Chill bar with cool, amusing decor, very friendly, great staff and excellent vibe. They know how to make a good drink, and have interesting specialty cocktails. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves the night I went. Almost like going to someone's house for a party. So thumbs up to Branded as a bar. But please eat anywhere else before you go. The food is really overpriced and takes forever to arrive - and then when you finally do get it, it's just sad, sad, sad. Would not serve what was served to me to anyone. Worst. Pub. Grub. Ever. (How do you screw up french fries??!) read more

I caught an inviting red glow from the lights outside a bar on Vanderbilt I'd never been to before called Branded. Right before I walked in I realized there was a Wild West theme coming my way and my kitschy alarms went off... but only for a second before I was like, "wow this place is really cool." It doesn't feel faux of Friday's at all. In fact, it was a great atmosphere. I've never been in a real Wild West saloon, but it's now impossible for me to imagine what it might look like without thinking of that lantern, wagon wheel chandelier and rustic furniture. It looks like there's a live performance space, too, but i wasn't there on a show night so I don't know how that goes. Seems like it would be pretty intimate though and I wouldn't turn down an invitation. 'Nuff said about the decor though, back to business, I don't bar hop for the scenery, even if it is super cool, I was looking to drink. That's where the drink list came in, and it was as awesome as the ambiance. To get some warmth I started with hot spiked cider, so good, and then asked the bartender for a recommendation to pump my holiday spirit and ended up with a crazy spice wine, thinking in my head, "what is that fennel? cardamom?" It was delicious though. Had an Armored Palmer, too, which is Branded's delicious take on an Arnold Palmer... then things got hazy. There was enough beer to satisfy everyone and their uncles and more special drinks than you could do in one or two sittings. It's this drinkers opinion that they're well worth more sittings which I'll surely have in the very near future. Grubbed up right before the kitchen closed at 3am with some fried green tomatoes and a Frito pie. Wasn't expecting anything from a Frito pie based on the name but was drunkenly surprised. Still, I'd highly recommend the fried green tomatoes; it was my first, most certainly not my last, time. I was surprised to see some of the reviews taking apart the staff. I wasn't there on any of the nights mentioned but my bartender was a lovely young woman with great drink recommendations, speedy service, and a knack for good conversations. They probably switched up the staff since the prior reviews (I know I would have). So there you go. Not usually a five star guy but I think this place is well worth its salt and keeps up a pretty consistent good time. read more

The server was great a very accommodating but literally every thing we ordered was unavailable no wings ,no Stella's ...but otherwise a cute low key watering hole with good jams read more

Worst bar ever. It felt like an overpriced theme bar from Bleecker street or the East Village. The food was bad, the bartender indifferent, the drinks terrible and ridiculously expensive ($11 for a crappy Makers Mark manhattan), the music awful, the decor tacky, the bar sticky. Do not waste your time or money. I am a worse person for having gone to this place. There are a dozen better options in a five block radius. read more

Randomly stopped by for a mid week drink, ended up ordering food as well. The food was terrible, undercooked felt sick afterwards. Ordered a cocktail, was not good either. Don't really write reviews but this one was needed - Won't be going back. read more

After bringing up the incident with the owner, Gerard, he profusely apologized and offered a refund for my meal and drink. He took my e-mail address and sent a polite e-mail: "Again, I hope that you are able to accept my apology, and that you'll return to give us another try! I do want to stress that customer service is our top priority, and we want you to feel that you're at home when visiting Branded Saloon!" Sometimes people make mistakes, but it's how you recover from them that make the difference. read more

They need to fire the bouncer. He is rude and puts his hands on women in a manner that is overly-aggressive and unnecessary. Too bad because otherwise this could be a great bar with an AWESOME karaoke night and a lot of fun people, good drinks and great bar food. Unfortunately I cannot frequent this establishment and use my hard-earned dollars to further its business until that bouncer either lightens up or gets cut loose. And the manager who I complained to about the aggressiveness of the bouncer could use a brush-up course in customer service as well. So disappointing that one person can ruin this whole place for me, but his rudeness was handled very poorly and I left unsatisfied and frankly, frightened for myself and other women he encounters. read more

in retrospect, that generous shot of jameson was the last thing my teary-weary self needed. in retrospect, my jokes were not funny. in retrospect, i am completely in love with this bar. read more

