I was in the mood for a burger on Saturday, and my fellow burger hunting wife had heard good things about Henry Public. Great, old-timey feel. She went with the popular turkey leg sandwich and I the burger. I also had a seasonal Kolsch if I am being completely honest. Anyway, I like my burger dressed a certain way. They typically just have pickles on the side, but they made it happen with the lettuce, tomato, and onion. I was very impressed by that. The burger was very good. Cooked the perfect medium, as I requested. Fries are good, too. If you have read any reviews, you know the turkey leg sandwich is great. No complaints there. I'd like to think that service is the only aspect that keeps this from being a five star review. (Server was cordial, but not attentive) I personally don't like to complain about prices, as I can find that information before choosing to dine there. But I do think that the sandwiches could be 3 or 4 dollars cheaper than they are. That being said, I really enjoyed the food and would recommend it if the price (and cash only stipulation) jive with you. read more

Inconsistent service and the meanest, rudest waiters and bartenders. I used to love this place. They have one of the best dishes to eat in all of Downtown Brooklyn; however, my last three visits have turned me off and I'm not going back. Usually, I would just say, "Oh well," and never return, but I don't think they deserve to prosper anymore. They are inconsistent with their standards (sometimes they let you order the turkey leg sandwich with the meat on top of the fries, other times they do not; sometimes they let you place an order to go if you've been drinking at the bar and just want to take something with you; other times they do not). However, the biggest turnoff is the staff!!! I understand that the venue is going for a certain feel and vibe - and maybe they want the staff to look and act a certain way - but, goddamn, at least be nice to your customers. read more

I'm sure this will be great when I'm the first one there for happy hour in 2 hours, 39 minutes and 59 secs... 58... 57... :P Fast forward. Henry's Public is a place I would bring friends... but not too many of them. Mostly, just because we'd have trouble getting a table, but also bc I wanna keep it on the down-low. It will never be one of those beer-in-plastic cup places. Rather, expect cozy couples and mellow groups who value good conversation and a steady drink over the high scene. The atmosphere invites, with its friendly neighborhood vibe, nostalgic old school décor, and jazz age music. A limited selection on tap suggests careful culling, as does its small menu of simple gourmand eats. No grand opening happy hour specials, but maybe I'd return just to try the turkey leg sandwich... (3.5 stars) read more

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Was visiting a gf that lives in Brooklyn... she recommended the place as she'd been there before. I'm not much of a drinker, so I can't comment on any of the beverages, but I will comment on the food, service, and atmosphere. Food: We had the turkey leg sandwich. Yum! Definitely worth it as I only ate half and saved the other half for another meal. It wasn't what I had pictured in my mind, but there was a lot of meat and all very tasty. It's a messy sandwich meant to be eaten with a fork and knife, I think. The fries were really great as well! My friend polished off her fries before even digging into the sandwich. We also shared the bone marrow. If you're an adventurous eater, it's worth a try. May be a bit salty, but great flavor none the less. For dessert we shared the Wilkinsons. If you love donuts or funnel cake or caramel - you'll enjoy this. Overall the food was fantastic. Service: Very nice folks... no complaints here. The guys were very courteous and helpful. Plus they all played the part and looked very much as tho they fit the scenery. It's a hipster thing, I guess. Atmosphere: We got there before it got crowded, which was good because we got seated quickly. One of the drawbacks is the restroom. It looked as though there was only one - a single unisex restroom way in the back and some unfortunate people got stuck sitting at a table next to it and it's growing line. As people have mentioned, it's got that 1800 decor and feel, and gets kinda dark. I personally like it. But the place fills up quickly and gets loud. On the Friday night that we were there, there was a very loud group 2 tables away. This is a cool date place, but not a romantic-date place. I enjoyed it and I wasn't even on a date! I will also note that there were a few other Austinites that reviewed this place and commented on the expensive prices for the food. What's missing here is managed expectations... this is NY, not TX (and certainly not Austin, where food and beverage prices are much cheaper because cost of living in general is cheaper compared to NY). If I find myself in Brooklyn again, I'd go back to try other items. read more

