Free Williamsburg

The Williamsburg Brooklyn-based culture guide to New York and beyond.

Achilles Heel

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A cozy, gorgeous gastropub tucked away in north Greenpoint, just a stones-throw from the East River. There’s a wood-burning stove up front, a small bar and a handful of tables. The hardwood floors, original tin ceilings, old-timey cocktails, and a small seaside-inspired menu hearkens back to an earlier era when Greenpoint was a working port and the space was a pub frequented by dockworkers. Come for an inventive small plate and a fancy cocktail. Achilles Heel is one of many popular restaurants in North Brooklyn created by Andrew Tarlow who also founded Diner, Marlow & Sons, and Reynard.

Featured Reviews

  • In its more peaceful hours, Achilles Heel, a revived waterfront bar with a painted stone facade in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, reminds me of McSorley’s Old Ale House. At both places, you can rub the winter out of your hands near a hot stove (fueled by coal at McSorley’s, firewood at Achilles) whose feet are propped on beat-up floorboards. Neither spot is in any hurry, and time there moves at a pace that is decidedly prehashtag. Their light has a faraway, amber quality you could call cheerful gloom. They are among the most soothing places in the city to cradle a glass while the day shortens and slips into the night.

  • a café and bar meant to evoke the always-open grocery and drinking spot that once sustained Greenpoint dockworkers at its West Street address between 1900 and 1960. Details like the hardwood bar and mirrors are original, and once he had signed on the space, Tarlow took a solitary bar stool he’d found straight to his carpenter and asked him to make a few more. There’s a meat-slicer behind the counter for the domestic cured hams, wooden apple crates loaded with fresh produce for purchase, breads baked at Roman’s for sale, and several hundred pounds of new equipment for the baristas to make George Howell pour-over coffee and espresso drinks.

  • Brooklyn empire builder Andrew Tarlow (Reynard, Diner, Marlow and Sons) extends his reach to Greenpoint for this cute corner cafe that turns into a bar at night, offering a tightly curated drink list focused on beer and wine plus a small menu of snacky food; with its copper-topped bar, intricate wood details and funky little tables, the comfy space feels like it’s already been around for ages.

Getting There

BarGlory

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Nestled inside the Franklin Guesthouse hotel in Greenpoint is the second restaurant from the owners of Glasserie. Bar Glory serves a fantastic fusion of Mediterranean and Asian dishes in an unassuming environment. Start with their fantastic dumplings, our favorite being Pumpkin, Ricotta & Spicy Apricot ($4 each), though the Shrimp Shu Mai and
Lamb & Pistachio Pesto dumplings are great too. Bar Glory has a nice selection of sparkling wines, all served cold, which pair well with all of their small dishes. There are also several small grilled dishes available including octopus, greens, and lamb ribs. For an entree the Shrimp Dumpling & Massaman Coconut Curry is a winner too. Make sure you save room for dessert. The Cherry Pit Ice Cream with Lychee and Orange Blossom is as tasty as it is unique. A wonderful addition to the neighborhood.

Featured Reviews

  • Bar Glory is the second spot from the people behind Glasserie, one of Greenpoint’s best-known restaurants. Glasserie’s space is certainly cool, and the food is good – but we prefer Bar Glory. And that’s because the food here is unlike anything else in NYC. The menu here is a mashup of various Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, and it kicks off with dumplings. Unlike most dumplings you’ve probably eaten lately, these involve pumpkin, ricotta, and spicy apricot, or lamb and pistachio pesto. Each one comes out looking like a giant tortellini pasta sitting in a bath of sauce. You’ll eat it in two bites, and wish you had 12 more. Good news: Bar Glory has anticipated your needs. They also serve big bowls of shrimp dumpling massaman curry, and lamb dumplings with garlic yogurt and chili oil.

