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30th Ave (N, W)
Steinway St (G, R, V)
Mon-Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sunday thru Thursday 10% off for Yelpers (cash only). Lunch specials all week for only $12.50, come join us and see what the Yelp is about
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I've eaten here many many times. Their brunch is very good. I personally enjoy their Gnocchi, and their Tuna Tartar.
Their prices are moderate, but the food is for the most part worth it.
My only real complaint is that sometimes the waitstaff is not quick to respond. I've had this problem nearly every time I've been there. This could just be the lax nature of the place or an attempt to "eurofy" the experience--as in a lot of cafes in Europe they offer slow service so as to not rush one out.
In the summer, Brick probably has one of the largest outdoor seating for Brunch.
Slow service or not, Brick is DEF a place you should try!
Brick is a wonderfully cozy, charming restaurant with great decor and atmosphere. I've only been there for brunch, not dinner, and each time has been wonderful. I've been seated immediately, even without a reservation, and the food always arrives promptly. The staff are very friendly and efficient.
The brunch menu is great -- I've had omelets every time and each were wonderful (I highly recommend the ricotta and sun dried tomato omelet). Friends have tried other brunch items and loved them. I've never had any friends I take to Brick make any complaints about it.
All in all, a brunch gem in Astoria!
Great brunch place in Astoria :)
I had the riccota+sun dried tamato omelete..with yummy potatoes :) my friend had the panini with salad, yummm as well :)
To start they give u warm french bread with tapenade.
This was my first time visiting , I will 100% return for perhaps dinner this time, this place is very cute, romantic,......i like the low lighting, and great service.. and the prices are reasonable.
Risotto is lovely. This place is so cozy and the food is delish. Great atmosphere and a good place to meet up with the girls for a casual dinner.
There's so much good stuff to mention about Brick Cafe. The decor, the outdoor seating, the top notch entrees and pastas, the delicious tapanade that accompanies your bread at the start of the meal, the level of class that oozes from this place. Yup, a lot of great stuff.
But that all pales in comparison to what I discovered at their brunch one day. Brick Cafe has the BEST french toast I have ever had in my entire life. It's like a fluffy, syrupy piece of heaven that has come to Earth to make you weep at such perfection while you are unable to stop yourself from scarfing it down like a madman (or madwoman... gotta be equal opportunity with food this good).
Class abounds at this place, but all I want to do is bury my face in their french toast which is (I guess) kind of embarrassing.
I moved in across the street from brick 3 years ago and love the close proximity to this restaurant. I can easily eat here 3 meals a day, but on weekends i love the french toast with strawberries and cream.
NOTICE - DESSERT REVIEW -
Okay I came here not so hungry because I was at one of my other favorite restaurants in Astoria stuffing my face in pasta & came here to meet up with friends. We all ordered dessert since they had already ate in the city. Just to let you know I LOVE dessert! I ate my dessert and stole theirs too. I loved it.
The taste was rich, the desserts varied from mildly sweetened to just right sweet. They were juicy/creamy in a way that was just right.
The atmosphere of the place was nice and relaxing. I enjoyed the rest of the evening here. We actually spent more time here then we thought, later we began ordering drinks because we got carried away. The drinks were good, I had a great experience here and so did my city friends.
Great spot for the neighborhood. However, I'd pick Locale (a similar menu) any day over Brick.
Food is fresh, specials are good, decor is excellent (back bar area is really nice), but the prices are a bit high for what you get.
This rating is for the gnocchi with white sauce only. I have only been here once. I went here for brunch and I ordered the gnocchi with the gorgonzola cheese sauce (the white sauce). Yes they have non-breakfast items for brunch! The gnocchi with the gorgonzola cheese sauce was awesome. I had half of it and took the other half to go. Delicious and tasty.
I've experienced better is the perfect rating for Brick. I've experienced better right down the block at Locale.
We used to go to Brick quite frequently because it was on our corner --- that was until we discovered other restaurants, period. The food is way overpriced for what it is. The specials are decent at times, and overcooked at others. Brunch does not come with a drink and is pricey as well. I do love the atmosphere where you can sit in the casual dining in the front or the loungey bar area in the back (or outside in the summer). Location-wise this place is great. Food/price-wise this place is lacking --- severely.