Henry Public - The Wilkinsons - Gastropubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Ok this quirky bar is still quirky and I am just not enough of a drinker to appreciate the quality of the cocktails they make but I must say I was pleasantly surprised by Henry Public's brunch. After walking down Atlantic at 2pm on a Sunday in search of a place that would seat 5 of us and repeatedly being told the wait would be 45 minutes, we arrived at Henry Public and sat at the bar enjoying some drinks waiting for our table which only took 15 minutes. Score! The menu is small, but everything on it looked delicious. They also have daily specials. My recommendation is to get an order of the Wilkinsons (dough balls with jam) and the Sweet & Salty French Style toast for the table and then order your own meal on top of it. It's a lot of food but then you don't have to make the decision between a sweet brunch or a savory one like the Turkey leg sandwich (which is enormous) or an egg dish. I'm not sure I've ever been to Henry Public during daylight before but it gave me a chance to appreciate the decor a lot more than I do during my night visits. You feel like you're sitting in someone's dining room in the 1800's (and you probably are). My only complaint is a minor one. There seemed to be only one waitress for the entire restaurant which slowed things down a bit. It's not enough of a minus for me not to return. Excellent brunch! read more

Great local pub with authentic feel and great drink selection! I really like it! Highly recommend :)

Very cool old school bar. They had live music when I went in on a random Sunday. It was late afternoon and only a few people in the bar, but the band was still on. To say the decor is vintage would be understating it. The walls have aged photos. The bathroom looks like an elementary school. There are folding chairs to sit on. They don't have the most beers, but what they have is decent. Definitely worth stopping in for a low key drink. read more

This place is so cozy and the food is yummy. Very much comfort food. I also received great customer service. I can't wait to visit the area again so I can stop by here. read more

I've always maintained that the Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill area of Brooklyn feels much like parts of the East Bay. I guess that's why I feel comfortable and at home when I visit my girlfriend in Brooklyn. Families, dogs, hipsters, local businesses, farmers markets, foodie-centric activities - it's all there. When we visit we usually spend the majority of our time in Manhattan, but during this last trip my girlfriend insisted on a Brooklyn food/drink centered tour. Our first stop of the tour; Henry Public. Stepping into the gastropub made me feel like I was in one of the many new spots popping up in Oakland. Historic building rehabed to its original era. Check. Requisite amount of Bay Area-looking hipsters. Check. Cocktail list that includes rye, whiskey and absinthe. Check. Menu containing the words "house-made" and "grass fed." Check. My girlfriend had been raving about these smoked almonds for a few weeks prior to our visit and I was able to taste them for myself and let me tell you, they were worthy of the hype. Served warm and with just the right tinge of smokiness, the nuts were a nice treat that went well with our wonderful cocktails. I asked the bartender if the kitchen was willing to divulge its smoked almond recipe, but unfortunately they were tight lipped about those almonds. My husband claims he can recreate them at home. It's been about a month and I'm still waiting. read more

Henry Public - Those heavenly smoked almonds. - Gastropubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

On a chilly windy winter night, the warmth and bustle of Henry Public is the warm fireplace that welcomes you home. I had moved out of Brooklyn over a few months ago and returned for the first time to venture Henry Public. I forgot how quiet Brooklyn was...but no matter how silent the night outside, inside of the gastropub, it was hoppin'. My friend and I first got a drink at the bar. The first thing I noticed was the bartender with the trademark suspenders. It was difficult to get to the bar because it was pretty crowded. I ordered the Ward Sex, which was really good and very strong. I loved the icecubes and the fresh fruit garnishes. We moved to a table and ordered the bone marrow, juniper pickles and french fries. The french fries were a bit over-salted, but otherwise, everything was excellent. The hostess and the waiter were extremely helpful and friendly. Bummers are: no place to stand if it gets very busy and their policy is no table unless you are eating. Also a bummer is cash only. Nonetheless, I would definitely return! read more

