BINO Brooklyn

We ate at Bino last night and we were really disappointed. This used to be our Italian neighborhood go-​to place.
The menu is a little bit different than it used to be which is fine since it is important for a restaurant to mix it up. Disappointed but willing to try something new, I ordered the guinea hen. They were out so I ordered the chicken. My friend got the carbonara. I was so excited for the fennel salad and it was totally different than what they used to serve. 6 – 8 months ago it was shaved fennel with bits of arugula and drizzled with great olive oil & lemon. It was simply and bright — a perfect light salad. I don’t know what I got last night but it was basically over dressed arugula with a clump of pickled fennel. Not good at all.
The chicken was bland/​boring although it was cooked perfectly. I added a bunch of salt (which I don’t like doing at restaurants) and it was better but still… nothing special. My husband’s carbonara was also bland and the bacon wasn’t rendered enough so it was a little fatty and chewy. It needed salt as well and better quality cheese.
Guys, what happened??? Even the starter of the white bean purée is gone — it was chick peas ground up on over toasted bread and no seasoning.
Overall, I just felt like the restaurant has lost the love that they put into the food — I felt the ingredients were lower quality and there was no care put into the dishes. Seriously disappointing — there are tons of other restaurants in this area (Frankie’s, Prime Meats, Buttermilk Channel, Chestnut) that are innovative and homey with tons of love in their food.

I look at it this way, the only way I can have real Italian food is to go to Italy. But, I found myself on Smith Street at BINO and now that I’ve eaten here, I don’t have to travel to Italy.*
At first sight, there is an authenticity that screams Italy. The open window in front, the low lighting inside, the green cottage like feel. I took my brother’s girlfriend here for her birthday and we all loved it. It all started with that chickpea crostini which was to die for. The freshness of the chickpeas, the crunch of the crostini and the touch of olive oil was enough to open my taste buds and prepare myself for what was to come. We opted for the $ 28 3 course prix-​fixe menu in which I chose the hearts of romaine with candied walnuts (splendiforous), the guinea hen with spaetzle, zucchini and pine nuts (please have this, I beg of you), and the panna cotta with brandied cherries (3,000 thumbs up). Definitely worth a trip back to Smith Street. Hmmm, I wonder if they have a Smith Street in Italy.
*Okay, so I lied. I always want to travel somewhere, I think I have some frequent flyer miles stashed somewhere.

My husband and I came here for a late dinner last Friday night. The restaurant is very cute and the service is awesome. The owner/​manager checks up on the table often but not in an annoying or overbearing way.
The complimentary chickpea crostini to start is awesome. They gave me the recipe and I am definitely going to make it. We then had roasted artichokes that were fantastic.
For entrees, I ordered the guinea hen because of all the rave Unilocal reviews. It did not disappoint! I was a little hesitant because I always find cornish hens to be kind of bland, but this was packed with flavor. It’s served with spatzle with zucchini and pine nuts. The spatzle had such a unique flavor, there was a sweetness to it and is perfect for summer time.
My husband had the Garganelli with wild boar bacon, radicchio, pine nuts, white wine, sweet garlic & rosemary, asiago sauce. It was so flavorful and the pasta was awesome.
We ordered a bottle of wine that was out of stock, so they sold us one of the more expensive ones for the same price. It was fantastic!
We then had the blueberry cheesecake and the panna cotta. I thought the panna cotta was great, but then I had the blueberry cheesecake and I was in heaven. It was to die for. We came back the next day to have it again for dessert.
I expect that we’ll be here often. Can’t wait to come back and try the blueberry pancakes for brunch!

** BRUNCH REVIEW **
Boyfriend and I took a bike ride over to Smith street and had another place in mind for brunch, but when we saw the cute exterior, we decided to try the place out.
We almost turned away before opening the door when we saw the white tablecloths (we were VERY casual), but thank goodness, we continued in.
The owner/​manger was super friendly and even brought over a little amuse bouche right at the start. The iced coffee was some of the best that my boyfriend has had. We asked what they used — their secret is that they grind espresso beans and have figured out the right water/​grinds ratio to make one heck of a good coffee. My iced teas were quickly refreshed when they got low.
The food was GREAT. I had the baked eggs with escarole, wild boar bacon, tomato and asiago. Boyfriend had the frittata with prosciutto, broccoli rabe & caciocavalla. We were silent when the food arrived — it was so good. Both dishes used super-​fresh vegetables and were really well prepared.
If we could give one suggestion to the owner, leave the linens off the tables for brunch. There should have been a crowd in the restaurant for your brunch. We’re agreed that maybe people saw the elegantly manicured interior and thought it was «too much» for their morning coffee and eggs.

