Isa

1/7/2015

I have been here at least a dozen times. I originally came here over a year ago as I dug the current bartender whom has since left. However the drinks are still fantastic.

Come here for the small plates and great drinks. I would generally avoid the full dinner, it is a bit pricey for what it is, and a full meal for two can easily climb past $200 here. However stop in for a pizza of the day - thin crusted and cooked in a wood fired over - or for a warm kale salad. The meatballs and the roasted cauliflower are also standouts.

This used to be my go to for a pre-glasslands drink (RIP) but I will still head here when I am in the area for lunch.

12/13/2014

Hunger is the best spice they say...but that wasn't the only reason I enjoyed my meals. All the Veggies and Even brusselsprouts was a yummy treat. Carrot salad? Sounded suspicious but was also delicious.

But...yes there were a few of those 'buts'. But...the waiters seemed distracted, absentminded and not very present. Maybe it was only this evening so I will let that pass. But...we sat at the bar counter so how hard could it be to serve us water which my friend kept requesting for? But...the way they looked at her every time she asked for more water... As if it was an expensive elixir she wanted them to produce. Hmmm

In any case...I wouldn't mind to return for a munch... It was good food although the lack of engaged service made me reduce one star it was not bad either. A cosy Average

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  A small buzzy place. Cosy atmosphere. Although a little loud acoustic I could hear in my mind that the veggies were quite tasty

  A small buzzy place. Cosy atmosphere. Although a little loud acoustic I could hear in my mind that the veggies were quite tasty

12/5/2014

Incredible experience and meal all around.  Been meaning to come here for quite some time and only reason I hadn't was I had heard they really toned things down in terms of experimental food from the early days.  Having walked by several times during the summer with all the windows, Isa always seemed inviting, but nothing can compare to the experience of going on a cold blustery night.  The warm glow emitting from what feels like a mountain top lodge on the interior draws you in, and once inside the wood burning fireplace and open kitchen immediately warm you up and make you never want to leave.

What really impressed me was the staff.  Yes they have the requisite Williamsburg hipster uniform and haircuts, but none of the attitude that many restaurants like this can have.  Despite the very relaxed and lodge like vibe, the service is top notch and super attentive.  It is on par with what you would expect from a more stuffy high-end place, where your water glass and drink are always full, and table perpetually free of any crumbs or dirt.

They started us off with a bottle of what they described as "funky" wine, which was strangely delicious and a round of their insanely good house made bread spreads.  We let them choose a pizza to start us off (which turned out to be a perfectly cooked veggie pizza) and mussels.

Apparently the menu changes daily and has the funky scrapbook look of a light post flyer for an underground art exhibit.  The main course options were your typical chicken, beef, duck protein choices with a tuna and pork shoulder special (which the waitress highly recommended).  We had a vegetarian as well as someone on a special diet in our group and they were really great about accommodating them.  We pretty much sampled everything with the pork shoulder and the tuna being highlights.  

By the way, let them pick the wines for you.  Never in a million years would I pick something described as "orange" wine, yet this is what they brought us and it was fantastic.  Don't even know what the last wine we had (label was size of postage stamp) but it was funky and great.

Overall Isa was just a truly wonderful experience from start to finish and I can't wait to go back.

1/28/2015

our waitress was very sweet. I had a salad which was a big portion and the ginger carrot soup and it was sooo perfect for a cold day. My friend had the chicken with salsa and though I didn't try any, she loved it!

8/25/2014

I met someone here for dinner, super excited to try the yummy food on the menu.

Since I was early, I got a drink at the bar and waited.  The bartender was super nice and chatted with me as I waited.  The service, above all is excellent. All of our needs and requests were met efficiently and with patience.

I ordered the gnocchi and my friend ordered the pasta dish.  I didn't try her dish, but the gnocchi here isn't the traditional fluffy potato balls that I'm use to.  The sauce it come with was nice and light which paired well with the heavy gnocchi.  Over all, for me, it was just okay.  I think I'd try something different on the menu if I were to come back.

