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Category: Middle Eastern [Edit]
Neighborhood: Cobble HillBergen St (F, G)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I went here for restaurant week earlier this year but got to taste off-the-menu dishes as well. i had the miriam hummus to start. thought the pita was very well baked--fluffy and warm. the hummus was good, but nothing spectacular. the components of the appetizer came together well after combining the sauteed mushrooms, beans (chickpeas and white beans) and jalepenos into the hummus'd pita. i forgot how filling hummus was though--barely had any room left for the main entree! also had the burekas which are delicious. i'd probably order this as the main entree next time, along with another appetizer.
i had a snapper entree over some creamy (but noticeably al dente) rice. however, the rice was very heavy and reminded me of boxed minute-rice. this was definitely not a dish of sophistication. the portion was on the small side. i also tried the chicken shawarma. this was a fairly disappointing dish--the chicken was dry, the mango chutney definitely did not taste like mango chutney. it had a very strong and curry-like taste to it. the portion, however, was huge. the bed of sauteed spinach it came on was juicy and flavorful though, although it made the underlying pita soggy. the haraimi (seafood stew) was probably the best entree. it was very flavorful with its tomato based sauce, and was served in a shallow pan. the taste was very reminiscent of asian food (korean--probably from the spicy/pasty tomato based sauce), which was a bit odd but good nonetheless.
the atmosphere is pleasant. we got a table in the back near the floor-to-ceiling wall. it was a bit chilly, but the interior is dim and cozy, and is very festive and culturally focused.
they have an israeli wine, petite syrah, which is AMAZING. wine lovers will truly appreciate this one!
Although it has the word "diner" in the title, Hill Diner is not really a diner in the true greasy spoon sense of the word. Hill is owned by the same people who own Miriam in Park Slope and there are some Israeli-influenced dishes on the menu.
Brunch is great here - good eggs, nice potatoes, french toast and the real draw is a great backyard.
If you're walking around Cobble Hill some random mid-morning you just might find me here, in the back or in the garden, on my phone or on my laptop, with a cup of coffee and working on a plate of Miriam's wonderful Israeli Breakfast.
Service is friendly enough, it's always packed on the weekends for brunch--sort of a central spot in Cobble Hill that's NOT on Smith St. I haven't been here for dinner since it changed names, but I've had the occasional salad for lunch and it's been tasty. There's no wi-fi, you'll have to take your chances with hooking onto someone else's network, but usually it's not a problem. This is the kind of place that you can hang out in for a few hours with a friend or get some work done, the staff doesn't mind.
The owner is Israeli and named the place after his mother. Miriam just happens to also be my middle name, so it always makes me smile to see the sign outside. I live on the same block, so I end up smiling a lot.
3.5 stars.
I've got to say -- the food that I've ordered for brunch is quite good and unique for this area. Everything was fresh, crispy, and the labneh and israeli salad is delicious. I've returned because the food satisfies a certain craving.
But -- the service is appallingly slow and portion size can be unpredictable. Also, they don't include a cocktail in the brunch prix fixe, which kinda bites. The cocktails, if you choose to buy them, are on the limp side: the bubbly has no bubbles.
UPDATE: The Miriam in Cobble Hill has closed. They are still open in Park Slope though.
Chaotic & slow, but it's the Brooklyn brunch scene, so what do you really expect with crowds and service? Good atmosphere/decor, making the most of a long narrow space (it does open up towards the back to an outside patio, but we sat inside). And the most important part...they have great, tasty food that is well worth the wait and not that pricey. I will definitely return, but only when I'm not in a rush.
When my friend raved about the brunch at Hill Diner, I was skeptical. Diner food is often forgettable and mediocre. But after a Sunday brunch at this airy neighborhood establishment, I became convinced that its name was something of a misnomer. Hill Diner looks pretty plain from the outside, but it has two hidden perks: a backyard garden and a reasonably-priced menu with creative, yummy brunch items. For just $8.95, you can take your pick of 15-20 different brunch plates and also get a cup of coffee or tea. For something different and delicious, try the Mediterranean eggs... it's a plate of hummus, pita, poached eggs, a tomatoey saucey salsa, and potatoes. Other interesting brunch offerings include Israeli eggs and various permutations of omelettes that differ from the usual chedder cheese and ham varieties.
The only negative is the sometimes brusque service from the waitresses. It's rare to see these tall, attractive women smile. But, since I go to restaurants mostly for the food and not for the feigned friendliness of the wait staff, I can look past this minor detail.
