elNico
Mexican restaurant · Williamsburg
288 N 8th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Highlights
Rooftop Mexican fare with skyline views, creative cocktails
Rooftop Mexican fare with skyline views, creative cocktails
"There’s usually at least one annoying thing about a rooftop bar, whether it’s the line, the crowds after you get through the line, or the fact that it’s in Midtown. ElNico, on the 11th floor of The Penny hotel in Williamsburg, presents no such problems. It’s spacious, takes reservations, and has two huge terraces. There are also comfy green couches among cacti and floor-to-ceiling windows. The house cocktails incorporate interesting ingredients, like a Desperado with paw paw fruit." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman
"We mostly just go to ElNico for drinks. The view from the top of the Penny Hotel in Williamsburg is nice, and there are lots of great Mexican-inspired cocktails to choose from, like one with tequila and bruléed banana. But there are plenty of tables where you can sit down for a full meal in the plant-filled space, and the food is pretty interesting. Think guac with chili dust and short rib barbacoa. Reservations are easy to snag, so keep ElNico in mind for a last-minute meal with some out-of-towners. They’ll love the terraces, cacti, and comfy green couches." - neha talreja, bryan kim, carina finn koeppicus, hannah albertine
"We mostly just go to ElNico for drinks. The view from the top of the Penny Hotel in Williamsburg is nice, and we’re fans of the Santo Pepino cocktail that a bartender here once accurately described as "spa water that gets you drunk." But there are plenty of tables where you can sit down for a full meal in the plant-filled space, and the Mexican-inspired food is pretty interesting. Reservations are easy to snag, so keep ElNico in mind for a last-minute meal with some out-of-towners. They’ll love the terraces, cacti, and comfy green couches." - neha talreja, bryan kim, carina finn koeppicus, hannah albertine
"This rooftop bar and restaurant offers panoramic views of the Williamsburg and Manhattan skylines and pairs indoor floor-to-ceiling windows and plant-forward, cozy decor (colorful shag rugs, dark wood furniture, low-slung outdoor couches and high-top tables) with inventive, Instagram-ready Mexican-inspired cooking from chef Fernanda Serrano. Expect dishes such as a vegan pink mole with beet, tahini, fennel, kumquat, and pine nut; a tlayuda with tzatziki, pomegranate, sumac, and vegetables; fried oyster tacos with cucumber mignonette; and a shareable pulpo pibil (fried octopus with garlic sauce, salsa, potato chips, and homemade tortillas). The cocktail program, led by Leo Robitschek, tilts toward agave spirits and seasonal Latin American ingredients and is usefully divided into classics, fresh, preserved, and nonalcoholic sections (including a cooling agua fresca), making the beverage lineup as notable as the food; locals often fill the space and evenings can be very lively." - Katherine LaGrave
"ElNico is an easy experience, and that’s saying a lot for a rooftop bar in Williamsburg. It’s spacious, takes reservations, and has two terraces and a sunroom-like interior with comfy couches on the 11th floor of the Penny hotel. The house cocktails and pretty Mexican dishes incorporate interesting ingredients—there’s an Old Fashioned with Sichuan pepper for example, and a tlayuda made with tzatziki that reminds us of a painter’s palette. Check the forecast, find the next sunny day, and head to ElNico to test drive your new pair of shorts." - Bryan Kim, Kenny Yang, Nikko Duren, Matt Tervooren