  • The larger lamb entrees ($16) are alone worth a trip. Shallots and baby squash join Azerbaijani chuchvara — tiny lamb dumplings that recall Polish uszka or Russian pelmeni — in a pool of garlic yogurt speckled with pine nuts, raisins, and crunchy slivers of fried garlic. Across the top, rivulets of chile oil run every which way, lending most bites a mounting then lingering heat. Kudos to Shem Tov and his crew for taking these straightforward dough pockets to unexpected new heights without it feeling overwrought or insincere. Then there’s kuksu, a Korean soup that wound up in Uzbekistan after Russia’s forced deportation of its Korean immigrant population in the 1930s. Though it’s commonly served cold, BarGlory opts for a hot preparation that starts with tangy, pho-like lamb stock spiked with vinegar, tender shreds of lamb shoulder, and rosy slabs of smoky, fat-rimmed grilled lamb loin. To this the kitchen adds a marbled tea-brined egg and a tangle of ragged, hand-cut semolina noodles, like the kind typically accompanying another Uzbek soup called lagman. It’s immediately one of the most interesting bowls in Brooklyn.

  • an airy multilevel space attached to the trendily designed Franklin Guesthouse, though it’s very much its own entity. In the evening, the low-lit casual atmosphere and on point vintage soundtrack make this ideal date territory, but I recommend eating here with enough people to order one of everything, including the larger bowls and sharing dishes like the whole fried fish…. Beautifully put-together food, rich with global influences, from the delicate scallops with black rice vinegar to the impressive onion jam and poppy seed bao. This continues into the cocktail menu which cherrypicks flavors from around the world from the Brown Bee with its bourbon and green tea to my favorite, the Stoned Soul Cocktail, with gin, apricot and turmeric. 

Getting There

Beco

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A charming Brazilian cafe and bar with live music, traditional cuisine and great cocktails. Try the Maracuja Capiroska cocktail (Vodka, Passion fruit and pressed sugar cane) or a Traditional Caipirinha. For food, don’t miss the tasty cheese bread and the Feijoada (Brazil’s National Dish) which is a hearty, slow-cooked stew made with black beans and pork. Check their calendar for live Brazilian music. We love this place.

Featured Reviews

  • Daniel Giddings says he and his partners envisioned it as a modest Sao Paolo boteco, where you can laze about while popping made-to-order pao de queijo and sip cocktails made with fresh passion fruit and pressed sugar cane. As Giddings describes it, the decor harks back to the days of Pele, and “doesn’t scream ‘Brazil’ in your face, but it’s more like what a boteco is — a real hangout.” You can hang there during brunch that includes acai and granola, omelettes, bife a cavalo (Brazilians refer to their steak and eggs as “steak on horseback”), and a feijoada that’s prepared over the course of two days

  • Tucked away from the bustle of Bedford Avenue, this neighborhood gem offers delicious Brazilian food in an intimate candlelit setting. Dinner highlights include a traditional feijoada—smoky and thick stew with ham hock and black beans—and a shrimp stew that gets its bright flavor from coconut milk and cilantro. Brazilian churrasco—grilled meat—is also available, in the form of a simple filet mignon, nicely charred and served with garlicky collard greens.

  • And you can have a meal at Beco, even though there’s no real kitchen. A short-order cook in the corner of the bar quickly turns out satisfying versions of classics, like feijoada ($18), on a small cooktop. That dish arrives disassembled — beans and meat in a cup, rice and collard greens on a plate, toasted yuca flour in a bowl. It’s big enough for two, but too tasty to share. Split the bar snacks instead, both the excellent pão de queijo ($4), a basket of six puffed cheesy breads the size of Ping-Pong balls; and the sliced linguiça sausage ($6), made by a Brazilian butcher in Newark and browned in a skillet, then finished with cachaça.

Getting There

Bozu

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An atmospheric Japanese restaurant the serves great izakaya and pretty good sushi. We’re never blown away by the latter here, but still love coming to feast on a few small dishes like Pork Betty, fried chicken, and dumplings. If you’re itching for sushi, get one of their sushi bombs which is essentially a dome-shaped roll. Their cocktails are strong and delicious and overall this is a great spot to have a few snacks with friends.