I've eaten hear about 4 times, each time my experience gets a little worse...It's really unfortunate because it's in a great spot with so much potential. The basic food, pesto, steak frites, mussels were mediocre at best. The steak had a huge tendon in the middle making it impossible to cut. A table next to me actually had the waiter try and cut it who also struggled. They need to focus on making the basic food excellent, that'll bring repeat customers.
The wait staff is friendly but the food falls flat.
This is a brunch review:
I am particularly disappointed in the brunch selection - about 1/5 of the menu actually contained anything brunch-y (i.e., breakfast-y).
The bloody mary was SOOOO watery - and $8. DON'T GET IT.
Mimosa was stronger but 1/3 the size of the bloody mary - and $8.
Fritta was good. Smoked salmon and ricotta omelet was creative but very rich.
Our waitress was nice but not incredibly attentive.
The outdoor seating is really nice, and, as other Yelpers have mentioned, the inside decor is very cute, as well.
I think next time I go, I'd go for dinner.
Brick Cafe. I went for brunch. Got the omelet with smoked salmon, sun-dried tomatoes and ricotta cheese. I'm not a huge omelet fan but this was good. Now you may be asking, why did she order an omelet if she's not a huge fan of them? Well, like Jess L. said, there aren't many breakfast-y items and I felt like breakfast. So I sucked it up and got the omelet.
Very European as the doors were open and the whole ambiance was rustic. But that day it was super warm and all I wanted was some air conditioning instead of soaking myself in sweat. Despite the heat, I had coffee.
The service was fine...but one thing I must say, when I use a motion with my hand for the check as to not interrupt my friend's story - please don't take it as an act of aggression and make me explain myself. If that was flirting, it was bad - if you were angry, let it go as I'm about to be the one who tips you. I used to serve - it sucks, just the rules of the game.
Overall though, not a bad spot. I will return because I liked the food!
My husband and I took my mother-in-law here the other night, and we all really enjoyed the food. I had the grilled orata, which was excellent. They have an extensive and reasonably priced wine list as well.
We've also been to Brick for Sunday brunch, mainly because it's hard to find a brunch place in Astoria that serves lunch items. Thumbs up for that...
My only complaint is that the sangria is too sweet for my taste, but others seem to love it. If your don't like your drinks super-sweet, steer clear.
Went here for dinner with my dad the other night. Gotta say, GREAT service! We sat outside even though it was fairly cool out, but they have heaters set up above you to where you don't even notice the temp! Our waitress (didn't get her name, but she's tall, blonde, had her fair pulled back, and was from Europe somewhere (couldn't place the accent). What I'm saying is that she was hot! ; ) if that helps in giving her a shout out!), was extremely friendly (but not annoyingly so), and provided excellent service!
We both ordered the burger (neither of us felt adventurous, just hungry). I had the mozzarella cheeseburger. DELICIOUS. They also served bread (just like a standard basket of bread found everywhere) that came with an olive spread dip. I don't care for olives (but LOVE olive oil), but I will say that spread was AMAZING!
Although we ate outside, we looked inside and liked the relaxing Mediterranean style atmosphere! I was here wtih my dad, but it's definitely a great place to take a date!
Ok so I was taken here yesterday & it was adorable :)
I have never had olive spread, the spinach & cheese raavioli, or reisling wine.... all of which I had here & they were all amazing!!
The staff was great, the owner was precious, and I met at least 5 people who were very friendly & helpful.
I would highly reccommend this place for Bruch! Though I hear the dinner menu is great as well....
When I want to go for brunch, I want a nice place with a relaxing atmosphere because usually I haven't had my morning coffee yet and anything weird will totally bug me.
So this place was perfect for that. Very nice wood decor, relaxing environment and I was able to get my coffee quickly. I'm only giving it an okay rating because the brunch menu didn't have many breakfast choices and the service wasn't great. I ordered the french toast and it was delic! But they seemed to focus more on lunch options for brunch....boo, I love breakfast!
This is one of my favorite restaurants to spend money at on payday while I'm still feeling flush. The food and the service are solid everytime. The entrees are inventive and excellently executed. The service is awesome, and theres even a young Leo look alike to oggle from across the room.
Go for Brunch (Mind blowing french toast). Go for dinner (Chicken Scalopini, pastas all amazing). Just go go go.
