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Building On Bond
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Pubs American (New), Pubs [Edit]
112 Bond St(between Pacific St & Atlantic Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Neighborhood: Boerum Hill
(347) 853-8687
- Nearest Transit:
-
Hoyt - Schermerhorn Sts (A, C, G)
Nevins St (2, 3, 4, 5)
Hoyt St (2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7 am - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner, Brunch
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Thu, Sun
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
141 reviews for Building On Bond
Review Highlights
"I can't imagine a better brunch choice."
(in 42 reviews)
"I had a very tasty veggie burger with FANTASTIC fries."
(in 10 reviews)
"Still, that pretzel bun was fantastic."
(in 6 reviews)
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141 reviews in English
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Review from Danny P.
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent brunch choice, primarily in winter.
Why would a place be a better brunch spot in the winter than in the summer? It's not for lack of outdoor seating -- there's room to sit outside in the summer. It's not for food choices, there's not a ton of different between seasons. And the people working there aren't nicer in the summer* than around the time the groundhog goes looking for his shadow.**
It's better in the winter primarily, and mainly, because fewer people are in line to get in. At a place with food this good, even though it's sneaky long there's bound to be a line to get in once the weather turns nice.
Best things about brunch: get the pancakes. We had the chocolate chip ones, which were stunningly delicious. I don't know what they did to get them so rich without drying them out, but it's an impressive feat and one you should taste in person.
The fries are also delicious. And though we didn't love the 'thanksgiving in a sandwich' concept of the turkey***, the fries definitely made up for it.
And they have refills on Diet Coke (and for $2.75 a glass you should) and won't kick me out as soon as the last bite on my plate is gone? Then this is a great brunch spot that I'm sure is soon going to be too crowded for me to go to again.
* - Well, maybe they are. But it would mean sunshine bursting from their ass cracks if they were. They're really nice in the winter.
** - If that furry little bastard sees his shadow this year, I'll slit his throat.
*** - Needed gravy. -
Review from Liza M.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012
Um, it was pretty good. I mean, in general - just average. I got the salmon.
Kinda pricey but what ISN'T these days (my dignity!)
What I DO like about this place is two whole things: LiFE SIZED (ok WTF is that supposed to mean anyways) edit WALL SIZED, a 4 x 3 (ft not inches) LITE BRITE!!!!!!! YOU GUYS! dUDe. Do you remember that ish?
That AND Narragansett tall boys ($4). Not so bad... RHODE ISLAND RULEzzzz. -
Review from christian svanes k.
Brooklyn, NY
1/4/2012
building on bond serves as a neighborhood nexus: it's a morning café that becomes an evening hang-out; it's a brunch spot, a creative event space and showroom, a meeting room, a de facto lounge for mothers with strollers and ipads, a refuge for writers, actors and laptop jockeys; a corner café for ladies who lunch.
and, for the most part, it works.
as a hangout, building on bond does wonders to create an experience that is hard to find anywhere else, and, given the economy of south brooklyn, it might even defy logic.
looking back, if one was to propose opening a café in a neighborhood that doesn't get much foot traffic, placing it adjacent to a woodshop / design studio for the auxiliary purpose of using the café as a showcase for the design work, one might have a few questions.
but not only does building on bond pull it off, as evidenced by the crowds and the expansion of the concept, but the café and design studio also serves as a model for how other creative outfits can build an experience around their work.
with this in mind, i've taken numerous friends to building on bond to inspire them. suffice it to say, i'm a big fan.
moving on to more tangible issues, such as the dining experience: in a way, the food and beverage are a reflection of the café's décor, which favors hearty and robust natural elements with a touch of industry. it's comfort food done with a hint of flair and finesse. lunch dishes are predominately satisfying while the coffee is definitely decent. in the evening, the cocktails are not dainty; rather, they are fun and inventive. all around, customer service is certainly a strength, especially if you are a regular, but still can be a bit spotty at times.
my favorite aspect of the space is the décor: woodsy, industrial, practical and whimsical. 1940's era lighting, utilitarian work-tables and benches, metal file cabinets in olive green hues, beat-up wooden floors, as well as an unusual assortment of rigs and clamps that hang from the ceiling or are mounted on a network of exposed water pipes.
one caveat for the laptop-toting day trippers: wifi is turned off daily at 4:30 pm, and, it should also be noted that their wifi is very unreliable to begin with. so it goes. -
Review from Kat C.