If you walk in here, it's going to feel like you stepped back in time. It's like an old house became a bar/kitchen for locals to escape the norm. I've yet to try the food, but drinks are great (albeit expensive for this area) and there's live entertain regularly. My favorite drink is the sweet liberty smash -- yum! OH, it's cash only, so remember to bring a $100 bill for ya drinks! read more

A king among bars! Great menu of traditional-style cocktails and no-frills (but delicious) food. This place is simplicity at its finest. The decor is cozy and comfortable, one might even say romantic, complete with fireplace in the back area. It's like a Clover Club minus the pretension for locals. read more

Henry Public - Drink menu - Gastropubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A great local haunt... This is my go to during the winter and on Sundays. The atmosphere hardens back "old" New York, circa turn of the century. That alone, keeps me coming back regularly. As for the food -- the turkey sandwich is a must, followed by the marrow bones -- also, a hidden gem is their vegetable side dishes. They usually roast them and offer a mixed variety hat usually rotates (carrots were amazing) Check out Sunday's when they have live jazz -- outstanding trio who take requests... Overall: love this place and so should you!! Also a great place to have a drink while you wait for your table at Hibino sushi (not to be missed) read more

great place - GET A NEW HOSTESS - who cares that she can sing on Sundays - she's so rude

Phenomenal burger, great martini, intimate pub vibe. All you could ask for in a neighborhood spot

Great drinks menu, and bartenders who know how to make the classics, too. Laid-back, rustic saloon atmosphere. Very pleasant place to spend time with friends. Turkey leg sandwich is out of this world. read more

Three and a half stars really. Henry Public is super-cozy and a great place to hide away from a cold autumn wind. The menu is very limited, but what they have is mostly done very well. The burger was truly fantastic. Possibly the best I've had. The meat was so tender and juicy that it melted in my mouth and it was seasoned to perfection. Unfortunately, the fries that came with were burnt tasting and a huge disappointment. They may need to change their oil more frequently. We also had the marrow bones -- the marrow tasted great, but I'm not sure I'll eat it again because it's a little to graphic for my taste. The house made relish or whatever it was that accompanied the bones was yummie. All in all, an interesting adventure that's worth doing once. Finally, we had an order of Wilkinsons, which are deep fried doughy things that you dip in syrup. Our server recommended that we have them along with a dark beer -- which was a great idea -- breakfast of champions for sure. Really yummie. Funny that they didn't taste burnt. Perhaps they were cooked in different oil than the french fries, or perhaps the oil wasn't the problem with the fries -- just that they cooked them too long. Anyway, eat Wilkinsons. The cocktails were good too (but the Clover Club still has the best cocktails in the area). Recommended. read more

Henry Public - Gastropubs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

A great little pub Fanatic burgers and wine. Plenty of outdoor seating as well as indoor seating. Super friendly.

SHAME!.... SHAME!..... SHAME! Is what I am yelling at myself for waiting 3 FREAKING YEARS to come here! I live like 3 blocks away, and here you are.....waiting patiently in all your magnificent glory. Cozy and classic atmosphere that is both vintage and perfectly inviting for any group of friends. SHAME! $5 beers during happy hour. SHAME! Bone Marrow app that my friend licked clean after all the succulent buttery marrow was scarfed. SHAME! (ok, on him this time) The Turkey Leg Sandwich......Tenderly moist turkey leg meat piled to the clouds with a fried onion topping and sliced homemade pickles on the side if you so choose to add them. All placed in between the heartiest thick cut multi grain bread. The BEST Turkey sandwich I dare say I have ever had! DELISH! SHAME!!! For all these glorious blessings brought on to my neighborhood, and for ignoring the Henry Public sign for so long. I....am....SHAMED. (Cue me walking home butt naked with turkey sandwich in hand) read more

