My roommate and some friends and I went here for brunch on a Sunday. We waited for probably 30 minutes or so, and the staff kept apologizing for the wait (which we expected - it was, after all, Sunday brunch). After we got seated they gave us a free French press for waiting, and were super nice throughout the service. And the food. THE FOOD. DID I TELL YOU ABOUT THE FOOD?!?! So good. I want to live in that food. This will definitely be my go-to brunch spot.
Review Source:This review is only about two things. Will and cheese.
Will is the greatest bartender of all time. He's a total goofball with a heart of gold and an awesome haircut.
The grilled cheese is awesome. The cheese grits are awesome. (Yes, I had dinner and then breakfast here).
It's sort of in the middle of nowhere in Bushwick but this place earned all five stars and I would def give it more if I could.
Oh also....$4 for a PBR tall boy and a shot of well booze. Uhhhh, yeah. This place is awesome.
I went at night.
Creepy vibe full of weird thugs and hipsters that could star as convincing extras on Portlandia. Loud as hell generic rap playing in the bar area so you can't have any conversations, even though there's already a sketchy "dance floor" in the back down a hall. Strangely open main area with a lack of seating. Just an awkward layout in general. Uncomfortable lighting. Just a total fucking mess.
My friends and I left after one drink and went back to Pearl's. I'd suggest you just skip to that last part if you want to have an enjoyable night in Bushwick. How this joint has (at the time of this writing) a 4-star average is baffling.
Haha Andrezj below nailed it: Williamsburg was Bushwick indeed!
And this place is quintessentially it: good lager, even better food (yum kale salad and avocado sandwich!), and chilled back atmosphere.
Gotta love not seeing those ugly riverfront high-rise condos when you leave the place. Will be back again and again!
Damn, when I went the back room wasn't happening yet. Â But the front room was fun on a Friday night. Â Crowded but not too much where you couldn't get your order in. Â My Negroni was gross but that's what you get for ordering a negroni in a crowded bar on a friday night! Â
The pics of the brunch here look amazing! Â Will be back to try. Â Yes This part of brooklyn is awesome. Â Def early Williamsburg.
The brunch at Tandem is OKAY. The staff, while super nice and friendly, were not the quickest at performing minor tasks. Being crazy hungover on a Sunday, I would like my coffee as quickly as possible. It took 15 minutes for it to come out. It wasn't very crowded and they kept serving everyone who came in after us first. However, my Eggs Purgatory were tasty and delicious and my friends side of a biscuit was light and fluffy (bonus points for them serving it with butter and honey). I'll come back for the bar at night, but I'll stick to other places in the neighborhood for brunch.
Review Source:I strolled in here on a thursday night a few weeks ago and BAM it hit me. 2005 Williamsburg has official transplanted to this part of Bushwick.
I finally found the new Savalas from back in the day- DAMN! Too bad I live in Greenpoint or id hit this place up more, but it does remind me that old willyB is dead, and has been for a while now.... well at least I got other Polaks to help me fend off pierogi seeking infidels up here. Thats right, stay shitty G train, and stay mean and large headed fellow Poles.
Tandem is a great neighborhood bar. Â When it first opened, I was ecstatic to have a welcoming bar right near my apt. Â It's really only gotten better. Â The dinner menu has aways been on point. Â The bartenders that have been there for years are super friendly and don't seem to be too tired of the same bar and same crowd. Â Weeknight dance parties bring great DJs and the bar hosts other nights like movie nights. Â The only fault I have is the brunch. Â It used to be my default brunch spot but the food went downhill and the bartenders seem more interested in hanging out with their friends than serving the plates that you can see sitting at the table in the kitchen getting cold.
Review Source:Cool place; a bit larger than other bars in the area. They had a DJ and a little dance area (or we created one and nobody complained about it, hehe) so my friends and I started dancing and pretty soon everyone else in the bar was, too! They have a private room where you can sit and chill with your buddies, too. They have the usual short craft beer and wine list and food, though, I didn't try it. I got a left hand milk stout and some vinho verde white wine. Great atmosphere. :)
Review Source:Tandem makes me wish I lived in Bushwick:
- $3 PBR tall boys
- Some of the best music I've heard / danced to in a NYC bar
- Room to bust a move! On a Saturday night there was the perfect amount of people
- Separate rooms: one dance floor in the back and a completely separate area to just chill and enjoy a classier drink. I found myself in the back getting drenched in my own sweat, blinded by bright green lasers, and suffocated with fog bellowing out of the intense fog machine. I loved it.
