c/o Thrillist

594 Union Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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347.529.4906

Cuisine: American Nouveau
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: Fairly Expensive
Hours: Daily 5pm-2am
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Delivery: No
Menu: Click Here
Time Out New York says:

Josh Cohen and Blair Papagni—the husband-and-wife team behind Anella, Calyer and Saint Vitus—expand their North Brooklyn holdings with this fifth venue. Teak Danish modern tables and upholstered teal banquettes decorate the 100-seat eatery, which also doubles as a late-night DJ lounge. In the evening, diners can order off the eclectic New American menu featuring raw-bar platters and dishes like baby artichokes with picholine olives and bottarga, tripe mole poblano with cracklings, and a BBQ black bass with cherry-tomato jam. Later at night, local DJs, like No Ordinary Monkey, take over decks, spinning a mix of roots, reggae, house and disco.

Thrillist says:

As you know from virtually every chips commercial ever, if your party spread sucks, your guests will harshly ditch you for whichever of your otherwise pathetic neighbors was thoughtful enough to stock Bugles. For a hard-partying place with optimal eats, get to The Bellwether, soft-opening this weekend, aiming to get hard on the 14th.

From the team behind Anella and Saint Vitus, Bellwether is aiming to be part restaurant, part successor to McCarren Park Pool Parties, a dual mission manifested in a “big, nice bar” that plays host to both iced bivalves and a DJ station (they feel compelled to tell you that the DJs will be clothed, but there’ll surely be oyster wardrobe malfunctions). Other locally purveyed nosh hits on NY’s various cultural flavors, and stretches from crackling-sided tripe mole poblano, to BBQ’d, cherry tomato-jammed black bass, a far more manageable meal than the white Baas’ 312lbs. Assisted by a booming back room, bashes kick off this weekend with Sat’s friends/family starring No Ordinary Monkey — whose promo materials involving sharks, rainbows, asses, and other asses make regular monkeys look even less cool — and Sun’s open Save Us Williamsburg shindig, the first of a bi-monthly which this time’ll feature Ron Like Hell & Ryan Smith’s mellow dinner tunes, followed by dancing and “Balearic Sunday jams”.

You’ll get fueled by “natural wines”, micro- and “uniquely brewed” suds, and the Sierra Nevada Righteous Rye/Dickel house boilermaker, because if anybody knows how to lay out an effective spread, it’s… Joe Tiller!

c/o NY Mag

593 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718-599-9899

Cuisine: Southern, American
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$$
Hours: Sat and Sun 11 am to 4 pm., Dinner Everyday 5:00 pm to 2 am
Booze: Beer and Wine
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
NY Mag says:

After a kitchen fire closed its original location in 2010, the Brooklyn Star is open in the former Lazy Catfish space. Cook Justin Burchill tells us that he and the rest of Joaquin Baca’s team have been working since last August to build the new restaurant. They’ve installed the old tables, chairs, and benches in a space that’s a bit bigger (there are about 75 seats in the dining room) and best of all, in possession of a liquor license. The downside: No woodburning oven, but the core of the menu is the same, with the addition of dishes like roasted veal marrow bones and a chilled grilled lobster tail. The full menu will be served from 5 p.m. till 2 a.m., and there’ll be a list of whiskey-heavy classic and classic-inspired cocktails from bar manager Simon Gibson.

c/o NY Mag

91 S. 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.599.3090

Cuisine: Barbecue/Asian Fusion
Our Rating: ★★★★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$$
Hours: Tue-Sun 4pm-Midnight; Closed Monday
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
NY Mag says:

Zak Pelaccio teamed up with former Hill Country pitmaster Robbie Richter and chef de cuisine Andrew Pressler to open this barbecue restaurant that marries the chiles and curries of Southeast Asia (especially Malaysia and Thailand) to fatty, sustainable meats (the lamb and pork is from Marlow & Daughters; the pork belly comes from Tamworth pigs) smoked over year-aged upstate oak. The big, bold mains are paired with light, acidic sides as well as smoky cocktails from beverage director Andrew Schuman. The space was designed by Pelaccio’s wife, Jori Emde, who employed materials, such as brick, reclaimed from his upstate farm, and includes a bar on the sunken first floor, with most seats on the upper level.

