Guidebook for Brooklyn
Food Scene
Beast of Bourbon
710 Myrtle AvenueA great bar, bbq, and music joint.
My favorite neighborhood coffee spot and quiet work space.
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Brooklyn Kolache Co.
520 Dekalb AveMy favorite neighborhood coffee spot and quiet work space.
Don't miss this on your visit. The city's best donuts!
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Dough Doughnuts
5th AvenueDon't miss this on your visit. The city's best donuts!
Stop in for coffee or a light meal or stay and use their wi-fi.
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The Civil Service Café
279 Nostrand AvenueStop in for coffee or a light meal or stay and use their wi-fi.
Excellent authentic Mexican food at dirt cheap prices. They also deliver!
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Castro's
511 Myrtle AveExcellent authentic Mexican food at dirt cheap prices. They also deliver!
Grab a coffee or pastry to go or pick up some organic food items.
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Cinnamon Girl
277 Nostrand Ave.Grab a coffee or pastry to go or pick up some organic food items.
Make your way here after your walk over the bridge and have a cheap delicious meal. I always get the steamed vegetable dumplings and a sesame pancake. Every time.
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Vanessa's Dumpling House
118A Eldridge StMake your way here after your walk over the bridge and have a cheap delicious meal. I always get the steamed vegetable dumplings and a sesame pancake. Every time.
Katz's Delicatessen
205 E Houston StGet a meat sandwich. It's famous.
Skip Grimaldi's and Lombardi's and just grab a slice here.
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Prince St. Pizza
27 Prince StSkip Grimaldi's and Lombardi's and just grab a slice here.
THE BEST PIZZA HANDS DOWN. Expect long waits or go at an unpopular time.
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Roberta's
261 Moore StTHE BEST PIZZA HANDS DOWN. Expect long waits or go at an unpopular time.
It's easy to find great pizza but this place is popular. Grab lunch or dinner here when you're exploring the neighborhood.
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John's of Bleecker St.
278 Bleecker StIt's easy to find great pizza but this place is popular. Grab lunch or dinner here when you're exploring the neighborhood.
If you're a fan of the TV show Girls, this is the coffee shop on the show. They also serve excellent food-try brunch or pizza.
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Speedy Romeo
376 Classon AveIf you're a fan of the TV show Girls, this is the coffee shop on the show. They also serve excellent food-try brunch or pizza.
Great little to-go coffee and snack place. Grab on your way to the subway.
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Marcy & Myrtle
574 Marcy AveGreat little to-go coffee and snack place. Grab on your way to the subway.
Clementine Bakery
395 Classon AveGreat vegan bakery
Wonderful little restaurant serving locally sourced creative dishes and specialty cocktails. Also open for coffee and pastries during the day.
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Eva Jean's
30 Kosciuszko StreetWonderful little restaurant serving locally sourced creative dishes and specialty cocktails. Also open for coffee and pastries during the day.
Delicious cuban food. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Limited bar.
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Pilar Cuban Eatery
397 Greene AveDelicious cuban food. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Limited bar.
Drinks & Nightlife
This is the locals bar. Excellent happy hour specials, full menu, chill backyard. It's a sports bar too if that's your thing.
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Brooklyn Stoops
748 Myrtle AvenueThis is the locals bar. Excellent happy hour specials, full menu, chill backyard. It's a sports bar too if that's your thing.
Excellent vibe, not too loud, creative interior, fireplace.
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Dynaco
1112 Bedford AveExcellent vibe, not too loud, creative interior, fireplace.
Great new neighborhood addition. Lots of drink choices, full food menu, rotating social events (trivia, live music, burlesque)
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Bedford Hall
1177 Bedford AvenueGreat new neighborhood addition. Lots of drink choices, full food menu, rotating social events (trivia, live music, burlesque)
Large drink selection and popular food spot. Also shows soccer games.
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Black Swan
Large drink selection and popular food spot. Also shows soccer games.
Do you like old-school arcade games? Do you like beer? This is the place for you.
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Barcade
388 Union AveDo you like old-school arcade games? Do you like beer? This is the place for you.
Very popular nightlife scene. A little dive-y, large outdoor space with a taco truck, live music or DJ in the back room. There will probably be a line to get in but it moves fast.
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Union Pool
484 Union AveVery popular nightlife scene. A little dive-y, large outdoor space with a taco truck, live music or DJ in the back room. There will probably be a line to get in but it moves fast.
Excellent happy hour. One of my long time favorites. Score a window seat and watch all the people go by.
