The Good Fork
"Built and operated by carpenter-actor Ben Schneider and his wife, Sohui Kim, who's cooked at Annisa, Blue Hill, and the Sony Club, the Good Fork feels homespun, with mini-booths and a vaguely nautical curved-wood ceiling," says New York magazine. The New Yorker's Andrea Thompson writes, "The warmth with which Kim and Schneider run the place offers a rare luxury: they make you feel like a well-loved neighbor."
The Village Voice says that Kim "deploys Korean flavors with finesse, and also has a way with New American plates. There’s hardly a misstep in the bunch— dumplings are thin-skinned and juicy, filled with pork and chives. The seared crab cake is fat and crabby, and the burger is a beefy wonder." Peter Meehan of the New York Times adds, "For every uppity entry on the menu — an appetizer of fried sweetbreads, for example, with braised endives, peppery fresh watercress and tart segments of grapefruit ($10) — there's a homey counterpoint, like the loose and light gumbo ($8)."
And in GQ, Alan Richmond raves, "The Good Fork’s Pacific oysters, lightly coated in cornmeal, were cooked just long enough to become warm and creamy, and they came with a salad of beets, fennel, grapefruit segments, tomatoes, and reduced grapefruit juice... You’re unlikely to have a more memorable fried-oyster plate in your life." What are your thoughts on the Good Fork?
Reviews (23)
amt230 wrote a review on October 28, 2008 12:09 PM
The only part of my experience at this restaurant that stuck with me is that they were totally unwilling to accomodate someone in our party with dietary limitations. I can understand it is difficult to run a restaurant, and you can't make each dish particular to each diners' whim, but the request to serve simply pasta with olive oil (they are already cooking pasta for menu items) was not offered. One in our party could only eat the bread and asparagus, and as a result I don't think anyone really enjoyed the experience.
Otherwise, the food was good, but nothing unique or incredible. This place is severely overrated.
ilikeslices wrote a review on October 28, 2008 12:24 PM
I've eaten here at least 30 times, often with larger groups, and we've never had any issues with the staff accomodating dietary needs. Food is always perfectly seasoned and oh so tasty. This is my go-to, never fail restaurant.
bunkerlabs wrote a review on October 28, 2008 12:25 PM
My favorite restaurant in Brooklyn! Annoying to get to but so worth it!
RobertMosesJr wrote a review on October 28, 2008 12:31 PM
annoying to get to? just hop on the B51! (kidding)
this place is worth the trip.
RobertMosesJr wrote a review on October 28, 2008 12:33 PM
should say b61.. typo
Delilah wrote a review on October 28, 2008 12:50 PM
The first time I tried Good Fork, I loved it. Great food, great setting. The second and third time, I still loved the food but the service was absolutely terrible. The waitress appeared angry to be working there, took forever to take our order and was really unprofessional. (When she was clearing our plates, she took my dirty plate and stacked it right on top of my husbands right on the table and then just kept stacking that was so that as each person who had their plate cleared had to look at the dirty plate of the person next to them). Again, could have just been one bad server, but it was really bad. The owners seem cool though and the place is very unique.
gkw wrote a review on October 28, 2008 12:56 PM
I only went to this restaurant once after reading rave reviews and have to say that I agree it's a little overrated. The food was good but not particularly memorable and service was not good (but we were eating in the back room so they kind of forgot about us). Seems like a fun neighborhood joint, but not special enough in atmosphere or food to merit long journeys.
Schultz wrote a review on October 28, 2008 1:06 PM
I have had so many people say to me that it is one of their favorite restaurants, that I am at a loss to understand why both times I went were so miserable. The first time they were really difficult and specific about reservations and then made us wait for 45 minutes because they weren't ready. That time the food was so-so and we vowed never to go again. The second time a friend invited us, so we went early to avoid the crowd and waited for over 2 hours for our food, and then it was really mediocre when served. To me, if it was an undiscovered neighborhood place, it might be really delightful, but I suspect they are overwhelmed with their popularity due to all of the great press.
Susan Elkins wrote a review on October 28, 2008 1:21 PM
I've been several times, and it's always been great. In the top 5 in BK.
NsPx wrote a review on October 28, 2008 1:26 PM
My wife and I love this place. The boat hull-ish front ceiling is amazing, the food is solidly delicious, and despite occasionally lackluster service, the owner works really hard to be friendly and accomodating.
As far as wait time, I find that it's generally impossible to go to a small, poplular place and expect to be seated in a timely fashion (Al Di La and Lucali, two places that I also love, are good examples). Some people like to scowl and bitch, but seriously, have a drink and relax - you're in Brooklyn!
