A blog about one man's journey to find the perfect brunch in New York City.
Hello,
I’m going out of town for an unfortunate wedding in Houston and will be incredibly drunk for the time I’m away from NYC. However, I’m curious: are there brunch places you’ve tried that you’d like me to review?
Leave a comment and let me know.
Happy Eating,
I like brunch.
Restaurant Information:
42 E 1st St
New York, NY 10003-9345
(212) 777-5617
Map:
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Service (10/15) or 67%
There really isn’t a hostess, nor are you really designated a waiter or waitress. They just kind of hover between working behind the bar and waiting on you.
They were very good at getting us seated—there was no one there—and at getting our drinks back to us. However, our food took a while to get there so they end up settles in the middle. I really think the people working there were more interested in the guys they were dating or what happened last night or, well you get the drift.
They filled up my coffee and water like there was no tomorrow. I really was surprised at how good they were at it.
I wanted to give this a one because the waitresses/bartenders were talking about how a regular comes in, just hangs out/reads/eats/drinks, and they find it creepy. There is no place in service for talking bad about your regulars while you’re on the job and in ear shot of other customers. Besides that, they were pretty friendly; I just couldn’t get over that initial bad impression though.
Food and Drink (14/20) or 70%
This place is cheap, really cheap. The two of us ate brunch for $30 including tip. There is a trade off to all of this though.
The food was decent. I had the French toast with caramelized bananas on top which was tasty, but didn’t really do much more than what was stated. My guest had the eggs scramble with chorizo, which was the better call of the two. I kind of felt mislead when I looked at the menu: there were seven items including the soup du jour of melon squash and a special of chicken carbonara. It’s a half-ass attempt at brunch more than anything else.
The coffee was really good. I’d come back here for coffee. The orange juice was so so. I think this is a place really more focused on being a bar than anything else and it shows.
I liked that they served both dishes on completely different plates, but past that there really was no extra effort.
Decor and Space (10/20) or 50%
There were giant clumps of dust on the shelves lining the walls used to light the wall. The dishes, etc. were all clean as I would expect. They really didn’t help themselves by sticking to a very white themed room.
It’s a basic drink, coffee bar kind of place. This would have gotten a much higher rating but when i went downstairs to the bathroom, I felt like I’d walked into a date rapist’s grotto. The brunch is only served upstairs, but the stark contrast made me think twice about ever meeting someone here at night. Also, the upstairs has some photography that decorates the wall nicely; it gave me something to look at while I waited.
This place was DEAD at 1pm on Saturday. The tables were massively spaced out and they could easily fit one or two more tables in there.
I would rate this higher, as it is really easy to get to from the 2nd avenue stop, but you have to pass Prune and Joe Doe before you get to this place. I can see it being a great place to bring a drink date, but other than that there are better brunch places in the area.
Bonus(5 points)
None.
Total score 34/55, or 62%
Restaurant Information:
45 East 1st Street New York, NY 10003-9320
Get Directions
(212) 780-0262
Map:
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Service 11/15 or 73.33%
There isn’t one and there wouldn’t be room for one.
After arriving, we were seated immediately and handed menus. We were then asked what we would like to drink and when our waiter returned with our drinks a few moments later, our orders were taken. Before I knew it, our food was served. This would have gotten a five, but I had to ask for a refill on my coffee and water twice.
I would say the alertness was about what I expect. I think my waiter was a little out of sorts that day or was just having a bit of trouble with the table next to us that wanted to split the bill in some ungodly manner.
I’ve been to this place twice now and the first time I would say it scored a five and the second time a three. The owner/chef was beyond kind when we talked to him. This score is really a four leaning hard to a five.
Food and Drink 19/20 or 95%
I think the prices are really fair here and you get some great food for what you pay for when you dine here. The downside is that this is clearly a place that is run by a chef that has to charge you slightly more than you would at some other place that’s very corporate and doesn’t care half as much about their ingredients.
