Kimoto Rooftop

From all of the bad reviews I have seen and coming here myself with some of my coworkers, I have to say that this place is really nice and the the view at the rooftop is spectacular. They offer coat service at no cost so you don’t have to worry about misplacing your coat or having it stolen.
I came at a time when the place was not packed to the brim so I was able to quickly order drinks at my convenience. Great place to hang out and chit chat over some drinks.

First off, this venue has the best view of Brooklyn Heights. Instead of paying Manhattan prices to enjoy a gorgeous view of New York, Kimoto rooftop gives a full panoramic view of downtown Brooklyn and even the Statue of Liberty. Chef Brian Tsao’s delectable Asian fusion small plates pair extremely well with the selection of cold beers and cocktails. Definitely a great place to check out for happy hour. During the colder months, part of the outdoor rooftop area is enclosed, providing the nice view without the winter elements. Staff are all very warm and friendly. Bar is easily accessible from the city by subway. Highly recommended! Try the bulgogi tacos.

On merits of being a bar alone, this place is worth a visit — the drinks are stellar across the board, one smoky whisky drink with dried ginger in particular is without a doubt my favorite mixed drink I’ve tried in a while.
The food is where this place really shines however. Chef Brian Tsao is some kind of insane genius in the kitchen, because what he’s churning out in that place is all at once the total opposite of normal bar food, and exactly what it should have been all along. A spam sushi dog? I can almost imagine him standing in the back rubbing his hands together like Dr. Evil for that one. The brisket sliders and bulgogi tacos are the standouts, but that’s almost not saying much when everything on the menu is a standout as well. You could pretty much throw darts at the menu and be blown away by whatever you wound up getting.
It’s a funny spot as it’s the roof of a hotel and there’s a door guy manning the elevator, so it’s hard to know what to expect (I’m a dive bar guy by nature, by far) but let this place win you over for sure.

My boyfriend and I purchased tickets for their New Year party (26 $ each). The party began at 21:00, and we got there at 22:00. There was a long line and they very slowly selected people from the line. They didn’t seem to care that people had bought tickets ahead of time enough to even communicate what was going on. About a hundred people, many of whom had already paid for tickets, were waiting and waiting. At 23.30 they finally admitted that they were at full capacity and can only let people in if people came out, but «not to worry». We left, disgusted. This place took advantage of people who prepaid, by taking their money but then selling tickets at the door to over-​capacity in the early stages of the night. Then, they didn’t even respect their customers enough to tell them what was going on so that the people waiting can enjoy themselves elsewhere, instead of spending midnight waiing in line. I got there at 22.00, after paying for tickets 3 days earlier, and could not get in. It’s morally abhorrent and completely unprofessional. I sure don’t want to go have fun and spend money in a place that treats people this way, I will never set foot in this place.

Normally I don’t do reviews. But after traveling 90 mins from westchester to this place because my friend asked me to, I feel like warning people who want to come here for a rooftop bar. This is literally just a bar at rooftop. No view at all. If you are used to rooftop bars in Manhattan like me, don’t waste your tin coming here if you are looking for a nice rooftop.
The only nice thing is that there are quite many Asian hot girls, if that’s your thing. Other than that I really can’t think of anything nice. Spent 20 mins to get a drink, spent another 20 mins to get my coat.

I went to a holiday party Kimoto rooftop beer garden in Brooklyn on Friday night and it was absolutely amazing! the view of Brooklyn is breathtaking from their vantage point. the service and our server Ephraim was outstanding! the DJ (whose name I did not catch regrettably) why is amazing for such a young guy he DJ’d with the soul of an old school New York style DJ! Hats off to everyone working at Kimoto from the girl at the front desk to the elevator operator yes I said elevator operator and everyone in between absolutely amazing take a bow.

Here again I can’t get enough of this place, came here with my friends and they love it thanks to Armando Marin the bartender…

