I have lived in Brooklyn for 12 years, but never had dinner in Red Hook until this weekend…read more My friend was visiting, and she remembered vividly eating from the Red Hook Lobster Pound food stand in Union Square a few years ago. It made such a strong impression on my friend that she demanded we eat at this restaurant. The restaurant was packed, but we managed to get a spot at the bar and watch the Mets game. The food was immaculate, and we ordered the Hot Crab Dip, Garlic Biscuits, and I ordered "The Connecticut." All of this arrived in no time, and we will be returning soon, this time with a reservation. Hehehe.

You wander past the weathered brick warehouses and and right there on Van Brunt Street sits the Red…read moreHook Lobster Pound. Step inside, and the place nails the decor. It's got a solid, nautical feel that gives you enough brass and wood to feel like a real lobster shack. They've got a generous stretch of outdoor seating for when the weather is nice, and inside, the music sits at a good volume. Then comes the food. I started with the clam chowder. It's good ...comforting, rich, well-made ......even if it's a little light on the minced clams. I caught myself digging around with my spoon, searching for a few more chunks of clam in the creamy broth, but I forgave it because the flavor was fantastic. Main event: the Maine lobster roll. Now look, I've eaten lobster rolls all over the Northeast..and a few other places. When you order a lobster roll, you're looking for flavor and simplicity. Red Hook's roll is good. The lobster is fresh. But here's the thing: at an overall tab running around $80 a head, you expect a top-tier entry into the culinary lobster roll pantheon. Instead, it lands on the smaller side of the spectrum. Worse, the kitchen holds back on the seasoning. Lobster is sweet and rich, sure, but it needs a little help...... a hint of herbs, or just a generous hand with the salt/pepper to elevate it from good to great. It's a good roll, but when the check landed, I couldn't help feeling a bit let down. To finish, I looked at the dessert choices. Options were slim, but I ordered the flourless chocolate cake and it did the job. I'll definitely give this place a second visit and possibly try some of the other items on their menu. Decor: 4 / 5 Customer Service: 4 / 5 Food: 3.5 / 5 Price: ~$80 per person

BK Seafood Market was a refreshing find in Bay Ridge. We came for dinner with my wife, parents, and…read moresiblings and ordered a big family-style spread of more than 10 dishes. We had stir-fried snails, jellyfish, Dungeness crab, live steamed fish, braised eggplant with fish fillet, stir-fried cauliflower with preserved meats, coral shrimp, sliced conch with crispy tofu, beef with string beans, seasonal vegetables, and fish maw soup. Everything came out hot, delicious, and well seasoned. The Dungeness crab was a standout, and it was refreshing to enjoy such a wide variety of seafood and traditional dishes. My wife was pleasantly surprised by the entire meal. The interior was nicely done and felt different from many other Chinese restaurants in Brooklyn. Service was attentive, and they seated us in a corner where we could enjoy our family conversation without constant interruption. The food came out very quickly, maybe a little too quickly, but we were fine with it. They were unfortunately out of a few fish and clam options, as well as several wines, but it did not take away from a great dinner. Highly recommended for a family-style Chinese seafood meal in Bay Ridge.

One of the better Chinese banquet style restaurants that I've been to. Came during late…read morelunch/early dinner hours to beat the dinner rush. It was around 4:30pm and when we arrived, it was empty which was perfect for us. Space is big and spacious and their tables, plating, and decor really stood out to me. Seemed fancier than other Chinese restaurants! Ordered a variety of dishes and they were all really large portions and well-prepared. None were overly salty or sweet, just right. My favorite was their chicken, eggplant and salted fish claypot dish. It's one of my favorite dishes in general and they made it very well. Definitely will come here more often and will rec my family to try this place out for our next family event.

Claw daddy's now Surf n Chicks is still as I remember it. Good food, great happy hour, good vibes,…read more and great staff. Came for Happy hour since I was in the neighborhood and haven't been in a long time. I was surprised that Josè remembered me at the bar so kudos to him I was really impressed. I had my usuals: Grilled oysters, raw oysters, and wings. Grilled oysters were tasty as always. Jose offered a lemon based hot sauce for them which I liked. The raw oysters were fresh and came with Pico de gaello; it is innovative and pairs really well. I loved it on the oysters. The Wings as always were really tasty, fried well and paired wit the lemon hot sauce made it even better. A1 Of course the drinks never dissapoint. Aside from Happy-hour there's a regular menu. Decent prices & options available. Definitely go check them out.

