Swoony's

"Sal Lamboglia, owner of Cafe Spaghetti and Swoony’s in Brooklyn, expressed concern about the dockworkers' strike affecting the flow of international imports and exports. He hopes to avoid financial impacts and wishes for a quick resolution to prevent further inflation and shortages." - Melissa McCart

"The Dish: Clams Casino  The clams at this tavern-like American restaurant in Cobble Hill overflow with golden brown breadcrumbs, and arrive at your table smelling of smoky bacon and green pepper. Those breadcrumbs are perfectly crispy-gone-soggy, the clam underneath is tender with just a slight chew, and the big pinch of oregano crunches like a potato chip. Sit at the bar, start with these and a cocktail, and then move on to a burger, or the short rib au poivre. " - willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja

"After you spend all summer drinking spritzes in Cafe Spaghetti’s backyard, head around the corner to Swoony’s for the indoor season. The American bistro is Spaghetti’s sister restaurant, and further proof that these people know how to create neighborhood restaurants made for the movies. Swoony’s feels like an extension of the area’s idyllic brownstones, finished in nautical shades of blue and filled with old photos, fine china, and other tchotchkes. Picture-perfect charm aside, it’s the nostalgic comfort food, like short rib au poivre, creamed spinach, and wedge salads that’ll turn you into a regular. They also make an excellent burger." - neha talreja, bryan kim, willa moore, carina finn koeppicus

"Swoony’s in Carroll Gardens is the type of restaurant where you’d want to stop in for a burger and martini on a weeknight, so it’s a good thing they nail the burger. Two thin patties are bound by american cheese, topped with pickles, and a generous amount of Thousand Island dressing that drips through your fingers. In a delightful twist, they’ve found something even softer than a potato bun to serve it on: a toasted and buttered Portuguese roll. The palm-sized roll has rounded edges, which helps solve the burger patty slippage problem, and makes it easy to squish the whole thing together and finish it in four ginormous bites." - will hartman, bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, kenny yang

"From the people who brought you one of Brooklyn’s best backyards, Swoony’s is an American bistro where you can sit with some friends and share a wedge salad and some short rib au poivre. The Carroll Gardens restaurant is clubby and old school—the kind of place that feels conducive to several martinis, even on a Tuesday night. Weekday reservations are easy to snag, but book a few weeks in advance if you want to eat here on a Friday or Saturday." - bryan kim, neha talreja, kenny yang, willa moore, will hartman