Mekelburg's image

Mekelburg's

Restaurant Bar American restaurant Deli Gourmet grocery store

Relaxed dining room serving craft beers & gourmet fare, with an attached specialty food shop. People often mention great, beer, sandwich, burger, spot, chicken, good, nice, selection, wings,


Address

293 Grand Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Website

www.mekelburgs.com

Contact

(718) 399-2337

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.30 (1K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Thursday: 11 AM to 12 AM
  • Friday: 11 AM to 1 AM
  • Saturday: 11 AM to 1 AM
  • Sunday: (Easter), 11 AM to 10 PM, Hours might differ
  • Monday: 11 AM to 10 PM
  • Tuesday: 11 AM to 11 PM
  • Wednesday: 11 AM to 10 PM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: great (20) beer (19) sandwich (18) burger (16) spot (13) chicken (13) good (11) nice (11) selection (10) wings (9)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 1/5 Radiah H. 2 years ago on Google
    21$ for 1 lemonade 9.00, 1 fountain beer 9.00, and 8 wings.. on Mondays wings are 25¢ but the beverages are all 9.00.. that's just stupid. The wings are only half a wing... And So not worth it. The beer was more suds than beer, I asked for a different beer and he convinced me that what he had taste the same... Not true.. the lemonade taste like it came from the Tropicana boxed juice.. that cost 2 for 5... And as we were waiting outside for our order... RATS we're running back and forth... And the receipt didn't list the beverages.. 🤔🤔🤔 only 3 orders of wings when I purchased 2 at 25¢ a piece.. The worst 21$ I spent ever! The atmosphere was dreary like a good ole boys bar and dark.. about 8 ppl. In the entire place. They could probably make more money if... They sold the drinks for 4.50 or 5.00 and the full wing for 30¢ per wing..
    12 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Milo 6 months ago on Google • 242 reviews
    5 years ago a friend brought a chocolate babka from here to our dinner party. It was the BEST bread I have ever had and that began my quest to truly explore the babka world and find tastiest babka in NYC. I tried about 40 different babkas before declaring Mekelburg’s the winner! Visiting the shop blew me away though. Its so beautiful! The store is thoughtfully designed and wonderful to navigate. They have unique products from South African cheeses to Thai hot sauces to Hawaain deserts. Its a magical wonderful of culinary exploration. There’s even a cool bar and cafe for folks to hang out in. The service is great and friendly. And the location is so nice just across the water with lovely Manhattan views. So glad youre here 💜
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 tony o. 4 months ago on Google • 264 reviews
    Cool spot underneath behind the Bodega store spot. Stayed open late for the football game. Bar food was solid, nice little selection of hot sauces all around. A little on the pricey side, but that's new York. Would tell anyone to expect that anywhere.

  • 5/5 Devin O. 1 year ago on Google • 26 reviews
    Speakeasy meets diner meets upscale bodega? I’m not really sure how to describe this spot but it’s certainly not “the usual”. As a very unassuming dining experience hidden in the basement behind a grocery store.. you kinda don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. That is.. until you try the food! I’ve barely begun to dig in to the menu here but I can tell you the sandwiches and wings are KILLER and the beers on tap are all the pick of the litter. Highly recommend hanging at the bar. Locals are friendly and the staff is attentive. Great spot to go see some sports ball and chat with the neighbors.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Scott M. 5 years ago on Google
    First time there and it lived up to the hype. In front, it’s a small grocery with some really good products (ie Jenny’s Ice Cream). Then in the back it’s more of a restaurant with a bar, tables and some nice outdoor seating. The iconic items are clearly the sandwiches (Nana’s meatloaf was delicious), but the baked potato is very popular as well (and ours with bacon was completely worth it), and there are some smaller bites too. Also, nice draft beer selection.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rob A. 2 years ago on Google
    What a great place to get coffee, babka, lunch, a beer and many other unique specialties. If you’re hungry, try Nana’s Meatloaf sandwich and the apple butternut bisque was out of this world. We love coffee from Brooklyn Roaster and the Mekelburg blend was so good, we bought one to bring home. A fantastic Brooklyn find and tradition!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chris K. 1 year ago on Google
    Beer bar, check. Interesting groceries, check. Great food, check! The duck bahn mi is great! Babka poppers or bread pudding is over the top, but worth it. Outdoor space in the back is nice and cozy. Great rotating list of beers. It's a popular spot so try and go at off hours.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sean W. 4 months ago on Google • 109 reviews
    Great spot for a delicious burger or chicken sandwich! They also have great beer and let you taste it ahead of time to help decide which is great. The price is definitely on the high end for a casual burger place, but worth the price for a great bite. Also, the back patio is a great spot to eat!

