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Relish - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Diners Diners [Edit]
225 Wythe Ave(between 4th St & 3rd St)
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - North Side
(718) 963-4546
- Nearest Transit:
-
Bedford Av (L)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
122 reviews for Relish
Review Highlights
-
"Relish is a great Williamsburg Brunch & Lunch spot." In 53 reviews -
"I usually get a burger or veggie burger and they do a great..." In 11 reviews -
"Fries are great, but the onion rings are insanely good." In 11 reviews
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122 reviews in English
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Review from Lucie T.
8/12/2010
I walked by last night and its CLOSED..
I loved my one experience a few years back...
It's a loss.. but hey we move on in life... -
Review from R M.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2008
My boyfriend is a vegetarian. In a former life this would've been a deal breaker, but he's awfully attractive and has lots of money (kidding, i kid). Anyway, I now relegate myself to meat once a week at brunch because, I am a black woman and I need bacon like I need air!
I've had better food and better service but, Relish is truly unique and captures the spirit of Williamsburg Hipsters perfectly. The service ranges from vacant to coke head cheerful, but like everywhere else in New York- be assertive and ask for what you want.
The food is more than adequate for brunch and they do some things really well, like biscuits and gravy!
again...being in Williamsburg do not forget to wear your Chuck Taylors or relic from the not so distant 80's.Listed in: My VIP Visitor List
-
Review from Briana M.
3/25/2010
When you live in this area, you have a million brunch options. I had heard all about Relish, but it always seemed to be PACKED when I wanted to get my grub on. I'd meander over to Teddy's and forget about this oh-so-adorable diner-style joint and enjoy that standby.
Then it happened.....It's noon...it's time for brunch, and somehow, the stars aligned and Relish was...empty. It was our chance. I perused the interesting menu and decided on the corned beef hash with red pepper Sauce (comes with two poached eggs). And a grapefruit juice.
Now, I'm kind of a corned beef hash snob. My dad makes THE BEST corned beef hash that I've ever tried. I won't even TRY diner hash. In my opinion, it's the equivalent of dog food. This has was interesting. While not on par with my dad's or Dizzy's in Park Slope, it made a serious effort. It was VERY stringy, with crispy bits that almost resembled pan fried noodles. This was not a bad thing, as the texture proved to be refreshing. The red pepper sauce was too sour, and i was a little difficult to avoid, as it was pretty much surrounding everything. My major gripe about this dish was the lack of potatos. There were two pieces. Exactly two. What's corned beef hash without a decent meat/potato ration!??!!? Nothing. Fortunately, the EXCELLENTLY poached eggs calmed me down, along with the fact that after drinking as many beers as I had the night before, i really do not need any extra carbs.
ALL IN ALL...Relish seems to have some interesting ideas, but they don't really follow through. I have been regaled with tales of how it used to be, when Relish was top notch and awesome. I wish I could have visited at that time. For now, it's just another decent brunch spot, a place for hipsters to wait in line, to be seated in a retro-vintage-hip atmosphere. -
Review from James E.
3/22/2008
I can only comment on the quality of my cocktail since I didn't order any food. Whoever poured my Maker's and Coke knew what s/he was doing. My friends all but devoured their plates, I think they each had a burger with fries. Two people commented on their pickles being "funky". Our friend stabbed the pickles with her fork, took one and quickly made the same conclusion.
From what I could surmise, and granted I was on the sauce, the staff was a mixture of gay men and what appeared to be hipsters. Maybe they're just alternative, who knows. Oh, and one gay hipster. Natch. Not all of the customers were hipsters, and to be honest I was surprised to see any in the diner since PBR is not served on the menu. And PJ Harvey was blaring in the diner! We all know that a true hipster eschewed Ms Harvey years ago in favor of obscure bands like that Mylie Cyrus girl. Whatshername. -
Review from Lexy M.
9/22/2008
This ain't your regular Hot Dog Relish!...
