Bubby’s Brooklyn

Came here a while ago for some pie. It was okay

Food is rather pricey but very well made. Beautiful views of Brooklyn Bridge from the tables near the windows, friendly staff and quiet atmosphere on weekday mornings.

It’s sad that this place closed. I went there a few months ago and the first thing to hit you is how spacious it is. The food was good and the cocktails were very strong, not watered down. Beautiful views of the brooklyn bridge and downtown manhattan.

This was my first experience at Bubby’s and despite the fact that it was very crowded the Mother’s Day; I was pleasantly surprised by the experience, I was nervous because the reviews that I read spoke poorly of the wait staff and the quality of the food.
There was a 25 minute wait (again pretty good for a holiday brunch). It was kid-​friendly– plenty of high chairs and kid menus to color with crayons. Along with a waiting area large enough to store strollers. Great views on the 2^nd level and large panoramic windows on ground level. The atmosphere was friendly; another customer came over to wish us «Happy Mother’s Day» and told us that he and his wife had their wedding reception there.
Drawbacks:
The restaurant is huge so the noise level was high because it was crowded. The waiter could have been a little more attentive because there were small children at the table. And the food was good, however there was a strange difference in the portions. My aunt and I ordered the same thing but for some reason her portions were twice the size of mine.

RIP Bubby’s Brooklyn!
I went there yesterday and found the place was closed. No signs in the window to indicate why.
Sandy?
Poor sales?
Bad Unilocal reviews?
All the above?
«Oh, the humanity!» I’m gonna miss ya, Bubby.

After reading all the mixed reviews on the site, I was nervous about choosing this spot for my mom’s birthday dinner in late August. It’s right on the water so that is a plus and we stuck with it.
It was noisy as people said though there weren’t as many people there on a Friday at 6pm in the summer. There were TONS of kids. Everyone really liked, for the most part, what they ordered. Portions are large. The appetizers were great even if they did take awhile to come out.
In the end, I’m glad we went there. The service was slow at times though not terrible. I wouldn’t be scared off by the reviews. It’s a nice place with yummy comfort food. Just be prepared for some noise, children, and sometimes slower service.

All the bad comments by the other reviewers? Sadly, all true:
1. Service is HORRIBLE. Not the servers’ fault — there aren’t enough of them, and whoever is the GM clearly doesn’t know how to run a restaurant (either that or the lack of care is reflective of the sheer contempt for the customers).
2. Loud and can be crowded. And yes, lots of kids. If that’s not your thing, you don’t want to come here for.
3. Food is mediocre (it wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t overpriced for what it is!). The brunch menu (now all day) is definitely better than what it was, but again, the service (HORRIBLE) kills it: food was warm (not hot), because clearly it was sitting around before pickup. And forget getting your water refilled.
It’s a shame really, because there aren’t that many options in DUMBO. But this place will continue to take advantage of its location and serve medicore food with incredibly poor service because it can.
I’ve tried this place twice; I really wanted it to work since we live right next door in Brooklyn Heights. We’ll be heading back to Jack the Horse for brunch.

Bad bad bad… food was mediocre. The service was beyond horrible! Upon arrival we were told there would be a 1 hour wait. OK fine. But while we were there we noticed tables of people who were waiting for their checks and slow moving waiters. We had waited for the hostess for 10 minutes…
We went to look for another restaurant but every other place was closed (4^th of July)
We went back and still no table so we sat at the bar. Bartender was nice enough but super slow. Food was not as described! Wouldn’t stuffed French Toast have something stuffed into the toast and not placed on top???
Beautiful space… and I bet the clientele would love for this place to be managed better. This place needs that Gordon Ramsey guy asap!

I really want to like this place because we don’t have a ton of food options in dumbo, but I’ve tried it three times now, and it has been utterly awful everytime.
The service is terrible (and I am British so my standards really aren’t high), they never have more than one wine by the glass, the food is sloppy and the interior is shabby and completely under-​utilized.
Frankly, to have such prime real estate and not offer a really amazing experience for both tourists and locals is a missed opportunity. If it wasn’t for weddings, I’m not sure this place would still be in business — and based on the service, food and overall dining experience, they must do well enough financially on these weddings, that they just don’t bother even trying the rest of the time.
Hopefully having the excellent Govenor restaurant 2 doors away might force them to up their game. I remain skeptical, but hope I am proven wrong.

