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Water Street Restaurant
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants American (New) Bars, American (New) [Edit]
66 Water StBrooklyn, NY 11201
Neighborhood: DUMBO
(718) 625-9352
- Nearest Transit:
-
High St (A, C)
York St (F)
Clark St (2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 2 am
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 4 am
Sun 10:30 am - 2 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Sun, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
98 reviews for Water Street Restaurant
Review Highlights
"For dessert, I had the key lime pie."
(in 5 reviews)
"Good beers on tap, and their burgers are amazingly good."
(in 7 reviews)
"The manager Brian was extremely attentive to this..."
(in 3 reviews)
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98 reviews in English
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Review from Michelle T.
Queens, NY
12/22/2011
Checked out Water Street Restaurant yesterday evening before a show at St. Ann's down the block. Because we were running late, my husband and I both ordered burgers, but I can't wait to come back and try the southern/cajun dishes and apps when I have more time. Burgers and fries were so good and not fatty at all (as in, not dripping with grease - I will pretend I didn't see the strips of bacon and cheddar smothering the patty itself as I took bite after juicy bite) - they even made it on my husband's short list of must-have burgers - and service was fast and friendly.
Cozy decor with elbow room to spare and live jazz music (it was a Wed night)! Great prices given the other restaurants in the area and bonus: they give discounts to people who have tickets to St. Ann's shows which our waitress handled nicely, no need to whip out proof of purchase and explain yourself. -
Review from Kalake K.
Manhattan, NY
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Decent food,
decent portions - not huge,
service was good, friendly and to-the-point,
lighting is nice.
Check out the cool bathroom on the main floor!
_ Coconut Kitty (CATFISH) FINGERS $8
were oily and a small portion, probably won't order them again
_ Soft Shell JERK CHICKEN TACOS $8
are pretty good + spicy
_ Not Your Aunt Mamie's BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN $16
is the best entree on the menu, says everyone else
who didn't order this dish and tried some (party of 10).
_ Cinnamon Dusted SWEET POTATO FRIES $6
are delicious. The best side item on the menu, aside from the
Hand Cut Fries.
Might return if in the area. -
Review from Vivian H.
11/29/2011
**Birthday boy...man...turned 30 tonight!**
On a windy, rainy night like out of Casablanca, I make my way to this restaurant that is located right between both infamous Brooklyn bridges. The subway rumbles above and shakes the ground a bit and everything feels like a clandestine operation.
The restaurant is spacious and at 6:30pm, there are only two tables with no one at the bar. We had a party of 10 people but they could have easily accommodated more. I was blown away by how gorgeous our waiter was. He looked exactly like a young Johnny Depp. Once again, Brooklyn delivers!
I started off with a Cabernet and it was decent and at $8 a glass, I am not complaining. They specialize in Southern cuisine and prior to coming here, I did my homework and read up a bit about their entrees. A few people ordered up kitty fingers and everyone said it was good. I had the veggie jambalaya ($15) and it was chocked full of beans, okra, carrots, squash. It was very tasty and I didn't miss the Andouille sausage at all. Other popular dishes here include the fried chicken and ribs. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal and licked their platters clean.
For dessert, I had the key lime pie. I asked the waiter if it was from Steve's in Red Hook and yes indeed that is where they get their pies from! It was a really good slice of key lime!
I just have to rave about the bathroom for a minute. The bathroom is situated in the back but the shape is circular. And inside there is a picture of Clark Gable kissing Vivien Leigh. Absolutely timeless. There is also a fireplace in the bathroom and also books that look like they are jutting out of the wall.
Oh, and we also spied a lounge downstairs, which is called the Underwater Lounge. How cool is that? I am about to come here on a Friday night to get my grove on with all my snorkel gear! In addition, there is a back room that they do rent out for special occasions. I am going to keep this place in mind when I need to throw a shindig!
DUMBO is extremely cool and on a night like tonight, it was quiet, sleepy, industrial, wet and romantic. Exactly how I like my city to be... -
Review from Jonathan S.
New York, NY
1/20/2012
Truthfully I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here but it is a very agreeable place to stop on your way to an event at St. Ann's Warehouse. There's a Cajun theme to the menu, with a couple of variations - satisfying portions, reasonably priced.
