Wine and Dine Guide

A Guide to Wine and Dine on Grand Street 2023

Today marks the beginning of Wine and Dine, Grand Street’s semi-annual restaurant and bar event! From February 21st to March 6th, you’ll have the opportunity to try 18 of Grand Street’s restaurants and bars at lower than ever prices. 11 of the best eats in Williamsburg are offering 3-course prix fixe dinners at discounted rates from $23 to $35 in North Brooklyn’s annual celebration of local cuisine, while 6 bars are also offering drink specials! With all these offerings on 6 blocks, it might be difficult to make a decision. This guide is here to give you all the answers to why you should visit each participating business on Grand Street, and what you can order for the best experience. Each of the following restaurants and bars has special Wine and Dine menus, so just ask if you don’t see one.

As always, take a picture of your wine and dine experience and post with #DineonGrand for a chance to win $50 to a Grand Street BID business of your choice.

Follow @grandstreetbid for the most up-to-date information on the event.

WINE

For the perfect evening on Grand, try either a pre-dinner drink or a nightcap at one of our participating bars. Our suggestions will help you decide the ideal course for your Grand Street nightlife experience.

For classic drinks and cheap beer be sure to stop by Blinky’s for their extended happy hour lasting till 9PM. With $10 house cocktails, $9 house wine, $7 draft beers and a $5 beer and shot, this deal is hard to beat. Crystal Lake Brooklyn also has a variety of options with $8 house sangria, $6 tap beers, and a $6 whiskey shot.

Passion Daiquiri, from Blinky’s

Grand Street’s newest bar, The Last Call will be sure to catch your eye. The Tokyo-inspired bar specializes in sake and draft beer, while also serving up yakitori. They’re offering two for one glasses of sake and draft beer until 9PM. For a summer vibe (it’s been feeling like summer this whole month hasn’t it?), the home of the pickleback shot, Bushwick Country Club is serving out $7 frozen boozy slushies just down the street.

Fancy a snack at the bar? Philomena’s is serving a deal of any two of their signature cocktails and throwing in pita and dip, all for $25. The Starlight Tavern is offering a similar special, offering two house cocktails and chips and guac for $21. We also recommend checking out Starlight’s skee-ball machine while you’re there, for a retro arcade experience.

If skee-ball doesn’t satiate that craving for fun, Haven is the place to go for drinks and billiards before you head off to dinner. This lounge is offering 2 beer and shot combos along with an hour of pool for just $25. Just make sure your hour of pool starts before 6pm.

Philomena’s bar seating


DINE

Grand Street Classics

GRAND MORELOS—$30

727 Grand Streetmenu

A Grand Street staple, Grand Morelos has been with the neighborhood day and night for decades. The late-night diner & bakery has seen us all at our finest and not-so-fine hours. The Grand Morelos bakery is also one of the better-kept secrets of our food scene, so take advantage. Guacamole is our go-to appetizer, but we also recommend the nachos if you’re extra hungry. Mixed Chicken and Steak Fajitas for your entree will fill you if the app didn’t, but try to save room for the strawberry cheesecake. Impossible chocoflan and tres leches cakes are your other options for dessert. Once you’ve fallen in love with Grand Morelos stop back in for affordable cookies & doughnuts from the bakery and amazing iced coffee (not just by diner standards) any time you want - literally.

Miso Ramen, from Ryujin

RYUJIN—$25

513 Grand Street menu

This Grand Street staple has been serving Japanese comfort food to the neighborhood for over 12 years. Something about the ramen from Ryujin leaves us stuffed after every bowl. Now add an appetizer and dessert to the mix to really make the most of a 3 course dinner. Keep it light with your app so go with the pork bun or the edamame. You can choose from 6 different options of ramen bowl, but our favorite is the samurai miso bowl. Finally, the meal is paired with either beer, or mochi ice cream. The jury is out here so we’ll leave that choice to you.

