A quick peek at Traif's stellar star average probably tells you enough about this place, but just wanted to chime in and agree that this is one of the best restaurants in the area! The restaurant claims to celebrate "pork, shellfish, and globally-inspired soul food" and their logo is a pig, so I was a bit worried that as a non pork eater I'd be missing out on the full experience, but I was happily proven wrong. We nervously asked our server if they'd be willing to do their famous chef's tasting menu taking our eating restriction into consideration and to our surprise they were happy to do so. What followed was course after course of some of the most flavorful, inventive small plates (some not so small) that I've had in a long, long time. Favorites included: the bigeye tuna tartare on fried eggplant (OMG!), gnocchi with peas and ricotta (YES!), their popular short rib slider (DEAR GOD YES THANK YOU!), and burrata with potato chips (WHAT?!?!) The only dish that I remember being slightly disappointing was the final one, the cinnamon sugar donuts with coffee ice cream, because the donuts didn't taste as light and fresh as I expected. I actually loved the final little taste they brought out, two tiny clementine pieces drizzled with molasses. We sat in their covered patio on a dark rainy evening and though it was the middle of the week the place was buzzing. The service was on point, so informative and attentive, and it was a perfect evening. Thank you Traif! read more

See all

My brilliant friend Elle P suggested dessert here after a meatfest down the street at Fatty 'Cue. I will be hanging on to her every food suggestion from here on out! 9 of us walked in near midnight on a Saturday night, and a table was set for us immediately. The dimly lit place had an art piece of squishy pig faces on the wall, which might have influenced me to deviate from dessert for a brief moment with: Glazed Berkshire Pig Tails ($9) - caramelized and sticky with honey, lightly madras curry powder scented, crushed peanuts clinging to the stickiness. These tails weren't curly fried crunchy tails like we expected, they were meat and unctuous fatty skin around tail bones. Omg - and fantastic! Back to dessert - our original plan: Bacon Doughnuts ($6) - warm doughnut balls, lightly glazed with sticky dulce de leche and topped with chewy bacon bits, these soft and yeasty things were amazing! The dough was slightly savory, and eaten with or without the coffee ice cream, they were the best sweet bacon things I've EVER had! Mom's Key Lime Pie ($6) - a graham grust with zesty limey pie filling, topped with a canele of whipped cream. A surprisingly pleasing feature was a topping of diced sweet pineapple, that added a perfect acidic bite to the creamy, zesty, limey, chewy crusty. Nutella Mousse ($6) - a light nutella mousse with banana slices, hazelnuts, whipped cream and a couple of chocolate bark pieces. Not overly sweet, but not overly memorable either. Vanilla Buttermilk Panna Cotta ($6) - a silky smooth and firm panna cotta, adorned with whole blueberries, blackberries and strawberry pieces, and a vanilla sauce. Super light and delicious! After the check was taken care of, we were brought a complimentary palate cleanser: Pineapple chunks, drizzled with pomegranate molasses and topped with lime zest. Delish! Service was warm, all the food came to the table fast, and the decibel level allowed for easy conversation. Exactly what we were looking for! This ended up being the perfect dessert experience to end my quick NY trip. The next time I'm in town, I'll be here for dinner AND dessert! read more

See all

I don't really care for pork. Its kinda something people know about me. People go, do you eat pork, and I go, no...but I eat bacon at IHOP. It confuses them, but really, have you ever had bacon? When done right, its great. I had missed the Yelp event where they were giving out bacon donuts. I had heard amazing things but never got around to going until recently when I finally stopped by for the one thing that jumped out at me: BACON DONUTS!! When I said I wanted to orders to go, they told me they would not give me the ice cream, but rather would give me an extra donut. Cool. So I waited and waited and waited. The place was nice. I finally got my donuts and left with my bag. I took them to my car. I could have sat there and eaten them in the restaurant, but I had things to do. I just wanted to try the donuts. In the car, my curiosity was seducing me so much that I gave in and opened one of the two boxes. I was disappointed. I paid 13 bux or so for these little things. Wth... Then I tasted one. It was so good it made you wanna smack someone's grand momma. Yeah thats horrible...but thats the point, for a second there I lost my dog gone mind. They were soft...Hot, fresh out the what ever the hell they used to cook them. Then they had some sort of like caramel sauce on them and then there were bacon bits (as in bits of bacon and not that cheap stuff from the supermarket) drizzled all over them. They were amazing. Later that night I was getting some food and I met this nice girl who was also getting food. I told her I had gotten the bacon donuts and she started asking questions about them. I have no idea why but I started acting kinda aloof, I kept thinking she was going to ask me to stay and share them with her and that was just too much, even though there was no basis in reality for my belief. I just felt like everyone was going to be trying to get at me for my bacon. I excused myself and left. So lady, if you ever find me, I am sorry. I was not in my right mind. I was on bacon. At $6, the donuts cost more than crack did in the 80s but you dont have to worry about turning into chris rock's pookie character. read more

I'm not even sure where or how to begin singing the praises of Traif. The restaurant, whose name translates to "unkosher" in Yiddish , has long been a staple in the Brooklyn dining scene. The cuisine it serves can't be described by the traditional genres; even Zagat is only able to place in the "Eclectic" and "Small Plates" categories. Regardless, one thing is for certain: The food served here is delicious. I'd been able to call in a few days beforehand to snag an 8PM dinner reservation; it goes without saying that these are pretty much necessary to guarantee a seating. On the planned day, we took a stroll on the Williamsburg Bridge and arrived at the inconspicuous entrance of Traif. The interior is fairly simple and cozy; tables are lined in two rows opposite the bar area, each set with a small candle for ambiance. As we were a little early for our reservation, we started with drinks at the bar. The bartender was extremely friendly, despite having to juggle multiple roles at once. As I was sipping the glass of Cava Rose I had ordered, he skimmed through the menu for us, explaining how all the dishes were very seasonal and even changed on a daily basis. With some of his recommendations, we decided on our plates for the night. One: Glazed Confit Chicken Wings. The wings were covered in an ingenious savory-spicy sauce composed of hoisin, five spice, and sriracha, covering a wide spectrum of tastes. The chicken skin was crisp and not overly fried, the interior white meat still tender. The plate was served right out of the kitchen, so the chicken was still extremely hot; eat with care. Two: Hampshire Pork Belly, Hearts of Palm, Bacon, Artichoke, and Clementine. Once I saw pork belly on the menu, there was no doubt that I was going to order it. The pork belly was perfectly seared, the interior delightfully fatty and tender. It was complemented with small bacon bits, hearts of palm, and artichoke leaves, while the hint of clementine added a hint of sweetness. There are times I find myself craving this dish because it was -that- good. Three: White Asparagus with Burrata Cheese, Roasted Hazelnuts, and Black Truffles. It was the first time I had tried white asparagus and compared to its green counterpart, was much milder in flavor. The burrata cheese was creamy, hinting on sweet, and the additional texture from the hazelnuts and the hint of the black truffle flavor made for a surprisingly rich dish. Four: Salt and Pepper Shrimp with Cauliflower. While I was a little hesitant to try this dish, I eventually was grateful that my palate had expanded to include seafood. The seasoning on the shrimp wasn't too zealous, allowing us to get the actual taste of the shrimp in each bite. The cauliflower was lightly charred, giving a smoky edge to an otherwise bland vegetable. A spicy, sriracha-based sauce was a smart addition to this plate. Five: Barbecue Short Rib Sliders. The short rib was so tender that it was clear it had been braised for hours. I wish that the sauce that had been used was a little less sweet and a little more spicy, it was was nonetheless delicious and the ratio of filling to bread was just right. The sweet potato fries were just as satisfying; they were served warm, neatly seasoned, and paired well with the smoked paprika aioli they were served with. We couldn't go home without trying the famed Bacon Donuts, of course. We were presented with four small glazed doughnut holes, sprinkled with bacon bits, and finished off with a scoop of coffee ice cream. While I wasn't blown away by this concoction, I certainly see (and tasted) its appeal. It's a smart combination of sweet doughyness against the salty, savory bacon bites and definitely worth an order, especially on your first visit. I have no qualms declaring that Traif delivers the full dining experience: a warm and comfortable dining environment, knowledgeable and professional staff, and an eclectic, creative menu that brings out a variety of ingredients, tastes, and cooking styles. Dishes are very reasonably priced as well, which means that it's perfectly all right to put Traif on your regular restaurant rotation... which, trust me, I already have. read more

