Brindle Room

Went here for dinner and had a DELICIOUS meal! We went around 9 on a Tuesday and they had already run out of one of their fish options, so I got the salmon and picked two sides of my choice — the quinoa with couscous, and the mushroom bread pudding. The fish was cooked perfectly and the crispy skin was a striking contrast to the melt-​in-​your-​mouth softness of the fish. The homemade sausage for appetizer was also really good. They offered complimentary mini donuts at the end of the meal. The atmosphere was very relaxed and the noise level was just right. The service seemed a wee bit cold in the beginning but that might have just been the weather outside :-D

Quite possibly the worst brunch I’ve ever had in my life.
–Despite making a reservation, we had to wait 30 minutes for a table
–The coffee was terrible
–The food took forever to arrive
–When my food did come, it was both cold *and* burnt black. My husband’s food was just cold.
Honestly, I don’t cannot fathom how this restaurant has the rating it does.

Brindle never fails to meet expectations. It is about a 2 min walk from us and we’ve visited about a total of 3 times already. Each time with at least one of us getting the burger. Juicy, simple, melts in your mouth burger. That burger… Leaves you feeling fulfilled … You may regret it later but the extra calories is worth it! Definitely try the burger!
The salmon hash was also a favorite of mine. Served during breakfast as one of the main items and it was juicy with a perfect poached eye as well as cooked salmon. Wouldn’t be my first choice if I’m only visiting Brindle once but not a bad choice for those health conscious people out there.
The brunch menu is very limited and most people get the burger. There’s not a lot of other options except for the hashes. Great spot around the corner for us, very limited space though unfortunately so the weight is a hit or miss. Definitely try to go early or off peak or expect to wait for at least 20 mins.

Once I wanted to think of a word about this place to start a review, «Shelton Cooper» came to my mind. It’s definitely a compliment. I think I like this place just like why people love Shelton Cooper — it’s not perfect. It has many «wows» and «mehs» at the same time. But it’s authentically real and unique.
When I asked some sparkling wine to toast for my new year eve, the bartender poured it into a jar… yes, a jar. I was like, come on… 2015 was hard and I would fight harder to toast with a goblet. It turned out the wine was very delicious and I got what I want.
Then come to the menu — there is barely vege choices on the entry menu so I selected salmon. The salmon was deep fried and very heavy. To my surprise, the side dishes came along were super yummy instead. I highly recommend the mushrooms and Brussels sprout, unbeatable!
The home made spicy sauce on the table was the most spicy thing I have ever had, seriously. It tastes amazing… but it hurts my mouth terribly as well. My mouth still hurts after several days. Also, it was so awkward to pour mustard from a jar, again, a jar…
At the end, we wanted to order dessert. Our waiter told us very seriously that there is no desserts served at this place, no ice cream — go somewhere else for it. No desserts at all except donuts holes. We thought he was joking but at the end, when the real donuts holes with caramel came to the table as a surprise, we knew he was so serious. It was unforgettably delicious.

I had a delectable birthday dinner here. If you have 6+ reservation, you have to choose a tasting menu. We opted for the premimum: $ 60 for a 6 course, family-​style dinner with unlimited beer and wine. By the end of the night, things were starting to get blurry for me, but I do remember a lot of food just as promised!
They started us off with the warm oysters that were creamy as heck! Next came the fried chicken which was crispy and seasoned well. There were two courses that were dips and bread and for a lighter side, there was a course of quinoa. We also had a generous amount of the pork ragu. (It tasted even better the day after.) And finally… the well-​anticipated cheeseburger. Delish! The best part was the drinks kept on coming!
Seeing how I had a great time here, I will definitely back to explore the menu. I had no idea the restaurant was featured on Guy Fieri’s show so now I must be back for the mussels he had praised! And that donut…

OH the dangers of hype! I’ve had this neighborhood spot on my list forever and was psyched to try it. True, the burger is delicious, but by no means the best I’ve had the the city. Its also TEENY. Think McDonalds dollar menu burger size…
The place was empty but we felt neglected by our server. We kept running out of water and our appetizer came a full 15 minutes after the people at the table next to us (who arrived after us).
Also they didn’t add brandy to their mulled wine. I noticed they didn’t have a full liquor licence but mulled wine without brandy = grape juice.
This place is also pretty expensive.
Add the burger to your «try» list but there are much better options in the hood (whitmans!).