This is one of our go-to spots in Brooklyn Heights! Even with the Covid restrictions the atmosphere is still great and the service is fast. The two best things on the menu are the turkey sandwich and the cheese burger. Both are consistently some of the best menu items we have found. Seats fill up fast on weekends and the only downside is there are currently no reservations, so you have to put your name in and be here when it's called. But the takeout option is still there if you can't get a table. We highly recommend this spot if you are in the market for tasty, warm, comfort food. Enjoy! read more

I have to start of by saying two stars were docked for the service. I never rate a place based off service but this was unbelievable. My group got to the restaurant around 6 and were told it would be a 20 minute wait to get our table. We ordered drinks while waiting and then 40 minutes later inquired about the wait time. She said she'd set up our table and seat us in 10 minutes. 20 minutes later a new waitress came by who'd just gotten on the shift and told us our waitress didn't realize we wanted a table. Turns out she gave our table away. So they said it would be another 30 minute wait. We patiently ordered fries and another round of drinks while waiting. Another 40 minutes go by and I inquired about the wait time. The new waitress tells me to go sit down because it had only been 15 minutes (it was actually 40). We decided to politely grab our checks and the waitress brings an apologetic basket of fries. So the whiskey sour was pretty good, but nothing spectacular (even with the egg whites). The smash drink was bitter. The fries were really awesome. Disappointed would be an understatement to describe how I felt because I was really looking forward to trying their food. read more

Terrible attitude, terrible service. Never received an order of fries & drinks are mediocre. Waited for our check forever. Not coming back.

What a hidden little local spot! HP has a very historic, classic, vibe to it - from it's wooden pub-type atmosphere, candle lit tables, and old photographs of dead, famous folks like Fredrick Douglass (not sure why). Excellent cocktails, and if you are looking to order food from the menu, I recommend snagging a table in the small back area to avoid the louder bar scene. As everyone who goes here says - just order their famous Turkey Leg Sandwich w/ fries ($18) - a giant pile of moist, flavorful, rich, shredded turkey (think pulled pork style!) served in a perfectly charred thick toast. This isn't your basic dry Thanksgiving turkey, folks. Don't hesitate on ordering it, even if you aren't the biggest turkey fan. Their fries were also on point - perfect amount of crisp and chew. We also tried their bone marrow w/ toast dish, which was forgettable. It was quite dry and required a lot of effort to scoop out the tiny marrow from the bone. read more

I was exhausted and starving. At the moment when I thought all hope was lost, Henry Public's turkey leg sandwich restored my body and mind to full health. Great cozy interior evokes European pubs. Great service. Will come back. read more

Wow. Steampunk wait staff and a little handbill menu. I was really starting to miss 1911. The best thing about 1911 was the grilled cheese sandwiches with apple slices. It is also a matter of known fact that "medium rare" hamburgers were served crispy in those days. But here's the real thing. It's a cockish "cocktail bar" so I'll order a cockish cocktail. The base of a French 75 isn't lemon juice. It's Champagne and dry gin at a 5:2 ratio. And it's served in a Collins glass. It's not surprising that the clowns behind Brooklyn Social are the purveyors of this anachronistic nonsense. The pickles are really, really good. read more