Came here last night for a show. Service was fast and very friendly and our drinks were surprisingly very good. For some reason I expected them not to be but they were just as good as the speakeasy we went to before we came here. I can't speak on the food because I didn't have any but my friends who ordered food said they liked what they had. We talked about coming back because we had a good time here. read more

While walking around Brooklyn with friends we came across this joint with a sign saying "Bloody Mary Bar." Yes, you folks HAD ME at that :) Needless to say, we took a seat in one of the large booths and took turns at the bar. The staff was quite friendly and the wait was minimal. Burgers & fries were had by many and enjoyed by all. This place just exudes a cool ambience and the bathrooms have some sort of cowboy theme going on. In the middle of Brooklyn? Yup. I said it. Anyhow, we're coming back soon to celebrate my birthday here and check out the night life (they have live bands and other entertainment lined up). read more

We stopped here for some food and drinks after work. The place was not busy since it was only around 6:30. Someone took our order, and I hadn't gotten my food or drink 40 minutes later. Another staff said the other person had never put the order in, so I finally got my drink and waited another 20 minutes for food. I don't know what's going on, but we noticed that the table behind us also waited around an hour for food. They also grabbed my plate from the table before I was even done eating, and again... not busy, not like there was much else going on. Our table spent around $100 for food and drink and left feeling pretty bummed about the service, so we won't be back. read more

i'm not one to leave negative reviews lightly as I feel even if a mediocre time someplace can be chalked up to one bad experience, perhaps not indicative of the place overall. I've been to Branded a few times now, tonight being my third. The first two times I thought the place was pretty generic; they try to pull off a Texas vibe in appearance, but really in no other way. The hip hop music clashes with the country vibe. I would have given this place three stars or so up until tonight when I had a bit of a problem with one of the emplyees there. You see, I ride a fold up bike that I take all around the neighborhood. I've never had any problems taking it inside any bar or restaurant as it's small enough to hide out in a corner and not be in the way of anything. However, this evening at Branded, while my bike was tucked away out the way between a video game and a bench, an employee there told me it had to go outside with the rest of the bikes, I was a little surprised as it was out of the way and no one has ever expressed concern before. I tried to explain to him that I didn't have a lock and that if my bike was forced to leave, I too would have to leave. He told me if the bike was still there on his way back, he would personally escort it out.. which he did. He grabbed the bike and threw it onto the sidewalk where I picked it up, unfolded it and rode it home. Now, I've never ridden my bike anywhere where I thought it would be a problem.. a nice restaurant, small bar or wherever. My bike was out of the way, completely stashed away in a corner but that was not good enough so my bike was kicked out. Of the 200 places me and my bike have been this is the only place I ever had a problem and he was so incredibly rude about it on top of that. Go there if you want to go there, it's nothing fancy. The drinks are neither cheap nor expensive, the ambiance is forced and faked and the people are rude. read more

I've spent a lot of time in and out of places on Vanderbilt, but I never thought twice about Branded Saloon. This past weekend I wandered in with a friend from another neighborhood who was interested in their brunch menu (which is severed until 4 I believe). Since it was later on in the afternoon, we opted for more lunch style items but the brunch menu did sound great. First, I need to talk about the bloody mary bar: what an amazing idea! I've recently become a bloody mary connoisseur so I was giddy with the idea of a DIY mary. The pre-made mix was tasty and thick, and I was liberal with my garnishes--don't worry I saved some for the next person. Also, as others have mentioned, certain brunch drinks are only $1 for a refill if you order $10 of food or more. Best deal ever you guys. The food was your standard bar/pub grub. I got the empanadas, which were covered in a delish sauce and paired nicely with my spicy drink. The bar didn't fill up as we were there, but there was a steady crew drinking and another table that sat down after us. Service was great and friendly. I got a pretty good vibe from this place and can imagine that it is a chill bar to grab a drink later on at night. There is a first time for everything and I'm glad my first time at Branded Saloon went off smoothly (and a bit drunkenly, thanks to the bloody mary's). Next time I'm in the mood for something fried but still tasty, I'll head here. The various signs throughout the bar featuring karaoke nights caught my eye, so I'll need to check those nights out as well. read more

Came for brunch here and it was a fun experience. Great, relaxed atmosphere. Lots of great food options (including veggie options), nice beer selection and full bar. Will definitely be back soon! read more