Holy f*cking loud, Batman.
So loud, in fact, that we canceled our orders and left. If you like your Sunday brunch with a huge side of annoying-and-loud-as-f*ck-frat-bar-music, then this just might be the place for you!

To my darling Bubby,
Things just aren’t what they used to be between us. I know you try your best by offering me free-​range, antibiotic-​free meats and local produce. I love you for that, for trying to win me over that way. I know it is sincere. Your views of the park and city are lovely too, but it just isn’t enough anymore.
Maybe my standards have gone up, but maybe you have just gotten too comfortable. When I come to visit you, you can no longer pay me the attention I feel that I deserve during my Sunday brunch. It’s like I’m not even there!
You know I hate when you are late and you are always late these days. I waited over an hour and a half to be served last time I stopped by. Honestly, I know you are busy and I don’t mean to be needy, but we ordered our burgers the moment we sat down. We didn’t even need a moment to look at the menu! You knew how hungry we were and you still let us down. I’ve never met a burger yet that took more than an hour to make, and so I really am tired of your excuses. No amount of coffee can fill that void that an undelivered burger leaves.
Your server told us we were the next ticket and that he was sorry for the wait. I know he meant it. However, when 3 other meals then came out before ours, that was the final straw. I had to walk out. I know it was rude, but it was time to go around the corner to Front street pizza, just so I could just have someone take care of my stomach the way it deserves, and not lead me on for hours. I try to be patient, but we all have our limits.
I’m afraid this is the end of our Brunch love-​affair Bubby. Maybe we can try again for dinner one day, but it’s probably time for us both to move on.
Best Wishes for Better Brunches in your future,
Ms. Trixie

I was at Bubby’s Dumbo this afternoon for lunch with a group of 11 out of towners. Since my friends are from out of town, I wanted them to have a nice lunch at a restaurant that I really enjoy. Well, everything about our lunch turned out bad leaving me doubts on if I would ever return or recommend it.
First of all, no one greeted us at the hostess area or acknowledge our presences in the restaurant for at least 5 minutes until I finally flagged someone down. It’s really hard to miss a group of 12 people standing there especially since the restaurant was not that busy. I had made reservations for 12:30pm and when someone finally decided to acknowledge us, our table had not been set up yet. I thought reservations meant tables would be ready when you arrive at the restaurant, but I guess I was wrong.
Upon sitting down at the table, our waitress, Emma, was made aware of our time constraints because we only had about an hour for lunch. We promptly ordered our food which took at least 30 minutes to arrive and when it did arrive, only 10 of us got our orders. Three people had ordered the exact same sandwich, but for some reason the other 2 people’s orders did not show up. We had to flag down our waitress at least twice to let her know that not everyone had received their food. When we complaint, she seemed more annoyed than like she really cared if our orders were complete. When my two friend’s Pilgrim sandwiches finally arrived, the turkey was burnt so it definitely was not worth the wait. How disappointing!
I had ordered the chicken club sandwich which was quite good. However, I noticed there was no avocado in the sandwich even though it stated on the menu that avocado was in the sandwich. When we asked Emma our waitress if the sandwich comes with avocado, her response was unbelievably rude. She said and I quote «if it does not say it’s included on the menu then it’s not included.» I then asked to see the menu and there was avocado listed as the first ingredients in the sandwich. I pointed this out to her just to make a point.
Normally, when I have bad service at a restaurant I usually do not tip the customary amount to make a point. However, I couldn’t do that at Bubby’s today because the 20% tip was automatically included for parties of 6 or more. This really did not sit well with me because our tip to our very rude server was over $ 50 which she clearly did not deserve.
There are so many good restaurants in Brooklyn and Bubby’s used to be one of my favorites. After today’s experience I doubt I will ever return. Good food does not make up for terrible service, ever!

