Rule of Thirds

We’ve enjoyed two experiences at Rule of Thirds but this review is for our most recent, brunch, visit. Let me start by saying that the space is hip and cool and the service has always been tremendous. The food is, for the most part, very good and near great in some cases. The chicken katsu was absolutely terrific. The bread was soft, the chicken crispy, and just enough sauce. The salad was okay, it was fresh but we tasted very little hot honey. The Japanese breakfast set was really good but just bit of moister piece of fish away from great. The hottokeki was much anticipated but was pretty eggy and the edges were dry as a bone. We also enjoy the cocktail list. The Douglas Fir-banks is tasty but I will put my fingers in the outside smear. It looks cool though. Overall, Rule of Thirds is generally a good experience.

We came as a group of four couples and literally ordered the entire menu, including all the desserts, plus two bottles of wine and a bottle of sake. Every single dish was absolutely on point!<br>The wagyu and the tuna dishes were the absolute highlights, honestly, I could live on those. Incredible food, great vibes, and an unforgettable dinner.

Perfection 💯<br><br>We shared the Hottokeki (pancake) between four of us, and it was really fluffy and so delicious—perfectly balanced and not too sweet.<br><br>The Wagyu cheeseburger was incredible—super juicy and honestly left me speechless. The egg serves as a dip for the burger, which made it even better.<br><br>We also ordered the Karaage (next to the burger), Pork belly Donburi (above the burger), and Smashed potatoes (beside the donburi). Everything was solid, but the burger definitely stood out for me.

Got brunch here on a Sunday with a friend. We split the Hot Honey Gem Salad and Hottokeki (Japanese soufflé pancake). The pancake is gigantic and is absolutely meant to be shared. It was really fluffy and smelled soooo good (reminiscent of the HK street cart waffles). But because it’s so big, by the time we ate half of it, we were getting a little tired of the same taste. The salad was good but nothing to rave about.<br><br>For drinks, we tried the Lebowski-San and Kettl Hojicha Kombucha. It was my first time trying a clarified cocktail and it was really unique. I thought there would be more ice cream honestly but I still loved it. The kombucha though was shockingly tasty. I loved it so much that I bought a bottle online once I got home (they’re from Kettl, a local distillery in Brooklyn).<br><br>The venue is really spacious and I actually planned a wedding here in the past. They host a lot of events and there was even a birthday party happening when I ate there. The only downside is the location. The only train that goes there is the G so it’s a bit hard to get to.<br><br>Food:<br>Hot Honey Gem Salad (radish, buckwheat, fennel, yuzu vinaigrette) 9/10<br><br>Hottokeki / Japanese Soufflé Pancake (fluffy hotcake, honey maple butter, sesame) 9/10<br><br>Add Mini White Sesame Soft Serve (soy milk, sesame oil) 10/10 - I would recommend just getting this on its own instead of the Hottokeki if you’re craving just a little dessert.<br><br>Drinks:<br>Lebowski-San (green tea shochu, pisco, sakura leaf, clarified matcha ice cream, cold brew coffee floater) 8/10 - This is a clarified cocktail which I didn’t expect. I thought I was ordering a matcha ice cream-like drink so although the drink was good, all the ingredients are very subtle in flavor.<br><br>Kettl x Unified Ferments ‘Hojicha’ Kombucha (jou yanagi hojicha) 10/10 - This is an absolute must-try!