Vegan Burger from The Clonard

THE CLONARD—$25

506 Grand Street menu

Known for their lager and bar food staples, The Clonard has been open for just over a year but is already Grand Street Classic. They’re offering bar staples Mozzarella Sticks and Jalapeño Poppers to get the appetite going. Then you can enjoy an 8oz burger, with the option of going for a Beyond Burger if you’re looking for a vegan option. Enjoy a Clonard Lager, or a glass of Pinot Grigio if you’re feeling classy, with your meal for the full bar eatery experience.

DAR525—$23

525 Grand Street menu

A Grand Street classic, Dar525 just celebrated its 12th year on Grand Street this month. Serving up Middle Eastern classics, Dar525 is offering Wine and Dine’s best value deal with the lowest price point of $23. They’re also offering a fourth course, adding extreme value to this deal. You can start with hummus or babaganouj, but they’re offering other apps as well. Next you can choose from kibbeh or a cheese and parsley roll. For the main course you’ve got a variety of protein choices including the vegan falafel and the not-so vegan chicken shawarma. Top your dinner off with baklava or basbous for a fantastic four-course meal at amazing value.

Critically Acclaimed on Grand

AMMAZZACAFFÈ—$35

702 Grand Streetmenu

All pasta at Ammazzacaffè is made in-house

Winner of a coveted Bib Gourmand title from Micheline Guide, Ammazzacaffè has already built its reputation for affordable fine dining at its best. Be sure to try the Tartare crostino with sea trout, Lettuga salad with Botarga, and sunchokes as an appetizers. For your entree, try the Reginette—pasta with pork shoulder ragu — it’s a perfect dish, especially during these last few cold days of winter. Finish the night with their daily dessert offering for the perfect date or special night out on Grand Street.

BK JANI—$35

679 Grand Streetmenu

The Jani, from BK Jani

There are a lot of burger joints in Williamsburg, but only BK Jani’s burgers come with mint chutney as a sauce option. Featured on Infatuation’s The Best 20 Burgers in NYC, you can’t go wrong with a burger here. They’re offering Two Lamb Chops to start, then any burger of your choosing. We recommend The Jani Burger; ½ pound of custom blend ground beef, cooked medium rare, mint chutney at the bottom, grilled tomato and a touch of raita. Included in their special is a soda or one of their house drinks.

BAHIA—$25

690 Grand Street menu

Bahia has been on Grand Street for over 20 years, serving up pupusas and other delicious Salvadorian dishes. After decades on Grand, they’ve been recognized as one of The Best Restaurants in Williamsburg by Infatuation NYC. We recommend you start with their famous pupusas; you can choose from a wide variety of options but some favorites include the revueltas pupusa stuffed with pork, refried beans, and cheese, or jalapeño pupusas .For the main entrée enjoy their delicious Carne Asada, Pollo al Limon, or Tilapia al Sarten. A glass of either sangria or wine is included in your meal, alongside a delicious slice of amaretto cheese cake to finish.

Filling Favorites!

TACO EDITION—$25

800 Grand Streetmenu

Elote to start, at Taco Edition

It all starts with the birria consume, NYC’s latest birria taco craze is a must try at Taco Edition. The prix fixe menu starts with a choice of chicken tortilla soup, birria consume, or elote. We, of course, recommend any of these delicious options. With two hearty options to choose from for dinner, our favorite is the enchiladas. Don’t miss out on this tasty dish that comes with chicken or as a vegetarian dish. Churros are for dessert, served with a chocolate sauce it’s the cherry on top of a perfect meal.

MAD FOR CHICKEN—$25

617 Grand Streetmenu

The chicken at MFC is an obvious choice, shipped in daily from a farm in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, and coated with a unique sauce of soy, garlic, and various fruits but Wine and Dine is a great chance to explore other options. Choose your drink, start with a salad, and try the kimchi fried rice or bulgogi over rice.

Curry from Thip Osha

THIP OSHA—$25

795 Grand Street menu

This Thai spot nearby the Grand Street L station always feels cozy. With a diverse prix fixe menu, Thip Osha has altogether 50 combinations to choose from. There is surely something that will please everyone from curry to noodles to fried rice. Out of all of those choices, our favorites are the crispy chicken wings with red chili sauce to start, green curry with chicken, and banana sticky rice for dessert. Stop by this tiny spot for big flavors.