Relish is a great Williamsburg Brunch & Lunch spot! My breakfast dish kicked butt! I am a down south/midwestern type of gal and I ordered the Biscuits and chicken sausage gravy with scrambled eggs (Ridiculously GOOD) and a Vanilla Milkshake. I know... weird combination but the Milkshakes here were very creamy and hit the spot Sunday early afternoon!
I really thought this was a fun comfy old school diner spot to enjoy with a small group of friends. Booths were cozy & the service was on point (from my experience)! Definitely a place you should check out if your in Williamsburg! ;o) -
Review from mike b.
Brooklyn, NY
3/20/2007
The food here is good, bordering on VERY good, but the holier than thou staff always ruins it for me. I really enjoy the pork tenderloin when it's on the menu and I had some sort of bow tie pasta dish that was really delicious.
It's the "other" diner in Williamsburg...you know, the one that isn't THE Diner. -
Review from Paul Q.
Brooklyn, NY
9/25/2008
Man, fuck you son.
I shouldve known better that there wouldnt be a regular diner in williamsburg. had to be all fancy with your ahi tuna lunch specials and 13 dollar burger. I saw this place and thought, cool, a diner where i could save some cash and get some good ol bacon and eggs.
pffft.
i bet their special for bacon and eggs is bacon aged in a volcano in italy(i dont think there are volcanos in italy) and tyrannosaurus scrambled eggs for like 50 bucks.
bitch. -
Review from Maria B.
Brooklyn, NY
4/18/2008
The lady and I stopped here for dinner before a rock show on Kent St. recently and were pretty happy. The diner is cute as hell, but not nearly as cute as the gay hipster waiter we had! And his service was great, to boot.
I had a chicken parm, which to most might be a bit greasy, but I thought it was lovely. She had a the scallop special - she said it was so-so, but the risotto it arrived on was lovely. Skip the michelada (I have a habit of ordering that whenever I see it on a drink menu) - it was lacking body, but did try to make up for it with that healthy shot of hot sauce. (I still can't get over the michelada at Mercadito, btw.)
The weather was lovely, so we had been hoping to enjoy the garden area, but alas - it wasn't open.
A great variety of food on the menu and I'd come back to try others. From other reviewers, it seems the brunch is hit or miss - but I'd be wiling to try it. I always give the benefit of the doubt to a spot that actually makes a vegan brunch possible! -
Review from Kevin K.
Brooklyn, NY
10/7/2008
Like Diner, Brooklyn's Relish offers stylized diner fare in a refurbished old diner that seems to have wandered from a New Jersey turnpike back to the city in a reversal of urban flight (white flight). Unlike Diner, however, Relish seems architectural sound, well-lit and boasts an enormous patio (that, somehow and sadly, frowns upon dogs). Relish also differs from Diner in that while it has revised the prototypical diner menu, it is not as concerned with the locavore and seasonal food movement.
These differences do not damn Relish, but having tried both, my diner experience would always be better, I feel, at Diner. You, reader, may find out for yourself.
Relish is still über-Williamsburg. The wait-staff is unanimously tattooed and rail thin. Their disheveled hair speaks to concern for appearance and they flit around the tables in a very hurried but helpful pace. I spent another early afternoon breakfast there recently, again my indispensable sister was my companion. Relish was our second choice this day, but it was secretly my first choice. I wanted eggs and Relish offered four variations of Eggs Benedict, each of which was cleverly thought out and then scaled down into a serviceable and tasty dish. At least my choice, the Italian variant, was, so I doubt the other would have failed me.
Outside the restaurant, an elevated diner whose outer height makes the interior dimensions seem less cramped, I found out that a friend had been in a quick and painful bar fight the evening before. And while I did not want to chuckle, the idea set breakfast with a good jumping off point for conversation (this is a morning necessity for me, otherwise I have to brainstorm a few topics before I can be sociable).