I don't know how people can say the food here isn't great. Granted, I've only been here once (last night), but everything we had was spectacular. The service was lacking just a little, but our waitress was by no means bad. We had the mussels in white wine & garlic (fantastic, fresh mussels, not mussels that had been sitting there since last week), octopus carpaccio (very good, but not great), and for an entree I had the grilled calamari over arugula (delicious and light, the calamari had great grilled flavor), my girlfriend had the duck which she said was very good, and my friend had some sort of fish stuffed with crab and shrimp, I think, which was also really good. two apps, three entrees, and 4 drinks set us back $107 before tip.
The restaurant itself was really nice, and the outside seating was great. Looks like they have a bar attached next door.
I'm very glad I live so close to this place.
What an adorable place!
We were all hoping to go here for NYE, but because it was a bit pricey, we skipped it. Not until we checked it out of course.
I loved the atmosphere- the restaurant in front, bar in back, was a perfect set up that (would have) allowed a change of venue without even leaving the space.
It's cozy-not too small- and I love that they have Jazz during the week! The beers aren't pricey ($4ish) and I can't wait for the warm weather so that I can test out the outdoor seating.
I will definitely be back.
Brick Cafe is why I love Astoria. It's adorable, quaint, and absolutely delicious. The cafe section in the front of the restaurant is rustic and warm. The lounge area in the back of the restaurant has a full bar and tables for larger parties. The menu is extensive, from salads to sandwiches to pasta dishes and crepes. I ordered the Savory Crepe of the Day and it was wonderful - filled with mushrooms and feta cheese and drenched in a tomato-based cream sauce. The desserts are incredible as well, try to Tiramisu for sure.
I'm definitely going back to Brick for dinner and drinks!
Went for brunch this past Sunday... it was a little late in the day, and we didn't have a wait for a table. The cafe was sunny and charming and smelled delicious... I got the steak & eggs special of the day, which was an extremely reasonable $18. My friend got the gnocchi ($16) in tomato basil sauce, which were delicious. We both really enjoyed the bread and olive tapenade served before the meal.
We sat by the kitchen and saw everything on it's way out.. the french toast looked especially mouthwatering, but really, all of it looked good.
I can't wait to go back and try something else!
I visited once. OK, but the prices are too Manhattan-like , & if I want to pay Manhattan prices, I'll go to Sarabeth's. very popular, very busy, but I prefer a more relaxed brunch experience. If you're into large get-togethers, then this place will be good for you. But Astoria is opening some good options in the neighborhood; browse through other Astoria yelp listings.
Brick has a fantastic new American brunch menu with French and Italian roots. Somehow the execution is underwhelming. I ordered the octopus carpaccio with fennel to start and then the tuna tartare and avocado. The portions were moderate (a positive) yet I wasn't moved even to finish the tuna.
It's a nice bistro atmosphere. Crowded tables with thick rustic wood tops and dried flower posies. Lace café curtains in the windows.
Food 5 + ambiance 6 + value 6 + service 7 = overall 5.5 / 10 (decent)
SO delightful.
We walked by and instantly knew that this lovely candlelit place was where we should spend the evening. It would have been the perfect romantic date spot. I love Craig, and he loves me, but not in THAT way. We'll both be back.
Spacious dining room and ample outdoor seating, really calm warm decor, and a lounge area in the second room that was tempting us with after dinner drinks all evening.
The menu is extensive and somewhat heavy on seafood, which I loved. Our server was sweet and added to the welcoming feel of the whole place.
Escargot were perfectly cooked... I couldn't stop sopping up the leftover sauce with bread.
Spinach ravioli with sage with pasta that tasted so fresh, mmmm...
Cream of broccoli soup and veal rigatoni for Craig, both of which he says are 5 star options.
Well matched by 2 great glasses of red wine (Malbec) of a very cute wine list.
Top it all off with the fact that this great meal was only $62 pre-tip and Brick Cafe seals their 5 star rating. I really loved the time we spent there and will happily go back.
What can I say about Brick that hasn't been said in many reviews below? With little doubt, this is a pretty fantastic place for what they do. A gem of a place, that's for sure.
Location is a little hidden on 31st Avenue, but that only adds to the charm, baby. Besides, it probably helped them get the great space that they have. I've been for dinner several times since I moved to Astoria. The best experiences include eating outside during the warmer months.
Any time of year, the atmosphere is always perfect for a nicer meal out, the food is never disappoints and the price is reasonable. Bonus points for a solid, affordable wine selection. Sometimes I have trouble finding something I love on the menu, but I'm pretty sure that's entirely on me. If you haven't already, make the trip. You likely won't be sorry...