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Local 138
181 Orchard StExcellent happy hour. One of my long time favorites. Score a window seat and watch all the people go by.
Local bar and live music venue. Cheap shows every night.
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C'mon Everybody
325 Franklin AveLocal bar and live music venue. Cheap shows every night.
Everything Else
My almost daily haunt. Complete exercise facility with any kind of machine you'd want, lots of classes, a 4 lane pool, sauna, steam room.
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Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA
1121 Bedford AveMy almost daily haunt. Complete exercise facility with any kind of machine you'd want, lots of classes, a 4 lane pool, sauna, steam room.
Huge outdoor pool with separate adult lap area. FREE! June-August.
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Kosciuszko Pool
670 Marcy AveHuge outdoor pool with separate adult lap area. FREE! June-August.
Laundromat. Open until 9 weeknights and 24 hrs on the weekends. Costs about $5 to wash and dry a large load.
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Atlantis Super Wash Center
873 Bedford AveLaundromat. Open until 9 weeknights and 24 hrs on the weekends. Costs about $5 to wash and dry a large load.
Rent a bike by the day or week. Great for short trips around the city. Return to any Citibike docking station. Ask me about time limits.
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Citi Bike
Rent a bike by the day or week. Great for short trips around the city. Return to any Citibike docking station. Ask me about time limits.
A hot yoga and movement studio with a free hot yoga class every saturday. Also, gymnastics, capoeria, core, pole dancing, etc.
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Sacred Brooklyn
197 Clifton PlA hot yoga and movement studio with a free hot yoga class every saturday. Also, gymnastics, capoeria, core, pole dancing, etc.
Essentials
The nicer grocery store in the area but not as close as Compare foods on Bedford and Kosciusko.
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CTown Supermarkets
330 Graham AveThe nicer grocery store in the area but not as close as Compare foods on Bedford and Kosciusko.
Closest grocery to the apt. Small but will have everything you need.
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Compare Foods
991 Bedford AveClosest grocery to the apt. Small but will have everything you need.
Sightseeing
Check out the public sculpture garden and stroll around this charming arts/design/architecture campus.
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Pratt Institute
200 Willoughby AveCheck out the public sculpture garden and stroll around this charming arts/design/architecture campus.
Spend a few hours wandering the beautiful gardens and conservatory. I am a member with free admission and you are welcome to use my card if you can pretend to be me.
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Isityalo saseBrooklyn Botanic
990 Washington AveSpend a few hours wandering the beautiful gardens and conservatory. I am a member with free admission and you are welcome to use my card if you can pretend to be me.
Central Park's little sister is Brooklyn's pride and joy. Same designer as Central Park, great for picnics, cycling, running, ice skating, horseback riding. Has a zoo!
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Ipharki yeProspect
Central Park's little sister is Brooklyn's pride and joy. Same designer as Central Park, great for picnics, cycling, running, ice skating, horseback riding. Has a zoo!
Great for a picnic, run, people watching, etc. Climb to the monument at the top for great views. Farmers market on Saturdays.
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Fort Greene Park
South Portland AvenueGreat for a picnic, run, people watching, etc. Climb to the monument at the top for great views. Farmers market on Saturdays.
I-East River State Park
90 Kent AveGreat views of Manhattan.
A walk across this iconic structure is a must. It's something even I enjoy despite all the tourists :)
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Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge PromenadeA walk across this iconic structure is a must. It's something even I enjoy despite all the tourists :)
Explore a preserved tenement building and learn what it was like to be an immigrant in NYC in the 19th century. It's like time travel. You must reserve your tickets ahead of time.
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Tenement Museum
103 Orchard StExplore a preserved tenement building and learn what it was like to be an immigrant in NYC in the 19th century. It's like time travel. You must reserve your tickets ahead of time.
Chinatown
Walk around. It's another world. Also, cheap produce!
It's a beautiful park on elevated train tracks. It's awesome. Avoid on weekends-too crowded. I recommend the lounge chairs around 16th st.
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High Line Park
It's a beautiful park on elevated train tracks. It's awesome. Avoid on weekends-too crowded. I recommend the lounge chairs around 16th st.
Pretty park on the waterfront with stunning views. Have a picnic, take a nap, or watch an outdoor movie on Thursday evenings in the summer.
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Iparke ye-Brooklyn Bridge
334 Furman StPretty park on the waterfront with stunning views. Have a picnic, take a nap, or watch an outdoor movie on Thursday evenings in the summer.