My sister chose a plate of cheesy, grits, Virginia ham and two eggs over easy. The Italian Eggs Benedict consisted of a Hollandaise traditional sauce over (in descending order) two poached eggs, prosciutto and a red pepper and cheese scone. On the side rested hash-browned potatoes mixed with grilled peppers and onions--none of which were burned and were appreciably seasoned. It occurred to me that a simple Hollandaise sauce was inadequate for a dish so far removed from Eggs benedict in every other way. That would be my only suggestion: a little tomato or basil perhaps? The prosciutto was thinly sliced and of good, not great quality, and held up to the Hollandaise well. The scone, however, was miscast in its roll. It seemed plainly un-Italian. It was fine on its own, but lacked imagination.
Knowing I would have so much heavy, creamy food, I ordered a side salad to provide a little roughage in the hopes that I might eventually produce a turd, and the salad was substantial and fresh but lacked any panache or flair. I could have made it in minutes and I do not feel that is braggadocio on my part.
My sisters dish was a little better well cast. The ham was excellent; the eggs seemed like something mom mad, salted and peppered, the whites cooked to a crisp below but the yolk free to roam at the whim of a fork and knife. There was a small lake of grits that would have fortified the Confederate Army and the cheese seasoned rather than dominated the natural flavor.
Our waiters, they seemed to share tables, unknowingly at times, brought my sister a sad looking fruit plate--bananas and strawberries. This was perhaps the greatest stroke of all in the menu. At first it seemed to disappoint, but it turned out to be an excellent banana and some very good strawberries. The two are natural foils and while the perfunctory grape and the out of season melon were missed in presentation, the wholesomeness of the dish was exquisite. If it were brave, hurray; if it was the luck of a lazy dullard, do not fire him!
Again, relish is a diner but not Diner. The two are separated by a few blocks, so head a bit further west and if it is crowded there, this will do. Not a rebuke, more of a compliment to Diner. -
Review from Mr. Robert Dobalina S.
Brooklyn, NY
1/23/2010
Dear Relish,
When I first met you I was new to the city. I remember coming in that night in 2002: it was my first time out since moving to NYC and when I walked in I thought you were so fucking cool. Your bartender was sexy as hell, everyone there was stylish, and the dim lights and 50's vibe made me feel like I was the shit. And although it's been years, I can't shake that feeling - you were my first and I'll always love you.
But I've also accepted that your food is average, and your service is usually terrible (although recently it was better). But that's OK, Relish. You're still the best.
xo, jen -
Review from Anna H.
Brooklyn, NY
7/19/2008
I liked Relish when I ventured there this afternoon with a friend. We were seated immediately in the large, large back room (which I didn't even know existed)-- we both liked the funky gold & silver walls and dark blue velour banquettes and chairs. Very cool.
I opted for the breakfast burrito, which turned out to be roughly the size of a newborn and came with a huge helping of mixed greens in some sort of nice dressing. MM. I forced myself to eat everything and waddled out, stuffed and happy. The burrito was great-- dressed up with cheese and chipotle, covered in pico de gallo. Delish.
The service wasn't terrific-- getting a refill on my coffee was like pulling teeth-- but on the whole, fine.
Relish is fun, a nice place for brunch, and prime beautiful people-watching turf. I recommend it. -
Review from Jessica R.
Boston, MA
7/28/2008
I am completely in love with Relish. Precious decor, great bloody mary (and I am picky!), good food and attentive service.
-----
I am updating this to only 4 stars because I was there this past Sunday, and although I loved our waitress, my french toast was barely edible from the overpowering amount of ginger in my syrup and the bloody mary had almost a fishy taste to it. What happened?! I'll still leave it at 4 stars though because other visits and dishes have been good. -
Review from Briana R.
NY
11/2/2008
Relish is like a diner on steroids. But don't let the stacks of giant onion rings and pudding-thick hollandaise sauce turn you off - there are some real gems on the menu here, and the atmosphere is fun and relaxed.
