Bella Pizza
3101 Newtown Ave, Astoria, NY, 11102
Bella Pizza Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Diabetics at Taco Bell
The biggest concern for diabetics is to find healthy food with less sugar at restaurants. The hunt for the right food becomes even more challenging for diabetics when dining at a fast food restaurant. Well, Taco Bell changes that with Fresco style. Simply ask or order an item from the Taco Bell menu in Fresco Style.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at Taco Bell:
Crunchy Taco Supreme
Nutrition Fact: 190 calories, 11g Fat (4.5g Sat. Fat), 340mg sodium, 15g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Fresco Steak Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 150 calories, 4g Fat (1.5g Sat. Fat), 460mg sodium, 17g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 10g Protein
Fresco Soft Taco – Shredded Chicken
Nutrition Fact: 150 calories, 6g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 9g Protein
Fresco Soft Taco Beef
Nutrition Fact: 160 calories, 6g Fat (2.5g Sat. Fat), 480mg sodium, 18g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Veggie Power Menu Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 480 calories, 19g Fat (5g Sat. Fat), 970mg sodium, 65g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 13g Fiber, 14g Protein
Bean Burrito
Nutrition Fact: 380 calories, 11g Fat (4g Sat. Fat), 1060mg sodium, 55g Carbs, 3g Sugar, 9g Fiber, 14g Protein
Mini Skillet Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 180 calories, 11g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for Diabetics:
You must avoid all kinds of Drinks and Freezes at Taco Bell if you have diabetes. Almost every beverage offered at Taco Bell contains high sugar content.
High Cholesterol at Taco Bell
Fast food restaurants are known for serving high calorie, greasy food with lots of sugars. Taco Bell changes this trend by offering Fresco Style option where your favorite food item is prepared using pico de gallo as it will cut down 20 – 30 calories easily from the original meal.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Taco Bell:
Mini Skillet Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 180 calories, 11g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Breakfast Soft Taco – Egg & Cheese
Nutrition Fact: 170 calories, 9g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 330mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, less than 1g Fiber, 7g Protein
Spicy Tostada
Nutrition Fact: 210 calories, 10g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 440mg sodium, 22g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 5g Fiber, 6g Protein
Fresco Crunchy Taco – Beef
Nutrition Fact: 140 calories, 7g Fat (2.5g Sat. Fat), 300mg sodium, 14g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 6g Protein
Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla
Nutrition Fact: 200 calories, 10g Fat (3.5g Sat. Fat), 490mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 1g Fiber, 10g Protein
Crunchy Taco Supreme
Nutrition Fact: 190 calories, 11g Fat (4.5g Sat. Fat), 340mg sodium, 15g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Spicy Potato Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 230 calories, 12g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 460mg sodium, 27g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for High Cholesterol:
It is best to avoid Bacon or Steak dishes at Taco Bell as such dishes contain a lot of fat. Also, try to avoid all kinds of Drinks and Freezes which are full of sugars resulting in empty calories.
Visit below restaurant in Astoria for healthy meals suggestion.
High Blood Pressure at Taco Bell
People with high blood pressure must avoid food with high sodium levels. You can either ask the people at Taco Bell to add less salt in your food or choose the food items with less sodium content or customize your order using Taco Bell's own nutrition calculator.
Food Suggestions to Control Blood Pressure at Taco Bell:
Fresco Chicken Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 150 calories, 6g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 9g Protein
Spicy Tostada
Nutrition Fact: 210 calories, 10g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 440mg sodium, 22g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 5g Fiber, 6g Protein
Grilled Breakfast Burrito - Sausage
Nutrition Fact: 340 calories, 17g Fat (5g Sat. Fat), 730mg sodium, 36g Carbs, 3g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 11g Protein
Veggie Power Menu Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 480 calories, 19g Fat (5g Sat. Fat), 970mg sodium, 65g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 13g Fiber, 14g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for High Blood Pressure:
Taco Bell offers a wide range of Grande Scrambler Burritos, Crunch wraps, and Quesadillas which are high in sodium. It is important to limit the sodium intake at Taco Bell and avoid any meal with over 750-800mg sodium.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
High Cholesterol at Taco Bell
Fast food restaurants are known for serving high calorie, greasy food with lots of sugars. Taco Bell changes this trend by offering Fresco Style option where your favorite food item is prepared using pico de gallo as it will cut down 20 – 30 calories easily from the original meal.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Taco Bell:
Mini Skillet Bowl
Nutrition Fact: 180 calories, 11g Fat (2g Sat. Fat), 430mg sodium, 16g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Breakfast Soft Taco – Egg & Cheese
Nutrition Fact: 170 calories, 9g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 330mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, less than 1g Fiber, 7g Protein
Spicy Tostada
Nutrition Fact: 210 calories, 10g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 440mg sodium, 22g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 5g Fiber, 6g Protein
Fresco Crunchy Taco – Beef
Nutrition Fact: 140 calories, 7g Fat (2.5g Sat. Fat), 300mg sodium, 14g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 6g Protein
Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla
Nutrition Fact: 200 calories, 10g Fat (3.5g Sat. Fat), 490mg sodium, 15g Carbs, less than 1g Sugar, 1g Fiber, 10g Protein
Crunchy Taco Supreme
Nutrition Fact: 190 calories, 11g Fat (4.5g Sat. Fat), 340mg sodium, 15g Carbs, 2g Sugar, 3g Fiber, 8g Protein
Spicy Potato Soft Taco
Nutrition Fact: 230 calories, 12g Fat (3g Sat. Fat), 460mg sodium, 27g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 2g Fiber, 5g Protein
Foods to Avoid at Taco Bell for High Cholesterol:
It is best to avoid Bacon or Steak dishes at Taco Bell as such dishes contain a lot of fat. Also, try to avoid all kinds of Drinks and Freezes which are full of sugars resulting in empty calories.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Q&A on Taco Bell
Who owns Taco Bell?
Taco Bell is a restaurant chain subsidiary owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. which controls the restaurant division of PepsiCo.
When does Taco Bell stop serving breakfast?
Taco Bell starts serving breakfast from 6 a.m. which is one hour later than other competitors. However, the restaurant chain continues serving breakfast till 11 a.m. which is half an hour later than other competitors.
When is Taco Bell happy hour?
Happy hour at Taco Bell starts from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Are Taco Bell beans healthy?
Beans are rich in protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and phosphorous. Hence, Taco Bell beans are healthy in nature. However, there are claims that Taco Bell uses a rehydrated slew of mystery ingredients instead of beans. So, simply inquire about the beans before ordering items serving Taco Bell beans.
Which Taco Bell is closest to me?
Use our Restaurant Listings directory to find Taco Bell nearby.
Which Taco Bell sauce is hottest?
Diablo is the hottest Taco Bell sauce.
Which Taco Bell sauce is best?
In terms of popularity, the Mild sauce is undoubtedly the best Taco Bell sauce favored by Americans.
Which Taco Bell sauces are vegan?
Hot and Mild sauces are certified vegan.
Which Taco Bell has nacho fries?
Taco Bell has a habit of discontinuing and relaunching Nacho Fries. You can find the Taco Bell locations nearby to see if the Taco Bell store has Nacho Fries.
Which Taco Bell is open right now?
Taco Bell opens at 6 a.m. in the morning and stays open until 3 a.m. the next day at major locations. In New York city, the Taco Bell stores stay open till 11 p.m. or 12 midnight.
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About Taco Bell
Taco Bell is a haven for Mexican delicacies such as tacos, quesadillas, burritos, nachos, and other specialty items. Owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. Taco Bell is one of the fastest growing American chains of fast food restaurants. The restaurant operates from 7,072 different locations which are mostly run by independent franchisees and licensees.
The background story of Taco Bell is interesting and inspiring for budding entrepreneurs. The fast-food brand is the brainchild of Glen Bell, who started his first food venture as a hot dog seller in San Bernardino, California. The year was 1948. After witnessing long queues outside a Mexican restaurant called Mitla Café across the street, Bell saw the opportunity and demand for hard-shelled Tacos. He reverse-engineered the recipe and later started selling Tacos and called the venture Taco-Tia.
Later, the name changed from Taco-Tia to El Taco. Eventually, Glen Bell sold the company to his partner and opened the first Taco Bell in Downey in 1962. By 1964, the restaurant also got its first franchise in Torrance. The 100th Taco Bell restaurant was opened by 1965. PepsiCo acquired Taco Bell from Glen Bell in 1978 and the restaurant brand is currently a subsidiary of Yum! Brands which looks after the restaurant business of PepsiCo.
Healthy Food Options at Taco Bell
You may believe that a healthy lifestyle doesn't go well at a fast food restaurant. Well, that's not the case with Taco Bell. Surprisingly Taco Bell offers a variety of healthy options, thanks to the in-house registered dietician who monitors the whole menu. The dietician ensures that each item on the menu is free from additives and preservatives, colors, and artificial flavors. The dietician also ensures that the food served at Taco Bell doesn't contain high-fructose corn syrup, low sodium levels, and reduced use of partially hydrogenated oil.
More than 75% of food items served at Taco Bell falls under 500 calories. Taco Bell also features the Fresco Style option which helps the customers to maintain healthy diet plan without missing out on taste. In Fresco style option, Taco Bell switches pico de gallo with cheese, sour cream, guac, and mayo-based sauce. Taco Bell takes care of almost every health preference of its customers.
Tips for Dining at Taco Bell
Diabetics can also try other Fresco styled Taco items such as Fresco Crunchy Taco, Fresco Grilled Steak, and Fresco Soft Taco Beef. These are other healthy alternatives of Tacos for diabetics which contains an adequate amount of starch and minimum or no fat content. Switch the regular sauce or cheese with pico de gallo and you can easily reduce the sodium intake and fat content for your body. It will help maintain blood pressure levels and control high cholesterol.
Q&A on Taco Bell
Who owns Taco Bell?
Taco Bell is a restaurant chain subsidiary owned by Yum! Brands, Inc. which controls the restaurant division of PepsiCo.
When does Taco Bell stop serving breakfast?
Taco Bell starts serving breakfast from 6 a.m. which is one hour later than other competitors. However, the restaurant chain continues serving breakfast till 11 a.m. which is half an hour later than other competitors.
When is Taco Bell happy hour?
Happy hour at Taco Bell starts from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Are Taco Bell beans healthy?
Beans are rich in protein, fiber, and minerals like iron and phosphorous. Hence, Taco Bell beans are healthy in nature. However, there are claims that Taco Bell uses a rehydrated slew of mystery ingredients instead of beans. So, simply inquire about the beans before ordering items serving Taco Bell beans.
Which Taco Bell is closest to me?
Use our Restaurant Listings directory to find Taco Bell nearby.
Which Taco Bell sauce is hottest?
Diablo is the hottest Taco Bell sauce.
Which Taco Bell sauce is best?
In terms of popularity, the Mild sauce is undoubtedly the best Taco Bell sauce favored by Americans.
Which Taco Bell sauces are vegan?
Hot and Mild sauces are certified vegan.
Which Taco Bell has nacho fries?
Taco Bell has a habit of discontinuing and relaunching Nacho Fries. You can find the Taco Bell locations nearby to see if the Taco Bell store has Nacho Fries.
Which Taco Bell is open right now?
Taco Bell opens at 6 a.m. in the morning and stays open until 3 a.m. the next day at major locations. In New York city, the Taco Bell stores stay open till 11 p.m. or 12 midnight.
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Address :
3101 Newtown Ave
Astoria, NY, 11102 - Phone (718) 777-5533
- Website https://www.bellapizzaastoria.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
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Categories
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Judy C.
On the contrary of using Yelp as my go-to source, I relied on the Scoop from New York Times to give Roebling a try. Since we got there quite late, we opted for their drinks rather than the teas. Comfortable loungey place with a nice island bar. The bartenders were so-so that night as one bartender ignored me while casually talking to some guy, grrr..the other bartender was slightly more attentive. We got the "Swamp Thing" (gin, Pimms, lemon, soda, and big branches of rosemary?) and "Crazy Owl" ("Today's pickle" and martini). Swamp Thing was served in a pint with lots of gin and Pimms. It was alright, but that was one heavy drink. Crazy Owl was crazy-it was literally pickled juice with whatever martini it was. It looked unappealing to drink with its brownish color, and it was unappealing to drink with the strong pickled flavor. I gave this place 3 stars because I think this is a great location to hang out with friends. Perhaps I should have tried their teas.
(3)Jessica N.
Ended up here on a whim when Fette Sau was not open. I saw that it was a tea room, and it was not what I expected (in a good way). It looks like a factory on the outside, but on the inside it's very open and bright. I got the lover's tea; it was delicious. They bag loose tea for individual servings, which I appreciated. For brunch, I got the mashed potato sandwich. Mashed potatoes, cheese, onion and a fried egg on a sandwich; what more could a girl ask for? My dining partner got the baked eggs, grits and fennel toast, and said they were excellent. I read reviews about poor service, but our waitress was very kind and happy. I could see how a pretentious attitude could seep into this place, though.
(4)Michelle H.
cocktails are interesting and the food is delicious! The bartenders are wonderful and service at the bar is always excellent, I may need to actually sit at a table one day!
(5)Ivo R.
Top 3 in Williamsburg!! BEST burger in New York! (and for anyone that knows me- this MEANS a LOT!) You really can't go wrong with Roebling regardless of the occasion. I must admit that I have only come here for dinner but I have loved coming here EVERY time. The ambiance is very cozy with some rustic and modern touches as well as romantic lighting that guarantees the perfect date. The specialty cocktails are always fresh and very creative with delicious blends of fruit and liquor. My favorite cocktail, however, is Homer's Way. As far as the food goes, I came here because someone recommended the burger and I must say that on some nights I dream of it melting in my mouth with its delicious sauce! After having it once, I could never get myself to order anything else there and it really has become my standard to which I compare all other burgers. I have, however, tried some of the other food by tasting what my friends get - and they have a very good duck, delicious (but small portioned) scallops and a great steak tartar. Ultimately, I highly recommend Roebling as one of my top 3 restaurants in Williamsburg with delectable food, romantic ambiance and fresh cocktails.
(5)Tiffany H.
This spot is really cute and the food was good (one of those farm to table places) but the service took forever! Our food didnt come out until an hour later.
(3)Erika C.
Poached egg omelet? That just sounds like... a regular omelet being lazy about meat options. But what the hell, it was 9 bucks. I ate it and I thought, this is pretty good. I cleaned it up. I am a brunch pro so I was not impressed but it didn't matter, my expectations had been low. Days pass. Days turn into weeks. Every time I eat breakfast/brunch or eggs, I think about that damn omelet and how delicious it was. I didn't know what I had and now I'm 3,000 miles away from the place. TEARS
(5)Lala S.
POOR And super slow service. And bad food. Pricey. Burger came over cooked, took ages to come back, our friend ate by himself while we were waiting. Never again for sure.
(1)Gabe S.
Like some other yelpers, if I was reviewing the food and changing seasonal menu this place would get five stars. However, both times I've been here the service has been simultaneously very friendly and incompressibly inattentive. The first time I came here for brunch and it was fairly busy. When my party of two walked in the woman who greeted us had the crazed, panicked look of one who just came upon a party of twenty-four during rush hour. "oh theres going to be a wait," she said. We said "That's okay. How long?" Without answering, she scurried off and some guy immediately showed us to one of the 4 tables that were open. What? The menu descriptions are kind of strange sometimes, (like "toast" as an appetizer?) But the chef clearly knows what s/he's doing because the combinations work in satisfying ways. We ordered our meal and our drinks - coffee and tea mind you, not some crazy 'mixologist' special. Our food came before our drinks. What the what? Again. And it wasn't that, oh the waitress forgot our drinks - she actually came over to our table three times and said "your drinks are coming up" and then wondered away in a haze. When I did get my tea, there was an ant in the honey jar. The next time I went it was 5pm on a wednesday and was hoping to get some computer work done and have dinner after. I sat at a table for twenty minutes before I gave up and went up to the bar to get a drink. Did I mention there were no less than five servers bullshitting at the end of the bar? According to the surly bartender - surprise, there's no wifi - so that is either a yelp mistake or a recent downgrade in service. Also, there's not much of a tea selection for, you know, a TEA ROOM. I asked to see the menu and he told me it was being put on the blackboard in a few minutes. But wasn't that the menu that all of those five servers were looking at while they were ignoring me? When I finally managed to hijack a menu, I ordered the mac and cheese, which was excellent, but certainly not worth the $10 price tag. Honestly if the service had any logic to it at all I probably wouldn't mind a good $10 mac and cheese, but as it was I was so annoyed by the time I got the food, I almost left for the taco truck down on Bedford. If I were the chef I would be seriously pissed that my food was being represented by such airhead (but so friendly!) hipsters.
(2)John R.
This place is pretty nice. Service was OK. Good setup as far as the bar and seating. Food is decent.
(3)Meghan F.
Met with a group for a meetup here. They were very accommodating to our group, which was a bunch of pregnant women and women with infants. Didn't rush us through, even though we took a very long time to get ourselves together, order and eventually pay. Will definitely be coming back. For brunch today I had the egg sandwich with bacon. It came with a side of apple slices. One of us had the smoked salmon plate and she said it was delicious, and that is what I am going to get next time. It came with the most delicious looking rye bread.
(5)Tez V.
They are totally slipping- i remember back in the day the service & food were so amazing. and now, there is nothing special about the food and the service, however very polite, was VERY GLACIAL
(3)Lyn K.
5 stars for their creative food items & exceptional tea menu. 3 stars for slow, but helpful wait staff - I don't like having to constantly look over my shoulder hoping that someone will come by. The Roebling Tea Room is perfect for a lazy brunch at 10:30 on a Saturday morning. Make sure to get there a little early if you want patio seating. The service was a little slow, but we didn't particularly mind since we weren't in a rush & had intentions to lounge around. Brunch Recommendations: - Big Baked Pancake dutch style with stewed pears & spiced butter Perfectly light & fluffy. It was the size of a personal pan deep dish pizza, but with stewed pears within the breading. The maple syrup wasn't too thick or too sugary. Paired really well with the pancake. - Ricotta & Fig Paste with walnut, dry cherry, honey & some greens This was an interesting dish. The ricotta was nicely whipped & didn't taste like cheese at all. I wasn't a big fan of this particular plate because the bread was really hard & crunchy, but the combination of flavors was innovative & complimentary to one another. - Baked Cheddar Eggs with raisin fennel toast, apple butter & grits I don't usually like cheddar cheese, but this had a nice taste to it! The cheese wasn't overwhelming, & the way they prepared the egg in the ramekin was amazing! The soft eggs went nicely with the crunchy/soft toast, the subtle sweetness of the apple butter, & the underlying saltiness of the grits. - Iced Green Tea Latte Made with matcha (high quality Japanese green tea), honey, & milk. Refreshing to the taste. We ordered one of each plate, except the Baked Cheddar Eggs, for a party of 4, & it was definitely enough to go around. All the ingredients were light & fresh, so we left feeling comfortably satisfied & not too full.
(4)Napkin Freak C.
i dont know, this place was slightly weird for me... i understand the concept with the tea offerings and i wasn't sure if there was food? i dont know. Maybe i came at a busy time.. but we weren't seated immediately. a group of us four went straight to the back where the couches were. Then we did not get any service so we thought ok, maybe we have to order and bring it back to our couch? NO IDEA.. then we just approached one of the servers and told them we wanted drinks/desserts only. So we were eventually seated after one of the tables freed up. But I just did not get it... maybe there was no hostess and if there was, perhaps the person was not present at the moment we showed up? Who knows! there were a lot of tea selections and we ordered mainly desserts. it was alright. But still, the idea of the peculiar organization still bothers me.. not sure why...
(3)Michi R.
Two stars only because the experience I had a two years ago was much better than my most recent visit. This place seems better suited to being a bar. The service was subpar, the food portions are incredibly small, and very overpriced.
(2)Fred I.
My favorite burger in Brooklyn (after Prime Meats, of course). Get the house-made dill mayo on the side so you can dip your fries in it, and use as much or as little of it as you want on the beef. They have some other nice appetizers and entrees, but I can't resist the cheeseburger. And the meat is definitely quality. Roebling's also a good place to go for a drink, but it's packed at peak times. Staff is cool. Crowd is usually kinda lame. It is Williamsburg.
(4)Talia R.
Different times of day feel like I should give different reviews. Food at brunch as good, though think I prefer being here at night when it's a bit more empty. They don't serve food late enough at night (not their fault, I presume, but the kitchen seems to always just have closed?). Find the service confusing. Last two times I was here at night and sitting at a table our waiter service ended rather abruptly but we were not told this and took a long time to realize we had to shift moving ordering to the bar directly. Still, no one really bothers you so I appreciate that. Meh on the bourbon/brown goods selection. I do love the atmosphere, kind of wish this was a the front wing of my English countryside estate.
(3)Taylor H.
Good spot for brunch and dinner. It looks like an abandoned wearhouse from the outside, but is very nice inside. Prices are on the high side.
(4)Ariel S.
I just came back to "Roebling" after a long hiatus. I'm not sure if the quality was diminishing, or if I'd been over-attending and things were getting stale. Either way, I dropped in for a late lunch on Friday. It was nice to see that Mandy, a Veteran waitress of the tea room, was still holding it down and pleasant as ever. I had a Steak Tartare, which was delicious- and I've been dreaming about it every day since. The iced coffee was great too...... I'm pretty sure that I'll become a regular, again.
(4)Rachel K.
I've been here for a few brunches and this place is always packed. Bottom line- food is good. If you can get a spot at the bar while you wait 30 mins - 1 hour for a table, the bloody marys are de-lush! You can get a double bloody for $10. The space is awesome. It's a big, airy room and the tables are well spaced apart. For larger groups, if you can snag a couple of the couches in the back, it's a great area to be if you wanna chill out after your meal. Service is a good pace and the servers are friendly and super hipster. If you don't live in the 'Burg, be prepared to feel out of place if you come in dressed in anything less than an oversized chambray shirt, tight skinny black jeans and thick rimmed artsy glasses. All that randomness aside, the food is good. The giant pancake is really an enormous pancake- SO GOOD. The beets and eggs (who would've thought?) are awesome. If you like tea, they have a huge selection. Their drunken beans are also good if you don't really want a traditional brunch dish. Come check it out. Worth traveling to the 'Burg for.
(4)Jess L.
I love the darkness of this place. it's a perfect place for tea on a rainy day or a cool place to bring a date. I met up with a friend here and got the Black & White tea, rooibos with chocolate, vanilla and mint. Such a great combination. I was overwhelmed by the great sounding teas on the list, of which there are many. At the time I came, there was no wait staff, so we had to order our tea at the bar. A little awkward but easy enough to get around. I look forward to trying the food next time.
(4)Rus H.
Atmo: Nice, quiet dinner here on a Tuesday at 7:15. A pleasant place to sit, dim, relaxed atmosphere, well decorated. Funny, well-written menu with items like "normal apples". Dated menu, which was correct on the website also, amazingly. Drinks: Excellent cocktails; the Gin and Pickle was creative and fantastic. I tried the White Witch which was delicious. Limited wine selection, but the choices on hand were fine. Food: We tried the pork and the chicken entres, and the bass and salad appetizers. All tasted yummy. My pork was very fatty, which was okay because it tasted good, but it was more like belly than chop. So if you're put off by the texture of pork fat you'll want to avoid this dish. Minus half a star for the pork cut. We tried the apple pie and the pumpkin pie for dessert, which were both great. Service: Friendly staff, offered our choice of where to sit and were friendly throughout. A touch slow with the drinks but not unreasonable. Food came at a nearly perfect pace. Value: Total bill for 6 drinks and 3 meals was $200, which is a touch steep, but basically comparable to other places with this quality, atmosphere, and service. Minus half a star for portions, which were on the small side for the price. Would come here again, especially on a sleepy week night!
(4)Egg L.
Beautifully decorated restaurant, with large, rustic wood-framed mirrors and a spacious bar. Waitstaff seems to be full of the type that wears a MacDonald's shirt "ironically". Food: not bad for the prices. That's it. Definitely a trendy spot that has maintained that status after the years, but in my book, it's just okay. Not really worth a wait because the place has weird vibes, but if you're starving and you've got a fat wallet, you could do worse.
(2)Isabel L.
Hey ! I'm really a fan of Roebling tea room's food! Your poached egg omelete is unlike any omelete i've had before. Love your bread and tea and everything i've had here has been good.
(5)Shauna S.
Came here because my friend was raving about how much she loved this place. It's a very beautiful place, I admit -- lovely decor, great ambiance, an all round good environment, especially on the sofas and couches. But does that make it a good tea room? No, it makes it a good place to sort of hang out. I ordered the cassis tea and it was okay, at best. Hardly anything to make one rave especially considering it's a bloody tea bag. Yes, I said it -- deal with it. The joy of tea comes in preparation which lends itself to anticipation -- not sitting down waiting for the tea bag to finish brewing. I could do that home. *Gigantic note though, my friend let me know that they put the loose leaves into the tea bags to brew -- though I still wish there were a better strainer.* The cheese platter was meager and nothing too impressive. Service was fine, especially considering that they don't really tend to the sofas. Nonetheless there were a few that were attentive to my friends and I. But yeah... I just don't see it. Maybe it's in the restaurant aspect of place.
(3)Lisa L.
Great brunch spot in Williamsburg! Excellent decor and atmosphere and decent service. The kind of place you don't have to wait an hour for brunch. They also have a gorgeous large table in the back to accomodate big groups.
(4)Irene H.
I'm a huge fan of the industrial, but rustic/charming vibe. I've been here for drinks and brunch. I had a drink that was pretty swampy and strong. I've also been here for brunch. The baked eggs are great. As much as I wanted to like the pancake... the reviews are true. It's not the type of pancake you would get at IHOP or even at Chicago's Walker Brothers. It's a big chewy and more like a huge French clafoutis. I would not recommend it. It loses a bit of its potential greatness due to its size.
(4)Charles L.
The best burger in New York. Let me repeat: The BEST burger in new York. There is nothing better than a fat, bloody, greasy burger. The quality of the meat? Heaven on earth. Oh my goodness. Don't bother with nonsense like cheese or a fried egg. Keep it simple: medium rare with aioli sauce. You won't be disappointed. I haven't had the poor service as others have mentioned. But I'm used to Williamsburg. For others, "hipster" staff can be a bit much. They can be snotty to other people, but I've never had any issues. They could also benefit from an extra waiter or two. Brunch will be packed. You're forewarned. But what do people expect on a weekend at 1:30 or 2 in Williamsburg? If you want quiet and space, go eat at noon. Or earlier. Use some common sense. Of course places will be crowded and there will be a wait. It's brunch! Dinner gets heftily crowded too. My boyfriend and I went on a Monday at 6 with a near-empty restaurant at our disposal. 9 on a Saturday? C'mon people! Use those brains of yours. The cocktails are fairly good. I particularly enjoy the Way too Early: Gin, Lemon, Earl Grey & Champagne. Delicious! More food comments: I've also enjoyed the Potato Sandwich (brunch) and any of the dinner entrées. The entrees are more than I want to spend typically (~$25), but thankfully the burger is $14. And worth it. My friend had the beets & eggs and thought it wasn't hefty enough for a meal. But I guess it works if you don't want a heavy burger. I've enjoyed the tea as well. And $3 for a large mug is not anything more than you'd spend at any coffee shop. I don't get the complaints.
(4)Jonathan G.
This place is great at a variety of times which is why it is one of my favorite spots in Williamsburg. I have eaten brunch or lunch here a few times and the food is always good. I will spare the specifics of what I ate each time, but I have never had a bad meal and I often find myself watching something else tasty looking going to someone else's table and wondering what it was. I hate coffee, I don't drink it, I have always preferred tea and Roebling Tea Room has a nice selection of teas. You get your own private pot with enough for plenty of tea. This is perfect in the winter or on a cold day. I also prefer beer to that coffee crap and they have a nice selection of beers here, also nice in the winter or summer or spring or fall, whenever. The place is just relaxing to enter. They have tables to eat at, a bar and then a lounge area where you can drink tea or beer while relaxing on a couch or a nice chair. Very comfortable place to come at a random time and have a nice, relaxing time while getting caffeinated or drunk.
(4)Kelly B.
BRUNCH Amy R.'s report that the cheddar baked eggs are missing from the brunch menu is horrifying! May Sydney and Dennis quickly see the error of their ways... or replace it with something even better! Arriving for brunch at 1:00 on a Sunday was absolutely terrifying, the door was mobbed with hungry hipster (sorry I usually don't care about the whole "hipster" thing, but I was to hungry to be amused by the hamburger sweatshirt or couples with matching vintage glasses). Once we got seated their hungry eyes peered at us over the entry's half wall with all the desperation of famished homeless orphans on a snowy Christmas night. Our waitress was trying her hardest, but it was nearly impossible to get her attention. RTR needs either additional or more efficient waitresses plus someone walking around the dining room that is dedicated to just refilling coffee and water. I think the hostess and bus boy where the only employees who cracked a smiles the whole time I was there. We began with drinks; the coffee ($2) is satisfactory and the mimosa ($5) is heavy on the bubbly and made with fresh (tasting) OJ. I am not now and have never been a fan of grits, but RTR fixes them up real nice with parmigiano cheese in their Baked Cheddar Egg dish ($8.5). yelp.com/biz_photos/QoPv… The raisin fennel toast is subtle and well composed and served with delightful apple butter that I see so rarely on the east coast... but we west coast hippies love this stuff. The baked eggs are awesome but I do wish the yolks we broken (but not mixed) in the ramekin, it's like finding two yellow disembodied eyeballs hiding under a yummy blanket of sharp cheddar cheese The Cinnamon Toast ($2) is a dry flavorless bust; it begged to be slathered in butter or honey. yelp.com/biz_photos/QoPv… The Drunk Beans ($8.5) with a medium-boiled egg on a bed of polenta were flavor filled and a perfect genital but hardy stomach filler. The polenta eventually mixes in with the beans as you eat so it's like the dish evolves right before your eyes. yelp.com/biz_photos/QoPv… DINNER Dinner is a much calmer affair. You can usually sit immediately, the waitresses have room to breathe and serve patrons with the grace and attention we all deserve. I would dare to even describe the dining room as calm, serene and romantic. The Wild Dandelion with shaved fennel, celery root, marinated dates, feta & grapefruit ($8) should be outstanding, but the composition is too heavy on the bitter greens. But that's not what turned me off from this salad... it was when my teeth hit the nails on a chalkboard chilling distinct feel of sandy grit on the clearly not thoroughly washed greens. Sorry, but this is unforgivable! The Macaroni & Cheese ($10) is unique in the world of man 'n cheese... I actually find the flavors to be of a somewhat southwestern persuasion. The large ears of orecchiett pasta are encrusted in a heavy coat of non-creamy oily yellow cheddar and chili pepper sauce that I would not consider spicy, but I guess if you're a weakling it might be. It's really more of that warmth that that nothing to do with temperature. I would consider ordering it again, but it will not be my staple dish for dinners to come. CONCLUSION: Better food at brunch but better service and atmosphere at dinner. I am torn.
(3)Jen L.
Food: We had the ricotta and fig paste and the smoked salmon. Both were served with toasted bread (over toasted). The ricotta and fig was a very interesting combination - creamy and crunchy at the same time. The whole thing was drizzled in honey. I couldn't figure out how to eat this since the honey made the bread too sticky to hold but the bread was too hard to cut. I had to forego the bread all together and just eat the ricotta. Maybe you will have better luck. The smoked salmon wasn't very fresh and was more on the mushy side. Drinks: the alcoholic brunch drinks were pretty much virgin and not very good. The bloody Mary had a good amt of heat but boring with very little alcohol. Tea: It's a tearoom after all! They had a long list of flavored teas with the type of teas ranging from green to maté. I had the fiesta, maté with lemongrass and it was pretty decent. They give u your own little teapot and tea pouch. My friend had the coconut tea and it tasted like overly sweet vanilla (ack)! Bottom line: drink some tea, eat else where.
(4)Bianca G.
I don't ever write reviews but wanted to warn any future patrons about how absolutely terrible the service is here. Go somewhere else for brunch.
(2)Sameer N.
This place has gone downhill. The burger is now a whopping $15 without cheese and has significantly declined in quality and taste. I used to laud this as one of the best burgers in New York City. I can attest that it's not even worth a $10 price tag. I'm not a stickler for money when it comes to high quality food but I'm bummed. I ordered my burger and when it came out it had a strange taste to it. I already felt off when I left the place and by the time I got home I was wishing I hadn't gone in the first place. This gets 1 extra star for the service being up to par.
(2)Marin G.
Ambiance: much cuter and more trendy/hipster than I had expected. Food: I had the eggs over beets and potatoes. My friend had the egg and cheese roll. We got a side of fries (see below). I had a great bloody mary and she had a refreshing gin spritzer of some sort. The food was good save for my complaint below. Service: We ordered a side of fries to share - carbs to soak up the drinks before a day of shopping. The fries never came. Our table neighbors ordered fries too. Their fries came. We brought it to the attention of our waitress and she was just like, "teehee, I'll get them." She didn't get them. We glared at her a bunch. Our food grew colder without fries to dip into the eggs... finally the fries came. She wasn't apologetic. Liikkeee, I wanna go back but with so many yummy options around I am not sure if I can. Sure it could've been a fluke but I'm very patient and understanding with waitstaff and this time just didn't make sense.
(2)Ginger B.
Had lunch here this week and I was impressed. The salmon plate is awesome and it comes with yummy thick bread. The service was a little slow, but worth the wait.
(4)Justin L.
I Love the Look and fine For drinking but The food disappointingly fails to match.
(2)Taylour L.
I can always count on Roebling Tea Room to deliver on delicious seasonal dishes that never disappoint. That being said, it's hard for me to order anything besides the burger as its one of the best in the city. I also recommend the "baked sheets" or mac and cheese and be sure to come during brunch as the Bloody Marys are on point. I love the rustic, relaxed atmosphere here. I bring my parents here when they're in town but its also a great place for a date!
(5)Kate D.
Delicious! Stopped in this afternoon with a friend, craving a brunchy-type (read: I want an omelet) meal on a Tuesday. While the brunch menu was of course not available, the lunch options included quite a few egg dishes that all looked amazing. I ordered the poached eggs and beets, with a side of fruit. The eggs were poached beautifully, and dressed perfectly on top of a layer of chopped beets, cooked kale, and goat cheese. SO GOOD. I was practically licking my plate! Even the side of fruit was awesome - I had thoroughly expected a pedestrian little fruit cup with grapes and honeydew; I was surprised with an entire cut-up gala apple, a whole cut-up blood orange, and a whole cut-up regular orange, drizzled with honey and garnished lightly with peppermint leaves. It was gorgeous, and delicious! My friend ordered the whitefish platter and fries, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I tried some of the fries and they were yummy - skinny, skin-on, just salty enough, and heaped into a big bowl. I also ordered a coffee, which was served in a tiny french press. Easily some of the best coffee I've had in awhile! The ambiance is kind of rustic yet airy; the waitresses all look like Williamsburgy peasanty hipster types. Everyone was very friendly, and the prices were totally reasonable - I think our entire meal cost less than $50, with tip. Easy to get to off of the L or G trains; if I lived even remotely nearby I'm sure I would come here often. I want to go back to try their brunch menu, and a Bloody Mary!
(4)Will P.
I like this place. Not the best, but not the worst. Very slow service. I think our food took at least 30-40 minutes. We actually went through the entire bottle of water waiting for the food, a bottle which wasn't replaced. Also would have been nice to get our appetizer before our entrees since those took so long. We received everything at once instead. That being said, it was actually pretty good food. Not sure what the whiner on here sometime before me was talking about how thick the burger was (I'll chalk it up to yet another cheapskate Asian needing to meet her daily whining quota), but that burger was actually very good. It's intentinally thick and its sauce very good.
(3)Buster T.
It's states in the business info part of this page that Roebling Tea Room has free WiFi... Roebling Tea Room does not have free WiFi. In fact, Roebling Tea Room does not have WiFi at all... However - It *does* have a waitress with a sourpuss hipster attitude *and* it also has mediocre food. The ham and cheese sandwich is a particular interesting study in the overuse of sodium and also managed to put a sad end to my personal theory that melted cheese can save even the most boring sandwich...It cannot. Nice ambiance though. It's a shame they can't do more with it.
(2)Rodney A.
Just got back from a Saturday afternoon lunch here and my rating would probably be more like 3.5 rather than a 3... The food was actually pretty good. Bloody mary (single) had a decent spicy punch to it although chunks of whatever spicy goodness kept getting stuck in the straws. Two americano's... not sure if they do the 'endless cup' house coffee thing... I got the baked cheddar eggs which were ok, a tad on the small side. Grits were also ok, not as thick as I'd like them (had to switch from a fork to a spoon) but buttery. Ambience is casual. Lots of room, not too crowded, but probably not so easy for parties of 8 or more. A little too hipster for my tastes but what do you expect for the neighborhood? As for the service, well, this one server at the bar was friendly and attentive as opposed to what some other reviewers have mentioned. It did seem like I was getting rushed out a little fast considering i was one person at the bar and most people that were waiting were parties of 4+. No overall complaints on service from me but I did feel that genuine server-patron connection was missing.
(3)Gabe W.
Really Really Really deserves 4-5 stars, so why give it 3? If I were just reviewing the food, it would be 5 star, would want this ever changing menu for all 5 of my meals every day (yes I eat 5 times a day or not at all! Nothing weird with that). The major problem with the Roebling Tea Room is the staff, behind the bar and waiting on customers, I don't want to make a huge deal of it, but when you work in an establishment where food and drink is key, you have to be attentive. And neither at the bar or when waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more to order, were the staff attentive, they were courteous, but in all honesty, I would rather be yelled at yet be served in a timely fashion. I had no problem waiting for the food, which was an amazing oozing burger, rare, mmmm, with delicious fries, baked mussels or clams, I forget now, but they were good, and grilled calamari. The cocktails were good as well, but the wine left something to be desired, especially for the price and limited selection. Again, lesson should be learned when hiring staff for a restaurant, make sure they are actually acknowledging that they are being interviewed, and not pulling the nodding head trick, or that fish sucking look. Stoopid hipsters.
(3)Duncan R.
Just not good... enough. No. No. No.
(2)Thomas G.
Place really was great, was there with my wife today and we totally enjoyed 4 different dishes and 2 fantastic Bloody Mary's. Atmosphere was great, ate at the bar and he took real good care of us. They really do it right, cant wait to go back. Was going to eat at Fette Sau BBQ but wound up walking out, for a number of reasons, and strolled into this place for a Wonderful Lunch.....
(4)Chew And Revie W.
Stopped in on the way to another bar........I shouldn't have made the stop. At first glance it's impressive with the high ceilings and vintage feel but that's where the beauty ends (well, I'll get to the bartenders in a minute). The drinks we ordered were so sweet!! I added half my water to mine and I still couldn't make it palatable. I didn't go in there looking for a sugar headache. The mozzarella appetizer smelled like seafood. Apparently their menu changes quite often so it's probably hard to know what to even order there. The staff is kind of blase and in slow motion and hard to flag down. As much as the food and drinks suck the actual space is really nice and in theory would make a great location for a party. The only benefit to sitting at the bar was checking out the eye candy bartenders that must have side jobs as actor impersonators Andrew Lincoln and James Franco's character from Spring Breakers.
(3)H. N.
Superb for brunch. The country fried steak and pancake are top notch. Wash it down with a super coffee (brew with bailey's, grand marnier, jameson) and you will have yourself a very satisfying brunch. At night, it's a great place to grab a drink or cup of tea before heading out to other nearby bars/restaurants.
(4)Raja K.
I liked it. We had a quiet date night and it was perfect. Good for reuniting with an old friend or a simple evening with a loved one.
(4)Athena M.
This place is literally one of my favorite spots in the city. I love the atmosphere and the seasonal, farm-fresh menu can't be beat. If you want a comfortable, low-key spot to sip awesome cocktails and chillax with friends, you can't beat it.
(4)Sam Y.
Some may think 2 stars abit low but I'm a hard grader; take it for what it's worth so here we go. The chickie and I were walking by and decided to finally give RTR a try for post-NYE brunch. I was in the cheeseburger mode so that's the direction I headed while she went with the classic eggs and stuff (look for her review). I asked the waiter if instead of the fries they could substitute. He said "sure, we could do a side salad." Perfect me says. Burger comes out with egg/bacon/cheese on top of thick puck of a burger pattie with several leaves of romainish lettuce. Cool. So why 2 stars you ask? First RTR you need to go for the 3/4" thick burger vice 1.5" thick burger profile; much better to eat/handle. Second and most important was the bill. $18.50 for a burger platter. Hooah!! Have to be a helluva burger right? Apparently substitute means 'we keep the fries and charge you $3 extra for lettuce leaves/oil/vinegar'. Now I've experienced better burgers for much less thus the "Meh, I've experienced better - 2 star rating." To be fair however the french press coffee was almost comparable to that which I prepare at home....almost like in "Apocalypto"...Ollllack....
(2)Michael F.
After hearing so much about it decided to check it out on President's day Monday. I was hoping for a place to great a small bite, a great cup of coffee and a table to get some work done. What I got was a very busy brunch place with average coffee, slow service and a crazy brunch crowd (in terms of size). Went around 1pm, and after waiting about a half an hour, decided to to take a seat at the bar with my wife, rather than waiting for a table. Took a while to get the bartender's attention, but managed to get some french press coffee and a Reed's Ginger Brew. Ordered the Cod Hash Browns, which were OK. Much like a "coddie" one would get at an "old school" Jewish deli. My wife got the smoked salmon which was very good, her pumpernickel bread was topnotch. Overall, it was OK. Maybe I just went on a crazy afternoon, but if you're looking for a quiet place to get some work done, this is not it.
(2)J L.
I dined here recently to catch up with an old friend over dinner. I hadn't been in maybe 3 years. My memories were always good: there was a beet item I had once at brunch that was super tasty and there was monkfish special that was utterly divine. But then the neighborhood went out of control and there was just too many other places to eat. While Williamsburg's culinary world is besieged with cool chasing mediocrity it was was exciting to find that Roebling Tea Room, despite enjoying its own cool spot reputation, was still committed to good cooking (I think they may have changed chefs since the last time I ate there). I came on a Thursday night and it was packed with your typical Wburg crowd, which nowadays skews more Yuppie than Hipster. We were invited to have drinks at the bar which was also packed but halfway through our beers (of which they had a highly specialized selection) we were seated in a wonderful spot far from the din and clatter. If you ask you shall receive. Out of morbid curiosity I ordered their version of steak tartar as a first course. The menu explained that it contained kewpie (Japanese) mayonnaise and deep fried chickpeas. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to this dish and this rendition sounded like a disaster. I had to find out for myself. Of course it turned out to be actually amazing. The mayonnaise, which I feared would drown out the flavor of the meat in the way the worst mayonnaise based salads tend to, was only mild and added a subtle creamy taste and texture, which when combined with the nutty and fatty crunch of the chickpea was highly addictive. I could have just had this for dinner and fortunately they do offer this dish as a larger portioned entree. For my second course I ordered halibut with poached egg and asparagus. I lower my expectations for dishes like this: fish dishes with asparagus/greens and some kind of clear/white sauce. They are always a bit simple and often leave me with the "I could have just made this at home" feeling. But this, like the steak tartar, was exceptional. The flavors and textures had so much delicacy and nuance, in trying to figure out how I could replicate them at home I was totally stumped. It was a dish that reminded me of the great pleasure of dining out and the rare culinary experiences that can be had. And for me that is the mark of a proper chef. I will say my dinner guest had the hamburger which visually looked underwhelming. He said it was good but he may have just been trying to be positive. If I had to nit pick on something it would be the fact that it was a bit crowded and that did slow down the service. For me, personally, it was not an issue, but if you're impatient it could have been.
(4)Julie O.
Can't wait to go back... Mac n Cheese - out of this world! Specialty cocktails - so amazing! (Stay away from their white wines by the glass though - yikes.)
(4)C B.
OK, yes, sometimes the waitstaff is a bit cold, and the food can take a while to get to you... BUT the ambience is lovely -love how big the place is, and the high ceilings. Plus, once the food does get there, it's great!
(4)Charles P.
The food is terrible, plain and simple. Let's start with my burger: it was definitely seasoned, but it came way overdone, and you can absolutely tell the quality of beef is not that great. It was also small, and the bun...there's just too many things that need to be fixed. The mac and cheese was watery, and dissatisfying. The dessert (which I thought was going to be good) might have been the worst of them all. Vanilla panna cotta drizzled with balsamic vinegar, sounds amazing right? I thought I was eating snot, and the vinegar was generic $5 balsamic vinegar. Just gross.
(2)Freya C.
This place has a great atmosphere. Vintage-style tearoom transplanted within a converted Brooklyn brick warehouse, with modern-industrial fittings. Table seating and low-level lounges surround a central bar, with a small but appealing outdoor patio at the back. The arrangement makes for good people watching (and hipsters constitute the best social typology to observe, so even better). Wasn't too busy for weekend brunch so we were able to be seated immediately. We ordered: The fig and ricotta on toasted baguette sprinkled with dried cranberries, walnuts and dandelion greens drizzled in honey; The smoked salmon on 2-inch thick cut pumpernickle bread garnished with greens, shredded beets and ricotta; The eggs with diced-beets hash and curly-kale, with a side of toast. Not only did it all come speedily delivered, everything was handsomely presented (amazing colour palette) and tasted fantastically fresh. Portions was spot on, perfectly filling but not oversized. All plates were reasonably priced (circa $10). Lively and congenial waiting staff didn't even budge us for at least 30 minutes after we paid, although it was starting to fill up. When we were finally asked if we might open up the table soon, they were very polite and of course we happily obliged. Would love to go back to try some of their teas next time I need an afternoon break in Williamsburg.
(5)Lakshmi R.
I really appreciate it when restaurants/bars accommodate me if I ask for something that isn't on the menu but is also not a totally crazy request. Case in point: I really wanted a dirty gin martini, which was not on their list of cocktails. No problem. The Alexa-Chung-lookalike server procured it for me right away. Score! Points also for: the tastiness of my friends' mac and cheese dish, the brief but well-curated tea menu and overall warm, friendly vibe. Definitely a good place to stop in, especially in the winter!
(4)Mac W.
Food really good, but the bartender lady with the bun on her head needs to learn a lesson in customer service. Such attitude. Could hear every comment she made about every customer. She should get a job in corporate America and be humbled. What an attitude. Does she own the place?
(3)Karley S.
Awful, bitchy service. The food is fine--a similar quality to the many other nice brunch spots in Williamsburg--however the service is abysmal. I went for brunch this morning and the hostess/waitress--a girl with a black bob and bad tattoos--made my friend and I wait a solid 10 minutes before she even spoke to us, while she chatted to friends. She then refused to seat us at a table, despite the fact that many tables were free, claiming she "wasn't able to fill those tables at the moment." Confused, we waited at the bar. When we request to be seated again 10 minutes later, she just completely ignored me, so we just gave up and ate at the bar. Afterward, two friends of ours came and wanted to have brunch, so we requested a table for 4 so that we could all sit together, but again she told us we couldn't sit, even though the restaurant was only half full with many free tables. She was so condescending and bitchy to us that the nice bartender ended up taking $20 off of our final bill to apologize for her behavior. My friends ended up just leaving rather than ordering food, because they felt so insulted by being refused a table in an almost empty restaurant. I've just read back through other reviews of this restaurant, and I'm not surprised to see many other people noting the horrible, patronizing service.
(1)Maricel T.
I've been here twice. First time was for brunch, second time, for dinner. Brunch was better than dinner. It took about 20 minutes for us to get a table and the lighting is a bit dim inside during the day, even with the large windows. I recommend ordering their grits if you're into cheese and garlic. They serve it with cheddar cheese and garlic. It's got a punch to it. For dinner, there wasn't a wait. The place wasn't as crowded like it was for brunch. You could barely see in there. I don't know why they have to keep to the place lit like a movie theatre. It was hard to read the menu. Maybe they didn't want you to see the prices on their over priced entrees. I ordered the half chicken served with kale and mashed potatoes. Sucker cost $16.50. Not worth the price. I also ordered their mac n' cheese. It's not traditional. It was tangy and I think they added tobasco sauce to it. It tasted sour and I didn't enjoy it. I would definitely come back for day food but definitely not for dinner.
(3)Jennica J.
The Bloody Mary's are great! That's about the only reason why I would go back. Everyone was very snobby. We were getting nasty glares left and right! They didn't bring out my food with the rest of the table so I had to eat while everyone else was finished. The granola was bland and wasn't served with the milk that it says it comes with. The place itself is very beautiful and has a nice atmosphere. The others I was with said their food was good but I have to say this place didn't leave a positive impression on me.
(2)Olivia C.
I came here and tried their "Silver Bullet " tea.. I tried it because of it's cool name... If you were to ask me: what is in "Silver bullet" tea? I would tell you that i don't know and I don't care because it was amazing... and it was the only thing that i had here so maybe i'm the wrong person to judge this place overall, but whatever.. i enjoyed my short time spent here so.... you rock roebling
(4)Rae C.
I have mixed feeling about this place. I love their mac & cheese, the burgers are good too. I was a bit irked after my husband and I came here last weekend for Happy Hour. They supposedly have a weekend happy hour from 6-8, 2 for 1 drinks. But beware- we were charged the normal prices for our $12 drinks because the bartender didn't enter our drink order til after 8, mind you we ordered our drinks at 7:30... We tried to refute the charge but the bartender was no where to be seen, perhaps conveniently on break? I felt like this was sneaky. While I like Roebling Tea room, there are plenty of other restaurants in the neighborhood just like this place where I don't feel like I'll be skimped (i.e. Manhattan Inn, Dumont [best mac at Dumont's, btw]). Aside from all of that, the table service was soooo slooooooooooow. Considering the restaurant was pretty empty, I am not sure why it took 45 minutes for a salad to come out. The food was good, but not the best I have ever had. I don't think we'll be coming back here again.
(3)Bill H.
Great atmosphere for brunch. Classic Williamsburg. Food was okay; the cheddar egg was very good. But the soap wasn't washed out of my water cup. No one came to seat me when I waked in. Poor selection of coffee, tea (they really want you to order the higher margin alcohol drinks) Too many other good options to need to visit this spot again for brunch. I'm sure it's an awesome spot for drinks in the evening though with all that ambiance.
(2)Keith T.
The food was good, the beer was cold, the server was wonderful. The crowd leaves a bit to be desired, but that may just be the Manhattanite in me talking. I don't fit in well in Brooklyn. 3 girlfriends and I came here last weekend. We had to wait at the bar for 20-30 minutes before a table opened up, but with a beer in my hand, I didn't mind so much. By the time we left, we had ordered steak tartare, the salad, macaroni and cheese, crostini and a couple of other dishes that I can't remember. We split a bottle of Prosecco and I had another beer. Everything was polished off by a slice of apple pie. I've had better and I've had worse. The best part of the experience was that, even after ordering so much, our bill was barely over $100 for the 4 of us. Great prices. I wasn't overwhelmed by Roebling Tea Room. Nothing was terrible, but nothing jumped out at me so much that I'd want to venture back to Brooklyn to try it again. Maybe some day...
(3)Lisa M.
Very nice place, food is great. Can't wait to go back for the burgers .....
(4)Brian H.
Get the burger... 'nuff said. Oh, and if you really want to go the heart-healthy route, the mac and cheese is pretty f'n good too. You'll thank me for this advice later.... or curse me when doing an extra hour of "guilt-cardio"....
(4)Carlie D.
I made it a point to try the Roebling Tea Room out before I left NYC. I have to say, I am indeed a fan. It's such a good brunch and dinner option. I wish that their waitresses weren't such rude hipsters but when in Williamsburg...
(4)Stephanie V.
My impression of Roebling Tea Room was that it was a fun experience, the food was pretty good (though a bit greasier than I would normally go for) and it could be managed a lot better. I find it kind of silly that a place that serves brunch doesn't allow people to order egg whites. When I tried to get egg whites and cheese on my egg and cheese sandwich, I was told that there were no substitutions allowed. The place was packed to the gills on the Sunday I stopped by for brunch. The food was very good, but also very greasy due to the massive amounts of (delicious) cheese added to everything. I tried a salad with dates, grapefruit and fennel, an egg and cheese sandwich and some of my boyfriend's egg and cheese with grits. The egg and cheese on my sandwich was the same as the egg and cheese that came with his food, only on bread. It was fun eating brunch alongside half of Williamsburg, but I felt the restaurant was understaffed. It was next to impossible to get anyone's attention. There was also a volume issue. The music was pretty loud which probably wouldn't have been as much of a nuisance at night, but it's a little much in the morning. The menu is written in a cryptic manner listing the ingredients in the dishes without mentioning anything about the preparation....which led to a lot of "What do you think this is?" prior to ordering. This is how I ended up ordering an egg and cheese sandwich, it was pretty much the only item on the menu besides the salads and sides that wasn't described with so much artistic license that you really had no idea what you were signing up for. Normally I'd ask, but I wasn't in the mood to holler over the music and I didn't want to engage our waitress in conversation as she seemed to be waiting on half the restaurant by herself. And honestly....I'm still kind of hung up on the egg whites thing.
(3)Diana T.
Beef tartare is fast becoming one of my fave foods (following yogurt and chocolate of course). Roebling Tea Room makes a killer steak tartare-the flavor of the steak is very mild and rich but paired with fried chickpeas which are loaded with Indian seasonings -you may as well have to close your eyes to eat this dish. Wasn't sure if I levitated. Cool Rummings cocktail tasted kind of like a toned down ginger soda with alcohol-very good. (For the record ingredients are actually-Flor de Cana 7yr. / Tuaca / Soda). The cocktail menu looks well put together-a draw for a future visit. My problem with the Roebling Tea room is portions-measly. Ordered the mussels as an appetizer and I could not have gotten more than a handful-it was pitiful. Noticed entrees ordered by other patrons were also disproportionately small. Don't think the burgers come with a side. The risotto appetizer was tasty, just not special enough to have a wow factor. For dessert, we had a chocolate tort that was rich; it was paired with some whipped cream. It was simple yet delectable. The space seems to be a former warehouse- rafters are visible and it is spacious with a high ceiling. Decor tends towards a 50's sensibility (mason jars are used for decoration) and lighting is dim. There is a bar in the middle of the space and an outside garden that I would like to try during my next visit.
(3)Daryll H.
I used to stop by where hen I lived in the 'hood, and apparently never realized how large it was -- there's a ton of space behind the bar. If it looks full, chances are it's not. Sadly this is now on my "list of places to go to break up with somebody," so its utility is otherwise limited..
(3)Jay B.
Great food, drinks and environment, my only knock on Roebling Tea Rooms is that it is a bit overpriced.
(3)Jackie D.
Really cool space and it's nice that they don't cram as many tables as they can - the huge communal / party table looked fun. However... I ordered the apparently fabulous burger, thinking i couldn't go wrong with this one, and the first bite was delicious. Then, I cut the whole thing in half. The middle of this burger was super rare/raw. So I sent it back (I neeever send things back) and was informed they would have to start over with a new burger (sad). 15-20 min later, another burger. I cut it in half first. It was even more undercooked than the first one. I asked if they could just throw this one back on the grill as it had nothing on it this time. No. Restart the process. The third burger was a little bit better. I cut out the center and ate the perimeter. This part was tasty. They did the right thing and apologized and left it off the bill. Hopefully this was just an off night. But you may want to order the burger "well done" if you prefer your burger cooked all the way through. I hate to be a girl about this, but thinner patties would be so much better for ease of cooking and eating (for me); I wish restaurants would offer this option.
(2)Robyn H.
OK so I am editing my frist review of 2 stars to make it 3 because I went for brunch and it was good. But the service still kind of sucked. Like, zero sense of urgency + attitudes. Gross. I feel like I only go there because it's the hip place to go and all my friends always want to go. The first time I ordered food there it was a cheeseburger disaster and they served my requested medium burger to me like raw TWICE-the manager was apologetic but the waitress was rude and nothing was comped. The food is good but if I have to deal with such marginal service, I want the food to better so it's more worth it.
(3)Mr. Robert Dobalina S.
Four stars for most improved Williamsburg establishment. The service was great on the last visit, which is saying a lot. This joint has notoriously petulant wait staff. But out waitress was friendly and helpful and now I don't have to boycott them anymore. Huzzah! The food, which was always good, didn't fail: the smoked salmon on pumpernickel was simple and delicious, and my coffee fabulous.
(4)Tim D.
Eh, the music was too loud, the waitress was a real jerk and the food, while pretty tasty, was not nearly enough for the stupid high price. We were all like, "Hey we've been here for 2 hours, can we get our bill." And they were like, "psssssh, i guess so...ASS" She didn't really call me an ass but her eyes said she was thinking it. At least they serve Dale's Pale Ale.
(1)Alf O.
Very cool hangout spot.
(4)Rachel M.
Had dinner here the other night for the first time. It exceeded my expectations. They have a great selection of beers on draft - had a Kronenbourg- very yummy. For my meal I ordered the chicken - top 5 best meals I have had in the city. I cleaned my plate! The atmosphere is also really nice - great lighting, cute decor, and they had the windows open to let in the breeze. Just watch out for the hipsters! I would definitely go back - maybe try the brunch one weekend
(5)Deborah K.
So BAD--I don't know where to begin. Service was slow--two hours for a cold hamburger and when asked where the salad was, I got a "you need to be patient." From start to finish, we sat for 3 hours. Plates came out sporadically so that we did not even eat together. And to add insult to injury, the waiter added 20% tip for a party of 6. Nowhere on the menu did it say that a 20% tip would be applied to bill. As we were entertaining guests, I did not want to make a stink about the 20%. BAD FOOD, RUDE WAITER, COLD ENTREES WHAT A JOKE OF A RESTAURANT. DO NO GO THERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY
(1)Sarah C.