Dear Bubby,
We visited your Brooklyn outpost last weekend. Your menu is interesting. Your location is great. I was really optimistic you could deliver a nice end to a beautiful day.
I ignored the disoriented hostess. I didn’t complain about the bathroom. I didn’t ask for the check when the tables around us began comparing war stories about how they’d been waiting for their food for over an hour, when people started walking out or sending food back, when the manager refused to speak to the restless hordes, etc.
PROTIP: if you ever find yourself in this situation cut your losses, pay, and leave. Unless you have a video camera. And a twisted sense of humor.
I really hope you get it together Bubby. Being completely lost on a weekend at dinner time has to be near rock bottom, right? Next time I’m leaving the hungry family at home and bringing the video camera.

Saw a review of Bubbys on Unique Sweets on Food Network… the pie was just as delicious as described. We had the Pecan Pie and the orange zest in the filling gave it a unique kick. For our main meal, we went for a savory option– roasted vegetable chili and huevos rancheros. Yum!
Location has gorgeous views and is very spacious– great for larger groups and families.
Overall, a very relaxing, satisfying brunch experience.

I think I just had my last meal at Bubby’s.
I’ve lived in Dumbo for 3 years, and have eaten there every few months, usually w/​family (and their kids). But it has steadily gone downhill with each successive visit.
The waitstaff is more checked-​out than ever. They don’t enjoy their jobs or take pride in taking care of you. You’ll sit there for 15 minutes before they even come by for a drink order. They’re inattentive to your empty water glass, they forget your request for ketchup until you’ve asked the third time, and if you point out that your chicken salad had a bone in it, they’ll just yawn and make no effort to apologize. They’re not rude, they just don’t care.
But the worst part of it all is the prices.
A completely ordinary brunch for two there will set you back $ 60 after tax and tip, and that’s WITHOUT bloody marys or other drinks (which would be more like $ 100). Just your basic omelets, coffee and oj.
There are too many other great places around the neighborhood (esp the new Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar on Henry st!) that are a far better experience for nearly half the price.
Sorry, Bubby’s, but you’re becoming a symbol of Dumbo’s growing arrogance.

I used to like Bubby’s Brooklyn. I really did, I swear! The space and location is absolutely beautiful as it is located in what I imagine is a restored warehouse along the Brooklyn waterfront.
The last few times I’ve been there however, the experience has been nothing but complete disappointment.
Take yesterday for example. I met my girlfriend’s brother and sister-​in-​law for New Year’s Day brunch. We were a bit late getting to Bubby’s, so the brother and sister-​in-​law had ordered some of Bubby’s famous biscuits (which used to be free but you now have to pay for — points off for that) as something to nosh on while they waited for us. More on the biscuits later.
Well when the GF and I get there, the place is crowded and noisy as always. Kids running around the place unsupervised. I don’t criticize Bubby’s for that. Its actually part of the place’s charm — if you don’t like to eat brunch in that type of atmosphere, then this definitely isn’t the place for you.
We find the GF’s in-​laws and join them at their table. The waitress finds us quick enough and takes our order. Everyone in the party orders eggs or pancakes, except for me. I’ve had breakfast here before, and I know the dishes are usually quite good. I just wasn’t in the mood for breakfast that day.
I ask for the matzoh ball soup and BLT sandwich. Conventional wisdom on that should be the soup comes first as an appetizer and the BLT sandwich would come later as an the entrée. Our waitress even confirms this when she takes the order. So far so good.
After an average wait the entrees for everyone show up … except for mine! And I still haven’t received my soup either. So let me get this straight, I’m the only one who actually orders an appetizer and everyone gets their entrees before my app arrives? What gives? And if everyone else is receiving their entrees, where is my BLT?
A few moments later, both my soup and BLT show up. Thanks Bubby’s!
So I taste the soup. It is luke warm and luke tasteless. There is absolutely no flavor to the thing. I usually refrain from adding salt to my food, but this soup would have been inedible without it. So in goes the salt before I can really get any flavor out of the broth or the matzoh ball.
The average diner knows how to make good matzoh ball soup. This place is charging me $ 9.00 for the soup and its horrible. Go figure.
The BLT is pretty good. No real complaints there. It is extremely tasty. But the price… $ 14.00 for bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise? COME ON???
Oh … and remember those delicious biscuits which the in-​laws had ordered PRIOR to my GF and me arriving in order to have something to nosh on while they waited for us??? Well, those famous biscuits show up at the table AFTER our entrees had. The in-​laws are way too nice, because I would have definitely sent them back at that point.
I would chalk off this entire experience as a one time aberration, but it isn’t. Variations of the above story and lack of good service have awaited me at Bubby’s the last few times I have been there. The previous time we were there for example, another member of our party didn’t get his entrée until almost everyone else had finished theirs. Inexcusable.
I sooo want to like this place. The breakfast is usually pretty good… but at the prices they are charging you, both the service and food should be pristine, not just good. The average egg dish costs somewhere between $ 15 to $ 20. Just too much.
So, if you want a good meal in Brooklyn, this isn’t any place I would recommend. If they bring down their prices and improve their service, I might consider revising this review. Until that time however, my feelings about Bubby’s are as described above.

