Relish

I found myself walking down Whythe today with a grumble in my stomache. I passed Metropolitan an came upon what appeared to be a quaint train car diner. I entered despite the lack of outdoor signage and was promptly greeted by a friendly server and grabbed a table at the bar. The atmosphere was a mix between a train car dive and a trendy hipster brunch spot. Weary from the night before I asked the attentive server for a coffee that arrived both hot and mellow. My Buffalo Chicken Sandwich came soon after and did not disappoint. The toppings were fresh and the chicken had just the right amount of kick. The fries were delicious, crispy, and lightly seasoned. I’ve added this wonderful spot to my favorites among the plethora of lunch spots in Williamsburg. Great service, great food, and a relaxed atmosphere make Relish shine. Check it out!

I walked by last night and its CLOSED.
I loved my one experience a few years back…
It’s a loss. but hey we move on in life…

The
Reports
From servers
Is that Relish
Is no more, kaput, kicked the grease bucket.

I had heard so many great things about Relish — my boyfriend raved about how great it was when he went a few years back. Unfortunately I had never been. I’m glad that I got to check it off my list of brunch places to try — I really want to try every place ever — but I don’t really anticipate going back. I said, lets get brunch, boyfriend said, lets go to Relish. So that is what we did.
I don’t really have anything to complain about, per se. We were seated outside right away, waitress was polite and friendly enough, and the service was prompt. The menu wasn’t huge, but I had been craving an omelette with vegetables, and their goat cheese, red pepper and spinach omelette was exactly what I was looking for. Iced coffee was pretty mediocre, it tasted like the iced coffee I make at home which I’ll admit is not the greatest. My boyfriend liked his chicken sandwich, but says it wasn’t the best ever.
I’d say the part that turned it from an a-​ok experience to a meh experience was the fact that the inside of the restaurant smelled a toilet. Good thing we sat outside!

It’s a real shame what’s happened to Relish.
What used to be our go-​to place for weekend brunch has just dropped off the radar completely.
For some reason, they have entirely redone their menu. And it’s just not as good as before.
An example of the odd choices. The burger can no longer be served with cheese. Yup, you heard that right.
There don’t appear to be many traditional «brunchy» type menu choices any more. It’s all very sad.
I guess a defaced note on the door from a few weeks back explaining to customers that they were closing one morning says it all.
«Is this a restaurant or a movie set ?»

It breaks my heart, but Relish has kinda fallen off the horse.
They’ve changed their menu 3 or 4 times in as many months, typically removing items. They removed several of the items I’d always really liked (fish entrees) but had at the very least left their landmark Mac and Cheese and Veggie Burger intact.
On my most recent visit they were out of the Veggie Burger, so being wary of the scant remaining menu options, I decided to go for an old standard. I got the Mac and Cheese and was SORELY disappointed. They drastically changed the recipe. The new version looks and tastes totally different. And while edible, it’s certainly nothing special. I’d never order it again.
So now I guess the only thing on the menu for me is the Veggie Burger… and I can’t count on them to have it. So I have to say, I’m afraid my years long love affair has come to an end. Very sad. Maybe I’ll pop in in a few months and see if the menu has changed again, perhaps for the better.

