c/o NBC New York

79 Berry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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Cuisine: American Nouveau
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Phone: 347.599.1381
Cards: All Major
Price: $$
Hours: Mon-Sun 7:30am-Midnight
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
Metromix says:

Formerly the Vietnamese restaurant Silent H, this charming corner shop is giving caffeine-addled Williamsburg residents just what they need: more coffee. They have a takeout window, so you can get your java fix without even having to enter the store. Better yet (drumroll for coffee lovers), the coffee is Stumptown! The best part of waking up for those in the know about coffee beans is this local roaster (also served in the ACE Hotel). The interior of the spot runs with the Paris bistro vibe, and there is a dining room in the back where you can enjoy snacks like scones and bacon-and-egg sandwiches on perfectly flaky brioche. With a casual vibe and tasty java, you’ll want to drink coffee all day. Oh wait, you already do that. How about a decaf?

NBC New York says:

The new Williamsburg bistro from former Silent h owner Vinh Nguyen, Hotel Delmano partner Zeb Stewart, and two other as-yet-undisclosed partners opened this morning at 79 Berry Street to serve breakfast and lunch. Dinner service takes off in two weeks so until now the takeout window on North 9th Street serves Stumptown coffee and breakfast pastries starting at 7:30 a.m. and doors open for sit-down service from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Diners were already trickling into the attractive space today, which echos the relaxed French-colony aesthetic of Hotel Delmano next door and Cafe Gitane in Nolita.

c/o Metromix

436 Union Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.218.8770

Cuisine: Pizza/Italian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $
Hours: Mon-Sun Noon-Midnight
Booze: Beer and Wine
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
Metromix says:

The pizza at Graham Avenue’s Carmine’s proved so popular that the owners decided a sequel was in order. And thus, Carmine’s II was born. Unlike Hollywood, this second offering is just as good as the original. How could it not be when they’ve got the pizza? Carmine’s: The Sequel delivers the same gourmet pan pies that made the original a hit. The lasagna option is topped with meatball and ricotta, and the pizza alla maya loads on the grilled chicken, portabella, roasted peppers and smoked mozzarella. They’ve also got a number of pastas and other Italian dishes. It’s nothing too fancy, but they have you covered if you need a chicken parm fix. This location even improves on the original: They’ve got a small garden in the back where you can slurp up the marinara sauce in the open air. Perhaps a trilogy is in order?

Citysearch says:

The third location of the well-loved New York chain, this Carmines serves up the same hearty Southern Italian cuisine. Fill up on the generous portions of pizza and pasta, and take advantage of the outdoor seating in the Carmines II garden.

c/o L Magazine

633 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.387.1029

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Fri, 4pm-4am; Sat-Sun, 2pm-4am
Subway: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: None
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: None
Metromix says:

When you’re chillin’ in the ‘Burg and need a hit of moonshine (which is always), this country-western bar is your go-to spot. Lady Jay herself would be proud of this low-key dive, as she was a renowned bathtub spirits-maker back in the day. Located on Grand Street, the bar proudly displays some backwoods grit with a neon PBR sign, recycled wood and deer mounted on the wall. There’s an outdoor patio that will make the hipsters happy during warm weather, and a jukebox stocked with tunes from cowpoke like Wayland Jennings. And then, there’s the moonshine. No longer illegal, the bar pours “white-dog” from the Buffalo Trace Bourbon distillery. This clear liquid is what whiskey is made from, and it can strip paint off the walls. Saddle up to the bar, and see if you’re country enough to down some. If you need a chaser, they do a special called the Popcorn Sutton. It’s $7 for a PBR and a shot of the white lightning. Yee haw!

Shecky’s says:

It’s 4pm, classic country-western is blaring from the jukebox, and a row of bikers is lined up at the bar, nursing their moon-shine. Just another typical bar in…Williamsburg? The hipster world capital finally has a good, old-fashioned honky-tonk, and it’s none too soon. At Lady Jay’s, you’ll find no herb-infused cocktails, but you will find a solid list of drafts and cans ($3-$6) and a crowd that won’t judge your weekday afternoon whiskey fix. American flags, animal horns, and kitschy signs (“Next time bring your wife”) conjure the confederate states with just enough irony to assure you’re still in a blue one. The youngins in trucker hats come teeming in later in the evening, allured by a shuffleboard arcade game, an expansive wooden patio, and large booths perfect for shooting the shit with friends. Even those who prefer Wyclef to Willie will find Lady Jay’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood’s repertoire.

