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Categories: Bakeries, American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhoods: Murray Hill, Kips Bay28th St-Park Ave S (6)
28th St-Broadway (R, W)
Mon., Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"A perfect restaurant for the hopeless romantic in me. There was an amazing water view that every table got to see (some views were better…" read more »
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X-)
Yum.
If you go early or on a cold and rainy day, there might not be a line, but Penelope is a fantastic Brunch place I would wait for Rain or Shine.
Indeed, if you don't want to wait, just go early.. before 9:30.. // But who wakes up that early on a weekend? ..If you are a snoozer, like me, 10:30 will probably do, and the wait should be between 30-40 min for a 3-4 party. But, if you really want to get seated ASAP, just go with one other person; that line zips along~
Ok, who wants to partner up this Sunday? :D
I think that Penelope's thrives mainly on their location- random little cozy cafe in Curry Hill, that serves a decent brunch.
I've been to Penelope's for both their weekend brunch and regular weekday breakfast.
Brunch on the weekends is PACKED. They don't take reservations, and the wait can take forever. On regular weekdays, however, the place is quiet in the mornings and provides a nice atmosphere to relax and read the paper.
As for the food, 4 stars for the Nutella French Toast. Everything else i've tried..from the eggs to the pumpkin pancakes has just been mediocre.
I've only returned for their Nutella French Toast.
Need a place to relax get a reasonable bit to eat and enjoy your surroundings? This is the place to be.
Came here for a little snack on my last visit to NYC. We had some tea, hummus plate, and some chicken meat balls. I was a fan of the atmosphere and the nice feng shui.
Well run joint, 4.3 stars.
I had a better dining experience than most people who arrived late for weekend brunch. I wasn't keen on waiting in line to get my food, so I went in at around 9 AM. The place was pretty deserted, which was great for me.
The pumpkin pancakes are an absolute must! Seriously, don't leave the place without ordering it. It's so unbelievably good! It comes with apple butter, which as little tiny bits of what seemed to be granny smith apples in it, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Top it off with maple syrup, and you've reached nirvana.
If it weren't for the other less-than-perfect brunch items on the menu, I would have given this place 5 stars. They aren't bad, but not great enough to warrant a perfect score.
But it is a nice place for breakfast. People start pouring in around 10 or 10:30, so I'd advise people to wake up earlier if they don't want to eat brunch for lunch.
Is Penelope a bakery, a bar, a place that caters to vegetarians, a comfort food joint? These questions were running through my head as we stepped into the bright and cheery restaurant and sat down at our table. The answer is all of the above, which to me seemed to be a bit unfocused and sort of odd.
The guacamole was served with a selection of Penelope's homemade bread. Bread and guacamole, huh? Is this some sort of NY way of eating guac that we West Coasters aren't privy to?
The bar at the back of the restaurant juxtaposed with the seemingly cheery bakery/café theme really threw me off. I guess if you crave a beer with your omelet, Penelope can satiate that need.
Like the atmosphere, the food we ordered also felt a bit unfocused. The majority of yelp reviews point to a good brunch, so maybe that's where Penelope's focus lies.
It was decent. But having to wait 1.5 hours and then only having mediocre food? Don't think I'll be back for a while.
It's not that it was 'bad', per se. Just very regular. And waiting for soo long and all the hype? Regular doesn't cut it. We had a sandwich of some sort on english muffin. And a scone. It just didn't blow me away. Maybe I'll come back if there was no wait and if it wasn't so crowded, but that's not the case!
Waited an hour and half in the rain for a crappy omelette I could have made better at home! only plus is there are alot of hotties eating breakie there, GUYS wake up early and get your game on
Great location, cute setting, very reasonable prices for NYC brunch. A very very safe bet for a good relaxing brunch. Nothing mind blowing enough to get this 5 stars.
This is what breakfast/brunch is all about if you ask me.
I go to brunch or breakfast at a restaurant for something special. I expect a delicious meal, and some cute decor for my lady friend (if for some reason I was going to brunch or breakfast with a guy I would probably go somewhere else, but that rarely happens). This place (along with Kitchenette) delivers both. The toasted coconut waffle with strawberries (and the pre-requisite REAL maple syrup) is sublime.
