Spiegel

Decided to try this place based on the good reviews and pictures. Did not like 2 things:
1) relatively long wait for food (waited more than 15 mins for the pre-​defined lunch specials after ordering).
2) no air conditioning inside on a pretty hot day.

Favorite breakfast spot in LES. Amazing cortado café. Fresh eggs — Israeli style breakfast with to die for crispy fries, fresh chopped tomatoes and cukes and amazing labane cheese.

Cute little café with great food. I ordered the shakshuka which was a perfect portion and very good. My boyfriend ordered the scrambled egg croissant sandwich that comes with a side of fries and an Israeli salad. He loved the sandwich and we both love the fries that were crispy and delicious. The salad was also so light and fresh. Would definitely return!

The waiter Alejandro was very helpful and nice, We had solomon bruschetta& waffle, I really enjoyed my bruschetta the only thing I didn’t like is the size… Pretty small and not enough :/
They have a Goldstar beer, and for us the Israelis that miss home it’s a big +!
My GF waffle was dry and hard to swallow she ate maybe 1 slice out of 4 and didn’t really enjoy the meal. I leave 3 stars bc of the great service we experienced but unfortunately you don’t really get value for your money here. :/

Love this little place! Their brunch menu is the best. I like to get the veggie scramble and you can add toppings, such as portobello mushroom (which I do!), to add a nice and fresh flavor. Their protein shake is also the bomb. The servers are attentive and authentically Lower East Side (a mix of bohemian and students). Love coming here!

Spegiel is becoming my brunch spot and I’m completely content with that because it’s across the street. And you know what — I’m glad it’s so close because its great, relaxing and pleasant every time.
The service can be a little slow in terms of the kitchen but the servers kindness and attentiveness more than makes up for it. It can slow you down and remind you to respect the brunch pace.
Our go to beverages are usually the fresh juice which you can choose any combination of things to add or their iced coffee.
For brunch we usually go with the shakshuka and the egg croissant — both such happy comfort foods we have trouble switching. I’ve also had friends order the schnitzel sandwich and rave about it. Their weekend brunch menu changes and has more variety but weekdays the pace and environment is way quieter. I’ve never had trouble getting a seat.
Outdoor seating is great if you want to bring the puppy along for brunch too.

Unique and bomb food! Very casual atmosphere with plenty of natural light. I’ll definitely be back. Lamb sausage, burrito and smoked salmon were all excellent!

Great coffee! Healthy delicious food! Perfect soundtrack! The best way to jump start your day! Highly recommended!

We walked passed and wanted an expresso. Was just going to order at the counter and bring it out to some chairs outside. The only waitress behind the counter brought it out to us. Nice! The coffee is ok too.

ABSOLUTELY love this place! I come here every weekend for brunch and my boyfriend and I are never disappointed. The service is great and the food is delicious. Everyone who works here is so kind. It’s almost like having a home away from home. Very family oriented and organized. What more can you ask for with your Saturday brunch spot!

A place with rather unassuming exterior but delicious brunch offerings. The price is average for brunch, though seemingly a tad higher given the casual feel. With that said…
Amaaaazing shakshuka — a must try! I couldn’t resist adding the lamb sausages for an extra $ 3 and was so glad I did. There were plenty in the sauce and the flavor of the lamb was amazing. The egg was a bit too raw than it typically is, but I was fine with that. Hearty but not too heavy.
We had a super nice and bubbly waiter/​host — it was refreshing to see someone so energized so early in the day, and his mood was enjoyably contagious. The location could be more convenient but I’d be back with no hesitation. Cheers!

Breakfast was awesome, best I’ve had in a long time. I had the French toast and she has the banana pancakes. Freshly squeezed orange juice was a nice touch as well.
Service was great too. John was our server. He was friendly and courteous.
Would definitely recommend. Looks like a busy place. We lucked out by sneaking in before it got busy but there was a lineup before leaving.

Had a wonderful brunch experience. It’s super trendy with its wide glass windows, TV, tasteful rows of alcohol, and hipster crowd. It’s in the east village/​lower east side so it’s a surprisingly randomly nice hipster joint amidst broken, plain looking buildings.
My shakshuka dish was delicious– I’d go back for it. The veggie burrito was alright but I wouldn’t reorder it. The freshly squeezed orange juice though… TO DIE FOR. And the chocolate chip walnut cookie? About the size of my face. Zomg. Yum :)

Great for breakfast. I had a delicious latte and a scrambled egg sandwich on a croissant with a double helping of chopped salad (skipped the fries). Even in winter, the tomatoes in the salad were ripe and the cucumber crisp with a nice lemony dressing.
The location is airy and filled with daylight, on the corner, windows on two sides.
Service was pleasant, attentive.

I came here hoping to order the scramble egg croissant sandwich but they didn’t have. I was told the spinach bureka with hard boiled eggs, tomato, tahini, and a side of Israeli salad, was similar. It wasn’t, it was edible. There was nothing special to it. I also had the scrambled eggs and french toast which was equally boring.
The waitress was friendly and refilled my friend’s coffee after we paid the bill! That was nice of her. We stayed and chatted for a long time and felt kind of guilty since it was starting to get crowded.

Very nice and cozy place to stop by for a coffee or lunch. My friend and I meet here for a cup of coffee, which was good. We didn’t get anything to eat but what the people around us had looked delish.
The place as nice and clean and the service was nice and friendly — not much more to say. If I walk past Spiegel or need a place to sit with my computer I will think of this place as a possibility.

