Photo by Robert K. Chin, NY Mag
Eclectic Asian/Japanese Tapas
296 Grand Street, Brooklyn NY 11211
(between Havemeyer and Roebling Sts.)
PHONE: 718-384-7770
HOURS: Sun-Thu, 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat, 6pm-1am
BOOZE: full bar
CARDS: MasterCard, Visa
AVERAGE ENTREE: $8-$20
MENU: Click Here
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford
Korean style do-it-yourself BBQ
199 Grand Street (between Bedford & Driggs)
PHONE: 718.782.1424
ALCOHOL: Full Bar
HOURS: 12pm-12am Daily
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford
MAP: Click Here
MENU: Click Here
THE OWNERS SAY: We are the only place of this kind in Brooklyn. We have Korean style do-it-yourself BBQ, using the highest quality meats (choice black angus), as well as great shabu-shabu. All of our sauces, condiments, dips, kimchees, etc are made in house, with an emphasis on creating the meals in the healthiest possible fashion.
Our tables are smokeless, so you won't end up smelling like a piece of grilled meat when you're done. We also have a cozy 'lil bar/lounge in the back, which has it's own entrance on north 1 st street.
CUISINE: Chinese
ADDRESS: 129 Havemeyer St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
between Grand and South 1st Streets
PHONE: 718.384.9300
HOURS: Sun and Tue-Thu, noon-3:30pm and 5pm-midnight; Fri-Sat, noon-3:30pm and 5pm-2am; Mon, closed
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
BOOZE: Full Bar
ENTREES: $6.50-$15
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: G, L at Metropolitan Ave.-Lorimer St.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: Yes, Greenpoint, East Williamsburg, Williamsburg
EXTRAS: An intimate downstairs bar/lounge with occassional live music
WEBSITE: www.mshanghaiden.com
WE SAY: It's not the Chinese food you're used to. M's menu is packed with low-priced, big-flavored variations on traditional stir-fry over rice dishes and inspired creations like "Freddy Mercury's Meatballs". All ingredients are always fresh and the meals are never greasy. This restaurant is one of the better choices for vegetarians in the 'hood as well. However, I got stuck with a ten-dollar martini there once, so beware the drink prices.
image c/o Flickr
CUISINE: Sushi, Japanese, Korean
ADDRESS: 143 Berry St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
at North 6th Street
PHONE: 718.486.0837
HOURS: Mon-Sat, 5pm-11pm; Sun, closed
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa ($20 min.)
BOOZE: Beer, Wine, Sake
ENTREES: $8 - $17
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: No
WE SAY: The best sushi in Williamsburg at a reasonable price. The interior is subtly decorated with soft colors and wood benches, providing a very enjoyable and Zen atmosphere. Korean dishes are equally satisfying. Try the ginger tofu or ginger chicken and you will not be disappointed. Flavors are refreshing in their subtlety, as they should be. If you want Thai—go to PlanEat Thai. If you want sushi or Korean- Miyako is the place to be. On the downside: the crab is that fake crap.
Thai food and sushi bar
141 North 7th Street
between Bedford and Berry
PHONE: (718) 599-5758
AVERAGE ENTREE: $9
BOOZE: Full bar
HOURS: Sun-Thu, 11:30am-midnight; Fri-Sat, 11:30am-1:30am
CARDS: Cash Only
MAP: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford
MENU: Click Here [PDF]
FREE DELIVERY
WE SAY: Plan-Eat Thailand moved in August 1999 from a tiny, homey space on Bedford Avenue to its current location in a cavernous industrial space that wraps around the corner of N.7 and Berry Streets. The restaurant has two decidedly different entrances: the N.7th Street entrance opens into a dark and stylish bar backed by a sculpture made of glowing green bottles. A rowboat that doubles as a fountain and wishing well, suspended from the ceiling in the entrance to N.7th-side dining room, beckons visitors inside. From the Berry Street entrance, where 20-foot-high windows face out onto the street, a bright and spacious sake bar opposes a busy sushi bar. Between the two are dozens of tables, and the tall, stark walls are decorated with a rotating exhibition of large-scale paintings by local artists. Aside from the architectural splendor of the place and it's popularity among the stylish yuppie set that hops over from Manhattan, the food is great and the price is right. The extensive menu, which generally stays under $10, is actually two menus: a full Japanese menu and a full Thai menu. The sushi is fresh, with wonderful tuna, salmon, and squid. The noodles, from Pad Thai to cold sesame--mild or spicy, are perfectly flavored and the servings are copious. Especially delicious dishes include the delectable green papaya salad, the fresh spring rolls, or, the filet mignon or lobster tails that are served hot off the hibachi grill. The service can be slow, but some gentle prodding makes a difference.
