I've come to Bar Goto Niban twice now, once on a date and another time with a group of friends. This is one of the coolest little cocktail bars in Brooklyn. The Japanese themed drinks, food, and decor are really cool, and there always seem to be cool/interesting people inside. We even ran into Sam Seder and H John Benjamin (voice of Archer, Bob from Bob's Burgers)! The drinks are fantastic, and manage to showcase the Japanese and Asian flavors really well without feeling gimmicky at all. The food is amazing as well, particularly the miso wings. This sauce is so tasty I've bought some for myself to use at home! Seating inside can be a little limited sometimes as it's a popular spot, but we were able to hang around the standing area and still have some drinks until bar space was available. Service was super fast but also friendly, our bartender was really chill. Overall, amazing little classy cocktail bar you should definitely check out. read more

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Needed a spot for drinks with a few friends before a show at Barclays and this spot was perfect. Walked in at 5:45 PM and there was plenty of room. Gin martini on happy hour was great. Would try the daiquiri next time! read more

Bar Goto Niban - Gin martini (HH) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Bar Goto Niban is what I believe a relatively new restaurant near Barclays Center which, I'll be honest, has better food than drinks. I got the green shisho gimlet which was good but I've had better gimlets. However, the miso wings were absolutely fantastic. There was a generous amount of wings given first & foremost. Second, the sauce was perfect- had a nice little kick to it while still having a strong miso flavor. Third, I have a pet peeve of when the skin is on the chicken wings (not sure why though haha) & these wings were juicy sans-skin, win win. read more

Bar Goto Niban - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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4.5/5 Ichigo Milk -- our favorite drink of the night! 4/5 Far East Side 4/5 Kyoto Old Fashioned 4.5/5 Shiso Gimlet Ambiance is just ok here, some bar seating, and two tables. there was only one bartender who was also taking orders, so service was a bit on the slower side. read more

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Cool place to get drinks near Barclay's Center. The drinks have Japanese touches, but were a bit rough to drink. Either too much citrus or just not balanced and light in flavor. The service was pretty poor, had to ask for water and put in orders. read more

Gorgeous and sophisticated atmosphere, really nice bar country :) They don't take a reservation but if you are lucky you can take a spot! They are all nice and friendly. Food there are all light snacks and I prefer for that with cocktails. Price wise, $20 each cocktails are ok but tastes could be improved. Will come back again! read more

Bar Goto Niban - Sakura matini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I have been here with my daughter twice. We come for a pre-dinner snack and a drink or two. It has a large bar area and some tables arranged well. The cocktails are very innovative and very well made. They are well-balanced. I generally order the Bar GOTO martini and the Whiskey highball. They have an amazing selection of Japanese whisky. I sometimes get just whisky neat. My daughter is a fan of the Far East Side and the green shiso gimlet. We are also suckers for the Kombu celery. The service is good. The staff make great drinks and yummy snacks, but they could use some personality. They are not talkative, but that is fine. Give it a try. read more

Quaint, cozy bar with a Japanese twist. Small space, warm ambiance, and tapa-style lite bites that pair perfectly with their seriously good cocktails. Standouts: the chips and caviar and a perfectly crisp croquette. Not a full meal spot, but ideal for a pre-dinner drink or a chill nightcap with snacks that feel just elevated enough. Will definitely be back. read more

Bar Goto Niban - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I went on a Wednesday night after a NY Liberty game. It was a bit crowded and we needed to wait for seats to open up, around 10 minutes. There was only one server but she did a great job. It's a very nice atmosphere, well decorated in Japanese style with clever cocktails. I enjoyed the kombu celery, though I'm not a big celery fan typically. read more

Very cute, dark space with a great vibe. I had some kind of plum and rum drink. It was delicious. Will definitely return to try the food .

