Metromix New York Bars & Clubs

In the hot seat: Klimat, an Eastern European spot that offers beer, wine and small noshes in the East Village. (77 E. Seventh St., 917-214-0589)

Scoop: Owner Peter Koziea previously ran an Eastern European pub in Linden, N.J., called Rozin and hopes to follow its success with Klimat. The proud owner firmly believes that beer in Europe is (shockingly!) centered around the triumvirate nations of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. What, no Germany? “The people of Czech Republic drink more beer per capita than the Germans,” says Koziea, adding that the Czechs brew beer with spring water, not filtered agua like Americans and their “overcommercialized” Budweiser. The Polish proprietor envisions Klimat as a relaxed pub for Eastern Euro refuges looking for their local elixir, with Saturdays and Sundays welcoming Jersey patrons visiting the city for a “Mamma Mia” matinee – Matt Rodbard

Beer: “Free tasting"—were sweeter words ever spoken? Although the draft selection was modest (eight on tap), the lovely bar staff allowed us to choose up to three beers to “taste” before committing (beers go for $6 or $7). Despite its bitterness, the Brou Czech Lager turned out to be refreshing; the Okocim, however, was weak and unremarkable. The bottle selection (27) contained the night’s real winners. The Czech brew Klaster, chosen partially for its uncomplicated name (hey, you try ordering “Okocim Mocne”), offered up a smooth ride, while the Lviskie Porter, a hearty concoction from the Ukraine, pushed us over the edge. “Dark roast” is more of a coffee phrase, but it perfectly described the espresso-like feel of the drink. And at 9.5 percent alcohol and almost 17 ounces, it certainly provided its own kind of buzz. – Kirk Miller

Wine: Georgia proudly bills itself as the “cradle of wine,” with a history of winemaking that reportedly dates back to 5000 B.C. It’s a no-brainer, then, that Klimat’s wine selection—18 are available (about $8 per glass, $30 per bottle)—tends to be Georgia-centric. Like the beers, you can opt for a free tasting of three before nailing down your pick, but after sampling six types of wine—and settling on two—we were left wishing we had stuck with the beer. The Tvishi, a “semi-sweet” white, was actually overwhelmingly sweet and lacked complexity. The Bear’s Blood, a semi-dry red, left us with an oddly sour, metallic tang that seemed to fester in our mouths the longer it sat there. Our discerning bars editor, Perrie, gingerly took a sip of it and politely offered her thoughts: “That s--t is heinous.” – Alexis L. Loinaz

Food: The culinary offerings were sparse, and with the pierogi mysteriously unavailable, our waitress recommended the $4 Zapiekanka, which she described as a bagel with cheese and mushrooms. In reality, it resembled a Stouffer’s French-bread pizza—we’ll leave it at that. When we finally scored some pierogi, we were told the kitchen only had a version with “meat.” What kind of meat? “Just meat,” our server said—and then she left it at that. After a bite, we concluded it was a blend of liver, pate, chicken and something else. As yours truly proclaimed, “It’s like they took an animal outside, shot it and stuck it in some dough,” followed by “These are the gamiest motherf-----s I’ve ever had.” All true. Eat before you drink here. – Perrie Samotin

Atmosphere: With Klimat’s wide-open front and scattered picnic tables, our afterwork drink session felt like it took place inside a Polish garage—a look enhanced by black-and-white brewery photos, a perched graffiti door, exposed brick and hanging beer bottles. When the sun set, the dim cast-iron lamps made reading the Eastern European drink menu a tad tricky. But after multiple rounds, perhaps it was time to move on to the next bar. – Jessie Pascoe

Bartenders: The surly brunette. The chipper blonde. A cliché, but it works. The two lovely Eastern European bartenders watching over us may have had night and day personalities, but one editor found them equally captivating (it was, honestly, right after downing the Lviskie Porter). “A shame they’re so dim,” grumbled another Metromix staffer. Shhhh. Jealousy is ugly. – Kirk Miller

Off the menu

What we talked about: Inter-office romance (not within Metromix, of course. Really), Salman Rushdie, failing to score at a Coldplay concert, cherries, karaoke, using “What does Klimat mean to you?” as a pickup line, the bar’s overwhelming ‘80s soundtrack
What we liked: The airy, open space; the people-watching; the ultra-potent Lviskie Porter; the prices
Whom we spied: Eastern Europeans, East Village-y office types, more guys than gals