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Ashbox
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Japanese Coffee & Tea, Japanese [Edit]
1154 Manhattan Ave(between Box St & Commercial St)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-3222
- Nearest Transit:
-
Vernon Blvd - Jackson Av (7, 7X)
Greenpoint Av (G)
Hunters Point Av (7, 7X)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Chung T. said: "An all you can eat sushi spot that doesn't fully sux. What a novelty! When I was first told about this place, sushi village came to mind and I had to whoop my friend's fat arse for bringing back bad memories. Then, him being super…" read more »
45 reviews for Ashbox
Review Highlights
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"Salad with homemade tofu and the most delightful sesame..." In 3 reviews -
"A very calm, very pleasant place to get good tea." In 3 reviews -
"This is my favorite cafe in NYC, and I have been in many." In 10 reviews
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45 reviews in English
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Review from Sam G.
5/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I am seriously considering moving next door to this place, even if that means having to set up a tent on the sidewalk and leaving the rest of the world behind.
The interior is inviting, not too big and not too small. The two Japanese women there were very Japanese, young, buoyant but quiet (make sure to listen for your order being called out when it's ready - for a deaf grannie like myself, it can be a little confusing/hard to hear.
Anything with their tofu is fantastic - super flavorful. Their rice is also seasoned to perfection. The salad greens and veggies are fresh, crisp, and tangy. The salmon inside the rice ball was actually a little fishy for my taste but definitely not bad.
Healthful, charming, delicious. It has me turning Japanese, oh yes I'm turning Japanese, I really think so. -
Review from Kaitlyn D.
Brooklyn, NY
3/31/2012
i've found my new love.
ashbox.
tasty, healthy, warming atmosphere, lovely staff, and off the beaten path.
yum.. bonito flake and avocado wrap! -
Review from Eva P.
Brooklyn, NY
3/7/2012
I am glad that the place found its niche - unique food and great tea - after years of comfort coffee shop fare.
Ashbox offers wonderful teas, delicious (yet healthy) salads and sandwiches, inigiri and other Japanese thingies and amazing green tea cookies. Everything is freshly made and quality of ingredients - consistently excellent.
I come to Ashbox when I want to relax as much as have a nice meal. The place is really one of its kind, with lazy moving ceiling fan, giant windows looking at a landscape from "Last Picture Show" (kind of) and very eclectic low soundtrack (!).
I haven't tried their coffee. -
Review from Marianna G.
Northeast, Minneapolis, MN
1/15/2012
Ashbox is a tiny little coffe-shop gem in Greenpoint. The best part about it: it's WAY more than a coffee shop. Sure, they have delicious coffee, beautiful teas, and creamy green tea lattes, but they also have an incredibly diverse (and delicious) menu of food. They even carry whole-wheat everything bagels, my personal favorite that are inexplicably hard to find. The Onigiri (brown rice balls), with salmon, kelp, or plum in the middle, all wrapped in seaweed, are AHH-mazing. The egg salad sandwich is made with free-range eggs, and is perfectly filling without being doused in mayo.
Whatever you choose, it's prepared carefully and right in front of you. Even the tofu is made in-house! And with classical music ringing through the walls of this little shop, you can get work done, have a conversation with a friend, or just sit, enjoy your food, and take in the surroundings. It's a serene nook on the edge of Greenpoint, and I'd be there every day if I didn't live 1500 miles away!Listed in: Yelp 100-in-2012 Challenge!
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Review from Ari R.
LONG IS CITY, NY
4/23/2012
The sandwiches and iced teas are perfect warm weather food. Very relaxing atmosphere. Tucked away from the busier parts of Greenpoint. The service is very friendly and wear flower hats.
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Review from Steve N.
1/30/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I ate a homemade onigiri (see Marianna's review for a perfect definition). Freshly-prepared. Remarkable.
My lunch was a small salad with smoked salmon and a spicy salmon and mayo onigiri ("You must really like salmon!"). The price was about $8. My salad was served in a charming wooden bowl and I believe the dressing was homemade and possibly mixed right in the bowl.
Ashbox gets the fifth star when the regular coffee is better, or when I've tried the daily special. It was a chicken curry, Japanese-style, when I was there. It was popular. I'll go back. I am learning to love what I believe is everyday Japanese food (see Niko Niko on Wall Street). -
Review from J R.