Quite an extensive, and interesting, cocktail, wine and beer selection. -
Review from Matthew W.
Avon, CT
Updated - 1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Lousy stale bread, service was not the greatest. I won't be going back.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/29/2011
Great Lighting and rustico Decor with urban chic feel. The bread that was served was old and tasted… Read more »
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Review from shari m.
Berkeley, CA
1/7/2012
Took my mom here after getting a Groupon or Yelp Deal. Appetizer: cocount catfish (good). She order ribs, with mac & cheese, and greens. I order catfish, with corn, mashed potatoes, with a side of mac. We also order Sangria, and beer.
The food came in small portions, and were merely OK. Truly no real flavor. The sangria was AWFUL, we traded it in for beer -__-
The staff is very attentive, and friendly. That's what earns them the 3rd star.
We ended up spending over $70 with the groupon/yelp...that's crazy because it was two of us, but moreso because the food was less than memorable. -
Review from Alex R.
Flushing, NY
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
We went on a Sunday afternoon. You can only order from the brunch menu from until brunch was over at 4pm. The service sucked. We waited maybe 15 mins, before we had to get up and tell the waiter we were ready to order. This was after he served 2 tables that came in after us. Service aside, the food wasn't that great. I had the chicken and waffles, which wasn't quite I expected. It was one small piece of chicken breast and one room temperature waffle, with cold butter and syrup. Not impressed at all.
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Review from Peter D.
Updated - 8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
"If someone has a great dish and returns to have it again, and you don't serve it to him in exactly the same way, then you're a dick." -Mario Batali
Although I would never stoop to such vulgarities,* I agree with the man in that consistency of execution is so difficult, and yet so important.
What I am trying to say is that the Water Street Burger is not the burger I remember. I recently found myself in DUMBO and I was asked to decide where we should eat a weekday lunch. I was disappointed and a bit embarrassed that I gushed about this burger.
Because when we came in, they gave me a diner burger. My order of medium rare had ended up well done. Gone was the juice, the flavor, the DELICIOUSNESS that set this one apart from other, ordinary burgers. I might even have have sent it back if it hadn't taken 45 minutes for it to cook in the first place, and if I didn't need to head back to work.
(Yes, of course I ate the whole thing and liked it. It was still a burger, and I love burgers.)
I still love the vibe, the staff, and the history on the walls. I'll be back to watch some football and to give it another try. But that burger made me sad.
__________
*OK, I would.Listed in: DUMBO & Brooklyn Heights., the best french fries in NYC.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/25/2009
I have been to Water Street a few times, and bizarrely, I've never had the Water Burger. I ALWAYS… Read more »
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Review from Naa Ama M.
Brooklyn, NY
9/7/2011
Extremely pleasantly surprised....we were starving after a photo shoot and were wandering around trying to find a great place to eat. It was the day before the "hurricane" and there weren't many people out.
OMG the service was great, and super friendly....ok granted there were only like 5 other people in there. But the food was to die for really. I had melt in your mouth fall off the bone ribs and some slap your mother and singly glory Greens YES!!!!!
My 15 month old son ate all this "not your aunties? fried chicken and okra greens mix. The thing I like about the food is it was definately down home with out the down home salt, grease, and heart attack...but alllllllll the taste.
Only downer...the dessert key lime pie SUCKED :( -
Review from Jeremy D.
Manhattan, NY
10/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Didn't get a chance to sample the food, but the bar scene was decent. A good selection of beers on tap and the bartender was friendly enough to want to return.
Two friends got the burger and fries which looked pretty good.
We came here for a gathering of colleagues and there was definitely plenty of room in the back for a good sized party. Going here with a group shouldn't be a problem. -
Review from Emily B.
Brooklyn, NY
9/7/2011
Lobster pot pie? Done.
(Oh, right, and there are fried deviled eggs. Those are good too. But not as good as the lobster pot pie om nom nom nom nom.) -
Review from Teresa G.
