The former Thomas Beisl changes hands and becomes Berlyn, run by a couple with roots and resumes in Berlin and featuring "regional German" and "new Brooklyn" food. The most important thing, aesthetically, that the new owners have done (aside from applying fresh coats of paint and cleaning the place to a shine) is open the oft-shuttered windows looking out on Lafayette, a move that made the old Thomas Beisl feel stuffy and cavernous. Berlyn, in contrast, is warm and inviting. The seating is intimate, and the bar keeps patrons within normal speaking range of the bartender no matter where they're sitting.

As for the food, our visit just a few weeks after the restaurant opened showed no signs of the usual early hiccups eateries experience. The frikadellen are the perfect level of moist, with even texture and plenty of flavor. The landsalat and hearty greens are both phenomenal appetizers, with the latter really hitting it out of the park with a bacon dressing, frisee, and a poached egg on top. For entrees, the bratwurst and cured ham, the delectable weiner schnitzel, and the skirt steak are winners in every way possible. Make sure to get a side of some of the best red cabbage in the borough to put on everything.