Dolores

The last time I visited 397 Tompkins Avenue in Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy was when the queer bar Oddly Enough stood in its place. Even then, I found it quite odd that the space was a bit of a dim, lounge-like something, particularly with the amount of personality and color that exploded out onto the streets. Now, a new cantina dedicated to Mexican culture resides in its stead, its bright green facade signaling just a fraction of the vibrancy that is found inside. 

Even though we are well past its July debut, Dolores always reads a little like summer—excitable chatter, clinking of cocktails (some of which are in cutesy cactus vessels) and clatter of shuffling dominoes. Some of that lived-in warmth can be attributed to owners Cressida Greening and Emir Duperyon, who have a knack for creating a homey space. The couple ran Winona's for five years before it sadly closed its doors in December 2025. 

For this cozy cantina, Duperyon draws on his childhood spent in Mexico City, crafting a menu of deep-green ceviches with calamari and snappy shrimp, braised beef tongue, cochnita pibil tacos and specials that feature fajitas and enchiladas, depending on the day of your visit. Co-owner and beverage director Leanne Favre (previously of Clover Club and Leyenda) also transports guests to the sunny streets of Mexico with a cocktail menu that features white Negronis sweetened with tepache and a spicy play on a rum and Coke with jerk-infused tequila. The pinky michelada, however, is the star, one that we wish we could bottle and take to the beach if we could. But we figure it is best to enjoy it in-house, as the soft, foamy head fragrant with hints of orange and strawberries likely wouldn't survive the trip.