Hollow Nickel — Restaurant in New York

This is a really nice looking bar with a cool vibe and a really warm, cozy, inviting feel to the place thanks to the decor, the candle lit tables, the bookshelves full of GASP REAL BOOKS, the homey chairs and the modest fireplace.

Now that I've gotten most of the pros out of the way I can focus on why I'm giving this place 3 stars. The beer selection is ok. Fantastic maybe in the Mid-west, but this is Brooklyn - the supposed land of awesome beer outside of Europe - the beer list is meh. So is their wine list (if I remember correctly...which I'm pretty sure I do), the cocktail list is pretty great, over-priced for where we are, but still pretty damn delicious looking.

I ended up getting a Hoegaarden (a refreshingly crisp beer brewed in Belgium and consumed by me many, many times) and my friend ordered an IPA which she may have not been too crazy about - but at this point we had certainly had enough to drink from a bar hop and a Yelp event - lol.

My other friend raged hard on the Shirley Temples because she was responsibly trying to not get wrecked since she had a job interview in the morning. Smart lady.

We did have the munchies and wanted to try something off the menu so we settled on herb-crusted cheese & gravy fries. Oh surprise, they were out of grave (it's like barely 9ish mind you, who's out of gravy????? With this dish being the only thing on the menu that required gravy how could they be out? I take it everyone comes here for the gravy fries and only the gravy fries...

I asked for ranch sauce in place of the gravy, a friend asked if they had chipotle mayo and they said they'd make some for her - then I asked for regular mayo and surprise they ran out. Ugh.

So the fries come (after a decent waiting period, thank goodness for my beer) and they the top layer (and only the top layer) is covered in some flavorless white cheese. At first my girlfriends liked them, I pointed out the cheese wasn't good and so they both sampled the cheese without fries and came to the conclusion that I was right.

The fries alone were pretty damn delicious, real win here - but later when we got the check we realized we were charged for our ranch. We explicitly asked if we could get it in place of the gravy they ran out of and were told yes, mind you they also ran out of mayo. How does one run out of condiments?

Our waiter was super attentive though so it's tough to blame him because his service was spot on. I blame the kitchen folks or whoever does the shopping - buy more mayo, more gravy making ingredients (assuming you're not buying pre-made gravy, le sigh) and a better quality melty cheese - that white stuff was not good and actually took away from the fries.

I'd come back here if in the neighborhood, but I wouldn't go out of my way to leave my nooks in Queens or Manhattan to come here if I didn't...

On a quiet Tuesday evening my friend and I decided to grab a bite to eat at Hollow Nickel. We walk in the door take a look around waiting to be greeted and seated. After a few seconds we assumed customer's seat themselves. So we chose a table and waited. Approximately 5 minutes after seating ourselves a staff member from the kitchen brought food out to the table across from us. We greeted him in hopes of at least a greeting in return. Our greeting from him was "you order at the bar" and he walks away! We brushed it off made our final decisions and ordered at the bar. The bartender hands me our soft drinks and a table number. I bring our drinks and table number to our table. A bit later we received our food without utensils and napkins. We had the chicken quesadilla and a burger so we attempted to enjoy our food without making too much of a mess on our faces. Not once were we asked if everything was ok or if we needed anything else. We then came to the conclusion that this is a restaurant/bar without wait staff. We received our bill of $31 and split it down the middle $15.50 each. To my surprise I checked my bank account and had a charge of $17.50 from Hollow Nickel. I gave them a call once they opened. A manager by the name of Kane was pleasant and helpful. He sent me a picture of my receipt showing someone changed my total to 17.50! They also changed my friend's receipt to reflect the same. It's really unfortunate to have this happen. It is only $2 but it's in no way professional or acceptable to change a customer's receipt. I go in to get my money back and I receive a nonchalant apology from another manager (I assume). From that apology it seems like this is a customary act from their establishment. Stealing shouldn't be...

Yelp Review for hollow nickel- Bartender Danny G (12/27)

I visited hollow nickel on 12/27 with a friend, and unfortunately, our experience with the bartender, Danny, was extremely disappointing and disheartening.

From the start, Danny was dismissive and rude, but the situation escalated when I politely inquired about a change on our bill. Instead of providing a clear explanation, he responded with aggression and a loud tone, completely uncalled for, especially as I—a Black woman—was simply asking a question. To make matters worse, he sarcastically asked if I wanted him to add an extra $2 to the bill, further belittling me in front of other patrons.

The bar was predominantly filled with Caucasian customers, and my friend and I were the only Black people present. This dynamic made Danny’s behavior feel even more targeted and uncomfortable. His hostility continued throughout the night, creating an unwelcoming and tense atmosphere that made it hard for us to enjoy ourselves.

No one should feel singled out, disrespected, or unsafe when out for a good time. I hope management addresses this incident seriously and provides proper training to ensure all customers—regardless of race—are treated with respect and dignity. I won’t be returning anytime soon.

Please note, I have been here several times when other bartenders were working and had a...