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The 'Burg
My (admittedly limited) experiences in Williamsburg. P.S. I don't really call it The 'Burg.
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Kenny’s 5-star review: Traif, where have you been all my life? Oh, that's right, you've been in South Williamsburg, and I've just been too lazy to swing by. But after a few years, I finally did and it was one of the best meals I've ever had in Brooklyn - if not in NY. If you have the fortune of dining at Traif, DEFINITELY 100% do the chef's tasting menu. It's 10 shared plates followed 3 dessert courses, and very reasonably priced. Our (funny) waitress informed us that we could specify three plates that we absolutely needed, but also gave us a wink about how some things are standard and sure to be included. Below is the list of everything we got: 0) Complimentary red pepper soup 1) Dayboat scallops* 2) Foie gras terrine* 3) Tuna tartare over eggplant tempura* 4) Strawberry cinnamon ribs** 5) Sweetbreads** 6) Chicken liver 7) Pulled pork sliders with sweet potato fries 8) Seared foie gras 9) Prawns seared in foie gras 10) Paccheri pasta with sausage sauce * Dishes that we specified wanting ** Dishes that we wanted, but our waitress assured us would definitely be included And for desserts: 1) Buttermilk panna cotta 2) Peanut butter brittle and dark chocolate fudge 3) Bacon doughnuts One of the benefits of doing the chef's tasting is that they will adjust the serving sizes so everyone can get a taste (which makes sense since the chef's tasting is everybody-or-nobody). I can't say enough about how amazing the food was. My favorite dishes were the scallops, the strawberry cinnamon ribs, sweetbreads, prawns, and the tuna tartare over eggplant tempura. At some point, another table broke out in birthday song, and my friends started jokingly singing the same to me (my birthday was a week beforehand). Our (funny) waitress asked if it was my birthday, and then brought out a single lit candle on a plate and started singing happy birthday to me before bringing out our three dessert plates. I sure felt like the belle of the ball. Oh, and I can't complete this review without speaking about the cocktails. They have a great selection, but the one you definitely have to try is the Rude Little Pig, which is a tequila cocktail with a bacon salted rim. That's right, bacon. This is the cocktail that you'll have to pass around to your friends because they'll all want to try it (so I hope you're fine with them licking your rim... hehe). But damn, was it good. I actually ended up ordering two of them. I could write an essay about how amazing everything is at Traif, but you'll just have to take my word for it. Make a reservation though, because it's one of the most in-demand restaurants in NY right now (and rightfully so!). -
Kenny’s 5-star review: If you don't know much about Southern cooking, there's only two things you need to know - you're going to leave full, and you will receive the best service of your life. On both counts, BeeHive Oven fires on all cylinders. I originally came here for a Yelp Elite event (review here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/elite-event-at-beehive-oven-brooklyn?hrid=DRu8iX5Thm4RE3kGlQo0ZQ), so I was able to sample a lot of their food before coming back properly. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by the owner John, who remembered me from a few weeks back. Just the nicest guy ever. Incredibly gracious and humble. For some background, this place specializes in biscuits (did I blow your mind?). The place isn't huge, but it just adds to the charm. Speaking of size, the biscuit sandwiches aren't wide, but they are stacked HIGH. So it's a lot more food than you'd expect. I'd tried the Moselle before (fried chicken, collards, fried egg and hot sauce), and this time around went with the Nettie (fried chicken, iceberg, bacon and buttermilk dressing). Picking my favorite between the two would be like choosing my favorite nonexistent child. But I'm gonna go with the Nettie just because of the delicious crispy bacon (I'd make a questionable parent). Speaking of parents (or grandparents, rather), the reason they call their biscuit sandwiches Grandmother biscuits is because each one is named after the owners'/employees' grandmothers. They told us this story at the Yelp event and my heart just about melted. The side of the day was green beans with bacon. If you can't tell, I will never pass on an opportunity to eat more bacon. But there were greens in it, so they must've been somewhat healthy, right? Right? All in all, BeeHive definitely seems like a great brunch type of place, though you would leave equally full after dinner. Next time I come back with an emptier stomach, I'm going to have the shrimp and grits and the chicken fried steak again. I still have dreams about those... Funny story - the day after, I went to Smorgasburg at Brooklyn Bridge Park and didn't realize BeeHive had a stand there. So I ran into John again and we had a good laugh. The lovely head chef Treva was there too cooking up the favorites. Go support these guys! -
