Allswell
American restaurant · Williamsburg ·
Classic burger, crispy chicken sandwich, and fries
Classic burger, crispy chicken sandwich, and fries
"In life, there are inevitably times when we’ve all been a little overexcited. Like when you were a kid on Halloween and you’d come home and eat your candy so fast that you’d throw up everywhere. Or the first day of college spring break, when you’d finally get to Panama City and then you’d throw up everywhere. You know...from the excitement. Or when you go to a new restaurant and have a few great meals, and then proceed to drop a 9.0 rating on the place like it’s the gastro-pub version of Eleven Madison Park. Such was the case with our initial review of Allswell. Let’s just say that we got a little worked up. Only ten other restaurants on Immaculate Infatuation have an equivalent or higher rating than our initial review of Allswell. And while this place is very good, subsequent visits have demonstrated that we might have gotten a bit carried away. The restaurant hasn’t necessarily declined in overall quality -Allswell is still putting out very good food - but the problem is that they change the menu daily, and things therefore become somewhat inconsistent. And when you’re talking about what sets a great restaurant apart from a legendary restaurant, consistency usually has a lot to do with it. Ultimately, Allswell still remains one of our favorite dining establishments in Williamsburg, and we strongly recommend that you check it out for dinner if you haven’t yet. As a matter of fact, we’re pretty sure that lowering the overall rating on this place will also lower some expectations, and that’s a good thing. Then maybe you’ll catch it on a great night and have a 9.0 meal yourself. Just try to control your excitement. And do your best not to throw up. Food Rundown Burger on A Sesame Seed Bun As far as we can tell, this is the only thing that seems to be a permanent fixture on the Allswell menu. It’s a very good burger with Grafton cheddar and some home made mayo, so I suppose we get why it’s always there. Everyone likes a good burger. Gnochhi with Wild Mushrooms and Walnuts There’s usually some kind of gnochhi dish available as well, and it often features mushrooms. And we’re not mad at that. This one’s a safe bet to be delicious no matter what else is in the mix. Pappardelle with Sweet Corn and Morel Mushrooms Another pasta dish from one of our recent visits. We’re always fond of when in-season corn and noodles meet on a plate, but this one was a bit boring. Heirloom Tomato, Cucumber, Ricotta Salata, and Olive So this is basically a Greek salad. It’s good, but it’s also not much different than any other Greek salad. Know that going in. Flat Iron Steak We like the steaks that we’ve had at Allswell, and strongly suggest you head in that direction if you see one on the menu. Pies There pies on the Allswell menu almost always, and you shouldn’t need us to tell you that you should eat them. Especially any of the apple variety." - Chris Stang
"You’ve just been out running, the same way people have been running for tens of thousands of years (but with more clothing and better shoes), and now you want to sit down and eat something with your hands, just like your cave person ancestors did. This something should be a burger - and you should get it at Allswell. This neighborhood pub makes an excellent burger with a thick patty, sharp cheddar, and a good sesame bun, and it’s exactly what you’ll want to eat after running either one or 20 miles." - bryan kim
"Allswell is a very nice neighborhood pub on Bedford Ave in Williamsburg, and the bar seats here are valuable real estate. There are only about 10 of them, and you should do your best to claim one the next time you make it through a long day solely by thinking about what you’re going to eat for dinner. The burger is the best thing here, so you aren’t missing out if you come alone and only want to get one thing." - bryan kim
"Play it safe at Allswell, and grab a seat at the bar. That way, you won’t necessarily have to eat a whole meal. Maybe you’ll want to, maybe you won’t. There’s always a chance that the person you’re going out with will only want to talk about the importance of recycling toenail clippings as fertilizer, so you don’t want to lock yourself into anything. If things go well, however, you can have a good burger and a few drinks in this dark little space in Williamsburg that’s suitably romantic." - bryan kim, katherine lewin
"Allswell is a neighborhood pub on Bedford Ave that looks like something you’d find in a small English town where people wear plaid and assume it’s going to rain every day. It’s a one-room space with mismatched wallpaper and a chandelier, and you can either bring someone and sit at one of the tables or just grab a seat at the bar and eat one of NYC’s best burgers. They also make a good chicken burger, as well as some healthier things like a grain bowl." - bryan kim, matt tervooren
