I've been to Bernie's a number of times with friends. They don't take reservations, so sometimes there is a wait. I've always tried to show up right before 5 pm so we can be seated quickly. The restaurant is cute, small and homey, with booth seating. There's also a good amount of outdoor seating as well, and there's a bar. I recently went with my infant son, and they have one booster seat. I've had many of the dishes, including: Chips and Dip (4.5/5): Love this chips and dip. The chips are housemade and just the right thickness. The dip is savory and tart. Mozzarella Sticks (4/5): The mozz sticks are definitely good, but I don't think they live up to the hype. Still great though, and I order them sometimes (but not always) when I go. House Salad (5/5): LOVE. This salad is excellent, great to share. Caesar Salar (5/5): ALSO LOVE. Another excellent salad. Whenever I go with my friends, we debate about which salad to get, and usually end up getting both. Vinegar Chicken (5/5): Amazing chicken. It's always so well-cooked, tender, and well-flavored. This is a great dish tos hare. Chicken Parm (4.5/5): Excellent chicken parm, smothered in cheese. Crispy Eggplant Parm (4.5/5): A wonderful dish, also smothered in cheese. Griddled Bread (5/5): Very good bread. It's warm and crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. Really great with the chicken. For dessert, we always get the Brownie Sundae, which is great. Bernie's is a great restaurant. I love it and highly recommend it! read more

Was super excited to try Bernie's, but it didn't quite live up to the hype. I would give them 3.5 stars. We got the mozzarella sticks ($15), burger ($22), and chicken parm ($29). The mozzarella sticks were super thick and gooey. I was pretty much full after eating two of them; they're basically an entree. The mozzarella sticks were definitely my favorite item from the meal. The burger was good, but nothing special. There are definitely better burgers out there. I thought it was a bit dry--I prefer my burgers to be a bit more saucy. The fries were really good though. Perfectly crispy and salty. The chicken parm was good, but we thought it was strange that it didn't come over pasta. Every other chicken parm I've ever had has been over spaghetti or some other type of pasta, so I was a bit taken aback. The chicken parm is also $30, so we felt like it wasn't worth the money. Overall, it was just highly-priced, typical American food. With tip, our meal came to be almost $90, which is more than what I think the food is worth. read more

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Definitely good but don't get the hype. I'd say its above average food but didn't blow me away. I give it a low 8/10. We got the mozz sticks, burger, chicken parm, and chicken piccata. Everything was good. The burger was a little tame but tasted fresh, though i've definitely had better. We sat outside to avoid the hour wait for inside, but the inside looked like it had a nice vibe aswell. Don't know if it's worth an hour wait. Service wasn't anything special. read more

Bernie's - Cheese burger, chicken parm, chicekn piccata - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I've heard so many good things about Bernie's and it definitely lives up to its hype. Yes, you likely need to put yourself on a waitlist to sit, but there are plenty of seats outside or at the bar to hang or drink while you wait. The ambiance is nice, the music can be a little loud, but the food is excellent. I ordered the baked clams, house salad, mozzarella sticks, and the eggplant parm- all portions were generous and delicious (highly recommend the eggplant parm, it was perfectly crispy). Drinks are really good too! read more

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Another viral NY spot that did not quite live up to expectations. Huge portions, good flavor, and great service. This place was jumping on a sunday evening. I went at 4:45 because I thought they opened at 5, but the place was already packed full--perhaps they had adjusted hours for father's day. In any case, I have seen mixed reviews on the mozzarella sticks. And, I am on team average. They are girthy, and huge, but lacking in flavor. Obviously, fried cheese tastes good. And, the cheese pulls are great. But the flavor of the actual mozzarella fell flat. It just did not have much flavor at all. Even some extra salt would've bumped it up big time. The chicken Parmesan was my main course. An absolute mega cutlet. Cheesy and crispy. The cutlet was a bit rubbery, maybe I just got a bad cut. Other than that. I did enjoy the chicken Parmesan. The cheese, sauce, and chicken blended together wonderfully. The breading remained in tact and did not get soggy. I do gotta talk about the space itself. I love the vibes. It has nostalgic diner vibes. But, still a bit elevated. The classic diner vibe has been a bit overdone, and gets a bit corny, but I think Bernie's did a really nice job making it feel authentic and natural. From the rounded booths to the frosted mugs it definitely felt both retro and contemporary. A few decor pieces were a little cheesy, but hey, it's their restaurant and they can certainly decorate as they wish. This is definitely a spot I would try again. The cheeseburger and fries looked superb. Almost regret the chicken parmesan choice. In any case, cheers, Bernie's, thanks for a solid dinner. read more