image c/o Gowanus Lounge
CUISINE: Pan-Asian
ADDRESS: 208 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
PHONE: 718.388.8898
HOURS: Daily, noon-11pm
CARDS: All Major
BOOZE: No Alcohol
ENTREES:$8-$18
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: Yes, until 11pm
WEBSITE: Click Here
NY MAG SAYS: Entrée names like "Double Happiness" and "Happy Family" have staying power, but this modern Asian spot has dispensed with tradition by naming plates after friends and family, based on what they liked during previews. Vivian's Curry Seafood, for instance, is a favorite of owner Vivian Chan, and David's Salted Pepper Prawns is the go-to of her husband David Chiu. The fave of head chef Mark Cheng (formerly of Mr. Chow and Philippe) is the Crispy Whole Fish
image c/o brooklynrecord.com
CUISINE: Sushi, Thai, Asian-fusion
ADDRESS: 106 North 6th Street, Brooklyn NY 11211
PHONE: 718.218.8666
HOURS: Tues-Thurs: 5pm-12am; Fri: 5pm-1am; Sat-Sun: noon-1am
CARDS: All major
BOOZE: BYOB (for now)
AVERAGE ENTREE: $13
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: L Train to Bedford
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: Free Delivery
WEBSITE: www.sensebrooklyn.com
Brooklyn Record SAYS: There's isn't much that will keep me away from a new restaurant, and the half-off promotional menu in the window of Sense (Williamsburg's latest) has been calling my name for the last three weeks. Featuring some stellar décor and a few new twists on “Asian-fusion” (who knew there could be more variations?), Sense offers up a hefty sushi menu featuring over 50 sushi/sashimi appetizers and rolls as well as Korean, Chinese and Thai starters and entrees. We sampled as much as possible from both the discounted promo and the regular menu, and most of it was off the hizz-ook.
The Kushinobo (lightly fried skewers with a tangy dipping sauce) were great appetizers—you can't go wrong with either the bacon-wrapped asparagus, shitake mushroom with shrimp, or rib-eye beef with shishito. Also good to whet the palette were the seaweed salad, sugar snap peas with XO sauce (my personal fave) or the simple and sweet kimchee and pickles. The clam miso was a little on the salty side, but hey it's clam, so what do you expect? One of the star dishes and a total steal at $13 on the temporary promo menu is the Chili Alaskan crab, but those afraid of the spicy: beware of this one. The $21 sushi Icininmae for one was more than enough to feed two with eel, mackerel, tuna, salmon, yellowtail and clam sashimi and as well as six spicy tuna rolls, and the blue crab pho was both refreshing and filling in only the way really good pho can satisfy. Fresh fruit bubble teas, yuza puffs and lightly tempura'd bananas perfectly ended a dinner that left me full and satisfied without that popping-out-of-my-jeans bloat. For now it's B.Y.O.B. but totally worth it to pick up a bottle of wine or sake and enjoy the half-off menu that will be around for the next three weeks or so, or until the liquor license is awarded. In about 9 months the party will expand when the upstairs space opens for events and functions. Nestled between American Apparel and the boutique Sleep on N 6th (between Berry & Wythe) this place has the potential to become another great eatery on one of the hippest of the hip blocks in hipsterville.
image c/o Flickr
CUISINE: Asian Appetizers/Tea
ADDRESS: 187 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
between Bedford and Driggs Aves.