This place is super warm and cozy and I love it. What I really appreciate about the Roebling Tea Room is that it somehow manages to be all things for all people-- restaurant, coffee house, bar, general comfy place to hang out and of course, a tea room... I've only come in a couple of times, but the space is just lovely and quite unique. There really aren't a lot of places in this city that feel like you can just curl up with a book and a cup of hot cocoa, but Roebling is one of them. The food is seasonal, Brooklyn-y and from what little I've sampled, tasty stuff, and if tea is your thing, you can lots of different types of it here. I have to say that now that the weather is getting nice, the draw might not be quite as strong, as I kind of associate Roebling Tea House as a nice warm place to get out of the cold, but I'd definitely be willing to stop in again regardless of the season.
(4)Alison C.
My cousins invited my brother and me to catch up over a dinner in Brooklyn one evening. Being foodies themselves, I completely trusted their opinions on the area's restaurant scene. As we approached the Roebling Tea Room, I almost walked right past it. The large stone building resembled more of a factory than a restaurant storefront. A neon sign located above the door displayed the name of the destination and added a Brooklyn-style funk to the space. Once inside, I was delighted by the casual and homey feel. The large square room had a boxy bar in the center with wooden tables surrounding it. The patrons were all lounging and conversing comfortably in the friendly atmosphere. The inventive menu incorporated craft beers, seasonal cocktails, and local cuisine. The offerings are constantly changing to maintain a fresh feel to the ingredients and the chef's inspirations. I began my meal with crisp slices of bread and a margarita-like cocktail called Homer's Day Off, which was infused with hibiscus syrup. The beverage was sweet, tart, and packed a punch. I then ordered a plate of pan-roasted fish, which was moist and flavorful. The accompanying vegetables were just as ripe and satisfying. I also stole a bite of my cousin's macaroni and cheese side dish, which was creamy and comforting. Every aspect of the Roebling Tea Room worked together to form a solid dining experience. The cuisine was light and fortifying; the drinks were refreshing; and the atmosphere was relaxed, yet refined. I would definitely trek back to Brooklyn to dine there again.
(4)Sarah F.
This is one of my favorite brunch spots. A huge former factory space has been beautifully converted to a post-industrial American restaurant, featuring old favorites like smoked salmon and egg dishes, and new favorites like the potato sandwich (HEAVEN) and salt cod hashbrowns with apricot jam. This place definitely appeals to a salty/savory prone palate, although their super coffee is the sweetest, most delicious alcoholic/caffeinated beverage on the planet. Hit this place up early to avoid the brunch lines of hungry hungry hipsters.
(4)M G.
I love the decor and atmosphere at this place. I used to love the food. I'm beginning to wonder if they're under new management or something though. Was just here with a couple friends for brunch. i ordered the beets and eggs. The eggs were raw and the kale+beets were watery and tasteless. There was supposed to be goat cheese, but I was told that the beets were sautéed in goat cheese. what does that even mean? My friends asked for omelets with cheese and received sandwiches with fried eggs and bacon. oh well. A little pricey for very mediocre food. I hope it was a fluke.
(3)Sean C.
Went to Roebling the other night and had the burger. It is perhaps the best burger I've ever had in my life. In fact I've never eaten anything there that wasn't utterly delicious. But I'm repeating myself now. The reason I'm giving Roebling 2 stars is for the music. They play a lot of crap music and they even play some good music, but the issue is with the earsplitting volume. This is a massive candlelit restaurant, but the deafening music destroys any visible ambiance. This all becomes apparent when you have to lean in to your table mate and shout. And for the record, I am 30 not 80. For fuck sake, just turn it down please.
(2)Marie M.
Annoyingly loud in here. And this place is supposed to be a "tea room"? What a pathetic excuse for one. They should really change their name because to me when I go to a place that refers to itself as a tea room I would at least expect a decent cup of it; it's really not difficult to make. First of all...they serve their tea in FUCKING PLASTIC BEER MUGS...really? Not classy. I guess this "tea room" doesn't realize that tea should be served in something called...I don't know a TEA CUP? The dude served us our breakfast tea with cold water that tasted like it was microwaved for five seconds. Did the also pathetic excuse for a bartender not realize that tea is supposed to be hot or does he just lack the sense to decipher between hot and cold? Do not waste your time here if you're looking for anything decent, there are way better places to go.
(1)ReviewHaiku F.
Janet Brunette bar. Open and airy, decent Drinks, nothing special.
(3)Liz C.
I'm a little taken aback by the middling reviews for this place, because I'm pretty confident that I have a relatively realistic gauge on the dominant preferred Yelp aesthetic, and that the Roebling Tea Room hits the nail on the head. Cheap French sides and mains? Yup - a little unmemorable, but in the $6-$24 range. Grandmothers-living-room-decor? Check. Brunch? Uh-huh, very European, with fake OJ and all. Pretentious hot beverage menu? Oh, most definitely. Pretty little waitstaff? Yea, but they're a smidge defective on the response / memory / rapidity / hand-eye coordination front. Despite the staff shortcomings (the last time I was there, the waitress forgot how much cash we gave her and just "took a stab" at change owed. . .), I find myself here pretty regularly, for tea and solitude, or brunch or dinner with a boisterous group (the space is large-and-in-charge; two giant airy dining spaces, couches, benches, tables, et al.). Tap water's even served in those tall glass bottles, for hip's sake!
(4)Iheart L.
So this is an ok place for the standards of Williamsburg. It's really unfortunate since i think the food is good and if it was only based on food - i would've given a higher rating (like 4 stars). But if you factor the shitty service, the snobby hipster waitstaff with no intelligence, the lazy busboys, and and the rude bartenders that think they're god.... all these rejects should be on a TV soap opera instead of working at a SERVICE industry such as a resturant so the 2 star rating STAYS. Then there's the shitty wait. Forget that you made reservations- they will stick you in a shitty corner next to the bathroom which you end up waiting 40 mins for!Typically wait time for weekend brunch is 20-40 mins Dinner - is usually 30- 1 hour. Which really is only worth it at a fine eatry but come on this is Williamburg! Where there's a resturant and bar that lines the streets and are open till at least 2-3am! .... then when you get to the teas--- they are supposedly carrying variety of "exotic" teas BUT it's at a very obsorbent price (which means you're paying 50 times more than the average consumer) then everyone must know---- this place is really not what it cracked out to be. Like a buttaface--- good from a far BUT far from good. BUT... people keep coming.... why? On a particular night... the follow experience was what made up my mind to write this review and to swear I will never patronage this venue again: We were celebrating our anniversary and expected to spend about $200 which isnt even worth the amount we planned to pay the staff that did nothing more than bring the food out. The attitude you get when you finally get seated. The worst service EVER!!! The waitress was really rude when ordering, serving and when asked to refill the waters she never came! This needlessly left a sour taste in both our mouths... This is just another typical night for this place that wants to be Hipster-y.... who invented that catchphrase?? It's not cool to be a hipster - especially when you're living off mommy's dime and are too lazy and untalented to make a living on your own. Come to think of it -I've never met a nice server here after all the times I've been here! NO more. I would rather spend my hard earned money else where-- where real people appreciate that you say please and thank you and give at least a 20% tip!! What a waste of a good concept.
(2)Jim B.
I've been here twice and had the baked flannel hash each time. The goat cheese and fried egg were delicious. What's great about this place is the selection of teas. If I am ever in Brooklyn, this is my go to place for brunch.
(4)Renee C.
5*s for the decor/atmosphere and the size of this place...3*s for the food...I was still hungry afterwards and that's never a good sign for me. It was a lovely spring day where I took my first bike ride across the Williamsburg bridge to the Roebling Tea Room:) How lovely this place was, I took a huge fancy to the wall paper, rustic sconces, hard wood floors, big windows and the outdoor back patio I saw. Food wise I ordered the beet and eggs with kale and 2 fried eggs on top...ok this is where I was a little taken back...it took me literally 5 minutes to finish this, and then nothing...It would've been better if they served it over a piece of toast. My friend ordered the yogurt with fruits and nuts...the yogurt was not the best quality yogurt that could have been served here, another disapoinment....hmmm I'm torn! There's so much potential here with the space they have, all they needed to do is to perfect the food then they will deserve another star, but until theren, there's definite room for improvement.
(4)Sarah W.
On a windy rainy day, Roebling Tea Room was packed(?) and there was some lines for the usual brunch time, but thank god that my friends were already waiting for the table and it immediately sheltered me alright. I've passed by this place thousand times but never tried until today. At first, this place looked pretty spacious with many tables and couch sittings but all were occupied without looking stuffy. Somehow, the whole place has a feel of being in a greenhouse. And because of the ample aisles and walkways, you surely don't need to worry about eavesdropping or elbow tackling with your next tables. Most of all, I liked the food. I had coffee (A OK), Moon Pie tea which was sweetly served in a cute tea pot ($2.75) and beets & eggs(~$9). My eggs were perfectly cooked for the sunny side ups.. no runny egg white, nor over cooked eggy yorks... just perfect. My friend's breads were soft and fluffy so no cutting of your mouth by the over toasted crusts. I really liked the beets potato salad and the sauted kale came with my eggs. And I was so glad that everything was midly seasoned unlike most brunch places where overdo the salt usage. Services were prompt and frequent as you need in this kind of busy places. The extensive tea menu was delightful since I am a tea maniac. By my impression on the food and ambience resembles a bit of Enid in Greenpoint but food was much better with faster service. This is definitely not a RTR (Russian Tea Room) but, the rugged RTR (Roebling Tea Room) well identified and situated itself right in the neighborhood of So Williamsburg. And somehow this RTR was able to afford a longer and trendy tea menus than the RTR (Russian Tea Room) which I am glad.
(4)Rachael M.
Roebling tea room is a favorite of ours for brunch. We usually get the chicken fried steak and the potato sandwich (both huge and delicious) but they do have some great healthy options as well. We always end up staying there for hours because Joe the bartender is awesome! Makes a mean drink and is very entertaining! Highly recommended!
(5)Michael L.
Came to Roebling with 2 friends to grab a drink before a show at the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg. They have a great selection of brews, and although not the cheapest option in the area, they have extremely comfortable couches set up for anyone that wants to stroll in for beer or glass of wine. Great set up, and SOLID date place. I also hear they have a great brunch.
(4)kevin d.
Gorgeously renovated, hi ceilings airy feel despite heavy-wood trimmings. BUT - each time I've gone to hang out its, "Excuse me do you have a reservation?" Friend held engagement brunch, food was bland the service pissy and spotty, and it was costly. I've noticed the food is great as IDEA and INGREDIENTS there -- but terribly bland and disappointing on the plate! Kinda like Lodge around the corner; great ideas and hangout, but bland final product. Better off paying more to hit DINER. Or go to Pies N Thighs and have some good food where the servers are super nice.
(2)Yatou Z.
we 2 spent $90, got NOTHING. If you go there you'll believe me.
(1)M D.
Ah, Roebling Tea Room. Sit. At. The. Bar. The service at the tables/couches leaves much to be desired, what with all of the college-aged hipsters working there who are too cool or too lazy to actually act like they are working, let alone working to make your stay enjoyable. Why four stars? The food is absolutely amazing. The bar staff (especially Erin) is phenomenal. The drinks are very well prepared, and for me to admit that the white wine and rose by the glass (which comes out of a box) is very good is tantamount to sacrelige. I've never had a bad meal here, the dishes (of which many are new every time I go) have never once disappointed, and often pleasantly surprised. There is also a lovely back patio area in the summer, in which you can smoke, which is great. The ambiance is absolutely beautiful and the music is always awesome. If you can find a spot at the bar, which is sometimes inhabited by people sitting for hours nursing one cup of tea *annoying*, sit eat and be merry as you won't be disappointed.
(4)Corey C.
While the decor of the restaurant is nice, and the waitress that served us was cute, our food took a long time to arrive, and when it finally did it was just too salty. Oh, and the fries were limp instead of crispy. The tea was good as well, but the teapots were such that whenever you poured it a good amount would stream down the teapot and create a tea puddle in your saucer.
(2)Kim D.
Chicken fried steak go Now!
(4)Christopher S.
First time there and I so loved this place. Amazing Food, Great Drinks, and a very nice staff. Can not wait to go back.
(4)Lydia T.
Most satisfying brunch I have had in the past few years. I had something that tasted like Kentucky Fried Liver...and fantastic drinks. Whisky sour topped with red wine. tell me about it. Decor was relaxing yet totally worth going over the bridge....
(5)Bo H.
Since the name implies some sort of... well, tea room, and this might be misleading to one who is expecting either afternoon tea or the Williamsburg equivalent of the Russian Tea Room (might be what these guys are going for), it is important to give readers an idea of what this place is good for and what it might not be good for. If I were to rate it on the food alone and take into consideration the costs, I would give only one star for food. The ambience on the other hand is more like 4-5 stars. So lets give you the ups and downs in a succinct list: Ups: 1- The atmosphere/ambience. With huge windows and high ceilings, tasteful decor and a nice big island bar (one side with seats that have backs), the gastropub vibe here is the number one reason to pay it a visit. Americans often don't understand the value of a bar with windows that you go to during the day (i.e. a pub) and Roebling Tea Room gives us a chance to be as happy as the Europeans. 2- Drinks. The drinks are good, though not the best in the neighborhood, combined with the ambience, they give you a good reason to go. 3- Service. At least at the bar, the service is tops. Maybe I missed something the other reviewers experienced, but I had a perfectly pleasant experience with the bartenders. Downs: 1- The food. The food here has been trying for years to get it right, but somehow seems to fall into the category of unsophisticated but experienced cooks whose philosophy is "if you douse it in oil, they will come". Not my cup of grease. Every dish I've had here has been dripping with oil or butter. Almost everything (except for a perfectly cooked linguini) is overcooked, stewed and oily feeling. 2- Cost, Perhaps they are charging for the space more than the food, but the amount of food you get (not to mention quality) for the price you pay is on the infuriating side. The only reason I didn't leave hangry is because the ambience was so nice that I enjoyed being there and forgot how bad the food sucked. 3- Music. The bartenders had really great music on while it was light out, but somehow when the sun set, somebody started blasting something that sounded like the band that wanted to be Pearl Jam. Good thing I arrived early enough to be on my way out. So should you go there? Yes, but go in the afternoon or early evening and have some drinks. And then go somewhere else for dinner and you will be happy you took my advice.
(3)Denise F.
Totally worth the cab ride! In the middle of nowhere, but RTR has a great feel anytime of the day. Couches, tables, you name it! You feel like you are at someone's house. Amazing drink selection - alcoholic and non. Excellent food. Love it!
(5)Anna L.
I decided to give RTR another try over a year after my bad experience after the urging of multiple friends. I have to say, I really like the food here. Not sure if anything changed in their kitchen, but now that I have gone a few times, I can say that I have changed my mind about this place. The table service isn't amazing, but the bar tenders are really nice if you like sitting at the bar instead. Glad I tried it again.
(4)ali f.
All around great brunch spot. Atypical menu items (white fish platter) along with the favorites (baked eggs, pancake) so everyone should be pleased. The wait was not bad at all: 20 minutes at 11:30 Sunday morning. Plus, the space is beautiful and the service is on point. You really can't ask for much more if you want a nice casual Sunday brunch. Well, except maybe a better bloody Mary. But now I'm just being picky.
(4)steve c.
I have to say, I've been thinking about the buttery biscuit I had here a couple of weeks ago ever since. It was insanely good, marred only by the giant slab of butter it arrived garnished with. I know, you hipsters, you fetishize your butter and fat and bacon, but this was way over the top. I admire your nerve while I admonish your waste. Maybe it was the chef's way of sticking it to me, who knows? -- the eggs I ordered came with a side of meat that I politely asked to have something else replace. The waitress, kind, funny and -- for the most part -- helpful, seemed confused. "Uh...like what?" she asked, as though there was nothing under Heaven's dome that could possibly replace their meat ("all our animals are on a program," she'd explained before we ordered). So maybe that 1/4 pound of butter on top of the biscuit that replaced my bacon was the chef's showing his oh-so-fashionable Brooklyn foodie disdain for vegetarians. Who knows? Anyway, about that biscuit. It was heavenly...buttery, pillowy, with just the right amount of heft and crunch. If I could eat one every day and not get fat, I would eat one every day. I don't remember the eggs, and I don't remember if anything else came with my meal (potatoes? Maybe. Who knows?). But I remember that biscuit. Oh yes. I will be back soon for that biscuit.
(3)K G.
What the hell happened to Roebling Tea Room?!? We've been coming here for a few years now and it appears to be on a drastic and out of control downward slide towards un-patronizable. RTR used to be one of my all time favorite places to eat in Brooklyn. I had a roasted chicken for dinner once that I shant soon forget and a baked fruit pancake for brunch that was award-worthy. These remarkable meals were both over a year ago. Of late, my experiences have included: - a caterpillar in a beet salad - enough salt on subsequent roast chicken to kill a crocodile - food poisoning from a $24 bowl of mussels and scallops (how one could get food poisoning from the paltry amount of shellfish served in that dish is a mystery) The quality and quantity of food is decreasing while the prices are increasing. (That's an inverse relationship! Thanks to my math teachers, mostly Mr. Lenz, for that insight). RTR went from a comfortable and reasonably affordable place to get a hearty and hot meal to just another overpriced NY restaurant with scant plates and scanter hospitality.
(2)Elizabeth B.
I liked the looks of this place before I even walked in. Somehow we managed to squeak in without a wait, but a line queued up behind us pretty quickly. I liked the looks of the inside, too. It's a great space with lots of light and tall ceilings, and I am a sucker for toile. Service was about what I expected it to be. Not over the top friendly, but present and dutiful. Fairly speedy considering how busy it was. Coffee -- we had the individual french press -- it was so good! I really loved the coffee. At the time I did not possess the mental capacity to select a tea from the extensive list, so this was the perfect drink of choice. Food -- I had the big baked pancake. You know when people say "too much of a good thing"? Well this is it, people. It was very good -- chewy but not mushy, crispy where it needed to be, accented deliciously with stewed fruit and spiced butter. There was just darn too much of it. I don't remember what my friend had, but he liked it. I am intrigued by the Red Flannel Hash. Next time!
(4)Colleen M.
Went here for brunch with friends last weekend. To put this in context: for the past 48 hours, NYC had been slammed by a killer rainstorm - I'm talking soaking, driving wind and rain. Not fun. Add that to Daylight Savings Time kicking in and a scant 3 hours of sleep, and we were in serious need of a great brunch. Unfortunately can't comment on ease of getting there - I was visiting from Boston and drove out to Williamsburg, so I have no idea how easy this is to get to by train; I do know that one of our friends flat-out refused to hike out here from Midtown. I will say that parking was a snap - I got a space right across the street. Easier than most popular brunch places in Boston! Got to the restaurant at around 11am and were seated right away. The place got more crowded during our meal, but at no point was there a wait to get in. The service was terrific, our waitress was attentive but not hovering, and the environment was great - cozy, and not in that irritating "teeny tiny sit-on-top-of-your-neighbors" way. Just warm, and inviting, and a perfect respite from the miserable weather outside. Best of all, the music selection - Hall & Oates greatest hits? Yes please! I was humming along all throughout our meal. Normally I am a hot coffee, keep it coming, why haven't you refilled my cup yet? kind of girl. But this morning, the chai latte was just what the doctor ordered. One of my companions tried the espresso and it wasn't great - stick to tea here. The menu is extensive and it's not hard to find something tempting. This place specializes in comfort food. I had the baked cheddar eggs with grits. The portion size was perfect - a ramekin of eggs and a ramekin of grits, with two hearty pieces of delicious bread dotted with fennel and golden raisins (a bit of a modern twist on Irish soda bread). The cheddar in the eggs was fantastic, and I am a sucker for good grits. Yum. One of my friends ordered the baked pancake and couldn't finish it - it was huge, and rich, and delicious. We all shared the pancake and she still wound up taking a big chunk home. Another friend ordered an egg sandwich, as well as a side of biscuits and gravy - the biscuits alone could have been a meal, and the sandwich was a significant jump above typical breakfast fare. Best of all, the prices. Most meals were under $10 and I left feeling completely satisfied - this meal stuck with me on my 4 hour drive back to Boston. Highly recommend.
(4)Ariel A.
Last night was my first time eating at Roebling Tea Room, as in the past I had only ever enjoyed their drinks. I have to say the food was really great. It is all fresh and creative and I believe local as well. I would recommend ordering off of the specials menu, which they refresh every day. Everything I had off of this menu was excellent. I ordered the pork chops, and as a recent team-switcher from the herbivores to the omnivores, I found them to be very tasty and moist and it did not hurt that they were covered in a cheese sauce. I also really liked the pickled plate and the pretzel bread that came with it. The server was great and really helpful and the beer selection left me happy. I will go back!
(4)Jessica M.
I love the decor at Roebling Tea Room, but several times I have found their service to be icy at best. Borderline rude. But if you're looking for a good un-fussy cocktail, it is a great option!
(3)Luisa D.
I went for brunch with some friends on Sunday.The building and ambiance were great. At first I was impressed by their tea selection, but upon ordering, several teas were out of stock and in the end, I wasn't too happy with my choice! The brunch menu was different, it was nice to try something unexpected. Despite the creativity, I think some dishes could have used different ingredients ( the Ricotta/Fig would have been tastier with a different cheese, like feta.) The portions were well sized for the price. For the most part, I enjoyed my meal- the creativity in dishes and the ambiance were winners. Portion size and selection were cons.
(2)Brent I.
Went to this Brooklyn jaunt on a rainy Sunday morning with a bit of a hangover. Where to start.. Pros - Big tables for big brunch parties - Authentic food that will make every asian that comes in this place take a picture of thier Blueberry Pancakes - Bloody Mary's are on point! - Unique decor and big mirrors that will make you wonder, "is there another room over there?" Cons - Apathetic, air headed staff - Apathetic, air headed staff - Crowded, and noisey if waiting on a table An ok spot to go to on a sunday morning to grab a good bloody mary and a bit of food. id go back. Maybe... -
(3)Phil G.
I've meant to write this review for some time. I've been to Roebling Tea Room several times in the past couple of years and have always been really impressed with their food and drink selections. Some time in the past 6 months or so, they moved to a daily menu and increased their prices. The last time I ate here it was early November 2010. My food was too salty to eat and I had to send it back (I almost NEVER send food back). The portions were rather pitiful given how expensive the menu was and overall I was very disappointed. Admittedly, I was partly disappointed just because I have been so impressed in the past. I suspect they may have changed their chef. Bottom-line: a great place to go for a drink--fantastic environment and a good wine list--but for dinner? You have a long list of better, more reasonably-priced options in the immediate area.
(3)Meagan C.
Went here on a Saturday around 1 pm with a friend that lives about a block away. We only had to wait about 20 minutes. The menu was interesting and I wasn't quite sure what to expect of any of the dishes. I went for the cheddar eggs and they were out of this world. Cheesy but still fluffy. And the cheesy grits that came with were equally as to-die-for. Top that off with 3 mimosas with a friend I don't get to see often and you have one happy girl. My friend got the eggs and beets and it was also really delicious. The beets were mixed with kale and a dressing (maybe cheese??) with the eggs just perched on top. I plan to visit again next time I am in town.
(4)Katee L.
The space is nice. But the food was just "ok". I got the egg mock or whatever. I almost laughed at the English muffin it was so pitiful looking on the plate. Very messy and haphazardly put together. The fries that came out look old and cold. Soggy in fact. Green tea latte cost $4.50 which is pretty much a rip off and the green tea flavor was not strong enough. I'll be nice and give 3 stars, but really it was more 2.5. If I'm going to leave the city to go to Williamsburg, it better be worth my while. Not so.
(3)Amanda B.
The people that work here are total dicks. Now that THAT'S out of the way, I can get on to the rest of it. The decor is super charming in that vintage-y, rustic thing that Williamsburg has nailed down. It has a gorgeous patio area that gets really amazing light and it just feels like the type of space that you could hang out at for hours and hours, oh, except that the people that work here are dicks. Lunch and brunch here are OK. The tea is good. You're better off coming here during happy hour, grabbing a seat on the couch or on the patio and drinking a cheap pint of Kronenbourg without having to deal with the staff.
(3)Heather B.
Service is zero stars...if you are going to be a hipster DB then don't go into the service industry...and this isn't supposed to be one of those tourist traps where you pay for craptacular treatment. Food-I can only comment on the burger because we all ordered it...5 Stars!!! That special sauce is crack...ketchupy/mayonaisey heaven. So I rounded up on the review because it was a great burger and cooked exactly to medium rare. All that being said, it's hard for me to justify the trek and service when I have plenty of very very good burgers in my hood. Maybe if I were 25 and disaffected...but probably not.
(3)Stephen Y.
Deliberately nondescript neo-industrial facade, in true Williamsburg style, hides vintage decor, nonchalant hipster-esque staff and really quite good food. Good place to go to with a small bunch of friends. Would go back again to try their brunch - presumably for something on the menu. For God's sake, if a place doesn't do substitutions, then suck it up. Back where I come from, they used to feed your kind to the wildebeest.
(3)Michelle A.
We were on a somewhat meandering stumble in Williamsburg, searching for cheap dive bars. This is not a cheap dive bar. It is much better. They have a LOT of teas--many pages to the menu. They offer table seating, a few stools at the bar/food prep area, and cushiony couches. We opted for the bar and enjoyed both the bartenders repartee and the cook/expediter's dance moves to the 80s tunes on muzak. I ordered the Swamp Thing. It was a mixed beverage including honey, muddled fresh herbs, gin and soda. Slightly sweet and verb herbaceous, it was refreshing. Not my standard fruity drink, but it was ideal for a tea room. And, as a Gator fan, I had to order anything named after The Swamp! My drinking partner stuck with his standard Jack and Coke. A healthy pour and an $8.00 price--the same as at the last sketchy dive bar we hit. The menu offerings were limited but thoughtful combinations of healthy seasonal foods. I look forward to returning to dine and update!
(4)Jenna D.
3.8 bloody mary's are good an spicy but u are literally spitting out pieces of horseradish and shit the entire time. and it's premade so you just have to keep choking it down. or order something else. but that upsets me. so i choke and semi-enjoy several of dem bitches. split the burger. which was delicious and messy. my favorite kind. liked the atmosphere and decor, everyone liked their food and got all different things. solid choice for brunch.
(3)Rich R.
Enjoyed dinner the Tea Room very much. Had to kill a few hours on an airport run for a friend, so wanted to find a nice dinner in a laid back environment; mission accomplished. It occupies a great space, Google image search it! But, not while you're eating; read on. I liked the walk up the neon bathed double staircase to the arched entry. The ceilings are high, lighting subdued, this is a classy joint that doesn't make you feel under-dressed. Apparently the menu is always changing, I don't recall my exact dish, pasta something or other. Fresh and well prepared. I learned after the fact there is a "no laptop" rule in effect during the evening and weekends? I definitely violated this house law but did not receive even a slight reprimand or dirty look, perhaps it was a slow night or they knew I am a Roebling newb. Anyhoo Tea Room, I think the rule is inane and 1 star has to fall off the rating. Service was unhurried and very friendly. Nice selection of everything at the bar. Hope to dine here again!
(4)Craig Z.
I love the atmosopher here, and had been meaing to try it forever. The menu is always very interesting, and was when we went, but the food was just OK, as was the service, and I was particulary annoyed that although many people in the restaurant were wearing jackets, the staff did not pick up on the idea that maybe they should close the windows. This was one of those "I really wanted to like it experiences".
(2)Elle K.
Nice ambiance
(4)Sammy B.
"Is it me or is everyone white here?" was the first observation my friend made. I quickly scanned the room and found an Indian girl, SCORE! ASIANS UNITE! Maybe it was that night. Maybe... ah, who cares. Anyhoo, out of both of our meals, the only thing we enjoyed were the fries. Now, that says something about a place when the only thing they get right are the fries. I had the burger which is ridiculously THICK. The sauce that comes with it, a mix of mayo and ketchup, is tasty but since the patty is so darn thick, the taste of the sauce gets lost in a whole bunch of beef. LEAN beef. Lean, dry medium-rare beef. My friend had the baked sheets, or rather, half-baked sheets with 10 tbsp's of salt. I felt my tongue drying up trying a bite of her dish. The fries were really good though.
(2)Gamal H.
Whatever this place is trying to be, I'm not a fan. We decided to continue our day drinking trip through Williamsburg here after visiting some shops in the area. Things quickly degenerated as soon as we walked in. The waitress asked us if we wanted to eat, but informed us that the kitchen was about to close so if we wanted food we needed to order fast (side note; who closes the kitchen at 4:30 pm on a Sunday?). When we said we just wanted drinks she gave us a table but said we had to get our own drinks from the bar because she was only going to serve us if we ordered food, which we had to order quick because the kitchen was closing at 4:30. When we looked at the drink menu we realized that the descriptions of the cocktails were either cryptic or non existent. I almost ordered something with OJ and streak sauce (what?). I waited for my mimosa listening to a grating 30's country soundtrack that only added to my frustration. I drank and left as quickly as I could, desperate to get back to Manhattan. I'm sure the tea room appeals to a wide variety of clients who never want to eat after 5 and are willing to not be served drinks by the waitresses. That's fine. Everyone has their own tastes. I just don't see any reason to go back there. Have fun. G
(2)Amelia M.
Fun ingredients in drinks and great outdoor patio. The indoor scene is cozy and inviting too! Great for a date or just hanging out with friends for good conversation.
(4)Jon V.
Great spot. I love going for brunch. They have great burgers. And excellent bloody Mary's
(4)Sholom W.
Great burger, great fries, seem to have a great selection of drinks. The staff needs to know how to explain items on the menu, I notice I'm not the first person to point that out in a review.
(4)Tal N.
Good food felt like it was a little pretentious vibe. Paid 3 dollars extra for fresh fruit in oatmeal and it was 3 slices of apple and some dried cherries.
(3)Tonya C.
While working in the area, my photographer suggested we come here during our break. I will say if it hadn't been for him, I would have never come here. Of course it is right over the bridge in annoying Hipster capital, Williamsburg. We walked in and I could feel my teeth grind a bit just from the already Hipster-ish look of the hostess. However, I will outright admit, I judged too quickly. Our waitress was pleasant and the food was really good. I ordered the Egg and Cheese Sandwich and it was very good and filling. The vibe is low-key. Although, we were comfortable there, I don't think I would recommend anyone go there alone. Also, be alerted there is only one, unisex bathroom so if you even think you might need to go- go. I don't know if I can say I'll go again, just because of its location, but if I ever meet someone who's in Hipsterville, I'd recommend it to them.
(4)Amanda W.
I absolutely love the styling of this tea room. Huge windows, exposed brick, heavy wooden tabletops, and a patio library. I would go back over again just to sit in the gorgeousness, reading a book or chatting with friends. I've been into kombucha lately so I ordered a glass--it was very good, I'll give it credit (they buy from a local vendor). My BFF ordered the hibiscus iced tea--nothing fancy--it's exactly that, no added flavors and the inviting color you'd expect. The low star rating is for their less than dazzling loose tea menu. They do a way better job than just about any coffee place you can go to, but if you're as nerdy about tea as I am, don't expect to be impressed. Basic blacks--chai, earl grey, eng breakfast. A couple of greens--a sencha and if I remember correctly a genmaicha. Nothing particularly adventurous. I watched someone else order hot tea and they don't brew it properly. A glass of hot water, an empty infuser, and a ramekin of your chosen leaf. I mean, the way it looks is super hip, but no way you can get a snob's brew from the leaves that way. To complement our beverages, we ordered the steak tartare. Again, it was good but not great. Very salty and very oily. Steak itself was delish--tender and flavorful.
(2)Estilomina P.
Roebling has lots of good qualities and overall it's a lovely little place to have a nice meal with friends. It gives you sort of a cavernous feeling because the ceiling is so high and the decor/tables are so dark. The menu is always rotating and that let's you know you'll have top notch seasonal food. I took a friend there for his birthday and on a Saturday evening, it was packed. I can see this being good for a date b/c of the flattering lighting and the overall dimness although most of the tables were occupied by groups. My companions both had the burger which they really enjoyed, I had an absolutely delicious seafood stew that I would repeat in a heart beat. Very nice beverage selections as well. Everyone I know who has been here has enjoyed it.
(4)Matt O.
Great poached egg omelet....drinks were on point as well, heavy pours ;-)
(4)David B.
It's unfortunate because I had been there before and had only sung the praises of it since, but after yesterday I will not be returning to the Roebling Tea Room. I went there the other afternoon for brunch. The staff treated my girlfriend and I like garbage and our food took forever. I usually try to give workers in the food industry the benefit of the doubt as they have a tough job and things can get crazy for them but this was something completely different. The way the hostess and bartender treated us was disrespectful and made us feel as though we were below them. We were both friendly and willing to look past the fact they forgot to put our food order in and yet the staff still seemed to treat us with disdain. It was insulting and unprofessional the way the bartender questioned my girlfriend's wine choice (insinuating that it may be too pricy) and we felt annoyed and ignored for the better part of what should have been a fun dining experience. We ended up waiting almost 2 hours for our food (for a breakfast sandwich that should only take 5 minutes to make) and it came out tasting like something you could get from the McDonalds breakfast menu. Overpriced cocktails + Mediocre Food + Shitty, pretentious staff = a poor review and a lost future customer.
(1)cazzo c.
Nasty terrible racist waiter ( that tall caucasian male with long hair) This review is based on that male racist sh*thead waiter. Other waitstaffs were friendly enough. We walked in and he ignored us for the rest of the night even when we tried to get his attention. Until the other male bartender with glasses tended us which he was nice. Later in the evening I happened to asked that long hair sh*thead a question regarding the food menu, he treated me with " you no speak English shi*t " I would have gone all psycho on him but I was with guests. I hope he is the manager and will run this place to the ground or he should be fired for being such a racist scumbag. NEVER AGAIN..........
(1)Talia G.
After a subway fire fiasco and an hour of failed attempts to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn, I FINALLY made it to the Roebling Tea Room at 10:30pm on Thursday for dinner. Good thing it wasn't SF...nowhere would have still been serving food! I ended up ordering a House Salad ($9), the Burger ($14), and multiple beers (drafts usually $6). The salad was not what I was expecting. It was made with an unusual form of lettuce (mostly stem with tiny leafs coming off) which was then drowned in a vinaigrette of some sort. Not my cup of tea, but I was hungry so I ate it. The Burger was much better than the salad and it came with a HUGE amount of fries on the side. The patty was juicy, medium-rare as I requested, and clearly hand-made. My only complaint was that they lathered in in too much of their "special sauce". It was a good sauce, but needed to be applied in a smaller quantity. It overwhelmed the burger a bit and made the whole thing overly messy. Lastly, we ordered some form of chocolate cake in a mint milk. I don't remember how it was advertised to us, but that was the result. (Crispy) chocolate cake sitting in milk that apparently was supposed to have a mint flavor. Odd. Not bad, but odd. I was so hungry by 10:30pm that I enjoyed what I ate, but looking back on it, nothing was particularly good. And on top of that, it was quite a pricey meal.
(2)Greg Z.
They get 3 stars for the shrewd waitress who very nicely comped our burger after their cook couldn't figure out how to make it medium. It was raw the first time and very rare the second time around (And they only have 3 or items on the lunch menu). They have a relaxed vibe and pleasant decor however there's no need to blast music at 2 pm. Come on. It's the afternoon and people want to chat. Turn it down, please. I will go again just based on the waitress' actions but maybe just for a cocktail and, or coffee.
(3)Nelson L.
I've lived a couple blocks from this place for years, and just haven't really gotten into the routine of coming as often as I should. Not sure why, their food is delicious and their bartenders and servers are amazingly accommodating. But lemme first tell you about the cheeseburger here. It's amazing. I don't use that word lightly. I mean, truly. It's like getting a backrub from an orgasm. It get it with gruyere cheese which melts around the patty like a fountain of children's tears, and once you bite into the beef, it's as if you looked into the sun, but instead of going blind, you found a bunch of koala bears riding rainbow unicorns and rapping Dr. Dre. It's just that unbelievable.
(4)T H.
Came here as a party of 6 after the WilliFest Film Festival. The staff was very friendly and accommodating to any request we made. Food was tasty, drinks were good and atmosphere mainly was great - dim, warm and not too loud. Took a peek at the outdoor patio and it looked like a nice area for a larger group or just for a nice brunch during warmer weather, evening drinks or a date. Definitely recommend this place to accommodate a number of occasions.
(5)Daniel K.
Nice place - well worth a visit. Drinks and dinner were good. Atmosphere was a delight. Nice date night with my wife.
(4)Franny A.
Quaint bed and breakfast decor meet huge industrial space. Soaring corner with bustling main room, quant smaller areas and even a backyard. Menu of teas- of course this is a tea room. This is a Brunch review. BIG pancake is ONE of the Best in town. Gorgeous, Circular pancake, almost cake- like with stewed fruit. $10. Ordered a side of bacon and my friend Karen practically salivated as well as ate alot of my amazing pancake. This pancake is a STANDOUT!
(4)Peter N.
Normally love Roebling Tea Room but our dinner experience there tonight was the pits. Service was incredibly slow, food came out one dish at a time with long stretches between. Burger was supposed to be medium rare but came out dry and overcooked - server was nowhere to be seen to send it back. And the side of kale was a soggy mush. The mac'n'cheese was delicious as always. Will think long and hard before returning.
(2)Aristocrat J.
Yea, I like it here. I'm mostly a fan of the presentation. The rustic wood/steel furniture, high ceilings, mason jar, little teacups feel of this place. Yes, the pancakes, baked eggs with cheese and burgers were all very yummy but nothing really extraordinary. It is worth it. Who doesn't LOVE comfort brunch in a very relaxed environment? Some say it's Williamburg's living room - which it is. Calling all yuppies and trendsters alike....
(4)Jeanne C.
This place has amazing pâté. Best I've tried which may not be saying much because it's not like I'm eating it every day but it was very good and was more than enough for 4 to share. We ordered the pâté, burgers, and mussels. The mussels were good for 3 people to share, spicy, and bold. The burgers were quite good just a bit salty for my taste. The cheeseburger comes with 3 different cheese options and is served with their house sauce which tastes like salty mayo. Really juicy and filling so I couldn't finish it all. The atmosphere is nice although the music was so incredibly loud my voice was strained after an hour or so. We gave up on talking halfway into our meal because a.) the food was pretty good and b.) it was too loud to even try to talk. The service was good but so slow. We got our food well after two separate tables that were seated after us received their meals. Even the pâté which would have satiated our hunger a little took so long to arrive...they must have been killing the geese...All-in-all though a solid meal to enjoy with good company and I would definitely go again.
(3)Nihaahs E.
Great
(5)Amy C.
The restaurant is easy to miss unless you know to look out for it. We had a baby shower here for a friend which meant the 9 of us took up a third of the front part of the restaurant. Despite the size of our party, the service was great and there was a short wait for the food. The food itself is not your usual brunch fare. Think contemporary hipster gourmet. I ordered the Egg Mock which was their version of the Egg McMuffin. I usually don't like breakfast at McDonald's but I was curious about their twist on fake eggs and processed cheese. Turns out I got a real sandwich with real eggs, cheese, and Canadian ham. The fries on the side were a little salty but had a great, crispy texture.
(4)Dan C.
I live right around the corner from the Roebling Team Room, and often visit here when I get a hankering for their amazing steak tartare and a good cocktail. Food is always delicious, meat always done perfectly, and cocktails mixed just right. Service has always been great (although night time staff seems to be the A team, and day time is the D team...it's like they don't even work there during the day), and the specials are usually something you'd want to hear about. Great place, very warm, perfect for a date or small group, will be returning frequently as I have been over past year.
(4)Antonia P.
Arrived on a Sunday at 5:30 and had a cocktail before dinner service began at 6. The restaurant was quiet at this time with no wait. Large, arched windows and glass hanging lamps combined with rustic wooden tables and patterned wallpaper conforms with the industrial-meets-vintage-parlor vibe pervasive in Brooklyn restaurants and bars today, though is still charming, at least to me. The food and cocktails were creative and bursting with unexpected flavor combinations, making for a fun eating experience, with surprises in each bite. Garlic Scape Knots with Parmesan and Marinara -- Garlic scape, or the stalk of the garlic plant, is asparagus-like in size and texture and here tied in elegant knots and deep fried in a thin, crispy batter, and dusted with salty, nutty parmesan. The rustic marinara sauce, with bits of artichoke in it, was one of the best I have ever had. Asparagus with salt cod and mustard seeds -- This dish was wonderfully subtle, with ever so slightly charred asparagus draped in a mild, velvety mustard sauce, crunchy mustard seeds, and chunks of chewy yet delicate cured cod. Braised lamb with baby artichokes, olives, za-tar and tzatziki made with cattails instead of cucumber - Complex, layers of Mediterranean flavors made for one of the most intoxicating braises I have ever tasted. The dish was so rich and on the salty side, so would have benefited from some crusty bread, or better, a side of cous cous with fresh mint, to soak up the sauce and mute some of the boldness. Hangar steak -- I only had one bite, but it was perfectly cooked with an herb I could not detect and toasted farro. It was very fresh, summery and light for a steak dish. Panna cotta with strawberries -- while the flavor was perfect, with creamy, vanilla bean infused panna cotta, toasted bits of shortbread, and charred strawberries melding into a riff on strawberry shortcake, the panna cotta itself did not set properly, or perhaps was just partially melted by the hot strawberries. Still delicious.
(4)Alex V.
Small portions Rip off Music is too loud. Tight space Poor service Disappointment.
(1)Matt S.
I have been trying to come to Roebling Tea Room for almost two years, but never made a night of it to have dinner, or even a couple of drinks. Finally this past Friday when my girlfriend and I couldn't figure out a place to stay and drink, we walked up to the Tea Room. Upon arrival, it was empty and it stayed like this for the hour we were drinking, which was unusual. I would have thought Roebling Tea Room would have been quite busy for a Friday night at 11pm. We were told we couldn't order food if we were just drinking and not having dinner, but the bartender made an exception and let me order my fries ($5), which was a large order of crispy and deliciousness. We ordered two drinks, both being $10, which seems to be the norm around Williamsburg for a specialty mixologist cocktail. The Kirby's World and Swamp Thing were our choices and they didn't disappoint. Both were much larger than other cocktails we have ordered in similar 'mixology' bars (Death&Co. or Counting Room) and were also quite delicious. When walking out, we made the decision to come back on a nice night with all the candlelight and finally have our romantic, date night dinner.
(5)Queen R.
I should have rated this place when I first came here about 3 years ago. I really need to start yelping at the moment, rather than some time later. *Note to self* That said this once unique 4 star establishment has turned itself into 2 stars. I've been dying to get my bf here for some time. I wish we would have gone to the 39352355 other establishments in the burg. Let's start with the fact that my bf and I waited 15-20 min for a bartender to approach us. When I was fed up, I had to raise my voice, to get a response of we'll be with you in a second. I guess hipsters have half the brain cells of a typical moron, and since we were already seated, and wet our appetites with the drink and food menu, I reassured myself our bartender/ server was having a bad day. Hey it happens, right? Well our drinks were off. Off with the amount of ingredients advertised on the menu and those used. The food was a tad over-priced, but um interesting. The tea menu has been drastically reduced. I'm glad I had great company, but this place is a never again!
(2)Kyle E.
really good food and beer, good date spot- i miss this place.
(5)josh j.
If there is any hype surrounding this place, it seems well deserved from our one experience. Dang good food for the gourmet inclined. Service was super nice, hip to the cuisine and all the while laid back. Not fancy but everything seemed well paid attention to. Bistro style. Looks like they have some nice huge communal style tables and even a private event style room so this joint could be a great place for a fiesta especial.
(4)David D.
Above average, breakfast and brunch, good coffee and hospitable staff.
(3)leigh ann q.
I am torn because 50% of the time I am extremely underwhelmed with the food here, and 50% of the time I think its delicious...its very hit and miss. Which is why if there is a line, I will always pass. But, no line...sure, why not? Most times I've been satisfied has been over brunch, they have some tasty selections. I think what keeps me coming back though is the decor and closeness to my home :)
(3)Michelle S.
Bottom line: food is not good. I've been here twice, both times not impressed. Everything I've ordered came highly recommended too: cheddar eggs -grits was sooo watery, eggs were bland, toast was okay. Ricotta and fig- weird ricotta with trial mix on bread that's impossible to bite through. My friend had the eggs and beets- nothing special, definitely not worth $10. Bloody Mary's are just okay. Waaaay better options in the neighborhood. The atmosphere of this place is cute (but lord help your tush if have to sit on that long bench against the wall). Service is great; friendly, happy, attentive waitstaff. Eh, there's just so many better, tastier, less expensive places in the neighborhood, I just wouldn't recommend anyone come here for brunch.
(2)Lucy V.
The place is OK, but it is ludicrously expensive. It reminds me of Balthazar or Pastis, a place with a good looking staff, beautiful decor, and a nice looking crowd, but you pay through the nose for all that window dressing. Def for rich people only.
(3)Nick S.
My friends went for breakfast I went for a burger. Oh gosh did I have a burger. One of the best ones I have ever had! It was a thick patty topped with mayo, bacon and a sunny side up egg! I have never had a burger with an egg on it before. It was a delicious treat! The burger was around 17 dollars which I would understand if I was in NYC but considering it was Brooklyn I'm not sure it should have been so much. All in all the burger was delicious so I guess I got what I paid for. The side of fries were cooked just right and tasted amazing with mayo and ketchup mixed. It was not busy around the time that we were there (1pm). The atmosphere was calm and relaxing. No loud music!! Ok time for me to get off yelp. My mouth is watering for another burger!!!!
(4)Brittany L.
OK, all I need to talk about the poached egg omelet. It's quite possibly the naughtiest (grossest?) thing I've ever tasted. It's exactly what it sounds like...poached eggys tucked inside more eggs drenched in hollandaise (read: more eggs). It's amazing. Additionally, the wallpaper and decor is quite lovely.
(4)Elaine L.
Pancakes good for 2-4 people in addition to your personal entree, chicken steak (5 stars for the chicken, 2 stars for the biscuit) perhaps. We've always only came for drinks and loved the vibe and coziness of the restaurant/bar. In honor of craving pancakes and not having eaten at Roebling yet, we went here for brunch with a quote time of 40 min but were seated in 25. The pancake had the thickness of about two stacks of regular pancake. The chicken steak was like a battered flank steak (beef). It was very good (crispy batter) despite my distaste for gravy. I would come back to try to cheddar eggs. Black Eye Chai: Not bad! If you want an upper and downer: Super Coffee.
(4)Justin V.
This is definitely one of my favorite places to drink. I've never eaten here, but I enjoy the atmosphere very much and they have quality beers on tap (Allagash, Dale's Pale Ale), which of course is very important to me. I've only been here at night, and it is always quite filled up. The only light that is present is the candles on the tables and the lights from the kitchen in the back; a very romantic, yet energetic atmosphere. At the back of the building is a lounge area that is very comfortable, so in my experience the people that are sitting near are very relaxed and open to conversation; so maybe it can be a good place to meet people. I'm always excited about visiting here. I think it is a perfect spot for a date, but also a great place to have relaxed conversation with friends and possibly strangers as well.
(5)Nikki H.
I've been here numerous times before today when I went in for lunch. I started to get really hesitant to suggest going here because I was certain that a requirement to work here was "Never fucking hurry!!!!" I mean, 3 hours for tea and sandwiches seems a bit ridiculous. I know this is Williamsburg, and the staff is probably hungover from a night of cocaine and sparks, or they are stoned, but geez, they were SLOW. Well, someone got the memo to change their ways and today was a much better job. I think I only had to wait an hour. I'd give more stars for decor, tea selection, and pretty decent food, but I'm still bitter from the past experiences.
(3)sarah d.
(Brunch review only.) Roebling Tea Room has tasty food, a convenient location, and cute decor (waitstaff included). The baked cheddar eggs mentioned in many reviews are tasty and cheesy; but the real star of that entree is the fennel raisin toast with apple butter. I highly recommend ditching the baked cheddar egg entree and instead customizing an egg and cheese sandwich (with bacon!) to include that fennel raisin toast. The salty and the sweet combine to create a brunchy superfoodgasm that will take the edge off of any crankiness incurred by the inattentive service. Also a word of warning; the "crispy potato" side is not homefries; its potato chips. Tasty and housemade, but still, a different food. While (as a Tearoom), they've got an extensive tea menu, they also have amazing coffee. Seriously, the americano is one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had. The first time I came here for brunch I came back in the afternoon because I couldn't resist the call of that americano. It is rich, smooth, almost chocolatey, and so strong that no amount of milk can triumph over it. As for the service...they always take your order fairly promptly and bring out the food fairly promptly. After that you'll have to do some arm waving or eye catching to flag down your server if you want something, otherwise you could end up living the rest of your life at that table. But, this doesn't really bother me. They feed me promptly and are sweet when you can catch them; thats good enough for me. Also recommended to try: Ricotta with fig paste, smoked salmon plate.
(4)Sydney K.
I've been here for drinks more times than I can count, but I never wrote a review because I really wanted to try the food. I finally did just that this past weekend and absolutely loved it. Yes, their cocktails are fantastic, and the decor is beautiful, the food is on another level. We had the egg and corn raviolo, which was creamy and salty and absolutely perfect for dunking the big hunk of foccacia in that is served with it. Next was the tuna tartare with fried chickpeas, also served with crusty bread (give me bread or lose me forever), which was fresh and delicious. My husband and I split the duck, which was served with chorizo and clams - unexpected, perfectly cooked, and the best way ever to end a meal. We had to wait a while for our check, and our waitress kept passing by us as we stared at her with our empty drinks obviously waiting to leave, but I don't even care because I left fat and happy. This is a great romantic spot or a place to take your parents if they are in town and treating to dinner.
(4)Kyle D.
It's currently getting harder to say what the best Brooklyn restaurant is these days, but I have certainly come back to this one the most and its truly rewarding in so many ways each and every time. In terms of stylistic and artist approach they've essentially nailed it. The music used to be better at dinner time, but I remember going one afternoon with Satie overhead. I think it would strike certain employees and eaters as strange to play more quiet or classical music here, but it fits the food and wine (and tea) experience to a T (tea) ... I brought some Canadian lackeys here recently and they were blown over. I usually recommend it to anyone staying in the fillet of the Williamsburg neighborhood. Definitely one of the prime cuts of Brooklyn here. I think it's difficult for them to add an up to the date (second) menu online for them as they are constantly making new and very interesting changes and variants to their dishes. They had so many superb variants on a pork chop about a year or so ago that it nearly killed this old goober head. I love thy place and strongly commend and recommend.
(5)Amy R.
Sigh. Roebling Tea Room was my favorite brunch spot of all time, simply because of the cheddar eggs dish. I would wake up hungover on many-a Sunday morning craving the cheesy grits and apple butter. I went back for a one-year anniversary brunch with my BF and was appalled to see that the cheddar eggs were removed from the menu. Now, I must search for a new favorite brunch destination. Le sigh.
(2)Jacqueline S.
Egg dishes here tend to be the best, but obviously the teas are fantastic (I prefer the lychee tea). Veg friendly, but not so vegan friendly (limited). Never had a problem with servers. I think it's a little overpriced for what you get, especially compared to spots around the area.
(4)Lisa N.
Dear Roebling, You are pretty alright by me. Red flannel hash is pretty amazing, although I wish your portion was slightly bigger...more beets please! Oh and desmicious baguette toast with butter and jam! YUM! You are fantastic for brunch and also lovely for dinner. I honestly don't think you have ever disappointed me. What happened to the cinnamon toast? My guy friends like the level they are seated at because they can turn their head and have a fantastic waitress butt in the face. True story. x
(5)Rosa S.
I wanted to like this place. I really did. It's in a great neighborhood, the waitress was friendly and very helpful, and the service was good. The food, on the other hand, was abysmal. I had the Journeyman's Steak, medium-well, which is how I always get my steaks. It came out hard and bloody. It was like eating into a car tire. I spent half the time struggling to cut into the steak with my knife and the other half trying to chew it. Not fun at all. I was here on a date and couldn't unwind because I was, for one, worried that I looked like a cow grazing on grass. That's how tough this steak was. The fries that came with the steak were the only highlight of the meal. I asked the waitress for mustard and received the most delicious dijon mustard I have ever had. At that point, I gave up on the steak and just ate fries. The fries were very good, which is why this place is getting 2 stars instead of one. At least something was edible. I might go back for their fries with their amazing mustard, but as for a meal? Nope.
(2)Terry J.
Pros Great atmosphere, well designed, beautiful outdoor seating. Full Bar Food is delicious and priced nicely The staff is attractive Great place to bring a date Cons The food isn't amazing If you eat there for dinner, bring night vision goggles The staff, although they are nice on the eyes, are not very nice. Overall, I think they have got a good thing going on.
(4)Jm J.
it is a beautiful space with nice background music and ambient and it is very nice to seat there, the food is very tasty and worth the price. large portion. interesting creations. the cocktails on the other hand where weak and not good choices.
(4)Mateo S.
I've been here several times for lunch, and I never realized they had a late night scene, or served dinner/drinks for that matter. My friend suggested it for a pre-wedding dinner last night and it was a very pleasant surprise. Four of us arrived around 9:30, to a packed room, with no reservations, but were sat within a very reasonable twenty minutes. While we waited we had delicious ginger fizz cocktails at the bar. This place gets very loud and the menu is pretty cryptic- no prices, no food descriptions... just single headings: pasta, steak, fish, salad #1, salad #2, so communicating with a server can be a frustration. She was attentive, but had to reference a cheat sheet often to give us pricing or entree details. Just list it all out on the menu! That said, that is one of my only quibbles. The food was outstanding and super fresh. I started with a dozen oysters and then a beet salad with Stilton and walnuts. I ordered the entree portion of the steak tartare- thick cut and enlivened with the creative addition of fried chickpeas (but perhaps a few too many capers). It was huge... if I returned I would order the appetizer portion. I'm not usually a dessert person but the vanilla panna cotta was one of the most memorable I have eaten recently. The room is drop dead gorgeous, the bathrooms, not so much. Multiple stalls are crammed into a unisex space that would comfortably accommodate just one. It creates an awkward and uncomfortable experience, not to mention a crowded one!
(4)Christine L.
uggggh I had a good time but I think that was only due to the good company I was keeping since when do you turn huevos rancheros into bean soup with grits on the bottom? the waitress did not describe the "drunk beans" in a way that would make me think they were soup. and it didn't come with a tortilla or anything so we had to order biscuits which is just... unnecessary. also I had 2 cups of coffee and am still not awake from it. ALSOOOO we were a party of 6 so yes, they added tip, which was 20% (?!) which really pissed me off because the waitress deserved at THE MOST, 10%. and I'm generous! eh. well, the biscuits were good and I heard the buddha finger (heh) tea was tasty as well.
(2)JaShin T.
My friend told me about this place, so I decided to try it out. When I walked in, I really liked the vibe. It's a nice open space with tables in the front and side and a more loungey area with sofas behind the bar. I could see myself sitting here working on my laptop if I lived in the area. Ordered the recommended chai latte while waiting for my two friends, and that was delicious. When we finally sat down to eat, I was a bit disappointed. The food wasn't anything special. One friend ordered the salted cod hash brown, and it came out look like two jelly donuts, except it was all potato...kinda like mashed potatoes shaped into a donut and mixed with very little salt cod. My other friend ordered the recommended BIG pancake. It was tasty but definitely too large for one person and very cakelike. I ordered the red fennel hash which was cubes of potatoes mixed with beets and goat cheese and two friend eggs on top. Mine was the tastiest out of all of them, but still not impressive. The best things we had were the teas. So I'd recommend this place if you're looking for a place to do some light work (it's a bit loud in there) or just chill with some friends over some drinks or tea. Good atmosphere.
(3)Rebecca S.
Just came here for drinks with friends the other night so I cant comment on the food. the big table in the back was perfect for our big party. However, my friend saw a giant cockroach in the bathroom. I realize this is BK and yes there are roaches everywhere, but still.
(3)Lee J.
The space is pretty and airy. Too bad that the staff seems catty. It's just not my kind of place. I've been a couple times and could never feel comfortable. I won't be going back. Food is pretty good but nothing earth shattering. Comfort food with a twist.
(2)Juha U.
This is one of the many casual places within minutes walk from our place. I've gone there every now and then since I moved here in 2006. I really like the place. It's cozy and comforable inviting one to stay for a long time. I also very much like these places where you can equally well have a cup of coffee (very good), a glass of wine or beer (a pretty decent selection), or some food (not super, but basically healthy).
(4)cobra c.
One of my favorite cheeseburgers in ny! why? they use mcdonalds secret sauce, EDIT last time i ate there the burger was not so good
(3)Craig P.
i like tea. i might even say at times i love it. i don't know the fancy names of many of them but i do own a teapot in the shape of an owl with matching tea cups that upon filling, are rendered too hot to hold. so yes tea would seem to be the topic of this review given that this establishment's name is aptly titled "roebling tea room". enough about tea. i'd like to suggest we rename this place "roebling HELLA DANQ BURGER ROOM" OMG the burger was so good. soooo gooood. like i pretty much only will order the burger there because it's just that good to me. we all have different opinions on what makes a burger good so i'm not going to bore you with my version but let me just say these few words. perfect juicyness from the right fat to meat ratio Blue cheese mmmm awesome bun ok you're bored. shut it. go here and get the burger. seriously. oh and some tea.
(4)Eric M.
Roebling Tea Room is pretty much everything that all the reviewers so far have said. So let me reiterate some points. The hipster waitresses are right out of American Apparel, though they have always been nice and attentive when I needed them. The tea selection is great and the food is always fresh and appealing. I recommend coming here at night and grabbing a seat for a while and just chatting it up. It is a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy one and others company. As for the comment that everyone is prettier than you at this place, I found that hard to prove as it is so dark that you can typically only see the person sitting right in front of you. Everyone looks pretty in the dark.
(4)Katherine R.