If you live in Astoria and you want some brunch, you MUST check this place out. I used to live 2 blocks away from it and every weekend I'd get the same thing: the ricotta and sundried tomato omelette - substitute the homefries for a salad (the homefries are kind of greasy and mushy).
It became like Cheers I went so much, except nobody knew my name, but they did learn my order, and that's the best feeling in the world. Great for summer days when you can sit outside and tan (or in my case burn) your legs.
While the array of options for restaurants in Astoria is staggering, we have found a lot of the food to be ultimately disappointing. We were really pleased to enjoy a great meal here.
Service was good and attentive.
We had gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce- we shared and it was still a LOT of food. The brick salad with hearts of palm was delicious.
We'll go back!
Atmosphere was cute. Looks like it will be fun and cozy in the winter.
Good food, great atmosphere nice staff, however the food was not great. The food was exciting on the menu, but somewhat disapointing on arrival. The bread was not fresh and while it still tasted good, i would have perfered it reheated/baked slightly instead of the the cold somewhat chewy bread we got. It did come with a good olive mixture.
I started with a salt cod (Bacalao) over polenta. This was very good, the highlight of the few dishes i tried. They removed almost of the salt, very nicely done. It was in a pile, broken up almost like crab. They could have done alot more with the flavor, but the fish was excellent and went well with strips of grilled polenta. Very large portion, nearly the size of an entree. My fiance had the prosciutto and mellow which was good, but instead of wrapping the melon in prosciutto they just piled it on top it, kinda strange. People at my table said the Onion soup was not very good.
For the main course I had the veal cannelloni which was strange. 2 large cannelloni with a veal and cheesy type filling. There appeared to be 2 sauces, a Béchamel, which was way to thin, and a brown sauce that might have been drippins from the meat. It was almost sour like they used vinigar, i did not love it. There was something a bit off about the taste. Overall a ok dish.
My fiance had the Gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce. This was a big disappointment. The sauce was weak, and a poor match to the bland Gnocchi. It did have a very nice texture, to often from restaurants its gooey and mushy, this Gnocchi had a bite to it. Aside from it being a bland dish with thin sauce, there was no coior variation at all and no herbs added. Off white pasta on a white plate with off white sauce. Very boring and kind of shocking they would serve it like that. Jazz it up!
Over all the food was decent but lacking something. it is also too expensive for the quality of food, although to portions are big. It is very cute and you can eat outside. They do have a nice menu with many options, so i might be have to try something else. Slightly recomended.
What a cute little spot in Astoria! This restaurant is one of the few French/Italian places in the neighborhood.
The ambiance of the place has a homey feel with dimly lit candles, and also offers outdoor space if you want to dine on the sidewalks and people watch.
I dined with a few friends and we got a pretty cheap bottle of Bourdolais wine for less than $30, We also shared the fois gras appetizer which was delicious! I had the chicken penne a la vodka and it was quite tasty. Portion size was generous as well and I had enough to pack home with me for lunch the next day.
I will definitely come back here... and perhaps eat in Astoria more often than heading into Manhattan to eat.
To me, Brick gets an A for atmosphere and a C for food. I live next door and love their outdoor seating (with excellent heat lamps) that you can use for most of the year and the lounge area is comfortable and cool. It's a great place to meet friends and have a glass of wine.
However, there is only one item on the menu that doesn't let me down, the Penne ala Vodka. Everything else just seems to lack something and the prices aren't forgiving for the quality of food being served.
I wish the brunch was better. It seems to offer less than any other brunch menu i've been to in New York and costs more.
All in all, it's a ok place to go for a meal every now and then, I just always expect it to be a little better than what it is.
Brick is one of the better restaurants in Astoria. It's pretty consistent (I've been there about 15-20 times and only disliked my meal once) and they usually offer some interesting specials. I personally like their risotto. It's probably not the most authentic risotto you'll find, but it's very tasty and I usually manage to eat it all despite it being a large and very filling portion (and I'm kinda skinny!).
Service is usually pretty good, especially if you get the regulars. Love the bread with olive spread that comes before your meal. There's not too much to complain about other than occasions where it's too crowded/noisy and you may find yourself packed in with the other sardines. But that's typical of successful NYC restaurants. You may get a service mishap with one of the "lesser" servers. And one night, I ordered a seafood special and the fish was clearly not fresh. That was one time, though. All other experiences have been very good, sometimes great.
