Mash Inn Beer Counter

There's a certain anxiety one feels when a new business moves into an iconic storefront and leaves the edifice intact. You can still see the sign for Rocco's, an easygoing neighborhood Italian joint, beneath the glowing Carbone sign. Gage & Tollner spruced up its gilded-age exterior despite a complete overhaul. The practice implies neighborhood continuity but inherently invites skepticism: is the place trying to cash in on existing good will?

Luckily, Park Slope's Mash Inn Beer Counter is the best possible case: a brand new business that blends right in, brings real value to the neighborhood, and respects a beloved aesthetic.

The long-vacant laundromat on the corner of 13th St and 8th Ave has been delightfully out of place for decades, a mid-century pseudo-Googie portal to the 1950s. Its red diamonds and stamped tin and stacked stones are not a reference to but relic of days gone. Upon moving into the space, the folks behind Prospect Heights' Gold Star Beer Counter decided to keep everything as is with the exception of a flipped letter. "W" in "Wash" became "M" in "Mash." It's a smart move that signals the team is asserting rather than inviting.

The old world ends at the storefront. Inside is a handsome, minimalist, bright buildout with a good amount of seating and a long, flat plane of a bar. Lots of panels and straight lines, a record player and featured vinyl spinning. This isn't a dingy hole-in-the-wall with dusky corners; it's a bright space where drinking on a weekend afternoon feels like an adult choice. This is what happens when unassuming nerds own themselves and mature into quiet confidence. There's no liquor, but guests can take a tour through a carefully curated list of craft beers: 16 draft lines plus a big selection of cans will give enthusiasts reason to return. And no, you don't have to be an IPA nerd to find something that works for you; alongside the more experimental, they feature ciders, lambics, and easy-drinking lagers. Ask the friendly bartenders and they'll give enthusiastic guidance. You don't even have to go inside if you want service; they offer growlers and cans through the street-facing to-go window.

This doesn't feel like the place to tie one on. You could if you wanted, but that doesn't feel like what this place is offering per se. With its relatively older and mature clientele, Park Slope feels like the perfect environment for this kind of bar. There are good, divey spots nearby if you're looking for abandon. Mash Inn is where you come to slow down, have a conversation, practice some appreciation.

We visited just after they opened their doors, so the food selection was limited to bar snacks: nuts and olives and cheese plates and such. They'll be adding more soon. If the food follows Gold Star's lead, we're expecting tidy, tasty sandwiches made with quality ingredients. Time will tell.

Mash Inn makes the best kind of case for itself: a business guided by deliberate choices that signal respect for the neighborhood and its mature clientele.