Freemans

8/19/2016

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that it was my parents who found and introduced me to this hidden gem. Although most people in the city know about it now, my bridge and tunnel parents have been coming here for years, mostly for great drinks at the bar.

I've had a good brunch here, but most times come to hang out at the bar as well. The drinks are tasty and always made with attention to detail. Be sure the order the spinach artichoke dip to complement your tasty cocktails.

You can't help but admire this adorable place from the outside with its shabby chic facade down an alley. Inside the decor is nice as well with a rustic feel and mounted deer heads.

Definitely stop by for a drink or two if you are in the area!

8/14/2016

The food was great (4/5).

The service was too fast.

For example we had muscles and the waitress came to take the bowl away before we were 80% finished.

Then the main meal came before we were finished the appetizer. Had to send it back.

Once we got the meal back, the buss boy tried to take it away before we were finished.

The restaurant was only 60% full, not sure what the rush was.

The hostess was too busy drinking to acknowledge us entering or leaving the restaurant.

Many great restaurants in NY, pity the great food was overshadowed by the poor service.

They better get their service act together otherwise they will fail.

8/6/2016

• 1 check-in

Just your standard brunch spot.
It's a bit hard to find if you're not familiar with the area as it is situated at the far end of an alleyway.

It is really the unique interior that draws people to this "hole in the wall". If dead animal heads freak you out I would steer clear of this place.

Quite popular spot on the weekends so the servers will be really busy and not too friendly. I never even got a simple hello or smile. I don't mind all that much but it is something to note.

6/12/2016

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Brunch

Finally finally finally, I was able to sit down and enjoy one of the most trending brunch places in town after a pretty exhausted wait. Unlike many other brighter (or say it in other word, modern) places, Freeman's was definitely on the old-fashioned side - paintings with dust, animal sculptures, plants, whatever you could think of was everywhere!

Talking about food, I was surprisingly a bit disappointed, probably because I've given high expectations for so long and it somehow failed to impress me. Opted for the poached egg with grilled asparagus and butter toast. The poached egg was cooked perfectly well, with the egg yolk having the fluid texture and made the perfect combo with my toast. Sadly the asparagus was pretty bland...My friend got the granola bowl with assorted fruits. Probably the meaty dishes could be better? We don't know.

Definitely not worth 1 hr wait, but if you could walk in and sit down as you pass by, it's not a bad option either.

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  Interior decor.

  Interior decor.
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  Poached egg with grilled asparagus and toast.

  Poached egg with grilled asparagus and toast.
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  Granola bowl with fruits.

  Granola bowl with fruits.
• See all photos from Elaine H. for Freemans

6/13/2016

• 1 check-in

First off, Freemans only accepts reservations for parties of six or more guests for dinner and weekend brunch service.  I made a reservation for Sunday at 12:00 PM and I'm so glad I did because this place was packed by the time my whole party arrived!  This spot is legit a hole in the alley so it might be hard to find for some people... to make it easier for y'all - it's on the same block as Morgenstern's!

My party was seated pretty quickly even though we were 15 mins late.  We ordered some drinks to start off our brunch - The Garden Gate, Three Girl Rumba, Fancy Free and La Isla Bonita.  These were all $12 each (a bit pricey) but all very tasty!

For appetizer, we got the Hot Artichoke Dip and for sides, we got french fries and thick-cut bacon.  The Hot Artichoke Dip came with crisp bread (remember to ask for more because there will not be enough) and this was such a good combo!  The dip was super flavorful.  The fries and bacon were tasty as well.

For entrees, we got the Baked Skillet Eggs Shakshuka and Poached Eggs with Roasted Asparagus.  The Baked Skillet Eggs Shakshuka consists of spinach, feta cheese, tomato-bell pepper sauce, buttered sourdough toast and it tasted OKAY - the eggs were way OVERcooked but the spinach and feta cheese was a good mixed to the skillet.  The Poached Eggs with Roasted Asparagus consists of cheddar cheese grits, hollandaise sauce, and buttered sourdough toast.  My friends had this dish and they said it was pretty decent.