We were a party of 4 yesterday and the food made us sick and had to go to urgent care. The mussels…read moretasted funny and we didn't finish them. My kids were violently throwing up. The next day which is today. We've been in bed whole day. The service was slow and the server messed up on the bill. The host questioned my child (which is a minor) about if the bill was taken care of instead of finding out from the server himself. How dare you question a minor instead of the adult to see if the bill was cleared. If I was there that wouldn't have happened. I stepped away to go to the washroom after paying the bill, which was incorrect. I even questioned it and was reassured that it was correct. To only have my child questioned about something they would know nothing about. Teach your staff about approaching children about adult matters. The setting was ok. It's just that the food wasn't fresh, tasteless, and made our stomach hurt and had to go to urgent care. We will not be rerunning that business again and I highly recommend that you don't either.

Food is good, well seasoned. Service could be a bit better…read more Nice music, but very load, could barely hear. 7.5/10...would come again.

Service was very friendly. The AYCE is a good value if you make it so…read more Food was hit or miss. Crabs and wings were good. Everything else was just ok. It was a very slow night when we went so maybe that had something to do with it?

A Michelin-star contender in Brooklyn! One of my new faves…read more Discovered this spot through the red book, and it's easily one of my favorite finds so far. Every dish was incredibly unique, featuring exquisite flavors that truly "dance" on the palate. Squid (5/5): Cooked to absolute perfection, it was bouncy, chewy, and paired with a sauce that tied everything together beautifully. Steaklette (4.75/5): A fantastic dish. The sauce was once again the highlight, and it paired perfectly with the potatoes. My partner found it a bit salty, but for me, the seasoning was just right While they are currently Michelin Recommended, I truly believe they deserve a Star. If you're looking for a seafood-forward menu that is both creative and expertly executed, highly recommend!

