Brooklyn: Eating Up Flatbush
From 5th Avenue to Grand Army Plaza, Flatbush Avenue is lined with plenty of great places to stuff your face. It's a bustling strip that is, like much of New York, rapidly gentrifying, but for now Flatbush Ave. is nowhere near as yuppified as other parts of this end of Brooklyn. The eateries represent a wide range of culinary styles and traditions, with an emphasis on Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. The ease with which you can get to these Brooklyn locales makes them attractive to folks from Manhattan and beyond. And with warm weather on the way, the north end of Flatbush Ave. is also an ideal locale -- there are many backyard and sidewalk patios in which to stuff your face with some of Brooklyn finest food. What follows is a list of some our favorite watering holes and eateries. And as always, we'd love to hear about yours.
SugarCane
238 Flatbush Ave (between 6th Ave & Bergen St) Brooklyn, NY 11217
On weekends Sugarcane is packed, and the music can be felt even when walking outside the restaurant. The jerk is some of the best in the city, and the prices are … reasonable. We were a little frightened by what looked like stainless steel martini glasses, but the steel drums on the speaker system more than made up for it. [link]
Mooney's Pub
353 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Mooney's is always dark and cheap, and there's usually a barstool waiting for you. A true old-fashioned watering hole for those looking for an honest, unpretentious … drink. [link]
Mitchell's Bar and Grill
259 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Mitchell's is a strange concept; it's a bar, deli, and restaurant created by the man who for many years ran the old deli across the street. It just feels weird to drop … $53 on a steak or get Kobe beef while staring at a deli counter. With that said, the food is fantastic. If you can make it past the deli, the back dining room has some great Jazz and a patio. [link]
Geido
331 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Geido attracts a neighborhood crowd to dine on its good, but not great, sushi and enjoy its attractively priced drinks. The service is very friendly, the carpet is very … filthy, and we always leave very happy. Not a great first-date place, but great for a night out with that special someone who leaves the bathroom door open at home. [link]
Franny's
295 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
For the longest time I thought the pulled-down front grate read "tranny's," so I often wondered what kind of interesting dining experience it would offer. It turns out … that there are no trannys, but instead pizza and antipasti with a long list of Italian liqueurs. Franny's is one of the hippest restaurants on this stretch of Flatbush, but you have to deal with some seriously cranky waiters. The entryway is very narrow, and on a busy night you will be unapologetically hockey-checked by some of the waitstaff. Also, the pizza crust can be a little burnt sometimes, and the prices on food and drinks are on the spendy side. [link]
Flatbush Farm / Barn
76 St Marks Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Barn and Flatbush Farm are two sides of the same coin. Barn is a airy, dimly lit bar with an eclectic but good drink menu, and Flatbush Farm is a much ballyhooed, … highish-end restaurant concentrating on locally produced food. The food itself has gotten mixed reviews on the internets, but we have always been a fan. Word to the wise - on slow nights you can occasionally get the restaurant menu in the bar. [link]
Burrito Bar
307 Flatbush Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Burritoville has a weird hippie vibe, a huge selection of Tequila and Mescal, and loud outdoor sidewalk seating. The burritos run about ten bucks, but are good for … approximately 2.5 meals, and for $30 or so you can get a pitcher of top-shelf margarita. A great place to get drinks and apps after work or on a warm, sunny weekend afternoon. [link]