I really really wanted to like this place. On the surface, it has everything going for it: rooftop, proximity to transit, Asian food, cute graphic design, new-​ness… However, the reviewers below who thought they were trying too hard are exactly right. I’m not sure who they are trying to cater to (well, maybe I’m being a bit disingenuous here) but I hope that anyone who comes here is really into that pretentious elevator door person thing and overpriced, uninspired drink scene. I went twice, once unfortunately on their «private» opening night wherein I was allowed up but repeatedly dogged by staff ushering me here and there (Just post a sign or turn me away! It was very uncomfortable and I left without ordering anything) and a second time where we ordered a round of sadly disgusting cocktails, looked at the lovely view, and left. They were well overstaffed, even on a Friday night, where there were perhaps 5 customers in the whole bar. Drinks are $ 15+, but I can’t say anything about the food here and probably never will as I don’t intend to ever go back, though I live nearby. Sad.
I don’t think that the issue is that it’s a hotel bar, per se. Leaf Bar and Lounge in Flushing off the 7 is very similar in concept (rooftop hotel bar in a busy commercially driven neighborhood with an Asian theme), but the difference was night and day. You really can tell when the cocktail program has been developed with care and by people who know what they’re doing.
TLDR; if you have good drinks and good food, don’t try too hard and keep it inviting, people will respond to that and keep coming back to throw money at you. Make it an unpleasant clubby bs thing, and you will be spending lots more money on fake exclusivity than you will rake in. Maybe I’m wrong, but it’s hard to be excited about the prospect of more of these weird places popping up around here.

Rooftop? Good. Asian? Great! Asian fusion has gone the way of a certain Asian gender (⁵⁰⁄₅₀ guess), and finally getting their due after being subjected to skewed Western standards (ironic how well we see with oddly shaped eyes). Wow, let’s take it down some.
Needless to say, it’s a surprise that it’s taken a while for NYC to make such an establishment; Philadelphia already has an Asian beer hall in the form of Bar-​Ly. And the fact of the matter is that hybrid pairings always come make the prettiest kids (Asian mixed w/​anything? Boom, that kid gonna have an easy ass life with silver spoons and what not)… alright, ease on the gas.
I made a visit to this location at the insistence of one of the designers of this place; to quote, «I worked on this place! Your review is needed!» I couldn’t agree more (place is the perfect avenue to espouse certain viewpoints from a certain perspective…). Curiously located in downtown Brooklyn, it’s not particularly easy. nor is it a difficult place to get to. Purgatorial location, few minutes walk from the closest subway lines, rooftop views, but with scenery being that of the Manhattan variety (as opposed Brooklyn cityscapes).
I had planned an outing with a group of friends, including aforementioned designer. Some showed up, some flaked, some no showed… it is what it is. A group of four strong was plenty. First to arrive was yours truly. A seat at the bar and a pumpkin beer to start. Not a bad start either. The bar is located in the antechamber next to the elevators; some seating and tables are available in addition to the bar and the stools lined up next to it. Friendly and knowledgeable bar staff is always welcome, and the bar men knew their libations. One caveat as to the layout: huge white pillar situated right in the middle of the bar counter. It actually crosses into the actual work space of the bar tenders, forcing them to walk around it. There’s already a premium of space back there, so I do feel bad for the peeps working back there (additionally the pillar gets in the way when trying to get their attention).
When the numbers of our final group finally became more whole, we were led to the outside deck on the rooftop. Brisk autumn air brushed our faces, with the night sky providing a pretty background for the lights of Manhattan to shine in the horizon; pretty things (not only women) evoke certain linguistic sensibilities in one (such as this particular writier), and I am a sucker for looking/​scanning views from on high (on those below/​beneath me, literally and figuratively, respectively: insert tongue sticking out emoji:).
It was dinner time, so we were certainly in the business of ordering some food at that point. There were plenty of orders made, with plenty of considerations going into the final calculus of or order:
1) A farmer’s market veggie plate? At a beer garden? At an Asian beer garden? Well, we got one of those (some people actually care about their health I suppose, at at least giving off the impression that they do care…); dish made sense, we were in Brooklyn after all… and nothing wrong with some fresh veggies with some tasty hummus.
2) Chicken wings; now that’s more like it. These wings clearly took inspiration from the oh-​so-​special fried chicken of the South Korean variety. These wings could easily find a home in K-​Town. Soy garlic, double fried, crispy, and delicious… these were certainly a favorite of the table.
3) Takoyaki; simple, tough to screw up, hot as «balls», and tasty as eff. These amaze «balls» octo «donuts» burned off the roof of my mouth, just as they were made to. And the bonito flakes were dancing in the wind.
4) Disco fries; while disco may be dead, we were sure glad that this commonly enjoyed treat during the disco era still endures. Loaded with brisket, sour cream, Sriracha, jalapenos… I picked at the non sour creamed portions. Hella tasty, and with some extra heat added (effectively cauterized the takoyaki burn wounds on my mouth).
5) Bulgogi Tacos — not the most impressive bulgogi I’ve had. Not as succulent as I’d like, not to much flavor either… tenderness of the meat left something to be desired. You win some you lose some.
6) Spam Sushi Dog — I love spam musubis (to which I affectionately refer to as «spam sushi»). I am a loyalist to those persons/​things that I love, so I was compelled to order these. Spam shaped into a hot dog was a thrilling prospect, and I was very excited for this dish. Alas, it is those things/​people that we have the greatest hopes and expectations for that wound and disappoint us the most. Gone were the umami flavors of the original musubi. Instead, I found a cloyingly sweet pineapple «relish» that took over the dish. Every bite was nothing but pineapple. Disappointed.
Nevertheless, a great addition to the rooftop bar scene. Hope this place gets more shine, and hope you read this lengthy review (you might learn something).

