You’ve probably heard the hype. Maybe you’ve even tried to snag a reservation at 5:00 PM on a Tuesday only to find the entire week is already blacked out. It’s been nearly a decade since Four Horsemen New York opened its doors on Grand Street, and honestly, the fact that it’s still one of the hardest tables to get in Brooklyn says a lot about our collective obsession with "vibes." But calling it just a vibe is a bit of a disservice. It’s a James Beard Award winner. It’s James Murphy’s (of LCD Soundsystem fame) brainchild. Most importantly, it's the place that basically taught a generation of New Yorkers how to drink funky, cloudy, skin-contact wine without feeling like a pretentious jerk.
Walking in feels like stepping into a cedar-lined sanctuary. It’s warm. The acoustics are, unsurprisingly, perfect. When you have a world-class musician involved in a restaurant, you expect the sound system to be good, but this is different. It’s designed so you can actually hear your friend talking about their failing startup while the music hums at a frequency that feels like a hug.
The LCD Soundsystem Connection and Why It Matters
People love to lead with the celebrity angle. Yes, James Murphy is a co-owner. Yes, his influence is all over the aesthetic and the auditory experience. But if you talk to the regulars or the staff, they’ll tell you the real magic isn't about indie-sleaze royalty. It’s about the team Murphy built, specifically Christina Topsøe, Randy Moon, and Justin Chearno.
Chearno is the guy you need to know about. Before the Four Horsemen New York was a physical reality, he was a buyer at Uva and a massive figure in the natural wine world. He’s the one who curated a list that feels alive. It isn't just a static menu of fermented grapes; it’s a shifting, breathing collection of small-batch producers from the Loire Valley to the Jura. They were doing this before "Orange Wine" became a buzzword on every brunch menu in Manhattan.
The celebrity factor might get people through the door the first time. It doesn't keep them coming back for eight years. You come back because the service is weirdly humble for a place that is objectively "cool." There is no gatekeeping here. If you don't know the difference between a Pet-Nat and a traditional Champagne, the somms will explain it without making you feel like an idiot. That’s rare.
What Are You Actually Eating?
The food here is often overshadowed by the wine list, which is a tragedy. Nick Curtola, the executive chef, manages to do that "simple but impossible to replicate at home" thing. You know the style. Three ingredients on a plate, but those ingredients were sourced from a farm that probably massages its kale.
🔗 Read more: Pink White Nail Studio Secrets and Why Your Manicure Isn't Lasting
Take the bread and butter. It sounds boring. It’s not. It’s sourdough that actually has a structural integrity, served with butter that tastes like the color yellow.
The Menu Staples You Can’t Ignore
Usually, the menu shifts with the seasons, but there are certain signatures that define the kitchen's DNA. The beef tartare is a constant contender for the best in the city. They often use interesting fats or smoked elements to give it depth beyond just "raw meat and egg." Then there's the pasta. It’s handmade, often toothsome, and usually tossed in something bright and acidic to cut through the funk of whatever bottle of Gamay you’ve ordered.
I've seen them do a kohlrabi salad that changed the way I think about root vegetables. Seriously. It was shaved thin, hitting that perfect balance of crunch and salt. It’s the kind of cooking that rewards you for paying attention but doesn't demand that you bow down to the chef.
Natural Wine: It’s Not Just "Vinegar"
There is a huge misconception that the Four Horsemen New York only serves wine that tastes like kombucha gone wrong. That’s just wrong. While they definitely championed the "low-intervention" movement, the cellar is incredibly diverse.
What is natural wine, anyway?
💡 You might also like: Hairstyles for women over 50 with round faces: What your stylist isn't telling you
- Organic or biodynamic viticulture (no pesticides).
- Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts (no lab-grown stuff).
- Little to no added sulfites.
- No heavy filtration.
At Four Horsemen, they find the bottles that represent the best of this philosophy. You can get something "clean" and classic that tastes like a crisp mineral dream, or you can go deep into the "mousey" and wild stuff if that’s your jam. The point is the selection. It’s curated by people who actually drink this stuff every night, not just people looking at profit margins.
The Sound of the Room
We have to talk about the wood. The interior is clad in light-colored slats that serve a dual purpose: they look incredible (very Scandinavian-meets-Japanese) and they diffuse sound. In a city where most restaurants are literal echo chambers of clinking forks and screaming patrons, the Four Horsemen New York is an acoustic anomaly.
They use a custom-built sound system. It’s not just "good speakers." It’s about the placement. It’s about the dampening. It’s about the fact that Murphy and his partners realized that if you're spending $100 on a bottle of wine, you probably want to be able to have a conversation without shouting. This attention to detail is what separates a "celebrity project" from a "passion project."
The Hard Truth About Reservations
Look, it’s tough. They use Resy. Slots open up at midnight, and they vanish in seconds. If you’re trying to go on a Friday night, you better have your finger on the trigger.
Pro-tip: Go for lunch. Or a late-afternoon weekend snack. The vibe is different—sunlight pours into the front windows, and it feels less like a "scene" and more like a neighborhood hangout. Plus, the walk-in situation at the bar is much more manageable at 3:00 PM on a Saturday. You can sit there, order some olives, a glass of something orange, and just people-watch. It’s one of the best seats in Brooklyn.
📖 Related: How to Sign Someone Up for Scientology: What Actually Happens and What You Need to Know
Why Does It Still Matter?
In a city that eats its young, restaurants rarely stay relevant for this long. They usually peak at year two, become a tourist trap by year four, and close by year six. The Four Horsemen New York avoided this by staying consistent. They didn't expand into a massive empire. They didn't start selling branded t-shirts at Target. They just kept buying great wine and making great food.
There's a sense of integrity here. Even when the "natural wine" trend eventually cools off—and it will, as all trends do—this place will still be full. Because at its core, it’s just a really good restaurant. It’s not trying to be a "concept." It’s just trying to be a place where you can drink something interesting and eat something delicious.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you're planning to head to Grand Street, don't just wing it. You'll end up standing on the sidewalk feeling disappointed.
- The Midnight Stakeout: Set a Resy alert. If you really want a specific date, be on the app at midnight sharp ten days out.
- The Bar Move: If you’re a party of two, don't even bother with a table. Show up right when they open for the bar seats. You get the full menu and better interaction with the staff.
- Trust the Somm: Don't order the name you recognize. Tell the server what you usually like (e.g., "I like a heavy Cabernet" or "I want something that tastes like a salt breeze") and let them pick. This is how you discover the producers like Cornelissen or Ganevat before they become impossible to find.
- Don't Skip Dessert: Often, they have a simple panna cotta or a seasonal tart that is the perfect foil to the high-acid wines you’ve been drinking.
- Explore the Neighborhood: Since you're already in Williamsburg, use the wait time to hit up some of the other spots nearby. Dayglow for coffee or the various vintage shops on Bedford are all within walking distance.
The Four Horsemen New York isn't just a place to see and be seen. It's a masterclass in how to build a brand that lasts by focusing on the things that actually matter: sound, light, taste, and hospitality. Forget the "cool" factor for a second and just go for the wine. You won't regret it.