See all

So this is my official 3 star stamp, I been here twice, once for dinner in June '12 and Christmas eve '14 for their Chinese Xmas and I was not blown away by either meal. I am in the minority opinion amongst Yelpers since everyone seems to go gaga over this unkosher restaurant that serves American small plates but simply put, I was disappointed, twice non the less. The meal definitely had some high points, but after the first set of rounds, which were respectable, it quickly went down hill after the 5th to 10th plates. If the first round stayed consistent throughout the meal, a 4 star review would apply, but this was not the case. For the food, I will list the order in which the food came out. Also, the service does earn a point of mention since they were so friendly and welcoming and I feel they went above and beyond for my friend who has a soy allergy. They were able to accommodate her and accommodate her well. The food: Strawberry-Cinnamon glazed Berkshire baby back ribs- Reg menu. This is kind of their go to dish. I ordered this on both visits and truth be told, they were just regular tender ribs, and I also didn't get a strawberry note at all. It also bothered me that the ribs weren't hot but lukewarm. It's a pretty dish but I don't see the hype. Sweet & Sour pork belly, Korean chile paste, quince, pineapple, haricots- Xmas menu. It was a nice dish, it was a sizable dish and the pork belly was tender, but I felt it should have been a little more tender and should have had a tad bit more fat. It didn't have the unctuousness I expect from pork belly. I also wish there was some type of exterior crust on the pork belly. The flavors were good but could have been tweaked. Lettuce, mac apples, grapes, bacon, blue cheese, sunflower, pomegranate- Reg menu. This dish stood throughout the night as my favorite dish. It seems absurd for me to enjoy salad so much, but it was a testament to how great the salad was. The salad was so wonderfully sweet and savory. The greens were dressed properly, the apples offered a nice crunch, the grapes and pomegranate added a wonderful sweetness and there was an amazing underlying blue cheese note throughout the salad that was fantastico. And crispy bacon needs no mention =) Stir-fried Mongolian lamb tongue, cumin,Szechuan peppercorns- Xmas menu. The lamb tongue was so insanely tender, no teeth required, but the flavor was just OK for me. I didn't think this dish was that memorable and there was no heat what so ever from the peppercorn. I thought the sauce was too overpowering and gloppy and the tongue taste was lost, it seemed like it was only there for texture. Spicy bigeye tuna tartare, tempura Japanese, eggplant, kecap manis- Reg menu. This dish had no heat, the tuna had good flavor but the eggplant did not have a pleasant texture. The eggplant was too soft and not really crunchy, it was also greasy to boot. The tuna by itself was nice, the bottom, not so much. Joe's chopped chicken livers, balsamic-bacon toasts, rosemary & shallots- Reg Menu. I was super excited to try this dish, but sadly, it was one of my least favs. It really didn't resemble chopped liver at all, the flavors were so mild and the toast was a bad choice, the toast was too thick and the balsamic was too sweet, not a pairing that worked for me. Dayboat scallops, butternut squash risotto, huckleberry, pistachio, sage- Reg menu. The scallops were cooked well, super soft and tender, a tad under for me, but the risotto bothered me. I was expecting a little bite from the rice but it seemed more like pumpkin rice pudding than risotto. The texture of risotto usually has some type of a chew to the rice, the rice in this dish was soft throughout. Spicy garlic roasted eggplant & crispy sweetbreads, arbol chillies- Xmas menu. This was essentially General Tso's chicken. The dish was too sweet for me, the heat was OK but the sweetbreads, which are normally creamy and milky, were completely lost when it was fried and submerged in the overpowering and overly sweet General Tso's sauce. The fact that it was sweetbreads didn't help at all, they could have easily used chicken and it wouldn't have changed the flavor at all. Crispy whole-fried flounder, curry-coconut sauce, Chinese sausage- Xmas menu. This dish bothered me a lot. First, the overpowering smell of the curry was too much. Second, the coconut was so unpleasantly flavored and way too sweet. Third, the fish was overcooked and dry, while being greasy. The fish wasn't really crunchy either, it was basically limp and it looked that way when it was put on the table. I knew when I saw it, I wasn't going to like it. Lastly, I did not like the Chinese sausage they used. It almost seemed like a fake Chinese sausage or Costco brand. Five-spice layer cake, yuzu, sesame, coconut- I thought this was a nice finish to the meal. It was light and refreshing, the coconut ice cream had nice flavor and the yuzu offered a nice refreshing tartness. The cake was a tad dense though read more

See all

People always seem to be raving about this place. So I used my birthday as an opportunity to coerce some friends to trek to Brooklyn with me. Traif's menu is quite simple with just the ingredients of each dish listed. The portions of the dishes are tapas-sized, so don't let the prices mislead you! You'll be ordering quite a few dishes actually. We ended up ordering: - strawberry-cinnamon glazed berkshire baby back ribs - bbq, braised short rib sliders, sweet potato fries, smoked paprika aioli - sauteed broccoli rabe, portabello mushrooms, truffle toast, fried egg, aged asiago - seared scallops, butternut squash, beluga lentils, huckleberries, pistachio-brown butter - fried cauliflower, black beauty grapes, green goddess, dill, mint, parsley - new zealand cockles, braised bacon, spring onions, cream, mint, chilies, garlic toast - bacon donuts with coffee ice cream My favorite dish of the night was the bbq rib sliders by far. It was rich, succulent, and dripping with flavor. The sweet potato fries were a good thickness and the smoked paprika aioli sauce gave the fries an extra oomph. The most disappointing may have been the bacon donuts, because I had heard so much about them and I could barely taste the bacon. I was probably so used to the in-your-face flavoring at this point to recognize the subtleties of anything. In other words, by the end of the night, my taste buds were exhausted. If I could describe the entire experience at Traif in a few words, it would be: an explosion of flavors. At times, it was even overwhelming and the food felt heavy and tasted oversalted. The menu is incredibly innovative in its seemingly random combinations of ingredients, but the execution of the dishes could use more improvement. Service was pleasant and friendly, but making reservations was disorganized. It involved way too much phone tag, and they never seemed to pick up their phone during restaurant hours. I ended up taking the initiative of confirming my own reservation as they seemed so laid back about it. 3.5 stars. Notes: - you can sit at the counter, in the main dining area, or the indoor garden/greenhouse space in the back (with lights strung along the ceiling!) - one extremely large co-ed bathroom read more

See all

Don't you just love it when you go through all your pictures and you see more food than people? I do. Makes me salivate and hungry but I do. Is there anything Traif spews out that I won't like? I mean roasted bell pepper and carrot soup to start. I do not like bell pepper. Anything with bell pepper I immediately dismiss. I think the taste is just too overpowering. But I seriously didn't mind a shot of this soup. It was damn good. Certainly got me excited for my meal. Tuna tartare. Served on a fried battered eggplant. Again? I do not like eggplant either. Makes my throat itch. But I seriously didn't mind it with the tartare. It actually enhanced the tuna and I cannot eat it without the eggplant. Hampshire Pork Belly was melt in your mouth not in your hands goodness. Fatty? Yes. Just as I expect it to be. Soooooo good. Escargot with sausage and mushroom served with toast to soak up that sauce. 4 pieces of snail in the stew. The sausages and mushroom added to it oomph to it. Short rib sliders with sweet potato fries and smoked paprika aioli. Honestly, that aioli was good but the sliders and the sweet potato fries can stand on its own. Mad good. Scallops with lentil and pistachio. Really couldn't care for the lentils but the pistachio with the scallops worked well. For dessert of course we had the bacon doughnuts with dulce de leche. The bacon bits added crunch to the soft sweet doughnuts. And it's saltiness complemented the ice cream with the doughnuts. Love it! If you ask me what my least favorite is, it would be the escargot and that's only because I had to choose. Traif is a must for everyone. read more