6/11/2014

I'd like to dedicate this review to my girl Camille, the fantastic bartender during weekend brunch. It's because of her that five full stars are possible for Isa.

My earlier experiences with Isa were ok, but definitely had room for improvement. Some internal communication issues have tainted past experiences, but overall this place delivers. It's cute and quaint, perfect for a date at night, or bringing family during the day.

I've been here more for drinks than food, but the food is really good. I cannot recall exactly what I had for dinner ages ago, but with the seasonally rotating menu, you know you're getting something unique and fresh. The breakfast pizza was banging. Oozy, with the yolk-cracking in your control, it fills you up and sets you right for the day.

Back to Camille and her ridiculous espresso martinis. She first suggested it after I wanted something iced coffee-esque, but boozy. This not an espresso martini. This is THE espresso martini. The key is the real espresso. I drink these like water, it's that thirst-quenching.

As I said, Camille is only during the day, so if you wanna try one of these dangerous martinis, you best go before 4/5 on a Saturday or Sunday. Later afternoon is best, after the brunch crowd dies.

8/18/2014

We had a lovely dinner here last Saturday night.

Our server recommended a Gamay French wine and it was wonderful.

We started with a yummy roasted corn chowder.  The bread they provide was also very good, and it looks like there's a bakery in the back.

We shared a stone fruit salad, Margherita pizza, and potato gnocchi. Everything was good, but the gem of the night was definitely the gnocchi. Get the gnocchi.

Our server was great and we loved her recommendations.

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  Corn chowder soup. Yum!

  Corn chowder soup. Yum!
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  Wonderful Gamay wine.

  Wonderful Gamay wine.
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  Potato gnocchi with roasted corn

  Potato gnocchi with roasted corn

1/13/2015

Ummm holy moly ISA was amazing! Went there for brunch on Sunday and got a table without any issues right away. Now that is a brunch miracle itself. I tried their breakfast pizza and it blew my mind at how tasty it was! My friend kept saying that their dinner is better but really, this was already awesome- Can't wait to come back and experience for myself if that is true or not!

1/6/2015

This place is amazing. The food is so fresh so good.  You can tell the chef here take time to make sure your food is complex and flavorfully. I will be back. With lose jeans.

10/4/2014

2.5 stars, rounded down to 2.

Friendly and well-intentioned staff, but extremely slow and sloppy service. From the host to the bar to the waitstaff, the word that keep repeating itself in my head while all night, error after error, was: inept.

Food is just good. Nothing groundbreaking. My entree's protein came out cold. Sent it back for reheat, and the rest of the plate came back cold the 2nd time. Sent it back again and they finally got it right.  

Overall just kinda meh. Appetizer, 2 entrees, few glass of wine each, 1 dessert, 1 amaro, 1 port.

For $190 before tip I can eat at Momofufu Ssam. That's borderline infuriating.

6/3/2014

I don't know how Isa wound up with only 3 stars, but it's far better than that.  After a year of walking past and remarking on how cute it was but never going in, we ate a casual and delicious dinner there, noted that they had a great private event room, and quickly decided to have our wedding rehearsal dinner there.

In short, it was wonderful.

The food was amazing - they had something for everyone, with very generous family-style portions.  Everyone on the staff was great, friendly and attentive without ever getting in the way.  The suggested wines were excellent, and the more expensive ones were not pushed on us, just choices that matched what we said we liked.  The space was comfortable but elegant, rustic in a way that doesn't feel as forced as most of the modern BK restaurants, and nicely private, tucked away on the second floor.  And I didn't handle the planning aspect, but my wife tells me that the manager that she worked with was very attentive to detail and helpful during the planning.  Highly recommended.

8/29/2014

I think most of the poor reviews of this place have to do with its past and not its present. ISA is quickly becoming one of the best restaurants in Williamsburg, a neighborhood that has become big on hype and trends and low on substance and originality.