I've tried dinner and brunch here, and definitely recommend the brunch over dinner. The burgers are great but pricey, and their options aren't exactly vast in the evenin' time, but come morning they've got a rock solid brunch menu and some good coffee to keep up your stamina. With three choices of eggs benedict, Spanish baked eggs, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, french toast, and every other top breakfast pick, this is a crowd-pleaser.
Service is good and the bar, booths, and tables provide lots of seating so you won't be waiting for your hangover cure all morning. Outside and in, this place is diner to the max, but without too much obnoxious kitsch.Listed in: Brunch Munch
-
Review from Jan V.
2/8/2010
Relish, your burger sucks! Man, I was hoping that this entire gastro-pub, "let's make 1950's American bar food hip again," trend that has been raging through the western world for the past five years, with its apparent zenith in Hipsterburg would mean you can safely order an ordinary burger and leave satisfied, but noooooo..!!
Relish's burger had a stale bun, tasteless meat, and gave me at least two nocturnal power sessions on the wc. (TMI you say? Real people real reviews!) The onion rings sucked, too.
Should have ordered the Mac & Cheese -
Review from Aimee A.
Stamford, CT
10/2/2008
A great place to go for dinner (and breakfast... and lunch...) in Williamsburg! Love the old diner look and how laid back and unpretentious this place is. It's great that it's a little off the beaten path too, because it's not overcrowded.
I like it at night because it's SO dark in there and with all the red lights on, I feel like I'm in a Quentin Tarantino movie or something. The fresh mozzarella grilled cheese with marinara sauce is amazing at dinner! Yummmm! So cheesy and greasy and delicious. -
Review from Jocelyn C.
Jamaica Plain, MA
10/2/2006
This place is a really great diner to eat and hang at! A gi-normous metallic trailer on the corner that you can't miss, with 50's-style booth seating inside, and they play the best music (whenever I go at least).
Oh, and I haven't even gotten to the food!!! The brunch is AMAZING, and I highly recommend the biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs.
Whoa.
One other thing I love - they have mango juice. Who ELSE has mango juice?! Seriously good stuff.Listed in: Top 10 Restaurants
-
Review from Alexandra L.
Somerville, MA
9/5/2006
Probably one of my favorite brunch spots whenever I am in New York. A great diner feel with wonderful food - I always go with the classic eggs benedict (their hollandaise sauce is wonderful and the canadian bacon is always great). They also make a mean egg cream and chocolate milkshake.
The atmosphere is what you are really going for here too - I haven't been here in the colder months but I have a feeling I wont love it as much as the outdoor patio area which probably adds another 50 people to their capacity. -
Review from Sara L.
Brooklyn, NY
7/23/2007
Yes! Finally! 5 stars!!!
Dinner was exxxcellent. We had always put off hitting up the Relish because of the entree prices and the lack of real veggie options. But now, it's a different story so we hit up last night. First of all, there is plenty of outside seating and it was a gorgeous night - so there's a couple stars. Delicious iced tea -- another star. My food and Mark's were both a delight. I got the burger (it's a good marker to judge everything else by) and it was perfectly cooked served with huge onion rings - Yum. Mark got the tuna steak which was cooked a teeeeeeeny bit more than we usually like but the sauce made up for it. There were a few perfect bites in the middle. We waited 45 minutes for our food because it was packed and I didn't even notice. It was truly excellent.
-- We saw people being so rude to the servers and hostess and it really made me thankful for people in the food service industry. I've been there too people and sometimes the way people treat you is unforgivable. Keep on doin' what you're doin'. -
Review from Lani N.
Brooklyn, NY
4/8/2008
My friend picked this place for brunch. After checking out the website, I thought to myself, "Great pick." After eating there, I wrote on Yelp, "Two stars."