Decor is southern cute.
I have not gone for lunch or dinner. I've been told that its tasty but light fare.
Great decor, great prices and just OK mac and cheese.
Went for dinner on a Wednesday night. I ordered the mac and cheese, which came with a lovely little salad at $9.50. As for the portion size, it would have been enough if i wasn't quite so hungry (so ended up adding a pumpkin cupcake that was yummy). Truthfully, I did not love the mac and cheese. The breadcrumbs were delicious, but any bite without the breadcrumbs tasted like soggy pasta in a watered down cheese sauce.
I'd certainly give other food items a try, but might just throw together 8 oz al dente pasta, block of cheddar cheese with 1.25 c of milk and 2 eggs next time I'm feeling for delicious mac and cheese.
One of the few good brunch places in the Kips Bay/Murray Hill area aside from the diners, which I always adore.
There is ALWAYS a wait at Penelope if you go during "brunch" time. This can range from 9am to noon. You can't sit down until your entire party arrives and the waiting area is kind of small so expect to be cramped or wait outside. But there's free coffee for those who are waiting, which is nice!
Cute atmosphere - the mugs you get for coffee are like those you'd find in your own cupboard - "World's Best Dad", pharmaceutical drug ads, etc. Random mismatched chairs and tables make it feel casual and cozy.
$14 prix fixe including a mimosa or coffee and juice or you can go a la carte for slightly less.
I got the "Penny Egg Sandwich" on a croissant with bacon - nice and greasy but maybe a little *too* greasy? Friend got the same but chose the "soysage". Nice that they give the healthy option along with the greasy meal.
The cupcakes in the display case looked delicious - but too full to try one. Maybe next time.
Overall a good experience at Penelope but wish it wasn't so crowded all the time!
Kalustyans doesn't open til 10am and I was in dire need of a bathroom and breakfast, so I popped into Penelope to have breakfast and wait it out til 10am when the famous spice shop opened.
It's cute inside - very shabby chic - but the seats aren't as cozy as the decor. No cushions anywhere which lends to a sorta cold feeling.
Oddly the guy that seated me asked, "So would you like a single or double espresso?" assuming I wanted espresso. It was an odd way to seat a person. Presumptuous at best.
Limited breakfast entree menu - I settled on the 2 egg breakfast with toast and "home fries" and a cup of "decaf". There are some interesting sides on the back side of the menu - one was a coffee cake that sounded intriguing.
Coffee wasn't very good and was not hot. They give you milk rather than cream, so you wind up diluting your already cold coffee to sub room temperature.
My breakfast arrived served with "french fries". $8 for two eggs with FRENCH FRIES? Please, if you're going to call it "home fries" on the menu but they're really "french fries", for god's sake, tell me so. Getting french fries with my breakfast when I am trying to eat somewhat healthy makes me a bit mad. But I was hungry so I ate them, resentfully.
Took forever for a 2nd cup of coffee and also had to ask the guy that seated me for jam - waitress just never checked back with me until it was time to clear the table and bring my bill.
For all my griping, it's cute and the food "tastes" OK, but there's just nothing special here that I saw today. I'd give it a 2nd try to see if anything else on the menu was stellar, but it's just not a breakfast destination spot. I don't "get" why there's a massive wait for breakfast unless there really isn't anything else in Murray Hill. (Maybe that IS the case?)
Penelope has been a favorite since the moment I first heard about it and the moment I first stepped through their doors. It's such a quaint spot in the madness of NYC. I think I'll forever rave about their chicken meatballs. Chicken meatballs with arugula salad, chicken meatballs as an appetizer, chicken meatballs grilled sandwich in a baguette... do I sound like that guy in Forrest Gump yet?
Everything else is comforting and delightful too and I've never been disappointed. Off the top of my head, the guacamole and mac & cheese are great. Then, to top it all off, they have absolutely adorable desserts, wine and checks (brought to you in a little cup). I've never waited out the brunch crowd, but I keep coming back for dinner and now weekday lunch. Also, they decided to start taking credit cards!
