Falcon Laundry is courting locals for rooftop cocktails. Photo: Kelsey Smith
Williamsburg has a new waterfront watering hole. Falcon Laundry has cast itself as a new neighborhood staple, a place for in-the-know locals more than a go-to spot for tourists spilling over from Smorgasburg. Built inside a–you guessed it–former laundry, which also took a turn as a steel fabrication mill, Falcon Laundry is a two-level bar and restaurant with rooftop patio drinking just in time for summer.
Take a seat at the long bar if you’re a party of one or two, or settle in to one of the comfortable green leather booths tucked against alternating walls of brick and wood paneling, for unrushed table service with a bigger group. You’ll likely also notice that the prices are surprisingly gentle for this part of Brooklyn. There are several choices on the wine list that are less than $10 a glass; the rosé from Wolffer Estate in the North Fork is an especially great deal at $8. Happy hour runs until 8pm with a rotating cast of wines for $6 and beers for as low as $5, with many locally-sourced choices in the mix.
The iron pot mussels are great for sharing. Photo: Ashley Jones and Valerie Usui
Try the $14 burger and delicious, double-fried french fries, or a hearty grain bowl for $15. If you’re sharing snacks, go for the iron pot mussels ($17)–great with an $8 Montauk Driftwod Ale–or the crowd-pleasing classic meatballs ($11).
Now that the weather is slooooowly warming up, you’ll want to head upstairs, where there’s an inside bar–complete with hand-painted vintage cartoon characters on the wall–that serves an inviting roof deck, semi-shaded in lattice. It’s a perfect spot to kick back with a cocktail or three, like a basil lemonade with vodka and just the right amount of herbal infusion. If you like a spicy drink, try the mezcal-based Chica Calienta, but keep in mind that there’s not much sweetness to offset the heat. Drinks range from $10-12, and there’s often a happy hour special, recently a Moscow mule, for $7.
Basil lemonade, spiked with vodka, makes for a refreshing summer sipper. Photo: Kelsey Smith
The second floor is only open on the weekends until it gets a bit warmer, which should be any day now. We’re predicting that it will become a real summer hot spot in no time, but for now it may well be your best shot at rooftop bar without the crazy crowds.
If daytime drinking (and eating) is your preference, Falcon Laundry offers weekend brunch that features sophisticated staples like avocado toast ($12) and a croissant egg sandwich ($11) with bacon and cheddar. The burger is also available, as is a beer-braised beef sandwich ($13) with horseradish aoili and tomato jam.
Falcon Laundry, the name is in the facade. Photo: Oleg March
Falcon Laundry is actively courting a steady stream of regulars (and just in time, after the unfortunate closure of longtime North Brooklyn favorite Nita Nita) with Neighborhood Night on Wednesdays, when locals get one drink on the house. To take advantage of the special you’ll need to visit first, and ask for a Neighborhood Night flyer when you get your check, then bring it on Wednesday. A little complicated, yes, but a free drink seems worth the trouble.
And as evidence of how much Williamsburg is evolving, Falcon Laundry also has a kids menu–mini burgers, mac & cheese, panko chicken fingers–for the second-generation hipster. It may take a while until everybody knows your name, but after one visit to Falcon Laundry you’ll want to return–especially if you live within stumbling distance.
65 N 7th St
Brooklyn, NY
(646) 680-0012
I will check it out