8/21/2011
I had high expectations for this place. I planned a bachlorette dinner for 12 and leading up to the night of the event, my communication with the manger, Brian, had been great. But on the evening of the event, I found our server to be distracted and largely incompetent. We had to flag her down for EVERYTHING from drinks to the bill. Though I saw Brian briefly at the start of the night, he never made his way over to the table to check in or assure that we were receiving adequate service.
The lobster deal was a big draw and everyone that ordered it seemed happy. The rest of the menu was a bit disappointing. I had a falafel dish that left a lot to be desired.
Next time I find myself in Brooklyn, I will not be at Water Street Restaurant. -
Review from Anna H.
Brooklyn, NY
6/6/2011
I've thrown three different events at Water Street: a dance party fundraiser for an arts collective, a holiday party and, just this past Friday, my own milestone birthday party which included dinner for 45 followed by drinks and dancing in their beautiful subterranean lounge.
Each one had its own unique set of needs and problems, and each time their events coordinator, Brian, and the wonderful staff at Water Street helped me pull it all off without a hitch. From letting me redecorate the entire lounge to resemble a woodland paradise to gracefully tacking on a dozen dinner guests at the last minute, they've consistently bent over backwards to make sure I had everything I needed. They even bought extra decorations and added hot spiked cider to their bar menu for my holiday party!
For my recent birthday extravaganza, they provided a wonderful buffet dinner of salmon in a lemon-caper-butter sauce, pasta with basil and tomatoes, steamed seasonal vegetables and mashed potatoes, with cheesecake for dessert. I figured it would be pretty 'meh' since, y'know, it's buffet food, but everything was delicious and several guests complimented me on it (and I totally took them like a compliment-whore, like I had anything to do with it!).
Their lounge is really beautiful, with very high ceilings, tall columns, a small stage, decent-sized bar and plenty of cushioned nooks and crannies to lounge around and make out in. They'll light it in the color of your choice and generally put the DJ booth next to the bar, which is nice because the DJ can get drinks without making someone fight through a crowd. The main bartender downstairs is a total sweetheart, too.
By the time my party was over (at 3 am after hours of boozy dancing), half my friends were saying they wanted to do their parties there, too. And they should - Water Street is awesome! -
Review from Helmut D.
Brooklyn, NY
11/30/2011
My usual place to eat while Im in DUMBO. Sucks that there aren't many option to dine out there. Luckily this place is really that good! I love the burgers and the fried Chicken sandwich with chipotle mayo. Many choices of food and drinks absolutely love it! Inside is usually dark during the day, available flat screen TV's playing sports at the bar. Available seating outside during warm weather is a plus. Be prepared to wait if you want outdoor seating, there's only like 3 or 4 tables. I noticed there's a huge space downstairs they use for parties. I think there was a bar mitzvah going during a time I was there. No complaints on staff, not overly friendy but not rude either. I came one evening and they were short staff, food order got mixed up, service is a hit or miss depending when you go
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Review from Andrew G.
Brooklyn, NY
9/13/2011 20 Check-ins Here
I am going to make this one short and sweet. Food is excellent from the burgers to the lobster, and it has an incredible beer selection. However the service is horrible. The bartenders in the evening are terrible. I should never have to wait 10 minutes to just order a beer and then 10 more minutes for them to just close my tab when it's not even packed.
Still I keep coming back for the good food and the great atmosphere. $10 for a burger and a beer on Mondays and live music on Wed nights.
***UPDATE***
I have lowered my rating to three stars because the food is still amazing, the bar is still stacked but the service has become abismal. I almost don't want to come back here anymore, if the burgers were not amazing. -
Review from Michael O.
Brooklyn, NY
11/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ok bar food and an ok bar. Not bad by any means. But it gets the extra star for having my favorite bathroom in NYC (you'll see).
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Review from Johanna Z.
Miller Place, NY
10/26/2011
Visited Water Street Restaurant before seeing a show at St.Ann's, planned on just stopping in for a drink before checking out the area a little more, but pretty quickly decided to stay for some food. At first my boyfriend said he didn't like the menu, which has a sort of southern, Cajun thing going on, but I pointed out some appetizers that sounded unique; like the deep fried deviled eggs, and he was into it. We were not dissapointed! We had 4 apps. And shared an entree, turkey meatloaf, with stewed okra...OMG! Okra? Really? Delish! The other apps we devoured were jerk chicken tacos with a mango glaze if I remember right, coconut catfish fingers..exactly what you'd think, so that can't be wrong, oh and the mac and cheese,,great on flavor, but could've been hotter...all the apps could have been hotter, that's why the 4 stars.