Last night I had one of the most memorable meals of my life at BINO. It was my birthday and they treated us (9 of my closest friends and myself) like royalty.
I had what was a pretty tough year so it was really important for me to spend my birthday dinner at a restaurant that not only offered delicious food but also delivered great service and ambiance. BINO delivered on all counts. I’ve lived in the neighborhood for the last 2 years and it was my first time at BINO so it was a bit of a risk going there but I’m so happy we did.
The service was really wonderful — they were so patient with us as our party slowly trickled in over 20 mins and once the service began they were incredibly attentive to every detail from explaining the wines to granular things like the owner picking up my friend’s fallen scarf from the floor (which none of us even noticed).
I ordered the faro and pea shoot salad and had the guinea hen with spaetzel for my second course. Both were incredibly delicious but I wasn’t expecting the faro and pea shoot salad to be as incredible as it was.
I also had a few bites of my girlfriend’s beet salad which I thought was the tastiest thing of the evening and she had to fend off my attempts to steal it away from her.
The chickpea bruschetta was lovely as was the rosemary olive oil which accompanied the bread. The rosemary olive oil was so subtle and sublime and it perfectly captures our wonderful evening at BINO.

Wow.

How can you not love a restaurant that share’s your name? My dad and I were so excited to come here based on that alone but the food and service did not disappoint! Its such a cute little place, very cozy and darkly lit. Our server was very nice, and super helpful in answering our questions on the menu. The food was superb! We had–
chickpea bruschetta
spinach and poached egg salad
prosciutto and melon
braised lamb
excellent meal, cant wait to go back and try out some more on their menu!

It’s so pretty here. Granted, I’ve only stopped in for a few beverages at the bar, but the experience was perfect.
The crowd was interesting– a bit older than what I typically see on Smith, but no less well-​dressed and beautiful!
The wine was fantastic, as was the service, and the espresso! I can’t wait to go back.

My my, I greatly dislike when I am left astray by Unilocal.Perhaps, the ratings are skewed since there are only 32 reviews. We came to the restaurant for a late lunch, and as such, the restaurant was not busy (i.e. service should be spot on).
I had the lasagna, which was served cold, and was not very tasty. It did not taste fresh and too much cheese on top. My mom had the pasta amatriciana, which was done in an nontraditional fashion. Although we embrace bring one’s own touches to a dish, the flavors were just meh.
Service was slow, spotty, and were never asked how we liked our meal even after having to send the lasagna back.
Contrary to the prior review, you should remain skeptical of the «near stellar review.»

Your meal is gonna start with a complimentary chickpea bruschetta. You will take a bite, realize how awesome it is, and then shove the rest in your mouth. You will mention to the waiter how good the bruschetta was, and he’ll say, «Oh, you want the recipe??» And then he will bring you a little recipe card. I cook a lot at home, so I thought that was a nice touch.
The food overall is pretty good. The Bucatini is my favorite pasta.
I’ve been for both dinner and brunch. It seems to be a bit busier for dinner, but service has always been great.

Very friendly and cozy atmosphere. Feels kind of like a hidden gem.
I was very happy with the Garganelli and would definitely recommend it.
I maybe wouldn’t order the prosciutto and melon again — the almonds were hard to scoop up and the dish seemed a bit disjointed without them… but there are plenty of other options that sound like good starters.

I was originally skeptical of the near stellar review of BINO but after tasting the food, its completely deserved!
On Tuesdays, they have a great $ 28 3 course deal but our favorite dishes were not on that menu.
For starters, we tried to meatballs which were good but I’ve had better. The mussels and cockles however were delicious.
Our favorite entrée was hands down the Guinea Hen. Amazing flavor combinations and the perfect portion size. The Cavatelli was also VERY VERY good. My brother had the Grilled Chicken which he thought was tasty as well but I def prefer the hen and the pasta
For dessert we had the Panna Cotta, which had the perfect texture but could have used a different sauce or at least far less of the sauce
The only criticism that we have is not food related — the cup for the tea had the smallest handle that was near impossible to grip especially when it is scalding hot.

Bino, once known as Po, is the result of a restauranteurs’ break up. The menu, chef and ambience is still the same though, so you Po lovers need not fret.
Centrally located in Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, Bino is an upscale yet casual spot amongst a row of interesting restaurants. The fare is Italian (I’m guessing northern Italian) and it was delish, however this restaurant’s vibe is very «Upper East Side», which does well for the type of people eating there, we probably won’t revisit it. My suggestion: Take your inlaws there.

Damn tasty. I mean my flank steak bolognese pasta!!! Mmmmmm! One of the best pastas I’ve had in recent memory. With some grana padano on top. Wine list was OK. I would’ve liked some more affordable options so I just settled for a glass. Service was attentive.
I do think the whole white table cloths though makes the place appear a bit stuffy. I dunno, we’re on Smith Street here. I just don’t quite think it matches the interior. I was also a bit sad to see that the place was empty on a recent weeknight. Other diners were eating at crappier Smith Street restaurants and missing out on Bino, formerly known as Po. I’ll return.

