Identifies as women-owned
Yes
Traif in Brooklyn
Categories
Location on the map
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, US
From the business
Service options
Takeaway
Yes
Dine-in
Yes
Delivery
No
Health and safety
Reservations required
Yes
Highlights
Great dessert
Yes
Popular for
Dinner
Yes
Solo dining
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible car park
No
Offerings
Comfort food
Yes
Late-night food
Yes
Small plates
Yes
Dining options
Dinner
Yes
Dessert
Yes
Amenities
Toilets
Yes
Atmosphere
Casual
Yes
Cosy
Yes
Romantic
Yes
Crowd
Groups
Yes
Tourists
Yes
Planning
Dinner reservations recommended
Yes
Accepts reservations
Yes
Usually a wait
Yes
Payments
NFC mobile payments
Yes
Phone: +1 347-844-9578
Site: http://traifny.com/
Site: http://traifny.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:5–10PM
- Tuesday:5–10PM
- Wednesday:5–10PM
- Thursday:5–10PM
- Friday:5–10PM
- Saturday:5–10PM
- Sunday:5–10PM
Comments (199)
We got there early for our reservation which we don’t expect to be seated but we were hardly even acknowledged, only told to go back outside but that she took our name (we come to find it was the manager). When it came time for our reservation someone came out and said he never even knew we were there. By the time we were seated and had the first contact with a server we were already 30 mins past our reservation time. We definitely can look past those things because we understand how busy it can get… however…We had a gift certificate that our friends purchased for us and when we gave it to the server the manager came out and interrogated us on how we got this saying she would never have printed it this way. We felt embarrassed and unwelcome. I was searching through my text messages to find more proof that we were not fraudulent. But we definitely wanted to leave by that point. There was one server who did an excellent job and was such a remedy for how unprofessional the manager was but because of this experience I would never go back or recommend it to anyone unless that manager is no longer there.Otherwise, There is a lot of food included in the chef’s selection and my favorite was the caprese with lime and peaches and least favorite was the rigatoni. The tuna eggplant tempura was really good, the pork belly wraps were good, the polenta scallops were just okay - I think the polenta just didn’t taste as fresh and the scallops took that on. the fois gras was creative to me because it tasted just like a bacon egg and cheese…The shrimp and ribs were good, and the duck was good, but the deserts were again just okay, kinda tasted like melted ben & jerrys. And the donuts were good but way too heavy and fried after all that food. But overall I would rate the food much higher than the service.5 stars for the server that helped us !!
Superb food, you feel creative thinking of Chef. Service is excellent. Wine list presentable. The only problem - with open kitchen concept, the restaurant should have superb range hood and ventilation. The restaurant smelled of frying oil from the kitchen - and this is the only critique I will have for Traif.
I went here for an event with tasting collective so I cant really comment on service, portion size, or price, but I will say that the food is really tasty. I highly enjoyed everything that was served and think there is something for everyone here. I will definitely be coming back for a non-tasting collective event!
As everyone has made clear, the tasting menu is a necessity. We were skeptical given that we had a few favorites from the a la carte menu, but they graciously agreed to confirm that all of our choices were on the chefs list. Note: its 9 courses so probability is in your favor.Every dish was unique and delicious. The red snapper, the duck confit, and the ribs really stood out. They had a great wine selection to do your own pairings. And, of course, $55 cannot be beat in this city for this caliber of cuisine. Will be back soon.
Great dinner, amazing service, get the Chef Experience! Food was great at every stage, the servers were all incredibly kind and attentive. The food was not only well prepared but included a mix of luxurious traditional ingredients with unexpected and playful accents and complimentary ingredients. Drinks were delicious, they are well known for the Rude little pig cocktail and it was well worth its acclaim.
This restaurant is spectacular. They have an open kitchen and the chefs who cook back there are the most talented and wonderful culinary artist I have had the pleasure to eat their food from in a while. I have this weird thing about surf and turf, so I ordered the duck and the octopus, I like to keep it a bit eccentric... And it was the best octopus Ive ever had! The duck was also juicy delicious and perfectly tempered. The chef was literally 6 feet away from me and I could see just focus and a calmness in his demeanor, which meant everything was going to be absolutely perfect and it was. That octopus was so delicious I literally dove right in and forgot to take a photo. Very streamlined. Overall the experience was excellent. We will be returning.
Got taken here unknowingly by a friend who didn’t realize I keep kosher style. Let me just say that the concept of this restaurant is pretty disrespectful. It’s the equivalent of a Muslim person making a restaurant called ‘Haram’ and only having pork and alcohol on the menu. Thankfully there was a tuna dish that I could have but I definitely will never spend another dollar here.
Traif is more than meets the eye from the curb side. Tastefully decorated outdoor space with lights and grapevine gives this place additional charm. Now about food: (we chose chefs choice) ~11 dishes to try which were arriving to the table right off the flame. Check out the photos, they not only looked good and nicely plated, but were also delicious and all were able to split to 4 people. Signature drinks were nicely made, without a smell of alcohol but at 3rd sip they catch up with you. Attentive Traif team were taking care of the smaller sized table where our empty dishes didnt stand on the table long and new dish was served. Overall we had a nice and pleasant experience. Enjoy!
The food was ok but the wine was unbelievably bad and undrinkable at a price of $55 plus a bottle. also there was a table of 20 extremely loud men right next to us so I couldn’t hear myself think. overall a very unpleasant experience. 20% mandatory tip added insult to injury. never again.
Made us wait outside in the freezing cold after checking our vaccination cards, due to a seating delay. Server did apologize and gave us some complimentary brut rose which was nice. Got the tasting menu and wine pairing. When I get a wine pairing, I expect the wines to pair tightly with my dish. This was not the case. There was only one dish and glass that actually paired well. Most of the dishes were extremely heavy, fried, and oily. The shrimp was my favorite, it was one of the few well balanced dishes.
Delightful tasting menu. Reasonable price and so worth it. All small plates so you get to try a bit of everything. Also has a patio and garden. One of the best dinners I had with a group of friends.
This is a review of the even by Tasting Collective that we attended. It was a 10-Course Globally Inspired Feast. Ever since I joined Tasting Collective, the name Traif kept coming up as everyone’s favorite restaurant event. And this is a diners club of food lovers, I had to go and try it out!The interior is simple and industrial, chilled, and with very cool, modern, abstract art decor throughout. I liked the mix of straight and curved lines, minimal but yet distinctive colors, simple furniture and warm, soft light inviting customers in. They had a very lovely patio in the back. I really liked it here, it had more natural light coming in before the Sun went down, and then lit up with festive string lights. They had good amount of greenery around it that made the space even more relaxing.We started off with a couple of drinks. We chose Yuzu Kosho and Drink Like its Spring. They were both very tasty, high quality and strong. For food, we got to try Crispy Sweetbreads, Cured Fluke Sashimi, Dry-Aged Venison, Roasted Berkshire Pork Belly, Roasted Rainbow Carrots, Salt & Pepper Hamachi Collar Wraps, Seared Scallops & Risotto, Smoked Lamb Puttanesca Cavatelli, Toasted Pistachio Budino, and Warm Sugar Maple Pie. All these dishes, one word: Amazing!!!I now know the reason why this is the most popular spot among the Tasting Collective members. My taste buds were having the time of their lives the entire night! I would love to go back again for more of their amazing dishes! Read my full review of the restaurant and food on my food blog, foodlovergirl
Incredible Dining experience! Quite a great deal to do the prixe fixe. Its so much food! Maybe too much! But oh so good! Best doggy bag Ive ever had. Nothing but amazingness! Their sister restaurant, Xixa, is my favorite place in the city. Pace yourselves!
Currently too full to properly express the happiness that is happening in my stomach at this very second. It was an expected surprise. Originally meant to go to a French restaurant closer to lorimer that was too full, then another... our fault for not making reservations on a friday. ANYWAY, saw this place on a Google and noce reviews. Got in, no wait! Zing! Waiter suggested the chef select. I admit, this comes with a cost, bit it was a special night and we were not disappointed. Food was amazing, richly flavored, beautifully presented, and adequately paced. I like to EAT, and they portioned it well. Well worth the price. Highly recommend.
Outstanding service and cool atmosphere. Portions are reasonably sized and fun to share. I took one star off because the food was a bit too salty and too rich with spices for me. This place can get pretty loud on busy nights so just something to be aware of.
10/10. Got the chefs selection, everything was so delicious. The bacon and ricotta doughnuts were one of the best things I put in my mouth.
Amazing experience well worth the wait and trek out to south Williamsburg! I recommend to all my non NY or non BK friends, that traif is a must try.I came here on NYE for the chefs menu with my special lady. Because my girlfriend has a small appetite and doesnt really like anything adventurous, we didnt go the BALLERS option but I recommend that to everyone else. Everything was great from the bacon broth, scallops and truffle risotto, prawn and polenta, tuna tartare on fried eggplant(absolutely to die for), salmon avocado sashimi, strawberry cinnamon ribs, duck breast, sweet breads, short ribs and foie gras sauce, and short rib sliders. And you cant forget the bacon donuts, the important thing isnt the bacon even though thats key, the dough of the donut was so light and airy almost like a souffle.I highly recommend making a reservation to come and try the chef selection, you save money and get to try it all. If you can, go for the BALLERS.