This place was voted the best burger by Food Network and the Unilocal Review was also stella, so we got a reservation at open table and came here for lunch.
The restaurant was small and cozy, the staff was super nice.
We ordered 2 of their steakhouse burger. They came as Chef recommended medium with American cheese. Mine came slightly over cooked and really, it was NOT the best burger we have ever had, it was ok.
We also ordered fried chicken sandwich, the server raved about it, and it was a bit dry. This was for my son and he really didn’t like it. How do you get Fried Chicken dry? Unless you refried it.
Another disappointment in NY.

Came here during the beginning of happy hour and it was pretty quite. However, people were slowly trickling in as the night went on. We ordered the mulled wine, dollar oysters, smoked chicken wings, and the Mexican Moules Frites.
The mulled wine was really delicious. It had a stick of cinnamon that imparted so much flavor. It was probably my favorite part of the meal. The wings were were a dry rub and that was different for me. There were only 3 pieces so it’s a bit awkward to split. I didn’t really know what to expect when we ordered the fries, but it was really good. And really salty. It came with a mayo-​y sauce for dipping and the mussels came in a separate bowl. I’m not too picky with my oysters as long as I can taste the ocean.
At the end of the meal, they gave us complimentary salted caramel donut holes. The salted caramel had enough salt to bring out the flavor. It was a nice surprise and helped round out a savory dinner.
Even though we didn’t try any of the entrees, the small bites were really good and flavorful. It is a small place so if you want to come during prime dinner time, make sure you have a reservation.

The Brindle Room has excellent food but the service and atmosphere can step up a few notches. This is a small dining room so, make a reservation or expect to wait.
We came here for the Duck Confit Poutine and expectations were met. If poutine has not made it into your gastro experience, it’s an east Canadian blend of french fries, cheese curds and gravy. Creative versions, like the duck confit served here, are fun since you can put just about anything you like with fries and cheese.
FOOD: The poutine is a multi-​layer blend of fries, cheese and shredded duck served in a large bowl. It is truly delicious and is an excellent sharing dish. If you come here, order the Duck Confit Poutine.
The burger is served with caramelized onions, cheese with pickle on the side. The bun was fresh and added to the burger experience. Since we ordered the poutine, we substituted the fries with a side of sautéed kale and spinach. The veggies were very very good as a side. The burger here is not huge which is nice. Drink menu is basically beer and wine.
SERVICE: We were seated quickly and ordered the burger, poutine, beer and wine about as promptly as one can in NYC. Oddly, it took about ten minutes before we saw the drinks. The drinks went along with the poutine. When the burger arrived, we ordered another round. Again, the drinks lagged and we ended up canceling the drink order.
ATMOSPHERE: Small dining room that might seat 30 people and has a bar that might seat 8 – 10 people. Tables are tight. Music is decent. The décor is not memorable.
Overall, the chef has created a food experience but the other ingredients of a great dining experience are secondary to this restaurant’s concept. They appear to have an active take-​out business which may create some service traffic.

Make a reservation, come early or sit at the bar. The Brindle Room gets busy early.
The burger ($ 12) has a distinct crisp charring on the exterior with a perfectly med rare interior. The meat is hearty and somewhat crumbly. Salted generously but to an extent that it is simply a compliment. The party is on the smaller side — say 5−6oz, but it is thick. Yellow American cheese melts down the sides of the burger.
Possibly drizzled in butter the meat is rich. The juices flow freely. The patty is hand formed and seared hard on the exterior so the juices are kept inside. The bun is lightly grilled in butter as well. The caramelized onions are present in a quantity just enough so that they are present but not dripping outside of the sandwich.
The fries are hand cut and dusted in sea salt. Crispy, the weakest part of the plate.
A truly special hamburger.

It’s a small place with wooden tables, chairs, a long running bench along the wall, and a small bar area in the back.
The steakhouse burger was pretty good, meaty and nicely cooked (not too rare, not overdone, slightly pink inside). It was topped with cheese. A very plain yet tasty burger. At $ 15 I also consider it an expensive burger. You can get the same type and taste of burger at Corner Bistro for half the price.
The fries were just ordinary thick cut potato fries. I liked the few slices of pickle by the side of the burger.
The butternut squash hash was pretty good. It had a good texture (not too hard and not too soft). I especially enjoyed the cubed bits of pork that was cooked with the squash.
The complimentary donut bite at the end was good, mostly because the caramelized sauce they poured over it was so sweet and delectable. I wanted to lick the sauce off the plate (the doughnut dough was normal).
The sparkling lemonade was pretty good, it tasted like a good glass of lemonade with a little fizz.
This is a casual, laid back, calm place to have a bite, to sit and have some conversation.

