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El Pingüino

4.4 (54 reviews)
Open 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

El Pingüino Photos

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EL PINGÜINO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Outdoor seating
Happy hour specials
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - El Pingüino

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sardines
Angelina G.

went for hh and i have a new found love of sardines with mayo and crackers!! stuff is addicting hahah. their oysters are also super tasty and their sea bass ceviche is fire. never had sea bass ceviche before and it was so soft

Happy hour drinks
Marianne F.

Love the bar, great happy hour ($10 martinis til 7pm), not too loud. I don't love tinned fish but I enjoyed the cheese, peppers and chorizo.

Carly L.

Definitely come for happy hour, 7 days a week 4-7pm! We enjoyed the half price oysters and $12 martinis. The food can get pretty pricey since they're all small plates, but they all tasted great. We had the roasted peppers, steamed clams, cheese plate, and basque cheesecake. Service was friendly but pretty slow. Overall, I'd come again, but definitely stick with the happy hour deals!

Decided to give this place a second chance. Won't be back. The menu was confusing, it says $12 martinis, and directly under there are three martinis listed. So I assumed that would be part of the deal. Was annoyed when I got check for a $22 cocktail. For that I would've just gone to bar Americano for my fave cocktail. Oysters were mediocre. Highly prefer Panzon next door. Service is really good and it's cute inside, but that's about it.

Anthony P.

Stopped by briefly here for a drink to catch up with some friends. I tried some of the canned mussels and it was actually quite delicious. I know the sound of it is very appetizing, but trust me there's a diversity flavor profile to the dish. This restaurant is found in a new "restaurant row "of Greenpoint, and it is actually quite stellar. This is one of the spots that really drives home how great quality in Greenpoint food and drink can be as well as maintaining a larger space for you to breathe and relax compared to the city. My drink was wonderfully made, no complaints. The ambience is very nice and chill, but somehow cozy and intimate as well. A great place to drink with some friends in a lively area but depending on where you're sitting, you can get a little bit more quiet. It just depends on the time of day as well.

Katey G.

Love love love this restaurant! Such a cute moody bar in Greenpoint. As a long time Alameda fan, I was super excited to try the new concept. We came for the Claud pop up and sampled some amazing food, my favorite being the butter poached shrimp... unbelievable. If you're in the hood or not, definitely worth a stop in to try some delicious food at a new neighborhood staple!

Martini. The best.
Tara C.

So good... so, so good. Oh, and I should mention that this review is strictly for cocktails. Haven't had the food just yet but have heard and read all good things about it. Second time there and figured they've got some solid consistency going on. Long story short, El Pingüino gets five stars, no questions asked. Here are a few reasons... 1) One of the best martini's I've had. Gin with a lemon twist. Kicker is, it's on Happy Hour. Can you believe it? They do their martini right. They're in the business of a well crafted cocktail, not a quickly crafted coc 2) Music? Pretty slammin' playlist every time. 3) They have Happy Hour... ready for it? EVERY DAY. As in seven days a week. 4-7pm El Pingüino does it right. Gosh, I really enjoy this spot.

Oysters and ceviche
Daniela B.

I was in the area for a day date and we found this oyster bar. It was during the happy hour special. We ordered oysters, ceviche and a cheese plate. The food was great. We sat in the outdoor back area. It was very cute, quiet and intimate. The day was nice and while it was sunny they have a shade. There seemed to only be one waiter working here back area and there was a significant amount of people in the outdoor area. We ordered a margarita and one of their mezcal tequila martini. It was a great find in Greenpoint

Dirty Martini, Bloody Mary
Karin H.

Low-key, artsy bar in Greenpoint. I loved my experience here - it's a homey environment and perfect for a catch up with a good friend. Drinks were also great, I would love to come back to try more. Service was amazing - I didn't like the first drink I ordered and the staff was kind enough to take it off of my bill.

Oysters and Martini
Joanna C.

My friend and I came for happy hour and loved it! They have a super cute backyard patio that wasn't directly in the sun so it felt so nice on an august early evening. The happy hour specials was half off oysters snd $12 martinis. You could get any kind of martini they could make (except espresso martinis. Those were regular priced). We got a classic dirty and with a twist as was recommended by the server and it super yummy. Strong but very smooth and well balanced for a martini. We also got a dozen oysters. Their oysters were from Canada and delicious! Usually happy hour oysters are pretty basic and quite briny, but these were sweet and juicy and perfect. We also ordered the chorizo which came out in small sausage form. They had the perfect balance of salty, spicy, and fatty. My friend couldn't stop dipping the bread in the chorizo juices - it was that good. It's been a very long time since I've been impressed by a happy hour and this place was awesome! I would absolutely come back again for happy hour and to try out other stuff on their menu!