Featured Reviews

  • Here’s the kicker, Bozu isn’t even really a sushi restaurant. It’s “Japanese Tapas,” because of course it is. I think what that means is that they have all kinds of inventive small plates on the strange tiny plastic menu they hand you, a few of which we tried and cared for very little. What that also means is that you won’t find straightforward sushi here either. What you will find are sushi “bombs,” which are basically rice and fish and other stuff pressed together into a neat dome shaped thing. The bombs we liked.

  • Eating here is a blast, and their sushi is the bomb-quite literally. The unique sushi bombs (flat coin-like rice cakes topped with fish, spicy sauces and such) are one of the kitchen’s signature dishes and for good reason. But do try the tender pork Betty and delicious fried tako balls too. The menu here has been described as “authentically inauthentic.” But however named, the important thing is that the food is executed with care and attention.

  • Bozu chef-owner Makoto Suzuki has expanded the definition of Japanese tapas (if there is one) to include deep-fried kataifi-crusted shrimp, pumpkin risotto croquettes stuffed with mozzarella, and an unconventional version of sushi. Suzuki’s “bombs” are the shape of things to come—small mounds of rice tinted red from cabbage or pink from codfish roe, and topped either traditionally (salmon, tuna, eel) or not (radish, mint leaf, green tomato sauce). These light bites can be eaten at the bar, on epoxy tables ringed with Eames chairs, or on the back deck.

Getting There

Casino Clam Bar

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The most unique thing about Casino Clam Bar is the seating arrangement. There’s just one u-shaped bar with about 20 seats, and pretty much every person in the restaurant has a full view of everyone else at any given time. But that’s just part of the fun of this place, and if you enjoy shellfish, it’s worth checking out. Here, you can of course get clams casino – but they also have small menu of things like oysters, ceviche, and uni pasta.

Featured Reviews

  • The most unique thing about Casino Clam Bar is the seating arrangement. There’s just one u-shaped bar with about 20 seats, and pretty much every person in the restaurant has a full view of everyone else at any given time. But that’s just part of the fun of this place, and if you enjoy shellfish, it’s worth checking out. Here, you can of course get clams casino – but they also have small menu of things like oysters, ceviche, and uni pasta. 

  • When Williamsburg’s leading American-regional-food guru, Joe Carroll (of Fette Sau and St. Anselm fame), gets hold of a restaurant space he likes — especially one that comes with a relatively forgiving rent — he tends to hang on to it. So, where once stood Carroll’s Baltimore-style cheese-fish-sandwich shop, Lake Trout, and after that his vegetable-forward tasting room, Semilla, which closed in March, now there is Casino Clam Bar, an homage of sorts to the clam shacks and dive bars the Bergen County native and Jersey Shore aficionado has known. Think old-school meets new-school, or maybe Randazzo’s crossed with ZZ’s minus the $20 cocktails. There are raw littlenecks on the half-shell, shrimp cocktails, and chowder by the cup or bowl, but also bottarga crackers, uni pasta, hamachi collars, cod cheeks, white clam Grandma pizza, and Petrossian caviar.

Getting There

The Four Horseman

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The Four Horseman is a fantastic, minimally designed wine bar that gets attention for the wrong reasons. Sure, it’s partially owned by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, but the truly interesting thing about this bar in South Williamsburg is its great wine selection and charming atmosphere. The design is informed by Nordic and Japanese minimalism, with wood-lined walls and ceilings and (of course) amazing acoustics. The wine list is extensive, but the staff is friendly and helpful when it comes to selecting one that fits your mood. Charcuterie with house-made bread is available, as are a number of small plates — we recommend the Beef Tartare. If you’re having dinner, the menu leans Italian and New American with typical dishes including Potato Gnocchi ($20), St. Louis-Style Sweet Port Ribs ($20) and a Pork Ragu ($20).

Featured Reviews

  • Fear not if you know little to nothing about natural wine, the Four Horsemen is staffed with knowledgeable servers who will help you navigate the menu and let you taste anything. A focused food menu complements the wine, featuring small plates like cheese & charcuterie plus more dinner-satisfying options like flank steak and potato gnocchi. The Grand St space is small and minimal, with a bar upfront and small tables in the back.

