Bar Akariba

77 1/2 North 6th Street
Brooklyn NY, 11211
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718.388.6160

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Hours: Wed-Sun 6pm-Midnight
Price: $$$
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Food/Menu: Japanese/Oysters
Booze: Full bar (specialized in sake)
Happy Hour: No
Menu: Click Here
Grub Street says:

Shaul Margulies and Motoko Watanabe, the couple that owns Zenkichi, have converted their Williamsburg izakaya’s backyard into Akariba, a 40-seat lounge specializing in what Margulies calls “the deadly combo of sake and oysters.” Once it opens next Thursday, it’ll feature a seasonally rotating ten-item menu of oysters (everything from Blue Points to Kumamotos), small bites such as grilled toro, and within the next weeks, sashimi prepared by Zenkichi’s chef Tetsuya Akikawa, who honed his sushi skills at Jewel Bako. Desserts will come form Zenkichi.

Most of the dishes (excluding the sashimi) will be priced from $5 to $10, and cocktails made from beer, wine, and sake (which will also rotate seasonally) will cost $8 to $11. We’re told Akariba translates to “the glow of a lantern in the dark,” and as you can see in our slideshow, the interior (capped by a glass ceiling) is every bit as sultry as its sister establishment. Reservations won’t be accepted — just find Zenkichi’s hidden door and Akariba’s is a little bit to your right. Listen for the jazz …

Time Out says

Husband-and-wife restaurateurs Shaul Margulies and Motoko Watanabe have added this izakaya-style bar in the backyard of their Williamsburg Japanese restaurant, Zenkichi. The glass-enclosed patio is outfitted with marble tables, cast-iron lanterns and an abundance of leafy plants. The cocktail list will have a Japanese bent, with hand-chipped ice and concoctions like a lavender lychee-tini, made with pureed lychee and shochu. The selection of 10 to 20 seasonally changing sakes, meanwhile, is meant to be paired with oysters, which are offered raw, grilled or sautéed, along with a limited selection of other small bites.

c/o Brooklyn Now

205 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.302.2035

Cuisine: Sushi
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Price: $$$
Hours: Sun 1pm-11pm; Mon-Thur 2:30pm-11:30pm; Fri-Sat 1pm-Midnight
Cards: All Major
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Brooklyn Now says:

Innovative Japanese cuisine featuring fresh seasonal gourmet creations. The traditional yet upscale interior lends to an enhanced dining experience. Ako has quickly become a Williamsburg must for sushi night out.

c/o Blackbook Mag

124 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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347.799.2743

Cuisine: American Nouveau
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: Moderately Priced
Hours: Tue–Sun 5pm–3:30am
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Delivery: Yes
Time Out New York says:

Chef-owner Nate Smith, who earned his gastropub stripes at the Spotted Pig, breaks out on his own with this laid-back Williamsburg tavern. The 47-seat space is done up with a reclaimed pine bar, vintage wallpaper in different patterns and brass-hunting-horn chandeliers with matching sconces. Choose from chefly bar grub (like smoked-trout spread or spicy pork-stuffed pastry rounds); heartier dishes (such as roasted lamb or shellfish stew); and greens (including a chicory salad with figs and pomegranate). The drinks list takes a locavore slant with small-production wines and craft beers on tap, plus a selection of market-driven cocktails.

The New York Times says:

With its half-timbered facade, this place would suit an English village. The chef, Nate Smith, formerly of the Spotted Pig, understands the gastropub genre. Much of the food is seasonal and inspired by the euro zone (sardines with sea salt, pork chop with chestnut spaetzle and onions). But it’s clear that Mr. Smith also picked up a British accent, with potted pork, corned beef and cabbage pie, malt-pickled onions, lamb-liver toast with marmalade, and gentleman’s relish (in other words, anchovies). A communal table can be reserved for groups of 8 to 12. “That’s where I’ll serve family-style dinners,” Mr. Smith said

c/o Flickr

179 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.599.4550

Cuisine: Pizza
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11am-2am
Booze: None
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
New York Mag says:

For Williamsburg hipsters who are slowly being priced out of their hood, Anna Maria’s provides a taste of the old days when thing were still cheap and authentic under the L train. Two dollars will buy a thickish slab of cheese pizza–slightly oily but better than average, and large enough to keep a hipster’s jeans safely around his hips. $3.50 will buy some more vitamins, in the form of a specialty slice topped with a veggie and/or meat combo. A soggy $4 calzone is worth it only if you need to fulfill your RDA of grease, but 8 smackers will buy a bona fide hot meal, like chicken cutlets or tortelloni, albeit on a disposable plate. All of this affordable nourishment is available late into the night, so starving artists, as well as crowds of drunken bar-goers, can fuel up whenever inspiration strikes.

