There was pork in everything, even my drink had bacon on the rim. The food was amazing. The worst thing I had was the baked Munster cheese, and that was still great. Go here, you wont be disappointed read more

Came here for brunch and it was delicious. They recommend sharing the dishes and so do i. Each dish isnt big enough to make you full and you will want to try everything. Had the bigeye tuna and it is so good. Its Spicy tuna seared just a little over perfectly tempura fried eggplant. Also recommend the lobster scrambled eggs. The chicken and biscuits were good but i personally like the skin to be crispier and i felt the biscuits were a bit dry and grainy. The pancakes are fluffy but too thick. Its good but my bf and i were too full when this came out to fully enjoy or finish it. Their drinks are great too. read more

this is my new favorite restaurant in brooklyn. honestly, when i walked in and saw how loud it was and that there was (gasp!) a tv over the bar, i didn't have high hopes. but my cocktail was incredible...strong, spicy, but not overdone. and things just got better and better with every dish after that. the short rib sliders were soft, buttery, addictive. the sweetbreads were the best introduction i could possibly imagine for my boyfriend who had never had them before. perfectly moist, succulent, tender, sauce i wanted to lick off the plate. the broccoli rabe with a huge hunk of pillowy bread, gravy, and a fried egg... bacon-wrapped dates that did not go light on the blue cheese (and why should they?!) oh man, i have to go for brunch. i don't really care that it's loud or that they brought the plates out too quickly (til i told them to slow down, which they did well). the food (and cocktails) were incredible. i would have put up with any number of other annoyances to get to it. read more

It has taken me nearly 5 months since discovering Traif to write this review. WHY? So I could taste test almost everything on the menu and give an resounding 100% review that (as I expected with the very first bite I took here) that this is THE BEST RESTAURANT IN NEW YORK CITY. Not just in Brooklyn folks, you heard me right: IN ALL OF NEW YORK F*CKING CITY. There are several reasons for this, and I will address them in this order: 1. Phenomenal Flavor 2. Perfect plating 3. Superb Staff #1. FLAVOR I have tried nearly every dish on the menu here. In the first week alone after stumbling upon and taking a chance on Traif, I dined here 3 times. 3 TMES IN ONE WEEK. [You might look at the average 4-5 star rating I give establishments on Yelp and think "Ok, big deal. You like almost every place you go to." In actuality, I don't go to that many places which haven't already been vetted by fellow highly active Yelpers and/or been sung the praises of by a publication or critic I trust. So there! And I hadn't as much as read about, heard of, or even looked for Traif at all. The gas in my then shitty apartment went out and I literally wandered the streets looking for something that "called to me" until I couldn't stave off hunger any longer. Obviously I'm a little more than elated that I did.] Ok, back to the food. Ingredients are fresh, fun, and combined in exciting and unexpected ways. The overall concept is American new, slightly French-inspired, but with a "comfort food" twist. I can't possibly get into detail about every dish ever had, because I've eaten menu staples and new additions or replacements each time and everything is always outstanding, and yes i DO notice all the potency of the flavors so I really mean that when I say it. Some things that stand out off the top of my head: -strawberry-cinnamon glazed baby back ribs with pomegranate seeds -veal sweetbreads with artichoke and asparagus -brussel sprout, grape, and cucumber salad -cinnamon cumin soup shot that comes complementary before dinner -fricasse of escargot, chorizo, and giant white beans -bacon maple doughnuts with ducle de leche ice cream -brown sugar and chocolate budino -day boat scallops in whatever new concoction they are playing around with!! -thai spicy calamari -suateed broccoli rabe with egg and toast .... do I need to continue? **Note, THE WAITERS WILL INFORM YOU THAT THE MENU IS DESIGNED TO SHARE, AND DISHES ARE LISTED IN ORDER FROM LIGHTEST TO HEAVIEST DISH. The menu is always evolving, but you will never see the cinnamon-strawberry glazed baby back ribs, broccoli rabe with toast, or veal sweet breads go anywhere. Same fores for the bacon doughnuts. Also, you cannot go wrong with the chef selection menu at $40 per person!! #2 PLATING One of my biggest gripes about food in New York in general is that, unless you're at a $$$$-$$$$$ restaurant then, you can't expect the presentation to live up to the taste. But at Traif, you can!! Everything looks beautiful on its dish. Nothing is overly complicated (where you feel you're paying more for presentation than for a true serving of food) but everything is constructed just so that you would think you're dining at a $$$$ restaurant. #3. STAFF The bartenders, hosts, servers, and chefs are all cheerful, pleasant, and (if you go as often as I do) treat you like its a place where "everybody knows your name." I've been treated with much kindness since proclaiming my love for Traif, but the story of my first dinner here must be told as the pointed example of the community that runs this place. While seated at the bar that first time, I had ordered a brussels salad to start and the baby back ribs for an entree, I noticed that the word "escargot" was written on a nearby paper menu in pencil. I asked a chef, standing at the small counter just next to me, if this had been a special that I didn't notice or hadn't heard from my server. " Escargot is one of my favorite things in the whole world!!" I proclaimed. Nope, hadn't missed anything. It was part of a short order ingredients list for some new recipes that they were testing for the menu. "Oh, darn" I said with a sad face. About 15 minutes later, the same chef (turns out he's the head chef) walks around the corner of the counter that divides the small kitchen and the bar and puts a fantastic smelling bowl of something soupy looking in front on me. "Compliments of the kitchen: escargot and white bean soup, cooked in a chorizo based broth with tiny chorizo chunks and assorted vegetables." RIDICULOUS!! It was so good I topped that off in addition to the dishes that were already getting me close to full. Since then, I've consistently seen this and variations of it on the menu. Maybe my positive feedback had something to do with it? One can only hope ;-) So on top of all this praise I could also talk on and on about the wine, the ambiance, the romantic back patio.... but I've talked enough. BEST RESTAURANT IN NY. read more