I'm getting a little bored with all the new restaurants in Brooklyn. They're all either homey, romantic settings serving modern takes on Southern-influenced comfort food. Or they feature a menu of pub fare in an old fashioned wood-heavy locale designed to be a throwback to an era of New York's colorful past. Of course I'm over-simplifying the diversity of Brooklyn. I know I'm being unfair. But Henry Public is the latest in that trend. It's an old-fashioned pub(lic) with historic pictures and gas lamps hanging on the walls. The menu features modern riffs on classic cocktails and limited but intriguing dinner options. They have your typical burger, oysters on the half shell, and bone marrow (!?) The Turkey Leg sandwich sounds absolutely delicious - much like a pulled pork sandwich but with moister turkey and hopefully reminiscent of a Southern Thanksgiving. Images of those big roasted turkey legs from Disney World come to mind. And with my love for pulled meat sandwiches, I was excited about this unique idea. It worked better on paper for me. And how could this live up to my imagination? The dark meat of the leg must have been braised in a heavy gravy sauce before being pulled and sandwiched between a pair of nicely toasted rye bread slices. The turkey was sort of unrecognizable. It was so rich and thick that any possible lean qualities that turkey possesses flew out the window. Topped with frizzled onions and served with crispy french fries, it tasted alright. It was overly peppery and I could feel the meat sticking to every organ in my stomach. If I'm going to put myself through all this, I'd rather just eat a pulled pork sandwich. The burger fared better since it was not re-invented but rather just simply done with good ingredients. We also had smoked almonds as an appetizer and these make a perfect bar snack to pair with whiskey. And you'd think it was in their cocktails where Henry Public would shine. The cocktail list was short but varied and the prices were a few dollars less than similar saloons in Manhattan. But I think the reason they're cheaper is because I'm convinced our drinks were watered down. I could hardly taste the booze in either and considering the ingredients were mainly hard liquors like scotch and absinthe, I expected to have a slight buzz going. And although the concoctions sounded interesting, they were both rather flat and the flavors didn't blend well together. Maybe it was the addition of water??? I wish I wasn't so down on Henry Public. The service was nice, the food was fresh, and the speakeasy-feel was charming. But I've been here (not here exactly) and done that one too many times before. And in order to stand out from the crowd, there's got to be something special. And strong drinks would be nice. -eatthisny read more

Decent drinks, ridiculous table policy. My friends and I visited on Saturday afternoon after a visit to the Transit Museum. Two of us had burgers and two of us had drinks and some snacks (the roast almonds were excellent). We each had a nice pricey cocktail ($10-11 each) plus the food. Then a couple more friends joined us and they had drinks. Our nice waitress mentioned that she was going off shift and that we should settle up our bill. We assumed that we would just start a new tab with the next waitress. Guess we were wrong. We waited with emtpy glasses for quite a while then finally flagged down the new waitress to order more drinks. She deferred to another employee who told us that the tables were for people ordering food only and that "we would be welcome to hang out at the bar" which would have meant standing in an open space by the door which was freezing due to the sub-20s temp outside. Here's my reasoning for being irritated by being kicked out of our table: 1. The most expensive item on the menu is a $16 burger (if I'm remembering correctly). The cocktails are $10-11. We would certainly have had at least two cocktails each, probably more. Who has more than one burger? The economics of reserving your tables for food only when you have a tiny menu and your drinks are more expensive than the food makes no sense to me. If you want to be a restaurant, focus on the food. If you want to be a fancy cocktail joint with interesting food, thats fine too, but then you have to allow people to purchase your cocktails. 2. We had already spent close to $150 with tip, why not let us spend more? 3. There was no one actually waiting for a table. So why rush us out of our seats to a cold, drafty space next to the door? Our experience at Henry Public was so typical of Brooklyn bars these days: interesting ideas, creative concepts, good food and decent drinks but total failure in giving a good customer experience. At the end of the day, square ice cubes and grass-fed beef are merely window dressings. read more

I guess a smile is too much to ask for. Interestingly, this place has charm to burn. It has an old world vibe and decor that just brings you right in. You want to love this place. You want to "fit in" to this cozy little world, a world that makes you wish you wore more bow ties. The charm ends about there though. The service - the whole lot of 'em - couldn't be more disinterested if they tried. I've been here a few times over the past year and the service is consistently cold, icy, distant. The bartenders are prompt, but in an aggressive "let's get this done" way. I've never wanted to "hang out" here, because the service is so flat and weirdly intense. No smiles. No "thank you's." Nothin'. I had an Oddfellow cocktail, and it was quite fine. (The cocktails are inventive and done well.) The last time I went, Saturday midday, the place was packed, to a degree I suspect reviews of HP are irrelevant. My hope though, is that someone who works there reads this, and attempts to learn & share the fine art of being hospitable. read more