Metromix says:

When the bars on Bedford Ave. let out, finding a post-debauchery nosh can be somewhat difficult. Enter Anna Maria Pizza, open until 2 a.m. on the weekends and 11 p.m. during the week. Heavy on the toppings and convenient to the L train, Anna Maria is difficult to refuse. For your more sober moments, try their hot lunch specials.

Aqua Santa

556 Driggs Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.9695

Cuisine: Italian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thur Noon-11pm; Fri Noon-midnight; Sat 11am-Midnight; Sun 11am-11pm
Booze: Beer and Wine
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
NY Mag says:

The name means “holy water” in Italian. But secular types shouldn’t read too much into that-any worshiping at Mario La Manno’s laid-back, candlelit trattoria is for his rustic Italian cooking-thin-crust pizzas, simple pastas, and entrees like a red-wine-and garlic-sauced pork tenderloin. And the holiest water on the premises comes in a bottle with a Calabria label.

Metromix says:

Acqua Santa claims to be the place where “gluttony is not a sin.” Their menu makes good on that promise. Choose from a wide selection of rich pasta and seafood dishes and moderately priced Italian wines. Their sumptuous garden, which is open all year, will make you feel you are relaxing at a rustic winery.

Aurora

70 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.388.5100

Cuisine: Italian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thu Noon-3:30pm (Lunch), 6pm-11pm (Dinner); Fri Noon-3:30pm (Lunch), 6pm-midnight (Dinner); Sat, 11am-4pm (Lunch), 6pm-Midnight (Dinner); Sun 11am-10pm
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here Delivery: Yes
Zagat says:

Tucked away in a isolated southeast corner of Williamsburg, this cozy brick- and wood-lined Italian has immediately become a take-out, delivery and drop-in boon for culinarily starved types who like its cheap prices and homemade pastas via a chef from Piedmont; the place has the feel of a branch of Max, which bodes well for its future.

NY Mag says:

Rome native Gaspare Villa named his rustic new restaurant after a favorite place in Tuscany. “I used to drive two and a half hours to get there,” he says. The trip to Aurora from Manhattan is much quicker, and well worth it for big bowls of chef Riccardo Buitoni’s maltagliati ragu. Not to mention, Villa now reaps the biggest benefit of a Brooklyn lease: a huge garden.

c/o Eater

131 Grand St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.7273

Cuisine: American
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Price: $$
Hours: Open 24 Hours
Cards: All Major
Booze: BYOB
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Time Out New York says:

Williamsburg night owls in search ofa 3am breakfast have a new option with the arrival of this 24-hour diner. In addition to the standard omelettes, there are a few wacky creations, like BBQ-shrimp pancakes and the Machete plate (mac and cheese with eggs). The massive menu is also vegan- and vegetarian-friendly—look for meatless burgers and meatballs made with spiced beets.

c/o Brownstoner

204 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.599.6599

Cuisine: Italian/Gourmet Pizza
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thurs 12pm-4pm (Lunch), 5pm-Midnight (Dinner); Sat 12pm-4pm (Lunch), 5pm-1am (Dinner); Sun 12pm-4pm (Lunch), 5pm-Midnight (Dinner)
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Time Out New York says:

Though its name means “hugs and kisses” in Italian, Baci & Abbracci carefully balances its grandma-style Italian rusticity with a Euro-chic sensibility. Subtle architectural touches, like saucer-shaped light fixtures and a chrome-furniture-filled back garden, lend the casual eatery a modern, space-age look. The old-world influences pop up in the kitchen. The bulging wood-burning oven (imported from Naples) evokes the homeland, and Sorrento native Francesco Mastellone tosses the pies. In addition to pizzas, the menu includes classic dishes like sauteed calamari and veal milanese. We especially liked the polpa e patate appetizer, meaty hunks of octopus and boiled potato slices tossed with slivers of zesty raw garlic, olive oil and plenty of parsley. We also enjoyed a sauceless pizza topped with chewy smoked mozzarella, strips of mild pancetta and caramelized onions. Unfortunately, the crust lacked the crispness of a perfect thin-crust pie. A dessert, torta di nonna, with custardy sabayon, chocolate-cream piping, and crushed, toasted pine nuts and pecans, was named for — you guessed it — grandma.