c/o Examiner.com

667 Lorimer St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.388.8693

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Mon-Sun 5pm-4am
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: None
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: 5-8pm Daily $4 Select Beers, $6 red, white, or sparking wine
Citysearch says:

Every au-currant establishment in New York is required to have a retro look, but this bar takes it back further with Victorian furniture, a marble fireplace and an antique wooden birdcage; you half expect to find a dish of Werther’s Originals on the table. Despite the grandma’s-living-room feel, the bar is full of the kind of tattooed people she’d never let you hang out with, plus a pool table. It’s sort of a cocktail bar–jalapeno tequila with black currant and lime juices; rum, orange blossom and lemonade; rosemary bourbon, ginger and lime, etc.–though none of the drinks have more than three ingredients, meaning no 20-minute wait per cocktail. There are also six wines, by the glass only, and while the beer list is mostly mainstream stuff like Amstels and Coronas, local beers from Six Points and Brooklyn Brewery get some love.

Metromix says:

The name of this Greenpoint watering hole ups your expectations for an evening of drink. If you stop here, it can’t just be a night of so-so, or a night of whatever. At Night of Joy, you will feel joy. Or else. The joy may come when you shoot a game at their pool table, which is tucked into a nook by the bar. Or, maybe you’ll get your joy in with some of their cocktails— the cilantro Bloody Mary offers a nice pick-me-up, while the orange blossom rum lemonade might as well be called joy juice. If you’re still not feeling it, head up to the bar’s rooftop patio, which features a few scattered chairs and views of the BQE (hey, any outdoor vista is nice after a few stiff ones). Still not awash with joy? Settle in and make it a night of tipsy—you’ll find the joy soon enough.

c/o NY Mag

224 Franklin St
Brooklyn, NY 11222
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718.349.6727

Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Thu 3pm- 2am; Fri 3pm-4am; Sat Noon-4am; Sun Noon-2am
Subway: G to Greenpoint Ave.
Food/Menu: Bar Snacks
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 3pm-7pm All draft beers and all well liquors are $3.
NY Mag says:

Converting this rundown warehouse into Greenpoint’s chic-est lounge was a labor of love for Diane Foley and Allen Welch (former bartender at LIC’s Lounge 47). The pair hand-poured and polished the long concrete bar and personally selected the minimalist décor—and their premium bourbons, scotches, tequilas, and rare European liquors like the Czech bitters Becherovka are what you’d expect of such a sleek space. But they know the neighborhood, and the twelve microbrews on draft, including locally-brewed Six Point Sweet Action Ale, are only $6. The cavernous, 2,500 square-foot room is lined with large, low ottomans and rotating art installations, and flat screens recessed into the walls loop animé and The Triplets of Belleville.

Time Out New York says:

Greenpoint’s luxurifaction accelerates with this Chelsea-sleek lounge in a converted warehouse. The cavernous space embodies minimalism, with modular brown and blue furniture, cinder-block walls and a long, lacquered-cement bar, where condo owners and bike messengers alike sip three-buck Brooklyn and Sixpoint pints (daily 4–7pm). Enjoy both high- and lowbrow booze—specialty spirits like absinthe are available, as is a $15 “bucket of crap,” containing an assortment of canned swill such as Keystone and Schlitz.

The Bedford

110 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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Cuisine: American Nouveau
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$$
Hours: Mon-Sun 8am-4am
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave., G to Nassau Ave.
Delivery: No
Metromix says:

This Williamsburg farm-to-table restaurant wasn’t modest when they decided on a name. The surprisingly chic spot’s moniker, The Bedford, is of course coined from the street that has come to define Williamsburg. It’s easy to see how this North Side spot might come to epitomize everything that’s so excellent about the ‘Burg dining scene. They’ve got a fresh, New American menu with drool-worthy options like pasture-raised burger with gorgonzola and a free-range half chicken. An impressive cocktail list complements the food — anyone who uses Green Chartreuse in their drinks is A-OK in our book (try the cactus cooler). And what would any Bedford hotspot be without a kick-ass bar scene? The Bedford obliges with a back space bedecked with low lighting and lush-looking leather couches. With breakfast service promised in the near future, this is going to be your one stop spot for three meals (and countless drinks) a day.