Good Ole Bernie! This long line big hype restaurant with no reservations is worth the wait and beats the hype! We went here 30 mins after they opened and I was concerned we wouldn't get a table I put our name on the list and they said 1.5hrs and after all the tourists decided they couldn't wait we got a table in 30mins. We got a booth and the waiter was awesome and super attentive! The inside is dark and small restaurant but perfect for a date. For the food we got the mozzarella sticks which were a crisp cheesy perfection! Then we went for their go to chicken parm, and burger! The chicken parm was huge and so good it and the burgers meat was a fatty juicy tasty master piece. For desert we went with the Mint sundae this was a perfectly sweet ending to our amazing dinner. In short: - Delicious food - No reservations Kinda long wait - Great Service - Eat here read more

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We've been meaning to check out Bernie's for a while to see what all the hype is about. We've heard of long lines that start forming before they open, so we figured a couple days before Christmas when lots of folks are out of town would be a good opportunity. We showed up about ten minutes before opening and still found a line. We were checked in promptly and seated at the bar. I started with a glass of wines, but it seems like this is a spot for Martinis. I must have witnessed the bartender make 30-40 martinis while we were there. The second most popular drink seemed to be Budweiser on tap in a cold mug. We decided to go with the deluxe cheeseburger, the chicken parmigiana, and one of the daily specials - Chinese broccoli. Cheeseburger was the perfect diner style burger. I think it was a quarterish pound burger topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and American cheese on perfect sesame seed bun. Served along thin and crispy fries and I believe a ketchup/mayo sauce. Chicken parmigiana was superb. Super nostalgic for me reminding me of the suburban Italian restaurants on Long Island. Crispy and well formed breading with a super thin chicken. Topped with a heaping of red sauce and perfectly broiled mozzarella cheese on top. Some herbs to garnish. I have to concede that this parmigiana was even better than my own. The Chinese broccoli was a great side too. Lightly grilled and then slathered in a vinegar based dressing to provide a nice compliment to all the other items. The acidity worked out well with all the saltiness and savoriness coming from the other items. Certainly worthwhile of being a mainstay. I skipped on dessert, but my wife enjoyed the brownie sundae. Given that she nearly finished the sundae, I'm going to assume it was great too. Service was attentive and the food came out very quickly, no reservations here, so it's best to show up before 5 to snag a table. There were two gender neutral restrooms with one being handicap accessible. They were fairly spacious. Casual atmosphere that's somehow fitting for families or even a date at the bar. read more

As advertised. I love a place that knows its lane. Meet here with some of my friends. We were going to Warsaw to see Deer Tick. Btw. That was pretty good also. Back to Bernies. Got there early. Sat at the bar. Had a delicious martini. Which continues the rest of the night. We were a party of 7. It was bit tight. We shared ribs. A couple of cheese burgers. A caesar salad And the vinegar chicken. Which was delicious. Our waitress was awesome. Bill was pretty normal. Not a fancy night out. But good food and fun. Recommended! read more

Bernie's - Da Boys - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ambiance - came in solo and asked for a seat at the bar. Was welcomed in by the host and bartenders alike after a less than kind patron tried to save a seat at the bar (which is not allowed). Everyone was super friendly, welcoming, and very nice and chatty! I would return over and over if only for the vibes! Service - amazing! Quick, attentive, kind. Food - burger lives up to the hype. The sauce they serve it with is something I dream about. Drooling! read more

What a great Margarita - icey but not frozen. And then there is the vast Chicken Parm, a sea of cheesey tomato goodness with tender chicken on the inside. A little pricey (85 for 2 Margs, Parm, tax, tip), but worth the investment. read more

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Amazing service, we ate at the bar and the bartender (I believe her name was Katie) was super attentive even though it was extremely busy. I will say go early because at 5:30pm we had to wait awhile for a seat at the bar but we enjoyed drinks outside while waiting. One of the best burgers in Brooklyn! read more

Bernie's - Drinks while waiting for seats - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

OBSESSED! awesome service. great burger & Caesar salad. Went on a Sunday right when they opened and had to wait approx 2 hours to be seated inside. Ambiance is great & cozy. Recommend to go with a group & get the dirty martini! read more