Tasty Twist On Brunch!
Spiegel overs breakfast with a middle eastern flavor to it. I went here on a beautiful day and thought the outside seating here overs some great people watching to have with my breakfast. This café style restaurant is very casual and relaxed. It would be a great place to grab a quick bite.
When my group got there we grabbed an outside table right on 1^st avenue and ordered coffee right away. The coffee was very good it did not even need any milk or sugar. For my main dish I ordered the Three eggs any style platter — which is 3 organic eggs, fries, Israeli salad, Labane, Zaatar and a choice of bread. The dish was exactly what I expected but it did not wow me and i thought the israeli salad was pretty bland. The labane with the bread dipped in though was delicious.
In regards to service they did mess up a few things but were quick to fix it. I will be back here for breakfast/​brunch in the future because of how easy it is to get a table and the prices were very fair.
In short:
— Good Food /​Great Coffee
— Great Location
— Fair Prices

Apparently very similar menu-​wise to Jack’s Wife Freda (which I still haven’t visited) but luckily not as crowded! Super cute place with lots of natural lighting, which is always a plus.
I arrived most excited to have some Verve coffee from Santa Cruz, CA and it did not let me down! Added bonus that the coffee actually comes in mugs from Verve as well. As for the food, all my friends and I were happy pigs when we left! I ordered the Chicken Burger, which came inside a toasty pita. The patty was not dry and had a good char without tasting burnt. So glad I chose the Israeli salad (tangy diced cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes) as my side since it provided a nice, sour contrast to my burger.
Only major fault was that the staff seemed incredibly inexperienced — one of the waitresses was helping the table next to us and when they asked her about what I had on my plate, she had to ask me what I was eating. I would hope that a waitress would know what meals she is serving! Nevertheless, I’d still come back, even if it’s just for the coffee since I think they’re the only ones in NY to serve Verve!

Amazing Mediterranean brunch that’s just as cute as Jack’s Wife Freda, only not as crowded (in this case, a good thing)!
I came here on Saturday around 9:45AM and there were a couple of customers inside, but still plenty of tables. You get to choose where to sit — inside or outside and which table. Nice.
My friend and I were looking at the breakfast menu, and (the obsessive Unilocaler that I am) I didn’t see an entrée on the menu that I had seen a photo of on Unilocal.I showed the waitress the picture, and she explained that they offered brunch specialities, however, that specific one was not available that day. Then she asked us if we wanted to order from the brunch menu instead, to which we responded, «Duh.» (Yes)
Unfortunately I didn’t like anything from the brunch menu. I was a bit hungover and feeling it, so I thought to avoid too much meat. Non-​hangover me would have lost it at the brunch menu, though! Instead, I ordered the Croissant Sandwich (eggs & avocado spread) with fries and salad ($ 9). And it was delicious, but I had thought/​still wish the sandwich had meat in it. My friend ordered the Veggie Omelette ($ 9) and it looked delicious! Case in point, you can’t go wrong here.
Bonus: THIS PLACE SERVES HOT CIDER.
The service was amazing! Our waitress was so nice, and although she handed us the check pretty quick, she told us, «No rush.»
We stayed there for 2 full hours chatting away, but not because she said don’t rush and we were taking advantage of this opportunity! No one gave us side eyes or glared at us. The waiters and busboys continued to pour our water as if we just sat down! It was refreshing not being kicked out of the restaurant, especially during prime brunch hours.
And last but not least, the price! Holy cow, my total came up to $ 14.30 for my meal and hot cider! Amazing price for brunch. I can’t wait for the next time I come back!
Cailin’s Recommendations:
— Omelette: onion, mushroom, spinach, and tomato, mixed greens, and toast — $ 12
— Chilaquiles*: eggs over corn tortilla chips, cotija cheese and green salad (+$ 3 for portobello, +$ 5 for chicken) — $ 11
— Hot Cider — $ 3.75
* I haven’t tried this yet, but as I’m writing this review it sounds delicious!

I really don’t want to write a review bc it’s my first time here. I came bc
had a gift coupon, Unilocal gives 4 stars, and I was in the area with a client. But came to eat solo… And now I’m confused. NYers in the east village must be either really chill and relaxed or they’re all high paid imbeciles who enjoy paying ridiculous rents and high prices to eat. Either way I don’t get it.
Food is good. Nothing special for the prices they charge. 2 burgers, 2 portobello mushroom sandwiches, a veggie chili, and 2 beers should not cost over $ 90 with tip. (3 items were to go). Thank goodness for the $ 50 gift coupon.
I can’t even begin to describe the mediocre service. The handsome fellow really tried hard but there’s only so much one can handle at a lunch rush. DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU’RE IN A RUSH FOR LUNCH!!! They are slow… with everything. Bringing water, drinks, and food prep takes forever. Definitely dine in if you have time to kill and wanna relax. Brought me chili bowl… no napkin, had to ask for one. Asked for 2^nd beer, probably 10+ min to bring out.
Overall, I had high expectations bc of 4 – 5 star rating but leaving disappointed. Food ok, service blows, and you get 3 stars… I’m being nice. I May try you again in the future bc I believe in 2^nd chances. Best of luck. Thanks.