Guidebook for Brooklyn
Drinks & Nightlife
Two Door is your basic neighborhood bar & restaurant. It's not at all hipstery. Before 7pm, you can get a big bowl of mussels for $5, andWednesday night, any of the burgers are only $5. Good Beer.
8 locals recommend
Two Door Tavern
Two Door is your basic neighborhood bar & restaurant. It's not at all hipstery. Before 7pm, you can get a big bowl of mussels for $5, andWednesday night, any of the burgers are only $5. Good Beer.
It's like walking into a cinematic fantasy of Central Europe. It's gorgeous, the beer is great, the food is delicious, and there's free live music every night. Weekend nights get CROWDED!
339 locals recommend
Radegast Hall & Biergarten
113 N 3rd StIt's like walking into a cinematic fantasy of Central Europe. It's gorgeous, the beer is great, the food is delicious, and there's free live music every night. Weekend nights get CROWDED!
A super-fun country-themed honky-tonk. Live country music, good beer, and delightful boozy frozen coffee.
142 locals recommend
Skinny Dennis
152 Metropolitan AveA super-fun country-themed honky-tonk. Live country music, good beer, and delightful boozy frozen coffee.
Solid beer selection. Lovely back yard. Whenever the kitchen is open, $10 gets you a pint of a rotating selection of Brooklyn Brewery beers, plus either a burger or wings. It's a great deal.
Biblio
149 North 6th StreetSolid beer selection. Lovely back yard. Whenever the kitchen is open, $10 gets you a pint of a rotating selection of Brooklyn Brewery beers, plus either a burger or wings. It's a great deal.
Vintage arcade games plus one of the best curated selections of American craft beer on the planet in an old converted garage. Any questions?
587 locals recommend
Barcade
388 Union AveVintage arcade games plus one of the best curated selections of American craft beer on the planet in an old converted garage. Any questions?
Celebrity chef Ilan Hall (Top Chef, Knife Fight) turns out some creative and tasty dishes, often playing on classic Jewish cuisine, and the roof bar is lovely.
19 locals recommend
ESH Brooklyn, Woodfired Grill, Bar, Rooftop, Event Space
98 North 6th StreetCelebrity chef Ilan Hall (Top Chef, Knife Fight) turns out some creative and tasty dishes, often playing on classic Jewish cuisine, and the roof bar is lovely.
Chef Julio Mora's enthusiasm regarding salsa borders on psychosis. Order a sampler of four, ask him to describe each one to you, and prepare to think about condiments in a whole new way.
15 locals recommend
Cantina Royal
58 N 3rd StChef Julio Mora's enthusiasm regarding salsa borders on psychosis. Order a sampler of four, ask him to describe each one to you, and prepare to think about condiments in a whole new way.
Solid Mexican street food served in lovely surroundings. The garden is charming. The building itself is a classic vintage boxcar diner, which has been used as a set for countless films and TV shows.
75 locals recommend
Café de la Esquina
Solid Mexican street food served in lovely surroundings. The garden is charming. The building itself is a classic vintage boxcar diner, which has been used as a set for countless films and TV shows.
On the site of legendary coke bar Kokie's, The Levee serves up craft beer, rock 'n' roll, and some of the best crappy food in town: frito pie, bologna & American cheese on white, & free cheese balls.
53 locals recommend
The Levee
212 Berry StreetOn the site of legendary coke bar Kokie's, The Levee serves up craft beer, rock 'n' roll, and some of the best crappy food in town: frito pie, bologna & American cheese on white, & free cheese balls.
Essentials
A solid supermarket with a good selection. WARNING: NY State law prohibits food shops from selling real wine. The "wine product" sold at this and other supermarkets and bodegas is not worth drinking.
85 locals recommend
Brooklyn Harvest Market
25 N 5th StA solid supermarket with a good selection. WARNING: NY State law prohibits food shops from selling real wine. The "wine product" sold at this and other supermarkets and bodegas is not worth drinking.
