Upon entering the narrow front bar room of Black Swan, a gastropub on the border of Bed-Stuy and Clinton Hill, you'd be forgiven in thinking the space is nothing more than your typical sports bar. Signed soccer jerseys and sports memorabilia hang from the black wood walls and the glare of several flat screen T.V.'s showing games of all types and timezones fills the room (Black Swan opens early for Premiere League soccer).

But what sets Black Swan apart from other bars broadcasting the big game is an absolutely killer draft list of over twenty beers and a dining room in the rear of the restaurant providing a more spacious and civilized destination to devour some pretty solid pub grub. Under a skylight, at the long communal tables and high-backed booths, you'll find a diverse demographic of diners from the surrounding neighborhoods, enjoying a perfect pint and elevated bar fare.

Every evening, save Saturday, Black Swan offers a food and/or beverage special. Thursday is taco night, when the kitchen prepares 4 kinds of tacos at $4 each. That may not sound like much of a deal, but the tacos are tasty and have some serious heft to them, so an order of three is plenty for a full meal. While there's nothing fancy or forward thinking about the servings, the kitchen does some good work with what actually counts: the proteins.

The beef is the best, topped with guacamole and perfectly cooked, though slightly under seasoned (salt's on the table). The fish, while solid, is swimming in too much cole slaw, but that's something that can be easily remedied when you place your order. The grilled chicken is... grilled chicken. Nothing special, but satisfying all the same and also served with a heaping portion of guacamole. Skip the veggie, which is just slaw, guac, radish and cilantro (it's on the menu because...?).

Also available are $6 prickly pear, peach and chili-lime margaritas. All are on the sweet side and there's only the faintest hint of heat in the chili-lime. Beer is the way to go here, and if you stop by before 8:00 PM, all drafts are just $5.

The food won't blow you away at Black Swan, but if you're in the neighborhood and looking for a hearty meal, a hoppy drink and a high five when your team pulls through for you, this is where you want to be.

ESSENTIAL INFO:

-Total Cost: Less than $30 per person for three tacos and two drafts at happy hour prices. Tax and tip included.

-Black Swan's happy hour runs every day from 11:00 AM until 8:00 PM. The taco and margarita deal goes all night on Thursday. There is also a "reverse happy hour" Sunday-Thursday from 1:00-4:00 AM.

NEARBY: Grab a drink and hear some jazz down the street at Stop Time, or sit by the wood-burning fire and enjoy a cocktail and a slice of homemade cake at Dynaco.