IMAGE: vivianjohnson.com

If the barroom looks a little empty stepping into Ducketts Public House (825 N Killingsworth St., 289-1869), don’t let that scare you away: The action’s usually out on the back patio. In a genius move, the owners of Ducketts moved the bar’s pool table outside for the summer, and the combination of sun, $5 pitchers of PBR (served all day, mind you) and billiards makes for the perfect lazy Sunday afternoon. Inside it’s a bit dark, but cozy, and filled with a mix of entertainment (four pinball machines; Ms. Pacman; one of those fancy digital jukeboxes that has just about every Alien Sex Fiend song ever recorded), silly decorations (a dollar bill with a “b” and “r” scrawled on opposite ends of the “one”) and an impressively stocked bar. In fact, Ducketts claims to have 96 bottles of booze and 10 beers on tap, ranging from old staples like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale ($3.50/pint) to a refreshing seasonal Alameda Hef—which goes down nicely with an order of Reuben fries, smothered in Thousand Island dressing and sauerkraut. For a new spot, Ducketts sure gets things right.