02/13/08

Great food, great vibe!

by pahappy

I love this place! I moved into the neighborhood around four years ago and have been going to the tavern ever since. Every time I go I have a great time and great food. The portions are huge, the prices are low and the service is fast and friendly. The vibe is chill and the bar is stacked with regulars, which says a lot. Go once and you'll want to keep going back.

• Pros: 
• Cons: 

10/22/07

Fantastic!

by gyxer

I have been to this place quite a few times since moving into the neighborhood and I have to say I have never been disappointed. This area of Brooklyn is quite lacking in restaurants and places to go out, but Tavern on Dean is like an oasis in the wasteland. First off, the food is excellent. Whether you want cheap pub food (burgers, pizza, etc.), or finer cuisine (succulent steaks, fish and pork specials, etc.), you're going to find something here, and it will be consistently good. In probably over twenty visits there I have yet to receive a dish that was not cooked to perfection. The portions are large and reasonably priced, and usually differently seasoned or prepared than the dishes commonly available in every other restaurant (even the chicken fingers appear hand-battered, in contrast to most places that serve pre-frozen). In addition, the staff (and owner) are amazingly friendly, and the bartenders are great.

At night the bar area is usually crowded with people watching sports, so it can get a bit noisy, but the restaurant also offers a large dining room in the back and another one outside as to options to sitting in the front room. The atmosphere is cozy, and the place feels more upscale than your average bar, but not so upscale that you expect to spend an arm and a leg.

If you're in the area for the Brooklyn Museum or Prospect Park, take the quick walk down and check it out, you won't be disappointed.

• Pros: Consistently excellent food, plenty of variety (including a full specials menu), great staff
• Cons: Not open for lunch/brunch except on Sat./Sun., it can be hard to find a seat at the bar from after work until 10pm or so

07/12/07

Pub food

by mpants

If you like mediocre pub food, then this is your joint... I live in the neighborhood and the smells coming from there are very unappetizing.. I ate their twice, the first time was not good but decided to give it another shot... not any better the second time.. The food is boring, the service forgetable.

07/12/07

Beware the mosquitoes

by dwedd

My family and I ate here last summer while I was on maternity leave. We decided to sit in the "outdoor" area for atmosphere and a hopeful summer breeze. To our surprise the "outdoor" area is actually enclosed on 3 sides which allowed tons of mosquitoes a way in without them being able to find their way out. There was no citronella burning or any other kind of repellant around so we found ourselves constantly swatting and shooing, especially around my newborn, to avoid being stung. We complained to the waitress while waiting for the food, but she just apologized sympathetically with no solution, mentioning that others had complained about it too.

Add to that my fish and chips were mostly batter and burnt. Where was the fish? My husband and older daughter didn't care for their food either so we haven't been back.

It's been a year so maybe they've caught on, but how brilliant do you have to be to have some citronella burning to keep your patrons coming back?

• Pros: Nice atmosphere, good potential
• Cons: Hordes of mosquitoes in the summer

05/06/07

Brunch , gratuity included

by brikita

I was impressed with their prixe fixe selection for brunch and the portion size was very good. It included everything you could want!; coffee, mimosa, biscuits ( notably good), and large main course. The sevice was adequate, but it was strange that the check included a 17% service charge, I expect it to be added to checks with partys of more that 5 people but, with just two people, I though it was ridiculous. I tip 20% usually, did they think that we would forget to tip?

Great food, questionable business practices.

• Pros: off the beaten path, healthy portions
• Cons: service charge

03/30/07

Such a fine addition to the neighborhood

by bojolais

This place is a perfect neighborhood watering hole where you can always expect to run into someone you know. Salads are super yummy. All portions are generous.

• Pros: Food, Drink and Fun
• Cons: Should lower the lighting in the evenings to make it feel more like you are out on the town.

03/06/07

Great neighborhood bar & restaurant

by knapsackfunk

I went with a group of 10 people. The main seating/bar area was full up so we sat in the back area that in warm months is open on three sides. It being January the french doors were obviously closed all around. Most of us got burgers of some kind. They were good, a little over-cooked. The menu seemed to be typical bar fare. The beer list was pretty good with the usual suspects as well as a few new ones to try. I was really glad to see they had Newcastle on tap (best beer ever!). The service could have been better but it wasn't bad. All in all I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and I appreciated their ability to seat 10 of us at one table.

PS. The music was excellent: hip hop, rock and old school R&B and soul. A very pleasant surprise indeed.

• Pros: good for small groups, good beer menu
• Cons: service wasn't great

01/19/07

Great Food but Too Loud

by madpony

I was a little wary when I walked in b/c it looked like your typical bar (as opposed to restaurant). However, I was pleasantly surprised by the food. The house salad is nothing to write home about but the panfried catfish w/ sauteed spinach and potatoes au gratin were scrumptous...yumyum! The chocolate lava cake recommended by the waitress was also delish. However, this place was not easy to have a conversation b/c the music and crowd were way too loud. Perhaps it was our fault, but it wasn't what we were expecting. In any case, I would def go again but hopefully during a less busy time.

• Pros: Food and friendly service
• Cons: Music and crowd too loud to have a conversation

11/08/06

GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE, BEST FOOD ANYWHERE!!!

by bmason228

I absolutely love this restaurant The staff is great the food is even better. Great drinks from the bartenders and the waitress are very helpful and beautiful!! 4 stars for tavern on dean

11/03/06

Could be great ... but it's not close

by tondorf

You look at this tavern from the outside and think, "This is the neighborhood spot to end all discussion of neighborhood spots." It's very inviting. Then you eat from their overpriced, unimaginative menu and wait interminably for your waitress to ever return at any point to ask you if you want another beer and you're left shaking your head. You can go virtually anywhere else in the area and have a better experience than at this misguided place. A huge disappointment.