Brendan D.
Yelp
The very first thing our Mary's server told us, on our first visit, was 'The food is way better than it has to be.' He was right, and I'll also add the staff is way nicer than they have to be (good thing) at this resplendent Orchard Street bar and eatery. Every single person from the doorman to the bartender to the owner who invited us in on our second visit seems like they care deeply about the success of the place.
Our first visit featured particularly memorable cheese curds with marinara and a soft pretzel with beer cheese. Both were way more memorable than your average bar snacks, and enough to pull us back a second time on a night of bar hopping in the Lower East Side.
On the most recent visit, we ordered jalapeño poppers and BBQ ribs; one of the managers came over to tell us these items were made in the smoker leftover from the previous restaurant. The ribs were good, but the real star were the vegetable fritters, which were addictive when slathered in BBQ sauce. I really liked the poppers - stuffed with pimento cheese - but my partner had feedback that they could've used more cheese. Regardless, I licked both plates clean.
The space is beautiful and festive, and can easily fit large groups of friends. Highly recommended for a downtown get-together with comfort food bites before a night of bar-hopping.