Blackbook Mag says:

Billyburg BBQ bro to equally obese crustacean sis. Fatty Crab’s Zak P. sprinkles his magical Malaysian spices on ‘cue smoked by Hill Country OG pitmaster. Texas vs. Southeast Asia: smoked-fish palm syrup pork spare ribs, American Wagyu brisket bao buns, coriander bacon x steamed yellow curry custard. Fixin’s veer less slaw, more noodles in meat juices, crudite of “rapid transit” charred veggies. Weathered triple-decker also offers swine chandelier, smoked-fruit fancy drinks à la “Foreplay Cock Tail,” the perfectly junior high complement to wet naps.

c/o Daily Candy

312 Graham Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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347.889.7002

Cuisine: American Nouveau
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: Fairly Expensive
Menu: www.gwynnettst.com/menu/
Website: www.gwynnettst.com
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Graham Ave.
Delivery: No
Time Out New York says:

Warm up by the fireplace with brick-oven-roasted plates at this seasonal New American restaurant, which takes its name from the onetime thoroughfare of old Williamsburg. Wd~50 alum Justin Hilbert presides over the kitchen hearth, dispatching plates like beef-rib cap with pickled bone marrow and parsley root, and Amish chicken served alongside sweet potato, turnips and dates. Carl McCoy, former wine director at Esca, sees to the beverage program, which includes ten draft beers (Brooklyn Brown, Greenport Duck Porter) and a mostly European selection of vino.

Grub Street says:

Another rustic gem opens in Williamsburg, with Gwynnett St. on Graham Avenue. The comforting-chic-Amish-chickeny-seasonal sweetheart is owned by Carl McCoy, former wine director at Esca, with Justin Hilbert, a wd~50 alum, as executive chef. One unique touch? Warm Irish soda bread with creamy cultured butter, served at every table! Gwynnett St. has 60 seats and is designed with (less unique, but still lovely) hardwood floors, communal tables, and exposed-brick walls.

c/o NY Mag

81 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.1441

Cuisine: American Nouveau, Seafood
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: $$$$
Hours: 11am-Midnight Daily
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.; J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
We say:

The best damn oysters in New York. Worth the trek to the out of the way location.

Shecky’s says:

With a sly wink amidst the gently flickering candlelight, your waiter presents oysters with Spanish wine and a subtle selection of freshly sliced gourmet meats and cheeses resting atop an array of soft bread. The intimate wooden room warms with light world music, and a mild breeze floats in through the tiny European-style organic market opening out onto the street. If you can’t score tonight, it’s time for some serious re-evaluating. Recently opened (March 2004) by the owners of the nearby Diner, this combo specialty store, wine bar, and secret shucking cellar was made with an eye for romance. On a misty night, the bridge hovers over like the ghost of a clipper ship. Oh, make your move already! This is an aphrodisiac with a business license.

One or Eight

66 S 2nd St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.2152

Cuisine: Japanese/Sushi
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Price: $$$$
Hours: Sun-Thu 6pm-Midnight; Fri-Sat 6pm-3am
Cards: All Major
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave. or Lorimer St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
New York Mag says:

Williamsburg’s very first ultra-high-end sushi restaurant boasts a slick white interior and a $40 omakase menu. For the less adventurous, there’s a conventional (but upscale) extended menu of sushi, sashimi, and kitchen entrees.

Time Out New York says:

Deep in the heart of Williamsburg, where the old-timey look is de rigueur, a minimalist place like 1 or 8—the second sushi project from the owner of Bozu—stands out. There’s the stark interior: calming and blindingly white. And the service: reverent, knowledgeable and doting without a hint of affectation. “Atelier of food” reads the restaurant’s confident tag line, and the message is clear: Pay attention, we’re about to blow your mind. Unfortunately, the food fails to back up the fanfare. The fusion menu, from co-chefs Kazuo Yoshida (Jewel Bako) and Atsushi Yokota, begins with a daunting selection of appetizers. On the night we visited, the rotating lineup of terrines included a crock of chalky chicken-liver mousse sealed with artificial-tasting clarified butter. Despite the good-on-paper combination of avocado, yuzu, mango and grapefruit in a lobster ceviche, the dish was unbalanced—so sweet-tart that it overwhelmed the subtle shellfish. Entrées were also seriously flawed. A sashimi platter certainly looked pretty, with its ruby akami, ridged hunks of octopus and coils of silver fluke. But piece after piece, the fish was dry and bland—far from top-shelf. That’s more than can be said for the uni, musty and sour urchin served in a hollowed-out cucumber. Hot dishes were equally off-putting: Pork belly served two ways (grilled over a bed of sauerkraut and deep-fried in a greasy batter) was really just served one way—gristly. Sushi restaurants rarely bring their A-game for dessert, and 1 or 8 doesn’t break the mold. Jiggly shiso flan worked only as a serviceable palate cleanser. The place does have one compelling draw—a tidy collection of rare Japanese beers, including the unusual Coedo Beniaka, made with sweet potatoes. Nutty and robust, it would pair beautifully with a hearty meal—if only we found something here worth eating.

