You might have heard the old injunction against serving and eating oysters in months that don’t end in R. The proprietors of Walter Foods, ex-Balthazar bartender Danny Minch and Barrio Chino owner Dylan Dodd, plan to ignore it. So maybe it’s just a coincidence they opened their new retro chophouse in September, the year’s first raw bar–friendly month (if you believe in such a thing).

Either way, they chose wisely.Walter Foods has been packed since opening, and everyone wants oysters. That’s the impression I got on a late-December evening, perched on the short leg of the L-shaped bar. I could see the whole dining room, and there were platters of freshly shucked bivalves everywhere. Minch, bartending that night, had to plead with diners for patience.The raw bar couldn’t keep pace. Minch was hustling too, frantically mixing cocktails and greeting repeat customers—about every other party that walked through the door. Familiarity seems to be exactly what Minch and Dodd want.The décor suggests as much, with a two-tone scheme that sets off patterned white tile and whitewashed brick walls against a black bar area (built by Minch’s father) and dark-hued booths made from repurposed church pews. Old-timey photos and bowtiewearing servers complete the gastropub-meets-pre–WWII look. It’s a precious aesthetic and one that’s been done to death in Brooklyn, but the space is welcoming and comfortable nonetheless (when you’re seated, anyway—if the bar is full, there’s little space for waiting).

And give Minch and Dodd points for being thorough.They’ve carried through the throwback agenda to the product, starting with a list of cocktails ($11) that’s heavy on the classics.

Indeed, Minch is not a wildly creative mixologist—think Old Fashioneds and Dark and Stormys—but he knows how to make a drink.

Try the Crusta, an update of an old Jerry Thomas recipe with bourbon, maraschino liqueur, triple sec, orange bitters and lemon. I also liked the Gold Rush, a refreshing, slightly sweet blend of bourbon, honey and lime. Chef Justin Ernsberger’s menu also shows a fondness for the timeworn and familiar, with just a few updates for contemporary tastes. Start with the raw bar, which, despite the backup, didn’t disappoint: the Hama Hamas (market price) we ordered were creamy with just a hint of salinity. On an earlier visit, fried oysters ($12) turned up as a special.They were fresh, rich and deliciously oily and also served on shells—a nice presentation—with chives and a fat dollop of tartar sauce. Lollipop chicken wings ($10) were one of the menu’s few surprises. Prepared Buffalo style, they came with a basil–bleu cheese dip that added an unexpected herb lift to the wings’ tangy, not-too-hot sauce.

Mains stay the chophouse course, offering, except for a market-priced fish du jour, exclusively barrel-chested fare. A fried half-chicken ($16) was mostly tender with a crispy skin, but wouldn’t have been as memorable without the bright, spicy honey it was served with.The grilled pork chop ($19) was more successful, full of flavor and well complimented by a sweet-savory compote of apple, shallots and peppers. Better still was the French dip ($18).

An elevated version of the standard, it’s made with tender filet mignon and served on a crispy, not-too-bready baguette with scallions, a creamy horseradish sauce and rich-but-notsalty au jus.The short rib burger ($13) was excellent as well, its beef rich and nutty rather than fatty and cloying.Those two sandwiches comprise the menu’s sweet spot: an intersection of high-end and casual comfort food. I thought the lobster club ($24) would fit that niche too, but the meat, despite its freshness, was slightly overcooked and lost beneath bacon and thick slices of avocado.

Despite that misstep, our meals were fun, comfortable, thoroughly enjoyable—not revelatory but not meant to be. Between Minch’s affable hosting and the regulars sitting elbow to elbow at the bar, sucking down oysters and Singapore Slings, the whole restaurant is suffused with a warm, convivial buzz.Three months in,Walter Foods feels like a place that’s been around for years.

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Walter Foods
253 Grand St. (betw. Driggs Ave. & Roebling St.), Brooklyn, 718-387-8783