  • 5/5 Thieanna E. 1 year ago on Google • 22 reviews
    We went to Mekelburg’s during our 10 year anniversary for lunch and even though it was raining that day we decided to eat outside. The outdoors eating area had a heater so we were not to cold. I ordered the spicy tofu Bahn Mi and lentil soup and my husband had the Mekelburger with French fries. For dessert we ordered the Babka poppers. There were no menus given, you had to use the QR code to look at the list which was fine. The veggie sandwich, burger and Babka poppers were all delicious and flavorful. The waiter was awesome he was very knowledgeable in his choice of beers and which ones he thought we would like. Overall we had a great experience at this restaurant and hope to visit again.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Agatha I. 1 year ago on Google
    My favorite spot in the neighborhood for Monday $1 wings, Tuesday trivia, lunch whenever and weekend bloody Mary’s. Amazing staff abs always a good time!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ilya K. 1 year ago on Google
    Come for the hot chicken sandwich and great craft beer (sour, in my case). The price of the hot chicken sandwich has risen steadily since 2018, but it's still worth the splurge every so often. You can also come on a Thursday and get one half off.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Nomad D. 4 months ago on Google • 62 reviews
    Would love to give it a 4.5! The hot wings are to die for, the fries are HUGE, the burger are great. Great vibes, singalong songs, Great selection of beer, go if you want a chill good time !

  • 3/5 Jose F. 4 months ago on Google • 19 reviews
    Food quality is very high. But prices are also very high and portion sizes have been tiny the last few times we've ordered. The chicken sandwiches cost $18 and have come with just one small chicken thigh each (and no sides). Weirdly, the same items cost more on the Order Online menu than they do in the restaurant menu, which is somewhat offensive since you're already paying a lot of delivery fees to get things delivered. They need to fix their value-for-money and service and get back to offering great comfort food that doesn't make you feel ripped off.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Trevor E. 5 months ago on Google
    Usually love this place, but tn my girlfriend took me out and we were severely let down. Order number 34 late evening Sunday 10/01/23. The food took a while and people who sat significantly after us got their orders. We inquired about the food it was served clearly rushed. This is my first review ever… lets chop it up to off an night.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Kari M. 2 years ago on Google
    I finally made it into Mekelburg’s which has been on my list for awhile and it was such a cute little foodie heaven. They have a little grocery store with a ton of artisan food products, beer, wine, cocktail and mocktails for sale. It would be a great spot to get food gifts. I also got “The Italian” sandwich to go which was great. The one area for improvement would be service. Everyone was really nice but they just don’t have a good process for ordering items to go or getting seated. At least 3 people cut me as I was trying to order at the bar and there just was no line or organization to it all.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Aditi D. 1 year ago on Google
    Coffee sucked but the food was good! Definitely try their chicken sandwich and eggs Benedict. It’s a loud but chill spot for a small group of friends.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Laurel C. 2 years ago on Google • 41 reviews
    Amazing food with a great selection of craft beers. You're sure discover a new favorite beer here! The restaurant has seating in the front of the building as well as in the back. The food is admittedly overpriced, but everyone I've gone with has been blown away by the food and quality. Absolutely amazing. The canned beers can get extremely pricey and the fee to drink them with your meal add up fast. So I recommend ordering something on tap. Despite the prices, I will always come back because the food is definitely worth it.

  • 2/5 Jason J. 5 months ago on Google
    Very chill vibe, friendly bartender a nice experience. However the food left me wanting more. I ordered the buffalo chicken, it was delicious with quality ingredients. BUT THERE'S BASICALLY NO CHICKEN AT ALL. ALMOST ENTIRELY BREADING, I FOUND ABOUT 1-2 OZ of chicken. I was severely overcharged for my breading and cheese sandwich. And had to immediately go to another establishment to get an actual meal. This trend in NYC of using "filler" on the expensive ingredients while still charging a premium is so utterly disappointing. I would like to return, but yeah I would have had to purchase 3-4 chicken sandwiches to get anything close to the amount of protein one would expect. Maybe I got a skimpy one? Sure maybe, but it's quite easy to know how many oz a piece of chicken is before it's breaded and fried. I hate being a complainer. But I had to make it known that this meal was a fail that made me spend another $25 somewhere else. How much did the owners save in meat costs by "skimping" for my sandwich? Idk $2-3 at most... not cool

  • 5/5 Kay H. 1 month ago on Google • 7 reviews New
    I don’t do reviews but for Meckles, I would. The people there are just so nice! The service is always so kind and nice- everyone there is always so sweet and patient with our kid. The food is also one of our faves- esp the club sandwich & fries.. the mekchicken and mac and cheese are also our regulars.

