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 Grub Street

135 N. 5th St.
(Between Bedford and Berry)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.302.5151

Cuisine: Comfort Food/Breakfast Food
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: None
Price: $$
Hours: Mon-Tues 7am-3pm; Wed-Thurs 7am-1opm; Fri-Sun 9am-10pm
Booze: None
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
NY Times says:

A GOOD fried chicken is hard to find. Especially in New York City. But the fried chicken at Egg in Williamsburg, Brooklyn: it’s good. So good I watched a Southern-born friend devour nearly two whole portions in one sitting. So good he returned the next night with other ex-pats from Dixie for more. The biscuits it comes with are pretty much picture-perfect, too, and collard greens, obviously and righteously, round out the plate ($16). I prodded George Weld, Egg’s owner and one of its cooks, for his method. “I make it how my grandmother made it: shake it in a bag with flour and fry it.” (At further prodding, he admitted that he brines the birds beforehand, which Grandma didn’t do.) He said the first restaurant cook he’d seen frying chicken that way was Stephen Tanner, when Mr. Tanner ran the stoves at the former Pies ’n’ Thighs. They struck up a friendship and found out they share a favorite spot, Flip’s Barb-B-Que House in Wilmington, N.C., near Mr. Weld’s childhood home and Mr. Tanner’s grandparents’ place. Now Mr. Tanner cooks in Mr. Weld’s kitchen, and he helped develop the lunch menu Egg added last summer, including a sloppily overgenerous chorizo and egg torta and a very fine hamburger, and the new dinner offerings. (Egg used to share its space — a narrow, high-ceilinged spot on Fifth Street — with Sparky’s All-American Food, a hot dog operation that served lunch and dinner until its owners decided to focus on their Manhattan location last June and turned the space over to Egg.) Most of the dinner menu is guileless, direct and plain good eating. A hulking pork shank ($16), braised to a lacquered darkness, comes scattered with a mix of chopped garlic and herbs — like an informal gremolata — atop a mound of yellow Anson Mills grits. The kale and dumpling soup ($6) couldn’t be more simple — an alliance of greens, carbs and soothing, full-flavored broth — or better on a cold night. Other dishes are distinguished by the conscientious approach of the kitchen. The pimento cheese toast that is part of the “sample plate” ($10, also including a beet-pickled egg, a deviled egg and a pile of country ham shavings) is better than most because the kitchen makes it from scratch, with Grafton Cheddar cheese and freshly roasted peppers. The house version of Tater Tots — miniature hash browns that it serves at breakfast — accompany a good grass-fed rib-eye steak topped with blue cheese ($24). Fried nearly black, they are a blast of creamy, buttery pleasure in a crisp potato shell. A couple of dishes — fish over a hominy and root-vegetable stew ($18), and a bowl of freshly made pasta with mushrooms ($13) — missed their marks, but they were exceptions. Egg offers two desserts ($6), though there’s only one choice for me: a slab of golden yellow poundcake, toasted crisp and topped with lemon custard and vanilla ice cream. The dessert had its origins back in Mr. Weld’s family kitchen, just like the fried chicken. It was his mother’s favorite dessert, and on some mornings after she baked it, she’d serve it to young George for breakfast, toasted with and smeared with butter. “It was the luckiest breakfast to get,” he said. Now it’s come full circle. BEST DISHES Kale and dumpling soup; sample plate; fried chicken; duck and dirty rice; toasted poundcake.

Grub Street says:

It was an especially timely moment that Egg (which started serving lunch only last year) chose to open for dinner. The southern-style hole-in-the-wall has swooped in to fill the neighborhood’s fried-chicken void just as Pies-N-Thighs mourners start to recover from their mid-month farewell binges. George Weld’s partner in Egg, Steve Tanner, has a P-N-T pedigree so the deep-fried bird that will be available Thursdays through Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. (and includes a biscuit and collard greens) should prove a reasonable stand-in. The menu aims to be much more however, with appetizers like seared duck breast served with a celery root, fennel, and apple slaw and an entrée of braised pork, which comes over Anson Mills grits. You won’t find crisp-edged and properly dense doughnuts for dessert, but we think toasted homemade pound cake weighted down with vanilla ice cream and custard sauce is just homey enough to help you forget.

c/o NY Mag

560 Manhattan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
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718.349.3859

Cuisine: Southern/Bar
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-11pm; Sat-Sun 10am-11pm; Bar open daily until 4am
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: G to Nassau Ave, L to Bedford Ave
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
We say:

One of our favorite local bars. Plus they serve a great brunch and dinner. We had our misgivings since, well Enids is more of a bar than a restaurant, but surprisingly the food is great! One of the best — and crowded — brunches in the neighborhood.