This place is unbelievably well priced high quality food, the soft shell crabs were to die for, also the buratta dish! I split 6 dishes with my bf and 2 desserts, and some glasses if wine and the meal was under $125.00 what a deal. Worth coming back cool hipster vibe I suggest reservations though, this place is packed! read more

I really wanted to like this place. I really did. This was my third visit. Make sure you get a reservation because the walk-ins during weekends are 60 to 90 minute waits. This restaurant does a lot of things right. Management of reservations and waits is effective, polite and even friendly. The service was excellent. The menu is playful, interesting and smart. I like most things about this place. The food however is underwhelming for me. It's just ok. Friends and I have plunked down a lot of money here and I'm always left feeling unimpressed. Everyone else seems to love it here though. The chef's wife runs Xixa next door which I may try next. read more

Consistently great food! Have been here for dinner and brunch. The tasting menu is an awesome deal but a lot of food so if you are moderately hungry opt for a la cart. Brunch portions seem bigger than the dinner plate options so order about one plate per person. read more

This is probably the best brunch in all of New York. My fiancée and I were heart broken a few years ago when they suspended their brunch service. I had not been aware they resumed brunch service and my fiancée surprised me a couple of weeks ago. The food there never disappoints. Our favorite was the Pozole and the pancake. Definitely two must haves. The patatas bravas and gnocchi are packed with flavor and also highly recommended. read more

Reservations is a must. It took me two months to get weekend seating. The plates are way too small but maybe Im just too greedy for Traif! I love this place! The chicken liver is so good. We always order a second. The bacon donut, confit wings and pork belly are a hit. Everything is delicious !! read more

One of my favorite restaurants since moving to Brooklyn. Had the duck confit, hamachi carpaccio, sliders, pork belly, and bacon donuts. Everything was excellent and interesting. The pork belly was good not great, could've used a little something extra. Favorite dish was the sliders and sweet potato fries. read more

I'm glad we found this place on our last night in New York. My sister in law was stopping by in Brooklyn for a few days so I dug into Yelp to find a nice place for an early Christmas dinner and found Traif. Our server explained that Traif means non-kosher. The restaurant serves up small plates that are great for sharing. This is a small place with great atmosphere. This was our selection for the night: Salad: Nice and light with sugared walnut. Love the walnut. Chicken Wings with Five Spice Glaze: Hmm this is ok. strawberry-cinnamon glazed baby back ribs: This is good but it's not a good idea to order along with the wings coz they seem to taste similar if you eat them together. Seared foie with fingerling potatoes, ham chips, sunny egg, maple and hot sauce: This is divine. A Must order. Sweet and spicy lobster with greens (I don't remember the exact name): This is pretty good but tastes like a Chinese dish. Our server was really charming. We requested for some bread which they didn't have but he worked his magic and warmed up some slider buns for us. These are the little things that make a dining experience different. This is really a nice place to have some dinner and drinks, and parking isn't too difficult to find. It's not too pricey and if you come with a few friends you get to taste a nice variety. read more

