Awesome spot with great wings. The lemon pepper and buffalo were perfect. Crisp, great ratio of meat to skin, and not too drenched in sauce. Can’t wait to go back and try more. Everyone I was with said they liked the burgers and chicken sandwiches.
BEAR BURGERs BACKYARD
740 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11232
My wife took me here for my birthday. I’ve been wanting to try this spot for a while. It was a great meal, so let me get right into it.
Flavor: 10
We started with the strip steak (as a shared appetizer course) and finished with the beef Wellington (as a shared entree). The strip was dry-aged at least 30 days, served with roasted garlic, herb butter and charred lemon, and was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Absolute perfection.
10/10. I haven’t awarded full points for flavor in years.
The Wellington was also perfectly cooked. Easily the best one I’ve had since TAK Room (RIP).
Another 10/10.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 10
There are great selections here for two people, three people, and even solo steaks – both baller style and for those on a budget. They even have off-cuts like bavette. I was impressed.
Portion Size & Plating: 8
Portions are a bit on the smaller side here, in terms of solo steaks (strip was like 11oz), but the quality makes up for it. Each plate was done up nicely – not the standard slice of beef sitting on a white plate with nothing else.
Price: 8
Beef prices are super high right now, but we didn’t feel like we got hosed. They also offer happy hour deals at the table if you eat early like we did.
Bar: 10
The bar here is beautiful and big. Warm and inviting. Elegant. Happy hour “tiny martinis” are still a good size – larger than many full sized martinis at other places. They offer a large variety of martinis, and they’re good.
Specials and Other Meats: 9
I don’t recall there being any other specials read to us, aside from some highlighted new items that the waiter spoke about. They offer chicken, pork and lamb in terms of alternative meats. Good showing.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 9
We ordered the fried hen of the woods mushrooms, an appetizer, as a side to go with out Wellington. We also had the asparagus salad (more like a composed side) as a side with the strip steak (which was also an appetizer for us). Both excellent. The mushrooms came with a house made sri racha sauce that was incredible. We asked for more and put it on everything.
The pistachio rhubarb cheesecake was pretty good to boot.
Seafood Selection: 9
We ordered the happy hour special clams and oysters to start ($1.50-$2.00 range each), and both were great. Based on this, I would feel confident ordered a seafood entree if I spontaneously grew a vagina and wanted to avoid meat.
Service: 10
Service was outstanding. They rememebered that my wife had booked the reservation to celebrate a birthday, and they went the extra mile with a candle and some chocolate words on the plate. They also were great with letting us know about menu offerings, they knew the meats in and out, and they were great with getting us extra sri racha and roasted garlic.
Ambiance: 10
The space is old and beautiful. I think it has been around since the mid-1800s – recently revamped in like 2021, but looks the same for the most part, from what I’ve seen in old photos. Wonderful meal, elegant/fancy space, yet casual and fun. I would go back in a heartbeat.
GAGE & TOLLNER
372 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
My wife and I stopped in this small Vietnamese joint for a quick lunch. I had the turmeric noodles with pork and shrimp, and she had the special pho.
Both were decent, but not at the level of our favorites. It did hit the spot though.
HIGH LUA
182 S 2nd Street
Brooklyn New York, NY 11211
First, check out my Ride & Review HERE:
I pulled up on this Bushwick spot before hitting Electric Wednesday nearby at KCBC.
I went with their $11 special; three carnitas tacos.
These were really great. They’re served sort of gringo style, meaning they have lettuce, tomato and sour cream on them. I’m totally fine with that!
I think the tortillas could spend a bit more time getting toasted on the flat top, and the carnitas could have more variable chunks in the mix. The meat almost seemed more like pulled pork that had been crisped up a little bit on the plancha, but really no complaints about that at all.
I will definitely go back here and try more!
TORTILLERIA MEXICANA LOS HERMANOS
271 Starr St.
Brooklyn, NY 11237
I finally made it over to Greenpoint to try out the papa restaurant to Carnitas Ramirez.
I ate two tacos here on a really quick pit stop while riding with some ebike nerd friends. I tried the tripe, which was buttery and almost tasted like foie gras, and the al pastor. The al pastor was probably the best of its kind that I’ve ever had. Nice grilled pineapple, really tasty and generous amount of flavorful and juicy meat, and a little bit of crisp skin.
This place is a winner, and there’s a reason why it draws a lot of long lines and hype. It’s worth it. Luckily for us, there were no lines and the food came out in about 12 seconds (not kidding).
TAQUERIA RAMIREZ
94 Franklin St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Diamond slice is a new slice shop in Greenpoint. They really put some amazing looking pies together, so I had to go and give it a try.
I tried their standard slice and their hot honey, pepperoni and jalapeno slice.
Both were incredible. Thin, crispy, tasty and toasty. I will definitely be back to try their tomato garlic and vodka margarita slices.
DIAMOND SLICE
70 Diamond St.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
I finally made it over to L&B Spumoni Gardens out near Coney Island. My buddy and I took a ride out on our Zooz bikes and feasted.
https://youtube.com/shorts/opi2NhAAC5Q
I had the famous upside down Sicilian slice, which is unique because the cheese is under the sauce, directly on the dough.
This was awesome, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The dough itself was a little dense, but not enough to feel very heavy. It had a nice crisp on the outside. I also thought $4 was high, but not out of step with what other popular pizza joints are charging for a regular slice these days. And a Sicilian slice always feels more substantial than a regular slice.
The regular slice was … well … regular. You could get something on par with this at almost any NYC slice joint in town.
That said, it was still good to above average.
For dessert, the classic spumoni, of course. I got the small size for $5, which consists of chocolate, pistachio and cherry flavors.
This place is iconic, and an absolutely legendary NYC institution. I highly recommend a visit, especially on a nice summer day when you can sit outside.
L&B SPUMONI GARDENS
2725 86th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11223
I stopped in this little joint as I was riding around Sunset Park, and I have to say I was impressed!
I ordered a margarita slice and a grandma slice, and I had the guy warm them slightly and slice for me, so I could shovel them down my throat faster without getting shit in my beard.
I think I liked the grandma slice SLIGHTLY better, but both were awesome. Nice sauce, not too sweet, great crisp on the crust without being dry. I’d go back.
GRAVESEND PIZZA
181 34th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11232
Randazzo’s is a spot I’ve always heard about but never got a chance to try, until now.
My wife and I were out at Coney Island, and we figured this would be a great spot for lunch after getting sand blasted on the windy beach that day.
We started with the combo platter of fried seafood with their famous spicy red sauce on top. It was awesome.
Really, the seafood is just fine or okay, but it’s the sauce that you really find yourself going back for over and over. So we took some home with us.
We also did their fried oyster and lobster roll sandwiches. Both were “meh” at best. The lobster was a cold lobster salad and not a warm lobster roll.
That said, they are expert with frying shit. The fries and zucchini were great, as was the batter on the oysters and calamari.
I would probably go back again, but I’d stick with the spicy calamari.
RANDAZZO’S CLAM BAR
2017 Emmons Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11235
I finally got a chance to try Roberta’s, and I have to say it was good!
I tried the pepperoni slice, and the “fire and ice” slice. I think I preferred the “fire and ice,” which seemed to be fresh burrata and Calabrian chili “bomba” style sauce. Incredible! Great crust, no flop, quality toppings.
ROBERTA’S
261 Moore St.
Brooklyn, NY 11206
