happily. This was, apparently, no big deal, this flaming drink. Drink on fire? BFD to the Zombie Hut crew. What brings them to Zombie Hut, I asked, only to learn that they were tiki bar aficionados, were driving by and simply had to stop. (Is that a thing?)

Towards the middle of the bar was a group of people who appeared to be regulars, and although they were somewhat closer to the population I'd expected to find in Zombie Hut, they weren't at all offensive. Yes, they were drunk twenty-somethings, but they weren't especially sweaty or loud. There was a couple in the back playing Scrabble; a young-ish duo in the front playing chess.

My mind was totally blown!  I expected a beer pong table! Is this why Zombie Hut gets so crowded? Because the people going out around here like to get buzzed and play board games? Brooklyn, you are the best.  

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