Packed very cute place that's perfect for date nights, drinks with friends, and you can actually hear each other talking. The drinks were delicious and that have a wide spread of options from cocktails to mocktails and everything in between. All the cocktail flavors were well balanced and both their mocktails are delicious. read more

Bar Goto Niban impressed me with both their food and their service. The team was exceptionally helpful. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who loves food. They prioritize their expertise strategically. I'm certain I'll visit again, maybe often. read more

My first time at Bar Goto Niban was life changing ! Please read Jax D's Yelp review on the celery from here. I've never had celery that's so enjoyable to eat in my-entire-life! And I've been eating celery for many years. The celery from Bar Goto Niban tasted nothing like your typical celery- it was crunchy but not stringy. The flavor was out of this world great! I'm surprised that this is the only time I've ever had celery like this. Where have you been all my life? Love it, absolutely amazing ! read more

Bar Goto Niban - Kombu Celery with salted kelp, sesame & Shiso - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Overall rating: 4.8 Omg I'm obsessed with this place! I wish it wasn't so expensive or I'd be here all the time. I went around 5:30/6 on a Friday and I just loved the vibe. You can tell the staff knows what they're doing because they felt like experts. The "appetizers" or snacks was very bite sized and a very small menu. Honestly I wish I had a bite to eat beforehand that said, it was such a great experience. I definitely recommend making a reservation because the spot is so tiny. But totally worth it! Highly recommend. read more

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Really enjoyed my stop in here before going to a show at Barclays. The cocktails were creative and delicious and I enjoyed the wings, these are definitely worth ordering. The cheese croquettes were just ok, a bit on the gluey side and I wasn't sure if I was a big fan of the sauce that is paired with it. I'd like to try their chips and dip or one of the veggie dishes with another drink soon. For drinks, I really loved the Royal Grape (in fact, I think I got this twice because it was so delicious). You also can't go wrong with a martini during HH from 5-6. A small, intimate space good for meeting up with one friend. Not good for groups. read more

Cool and simple bar. The cocktails are refined and beautiful, in a simple way. The design of the space is kind of right. It has a long Japanese mural that accentuates the long and narrow form of this interior, and almost nothing else. Warm lighting and cool atmosphere. Service is impecable. Easily this will become an extension of your home, if you live in the area. read more

Bar Goto Niban - Exterior - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Creative and well-balanced cocktails with unique flavors. Loved the umeboshi sour plum tequila sour. Others seemed to like the lychee cocktail as well as the Kyoto old fashioned. Nothing was too sweet, all perfectly flavored! read more

Bar Goto Niban is an absolute gem. One of the best Old Fashioneds I've ever had--expertly made with Suntory Yamazaki Reserve, perfectly balanced and incredibly smooth. The food was just as impressive: the celery, shishito peppers, and wings were all standout bites that paired beautifully with the cocktails. Exceptional quality, thoughtful execution, and a vibe that makes you want to stay for another round. Highly recommend. read more

A friend recommended this place to me and we went in person and it was a great experience. They are strict about ID and vaccination proof so make sure you both on your person. All the drinks are really good. None are too sweet, too strong, or too flavorful. I got the kishu spritz and the ume Paloma which both have some plum - big fan of plum wine and these were both good! I cannot rave enough about the kombu celery salad. If you get just one dish, get this one. It's simple but so delicious. I normally have trouble eating a lot of celery because of the bitter aftertaste but they somehow make it so you only taste the initial flavor - it's a mix of sesame and salt. Super refreshing, yet super simple. The other dishes were also good: Takokyu - octopus pieces with cucumbers, also a similar flavor as the celery salad but has a stronger sesame and salt taste. The octopus has a soft texture and the cucumber has a soft/crisp combo texture. Croquettes - my friend has tried the classic before which has meat but we only got the cheese and curry ones when we went. The cheese doesn't have as much cheese as I thought it would - the outside is really crisp and inside is soft with potatoes. The curry one has a mild curry taste with rice inside. They're both good but I'm excited to come back to try the classic! read more

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Bar Goto Niban is just as great as the LES location (if not better because it's in Brooklyn)! I love the unique Japanese inspired drinks and selection of small bites. The Kyoto Old Fashioned (rice vodka, juniper, matcha, sencha) was an absolute favorite! It's very unique and we can't wait to try it again. They have great outdoor seating (sidewalk and covered street) and allow for walk-ins but it fills up quickly in the evenings. read more

