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The Simpson Restaurant & Bar - BK

3.8 (582 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

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THE SIMPSON RESTAURANT & BAR - BK ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Trendy
Classy
Moderate noise

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Recommended Reviews - The Simpson Restaurant & Bar - BK

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Brown Stew Red Snapper
Paula J.

Finally! We are dining at The Simpson and it's what I hoped for. Diamond, our server was as warm friendly and professional as one can be. Great smile, great energy. The decor is lively, urban in the best ways, pictures or renderings of famous NY and NJ celebrities, high tables and tall chairs, beautiful brown leather and a very nice bar, I recommend the Sorrel with a spike, I had the wray nephew spike, it was great. For the main event I ordered the oxtail macaroni and cheese pie, it was excellent, hubby had the brown stew red snapper, he left the fish bones as dust . Our daughter had the Bourbon jerk baby lamb chops with mashed potatoes, delicious. Her significant other had the coconut curry salmon, also delicious. We will definitely be back. So in short, yes, it does live up to the hype.

Escoveitch Red Snapper w/ Festival
Simone M.

Walked in a holiday with a group of ten. The service and attentiveness we received was amazing. I enjoyed the fried to golden perfection red snapper. Also had a Ting with Wray & Nephew. Deliciously authentic Jamaican food!

Slow-Braised Oxtail and Butter Beans
Alexandr M.

I consider this place the "Applebee's" of Caribbean food . It was good but I've had better all over Brooklyn. The oxtail was tender just needed a lil more flavor. Don't get me wrong it was good. But I have to say this is my least favorite of oxtails that I've had. People say the rice is a lil dry. I concur, it's decent but a lil dry. Would I return? It's very possible but I wouldn't recommend you putting this on your "bucket list ". Service was great.

Cod Fish Fritters with Scotch Bonnet Aioli
Whitney S.

This restaurant was amazing. I walked in on a Saturday night 2 hours before closing. Me and my partner received the best service and the food was 10/10. The drinks were strong I got the rum punch. The food well seasoned and delicious. We had the oxtail with mac and curry chicken dinner. I can't stop thinking about it. I will be back.

The delicious Red Snapper, and Oxtail/Mac & Cheese Pie
Bridget E.

The moment we walked in, I knew we were in for an amazing culinary experience. It was my birthday weekend, and we were in New York for an extended stay. For my hubby, Brooklyn is home - and we always love exploring the new places the city has to offer when we visit. We had reservations, and were seated within 10 minutes, which was reasonable. The place was packed - everyone was in high spirits, and I was ready to taste some of the best Caribbean cuisine in the region. My hubby's best friend - a Brooklyn resident, joined us. He had been to the restaurant a few times - and had good things to say. We were not disappointed. I had the Brown Stew Red Snapper - *chef's kiss*. Hubby had the iconic Jerk Oxtail over Macaroni & Cheese Pie! The English language cannot convey the beauty of that combination! Tender, tender oxtail, falling off the bone with the creamy, cheesy mac & cheese! He wanted to savor that dish another day, so he got a to-go bag and took it back to the hotel! (I couldn't help but clean my plate - I was obsessed with the fish!) Our friend enjoyed the Hennessy Fried Shrimp (not pictured) - one of his favorite dishes at the restaurant. It looked delicious as well. For drinks, I had the Bob Marley cocktail. A colorful drink - flavorful - and effective! There were people celebrating their birthdays throughout the night - and the wait staff goes IN! I was enjoying watching at least 10 people receive the Stevie Wonder "Happy Birthday" song while we were there. Imagine my surprise when it was my turn! My birthday was the day before, and we had already celebrated in Manhattan. Having two special recognition events made the evening that much more special! Shout out to the Simpson crew who came with the song, the rhythm, the sparkling cake, and the good vibes! My 70th birthday was exceptional - without a doubt. The Simpson added the touch I needed. We'll definitely go back next time we're in Brooklyn!

Menu
Shaleah T.