Brooklyn, NY
9/1/2011
The first time we went in there was on a Saturday and we wanted to get breakfast, it being 11:30. She said they weren't serving breakfast anymore. "Well you've got other dishes with scrambled eggs for lunch, so I'll just take scrambled eggs and rice." "Sorry, we're not serving breakfast." Was I in the twilight zone? It was like the scene in Five Easy Pieces and I nearly pulled a Jack Nicholson on her.
However, my lady digs quite a bit of their food and my friend Jess. is a fan, plus the owners do a lot to help people out and North Greenpoint could use more restaurants, cafes and bars than plastics plants and waste treatment sites. -
Review from Jon L.
Brooklyn, NY
9/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great vibe. Nice windows. Good furniture.
Friendly service.
Bad coffee.
Low prices. Really. -
Review from Linda P.
Brooklyn, NY
1/21/2012
Really nice, cozy, neat cafe that serves simple food that include American and Japanese. Not like a Japanese restaurant that serves Sushi and noodles. Only Japanese food they serve is fish or meat over rice. Both American and Japanese food are delicious. It's quite, so it's a nice place to have a break during lunch time.
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Review from Connie G.
Manhattan, NY
Oh, Ashbox. I love you.
I have been working right around the corner for over a year now and this is my go-to spot for lunch. I love this cafe so much that when I think about moving away, Ashbox comes to mind, and I realize how much I would miss it.
I normally get the Tofu salad- it's a mix of greens, homemade tofu (which is super soft!), grape tomatoes, cucumber, kelp, sunflower seeds, and this amazing homemade lemon miso vinaigrette. delicious. Pair this with a Spicy Salmon Mayo Onigiri (rice ball) which is my fave of them all and I've got my perfect lunch.
The miso soup with fried tofu is also great. My mom's japanese, I've lived in Japan and know what good miso tastes like and this is pretty comparable. It's perfect for those cold winter days. This place is always nice and toasty as well (a nice escape from my cold office).
When I'm feeling like I need something a little heartier, I go for the Turkey or Egg Salad sandwich on ciabatta bread. You can't go wrong.
The staff are always very friendly and polite. I've gotten some free drinks and cookies here with my to-go orders before (I think because 1. I'm a regular 2. I tip them every time 3. They love me).
It can get a little crowded after noon, but there are usually plenty of seats. If you come after 3 on a weekday you'll dodge the lunch crowd. -
Review from Steven D.
Brooklyn, NY
10/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ashbox is my favorite local place to eat and hang out for many reasons. The decor is vintage americana and very rustic and quaint. The music is always relaxing and amazing...brazilian and lounge. The food is healthy and delicious. My favorite dishes are the brunch turkey & eggs that comes with a mixed green salad and brown rice on the side and the egg and corn sandwich. They also have a great salmon sandwich. They have the widest assortment of teas in the area and their lattes are delicious and hot. If you have not discovered this gem, you really can't go wrong if you want a great atmosphere combined with healthy food and a friendly staff.
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Review from Briana M.
7/25/2009
Okay...Daniel K. Let me tell you what Ashbox is about.
When I was living in Japan my "family" would cook up breakfasts, a mix of "Western" & Japanese standards. They would serve up miso soup, goma ae, puffy chocolate striped bread,scrambled eggs and fruit.
Coming here not only smelled like waking up in Tokyo, but tasted like it. They make good use of soy sauce and bonito flakes, which may be why Daniel K. thought it was strange. I just thought it was flat out delicious. I ordered the turkey & scrambled eggs, served with brown rice and a salad. It was divine! Paired with the "Japanese Puffy Bread" (chocolate) of my schooling at Tokyo Jogakkan I was in heaven. Truly.
The staff is endlessly accommodating and the premises is totally relaxing and tranquil. There was something so fun about opening the Japanese style sliding door to the bathroom, and reading all the adorably Japanese signs.
I love this place. It's the perfect escape from everything,. -
Review from Nate B.
11/4/2010 6 Check-ins Here
A very calm, very pleasant place to get good tea. Cups of tea are a mere $2.25 and served in large mugs like you'd more likely find at a biergarten. Between getting a pot for $3.50 or the single cup, I find it a little more reasonable to take the latter.
The loose tea, primarily Japanese styles, is not served in metal strainers, something I don't particularly like for infusion, but in what I think are reusable bags. I've not confirmed this. Maybe the bags are just really nice.
I've had the shiitake and avocado salad here which, while tasty, wasn't particularly impressive. It was served in a wooden bowl and this is not an insubstantial detail. There's no clanging of ceramic and metal, thus less noise and more calm.
The space is beautifully lit in the afternoons, and typically patronized by a less intense crowd than typical cafe & coffee shops in the area. No wi-fi. No Facebooking. Mostly writers. There's certainly plenty of space to "spread out for an hour".
