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All Reader Reviews of...

Thistle Hill Tavern

441 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, NY, 11215
at 15th St.
347-599-1262

Avg. Rating

6
Food: 6
Service: 6
Décor: 6
"Mixed Reviews"

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

57% would go back.

 Write your own review

Enjoyable Dinner Experience

By Ballyhaunis1 on 4/24/2011

  • Overall Rating: 7
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 7
  • Décor: 7
  • Yes, I would go back!

Although a little cramped, thistle hill is a great neighborhood spot. The man at the front of the house was really pleasant and the service was good. The food is definitely above average for your typical neighborhood tavern.

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12 out of 22 people found this review helpful.

Best all over experience

By dankfood on 3/25/2011

  • Overall Rating: 10
  • Food: 10
  • Service: 10
  • Décor: 10
  • Yes, I would go back!

Hands down the best all over-all restaurant experience. With great food,a laid back environment,interesting locals and a staff that isn't only welcoming but knowledgeable about the late-night spots, you'll leave knowing you found your new regular joint.Just start saving,this ain't your local pub

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14 out of 26 people found this review helpful.

Weak spot in the neighborhood

By BklynLuke on 9/9/2010

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 2
  • Service: 2
  • Décor: 2
  • No, I would not go back!

I've heard mixed things about this place, but I live nearby so I decided to give it a try the other day . . . I wish I hadn't. I went with the previous reviewer's suggestion and ordered pork belly (normally one of my favorite dishes). I was supremely disappointed. It was a rather small portion and had an unpleasant soggy texture. I was excited when I saw their impressive cocktail choices, but was again disappointed when I got my drink. It was poorly made and watered down. The interior felt confusing and uncomfortable and, unlike so many other great spots in the area right now, it just felt like they were trying too hard to be something they're not. Both my waiter and the bartender had a "too cool to be bothered" sort of attitude and while they weren't exactly rude, they certainly didn't make me feel welcomed there. There are a TON of great places in this area of the slope right now, but unfortunately this just isn't one of them.

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21 out of 38 people found this review helpful.

great addition to the neighborhood

By PSS_1 on 6/2/2010

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 9
  • Yes, I would go back!

As a local, I've been dying for this place to open... It was worth the wait. Having been back now several times I feel confident in saying that the food is consistently amazing. Lamb, Duck and Mussels are at the top of my list (along with the daily fish/seafood option) and unlike a previous reviewer I thought the Pork Belly was unbelievable - nothing like what he/she described. Pickles (spicy) are a perfect start to the meal as are the Fried Fennel. The staff are attentive and pleasant. While I agree the bar is small it's welcoming and quick to fill an order... Wine list and beer choices are good - cocktails are well blended and a nice break from the standard cocktail list. I'll be back again and again! Welcome to the neighborhood and best of luck!

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24 out of 46 people found this review helpful.

Thistle Hill Tavern = a gem.

By amc14 on 6/2/2010

  • Overall Rating: 8
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 8
  • Décor: 7
  • Yes, I would go back!

Our evening started off with cocktails, a house special Thistle Hill cocktail and a John Daly, solid, well mixed. These were accompanied by the delicately fried fennel, a selection of spicy pickled vegetables, and the zucchini pancakes. The pickled beets and carrots were a surprise, with the right amount of kick. The pancakes, delicious, if slightly eggy. The fennel, thinly slivered, was a delicate pile of angel hair. For the main courses, we ordered the lamb (pink and flavorful, well seasoned), the toasted ricotta gnocchi (interesting. I was won over by their delicate texture) and the duck, an explosion of flavors. Paired with baby spinach, blue cheese and caramelized dates, it was a taste-bud revelation. By this time we were exploring and enjoying the wine list, a solid selection with a good price range. Word count obliges me to skip cheese platter and go to dessert. The buttermilk cake and the cookie platter were a light and joyful note on which to end an excellent evening. The peanut butter cookie was a finger tingling revelation and the buttermilk cake so seductive it took all my will power to not lick the plate. The plates are small, and it might be seen as an expensive way to dine. We ordered plate by plate, and enjoyed every morsel. The staff was attentive and relaxed. The restaurant was crowded, but never too noisy. We did not feel rushed despite the waiting crowds. The best part? a changing menu means the chef will bless us with more tasty creations.

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30 out of 53 people found this review helpful.

Thistle Hill a sour pill

By foodnut37 on 5/17/2010

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 2
  • Service: 2
  • Décor: 4
  • No, I would not go back!

Ordered the pork belly (after being told they were out of the hamburger) and got a small square of mostly fat, hard to cut mush - and all for $15! The staff acted unhappy to be there, and I quickly was too. With so much better cuisine in the area these days, don't bother with this one.

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24 out of 47 people found this review helpful.

Jack and Jill would jump off Thistle Hill

By pnzandjl on 5/16/2010

  • Overall Rating: 2
  • Food: 2
  • Service: 1
  • Décor: 4
  • No, I would not go back!

I went with my girlfriend on Saturday night and we were told upon arrival that the wait would be about an hour. We were okay with that, and after having to grab a drink elsewhere, because the bar at Thistle Hill could not seat more than six people, we returned and were finally offered to wait at the bar because we were now "high enough on the list" to enter the restaurant. We decided to try one of the drinks on the cocktail menu, and after being ignored for ten minutes due to the arrival of one of the bartender's friends, we were served over-priced drinks with a missing ingredient. When we pointed out that the drinks were missing an essential component, our waiter promised us new drinks, and instead, returned the same drinks we had just sent back with orange juice poured on top. It seems as though the owners of Thistle Hill studied the New York Magazine restaurant trends of 2010, and forced them all into one confused restaurant in the last second. The waiters all looked like Northern Exposure meets a Jack Black movie. Touristy maps and photos of "old Brooklyn" donned the walls and painful classic rock pierced the air. I ordered the burger for lack of a better option off a weak menu, and was told they were out of beef. The food was overpriced, the portions were tiny, the "pickles" were nothing but one soggy pickle sliver and a cup of pickled vegetables that are much better for free across the street at Union Market. We won't be coming back any time soon.

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31 out of 53 people found this review helpful.

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