(This is from before when Miram owners' changed it over from the horrible and nast-tastic "Hill Diner" to "Miriam")
I had possibly the worst brunch experience in NYC here. Generally speaking good food overcomes rude service, long wait times and screwed up orders. Unfortunately the Hill Diner (or 'restaurant' as they recently renamed it) does not serve good food. So we got all those negatives above plus crappy food. The 'spanish omlette' was an egg patty wrapped around canned refried beans. Seriously. After trying to leave for a 1/2 hour and not getting check, despite having asked for it twice, we just guessed the bill and left money at the table. I will never come back.
After we left I ran into a friend who mentioned the place made her sick a couple months ago. Sounds about right...
Having looked this place up on Yelp before I went with friends who suggested it, I was a little confused, so: Miriam on Court Street is the same establishment as Miriam on 5th Avenue. The Court Street restaurant used to be called "Hill Diner," but then changed its name. This is why you'll see reviews below referring to "Hill Diner." I'm not sure if they've changed their menu since their name change, though.
I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of the back garden on a sunny day, not too crowded even at 1 PM. Food quality is very good, not spectacular. I'd recommend the middle eastern dishes in particular; the Israeli breakfast or the Mediterranean Crispy Dough, each of which has eggs and some form of bread for a twist on your mundane two eggs and toast. Service was a tad spotty at times.
Recommended if you're in the neighborhood, don't want to stress over brunch, and want something a little different.
This is for the Park Slope location:
Went here for bunch on Sunday; there were some people there, but they were not super busy. The brunch menu is cool bc of the Middle Eastern Twist twist - the Isreali breakfast is awesome, as is the poached eggs in red sauce. The croissant sandwich is just ok.
Go here when you have a lot of time to kill - the service was horrendously slow. The waitress just kept giving us a look and saying "it's on it's way" - which it clearly wasn't. They could/should have given us something to munch on while we waited (forever). I have to believe that they lost our order, bc of if the service is just that slow on a normal day, brunch would turn into dinner.
I love their Majoram crusted Mahimahi, and I find their Burekas(pastry with fillings) delicious. Though nothing really to get worked up about, I find most of them as hype, but this is fairly nice dining. A little problem is the inconsistency; Foods unusually come with not enough salt, perfect dash of salt, not cooked to temperature, cold soup, "deflated" food, etc. But at the end of the day, most meals fill you up.
I am glad that Miriam is the latest reincarnation of what used to be called Hill Diner. This establishment boasts attraction from all over my town and we pop in every brunch and dinner.
Their $10 brunch was good, comparable to cafe luluc -- we went 1pm on a saturday which i guess is late because there were tables available -- a nice change from usual smith street crowdedness.
The food was pretty good -- my french toast initially looked small, but it ended up hitting the spot and I was plenty full by the end. The bowl of fruit to put on the french toast was really generous, especially compared to the pathetic amount of fruit that Patois serves on their french toast. My friend an egg dish and it was also very good. I'd surely go back here, but not with urgency.
Service was fine -- the staff has some *hot* israelis. This place would be four stars but i'm docking one because they don't allowing the coffee (included in the brunch price) to be swapped for tea and because they only have one bathroom and really need another. Not quite as good of a deal as Patois' Brunch, which includes unlimited mimosa/coffee/tea.
Brunch for two w/ OJ and tea including tip/tax: $40
Three stars for the PSlope location, to be truthful, whereas this rates as a two. Here's the deal. I haven't done dinner here, but my wife and I are regulars at breakfast. The menu is hit and miss, with one outstanding brunch item: Israeli breakfast. Really stupendously good. Yet overpriced. The specific problem we have with the Court location is the lack of sunlight, save for the back patio, and the extremely cramped quarters. It's no more packed than a Manhattan joint, but the reality is that diners bring their whole families and there are many large groups, so the effect is complete and utter sonic assault on your sense of hearing. Funny thing is, I've never had a sound or overcrowding issue with anyplace I've been in my life... so go to the Slope location, you won't be disappointed.
Formerly the Hill Diner (Restaurant, whatever) it's now Miriam! And I didn't even notice the renovation? Well, it's still very much owned by the Hill Diner guy mentioned in other reviews. They basically dropped 3/4 of the previous menu and consolidated what their specialty is: Israeli style cuisine. I ordered the burekas and was not disappointed.
The last brunch I had at Hill Diner was the eggs benedict. It was ok but nothing spectacular. I sometimes judge a restaurant on their ability to make a benedict.
