We grew up in Germany’s Black Forest, but only met in Brooklyn.
As a tribute to our love we opened Black Forest Brooklyn, serving homemade regional specialties and a unique selection of German draft beer, wines & craft spirits.
Ayana & Tobias
Black Forest Brooklyn opened in 2013 in Fort Greene as an instant neighborhood favorite with a warm and casual vibe for lunch, brunch & dinner. A second location opened in the Fall of 2017 at 181 Smith Street in Boerum Hill for brunch & dinner, featuring outdoor seating in a large backyard.
In addition to our our spacious and bright indoor dining rooms, both restaurants have extensive outdoor seating: in Fort Greene you can sit outside in our Sidewalk Chalet in front of the restaurant, which is heated, covered, has dividers between all parties, and ceiling fans for ventilation. At the Smith Street location you can sit in our large backyard, which is home to the The Backyard Chalet which is heated, covered, has dividers between all parties, and ceiling fans for ventilation. There is also additional outdoor seating in the backyard that is not covered.
Dogs are allowed in all our outdoor spaces.
LocationS & HOURS
Fort Greene
733 Fulton Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 935-0300
Email Fort Greene Location
Mo-Th 12pm – 10pm
Fr 12pm – 11pm
Sa 10am – 11pm
Su 10am – 9pm
Smith Street
181 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 522-1806
Email Smith Street Location
Mo-Th 5pm – 10pm
Fr 5pm – 11pm
Sa 10am – 11pm
Su 10am – 9pm
BLACK FOREST BROOKLYN HAPPENINGS
Celebrate Thanksgiving at Black Forest
Both Black Forest locations will be open noon-9pm on Thanksgiving Day 11/28 and noon-11pm on Black Friday 11/29 for lunch/brunch & dinner. Make your reservation here
BFB Christmas Concerts & Caroling Extravaganza
Vorweihnachtszeit is almost upon us!
We are so excited to host a series of Christmas events this year on Saturdays and Sundays from 11/30 until 12/22 at both Black Forest locations. Each event features a live Christmas music and caroling performance by a festive five piece band (brass & piano). We’ll be caroling in English & German, with the option to sing along (lyrics & pronunciation guides for the German songs will be provided…;) More info and tickets here.
Wine Down Wednesday Half-off all wine bottles!
Join us every Wednesday for half priced wine bottles at both Black Forest locations! Reservations recommended, but not required!
Trivia Nights
Join us for free-to-play Trivia Tuesdays and Trivia Sundays at both locations every single week! Hosted by NYC Trivia League, reservations recommended, but walk-ins welcome and teams of up to 6 can battle it out for two hours to see who is the smartest that night.
Make sure to bring a charged smartphone (one per team) as trivia is 100% digital now; no more paper answer sheets or pens. Trivia host is indoors, but you can also participate when sitting in our outdoor areas.
Great prizes for the winning teams, including drinks, gift cards, and other giveaways!
Christmas Concerts and Caroling Extravaganza 2024
Vorweihnachtszeit is almost upon us!
We are so excited to host a series of Christmas events this year on Saturdays and Sundays from 11/30 until 12/22 at both Black Forest locations. Each event features a live Christmas music and caroling performance by a festive five piece band (brass & piano). We’ll be caroling in English & German, with the option to sing along (lyrics & pronunciation guides for the German songs will be provided…;) Prizes for the ugliest Christmas sweaters. We’ll be serving Glühwein and other hot beverages, and we’ll have some strong, malty seasonal winter beers on tap, all in a heavily decorated space!
Tickets are $15/person, get yours by clicking the dates below. Event duration and music performance is approximately 2hrs. Kids under 5 are free, but let us know if you bring them. Our regular food and beverage menu will be available during the events.
BIG GROUPS WELCOME! If you want to celebrate with your colleagues, friends or family, the Christmas Concerts and Caroling Extravaganza at Black Forest is perfect for a festive and fun holiday gathering for large groups!
You might be sitting at a communal table with another party. Please arrive on time. We will only seat complete parties, and hold the tables for 10min only. If you arrive later, we cannot guarantee seating, even if you bought tickets.
Schedule (click on date for ticket link)
Smith Street:
Fort Greene:
MENUS
We are please to offer delivery & takeout at both Black Forest locations. Our prices here are 10% less compared with our menus on Grubhub, Doordash and Uber Eats.
RESERVATIONs
We are taking reservations for parties of 2-20 at both locations that are best booked via the resy links below. Please email us for larger parties or private events, we have a great set up for large groups and would be happy to host you!
We only seat complete parties and we ask that you arrive on time. We can only hold your table for 10min, please let us know if you are running late. We are looking forward to having you!
For our Christmas Concerts and Caroling Extravaganza, please get tickets at the link below.
Fort Greene
(718) 935-0300
fortgreene@blackforestbrooklyn.com
Smith Street
(718) 522-1806
smith@blackforestbrooklyn.com
Private EVENTS
Book your next event at Black Forest Brooklyn!
