Northern Bell

Space is great and the menu has many tempting country food selections. The wings aren’t bad but I wasn’t into the pasta choice for the Mac n Cheese, they were a bit large and round for this type of dish. Overall, taste is good and will come back to try a full meal from the country selection. Nice staff as well.

The food was okay… Good BBQ sauce. Pulled pork was good. Fries could be cooked more. I would order from the
again. But do not order the grits. They are disgusting. Maple syrup and cheese… Just no. And they were not cooked properly. I was disappointed because I love grits.

After being told there would be a 45 min wait at another establishment known for serving platter sized pancakes we were slightly suspect when we arrived at the half full restaurant. But looks are deceiving — with it’s great patio (perfect for summer brunches… or unseasonably warm Dec afternoons) this seemingly laddy pub serves up a mean plate of satisfying, Southern fare.
We started the course off with a round of drinks — Bloody Marys and Seelbach cocktails. The Bloody Mary ($ 10) was savory with a good amount of heat. It was topped with a skewer of pickled veg including one half of a whole pickle and an Old bay seasoned shrimp. The Seelbach ($ 11) was less showy but equally delicious — a friend described as a fizzy Manhattan.
The burger ($ 15) was served with a generous side of crisp, hand cut fries and topped with a fried green tomato and runny egg. The juices were dripping upon pick up. It was messy but totally worth it from the look of bliss on my husband’s face. Napkin bib recommended.
My fried chicken and biscuits ($ 14) could have easily fed two greedy adults or three reasonable ones. Crispy, juicy chicken was enveloped in a creamy sausage gravy with biscuits and home fries hidden underneath all of which came tantalizingly in a cast iron skillet. Side muse — Are cast iron skillets are like the MSG of Southern cooking? It makes everything magically tastier!
My only complaint is that it was a bit under seasoned but I suppose when you’re already consuming so much fat, a liberal hand with the sodium could very well tip you over the edge.
The salad portion of the Cobb salad ($ 15) was more a vehicle for meat and cheese — the way a good salad should be! Unfortunately, the dressing tasted a bit off — lemon with a strange aftertaste of vanilla but in light of the two heavy weights on the table, a plate of raw lettuce was always going to have a tough time shining.
All in all, we were very glad we took the trip around the block. It just goes to prove, good things do not always have to come with a wait.

What a great neighborhood spot! We went for brunch today. I shared the chicken and waffles, and the bacon biscuit sammy. Both were amazing. The staff is super friendly, and the bloody Mary’s are awesome! Definitely check this place out.

Man, I don’t know. Been here for dinner and had the pulled pork, which was decent, with succotash, which was not (v. dry). But we went back for brunch recently and it was pretty disappointing.
I got the fried chicken and biscuits. Chicken was okay, but the biscuits were crusty and dense, not at all tender. The sausage gravy was so spicy my nose started running– it should have a peppery bite, but not that much. It also came with potatoes, which seemed like overkill. I ate most of it because I was hungover and starving, but it was underwhelming.
Bottom line: the people here are really nice, but the food could use a lighter touch.

My girlfriend, and I, regularly come here for our local BBQ fix! Place is awesome.
Had the ribs, chicken & biscuit, Mac & cheese, brisket, and chicken wings (not all at the same sitting!) — all of it… Delicious!
We usually get the same guy serving, he’s really friendly, funny, and knowledgable about the beer menu.
Northern Bell is a little on the pricey side, however, I’d definitely recommend eating here for a dinner night out.

The wings. The wings. The wings. They’re smoked and crispy and delicious and like nothing else in NYC. Thai pepper sauce is the most. And the secret sauce is too hot for me to even be in close proximity to.
Neighborhood needed this bar. Best beer selection around. Chill garden in back. All the whiskey with none of the pretension. Bartenders are rad. Chris hooks it up. Owners make everyone feel like regulars.
Big fan.
I do miss that cutie Allie who used to bartend during brunch…

Northern Bell is super homey restaurant, just off the Lorimer Stop on the L train. I only stopped in for quick drink as I waited for friends, but the friendly staff had me ordering frickles as they debated which dishes were their favorites. Was it the pull pork, maybe it’s the burger, how about the biscuits & gravy! Arrrggh! I have to come back and sample all of their tastiness. They also have a rotating selection of craft beers as well as top shelf whiskeys.

My goal is to try all the bars and restaurant around Graham Stop train, the area were I live. However Nothern Bell was missing on my list. I don’t know why I felt repel about this place on Unilocal (well I think it’s because I thought it was some kind of crowded sport bar). Anyway, My roommate conveinced me to go there as she really really wanted to get the Mac&Cheese! I went just for a salad and i was very happy with the food but also the vibe of the place. It is not a sport bar (even though they have TV which I hate) but people were cool, drinking a beer.
I was definitely happy to try the place and will come back to try the Brunch!

Excellent craft beer list. Reasonable cocktail menu. Good music. Bartender was fine.
The bar seats about twelve. Several high tops and tables. Garden seating in back. Nice place. Nice enough on most points.
BUT I was there at brunch and noticed that they had biscuits and gravy on the menu. The bartender told me that they bake their own biscuits and make everything in house. So like a fool I ordered. My bad — most places down South screw this up. A bad sign was that they gave me a bottle of barbecue sauce on the side. Why — to kill the taste? The biscuits were under-​cooked and a bit gummy. The gravy was just OK. And they topped it off with some serious hot sauce which made tasting much else about the dish difficult.
The rest of the menu may be fine.

