Nelson Blue
“Stand out menu items – corn & zucchini fritters, mac & cheese, panko-crusted crabcakes.”
“The lamb burger is pretty banging too and the Lamb Curry Pot Pie dish isn't too shabby.”
“Right near the Brooklyn Bridge, it's a perfect stop after a nice walk over!”
Nelson Blue
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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I went here on New Year's Eve and had a great time! There was a good crowd and great vibes yet not unbearably packed and super festive! Free champagne toasts and party favors!
The service was superb, even for a holiday! Pauli (the Kiwi behind the bar) was awesome and friendly! Our food came out super quick and was great! And the bus boy filled up my water glass regularly. The mixed drinks were nice and I was a big fan of the Nelson Lager. My bf tried some of the NZ IPAs, which were ok and cool to try NZ beers but I'm not an IPA fan. I had the green mouthed mussels and my bf had the NZ dip. I'll definitely head back here when in NYC
Very nice little bar with outdoor seating in Seaport District. Loved the Kiwi theme since we loved our visit to New Zealand ( where we may emigrate if Trump is elected). Creative cocktails are all good. Had the lamb chops which were cooked perfectly. You can't go wrong at Nelson Blue.
The chicken wings are tangy and sweet. They are amazing. The corn & zucchini fritters with the tartar sauce were good too. The kale salad wasn't very exciting. The Brussels sprout and sliders were okay. I don't remember what dessert I had but it was the only option for the evening. It was also very disappointing.
The service was good. The staff refilled our water frequently. They offered fantastic service.
I love the ambience. It's not pretentious but it's also modern classy. Large windows with great natural lighting.
My two favorite aspects are the location and the atmosphere. It's on a quiet side-street with stunning views of the Brooklyn Bridge, and it's a very large open space with lots of separate areas that are conducive to privacy and/or intimacy. It is very possible to be very
comfortable here, to just enjoy oneself and relax. The prices are decent, the service is okay, the selection is fine, but the food really isn't anything worth mentioning. Again, I like it here, and I will gladly return many times in the future, and I am glad to have it close to my apartment, but the food is just run of the mill; at least there's no reason to complain!
In less than 2 months, I will delve into the land of Kiwis. Like many people, the thought of New Zealand cuisine never really crossed my mind, much less a wonder of what it is like.
Decided to check this place out over the summer and surprisingly, it is located in a much secluded area by the seaport–either a result of Sandy, or I just never cared to explore out of that realm–it feels like a one of those lively bars in a developing neighborhood. Nelson Blue feels like a pub on a boardwalk, minus an actual boardwalk and beachy vibes.
We started off with the Corn & Zucchini Fritters and these things were delicious with the tartar sauce it came with. Not sure if they're worth ordering again, but they have some other appetizers that I would order next time, like the lollies (because who doesn't love 'em?) and the D.U.B. pies.
I got the New Zealand Style Burger and I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what I expected. It's pretty much a regular burger with toppings that mostly resembles a Hawaiian-style burger and an egg. This is probably great for a hangover but a bit overwhelming (and frustrating) to handle when sober. It wasn't terrible, but it was indeed super messy.
We waited quite awhile for our food but our waitress was more than amazing. She gave us complimentary drinks to make up for the wait, including a signature coconut-flavored cocktail and some more drafts of the beers we had. New Zealand fare is definitely a rarity in New York, so if you're on the hunt to try some, you're bound to end up here!
Slow service and mediocre food were the lowlights of my visit to Nelson Blue. This place had been on my list of places to check out for a while. I finally got around to it with 2 companions on a Friday afternoon around 3.
First of all, the place was empty. There was one couple sitting by the window eating, and maybe 5 or 6 people at the bar. This place was NOT hopping. Not surprising considering the food and service.
Service…awful. Empty restaurant but it took 10 minutes for the waitress to make her way over to us and take our drink orders. Another 10 minutes to come back and get the food orders. Please bear in mind we hadn't gotten our drinks yet. Considering the service so far, we opted for 3 corn chowders and 1 salmon skewer. 15-20 monutes later the corn chowders came out with….a shrimp skewer. At this point we decided to cut our losses and just make do with the soups.
Food…mediocre to POOR. I love corn chowder. I've had homemade, canned and restaurant quality. This chowder sucked. Watery, tasteless AND woefully lacking in corn. Seriously? Corn chowder with more potato than corn? No thanks.
I felt nelson blue and hungry when I left.
Here's why I enjoy being blue at this cozy seaport restaurant:
Good food – NB's lamb options in particular have always come to me cooked perfectly. I especially enjoyed the fantastic Nelson Dip–an unusual (haven't seen this gem anywhere else) leg of lamb, fontina and onions sandwich presented as a French dip. The melted fontina cheese was a great compliment to the "pastrami-style" prepared lamb. Much better than your typical, over-gamey goat/feta cheese with lamb combination.
Fantastic service – I couldn't stop thinking about that amazing sandwich, so the next day I "had to" lunch at NB again. And my PYT server/bartender actually remembered me and my order. Because of my distinctive look, it's not that easy for me to hide (not that I want to), but I was still quite impressed with her and the attentive bus staff as well. There wasn't a huge crowd at lunch but I felt pampered. The lamb lollipops with honey mustard dipping sauce came to me just out of the oven/microwave, without much of a wait, and with smiles all around. And when I needed the check, water, etc, I got it right away, for the most part, without asking.
Plus this sapphire of a restaurant is family-friendly. I brought my SO and my toddler here for dinner and we noticed a few other young children were here too. Love it when a pretty place– a casual/chic vibe, warm colorful decor, and feels spacious and intimate at the same time–also is appropriate for kids. No kids menu, but so much finger food and mac n cheese type items that they'll definitely find something good on your plate. He always eats from mine.
I think this is one of the most unexpected gems in the neighborhood. All I really need to say about Nelson Blue is that they have very good quality food. But I'll also add that this is probably the only place where I can actually finish and enjoy a kale salad without making snarky remarks about the kale trend. Because it's that good. I've also had the fish of the day and the thai chicken soup – absolutely fantastic. Clean plate club here every time. Sunday brunch has live jazz – nice touch.