Food Scene
Great BBQ & Beer. Charmingly rustic decor. The pork belly is a symphony of fat, smoke, and salt. It's Zagat's #1 rated barbecue joint in NYC.
441 locals recommend
Fette Sau
354 Metropolitan AveGreat BBQ & Beer. Charmingly rustic decor. The pork belly is a symphony of fat, smoke, and salt. It's Zagat's #1 rated barbecue joint in NYC.
This place somehow manages to maintain a Michelin star without succumbing to any of the douchey tropes generally associated with joints holding that honor. It's comfortable, casual, and delicious.
38 locals recommend
Delaware and Hudson
135 N 5th StThis place somehow manages to maintain a Michelin star without succumbing to any of the douchey tropes generally associated with joints holding that honor. It's comfortable, casual, and delicious.
Everything Else
Known around the world for it's ubiquitous lager, the Brooklyn also brews truly spectacular beers, some of which may only be found at the brewery itself. Plus, there's great "Brooklyn" branded swag.
456 locals recommend
Brooklyn Brewery
79 N 11th StKnown around the world for it's ubiquitous lager, the Brooklyn also brews truly spectacular beers, some of which may only be found at the brewery itself. Plus, there's great "Brooklyn" branded swag.
Just across Newtown Creek, this nano-brewery turns out some fascinating yeast-forward ales. It's a true labor of love, and they've got some great graphic design.
15 locals recommend
Transmitter Brewing
141 Flushing AvenueJust across Newtown Creek, this nano-brewery turns out some fascinating yeast-forward ales. It's a true labor of love, and they've got some great graphic design.
The closest dry cleaners. They also do slightly expensive wash 'n' fold laundry by the pound.
Kent Dry Cleaners
20 N 5th StThe closest dry cleaners. They also do slightly expensive wash 'n' fold laundry by the pound.
When you order smoked salmon in NYC, chances are it was smoked here. On Fridays, 8am-1pm, the factory opens it's doors to the public to sell a variety of top-notch smoked fish at wholesale prices.
11 locals recommend
Acme Smoked Fish Corporation
30 Gem StWhen you order smoked salmon in NYC, chances are it was smoked here. On Fridays, 8am-1pm, the factory opens it's doors to the public to sell a variety of top-notch smoked fish at wholesale prices.
Great bagels, served 24/7. Every year I throw my New Year's Day Bagels & Bubbly Brunch, and the bagels always come from here.
69 locals recommend
Bagelsmith Bedford
189 Bedford AveGreat bagels, served 24/7. Every year I throw my New Year's Day Bagels & Bubbly Brunch, and the bagels always come from here.
Jonesing addicts of this cultish spinning class can get their fix right across the street from my loft.
30 locals recommend
SoulCycle BURG - Williamsburg
196 Kent AveJonesing addicts of this cultish spinning class can get their fix right across the street from my loft.
The perfect mashup of a Victorian tonsorial parlor and a rock 'n' roll clip joint, this is the only place where I get my hair cut.
8 locals recommend
Ludlow Blunt
85 N 3rd StThe perfect mashup of a Victorian tonsorial parlor and a rock 'n' roll clip joint, this is the only place where I get my hair cut.
Home to The Sketchbook Project, this storefront lets you peruse the sketchbooks of countless local and international artists.
22 locals recommend
Brooklyn Art Library
2622 Frost StHome to The Sketchbook Project, this storefront lets you peruse the sketchbooks of countless local and international artists.
Shopping
Celebrity chef Sam Mason (Dinner with the Band, Iron Chef America) creates a wide variety of unexpected, yet delicious, flavors of ice cream at this charming parlor.
67 locals recommend
OddFellows Ice Cream Co. The Parlor
Celebrity chef Sam Mason (Dinner with the Band, Iron Chef America) creates a wide variety of unexpected, yet delicious, flavors of ice cream at this charming parlor.