The food and drinks here are great, and the service is exceptional. With every new iteration of the menu, this place gets better and better. If you've been here and didn't love it, I'd suggest you give it another shot.

12/4/2014

Great service and cozy space, but the food unfortunately was a bit of a miss. Soggy gnocchi! Entree portions could be slightly bigger.

11/22/2014

Been to Isa twice now- once for breakfast and once for dinner with a group of five. Both times the menu impressed and the service was excellent. Upscale, though not pretensions, Isa is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants in Williamsburg.

5/4/2014

What a treat this place is. One of the first places I went to when I moved here.
Great atmosphere. Fantastic food? Amazing seafood.
Service and presentation of food was also excellent!

10/28/2013

Stopped at the bar only but the bartender was awesome and the food smelled pretty good.  

Great cocktail menu.

Cute little intimate place with lots of personality.

9/1/2013

The food was outstanding. Every single person at our table was in love with whatever they ordered and saying, "you guys gotta try this", to the rest of the table.

The restaurant was beautiful. It looked very well thoughtout and detailed.

I would love to go again for sure, but it's priced such that it's a once-in-a-while kind of place (for me).

Bathroom speaker was a little assaultingly loud. We called it the "party room".

11/2/2014

I had my wedding dinner here in October, and I can not tell you how everything came together not only flawless but incredibly delicious. David, the manager was so responsive and kind...not to mention calm and collective, which at the time I needed that! Every time I thought I hit a bump in the road with plans, I'd call David and ask him on what I thought was a problem and he would just reply "It shouldn't be a problem, don't worry" What a SIGH of relief! Customer service to the MAX!

Our waitress and staff were so kind and easy to work with. They always came around at the right time, I never felt like I really saw them but they were some how always present at the perfect time's throughout the night. I could honestly go on and go on but to sum up my experience. IT was perfect, I highly recommend having a private party upstairs...or dinner....or drinks.....or anything.

4/9/2014

I came here with my bf and I had a great time. We were really interested in this place because  of the design and the fact that it won the James Beard Award but I don't think  he was as happy with his food as I was with mine - so let that be said. We started with a cheese and strawberry crostini which we shared and I devoured. We also had delicious cocktails. We then also shared the chicken entree. I found it to be delicious and was very pleased.

The atmosphere of this place is really cool and the design is definitely different and funky. I had a nice time and look forward to coming back and trying some different dishes.

2/25/2014

Get the breakfast pizza with egg. Sooo good!!
The latte was great and they were even willing to turn down the music when a particularly raucous song came on. Definitely recommend it!

8/4/2013

A Saturday night stroll in Williamsburg led us to this restaurant. Upon sitting, I scrolled through Yelp (as I typically do) and saw Isa has a consistent history of low reviews. Damn! Maybe, I wishfully thought, my experience will be different ...

The Kale Cesar salad: overdressed with stale croutons. The kale by itself with the dressing on the side would have been a better move.
The Linguetinne Pasta: Somewhat salty, over sauced. The pasta, however, had a good texture.
The Chicken: The bird was good. The accompanying greens were again, overdressed.

We like overdressing, huh Isa?

The atmosphere was really awesome. Outdoor seating, wood burning stove. Highly doubt I'll give this place another go.

9/2/2014

This has to be one of the best places to eat in Williamsburg. The pasta dishes are outstanding as well as the salads and appetizers. Wait staff is excellent and knowledgable about their wines and dishes. We got there pretty early for dinner and were able to enjoy the bar having a couple drinks and spicy chick peas and roasted almonds as well as olives. All wonderful. The quality of food and the inviting atmosphere made me feel like I was in San Fran instead of NYC. Maybe it was the laid back and easy going staff that added to that vibe. Try it!