My boyfriend and I wanted to keep it a low-​key evening, so we sprang for convenience and decent food — two characteristics that always kept this place on our short list of nearby restaurants. Unfortunately, the consistently poor service (with attitude) hit a zenith for us this time — and will definitely keep us away for the foreseeable future.
The outside seating area was packed, so we just took a seat inside. We ordered. We waited. We noticed that nearly 45 minutes had passed by the time our salad had arrived. I noticed that smoke filled the back dining area while on a trip to the bathroom. Chaos in the kitchen. Meanwhile, the water on our table went unfilled as the waitstaff scurried by on their way outside. Understaffed on a Friday night? Oh yes.
The food arrived after another 30 minutes or so. My pork chop and beans were good. The meat was tender and juicy, though they had left the shells on the beans — making it difficult to cut through. My boyfriend’s burger came without a bun and very few fries (he just asked for it without tomato and cheese). He wasn’t pleased. So we asked to see a manager at that point.
Our waitress took pity on us and sent the «manager» over to us, though we were later told that she was the «shift leader» and not an actual manager. Shift leader/​manager did apologize for the service and offered us some free drinks. Not bad, except for the fact that my boyfriend is on some medication for a stomach issue that prevents him from drinking for the next several weeks. I also explained that we’d experienced slow and inconsistent service in the past — just not like this. Her response: «So what do you want from me? I just offered you free drinks, there’s nothing more I can do.» With that, she walked away. We were pretty shocked.
Our waitress came back, apologized for the burger, and went back to get him a toasted bun. When she returned, we had her send the shift leader back to us.
CUSTOMER SERVICE 101: Never, ever, ever try to get the last word with a customer. My boyfriend and I are probably the most reasonable people around. I work in a profession where customer service is critical. She didn’t like us for whatever reason and decided to go on the defensive. «Well, I don’t know what you meant by inconsistent service…» blah blah. A lot of back-​talk. Later on, however, she took the burger and salad off the bill. A very nice concession, but they all acted as if she — and they — were doing us a favor.
The drama needs to stay in the kitchen. Regardless, we won’t be back.

Omg I found biscuits and gravy in New York!!!
IM a southern raised girl and I haven’t had these puppies in a long time. The best thing about this brunch place aside from the younger, sauced crowd drinking their bloody mary’s up a storm is that the meal is hearty and sustainable to a point and manages to make biscuits and gravy less greasy and heavy (even though they threw in an egg in the middle which was a pleasant surprise). I would go back if I was in Williamsburg again.

I can’t get the Veggie «BLT» out of my head. I substitute goat cheese for mayo and can’t quit it.
I end up here every weekend even when I am trying to go somewhere else for brunch. Don’t get the fries with this sandwich like I do– or you will become a fat (but happy) blob like me on Sunday afternoons.
Relish, I can’t wait to be with you and your patio in the hot Brooklyn Summer!

When you live in this area, you have a million brunch options. I had heard all about Relish, but it always seemed to be PACKED when I wanted to get my grub on. I’d meander over to Teddy’s and forget about this oh-​so-​adorable diner-​style joint and enjoy that standby.
Then it happened… It’s noon… it’s time for brunch, and somehow, the stars aligned and Relish was… empty. It was our chance. I perused the interesting menu and decided on the corned beef hash with red pepper Sauce (comes with two poached eggs). And a grapefruit juice.
Now, I’m kind of a corned beef hash snob. My dad makes THE BEST corned beef hash that I’ve ever tried. I won’t even TRY diner hash. In my opinion, it’s the equivalent of dog food. This has was interesting. While not on par with my dad’s or Dizzy’s in Park Slope, it made a serious effort. It was VERY stringy, with crispy bits that almost resembled pan fried noodles. This was not a bad thing, as the texture proved to be refreshing. The red pepper sauce was too sour, and i was a little difficult to avoid, as it was pretty much surrounding everything. My major gripe about this dish was the lack of potatos. There were two pieces. Exactly two. What’s corned beef hash without a decent meat/​potato ration??? Nothing. Fortunately, the EXCELLENTLY poached eggs calmed me down, along with the fact that after drinking as many beers as I had the night before, i really do not need any extra carbs.
ALL IN ALL… Relish seems to have some interesting ideas, but they don’t really follow through. I have been regaled with tales of how it used to be, when Relish was top notch and awesome. I wish I could have visited at that time. For now, it’s just another decent brunch spot, a place for hipsters to wait in line, to be seated in a retro-​vintage-​hip atmosphere.

Relish, your burger sucks! Man, I was hoping that this entire gastro-​pub, «let’s make 1950’s American bar food hip again,» trend that has been raging through the western world for the past five years, with its apparent zenith in Hipsterburg would mean you can safely order an ordinary burger and leave satisfied, but noooooo!!!
Relish’s burger had a stale bun, tasteless meat, and gave me at least two nocturnal power sessions on the wc. (TMI you say? Real people real reviews!) The onion rings sucked, too.
Should have ordered the Mac & Cheese