I know ppl who really really like this place. I think its just meh. The cocktails are well-made, but expensive for the neighborhood. And worse expensive to be cash only. The burger and fries are really good, but the service is kind of terrible. Sure, the waiters/waitresses are dressed in old-timey getups to help with the ambiance and its cute, but they are not very attentive - and the bartender won't serve you if you are at a table. So, you just end up sitting there waiting to try to catch Mr. Handlebars Mustache on your way to the restroom. Poor service is something I can't forgive. Sorry. I can get a great burger and fries at plenty of other places (for far cheaper). Also, the place gets loud. REALLY REALLY LOUD. Like scream to be heard by the person sitting directly to your left loud. In my mind, good food and cocktails cannot make up for poor service, overly loud and cramped space, and expensive eats/drinks. read more

This place should be called fake handlebar mustache. Staff in cheesy speakeasy getups. Loud. Doesn't know whether it wants to be a bar or a restaurant. Snob atmosphere. These speakeasies could be fun, but when they take themselves seriously it just seems ridiculous. read more

I love this place, but I can see how HP gets mixed reviews. If you haven't been, here's what I think you should know. - It's really small. People bring groups all the time, especially (for some reason I can't fathom since this place is really about the booze and not the food) groups with children and large strollers. And I see the servers do the best they can to accommodate them, but this is really a much better place to go when there's 4 or less in your group. - For what you're getting, it's going to seem pricey. I agree the drinks are fantastic (Patience cocktail is my favorite), and I could go on and on about the perfection of the breakfast sandwich or the Brussels sprouts. But not everything is going to blow your mind. I am happy to pay for a little more for the atmosphere and convenient location. Plus, I now know what I like to order. But if you're the kind of person who would be annoyed by a $20-30 bill for a sandwich and 1 drink, then skip it. You're not going to love the atmosphere enough to make up for the price. - The servers and bartenders are actually very nice people. I've dealt with some who were just polite and others who were extremely friendly. But there are some sure fire ways to get bad service. Take big groups elsewhere (see point 1). Don't be in a rush. Try somewhere else if you want a night out on the town. HP has more of a stand-around-and-chat vibe. If you're not sure about the place. Come for lunch on a week day. It will be much slower, and you can get a better idea if it's the kind of place you'd like without a $60 drink bill. read more

I have been to this bar a few times before. The cocktails are well-crafted, the service is friendly, and it is a charming, old-time allure. The reason for the five stars, though, is that last night my (now) fiancé and I were treated like royalty. I had just proposed, and we were seeking a local place to celebrate. We sat down at the very first table near the window. A waiter came right over to us as my fiancé excitedly examined the engagement ring I had given her just 20 minutes or so prior. The waiter asked "Is that new?" She said "Very." The waiter smiled and congratulated us, and then brought us two complimentary glasses of champagne. We also got a third glass. We asked for the check, which simply said "Congratulations". Thank you, Henry Public, for your generosity and for giving us a moment we won't soon forget. read more

Three years later Still phenomenal Turkey-leg sandwich Still great atmosphere and great cocktails and beers Turns out they have a great burger too - albeit on the small side... read more