9/12/2014

I live 1 block away and finally decided to try this place.  We came for brunch on Sunday (my birthday actually) around 2:00 and there was no wait for a group of 5.  Overall the food was good, the avocado toast however, was AMAZING.  I really enjoyed it.  The side of potatoes were yummy too.  Two people in my group had the banana french toast, and they weren't as happy with their selections but mainly because the portion was so small.

I'm no stranger to Williamsburg, I live here, but this place was just a little too over-the-top-hipster-ridiculous that it was borderline humorous.  I mean, sitting 3 people on the tiniest bench ever that is really made for 2 people.  Luckily one was a child, but he was still hanging off the edge. But really, who wants to eat squished on a teeny tiny bench shared with two other people? My boyfriend tried to order a coke and of course, no coke. And then he asked for ketchup (gasp!)- I mean, how dare he!? They didn't have that either but we kind of figured that before he even asked.

Besides all that, I really did find the food to be pretty good and was trying to envision ways that I could have it again  without having to actually eat in the restaurant.  Take out anyone?

Oh, and the waiter we had was great! I didn't get his name, but he was tall (and thin, duh) and had an accent.  He was really sweet and actually acknowledged the fact that we had a child with us which a lot of places around here do not.  He was accommodating as he could be in a place that doesn't have soda or ketchup.

7/20/2014

Isa is one a quieter street in Williamsburg. Great food, relaxed atmosphere and good outdoor space. In the winter it's super cozy inside.

11/3/2013

Good simple food with high quality ingredients and strong preparation. I enjoyed the steak entree. I look forward to returning.

6/9/2014

Seriously amazing food and a beautiful restaurant. Only complaint is it does have a bit of an identity crisis-- mediterranean?  Not sure.  Nordic atmosphere. yes.  Pizzas amazing.  All awesome.

6/19/2013

Heard some good things about this place, but unfortunately went without checking out the more recent reviews here on Yelp. Basically, it was a trainwreck.  Where to begin?

The aesthetics and design of the restaurant were not particularly inventive or appealing. Isa tries too hard to look rustic but insteads comes across looking rundown instead. It's dark and smokey despite having a very open canopy to the outside patio.

The wine and drinks list was pathetic. A prior reviewer mentioned that it used to be excellent but just "sucks now". Let me echo that: it just sucks. A huge wine lover of many regions, I couldn't find one appealing bottle on their marginal and short list. It was a hodge podge of third and fourth rate makers marked up as first growth Bordeaux. Tried two whites by the glass (awful and unfinised) and settled on a rose that wasn't too bad if only because it wasn't awful.

Next up was the pizza as an appetizer. Some here have called it great; instead, it was doughy and the tomato sauce tasted as though it came out of the can with way too much sugar. I will admit that the basil was plentiful and very fresh. Nonetheless, the list is infinite with pizza places that can surpass Isa.

The main course? Oh how I wish I could forget the main course. Whole fish, presumably caught in the East River, overcooked on the grill and tasting of mush. Bland and dry and just plain poor.  My wife and friend didn't have it any better with their chicken dishes which they both complained were well undercooked and overseasoned.

Service was hit and miss. Our server was great and very accomodating, but the runners were oblivious and seemed lost in space.

Some have stated that Isa has "fallen from grace". I can't imagine that this place ever satisfied. It was a waste of a night and an embarassment for owner and staff.  Moreover, it once again reinforced my preconceived bias about trendy, hipster and overrated Williamsburg dining.  It is possible to do so much better for less.

5/25/2014

If nothing else come for the breakfast pizza!!! It's delicious and inventive! YUMMMIE.  Staff was pleasant and loved the atmosphere although the music was a tad too loud for brunch if you ask me.

8/18/2013

The gnudi special with lamb ragu....severely over salted.  Otherwise, the meatball appetizer I tried was really really awesome.  

Run, don't walk for dessert.  Their chocolate budino is one of the best I've ever had anywhere.

The wine selection is very reasonably priced and quite good for the few selections they have by the bottle.  