I'm partial to the ambiance because the background music reminds me of Pilotwings 64. I want to put on springy shoes and bounce around the continent. -
Review from Doppelganger Z.
Oakland, CA
3/8/2010
Small cafe with a really, really delicious, healthy and uncommon take on breakfast and lunch.
Scrambled eggs with kim chee.
Salad with homemade tofu and the most delightful sesame vinaigrette.
Brown rice onigiri (rice balls with seaweed) stuffed with salmon, kelp or ume plum sauce.
Great tea selection.
Really cozy.
If you live in Greenpoint or nearby and you are not eating here, you're pretty much living your life incorrectly. -
Review from mightypossibility x.
Astoria, NY
6/26/2007
Food 7 + ambiance 6 + value 6 + service 5 = overall 6.5 / 10 (decent/good)
Ashbox is a sentimental favorite of mine. It grew out of the woodworker culture of old Greenpoint and opened months at least before there was any other slightly elegant eatery in northern Greenpoint. Ashbox is quiet, warm, and calm. It's one of few cafes at which I actually do enjoy hanging out for extended periods of time. My favorite menu items are their tartines with butter and jam and, when they have them, their chocolate chip cookies with walnuts. -
Review from stephanie t.
Brooklyn, NY
6/18/2006
Ashbox is great. Located between Ash St and Box St at teh very top of Greenpoint, Ashbox is an excellent place to get coffe, breakfast, lunch or a snack. The menu is pretty typicaly coffee house fare, but everything is prepared with a bit more care than at other places. The fruit salad has flacks of fresh mint, the waffles (for brunch) come with a ton of great fruit, not just a slice of banana, the water has a hint of lemon, etc.
The space is also quite nice. It has a lived in feel without at all feeling dirty or run down (makes sense as it's a new renovation). The cedar lined bathroom is a nice touch. The prices are totally reasonable, especially for the brunch plates. The people are also exceptionally friendly.
My only complaint is that I don't live closer! -
Review from Victor O.
Long Island City, NY
1/7/2009
This is my favorite cafe in NYC, and I have been in many.
It is quiet enough if you need to read or get work done, and has wi-fi. The food is a good selection of items (sandwiches, pastries, soups) and inexpensive. It is owned by Japanese so the food is a mainly Japanese with a Western twist.
Not lastly, the staff has been extremely friendly to me and we have chatted often and know me already.
I wish all cafes more cafes are like this ... this is a truly hidden gem. Only problem may be accessibility - I drive (10-15mins from Woodside in Queens) so that's not a problem If you live in Greenpoint it's right near Pulaski bridge at the very end of Manhattan Ave. -
Review from Jess E.
Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY
10/22/2009
If I could be a coffeeshop, I'd want to be Ashbox. I'm not cool enough, though, so I'd probably end up being Greenpoint Coffee House (a fine establishment, really).
The terror I'd usually feel about writing a five-star review for this secret, impeccable little gem is offset by the fact that it is situated, quite literally, on the precipice of oblivion (Newtown Creek). I live nine blocks away and only make it here once a week.
I... suddenly don't know what to say, I am getting a little misty-eyed. Iced mocha? Simple syrup! Spicy-salmon-mayo rice ball. Jewel-like teas in tiny glass jars. Cookbooks. A portrait of a cat. Lemon water in a big glass pitcher. For some reason I am thinking about my grandmother...
...my only regret is that they are closed on Sundays.Listed in: GP's finest, Top Restaurants
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Review from Jeremy D.
Manhattan, NY
1/23/2010 1 photo
Great café, apparently run by two older-than-their-20s Japanese ladies. They deserve a much less ironic clientele. (It was overrun by hipsters when I was there, including a couple making out in the corner for an hour and a half).
Only had the drip, but it was good. The most impressive bit was the Saturday brunch on offer (see photo). Kimchee and Japanese style eggs, with brown rice and tea or coffee for only $8. Regular food offerings look good as well.
Logistics: Hours are not very extensive. Closed Sundays, and only open until 7ish most other days. And getting a table occasionally a problem. But these facts just make it all the more homey. -
Review from Daniel K.
Brooklyn, NY
7/3/2009
I wasn't terribly impressed. The food has a ...strange... quality to it, the cafe also doesn't seem to have any set hours. It opens and closes seemingly of its own free will.
On the plus side its extremely quiet and the atmosphere exhanced by classical music is very relaxing. -
Review from Justin L.
