Bernie’s

"What It Is: An all-American dinner spot from the people behind Perfect For: First/Early In the Game Dates, Eating At The Bar, Casual Weeknight Dinner When you walk into Bernie’s, you step into an alternate reality that’s certainly not Greenpoint in 2018. There are red-checkered tablecloths, crayons on every table, shiny red booths, and stained-glass light fixtures that will make you feel nostalgic for a time and place you’ve maybe never experienced. This is the new restaurant from the people behind Frankel’s, who make some of the best bagel sandwiches in NYC, and we just went back for a second visit involving cheeseburgers, caesar salad, baby back ribs, mozzarella sticks, and a giant brownie sundae. Bernie’s could have easily ended up being an embarrassing theme restaurant, but the attention to detail is what makes it a place where we’ll now send you for a great night out. That, and the fact that you will leave here feeling extremely satisfied for a very reasonable price. The Verdict: Go to Bernie’s when you want a dinner that’s simultaneously easy and fun. We’re putting it on the Hit List." - hannah albertine, bryan kim, katherine lewin, hillary reinsberg, chris stang, matt tervooren

"If you show up to Bernie’s at 5:30pm on a weeknight (when it usually doesn’t have a line, by the way), you’ll probably see at least one Williamsburg-born five-year-old celebrating their birthday with an ice cream sundae. And even at 8pm, when that kid is almost certainly asleep and dreaming of ice cream, there are still sundaes on every checkered tablecloth at this spot on the edge of McCarren Park. Slide into one of the leather booths with friends who also want to eat transcendent mozzarella sticks at the fancified TGI Fridays, and pair your fried cheese with an extra cold martini. Sing someone happy birthday. Ask for crayons, if they’re not on your table already." - willa moore, sonal shah, bryan kim, neha talreja, will hartman

"“When I first reviewed Bernie’s for this very site years ago, when it first opened, I loved it. Over the ensuing years, that love has only grown. When I want a place to gossip over martinis? Bernie’s. When I want to bring out-of-towners somewhere that may slightly confuse their preconceived notions about what a ‘NYC restaurant’ looks like? Bernie’s. When I need comfort in the form of eggplant parm and mozz sticks and a brownie sundae that serves six? Bernie’s forever.”" - brennan carley

"Bernie’s is Greenpoint’s version of Cheers. It’s intentionally retro, as if it’s trying to conjure the suburban spirit of TGI Fridays, with red-checkered table clothes and vinyl booths that suck you in so you never want to leave. It feels like everyone knows your name here, and a meal involving their cold martinis, chicken parmesan, and massive brownie sundae has the power to turn any bad day into a good one." - bryan kim, neha talreja, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick

"Bernie’s feels like a neighborhood tavern from the 1970s. And while its dark dining room with stained-glass light fixtures and red-and-white checked tablecloths is closed right now, you can still grab one of their patio tables on a first come, first served basis. Like most great taverns, Bernie’s serves a great burger, mozzarella sticks, and shrimp cocktail. In other words, this is exactly the type of place to find out if someone cares more about personality or appearances." - nikko duren