At first glance, Henry Public is exactly what I'm looking for in a restaurant. Or bar. Or public house, I guess. Dark wood, candlelight, smoky mirrors. The bartender was even wearing a vest (!) and a mustache (!!) and drying a glass (!!!) when I walked in. The cocktail list looked decent, and the prices were reasonable. I went with a beer, but tried my friends' drinks- they were good, and strong. The menu wasn't as inspiring- only a few entrees to choose from, but they all sounded like great choices. I ordered a "hamburger sandwich" with cheese, and my friend had the turkey leg sandwich. I wasn't sure how a hamburger sandwich would be different from a plain ol' burger, but I found out when I received my order. The chef should be applauded for his/her remarkable restraint. The sandwich was about the size of a slider, an overcooked patty placed on a brioche bun with a sprinkling of melted cheese. I ate it in about 30 seconds, and then spent 5 minutes explaining to my friends how small it really was, and how hungry I was, and how much not of a pig I was. In the hamburger sandwich's defense, the fries that accompanied it were delicious and bountiful. However, the $14 price tag that accompanied it was the opposite of delicious. Want bacon on your hamburger sandwich as well? That'll be $17! Those kinds of prices are fine when they reflect the quality of the food, but they just don't here. What the prices also didn't account for was the pain and suffering my friend and I experienced a few hours after we left the place. I won't go into details, but I spent a good chunk of the night embracing the cool tiles of my bathroom floor. I haven't gotten food poisoning since I was a kid, and it was really surprising that it would happen on a Monday night at a pretty upscale restaurant. To put it mildly, I was kinda bummed by the my overall experience. I'll probably come back here for drinks since it's close to my school and my friends seem to like it. But I'm definitely staying away from the food- I don't even wanna know what would have happened if I got the bone marrow. read more

Absolutely my favorite bar in Brooklyn. The drinks are amazing and always have a perfect balance to them. I've had many drinks off their menu but I really enjoy just talking to bartender and letting them know my favorite types of liquors and flavors are and letting them decide what drink to make for me. As far as the menu goes... everything I've tried has been delightful. The roasted bone marrow is great but the portion is a little small (or maybe I'm just gluttonous when it comes to marrow). The oysters are always fresh and lovely. My favorite go to meal is the grilled cheese sandwich, I'm not entirely sure what blend of cheeses they use but I can never get enough of it and the fries on the side always takes me to my happy place. I crave their fries on a weekly basis. I tend to go here on weekdays in order to avoid the crowds that sometimes can get obnoxious on the weekends. In general I tend to ignore everyone in a bar who's not in my group but the weekday crowds are far more tolerable. Me no like the budding hipsters that come here and exude arrogance on Friday's and Saturday's. If you're iffy on visiting Henry Public, just give it a shot. Go on a weekday and give yourself a chance to really get a feel for the place. The bartenders, bar backs, and waitstaff are all friendly and interesting people. I've never had one bad experience in my year and a half of going there. I always leave with a drunken smile and already plotting my return. read more

*Now accepting credit cards* I could have loved this place. The decor is cozy and charming, and the turkey leg sandwich & fries are perfect comfort food. Great cocktails. But the service! I can't think of an excuse for how inattentive and slow the employees on the floor were. It was a quiet night and the bartender had plenty of time to chat with a friend & eat dinner while we waited for the waitress to appear... and waited for our drinks to appear... There seems to be some confusion & lack of communication between employees- or maybe they're just uninterested. Left us feeling not quite relaxed. read more

Dear Management of Henry Public, Your restaurant is beautiful. It's easy to do the whole "pre-prohibition," wainscoted, Edison bulb thing following the tedious and cynically conceived blueprint set down by many of the other wannabe vintage joints, (see Rye in Brooklyn for an example of it being done badly) but I am happy to say you pulled it off very very well. Sadly, that is where my praise ends. Had drinks and dinner a couple weeks back and was sorely disappointed (I'm happy that your bar area became packed on a Thursday night, but sadly the music only got louder as the din of the customers increased). By the time I left around 10 it was totally deafening and I was literally shouting to my friend seated 2 feet in front of me. The choice of music was also lame and painfully unsympathetic to the space. *Note to all restaurant/bar owners: music is intended to fill the silence of a sparsely filled room and add to the ambience. What the fuck is the deal with blasting music so that people need to shout over it at dinner? NO ONE enjoys it and it just makes you look like dicks. I digress. As for the food, I had the burger, which should be simple enough. I was pleased to see that grass fed beef was used, but sadly the preparation did no justice to the good meat as my "medium rare" burger came out medium well. I asked for it to be replaced and it was, which took another 15-20 minutes, at which time my friend was finished and I was just starting. Burger was still overcooked and disappointingly bland. The fries tasted out-of-a-bag. Didn't try the rest of the menu, but what I saw looked paltry when considering Henry Public's "gastropub" status. You guys have a great space. Would love to visit more, but it's just not very good. Sincerely, Sean read more