When I first noticed Branded on a Saturday afternoon stroll, I popped my head in the door, eager to see what was inside. There were no surprises; it was exactly what one might expect from what was very clearly a Western-themed bar. My first thought was that it should be called Branded Bar... or something other than Branded Saloon, very simply, because it's not a "saloon". Having lived in the South for 6 years (and after extensive travel through nearly every Southern state), I've seen the real thing many times. Had I seen some dirty characters, beer cans on the floor, whores sitting on pool tables, jokers with only half a mouth of teeth playing weathered guitars on bar stools, and a near-fight over by a jukebox in some corner, I suppose then I might have been able to call it a "saloon". Nonetheless, I thought it was at least mildly interesting and came back later that day for a few (overpriced) drinks. The folks working there were bubbling with that just-opened bar sort of kindness. A so-so kind of experience. Yesterday, my girlfriend and I were on Vanderbilt considering our options and what do you know... we found ourselves at Branded. After walking-in and grabbing the table near the window, I headed to the bar... and this is where things went downhill. A questions I have for the hotshot bartenders at Branded: When you lethargically approach me (after me waiting for 5 minutes in an uncrowded environment), do I just tell you what I want? Or, will you at some point ask me if I'd like something? Just curious, because I wasn't sure what the hell was happening yesterday. And, after I finally give you my order, is it commonplace to do 5-6 other things (like refilling your ice machine) while I wait and watch? Hmmm. I think you can see where this review is going. (Nowhere good). After drinking our pints and watching a number of other customers experience the same lazy service, we were eager to get the hell out and go elsewhere. I go and stand at the bar and again, watch the hotshots play with the house iPod, joking with each other about random things, and basically acting like they can't see me for a few minutes (which I suppose I could forgive, had they both not at some point looked over their shoulder and made eye contact). I asked the young hipster server who was walking around if she could assist in getting me my check. Her response: "You can get it at the bar" - HA! Wow, I can? Thanks for your help! I finally raised my voice to the bartenders and kindly asked for my check. I got it, with no eye contact, no "thanks for coming", no-nothing. I really wanted to like Branded - but after yesterday, I'm not sure I can. Service is everything. And, it doesn't exist at this place. At even the most dingy "real" saloon type place I've ever visited, you'll at least get a "Howdy Partner"... or a "Y'all come back now, ya hear". I suppose I'm getting downright mean about the whole deal, but oh well. That seemed to be their attitude towards me, the customer. Places like this are exactly what bothers me about so many areas of Brooklyn. It's a terribly artificial and overpriced experience (which can occasionally be pulled off if the service is at least decent). Here, I really ended up feeling like I was in Orlando or Times Square. I'd put Branded in the same category as that ESPN Zone Restaurant... or maybe The Disney Store. So that's my two cents. Oh, and just one more question for the bartenders... is Johnny Cash the only thing you feel like you can play? I suppose in this make-believe Western setting, it's what YOU feel most comfortable with. read more

LOVED IT. Branded Burger = best burger I have had in some time (bourbon sauce, fried onions, delicious crispy bacon, blue cheese). Good fries, good pulled pork sliders. Cider on tap (Original Sin tastes SO much better on tap than in the bottle), good music, great bar, pool table downstairs. Went for drinks, thrilled with the food, missed out on karaoke as i had to leave (this was Thursday night), will be back to jam. Kinda makes me wish i lived in Prospect Heights, and I love my 'hood, so that's saying a lot. Back soon to try more stuff, including FRITO PIE!!!!! The sign says the kitchen stays open til 3AM. 3AM!!!! read more

There should be something wrong with drinking a whisky bacon milkshake on a Tuesday night but alas there isn't and I did. Also if you're a lady who likes the ladies you'll want to pay this place a visit. The gamut seems to run from cute lipstick gals to oh-damn-you're-a-chick. read more

Strange place. Service is hit and miss. For a bar like this, I thought the prices would be more reasonable. There are lots of strange, hidden away rooms with people coming in and out. And this place gets BUSY with a very odd mix of people. Pool was fun until it became a crowded mess in the tiny room dedicated to the table. I think I just expected a more laid back and relaxed place than it ended up being. read more