Everything was incredible here, I had to write a review. From the moment you step in the ambiance is incredible, it just feels so warm and you can tell everything is done in a way that is super intentional. We sat outside and it was a really nice space that felt somewhat private but not secluded, they have heaters as well for chillier nights. Service was incredible, our server, Nick was super attentive and informative and throughout our meal we were also attended to by several other staff members who were super prompt and friendly.<br><br>Onto the food, we ordered the Karaage chicken, Chirashi Don, and leek tempura as appetizers/sides and for a main we got the Buddhist Duck. As far as apps go everything was very flavorful, my personal favorites were the Karaage, which was perfectly crisped and had a delicious sauce, and I also enjoyed the leeks, which were super refreshing and had a nice crunch. I also ordered a Hanabi drink, which tasted like strawberry gummy candy in the best way possible.<br><br>The Buddhist Duck though was just phenomenal, one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time— I highly recommend ordering it if you’re with a group. We were 4 and we were very full at the end of our meal, I imagine it would be a lot for a smaller party. It’s 3 course, the first consists of roasted duck with an array of sauces that consist of something for everyone’s palette. Next was the duck mixed in rice (this was my favorite portion of the meal) it was just so flavorful and hearty. All of it is finished off with a small cup of duck soup, which truly brought the meal together and was the perfect note to end on. They told us they have limited quantities so worth mentioning that, we came earlier in the night and were able to get one, I’m not sure if they sell out quickly before later reservations can get to them.<br><br>All in all I had an amazing experience at Rule of Thirds, I can’t wait to come back and try more.

A place that confuses your expectations.at first it seemed very high end and out of touch with the average consumer. However, the friendly staff and lively atmosphere helped reveal a cozy spot in Williamsburg for a fine dining experience. The choice of sake's is abundant and the small menu for food would be frightening to most but it was quite an enjoyable experience. Plan on going back again to enjoy more of their fine cuisine.

We had the Skate Wing, Oshizushi, House Silken Tofu, Clams Sakamushi, and Wagyu Sukiyaki. Every dish was earthy, nourishing, and beautifully balanced, made with very fresh ingredients and delicate flavors. The presentation of each dish really added to the overall experience.<br><br>We also had sencha green tea served in a teapot, and the taste — wow. It was so good that I even asked the waiter what kind of tea it was. Now I actually have the same one at home.<br><br>The staff was excellent — attentive, welcoming, and very knowledgeable. At one point we accidentally spilled some tea or sauce on the table, and they immediately cleaned it up with a smile, which we really appreciated. Throughout the evening we felt very well informed, welcomed, and genuinely taken care of.<br><br>The music created a great atmosphere, and the whole experience felt close to perfection.<br><br>We’ll definitely be coming back to try more dishes — especially the duck, which looked incredible.

Beautiful space with beautiful food that honestly just tasted fine. Like everything was good but nothing really blew me away, until the dessert that was stellar.<br><br>Generally shared everything to get a taste of a bunch of things. To start with, the Karaage was really crisp and had a nice sauce. The Oshizushi tasted fresh. House Silken Tofu was very interesting, super duper soft almost like a pudding. Also got the Almond Miso Soup which was divine. Unfortunately did not taste as much almond butter as Id hoped but the broth was incredibly flavorful and super creamy.<br><br>Tried a few of the Binchotan and sides too. Chicken Meatball had a nice marinade. Macaroni Salad was a large portion. Yaki Onigiri was one of my favorite items despite literally just being rice, but the char and the chicken fat wash made it so delish.<br><br>Then came dessert which was def the best dishes. The Rice Cooker Cheesecake was so light and airy and the pumpkin, caramel, and persimmons were such a good touch. Then the Yuzu Soft Serve was one of the best soft serves Ive ever had. Sweet and super tart too, perfect level of creamy too I just couldnt stop eating it. Also the soft serve with the cheesecake in the same bite was a legendary combo.

Was really excited to try this place, have been wanting to go here for a year. My boyfriend and I got reservations for Valentines Day. We had recently come back from a trip to Japan, I am Japanese for context.<br><br>The food was underwhelming. Tasted like vague Japanese flavor with French or American influence. Not what I thought the restaurant would be. Did not feel catered or for Asian people, even though it is Asian cuisine. I would not recommend the black bass, macaroni salad, skewers, or almond miso.<br><br>My favorite was the Wagyu beef tartare with the house bread. Very fun and fresh flavors.<br><br>The service was really lovely and the ambiance was great! Since we were celebrating Vday/our anniversary, they brought us some non alcoholic wine to taste. Fun!<br><br>We will be returning to try the brunch to see if it can redeem this dinner. Will also have lower expectations because it’s clearly not Japanese food, but Japanese inspired for the Brooklyn American palate.