For lunch: Yes to warm brie & green apple sandwich. Yes to veggie burger. Yes to fries. The side salad is pretty good, but I feel like the lettuce often isn't that crisp. It's not bad though.
For brunch: Yes to basically everything, especially the pumpkin pancakes. It might sound a bit much with the dried cranberries, walnuts, apple butter and papaya, but it's perfect, really. The papaya is a nice and refreshing touch to the dish.
I came here for brunch this morning (Sunday) and had a pretty decent meal. I came in a party of five and arrived a little before 10:30, so I was expecting a wait. We ended up sitting down around 45 minutes after I put my name in, so it wasn't all that bad.
Although a number of the sweeter dishes on the menu looked really tasty, I decided to opt for the homemade granola with yogurt and fresh fruit. While I have to admit that it was easily the best granola I can recall ever eating (after all, there aren't too many places where you can get real, homemade granola), I felt like I really didn't get a whole lot for $14 -- it was literally a medium-sized bowl filled with granola, yogurt and fruit. Although the double-shot of grapefruit juice that came with it was also tasty, I didn't feel like it really made up for the relatively small portion of granola and yogurt.
Everything here tastes good and is well prepared, but in my opinion brunch should hold you over till dinner. After finishing up my brunch here around noon, I was starving again around 2.
Fantastic! Loved Ellie's Spinach Pie -- lots of cheeses backed in filo dough. The Nutella Frensh toast was excellent. Prices not bad at all considering the quality. Visited on Saturday before the race -- glad we got there at around 9:30am because within 30 minutes there were almost 20 people waiting.
I guess this is more of a brunch type place, but it was amazingly adorable and charming for dinner as well. Its a shabby chic type place with good, decently priced food. I had the hummus appetizer and it was huuuge. And so delicious. Its a perfect place for a bite (a big bite) to eat and a coffee before heading out into the night. Service was awesome too. The guys that work there were so nice and attentive.
We just got back from our trip to NY ate at SO MANY amazing places. Since I have to start from the top, I begin @ Penelope's...
Wow. This cozy, yet very busy little joint was found thanks to comments on yelp (of course, thanks!!) and was 100% worth trying. When we got there they said the wait would be about 45 mins, but ended up seating us in 20, if that. The food is delicious.
We ordered: Nutella french toast (which was JUST the right amount of nutella, not too much or too little. And the type of bread they use is perfect! fresh berries on the side compliment it so well, too.)
My hubby got the Penny Egg Sandwich (egg bacon cheese & amazing pesto sauce on the side) with a side of their Fries (homestyle, just like my mom makes them!)
It was on the pricier end, $14 french toast & $10 or 12 for the sandwich, but overall the food is worth it and the place is cozy cute.
Just came here again for dinner last night. It's a really cute restaurant. Great spot to go with a bunch of girlfriends. Inside, you don't feel like you are in NYC at all. The staff is always very friendly. The down side is you always have to wait if you go there during peak dinner hours and especially for brunch.
My favorite thing on the menu is the chicken meatballs. You can get 3 meatballs with pesto sauce as an appetizer, a chicken meatball pesto salad, or a chicken meatball sandwich with fries. Very, very tasty and moist. The sandwich is a little messy to eat but very good. The other entree I really like is the curry chicken salad. Must try the red velvet cake too. Prices are very reasonable.
I love Penelope brunch (best omelet in the area) but can't deal with the hour plus long wait on weekends. Then, my friend and I made the wonderful discovery that their dinner is equally great! We've never waited more than 15 minutes on a weekday evening, which isn't bad at all. I tend to get a sandwich type dish when I go - the grilled cheese or apple and brie are my staples - and am never disappointed. The fries are delish and there aren't too many to make you feel too greasy and gross afterwards. I ordered the veggie burger once, which was good, but had too much of the grilled/smoky/trying to taste like a real burger flavor for my taste. Dessert is a little mixed - I love the red velvet cake but the carrot cake was only so-so, and the ginger cream cheese frosting was a little odd tasting. Sometimes they say they are cash only and other times they take card, so I recommend bringing cash just to be safe.
