Bushwick Gallery Guide Updated

By Charles Kessler

Note: On the right sidebar under "Gallery and Museum Guides" is a pdf file of this guide that can be downloaded. The numbers on the map represent bars and restaurants; these are listed below, after the gallery listings.

Three galleries closed since my last update in February: 950 Hart, Botanic and Kesting/Ray — but at least nine galleries opened, bringing the total to an amazing thirty-nine. They're spread out over a large area; what is being called “Bushwick” actually includes parts of East Williamsburg and Ridgewood, Queens. If you have the energy, it’s possible to do it all in one day (it's about 4 1/2 miles), but you can easily split the tour into eastern and western sections if you prefer. For the eastern section, you can take the L train to Morgan Avenue and go out the Bogart Street exit (toward the back of the train if you’re coming from the west). 56 Bogart, a building with 10 galleries, is across the street from the exit. For the western section, you can start from the Dekalb Avenue L subway station and return via the Jefferson Street L (at Wyckoff and Troutman).

Some galleries are open Friday - Monday, 1 - 6 pm, and most are open at least Sundays. Others, however, are only open by appointment and for openings. It's a good idea to check gallery websites (their names below are linked to their websites), email them, or call the galleries in advance to confirm. It’s also a good idea to take the gallery phone numbers with you because in some cases you may need be let in.

Alphabetical Listing of Bushwick Art Galleries

319 Scholes, 319 Scholes Street, no phone listed,  email: lindsay@319scholes.org.

Active Space, The, 566 Johnson Ave., buzz 5 to be toured through, no phone listed.

Agape Enterprise, 56 Bogart Street, (718) 417-0037, email: info@agapeenterprise.com.

Airplane, 70 Jefferson Street - basement, (central Avenue is a more pleasant street to take to this gallery than the safe but bleak Evergreen Avenue), (646) 345-9394, email: airplanegallery@gmail.com. 

Bogart Salon, 56 Bogart Street, (203) 249-8843, email: bogartsalon@gmail.com.

Bull and Ram, 17-17 Troutman #226, no phone listed, email: bullandram226@gmail.com.

C.C.C.P., 56 Bogart Street, (917) 974-9664, email: cccp@mindspring.com.

Centotto, 250 Moore Street #108, call (908) 338-3590 to be let in, email: postuccio@gmail.com.

CLEARING, 505 Johnson Avenue #10, (347) 383-2256, email: desk@c-l-e-a-r-i-n-g.com.

English Kills, 114 Forrest Street, (use door to the garden on the right), (917) 375-6266, 

email: info@englishkillsartgallery.com

et al Projects, 56 Bogart Street, (914) 498-8328, email: adam@etalprojects.com.

Ethan Pettit Contemporary, 119 Ingraham Street, no phone listed, email: ep@ethanpettitgallery.com.

Grace Exhibition Space, 840 Broadway, 2nd Floor, (646) 578-3402.

Grimm Schultz, 313 Linden Street, Studio B, no phone listed, email: info@grimmschultz.com.

Interstate Projects, 66 Knickerbocker Avenue, no phone listed, email: tom@interstateprojects.com.

IV Soldiers Gallery, 184 Noll Street, no phone listed, email: ivsoldiers@gmail.com.

Living Gallery, The, 1087 Flushing Avenue, no phone listed, email: thelivinggallery@gmail.com.

Luhring Augustine, 25 Knickerbocker Avenue, (212) 206-9100, email: info@luhringaugustine.com.

Microscope, 4 Charles Place, (347) 925-1433, email: info@microscopegallery.com.

Momenta Art, 56 Bogart, (718) 218-8058, email via their website.

Norte Maar, 83 Wyckoff Avenue, (646) 361-8512, email via their website.

NURTUREart, 56 Bogart Street, (718) 782-7755, email: gallery@nurtureart.org. 

