* Bahía
CUISINE: Salvadoran
ADDRESS: 690 Grand Street, Brooklyn NY 11211 (near Graham Ave.)
PHONE: 718.218.9592, 718.218.6081
HOURS: Daily, lunch and dinner - open until 10pm
CARDS: all major
BOOZE: Beer and Wine Only
ENTREES: $12-$18
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Graham or Grand
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: Yes
WEBSITE: www.bahia-restaurant.com
WE SAY: Our favorite under-the-radar restaurant Bahía was featured on the Food Network recently and we were delighted to see them finally get some props. If you haven't tasted their pupusas yet, run out now and try them. (Pupusa are yummy corn pancakes filled with cheese, pork, etc). Their cerviche is also always fresh and delicious. Never had Salvadoran food? Do yourself a favor and try Bahía before everyone else discovers it. The atmosphere is bland, but the food is amazing.
Note - the pasta dishes are ok, but are mainly included to please the heavily italian neighboorhood. Stick to the Salvadoran food.
From City Search "Rows of glass-topped, red-tableclothed tables stretch back to the rear of the brightly lit space, whose white walls hold a few seafaring decorations--a boat painting here, a captain's wheel there. The small wooden bar and counter up front incorporate a wine rack and dessert display. Neighborhood friends and families spread out with plenty of room to spare. The best surprises on the El Salvadorean menu are the appetizers. Pupusas, filled with pork, beans, chicken or cheese, are sumptuous pancakes bursting with the flavor of fresh corn. The simple corn tamale comes with a mild homemade sour cream, and the inexpensive enchiladas, prepared with expertly spiced strips of beef, could easily serve as an entree. Main dishes, such as the sirloin steak, are less robust, but the enormous mixed seafood grill, including stellar shrimp, salmon, calamari and mussels, stands out. Finish with a lovely flan."
From NYMetro "Packed with a crowd that looks like it knows El Salvadorian food, Bahia serves authentic dishes just a few L stops out of Manhattan. You can imitate the regulars' practice of drinking Corona mixed with tomato juice, but a bottle of El Salvadoran Suprema beer is really the best complement to savory pupusas (filled with meat or zucchini and cheese). The sweetness of Bahia's fried plantains is balanced perfectly with their outstanding homemade sour cream, though fresh seafood dishes are a welcome contrast to the fried appetizers—particularly the delicious shrimp ceviche. If you're really hungry, the platos tipicos (which all include steak) will easily satisfy any appetite, but save room for flan: the ample portion is a sweet deal at only $2. --Amy Allison"
From NY Times"Corn is the keystone of the Central American culinary universe, as is clear if you visit a Salvadoran restaurant like this bright and airy place. Although the extensive menu includes hamburgers and spaghetti puttanesca, the specialties are typical Salvadoran dishes like pupusas, corn pancakes that serve primarily as a vehicle for conveying the satisfying flavors of small amounts of meats and vegetables, which are stuffed into the center of the pancake. Corn shows up in many other dishes, like Salvadoran chicken tamales. Other dishes, even those without corn, can be fabulous, like a mess of fried yuca with chunks of fried pork. Bahia does not serve alcohol, but don't pass up horchata, a sweet iced rice drink with cinnamon and cocoa that has a wonderful, almost malty flavor..
Other recommended dishes: Sopa de res, empanada de leche"
Comments
Get the seafood soup. Seriously. The rest of the food I've tried here I didn't think was that great.
Posted by: DanB | April 26, 2008 07:43 PM
I just got back from dinner there. I absolutely love the restaurant. I am about to leave williamsburg and this is one of the places I will miss the most. if you are in the area you should definitely try it out!!
Posted by: brit | April 15, 2007 04:11 AM
MMMMM... the queso pupusas are so yummy, also the tamale with cream-excellent. I've had great food here and it's a nice family atmosphere!!
Posted by: sarah | September 24, 2006 11:57 AM
Who are these mother****ers who keep posting about great pharmacies and F***ing hockey (which BTW is a porn site if you follow the link)? Even a neighborhood bulletin board isn't safe from web spam. Sigh. Who else thinks we should get this crap off here so the rest of us can find helpful reviews about local restaurants?
Posted by: Galen | July 26, 2006 10:23 PM
maybe you gave your girlfriend food poisoning. tasty
Posted by: jane esparza | July 6, 2006 11:13 PM
Tasty, modest food - bordering on bland but hearty and fairly priced. Prepared with care. Service, atmosphere mediocre at best. The pupusas really are incredibly tasty snacks. I'll go again. Cheap beer too.
Posted by: JK | June 10, 2006 04:10 AM
The food was okay, but my girlfriend got food poisoning from the seafood she had there. I suppose it could happen anywhere, but it actually happened here.
Posted by: Angela | June 7, 2006 06:00 PM
Went there yesterday, and we got sooo much food. The pupusas are unbelievable, then we had the corn and chicken tamale, followed by the fried plantains (you just can't stop eating them, they are just the best), and the seafood sopa. Even their chocolate milkshake was awesome. And for less than $30 for two people, including taxes and tips, i couldn' help but wonder.
Where was i eating before?
Posted by: Lily | June 1, 2006 01:23 PM
its like you took a trip to the best kitchen down south! really good food and great service. nice and clean!
Posted by: lala | January 11, 2006 04:34 AM
wonderful brothers owned eatery--who you should give your business to; in addition to great salvadorean, they have a weekly lunch special menu--6 choices, different M-F for $6.00 or less. A great buy.
Posted by: sandy | December 28, 2005 05:47 AM