Everything was GREAT. My boyfriend and I had the karaage, gyu don, and the souffle pancake with a yuzu mini soft serve.<br><br>The Karaage was crispy and fresh, I think this may be the best Karaage I’ve had in a long time. The sauces had deep flavors that truly added to the experience<br><br>The gyudon was also great! I usually don’t get to enjoy gyudons because I find the meat too fatty and at times it feels like there’s more onion than beef. I did not find either of these issues with our gyudon.<br><br>The pancake was better than I expected. As a texture person I thought it would be too mushy for my taste, instead it was fluffier than I ever imagined. The honey butter added enough sweetness so I only used the maple syrup occasionally. The yuzu soft serve was a 10/10 in my opinion but my boyfriend found it too citrusy.<br><br>The atmosphere was wonderful, the staff was amazing and even though the place was busy our water cups were never empty. Shout out to Zack for making our experience so awesome.

I was in NYC spontaneously and I've heard about this place, decided to just stroll in solo and try it out for lunch. I had previously seen pictures of the Chicken Katsu Sando on IG and google, and I had a craving for it. I was sat a at the bar, and Brittany (I think?) was super nice and friendly. I ended up chatting up with another solo stranger next to me, and Brittany complimented that it was great to see two strangers connect like that. Truth is, it's probably the vibe that was created at the bar. I've worked in restaurants/bars for a while before, and the timing and the non-verbal skill of waiters/bartenders is hard to teach. Mago was also super down to earth, sharing some knowledge about his passion for wine and jewelry. Finally, Sophia (a waitress) came and offered a yuzu ice cream dessert and a cup of Brooklyn Kura sake, on the house. She mentioned it was simply coz I was giving off good vibes and I also shared the same name as a Michelin star chef (that I'm really not associated with), so she just thought it'd be a dope thing to do. Needless to say, vibes and service were over the top, making it easily one of my best experiences of the weekend. I actually even went back the next evening for a quick drink and appetizer with my wife, and was served by another super chill down to earth bartender (I think it's Steven?).<br><br>Other than the service, the clientele that was there is also a great mix of everything, from gen z to millenials to young boomers, no pretentious feels from the crowd, everyone minding their own business but positively non-verbally interacting with each other too. Somehow, this place attracts the right chemistry of people, even if the patrons don't realize it.<br><br>I only had the chicken katsu sando and the wagyu tartare for food, as well as a sample of that yuzu ice cream.<br>Chicken katsu sando: TENDER chicken, crispy and flaky panko-fried, fluffy bread Japanese style, daikon; brought me right back to Japan<br>Wagyu tartare: 5/5, good acidity without compromising sweetness and flavor. Oh and the bread, shiiiiii you know what i'm saying?<br>Yuzu ice cream sorbet: never had that before, loved it and would totally come back for more! Greatest little sweet sour touch to wrap it up.<br><br>Anyway y'all got me going on a roll here, but it's been a great experience, would definitely recommend and would definitely come back.<br><br>Cheers!

Very nice to hang out with friends! The cocktails are very creative, highly recommend grabbing their fusion drink! The food portion is probably a little bit small for a group of men.

So delicious. Still thinking about the smashed potatoes… I had the Japanese breakfast set and it was perfect with two appetizers to share: not overstuffed or still hungry after. Perfectly content!!! Can’t wait to come back and try more of their dishes. Cozy atmosphere and kind servers made the experience extra memorable!

The menu is so thoughtful including the drinks. We loved trying skate wing for the first time. the Crab Mazemen was our fav dish of the night. The Zabuton Steak was incredible as well! The mushroom special left a little to be desired but it was still solid. The restaurant is beautiful, the staff is so lovely (shoutout to Julio) and we will be coming back to try brunch very soon!

One of my favourite restaurants in the area! Rule of thirds consistently has a great menu, friendly service, in a beautiful setting!<br>Last time I was here, got the corn salad and mazemen (faves), karaage and tuna tartare, as well as the hamachi collar and pork katsu. Highly recommend everything! And if you’re feeling like drinking, the house special sake and cocktails are great.