BK Backyard Bar occupies 17,000 square feet at 151 Banker Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, making it one of the largest open-air bar venues in all five boroughs. Forty-plus televisions, sand volleyball courts built with 100 tons of silica, rotating food trucks, and a 450-person capacity put it in a category that most Brooklyn bars simply cannot touch. The space runs everything from Thursday drag shows and Holi powder festivals to NFL watch parties and breed-specific dog meetups.
Owned by Fox Hospitality Group and originally launched as TailGate Brooklyn, the bar rebranded in 2023 and relocated to its current Banker Street address in late 2024. A sister venue, Backyard Bar & Billiards, opened in South Slope in January 2025. The practical details below cover hours, the food truck setup, happy hour deals, reservations, parking, dog policy, and the full events calendar.
Venue Overview and History
BK Backyard Bar is a 17,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor entertainment complex at the Greenpoint-Williamsburg border in Brooklyn, operated by Fox Hospitality Group under the leadership of Jarrod Fox and Taylor Fox. The venue holds up to 450 guests across indoor bar space and a sprawling outdoor area anchored by Volo Beach sand volleyball courts.
From TailGate Brooklyn to BK Backyard Bar
The space started as TailGate Brooklyn, a sports-bar concept focused on gameday culture and outdoor drinking. Fox Hospitality Group announced the rebrand to BK Backyard Bar in May 2023, timed to a Memorial Day Weekend reopening. According to the company’s PR Newswire announcement (2023), the shift aimed to create “an inclusive space for the community” that stretched well beyond football Sundays into drag shows, dog meetups, live music, and cultural festivals.
The venue relocated from its original Williamsburg location to 151 Banker Street in late 2024. Reddit threads from September 2024 documented the teardown of the old space, with the new Banker Street address opening shortly after. The current footprint runs 17,000 square feet of contiguous outdoor and indoor bar space.
Layout and Standout Features
The outdoor section dominates the property. Volo Beach, a sand volleyball court built in partnership with Volo Sports, sits at the center, using 100 tons of natural silica sand for league play and recreational pickup games. Surrounding it are picnic tables, private heated cabanas for winter use, and a dedicated bar station that operates independently from the indoor bar.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total footprint | 17,000 sq ft |
| Capacity | ~450 persons |
| TVs | 40+ screens, including a 20-foot video wall |
| Volleyball | Volo Beach courts (100 tons silica sand) |
| Outdoor games | Cornhole, beer pong, lawn games |
| Cabanas | Private heated cabanas (available year-round) |
| Address | 151 Banker St, Brooklyn, NY 11222 |
The indoor section handles cold-weather overflow and has wall-to-wall TV coverage for game days. Together the two zones give the venue a flexibility that single-room Brooklyn bars cannot replicate. BringFido, the national pet travel directory, lists the venue as pet-friendly, and the outdoor layout makes that policy practical rather than just cosmetic.
Hours, Happy Hour, and Reservations
BK Backyard Bar is open Wednesday through Sunday, with weekend hours starting earlier and extending later than weekday windows. Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday from approximately 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM with discounts across the full bar. Reservations for groups of 4 to 50 are handled through SevenRooms up to two months in advance.
Weekly Hours
Monday and Tuesday are typically dark. The core schedule shifts around holidays and major events, so checking the official website or Instagram (@bkbackyardbar) before heading out is worth the 30 seconds.
| Day | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mon-Tue | Closed | Private events may be scheduled |
| Wednesday | 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM | Happy hour 5-7 PM |
| Thursday | 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM | Happy hour 5-7 PM; drag shows |
| Friday | 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM | Extended for special events |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 12:00 AM | College Gameday opens early |
| Sunday | 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM | NFL Sundays; may extend |
Seasonal programming affects operating windows. The Winter Village setup brings heated structures through colder months, and during peak summer the outdoor courts stay active as long as weather cooperates. Yelp’s March 2026 listing confirms the Thursday through Sunday hours above, though Wednesday schedules can vary seasonally.
Happy Hour Specials
Happy hour runs Wednesday through Friday, roughly 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. According to Fox Hospitality Group’s 2023 press release, the standard deal is 50% off bar drinks during that window. Discounts apply across the full bar, including drafts, well cocktails, and select buckets. Tacos & Tequila nights layer additional tequila-forward specials on top of the standard happy hour. Those nights fill up faster than a regular Wednesday, so arriving near the 5:00 PM open is the smarter play.
Reservations and Skip-the-Line
Reservations are handled through SevenRooms, accessible directly on the official website. Bookings open two months in advance for parties of 4 to 50, with minimum spend requirements that vary by night and event status. Groups smaller than 4 or larger than 50 can submit special requests with at least 30 days’ notice.
For walk-ins on busy nights, LineLeap sells skip-the-line passes at $10 to $20 depending on the day. Same-day reservation requests go through the phone line at (646) 374-2662 or directly to the host stand on-site.