CARNEVAL—$25

507 Grand Street menu

Carneval is inspired by the owners’s own cultures and carnivals from countries they’ve visited around the world. This comes in the form of a wide variety of different cuisines all fused into one. Start with Rainbow Sushi, then follow it up with Dominican style fried rice dish Chofan. Finish your meal with either a Poached Pear that sits in red wine and comes with almonds and ice cream, or Lava Cake.

A Guide to Summer Wine and Dine

Wine and Dine returns on Grand Street August 15th - 29th with 14 restaurants and bars to choose from. 9 of the best eats in Williamsburg are offering 3-course prix fixe dinners at discounted rates from $25 to $35 in North Brooklyn’s annual celebration of local cuisine. And this fantastic food can be complemented with drink specials at 5 of our bars. With all these offerings on just 6 blocks, it might be difficult to choose where to go. This guide is here to give you all the answers to why you should visit each participating business on Grand Street, and what you can order for the best experience. Each of the following restaurants and bars has special Wine and Dine menus, so just ask if you don’t see one.

As always, take a picture of your Wine and Dine experience and post with #DineonGrand for a chance to win $50 to a Grand Street BID business of your choice.

Follow @grandstreetbid for the most up-to-date information on the event.

WINE

With the addition of bars to our restaurant event, you can curate the perfect evening that starts with a pre-dinner drink or ends with a nightcap. Our suggestions will help you decide the ideal course for your night out on Grand Street

Frozen Margaritas and Froze at The Clonard

If you’re looking for a way to cool down during these hot Summer days, stop by The Clonard for frozen cocktails for only $8. For drinks that are a little more involved, Philomena’s is the spot to try with an amazing combo of cocktails and pita. We love their signature drink - prosecco with a watermelon-rose cube.

For classic drinks and brews, the deal at Crystal Lake is sure to catch your eye with $8 Jim Beam or Hornitos Mules or a $5 pint of lager. Similarly Blinky’s is featuring $9 Ciroc spritzers and canned vodka cocktails. Also, enjoy the weather in the backyards at both Blinky’s and The Clonard. These shady havens are great places to sip and relax.

Philomena’s is serving a deal of any two of their signature cocktails and throwing in a pita and dip, all for $25. A deal you don’t want to miss, Philomena’s make a perfect first or last stop.

Lastly, we recommend checking out Grand Street’s newest bar, Haven, for drinks and billiards before you head off to dinner. This new lounge is offering 2 beer and shot combos along with an hour of pool for just $25. Just make sure your hour of pool starts before 6pm.

Backyard vibes at Blinky’s


DINE

Grand Street Classics

BAHIA—$25

690 Grand Street — menu

Pupusas from Bajia

It all starts with pupusas. If you’ve never had one, Bahia owners Luis and Felix say to think of them as like the “tacos of El Salvador”. The prix fixe menu at Bahia starts with 2 pupusas of your choice, a salad, or tamal de pollo. We, of course, recommend some of the best pupusas in NYC. Plenty of options for dinner, but our favorite is the Pollo Al Limon, a perfectly cooked chicken breast sautéed in a delicious lemon sauce. You get two sides with the entrée of your choice from a few options like mixed vegetables, rice, and roasted potatoes. A choice of Flan or a glass of delicious red or white sangria is paired with your meal for the perfect combination.

A hometown favorite, Bahia has been a dedicated community member of Grand Street for over 20 years. In 2019, the restaurant doubled down on their dedication to the neighborhood with a complete interior and exterior renovation in order to stay ahead in a changing Williamsburg market. It’s not just about looks though, Bahia is confident that once you’ve had their pupusas and try a glass of their homemade sangria you are certain to return for more. Photo at top of article.

