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    Black Forest

    3.9 (144 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

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    BLACK FOREST ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Black Forest

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    Reviews With Photos

    Pretzel
    Peter D.

    Do you like beer, sausages, giant pretzels, and other German specialties? Do you live in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, or Boerum Hill, and are much too lazy to walk over to Fort Greene on a regular basis? Yes?* Well, you're in luck, Black Forest is still here on Smith Street. Since they opened back in 2017, I feel like they've grown and improved into one of the best spots on the strip. One thing I didn't appreciate back then (because I didn't have any kids) is how stellar a spot it is for kids. It's brightly lit with a couple excellent tables in the windows (a couple outside during the warmer weather), and large tables in the back under the skylight that are great for bigger parties. The service is friendly and accommodating of little ones, they have excellent chicken schnitzel (just better chicken fingers, really) and fries, and they have delicious German beers available by the half liter, liter, and boot. The latter is because parents need large amounts of strong beer to deal with their children. If you're more into liquor, they've got a full bar, and AYCD brunch on the weekends. And of course, they have tasty sausages like the käsebratwurst, served in kaiser rolls with shoestring (think McDonald's in a fantastic way) fries and sauerkraut. They have potato pancakes, spaetzle, giant pretzels, jerk wings (for some odd reason), flammkuchens (flatbreads), schnitzels, and more. All these things are tasty, and I recommend you order one of each per person. If you drink enough, you'll have a better shot at finishing all that food you ordered. (A little excessive, if you ask me.) ______________ *Wait, are you me? You sound like me, but you're clearly so much better looking.

    Pretzel
    Aude L.

    We swung by Black Forest while we were touring apartments in the area and had to kill time between appointments. It's a really cute little beer garden! It has a great outdoor area where you can hang out on a nice day, as well as a massive screen inside where you can watch soccer or other big games. They have a great German beer selection and well as some decent food options to pick from. Since we just wanted to snack, we got two beers and shared a smaller pretzel. The crew here is incredibly friendly, and I appreciate that we never felt rushed despite not ordering a ton of food. We'll be back when we move to the neighborhood :)

    Käsebratwurst
    Max B.

    (3/5) Black Forest Brooklyn Brought my dog, brought my laptop, brought my appetite, left with mixed feelings. The backyard space is a win: shaded umbrellas, long wooden tables, a no-frills German beer garden feel. Easy to settle in with a cider and a book (or in my case, Slack and Jira ). Dog-friendly too, my pup was chilling while I ate, which always earns bonus points. Food: I ordered the Käsebratwurst: spicy pork + beef sausage with New York cheddar, sauerkraut, and fries. Fries were killer: golden, crispy, salty in all the right ways. Sauerkraut was shockingly good--balanced, not too sour, actually enjoyable (and I'm usually a kraut skeptic). Mustard? Excellent, tangy, and sharp. The sausage itself? Eh. Fine, but not memorable. They call it "spicy" but it barely whispered heat. Cheddar gave it some body, but overall it was more "okay drunk food" than "come back for this again." Drink: Wolffer Cider Rosé, reliable, light, refreshing. Honestly, it probably outshined the food. Overall: Great place if you want a casual backyard drink with your dog at your feet. But food-wise, Brooklyn's got too many heavy-hitters to make this more than a "one and done."

    Chicken schnitzel
    Cyrus A.

    Black Forest's Smith Street location is a great spot for German fare! I've had the schnitzel a few times, and it always hits the spot. The wurst hasn't blown me away when I've ordered it before, but still a hearty dish that goes well with the many German beers on tap. Sides have been great, too. They've consistently had great fries and spatzle. Prepare for massive portions that will definitely leave you full! If you like German cuisine and beers, you can't go wrong with Black Forest.

    Honor G.

    Pros Cute , warm, cozy aesthetics Friendly & accommodating staff Trivia nights $$$ Comfortable bar stools High traffic area Large screen televisions Good for groups Large seating area Impossible burger Cons No spatlese Riesling Few vegetarian options

    Albert H.

    I came to Black Forest for a friend's birthday party and really enjoyed the space and food. We went around 6pm on a weekday and there were several tables open in the back. My daughter enjoyed playing the games - Jenga and connect four which kept her busy. For food, we got the sausage platter which was quite a lot of food. The highlights were the bratwurst, potato salad, and mash potatoes. I will definitely come back for a drink and solid German food.

    Chicken bratwurst basket with fries
    Kirsti H.