Brooklyn, NY
12/23/2009
At
The edge
Of Brooklyn
Or the world
Sits a quiet tea room waiting for you.Listed in: Coffee Shops NYC
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Review from P D.
Brooklyn, NY
5/12/2009
Best cafe in the city.
A quiet, relaxed atmosphere. Classical music drifting in the background. I like that traditional coffee/bagel combo, but they also have some truly great tea, and the onigiri are fresh and delicious (personally, I prefer the grilled salmon). The specials change daily, and they post them on their blog (http://ashboxgreenpoin... if you're curious).
I recommend checking out the bathroom too. Like a perspective funhouse with a cool sliding door. -
Review from Sue b.
Brooklyn, NY
4/23/2011
This place was such a surprise when I was moving furniture out of my cousin's loft at 1205 I went in here and was soooo delighted to find it is a run by 2 Japanese women who make the most delicious tofu salad and rice balls.
I was sitting there after having eaten my meal and contemplated getting another order of the same thing. The salad dressing was homemade and so completely good the rice balls were excellent.
I am driving over here from Park Slope again and again just to eat here.
I love that end corner of Manhattan Ave.
Totally cool joint and the nicest people ever who run/own it and they wear cool hats with flowers.
The bathroom has a clever sliding door with a gorgeous brass latch.
LOVE this place! -
Review from EM V.
New York, NY
10/13/2009
this is a beautiful, wonderful little cafe. If i could i would take it with me to every neighborhood I move to. Sadly its at the butt end of greenpoint, and far far far away from any reliable mode of transport.
I eat the salmon rice balls and the lunch specials and anything and everything they have to offer. In the winter their vinegar and ginger infusions kept me alive and well. And the house made tofu too. and the muffins too.
the women who work there are lovely and attentive too. -
Review from Bret H.
8/27/2009
This place is generally great. The seating area is quiet and comfortable, and the service is absolutely wonderful. The food is big hits and big misses. Rice balls, granola with yogurt, the wide selection of teas, all excellent. I would have given this place five stars, except that I have also tried their turkey sandwich. It is very nearly the most expensive thing on the menu, and it consists of a few compressed-meat-product slices, some leaves, and mayo, on toast.
You just have to know what (not) to order, and this can be one of the best places of its kind in the city. -
Review from Andrzrej K.
Brooklyn, NY
12/23/2009
This place is weird. I did not like it very much. I had Green tea- it was good. The decor is wak and I know that its kinda funny in the Asian American owning a US coffee house kinda way, but its still dumb.
I like the Cat motif. Music was was midi style classical.
I feel bad now becuase I remember the workers were very friendly, so ill give it another star, BUT THATS IT!@!!
Plus- I like that it is in that desolate wasteland North of Eagle St. where nothing much is going on -
Review from Lauren K.
Brooklyn, NY
6/15/2009
I really enjoyed the relaxing spalike atmosphere here, it was a great place to start off the weekend. I kicked back quietly, listened to the piano music, ate some heathy tofu salad and when I turned around I coudn't believe how many other people were here, on their laptops! Great place to get in the zone. Completely agree with the "breezy" and "edge of the world" feel comments below. Don't bring your loud friends here.
I only wish they were open more often (closed at 4 on Saturdays and completely on Sundays). The hot chocolate was good, but it was like 80% foam. Iced coffee was strong, just the way I like it! -
Review from Rachel G.
1/15/2011
It's official: Greenpoint is the headquarters of wonderful, adorable cafes in Brooklyn. Ashbox is a little hideaway, tucked into the warehouses below the Pulaski Bridge. I had the very simple, very good egg salad sandwich. The egg salad was mixed with corn and peas, and the whole wheat bread was really hearty. I could have stayed here all day, but I wanted to check out another place nearby. I loved the mismatched chairs and calm music. Definitely recommended.
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Review from may l.
San Jose, CA
5/12/2011
Love it, teriyaki pork sandwich is absolutely delicious! the onigiri was yummy and the ice cold glass of green tea left my palate nice and refreshed. will definitely go there again.
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Review from Greenpoint T.
Brooklyn, NY
4/21/2011
This place is clean, quiet, and charming. Big windows let in natural light, making it a wonderful place to go on a sunny day. I went here once and got a bagel with butter, a small tofu salad, and a big mug of coffee -- all for $7. I was happy with all of it and hope to try something more substantial next time.
It seems from the comments below that they used to have wifi. If they did, they don't anymore. I almost gave it 4 stars because of that, but then I realized that only an entitled brat demands wifi from every single dining establishment. This place is good as is. -
Review from Jason N.