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As many of my friends know, I am a fiend for a good burger, so when this place came to me recommended by multiple people, I knew I had to try it. Both times I've been here, I've had to wait 30 min-1 hr for a table so if you come, take into account a potential wait. The burger is good, but I've had better. They are very generous with the fries (which are shoestring and perfectly salted). The mozzarella sticks which were quite large and some of the better ones I've had, so would recommend splitting those with whoever you're with too! read more

Bernie's - Burger with fries - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food was excellent as far as taste. A bit overpriced.... Matter of fact, way overpriced. The servers were great. We had multiple. Drinks was decent. Wouldn't complain about that. We had a choice of dining outside in the sidewalk or inside. We chose inside. We had the mozzarella sticks, wedge salad, cheeseburger and chicken parm. The only complaint I had was the chicken parm didn't come with nothing. No noodles, no rice, no fries, no nothing. Just a slab of chicken parm. I will return if I wanted that particular food again. read more

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We ordered the classics - burger, half vinegar chicken, and mozzarella sticks. It's just okay. Nothing special and the burger didn't make my top 10. Service was great however and this place has a lot of regulars, probably not for the food, just good vibes. read more

Bernie's - Mozzarella sticks - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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So busy it's stressful to even try to go there. You have to go right when they open, otherwise it's a waste of time. They don't have a way to make a reservation - it's almost like they take pride in how hard it is to get a table. Too complicated and pretensious. Food is good but not worth it. I literally live less than a block away, and have only snagged a table once. I have a chronic illness and I don't think the restaurant has thought about accessibility at all. It's all about hype and power dynamics. I am glad they are doing well but this is not a welcoming spot to differently abled people. read more

Great vibes and cool spot for an elevated American diner experience. But in terms of the food, I think it's decent. I went with a group so we ordered a bunch of things. The mozzarella sticks and burger were really good, but everything else was decent. We sent our cocktail shrimp back because it literally seemed like frozen shrimp. read more

Great divey atmosphere, good old American comfort food. Mozzarella sticks were gigantic and a little too much cheese to breading for me but tasted good with the marinara and parmesan. Cheeseburger was amazing, especially with the sauce. Came with light and crispy fries. Gave us crayons to draw on our paper tablecloth- a fun touch! Not worth a wait beyond 30 min but worth stopping by if you're in the area and can get seated fast! read more

Bernie's - Mozzarella sticks - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Angels were on our side tonight baby! Landed a great parking spot right up the block and across the street. Walked in to an hour to hour half wait...just as two bar seats magically opened up...we swooped in...major score! Bartender was super awesome. Best aperol spritz eva. And a perfectly chilled crisp Bud on tap. Husband and I shared grilled bread and chix parm (a must for first timers). Will definitely be back for the lettuce wedge salad and Mozz sticks. They looked so good and gooey. We were about to offer the girls eating them next to us $5 just to try one of theirs but knew better not to. Lol! Def next time... Lemon ice box for dessert. Wow. Restaurant had an awesome vibe. Chill. Cool. Hip. Casual. Great people watching. Grooving tunes. Good energy. read more

Bernie's - View from our bar seats. A perfect summer night. - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Incredible spot outside McCarren park - great food and service was really fast! Unassuming from the outside but the ambience inside is great! Get there right at 5 if you want a table bc this place gets packed! read more

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Don't go, rude servers and they only allow so many tables and don't do turn over . only take reservations which is ridiculous read more

Great atmosphere!! Sat at the bar and ordered the Caesar, chicken parm and the burger! Phenomenal! Service was excellent too!

Food: *Mozzarella Sticks - An ideal stick of breaded mozzarella. Definitely get these to share with the table to start! *Bernie's Vinegar Chicken - You can get a half or a whole chicken, I got the half and it was delicious and flavorful! *Crispy Eggplant Parm -Indulgent plate of perfectly crispy breaded eggplant covered in spectacular cheese. Bernie's definitely knows how to make a delicious cheesy bite. Drinks: Bernie's has a solid drink menu with classics like frosty mugs of beer and strong martinis. read more

