All great bars are primarily, but not exclusively, neighborhood bars, and while Mother’s is not exactly a great bar, it’s a solid neighborhood addition to Williamsburg. Despite being only half a block from the Graham Ave L stop, the crowd seems mostly local; the bar-going weekend hordes tend to stick to those first two Brooklyn stations.
Though owned by slightly famous band The Rogers Sisters, the same people who run neighborhood fave Daddy’s a couple blocks away, Mother’s lacks many of the most memorable features of it’s, er, spouse. While Daddy’s has arcade games, an impeccable jukebox and a margarita machine, Mother’s has… a kitchen. Also, the staff is friendly and there’s a backyard, which I’m sure will be lovely in the summer.
The food on the small menu is a mixed bag. It’s thrilling to find a full-sized bar burger for $5, dwarfing the offerings of White Castle, the only other option in the immediate vicinity. Unfortunately, the burger’s not very good. It’s a standard frozen patty, the kind we all use when we half-ass a barbecue twice a year, served on a slightly cold supermarket bun. Its only original touch is a tiny cup of spicy, smoky chipotle mayo; the $7 bison burger is better, but only by a little.The sweet potato fries are inconsistent: on one occasion crisp and an excellent match with the chipotle mayo, on another soggy and over-salted, and while the regular fries are at least more consistent, they are reliably over-salted.The menu’s only other choices are a veggie burger, a chili and, of all things, a tilapia sandwich.
Mother’s does better on the liquid side. The beer selection is well curated, with microbrews making up almost half of the 16 taps and most of the rest pouring decent imports. The Blue Point Toasted Lager and the Kelso Nut Brown are both good local choices, reasonably priced at $5. Other worthwhile options include a fantastic Youngs Double Chocolate Stout for $6, and a Weihenstephaner Hefe- Weissen in the traditional tall glass for $7. Regrettably, the place doesn’t serve hard liquor, and the wine choices are execrable.
A good reason to root for the bar is that it’s trying to break the curse of 347 Graham. Barely a year and a half ago, the place was a juice bar called Satchmo’s. After that, it was called Mighty Diamond, and served vegan Caribbean food. (I am flabbergasted that this idea was not successful.) These predecessors haunt the venue, possessing the credit card machine, which continues to print receipts that say “Mighty Diamond.”
Nevertheless, I’m confident that Mother’s will break the curse.The beer selection is very good for the price, it’s convenient to all the different North Brooklyn neighborhoods and it’s a civilized weekend alternative to the Murray Hill frat boys at Brooklyn Brewery, the larcenous denizens of Royal Oak or Union Pool’s teeming hundreds with their fuck-me eyes. Besides, when it’s late and you’re shitfaced and ravenous, I bet that burger really hits the spot.
Though owned by slightly famous band The Rogers Sisters, the same people who run neighborhood fave Daddy’s a couple blocks away, Mother’s lacks many of the most memorable features of it’s, er, spouse. While Daddy’s has arcade games, an impeccable jukebox and a margarita machine, Mother’s has… a kitchen. Also, the staff is friendly and there’s a backyard, which I’m sure will be lovely in the summer.
The food on the small menu is a mixed bag. It’s thrilling to find a full-sized bar burger for $5, dwarfing the offerings of White Castle, the only other option in the immediate vicinity. Unfortunately, the burger’s not very good. It’s a standard frozen patty, the kind we all use when we half-ass a barbecue twice a year, served on a slightly cold supermarket bun. Its only original touch is a tiny cup of spicy, smoky chipotle mayo; the $7 bison burger is better, but only by a little.The sweet potato fries are inconsistent: on one occasion crisp and an excellent match with the chipotle mayo, on another soggy and over-salted, and while the regular fries are at least more consistent, they are reliably over-salted.The menu’s only other choices are a veggie burger, a chili and, of all things, a tilapia sandwich.
Mother’s does better on the liquid side. The beer selection is well curated, with microbrews making up almost half of the 16 taps and most of the rest pouring decent imports. The Blue Point Toasted Lager and the Kelso Nut Brown are both good local choices, reasonably priced at $5. Other worthwhile options include a fantastic Youngs Double Chocolate Stout for $6, and a Weihenstephaner Hefe- Weissen in the traditional tall glass for $7. Regrettably, the place doesn’t serve hard liquor, and the wine choices are execrable.
A good reason to root for the bar is that it’s trying to break the curse of 347 Graham. Barely a year and a half ago, the place was a juice bar called Satchmo’s. After that, it was called Mighty Diamond, and served vegan Caribbean food. (I am flabbergasted that this idea was not successful.) These predecessors haunt the venue, possessing the credit card machine, which continues to print receipts that say “Mighty Diamond.”
Nevertheless, I’m confident that Mother’s will break the curse.The beer selection is very good for the price, it’s convenient to all the different North Brooklyn neighborhoods and it’s a civilized weekend alternative to the Murray Hill frat boys at Brooklyn Brewery, the larcenous denizens of Royal Oak or Union Pool’s teeming hundreds with their fuck-me eyes. Besides, when it’s late and you’re shitfaced and ravenous, I bet that burger really hits the spot.
Mother’s
347 Graham Ave. (betw. Conselyea St. & Metropolitan Ave.), Brooklyn, 718-384-7778.