I liked the classic setting, but everything else was disappointing. As you can read in a review from Rosalin L, I was told my tofu scramble came with home fries. Our waitress was rude and wrong. It didn't, but one of the other waiters was nice enough to bring me a side.
My tofu scramble had little to no taste. The salad hardly had any dressing and therefore again no taste. Even the home fries were disappointing, and I love potatoes! I ate my brunch because I was hungry and not because it was good. -
Review from Megan C.
Manhattan, NY
9/28/2008
Fun place a little off the Williamsburg beaten path. I went here for brunch recently and had a great experience.
-The food was extremely yummy (I had the smoked salmon eggs benedict) and the drinks were even yummier (champagne sangria... mmmm)!
-Busy place (so you know its good) but not loud. Great for a group because there is room a plenty here (though it can be a wait to get that room) and you can still have a conversation.
-Waiter was fabulous! Very accommodating, checked in just often enough and very friendly.
-The prices were reasonable for entrees but I found the drinks a little much for brunch ($10 a pop for mimosas and sangrias). But if you want to drink your brunch, then its probably a reasonable price to pay. :)
Overall a fun place with a Williamsburg atmosphere. -
Review from Daryll H.
New York, NY
5/31/2007
Decent food, nice outdoor area, slow service.
Between Relish and Diner, though, I'd take Diner any day. Their menu changes every day, and the service and atmosphere are much better. -
Review from Rosalin L.
Brooklyn, NY
4/8/2008
Dear Relish,
I really wanted to like you. I really did. Your menu selection looked great and I loved your diner car setting. But sometimes we just can't make things work based on appearances alone.
Working my way to the center of that brioche french toast, I found it slightly soggy and undercooked. There is absolutely nothing worse than undercooked french toast. You know that! My veggie sausage, on the other hand, was severely overcooked. Come now, Relish, I'm sure you've served enough BK vegetarians to know how long to prepare fake meat by now.
My friend ordered the tofu scramble with a side of home fries. Our server told her it automatically comes with home fries. It doesn't. An employee was nice enough to bring out a small side of home fries for her later. Look -- if we can't be honest with each other, we have nothing.
I just don't get it. People told me such great things about you. Maybe this was a bad first impression. I think I might be willing to give us another chance. But are you just going to let me down again?
Gosh, I don't know. Okay, let's just have our space for a while. I'll come to you when I'm ready.
Sincerely,
Rosalin -
Review from Katie B.
Brooklyn, NY
10/19/2008
If you like paying $13 for a burger, you should definitely try this place. The burger was really flippin good, but it's like dang, man. I can't be that mad, though - I got blue cheese all over that grassfed bitch, and I was warned before going there that it was a little pricey. Also, their fries are all the little stubby crispy kind, which really made me happy.
The cutest little waitress came and sat next to us and wrote their amazing-sounding specials on the table. The look and feel of an old-school train car, which I dig. Food took a long time, so it was nice to be in a cool-looking spot.
No offense, but I probably won't go back since it is effing expensive and Williamsburg kind of makes me nauseous sometimes. But it is a good spot to feel awesome in, ball out on a burger, et c. if your parents are in town. -
Review from Michelle A.
Brooklyn, NY
11/2/2009
i would give five stars to start, but I did not have room for foodstuffs, and I want to be able to revise and up the score after my next visit.
As to my first encounter, we were cruising for dive bars--well, cheap, if not dive-y.
Not a dive, this place is funky, friendly, and eclectic. The drinks were tasty--I had a champagne sangria that was a bit melony for my taste, but still durn yummy. My friend had a jack and coke. With a tip, we left with less than 20.00 invested in a nice warm buzz. The music was fun--lots of Weezer and something a bit like Dead Milkman. The staff was upbeat and willing to offer recommendations for drinks as well as future dinner options.
I will be back! -
Review from Ashley H.