J'adore Roebling Tea Room. I moved to Williamsburg less than six months ago. There are a million wonderful restaurants, many with good weekend brunch deals, but week after week I find myself back at Roebling Tea Room. Why? I love the space. I love the sunlight pouring through the windows, making you squint as you sip your perfect tall Bloody Mary. I love the baked cheddar eggs; the cheese-topped grits; the smoky bacon; the smoked salmon plate with the thick slices of pumpernickel, beet relish, cream cheese and capers. There's a delicious gourmet-style burger -- the super thick and juicy variety, served with your choice of cheese and a tangy sauce. And the baguette. My god, the baguette. Lightly toasted, perfectly crusty, side of butter. I fantasize about the baguette all week. Weekday lunch has some of the same staples as the brunch menu, but adds some gems, like a delicious steak tartare, more cubed than minced, accompanied by slices of fried (fried!) bread and deviled eggs. At dinner, the steak tartare comes in an entree-sized portion with crunchy chickpeas and capers. I've had a delicious, moist chicken with a crisp, salty skin, served with kale and a soft dumpling. For dessert, I've had a slice of glazed toffee cake topped with fresh whipped cream and a few sprigs of mint. Basically, the food is delightful, the space is ambient, the crowd is appreciative and hipster-y. The service can be a bit slow, but then, the restaurant can be a bit busy. I usually have to wait about 10 minutes for a table during prime brunch time on weekends; I've never had to wait during lunch or dinner time. But I would wait. Because it's worth it. The tea's good too.
(5)ashley h.
This place in delicious, and they serve Brunch 7 days a week which is genius, but what's up with the service?? I mean all the servers are totally nice, but does management require them to smoke a joint before they come in? Seriously, look alive people!
(4)Nathan L.
Love this place, love the space, feel like I can concentrate here....like that it's slightly off the main drag....great burger, nice salads, kicking mac and cheese.....staff is super sweet if slightly cool for school which is par for the course cos it's Wburg. I have kicked it there on my lonesome and have rolled up with a group of like 15 people, and they're always welcoming. Yup I dig this beautiful place, would give it 5 if they had truly killer desserts. Which they don't. Otherwise a fantastic, home away from home kinda spot.
(4)Justine M.
Man oh man. So much potential wasted on attitude and plain rudeness. The place is beautiful - interior is thoughtful, elegant and fun. It is only overshadowed by the dreamy back porch... so damn charming. Basically, my idea of interior design heaven is this place. Sadly, the attitude of most people who work here keeps me away. I have been here over 5 times and last night was the first time I had a nice bartender. Two weeks ago in fact, a hostess basically told my table to leave. We would have ordered more, but instead all decided we would never dine here again. In summation: Go for the decor, but do not expect screaming or even pleasant customer service.
(2)Jennifer G.
epic burger win.
(5)ryan b.
Likes: Atmosphere, Location (1 block from me), Lighting is low Dislikes: Food is not very good or predictable. For example, ordered a burger one day and it came out on Brioche with trimmings etc. Ordered the same burger another day and it came out on a wonder bread hamburger bun with nothing but meat and bread, and the bread was not even toasted. They have some good beers and I'll still pop in but the food is just not that great. Service is also a bit slow, easy to get passed by or ignored if you don't stand up and shout.. Bartenders tend to roam around.. I think it could be something to do with the way the prep stations are right there with the bar.. Hard to say. They could definitely stand to have a group huddle and turn it around, but from the looks of it, business is still booming anyway.
(3)Jen H.
Awesome brunch, awesome bloody Mary's, awesome atmosphere!
(5)Todd D.
We went here with some friends who live in the city. This place is awesome. The food was excellent. The place is cool. It was full, but we had a short wait. We all shared food, and tasted each others drinks. Everything we tried was great. Favorite drink was was the Homer's Vacation. You can request "how many days off" which reflects drink size. Let's just say i did a lot of relaxing with this particularly delicious concoction. Definitely check this place out.
(5)Ann B.
I really like the decor of this place. The outdoor seating is nice in the summer. The lighting is always soft and pretty. I come here for brunch and dinner fairly often. The food is good and just creative enough. It's reasonably priced. They do really good things with figs and fishes. The only complaint I have, which expands to most places in Williamsburg, is that the wait staff always has a little more attitude than they should. But I generally find them nice and friendly.
(4)Meg W.
Gorgeous space. Wall paper and exposed brick painted white give the decor a light and elegant feeling. The seating arrangements are well thought out allowing for an impromptu pig pile where the couches are, or equally good for those who desire an intimate dinning experience tucked away in a darkly lit corner. Speaking of darkly lit this place is TOTALLY, inappropriately dark, don't bring your parents here- they will bitch about it (oh and minus a star for that b/c it's hard to see the menu). Tea Room uses the finest local ingredients and it shows as the overall quality of the meats, cheeses, breads, and other ingredients are top notch. For an appetizer we had the goat cheese and tapenade served on toast. Had I been with a more adventurous dinning partner I would have opted for the frogs legs and snails. For my main coarse I had the trout which was sprinkled with hazel and pie nuts. Odd combination but great texture, and the taste of the brown butter was zaftiglicious . The service was impeccable and well versed on the menu. The BF dropped his fork on the floor and a waitress was there within seconds quietly replacing his tainted fork. But, get this, she heard it from across the room with the music on. Like the Govenator once said, "I'll be back." For brunch, frogs legs, and CASCADING snails.
(4)Dennis T.
Can I just say that I love everything about Williamsburg? Because I do! Apparently the hipster capital of the world, but I don't mind. I love the area; I love the local shops and eateries. It's just a great place to be. We stopped by the Tea Room for dinner. We were starving. I've never seen a restaurant so dark before. Lit with VERY low lights and candles. To be honest, it did create a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. Somewhere I would totally take a date for a very chill dinner. Upon looking at the menu, the prices were moderate to a little pricey. Not bad. I ordered the Journeyman Steak with a side of potato salad. We proceeded to wait the longest I have ever waited for a meal. I don't know whether or not this was the usual wait time or if it was because we had a large party in front of us. Either way, the wait was soooooooo brutal. When our meal did come out. Even though I could barley see it. It smelled incredible. My steak came out a little to well done, but the sauce it was draped in was AMAZING. The potato salad wasn't all that. I got to snake a few bites of the mashed potatoes and I instantly wished I had ordered that as my side instead. It was so good! So in conclusion, the food was great, the wait was not. And I loved the ambience of the restaurant.
(4)Eric B.
Holy sh*t! I f#%king love this place! I met a friend for dinner and drinks on a cold, drizzly day. I had never been before. It has a very warm and inviting atmosphere, generous and friendly bartenders/waitstaff, and excellent food and drinks. What's this hipster hating? NIce people are just nice people. And good food is just as self-evident. Scallop ceviche and blowfish tail? Sign me up! The food was excellent in taste and presentation. I wish Roebling Tea Room was in my neighborhood because I would be here every day, maybe not to eat every day because the prices might make it a special occasion restaurant for many but it was so comfortable it felt like home. Plus it has a great wine list, local beer and whiskeys, communal bar and patio benches, and a cozy dining area. Roebling Tea Room, you have ruined me forever!
(5)Jo K.
Stopped here mid-afternoon on a drizzly Sunday. Great time for a spot of hot tea. Ordered the Sunday chai and some cinnamon toast. My man friend got the "real" sausage (which I guess always sounds more appetizing than the vegetarian one, on account of the adjective "REAL") and mescaline salad with nuts and cheese. Everything was good. I wasn't expecting tea bags, but the wallpaper made up for it (patrician stuff: poncey English folk in riding gear with their horses). It was frickin' loud so I didn't have the calming experience I wanted, but that's OK. All the food on other people's plates looked good, so I think I'll stop by here soon for some dinner!
(4)Laura D.
I went there last night with a friend and honestly. The monkfish i had there was to die for, the teas were also amazing, and the service was fantastic as well! Matt who was my waiter was very helpful as far as deciding on drinks and cocktails. Unfortunately there's a no laptop rule which I wasn't aware of, and luckily I had a book on me to read otherwise I would've been sitting there with nothing to do haha. But the atmosphere can't be beat with the music and all of the people and the gorgeous interior lighting and what not, all in all really great restaurant, I'm sure I'll be back. It's that good, If you go, make sure you get the monkfish, and the Dward Lord cocktail (recommendation from my waiter) they really know how to do their teas there and this cocktail was the best one I had there ironically with Earl Grey tea in it! Really amazing, please please PLEASE! try this one! so versatile!
(4)Laurian R.
In the heart of uber-hip Williamsburg, it's not surprising to find people throwing a little 'tude. But you don't expect that from your waiter. After all, as my friend pointed out, there are plenty of other people out there that would be happy to take your job if you can't do it with a decent attitude. And it's too bad that the cute surroundings and decent food get overshadowed by a server who seems put out by having to answer your questions about menu items. I mean, that is, after all, their job, right? It's not an easy job, but it's not that hard either. Maybe his glasses were screwed on too tight, but for a Sunday brunch that wasn't actually that busy he could have been a little more gracious and accomadating--we are their guests, after all. That said, the grits were creamy and good and my friend really liked her greens & beets. So, the food gets 3 stars for being good and with some interesting options. I just hope next time we go they'll have worked on their "people skills" a little....
(3)Loren A.
Sunday we went to the Roebling Tea Room in Williamsburg. Let me tell you, I was not at ALL impressed. First it was reading about 115% on the hipster meter, second they ran out of my first TWO tea options, and third, the food was not at all anything to write home about. A friend and I shared the pancake with stewed fruit and this fig and ricotta sandwich (which basically would have sent a diabetic to the hospital). The decor was nice but the food lacked luster/ balance of flavors.
(2)Cregsty B.
I've had a few good dinners here, but I have to say it isn't holding up as I had hoped. The food is almost always good. The salads are always fresh and inventive. I had a pumpkin salad with watercress and hazelnuts in a balsamic reduction- it was amazing. They also have a dandelion green salad on the permanent menu that I love. Their special entrees are good, but make sure to ask for prices, they are overpriced. Restaurants that don't display prices on their specials menu seem sneaky. NOTE: Don't make this a late night stop. We arrived for dinner just after 10pm on a Saturday and they were out of chicken and mashed potatoes, the bread was stale, and our nice waitress left us with a grumpy one- who we reluctantly tipped well.
(3)Max B.
There's something very special about setting things up to be as unintuitive as possible. For those that want a crash course in that very topic I suggest going to the Roebling Tea Room. Upon walking inside one realizes that this is the exact wrong place to go to do anything besides talk to one, and only one, other person. Did you think that perhaps you could order a tea at the counter? You thought wrong as fuck. You have to sit at a table and wait for one of the 5 waiters to stop chit-chatting and serve you some goddamn tea. Did you think that you could read a chapter or two of a book away from home? Well maybe re-think, because a jar of fireflies provides a more adequate light source to read by. Did you think you could get a check without seeming like a schmuck? Well then your logic circuits must be exploding like fireworks, because if a waiter doesn't even notice when there are people around to spend money, they certainly won't be intuitive enough to realize a person wants to get the fuck out. I was thinking about giving a pity star due to the fact that the tea was so good, but i think the effort of re-clicking the star meter would be more wisely used finding a better place to enjoy a cup of tea.
(1)Allison H.
Why they told us we could only get a Saturday night reservation before 7 or after 10pm, is beyond me. We came in at 6:30 and were embarrassed to say we had called ahead, because the room was empty. We came here because he'd read about the double fried garlic knots, but the menu changes daily so you can never say "go to RTR, they have great _____". Because they will never have great blank again. It's a shame that I read somewhere that the food could be described as "cafeteria food" and it really colored my experience. My monkish was brought out and a sweet potato cream surrounded the dish. Creamy sauce= nursing home in my book. The fish was also cooked in butter so became quite tough to break into. The mac and cheese we shared to start was amazing, and the house wine wasn't bad either. Our waiter was overall lackluster, mostly bored to be there, not engaging and I felt like he and I were on a bad date and didn't like each other.
(3)Ann T.
I have only eaten the honey panna cotta here, so this is mainly a review of the bar area. That panna cotta, though, was seriously one of the best desserts I have ever had. Unfortunately, I have yet to find it served again since that one happy night. I think that night was also the last time I enjoyed being at Roebling Tea Room, even though I am often here (a friend lives in the building). Everyone is too cool to talk to you, so make sure you bring a friend or a book or you will be bored out of your mind. I must say the place looks great, and I love the quiet back room. I saw someone have a huge party of about 20+ people and the way they set it up looked very pretty. Also, the fact that it is a tea room means your teetotaling friends won't bitch at you because all they can drink is soda or other crap mixers.
(3)Lokesh D.
I ordered the baked cheddar eggs and cheese grits plate which were delicious. I sampled a couple of teas and both were flavorful and distinct. The decor was lovely. Not sure what to call it, nuevo-rustic? Anyways, no complaints here, thumbs up!
(5)Helena Z.
Delish brunch in a sunny open space.
(4)Rebecca L.
Fat tea bags with a huge selection. Delicious food. And I don't know why everyone's hating on the waitress---this is the type of place where you get what you ordered (usually more than expected) and don't really need a waitress catering to your every kevetch. Great atmosphere as well, definitely didn't feel like I was in a metro area. Also, huge plus for the music being at the right level.
(5)Bryan H.
Definitely a good selection of teas to choose from. I typically get a chai latte which is served in a HUGE glass. Brunch can get packed and service certainly suffers. Their breakfast sandwich is often a favorite of mine. I recently tried their take on french toast, which I believe was a special--quite good and by the looks of others that morning they agreed as well. Their dinner options are somewhat limited. The mac and cheese is certainly one to stay away from. I recall having a decent pear salad there though.
(3)Julia F.
Beautiful and charming with an inventive menu, but I have become disenchanted with the uneven service and steadily decreasing vegetarian options. Sometimes my server seems happy to accomodate me; sometimes I am told that simple vegetarian substitutions are impossible, and indicated to be foolish for asking. Also, the menu might be slightly less proposterous (with dishes listed simply as "chicken," "pasta," etc.) if the servers were more equal to actually describing the evening's offerings.
(3)Travis L.
Great unique food with wonderful taste and artistic presentation. Comfortable atmosphere. The music is somewhat loud but good.
(5)allyson c.
Underrated, even for a long time by moi, because of my fatigue of hipster. Started going back for brunch, the baked cheddar eggs are from heaven, as is the moon pie and black orchid tea. Well, any tea is fantastic and every meal I have had there has been good. Go early to beat crowds or go late for the in between.
(4)Blondie M.
Bacon, honey and chive sandwich- Say what? Hardcooked egg and watercress-Come again? Smoked salmon with creme fraiche and beet relish-WTF? I must not be foodie enough for this joint cause reading the menu didn't make my tummy growl, it made my brain sweat. What the hell am I gonna eat here? I decided on a plate described simply as Ricotta and Fig Paste. I like cheese and figs so I felt safe. It came on a chewy baguette, open face, with honey and walnuts drizzled over. It was nice, though messy to eat but it wasn't something that I'll be lured back by time and again. Another time I had the frittata special and while it was nice and flaky, it again, wasn't addictive. I know I'll find something that grabs me here cause I love the space and I love the way you can just sit there all day sans judgement. I've never had dinner here and I doubt I would because the menu just naturally learns more toward small plates and sandwiches. I'd feel very risky ordering a steak. I do feel quite comfy, however ordering one of their amazing tea or coffee drinks. Recently I had the iced black chai latte and I could have sucked the whole thing down in one gulp like a 5 year old. Oooh, last time I was here the music was god-awful. Think "Beethoven's 5th" from Saturday Night Fever. Classics all redone disco-style. At volume 11. Bring your headphones just in case!
(3)andria p.
YUM! had their beets & eggs with warm goat cheese on a saturday morning. it is a beautiful space with a super high ceilings. nice and efficient staff serving us, they have a good full flavored coffee. but i would love to try some tea when i go back. everything looks so delicious it is hard to make decisions...
(4)Lorelei D.
Great vibe, awesome selection of drinks and food.
(4)Ezra B.
I first went to the Roebling with my partner one night last winter in the below zero weather, and the tartare and lemon-ginger tea (with honey) were honestly revelatory. We returned for lunch a few days ago when we were in the city and found the waiters just as friendly and funny, and the atmosphere just as lively--although there is something amazing about the tea room at night. This time around, we sat outside in the patio area, which was a bit dingy but whatever, the weather made up for it. My partner decided to stick with the tartare (the waitstaff kindly let him have the dinner portion even though it was lunch--we were hungry!) and I had the eggs with kale and beets, which was just... okay. We shared a plate of fries with kewpie mayo, which was the highlight of my food experience tbh. The food's pretty heavy, which makes this place better suited for winter dining, I think. Plus in the winter the tea is served in huge steins. It's always a fun visit though, and it's such an eyecatching, idiosyncratic place that I doubt anyone could leave disappointed.
(4)Steph C.
Only stopped in for a quick drink while I was killing time, but it's a pretty cool space and wouldn't mind checking it out again. Walked by so many times and never went in, despite that the building and its sign always intrigued me. The place is gigantic and has so much room. It has a very cool vibe, sort of nice but casual and laid back. Sat at the bar, which itself is pretty impressive. I didn't much like the hibiscus iced tea that I had (too watered down). But I got a glimpse of some of the food that came out and it looked pretty good. Seems like a cool place to stop in for a relaxing lunch.
(3)Kenny C.
I swear I've passed by RTR about 300x and always thought, "one day I'll go in" and never did. Well, I finally did on a Thursday afternoon on a day off when I needed to kill some time. The place is huge! The bar is huge and there's seating all around. There are tables hugging the walls, a large table for communal seating (could probably seat 15 or so), and then there's the patio. The outside of the place was so unassuming that I had no idea there was so much going on! Didn't have any of the food, just drinks. Had a Bloody Mary because it was noon somewhere. It was good, but not great. Also tried their hibiscus iced teas, which was premade in a giant cooler, and also kind of bland. So that was meh. Bartender was nice though. All the food that came out smelled amazing, so I'd definitely come back to RTR for brunch or dinner. The cheeseburger in particular looked great.
(3)Drew D.
I'm going to be real real here: forever brunch. I am dedicated to the brunch life. I have experienced the full gamut from bottomless mimosas to hole in the wall wonders to the bourgeois brandishing of wrapped-up-crap-as-something-wonderful-when-you-Âknow-darn-well-it's-still-crap-and-who-wants-to-Âeat-that, and this was somehow one of the least pleasant times I have spent paying homage to the brunch gods. The gods of brunch were actually ashamed and would not agree that this should have been classified as brunch, but I am more forgiving than them. At one our group of six arrived, and were seated quickly, which was perhaps to trick us into believing we would be out of Roebling in a timely manner. We were there three hours. This was outrageous. Didn't even get checked on to order a sweet sweet weekend beverage for a half hour. Our food took over an hour to come out. If this place was busy (which at that given time it wasn't) or there was a cook that had critically injured their upper limbs and were forced to create with their legs (which, to the best of my knowledge, there also was not), I would understand and be completely forgiving. But, the fact of the brunch at hand is, it was a busted brunch. Our waitress was nice, and I do not believe is was her fault, but come onnnnn three hours?? We weren't even drinking to pass the very slow minutes as they ticked by, and were forced to talk to each other. When you leave a brunch after that long all of your previous plans have to be cancelled, because it is nearly five! The food was good when it did finally surface, but the time it took was a deal breaker for me. Spending three hours at forever brunch makes me not anxious at all to go back. Thanks Roebs.
(2)Anthony C.
Nom nom nom Beautiful, perfectly restored, but not over restored tea room/eatery in Williamsburg. The moment you walk in you'll see how well they've turned this building's interior into a little gem. The large bar itself is majestic. Clearly made with care. The main room houses a large table and many smaller tables. It's a large space where a party could be held. We sat in one of the reclaimed back rooms, which was open to the small patio at the back. Even that space was very pleasant and we did get the best table. I had steel oats with berry and puree which was surprisingly tasty considering I was going for health. My companion had eggs, bacon, thick rye toast and some really fresh butter. We were both happy campers. Fresh press coffee was legit and the staff was very responsive and chipper enough for a Sunday AM meal. Absolutely go here.
(5)Chamel R.
Popped in here one afternoon waiting for Extra Fancy to open and would have been better waiting outside, the wine sucked the menu look a bit over price for the simple items the atmosphere just seem real dull my girlfriend has some issues I'm writing this weeks later I don't even recall them but we will never return here. And I suggest you don't waste your time either.
(1)Dania L.
My BF and I stopped in for a drink. It's a beautiful place, the bar area is very large abs they have a dinning room and a patio area. The drinks are reasonably priced. I had the little darling which consisted of lavender gin, lime, and tonic garnished with a cherry and a lime wedge it was very delicious. The bartender was very friendly and helpful. I did not try the food but everything on the menu I would eat. I only gave it 4 stars for atmosphere and service and the alcohol,once I try the food I'll add or remove a star. But so far I would love to come back.
(4)Benjamin J.
This is a great Williamsburg favorite, and has a great layout and ambiance. There's a huge community table, a spacious and fun bar and a beautiful patio. It's not as centrally located as other Williamsburg restaurants and there aren't enough vegan options for my tastes but overall it's a great place. I'd recommend it for more intimate quiet dinners or large groups around the communal table.
(4)Dee C.
Great decor Cool location Adorable waitresses Good ideas for menu items Decent execution on menu items I liked the experience, just wanted to like the food a little bit more
(4)Charles D.
One of the finest bars in Williamsburg, not just because of the service, or the quality of food, or the great atmosphere, but because you do not feel that you are in WB. You feel taken care of in a way that takes you from the main drag, it takes to to this weird place were you have fun, and you make merry, and you don't feel like you are putting your time into a place designed for it. I can't recommend this place hard enough: be friendly, be decent, make merry, have fun.
(5)Amanda R.
Came here yesterday for labor day brunch- atmosphere was chill, not packed, really nice interior space. Took about 10 minutes just to be acknowledged and seated. Drinks came fast, lovely green tea really flavorful. The service in this place needs some work. 46 minutes for eggs benedict and waffles???????? Insane. There were 4 other tables of 2. Waiter apologized and said "like, a billion orders came in." hm okay. Gave it 4 stars because their tea is great and the waffles were fluffy. Better off sitting at the bar for quicker service, but if you're willing to wait that long for breakfast, the food will be tasty!
(4)Vivian L.
Long delayed review. I came here for a low key brunch with my bf. Love the ambiance, very rustic, cute, and welcoming. We ordered the big baked pancake and the baked cheddar eggs with grits and fennel toast with apple butter. I don't know if I could have handled eating the entire baked pancake, so I'm glad that we got two different items and shared! We also got an order of the orange blossom tea (what with "tea" being in the name of the restaurant and all) and it smelled amazing, so fragrant and lush. Definitely recommend the tea! It also came with a big portion, one order was enough for the two of us. Recommended for a casual brunch where you won't have to expect much of a wait.
(3)Valerie K.
I really wanted to love this place. Upon walking in, I immediately loved the atmosphere. High ceilings, decor, the seating and charm. Friend and I started off with some wine. It smells... Oddly like old sponge... Hm. We politely told this to our server and she was extremely gracious about it. The food, however, was fairly disappointing. Of the appetizer dishes we ordered, nothing stood out but what did end up a poor lasting impression on us was their steak tartar. Mayo base sauce with capers and chunks of salt? We were waiting on another party and ended up eating dinner elsewhere. Perhaps a brunch some time later down the line to give it another go.
(3)Chaunna H.
It's a cute little spot with warm wooden tables and beautiful window light [perfect for food pics!] I tried the "Big Baked Pancake" which is essentially a dutch apple pancake. It's huge but somehow, as usual, I managed to eat the entire thing by myself. It was absolutely delicious! I'd definitely recommend it. If I'm ever in the neighborhood again, I'd stop in for sure. The waiter was very kind, friendly and super helpful. Sometimes that makes all the difference.
(4)Jonathon C.
I've eaten here on multiple occasions and every time the food has been great. My last time in I had the salad nicoise with grilled swordfish. One thing I have yet to try is their cocktails -- those are next on my list.
(4)S. R.
This place is a crying shame. There's so much potential with the physical space and the food is a very expensive disappointment. They're surrounded by amazing restaurants that can throw some serious culinary weight and The Roebling Tea Room falls completely flat. My table had a rabbit dish, steak tar-tar, mac n' cheese and kale and all of it was just plain OK with high notes of "meh" and ran us a really pretty penny. I've come here off and on for about 6 years and I gotta say, it's time to either lower your prices to reflect your OK food, or step it up a knotch. You're basically across the street from St. Anselm and next door to Fette Sau. These places run game all over you, Roebling Tea Room. Chiggity check yourself before you wreck yourself.
(2)Gracie h.
Ricotta and fig was pretty memorable. Great selection of teas. Their lattes were delicious. Vibe was great. I enjoyed the openness of the place. Conducive for small party or large group. Def coming back.
(4)Dr. J.
We really enjoyed our meal here, it was some time ago so I cannot recall detals, but we had a lovely relaxed dinner with friendly service.
(4)Just S.
For young affluent 'hip' Williamsburg art crowd. Being that I'm 'older,' I couldn't read the menu, even with contacts. Waitress was extremely rude but 'rudeness' is the price you must pay for being part of the 'ambience.' If you want a 'simple' latte with 2% milk, you must be told that the one, true way to have a latte is with whole milk, sorry for you. Don't drink whole milk and want a glass of Coke instead? That will be $5.00. Hey, but the food is "real food," so you can and must put up with the snob service. No thanks. No food tastes THAT good!
(1)Andria O.
When I started this review, I was going to give two stars. But upon further consideration, I'm bumping up to three. Why? Because just judging on the name of the place "Roebling Tea Room," the tea comes first and foremost. And the tea here is great. A huge, plentiful selection. As of my last visit, they were still using the generous beer mug-style glasses. The couches are great, and there's a section outside in the back when it isn't too cold. I've been to reading groups here, and it was a nice place to meet up, have some tea, and discuss. (Assuming it wasn't too crowded, which it can get sometimes.) For living up to the namesake, three stars. It's a tea room. The tea is great. Don't go for good food. Don't go for friendly service. You'll find neither here. But if you want to stop in somewhere, sit, have a chat with someone, and drink some good tea? Roebling Tea Room fits the bill.
(3)J L.
Great NYC spot. I prefer dinner to brunch here.
(5)Jon K.
At one point I called this place my favorite restaurant in NYC. I think I've come off that recently but this is still definitely a restaurant worth trying. Been here four times. Decor, fantastic. Love the neon sign out front. Inside has sort of a victorian but hippie/brooklynie atmosphere that is great for dates/double dates. This place is really suited for repeat visits. The menu changes every night (!) and is very reasonably priced. I was here for Valentines day and spent 80 dollars including tip for drinks, apps, and dinner (what?!?!). The first time I came here they I had a charred steak which might be the best steak I've ever had. I've come back hoping to see it on the menu again but alas... Damn that rotating menu!! The main staple here is the cheeseburger, which is lean and incredible (this does not leave the menu). I asked them to cut it in half for me once (as I was sharing) and they wouldn't do it. Which was weird. Service in general can be a little spotty here, though I do think that is pretty normal in Williamsburg.
(4)Joe S.
This review will be coming from a slightly skewed angle, being that I've never actually eaten the food at the Roebling Tea Room. It may be good or it may be bad, but food is never the reason that I happen to come here. Why do I come, you ask? Well, to drink tea, of course. The tea selection is tremendously varied and all the offerings I've tasted have been great. The ambiance of the place is nice and conducive to sitting around for a while with a friend or date, talking and casually sipping tea. They seem to have a nice wine selection as well, in case you're looking for something slightly more alcoholic, but just as dreamy. This is a spot I'll take out-of-town friends to, especially if I know they're tea lovers. I've never had an issue with the waitstaff here as they've always been courteous, but if so many people seem to encounter attitudes, then perhaps there's something to it.
(4)Melissa B.
Ohhh, I liked my drinky here. My pal recently moved to Brooklyn and I was just visiting, so as we strolled to another bar in the neighborhood she likes to frequent, I got all curious about this place and we decided to try it. They did a really good job with designing the space, complete with high ceilings exposed beams, painted brick, etc. it's old and new at the same time. I felt very soothed sitting on a low couch in candle light on a quiet Monday night. I only ordered the first item on the "sparkling" menu, and it was a bomb sparkling red wine. I wish Id' gotten the name, actually. The picture of the sailor by the register....random!
(4)Stephanie D.
TOTALLY overpriced and not worth it! Portions are small and food is bland. Would you believe they charge $5 for a bottle of soda? Is it because they serve the coke in a fancy glass bottle? Guess charging $5 for a coke makes this place super trendy? Definitely not worth it!
(1)Leah P.
Why is everyone who works here somewhere between standoffish and rude? It's not like there's nowhere else for us to go. And go elsewhere we will.
(2)Elizabeth V.
Menu is sometimes oblique, cocktails are odd, but the space is so beautiful and one of the best burgers in NYC. Don't miss out.
(4)Meg K.
I love to hate you. Your atmosphere is welcoming like a bearded man on a cold winter night; the smells you omit are even better than said bearded man. Your attractive servers make me feel special, like I just walked into an independent movie set and I am the star... that is until you ignore me and take too damn long to bring me my hangover coffee/or bloody mary/or food for that matter. I swear, what is it with you looking hipsterlybeautiful? Are you incapable of being a normal human being? And what is it about this place that keeps me coming back. I think it's the cheesy eggs... it has to be cause it sure as hell isn't the service.
(3)Ms E.
The Roebling Tea Room used to be one of my favorite spots in NYC until I returned recently to find that they no longer feature TEA. yes tea as in tea room. This place "cut back" on its tea selection leaving a handful of measly non impressive teas. If your going to turn your establishment into another run of the mill bar/restaurant at least change your name. I wont be going back.
(1)amy l.
AWWW, i love this place too! i've never been here for dinner, i've only had brunch. i brunched it UP. i usually get the smoked salmon plate. cause it IS so good. it comes with this little beet relish and a dollop of creme fraiche and a big piece of amazing rye toast and a few greens.... IT'S PERFECT. totally absolutely perfect dish for brunch. if you're into smoked salmon.oh yeah i also had some iced coffee too. not as good as oslo coffee (haha DUH) but it wasn't bad. my date had some type of salted cod croquette? it didnt really do it for me, but it did for him so whatever. he also had some kind of berry tea. which was so nice. so so nice like an 80 degree day in your favorite sun dress. i've also had the baked cheddar eggs here which are colossally banging. MMM. i want some right now. they come with grits (i dont even like grits and i like them at roebling tea room) and a piece of apple raisin bread? i think? oh yeah and some apple jam. i've had a salad here, it was good, i've seen burgers demolished here. also good. this place wont kill you for the rest of the day either cash-wise. which kinda rules cause i suck at money. ps - my waiters have always been very gracious and cool. and professional. knowledgeable even. no complaints here son.
(4)Michelle C.
We live very close to Roebling Tea Room but I guess there is a reason why we never went there. Gut instincts just told me that it was no good. But in an effort to invalidate my instincts, my bf and I visited Roebling Tea Room one evening between Christmas and NYE. Though it looked OK, I didn't have an appetite for any of the dishes listed on the inconspicuously written menu. (When it was time to take our orders, our waiter asked us if we had any questions. This boggled me because there were no descriptions of any sort on the one-word menu items. For example, bowtie (pasta), chicken, etc.) I resorted to a mac-and-cheese topped with bacon (an additional $x) while the dinner date chose to try the pickles w/ soft pretzel as an app and the bowtie pasta with braised beef shank. The service took years. The tortoise-like slowness (no association to the Tortoise and the Hare where the former wins the slow and steady race) was further elucidated when a crowd of waiters were overbearingly tending to Bill Murray's gastronomical needs while lowly us had to struggle for mere eye contact. My feelings were hurt, to say the least. But hurt turned to fury when we tasted our food. The pickles and pretzel were almost indelible (I say almost because I have an iron stomach and taste). The gave us a handful of pickled hot jalapenos and we didn't know what to do with them. I mean, do we eat it and risk a third-degree burn? The pretzels were far from soft. To add some fairness to this scathing review, half of our entrees was actually decent. The bowtie pasta was light and the beef shank was a surprisingly passable "sauce" for it. My mac and cheese was another story, however. The taste and color reminded me of Velveeta cheese. After you break through the edible cheese crust of the dish, you are left with a inedible cheese soup underneath. I picked on the bacon bits. When the waiter came back to take our plates, I had only eaten about 1 tablespoon of the dish and had no intention of doggy-bagging it. Bottom line is that Roebling Tea Room sucks and I am never going back even if the guy from Lost in Translation, who supposedly is into hipster chicks, eats there.
(1)Jesse K.
I went here a few years ago and vowed never to go back - the service was a zero out of 10 and I honestly can't remember a single redeeming quality about the food. Not sure what happened (new owner?), but they did a total 180 - incredible eats, great service and really nice ambiance. Most dramatic restaurant make-over situation I have seen around here. Way to go.
(4)Michael A.
I joined Yelp just so I could write about the Roebling Tea Room! That's not a good thing! After living down the street from here for over a year I finally went in for brunch last Saturday after a couple rave reviews and promises of bone marrow from my roommate. Nothing says start the day like supping on marrow. Unfortunately for my bone marrow dreams they just got rid of it from the menu. It's early still, only 10:30, and we don't have to wait for a table as there are plenty open. I love the space, the menu looks tasty and reasonably priced and they're playing the soundtrack from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. So far so good... We wait for a while for the waitress but were having a good time and we don't mind the extra time with the menu. The waitress comes over asks if we know what we want, how friendly!* (*note: sarcasm) I ask about the Red Flannel Hash and she perks up for a moment, the last time for the meal, and tells me she loves them. Two of us at the table order them, my roommate and her cousin order the Salt Cod Hashbrowns and the Drunk Eggs respectively. I also get an order of Cinnamon Toast because I grew up with it and so seldom see it on menus. We don't see our waitress until the food arrives, an hour later. She never came to ask if we wanted more drinks, much less to apologize for the long wait. Mind you, there are still empty tables all around us and no wait for a table at all during this time. Finally the food arrives, she still doesn't ask if we need anything or want refills. The Red Flannel Hash (roasted beets and potatoes, goat cheese and fried eggs) was tasty, save for the way over-cooked, brown and crusty on the bottom eggs and the fact that the whole thing was barely warm. The roasted beets were very tasty, if a bit on the hard side, but if anything I suppose I should thank them for reigniting my love of beets. I had forgotten they were delicious. But the best thing I had the whole meal was the Cinnamon Toast and I think that is what is the most depressing about all this. They used a nice white loaf and sprinkled on powdered sugar instead of regular. I can't believe I never thought of that one. The portions at here are small, certainly not a meal you want after a night of drinking unless you plan to order lots of sides in which case there goes that whole reasonably priced meal you thought you were going to have. But even for a normal, hangover free brunch the portions are on the stingy side. The meal ended fitting with the rest of our ecperience: the waitress left the check without a word, bussers start clearing our dishes while some of us were still eating and we sat there for half an hour after we are done eating with a pile of cash stacked on the table on the edge clearly screaming for change. You're not getting an 40% tip lady, come give us our change. She doesn't. Instead she passes by in the background assisting other tables and hanging by the bar but doesn't say a word to us. After giving her another five minutes to do her job and redeem herself by actually serving us we take our extra money from from the pile of $20's and leave enough for the bill and what's left since we couldn't get change is about a 7% tip. I have never undertipped like this in my life. I also have never had worse service in my life. So there you go. The whole time we were there she acted like she wanted us out and couldn't be bothered to do her job. Of course, this is assuming the owners actually hire people to serve and not to just look super cool hanging out while diners look like a bunch of jerks trying to get noticed by their too hip to serve servers. I suppose some people have server jobs for fun just so they can hang out and not because they need to make money from the tips they get based on their service. What a luxury that must be to have such a carefree job! In the middle of this recession I am sure there are some talented servers out there who could do a better job. Hell, I'm pretty sure anybody could do a better job. Surely the owners want to make money, right? They want people to come back and tell friends so that they always have a full restaurant, right? Right?! I'm not going back that's for sure. And I am definitely going to make sure others who are considering it give it a second thought. There is no excuse for a restaurant to have service this bad. So thank you Roebling Tea Room for giving me the motivation to join Yelp just so I could write about how terrible you are, also for the beet thing. Unfortunately you still suck.
(1)Mark B.
Not bad at all. Really dig the decor/environment. Good drinks, good tea. Lots of young people. Service was OK, not the best.
(4)Laura W.
So yum! Came here on Saturday for brunch. The food was delicious: I had the cheddar cheese baked eggs as well, my friend got the pulled pork sandwich. The steamer was broken that day, so I had to forgo the tea for a mimosa instead- and it was probably the best mimosa I have had in the city. Fresh orange juice+ sweet bubbles= joy. The service was great too- I think the waitress had ESP because each time I even thought I might need something she was magically there! We arrived around 12:30 and only had a minimum wait, by the time we left there was slightly more of a crowd though. I can see why.
(4)Ed W.
I'm kind of torn on this one. I love the space with the high ceilings, windows, couches, and wallpaper - it's a great place to stop in for a drink. At the same time, it's a "tea room" that doesn't seem to know a whole lot about tea - I imagine a tea snob would scoff at the carelessness of some of their practices (e.g. water not hot enough). Also the quality of tea, while decent, has never really blown me away as superb. That said, i'm not a tea snob, so i'll continue stopping in here every now and then.
(3)Barrett K.
Poor service, haughty wait personnel, inconsiderate employees, remarkably poor food; burgers ought more correctly be called "sliders"; rice balls inedible. Over priced, poorly managed, disappointing in all regards. To be avoided. Better stay home than come here. I do not believe any of their positive reviews- have to be by friends.
(1)Peter C.
Been a regular for brunch here and love the place. Always very helpful. Awesome bloodys
(5)Jordan T.
I'm lately deciding that perhaps the most effective gauge of whether I think a NYC restaurant is truly good or not is whether I would return. With so many options, especially here in Williamsburg, it says a lot when you would spend time and money, returning to an already visited spot, when there are so many other places out there to try. With that said, the Roebling Tea Room is one of those destinations where I could imagine myself returning-many times over. The food is fantastic, and the ambience-what I would call antique-hipster, is sure to charm.
(4)Pamela K.
Ok, food is sublime, BUT: My husband and I came here for our anniversary - wldn't recommend as a special anniversary place. (He had suggested the River Cafe, I said let's try this new place that I read about - fresh food, ingredients, history, etc. Next time I will listen to my husband as every good wife should do!) Surprised that the chef/owners don't take note of all the service comments that have been made here on Yelp. My husband made a reservation, we must have been the only one in the book for a Friday nite at 7, cos the waiter (we saw the hostess later in the nite) came back and said Rich? Anyhow with that reservation, he sat us in the back off the bar to the side of the communal table. In most restaurants, I thought I reservation somewhat translated to a better, at least a good table? This non-choice table had a bit of a draft from the AC unit. We flagged the waiter down and asked him to see about getting another table. 10 minutes later, our waitress comes over to take our drink order. The waiter who had served as our host never did come back?! Anyhow, we stated our request to the waitress (who was very familar with the menu btw), she said yes the AC units blows right on this table and we got a new table up front (it wasnt like there weren't any available from waiter/host boy to give - what happened to him, where did he go?). Ok, ordered cocktails, waited. The waitress came over to take our dinner order (still no cocktails). While she was taking our order, waiter/host boy starts bringing them over to the table but then returns them to the bar! We're like, no don't do that! We say something to the waitress and she signals him to bring over our cocktails. We asked him why he just didn't bring them over, he said,well, you were tied up over here!? We want our drinks, man! Wouldn't you? Who knew when they were going to come over to our table again. Drinks were good; took out time enjoying them. Ok, finished drinks. Ok, where is the app? We ordered mussels. We inquired. The waitress said that they take time to prepare? Mussels, take time to prepare, you only cook them very briefly? Ok, got mussels they were very tasty, perhaps a bit less cracked pepper though cos you bite into the peppercron and it takes away from the very delicious sauce. Ok, waited for the entrees - the chicken dish was excellent and my husband enjoyed the steak tartare as an entree. Ok, perhaps we want some wine with dinner? No one asked prior to dinner if we wanted or after the runner served us our entrees. Ok, so the hostess (yes, there apparently is a hostess ! is clearing the table next to us (ok, I guess no busboys, now?). We inquired about ordering some wine. She says, she'll find our waitress. If a good host sees that you have your dinner, you have no beverage, perhaps they should step in and say what can I get for you?! Ok, maybe its just me again?! Ok, waitress comes over and we order glasses of wine, we would have ordered a bottle up front, but since we were into our meal, a glass. Afterwards, we went over to Rye to check out the beautiful restored bar there (came from PA), enjoyed a drink and marvelled from the bar how that place cranked! Mixologists mixing, waiters serving, 2 hosts up front! Maybe the chef/owners should sit at the bar at their place incognito and observe their place and do the same at Rye! Next time, we are going to check out Rye - food looked great and prices reasonable! Oh, and it looks like they had SERVICE! Will let you know! Ciao! Hope you enjoyed the review. Gael Greene (a synonym)
(3)Rebecca N.
Brunch is hard for me. I am wheat intolerant and I really don't like eggs. I know - I should be ashamed/slapped/coddled. Everyone has an opinion. But I can usually find something on every menu.. Roebling has a great looking menu item for me. Grits with cheese, black beans, salsa and a slow poached egg. The only way I can tolerate eggs in this situation is if they are scrambled and I can cover them up in with grits and try to forget they are there. So I ask for scrambled instead of the poached and am DENIED. I cannot have scrambled eggs. I must have this dish with a poached egg because the cook is a prima donna? Because s/he is unable to scramble the egg? Because that's how s/he likes it and therefore that is the only correct way to serve this dish? Whatever the reason - I don't even care. There are other freaking places to go where I don't have to worry about crap like this. On the good side - my service was excellent! And this place used to be a service nightmare. So that was nice.
(2)Z R.
we ate here last night. space looks nice and the vibe is fine. service is as to be expected given the location and price. the food, however, just isn't good. for reference, we ordered a cheeseburger, hanger steak and salad. the kitchen must have thought we were taking our food on a long, refrigeration-free journey, and thus, needed the meat to be cured in salt. fries too, apparently. can one cure fries? they are trying. i would recommend finding somewhere else to eat.
(1)Gambill C.
Excellent food, drinks and service!! Very loud, but cool. Celebrated my sisters birthday here and we had a roaring good time
(5)mike b.
I really want to love this place, but to put it bluntly: The food is crap. I hadn't returned in about 2 years because they served me raw chicken. Not undercooked chicken, cold in the center raw chicken. I've been hearing good things about the restaurant lately, and I heard there was a new chef so I went again to check it out. The menu is laughable with mains like "bowtie pasta", "chicken", "soup" with zero descriptions. Our waiter looked at us like we're idiots because we didn't know what was in each dish. He also smelled like he didn't take a shower that day, or any day in recent history. Our "pickles" plate was a bunch of heavily vinegered jalapeno peppers that were impossibly hot to eat, and rubbery. The pretzel with mustard was ice cold as if i got it off of a street cart in rockefeller center in January. My bowtie pasta with braised beef shank was ok, but my girlfriend's mac&cheese was a puddle of soup with every spice in the pantry thrown in. It was pretty shocking they serve it to people. I highly recommend not eating here, and instead just stopping in for a drink. The couches are nice to lounge on for a second date, when you're looking to get them drunk and make your move. Other than that, don't bother. For some reason Bill Murray was here the night we ate...I felt bad.
(1)Vivian H.
Came here for dinner on a Friday night unplanned. We were actually headed somewhere else, but this place looked really interesting, so we took a chance. The place is spacious, with high ceilings and the dining room was very dimly lit. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table, but in the mean time, we had a beer at the bar. I had the old fog horn on tap, which was tasty and had a high alcoholic content. Just the way I like it! For dinner, we shared an appetizer, the duck rillete, which is something like duck pate with a marmalade and it was heavenly! For the entree, we decided to split the chicken plate, which was humongous, and between the two of us, it was still too much food. It was a nice place to have a low key dinner. Will have to try some of the tea next time...
(4)Morgan D.
Went here in early October with my two gay boyfriends...and I LOVED it!! It's very hipster --skinny jeans--black square framed glasses type, but then again this is Williamsburg. We had about an hour wait, but we spent the time wisely...sitting on the black leather couch in the lounge area downing 2 bottles of white wine. The aura of this place is neat...the wallpaper reminded me of colonial virginia with the small lamps on the wall, kind of tavernish... The menu is very selective...there are about 5 things to choose from, but these 5 things are prepared very very well :) We had a fabulous time here and our waitress was awesome! A little pricey but a great time nonetheless!
(4)Felipe P.
Amazing brunch experiences happened in here. The baked cheddar eggs are excellent and I love the choice of cocktails. Supercoffee is superb, and it only gets better. Teas of course are great too. Service is always friendly and we love the overall ambience. I felt that the menu was a bit limiting when not during brunch time, but their mac and cheese with bacon is probably the best one I have ever had...a heart attack on a plate, but sometimes is just what I need.
(5)Lisa B.
My previous review stands on its own merit, and this review is just for their brunch which gets the same number of stars. I read about the brunch but was scared off by reports of the long wait for a table. Today I woke up to icky, cold rain and realized that it's the perfect time to go here for brunch. Hunch was right on...we got a seat right away. The place felt sooo cozy because of the decor and the contrast with the ugly weather outside. We shared a grapefruit/feta etc. salad which was delicious (tho the greens could have used an extra wash). I got the baked cheddar eggs which come in a little ramekin. What a perfect way to eat eggs! It comes with another little ramekin of grits with some cheese on top. I'm a yankee so the appeal of grits is lost on me and I also won't judge the quality, but it was a nice addition. The bread was two huge chunks of really wonderful and healthy bread. My dining companion got the lox which came with thick slabs of excellent, dense pumpernickel bread, cream cheese, a little bit of beet salad, scallions. The lox was thickly sliced with a beautiful buttery texture and the perfect smoky fishiness....in other words, real lox. Other reviews have complained about the hipster-attitude wait staff but I didn't find it that bad at brunch. Our waitress seemed low-key but it wasn't a problem, it didn't feel like attitude, just lazy, no-hype Sunday.
(4)YJ P.
Came for dinner and drinks. The place is really really dark at night. I have no clue what any of my food really looked like. My "special" friend, who doesn't eat pork, ordered some special with speck in it and ate half of it before realizing something was wrong. She told the waitstaff and the manager was pretty nice about it. We got a free dessert at the end. I wouldn't have been that nice.I would have told my friend to suck it. Another friend was having chowder. The smell was really unpleasant and I 'm guessing it was because it wasn't fresh. I got the mac and cheese. Get it. It'll be the best you've ever had.
(4)Anthony H.
I think the fact that I went over fourth of July weekend helped a LOT with my experience. We went for brunch - I like the semi-original cocktails. Beer wtih tomato juice and a salted rim was a new one for me. It has been on my at-home brunch menu ever since. The baked eggs were good albeit a little overcooked. But my friend's ginormous pancake was out of control. It tasted like buckwheat flour and mmmmmmm it was tasty with pears. Sure it was bigger than my face, but that's ok. We sat outside, but it's a shame that the patio area is covered. Ask me again on a rainy day and I'll be thankful for it. But for glorious summer days you're more likely to find me at relish out on the patio.
(3)Mordecai B.
Food was meh. Waiter had a foul attitude. Only the power of our personalities prevented him from ruining Boxing Day.
(2)Kevin G.
It's a shame about all the hate for Roebling Tea Room. This place is all about the timing. It's true that it gets really, truly mobbed on the weekends for peak brunch (12:30-2:00) and I'm sure the service suffers accordingly, but at most any other time it's a very pleasant place. For a while my friend was one of the barristas here, and I used to show up relatively early, like around 11:00AM, and sit at the mostly empty bar and have the egg sandwich with cheddar and bacon, which is served with apple slices. I'd finish off my meal with a beer or a cocktail; a great way to start a lazy Sunday. Gathering up my things, I'd notice a huge mass of unwashed diners darkening the doorway. I'd push past them into the sunlight, feeling a little sorry that my friend and all of his mostly friendly colleagues would soon be busy trying to cater to so many people all at once. Instead of rolling up at 1:00, go early for brunch and enjoy the space, or go for a late lunch or dinner, when it's really mellow. Or go on a weekday. The food ranges from pretty good to great, and it's reasonably priced. The music is always good. The back garden is nice. The servers are attentive when they're not overwhelmed by the brunch crush.
(4)Alexis R.
I want to like this place more than I do. The food was good, the tea selection outstanding, but the service left a lot to be desired. My brunch buddies got their food a good 15 minutes ahead of me and another diner. No explanation--it was a drive-by delivery of the first two plates and we were ignored until the final two arrived. On the other hand, their bloody mary is delicious and though mostly negligible when discussing the merits of dining here, I really like the decor. I'm sure the service would be much better outside of the brunch hours--it always is (and I can't blame them because brunch patrons tend to be more insufferable than others). Itinerary for a weekend morning with your mother, who still clutches at her purse in terror when visiting you in Brooklyn: eat here, browse the shops on Bedford (Spoonbill is a must) and North Six (The Future Perfect, if only to see her reaction to a 24k coke spoon), pick up an ice cream cone from the Mr. Frosty truck and walk through McCarren Park.
(3)Rozz N.
I just reminded myself of this place because of a TALK piece that I just posted. A shame that I haven't been since I broke up with my ex this past summer, but this too shall pass. We used to go late night and enjoy a nice glass for Perlat and comfort yummies such as baked brie with sliced apples for dipping, mac and cheese, and the frijoles barrachos. Ah and the goat cheese and olive tapenade crostinis are heavenly. They have some good specials usually, and the atmosphere is really chill. I think things are different during the day so I can only vouch for the evening vibe. I must say, they have these long couches that you can stretch out on with your honey. The lights are dim, and the servers don't bother ya unless you want em too. We rarely did!
(4)Tanner B.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. On the outside it doesn't even look like a restaurant, but on the inside it is very welcoming and quaint. The staff were very friendly and prompt. I ordered the Egg Salad sandwich. It seemed like something you would order from a gourmet restaurant! A friend and I came for brunch on Sunday. We both ordered entrees, coffee, 2 mimosas each, and an appetizer and our bill came to $27 which is very reasonable. Would highly recommend this place!
(5)Helena F.
The ambiance is very literary. Perhaps it's the tea or wine, or the fact that I only drink tea or wine here, but whatever. I enjoy it here because people have to act civilized and that is always a turn on for me. It's also a nice place to turn to for a good salad after binging at Fette Sau for 2 days in a row.
(4)Zach K.
My lunching staple. Red Flannel Hash and a cup of the cold ginger lemonade is my ideal.
(5)Chris F.
Dropping my previously five-star review to one star, as they've taped over the already scarce electrical outlets, presumably in some sort of poorly-thought-out bid to keep people from sitting for too long. My old review, from when it was possible to sit there all day and work (and of course also buy coffee and food): Roebling Tea Room, I have been looking for you for years. Let's go through my checklist of what I want in a coffee shop: 1 - Free wifi 2 - Couches 3 - Good coffee 4 - Good food 5 - No pressure to turn over tables quickly 6 - Good music, or none at all 7 - Welcoming decor Roebling Tea Room satisfies all of these. It's the closest I've ever seen to a European-style grand cafe, a genre of restaurant I'd given up hope of finding in New York. Some people have complained about lackadaisical, slow service. I haven't had this problem, although I've only been here during the day on weekdays. Even if I did, though, fast service isn't what I'm looking for when I come to Roebling Tea Room. I'm looking for a place to sit and work remotely, where I'm avoiding both the cabin fever of being at home all day and the hassle of getting into the office. It's also nice to note that I am writing this review while actually in the place I'm reviewing, for me, a Yelp first! Two complaints: 1 - The only power outlets are along the western wall, so if you sit anywhere else, you're only going to be there for as long as your battery lasts. Sometimes, when it's crowded, this means setting yourself up with a view of those tables, and then pouncing as soon as someone leaves. If you own a splitter adaptor, it'd be a friendly thing to do to bring that in with you, so you don't monopolize one of the precious outlets. 2 - The tables are about 2 inches too tall in relation to the hardback chairs for my arms to comfortably use my laptop keyboard, and the couches are too squishy and therefore even lower, so it's not ideal for a long session of working. I'm thinking about bringing along a cushion (i.e., adult highchair) one of these days.
(1)Matt M.
Great atmosphere and I used to love the food, too. But on a recent visit my wife returned her steak tartare. She LOVES steak tartare, and very rarely ever returns anything. She said it was "disgusting," lacking herbs and spices, being overly chunky (not finely chopped) and having a bunch of mayonnaise squirted on top. I wouldn't know because I don't eat meat, but this brings me to my second gripe. The dinner menu had only one entree without meat - mac & cheese. Even the one and only seafood option, which was shad roe, came with pork. So I'd have no reason to go ever go back.
(2)Trevor N.
15$ Cheese Burger? 22$ Chicken? f**********ck this place from the bottom of my heart. Bring back the days when it had an awesome Journeyman's Steak + side fries for about 15$.
(1)Ignatz B.
It does look lovely in there, and most things on the menu are great ideas in theory. I might not be best qualified to judge the food since I don't eat meat, but it would be nice if their salads had more than four overdressed leaves with some cheese thrown on top. Speaking of cheese, I used to love their mac and cheese, but I had it recently and it tastes mostly like oil. When this place first opened I came here all the time, drank their teas, happily overpaid for my fig jam, but as of late they seem to be coasting on reputation and not caring so much.
(2)davide g.
Here you won't find the best coffee in Brooklyn. Nor will you find necessarily delicious food. But Roebling Tea Room, with its vaulted factory ceilings, cafeteria-esque dining area, and fluffy couches, serves up a wide variety of exotic teas (and the flavoured kind for those who, like me, think they all taste the same, whatever colour they are) and a brunch that competes with some of billyburg's best (try the ricotta with fig paste), in a comfortable, unhurried and unpretentious environment - that last one becoming harder and harder to find around here. If you're in a rush, Roebling's not for you. Expect long lines, especially at brunch, and spotty service (read: your bill will only come if you ask for it, sort of like in Vienna). Likewise, if you're looking for a rowdy place to get a few brews to start a night of partying, you'll find yourself sinking deep into the sofa and eventually ready to go home to bed. Rather, Roebling is a good place to end your night, where you can feel equally at home drinking a cup of hot ceylon as much as a lager--they're served in the same glass, anyway, and no one can tell the difference, so, bottom's up.
(4)Kim V.
I came here during the day with a friend for a quick pot of tea. I didn't get to try the food, but I imagine that's not why most people come here, anyway. Their tea menu is pretty fun to look at because they have a rather large selection. I got the tiramisu tea, which was decent. I like the rustic decor of the place and such, yatta yatta yatta. It was overall a cute experience.
(4)jamie N.
I like the venue in general. The food is pretty good for brunch. I've had the chicken fried steak (large portion) with lots of fat. I've also had the potato sandwich that was surprisingly tasty, but I recommend getting a side of meat. They have a lot of teas to choose from. I personally enjoy the roebling breakfast tea. They have outdoor seating too and it seems like a good spot to chill and relax whether it be solo or with friends.
(4)Art V. B.
Goood brunch in Williamsburg. Worth waiting for your table. The beginning of a perfect day in the neighborhood.
(4)Patrick K.
Not good, awful service and the dish I had was tough and fatty. Too bad, such a great space.
(1)Arnel G.
I ate here numerous times for dinner. Loved the organic chicken with potatoes the meatloaf isn't bad either. They have numerous different tea items hence the name that i would love to try. Place has a nice atmosphere I love to eat here and just relax.
(4)Joy E.
Went here for brunch with friends. The interior is so lovely that I really wanted to love this place. However, the menu was limited, the waiter rude and the food sub-par. The waiter made us feel as through we were inconveniencing him and could not answer questions about the menu.
(1)Susie W.
My internet is down at home which pretty much disables me from conducting my life as normal (I don't have a TV but the internet more than fills up the time that would take!). Anyway, Roebling has more seats available mid afternoon than Atlas Cafe, so I've trekked it down here two days in a row. I've managed to be here at the shift change both days and the resulting service is abysmal. ABYSMAL people. In my life as a service industry manager, server and being addicted to great service and food, I've come to understand what I like in service and one of those things is to be paid attention to. I want to put in my order, I want my order to come relatively quickly and when I put my card on the table it means I want to pay. AND when it's 4 o'clock and your shift is over, I don't want to have to 1) find the new server 2) tell the new server what it was I had. Too bad I'm honest, I could have just paid for a tea instead of saying that I had a mimosa too. Another kicker--if there can be more than one: I put down my card and the card machine is broken. I had to leave, walk a block to an ATM and get cash. I just don't like when going out in the world is more work than pleasurable. It's a shame because I do like the space and as other reviewers mention, the tea selection is lovely. And the people are pretty too. One thing I noticed is that they have the same deer heads that Aspen has, I think. Except I think Aspen's are plexiglass? Or something. Bottom line, I will come here to sip peppermint tea and maybe even have the cold beet soup. I will also be astounded if they EVER get their service act together. Too bad. It's so cute. One more plus: Leo Kottke is in their iPod/disc changer. And you know what? He's my absolute favorite performer. I just changed my rating to 2 stars. One for Leo. The other for the decor and the server before the shift change debacle today. (I'm back in for an edit) The music situation, while they have the good taste to have Kottke, is trying-too-hard hipster. And It's killing me and my ear drums. Too loud. Especially for a Sunday afternoon. Now am I just being snarky? While I'm on that path: why is the tea served in beer mugs? Is this something cool that I don't know about? If so, set me straight, but if not, a tea cup or manageable sized mug would suffice.
(2)Brad D.
I love the atmosphere -- couldn't be better. But that can't make up for: a.) extremely -- and I mean extremely -- slow, inattentive and couldn't-care-less service b.) high prices c.) small portions d.) did I mention the bad service? I understand: When in Hipster Central, act as hipsters, but for heaven's sake, if you're a waiter or waitress, you've got to express just a touch of care about your customers. Right? A lovely atmosphere, with pretty good food (if not a touch expensive), but the attitude really must go.
(2)Mary C.
To the couple who pointed the way to Roebling Tea Room on Saturday night as two clueless non-hipsters wandered the streets of Williamsburg: thank you. We had a long, leisurely meal in the dark. A little pricey for small plates, but the ambience was pleasant, with high ceilings, low couches and lovely patio outside. The pear walnut gorgonzola arugula salad was gorgeous. The mac and cheese wasn't anything memorable, but the tapenade and goat cheese crostini was worth tasting garlic for the rest of the night! (I just wish they hadn't run out of desserts when I was there...I'll have to go back).