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Lovely bar in the neighborhood! Very chill and great options for different cocktails. There's something for everyone read more

Bar Goto Niban - Sencha Highball - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Niban has stayed alive through the pandemic and just might be better than ever. I brought a large party over last night for some outdoor seating under the heat lamps. They were kind enough to push a couple tables together for us and we felt comfy and cozy tucked away from the melee of Flatbush Ave. The food items are uniformly delicious. Start with the wings; you've never had them like this before, and you'll crave them forever after. Next, croquettes, or perhaps the takokyu, a cold dish consisting of octopus and cucumber. Even the celery sticks are outstanding. Get your munch on! The drinks are a big part of Goto's reputation, and should appease most palates. There are numerous sake options, both hot and cold, though I'm drawn more to the cocktails, which are all creative and expertly mixed. Not sure what to order? Just say what you like and they'll make something perfect for you. There is also a canned beer option and several non-alcoholic drinks, my favorite of which is Koharu's Hot Chocolate, the perfect beverage for a cold winter's night. This place is a hidden gem and an excellent destination for foodies near and far. Bring an appetite, a sense of adventure, and your favorite people. Ask for Koko and she will take great care of you. read more

This is a cute, cozy bar! The seating is limited, so it does get packed. Drinks are refreshing and good! It's a good date spot, but since the seating is limited, I would advise you to plan accordingly. read more

Japanese cocktail bar. I had a Sapporo which was a short can and my wife had one of their specialty cocktails. We also shared their classic Japanese croquettes. Excellent selection of Japanese whiskeys. Very nice and spacious gender neutral restroom. Service was quick and attentive. read more

As someone who's been to as many places as I have, it takes a lot for a cocktail bar to wow me. But Bar Goto Niban really goes the extra mile to provide a unique experience, fusing Japanese and pan-Asian inspired ingredients into their cocktails. Not to mention, they're all delicious. Just look down the list and there's bound to be at least one ingredient you don't recognize. Luckily, the waitstaff is happy to explain everything to you. The Far East Side with the very Instagrammable shiso leaf is so deliciously balanced that it tastes like fruit juice. The Plum Sazerac will knock you on your ass if you don't treat it with respect. And the Kyoto Old Fashioned is a nice, lighter take using rice vodka instead of whiskey. Speaking of whiskey, they also have a hell of a Japanese whiskey list (though on the pricier side), and an extensive shochu list as well. I went with a funky sweet potato shochu as a nightcap. Definitely... interesting. I also recommend grabbing some small bites. Our server recommended the miso chicken wings and the kombu celery as a go-to combination and she was right. The wings were piled high (and a tiny bit spicy), and the celery was crisp and light. Great pairing! The space inside isn't the biggest, but they can fit a good amount of people in their parklette outside. Definitely great for people watching as well! Great date spot. Will be back soon! read more

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Love Bar Goto in the LES, a Best American Cocktail Bar nominee at the 2020 Spirited Awards, and was absolutely THRILLED to see a newly opened location near the Barclay's Center. Both locations specializes in Japanese-inspired drinks. Menus & prices at both locations are very similar and the cocktails will not disappoint. At Niban, I've enjoyed the Rusty Ringo, which uses Scotch as the base married with Apple brandy, giving it a very well balanced sweet aroma and a Smokey note with a velvety and luxurious taste, topped with edible gold flakes. Arouse your taste buds with Rusty Ringo, trust me. While the menus are similar, the main difference between LES vs NIBAN is the ambiance. Niban feels and looks rich, elevated, and pristine while the LES location is more dark, young and hip, borderline (intentionally?) grungy in a good way. Think classical music vs punk rock. Nonetheless, love the ambiance at both locations. HIGHLY recommend stopping by to pre-game before heading over to the Barclay's center. Also, a great date spot and/or happy hour spot. Niban had a rough opening in Jan 2020, right before the lockdown, but I'm very confident this location will take off. Dare I say better than the LES location. Niban's location, menu, service, ambiance, & cleanliness are sophisticated & unbeatable. Cheers! read more