Stephanie, the bartender was very sweet and helpful, she gave us great suggestions for dessert. Key lime and pumpkin pie...yum
the food at water street was thoughtful and fresh...was a really nice change of pace, especially for a tavern atmosphere. -
Review from Melissa D.
BAYSIDE HILLS, NY
7/27/2011
Can you say classy debauchery of a time?
We had our wedding here last monthy and every single one of our 200 guests said it was the best wedding they have ever been to. The manager Brian was extremely attentive to this bridezilla's needs.
Food was awesome. Drinks kept on coming. Do things go wrong, yes as they do with any type of wedding or event no matter where it is. However with the amount of people and things we had going on at our wedding (photobooth, dj in the downstairs lounge, italian singer in the upstairs) the staff was continously so accomodating and helpful.
It was the perfect unconventional wedding we were looking for. We thank Water Street for helping to make it happen! -
Review from Justin L.
Brooklyn, NY
7/31/2011
As
A bar
I wouldn't go
But for events
They have lots of space and the Dumbo draw. -
Review from Ebony C.
4/23/2011
Have you ever heard of fried deviled eggs???!! That is the reason why I ended up here one Sunday evening w/ friends from out of town.
So of course I got the deviled eggs as an app, and let's just say thank goodness they only give you three. SOOOOOOO GOOOD!!! I like deviled eggs to start, but then you fry it...I'm salivating! I tried not to think of my heart asking for me to stop the madness,
For my meal I had the boneless buttermilk fried chicken, which was basically fancy chicken tenders. It was seasoned very well and juicy. Came w/ mac & cheese, not like mine or my granny's but it was good, and okra, which at 1st glance always looks like someone sneezed on your plate. But it was actually really good.
Drinks were $13...the place is in dumbo, so I can understand the price. Pear Spritzer...YUMMY!!
One complaint, please do not use your very new waitress who doesn't know the drink or dining menu w/ lush hungry people. Or who has a hard time coming to the table to take an order...but besides that...all was great! -
Review from Justin B.
Brooklyn, NY
7/13/2011
Came here for lunch today during work since a co-worker had a craving for a decent burger. Seeing as that was how it was presented to me, I felt like I needed to go all out and have a burger, as well. It just seems like the type of place where that might just be one of the few good things on the menu.
Though, for the record, I was a bit torn between the healthier felafel burger on the menu and the monster with cheddar cheese and bacon (which I ended up getting). I mean, I really only ate garbanzo beans yesterday for lunch (and dinner), so I felt that I deserved it. I opted for the salad instead of the fries to make it at least a little bit healthier.
Needless to say, I did not touch the salad. The greens were all wilted and didn't compare to the monster burger sitting in front of me. Maybe it wasn't really all that big. I don't really eat that many burgers, but it seemed gigantic when it was plopped down in front of me. And in the end, it was a bit tasty, too. A little too greasy, maybe not enough flavor in the actual meat, the cheese could have been a little sharper to enhance that flavor and the bacon could be a bit thicker (go big), but otherwise, decent.
With a nice beer and some good co-workers, it was a nice lunch overall. The place has a humble little vibe. The service was nice, all in all, decent. In and out in under an hour.
I'll come back for the healthier option next time. Let's see if I actually go through with it. -
Review from David S.
ASTORIA, NY
6/10/2011
Came here with some friends to celebrate their wedding. Their wedding was in NOLA so we figured a Cajun joint would be appropriate. After looking at the menu I had some hesitation. Water Street really isn't a Cajun spot. It's more of a southern and Cajun influenced place.
While my drink was good, my wife ordered a margarita which tasted weird. She sent back the first margarita after complaining that it tasted off (total absence of any lime flavor, not sweet at all and no salt) and the replacement tasted just as off. The crawfish poppers and coconut kitty fingers were some of the most expensive yet tiny appetizers, not to mention unimpressive.