(4)michael r.
I am happy to say that it has been threw many visits, some not so good and some completely delightful that I finally take the time to write this review. my bf and i recently brought two of our friends to dinner at RTR on a Sunday night and found everything so much better than i remembered, then i recalled that our dinner three weeks ago was pretty bangin as well. In the past i would have given a smaller star rating but now i have really seen an improvement from the ground up. first, the staff was present and helpful. second, the food took a real leap for me since it finally had a sense of being cooked by a trained hand. its been a long time since i came for brunch but i am again curious to see if that has improved as well. im happy to see this beautiful space take its shape in all respects.
(4)Meghan K.
I always, always get baked cheddar eggs with grits and fennel toast and it's awesome, and my boyf always, always gets the drunken beans and they are off the chain. Service is always kind of slow, but it's a lazy Sunday so I don't really care. And there's a Banksy mural outside! How cool is that?
(4)Ethan C.
One of my favorite spots in the city. The setup in the place is exactly how it should be: a large U-shaped bar separating the dining people from couches along the back wall and the outdoor patio (which is huge, and a great spot for a semi-private party). Their baked brie is literally one of my favorite foods, I've never craved anything like that before. They also have $3 happy hour drinks, and $2 Genny's all the time. During the summer, they have Anchor Summer on draft for only $3, soooo good. I also love the Nick Walker giraffe graffiti on the outside. A great night to me is hitting this place up for brie and tea/drinks and then going to Spuyten Duyvil down the street. Perfect.
(5)Nora O.
Baked cheddar eggs, buttered baguette, rich aromatic teas, and a gorgeous, spacious sunlit atmosphere. I can't say there is a bad thing on the menu, and their extensive tea selection is such that it may satiate even the most knowledgeable tea person. I've heard the drinks are also quite good and find it an ideal place to bring first dates, old friends, and anyone with whom I'd like to share its warm romantic ambiance and intimate, yet comfortable elegance with.
(4)Nate H.
Though this has been a great staple for brunch (the tuna sandwich is awesome), dinner was really disappointing. My "bunny sandwich" was like a weak pulled pork sandwich that basically took all of the things that are great about rabbit and negated them with a pile of cole slaw. The "bunny" had no flavor. When I realized that it was a $20 sandwich, I was pretty disappointed. $20 for a sandwich??? Really???
(2)Jessica D.
The BEER AND BRATWURST special is my very happy meal. The atmosphere is splendid with high ceilings and natural light diffused through condensation on towering windows in winter time. They have great chefs and excessively beautiful staff, occasionally intimidating to newcomers.
(5)Cera K.
Its not often I give 5 stars . So let me just say ....this is as good as it gets. I was out and about having a bad day all together and I had gotten lost on the subway so I was pretty much in a fowl mood. any place I went to I think I might have been displease with at this point but .....grumbling along the side walk stop by this place that looked to be a warehouse or something and it turned out to be the best find of all time (so far anyway). Seriously, from the moment I stepped in until the moment I stepped out it was amazing! I was seated almost immediately . The server was a very informative waitress. she kept eye contact the whole time which to me is important. the wine was delicious. the food came out almost immediately. And it was so ,so amazing. After the main course I ordered dessert which again, could not have been any better. Over all this place was.......the best place I've been in Ny :):):);;)
(5)ANIA J.
I have been a fan of this place for years. I love it late evening the most. My favorite is the corner with coaches and armchairs. Music is always putting me in the good mood. They have amazing Rose and brunch is just perfect. Teas- you can go crazy for. One of the best most relaxing hangouts in Williamsburg.
(5)Nate R.
Good for brunch. It's got a nice atmosphere and pretty decent brunch choices, like bagels and the like. I did not like the salmon when I had that once, but otherwise the food is good. As is the tea, which one would only hope would be the case given the name. Plenty of tables, but occasionally there is a wait. Still, it's usually not that long. You can also sit at the bar, so feel free to go by yourself; I do sometimes.
(4)Fiona G.
After coming here for brunch week after week and always ordering the same 2 dishes (the smoked salmon plate and the egg sandwich), I decided to try Roebling for dinner. That was a good decision on my part, because the food was amazing. My friend and I split soup, salad, the special fish of the day, and got dessert. It can be a bit pricey for dinner, but brunch is always a bargain. I also love the atmosphere and it's really cozy at night when all the candles are lit.
(3)Natty B.
It isn't brunch, darling -- it's a lifestyle. Hate the bathrooms, though. How am I supposed to touch up my lipstick in this lighting?
(4)Norman S.
this place is so busy itsw hard to get a seat. i had take out. black orchid tea was amazing!!! next time i'll try lemon ginger - looked really good and like their most popular.
(3)Jena M.
Probably the best potato salad I've ever had, and I don't even like potato salad. I particularly enjoy Roebling when I am hungover and craving food on the saltier side. Though many complain about this, I love it. I'm a vegetarian and never find the menu without something tasty I can eat (esp. red flannel hash at brunch, yum). I also appreciate the tiny little gerkins on the side of the sandwiches. I eat here all the time, especially when my mom is in town because she talks about it non-stop,and she's probably one of the pickiest eaters I've ever encountered.
(4)Hannah N.
I really did not care for this place. I was waiting and waiting for RTR to open and then I had never found the time to go there- but when I did, I was sorely unimpressed. For one, I ordered something called the Burratta Cheese Plate, which I must say I've never had before. (Since then, I've looked up what Burratta is, and I was still not impressed.) What I got was a coagulated lump of cheese and two (pretty good albeit) rock hard slices of bread. A description of what Burratta was first would have been nice. It also seemed like the order took forever to get there. Granted, the group was pretty large that I was with, but it still seemed slow. But, I will give the place this: The decor is fabulous and the tea selection is rather robust (pun intended). Maybe next time I'll just try it for tea and forget the food part. Maybe.
(1)Braque H.
High ceilings, awesome decor, dark, good music but not overly loud, very classy. 4 stars for the aesthetics.
(4)Hannah L.
awesome tea selection, awesome ambiance, and a great food menu make this one of my favorite places to chill. what a relaxing place! the plants and slightly dark *gloom* and music....just awesome. it's a little off bedford, so you need to be looking for it to find it... except that's not how i stumbled upon roebling tea room - i got lost! haha. as usual. getting lost is fun though because you get to find new cool places! even the hipsters here are nice! brunch is really chill here too. can't wait to come back next time in in nyc.
(4)Amy G.
three stars for being fancy and gorgeous, having Top Chef contenstants dining, and the coconut cream soy latte served in a really cool cup. lost two stars for having next to nothing be vegan friendly on the menu and for having a staff that forgets you're sitting outside.
(3)Dieter K.
Tea selection is divine, dirty martinis not so much. Please, Roebling, have a better vodka available than Tito's. Otherwise, your mixed greens are wunderbar. Not as good as mine, though. But it's pretty good.
(4)Pat E.
I arrived with 3 friends around 7:20pm on a Thursday asking for a table for 5. I was immediately told that there's no table available, even though I counted at least 8 empty tables. They told me I have to wait for 2 other friends to turn up before they could seat us. Fine by me. While waiting, I noticed a couple came in, and was immediately seated at a table for 8, even though the rest hasn't shown up. I inquire if we could be seated instead of being left standing at the bar waiting, but was again told there wasn't any tables available. My partner asked if they could join 2 tables right in front of us (there were about only 5 tables occupied so far), but was told "it is inappropriate". An hour later, when all 5 of us are still waiting, I asked if we could get a table, again was told we need to wait for one of the 5 tables occupied to clear up before we could be seated. At that point, we were so frustrated as there were so many tables around and yet they refused to seat us in an almost empty restaurant. We were neither rowdy nor loud! We decided to speak to the manager. Before we could voice our dissatisfaction, the first words out of his mouth was: 'You gonna get into my face right now?' We didn't bother to argue, but just left quietly as we won't let such disdainful attitude spoil our evening.
(1)Chris v.
Stopped here for a late dinner last Saturday. Our poor waitress had our table (4-top), another smaller table, and a HUGE table with about 16 people seated there. I don't think she stopped running the entire time! However, our food took at least an hour to arrive once ordered, and my burger arrived simply as a ball of meat with cheese on top. No toppings at all, nor were they suggested if that was an option. It was decent. The fries were a bit limp, which made me think they sat a while. My wife's "baked plate" was like a lasagna without sauce, and it tasted far better than it looked. My aunt/uncle had calimari, and one other appetizer, which they liked. However, with the extended wait for the food, they were nearly falling asleep waiting for the food. I'd possibly come back during a time they weren't busy at all, but even though it was busy when we came, we were seated right away, and there was NO indication that it would take so long to get the (adequate) food. Great location, and I'd love to try something else on their menu based on the positive reviews I see here, but with so many other options in the area, it might be a while.
(3)Taylor P.
Great brooklyn vibe, very friendly staff. I only got drinks here but would come back as the food looked great and you immediately feel at home hers
(4)Fibi S.
Came here once, food was delicious. Worst service of my life. Assumed they were just having a bad day, Gave it another go, they outdid their bad service by stuffing everything up, every thing we ordered had something wrong. I also decided to try the potato sandwich and I know it sounds bad, but I was curious as to how they could make a potato sandwich yummy enough to deserve to share a menu with my meal with what I tried the time before. Turns out they can't. It was gross. Really really gross. If they fired all the staff and hired people who didn't seem stoned and actually knew how to do work, rather than "cool looking people" then this place would be great.
(1)Jess D.
Stopped by on Saturday night at long last... I have been looking forward to coming here for awhile! I can't comment on the food this time around but the cocktail was really tasty. I was a bit sad it was so tiny for the $$ but I guess I'll just not order it next time. The space is pretty good sized and I could see this being great for groups. They have a couple long tables that caught my eye. I will be back soon to try some food for sure!
(4)Cassidy P.
Love their decor, nice large space. Ordered a clam chowder (I only eat fish, no meat) and was super excited about the clams on the half shell and bread bowl soaked in the stew in the middle of the bowl (it's a huge dish!) Only problem is that in the middle of eating, I suddenly realized there was bacon in the soup. This was not listed on the menu, so it came as a surprise. I understand that some chowders come with bacon, but when we ordered we weren't told there was anything other than clams in the chowder. Anyway, to her credit the waitress tried to make it up to us by offering me other food, but my friend was already mostly done with her (delicious) fish sandwich, so I ended up munching on some overly-chewy and oily focaccia and not being totally satisfied when I left. Still, I generally liked the place--and that's saying a lot considering what happened!
(3)Blue G.
A lovely tea room & restaurant. I love this place especially when it's nice sunny weather because the inside is lightened naturally and I feel lunch time has less people and has relaxed atmosphere. The staffs are friendly and do offer good service. Their French pressed coffee is also excellent. I had salmon dish which became my favorite from this place, only it could be little less salty, but otherwise it is colorful and delicious for both on eyes and for the actual tastes. It will be a perfect lovely spot for a date as well.
(4)Bryony B.
Awesome! I really loved this place - the inside is so freaking cute and classy at the same time - and that is hard to pull off. Not to mention the food - wow. I had the mock brains (eggs with kale and bread on the side) - it was sooooo good, I was seriously shocked it would taste that good. We also had the apple pancake - which is like a sweet egg type of pancake - and it is HUGE. It came with real maple syrup and was such a great unique take on a regular pancake. Had the Homer drink with hibiscus, grand marnier and tequila, which was basically like a hibiscus margarita with salt on the rim - awesome. The only thing I could say is that, although their regular food and drinks are decently priced, the drinks are still fairly expensive ($12 each for a smaller glass). The menu isn't huge, but it is so fun and uncommon - would totally come back.
(5)Thalie L.
I was on my way too extra fancy and bc it was too cold and lazy to walk one more block I stoped into this place. It s a cute place. The brunch was good but our sides were really weird. Like the potatoes salas was not amazing. Too much sauce and weirdly sliced. The fruits bowl wasn't what I expected. Orange apple honey and grapefruit. Not a good much. But the main dish with eggs kale etc was good. The waitress was really sweet. Will come back :)
(4)Jaclyn R.
We came here for brunch, if you have a hankering for something sweet get the DUTCH PANCAKE!!! It's the best! It's almost like a custard in the middle because the pancake is baked with apples and it's huge!! It's like a pizza. You can definitely share with a friend. However, the custard consistency is similar to flan but not as eggy. If flan grosses you out, this may not be your go to. Also, their bloody Mary's are quite good!
(5)Leigh P.
Not sure I'm a fan of the new menu, or the new wait staff. They were out of orange juice for breakfast.. How does that happen. Where is the egg mock and potato salad?! Took 45min to get our food. Our waitress kept seemingly forgetting we existed. I got avocado "toast" where the bread was as crunchy as a crouton. There was a thin layer of guacamole spread I could barely taste, instead of the fresh whole sliced avocado. We always bring visitors here, but I don't know now... Bummer.
(1)Karen S.
Loved it. - Minimal wait on a weekend night - Menu diverse enough for all of the carnivores & vegetarians at the table - Super awesome server (Blake?) who answered all of our questions & made perfect recommendations for both food & booze - Possibly the most important: great music playing at a volume that still allowed for normal conversation Pro-tip: Try the "Intervention" cocktail. Seriously, order one. And then three more like I did.
(5)Samson C.
Went here last Sunday and got the Boca Hawaii Tuna Burger. Probably the best Tuna Burger I've ever had, layered with avocado and ranch dressing atop a meandering pile of pepperoni. Only problem I had was with the bartender, who got into a argument with me about my Led Zeppelin shirt.
(3)David P.
Meh. It was okay. Okay selection of beers. The platters are quite small for the price ($12-$14) and come with almost no bread. Tough to do much with a huge plate of hummus and 4 little pieces of bread. They did bring more bread, but the reaction when we asked for more was a cross between stunned and outraged.
(3)E M.
The ambiance is great, however the service is horrible. I ordered the chicken Teri., way over spiced and salty. My bf ordered the pasta which left much to be desired. The one good thing we ordered was the macaroni and cheese which was slightly spicy! The lemonade was fresh. The service was just horrible, our waiter seemed annoyed to be working. Horrible experience in that regard.
(2)Alex O.
Nice ambiance. Only got a drink here but very much enjoyed it!
(3)Busra E.
I usually don't write reviews--this may in fact be my first Yelp review, but I think my experience today calls for one. I should also note that Roebling Tea Room has been one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood for the last three years -- until today. My friend and I arrived around 2.45 PM to get something to eat, and were told there was a 20 minute wait for a table, although there were 2 open two-people tables (brought together for a party of four) in the front area of restaurant. It wasn't reserved for anything (they don't take reservations for less than 6 people) it was just that the hostess choose to wait for a party of four. After checking the back area, the hostess came back saying there was a small nook that could seat two people, and we could just sit there and order food and drinks from the bar. We settled although the said nook is right next to the bathroom in the back. I found a menu from somewhere and we decided on what to order. We then walked back to the bar, where there was only one bartender, who rolled his eyes upon our approach. He then refused to make eye contact for another five minutes, and went about his business. Finally, when my friend got his attention (kindly) he started listening to our order. Except that he walked to the other end of the bar as we were ordering, and didn't say ANYTHING when we were done with the order. What I mean is -- he didn't say yes or no -- or give any sign to let us know that our order went in. We lingered around for another five minutes, waiting for him to get back to us and let us know that he'd put it in. While all of this happened, my friend remembered that she is allergic to raisins and wanted to ask someone if there were raisins in the salad we ordered. So she spoke with the first person that would make eye contact with her (the guy who was going in between the bar and customers for drinks.) He was helpful, and said that he was going to let the bartender know. Yet, he also left quickly, so there wasn't enough time to ask him whether the order was put in. We waited around not knowing whether our order went in for another five minutes, until a waitress asked if everything was OK. We asked her if she could see whether the order was in, and she said it was in the works. As we were turning our backs to get back to our seats, the bartender made a gesture asking us to lean in. When we did, he said something like "The more people you talk to, the more you're going to complicate things," in a truly scolding manner. Which is when we decided to leave. The waitress who was aware of what was going on suggested to seat us in her section and offered free drinks, but neither of us were interested after the whole thing. Both my friend and I had worked as waitresses in the past and do know how busy it gets on a Sunday afternoon. We are also aware that there is an organization to how bars and kitchens work. However, in this case, I'm afraid it's not a working system. I don't know if there was supposed to be a second bartender there today, but they were not in for some reason, or whether the bartender we tried to communicate with has personal problems. All I know is people shouldn't treat each other as disrespectfully under any circumstance or job title/role. $40 to sit next to the bathroom, wait, and get told off? Not coming back.
(1)Erin S.
Stunningly delicious. Had baked cheddar eggs and grits. Lovely wait staff-welcoming and leisurely.
(5)Alissar T.
Really disappointed in my overall experience yesterday - when this is usually our favorite local spot. The wait on a Friday night was over an hour, but after 25 minutes we got a seat at the bar - which we were happy with. The bartender was rude, and unfriendly, and our appetizer took over an hour and a half to come out. Our burgers then followed a half hour later, which we asked for "medium" and got a charred, more-than-well-done burger. 2 hours later we were so hungry we did not send back, but really disappointing experience when their burger is the reason why we love Roebling so much. The mac and cheese which is also usually outrageously delicious, was dry and quite burnt as well. Our bar tender apologized without us saying anything because he knew how poorly the service was handled, and offered to buy us shots (which we declined)... instead of perhaps taking a drink or app off the receipt.
(2)Jose B.
if you like being disrespected by hipsters who forgot where they came from this is the place for you!
(1)Emily A.
Pretty darn good. When I visited it was a slow empty night. Sat at their bar rather than a table. Cant really give too much info on the service since it was not busy in anyway at all. BUT I can comment on the food. I had the Baked Sheets. So tasty! I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into but I'm glad I chose to get that. Their drinks are also quite good as well. I wouldn't call this place my goto spot or my favorite restaurant ever but I would definitely go back.
(4)Louis D.
This place fucking rules get the chill moments drank also order everything burger is dope menu always changes but i have never had one bad thing Im not a big fan of the deserts but now I'm just being a bitch so Ill shut up service is always great vibe is dope me and the gal would eat here every day if we could
(5)Seth M.
Management should pay attention to the negative reviews on this page that all criticize the service. Went for drinks. When, unbeknownst to my party, they were preparing to close, the bartender said nothing. Just disappeared. Cleaners began mopping before we were able to settle our tabs. Also, tea is $5 here, which is criminal.
(1)Victoria B.
I'll start out by saying that the food was great. I had the baked cheddar egg, and it was a nice large filling plate, which was just what I wanted on a cold day. I also had an egg cream soda and it DELICIOUS, I totally loved it. Although it was quite rich and by the end of my meal I was feeling a little overfull. But, the customer service was pretty bad. Like, I'd read the other reviews that people posted about bad experiences and I thought it would be fine, but it seriously made the meal much less enjoyable. I was at the bar, and one bartender had this look on his face like he was completely miserable and hated everyone in the restaurant. I seriously considered asking him if he was alright or if he'd like just been notified of a death in the family or something. The other bartenders and waitstaff largely just ignored me. The hostess who seated me was decently friendly, props to her. Overall I just felt like they all wished there was no one in the restaurant. And it wasn't even close to closing! It was brunch!
(3)Alexander M.
So here's the thing. This place is dimly lit, the atmosphere is decent, nothing special. It's pricey, but delicious -- waiters do a good job. Now for the kicker. The Steak Tartar was the best thing I have ever eaten in my life. Did you hear what I just said? The steak tartar was the best thing I've every eaten in my life. ever. And I'm a foodie. After every bite, I felt like I was taking a commercial break from the world for a second, so much so that I couldn't concentrate on the conversation with my friends! The chef is an absolute genius. After eating, I begged them to order another one and to meet the chef, but apparently it was right when the kitchen closed. Wow -- Eat the Steak Tartar. It's out of this world.
(4)Joshua F.
This place reeks pretension. I went to brunch with my sister. We hadn't seen each other in a long time, so we wanted to spend time talking and not having to worry about our food and beverage quality/service. The waitress took a long time to come to the table. She didn't wish to explain dishes on the menu, and our Bloody Mary's were watery by the time they hit the table. Our food was bland and we had to order toast and jam with our eggs for brunch! Also, it says on the menu: "Our meat is on a program." What??! This is the most pretentious thing I've ever seen. It's exactly the kinda Portlandia meets Williamsburg satire you watch while stoned and laughing at how ridiculous restaurants are. The host/manager lady was a real treat to encounter as well.
(1)Priam D.
Headline: Go there for dinner, not brunch. I love the decor and ambience. The burgers are unbelievably good (maybe my favorite in Brooklyn); they do something to the bun that makes them addictive. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have their act together for brunch. On weekend mornings, the service is extremely slow (eg, a friend waited longer than 10 min for a cappuccino) even though the restaurant doesn't seem to be very busy during this time.
(3)Maeve M.
We were torn between Extra Fancy and Roebling Tea Room, and I'm glad we came here. Both places had room but EF is pretty dim and dark (probably better for dinner and drinks) and RTR has these huge gorgeous windows that let in a lot of light--essentially on a dreary February day. We got some tasty French press coffee (unfortunately we didn't get milk for a while but it eventually showed up) and I ordered the Mock Brains - kale, eggs and gruyere scrambled with a baguette. My friend ordered Drunk Beans (very creative names here), which i had major, major envy over--basically beans and grits with a poached egg and sour cream. My dish was fine but very small, i think maybe they only gave me one egg? I guess it was healthy but I was a little surprised at the portion. That being said, this was a pretty cheap brunch (sans alcohol) so I'm not broken up over it. I'd definitely go back to try more of the menu, and some of the nice brunch cocktails those around me were enjoying.
(4)Patrick B.
Nice space. Had brunch today and they had very rude, sassy waitress on the floor. Made for a terrible start to the experience. It was very quiet and she made our entrance as difficult and uncomfortable as possible without any conceivable reason to do so. She seemed to do this to several customers. Food was ok and a nicer dude served us after her. Probably won't go again.
(2)Justin F.
Took my parents here for brunch and had a fantastic experience. I had the potato and egg sandwich and it was incredible. I highly recommend this place. Service was a little slow but they were very attentive when we needed something. They have a back room, large tables for groups and a back patio.
(5)Noel B.
One of my favorite brunch places in Williamsburg. The coffee is amazing, which is the start to a good brunch! The scrambled eggs with kale is my favorite dish and very high quality. We usually get the big pancake to share since its huge, but so worth sharing. The place is charming and clean and the service is always very personable and friendly. Definitely recommend this place for brunch.
(5)Versace J.
If your looking to go back to the future without a DeLorean then come to roebling tea room . The teas are unbelievable. The food is also flavorful with the menu always changing . I love the chicken meat ball here and the ginger tea. Cocktails with unique flavors.
(5)Lauren P.
Tried to have a drink here. Sat down at the near empty bar while the bartender and three other staff members stood around and stared at us for over 8 minutes before someone came over and dropped menus next to us before quickly walking away. This is my first review after using yelp for a long time. I felt compelled to write it because the service was that bad.
(1)Jonatan K.
The potatoe side sallad was wonderful and pretty large actually. On the other hand the pancake was more of an omelette in taste and appearance. Loud music, loud talk, so thanks for some great food, probably some more is nice. But just to loud for me, darlings.
(3)Devon M.
Patron beware: despite what their page says, they have NO wi-fi and a "no-laptop policy" to boot. Snooty as hell. Decent coffee, good ambiance though.
(2)Wayne W.
Went there with my daughter and was not disappointed . Great steak tartar and apple cider with whiskey . Fun room and super friendly staff . The burger looked great ,will try it next time .
(4)Jessica J.
I have walked by a million times, and I finally decided to pop in a whim. Got a seat at the bar for a drink and a snack. The atmosphere was comfortable for me to sit alone and easy for a friend to come join later. It was a Thursday night, so it was full without being crowded. The room was dark and nice, the bartender was lovely, and the pate was to die for. I am only dropping a star because the menu could have been a bit more extensive if I wanted to eat a full meal. Most fabulous for a snack and a nice cocktail!
(4)Jessica B.
This restaurant is beautiful and has a nice atmosphere. The food is always good. I have visited the restaurant several times, however on several occasions they have forgotten my food order or drink order which had left me waiting for over an hour. This has happened several times when the restaurant was not busy. Overall I would recommend this restaurant.
(3)Jen H.
This spot is cute, atmosphere is cozy and the food was good (though this is no great feat considering all the good options in the vicinity), but the service here is slow and comes with I don't give a crap about my job attitude. Came here with a large group- so I understand we're not going to be served with any degree of swiftness. But, waiting 45 minutes for an iced coffee- sorry, I mean iced americano because they don't serve iced coffee, as I was brusquely told by the waitress- whatever, just give me my iced caffeine thing- is a little extreme. After we ate, paying the bill took another 30 minutes. How many hipster waitresses does it take to split the bill? Apparently many. And apaprently it takes a while. As far as food goes- the beet & eggs and the baked cheddar eggs were the most popular amongst our group. My baked cheddar eggs were pretty good- nice strong sharp cheddar baked in with the eggs, grits were nice and buttery and the apple butter for the toast was pretty awesome. I'm not opposed to coming back to Roebling, but given all the other good options in the area, I'm inclined to try another spot next time.
(3)Julie P.
I went early-ish on a Tuesday and the room was very empty, but I settled in for a lovely dinner. Despite the clever names of the cocktails (seriously, Jonathan Winters? What does that mean?) I ended up ordering pint of hard cider because it was so hot out. I decided to order two starters as a meal and was very satisfied. My ripped mozzarella salad with mission figs, basil and EVOO ($12) was very tasty. The second salad I loved because the combo was unique yet simple: kale rubbed with a vinaigrette of lavender and lemon juice, topped with Parmesan (I think) cheese and currants ($12). Of the two desserts, I chose the chocolate cake ($7) which I think was a moist flour less cake and it was supposedly infused with tea, but I could not detect it. The server was lovely, she was very attentive and friendly. Might hit this spot again before I leave Brooklyn.
(4)Laura H.
YES SO SO SO GOOD. Ok so obviously I love Roebling Tea Room but I have to say it's because I really love ONE item a lot a lot a lot. You can only get it on weekdays and I'll go in alone just to get it. The poached egg omelet. There's nothing better. A perfectly poached egg with cheese inside an omelet, plus their hollandaise sauce is incredible! I don't usually like hollandaise and I always ask for it on the side but this one is soooo buttery and tasty. They have good options for brunch during the weekend also, I really like the big pancake, but nothing compares to the poached egg omelet. Their tea selection is pretty good but maybe not as good as it could be for a "tea room".
(5)Avalyn J.
We wandered in here while waiting for some friends to arrive to go to a nearby restaurant. It was happy hour. Lucky us! $5 well or 2/$12 margaritas. The margs were tasty and strong. To our surprise the glasses were huge so no complaints there. I would venture in here again prob for HH or if im in the neighborhood again.
(3)Allison S.
I went here for brunch and had a bowl of fruit and a hot chocolate and it was delicious. I also came again for dinner and the burger I had was surprisingly amazing. It was nothing fancy to look at but it was cooked and seasoned perfectly, so delicious.
(5)Babak G.
I was here on a date and had a lovely experience. Friendly bartenders -- very friendly from my experience, which totally shaped my impression and experience. Reasonable prices for cocktails, a lovely ambiance and overall decor, and a very nice and very green outside patio. This spot is actually pretty romantic. My date went well and I would definitely take another date here in the future. Roebling Tea Room lives up to it's reputation.
(5)Kanika H.
I came here for dranx on a Saturday evening. This joint is huge- has tables all over the damn place, and even more seating in the back yard. Decor: Very rustic, roomy and hipstery... Ambience: Very hipstery. Dranx: Decent. Strong. Not super expensive considering the price of city fare. Had two whiskey sours for $14 total. Food: Had the fries. They were half cooked and meh. Sole complaint: The bathrooms. There were only two single-stall bathrooms throughout the whole joint, and the lines got pretty long at one point. They've soo gotta do better on that one. Cool place...No complaints. Return visit is on the list of master plans.
(3)Katrina R.
A friend and I came here for dinner because we couldn't stand the 1-hour wait for St. Anselm across the street (sob). We were seated right away which was nice. The space was intimate and dimly lit with candles, which I liked. But the dinner offerings were a little limited - with 3 of the 7 or so entrees being burgers (burger / cheeseburger / soft shell crab in a bun, aka a freaking burger). I didn't want a burger, so I ordered the diver scallops appetizer with a side order of fries and a glass of red. I really enjoyed the wine, although I can't remember which it was - just that it happened to be the cheapest glass (get that one). The fries were good, if just a littttle on the salty side. My scallops were also good, but I only received two of them at $12. Not horrible, considering it was an app.... but I'm pretty sure I didn't leave Roebling satisfied. Actually - I went home and proceeded to polish off an entire pint of ice cream because I was still hungry. The meal didn't exactly break the bank. But after a $40 bill (actually a lot less, but I'm a good tipper) + a $12 cab ride home from the restaurant, my experience at Roebling Tea Room didn't really leave me all that happy. But at least the pint of ice cream I had after did.
(3)Malcolm K.
Roebling Tea Room was Williamsburg before Williamsburg was Williamsburg. We came here based on Bill Murray's old recommendation. His son cooks here (or at least did at one point). And as Bill describes it, "they take great pride in their kale," which, love of the ingredient aside, shows you you just how influential Roebling has been on the rest of the borough since its opening back in 2005. This past Saturday, we came for drinks. It was happy hour, and we were fortunate to snag ourselves a couple of ice cold draft beers for 3 bucks a pop. If that wasn't generous enough, the bartender offered to take some shots with us. We did, and while the extra shots certainly weren't necessary, they iced Roebling's cake quite nicely. Like many great restaurants, Roebling Tea Room provides a convenient escape from the rest of the world. I can't ask for much more than that.
(4)Alyssa B.
I came here for brunch with a group of 8. We didn't have to wait too long for a table. The atmosphere was really nice, and the large windows let a lot of natural light in. It was exactly as I imagined a rustic brooklyn tea room to be. We were given our menus. Drinks are not complimentary here. I ordered a mimosa, which at $7 came as a flute of orange juice with a splash of champagne. The majority of our table ordered bloody mary's which everyone seemed to enjoy. For my entree I ordered the beets and eggs. It came out as a layer of beets, goat cheese and kale with two fried eggs on top. It was very tasty - you could definitely tell everything was fresh - but it wasn't a lot of food, even for me. My boyfriend got the egg muffin sandwich. He probably could have eaten 4 of them and still have been hungry. A couple people ordered the big pancake, which looked like a substantial amount of food. I think our friends were content with that, but it doesn't come with any sides. It's just one big pancake with some apples on it. I probably wouldn't come here again. TLDR: Food is delicious, but it's expensive and you don't get a lot.
(2)Emma O.
Been coming here for years for their brunch. Try the baked cheddar eggs and the big pancake!
(5)Carolina D.
A cold Sunday evening and the reception and atmosphere couldn't have been warmer. We were seated right away. My friends had the seafood soup and I had the branzino with roasted kumquats and Brussels sprouts. Delicious. The service was extremely attentive in just the right way...and at ease with a special wine request. Overheard it was our friends' birthday so came out with a candle in the dessert. The atmosphere was relaxed and lovely. $50 apiece with tip -- we had sparking water, a couple of wines, and one dessert. A lovely experience all around.
(4)Luke B.
This is for the management of Roebling Tea Room. I made this account for this review. Our server, Harper, was professional, courteous, and very helpful, but didnt nag and check up on us to the point of insanity. Took our entire order by memory, and it came out flawlessly. The burgers were fantastic tasting and cooked perfectly to our specifications. The bloody maries were fantastic, consistent, and solid. fantastic experience. Definitely coming back.
(5)Illya T.
I eat here regularly with my friends. I love to bring people from out of town here. I highly recommend that you come to this place. My favorite meal is the Steak Tartar.
(5)Eve S.
Met a friend here back in the summer. It was quite mellow the night we were there. The food is good but I found the portions too be kind of skimpy. Would be interested in checking out brunch here.
(3)Rocket M.
I came for brunch with a friend and we ate at the bar. The place was not all that full but the staff seemed overwhelmed. The people next to us got the wrong food. Our food took almost an hour to come out and when it did it was really blah at best. Other people seemed to enjoy their food so maybe we ordered the wrong thing.
(2)Nick S.
It was 100$ for two ppl we left hungry,terrible service,we waited half hour for small portions ,,you gotta be kidding me,,,never again
(1)Claire M.
This review is for drinks only - would love to go back and eat there sometime, though! My date and I stopped in on a misty Tuesday evening for a drink, and I immediately fell in love with the place...in fact, I couldn't stop talking about the wallpaper - which didn't make for a great two-sided conversation. (That said, said date developed a major crush on the exposed Edison bulbs, so we are both officially nerds). But really, the place is adorable. It's romantically lit, and you can eat at a small table with your date, or if it's just drinks, sit at the bar or at a long wooden table behind the bar. I wasn't feeling well, so I decided to order some tea. Good thing the Roebling Tea Room lives up to its name! The Lemon Ginger tea ($4) was delicious and SO perfect for my cold...it came in a big beer stein and was more than I could drink. My boyfriend got some fancy cocktail with bourbon, which he loved...sorry I can't remember; like I mentioned...that wallpaper. The service was a little odd. I stood at the bar for like 5 minutes before anyone noticed me, and once I'd finally been able to order, I went and sat down - 5 feet away - at the long table. I guess I expected one of the waitresses to bring us the drinks, since it was clear we were sitting at the table, and the place was almost completely empty.
(4)Greg O.
I heard the hamburger was delicious and I was not disappointed. I had a juicy and flavorful burger with a french dressing on the side for the french fries. I liked the restaurant's vibe, location, and fun staff.
(4)Kelsey D.
I was in town visiting an old friend, and we decided to stop here after dinner and before Extra Fancy. The service was fine, our bartender was very nice and we didn't wait long, but there was another bartender who I swear couldn't smile if he were offered free fair-trade locally grown and roasted coffee (and this is BROOKLYN). He looked like a cross between Mike Gordon from Phish and George Harrison, and he had a scowl on for most of the evening. Miserable man. Our drinks were delicious, albeit expensive, but I was on vacation, so treat yoself and all that. My biggest complaint is the barstools. My back hurts just thinking about them. They are bolted to the floor, and have no rung on which to put your feet (which should be required of all stools). The bar that you can put your feet on is too far away, so you have to scoot forward and basically stand. I wanted so much to enjoy this place, but I sipped a bit quicker than normal to escape that hellish barstool.
(2)Robyn R.
One of my favorite spots of ALL time. I love everything about it from the decor to the staff to the food. I go to Roebling as often as possible. I'd be completely lost without this place-I consider it a home away from home.
(5)Allison J.
The staff is friendly and accomodating and I like the big open warehouse-y feel of this place. The tea and coffee drinks are fantastic. I loved the caffeine free WHITE CHOCOLATE TOFFEE LATTE. Yum yum! The cookies though... are better looking than they taste. I had a peanut butter cookie that was really really dry. On the upside, we went recently on a Sunday afternoon. They managed to accomodate 7 of us on a long couch and a few chairs. The food was surprisingly good and the following is what I'd recommend. Try the PULLED PORK SANDWICH. It comes with this amazing potato salad where the potatos are thinly sliced on a mandolin so you get these thin rounds (like you would for potato chips) instead of the traditional chopped potatos. My boyfriend loved the pork and said it was some of the best pulled pork he's had in a long time. If you order the bread basket for $10, expect a large wicker tray with baguettes, danishes, brown bread and a few other things to come out. It was plenty for 7 of us to share and the baguettes were toasty warm and great with the jams that came out with the basket. The mac and cheese was pretty good and I also had the RICOTTA AND FIG PASTE on toasted baguette with dried cherries, walnuts and honey. This was great finger food and had I not filled up on bread earlier I would have eaten the whole thing. The guyere and egg sandwich sent my friend into a blissful coma but the lemon tuna caper salad sandwich had my other friend wishing for some mayonaise. That was the only disappointment of the bunch. The tuna salad had no mayo so it was really dry. It was flavorful though because they put a tapenade on the bread and with the capers it had a nice tangy-ness to the sandwich. Next time I go back... and I will.... I'll have the baked french toast with nutella and lemon curd. That just sounds so good!
(4)Veronica B.
Nice ambiance,service and interesting menu
(4)Eat It B.
It's a favorite of mine for brunch but also great for dinner, the space is open and inviting and the menu is creative and delicious. Great for romantic dates OR family dinners out.
(4)J-Bobz A.
By light years, the best brunch of any place I've ever been too. Salt-cod fritters, beat hash, pan seared rainbow trout and eggs. Yum.
(5)Lindsey C.
wan't impressed. it was just okay. very loud, service took forever!
(2)Lauren K.
The food was amazing. The tea was amazing. The service was good. All around a really pleasant experience. We had the burger with bleu cheese and the eggs with beets, goat cheese, and kale. So yummy! I'd definitely go back again and again!
(4)Diana R.
This place is truly special. I've yet to eat here, but the drinks/tea are fantastic, and the decor is cozy and fun.
(4)Jennifer V.
I like this place. Really nice atmosphere, although no high-chairs for kids so bring your own, but the staff were friendly and very accomodating. The coffee was excellent and most of our meals were excellent. We tried the oatmeal with fruit (excellent), fried chicken steak with biscuits (although they ran out of biscuits) but the meat was outstanding and the egg and cheese sandwich. The dutch pancake was tasty, not too sweet, but very very heavy and dense and while I can normally put away a full order of pancakes and eggs at egg, I couldn't even finish a quarter of this one. I am excited to try it again and taste more of their menu. Very different and a great alternative to egg when there is a line.
(4)Adam K.
Great food here period. Have only been there once for Brunch and it was amazing. Can't remember what i got, some sort of baked egg thing. Definitely a selling point, the food. Crowded, yes. But it's hard being one of the stand alone places on one of the busiest streets in Williamsburg.
(4)Jasmine T.
Basically I can tumble out of bed & go downstairs in my robe and slippers for brunch. My go to place for tea or food, coming here is easier than going to my own fridge. Everything I've ordered satisfied my palette and wallet. It's a hit with mom as well as friends.
(5)Ruslana S.
I was long contemplating how many stars to give after I recently re-visited the place, and gave 3, even though I really wanted to give more. I used to live in the area, so was stopping by pretty often. The tea quality was great, and it still is pretty good. However everything else seemed to go downhill since I've last been there about a year and a half ago. First off, they've used to serve much more stuff to the couches. Used to be able to get cheese platters, meat platters, and desserts (oh chocolate pot de creme, how i miss you!). Not sure about regular food, as I've never actually dined in there. The platters are still there, albeit they've taken a turn to the worse as well. Cheese platter included some random melted cheese instead of having variety of hard cheeses that i was expecting to see. They've used to serve tea in a giant beer mugs which used to add ambiance to the place. Now the tea is in small white tea pots that don't look that inviting. The service could've probably been better as well.
(3)Tom N.
The service can be spotty but the brunch is worth the beating. Ricotta with fig paste - give it a try
(4)Hazey J.
Great, consistent brunch as well as dinner. Had the best scallops in my life here once. Service is usually pretty good and unaffected. Good bloody marys too.
(4)Dita S.
This is my favorite place in Williamsburg for brunch. I eat mostly raw so I usually get the salads and the fruit bowl with mint. I got a little crazy one day and went for the cheddar eggs which were phenomenal. Everything on their menu is really creative and delicious and not overpriced. Service can be slow on weekends but a fun place to see faces you saw at 4am the night before.
(5)Rachel P.
Had an early Saturday brunch at the Roebling Tea Room. Our party of 6 arrived around 11am and we were seated immediately. I'm guessing because it's a "tea room" they do not have coffee already brewed, yet we were presented with two French presses which may have been the best coffee I've ever tasted. All of the food we ordered was delicious. Loved the baked cheddar eggs with fennel raisin toast and apple butter; never tried grits before this dish, while they were tasty, I don't think they were my thing - but the rest of the table raved about them. The pancake was excellent, not your traditional pancake, kind of reminded me of freshly baked cornbread with butter...can't go wrong with that! The atmosphere was a bit pretentious but I wasn't bothered by it - we had very pleasant service, the waitress was very sweet and attentive. Major props to the music they had playing - our ears were delighted by The Kinks and some Neil Young.The only downside of our meal was the side of bacon; I was hoping for something thick-cut and hearty yet we were presented with 2 thin, shriveled, Oscar Meyer looking strips for $3. Wah wah. Next time I'll know not to go that route...give me some more baked cheddar eggs and fennel raisin toast!
(4)Jason R.
I used to love this place, but it's fallen off so badly. First, the service and the dinner, and now the brunch. I think the chef (the flannel-wearing one that refuses to wear deodorant), needs a little help in that kitchen. Experience 1 - Mid November - what is with those "grassfed" steaks? $28 for one of the most over cooked, gristley pieces of meat I've encountered in NY. The service was good, but the food left left a lot to be desired. Experience 2 - January 2009 - If you advertise kale comes with the chicken, serve kale with the chicken or at the very least, tell the table what's going on, Young Unprofessional Hipster Boy. Our chickens came with double the mashed potato and a piece of "winter green" draped on top. The whole thing was swimming in margarine....yes, fucking margarine. And it helps if the waiter at least acknowledges us for the 1.5 hours we are there. Experience 3 - Late January 2009 - $12 burger should come with lettuce, onion and pickle at the very least. Maybe they are trying to be all "season-driven" like Diner. Guess what...you aren't Diner or Marlow...you never will be Diner or Marlow. Put the sardine sandwich back on the menu. Overall, this place needs to reign in the the $28 specials, slim down the menu and be just a little bit hospitable. Besides that, time for a change in the kitchen. Lastly, just because they advertise, grassfed, natural, etc...doesn't mean it actually tastes better. I'm not so sure it's not a false advertisement. I won't go back. I've heard enough Neil Young.
(1)Matt A.
I love how there is always this wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread emanating from the kitchen. I don't even think they bake bread here, but the smell itself is enticing enough for me to walk in. There's a cute outdoor patio that's great during warmer months. There are mixed reviews from the service to the to the number of electrical outlets available, but personally I have nothing negative to say about my drinking and dining experiences here.
(4)Eric B.
great food small portions sassy service (take that as you wish) weird clientle it's a brunch scene with fun dishes -- eat out back on the groovy patio, avoid the inner 'lodge' decor.
(3)Ryan G.
One of the most underrated business on Yelp. I can't believe there are poor reviews for food and service on here... First of all, the food is unbelievably good. They use the freshest ingredients, everything is locally grown, sustainable, etc. The specials are always great. Second, the service is consistently great here... the servers are nice, attentive, and do their job without attitude or stank face. What more do you want? They go over the specials in detail, always give great recommendations on what to eat... again, what more do you want? Some of the reviews on here are flat-out retarded. The things you people complain about are ignorant. I hate when a ONE STAR review starts with, "First off, let me say, the food is FANTASTIC, but..." The only reason people read your review is to hear what you say about the FOOD. Save your sob story about Bill Murray getting more attention than you for mom... Bill Murray should, and always will, for the rest of your life, get more attention than you.
(5)Tina E.
the food's nothing special, and the service could be more attentive. the place gets rescued by its location and decor. good for groups.
(3)Benjamin B.
Such a unique, unpretentious Williamsburg spot. Have been for brunch and dinner and always enjoyed both. Brunch is more of an a la carte affair as I recall, but everything is delicious. Service is good, and the ambiance and people watching is amazing. The banquet-type seating on the back wall is great for a group of 6-8.
(4)B G.
This place is pretty decent. The service was friendly and good. The food is decent--not amazing, but not bad. I ordered a green tea (the jasmine one) that came out in this frou frou cup with less-than-hot water. They gave me way too much tea--pretty wasteful. I ordered the scallop appetizer. It only comes with two little scallops and it's pretty expensive (maybe $13 or $14). The sauce was pretty good but the scallops themselves were kind of weird in texture. I think they needed to be cooked more. Almost the entire table ordered burgers with a fried egg and bacon on top. The burger was pretty awesome. It is HUGE. The fries are decent too. We ordered the mac n cheese and it tasted crazy. It tasted like ballpark nachos in mac n cheese form. I think they used nacho cheese or something. It also had a LOT of cayenne so it was pretty spicy. Overall, this place is OK but nothing to shout about.
(3)Tiffany T.
I've always wanted to check this place out. Even after reading the reviews of the bad service I thought it couldn't be that bad, but it was worse. My friend and I sat down for lunch and we were ignored for about 10 minutes before we received menus. After waiting another 15 minutes we noticed that people who arrived after us were getting their orders taken. We tried to flag down the waitress as she walked by, she made eye contact and kept on walking. I was never able to try any of the food because we got up and left to go somewhere where the employees would wait on us.
(1)Kristen S.
I absolutely love this place! I've been a total of three times (for lunch and brunch) and each visit keeps me coming back for more. First off, the ambiance of this place is incredible. It is so beautiful and quite spacious. The factory windows, wallpaper, high ceilings, and the wood + green color scheme create a very homey vibe. A+ on decor. Now for the food. The first time I came for lunch and had the smoked salmon with cream, beet relish, and pumperknickel bread which was great. Perfectly simple yet refreshing and light, definitely hit the spot. My co-diner had the skillet hash and loved it as well. The second time I came i had the chicken fried steak. This was a mistake on my part because it is definitely not a dish for the faint of heart (which I decidedly am). Three large portions of fried steak served atop a bed of biscuits and white gravy was just too heavy for me. It tasted great but after about 5 bites I found myself looking longingly at my friend's smoked salmon. Not to say the dish was prepared poorly, it was just that I made a poor judgement of what my stomach could handle. On my most recent visit I had the beets and eggs served with goat cheese and kale and was very pleased with my choice. A very straightforward dish with a wonderful mix of flavors. The only downfall of this place is the spotty service. The first two times I came it was absolute crap, it was as if the waiters were forbidden from smiling or making you feel welcome in the slightest. On my third visit the service was completely fine as I had a friendly and attentive waitress.
(5)Selin K.
Great decor, decent service, we received a complimentary bottle of wine from the chef as our food came out quite late - which was an appreciated gesture. That doesn't really offset the horrible food poisoning I contracted after eating the mackerel, however. Would not go back
(1)Beverly N.
My best friend lives close to Roebling, and I always request to go there when I'm in the area (he has yet to dispute). Never been for brunch or lunch, always dinner or after-dinner. Never had a bad plate, but must admit that I stick with apps and small plates (cheese selection with fig paste, or radishes with butter, or fresh salads). Many tea options, which I appreciate. The waitstaff can be... grumpy, to say the least. But what do you expect in Brooklyn? I just hope for a good server, and don't let the bad ones bother me. That said, I spent years in Budapest, and let me tell you, they don't give a fuck about good customer service over there. Spend some time in Budapest, and you'll learn to get along fine with grumpy waiters. Roebling's environment, cheese selection, tea or alcohol options, and simple small plates - all together- has the ability to "hit the spot" when I'm in the mood.
(4)Alison D.
Beautiful open space, and sunfilled relaxing atmosphere during the day. This is really NOT the place to go when you are in a hurry, but is wonderful for slow yummies when you are catching up with friends and thus don't really care that you can't get the server's attention. Salads are great and both my sweetie and my sister swear by the Bratwurst/Beer special. Staff is nice, but easily overwhelmed and might make you wait 20 minutes for your check. :)
(3)elise s.
the tea room is probably my favorite restaurant in the burg. now, that statement needs a lot of backing up, because we all know how horrendous the service is. but the food somehow ALWAYS more than makes up for the bad service, because everything i've had here has been more delicious than whatever i had previously. my favorite brunch item is the smoked salmon plate. TONS of salmon, not enough delicious pumpernickel bread, herbed creme fraiche, beet relish and capers? yes please! i crave this meal come saturday. for dinner, pretty much anything you order will be amazing. even the half a chicken which i normally find boring is super tasty, and the mashed potatoes are so silky smooth/chunky at the same time and heavenly. the journeyman's steak is usually perfect, the mac n cheese is damn good and the cauliflower risotto has transformed the flower into my favorite vegetable. seriously, it's some good shit.
(5)marco c.
Disappointing. My husband and I went for dinner and we had one of the poorest food experiences we ever had. Seriously I could have done much better at home! The "wild spinach salad with lavander vinaigrette" was ridiculous.. just few leaves of greens put on a plate with something on top that you could barely say, was vinaigrette.. and then the entrees ...what a disaster! My husband who ordered a sirloin tip steak with stuffed peppers got a strip steak with soft boiled eggs instead. Not to mention that the meat was very tough. I ordered this meat wrapped in grape leaves and served on a bed of lentils and raisin that sounded very attractive to me but again, I was wrong. Despite the fact that I asked for VERY RARE the meat was tough as well as the grape leaves. And the lentils were under cooked. The best part of the dinner was my 8 dollars glass of Syrah. Such a shame...the place is one of the most beautiful in the neighborhood though!
(2)Fat G.
I ventured from my apartment in Chelsea to meet with a friend for brunch who was briefly staying in Williamsburg. Upon a recommendation, we decided to go to the Roebling Tea Room. We loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and sat near the windows at the front. Really beautiful place. The skillet hash was awesome. The French Press, a treat. The pancake, however, a disappointment. We actually sent it back. I know that a pan fried pancake is going to be crispy, but this one was way overcooked. Not only were the edges burnt, but when I looked underneath the cake, the bottom was jet black. I had one bite and it was very very tough being as overcooked as it was. Tried to flag down the waitress and after many attempts, did get her attention and she agreed that it was badly burnt and took it off our check.....But my main problem with the restaurant is- the service. Because my waitress is a typical "Williamsburg" waitress is no excuse for such poor service. I've been to other restaurants around this area and, to be honest, our waitress at Roebling sets the bar very very low for the standard of service in this area. Our waitress was flat out distant and inattentive and very hard to communicate with. We were at this restaurant for 1hour and 45 minutes on a Thursday morning at 11am. The food was good (except for the pancake), but it took 45 minutes to come out on a non busy day. Would I go back to this restaurant? -not sure. I hope that the management is aware of this service issue. Maybe because the restaurant wasn't busy our waitress was off her game that day. But her influence on our dining experience was a negative one and really thwarted my overall impression of this restaurant.
(2)Sarah N.
Two words: overly complicated. And overpriced. Okay, three words. I went to meet some friends in a large group, and because we were unable to make a reservation last minute for dinner, we settled on the couches in back and began perusing the two menus we found lying on the coffee tables. One was the specials, and one included pricy dinner entrees between $17-$25. Come time to order, we approached the waitress, who told us briskly that those menus were NOT for the couches, only for eating at tables or the bar. I sighed, went back and found a THIRD menu floating around that included macaroni, hamburgers, and other more standard bar fare, which I figured must be the couch menu. Actually, no. When I went back to order, we were given a FOURTH menu of small foods! This was the couch menu! Olives, cheese, nibbles - no dinner. We could not order from the other three menus to eat on the couch. We could, however, sit four feet away at the bar, separate from our party, and eat from the regular menu. I understand the concept behind this distinction in a sense - it's easier for the waitstaff - but that didn't stop me from grumbling about it anyway. It just seemed silly, and overly complicated - and they USED to serve a fuller menu at the couches, didn't they? For people who wanted to, oh, EAT, at a restaurant? After reviewing the menu(s) at the bar, we elected to order three appetizers to share between two of us, instead of choosing from the pricier options on the entree menu, so we could try more things. Put simply, the food was dissatisfying and not worth ordering again, at that price or any other. I didn't expect to be full after sharing three small dishes, but there was just nothing savory, enticing, or remarkable about the soup, the mushroom toast, or the dark meat chicken plate we ordered. I also tried bites from two other dishes that were boring and not worth the dough. There are many better places in the neighborhood to go for innovative dishes that far surpass this menu. That said, I would go back here for brunch - love that french toast.
(2)Ursula M.
super cute place. went for lunch one rainy day. i had some tea, of which they have a huge selection, and a tasty salmon salad. yummy. very pleasant space, nice staff. thumbs up!
(4)Adrienne I.
tea to swoon for. slow service. virtuous fruit/yogurt/granola. Dont miss a chance to check the joint out for brunch.
(4)evan c.
The food is so great. The service can be slow. But, who really cares?
(5)Zee T.
everytime i'm in williamsburg i come back here -- if the steak tartar is on the menu - get it. also dessert tea is probably most similar to the moonpie tea that they don't have anymore.
(5)David B.
I love short brunch menus, especially when everything on them is delicious. Roebling Tea Room only needs to list one item to satisfy me: Drunken Beans!!! Grits, a hard boiled egg, sour cream & beans all served up hot in a large bowl. Be prepared, this is really just a thick soup, but it is perfect in every tasty way. Great texture, temperature, flavor and a beautiful scent. I'd order this every day if I could, drunk, hungover or stone sober.
(4)Cindyloo D.
I agree with Alli J and confirm that the staff personnel are total dicks. I have only two experiences with Roebling Tea Room. The first was for dinner at the bar. The barmaid was a bitch and full of "too cool for school" 'tude. I shared a few dishes with my friend and we split a bottle of wine. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't amazing either. I did like the atmosphere, however, which brings me to my second experience with this place. The same friend and I decided to host our co-birthday party brunch here. Their website says "Reservations accepted for parties of eight or more". When I called to make the reservation I was told that a) they don't accept reservations for brunch and b) they could accommodate us as long as we didn't mind waiting and sitting at separate tables. I explained our situation and that there would be 12 of us. After being put on hold so the manager could be consulted, I was told that they couldn't accommodate us. I was a bit shocked and asked why. I was informed that they "don't have enough room". Which makes no sense whatsoever. I confirmed with them that they would rather we go elsewhere and was told I was correct. What a way to get business guys! You have serious customer-building skills! We went to Fada who welcomed us with open arms, great brunch and were more than happy to take our $400. Losers. You just lost 2 neighborhoodies and 10 potential customers.
(2)Sara L.
When this place first opened I would have rated it a "1" star. Seriously, only 1. But since then, they've figured out how best to set up the joint and what works best. They have a delicious egg and gruyere sandwich for brunch. I had the Macaroni & Cheese (of course I did) and was almost grossed out. Delicious assortment of coffee and tea drinks. The customer service still leaves something to be desired but the setup is cool and lounging on couches is always a nice alternative to a crowded coffee shop.
(3)Brian L.
Really nice atmosphere if a bit on the loud side. We had a large-ish party and the hostess and waiter were all very accommodating. I had the journeyman's steak done medium and it was just right, plus the sauce was really wonderful, as were the mashed potatoes. For a more casual appetizer only type night, they have a casual couch area. Really nice.
(4)Asilia F.
I love this place. I love the atmosphere, the drinks, the tea and the food. It is definitely not cheap, but it's a great place to meet friends for a drink. They have an outdoor patio area that is very pleasant. The service is always kind of weird though. Never bad, just kind of...unfriendly. Maybe not unfriendly, just unconcerned. I've been for brunch and wasn't acknowledged for quite awhile. An uncomfortable amount of time, where I begin to question if we were going to be served at all. Finally we were seated and we were sitting there and the waitress asked my friend to move the chair. The chair was there when we sat down, but her tone was as though he had put the chair there to be in her way. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding...still it was kind of strange. I have had really good service though, even though she seemed kind of lethargic, she still did job. Service aside, the food is super tasty. I had the baked egg and cheese grits with toast. I've also been for drinks and had some pretty fancy cocktails that were really good. Every time anyone comes from Manhattan to visit me, I take them here to show them how classy Brooklyn is. Overall, the good outweighs the bad. Everyone, even servers, is allowed a bad day right?
(5)Megan P.
Ah, Roebling Tea Room... my old standby. I feel like you can take just about anyone here and they'll like it. Last night I sat outside for drinks, and I think they must've redone the space since I was last back there. It was quite nice. Dinner, and the dinner menu, is spot on. I'd have to say everything I've had is delicious. The Mac N Cheese-- Dumont lovers beware. You might like this version better. And the menu is veg friendly. Points. But the service can be a bit wonky. Hopefully you've had enough beer or wine to not get too annoyed if you see your order sitting up there, getting cold, while your server is somewhere else entirely. I've only been for brunch once more than a year ago, and was disappointed... But people keep telling me it's good so maybe I should give brunch another chance. Anyway, 5 stars for being a standby that I can take my out-of-town parents to, or a nice spot to have a romantic date. Yum.
(5)Nick C.
I ended up at the Roebling Tea Room after work tonight, and it was a very pleasant experience. The dimly lit room with very comfortable couches and chairs made me feel a little like I was in someone's livingroom, which I liked a lot. The bartenders were lovely, and even went down to the basement to get a bottle of creme de cassis so I could have a kir, which was delicious. We had a whole lovely alcove all to ourselves and lounged about on the couch drinking and talking for a long time without disturbance. And the price! I was amazed that my 2 drinks only came out to about $12, and I was certainly not drinking cheap liquor. Eventually we also got a bowl of french fries which were really excellent. This place is my new favorite Brooklyn chillout spot.
(4)Clara A.
I have been to the Roebling Tea Room and enjoyed it somewhat. If I where you come for the lattes! They make the best I have tasted so far. It get really packed here. But once you are seated everything is pretty pleasant. Yeah if your pessmistic the waiters will really rub you the wrong way. Inside is sort of dimmly lit and there is a bar in the middle. If you want a more possibly cheery atmosphere you can go to Atlas Cafe close by.
(3)Salome H.
the space is gorgeous. and the food is great. but the wait staff is god awful. they are indifferent, disaffected- essentially robotic hipsters who are disgruntled by something as simple as a request for bread. the kicker is that they don't even really serve the table- there is a lovely man who serves as a food runner/bus boy and he is the only accessible server that we encountered. it took the waitress 15 minutes to bring me a bottle of beer. despite all of this, i still really like this place because the space and the food are that good. just know what you are in for and maybe order 2 drinks like on an overcrowded airplane, where sadly you are more likely to encounter friendly service.