You are not going to find better quality of food anywhere. More creative, possibly, larger portions, maybe, but not higher quality. Every meal is served with fresh biscuits and butter. I had an egg chorizo scramble with avocado and various vegetables. The menu has a few standard dishes, but for the most part it changes regularly as the chef sees fit. Also, there will be meats and cheese of the day on special. I’d also offer the caveat that if you don’t know what something is, ask. There are some applications of meats that you wouldn’t normally eat or be offered for brunch, but it’s good to know what you’re getting into before you start the adventure.
I had to cut myself off after the third cup of coffee—it’s that good. Water was served as it should be and the glasses were neither too big, nor too small. They also have a selection of microbrew beers on tap that just make me drool looking at the list. I haven’t sampled any of the alcoholic beverages, but I’m sure they don’t disappoint.
I think I saw at least three different types of plates for different dishes. When my order came, I looked at it and thought to myself, “this is how every meal should be served.” We taste with our eyes first, then our nose, then our mouth; I was half way through the meal before the plate even was placed on the table.
Decor and Space 15/20 or 75%
This place is spotless. I’d be amazed if I found a dust bunny anywhere.
This might be my new brunch location. The interior is almost all wood. What isn’t wood, is used for cooking or making drinks, or there for decorative purposes to make you feel more at home. If I could put a bed in the corner and my clothes in a closet, I would live at this place.
It’s just such a small space. The place is wonderful when it isn’t packed, but when it’s packed, everyone is in everyone’s way. I do think they did a great job with the lay out of the seats though. The space becomes more of an issue in the winter when people take off and put on their coats.
The score would have been higher, as it’s a short walk from the 2nd Avenue subway stop, but on your way to this gem, you pass Prune and several other places where all kinds of brunch chaos is waiting outside. Let them be foolish and tarry on to your destination.
Bonus(3/5 points)
One point for using specialty foods of local farms.
One point for using ambitious ingredients.
One point for a menu that changes regularly.
Total score 45/55, with bonus 48/55 or 87.27%
Restaurant Information:
560 Manhattan Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222-3913
Get Directions
(718) 349-3859 * approximate times
Map:
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Service 9/20 or 45%
She was a fairly average hostess that sat us roughly five feet from where we were standing. She then went off to find our waitress and was never heard from again.
There was a forty-five minute wait that turned into an hour wait. I think we waited another fifteen minutes after we were seated to be asked what we wanted to eat.
I would give this a four simply on the actions of the bus boy, but the waitress was no where to be found after she took our order and the food was delivered. She later reached in between us and dropped the check on the table before walking away to something else. I actually got up twice to refill my own coffee and that should never happen.
They don’t care; they’re not going to care. To make matters worse, the bus boy took my plate with out asking if I was finished. I then had to awkwardly sit with nothing in front of me as my three friends paced themselves through their food.
Food and Drink 11/20 or 55%
The prices were about what you would expect, nothing really remarkable or outrageous.
I had the biscuits and gravy which was only so so but I enjoyed the sprinkling of paprika for flavor. My three friends all had the huevos rancheros, which looked tastier but not much than my biscuits and gravy.
They had a station for coffee at the door so you could serve yourself and the coffee was horrible. Also, there was the water bottle problem. The only reason this got two points instead of zero was my friends were raving about how good the bloody marys were. Otherwise, I think they were really unconcerned about the drinks.
The food was pretty much served with out much thought to presentation, but like I said the paprika was a nice touch. The huevos rancheros really didn’t look appetizing at all.
Decor and Space 7/20 or 35%
This place looks more like a bar that decided to serve food than a restaurant that decided to serve alcohol. The floors looked disgusting and I would be amazed if this place has been dusted in the past decade.
If there is a theme to this place it’s hipster posing and indifference. I think the really sad part of this is that the restaurant is right on the corner of McCarren park and they do nothing to make it a warm environment that it easily could be.
I think there is definitely adequate seating, but the tables were arranged in a very awkward fashion with our table probably in the most unfortunate position. I’d like to blame some of the bad service on the table configuration, but really I can’t.
For those of you not aware, getting anywhere on the G train is the transit equivalent of splitting the tiles and finding the jelly bean. Yes, you can get here easily when the G train is running, otherwise, you’ve got to get off at the Lorimer or Bedford L stops and walk across the park to get here.