(more…)

The Bodega

24 St. Nicholas Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11237
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646.924.8488

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Sun-Thurs 5pm-1am; Fri-Sat 5pm-2am
Subway: L to Jefferson St.
Food/Menu: Bar Snacks
Booze: Beer and Wine Only
Happy Hour: No
Blackbook Mag says:

Bushwick reaches the wine bar stage of urban development. Bodega as in “wine cellar,” not as in sketchy corner spot for smokes and Slim Jims — Spanish bar culture is a major inspiration here. Small plates for nibbling on charcuterie, crostini. Wine-red wall behind the bar to get you in the mood for well-chosen Spanish, French, Italian vintages. Small batch brews imported from Belgium. Flattering light from dangling bulbs makes for good date nights sans Manhattan hassles.

Metromix says:

When residents of Bushwick make a run to the corner bodega, it’s apparently not just for the Sunday paper. The word “bodega” also designates a winery in Spain and South America, and wine bar The Bodega lives up to its moniker by serving up vino to a casual crowd of neighborhood drinkers. The list focuses on Spanish wines, with a smattering of selections from Argentina, Chile and other new world locales. Belgian ales are available for the beer drinkers, and they make sure to give a shout out to hometown growers with a few New York state vintages. Exposed lightbulbs provide soft lighting, and the darkwood floors soak up the hum of friendly conversation. The vibe is made even friendlier by the cheap prices: There’s a red available for a mere $5 a glass, with plenty of other options coming in underneath the $10 mark. With the quality Spanish wine and a chill environment, this is one bodega run you’ll want to make often.

c/o L Magazine

366 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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Cuisine: American Nouveau/Bar Snacks
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$
Hours: Sun-Thurs 4pm-Midnight; Fri-Sat 4pm-1am
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave. or Lorimer Street.
Delivery: No
Citysearch says:

With its distinctly small-town feel–swiveling bar seats, Denny’s-style booths, fish mounted on the wall–this bar should make any Midwestern transplant feel right at home. In keeping with its aim to be a simple, neighborhood bar, the Commodore’s drink list hails from Anywhere, USA, with classic cocktails from Tom Collins to Hurricanes, frozen drink machines and a standard lineup of beers and hooch. It’s the kitchen, though, that’s the real surprise, with Pies ‘n’ Thighs alum Steven Tanner turning out one of the best burgers in Brooklyn, excellent fried chicken and other well-priced all-American grub (from $7 burgers to $6 asparagus and ramps).

NY Mag says:

The Commodore’s current clientele seems drawn in, in large part, by the kitschy cocktails (the house drink is a piña colada with an amaretto float) and cheap beer, the weekend D.J. (recently, the funk-and-soul stylings of the excellent Mr. Fine Wine), and the festive vibe. There are video games and one of those faceless cardboard cutouts depicting King Kong and Fay Wray, popular among carnivalgoers. But for the U.G., the food’s the thing, no matter how many hoops it’s necessary to jump through to get at it, including elbowing your way to the bar to place an order, starting a tab or settling up at once, and claiming some precious real estate. (The four back-room booths—where the U.G. joined a bunch of burger aficionados, a Hells Angel or two, and a pair of grown men binge-drinking fruity pink cocktails one recent night—are your best bet.)

When that chicken arrives, it’s a looker: three substantial thighs to a plate, with hot sauce, tender mini-biscuits, and honey butter. It’s hot and juicy, with a craggy crust that crackles resoundingly when you bite into it, the way a good croissant does. In short, it’s among the best fried chicken in town. But there is much more to Tanner’s brief menu. There is, for instance, the “adult cheese” sandwich, a pimento-and-poblano assemblage of such perfect creamy, crispy texture and rich, tangy flavor that it might be too fine to waste on the neighborhood’s booming toddler population. Other elevated pub grub includes a vinegary pulled-pork sandwich, a towering, satisfying, and well-dressed burger, first-rate fries, and two soupy stews: a fragrant green-chile posole with chicken, and the “black-eyed pea surprise!,” in which a biscuit or hunk of cornbread is drowned in legumes.

Tanner must have the vegetarian-locavore constituency in mind with plates like springy sautéed rainbow chard and snap peas with hard-cooked egg. A terrific “Saltie” potato salad mingled with pimentón-spiked mayo and strewn with parsley is not particularly salty but a tribute to his friends at the sandwich shop down the block. Even the chicken tacos—swaddled in double soft-corn tortillas and garnished with onion and cilantro—make a lasting impression.

Down-home and delicious, melding southern, Mexican, and (though he might shudder at the term) New Brooklyn Cuisine, Tanner’s cooking raises the bar-food bar. Take that, Applebee’s.