Been here twice now and loved the food each time. The drinks are definitely more creative at the sister restaurant Xixa but the ones here were good too. Super impressed by the food though! Excellent service. Sure to go again.
Great experience here—staff is friendly, ambience is great, variety of cocktails. There are flavors here you wouldn’t expect: the menu displays a level of eclecticism that will throw many off. But sometimes different is good. The menu is interesting: recommend the seared foie gras, it is quite good. The General Tso’s sweetbreads was interesting, bit overwhelming in savor, but good. Dessert wise, the buckwheat cake was astonishingly good. Also tried the donuts and the key lime. Key lime had some interesting remoulade that was tangy and sweet. Donuts came with a scoop of dulce de leche and fleckled with bacon bits. Also tried the butternut squash soup, very delightful, in small doses. My friend made the joke that the soup tasted like it was made with bouillon cubes which I didn’t disagree with.
Incredible meal, one of my favorites ever in NY. Beautiful atmosphere, lively but not too loud, great lighting, and the food was spectacular - get the scallops, king crab, venison tataki and tuna tartare. Cant wait to go back
Probably the best meal Ive had in Brooklyn so far. Everything was amazing! ~Hiiiiiiiighly~ recommended. Chefs selection menu is perfect for dates and visitors.
Just shared an incredible meal at Traif. We all did the chefs tasting menu, which was very reasonably priced for a generous amount of extraordinary food. Each dish was a gem - a unique and delicious creation - and we are all leaving very full and very happy. Well definitely be back!
A Great Restaurant for small plates.The service is extremely good. The staffs are super friendly.The food quality is amazing.
Simply delicious! Great service. The chefs selection menu with wine pairing is 95 dollars for a 10 course meal. Hardly possible to find better value for money. Approved with flying colors. Well done guys!
We love Traif and it’s long been a favorite. So we were delighted to return last night to enjoy their beautifully cooked and presented food.We used to always sit at the bar, enjoying the experience of watching the dishes being cooked and plated right in front of us, and the warm conviviality of chatting with both staff and other customers. Understandably this option is no longer available, and we were fine with that. Menus and water appeared promptly and the waiter immediately asked us if we’d like to start with a cocktail, which one of us ordered. We also asked for the tasting menu and wine pairings.The first glasses of wine arrived before the cocktail, along with the first course. When the second course arrived we noted there was no new wine, but were not concerned as we’ve often seen a single pour paired with two courses. We did wonder where the cocktail was. With the third course we asked our server where the wine pairing was and were told, for the first time, that the original pour was meant to last through three courses. Our glasses were sadly empty at that point, and had we known we’d have paced ourselves. We had to ask for clean plates, as ours were quite littered with the remains of the previous two course. We were not given clean cutlery. Both the second and third courses (and every course thereafter) were served on cold dishes and became tepid very quickly.We were stunned when our server poured the second wine pairing into our used glasses in preparation for the 4th and 5th courses. When the red wine came around for the 6th and 7th courses we asked for clean glasses. Our server pushed back, stating that using the same glass was a Traif philosophy. We’d never experienced that at Traif or anywhere before and insisted on new glasses. Soon after the missing cocktail arrived and was in the house. This was appreciated, though not really needed at that stage of the meal.For the last two savory courses our server knew to provide clean glasses, which was appreciated. Sadly both courses failed to meet the usual Traif standards. Not only were they marred by the cold serving dishes, they were surprisingly disappointing. The gnocchi with “roasted mushrooms” contained rubbery pale mushrooms that looked and tasted as if they’d been taken from a can, and the duck was half gristle.The key lime pie was comically tiny given that it was meant for two people.The food was by and large excellent and we’re so happy they’ve managed to stay in business. We get it that they’ve taken some very heavy economic hits and have had, like many other restaurants, to institute some cost-saving measures. These mean that many of the niceties great food requires are not so easily provided without the extra staff to make them happen. I’d honestly prefer to pay more in exchange for warm serving dishes, clean glasses for each wine, and fresh plates and cutlery. I’d also amend the menu to explain how the wine pairings work.
Absolutely delicious! The menu (food AND cocktail) pack a punch and it won’t disappoint. This is the perfect date night restaurant right under the Williamsburg bridge! ❤️❤️
Get the chef’s selection - like 8-10 plates and they were all excellent! Particular standouts we’re the ribs and the tuna tartare. Would definitely return and there’s both indoor and patio seating.
Absolutely delicious, chef personally checks and garnishes everything that comes out of the kitchen. Good presentation, seafood cooked to proper doneness, scrumptious. Good atmosphere, nice if you would like to go on a date as it is candlelit. Service is friendly, scallop risssoto is phenomenal. Beer selection also novel, wine selection is extensive.
Traif never disappoints...been going a few times a year for about 5 years and its consistently delicious especially love the value of.the tasting menu.
The food and service were amazing! I tried the Chefs Selection and was not disappointed. My favorites were the soft-shell crab and the cauliflower.
Disappointing in just about every way but still trying to make interesting food. Service was poor, really untrained, inattentive and actually sloppy. Putting hands on dirty dishes and then handling food and drink should require good hygiene. I remember a previous visit being good. But the food was sloppy, over seasoned and the purées, risotto more like creamed corn and salty, tough octopus were nearly just plain bad. I appreciate the intent of stating on the menu that waitstaff automatically get a 20% tip but then follow that up with good hiring and training practices not evident any where on this visit.
Outstanding food and setting out back. The garden tables are in the open air and distant, and they have fantastic heat lamps.
Phenomenal quaint restaurant. Came here for my friends engagement get together and was blown away by the food, like wow. Specialty cocktails and deserts were to die for as well. Service was great and really accommodating, especially Blu who made sure everything was to our tasting and made us feel really welcome and even though some were from out of town. Have already recommended this place to many of my friends, and will visit again!
One of the best chef tastings Ive ever had in NYC and extremely reasonable price. Service amazing, personable waiter and food runners! Great atmosphere
Great tasting menu: only $55. Been coming here for years. Absolutely exquisite. Never fails to impress.
Everything was delicious, but 1 thing. They have a filet mignon on the menu. We thought it was steak, but it was pork. We asked for it rare. Who asks for pork rare!? Most expensive thing on the menu. Felt like a trap. Had 1 small piece of it. They wouldnt take it off menu. Food is tasty and service is pretty good. Except theres one area where theres 1 song playing in one ear and another song in the other. Irritating and they wouldnt adjust or move us. Spent about 160 per person and over tipped as well. Will probably be back despite
Let me begin by saying, based off of brand/style, Traif is not typically my forte for dining. However, once we were seated, my preconceptions about the place changed completely for one reason -- the waiter Blu. He was able to answer every single question I had without hesitation and with poise. He was not only attentive to our needs, but excellent in directing our attention to the proper places and ensuring we had a delightful experience. Matching the incredible service, the food was delectable and quite the treat for my fiancees birthday. Blu made sure it was special and a memorable eveninf for my entire party. Would definitely return when hes on shift!
The chefs tasting menu is not only worth the trek from Manhattan, but seriously worth every penny spent. My table is still gobsmacked over our food, but the service was also exceptional. I would recommend this to anyone. Youre in for a treat from the very first bite to the house-made ice cream to finish things off (best ice cream ever?!)! Ill definitely be back in a few months when the seasonal menu changes, although our server told us tweaks are made to the dishes offered every single day.
Went for the seared fois gras, and yes it was awesome, but the waitress recommended the cinnamon ribs also and they were absolutely spectacular! Slightly sweet and perfectly cooked and just terrrific. Key lime pie was a nice finish but what will bring be back is the entrees. Also, nice ambiance especially in the back garden, and generally friendly folks.
The FOOD was so delicious I was angry. Not sure what decisions I made to end up having that quality culinary experience but I feel honored!!! Big shout out to Blu! His service was impeccable, I highly recommend this spot! Get the chef selection!
So delicious. Loved the service!!! Thank you, Traif for always being our favorite restaurant in Brooklyn ❤️
Tried this place out for the first time and the food was amazing. I strongly recommend trying them out when you have a chance.