Penelope has many options for vegetarians, though some of them are a little lacking in protein and might not fill you up for too long.
This might be my new fave brunch place (either this or Hundred Acres). My friend and I came here earlier on Sunday morning around 11/11:30 and there was still a wait, but it might've only been 15 minutes--not too shabby. This place was filled with vivacious young ppl. We couldn't decide what to get so we just ordered a crap-load of plates to share and ended up being overly stuffed.
Granola with yogurt - average and maybe it was just my particular one, but there were a few bites where it tasted a little weird
Penny egg sandwich (croissant with egg and basil pesto) - delicious but really buttery
Waffles - delicious with some guava on top
Red velvet cake - frosting was caustically sweet, so we scraped all that off. The cake was actually decent, nothing to celebrate over.
Can't wait to try the other things next time...
On a rainy Sunday, my bf and I decided to get brunch here after seeing good reviews. We waited 1.5 hours, but my coworkers who came in a group of 6 were seated in 30 minutes. I guess that's the trick here!
Since it was raining, we put our name down and went across the street to a cafe to keep dry and get some caffeine. I love rainy, lazy weekends when I'm inside. =)
Penelope is really cozy and small. The waitresses were all in casual clothes, and I had a hard time differentiating customers from service!
I ordered the smoked salmon on top of poached eggs, served with burnt toast (just the way I like it). It was sooo good! I'm a huge fan of runny yolks and using my toast to wipe up yolk on my plate. Sounds gross but it's so yummy! The smoked salmon was a really nice compliment to this basic brunch meal.
My bf got a farmer's omelette with only egg whites. It was pretty good, but nothing extraordinary. This is a really great brunch place!
I love this adorable nook of a place. It is super cute. The service is sweet. The ros'e sangria is great. We breezed on in at 6pm, no wait at all, though the place filled to the brim and people were waiting at the door when we left. Met an old friend, chatted, sipped & dined in peace. Spinach & artichoke dip is soooooo good. As are the chicken meatballs in pesto. All around this is such a charming little slot in what can be, at times, a less than charming world.
This place had a really cool ambiance. The decor was reminiscent of an old country kitchen, and it was almost like stepping back in time. The wait staff was excellent, efficient, and friendly. We went for brunch, and the menu was a mixture of both creative style brunch items and the more traditional. We were there with a toddler, and it seemed relatively kid-friendly. My only negative comment on this place was that the Bloody Mary's were a bit bland and pricey.
We arrived just a little after 8 am and were seated immediately, but by the time we had gotten started with our meal, there was a bit of a wait, so going early may save you that hassle.
Service is still excellent. wait time at approximately 9am is zilch, but towards the end of our meal (10am), the crowds started gathering (FYI).
This time, I got the spinach pie dish...and I wasn't all that pleased with it. The cappucino I ordered was great though! I'll stick to what I know is good next time I go!
First of all - if you are having brunch on a weekend - make sure you get there an hour or so before… Read more »
I have been here for brunch more times than I can recall. I've pretty much had everything on the menu and have never been disappointed. Food selection is really slim in Murray Hill but this is a definitely a diamond in the rough. I found this place when the second time I moved to the city when I grabbed a little studio on 33rd between 3rd and Lexington. Even though I only lived there for a month (traded for the East Village) I have been back many times since.
Tips:
Get there early if you don't want to be standing around on a brunch-serving morning.
If you are waiting, go inside and grab a free cup of coffee while you wait.
No longer cash only, credit cards accepted.
Homestyle food that tastes fresh and delicious every time. I am never disappointed with the veggie burger and fries, but the mac n cheese, artichoke dip, and salads are also very good.
There is always an out of control wait for brunch -- talking like an hr and a half wait -- and this I do not really understand. The brunch offereings seem fairly standard to me...but again I am usually only after the veggie burger so its hard for me to stray to eggs and french toast.
