Bar Brine

Stopped into Bar Brine (the evening version of Sneaky Pickle) last night to grab a drink after a looooong day of studying for an exam. Ordered a mezcal cocktail that was reasonably priced at $11. It was absolutely delicious. It's what a craft cocktail should be. Several tasting notes that were perfectly balanced. My friend ordered a bourbon drink priced at $9, and it was also delicious. They were honestly better than the drinks that we got at the fancy pants bar during Tales of the Cocktail.We hadn't planned to eat, but the menu looked interesting...so we shared an order of fries and the wagyu flank steak with mole. The fries were $7 and the steak was $28. Not exactly cheap, especially considering the small size of the steak; however, it was high quality and absolutely delicious. As in I'm still thinking about it today. The fries were hand cut, hot, salty deliciousness. The steak was cooked perfectly medium rare and was so tender. And that mole! And... I asked for some aioli to dip my fries into, and I wasn't charged for it. That was impressive in today's times where you're charged for an olive in your martini and a service charge "for the kitchen."We sat at the bar and the bartender/server was just as nice as can be.I'll definitely go back to Bar Brine. Seems to be a nice place for a date night.

Wow! This place was phenomenal. The food was truly stand out, the service was great, and the space was bustling, casual, and welcoming. Our group of 5 really enjoyed the following dishes:1) Grilled oysters - tasty2) Tofu lettuce cups - amazing, though spicy 3) Gnocchi - excellent 4) Agnolotti - delicious 5) Baba ganoush with peppers - unique and very good 6) fall salad - very good 7) fried onion - greatThe cocktails were quite good too.The service was attentive and knowledgeable, and the space was awesome.So glad to have found this place!

I need to start this review with a declaration: Bar Brine's Buffalo tofu wraps are some of the best things I've ever eaten in this city, possibly the best Buffalo tofu I've ever had (it's one of my favorite things to eat, so this is serious)! Four delicate leaves of butter lettuce with a creamy dressing embrace tiny succulent squares of perfectly fried tofu smothered in Buffalo sauce. It's divine and you should order these no matter what.The other remarkable attribute of Bar Brine is the service. We had the sweetest waitress and she was totally understanding when my friend sent her frozen drink back because it was more strong than sweet (she's a bit of a wimp oh well). She was also very attentive and helpful with the menu. I love Sneaky Pickle, when during the day there's plenty of vegan lunch options and a bright, sunny dining room. At night, Bar Brine turns sultry, boozy and edgy/romantic. Perfect for a date or group of friends (though admittedly the acoustics reminded me of when it was Maurepas years ago and how loud it was in there).My friend and I couldn't stop going on about the Buffalo tofu and naturally were excited for the main course, grilled trumpet mushrooms over grits. Unfortunately, this is nowhere in the league of the tofu dish and it may be because I don't love rubbery textures, but I found it bland. The grits are coarse and not too flavorful either. Salt helped but I can't recommend this entree.I'll definitely return for doubles on the Buffalo tofu and hopefully will try the tempeh reuben or cauliflower vegan options next time. Also cool because your vegan-dubious friends can order meaty fare here if they don't trust and believe that the Buffalo tofu ranks up there with the best things you'll eat in this town.

Looking forward to coming back and trying more, but so far I've got a good impression of this place. I've always been a sneaky pickle fan so I'm delighted to see their gorgeous new establishment and new menu items. There's a lot more room to spread out here! My cocktail and app (fries) were decent. The squid ink pasta was delicious. It was my first time having squid ink, so I was a bit apprehensive. The flavor was actually quite mild and subtle and I really enjoyed its flavor and texture. The pasta had the best texture of any pasta I've ever had... it was chewy? Stretchy? Doughy? And very fresh. If you like al dente pasta, this is the pasta for you. The shrimp on top were incredibly sweet and fresh tasting. The chocolate souffle at the end was awesome and had some kind of herby citrusy flavor... very cool.