So how about a nice big helping of attitude with your $11 cocktail? I stopped in the other evening for a drink. The place looks great. Can't really comment on the food because I didn't have any. A lot of people around me were devouring french fries, which I guess is a good sign if you like fries. The problem however was how the staff talked to/and treated the customers. I haven't seen a bartender so pretentious in quite a while. She seemed to almost have a disdain for the customers, whether they be young or old. Everyone seemed to be dealt with in the same manner. So it's a shame that the warmth of the place, is not reflected in the staff's disposition. So if I'm looking to just have some drinks, I'd rather spend my time at Floyds, or Roebling Inn. read more

Great drinks, great atmosphere, tiny menu, CASH ONLY. More detail: Henry Public is a Brooklyn gastropub that invites comparisons to some of Manhattan's better drinking establishments. The glassware is identical, the pricing a bit reduced: $10 or $11 for specialty cocktails; about $9 for wine (a limited selection); $6 for draught beer (a small but solid selection). The burger starts at $13. Usually I am loathe to order a plain martini out at a place like this; they're so easy to make at home, what could justify the markup? The Henry's martini, made with two vermouths and a lemon twist, is the answer. The Brooklyn Ferry combines rye, maraschino liquor, absinthe, and a fired orange rind to fabulous effect. The specialty cocktail menu lists a dozen concoctions: two with egg white, two with champagne, one with rum, one with applejack. But the emphasis is clearly gin, whiskey, bourbon. The alcohol on hand is a short but well-chosen list of bottles: good depth in gin in particular. (Good vodka behind the bar, despite its absence in the cocktail list.) The food menu left me confused. Very small. A burger, turkey sandwich, grilled cheese. Very few sides. Two desserts. The side room makes me think they want to be a restaurant, but with a menu this pared down I would have a very hard time coming for dinner on any regular basis. For what it's worth, my burger was okay. The fries -- good, but not great -- were overwhelmed by the Heinz ketchup. The 'Wilkinsons' dessert is perfect for 2 or 3 people: a collection of 6 doughy, slightly sweet French toast balls with a side of caramel rum sauce. Would some small touches (homemade ketchup, or an aioli or two) help? Absolutely. The atmosphere, drinks, and service are 4-stars, easily. But with no real appetizers and a tiny selection of entrees, I can't imagine bringing friends here for anything other than drinks. And that's too bad. I want this place -- so close to my apartment -- to be *that place* -- my default comfort bar to spend a good hour or two with friends. Drinks and snacks, or drinks and dinner, on a snowy Brooklyn evening. Henry Public is close, but it isn't that place yet. I'll be back though to see if it reaches its potential. I sure hope it does! read more

Hipster-ass hipster food for hipsters. If you're a hipster, you'll love this place. I'm sure I'm too unironic and mainstream to understand the appeal of this place. As I sat down in the faux-old decor of the place and got my overpriced menu, I thought I might be in for a "treat". But my friend highly recommended the place, so I stuck around. By the time my 8oz Coca-Cola arrived -- complete in the old style bottle -- I knew I was right. It didn't get much better from there. I can appreciate a rare steak, and if the quality of the beef is high enough, I've even been known to tolerate a medium well burger. But a blue cheese burger shouldn't come out "blue" -- meaning completely cold in the center and the outside just seared enough to let you know it had seen a grill. I guess this is the ironic thing I just don't get. Either way, I really couldn't eat a two inch thick burger that was essentially a lump of raw ground meat. Fortunately, it was replaced with a proper medium burger, though this took quite a while to actually happen. However, the service was very good, and the fries were done just right. That saves this from being a one-star review, since I'm not a hipster and don't appreciate "fine" cuisine. read more