(4)Erica F.
I can't believe I've neglected to write a review for the Tea Room. Ok here's the deal: The service sometimes sucks. Every time I get a bloody mary there it looks different and has different garnishes. And the free wireless is sporadic at best. That said, I freaking love this place like WHOA. They have everything. A warm atmosphere with beautiful people, comfy couches, like 100 different teas, a full bar with really yummy signature drinks, a fantastic and ever-changing menu. You'll always be surprised when what you get is much more and better than the menu had described. I've never had ANYTHING at this place that I haven't loved. And I live in the same building so I've been here a LOT. It's my favorite brunch place, and it's my favorite unplanned "let's go get something yummy for dinner" place. And it's my favorite late night "I gotta get out of here and have a nice cup of tea" place. And it's got a pretty secret garden out back. Just remember, in Williamsburg, the customer is not necessarily always right and service is not the senior datum. But the quality of the food and the prices and atmosphere more than make up for it. And in fairness, the service has improved greatly in the past 6 months. So get your ass over there. You won't be sorry.
(5)Colleen B.
If you do go, go on a weekday. It's been going downhill since it opened -- I can't remember when that was fall of '06 or '05, it all blends together -- anyways I went back there while I was in Williamsburg a few weeks ago and had the most amazing hot apple cider whiskey thing. Get that! I don't even like whiskey, but it was perfectly blended. Tea selection is everything you would expect from a tea room. Chai was always hit or miss to the point where I wouldn't chance it. Food way overpriced. I'm not sure if this is still in effect, but over the summer you couldn't use your laptop on the weekends except between 4-7 (I think). They told me they spread like wildfire.
(3)Mark C.
This place tries to hard to be so many different things and none of it actually really works. Is it a bar? Is it a restaurant? Is it a tea house? It's very sloppily all of these things. I came for the tea, and sort of wish I hadn't. They fill up a glass mug, the same mugs they serve beer in, with warm water and what ever tea you ordered off of their pretty conservative menu that lacked any sort of descriptions of the teas and no direction from the guy at the bar on how long to steep it for. That being said, there sadly aren't many places for tea in New York - so this is what we've got. Bummer, dude.
(3)Kelcey E.
This is one of my favorite brunch spots in all of Williamsburg. The baked cheddar eggs with grits, raisin fennel toast and apple butter is simple and perfect. I brought my folks here when they were visiting a couple of years ago, and they loved it so much that they have asked to return on every subsequent visit. As other reviewers have noted, this place has a great ambiance, and the waitstaff have always been cool & professional. Great place to come too when you feel like dining in a more open, spacious environment - a scarcity in a neighborhood full of smallish, limited seating hole-in-the wall restaurants.
(5)Lane S.
If you actually want go to a place to drink tea and chill, this is not your place. This is the place were you drink tea listening to "Jesse's Girl" while you are trying to figure out what's going on that makes you feel so uncomfortable. You can't sit on the front tables from 5-6:20pm plus you don't get any service at this time. You have to order in the bar and hang around around the bar to drink tea (drinking tea on a beer mug sitting in the bar!) because at this time they prepare the tables for dinner. If you decide to wait for a table to have dinner at 6:00, you have to sit in one place first and then get up to go to the front. It's finally 6:00, we waited 15 more mins for someone to come and take our order. We had to get up to look for the menu because no one ever came. $15 cheeseburgers, $10 mac-n-cheese SIDE, $14 hamburgers. We just wanted to have a simple tea and some appetizers. We were not having a good time and we left. This place is all decoration and no substance.
(2)Erica J.
I have had dinner here a few times and it has always been a pleasant experience. The menu only lists a few items but they are well chosen. The portions are not large so if you are extremely hungry, consider ordering appetizers. I have also come here exclusively for drinks as they have a decent bar selection. The best part of Roebling Tea Room is the space itself which is well decorated, dimly lit, and spacious. You feel like you've been transported to a victorian farmhouse of sorts. Bonus: My first New York celebrity citing happened at Roebling Tea Room as I was sitting next to Bill Murray. My respect for him may have slid down a few notches as he was dining with some 20 year old tank top wearing floozies, but still, it's Bill effing Murray.
(4)Yves J.
One of the original places to go in the neighborhood for good food and still is. For brunch, if you like eggs for god sakes try the poached egg omelette? Dinner is also fabulous. Great steak tartare, limited quality menu. Not cheap but worth it.
(5)Arielle A.
I do enjoy brunch here, the ambiance is lovely though at times a bit hectic. The baked cheddar eggs are a favorite - but why did you take the scrambled mushroom marscapone eggs off the menu?? i miss them.
(4)Matthew R.
Nice place. Had the shrimp burger thingy's and they were delicious.
(5)Carl C.
A good place, good atmosphere. Tasty eats. Nice tea. Fantastic chai latte. You can just slip into this place and relax awhile, sit and chat with people. Good service All around one of those places that fits in, that you slip into and feel like staying around, sipping tea and enjoying the vibe. Yea, the food mixes are, um, non-standard. But if you like ricotta and honey on a baguette, its delicious. This isn't a diner. And if you want someplace to sit and work on your whatever, your website? your bloggity blog? this place doesn't seem right. go elsewhere. but if you like people, and those people like good tea in a nice environment, do stop in.
(4)Lauren K.
I had decided that I'd stop rating so many places 4 stars, but damnit this place definintely earns them. Had a great brunch here with my parents and they can be hard to please! Ricotta with fig paste is sooo good, comes as an open faced sandwich. Great egg sandwiches. Drunken beans were really fragrant but they needed something more substantial -- like a base of polenta maybe. Almondina tea was perfect. Four stars it is.
(4)Meredith R.
Stopped in for late lunch on a Friday - service was slow and a little inattentive when we first arrived, but once we were seated food and drinks came quickly and the waitress was warm, friendly, and helpful. My husband had the Super Coffee, which he describes as "delightfully boozy rocket fuel" - thumbs up! I had the Way Too Early, which is perhaps the perfect day drink: Light, fizzy, and with a little caffeine kick. The cheeseburger was meaty, juicy, and delicious; the side of fries resembled nothing so much as the boardwalk fries of our youths, just the right balance of salt and grease and absolutely delicious. Macaroni and cheese was tasty but INSANELY rich, especially with the evident addition of hot sauce; I managed maybe a quarter of the not overly large dish, but will be happy to spread it out over leftovers. We literally left with a single significant complaint: The tiny adorable mason jars of sugar cubes on each table are too small to easily accommodate a table spoon, but there aren't any sugar tongs! I'm not normally a germaphobe, but the thought of the fingers that must have made their way into those cubes would be enough to drive me to drink my coffee black. Please, owner, general manager, whomever, swing by the restaurant district and buy enough sugar tongs for each table to have clean sugar!
(4)James R.
Chill people, great space, two weird things: no food outside, and yelp says free wifi but apparently they have a no laptops allowed rule? Does that mean I can use only my phone on their wireless network?
(3)rj v.
The best Bloody Marys I have had in Brooklyn yet. Great food, but, sometimes the staff is a little, well, off putting.
(4)Luca L.
Decor: Lovely large colonist type decor - half expecting a traditional tea room but knowing it was Williamsburg, I was pleasantly surprised. Huge bay windows. Tea: Large selection of teas #7 (the house tea) are excellent, the one I requested was out - substituted for Mexican chocalate - too weak for my taste Dishes: Smoked Salmon - could be better Cheddar eggs with Grits - good I wouldn't mind some table bread since the accompanying bread to the dishes were excellent.
(4)Danielle S.
A really nice place in a great space to grab a coffee or tea (esp. tea, quite a selection, if that's your thing) or a snack (they have a full menu too, I've just never had anything more than a small plate) with a friend(s). A good place to read or write or sit with your thoughts on your own. Nice couches to lounge on, fantastic backyard and the bar's not a bad place to grab a seat.
(4)Lee M.
This is the kind of place that girls love. Naturally, my girlfriend loves it. They have good food, but they never quite put it together in combinations that suit your average dude. Sometimes I just want standard brunch fare and they refuse to give it to me straight. They prefer to be clever, but I think they're just trying too hard. It's a good place to chat though. Coffee and tea is solid as well.
(3)Jamie J.
After having possibly the worst service of all time at Roebling Tea Room in summer 2010, I finally ventured back there today to give it another chance. I am writing my first ever Yelp review to talk about how awful the service was. My party of four was initially told that the wait would be about 40 minutes and we were prepared to wait as it was busy Sunday brunch time. This is where the whole thing started to break down. Every 10 minutes the hostess (dark hair, round glasses, backless shirt) would come by, ask my name, and then say that she was going to go check on the tables to see how long our wait would "actually" be. She did this six times while we waited for a table (we counted) and repeatedly forgot my name and how long we had been waiting. Meanwhile, there were multiple empty tables and parties who arrived after us were seated. My whole party had a solid laugh at her spaciness and the complete incompetence on display. However, things stopped being funny when she came over to apologize for the wait, looked me in the eye, and started rubbing my boyfriend's back in a "conciliatory" manner. Neither of us appreciated this. When we were seated, the service improved and our waitress was good. The food was solid although some of the dishes were slightly off. My boyfriend had the fully loaded cheeseburger, myself and another member of my party had the Potato Roll, and the last member of my party had an $8 salad that was literally 5 pieces of lettuce and some walnuts. The coffee and tea were excellent, although I would avoid the Genny light beer which was more seltzer than beer. If my experience was solely food and drinks, I would probably come back but the incompetent and mildly offensive behavior of the hostess left me with a bad taste in my mouth and made me not want to come back.
(2)Joe T.
I like this place !!!! Different !!!
(5)Charles G.
Tiny portions, giant price, rude waitstaff. Overrated neighborhood staple.
(1)Erin B.
The last time I was here, my friend and I ordered the snails as an appetizer. They were advertised as "cascading" down the side of the bread, or some shit, and my friend and I had the following conversation with the very sweet waitress: Us: How many snails come in the appetizer? Enough to share? Waitress: Yes, it comes with many snails. Us: Are they big snails? Waitress: No, they're mini snails. Us: But there are many snails? Waitress: Yes, many... mini snails? Us: Many mini snails? Waitress: Yes. *giggle* Us: And they're... cascading? Waitress: Many mini snails CASCAAAADING! At this point all of us cracked up. But uh yeah, order the snails, seriously. Delicious. The Bloody Marys are some of the best I've ever had. I don't even really like Bloody Marys. Downside: Small menu, and the so called "amazing" macaroni and cheese is DRIPPING in grease. Grosses me out just thinking about it. Get the snails, man.
(4)Amy S.
this place is marvelous to look at and feels good to sit in which you will, for a seemingly interminable time, since the waitstaff is less than stellar. lots of goodlooking people, great atmosphere, and the wine selection is decent. the food can be hit or miss, like the mac and cheese that is super oily and largely tasteless vs. the specials which are usually great. a good place to go for a long, lingering dinner with someone you want to spend time with, though on busier nights, you might have a hard time hearing them.
(3)David B.
The big baked pancake is the best schmit I've ever eaten - do this place every sunday.
(5)Becky M.
One of my favorite places for brunch, their Baked Cheddar Eggs and Cheese Grits are amazing! Atmosphere is really open, if you have a large group, try to sit on the comfy couches in the back. Garden isn't bad either if it's a nice summer night Was not the best for dinner. Had heard rave reviews about their mac and cheese, and while it was tasty, was literally dripping in oil. I'll stick to my late afternoon Saturday brunches.
(4)Faria H.
Liked the decor a lot. Liked the large windows allowing lots of light, open space, communal seating, etc. Also liked the interesting options on the menu. Did not like the big baked "pancake" that was more like a super dense cake. I like my pancakes to be fluffy and soft. Also had the drunken bean dish, which was just ok. The concept was good- black beans w cheese grits, hard boiled egg, salsa, sour cream but the beans weren't cooked all the way. Also ordered a darjeeling tea and was disappointed- a tea room should not serve tea in beer mugs. Service was just decent. Servers were cordial but people seated after us got their food much earlier than us.
(2)G L.
This is one of my favorite looking restaurants. I dig the tall windows, the bar, the tables and the wallpaper. I'm not even that crazy for tea, but I think it's great that they have an enormous selection of teas. I'm on a push to make drinking non-alcoholic drinks cool again. I'm starting to think that "all the time" is not the best answer to the question, when should we drink? I had the baked pancake and shared with my friend who had the fig and ricotta sandwich. The pancake was huge. My friend described it as a whole lot of one flavor, which was right on. I couldn't finish it, and that's something I don't ever have problems with. The fig sandwich was nice, not exceptional, but nice. Apparently the space below the Tea Room is rented for band practice. There is no silver lining to this. The floor shook violently, and the metal chairs vibrated like butt-shaped tuning forks. It was extremely disorienting to hear Led Zeppelin's IV coming from the wall speakers, and feel the lo-fi-garage-rock-Wavves-wanna-be vibrations below. Ever tried to tap your head and rub your stomach? it was like that but inside a tilt-a-whirl.
(3)Sara C.
Favorite Williamsburg restaurant, hands down. Actually the best part about it is that it's completely one size fits all. Want a cup of tea? Want brunch? Want dinner? Want a pint? Want apps and a cocktail? Roebling can do it all. The important thing, here, is that not only is it one-size in terms of your options for different occasions, it's even better for that annoying situation where you want happy hour, but you had a really small lunch, and your friends just ate, and your other friend doesn't get off work till like 7:30, and then maybe there's like this other party or something but nobody really knows what's up with that, and your pregnant and/or wagon-riding friend wants to tag along, etc etc etc. Roebling can totally handle that.
(5)Christine H.
I will just keep my review short and sweet: If I were on death row, I would choose the Baked Cheddar Eggs Brunch with the fruit and mint bowl as my last meal. The Baked Cheddar Eggs with grits, raisin fennel bread and apple butter were more than perfect. I was in utter euphoria the entire time I was eating. All in all, best brunch of my entire life... and I've had a lot of brunch.
(5)Damon I.
It was a rainy afternoon and I had a head cold so I ducked into Roebling Tea Room for a bit of respite. Tea is serious business at Roebling. They don't have tea cups and tea bags, they've got tea mugs and dime bag sized tea tampons with a magnitude of interesting tea choices. The lemon myrtle ginger tea soothed my throat and my wits, which freed me to concentrate on other things like the sparse afternoon crowd of yupsters enjoying free wifi and intimate conversation. Compared to Roebling's tea efforts, the food was rather simple, but greasy bliss can be found in the beer 'n brat combo - yum. Though others have complained of the poor service by tortured artist type wait staff, I found them to be very accommodating and friendly. *Surprisingly little has been written on their restrooms, but ladies, you'll wish you could pee standing because Roebling has the most cramped water closet that I've ever been in*
(4)tom V.
Great selections of teas that is served in a big 'ole mug that keeps it nice and warm for those dreary winters. Although morning brunch services can be a bit slow, the food there is great. Served in French serving sizes, my fried eggs and beats were delicious, a little pricey for the amount of food you're getting but felt very satisfied and not too full upon leaving. But for something a little different you may want to try their Mac and Cheese, which is a tad spicy but works, and their red beer; tomato juice and beer (which may sound gross but with the right light beer can be pretty good). The atmosphere was friendly and it definitely gets crowded on the weekends, but i'll be back for some more.
(4)Mariah M.
I love this place. We took my boyfriends parents here when they were visiting from New Hampshire. THey were amused by the faux rustic decor but thrilled by the food and atmosphere. But the real reason I love this place is the Rosemary Toddy! It is made of ginger tea, brandy, rosemary, honey and magic! Somehow it has a thick foamy head on it and it was sooooo amazing. I woke up thinking about it the next day. The Journeyman's steak wasn't half bad either (maybe too much sauce).
(5)Tarah T.
I had a lovely late brunch here on a Saturday after walking around the hood for a while not knowing what I wanted to feast on. I will preface my review by saying I wasn't really in the mood for eggs but the brunch menu was very limited so I ordered the Baked Cheddar Eggs (because cheese wins every time) with hibiscus iced tea. The eggs were just ok, the consistency was a little off and it would have benefitted from having the cheddar mixed throughout it as well as on top - but the grits that came with them were smooth and just the right amount. My companion ordered the Drunk Beans, which were delicious but something we could easily duplicate at home, and probably will. Will I venture back? Sure. The prices were decent, atmosphere was nice- but probably more suited for those cold wintery when it's dreary outside and the inside of a log cabin is what you desire.
(4)r p.
I have avoided this place for a year due to my three other visits where the snotty service ruined the great food but things have seemingly gotten a tad friendlier. Which is great bc the food really is worthwhile! I will indeed be back more often so long as the service doesn't revert back to Too Cool to be pleasant.
(4)cherie y.
I like their tea a lot. I haven't eaten here ever, mainly b/c the menu is very small and I believe the only veg entree is mac & cheese (which I've noticed seems to often be the only veg option; is that all vegetarian hipsters eat? Argh.). There is a fairly extensive tea menu, but the staff is slow and surly. Once I wanted milk in my tea and was never able to get my server's attention - so I drank it sans milk. It's a nice environment to sit and relax with tea.
(3)Jessica S.
This is, so far, my favorite place to have brunch: the food is excellent--not too heavy, creative without losing the flavors of the ingredients--and the tea selection is great. Though it's located in what appears to be a converted factory, there's a quiet, almost country brunch aspect to the dining room. Service isn't especially speedy, which lends another calming element--the best brunches are not, and should not be, rushed. You can stay for hours and no one will bother you. I ordered the red fennel potatoes ($10) which were cooked with beets and came in glorious shades of purple and red with fluffy goat cheese. I also had a tropical fruit blend tea--all teas come in pots that serve 1-2. My friend had a pot of green tea whose smell alone inspired a feeling of well-being. (Yes, I'm gushing.) My friend had the baked eggs and cheese grits (also $10)...oh goodness. Both were amazing--like gourmet versions of these normally diner-esque foods. The cheeses used were exquisite. There are plenty of vegetarian options, which I appreciated, and you can also just order tea and a little snack to minimize the bill. Give it a try! Easy to get to (just take the lovely, revamped L to Lorimer then walk west on Metropolitan). Can't wait to take my out-of-town friends.
(4)evan d.
Seriously, what is wrong with this place. My friend and I were seated at the end of the bar because lack of space (ok) and were told the bartender was our waiter, who took FOREVER to just hand us a menu even while we both decided to actively just stare with hungry/pleading eyes, finally we got the menu, and a bottle of water. After a few minutes the hostess, this little curly sue of a bitch, promptly came over and took our 3/4 full bottle of water from under our noses and gave it to another table. When she walked back I said "Uhh, you took our water" and she said "You shouldn't have put it there" WTF!?!?!?! Meanwhile I ordered the Spiced Carrot soup as an apetizer and after waiting 30 minutes for it we finally started talking loudly about how annoying it was that the PRE MADE soups and food were sitting just inches from us, yet it took over a half an hour for someone to ladle the soup, at which point a heavy set man groaned and said "come on man! Your ticket is not up! and the spice carrot soup is finished, you'll have the beet soup" Luckily I love beets, but the most audacious part of it was he never offered me the opportunity to say no, he just went over in attempt to shut me up and got me the beet soup, which wasn't even what I ordered and then essentially had the balls to act like I was the asshole for ordering the carrot soup and complaining to my friend that it took over 30 minutes for someone to dish it out of the vat it was just chill'n in. My lamb entre was insanely salty and the whole experience sucked. I highly recommend you stay FAR away from this shit hole where you'll be treated poorly and given semi decent food that was made that morning and sitting on a hot plate all day.
(1)j n.
Dear Roebling tea room. I often ask myself if you're actually seeing how much shit people will just take before they gather up the masses and close you down. From your incredibly slow service to your "smack your mama in the face" prices for toddler portions of food. You represent the wave of horseshit thats coming to this (sadly) tourist trap of an area. Anyone hungry and want honest, thoughtful food. walk the block and a half to Rye..Or for that matter Miller's. Like a bad relationship that can't be talked through. Please, just take your shit and go. Don't explain. Cheers.
(1)Briana R.
I took this place literally and went there for... tea! The food looked great, and my friend got some melted brie to snack on while we sat in the bar area and sipped on tea the other night, but I stuck to the tea and was very impressed. This is more of a rustic tea room - don't expect crumpets or little fancy cookies, or even an 8 page menu featuring exotic, $8 loose leaf blends that hail from all ends of the earth. What you can get is a very good cup of tea (and yes, their selection is good) for about $3, no frills and no extra expenses. They have nice comfy chairs and couches behind the bar in the back (no waiter service), or you can sit at a table where you'll get served by the friendly staff. I love the giant windows and old timey feel of the space. It's the perfect cozy place to sit and chat over a nice cuppa (tea).
(4)Anna H.
I might be a little in love. I don't care how yuppie, hipster, trendy, faux-whatever the decor is-- it's immensely appealing, especially as a place of refuge from the bitter cold wind in the streets of Williamsburg. I had the Black Orchid tea-- recommended by the waiter, at my request, because there were way too many teas to pick from. I would definitely come back for the tea-- amazing variety, and at $2.50-$3.00 a pot, cheaper than in most places like this. I tried the turnip soup on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. It was sweet, rich, and tasted like it had no nutritional value. Which some people might find off-putting, but NOT ME! The service was slow, but hey, the waiter was cute. By the time I left, around 3:45, things had picked up and it was getting crowded and noisy, but before that, everything was quiet, calm....and they leave you alone. Which I like. I'll be back.
(4)Nell B.
Oh, Roebling Tea Room. The tea selection is huge and I've had many fruity and black teas and enjoyed all of them. The brunch is to DIE FOR. I had this huge pancake with apples baked right into it with maple butter. It was so delicious but I couldn't eat for 3 days because I was so full. Everyone who works there has an air of hipster superiority that went out of style about 4 years ago. The waiters are all malnourished and look like American Apparel ads. The service has sucked hardcore every time I've been there.
(3)jl t.
I have never eaten a meal that was so salty. You know after you go swimming in the sea for too long and the inside of your mouth prunes up? That's how I am right now. Between 2 of us we drank 2 wine bottle size of water. We asked the rest of our party and they too said it was the saltiest dinner they have experienced. Music was totally unnecessary and annoyingly loud. Last time I was there was in 2005 and now I remember why.
(1)Lana M.
I've got to say that this is my favorite brunch spot in the neighborhood. The food is fantastic, and the vibe is perfect for a daytime hang. If I'm super hungry, I go for the chicken steak, which is fantastic. If not, I get the salt cod hash browns or the biscuits with sausage gravy. They give you a choice of a double or single for their yummy bloody marys, and they have a couch in the back area that's perfect for big groups. The only reason I'm giving it 4-stars is because of the service - sometimes it can be a little slow. It can also get pretty packed and sometimes getting a table is difficult. A little patience goes a long way!
(4)Ava L.
I've been here for brunch a few times and I really like it. Their menu is extensive and varied. I really liked the lentil's with poached eggs. I also got the greens. I got a double bloody Mary that was really good but not really stiff. Could have been a bit more VODKA in it. You know what I mean. My best-o friend-o got the mac and cheese with the optional bacon, she was definitely the loser of the group. It was swimmin' in bacon grease. I don't eat meat and the sight of that mac and cheese made me all the more thrilled to be a vegetarian. She was disappointed but not disgusted. She ended up liking what her boyfriend got, I forget the proper name but--corn cakes with jalapeno peppers. They were great. I tried to get a side of Kale but they only do sides of things they have on the sides list. I wasn't surprise, but i was kinda let down. Their chicory salad was an ok substitute. With the mimosa the bloody mary and the two hot toddies (they had rosemary in them) we were kind of surprised when we got the bill. The drinks are expensive. I too think the tea prices are too high. Food is reasonable. The staff is kind of...indifferent, but friendly. I like the place. I think its solid.
(4)Arthur O.
Selling Points: - Great tea selection - Interesting space - Smoking-friendly - Imaginative/creative takes on traditional brunch items Shelving Points: - I'm not a connoisseur of leaves - The music inside is just too loud, and it's getting cold out, quick - I stopped smoking - Portions are tiny Thankfully, we knew one of the servers and got a bunch of free stuff and great service, so I really can't comment on that. I guess I did, but that's not very useful, I suppose. On that note, here's something useful: The Red Flannel Hash is not corned beef and potatoes. It's frigging beets. Okay, so even though I don't like beets, I thought the dish was pretty good, but at the same time, $10 for a little bowl? I'll pass. The Drunken Beans were just so-so. Something missing. The French Toast was good, but just like everything about the place, it's all about great non-traditional ideas realizing why they are non-traditional in the first place. Or maybe it's just that they are not executed to its fullest. I think I actually heard my bowl of beets and goat cheese call out, "Make me tastier! I deserve to be delicious!"
(3)Jo L.
I visited the Roebling Tea Room for the first time yesterday after having walked by it a million times, I am so glad I finally stopped in. The ambiance is very appealing inside, the tables are intimate and the service is great. Most importantly, the menu is full of the sort of treats one never gets to make for ones self. I ordered baguette with ricotta, figs and honey and it was SO good!! My dear friend ordered some kind of breakfast magical meal which consisted of eggs baked with cheddar in a little ramekin until it had a crispy cheesy top, it came with the most delicious grits I've ever had and fig and fennel toast with apple butter! We also witnessed several other mouth watering feasts going on all around us, for example, the burger looks amazing as does the giant bowl of french fries it comes with! The tea selection was very nice as well. I really can't wait to revisit this spot!
(4)Amelia P.
I'd forgotten that a gal I used to work with is the owner (or one of them?) But halfway through my dinner I realized she was sitting at the bar with her adorable daughter. I can't remember what I had, but it was a sandwich with and had some Cornichons as a garnish. I was so pleased since Cornichons are my favorite pickles that this is what stands out most in my memory. Although I was pleased with the sandwich as well. I love the space and the food. And while I didn't get the terrible service others seem to have experienced, it wasn't stellar, just mediocre. But I can't deduct a star, it was one person, one time, so I don't hold it against the tea room.
(5)Damian H.
would it kill you, in 2010, in williamsburg of all places, to have one vegetarian entree option on your dinner menu? seriously? 2 thumbs down. the lack of an updated menu online (when your menu changes daily) is not super awesome / convenient for patrons. you pretty much have to walk inside the door every night to check the menu. i love the food and the space, but i find this other stuff extremely annoying.
(3)Shane L.
The tea is good and fairly cheap. However, for a "tea room" it sucks. There's an awesome couch area in the back but you have to order from the bitchy bartender. The couch area is half of the restaurant. Why, at a so called tea room, do I need to order tea at the bar and carry all of it back to the seats. I'll gladly tip a server to do this. Also, Hall and Oates? Seriously? The whole 45 mins I'm there. Come on. The decor is amazing and there's so much potential here. But service and inconvenience make this place a last ditch effort for a caffeine fix.
(1)Alice S.
This place has inspired some major mixed feelings por moi. On one hand, it is consistently delicious. Their soups are aromatic and savory; the fennel potato puree was silky smooth. The spacious room has large windows that let in lots of light. Plus, there are huge wooden deer heads on the wall! Also, they have a great happy hour...3 dollar drafts. I frequently meet my husband here in the late afternoon to slurp down some Lagunitas IPA while he uses the wi-fi to do work. Its a good deal. We recently spent about 2 hours here. We got there during the afternoon hours, snacked on some baked brie and apples and had friends meet us there. At dinner time, they light votives on every table and turn the lights down all low and sexy like...If iwasnt so drunk, I might have been able to stick around for a second meal, but instead we wobbled on home. The only reason I didn't give this place a fourth star is the laissez faire attitude of the servers. For a place that never seems even a quarter full, the service has been shockingly bad. I sat and waited for a menu so long one time, I almost got up and left. I was too hungry to walk anywhere else, though, so I stayed. THAT time...It seems to be improving, but the customer service is seriously blah. Don't go there if you are at the starving point, bc your crankiness will reach critical levels.
(3)Banana B.
So I finally decided to try this place for brunch. Unlike some of the other reviews, the service was quite nice. But it was before the big 2pm brunch rush. The food on the other hand was very disappointing. I had the baked cheese eggs. Who would have thought that it is exactly that. It is hard boiled eggs baked in cheese. That's it. If only they had added butter to the dish then maybe Paula Dean could hang out with them. I wasn't at the least impressed. I don't have kids, but if I did, I imagine this is something they would come up with to cook. I really didn't like the raisin fennel seed bread. I don't know what to say except I don't get people using fennel seeds in bread. Salted cod cakes were just that. Maybe there is some connection with the literal interpretation of naming these dishes. I kind of like that, but not the food. Where are the flavors, the seasoning? I digress. Really, Bill Murray ate here? I think this disappoints me the most. Why, Bill M, why oh why? World deflating...bleakness ensues...please say it ain't so....please..
(2)Rebecca B.
THe atmosphere is great, but is it really ok to just have Tea here? i never knew... its not a cafe you want to bring a book and just sit around, I think this place is for people who have money to spend and relax. not for people who want to spend like as little money and read as much as they,can but hey its still a great place to look into
(3)David T.
FOOD: I've only been to RTR for brunch, but I must say that the brunch food has been pretty solid each time. I really like the yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. It's definitely enough for an entire meal, as the bowl is usually overflowing with a yummy assortment of fruit. The baked cheddar eggs was also good, and I especially like the apple butter with the raisin toast. I had two bites of the grits, and passed on the rest, but grits aren't my thing anyway. DRINKS: Obvs they have a huge tea list. I'm no tea aficionado, but I'll say that I enjoyed the Masala Chai. I also had a delicious bloody mary here. It was strong and huge, but I think my friend might have ordered me a double. SERVICE: The service is standard Williamsburg service. The nabe seems to have set the bar for indifferent and mediocre service. That certainly applies here. It can be annoying at times, but I'm often too hung over to care at brunch, as long as I can get some water immediately to wet my parched palette. DECOR: The space here is great. It is spacious, well designed and decorated, and cozy. The area behind the bar, with the couches and the garden, are my favorite. The windows in the front are nice too, but I prefer less traffic by my table.
(4)Sang N.
This place is easily one of my favorite spots to frequent. Their brunch is amazing. I love sitting outside with glass of allagash.
(5)Mishkin L.
As a brunch snob and a connoisseur of Bloody Marys, I approach my morning hangover curing choices with the utmost scrutiny and care. Walking through Wsb looking for a place that did not have a wait, because let's face it, it is just eggs, no one should have to wait to eat eggs, dammit, we finally made our way all the way to Roebling. Yes, it is hipster and it rocks! The place is decked out in green tiles and chairs to create an old timey, comfy ambiance. Skeptically ordered Bloody Mary arrived served with a cornucopia of olives and celery and it turned out to be awesome. The menu was filled with all these foods that just make you feel cozy and make your belly happy - I opted for a mashed potato and egg sandwich that came loaded with tasty pickles, mustard, onions and tomato - that stuff just hit the right spot. My friend had something grits which might have been just a touch watery and a baked eggy dish. I believe she was satisfied with her choices. In the end, it is different, but good different. And I really must come again. The only qualm I have is the total bill was about $65 which is a bit much for brunch for two, in my humble opinion; so not a value meal, but a good meal nonetheless.
(4)Alice L.
Been here a few times and while I was wowed the first time (about a year ago), each following experienced has soured me to this place. Music is always too loud for casual conversation, service incredibly slow even when the place is EMPTY. Some dishes are perfectly portioned, some are so small that they wouldn't qualify as an appetizer. When ordering the "mac & cheese" side for $10, there were literally 20 pieces of orecchiette pasta floating in orange oil. Ridiculously small for $10 but the cheese they used was tasty...albeit unappetizing considering it was floating in oil. Same true for the pasta entree ordered. It was more like an appetizer and insanely salty. They heavily salt everything. I think I've given this place enough chances and they haven't impressed. Pros: --Interesting combination of foods offered, good ingredients --decor is nice Cons: --Way overpriced for what you get, especially with such strong restaurant competition in the area --inconsistent portions --extremely slow service
(2)Susan F.
I went a few weeks ago for dinner with some friends. My group commented on the fact that almost all the other tables were just having drinks - a bad sign about the food. The menu didn't appeal to me so I ordered the burger and specifically asked for it to be medium to well done. Our dinners came out and I saw that there were no fixings with my burger other than they housemade relish. I asked for some lettuce, tomato and mustard. I was told by the waitress the burger doesn't come with lettuce, tomato or mustard. So I asked her I could get those anyway and I was told they don't have lettuce or tomato. She did bring me some mustard. I took a bit of my burger and it was rare - bright red, blood dripping everywhere, cool temperature - RARE. I asked her to send it back to be cooked longer. 40 minutes passed and no sign of my burger. When I asked the server to remove the burger from the bill she insisted the burger was almost done and she would box it for me to take home! After a few strained exchanges she finally removed the burger from my bill. The kitchen staff clearly thinks their food is superior and should be eaten their way, despite what the customer wants. This place is rude and arrogant. I have eaten here before and the menu is unappealing and the the staff has a terrible attitude.
(1)Matt C.
One of my favorite places to go. Consistently amazing! Great service. Lines can be long, just call for a reservation and ensure you don't have to wait! Really amazing place!
(5)Dom D.
Roebling Tea House is vividly representative of the new standards of hipster cuisine. A bold claim to have innovative and edgy food, a HIP space to operate in, an attractive, HIP waitstaff, etc. etc. They are so god damn HIP that they don't really even need to present any sort of professional or well-trained customer service, because... well, they're hip and they have SUCH unique food. Beans for breakfast??? So Zany! So SUCK IT, Mr. Customer, and soak in the hip that you are so incredibly lucky to be privy to. I mean, they have American Typewriter font on their menus, so how can you expect to have your water re-filled when they're clearly SO EDGY. I don't belittle their business model, I simply belittle it as a business model that I have no interest in endorsing or patronizing. In fact, GREAT JOB with the business plan. Set up in a gentrifying area, attract hip and young trust-funders to spread the word, and then serve them small-portioned, overcooked, and overpriced brunch-fare with no semblance of customer service. We were blatantly ignored by the waitstaff throughout the entire meal, as well as after we finished. Pathetic, snobby service with overcooked eggs that took 45 minutes to arrive. Hey hipsters, come to this place if you're too cool for good service, good food, or a friendly atmosphere. It's so IN to receive shitty customer service. Be There!
(1)Dani H.
poor service, i sat at a table and waited 20 min for a service. waited another 30 to get coffee and order food. it took forever and my coffee was only refilled once, i had to look everywhere for the waitress who was totally rude, i asked for cream and she poured some chunky white stuff in my coffee. she returned with cold and bland mac and cheese, and without replacement coffee. without any apologies. i hate this place. small "creative" menu, food looks and sounds like it might be good but its bland and not at all satisfying.
(1)Julie A.
want yummy food with a decent price? yum, eat here! Want hot servers to wait on you hand and foot? yum, eat here! Want a cool atmosphere to eat your food in? yum, eat here! this place is worth the long wait to be seated. It has a cool atmosphere, nice servers, a great yet small menu, at least for brunch. I had the drunken beans and eggs. YUM! there was also this amazing cheddar egg and grits dish a friend got and both were super yummy and satisfying. I'm not drinking now, but the other people at my table got some damn good bloody mary's and the tea's looks pretty amazing. this is a great brunch place!
(4)Danielle M.
Very good food and interesting flavor combinations. The pancakes on the brunch menu are HUGE and very sweet. They are about the size of a skillet, and very thick and doughy. Another goodie is the salad with the bleu cheese, apple, and walnut. It gets a little busy at peak times, but it's a nice place to stop. True to its name, it has about 100+ teas on the menu. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the service isn't great, but it's Williamsburg, where even mediocre service is sometimes hard to find. I've had worse experiences in the area, though.
(4)Jamal B.
I definitely have a love / hate relationship with this place. Generally the food, design, and vibe they have going on is great. The one thing lacking is the service. The service I get during the day/brunch is totally different from the service I get at night. During my first trip here I sat outside and while the service was generally not fast, it wasn't bad service and it gave me time to scope out the place and menu. The tea/beer/drink selection is great for me. They definitely offer things that you won't find most places. The food was very good, and although it took some time to come out, it gave my party time to conversate, etc. During dinner I had a chance to talk to the chef about one of the specials. He was a great guy as was the waitstaff all around. All in all...a good night of dining...... Now my brunch there last weekend was a totally different story. Still charming up until ordering our food. Two drinks took about 15 minutes to come out and the food, believe it or not, took 45 minutes to arrive. At one point we contemplated leaving, but stayed based on past meals we had here. We asked the waiter what was up and he said he couldn't help it since the kitchen was running slow. To his credit he did offer us two free drinks which was nice but no excuse. When the food did arrive finally, it was good enough to make me forget how long it took to come (or was it how much I was starving while waiting). All in all I still like the place (hence the 4 stars). I know what to expect and still food is still great. Next time I come for brunch (if ever) I know I'll be waiting on average a half an hour to eat. Aside from the service and food, the clientele is hipster / chill and the place just has a nice feel. I'll definitely go back, most likely only for dinner when I'm not in a rush.
(4)Jeannie C.
I prefer breakfast/brunch over dinner here -- if you like yogurt, the yogurt with fruit and granola is yum, especially with some cinnamon toast ;o) The bev list is good. Tea is always delicious and there's lots of 'em to choose from. Good peppermint tea. The atmosphere is great -- open and airy, but the service is where RTR falls one star short of a perfect score. Can we get that check already? Geeez. If you decide to dine at RTR, I hope you have long arms to flail around in order to get your waiter's attention. I say definitely a 1T for Tasty on the T / no T scale.
(4)Q D.
This place serves consistently excellent food in a just-right setting. Everything I have ever ordered--and every bite and sip I have stolen from my dining companions--has been superb. I've only been for dinner service, but Lee M. will be pleased to know that the Berkshire pork chop and the meat and cheese plate are both dude food to the max. This spot seems great for any time of day. There is a bar. There are tables. There are couches. The service has always been attentive and friendly, and prices are reasonable for a good meal out. The meats have always been tasty, and there are usually a few veggie specials thrown up on the menu as well. I would never refuse an invitation to the Tea Room. Still haven't tried any tea, though...
(5)Lorelei D.
Great vibe, awesome selection of drinks and food.
(4)Matthew R.
Nice place. Had the shrimp burger thingy's and they were delicious.
(5)Banana B.
So I finally decided to try this place for brunch. Unlike some of the other reviews, the service was quite nice. But it was before the big 2pm brunch rush. The food on the other hand was very disappointing. I had the baked cheese eggs. Who would have thought that it is exactly that. It is hard boiled eggs baked in cheese. That's it. If only they had added butter to the dish then maybe Paula Dean could hang out with them. I wasn't at the least impressed. I don't have kids, but if I did, I imagine this is something they would come up with to cook. I really didn't like the raisin fennel seed bread. I don't know what to say except I don't get people using fennel seeds in bread. Salted cod cakes were just that. Maybe there is some connection with the literal interpretation of naming these dishes. I kind of like that, but not the food. Where are the flavors, the seasoning? I digress. Really, Bill Murray ate here? I think this disappoints me the most. Why, Bill M, why oh why? World deflating...bleakness ensues...please say it ain't so....please..
(2)Rebecca B.
THe atmosphere is great, but is it really ok to just have Tea here? i never knew... its not a cafe you want to bring a book and just sit around, I think this place is for people who have money to spend and relax. not for people who want to spend like as little money and read as much as they,can but hey its still a great place to look into
(3)David T.
FOOD: I've only been to RTR for brunch, but I must say that the brunch food has been pretty solid each time. I really like the yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. It's definitely enough for an entire meal, as the bowl is usually overflowing with a yummy assortment of fruit. The baked cheddar eggs was also good, and I especially like the apple butter with the raisin toast. I had two bites of the grits, and passed on the rest, but grits aren't my thing anyway. DRINKS: Obvs they have a huge tea list. I'm no tea aficionado, but I'll say that I enjoyed the Masala Chai. I also had a delicious bloody mary here. It was strong and huge, but I think my friend might have ordered me a double. SERVICE: The service is standard Williamsburg service. The nabe seems to have set the bar for indifferent and mediocre service. That certainly applies here. It can be annoying at times, but I'm often too hung over to care at brunch, as long as I can get some water immediately to wet my parched palette. DECOR: The space here is great. It is spacious, well designed and decorated, and cozy. The area behind the bar, with the couches and the garden, are my favorite. The windows in the front are nice too, but I prefer less traffic by my table.
(4)Sang N.
This place is easily one of my favorite spots to frequent. Their brunch is amazing. I love sitting outside with glass of allagash.
(5)Mishkin L.
As a brunch snob and a connoisseur of Bloody Marys, I approach my morning hangover curing choices with the utmost scrutiny and care. Walking through Wsb looking for a place that did not have a wait, because let's face it, it is just eggs, no one should have to wait to eat eggs, dammit, we finally made our way all the way to Roebling. Yes, it is hipster and it rocks! The place is decked out in green tiles and chairs to create an old timey, comfy ambiance. Skeptically ordered Bloody Mary arrived served with a cornucopia of olives and celery and it turned out to be awesome. The menu was filled with all these foods that just make you feel cozy and make your belly happy - I opted for a mashed potato and egg sandwich that came loaded with tasty pickles, mustard, onions and tomato - that stuff just hit the right spot. My friend had something grits which might have been just a touch watery and a baked eggy dish. I believe she was satisfied with her choices. In the end, it is different, but good different. And I really must come again. The only qualm I have is the total bill was about $65 which is a bit much for brunch for two, in my humble opinion; so not a value meal, but a good meal nonetheless.
(4)Alice L.
Been here a few times and while I was wowed the first time (about a year ago), each following experienced has soured me to this place. Music is always too loud for casual conversation, service incredibly slow even when the place is EMPTY. Some dishes are perfectly portioned, some are so small that they wouldn't qualify as an appetizer. When ordering the "mac & cheese" side for $10, there were literally 20 pieces of orecchiette pasta floating in orange oil. Ridiculously small for $10 but the cheese they used was tasty...albeit unappetizing considering it was floating in oil. Same true for the pasta entree ordered. It was more like an appetizer and insanely salty. They heavily salt everything. I think I've given this place enough chances and they haven't impressed. Pros: --Interesting combination of foods offered, good ingredients --decor is nice Cons: --Way overpriced for what you get, especially with such strong restaurant competition in the area --inconsistent portions --extremely slow service
(2)Susan F.
I went a few weeks ago for dinner with some friends. My group commented on the fact that almost all the other tables were just having drinks - a bad sign about the food. The menu didn't appeal to me so I ordered the burger and specifically asked for it to be medium to well done. Our dinners came out and I saw that there were no fixings with my burger other than they housemade relish. I asked for some lettuce, tomato and mustard. I was told by the waitress the burger doesn't come with lettuce, tomato or mustard. So I asked her I could get those anyway and I was told they don't have lettuce or tomato. She did bring me some mustard. I took a bit of my burger and it was rare - bright red, blood dripping everywhere, cool temperature - RARE. I asked her to send it back to be cooked longer. 40 minutes passed and no sign of my burger. When I asked the server to remove the burger from the bill she insisted the burger was almost done and she would box it for me to take home! After a few strained exchanges she finally removed the burger from my bill. The kitchen staff clearly thinks their food is superior and should be eaten their way, despite what the customer wants. This place is rude and arrogant. I have eaten here before and the menu is unappealing and the the staff has a terrible attitude.
(1)Matt C.
One of my favorite places to go. Consistently amazing! Great service. Lines can be long, just call for a reservation and ensure you don't have to wait! Really amazing place!
(5)Dom D.
Roebling Tea House is vividly representative of the new standards of hipster cuisine. A bold claim to have innovative and edgy food, a HIP space to operate in, an attractive, HIP waitstaff, etc. etc. They are so god damn HIP that they don't really even need to present any sort of professional or well-trained customer service, because... well, they're hip and they have SUCH unique food. Beans for breakfast??? So Zany! So SUCK IT, Mr. Customer, and soak in the hip that you are so incredibly lucky to be privy to. I mean, they have American Typewriter font on their menus, so how can you expect to have your water re-filled when they're clearly SO EDGY. I don't belittle their business model, I simply belittle it as a business model that I have no interest in endorsing or patronizing. In fact, GREAT JOB with the business plan. Set up in a gentrifying area, attract hip and young trust-funders to spread the word, and then serve them small-portioned, overcooked, and overpriced brunch-fare with no semblance of customer service. We were blatantly ignored by the waitstaff throughout the entire meal, as well as after we finished. Pathetic, snobby service with overcooked eggs that took 45 minutes to arrive. Hey hipsters, come to this place if you're too cool for good service, good food, or a friendly atmosphere. It's so IN to receive shitty customer service. Be There!
(1)Dani H.
poor service, i sat at a table and waited 20 min for a service. waited another 30 to get coffee and order food. it took forever and my coffee was only refilled once, i had to look everywhere for the waitress who was totally rude, i asked for cream and she poured some chunky white stuff in my coffee. she returned with cold and bland mac and cheese, and without replacement coffee. without any apologies. i hate this place. small "creative" menu, food looks and sounds like it might be good but its bland and not at all satisfying.
(1)Julie A.
want yummy food with a decent price? yum, eat here! Want hot servers to wait on you hand and foot? yum, eat here! Want a cool atmosphere to eat your food in? yum, eat here! this place is worth the long wait to be seated. It has a cool atmosphere, nice servers, a great yet small menu, at least for brunch. I had the drunken beans and eggs. YUM! there was also this amazing cheddar egg and grits dish a friend got and both were super yummy and satisfying. I'm not drinking now, but the other people at my table got some damn good bloody mary's and the tea's looks pretty amazing. this is a great brunch place!
(4)Ignatz B.
It does look lovely in there, and most things on the menu are great ideas in theory. I might not be best qualified to judge the food since I don't eat meat, but it would be nice if their salads had more than four overdressed leaves with some cheese thrown on top. Speaking of cheese, I used to love their mac and cheese, but I had it recently and it tastes mostly like oil. When this place first opened I came here all the time, drank their teas, happily overpaid for my fig jam, but as of late they seem to be coasting on reputation and not caring so much.
(2)Jamal B.
I definitely have a love / hate relationship with this place. Generally the food, design, and vibe they have going on is great. The one thing lacking is the service. The service I get during the day/brunch is totally different from the service I get at night. During my first trip here I sat outside and while the service was generally not fast, it wasn't bad service and it gave me time to scope out the place and menu. The tea/beer/drink selection is great for me. They definitely offer things that you won't find most places. The food was very good, and although it took some time to come out, it gave my party time to conversate, etc. During dinner I had a chance to talk to the chef about one of the specials. He was a great guy as was the waitstaff all around. All in all...a good night of dining...... Now my brunch there last weekend was a totally different story. Still charming up until ordering our food. Two drinks took about 15 minutes to come out and the food, believe it or not, took 45 minutes to arrive. At one point we contemplated leaving, but stayed based on past meals we had here. We asked the waiter what was up and he said he couldn't help it since the kitchen was running slow. To his credit he did offer us two free drinks which was nice but no excuse. When the food did arrive finally, it was good enough to make me forget how long it took to come (or was it how much I was starving while waiting). All in all I still like the place (hence the 4 stars). I know what to expect and still food is still great. Next time I come for brunch (if ever) I know I'll be waiting on average a half an hour to eat. Aside from the service and food, the clientele is hipster / chill and the place just has a nice feel. I'll definitely go back, most likely only for dinner when I'm not in a rush.
(4)Jeannie C.
I prefer breakfast/brunch over dinner here -- if you like yogurt, the yogurt with fruit and granola is yum, especially with some cinnamon toast ;o) The bev list is good. Tea is always delicious and there's lots of 'em to choose from. Good peppermint tea. The atmosphere is great -- open and airy, but the service is where RTR falls one star short of a perfect score. Can we get that check already? Geeez. If you decide to dine at RTR, I hope you have long arms to flail around in order to get your waiter's attention. I say definitely a 1T for Tasty on the T / no T scale.
(4)Q D.
This place serves consistently excellent food in a just-right setting. Everything I have ever ordered--and every bite and sip I have stolen from my dining companions--has been superb. I've only been for dinner service, but Lee M. will be pleased to know that the Berkshire pork chop and the meat and cheese plate are both dude food to the max. This spot seems great for any time of day. There is a bar. There are tables. There are couches. The service has always been attentive and friendly, and prices are reasonable for a good meal out. The meats have always been tasty, and there are usually a few veggie specials thrown up on the menu as well. I would never refuse an invitation to the Tea Room. Still haven't tried any tea, though...
(5)Ann T.
I have only eaten the honey panna cotta here, so this is mainly a review of the bar area. That panna cotta, though, was seriously one of the best desserts I have ever had. Unfortunately, I have yet to find it served again since that one happy night. I think that night was also the last time I enjoyed being at Roebling Tea Room, even though I am often here (a friend lives in the building). Everyone is too cool to talk to you, so make sure you bring a friend or a book or you will be bored out of your mind. I must say the place looks great, and I love the quiet back room. I saw someone have a huge party of about 20+ people and the way they set it up looked very pretty. Also, the fact that it is a tea room means your teetotaling friends won't bitch at you because all they can drink is soda or other crap mixers.
(3)Lokesh D.
I ordered the baked cheddar eggs and cheese grits plate which were delicious. I sampled a couple of teas and both were flavorful and distinct. The decor was lovely. Not sure what to call it, nuevo-rustic? Anyways, no complaints here, thumbs up!
(5)Helena Z.
Delish brunch in a sunny open space.
(4)Jo K.
Stopped here mid-afternoon on a drizzly Sunday. Great time for a spot of hot tea. Ordered the Sunday chai and some cinnamon toast. My man friend got the "real" sausage (which I guess always sounds more appetizing than the vegetarian one, on account of the adjective "REAL") and mescaline salad with nuts and cheese. Everything was good. I wasn't expecting tea bags, but the wallpaper made up for it (patrician stuff: poncey English folk in riding gear with their horses). It was frickin' loud so I didn't have the calming experience I wanted, but that's OK. All the food on other people's plates looked good, so I think I'll stop by here soon for some dinner!
(4)Laura D.
I went there last night with a friend and honestly. The monkfish i had there was to die for, the teas were also amazing, and the service was fantastic as well! Matt who was my waiter was very helpful as far as deciding on drinks and cocktails. Unfortunately there's a no laptop rule which I wasn't aware of, and luckily I had a book on me to read otherwise I would've been sitting there with nothing to do haha. But the atmosphere can't be beat with the music and all of the people and the gorgeous interior lighting and what not, all in all really great restaurant, I'm sure I'll be back. It's that good, If you go, make sure you get the monkfish, and the Dward Lord cocktail (recommendation from my waiter) they really know how to do their teas there and this cocktail was the best one I had there ironically with Earl Grey tea in it! Really amazing, please please PLEASE! try this one! so versatile!
(4)Laurian R.
In the heart of uber-hip Williamsburg, it's not surprising to find people throwing a little 'tude. But you don't expect that from your waiter. After all, as my friend pointed out, there are plenty of other people out there that would be happy to take your job if you can't do it with a decent attitude. And it's too bad that the cute surroundings and decent food get overshadowed by a server who seems put out by having to answer your questions about menu items. I mean, that is, after all, their job, right? It's not an easy job, but it's not that hard either. Maybe his glasses were screwed on too tight, but for a Sunday brunch that wasn't actually that busy he could have been a little more gracious and accomadating--we are their guests, after all. That said, the grits were creamy and good and my friend really liked her greens & beets. So, the food gets 3 stars for being good and with some interesting options. I just hope next time we go they'll have worked on their "people skills" a little....
(3)Loren A.
Sunday we went to the Roebling Tea Room in Williamsburg. Let me tell you, I was not at ALL impressed. First it was reading about 115% on the hipster meter, second they ran out of my first TWO tea options, and third, the food was not at all anything to write home about. A friend and I shared the pancake with stewed fruit and this fig and ricotta sandwich (which basically would have sent a diabetic to the hospital). The decor was nice but the food lacked luster/ balance of flavors.
(2)Cregsty B.
I've had a few good dinners here, but I have to say it isn't holding up as I had hoped. The food is almost always good. The salads are always fresh and inventive. I had a pumpkin salad with watercress and hazelnuts in a balsamic reduction- it was amazing. They also have a dandelion green salad on the permanent menu that I love. Their special entrees are good, but make sure to ask for prices, they are overpriced. Restaurants that don't display prices on their specials menu seem sneaky. NOTE: Don't make this a late night stop. We arrived for dinner just after 10pm on a Saturday and they were out of chicken and mashed potatoes, the bread was stale, and our nice waitress left us with a grumpy one- who we reluctantly tipped well.
(3)Max B.
There's something very special about setting things up to be as unintuitive as possible. For those that want a crash course in that very topic I suggest going to the Roebling Tea Room. Upon walking inside one realizes that this is the exact wrong place to go to do anything besides talk to one, and only one, other person. Did you think that perhaps you could order a tea at the counter? You thought wrong as fuck. You have to sit at a table and wait for one of the 5 waiters to stop chit-chatting and serve you some goddamn tea. Did you think that you could read a chapter or two of a book away from home? Well maybe re-think, because a jar of fireflies provides a more adequate light source to read by. Did you think you could get a check without seeming like a schmuck? Well then your logic circuits must be exploding like fireworks, because if a waiter doesn't even notice when there are people around to spend money, they certainly won't be intuitive enough to realize a person wants to get the fuck out. I was thinking about giving a pity star due to the fact that the tea was so good, but i think the effort of re-clicking the star meter would be more wisely used finding a better place to enjoy a cup of tea.
(1)Allison H.
Why they told us we could only get a Saturday night reservation before 7 or after 10pm, is beyond me. We came in at 6:30 and were embarrassed to say we had called ahead, because the room was empty. We came here because he'd read about the double fried garlic knots, but the menu changes daily so you can never say "go to RTR, they have great _____". Because they will never have great blank again. It's a shame that I read somewhere that the food could be described as "cafeteria food" and it really colored my experience. My monkish was brought out and a sweet potato cream surrounded the dish. Creamy sauce= nursing home in my book. The fish was also cooked in butter so became quite tough to break into. The mac and cheese we shared to start was amazing, and the house wine wasn't bad either. Our waiter was overall lackluster, mostly bored to be there, not engaging and I felt like he and I were on a bad date and didn't like each other.
(3)YJ P.
Came for dinner and drinks. The place is really really dark at night. I have no clue what any of my food really looked like. My "special" friend, who doesn't eat pork, ordered some special with speck in it and ate half of it before realizing something was wrong. She told the waitstaff and the manager was pretty nice about it. We got a free dessert at the end. I wouldn't have been that nice.I would have told my friend to suck it. Another friend was having chowder. The smell was really unpleasant and I 'm guessing it was because it wasn't fresh. I got the mac and cheese. Get it. It'll be the best you've ever had.
(4)Anthony H.
I think the fact that I went over fourth of July weekend helped a LOT with my experience. We went for brunch - I like the semi-original cocktails. Beer wtih tomato juice and a salted rim was a new one for me. It has been on my at-home brunch menu ever since. The baked eggs were good albeit a little overcooked. But my friend's ginormous pancake was out of control. It tasted like buckwheat flour and mmmmmmm it was tasty with pears. Sure it was bigger than my face, but that's ok. We sat outside, but it's a shame that the patio area is covered. Ask me again on a rainy day and I'll be thankful for it. But for glorious summer days you're more likely to find me at relish out on the patio.
(3)Mordecai B.
Food was meh. Waiter had a foul attitude. Only the power of our personalities prevented him from ruining Boxing Day.
(2)Kevin G.
It's a shame about all the hate for Roebling Tea Room. This place is all about the timing. It's true that it gets really, truly mobbed on the weekends for peak brunch (12:30-2:00) and I'm sure the service suffers accordingly, but at most any other time it's a very pleasant place. For a while my friend was one of the barristas here, and I used to show up relatively early, like around 11:00AM, and sit at the mostly empty bar and have the egg sandwich with cheddar and bacon, which is served with apple slices. I'd finish off my meal with a beer or a cocktail; a great way to start a lazy Sunday. Gathering up my things, I'd notice a huge mass of unwashed diners darkening the doorway. I'd push past them into the sunlight, feeling a little sorry that my friend and all of his mostly friendly colleagues would soon be busy trying to cater to so many people all at once. Instead of rolling up at 1:00, go early for brunch and enjoy the space, or go for a late lunch or dinner, when it's really mellow. Or go on a weekday. The food ranges from pretty good to great, and it's reasonably priced. The music is always good. The back garden is nice. The servers are attentive when they're not overwhelmed by the brunch crush.
(4)Alexis R.
I want to like this place more than I do. The food was good, the tea selection outstanding, but the service left a lot to be desired. My brunch buddies got their food a good 15 minutes ahead of me and another diner. No explanation--it was a drive-by delivery of the first two plates and we were ignored until the final two arrived. On the other hand, their bloody mary is delicious and though mostly negligible when discussing the merits of dining here, I really like the decor. I'm sure the service would be much better outside of the brunch hours--it always is (and I can't blame them because brunch patrons tend to be more insufferable than others). Itinerary for a weekend morning with your mother, who still clutches at her purse in terror when visiting you in Brooklyn: eat here, browse the shops on Bedford (Spoonbill is a must) and North Six (The Future Perfect, if only to see her reaction to a 24k coke spoon), pick up an ice cream cone from the Mr. Frosty truck and walk through McCarren Park.
(3)Arielle A.
I do enjoy brunch here, the ambiance is lovely though at times a bit hectic. The baked cheddar eggs are a favorite - but why did you take the scrambled mushroom marscapone eggs off the menu?? i miss them.
(4)Carl C.
A good place, good atmosphere. Tasty eats. Nice tea. Fantastic chai latte. You can just slip into this place and relax awhile, sit and chat with people. Good service All around one of those places that fits in, that you slip into and feel like staying around, sipping tea and enjoying the vibe. Yea, the food mixes are, um, non-standard. But if you like ricotta and honey on a baguette, its delicious. This isn't a diner. And if you want someplace to sit and work on your whatever, your website? your bloggity blog? this place doesn't seem right. go elsewhere. but if you like people, and those people like good tea in a nice environment, do stop in.
(4)Lauren K.