See all

I've found another reason to come to Williamsburg besides Tabaré, Peach Frog, Artists & Fleas, and Zenkichi. I fell in love with Traif!!! Wow, what an awesome dinner that was!!! 3 of us shared various different plates and almost everything we ate was either great or just good. When we called the restaurant, we were told the reservation is not available until 10pm so we decided to take a chance and show up exactly at 6pm when it opens. Luckily we got the only available table for the walk-ins! Yay!!! We even scored a nice table in the atrium in the back facing the back yard which made us feel even more special. We ordered the following: 1) Amuse bouche of a bacon broth: 5 stars!! Wow wow!! From the get-go Traif impressed all of us with this succulent soup!! 2)bacon wrapped dates & goat cheese :4 stars 3)duck confit with lentils and strawberry sauce: 4 stars. It was a unique dish with a complex flavor of savory, sweet, and tangy. 4) shrimp, sweet potatoes, string beans & pineapple: 4.5 stars. This reminded me of sweet & sour pork, but better. One of my favorite dishes that I ate at Traif that day. 5) Seared fois gras with egg & potatoes: 5 stars. It sounded unbelievable and it tasted unbelievable. Pure joy! Did not disappoint! 6) Braised short rib sliders with sweet potato fries: 4.5 stars. Very solid, loved it!! So winning! The accompanying chipotle aioli was a nice touch too. 7) Pannacotta:5++ stars!!! This pannacotta blew me away for real. Probably the best pannacotta I've had in NY. Perfectly executed! 8) Bacon doughnuts: 3 stars. I wanted to like them and give the chef 5 stars for the concept but they didn't blow me away. It just wasn't my cup of tea, sorry! Places like this make me so proud and happy to be a carnivore. Traif really lived up to my high expectations and everybody enjoyed the feast of delicious eclectic soul food. All these great food at such reasonable prices make Traif one of the best restaurants I've tried in 2011. The Traif is the BOMB!!!! read more

See all

Thank you Olivia S. for introducing me to one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Thinking about Traif already makes me salivate. My fingers tingle. My heart palpitates. My pupils dilate. I just can't go another day without having your pig-related dishes in my mouth. When I got here, they told me the reservation was changed to half an hour later, so they sent me to their sister restaurant Xixa down the block (black awning, no sign, so sexy, so xixa). Chef's selection, $40. Do it. read more

"You've never been to Traif?! Oh, you're going to love it!" And just like that I was whisked away to Traif along with about 20 other yelpers after the elite event at BK Winery. The restaurant was smaller than I thought it would be, but they managed to accommodate our large group by splitting us up into two tables. We ended up ordering quite a lot of food. They have 20+ small dishes on the menu and everything sounded so good that I had a tough time picking what to order. The following are the dishes I tried... BACON BROTH - Wow, what a great way to start the meal! The bacon broth had a great smokey flavor and it was rich without being oily. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/qLLxS7RwNEjP_jq_KQrPfA?select=6iak2aN_Cjw9uE9VJabbBw HAMACHI CARPACCIO - I'm so predictable. If there's raw fish on the menu, I'll probably get it. I loved the combination of the avocado and grapefruit with the hamachi. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/qLLxS7RwNEjP_jq_KQrPfA?select=Wri6ledsBEtSc_cC1y4UGQ CRISPY PORK BELLY - Not bad. I usually prefer pork to be on the tender side rather than the crispy side, but the lentil and noodle stew made the dish for me. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/qLLxS7RwNEjP_jq_KQrPfA?select=V4HW0-C6MN9o7NnNyN7x6w SEARED SCALLOPS - The scallops were seared perfectly and the butternut squash sauce was a delicious compliment. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/qLLxS7RwNEjP_jq_KQrPfA?select=lIpmkrKyKTJc_UXa8v6f4w COCKLE CLAMS - Can't go wrong with clams in a flavorful broth. BACON DOUGHNUTS - This sounded suspicious to me, since I'm not a huge fan of savory/sweet desserts, but after trying the bacon doughnuts I'm now a believer. This was surprisingly good, especially with the ice cream. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/qLLxS7RwNEjP_jq_KQrPfA?select=i-mERETjkJ89RWwjeTakGw The chef also sent out some pineapples with pomegranate sauce as a last little dessert tidbit. They tasted like gummy bears! The bill was a shocker as well. For the amount of food we ordered, the bill was surprisingly low split up between all of us. Delicious seasonal food, gorgeous presentation, and reasonable prices. My yelp friends did not lead me astray. I was told I would love Traif and I do! I can't wait to go back and try more of the food. read more

See all

Traif means "non-Kosher" in Yiddish. Bet you didn't know that. They certainly live by that mantra here, so if that's an issue for you, don't bother coming. If you revel in the pleasures of the swine, among other culinary indiscretions, by all means get your ass to Traif ASAP! This place is incredible. I was literally stunned at the level of sophistication of each dish, the flavor development, the playfulness and creativity of some of the combinations, and the overall dining experience. Much to my pleasant surprise, the chef's tasting menu is available for parties of 2 during the week (on the weekends, it requires full participation of parties of 3 or more, oddly). My friend and I selected that without hesitation and were assured that although we could provide direction on items we really wanted, they would take care of us and make sure we got the goods. They delivered on that promise again and again. I didn't take pictures nor did I keep good notes, but from memory, we had the following: - snap pea soup (amuse) - tuna tartare over eggplant tempura - burrata - chicken liver with toast points - pork belly - baby back ribs - pulled pork sliders - scallops - sweetbreads - foie gras - pasta dish with sausage - panna cotta with mixed berries - bacon doughnuts with coffee ice cream - pineapple It was a lot of courses, but the portions were modest. Enough to give you a good taste of each dish, but not so big that the meal was overwhelming or excessively gluttonous. There is a nicely curated cocktail list (get the tequila drink with a bacon rim!), approachable wine list and solid selection of beers. In addition to the tasting menu, my buddy and I each had a cocktail and shared a bottle of wine. All in, we got out for about $100 each. Given the caliber of the food, the great level of service and the relaxed environs, it's the best 100 bucks I've spent in a long time. read more

Traif - If you're wondering whether or not this drink has a bacon rim, the answer is yes - it does. - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Grab a couple of your foodcentric friends, come here and order as much of the menu as possible. I joined my wife and a friend of ours about 15 mins late to the party - just in time to see the braised short rib sliders, chicken liver mousse and the hampshire pork belly arriving at the table. Our waitress, a sassy and friendly girl, gave me the "we've been waiting for you for the longest time" line. She was funny. I needed a stiff drink to get things going and got the Thai Manhattan, a delicious rum based cocktail. The initial round of food was very encouraging. The pork belly (5/5) was outstanding - balanced nicely by hearts of palm and a couple of different kinds of citrus. The mildly sweet bbq sauce of the slider (4.5/5), which I pretty much devoured in one bite, sang me a love song. This is what eating is all about. The chicken liver (3.5/5) was pretty decent too. All too soon it was time for another drink and this time I went for the Red Pearl which is like a mojito with a kick. It's a light, refreshing drink which I highly recommend. I was ready for more food. We ended up getting baked muenster cheese with smoked chorizo (5/5), cornmeal crusted soft- shell crabs (4.5/5), whole roasted head-on prawns (4/5), sautéed sweetbreads (4/5) and the fried chicken (4/5). Every dish was creative and delicious. I'm not going to bother describing each dish as I normally do. It was a meal that needs to be experienced to be understood. Our waitress came by and asked how we were doing. "Full," I said. "That's what they say until they see the dessert menu," came the prompt reply. Almost on cue, we ordered the bacon doughnuts with coffee ice cream (5/5). I can't imagine a meal here without getting this. It summarized my entire experience. There was nothing here that I haven't had before - but it was all presented and prepared in a unique way. We paid about $90 per person all in. Considering the food and alcohol consumed, I thought it was reasonable. We'll be back for more. read more

See all

Had a bad experience at this restaurant last night and do not recommend, particularly for anyone with food allergy concerns. My friend is severely celiac and, upon arriving, informed the waiter who spoke with the chef (one of the co-owners) and provided a marked up version of the menu indicating which dishes were gluten free. As she was eating the first dish (which, as noted above, was specifically recommended to her by the chef as being safe to eat), she began feeling ill. We took a good look through the dish, realized it contained rye, and flagged it to the server who promptly apologized and went to check with the chef. The chef proceeded to insist the dish was in fact gluten free and only after some back and forth and a google search did he come to the realization it was not. The fact a chef and co-owner of a restaurant could be so misinformed about his dishes and their contents is concerning in itself, however our biggest disappointment was a phone conversation that happened afterwards with the chef's wife, Heather. While Heather could have apologized on behalf of the restaurant for the mistake, she was defensive, confrontational, and overall left such a bad taste with us that I can't imagine ever returning to Traif or to Heather and her husband's other restaurant next door, Xixa. read more