Overall, a decent experience.  Super friendly service too...

4/12/2014

Great spot. I love the atmosphere inside and the staff was extremely friendly -- huge plus!!

Besides the price of the food, everything was perfect. We had the kale appetizer and the cauliflower. I love the they're not afraid to use anchovies in the dishes. The bread was perfect. For mains, we had the daily fish (hake) and a pasta. They were extremely tasty and seemed very fresh. The roasted potatoes were delicious.

Overall great vibe and great food. Will be back.

8/27/2014 Updated review

It was my friend's birthday, and we went to Isa. We only had to wait a few mins for our reservation at 9:30pm on a Saturday, and they sat us without a full party. Our server, Giovanni, was amazing. We were a large group (8), and everyone ordered appetizers and specials. He got it all correct. The food was great, and the service wasn't overwhelming (meaning that there wasn't always a hand in my face). They were totally cool with us bringing out own dessert and splitting our bill like 15 ways to Sunday. Great place for groups!

5/6/2013

This was such a phenomenal experience the first time I went, before it closed... admittedly not sustainable, because you can't charge that much for negligible portions, but it was interesting and delicious. Now...

The wine list, which used to be excellent, sucks now. It just sucks. Not one bottle surpasses decent quality, and they're marked up way too high.

The kale salad was a confused mess.

Great job on the pizza; that was definitely the highlight. The Milanese pork was also tasty, and prepared well. Arugula side salad had a nice vinaigrette.

The ravioli was weird... the middle was overcooked and the edges were almost raw. Their sauce was oily and thin. Flavor was fine, but we got 5 raviolis for $19.

Service was rotten.

No. Just no.

Isa, you have fallen from grace. Last night was my last time, and I will tell everyone I know to steer clear.

6/25/2013

For me, ISA has become synonymous with perfection.

Summer, winter, dinner, brunch, indoor, outdoor Isa slays with the precision of a well trained culinary marksman. Killer cocktails and amazing meat at dinner. Steak, fish, chicken - all have blown my mind. Breakfast pizza at brunch, fantastic bloody mary.

This past year we've watched a few pseudo dinosaurs shutter their well fed doors, Dressler being the most recent. We've watched things about this neighborhood change in ways that I don't always care for, BUT I've also seen positive changes. Isa is at the top of a list (shoulder to shoulder with Gwynnett Street) of places that I dont know how I would continue living without. They give me hope for the future. Great food made with a conciseness. Not stuffy. Not fantastical. Honest and delicious and creative.

Thanks for being exceptional.

9/22/2013

Man, I want to like this place. It's just up the block from where I live and I've given it three solid tries.

The interior is beautifully crafted--I've always referred to it as "desert meets ski lodge". Colonial-style walls and rafters with raw, distressed wood floors and furniture, succulents, cacti and and woven rope plant hangers. Very unique. The wood smoke that emanates from it on a daily basis is one of my favorite smells in the world.

The menus are interestingly designed--hand-drawn typography over photo collage--like fanzines for the local musician class.

But the food--which has been converted from the original bordering-on-molecular-gastronomy conceit to the much more everyman style of today--has always been overpriced for its portion size and has gone from overpowering flavor to damn near flavorless in most cases. Dry-as-a-bone muffuletta sandwich. Unimaginative breakfast pizza. Polenta in dire need of salt and butter. Cocktails that work better in the theater of the mind than the reality of the palate.

The service is hit-or-miss--sometimes, like today at brunch, we get great, kind, attentive and thoughtful service. Other times, like at the bar for a drink, you feel invisible, almost contemptible for even being there.

The reality is that it's a scene. There's better food in all directions--but no better place to see or be seen. And that's what will keep people coming.

5/9/2013 Updated review

New menu is seasonal and very Italian derived. The ambiance is still nice but the flavors are really boring; they are what you would find at almost any decent Italian restaurant. If you want a more interesting Italian meal in Williamsburg, go to Forcella.

