Dover

Dover over the years has maintained an excellent menu with an attentive staff. The noise level however is insufferable. Last night they had ridiculously loud music blaring from crappy speakers. So the screaming at each table had to go up to match. What happened to Dover? It used be a pleasant place for dinner.

My business partner and I used to adore battersby and wanted to try Dover. I was at first a bit stunned by the size as I had imagined it to be another quaint place. It’s quite large compared to the sister spot.
It was a slow night — there were maybe three other tables in the dining area.
We got the tasting menu. I have allergies and described them to the server. It seems that didnt always make it back to the kitchen. They kept sending things I could not eat. Normally I dont mind, but with so few people and such reputation, I was a bit surprised.
The menu felt very on trend with every current small brooklyn restaurant. I had hoped for a bit more invention.
Unfortunately will not be back.

I sent this note to Dover directly weeks ago and received no response whatsoever, so consumer alert:
Dear Dover–
On Tuesday evening, my husband and I dined for the first time at Dover. We live in the neighborhood, had heard good things, and were excited to give you a try. The meal was lovely and we left very happy with our experience, but unfortunately later in the night I became extremely ill – nearly ill enough to necessitate a trip to Urgent Care. It was clearly food poisoning and given what I had eaten before dinner/​the timing of the illness, it seemed clear I had gotten sick from something consumed while at Dover. My husband and I shared everything except the red snapper dish and he was unaffected, so the snapper seems the likely culprit.
Needless to say it was enormously disappointing to be made ill be such a fine and expensive meal, but more than anything I wanted to bring this to your attention to, one hopes, prevent another diner from having the same experience. Please monitor the freshness of your fish more closely. Something was clearly very off.

The staff were all very nice and the service was great. My wife and I both chatted with the very knowledgeable bartender who helped us choose drinks. We decided to be adventurous and try the tasting menu. The 5 course menu ran $ 75 per plate. I expected the plates to be small, but at 5 courses I expected to be satisfied. While all of the food tasted good, the portions were small and the chef’s choices seemed to be cost conscious and did not warrant the high charge per plate. We both left hungry and regretful.

We stumbled upon Dover at the tail end of summer for a Sunday morning revival brunch after a long Saturday night and it really hit the nail on the head. The quaint menu, attention to delicate detail (for a meal that is typically overlooked in culinary art… breakfast), and ambiance that made us feel like we were in a cozy local eatery in Vienna. After a return trip for dinner this past week, I think we’ll be sticking to brunch.
Dover succeeded at their ‘compliments of the chef’ menu, serving up an exclusive butternut squash soup with whipped cream, homemade banana bread, and other small dishes to tease the palate throughout our meal. Their breads were to die for and my entrè of Squid ink tagliatelle with peekytoe crab would’ve made for an excellent appetizer. After finishing some oysters, a few chef add-​ons, some bread and my entrè, I found myself leaving Dover looking for a large pizza. It’s not the place to go if you want to leave full and fully satisfied in both your stomach and wallet. For the price, I couldn’t justify the portion size and left Dover wanting a quite bit more.
Dover has my heart for exceptional service and top notch attention to detail on both food and cocktails (my Old Fashioned was on point!), but for all of the options that Court Street offers for exceptional values on dinner, I’ll leave this one for Sunday morning mimosas.

The folks at Dover seems pretty pleased with themselves and I guess it is important that they have their self esteem in place. The food was just ok but the presentation was great, there is a lot to be said for presentation.
When one of the members of our group inquired about a dessert item the waitress initial tried to fake the description and then came clean by telling us it was a new item and she did not know what it was.
The coffee is lousy (as my Dad would say). They seemed eager to give us a check on an evening when there were plenty empty tables. … And they emphatically do not take American Express cards.

Before I go into my review I want to preface it by saying the food was delicious and our server was attentive, always available, and made sure we were enjoying our meal.
1. Wines by the glass were at least two to three dollars too high (mine was the least expensive, at $ 13) especially given the stingy pour.
2. I ordered the Olive Oil Poached Cod which included a few green olives, some dill, a few cooked green onions and a baked red onion. The fish was okay but even with the accompanying ingredients it was bland. But then it’s cod not Dover Sole, and at $ 32, overpriced. Also for that price the portion was on the small side and if I hadn’t had an appetizer I would have left hungry.
3. Dessert was to die for but overpriced by at least three dollars.
4. While the food says bistro the ambience and décor of the restaurant says diner.
5. Music was too loud (James Brown whom I like). I thought it was an odd choice for a bistro. When music is that loud people have to talk over it causing others to talk over them and the domino effect ensues. Didn’t make for a pleasant evening.
Cost for two: $ 153, including 20% tip. Not necessarily a deal breaker but If we’re going to pay those prices I’ll go to some of our favorite upscale restaurants in Manhattan.

