Mason & Mug

the seating was a bit confusing – I initially sat down at a table, but was moved after a long time to the bar, where I had to call the server up to take my order. there isn’t a lot of space here, so expect a crowd on a weekend.
the food is delicious. I had the cheeseburger, which has a portobello mushroom instead of meat. my mouth is watering now – I seriously want another one! I don’t normally like sauerkraut, but on this, it was a great addition. it made it stand out from the other portobello sandwiches I’ve had.
my friend recommended the spiked cider, and I’m so glad she did. it’s served hot – just what I needed for a winter’s night. my meal was perfect.

Had the best brunch I’ve had in a while here last Sunday. Throughout the interim week, have been dreaming about the salmon gravlax-​dill mustard sauce combo of perfection. Returned again today: 5 out of 5 to the supreme. If you love mustard, salmon, and good things in life, you MUST EAT HERE. Plus the owner is chill and nice. Bonus.

It was nice enough to bring me back three times. I’ve enjoyed every time I went.
— The faux cheese burger, using a mushroom in place of beef, was phenomenal
— The yucca fries were interesting while the homemade dip sauce was very tasty
— The beers are nice
— Grilled cheese with jelly was a first for me, but certainly not a disappointment.
Everything there was unique and I look forward to going back and tasting new dishes.

Best salads I’ve ever eaten. The deviled kale salad is not to be missed! Tons of vegetarian options. Incredible flavors.

This was our first stop when we got to NYC… literally. We dropped our bags at my SIL’s apartment and went to Brooklyn. :)
What you need to know…
It’s a small place with small plates. We were lucky to get a table but it was also a Sunday night. I image it might be difficult motzi shabbis to get a seat.
The plates are small, order a nice variety.
You order at the bar then they will bring the food to you when you sit down.
This place rocks.
We were bummed that they were out of fish tacos by the time we got in but we ordered plenty!
Smoked fish plate… excellent. Awesome variety. Incredible toasted bagels.
Black bean taco… tasty and flavorful.
Celery root soup… this was the highlight. Candied walnut on top. Perfect flavor, awesome texture. Really… I would eat it all day. Every day.
Adult grilled cheese… cheese with onion relish… really good and satisfied some craving that was hanging out in the back of my tummy.
Roasted seasonal veggies… Nothing out of this world but really balanced out the rest of the meal.
My husband really enjoyed the beer/​cider selection and we had a lot of fun in this dimly lit food palace. It was the perfect first stop. Not to mention that the co-​owner called a car service for us when we were so beat from our travels we didn’t feel like taking the train. :) Now that’s good service.

This place is SO great. I am a taco connoisseur and the fish tacos here were incredible. Everything on the menu is full of unique flavor. Plates are small, intended to combine together to make the pie erect meal. Food is extremely fresh, and made right in front of you. The owner is extremely personable as well. Will be coming back!

Food’s interesting, but the servings are quite small, expensive, and not exactly what I’d call delicious. Service is also pretty slow. Person taking my order was very nice and helpful, but there wasn’t much service past that (i.e. didn’t refill the water at the table, clear the table, or check if we needed anything). Nice looking place though, and worth checking out if you’re in the area.

House made gravalax and feta and roast vegetable salad were particular highlights. Fish tacos and cheese platter also really nice.

I had a wonderful experience at Mason and Mug. The ambiance was fun, quirky and different, yet completely inviting and warm. It felt like being at someone’s home who has impeccable taste. The service was excellent. The staff were knowledgable about every item, gave honest opinions on what they liked and were descriptive for items that were new to me. The food itself was delicious. I had an egg sandwich with all kinds of interesting vegetables in it. The fries were AWESOME. To drink I had a really nice micro-​brewery beer that was local. Mason and Mug also seemed very environmentally conscious which I appreciated. Also, check out the décor in the bathroom. Super cool vibe. The owner came over and sat with us for most of our meal which was really nice. I highly recommend Mason and Mug!

Speed review! 3… 2…1… GO!
Food? Kosher! Do Brunch! Lox & bagel varieties = amazing.
Prices? Reasonable!
Service? Super friendly & attentive!
Location? Super close to BK Museum, Botanical Gardens, and the park! Yes!

I’m a huge fan of small plate restaurants and I’m absolutely CRAZY for Mason and Mug. Not only is the concept great: small plates of seasonal and local (if possible) foods; the execution is superb also. My husband and I arrived and ordered the cheeseboard, ramen and a fish taco. After sampling everything we were super super impressed. I ordered another taco and we decided to try the yucca fries as well. Everything was delicious. My husband ordered a beer to go with his dinner and the total was still less than most places. The atmosphere was great also, we love the mural inside and the outdoor seating. It’s a perfect little place to get together with friends. I can’t wait to go back and see what they come up with next!

I rarely write Unilocal reviews, but felt compelled to write one for Mason and Mug: such a great, pleasant, delicious night out! My wife and I ordered the Kale Salad, Mushroom Burger, Fish Tacos, Fish Platter and Carrot cake — we’ve been having a hard time deciding what was the best since everything was so damn good!
The ambiance, staff, and décor of the restaurant are all great — a fun, laid back, relaxed vibe that encourages people to stick around and hang out.
Highly recommend Mason and Mug (and highly recommend the Fish Tacos and the Mushroom burger!).

Just ate here the other night with a friend. Place is really small and it was hard to find a space to sit. We finally were seated by the owner. Nice man who took our order. We ordered a Cabernet and he convinced us into getting the chocolate liquor. We both got modest portions my cup of wine ¼th full. The food came in tiny portions we paid $ 6 for one tiny fish taco which we finished in two bites and was super spicy, which we weren’t told.
I hate having to write bad reviews because I understand how much work and effort is put into designing and maintaining a place, especially on Washington avenue!