Service here is really good.  Our server always came by and made sure our water glasses were full and that we were satisfied with the foods/drinks.

Overall, I thought the food here was average.. this was a good one time experience and I don't see myself returning any time soon.

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  Poached Eggs with Roasted Asparagus

  Poached Eggs with Roasted Asparagus
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  Baked Skillet Eggs Shakshuka

  Baked Skillet Eggs Shakshuka
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  French Fries

  French Fries
• See all photos from Racheal D. for Freemans

8/20/2016

• 1 check-in

Came here for regular lunch on a Friday. Definitely not busy at that time but it's a great place to catch up with friends. It sucks that their popular skillet dish is only available during brunch, because all of us wanted to try it. I opted for the avocado quinoa salad and the blueberry pancakes (kind of counterintuitive but yolo). They were both very tasty! The salad may have had too much dressing, but I'm not a huge dressing person to begin with. The drinks are also very good! If you can find the alleyway that leads to the restaurant, I would definitely recommend.

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  left to right: crabroll sandwich, eggwhite crepe, blueberry pancakes, avocado quinoa salad w/ chicken, eggs & roasted potatoes w/ bacon

  left to right: crabroll sandwich, eggwhite crepe, blueberry pancakes, avocado quinoa salad w/ chicken, eggs & roasted potatoes w/ bacon
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  freeman's cocktail, mimosa

  freeman's cocktail, mimosa

6/9/2016

• 1 check-in

It's a disappointment from what I expected it to be. Mediocre food.. Fries were cold, and the place was really hard to find (deep in an alleyway).

I ordered the Quinoa bowl which was good, but definitely not as big as how the waiter mentioned. My friend got the egg bacon and potatoes and she seemed to like it but not love it. The place is quaint and cute, I definitely like the rustic vibe of it.

Also, we wanted to come and try the skillet but... They only serve it on weekends. Wah

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  Quinoa bowl, fries, and egg bacon and potatoes

  Quinoa bowl, fries, and egg bacon and potatoes

6/5/2016

• 1 check-in

We went here for brunch on a Sunday based on excellent Yelp reviews. I really enjoyed the entire experience so the reviews were spot on. The atmosphere is casual elegance without pretension. It was a very comfortable and welcoming ambience. Our service was professional, courteous, and attentive.

I ordered the smoked trout ($17). If you like smoked fish like I do you have to try it. Really, really good. Not a complaint from me except I wish they gave you more! And the horseradish sauce could be spicier. But that's a quibble.

The wife got the egg skillet ($14), not sure of the exact name, and loved it. If you love eggs you have to try it. Came with a sauce that tasted Italian, and topped with lots of bacon.

I wish I lived in NYC and I would be back every weekend to work my way through the menu.

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  Smoked trout

  Smoked trout
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  Egg skillet

  Egg skillet
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• See all photos from Stephen W. for Freemans

5/18/2016

• 1 check-in

• Listed in Fancy Date Night, Best Brunch

5+++ stars for ambiance, mood and romance. This is worth the walk down the only alley in NYC. A cheerfully bright blue door and dreamy lights on a string greet you. The interior is just as dreamy, albeit a bit strange with stuffed animal heads hanging on the wall. But hey. It oozes charm and I like it.

My friend and I snagged seats at the bar on an early Friday evening. The bartender looked just like Freddie Mercury. I asked Freddie what I should drink and he recommended the French 75 - plymouth Gin, lemon, simple syrup, champagne float - it was a little too citrusy for me - don't always listen to what Freddie says. My second attempt at a cocktail was wonderful and warmed me up all over - El Bandito (chipotle mescal, bourbon, orange bitters, whiskey barrel bitters, demerrera syrup). I was feeling good. We had the famous artichoke dip to munch on and it was good.

There's a private room in back should you want to reserve it for a small party. Reservations for large parties only, otherwise expect a wait. Bring your date or bff. I'll have to come back to actually try the food, which could push up my rating to 5 stars. Well done, Freemans, well done, you made my night.

