Address: Flushing Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Website: Commodore Barry Park
Hours Of Operation:
6 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week
There’s nothing quite like soccer in the Big Apple. That’s why we’ve partnered with multiple pickup leagues across New York City to bring you all more field options! These leagues host their matches year-round on dozens of unique pitches across NYC, and as part of this partnership, we are bringing Plei App games to their spaces in order to fill in on days that the leagues aren’t running.
That being said, these blogs will answer all the questions that you usually ask before you head out to play some ball, like…
Is it a 6v6, 7v7, 8v8 or 9v9 field? Artificial grass or natural? What are the exact measurements? Where should I park? What subway train do I take and where do I get off? Are there good food/drink options nearby? Are there any other cool things to do or see in the surrounding area?
Fear not: all these questions and more will be answered within each blog, so you can confidently suit up, head out and have fun playing some pickup footy, New York style. 🗽😎
Named after the “Father of the US Navy,” Commodore Barry Park is the oldest park in the borough of Brooklyn. It was acquired by the Village of Brooklyn in 1836 and renamed in 1951 in honor of the legendary naval commodore who helped found the nearby New York Naval Shipyard. 🚢
This historic park, located in the neighborhood of Fort Greene, was designed to be a communal space for activities and events of all types. Here you’ll find playgrounds, baseball fields, basketball courts, handball courts, an outdoor pool, and a large field best used for pick up footy, of course. 😉
There is also a public restroom located between the park’s fields and the playground. There are plenty of benches to relax on, as well, some of which are shaded by the park’s many trees.
Keep reading to learn more about this field space, and some important tips that you’ll want to keep in mind before you pull up. Click below to navigate to any particular section that you’re interested in! 👇
With a large field in between two baseball diamonds, Commodore Barry Park offers a large, multi-purpose field, big enough to host full-size 11v11 matches. ⚽️
Games here require a minimum of 14 players, so you can play anywhere between 7v7 to 11v11 here.
What sets games at Commodore Barry Park apart from other facilities? On the Plei App, we’ll be offering two hour matches, so you’ll have plenty of time to light up the pitch with your skills. 🤩
All of our pickup games that take place here are hosted thanks to a partnership with Brooklyn Pickup Soccer Club. Find them available on the Plei App today. 📲
The Plei App first hosted a pickup game at Commodore Barry Park on May 17, 2024, and we continue to play here today.
If you’re planning on driving, you can find parking on the Navy St and Park St sides of the park, as well as underneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway ramp, which is directly next to the parking spots on Park St. 🚗
Prefer to park in a garage? S+P Parking is the closest garage to Commodore Barry Park. 🅿️
If your taking the train, here are a list of stations that are in walking distance to the park:
DeKalb Av on the B, D, N, Q, R, and W lines. 🚃
High St on the A and C lines. 🚃
York St on the (F) and <F> lines. 🚃
If you’re taking the bus, the closest stop to Commodore Barry Park is Myrtle Ave/St Edwards St stop on the B54 bus. 🚌
Taking a Citi Bike? The most convenient Citi Bike station is on the corner of Nassau St & Navy St, catty-corner to Commodore Barry Park. 🚴♀️
In case that station is full, there is another Citi Bike station on Nassau St & Duffield St. 🚴♂️
Pickup games with Plei are held on the southside of Commodore Barry Park. The most convenient entrance can be found on Park St, which will take you straight to your new favorite football pitch.
Since you’re planning to visit Commodore Barry Park, it only makes sense to check out Building 92. This museum honors the history and innovation of the Brooklyn Navy Yard–the one that Commodore Barry helped build! 🛳️
A short ride on the R train from DeKalb St station (towards Forest Hills - 71 Av) will take you to Brooklyn Heights Promenade. This tree-lined walkway offers views of iconic New York sites like the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Manhattan skyline.🗽
If you’re also a basketball fan or you like attending concerts, Barclays Center is not too far from Commodore Barry Park! From DeKalb St station, take the R line towards Bay Ridge - 95 St and get off after three stops at Atlantic Av & Barclays Ctr. Home of the Brooklyn Nets, the Barclays Center is a hub for sports games, concerts and events for all demographics. Make sure to check out their calendar to see what awesome events are in town that week! 🏀
After a two-hour pickup game, you’re bound to get hungry. Don’t worry, we got your back! Here are three places in the area to grab a bite and re-energize:
Yes, we know this is a grocery store chain, but hear us out. Located across the street from Commodore Barry Park, Wegmans is the closest spot to grab a bite from the field. Wegman’s isn’t just any ol’ grocery store either. They’re known for offering Italian-style sandwiches with high quality meats, cheeses and freshly baked bread.
Wegman’s also has a pizza bar, sushi chef making rolls throughout the day, a hot food bar and a made-to-order salad bar. And don’t forget, you have the rest of the grocery store, filled with fresh fruit and delicious snacks as far as the eye can see. There is plenty of seating available, so if you choose to eat there instead of the park, you’ll have a comfortable place to enjoy your post-footy meal. 🌯
One can never have enough pizza, especially in this city. However, this time it’s a bit different, we promise! Located two blocks from the same York St station that we mentioned above, Love & Dough boasts some of the best Neapolitan pizza in the borough of Brooklyn. Neapolitan pizza is a style of pizza from Naples, Italy that is characterized by simple yet quality ingredients. It is known to be light, tender and moist, and is generally 10 to 12 inches. Made fresh daily with Caputo flour imported from Naples, Love & Dough’s pizza is the real deal. They are most known for their Margherita pizza, but also offer flavors like Love + Dough Pizza, which features truffle cream, portobello, mozzarella and prosciutto di parma.
Fun Fact: In order to make and sell Neapolitan pizzas, one must possess a certification from the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). The AVPN is an Italian Standardization Body whose chief aim is to protect the tradition of Neapolitan pizza by granting status to pizzerias that meet these strict requirements. 🍕
There are very few things in life better than the smell of fresh meat on a grill. Luckily for you, that’s the first thing you will smell upon arriving at the Chicken Stop!
Located three blocks from the DeKalb St station mentioned above, Chicken Stop is known for their quality chicken, ribs and burgers that are all grilled to perfection in the restaurant. Their citrus chicken recipe stems back three to four generations, originating in Latin America from their family’s barbeques. They also offer french fries, yellow rice, pinto beans, empanadas and mac & cheese.
Having opened in 2021, during a challenging time for restaurants, this spot thrived so much that it recently opened a second location. We know you’ll enjoy the food, just don’t forget to ask for their StopSauce. 🍗
Although it’s already a beautiful space, Commodore Barry Park is slated for renovations and constructions in 2025. The upcoming project will reconstruct the turf ballfields and add new sports lighting and a track around the ballfields. 🏗️
As for the top half of the park, the proposed plans include swapping the asphalt area for a multi-purpose lawn. There are also plans for a dog park, updated basketball courts, pickleball courts, new playgrounds and a fitness area. 🤝
The project for the new and improved Commodore Barry Park has passed the design phase and entered the procurement phase. NYC mayor Eric Adams has awarded a budget of $20.5m for construction work, so there will be massive improvements in the near future! 🫂