If I'm ever in the area again, I'll definitely want to come back.
Dirty bathrooms... you dirty hipsters.
I have to follow up my previous review of the kitchen with this one. Â I was disappointed when I wrote that last review, and rightfully so. Â But something changed and I owe them an extra star or two.
On my last visit the food was good, and for the price, I might say great. Â Fresh, well-sourced, and unique, it is just what you want from pub-grub, without the greasiness of what one might expect at a pub. Â It is comforting, affordable, flavorful and fresh. Â Such a relief to see that they are back to doing things right. Â
I haven't tried the brunch, and you won't catch me here after 10, Â when it turns into a whole different beast altogether... but good for them for being versatile.
Brunch was the objective when we walked in. Bloody Mary's were recommended, and despite my reluctance to try these morning-kick-that-hangover-outta-here cocktails (never been a fan), I'm glad my brunch companion insisted.
The Garden Bloody Mary was splashed liberally with beet-infused vodka and garnished with an assortment of pickled vegetables that you can't help but want more of. Foggy-headed feeling begone! They also have a spicy version that looked just as delicious.
I had the chilaquiles and he had the biscuits and gravy, I believe. Both perfect brunch options that filled our bellies and got us that much closer to feeling human again. A good brunch is all about that, and this was a good brunch.
Icing on the cake - really interesting reclaimed decor and the staff was not only cute, but so very friendly and attentive. Next time I'm in neighborhood and need to wake up after a long night, this is where I'm going to drag myself (and others) to.
A fun time usually, but there's definitely someone who comes here and steals clothes while people are dancing. I lost a shirt last night (my third shirt lost to Tandem, so apparently I don't learn my lesson) and my friend lost a nice jacket. Oh well. So anyways, if you go there, maybe wear something you don't care too much about.
Review Source:You must come here for brunch! They inexplicably have only one  waitress, Molly, who is the sweetest girl in the world (ever) ; and her cohort behind the bar, Will, is a shining example of Southern hospitality. The food and drinks are always superb, come out promptly, and better still, both are served with a side of sass. Because really, throughout Williamsburg and Bushwick  --with so many disaffected, disenfranchised, or dismisive service industry workers-- it's nice to experience a couple of genuine personalities.
I can understand how people might have trouble finding this place the first time they come (because there is no sign out front) but, come on. It's the one not-house on a street of houses - pretty self explanatory.
Word to the wise: With a full bar, and killer Bloody Marys, don't be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone ie: White Russians.
I didn't know places like this existed in Bushwick--to be honest I still don't know much about Bushwick in general but I'm up for learning. I came out for a friend's birthday and got nice and drunk off the tecate and jalapeno shot combo. I like how the front room/bar area was big enough for lots of groups to mingle. There was also a side room and the back room where all the dancing (and weird dude moshing) took place. There were rotating DJ's on the night I went and none were very good but we still had a fun time dancing. Creeper factor was pretty low too. I'd make my way out here again if I was feeling up for an adventure.
Review Source:The bartender was amazing, he was quick and knew that we had been waiting when someone swooped in and tried to order before us and took our order first. That was super cool of him.
The music in the back room seemed like a lot of fun, but I chilled with a friend in the front room. It was nice that they separate it like that so that you can escape the dance craze.
GREAT BRUNCH! SRSLY.
Tandem is totally a favorite place for my friends and I to go for brunch. Â They have a great sunday morning cocktail selection including 2 different bloody marys (though BMs are not really what I'm into, I'm more of an aperol spritzer). Â Their quiche is always really good, biscuits and gravy = awesome, kale and cannelloni beans both delicious.
I've only been here a couple of times for drinks/dancing, but loved the fog machine and laser light show in the back room.
