The hot dog heroes of Dog Day Afternoon expand Into Williamsburg

By Scott Lynch

Joe Boyle and Jay Kerr have been doggy-styling it in Windsor Terrace since the summer of 2021, when they first opened Dog Day Afternoon, a shoebox of a shop named after the famous movie which was filmed down the block, and specializing in Chicago dogs “dragged through the garden” and juicy Italian beef sandwiches.

But though the duo love their little place on Prospect Park West, they were also eager to expand their operation beyond just take-out dogs and nostalgia vibes. For that, they needed a second spot, with a proper kitchen, an actual dining area, and, preferably, booze. Lots of booze.

Fortunately, unbeknownst to Boyle and Kerr, among Dog Day Afternoon’s many fans were Steven Baird and his partners, brothers Ben and Mike Wiley, who own of a bunch of bars in the borough, including Temkin’s in Greenpoint, The Owl Farm in Park Slope, and now a newly opened spot called H&H Reserve on one of Williamsburg’s busiest corners, Metropolitan and Union, across from the iconic Kellogg’s Diner.

“As soon as the [Temkin team] secured this spot they reached out to us on Instagram,” Kerr tells Brooklyn Magazine. “Out of nowhere! Straight up said, ‘We love your food, we want to offer you this opportunity, come on in, see if you like it, we’ll work together.’ And they gave us a kitchen. Dream come true.”

Boyle, who Kerr calls “the brains behind the recipes and food,” is thrilled by all the space. “When I was in there looking at the stove, listening to music while I was cooking, I had tears in my eyes I was so happy,” Boyle says. “Just having this freedom of movement, not having to say ‘behind’ constantly. It’s lovely.”

And with a big new kitchen comes lots of new Dog Day dishes. You still can, and absolutely still should, get that Chicago dog, and the chili cheese beast, and the hot Italian beef.

An $8 Chicago dog with a $10 Negroni (Scott Lynch)

But Boyle now also serves a delicious pork schnitzel sandwich loaded with giardiniera.

Pork schnitzel sandwich with giardiniera; $12 (Scott Lynch)

And then there’s the pizza puff — an ingenious Chicago drunk-food import, which is basically a soft, chewy pastry filled with tomato sauce, lots of cheese, and either sausage or pepperoni.

Hot pocket: A peek inside the pepperoni pizza puff; $12 (Scott Lynch)

There are two terrific fork-requiring things to eat here as well: a pleasantly spicy Frito pie, and a lively jambalaya, both arrive spilling over the top of a classic Greek diner coffee cup. Excellent comfort fare.

Frito pie, my guy; $6 (Scott Lynch)

But the sleeper hit at the new Dog Day Afternoon might be the boat of deep fried oyster mushrooms served with a crock of creamy, garlicky dipping sauce. Somehow it tastes like the ocean. But also earthy. And very good.

You can order your food from your friendly barkeep or at the Dog Day Afternoon window behind back near the pinball machines. H&H Reserve itself has been almost completely renovated from when El Moderno was here, and the vibe is decidedly old man bar. The booze is priced in throwback style too: $10 cocktails, $9 draft pints, $5 bottled beers.

Get your lounge on: The vibe at H&H Reserve (Scott Lynch)

“Our first Saturday night here was one of our busiest, biggest nights ever. Everyone descends on this place, tries to get drunk and get laid and get some food,” says Kerr. “The only other thing I want to say is, I need Al Pacino here. There’s two Dog Day Afternoons now, come eat a fucking hot dog Al!”

Dog Day Afternoon at H&H Reserve is located at 519 Metropolitan Avenue, at the corner of Union Avenue, and is currently open from noon to 2 a.m. daily. Kids are welcome, and encouraged, before 7 p.m., and the bar stays open until 4 a.m.