Restaurant in New York City, United States
Prospect Heights spot that rewards the curious.
Beast on Bergen Street is a Prospect Heights neighbourhood restaurant that suits returning visitors better than first-timers — the shifting menu rewards familiarity. It's a low-pressure option for a capable Brooklyn dinner without the Williamsburg crowds, but confirm hours and availability directly before booking, as current operational details are limited online.
If you're expecting a loud, meat-heavy Brooklyn brasserie based on the name alone, reset that expectation. Beast at 638 Bergen St in Prospect Heights is a neighborhood restaurant that punches above its weight class — the kind of place that rewards regulars more than first-timers, largely because the menu tends to shift and the format benefits from knowing what to prioritize on a return visit.
The data on Beast is sparse, which itself tells you something useful: this is not a venue aggressively courting attention or maintaining a high-profile digital presence. In a Brooklyn dining scene that can feel oversaturated with concept-driven openings, that restraint is either a signal of confidence or a limitation depending on what you need from a booking. For diners who want a clear price anchor or a tasting menu structure before committing, Beast currently offers limited pre-booking transparency.
What it does offer is an address in one of Brooklyn's most walkable and food-dense corridors. Bergen Street sits in the middle of a stretch where serious independent kitchens operate without the reservation pressure of Manhattan counterparts. If you've already been once and you're asking whether to return, the answer tilts yes — provided you're willing to engage with whatever the kitchen is running that week rather than locking in expectations around a specific dish or format.
For context on where Beast sits in the broader New York City dining picture: the full New York City restaurants guide covers the range from neighbourhood stalwarts to multi-Michelin rooms. Beast is firmly in the former category. If your evening calls for a more structured tasting experience, Atomix or Eleven Madison Park deliver that with considerably more ceremony and a commensurately higher spend. Beast is the option when you want a capable, low-friction neighbourhood dinner in Brooklyn without routing through the Williamsburg circuit.
Timing-wise, a weekday evening is likely your lowest-resistance entry point. Weekend dinner on Bergen Street draws a consistent local crowd, and without confirmed booking data, arriving without a reservation on a Friday or Saturday is a gamble. Check directly with the venue for current hours and availability before planning around it. You can also browse New York City bars and hotels to complete your evening if you're coming in from outside the borough.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beast | — | ||
| Le Bernardin | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Atomix | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Per Se | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Masa | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
| Eleven Madison Park | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | $$$$ | — |
A quick look at how Beast measures up.
Keep it casual. Beast is a Brooklyn neighborhood spot on Bergen St in Prospect Heights, not a jacket-and-tie room. Clean jeans and a decent shirt are fine. Overdressing will feel out of place.
Ignore the name as a signal for what's on the plate. Beast at 638 Bergen St in Prospect Heights runs counter to the blunt, meat-forward branding you might expect. Come without assumptions, pay attention to what the kitchen is actually doing, and book ahead rather than banking on a walk-in.
Specific menu details aren't confirmed in our records, so ordering blind is part of the Beast experience. Ask your server what the kitchen is pushing that night and go from there. Regulars tend to trust the house on this.
Dietary accommodation details aren't confirmed in our records. Call ahead or flag restrictions at booking. For a Brooklyn neighborhood restaurant without a publicly available menu, doing this in advance is the safer move.
Bar seating specifics aren't confirmed for Beast's 638 Bergen St space. If solo or flexible on timing, ask when you call or book whether counter or bar seats are available — smaller Brooklyn spots often hold back a few walk-in seats at the bar.
Prospect Heights neighborhood restaurants at this scale tend to work well for solo diners, and Beast's format suits it. Counter or bar seating, if available, is the practical choice. Arriving early in a service helps if you're hoping to sit without a reservation.
Private dining or large-group details aren't confirmed in our records. Parties of five or more should check the venue's official channels before assuming a table is possible. Smaller Brooklyn spaces often cap out at four to six without advance coordination.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