I had decided that I'd stop rating so many places 4 stars, but damnit this place definintely earns them. Had a great brunch here with my parents and they can be hard to please! Ricotta with fig paste is sooo good, comes as an open faced sandwich. Great egg sandwiches. Drunken beans were really fragrant but they needed something more substantial -- like a base of polenta maybe. Almondina tea was perfect. Four stars it is.
(4)Meredith R.
Stopped in for late lunch on a Friday - service was slow and a little inattentive when we first arrived, but once we were seated food and drinks came quickly and the waitress was warm, friendly, and helpful. My husband had the Super Coffee, which he describes as "delightfully boozy rocket fuel" - thumbs up! I had the Way Too Early, which is perhaps the perfect day drink: Light, fizzy, and with a little caffeine kick. The cheeseburger was meaty, juicy, and delicious; the side of fries resembled nothing so much as the boardwalk fries of our youths, just the right balance of salt and grease and absolutely delicious. Macaroni and cheese was tasty but INSANELY rich, especially with the evident addition of hot sauce; I managed maybe a quarter of the not overly large dish, but will be happy to spread it out over leftovers. We literally left with a single significant complaint: The tiny adorable mason jars of sugar cubes on each table are too small to easily accommodate a table spoon, but there aren't any sugar tongs! I'm not normally a germaphobe, but the thought of the fingers that must have made their way into those cubes would be enough to drive me to drink my coffee black. Please, owner, general manager, whomever, swing by the restaurant district and buy enough sugar tongs for each table to have clean sugar!
(4)James R.
Chill people, great space, two weird things: no food outside, and yelp says free wifi but apparently they have a no laptops allowed rule? Does that mean I can use only my phone on their wireless network?
(3)rj v.
The best Bloody Marys I have had in Brooklyn yet. Great food, but, sometimes the staff is a little, well, off putting.
(4)Luca L.
Decor: Lovely large colonist type decor - half expecting a traditional tea room but knowing it was Williamsburg, I was pleasantly surprised. Huge bay windows. Tea: Large selection of teas #7 (the house tea) are excellent, the one I requested was out - substituted for Mexican chocalate - too weak for my taste Dishes: Smoked Salmon - could be better Cheddar eggs with Grits - good I wouldn't mind some table bread since the accompanying bread to the dishes were excellent.
(4)Danielle S.
A really nice place in a great space to grab a coffee or tea (esp. tea, quite a selection, if that's your thing) or a snack (they have a full menu too, I've just never had anything more than a small plate) with a friend(s). A good place to read or write or sit with your thoughts on your own. Nice couches to lounge on, fantastic backyard and the bar's not a bad place to grab a seat.
(4)Lee M.
This is the kind of place that girls love. Naturally, my girlfriend loves it. They have good food, but they never quite put it together in combinations that suit your average dude. Sometimes I just want standard brunch fare and they refuse to give it to me straight. They prefer to be clever, but I think they're just trying too hard. It's a good place to chat though. Coffee and tea is solid as well.
(3)Jamie J.
After having possibly the worst service of all time at Roebling Tea Room in summer 2010, I finally ventured back there today to give it another chance. I am writing my first ever Yelp review to talk about how awful the service was. My party of four was initially told that the wait would be about 40 minutes and we were prepared to wait as it was busy Sunday brunch time. This is where the whole thing started to break down. Every 10 minutes the hostess (dark hair, round glasses, backless shirt) would come by, ask my name, and then say that she was going to go check on the tables to see how long our wait would "actually" be. She did this six times while we waited for a table (we counted) and repeatedly forgot my name and how long we had been waiting. Meanwhile, there were multiple empty tables and parties who arrived after us were seated. My whole party had a solid laugh at her spaciness and the complete incompetence on display. However, things stopped being funny when she came over to apologize for the wait, looked me in the eye, and started rubbing my boyfriend's back in a "conciliatory" manner. Neither of us appreciated this. When we were seated, the service improved and our waitress was good. The food was solid although some of the dishes were slightly off. My boyfriend had the fully loaded cheeseburger, myself and another member of my party had the Potato Roll, and the last member of my party had an $8 salad that was literally 5 pieces of lettuce and some walnuts. The coffee and tea were excellent, although I would avoid the Genny light beer which was more seltzer than beer. If my experience was solely food and drinks, I would probably come back but the incompetent and mildly offensive behavior of the hostess left me with a bad taste in my mouth and made me not want to come back.
(2)Joe T.
I like this place !!!! Different !!!
(5)Charles G.
Tiny portions, giant price, rude waitstaff. Overrated neighborhood staple.
(1)Erin B.
The last time I was here, my friend and I ordered the snails as an appetizer. They were advertised as "cascading" down the side of the bread, or some shit, and my friend and I had the following conversation with the very sweet waitress: Us: How many snails come in the appetizer? Enough to share? Waitress: Yes, it comes with many snails. Us: Are they big snails? Waitress: No, they're mini snails. Us: But there are many snails? Waitress: Yes, many... mini snails? Us: Many mini snails? Waitress: Yes. *giggle* Us: And they're... cascading? Waitress: Many mini snails CASCAAAADING! At this point all of us cracked up. But uh yeah, order the snails, seriously. Delicious. The Bloody Marys are some of the best I've ever had. I don't even really like Bloody Marys. Downside: Small menu, and the so called "amazing" macaroni and cheese is DRIPPING in grease. Grosses me out just thinking about it. Get the snails, man.
(4)Amy S.
this place is marvelous to look at and feels good to sit in which you will, for a seemingly interminable time, since the waitstaff is less than stellar. lots of goodlooking people, great atmosphere, and the wine selection is decent. the food can be hit or miss, like the mac and cheese that is super oily and largely tasteless vs. the specials which are usually great. a good place to go for a long, lingering dinner with someone you want to spend time with, though on busier nights, you might have a hard time hearing them.
(3)David B.
The big baked pancake is the best schmit I've ever eaten - do this place every sunday.
(5)Becky M.
One of my favorite places for brunch, their Baked Cheddar Eggs and Cheese Grits are amazing! Atmosphere is really open, if you have a large group, try to sit on the comfy couches in the back. Garden isn't bad either if it's a nice summer night Was not the best for dinner. Had heard rave reviews about their mac and cheese, and while it was tasty, was literally dripping in oil. I'll stick to my late afternoon Saturday brunches.
(4)Faria H.
Liked the decor a lot. Liked the large windows allowing lots of light, open space, communal seating, etc. Also liked the interesting options on the menu. Did not like the big baked "pancake" that was more like a super dense cake. I like my pancakes to be fluffy and soft. Also had the drunken bean dish, which was just ok. The concept was good- black beans w cheese grits, hard boiled egg, salsa, sour cream but the beans weren't cooked all the way. Also ordered a darjeeling tea and was disappointed- a tea room should not serve tea in beer mugs. Service was just decent. Servers were cordial but people seated after us got their food much earlier than us.
(2)G L.
This is one of my favorite looking restaurants. I dig the tall windows, the bar, the tables and the wallpaper. I'm not even that crazy for tea, but I think it's great that they have an enormous selection of teas. I'm on a push to make drinking non-alcoholic drinks cool again. I'm starting to think that "all the time" is not the best answer to the question, when should we drink? I had the baked pancake and shared with my friend who had the fig and ricotta sandwich. The pancake was huge. My friend described it as a whole lot of one flavor, which was right on. I couldn't finish it, and that's something I don't ever have problems with. The fig sandwich was nice, not exceptional, but nice. Apparently the space below the Tea Room is rented for band practice. There is no silver lining to this. The floor shook violently, and the metal chairs vibrated like butt-shaped tuning forks. It was extremely disorienting to hear Led Zeppelin's IV coming from the wall speakers, and feel the lo-fi-garage-rock-Wavves-wanna-be vibrations below. Ever tried to tap your head and rub your stomach? it was like that but inside a tilt-a-whirl.
(3)Sara C.
Favorite Williamsburg restaurant, hands down. Actually the best part about it is that it's completely one size fits all. Want a cup of tea? Want brunch? Want dinner? Want a pint? Want apps and a cocktail? Roebling can do it all. The important thing, here, is that not only is it one-size in terms of your options for different occasions, it's even better for that annoying situation where you want happy hour, but you had a really small lunch, and your friends just ate, and your other friend doesn't get off work till like 7:30, and then maybe there's like this other party or something but nobody really knows what's up with that, and your pregnant and/or wagon-riding friend wants to tag along, etc etc etc. Roebling can totally handle that.
(5)Christine H.
I will just keep my review short and sweet: If I were on death row, I would choose the Baked Cheddar Eggs Brunch with the fruit and mint bowl as my last meal. The Baked Cheddar Eggs with grits, raisin fennel bread and apple butter were more than perfect. I was in utter euphoria the entire time I was eating. All in all, best brunch of my entire life... and I've had a lot of brunch.
(5)Damon I.
It was a rainy afternoon and I had a head cold so I ducked into Roebling Tea Room for a bit of respite. Tea is serious business at Roebling. They don't have tea cups and tea bags, they've got tea mugs and dime bag sized tea tampons with a magnitude of interesting tea choices. The lemon myrtle ginger tea soothed my throat and my wits, which freed me to concentrate on other things like the sparse afternoon crowd of yupsters enjoying free wifi and intimate conversation. Compared to Roebling's tea efforts, the food was rather simple, but greasy bliss can be found in the beer 'n brat combo - yum. Though others have complained of the poor service by tortured artist type wait staff, I found them to be very accommodating and friendly. *Surprisingly little has been written on their restrooms, but ladies, you'll wish you could pee standing because Roebling has the most cramped water closet that I've ever been in*
(4)tom V.
Great selections of teas that is served in a big 'ole mug that keeps it nice and warm for those dreary winters. Although morning brunch services can be a bit slow, the food there is great. Served in French serving sizes, my fried eggs and beats were delicious, a little pricey for the amount of food you're getting but felt very satisfied and not too full upon leaving. But for something a little different you may want to try their Mac and Cheese, which is a tad spicy but works, and their red beer; tomato juice and beer (which may sound gross but with the right light beer can be pretty good). The atmosphere was friendly and it definitely gets crowded on the weekends, but i'll be back for some more.
(4)Mariah M.
I love this place. We took my boyfriends parents here when they were visiting from New Hampshire. THey were amused by the faux rustic decor but thrilled by the food and atmosphere. But the real reason I love this place is the Rosemary Toddy! It is made of ginger tea, brandy, rosemary, honey and magic! Somehow it has a thick foamy head on it and it was sooooo amazing. I woke up thinking about it the next day. The Journeyman's steak wasn't half bad either (maybe too much sauce).
(5)Tarah T.
I had a lovely late brunch here on a Saturday after walking around the hood for a while not knowing what I wanted to feast on. I will preface my review by saying I wasn't really in the mood for eggs but the brunch menu was very limited so I ordered the Baked Cheddar Eggs (because cheese wins every time) with hibiscus iced tea. The eggs were just ok, the consistency was a little off and it would have benefitted from having the cheddar mixed throughout it as well as on top - but the grits that came with them were smooth and just the right amount. My companion ordered the Drunk Beans, which were delicious but something we could easily duplicate at home, and probably will. Will I venture back? Sure. The prices were decent, atmosphere was nice- but probably more suited for those cold wintery when it's dreary outside and the inside of a log cabin is what you desire.
(4)r p.
I have avoided this place for a year due to my three other visits where the snotty service ruined the great food but things have seemingly gotten a tad friendlier. Which is great bc the food really is worthwhile! I will indeed be back more often so long as the service doesn't revert back to Too Cool to be pleasant.
(4)cherie y.
I like their tea a lot. I haven't eaten here ever, mainly b/c the menu is very small and I believe the only veg entree is mac & cheese (which I've noticed seems to often be the only veg option; is that all vegetarian hipsters eat? Argh.). There is a fairly extensive tea menu, but the staff is slow and surly. Once I wanted milk in my tea and was never able to get my server's attention - so I drank it sans milk. It's a nice environment to sit and relax with tea.
(3)Jessica S.
This is, so far, my favorite place to have brunch: the food is excellent--not too heavy, creative without losing the flavors of the ingredients--and the tea selection is great. Though it's located in what appears to be a converted factory, there's a quiet, almost country brunch aspect to the dining room. Service isn't especially speedy, which lends another calming element--the best brunches are not, and should not be, rushed. You can stay for hours and no one will bother you. I ordered the red fennel potatoes ($10) which were cooked with beets and came in glorious shades of purple and red with fluffy goat cheese. I also had a tropical fruit blend tea--all teas come in pots that serve 1-2. My friend had a pot of green tea whose smell alone inspired a feeling of well-being. (Yes, I'm gushing.) My friend had the baked eggs and cheese grits (also $10)...oh goodness. Both were amazing--like gourmet versions of these normally diner-esque foods. The cheeses used were exquisite. There are plenty of vegetarian options, which I appreciated, and you can also just order tea and a little snack to minimize the bill. Give it a try! Easy to get to (just take the lovely, revamped L to Lorimer then walk west on Metropolitan). Can't wait to take my out-of-town friends.
(4)evan d.
Seriously, what is wrong with this place. My friend and I were seated at the end of the bar because lack of space (ok) and were told the bartender was our waiter, who took FOREVER to just hand us a menu even while we both decided to actively just stare with hungry/pleading eyes, finally we got the menu, and a bottle of water. After a few minutes the hostess, this little curly sue of a bitch, promptly came over and took our 3/4 full bottle of water from under our noses and gave it to another table. When she walked back I said "Uhh, you took our water" and she said "You shouldn't have put it there" WTF!?!?!?! Meanwhile I ordered the Spiced Carrot soup as an apetizer and after waiting 30 minutes for it we finally started talking loudly about how annoying it was that the PRE MADE soups and food were sitting just inches from us, yet it took over a half an hour for someone to ladle the soup, at which point a heavy set man groaned and said "come on man! Your ticket is not up! and the spice carrot soup is finished, you'll have the beet soup" Luckily I love beets, but the most audacious part of it was he never offered me the opportunity to say no, he just went over in attempt to shut me up and got me the beet soup, which wasn't even what I ordered and then essentially had the balls to act like I was the asshole for ordering the carrot soup and complaining to my friend that it took over 30 minutes for someone to dish it out of the vat it was just chill'n in. My lamb entre was insanely salty and the whole experience sucked. I highly recommend you stay FAR away from this shit hole where you'll be treated poorly and given semi decent food that was made that morning and sitting on a hot plate all day.
(1)j n.
Dear Roebling tea room. I often ask myself if you're actually seeing how much shit people will just take before they gather up the masses and close you down. From your incredibly slow service to your "smack your mama in the face" prices for toddler portions of food. You represent the wave of horseshit thats coming to this (sadly) tourist trap of an area. Anyone hungry and want honest, thoughtful food. walk the block and a half to Rye..Or for that matter Miller's. Like a bad relationship that can't be talked through. Please, just take your shit and go. Don't explain. Cheers.
(1)Briana R.
I took this place literally and went there for... tea! The food looked great, and my friend got some melted brie to snack on while we sat in the bar area and sipped on tea the other night, but I stuck to the tea and was very impressed. This is more of a rustic tea room - don't expect crumpets or little fancy cookies, or even an 8 page menu featuring exotic, $8 loose leaf blends that hail from all ends of the earth. What you can get is a very good cup of tea (and yes, their selection is good) for about $3, no frills and no extra expenses. They have nice comfy chairs and couches behind the bar in the back (no waiter service), or you can sit at a table where you'll get served by the friendly staff. I love the giant windows and old timey feel of the space. It's the perfect cozy place to sit and chat over a nice cuppa (tea).
(4)Anna H.
I might be a little in love. I don't care how yuppie, hipster, trendy, faux-whatever the decor is-- it's immensely appealing, especially as a place of refuge from the bitter cold wind in the streets of Williamsburg. I had the Black Orchid tea-- recommended by the waiter, at my request, because there were way too many teas to pick from. I would definitely come back for the tea-- amazing variety, and at $2.50-$3.00 a pot, cheaper than in most places like this. I tried the turnip soup on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. It was sweet, rich, and tasted like it had no nutritional value. Which some people might find off-putting, but NOT ME! The service was slow, but hey, the waiter was cute. By the time I left, around 3:45, things had picked up and it was getting crowded and noisy, but before that, everything was quiet, calm....and they leave you alone. Which I like. I'll be back.
(4)Nell B.
Oh, Roebling Tea Room. The tea selection is huge and I've had many fruity and black teas and enjoyed all of them. The brunch is to DIE FOR. I had this huge pancake with apples baked right into it with maple butter. It was so delicious but I couldn't eat for 3 days because I was so full. Everyone who works there has an air of hipster superiority that went out of style about 4 years ago. The waiters are all malnourished and look like American Apparel ads. The service has sucked hardcore every time I've been there.
(3)jl t.
I have never eaten a meal that was so salty. You know after you go swimming in the sea for too long and the inside of your mouth prunes up? That's how I am right now. Between 2 of us we drank 2 wine bottle size of water. We asked the rest of our party and they too said it was the saltiest dinner they have experienced. Music was totally unnecessary and annoyingly loud. Last time I was there was in 2005 and now I remember why.
(1)Lana M.
I've got to say that this is my favorite brunch spot in the neighborhood. The food is fantastic, and the vibe is perfect for a daytime hang. If I'm super hungry, I go for the chicken steak, which is fantastic. If not, I get the salt cod hash browns or the biscuits with sausage gravy. They give you a choice of a double or single for their yummy bloody marys, and they have a couch in the back area that's perfect for big groups. The only reason I'm giving it 4-stars is because of the service - sometimes it can be a little slow. It can also get pretty packed and sometimes getting a table is difficult. A little patience goes a long way!
(4)Ava L.
I've been here for brunch a few times and I really like it. Their menu is extensive and varied. I really liked the lentil's with poached eggs. I also got the greens. I got a double bloody Mary that was really good but not really stiff. Could have been a bit more VODKA in it. You know what I mean. My best-o friend-o got the mac and cheese with the optional bacon, she was definitely the loser of the group. It was swimmin' in bacon grease. I don't eat meat and the sight of that mac and cheese made me all the more thrilled to be a vegetarian. She was disappointed but not disgusted. She ended up liking what her boyfriend got, I forget the proper name but--corn cakes with jalapeno peppers. They were great. I tried to get a side of Kale but they only do sides of things they have on the sides list. I wasn't surprise, but i was kinda let down. Their chicory salad was an ok substitute. With the mimosa the bloody mary and the two hot toddies (they had rosemary in them) we were kind of surprised when we got the bill. The drinks are expensive. I too think the tea prices are too high. Food is reasonable. The staff is kind of...indifferent, but friendly. I like the place. I think its solid.
(4)Arthur O.
Selling Points: - Great tea selection - Interesting space - Smoking-friendly - Imaginative/creative takes on traditional brunch items Shelving Points: - I'm not a connoisseur of leaves - The music inside is just too loud, and it's getting cold out, quick - I stopped smoking - Portions are tiny Thankfully, we knew one of the servers and got a bunch of free stuff and great service, so I really can't comment on that. I guess I did, but that's not very useful, I suppose. On that note, here's something useful: The Red Flannel Hash is not corned beef and potatoes. It's frigging beets. Okay, so even though I don't like beets, I thought the dish was pretty good, but at the same time, $10 for a little bowl? I'll pass. The Drunken Beans were just so-so. Something missing. The French Toast was good, but just like everything about the place, it's all about great non-traditional ideas realizing why they are non-traditional in the first place. Or maybe it's just that they are not executed to its fullest. I think I actually heard my bowl of beets and goat cheese call out, "Make me tastier! I deserve to be delicious!"
(3)Jo L.
I visited the Roebling Tea Room for the first time yesterday after having walked by it a million times, I am so glad I finally stopped in. The ambiance is very appealing inside, the tables are intimate and the service is great. Most importantly, the menu is full of the sort of treats one never gets to make for ones self. I ordered baguette with ricotta, figs and honey and it was SO good!! My dear friend ordered some kind of breakfast magical meal which consisted of eggs baked with cheddar in a little ramekin until it had a crispy cheesy top, it came with the most delicious grits I've ever had and fig and fennel toast with apple butter! We also witnessed several other mouth watering feasts going on all around us, for example, the burger looks amazing as does the giant bowl of french fries it comes with! The tea selection was very nice as well. I really can't wait to revisit this spot!
(4)Amelia P.
I'd forgotten that a gal I used to work with is the owner (or one of them?) But halfway through my dinner I realized she was sitting at the bar with her adorable daughter. I can't remember what I had, but it was a sandwich with and had some Cornichons as a garnish. I was so pleased since Cornichons are my favorite pickles that this is what stands out most in my memory. Although I was pleased with the sandwich as well. I love the space and the food. And while I didn't get the terrible service others seem to have experienced, it wasn't stellar, just mediocre. But I can't deduct a star, it was one person, one time, so I don't hold it against the tea room.
(5)Damian H.
would it kill you, in 2010, in williamsburg of all places, to have one vegetarian entree option on your dinner menu? seriously? 2 thumbs down. the lack of an updated menu online (when your menu changes daily) is not super awesome / convenient for patrons. you pretty much have to walk inside the door every night to check the menu. i love the food and the space, but i find this other stuff extremely annoying.
(3)Shane L.
The tea is good and fairly cheap. However, for a "tea room" it sucks. There's an awesome couch area in the back but you have to order from the bitchy bartender. The couch area is half of the restaurant. Why, at a so called tea room, do I need to order tea at the bar and carry all of it back to the seats. I'll gladly tip a server to do this. Also, Hall and Oates? Seriously? The whole 45 mins I'm there. Come on. The decor is amazing and there's so much potential here. But service and inconvenience make this place a last ditch effort for a caffeine fix.
(1)Alice S.
This place has inspired some major mixed feelings por moi. On one hand, it is consistently delicious. Their soups are aromatic and savory; the fennel potato puree was silky smooth. The spacious room has large windows that let in lots of light. Plus, there are huge wooden deer heads on the wall! Also, they have a great happy hour...3 dollar drafts. I frequently meet my husband here in the late afternoon to slurp down some Lagunitas IPA while he uses the wi-fi to do work. Its a good deal. We recently spent about 2 hours here. We got there during the afternoon hours, snacked on some baked brie and apples and had friends meet us there. At dinner time, they light votives on every table and turn the lights down all low and sexy like...If iwasnt so drunk, I might have been able to stick around for a second meal, but instead we wobbled on home. The only reason I didn't give this place a fourth star is the laissez faire attitude of the servers. For a place that never seems even a quarter full, the service has been shockingly bad. I sat and waited for a menu so long one time, I almost got up and left. I was too hungry to walk anywhere else, though, so I stayed. THAT time...It seems to be improving, but the customer service is seriously blah. Don't go there if you are at the starving point, bc your crankiness will reach critical levels.
(3)Rebecca L.
Fat tea bags with a huge selection. Delicious food. And I don't know why everyone's hating on the waitress---this is the type of place where you get what you ordered (usually more than expected) and don't really need a waitress catering to your every kevetch. Great atmosphere as well, definitely didn't feel like I was in a metro area. Also, huge plus for the music being at the right level.
(5)Bryan H.
Definitely a good selection of teas to choose from. I typically get a chai latte which is served in a HUGE glass. Brunch can get packed and service certainly suffers. Their breakfast sandwich is often a favorite of mine. I recently tried their take on french toast, which I believe was a special--quite good and by the looks of others that morning they agreed as well. Their dinner options are somewhat limited. The mac and cheese is certainly one to stay away from. I recall having a decent pear salad there though.
(3)Travis L.
Great unique food with wonderful taste and artistic presentation. Comfortable atmosphere. The music is somewhat loud but good.
(5)allyson c.
Underrated, even for a long time by moi, because of my fatigue of hipster. Started going back for brunch, the baked cheddar eggs are from heaven, as is the moon pie and black orchid tea. Well, any tea is fantastic and every meal I have had there has been good. Go early to beat crowds or go late for the in between.
(4)Danielle M.
Very good food and interesting flavor combinations. The pancakes on the brunch menu are HUGE and very sweet. They are about the size of a skillet, and very thick and doughy. Another goodie is the salad with the bleu cheese, apple, and walnut. It gets a little busy at peak times, but it's a nice place to stop. True to its name, it has about 100+ teas on the menu. I agree with some of the other reviewers that the service isn't great, but it's Williamsburg, where even mediocre service is sometimes hard to find. I've had worse experiences in the area, though.
(4)Blondie M.
Bacon, honey and chive sandwich- Say what? Hardcooked egg and watercress-Come again? Smoked salmon with creme fraiche and beet relish-WTF? I must not be foodie enough for this joint cause reading the menu didn't make my tummy growl, it made my brain sweat. What the hell am I gonna eat here? I decided on a plate described simply as Ricotta and Fig Paste. I like cheese and figs so I felt safe. It came on a chewy baguette, open face, with honey and walnuts drizzled over. It was nice, though messy to eat but it wasn't something that I'll be lured back by time and again. Another time I had the frittata special and while it was nice and flaky, it again, wasn't addictive. I know I'll find something that grabs me here cause I love the space and I love the way you can just sit there all day sans judgement. I've never had dinner here and I doubt I would because the menu just naturally learns more toward small plates and sandwiches. I'd feel very risky ordering a steak. I do feel quite comfy, however ordering one of their amazing tea or coffee drinks. Recently I had the iced black chai latte and I could have sucked the whole thing down in one gulp like a 5 year old. Oooh, last time I was here the music was god-awful. Think "Beethoven's 5th" from Saturday Night Fever. Classics all redone disco-style. At volume 11. Bring your headphones just in case!
(3)andria p.
YUM! had their beets & eggs with warm goat cheese on a saturday morning. it is a beautiful space with a super high ceilings. nice and efficient staff serving us, they have a good full flavored coffee. but i would love to try some tea when i go back. everything looks so delicious it is hard to make decisions...
(4)Rozz N.
I just reminded myself of this place because of a TALK piece that I just posted. A shame that I haven't been since I broke up with my ex this past summer, but this too shall pass. We used to go late night and enjoy a nice glass for Perlat and comfort yummies such as baked brie with sliced apples for dipping, mac and cheese, and the frijoles barrachos. Ah and the goat cheese and olive tapenade crostinis are heavenly. They have some good specials usually, and the atmosphere is really chill. I think things are different during the day so I can only vouch for the evening vibe. I must say, they have these long couches that you can stretch out on with your honey. The lights are dim, and the servers don't bother ya unless you want em too. We rarely did!
(4)Helena F.
The ambiance is very literary. Perhaps it's the tea or wine, or the fact that I only drink tea or wine here, but whatever. I enjoy it here because people have to act civilized and that is always a turn on for me. It's also a nice place to turn to for a good salad after binging at Fette Sau for 2 days in a row.
(4)Zach K.
My lunching staple. Red Flannel Hash and a cup of the cold ginger lemonade is my ideal.
(5)Trevor N.
15$ Cheese Burger? 22$ Chicken? f**********ck this place from the bottom of my heart. Bring back the days when it had an awesome Journeyman's Steak + side fries for about 15$.
(1)Chris F.
Dropping my previously five-star review to one star, as they've taped over the already scarce electrical outlets, presumably in some sort of poorly-thought-out bid to keep people from sitting for too long. My old review, from when it was possible to sit there all day and work (and of course also buy coffee and food): Roebling Tea Room, I have been looking for you for years. Let's go through my checklist of what I want in a coffee shop: 1 - Free wifi 2 - Couches 3 - Good coffee 4 - Good food 5 - No pressure to turn over tables quickly 6 - Good music, or none at all 7 - Welcoming decor Roebling Tea Room satisfies all of these. It's the closest I've ever seen to a European-style grand cafe, a genre of restaurant I'd given up hope of finding in New York. Some people have complained about lackadaisical, slow service. I haven't had this problem, although I've only been here during the day on weekdays. Even if I did, though, fast service isn't what I'm looking for when I come to Roebling Tea Room. I'm looking for a place to sit and work remotely, where I'm avoiding both the cabin fever of being at home all day and the hassle of getting into the office. It's also nice to note that I am writing this review while actually in the place I'm reviewing, for me, a Yelp first! Two complaints: 1 - The only power outlets are along the western wall, so if you sit anywhere else, you're only going to be there for as long as your battery lasts. Sometimes, when it's crowded, this means setting yourself up with a view of those tables, and then pouncing as soon as someone leaves. If you own a splitter adaptor, it'd be a friendly thing to do to bring that in with you, so you don't monopolize one of the precious outlets. 2 - The tables are about 2 inches too tall in relation to the hardback chairs for my arms to comfortably use my laptop keyboard, and the couches are too squishy and therefore even lower, so it's not ideal for a long session of working. I'm thinking about bringing along a cushion (i.e., adult highchair) one of these days.
(1)Matt M.
Great atmosphere and I used to love the food, too. But on a recent visit my wife returned her steak tartare. She LOVES steak tartare, and very rarely ever returns anything. She said it was "disgusting," lacking herbs and spices, being overly chunky (not finely chopped) and having a bunch of mayonnaise squirted on top. I wouldn't know because I don't eat meat, but this brings me to my second gripe. The dinner menu had only one entree without meat - mac & cheese. Even the one and only seafood option, which was shad roe, came with pork. So I'd have no reason to go ever go back.
(2)Joy E.
Went here for brunch with friends. The interior is so lovely that I really wanted to love this place. However, the menu was limited, the waiter rude and the food sub-par. The waiter made us feel as through we were inconveniencing him and could not answer questions about the menu.
(1)Julia F.
Beautiful and charming with an inventive menu, but I have become disenchanted with the uneven service and steadily decreasing vegetarian options. Sometimes my server seems happy to accomodate me; sometimes I am told that simple vegetarian substitutions are impossible, and indicated to be foolish for asking. Also, the menu might be slightly less proposterous (with dishes listed simply as "chicken," "pasta," etc.) if the servers were more equal to actually describing the evening's offerings.
(3)davide g.
Here you won't find the best coffee in Brooklyn. Nor will you find necessarily delicious food. But Roebling Tea Room, with its vaulted factory ceilings, cafeteria-esque dining area, and fluffy couches, serves up a wide variety of exotic teas (and the flavoured kind for those who, like me, think they all taste the same, whatever colour they are) and a brunch that competes with some of billyburg's best (try the ricotta with fig paste), in a comfortable, unhurried and unpretentious environment - that last one becoming harder and harder to find around here. If you're in a rush, Roebling's not for you. Expect long lines, especially at brunch, and spotty service (read: your bill will only come if you ask for it, sort of like in Vienna). Likewise, if you're looking for a rowdy place to get a few brews to start a night of partying, you'll find yourself sinking deep into the sofa and eventually ready to go home to bed. Rather, Roebling is a good place to end your night, where you can feel equally at home drinking a cup of hot ceylon as much as a lager--they're served in the same glass, anyway, and no one can tell the difference, so, bottom's up.
(4)Kim V.
I came here during the day with a friend for a quick pot of tea. I didn't get to try the food, but I imagine that's not why most people come here, anyway. Their tea menu is pretty fun to look at because they have a rather large selection. I got the tiramisu tea, which was decent. I like the rustic decor of the place and such, yatta yatta yatta. It was overall a cute experience.
(4)jamie N.
I like the venue in general. The food is pretty good for brunch. I've had the chicken fried steak (large portion) with lots of fat. I've also had the potato sandwich that was surprisingly tasty, but I recommend getting a side of meat. They have a lot of teas to choose from. I personally enjoy the roebling breakfast tea. They have outdoor seating too and it seems like a good spot to chill and relax whether it be solo or with friends.
(4)Art V. B.
Goood brunch in Williamsburg. Worth waiting for your table. The beginning of a perfect day in the neighborhood.
(4)Patrick K.
Not good, awful service and the dish I had was tough and fatty. Too bad, such a great space.
(1)Arnel G.
I ate here numerous times for dinner. Loved the organic chicken with potatoes the meatloaf isn't bad either. They have numerous different tea items hence the name that i would love to try. Place has a nice atmosphere I love to eat here and just relax.
(4)Jena M.
Probably the best potato salad I've ever had, and I don't even like potato salad. I particularly enjoy Roebling when I am hungover and craving food on the saltier side. Though many complain about this, I love it. I'm a vegetarian and never find the menu without something tasty I can eat (esp. red flannel hash at brunch, yum). I also appreciate the tiny little gerkins on the side of the sandwiches. I eat here all the time, especially when my mom is in town because she talks about it non-stop,and she's probably one of the pickiest eaters I've ever encountered.
(4)Susie W.
My internet is down at home which pretty much disables me from conducting my life as normal (I don't have a TV but the internet more than fills up the time that would take!). Anyway, Roebling has more seats available mid afternoon than Atlas Cafe, so I've trekked it down here two days in a row. I've managed to be here at the shift change both days and the resulting service is abysmal. ABYSMAL people. In my life as a service industry manager, server and being addicted to great service and food, I've come to understand what I like in service and one of those things is to be paid attention to. I want to put in my order, I want my order to come relatively quickly and when I put my card on the table it means I want to pay. AND when it's 4 o'clock and your shift is over, I don't want to have to 1) find the new server 2) tell the new server what it was I had. Too bad I'm honest, I could have just paid for a tea instead of saying that I had a mimosa too. Another kicker--if there can be more than one: I put down my card and the card machine is broken. I had to leave, walk a block to an ATM and get cash. I just don't like when going out in the world is more work than pleasurable. It's a shame because I do like the space and as other reviewers mention, the tea selection is lovely. And the people are pretty too. One thing I noticed is that they have the same deer heads that Aspen has, I think. Except I think Aspen's are plexiglass? Or something. Bottom line, I will come here to sip peppermint tea and maybe even have the cold beet soup. I will also be astounded if they EVER get their service act together. Too bad. It's so cute. One more plus: Leo Kottke is in their iPod/disc changer. And you know what? He's my absolute favorite performer. I just changed my rating to 2 stars. One for Leo. The other for the decor and the server before the shift change debacle today. (I'm back in for an edit) The music situation, while they have the good taste to have Kottke, is trying-too-hard hipster. And It's killing me and my ear drums. Too loud. Especially for a Sunday afternoon. Now am I just being snarky? While I'm on that path: why is the tea served in beer mugs? Is this something cool that I don't know about? If so, set me straight, but if not, a tea cup or manageable sized mug would suffice.
(2)Brad D.
I love the atmosphere -- couldn't be better. But that can't make up for: a.) extremely -- and I mean extremely -- slow, inattentive and couldn't-care-less service b.) high prices c.) small portions d.) did I mention the bad service? I understand: When in Hipster Central, act as hipsters, but for heaven's sake, if you're a waiter or waitress, you've got to express just a touch of care about your customers. Right? A lovely atmosphere, with pretty good food (if not a touch expensive), but the attitude really must go.
(2)Mary C.
To the couple who pointed the way to Roebling Tea Room on Saturday night as two clueless non-hipsters wandered the streets of Williamsburg: thank you. We had a long, leisurely meal in the dark. A little pricey for small plates, but the ambience was pleasant, with high ceilings, low couches and lovely patio outside. The pear walnut gorgonzola arugula salad was gorgeous. The mac and cheese wasn't anything memorable, but the tapenade and goat cheese crostini was worth tasting garlic for the rest of the night! (I just wish they hadn't run out of desserts when I was there...I'll have to go back).
(4)michael r.
I am happy to say that it has been threw many visits, some not so good and some completely delightful that I finally take the time to write this review. my bf and i recently brought two of our friends to dinner at RTR on a Sunday night and found everything so much better than i remembered, then i recalled that our dinner three weeks ago was pretty bangin as well. In the past i would have given a smaller star rating but now i have really seen an improvement from the ground up. first, the staff was present and helpful. second, the food took a real leap for me since it finally had a sense of being cooked by a trained hand. its been a long time since i came for brunch but i am again curious to see if that has improved as well. im happy to see this beautiful space take its shape in all respects.
(4)Meghan K.
I always, always get baked cheddar eggs with grits and fennel toast and it's awesome, and my boyf always, always gets the drunken beans and they are off the chain. Service is always kind of slow, but it's a lazy Sunday so I don't really care. And there's a Banksy mural outside! How cool is that?
(4)Ethan C.
One of my favorite spots in the city. The setup in the place is exactly how it should be: a large U-shaped bar separating the dining people from couches along the back wall and the outdoor patio (which is huge, and a great spot for a semi-private party). Their baked brie is literally one of my favorite foods, I've never craved anything like that before. They also have $3 happy hour drinks, and $2 Genny's all the time. During the summer, they have Anchor Summer on draft for only $3, soooo good. I also love the Nick Walker giraffe graffiti on the outside. A great night to me is hitting this place up for brie and tea/drinks and then going to Spuyten Duyvil down the street. Perfect.
(5)Nora O.
Baked cheddar eggs, buttered baguette, rich aromatic teas, and a gorgeous, spacious sunlit atmosphere. I can't say there is a bad thing on the menu, and their extensive tea selection is such that it may satiate even the most knowledgeable tea person. I've heard the drinks are also quite good and find it an ideal place to bring first dates, old friends, and anyone with whom I'd like to share its warm romantic ambiance and intimate, yet comfortable elegance with.
(4)Nate H.
Though this has been a great staple for brunch (the tuna sandwich is awesome), dinner was really disappointing. My "bunny sandwich" was like a weak pulled pork sandwich that basically took all of the things that are great about rabbit and negated them with a pile of cole slaw. The "bunny" had no flavor. When I realized that it was a $20 sandwich, I was pretty disappointed. $20 for a sandwich??? Really???
(2)Jessica D.
The BEER AND BRATWURST special is my very happy meal. The atmosphere is splendid with high ceilings and natural light diffused through condensation on towering windows in winter time. They have great chefs and excessively beautiful staff, occasionally intimidating to newcomers.
(5)Cera K.
Its not often I give 5 stars . So let me just say ....this is as good as it gets. I was out and about having a bad day all together and I had gotten lost on the subway so I was pretty much in a fowl mood. any place I went to I think I might have been displease with at this point but .....grumbling along the side walk stop by this place that looked to be a warehouse or something and it turned out to be the best find of all time (so far anyway). Seriously, from the moment I stepped in until the moment I stepped out it was amazing! I was seated almost immediately . The server was a very informative waitress. she kept eye contact the whole time which to me is important. the wine was delicious. the food came out almost immediately. And it was so ,so amazing. After the main course I ordered dessert which again, could not have been any better. Over all this place was.......the best place I've been in Ny :):):);;)
(5)ANIA J.
I have been a fan of this place for years. I love it late evening the most. My favorite is the corner with coaches and armchairs. Music is always putting me in the good mood. They have amazing Rose and brunch is just perfect. Teas- you can go crazy for. One of the best most relaxing hangouts in Williamsburg.
(5)Nate R.
Good for brunch. It's got a nice atmosphere and pretty decent brunch choices, like bagels and the like. I did not like the salmon when I had that once, but otherwise the food is good. As is the tea, which one would only hope would be the case given the name. Plenty of tables, but occasionally there is a wait. Still, it's usually not that long. You can also sit at the bar, so feel free to go by yourself; I do sometimes.
(4)Fiona G.
After coming here for brunch week after week and always ordering the same 2 dishes (the smoked salmon plate and the egg sandwich), I decided to try Roebling for dinner. That was a good decision on my part, because the food was amazing. My friend and I split soup, salad, the special fish of the day, and got dessert. It can be a bit pricey for dinner, but brunch is always a bargain. I also love the atmosphere and it's really cozy at night when all the candles are lit.
(3)Natty B.
It isn't brunch, darling -- it's a lifestyle. Hate the bathrooms, though. How am I supposed to touch up my lipstick in this lighting?
(4)Norman S.
this place is so busy itsw hard to get a seat. i had take out. black orchid tea was amazing!!! next time i'll try lemon ginger - looked really good and like their most popular.
(3)Ezra B.
I first went to the Roebling with my partner one night last winter in the below zero weather, and the tartare and lemon-ginger tea (with honey) were honestly revelatory. We returned for lunch a few days ago when we were in the city and found the waiters just as friendly and funny, and the atmosphere just as lively--although there is something amazing about the tea room at night. This time around, we sat outside in the patio area, which was a bit dingy but whatever, the weather made up for it. My partner decided to stick with the tartare (the waitstaff kindly let him have the dinner portion even though it was lunch--we were hungry!) and I had the eggs with kale and beets, which was just... okay. We shared a plate of fries with kewpie mayo, which was the highlight of my food experience tbh. The food's pretty heavy, which makes this place better suited for winter dining, I think. Plus in the winter the tea is served in huge steins. It's always a fun visit though, and it's such an eyecatching, idiosyncratic place that I doubt anyone could leave disappointed.
(4)Steph C.
Only stopped in for a quick drink while I was killing time, but it's a pretty cool space and wouldn't mind checking it out again. Walked by so many times and never went in, despite that the building and its sign always intrigued me. The place is gigantic and has so much room. It has a very cool vibe, sort of nice but casual and laid back. Sat at the bar, which itself is pretty impressive. I didn't much like the hibiscus iced tea that I had (too watered down). But I got a glimpse of some of the food that came out and it looked pretty good. Seems like a cool place to stop in for a relaxing lunch.
(3)Kenny C.
I swear I've passed by RTR about 300x and always thought, "one day I'll go in" and never did. Well, I finally did on a Thursday afternoon on a day off when I needed to kill some time. The place is huge! The bar is huge and there's seating all around. There are tables hugging the walls, a large table for communal seating (could probably seat 15 or so), and then there's the patio. The outside of the place was so unassuming that I had no idea there was so much going on! Didn't have any of the food, just drinks. Had a Bloody Mary because it was noon somewhere. It was good, but not great. Also tried their hibiscus iced teas, which was premade in a giant cooler, and also kind of bland. So that was meh. Bartender was nice though. All the food that came out smelled amazing, so I'd definitely come back to RTR for brunch or dinner. The cheeseburger in particular looked great.
(3)Drew D.
I'm going to be real real here: forever brunch. I am dedicated to the brunch life. I have experienced the full gamut from bottomless mimosas to hole in the wall wonders to the bourgeois brandishing of wrapped-up-crap-as-something-wonderful-when-you-Âknow-darn-well-it's-still-crap-and-who-wants-to-Âeat-that, and this was somehow one of the least pleasant times I have spent paying homage to the brunch gods. The gods of brunch were actually ashamed and would not agree that this should have been classified as brunch, but I am more forgiving than them. At one our group of six arrived, and were seated quickly, which was perhaps to trick us into believing we would be out of Roebling in a timely manner. We were there three hours. This was outrageous. Didn't even get checked on to order a sweet sweet weekend beverage for a half hour. Our food took over an hour to come out. If this place was busy (which at that given time it wasn't) or there was a cook that had critically injured their upper limbs and were forced to create with their legs (which, to the best of my knowledge, there also was not), I would understand and be completely forgiving. But, the fact of the brunch at hand is, it was a busted brunch. Our waitress was nice, and I do not believe is was her fault, but come onnnnn three hours?? We weren't even drinking to pass the very slow minutes as they ticked by, and were forced to talk to each other. When you leave a brunch after that long all of your previous plans have to be cancelled, because it is nearly five! The food was good when it did finally surface, but the time it took was a deal breaker for me. Spending three hours at forever brunch makes me not anxious at all to go back. Thanks Roebs.
(2)Anthony C.
Nom nom nom Beautiful, perfectly restored, but not over restored tea room/eatery in Williamsburg. The moment you walk in you'll see how well they've turned this building's interior into a little gem. The large bar itself is majestic. Clearly made with care. The main room houses a large table and many smaller tables. It's a large space where a party could be held. We sat in one of the reclaimed back rooms, which was open to the small patio at the back. Even that space was very pleasant and we did get the best table. I had steel oats with berry and puree which was surprisingly tasty considering I was going for health. My companion had eggs, bacon, thick rye toast and some really fresh butter. We were both happy campers. Fresh press coffee was legit and the staff was very responsive and chipper enough for a Sunday AM meal. Absolutely go here.
(5)Chamel R.
Popped in here one afternoon waiting for Extra Fancy to open and would have been better waiting outside, the wine sucked the menu look a bit over price for the simple items the atmosphere just seem real dull my girlfriend has some issues I'm writing this weeks later I don't even recall them but we will never return here. And I suggest you don't waste your time either.
(1)Dania L.
My BF and I stopped in for a drink. It's a beautiful place, the bar area is very large abs they have a dinning room and a patio area. The drinks are reasonably priced. I had the little darling which consisted of lavender gin, lime, and tonic garnished with a cherry and a lime wedge it was very delicious. The bartender was very friendly and helpful. I did not try the food but everything on the menu I would eat. I only gave it 4 stars for atmosphere and service and the alcohol,once I try the food I'll add or remove a star. But so far I would love to come back.
(4)Benjamin J.
This is a great Williamsburg favorite, and has a great layout and ambiance. There's a huge community table, a spacious and fun bar and a beautiful patio. It's not as centrally located as other Williamsburg restaurants and there aren't enough vegan options for my tastes but overall it's a great place. I'd recommend it for more intimate quiet dinners or large groups around the communal table.
(4)Dee C.
Great decor Cool location Adorable waitresses Good ideas for menu items Decent execution on menu items I liked the experience, just wanted to like the food a little bit more
(4)Charles D.
One of the finest bars in Williamsburg, not just because of the service, or the quality of food, or the great atmosphere, but because you do not feel that you are in WB. You feel taken care of in a way that takes you from the main drag, it takes to to this weird place were you have fun, and you make merry, and you don't feel like you are putting your time into a place designed for it. I can't recommend this place hard enough: be friendly, be decent, make merry, have fun.
(5)Amanda R.
Came here yesterday for labor day brunch- atmosphere was chill, not packed, really nice interior space. Took about 10 minutes just to be acknowledged and seated. Drinks came fast, lovely green tea really flavorful. The service in this place needs some work. 46 minutes for eggs benedict and waffles???????? Insane. There were 4 other tables of 2. Waiter apologized and said "like, a billion orders came in." hm okay. Gave it 4 stars because their tea is great and the waffles were fluffy. Better off sitting at the bar for quicker service, but if you're willing to wait that long for breakfast, the food will be tasty!
(4)Vivian L.
Long delayed review. I came here for a low key brunch with my bf. Love the ambiance, very rustic, cute, and welcoming. We ordered the big baked pancake and the baked cheddar eggs with grits and fennel toast with apple butter. I don't know if I could have handled eating the entire baked pancake, so I'm glad that we got two different items and shared! We also got an order of the orange blossom tea (what with "tea" being in the name of the restaurant and all) and it smelled amazing, so fragrant and lush. Definitely recommend the tea! It also came with a big portion, one order was enough for the two of us. Recommended for a casual brunch where you won't have to expect much of a wait.
(3)Valerie K.
I really wanted to love this place. Upon walking in, I immediately loved the atmosphere. High ceilings, decor, the seating and charm. Friend and I started off with some wine. It smells... Oddly like old sponge... Hm. We politely told this to our server and she was extremely gracious about it. The food, however, was fairly disappointing. Of the appetizer dishes we ordered, nothing stood out but what did end up a poor lasting impression on us was their steak tartar. Mayo base sauce with capers and chunks of salt? We were waiting on another party and ended up eating dinner elsewhere. Perhaps a brunch some time later down the line to give it another go.
(3)Chaunna H.
It's a cute little spot with warm wooden tables and beautiful window light [perfect for food pics!] I tried the "Big Baked Pancake" which is essentially a dutch apple pancake. It's huge but somehow, as usual, I managed to eat the entire thing by myself. It was absolutely delicious! I'd definitely recommend it. If I'm ever in the neighborhood again, I'd stop in for sure. The waiter was very kind, friendly and super helpful. Sometimes that makes all the difference.
(4)Jonathon C.
I've eaten here on multiple occasions and every time the food has been great. My last time in I had the salad nicoise with grilled swordfish. One thing I have yet to try is their cocktails -- those are next on my list.
(4)Chris v.
Stopped here for a late dinner last Saturday. Our poor waitress had our table (4-top), another smaller table, and a HUGE table with about 16 people seated there. I don't think she stopped running the entire time! However, our food took at least an hour to arrive once ordered, and my burger arrived simply as a ball of meat with cheese on top. No toppings at all, nor were they suggested if that was an option. It was decent. The fries were a bit limp, which made me think they sat a while. My wife's "baked plate" was like a lasagna without sauce, and it tasted far better than it looked. My aunt/uncle had calimari, and one other appetizer, which they liked. However, with the extended wait for the food, they were nearly falling asleep waiting for the food. I'd possibly come back during a time they weren't busy at all, but even though it was busy when we came, we were seated right away, and there was NO indication that it would take so long to get the (adequate) food. Great location, and I'd love to try something else on their menu based on the positive reviews I see here, but with so many other options in the area, it might be a while.
(3)Taylor P.
Great brooklyn vibe, very friendly staff. I only got drinks here but would come back as the food looked great and you immediately feel at home hers
(4)Fibi S.
Came here once, food was delicious. Worst service of my life. Assumed they were just having a bad day, Gave it another go, they outdid their bad service by stuffing everything up, every thing we ordered had something wrong. I also decided to try the potato sandwich and I know it sounds bad, but I was curious as to how they could make a potato sandwich yummy enough to deserve to share a menu with my meal with what I tried the time before. Turns out they can't. It was gross. Really really gross. If they fired all the staff and hired people who didn't seem stoned and actually knew how to do work, rather than "cool looking people" then this place would be great.
(1)Jess D.
Stopped by on Saturday night at long last... I have been looking forward to coming here for awhile! I can't comment on the food this time around but the cocktail was really tasty. I was a bit sad it was so tiny for the $$ but I guess I'll just not order it next time. The space is pretty good sized and I could see this being great for groups. They have a couple long tables that caught my eye. I will be back soon to try some food for sure!
(4)Cassidy P.
Love their decor, nice large space. Ordered a clam chowder (I only eat fish, no meat) and was super excited about the clams on the half shell and bread bowl soaked in the stew in the middle of the bowl (it's a huge dish!) Only problem is that in the middle of eating, I suddenly realized there was bacon in the soup. This was not listed on the menu, so it came as a surprise. I understand that some chowders come with bacon, but when we ordered we weren't told there was anything other than clams in the chowder. Anyway, to her credit the waitress tried to make it up to us by offering me other food, but my friend was already mostly done with her (delicious) fish sandwich, so I ended up munching on some overly-chewy and oily focaccia and not being totally satisfied when I left. Still, I generally liked the place--and that's saying a lot considering what happened!
(3)Blue G.
A lovely tea room & restaurant. I love this place especially when it's nice sunny weather because the inside is lightened naturally and I feel lunch time has less people and has relaxed atmosphere. The staffs are friendly and do offer good service. Their French pressed coffee is also excellent. I had salmon dish which became my favorite from this place, only it could be little less salty, but otherwise it is colorful and delicious for both on eyes and for the actual tastes. It will be a perfect lovely spot for a date as well.
(4)Bryony B.
Awesome! I really loved this place - the inside is so freaking cute and classy at the same time - and that is hard to pull off. Not to mention the food - wow. I had the mock brains (eggs with kale and bread on the side) - it was sooooo good, I was seriously shocked it would taste that good. We also had the apple pancake - which is like a sweet egg type of pancake - and it is HUGE. It came with real maple syrup and was such a great unique take on a regular pancake. Had the Homer drink with hibiscus, grand marnier and tequila, which was basically like a hibiscus margarita with salt on the rim - awesome. The only thing I could say is that, although their regular food and drinks are decently priced, the drinks are still fairly expensive ($12 each for a smaller glass). The menu isn't huge, but it is so fun and uncommon - would totally come back.
(5)Thalie L.
I was on my way too extra fancy and bc it was too cold and lazy to walk one more block I stoped into this place. It s a cute place. The brunch was good but our sides were really weird. Like the potatoes salas was not amazing. Too much sauce and weirdly sliced. The fruits bowl wasn't what I expected. Orange apple honey and grapefruit. Not a good much. But the main dish with eggs kale etc was good. The waitress was really sweet. Will come back :)
(4)Jaclyn R.
We came here for brunch, if you have a hankering for something sweet get the DUTCH PANCAKE!!! It's the best! It's almost like a custard in the middle because the pancake is baked with apples and it's huge!! It's like a pizza. You can definitely share with a friend. However, the custard consistency is similar to flan but not as eggy. If flan grosses you out, this may not be your go to. Also, their bloody Mary's are quite good!
(5)Leigh P.
Not sure I'm a fan of the new menu, or the new wait staff. They were out of orange juice for breakfast.. How does that happen. Where is the egg mock and potato salad?! Took 45min to get our food. Our waitress kept seemingly forgetting we existed. I got avocado "toast" where the bread was as crunchy as a crouton. There was a thin layer of guacamole spread I could barely taste, instead of the fresh whole sliced avocado. We always bring visitors here, but I don't know now... Bummer.
(1)Karen S.
Loved it. - Minimal wait on a weekend night - Menu diverse enough for all of the carnivores & vegetarians at the table - Super awesome server (Blake?) who answered all of our questions & made perfect recommendations for both food & booze - Possibly the most important: great music playing at a volume that still allowed for normal conversation Pro-tip: Try the "Intervention" cocktail. Seriously, order one. And then three more like I did.
(5)Samson C.
Went here last Sunday and got the Boca Hawaii Tuna Burger. Probably the best Tuna Burger I've ever had, layered with avocado and ranch dressing atop a meandering pile of pepperoni. Only problem I had was with the bartender, who got into a argument with me about my Led Zeppelin shirt.
(3)David P.
Meh. It was okay. Okay selection of beers. The platters are quite small for the price ($12-$14) and come with almost no bread. Tough to do much with a huge plate of hummus and 4 little pieces of bread. They did bring more bread, but the reaction when we asked for more was a cross between stunned and outraged.
(3)E M.
The ambiance is great, however the service is horrible. I ordered the chicken Teri., way over spiced and salty. My bf ordered the pasta which left much to be desired. The one good thing we ordered was the macaroni and cheese which was slightly spicy! The lemonade was fresh. The service was just horrible, our waiter seemed annoyed to be working. Horrible experience in that regard.
(2)Alex O.
Nice ambiance. Only got a drink here but very much enjoyed it!
(3)Busra E.
I usually don't write reviews--this may in fact be my first Yelp review, but I think my experience today calls for one. I should also note that Roebling Tea Room has been one of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood for the last three years -- until today. My friend and I arrived around 2.45 PM to get something to eat, and were told there was a 20 minute wait for a table, although there were 2 open two-people tables (brought together for a party of four) in the front area of restaurant. It wasn't reserved for anything (they don't take reservations for less than 6 people) it was just that the hostess choose to wait for a party of four. After checking the back area, the hostess came back saying there was a small nook that could seat two people, and we could just sit there and order food and drinks from the bar. We settled although the said nook is right next to the bathroom in the back. I found a menu from somewhere and we decided on what to order. We then walked back to the bar, where there was only one bartender, who rolled his eyes upon our approach. He then refused to make eye contact for another five minutes, and went about his business. Finally, when my friend got his attention (kindly) he started listening to our order. Except that he walked to the other end of the bar as we were ordering, and didn't say ANYTHING when we were done with the order. What I mean is -- he didn't say yes or no -- or give any sign to let us know that our order went in. We lingered around for another five minutes, waiting for him to get back to us and let us know that he'd put it in. While all of this happened, my friend remembered that she is allergic to raisins and wanted to ask someone if there were raisins in the salad we ordered. So she spoke with the first person that would make eye contact with her (the guy who was going in between the bar and customers for drinks.) He was helpful, and said that he was going to let the bartender know. Yet, he also left quickly, so there wasn't enough time to ask him whether the order was put in. We waited around not knowing whether our order went in for another five minutes, until a waitress asked if everything was OK. We asked her if she could see whether the order was in, and she said it was in the works. As we were turning our backs to get back to our seats, the bartender made a gesture asking us to lean in. When we did, he said something like "The more people you talk to, the more you're going to complicate things," in a truly scolding manner. Which is when we decided to leave. The waitress who was aware of what was going on suggested to seat us in her section and offered free drinks, but neither of us were interested after the whole thing. Both my friend and I had worked as waitresses in the past and do know how busy it gets on a Sunday afternoon. We are also aware that there is an organization to how bars and kitchens work. However, in this case, I'm afraid it's not a working system. I don't know if there was supposed to be a second bartender there today, but they were not in for some reason, or whether the bartender we tried to communicate with has personal problems. All I know is people shouldn't treat each other as disrespectfully under any circumstance or job title/role. $40 to sit next to the bathroom, wait, and get told off? Not coming back.
(1)Erin S.
Stunningly delicious. Had baked cheddar eggs and grits. Lovely wait staff-welcoming and leisurely.
(5)Alissar T.
Really disappointed in my overall experience yesterday - when this is usually our favorite local spot. The wait on a Friday night was over an hour, but after 25 minutes we got a seat at the bar - which we were happy with. The bartender was rude, and unfriendly, and our appetizer took over an hour and a half to come out. Our burgers then followed a half hour later, which we asked for "medium" and got a charred, more-than-well-done burger. 2 hours later we were so hungry we did not send back, but really disappointing experience when their burger is the reason why we love Roebling so much. The mac and cheese which is also usually outrageously delicious, was dry and quite burnt as well. Our bar tender apologized without us saying anything because he knew how poorly the service was handled, and offered to buy us shots (which we declined)... instead of perhaps taking a drink or app off the receipt.
(2)Jose B.
if you like being disrespected by hipsters who forgot where they came from this is the place for you!
(1)Emily A.
Pretty darn good. When I visited it was a slow empty night. Sat at their bar rather than a table. Cant really give too much info on the service since it was not busy in anyway at all. BUT I can comment on the food. I had the Baked Sheets. So tasty! I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into but I'm glad I chose to get that. Their drinks are also quite good as well. I wouldn't call this place my goto spot or my favorite restaurant ever but I would definitely go back.
(4)Louis D.
This place fucking rules get the chill moments drank also order everything burger is dope menu always changes but i have never had one bad thing Im not a big fan of the deserts but now I'm just being a bitch so Ill shut up service is always great vibe is dope me and the gal would eat here every day if we could
(5)Seth M.