Bonus(5 points)
Two points for having some of the most attractive, but poorly dressed, people you will ever see, seriously.
Total score 27/60, with bonus 29/60 or 48.33%
Restaurant Information:
533 Grand St Brooklyn, NY 11211
Get Directions
(718) 782-7372
Map:
Service 12/15 or 80%
If there was one, I blew right past her on my way to meet my friends.
I was given a menu right as I sat down and the waitress was ready to take my order after just moments. Before I knew it, my brunch was sitting right in front of me.
We had a party of twelve people and I was amazed at how well our one waitress took care of all the drinks and food. When we all had finished our meals she was there with a bus boy ready to clear the table and let us enjoy our company.
I really like the waitress and the other people we interacted with there were friendly as could be. These people clearly enjoy their job and you’ll get that when you visit.
Food and Drink 12/20 or 60%
I would say it was fairly priced for what I got. Nothing really to push me higher or lower though.
I got the ham omelet and it was pretty good, but I felt like it needed something more to compliment it. One of my friends swears this is the best eggs benedict she’s ever had. I think the portions were just smaller than what I needed that day.
The coffee was horrible and the water was served in absolutely tiny glasses. I think this is another reason I didn’t feel like the food was enough; I need more water and coffee! I will say that another friend said that the bloody mary is the best she’s ever had, but I don’t much care for the drink.
I was impressed. Everything was arranged neatly and extra touches were made to let you know they didn’t just throw your food on a plate and send it out to the table.
Decor and Space 15/20 or 75%
It was as clean as I would expect, nothing more, nothing less.
I loved the decor and seating in this place. I really felt like I had just walked into a cafe in Paris. Part of me really wants to go back here one night and hang out at their bar.
I thought this place was okay seating wise, until I realized they have a huge back room for larger parties. We had twelve people at our table and they had no problem accommodating us. I dare you to try to get twelve people seated at any other brunch restaurant; it just won’t happen.
The location isn’t great, but it isn’t horrible either. It’s just a few block from the Lorimer L stop, and you can take a lovely stroll down Grand Street after you eat while your food digests. I probably would have rated this higher, but the shock from inside(lovely as can be) to outside(dollar stores and miscreants) of this place is what keeps it right in the middle.
Bonus(5 points)
No bonus was awarded.
Total score 39/55 or 71%
I am definitely conflicted over where I stand with American Apparel, but this is making me lean towards liking them again. I can’t tell you how many times I’m out and about and see women wearing tights as pants. I do not need to see your vagina from fifty feet away on the street. If you wear these to a place I’m brunching, I will judge you.
Apparently, American Apparel is aware of the issue because they’ve started printing this little message inside their leggings. You know it’s serious when your dealer tells you you have a problem.
Submitted by: susangraceee
Hooray! I’m so happy!
Restaurant Information:
120 Essex Street New York, NY 10002
Get Directions
(212) 924-5160
Map:
Service 11/15 or 73%, alternatively 8/15 or 53.33%
There was no hostess
Once we were seated, we were immediately given menus and asked if we wanted anything to drink. This place is all about going fast, fast, fast. They don’t waste time doing anything.
I think the service was exactly what I expected. Because of their promptness, they suffer a little in the alertness. I think with what they have they manage very well.
I’ve given them two different scores here and let me explain why. If you’re from New York and you’re used to hearing people say “fuck you” to each other while they work and enjoy a good spat, this place is great. If you’re the kind of person that would be offended by this, you’ll likely leave horrified. Also, you should know that they will kick you out of their restaurant and they dictate when the last person gets served. This is their restaurant and you get to eat there.
Food and Drink 16/20 or 75%
You get a ton of food for a very solid price. After looking at the menu you might think the prices are high, but when you see the portions you’ll understand that they are more than justified.
The food here melts in your mouth. On top of that, they are highly creative with their food creations. I had never heard of macaroni and cheese pancake before visiting this place, now I want to order it everywhere. S’mores pancake? Yeah, they have that too. I just can’t explain how many different short order combinations the owner put on the menu.
I’d say the coffee is the definite weak point of the experience. I would easily pay more money for them to buy better coffee and I think it would launch them as close to brunch food perfection as they could get.