Being that I practically live next door I will just go during off hours and enjoy the calm and quaint atmosphere another time...
Oooh -- also the Rose Sangria is awesome.
We went to Penelope on a Saturday for brunch. It was very busy and we were seated in 45 minutes. We ordered the nutella french toast, salmon-wrapped poached eggs, and the farmer's omelette. All were good! The food is nothing to rave about, but coupled with the service and the cozy atmosphere, it gets 4 stars for being a lovely place to enjoy a meal with friends if you don't mind the crowds.
I can't believe I've never been here before. When my co-worker suggested this place for lunch, my reaction was simply, "never heard of it. Is it good?". Her reaction..."is it good? Only one of my favorite little spots in this area!" It doesn't take much to twist my arm with new places. Off we went.
We only had to wait a few minutes before we were seated. Looking around, I felt like I was in my grandmother's kitchen and far, far away from midtown Manhattan. Fantastic! Talk about a soothing atmosphere. Fell in love with this place without yet trying the food.
For lunch, I ordered the chicken meatball salad. Sounded so completely different that I just HAD to try it! The meatballs were a little bland, but mixed with the greens and that vinagraitte (or whatever it was dressing), it made for a perfect light lunch without making me feel grotesquely full. I had a sangria with my meal as well...not so good, but who cares, it went perfectly with the meal.
Food...pretty good. I liked the different variety of the menu. I will absolutely be coming back here again and again. The atmosphere makes for a fabulous spot to come with friends. How can you NOT love feeling like you are in grandma's kitchen???
GREAT FIND!
the food was great, the place is inspiring, the joey who worked the door was an ass.
go have breakfast, stay in small groups, and be ready to wait a really long time in a really small space.
In protest of a "no breakfast at your desk" policy (which was quickly revoked because it is stupid) my coworker and I meet up for breakfast at Penelope. The interior is country chic and feels like I'm finally on that desperately needed vacation to some sweet little town in Vermont. I was immensely drawn to the Penny Egg Sandwich ($6.95) and not just for its cute name. If you've ever been lucky enough to have brunch at my house then you will know that an egg and cheese on a croissant is one of my highly refined hangover specialties.... But Penelope adds pesto... I love pesto... I love pesto on this sandwich!
For lunch I always find myself ordering the Spinach and Beets salad (goat cheese, avocado, and croutons $9) which is delicious but sparse for the price; so I mitigate this with a side of rich/creamy/soupy mac & cheese ($6.5)... which makes this a way overpriced lunch but it's worth it (especially when someone else is paying). If it's a good day I might order myself a Limonata ($2), but if it a great day I'll order a Prosecco ($9).
As much as I like the food, if there is anything more than a 10 minute wait I move on somewhere else.
I'm all about sharing. I love going out with friends that feel the same. We'll order an app and a main course, or several apps and a side, or a side, an app, and a main course (you get the picture). But you know when you get one of those meals that you are not willing to share and you hope no one at the table asks if they can try it? My meal at Penelope.
I had the warm turkey meatball salad, and it was divine. The meatballs were nice and moist, despite not being beef, and the lemon dressing on the salad was the perfect accompaniment. My friend and I shared a half carafe of white wine (is the half carafe a New York thing because I love this option and saw it everywhere in New York). Being on vacation is great, you get to drink at lunch.
Luckily no one asked if they could try my meal, and they didn't offer me any of theirs either. They must have had the same feelings of selfishness.
Finally managed to get up early on a Sunday to avoid the wait and the food was pretty good! I ordered an omlette with fries and a hot tea for under $15.00 - I would definitely go back but I am not a fan of waiting on the line!
The staff was friendly and service was quick. The place is small and has that vintage look with mismatched furniture and items all around.
Great lobster roll when it's in season but overpriced at $19. The chicken club is a bit dry too. Don't order a pitcher of beer because it's basically only a pint and a half stick with the sweet sangria. Decent fries and the red velvet cake was good too. The cozy atmosphere made up for the mediocre food otherwise.