Bar Goto Niban - Rusty Ringo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ambiance was really nice, good service, and it's a cute spot to stop by for some casual drinks and food. We just didn't love the drinks. We got 2 cocktails and they were ok, good if you like Asian flavors and want something different but nothing was really special about it or made me want to go back for another drink. $17-$18 per cocktail read more

Dope local spot with great cocktails and atmosphere! Best suited for small groups for indoors and I think I saw some outside seating too. I liked the interior of this place a lot, lots of natural wood, good light and liked that they displayed art on the back wall instead of the bottles. Staff was chill and helpful as well. Drinks: I got the Kyoto old fashioned which was basically a booze spiked green tea that was phenomenal and difficult to not just down in a single sip. Also tried the Martini which was very floral and booze forward, less my thing but still good. Long story short this is a cool local spot for a great drink and some small bites. Intimate cocktail bar with a cool interior. I'll be back! read more

Bar Goto Niban - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Very nice place. Simple but elegant and interesting cocktails! Happy hour deal is def worth! Chicken wings were delicious!! Very tasty. Would recommend. read more

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LOVE this little cocktail bar. It's kind of hidden in the streets of Brooklyn, just like it's LES location. The decor is beautiful, and I love the way the bar is set up. I love that they place the liquor on the bottom versus having it shelved high on the wall. Just something I found interesting and different from most bars :') No complaints at all - both the food and cocktails were amazing. Staff were nice, pace of food coming out was normal. Everything was amazing and it's a good experience here. Would really recommend getting the croquettes if you are someone who likes them. I loved the classic + curry ones - both were great. If you like spicy chicken, the miso chicken is also for you. Koji-San (the drink) is excellent. Cannot go wrong with it if you are someone who love mezcal. I want to come back here already :') read more

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Delicious cocktails! Lovely atmosphere, mostly thanks to the wall-to-wall mural. They only do small plates so don't come here for a full dinner. read more

Bar Goto Niban - Bar and cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Such a cute intimate spot, if you've been to the other location in LES you'll know what to expect, not much difference. Nice place to enjoy before or after dinner for snacks/pregaming. Good location not too far from Barclays Center. There appears to be only 1 or 2 indoor tables, the rest are by the bar. We got lucky without reservations but you're probably better off getting one on a weekend or rainy day. Miso wings were easy to eat and crispy. The vegetarian croquettes were good but on the heavy side. We got the melon daiquiri and another drink that was light and spritzy, I think it had grapefruit in it. So good! Can't go wrong with anything here! read more

Bar Goto Niban - Melon daquiri, miso wings, potato/cheese croquettes - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Came here on a Wednesday night around 8:30 with a friend to catchup. Initially we wanted to go to another bar around the corner but the wait was long so we decided to come here instead. The ambiance is really nice and they have a great Asian inspired drink menu. I got the lychee gin drink which was super yummy. The little bites looked tasty and will order next time! read more

Went for drinks and snacks at Bar Goto Niban on Saturday night. Great for cocktails and a romantic vibe, food was just okay. Quality: Tried three different cocktails, Koji-San, Yuzu Ramos Fizz, and Paradaisu. I'm usually not crazy about gin-based cocktails, but the Paradaisu with its lychee and sparkling wine additions was excellent. The Koji-San was also very fun and my wife's favorite of the bunch. For food, the highlight was the Miso Wings, with nice flavor and plenty of kick. The Korokke were okay, we had the Classic and Chizu, the Chizu being the better of the two. I would skip the Salmon Rillettes, with its limited quantity warning I figured it may be something special, but it was very simple. Quantity: Standard size drinks, and small snacks. Value: $16-18 for Cocktails. $13 for the Salmon Rillettes. $13 for the Miso Wings. $12 for the Korokke. Ambiance: Bar Goto Niban is a Japanese cocktail bar located in Park Slope. They have a small outdoor seating area in front, with a shelter and a few high-tops along the sidewalk. Inside the atmosphere is perfect. A very simple bar with a long painting along one wall and mirrors on the reverse. Most of the seating is around the bar, but there are a few small tables near the front window. The lighting is very modern and allows for an intimate experience at night. The one issue is the acoustics, which lead the bar to get loud quickly. Crowd: Every seat full on Saturday night. No reservations for smaller parties, so be prepared to pivot on busy weekends. Service: Could have used some more help on Saturday night, but our waitress was extremely kind. Parking: Limited street parking on this short block. read more

