Brooklyn Ball Factory

Had some incredible lunch today at the Brooklyn Ball Factory. The Service counter girls are friendly. The place is a little small inside due to the large work area in the back of the restaurant, my other gripe is the chairs and table are not comfortable. But the food is really good for Asian fusion. I ordered the pork belly bento which was worth every penny and my girlfriend had the Japanese fried chicken bento all I have to say is yummy! great use of seasoning that creates delicious food.

Stuck between a three and a four star review for Brooklyn Ball Factory, I decided to lean towards a four star review this time. I found the food to be a three star quality, but the concept, organization, and ambiance of the place to be a four and a half star quality as reflected on Unilocal.
FOOD: I got the bento box with the tempeh quinoa to continue on replacing some of my meals with vegan/​vegetarian options. The bento box itself was nicely done and reminds me of times when I would get bento boxes in Japan/​Taiwan. A salad, soup, pickled vegetables, grilled vegetables, rice (and quinoia in this case), and the tempeh was included in the bento lunch special. The sauce used in the tempeh was pretty strong, but not bad. I thought it could have toned down the salt. The rice/​quinoa mixture on the other hand was a bit dry in my opinion. Perhaps the quinoa absorbed more of the moisture, but picking up the rice made it difficult to eat with chopstick.
SERVICE: Great!
Overall, the ambiance is very Brooklyn and the café speaks to its demographic in Williamsburg. What a great find!

If you are a coffee lover, there is no better place in Brooklyn.
Make it a priority to get some coffee from these top notch coffee connoisseurs. Just tell them what you want, and they’ll give you one of the best cups in town.

Have passed by this place so many times over the last couple of years and finally went in for a coffee. While I waited (got a pour over) I looked around a bit — really nice space and definitely want to check out the roof when it is warmer. Friendly baristas and when I said I wanted a splash of milk they steamed it without me even asking. Solid cup of coffee. Plan to try something new next time, which will definitely be soon, and looking forward to trying the food, too.

I’ve walked by this place oh-​so-​many times on the way to Nam Nam (great banh mi!!!), but was always too lazy to take a look. Glad I made the visit tonight.
I love it.
The shop is beautifully minimalist. High ceiling. White walls. Potted plants and magazines on a wooden bar. Rooftop access. Basically everything an Instagrammer could ask for. A very relaxing vibe. I probably could sit there all day long and contemplate the meaning of life, the universe and everything.
We didn’t get to try any of the food as our group came in as they were closing up (yeah, we’re those people). But the drinks are magnificent. Good selection of tea and coffee available for consumption. They seem to take their coffee pretty seriously. I would think so with the plethora of brewing equipment on display: copper v60, siphon, Kyoto drip tower etc. So naturally, I had an iced tea, the «Hoji». It was wonderful. Had a sip of my friend’s Kenya pour-​over and it was great too. They use 95RPM coffee.
The barista was very friendly, and almost forgot to charge us (until we reminded him, cause we’re honest people). Also gave me info on one of the cute little Fuji Royal grinders that I spotted.
I will definitely be back to check out the rest of the stuff.
PS: I love how chaotically organized the coffee bar was.

I’m gonna be honest from the outside it looks like shit. But if there’s anything about what makes Brooklyn so special is the hidden gems with spectacular product. This place is one of them.
5 stars for how great they make coffee. The girls who work here are super cute, Japanese and amicable. I usually go for a black iced coffee but opted for the unusual sounding maple coffee. Amazing! The amount of mindfulness they put into every cup is amazing. Totally worth $ 4. I wish I was hungry because everyone here seemed to be chewing down on some delicious grub. The kitchens smelt smoky and amazing.
FYI — 8 $ minimum for credit but there is an atm machine.

Came here by chance on a weekend visit to East Williamsburg. They have a nice rooftop space you can take your food or drinks up to. Not a super scenic view, but the roof has a nice garden and some cool graffiti art which makes it a calming space to getaway and enjoy your morning.
Had the hot green tea and the iced yuzu drink which were both great. They also have bento boxes that come with a soup, salad rice, and your choice of protein. Tried the meatballs which come in a heavy, savory sauce and are pretty tasty. Also had the pork belly which was surprisingly tender (~$ 12 each).
If you’re in the area, it’s a great place to grab a quick bite of Japanese food or some coffee/​tea.