OUTLET, 253 Wilson, no phone listed, email: info@OUTLETBK.com. This gallery will be changing its name, email address and website often. Get on their mailing list if you want to stay in touch.

Panoply Performance Lab, 104 Meserole, no phone listed, email: panoplylab@gmail.com.

Parallel Art Space, 17-17 Troutman Street, no phone listed, email: parallelartspace@gmail.com.

Parlour, The, 791 Bushwick Avenue, (718) 360-3218, email:  info@theparlourbushwick.com.

Regina Rex, 17-17 Troutman Street, ring bell #329, (646) 467-2232, email: info[at]reginarex.org.

Robert Henry Contemporary, 56 Bogart Street, (718) 473-0819, email: info@roberthenrycontemporary.com.

Sardine, 286 Stanhope Street, no phone or email listed.

Secret Project Robot, 389 Melrose Street, no phone listed, email: rachel@secretprojectrobot.org. 

Slag Contemporary, 56 Bogart Street, (212) 967-9818, email: info@SlagGallery.com.

Small Black Door, 19-20 Palmetto Street, no phone listed, email: smallblackdoor@gmail.com.

StorefrontBushwick, 16 Wilson Avenue, (917) 714-3813, email: StorefrontBushwick@gmail.com. 

Studio 10, 56 Bogart Street, (718) 852-4396, email: studio10bogart@gmail.com.

SUGAR , 449 Troutman Street, #3-5, ring bell #21, (718) 417-1180, email: sugar@sugarbushwick.com. 

THEODORE:Art, 56 Bogart Street, (212) 966-4324, email: theodoreart@gmail.com. 

Valentine, 464 Seneca Avenue, (718) 381-2962, email: valentineridgewood@gmail.com. 

Weeknights, 566 Johnson Avenue, Studio #27, (201) 953-4062, email: weeknightsgallery@gmail.com. 

Weldon Arts , 181-R Irving Avenue, (347) 955-4455, email: info@weldonarts.net. 

Bushwick Open Studios (BOS), Bogart Street, June 7, 2012.

If you’re going to spend a day gallery-going, you’ll want to stop occasionally at a bar or restaurant for some rest and recuperation. Bushwick is blessed with many excellent ones, and they’re usually a lot less expensive than you’ll find in Manhattan. They're grouped geographically below, and when available, I linked the name of the bar or restaurant to its website. The map was too crowded to include the names of the restaurants and bars, so they are indicated by number. The map was also too crowded to include coffee spots, but two of my favorites are Swallow, 49 Bogart Street, across the street from 56 Bogart; and The Loom, 1087 Flushing Avenue, in the same building as The Living Gallery.  

Recommended Bushwick Restaurants and Bars

1.  Roberta's Restaurant — 261 Moore Street, (718) 417-1118, open daily from 11am - midnight. This is Bushwick’s most famous restaurant, and one of the most unique restaurants in New York. For all that, it’s relatively inexpensive — maybe expensive for Bushwick, but not for Manhattan. Expect a wait. 

2.   MoMo Sushi Shack — 43 Bogart Street, (718) 418-6666, open Tuesday - Sunday from noon - 3:30pm and 6pm - 10:30pm; and Friday and Saturday until midnight. This is the best Japanese food I've had outside of California (I haven’t been to Per Se). Again, maybe a bit expensive for Bushwick, but not for Manhattan, and not for this quality. 

3.   Shinobi Ramen — 53 Morgan Ave (entrance on Grattan Street between Morgan & Bogart), no phone listed, open Monday - Thursday from 6pm to 11pm; Friday and Saturdays, 6pm to 11:30pm; closed on Sundays. This is a small, friendly place where people share long tables. The prices are more typical of Bushwick. (The nearby MoMo and Roberta’s also have communal seating — it must be a Bushwick thing.) BYOB. 