Respect for food is a respect for life, For who we are and what we do. Thomas KellerThere were too many reviews to read. But what convinced me were the pictures! It was the picture of the spare ribs with strawberries that convinced me! (I do not understand why a logo of a pig would make anyone want to go here!)The pictures of the food are amazing!After seeing the pictures I did not need to read anything I was there! The menu was innovative. My husband and I share most meals so the sharing theme was just right for us.The menu is seasonal so the ribs were not strawberry but they were Pomegranate. But it was still delicious! I do not eat large portions of meat any more. The portions were not too big or too small and at first I did not know how much I could eat but they were melt in your mouth like cotton candy!We also had the pink fig salad and lamb Shawarma.We had the bacon donuts for dessert. I liked it so much I would even take out of town friends here! My criteria for 5 stars is it is the best of its kind. I do not know if it is but the food and decor were so nice. The server and owner were very congenial. The bathroom was clean and there were pictures of the staff in the bathroom as children. They said they want to make it like a family atmosphere.I would love to go back for each season!We went midweek and it was not too crowded. I like going out week nights especially to popular places like this, the wait usually is not as long and you dont feel rushed.Obviously this was before the lockdown. The space is cramped though once they open back up be prepared.
Delicious meal, great experience! We were a 5 top seated at a small, round 4 top table on the back patio. I was a little skeptical based on that - and I was immediately proven wrong. We did the tasting menu ($55/person) plus wine pairing ($35/person). It was a great value. The food was still served family style: generous portions, all delicious. Our favorite was the shrimp with pineapple and sweet potato. Our server was fantastic, too. We’d come back here tomorrow!
Excellent, friendly service. The cinnamon strawberry ribs were amazing as was the eggplant tempura with tuna tartar. As other reviewers mentioned, a couple of plates were incredibly salty (Im looking at you, gnocchi). Soooooo glad I tried the tasting menu.
Delicious. Imaginative. Thoughtfully portioned. Gems of flavorful dishes served without pretension and enthusiastically, by staff who know the menu. Quiet back garden us a nice setting.
Review is actually closer to 3.5 stars. I’m divided because the highs were really high but the lows were pretty low. The key lime pie I had here was the best key lime pie I’ve ever had — it was so good that it was hard to describe! The slice was very small but for the price in quality that was a 5* experience.Unfortunately, the gnocchi dish I had didn’t reach the same highs: the vegetable medley didn’t taste super fresh, so even though the broth and the gnocchi itself were well done my overall impression of the dish was pretty negative. Wasn’t a big fan of the fries other: the seasoning was uneven and again the end result didn’t taste that fresh.Overall for the price point I had higher expectations. I’d go here for dessert but skip the rest.
Best value meal I have had in a long time. We didn’t realize how much food $55 would get us. Incredible food, creative drinks and excellent service.
Everything was great - not one mediocre dish on the menu
Ive probably been to Traif 10+ times.Food and services were always incredible!You dont go there for jaw dropping plating (not to say its bad or anything) but the food.. Ive never had such an amazing course meals for this price.
Treated ourselves to the chefs tasting menu for our wedding anniversary. Everything from atmosphere to service to plating to creative flavor pairings made for an amazing experience and worth the price. The cocktails paired and contrasted well with the dishes. I loved getting to choose between an adventurous menu versus a more conservative menu. Adventurous all the way!
The food and atmosphere was good. We tasted 8 dishes, of which two were amazing and two were somewhat disappointing and not as inventive as they seemed. Service was a little slow and lackluster. They have an inside set of tables, and a small covered outside patio area which I imagine would be lovely in the summer. Overall its a great place to go if you are in the neighborhood as a group for tapas if you like to try a lot of different dishes.
I came here for New Years Eve and tried the chefs tasting menu. It was 75/pp with 8 courses and 2 desserts.The courses here are small, and provides a sample of the menu. Its more of a tapas style Id say so you may leave not being full.Bacon Broth: It was a good sample of bacon broth. The flavor was rich, and I can imagine myself dipping bread, or having a soup based on this broth.Fish with avocado: Unfortunately, I dont remember the name of this dish but it was my favorite. The fish was fresh and the avocado paired well with it. It was refreshing.Scallops: DELICIOUS.Id have to update my review one day when I go back, since I dont remember much.To skip to the desserts since I dont remember the name of the food I had, their bacon donuts was really good. I dont like bacon much, but the donuts were good and moist.
Such a cool place. Cozy inside and a beautiful outdoor dining area in the back. Food was outstanding - everything seasoned to perfection and beautifully presented with generous small plate portions. Can’t wait to go back!
Definitely will need reservations for dinner. Small cozy location. The food, while pricey, is definitely worth it. Each dish was crafted beautifully and were just as tasty as they looked. No dish was a disappointment. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite
The food here is delicious and very creative. The cauliflower salad was my favorite. The baby back ribs are awesome. The tuna tartar delicious. The ratatouille however is just OK; it tastes good but its unnecessarily rich and not that interesting.
They ask you first what youd like to see and what you dont like, to better get an idea of what to serve you. We had a starting complimentary small cup of soup, followed by 10 dishes, and ending with 3 desserts + a complimentary fruit bite. Out of our dishes, I highly recommend the scallops if theyre part of the menu. Everything else was a combination of interesting flavors. We left either satisfied or stuffed. I dont like mentioning specifics, since the dishes could often change per season.
The best food experience I have had in New York, and that is saying something. Every dish is out of this world - flavours, textures and presentation like you wouldnt believe. All prepared in a tiny cooking space. Particular favourites include the spicy tuna, cauliflower, duck bread, lamb and donuts. Huge appreciation for the culinary genius who have brought this place together. Thank you.
I traveled from Long Island to Brooklyn for this restaurant & it was worth it. All our friends loved it, too. We all had the chefs tasting menu & every dish was delicious. The food came very quickly which amazed us because the kitchen space looked very limited & the restaurant was packed. I would recommend making reservations for a group because they had a lot of patrons waiting to eat there. 2 hours is allotted for your experience. We took a wrong turn getting there and before you know it, were going across a bridge stuck in traffic. This made us 15 min late for our reservation but the service was very nice despite our tardiness. Our friends were 20 min late due to lack of parking spaces in the neighborhood. Make sure to give yourself extra time to get here if youre driving.
This was my second time visiting Traif as part of the Tasting Collective restaurant series. It did not disappoint. While the interior is very small and cramped, and the air conditioner does its best to cool the place down, you will completely forget about your surroundings when you dig into the food. The food was flavorful and rich, and seemed to cross borders, cultures and genres. We had a summer caprese salad (with hot honey) and duck breast on a zucchini gold bar which were standout dishes and highly recommended. The cocktails offered complimented the dishes well. The service was fast and attentive. I highly recommend this place for its unusual take on food across cultures.
Because we came in a group of 6, we opted for the chefs menu. It was perfectly portioned and very filling! Aside from the dinner dishes, we were served two dessert dishes.. all for about $55 per person! The food tasted amazing and the service was great. Definitely planning to return soon!
We had a disappointing experience at Traif tonight. The positive aspect mainly due to the friendly staff. Our waiter was nice, attentive and efficient.When we walked in to the restaurant, we could already smell the grease from the kitchen. The ventilation finely need to be improved. Sure enough, quite a few items from the tasting menu we ordered were either deep fried or fried including two dishes with sunny side up eggs. Why?Eventually we were so filled with greasy food that we were hoping that the end of the menu was approaching when the last two main dishes arrived: deep fried sweetbread and fried liver (they called it fois gras for some reason). Then of course they were followed with two desserts: one of them being a deep fried donut.Another thing is the noise level. It was so loud that it was hard to hold a conversation. Thank goodness that the restaurant did not turn up the music to compete.
Lovely staff, good food, until I got two shards of plastic in one bite. They offered to pay the wine pairing we’d opted for, but not the meal so we decided to leave. According to the manager it’s only happened twice in two years - we were the third. Good luck!
I would recommend to come hungry and enjoy the tasting menu here. Its a 10 course (8 main, 2 dessert) meal and showcases the best food at Traif! The food is prepared fresh and is delicious. I love bringing friends and family when they visit!
I walked in this restaurant without a reservation and they sat me at the bar which was perfectly fine. I had the soft shell crabs, biscuits which was covered in this creamy sauce . My meal was absolutely perfect , and my waiter noticed the hostility between my date and I and gave me a complimentary desert . He completely made my day go from sour to sweet literally . The restaurant is small but comfortable , and at night its dimly lit . If youre driving to this establishment it may be difficult to find so keep an eye out when you get close to the destination . Bad date and all , I would definitely return to this restaurant because the food was amazing.
Food and atmosphere is OK. Nothing life changing. Made a reservation for a Friday night for four people. We were seated immediately. Our group decided to do the chef tasting. All items came out as they were prepared. Had a good selection of options and we were able to pick and choose, they also take note of dietary restrictions. Wine list was great.
A bit on the expensive side but well worth it for a special occasion. I came here for a birthday dinner and all the food was excellent. We ordered 6 plates (for 2 people). The salt & pepper shrimp, scallops w/ risotto, and strawberry ribs were very good. Even the drinks were great and strong. Would definitely recommend this place
Hands down one of the best meals Ive ever had! We did the $50 pp chefs choice menu which included 8 courses. You dont get to see whats in the Chefs menu but our waitress asked if we had any favorites or hesitations from the full menu items so that they could try to accommodate. Food was spectacular! Highlights were the tuna tartar, cinnamon strawberry ribs and key lime pie, though you cant go wrong. Service was top-notch and drinks were on point. The bill was higher than what I usually pay for a night out, but well worth it--save this place for a special date!