We showed up here on a Tuesday night around 8 without a reservation and were greeted and seated immediately. The inside is nicely decorated and the tables have a good space between them which isn’t usually the case in NYC. I ordered the tagliatelle which had rabbit and then had the chicken. Both were stellar. They sent off t a few amuse bouches which were also all very good. One was a gazpacho, and another was a asparagus bread puff. The service was very attentive and the dessert which had some kind of chocolate crumble was a great ending to an accidental meal. I’m STILL thinking about that dessert!

I am from out of town and came at the request of some great friends who are local to the neighborhood. We came for a few drinks to start the night and wow was I impressed! The three of us sat at the bar. We ordered a bourbon drink that tasted like salted caramel (the name escapes me) and a drink the bartender recommended, a tamarind whisky sour, for me.
Both were fantastic, to put it delicately. The bartender, I believe his name was Jeff, made our drinks with care and passion. What a great person to welcome me into a new place! He truly is talented at what he does.
I would certainly come back just for the drinks and perhaps dessert next time! Highly recommended.

Dover is a restaurant of extraordinaries. While the menu items are extraordinarily delicious and nicely presented, the portions are extraordinarily meager and extraordinarily expensive for the size. Three not-​especially-​large scallops for my wife were priced at thirty-​four dollars – as well a dollop of cod at thirty-​two dollars for me!
I defer to the CIA pedigree of the chef and the need to slowly chew the aesthetic/​ascetic vogue food of places like these, but, unsophisticated foodie that I am, I left this restaurant feeling very much hungry and very much ripped-​off!

Excellent date night spot in Carroll Gardens. Intimate and warm ambiance. Friendly and knowledgable waitstaff. The steak was delicious and the cookie dough my wife and I were given as a to-​go dessert was a perfect touch.

I give 4 stars because everything was great. Excellent service and food was great. Highly recommended

Walking into Dover on a Monday night my first thought was «Omg such a cute restaurant, but it looks pretty slow.» I mean its a Monday. My guest and I decided to sit at the bar as we believe service is always better there and it was. From the moment we walked in I must say everyone was the sweetest! I do want to say, if this restaurant was in the city forget about being able to walk in on a Monday. Everything is extremely delicious, I mean everything! As a huge fan of the sister restaurant I expected nothing but the same essence here at Dover.
My guest and I ordered the oysters, mushroom ricotta, lobster and lamb. The oysters are perfection, its light and tasty and teases your palette for more. Honestly, I can eat it all day. The mushroom ricotta is extremely flavorful and the added raisins is interesting but finger licking good. The Lobster, yesssss the mouth watering lobster. Easy to eat, flavorful, great portion size and the side of the corn and bacon is delish. Although, I wish they still had the creamy spinach. The lamb, awesome! We were full by the lamb. But still made room for more.
Oh! & finally the dessert. The olive oil cake is TO DIE FOR!!! Its so clean, and fresh. Such a simple dessert but the flavor combination really surprises you. Ughhhh. Ughhh. (Sorry just took a mouth watering moment)
5 stars overall. Hands down with a shimmy! So glad this gem is in Brooklyn!

Horrible experience. The space is extremely loud and our party of six couldn’t hear a thing. Te server placed us right in the middle of the restaurant next to the bathroom door where people were coming in and out… Then proceeded to ignore us for 10 – 15 minutes not even bothering bringing a glass of water. Or taking our drink order. This was on a Saturday night and we eventually decided to walk out.
This restaurant is extremely pretentious and we were so disappointed based on all the Unilocal reviews.
Ended up going across the street to Marco Polo and had an amazing meal with friendly service.
Come here at your own risk.

A level of excellence rarely achieved by the finest restaurants in nyc on court street in Brooklyn.
Me and the misses did the seven course tasting with wine pairing.
The service was near perfect, the food flaw less, some sections favoring the acidic and some favoring the rich, all very good. Paired with quality wines from all regions.
If your adventitious go with one of the tastings. If not
The root vegetable purée was sublime.
The braised beef with gnochi and truffels a true star.
While both the scallop and pork rib dishes truly amazing.
This is a restaurant we will visit again
With friends and family. Hopefully for years to come. Nyc fine dining in Brooklyn just a block from home.