    The hub and I were craving a sausage, likely since all the local breweries were doing Octoberfest celebrations, and we decided to give Black Forest another try. It had been years since we'd been -- we went for the lunch special -- but we remembered liking it. The man who greeted us and led us to a table was lovely, welcoming. We were offered outdoor or indoor seating, but the former was pretty loud as it was packed for Octoberfest. Our waitress was not friendly -- neutral at best -- and service was slow. We weren't upset about the latter as it was clear they had a lot of people to serve. Both of our sausages were delicious -- what's not to love about a sausage on a soft pretzel roll? -- as were the fries (and there were enough to share). If you're craving a sausage, give Black Forest a try. And if the weather is nice, I suggest sitting in the backyard area if it's not too crowded.

    Outdoor seating with partitions
    Zuobin T.

    It's been a long time since we last had brunch as a family at a restaurant. We stopped by on a sunny afternoon and were promptly directed to our preferred seating location outdoors. This location has more outdoor space than its first location in Fort Greene. We chose to sit at a table under an umbrella for some shade. It was surprising that the waitress asked for proof of vaccination even when we sat outside, but I guess it's better to be on the safe side. The menu is available via a QR code on the table and I like that it included photos so we can actually see what we are ordering. We ordered the nurnberger, the eggs benedict with smoked salmon, and what turned out to be my favorite, chicken and waffles. I love how you get two kinds of chicken with the chicken and waffles, a wing and a drumette as well as chicken schnitzel. The wing and drumette had a spicy but not overwhelming kick to them. The schnitzel was crispy and moist. The waffles were thinner than Belgian waffles but were just as satisfying. If you are hungry, then the nurnberger might be a good choice. It included five small sausages (a couple were a bit burnt) sitting on top of sauerkraut and mashed potato. It also came with a medium size bowl salad. The eggs benedict was perhaps my least favorite. I expected the smoked salmon to be more flavorful.

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    4 years ago

    The worst bar in the neighborhood - wildly overpriced and a beer takes 30min to get to the table

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    7 years ago

    Too Americanized. Subpar kraut. Beer was flat. Plz do better, as I live in the neighborhood now. Disappointed

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    5 years ago

    Food stone cold and french fries oily and underdone and imp. Very disappointed given that they were obviously not busy.

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    Page 3 of 4

    Ask the Community - Black Forest

    Is this place kids friendly for a Friday night family dinner?

    Absolutely!

    They have rice?

    Hi Jennifer - no, we don't have rice...

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Schnitzel Haus

    Schnitzel Haus

    4.0(376 reviews)
    4.0 miBay Ridge
    $$

    They had been open only a few days, and this was the first Friday. There was a line. I suspect they…read moredidn't quite expect that much pent-up demand for them. The bartender was good but in the weeds. Beer was great. (Try the double bock on tap--rich beers, served from very clean lines, in a half-liter glass. Take that pint ;) This made the wait run smooth. I had a farmer's plate, which was well over a pound of pork in various guises. As the waitress said, "It's good for more meals". Wife's schnitzel under a mildly spicy tomato sauce is good. Glad we didn't get appetizers, as the portions are generous. And very delicious. The bartender worked very hard to keep up. Another bartender to run the service bar and another waitron on the floor, and things would have run more like they used to when they were on Fifth Avenue. Even as they were running around, everyone was friendly. Still, wife and I had a very good time, and do not pass up the smoked beer. (Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, I'm fairly sure: aka liquid bacon.) Several beers on tap, and the bottled selection can't be beat around here. An impressive comeback that can only get better.