Very unique — confluence of awesome coffee, relaxed vibe, Japanese flare, friendly service and a rooftop! Hello Brooklyn. I had the veggie sandwich which was not bad — good portion sizes relative to the cost. The rooftop is more akin to someone’s apartment building roof as oppose to what you would imagine in a retail setting. It’s chill though. Not a lot of space downstairs. Saw some people working there though. Come for the coffee stay for the rooftop?

Visited Brooklyn Ball Factory on hot summer afternoon and enjoyed Toraja Coffee and onigiri after a busy day. Great service!! Thought I lost my wallet and the barista was extremely kind… thanks God it’s a mishap:)
Nevertheless what a nice experience in a Brooklyn being new in The City
Will definitely come back for more coffee, great food and chill time.

Got iced peppermint tea on this past scorching Sunday. $ 4 but hit the spot. Love the vibe in there.

Visiting Brooklyn Ball Factory in the morning is certainly the highlight of my day. Nearly every morning, I turn the corner along with my trusty dog Meatball to meet a pal there for a hot cup of coffee.
I’m greeted with a friendly nod from Hiro, who’s diligently preparing coffee behind the bar with more care than I think I’ve ever shown anything. The staff all come say hello and give Meatball a big, warm welcome. When my friend arrives, we spend time bullshitting on the bench out front, patiently awaiting our coffee, which is not only delicious but very reasonably priced. Every morning, my friend and I trade off who’s picking up the tab but never do we forget to tip. How can you not when the folks behind the bar treat you like family?
If you live in the neighborhood or are coming for a visit, it’s worth stopping by, slowing down and enjoying a great cup of coffee. And if you see Meatball, come say «hi»!

amazing environment, coffee, and food!
I absolutely love the build out of this restaurant. It has a comfortable seating area and rooftop area to dine at. You feel welcomed to stay as long as you would like, which is rare for this area. The locally sourced ingredients and complex flavors are priced so well.
I got three different sandwiches and recommend trying anything that looks good.
I split a 9 dollar salmon sandwich and was full!
They’re coffee is worth trying too!

Great spot for amazing coffee. Service was very friendly and helpful. They have a unique menu with vegan options.
Restroom is clean and big!
Check out the rooftop for a serene option to enjoy your latte.

The more accurate rating would be 4.5 stars but due to the great service and ambience I feel good about 5 stars!
I found this place by accident several months back as I was walking thru the neighborhood. The atmosphere is really great, how do I describe it… Like a Japanese hipster rustic-​chic? The staff is laid back, friendly and cool. One of my favorite things they serve is their iced coffee — meticulously brewed!
The pork shabu bento is great and comes with a side salad and grilled vegetables and is pretty filling.
The prices are a bit steep but definitely a gem in the east Williamsburg neighborhood!

It makes me smile just thinking about the whole process of taking the bento boxes in a basket and carrying it to the rooftop. It’s a really cute place for something simple and light. Very cute setting and I definitely had a good chat there. In terms of the food, the pork belly shabu shabu is a little bit boring but I loved the grilled pork belly– so tender and soft that everything just melted in my mouth. I ordered iced sencha thinking it was hojicha and realized that I was wrong after my first sip. But it was pretty refreshing for a hot summer afternoon.

This is my regular lunch place. I’ve tried all different bentos on their menu for many times. They are all good. The ingredients they use are pretty fresh. The soup, coming with bento, would change flavor in different seasons — in winter, the soup is richer; in summer, the soup tastes really light.
Oh, they have the best cookies in East Williamsburg! Try it. You won’t regret.