5/11/2016

• 1 check-in

Expect a 1.5 hour wait in the LES alley on a Sunday afternoon for a spot at Freeman's brunch!

We were seated upstairs, which has a rustic private dining room feel to it. In a table of 5, there were two parties that sat across long wooden tables, with guests seated on the ends of the table. This made it hard for waiters and guests to walk through, since there wasn't much room behind the seat.

~ HOT ARTICHOKE DIP ($15) // For a $15 appetizer, this is definitely very small. It comes out piping hot with plenty of crisp bread that may cut the roof of your mouth at times! Between 5 people, we were able to have 2-3 pieces of bread with dip.
~ BAKED SKILLET EGGS SHAKSHUKA ($14) // This entree was more worth the price, which came in a hot skillet with two poached eggs, spinach, tomato bell pepper sauce, and toast. Although very flavorful, I found the shakshuka to be somewhat dry.

The consensus at the table was that the poached egg quality varied a lot across entrees. Some were poached well, while others were overcooked without a runny yolk. Also, our waiter took care of us and was sure to refill our waters, but was pretty much nonexistent for the rest of the meal.

Overall, I think Freeman's is pretty mediocre for brunch while being a little bit pricy for the quality of food and wait time.

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  Burger ($17) // shakshuka // poached eggs ($15)

  Burger ($17) // shakshuka // poached eggs ($15)
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  Baked skillet eggs shakshuka // poached eggs ($14)

  Baked skillet eggs shakshuka // poached eggs ($14)
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  Shakshuka

  Shakshuka
• See all photos from Sophie P. for Freemans

4/25/2016

• 1 check-in

A very snobby place. I guess that;s what New York people do. The interior is cute and it is actually quite specious inside.

We came for a Monday lunch. unfortunately they don't have the baked dish for lunch (only for brunch). They do not have much vegetarian options. We had an egg white omelette, which was not bad. I enjoyed the salad more, something like pea shoots. The pancake was fluffy, though I don't like the apple sauce on top of it. So overall the food is good, but I really don't feel that we were welcome in the place. Everything feels so cold.

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  Egg whites omelette with roasted mushrooms. Great flavor

  Egg whites omelette with roasted mushrooms. Great flavor
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  Pancake.

  Pancake.

7/6/2016

Really yummy and beautiful place in general.
It was a tad expensive- but I regret nothing but the wait time for food/coffee.
Mama needs her coffee in the morning.

Feta in Shakshuka is odd. Tastes odd.
Artichoke dip was amazing.
Eggs benedict was alright, awesome grits on the side.

Surprisingly got in and got a seat quickly.
(Usually theres a wait. But 4th of july weekend =freee)

Problem we had was that our food took foooreeevvverrr to come out. I saw parties, (We were only 2 people) being seated after us & served before us. Huh?

Also the wait for a refill on our coffee (we had to ask) took atleast 15 minutes. Little disappointed in the wait; keep in mind the staff are suupperrr nice though.

I'd go back, maybe it was an off day.  
(wait time wise)

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  Shakshuka & eggs benedict. MVP: artichoke dip Feta in shakshuka makes it taste a bit..strange.

  Shakshuka & eggs benedict. MVP: artichoke dip Feta in shakshuka makes it taste a bit..strange.

8/5/2016

• 1 check-in

One of the best place for brunches in SoHo! It is tucked in an alley so it can be hard to find, but the rustic interior is definitely awesome. They have mounted animals on the walls and exposed brick everywhere! Make a reservation or you will have to wait, also the skillet and the sandwich was amazing. The prices are not terrible either!

5/7/2016

The ambiance and alley way are incredibly cute! I loved the whole woodsy vibe, our table was half chair half leather couch, and was decorated with random wooden walking sticks.

The food was 5 stars, some of the best brunch food! I got the poached eggs and asparagus and the cheesy grits it came on were amazing, also a huge portion. My non yelping boyfriend got the scrambled eggs and roasted potatoes. The potatoes were super crispy... Definitely would recommend this as well.