We had a group of 7 that did the chefs tasting menu. The food was absolutely delicious, but the music they played all night was a classic rock playlist that repeated a few songs. It felt like it was 2004 and I was on a road trip to Florida with my parents in control of the radio. Didnt fit the vibe at all.
Amazing food for the price. The seared scallop was definitely my favourite. They timed the courses pretty well. We were completely stuffed at the end of it so dont be deceived by the size of your first course. Would definitely return!
I came here on a Thursday night around 6:30 with no reservations. The restaurant, surprisingly, was pretty empty. We had 5 staffs greeting us as we walked in. We got seated at the back of the restaurant mirroring a small garden.The menu is hard to read with its particular font and small printed size. The waiter suggested that 5-7 plates is a good amount for 2 people.After placing our order, they gave us complimentary zucchini soups placed in two tiny mugs. The amount of the soup was about two sips. It was creamy and salty. A bit too salty. But I thank them for the food on the house.We ordered 5 dishes that was suggested by our waiter and what it seemed most popular on yelp. The kitchen brought the dishes out in the order of those that seemed as appetizers to entrees. The spicy tuna tartar with fried eggplant was good, but lacked a little bit in flavor. The baked Muenster cheese was served with roasted crostinis and apples. Berkshire pork belly was very tender. The braised short rib bbq sliders were good, but I think we enjoyed the sweet potatoes fries more. They were just so crisp on the outside and soft inside. The sauce for the strawberry cinnamon port ribs were a bit too sweet, but overall every dish was good. Too bad we didnt have room for other dishes.Street parking only. We were lucky to find a spot right outside of the restaurant, but give yourself an ample amount of time looking for a spot; it is as packed as anywhere else in nyc.
Real people, enjoying great pork dishes. And some shellfish dishes. The Rude little piggy definitely my go to drink for the evening. All the little dishes were filled with flavor! The ribs and shrimp had a unique taste. The sliders tasted like a foodie orgasm in your mouth! Will most definitely be back!
Traif was recommended to me by a local while I was visiting NY. We did the chef’s tasting menu, and I can honestly say it was one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve ever had. We were asked if we wanted anything specific from the menu in our tasting or if we wanted an adventurous selection. We opted for adventurous and definitely didn’t get any of the more interesting options on the menu. The food came out so quickly that at times we had 3 plates in front of us, even though we asked for them to slow it down. I remember thinking the food was good, but 3 months later, I can’t remember a single thing I ate because I was rushing to eat it. We were seated at the bar and asked 3 different staff members for water before we finally got some halfway through dinner. A couple next to us complimented the staff on the food, and the staff member actually said, “Good. I hope it makes up for our terrible service.” There were no apologies or any regard for what they obviously knew was awful service. I’m happy to excuse some of these things at some restaurants, but not at one that is supposed to be of a higher caliber.
I admit that almost everything we tried was delicious. (There was one item -- the foie gras, that we didnt like. It was burnt and had an off taste.) My issues were twofold: 1. Atmosphere: Theres a fine line between shabby chic and just plan old shabby. I feel this place was on the wrong side of that line -- at least in the garden room. Please scrape the windows clean!! 2. This restaurant is very expensive for the location. The menu is all small plates, so the waiter recommended 2 (or even 3) per person. While some items were in the $12-15 range, others were as much as $27. Thats excessive if you have to order 2 (let alone 3)! We spent over $50 per person, and thats without any wine or liquor. Also note that Google mis-categorizes this restaurant as two dollar signs ($$), presumably based on the price of EACH small plate. Google needs to account for the fact that you need to order more than one. Be warned.
Pretty decent spot in Williamsburg! The prices were fine for what you get! The quality of food is pretty good! The food was delicious and it was around $80(incl tax and tip) per person for a nice dinner including desert soup and nice main! The food came pretty quickly and the staff was also top notch!
The food was very well made. Some courses were better than others. The restaurant is kind of small. It gives it a nice feel but it was a bit cramped. I think 4 stars is fair. In order to earn a 5 star score it would have had to completely knock it out of the park. I will definitely go back here. Would recommend for sure.
Easily my favorite restaurant in New York! Non-pretentious intimate environment, serving harmoniously paired flavors and textures, like an orchestra for the taste buds. With seasonal menu changes, theres always something new to try, and the adventurous chef-selection meal will leave you with lifelong dreams of deliciousness!
Its evident the chef and staff have not trained at a Michelin star rated restaurant. The food tries to be fine dining but execution is undeniably Hamish. The tasting menu begins with the only dish thats individually portioned; the complimentary gezpacho soup, with flavors proving that you get what you pay for. The tasting menu proceeds awkwardly between family style plates not suited to sharing (a pasta dish with a sunny side up egg resting on top to share between four people), concluding with individual portions of dessert like a slice of pie (also meant to be shared between four people). The best dish by far was the glazed rib, after the restaurants name-sake, which left all members of our 10 person party asking , why didnt we just order the ribs? It certainly would have been easier for the single waiter serving the entire restaurant. While on the lower end of tasting menus at $54 per person, chef has outsmarted himself and should go back to basics.
Good food. Unfriendly staff. Waitress even left us and walked away when we were trying to give feedback. Felt as if were making them uncomfortable or something by being here (except for the very nice guy who received us on the door). For the amount of money you charge, you could learn to smile at your customers.
One of the best gems in Williamsburg!The food is outstanding!The staff is excellent!The price very standart around $55 per person before tax and tip!The atmosphere is pretty dark, low light dark colored interior!We ordered the $55 tasting menu and every single course was amazing! And very affordable in the end of the day!MY favourite thing was the ice cream deessert! Everything is unique and the presentation is on top!Amazing dinning expierience and i would definetly come back!
Brooklyn has a lot of great restaurants and this place is one of them. I went here because of all the great reviews Ive read and I was not disappointed. Its hard to remember everything I got, because we ordered so much.The plates are tapas sized portions, which is great because you can try a lot of different things, but the bill adds up quickly. As much as I like tapas because of all the different dishes you can get, its a little hard to go with a large group unless you order a lot of them because everyone has their own favorites.I would recommend this place to anyone who likes new-american food, but served in a tapas form.
Slow and inattentive service. Waiters would scream the name of the dish and just plomp it onto table and walk away. Doesn’t matter if it’s loud, you still shouldn’t just drop a dish in front of us. And you shouldn’t be blasting music in there like it’s a rave in the first place. Everyone’s screaming at that point. Tasting menu was mediocre. You get to pick two dishes and they “build a custom menu for you”. Even though they said it’s curated specifically for you, you can tell just by looking around the restaurant that everyone is getting the same dishes. The tasting menu had dishes which are protein heavy, and they tasted great, but they start tasting the same when they just pair a savory meat with a citrus fruit glaze over and over again. We happen to get 3 of these. Probably not coming here again anytime soon.
We were a party of 6 celebrating my fathers bday. He loved it. We all did. We chose to have the chef selection which was 9 courses with a complimentary butternut squash soup to begin everything. Out of 10 dinner courses we loved about 8. Which is pretty good. Dessert was 2 courses. They were also delicious but everyone was too full to eat it all. Prolly will go again.
One of the best meals I’ve had in a while. You can’t go wrong with the chef’s selection tasting menu. They were also willing to work with the table’s food allergies. From the tuna tartare, scallops and foie gras, to the maple bacon to donuts, it was all delicious.
All foods were delicious, distinctive, unique, with character, well portioned not too much and not too little. Just right amount to enjoy the character of each menu. Seems like strawberry pork is the most famous but my favorite dish was gnocchi in mushroom sauce. Best gnocchi ever...
Absolutely delicious meal. Each dish was so uniquely flavorful and so much fun to share and eat. Definitely recommend and dont get scared away by the exterior or the area the restaurant is in.
This is one of the top 5 restaurants in NYC in my opinion. The food is fresh and different, the seasoning and flavor and presentation is impeccable. The atmosphere and ambiance make it a perfect date spot. The wine list is very well selected and built to compliment the awesome food, as it should be. Id give this place 20 stars if it were an option. GO, GO, GO!!!
Luckily came in a slow night and got the waiter/bartenders undivided attention. We chose to go with the chefs selections so we can journey through the menu with no worries. Everything that came out was delicious and timely, and the wine pairings were all on point as well. We’ve tried both Xixa and Traif now and they haven’t disappointed. I can see how both places would get a little hectic when busy.
Most horrible experience in NY. Inattentive service, very slow kitchen. Also spilled coffee on us, broke glasses… pretty unreal. Mandatory 20% service charge leads to entitled lack of service.