GRAND MORELOS—$28.99

727 Grand Street — menu

A Grand Street staple, Grand Morelos has been with the neighborhood day and night for decades. The 24/7 diner & bakery has seen us all at our finest and not-so-fine hours. The Grand Morelos bakery is also one of the better-kept secrets of our food scene, so take advantage. Guacamole is our go-to appetizer, but they’ve added a chicken wings option if you’re extra hungry. Tilapia Filet in Mole Sauce for your entree will fill you if the app didn’t, but try to save room for the cheesecake. Once you’ve fallen in love with Grand Morelos stop back in for affordable cookies & doughnuts from the bakery and amazing iced coffee (not just by diner standards) any time you want - literally.

RYUJIN—$25

513 Grand Street — menu

This Grand Street staple has been serving Japanese comfort food to the Neighborhood for over 12 years. Something about the ramen from Ryujin leaves us stuffed after every bowl. Now add an appetizer and dessert to the mix to really make the most of a 3 course dinner. Keep it light with your app so go with the pork bun or the edamame. You can choose from 6 different options of ramen bowl, but our favorite is the samurai miso bowl. Finally, the meal is paired with either beer, or mochi ice cream. The jury is out here so we’ll leave that choice to you.


Featured Outdoor Dining

AMMAZZACAFFÈ—$35

702 Grand Street — menu

Winner of last year’s coveted Bib Gourmand title from Micheline Guide, Ammazzacaffè has already built its reputation for affordable fine dining at its best. Be sure to try the Tartare crostino with sea trout, Lettuga salad with Botarga, and sunchokes as an appetizers. For your entree, try the Reginette—pasta with pork shoulder ragu — it’s a perfect dish, especially during these last few cold days of winter. Finish the night with buttermilk pannacotta with cherry and hazelnut for the perfect date or special night out on Grand Street. Enjoy all of this in their stunning backyard on a beautiful Summer night.

If the food isn’t enough, visiting Ammazza offers a bit of a historical experience. Their location at 702 Grand Street was the childhood home of Betty Smith, inspiring her classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Make a reservation today.

Backyard Seating at Ammazzacaffe

TACO EDITION—$29

806 Grand Street — menu

Tacos De Birria with Consome from taco Edition

It all starts with the Esquites, this new addition to the menu features roasted corn off the cob tossed in a seasoned sauce. The prix fixe menu offers a choice of Tacos de Birria with Consome or a Chicken Fajita bowl or wrap. These items are new additions to the normal menu so we suggest trying them out! We know it’s going to be a hard choice with such a great selection, but we recommend anything on the menu. Don’t miss out on the churros, they’re the perfect compliment to this hearty meal.

Taco Edition also recently redid their backyard! Swap your dessert option for a frozen cocktail and enjoy their gorgeous outdoor space.

CARNEVAL—$35

507 Grand Street — menu

Carneval Sushi

Carneval opened exactly three years ago in August, featuring specialty cocktails and Latin-inspired cuisine. Owner Mike Cruz grew up just blocks from the restaurant and has created a go-to spot for Williamsburg natives and newcomers alike. He has transformed the space to include a large backyard patio perfect for enjoying music and snacks. Carneval serves up elevated Latin cuisine, and their menu featured a selection of tasty appetizers, savory entrees, and desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. We recommend the Carneval Sushi, a creative roll with shrimp and and flavorful sauces. This year’s entrees include Mightnight Salmon with potatoes and spinach or a rich Penne Alla Vodka, two tasty meals you don’t want to miss. Escape the busy street and enjoy Restaurant Week with Carneval, where it’s always a celebration.

Filling Favorites!

MAD FOR CHICKEN —$25

617 Grand Street — menu

Tasty Drumsticks from Mad for Chicken

The chicken at MFC is an obvious choice, shipped in daily from a farm in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, and coated with a unique sauce of soy, garlic, and various fruits but Wine and Dine is a great chance to explore other options. Choose your drink, start with a salad, and try the kimchi fried rice or bulgogi over rice.

THIP OSHA—$25

795 Grand Street — menu

This cozy Thai spot nearby the Grand Street L station, has a beautiful and shaded sidewalk patio to enjoy your meal this summer. With a diverse prix fixe menu, Thip Osha has altogether exactly 50 combinations to choose from. There is surely something that will please everyone from curry to noodles to fried rice. Out of all of those choices, our favorites are the crispy chicken wings with red chili sauce to start, green curry with chicken, and banana sticky rice for dessert. Stop by this tiny spot for big flavors, and a lovely outdoor dining experience.

