Restaurant Week returns to Grand Street after a year off, from August 16th to 29th. 11 of the best eats in Williamsburg are offering 3 course prix fixe dinners (5 - 10pm) at discounted rates from $21 to $35 as North Brooklyn’s annual celebration of local cuisine. All along 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 of why you should visit each participating restaurant on Grand Street, and what you can order for the best experience. Each of the following restaurants has special event menus, so just ask for a Restaurant Week menu if you don’t see one.*
Tres Leches Cake from Grand Morelos
As always, take a picture of your dinner and post with #DineonGrand for a chance to win $50 to a Grand Street BID restaurant of your choice.
Follow @grandstreetbid for the most up to date information on the event.
Mainstay Must Experiences
BAHIA RESTAURANT—$25
690 Grand Street — menu
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 Carne Asada: grilled boneless choice shell steak. You get two sides with the entree of your choice from a few options like mixed vegetables, rice, and roasted potatoes. Flan is for dessert and your meal is paired with a glass of delicious red or white sangria.
A hometown favorite, Bahia has been a dedicated community member of Grand Street for 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.
Dont miss these Pupusas from Bahia!
GRAND MORELOS—$23
727 Grand Street — menu
Another Grand Street staple, Grand Morelos has been with the neighborhood day and night for decades—literally. 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. Hanger steak fajitas 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 Restaurant Week 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.
Our Newcomer
BK Jani—$28
679 Grand Street — menu
The famous Jani Burger!
Grand Street is excited to Welcome BK Jani to our Restaurant Week! BK Jani is known for their elevated Pakistani street food. After moving to Grand Street just before the beginning of the Pandemic, the restaurant 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.
Featured Outdoor Dining
AMMAZZACAFFÈ—$35
702 Grand Street — menu
House pork ragu with reginette at Ammazzacaffe
Take advantage of the warm weather by dining in Ammazzacaffe’s gorgeous backyard. 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 Gemelli Verde—pasta with with mushrooms and spinach — it’s the perfect fresh summer dish. 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 historical experience. Their location at 702 Grand Street was the childhood home of Betty Smith, inspiring her classic A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. RSVP.
TACO EDITION—$23
800 Grand Street — menu
A longtime participant in Restaurant Week, Taco Edition is back with a new menu and a new backyard! Be sure to check out their new outdoor dining area with a great ambiance and secret garden vibes. Even though the service is fast and the environment is seat yourself-casual, during Restaurant Week you’ll get a lot more than a 5 minute snack. For their updated summer specials, start with the Elote, move on to the Enchiladas, and accompany it with a refreshing frozen mango and passion fruit granita. Grab a bite and enjoy this beautiful hidden outdoor experience on Grand.
Backyard ambiance at Taco Edition
THIP OSHA—$25
795 Grand Street — menu
Crispy Duck at Thip Osha
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, roasted duck noodle soup, and banana sticky rice for dessert. Stop by this tiny spot for big flavors, and a lovely outdoor dining experience.
LOS TACOS-MCONDO—$29
502 Grand Street — menu
Colorful outdoor vibes at Los Tacos
The chic corner bar and taqueria is a cool spot for late night dinners, dates, and eats after a night out. This past year they created a cool and shady outdoor dining area along the sidewalk on Union Ave. Enjoy Mexican classics at one of their outdoor tables or open air dining space at one of the most high quality late night restaurants in Brooklyn. The nachos are absolute standouts at Los Tacos, and you can choose them either as a starter (mini nachos) or as an entree. We recommend at least one of those in your mix. The queso fundido is also very good, but if you’re limiting carbs you can choose the Mexican steak to go with the nachos. Churros with fruit are for dessert, with mango and chili powder as the primary flavors. Note that Los Tacos is cash only.
CARNEVAL—$35
507 Grand Street — menu
Signature Brazilian cocktails from Carneval
Carneval opened exactly two 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 has a variety of tasty appetizers, savory entrees and awesome frozen drinks to enjoy during the hot weather. This year’s menu features a lemon fish fillet and romano chicken not normally seen on the menu, so we suggest checking out these special dishes! Escape the busy street and enjoy Restaurant Week with Carneval, where it’s always a celebration.
Filling Favorites!
THE SANDWICH SHOP—$20.75
658 Grand Street — menu
The cozy lunch and dinner spot is back again for Restaurant Week with high-quality deli style sandwiches, salads and bowls. A Grand Street staple since 2013, the Sandwich Shop is the perfect place to grab a refreshing, and filling meal. The small space has a deli feel, with just a small outdoor table to dine-in, so get there before they fill up.
Emiliana Sandwich and Chips from The Sandwich Shop
Valued members of the community, the Shop has collected and donated over 200 lbs of food in our annual Holiday Food Drives. You can also find The Sandwich Shop in the Wall Street Journal from our previous Restaurant Weeks. All sandwiches, bowls, and wraps are available—but the best bang for your buck is the Full sized Emiliana to go along with the combo of a beer and bag of chips.
RYUJIN—$25
513 Grand Street — menu
Ryujin Ramen
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 steamed pork bun or the fried shishito peppers. You can choose from 8 different options of ramen bowl, but our favorite is the spicy miso bowl. Finally, the meal is paired with either beer, sake, or ice cream. The jury is out here so we’ll leave that choice to you.
MAD FOR CHICKEN—$25
617 Grand Street — menu
Signature Wings from Mad For Chicken Williamsburg
Boneless or bone-in? Luckily both genres of wing are on the menu. The chicken at MFC is shipped in daily from a farm in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania and the wings are coated with a unique sauce of soy, garlic, and various fruits. On the appetizer menu, the standouts are the small crab salad or the truffle/ Parmesan fries. We recommend the 10pc wings (with or without bones—your choice) for entree, but kimchi fried rice and bulgogi over rice are available for non-wing lovers. For a drink you can choose between any draft beer, a glass of sangria, or a soda on the house.