I’m a sucker for rooftops and this one is no exception. Sleek design and ample bamboo makes for a zen like ambiance.
Bulgogi Beef Tacos, Takoyaki, Spicy Wings, Farmers Veggie Dip, Disco Fries were all delicious and more than enough food for 4 people sharing. My favorites of the bunch were the spicy wings and disco fries. Service is a bit spotty out on the patio so be sure to get your order in all at once. Nestled in the Aloft hotel, Kimoto is a hidden gem that’s sure to impress your friends that don’t venture to downtown Brooklyn often.

I really enjoyed this place! My bf and I just moved to the area and are looking for a place with killer cocktails that is within a 5 minute walk from home (WINTER IS COMING). Great ambience, views, Friday night jams, and food.
Cocktails: I had their No Sleep Til, Enlightenment, and Tranquility (ascending order) all of which were high quality and delicious. What are the odds that the 3 first drinks I tried at this bar were all excellent from the get-​go? My boyfriend ordered a few whiskey cocktails. I’m not a whiskey person at all, but even I enjoyed a sip of those crafts. A+ drinks for sure. Their beer list is extensive, although I would suggest they start carrying Kirin and Asahi, the two key beers I drank all over Japan a couple years back.
Food: we had the wings, disco fries, and takoyaki (ascending order) which were all surprisingly good.
Ambience: on a Friday night, they played old school hip hop and r&b jams which had me groovin all night. Everyone was really welcoming and nice. The place was not crowded, probably 30 customers max at one point. This is probably because they just opened a month ago.
All in all, we found our new go-​to spot for close-​to-​home cocktails. Yes, this place is slightly on the expensive side, but you’re in NY where everything has a mark-​up and if you can’t accept that you probably shouldn’t live here. :) Enjoy!

I was excited about this place opening since my boyfriend just got a job in Brooklyn and we’ve been looking for some bars close to his work to hit up after a long day.
Kimoto is through a hotel lobby and I suggest you call for reservations if you want a table and not to sit at the bar. It was completely empty, but they wouldn’t seat anyone with a res. in the outdoor/​patio area. Seemed a little self-​important and silly, but whatever because we called.
The dress code didn’t seem very strict, but it might have been because it was a Thursday night.
We had two drinks, the No Sleep Till and the Humidor (which is a $ 19 drink) and they were really nice, albeit expensive. Well balanced and strong enough to taste the actual alcohol in them which is something I really miss in a lot of bars in NYC.
We also had the spam hot dogs, disco fries, and takoyaki. All of the food blew me away. It was so good and I didn’t want it to be because it was so expensive. For two drinks and three snacks it was well over $ 100 after tip.
So maybe I’ll go back sometime when there’s cash burning a hole in my pocket, or I have some friends in town and want to go to a only mildly pretentious rooftop bar, but there’s so many new places to explore and I feel fairly certain that I can re-​create the spam dogs and cocktails at home.

Brooklyn is not a place I find worthy of venturing to very often. It takes a lot to encourage me to leave Manhattan — especially for food and drinks. But, Kimoto offers something unlike ANYTHING else in the NYC metro area.
People tell me that ‘Downtown Brooklyn is an up and coming neighborhood’ all the time. If you have a friend in real estate, you’ll understand that EVERYWHERE is up an coming apparently. But, Kimoto Rooftop might sway me to believe that the neighborhood is actually up and coming now.
Sitting above the Aloft/​Sheraton hotels, you get beautiful views of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and even Lady Liberty!
Here’s the tea:
Décor: Incredible! Really gorgeous zen-​like feel with beautiful light wood and lots of cute plants. Definitely transports you outside of NYC.
Size: This place is huge. You can sit inside or outside. And ditch your friends easily if you want to do so.
Drinks: Great selection of whiskeys, bourbon and craft beer. Typical NYC prices. If you’re looking for a Corona or Heineken, go find some shitty dive bar, this isn’t the place.
Service: Friendly staff whom are very accommodating and courteous. They’re around when you want them.
Food: Chef Brian Tsao — enough said really. Awesome plates for sharing — or eating alone (no judgement)
I’ll be looking forward to seeing what kind of events will go there for sure.