Most everyone at the table ordered fried chicken. I ordered the turkey meatloaf (actually forced by my wife). That turkey meatloaf was awful...
Bland, gristley, grey and dry are the words that best described the two lumps of sad meat sitting on top on a large mass of salty mashed potatoes. There was a modicum of creole stewed tomatoes whose moisture was desperately needed to choke down the loaf.
The menu read that the meatloaf was supposed to be smothered in mushroom gravy. What was sitting on top of my grey meat slabs was about a tablespoon of sauteed mushrooms. When I asked for the advertised gravy I got a ramekin of more sauteed shrooms in what looked like au jus. As a Southerner I was deeply offended by the use of the term 'gravy' to describe this watery affront to buttery roux thinned with savory chicken broth with yummy shrooms.
To top it off service didn't exactly do much for me. They weren't friendly but they weren't attentive. I liked the decor, which was warm and inviting but the food did nothing for me. -
Review from Will C.
New York, NY
Good atmosphere good devil egg but slow service but nice for a slow night. I had the jaymabala. It was good but not WOW. The three friend devil eggs were so flavorful. The best thing was the appetizer. Since the service was slow it would be a nice slow meal.
This place has many drafts on tap. Tons of good beers and the fried food does make it perfect. The wine and champagne is kinda of expensive.
Decent place to go to since isn't long wait.
FRIED DEVIL EGG ROCKS -
Review from Judy P.
Brooklyn, NY
9/5/2011
I've been here twice. The first occasion was better than the second. Their salmon entre is good. As is their Water Street burger.
However the second time the service was pretty horrible. Our waitress was so busy. It seemed she was the only waitress there. It took 30 minutes for her to take our order. Our 1 hour lunch break extended into 1hr and 40 minutes.
It's not recommended you bring large parties here. I don't think the kitchen can keep up with large orders all in at once. -
Review from Matthew P.
Brooklyn, NY
3/9/2011 18 Check-ins Here
Water Street Restaurant wins my Most Improved Restaurant Award for 2010-2011. I had gone a few years ago and was not impressed. But judging by tonight's performance, I'll be back soon. It's one of the better restaurants in the area.
The food is above average, there's a nice comfortable vibe, the live jazz was excellent, above average beer list (including Boddingtons, and Smithwicks on draft), and service friendly, and respectable Key Lime Pie for dessert.
On Monday night the $10 burger and beer deal makes my cheap ass heart sing. Such a great deal. Possibly the best in this part of Bklyn. -
Review from Melissa L.
New York, NY
Waiting to go and see a show at St. Anns - this is an easy place to go- just keep in mind that you should get there absolutely no later than 6:15 if you want to make the show alright. They get slammed and their kitchen can only do so much.
I hadn't made reservations, so we sat at a high top bar table (which was fine and i don't mind) and I had the chipotle burger (fantastic) with a bun that was sweet and lightly toasted and all the dressings including bacon. I had it with a garden salad in lieu of fries. good choice with the lemon vinaigrette. our waitress got us out of there by 7:40 in time to go to will call and get our tickets- i would recommend this place and will definitely make reservations here next time i plan to see a show so I'm not as rushed.
the atmosphere was weird. a disco party downstairs with loud bass contrasted the jazz playing over the speakers- but i honestly didnt care.
Next time Im also ordering the alligator stew (which is only available fri and sat nights...) -
Review from Gregory P.
Staten Island, NY
1/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Normally I am very careful when choosing a place to go out to. However, sometimes planning ahead is not always an option. My pathetic excuse for a New Years is one such case.
My girlfriend and I were invited to this restaurant's by one of our mutual buddies. Before that invite we knew nothing of it. All we knew is that it was in DUMBO. Parking was easy enough to find in the area. There are many street spots and a number of parking garages. That is about the only positive I was able to find.
We settled into our reserved spot and began to drink. I decided to order a bottle of Prosecco ($32). After being charged I was handed my bottle of wine. Only problem is, it was the wrong bottle. I just thought they had made a mistake in handing me the proper bubbly. Not even close, they charged me for the most expensive bottle they had ($161). After bringing this to their attention they gave me the proper bottle ... but said nothing about reimbursement. I was then told that they could not refund me or for THEIR error, I was told to talk to the floor manager who told me the same thing but that he would give me two more bottles of Prosecco to compensate (If you are counting that only adds up to $96). He told me that was the best he could do. So I cut my losses and returned to my table.