New York, NY
1/4/2012
Really nice layout. Loads of people working on their laptops and chilling out through the day.
The coffee is very good and the staff are friendly. -
Review from David K.
Brooklyn, NY
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
2.5 stars I guess. Looks cool, had a ton of people eating brunch here so I decided to get dinner there with my family.
food was totally avg. I dont get it... -
Review from Joey L.
Brooklyn, NY
1/26/2012 2 photos
Had both brunch and dinner here, two very different experiences. The food at brunch was very good, as well as the coffee and the Bloody Marys. The waitress was cold at first but then warmed up, there seemed to be a bit of confusion on who was waiting tables outside.
Last night I had dinner with my girlfriend and a friend, we showed up at 10:40 not realizing the kitchen was closing at 11 rather then midnight like we thought. So it was understandable that the waiter was rushing us to get our order in, but that doesn't mean our food should be subpar. The chicken Pailard both at brunch and dinner was consistently good, but the NY Strip Steak I ordered medium felt like I was eating shoe leather. I've ordered better steak at a diner at 3 in the morning. I'm thinking the cook leaned on it with a cast iron pan to rush the order. The Linguini my girlfriend ordered was very bland. The wait staff never once came over and asked us how everything was. I had to get up, go to the bar and ask the bartender for steak sauce of which they had none. The waiter finally came over with some bbq sauce after I told him I needed anything to help drown out the dryness of my steak, he said nothing to that. Why keep the kitchen open until 11 if you're basically gonna quit by 10:30? My Old Fashioned drink wasn't made right, no cherry and they didn't muddle an orange slice as well, but this may be the way they make it there so I'm not gonna sweat it too much. This place needs a floor manager to keep it all together, both times it seemed like the wait staff was making it all up as they went. The one person that looked any sort managerial was on her cell phone the entire 40 minutes we were there. -
Review from Melissa O.
Manhattan, NY
1/9/2012
Went here with friends. We were there for brunch and really enjoyed ourselves. We did have a bit of a wait, which was midly annoying. The food was excellent. I devoured my pancakes. My husband really enjoyed his breakfast sandwich too. Highly recommend this place.
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Review from Pamela B.
11/2/2011
I'm sure this is a perfectly serviceable neighborhood joint, and it looks like they're generous with providing seating and excellent background music for laptop workers, but it's not worth going out of your way for Building on Bond. WITH ONE IMPORTANT EXCEPTION: the slinky fries. The slinky fries are basically homemade potato chips, and they are deliciously oily and garlicky and salty and covered with shavings of parmesan cheese. Oh God. So good.
The space though? Fine. The beer on tap? Also fine. The burger? Better in theory than in action (chorizo? pretzel bun? how could it go wrong? and yet it does.). -
Review from Ricky R.
Brooklyn, NY
12/19/2011
dear building on bond,
stop serving food.
sincerely,
ricky r
.....................
the first time i walked into building on bond, my favorite album of all time (marqee moon by television) was playing softly throughout the restaurant. i instantly felt the urge to bounce around like an 8 year old on her second bag of skittles.
the interior of building on bond is "retro everyman classy" and oozes laid back cool. i recommend going to building on bond and ordering a drink or two just so you can sit back and soak in the restrained hipness of its decor... actually, i ONLY recommend going to building on bond for a drink so you can sit back and soak in the restrained hipness of its decor. why?
well, to put it eloquently, their food is "meh". every entree i've tried (and i've tried many) has tasted remarkably unremarkable. my verbose partner described their food as "edible".
in fairness bob does have one good food item, the fries... which are actually kettle chips... basically BOB's entire kitchen is a hot mess which sad really because this sexy little building on bond could/should be so much more than it is.
chips, booze, and atmosphere... the only good reasons patronize to this "restaurant". -
Review from Harry H.
Brooklyn, NY
10/9/2011 12 Check-ins Here
BoB is one of my favorite local hangouts. It's very low-key but always fun and full of just the right amount of people. The service is usually pretty good, the food is also good, but not great (I keep wanting it to be much better). I gave four stars because of atmosphere and overall concept.