NY Magazine says:

Patrons of this casual, low-fanfare eatery can bank on a warm welcome, if not the kisses and hugs promised in the restaurant’s name. The decor is inviting, too, with rustic tables, a wood-burning pizza oven, marble countertops, and Italian tilework. Balancing confident panache with unpretentious ease, B&A isn’t edgy or superhip and doesn’t strive to be. The kitchen favors solid, well-crafted renditions of antipasto, pasta, and pizza, including the welcome familiars linguini with clam sauce and four-cheese pie (quattro formaggi). Antipasti, served in generous, easy-to-share portions, focus on fresh vegetables and shellfish, and set off richer sauced dishes like pasta with fennel in cream sauce and the visually ravishing violette di Parma, jewel-toned red beet gnocchi in cheese sauce. But pizza is the high point here: With crusts that are tender, chewy, and crispy in all the right places, these pies boast decision-defying toppings like smoked mozzarella, pancetta, and caramelized onions, and fresh bufala mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and arugula. Lucky locals say that this newcomer is sure to give the now-established Fornino, which opened in 2005, a hearty run for its well-beloved pie. Mangia bene, Williamsburg. Weekend brunch features frittatas and eggs Benedict along with eggs to order and a breakfast pizza, topped with tomato, mozzarella, egg, and diner’s choice of ham, sausage, or smoky pancetta. Recommended Dishes: Lattuga alla Trentina salad, $9; Baci & Abbraci pizza , $13; verdure ripiene, $11

c/o NY Mag

104 S. 4th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.237.7828

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Tue-Thu, Sun, 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat, 6pm-2am
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Food/Menu: Tapas
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: Tue-Thurs 6-pm buy one cocktail, get one free
NY Mag says:

Every so often, an establishment lands in a certain neighborhood like a flying saucer — and what Kurve was to the East Village, the tapas bar Bar Celona undoubtedly is to Williamsburg’s South Side. Cynthia Diaz, the 27-year-old owner, has worked with her mother (a designer) to turn a former glue factory into something vaguely akin to the meatpacking’s APT. What really shines here are the drinks by Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay of the Tippling Bros., who also put together the list at Mercadito Cantina. There are two commendable savory options: savory options: a “gazpacho” spiked with Akvavit, sherry, and yellow Chartreuse; and a Paellarhinha that contains cachaça and sherry, but tastes mostly like a fresh pepper thanks to red-pepper saffron syrup. Also interesting, if you don’t mind a bitter take on the old fashioned: a version of the drink made with grapefruit and non-aged whiskey (if you haven’t tried whiskey before it has been aged in the barrel, it’s as clear as white tequila and tastes vaguely like oyster).

Blackbook Mag says:

Owner and former fashionista Cynthia Diaz’s stylistic prowess informs unabashed, swanky décor. Crystal chandeliers, benches suspended from gold chains, animal print lounge chairs, glittery marble bar, and fireplace. Artisanal cocktails complement Spanish tapas with a Latin twist. Ideal spot to impress a first date or spice up a long-standing relationship. Ultra sexy drinks Muy Sucio, Missionary’s Position, and Murcielago sure to ignite fiery passion. Romance over delectables like shrimp al ajillo, braised oxtail, and mushroom and morcilla tostones.

c/o Brownstoner

45 Richardson Street
Brooklyn NY,11211
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718.599.1645

Cuisine: Brazilian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Tue-Thurs 5:30pm-12am, Fri 3pm-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-11pm. Brunch Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. Closed Mondays.
Booze: Full bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
NY Mag says:

Williamsburg’s Beco is located in a sort of Williamsburg-Greenpoint netherland, and the owners kept the place a neighborhood secret while getting it off the ground. Rather than a full-blown restaurant like Miss Favela, David Giddings says he and his partners envisioned it as a modest Sao Paolo boteco, where you can laze about while popping made-to-order pao de queijo and sip cocktails made with fresh passion fruit and pressed sugar cane. As Giddings describes it, the decor harks back to the days of Pele, and “doesn’t scream ‘Brazil’ in your face, but it’s more like what a boteco is — a real hangout.” You can hang there during brunch that includes acai and granola, omelettes, bife a cavalo (Brazilians refer to their steak and eggs as “steak on horseback”), and a feijoada that’s prepared over the course of two days by a Carioca chef, Casia Steinberg (Fabiane Lima, the Brazilian owner of Fabiane’s, also consulted on the menu).

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