  • Four Horsemen is a really cool little room. It’s the kind of place you walk into and immediately think to yourself, “I can definitely hang out here. Let’s drink.” It feels like a more comfortable version of Momofuku Noodle Bar, and is filled with a hip but unpretentious crowd. The attention to detail is impressive, from the colorful knives and wooden spoons to the subtle design details, like the slats on the ceiling going in different directions, and the super cool texture on the walls. Also, the natural wine list is well-priced and expertly curated.

  • A “killer wine list” filled with “quirky” finds is the headliner at this Williamsburg nook from musician James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), but the seasonal American fare is “spot-on” too; “sleek” and “perfectly dimmed” with a front bar, it draws “hip, but mature” types who keep the mood “convivial.”

  • You’re sipping wine in Murphy’s house, and it certainly feels like home. Cedar ceiling slats and decorative burlap sacks double as acoustics-enhancing sound absorbers for a crowd-pleasing playlist of equal parts Van Morrison and Kate Bush. Warmly personalized touches—cutlery from Murphy and Topsøe’s wedding, eucalyptus-scented bath towels—invite you to stay for another glass. If this is what the apocalypse looks like, sign us up.

Getting There

Maison Premiere

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Maison Premiere has long been one of our favorite places in Williamsburg. We first fell in love with their 1/2 price oyster special, which they offer Monday-Friday 4pm-7pm. Their raw bar is unmatched in the city, irrespective of borough. We’ve also always appreciated the lovely design, that’s reminiscent of a New Orleans-style, classic cocktail bar with a touch of old-timey Parisian flare. In recent years, they’ve expanded their menu to include more entrees as well such as Swordfish and a Lobster Roll. It’s all a bit pricey but worth the splurge.

Featured Reviews

  • Maison Premiere is both exactly the same and very different than it was when it first opened. It’s still an adult fun house of raw seafood and absinthe, but it’s added other elements as well. There’s now a full menu of cooked food, a sleeper brunch situation, and an amazing patio out back.

  • This ultra-retro tavern may feel dark and old-timey, like a watering hole where the Founding Fathers would have stopped for fortification before fending off the British. But, the massive, U-shaped bar is particularly coveted, so arrive early or prepare to wait for your absinthe drip. To accompany the stellar sips, a vast selection of oysters, clams, and group-friendly seafood plateaux seem to pop up on every table. The kitchen’s talent is equally clear in such preparations as luscious sea urchin served in a chilled shellfish consommé with fragrant lemongrass and thin slices of sweet grapes.

  • The food is impressionistic, best appreciated as a series of lovely, fleeting moments rather than the sustained arc that typically constitutes a meal. From the raw bar come thin slices of sea scallop with rosy pickled rhubarb and a drift of shaved horseradish ice, hot and cold at once. Razor clam, sweet and almost squidlike in texture, is punctuated by crisp, clean radish. A spoonful of lobster dressed with mayonnaise, celery and tarragon, anchoring a cracked tail shell, suggests a stolen bite from a New England lobster roll, with buttered bread crumbs in lieu of the roll.

Getting There

Ops

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A wood-baked pizza spot featuring pizzas with sourdough crust. They also have a great wine selection. As with any pizza place, we recommend trying the Margherita Pizza – theirs is simple and delicious. They also have a selection of small dishes (cheese plates, salads, antipasta) that change with the season.

Featured Reviews

  • Ops is a pizza spot in Bushwick, and it’s an excellent neighborhood hang. The pizza itself is good, but we were more impressed with the feeling of the place. Come by yourself for a solo meal at the bar, or bring some friends for fuel before a night out in Bushwick bars

  • Wood-fired pies with a sourdough crust are joined by a few simple openers (cheeses, salad and antipasti) at this Bushwick pizzeria, which also offers seasonal cocktails and a “Bud and amaro” combo. The converted garage space is welcoming with brick walls, tiled floors and marble-topped tables, and there’s no tipping.