All of the restaurants in this mini empire of restaurants bare some elements of the «Japanese hipster» trend, but at the Brooklyn Ball Factory, things really take flight.
There’s an expensive water filtration system designed to remove certain minerals in the cooking and coffee, an expensive machine to make said coffee and management straight out of a Muji catalog.
It’s all a bit silly, and would completely fall under the weight of its own pretension if the product wasn’t up to snuff. I don’t drink coffee, but I have sampled my way around the slowly evolving menu. On a recent visit I wasn’t able to sample the curry (I remain surprised at how often this professional operation is out of certain food items) but instead returned to the meatball rice plate.
Not a traditionally Japanese dish by any means, the very hearty and slightly sweet balls come with a large, bitter salad, plenty of rice and an elevated take on miso soup. It’s a very good deal, even more surprising considering the rather steep coffee prices.
Less innovative dishes and Japanese classics available here at the same level. There’s no evidence of the boring flavors and dry meat that led to Samurai Papa a few blocks away being a massive letdown.
The best thing about the Ball Factory it is roof space. I don’t think many guests realize that the Ball Factory serves alcohol, but they do have a beer on draft on a couple on bottles. Coming out here on a spring afternoon, with the wrap around wooden benches and fresh breeze, the most surprising thing is that there aren’t more people here.
Don’t tell anyone.

Loved the roof top but it gets very hot if you don’t sit in the shade. Minor detail, of course. Seems like a good place to grab a beer with friends.
Got the Salmon Bento which was decent, the rice is a beautiful composition of white grain, sesame seeds and barley. The salad and pickles that come with it are good but the salmon was a little underwhelming.
The Meatball Bento was great, I liked the meatballs they were tender and salty!
Props to the $ 5 coffee. It tasted like it had liquor in it (but it didn’t) and it was extremely refreshing. Not too heavy or dark at all, but not overly citrusy either. I’m not a coffee expert but I really liked the one I got today, I thought it was aromatic. Only grievance is having to fork out $ 5 for iced coffee! Really???

I’m writing this review of my Sunday morning breakfast which is very minimal but delish. For under $ 10 you can get an amazing coffee special of the day (this one is a dark roast with maple that I watched the barista make with tender loving care) and a yummy croissant with salmon and capers and sauce. It’s just what I needed this morning. For breakfast they also have lots of muffins and pastries.
Décor is lovely. Staff is super friendly. Music has been killing it. Can’t wait to come back here for lunch or dinner.

Japanese meatballs on a rooftop in East Williamsburg? This place is as great as it is random.
The small spot has a few seats as you walk in, right in front of the counter/​kitchen where you place your order, but it’s more fun to enjoy your meal in the rooftop garden. It doesn’t have the nicest view (mostly neighboring projects), but it is a very nice, pleasant way to enjoy the tasty menu of Japanese staples and other random stuff cooked fresh by the very friendly Japanese staff:
— Meatball Sandwich ($ 9)
Given the name of the eatery, this was appropriately the best thing we had, by far. Still, the name of the place is misleading as this is the single meatball item you can order here. Anyway, this gets you a sturdy hero roll stuffed with two massive meatballs, topped with fermented apple sauce and some greens. The meatballs, a mix of chuck and short rib, are so juicy and flavorful, and are the one must order item.
— Pork Shabu Shabu Bento ($ 12)
Consisting of a decent-​sized pile of the thinly sliced, fatty meat, along with soup and some salad and a hearty scoop of rice, this was another solid option, but not quite as tasty as the sandwich. I’m not the biggest Shabu Shabu person, so I probably should’ve chosen one of the several other available proteins instead.
— Japanese Curry Rice ($ 8.50) with Chicken (+ $ 3)
This was nearly identical to the bento box, but just with some curry sauce on the side instead. The chicken was much tastier though, making this a much better option.
— Milky Toast ($ 3)
These 3 long strips of sweet, crusty bread are great. This is a nice item to enough on the side, especially if you don’t get a sandwich and want some bread to go with your rice.
— Rosemary French Fry ($ 4)
This was the one major failure, a carton of shockingly undercooked and soggy fries. There was an occasional one that was at least slightly browned and worth eating, but they were mostly pale and nearly raw.
— White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie ($ 1.50)
On our way down after the meal, we tried one of the few varieties of cookies available at the counter. This was a pretty decent cookie, with huge discs of white chocolate and a faint cranberry flavor.
After a good sampling of the menu, I think I see now why they named this place the Brooklyn Ball Factory, as the meatballs were the best. I would come back, but probably just to get the meatballs again. And maybe to try the Shaved Ice for dessert.