The burekas seemed to be the thing that would satisfy me most out of everything that was ordered at the table. It was basically a light pastry filled with feta and olives on side with eggs any style and Labnah (some creamy yogurt style cheese). My GF was not psyched about her eggs however. I'd go back knowing this plate was tasty but wouldn't push the idea or wait in line. Maybe I'll go for dinner...
Skip the Cobble Hill Miriam and go to Park Slope! I've had brunch at the 5th Ave Miriam a dozen times at least, and it's nothing short of wonderful. The food is fantastic -- the eggs perfectly cooked, the bread warm, the cheese fluffy. It's one of my favorites.
However. The service at the Cobble Hill Miriam was so appalling I had to walk out. I'm an incredibly patient person and have never walked out on a server before. The entire wait staff at the Cobble Hill restaurant seemed in a daze. Our orders were taken after 3 tables seated after us, which could have been a mistake and easily forgiven. But it was no mistake that the table to our left got their food -- burgers just like us -- and a table behind us got their food (even though they'd been seated 15 minutes after we arrived, and ordered) while we sat and waited and waited. Our waitress never checked on us. And when we did walk inside and ask her if our order had maybe not gone through to the kitchen, she shrugged and said, "I don't work in the kitchen" as if we had more license to go in there and check on our food. We promptly left. I will eat at the Park Slope Miriam again, but never Cobble Hill.
Two for one ginger martinis from 5-8. Yum! Never had the food, but the cocktails were delicious and only $5 during happy hour. They were strong too! Would like to return to try the food.
I would say that it is "ok." Looks like they have lots of room and a nice bar for single diners. With lots of other places - I'd look around a bit.
i went to cobble hill yesterday to have brunch with a friend. on my way from the bus stop to her apartment, i noticed that a Miriam had opened on court st (i was already familiar with Miriam from its park slope location, and although i've never eaten there, i knew from another friend that they serve Israeli food.) "wow," i thought, "that's ballsy of them to open a second restaurant so close to the Hill Diner, which also serves Israeli food." then i get to my friend's apartment, we head back out to court st, and she tells me she wants to go to Miriam -- which used to be Hill Diner! i had no idea they were owned by the same people, but apparently they've re-dubbed the Hill Diner to match its park slope sister, and they raised their prix fixe price by $1. so just a heads-up to anyone looking for the Hill Diner, cuz you won't find it.
meanwhile, the food was delicious and i will definitely be back, probably ordering the same thing because it was so good -- the mediterranean crispy dough. and even at a dollar higher, their prices are still really affordable ($9.95! most brunch places are more expensive.) does anyone know if the menu at the park slope Miriam is the same? anyone want to eat there with me next weekend to find out? :)
**updated 4/22: i ate at the park slope location yesterday. same menu, same quality, same prices. good things all 'round.**
It probably gets 3.5 instead of 3 or 4 stars. I'm a fan. I had never been to Hill Diner - it always looked a little sketchy to me, but when Miriam opened, I noticed on Mondays & Tuesdays, a bottle of wine is 1/2 price. I was totally sold, and eating just reinforced that.
We had the mediterranian hummus (i didn't like the mushrooms much, but the hummus was some of the best i've had), mediterranian salad (super tasty), and the spicy calamari sandwich, with a really good bottle of white wine. It was $26 on the menu, so $13 for a bottle of good wine at a restaurant is awesome to me.
The staff was really friendly and attentive, but very european in the sense that they didn't bother you - it was nice to not be rushed in a restaurant. They were happy to come by if you wanted something, but would never spoil an intimate dinner.
The couple at the table next to us had GORGEOUS looking broiled whole fish - DEFINITELY what I'm getting next time :)
If I was more of an egg person I'm sure I would've been a kid in a candy store or omelet store for that matter in this place. I suppose my options are usually limited whenever I do brunch. Nonetheless, I greatly enjoyed my Chocolate Chip pancakes as well as the cup of fruit that was included with my meal. My friends seemed more than pleased with their meal and the service was pretty good. All of the sides smelled delicious. Overall, my only complaint about Hill Diner is that it's in Cobble Hill.
this place is awesome! we came there for brunch and there were like 9 of us. it was sunday and we had to wait about 10 minutes but it was worth it! the brunch we had was delish. try pancakes with blueberries, cheese omelette, humus. all perfect! kid friendly and has their outdoor patio that's good in a summer time.
brunch is GREAT. dinner, so so. but the brunch, great.
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Category: Wine Bars
Neighborhood: Cobble Hill
Category: French
Neighborhood: Cobble Hill
Category: French
Neighborhood: Cobble Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Cobble Hill
Category: Middle Eastern
these are the places where my meal makes me moan…
