^^I believe that is the real reason NYU went after Polytechnic University to merge. It’s well known NYU has been on a real estate buying spree in Manhattan, and Poly’s acquisition of the then dilapidated real estate in downtown Brooklyn to build MetroTech must make it very attractive. That’s probably billions of dollars right there.
If you have any frame of reference for what Brooklyn was like back in the 70’s and 80’s and if you haven’t been back, it is totally mind-boggling the pace of gentrification which on some streets seems to be happening hourly. I lived in Brooklyn Heights back in the late 70’s and it was a great neighborhood but even then it was pricey… certainly compared to Park Slope which began to be rediscovered in the early 70’s. it seems laughable now but back then I would not have walked from the subway to our friend’s brownstone by myself. DH and I once looked at a spectacular triplex apartment in a brownstone in Boerum Hilll that was literally across the street from the housing projects. Back then a questionable decision, today nobody would bat an eye or consider that strange. Oh yes… those early brownstoners bought their buildings for less than $40,000… today worth in excess of $3 million.
Ah, good thread. I have a kid living in Brooklyn now. This is useful info. I know nothing about Brooklyn, except that I think the Botanical Garden there is lovely. It’s really the only place I got to see on my first short visit there. I don’t think it qualifies as a hipster hangout though. 
Definitely Williamsburg. Park Slope is nice, but more a family neighborhood.
You have lots of great suggestions. I’ll just add that my 22 year old daughter loves Juliette in Williamsburg. Nice roof deck. Brunch or any other meal.
Bushwick is the new Williamsburg where the younger people live and hang out (Williamsburg has gotten pricey!) I recommend they go to Roberta’s for pizza and get some of those yummy, hipster, vegan donuts at Dun-well.
http://dunwelldoughnuts.com/home.html
http://www.robertaspizza.com/
Its funny that there is a Pok Pok in NYC.
Another one is in Portland,Oregon.
I remember when Bushwick was one of the scariest neighborhoods in NYC.
So funny that restaurants I’ve been to with my kids recently were mentioned in the past four posts - we went to Juliette with our daughter last Sunday evening and I agree that the rooftop is a perfect place to spend an evening. That same D thinks Roberta’s in Bushwick is overhyped, but not bad, and we went to Pok Pok in Red Hook for my S1’s birthday. I also highly recommend Oddfellows Ice Cream down by the waterfront in Williamsburg.
As a native it’s amazing and astounding to see what’s become of Saturday Night Fever Brooklyn where the hipster wannabee dream was to cross the
bridge to Manhattan.
A non-hipster suggestion 13th avenue in Borough Park for a scene rare outside of Jerusalem. Dress modestly.
Coney Island, which was always hipster in the honky tonk sub-genre. Dress immodestly.