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Named after the bus that goes down Columbia Street, B61 is exactly what the budding creative community in this south-of-Carroll Gardens-but-not-quite-Red Hook hood needed: a reliable go-to that’s homey yet not divey. The airy space shares the same owners as Alma, the noted Mexican restaurant upstairs, but there’s nothing very Mexican about B61 save for the tamales that are passed around when the restaurant closes. Regulars go for the pint-sized mojitos (a little weak but, hey, it’s a pint) or one of 12 beers on tap (mostly microbrews). From the long bar, they enjoy a view of the Manhattan skyline through big windows. In back there’s the more intimate red-hued lounge with the standard array of thrift-store sofas and a pool table (which can also double as a ping-pong table) manned by area sharks. For those tired of their usual Smith Street haunts, this semi-hip, come-as-you-are spot boasts enough charm to make it worth a little schlepping over the BQE. — Deborah Goldberg