This was a very fun and exciting meal... my favorite was the tuna tar tar, its served on top of a perfectly cooked piece of fried eggplant and the tuna is dressed in an amazing sauce. Next the crustini served with apples and melted munster cheese and chorizo... omg sooo tasty, this comes out similar to a fondu where u make your own -the flavors are simple; the perfect combination and balance of yummyness. And last but not least bbq braised short rib sliders with the best sweet potato fries I have ever had!! All the tapas are very eclectic and very original. You will not be disappointed-- ;) I almost forgot -- the key lime pie was delightful! read more

completely flawless dinner +cocktails +service +also the paperclips they use for your receipts are beautiful. read more

Butterfish carpaccio, bacon wrapped dates stuffed in blue cheese, chinese brocolli layered with bread then portabella mushroom then an egg and then parmesean cheese! oh-em-gee! Staff is friendly and the spot is very busy (went on a Saturday night...) I will definitely go back, but on a weeknight. read more

A vegetarian at a place famous for bacon donuts I knew brunch wasn't going to be easy. Happy to say they have a lovely vegetarian option, the micheladas + a shot tequila. Skip the food and get a 2nd one. read more

Ok so I came here again on 2/2... came with 3 others and we did the chefs tasting. Overall it was a good meal, but not as mind blowing as my first time. The first time I loved all but one. This time I loved a couple, liked the rest save 2 dishes. The osso bucco w/ cinammon risotto was hardly touched at my table. And while the foie dish was tasty, I'm not a fan of that (but I didn't take away a star for that). I will be back again, this time choosing my own plates. read more

This was well worth the trek to Brooklyn. Wonderful tasting menu for only $40. Great value. Small homey resturant and the chefs cook right in front of you. read more

Have been back to Traif 2-3 times since the last review, most recently for Valentine's Day 2013, and just need to shout it out, yet again. It is now the gold standard for me. Every time, every bite validates every dollar spent x 3. We just went to Marietta in Clinton Hill, and even though it was mind-blowingly good: still not quite Traif. Traif, I love you. read more

To be honest, I was underwhelmed. Between all the hype from my friends and the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Yelp, I expected more! While the service deserves 5 stars, the various tapas were not consistent. Yes, the strawberry ribs, pork slides and soft shell crabs were delicious, but the scallops & prawns were pretty sub par. I had no issues making a reservation and our table was in the back patio, so we had no issues with noise or heat. Oh yes and the donuts were quite tasty as well, as practically every other review mentions. If you stick to what's consistently mentioned as being yummy...you'll prob enjoy yourself......but there are def very unimpressive things on the menu that I'd avoid. I doubt I'll be back. read more

Their good but their reservation system Is terrible.we called and some one spoke with us when we got there our name wasn't in the list...then we had to wait read more

Went to Traif with a group of friends and got to experience the tasting menu. The chefs cater the tasting menu to your diet and will incorporate picks from the menu you are dying to try. My favorite was the tuna tartare. The dishes kept coming out to the point my group was so full that we weren't speaking to each other! ( Not complaining- just a worry when you are going to get tapas you'll be a bit unsatisfied when you leave). We all left full and happy. Drinks were good too-try the Red Pearl! read more

This place was great! It's pretty dark and small, and you have to leave manhattan, but it's definitely worth it. The food is seasonal and creative, and they really nail some bold flavor combinations. Also, it's really reasonable price wise for New York. Would definitely go back when visiting the city. read more

Tasting menu, damn. Drinks, delicious. Service, delightful. Just go already.

Came here with a reservation for 2. Was packed as expected..Food was great. My favorite dish was the strawberry and cinnamon glazed ribs..also loved the braised short rib sliders. However with all the hype the bacon doughnuts were getting, I was actually disappointed by them. Was expecting it to have more flavor.. just seemed plain in my opinion. Overall a good experience though. read more

Traif wowed me from beginning to end. All of their tapas are so unique, with sometimes bold, sometimes subtle, and always phenomenal flavors. This is a line I've heard a lot but never have been wholly convinced of about any restaurant until traif: you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Seriously, I would love to go again and just have the chef surprise me with whichever few dishes. What's even more impressive about this place is that they boldly present a menu with inspirations from many different cuisines, from Italian to thai, but somehow nail every single one of them. If I had to pick some standout dishes, it would probably be the thai inspired shrimp with pineapple, Pork ribs with strawberry, and burrata with asparagus "pudding". Oh and the bacon doughnuts are a must, it's brooklyn afterall. However, as aforementioned this is definitely a place where you needn't ever stress over what to order. Can't wait to come again soon! read more