Food, Menu, and Drinks
The bar does serve food, but not from a permanent kitchen. The venue operates on a rotating food truck and pop-up vendor model, meaning the specific options on any given night depend on which third-party operator is parked on-site. The full bar program is the constant, running craft cocktails, draft beer, and bucket deals every night the venue is open.
Rotating Food Trucks
Cuisine formats that have appeared include tacos, smash burgers, and other casual American fare built for a high-volume bar environment. Special events bring dedicated vendors: the annual Tacos & Tequila Festival in October pairs tequila drink specials with taco-focused trucks, and the Yes Chef Food Fest has featured multiple vendors simultaneously.
Because the food truck lineup rotates, the best way to confirm who is serving on a specific night is the venue’s Instagram page (@bkbackyardbar, 33,000+ followers) or the events section on the official website. Both are updated regularly ahead of weekends with upcoming events and vendor details. The menu page on bkbackyard.com/menu shows the current drinks list, with the March 2026 edition available as a downloadable image.
Bar Program
The drinks program is the financial engine. Cocktails, shots, buckets, draft beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options are all on the board. Event-specific drink specials are common: College Gameday features beer bucket deals timed to kickoff, and themed nights like Tacos & Tequila drive tequila-forward specials.
| Category | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Cocktails | Signature mixed drinks; event-themed specials |
| Beer | Draft and canned; domestic and craft |
| Buckets & Shots | Group formats on game days and weekends |
| Happy Hour | 50% off bar, Wed-Fri 4-7 PM |
Events, Sports, and Activities
The venue runs one of the densest event calendars of any outdoor bar in Brooklyn, spanning weekly recurring nights, seasonal sports leagues, annual festivals, and private bookings. The Volo Beach volleyball courts anchor the sports side, while themed nights and live entertainment fill the rest of the week year-round.
Weekly and Recurring Events
College Gameday watch parties are a Saturday anchor, filling the 40+ TV setup with multiple games running simultaneously. Thursday drag shows have become a signature draw, with lineups announced via Instagram ahead of each event. The venue also hosts drag race viewing parties when RuPaul’s Drag Race airs new seasons. Comedy nights rotate through mid-week slots, and the Backyard & Chill series offers a mellower Saturday afternoon alternative with low-key vibes and rotating food trucks.
Dog-breed-specific meetups are a recurring feature that no competitor in the SERP even mentions. Doodle meetups, French bulldog gatherings, and similar events bring a crowd that overlaps with but is distinct from the sports bar regulars.
Annual and Seasonal Events
New Year’s Eve typically requires advance tickets and hits the 450-person cap well before midnight, with premium open bar, live DJs, and a champagne toast. Super Bowl parties pack the venue for similar reasons, with the TV setup making it one of the more practical game-watching venues in Greenpoint.
Holi In The City is one of the more distinctive calendar entries: a colored powder festival held in March that draws attendees across age groups and backgrounds. The Winter Village activation runs through colder months with heated cabanas, holiday-themed drinks, and Christmas programming. The venue has also hosted DJ sets by artists like Zhu, leveraging the outdoor scale for electronic music events that indoor bars cannot accommodate.
| Event | When | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| College Gameday | Saturdays (fall) | 40+ TVs, beer bucket deals |
| Drag Shows | Thursdays | Lineup via Instagram |
| Tacos & Tequila | October + recurring | Tequila specials, food trucks |
| Holi In The City | March | Colored powder festival; wear white |
| Winter Village / Christmas | Nov-Feb | Heated cabanas, holiday drinks |
| NYE Party | Dec 31 | Advance tickets required |
| Super Bowl | February | Full TV coverage, packed house |
| Volo Volleyball Leagues | Spring-Fall | Competitive and social divisions |
| Dog Breed Meetups | Recurring | Breed-specific; check Instagram |
Dog-Friendly Outdoor Space
The venue is confirmed dog-friendly by BringFido, the national pet venue directory, with dogs welcome at all outdoor tables and areas. The 17,000-square-foot open-air layout gives dogs and their owners considerably more room than a typical Brooklyn bar patio. Breed-specific meetup events recur throughout the year, drawing communities of doodle owners, French bulldog enthusiasts, and other groups organized through social media.
The dog policy is practical, not just token. Fox Hospitality Group’s original 2023 press release specifically highlighted “four-legged friends” and dog-breed meetups as a core part of the venue’s programming identity. For dog owners in Brooklyn or Greenpoint, this is one of the few outdoor bars with both the space and the programming to back up the claim.
Sister Location: Backyard Bar & Billiards (South Slope)
Fox Hospitality Group opened Backyard Bar & Billiards at 740 5th Avenue in South Slope, Brooklyn, in January 2025 as a collaboration with Brooklyn Billiards. The 10,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor venue operates under a different concept from the Greenpoint flagship, featuring five Diamond pool tables, arcade games, 11+ large-screen TVs, live DJ sets, and comedy shows. Hours run Monday through Thursday 4 PM to 1 AM, Friday 4 PM to 4 AM, Saturday noon to 4 AM, and Sunday noon to 1 AM.
