“Like Applebee’s, but better," was the description that owner Stephen Tanner gave in an interview about The Commodore, his second Brooklyn eatery after co-founding Pies’n’Thighs. Mixing deep-fried soul food with dive bar ambiance, The Commodore wouldn’t seem very special if not for the flocks of hip youngsters enjoying this deliberate greasy spoon.

The food is direct and unpretentious—yes, even for Williamsburg—and features Southern staples such as fried chicken, hot catfish sandwiches and, of course, biscuits. Whereas the grub is perfectly suited for any hangover, their cocktails, blended drinks and inexpensive beers may well cause some next-day headaches as well. Opened late into the evening, The Commodore regularly attracts a party crowd with DJ tunes to match, so be sure to comprehend what a few “after-dinner” drinks really means once you get sucked into the festive vortex of this befuddled watering hole.

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