Hank's Saloon
46 Third Ave., between Atlantic and Third Aves., Brooklyn; 718-625-8003
Sundays, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
At this Appalachian-style hillbilly hang, honky-tonkers Sean Kershaw and the New Jack Ramblers tear up the small front stage while a motley crew of “Saloonatics” swarm hot dogs and burgers fresh off the tiny sidewalk grill (free sauerkraut too!).

East River Bar
97 S. 6th St., between Bedford Ave. and Berry St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-302-0511
Anytime; reserve ahead
The patio in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge belonged to a biker bar and then an after-hours speakeasy, but these days everything is strictly above ground, including the genuine barrel-drum barbecue pit available to guests who bring their own meat and supplies.

Laila Lounge
113 N. 7th St., between Berry and Wythe Sts., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-486-6791
Sundays, 3 p.m. till food runs out (around 9:30 or 10:30 p.m.)
This laid-back Williamsburg local throws hot dogs and soy dogs on the grill while DJs throw down the beats. Hangover nursers sip $4 Bloody Marys till they’re ready for the hard stuff again: A fiver gets a shot of whiskey and a brewski.

Metropolitan
559 Lorimer St., between Metropolitan Ave. and Devoe St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-599-4444
Sundays; 5 p.m. till food runs out (usually around 7 p.m. or 8 p.m.)
It might be a stretch to call this the gay Warm-Up, but as with P.S. 1’s Sunday-afternoon party, the Met's is a chilled-out, loungy outdoor scene where the meats and beats are really just excuses to bump into old friends from lib-arts school. The fun is fueled by $2 pints and $7 Bud pitchers.

Moonshine
317 Columbia St., Columbia Waterfront District, between Woodhull St. and Hamilton Ave., Brooklyn, 718-783-5166
Anytime; large parties should reserve ahead
This saloon's country cred goes beyond the dozens of whiskeys behind the bar and the Conway Twitty on the jukebox: On the leafy back patio a full-blown smoker and two gas grills await ‘cueheads who bring their own.

Red Rock West
457 W. 17th St., at Tenth Ave.; 212-367-7395
Sundays, noon til 7 p.m.
Grillmaster Bob serves up burgers, dogs, and his celebrated sausages (hot and sweet) at this hard-nosed but fun-loving honky-tonk bar. During the July 23 beach party, bikini contest participants will try to upstage the bartop-clogging bartenders.

The Brazen Head
228 Atlantic Ave., between Court St. and Boerum Pl., Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn; 718-488-0430
Saturday, $5, 2 p.m. and onward (usually till midnight); Monday, free, 5 p.m. and onward.
Cask-ale aficionados flock to this Carroll Gardens beer bar to load up on the plump buffalo wings that co-owner Lou Sones smokes and grills at home every Monday. The freebie fiesta may inspire a Saturday return for the $5 “Stew-B-Q” of whatever meat and fixins Lou’s feeling.

Guero
210 Rivington St., at Pitt St.; 212-677-6149
Mondays
On “You Kill It, We Grill It” Mondays, this quietly left-of-Ludlow lounge parks a hibachi on the sidewalk. Vegetarians need not fret: They can bring their own greens or make do with a two-for-one drink special that goes till 10 p.m.

May 30, 2005 issue of New York Magazine