    I finally got to visit here, and it only took a trip to a foreign country to do it…read more Coming off the heels of a trip to Switzerland, I decided to stop here because in case for those that do not know, Switzerland and Germany share important and similar cuisines and cultures. After all, Switzerland and Germany share a border, and a language. Most Swiss speak German, so I figure this would be a great spot to try after spending six days in one of Europe's underrated gems. I am here to break it all down for you to tell you what I got, the rating, and then conclude whether or not you should spend your cash (yes, this is a cash only restaurant) here. For this restaurant to have a create your own Schnitzel option is one that I took seriously, and I am happy that I have the opportunity to do it. I got three cutlets of each variety, pork, chicken, and veal, then smothered it with mushroom gravy (rahmschnitzel style), then topping it with an egg. Since it comes with two sides, I chose the pretzel and the spaetzle, but those will be discussed separately. For dessert, I got their apple strudel because no true German dinner would be complete without be ordering one of them. ---- Schnitzel: The Schnitzel here is as delicious as I had it many times over in Switzerland. Lean cut, lots of flavor, good breading, and a character reminiscent of its European brethren, I was happy to eat it and I told my server that this was delicious. The veal one is probably the best, then the chicken, followed by the pork, but either of the three work well in a pinch. The mushroom gravy is spot on with plenty of mushrooms and the gravy is deep, and rich. Getting the fried egg on top gave it all a nice texture and though it costs extra, definitely get the add on. Eating all three had for a moment wanting me to turn around, and get back on a plane to Geneva or Zurich. Star rating: 4.5/5 Spaetzle: Spaeztle is German pasta, like a soggy noddle, but can be made either with meat, cheese or left on its own. It very much is like its cousin, gnocchi, as it is a potato pasta, with starchy flavor and needs to soak up its contents or the whole thing tastes lousy. Fortunately, the cheese here makes it like a European Mac n cheese. The cheese to the pasta make it quite the salty dish, but I enjoyed this a lot and really felt that this was a surefire side that I must get if I were to return. Star rating: 4/5 Pretzel: A Brezel, as it is called here, works well on its own. The cheeses they provide you give absolutely no character. I would also like it if the pretzel were saltless. The pretzels in Europe contain very little, to any salt, they let the butteriness and the bread do the talking. I had to scrape most of it off to save the taste, but it was still tough. To make this work you need at least to try the mustards once, but it only made it work just slightly. This is where they drop the ball, at least to me, on some authenticity to concede to American tastes. Star rating: 3.5/5 Strudel: The strudel here comes in apple form, which is not a surprise considering that was something I noticed as well while in Switzerland. The cream it comes with is delicious (because why else?), however everything else sends it downhill. It is tough, chewy, and was borderline burnt for about 80% of the pastry. I tried to cut it with a fork and knife but it only made the matter worse. Not the ideal way to end things. It is also quite expensive. Star rating: 2/5 ---- The food on the whole is absolutely delicious, but they also offer entertainment. Because the restaurant is small, it creates an issue hard to hear anything but the instruments and an uncomfortable environment to enjoy a meal. As the band that night was continuing to set up and prepare, the meal became less enjoyable because the acoustics in the restaurant are poor and made it harder to think straight. Once able, I paid my bill as quickly as possible got out of there before the band was able to really start performing. There was ringing in my ears for a time after I left as well. Lousy acoustics and dessert aside, this is a great way to try some authentic Alsace cuisine without having to fly to the region.

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    Werkstatt

    4.5(382 reviews)
    3.0 miFlatbush
    $$

    Really solid neighborhood joint. I first heard of this place featured from an episode on Eater with…read moreGeorge Motz saying he loved coming here, funny enough the day I went, which was 1/24/26, George was eating dinner at the bar. It's a cute place, nothing fancy but a place you really can come hang out any day of the week. If I lived in the area I could see my myself ending up here any day of the week. I guess that's why when I went with fellow Yelper Sara L she said she has gone many times and wanted to take me since she knew I would enjoy it. The food: Gebackene Champignons- Fried Mushrooms- OK to preface they are kinda plain and boring the first few pieces. But the more I ate it the more I was like wow, these are actually good and kinda addictive. I enjoyed these and I enjoyed they gave a nice big portion. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA&select=wXMnSOv4x6gNG-gHh3t40Q Potato Latkes- These were on the specials page and they were good, nice crunchy and fried well but these were mixed with something since the taste was a bit different and the color wasn't that nice golden brown color you associate with latkes. Goulash- This was a dish George had and honestly, they were amazing. Highly recommend. I thought the flavor but more importantly the texture was amazing. A lot of times when you have slow cooked beef, they could sometimes get stringy and chewy, no not here. Also the spätzle was a really great pairing. Mussels- These were some fat ass mussels. The flavor of them was good, the night I went they were spicyyyyyyy. This was a well made dish and i appreciate their creativeity but I do prefer a simple garlic shallot butter and white wine where I want to drink the broth afterwards. The broth on this was too spicy too drink. Roasted Boneless Pork Chop- Pork chops are always a gamble and the one here was just OK. The sauce it came in was nice, kind on the heavy side but a delcious cream sauce. The pork was cut super thin and unfortunely they came out dry and chewy. The fries were a nice shoestring fry which were nice and crunchy. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA&select=14_-Katrn9Glu-wA65-CHg

    One of my favorite local spots! 10/10 drinks and food! Also has one of the best burgers in the…read morearea! A lot of seasonal specials drinks and food wise. Great service and friendly staff, always cozy vibes.

