Claro: Oaxacan Cooking and Mezcal in Gowanus
Claro is chef TJ Steele’s Oaxacan restaurant on 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, where masa is nixtamalized and stone-ground in house and the moles, cheeses and chorizo are all made from scratch. It is a fully gluten-free kitchen that earned a Michelin star from 2019 to 2023 and remains one of Brooklyn’s benchmark Mexican rooms.
The best seats are outside: a tree-shaded backyard strung with lights and an open fire where you can watch tortillas hit the comal while sipping a frozen mezcal cocktail. Dinner is served nightly (except Tuesday and Wednesday), with reservations and walk-ins both welcome.
What to Expect
Claro does not market a discounted happy hour, but it opens for bar service Thursday through Sunday from 3:30 to 5:30pm. That early window is the time to grab a walk-in seat at the bar, order a mezcal margarita and a few a la carte plates before the dinner menu takes over at 5:30pm.
The Room
A warm, craft-focused Oaxacan room whose showpiece is the string-lit backyard with an outdoor bar and open kitchen. The vibe is special-occasion but relaxed, with mezcal and house tortillas at the center.
Who Claro Is For
| Occasion | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Patio mezcal drinks | The tree-shaded backyard bar is the spot for a frozen mezcal cocktail. |
| Special-occasion dinner | A former Michelin-starred kitchen making everything by hand. |
| Pre-dinner bar walk-in | Bar service Thursday to Sunday from 3:30pm welcomes walk-ins before dinner. |
| Gluten-free dining | The entire kitchen is gluten-free, with house-ground corn tortillas. |
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Claro FAQ
Does Claro have a happy hour?
Not a discounted one. But the bar opens for walk-ins Thursday through Sunday from 3:30 to 5:30pm for mezcal cocktails and a la carte snacks before dinner.
Is Claro still open?
Yes. Despite an outdated ‘closed’ tag on some listings, Claro is open and serving dinner nightly except Tuesday and Wednesday.
Where is Claro?
It is at 284 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, Brooklyn, near the R train at Union St.
What are the dinner hours?
Dinner runs from 5:30pm: Sunday, Monday and Thursday until 9:30pm, and Friday and Saturday until 10:30pm. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Happy hour times and deals last verified June 2026. Details can change — confirm with Claro before visiting for a specific deal.