We came here late on a Friday night for a farewell dinner for friends who were moving to Europe and I think it was a perfect quintessential last Brooklyn meal. We strolled in wearing jeans, sneakers and puffy coats to experience really impeccable service and fantastic food; it was definitely high-​end dining in a laid back environment.
They start you with two amuse-​bouches: gougères and a super delicious cup of squash soup with some whipped foam on top. The only way I can describe this soup is a savory vegetal cappuccino, which sounds disgusting but was amazing. The bread they give you is also great and I loved the labne dip that accompanies it.
So far, this is only the free stuff. We ordered the tartare, the tagliatelle with peekytoe crab and the ceviche. The standout was definitely the tagliatelle; chunks of crab with a toothsome homemade pasta, all tossed with a lemon-​chile sauce that made you feel like you were eating virtuously (I’m into pretend healthy meals).
Our friends got the scallops and the cassoulet, both dishes that were delicious in their own right but the real pièce de résistance was the roast chicken for two. I know, I know — you’re saying to yourself «Chicken? it’s basically seitan» but bear with me. They bring out the chicken first, as if to prove to you they are in fact feeding you a whole bird. Then the entrée gets sent out in two courses, the first the anti-​diet chicken salad, which is covered in black truffles and then the chicken breast covered in pan juices/​crack sauce with grilled radicchio and a root vegetable gratin COVERED WITH MORE BLACK TRUFFLES.
The only reason I’m giving Dover four, not the full five stars is because on prior trips, we’ve had some of their recommended dishes which are less exciting; specifically, the broiled oysters. You can do bivalves better.

Came here for brunch and ended up staying for hours. It’s the kind of place where you can’t help but order that extra mimosa and linger over conversation. It felt even more enjoyable because there was no long line of people patiently waiting for us to leave so they could get a table. Maybe it was a slow day (it was raining) but I definitely prefer my restaurants on the emptier side.
The food was inventive and delicious but dishes were on the smaller side and the meal ended up being pricier than our typical brunch.
I did appreciate the super nice service. They didn’t have a dessert menu for brunch but our party of 4 was craving something sweet so the waitress came back and told us the chef can whip something up and even offered to surprise us if we didn’t have anything particular in mind. It was a nice gesture.
I’d definitely return to try their dinner.

There are perhaps 2 schools of thought when it comes to the process of eating:
1. Those who slowly savor each and every tiny little bite.
2. Those who try to jam as much food into their mouth as possible so that their tastebuds are overwhelmed with flavor. (This is also, coincidentally, a similar trait to that found in crack addicts)
I am definitely of the latter school (uhh… not the crack addict part of course *cough cough*). People often find it embarrassing to sit next to me at a meal… especially at a nice restaurant. So with that context in mind, let me just say that any meal that can take 3 hrs and not have me feel impatient or bored in between, is a meal deserving of 5 stars. That meal, was the tasting menu at Dover.
7 courses… SEVEN! With like a million little things in between! It is definitely a good value for the price, the time and the quality. Pictures tell a thousand words, but the standout dishes for me were the scallops and the lamb (a substitute that the staff graciously made).
I’m glad that this extension of Battersby is living up to the reputation of its beginnings. It may not have the same intimate atmosphere, but the friendliness of the staff, and the care with which you are served, are impeccable. The meal was perfectly paced, and it felt like something special.
And now I can make reservations online… there goes my bank account.