Kenny’s 5-star review: Believe the hype. A year ago: tried coming here on a Saturday night, with the naive notion that I'd be able to get a table. Two hour wait. Last week. came early on a Saturday night, threw in our names, was quoted two hours, and then got a call back in 15 minutes saying a table was ready. So yes, I finally got to step foot inside the famed Maison Premiere. I got to order from their amazingly extensive list of oysters. I got to sip on their finest absinthe cocktails (which led to my eventual blackout). But most of all, I can finally tick this place off the bucket list. Let me tell ya, the guys behind the bar dress the part because they're great mixologists. Loved everything I tried, but especially the Arsenic and Old Lace. Of course, no visit to MP would be complete without a dozen oysters (or two dozen). First round: Chesapeake Gold (MA), Irish Point (PEI), and Fanny Bay (BC). Second round: Island Creek (MA), Kumamoto (Humboldt Bay, CA), and Skookums (WA). They were all amazing. I haven't had Island Creek oysters since I was in Boston, and the last time I had Skookums was in Nashville (long story). Loved the Kumamotos and the Irish Points as well. Hard to believe that they can get away with charging $1 apiece for weekday happy hour. Sadly, we had to pay full price since it was a Saturday, but they were totally worth it anyway. Making it a point to come back for happy hour, where I will plop down my wallet and tell them to feed me dollar oysters until I explode (or until HH is over). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- EDIT: It only took me less than a week to come back for Happy Hour. The hostess even remembered me. Like last time, we were quoted a long wait for a table, but it actually ended up being 15 minutes. I think maybe I just have the best luck when it comes to table reservations. Speaking of tables, they gave us a pair of tables by the right side under the mirror. Very cozy in the booths, and no risk of people bumping into you as they walk by. We wasted no time in ordering oysters. Most were $1, some were $1.25, and then the market price list was also available. Still the best oyster HH selection I've ever seen. Went with two dozen because why not? Favorites were probably the Effinghams (BC), Chesapeake Golds (MD), and the Holy Grails (MD). But really, the main reason I had to write a review update was because I also had dinner here and it was AMAZING. Because of the two dozen oysters the two of us had, we wanted to have something a bit lighter for dinner. Well, we totally failed by getting the bread w/seaweed butter. It was basically three types of bread - a thin French baguette, two thick slices of something wheatey, and a mini boule of some sort. It was a LOT of bread. The butter was delicious though. So creamy, with just a touch of flavor from the seaweed flakes. But the star of the show was definitely the venison tartare. I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was. The taste of the raw meat mixed with the raw smoked egg on a toast point was a wonderful mixture of flavors. Nice gamey flavor in the meat, but not overwhelmingly so. LOVED it. Will definitely come back for this dish. Also had the sweetbread and scallops. An interesting take on surf and turf. I thought the sweetbreads were just okay, but the scallops were amazing. Among the best I've had in years. Of course, the service was impeccable, and the weekday waitstaff is also exceedingly beautiful and/or handsome. Is there anything Maison Premier doesn't excel at? I'm willing to come back over and over again to find out! -