Black Forest Brooklyn is a German restaurant & beer garden with a warm and casual vibe, serving homemade regional specialties and a unique selection of German draft beer, wines & craft spirits. BFB has two locations, one on Fulton Street in Fort Greene, and one on Smith Street in Boerum Hill, featuring a large backyard.
Black Forest Brooklyn is the perfect space to host a variety of events, from birthdays to weddings to bridal showers to corporate dinners. From an intimate seated dinner for 20 under the stars in our backyard garden to a cocktail reception for 200 guests in the full restaurant, we can accommodate many party sizes.
Please also consider our sister cocktail bar Fritz for your event, it has a beautiful covered patio that is perfect for a private event!
Please reach out with any questions, we’d love to help you plan your event! Email or call us at (718) 935-0300 (Fort Greene) or (718) 522-1806(Smith St). Looking forward!
We can accommodate many party sizes.
For parties up to 20 guests, there is no minimum, you can simply make a regular reservation on resy, or by reaching out via phone or email.
For parties larger than 20 guests, we ask for a minimum consumption guarantee, which depends on the time, duration, guest count and space desired for your event. If you don’t reach the minimum with the actual consumption, no worries, we simply add the difference to your check as a rental fee.
To book an event reservation we ask for a deposit in the amount of 50% of your event minimum, which is fully refundable until 2 weeks before the event, and non-refundable after that.
Food Options
The German Family Feast for $34/person: A 3 course family-style meal, consisting of our most popular food items. Flatbreads, wings, Giant German soft pretzels, a mix of fresh German sausages and/or half-sized schnitzels plus sides and a dessert platter. Vegetarian/Vegan as well as gluten-free options are available. Platters will be dropped on tables or a buffet station, along with small plates and silverware and guest serve themselves. Plenty of food for a full meal.
German Appetizers $22/person: If a full 3 course meal is too much, our heavy Hors d'oeuvre option is perfect. A mix of fresh German sausages and/or half-sized schnitzels plus sides. Vegetarian/Vegan as well as gluten-free options are available. Stone-oven flatbreads, chicken wings can be added if desired. Platters will be dropped on tables or a buffet station along with small plates and silverware and guest serve themselves. Similar food choices as the Family Feast, but no separate courses, and less food overall (not a full meal), and no dessert.
Individually Plated 3 course meal $60/person: If family-style is too casual for your occasion, we offer a festive, customizable 3 course meal, individually plated, consisting of food items from our regular menu.. Vegetarian/Vegan as well as gluten-free options are available. Plenty of food for a full meal. We usually serve the appetizer and dessert course family style along with an individually plated entree, but we are happy to work with you on the exact set up!
We charge a plating fee for outside desserts, $25 flat fee for groups up to 20 guests, and $50 flat fee for groups above 20 guests. Alternatively, please ask us about our homemade authentic German cakes, including our famous Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Gateau). Plating fees will count towards the minimum consumption.
Beverage Options
We hope you are as excited as we are about our unique selection of German draft beers, wines and craft spirits. Drinks for your event can either be ordered a la carte and billed on consumption, per current menu prices, or you can select from these two beverage packages:
Wine & Beer Package $36/person for 2 hours: Includes select beers, wine and NA beverages. Additional hours can be added at $18/hr/person.
Bar Package $52/person for 2 hours: Includes 4 of our signature cocktails, select spirits, wine, all beers and NA beverages. Additional hours can be added at $26/hr/person.
Any beverages outside of our bar packages are charged on consumption, per current menu prices. All beverages (on consumption and/or drink packages) will count toward the minimum.
The Spaces and Capacities
Event minimums are based on a two-hour timeframe. Longer timeframes can be arranged upon request. Minimums are not inclusive of sales tax, and gratuity*. Peak times are Friday after 5pm, all day Saturday, and Sunday before 5pm.* During November & December, weekdays after 3pm are also peak times. Marathon Sunday is also peak time all day. All other times are off-peak. To be considered off peak, event start and end time need to be within the off peak window.
*20% of gratuity will be added to your check, based on either the event minimum or your final bill, whichever is higher. **Federal holidays are treated like Sundays, and the day before a federal holiday is treated like a Saturday.
Fort Greene location
The Skylight Room (Fort Greene)
The brick and wood accented main space at our Fort Greene location. It has incredible light coming through two large skylights, features six large communal tables, 2 smaller tables, a window bar, a wall bar, and plenty of space in-between tables to mingle. It is not a fully private room, but it is nicely separated from the bar area by a wood-clad, partially open wall for some privacy and it can easily be roped off so that no other guests may enter this section of the restaurant. The Skylight Room can be booked as a whole, or the back portion only, which contains 4 of the large communal tables plus a wall bar.