A co-​worker of mine recently moved to Court Street by 2^nd Place, and I immediately asked, «Have you been to Dover?»
He responded, «I’ve walked by a few times, but it doesn’t look like anything special.»
Perhaps he’s right. Dover may look just like a hundred other spare, casual restaurants in this city… but that’s part of the charm, as far as I’m concerned. They don’t need an opulent dining room to attract business; they are full almost every night because the quality of their food remains consistently high, and their hospitality is second to none. Their waitstaff is attentive, but not pretentious. (I appreciate that they will occasionally acknowledge that a bowl is ridiculously large for the tiny appetizer within.)
For my part, I’ve been an enormous fan* of Chefs Joseph Ogrodnek and Walker Stern since they opened Battersby on Smith Street, and so I suppose I was pre-​disposed to loving Dover. After five visits, I’m happy to report that there is no ‘but’ here. I love Dover. As near as I can tell, it’s a spacious, more comfortable Battersby where I can make reservations to avoid the two hour wait on a weekday.
Much like their sister restaurant, Dover serves fresh, contemporary American food that will range from quite good to astonishingly tasty. Also similarly to their counterpart, the bread basket here is fantastic. Upon ordering, you will be treated to a fresh loaf served with both whipped honey ricotta, as well as an olive tapenade/​white bean purée combination. This is in addition to an always-​intriguing amuse bouche (probably a soup), and the most explosively cheesy gougères I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.
Eventually (and unfortunately), you will have to pay for food as well. I’d urge you to order whatever sounds good on the oft-​changing menu, but if you’d like any recommendations, I’m here to serve you:
I would start with the octopus. Tender as can be, it is accompanied by chorizo and large white beans virtually swimming in an incredible buttery sauce. That said, you can never go wrong with one of their pastas (try the garganelli) or the cauliflower. If (ooh baby) you like it raw, the hamachi is both stunning and delicious, and the oysters are impeccably fresh. In fact, all their seafood is carefully prepared and sure to satisfy; I’ve enjoyed cod, bass, and although I usually avoid lobster, the smoked bacon element was too tempting to resist.
If you’re interested in heartier fare, by all means get the Berkshire Pork (currently on the menu). The only dish I’ve enjoyed more was the hanger steak served with the pommes purée and oxtail marmalade that I remember so fondly from Battersby’s early menus. (Sadly, this option seems to have melted away with the winter, but I’m hopeful it returns later this year.) I personally find the lamb ribs can be a bit too fatty, although the vaguely Thai flavors are still on point.**
What am I forgetting? Booze. The bartenders are quite adept with classic cocktails, but their own inventions can be fun as well. I like the Portico, and the passionate tart I am going to marry loved the Passionate Tart. Between the eclectic bottles and the few drafts, I’m sure you can find a beer you’ll love as well.
I can’t believe I’ve written this much, especially since Dover’s food will speak for itself.
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*My fandom is enormous, I am actually not that big a guy.
**Everyone has their own preferences though, because I couldn’t help but note that the screaming bachelorette party at a nearby table called the lamb «an orgasm on a plate.»

We sort of just stumbled upon this place by accident the other day, but I’m so glad we did! It was Superbowl Sunday and we thought it would be smart to try a restaurant we’d normally have a long wait for, so our first thought was Battersby. Not surprisingly, it was closed. We wandered a little further and came across Dover, which ironically is Battersby’s sister restaurant and normally does have a long wait. Score! We sauntered right in to the near empty restaurant and got incredibly attentive service (but I imagine a place like this always strives for good service).
I love the delicious amuse bouches they gave us throughout the meal — warm cheese puffs, creamy root vegetable soup, and a little alfajor cookie at the end. The homemade breadstick they gave us to start was so incredibly delicious — it was perfectly crisp and buttery on the outside and soft and airy on the inside. The presentation was grand, served with some creamy ricotta butter and crispy papadum.
For the appetizer, we started with the pork belly, which was nice and tender. I loved the roasted fruit and vegetables it was served with — pears, sweet potatoes, cabbage, potatoes and shaved watermelon radish on top. It was drizzled lightly with a savory sweet glaze that tied the dish together.
For the mains, we ordered the foie gras ravioli and grilled octopus, which was a special that night. The grilled octopus was delicious, with the legs cut into little medallions and strewn about the plate with big white beans, chorizo, roasted piquillo peppers, all sitting in a thick brothy sauce. But I thought the star of the meal was the foie gras ravioli. The dish had chunks of roasted celery root and three perfect little ravioli envelopes filled with delicious foie gras, all topped with a creamy black truffle sauce. The parsley sprigs and crunchy raw celery root pieces on top added the perfect mix of textures. Divine. I tried not to scarf this down too fast so I could savor it.
For dessert we ordered the baked Alaska. The meringue was crisped on the outside but still soft on the inside, and filled with a layer of green apple sorbet and another of crème fraiche ice cream. The crème fraiche ice cream was perfect with the toasty meringue but the sorbet actually took away from the dish in my opinion. Loved the little pieces of poached pear this dish was served with though.
Yes, it was pretty pricey but I don’t actually think it should be four dollar signs on Unilocal.There are definitely more expensive places out there.