After dinner one night, we walked down Washington Ave to find some dessert. We thought Mason and Mug was a coffee shop, but it turned out to be a neat little bar/​small place restaurant. We sat at the bar and I slowly realized it was a kosher bar/​restaurant. I must have stuck out a little, but the staff was super friendly.
Originally, we only wanted to get some dessert, but we couldn’t say no to the cheese plate. There were 3 cheese from the cheese guy, apple slices, candied walnuts, apple jam, and the best sourdough bread I’ve ever had. A week later, I’m still reminiscing about the sourdough. We also had a slice of the cardamom apple cake, which was moist, tender, and appropriately spiced to let the apple taste shine.
On my second visit, I had a slice of the chocolate beer cake. This is where I took off one star. The cake looked amazing, but the cake itself was rather dry and tough. The glaze was a chocolate ganache that didn’t have the sugar dissolved. Unfortunately, you could feel the grittiness of the sugar in the glaze. However, their small wine selection (most of them by the glass) was excellent. I think it would help if they added 1 or 2 dessert wines on the list as well.
Update: DO try the bagels with lox on Sunday!

I was walking by here the other night after having dinner with my friend that lives around the block and we both stared in awkward silence as we realized a bar/​restaurant that neither of us had been to or knew existed in the neighborhood. It’s actually in fact, a Kosher craft beer/​wine/​snack shop. I was intrigued by the idea of mulled wine and cake and plopped down on a stool. The head bartender was actually informing me that they’re a collaboration with ‘Hester’, a supper club that was hosted from a Brooklyn living room.
The drinks: I opted for a traditional mulled wine. It was like most mulled wines I’ve had. Warm, sweet, tasty. A little less boozy tasting than some. Note, they don’t serve hard alcohol here. Only beer and wine. My problem was that I paid $ 6 for a small coffee mug that was barely half-​filled. My friend ended up getting a twist on a Bellini: Sparkling wine/​champagne mixed with muddled up applesauce. The fruit compote was all made in-​house. It was delicious. But I don’t like chunks of fruit in my cocktails, personally. Some do. My friend enjoyed it but she also was again annoyed with paying $ 7 for a one-​quarter filled glass. There was more fruit in her cup than actual cocktail. I know they are just starting off as a business and for sure need to make ends meet. But still, if I’m paying quite a bit in Brooklyn for a drink, I expect an actual drink. Not an apple pie in my cup.
Desert: We split a piece of chocolate cake. It was staring out at us along with an apple crumble pound cake of sorts. I wasn’t exceptionally pleased with this either unfortunately. The cake was very dry. The chocolate icing on top was of a grainy-​like consistency in which I could still taste crystallized sugar on the tip of my tongue. Their cake is again made in-​house, which I find pleasing.
Hoping, that their other items are good. They have an interesting menu that involves a lot of smoked fish, lox, various cheeses, fish tacos, and a deviled kale salad. I think they keep changing it up and adding on and taking things off. So, only time will tell. I would stick to just getting a coffee and one of their more savory items here though if you step in.

Amazing fish tacos. Get 2 or 3 on a serious man’s appetite. Add the lime, add cheese if you got the cheese board (that also comes with a delicious jam), and go for the siracha if you’d like. Fun place, random neighborhood, and popular top 40 style music is more than just noticeably playing.

Came here with two friends before making our way to Bell House because one of us keeps kosher (orthodox standard of kosher)
as someone who used to only eat at certified kosher establishments, I feel the urge to share that there are a few things that everyone should keep in mind:
Kosher will ALWAYS be more expensive, it’s more labor intensive, often ingredients are more expensive, restrictions on when food can be cooked and served (bc of Shabbos) makes making a profit harder… It’s just how it is…
That being said — this place is delicious and I’m so happy I can share at least a bit of my foodiness with my orthodox friends now.
I paid about 18 $ after tax for: two fish tacos and roasted cauliflower side. This was a lot of food and it really did taste special and was enough food for me to feel stuffed. My guess is if this place wasn’t kosher it would have been closer to $ 15… But that’s ok
My friends got the «burgers» and were disappointed that they were not actual veggie burgers (like patties) but basically just veggies stuffed in a bun — they did say it was great.
It’s a small plate place so be prepared to order in waves if you’re not sure how much you really want to eat.
Clean place. Friendly service. It would be hard for to drink here since the great bar across the street has amazing beer selection for much less $
I can’t wait to bring more friends here!

A friend of mine recommended this place and I went there Saturday night. The portabella mushroom burger was, by far, the best one that I’ve ever had in my life, and I’ve tried these all over the country. It didn’t need any sauce, cheese or anything else. Keep up the good work!

I came in there with a friend the first week they opened and was very disappointed. The beer selection is very limited and the spicy chick peas we got felt like they came from a can straight to the microwave with some crushed chili peppers. But I ain’t a complainer so I came back and tried the fish taco — I got to admit it was the best taco I’ve ever had in my life.(ask the guy I think his name is mason to make it). I’m sure with the time they should add more beers and food selection in order to keep this place as a gateway for Orthodox Jews who are tired from going to bars without eating anything

I was pleasantly surprised. Small place, but they pull it off really well with some small tables-​and-​stools in the back, as well as a lengthy bar area. Inventive food. Tastes fresh and looks fabulous. Try the fish tacos or the kale salad. Small but great beer selection. Really nice staff and owners. Say hi to Katie-​Lee for me.
David