"From the people who brought you one of Brooklyn’s best backyards, Swoony’s is an American bistro where you can sit with some friends and share a wedge salad and some short rib au poivre. The Carroll Gardens restaurant is clubby and old school—the kind of place that feels conducive to several martinis. Weekday reservations are easy to snag, but book a few days in advance if you want to eat here on a Friday or Saturday." - bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah, molly fitzpatrick