575 Lorimer Street in Brooklyn is a storied address. It operated as an Italian social club in the 1930s and then transitioned to JR & Son, a neighborhood bar that stood from 1976 until it closed during the pandemic. Now the building’s lights are back on.
JR & Son re-opened May 2 under new ownership and with a reimagined concept. It’s helmed by restaurateur Michelle Lobo (who also operates Nura and Otis) and designer Nico Arze of Walk and Talk Consulting. Executive chef Patricia Vega, formerly of Thai Diner, leads the kitchen alongside pastry chef Amanda Perdomo.
Arze and Matthew Maddy, the restaurant designers responsible for bringing Brooklyn’s nearly century-old Kellogg’s Diner back to life last year, refurbished the 50-seat bar. They did so while paying homage to its past lives, keeping the original black-and-white tile flooring, decorative tile ceilings, and years of memorabilia covering the walls.
“Wherever possible, we retained elements of the old space,” Lobo said. “Everywhere else, we tried to restore elements that we found beneath newer flooring and above drop ceilings. Final touches were to imagine the scene from yesteryear and add finishes accordingly, like the sconces and curtains. It was really about just paying attention to the space itself and responding without any preconceived ideas.”
The designers kept many details from the space’s past, including the checkered flooring and memorabilia.
Vega’s menu features classic New York tavern dishes rooted in Italian-American inspiration. It begins with bread service featuring green olive focaccia and garlic-and-herb Parker House rolls with butter or olive oil. Appetizers include an arancini salad with smoked mozzarella, watercress, and radicchio, stuffed clams, and stracciatella with black olive caramel and bottarga.
There’s a raw bar section with oysters, clams, and shrimp cocktail. Or diners can opt for the Big Ice, a seafood platter containing a bit of everything, plus lobster, Ritz crackers, and multiple sauces.
Pastas include a classic spaghetti and meatballs, paccheri with lobster fra diavolo sauce, and ravioli with mint ricotta, English peas, and Parmesan cheese. Additional entrées include rib-eye steak served with roasted garlic, chicken parm, and a burger loaded with steamed onions, American cheese, and shredded lettuce.
Perdomo’s desserts put a modern spin on Italian favorites. Think orange amaro tiramisu with mascarpone cheese, espresso, Cynar, and cocoa, and a vegan rainbow cookie layer cake made with coconut milk, coconut oil, and toasted coconut.
The Big Ice is a seafood platter loaded with oysters, shrimp, clams, and lobster.
The beverage program leans into amari, with cocktails like Love Theme from Spartacus, made with sparkling wine, Cocchi Americano, Pasubio (an alpine amaro), and rosemary. The Godfather Part IV features blended scotch, bourbon, amaretto, and bitters.
JR & Son serves food until 1 a.m., joining neighbors like Alligator Lounge, which stays open until 4 a.m., and Kellogg’s Diner, which serves food 24 hours a day. This strip of Williamsburg has become a haven for late-night dining.
“Our desire to be open late isn’t because of competition or anything business-related, but a desire to be a gathering spot for industry folks getting off their shifts, and other night owls,” Lobo said.