John… was it? The easy-​peasy bartender who made the evening just right. I’ve lived in Brooklyn for three years… one would think I would know my way around bars and neighborhood specials but I don’t. The girlfriend works in DUMBO and honestly, I can’t think of a nicer after-​work spot to meet her for drinks at.
Make sure you let the bartender recommend stuff to you… it’s wunderbar! Right across from Galapagos as well… and my secret New York «Jane» x

I can’t comment on the service since we were here for a wedding, not regular service. The food and location were excellent though.
The location is really beautiful, the huge windows look out across the East River, with the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges framing Manhattan. Particularly at night, this view is stunning. The interior is definitely Brooklyn, with a faux-​retro hipster vibe. The only issue we had with the location was that our cabbie didn’t know where it was, and then we ran into a bunch of streets that were closed for construction. In the end we just got out and walked two (very hot) blocks, but none of that is really Bubby’s fault.
The food was delicious, and while it wasn’t the regular service menu, I think it was a good sign for the place that their wedding food was so tasty. The grilled sea bass was good enough, but the grilled/​barbecued chicken was excellent. They served an entire half of a chicken, which had been smoked and grilled, and had just a hint of barbecue sauce on it. It was tender and delicious, as were the sides. All in all, an excellent meal and a great place for a wedding!

Visiting NYC and a friend that lives in town insists we try Bubby’s. She generally goes to the location in Manhattan, but we decided to try this one since we were bumbling around DUMBO anyhow. When we first walked in I was quite excited, as it’s really a beautiful restaurant, with a view of the East River and the Manhattan skyline to match. We went upstairs, found a table with the best view, and we were in love with this restaurant and it’s neo-​rustic charm.
Then everything went downhill. Fast.
I have never had as laughably of bad service as I received here at Bubby’s. The place was dead and for the vast majority of the time we’re the only table that our server has to worry about. Still, it manages to take 15 minutes to get our cocktails (which in all actuality were delicious). That was essentially the last time we saw our server. We had to flag down bus boys to get refills of water, and nobody ever offered us another round of cocktails… a BIG mistake with my group.
Meanwhile 2 things happen. 1) a group of 30 sits next to us and 2) we see our server downstairs at the bar chatting up a female employee and playing on his phone, I can only imagine trying to beat the latest update to Angry Birds. I mention both of these because the group of 30 is not his table, and he’s obviously not helping out.
After finally getting a different employee to clear our table and get us desert, I’ve had enough. I call over a manager. I tell her how the food was great but how awful the service is. She apologizes, but then also spends 10 minutes telling us how she KNOWS that he is terrible at his job, and that he was once a manager but got fired and hired back as a server. She apologized that we had to deal with him as our server. It was nice to get confirmation that it wasn’t just us that he sucked with, but c’mon, a manager sitting down to gossip with us about how awful a staff member is rather than fix the problem? Weak.
The icing on the cake? The server comes back up, and apologizes for not being with us enough. He said it was just so swamped in there due to the 30 top that he didn’t have time to appropriately serve us. LIAR! YOU LYING LIAR! We all watched you flirt and play Angry Birds (again, just an assumption. He could have been checking in on a sick grandparent or something). Don’t bullshit me dude. No tip for you.
This place only gets 2 stars because the view was pretty and i didn’t get some awful form of food poisoning. Beyond that, dodge this place.

Brought some friends here Friday Night, and it was wonderful!