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I don't know how Bar Goto has made me crave celery, but here we are. Celery. I can't stop thinking about this fucking celery. Bar Goto Niban is a cozy, cool bar with amazing cocktails and inventive bar bites. I come here specifically for their wings and celery. Now, we're not talking buffalo wings with dried out celery someone cut 34 days ago. These are next-level sweet and savory miso glazed crispy boiz, cut on a diagonal for ultimate crunch. Don't even bother getting one order. You'll just have to wait longer for the second one to come out when you inevitably order more. And the celery. THE CELERY!!!! Why is it so good? I don't really know. I went as far as to google it. Celery, Kombu, shiso, sesame. That's it. I can't explain to you how good it is, you just need to try it for yourself. Impossible to stop eating. It's its own dish, so you have to order separately. At $9, you might feel it's not worth it, but bitch, you're wrong. This is something else I have to get two of because I'M NOT SHARING. Perfect with a beer. Perfect in general. Amazing cocktails, great snacks, impeccable vibe. Up there with my favorite bars in Brooklyn for sure! read more

Bar Goto is the sibling cocktail bar to one in the LES, and the quality is just as good. It feels very selective with its dark decor and sparse seating and mirrored wall. The drinks were excellently balanced and complex, though do expect a bit more than your average bar. The service was quick and attentive also. I would say it's good for a date night or 1/2 friends, but more than that, you're out of luck. Unfortunately, I can't give it 5 stars because I think the food was a bit overpriced and generic (ie. the potatoe croquettes were heavy and expensive), but otherwise just for drinks, it's a worthwhile spot to come around for. read more

Seemed like a really great bar, it's a shame that we didn't enjoy it due to rudeness of the hostess. It was 6 of us and we went to the bar, but realized that it would be very uncomfortable for us to talk there, so we moved to the area in front of the bar, the hostess came up and said "What's going on here?" in a tone like we were children misbehaving in a classroom. We explained ourselves, she seemed very annoyed with us, although i have no idea what we did wrong. And then i took one chair from the bar (the bar was empty, there were only 2 people at the other side of it) because my stomach was hurting and I wanted to sit down. She came up and scolded us saying "You can't get chairs from the bar, you either sit there or you stand here". My sister told her I wasn't feeling well, and she just walked away. At which point we didn't wanna stay there any longer, we told our friends not to order their drinks, finished the two drinks that the bartender has already made and left. Somebody who is so bad at customer service shouldn't work in restaurants, especially in such a nice place. Giving it two stars and not one only because the bar looks amazing, the bartenders were friendly and the drinks tasted fantastic. Would love to go back to actually enjoy the place, but i am scared to run into the same hostess (didn't get her name, but it was Saturday evening, 05/03) Tl;dr: looks like a great place, the hostess totally ruins it read more

Amazing place. Hidden gem. Pure quality. Order anything. Order everything. I had the best hot drinks of my life here... EVER. Not an overstatement. I cannot wait to go back. read more

Great cocktails, and lovely deco. I had the Yuzo Fizz Quiet, calm ambience so good for a date and a conversation rather than a more festive group outing. read more

The drinks are good but totally over priced. The bartender and hostess were both rude. Apparently you can't save seats at the bar. We moved 2 chairs over for our friends who were 5 minutes late and the hostess came over and put the chairs back without saying a word to us. The bartender took forever to approach us to ask for our order. Very pretentious. Go to a different bar if you want better service and nicer vibes read more