The morning scene is also cool during the week if you work from home. I pop in there from time to time for coffee. Service is usually pretty fast. -
Review from Elise J.
Providence, RI
8/23/2011
For decor - they get five plus stars. A visual feast!
Too bad the same can't be said for the food. The burger arrived without the pretzel roll (the reason I ordered it) without so much as an apology or explanation. The roll it was on was huge, and the burger was minuscule.
My friend ordered the pulled pork sandwich. Again, on a ridiculously large (chiabata?) roll, and IF there were even 2 Tbs of pork, that would a generous overstatement.
My son, who has allergies, ordered a burger without the roll and without the fries. He loves fries, but he CAN NOT have them. He is six. He was very sad that we sent the burger they brought with a heaping side of fries back so that they could remove the fries.
We selected the restaurant during a rain storm, unwilling to venture further. Perhaps we should have.
The waitress, seemed annoyed by us - and we had to get her attention repeatedly.
So wish the service and food matched the style and decor.
Owner - I hope you read this and make some changes!!! -
Review from Justin L.
Brooklyn, NY
8/29/2011
The
Decor
And menu
Is well suited
For brunches of all seasons and sizes. -
Review from Henry M.
Brooklyn, NY
7/4/2011
Building on Bond is certainly a nice hang-out and can't complain about the bar. However, despite a limited but interesting-sounding menu they frustratingly come up short really delivering on their food.
I've had a couple of the sandwiches and a few breakfast items and always come away a little underwhelmed. The turkey sandwich sounds good and comes on their nice multi-grain bread. However there is not much turkey to speak of on this and the quality is just middling. The veggie burger is a nice patty and topped with a flavorful sun dried tomato spread. However it is overpowered by a substantial bland brioche bun that really detracts from the whole. Seems like this would be much better on a pita or thin ciabatta or something. The brunch egg dishes are just kind of average.
The overall impression you get is that the food is kind of an afterthought here though it seems with a little more care and a few tweaks this could easily step up to another level. Would not hesitate to recommend as a nice place to meet and have a beer particularly out under their shady awnings but I'd say grab a bite elsewhere first. -
Review from Keith K.
Brooklyn, NY
6/20/2011
Barely acceptable food. I have been here several times because I live a block away, so this is not based on one bad visit. It is as if nobody is paying attention in the kitchen. Clever ideas but do they actually eat their own food? Example: in principle, adding pork to most anything improves it. But no, adding chorizo to their burger just makes it a dry-mouth experience. The chicken plate tastes like hospital food: dry, white meat chicken, peanut sauce that has absolutely no flavor, four neat little pieces of steamed broccoli, and a heap of pureed vegetables that reminds me of baby food. So bland, all of it. My otherwise good breakfast came with greasy, room temperature home fries that were made from hashed up yesterday's french fries. They didn't even heat them! Absolute garbage.
The coffee is delicious, the turkey sandwich is great. Aside from that, everything I have tried has disappointed me. -
Review from Erin E.
Hollywood, FL
8/13/2011
Great locale and design.
Old friends reunited here for afternoon drinks and we did succeed! Happy Hour starts at 4, we got there at 2.30 and were able to enjoy ourselves enough to take advantage of discounted drinks.
Dark and stormy is delish, as is their Irish coffee my friend ordered. I was a bit bummed they were out of Kolsch as it is a treat on a hot summer day but I was still impressed they had it.
And now it turns out another old friend lives around the corner, reason enough to return, sweet! -
Review from Kwik E.
Manhattan, NY
1/4/2012
A pretty cool place with sub-par food. Although, I got to admit their chicken soup is quite nice.
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Review from jennifer g.
Brooklyn, NY
5/13/2011
I've been to Building on Bond four times in the last year. The first two times I was pleased with the food, though the service was crap (and I worked in the service industry for many years). I actually had to get up to get the waitress twice and I hate doing that because it makes me feel pushy.
The third time I went the food was gross (the wings were mushy) and the service, again, mediocre. The last time I went the food was so bad that I will absolutely not return.
It's too bad that the decor and menu will reel in so many unsuspecting people... -
Review from Foodie Mamma X.