Placed an order via seamless at 9:19pm on a monday night. at 10:40pm I called the restaurant to inquire to the location of my food. The barteneder said it was busy and as barteneder there was nothing she could so but my food was ready and they were just waiting for the delivery guy to get back. I called again at 11pm, no longer hungry and ready to go to bed, only to hear again about how busy they were. The food arrived at 11:10pm, one hour and 51 minutes after I placed the order, and the food was cold by the time it arrived. Oh i forgot to mention that I live a block and a half away from branded saloon. This was my first time ever having branded, I have always heard good things but i didn't experience it myself. Maybe I would eat there one day but I will never order delivery from them again. read more

I live across the street, catty corner from Branded. You'd think that it would be far enough away that I wouldn't be able to hear the music they're playing right now after midnight on a weeknight, but you would be wrong. Admittedly, it sounds fun - I've heard some Prince, Salt n' Peppa and The Jackson 5 since I got into bed - but not so much fun for this cranky old 36 year old lady who has to get up at 7 for work. It seems worse than usual during the last few nights, so I'm wondering if they got new speakers or something. Anyway, my earplugs aren't even helping right now. Please do something about the volume of the music, Branded. Or at least reduce the bass, which is the worst part. If I notice a difference within the next week, I'll gladly revise this review. (I am giving you 2 stars instead of 1 because at least the music is good.) read more

Branded's owner, Gerard, reached out to me to offer vouchers for a complimentary meal after reading my review of our poor experience. I appreciate and am impressed by his responsiveness to customer feedback and his graciousness. read more

I came here only for a drink. The outside patio area and a cool summer night enticed me to hang out here. The beer was flat, as was the beer my company had. read more

I've been a customer here for about 3 years your brunch situation with $1 refills were amazing this new rule with $10 for a small jar is lame... This will be my last time here read more

Waited 15 minutes to be attended to while sitting at the bar, and 30 minutes for a Caesar salad in a half full establishment.. Nuff said. They were nice enough about it, for what that's worth.. With a wealth of other establishments in the neighborhood, I'll definitely make sure to skip Branded in the future. read more

Ordered from these guys several times-- often would take an hour to an hour and a half to get unsurprisingly cold and soggy food. My last order took over TWO HOURS. Staff was rude and arrogant. Like they're doing you a favor by taking your money. To top it off, they said they'd sent a dessert to make it up. Not so. This place plainly does not respect their customers. They should not take orders for delivery until they've resolved their incompetence. read more

Came here on a Thursday night for a good friend's going away party. Wasn't exactly In Love with their beer selection, but our whole group had an absolute BLAST with the back room karaoke. Tons of super talented singers and performers mixed in with drunk people just having a good time (see: me.) The Branded Fries I ordered to soak up all the beer in my stomach were delicious, although the $8 price tag was a little jarring. Very reasonably priced on everything else. Loved the atmosphere, will totes be back ASAP for more karaoke goodness. (Gotta make sure to squeeze in some "No Scrubs" before last song next time.) read more

I adore this place! My friend and I randomly dropped by a few weeks ago on a whim and the two bartenders working were total sweethearts. I asked if we could sing karaoke and they obliged and basically turned a run of the mill night into a total karaoke night- simply because we asked! It was amazing. The entire bar participated and it was great energy! Did I mention the drinks were delicious?! Great, chill atmosphere and great staff plus they also have a great queer drag night. Can't wait to go back! Branded staff, YOU ROCK! read more

Agree with the previous posts concerning poor music and spotty service. Two stars, one for the pool table, and one for the chef who seemed the only person willing to be nice to customers. Bartender was rude and acted as if he wanted nobody at all at the bar. Went in on a Friday night. A very short pour of Jim Beam Rye cost 10 dollars. Whatever, switched to Bud... at 5 bucks a bottle. My friend and I were willing to put up with the bartender's attitude for a few hours on the pool table in a deserted bar. But then the bartender told us the bar was out of quarters (?! Really? On a Friday night? In a bar with a pool table?) but helpfully recommended another local drinking establishment where we might go to get change for our stack of money. Turned out to be good advice. We spent our money somewhere else. read more

I love beer. And this place has a good selection of it. I mostly frequented this establishment on my days off for lunch. The vibe is a little different than at nightly when it gets a bit more lively. Still overall the tone of the place: low lighting and that rustic feel, makes you mellow even with the radio blasting and a cacophony of voices drowning out what you meant to say. I had my first taste of Islay scotch here. You gotta love them for that. read more

My roommate and I ordered delivery, when it finally arrived the Mac n cheese tastes like plastic! Yuck!

