Rye opened in Williamsburg in the Spring of 2009. As a 15-year resident of the area, chef/owner Cal Elliott's idea for Rye was to create a welcoming neighborhod restaurant where no matter what your pocketbook, you could enjoy great food—from a hearty sandwich and a drink at the bar to fine dining in a leather-cushioned booth.

Elliott had been working in some of Manhattan’s premier restaurants since 1994, including the Markham, Blue Hill and Gramercy Tavern. In 2003 he took over as chef at DuMont in Williamsburg. Following its success, DuMont Burger and Dressler opened with Elliott as co-chef at all three. Dressler received a coveted Michelin star and two stars from the The New York Times its first year.

Housed in a building which had once been a factory, Rye restored the floor, walls and ceiling and acquired a 100–year–old oak bar. There was no new construction, it was all restoration, a labor of love. The menus were put together with equal care to offer a range of delicious drinks and food choices, from small snacks to main courses, at reasonable prices.

Rye serves dinner seven nights a week and brunch on Sundays.