Kenny’s 5-star review: You already know what Emmy Squared is. Their Detroit style pizzas have been featured on just about every new restuarant openings list, and on every food Instagram (not just the pizza ones). So naturally, it was on my Bookmarks list as well. I've been going to Emily in Clinton Hill for a few years now, so I was excited to hear about Emily and Matt's newest venture. They had some hiccups finding a space, but it was well worth the wait. For those uninitiated, Detroit style is basically deep dish Sicilian. My friend and I stopped in around 3pm on a Saturday and there was no wait. We ordered some beers (like Emily, their beer and whiskey selections are impeccable). We wanted the cheese curds, but they were out of them which was a blessing in disguise because one pizza per person was more than enough food. We went for the Roni Supreme and The Emmy. The Roni Supreme was loaded with thinly sliced pepperoni that curled up into roni cups, trapping in the delicious oil. The sauce also had some Calabrian chilies mixed in (you could see the seeds), so it was a nice mix of spicy and savory. The Emmy was, for all intents and purposes, a white pie since the tomato sauce came on the side. You could dip or spread as much sauce on it as you wanted, which was cool. The pizza itself had banana peppers, onions and ranch sauce. I love ranch sauce on pizza, so it was no surprised I loved this pie. The crust on their pie is amazing. Incredibly crispy without being burnt. And they serve the pies on top of wire racks so they don't get soggy. So smart. The space itself is surprisingly big. The bar has probably a dozen seats, and then there's a big high top in the middle and a ton of low tops. If you get the seat by the door, the lighting is great for those Instagram shots. That tip's free. If you love pizza, you owe it to yourself to stop by Emmy Squared! -
Kenny’s 5-star review: Sauvage is a great spot for a cocktail date that turns into a full dinner. Their cocktails are inventive and (surprisingly) reasonably priced. Most are around $12. I had the pastis cobbler (with chamomile as an ingredient!) and the Kir (made with cassis from Dijon, which the manager assured me was one of the best - he wasn't lying). I guess I shouldn't have been surprised since they're the sister bar of Maison Premiere, which is one of my favorite places in NYC!. We grabbed a half booth by the door and ordered a bunch of plates to share. For starters, we did the winter squash with burrata and the Spanish octopus. I'm always a sucker for burrata and in the context of all the flavors, it was great. The squash was grilled to give it a smoky flavor, and the pancetta vinaigrette gave it a meaty texture. Surprisingly good. The grilled octopus was also very good. Cooked perfectly, a tiny bit spicy, and topped with finely Julienned and grated vegetables. Prices for appetizers weren't insignificant (the squash/burrata was $18 and the octopus $18), but totally a worthwhile way to go to taste the menu. For our main, we split the chicken (with hen of the woods, broccoli rabe and brown butter at $25). The chicken was cooked perfectly. Breaded and fried to a wonderful crisp (almost katsu-like), and sliced into four pieces. The mushroom sauce made it quintessentially French and of course, delicious. Would definitely put this up there with any other chicken entree I've had in NY. All in all, I would definitely recommend Sauvage. The vibe is great. The cocktails are excellent. The staff went above and beyond and made it a memorable night. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: "Okonomi" is Japanese for "what you like", and I can say with certainty that I definitely liked the traditional Japanese breakfast I had there. It's a tiny shop with about 12 seats (if you sit at a table, they'll ask if it's okay to potentially share it with others). They don't have a real menu. You get Japanese breakfast, consisting of miso soup (ours came with okra), rice (with the option of adding a poached egg with sweet so sauce for $2 - highly recommended!), a tofu/egg thing, and some veggies on the side (the veggie du jour was chard). You get to choose from different fresh fish, depending on what's available. The day I was there, the options were bluefin, perch, and porgy. I went with the perch, which was wrapped in kelp. It was crispy, flakey, and cooked perfectly. Loved mixing it with all the other colorful ingredients on the plate. Everything was very artfully presented. My favorite thing was probably the sweet soy sauce poached egg that you put in the middle of your rice (they recommend you dig a hole and then toss the egg in). For a breakfast, I wouldn't say it's light, but I wouldn't say it's heavy either. It'll keep you full for a few hours, and through lunch unless you have a voracious appetite. Our server was also a super nice guy, and the decor is incredibly cute. Thankfully, Okonomi fits well in Williamsburg with all the people who don't have to go to work on weekday afternoons. So if you somehow have time to sit down for a Japanese breakfast, definitely go for it!