I love this place! Yes we waited for 1 hr and 15 minutes but to be fair, they said the wait would be 1 hr and 15 minutes long. True to their word!
Adorable... from the chalkboard door to the mis-matching mugs, I love the ambiance of the place! I got the nutella french toast and it was so good, but only 3 small pieces. However, that was fine by me because I think overeating is bad for you anyway!
The price was right and the food was great...!
Ya know, I'm a creature of habit with occasional bouts of spontaneity. And now I know why.
After a quick peek on Yelp, I briefly saw someone rave about the chicken meatballs on the dinner menu. Being that I only ever come here for brunch, I thought, while that doesn't actually sound all that appetizing, who knows? Separately these things are yummy. And else will I get, usual BLT or other such safe choice? Nah, I'll be wild and free.
Wrong! Chicken? Good. Meatballs? Good. Chicken Meatballs? Not so much. This is an unholy alliance, like chicken and waffles. I should have known better.
"Mushy" is the nicest word I can use to describe this little mound of meat bits. I had to put ketchup on it - yes, ketchup - to give it some flavor. Why don't people season their meat? Go to the bodega and get some sazon for heaven's sake.
end rant.
That said - I will be returning for brunch. Nutella French Toast cannot be denied, even if they are served in the same establishment as mush.
I don't get it.
I love breakfast food. I would eat nothing but breakfast food if I had my wishes. I especially love french toast. I am always on a search for amazing french toast. I did my typical Yelp research in trying to find a good place for Sunday Brunch that was known for good french toast. After reading a lot of people raving about the french toast here, I settled on Penelope's.
First of all, the hour wait. Seriously? I don't get it. I am convinced that people rave about the food so much here because after you wait for an hour, anything will taste good. It's like how when you see a line of people, you think to yourself, "Oh man, it must be good, otherwise why would all those people be waiting? I'm going to go wait, too". In reality, it isn't good, but you have convinced yourself it is. That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it.
The nutella french toast was HORRIBLE. If I wanted a slice of sourdough bread with some nutella spread in it, I could have done that at home, because that is basically what I got. It did not taste like french toast. The fruit that comes with it was all horrible. I don't know where they went to find such bad blueberries and strawberries, but come on.
I tried some of my boyfriend's pumpkin waffles, and again was disappointed. I'm a big believer that if you make anything pumpkin flavor, it's good. Not so, here.
The place is tiny and cute inside and service was good, but unfortunately like I said, the food was horrible. You're paying strictly for ambiance and people watching here. There are definitely a lot of young people and tons of good looking girls here, so if you prefer that over good food, Penelope's is your place.
I would give this place 5 stars but minus 1 star for the line. I'm not a vegetarian nor do I choose to eat veggie burger, but I decided to be bold and try it. I'm actually on Jenny Craig and not trying to cheat badly, so I asked my friend to take me to a place with good salads. The veggie burger came with fries, but my friend dug into it right away. The sauce was mixed with mayo and pesto-y sauce and it was heavenly. The burger itself was AMAZING! For a veggie burger virgin, it was the greatest bun and meat experience I ever had.
To future Penelope go-ers... go eat your lunch later than others so you won't have to stay on that line. But it was worth the wait. Thanks to my friend for a great lunch and thanks to Penelope for a great experience.
On weekends if have an hour wait... then I wasn't surprise by place, noisy with a bunch on 16 y/o girls screaming around because they had a couple of sake mimosas. Definitely not by best brunch experience in NY.
I'm not quite sure what the hoopla is all about. Nothing is "bad", but nothing is great. Went here for brunch on a Sunday afternoon, and were greeted with the expected 45 minute wait. The service was good & friendly for the most part, the interior and exterior extremely cute, but....the food, eh. I understand that there are very few places to grab a nice brunch in the murray hill area, but if you are one who prefers food over ambiance, find another spot. Having said all this, if there were no wait, the prices are reasonable and the decor cute. However, add in the inevitable long wait, calc in some opportunity cost, and it's just not worth it anymore.
Free coffee or tea!
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