I've had lunch, brunch and dinner at The Brick. They serve a tasty olive spread with the bread basket, and the food is very good. On food alone, I'd give them four stars.
The last time we were there, however, my girlfriend had some tiny single-serving jam samplers in her purse that we had received as a gift, and we tried one (1) with the bread. We were pretty surprised to receive a lecture from our server about why, for "health reasons," The Brick does not allow "outside food." Huh? We had both ordered brunch entrées and drinks, so it wasn't as if we were picnicking at their table.
It sort of reminded me of high school, when I got in trouble with the teacher. We are both about twenty years too old for that kind of lecture, though. It was a pretty long lecture, too. I'll probably avoid The Brick in future; there are so many great restaurants in Astoria, why go to one where I could get in trouble?
The decor, layout and ambiance of Brick Cafe I like. One can have a romantic dinner or a chill brunch outside with a group of friends. The food I'd have to say is okay. The dish that is most memorable was the grilled sardines. I'd have to agree with some reviews how the menu is exciting but there is lack in execution (some salty). All in all Brick Cafe is a-ok.
I have mixed feelings about Brick.
I was unimpressed by the french fusion food (and the menu was rather limited) service for dinner took a long time. I only had dinner once and I was pretty turned off from having it there again.
On the positive side of things... if you're going just for an App and drinks Brick's back bar area and outdoor seating can't be beat! Bartenders are very friendly and welcoming
Very dim lit and chill. A perfect place to go for a conversation with friends :)
Lots of style, very little substance. I'd happily go to Brick for drinks - ambience oozes all over you (the interior really is welcoming) - but I can't recommend anything on the food menus. I've finally given up after several uninspired trips (I wanted to like it because the neighborhood lacks brooklyn style local restaurants with flair and good food). I've tried steak frites, chicken paillard, linguine with clams and a couple fish dishes - none was better than average. The hallmark of every dish is a lack of freshness - when the chef (loose usage) at Brick comes to an ingredient fork in the road he always goes the route of canned or frozen. There is NO WAY ON THE FORMERLY GREENER EARTH that the clams they use come direct from any body of water that isn't encapsulated in a tin can and the flaccid state of many vegetables speaks for itself. The brunch is equally uninspired - subpar french toast and ok eggs. Survival tip: If you do find yourself at Brick for a meal, go with the burger - it is ok and the fries are respectable.
If Brick was a neighborhood diner the food would be acceptable - it's not - they want to be a higher end restaurant in Astoria and charge accordingly. The wait staff, hostess and bartenders are all good. The ambience is great. If they get a new, solid chef and source their food from better vendors the restaurant could easily rank close to the top of the Astoria table. Until that day I'd rather make mac and cheese at home.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? I had lunch (brunch?) at Brick Cafe with my mom this past weekend and it was delish. We loved the bread and tapenade and were equally pleased with our paninis. The servers were sweet and the outdoor atmopshere was very European. Would go back anytime.
OK, so I seldom try new restaurants in Astoria, despite the fact that I live there, mainly because A) I'm a takeout queen, B) I eat out in the city and C) my people at Opa will never forgive my infidelity, but I decided to try a new sit-down place.
The atmosphere here is really nice-- so cute and relaxing. The decor is kind of country-bistro, and the candlelight and cute tables for two are almost romantic. Our server was really nice, and my Man Friend enjoyed his chicken rollatini, but I wasn't too crazy about my romaine/grilled apple/gorgonzola salad. It was a bit slimy and the flavors didn't really meld together. I felt like it was a bit expensive, also. But maybe I'll try this again on another day-- I was eyeballing the burgers that the table next to us ordered, and they looked awfully tasty.
I've been to Brick many, many times since moving to Astoria. The brunches are above average, quite good as is most of the dinner menu. They also have amazing cappucinos and a great Sangiovese by the glass.
My only beef with Brick are the desserts - they're subpar all around.
Atmosphere is charming, for the most part. It's great in the summer when the bar doors are open and in the winter when the fireplace is roaring.
I always have high hopes when I go to Brick because I love the cute atmosphere and outdoor seating but I always seem to be disappointed in the food.
Bottles of wine are very cheap which is a plus but everything I've eaten there (chicken, risotto, cheese plates) have all been lacking. I'd go for a drink on a low-key night but I think there are much better places in the area for dinner.
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Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: Diners
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Long Island City
Category: French
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