Brooklyn, NY
Love Ya BoB but you really need to revamp your menu. You've become too hip for your own hipster good and you've really let the essentials and basics take a nose dive.
I've been a huge supporter and a regular. I call you my "Regal Beagle," but your brunch is good, coffee great, cocktails on the money, but your midday and dinner menu blows already.
It's time to live up to your awesome interior design with a kick ass menu and chef. You're losing me here. Your employees are quirky but cool. Keep them, but tell them to smile. The hipsters have nothing to be mad about.
I'm rooting for you BoB. Shake it up. For now, I could really only suggest this as a drinks spot at night and a jam packed impossible brunch to get into. I'm not frequenting as much in favor of joints with better vibe, less crowds and better meals. -
Review from Erik R.
Brooklyn, NY
9/13/2011
Well.....I have been so reluctant to write a review here for a couple of reasons. The main reason is my brother and I are friendly with one of the owners and his wife and I think they're really great people and a lot of fun but they should know and care what everyone thinks and experiences as it's only fair. I watched this place sprout up and had very high hopes for it. Because we knew the owner we had the pleasure and benefit of watching the building process and walking around the construction site and watching all of the design elements evolve. I felt a fondness for this place and was really excited for it in the neighborhood as I live a block away.
As other yelpers have described, the staff is either WAY too cool to acknowledge or greet you when you walk in the door or they hate what they're doing. It is one or the other. In the beginning I came in and made a habit of ordering coffee every morning and a whole wheat croissant from Balthazar (which they no longer sell) and dealt with the sweetest and most pleasant girl's in the very beginning. We're talking days of the grand opening which turned into weeks until they were no longer there and were replaced by a snarky miserable guy and girl who couldn't stomach making a soy latte let alone acknowledge the line forming out the door. Needless to say BOB was no longer an option for my morning coffee ( a shame as I live SO close). I thought about mentioning it to Phil when I saw him but never knew how to segue way into that. I did go back recently and a new girl who says she hates coffee and wasn't confident making it, made the most AMAZING soy latte and was so pleasant about it.
Now, to my dining experiences, as others yelpers say, I have never been wow-ed by the service. There is a man in the mornings on weekends for breakfast who is great and friendly and a girl outside tending an ice cream cart this Summer who was so friendly and fantastic. Other than them, the service lacks. They always seem annoyed and in their own world with each other and make you feel that you're interrupting them. They're just barely friendly. Last night my friend ordered salmon and she's a newbie fish eater so she asked it to be well-done. it was not. It was pink and raw in the middle. We asked if it could be cooked more and showed it to our server. So the passive-agressive and annoyed server snatched it up, forgot about it and when I flagged her down after 8 good minutes she annoying mumbled something as she zipped by to more important things and zipped by again saying "it's not done"....(OBVIOUSLY it's not). An apology or update would have been the right thing to do. There were so many more flaws with her service and the atmosphere in there I can go on and on. Long story, no apologies, no REAL service. I tried my hardest to eat my salad as slow was possible hoping her fish would one day arrive. It finally arrived, our meal was stunted. I had to finish my food before her and then watch her eat. The server was non-apologetic, defensive, passive-agressive and not a friendly person that enjoyed what she was doing bottom line. Our moods were low and the experience sucked. Now, this is the first I write about. There have been about 10 more of these same bad experiences but I continue to come here because it's so close & I feel like we're supporting Phil and his wife. All the times, I was displeased but my distaste pales in comparison to those that I dined with especially my very good friend last night. She was back in town for a night only to travel early today and her special meal was ruined. The food is nice, they make an exceptional Pim's Cup and the decor is fantastic. If you're looking for genuinely friendly staff who are "on-point" and make you want to tip well then you will not find it here. Sad but true. -
Review from tina e.