c/o Grub Street

168 Wythe Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.388.8833

Cuisine: Seafood/Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$
Hours: Dinner/Brunch Hours TBD
Menu: www.rosaritofish.com
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Delivery: No
The Downtown Diaries says:

The moment we’ve all been waiting for… or maybe just I’ve been waiting for… Rosarito Fish Shack / Mezcal Tequila Bar officially opens today in the old Williamburg Cafe spot.  This Mexican pescaderia & cevicheria will be serving a variety of fresh seafood as well as Tequila, Sangria, and Micheladas.   I’m excited to have an alternative to the bourgeois Walter Foods and am even more excited for the…. wait for it… the FISH MARKET they will be hosting every Sat and Sun from 8AM -1PM.

Currently only open for dinner, this neighborhood first promises us brunch is coming.

Rye

247 S 1st St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
view map
718.218.8047

Cuisine: American Nouveau, American Traditional
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: $$$$
Hours: Sun-Thurs 6pm-11pm; Fri-Sat 11-4:30pm Brunch, 6pm-Midnight Dinner
Booze: Full bar
Subway: L to Lorimer Ave., J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
The New York Times says:

The chef Cal Elliott has been a significant part of the emerging Williamsburg, Brooklyn, dining scene, having cooked at both Dumont and at Dressler, where he and Polo Dobkin shared control of the kitchen. At Rye, which combines bistro classics with comforting finger food, he wears the dual hats of cook and owner, and shows that he has lessons to learn as a restaurateur. The opening-months menu was rife with misdirection and ambiguity, and Rye seemed ill-defined: was it a cocktail lounge with an especially long menu, or a proper restaurant with a cocktail fixation? Whatever the case, the kitchen sent out some real winners — a meat loaf sandwich more like a divinely messy sloppy Joe; gorgeous grilled duck; crisp, warm doughnuts — and the place has its considerable charms, including its sexy speakeasy aura.

Wallpaper says:

Difficult to find, this restaurant-cum-speakeasy is located on a quiet street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, tucked away under an awning that says “Southside Speakeasy Lounge.” Housed in what was a run-down bodega, thoughtful details like room partitions crafted from salvaged doors, hard wood floors, distressed leather banquettes, a 21-foot reclaimed mahogany bar, antique brass light fixtures, and pressed tin ceiling maintain a lived-in look but in a formulaic pre-Prohibition style.

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…)

Traif via Thrillist

229 S 4th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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347.844.9578

Cuisine: American Nouveau, BBQ
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$
Hours: Tue-Sun 6pm-2am; Brunch Sat-Sun 11:3oam-3pm
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
Blackbook Mag says:

Opened its doors on Shabbat, and that’s just the beginning. Gives a finger to G-d by celebrating shellfish and the fruits of the pig. Creative, eclectic small plates like pork and duck rillettes with rhubarb-peach marmalade, fried artichoke hearts and sea urchin, king crab béarnaise. Cocktailing gets equally frisky, try a sweet and sour Red Pearl with chili-infused vodka and muddled kiwi. Curving bar topped with okMitch mural, tight wood tables, sweet patio out back. Sacrilicious.

Citysearch says:

Bacon. Lobster. Flat iron steak served with king crab béarnaise with potato latkes. Run by a Jewish chef, and named after the Yiddish term for unkosher foods, Traif and its edible blasphemy is an outrage for the local Hasidic community and an outrageously delicious addition to the Williamsburg restaurant scene. The space is basic with a smattering of tables and a counter/bar overlooking the open kitchen; the food, however, is anything but. The menu reads like the cravings of a stoner with very sophisticated tastes–”Dude, what if we took foie gras, added ham, an egg, yams, maple gastrique and drizzled it with hot sauce?!”–though it’s actually a verboten love letter to all things traif by a very clear-eyed and talented young chef, Jason Marcus.