This alone is enough to warrant a one star rating. However, the night did not end there. A little while later the woman's bathroom overflowed and flooded a good portion of their lounge (ironic as it is, it was called the Underwater Lounge) in toilet water. No amount of mopping could stop it. And for the remainder of the night our reserved table spot was turned into a dirty lake.
I left this place with a lovely mix of anger, regret, sorrow, and shame. If this web site would permit me I would give negative starts. I warn all who even consider going here to move on and enter any one of the other bars in the area. I can almost 100% guarantee you will have a better time with less of a chance of getting ripped off (or forced to endure sewage). -
Review from Siv L.
3/30/2011
Stopped in on a Saturday night with my boyfriend waiting for a show to start nearby at the Galapagos Art Space. We sat at the bar and waited for a good 10-15 minutes before the bartender even acknowledged our presence (I remember telling my boyfriend that if we had to wait a few additional minutes, we would just leave).
The place feels like a college bar. From the reviews here, it appears that it has good food. Would come back if in the area for a bite to eat but this place deserves 2 stars just for the poor service at the bar! -
Review from Steven V.
Los Angeles, CA
5/22/2011
Delicious southern/cajun/continental food, great decor, and fun servers!
Just walked in on a Sunday afternoon about 5pm. Saw great things on the menu and had to have the fried deviled eggs! Liked the southern/cajun/continental items so we had the jambalaya and buttermilk fried chicken that were boneless (a big plus for me!). They were all yummy!
Can't wait to go back! -
Review from eden m.
Seattle, WA
9/23/2011
Tried to have Sunday brunch here. Our party of five was seated at the back of the restaurant. And then ignored... and ignored ... and ignored. We tried to flag down wait staff to no avail. Ended up walking out.
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Review from Kassy M.
Brooklyn, NY
I went to the Water Street Restaurant for their JAM ON DUMBO event, the first of three shows in their concert series. It showcased two kids' bands, balloons, and face-painting. Saying that it was a success is an understatement, as the entire downstairs party room was PACKED with kids and their parents.
The workers were extremely helpful, although they seemed a bit distracted and overwhelmed. I don't blame them, the place was chaotic!
I was not very pleased with the ticket prices. $30 for 2 kids (and adults)! As enjoyable as the event was for the kids, no toddler wants to wait 40-minutes to get his face painted!
Next time I come here, I will actually try their food! -
Review from Dylan F.
Manhattan, NY
4/27/2011
Water Street Restaurant is an awesome place to go. Whether it's a date with a loved one, or just an old friend, I would definitely recommend everyone to eat here! The area is great, as you're close to the Brooklyn Bridge; however, it may be a little tricky to find at first, if you're not familiar with DUMBO.
Let's get down to the important stuff.. The food is delicious and the prices are decent. I do believe that you get your moneys worth with the quantity that they provide you with. I went there on a date with my ex girlfriend, and I must admit that it was a great time.
Once I entered, I was greeted and seated by a lovely waitress. The service was good and the place itself was very comfy and soothing. (Lights dimmed, candles around the table)
Plus, there's a bar that has a great variety to choose from.
I recommended this place to two couples already, one of my brothers (22) and his girlfriend, as well as one of my soccer teammates (19) and his girlfriend, and they loved it. -
Review from Lisa B.
Brooklyn, NY
1/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Located in the prime real-estate in Dumbo, this restaurant is position perfectly for an up close view of the Manhattan Bridge. To find this eye catching view is next to impossible, especially by car. It seems that every block surrounding this restaurant is under construction. I had to use my handy dandy iPhone to find a route to this restaurant. As for the environment of this bar, I would have to say that I'm not impressed. Since this restaurant is located on a secluded block, I was expecting a little bit more flare to the exterior of this restaurant (At least to flag me down when trying to find this place).
If you done some homework on the Water Street Restaurant you will find that this place not only has a dining area, but an Underwater Lounge in the basement. However, when you first see this restaurant you will think with what space? It looks very tiny from the outside. When I walked into this restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of space they actually had. The restaurant not only has a moderate seating area for the restaurant, but the lounge in the basement was very roomy.