Citysearch says:

When you think of Williamsburg–painters in splattered jeans, indie-rock kids, lots of Herzog fans–you’re basically thinking of Enid’s. Though it’s technically in an area that bleeds over into Greenpoint, this neighborhood bar plays home to all the characters who make Williamsburg so downright hip. Leavened with drinkers who are cool on the inside, it’s a comfortable stop for all. Enid’s is exceptionally large for a New York bar. On weeknights, there’s plenty of room to wiggle around; on weekends the crowd will keep your wiggling to a minimum. The flea-market couches and scattered tables and chairs make up the understated decor, though a big wall-hanging camel made out of gold sequins adds flair. Also check out the consistently bumping pinball machine and even a bowling game. Drink-wise, Enid’s keeps it simple, with an adequate stock of liquors at fair neighborhood-bar prices.

c/o City Guide

295 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.387.1919

Cuisine: Vegan Fast Food
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Sun-Mon 11:30am-11pm; Tue-Thurs 11:30am-midnight; Fri-Sat 11:30am-2am; Sun 11:30am-11pm
Booze: None
Subway: L to Bedford Ave. or Lorimer St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
City Guide says:

The online manifesto of this vegan restaurant is stuffed like a punching bag with utopian slogans. It pledges, for example, “to provide free food for workers on strike.” It would be funny to see a picket line of hungry Teamsters take these idealists at their word. There’s nothing like a mock beef quesadilla or a no-chicken cutlet sandwich to take the edge off a hard day spent fighting the man. But whatever your tastes, there’s no denying the good intentions behind the solid vegan cooking at this cheery, brightly painted Williamsburg cafe. The menu warns that the faux bones in their faux chicken are not for eating and “may present a choking hazard to children and the elderly.” More importantly, the owners recognize that though meat can be murder, it also has unbeatable texture and mouth-feel. They do their best to replicate the joys of fast food, skimping only on the milking and the slaughtering.

NY Mag says:

Imagine the snack bar at the local ice rink in the town where you grew up: the friendly bar where you ordered; the garish décor; the plastic trays and baskets; the laminated tables and booths; and the greasy fried food, too-sweet soda, and impossibly thick milkshakes. Now imagine that spot without any signs of actual meat or dairy products and situated in dripping-with-irony Williamsburg and you’ve got yourself Foodswings, the greasiest vegan spoon in town. They manage to create some convincing deep-fried favorites out of soy products. The typical snack bar fare—hotdogs, hamburgers, nachos—is augmented by salads and lighter sandwiches, and the novel “milk” shake flavors, like peanut butter and jelly and pistachio, give McDonalds a run for its money. The “chicken” drumsticks in Buffalo, barbecue, and Southern-fried versions particularly impress, approximating their free-range equivalent in taste and texture—though diners should beware the chopstick-like bone at their center.

Life Cafe

983 Flushing Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11206
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718.386.1133

Cuisine: Comfort Food/Bar Food/Vegetarian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: $
Hours: Sun-Thurs 1oam-midnight; Fri-Sat 10am-1am
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Morgan Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
NY Mag says

Just as the original East Village Life Cafe was a haven for that neighborhood’s early gentrifiers, Brooklyn’s Life Cafe 983 caters to the new crop of young artists skulking about the otherwise industrial neighborhood of Bushwick,. Part cafe, part local bar, Life is an oasis on dismal Flushing Avenue that offers hearty, healthful meals that fit the budgets of the local creative set. The menu has slight Mexican influences and the mega burrito ($5.95), turkey club ($5.95) or Chili Q’s (scrambled eggs with tortillas, cheese, salsa, rice and beans, $5.25) pack enough punch to fuel an entire day at the easel. The internet jukebox, rotating display of Brooklyn artists on the deep red walls, and live performances provide atmosphere without the straining self-consciousness of other hipster hangouts.

Blackbook Mag says:

Spinoff of Rent-inspiring East Village original, totally fitting since this nabe approximates the EV of yore. From sunup to sundown, keeps the food steaming and the drinks flowing. Perfect for brunch or late-night bites. Often busy, pick up free eavesdropping alongside your grub.

c/o Yelp

700 Manhattan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11226
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718.383.2820

Cuisine: American/Diner
Our Rating: ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 6am-7pm
Booze: None
Subway: G to Nassau Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
We say:

A quick stop for breakfast and lunch items such as bagels, omelets, sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, etc.; catering available.