9/14/2011
i'm sorry, building on bond, but i really wish you were better than you are. why? well, i like your style/decor. i also think that service is pretty friendly and seems the accommodating sort (as it should be). but well, your food is, eh, not good. mostly because it reads so much better in print than what actually comes out of the kitchen.
case in point: the bob burger on a pretzel roll. sounds intriguing, yes? i mean, i like both burgers AND pretzels so if a chef is going to marry the two, i kinda trust some tasting rounds happened and that the end result listed on the menu is well thought out and executed. sadly, not the case here. the bread/bun/roll should not detract from the essence of the burger, but the pretzel roll's chewiness throws everything off. you end up chomping down on the bread, tearing away with your incisors (?) like a wolf, or daintily slicing up bite-size portions with your knife and fork. there has to be a better way. oh wait, there is, use a potato roll. maybe not as imaginative, but hell, it gets the job done.
and still another menu faux paus, if you have nuts in your ingredients, spell it out. case in point: the chicken sandwich on the paper brunch menu (unlike the menu online, which i just checked before writing this review) failed to mention that it was made with basil pesto (pine nuts- or walnut- allergy sufferers, beware!). this fact made a very hungry me quite sad when i saw the telltale green bits sticking to what looked to be a nicely grilled chicken. ugh, hunger pangs abound. but good thing i asked because if i hadn't, my table neighbors would've witnessed a violent case of anaphylactic shock, which would likely have put them off their meals as well.
i could go on, but if i did, i'd probably need to deduct another star to reflect my miffed state. and i don't want to do that. again, because i liked the staff and the ambiance and the sidewalk seating. i just have issues with the food, which when you're a restaurant, you should probably see to first and foremost. or else just market yourself as a bar/coffee place that serves snacks.Listed in: we live in brooklyn baby.
-
Review from El B.
Brooklyn, NY
4/12/2011
First off, I have to admit I've never actually eaten here. The lady and I walked in, then walked right back out about 3 minutes later.
The place itself was actually quite cute. The crowd, not so much. We found ourselves drowning in a sea of annoyingly high-pitched lady laughs, boring blonde hair and over-manicured eyebrows. Seriously. I haven't been in such an un-diverse (is that a word?) environment since the last time I was in Texas.
Maybe we caught it on a particularly obnoxious day, and I'll definitely give it a shot some time later and re-review. Hopefully the next time around won't feel so much like a suburban/yuppie PTA event. -
Review from Peter D.
2/17/2011 3 Check-ins Here
You know how you love your cousins, and how you love sex, but you don't want to put the two together?* That's how I feel about the Building on Bond burger.
I had such high hopes for it. I love chorizo. I love burgers. You'd think putting them together would be foolproof. And although I wouldn't say it was bad, I didn't appreciate the chorizo ground into the patty, as it served to dry out the burger a bit. I'm starting to think that burgers should be beefy, and that's it. (Or possibly just lamby, if you're April Bloomfield.)
Our entire meal at BoB was similarly good and bad; full of ups and downs.
The fries are handcut, and would be stellar if only they were seasoned (although asking for salt and pepper is fairly easy).
I enjoyed the all-Morissey, all-the-time soundtrack, but I could see how that might grate on the nerves of some.
I loved the caprese salad (the mozzarella was fresh, the balsamic reduced, the tomatoes ripe, and everything plentiful), but the French onion soup was a bit disappointing.
No matter though. All is forgiven when Sixpoint's Brownstone is only $3 (must've been happy hour), and there are board games to be played. I will return for the drinking, the brunch, and the caprese...but probably not for the incest burger.
On second thought, let's not call it the incest burger.
_________
*Seriously, you don't. I don't care how they do things where you're from. I said no. -
Review from Ilana M.
Brooklyn, NY
11/28/2011
It's a cool place to hang out, and I do a lot of work here during the day, but as a place for dinner it's just not that good. I live around the corner and I rarely go. Nothing tastes good.
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Review from Kirsten P.
Brooklyn, NY
Overall, I am a fan of BOB - the house wine is great at $6/glass, the portions are pretty good, but the experience going two different days - one a Wednesday and one a Thursday was so different that I am going to recommend BOB only for early days during through the week.
I like what Building on Bond offers - unpretentious food at pretty reasonable prices. I like the early to mid-week crowd - it is quiet, laid back and not pushy or over-the-top. I get a salad when I go, generally the arugula, with nuts and beets and either avocado or natural chicken. I will get a glass or two of the white wine and sit and chat with nice people.
When I went once on a Thursday, what I got was a louder than expected crowd, the place was packed (even after 10 pm) and the servers were clearly having trouble keeping up. This was evidenced by my salad which came with cheese, which I couldn't eat and far too much dressing.