Overall fantastic, we did 8 course price fix. Highly recommend the ribs
I just went to Traif for the first time last week. The service was really great, we didnt have reservations but they sat me and my party quickly. The quality of the food was amazing, especially the bacon wrapped scallops. It was also really good for sharing plates. I would definitely go back again!
Place isn’t in a great area and the restaurant layout and decor is basic at best. However, the food will blow your mind. It is excellent.
Just about everything on the menu is delicious. My favorites are the Scallops and BBQ Ribs. The staff is amazing. Extremely attentive and professional. The place is small but big enough to enjoy good food and good drinks.
Traif, oh how I adore thee. We met back in 2014 and Ive been in love ever since. Flashback to 3/4 years ago when I heard about this chef who opened this cute restaurant in South Willy B and all the dishes were pork inspired and very inventive. I did some research and saw that they had a 11 course chef tasting. I booked my dinner party with 12 people and it went without a hitch! It was so memorable that my friends talk about it years later.Fast forward to this past weekend, where I made a reservation for me and my brother for his birthday dinner. I havent been in 4 years and I was so nervous because I had high hopes and I didnt want to be disappointed. Well....they exceeded my expectations. The food, the service....they are the BLUEPRINT for what a restaurant should be.Now, the food from plate 1 to plate 11 was delicious. But My absolute faves are the strawberry ribs, roasted carrots, Cacio o Pepe pasta, salt and pepper shrimp. Last but not least, the Tuna tartare with the eggplant tempura. They let you chose 2 that you want in the tasting. Please do yourself a favor and request this. I dont have a favorite with desserts because I love them both. The panna cotta is literally bursting with flavor. I was pleasantly surprised with the sesame and cookie crumble. I love how Traif takes different ingredients and put them together and it tastes sooo good. For example,sunflower seeds with ice cream. Who knew!!Also, the bacon doughnut holes with coffee ice cream.....Years later and Traif doesnt disappoint.
A bit hard to find but once youre inside, very cozy with impeccable service and very attentive staff. The food was light, with good flavors and perfect sharing plates for a party of 4. Unlike other places, desserts were a great end to the dinner.Favorite for me was the spicy shrimp with sweet potato and pineapple and I never have sweet and sour dishes with pineapple haha! Bay scallops were great and not too fishy. The panacotta was the best dessert.4 stars because its good but the day after - no dish really stands out in my memory as being unbelievably tasty.
Delicious tasting menu - Modern American with Asian influences. Rather generous too! Nice casual atmosphere. Excellent drink selection. NB: Tasting menu for 2s only available midweek. Menu is exhaustive so chef selection is the easy way out.
This place is fing amazing. Delicious food. We went at 1AM on Friday night (they serve food till 2AM) and they still gave us a great experience. There was almost no one in the restaurant and they could have easily turned us away, but instead they gave us great service without the youre my last table of the night attitude. Not to mention the well designed meal from the kitchen. Instead of cranking out all the food as fast as they could and delivering it all at once, it was patiently doled out in a thoughtful and paced manner.
When making a reservation, ask if you could get a seat in the glass canopy area in the back. It looked so nice in the early evening and its probably better lighting in that area for picture taking! By 7:00pm, the small space filled up quickly.The dishes are tapas style and go from small to large down the menu list. My friend and I ordered 4 small to medium dishes and it was enough food to be quite full!Salt & pepper shrimp: DELICIOUS! There were sweet potato chunks in this dish that I absolutely LOVED and Im not usually a huge fan of sweet potatoes. The shrimp was breaded in a nice batter and super juicy and crunchy. The dish was not too flavorful or salty and the portion was satiating.Icy blue mussels: The mussels were soaked in a pesto pea soup. Dont neglect the delicious fluffy buttered toast wedges on the side. They were soooo delicious! The mussels were served in a generous portion. I wasnt as big of a fan of the peas as my friend was.Strawberry-cinnamon glazed Berkshire baby back ribs: AMAZING. My favorite dish of the night! The meat fell right off the bone. The tenderness of the meat was paired with a nice BBQ sauce made of cinnamon and strawberry reduction. The cinnamon aspect was really unique, but not too overwhelmingly pungent.BBQ, braised short rib sliders, sweet potato fries, smoked paprika aioli: The sliders are about 3-4 bites so dont expect anything extravagantly large. The short ribs resembled something similar to pulled pork - shredded and juicy. The sweet potato fries were fried lightly so they had the perfect texture. The smoked paprika aioli was great, but moderate - its a bit salty!Unfortunately, we so full that we didnt have any room for the infamous bacon doughnuts, but Ill definitely be back for more! The menu changes month to month so Im looking forward to trying something new.
Great service! And like everyone else has already mentioned... NO pretentious attitudes! Short rib sliders are a must have!! Hands down the best Ive ever had!! (And Im from TX 😜) Cocktails were on point as well, these bartenders know what theyre doing, and seem to also love what they do.
Really expected a mind blowing experience after looking at the number of reviews but it definitely did not impress me.Came here with a few friends and decided on the chefs selection. Basically a sample of a few things on the menu (10-12 things including dessert). There were a few good dishes but a few bad dishes as well. The good plates: tuna tartare on a fried eggplant, fried shrimp with pineapple (sauce was good), foie gras, the scallops, and the fried doughnuts with bacon bits and coffee ice-cream. The okay/bad plates: the salad, short ribs, goat cheese, the pork bun sliders, the cheesecake. Youd think a place with such great reviews and with $$$, every plate would be delicious but guess not.
We had the most incredible time with the chefs tasting menu. One of the best meals we had ever had anywhere! And the staff was wonderful and warm.
Although traif is not mind-blowingly amazing, it is a solid and unique restaurant, and definitely worth visiting at least once. Our table ordered the 11 course prix fixe meal for $40pp. You must have 4 people in your party to participate in this. The menu changes quite frequently but the ones that stood out for me were the cold potato soup, the scallops, and the sliders. The broccoli rabe was really good too. Great service and ambiance, and fresh ingredients but overall it just didnt wow me.
Amazing!! Best value of any tasting menu in the city. The food is next level, and the vibe inside is quintessential Brooklyn. Great music, great service, lots of noise, and mind blowing food.
Have been to Traif multiple times for dinner. We recommended the place to our friends and decided to take them out to this restaurant. We arrived, ordered food and wine. Our food came and we had gone through the bottle of wine and decided to get another. However, as our food was still on the table and we were still eating it, the waiter came back and informed us that they couldnt give us another bottle of wine because we ran out of time and had to leave in exactly 7 minutes. Their explanation was that they had another patron arriving and we had to vacate. Never coming back here again after being embarrassed in front of our friends!
I had been wanting to go here for awhile. Picked a Tuesday thinking itd be quieter but everyone was on to me! It was still buzzing with people as excited as me. Was able to have dinner at the bar and Wow was that the best idea ever! We got to watch all these amazing creations. These cooks were so impressive. The level of detail on every plate. We got the Strawberry cinnamon glazed Ribs- amazing! The Eggplant Tuna Tartar was possibly my favorite but how do you compare that to Scallop Corn Rissotto which Yes- I literally licked the plate! Okay yes I was full but we werent leaving without trying the Bacon Doughnuts and Traif staff obliged letting us drink more water and relax to make room. They were busy so I felt bad at first but they didnt seem fazed and didnt make me feel rushed at all. Just keep enjoying your meal our waiter said. And we did. It was sooo good. I cant wait to go back and try the rest of the menu
The food here is something of another planet. Cant describe how good and perfect it is. So testy that involves each sense when you eat it, but so light that doesnt make you feel heavy or swollen (not even me, which is crazy cause I always have problem with a lot of food). Definitely one of my best restaurant in Brooklyn and in Nyc.
I kept hearing great things about Traif, so it became my birthday dinner spot. Heather, the manager, was nothing but welcoming when I called to inquire about a large reservation. They do a big, set-price menu for larger groups, and it worked since most friends are down for a goood meal. The timing was well done, great cocktails, good service, and flexible with my party size changing. Went back for brunch a few months later in a small group and had another delicious meal!
First: MAKE RESERVATIONS.That, I did. Birthday reservations for the lover.Eating at Traif is an experience. Very new New York.Completely open kitchen; savory smells fill your nostrils; and though you cant tell the waitstaff from a regular patron walking to the bathroom, you have to appreciate how approachable the staff is.Everything is served tapas style but theyre hefty so dont get it confused... you will NOT leave hungry under any circumstance.Considering the ample amount of reviews on Traif, Ill keep it short and simple. If theres one thing Id recommend you order it would be the scallops. They were cooked to perfection, fresh, simple and complex. A beautiful oxymoron for sure.Traif has succeeded in creating a creative and intriguing dining experience that you shouldnt deprive yourself of so make a rez and take your lover, bestie, enemy- whomever you wish to have an amazing dinner experience with.