Dear Tandem,
If two people walk by your opened door 20 minutes before you open for brunch, don't ignore them. And when they ask you if you're open, don't snap back and say "we're not open until 11am" and continue to angrily wipe off the bar. Do you want customers? How do you treat them when you actually ARE open?
I like to leave tip when I dine out, and I knew you wouldn't be earning any, so we continued walking. Your menu didn't look that great, anyway, so I'm not going to even bother with you.
No love,
Amanda
Tandem is a multiple personality bar. Â My earlier review is for the late night version in which case I state how this bar could fill a much needed gap for dancing in the Bushy.
This review is all about BRUNCH.
I heard it was good. Â So my expectations were high and I've got to say they were met and exceeded. Â
I guess with the drinks because you order those first. Â The Bloody Mary's are clearly the best the city (it's arguable but I would win the argument). Â The Beatnik is my new favorite morning drink and I can't wait to try the others. Also, the french press coffee will put your hangover in a sleeper hold and cause you to start dancing at the fantastic jams that are playing at the perfect "almost too loud but not really because I can hear the people I want to hear talking and no one else volume".
The food is pretty much brunch perfection as far as I'm concerned. Â Mostly because you can feel a bit healthy and decadent at the same time. Â Yes, side of Kale Salad, I love you! The egg dishes are all great but I'd go for the ones that let you get sides because they pretty much out shine the main dishes. Â One complaint is that they don't let you justifiably add on meat. Â I can't figure out if it's a punishment for meat eaters or if it's actually that good but something about the price point and non sensical substitution rules make me just give up on it.
The ceiling cut outs make for a great lit atmosphere. Keep in mind that it is a bit hectic. The people working here are busting their ass most of the time even though I think they could use one more person. Anyway, the atmosphere is really fun. So you won't mind sticking it out. Â Hey, maybe you can actually strike up a conversation with a hipster while you're at it. Â They're actually pretty nice and intelligent despite their ill fitting pants and bad haircuts.
This is one of my favorite brunch spots in Brooklyn. I've been here at least half a dozen times to get sloshed and fed on Sunday mornings.
The food is great, I've basically tried everything on the menu but I usually stick with my standard. Chilaquiles with their wonderful lemon scented quinoa and kale that's always perfect.
Their cocktails are magical. I used to get the Beatnik but it was too delicious and I would end up smashed (strong pours). Now I stick with the Aperol Spritzer, so refreshing.
I can't say what this place is like for lunch, dinner or anything else really but for brunch it's hard to beat!
The food used to be pretty good but since they got a new chef it's gone downhill. The mac n cheese and the biscuits in gravy used to be delicious but now they're pretty meh.
They play a lot of very loud rap music at night.
Went there for Sunday brunch. Food was decent. There was a big chalkboard indicating that happy hour was from 4 - 8 on Sunday and well drinks were $3. Awesome.
I ordered 2 greyhounds with my brunch.
My friends showed up and attempted to order another happy hour special. However when the bartender came back with their drinks, she informed them that the chalkboard was incorrect.
"Oh yeah someone wrote that on the chalkboard last night for some reason, but happy hour doesn't actually start till 6, that'll be 5 dollars each."
"You should really change that board," I said, thinking about how easy it is to wipe one number off a chalkboard and write the correct one in its place. "I thought I was paying happy hour drinks this whole time!" She ignored this.
When my tab came I was charged $12 for my drinks, twice as much as I expected. At no point did anyone fix the chalkboard.
The space is nice but that's about it. There are better bars in the neighborhood.
While this place is great for the neighborhood of Bushwick, I couldn't give it 4 stars. Maybe 3.5? Â
It has a pretty fancy but relaxed ambiance, solid music with a live DJ (and this was on a Monday night at 2am), average priced drinks, and a slightly inattentive bartender. Â Haven't tried the food here so I can't say anything about that. Â It is only 2 blocks from where I live so I will definitely return, although I wouldn't call it a destination place for anyone outside the hood.
I love Tandem! $6 mixed drinks, $5 beers, and a mean $7 margarita.