Management should pay attention to the negative reviews on this page that all criticize the service. Went for drinks. When, unbeknownst to my party, they were preparing to close, the bartender said nothing. Just disappeared. Cleaners began mopping before we were able to settle our tabs. Also, tea is $5 here, which is criminal.
(1)Victoria B.
I'll start out by saying that the food was great. I had the baked cheddar egg, and it was a nice large filling plate, which was just what I wanted on a cold day. I also had an egg cream soda and it DELICIOUS, I totally loved it. Although it was quite rich and by the end of my meal I was feeling a little overfull. But, the customer service was pretty bad. Like, I'd read the other reviews that people posted about bad experiences and I thought it would be fine, but it seriously made the meal much less enjoyable. I was at the bar, and one bartender had this look on his face like he was completely miserable and hated everyone in the restaurant. I seriously considered asking him if he was alright or if he'd like just been notified of a death in the family or something. The other bartenders and waitstaff largely just ignored me. The hostess who seated me was decently friendly, props to her. Overall I just felt like they all wished there was no one in the restaurant. And it wasn't even close to closing! It was brunch!
(3)Alexander M.
So here's the thing. This place is dimly lit, the atmosphere is decent, nothing special. It's pricey, but delicious -- waiters do a good job. Now for the kicker. The Steak Tartar was the best thing I have ever eaten in my life. Did you hear what I just said? The steak tartar was the best thing I've every eaten in my life. ever. And I'm a foodie. After every bite, I felt like I was taking a commercial break from the world for a second, so much so that I couldn't concentrate on the conversation with my friends! The chef is an absolute genius. After eating, I begged them to order another one and to meet the chef, but apparently it was right when the kitchen closed. Wow -- Eat the Steak Tartar. It's out of this world.
(4)Joshua F.
This place reeks pretension. I went to brunch with my sister. We hadn't seen each other in a long time, so we wanted to spend time talking and not having to worry about our food and beverage quality/service. The waitress took a long time to come to the table. She didn't wish to explain dishes on the menu, and our Bloody Mary's were watery by the time they hit the table. Our food was bland and we had to order toast and jam with our eggs for brunch! Also, it says on the menu: "Our meat is on a program." What??! This is the most pretentious thing I've ever seen. It's exactly the kinda Portlandia meets Williamsburg satire you watch while stoned and laughing at how ridiculous restaurants are. The host/manager lady was a real treat to encounter as well.
(1)Priam D.
Headline: Go there for dinner, not brunch. I love the decor and ambience. The burgers are unbelievably good (maybe my favorite in Brooklyn); they do something to the bun that makes them addictive. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have their act together for brunch. On weekend mornings, the service is extremely slow (eg, a friend waited longer than 10 min for a cappuccino) even though the restaurant doesn't seem to be very busy during this time.
(3)Maeve M.
We were torn between Extra Fancy and Roebling Tea Room, and I'm glad we came here. Both places had room but EF is pretty dim and dark (probably better for dinner and drinks) and RTR has these huge gorgeous windows that let in a lot of light--essentially on a dreary February day. We got some tasty French press coffee (unfortunately we didn't get milk for a while but it eventually showed up) and I ordered the Mock Brains - kale, eggs and gruyere scrambled with a baguette. My friend ordered Drunk Beans (very creative names here), which i had major, major envy over--basically beans and grits with a poached egg and sour cream. My dish was fine but very small, i think maybe they only gave me one egg? I guess it was healthy but I was a little surprised at the portion. That being said, this was a pretty cheap brunch (sans alcohol) so I'm not broken up over it. I'd definitely go back to try more of the menu, and some of the nice brunch cocktails those around me were enjoying.
(4)Patrick B.
Nice space. Had brunch today and they had very rude, sassy waitress on the floor. Made for a terrible start to the experience. It was very quiet and she made our entrance as difficult and uncomfortable as possible without any conceivable reason to do so. She seemed to do this to several customers. Food was ok and a nicer dude served us after her. Probably won't go again.
(2)Justin F.
Took my parents here for brunch and had a fantastic experience. I had the potato and egg sandwich and it was incredible. I highly recommend this place. Service was a little slow but they were very attentive when we needed something. They have a back room, large tables for groups and a back patio.
(5)Noel B.
One of my favorite brunch places in Williamsburg. The coffee is amazing, which is the start to a good brunch! The scrambled eggs with kale is my favorite dish and very high quality. We usually get the big pancake to share since its huge, but so worth sharing. The place is charming and clean and the service is always very personable and friendly. Definitely recommend this place for brunch.
(5)Versace J.
If your looking to go back to the future without a DeLorean then come to roebling tea room . The teas are unbelievable. The food is also flavorful with the menu always changing . I love the chicken meat ball here and the ginger tea. Cocktails with unique flavors.
(5)Lauren P.
Tried to have a drink here. Sat down at the near empty bar while the bartender and three other staff members stood around and stared at us for over 8 minutes before someone came over and dropped menus next to us before quickly walking away. This is my first review after using yelp for a long time. I felt compelled to write it because the service was that bad.
(1)Jonatan K.
The potatoe side sallad was wonderful and pretty large actually. On the other hand the pancake was more of an omelette in taste and appearance. Loud music, loud talk, so thanks for some great food, probably some more is nice. But just to loud for me, darlings.
(3)Devon M.
Patron beware: despite what their page says, they have NO wi-fi and a "no-laptop policy" to boot. Snooty as hell. Decent coffee, good ambiance though.
(2)Wayne W.
Went there with my daughter and was not disappointed . Great steak tartar and apple cider with whiskey . Fun room and super friendly staff . The burger looked great ,will try it next time .
(4)Jessica J.
I have walked by a million times, and I finally decided to pop in a whim. Got a seat at the bar for a drink and a snack. The atmosphere was comfortable for me to sit alone and easy for a friend to come join later. It was a Thursday night, so it was full without being crowded. The room was dark and nice, the bartender was lovely, and the pate was to die for. I am only dropping a star because the menu could have been a bit more extensive if I wanted to eat a full meal. Most fabulous for a snack and a nice cocktail!
(4)Jessica B.
This restaurant is beautiful and has a nice atmosphere. The food is always good. I have visited the restaurant several times, however on several occasions they have forgotten my food order or drink order which had left me waiting for over an hour. This has happened several times when the restaurant was not busy. Overall I would recommend this restaurant.
(3)Jen H.
This spot is cute, atmosphere is cozy and the food was good (though this is no great feat considering all the good options in the vicinity), but the service here is slow and comes with I don't give a crap about my job attitude. Came here with a large group- so I understand we're not going to be served with any degree of swiftness. But, waiting 45 minutes for an iced coffee- sorry, I mean iced americano because they don't serve iced coffee, as I was brusquely told by the waitress- whatever, just give me my iced caffeine thing- is a little extreme. After we ate, paying the bill took another 30 minutes. How many hipster waitresses does it take to split the bill? Apparently many. And apaprently it takes a while. As far as food goes- the beet & eggs and the baked cheddar eggs were the most popular amongst our group. My baked cheddar eggs were pretty good- nice strong sharp cheddar baked in with the eggs, grits were nice and buttery and the apple butter for the toast was pretty awesome. I'm not opposed to coming back to Roebling, but given all the other good options in the area, I'm inclined to try another spot next time.
(3)Julie P.
I went early-ish on a Tuesday and the room was very empty, but I settled in for a lovely dinner. Despite the clever names of the cocktails (seriously, Jonathan Winters? What does that mean?) I ended up ordering pint of hard cider because it was so hot out. I decided to order two starters as a meal and was very satisfied. My ripped mozzarella salad with mission figs, basil and EVOO ($12) was very tasty. The second salad I loved because the combo was unique yet simple: kale rubbed with a vinaigrette of lavender and lemon juice, topped with Parmesan (I think) cheese and currants ($12). Of the two desserts, I chose the chocolate cake ($7) which I think was a moist flour less cake and it was supposedly infused with tea, but I could not detect it. The server was lovely, she was very attentive and friendly. Might hit this spot again before I leave Brooklyn.
(4)Laura H.
YES SO SO SO GOOD. Ok so obviously I love Roebling Tea Room but I have to say it's because I really love ONE item a lot a lot a lot. You can only get it on weekdays and I'll go in alone just to get it. The poached egg omelet. There's nothing better. A perfectly poached egg with cheese inside an omelet, plus their hollandaise sauce is incredible! I don't usually like hollandaise and I always ask for it on the side but this one is soooo buttery and tasty. They have good options for brunch during the weekend also, I really like the big pancake, but nothing compares to the poached egg omelet. Their tea selection is pretty good but maybe not as good as it could be for a "tea room".
(5)Avalyn J.
We wandered in here while waiting for some friends to arrive to go to a nearby restaurant. It was happy hour. Lucky us! $5 well or 2/$12 margaritas. The margs were tasty and strong. To our surprise the glasses were huge so no complaints there. I would venture in here again prob for HH or if im in the neighborhood again.
(3)Allison S.
I went here for brunch and had a bowl of fruit and a hot chocolate and it was delicious. I also came again for dinner and the burger I had was surprisingly amazing. It was nothing fancy to look at but it was cooked and seasoned perfectly, so delicious.
(5)Babak G.
I was here on a date and had a lovely experience. Friendly bartenders -- very friendly from my experience, which totally shaped my impression and experience. Reasonable prices for cocktails, a lovely ambiance and overall decor, and a very nice and very green outside patio. This spot is actually pretty romantic. My date went well and I would definitely take another date here in the future. Roebling Tea Room lives up to it's reputation.
(5)Kanika H.
I came here for dranx on a Saturday evening. This joint is huge- has tables all over the damn place, and even more seating in the back yard. Decor: Very rustic, roomy and hipstery... Ambience: Very hipstery. Dranx: Decent. Strong. Not super expensive considering the price of city fare. Had two whiskey sours for $14 total. Food: Had the fries. They were half cooked and meh. Sole complaint: The bathrooms. There were only two single-stall bathrooms throughout the whole joint, and the lines got pretty long at one point. They've soo gotta do better on that one. Cool place...No complaints. Return visit is on the list of master plans.
(3)Katrina R.
A friend and I came here for dinner because we couldn't stand the 1-hour wait for St. Anselm across the street (sob). We were seated right away which was nice. The space was intimate and dimly lit with candles, which I liked. But the dinner offerings were a little limited - with 3 of the 7 or so entrees being burgers (burger / cheeseburger / soft shell crab in a bun, aka a freaking burger). I didn't want a burger, so I ordered the diver scallops appetizer with a side order of fries and a glass of red. I really enjoyed the wine, although I can't remember which it was - just that it happened to be the cheapest glass (get that one). The fries were good, if just a littttle on the salty side. My scallops were also good, but I only received two of them at $12. Not horrible, considering it was an app.... but I'm pretty sure I didn't leave Roebling satisfied. Actually - I went home and proceeded to polish off an entire pint of ice cream because I was still hungry. The meal didn't exactly break the bank. But after a $40 bill (actually a lot less, but I'm a good tipper) + a $12 cab ride home from the restaurant, my experience at Roebling Tea Room didn't really leave me all that happy. But at least the pint of ice cream I had after did.
(3)Malcolm K.
Roebling Tea Room was Williamsburg before Williamsburg was Williamsburg. We came here based on Bill Murray's old recommendation. His son cooks here (or at least did at one point). And as Bill describes it, "they take great pride in their kale," which, love of the ingredient aside, shows you you just how influential Roebling has been on the rest of the borough since its opening back in 2005. This past Saturday, we came for drinks. It was happy hour, and we were fortunate to snag ourselves a couple of ice cold draft beers for 3 bucks a pop. If that wasn't generous enough, the bartender offered to take some shots with us. We did, and while the extra shots certainly weren't necessary, they iced Roebling's cake quite nicely. Like many great restaurants, Roebling Tea Room provides a convenient escape from the rest of the world. I can't ask for much more than that.
(4)Alyssa B.
I came here for brunch with a group of 8. We didn't have to wait too long for a table. The atmosphere was really nice, and the large windows let a lot of natural light in. It was exactly as I imagined a rustic brooklyn tea room to be. We were given our menus. Drinks are not complimentary here. I ordered a mimosa, which at $7 came as a flute of orange juice with a splash of champagne. The majority of our table ordered bloody mary's which everyone seemed to enjoy. For my entree I ordered the beets and eggs. It came out as a layer of beets, goat cheese and kale with two fried eggs on top. It was very tasty - you could definitely tell everything was fresh - but it wasn't a lot of food, even for me. My boyfriend got the egg muffin sandwich. He probably could have eaten 4 of them and still have been hungry. A couple people ordered the big pancake, which looked like a substantial amount of food. I think our friends were content with that, but it doesn't come with any sides. It's just one big pancake with some apples on it. I probably wouldn't come here again. TLDR: Food is delicious, but it's expensive and you don't get a lot.
(2)Emma O.
Been coming here for years for their brunch. Try the baked cheddar eggs and the big pancake!
(5)Carolina D.
A cold Sunday evening and the reception and atmosphere couldn't have been warmer. We were seated right away. My friends had the seafood soup and I had the branzino with roasted kumquats and Brussels sprouts. Delicious. The service was extremely attentive in just the right way...and at ease with a special wine request. Overheard it was our friends' birthday so came out with a candle in the dessert. The atmosphere was relaxed and lovely. $50 apiece with tip -- we had sparking water, a couple of wines, and one dessert. A lovely experience all around.
(4)Luke B.
This is for the management of Roebling Tea Room. I made this account for this review. Our server, Harper, was professional, courteous, and very helpful, but didnt nag and check up on us to the point of insanity. Took our entire order by memory, and it came out flawlessly. The burgers were fantastic tasting and cooked perfectly to our specifications. The bloody maries were fantastic, consistent, and solid. fantastic experience. Definitely coming back.
(5)Illya T.
I eat here regularly with my friends. I love to bring people from out of town here. I highly recommend that you come to this place. My favorite meal is the Steak Tartar.
(5)Eve S.
Met a friend here back in the summer. It was quite mellow the night we were there. The food is good but I found the portions too be kind of skimpy. Would be interested in checking out brunch here.
(3)Rocket M.
I came for brunch with a friend and we ate at the bar. The place was not all that full but the staff seemed overwhelmed. The people next to us got the wrong food. Our food took almost an hour to come out and when it did it was really blah at best. Other people seemed to enjoy their food so maybe we ordered the wrong thing.
(2)Nick S.
It was 100$ for two ppl we left hungry,terrible service,we waited half hour for small portions ,,you gotta be kidding me,,,never again
(1)Claire M.
This review is for drinks only - would love to go back and eat there sometime, though! My date and I stopped in on a misty Tuesday evening for a drink, and I immediately fell in love with the place...in fact, I couldn't stop talking about the wallpaper - which didn't make for a great two-sided conversation. (That said, said date developed a major crush on the exposed Edison bulbs, so we are both officially nerds). But really, the place is adorable. It's romantically lit, and you can eat at a small table with your date, or if it's just drinks, sit at the bar or at a long wooden table behind the bar. I wasn't feeling well, so I decided to order some tea. Good thing the Roebling Tea Room lives up to its name! The Lemon Ginger tea ($4) was delicious and SO perfect for my cold...it came in a big beer stein and was more than I could drink. My boyfriend got some fancy cocktail with bourbon, which he loved...sorry I can't remember; like I mentioned...that wallpaper. The service was a little odd. I stood at the bar for like 5 minutes before anyone noticed me, and once I'd finally been able to order, I went and sat down - 5 feet away - at the long table. I guess I expected one of the waitresses to bring us the drinks, since it was clear we were sitting at the table, and the place was almost completely empty.
(4)Greg O.
I heard the hamburger was delicious and I was not disappointed. I had a juicy and flavorful burger with a french dressing on the side for the french fries. I liked the restaurant's vibe, location, and fun staff.
(4)Kelsey D.
I was in town visiting an old friend, and we decided to stop here after dinner and before Extra Fancy. The service was fine, our bartender was very nice and we didn't wait long, but there was another bartender who I swear couldn't smile if he were offered free fair-trade locally grown and roasted coffee (and this is BROOKLYN). He looked like a cross between Mike Gordon from Phish and George Harrison, and he had a scowl on for most of the evening. Miserable man. Our drinks were delicious, albeit expensive, but I was on vacation, so treat yoself and all that. My biggest complaint is the barstools. My back hurts just thinking about them. They are bolted to the floor, and have no rung on which to put your feet (which should be required of all stools). The bar that you can put your feet on is too far away, so you have to scoot forward and basically stand. I wanted so much to enjoy this place, but I sipped a bit quicker than normal to escape that hellish barstool.
(2)Robyn R.
One of my favorite spots of ALL time. I love everything about it from the decor to the staff to the food. I go to Roebling as often as possible. I'd be completely lost without this place-I consider it a home away from home.
(5)Jenna D.
3.8 bloody mary's are good an spicy but u are literally spitting out pieces of horseradish and shit the entire time. and it's premade so you just have to keep choking it down. or order something else. but that upsets me. so i choke and semi-enjoy several of dem bitches. split the burger. which was delicious and messy. my favorite kind. liked the atmosphere and decor, everyone liked their food and got all different things. solid choice for brunch.
(3)Rich R.
Enjoyed dinner the Tea Room very much. Had to kill a few hours on an airport run for a friend, so wanted to find a nice dinner in a laid back environment; mission accomplished. It occupies a great space, Google image search it! But, not while you're eating; read on. I liked the walk up the neon bathed double staircase to the arched entry. The ceilings are high, lighting subdued, this is a classy joint that doesn't make you feel under-dressed. Apparently the menu is always changing, I don't recall my exact dish, pasta something or other. Fresh and well prepared. I learned after the fact there is a "no laptop" rule in effect during the evening and weekends? I definitely violated this house law but did not receive even a slight reprimand or dirty look, perhaps it was a slow night or they knew I am a Roebling newb. Anyhoo Tea Room, I think the rule is inane and 1 star has to fall off the rating. Service was unhurried and very friendly. Nice selection of everything at the bar. Hope to dine here again!
(4)Craig Z.
I love the atmosopher here, and had been meaing to try it forever. The menu is always very interesting, and was when we went, but the food was just OK, as was the service, and I was particulary annoyed that although many people in the restaurant were wearing jackets, the staff did not pick up on the idea that maybe they should close the windows. This was one of those "I really wanted to like it experiences".
(2)Elle K.
Nice ambiance
(4)Sammy B.
"Is it me or is everyone white here?" was the first observation my friend made. I quickly scanned the room and found an Indian girl, SCORE! ASIANS UNITE! Maybe it was that night. Maybe... ah, who cares. Anyhoo, out of both of our meals, the only thing we enjoyed were the fries. Now, that says something about a place when the only thing they get right are the fries. I had the burger which is ridiculously THICK. The sauce that comes with it, a mix of mayo and ketchup, is tasty but since the patty is so darn thick, the taste of the sauce gets lost in a whole bunch of beef. LEAN beef. Lean, dry medium-rare beef. My friend had the baked sheets, or rather, half-baked sheets with 10 tbsp's of salt. I felt my tongue drying up trying a bite of her dish. The fries were really good though.
(2)Gamal H.
Whatever this place is trying to be, I'm not a fan. We decided to continue our day drinking trip through Williamsburg here after visiting some shops in the area. Things quickly degenerated as soon as we walked in. The waitress asked us if we wanted to eat, but informed us that the kitchen was about to close so if we wanted food we needed to order fast (side note; who closes the kitchen at 4:30 pm on a Sunday?). When we said we just wanted drinks she gave us a table but said we had to get our own drinks from the bar because she was only going to serve us if we ordered food, which we had to order quick because the kitchen was closing at 4:30. When we looked at the drink menu we realized that the descriptions of the cocktails were either cryptic or non existent. I almost ordered something with OJ and streak sauce (what?). I waited for my mimosa listening to a grating 30's country soundtrack that only added to my frustration. I drank and left as quickly as I could, desperate to get back to Manhattan. I'm sure the tea room appeals to a wide variety of clients who never want to eat after 5 and are willing to not be served drinks by the waitresses. That's fine. Everyone has their own tastes. I just don't see any reason to go back there. Have fun. G
(2)Amelia M.
Fun ingredients in drinks and great outdoor patio. The indoor scene is cozy and inviting too! Great for a date or just hanging out with friends for good conversation.
(4)Jon V.
Great spot. I love going for brunch. They have great burgers. And excellent bloody Mary's
(4)Sholom W.
Great burger, great fries, seem to have a great selection of drinks. The staff needs to know how to explain items on the menu, I notice I'm not the first person to point that out in a review.
(4)Tal N.
Good food felt like it was a little pretentious vibe. Paid 3 dollars extra for fresh fruit in oatmeal and it was 3 slices of apple and some dried cherries.
(3)Tonya C.
While working in the area, my photographer suggested we come here during our break. I will say if it hadn't been for him, I would have never come here. Of course it is right over the bridge in annoying Hipster capital, Williamsburg. We walked in and I could feel my teeth grind a bit just from the already Hipster-ish look of the hostess. However, I will outright admit, I judged too quickly. Our waitress was pleasant and the food was really good. I ordered the Egg and Cheese Sandwich and it was very good and filling. The vibe is low-key. Although, we were comfortable there, I don't think I would recommend anyone go there alone. Also, be alerted there is only one, unisex bathroom so if you even think you might need to go- go. I don't know if I can say I'll go again, just because of its location, but if I ever meet someone who's in Hipsterville, I'd recommend it to them.
(4)Amanda W.
I absolutely love the styling of this tea room. Huge windows, exposed brick, heavy wooden tabletops, and a patio library. I would go back over again just to sit in the gorgeousness, reading a book or chatting with friends. I've been into kombucha lately so I ordered a glass--it was very good, I'll give it credit (they buy from a local vendor). My BFF ordered the hibiscus iced tea--nothing fancy--it's exactly that, no added flavors and the inviting color you'd expect. The low star rating is for their less than dazzling loose tea menu. They do a way better job than just about any coffee place you can go to, but if you're as nerdy about tea as I am, don't expect to be impressed. Basic blacks--chai, earl grey, eng breakfast. A couple of greens--a sencha and if I remember correctly a genmaicha. Nothing particularly adventurous. I watched someone else order hot tea and they don't brew it properly. A glass of hot water, an empty infuser, and a ramekin of your chosen leaf. I mean, the way it looks is super hip, but no way you can get a snob's brew from the leaves that way. To complement our beverages, we ordered the steak tartare. Again, it was good but not great. Very salty and very oily. Steak itself was delish--tender and flavorful.
(2)Estilomina P.
Roebling has lots of good qualities and overall it's a lovely little place to have a nice meal with friends. It gives you sort of a cavernous feeling because the ceiling is so high and the decor/tables are so dark. The menu is always rotating and that let's you know you'll have top notch seasonal food. I took a friend there for his birthday and on a Saturday evening, it was packed. I can see this being good for a date b/c of the flattering lighting and the overall dimness although most of the tables were occupied by groups. My companions both had the burger which they really enjoyed, I had an absolutely delicious seafood stew that I would repeat in a heart beat. Very nice beverage selections as well. Everyone I know who has been here has enjoyed it.
(4)Matt O.
Great poached egg omelet....drinks were on point as well, heavy pours ;-)
(4)David B.
It's unfortunate because I had been there before and had only sung the praises of it since, but after yesterday I will not be returning to the Roebling Tea Room. I went there the other afternoon for brunch. The staff treated my girlfriend and I like garbage and our food took forever. I usually try to give workers in the food industry the benefit of the doubt as they have a tough job and things can get crazy for them but this was something completely different. The way the hostess and bartender treated us was disrespectful and made us feel as though we were below them. We were both friendly and willing to look past the fact they forgot to put our food order in and yet the staff still seemed to treat us with disdain. It was insulting and unprofessional the way the bartender questioned my girlfriend's wine choice (insinuating that it may be too pricy) and we felt annoyed and ignored for the better part of what should have been a fun dining experience. We ended up waiting almost 2 hours for our food (for a breakfast sandwich that should only take 5 minutes to make) and it came out tasting like something you could get from the McDonalds breakfast menu. Overpriced cocktails + Mediocre Food + Shitty, pretentious staff = a poor review and a lost future customer.
(1)cazzo c.
Nasty terrible racist waiter ( that tall caucasian male with long hair) This review is based on that male racist sh*thead waiter. Other waitstaffs were friendly enough. We walked in and he ignored us for the rest of the night even when we tried to get his attention. Until the other male bartender with glasses tended us which he was nice. Later in the evening I happened to asked that long hair sh*thead a question regarding the food menu, he treated me with " you no speak English shi*t " I would have gone all psycho on him but I was with guests. I hope he is the manager and will run this place to the ground or he should be fired for being such a racist scumbag. NEVER AGAIN..........
(1)Talia G.
After a subway fire fiasco and an hour of failed attempts to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn, I FINALLY made it to the Roebling Tea Room at 10:30pm on Thursday for dinner. Good thing it wasn't SF...nowhere would have still been serving food! I ended up ordering a House Salad ($9), the Burger ($14), and multiple beers (drafts usually $6). The salad was not what I was expecting. It was made with an unusual form of lettuce (mostly stem with tiny leafs coming off) which was then drowned in a vinaigrette of some sort. Not my cup of tea, but I was hungry so I ate it. The Burger was much better than the salad and it came with a HUGE amount of fries on the side. The patty was juicy, medium-rare as I requested, and clearly hand-made. My only complaint was that they lathered in in too much of their "special sauce". It was a good sauce, but needed to be applied in a smaller quantity. It overwhelmed the burger a bit and made the whole thing overly messy. Lastly, we ordered some form of chocolate cake in a mint milk. I don't remember how it was advertised to us, but that was the result. (Crispy) chocolate cake sitting in milk that apparently was supposed to have a mint flavor. Odd. Not bad, but odd. I was so hungry by 10:30pm that I enjoyed what I ate, but looking back on it, nothing was particularly good. And on top of that, it was quite a pricey meal.
(2)Greg Z.
They get 3 stars for the shrewd waitress who very nicely comped our burger after their cook couldn't figure out how to make it medium. It was raw the first time and very rare the second time around (And they only have 3 or items on the lunch menu). They have a relaxed vibe and pleasant decor however there's no need to blast music at 2 pm. Come on. It's the afternoon and people want to chat. Turn it down, please. I will go again just based on the waitress' actions but maybe just for a cocktail and, or coffee.
(3)Nelson L.
I've lived a couple blocks from this place for years, and just haven't really gotten into the routine of coming as often as I should. Not sure why, their food is delicious and their bartenders and servers are amazingly accommodating. But lemme first tell you about the cheeseburger here. It's amazing. I don't use that word lightly. I mean, truly. It's like getting a backrub from an orgasm. It get it with gruyere cheese which melts around the patty like a fountain of children's tears, and once you bite into the beef, it's as if you looked into the sun, but instead of going blind, you found a bunch of koala bears riding rainbow unicorns and rapping Dr. Dre. It's just that unbelievable.
(4)T H.
Came here as a party of 6 after the WilliFest Film Festival. The staff was very friendly and accommodating to any request we made. Food was tasty, drinks were good and atmosphere mainly was great - dim, warm and not too loud. Took a peek at the outdoor patio and it looked like a nice area for a larger group or just for a nice brunch during warmer weather, evening drinks or a date. Definitely recommend this place to accommodate a number of occasions.
(5)Daniel K.
Nice place - well worth a visit. Drinks and dinner were good. Atmosphere was a delight. Nice date night with my wife.
(4)Franny A.
Quaint bed and breakfast decor meet huge industrial space. Soaring corner with bustling main room, quant smaller areas and even a backyard. Menu of teas- of course this is a tea room. This is a Brunch review. BIG pancake is ONE of the Best in town. Gorgeous, Circular pancake, almost cake- like with stewed fruit. $10. Ordered a side of bacon and my friend Karen practically salivated as well as ate alot of my amazing pancake. This pancake is a STANDOUT!
(4)Peter N.
Normally love Roebling Tea Room but our dinner experience there tonight was the pits. Service was incredibly slow, food came out one dish at a time with long stretches between. Burger was supposed to be medium rare but came out dry and overcooked - server was nowhere to be seen to send it back. And the side of kale was a soggy mush. The mac'n'cheese was delicious as always. Will think long and hard before returning.
(2)Aristocrat J.
Yea, I like it here. I'm mostly a fan of the presentation. The rustic wood/steel furniture, high ceilings, mason jar, little teacups feel of this place. Yes, the pancakes, baked eggs with cheese and burgers were all very yummy but nothing really extraordinary. It is worth it. Who doesn't LOVE comfort brunch in a very relaxed environment? Some say it's Williamburg's living room - which it is. Calling all yuppies and trendsters alike....
(4)Jeanne C.
This place has amazing pâté. Best I've tried which may not be saying much because it's not like I'm eating it every day but it was very good and was more than enough for 4 to share. We ordered the pâté, burgers, and mussels. The mussels were good for 3 people to share, spicy, and bold. The burgers were quite good just a bit salty for my taste. The cheeseburger comes with 3 different cheese options and is served with their house sauce which tastes like salty mayo. Really juicy and filling so I couldn't finish it all. The atmosphere is nice although the music was so incredibly loud my voice was strained after an hour or so. We gave up on talking halfway into our meal because a.) the food was pretty good and b.) it was too loud to even try to talk. The service was good but so slow. We got our food well after two separate tables that were seated after us received their meals. Even the pâté which would have satiated our hunger a little took so long to arrive...they must have been killing the geese...All-in-all though a solid meal to enjoy with good company and I would definitely go again.
(3)Nihaahs E.
Great
(5)Amy C.
The restaurant is easy to miss unless you know to look out for it. We had a baby shower here for a friend which meant the 9 of us took up a third of the front part of the restaurant. Despite the size of our party, the service was great and there was a short wait for the food. The food itself is not your usual brunch fare. Think contemporary hipster gourmet. I ordered the Egg Mock which was their version of the Egg McMuffin. I usually don't like breakfast at McDonald's but I was curious about their twist on fake eggs and processed cheese. Turns out I got a real sandwich with real eggs, cheese, and Canadian ham. The fries on the side were a little salty but had a great, crispy texture.
(4)Dan C.
I live right around the corner from the Roebling Team Room, and often visit here when I get a hankering for their amazing steak tartare and a good cocktail. Food is always delicious, meat always done perfectly, and cocktails mixed just right. Service has always been great (although night time staff seems to be the A team, and day time is the D team...it's like they don't even work there during the day), and the specials are usually something you'd want to hear about. Great place, very warm, perfect for a date or small group, will be returning frequently as I have been over past year.
(4)Antonia P.
Arrived on a Sunday at 5:30 and had a cocktail before dinner service began at 6. The restaurant was quiet at this time with no wait. Large, arched windows and glass hanging lamps combined with rustic wooden tables and patterned wallpaper conforms with the industrial-meets-vintage-parlor vibe pervasive in Brooklyn restaurants and bars today, though is still charming, at least to me. The food and cocktails were creative and bursting with unexpected flavor combinations, making for a fun eating experience, with surprises in each bite. Garlic Scape Knots with Parmesan and Marinara -- Garlic scape, or the stalk of the garlic plant, is asparagus-like in size and texture and here tied in elegant knots and deep fried in a thin, crispy batter, and dusted with salty, nutty parmesan. The rustic marinara sauce, with bits of artichoke in it, was one of the best I have ever had. Asparagus with salt cod and mustard seeds -- This dish was wonderfully subtle, with ever so slightly charred asparagus draped in a mild, velvety mustard sauce, crunchy mustard seeds, and chunks of chewy yet delicate cured cod. Braised lamb with baby artichokes, olives, za-tar and tzatziki made with cattails instead of cucumber - Complex, layers of Mediterranean flavors made for one of the most intoxicating braises I have ever tasted. The dish was so rich and on the salty side, so would have benefited from some crusty bread, or better, a side of cous cous with fresh mint, to soak up the sauce and mute some of the boldness. Hangar steak -- I only had one bite, but it was perfectly cooked with an herb I could not detect and toasted farro. It was very fresh, summery and light for a steak dish. Panna cotta with strawberries -- while the flavor was perfect, with creamy, vanilla bean infused panna cotta, toasted bits of shortbread, and charred strawberries melding into a riff on strawberry shortcake, the panna cotta itself did not set properly, or perhaps was just partially melted by the hot strawberries. Still delicious.
(4)Alex V.
Small portions Rip off Music is too loud. Tight space Poor service Disappointment.
(1)Matt S.
I have been trying to come to Roebling Tea Room for almost two years, but never made a night of it to have dinner, or even a couple of drinks. Finally this past Friday when my girlfriend and I couldn't figure out a place to stay and drink, we walked up to the Tea Room. Upon arrival, it was empty and it stayed like this for the hour we were drinking, which was unusual. I would have thought Roebling Tea Room would have been quite busy for a Friday night at 11pm. We were told we couldn't order food if we were just drinking and not having dinner, but the bartender made an exception and let me order my fries ($5), which was a large order of crispy and deliciousness. We ordered two drinks, both being $10, which seems to be the norm around Williamsburg for a specialty mixologist cocktail. The Kirby's World and Swamp Thing were our choices and they didn't disappoint. Both were much larger than other cocktails we have ordered in similar 'mixology' bars (Death&Co. or Counting Room) and were also quite delicious. When walking out, we made the decision to come back on a nice night with all the candlelight and finally have our romantic, date night dinner.
(5)Queen R.
I should have rated this place when I first came here about 3 years ago. I really need to start yelping at the moment, rather than some time later. *Note to self* That said this once unique 4 star establishment has turned itself into 2 stars. I've been dying to get my bf here for some time. I wish we would have gone to the 39352355 other establishments in the burg. Let's start with the fact that my bf and I waited 15-20 min for a bartender to approach us. When I was fed up, I had to raise my voice, to get a response of we'll be with you in a second. I guess hipsters have half the brain cells of a typical moron, and since we were already seated, and wet our appetites with the drink and food menu, I reassured myself our bartender/ server was having a bad day. Hey it happens, right? Well our drinks were off. Off with the amount of ingredients advertised on the menu and those used. The food was a tad over-priced, but um interesting. The tea menu has been drastically reduced. I'm glad I had great company, but this place is a never again!
(2)Kyle E.
really good food and beer, good date spot- i miss this place.
(5)josh j.
If there is any hype surrounding this place, it seems well deserved from our one experience. Dang good food for the gourmet inclined. Service was super nice, hip to the cuisine and all the while laid back. Not fancy but everything seemed well paid attention to. Bistro style. Looks like they have some nice huge communal style tables and even a private event style room so this joint could be a great place for a fiesta especial.
(4)David D.
Above average, breakfast and brunch, good coffee and hospitable staff.
(3)leigh ann q.
I am torn because 50% of the time I am extremely underwhelmed with the food here, and 50% of the time I think its delicious...its very hit and miss. Which is why if there is a line, I will always pass. But, no line...sure, why not? Most times I've been satisfied has been over brunch, they have some tasty selections. I think what keeps me coming back though is the decor and closeness to my home :)
(3)Michelle S.
Bottom line: food is not good. I've been here twice, both times not impressed. Everything I've ordered came highly recommended too: cheddar eggs -grits was sooo watery, eggs were bland, toast was okay. Ricotta and fig- weird ricotta with trial mix on bread that's impossible to bite through. My friend had the eggs and beets- nothing special, definitely not worth $10. Bloody Mary's are just okay. Waaaay better options in the neighborhood. The atmosphere of this place is cute (but lord help your tush if have to sit on that long bench against the wall). Service is great; friendly, happy, attentive waitstaff. Eh, there's just so many better, tastier, less expensive places in the neighborhood, I just wouldn't recommend anyone come here for brunch.
(2)Lucy V.
The place is OK, but it is ludicrously expensive. It reminds me of Balthazar or Pastis, a place with a good looking staff, beautiful decor, and a nice looking crowd, but you pay through the nose for all that window dressing. Def for rich people only.
(3)Nick S.
My friends went for breakfast I went for a burger. Oh gosh did I have a burger. One of the best ones I have ever had! It was a thick patty topped with mayo, bacon and a sunny side up egg! I have never had a burger with an egg on it before. It was a delicious treat! The burger was around 17 dollars which I would understand if I was in NYC but considering it was Brooklyn I'm not sure it should have been so much. All in all the burger was delicious so I guess I got what I paid for. The side of fries were cooked just right and tasted amazing with mayo and ketchup mixed. It was not busy around the time that we were there (1pm). The atmosphere was calm and relaxing. No loud music!! Ok time for me to get off yelp. My mouth is watering for another burger!!!!
(4)Brittany L.
OK, all I need to talk about the poached egg omelet. It's quite possibly the naughtiest (grossest?) thing I've ever tasted. It's exactly what it sounds like...poached eggys tucked inside more eggs drenched in hollandaise (read: more eggs). It's amazing. Additionally, the wallpaper and decor is quite lovely.
(4)Elaine L.
Pancakes good for 2-4 people in addition to your personal entree, chicken steak (5 stars for the chicken, 2 stars for the biscuit) perhaps. We've always only came for drinks and loved the vibe and coziness of the restaurant/bar. In honor of craving pancakes and not having eaten at Roebling yet, we went here for brunch with a quote time of 40 min but were seated in 25. The pancake had the thickness of about two stacks of regular pancake. The chicken steak was like a battered flank steak (beef). It was very good (crispy batter) despite my distaste for gravy. I would come back to try to cheddar eggs. Black Eye Chai: Not bad! If you want an upper and downer: Super Coffee.
(4)Deborah K.
So BAD--I don't know where to begin. Service was slow--two hours for a cold hamburger and when asked where the salad was, I got a "you need to be patient." From start to finish, we sat for 3 hours. Plates came out sporadically so that we did not even eat together. And to add insult to injury, the waiter added 20% tip for a party of 6. Nowhere on the menu did it say that a 20% tip would be applied to bill. As we were entertaining guests, I did not want to make a stink about the 20%. BAD FOOD, RUDE WAITER, COLD ENTREES WHAT A JOKE OF A RESTAURANT. DO NO GO THERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY
(1)Sarah C.
This place is super warm and cozy and I love it. What I really appreciate about the Roebling Tea Room is that it somehow manages to be all things for all people-- restaurant, coffee house, bar, general comfy place to hang out and of course, a tea room... I've only come in a couple of times, but the space is just lovely and quite unique. There really aren't a lot of places in this city that feel like you can just curl up with a book and a cup of hot cocoa, but Roebling is one of them. The food is seasonal, Brooklyn-y and from what little I've sampled, tasty stuff, and if tea is your thing, you can lots of different types of it here. I have to say that now that the weather is getting nice, the draw might not be quite as strong, as I kind of associate Roebling Tea House as a nice warm place to get out of the cold, but I'd definitely be willing to stop in again regardless of the season.
(4)Alison C.
My cousins invited my brother and me to catch up over a dinner in Brooklyn one evening. Being foodies themselves, I completely trusted their opinions on the area's restaurant scene. As we approached the Roebling Tea Room, I almost walked right past it. The large stone building resembled more of a factory than a restaurant storefront. A neon sign located above the door displayed the name of the destination and added a Brooklyn-style funk to the space. Once inside, I was delighted by the casual and homey feel. The large square room had a boxy bar in the center with wooden tables surrounding it. The patrons were all lounging and conversing comfortably in the friendly atmosphere. The inventive menu incorporated craft beers, seasonal cocktails, and local cuisine. The offerings are constantly changing to maintain a fresh feel to the ingredients and the chef's inspirations. I began my meal with crisp slices of bread and a margarita-like cocktail called Homer's Day Off, which was infused with hibiscus syrup. The beverage was sweet, tart, and packed a punch. I then ordered a plate of pan-roasted fish, which was moist and flavorful. The accompanying vegetables were just as ripe and satisfying. I also stole a bite of my cousin's macaroni and cheese side dish, which was creamy and comforting. Every aspect of the Roebling Tea Room worked together to form a solid dining experience. The cuisine was light and fortifying; the drinks were refreshing; and the atmosphere was relaxed, yet refined. I would definitely trek back to Brooklyn to dine there again.
(4)Sarah F.
This is one of my favorite brunch spots. A huge former factory space has been beautifully converted to a post-industrial American restaurant, featuring old favorites like smoked salmon and egg dishes, and new favorites like the potato sandwich (HEAVEN) and salt cod hashbrowns with apricot jam. This place definitely appeals to a salty/savory prone palate, although their super coffee is the sweetest, most delicious alcoholic/caffeinated beverage on the planet. Hit this place up early to avoid the brunch lines of hungry hungry hipsters.
(4)M G.
I love the decor and atmosphere at this place. I used to love the food. I'm beginning to wonder if they're under new management or something though. Was just here with a couple friends for brunch. i ordered the beets and eggs. The eggs were raw and the kale+beets were watery and tasteless. There was supposed to be goat cheese, but I was told that the beets were sautéed in goat cheese. what does that even mean? My friends asked for omelets with cheese and received sandwiches with fried eggs and bacon. oh well. A little pricey for very mediocre food. I hope it was a fluke.
(3)Sean C.
Went to Roebling the other night and had the burger. It is perhaps the best burger I've ever had in my life. In fact I've never eaten anything there that wasn't utterly delicious. But I'm repeating myself now. The reason I'm giving Roebling 2 stars is for the music. They play a lot of crap music and they even play some good music, but the issue is with the earsplitting volume. This is a massive candlelit restaurant, but the deafening music destroys any visible ambiance. This all becomes apparent when you have to lean in to your table mate and shout. And for the record, I am 30 not 80. For fuck sake, just turn it down please.
(2)Marie M.
Annoyingly loud in here. And this place is supposed to be a "tea room"? What a pathetic excuse for one. They should really change their name because to me when I go to a place that refers to itself as a tea room I would at least expect a decent cup of it; it's really not difficult to make. First of all...they serve their tea in FUCKING PLASTIC BEER MUGS...really? Not classy. I guess this "tea room" doesn't realize that tea should be served in something called...I don't know a TEA CUP? The dude served us our breakfast tea with cold water that tasted like it was microwaved for five seconds. Did the also pathetic excuse for a bartender not realize that tea is supposed to be hot or does he just lack the sense to decipher between hot and cold? Do not waste your time here if you're looking for anything decent, there are way better places to go.
(1)ReviewHaiku F.
Janet Brunette bar. Open and airy, decent Drinks, nothing special.
(3)Liz C.
I'm a little taken aback by the middling reviews for this place, because I'm pretty confident that I have a relatively realistic gauge on the dominant preferred Yelp aesthetic, and that the Roebling Tea Room hits the nail on the head. Cheap French sides and mains? Yup - a little unmemorable, but in the $6-$24 range. Grandmothers-living-room-decor? Check. Brunch? Uh-huh, very European, with fake OJ and all. Pretentious hot beverage menu? Oh, most definitely. Pretty little waitstaff? Yea, but they're a smidge defective on the response / memory / rapidity / hand-eye coordination front. Despite the staff shortcomings (the last time I was there, the waitress forgot how much cash we gave her and just "took a stab" at change owed. . .), I find myself here pretty regularly, for tea and solitude, or brunch or dinner with a boisterous group (the space is large-and-in-charge; two giant airy dining spaces, couches, benches, tables, et al.). Tap water's even served in those tall glass bottles, for hip's sake!
(4)Iheart L.
So this is an ok place for the standards of Williamsburg. It's really unfortunate since i think the food is good and if it was only based on food - i would've given a higher rating (like 4 stars). But if you factor the shitty service, the snobby hipster waitstaff with no intelligence, the lazy busboys, and and the rude bartenders that think they're god.... all these rejects should be on a TV soap opera instead of working at a SERVICE industry such as a resturant so the 2 star rating STAYS. Then there's the shitty wait. Forget that you made reservations- they will stick you in a shitty corner next to the bathroom which you end up waiting 40 mins for!Typically wait time for weekend brunch is 20-40 mins Dinner - is usually 30- 1 hour. Which really is only worth it at a fine eatry but come on this is Williamburg! Where there's a resturant and bar that lines the streets and are open till at least 2-3am! .... then when you get to the teas--- they are supposedly carrying variety of "exotic" teas BUT it's at a very obsorbent price (which means you're paying 50 times more than the average consumer) then everyone must know---- this place is really not what it cracked out to be. Like a buttaface--- good from a far BUT far from good. BUT... people keep coming.... why? On a particular night... the follow experience was what made up my mind to write this review and to swear I will never patronage this venue again: We were celebrating our anniversary and expected to spend about $200 which isnt even worth the amount we planned to pay the staff that did nothing more than bring the food out. The attitude you get when you finally get seated. The worst service EVER!!! The waitress was really rude when ordering, serving and when asked to refill the waters she never came! This needlessly left a sour taste in both our mouths... This is just another typical night for this place that wants to be Hipster-y.... who invented that catchphrase?? It's not cool to be a hipster - especially when you're living off mommy's dime and are too lazy and untalented to make a living on your own. Come to think of it -I've never met a nice server here after all the times I've been here! NO more. I would rather spend my hard earned money else where-- where real people appreciate that you say please and thank you and give at least a 20% tip!! What a waste of a good concept.
(2)Jim B.
I've been here twice and had the baked flannel hash each time. The goat cheese and fried egg were delicious. What's great about this place is the selection of teas. If I am ever in Brooklyn, this is my go to place for brunch.
(4)Renee C.
5*s for the decor/atmosphere and the size of this place...3*s for the food...I was still hungry afterwards and that's never a good sign for me. It was a lovely spring day where I took my first bike ride across the Williamsburg bridge to the Roebling Tea Room:) How lovely this place was, I took a huge fancy to the wall paper, rustic sconces, hard wood floors, big windows and the outdoor back patio I saw. Food wise I ordered the beet and eggs with kale and 2 fried eggs on top...ok this is where I was a little taken back...it took me literally 5 minutes to finish this, and then nothing...It would've been better if they served it over a piece of toast. My friend ordered the yogurt with fruits and nuts...the yogurt was not the best quality yogurt that could have been served here, another disapoinment....hmmm I'm torn! There's so much potential here with the space they have, all they needed to do is to perfect the food then they will deserve another star, but until theren, there's definite room for improvement.
(4)Sarah W.
On a windy rainy day, Roebling Tea Room was packed(?) and there was some lines for the usual brunch time, but thank god that my friends were already waiting for the table and it immediately sheltered me alright. I've passed by this place thousand times but never tried until today. At first, this place looked pretty spacious with many tables and couch sittings but all were occupied without looking stuffy. Somehow, the whole place has a feel of being in a greenhouse. And because of the ample aisles and walkways, you surely don't need to worry about eavesdropping or elbow tackling with your next tables. Most of all, I liked the food. I had coffee (A OK), Moon Pie tea which was sweetly served in a cute tea pot ($2.75) and beets & eggs(~$9). My eggs were perfectly cooked for the sunny side ups.. no runny egg white, nor over cooked eggy yorks... just perfect. My friend's breads were soft and fluffy so no cutting of your mouth by the over toasted crusts. I really liked the beets potato salad and the sauted kale came with my eggs. And I was so glad that everything was midly seasoned unlike most brunch places where overdo the salt usage. Services were prompt and frequent as you need in this kind of busy places. The extensive tea menu was delightful since I am a tea maniac. By my impression on the food and ambience resembles a bit of Enid in Greenpoint but food was much better with faster service. This is definitely not a RTR (Russian Tea Room) but, the rugged RTR (Roebling Tea Room) well identified and situated itself right in the neighborhood of So Williamsburg. And somehow this RTR was able to afford a longer and trendy tea menus than the RTR (Russian Tea Room) which I am glad.
(4)Rachael M.
Roebling tea room is a favorite of ours for brunch. We usually get the chicken fried steak and the potato sandwich (both huge and delicious) but they do have some great healthy options as well. We always end up staying there for hours because Joe the bartender is awesome! Makes a mean drink and is very entertaining! Highly recommended!
(5)Michael L.
Came to Roebling with 2 friends to grab a drink before a show at the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg. They have a great selection of brews, and although not the cheapest option in the area, they have extremely comfortable couches set up for anyone that wants to stroll in for beer or glass of wine. Great set up, and SOLID date place. I also hear they have a great brunch.
(4)kevin d.
Gorgeously renovated, hi ceilings airy feel despite heavy-wood trimmings. BUT - each time I've gone to hang out its, "Excuse me do you have a reservation?" Friend held engagement brunch, food was bland the service pissy and spotty, and it was costly. I've noticed the food is great as IDEA and INGREDIENTS there -- but terribly bland and disappointing on the plate! Kinda like Lodge around the corner; great ideas and hangout, but bland final product. Better off paying more to hit DINER. Or go to Pies N Thighs and have some good food where the servers are super nice.
(2)Yatou Z.
we 2 spent $90, got NOTHING. If you go there you'll believe me.
(1)M D.
Ah, Roebling Tea Room. Sit. At. The. Bar. The service at the tables/couches leaves much to be desired, what with all of the college-aged hipsters working there who are too cool or too lazy to actually act like they are working, let alone working to make your stay enjoyable. Why four stars? The food is absolutely amazing. The bar staff (especially Erin) is phenomenal. The drinks are very well prepared, and for me to admit that the white wine and rose by the glass (which comes out of a box) is very good is tantamount to sacrelige. I've never had a bad meal here, the dishes (of which many are new every time I go) have never once disappointed, and often pleasantly surprised. There is also a lovely back patio area in the summer, in which you can smoke, which is great. The ambiance is absolutely beautiful and the music is always awesome. If you can find a spot at the bar, which is sometimes inhabited by people sitting for hours nursing one cup of tea *annoying*, sit eat and be merry as you won't be disappointed.
(4)Corey C.
While the decor of the restaurant is nice, and the waitress that served us was cute, our food took a long time to arrive, and when it finally did it was just too salty. Oh, and the fries were limp instead of crispy. The tea was good as well, but the teapots were such that whenever you poured it a good amount would stream down the teapot and create a tea puddle in your saucer.
(2)Kim D.
Chicken fried steak go Now!
(4)Christopher S.
First time there and I so loved this place. Amazing Food, Great Drinks, and a very nice staff. Can not wait to go back.
(4)Lydia T.
Most satisfying brunch I have had in the past few years. I had something that tasted like Kentucky Fried Liver...and fantastic drinks. Whisky sour topped with red wine. tell me about it. Decor was relaxing yet totally worth going over the bridge....
(5)Bo H.
Since the name implies some sort of... well, tea room, and this might be misleading to one who is expecting either afternoon tea or the Williamsburg equivalent of the Russian Tea Room (might be what these guys are going for), it is important to give readers an idea of what this place is good for and what it might not be good for. If I were to rate it on the food alone and take into consideration the costs, I would give only one star for food. The ambience on the other hand is more like 4-5 stars. So lets give you the ups and downs in a succinct list: Ups: 1- The atmosphere/ambience. With huge windows and high ceilings, tasteful decor and a nice big island bar (one side with seats that have backs), the gastropub vibe here is the number one reason to pay it a visit. Americans often don't understand the value of a bar with windows that you go to during the day (i.e. a pub) and Roebling Tea Room gives us a chance to be as happy as the Europeans. 2- Drinks. The drinks are good, though not the best in the neighborhood, combined with the ambience, they give you a good reason to go. 3- Service. At least at the bar, the service is tops. Maybe I missed something the other reviewers experienced, but I had a perfectly pleasant experience with the bartenders. Downs: 1- The food. The food here has been trying for years to get it right, but somehow seems to fall into the category of unsophisticated but experienced cooks whose philosophy is "if you douse it in oil, they will come". Not my cup of grease. Every dish I've had here has been dripping with oil or butter. Almost everything (except for a perfectly cooked linguini) is overcooked, stewed and oily feeling. 2- Cost, Perhaps they are charging for the space more than the food, but the amount of food you get (not to mention quality) for the price you pay is on the infuriating side. The only reason I didn't leave hangry is because the ambience was so nice that I enjoyed being there and forgot how bad the food sucked. 3- Music. The bartenders had really great music on while it was light out, but somehow when the sun set, somebody started blasting something that sounded like the band that wanted to be Pearl Jam. Good thing I arrived early enough to be on my way out. So should you go there? Yes, but go in the afternoon or early evening and have some drinks. And then go somewhere else for dinner and you will be happy you took my advice.
(3)Denise F.
Totally worth the cab ride! In the middle of nowhere, but RTR has a great feel anytime of the day. Couches, tables, you name it! You feel like you are at someone's house. Amazing drink selection - alcoholic and non. Excellent food. Love it!
(5)Anna L.
I decided to give RTR another try over a year after my bad experience after the urging of multiple friends. I have to say, I really like the food here. Not sure if anything changed in their kitchen, but now that I have gone a few times, I can say that I have changed my mind about this place. The table service isn't amazing, but the bar tenders are really nice if you like sitting at the bar instead. Glad I tried it again.
(4)ali f.
All around great brunch spot. Atypical menu items (white fish platter) along with the favorites (baked eggs, pancake) so everyone should be pleased. The wait was not bad at all: 20 minutes at 11:30 Sunday morning. Plus, the space is beautiful and the service is on point. You really can't ask for much more if you want a nice casual Sunday brunch. Well, except maybe a better bloody Mary. But now I'm just being picky.
(4)steve c.
I have to say, I've been thinking about the buttery biscuit I had here a couple of weeks ago ever since. It was insanely good, marred only by the giant slab of butter it arrived garnished with. I know, you hipsters, you fetishize your butter and fat and bacon, but this was way over the top. I admire your nerve while I admonish your waste. Maybe it was the chef's way of sticking it to me, who knows? -- the eggs I ordered came with a side of meat that I politely asked to have something else replace. The waitress, kind, funny and -- for the most part -- helpful, seemed confused. "Uh...like what?" she asked, as though there was nothing under Heaven's dome that could possibly replace their meat ("all our animals are on a program," she'd explained before we ordered). So maybe that 1/4 pound of butter on top of the biscuit that replaced my bacon was the chef's showing his oh-so-fashionable Brooklyn foodie disdain for vegetarians. Who knows? Anyway, about that biscuit. It was heavenly...buttery, pillowy, with just the right amount of heft and crunch. If I could eat one every day and not get fat, I would eat one every day. I don't remember the eggs, and I don't remember if anything else came with my meal (potatoes? Maybe. Who knows?). But I remember that biscuit. Oh yes. I will be back soon for that biscuit.
(3)K G.
What the hell happened to Roebling Tea Room?!? We've been coming here for a few years now and it appears to be on a drastic and out of control downward slide towards un-patronizable. RTR used to be one of my all time favorite places to eat in Brooklyn. I had a roasted chicken for dinner once that I shant soon forget and a baked fruit pancake for brunch that was award-worthy. These remarkable meals were both over a year ago. Of late, my experiences have included: - a caterpillar in a beet salad - enough salt on subsequent roast chicken to kill a crocodile - food poisoning from a $24 bowl of mussels and scallops (how one could get food poisoning from the paltry amount of shellfish served in that dish is a mystery) The quality and quantity of food is decreasing while the prices are increasing. (That's an inverse relationship! Thanks to my math teachers, mostly Mr. Lenz, for that insight). RTR went from a comfortable and reasonably affordable place to get a hearty and hot meal to just another overpriced NY restaurant with scant plates and scanter hospitality.
(2)Elizabeth B.
I liked the looks of this place before I even walked in. Somehow we managed to squeak in without a wait, but a line queued up behind us pretty quickly. I liked the looks of the inside, too. It's a great space with lots of light and tall ceilings, and I am a sucker for toile. Service was about what I expected it to be. Not over the top friendly, but present and dutiful. Fairly speedy considering how busy it was. Coffee -- we had the individual french press -- it was so good! I really loved the coffee. At the time I did not possess the mental capacity to select a tea from the extensive list, so this was the perfect drink of choice. Food -- I had the big baked pancake. You know when people say "too much of a good thing"? Well this is it, people. It was very good -- chewy but not mushy, crispy where it needed to be, accented deliciously with stewed fruit and spiced butter. There was just darn too much of it. I don't remember what my friend had, but he liked it. I am intrigued by the Red Flannel Hash. Next time!
(4)Colleen M.
Went here for brunch with friends last weekend. To put this in context: for the past 48 hours, NYC had been slammed by a killer rainstorm - I'm talking soaking, driving wind and rain. Not fun. Add that to Daylight Savings Time kicking in and a scant 3 hours of sleep, and we were in serious need of a great brunch. Unfortunately can't comment on ease of getting there - I was visiting from Boston and drove out to Williamsburg, so I have no idea how easy this is to get to by train; I do know that one of our friends flat-out refused to hike out here from Midtown. I will say that parking was a snap - I got a space right across the street. Easier than most popular brunch places in Boston! Got to the restaurant at around 11am and were seated right away. The place got more crowded during our meal, but at no point was there a wait to get in. The service was terrific, our waitress was attentive but not hovering, and the environment was great - cozy, and not in that irritating "teeny tiny sit-on-top-of-your-neighbors" way. Just warm, and inviting, and a perfect respite from the miserable weather outside. Best of all, the music selection - Hall & Oates greatest hits? Yes please! I was humming along all throughout our meal. Normally I am a hot coffee, keep it coming, why haven't you refilled my cup yet? kind of girl. But this morning, the chai latte was just what the doctor ordered. One of my companions tried the espresso and it wasn't great - stick to tea here. The menu is extensive and it's not hard to find something tempting. This place specializes in comfort food. I had the baked cheddar eggs with grits. The portion size was perfect - a ramekin of eggs and a ramekin of grits, with two hearty pieces of delicious bread dotted with fennel and golden raisins (a bit of a modern twist on Irish soda bread). The cheddar in the eggs was fantastic, and I am a sucker for good grits. Yum. One of my friends ordered the baked pancake and couldn't finish it - it was huge, and rich, and delicious. We all shared the pancake and she still wound up taking a big chunk home. Another friend ordered an egg sandwich, as well as a side of biscuits and gravy - the biscuits alone could have been a meal, and the sandwich was a significant jump above typical breakfast fare. Best of all, the prices. Most meals were under $10 and I left feeling completely satisfied - this meal stuck with me on my 4 hour drive back to Boston. Highly recommend.
(4)Ariel A.