Initial walk in, the greeting was prompt and warm. We were seated quickly and received water after a short wait. I asked for bottled still water, but the staff member didn't know what they offered, so I decided to wait. Our server came over for drink orders and she was very warm and kind. She took our full order at once. I asked again about bottled water and she confirmed they had Voss, which was perfect. I requested ice on the side. When the water still did not come, I asked a third time. At that point, she told me they only had sparkling water. Ma'am... were you ever going to tell me? Or was I supposed to just sit there guessing and waiting? I was two seconds from going to grab a bottle out of my car. Food: * Cod fish fritters (appetizer): very good, and the aioli really elevated the flavor * Brown stew snapper with veggies, rice and beans, and mac and cheese: the snapper itself was flavorful but not hot, which was disappointing. The veggies lacked seasoning, and the mac and cheese tasted like plain noodles with cheese * Oxtails (my mom): she loved them, but they were just okay to me * Chicken and waffles (my husband): he enjoyed it * Fresh fruit punch: absolutely delicious Service: This is where things went downhill. After the initial interaction, I had to constantly look for our server or any staff member whenever I needed something. Not once did anyone check in to ask if we needed anything or how everything was. That level of inattentiveness is unacceptable. I was extremely annoyed. This is not the experience I expected based on reviews, but then I realized something important. Google and Yelp reviews are very different. Yelp reviewers tend to be more honest and consistent, and I should have listened. Final Thoughts: Traveling all the way from Boston for this experience was a letdown. Between having to chase service and inconsistent food quality, it simply was not worth it. If it were not for how I was raised, the tip would have been 10 percent, and even that would have been forced. Simpson's needs to either hire more staff or seriously retrain their team on customer service. Bostonians: it is not worth the trip.

Karen H.

I went to this restaurant because I was really craving mac and cheese and wanted to see how theirs tasted. I ended up ordering the macaroni, the jerk wings, and the oxtail. The food was definitely the best part of the visit because everything tasted really good and hit the spot. Unfortunately, the service side of things was not as good. The staff moved quite slowly, and it took a really long time for our order to come out of the kitchen. It is a good place if you only care about the taste of the food, but you need to be ready to wait.

Lexx T.

This was my second time here and it's more of a 3.5 star review. Stopped in with a girlfriend of mine around noon after a 5k in prospect park on Saturday. The place wasn't busy when we arrived, but it was by the time we left around 2. Place is a decent size, but it can get super crowded. Service this time was much better than my last visit. Our server Diamond was really cool and open to giving menu recommendations. There was a mix of soca and dancehall playing and I appreciate that it was at an appropriate volume where you could hold a conversation. For drinks, I had "The Pash" which was fine (nothing amazing) and my friend had a mango slush with rum. For the appetizer, we shared the ackee and saltfish bammy bites. Those were really good and I remember liking them. For entrees, my friend got the jerk chicken which she (as a Jamaican) said was super spicy, but manageable once you get past the jerk sauce. I had the Belgian waffles and shrimp. The flavor of both were good, but here's where I had the problem. My waffles came out damn near cold. I sent them back. They were apologetic and I was promised fresh waffles. When they came out the second time, they STILL weren't hot but I dealt with it. This means that it's sitting under a warmer and not "fresh off the press" so to speak. The place is a little expensive for my liking and there are better restaurants for the price point.

Shirrell H.

Walked in with no reservations but we were able to grab a seat at the bar. I ordered the jerk salmon and it came with veggies and rice. I initially asked to substitute the rice for mash but they said I was unable to. The rice was dry but had flavor. Maybe next time I'll ask for some gravy on the side. The jerk salmon was ok. Prob will try the snapper next time. The rum punch was rummy just the way I like it. I had 2 and it put me in a good place. This place is always crowded. It can take forever to get the bartenders attention but she was polite.

Sweet Plantains
Philip Z.

Expect to be impressed when you walk in. Beautiful, vibrant, noisy, happy place. Comfortable, relaxed seating, terrific food, and a lot to look at. Unfortunately, our (rather expensive) cocktails did not arrive until we were done with our meal, despite asking the server about their whereabouts several times. But a very enjoyable outing, nonetheless

Festival
Anita W.