The Full Skylight Room can host 60-70 guests for a seated dinner or 80-90 guests for a cocktail reception. Minimum $1,500 (Off-Peak)/ $3,000 (Peak)
The Back Skylight Room can host up to 40 guests for a seated dinner or up to 60 guests for cocktail reception. Minimum $1,000 (Off-Peak)/ $2,000 (Peak)
If you book the Skylight Room, the other areas of the restaurant (the bar area and the sidewalk area) will remain open to other guests during your event.
Sidewalk Seating (Fort Greene)
The sidewalk tables can seat around 25 guests, and are usually reserved for walk-ins, but they can be booked for a larger group, weather permitting. The sidewalk seating has electrical overhead heaters, and some partial rain and sun protection from a retractable awning. However, unlike the covered structure that we had during the covid years it is not full weather proof.
If you book the Sidewalk Seating, the indoor areas of the restaurant will remain open to other guests during your event, and we cannot guarantee that you will be able to move indoor during inclement weather.
The Full Restaurant (Fort Greene)
Take over the whole restaurant, either just the indoor space (Skylight Room plus Bar Area), or indoors plus sidewalk seating.
The Full Restaurant (Indoor only) can host 110 guests for a seated meal or 160 guests for a cocktail reception. Off-Peak Minimum $4,000 for 2hrs, $5,000 for 3hrs. Peak Minimum $8,000 for 2hrs, $10,000 for 3hrs - Sidewalk Seating will be open to other guests who will need to enter the restaurant to use the restrooms, etc.
The Full Restaurant (Indoor & Sidewalk) can host up to 130 guests for a seated meal or up to 180 guests for cocktail reception. Off-Peak Minimum $5,000 for 2hrs, $6,000 for 3hrs. Peak Minimum $10,000 for 2hrs, $12,000 for 3hrs Fully private restaurant buyout, no other guests.
Smith Street location
The Back Room
The brick and wood accented main space at our Smith Street location. Beautiful light coming through a large skylight, features six large communal tables, and a series of smaller tables, and plenty of space in-between tables to mingle. It is not a fully private room (other guests and staff will need to move through the backroom to get to restrooms, kitchen and backyard) but it is nicely separated from the bar area by a wood-clad, partially open wall for some privacy. The Back Room can be booked as a whole, or half the space. Either side of the center aisle contains 3 large communal tables, which can be set up as one large table.
The Full Back Room can host 70 guests for a seated dinner or 90 guests for a cocktail reception. Minimum $1,500 (Off-Peak)/ $3,000 (Peak)
Half of the Back Room (one side of the center aisle) can host 25-35 guests for a seated meal. Minimum $1,000 (Off-Peak)/ $2,000 (Peak)
If you book the Back Room, the other areas of the restaurant (the bar area and the backyard) will remain open to other guests during your event.
The Backyard
The Smith Street location is home to a large, beautifully planted backyard oasis, It features open table seating that is partially covered by umbrellas, as well as plenty of seating in the Backyard Chalet, a structure that provides outdoor seating that is covered, shaded, heated, has ceiling fans, and is open on the sides to provide plenty of ventilation. The electric radiant heaters make it remarkably comfortable in cold weather. The Backyard Chalet consists of six back-to-back booth tables that each can sit 8-10 guests. Each booth is separated from the next one by a plexiglass divider. The Backyard can be booked as a whole, or only the back portion. Large groups can book any number of booths in the chalet, plus open seating in front of the chalet.
Partial Backyard Chalet booking: for groups up to 20 people (2 booths) no minimum is required, just make the reservation on resy.com or reach out to the restaurant. Three booths can seat 24-30 guests, with a minimum of $600 (Off-Peak)/ $1,200 (Peak), Four booths can seat 32-40 guests, with a minimum of $800 (Off-Peak)/ $1,600 (Peak)
The Full Backyard can host 60 guests for a seated meal or for a cocktail reception. Minimum $1,500 (Off-Peak)/ $3,000 (Peak)
The Back Half of the Backyard (three booths plus adjacent open seating) can host 30 guests for a cocktail reception. Minimum $1,000 (Off-Peak)/ $1,500 (Peak)
If you book the Backyard, the other areas of the restaurant will remain open to other guests during your event.
The Full Restaurant
Take over the whole restaurant, either just the indoor space (Back Room plus Bar Area), or indoors plus backyard.
The Full Restaurant (Indoor only) can host 100 guests for a seated meal or 150 guests for a cocktail reception. Off-Peak Minimum $4,000 for 2hrs, $5,000 for 3hrs. Peak Minimum $8,000 for 2hrs, $10,000 for 3hrs - Backyard Seating will be open to other guests who will need to enter the restaurant to get to the backyard, use the restrooms, etc.
The Full Restaurant (Indoor & Backyard) can host up to 150 guests for a seated meal or up to 200 guests for a cocktail reception. Off-Peak Minimum $5,000 for 2hrs, $6,000 for 3hrs. Peak Minimum $10,000 for 2hrs, $12,000 for 3hrs - Fully private restaurant buyout, no other guests.
FOOD menu
DRINKS