New York, NY
4/27/2009
Came here for brunch yesterday, which was a 90 degree day. Yes, it's totally adorable looking and filled with hipsters and good music, and yes there's outdoor garden seating, and yes the grilled cheese was slammin', and yes the bloody mary didn't come from a mix and was pretty good, but turn on the damn ac, would ya?
Seriously, I was sweating balls and it was not pleasant . It put me in a wretched mood. I ALMOST felt bad for my bud that had to deal with me. -
Review from Jeff O.
7/4/2007
Went here with a group of 4.
Fries have the flavor of that step up from BK as you wouldn't be surprised to receive at a restaurant.
We all had desserts. Everyone was excited before hand, but I don't think the excitement held past the first few bites. banana chocolate creme pie, blueberry lavender lemonade layer cake, banana split.... Sounds good, sounds really good, sounds...
The menu does look great with a no-nonsense theme. I sometimes appreciate the need to save ink on menus. The booths are fine, wasnt too crowded on July 4th. Staff was very nice to everyone.
Its not like a diner, which has EVERything. What makes what a diner? I say more than a couple of pages of menu. I may be wrong, and it may be the layout of bar stools and booths, then I concede to the Diner name. Until then...
I did see the outdoors dining, and that did look nice.
This is a good place to go if you don't actually care about eating that much.
Good for most of the senses, less so the palate. -
Review from Casey W.
9/9/2008
- consistently good
- service usually on the relaxed side (aka slow)
- well mixed drinks
- recommend pomegranate martini, steak entree, and calamari appetizer
- pleasant outdoor area
- food and music a bit high brow for it to be compared to a regular diner
- hipster trap -
Review from Preethi C.
San Francisco, CA
9/22/2008
I was here yesterday for a late brunch with four other girls and we had a fabulous time. The food was excellent - my friend sitting next to me ordered the biscuits with gravy and a milkshake and enjoyed both thoroughly. I ordered the Spanish baked eggs, a salad, and a couple of drinks and enjoyed everything I had. The Spanish baked eggs were absolutely delicious and a nice alternative from the standard brunch fare (eggs, baked in a tangy tomato sauce & topped with fresh parmesan - delicious!). Everyone at our table ordered something different and enjoyed it.
For drinks, I recommend ordering the champagne sangria - it's like a giant glass of mimosa with some citrus fruit floating in it.
Our waiter was very sweet and very prompt. Even though the restaurant was very crowded, we were seated quickly (it's harder to get a table outside, especially on a nice day - but I found the atmosphere inside quaint and fun anyway).
I found the prices very reasonable - drinks and brunch entrees were mostly under $10.
I will definitely be back here again! -
Review from Brandon K.
Brooklyn, NY
3/29/2008
Relish is a great place with character and sits well in the neighborhood. The old diner car that it's built off of is a piece of American history and makes for a cozy spot to hang out (the back room less so). Food is good, sometimes brilliant. Music is good, sometimes a bit rockin but you can count on being able to digest your food - no thousand bpm house/jungle garbage.
The staff are nice and skilled at what they do. There is an all pro blonde girl who often runs shit on weekend nights that you can count on. Some reviews are too preoccupied with labeling people because they look good. I think that's a bit absurd. Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves. I'd be more concerned with the delicious, giant onion rings. Yes, the drinks are fantastic. Cocktology!Listed in: Top Restaurants
-
Review from andrew r.
Floral Park, NY
2/24/2008
The waitress wiped a coffee stain from our table with her shirt. Without flinching. Now THAT's a dining experience. And that's all you need to know.
You'll be an outsider if your skin is not marked and your tie is not thin, but the diner fare is solid. Expect to wait a few minutes at peak breakfast times. -
Review from Carl C.
Brooklyn, NY
7/7/2008
I like the look of this diner. But then, I didn't get to sit in it right away. I was lead to a velvety back room - blue with red trim and gold leaf paint. The front part of the establishment was what was good about the 50s. The back was everything that went wrong in the 70s. But then again, this is Williamsburg, tacky is cool, right? Right? So after a bit of negotiation with the waitress we sat at the bar, back at the diner.