The number one burger in New York is still at Minetta’s — but the Sebastian’s burger is good too.
Sebastian’s Burger: thick slab, charred while cooked — looks small but secretly filling
Spiced Mussels: GET THIS (unless you have a food allergy, I suppose), super fresh with great sauce at the bottom to dip with the fries.
Lentils cooked with Habanero: slightly spicy and comes with fresh bread with a touch of olive oil, delicious and light
Pork Ragu: the pulled pork and pasta complement one another so well, again meat quality is something they do not skimp on!
PRO TIP: take the bread (or ask for a side of it), put some lentils on it and dip it in the spiced mussels sauce. You’re welcome in advance!
Sangria: spiced with cinnamon, recommend to those with a stronger stomach
Service: friendly and prompt; they always give accurate wait times and never gets too loud
Date spot for sure

The Brindle Room came highly recommended by my sister and her husband — they told me that they had the best burger they’ve ever had here (their previous best burger choice was at burger & barrel), so I had to try it out myself (came with our mom who was visiting us in NYC)!
This place is really small, so remember to make reservations ahead of time. It’s so cozy that it’s pretty hard to get into your seats as there isn’t much space between tables haha. Once we got settled in, we ordered 3 Sebastian’s Steakhouse Burgers to share, fried calamari, and a warm spinach salad.
The burgers are pretty damn amazing. Simple, but amazing. It’s just a burger with caramelized onions and american cheese. They suggest cooking it medium, which was actually perfect. The patty had a great crust, but still juicy on the inside. Buns were toasted just enough to have a slight crunch. The fries that came with it were awesome too — super piping hot fresh with crispy exterior and fluffy potato on the inside. Come here to have a great no frill burger, they really pay attention to the details of how everything is cooked, and to presenting the burger in its most simple yet original form!!!
Calamari was also deliciously fried (not overly heavy/​oily, or coated; warm spinach salad was topped with some deep fried pork belly, yum! I’ll probably be visiting again real soon :)

News alert! The famous burger is no longer a reasonable $ 11 for brunch but has been jacked up to $ 15 (because of heightened demand? because of the $ 3 gratuity for eating under Guy Fieri’s signature?). My friend politely asked what was behind the price increase, thinking that truffles or some special Himalayan goat cheese was the culprit, but our waitress just shrugged and parroted that the price went up. It didn’t stop the tables around us from ordering the burger and digging in with gusto, so it must have been good, but I ordered the shakshuka instead.
Which came in a generous portion, simmering and topped with scallions and feta in a towel-​wrapped skillet, a toasted, buttered slice of sourdough bread balanced on top. I liked the hearty kick of the sauce, the crunchy red peppers, and the chunks of feta, but I could write love poems to the 3 perfectly poached eggs. I sampled the smoked salmon hash and the shrimp and grits (which came in a minuscule ramekin but proved to be hearty and rich enough to satisfy), but ultimately kept returning to my shakshuka.
One thumb up: they take reservations for brunch. I wish more places would do this. Brindle Room was slammed with the nearby Halloween dog parade but honored our reservation and kept our table ready even though we were ten minutes late.
Half thumb up: our waitress was a little out of it at the beginning, but willingly stuck a candle in a salted caramel doughnut for a belated birthday.
Two thumbs up: the salted caramel doughnut! Unfortunately, the complimentary donut holes might just be a dinner-​only thing.

According to the Food Network, not many places can hold a candle to Brindle Room’s steakhouse burger. It does indeed burn bright with its charred & quality patty. The caramelized onions add a harmonious sweetness. The fries (steak?) were just okay. PGB’s spicy housemade sauce comes in a hard to squeeze bottle because it is habanero-​hot. I nominate the sauce for the teammate of the year award, since it works so well with everything. The home made caramel doughnut is a simple but delectable dessert. The space is small, so I would recommend limiting the size of your party.

The first thing that hit me about this place was the smell.
They must have a smoker out back, because it had an incredible smoky, BBQ smell. It actually inspired us to get the smoky wings, which were delicious. I had heard the burger there is «epic» (as the kids say), but for me it had an aggressive grass fed flavor which I don’t dig so much, and I wanted it to taste more like the place smelled (which the wings did). Nothing is too big or over the top, so good for ordering a few things and sharing. It’s a small, cute, casual spot. I’ll go back to try other things. You can tell they use really fresh, high quality ingredients — I even saw a guy in back butchering up slabs of bacon off of a pig hunk of pork.