Walk around Brooklyn Heights in the evening and finish with the sunset here.
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Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Pierrepont PlaceWalk around Brooklyn Heights in the evening and finish with the sunset here.
A popular weekend activity. Browse vintage and handmade items. Get a snack from the food trucks. This location is on Saturdays. Sundays are in Williamsburg.
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Brooklyn Flea
51 North 6th StreetA popular weekend activity. Browse vintage and handmade items. Get a snack from the food trucks. This location is on Saturdays. Sundays are in Williamsburg.
Swing by here when you're visiting Williamsburg. They have a rotating collection of interesting NYC related items.
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The City Reliquary Museum
370 Metropolitan AveSwing by here when you're visiting Williamsburg. They have a rotating collection of interesting NYC related items.
This is a great treat for yourself. For $4 you can take a boat that crisscrosses the East River with stops in Long Island City, Queens, Midtown, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Dumbo and Wall Street.
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East 34th Street station
East 34th StreetThis is a great treat for yourself. For $4 you can take a boat that crisscrosses the East River with stops in Long Island City, Queens, Midtown, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Dumbo and Wall Street.
This museum is dedicated to the history of the NYC subway system and is located in a decommissioned station. It sounds silly but it's actually really cool!
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New York Transit Museum
89 E 42nd StThis museum is dedicated to the history of the NYC subway system and is located in a decommissioned station. It sounds silly but it's actually really cool!
Grab a cocktail ($10-$15) and take in the city views. This is an upscale place so dress decent. It's where the cool people hang out.
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Wythe Hotel
80 Wythe AveGrab a cocktail ($10-$15) and take in the city views. This is an upscale place so dress decent. It's where the cool people hang out.
My favorite park in the whole city. It's great for people watching. Grab some food on Macdougal St (Mamoun's Falafel and Artichoke Pizza are good) and park in the lawn for a while.
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Washington Square Park
Washington SquareMy favorite park in the whole city. It's great for people watching. Grab some food on Macdougal St (Mamoun's Falafel and Artichoke Pizza are good) and park in the lawn for a while.
Arts & Culture
A large collection of diverse art that rivals the Met and other world class museums. It's donation based and also hosts Free First Saturdays every month.
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Imuziyam yaseBrooklyn
200 Eastern PkwyA large collection of diverse art that rivals the Met and other world class museums. It's donation based and also hosts Free First Saturdays every month.
Multiplex playing the latest popular movies. Has discount tickets depending on the day and time.
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Williamsburg Cinemas
217 Grand StMultiplex playing the latest popular movies. Has discount tickets depending on the day and time.
Local indie cinema. Serves food and drinks during the movies.
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Nitehawk Cinema
136 Metropolitan AveLocal indie cinema. Serves food and drinks during the movies.
Get same and next day discount tickets to Broadway shows. Less crowded than the Times Square location.
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TKTS Downtown Brooklyn
Get same and next day discount tickets to Broadway shows. Less crowded than the Times Square location.
This intimate live music venue has 3 stages with a few acts every evening. Usually free or very cheap.
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Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen StThis intimate live music venue has 3 stages with a few acts every evening. Usually free or very cheap.
Where all the art galleries are. 18th-29th Sts between 10th and 12th Aves. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
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Chelsea
Where all the art galleries are. 18th-29th Sts between 10th and 12th Aves. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Sports and music arena. You can catch a basketball or hockey game, popular music act, circus, and other entertainment events.
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I-Center ye-Barclays
620 Atlantic AveSports and music arena. You can catch a basketball or hockey game, popular music act, circus, and other entertainment events.
You can bowl ($$$$), take in a live music act (free or nominal charge), and eat some of the best fried chicken in town at the Blue Ribbon restaurant inside.
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Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe AveYou can bowl ($$$$), take in a live music act (free or nominal charge), and eat some of the best fried chicken in town at the Blue Ribbon restaurant inside.
Watch the locals play a game of basketball or handball. You've definitely seen this place in the movies.
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West 4th Street Courts
272 6th AveWatch the locals play a game of basketball or handball. You've definitely seen this place in the movies.
Shopping
Drugstore, pharmacy, convenience store with snacks, drinks, non-perishable food items.
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Duane Reade
5411 Myrtle AveDrugstore, pharmacy, convenience store with snacks, drinks, non-perishable food items.
The popular shopping district. Start on Broadway between Houston and Grand St. Gets very crowded with tourists.
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SoHo
The popular shopping district. Start on Broadway between Houston and Grand St. Gets very crowded with tourists.