ToastPatterson wrote a review on October 28, 2008 2:04 PM
My favorite restaurant in Brooklyn. Great food with a very warm and inviting atmosphere. The kitchen consistently turns out high quality, interesting food. The front end of the restaurant has a very friendly, neighborhood vibe. I always recommend it to Manhattan friends who ask me why I like Brooklyn so much.
spnder wrote a review on October 28, 2008 2:31 PM
I love the people and the atmosphere, but I have to agree it's a but overrated. I've eaten there five times and twice the food came out badly prepared. Now, granted, both times I did not see Sohui in the kitchen.
Brooklyn Buyer wrote a review on October 28, 2008 2:50 PM
Listen to the professional reviewers. I eat out regularly for business and pleasure in some of the best places in the city, and I count Good Fork as one of my favorite casual but serious restaurants -- right up there with Prune. The cooking here is consistently very strong, and the chef brings a very interesting Korean sensibility to what is basically a French/Italian/New American menu. The steak and eggs with kimchi rice are not to be missed. I have also noticed a marked improvement in the quality of service since the restaraunt first opened and Ben was sometimes visibly melting under the deluge of customers that the strong initial reviews brought in.
chrishavens wrote a review on October 28, 2008 3:54 PM
superb, friendly, close.. i remember the first few months sitting on the back porch amidst bric a brac from work underway... special place, one of best
ms_boerum wrote a review on October 28, 2008 4:10 PM
delicious. never had the bad service experiences others have commented, in fact the opposite--extremely cordial staff. warm and cozy inside. the scallop appetizer is ridiculously good.
nybk01 wrote a review on October 28, 2008 5:49 PM
After years of hearing about this place we went there last month...BEWARE...if you dont make a reservation you get stuck in a little ugly back room and sit on plastic chairs. Our experience here was not good duee to that. I would be willing to make a reservation so we can sit in the front room to try it again. The food was decent.
BklynJace wrote a review on October 28, 2008 7:39 PM
The Good Fork is our favorite restaurant on this earth, period. Consistently great to the point that we trust them with any dish, and Ben is always friendly and beyond accommodating. As for the back room, we love it -- you're treated well and you can play Elvis Costello (or forgotten 60s jazz or both) on the turntable.
Eat It Brooklyn wrote a review on October 28, 2008 10:21 PM
The Good Fork is amazing. The staff has always been friendly and accomodating. I went once with a large group and had so much to write about, I posted three times in one week. If you're interested in seeing photos of appetizers, entrees and desserts, check out: www.eatbrooklynfood.blogspot.com
Left Hook wrote a review on October 29, 2008 10:33 AM
I love love love The Good Fork. I have never had a bad experience here. A great restaurant run by great people. The food is always top notch and as creative as the design of the restaurant. I love the cool curvy wood ceiling and the sliding door to the bathroom that works with a wine bottle counter weight.
geekspice wrote a review on July 11, 2009 2:24 PM
The food here is great - eclectic, seasonal, imaginative. The service started out well, and the wait staff were doing their best, but the kitchen collapsed under the weight of a rush - we waited 30 minutes between starters and mains. The decor is attractive, but the noise level when the front dining room is full is deafening.
promenade wrote a review on July 12, 2009 4:57 PM
We decided to give this place a try after reading rave reviews from this and other blogs....and we really did want to like the place, after all, we really had to go way out of our way to get there. But the food was just not that good - for starters, the "fabulous" dumplings were heavy and not fresh tasting, we also got their special - corn soup which was decidedly just alright, a bit bland. But the main courses are where our dinner fell completely apart. We ordered the duck - which was disappointing and the special babyback ribs (which were highly recommended) - both were like eating from a salt bath. Only the dessert - a strawberry rhubarb cobbler - was delicious. Sorry to say, we won't be going back, nor would I recommend it to any friend.
Nomi wrote a review on September 9, 2009 2:10 PM
I've eaten at The Good Fork once, June 2009. It was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. None of the poor service problems some have mentioned here. Our waiter was knowledgeable, efficient, friendly and completely unsnobby. I imagine they have had trouble keeping up at times, but all our food arrived within a reasonable time and was . . . heavenly. Everything! Dumplings, ravioli, steak and eggs, another appetizer I can't recall right now, the strawberry rhubarb cobbler. We were in the front room. It was cozy, romantic and not too noisy. Going back next week.
herkimermaid wrote a review on September 9, 2009 4:27 PM
I've only eaten here once but I'm already looking for an excuse to go back. The food was great! We ate in the garden and had a cozy, private corner table. Our waitress was casual and fun, yet totally competent and very knowledgeable. This was, hands down, one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in all my days eating out in NYC.
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