Dear Relish,
When I first met you I was new to the city. I remember coming in that night in 2002: it was my first time out since moving to NYC and when I walked in I thought you were so fucking cool. Your bartender was sexy as hell, everyone there was stylish, and the dim lights and 50’s vibe made me feel like I was the shit. And although it’s been years, I can’t shake that feeling — you were my first and I’ll always love you.
But I’ve also accepted that your food is average, and your service is usually terrible (although recently it was better). But that’s OK, Relish. You’re still the best.
xo, jen

Decent service, but the food just wasn’t that great. I had the «‘billy’ cheese steak and a chocolate milk shake for dessert. The cheese steak had a nice sauce and was accompanied by perfectly grilled onions and peppers. Unfortunately, the bread was boring and meat just okay. It lacked that greasy spoon feel tha I look for in a cheese steak.
The milk shake was not very thick and contained globs of crunchy (i.e. icy) ice cream. It wad also really small (and it didn’t come with the traditional silver metal cup of spillover milkshake).
Good thing the service was decent.

Straight up, I never said I wanted to come here. Egg made me do it because they decided they weren’t hardcore enough to stay open at 3pm after thanksgiving.
Thus, my children, ’twas from the get-​go that Relish was doomed to be worse than the other «I’ve got a beard, some knife skills, and a bon iver mixtape» restaurants that abound in fair southern williamsburg.
My lady tucked into some corned beef hash and poached eggs — WAIT, what’s that cordial of a music playing? China cat sunflower on the stereo!!! The Dead!!! Followed by some rippin’ tunes from Boston and Blue Oyster Cult? Awesome, my friend’s dad from shitty north-​shore massachusetts basement timespace must have sent in a custom made mixtape. The food? I forgot about it too. Tasty upon reflection though.
I munched on a blackened tuna sandwich (pretensh, I know, but hey we’re in sillyamsburg right?). It was ok but way cold by the time it got to me. This led the pesto to become rather slick and thus morphed a generously portioned sandwich into a stoner slider.
Our friend Zangief (of street fighter fame) got the quesadilla of the day, which was steak. He ate it VERY fast, so it was probably pretty good. The coffee got me pretty jazzed, so the java gets an A+.
Overall, this place is totally fine as long as the waiter keeps his kief-​encrusted 35+ yr old fingers off the jukebox. If you can’t get into Diner or Egg, this is the next best thing.

i would give five stars to start, but I did not have room for foodstuffs, and I want to be able to revise and up the score after my next visit.
As to my first encounter, we were cruising for dive bars – well, cheap, if not dive-​y.
Not a dive, this place is funky, friendly, and eclectic. The drinks were tasty – I had a champagne sangria that was a bit melony for my taste, but still durn yummy. My friend had a jack and coke. With a tip, we left with less than 20.00 invested in a nice warm buzz. The music was fun – lots of Weezer and something a bit like Dead Milkman. The staff was upbeat and willing to offer recommendations for drinks as well as future dinner options.
I will be back!

I wish I could give 3.5 stars, but I can’t. I don’t think it is merely ok, but I also don’t know if I’m a fan. I would definitely go back though.
We sat outside in the shade on their patio. The weather was beautiful and it wasn’t too busy. I got the chicken sandwich on sourdough and my bf got the tuna melt and we went halfzies on them. The sandwiches were good. The chicken was kinda dry and the tuna had american kraft singles cheese on it. I just love tuna melts on an english muffin. The side salad was just greens but the dressing was good so I was happy. The french fries were a little like mcdonald’s fries, but still delicious.
The service was pretty good, although our drinks took awhile to come out. The food came out at an average pace.
The bill came out to around 30, just a little too expensive for what we ordered. But as I said before, I would probably go back.

Relish is like a diner on steroids. But don’t let the stacks of giant onion rings and pudding-​thick hollandaise sauce turn you off — there are some real gems on the menu here, and the atmosphere is fun and relaxed.
I’ve tried dinner and brunch here, and definitely recommend the brunch over dinner. The burgers are great but pricey, and their options aren’t exactly vast in the evenin’ time, but come morning they’ve got a rock solid brunch menu and some good coffee to keep up your stamina. With three choices of eggs benedict, Spanish baked eggs, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, french toast, and every other top breakfast pick, this is a crowd-​pleaser.
Service is good and the bar, booths, and tables provide lots of seating so you won’t be waiting for your hangover cure all morning. Outside and in, this place is diner to the max, but without too much obnoxious kitsch.