As much as I would loveeeee to give Traif 5 stars, sadly I can not. Traif has become one of my favorite restaurants whenever I am craving something unique and full of flavor. They are known for changing the menu around very often , which is great but they removed the one item I look forward to every visit !!!! The bbq beef sliders, I was devastated. How could you remove something that works so well and has been on the menu for over 5 years. The chef is amazing but that was a bad move and they will more than likely not see me as often.#bringbackthebbqbeefsliders
Maple glazed bacon donuts were really good but I was disappointed by the size. They looked like big munchkins. Left me wanting more. The manager, also, introduced me to a slice of key lime pie which he said one of the employees mom made...it was phenomenal. All in all, nice little spot.
The food at Traif is out of this world really something to write home about.The staff were great !Only down side the chefs menu, at times I thought they forgot about us, it took way to long to get from dish to dish we needed up eating waiting eating waiting for 2 and a half hours.However the food was magnificent!
Went to Traif when a good buddy was in town for a med school interview. With the tasting option for three, we were able to try most of the menu, and sharing small plates of course was easier than eating off each others plates as we end up doing elsewhere.So good! The wait staff was really great to seat us and let us know that they needed the table back in an hour--which ended up meaning our food was expedited and it was awesome. They were also very patiently informative about each dish and honest about personal favorites. Sat in the back.Would love to try Xixa (same restaurant group) soon and also come back to Traif when the menus switched up.
I thought the apple slices that went with the fondue were too thin. That was literally the only thing that Id have changed about my meal. Everything else was amazing. A great meal ignites the senses and feels inspirational. Traif is very high on my list places to recommend when they simply want a fantastic meal. It reminded me why I go out to restaurants in the first place. The creativity, the execution... everything.
The idea of putting a pork themed restaurant in the Southern US would naturally mean a lot of competition and invite comparison because that simply is about the current and established ascendency of pork in the diet.But locating the restaurant in what could easily be described culturally right at that spot as a pork food desert takes is wonderful naming and counter intuitive. So if you want to go whole hog and satisfy your foodie desires, and can get in, its worth a try since they do a great job.
Some of the items on the menu might not seem like they go together, but they all do. Its a very creative menu, especially in the use of pork and everything was delicious. The drink menu was also interesting and great. The staff was friendly and helpful and seemed to enjoy working there. I will definitely return.
Traif does small plates that are shared amongst all at a table, a concept that is underused in the West. They recommend three each, but to be honest, that will land you a lot of food with a bigger group. Theres a good mix of old favourites and inventive new flavours with a strong pork focus. If youre having trouble picking you can always hand ball the decision to the crew for the $45 a head tasting menu. Stand-outs are the scallops, the black nectar pluots, with sour cherries, bacon and blue cheese, and any of the desserts.
EVERYTHING on this menu is amazing! Nothing disappoints. I dont know what type of review to write outside of, great atmosphere, top notch dishes that are perfect for sharing, and not too harsh on the old wallet! Its full of WIN! Also of note, the menu rotates so once youre hooked, youre always faced with a reason to go back!
Nice food, very tasty. I wish there were more places like this around town. I will be bringing family next time.
Traif is one of those spots that you want to keep coming back to. With a touch of pork in every dish, the menu is a mix of tapas style food served with exquisite delicacy. From inventive spins on traditional savory dishes like strawberry-cinnamon glazed baby back ribs or braised short rib sliders, buffalo-style frog legs or pomegranate stuffed beef tenderloins, nothing on this menu is not good. And remember to leave room for dessert like their iconic bacon doughnuts and coffee ice cream or their hand delivered each day, made by mom, key lime pie. Trust me, after one visit, youll be hooked.
Loved the food and drinks! Great place! They have small plates so you can try more and everything was great. Plus supper nice people. It was our first time in Brooklyn!
“We should go there” my wife said casually one Friday afternoon. Calling ahead for an appointment at 5 in the evening proved fruitless: they don’t take reservations once they start service but the hostess earnestly implored us to come by at 11 or so at the chance of grabbing some walk in seats.When we did finally go a few weeks later I casually sauntered into a mostly empty place for a 7 pm reservation. A few early diners were being seated, the very small and tight kitchen, exposed for all to see, was ensuring that their mise was, well, in the right place, and the lone bartender drying and priming glasses. A few cocktails later (the Navy grog bearing no resemblance to its namesake) and the conversation flowed between the bartender and me. Despite Traif’s reputation it was a very comfortable place. Bright colors and custom paint marked the décor and the single unisex bathroom didn’t try to sweat modernism. Lit on the dark side, the plethora of tables for two was accompanied by a few larger (4-6) tables- I didn’t get a chance to peek at the outdoor/indoor seating area. At home I rarely splurge on the good (spoken: expensive) alcohol but I was delighted to experience Scarlet Ibis Rum. If the quality of that one spirit is any indication of Traif’s libation repertoire then you should walk away satisfied and slightly tipsy.Traif makes an excellent choice for the 2nd to 4th dates. The tables are intimate and the shared tapas style dishes pull no punches in clanging of forks or the mixing of portions. The waitress did a fine job guiding the number of dishes we chose (6 or so for a couple) and we were never wanting of her attention. It was surprising to see how rapidly chairs were filled and AMAZING how quickly orders were filled from the single stove. A slurp of bacon soup was a complimentary amuse-bouche. Although their online dinner menu isn’t entirely accurate we did try a variety of dishes. Tenderloin slices were tender on the inside, crispy on the outside. Chicken wings gooey sweet more so than hot. Pork belly slices were melt in your mouth delicious. A lobster pasta looked and tasted green. Veal sweetbreads with lobster specks a delight; this was probably the most flavor complex dish we had. And finally, but not least, the braised beef slider was a bombshell. You don’t choose the order of the dish rollout and they prefer you put in for everything at once but I am very reluctant to judge the individual dishes. The variety they offer should satisfy most customers although the number of strictly vegetarian dishes was minimal. By the end of tapas #6 we were truly stuffed but my taste buds were not dancing. Most of the tapas had mild flavor profiles although the slider was a standout.We left happy customers after skipping desert but appreciating a super sweet cube of pineapple to the low roar of the crowd. Clientele was mostly fashionable but it didn’t seem to matter: Traif is a comfortable place to share decent food and drink among good friends or perhaps a future-future-future-perfect boyfriend.Drinks: 8/10 for a friendly bartender that is a multitasking master yet still aims to please.Food: 6/10 for a creative variety that is a little weak on the flavor elevator.NYCism: 9/10 for providing that comfortable start to a 20-something friends night out.
The food was divine and the service was impeccable. So knowledgeable and such sweet people 🥰 What a lovely experience.Highlights: the scallops, tuna tartare, & gnocchi
Everything about Traif was wonderful! Everything that we ate was phenomenal, and the six dishes that we got were perfect for two people. The waitstaff was very helpful in recommending dishes, and the prices are incredibly reasonable. I would definitely go back again!
I went there for a late dinner, I called first for a reservation, they said they were not taking any on call but they accepted to save a table for me if I was coming in less than 15min :)! I was with my gf and we really had a good time! The food was amazing!! Really tasty and very fresh, its totally worth it to eat there for the quality/price! youre not waiting at all, its pretty fast and the service is perfect! 👌
Food here is amazing. We did family style and I think ordered almost every dish. Unique and amazing.
Get the chef menu, it is incredible and is a ton of good. It just keeps going and going. You get to choose a couple of things off the menu that you definitely want and then they take it from there. The dishes are all delicious.
Between the 10 people in our party we must have ordered everything on the menu from the bacon wrapped dates and confit lettuce wraps to the calamari and razor clams and it was all AMAZING. This place will definitely be the only place I will go to Williamsburg.
I mean ... we went here for a friends birthday party, and it was incredible from beginning to end. everything we had was incredible. great staff. and bacon doughnuts? i have no words to even describe how delicious that was. the simple stuff is delicious, too. love the vibe inside, too. i feel like traif does such a good job of taking simple ingredients and creating fantastic things out of them. thats the best kind of food to me!!
Food was simply delicious. Loved that the tasting menu was tailored for each table. Had a wonderful night of eating and drinking with friends. Will definitely be back!
The food is wonderful and Id recommend the (flexible) chefs selection for the indecisive. The decor and service is fine, although front of house seem somewhat militant. Feels like theyre trying to cram a few too many tables in, but with food that good you can hardly blame them
In search of an excellent Tuesday night dinner spot, he you go. You’re welcome. Excellent food and service.
The BEST restaurant Ive been to. Layers upon layers of flavor in each small plate style dish make this the best food. Service is top notch and has the get it factor. The only restaurant in NYC that Ive been to more than twice.
Yummy tapas! Patatas bravas, skirt steak and Fried custard with drunken cherries will always be ordered!! (Their nougat ice cream pairs well with that dessert, you could ask for a scoop to go with it)
Great food, however outback could be a little warm in the summer even with their AC on. Also we felt Uphold by the waiter into getting more food than we really needed. Also took a little long in between courses. I’m going to try the place again in the winter.