There's a cute bar in the front, with tables and chairs to chill. And dance party in the back! I've heard mainstream pop, electronica, and hip-hop/rap. It's a great mix of music, a great mixed crowd, no cover and cheap drinks.
Never going to Manhattan to get my dance on again. It's all about Tandem!
I had been reluctant to scope this spot out for a long time. Finally, I went and was very impressed by the service, decor and food.
Brunch was DOPE. For $9, I found a main of chilaquiles (something like huevos rancheros) with 2 sides (lemon kale and beans). Drinks were on the cheap, and well, I didn't try the spicy bloody mary, but I hear great things.
Can't wait to go back and check out the night/dance scene.
While I didn't discover any karaoke going on here, I did discover Bushwick... introduced by a local and that's what you get!
Troutman apparently is growing by leaps and bounds, that because it is the street where the other end of the Jefferson L train lets out. Â
This bar seems nestled on a side street that is mostly residential, so it's a wonder they got a permit to have not only a bar, but a bar with a kinda club-ish dance floor in the back. Â And oh what a dance floor. Â Absolutely overflowing with cuties, and some of the best music I've heard outside of burning man. Â What's more the bar has endless good beverages on offer.
I am definitely going to make this a regular stop, now that I'm living only a 5 minute walk away.
Hmmmm....I don't really know what to say. I'm a little confused. I really HATE going to a spot that has received 4 stars, and then in my opinion I feel like it's only worth two; it's truley disturbing.
Ok so we got to Bushwick through Glendale. I'm a former resident, I know the area...it's good, clean shit! My parents wouldn't like me going to Bushwick because it's not a "good area". Â I've always thought that too, but now with yelp being so popular I've been seeing quite a few spots in the Bushwick area, with great reviews. Â It's almost like i thought this unseen part of Bushwick existed that I had never been too...where all the cool hipsters hang out, and there's no sight of the Bushwick that I'm not suppose to be hanging out in; boy was I wrong.
Well Tandem happens to be right in the heart of the hood. I was surprised to see all these little white people in there. What pissed me off the most is that this place has no advertisement what so ever. What also bothers me is that 70 people reviewed this spot and it wound up with four stars and not one of them even bothered to mention that this place is kind of impossible to find (but then again I'm sure those helpers aren't driving because cars don't exist in Bushwick). Um hello??? Does the fact that you can't find it have an impact what so ever on how you rate this place??? Apparently not!! Fuckin weirdos. Â This is not some speak easy...it's a sad attempt to be a bar/ dance club.
It's grungy inside. It cold and smelly. Â It's not nice a nice date spot so don't even bother if that's your intentions are romantic. Â The ambience is....well there is no ambience. It's just kind of a skeevey spot. Â
The front area is a bar and the back is a $2 cover "dance party". I had to really laugh at this one-- some girl was in there dancing with a cane. YES A CANE!!!!
The crowd of people (front and back) was nothing but white people. Â We didn't fit in. They looked at me as if I were a purple martian. I love my black people; my spics, my brownies, my Jews, a few asians here and there...it makes for a great mix. Â At tandem you won't find the slightest bit of diversity.
Let me speak now about the drinks. 20 bucks  got us  two: one henny/red bull, and for me a kamakazie.  My drink was pretty strong even though it wasn't a traditional kamakazie.  He added honey to my drink. Honey??? A kamakazie is a citrus drink!!! Whatever...it was good so I can't complain about that.  Another thing that was great (which is why I'm giving two stars instead of one) was the music.  The DJ "dance party" played some pretty funky, off the chain, house music that I was really into.  The only problem was the crowd.
To sum up Tandem: great music, good drinks, bad smell, strange crowd, dangerous neighborhood, ghetto appearence!! I shall not ever return here. Â Tandem is [for me] a complete waste of time, money, and a weekend night!
This is less than a block from my apartment, so even if it was completely terrible, I'd still give it 2 stars.
Thankfully for me, it is delicious.
The boyfriend and I went here on a Friday night, around 7ish. Â All the small tables were full, so we sat at a 6-man. Â I always feel a little guilty doing that, but I felt slightly less guilty, since we were planning on getting food. Â And, we budged up to one side of the table, so we could share space.