Like Diner, Brooklyn’s Relish offers stylized diner fare in a refurbished old diner that seems to have wandered from a New Jersey turnpike back to the city in a reversal of urban flight (white flight). Unlike Diner, however, Relish seems architectural sound, well-​lit and boasts an enormous patio (that, somehow and sadly, frowns upon dogs). Relish also differs from Diner in that while it has revised the prototypical diner menu, it is not as concerned with the locavore and seasonal food movement.
These differences do not damn Relish, but having tried both, my diner experience would always be better, I feel, at Diner. You, reader, may find out for yourself.
Relish is still über-​Williamsburg. The wait-​staff is unanimously tattooed and rail thin. Their disheveled hair speaks to concern for appearance and they flit around the tables in a very hurried but helpful pace. I spent another early afternoon breakfast there recently, again my indispensable sister was my companion. Relish was our second choice this day, but it was secretly my first choice. I wanted eggs and Relish offered four variations of Eggs Benedict, each of which was cleverly thought out and then scaled down into a serviceable and tasty dish. At least my choice, the Italian variant, was, so I doubt the other would have failed me.
Outside the restaurant, an elevated diner whose outer height makes the interior dimensions seem less cramped, I found out that a friend had been in a quick and painful bar fight the evening before. And while I did not want to chuckle, the idea set breakfast with a good jumping off point for conversation (this is a morning necessity for me, otherwise I have to brainstorm a few topics before I can be sociable).
My sister chose a plate of cheesy, grits, Virginia ham and two eggs over easy. The Italian Eggs Benedict consisted of a Hollandaise traditional sauce over (in descending order) two poached eggs, prosciutto and a red pepper and cheese scone. On the side rested hash-​browned potatoes mixed with grilled peppers and onions – none of which were burned and were appreciably seasoned. It occurred to me that a simple Hollandaise sauce was inadequate for a dish so far removed from Eggs benedict in every other way. That would be my only suggestion: a little tomato or basil perhaps? The prosciutto was thinly sliced and of good, not great quality, and held up to the Hollandaise well. The scone, however, was miscast in its roll. It seemed plainly un-​Italian. It was fine on its own, but lacked imagination.
Knowing I would have so much heavy, creamy food, I ordered a side salad to provide a little roughage in the hopes that I might eventually produce a turd, and the salad was substantial and fresh but lacked any panache or flair. I could have made it in minutes and I do not feel that is braggadocio on my part.
My sisters dish was a little better well cast. The ham was excellent; the eggs seemed like something mom mad, salted and peppered, the whites cooked to a crisp below but the yolk free to roam at the whim of a fork and knife. There was a small lake of grits that would have fortified the Confederate Army and the cheese seasoned rather than dominated the natural flavor.
Our waiters, they seemed to share tables, unknowingly at times, brought my sister a sad looking fruit plate – bananas and strawberries. This was perhaps the greatest stroke of all in the menu. At first it seemed to disappoint, but it turned out to be an excellent banana and some very good strawberries. The two are natural foils and while the perfunctory grape and the out of season melon were missed in presentation, the wholesomeness of the dish was exquisite. If it were brave, hurray; if it was the luck of a lazy dullard, do not fire him!
Again, relish is a diner but not Diner. The two are separated by a few blocks, so head a bit further west and if it is crowded there, this will do. Not a rebuke, more of a compliment to Diner.

This ain’t your regular Hot Dog Relish…
Relish is a great Williamsburg Brunch & Lunch spot! My breakfast dish kicked butt! I am a down south/​midwestern type of gal and I ordered the Biscuits and chicken sausage gravy with scrambled eggs (Ridiculously GOOD) and a Vanilla Milkshake. I know… weird combination but the Milkshakes here were very creamy and hit the spot Sunday early afternoon!
I really thought this was a fun comfy old school diner spot to enjoy with a small group of friends. Booths were cozy & the service was on point (from my experience)! Definitely a place you should check out if your in Williamsburg! ;o)

— consistently good
— service usually on the relaxed side (aka slow)
— well mixed drinks
— recommend pomegranate martini, steak entrée, and calamari appetizer
— pleasant outdoor area
— food and music a bit high brow for it to be compared to a regular diner
— hipster trap