Metromix says:

A notch above your average diner (the walls here are bright and cheerful; the waitstaff still young and full of hope), Lite Bites is that rare place where carnivores and vegetarians can live in harmony. Burgers and gyros share a menu with big, healthy salads, granola and yogurt cups, and grilled vegetable wraps.

c/o NY Mag

361 Graham Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.387.1245

Cuisine: American Traditional/American Nouveau
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$
Hours: 11am-11pm Daily
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Graham Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
Zagat says:

‘Best of Brooklyn 2008′: Located in Brooklyn’s trendy Williamsburg, Oak Wine Bar & Café offers an intimate setting where rustic and fine food come together. Seasonal menus prepared daily using locally made and fresh market ingredients with an emphasis on Romance fare.

NY Mag says:

With seating for only eight pairs and a kitchen smaller than you’d find in a Manhattan apartment, this Mediterranean sliver of a restaurant guarantees an intimate dining experience. Originally conveived as a catering company, Oak only opened to the public in this narrow brick-and-bottle lined space in 2007. The menu highlights local, artisan and organic ingredients while taking inspiration from Spain, Portugal, Germany and France to parallel a European winelist. There are cheese boards and charcuterie plates, a mix and match bruschetta bar (the roasted grapes, shallots and goat cheese makes for a tasty combination), and entrees from stomach-fortifying drunken ribs with greens and mashed potatoes to eclectic fare like chicken rollatini with green beans and couscous. Recommended wine pairings accompany each item, but co-owner/sommelier Paula Maia is eager to field questions from behind the bar. Cliché desserts like crème brulee and flourless chocolate cake are more than well-executed. A fig tree drapes over the outdoor patio for grazing and tippling in warmer weather.

c/o NY Mag

248 McKibbin St
Brooklyn, NY 11206
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718.628.5470

Cuisine: Sandwiches
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Mon 8am-3pm; Tue-Fri 8am-9pm; Sat-Sun 9:3oam-11pm
Booze: Beer and Wine
Subway: L to Montrose Ave.
Delivery: No
NY Mag Says:

Economics and rent stabilization issues may consign New York’s latest crop of aspiring artists to Bushwick, but at least they don’t have to trek to Williamsburg for a quick bite or jolt of java—or even an art show or live jazz. aka Potion, housed in a former industrial space, offers these necessities with bare-bones simplicity and winning grace. Although its steep steps and dim cavernous interior still suggest that it’s all warehouse, the cafe’s comfy couches, casual tables, and raid-the-fridge menu make it more of a clubhouse. In addition to croissants, bagels, and cake-textured muffins, the menu offers a handful of fresh, sturdy sandwiches like turkey and brie on a substantial French roll, a hummus panini, and a sharp cheddar-and-pesto croissant. The bar serves strong organic coffee, serious tea, and a selection of wine, beer, and mixed drinks. The atmosphere is loose and laid-back, and the cafe doubles as a gallery and performance space for its neighbors. With this unpretentious little haven so close at hand, the fresh-faced urban-outfitted Bushwick kids aren’t missing out on much at all.

Citysearch says:

Small cafe serves artsy clientele organic, fair trade coffee, tea, beer, pastries and more, with rotating art exhibits and Wi-Fi.

Willburg Cafe

623 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.963.0219

Cuisine: Coffee Shop/American Traditional
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Wed-Sun 10am-10pm
Booze: None
Subway: G to Greenpoint Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
We say:

Although the decor is a bit rough around the edges, Willburg Cafe is one of our favorite local spots. The breakfast is inexpensive and tasty, our favorite is the egg white platter. Willburg Cafe makes their bread from scratch which is a plus considering the most expensive item on the breakfast menu is $9. The pancakes (buttermilk or whole wheat) are tasty and come with tons of fresh fruit. The lunch and dinner items include many different types of soups, sandwiches, and salads. The coffee is decent, and the waitstaff are extremely nice. The only complaint we have is the fact that they charge for jam which we find unnecessary.

Gridskipper says:

The name bugs me for some reason, but the Willburg Cafe is a clean and friendly sandwich shop that’s big on comfort food and convenience. Have yourself an old-fashioned … tuna melt, or get jiggy with the chicken parmesan. And you can bring your own booze if you like.