They vary their presentation but everything comes out on adequate plates, or in some cases pans. It really is hard to enjoy the presentation when all you really want to do is eat everything.
Decor and Space 16/20 or 75%
The restaurant is as clean as I would expect. They make sure to wipe down each table before another customer sits, which definitely helps because some of the dishes get messy.
It’s family owned, short order dining at it’s finest. You feel like you’re eating in the pantry and the Mets gear lets you know you are definitely in New York.
There just needs to be more seating for this place. There is always a line to sit and they could likely fill a place twice their size.
It’s literally right next to the subway stop. The only thing that stopped this from getting a perfect score was the fact that it’s inside the Essex Market and if you don’t know it’s at the south side then you’re going to spend some time finding it. It’s also right by the Williamsburg bridge if you want to take a nice walk back to Brooklyn.
Bonus(3/5 points)
One point for creativity in naming the dishes.
One point for conflict resolution skills between feuding siblings.
One point for sticking to his guns and being the guy he always is.
Total score 43/55, with bonus 46/55 or 83%
Restaurant Information:
143 Roebling St
Brooklyn, NY 11211-3365
(718) 963-0760
Get directions
Map:
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Service 10/20 or 50%
I was baffled at how bad this hostess actually was. She would wait for people to come in and put their name on a list then walk away completely. She’d then return and tell them their wait time. Once she thought she had a table for you she would then wander off again to figure out which table to place you. I really think she had no concept of how to do her job.
Once we were seated we were instantly approached by our waitress. We were left to ponder the menus for mere moments before she was back asking for our order. My friend scrambled to order something she had no idea what it was.
I will say our drinks were refilled with out a heart beat being missed and I wouldn’t have noticed her if it weren’t for the giant bottle of water plopped down on our table.
I want to say they were friendly, but really I think everyone that works in the waitstaff was just trying to act friendly but really trying to appear like they just don’t care.
Food and Drink 8/20 or 40%
This place was so ridiculously overpriced for what you got that I was kind of insulted. I felt like my meal probably could have cost 3-4$ less than it did as could have my friends.
My chicken fried steak was delicious but the steak definitely wasn’t cooked all the way through and I could have done with a bit more of the gravy. My friend’s dish was basically glorified mixed vegetables with scrambled eggs and bland as bland can be.
My friend said the coffee was nothing to write home about but they did have an extensive listing of teas. I stuck to water which was served to us in an used wine or champagne bottle. I was completely unsurprised that the waitress plopped a bottle down on our table, but it seemed like a pain to her to do it in the first place. This is exactly why I hate The Water Bottle Problem, it turns the simple task of serving water into something that annoys you.
If they put effort into the presentation, it wasn’t on the two dishes we ordered. Everything just looked kind of slapdash.
Decor and Space 15/20 or 75%
The plates, glasses, and flatware looked about as clean as I would expect, but nothing remarkable.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the decor. This place would be amazing if the waitstaff, price, and food selection didn’t blow. Personally, I really want to take my camera and do a photo shoot in the restaurant. The wood tables and patterned wall paper comfort you and the lighting from the large windows make everything feel much warmer. I didn’t get a chance to sit outside as it was raining, but that option is available if you want it.
This I had a hard time grading, I’m not going to lie. I think this place is actually perfectly designed seating wise, but because of the hostess’ incompetence interjects an unnecessary delay which in turn creates the illusion that there is inadequate seating when really she could split a four top in to two two tops or the other way around and be fine. I don’t think though she had the capacity to figure that out on her own though and thus the place looked far more packed than it should.
The restaurant is just a short walk from the Bedford L stop or a bit further of a walk from the Lorimer L stop. The wide open sidewalks make for a pleasant post brunch stroll. The restaurant is just far enough away from the hipsters that you don’t run into a ton of them, but enough of them gather at the restaurant for it to be annoying and that comes with the Williamsburg location.
Bonus(5 points)
If I could give negative bonus points, I would.
