Heights Cafe

Last Semester, my group and I chose Heights Café for our final project since one of our group members is a server here. I came here with my boyfriend at 5pm on a Saturday when my friend was working at the café/​restaurant.
It’s located in the heart of Brooklyn Heights and is in a beautiful location because it’s just a short walk from the Brooklyn Promenade. The restaurant/​café has a warm and cheerful atmosphere as there are maroon-​like leather seats at the booths and majority of the seats and tables are made of sleek wood. The walls are decorate with paintings from local artists.
My friend greeted us with a warm and friendly smile and asked what would we like, gave us recommendations, and etc. We were given a bread basket and we also started off with drinks:
My boyfriend ordered the Angry Orchard and I had a Watermelon Martini. The watermelon martini tasted almost like a Jolly Rancher candy in a liquid form and with alcohol in it. I have to admit it was a little strong for my taste, so unfortunately I didn’t drink the whole glass.
For appetizer, we had the Warm Spinach Dip with Corn Tortillas. We typically order fried calamari as an appetizer, but this time I wanted to try something different. The dip was a delight, not too cheesy and you get spinach in every dip and bite. Chips were crunchy and fresh, definitely not stale.
My boyfriend the Wild Mushroom Ravioli from the dinner specials menu for the evening we went. It’s definitely a little more expensive than ravioli we’ve had in other restaurants. The wild mushroom ravioli was accompanied with an olive oil garlic sauce, sauteed shrimp, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes.
The dish is definitely vibrant, but I didn’t really see why there was a need for shrimp, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes. I would have much preferred wild mushrooms around the dish. The ravioli itself was delicious and super filling and I would have preferred more sauce.
I ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese since it sounded amazing. The lobster mac & cheese was bathed in brandy lobster cream, Parmesan, Gruyère, and cheddar cheese. I liked it for the most part, tasted more like cheese than lobster-​like.
I actually had trouble finishing the lobster mac and cheese because there was so much cheese and cream that I got full instantly. The cheese was just a little overwhelming.
Our bill came out to be more expensive then what my boyfriend & I typically pay for when we eat out. However, I really liked the service and the attentiveness from the other servers before my friend arrived to our table. I also really like the atmosphere because most of the customers are locals, tourists, and/​or family. I also like that there’s a warm and welcoming atmosphere here.
I think if I am in the area and in search of warm and delicious comfort food than yes and maybe if for a birthday dinner and etc. If a friend or someone asks me for a good Brooklyn Heights restaurant recommendation, Heights Café would definitely be on my top list of recommendations.

Great location in a terrific neighborhood, too bad this place is such a fail. We had to wait 10min+ for our waiter, didn’t get all of our drinks, got the wrong food, and those who got the right food got cold food.
The only nice part was that the manager came and apologized at the end, but isn’t he supposed to?
Skip it.

Most of what this place has going for it is the location. Super cute spot, and lots of outdoor seating.
That said, when we went there weren’t many people and still we had to wait more time than you would expect when the place is empty. Didn’t feel too warm or friendly.
Food was ok, meh.
Definitely pricier than I would have expected given the quality and the chill vibe it has.
Too bad, I waited a long time to try this place and I’m really not sure if/​when I’ll be back. As I said, the location is quite appealing!

My husband and I come here regularly now. I think they have changed their menu within the past couple of years and their food and drinks are spot on now! Try the Turkey burger– probably the best turkey burger I’ve had! Their peach martini is also very delicious! Happy it’s part of the neighborhood.

I used to live in Bklyn Heights and back in the day this Café was the place to go especially in the summer: eating outside was the place to be and be seen. So today I was meeting 3 friends for brunch and a movie. 2 of my friends live in the Heights and suggested we eat here due to the proximity of the Regal Court Street Theatre. I must admit I perused the Unilocal reviews of the Café to get up to speed on how well this Café has held up over the years.
I really wanted to disbelieve it but sadly most were accurate.
The décor has held up but the service and food have not. One of my friends ordered the breakfast burrito special: bacon undercooked. My other friend ordered the chicken salad with avocados. I think she counted 1 sliver of avocado & asked for more avocado and was told it is an extra $ 3! My other friend ordered the French toast and liked it. I ordered the Thai chicken salad with peanut dressing which surprisingly was tasty (if u want a better version of this rush to Cheesecake Factory for the same price of $ 16.95 you get epic portions which I always take half home. I feel like Elaine from Seinfeld «do they serve a big salad?») But I digress! I had to order extra dressing on side due to a drizzle of peanut dressing on my salad.
The service is slowwwww which is a disconnect due to being opened on Easter Sunday the café should have been prepared for a busy day.
The menu is comprehensive: fish, burgers, pasta etc.
If you want a dining experience that is slow and have 2 hours to spend sitting this is your place.
Next time my choice is Carroll Gardens where the eateries are hipper and have a wider variety of cuisine choices.
Montague Street needs a much better selection of places to dine especially due to the proximity to the Promenade.