However, service was bad. Hostess and bartender were nice, but our waitress was a little miffed every time we asked for water or ketchup, like we were bothering them... It was also really hard to get their attention they avoided eye contact (probably because I suspected she started to not like us).

Overall, would recommend as a great and cute little place (no rez for less than 6, but we came at 10;30am on a sat and walked right in) for brunch, but wouldn't come here again and again.

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  Scrambled eggs and roasted potatoes

  Scrambled eggs and roasted potatoes
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  Poached eggs and asparagus

  Poached eggs and asparagus

7/17/2016

Would give Freemans an A for the ambiance, but a C for the food.

Freemans is at the end of an alley, so if you're not actively looking for it, you'll probably miss it! The bf and I came on Sunday for brunch around 10:30, so we were expecting a really long wait, but we were seated almost immediately. We were thinking about getting cocktails, but they were a little out of our price range ($12 and $15 were the average).

We both ordered the shakshuka, and I was pretty disappointed. It was very mediocre tasting, and the sourdough bread it came with was basically a cracker. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't good.

We came because there was a bunch of hype around this place, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone visiting - there are better places for brunch in Manhattan!

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  Baked Skillet Eggs Shakshuka

  Baked Skillet Eggs Shakshuka

6/21/2016

• 1 check-in

I'm giving it a 4 stars mainly because of the awesome wait staff. Some things to know is that you're mostly definitely going to have a 30-45 minute wait for a table because this place is always packed. In the meantime,the nearby Morgenstern's Ice Cream is a great place to wait it out.

The decor of the place is like the inside of an old tavern, complete with tastefully hipster cracks in the wall and old-timey portraits of presidents. The alley location is easily Freemans trademark with its spattering of random murals and ivy.

Moving onto the the service and food. When my group of 3 were seated, we were promptly served by the waitress who kept refiling our water. Though we took some time to decide we ultimately decided on the pulled-pork sandwich, skillet eggs with cut bacon, and Poached  eggs with sourdough toast and artichoke, and fries.

I got the Poached eggs with Hollandaise, and I was impressed with how perfectly cooked they were. The sauce and eggs were pure harmony, but the artichoke seemed a bit extra. However at $13.00, this was rather overpriced for what the dish is.I was more impressed with the skillet eggs and the pulled pork sandwich. Both were excellent. The eggs were once again a match made in heaven with the bacon, cheddar&grits, and etc. It literally melts in the mouth. And the pulled pork sandwich was properly seasoned and quite a generous portion. The fries were also given in generous amounts, and but into the perfect size.

Overall this place is a solid 4, and I definitely understand the hype behind it, however it's still rather pricey, so coming here is mostly for the for novelty

6/22/2016

Food was OK+, but the atmosphere was amazing. A good place to go to for brunch. Portions were not to big, and they were around $15.

Such a cool spot, and would be a definite 5 stars if the food was a bit more special. But, this is a place worth going to!

6/24/2016

Great food ... super hipster ambiance.  The staff were great and the pancakes were delicious.
We lucked out and didn't have to wait for a table but when we left there was quite the queue.
Worth going back to.

6/13/2016

I came here with high expectations seeing that there were often lines and reservations were always filled, but was greatly disappointed. The food was just alright and didn't stand out. However, the ambience and location was nice.

2/27/2016

Came here for brunch around 12:30. Waited for 30-40 min. Ordered the skillet eggs with spinach and cheese. Fast service, good taste, nice deco and ambience, but food portion was a little small, and the restaurant was very packed with diners.

Overall, everything was okay. May try more stuffs in the future.

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  The outside (entrance). Nice weather!

  The outside (entrance). Nice weather!
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  Skillet eggs with bacon, cheese, and spinach. $14. Come with 2 pieces of bread.

  Skillet eggs with bacon, cheese, and spinach. $14. Come with 2 pieces of bread.