Overall score 33/60 or 55%
Restaurant Information:
135 N 5th St # A
(718) 302-5151
Map:
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Service 13/20 or 65%
I was impressed by her, I really was. She was friendly, you knew where you stood in line, and she gave an accurate time estimate for our wait. She also was very respectful when she asked us if it would be okay for us to split a table with another group of two.
Do not come here expecting to get seated right away because it’s just not going to happen. We were told a forty five minute wait and that’s exactly what it was. We headed around the corner to a bar for a beer and chit chat before coming back to the restaurant; I suggest you do the same. The wait for our food was short, but chasing down a waiter to pay the bill was a bit trickier. They took our dishes right at the perfect moment when both my friend and I had finished our meals.
I’d say they were about average when identifying our needs. I do, however, feel that a lot of their responsibility was shirked off to us due to The Water Bottle Problem compounded by the individual French presses our coffee came in when served. I couldn’t give them a higher rating because of those issues.
Every one we interacted with were quite friendly. You got the feeling that the people that worked there really cared about making their little restaurant thrive. Other waiters and staff were happy to stop by and help out when we needed so it felt like we had more than one waiter.
Food and Drink 15/20 or 75%
Considering the high quality of all the food products put into our meals, I want to say this was definitely a deal, especially when compared with some of the other places I’ve reviewed. I’ll probably go back here and try something else when I get the time.
The biscuits and gravy were perfect. They had just the right amount of spice, came out steaming hot, and the biscuits sopped up enough of the gravy for you to not really need a spoon. The cheese grits I had were as close to the right consistency as you can get with out being there; I don’t know if it was the way the grits were cooked or the cheese that made them a bit too mushy for my taste but I devoured them any way. My friend’s eggs and bacon were over cooked, which is a bit ironic if you think about it. Overall the quality of food was very good, but not good enough for five points.
The coffee was exceptionally good, but not amazing. My friend said her juice was really good as well; I’m sure it was fresh squeezed from their farm or at least with organic oranges. I also should note that they suffer from The Water Bottle Problem AND your coffee is served in individual French presses. This meant no refills on coffee and I don’t even think I was asked if I wanted more when I finished my mini-carafe; it was large enough for about one and a half cups of coffee, not nearly enough for me. Also the French press annoyed me for the same reasons The Water Problem annoyed me.
Nothing really impressive here in the presentation. You got what you ordered and it was arranged in a decent manner on your dish. Plenty of room on your dish to move things around, so no worries there.
Decor and Space 11/20 or 55%
I found crumbs on my cheese grits dish. They either came from the toast of my friend or from somewhere else; I don’t want to know, but minus one point.
I’m probably being generous giving this a three but everything was very simple and that’s what they were going for in their theme. There were fresh flowers in a vase on the table. Also, there was a brochure about their farm and crayons to color on the paper table cloth if you wished to do so.
We split a four top table with two girls that had to be the most vapid people I’ve run into in a while—one of them didn’t know what the word lexicon meant and the other couldn’t explain it. This place is popular and packed. I also think it is a converted garage which doesn’t help. They really probably need a bigger place for the number of people that get packed into here.
A short walk from the L at Bedford and you’re there. Also, it’s a block off Bedford Avenue so it’s far enough from the foot traffic and cars that it’s not annoying to be there.
Bonus(3/5 points)
One point for having home made biscuits. One point for having cheese grits on the menu. One point for growing their own materials and using free range chickens.
Total score 39/60, with bonus 42/60 or 70%
Restaurant Information:
254 5th Ave
(212) 213-4999
Map:
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Service 11/20 or 55%
The hostess was friendly and promptly sat me at a two person table. Her service was what I would expect but nothing more.
The food didn’t take too long to get to us nor did we wait forever to order. Everything was about average timing wise. Alertness was more of an issue, though.
The waiter was fairly cognizant of our need for water, which I appreciated, but other than that he was kind of oblivious. We asked for more milk for our coffee twice and it never got refilled. Also, we asked for more coffee and each of us got only half a cup. The next time I asked for coffee I got three fourths of a cup.
The people there seemed to have good intentions just did a poor job of much of anything else. I don’t really see them as going out of their way for any customer in the near future as our service was barely acceptable when the restaurant wasn’t that busy.
Food and Drink 9/20 or 45%
I was going to give this a two, but then I remembered I was charged six dollars for the bacon that was advertised as being five dollars. Coffee was three dollars and worth maybe one. My “french toast” was ridiculously priced at twelve dollars. I left this place feeling like I was ripped off completely.
At no time during a brunching experience should I ever think, “I should have just paid five dollars at Dunkin Donuts,” but I did. My “french toast”—I’m using quotes because no part of it tasted/resembled french toast—really tasted like a icing filled donut. Also, there was really only one square of it. My bacon was slim, crumbly, and otherwise unremarkable. It’s truly sad when the best part of my dish was the fruit that garnished it. On the other hand, my friend’s Madison galette was a surprising mixture of flavors; I’d order one of their galettes if you find yourself stuck here in the future. Although I found it odd that a dessert menu was offered, the Nutella crepe was fairly tasty.
The coffee was kind of bad, which I’d normally just write off as having a bad cup. But then I had another cup and got coffee grounds at the bottom of my cup. Gross. It really wasn’t that good.
Everything did look quite wonderful when it was presented to us. However, I think only the Nutella crepe lived up to expectations; the rest was a total wash. Each piece of our meal was presented on an adequately sized dish, some more decorated than others.
Decor and Space 11/20 or 55%
All the tables, flatware, dishware, and glassware look as clean as I would expect, nothing out of the ordinary in either direction.
I can’t really say this place had a theme. Maybe it was a wine bar, maybe it was a restaurant; I couldn’t tell. I liked the use of color but not the bench seating. It really felt like they had two totally different interior designers come in to work on the place: one for the walls and ceilings, etc. and the other for the tables and chairs.
I’m 6’5” and my friend is 5’8” yet our knees kept bumping into one another at the incredibly uncomfortable booth we were seated in for our meal. I think they probably could have lost a table or two and easily made the seating far more enjoyable. By the end of the meal both of us had just swung our legs out to the aisle and leaned back against the wall as we talked.
It’s a very short walk from the subway in a very odd part of Manhattan. The neighborhood makes me feel like Chinatown tried to open a second section of town on 28th street, but made it even shadier.
Bonus(5 points)
No bonus points could be awarded.
Total score 31/60 or 51.67%
Restaurant Information:
52 Greenwich Ave # B
(212) 633-2590
Map:
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Service (10/20) or 50%
I’m not really sure if the woman that I spoke with was the hostess, a woman that was some how involved with the restaurant, or just a customer. Also, the time estimates were vastly inaccurate. When I first got there I asked how long it would be to get a table outside and I was told 30 minutes; fair, but what bothered me was I heard the same estimate given out repeatedly even though no one left in the time I was there.
I shouldn’t ever have to ask for my coffee twice. Also, it took near half a hour for our food to be presented. Our coffees actually got served at the same time our food did which spells major issue in streamlining to me. The waitstaff clearly had food assignments as well as their regular duties and I think in trying to balance out the two they ended up being sub-par in both which was disappointing.
I’d say the wait staff was about as alert as I’d expect, but then again they were right in front of me at the bar so there wasn’t much of a chance for them to miss anything.
Every one I encountered there was quite friendly, almost surprisingly so, considering how mismanaged everything else was service-wise.
Food and Drink (14/20) or 70%
This almost got a one on price, but I decided that the coffee was worth far more than the three dollars I paid for it. I probably would have paid four dollars for it. But, the food was way overpriced. Expect to get about half the portion size of other places. I’m pretty sure that the dishes were served on saucers or at least small plates, so you get an idea of what I’m talking about here.
Amazing. The food was so flavorful. Clearly the focus of this establishment was the quality of their food and they nailed it. I had the over easy eggs with bacon, which might be the best bacon I’ve ever had. It was served with two small slices of bread that proved a bit tricky with the flatware I was using. Also, the food was incredibly rich. I wasn’t full when I was done eating, but it sat heavy in my stomach.
This would have gotten a five, but the water was served in essentially shot glasses. Also, the water bottle problem reared its ugly head here, but in the form of a giant bottle of water that was shared amongst several people at the bar. The coffee was probably the best cup I’ve had yet. It was rich, flavorful, with a hint of sweetness and bitterness, i.e. the way coffee should taste.
