Retro-future Italian joint w/ insane maximalist design. Creative cocktails, unique pastas & decadent pork rib Parm.
Café Mars, a new Gowanus restaurant, offers an 'unusual Italian' experience with unique starters, creative pastas, and distinctive main courses.
Amber Sutherland-Namako reviews Café Mars, a unique Italian restaurant in Gowanus, highlighting its retro-future ambiance, creative cocktails, and standout dishes like baked potato gnocchi and pork rib Parm.
Step into a retro-future spaceship at Café Mars, an unusual Italian restaurant in Gowanus. This spot dazzles with its creative cocktails like the 'Sonic Rickey' and playful starters such as 'jell-olives'. Standout dishes include the decadent pork rib Parm and the surprisingly delightful baked potato gnocchi, all served in a stylish and fun atmosphere.
Cafe Mars offers an unusual Italian experience with a focus on creative dishes. Standouts include baked potato gnocchi and a decadent pork rib Parm. The pasta dishes are highly recommended, with many diners stating they haven't had a bad menu item.
"Standout dishes include the decadent pork rib Parm, the surprisingly delightful baked potato gnocchi, and an Italian take on Japanese naporitan spaghetti. Negroni Jell-o shots and 'jell-olives' are also mentioned as unique starters."
Customers overwhelmingly praise Cafe Mars, describing it as an awesome and enjoyable experience with fun, creative elements and elevated food.
Important Note
One reviewer found the 'Sonic Rickey' cocktail to be a bit too sweet for their personal taste, though they appreciated its assertiveness.
"The original poster notes that Cafe Mars is a great recommendation but they have dined there recently for another celebration and are looking for a different place."
Neutral"Cafe Mars is recommended as a good option."
Neutral"This user recommended Cafe Mars, stating that it has a unique atmosphere suitable for a birthday celebration."
Positive"Cafe Mars was recommended as a place with a private dining area."
Positive"The commenter mentions the "crazy water" associated with the Parmesan aged crudo at Cafe Mars."
Positive"Cafe Mars appears to be the type of imaginative, mid-priced Italian spot the user was looking for and plans to check it out."
Positive"Cafe Mars is described as great."
Positive"Cafe Mars in Brooklyn is recommended for its delicious and non-ordinary pasta dishes."
Positive"User called Cafe Mars awesome and praised it as a different kind of Italian place in NYC that delivers."
Positive"User recommended Cafe Mars, suggesting going with a group to get the set menu, describing it as delicious and fun."
Positive"Based on multiple visits including holidays and random dinners, the author calls Cafe Mars "awesome", praising its fun, creative atmosphere, elevated food, and great overall experience, stating they haven't had a bad menu item."
Positive"After being provided a link, the author commented that Cafe Mars "Looks good.""
Neutral"Reporting on a visit ~3 months prior, the author found Cafe Mars "unhinged in the best possible way" and enjoyable, praising its fun elements like choose-your-own-glass, negroni Jell-o shots, Italian naporitan spaghetti, and overall sense of humor."
Positive"The author asks if Cafe Mars has maintained its quality since opening, mentioning they enjoyed it a lot during two visits when it was new."
Positive"The author simply mentions "Cafe mars in Brooklyn" as an example in the discussion about creative restaurant designs."
Neutral"In response to a comment about the iconic but closed Mars 2112, the author highlights Cafe Mars in Gowanus as a current example of creative design, describing it as an "insane maximalist Italian joint" that is "quite solid"."
Positive
