Honey Badger

Verdict: A Brooklyn Dinner Worth Booking; Just Not for Brunch

Ranked #423 on Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in North America in 2024 and #566 in the 2025 Casual category, this Prospect Lefferts Gardens spot from chefs Fjölla Sheholli and Junayd Juman earns its reputation as one of the borough's more compelling New American tables. Book it for dinner. It does not appear to offer lunch or brunch service, so if a weekend morning meal is your goal, look elsewhere in Brooklyn.

The Room and the Format

Honey Badger operates out of a small space on Fenimore Street; the kind of neighbourhood address that signals a tight, intimate dining room rather than a production-scale restaurant. Expect a close room where tables are near each other and the atmosphere is shaped more by the cooking than by décor ambitions. That spatial intimacy is a feature for date nights and small celebrations, but it does mean noise levels can climb as the room fills. If you are planning a conversation-heavy dinner, arrive early in the 6 pm service window rather than later. The format here is dinner-only, Tuesday through Sunday, which limits flexibility but keeps the kitchen focused.

Who Should Book This

Honey Badger is a strong pick for a low-key special occasion in Brooklyn, the kind of dinner where you want serious cooking without the formality (or expense) of a Manhattan tasting menu room. The OAD rankings place it in credible company among North American casual restaurants, which is a useful benchmark: this is a kitchen that has attracted critical attention, not just neighbourhood goodwill. For a date night or a birthday dinner where the vibe should feel personal rather than performative, it fits well. If you need a private dining room or a table for eight, the small footprint is likely a constraint, contact the venue directly to check capacity before booking a large group.

Booking and Timing

With a booking difficulty rated Easy, Honey Badger does not require the three-week advance planning of higher-pressure Brooklyn rooms. That said, the Tuesday-to-Sunday dinner window is limited, Friday and Saturday evenings will fill faster. Booking a week out should be sufficient for most nights; for weekend service, aim for ten days ahead to have your choice of time. There is no online booking information listed, so check Google or Resy for the current reservation method. If you want a comparable New American experience with more flexible hours, ABC Kitchen in the Flatiron runs lunch and dinner daily. Craft is another solid New American option in Manhattan if Brooklyn is not the destination. For a Williamsburg alternative with wine depth, The Four Horsemen is the natural peer comparison. For livelier rooms where the occasion is as much about atmosphere as food, Beauty & Essex and Clocktower both offer more spectacle. Outside New York, the casual-but-serious New American model is executed well at Smyth in Chicago and Lazy Bear in San Francisco. For destination-level New American dining, The French Laundry in Napa, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, and The Inn at Little Washington all represent the formal end of the spectrum. Closer to Honey Badger's register: Bayona in New Orleans, Emeril's in New Orleans, and Providence in Los Angeles are all worth knowing if you travel and want a consistent quality tier. See also: our New York City hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide.