I like brunch.

Great Jones

Restaurant Information:

54 Great Jones Street 

 New York, NY 10012-1115 
Get Directions 

(212) 674-9304    

greatjones.com

Service 13/20 or 65%

  • Hostess(5/5 points)

The hostess was quick to take my name and our party.  She gave us an accurate estimate of when the table would be available.  We were then invited to have a drink at the bar, which we did.  What pushed her up higher was that when our table was ready and our party wasn’t complete, she told me, “you better just sit there or some one else will try to take your table.”  This is exactly what should be done, not turn people away until their party is complete, as most NYC restaurants do.

  • Promptness(2/5 points)

This place was packed and from what I could tell there were only two waitresses.  They need at least three for a weekend brunch shift.  Otherwise, I think two would be sufficient.  Great Jones would have normally earned a three for this, but it was very obvious that the woman working the bar didn’t know what she was doing and that only compounded the problem further.

  • Alertness(3/5 points)

    This place really is stretched thin. They need at least a bus boy, a drink runner, or another hostess badly. I think our waitress did a great job, but the bartender was just horrible so this evens out at a three.

  • Friendliness(3/5 points)

    The people are friendly but not overly so. It’s about what you would expect, nothing really special.


Food and Drink (12/20) or 60%

  • Price(3/5 points)

    I’d say the food is priced perfectly for what you get, but the drinks are overpriced here.

  • Quality of Food(3/5 points)

    Everything on the menu sounds delicious, looks delicious, but the taste kind of lets you down compeltely. The pancakes were top notch and I highly advise you to go that route. I had the smothered biscuits with sausage gravy and eggs that were just as bland as could be. The did have grits—I love love love grits—but they were really overcooked.

  • Quality of Beverage(4/5 points)

    The coffee is okay, their selection of beers is small, but they have a full bar. I would also like to add that I was horrified by pours on my draft beers. I watched her pour, dump half of it because of foam, repour and still end up with far more foam than any one ever should have. My roommate seemed to really like her lemonade-vodka drink. I really hope she’s a part owner and doesn’t mind wasting money or she quickly gets replaced.

  • Presentation(2/5 points)

    So disappointing. So so disappointing. Everything was just slapped on the plate. The food itself looked delicious, but just so sloppy. I was less than impressed.

    Decor and Space 12/20 or 60%

    • Cleanliness(3/5 points)

      The place looked about as clean as you would expect. I really don’t remember anything remarkable.

    • Theme(1/5 points)

      This place is the broadway show of brunch theme-wise. Everything is bright and there are nicknacks scattered about the place alluding to a theme but not really committing to it. I kind of hate places that do this because it feels so forced. I can’t really get on board with your Lousiana/New Orleans/South theme when 1) I’ve been to all those places and this is a tacky interpretation of them 2) the entire staff looks like hipsters 3) the mediocre friendliness compounds the problem. I would love to overhaul the décor of this place; it’s really almost insulting.

    • Adequate Seating(4/5 points)

    This place actually does a really good job of fitting enough seats in the small space with out making things uncomfortable. I think they might be able to put a stool or two more at the bar, but that’s just me being picky.

    • Location(4/5 points)

      It’s a short distance from the subway, but NOHO guarantees some excellent eye candy for patrons. An example, two women from Agent Provocateur walked in dressed in the best stockings I think I’ve ever seen and sat down at the bar two seats away from a woman I could swear was Farrah Fausset. I wish they would knock down the walls in front and put much larger windows in for the people watching alone.


    Bonus(5 points)

    Minus One Point for the three fingers of foam on my first beer; that’s the perfect way to not impress a patron.

    Overall Score 37/60 with bonus 36/60 or 60%

    Fanny

    Restaurant Information:

    425 Graham Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11211-1414 
    Get Directions     

    (718) 389-2060  * approximate times

    fannyfood.com

    Map:


    View Larger Map


    Service 8/15 or 53.33%

    • Hostess(N/A) 
    • Promptness(3/5 points)
    My friend was waiting for me at the bar when I got there so I just joined her.  We were given menus and asked our orders right after I sat down at the bar.  As for the food delivery, it took about what I would expect.
    • Alertness(2/5 points)
    I had to ask for more coffee twice and the woman was behind the bar not more than three feet from me.  Also, my glass of water stood empty for quite a long time.  The woman was clearly in a rush to do a lot of things behind the bar, but that isn’t much of an excuse.
    • Friendliness(3/5 points)
    I really had a hard time grading this one; the people were kind of invisible personality-wise.  I couldn’t really judge one way or another so I just gave them a three.


    Food and Drink 14/20 or 70%

    • Price(4/5 points)
    You are definitely getting a lot of bang for you buck at this place.  They also have a thirteen dollar brunch special, but I ended up ordering ala carte.  My friend went with the special and we ended up with about the same bill.
    • Quality of Food(4/5 points)
    They might have the best home fries I’ve ever tasted: not too oily, seasoned perfectly with rosemary and a blend of spices.  I had the ratatouille and baked eggs, which was cooked to perfection.  The times I’ve had ratatouille before this, it has either turned out too watery or has the consistency of a thick soup.  They didn’t fall victim to these though and I was pleasantly surprised.  The french fries were also quite good, but as my friend said, the fish sandwich might as well have been from McDonald’s.
    • Quality of Beverage(3/5 points)
    The coffee here is well worth what you pay for it.  It’s bold, not too acidic, and very flavorful.  I had two cups because I liked the first so much.  The bloody mary, from what I was told, was the worst my friend had ever had.  After watching it being made, I don’t doubt it; it contained pretty much the lowest quality of all the ingredients needed.  Sure, it looked like a bloody mary, but I can’t imagine drinking one.
    • Presentation(3/5 points)
    My ratatouille was served in its own dish with the home fries on a side dish.  My friend’s fish sandwich was served on one large white plate with the fries.  I wasn’t really impressed by the presentation; it was just kind of there.

    Decor and Space 13/20 or 65%

    • Cleanliness(3/5 points)
    The place was fairly clean.  All the dishes, flatware, etc. looked fine to me.  The place looked like it was cleaned regularly and it was definitely a fairly new restaurant, or at least had that feel to it.
    • Theme(3/5 points)
    I can’t say it really had a theme too it, but the color scheme and other elements made you feel like it was a minimalist’s design job.  It needs more to really wow people.  Right now it really feels like it could be some one’s white walled, sparsely decorated, ground floor studio apartment.
    • Adequate Seating(4/5 points)
    There is plenty of seating in this place in the front and at the bar.  Then there is a whole back room with about the same amount of space as the front.  They did an excellent job of seating this place.
    • Location(3/5 points)
    It’s a few short blocks from the Graham L stop so you can enjoy a walk after your brunch.  It’s fairly easy to spot, but I almost walked into the wrong place the first time.  It’s far enough away from the station that I don’t think people have really discovered this place yet.

    Bonus(5 points)

    one point for having a really amazing bathroom.

    one point for being able to walk in at 2pm and get served immediately.

    Total score 35/55, with bonus 37/55, or 67.27%

    Harefield Road

    Restaurant Information:

    769 Metropolitan Avenue

     Brooklyn, NY 11211-3701
    Get Directions

    (718) 388-6870

    Service 11/20 or 55%

    • Hostess(3/5 points)

    The hostess was just what one would expect.  She knew how long we were going to have to wait and who was in front of us.  She cordially invited us to pour our own cups of coffee while we waited.

    • Promptness(2/5 points)

    This place was PACKED when we got there.  Though our waitress was quick to take our order, it might have been a half hour before we got our food.   I asked twice to have my coffee refilled before it was.  After the check came, I think we had to wait another fifteen to twenty minutes before the waitress came back to pick it up; word to the wise: pay cash and just leave.

    • Alertness(2/5 points)

    This place is sprawling, add to that a very confused waitress, and you get less than great service.  There basically is a triangle the wait staff circles from the tables to the bar to the kitchen.  The fact that they were a victim of the water bottle problem only added to the lack of efficiency.

    • Friendliness(4/5 points)

    The people here are really, really nice.  I think this place would become my favorite bar to sit and drink if I lived closer to it.  I’ve been here several times and you get that this is a family run place with all the hardships that come with it.  They have a few kinks to work out, but they’ll get there. 


    Food and Drink 13/20 or 65%

    • Price(4/5 points)

    I’m still amazed at how much food I got for so little money.  Everything was honestly priced or far cheaper than I would have expected.  If you’re in Williamsburg and strapped for cash, go here.

    • Quality of Food(3/5 points)

    The food itself wasn’t all that impressive, but the quantities definitely were.  The first time I visited, I got the French toast and I wasn’t impressed.  The second time I visited, I got the huevos rancheros, which is a much better option.  My guests both times haven’t really said much about their food so take that for what it’s worth.

    • Quality of Beverage(4/5 points)

    The coffee is so so at best and I’m not a fan of the fact I had to serve myself the first cup.  The orange juice was freshly squeezed and quite tasty.  Also, they have amazing Irish tea here, so if you’re a tea person, go for it.  As mentioned before, they suffer from the water bottle problem which annoys me to no end.

    • Presentation(2/5 points)

    Presentation is not their forte, at all.  Really you get what you order with little effort put into making it look fun to eat.  Then again, you really can’t beat the price so I guess you get what you pay for here.

    Decor and Space 13/20 or 65%

    • Cleanliness(3/5 points)

    Nothing really remarkable to note about the cleanliness of this place.  Everything is as you would expect.

    • Theme(3/5 points)

    It’s an Irish bar with a kitchen.  Everything screams Irish bar in the place.  Wood is everywhere.  I think even the owner is from Ireland.  Early in the morning, this place is more like a traditional pub, but as the day tarries on it turns more into a bar and hipster hangover joint.

    • Adequate Seating(4/5 points)

    There is a ton of seats in this place.  My only complaint really is that the long bar splits the seating area awkwardly.  If it’s packed, take a seat at the bar.  If you can get a table, take it.  Also, some of the chairs are folding chairs, which makes sitting at the table uncomfortable.

    • Location(3/5 points)

    The location is okay.  The only downside to this location really is that the sign is blocked by several others so you may not see it initially.  I think it is a nice hidden gem of Williamsburg.

    Bonus(2/5 points)

    Two points for outdoor seating.

    Total score 37/60, with bonus 39/60, or 65%

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