BK Jani—$35

679 Grand Street — menu

BK Jani is once again returning to wine and dine featuring their amazing lambchops and renouned burgers. BK Jani is known for their elevated Pakistani street food, and has received an abundance of attention in various media outlets, such as Food and Wine, The Infatuation, Zagat, and more! Owner Sibte Hassan doesn’t mess around when it comes to quality meats, so be sure to check out this deal including their famous lambchops, burgers, and we recommend topping it off with a refreshing mango Jani. Don’t miss out on this highly commended restaurant, with reviews claiming they have one of the best burgers in NYC.

Famous Bk Jani Lamb Chops

A Guide to Wine and Dine on Grand Street

Wine and Dine will debut on Grand Street March 1st - 13th with 15 restaurants and bars to choose from. 10 of the best eats in Williamsburg are offering 3-course prix fixe dinners at discounted rates from $20 to $35 in North Brooklyn’s annual celebration of local cuisine. And now, this fantastic food can be complemented with drink specials at 5 of our bars. With all these offerings on 6 blocks, it might be difficult to choose a restaurant, or whether to try something new. This guide is here to give you all the answers to why you should visit each participating business on Grand Street, and what you can order for the best experience. Each of the following restaurants and bars has special Wine and Dine menus, so just ask if you don’t see one.

As always, take a picture of your wine and dine experience and post with #DineonGrand for a chance to win $50 to a Grand Street BID business of your choice.

Follow @grandstreetbid for the most up-to-date information on the event.

WINE

With the addition of bars to our restaurant event, you can curate the perfect evening that starts with a pre-dinner drink or ends with a nightcap. Our suggestions will help you decide the ideal course for your Grand Street nightlife experience.

For classic drinks and cheap beer be sure to stop by Redd’s Tavern with $8 jalapeno margaritas and rum punch, this deal is hard to beat. The casual vibes make this the perfect spot pre-dinner drink, or if you want to continue the night, grab some $3 pints of Miller Lite.

Down the street, a similar deal at Crystal Lake is sure to catch your eye with $8 Jim Beam or Hornitos Mules or a $5 pint of lager. These drinks will also pair great with their partner BiTcHn KiTcHn’s prix fixe dinner menu.

If you’re looking for drinks that are a little more involved, Blinky’s or Philomena’s are the spots to try. Blinky’s is introducing a new cocktail called the Grand Street Blast featured Thursday-Sunday to compliment their weekday special, $10 crowd favorite, spicy margaritas.

Philomena’s is serving a deal of any two of their signature cocktails and throwing in a pita and dip, all for $25. Philomena’s make a perfect first or last stop.

Lastly, we recommend checking out Grand Street’s newest bar, Haven for drinks and billiards before you head off to dinner. This new lounge is offering 2 beer and shot combos along with an hour of pool for just $25. Just make sure your hour of pool starts before 6pm.


DINE

Grand Street Classics

GRAND MORELOS—$25

727 Grand Street — menu

A Grand Street staple, Grand Morelos has been with the neighborhood day and night for decades. The 24/7 diner & bakery has seen us all at our finest and not-so-fine hours. The Grand Morelos bakery is also one of the better-kept secrets of our food scene, so take advantage. Guacamole is our go-to appetizer, but we also recommend the cheese quesadillas if you’re extra hungry. Tilapia Filet in Mole Sauce for your entree will fill you if the app didn’t, but try to save room for the Oreo cheesecake. Impossible chocoflan and tres leches cakes are your other options for dessert. Once you’ve fallen in love with Grand Morelos stop back in for affordable cookies & doughnuts from the bakery and amazing iced coffee (not just by diner standards) any time you want - literally.