Really really good. Had the ribs (💪), burrata (🍆), Rabe (🤗), and key lime pie! Only the scallops were disappointing (boring and the most expensive thing we ordered). Will return! $105 for two, before tip.
I loved eating here. It was our first time here after hearing positive reviews from everybody we know, and it was to also celebrate on anniversary.I made reservations 4 weeks out and the process works like this... they dont pick up their phone till after 6, so you call them while theyre in the middle of their packed and busy dinner service. You say you want a reservation, they put you on hold. They come back on and ask for date, time, name, and contact info. Then youre called back in around 20 minutes confirming your reservation. Simple enough but tedious.I forgot to write down the time of my reservation and I couldnt remember if the reservation was for 6:30 or 6:45. This was entirely my fault and its no big deal since restaurant normally call 24-72 hours ahead of time to confirm that everythings all set. But they didnt call, so I called the day before. The person who picked up told me theyd have to call me back, and four hours later at 10pm I still hadnt heard anything and tried calling again. And instead of getting an answer I got a lecture about how the dont keep their reservation book downstairs and I was calling in the middle of service so I wasnt going to get an answer. I understand its a really small restaurant but for its level of popularity there could be a better reservation system.Whatever it happened, I can deal because the food and service that I received on the day of my dinner service was almost perfect and deserving of 5 stars. We arrived 15 minutes early but were seated right away, our server was new but friendly and the service went smoothly. We ordered five dishes and one dessert: the pork belly, chicken liver, pork cheeks, ribs, scallop risotto, and bacon dulce de leche donuts.The pork cheeks were uninspiring, and the pork belly was over cooked making it rather rough to eat. But the flavors were still there and good. The stars of the night for me were the scallops and donuts. The scallops were cooked lightly seared and perfect, with a squash risotto. They complemented well and I highly recommend this dish to everyone. Bacon dulce de leche donuts with cappuccino ice cream, speaks for itself. My partner is a big fan of cappuccino ice cream, didnt like the ice cream that much but I was in love.
Needed a venue to celebrate a special occasion that would accommodate a big group. After having a great experience at Xixa we decided to try Traif. Reservations are highly recommended and they accept them 30 days in advance.We opted in for the tasting menu which was really good and the wait staff accommodated all our requests. We tried several of the cocktails- all of which were interesting but I would recommend wine for the tasting menu.Between Xixa and Traif I preferred Xixa but that could have been because of the menu they were offering when we ate there. The quality of the service was great and the Traif experience was worth the bill.
The tasting menu is 9 courses plus 2 desserts for 55...well worth it. Scallops and hamachi sashimi were my fav. Everything was very good.
Interesting concept, but I was not impressed by the actual food – though some dishes definitely stood out. Also, our table in the back garden felt cramped, and noise levels were quite high.
The food was delicious and the idea of eating all together was a funny experience. The atmosphere was really nice and the service was good but not great.... however the prices where rather high for a rather low amount of food so Id recommend it for everyone who wants an experience with food youve never seen before....
A great find- the food is incredible. Octopus pasta. We were recommended 8-12 plates between 4 and ordered 8 which was more than enough.
Best tasting menu ever.
Traif has horrible decor and atmosphere for such an expensive place. Feels like a category cheaper than the food. Food is great but the portions are super small (this is not on the menu, but it would be like 6 brussel sprouts for $10..theyll be amazing brussel sprouts, but since when was S 4th Soho prices?). Service nothing special. Wont go back, even though I practically live next door. All the new lawyers in the neighborhood probably love the place though, since its always packed.
The food is incredible here and the service is one of a kind. They were very friendly and they have an awesome menu too.
People need to relax on how amazing this place is. Its real good. Thats about it. Braised run sliders were excellent. Other than that, the burrata, fios gras, kale salad were just decent. Ive had much better burrata and fios gras. Wine is really overpriced. Waitress seemed a bit pushy for my taste. Glad i tried it but I wont be back. Sorry
This place was amasing. The staff was friendly the drinks were flavorfull. The food was dynamite. An explosion of delicious savory and salty flavors make you dream of this food when your sleeping. Youll spend hours explaining how the meat came right off the bone on the short ribs. Or how the seared scallops where the best youve ever had. Trust me people. I know what im talking about!!
This is going to not sound like a 5 star review at first, but bear with me.Traif is dim. And not in a romantic candlelit way. I couldnt see my food well. The guy behind the bar was fighting the good fight by holding up glasses to the barely there lighting so that he didnt serve any with water spots. There was a spotlight in the prep area so that the servers could at least see the dishes before they went out. The rest of the kitchen... dim.Traif is loud. I mean LOUD. Like Grand Central loud. Actually worse since its not such a large space. It became of vicious cycle of shouting. And really lady... nobody has to laugh that loud outside of a comedy show. If you can, sit in the separate area in the rear.If you have a jacket or purse, dont sit at the bar. Theres no place to put your belongings but on the chair next to you. And if they need the seat... youre crap out of luck.The portions are small plates. You find that out right away when your server asks you incredulously if thats all you want??I ordered the BBQ Sliders. They come with two sliders & sweet potato fries. You get a very yummy roasted pepper soup amuse bouche that just makes you want more. Now out come the sliders. They made my stomach mad just looking at them.Then I ate one sweet potato fry. Dear God up in Heaven was that good! I think they breaded the sweet potato fries with Angel Dust. Not metaphorically... with actual psychedelic drugs. I destroyed them how Godzilla destroyed Tokyo. They give you the option to add a third slider to the entree, but what they should do is allow you to just order the sweet potato fries on the side. I want to bathe in them.Since I only ordered 3 Sliders, I had plenty of room for dessert. I normally dont, so it was a prime time to have the famous bacon doughnuts with coffee ice cream. First off, I love coffee ice cream. I love bacon. I love doughnuts. Put all three together and BLAM! And you get a nice amount of them too. They were most likely to share, but dont. Eat them all yourself.Maybe I came on some weird Loud Talker Night but I would gladly go again just for those fries. Ill give away the sliders and order some other entree just to get the fries. Good God the fries!
While the decor leaves something to be desired - a long white-walled room with an unfortunate multi-colored mural lining one side - the tiny eatery serves up solid swine and shellfish-happy dishes that wont leave a hole in your wallet. Oh and this goes without saying, but the bacon doughnuts are a must-order.
You have ventured into Brooklyn. You made it past the frogger style streets and you have somehow landed at Traif. Well today is your lucky day. Be prepared to be taken on a 9 course tasting meal that goes from light to heavy. This is the way to go for a first timer and until you know what you like, thats when you go A la Carte. The ambiance is hip and carefree. The music is low but still intelligible to the ears and gives it that nice eating mood that only comes with chill indie music.For the food, by far the highlight of the courses were the seafood dishes. The sea scallops were seared to perfection and had a nice little hint of spice. The blowfish was also very interesting. It was my first time eating blowfish and I was hoping I wasnt going to die, like in The Simpsons. Fortunately they were using the sac, but rather just the tail. So I was safe. Phew. That was close.The bacon doughnuts at the end...wow. That was awesome. Gotta get that for sure. Happiness in your mouth!
Food was amazing. Especially the pork belly and ribs! The bill adds up quickly but Ive always figured it as a norm for tapas style places like this.
Amazing food! I had the prawns with foie toast and the bacon doughnut dessert. It was one of the best prawn dishes Ive ever had! I ate at the bar and the bartender was super nice. Great find!
I love this place, have been coming for years & the food is consistently delicious. The ambience is cozy and the staff knowledgeable and wonderful! Would definitely recommend the tasting & the bacon donuts with coffee ice cream is the perfect ending!!!
Amazing amazing food. If you like small plates and like to enjoy multiple dishes. This is the place to go. I like to sit in the back. Also try the drink with bacon salt.
Would have 5 stars if it wasnt for the front telling us it was a full night and asking we sit at the bar if we wanted a seat. Needless to say the restaurant remained half full the entire night. The good however was spectacular. So good i will be back despite the disrespectful service in the front.
Best unkosher Jewish restaurant in New York (trait means unkosher in Hebrew). Pork all over the menu! But lots of great vegetarian options as well. Cool space, friendly service. Truly spectacular inventive and fresh food.
Exceptionally delicious food, timing was off, a party of 3 one of us had all their food while we still waited, and had to remind our waiter we were still waiting for the rest of the food. I would definitely go back again though.
Went here for a special tasting menu and it was phenomenal. Nice interior, catering/attentive staff and expert chefs. Itll cost you, but you wont leave disappointed.
This is a foodies paradise! Each dish had its own amazing, unique quality. The service was great. This place is a NY treasure. A must for a unique dining experience.
