open continuously since 1929 until March 2020 (closed due to COVID-19, they have since been using the time closed to redo the interior). The once Norweigan, Scandanavian and Irish 8th ave has obviously gone through a culture shift.
The Soccer Tavern was as cozy as any bar can get; reddish-dark lighting, TV screens obviously showing a soccer game, and wooden wall panels. The Irish flag hung from the walls proudly. The only thing that seemed to distinguish the bar from any other was the diverse crowd in a very mono-ethnic neighborhood. There were Asians, Whites, and Hispanics drinking and nodding at the same TV screen. The owner of this friendly neighborhood establishment was Brendan Farley.
Toward the southern edge of Sunset Park, the Soccer Tavern, established in 1929, offers a glimpse of the neighborhood’s past — and future.....Patrons of the bar once cheered the Norway Day parade on its doorstep. Now costumed lion dancers bring them good luck during Chinese New Year.
An Irish pub located in the city’s largest Chinatown on a stretch that was once a Norwegian enclave; nothing speaks to Brooklyn’s internationalism quite like The Soccer Tavern. This understated, cash-only neighborhood dive is full of years-long regulars and soccer fans from all corners of the world. Combine your watch party with a dim sum field trip: There are abundant Chinese food options nearby.
One of the numerous places where Worls Cup matches can be viewed.
Bartenders here are pleasingly hands-off, attentive to both customers and the sportscasts flickering from the pub’s several flat-screens. Drinks are no-frills, as are the prices. As Farley puts it, “We keep things simple here.
Soccer Tavern, in fact, is the last of those places, sort of comically located in the middle of what’s now Brooklyn’s bustling Chinatown, its simple, unchanged storefront cramped by neighboring Chinese-language signage.
Farley describes the bar “like a Cheers right in the middle of 8th Avenue Chinatown.” According to Sharp, customers credit him for giving the bar its welcoming and homely atmosphere. When it comes to bringing different communities together, it’s a bar game that does the trick.
This bar opened about thirty years ago, at at time when Eighth Avenue was still kinda sorta a Scandinavian neighborhood. Three decades later, this is a Chinese neighborhood, but there's still some remnants of the old Norwegian, Swede and Irish influence.
Vanity were meeting at Soccer Tavern to give the bar a framed copy of their new LP, Don’t Be Shy (available for an affordable name-your-own-price); its cover photo was taken outside. As Radigan and I drank beer and chatted while we waited for the rest of his band to arrive, I knew it was going to be a challenge to really understand Vanity.
I first visited the Soccer Tavern years ago and thought it strange that an Irish bar existed in Chinatown. Only years later did I discover that Brooklyn’s 8th Avenue had a rich history with immigrants from Norway, Italy, Finland, and other parts of Europe settling in the area. In fact, 8th Avenue was once known as Lapskaus Boulevard, named after a popular Norwegian meal. A Norwegian owner opened the Soccer Tavern during Prohibition in 1929 as a speakeasy.
Though the bar has a steady Chinese presence these days, (and apparently is still frequented by a smattering of elderly Scandinavians) it wasn't apparent on this night, with only a couple of Chinese customers, and it felt like the very heart of an older Sunset Park. It's a dim, beer-soaked place, with dark & elaborate cabinetry, and a fine bar. A couple of maps - the world and the States - are up on the walls, and an Irish stock calendar hangs behind the bar. There's a public phone next to the jukebox, and the list of songs hangs from the wall in a well-thumbed book. Its one of the friendliest bars I've ever walked into.
Vestige of a Brooklyn neighborhood once predominately Irish, Italian and Scandinavian, was the jandgout for locals following their weekend footie at the " Dust Bowl"
Soccer Tavern is an Irish pub tucked away in the heart of Brooklyn's Chinatown.......The Soccer Tavern encompasses the true spirit if Sunset Park and has become a neighborhood staple for old-timers and newcomers alike, serving the community with a drink and a smile.
This 80 year old bar on 8th Ave was amazingly friendly. Irish bar with an Irish Bartender. He wasn’t as old as the bar, but he had been there for as long as he could be. Great pint of Guiness. The bartender is very proud of his Guiness pour and it was quite lovely. Lots of conversation. Day drinkers can watch game shows with the regulars on a giant screen. We all yelled out the answers together. One block from the subway station. AND the ladies room was clean and stocked!
A favorite gathering place for footy fans, Soccer Tavern, which opened in 1932, showcases English premier league games in the morning on their many TVs. Cozy up to the bar and be sure to order a Guinness sprinkled with green confectionary sugar or a Magners cider. Filled with trophies, dartboards and a jukebox, this no-nonsense watering hole will transport you back to the old days of Brooklyn.
The owner, Brendan Farley, tells me that “almost nothing changed in here.” Since its first day of business 85 years ago, the wooden bar itself has never been replaced. The walls are covered with old photographs, awards, and memorabilia from years past. Up until last year, the old jukebox picked out actual vinyl records to play for the customers. In a far corner, a coin-operated telephone still rings.......As I open the door and stepped out of what seems like a time tunnel, there are so many impressions of the old days that linger in my mind. Though the whole world outside has changed, the Soccer Tavern has stood the test of time; its survival a testament to its resilience and adaptability.
Located on 8th Avenue between 60th and 61st streets, in Brooklyn's Chinatown and surrounded by a sea of Chinese restaurants and stores. It is one of a very few Irish Pub holdouts in our rapidly changing neighborhood. Owned by an Irishman and his Polish wife it is a genuine old style Irish bar. It seems to be doing well and it's still in business. I hope they stick it out..