Curry tinned fish

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

Can't think of a better way to spend a late afternoon than this happy hour.

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4 years ago

Wonderful Spanish seafood tapa. Great bar and good food with friendly staff. Get there early for happy hour.

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The Ten Bells Brooklyn

The Ten Bells Brooklyn

3.9
(55 reviews)
2.6 mi

I've been slowly chowing my way through all the oyster happy hours the city has to offer. When I…read morefound myself galavanting in Bushwick on arguably the coldest day of the year, Ten Bells popped up as a natural haven where I unwrapped myself and indulged in my favorite food of the season. Right off the bat, the bar area is absolutely gorgeous and meets you with so much warmth, light and joy as soon as you walk in to this establishment. I plopped myself on the bar and had the pleasure of making conversation with Elouise and Alejandra. They put in my standard two dozen oyster order and paired my platter with a glass of the happy hour white wine which happens to be their house chardonnay. The oysters were delicious although I must say there was a lot of shell pieces inside, which was very annoying to eat. I don't think this is necessarily the fault of whoever is shucking them. I noticed the oysters they serve have a lot of thin slivers of shell on the edges which are bound to end up in your mouth. Perhaps they can try serving another variety of oysters? Just a thought. The chardonnay was pretty good and service was amazing. The girls at the bar also let me try the Ten Bells red wine which is produced specially for them in Boudreaux, France. It was a beautiful, light, and smooth red blend. As a wine lover, I will definitely be back to try more of their wines on tap. This is a great neighborhood establishment that I feel everyone should pop in and visit!!

I had been to the LES location first before trying the bushwick one and I feel like the LES…read morelocation is much more rowdy. I think it's better as a happy hour spot than an actual evening wine vibe but that may just be me. The oysters are good and I happened to try the octopus as well which was SUPER good. It's a huge space and is definitely well suited for large groups. I personally wouldn't say it's a date spot because it can get loud sometimes but choose your own adventure!

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The Ten Bells Brooklyn
Mediterranean Dips Platter
Mediterranean Dips Platter
Bar area

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Bar area
Mother’s Seafood & More

Mother’s Seafood & More

4.1
(10 reviews)
2.0 mi

First tip- there's a QR code with an BOGO offer on the front of the store , scan than and order…read morefrom that to pick up inside. I didn't see that till I was leaving and the guy at the counter didnt make me the wiser. The menu is huge but there were only a few items on display on the Thursday I went. ( It was the day before Good Friday). They do make pasta items etc as you order but a lot of things I asked for were not available. Even the lunch special posted on the wall inside was not available. I'm guessing this is the Caribbean side of the Caribbean Soul Food ( I can joke about that, I'm Caribbean lol) The guy at the register said they have more of a full stock on Fridays and weekends. Anyway, the food that we did end up getting was really good. I got whole fried fish and was told it would be about 10 mins for him to fry it fresh. Id wait again and again for this fish, it was perfectly seasoned and I ate it piping hot and ordered another. The rasta pasta did not have lots of of veggies , he also made that upon us ordering. It looked plain but it was so delicious- the sauce was silk and rich. Collard greens 10/10 ,I think in all the soulfood places I tried recently this one took first place. The mac and cheese pretty good too. Jerk chicken was good. Take out only. Food that has to be prepared on spot is made right in front of you too.

I love Cajun food and still search for a good one that is still in delivery area from my home. This…read moretime I try Mother's Seafood & More. I ordered.... - Steamed Okra: nice and crunchy 8/10 - 1 lb Snow Crab Steamed & Spicy: not spicy at all and too much oil 6/10 - 1/2 lb Scallops Spicy, Grilled: also, oily 7/10 Overall, good for the price and nice to try. Delivery was on time even it was leaking.

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Mother’s Seafood & More
Really good collard greens.
Really good collard greens.
Buy one get one free UberEATS

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Buy one get one free UberEATS
Greenpoint Fish & Lobster

Greenpoint Fish & Lobster

4.1
(475 reviews)
0.7 mi
$$

What a great seafood restaurant! Greenpoint Fish & Lobster has a fresh seafood counter to purchase…read moreitems as well as a full restaurant. Be sure to make a reservation, as this spot is popular, especially on a nice weekend. We recently had a weekend brunch at one of the tables outside. Everything on the menu sounded good, but we decided on a couple of their specials. Started with the razor clams, which were cooked perfectly and topped with fresh herbs. We also had the fried soft shell crab sandwich with the side of Caesar salad. The sandwich was well balanced with the crunchy crab and herby aioli. The Caesar was light and refreshing. The fish and chips came with two fried filets of white fish and a basket of classic fries. The fish was lightly battered and flakey. The house made tartar sauce was a good complement to it. One of my top meals this year so far! Perfect summer meal!