An $18 linguettine pasta dish literally was just a plate of linguine pasta with a a light coating of sauce and some tiny (as in grain-of-rice size) whisps of vegetables. I was shocked that Isa charged $18 for a less than $1 box of pasta with almost nothing else on the plate. The gnocchi dish was better, with a more flavorful sauce and some vegetables and meat in the dish. Side vegetables are boring and simply grilled or pan fried etc. Pizza, apple tart, chocolate mousse is decent but the flavors are nothing special.

It's really a shame that the food has become so bland. Also the bathroom is still really weird for a fancy restaurant: the toilet seat is falling apart, the walls have glue/ chalk on them causing them to look unfinished, the soap dispenser barely gives any soap, there is a rope door handle that does not look sanitary at all.

7/31/2014

great flatbread! pretty cool open kitchen. must check out!

5/12/2012

My brother and I came here for my birthday brunch on a Sunday around 1pm- he lives in the area. Lots of nice places springing up and this farm to table is my thing (technically the cuisine is Meditternean). You won't have trouble coming at this hour but for dinner- forget it. It's also a pre fixe menu for dinner but brunch is a la carte.. it is in theory, a tapas resto). While it may seem like the brunch menu is limited- it's really not. And little items such as "tarts" may be perceived as small- but trust me, they are not!

When we arrived we were able to sit immediately and even snag a nice table in the corner (the two seaters otherwise are quite crammed). Love the rustic, open, decor (open kitchen) Our waitress was very sweet- made good recos, filled our water, and checked up on us. We ordered the following to share:

1) Duck leg with sweet potato puree, polenta.. this was interesting. The duck was good-fatty and a bit sweet and blackened. What I wasn't too wild about was the sweet potato puree polenta but that's probably because I don't dig sweet potato that much- esp if they are too sweet. This mixture was quite sweet and I didn't taste that much of the polenta- which is usually grittier - the way I like it. So that could be that. It seems like a small plate but the food is filling so don't worry. $16. The duck made up for the other elements that were executed well, but just not my culinary preference.

2) We got the tart of the day, which was that celery root (it was white, flattened and roasted) tart - the texture was really nice; cripsy and crunchy for the most part, and the crust doughy. I think the dough part- the tart itself- was better than the celery topping. Unfortunately I can't remember what else was on this (it was a special) but I think it was..goat cheese? $10 or $14?

3) We also shared the sunchoke soup with pumpkin seeds- a soup du jour. It was a perfect combo of flavorful artichoke (Jerusalem artichokes are sunchokes- I juuust learned that), sun dried tomato, salt and pepper and a thin broth. This was probably the best thing we shared (the duck itself coming in at a close second). $10 maybe?

While everything was good here, it wasn't stellar. I'd say the most special thing about Isa is that you get some eclectic dishes at decent prices (at least for brunch) but I'm not just sure if I like all the creativity. Maybe dinner is better- I'd perhaps come back to try it for dinner but pass on the brunch. Glad I had the experience though.

1/3/2014

The bartender who works Sunday nights (with the beard) is the best. He makes a mean mezcal drink (that's not on the menu ) paired with their pudding-like dessert ahhh mouth is watering now

9/16/2013

Good food, nice place. Overpriced hipster food is always yummy. Perfect for the area.

6/11/2012

Came here for brunch Sunday they had less than ten items on the menu. things like Caesar salad, soup , tart du jour and some other weird ass stuff ranging from 8 to 15 bucks. I had the tart which was basically spring onions on puff pastry. The girls had Caesar salad - blah. It was 82 degrees out they had no A/C it was so hot you could not stay seated. The place is strange.

Pros: portions are small so if you didn't like the food you will have room for a real meal.
Cons: No A/C, menu is limited - if your going to experiment with menus you should have some staples. Washrooms don't have adequate running water, so you know employees don't wash their hands thoroughly.

Isa what - Isa flop.