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Kenny’s 5-star review: If you mention steak in New York City, someone will bring up Peter Luger. It's always been on the to-do list, but it actually is quite a to-do. You definitely need a reservation, and it's not exactly convenient to get to from other parts of the city. But is it worth it? YES. It's Peter F'n Luger. The six of us were seated in the back room facing the street. Our waiter Aloysius was about the funniest guy ever. Once he gauged us, he started making all sorts of jokes that would make a lady blush. Luckily, it was bros' night out. We started out with the sliced tomatoes and onions and the bacon (cuz you gotta have some vice with your virtue). The tomatoes were as good as tomatoes get, and the onions were not that offensive (but I'd bring an after-dinner mint anyway). The bacon... oh, the bacon. Thick cut and sizzling. You could easily split one piece among two people. Oh, and the bread basket is also great. They gave us like 4 different types of bread. Anyway, onto the main course. We'd read that the steak for two is the best cut, so we opted for three of those. They were pretty huge. Get it medium rare for a perfect pink. This is a real steakhouse, so when you ask for medium rare, you get medium rare. One of my pet peeves. Both the loin and the tenderloin were great, though the tenderloin lended itself to be more juicy and pink. They do a great job of making sure there's parity among the different sizes. When we were there (early August 2015), the steak for two was about $104. On the side, we did the creamed spinach and the German mashed potatoes. I don't know how they got the mashed potatoes to be so crispy, but they did. Super seasoned and really gave new meaning to steak and potatoes. The creamed spinach was also very good. They plated everything for us, so we could conserve our energy to scarfing down all that food. Throughout the meal, we did several bottles of the 2012 Ferrari Carano cab, which was pretty good. We started out at the bar while we waited for our table, so we also tried the Luger lager, which I liked. We opted out of dessert, but we still got a big bowl of their famed Schlag (homemade whipped cream, basically). Probably the best whipped cream ever. They put a candle in it and everyone sang happy birthday to our friend (it wasn't his birthday). Then they sprinkled chocolate gold coins and gave us the bill. We thought it would be funny to pay with checks, so most of us did. Here's the process - they ask for ID, then get "authorization" from a manager. Then they stamp a few lines on the back with information you have to fill out. A lot of work for a joke, but hey, didn't have to carry cash. Yes, I know they also accept debit cards. -
Kenny’s 5-star review: Xixa is excellent. I'd been wanting to go ever since I had dinner at Traif about a year ago. Finally gathered a group big enough and did the tasting menu. Before we even stepped foot in the restaurant, they were incredibly accomodating. I made a reservation on OpenTable for 6, but turned out that we had two more people who wanted to join, so we called them up and they made the change with no problems at all. The only caveat was that with a group of 8, we all had to do the chef's tasting. We were also the annoying people who had dietary restrictions (one vegetarian, and one gluten free). They called me day of to confirm all the details, which was very thoughtful. Compared to Traif, Xixa is more laid back, with loud music, darker lighting, and only indoor space. It has more of a party vibe. Their cocktails are super interesting. They have house-made juices that you can just add mezcal or tequila to. They also have "deconstructed" cocktails where you get ice cubs of juice or other spices and a shot of liquor (infused or otherwise). As the ice melts, the drink comes to life. Super interesting, but you have to have patience, of which I have none. Onto the food. This is what we had: 0) Snap peas with cheese sauce 1) Butterfish sashimi with asparagus 2) Spring guacamole with chips (plantain and frico?) 3) Seared scallops 4) Chicken wings with macha sauce 5) Shredded beef lettuce wraps 6) Garlic butter shrimp with mole sauce 7) Grilled carrots elote 8) Beef short ribs 9) Queso fundido 10) Rosemary flan 11) Churros 0) Chocolate with nuts and caramel Everything was great. My favorite dishes were the seared scallops (I'm a sucker for scallops) and the garlic butter shrimp. Some of the best shrimp I've had. The beef short rib was basically a brontosaurus bone, it was so large. It was the main event, and we were struggling to finish because it was so much food. The person who did the vegetarian option said she really enjoyed what she had, especially the grilled carrot elote. And there was more than enough food for her. I do have to put another caveat on this review though - Xixa is definitely worth 5 stars (I can find absolutely no fault with our experience) but in comparison, Traif should be 6 stars. If I had to choose between the two, I would go with Traif every single time. If you can't tell by the menu, Xixa is Mexican-inspired. So some of the dishes were made with simple bases, and not as experimental flavor-wise compared to Traif (a lot of mole sauce involved). Also, it was probably because of our group's restrictions, but we didn't have some of the more exotic menu items as part of our tasting. P.S. If anyone from the Xixa web team is reading this, you should take off the noindex/nofollow meta tag on your website. That's why the site doesn't come up in Google searches! -