Came here with some coworker friends for a weekend lunch at the recommendation of one of my coworkers. I was very excited to try more Caribbean food. Located across the street from the Barclay Center, it was very convenient to get to. The restaurant was much larger than I expected too but wasn't too crowded for a Saturday lunch so you can definitely just walk in. I was very excited about the sampler bowl. We were told it was a good portion for a group of three and adding a side would make it the perfect meal. The sampler came with curry goat, chicken, oxtail, plantains, and rice and veggies. The meats were all well seasoned. I guess my palate isn't too familiar and used to the Caribbean spices so i thought it was just a bit too spicy for my liking. The mac and cheese on the other hand was amazing. We also ordered festival, a Jamaican slightly sweet deep-fried bread that I tried for the first time.

Tamika G.

Consistent...no matter what the food and the vibe is always 10 plus. Food, drinks and service.

Saasha G.

Always consistent and always hot and fresh. I finally tried the sampler platter and it was so much food but that curry goat was slap ya mama worthy and the plantains were nice and sweet

Steamed red snapper, rice/peas, veggies.

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Ask the Community - The Simpson Restaurant & Bar - BK

Is there ample parking available?

Not street parking it's in a very busy area but there are parking garages in the area

When is happy hour?

Mon-Thurs 4-7pm (not sure if changed).

Do you have a private room? If so how many can it seat?

Do they play music?

Yes they do

View All 7 Questions

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What a lovely bar to sit in and relax and talk about your day with our large group of friends…read more Elsa is large, quiet, comfortable and inviting. We all had different cocktails and I asked for a shot of Don Julio Tequila which was "Far" from one shot - let's just say here at Elsa's they are VERY generous! This was perfect place to start our night as we were walking next door to the Yemeni restaurant where they serve no alcohol - not even a BYOB! Elsa's was the beginning staging area of our busy night.

I've been to this cocktail bar regrettably only twice even though I live (or rather lived upcoming…read moresoon) around the corner. It's classy but not too fancy and has enough space but doesn't get too loud. They have a nice happy hour menu from Tuesday-Friday from 5 to 7 as well as all day on Sundays which has very decent prices such as an $8 old fashioned among other things (see the photo.) the bartenders I've had before have been friendly with some good recommendations. Outside of their wide selection of cocktails which run the gamut of liquors, they have a nice wine selection, a handful of craft beers, and a very small food selection. The first time I was here, I had one drink which was the excellent Star of The Ice Snow for $17 with Iwai 45 whiskey, brie-washed Carpano Antica, Fernet Branca, barrel-aged orange bitters, and sassafras bitters. It had a a bit of bitterness, some sweetness, some spice, and some light mint from the fernet and was a pleasant complex drink and was certainly worth it from the price. The second time I was here was just this evening where I had two drinks. I first went with something that I was thinking of getting the first time which is their outstanding Vivian Darkbloom for $15 with Union mezcal, lime, pineapple, charcoal, Velvet Falernum, and lime bitters. The drink has mild citrusy sweetness as well a bit of smoke from the mezcal and is probably my favorite drink I've had here though the other drink I had the first time gives it stiff competition. I asked the bartender what he recommends and after a small discussion, he said either The Bell Witch (which is a gin and chartreuse cocktail with a strong herbal flavor) or what I went with. Said drink was the Under a Cosmic Cloak for $16 with rhubarb infused rum, Trois Rivieres rum, Smith & Cross rum, yerba mate, lime, grapefruit, and whey. The bartender said that it wouldn't be overly sweet as the rum was milk washed and this was indeed the case with just a mild sweetness and some fruitiness. There was a light herbal flavor otherwise presumably from the mate as well as a light citrus note and overall, it was good though definitely the least complex of the drinks I've tried and probably my least favorite but was definitely not a bad drink. The drinks here are reasonably priced for the quality, the bartenders are friendly, and it is classy but not overbearingly so. I can see why it's popular and I wish I stopped in more.

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Elsa - Vivian Darkbloom- Union mezcal, lime, pineapple, charcoal, Velvet Falernum, and lime bitters. $15. Outstanding drink. Nice balance

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The Simpson Restaurant & Bar - BK - caribbean - Updated October 2026

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