Finally had a chance to try Traif! Walked in right on time for an 8pm res and told the host we were now 2, not 3. He gave me a look and said "unfortunately that presents a problem because your table is for 3 and now we have to see what's available for 2". I just looked back at him and he appeared to get the message. He surveyed the tables, came back, and the other host seated us. She made a point to say that our table was meant for 3 but they would give it to us with only 2. I didn't even respond. I mean seriously, I'm about to drop a ton of money on your overpriced food so you have a job, don't give me your 'tude the second I walk in the door. Am I right? Our waitress however was a breath of fresh air. She was kind and quirky and attentive. We ordered a few dishes: salmon with seafood risotto, short rib sliders, buffalo mozzarella, tuna tartare with eggplant tempura, and lamb ragu cavatelli. Highlights were the sliders, tuna and cavatelli. The salmon was a good portion but boring, and needed some lemon or some kind of sauce to add to it. The buffalo moz was oddly blended, it came with beets and strawberries but if you're taking that route it's worth it to add a drizzle of honey or something along those lines. I'm no chef, but the highly regarded Traif loses 2 very significant stars because of a crappy host staff and neither here nor there food. I would consider going back but Xixa down the street (sister restaurant) still holds my heart. read more

Traif - Lamb ragu cavetelli and tuna tartare eggplant tempura - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

I read a handful of yelp reviews before calling in to make my reservation. As you can imagine, I had high expectations. I will definitely be coming back. Environment Intimate space with a outdoor/indoor dining area in the back. If you dine here in the evening, it's lit up with candles which is great for dates or couples. I would advise you to make reservations since it was pretty packed when I dined here on a Wednesday night. Food If you like New American tapas, bacon, and you don't mind sharing food this is heaven. My husband and I ordered 6 dishes and two cocktails. I highly recommend the tuna tartare, day boat scallops, burrata, and their pork chop. NO MATTER HOW FULL YOU ARE, TRY THEIR BACON DONUTS THAT COMES WITH A SIDE OF COFFEE ICE CREAM FOR DESSERT!!! Most of their desserts are not too sweet so if you do not have a big sweet tooth, give this place a try. *They have a $50 Chef's tasting menu if you are interested. It's a 9 course meal and you get to choose two items off the menu. SERVICE Our waitress was great. Checked on us a few times to make sure we were ok and gave us great recommendations. read more

See all

A prominent Yelper wrote that Traif was his favorite restaurant. At the time, he reviewed 700 or 800 restaurants. I wouldn't go as far to say this is my favorite restaurant, but it comes close. And if I wanted to impress friends with the NYC culinary scene, it's hard to do better than Traif. Ambiance is dark, muted, and intimate. The tables are not bumped up next to each other (a pet-peeve of mine) so you're not engaged in your neighbor's conversation. Very date appropriate. Another prominent Yelper said there was a TV (another pet peeve of mine). Either it was missing or wasn't on, since I didn't notice it. The 2nd Yelper went on to say that while the food is delicious, it lacks subtlety, balance, and complexity. I agree with this sentiment. Yes, the food is prepared with a dwarven mace rather than an elven bow. Yes, the flavors are bold and apologetic. Like a jpeg image where the color saturation is set to full to produce an almost cartoonish effect. But it's a restaurant whose foundations are built on pork and shellfish. You're not exactly coming here for subtlety. Service was perfect. Our waitress was a bit flirty in a friendly way and very interactive. Helpful in food selection. Attentive despite the place being packed. Food style is tapas. The dishes are small and easily shareable. I think it works best if you're 3 or 4 people. More than 4 and some of the dishes will have to be cut a bit too small. Less than 3 and it becomes less of a tapas sized serving. I went with my cuñado and my wife. We ordered 8 dishes. I entered a food coma at dish 6 and couldn't eat the last two dishes. The best strategy is to order 2 dishes per person and then order as you go from there. Hampshire Pork Belly: A The perfect pork belly. Presented beautifully which belies the fact that you're eating delicious fatty pork fatmeatfat. If you like greasy fatty pork belly, this is it, but served as a gourmet looking dish. Served with a salsa of tomato, leek, sugar snaps, asiago, cheddar, and bacon. Yes, Virginia. There's bacon crumbled onto the pork belly. It's the 8th wonder of the world and the bane of the pig world. Strawberry Cinnamon Baby Back Ribs: A The glaze was a hair sweeter than I like, but the meat was soft enough to be cut easily with a fork and expertly cooked. The meat has a great sear due to the caramelized strawberry sugars. Short-Rib Sliders: A These are great pulled pork sliders. My brother-in-law is Cuban/Honduran, and said that this was better than any Cuban pulled pork we could think of. The bread was as soft as an angel's butt. Comes with sweet potato fries (perhaps fried in bacon fat?) and a smoked paprika aioli (like a chipotle). PROTIP: You're supposed to use the aioli with the fries, but it goes FANTASTICALLY on the sliders as well!!! Pork Cheeks: A Soft and fatty. Served on a bed of grain I couldn't identify, a starchy vegetable I couldn't identify, and dolops of green lentil soup. Bacon Fat Focaccia: B The only thing on the menu I didn't love. Matteo R. said the food was cooked without subtlety or balance. I agree somewhat, and this is what happens when you do that. This dish would be great in another context, but next to such larger than life dishes of pure sweet pork indulgence, it seemed very plain. PROTIP: Skip this one. It's great, but you have so many other things to try! Broccoli Rabe: A- Cooked in bacon grease. The chef was able to cook it to the point of being very soft but still very broccoli rabe flavored. Spring Cassoulet: B Good, but not on par with the other dishes. Sausages were a bit plain. Good polenta, though. Dayboat Scallops: A+ Served on a bed of snap & english pea risotto and topped with a lemon-caper brown butter and a tomato chive salsa. As an ex-physicist researcher, I'm intelligent enough to (mostly) stay away from works like "the most" or "the least" or "the best/worst", but I will make an exception here. This was the best scallop dish I've ever had anywhere. It was the most expertly cooked, most expertly presented scallops. Anywhere. This blows away any seafood restaurant I've been to in NY, SF, DC, or Tokyo. Braided Bread: A Served gratis. A delicious braided bread, soft and warm, served with a ricotta spread and a bacon/bacon bit marmalade. PROTIP: This is nice to start your meal with. Keylime Pie: A I didn't care for the pineapple marmalade, but the dollop of cream was a beautiful addition. The pie itself was perfect as was the graham crust. Bacon Doughnuts: A Sweet bacon glaze with bacon crumbles on a perfect doughnut. PROTIP: You'll be sorry if you don't get this. Coffee: A No espresso, but the coffee is marvelous. It's oddly difficult finding good coffee at NYC restaurants. read more

See all

It's one of those cases where I dedicate a 100-review -- in this case, #1,800 -- to a truly spectacular restaurant. I only wish I had written it sooner to capture all the deliciousness. About a month later, though, I can tell you that they really outdid themselves here. Stand out dishes include the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, the hearty baby back ribs, and the bacon donuts (with dulce de leche and coffee ice cream). No dish disappointed! For five of us very hungry people, we got about six dishes plus dessert. This was enough to satiate us -- above and beyond! The menu changes regularly, so it's worth repeat visits! Just be forewarned, without a reservation on a Saturday, my friends and I waited almost 1.5 hours... But, yes, it was worth it. read more

Every-so-often, a restaurant comes onto the scene where it is universally adored by the creme-a-la-creme of Yelp -- aka, my friends. Enter Traif. This is a restaurant named after the derivative of the Hebrew word "teref" which means torn and is now commonly used to refer to anything non-kosher. How could I NOT love this food? I arrived shortly after opening because my primary goal was to snag the two seats right in front of the chef. In most cases, if I could, I love to watch the chef prepare food. The detail, the meticulous work, and, let's be honest, the smells from an open kitchen is one of the guiltiest pleasures when it comes to eating. I started the meal with one of their specialty cocktails, if I remember correctly, "Rude Little Pig" (Lapsong-infused tequila, cointreau, pomegranate bacon rim) which was strong but the idea of a bacon rim always win. For entrees (that was shared), we started with a refreshing fig, goat cheese, walnut spring salad (to open the palate) followed promptly with the "Thai Spicy-Sweet Chili-Glazed Calamari". Amazing! Get it! The calamari was tender and wonderfully glazed. Next came the "Sautéed Sweetbreads, artichokes, asparagus, roast mushrooms". This dish was almost solely for me because I love offal and I rarely (and there is proof!) turn down sweetbreads. It was delicious and balanced well with the vegetables. Fourth dish was the "Seared Scallops, Creamed Corn, Sage-Pistachio Brown Butter" which, once again, I need to say GET IT! This dish was perfect. The warm scallops lovingly seared and then laid gently upon a soft, cozy bed of creamed corn then drizzled with the sage-pistachio brown butter. HOW! HOW! HOW can I not have dreams about this for days to come?!? And then...the "Strawberry-Cinnamon Glazed Baby Back Ribs" Yes. I'm talking about fall-off-the-bone succulent baby-back ribs that was so flavorful, I had to hold down my friend and shove a strawberry-cinnamon explosion into his mouth. Was it worth it? You bet! Of course, there is always room for dessert and the hot "Strawberry cobbler with passion fruit cream" was the great end to the meal where spoons fought in a white ramekin showdown shoving hot fresh strawberries cradled in passion fruit foam into hungry mouths. Thankfully, the staff at Traif noticed the burn marks because with the check came pieces of "golden pineapple drizzled with pomegranate molasses and mint". By the way, did I mention how great the staff is? The chef conversed intermittent with us as did everyone behind the bar. Friendly, attentive, fantastic! Next time, I want to try: ~ Bacon-wrapped blue cheese-stuffed dates, spinach a la catalane ~ Duck confit lettuce wraps, banana-tamarind prik ~ Stuffed corn cake, marinated rock shrimp, champagne mango ~ Braised Berkshire pork cheeks a l'ancienne, polenta, prune jus ~ Bacon doughnuts, dulche de leche, coffee ice cream Do I recommend Traif? You make the call. Seriously, give me a call. I'll be there. read more