My friend luckily got his burger done to perfection, otherwise I would've been one unhappy camper, but it was a good test that the order came out that much differently. -
Review from Minh T.
9/10/2011
Great neighborhood spot. Overall, the food is legit. The pulled pork sandwich was delicious, but I would've preferred larger pieces of pork on a pretzel roll instead of ciabatta (because really, what's not better on a pretzel roll?). The cole slaw on top was nice though. I ate dinner outside on a beautiful night, drinking a summertime-appropriate Pimm's Cup. That's the kind of place B.o.B. is -- a good spot to relax with friends. A few nights later, I went back expecting to do just that. As it turns out, they were having their one year anniversary celebration. The place was decked out in balloons and crepe paper and even a pinata. The DJ turned the space into a dance party. Such great vibes there that night, I stayed and ended my night there. I have glitter on the bottoms of my shoes to prove it.
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Review from Kate D.
Brooklyn, NY
2/16/2011
One of my favorite spots in Brooklyn because of the food- the pulled pork on a pretzel bun is amazing, and the Bond St Breakfast Sandwich is perfect for brunch.
Service is the only thing that drags down my rating. Unless you get the skinny waiter with the MTA sweater, the service kind of blows. One waiter a few weeks ago was super rude and made us feel like we were imposing on him for wanting to wait for a table. It was Twilight Zoney.
Oh, and Trivia Night there is annoying as hell, unless you like to hear a lady with an irritating voice shouting questions to a room full of people who don't seem interested. -
Review from Lee J.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 2/17/2011
Has anyone else noticed that the food here is really spotty lately? It used to be solid! They actually manged to mess up french fries--like, beyond all repair.
I now completely, at-all-costs avoid peak hours here because it can get unbearably packed! Happy for them that they're doing so well...sad for me missing the good old days...
The service is usually very sweet. They do seem to have a remarkably high turnover rate--but I'm not a regular anymore, so maybe that's why.
Still so into the suckerpunch, which singlehandedly saves BoB from a 2-star rating.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/28/2009
This is the only bar in this area that I like.
That said, you have to take it for what it is.
Taking… Read more »
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Review from geoff l.
2/7/2011
After a dinner a big group of us were looking for a place for a few drinks. Our initial thought was Brooklyn Inn, but because it was Saturday it was so packed it was obnoxious just walking in and walking out with our unwieldy numbers. So we backtracked to Building on Bond and took over the empty room in the back and played Apples to Apples.
The space was perfect for a group and I was fascinated by the odds and ends on the walls and tables. I wouldn't come here by myself, but with a few friends it was great. Good taps and board games! what else does a person need on a Saturday night? -
Review from Nish R.
Brooklyn, NY
6/17/2011
I've been here many times since I live in the neighborhood. Perfect for anything between brunch and a very late lunch with outdoor, enjoyable street side seating across from neighborhood brownstones. Not a single thing on the menu has disappointed me - the burger on the pretzel bun is a favorite, as is the Black Friday turkey sandwich.
It feels more like a coffee shop, first, with the addition of a full bar and restaurant, and it seems to do everything well. During the day, expect a very laid back vibe (with service to match) and lots of 30+ somethings writing/reading/hanging out. Great beers on tap, and good selection of mixed drinks.
The dinner is also very good, not crowded - nothing fancy.
fyi, Bored to Death filmed a scene here last year and is reportedly a favorite of creator Johnathan Ames. His depiction of the Stroller Mafia was spot on... -
Review from Elizabeth L.
Brooklyn, NY
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Despite what I had heard about their staff, everyone was super friendly and accommodating. It was a beautiful brisk fall morning and they had strategically placed heaters to break the chill.
Food was great - i had the egg sandwich on brioche, which was fluffy and buttery without feeling too guilty.
In the drink dept. I went for the Bloodless Mary which was a fantastic sipping drink for brunch - ultimately i still craved the tomato juice so I had a follow up Bloody Mary with their horseradish infused vodka - highly recommend both.
I'll be back. -
Review from Elizabeth B.
