20 Reasons You Must Visit Williamsburg, Brooklyn November 04 2017

williamsburg brooklyn


Brooklyn’s neighborhood of Williamsburg has cultivated a worldwide reputation for its unique brand of cool, which mixes renovated warehouses, bizarre, yet delicious artisanal foods, and a sense of fashion and style deeply rooted in a love for all things quirky and retro. Some of New York City’s most creative minds have staked their claim on Williamsburg, opening offbeat, brilliant entertainment venues, restaurants, bars, and shops. Still, the neighborhood’s held on to its sense of history, and its diverse representation of cultures. Here are twenty reasons to visit Williamsburg, and the unmissable stops to check out while you’re there:

 

  • To Dance Until You Can’t Feel Your Face

  • Output

    74 Wythe Avenue

    output club brooklyn


    If you’re patient enough to deal with the long line, stern bouncers, and mandatory coat check, you’ll be rewarded with an incredible show from the hippest new DJ acts. Wander through the maze-like, multiple-story dance club and lose yourself in the music!


    To See The Next Great Music Sensation

    Baby’s All Right

    146 Broadway


    bands in Brooklyn


    Baby’s All Right is basically universally acknowledged as the gold standard for booking music in Brooklyn. Come here to see the next big indie music star get discovered.


    To Hear Some Real Cowboy Music

    Skinny Dennis

    152 Metropolitan Avenue

    cowboy, country music in brooklyn


    Throw on your cowboy boots and head to Skinny Dennis, where you’ll hear the best genuine country music in all of New York! You’ll come for the honky tonk tunes, and stay for the seriously delicious coffee-and-whiskey slushie.



    To Go Bowling With Questlove (kind of)

      Brooklyn Bowl

      61 Wythe Avenue

      bowling in brooklyn


      Brooklyn Bowl is the restaurant, bar, music hall and bowling alley you didn’t know you’ve always wanted. They have a famous weekly show by DJ legend Questlove, and book everything from folk to jazz to hip-hop the rest of the week. If you need a one-stop encapsulation of the Williamsburg aesthetic, look no further than this joint.



      To Stuff Your Face With Delicious Food

        Smorgasburg

        Williamsburg’s East River Park, 90 Kent Avenue

        When: April through November, Saturdays from 10AM-6P

        eat in brooklyn


        Join the 20,000-30,000 people who venture to Williamsburg’s waterfront park every Saturday from April through November. Featuring artisanal foods from over 100 local vendors selling everything from specialty pickles to gourmet churros, it’s no wonder The New York Times has called Smorgasburg “The Woodstock of Eating.”


        To buy souvenirs from Brooklyn’s most talented artisans

        Artist & Fleas

        70 North 7th Street

        When: Saturdays and Sundays, 10AM-7PM

        buy unique things in brooklyn


        This weekend market is a gathering place for over 100 artists and designers to sell their wares. Wander the converted warehouse through aisles of hand-dyed kimonos, all-natural soap, and handmade watches.



        For The Best Vintage Shopping Trip Of All Time

        Beacon’s Closet

        74 Guernsey Street


        cloth in brooklyn


        This store is technically in neighboring-Greenpoint but it’s worth the walk for the endless racks of modern and retro vintage wares at surprisingly reasonable prices. You can make a day of it by checking out Williamsburg’s other notable vintage stops including Armacord (22 Conselyea Street), Monk (496 Driggs Ave.) and Olly Oxen Free Vintage (137 Montrose Ave)


        To Update Your Record Collection

          Rough Trade

          64 N 9th Street

          records in brooklyn


          Scoop up your next vinyl obsession at this enormous record warehouse. They’ve got a music venue in back, and a hefty supply of new releases and a well-preserved oldies in front.



          To Rifle Through Junk (Seriously.)

          Junk

          567 Driggs Avenue


          junk in borooklyn


          Picture 10,000 square feet packed with vintage wonders, and Junk will still outdo your imagination. From racks of 1960s dresses to piles of quirky table lamps, there’s certain to be something for everyone in the family. You’ll have fun browsing for that perfect, classically-Williamsburg souvenir.


          To See It’s Unique History

          The City Reliquary Museum

          370 Metropolitan Avenue

          Image: The City Reliquary

          museum in brooklyn

             


            This quirky museum lets you experience the story of Williamsburg through unusual, fascinating ephemera, from cute postcards to subway tokens. Browse through historic photographs and precious artifacts for a view of the city unlike any other.



            To Watch An Art-House Film Over Delicious Snacks

              Nitehawk Cinema

              136 Metropolitan Avenue


              cinema in brooklyn


              Nitehawk is New York’s finest dine-in theater experience, screening hip repertoire films and old classics and midnight horror films alike. Nosh on delicious gourmet food and sip on specialty cocktails custom-designed to match the film you’re watching.  Each screening begins with a house-made thirty-minute “pre-show” filled with amusing content inspired by the film.

