Outdoor Listing

Unwilling to risk your life standing on a line that’s so long it snakes into the street all for an over-priced burger, shake and some outside seating?  You’re sequestered to your 9-by-9-foot, environmentally-unfriendly, air-conditioned studio for a month or two, check out these joints where you can eat, drink and generally be merry while enjoying that harmful summer sun.

Me’Bar 17 W. 32nd St. (betw. Broadway & 5th Ave.) 212-290-2460 This studio-apartment-sized rooftop deck is a muddled mix of white-picket fence, pillow-strewn benches and verdant plants. Mushroom-like water towers complete the scene. Bottled beers like Anchor Steam, Sol and Stella Artois range from $4 to $5 until 8 p.m. (afterward, add a dollar), while wine and mixed drinks are only $6. Curb your appetite with bottomless fresh-popped popcorn or order in from your favorite local restaurant and get it delivered sky high.

Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden 29-19 24th Ave. (at 29th Ave.), Astoria 718-274-4925 The last of a dying breed, this expansive biergarten remains the central gathering spot for Astoria’s Czech and Slovak community, as evident by the live polka. You could get lost in the labyrinthine interior, but opt for the leafy outdoor area where picnic tables stand beneath white canopies. Choose from hard-to-find beer like Brouczech or Staropramen. If you need sustenance of the solid variety, food ranges from ubiquitous American grub like chicken wings with hot sauce ($7.50) to authentic Hungarian goulash with dumplings ($10).

Union Pool 484 Union Ave. (at Meeker Ave.), B’klyn 718-609-0484 Unfortunately, Union Pool isn’t actually a pool; it gets its name from its pool supply store history. But such a title isn’t totally unfitting, given that the vast courtyard boasts a wet ’n wild fountain. Hey, it’s something. The inside conjures up a water world, too, with deep blue booths and tin-pressed walls. Plus, there’s an old-fashioned photo booth so you can capture those fleeting summer memories and—even after multiple $3 Sixpoint drafts—have a reminder of what the hell happened last night.

Max 51 Avenue B (at 4th St.) 212-539-0111 The rustic setting befits the rustic Italian food heaped out at this teeny, tiny, trendy hotspot. But the real draw is the Alphabet City patio, which doesn’t offer much more space. In a bizarre attempt to recapture that old-world feel, a clothesline is strung over the dining area, dangling real clothes that are certainly not as hip as the threads the diners wear. Pasta is relatively inexpensive (all under $15), but be weary of specials that can blindside you. The place is packed, even on weeknights, so be prepared to wait outside to eat outside.

230 Fifth 230 5th Ave. (at 27th St.) 212-725-4300 This place supposedly has less velvet rope than SoHo’s members-only A60, but come prepared to see and be seen. The palm tree-covered deck is a Miami-like oasis where about 500 partiers relax on an ocean of wood benches and garden chairs. Imbibe jazz-era cocktails, which average $12, or choose from the extensive wine list, which offers a few good deals. Munch Malaysian dim sum devised by Fatty Crab’s Zak Pelaccio until you can no longer take the swankyness of it all, or until you get ushered back through the velvet ropes at 4 a.m.

Habana Outpost 757 Fulton St. (at S. Portland St.), B’klyn 718-858-9500 The little sister to Soho’s Café Habana outshines all the other family members. You can still munch on the legendary grilled corn or inhale a Cuban sandwich, but now there’s so much more! Sidle up to a 1949 GMC pickup truck and order a mojito, then pull up a swing and take in a movie if it’s a Sunday night. The entire restaurant runs on solar power and the plates are made from sugar cane, so you can feel good in your swimsuit, despite your gluttony and alcoholism.

The Heights Bar And Grill 2867 Broadway (betw. 111th & 112th Sts.) 212-866-7035 The location just a stone’s throw from Columbia University ensures potent drinks at student prices. Two happy hours accommodate both the after-class crowd, from 5 to 7 p.m., and the late workers, from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Thursday through Saturday from 12 to 1 a.m.), with $4 beer and frozen margaritas. If you’re not too smashed, venture up three flights of stairs to the roof deck, where you can soak up the alcohol with some oleaginous Mexican grub at equally cheap prices. The food might not be all that great, but then again, you’ll be too wasted to care, dude!

Little Veselka 75 E. First St. (at Houston) 212-228-9682 (main restaurant) Like Shack Shack but for Ukrainian soul food, this little kiosk in First Park is Veselka’s warm weather outpost. Sit amidst the tulips and overlook the handball courts as you dine on cheese blintzes with raspberry sauce or potato pancakes in the early morning hours. Later in the day, opt for truly authentic dishes like pierogi, kielbasa or beef stroganoff. Sure, you won’t be able to guiltlessly indulge in the hearty grub the same way you can in your late-night drunken state at Veselka on Second Ave. (at 9th St.), but maybe the summer sun will serve as a reminder not to bite off more than you should chew.

Bamboo 52 344 W. 52nd St (betw. 8th and 9th Aves.) 212-315-2777 The sushi and rolls are traditional, though better than average, but the drinks are inspired: the Sakejito Sake mixes fresh lime, mint and pineapple, and the Lycheerita adds a splash of vodka to a frozen lychee margarita. Enjoy them doubly from 4 to 9 p.m., when all cocktails are half off. The bamboo garden out back is totally foreign to Midtown, but closes at 8:30 p.m. to keep neighbors happy. Still, there’s always the front porch, where (gasp!) you can smoke—not that we’re encouraging such dangerous behavior.

Red Hook Ball Fields Bay & Clinton Sts., B’klyn No phone Take in a soccer game if  you want, but the real draw here is the Latin American food turned out by the 13-plus vendors that set up shop in the park spring through fall. Various stands boast specialties like spicy papusas, flaky dough wrapped around rich meat, and ceviche, which comes in a fish, shrimp or combo version with limejuice, onion, and cilantro. Whatever you try, nothing’s over $5—a price you can’t beat for the food, the setting and a spot at a picnic table.

The Yard, Soho Grand 310 W. B’way (betw. Grand & Canal Sts.) 212-965-3588 Splendiferous as it may be, the Soho Grand Hotel is definitively lacking in the roof-deck department. But no matter, this alley-cum-yard-cum-bar offers all the warmth of outdoor inebriation with none of the vertigo. More welcoming than most things associated with Soho nowadays, The Yard still has a long way to go before it can be mistaken for your parent’s patio in the suburbs. An outdoor grill dishes up octopus, not hotdogs, and sunbathers sip bottomless margaritas, not Bud. But with string lights and a pet-friendly attitude, The Yard will make you feel right at home.