Ann Arbor, MI
8/15/2011
This is exactly the sort of place I wish existed in my neighborhood: legit coffee, delicious food options, and the possibility of a glass of wine after a long day at the office. Lots of seating, both indoor and out. Baristas who manage to be simultaneously interested and disinterested. Cool decor and great people-watching. If I find myself in Boerum Hill, I will go out of my way for breakfast at Building on Bond.
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Review from Tim C.
Dobbs Ferry, NY
12/25/2010
I've been here a few times as I really wanted to like the place. It has a great neighborhood feel, but the food and service is a disaster.
The first visit for brunch was OK, so we went back again a few weeks later and it didn't go well. My girlfriend ordered a latte and when it eventually came it was cold, we finally got a waiter to take it back and they then took forever to bring a fresh cup which when it came was hot, but the latte had become just regular coffee. They then served up pancakes that weren't cooked and a medium rare burger that was supposed to be well done. By this point we had been waiting so long I figured I would just eat the burger, but the pancakes were inedible and had to go back. Properly cooked pancakes finally arrived 1 hour after we ordered.
Not a great experience, but we put it down to it being busy so decided to give it another go, this time for dinner. Once again I ordered a burger and learning from last time ordered it "very well" done. It arrived dripping with blood. Meanwhile the grilled cheese sandwich my girlfriend requested with cheddar arrived with american cheese. I returned the burger, my girlfriend ate the grilled cheese anyway. Two meals there and we were yet to actually eat at the same time.
This place would be so good if they got a decent chef but until then I would steer clear. -
Review from Tristan F.
Brooklyn, NY
5/9/2011
Get the BoB burger.
Strong coffee, alright fries, strong drinks, alright desserts, great for brunch, bad for wings.
They're currently expanding into a rather large adjacent area. -
Review from Chris Z.
Brooklyn, NY
9/24/2011
Booze brunch at its finest. There's something for everyone on the menu, and it's just about as good as it looks on paper. The cocktails are delicious variations of old standards. Service was just ok on our first visit, but great on the second.
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Review from Joan D.
Maspeth, NY
2/5/2011
Ok -- here is the run down -- I went here to meet a friend who was in the neighborhood. I agree -- I don't think I would go out of my way to go to this place. The food was good. I had a very tasty veggie burger with FANTASTIC fries. My partner had a salad which was fresh and tasty. The staff was friendly. The Mac and Cheese looked yummy too. The crowd (20 and 30 somethings as noted) looked friendly too. Those are the pluses.
The minuses -- the staff was slow and not too attentive. The restaurant wasn't that busy,but I felt we had to prompt them for the basics including: I ordered tea and had to ask for milk and sugar (it is generally offered) I also did not get a spoon to take the tea bag out either. My partner ordered a salad and I ordered a veggie burger -- her food was brought out about 20 minutes before mine -- wouldn't it be natural to assume we wanted to eat together?? While I was waiting, they served me the food for the next table??? I also had to ask for utensils and salt and pepper for my meal(???)
The place is cozy but the seats are either tall wood chairs (that reminded me of art class), shorter wooden chairs or wooden pews (like from church) Wooden pews aren't cozy or comfy ... particularly when you are over 40. -
Review from Douglas D.
Brooklyn, NY
10/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
Absolutely love the retro decor @ this place...esp how the placemats are integrated into the tables...really cool touch. If I was ever going to have a restaurant, it would look exactly like this...but my food would be better than what they've got here.
My wife & I shared the goat cheese & beet salad, which was actually pretty good. But its a salad...cheese, beets, greens, dressing...it better be good. When we got our sandwiches, we were definitely a bit disappointed. I got the cheesesteak, and lemme tell you...I've had a lot of cheesesteaks in my day, and this one just did not cut it. The bread was good, but there was barely any meat in the sandwich...and I think it was cheese whiz or something, and there wasn't even that much of it in there, so it really was lacking in both cheese & steak. Heck, even the cheesesteak @ the new Meadowlands is better than this one. And I don't recall the menu saying anything about the type of cheese it would be, but I could be wrong there. My wife had the grilled cheese & tomato soup - more cheese whiz (and not enough of it) & so-so soup.
We both expect better quality from a place like this, so we left a bit deflated, but we are both willing to give it another go since it does seem like a cool place, and our friends we ate with have been there before & had a great experience. Perhaps a star or two will be added, but we'll see!! -
Review from Trey H.