See all

Traif, where have you been all my life? Oh, that's right, you've been in South Williamsburg, and I've just been too lazy to swing by. But after a few years, I finally did and it was one of the best meals I've ever had in Brooklyn - if not in NY. If you have the fortune of dining at Traif, DEFINITELY 100% do the chef's tasting menu. It's 10 shared plates followed 3 dessert courses, and very reasonably priced. Our (funny) waitress informed us that we could specify three plates that we absolutely needed, but also gave us a wink about how some things are standard and sure to be included. Below is the list of everything we got: 0) Complimentary red pepper soup 1) Dayboat scallops* 2) Foie gras terrine* 3) Tuna tartare over eggplant tempura* 4) Strawberry cinnamon ribs** 5) Sweetbreads** 6) Chicken liver 7) Pulled pork sliders with sweet potato fries 8) Seared foie gras 9) Prawns seared in foie gras 10) Paccheri pasta with sausage sauce * Dishes that we specified wanting ** Dishes that we wanted, but our waitress assured us would definitely be included And for desserts: 1) Buttermilk panna cotta 2) Peanut butter brittle and dark chocolate fudge 3) Bacon doughnuts One of the benefits of doing the chef's tasting is that they will adjust the serving sizes so everyone can get a taste (which makes sense since the chef's tasting is everybody-or-nobody). I can't say enough about how amazing the food was. My favorite dishes were the scallops, the strawberry cinnamon ribs, sweetbreads, prawns, and the tuna tartare over eggplant tempura. At some point, another table broke out in birthday song, and my friends started jokingly singing the same to me (my birthday was a week beforehand). Our (funny) waitress asked if it was my birthday, and then brought out a single lit candle on a plate and started singing happy birthday to me before bringing out our three dessert plates. I sure felt like the belle of the ball. Oh, and I can't complete this review without speaking about the cocktails. They have a great selection, but the one you definitely have to try is the Rude Little Pig, which is a tequila cocktail with a bacon salted rim. That's right, bacon. This is the cocktail that you'll have to pass around to your friends because they'll all want to try it (so I hope you're fine with them licking your rim... hehe). But damn, was it good. I actually ended up ordering two of them. I could write an essay about how amazing everything is at Traif, but you'll just have to take my word for it. Make a reservation though, because it's one of the most in-demand restaurants in NY right now (and rightfully so!). read more

See all

My girlfriends and I hardly get together, but when we do, we love exploring and trying good food. Traif has been on my radar for awhile and as my good friend May L. suggested - we need to get more people to go so we can try more dishes. That's exactly what we did. All 7 of us. Made reservations for 8:30. Sat down at around 9. Not hating. They were busy and we weren't rushing. It's definitely recommended to make a reservation. Walk-ins had a long wait and were encouraged to get some drinks at their sister restaurant down the block while waiting for an available table. Rather than spending too much time on the menu deciding what to eat, we opted for the chef's course, which is a definite recommend. For around $40ish/pp, you are served the best and most popular dishes (and 11 of them, in fact). Stand outs: -Salad w/ soft goat cheese, sugar snap peas -Tuna tartare on top of fried eggplant -Seared scallops over pea risotto -Wild mushroom tempura -Bacon donuts w/ coffee ice cream (must order) All dishes were intended for sharing. Each dish came with 7 pieces so all of us were able to taste. Service was pretty impressive also. Despite the crowd and only 2 people on the line, we never had to wait long for the next dish. There was a little snafu in the beginning with the water, but after that cleared up, our glasses were constantly being filled. The staff was also extremely helpful and friendly. Can't wait to go back and order a la carte. read more

See all

Three years and 5 meals after on evolving menus served in a loud restaurant with the most ridiculous reservation system ever ... ... I can tell Traif is a solid 10 stars. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P.S. this is a phone-written review and yelp app says: "This review is shorter than most reviews" ... Seriously read more

See all

The foie gras was excellent. When you visit (notice there's no "IF"), order the foie. I typically don't like organs/glands but this...this one can't and won't escape me...ever. My very first visit I was drunk and was spatting off random idiotic lines that normal drunk people like to do. "There's so much fat on the pork belly!" "Why is the egg so runny?" Etc., Etc. Thankfully, we were seated in the garden area so I could act a fool all I wanted. Yes, I forgot a lot of the food we ordered and wiped clean but the ones that resonated were: Sauteed Broccoli Rabe, Crispy, Braised Pork Belly, Seared Foie and Bacon Doughnuts (hi, I miss you :)). The hostess (co-owner) is extremely friendly. We weren't able to finish the bottle of wine that we ordered so she cleansed out an empty wine bottle and poured the remainder of our wine in it. Awesome. I made a second trip here (sober) and when I walked in she recognized me and said, "I remember you, you're whiskey girl." Oh great. So, basically I'm going to stay away for a little bit so "whiskey girl" is expunged from her memory. Unless, I come here drunk again. Bad habits die hard. The only con was that a lot of the dishes were salt infested. The trick is to eat all of the components together to accentuate the full flavor of the dish and not be overwhelmed by just one...i.e. - salt. For the price, dishes put out and hospitality, it's most definitely worth it to take a trip out to Brooklyn. My next visitation will be for brunch...their menu looks AMAZING. You guys are what make "globally-inspired soul food" great. read more

Traif - foie gras - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Really expected a mind blowing experience after looking at the number of reviews but it definitely did not impress me. Came here with a few friends and decided on the chef's selection. Basically a sample of a few things on the menu (10-12 things including dessert). There were a few good dishes but a few bad dishes as well. The good plates: tuna tartare on a fried eggplant, fried shrimp with pineapple (sauce was good), foie gras, the scallops, and the fried doughnuts with bacon bits and coffee ice-cream. The okay/bad plates: the salad, short ribs, goat cheese, the pork bun sliders, the cheesecake. You'd think a place with such great reviews and with $$$, every plate would be delicious but guess not. Usually I don't talk much about salads cause I either don't order it or pay too much attention to it but the salad here just wasn't good. I didn't want to eat it after one bite and I normally would just finish the salad cause it's healthy. Not at this place. The short ribs weren't anything special. The sauce wasn't good and it tasted like short ribs I would eat at a Chinese restaurant. The goat cheese didn't accompany anything, not even crackers so none of us really wanted it since it was way too much to eat at a time. The pork buns were okay. Soft and tender but nothing special either. Nobody liked the cheesecake except me because of the sour sauce on the tip of it. At first I really liked it but then it got way too overwhelming so we didn't finish it. The good plates I mentioned above are definitely ones you should order. If you want to do chefs selection you can still tell them some plates you like to be served or just order them individually without doing the chefs selection. All in all, I'd say I enjoyed the good plates a lot and would definitely want to try those again but I don't think I'd come back again. Not worth the money. P.S. It's super loud and dark in there so don't come here with friends expecting to have a nice chat with them or come here for a date. read more