Bubby’s seems like a Brooklyn institution. The kind of place where a family goes for brunch every Sunday where everyone tries food from everyone else’s plate and the conversation flows as freely as the (delicious) coffee.
I love the venue — open, vast and airy but very cozy and homey at the same time. When we visited, the upstairs had been cordoned off for a bridal shower and the pastel balloons dancing in the breeze made the atmosphere that much more charming.
BUT, all the charm in the world can’t help a restaurant if the food is barely edible. Luckily, my meal at Bubby’s was pretty good.
Keeping on my quest to find the world’s best, I ordered the veggie burger and fries. While Bubby’s made a solid effort, I don’t think this one can be considered a contender.
The patty was homemade — thin, crispy, crunchy and served with lettuce, tomatoes, onion and pickle on a whole-​wheat bun. Tasty? Certainly. Spectacular? Meh, not so much.
However, I can’t rave enough about the fries — they were delicious! Crispy shoestrings that were well-​seasoned with salt and parsley (love parsley on my fries). I could have eaten obscene amounts.
As much as I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, I have two complaints about the joint. Both related to money. The first being that Bubby’s only accepts cash. If this was some dark hole-​in-​the-​wall doling out dinner in Styrofoam boxes, this policy makes perfect sense. Bubby’s is a big place (with a second location in Tribeca) that seems to do pretty well. Also, it’s 2011.
My second complaint was the price. My burger was good, but I don’t know that it was worth $ 15. In fact, if my bubby heard I spent $ 15 on a burger and fries, she’d probably clobber me with a wooden spoon (my bubby’s a tough ol’ bird).
If you’re in the DUMBO area with a little cash in your pocket and looking for a good spot to grab brunch, check out Bubby’s. Just don’t tell your bubby how much you spent on your meal.

I really dislike Bubby’s in Tribeca. Brooklyn, on the other hand… I love.
Maybe its the pretty sweet views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges from the huge front window. Hudson Street pales in comparison. It might also be the cinnamon bourbon hot cider, perfectly heartwarming for a cold and drizzly Sunday.
I am going to assume the biggest draw is the size. This place is so massive! No lines, tables as far as the eye can see, no waiting on the street in the freezing cold… amazing.
The food wasn’t nearly as rank as its sister location in Manhattan. Bubby’s Brooklyn did shabby chic well and it sure tasted good. We only wanted a little something to nosh on before some West Elm splurging, so we tried the pink grapefruit with brown sugar gratin and the andouille cheese grits.
The grapefruit was delicious. Refreshing to say the least, although I do wish there was more brown sugar caramelized on top. The grits were toasty, but had chorizo, which I don’t remember reading on the menu, so the dish was too spicy for my liking. I pulled most of the chorizo out and chowed down on the cheesy grainy goodness.
Considering there appear to be few options in Dumbo for nom noming — or maybe I don’t know where to go — I would recommend Bubby’s for the views, food, space and probably most importantly, the cocktail. I have to say, I kicked this review up to 4 stars because the bourbon hot apple cider was SO FREAKING GOOD. I’m just saying. Worth the trek over the bridge. This also makes me want to try Manhattan Bubby’s again, because my experience in the outer borough was so magical.
Dumbo win.

I really enjoyed Bubby’s warm service and kid friendly atmosphere. There were a ton of kids at this popular brunch spot. We went on a beautiful fall Sunday, and it was just in time that we got there around 10:30 because as we were leaving, there were quite a few people waiting to get a seat.
Although your paying a premium, everything is from a few select farms so its local and organic and all that jazz.
The little biscuits they bring out in the beginning are so good, they taste like a pastry because they are so rich and tasty. They come with homemade butter and jam. (I had like 5 of them slathered in the spreads!)
I tried the trout scramble and it was so good I didn’t even mind finding two small bones, there was a little white horseradish (i think) sauce on top of my scrambled eggs mixed in with some tasty smoked trout pieces. It came with a side of tasty oniony hash browns made just right too.
Coffee was strong and tasty and my espresso had the signature swirl on top that we took a few pictures of it was that spot on. The only thing was it wasn’t that hot.
After I ate, I snuck upstairs to see the second floor and the views it presented and for a small event of 50 people or less, it would be a great venue to throw a party.
This place was great. A bit on the pricey side though.