  • 2/5 Iara H. 3 months ago on Google New
    Haven’t been to the Clinton hill location in 18 months but really missed it and was so excited to go and get some old favorites, but the menu changed. However, was happy to see some classic items still there like the hot chicken which was really good! Also ordered a 25 dollar burger, one dollar for each minute I waited for it. The busboy who was maneuvering the garbage out of the back and into the outdoor trash then came to serve our burger after 30 minutes with no gloves or anything. Not sure if the garbage handlers should be serving food. Anyway, the burger was dry and cold and inedible. None of the servers checked on things and when I went to pay the bartender asked how everything was and I expressed some disappointment which was met with laughter. I left wondering, “what happened to this joint?” I hope Williamsburg is better.

  • 3/5 Herlin D. 2 years ago on Google
    I always do a take out at this establishment and order their burger all the time. They usually separate the chips and the burger in different boxes. But not today. They put them together. By the time I was home (8 mins walk), the chips were all soggy and inedible. It’s common sense you don’t put the chips and a hot burger together in the same box. Please separate them when there is a take out order. Thanks.

  • 5/5 Ashley K. 2 years ago on Google
    I LOVE their spicy tofu banh mi. I’m not a fan of carrots in anything I eat, but the vegetables in the sandwiches are pickled. I have a hard time justifying spending money on a sandwich but this is so worth it. It’s actually spicy and perfect for anyone who loves spice!

  • 5/5 Amy C. 2 years ago on Google
    I got the provo whizz wit and although it was $18, it probably was the best sandwich I had in a very long time. Flavorful with just the right amount of spice. I also tried a new beer I haven't had before and it was also very tasty. They do have some tables in the front and back that fill up quickly but I just took it to go and ate in nearby park and worked out perfectly.

  • 5/5 Andrea F. 4 months ago on Google
    So delicious!!! After a long day at work with no groceries- this was heaven sent. The wings are bomb. The salmon salad was delicious and the kolsch beer was next level. Highly recommend!

  • 5/5 Laura I. 2 years ago on Google
    Walking in I did not expect to see a grocery area in addition to a bar in the back. I loved browsing all of the craft beers. My boyfriend got the honey and corn cakes ice cream to go and later said it was delicious! We sat inside at the bar since it was raining outside and enjoyed a couple beers and the baklava balls. Everything was great. The bartender was very laid back and helpful. We'll definitely be back for another date night, but it's also a spot I'm going to bring some friends.

  • 2/5 Ryan 5 months ago on Google
    I’m worried the quality has fallen off at the Clinton Hill locations. Just got the famous Nana meatloaf sandwich for delivery and it was dry and hard. Barely any sauce. Nothing like the quality that I’ve had dozens of times over the years at both locations both sit down and delivery. Also got the burrito which was tiny and had funky steak.

  • 5/5 Nick B. 2 years ago on Google
    The porchetta sandwich (though very filling!) was made to perfection!

  • 4/5 C A. 5 months ago on Google
    Honestly loved the atmosphere and the food even though it was a little overpriced. However, the bartender/server got my order wrong and I was charged over $25 more. When I flagged it and he said he'd fix it, he gave me the same bill. Couldn't tell if he was just out of it or what. I decided to pay as is and still left a tip (albeit much smaller than I normally would) as I was still charged more than I would've been. Would be nice if this can be made right!

  • 3/5 Ian M. 1 year ago on Google
    Great environment, cool bartender, great beer selection. Going to try the chicken sandwich next. Mekelburger was trash. It tasted like they’re trying to mimic white castle’s tastes, but even white castle has more flavour & juiciness than this burger. Asked for burgers to be cooked medium, they were cooked well done. Bun is a cheap potato roll. Meat is boring & flavorless. Only thing I loved was the balsamic caramelised onions & large potato wedges. Not worth $18 or even 2 for $26. Shake Shack’s cheese burger for $8 blows this burger out of the water hands down. Hopefully my next visit is better…

  • 5/5 Joey C. 2 years ago on Google
    Enjoyed everything. Everything was amazing. Every dish made me say damn, that's really good. The burger, porchetta, the roast beef, the Mac and cheese with porchetta. The only thing that didn't make me say wow, was the porkbelly or caviar on top of the potato. It's funny cause that's what made me say what in God's flat earth is that, and come in. It was eye candy more then mouth candy. A whole white potatoe is bland. Maybe if it was replaced with a Batata sweet potatoe or a whole empanada. That would be really sweet.