See all

OVERALL Great food, good service, crappy seating and drinks. There is a $50 chef tasting menu but its ONLY during weekdays. I think this place gets way more credit than it deserves, and all these flawless 5 star reviews are probably from the local hipsters who have probably avoided every "good" restaurant in NYC for fear of being too mainstream. THE LAYOUT Wow is this place uncomfortable to sit in. We sat in a corner table for two and there was hardly any room to move. The tables are so close together you are almost on top of the tables next to you. On top of that, its got an open kitchen layout - which means if you're seated anywhere near the kitchen, expect to be in the blast range of some of the most intense heat you'll ever experience in a restaurant. My room temperature app recorded 80 degrees with 50% humidity - I was sweating balls in my short sleeve shirt. THE FOOD We tried 6 dishes, and normally I'd go over them in detail but apparently the menu changes DAILY. Prices for each dish are about $13-17 average and are enough for about 4-5 bites each for two people. Our waiter recommended 6 dishes for 2 people. That worked about right with room for dessert. Decent portion size even if they were a bit on the expensive side. So here's a quick rundown of whats good and whats passable: Pork belly - awesome and tender. *Must have* Tuna Tartar on eggplant - pretty good, tastes like sushi Short Ribs with strawberry glaze - awesome, tender, *Must have* Sweetbreads - Meh Bacon wrapped dates - perfect combo of sweet and salty *Must have* Pork sliders - awesome, loved the chipotle sauce *Must have* Fois gras - decent, too large of a portion of eggs and potatoes and not much meat. Bacon Donuts - these were just OK. Not amazing by any means. Its just tiny donuts with a bacon bits served with caramel ice cream. Talk about total letdown. My girlfriend summed up our reaction perfectly: "Anyone who writes that they are life changing must really have a shitty life." THE SERVICE When we first started getting dishes, the food was flying out of the kitchen and we'd get everything pretty quickly. Half way through dinner though, we would finish and wait 10-15 minutes for the next dish to come. Pacing was a bit weird and not consistent at all. DRINKS Cocktails are totally hit or miss. For $12 average price, one of my cocktails came in what might as well have been a shot glass on a wine glass stem. The Rude Little Pig signature drink is pretty gross. Way too much bite, and doesn't taste like bacon at all. It just has some bacon garnish around the glass with salt. I'm probably the only person ever to order a "digestiv" here but I tried to Becherovka. Its $9 for a shot and tastes what you'd expect the "Nutmet/Cinnamon challenge" to taste like in liquid form. Man its strong. I would not get it again. read more

I agree with Matteo, I also thought five dishes was way too much food for two people. Dishes do vary on portion so order as you go and make sure you have plenty of water next to you because your taste buds will almost undoubtedly be attacked by salt. I made a reservation at Traif for my pork-loving boyfriend's birthday. After the glowing reviews from a lot of my pals, I thought yes, I must take my man here to celebrate! I asked the girl on the phone if they do anything special for birthdays and she said they do put a candle in the dessert if I want and I said that would be great, do I tell the waitress when I arrive or can you note that in the reservation? She said, no problem, I will note that in the reservation and that would be taken care of. Great. That was easy enough! We arrived for our 9:30 reservation about five minutes early and were told our table was almost ready but they were having dessert and would be done soon. We waited outside with several other people and then when the hostess finally came to get us, it was nearly 10pm. So much for a reservation. By this time, the restaurant was starting to get less crowded. I have to say, service was extremely slow and my water glass was constantly left empty as the bus boy would swoosh by our table filling everyone else's glasses but ours. We did go with five plates but that ended up being more food than was necessary. We got pig tails, risotto that was supposed to have pork in it, scallops, shrimp with watermelon and pineapple and then some type of pasta with ragu which actually was almost inedible. It was really more of a macaroni and cheese. It was a long process dining here. It took a long time, longer than I had anticipated. I was afraid we'd miss our next reservation which was at 1230 and we actually were late for that, but I couldn't leave without getting dessert with a candle in it for my boyfriend's birthday as I requested. For dessert, we opted for the Key Lime pie, which took an unusually long time to get to us, but that's cool because they were probably looking for candles or something...WRONG. We did get the pie, sans birthday candle. Wow, my request was not honored. This was disappointing but you know what? I had no time to pout, we asked for the check to be brought out with the dessert and tried to get out of there as fast as possible. It was just an okay experience and the food was really just average in my opinion. In fact I would recommend going with the seafood selections over any of their pork selections as they seemed to be the winners in our array of plates. Won't be back. read more

See all

AMBIANCE: We were pleased to be seated in the corner of the greehouse next to the garden. During the sunset it was beautiful. As the sun completely set, it was pitch black, NO JOKE. We were like the little rejects in the corner sitting on timeout in the dark. No water for us, no light for us. We managed to get a candle from the waiter...but clearly it was still dark. Not dimmly lit, DARK. PITCH BLACK ALMOST. I couldn't see any of my beautiful friends faces. Sad... FOOD: Despite not being able to see anything, everything was pretty damn tasty. The food is meant to be small plates..the only bad thing about the small plates is that each plate came with a different amount and it was a challenge to split amongst 5 girls. I have written below how many pieces each dish came with... also to note, all the dishes come out staggered. ~butterfish carpaccio, mango, pickled blackberries, yuzu-truffle, sesame, lime--$9-- This was very small and disappointing looking at first sight, but the butterfish just melts in your mouth. Doesn't even remind you of eating fish. 4 pieces of butterfish ~salt and pepper spicy white shirmp, watermelon, pineapple, thai basil--$9--One of my favorites of the night. Shrimp was crispy, delicious, and perfectly paired with the fruits. 7 Shrimps. --lettuce wraps: confit lamb belly, peach prik, 5 spice yogurt, picled watermelon--$10-- this was good, an interesting mix of flavors but I wouldn't get it agian. 4 lettuce wraps --confit-glazed chicken wings, coconute cashew-massaman curry--$9--My friends were a little disappointed with the wings since we had just eaten the amazing ribs...but they were good none-the-less. Prob wouldn't get this again. 7 pieces of chicken. --strawberry-cinammon glazed baby back pock ribs-- $9-- can I just say, AMAZING? I've never had such an interesting flavor..and it was GOOD. the AROMA...who would have THOUGHT STRAWBERRIES AND RIBS?! gawd.... yeah we got 2 plates of this. each came with 3 ribs each. --sauteed broccoli rabe, roasted portobella-truffle toast, fried egg--$10-- this was okay..another interesting combo..wouldn't get it again. We just had to cut this into 5 pieces. --seared scallops, snap 5 english pea risotto, tomato-caper brown butter--$17--This was seriously SOOOOOOOOOOO YUMMMYYYYY..the scallops were delicious but the pea risotto was AMAZINGGGGG and went with it sooo well. omg. but it came with only 3 scallops :( --bacon doughnuts, dulche de leche, coffee ice cream -- $6--oooooooo the yumminess.... I think everyone has already raved about this so i'll keep it simple. came with 4 bacon doughnuts. --panne cotta? Delicious, light, refreshing. The sauce was MUY BUENOOOOO TOP 3: Salt and pepper shrimp, Strawberry-cinammon ribs, Seared Scallops. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING. Both desserts were excellent as well COST: 8 dishes + 2 desserts for 5 girls = $23 per person (with exact 15% tip included..the service wasn't all that). Our tummies were all content. If I were with a guy I think I would have had to order more though. The food was really 5 stars, but the overall experience was really disappointing...sitting in the dark at a restaurant without any of the staff really noticing or caring is kind of unacceptable don't you think? read more

See all

My boyfriend and I walked in around 30 minutes after the restaurant opened without a reservation. Luckily, the hostess was nice and gave us a table telling us we had to give it up by 8. Of course we agreed wanting to try this place for the longest, so we readily followed the hostess to our table. Once sat, our server filled our cups with water and asked us if it was our first experience at Traif. We answered yes, and he explained shortly how the dishes were prepared and left to gave us a few minutes to decide what we wanted. He came back shortly giving us complimentary shots of some kind of drink. We were unsure of what it was, but drank it anyways. We ordered the Hampshire pork belly, dayboat scallops, and the foie gras with fingerling potatoes. I thought the pork belly was mediocre. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. It lacked a lot of flavor, and the meat was rather dry in my opinion. The dayboat scallops were pretty much the best thing I had there. The scallops were plain, but the savory corn risotto definitely saved the entire dish. Lastly, the foie gras with fingerling potatoes. We were rather disappointed when we took our first bite. EVERYTHING was soaked in oil, and the foie gras was not seared evenly. We probably drank 3 cups of water after to wash the oil out our mouths. Though the service was spectacular, I do not think we will return. It was an alright first experience, but the food was way over hyped. With the prices you're paying here, you might as well find a different tapas restaurant with better food. read more