I had no idea I lived this close to a BBQ joint. The portions are enormous. I had the burnt ends sandwich and could barely finish it.
Someone at my table got the trash fries, and the closest I could equate it to is the animal fries from in n out.

This was the perfect place to hang out late into an evening in williamsburg. We got post-​drinking snacks, best was the avocado dippers monster delicious appetizer. Why not deep fry avocado in batter then dip it in melted cheese? Our server was great too. I will be back, possibly slightly earlier in the evenings proceedings…

Great atmosphere, amazing food, reasonably priced drinks, and a friendly staff!
We came to watch football on Sunday; it wasn’t too crowded and all of the games were on.
There is a huge beer selection and it’s a great place to get good southern food!

Been here a couple of times, and found the food decent, thought not remarkable while at the same time experiencing a number of service issues, which is what really hurts my review.
We got off to a real rough start last night when the host asked to move us to a different table because a large party was coming in, and she took us from a nice open seat on the patio to under a retractable awning. No problem, I thought, I’ll just ask them to retract the awning. Nope: waitress said, «they» don’t like us to do that. Situation was worse than I thought, because there was an oven on the other side of the wall, so it was super hot, and that awning trapped the heat. The people that sat next to us made the same observations.
From then on, the attention seemed to be focused on the large group coming in. Server was inattentive at times, came with the check before clearing our table or inquiring about dessert; and it was only when we left the restaurant that we realized there were specials that were not shared with us.
As for the food: Burger was good; mushroom burger was not. Frickles were very good; succotash was very bad, like old dried out corn… this at the peak of fresh local corn. Beverage list is pretty solid, but the draft beer selection leaves something to be desired.
Kind of a disappointing experience.

I meant to take a picture of my food… but I accidentally ate it first.
I’ve been here a few times now and each experience has been awesome. The drinks are very well made and the beer list is on point. It’s almost hard to decide on a beer because there are just so many to choose from.
The food is to die for if you’re in the mood for good BBQ. I’ve been here for both brunch and dinner and the portions and the options definitely don’t disappoint. Some of the best burnt ends I’ve ever had and don’t worry, they’re a brunch and a dinner option! Their biscuits and gravy also mouthwatering. Let’s just say you’ll never leave hungry.
It’s just an awesome spot in Williamsburg. The bar atmosphere is always pretty relaxed with a cozy, rustic feel inside. Their outdoor patio is also a hidden gem! All in all a nice low key place, with a great staff, good food and all at a super reasonable price.

I’m in shock right now.
Portions are Texas size ! I say that because I am from Texas. Prices are extremely reasonable and the selection is awesome.
I had the biscuits and gravy off the brunch menu.
Amazing dish, probably would get gravy on the side next time tho.
Mimosas, wow. Strong and tasty!
Also I sat in the patio, nice setting with shade and was not over crowded. Waitstaff looked busy but that didn’t take away from delivering great service.
Can’t wait to bring my boyfriend and friends to try their micheladas !!

#Some of the best #Wings I’ve eaten. You can really taste the #smoke and dry-​rub flavor.
This time I got the #Brisket Burnt Ends meal. Pretty good price at $ 16. #Good amount of food.
#TVs to watch #football.

I had sworn off drinking in Williamsburg sometime around 2012 after my former friends kept taking me to places like Alligator Lounge and Barcade on weekends. This place has done a pretty good job of persuading me there might be more worthwhile venues out there.
They have a nice craft beer selection. I had Bluepoint, Saranac, Flower Power. Also a great whiskey selection: Tullamore Dew, Red Breast.
I ordered the mac n cheese with andouille and bacon– which needs to be a thing in more macs. They also put gouda in there which I’m a sucker for. I tried a bite of my friends elk burger and it was amazing, it was cooked perfectly and so tender it was almost close to falling apart.
I came in around 5 on a Thursday and it was almost completely empty. They got hit with the dinner rush, and by midnight it was quiet again. They were playing awesome music, lots of Motown. Michael Jackson, James Brown, Etta James. The bartender, whose name was maybe Chris, took care of us all night. Great staff.
They have a courtyard out back, which they said should be open in another two weeks, hopefully :)

I came to Northern Bell for a girls night, and is conveniently located right around my sisters area, so we decided to give it a try. It’s a dim lit and cozy place, with a huge variety of alcohol to choose from.
When we got there, we had a 15 minute wait for a table, but we’re able to sit around a bar table and order drinks while waiting.
When we were seated to eat, our waitress came over and took some drink orders and gave us some time to look over the menu. The table decided to order the mac & cheese, and the cheese spread platter and appetizers. They were both delicious, though the cheese spread platter had pickled vegetables on it, which I wasn’t such a fan of.
For an entrée I got the burger cooked medium with a fried egg to top it off. DELICIOUS! My burger was cooked to perfection, and it came with the most amazing hand cut fries on the side. Everyone else I was with really enjoyed their meal as well.
They serve generous portions, and keep the waitress keeps the drinks coming. Between the four of us, our bill was decently priced for the food and alcohol.
The only negatives of my experience here was it was way too dark, it’s a struggle to see the menu, and they had no more coronas left to order.

This place has an excellent craft beer selection. And while I did not have any food, it looked and smelled delicious.
The service was great and a nice atmosphere. Would highly recommend this place for taking a date for drinks.
Went here during beer week, when Braven Brewery was hosting an event-​they have an excellent white beer.