(As I was writing this, I started out with 4 stars, but when I remembered the food, I knocked it down to three. Â So bear that in mind.)
We started off with Dark & Stormies, an absolute must if you hit up this place. Â I'm not normally a rum drinker, but man. Â Anything with house brewed ginger beer is going in my mouth.
We ordered one of the cheeses on the menu...I forget which one, but it was a sheep's milk. Â It was only $4, and we got two sizable slices of cheese, four little slices of toast, and a couple of figs. Â Deal!
For round two of drinks, I did another Dark & Stormy, and the boyfriend had a Bushbuck, which is sort of sweet, gingery whiskey drink. Â He enjoyed it, but was a little too sweet for my taste.
Dinner was pulled pork sandwich (him) and veggie lasagna (me). Â His sandwich was good, and came with chips and three huge pickle spears (super fresh and garlicky). Â My lasagna...okay. Â The menu said vegetarian lasagna, so I was hoping that there would be veggies in it. Â But in reality, it was just ricotta cheese, noodles, and tomato sauce. Â It was okay, but not worth $9, and if it doesn't contain veggies, I feel like it's slightly misleading to call it vegetarian. Â I get that it is vegetarian-friendly, but...I was disappointed.
After food, we ordered our last round of drinks. Â He got a Hot Toddy and I went with something called...Jose's Demise? Â Something like that. Â It features one of the house specialties, which is jalapeno-infused tequila. Â Again, not normally a tequila drinker either, but this was delish.
As we were drinking, we pulled out the deck of Fluxx cards that I keep in my purse and played, and were eventually approached by a couple more folks who were looking for space to sit, so we made friends by sitting at that too-big table. Â Bonus! Â
Also, I like the bathrooms at this place. Â It's 3 individual stalls with a common sink, instead of having an empty men's room while three girls are waiting in line.
Oh. Mah. Gawd.
The Garden Bloody Mary is OUT OF THIS WORLD.
I love my bloodys, and this one is special. At $8 it costs a pretty penny, but it's worth it. A beautiful, beet-y, spicy bloody. Complete with dilly beans, a gigantic celery stalk and some carrot. Sweet nectar of the gods.
The food wasn't bad either. And by not bad I mean pretty damn good. The strata, covered lovingly with a thick layer of cheese, was sinful and delicious. How can you go wrong with what looks like a shepherd's pie of egg, cheese, and canadian bacon? The scallions sprinkled on top took the whole thang to the next level.
My sides, the kale salad (tossed with parmesan) and the cheesy grits were solid. The kale pretty much existed solely to make me feel a little better about myself eating a giant serving of fat. Didn't really work, but at least I got some greens in me.
I also tried the custard french toast (topped with fresh fruit). Mmmm. If I was more down with sweet breakfasts, I'd be all over this. It's more like a bread pudding, really. Scrumptious. But, alas, not drowning in gooey, melted cheese.
I live in Prospect Heights, and my boyfriend lives in Park Slope, so don't try and tell me how awesome your neighborhood's brunch place is. When I roll out of bed on any given weekend morning, I've got either the Vanderbilt and Beast or Applewood around the corner from me. I pwn you when it comes to brunch.
So when my friend who lives in the ass-end of Bushwick suggested we stop at Tandem and grab a cocktail and some brunch on our way back from an unsuccessful trip to retrieve some gear we'd left at a party in the other ass-end of Bushwick the night before, I went in with an air of smug superiority, knowing it can't possibly live up to the legion of brunch options I know and love.
We went in and the tiny, rickety tables, uncomfortable backless stools and lackadaisical hipster waitstaff only bolstered my hunch that this would be a sub-par brunch experience.
Then I looked at the menu.
I'm a bit of a bloody mary snob, but Tandem's more than held it's own. The beet-infused vodka was unexpected and brilliant, there was enough spice to give it a kick (but not so much as to render it undrinkable - a problem I've unfortunately found in more than a few restaurant bloodies) and the pickled vegetables were not only delectable but beautifully arranged. The damn thing was so pretty I almost didn't want to drink it, but so tasty I was slurping the dregs out from between melting ice cubes by the end.