The french toast was, meh. I thought I might like the ginger maple syrup. I didn't. My companion had the Eggs Benedict with Salmon. It was also, meh. Not bad. Just ok. We both felt a bit, um, off colour afterwards.
The atmosphere in the diner is, well, pretty amazing. The atmosphere in the back is like an old porn movie, or perhaps the set of an American Apparel photo shoot.
I need to start figuring out which places are prix fix brunch, and which places aren't. I love Du Monts brunch but it isn't prix fix, while Harefield Roads brunch isn't as good, but is prix fix. Also, Relishes brunch is not prix fix. Yelp? Another thing to add to the additional tips? -
Review from Justin L.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 7/19/2010
The
Reports
From servers
Is that Relish
Is no more, kaput, kicked the grease bucket.1 Previous Review:
-
3/22/2010
The
Style
Matches the
Hood. The food is
Average so take it for what you will.
-
-
Review from Krishnan S.
San Francisco, CA
9/12/2008
During the summers when the outdoor garden is open it generates a great atmosphere - its nice to have a sense of spaciousness when I often feel boxed in living in New York.
Don't be fooled by the name, even though it has 'diner' in its name it really is a quality restaurant that serves a good selection of fish, burgers and drinks. Its usually the first place I think of going when I have guest from out of town visiting (well, maybe also because I live a few blocks from it).
As a few other people have pointed out, it is a hipster trap but if you can look past that it is a good place to have a relaxed meal.
Even during the winter without the outdoor seating the atmosphere is comfortable and warm... the quality of the grub definitely makes its earn its stars. -
Review from Natalie B.
New York, NY
9/19/2009
I wish I could give 3.5 stars, but I can't. I don't think it is merely ok, but I also don't know if I'm a fan. I would definitely go back though.
We sat outside in the shade on their patio. The weather was beautiful and it wasn't too busy. I got the chicken sandwich on sourdough and my bf got the tuna melt and we went halfzies on them. The sandwiches were good. The chicken was kinda dry and the tuna had american kraft singles cheese on it. I just love tuna melts on an english muffin. The side salad was just greens but the dressing was good so I was happy. The french fries were a little like mcdonald's fries, but still delicious.
The service was pretty good, although our drinks took awhile to come out. The food came out at an average pace.
The bill came out to around 30, just a little too expensive for what we ordered. But as I said before, I would probably go back. -
Review from Lou T.
Brooklyn, NY
1/9/2009
I lived a block away from this spot for about 5 1/2 years. During that time I was in there about once a week. In short, I've been there a lot. Now I admit that my set and I are a group of sarcastic douche bags, but in a 'let's have some sarcastic fun' sort of way, you know? At some point that usually becomes charming, right? Not at this f'ing place. The staff here is the opposite of friendly and remained so for the duration of our tedious run here. I'll just recount an actual story to illustrate my point...
One time I was in there for brunch with my friend who smashed his face had his jaw wired shut. Needless to say he had to eat through a straw. So he asked for a chocolate shake with a banana in it. They wouldn't put the banana in the shake for us. Their reasoning was "we don't do it that here". I mean, really? The dudes jaw was wired. WTF!? But don't worry, they did accommodate us... What they did was give us a peeled banana on a plate and let us smash it up ourselves and dump it in the shake. Now don't forget, we were in there every week for years at this point. These are the kind of people you're dealing with in this place. A real bunch of assholes.
Bananas aside, I had to give it 3 stars for one reason... Buba. He was the food runner for a long time. I'm not sure if he's still there, but he's was the shining gem of their collection. Good man, good man. Actually, he risked his life that day and secretly blended a banana into a shake for us (after the assholes gave us the banana on the plate). Thank you Buba, we love you.