Really solid food (omelets, chili, calamari, and roasted veggie & goat chese sandwich are among my favorites), great for lunch on a patio. A bit pricey though ($ 2 for BBQ sauce — really?). They do have a decent (and not as pricey as you’d guess) drink menu, though! And the bread basket is delicious.
A very nice find in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood on a charming street. Outdoor seating is great for spring/​summer/​fall. Service is hit or miss speed-​wise.

Overpriced and service was bad to the point it felt degrading.
First, we did see the price and did not come in expecting cheap dishes. Neither did we expect fancy dishes because it’s a «café». We ordered the mushroom pappardelle, salmon burger and lobster roll. The first two: not bad. The lobster roll, on the other hand, is priced about $ 18; it comes out with ²⁄₃ plate of potato chips, a little coleslaw and a tiny lobster sandwich that is just slightly bigger than my fist. The bread is not particularly special either. I guess it was nice how the lobster was served in actual chunks, and that may justify a bit of the price. But honestly, it didn’t feel good when the dish was brought, especially knowing it cost close to $ 20.
I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt; however, my experience was not tainted by one possible mistake but several. And while I don’t like to usually attribute it to racism, it felt like it. All other tables who were non-​Asian seemed to be served much better than ours. My family and I walk into this café. (1) While it’s possible that the waiter just wanted to give us a booth, there were many nicer, brighter seats by the window. We were given a seat right next to the restroom. Ok, let’s say we let that slip. (2) We’re a table of three. The busboy comes over, and for some reason takes away two sets of cutlery and plates. We think he’ll bring one back but until after we’ve ordered he doesn’t. He’s hanging out literally right by our table the whole time, but doesn’t notice at all. We finally ask for a set, but rather than a proper cloth napkin that matches the other sets, we’re given a flimsy paper napkin and no plate. (3) I walk over to the bathroom, and notice a family is being seated. They receive a bread basket immediately. I think maybe they forgot. So I wait back at the table. The food comes. No bread basket. So I ask for it, and finally we get one. We didn’t walk into this place expecting superb service, but it particular spoiled our experience when we noticed other tables were being served better. We had to ask for most things once we noticed some things missing.

Brooklyn Heights is a great place to live, except everything costs the world and the food sucks.
Heights Café is a prime example, where there’s food that would be considered tired in 1993 on the Upper East Side is brought with a side of mild incompetence. There were several mix-​ups with the beer selection, with the additionally auditory complaining to other members of the waitstaff.
I knew coming here that I wasn’t going to get the most innovative fare. But there are dozens of places in borough that show that American comfort food can be done right. Here it’s a heavy, overcooked burger and mushy fries.
For the rents paid by the business and the clientele, management needs to offer something more. I advice walking into Carroll Gardens or up to DUMBO for a decent meal.

I wanted to like this place more. I live in the area and I’m in the market for a new go-​to brunch spot, and sadly, this wasn’t a winner for me. This place is just okay. For what you’re paying for, the quality of the food reminds me what I would’ve been served had I chosen to eat at a cheap 24-​hour diner. I believe I read that a side of fruit was over $ 6?! No thanks.
The two stars are for the service. Our server was very sweet.

Oh Heights Café, how you let me down. We were in the neighborhood to take in the scenery. Two separate people stopped us to recommend this place to eat. I would rate the members of this community five stars if I could! People were so friendly.
I ordered the lobster roll. It was on a very mini hotdog bun. It was a decent portion of lobster, but had a spice on it that was not good. The chips were okay, but once again had a spice I just didn’t like.
The person I ate with ordered the pictured chicken sandwich. He said it was very plain and way too small. He ordered sweet potato fries, which were our favorite part.
Overall, we’d skip the place next time we’re in the area.

Friendly, accommodating staff.
Great burger (no fries, delicious spinach instead).
BLT stack was good.
Comfortable location.

Great location for lunch after visiting this cute neighborhood. It is a little walk from the park, but we did the walk.
They have outdoor sitting which make it a great place if it is a sunny day. I had the salmon burger which was good, but not amazing. Just like everything they offer here. Everything is good.
For my personal opinion, their prices are but high, but it is up to you if you are willing to pay it.
Cute neighborhood location.

