The Good Fork Pub

"Red Hook isn’t exactly an easy place to get to, unless you have a solid knowledge of New York’s ferry system or your own personal sea kayak. But there are a few excellent neighborhood restaurants out there, and assuming this isn’t your neighborhood, it’s worth a trip from time to time. The Good Fork definitely isn’t the best restaurant we’ve ever been to, but it might be the best restaurant in Red Hook. It’s a cozy little eatery with a homey feel and rounded ceilings that make you feel like you’re dining in an old train car. The people here are also very nice - a trend we are noticing with all of our recent trips to Red Hook. But what makes The Good Fork particularly great is the Korean twist on American favorites, like steak and eggs with kimchi rice, or a crab cake with daikon radish sprouts. There’s a pork chop and a burger on the menu, but there’s also some tasty pork and chive dumplings. The menu is well-executed and definitely do make The Good Fork stand out in a crowd, even though in Red Hook, it’s only a crowd of about five. Food Rundown Dumplings Start off your meal with some plump homemade pork and chive dumplings for the table. You won’t regret it. Crab Cakes These cakes were great. Lightly fried on the outside, the lump crab meat inside was moist and extremely flavorful. The chili aioli and radish sprouts also added nice flavor. Order with confidence. Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad This preparation took the typical side of roasted sprouts with bacon and made it next level. The Good Fork sprouts are actually salad with some arugula, caesar dressing and parmesan. There’s a poached egg on top too, and that’s a nice touch. Berkshire Pork Chop This chop was good, but not great. The pork comes served over a bed of spaetzle with creamy leeks and persimmon compote, and is topped with kale chips and a mustard sauce. The fixins were all good and delicious, but the chop itself was a little too fatty. Roasted Sullivan Farm Chicken This is a very solid roasted chicken dish, served with mashed potatoes, glazed cipollini onions, and a black bean sauce. It’s a safe order, but we won’t judge. “Steak and Eggs” Korean Style This right here is the reason why you’re coming to The Good Fork. Skirt steak is served over kimchi rice, and is then topped with a fried farm egg. It’s simple, but all the elements work together magically. This is the best dish on the menu. Duck Leg Confit You won’t go home hungry after this meal. These are some heavy entrees. This huge duck leg sits on top of an impressive sweet potato gruyere gratin, grilled broccoli rabe, and pickled radishes in a port wine sauce. It sounds intense, but it all works. Burger This burger is a fan favorite at The Good Fork, and it gets our seal of approval. It’s a medium build beef patty on a soft, buttery bun. It also comes with huge, crispy onion rings, and we are more than ok with that." - Andrew Steinthal

"Sohui Kim (Gage & Tollner, Insa) relaunched neighborhood staple Good Fork as the Good Fork Pub in 2022. Though formatted as a straightforward bar with a back area for additional seating and a backyard, there’s nothing typical about the food here. Kim’s kitchen is dolling out some of our all-time favorite bar food in the city, like beer cheese with wonton crisps, a Korean Philly cheesesteak, and a standout veggie burger." - Emma Orlow

"The Good Fork was one of our favorite restaurants in the area for a nice dinner out before closing during the pandemic. It reopened as The Good Fork Pub in 2022, with a big bar, warm lighting, and a Korean-ish menu, featuring dishes like tempura shishitos, autumn vegetable okonomiyaki, and kimchi fries. You might catch live music in the side yard if you swing by here in the summertime, but we like it just as much in the colder months, when you can sit at the bar with an IPA and a Wolfhound Pie—their take on a shepherd's pie." - willa moore, hannah albertine

"Fort Defiance, on the corner of Van Brunt and Dikeman, serves of solid food and classic cocktails in a laid-back setting. The burger, with a generous dollop of onion/bacon relish, is outstanding. Any place with bar stools at their window on the sidewalk is OK in my book." - Michael Ciancio

"One of the higher-end dining experiences in Red Hook, The Good Fork serves up new American/Korean fusion in a space that somehow embodies all of the characteristics of the neighborhood. With a lovely back garden for the summer months, a warm, cozy and quaint dining room for the winter, the Good Fork's curved wood ceiling lends itself to feeling like you're inside a boat or an old diner car. The atmosphere is classic Red Hook" - Michael Ciancio