Kimoto is a new Japanese rooftop beer garden that breathes life into an up and coming neighborhood in Downtown Brooklyn.
Up above the Aloft hotel, you will get beautiful panoramic views of Downtown Brooklyn which includes the Barclays Center. Here’s the skinny:
— Beautifully decorated. It will remind you of a traditional Ryokan in Kyoto.
— The place is huge. You have the option to sit inside or outside with the amount of space here.
— Great selection of whiskeys, bourbon and craft beer. Reasonably priced. If you’re looking for a Corona or Heineken, you’re in the wrong place.
— Friendly staff whom are very kind, accommodating and courteous.
— Food is delicious and the chicken wings are a must.
In an area which desperately needed a new bar scene, Kimoto adds a new type of flare; not only by beer garden standards, but rooftops as well.

I was looking forward to checking out this place and I went there with my Japanese friend.
The elevator guy basically told me that I can’t wear flip flops, and asked if I lived far from there, hoping I would go change? Wth? I was wearing super nice Birkenstocks by the way. He eventually said I was OK to go in.
Food was fine, no healthy options at all. I was excited about the beer selection but it was pretty weak. Even one of the sushi places in Ft. Greene has a better Japanese craft beer selection. And yeah, some beers are like $ 16 unless you want to drink shity beer.

We visited on Friday evening for girls night out and were very disappointed. The interior was decent-​but it was way too dark that we couldn’t even read the menu. Foods were nothing special, especially the chicken wings that we ordered. It was under flavored and not to mention, there was a long black hair in it. It was unacceptable. We were disappointed as we were expecting more from the 5 star executive chef, Brian but the food at Kimoto were below average. Although they sell this place as a «beer garden», this place only have Asian beers. It’s not a place that you can get a glass of nice craft beer or a bottle of Heineken.
The bartender and servers took forever to take our orders and they were chatting up with other people while they were getting our drinks and food. Drinks weren’t anything special. Disappointed and will not be returning.

A rooftop bar in downtown Brooklyn? Yes, please. The space is nice and the seating wraps around so you get to view Brooklyn from tons of angles. Hopefully the get some heaters for the chilly fall weather.
The drink here are the star (as they should be at a rooftop bar). I had the Peat’s Revenge and my fiancé had the No Sleep Till… The Peat’s revenge was smoky with a hint of citrus and it was lighter than I expected but still good. The No Sleep Till… was a lychee cocktail, it was fruity but not too sweet and tasted a little like grapefruit. There were several other cocktails and lots of interesting beers that we try when we come back.
For food we tried the bresaola summer roll, disco fries, and pork sliders. The summer roll tasted like a cold it sandwich in a summer roll form, it would be good if you were into that sort of thing. The disco fries were good, covered in brisket, cheese, peppers and sriracha. The fries themselves were great too so if you just got a side of fries I’m sure it would be awesome. The pork sliders were a bit on the sweet and the peppers were a nice addition. Overall, the food we had was ok. There were several other items on the menu that could have been better.
The real reason to come here would be to have some great drinks in awesome downtown Brooklyn setting.

Great atmosphere but I went there when it was called Brooklyn Terrace so the views didnt change but the décor has changed. I preferred the couches that they had before but the décor is nice. The wings were average, definitely not organic wings but tasty. They were ok. The ronnito drink as well as the beer that I had was pretty good. Complaint servers need to pay attention to the orders. We wanted the side fries, got the cheese fries (or whatever its called with beef, etc) and luckly my date ate it because I was sending it back. Then the server gets the side of fries forbme but $ 7 for regular fries… come on. I’d go back if someone else is paying

Great Rooftop & Food right here in the other old City called Brooklyn! A Summer Sunday Brunch with your Lovely Lady is Breathtaking!

Went on a Saturday night around 8. Atmosphere is definitely club-​y – music a notch too loud for a dinner conversation and lighting a notch too low to see the menu.
Food is decent – we had the salmon crudo, disco fries and the potato croquttes (which were overpowered by the overly sweet ketchup to be honest). It’s pub fare for sure – if you’re interested in really great Japanese small plates at a similar price point, I recommend Ganso Yaki nearby.
Service is excellent. The view is good, though not of Manhattan.
We will be be back to see how it evolves. Definitely a place to party!