This last weekend we had to go into NYC to pick up some boxes so we decided to hit Brindle Room. We saw it on the Food Network; something about best burgers in the US, if you are interested in that sort of thing.
The name Brindle means ‘brownish tawny color of fur’ and I have to say, everything about the décor is brownish. But it’s all wood and all warm so the name is sort of appropriate. The people were quite friendly and spent lots of time with us until they got busier.
My son eschewed the burger and instead chose the Shrimp & Grits. This was served in a cast iron skillet (see picture) with baby shrimp scampi’s and the most wonderful Parmesan grits. The grits were smooth and creamy and really worked well with the shrimp. What looked like a dish that might be too small filled up a 15 year old boy for the entire day. The funny thing is he now thinks he likes grits, but in reality he just likes the Brindle Room grits because most places will serve him grits that bear no resemblance to this Parmesan dream.
My wife and I split Sebastian’s Steakhouse Burger and the Biscuits & Gravy. The Biscuits & Gravy (see picture, not that it does it justice) was this amazing combination of wonderful biscuits under two perfect poached eggs, tucked in the middle with bacon so thick I thought I was back in the Old West, and then topped with a sausage gravy that had delicious chunks of ground sausage and a gravy that I could have put in an IV tube and fed it to myself intravenously. A few sliced green onions and some paprika polished off a beautiful presentation. I started stealing the awesome fries from the Steakhouse Burger plate and sopping up the sausage gravy. Gaaah, I want more! By the time the poached eggs started running into everything it was just a glorious plate. Pump in some of the Brindle Room home made hot sauce too. This dish is exactly why people used to lick their plates clean.
And then finally Sebastian’s Steakhouse Burger, The burger itself has this most amazing char on both sides. It’s topped with American cheese and caramelized onions that are so sweet I thought they were jam at first. But nothing can hide the beefiness of the burger. I think there’s brisket in there, but don’t quote me. What I can say is there is a beefy flavor that most burger joints can only dream of. I’m dreaming of it now.
So just when I think this is as good as it gets, here come the home made donuts. Salted caramel and chocolate hazelnut with slivered almonds. Don’t ask questions. Just order and enjoy.
It can be hard to make a point of visiting Alphabet City just for a meal, but if any place is worth it, Brindle Room is the place.

This place has been on my bucket list for 18 months. No joke. When I saw it on food network, I knew this had to be done. This place is a five all around. Service, food, atmosphere. It was all great.
We started with the salmon tartar, wings, and duck poutine. I mean seriously? It’s the best of all the worlds. Tartar was seasoned perfectly, wings crispy and delicious, and duck poutine had so much duck and gravy. All these appetizers I would recommend trying.
And of course, the main entrée. Why order anything besides this burger? It’s PHENOMENAL. It’s perfect. Perfectly cooked with a great crispy char on the burger. Not too complex, just cheese and some caramelized onions. Definitely one of the best burgers I have ever had. The refreshing kale salad paired well as well the wine that was recommended by the waiter who was terrific himself.
Also, complimentary donut bites. Yes. Donut bites.
You seriously need to come here. If not, more burgers for me and my friends !

Five star for food, knock down one for their terrible service. Understood that it was their rush hours, yet it was so impolite, or even rude to ask customers out for whatever reason.
Didn’t really follow other people’s recommendation to get their steakhouse burger as it looked a bit too greasy for me. Instead, I shot for the salmon hash, which was another wise choice seemed like; Except that the poached egg was a little over cooked… Spicy type of food lover? Add some of their homemade hot sauce, extremely challenging for my tongue though.
It was a very good bargain given their good quality. Again, terrible service to remember on the flip side.

Probably the best burger I’ve had in New York. I had Sebastian’s Steakhouse Burger ($ 15) which came with a side of thick cut fries. The party was incredibly juicy (cooked medium) and the fries were perfectly salted. Try it with the homemade hot sauce, but watch it cause it’s pretty spicy!
It’s a cozy place with bar and table seating, but I wouldn’t recommend coming in huge parties. A nice date spot or chill place to catch a nice dinner. My friends and I got seated pretty quickly, but it seemed like we got lucky as they asked if we had reservations.
The service was decent. They seemed pretty busy, but the waiters were all extremely nice. My only qualm was that they split our check in an awkward manner. Other than that… amazing food and I’ll definitely be back!

Burger pas mal et bonne frite
Service peu présent
Comptez 15 $ taxe et tips inclus pour le burger maison