Local before arrival
One of the hippest places in Williamsburg is Maison Premiere on the always crowded Bedford Avenue. Mainly absinthe and oysters lure the crowd to this finely executed restaurant/bar with a lot of old world charm: A Hotel lobby of days gone by, reminiscent of afternoons in a Paris or a Vienna café. The center of the room is a U-shaped marble bar with a Napoleon-topped absinthe fountain. The staff will pour your drinks expertly, but patience is a virtue in this case. There’s a dollar-an-oyster happy hour from 4 to 7 pm, more than a dozen absinthes, beer, and wine. There is not much standing room and Maison Premiere is always packed.
