Black Betty
CUISINE: Mediterranean
ADDRESS: 366 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
at Havemeyer St.
PHONE: 718.599.0243
HOURS: Daily, 6pm-4am
CARDS: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
BOOZE: Full Bar
HAPPY HOUR: Daily, 6:30pm-9pm; $3 margaritas and Brooklyn lagers, $5 mojitos
AVERAGE ENTREE: $10
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Lorimer or Bedford
DIRECTIONS: Walk beneath the BQE on Metropolitan Avenue for about 2 1/2 blocks. Black Betty will be on your left, just before Havemeyer Street.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: Yes
PAPER MAG SAYS: "Though Black Betty doesn't look like much from the outside, once you're inside you feel transported to a dive bar in Casablanca. Pumpkin-colored walls and eclectic appointments like an I Dream of Jeannie horseshoe-shaped couch and tapestries add to the cozy environment. The vibe is carried to fruition by an adjacent restaurant that prepares 'nouvelle Middle Eastern' fare. Black Betty attracts all walks of life, making it the perfect spot to soak up booze and Brooklyn-by-way-of-Marrakech bohemia alike."
From New York Magazine
"Like a humble band, Black Betty must note that its greatest strength is its fanbase. Happily, the crowd is sans attitude, a welcome alternative to nearby Stinger Club's sweaty late-night pageantry. DJs spin an educated mix of funk and rock, but a sultry Moroccan theme and stiff drinks are often to blame for the common outbursts of dancing among would-be wallflowers. An impressive menu of Middle-Eastern fare is only a room away, and although heavy, it provides a civilized reprieve from a night of drinking, dancing, and debauchery. --Allegra Muzzillo"
From City Search
"The combination could be called "trashablanca." Cozy touches like pumpkin-colored walls adorned with henna-patterned sconces strangely complement bordello details like the beaded curtain that separates the sit-down dining area from the sexy and sofa-filled bar-lounge. Inside, find cute, friendly hipsters from the hood, devouring Middle Eastern mezze like "pitza," a crunchy, toasted pita-turned-pizza with assorted toppings. Aural pleasure can be found at the occasional live music or DJ nights—or on the jukebox."
From NY Times
"Although Black Betty is popular with locals, it's easy to miss. The only sign out front says Don Diego's (a remnant from the previous tenant, a divey nightclub). The transition from divey club to divey bar seems to have been pretty smooth. The space's new decor, with its gold arched ceilings and votive candles, seems to aim toward Moroccan but ends up more reminiscent of a Mexican bordello. You can spot a couple of tough characters from the Don Diego days among the boys and girls with bike messenger bags dancing to the jukebox, tunes which lurch unpredictably from Bratmobile to Barry White to tango. The bartender serves strong mixed drinks for $3.75 a pop, and by two in the morning the crowd emits a happily drunken hum. The whole effect is more sleazy than anything else, but not unpleasantly so. Black Betty features live performances most of the week (jazz, funk and lounge on Mondays; "Garbage Night" on Tuesdays [see below]; rotating DJ's on Wednesdays). Call for details. - Maya Kremen."
Comments
The one time I went the food was good, but they were playing music in the dinning area and the kitchen was playing totally different music so loudly that the two mixed to a perfect cacophony. It was so unpleasant that I don't think I'll ever go back. I mean, there are plenty of places serving quality North African food in nyc. What the hell were they thinking?
Posted by: DanB | April 26, 2008 08:00 PM
I offended by the delivery portions. 15 dollars for two frozen hors devours, rubbery calamari and crusty old baba with a whole garlic clove cut up inside. Remind me never to order from this place again. I'd rather eat a Swansons.
Posted by: sam | August 14, 2007 01:08 AM
Black Betty is delicious. I love their mezze--especially the grilled calamari. Two people can easily share the 6 mezze as a meal. it is huge! as is the paella made with couscous instead of rice. it has a good spicyness and tons of seafood in it. The keylime pie is also very tasty. And every time I went I had friendly and prompt wait service. And the bar makes the best mojito.
Posted by: Ricarda | May 30, 2007 01:04 AM
The food is great, especially the salads.
unfortunatly a very undfriendly staff and more unreliable delievery person make it hard to order for delivery. you never know if the driver or the staff is in the mood to delivier.
a shame but what can you do, spend your money on place's where you at least know they deliver when you want !!!
Posted by: Stefanie | August 28, 2006 12:04 AM
This place is straight ass. I have never walked into a place in the 'hood and been so horrified, (well maybe at the Royal Oak), that I had to walk out. The place is just DIRTY. Gross, like the kind of dirt you cannot get out. The owner swaggled over to us, and I could smell his greezy physique from down the block! Here's an idea, use soap, not cologne to bath in! Nasty and dirty.
Posted by: noodles | June 13, 2006 03:11 PM
Food is great. Service is okay.
Delivery range seems to be at the the whim of the staff on a given day rather than what is listed on the restaurant's site.
Posted by: rpoole | May 8, 2006 01:33 AM
yes they hire some sour rude hipster/rokabilly girls there. what's up with that? if you don't like your job, find another one
Posted by: rude | April 22, 2006 11:11 PM
Good food with mediocre service. The focus seems to be Moroccan food so stick with the cous cous and tagine. The falafel was... interesting, and probably best to avoid.
Also, why is every restaurant review on this site littered with spam and inappropriate chatter? Clearly these boards haven't been moderated in quite some time.
** This is intended to be a useful review board, not a discussion room. Please submit only serious, thoughtful reviews. All others will be deleted.**
Hah!
Posted by: curtyv | April 20, 2006 05:05 PM
The food at Black Betty sucks and the draft beer tastes like they haven't cleaned their keg lines since the Dinkins administration.
Posted by: Kev | March 27, 2006 04:43 PM
Never tried the food, but I have done coke in the bathroom. And watch out for the skeezy guys.
Posted by: E | February 23, 2006 02:33 AM
I've always liked the food here, but the waitress (read-- the SAME waitress every time I go) is snotty, unhelpful, thinks she is too good to be there and lazy. There were two dirty tables when we last went, and three when we left. Save your eating out for somewhere else. Its really only worth its delivery.
Posted by: cheeky | February 22, 2006 10:49 PM
So I was pretty excited to order from this place cuz I was in the middle of a large project at home. I was told that their delivery rider had a flat and wasn't delivering to our area (11 blocks away!!!).
instead of being prepared for their job with a spare tube for the flat, they opted to not serve their customers.
Apparently, if you live 11 blocks away, you get a $3dollar surcharge for delivery (that's not a tip guarantee, it's a motivator for them to DO their actual job).
I thought the reason you rode a bike for delivery, is cuz your motivated enough to do your job and ride your bike...black betty's obviously the exception cuz they hire lazy-ass riders who can't/won't fix their own flats, and they probably get shit handed to them on silver platters too.
Posted by: rooster | December 10, 2005 02:16 AM
The chicken tagine is consistently delicious - and there is enough to share. Subtly spicy with a generous helping of artichokes. Service is friendly.
Posted by: eliza | November 9, 2005 10:00 PM