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I do think Bernie's may have become my favorite restaurant. They have the vibe of an old-school NY Italian spot but it's filled with Greenpoint hipsters. We got here around 6:30 on a Sunday and had a 30-minute wait, but were able to wait at the bar where we ordered delicious cocktails (negroni, martini, old-fashioned). Everything we ordered was better than the previous and we were stuffed with the massive (but affordable) portions of the entrees (chicken piccata, chicken parm, eggplant parm). Whatever you do, don't skip the sundae! read more

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This place rocks. Feels old school while still being modern. Their burger and ice cream sundae were both just perfect and just what I needed after a day in Brooklyn. I feel like I'm back in home when I'm here. read more

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Yes, the wait is worth it! I came in with a party of 3 at 5:30pm on a Friday, and we were given an 1.5h wait. We stopped by a bar so the time passed quickly, and we were seated immediately at 7pm. We had Dirty Martinis and ordered the Mozzarella Sticks and Caesar Salad, which were both great appetizers with big portions. The Mozzarella Sticks specifically are top tier. We added on the Vinegar Chicken and Cheeseburger, and finished with the Ice Cream Sundae. Once again, all amazing and good for sharing. The music is good and loud, the red booths and lights are nostalgic, and you get crayons to draw on the table. It's the perfect dinner to have with friends, and definitely scores extra points for ambience and vibe! The only negative was that after only about an hour, waiters and bussers kept coming in asking to clear our food so that they could shuffle us out, which was a little frustrating. read more

Bernie's - Dirty Martini - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Food was okay. Nothing special. I truly do not understand the hype. Not worth waiting in line for. You can get same quality food anywhere else in brooklyn. You can get same exact salad and burger over at the Snail and theirs is honestly better and you probably won't have to wait on a crazy line read more

The excellent food quality and immaculate vibes (think hipster TGI Friday's, but in a good way) make up for the high prices. The Cobb salad with a THICK slab of bacon is one of the best salad-meals I've had in a long time. The mozzarella sticks are also delicious, although I actually found the burger fine for the price (but not worth a special trip). Truly, the move here is to order some martinis, get a booth, and split some apps. But it is expensive for what it is. But it IS a good time. read more

Not worth the wait!!! It's bar food. Do not believe the hype. I ordered the chicken parm, vinegar chicken, broccolini, and garlic bread. The vinegar chicken was nothing special - roasted chicken with a vinegar sauce - not life changing. The chicken parm was not as good as many other places I have been to - it was fine - not amazing. Do not get the garlic bread - no garlic flavoring a waste. I did enjoy the broccolini. The ambiance is as if you're in a dive bar because you are. The drinks were not great. I DO NOT RECOMMEND!! The wait is worth it at emilio's ballato not here. I am very annoyed that I waited so long for mediocre food. I was so excited and now I am very disappointed. read more

Bernie's - Chicken parm, vinegar, chicken, and broccolini - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

From its limited menu, it doesn't look like much. They have a few things but they do all of those few things very well. There's a reason there's always a crowd on the corner waiting to be seated. I came here with a group of 4 on a Thursday night and we had to wait 30-45 min for our table. They also don't take numbers so you can't wander around during your wait so keep that in mind. We ordered the mozzarella sticks, cheeseburger, veggie burger, vinegar chicken and eggplant parm and everything was delicious! My favorites were the mozzarella sticks, cheeseburger and vinegar chicken. It was my first time trying vinegar chicken and I did not go in with high expectations but the chicken was juicy and flavorful! I can't wait to come back to try the ribs next time. read more

Prepare for a wait! I've eaten here twice and both times required a long wait (1.5 hrs when I went on a Thursday night and 3 hrs when I went on a Saturday night). Both times, my friend(s) and I went somewhere else for happy hour before returning to the restaurant which made the wait much more reasonable and fun as I personally don't think I would wait outside for that long. The mozzarella sticks are a MUST get; everything else I tried was delicious but not necessarily the best food I've ever had to warrant the long waits: solid burger with fries, vinegar chicken, eggplant parm, baked clams, brownie sundae for dessert. They have a wine menu and make classic cocktails. I think it is worth trying because at the end of the day, you know it'll be a yummy meal. read more

Bernie's - Mozzarella sticks - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The pretentious guy behind the bar ruined my whole experience. Rude and not welcoming from the start. He does not know how to pour a draft beer since I got half foam / half beer both rounds from him (which he slid across the bar to be "cool") in 12oz mug along with the draft spout being put into the beer. I sat in front of him for 18 minutes with empty beer and water when my food arrived just for my food to get cold by the time I had a drink to enjoy with it. He over poured or under poured every martini while throwing ice and liquor over my plate at the bar. I feel bad for the girl working with him because she ended up doing all of the work. Sad that a "experienced" gave this level of service at a busy spot. read more