RYUJIN—$25

513 Grand Street — menu

This Grand Street staple has been serving Japanese comfort food to the Neighborhood for over 12 years. Something about the ramen from Ryujin leaves us stuffed after every bowl. Now add an appetizer and dessert to the mix to really make the most of a 3 course dinner. Keep it light with your app so go with the pork bun or the edamame. You can choose from 6 different options of ramen bowl, but our favorite is the samurai miso bowl. Finally, the meal is paired with either beer, or mochi ice cream. The jury is out here so we’ll leave that choice to you.

Fine Dining on Grand

AMMAZZACAFFÈ—$35

702 Grand Street — menu

Winner of last year’s coveted Bib Gourmand title from Micheline Guide, Ammazzacaffè has already built its reputation for affordable fine dining at its best. Be sure to try the Tartare crostino with sea trout, Lettuga salad with Botarga, and sunchokes as an appetizers. For your entree, try the Reginette—pasta with pork shoulder ragu — it’s a perfect dish, especially during these last few cold days of winter. Finish the night with buttermilk pannacotta with cherry and hazelnut for the perfect date or special night out on Grand Street.

If the food isn’t enough, visiting Ammazza offers a bit of a historical experience. Their location at 702 Grand Street was the childhood home of Betty Smith, inspiring her classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Make a reservation today.

All pasta at Ammazzacaffè is made in-house

New Faces on the Block

Koko’s — $25

688 Grand Street — menu

Koko’s is newly opened on Grand Street, but is already a hot spot on the block. Named for the owners’ daughter with food inspired from their native Peru, this family-owned restaurant serves Nikkei food, which is a Japanese-Peruvian culinary and cultural fusion. We recommend starting out with Machu Pisco, the Koko’s take on a pisco sour which is a traditional Peruvian cocktail. Followed by a choice of takoyaki or salmon tartare - we think both are fantastic. And lastly, we’re pushing the aji de gallina, a savory chicken dish with potatoes topped with a quail egg. This beautiful meal is waiting for you at Koko’s! and you can’t find anything else like it on Grand Street.

BiTcHn KiTcHn — $20

647 Grand Street — menu

This little pop-up is brand new to Grand Street. Seasoned chef Mike and his partner Jacqui are long-time community members who decided to start their own restaurant. Cooking out of the kitchen at Crystal Lake Thursday - Sunday, their spin on comfort food has everyone counting down until the weekend. We think you should start out light with the garden salad, followed by a choice of delicious sandwiches. With both meat and veggies options, the portobello mushroom burger is a must-try. Then you’ve got the choice of cheesecake or a warm fudge brownie for dessert. Either of these tasty treats is sure to leave your mouth watering for more. Additionally, you can pair this meal with one of the drink specials offered by Crystal Lake, for a complete Wine and Dine evening.

Filling Favorites!

Taco Edition - $23

806 Grand Street — menu

Elote to start, at Taco Edition

It all starts with the birria consume, NYC’s latest birria taco craze is a must try at Taco Edition. The prix fixe menu starts with a choice of chicken tortilla soup, birria consume, or elote. We, of course, recommend any of these delicious options. With two hearty options to choose from for dinner, our favorite is the enchiladas. Don’t miss out on this tasty dish that comes with chicken or as a vegetarian dish. Churros are for dessert, served with a chocolate sauce it’s the cherry on top of a perfect meal.

MAD FOR CHICKEN—$25

617 Grand Street — menu

The chicken at MFC is an obvious choice, shipped in daily from a farm in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania, and coated with a unique sauce of soy, garlic, and various fruits but Wine and Dine is a great chance to explore other options. Choose your drink, start with a salad, and try the kimchi fried rice or bulgogi over rice.

Curry from Thip Osha

THIP OSHA—$25

795 Grand Street — menu

This cozy Thai spot nearby the Grand Street L station, has a beautiful and shaded sidewalk patio to enjoy your meal this summer. With a diverse prix fixe menu, Thip Osha has altogether exactly 50 combinations to choose from. There is surely something that will please everyone from curry to noodles to fried rice. Out of all of those choices, our favorites are the crispy chicken wings with red chili sauce to start, green curry with chicken, and banana sticky rice for dessert. Stop by this tiny spot for big flavors, and a lovely outdoor dining experience.