5 Long Island breweries with craft beer and games on tap
Christina Colantonio, of Rockville Centre, plays cornhole at the Great South Bay Brewery in Bay Shore. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Breweries have become the new hot spot to hang out. Not only do they offer craft beers and munchies, but several provide various games for their customers. Here are five locations where you can get some suds while playing with your buds.
OYSTER BAY BREWING CO.
From left, Long Nguyen, Bradley Porche, Mikah Covelli and Luel Tela team up during a trivia night at Oyster Bay Brewing Company. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
Head to the historic hamlet of Oyster Bay, where the Oyster Bay Brewing Co. provides up to 15 open taps and games are rollin’. Play some pinball on the "Jaws"-themed machine or take a swing in the virtual golf video game Golden Tee. There’s even a beer pong challenge game (all $1 each).
“It has red Solo cups with real pingpong balls,” says co-owner Ryan Schlotter. “As you sink them into the cup, the light turns off. Whoever gets it in quickest wins the round.”
You can also go old school by shooting pool, playing shuffleboard or throwing darts. Wednesdays alternate between trivia and bingo nights at 7:30 p.m.
Pints range from $4 to $8 and Knot of This World hot pretzels ($7) are sold with spicy brown mustard. You can also order food from next-door neighbor Teddy’s Bully Bar with a QR code and it will be delivered to your table.
LOCATION 36 Audrey Ave., Oyster Bay
INFO 516-802-5546, oysterbaybrewing.com
GREAT SOUTH BAY BREWERY
Christina Colantonio, of Rockville Centre, and Krista Lambert, of Islip, play cornhole at Great South Bay Brewery. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
Get in a round of golf at the Bay Shore location of Great South Bay Brewery, where there are three golf bay simulators ($30 per hour, advance online reservations only).
“You can play a regular game of golf or choose a target range mode for practicing your swing. There are quite a few options,” says general manager Dani Zaragoza. “We provide all gear from left-handed and right-handed clubs to balls to tees.”
Other ways to game include cornhole, darts, plus trivia on Tuesday nights and bingo on Wednesday nights.
The tasting room at Great South Bay brewery in Bay Shore is a popular beer hall on weekends. Credit: Doug Young
An in-house kitchen serves 12-inch personal pies ($14-$21), pretzel dogs ($17), Philadelphia steak-n-cheese egg rolls ($14.50) and rotisserie rubbed chicken wings ($16.50). Wash it all down with a brew ($8-$9) from more than 20 on tap.
LOCATION 25 Drexel Dr., Bay Shore
MORE INFO 631-392-8472, greatsouthbaybrewery.com
BARRIER BREWING CO.
Bartender Sebastian Schmitt, of Freeport, pours it on at Barrier Brewing Co. in Oceanside. Credit: Jessica Earnshaw
Come to Barrier Brewing Co. in Oceanside, where various nights offer different games. Tuesdays focus on board games (Scrabble, Jenga, backgammon, Yahtzee) and trivia, while Wednesdays are reserved for a dart league ($20 per team for three weeks). Thursdays focus on Wii bowling and raffles, where there are giveaways every hour.
“The games are what make the brewery different from going to a bar. They organically add to the conversation,” says general manager Gabby Carlo. “It’s better than just watching TV, which you can do at home.”
Food is provided by rotating food trucks Mondays to Wednesdays. The 3rd Rail Kitchen food truck is on hand Thursdays to Sundays, selling items like chicken Parmesan sliders ($8), pepperoni pizza logs ($7) and fried zucchini sticks ($6). There are also 17 beers on tap (pints $7-$9).
LOCATION 3001 New St., Suite A2, Oceanside
MORE INFO 516-594-1028, barrierbrewing.com
SIX HARBORS BREWING COMPANY
Ricardo and Michele Pacheco enjoy a beer flight at Six Harbors Brewing Company in Huntington. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Huntington’s Six Harbors Brewing Company embraces games on a regular basis. Jump into some Giant Jenga, a card game of Deceiver, shuffleboard or cornhole. There are also monthly special events like Puppy Yoga ($35 per person).
“Sometimes people will ask for a game table before they even inquire about the beer menu,” says assistant manager Grace Heuwetter. “They like to be entertained. Plus, it brings a completely different crowd here.”
The beer is flowing, with 10 types on tap, including Bay Hills Blueberry Wheat, an American wheat brew, and Seclusion Infusion, a hazy, juicy New England IPA (flights $11, pints $8)
Food includes personal pizzas ($10-$11) or hot pretzels ($6). Food trucks are on site on the weekend and there's live music Sundays from 3 to 6 p.m.
LOCATION 243 New York Ave., Huntington
MORE INFO 631-470-1560, sixharborsbrewingcompany.com
SOUTH SHORE CRAFT BREWERY
South Shore Craft Brewery in Oceanside has themed game nights Monday through Thursday. Credit: South Shore Craft Brewery/Cloud Vision Media
There’s no shortage of fun at South Shore Craft Brewery in Oceanside, where games rule the day.
Monday is Dungeons & Dragons Night, Tuesday is for crokinole (a game in which you flick wooden disks), Wednesday is all about board games (Battleship, Monopoly, chess) and on Thursday, trivia happens as well as cribbage. Each table has a Hook & Ring game on it, and there are three video game consoles that feature Super Nintendo, Wii and arcade classics.
“The games keep the customers engaged,” says master brewer Pete Tripp. “It makes everyone more interactive with each other, creating a social environment.”
Food is available from Smokey Joe’s Bar-B-Que in Oceanside, which has four flavors of popcorn chicken ($13), smoked barbecue spareribs ($16) and Buffalo, Italian BBQ or sweet chili wings ($14). Enjoy 18 beers on tap ($8 pints) including flagship Haviland lager, a clean crisp, classic American pilsner.
LOCATION 3505 Hampton Rd., Oceanside
MORE INFO 516-388-6685, southshorecraftbrewery.com
David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.