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    Tender Braised Beef Gulasch with Spatzle

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    Zum Stammtisch - Bacon Bread Dumplings

    Zum Stammtisch

    4.2(680 reviews)
    5.9 miGlendale
    $$$

    This place is a long standing institution in queens and the interior reflects that. The decor…read more alone makes this place feel like such a special experience. I had a group dinner here for my parents and my boyfriend's mother to meet for the first time. This is perhaps not the perfect location for this type of thing, as it was extremely loud in the restaurant. Despite being very busy, the hostess made sure we had a comfortable table to sit at and were not too cramped. As expected, the beer selection is great and I enjoyed my Berliner Weisse very much. I ordered the goulash and kasespaetzle. The goulash was rich, well seasoned and filling. The spaetzle was soft and creamy, covered in lots of flavorful aged cheese with salty bacon bits and sweet onion. A very rich dish. Although I didn't technically order an entree, I still found myself pleasantly full at the end of the meal. The rest of my dining companions ordered either the schnitzel or the wurstplatte. All seemed very pleased with their food, and some even had leftovers to bring home due to large portions. This restaurant is certainly a fun spot to come, reservations recommended. There's a reason they've been open for so long.

    Delicious German food!…read more We came here for lunch and the restaurant is adorable. Filled with German decor and beautiful stained glass windows, this is a great spot for lunch or dinner. I had Schnitzel Holstein and my husband had prime rib. The food and drinks were all great. The service was quick and the servers friendly. Great place!'

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    Black Forest Brooklyn - Vegan schnitzel

    Black Forest Brooklyn

    3.5(486 reviews)
    0.8 miFort Greene
    $$

    nice and surprisingly big/spacious restaurant and cafe. I initially came to do some work, and…read moretreated it like a cafe. unfortunately the coffee menu is pretty sparse and leaves something to be desired (just iced tea and coffee), but it seems like a wonderful place to hang out as a bar. there's lots of fun items on their menu, and I also tried the pretzels, which came out fresh and warm. I saw they also have bar trivia and would definitely come back to try more foods on the menu! the service was friendly and the space was nice, particularly the booth and corner seating by the entrance with large windows.

    I ended up at Black Forest Brooklyn by accident. I had plans to drink and watch The Knicks play at…read morea spot nearby but that place was packed with people desperate to catch the bartender's attention. I wasn't in the mood to beg for drink service and I was also at "hangry" levels. Left out of there and I walked into Black Forest Brooklyn. Best decision I had made all day. It was cozy and dimly lit inside. The atmosphere was more like a pub than the usual loud, beer garden. They also had The Knicks game showing on the big screen at the bar but this place wasn't spilling over with people. I asked for a menu and decided on a burger of course! Out of pure greed, I requested a double. I did NOT need a double. My burger was sooo good. Patties were perfectly well done and the cheese was smooth and melted nicely. The sautéed onions added extra flavor and I really liked the shoestring fries. I'm more of a steak fries person but these were great! I asked the bartender to suggest a beer that had a Blue Moon quality since they don't actually serve that brand. She gave me a sample of something from the tap that was on point, so I went with a full glass. Whenever I'm craving the perfect burger and beer combo, Black Forest Brooklyn will be at the top of my list from now on.

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    Spritzenhaus 33

    Spritzenhaus 33

    3.7(622 reviews)
    3.3 miGreenpoint
    $$

    I read some of the other reviews and don't dispute the comments about stickiness, etc. But, IMHO,…read morethis place is 5 stars for what it is, which is a very large beer hall that's a super fun place to hang and gets incredibly busy. (If that's not your jam, don't go!) But, if that is your jam, here are some of the things I love: 1) The service has always been attentive and fast, even when they're crazy busy. This is hard to do, and is appreciated! 2) This is a great place to go during the summer with outdoor seating, or in the cozy winter. 3) I love that they have abundant jenga and big tables. We roll in with 6-15 people every time we go, and have always found a place to sit. We've probably been 15 times so far. 4) The beer selection is great 5) The food is surprisingly good, and super fast! All in all, a great, casual place to hang with friends, any day of the week.

    I've visited this place a couple of times, including yesterday. If you're day drinking in the…read moreWilliamsburg area, it seems like the place to be. There is a ton of seating, and a large fireplace, as well as various games like Jenga four tables to play. It tends to get really packed in here and so it was a bit chaotic, however, the music was good and not too loud. This is a beer, forward place, with cider wine, cocktails, and some nonalcoholic drinks available as well as food. I had a Mezcal cocktail yesterday as well as a glass of Pinot noir, and both were pretty underwhelming. It's not somewhere that I would voluntarily go, as a crowd is a bit on the younger side (mid 20s) and it does give a "post college" vibe, but I can see why it's popular. One of the urinals apparently had vomit in it all afternoon which tracks. Service is generally quick but you have to go up to the bar to order. Crowded and a bit rowdy. Good for bar crawls.

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    Menu

    Black Forest - beergardens - Updated May 2026

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