Kenny’s 4-star review: You don't know what "excess" means until you've done the family style dinner at Patrizia's. It's a 9-course dinner with dessert. You can pay an extra $10 per person for the 12-course dinner. The difference in the more expensive option are: grilled baby octopus, lobster, and lamb chops. We waited about 10 minutes to be seated for our reservation for 4, which isn't bad at all. There was already bread on the table before we sat down, which was probably a bad sign for our stomachs. Tons of big parties (a lot of birthdays for both the old and the young). Swing them white napkins when the music gets turned up. Since my friends and I are gluttons for punishment (and gluttons in general), we opted for the 12-course option. Here's the order of what we were served: -Burrata with pickled vegetables -Seafood salad (shrimp and squid) -Margherita pizza -Eggplant parmigiana -Fried calamari -Grilled shrimp -Grilled baby octopus -Baked clams -Lobster with clams and mussels -Homemade pasta (shells in creamy mushroom sauce) -Skirt steak and lamb chops (served together) Holy crap, I'm full just writing all that out. Some of the dishes were portioned out exactly for the number of people we had (eggplant parm, shrimp, octopus, and lamb chops). Everything else was shared plates. My favorite things were the baked clams, lobster, eggplant parm, and lamb chops. Didn't expect the lobster to come with mussels and clams, so that was very much appreciated too. Everything else was good or acceptable. The only true clunkers were the seafood salad (rubbery squid) and the fried calamari (more like stir fried with a little bit of breading thrown in). Of course, we capped off the meal with some espressos and a giant dessert plate. From what we could tell, there was a tiramisu (my favorite), Nutella crepes, a subpar cheesecake, and a cake that tasted like it was just pure cannoli cream. Oh, did I mention that the $60 included unlimited alcohol? We opted for red wine, and went through 5-6 bottles. They weren't shy about bringing them out too. If they saw a bottle open on our table, they immediately brought another and made sure our glasses were full (with a little too much gusto, even). Pretty sure I'm going to have to go on a diet for 6 months after this meal. I might have gout now too. But damned if it wasn't a hell of an experience. -
Kenny’s 5-star review: I'd been meaning to go to Extra Fancy for quite some time, and finally made it. We picked a perfect day to go too because it was the first day their huge backyard was open (they call it their "side-yard"). They have a bunch of picnic tables, and a limited bar outside that serves slushy drinks. A few years ago, Extra Fancy sent some of their bartenders to serve cocktails on one of the Yelp boat parties, and their St. Germain cocktail was amazing. They still had it on their menu, so definitely try that one! I actually went for a vodka cocktail (New Best Friend), which was pretty good. A tad sweet, but it had a kick to it. Their whiskey selection is also top notch, and reasonably priced. Had a few pours of those also. I talked to the manager/owner(?) for a while, and he was saying they'll soon have food service outside once they figure out all the details. So Extra Fancy will only get better! -
Kenny’s 5-star review: Great backyard! Friendly bartenders who make some mean cocktails. Particularly loved their version of the blood & sand. And dozens of different whiskeys. They also serve various grilled cheese sandwiches. I didn't have any, but my friends did. They looked pretty sizeable. Service was quick too. Great beer selection as well. Wasn't overwhelmingly crowded on a Friday night. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Someone didn't think SEO through when they named their bar Post Office. But oh well, we'll just have to invoke a cliche and call it a "hidden gem". That's how these things work, right? Anyway, Post Office is both a bar and a restaurant, but believe you me, I was here for the whiskey. They have a ton of whiskeys, bourbons and Scotch available. I went with Angel's Envy Rye. Their prices are pretty standard. Not too high and definitely not too low. They also do cocktails, which are actually pretty inexpensive. I tried the Jersey Fire Drill because I love spicy cocktails. It definitely hit the spot. We didn't want to eat here because we were just killing time before dinner, but it looked like a lot of the food that was coming out of the tiny kitchen was delicious. Oh well, maybe next time. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: I am now fat. Why I thought sharing 1.5 lbs of meat and two sides with just one other person was a good idea, I'll never know. But I do not regret it for a second. Been meaning to come here for about a year, since the first time I passed by it, but never had the time. Was finally able to block out a Friday night and got on line. It was early (7:30-ish), and the wait to get to the meat station was about half an hour. Sadly, they didn't have the pork belly that I hear so much about. Instead, we gorged on brisket, pork cheek, pulled pork, sausage, baked beans and broccoli salad. Let's start from top to bottom... 1) Brisket was amazing. So deliciously fatty and rich, but it basically melted in your mouth. Nothing else came close to it. 2) Pork cheek was pretty good. Crispy but not as flavorful as the brisket. 3) Pulled pork was probably the best I've ever had. The lady at the register asked if we wanted buns, and we said yes. She literally gave us 8 buns. So pulled pork + beans in a bun made for a very good pulled pork sandwich. 4) The sausage was pretty good, and worth it for $4 a link. It was of the spicy variety. 5) Baked beans were plentiful. Was too much for us to finish though, even for a small. 6) The broccoli salad (which my friend read about in Yelp reviews) was a bit disappointing. It was just stalks of broccoli in salad dressing. Not worth it. Other than that, I do have to echo the complaints of those who sat outside and were ogled by the jealous folks on line. By the time we sat down, the line was out the back fence. Some people were nice, asking for recommendations and curious about what we got. But others were just dicks. One dude remarked to his friend that we were greedy for getting so much food, loud enough for us to hear. Another guy literally pointed at our tray, like 6 inches away from our food. Wanted to fight that guy. Last note - first come, first serve seating does NOT mean you should be allowed to grab a table 10 minutes before you even order your food. Respect the system, jerks. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Punchy punch punch. I love me some punch. The watermelon punch was delicious and perfect for summer. The spicy punch was yummy with a kick. A punch bowl is $43, but can feed at least 4-5. You can also order certain ones by the glass for $5. There's a small-ish backyard (that for some reason smelled a lot like fish), but they corralled us in at probably 1am or so. Luckily, there's also a ton of seating available inside. Seems like a cozy place to go for the winter, but from my experience, not a bad summer spot either.