It’s a good spot to check out in the neighborhood. I stopped in with the family after seeing a movie at the Court St. movie theater. Didn’t feel like fast food or a chain restaurant so we opted for the diner for some kitchen food. The service was great and wait staff very accommodating. I enjoyed my food choice: lobster & shrimp mac n cheese. While my family enjoyed their selections as well. I would have liked some more seafood in my mac n cheese, felt like I was eating a regular pasta dish. But it was good for what it was. My mom enjoyed her salmon platter but felt the size was a bit small for the price. But hey for a diner in Brooklyn Heights with very little wait time, outdoor dining, and a nice ambiance it wasn’t a bad experience.

Eh… Got the lobster Mac and cheese, not a good decision. Bland, 2 whole pieces of lobster, and oh dud I mention bland? Adding grated cheese and red pepper did not help.
Kind of pricey for the quality of food.
Service was nice, French fries were French fries.
I miss the old diner that used to be here.
I would have given it one star but the busboy kept my water filled so I had that going for me

Good: laphroaig on the self.
Bad: worst ceasar salad I’ve had to go. Ever. Zero effort.
Sorry but your place is uninspired, generic and boring. At least make a decent ceasar.

Was in the neighborhood craving a burger! The burger here is hefty, and made pretty well with the onion, tomato, and lettuce on the side (smart doesn’t get the bun soggy or Wilt the veggies) I had sweet potato fries instead of reGular and was ridiculously full at the end. The WHOLE experience I’d say was pretty average, I did like the size of this monster, took care of that craving but wasn’t so delicious that I’d be back.

Set in a prime location, Heights Café was the common sense answer to where are we eating after coming from the promenade. Service is quick — we were greeted and seated within minutes.
I ordered the lobster and shrimp mac and cheese. I could easily see myself taking this dish to go. It was filled with huge chucks of real lobster. My dish only had two shrimp. I’m not sure if that was the standard (my best guess) or it was the luck of the draw, but with the amount of lobster served in the dish, I’m not exactly complaining. As opposed to the regular mac and cheese, the lobster and crab is served with a cognac cream sauce. I’ve never had the regular to compare, but I didn’t taste anything uncharacteristic of regular mac and cheese.
My boyfriend had the salmon burger, which he didn’t finish. I didn’t have a taste myself, but it seemed dry and unremarkable. The salmon burger came with a salad that I ended up eating and complemented ny pasta well.
I was a little buzzed from the glass of wine, and made a mistake ordering the wrong wine, but our waitress remembered what I had and sent me what I meant to order.
The reason I give three stars is because there was something missing. We’ve been going to a lot of great places lately and our meals here, while meeting expectations, lacked a certain wow factor. Like I said, I’d definitely order a dish to go, but it’s not high on the list of places to revisit.

Delightful little spot in Brooklyn Heights — my friend had a beer, guac, chips — I had a Kale salad. Good prices. Really friendly service.

The defining feature of this restaurant is its location. Mainly because it was there when I needed it. I had a soup that was good and my friend had a yogurt that was also good. The bartender was ok, the décor was oddly fake and dated. The crowd was also a very odd mix. I am not sure what this place was trying to go for but it definitely missed my mark.
It was perfectly acceptable but I was not go back unless I was stuck in the area and needed some soup ASAP.

We came here for a evening dinner right after work. He did well with picking this place because I fell in love almost immediately once I saw the ambiance & genuine smiles on the fellow diner’s faces. He has a thing for candles & windows. Who am I not to oblige?
Heights Café offers a memorable experience with the pleasant hostess, amazing food & wooden furniture. I have a thing for wood especially Cherry wood.
Our waitress gave us ample amount of time to place our drinks & entrées. We started off with a Blueberry Martini & Watermelon Martini. The drinks are strong here. Not strong in a good way either. There was no flavor whatsoever & tasted like rubbing alcohol. Flavor, where art thou?
He had the Penne Pasta which he added Chicken & Italian Sausage with fresh grated Parmesan Cheese. I had the Lobster & Shrimp Mac & Cheese with Breadcrumbs on top. It was delicious! Both entrees actually. My Mac & Cheese was piping hot I almost burned my tongue & finger trying to get to the gooeyness.
The reason for the ⁴⁄₅ stars is because the waitress brought the check back requesting more money. I thought that was terrible & tacky. Let me just put it out there that he’s not a bad tipper.
She said, «it’s a 15% tip». Not that it was suggested on the receipt but how dare you come back for more money. We are firm believers that your tip reflects your service. Why should you get 15% if your service was less than? The true gentleman that he is he gave her more money although we were both taken aback by her rudeness.
He mentioned that HC has brunch so we’ll be back for that one day.

A very good place to have a dinner on the terrace before walking along the Hudson river.
Cheeseburger and grilled salmon are excellent.