When we finally found this place, my friends and I were instantly greeted by a hostess. We made reservations for a table in the Underwater Lounge on New Year's Eve. They seemed to be a bit confused with their reservation system and had us seated in the restaurant area instead of the lounge. However, after a while it was cleared up and we had our table readily waiting downstairs.
The Lounge was decorated for New Year's Eve which was nice. However, I remember them calling this the Underwater Lounge. They didn't seem to have anything which screamed out the theme. Only a projector that showed the Microsoft screensaver of fishes swimming. They did have sufficient seating and a DJ playing. So it wasn't completely bad, but again definitely not impressive.
Continuing on with our night, we ordered a bottle of Prosecco which was $32 on the menu. They instead came out with a bottle of Champagne, which was 6 times the amount and not what we ordered. So we then talked to the bartender which changed the bottle, but forgot to change the bill. When asked about the bill, he was like "that's fine" (Come again? How is it fine that we are getting charged extra?). Then we talked to the Manager which eventually cleared it up. But, it still doesn't take away that about 45 minutes of our time was wasted on this inconvenience. We did receive a free bottle from the manager for this screw up. But, it still didn't score brownie points with my group.
Trying to salvage the rest of our night, we continued to celebrate the first few hours of 2011. Halfway through the night, the Underwater Lounge started filling up with water (and not on purpose). It seems that they had a flooding problem via sewer. Ewww.
If you pass by this restaurant/lounge and you don't feel inclined to visit, listen to your instincts. They are right! -
Review from Linn E.
Brooklyn, NY
9/26/2011
We had our wedding reception at Water Street Restaurant's downstairs party room, Underwater Lounge. Brian, the manager, was extremely helpful in planning the event and made sure it went off without a hitch. I highly recommend considering the Underwater Lounge for an event. We had great service from the restaurant and bar staff, plus everything was set up and ready for us. We didn't have to do a thing! The food was great and staff was helpful and friendly.
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Review from Danielle M.
East Northport, NY
3/29/2011
Thanks to Dine In Brooklyn 2011, a few friends and I had the opportunity to enjoy a 3 course dinner at Water Street Restaurant for only $25. It feels like an old tavern, but the menu offers mouth watering southern cuisine, which I didn't expect but I must say was a pleasant surprise.
I started with the Crawfish Poppers, which I absolutely loved. For the entree, I couldn't resist the Catfish in a Quilt (of bacon!) lying comfortably over a bed of black-eyed peas, cabbage and corn. Although I don't usually like sweet/savory combinations, I really loved the spicy pineapple glaze it was topped with. For dessert, I went with the dark chocolate and peanut butter brownie, which honestly wasn't my favorite. The texture of the brownie reminded me of a flourless cake or a vegan dessert. I liked the peanut butter but could live without trying it again.
Even though I'm not a big fan of pie, I would like to try the key lime pie because it seemed to be a popular item among the guests around us. Also on my To Try List are the crab cakes and DUMBO gumbo. I'd also like to try Big B's Deep Fried Deviled Eggs, which Big B himself (also known as General Manager Brian) proudly recommended as his personal contribution to the menu. Brian and the rest of the staff were very attentive, and the entire restaurant had a very comfortable and familiar vibe. -
Review from Heidi t.
New York, NY
9/4/2011
let me start with the postives. i mean, positive. water street restaurant is a beautiful venue.
and now, on to the review.
my bf and i decided to play tourist in our own town, walk across the brooklyn bridge and have a few drinks in dumbo. water street rest. wasn't the first place we saw, but when we walked by, looked like a great place to stop. wow. we were w-r-o-n-g.
we bellied up to the bar and the bartender* took a few minutes to even acknowledge our presence. when he finally deigned to speak to us (he was really busy talking about fantasty football), my bf ordered a maker's and ginger; i still needed a minute to think.
... (time. goes. by.)
about 5-7 minutes, which does not seem that long. but it is, IF THE BAR IS EMPTY. during these 5-7 minutes, we watched the bartender walk away and continue to babble about fantasy football. he comes back, pours my bf maker's on the rocks, and saunters off.
yeah, maker's and ginger. thanks.
basically, the bartender ruined our experience.
p.s.: if you're a guy, wear plaid. i guarantee you'll fit in. you're welcome.