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Kenny’s 5-star review: I'd been meaning to eat at Kristophe for a long time and am now kicking myself for taking so long! Went here for dinner on a Thursday night. It was relatively early, so we were the only ones eating when we sat down (a few people at the bar). But as the night progressed, some more tables filled up. The food was pretty damn amazing. Trying to decide between the appetizers was like a game show, because they all sounded amazing. We ended up going for the Devils on Horseback (bacon wrapped dates) since my friend had never tried them before, as well as the wild game sausage platter. The dates were amazing and the bacon was charred perfectly. But I must say, I was completely blown away by the sausage selection. The game you get is based on availability, and we were lucky enough to get rabbit, duck and pheasant. I liked them all, but the rabbit was like really, really good. We also ordered two entrees to share family style. The first was the wild boar stuffed cabbage, and the second was the roasted duck legs. Let me tell you, their portions are GENEROUS. Come hungry. When people call it "comfort food", they mean it. The boar/cabbage was served in this great mushroom sauce with mashed potatoes. Very hearty. And the duck legs (which were gigantic but cooked just right) came with these fingerling-sized potato dumplings. All very good. Everything was very reasonably priced. Almost all entrees are under $20. They also have this awesome spicy margarita that I would probably stab someone for right now. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: I have literally wanted to go to Zebulon for two years, after I saw a video online of Holly Miranda doing an acoustic performance there. Finally got a chance to stop by, and you know how high expectations are never met? Well, Zebulon delivered. It was exactly what I imagined. No cover for free live music. Cool bartenders (one with a wicked mustache). Girls with obscenely stupid thick rimmed glasses. A bathroom fit for shooting up heroin or having unprotected sex. Basically, it felt like an LES bar classed up and more suburban. No crazy crowds on a Friday night, just a super chill atmosphere. Minus half a star for subpar draft selection, and minus another half for only accepting American Express. -
Kenny’s 5-star review: Fresh Kills is probably one of the more visually stunning cocktail bars I've seen in quite some time. High ceilings, lots of sunlight from the garage-style windows in front. Leather everything (table clothes, booths, and yes, even the door handle - leave the vegans at home). Their Happy Hour are $11 simple cocktails, a $6 German beer, or $5 wine. I went with a rye buck, and it was perfect. As refreshing as you'd expect. Their secret is instead of using ginger ale/ginger beer, they do club soda with house-made ginger syrup. It really makes a difference! Bartenders were super cool, and I hope to be back for a proper cocktail from their main menu! -
Kenny’s 5-star review: My, my, my. What a beer selection. I've passed by this bar dozens of times without realizing it was there, but I'm glad Victor S convinced me to step in for a pint. They have an amazing beer selection, cool bartenders, and a GIGANTIC backyard. Seriously, an elementary school class could have recess out there. Their bathrooms also have chalk board walls. You bet your ass I took advantage of it while expelling some liquids. -
Kenny’s 5-star review: Recommended by fellow Yelper Ryan B., I came here on a Saturday afternoon for their awesome lunch specials. The place was empty save for two tables and one where one of the employees was hand-ripping vegetables. The host/server was a big Asian guy, who was super friendly. It looked like he was juggling a ton of call-in and walk-in orders and didn't miss a beat. I had the fried dumplings followed by the chicken pad see ew. The dumplings were a bit bland without the sauce. I'm very particular about my dumplings, and also feel that in general, you should never rely on a side sauce for all of a dish's flavor. The pad see ew on the other hand was very good, and very plentiful for the price. A little on the sweet side, but not exceedingly so, so I'd say just right. Definitely filled me up after an hour of swimming. Tons of alcohol and authentic Asian bottled beers available, so feel free to splurge with the small price tag for lunch. Will definitely be coming back!