Saint Julivert has been on my list since the moment it opened and I don't really have a good excuse…read morefor why I only visited for the first time last weekend. I told our server this when she asked if it was our first time dining here and she found it similarly puzzling. That said, this sentiment is one rarely expressed these days, as Saint Julivert's longevity puts it in what I'd imagine to be an exclusive, highly coveted class of restaurants that have stood the test of time in the face of changing trends, the pandemic, rent, etc. And perhaps more importantly, it has stood the test of time *and* maintained its high level of execution and quality. Saint Julivert is a neighborhood spot as memorable as it is unassuming. We came here at around 7:30pm on a Saturday night. I live quite far from Saint Julivert which is the main reason I hadn't gotten here before this past weekend. Luckily, a friend who recently moved to the area was having a party, describing the offered fare as "drinks and light bites" -- code for "not sufficient for dinner" and an opportunity to find a fun restaurant nearby to try beforehand. Walking up to Saint Julivert was a bit of a thrill for me -- both because of how long it's been on my radar and also because it's nestled on a block that otherwise seems completely residential. The space itself is much smaller than I imagined, very cozy, friendly, and down to earth. We had, in my opinion, one of the best seats in the house, which was a pair of high tops by the kitchen with loads of space for folks (read: us) who like to order a bunch of smaller plates to share. To start, we got a round of cocktails. I had to go with the Kanpai Martini (vodka, gin, shochu, cap corse, guindilla), as I pretty much always start with the martini if one is featured on the cocktail menu, and my partner got the Puerto Escondido (mezcal, beet, grapefruit, jalapeño) which is a super tasty spicy mezcal marg variation. I then tried the Diamond District (mezcal, persimmon liqueur, cocchi americano) which is a variation of one of my other go-to drinks, a white mezcal negroni. No complaints here. Food-wise, we obviously leaned into the seafood here heavily. Tried to sample as much variety as possible and I'd say we did a pretty impressive job. We weren't able to finish everything but we tried our very best. Truly everything was exceptional so my usual letter grades aren't all that necessary because it was As across the board. Eats, below: Amberjack w/ tomato water, crispy shallot, shiso oil Ideal first dish, definitely had some amuse bouche qualities, being both light and bright. The fish was incredibly fresh and the concept overall with sophisticated with use of texture and flavor that was impressive in its subtlety and execution. Chicory Salad w/ blue cheese, walnut, persimmon, coffee cider vinaigrette Our one veggie of the night and it was well worth our while, fresh winter greens with that tried and true blue cheese/walnut combo made unique by the coffee cider vinaigrette which emphasized the sweet and earthy notes of the dish and brought everything together beauitfully. Wild Shrimp w/ salted kumquat, poblano pepper, pomelo If I had to give an award to most unique of the night, it would have to go to this dish. I've had a dizzying amount of seafood over the years and I've been lucky enough try to a lot of different types of things in a lot of different types of ways and this one stands out. Something about the flavor and texture of the mostly-raw shrimp with the delicate and aromatic citrus elements. Just impossibly fresh, bright, and delicious. Octopus w/ pipián verde, roasted tomatillo juice, cucumber, serrano A preparation I'm used to seeing served warm but I enjoyed it cold just the same. The overall flavor profile was predictable but the elements contributing to it were less so. The green mole was delicious and overall this dish was a perfect bridge between the lighter and the richer, a segue so perfect it was as if it was divinely ordained. Squid a la Plancha w/ pine nut, maitake mushroom, tinta, poblano The first of two warm dishes we ordered. A nice complement to some of the lighter dishes we had earlier in the meal that were more aromatic/vegetal/gardenia vibes, this dish was earthier, more umami and grounding. Jerked Hamachi Collar w/ mango-pickle mayo, lime Hard to finish with this because it was probably the richest of the dishes and we were already somewhat full by this point, but I ate as much as I could because it was just that good. The mango-pickle mayo was just sublime, the fish was perfectly cooked and seasoned beautifully -- altogether a playful and powerful way to end the meal.

Solo dinner because I deserve some me time. I started off with the goat cheese salad. Def recommend…read morebut next time I would get the dressing on the side as it was too much for me. My hibiscus margarita was A1. The bartender knew what she was doing. I sat at the bar and she super attentive and her recommendations were right on. Get the Brussels sprouts! Get the lamb chops! Yup I'll be back to try other items on the menu

Me and mom celebrated Mothers Day today! I chose the restaurant because I was there 2 years ago on…read moremy birthday in September! Before we ordered the Mother's Day special, I specifically asked the waitress if she would like her tip in cash and she said of course! The special was $95/person plus a 20% TIP ($38) which was $228! See photo below! We ordered some other items and the waitress gave me my bill for $252.86. We then drove 10 blocks to Chase to get out cash for her. I then noticed that I was charged $298.86. It was the $252.86 plus a TIP of $45.20! I immediately returned to discuss the discrepancies. The tip that was supposed to be $38 was now $45.20! The waitress then said she would credit my account. My question was how did this happen! All three waitresses stated it was not them and that the machine did this! How was this possible? Not one of them took responsibility for the discrepancies! Had I not looked at my bank statement then I would never have known that I would be tipping her twice! I then decided to leave to explain to my mom! Then the short Indian (I think) than sarcastically stated "Oh so now you're not going to tip us" Really! I drove 10 blocks and I NEVER ONCE STATED THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO TIP HER! I merely was going to let my mom know what happened and then TIP her! Note* I was going to give her a $100 cash TIP! Had she given me the REAL receipt with the $45 TIP then I would have given her $50 CASH but since she only produced the REAL receipt after I came back (how ironic) and told her she charged the wrong amount, she would have received $100 TIP. But since the short Indian waitress made that slick remark, she did not receive anything! After the disrespect and blaming the machine and giving me a fake receipt? I decided to leave! If this is how you conduct business then you just lost a great customer! PS! The food was great!