Brooklyn, NY
11/11/2010
Hair in food in two consecutive meals!!
I really wanted to love this place -- I thought the beef/chorizo burger tasted pretty good -- but the long black curly hair i found halfway through dampened my enthusiasm for it.
I was out with my mom and didn't want to ruin her memory of her last meal of her visit to Brooklyn so I just quietly let it drop to the ground and stopped eating my meal.
One week later, I returned on Halloween afternoon with some friends who wanted to get drinks, mostly -- I had actually forgotten about it and I'm not too squeamish about the occasional hair -- but then one of my friends had a huge hair on her bagel, and the waiter really had a bad attitude when he was asked to replace it (as if he was really inconvenienced by her)
not sure what's going on but it looks like they are letting their hair down, literally, in the kitchen there. -
Review from Lexie A.
Brooklyn, NY
8/22/2011
Amazing spot for brunch. Their egg sandwich is amazing, music just what you want to hear, and staff and ambience are all phenomenal. One of my new go-to spots.
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Review from Irwin R.
Brooklyn, NY
5/16/2011
What a great surprise! Neither my friend and I had cars available to travel, so Sunday we decided to go to Building on Bond which was about two blocks away from his house. My friend and I are both over sixty, and wound up being the oldest folks at the restaurant by about twenty years. The fact that we were "old folks" did not impede our welcome and, in fact, while we were standing outside, concerned that there were no seats available, we were graciously welcomed by the host, who sat us immediately.
I immediately fell in love with the funky, eclectic ambiance, filled with stuff from every decade from about 1950s onward--old scales, vinyl record albums, etc., etc. And of course, the place was filled with 20, 30 (mostly), and 40 somethings, who imbued the place with a wonderful energy.
We found the menu quite adequate. I immediately ordered a vodka with lime and seltzer, and my friend ordered a glass of the red house wine. My drink was quite generous, and the house vodka was fine. My friend's $6 glass of Merlot was good as well. We accompanied our drinks, with "scallop lollipops" which were scallops in a bacon wrap and hummus with pita and raw veggies. Both were terrific.
Our main courses were skirt steak with a double order of asparagus--it comes with garlic mashed potatoes which I passed up for a double order of asparagus, and grilled salmon over risotto. Both dishes were excellent, and my asparagus was worth the mashed potatoes sacrifice. To keep the buzz going, I ordered a glass of Merlot with my steak, which was quite passable.
Despite good intentions, neither of us could pass up the apple pie for dessert. We did however forgo the offer of vanilla ice cream. The "pie" was actually baked in a ramekin with a pie shell crust--and was qute delicious and just the right amount for our now full bellies.
We found the service to be quite good, and the serving staff seemed to have a good team spirit. Prices are really reasonable. I definitely recommend this place. -
Review from sally m.
Brooklyn, NY
9/1/2011
the decor is a novelty that i am over now. the attitude of the waitstaff (i am very cool and i really don't need this job and i don't feel like hustling tables) is annoying and ever-present.
you will never get a perfect meal here. something will be wrong, something that was supposed to be cold (like a beer) won't be, the hot coffee will be ever so slightly more than lukewarm and when the milk is added, it will be become lukewarm, the menu item that you ordered won't be served like the menu states, the portions are small.
the server that brings the plates will never ask if you need anything else. customizing is not exactly welcomed.
a few weeks ago, i ordered a grilled cheese sandwich that sounded OK on the menu's description. what i got was a one piece of american cheese between two slices of white bread, no mayo, no butter. it was dry and tasteless like what one would expect at chuck e. cheese or in prison. this is the way that BOB rolls. all of the time.
i've been there over a dozen times and it is always that way.
why do we go there?? we are forgiving, it's local and that's about it. we sort of roll our eyes at the choice each time we eat, pay and leave. we spent another 10 minutes finding fault with food as described above, each and every time. they just can't juggle it all and serve good consistent food items.
and whomever has been doing the hiring of waitstaff and cooks all these years needs to go back to the drawing board. look around the corner to downtown atlantic - the food is 10 times better and so is everything else.
obviously the owners don't read this or care, because if that was my business, i'd put my energy into making the best food that was always very good instead of whatever it is they're trying to accomplish.