I gotta say, Bar Brine has provided a couple of the most delicious meals during my recent New Orleans stays. I've heard a couple of huge raves for Bar Brines, so I was pretty I tried the BBQ Tofu Lettuce Wraps, Reuben (vegan), and some sort of battered onions appetizers (reminiscent of Chili's Awesome Blossom) the first. Everything was super freaking tasty AF! I had fairly high expectations due to friends hyping this place up, so I was somewhat ready to be disappointed, but alas . . . ! The tofu wraps were chef's kiss - the omnivores agreed. The wraps were eagerly gobbled up with haste. As for the Reuben - one of the tastiest vegan sandwiches I've had. It was generously stuffed with tempeh, onions, and sandwich dressing and I managed to stretch it into delicious next day leftovers. The battered onion appetizer - I mean, of course it was delicious. Has battered deep fried onion ever been NOT delicious???The second time I was here, I tried the Tofu Caprese Lettuce Wraps and King Trumpet Mushroom entree. We were slightly concerned the Caprese version of the wrap would not live up BBQ one, and thankfully, we were wrong. Really highly recommend any iteration of the tofu lettuce wraps, Bar Brine has somehow perfected tofu lettuce wraps and you will not be disappointed. The King Trumpet Mushroom was pretty tasty, however, not as impressive as the Reuben. It wasn't as substantial and filling and the flavors weren't as brightly delicious. Service has been excellent both times we've been here, absolutely no complaints. I'm sure I will find myself here again soon enough!

Wowwweee! I came to Bar Brine with a friend to try their martini, which we heard was special. It is special, made so by the "garnish adventure" you receive-- a cup of various garnish options such as lemon twist, lime, cocktail onion, olive, celery, and dill on ice. I choose all of the garnish because why not! The martini itself was of the gin variety, which I usually stay away from but I honestly couldn't taste any gin, it was so smooth.We sat at the bar while the place was nearly empty (early on a Sunday evening), and got great attention and reccomendations from the bartender. The two small plates we shared were incredible. Playful, creative, delicious- which seems to be the vibe of everything on the menu. I cannot wait to return, which will be soon.

Great service from Molly and the sweet host who squeezed us in between reservations and then returned to our table to let us know about the reservation cancellation so that we wouldn't feel rushed. We both LOVED that there are 2 mocktail options (look for "Zero Proof" on the drink menu). I've been talking about their fries and the fish crudo ever since. The rice cake pasta was a pass for me- but I was happy with their inventiveness. I'm still looking forward to returning to try what else they're cooking up.It's nice and intimate, but spacious enough for a small group. I even saw someone working at the bar, so maybe they have wi-fi for people who prefer replying to emails in restaurants over coffeeshops?

Sneaky Pickle during the day....Bar Brine at night. Our server put it best: at night, the restaurant switches from friendly neighborhood eatery to something with a "more grown and sexy vibe." candles, interesting cocktails, and a price tag to match.The menu has several meat AND vegan or vegetarian options, so the whole squad can eat here if you choose. We came for a friend's birthday. I ordered the gnocchi which was perfectly portioned to save room for dessert, and was delicious. Also, I ordered a drink I remembered having off the sneaky pickle menu: a mint and ginger lemonade with gin. I was really pleased that they accommodated that request!For desert our table split basically one of everything on the menu. You almost can't go wrong here: everything is delicious...with the exception of the tahini blondie, which was tragically quite dry. Everything else was exceptional: the yuzu sorbet and the flourless chocolate torte were standout favorites of the meal.Price is unfortunately a barrier that will prevent me from being here frequently, but I look forward to the next special occasion that brings me back for more!

Anna was great! Made our bestie feel like a princess for her birthday and we'll def be back!

I'm always looking for restaurants that have equally great vegan and non vegan options and this place was perfect! Cocktails were lovely. I had some of the koji onions, the Reuben, and the Mac and cheese and all were bomb. The Reuben is a standout if you like vegan sandwiches. The meat-eaters in my group loved the wagyu burger and the squid ink pasta. Great elevated but chill vibe in the restaurant. Would be fun with friends or a date night.