Inaugural visit to Bino in occasion for Dine in Brooklyn. Pushing back a 7p reservation, we were able to score the last hr (10p) on the last day for restaurant week. Décor is simple, chic and very inviting. Service was lovely. Our friendly waiter gave us some good tips on food and wine.
Now for the food. Really liked the fact that they didn’t downplay their food or portions for RW. In fact, they brought in their all stars from their regular menu. Gotta respect that! The three course menu featured many attractive items. Side bread served soft, crusty with olive oil. The complimentary white bean bruschetta were unique and tasty.
–For appetizers ordered Grilled Portobello with arugula & shaved Parmesan cheese. Fabulous! SO had Polpettine di Carne (meatball soup, pretty good)
–Entrees: Grilled Guinea Hen with roasted pumpkin & scallion fregula with saba (Party in my mouth! So glad I ordered this. Truly amazing dish with a nice presentation. Everything surpringly blended well)
Grilled Skirt Steak with roasted potatoes: beef was well cooked as well as the potatoes.
–Dessert: I had a chocolate tiramisu (very tasty) while he had the ricotta cheese cake (tasted like yogurt)
Overall, had a great experience. Dining here for RW felt like a bargain, especially since the entrees run up to $ 23. Portions were generous. Will not hesitate to revisit for their $ 28 prix fix

Our first time to Bino — back when it was called Po Brooklyn — I knew we’d found someplace unusual.
It’s a fancy-​looking place, white tablecloths, no TV or blaring music. We happened to be walking home from yoga when we stopped to look at the menu and peer in the window. We liked the looks of the place, but were dressed for yoga, not fine dining.
The owners could not have been more welcoming. Sarah complimented my yoga pants and John said he wears shorts so he wants people to feel comfortable no matter what they wear.
Still, even though they were gracious about our too-​casual attire, the food was outstanding. They might be relaxed about the dress code but the kitchen isn’t slacking.
The artichoke bruschetta amuse bouche is yummy. My husband is still talking about the wild boar bacon garganelli he had months ago. We split the risotto with fresh peas last week and I was totally blown away. It was so simple and so superb.
Bino is the whole package. It’s a place with outstanding food that feels as warm and welcoming as your corner pub.

This place is really dang good. My boyfriend and I went there last night and had 4 amazing dishes:
1. Marinated White Anchovies with toasted faro and fried leeks
2. Fennel & Baby Arugula pickled red onion, balsamic vinaigrette, shaved grana padana
3. Spaghetti All Amatriciana crispy proscuitto, red chilis, tomato, pecorino romana
4. Tagliatelle with bolognese
The two apps were amazing — there were so many textures and really well balanced. The place really knows how to put a few shavings of the perfect cheese on top of each plate. The pastas are great — they come with a lot of sauce and do not need to be seasoned at all.

Do you want to know why I love Bino? Because when I’m there, everything I want to happen, does.
1. The server brings me a delicious, complimentary, marinated artichoke salad on grilled bread prior to the meal. And THEN bread and olive oil.
2. Although I was pulling for the tagliatelle, her bucatini with the walnut pesto turns out to be the perfect summertime pasta.
3. Whenever I snap my fingers, the entire staff breaks into a rousing rendition of Empire State of Mind. A cappella, of course.
4. My guinea hen is insanely flavorful. The skin is sublime, and laid over spaetzle with zucchini & pine nuts, it is the perfect portion.* If you get one thing here, get this.
5. Each time I even begin to formulate the thought that my water might get low at some later date, the waiter is there to refill it.
6. LeBron James walks in. I give him a bite of the guinea hen, and he agrees to sign with the Knicks next year.
7. A mosquito floats in the door. I give it the evil eye, and the miserable insect simply flies straight into our candle and dies.
8. I get an e-​mail from my employers, insisting I do less work for more money.
9. The beautiful lady across from me decides to pick up the check.
10. As I reflect on how much I enjoyed the artichoke amuse bouche, they bring out a card detailing the recipe. LOVE THAT.
OK you got me; I made up four of these. (Obviously, #9 is laughable.)
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*Nice and generous. I’m not sure I could finish the $ 28 prix fixe meal they offer before 7 pm (and all day Tuesday and Wednesday), but I’ll be back to try. The guinea hen is one of the entrée options…

I took a chance on the new version of this restaurant because of a GroupOn special. It was worth it. Started with the meatballs, of course, which are delicious and easily a meal themselves. Tender, flavorful and I enjoy the sauce and cheese. My entrée was the Bucatini with walnut pesto, tomatoes and ricotta salate. It was delicious, although I don’t think there was any ricotta salate. Maybe it was finely crumbled. We shared the Suateed Kale which was delicious and to me a perfect example of how you enhance flavor with Sherry Vinegar.
Our waiter was a bit odd. Seemed aloof and disconnected. He was nice enough, just a bit odd.
I’ll go back!

The service was impeccable, from the courteous host, to the humorous busboy, to the mindful waiter, and all the way to the friendly manager.
The food started out at WOW, with the white bean bruschetta and beet salad, but the meatball appetizer was disappointing.
The grilled skirt steak was seasoned really well, but the cut could have been better, and the ox tail wasn’t overly impressive, as it was a tad bit too salty.
I’m writing it off as an off night and will be back!