Socceria is located at 46 Norman Avenue, at the corner of Guernsey Place. Hours are still to be determined, but the place will be open this coming weekend, June 6 and 7, and then again for the start of the World Cup on June 11. Keep an eye on their Instagram page for news and updates.
Tania Apolinar and Gio Cervantes have fed me so many amazing things over the last five years—first, at their game-changing Taqueria Ramirez in Greenpoint, then at Carnitas Ramirez in the East Village—that it took zero hype or even further information to get me stoked to eat at their new sports bar/restaurant, Socceria.
That Socceria was located in the former Nura space, a stunner that had me swooning at first sight back in 2022, only sealed the already-sealed deal even tighter. And then when I heard that Cervantes planned on making cantina breakfast classics like chilaquiles and something called “the ultimate huevos rancheros?” Forget it, buddy—I’m smitten before even walking in the door.
Photo by Scott Lynch
And I’m not the only one, obviously. Apolinar told Brooklyn Magazine that Socceria’s opener last Saturday, for the UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, was booked solid three minutes after she made the announcement on Instagram. I managed to snag a seat though, and everything about the day—the food, the room, the crowd, the crew—made me think, This is the greatest sports bar I’ve ever been to. So good, so friendly, so much fun.
Photo by Scott Lynch
Let’s talk about the soccer-watching part of the experience first. The basic layout is the same as it was with Nura, with that big wrap-around bar, plush banquettes lining the walls, and tables filling the floor. Now, though, almost every seat also gives you a view of a massive screen bolted to the back. And the high ceilings, the big windows up front, and the huge skylight near the open kitchen make the place feel airy and bright.
Photo by Scott Lynch
Plus, Socceria is a table service restaurant, so not only is capacity limited to a reasonable number of people, but there’s also no fighting through a mob scene at the bar to get another round. Yes, you can get rowdy and loud, as the mostly-Arsenal fans did on day one, but you’re not packed in standing-room-only style. I wouldn’t call it “refined”; a Ramirez joint is too cool for that. But I would definitely call it comfortable.
Do whatever it takes to get here for at least a game or two during the World Cup, which starts on June 11 (Mexico plays in the first game of the whole tournament, so expect Socceria to be extra lit that day) and runs through July 19.
Chilaquiles rojas, $20 (Photo by Scott Lynch)
And even when there’s no big game on—which, obviously, is most days of the year—the food at Socceria is so great that it functions as both a terrific local spot and a destination-worthy restaurant. Cervantes’ cantina menu right now focuses on brunchy stuff, and everything I had on opening day was delicious. The chilaquiles, which I ordered rojo rather than verde, were fire; the chips just the exact right amount of soggy under all that runny egg, salty queso fresco, tangy crema, and seriously kicky sauce.
Campechano sope with carne asada and chorizo verde, $12 (Photo by Scott Lynch)
There’s a stellar sope, a thick, dense blue corn tortilla that’s structured like a small plate and can be filled with juicy carne asada, funky chorizo verde, or (the obvious choice) both. The quesadilla de queso can be stuffed in various ways, but if you want to go simple, the epazote option, with just two jaggedy leaves of the pungent herb, packs a wallop. I doused all of these dishes with both of Socceria’s excellent salsas, and I suggest you do the same.
Quesadilla de queso with epazote (Photo by Scott Lynch)
Other things served until 4:00 p.m. include a tlacoyo filled with black beans and topped with sautéed nopales, huevos ahogados in pasilla sauce with both rice and tortillas, a few tacos from Carnitas Ramirez, and a big bowl of pork pozole rojo, which I didn’t notice on the menu until after I was already full. Next time, I’m starting with that. The Brazil vs Morocco game could be a good one in the opening round.
The Ramirez burger (Photo by Scott Lynch)
After 4:00, Cervantes switches things up with a happy hour menu headlined by the fabled Ramirez burger, a beef and longaniza patty marinated in pastor adobo and made messy with melted sharp cheddar and habanero aioli (a familiar sight to anyone who caught the Ramirez team during their pop-up days over at the Mallard Drake). There’s also chicken wings al pastor available and a Ramirez hot dog wrapped in bacon.
(Photo by Scott Lynch)
Cocktails (a mojito, a margarita clasica, a tequila and grapefruit palomazo, etc.) cost $16, the $8 draft beers are from eight different countries, and a glass of wine will set you back $12. And if you don’t feel like day-drinking, the agua frescas are lively and refreshing.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Socceria partner Josh Borock, who first got the idea for opening a sports bar like this four years ago while traveling with his son for a soccer tournament in Spain. “It’s the dream venue, on the dream corner, in the dream neighborhood. And everyone in the crew has a magic skill. We feel very, very lucky.”
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