‘Big shoes to fill’: Carroll Gardens staple Bar Bruno to take over Enid’s spot in Greenpoint

By Gabe Friedman

For 15 years, the corner of Driggs and Manhattan Avenues in Greenpoint was one of the borough’s most hopping intersections: On the western side of the street was Bar Matchless, a grungy venue that hosted metal bands and tattooed locals (R.I.P. to a great breakfast burrito). On the eastern side was Enid’s, known equally for its tasty brunch menu and its dance parties that raged into the morning hours.

Matchless closed New Year’s day 2018 and Enid’s followed suit the year after—not for a rent increase or other non-amicable reasons—leaving the corner shuttered and quiet. When Enid’s closed, a manager said “it’s time to make some room for new pioneers.” But three years later, the bar remains boarded up.

That’s about to change. Bar Bruno, a self-described laidback Mexican bistro and bar that has become a local favorite in its first decade in Carroll Gardens, will expand into a second location, in the former Enid’s spot.

The Bar Bruno spread (courtesy Bar Bruno)

Co-owner Shannon Kimball, a veteran of the former vegan pioneer Angelica Kitchen, says the location will open for a test run for friends and family members in the next four to six weeks, with a formal opening soon after. The menu—which in Carroll Gardens features a mix of tacos, burgers, salads and other Mexican-inspired dishes— will be the same.

Kimball used to frequent Enid’s and concedes that it left “very big shoes to fill.”

“Everyone has a story about that spot,” she says. “Our location [in Carroll Gardens] is also a very special neighborhood spot. So I think that we are a perfect fit to continue the legacy.”

The Secret Origin of … Enid’s Bar in Greenpoint ! ⁦@Greenpointers⁩ from my comic series “Greenpoint of View” pic.twitter.com/pSbjEOpGkM

— Tony Wolf (@tonywolfness) March 18, 2022

Besides being a go-to for neighborhood locals and young families, Bar Bruno is also notable for its large mural of the decidedly un-Mexican Northern Irish soccer player George Best, a star in the 1960s and ‘70s, with his quote: “I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.”

The bar’s original owners, before Kimball, were just huge fans of the late Manchester United legend, she explains.

“They had to relocate, I believe they moved to Hawaii,” she says.

The Greenpoint location already sports an exact replica of the mural. Inside, it features Day of the Dead-themed wallpaper imported from a boutique in London, and phrases lit up in neon.
Will the new bar keep the party going until 5 a.m. like its predecessor? It’s unclear—Kimball says the location will “take on a mind of its own” over time.

“We’re not pitching ourselves as a family friendly restaurant 24/7. I hope it’s a really cool place for people to come at night,” she says. “But I also want to cater to the school parents that are there for brunch with their kids during the day, and then want to come out with their girlfriends or guy friends at night, when the kids are home with the babysitter.”