Sunny’s in Red Hook is the Lind of Bar That Makes the Journey Worth It

In a neighborhood whose defining feature is esprit de corps born of inaccessibility, Sunny’s feels a bit like Redhook’s city hall. The waterfront location has been home to a bar since 1890, so over a century of people have passed through the doors. It may be inconvenient to get to, but that only adds to the feeling of rarity and sincerity and camaraderie to be found therein.

Sunny’s is a maritime bar in its bones, but the mood is unforced and doesn’t define the place any more than its back room’s weekly bluegrass jams. Nets, buoys, and nautical knickknacks fade into the background behind a long, scarred bar that’s seen Red Hook through the decades. Seating is smattered throughout with tables and booths of different configurations and sizes, so you can just as easily have a romantic interl