Four Brooklyn Bar Sports to Play on One Gowanus Walk
Bar games are a serious Brooklyn tradition, and four of them sit a short walk apart between Gowanus and Park Slope.
📍 Four Games, One Short Walk
🏓 Warm Up at PKLYN
Start with the newest bar sport on the block. PKLYN fills a bright 4th Street warehouse with five indoor pickleball courts under 23-foot ceilings, and classes, leagues, and open play cover every skill level from first serve up. Drop-in play runs from 25 dollars for two hours. Between games, the lounge pours local beer and canned cocktails, and the courts stay open until 11:00 PM daily.
🍹 Shuffleboard and Cocktails at Royal Palms
A few blocks away on Union Street, Royal Palms turns shuffleboard into a full night out. Lanes rent for 60 dollars flat per hour, a rotation of food trucks parks on site, and DJ sets keep the room moving. Weekday evenings are strictly 21+, while Sundays switch to all-ages Family Days from noon. Saturday doors open at 12:00 PM, early enough to follow a morning pickleball session.
🪓 Aim True at Kick Axe
Around the corner on Degraw Street, Kick Axe Throwing feels like a cabin lodge dropped into Brooklyn. Dedicated instructors help beginners find the target fast and keep score during group matches, with up to four people per throwing range. Throwers need to be eight or older, drinks are ordered at the bar instead of lane-side, and giant board games keep anyone sitting out a round busy.
🍸 Finish With Bocce at Union Hall
End the walk on Union Street in Park Slope, where Union Hall keeps indoor bocce courts beside a library-style lounge. Sofa-like chairs ring the court for players and spectators, and the bar shakes a cold brew espresso martini in under a minute. Downstairs, a basement stage hosts live comedy, and the doors stay open until 4:00 AM on Friday and Saturday.