Traif is such a unique experience, even for NYC. Located in Williamsburg, this restaurant, whose name means unkosher in Yiddish, serves up a creative and ever-changing menu of small plates. Theres no cuisine or genre to describe it, as dishes pull in influences from all across the globe. Take the glazed confit chicken wings, which are made with hoisin, five spice and sriracha for instance, or the hampshire pork belly, garnished with hearts of palm, bacon, artichoke, and clementine slices. Vegetables are heavily featured as well, although as the name of the restaurant would indicate, its not a good place to go with vegetarians. Reservations in advance are recommended, and groups of four or more can get the $40 tasting menu.
Ufffffff! From the eggplant tempura with tuna and basalmic to the The Red Pearl cocktail, Heather & her partner do a stellar job of hitting the high note consistently & with consistency.
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the great experience tonight
Traif tries to lure you in with their bacon donuts but truth is youll be hooked long before dessert even hits the table. From their spicy cocktails to their ever changing seasonal menu filled with pork belly and foie gras, every visit will be different. There are a few staple dishes from their finger lickin sticky strawberry glazed ribs to their short rib sliders. Traif is the best known secret in Williamsburg. To anyone whos not a hipster, its definitely worth the trek.
Amazing 👌 Do the chefs tasting menu with wine pairing. So much rich and delicious food! You wont regret it!
Amazing, even if you dont eat Traif!Great tasting menu. Service is great too.We are in the veranda, veeeeery nice but a bit hot.
Traif. A derivative of the Hebrew word teref which means torn and is now commonly used to refer to anything non-kosher. How could I NOT like this food? Sautéed Sweetbreads, artichokes, asparagus, roast mushrooms. Seared Scallops, Creamed Corn, Sage-Pistachio Brown Butter Strawberry-Cinnamon Glazed Baby Back Ribs Bacon-wrapped blue cheese-stuffed datesAre you hungry yet?
Lot of pork based dishes. the strawberry chops were delicious.also has bacon infused drinks, which are special.recommended!
Best food Ive ever had at a restaurant. I go there with my friends whenever they are in town and whenever I can. I absolutely love the place, and the way food is served on many dishes
This place is small, and the service is very laid back. The food was great, portions are on the smaller side but a lof of it is rich so it works. I heard the ribs are to die for, they were out when I was there. Bad for big groups, great for a date.
The food is awesome here and the service staff rock! The pies are always hot and fresh every time. I highly suggest checking them out.
Loved our dinner here. Beautiful garden, wonderful food and great service. Thank you and see you soon!
Had one of the best meals of my life here. Went with the 8 coarse chefs tasting menu. Highly recommend this place!
One of the best restaurants in Brooklyn. Interior is not so great but the kitchen is so tight, inventive, and consistent that it keeps me coming back, mouth watering.
Friendly service, but the food is heavily cooked in butter, too rich... the kicker though, we ordered grass fed steak and it was pot roast, not steak, false expectations, I wanna trust your menu to be right, but the steak wasn’t steak
Why havent you been here. Whatever the reason it is incorrect. Food is not what they serve here. Experience is the only thing on the menu.
I had a fantastic meal here with a couple of friends. We shared 6 small plates. We sat in the back area which was nice. Good date place.
An experience that leaves you forgetting why you got into a fight with your significant other before the meal, well done.
Really awesome place for groups. All plates are supposed to be shared! Very unique food and interesting renditions of classic plates (e.g., potato chips with burrata)
Great small place. Food is out of this world. Mine favorite was baked bone marrow,but it is not on the menu..
Delicious, flavorful, interesting food with a unique menu. Still one of the best restaurants in bk.
The food is freaking amazing here and the service is one of a kind. I highly recommend you bring the whole family.
In my opinion, very slightly overrated. Great food but on the pricier side with small portions. Definitely something to try but I wouldnt be a regular.
Five stars just for the name!!!Traif means not kosher in yiddish.... And the food theme bacon is not kosher at all! Not to mention that the food wasnt bad at all.Interesting fact: the chefs wife opened a restaurant 2 houses down called shiksa (xixa) which means not Jewish female in Yiddish, (BTW shiksa is a derogatory word amongst the jews)So he is the traif jew; and she is the shiksa wife! Very clever marketing...
Restaurant is great, not too pricey and food was delicious, we paid for 5 plates and white bottle of wine with tip $170 which I think is very fair for a higher end restaurant.
Food was great. Service was good as well. However, very crowded, and the seats are crammed together on Valentines day.
Tasting menu involved 2 pork dishes at a pork focused restaurant. Mostly felt like we were getting the leftovers in the kitchen.
We tried their tasting menu. Each of us share different varieties of small plates. Service is good.
Had the degustation and it was such good food! Lofty portions though it was a tad too saucy and rich towards the end. Still loved it
The food was AMAZING. They were so good to us and everything we had was unbelievable. Cant wait to go back!
Chefs tasting menu for 9... Incredible 9 courses!!
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for Traif 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-24Incredible pallet of flavors! We went with chefs choice at $55 per person and was a great way to try most of the menu. Scallops and the best salad were top but truffle cacio Pepe was phenomenal. Great service excellent atmosphere did get a little noisy later into the evening so if you are looking for a quiet place this might not be the spot.
Review №2
2022-03-25The tasting menu was amazing! At $75 per person after tax & tip, it’s also a steal. The salmon on fried eggplant was incredible.
Review №3
2021-12-20Fantastic lowkey spot in Brooklyn. We did the Chef’s special, $55/per person and you get about 10 small courses so that you can try several different menu items. Salad, appetizers, beef, chicken and seafood were amongst them along with dessert. Decent cocktail and wine selection too. Great service. We arrived about 30 minutes early for our reservation but they still accommodated us. Proof of vaccination required.
Review №4
2021-12-19My best dinning experience in New York! It was our anniversary and the staff were really nice. Not to mention the food itself, out of expectation, we had the tasting menu and came up 11 courses, from entree to main to dessert, my favorite was scallops and foie gras, others are delicious as well, I think all their foods worth to try:) would come again if I come to NY next time.
Review №5
2021-09-059 dishes plus 2 dessert for chef’s choice menu, $55 for each person. Each course is in one plate. Honestly I person don’t like it. Most of the dishes have heavy oil and heavy salt. The chef is trying to do some interesting food by mixing cold and hot food, fruits and meat. Some are fine and some are not acceptable. To eat watermelon with scallion is a disaster… 20% mandatory tips, the reason is that they just reopened from COVID. Well I wish I had a choice.
Review №6
2021-07-15Oh my goodness! Small plates that pack a punch! We each got the Chefs Tasting Menu which was 8-10 dishes plus dessert - $60ish pp? Each plate was made for 4 since there was 4 of us and they usually came out 2 at a time. By the time dessert came we were stuffed so come hungry. Literally every dish was perfection. I love to cook and when I find a restaurant where dishes come out and I dont know how to reverse engineer to make it at home I have found heaven! Thinking about the combination of flavors that they put together makes my mouth water all over again.
Review №7
2022-04-09UPDATE:Back here for the first time since the pandemic still ABSOLUTELY SOLID. Brought the family for a birthday celebration and they loved it. Standouts were EVERYTHING but Ive been dreaming about the rigatoni with truffles.We did get takeout from here during the pandemic and it was the best food we had that I didnt have to cook. So nice to be able to eat in again-----------------Ive been eating at Traif for many years and have never had a bad meal. I love the creativity and range of the menu. Sometimes well order half the things on the menu because we are being especially gluttonous. I prefer small plates so this restaurant really works for me. This time we were seated outside or almost outside so it was a little bit cold in the marquee that they put over their backyard. Best dish was the roasted cauliflower with puffed rice! Other favorite dishes on this evening were the strawberry ribs, which we always get, the snapper with the deep fried bao buns and the duck. The wine was really good.
Review №8
2021-06-16Amazing 12-course tasting menu for only $55/person! Im hard-pressed to find decent tasting menus at that price point in LA or anywhere else in the country for that matter. We went on a Monday night when it was less busy so we felt like we were well taken care of. I wish I could describe everything we ate but hopefully the photos do a better job of that. Definitely now one of my favorite NYC spots.
Review №9
2021-10-05Amazing dining experience. Did the chef’s tasting menu and enjoyed every course. Our waited Blue was a sweetheart, service was prompt, and the garden seating area was really nice ( bring a jacket). Drinks were good although the bacon rim drink wasn’t my absolute fav but it was interesting to try. Come hungry! Would definitely recommend!
Review №10
2022-02-27Solid four stars. All the flavors in the 10 course tasting menu were delicious. But we were not full at the end. We went for a slice down the block when we were finished.The whole experience was so MEASURED. The owners of Traif are experts at the restaurant business. Not a single ounce of food or alcohol was wasted. It would have been nice to feel some sense of abundance at some point in the meal. (Or in the drinks! Wine pours were not a fraction more than the standard pour, and cocktails were not strong.)By contrast, their sister restaurant Xixa provides one course that consists of a large piece of meat that ensures you will not be hungry by the end. Additionally, the creativity in their cocktail flight provides more of a sense of value than conservative pours of semi-interesting wine included in the wine pairing at Traif.