4.   Brooklyn Fireproof Cafe and Bar — 119 Ingraham Street, (347) 223-4211. The kitchen is open daily from 10am - 11pm; and Saturday and Sunday from 6pm - 11pm. The bar is open late. They have an outside courtyard where there’s often live music; and behind the bar is a room that’s sometimes used for art exhibitions.

5.   983 — 983 Flushing Avenue, (718) 386-1133, open 7 days a week from 10am - 2am. They’re a new restaurant that displaced a local favorite, but they have in turn become a popular neighborhood spot.

6.   Narrows Bar — 1037 Flushing Avenue, (281) 827-1800, open Monday - Friday from 5pm - 4am; Saturday and Sunday from 4pm - 4am. They have a pleasant back yard.

7.   Dear Bushwick — 41 Wilson Avenue,  (949) 234-2344, open every day from 5 - 11 pm (bar is open until 1pm on weekends). This is a new pub that specializes in English country food.

8.   Tandem Bar — 236 Troutman Street, (718) 386-2369, hours not listed, but they’re open late. Some food. 

9.   Mama Joy’s — 1084 Flushing Avenue, across from the Loom, (347) 295-2227, open every day from 11am; the bar is open until 2am. This is a very friendly new place that serves good Southern soul food at great prices. Try their shrimp and grits. 

10.   Cafe Ghia — 24 Irving Avenue, (718) 821-8806. The kitchen is open Sunday - Thursday from 10am - 11pm; and Friday and Saturday, 10am -12am. Popular small storefront cafe/bar.

11.   Arepera Guacuco — 44 Irving Avenue, (347) 305-3300, open Monday - Wednesday from noon - 11 pm; Thursday - Friday, noon - 12am; Saturday, 11am - 12am; Sunday 11am - 11pm. Excellent and inexpensive arepas and other Venezuelan specialties. 

12.   Northeast Kingdom — 18 Wyckoff Avenue, (718) 386-3864, open for lunch Monday - Friday from 11:30 - 2:30pm; for dinner, Sunday - Wednesday, 6 - 11pm,  and Thursday - Saturday, 6 - 11:30pm. The bar is open late. Pretty good burgers. 

13.   Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos — 271 Starr Street, (718) 456-3422, open Monday - Friday from noon to 9pm. Very inexpensive, and not bad. 

14.   The Bodega Bar — 24 Saint Nicholas Avenue, (646) 924-8488, open daily from 11:30am - 2am; and until 3am Friday and Saturday. Craft beer and some good sandwiches and small plates. 

15.   Mazelle — 247 Starr Street, (347) 425-7675, open weekdays from 5 - 11 pm; weekends, 11am - 4am, closed Mondays. A new bar/restaurant that serves Russian and Ukrainian food.

16.   Skytown — 921 Broadway, (347) 921-2911; the kitchen is open daily from 8:30am -10pm. The bar is open late.  Nice looking new bar/cafe near Microscope, Airplane and The Parlour galleries.

17.   Little Skips — 941 Willoughby Avenue, (718) 484-0980, open 7am - 9pm every day except weekends when they open at 8:30am. A popular coffee cafe with some food.  Near Microscope, Airplane and The Parlour galleries.

18.   255 Cafe — 255 Wilson Avenue, (347) 985-2399, open Monday - Thursday from 10am - 8pm. This is a generally Spanish restaurant, sort of Mexican/Cuban. The pastelitos are supposed to be good.

19.   Monteros Mexican Grill — 173 Irving Avenue, (347) 533-7857, open every day from 8am - 10pm. They offer a strange combination of pizza and Mexican grill. 

20.   Bon Asian Spice — 140 St Nicholas Avenue, (347) 787-7876, open Monday - Saturday from 11am – 10pm; closed Sunday. Pan Asian food. 

21.   Caribe Star — 54-55 Myrtle Avenue, (718) 386-0387, open Sunday - Thursday from 8am - midnight; and Friday and Saturday, 8am - 1am. Authentic Dominican-American food.