I'm so torn about this review. The food was pretty good but the full experience truly lacked I wish…read moreI could give another half a star. Going to Greenpoint Fish and Lobster on a weekend is truly a mission. If you don't have a reservation chances are you'll be waiting around for a long time. They estimated 30min wait and it turned out to be over an hour. We were ready to walk away 3 times but ended up sticking around as we were promised we were third on the list meanwhile more than 3 parties were seated before us (strange!). Once we were seated, we ordered right away having had time to look at the menu while waiting. Crudo, dozen of oysters, clam chowder + lobster roll. - Crudo was a bit sad with 6 pieces of fish lying on a big plate with an insane amount of salt flakes. It was fresh but don't think it's worth ordering. - East coast oysters were puny. Very mid especially because I've recently tried some at Upstate that were amazing. They're incomparable. - Lobster roll. Okay should've just gone straight for the roll because it was perfect. Buttery and fresh with perfect balance of lobster roll bread. The salad dressing also was delicious. So good! Definitely highlight of this restaurant. - Clam chowder. Also 10/10. Hearty, flavorful. Loved every bite of it. Service was average. They weren't profoundly interested in giving best service instead just chatting amongst each other and dropping off plates. Also they forgot about the clam chowder we ordered and asked if we still want it.. YES..that's why we ordered it. Overall if you don't pay attention to those details it's worth coming for some great seafood. BUT I highly recommend getting a reservation.

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Restroom
Restroom
Brussels sprouts side + Crispy Fish Sandwich with fries
Brussels sprouts side + Crispy Fish Sandwich with fries
Oysters

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Oysters
La Caleta Ecuatoriana

La Caleta Ecuatoriana

4.1
(7 reviews)
3.2 mi

The food I had from here was not good at all . Two of the three items I took a bite and had to…read morethrow it out while the third item I didn't finish because it wasn't very enjoyable . I ordered two cheese empanadas , an order of tostones and an arroz con pollo entree. As I left and was walking I was feeling abit hungry so I bit into the empanada and it tasted like old oil . It was disgusting . I'm certain they very rarely change their frying oil. Even whilst eating the inside with cheese I couldn't even enjoy it as all I tasted was old oil . When I got home i tried the tostones to see if it was better and it was worst . Just the worst I've ever had again plagued with the stale oil disease . The arroz con pollo isn't even worth discussing . This is the opposite of finesse . It's shredded chicken ( quite dry ) mixed in with the rice and veggies and two slabs of plantains on top for looks . The fried plantains helped a lot on masking the dryness and yuckiness of this meal . This was certainly not worthy of the calorie intake at all. I've had this same meal at other Ecuadorian restaurants and this was easily the worst . The portion size was huge though if that matters . It's amazing how many people I saw coming in and getting food while waiting for my order . Maybe I'm in the minority but I swear my experience was a waste of 20+ dollars .

#Cool spot with good Ecuadorian food. I didn't know this place existed because it wasn't on Yelp…read more But they seemed to have a good amount of people in there eating. Not sure if they appreciate me putting their business on Yelp. They will probably wonder why all these #hipsters are coming in. The #Catfish Soup was good and creamy ...once you add the #lime and hot sauce.

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La Caleta Ecuatoriana
Catfish Soup
Catfish Soup
Seafood Soup

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Seafood Soup
Cafe Balearica

Cafe Balearica

4.0
(46 reviews)
0.6 mi

I absolutely love the vibe here. Upstairs is a bar, with string lights and disco balls. It's laid…read moreback but still has a fun, lively feel. You can bring outside food and the cocktails a fantastic. Downstairs is a proper dance floor that usually opens at 11. You can effortlessly switch between hanging out upstairs and living it up in the basement which I love. If you can early enough you can even skip the cover charge!

You can choose from two main vibes at Cafe Balearica. Upstairs, you have a spacious, somewhat…read morerelaxed bar and lounge area. The music is at a low enough volume that you can hear your conversations, it doesn't get too crowded so you can spread out, even if you're in a large group. Downstairs, it's a lot tighter, with a DJ, dance floor, lounge seating area, and a much more packed and busy atmosphere on the weekends. I like ping ponging between both vibes when I'm with friends. Admittedly I've found the music both times to be too experimental for me. Confessing that makes me feel like an old person shaking my fist or at least shaking my head, misunderstanding what makes the youth tick. But I had no trouble twirling around the dance floor to this weird experimental music after throwing back a few tequila sodas upstairs. A few times while here my friends have split up into the group that wants to go downstairs to dance and the group that wants to stay upstairs and chill. It's relatively easy to navigate between both vibes, which I enjoy about this spot very much.

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Espresso martini
Espresso martini
Cafe Balearica
Cafe Balearica

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El Pingüino - spanish - Updated July 2026

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