*hipster wannabe tortured artist of some sort -
Review from Smithsonian G.
Brooklyn, NY
9/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
Sooooooooooo, I'm a pretty easy going person w/a major phobia of flies & gnat's. I kinda don't want to sit down to dinner w/them especially when they pop up uninvited and sit their a** on my food. I'm with a business partner having a really serious "business" meeting & can't even get through a sentence w/out swatting. This has to be like the 10th time being here and never really had this problem. The only other thing that can piss me off more than flies & gnats is a crappy a** waiter. YKW!!!! Here is a list of 8 things that need to happen when I pop-up @ your establishment.
1) If it's the turn over for your shift let the customers know, just don't disappear to the bar for shots.
2) When you seat the customers don't assume they don't want the Pelligrino & take the damn bottle away before asking if they would like it (I mean I don't because BROOKLYN actually was rated the cleanest & most delicious tap water in the country) but people like options.
3) If I order appetizers my entrée should not come out in the middle of me still eating the appetizers.
4) If you ask a customer would they like another drink & they say YES.. Please come back w/that drink.
5) It's always polite to ask the customer is everything is alright w/their meal.
6) If your shift is over please inform the customer that there will be another waiter taking over from here.
7) New waiter don't tell me the last waiter is new when everyone that came in the joint greets him like he was Norm from the t.v. show CHEERS.
8) YOU'RE FIRED!
I do have to say it was a great save by the other waiter & I appreciated the concern & stellar service after the other server left. I will continue to do the Water Street Restaurant even though the food was bad on this particular day & the beginning of the service was sh*tty. But it's not like the food is great any other time either. It's a cool local dive for beer & I happen to enjoy the atmosphere & energy of the place along w/the private events on the lower level. -
Review from scott b.
Chicago, IL
1/3/2011
The reason I'm only giving 3 stars, instead of 4, is because I've only eaten there once. My food was excellent, but my order was very simple.
I went on Monday for their $10 burger&beer special. This is a great deal anywhere in the city, especially DUMBO. I remember their menu being pretty moderate on the pricing.
I ordered the Cajun Sirloin Burger with a Brooklyn Lager. I'm all about microbrews and local beers. Even though I've had BL many times, and even been to the brewery, I had to order it again.
The restaurant has a nice decor and vibe. I went at an odd time, and on Monday of course. There were very few people there when I went, and the lighting was pretty low. -
Review from Lisa Q.
5/10/2009
My boo had had had had had to watch the hockey game.
I knew this place from a Yelp Brooklyn event and remembered they have nice, HD tellies above the bar. They have your usual run of the mill beers on tap. Brooklyn this, Sierra that, and Stella. Very nice and attentive bartenders.
To my amusement, there was a live jazz band playing in the middle of the day, about 2pm for a crowd of about 17 people loosely scattered around the enormous restaurant and bar area. It almost made my amigo want to quit the bitch and stop watching his game, gasp! But then, as if heeding a sport's fans prayer, the head singer crooned in his lounge voice, "Thanks folks! We'll be right back..." And they were gone for the next hour and a half.
The food I sampled from the chef at the Yelp event was good. Tasty snacks that went well with booze like Swedish meatballs and sticky, sweet, juicy chicken wings. This place is like what TGI Friday's used to taste like when you were a kid... except deliciouser for adults. They pretty much nail all the rudimentary American fare one can imagine stuffing their face with when drunk.
Their washroom upstairs is shaped like a cylinder, incredibly spacious, and very clean.
A nice place, beware of the inexplicably booked jazz band... -
Review from Natalya R.
Brooklyn, NY
3/28/2011
The look and the feel felt like we were in broke back mountain. You see waiters in their checkered shirts. it was pretty awesome. The food was hit and miss. The hits: spicy chicken wings, chipotle burger with fries,key lime pie, and red velvet cake. The miss: calamaris, crab cakes and hurricane joe(the cocktail). Would I come back to this place, no but am i glad that I checked it out, yes!