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Some of the best food I've found in Williamsburg so far. Everything was delicious and innovative, including their cocktails. The tuna tartar was out of this world. Short rib sliders - mmmmmm. Also, we had a dish with burrata cheese and bacon, which was quite nice. And something with cauliflower and curry. The Service was really good as well. Also really appreciated the gratuitous soup to start and the clementine to end the meal. Will definitely return and do the chef's tasting menu! The only negative thing I must point out is that the decor is meh. I would have liked a nicer ambiance. - 1 point. read more

Its our 2nd visit for dinner after a few months, we all had tasting menu. 1st course was soup, it was SALT WATER. We couldn't bear rest of the dinner like this, so we asked waiter to please request chef to go light on seasoning, especially HOLD BACK THE SALT. Rest of the courses taste much better, we started to enjoy the quality & what the chef would have wanted us to taste & I would've gave 3.5 stars. Just that, they also really need to improve on air ventilation inside the venue. We sat by the extended area in the back & we felt like we're inside a bbq smoker. The smoke & smell from open kitchen was extremely strong, I had hard time breathing & there were no windows. read more

I went last night and sat at the bar for dinner. We sat right in front of the bar tender who was super nice. The dishes we ordered was all delicious. I took 2 stars off and probably won't go back because of our waiter. There are plenty of places with great food that would also have great service as well. It was clear from the start that he only wanted the table to turn quickly. Our reservation was for 7 and we arrived on time. We both ordered a cocktail pretty quickly from the bartender. When the waiter came over to take our order we told him we wanted to drink our cocktail and then we would order. He made it clear that he wasn't happy with that and quickly told us for two people he suggests 5-6 plates. ONLY 5 minutes later he came back for our order. We weren't ready to place it so he told us that we needed to leave the bar within 2 hours for another seating afterward we were done. We stopped our conversation and put together an order. I'm sure you can imagine how unwelcome we felt as he was already thinking of his next table/tip. Back to the food...while everything was delicious. I realize that different ppl have different appetites, however both my friend and I are big eaters and 6 plates was way too much. It definitely made us feel like he was trying to build the bill. At the end of the meal there was nobody waiting for our spots at the bar and several tables empty. It was clear that for no reason he made us feel uncomfortable and rushed. I do believe when you order a $14 drink you should be able to drink it and get comfortable in your surroundings. It's part of the experience. read more

The food was good, but difficult to enjoy, as they brought out 3 dishes at a time, for our 9-course fixed menu meal. Although we would have preferred to order a la carte, upon arrival, we were told that due to our party size, it was not an option. The sequence of food presentation seemed random, and had no flow to the palate. The staff was courteous, but rushed to get us out (i.e. Trying to take plates when people were still eating). At the end of our dessert, we were encouraged to gather our belongings, because there was a group of diners waiting to be seated. In all, I think it was a restaurant with good food, and friendly staff, but poor scheduling ability. It doesn't make sense to essentially force a 9-course menu on a group of 10, but expect us to enjoy it in under 2 hours. read more

One of the best restaurants in town. Adam at the chefs counter made our night and the cocktails!!!

I can't afford to drop much more than $100 on a meal, so I guess it's theoretically possible that there are restaurants in NY that make better food than this. Though, if anyone can tell me where they are, I'll borrow. There was no room in the garden and I didn't even get to see it so this is just about the food. It's unbelievable. I've never seen a menu like it, or enjoyed food as much. The menu changes and I don't know if I'd recognize what I had but it seems you can't put a foot wrong here. I shared about 5 items and 2 desserts with some friends. The fact that the last thing I had for dinner (tuna) was probably the best, thereby violating the heretofore immutable law that hunger is the best sauce, speaks volumes. The sauce was the best sauce. Eat here before these people realize they could easily get away with charging 5 times what they do and quit the hipsters for the yuppies. read more

Went for a @Tableshare dinner, and was provided a whole tasting menu of deliciousness. Favorite item hands down was the bacon wrapped goat cheese stuffed dates. Savory, sweet, and the right kind of pungent! read more

Since attending the Yelp Elite Event a few months ago, I have easily been to Traif on multiple occasions now. Whenever people ask me places that I love to eat in NYC, Traif is easily on the top of that list now. It is the one place that I can think of where I really enjoyed everything that I've had on their menu. I especially cannot stop telling people about the fingerling potatoes with foie gras and egg. Good lord, it just melts in your mouth. I'm normally not a big fan of sweetbreads but theirs are just amazing. I've never had anything like them in my life. The sliders, the meatballs, the scallops are all just incredible. I feel like I am gushing over how much I LOVE this place, but I really do LOVE this place. The brown sugar budino is awesome and even their cocktails are to die for... no really. So good. So So good. Run... don't walk to Traif. read more