The Park Slope location serves a different crowd than the Greenpoint original but shares the same hospitality group DNA. Both venues run under the @bkbackyardbar Instagram handle and the Fox Hospitality Group umbrella (contact: info@foxhg.com).
Getting There: Parking and Transit
The venue sits at 151 Banker Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222, near the Greenpoint-Williamsburg border. Free street parking is available in the surrounding blocks, though competition for spots increases sharply on weekend evenings and during major events. The nearest subway stop is Nassau Avenue on the G train, roughly a five-minute walk. The Lorimer Street / Nassau Avenue bus stop also serves the area.
For high-demand nights like NYE, Super Bowl parties, or sold-out events, arriving by rideshare or subway is the path of least resistance. LineLeap passes ($10-$20) can reduce door wait times on packed weekends.
Reviews and Community Reputation
The bar carries 77 reviews on Yelp as of March 2026, with 23 user-uploaded photos. Reddit’s r/williamsburg community actively discusses the venue, with threads covering everything from the 2024 relocation to recent Saturday night crowds. The general consensus skews positive: visitors praise the spacious layout, the TV setup for game days, the variety of events, and staff members including Andres, Steven, Jared, and Dre, who appear repeatedly in review highlights.
Common criticisms surface around porta-potty conditions during high-capacity events, mandatory gratuity on certain takeaway purchases, and pat-downs at the door for select late-night programming. A March 2025 Reddit thread noted mixed feelings about the new Banker Street location, with some regulars describing it as slightly smaller than the original space. These are the kinds of honest tradeoffs a 17,000-square-foot outdoor bar navigates: the scale that makes the venue special also creates logistical wrinkles that a 40-seat cocktail lounge never has to manage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are BK Backyard Bar’s hours?
BK Backyard Bar is open Wednesday through Sunday. Weekday hours (Wed-Fri) run approximately 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM, Saturday opens at 10:00 AM, and Sunday opens at noon. Monday and Tuesday are closed to the public unless a private event is booked. Hours shift around holidays and major events, so check the website or Instagram before visiting.
Does BK Backyard Bar have food?
Yes. Food is served through rotating food trucks and pop-up vendors rather than a permanent kitchen. The specific trucks change weekly, so the menu varies by night. Check @bkbackyardbar on Instagram for the current vendor lineup before you go.
Is BK Backyard Bar dog-friendly?
Yes, confirmed by BringFido. Dogs are welcome in all outdoor areas. The venue also hosts recurring breed-specific dog meetup events throughout the year, making it one of the more actively pet-welcoming bars in Brooklyn.
Where is BK Backyard Bar located?
The address is 151 Banker Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222, near the Greenpoint-Williamsburg border. The nearest subway is the Nassau Avenue station on the G train. Free street parking is available nearby, though spots fill quickly on weekends.
Can you make reservations at BK Backyard Bar?
Reservations are booked through SevenRooms on the official website. Group reservations for 4 to 50 guests open two months in advance and may carry a minimum spend requirement depending on the night. Same-day requests go through (646) 374-2662.
What is BK Backyard Bar’s capacity?
Approximately 450 people across the 17,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor space. High-demand events like NYE and Super Bowl parties hit capacity early, so advance tickets or reservations are strongly recommended.
Is BK Backyard Bar closing?
No. The venue relocated from its original Williamsburg location to 151 Banker Street in late 2024, which prompted temporary closure rumors. It is fully operational at the new address and continues to run its regular event calendar.
What is BK Backyard Bar’s Instagram?
The official handle is @bkbackyardbar, with over 33,000 followers. Instagram is the primary channel for event announcements, food truck updates, and last-minute schedule changes. Active Facebook and TikTok accounts also exist.
Is there parking near BK Backyard Bar?
Free street parking is available on the blocks surrounding 151 Banker Street. Spots fill up quickly on weekend evenings and during major events. The G train (Nassau Ave stop) and rideshare are more reliable options on high-traffic nights.
Who owns BK Backyard Bar?
Fox Hospitality Group (FHG), led by Jarrod Fox and Taylor Fox. FHG also operates the sister venue Backyard Bar & Billiards in South Slope, Brooklyn, and rebranded the original TailGate Brooklyn concept in 2023.
Final Thoughts
BK Backyard Bar at 151 Banker Street fills a specific gap in Brooklyn’s bar landscape: a genuinely large-scale outdoor venue that programs year-round rather than hibernating once temperatures drop. The heated cabanas, rotating food trucks, and dense events calendar separate it from the neighborhood’s more typical cocktail bars and dive spots. Whether the draw is a Saturday volleyball league game, a Thursday drag show, or a quiet Wednesday happy hour with 50% off the bar, the venue delivers a consistent mix of space, programming, and practicality that few Brooklyn competitors can match.
