8 Bit Bites

8 Bit Bites is a halal smash-burger shop with a retro video game theme, and the Court Street restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn is where it all began in 2022. The decor leans into the 1980s and 1990s, with pixel art, nostalgic touches and vintage games, but it is a family-friendly burger joint rather than a bar or full arcade. The owner has said the idea started half as a joke, and it has since grown to locations in Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, Staten Island and Centereach on Long Island. The Court Street shop draws students, families and late-night crowds from the Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill side of Downtown.

Smash burgers are the headline, served alongside fried chicken sandwiches, tenders, wings, loaded fries, tots and hand-spun shakes. The meat is halal, which makes it a favorite for groups with mixed dietary needs, and the menu is easy to navigate with kids. 8 Bit Bites was featured by the YouTuber New York Turk in 2025, on a halal burger tour of the city. The shop keeps late hours, so it works after a movie or a night out downtown, and it also does delivery across the surrounding neighborhoods. Order a double smash burger and loaded fries to share, then take a walk down Court Street toward Cobble Hill or up to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.