  • The space at 346 Himrod Street is a former car garage that now offers seating for 45 guests. Its centerpiece is a mosaic-tiled oven that will be firing pizzas such as The Pops which comes with tomato, mozzarella, guanciale, and Pecorino. In addition to pizza, the team is serving menu options like braised lentils with toast, and caponata with bitter greens. Fadem and Tribouilloy will be splitting cooking duty, with Fadem’s focus solely on pizza and Tribouilloy running the rest of the menu

  • Ops, as the new spot is called, is helmed by Mike Fadem (who previously worked at Roman’s and Estela), Marie Tribouilloy (Buvette, the Pines), and Gavin Compton, who owns Variety Coffee next door. Fitting the team’s collective background, the vibe is casual; tips won’t be accepted; the room, a former garage, is agreeably rustic; the cocktails are seasonal; and the menu emphasizes shared plates, antipasti, and a rotating list of wood-baked sourdough pizza in varieties like the Pops (tomatoes, mozzarella, guanciale, onions, Pecorino), and the Rojo (mortadella, peppers, Crescenza cheese).

Getting There

Samurai Mama

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Excellent udon and sushi served in a minimalist setting. Samurai Mama is dimly lit with a long communal table and a few side tables. It’s from the same owners of Bozu and Momo Sushi Shack, but with a focus on udon. If you’re not in the mood for noodles or sushi, small plates are also available with standouts like homemade silken tofu, pork belly and fantastic vegetable tempura. This is a casual spot to have a meal or pre-game it before an event.

Featured Reviews

  • A Japanese spot focusing mainly on udon (they also serve some sushi), Samurai Mama is a good place to know about when you’re looking for a casual spot to warm up your frostbitten self in Williamsburg. The vibe feels like a Japanese maze/hideout, with four different rooms, and would be good for an early in the game date. If it’s not winter, the probability that you’ll end up here is dependent on your appreciation for udon. Get the curry one.

  • An unfortunate name for what is a truly excellent noodle shop, and what I hope will be the start of a new, moderately-priced Asian-themed noodle dynasty. The hand-made udon are certainly good enough to carry it. The wood-and-brick filled interior is moody but comfortable, with a single long communal table dominating the dining room, along with a few satellite banquettes. Thankfully, the table is large enough that you can still be afforded some privacy despite the communal setting.

  • The focus here has shifted from the sushi on offer at his other spot, Bozu, to udon, with thick homemade noodles in spicy fish or vegetable broth and a selection of toppings including shrimp tempura, sweet potato, poached egg, or pork Betty (cooked pork belly, fatty and delicious). Sushi is available in both roll and “taco” form, the latter made with a seaweed shell of sorts. Fried selections make great starters

Getting There

Sandobe

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A fusion of Japanese sushi and Korean food with karaoke rooms in the back. The menu is a bit overwhelming with Sushi Sets, Ramen and Udon, Teriyaki dishes and more, but the food will not disappoint. Many of the dishes are shareable, such as the Korean Fried Chicken and Kimchi Pancakes. Specialty rolls are named after celebrities; Taylor Swift (Shrimp, Tuna, and King Crab) and the Kanye West (Salmon, Avocado, and King Crab). Wash it all down with some sake or a Japanese craft beer — Yona Yona Pale Ale, Aooni IPA, Wednesday Cat White Ale, Tokyo Black Porter, Samurai Barley Ale and Japanese Golden Kolsh are all available. The dining room is large and has a series of simple, elegant wood tables, perfect for groups. Three karaoke rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Featured Reviews

  • Sandobe is a Korean and Japanese hybrid that is currently open for lunch, dinner, and karaoke. The Bushwick restaurant is offering appetizers items like a seafood pancake ($14), Korean fried chicken ($12), miso ramen ($13), and kimchi pork fried rice ($11). There’s poke on the menu, too. The karaoke rooms are available by the hour, and can fit up to 30 guests.

Getting There