This is actually one of my favorite bars in BK and you can find my bf and I there on most Wednesdays. The reason why I didn't give it 4 stars is because the food is a hit or miss. The bourbon wings are the only thing on the menu that are good no matter what day you order them. The chili on the other hand was a huge disappointment. We has the chili fries one day and were amazed by how good it was. Then we go there on a thursday afternoon and the chili blowed! The only good thing about it was the 2 hushpuppies that topped it. Another thing is the friggin cocktail menu. I tried to order the whiskey milkshake on three different visits and they never have ice cream to make it. Why advertise an item that you never friggin have? Besides the food issues the staff and the atmosphere is what makes this place a win. read more

I went with a large group of people and our server, Adam, was completely on top of things, gracious and overall wonderful. It's a cute place and the fried pickles are to die. read more

I love this place, the food is to die for (seriously amazing barfood), the waitstaff is friendly and funny, and last night I went and had SO much fun with Karaoke in the back room. 5 stars!!! read more

Great, friendly neighborhood bar. Fantastic picklebacks. Trivia with Miss Mona the (notoriously tardy) drag queen is fun on Thursday nights - plenty of opportunities for free shots. Be careful with the food though -- after having eaten their food several times after a few drinks in, I went last night for a sober meal and was wholly disappointed by the flavorless, underdone $12 burger and the greasy fish and chips. the fries were limp. read more

Love the chicken caesar salad, currently waiting 45 min for one, it's not like they are busy on a Tuesday night. Very disappointed.

My new favorite place in the neighborhood! Went last night to see my friends band The Ziggernauts play in the back room, and we winded up staying to hear ALL the other Bands play. We were going to leave to grab a quick bite elsewhere and come back, I found out I didn't need to...ordered fish tacos, fresh and flavorful-yum . the "Branded Fries", Thick cut. Crunchy on the outside Soft on the inside-(for me that's a perfect fry! . ) w/ Fresh herbs and garlic. -Delish! Place was rocking in the Front and Back of the house. They were packed and Service was always w/ Smile. The owners and staff were Genuinely HAPPY to have your patronage (been to many places in NYC where they act as if they're doing you the favor to serve you food/drink) I found out the back room hosts all different types of events, and for the Branded Saloon to host/support the Local Music scene is A in my book. My friends and I will be definitely be back and SUPPORT our local gem in the neighborhood! read more

It's a quaint little place with a nice decor. It isn't loud and isn't very crowded. Generally a nice place to spend some time with friends. The staff is very friendly and will help you out if you have a problem. However. DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU WANT TO GET YOUR MONEY'S WORTH. You will not get it. I ordered a local beer (Brooklyn Blast) and was brought a small goblet-like glass the volume of which looked around 8oz. 10oz max. It was $8. It's a local beer people. It shouldn't cost $8. And it wasn't even a full pint!! The food was great, but again, the portions were tiny. Prices ranged from $8-$12. We got jalapeño poppers and empanadas. Each one was $8 and there were only three poppers and two empanadas. If you've got money to throw around, go here. If you like to feel like the money you've spent was worth it, skip. read more

One of my favorite local bars! This place has a juke box, karaoke, a pool table, air hockey, and fun games! Can't go wrong with a kitchen that stays open until 3am either!! And while you're drinking here, try their frito pies...delicious!! read more

Came here again on a Saturday night to watch my boyfriend's friend's band play. Overall it's a good venue and the staff was nice that night. A little odd the movie that was playing on the TV by the bar (first it was Alice in Wonderland on Netflix and then a bizarre movie with a penis with eyes chasing a girl). read more

It looks like a saloon... But it's a dive bar. I mean, if I dress up as a turkey it doesn't mean you'll want to eat me for Thanksgiving. So thumbs up for the effort to differentiate from all those other dive bars out there, but at the end of the day this place is exactly the same as all the rest. Plus some wild west memorabilia. Other than that, usual drinks & food that you can find everywhere else. Commendable effort in promoting young NYC musicians, though - they've often got live music so if you're looking to listen to some homegrown talent this is a good option. read more