Oh, and I guess the food is actually pretty good. If you can put up with the bad people.
p.s. - I recognize that the obvious question is why would we keep going back... well, I guess because it was close. Hungover people don't like to walk. -
Review from Jake A.
Brooklyn, NY
12/2/2009
Straight up, I never said I wanted to come here. Egg made me do it because they decided they weren't hardcore enough to stay open at 3pm after thanksgiving.
Thus, my children, 'twas from the get-go that Relish was doomed to be worse than the other "I've got a beard, some knife skills, and a bon iver mixtape" restaurants that abound in fair southern williamsburg.
My lady tucked into some corned beef hash and poached eggs - WAIT, what's that cordial of a music playing? China cat sunflower on the stereo?!?! The Dead?!?! Followed by some rippin' tunes from Boston and Blue Oyster Cult? Awesome, my friend's dad from shitty north-shore massachusetts basement timespace must have sent in a custom made mixtape. The food? I forgot about it too. Tasty upon reflection though.
I munched on a blackened tuna sandwich (pretensh, I know, but hey we're in sillyamsburg right?). It was ok but way cold by the time it got to me. This led the pesto to become rather slick and thus morphed a generously portioned sandwich into a stoner slider.
Our friend Zangief (of street fighter fame) got the quesadilla of the day, which was steak. He ate it VERY fast, so it was probably pretty good. The coffee got me pretty jazzed, so the java gets an A+.
Overall, this place is totally fine as long as the waiter keeps his kief-encrusted 35+ yr old fingers off the jukebox. If you can't get into Diner or Egg, this is the next best thing. -
Review from kaja g.
Brooklyn, NY
7/7/2009
Bloody Mary 8$, no horseradish, no worcestershire. English muffin warm but not toasted, and buttery, when I asked no butter. Friends ordered salad sides, got fries, complained, were promised restitution, and it never arrived - but did hit the bill.
Benedict poach was hard, prosciutto overcooked, service slow (probably because overworked). Scone pushed on me as alternative to English muffin by server; not, in the end, appropriate for Benedict.
Hollandaise upset my stomach, not well cooked. Outdoor patio was mild win, with ample square footage per party. Would attend again only under social duress. -
Review from Bria D.
12/2/2008
Relish's cocktails (are greater than) Relish's food
That having been said, the food's not bad. But you should totally get yourself a bourbon milkshake to go with your meal. Or as your meal. Either way.
The ambiance is great & the staff is friendly. Their grits, ham, & eggs were better before they switched to the thick cut hamsteaks (otherwise this would've been a 4-star review). I had their tuna once latenight and it was astoundingly tasty. Their lunch tends to be lackluster with the buffalo chicken sandwich being too sour-spicy to eat.
They're also often closed for film shoots, so don't count on being able to eat there at any given time. Come prepared with a backup plan. -
Review from Alli J.
Updated - 5/25/2009
I'm bumping my last review up a star. In fact, I almost feel bad that I was so nasty before. My recent experience was a positive one. No attitudes from the servers (she was actually very nice) and the food was pretty good.
It was nice and quiet inside since I was eating at a random hour so it made it a lot more enjoyable for me. On the weekends it's usually packed to the brim and is probably the culprit for less-than-awesome service.
I had the goat cheese, spinach and tomato omelette. It wasn't too shabby. Not the fluffiest, but still pretty darn good.
Given the nice outdoor space too, I'd gladly give this place a go again.Listed in: Billyburg
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/12/2008
Relish always seems to have shitty service. Why does everyone that work here look like they walked… Read more »
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Review from Mary P.
4/20/2010
Omg I found biscuits and gravy in New York!!!!
IM a southern raised girl and I haven't had these puppies in a long time. The best thing about this brunch place aside from the younger, sauced crowd drinking their bloody mary's up a storm is that the meal is hearty and sustainable to a point and manages to make biscuits and gravy less greasy and heavy (even though they threw in an egg in the middle which was a pleasant surprise). I would go back if I was in Williamsburg again.