                

              To Find Your Perfect Scent

                CB I Hate Perfume

                318 Maujer Street

                make your perfume in brooklyn

                 

                This Williamsburg perfume store lets you design your very own perfume, with over 700 essential oils in stock that will inspire your nose and your creativity. After you’ve chosen your ingredients, watch your own signature scent be created right before your very eyes.

                 

                To Look At The Best Sketchbooks In The Entire World

                Brooklyn Art Library

                28 Frost Street

                When: Wed-Sun, 10AM-6PM

                brooklyn art library  

                 

                This isn’t your typical library: Instead of literary works, you’ll get to peruse more than 36,000 sketchbooks from 100+ countries. Home to tons of community art projects, this place is a true heart of Williamsburg’s creative energy. Get inspired by sketchings from their international coalition of artists, and maybe consider donating a sketchbook of your own!

                 

                To See the Manhattan Skyline

                  The Ides at the Wythe Hotel

                  162 North 12th Street

                  rooftop in brooklyn 

                   

                  Sip fancy cocktails at this bar atop the Wythe Hotel, one of Williamsburg’s trendiest spots. The open expansive space overlooks the beautiful East River, and offers a stunning, panoramic view of the Midtown skyline.

                  You can join your rooftop Tour, we visit Rooftops in Brooklyn and Queens KLICK


                  For Beach Culture in the Heart of Brooklyn

                    Battery Harris

                    64 Frost Street

                    beach bar in brooklyn

                     

                    If you don’t have time to travel down to New York’s beach, The Rockaways, stop by Battery Harris for a taste of its breezy, laid-back culture. Enjoy fun, Caribbean-inspired drinks and scrumptious burgers beneath brightly-colored umbrellas as Island tunes play in the background.

                     

                    To stock up on one-of-a-kind comic books

                      Desert Island

                      540 Metropolitan Avenue

                      comics in brooklyn

                       

                      Desert Island is a one-stop-shop for comic book lovers and graphic novel snobs alike! Offering an unparalleled collection of illustrated wonders from all over the world, this shop is certain to have your next big obsession on its shelves. With decorations right out of a whimsical children’s books, this place is certain to capture your imagination.


                      To Drink a James Murphy-Approved Bottle of Wine

                        The Four Horsemen

                        295 Grand Street

                        food in brooklyn


                        A must-see for LCD Soundsystem fanatics, this wine bar was dreamt up by the frontman himself. The Four Horseman offers an unparalleled menu of 250 natural and biodynamic wines in a homey atmosphere decorated by cedar-wood planks and burlap bags.


                        For the best meal in New York

                          Marlow and Sons

                          81 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11249

                          food in brooklyn


                          Marlow & Son’s is the original Williamsburg fine dining establishment, a trailblazer in the farm-to-table, rustic vibe that has become ubiquitous in this foodie-haven of a neighborhood. A coffee shop by day, it transforms into a delicious gourmet restaurant by night. With it’s constantly-changing seasonal menu, you’re sure to feast on inventive new concoctions made from the freshest, local ingredients.


                          For the beautiful Classical Revival Architecture

                          Williamsburgh Savings Bank

                          834 Driggs Avenue

                          williamsburg historic building


                          This historic landmark and former bank dates back to 1875, when it was built as part of the Classical Revival movement. It’s worth a peek during the day, but is a particularly stunning view at night, when its facade is illuminated by colorful lights.

                           


                          To See The One-of-a-Kind Hasidic Jewish Community

                            Where: Area bounded by Division Avenue, Broadway Avenue, Heyward Street and the Brooklyn Navy Yard


                            Explore Williamsburg’s cultural diversity on a walk through its Orthodox Hasidic community, where you’ll feel as if you’ve travelled back in time. The street signs are written in Yiddish and Hebrew, and residents dress in traditional garb, complete with yarmulkes and hats. As you walk around, be aware that this is an isolated community that abides by strict, religious rules, particularly those governing public interactions between men and women. Be respectful, and don’t expect a particularly warm welcome. Still, it’s a fascinating, unique place to wander through. Here are a few stops to make:

                            bronx, queens and brooklyn tour  

                            Go on a walk past the yellow-bricked main synagogue for the Satmar sect of Judaism (150 Rodney Street) and take a quick peek inside the windows. Stop by the Oneg Heimishe Bakery (188 Lee Avenue) and sample the scrumptious chocolate babka. Then, finish your tour with a hearty meal at Gottlieb’s (352 Roebling Street) where you can nosh on delicious kosher, Hungarian delicacies like pastrami egg rolls or goulash.

                            Williamsburg is a place unlike any other, an endless adult playground filled with with quirky, one-of-a-kind venues. Have fun exploring!