See all

Traif is an unkosher gem in a historic Jewish neighborhood, and their bathroom similarly breaks with tradition to provide a solid experience on the pot. You enter and your eyes are dazzled by the fantastically frenetic paint accents contrasting against the black walls. The toilet is of course a creamy shade of pig-skin pink, and the industrial accents of the soap dispenser and sink are nice touches. Upon further examination, additional appreciated features include an awesome De-Stijl painted ceiling, an artsy framed photo of the brooklyn bridge, and a glass block window. The window requires an explanation. Typically, you would think a bathroom window would face outdoors. But no, this one is at waist level inside the bathroom and dead level with some unsuspecting diner's head inside the restaurant. Which means when you're standing with your trousers down, your private piglet and his head are at the same level. It's a little unnerving trying to do your business in such tense scenarios, to say the least. Thank goodness the glass is frosted. Another item that irks me is the low-riding sink faucet. It's a wonderful steel sink with a classy basin. But there exists only 3 inches of clearance betwixt the faucet and drain! This guarantees that while scrubbing your hands after hogging down some wonderfully messy pork ribs, you will indubitably accidentally brush either the under-side of the faucet or the basin itself. That really twists my tail. Overall it was a good bathroom experience in a great restaurant, but if you wanna get the blue ribbon you gotta have the fattest boar at the fair, am I right? Do yourself a favor and try the bacon doughnut. read more

See all

First: MAKE RESERVATIONS. That, I did. Birthday reservations for the lover. Eating at Traif is an experience. Very "new" New York. Completely open kitchen; savory smells fill your nostrils; and though you can't tell the waitstaff from a regular patron walking to the bathroom, you have to appreciate how approachable the staff is. Everything is served tapas style but they're hefty so don't get it confused... you will NOT leave hungry under any circumstance. Considering the ample amount of reviews on Traif, I'll keep it short and simple. If there's one thing I'd recommend you order it would be the scallops. They were cooked to perfection, fresh, simple and complex. A beautiful oxymoron for sure. Traif has succeeded in creating a creative and intriguing dining experience that you shouldn't deprive yourself of so make a rez and take your lover, bestie, enemy- whomever you wish to have an amazing dinner experience with. read more

I visited a ton of food spots during my time in NY and this place definitely stood out! It's a nicer, tapa-style restaurant where you order a number of small plates to share among friends. My boyfriend and I split 4-5 plates between ourselves and were stuffed. Some dishes to note were: - Strawberry BBQ ribs: fall-off-the-bone tender and sooo good but slightly too sweet for me. - Surf n Turf: pork belly and crab were both extremely tender and surprisingly went really well together with the polenta. This dish was probably my favorite. Flavors were subtle and great. - Spicy Tuna Tartare: I didn't think I'd enjoy the eggplant but I definitely did! One dish that neither of us were fans of were the sauteed sweetbread. It was like a mushy chicken tender and we couldn't make ourselves finish it. Food didn't take too long to come out at all and service was very attentive. Definitely a must-eat spot in Brooklyn! read more

The food is of very good quality don't get me wrong everything is made in a small little kitchen that you can see...along with waiters giving new plates and utensils with every new dish you order. I would go back for the desert(IT WAS GREAT) and sliders(great but too small) but there was some obvious big problems. Problem 1: The menu is really long and they suggest that you order at least 6 things since portions are small and trust me there not cheap. Your looking at an easy over 80 for two people if your trying to fill up. Problem two: I like to relax and think about things before I order I'm usually extremely undecided and I think its okay I mean your paying them money. When I didn't know what I wasted after the waitress came back twice she said that this table is reserved for someone that they reserve time blocks kind of rushing me, well not kind of. How rude? Problem 3: Portions are small if you have money to spend go on an empty stomach and spend! If you don't want to spend a lot of money on food that's not really going to fill you up maybe pre-eat then go! Might go back for desert and sliders as a snack just portions are way to small. The seal of the deal was at the end they offered us complimentary pineapple they literally brought us a pineapple chunk like one chunk each, yes the chunk from canned pineapple. read more

To quote myself in 3rd grade: "This place is da bomb." If I could grant Traif 6 stars, I certainly would do so. I liked this place very much even before arriving for dinner as they took customer service to new heights for me. I called for a reservation same day and they said they didn't have any tables available but we could still walk in. A few minutes later they called back (I did not leave my name or telephone number with them) and said they had a cancelation. I was ecstatic. The food was incredible. The soft shell crab was fried deliciousness. Tempura eggplant is an extra tasty way to deliver raw tuna. The rock shrimp pasta was hearty and filled with pesto goodness. The nutella mousse was fluffy and chocolaty awesomeness. The quality of food that this place can put out from its tiny "kitchen" is astounding. Simply, Traif is one of my favorite restaurants in all of NYC. I don't always go to Brooklyn, but when I do, I prefer to dine at Traif. read more

Traif - Rude Little Piggy - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Where do I begin to describe how awesome Traif is? Let's start with the reservations. After weeks of reservation making and changing, I finally got a date that worked. The girl on the phone was really patient with me and even called me the day of to make sure I was still set for dinner that day. Seriously though, folks, make a reservation! And if possible, ask if you can get a seat in the glass canopy area in the back. It looked so nice in the early evening and it's probably better lighting in that area for picture taking! By 7:00pm, the small space filled up quickly. The dishes are tapas style and go from small to large down the menu list. My friend and I ordered 4 small to medium dishes and it was enough food to be quite full! Salt & pepper shrimp: DELICIOUS! There were sweet potato chunks in this dish that I absolutely LOVED and I'm not usually a huge fan of sweet potatoes. The shrimp was breaded in a nice batter and super juicy and crunchy. The dish was not too flavorful or salty and the portion was satiating. Icy blue mussels: The mussels were soaked in a pesto pea soup. Don't neglect the delicious fluffy buttered toast wedges on the side. They were soooo delicious! The mussels were served in a generous portion. I wasn't as big of a fan of the peas as my friend was. Strawberry-cinnamon glazed Berkshire baby back ribs: AMAZING. My favorite dish of the night! The meat fell right off the bone. The tenderness of the meat was paired with a nice BBQ sauce made of cinnamon and strawberry reduction. The cinnamon aspect was really unique, but not too overwhelmingly pungent. BBQ, braised short rib sliders, sweet potato fries, smoked paprika aioli: The sliders are about 3-4 bites so don't expect anything extravagantly large. The short ribs resembled something similar to pulled pork - shredded and juicy. The sweet potato fries were fried lightly so they had the perfect texture. The smoked paprika aioli was great, but moderate - it's a bit salty! Unfortunately, we so full that we didn't have any room for the infamous bacon doughnuts, but I'll definitely be back for more! The menu changes month to month so I'm looking forward to trying something new. read more

See all

Traif is now open Monday nights for a relaxed feel, cocktail focused evening. The menu offers about 20 cocktails and food ($6-14) are all bite/tapas style. It's their night to show off their passion for cocktails and get a bit more creative with food. It's amazing how Traif never disappoints. Check it out :) No rest for this amazing team... read more

Traif - Monday night menu - artichoke w homemade nduja, quail egg and anchovies! - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Traif was featuring a Valentine's Day menu for $65 per person, so me and my boyfriend made a reservation for 6pm on that Saturday. The restaurant had a "Chef's Selection" seven course sharing style menu (six savory dishes plus dessert) of their classic and specialty dishes. The dishes we were able to sample included 1. Red Pepper & Vidalia Onion Soup 2. Beets, Pomegranate, Strawberry, mozzarella salad 3. Roasted Pork belly with bacon, palm, snow peas and Artichoke 4. Scallop Risotto with asparagus 5. Spicy Tuna Tartare 6. Oysters Gratinee with mushrooms and sunchoke on a baguette 7. Duck Confit on creamy polenta 8. Ricotta with peanut sauce for dessert. All the dishes were unique and innovative - well prepared with fresh ingredients and creatively put together. It was great to sample a variety of dishes and different combinations we normally wouldn't have at a typical restaurant. However, all their meals are small plates, so portions were small - about 1-2 bites per person per dish. We didn't think the Valentine's Day menu was as great of a value, as their normal tasting menu has 9 courses with two desserts at only $45 each. The restaurant is fairly noisy and with tables too close together, but me and my boyfriend enjoyed our evening that we barely noticed. It was still a wonderful experience dining at Traif and would recommend it if you're looking for a good date night spot! read more

