Maison Premiere
Oyster bar restaurant · Williamsburg
298 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Highlights
Oysters, absinthe, cocktails & garden seating in a NOLA setting
Oysters, absinthe, cocktails & garden seating in a NOLA setting
"At Maison Premiere, you can drink an absolutely pristine cocktail by candlelight while enjoying all of the raw bar offerings your heart desires. One of the city's top cocktail spots for a while a now, this New Orleans-inspired place with antique nautical decor is a date-night classic, and it also works well for solo drink at the bar. There's a fantastic oyster selection, and there's also plenty of absinthe, in case you need to drink something that's a little more flammable." - bryan kim, kenny yang, nikko duren, matt tervooren, will hartman
"Since Maison Premiere opened in Williamsburg in 2011, the hardware store next door transformed into a jewelry shop, then a clothing boutique, and now a boba place. And yet, more than a decade in, this largely unchanged New Orleans period piece remains one of the best date spots in Brooklyn. Maybe the secret to staying timeless in New York is being from another time to begin with. Cocktails and oysters make for a lovely evening here. And if conversation’s flowing, stay for the short seafood menu that punches above its weight, whether in the lush back garden or at the marble-topped horseshoe bar. photo credit: Noah Devereaux photo credit: Camelia De Jesus photo credit: Noah Devereaux photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick photo credit: Noah Devereaux Pause Unmute Maison Premiere’s patinated walls could have been air-lifted in from the French Quarter. The maitrê d’ might stir your Sazerac in a double-breasted pinstripe suit with a flower pinned to the lapel. But all that could amount to nothing more than a 19th-century NOLA version of Medieval Times if they weren’t just as stubbornly committed to reviving the flavors, and the quality, of a bygone era. Cocktail trends age like milk, not liquor. And while Maison Premiere’s bar program draws heavily on classics, it digs deeper than the Manhattan. The menu highlights obscure drinks plucked from the back pages of historical bartenders’ manuals: sherry cobbler, Adonis, and Kangaroo. Some recipes are painstakingly recreated with an archaeologist’s attention to detail. Others have been tastefully renovated, without compromising their good bones. photo credit: Noah Devereaux photo credit: Noah Devereaux photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Pause Unmute Maison Premiere hasn’t faltered in the years that’ve brought down crashing tides of skinny margaritas, extra-extra-filthy martinis, and spritzes the color and consistency of DayQuil. Through that consistency, a place that started out cosplaying as a classic has genuinely become one. RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Cocktails Absinthe is the house specialty at Maison Premiere, with more than 20 different bottles behind the bar. The silky, sweet, and floral Maison Absinthe Colada is a standout, with a bitter anise finish that tastes like making a deal with a devil: the fun part, just moments before he comes to collect. But everyone should experience the pomp and circumstance of their tableside cocktail service—either with the exceptionally cold Old King Cole Martini, or the trio of Sazerac options. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Raw Bar To order from the raw bar, you’ll be equipped with a pencil to mark off your selections. Opt for a dozen oysters of the chef’s choice, which will likely span both the East and West Coast, from sweet and meaty to eye-poppingly briny. We’ve never been disappointed. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Bay Scallop Crudo These scallops are dressed like an aguachile, topped with tiny cubes of green apple. It’s tart and herby, but doesn’t overpower their natural sweetness. photo credit: Dianna Shen Steak Tartare A bird’s nest of crisp fried shallots surrounds the sunny orange yolk on top of this tartare. Spoon a little of everything onto a thick slice of toasted She Wolf sourdough, which you should have already covered with the luscious anchovy aioli that came on the side. Montauk Shrimp Pasta This chili oil-spiked tagliolini doesn’t look exciting, but it’s a great choice. The sauce tastes like someone in the kitchen spent an entire sleepless week at the stove, patiently extracting every molecule of flavor out of the shrimps’ shells. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Lobster Roll The Maine lobster is as sweet and buttery as you’d hope, but it’s drowned out by the too-high ratio of brioche to filling. You can skip this. photo credit: Dianna Shen" - Molly Fitzpatrick
"If you absolutely must drink at a place where the bartenders are wearing suspenders, make it Maison Premiere. Open since 2011, this Williamsburg bar and seafood restaurant has an old-timey look, complete with weathered walls, nautical art, and absinthe fountain. The schtick is as charming as ever, and the oyster selection is always impressive, with lots of hard-to-find East and West Coast varieties. Hang out at a little table in the candlelit room, or take a seat at the bar and watch as a bartender makes you a flawless martini with the focus of a neurosurgeon." - bryan kim, neha talreja, sonal shah, willa moore, will hartman
"Despite the fact that it now has a Whole Foods and an Apple Store, Williamsburg doesn’t have that many good places to drink with parents. There is, however, always Maison Premiere. At this point, it’s a classic NYC cocktail bar, and it’s still one of the best places to grab a drink in the city. It’s the kind of place where the bartenders wear suspenders, although, here, this doesn’t seem lame. You might even be able to find your next date if you stick around after your parents have taken off." - bryan kim
"Maison Premiere, Williamsburg’s New Orleans-inspired cocktail bar, still serves up charm all these years later. With all the change in the neighborhood, this bar has remained consistently excellent. It’s lush outdoor patio will open soon, from April until November." - Emma Orlow