My experience at this restaurant basically embodies all that is great about Yelp. Traif is the top-rated restaurant in Williamsburg and 150+ Yelpers can't be wrong. Needless to say, they weren't. This is easily in my top 10 restaurants of all time. I only wish I lived around the corner so I could be a regular rather than have to make the painful trek from the UWS. Anyway.. the review: the place is really cozy, especially the little patio in the back. It was like 30 degrees when I went, so I would highly recommend sitting by the heating lamps if you're going to sit in the back. But after a few glasses of delicious (and extremely reasonably priced pinot noir - $8) I wasn't feeling a thing... the service was amazing and attentive. Our waitress was exceptionally knowledgeable and really helpful for a first-time diner -- she was candid in her recommendations, but honestly, I can't imagine anything could have possibly tasted less than stellar. We arrived at the restaurant around 6pm and it was almost completely empty, so we were seated right away. Over the next half hour, a steady stream of couples waded in and were seated around us, leading me to believe this is the perfect date spot. It's a very intimate spot, and the small plates are meant to be shared, inducing a romantic vibe. The meal started with an amuse-bouche of bacon-infused broth. After the half-hearted amuses-bouche I've had recently at other restaurants, I could already tell Traif was going to be a completely different experience. It was the tastiest, most flavorful broth ever. I know what you're thinking -- how can you go wrong with bacon-infused anything? Believe me, this broth was special. But ok, fine.. let me continue... we ordered the bacon-wrapped dates, the Nantucket scallops, the braised pork belly, the calamari, and the main short rib plate. Each of these dishes was wonderfully complex and full of flavor. I would have sat here all night and tried everything else on the menu if it weren't for the concert we were headed to... Everything was cooked to perfection -- the bacon and calamari were crispy, the scallops and pork belly were tender, the vegetables were flavorful and unique. Dessert -- bacon doughnuts. Perfection. The ultimate finale for a unbelievable meal. The bill for 2 people -- including 3 glasses of wine and 2 beers -- was $100. Seriously. Where on earth will you have a meal of such caliber for this price? Until you tell me, you can find me here at Traif :) read more

I'm a fan!! I'd wanted to come here for a while after reading so many reviews, and it definitely lived up to the hype. You HAVE to order the eggs in a nest which are absolutely delicious. Truffle oil, portobello mushrooms and cream. Need I say more? The staff are really attentive and happy. Love this place!! read more

Great! Great! Great! but remember to make reservations!! I hadn't been since shortly after they opened over the summer and we almost didn't get in since we hadn't made reservations but then we ended up getting a seat at the bar after the hostess/manager ran after us down the street! What a biscuit! We owe you Irma! ;) Everything on the menu is fantastic and reasonably priced! Win-win. Memorable moments: Pumpkin soup w/ banana, rice puffs and pork belly! and the duck and sweet potato entree! YUM! Do yourself a favor and go get Traifed! read more

I started the weekend off with Traif because I was in the neighborhood returning all of my cousin stuff I borrow when I move out of his place a couple of weeks ago. I been hearing about this restaurant for awhile and it sound very interesting and bold. The chef is the owner who is Jewish but he cook things that isn't very kosher such as pigs. Anyway we were exicted to try someone new and we got in without making any reservation. The place was pack and we got lucky that they let us sit somewhere. We order 4 dishes(scallop, tuna, sweet beards, pork slider and of course the famous BACON DOUGHNUT) Most of the dishes were ok but really stand out to me. They uses alot of asian ingredients mostly because I believe the Chef use to work at Asian inspired places so I can see why he brought alot of similar tastes to this restaurant. Our waitress was alittle pushy because she keep coming by to pouring tons of wines in our glasses when we didn't even got a chance to drink it yet plus she keep coming by to see if we were done with our plates or not and she even mention we only order 4 dishes and 1 dessert. How many dishes should we order for 3 people?? 8 dishes?? lol PLEASE no wonder most of American are FATASS lol Anyway the experience was alittle disappointing and I wish the taste were more bold and in your faces. I don't think I am coming back here anytime soon but it is worth to try it once. read more

best small plates i've had in new york. people talk a lot about the bacon doughnuts, but there are so many better dishes here. the seared scallops and the broccoli rabe were two favorites. eat here! read more

5 stars because decor is great, service was very good despite it being packed. Drinks were unbelievably good and can't wait to go back to try some more of their delicious menu items. Oh and ran out of good things to say because it's just perfect! read more

There is nothing I can say that hasn't been said. The food is top notch. And how can you not love a restaurant name that translates to 'non kosher' and also exists in Williamsburg? The Chutzpah! read more