I love a good solo date, especially on a hot summer day, but I definitely made a mistake coming…read morealone because I think I've found my new favorite restaurant. I started with the Fried Calamari, which is always an amazing classic with its crisp and flavor, but I was so excited to try the Mussel Dolma. I didn't know what to expect, so I was definitely surprised to see it was served cold. The combination of the mussel, rice, currants, and warm spices were truly immaculate and blended together seamlessly. For the main course, I ordered the Iskender Steak: a 10-ounce grilled Black Angus strip served over flatbread with brown butter, tomato sauce, and yogurt. Every single bite was rich, savory, and satisfying. I paired it with a side of their Cherry Rice, and I would've never thought to add cherries in rice... but let me tell you, this was easily my favorite dish of the night.. It added the perfect touch of sweetness to the savory rice, making every bite more elevated. To finish, I had their pistachio dessert served with a ladyfinger cookie, and it was the perfect light and creamy ending to an incredible meal. I would love to come back and order Rana's Table to get a sample of all they have to offer.If you're looking to try something beyond the usual dinner spots, Rana Fifteen absolutely deserves a spot on your list!

My friend and I ate dinner at Rana Fifteen during a trip to Brooklyn. We went on a Friday evening…read morearound 8pm and were seated immediately without a wait. The inside of the restaurant is decorated nicely, however one of the lights above us was flickering for the entire meal which was annoying at first, but we eventually tuned it out. We both shared the Rana's Table. This was a really cool experience. This smorgasbord includes a sampling of 8 appetizers, 4 mezes, 1 entree, 1 side, and 1 dessert. For the entree we chose the Iskender Steak. For the side we got the Yogurt Potatoes. The dessert was chosen for us - some sort of pistachio mousse. All the food was good. Between the 8 appetizers and 4 mezes - some we loved, some were just ok. But a lot of that opinion is based on personal preference. If you're planning on eating here, bring your appetite and definitely consider the Rana's Table. Being able to try so many options all at once was a fun and unique experience. Service was good. Multiple staff checked in and took care of us.

I'm lovin' the beachy vibes here at Brooklyn Crab, especially if you make it here for their happy…read morehour deals. The space is pretty big with two floors and various seating options. It's great for large parties with chill vibes that really make you feel like you're at a beach. Happy hour is from 3-6pm on weekdays and we got lucky coming here during that time. The husband enjoyed a nice, cold beer for $6 while I got the Peel N Eat Shrimp for only $10 on the HH menu. While the shrimp are on the skinny side, they were a good deal and got me pretty full. Definitely added some extra Old Bay seasoning on the shrimps. In addition, we ordered the Mac and Cheese ($12) and BKC Burger ($21) with Bacon (+$2). The Mac and cheese here are so cheesy and delicious, definitely a favorite as well. Such a great spot to hang out and enjoy some drinks and seafood. Even for my husband who doesn't eat seafood had a few options luckily. The servers were also very friendly and great vibes all around.

Okay so I came here on the first 80 degree day of the season for the afternoon so when I say it was…read moreBUSY it was BUSY!! Regardless of the volume the outside bar had quick service on the drinks while we waited to be called for a table. It took about 1.5 hours for our table to be ready. Once seated the staff came to take our orders quick as this was a no nonsense day for them with every table full. We decided to on the Cajun seafood boil for 2 which was split between 4 people -- definitely enough food. The CRAB was out of this world some of the best dungeness crab I ever tasted. Lobster on point. I definately went to crustacean heaven. The price is hefty tho at 195. We also got the ahi tuna nachos which was a nice app and the lobster Mac and cheese. Definately coming back.

Recently came here for dinner. The vibe was chic and the…read morefood is contemporary southern. While here I had the following: Fried shrimp & calamari- fried nice and crispy. Seasoned nice. My only gripe. There were only 3 Shrimp in the whole dish. If you offer half and half, truly make it half and half. Sesame wings- sticky and sweet. Nicely seasoned and prepared. Shrimp scampi- tasty and juicy. Very fresh and deelish!! Butternut squash soup- very good and silky. Brussel sprouts- not pictured or on the menu but, they came out nice and toasty. I also ordered a Tito's and club soda from the bar. I appreciated the un-flat club soda. Our server Ilia G was very knowledgable and charismatic. Our food came out in great time. Price points were decent. I'd definitely stop in again!