The waiter did an excellent job of presenting our food and drinks, but when I saw the small sized plates I instantly thought, “that’s it?” The small plates were overflowing and I think that contributed to make it look kind of a mess.
Decor and Space (10/20) or 50%
The place was as clean as I would expect. I didn’t notice anything especially clean or dirty.
It’s a wine bar with a focus on fine food. Marble bar with wine stacked along one wall make it glaringly obvious what they’re after in their clientele.
I’m pretty sure the bar takes up the vast majority of their seating area. Their indoor seating and outdoor seating looked cramped. I’m not exactly a fan of them asking us to sit at the bar after misquoting wait times to me. If you’re going to have that many people sitting at the bar at least give us stools that are comfortable to sit in while we’re there; I felt like I was sitting on a converted school desk. Also, they could have taken advantage of their large sidewalk space like their neighbors did and fit a few tables there, but they didn’t.
I was going to give this three, as it is about a medium walk from the subway, but it’s located on Greenwich which means 10th Street intersects 4th Street and things get wacky if you’re not careful. Also, it sits next to a restaurant that looked like it did a better job at seating and pricing items reasonably.
Bonus(5 points)
One point for playing Beethoven the entire time I was there.
Total score 34/60, with bonus 35/60 or 58.33%
I know the last two places I reviewed served the water in one big bottle and I have problems with this that I’d like to expound upon so you may have a little insight as to why it bothers me. I have two main problems with this: the water bottle takes up real estate on the table and it shirks the responsibility of the waiter off to the customer.
My problem with the water bottle taking up real estate is relative to the size, shape of the bottle and to the size, shape of the table. On a small table, that bottle is taking up space that could be used for something else. On a bar, it just looks awkward. I know what you’re going to say, “But that’s how the French and Italians do it.” Yes, it is in some of their restaurants, but this is neither Paris nor Rome. Also, it’s not high quality water that I’ve specifically ordered that we’re talking about here; it’s regular cold tap water put into a clear bottle.
My problem with the shirking of responsibility is a bit of bigger deal than the real estate issue. Your job as a waiter/waitress/bartender is to serve me, the customer. When a water bottle is placed on the table/bar it says to me, “I can’t be bothered to watch over your beverages like I’m supposed to do so why don’t you take care of it yourself.” Beverage service is a large part of the job. I shouldn’t have to stop my meal at any moment do anything other than talk, drink, and cut my food. Now, what happens if I run out of the water that was stored in the water bottle? You don’t notice, because you haven’t been paying attention to my beverage needs. Imagine walking into court after paying for a lawyer and the lawyer just slaps a stack of papers down on the table, then sits down in his chair for the remainder of the case while he says you have to defend yourself with the papers he’s prepared; you’d be livid, or probably beyond livid; I feel the same way about the water bottle. What if I’m drunk or just clumsy and I knock over the bottle? You, the waiter, have to come over and clean it up, I feel embarrassed, and we’ve both waste more time that could be spent doing something more enjoyable.
It’s just not worth it. Give me a glass of water, refill it when it looks low, and be a good waiter/waitress/bartender and I’ll tip you well. That’s all there is to it and it’s not hard.
Restaurant Information:
18 Wyckoff AveBrooklyn, NY 11237-2635
Get Directions
(718) 386-3864
Map:
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Service (6/15) or 40%
There was no hostess that I saw.
The bartender/waiter took my order but after that he couldn’t be bothered to follow up with anything.
On my seventh attempt to flag the bartender/waiter that was not more than two feet away from me, he finally noticed that I wanted something besides my initial order. I almost threw my fork at him. Also, this place gives you a giant bottle of water, which I is major pet peeve of mine.
The people were just about as friendly as you’d expect.
Food and Drink (10/20) or 50%
I’d say the prices were fair for what you got. That being said…
My french toast was crunchy?!?! CRUNCHY!! @#%$#. The only thing that stopped this from getting a one point rating was the bacon; the bacon was fantastic and close to the best I’ve ever had.