PHONE: 718.486.4848
HOURS: Sun-Thu, 6pm-1am; Fri-Sat, 6pm-3am
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
BOOZE: Full Bar
PRICES: $4 - $8
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: No
MENU: Click Here
NYMAG SAYS: "The menu at Snacky reads like a greatest hits list of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese appetizers, with a few remixes thrown in. Some dishes, like the subtly nutty sesame noodles or the just-spicy-enough kim chee, draw strictly from tradition. Other dishes, like the peanut chili wontons and various other dumplings, blend and update old world nuances. (The same goes for the decor, with its mix of red paper lanterns and contemporary artwork.) The size, price, and quality of the small plates encourage sampling, although you can also opt for a meal-size hot pot or Shao Bing, a Chinese-style panini. Either way you’ll be able to find the right taste to accompany your melodious Snackytini sake cocktail. The sweet song of sake will loosen you up for the real music, which could be a local singer, could be a DJ, or, every other Thursday on karaoke night, could be you. Recommended Dishes: Sesame noodles, $3.50; shao bing sandwich with roast pork and spicy sauce, $4.95."
image c/o Flickr
CUISINE: Cafe/Japanese tapas bar
ADDRESS: 305 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11211
between South First and South Second
PHONE: 718.302.1629
HOURS: Mon-Fri 8:30am-2am, Sat-Sun 9:30am-2am
CARDS: Cash Only
BOOZE: Wine, Beer, Sake, Sangria
AVERAGE ENTREE:
MENU: Click Here
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave; J, M, Z at Marcy Ave.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: No
EXTRAS: Live jazz on Sunday afternoons
CITY SEARCH SAYS: "In understated fashion, this Japanese tapas bar unites the sensibilities of two capitals of hipness—Tokyo and Williamsburg. It has a warm, clean decor of square wood panels and paper lanterns, plus the cute touch of dolls spinning on turntables in the windows. Tricked-out jazz, pop and electronica play most nights, while progressive DJs such as John Davis spin on weekends. Pleasant bartenders serve a range of $3 and $4 Japanese home cooking-style dishes, all presented in artful ceramics. The distinctive offerings include sake-simmered sardines with ginger—salty, yet tempered with light flavors—and the refreshing burdock in sesame sauce; an underseasoned beef stew and bland rice balls are better skipped. The one sake available by the glass, Onigoroshi, is delectably smooth and dry. Other drink options include beer, sangria, prosecco and in chilly weather, a fragrant, comforting mulled wine."
image c/o Flickr
CUISINE: Peruvian/Vietnamese
ADDRESS: 134 N. 6th St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
nr. Berry St.
PHONE: 718.218.7889
HOURS: Mon-Thu, 5pm-midnight; Fri-Sat, 5pm-2am; Sun, 3pm-midnight
CARDS: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
BOOZE: Full Bar
AVERAGE ENTREE: $8-$17
MENU: Click Here
BRUNCH: No
SUBWAY: L at Bedford Ave.
MAP: Click Here
DELIVERY: No
WE SAY: Gaudy tourist trap
NEW YORK MAGAZINE SAYS: "For perhaps the first time in recorded history—or at least, in Williamsburg—Peruvian and Southeast Asian cuisines share one lofty space done up in semi-tropical decor and serviced by two separate kitchens. So the next time one of you wants roast chicken and seviche and the other has a hankering for Vietnamese Spring rolls, you won't have to toss a coin."
Pan-Asian Vegan
212 Bedford Avenue., Brooklyn, NY 11211
(between North 5th and 6th)
PHONE: 718.218.8828/8808
CARDS: All Major
HOURS: Sun-Thurs 12pm-11pm; Fri & Sat 12pm-11:30pm
MENU: Click Here
BOOZE: Beer
AVERAGE ENTREE: $12
DIRECTIONS: L Train to Bedford Ave.
MAP: Click Here
FREE DELIVERY ($8 min)