  • 5/5 Pedro Sorto I. 4 years ago on Google
    This spot can be a bit overwhelming at first, but the staff was more than happy to help out. Work your way to the back of the store and you’ll find a nice dwelling place with a full bar and plenty of tables for seating. The beer selection at the bar is top notch and the food is sure to leave you feeling full and satisfied. I hope I can spend some more time here in the future to experience all that they have to offer.

  • 5/5 Joshua G. 6 months ago on Google
    Great sandwiches here. We had the Italian which was loaded. Definitely on the pricier side but we’ll worth it. We also loved the boutique/shop in the front of the shop.

  • 2/5 Chris I. 6 months ago on Google
    I've lived walking distance from Mekelburgs for about 4 years now. When I moved here, it was always a highlight spot: high end imported snacks, great beer selection, and a really good (if tad expensive) gastopub with a cute backyard. I'd come regularly for the weekly rotating deals ($1 wings on Mondays was amazing) and picking up some fun imported snacks. It's really disappointing to see how the quality of food has descended the past years. I understand that many restaurants and other businesses have had to adjust for inflation and a post-COVID economy, but if you're going to be charging over $20 for a sandwich and/or burger, the portion sizes should be at least a dinner size, as they used to be. We paid $75 for a single patty burger, smaller than the bun w/fries, a soup, and a side of sweet potato fries, 2 beers, and tip. This might not seem too bad for an indulgent lunch, but when you realize you can get dinner for the same price at many of the delicious restaurants nearby, it's hard to justify these prices. The backyard has become poorly maintained and is infested with rats. I understand that we live in Brooklyn and essentially every outdoor space has its fair share of rats, but it's begun to be out of the ordinary to NOT see a rat in the yard. The gastopub space will have music blasting even when there's fewer than half a dozen people there (that number of people on a Friday/Saturday night should be a red flag). The sound bar is positioned directly above the seating area, so God forbid you sit next to it, you might risk hearing damage. My phone read 85db sitting a table away, which is what I might expect at a club or concert venue, but not here. The AC units can't keep up with heat on a bad day; the poor bar staff was sweltering despite the empty space. The only thing keeping mekelbergs on the radar for me is the beer selection, and the friendliness of the staff. The new pricing and new portion sizes are really disappointing though. Also, where's the porchetta?! I used to be a regular but now it's become my last resort.

  • 2/5 David B. 6 months ago on Google
    I ordered a bahn mi and subbed chicken…it was very very good! But I cannot get over the absurdity of the ~22 price tag. At a Vietnamese place this would likely be 10…at another gourmet sandwich place maybe 16? I’m confused at this pricing. Maybe it should include a single side - humor us with a pickle or chip.

  • 5/5 Alex G. 2 years ago on Google
    Shop in the front. Party in the back. I absolutely love this setup! Their beer selection is very impressive. Unfortunately I didn't get to try their food but the menu looked amazing! I'll definitely return to sample the food.

  • 5/5 Roberta S. 1 year ago on Google
    Dive bar meets upscale market. Burgers were small but delish! One of our party got the duck and said it was very tasty. Wide selection of beers.

  • 5/5 Ninja von O. 1 year ago on Google
    Consistently one of the best lunch spots in Brooklyn, plus an upscale delicatessen bodega, and a late night bar. Luch specials (e.g. half sandwich & soup) have always been a great way to get reasonable prices, and over the past months Mek‘s has added even more daily specials to the menu that bring out a relaxed crowd at various times (see pics for specials)

  • 5/5 Moira M. 1 year ago on Google
    Had a great Banh Mi (crispy tofu, vinaigrette on the veg😭) and nice beer while gene wilder as Willy Wonka graced the screen and great tunes filled my ears. Plus, awesome little boutique grocer on your way in and out !


Call (718) 399-2337 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Happy hour food
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Happy hour drinks
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Catering
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✓️ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating
    • ✓️ No-contact delivery
  • From the business
    • ✓️ Identifies as women-owned

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