Ok. Here it is. Bernie's is a scene. People go there to be seen, and just to get a good meal, which would be fun if the staff wasn't constantly trying to flip your table. We were asked at least 10 times if we were done, when I still had half a drink and half my food -- does it look like we're done?? I've been a server so I understand the demand to flip tables, but my friend and I weren't there long, ordered 3 drinks each, a full meal, and an app. We spent over $200 between the two of us. If we were spending $50 and taking forever, I would understand the pressure. I'm still giving it 4 stars because I love the ambiance, the food is good (albeit over priced), and they make a mean martini. But for the love of god, please chill out. read more

Bernie's - Outside dining - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Matt and Michaela were absolutely amazing. Such great energy. Kept us laughing the whole night. We sat outside in the rain and they kept us wine and dined and dry all evening. The drinks, food and company were absolutely amazing. We will definitely be back. Aisling, Kinga, Taz, and Adam love you guys! From Ireland and San Francisco with love read more

Tonight was my third attempt in trying Bernie's Restaurant. My husband and I ended up waiting one hour and a half for a table. when it was finally our turn to sit down it ended up being a shared table. Which he was not happy about because he already didn't want to wait one hour and a half. Now was the meal good? Yes. Was it worth the wait? The answer is no.. overall I thought the meal was good, but not great. I would not rush back to go again. The baked clams didn't have any seasoning on the breadcrumbs. The wedge salad didn't have a strong blue cheese dressing that I thought it would. It was more on the vinegar side. The cheeseburger was good. However, the fries stood out more than the burger, and the Parm was just chicken Parm. Overall the service was good but again I will not be waiting an hour and a half for another meal. read more

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First, get here early, before they open. If you want to be able to snag a table or bar seat right away, and not wait 75-120 minutes, trust me, get there 10-15 min before they open. If you do have to wait, just head to Torst around the block for some fantastic beer. -Mozz stocks - very good, fried well, sauce was fantastic, overall very good. -Caesar salad - well dressed, crispy lettuce, small number of croutons, overall, good. -Cheeseburger - well seeded bun, burger cooked well, could have used a smidge more salt (if i'm being picky), and 'the works' complemented the burger, good overall -chicken parm - the start of the night, damn this was good. cooked well, sauce and cheese ratio was on point, and it was just good. This place was quite good. Would def go back. read more

Awesome place amazing burger and probably the best wings I have ever had The staff and bartender fantastic!!! read more

This place is pretty perfect. All the food is amazing. It's a pretty simple, American, bar food type of menu, but every single thing is so delicious. The Cesar salad is fresh and crisp, with giant romaine leaves. The cheeseburger deluxe is fire, the chicken parm is so good. The mozzarella sticks cannot be skipped. From start to finish, this place crushes it. Drinks too, martinis or wine. The only downside is I don't believe they take reservations and it's first come first serve. They open at 5 pm and people start lining up at 4:30 maybe even earlier. You can wait in line and put your name in, but if you're not there early, you can be looking at a 2-3 hour wait. If you're not that hungry, there's a bunch of bars around the area and shops to pop into and pass the time if you do decide to wait. This place is a must visit. Oh and the brownie sundae!! Insane read more

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This place does not disappoint. There is a long wait for a reason and it is worth it. The mozzarella sticks are incredible, ice cream is chefs kiss and the chicken parm and ribs are so so good. You will leave here so full and happy. Don't question it just do it. read more

Bernie's - Ice cream Sundae - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Bernie's is an experience. I can definitely see why is a neighborhood fave. Bernie's strikes the perfect balance between hip and old school. We got (to share): - wedge salad - Bernie's vinegar chicken (half) - Bernie's chicken parm - Bernie's brownie sundae The above was more than enough to feed 4. Compliments to the chef because literally every single dish was a hit. The salad? Phenomenal. Vinegar chicken? Not a single part of that meat was dry - everything was flavored perfectly. And the parm? The winning dish of the evening, with the sundae as a very, very, close second. Word on the street is that Bernie's has the best burger ever - some say even better than JG Melon. Already plotting my return to verify this claim. read more