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Kenny’s 4-star review: Rabbithole has a lot of mixed reviews here, and I can see why. If I could, I'd give them 3.5 stars, but overall it was a more positive than negative experience (and there seem to be a few very contentious reviews here) so I'll round up. The decor is great (albeit a bit dark). There's a backyard (a shame that it was too cold to dine out there when I went). They were playing indie hits from 2011 on the stereo. As a first course, we had the crispy pork belly. It was in a thin pumpkin seed/oil sauce. But there was so much of it, that it seemed like a soup or a puree. Except it was very bland and watery. Not sure what they were going for there, but they should either give you less sauce/thicken it up, or give it more texture and flavor. Maybe add some crushed walnuts or something. Anyway, the pork was good. Somehow still stayed crispy despite being covered in liquid. My first cocktail was one with chili infused whiskey and passionfruit. it wasn't very good. There was spice to it, sure, but no depth. Very bland. they should've added more whiskey, or thrown some Luxardo or Cointreau or something into it. My second cocktail was one with gin, cucumber, lemon and ginger. That one was a lot better (and also featured all of my favorite cocktail ingredients). For my entree, I had the pan seared striped bass was pretty good. Crispy skin, cooked perfectly. Came with a lot of quinoa and corn as a base. I also tried my friend's cod with fingerlings and yogurt sauce, and it was also pretty good. Where they earn 4 stars is with their banana cream pie. It's baked on premises, and it was amazing. Very flavorful, but airy enough for a shared dessert. I woke up thinking about it. All in all, I'm willing to come back to Rabbithole for brunch in the backyard. And maybe another bite of that banana cream pie. Yum! P.S. they have great paper towels in their bathrooms! -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Drop everything you're doing and go eat in the Walter Foods backyard before it gets too cold! I had no idea Walter had a backyard, so it was a wonderful surprise. The fresh jams on the stereo were also very welcome. Nothing like eating fresh Littleneck clams while listening to Public Enemy. For my main, I went with the fried chicken because the waitress mentioned that it was THE thing to get at Walter's. I have to admit, it was pretty good. Not as crispy as I'd like, but portions were generous and there was a huge bed of mashed potatoes underneath. Very filling. I also got to try the grilled Atlantic salmon, which was wonderful. I had two cocktails. One was the Fig Side Car, which was made with fig syrup and some sugar on the rim. It definitely tasted like figs, but not that noteworthy otherwise. I also had a Sazerac, which was disappointing. Great date spot! -
Kenny’s 5-star review: Worry not. Even though this place has the same physical address as the horrible Whiskey Brooklyn, they are completely unrelated. The Counting room is on the corner and has a first floor and basement. The first floor has draft beers and both floors have tons of liquor. Basement is where you should go for cocktails and dancing though. Also, tons of whiskey/bourbon. The basement has tons of seating, area rugs (that really tie the room together), a DJ/dance floor, single occupancy unisex bathrooms, and an overall chill vibe. I also asked the bartender if they did picklebacks, and he went out of his way to obtain some pickle juice. That's great service! -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Fun dive bar with a pool table and tons of seating. Great beer and shot specials (beer selection is pretty meh, however). But hey, as long as they've got pickleback shots, I have no complaints. Note that they no longer serve food here! -
Kenny’s 5-star review: If you're looking for a dive bar done right, then it's pretty hard to beat Over The Eight. First of all, it's huge. The front area has foosball, sinking booths, and cheap booze ($10 beer and a shot anyone?). The middle area has the bathroom and semblances of being a skater bar. And the back room is where the magic happens. There's the DJ booth and a tiny stage. I assume it can be used or multiple things, but when we stopped by, the Kings of Karaoke were in town. Tons of fun all around. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Samurai Mama is an udon spot, which is an interesting detour from the current ramen and hand pulled noodles craze in NY. First thing you'll notice is that this place is big. More long than wide (heh) and they even have a waiting room in the back where you can order drinks while you wait for your table. It actually kinda feels like a sauna (thankfully not temperature-wise) because there's wood paneling and everyone's sitting next to each other facing the same direction. Anyway, I ordered some sort of ginger drink, which I think was mixed with beer. It came in a big pint glass, and was not good. But there was a lot of it, and I got drunk since I'd been day drinking. Service was quick. For my udon, I went with the Pork Curry. The broth had a bit of tartness to it, but the curry flavor was pretty mild. I liked the pork portions, but the noodles were also great. Thick but not rubbery. I also tried the Nikujil Kake udon, which was with pork belly. I liked that one a bit more. But both were good. They also have a Bukkake Udon, but it sounded kind of messy. