Checkmate Inn

Reviews & Tips

• 0

  It's just fun.  It's the bar equivalent to the gym to which you can go and exercise in your pajamas, not some $400 sports suit.  Real fireplace.  Need I say more?

  Review Source:

  Posted on 01.15.13 Annabelle R.

  • Report
• 0

  Ah, The Checkmate Inn.  I can't leave a partial review for this place, I'm biased.  I can't even begin to tell how many great nights I've had here.  Should be the model for all dive bars.  Buck Hunter, darts, and other games they rotate in.  I'll just say, cheap beer, cheap drinks, awesome staff, and the best bar popcorn this side of the Mississippi.  It's a great place to start or end your night.  Go often and everyone will know your name and your flavor.  Make sure to hit the Halloween party on the Saturday before the 31st, It's always a blast.  An absolute gem in the middle of the woods in Setauket.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 10.15.12 Donald M.

  • Report
• 0

  After hours of being out and drinking at various Port Jefferson bars, I was satisfied & relaxed with the idea of our sober driver dumping our carload off at the home where I could call a couch bed at a fairly reasonable hour (1am?) on a Saturday night.  
  
  Oh no no.  Just you wait a minute.  Someone in the carload of dum-dum drunks has *INSISTED* we go to the Checkmate for another drink.  ***INSISTED***.  That's hard to refuse, as I don't want to gain the reputation of the 'boring guy nearing 40' - so, whatever...let's go.  Great.
  
  Bite my tongue.  Drive through a grove of trees and land here.  Immediately outside, a large SUV suddenly pulls up and does a 60-second drive-by-steal of a couple of fold-up tables sitting overnight for a weekend festival.  Really?  Those were probably $60 at Costco.  Random.  
  
  Inside - dive bar land...Not bad at all, actually.  The bartender was really nice (looked like something out of the early 90's with her stone-washed jeans, etc...you can picture it)...but a night tends to go downhill when it nears 2am anywhere.  I think last call might be 4am in New York?  At that point you are really out too late - cell phones get lost, girls start crying, guys start fighting & you tell yourself - I *KNEW* it - we all should have been in bed at least an hour ago.
  
  Call it my 40-year-old wisdom approaching.  Sober driver TAKE ME HOME!

  Review Source:

  Posted on 09.17.12 Christian H.

  • Report
• 0

  As a fan of dive bars, I love the fact that this little place is minutes from my new home and has an awesome beer selection. Dogfish on tap with some other usual brews, and a good amount of bottled microbrews. Staff and patrons friendly and made for a nice visit. Will return.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 09.04.12 Lauren R.

  • Report
• 0

  This place is a great dive bar -- they only take cash and there isn't a huge amount of space, but that's made up for in their beer selection. The folks that work there are friendly, and it's a great place to hang out. Way better than the other options around town.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 10.03.11 Sasha K.

  • Report
• 0

  Want to feel like a towny?  HEAD TO CHECKMATE!  I seriously love this place.  Great darts, good tap selection, cheap as hell, and an amazing front patio with great tables and chairs for socializing and smoking cigs.  We always head here with the old high school crowd and have a great time when we're all back in town for Thanksgiving or summer weekends a the beach.  One of my most favorite dive bars in existence.  And open until 4 AM - score!

  Review Source:

  Posted on 07.20.08 Sandra K.

  • Report
• 0

  Good beers on tap, a small bar with one television for college studens and local business owners alike.   The bar spans into an outdoor patio overlooking the street with heater to extend the season.  
  
  When it gets busy the circulation comes from the center bar, were you are close to other people and can really rev up a conversation with the locals and need to wait for your Guinness to be poured.
  
  Reminds me of traveling far, and needing to rest for a moment

  Review Source:

  Posted on 11.18.07 Douglas L.

  • Report
• 0

  I get the impression that this place has the potential to be crowded with Stony Brook students but I have never really experienced that. I do feel a wee bit like a towny when I go here. But anyway. They have darts. Karaoke. That game where you are shown two pictures and have to circle what makes them different. And a popcorn machine so you can stuff your face with the salty goodness for free. Once you know the bartenders they are more than happy to comp you drinks. For a low key night at a fairly fun-filled bar, I recommend venturing away from the Smithtown scene and going to Checkmate.

  Review Source:

  Posted on 09.04.06 Jess K.

  • Report