The water came in a bottle that was filled with tap water and a very small glass. The coffee was so bad I thought that I had just gotten a bad cup the first time, but no, it was just bad.
The french toast looked nice until I cut into it. Everything else was just kind of slapdashed. I get the feeling that not a lot of effort is put into anything at this restaurant.
Decor and Space (11/20) or 55%
Everything looked as clean as you’d expect.
The theme really threw me: 90% of the restaurant is a campy hunting lodge theme, but tasteful enough not to offend the hipster locals, and the 10% that makes up the wall to the kitchen looks like a bad attempt at Mondrian art.
The seats were placed not too close to each other but not too far either. I saw a waiter squeeze through behind people a few times, but that’s not out of the ordinary.
It’s a short walk from the L stop, so not too bad. It’s a bit of a trek out this way, especially if the L isn’t running and you have to take a shuttle bus from Lorimer, which will be continuing until August.
Bonus(5 points)
No bonus points could be awarded.
Overall score: 27/55 or 49%
Restaurant Information:
190 Avenue BNew York, NY 10009-3600 (212) 388-1990
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Map:
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Service (15/20) or 75%
I don’t think I’ve ever been so impressed by a hostess. My friend had arrived shortly before I had, but the instant I got there the hostess came up to us and then asked us if we’d like to sit at a table or stay at the bar. We were then instantly seated at a table near the window.
We were served in an adequate time frame. Our main dishes came out just as our starters were being finished, but maybe a little early by a few minutes. I hurried a little through the last half of my donut, because of this, but soon those dishes were removed.
There was a very alert and attentive wait staff. At one point the hostess actually started checking on people and their coffee then went back to her normal duties when needed. I don’t think my coffee ever got below halfway empty before it was refilled again.
I couldn’t really get a feel for the friendliness of the waiter, he was just kind of there then disappeared. He did seem a little hesitant to tell me what the jam was though, when I asked him. The hostess was super nice and I kind of wish she’d been our server.
Food and Drink (12/20) or 60%
I felt like it was a little more expensive than it should have been, but not by much. The three dollar cup of coffee was what sealed this as being a two instead of a three.
I wanted this to be better, I really did. When the biscuits came, they were tasty but complemented with butter that tasted off and a rubarb jelly that was almost flavorless. When the donuts came, they didn’t have the volume or sweetness that I would have wanted, a little brown sugar and flour could solve that easily though. Also, I wish the raspberry sauce had been served on the side as a dip instead of drizzled all over the donuts. I did love the hint of cinnamon flavor in them though and overall they were pretty good. I ordered the “Eggs Southern Style” which were good, but the gravy needed a little black pepper added for spice. They looked far better than they ended up tasting, which was disappointing. My friend ordered the shrimp and grits with side salad, which she was hesitant to do. I think she inhaled the shrimp and grits but lazily picked at the side salad.
I only had water and coffee here. The coffee was good, but not impressive. They served us water in a bottle and then let us serve ourselves, which I have an issue with always. This almost was a two, but the creative coffee mugs made it a three. The wine and beer list was notable and unexpected, though I didn’t care to use it.
Everything looked so good when it arrived at the table. I could hardly wait to take a bite. The problem with this was when I actually did take a bite.
Decor and Space (15/20) or 75%
I was quite impressed with how clean the dishes were. The restaurant itself also looked quite clean. I doubt you could find a dust bunny in this place if you tried.
The entire time I was here I felt like there should be a plaque somewhere that said “Western Wall Theme by Ralph Lauren, available at Macy’s and other fine department stores.” Also, there was a hook for a picture to be hung on the wall exposed. To add to the confusion, they were blaring alt-rock from the 90s, which I love but it made discussion difficult.
Very spacious seating arrangement with plenty of room for the servers to come and go as they pleased. I think this actually helped the service ratings a bit.
It’s located in the East Village and a short walk from the 1st Avenue L train. I think I gave this higher marks simply because it’s quiet enough and nice enough in the neighborhood that you don’t mind the walk.
Bonus(3/5 points)
One point for having home made donuts. One point for having home made biscuits. One point for having perfect consistency in the grits.
Overall score: 42/60, with bonus 45/60, or 75%