And maybe it was just because I was sort of craving french toast, but I swear that Tandem's is the best I've ever had. It arrived piping hot, spongy and tender, baked into a a kind of ceramic boat and adorned with fresh strawberries. It was so outrageously delicious that I didn't even bother with the little shot glass of maple syrup - it was perfect just the way it was.
My friend claimed that her egg frittata thing, served in an identical ceramic boat with gruyere bubbling around the edges, was equally delicious. She offered me a bite, but I didn't want to cheat on my custard french toast - it was THAT good.
The bill came to a reasonable $35 for two entrees and cocktails - a good $15ish less than you'd get for the same thing in my yuppie-ass hood.
I hate to say this, but I think I may be returning to Bushwick for brunch.
I was excited to visit Tandem because its about a stones throw from my house and I heard it had good brunch. I love supporting the local spots so called a couple of my neighborhood buddies to meet me there around 2 on Sunday. Â No wait, but the more cozy spots were taken and we sat awkwardly in the middle of the room.
Its a pretty small space but the high ceilings make it feel roomy. I loved the stained glass door, it bounced yellow light around the place every time someone new came in.
I was entirely too hungover to be drinking again, but ordered the spicy bloody mary with pepper infused tequila-- and I watched with glee as the bartender served it up strong (it was more like tequila with a splash of bloody mary mix). So strong that I could only have one due to the unstable state that my stomach was in. But it was PERFECT and totally worth the 8 bucks.
My friends ordered something that was like Migas that they enhaled before I got a chance to try, but they reported was good. I ordered the Eggs Strata, cheese grits and a biscuit. It was all delicious. I think the biscuits could be a little bigger but overall it was a good price for decent sized portions although my friend did mention that he was still hungry after his $9 Migas, beans and grits plate.
I would definitely have given this place 4 if not 5 stars had they not had one big ol mess up at the end of our dining experience. Â After taking the nearly licked clean plates of my dining partners, the waiter comes over to my side and begins to take my plates while I've still got my fork in my hand.
Now, granted, this is a huge pet peeve of mine so maybe I'm over reacting. I refrained from my initial instinct of slapping the top of his hand and asked if he would return my half eaten biscuit and cheese grits, which he did, only to reach over and grab my Eggs Strata and briskly whisk it away! There were at least three more bites of cheesy-canadianbacon-egg goodness and I was hungry! Its not like the place was busy. You just don't take a plate away from a girl without asking if shes done. Unfortunately, no amount of pepper infused tequila or perfect decor can redeem you those stars, Tandem.
Overall great food, really nice neighborhood vibe, will definitely return for happy hour deals and will hope that the premature table busing was a one time ordeal.
This place has finally opened last week, after months and months of waiting (at least over a year). Â There is a lot of good going for Tandem, but the bad is likely a result of getting things set up and working out the kinks.
The bar and furnishings have been meticulously restored from an upstate-NY bar where supposedly Ella Fitzgerald was a regular. Â The wood is beautiful, and the bar sits perfectly in its new home. Â The space is laid out comfortably with plenty of seating and plenty of mingling space in between. Â The benches along the wall, however, are a bit awkward proportionally for taller folks (think back seat of a pickup truck) and don't work too well with the tables. Â There are plenty of other seating accommodations from bar stools, to chairs, to restored auditorium seating.
The taps are clean as a whistle, and I never had a Sixpoint Sweet Action taste so good! Â The ceramic pint "glasses" keep your beer cool, but I sense it is a matter of time until they are phased out for traditional bar ware. Â The pour was a bit disappointing. Â Maybe due to the opening jitters, but there was at least an inch, if not more, of head before I got to the goods. Â The mixed drinks are mixed with precision, and were tasty. Â The food menu is good for snacking while imbibing.
Upon walking in, prepare to get analyzed from head to toe. Â The vibe is a bit awkward. Â Its a bit of an oasis amidst its surroundings, and located on a residential block away from everything else.
The place has potential, and may prove to be a good stop on the way home from work or local entertaining.
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