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: As others have mentioned, get the coffee drink. Maybe multiple cups. They're served in those blue Anthora-style NYC cups, which is a nice touch. The bar itself is pretty small, but seems to attract a lively crowd. It's honky tonk themed. Or maybe Willie Nelson themed. While we were there, there was a large group of true-blood Texans, cowboy hats and all. So I guess it's somewhat legit. Ms. Pacman machine. Some weird tabletop bowling game. Oh, and free live music most days. Can't beat that. Just don't get the Dr Pepper/Guinness drink. It is decidedly not good. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Very good sushi. Prices are a little better than Manhattan prices. My favorites were the Caterpillar and the Fire Dragon rolls. They also have a weird shrimp asparagus roll that I wasn't into. Their spicy yellowtail also isn't great, but passable. Service is great, but there's only one bathroom. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Here's my TL;DR review: -better than Fette Sau -sides are kind of weak -get the fatty brisket I came here with a group of 6 friends and we basically tried to eat everything they had. For our meats, we had: -brisket (fatty and lean) -pulled pork -St. Louis ribs For sides, we had: -candied yams -potato salad -collard greens -mac n cheese The fatty brisket was probably the best thing on the menu. The pulled pork was just okay. The ribs were great and we actually had a second order. The mac and cheese was pretty bad, and the collards were just okay. The potato salad was boring, and the candies yams were acceptable. Prices are kind of up there. For a half pound, they charge about 2/3 of what other places charge for a full pound. Though they come with sides. But again, their sides aren't great. Servers and cashiers were super nice though, and they have a good whiskey/bourbon selection. -
Kenny’s 4-star review: Sometimes a sausage fest isn't a bad thing. Been meaning to come to Rosamunde ever since Yelp held an event here and was glad I finally made it. There's picnic style seating in the front, a bar in the middle, and the kitchen in the back. Order your food, grab a drink (they have a TON of beers available), and wait for your number to pop up on the LED board in the back. Grab some sides and some sauces and have an amazing meal. Was a big fan of the duck sausage. The boar was also pretty good. LOVED the red onions and spicy red pepper sides. The fries were also pretty good. A lot in an order, but they were crispy and thin. Of course, gotta get some of the sauces. The wasabi mayo is spicy but so good. Also loved the Sriracha ketchup. Also, they have a ton of different types of mustards. I want to try all of their wieners. I'm allowed to say things like that on Yelp, right? -
Kenny’s 5-star review: I've had Umami burger twice before. Once was at GoogaMooga the first time it was available on the east coast, and the second time was when they opened their NYC flagship in the West Village. It took some time to make it to the Williamsburg location, but as soon as I walked in, I remembered all the things I loved about them. If you have the fortune of being able to swing by on a weekday from 3-6pm, you can take advantage of their amazing happy hour specials (deemed "Social Hour"). This includes $3 truffle fries (yum!), $4 sliders, $5 draft beers, $6 wine, and $7 cocktails. I don't think there's a better deal to be had in NY. The $3 truffle fries is like a full order. You get all the truffle-y and cheesy goodness for pocket change. The cocktails are also inventive, a lot of them whiskey/bourbon, and a few with bacon! Get the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned and the Bacon Bloody. Trust me on this. Of course, no trip to Umami Burger would be complete without one of their signature burgers. Sat at the bar and the bartender had this entire explanation of what umami is and which burgers specialized in the taste. Had to go for the Original just because I hadn't had it in a while. And it was just as good as I remember, if not better. The mushrooms bring out the meaty and savory taste. The burger was cooked perfectly with a pink middle. And the housemade ketchup is the stuff of dreams. Also worth noting is that this place is huge. It's like the size of a fast casual dining place, with a bunch of TVs on the wall and bike frames on the ceiling. They also have a pretty big yard with lots of seating. Definitely great for groups. Will definitely be returning!
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