Long Island City, NY
great little gem in the middle of warehouses in greenpoint bk. went here for a late brunch and it was well worth the walk over the bridge from LIC to BK. small japanese inspired cafe. they dont have your traditional brunch menu but the food is great. We ordered turkey sandwich on ciabatta bread and the teriyaki pork on ciabetta bread. and both were very tasty. i also ordered the grape vinegar healthy drink and it tasted weird it at first but it is actually pretty good!
they have a broad selection of teas to choose from and they are not expensive at all. only downside about this place is that they close early. (4pm)
i would definitely go back here to try a tea beverage and to order a breakfast dish if i can get there before 11am. -
Review from Matthew S.
Brooklyn, NY
3/5/2010
i'd venture to guess that you'll never come here unless you live north of greenpoint ave. or if you live slightly south of greenpoint ave. and want to get away from it all.
this place is in the middle of nowhere. but only 3 blocks from our apartment. so i guess we live on the outskirts of nowhere?
anyhoo...it's a really cute coffeshop with wifi and some light Japanese-tinged? fare. i don't drink coffee so i had a cup of earl grey to go. it was piping hot and good.
very nice little spot in north greenpoint. you can grab a cup and stroll down to the utterly unpolluted, pristine Newtown Creek. you may even see dolphins.Listed in: Greenpoint
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Review from Michael D.
Chicago, IL
10/27/2007
Pretty much the perfect coffeeshop. In fact, I'm writing this review from Ashbox. Free wireless, good coffee, appropriate musical selections, slightly dented furniture, sun drenched/rain drenched/open. Very cute, unpretentious, rarely too full to get a seat. Secluded location by the Pulaski. Highly recommended.
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Review from Christine L.
Brooklyn, NY
4/6/2010
This is a classic Yelp review in which I go NO PLEASE DON'T COME HERE PLEASE because it's so quiet and quaint and makes you escape very briefly to a Japanese country cafe or something similar (do those exist??) and they have good tea and once again it is QUIET and very unlike most establishments in the neighborhood. So, while the selfishness in me wants to give it 1 star so it can stay the way it is, I know mom&pa's need all the support they can get. Drink your tea at Ashbox.
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Review from Heather D.
New York, NY
5/16/2009
wow. amazing.
small and cozy without feeling overcrowded. i wish my apartment looked the way this place does inside- warm, light and breezy. indescribably delicious food, not terribly expensive, delicious coffee. all of this in a tiny corner on the edge of the world (or at least the edge of greenpoint) that feels like somewhere else entirely. wonderful. -
Review from David P.
5/26/2009 1 photo
Located at the northern tip of Brooklyn, near the "Greenpoint Riviera," sits this cute little café. Unfortunately, because it's in the outer-rim territories, I'm not there a lot. Perhaps added incentive will come from the newly constructed little park at Newtown Creek? The bagels are good and the coffee is okay. I'm told the rest of the food is really great. Because of its remoteness, I think the Ash Box would be a perfect place to hide-out and daydream or work on your laptop.
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Review from Jesse K.
Brooklyn, NY
11/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
I had the lunch special (teriyaki pork sandwich) and my girlfriend had a salmon rice ball with seaweed, tea and a small salad. Generally we agreed the food wad good but not great, although she loved the rice ball.
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Review from Nicole F.
Brooklyn, NY
5/13/2010 5 photos
Stopped in to check out this place, cause it had a lot of good reviews. The interior is super cute, clean and cosy. The sandwich I tried was just ok. It seems fresh, so that's good. But I feel that wasabi mayo doesn't necessarily complement brie and sun-dried tomatoes very well. haha In fact not at all. Nope strange pairing indeed. The service was nice and attentive. Looks like they had a nice selection of teas. Will I walk the 10 minutes to eat there, probably not. But I am willing to try more and not completely write them off, like I have with a few Greenpoint restos.
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Review from Dan W.
Sunnyside, NY
1/23/2009
This is a great place to bring your computer and appetite. Free Wi-Fi! Amazing sandwiches! Delicious coffee! Class-A joint.
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Review from Sean T.
Brooklyn, NY
11/6/2008
One of the first places I discovered in Brooklyn, Ashbox makes a great place to grab a cup of tea and unwind. There food is tasty and and varied (where else can you find a sundried tomato & brie sandwich and rice balls on the same menu) and the free wifi is an added bonus. My only gripe about the place is that it's cash only. But that won't stop me from going back!