See all

I've been on a hiatus from Yelp for the past couple of weeks. So what better way to make up for lost time than reviewing one of the BEST, if not the BEST restaurant in all of Williamsburg. Traif is undeniably a foodie lovers paradise. Eating here is like there's a party in my mouth and all of Traif's dishes have VIP access Traif apparently is translated from a hebrew word that means non-kosher food and kosher friendly, it is not. Because a good majority of the dishes being cranked outta this kitchen has some form of tasty swine attached to it. One of thier signature cocktails; The Rude Little Pig, even has bits of bacon on the rim of the glass. The chef/owner, Jason Marcus, ironically, is Jewish. Go figure. The ambiance here is very hipster and has a romantic vibe to it. The decor is very eclectic and on top of all the good food you get to have, you also get to see all the action in their small open kitchen. Another plus is they have a garden room where you can dine outside overlooking their garden. Def a cozy date spot. The menu isn't very cohesive and a bit on the schizophrenic side but every component on all the dishes I was served melded together so divinely. The only way I can describe it is; if Picasso and Daisy pig hooked up, Traif would be their illegitimate lovechild. Word for word, this is what we had: Spicy Big-Eye Tuna served on top of Japanese Eggplant Tempura drizzled with Kecap Manis. The tuna was very fresh and the tempura eggplants were light and very crispy. Addicting!!! $9 Berkshire Pork Belly with Rhubarb, Grapefruit, Blackberries and Sugar Snap Peas. The pork belly was seared until most of the fat was rendered out. It was crispy yet when it hit your mouth it melted like butta. Everything else on the dish was relevant and when you had the pork with the grapefruit and blackberries it was the perfect bite. So very Yummy. $11 BBQ Short Rib Sliders with Sweet Potato Fries and Smoked Paprika Aoili. Pretty much self explanatory. Simple yet oh so delicious. $9 Seared Dayboat Scallops with a Sweet Pea Risotto in a Brown Butter Lemon Caper Sauce. This was flawless, the scallops were seasoned and seared perfectly. The sweat peas enhanced the creaminess of the risotto that was cooked al dente. $17 Crispy Softshell Crab with Crushed Avocado, Pineapple Sambal, and Papaya. The softshell crab was fresh and tasted light, not at all greasy. I loved the sweet and spicy elements of the pineapple sambal that complimented the dish very nicely. $22 My absolute favorite dish of the night, hands down, had to be the Strawberry- Cinnamon Glazed Pork Baby Back Ribs. This was BOMB, completely off the chains delicious. The ribs were so tender yet crispy from the aromatic cinnamon BBQ glaze. The acidity from the fresh sliced strawberries offset the fattiness of the ribs perfectly. Oddly enough, this was served with a bowl of lemon water to clean your hands after you eat em. Which I thought was completely pointless because at that point I had sucked my fingers clean. $9 The grande finale of the night was dessert.. Bacon Doughnuts!!!! It was 4 mini doughnuts sitting in a pool of dulce de leche with a scoop of espresso ice cream sprinkle with crumbled bacon. This was a complete mind f*ck for me. It was so sinfully good that I was speaking in tongues. Doughnutty caramelly porky goodness. There's drool running down my chin as I'm typing this. The waitress was really helpful and very nice, not the phony kind of nice either. The only bummer of the night was we couldn't partake in the chef's $40 tasting menu because they need a minimum of a group of four, I thought that was pretty weak. But that was the only minor setback for an overall awesome dining experience. So when I left that night I was happier than a pig in shit........ See what I did there? read more

FINALLY made my way to Traif after having it bookmarked for soooo long. I made same day reservations and got super lucky with a table for two for that evening. We opted for the table versus the sitting at the bar (which you can also reserve!), although the bar was pretty spacious! Good to note: you can't have the chefs selection at the table, only at the bar. The food was pretty tasty and surprisingly filling for the small (and pricey) portions. Between the two of us (both incredible greedy, might I add), we shared about 5 dishes and we were satisfied. The staff does a good job at sending them out in intervals so you have time to enjoy each dish separately. However, despite the dishes being pretty solid - they weren't out of this world, hence the 4 stars instead of 5. I guess I was expecting mind blowing and unique flavor. Overall service was awesome, from the hostess to busboys and the wait staff. I definitely noticed how everyone synced up nicely and they all worked efficiently together. I recommend: strawberry cinnamon ribs dulce de leche and bacon donuts (!!) salt and pepper shrimp read more

See all

What's a nice kosher* vegetarian-ish girl like me doing in a place like Traif? More importantly, when can I come back?? Came here last weekend for a good friend's birthday brunch and was immediately shocked by 1) the gorgeous garden patio and 2) the sparsely filled tables. After eating, I'm even more surprised this place isn't mobbed, but that might be because it's only a couple of months old. Though I unfortunately cannot eat any bacon or shellfish, I will note I enjoyed my asparagus, artichoke spinach egg scramble very much. The side salad and toast it came with was drenched in truffle oil, too rich for me. But onto the stuff the rest of you care about. My friends ordered: - Egg-in-a-nest - egg and portabello sandwich - Braised bacon in soba noodles (the noodles are really spicy) - The Costanza: scrambled eggs with lobster - Chicken 'n' biscuit with watermelon salad - the chicken is deboned and deep fried and comes on top of a big biscuit swimming in a creamy sauce - For dessert: Bacon doughnuts with coffee ice cream (see photo) Sweetbreads are also available during brunch, according to the waitress but we did not order any. Everyone freaked out about their food. Freaked. Out. Especially about the bacon doughnuts. Though I liked my egg scramble my personal freakout came with the strawberry cobbler dessert. Served in a ramekin, the cobbler is simple but decadent; creamy, sweet and fresh, I would have gladly had another! Also try the silky and chocolaty Viennese iced coffee. A friend had two very refreshing Moroccan Whiskeys, while I suggest avoiding the iced mint green tea -- had almost zero flavor. I think it's funny they offer He'Brew Messiah Gold as one of their beers but they have a nice seasonal list too. The owner said the chef likes to use seasonal ingredients and is more than willing to be flexible for vegetarians. Apparently lots of meat-lovers bring their veggie friends here! *I'm not glatt kosher, I'll eat out at any restaurant. read more

Traif - Bacon Doughnuts with Coffee Ice Cream - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Best to come in group of 3, 4, 5, for best seating arrangements--it's easier to bump out into the patio. Couples tend to be by the bar area with individual tables. Exceptional servicing by the waitress & clean up staff. Intimate decor. Medium noise level. Maybe a 2-3 minute walk from the train station. Currently, most of the dishes range in the 9-15 range. The Chef's Selection is 50. There will be tax later. My group went with the selection, all with single serve tasting. While eating, I wondered if any of this would've been better had I ordered regular dishes, getting more of what I liked. They ask you first what you'd like to see and what you don't like, to better get an idea of what to serve you. We had a starting complimentary small cup of soup, followed by 10 dishes, and ending with 3 desserts + a complimentary fruit bite. Out of our dishes, I highly recommend the scallops if they're part of the menu. Everything else was a combination of interesting flavors. We left either satisfied or stuffed. I don't like mentioning specifics, since the dishes could often change per season. The one annoying part of the night that made me consider bumping it down to 4 stars was waiting in the cold. Reservation's at 6PM, yes, but my group can't wait by the bar or the little entrace you created for reception? A bit uptight. For the price and service, I'd consider it a treat to come here. I wouldn't have minded if we had maybe 1-2 more extra dishes, but it's all good. read more

Traif - 9 out of 10 dishes. - New American Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

After watching Skyfall, Dave and I decided to head into the heart of hipsterville and check out Traif, which has been on my culinary hit list for sometime. Surprisingly, the restaurant is small but without any doubt, it was also buzzing with energy and smelled delicious once we stepped inside. With an open kitchen, their food is all prepared in a very small space. Personally, I love restaurants like this as it makes my experience feel more interesting and intimate. If anything, their kitchen seem chaotic and impossible to maneuver but all the dishes that they presented to us that evening was fantastic. Dave and I ordered a few dishes and without hesitation we both agreed that their duck confit with barley was the absolute best. The leg was moist, yet tender and literally melted off its bone, while the skin was thin and crispy. More importantly, the barley was al-dente. Like risotto, it was creamy, buttery and carried just the right amount of flavor to make it taste like a perfect dish. For dessert, we tried their much acclaimed bacon donuts with a scoop of coffee ice cream. Although the combination was interesting, I can't say I was oozing with delight as the flavor of the bacon was weak and not as dominate as I was hoping for. Nevertheless, I still recommend going to Traif at least once. Their menu are seasonal and interesting, while their drinks are strong and well executed. More importantly the restaurant is fun, vibrant, and it definitely has a hiper'ish vibe that will give you a taste of that that ultimate Brooklyn uniqueness experience! read more