Last night was my first time eating at Roebling Tea Room, as in the past I had only ever enjoyed their drinks. I have to say the food was really great. It is all fresh and creative and I believe local as well. I would recommend ordering off of the specials menu, which they refresh every day. Everything I had off of this menu was excellent. I ordered the pork chops, and as a recent team-switcher from the herbivores to the omnivores, I found them to be very tasty and moist and it did not hurt that they were covered in a cheese sauce. I also really liked the pickled plate and the pretzel bread that came with it. The server was great and really helpful and the beer selection left me happy. I will go back!
(4)Jessica M.
I love the decor at Roebling Tea Room, but several times I have found their service to be icy at best. Borderline rude. But if you're looking for a good un-fussy cocktail, it is a great option!
(3)Luisa D.
I went for brunch with some friends on Sunday.The building and ambiance were great. At first I was impressed by their tea selection, but upon ordering, several teas were out of stock and in the end, I wasn't too happy with my choice! The brunch menu was different, it was nice to try something unexpected. Despite the creativity, I think some dishes could have used different ingredients ( the Ricotta/Fig would have been tastier with a different cheese, like feta.) The portions were well sized for the price. For the most part, I enjoyed my meal- the creativity in dishes and the ambiance were winners. Portion size and selection were cons.
(2)Brent I.
Went to this Brooklyn jaunt on a rainy Sunday morning with a bit of a hangover. Where to start.. Pros - Big tables for big brunch parties - Authentic food that will make every asian that comes in this place take a picture of thier Blueberry Pancakes - Bloody Mary's are on point! - Unique decor and big mirrors that will make you wonder, "is there another room over there?" Cons - Apathetic, air headed staff - Apathetic, air headed staff - Crowded, and noisey if waiting on a table An ok spot to go to on a sunday morning to grab a good bloody mary and a bit of food. id go back. Maybe... -
(3)Phil G.
I've meant to write this review for some time. I've been to Roebling Tea Room several times in the past couple of years and have always been really impressed with their food and drink selections. Some time in the past 6 months or so, they moved to a daily menu and increased their prices. The last time I ate here it was early November 2010. My food was too salty to eat and I had to send it back (I almost NEVER send food back). The portions were rather pitiful given how expensive the menu was and overall I was very disappointed. Admittedly, I was partly disappointed just because I have been so impressed in the past. I suspect they may have changed their chef. Bottom-line: a great place to go for a drink--fantastic environment and a good wine list--but for dinner? You have a long list of better, more reasonably-priced options in the immediate area.
(3)Meagan C.
Went here on a Saturday around 1 pm with a friend that lives about a block away. We only had to wait about 20 minutes. The menu was interesting and I wasn't quite sure what to expect of any of the dishes. I went for the cheddar eggs and they were out of this world. Cheesy but still fluffy. And the cheesy grits that came with were equally as to-die-for. Top that off with 3 mimosas with a friend I don't get to see often and you have one happy girl. My friend got the eggs and beets and it was also really delicious. The beets were mixed with kale and a dressing (maybe cheese??) with the eggs just perched on top. I plan to visit again next time I am in town.
(4)Katee L.
The space is nice. But the food was just "ok". I got the egg mock or whatever. I almost laughed at the English muffin it was so pitiful looking on the plate. Very messy and haphazardly put together. The fries that came out look old and cold. Soggy in fact. Green tea latte cost $4.50 which is pretty much a rip off and the green tea flavor was not strong enough. I'll be nice and give 3 stars, but really it was more 2.5. If I'm going to leave the city to go to Williamsburg, it better be worth my while. Not so.
(3)Amanda B.
The people that work here are total dicks. Now that THAT'S out of the way, I can get on to the rest of it. The decor is super charming in that vintage-y, rustic thing that Williamsburg has nailed down. It has a gorgeous patio area that gets really amazing light and it just feels like the type of space that you could hang out at for hours and hours, oh, except that the people that work here are dicks. Lunch and brunch here are OK. The tea is good. You're better off coming here during happy hour, grabbing a seat on the couch or on the patio and drinking a cheap pint of Kronenbourg without having to deal with the staff.
(3)Heather B.
Service is zero stars...if you are going to be a hipster DB then don't go into the service industry...and this isn't supposed to be one of those tourist traps where you pay for craptacular treatment. Food-I can only comment on the burger because we all ordered it...5 Stars!!! That special sauce is crack...ketchupy/mayonaisey heaven. So I rounded up on the review because it was a great burger and cooked exactly to medium rare. All that being said, it's hard for me to justify the trek and service when I have plenty of very very good burgers in my hood. Maybe if I were 25 and disaffected...but probably not.
(3)Stephen Y.
Deliberately nondescript neo-industrial facade, in true Williamsburg style, hides vintage decor, nonchalant hipster-esque staff and really quite good food. Good place to go to with a small bunch of friends. Would go back again to try their brunch - presumably for something on the menu. For God's sake, if a place doesn't do substitutions, then suck it up. Back where I come from, they used to feed your kind to the wildebeest.
(3)Michelle A.
We were on a somewhat meandering stumble in Williamsburg, searching for cheap dive bars. This is not a cheap dive bar. It is much better. They have a LOT of teas--many pages to the menu. They offer table seating, a few stools at the bar/food prep area, and cushiony couches. We opted for the bar and enjoyed both the bartenders repartee and the cook/expediter's dance moves to the 80s tunes on muzak. I ordered the Swamp Thing. It was a mixed beverage including honey, muddled fresh herbs, gin and soda. Slightly sweet and verb herbaceous, it was refreshing. Not my standard fruity drink, but it was ideal for a tea room. And, as a Gator fan, I had to order anything named after The Swamp! My drinking partner stuck with his standard Jack and Coke. A healthy pour and an $8.00 price--the same as at the last sketchy dive bar we hit. The menu offerings were limited but thoughtful combinations of healthy seasonal foods. I look forward to returning to dine and update!
(4)S. R.
This place is a crying shame. There's so much potential with the physical space and the food is a very expensive disappointment. They're surrounded by amazing restaurants that can throw some serious culinary weight and The Roebling Tea Room falls completely flat. My table had a rabbit dish, steak tar-tar, mac n' cheese and kale and all of it was just plain OK with high notes of "meh" and ran us a really pretty penny. I've come here off and on for about 6 years and I gotta say, it's time to either lower your prices to reflect your OK food, or step it up a knotch. You're basically across the street from St. Anselm and next door to Fette Sau. These places run game all over you, Roebling Tea Room. Chiggity check yourself before you wreck yourself.
(2)Gracie h.
Ricotta and fig was pretty memorable. Great selection of teas. Their lattes were delicious. Vibe was great. I enjoyed the openness of the place. Conducive for small party or large group. Def coming back.
(4)Dr. J.
We really enjoyed our meal here, it was some time ago so I cannot recall detals, but we had a lovely relaxed dinner with friendly service.
(4)Just S.
For young affluent 'hip' Williamsburg art crowd. Being that I'm 'older,' I couldn't read the menu, even with contacts. Waitress was extremely rude but 'rudeness' is the price you must pay for being part of the 'ambience.' If you want a 'simple' latte with 2% milk, you must be told that the one, true way to have a latte is with whole milk, sorry for you. Don't drink whole milk and want a glass of Coke instead? That will be $5.00. Hey, but the food is "real food," so you can and must put up with the snob service. No thanks. No food tastes THAT good!
(1)Andria O.
When I started this review, I was going to give two stars. But upon further consideration, I'm bumping up to three. Why? Because just judging on the name of the place "Roebling Tea Room," the tea comes first and foremost. And the tea here is great. A huge, plentiful selection. As of my last visit, they were still using the generous beer mug-style glasses. The couches are great, and there's a section outside in the back when it isn't too cold. I've been to reading groups here, and it was a nice place to meet up, have some tea, and discuss. (Assuming it wasn't too crowded, which it can get sometimes.) For living up to the namesake, three stars. It's a tea room. The tea is great. Don't go for good food. Don't go for friendly service. You'll find neither here. But if you want to stop in somewhere, sit, have a chat with someone, and drink some good tea? Roebling Tea Room fits the bill.
(3)J L.
Great NYC spot. I prefer dinner to brunch here.
(5)Jon K.
At one point I called this place my favorite restaurant in NYC. I think I've come off that recently but this is still definitely a restaurant worth trying. Been here four times. Decor, fantastic. Love the neon sign out front. Inside has sort of a victorian but hippie/brooklynie atmosphere that is great for dates/double dates. This place is really suited for repeat visits. The menu changes every night (!) and is very reasonably priced. I was here for Valentines day and spent 80 dollars including tip for drinks, apps, and dinner (what?!?!). The first time I came here they I had a charred steak which might be the best steak I've ever had. I've come back hoping to see it on the menu again but alas... Damn that rotating menu!! The main staple here is the cheeseburger, which is lean and incredible (this does not leave the menu). I asked them to cut it in half for me once (as I was sharing) and they wouldn't do it. Which was weird. Service in general can be a little spotty here, though I do think that is pretty normal in Williamsburg.
(4)Joe S.
This review will be coming from a slightly skewed angle, being that I've never actually eaten the food at the Roebling Tea Room. It may be good or it may be bad, but food is never the reason that I happen to come here. Why do I come, you ask? Well, to drink tea, of course. The tea selection is tremendously varied and all the offerings I've tasted have been great. The ambiance of the place is nice and conducive to sitting around for a while with a friend or date, talking and casually sipping tea. They seem to have a nice wine selection as well, in case you're looking for something slightly more alcoholic, but just as dreamy. This is a spot I'll take out-of-town friends to, especially if I know they're tea lovers. I've never had an issue with the waitstaff here as they've always been courteous, but if so many people seem to encounter attitudes, then perhaps there's something to it.
(4)Melissa B.
Ohhh, I liked my drinky here. My pal recently moved to Brooklyn and I was just visiting, so as we strolled to another bar in the neighborhood she likes to frequent, I got all curious about this place and we decided to try it. They did a really good job with designing the space, complete with high ceilings exposed beams, painted brick, etc. it's old and new at the same time. I felt very soothed sitting on a low couch in candle light on a quiet Monday night. I only ordered the first item on the "sparkling" menu, and it was a bomb sparkling red wine. I wish Id' gotten the name, actually. The picture of the sailor by the register....random!
(4)Stephanie D.
TOTALLY overpriced and not worth it! Portions are small and food is bland. Would you believe they charge $5 for a bottle of soda? Is it because they serve the coke in a fancy glass bottle? Guess charging $5 for a coke makes this place super trendy? Definitely not worth it!
(1)Leah P.
Why is everyone who works here somewhere between standoffish and rude? It's not like there's nowhere else for us to go. And go elsewhere we will.
(2)Elizabeth V.
Menu is sometimes oblique, cocktails are odd, but the space is so beautiful and one of the best burgers in NYC. Don't miss out.
(4)Meg K.
I love to hate you. Your atmosphere is welcoming like a bearded man on a cold winter night; the smells you omit are even better than said bearded man. Your attractive servers make me feel special, like I just walked into an independent movie set and I am the star... that is until you ignore me and take too damn long to bring me my hangover coffee/or bloody mary/or food for that matter. I swear, what is it with you looking hipsterlybeautiful? Are you incapable of being a normal human being? And what is it about this place that keeps me coming back. I think it's the cheesy eggs... it has to be cause it sure as hell isn't the service.
(3)Ms E.
The Roebling Tea Room used to be one of my favorite spots in NYC until I returned recently to find that they no longer feature TEA. yes tea as in tea room. This place "cut back" on its tea selection leaving a handful of measly non impressive teas. If your going to turn your establishment into another run of the mill bar/restaurant at least change your name. I wont be going back.
(1)amy l.
AWWW, i love this place too! i've never been here for dinner, i've only had brunch. i brunched it UP. i usually get the smoked salmon plate. cause it IS so good. it comes with this little beet relish and a dollop of creme fraiche and a big piece of amazing rye toast and a few greens.... IT'S PERFECT. totally absolutely perfect dish for brunch. if you're into smoked salmon.oh yeah i also had some iced coffee too. not as good as oslo coffee (haha DUH) but it wasn't bad. my date had some type of salted cod croquette? it didnt really do it for me, but it did for him so whatever. he also had some kind of berry tea. which was so nice. so so nice like an 80 degree day in your favorite sun dress. i've also had the baked cheddar eggs here which are colossally banging. MMM. i want some right now. they come with grits (i dont even like grits and i like them at roebling tea room) and a piece of apple raisin bread? i think? oh yeah and some apple jam. i've had a salad here, it was good, i've seen burgers demolished here. also good. this place wont kill you for the rest of the day either cash-wise. which kinda rules cause i suck at money. ps - my waiters have always been very gracious and cool. and professional. knowledgeable even. no complaints here son.
(4)Michelle C.
We live very close to Roebling Tea Room but I guess there is a reason why we never went there. Gut instincts just told me that it was no good. But in an effort to invalidate my instincts, my bf and I visited Roebling Tea Room one evening between Christmas and NYE. Though it looked OK, I didn't have an appetite for any of the dishes listed on the inconspicuously written menu. (When it was time to take our orders, our waiter asked us if we had any questions. This boggled me because there were no descriptions of any sort on the one-word menu items. For example, bowtie (pasta), chicken, etc.) I resorted to a mac-and-cheese topped with bacon (an additional $x) while the dinner date chose to try the pickles w/ soft pretzel as an app and the bowtie pasta with braised beef shank. The service took years. The tortoise-like slowness (no association to the Tortoise and the Hare where the former wins the slow and steady race) was further elucidated when a crowd of waiters were overbearingly tending to Bill Murray's gastronomical needs while lowly us had to struggle for mere eye contact. My feelings were hurt, to say the least. But hurt turned to fury when we tasted our food. The pickles and pretzel were almost indelible (I say almost because I have an iron stomach and taste). The gave us a handful of pickled hot jalapenos and we didn't know what to do with them. I mean, do we eat it and risk a third-degree burn? The pretzels were far from soft. To add some fairness to this scathing review, half of our entrees was actually decent. The bowtie pasta was light and the beef shank was a surprisingly passable "sauce" for it. My mac and cheese was another story, however. The taste and color reminded me of Velveeta cheese. After you break through the edible cheese crust of the dish, you are left with a inedible cheese soup underneath. I picked on the bacon bits. When the waiter came back to take our plates, I had only eaten about 1 tablespoon of the dish and had no intention of doggy-bagging it. Bottom line is that Roebling Tea Room sucks and I am never going back even if the guy from Lost in Translation, who supposedly is into hipster chicks, eats there.
(1)Jesse K.
I went here a few years ago and vowed never to go back - the service was a zero out of 10 and I honestly can't remember a single redeeming quality about the food. Not sure what happened (new owner?), but they did a total 180 - incredible eats, great service and really nice ambiance. Most dramatic restaurant make-over situation I have seen around here. Way to go.
(4)Michael A.
I joined Yelp just so I could write about the Roebling Tea Room! That's not a good thing! After living down the street from here for over a year I finally went in for brunch last Saturday after a couple rave reviews and promises of bone marrow from my roommate. Nothing says start the day like supping on marrow. Unfortunately for my bone marrow dreams they just got rid of it from the menu. It's early still, only 10:30, and we don't have to wait for a table as there are plenty open. I love the space, the menu looks tasty and reasonably priced and they're playing the soundtrack from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. So far so good... We wait for a while for the waitress but were having a good time and we don't mind the extra time with the menu. The waitress comes over asks if we know what we want, how friendly!* (*note: sarcasm) I ask about the Red Flannel Hash and she perks up for a moment, the last time for the meal, and tells me she loves them. Two of us at the table order them, my roommate and her cousin order the Salt Cod Hashbrowns and the Drunk Eggs respectively. I also get an order of Cinnamon Toast because I grew up with it and so seldom see it on menus. We don't see our waitress until the food arrives, an hour later. She never came to ask if we wanted more drinks, much less to apologize for the long wait. Mind you, there are still empty tables all around us and no wait for a table at all during this time. Finally the food arrives, she still doesn't ask if we need anything or want refills. The Red Flannel Hash (roasted beets and potatoes, goat cheese and fried eggs) was tasty, save for the way over-cooked, brown and crusty on the bottom eggs and the fact that the whole thing was barely warm. The roasted beets were very tasty, if a bit on the hard side, but if anything I suppose I should thank them for reigniting my love of beets. I had forgotten they were delicious. But the best thing I had the whole meal was the Cinnamon Toast and I think that is what is the most depressing about all this. They used a nice white loaf and sprinkled on powdered sugar instead of regular. I can't believe I never thought of that one. The portions at here are small, certainly not a meal you want after a night of drinking unless you plan to order lots of sides in which case there goes that whole reasonably priced meal you thought you were going to have. But even for a normal, hangover free brunch the portions are on the stingy side. The meal ended fitting with the rest of our ecperience: the waitress left the check without a word, bussers start clearing our dishes while some of us were still eating and we sat there for half an hour after we are done eating with a pile of cash stacked on the table on the edge clearly screaming for change. You're not getting an 40% tip lady, come give us our change. She doesn't. Instead she passes by in the background assisting other tables and hanging by the bar but doesn't say a word to us. After giving her another five minutes to do her job and redeem herself by actually serving us we take our extra money from from the pile of $20's and leave enough for the bill and what's left since we couldn't get change is about a 7% tip. I have never undertipped like this in my life. I also have never had worse service in my life. So there you go. The whole time we were there she acted like she wanted us out and couldn't be bothered to do her job. Of course, this is assuming the owners actually hire people to serve and not to just look super cool hanging out while diners look like a bunch of jerks trying to get noticed by their too hip to serve servers. I suppose some people have server jobs for fun just so they can hang out and not because they need to make money from the tips they get based on their service. What a luxury that must be to have such a carefree job! In the middle of this recession I am sure there are some talented servers out there who could do a better job. Hell, I'm pretty sure anybody could do a better job. Surely the owners want to make money, right? They want people to come back and tell friends so that they always have a full restaurant, right? Right?! I'm not going back that's for sure. And I am definitely going to make sure others who are considering it give it a second thought. There is no excuse for a restaurant to have service this bad. So thank you Roebling Tea Room for giving me the motivation to join Yelp just so I could write about how terrible you are, also for the beet thing. Unfortunately you still suck.
(1)Mark B.
Not bad at all. Really dig the decor/environment. Good drinks, good tea. Lots of young people. Service was OK, not the best.
(4)Laura W.
So yum! Came here on Saturday for brunch. The food was delicious: I had the cheddar cheese baked eggs as well, my friend got the pulled pork sandwich. The steamer was broken that day, so I had to forgo the tea for a mimosa instead- and it was probably the best mimosa I have had in the city. Fresh orange juice+ sweet bubbles= joy. The service was great too- I think the waitress had ESP because each time I even thought I might need something she was magically there! We arrived around 12:30 and only had a minimum wait, by the time we left there was slightly more of a crowd though. I can see why.
(4)Ed W.
I'm kind of torn on this one. I love the space with the high ceilings, windows, couches, and wallpaper - it's a great place to stop in for a drink. At the same time, it's a "tea room" that doesn't seem to know a whole lot about tea - I imagine a tea snob would scoff at the carelessness of some of their practices (e.g. water not hot enough). Also the quality of tea, while decent, has never really blown me away as superb. That said, i'm not a tea snob, so i'll continue stopping in here every now and then.
(3)Barrett K.
Poor service, haughty wait personnel, inconsiderate employees, remarkably poor food; burgers ought more correctly be called "sliders"; rice balls inedible. Over priced, poorly managed, disappointing in all regards. To be avoided. Better stay home than come here. I do not believe any of their positive reviews- have to be by friends.
(1)Peter C.
Been a regular for brunch here and love the place. Always very helpful. Awesome bloodys
(5)Jordan T.
I'm lately deciding that perhaps the most effective gauge of whether I think a NYC restaurant is truly good or not is whether I would return. With so many options, especially here in Williamsburg, it says a lot when you would spend time and money, returning to an already visited spot, when there are so many other places out there to try. With that said, the Roebling Tea Room is one of those destinations where I could imagine myself returning-many times over. The food is fantastic, and the ambience-what I would call antique-hipster, is sure to charm.
(4)Pamela K.
Ok, food is sublime, BUT: My husband and I came here for our anniversary - wldn't recommend as a special anniversary place. (He had suggested the River Cafe, I said let's try this new place that I read about - fresh food, ingredients, history, etc. Next time I will listen to my husband as every good wife should do!) Surprised that the chef/owners don't take note of all the service comments that have been made here on Yelp. My husband made a reservation, we must have been the only one in the book for a Friday nite at 7, cos the waiter (we saw the hostess later in the nite) came back and said Rich? Anyhow with that reservation, he sat us in the back off the bar to the side of the communal table. In most restaurants, I thought I reservation somewhat translated to a better, at least a good table? This non-choice table had a bit of a draft from the AC unit. We flagged the waiter down and asked him to see about getting another table. 10 minutes later, our waitress comes over to take our drink order. The waiter who had served as our host never did come back?! Anyhow, we stated our request to the waitress (who was very familar with the menu btw), she said yes the AC units blows right on this table and we got a new table up front (it wasnt like there weren't any available from waiter/host boy to give - what happened to him, where did he go?). Ok, ordered cocktails, waited. The waitress came over to take our dinner order (still no cocktails). While she was taking our order, waiter/host boy starts bringing them over to the table but then returns them to the bar! We're like, no don't do that! We say something to the waitress and she signals him to bring over our cocktails. We asked him why he just didn't bring them over, he said,well, you were tied up over here!? We want our drinks, man! Wouldn't you? Who knew when they were going to come over to our table again. Drinks were good; took out time enjoying them. Ok, finished drinks. Ok, where is the app? We ordered mussels. We inquired. The waitress said that they take time to prepare? Mussels, take time to prepare, you only cook them very briefly? Ok, got mussels they were very tasty, perhaps a bit less cracked pepper though cos you bite into the peppercron and it takes away from the very delicious sauce. Ok, waited for the entrees - the chicken dish was excellent and my husband enjoyed the steak tartare as an entree. Ok, perhaps we want some wine with dinner? No one asked prior to dinner if we wanted or after the runner served us our entrees. Ok, so the hostess (yes, there apparently is a hostess ! is clearing the table next to us (ok, I guess no busboys, now?). We inquired about ordering some wine. She says, she'll find our waitress. If a good host sees that you have your dinner, you have no beverage, perhaps they should step in and say what can I get for you?! Ok, maybe its just me again?! Ok, waitress comes over and we order glasses of wine, we would have ordered a bottle up front, but since we were into our meal, a glass. Afterwards, we went over to Rye to check out the beautiful restored bar there (came from PA), enjoyed a drink and marvelled from the bar how that place cranked! Mixologists mixing, waiters serving, 2 hosts up front! Maybe the chef/owners should sit at the bar at their place incognito and observe their place and do the same at Rye! Next time, we are going to check out Rye - food looked great and prices reasonable! Oh, and it looks like they had SERVICE! Will let you know! Ciao! Hope you enjoyed the review. Gael Greene (a synonym)
(3)Rebecca N.
Brunch is hard for me. I am wheat intolerant and I really don't like eggs. I know - I should be ashamed/slapped/coddled. Everyone has an opinion. But I can usually find something on every menu.. Roebling has a great looking menu item for me. Grits with cheese, black beans, salsa and a slow poached egg. The only way I can tolerate eggs in this situation is if they are scrambled and I can cover them up in with grits and try to forget they are there. So I ask for scrambled instead of the poached and am DENIED. I cannot have scrambled eggs. I must have this dish with a poached egg because the cook is a prima donna? Because s/he is unable to scramble the egg? Because that's how s/he likes it and therefore that is the only correct way to serve this dish? Whatever the reason - I don't even care. There are other freaking places to go where I don't have to worry about crap like this. On the good side - my service was excellent! And this place used to be a service nightmare. So that was nice.
(2)Z R.
we ate here last night. space looks nice and the vibe is fine. service is as to be expected given the location and price. the food, however, just isn't good. for reference, we ordered a cheeseburger, hanger steak and salad. the kitchen must have thought we were taking our food on a long, refrigeration-free journey, and thus, needed the meat to be cured in salt. fries too, apparently. can one cure fries? they are trying. i would recommend finding somewhere else to eat.
(1)Gambill C.
Excellent food, drinks and service!! Very loud, but cool. Celebrated my sisters birthday here and we had a roaring good time
(5)mike b.
I really want to love this place, but to put it bluntly: The food is crap. I hadn't returned in about 2 years because they served me raw chicken. Not undercooked chicken, cold in the center raw chicken. I've been hearing good things about the restaurant lately, and I heard there was a new chef so I went again to check it out. The menu is laughable with mains like "bowtie pasta", "chicken", "soup" with zero descriptions. Our waiter looked at us like we're idiots because we didn't know what was in each dish. He also smelled like he didn't take a shower that day, or any day in recent history. Our "pickles" plate was a bunch of heavily vinegered jalapeno peppers that were impossibly hot to eat, and rubbery. The pretzel with mustard was ice cold as if i got it off of a street cart in rockefeller center in January. My bowtie pasta with braised beef shank was ok, but my girlfriend's mac&cheese was a puddle of soup with every spice in the pantry thrown in. It was pretty shocking they serve it to people. I highly recommend not eating here, and instead just stopping in for a drink. The couches are nice to lounge on for a second date, when you're looking to get them drunk and make your move. Other than that, don't bother. For some reason Bill Murray was here the night we ate...I felt bad.
(1)Vivian H.
Came here for dinner on a Friday night unplanned. We were actually headed somewhere else, but this place looked really interesting, so we took a chance. The place is spacious, with high ceilings and the dining room was very dimly lit. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table, but in the mean time, we had a beer at the bar. I had the old fog horn on tap, which was tasty and had a high alcoholic content. Just the way I like it! For dinner, we shared an appetizer, the duck rillete, which is something like duck pate with a marmalade and it was heavenly! For the entree, we decided to split the chicken plate, which was humongous, and between the two of us, it was still too much food. It was a nice place to have a low key dinner. Will have to try some of the tea next time...
(4)Tanner B.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. On the outside it doesn't even look like a restaurant, but on the inside it is very welcoming and quaint. The staff were very friendly and prompt. I ordered the Egg Salad sandwich. It seemed like something you would order from a gourmet restaurant! A friend and I came for brunch on Sunday. We both ordered entrees, coffee, 2 mimosas each, and an appetizer and our bill came to $27 which is very reasonable. Would highly recommend this place!
(5)Hannah N.
I really did not care for this place. I was waiting and waiting for RTR to open and then I had never found the time to go there- but when I did, I was sorely unimpressed. For one, I ordered something called the Burratta Cheese Plate, which I must say I've never had before. (Since then, I've looked up what Burratta is, and I was still not impressed.) What I got was a coagulated lump of cheese and two (pretty good albeit) rock hard slices of bread. A description of what Burratta was first would have been nice. It also seemed like the order took forever to get there. Granted, the group was pretty large that I was with, but it still seemed slow. But, I will give the place this: The decor is fabulous and the tea selection is rather robust (pun intended). Maybe next time I'll just try it for tea and forget the food part. Maybe.
(1)Braque H.
High ceilings, awesome decor, dark, good music but not overly loud, very classy. 4 stars for the aesthetics.
(4)Hannah L.
awesome tea selection, awesome ambiance, and a great food menu make this one of my favorite places to chill. what a relaxing place! the plants and slightly dark *gloom* and music....just awesome. it's a little off bedford, so you need to be looking for it to find it... except that's not how i stumbled upon roebling tea room - i got lost! haha. as usual. getting lost is fun though because you get to find new cool places! even the hipsters here are nice! brunch is really chill here too. can't wait to come back next time in in nyc.
(4)Amy G.
three stars for being fancy and gorgeous, having Top Chef contenstants dining, and the coconut cream soy latte served in a really cool cup. lost two stars for having next to nothing be vegan friendly on the menu and for having a staff that forgets you're sitting outside.
(3)Dieter K.
Tea selection is divine, dirty martinis not so much. Please, Roebling, have a better vodka available than Tito's. Otherwise, your mixed greens are wunderbar. Not as good as mine, though. But it's pretty good.
(4)Pat E.
I arrived with 3 friends around 7:20pm on a Thursday asking for a table for 5. I was immediately told that there's no table available, even though I counted at least 8 empty tables. They told me I have to wait for 2 other friends to turn up before they could seat us. Fine by me. While waiting, I noticed a couple came in, and was immediately seated at a table for 8, even though the rest hasn't shown up. I inquire if we could be seated instead of being left standing at the bar waiting, but was again told there wasn't any tables available. My partner asked if they could join 2 tables right in front of us (there were about only 5 tables occupied so far), but was told "it is inappropriate". An hour later, when all 5 of us are still waiting, I asked if we could get a table, again was told we need to wait for one of the 5 tables occupied to clear up before we could be seated. At that point, we were so frustrated as there were so many tables around and yet they refused to seat us in an almost empty restaurant. We were neither rowdy nor loud! We decided to speak to the manager. Before we could voice our dissatisfaction, the first words out of his mouth was: 'You gonna get into my face right now?' We didn't bother to argue, but just left quietly as we won't let such disdainful attitude spoil our evening.
(1)Allison J.
The staff is friendly and accomodating and I like the big open warehouse-y feel of this place. The tea and coffee drinks are fantastic. I loved the caffeine free WHITE CHOCOLATE TOFFEE LATTE. Yum yum! The cookies though... are better looking than they taste. I had a peanut butter cookie that was really really dry. On the upside, we went recently on a Sunday afternoon. They managed to accomodate 7 of us on a long couch and a few chairs. The food was surprisingly good and the following is what I'd recommend. Try the PULLED PORK SANDWICH. It comes with this amazing potato salad where the potatos are thinly sliced on a mandolin so you get these thin rounds (like you would for potato chips) instead of the traditional chopped potatos. My boyfriend loved the pork and said it was some of the best pulled pork he's had in a long time. If you order the bread basket for $10, expect a large wicker tray with baguettes, danishes, brown bread and a few other things to come out. It was plenty for 7 of us to share and the baguettes were toasty warm and great with the jams that came out with the basket. The mac and cheese was pretty good and I also had the RICOTTA AND FIG PASTE on toasted baguette with dried cherries, walnuts and honey. This was great finger food and had I not filled up on bread earlier I would have eaten the whole thing. The guyere and egg sandwich sent my friend into a blissful coma but the lemon tuna caper salad sandwich had my other friend wishing for some mayonaise. That was the only disappointment of the bunch. The tuna salad had no mayo so it was really dry. It was flavorful though because they put a tapenade on the bread and with the capers it had a nice tangy-ness to the sandwich. Next time I go back... and I will.... I'll have the baked french toast with nutella and lemon curd. That just sounds so good!
(4)Veronica B.
Nice ambiance,service and interesting menu
(4)Eat It B.
It's a favorite of mine for brunch but also great for dinner, the space is open and inviting and the menu is creative and delicious. Great for romantic dates OR family dinners out.
(4)J-Bobz A.
By light years, the best brunch of any place I've ever been too. Salt-cod fritters, beat hash, pan seared rainbow trout and eggs. Yum.
(5)Lindsey C.
wan't impressed. it was just okay. very loud, service took forever!
(2)Lauren K.
The food was amazing. The tea was amazing. The service was good. All around a really pleasant experience. We had the burger with bleu cheese and the eggs with beets, goat cheese, and kale. So yummy! I'd definitely go back again and again!
(4)Diana R.
This place is truly special. I've yet to eat here, but the drinks/tea are fantastic, and the decor is cozy and fun.
(4)Jennifer V.
I like this place. Really nice atmosphere, although no high-chairs for kids so bring your own, but the staff were friendly and very accomodating. The coffee was excellent and most of our meals were excellent. We tried the oatmeal with fruit (excellent), fried chicken steak with biscuits (although they ran out of biscuits) but the meat was outstanding and the egg and cheese sandwich. The dutch pancake was tasty, not too sweet, but very very heavy and dense and while I can normally put away a full order of pancakes and eggs at egg, I couldn't even finish a quarter of this one. I am excited to try it again and taste more of their menu. Very different and a great alternative to egg when there is a line.
(4)Adam K.
Great food here period. Have only been there once for Brunch and it was amazing. Can't remember what i got, some sort of baked egg thing. Definitely a selling point, the food. Crowded, yes. But it's hard being one of the stand alone places on one of the busiest streets in Williamsburg.
(4)Jasmine T.
Basically I can tumble out of bed & go downstairs in my robe and slippers for brunch. My go to place for tea or food, coming here is easier than going to my own fridge. Everything I've ordered satisfied my palette and wallet. It's a hit with mom as well as friends.
(5)Ruslana S.
I was long contemplating how many stars to give after I recently re-visited the place, and gave 3, even though I really wanted to give more. I used to live in the area, so was stopping by pretty often. The tea quality was great, and it still is pretty good. However everything else seemed to go downhill since I've last been there about a year and a half ago. First off, they've used to serve much more stuff to the couches. Used to be able to get cheese platters, meat platters, and desserts (oh chocolate pot de creme, how i miss you!). Not sure about regular food, as I've never actually dined in there. The platters are still there, albeit they've taken a turn to the worse as well. Cheese platter included some random melted cheese instead of having variety of hard cheeses that i was expecting to see. They've used to serve tea in a giant beer mugs which used to add ambiance to the place. Now the tea is in small white tea pots that don't look that inviting. The service could've probably been better as well.
(3)Tom N.
The service can be spotty but the brunch is worth the beating. Ricotta with fig paste - give it a try
(4)Hazey J.
Great, consistent brunch as well as dinner. Had the best scallops in my life here once. Service is usually pretty good and unaffected. Good bloody marys too.
(4)Dita S.
This is my favorite place in Williamsburg for brunch. I eat mostly raw so I usually get the salads and the fruit bowl with mint. I got a little crazy one day and went for the cheddar eggs which were phenomenal. Everything on their menu is really creative and delicious and not overpriced. Service can be slow on weekends but a fun place to see faces you saw at 4am the night before.
(5)Rachel P.
Had an early Saturday brunch at the Roebling Tea Room. Our party of 6 arrived around 11am and we were seated immediately. I'm guessing because it's a "tea room" they do not have coffee already brewed, yet we were presented with two French presses which may have been the best coffee I've ever tasted. All of the food we ordered was delicious. Loved the baked cheddar eggs with fennel raisin toast and apple butter; never tried grits before this dish, while they were tasty, I don't think they were my thing - but the rest of the table raved about them. The pancake was excellent, not your traditional pancake, kind of reminded me of freshly baked cornbread with butter...can't go wrong with that! The atmosphere was a bit pretentious but I wasn't bothered by it - we had very pleasant service, the waitress was very sweet and attentive. Major props to the music they had playing - our ears were delighted by The Kinks and some Neil Young.The only downside of our meal was the side of bacon; I was hoping for something thick-cut and hearty yet we were presented with 2 thin, shriveled, Oscar Meyer looking strips for $3. Wah wah. Next time I'll know not to go that route...give me some more baked cheddar eggs and fennel raisin toast!
(4)Jason R.
I used to love this place, but it's fallen off so badly. First, the service and the dinner, and now the brunch. I think the chef (the flannel-wearing one that refuses to wear deodorant), needs a little help in that kitchen. Experience 1 - Mid November - what is with those "grassfed" steaks? $28 for one of the most over cooked, gristley pieces of meat I've encountered in NY. The service was good, but the food left left a lot to be desired. Experience 2 - January 2009 - If you advertise kale comes with the chicken, serve kale with the chicken or at the very least, tell the table what's going on, Young Unprofessional Hipster Boy. Our chickens came with double the mashed potato and a piece of "winter green" draped on top. The whole thing was swimming in margarine....yes, fucking margarine. And it helps if the waiter at least acknowledges us for the 1.5 hours we are there. Experience 3 - Late January 2009 - $12 burger should come with lettuce, onion and pickle at the very least. Maybe they are trying to be all "season-driven" like Diner. Guess what...you aren't Diner or Marlow...you never will be Diner or Marlow. Put the sardine sandwich back on the menu. Overall, this place needs to reign in the the $28 specials, slim down the menu and be just a little bit hospitable. Besides that, time for a change in the kitchen. Lastly, just because they advertise, grassfed, natural, etc...doesn't mean it actually tastes better. I'm not so sure it's not a false advertisement. I won't go back. I've heard enough Neil Young.
(1)Matt A.
I love how there is always this wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread emanating from the kitchen. I don't even think they bake bread here, but the smell itself is enticing enough for me to walk in. There's a cute outdoor patio that's great during warmer months. There are mixed reviews from the service to the to the number of electrical outlets available, but personally I have nothing negative to say about my drinking and dining experiences here.
(4)Eric B.
great food small portions sassy service (take that as you wish) weird clientle it's a brunch scene with fun dishes -- eat out back on the groovy patio, avoid the inner 'lodge' decor.
(3)Ryan G.
One of the most underrated business on Yelp. I can't believe there are poor reviews for food and service on here... First of all, the food is unbelievably good. They use the freshest ingredients, everything is locally grown, sustainable, etc. The specials are always great. Second, the service is consistently great here... the servers are nice, attentive, and do their job without attitude or stank face. What more do you want? They go over the specials in detail, always give great recommendations on what to eat... again, what more do you want? Some of the reviews on here are flat-out retarded. The things you people complain about are ignorant. I hate when a ONE STAR review starts with, "First off, let me say, the food is FANTASTIC, but..." The only reason people read your review is to hear what you say about the FOOD. Save your sob story about Bill Murray getting more attention than you for mom... Bill Murray should, and always will, for the rest of your life, get more attention than you.
(5)Tina E.
the food's nothing special, and the service could be more attentive. the place gets rescued by its location and decor. good for groups.
(3)Benjamin B.
Such a unique, unpretentious Williamsburg spot. Have been for brunch and dinner and always enjoyed both. Brunch is more of an a la carte affair as I recall, but everything is delicious. Service is good, and the ambiance and people watching is amazing. The banquet-type seating on the back wall is great for a group of 6-8.
(4)B G.
This place is pretty decent. The service was friendly and good. The food is decent--not amazing, but not bad. I ordered a green tea (the jasmine one) that came out in this frou frou cup with less-than-hot water. They gave me way too much tea--pretty wasteful. I ordered the scallop appetizer. It only comes with two little scallops and it's pretty expensive (maybe $13 or $14). The sauce was pretty good but the scallops themselves were kind of weird in texture. I think they needed to be cooked more. Almost the entire table ordered burgers with a fried egg and bacon on top. The burger was pretty awesome. It is HUGE. The fries are decent too. We ordered the mac n cheese and it tasted crazy. It tasted like ballpark nachos in mac n cheese form. I think they used nacho cheese or something. It also had a LOT of cayenne so it was pretty spicy. Overall, this place is OK but nothing to shout about.
(3)Tiffany T.
I've always wanted to check this place out. Even after reading the reviews of the bad service I thought it couldn't be that bad, but it was worse. My friend and I sat down for lunch and we were ignored for about 10 minutes before we received menus. After waiting another 15 minutes we noticed that people who arrived after us were getting their orders taken. We tried to flag down the waitress as she walked by, she made eye contact and kept on walking. I was never able to try any of the food because we got up and left to go somewhere where the employees would wait on us.
(1)Kristen S.
I absolutely love this place! I've been a total of three times (for lunch and brunch) and each visit keeps me coming back for more. First off, the ambiance of this place is incredible. It is so beautiful and quite spacious. The factory windows, wallpaper, high ceilings, and the wood + green color scheme create a very homey vibe. A+ on decor. Now for the food. The first time I came for lunch and had the smoked salmon with cream, beet relish, and pumperknickel bread which was great. Perfectly simple yet refreshing and light, definitely hit the spot. My co-diner had the skillet hash and loved it as well. The second time I came i had the chicken fried steak. This was a mistake on my part because it is definitely not a dish for the faint of heart (which I decidedly am). Three large portions of fried steak served atop a bed of biscuits and white gravy was just too heavy for me. It tasted great but after about 5 bites I found myself looking longingly at my friend's smoked salmon. Not to say the dish was prepared poorly, it was just that I made a poor judgement of what my stomach could handle. On my most recent visit I had the beets and eggs served with goat cheese and kale and was very pleased with my choice. A very straightforward dish with a wonderful mix of flavors. The only downfall of this place is the spotty service. The first two times I came it was absolute crap, it was as if the waiters were forbidden from smiling or making you feel welcome in the slightest. On my third visit the service was completely fine as I had a friendly and attentive waitress.
(5)Selin K.
Great decor, decent service, we received a complimentary bottle of wine from the chef as our food came out quite late - which was an appreciated gesture. That doesn't really offset the horrible food poisoning I contracted after eating the mackerel, however. Would not go back
(1)Beverly N.
My best friend lives close to Roebling, and I always request to go there when I'm in the area (he has yet to dispute). Never been for brunch or lunch, always dinner or after-dinner. Never had a bad plate, but must admit that I stick with apps and small plates (cheese selection with fig paste, or radishes with butter, or fresh salads). Many tea options, which I appreciate. The waitstaff can be... grumpy, to say the least. But what do you expect in Brooklyn? I just hope for a good server, and don't let the bad ones bother me. That said, I spent years in Budapest, and let me tell you, they don't give a fuck about good customer service over there. Spend some time in Budapest, and you'll learn to get along fine with grumpy waiters. Roebling's environment, cheese selection, tea or alcohol options, and simple small plates - all together- has the ability to "hit the spot" when I'm in the mood.
(4)Alison D.
Beautiful open space, and sunfilled relaxing atmosphere during the day. This is really NOT the place to go when you are in a hurry, but is wonderful for slow yummies when you are catching up with friends and thus don't really care that you can't get the server's attention. Salads are great and both my sweetie and my sister swear by the Bratwurst/Beer special. Staff is nice, but easily overwhelmed and might make you wait 20 minutes for your check. :)
(3)elise s.
the tea room is probably my favorite restaurant in the burg. now, that statement needs a lot of backing up, because we all know how horrendous the service is. but the food somehow ALWAYS more than makes up for the bad service, because everything i've had here has been more delicious than whatever i had previously. my favorite brunch item is the smoked salmon plate. TONS of salmon, not enough delicious pumpernickel bread, herbed creme fraiche, beet relish and capers? yes please! i crave this meal come saturday. for dinner, pretty much anything you order will be amazing. even the half a chicken which i normally find boring is super tasty, and the mashed potatoes are so silky smooth/chunky at the same time and heavenly. the journeyman's steak is usually perfect, the mac n cheese is damn good and the cauliflower risotto has transformed the flower into my favorite vegetable. seriously, it's some good shit.
(5)marco c.
Disappointing. My husband and I went for dinner and we had one of the poorest food experiences we ever had. Seriously I could have done much better at home! The "wild spinach salad with lavander vinaigrette" was ridiculous.. just few leaves of greens put on a plate with something on top that you could barely say, was vinaigrette.. and then the entrees ...what a disaster! My husband who ordered a sirloin tip steak with stuffed peppers got a strip steak with soft boiled eggs instead. Not to mention that the meat was very tough. I ordered this meat wrapped in grape leaves and served on a bed of lentils and raisin that sounded very attractive to me but again, I was wrong. Despite the fact that I asked for VERY RARE the meat was tough as well as the grape leaves. And the lentils were under cooked. The best part of the dinner was my 8 dollars glass of Syrah. Such a shame...the place is one of the most beautiful in the neighborhood though!
(2)Fat G.
I ventured from my apartment in Chelsea to meet with a friend for brunch who was briefly staying in Williamsburg. Upon a recommendation, we decided to go to the Roebling Tea Room. We loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and sat near the windows at the front. Really beautiful place. The skillet hash was awesome. The French Press, a treat. The pancake, however, a disappointment. We actually sent it back. I know that a pan fried pancake is going to be crispy, but this one was way overcooked. Not only were the edges burnt, but when I looked underneath the cake, the bottom was jet black. I had one bite and it was very very tough being as overcooked as it was. Tried to flag down the waitress and after many attempts, did get her attention and she agreed that it was badly burnt and took it off our check.....But my main problem with the restaurant is- the service. Because my waitress is a typical "Williamsburg" waitress is no excuse for such poor service. I've been to other restaurants around this area and, to be honest, our waitress at Roebling sets the bar very very low for the standard of service in this area. Our waitress was flat out distant and inattentive and very hard to communicate with. We were at this restaurant for 1hour and 45 minutes on a Thursday morning at 11am. The food was good (except for the pancake), but it took 45 minutes to come out on a non busy day. Would I go back to this restaurant? -not sure. I hope that the management is aware of this service issue. Maybe because the restaurant wasn't busy our waitress was off her game that day. But her influence on our dining experience was a negative one and really thwarted my overall impression of this restaurant.
(2)Sarah N.
Two words: overly complicated. And overpriced. Okay, three words. I went to meet some friends in a large group, and because we were unable to make a reservation last minute for dinner, we settled on the couches in back and began perusing the two menus we found lying on the coffee tables. One was the specials, and one included pricy dinner entrees between $17-$25. Come time to order, we approached the waitress, who told us briskly that those menus were NOT for the couches, only for eating at tables or the bar. I sighed, went back and found a THIRD menu floating around that included macaroni, hamburgers, and other more standard bar fare, which I figured must be the couch menu. Actually, no. When I went back to order, we were given a FOURTH menu of small foods! This was the couch menu! Olives, cheese, nibbles - no dinner. We could not order from the other three menus to eat on the couch. We could, however, sit four feet away at the bar, separate from our party, and eat from the regular menu. I understand the concept behind this distinction in a sense - it's easier for the waitstaff - but that didn't stop me from grumbling about it anyway. It just seemed silly, and overly complicated - and they USED to serve a fuller menu at the couches, didn't they? For people who wanted to, oh, EAT, at a restaurant? After reviewing the menu(s) at the bar, we elected to order three appetizers to share between two of us, instead of choosing from the pricier options on the entree menu, so we could try more things. Put simply, the food was dissatisfying and not worth ordering again, at that price or any other. I didn't expect to be full after sharing three small dishes, but there was just nothing savory, enticing, or remarkable about the soup, the mushroom toast, or the dark meat chicken plate we ordered. I also tried bites from two other dishes that were boring and not worth the dough. There are many better places in the neighborhood to go for innovative dishes that far surpass this menu. That said, I would go back here for brunch - love that french toast.
(2)Ursula M.
super cute place. went for lunch one rainy day. i had some tea, of which they have a huge selection, and a tasty salmon salad. yummy. very pleasant space, nice staff. thumbs up!
(4)Adrienne I.
tea to swoon for. slow service. virtuous fruit/yogurt/granola. Dont miss a chance to check the joint out for brunch.
(4)evan c.
The food is so great. The service can be slow. But, who really cares?
(5)Zee T.
everytime i'm in williamsburg i come back here -- if the steak tartar is on the menu - get it. also dessert tea is probably most similar to the moonpie tea that they don't have anymore.
(5)David B.
I love short brunch menus, especially when everything on them is delicious. Roebling Tea Room only needs to list one item to satisfy me: Drunken Beans!!! Grits, a hard boiled egg, sour cream & beans all served up hot in a large bowl. Be prepared, this is really just a thick soup, but it is perfect in every tasty way. Great texture, temperature, flavor and a beautiful scent. I'd order this every day if I could, drunk, hungover or stone sober.
(4)Cindyloo D.
I agree with Alli J and confirm that the staff personnel are total dicks. I have only two experiences with Roebling Tea Room. The first was for dinner at the bar. The barmaid was a bitch and full of "too cool for school" 'tude. I shared a few dishes with my friend and we split a bottle of wine. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't amazing either. I did like the atmosphere, however, which brings me to my second experience with this place. The same friend and I decided to host our co-birthday party brunch here. Their website says "Reservations accepted for parties of eight or more". When I called to make the reservation I was told that a) they don't accept reservations for brunch and b) they could accommodate us as long as we didn't mind waiting and sitting at separate tables. I explained our situation and that there would be 12 of us. After being put on hold so the manager could be consulted, I was told that they couldn't accommodate us. I was a bit shocked and asked why. I was informed that they "don't have enough room". Which makes no sense whatsoever. I confirmed with them that they would rather we go elsewhere and was told I was correct. What a way to get business guys! You have serious customer-building skills! We went to Fada who welcomed us with open arms, great brunch and were more than happy to take our $400. Losers. You just lost 2 neighborhoodies and 10 potential customers.
(2)Sara L.
When this place first opened I would have rated it a "1" star. Seriously, only 1. But since then, they've figured out how best to set up the joint and what works best. They have a delicious egg and gruyere sandwich for brunch. I had the Macaroni & Cheese (of course I did) and was almost grossed out. Delicious assortment of coffee and tea drinks. The customer service still leaves something to be desired but the setup is cool and lounging on couches is always a nice alternative to a crowded coffee shop.
(3)Brian L.
Really nice atmosphere if a bit on the loud side. We had a large-ish party and the hostess and waiter were all very accommodating. I had the journeyman's steak done medium and it was just right, plus the sauce was really wonderful, as were the mashed potatoes. For a more casual appetizer only type night, they have a casual couch area. Really nice.
(4)Asilia F.
I love this place. I love the atmosphere, the drinks, the tea and the food. It is definitely not cheap, but it's a great place to meet friends for a drink. They have an outdoor patio area that is very pleasant. The service is always kind of weird though. Never bad, just kind of...unfriendly. Maybe not unfriendly, just unconcerned. I've been for brunch and wasn't acknowledged for quite awhile. An uncomfortable amount of time, where I begin to question if we were going to be served at all. Finally we were seated and we were sitting there and the waitress asked my friend to move the chair. The chair was there when we sat down, but her tone was as though he had put the chair there to be in her way. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding...still it was kind of strange. I have had really good service though, even though she seemed kind of lethargic, she still did job. Service aside, the food is super tasty. I had the baked egg and cheese grits with toast. I've also been for drinks and had some pretty fancy cocktails that were really good. Every time anyone comes from Manhattan to visit me, I take them here to show them how classy Brooklyn is. Overall, the good outweighs the bad. Everyone, even servers, is allowed a bad day right?
(5)Megan P.
Ah, Roebling Tea Room... my old standby. I feel like you can take just about anyone here and they'll like it. Last night I sat outside for drinks, and I think they must've redone the space since I was last back there. It was quite nice. Dinner, and the dinner menu, is spot on. I'd have to say everything I've had is delicious. The Mac N Cheese-- Dumont lovers beware. You might like this version better. And the menu is veg friendly. Points. But the service can be a bit wonky. Hopefully you've had enough beer or wine to not get too annoyed if you see your order sitting up there, getting cold, while your server is somewhere else entirely. I've only been for brunch once more than a year ago, and was disappointed... But people keep telling me it's good so maybe I should give brunch another chance. Anyway, 5 stars for being a standby that I can take my out-of-town parents to, or a nice spot to have a romantic date. Yum.
(5)Nick C.
I ended up at the Roebling Tea Room after work tonight, and it was a very pleasant experience. The dimly lit room with very comfortable couches and chairs made me feel a little like I was in someone's livingroom, which I liked a lot. The bartenders were lovely, and even went down to the basement to get a bottle of creme de cassis so I could have a kir, which was delicious. We had a whole lovely alcove all to ourselves and lounged about on the couch drinking and talking for a long time without disturbance. And the price! I was amazed that my 2 drinks only came out to about $12, and I was certainly not drinking cheap liquor. Eventually we also got a bowl of french fries which were really excellent. This place is my new favorite Brooklyn chillout spot.
(4)Clara A.
I have been to the Roebling Tea Room and enjoyed it somewhat. If I where you come for the lattes! They make the best I have tasted so far. It get really packed here. But once you are seated everything is pretty pleasant. Yeah if your pessmistic the waiters will really rub you the wrong way. Inside is sort of dimmly lit and there is a bar in the middle. If you want a more possibly cheery atmosphere you can go to Atlas Cafe close by.
(3)Salome H.
the space is gorgeous. and the food is great. but the wait staff is god awful. they are indifferent, disaffected- essentially robotic hipsters who are disgruntled by something as simple as a request for bread. the kicker is that they don't even really serve the table- there is a lovely man who serves as a food runner/bus boy and he is the only accessible server that we encountered. it took the waitress 15 minutes to bring me a bottle of beer. despite all of this, i still really like this place because the space and the food are that good. just know what you are in for and maybe order 2 drinks like on an overcrowded airplane, where sadly you are more likely to encounter friendly service.
(4)Erica F.
I can't believe I've neglected to write a review for the Tea Room. Ok here's the deal: The service sometimes sucks. Every time I get a bloody mary there it looks different and has different garnishes. And the free wireless is sporadic at best. That said, I freaking love this place like WHOA. They have everything. A warm atmosphere with beautiful people, comfy couches, like 100 different teas, a full bar with really yummy signature drinks, a fantastic and ever-changing menu. You'll always be surprised when what you get is much more and better than the menu had described. I've never had ANYTHING at this place that I haven't loved. And I live in the same building so I've been here a LOT. It's my favorite brunch place, and it's my favorite unplanned "let's go get something yummy for dinner" place. And it's my favorite late night "I gotta get out of here and have a nice cup of tea" place. And it's got a pretty secret garden out back. Just remember, in Williamsburg, the customer is not necessarily always right and service is not the senior datum. But the quality of the food and the prices and atmosphere more than make up for it. And in fairness, the service has improved greatly in the past 6 months. So get your ass over there. You won't be sorry.
(5)Colleen B.
If you do go, go on a weekday. It's been going downhill since it opened -- I can't remember when that was fall of '06 or '05, it all blends together -- anyways I went back there while I was in Williamsburg a few weeks ago and had the most amazing hot apple cider whiskey thing. Get that! I don't even like whiskey, but it was perfectly blended. Tea selection is everything you would expect from a tea room. Chai was always hit or miss to the point where I wouldn't chance it. Food way overpriced. I'm not sure if this is still in effect, but over the summer you couldn't use your laptop on the weekends except between 4-7 (I think). They told me they spread like wildfire.
(3)Mark C.
This place tries to hard to be so many different things and none of it actually really works. Is it a bar? Is it a restaurant? Is it a tea house? It's very sloppily all of these things. I came for the tea, and sort of wish I hadn't. They fill up a glass mug, the same mugs they serve beer in, with warm water and what ever tea you ordered off of their pretty conservative menu that lacked any sort of descriptions of the teas and no direction from the guy at the bar on how long to steep it for. That being said, there sadly aren't many places for tea in New York - so this is what we've got. Bummer, dude.
(3)Kelcey E.
This is one of my favorite brunch spots in all of Williamsburg. The baked cheddar eggs with grits, raisin fennel toast and apple butter is simple and perfect. I brought my folks here when they were visiting a couple of years ago, and they loved it so much that they have asked to return on every subsequent visit. As other reviewers have noted, this place has a great ambiance, and the waitstaff have always been cool & professional. Great place to come too when you feel like dining in a more open, spacious environment - a scarcity in a neighborhood full of smallish, limited seating hole-in-the wall restaurants.
(5)Lane S.
If you actually want go to a place to drink tea and chill, this is not your place. This is the place were you drink tea listening to "Jesse's Girl" while you are trying to figure out what's going on that makes you feel so uncomfortable. You can't sit on the front tables from 5-6:20pm plus you don't get any service at this time. You have to order in the bar and hang around around the bar to drink tea (drinking tea on a beer mug sitting in the bar!) because at this time they prepare the tables for dinner. If you decide to wait for a table to have dinner at 6:00, you have to sit in one place first and then get up to go to the front. It's finally 6:00, we waited 15 more mins for someone to come and take our order. We had to get up to look for the menu because no one ever came. $15 cheeseburgers, $10 mac-n-cheese SIDE, $14 hamburgers. We just wanted to have a simple tea and some appetizers. We were not having a good time and we left. This place is all decoration and no substance.
(2)Erica J.
I have had dinner here a few times and it has always been a pleasant experience. The menu only lists a few items but they are well chosen. The portions are not large so if you are extremely hungry, consider ordering appetizers. I have also come here exclusively for drinks as they have a decent bar selection. The best part of Roebling Tea Room is the space itself which is well decorated, dimly lit, and spacious. You feel like you've been transported to a victorian farmhouse of sorts. Bonus: My first New York celebrity citing happened at Roebling Tea Room as I was sitting next to Bill Murray. My respect for him may have slid down a few notches as he was dining with some 20 year old tank top wearing floozies, but still, it's Bill effing Murray.
(4)Yves J.
One of the original places to go in the neighborhood for good food and still is. For brunch, if you like eggs for god sakes try the poached egg omelette? Dinner is also fabulous. Great steak tartare, limited quality menu. Not cheap but worth it.
(5)Judy C.
On the contrary of using Yelp as my go-to source, I relied on the Scoop from New York Times to give Roebling a try. Since we got there quite late, we opted for their drinks rather than the teas. Comfortable loungey place with a nice island bar. The bartenders were so-so that night as one bartender ignored me while casually talking to some guy, grrr..the other bartender was slightly more attentive. We got the "Swamp Thing" (gin, Pimms, lemon, soda, and big branches of rosemary?) and "Crazy Owl" ("Today's pickle" and martini). Swamp Thing was served in a pint with lots of gin and Pimms. It was alright, but that was one heavy drink. Crazy Owl was crazy-it was literally pickled juice with whatever martini it was. It looked unappealing to drink with its brownish color, and it was unappealing to drink with the strong pickled flavor. I gave this place 3 stars because I think this is a great location to hang out with friends. Perhaps I should have tried their teas.
(3)Jessica N.
Ended up here on a whim when Fette Sau was not open. I saw that it was a tea room, and it was not what I expected (in a good way). It looks like a factory on the outside, but on the inside it's very open and bright. I got the lover's tea; it was delicious. They bag loose tea for individual servings, which I appreciated. For brunch, I got the mashed potato sandwich. Mashed potatoes, cheese, onion and a fried egg on a sandwich; what more could a girl ask for? My dining partner got the baked eggs, grits and fennel toast, and said they were excellent. I read reviews about poor service, but our waitress was very kind and happy. I could see how a pretentious attitude could seep into this place, though.
(4)Michelle H.
cocktails are interesting and the food is delicious! The bartenders are wonderful and service at the bar is always excellent, I may need to actually sit at a table one day!
(5)Ivo R.
Top 3 in Williamsburg!! BEST burger in New York! (and for anyone that knows me- this MEANS a LOT!) You really can't go wrong with Roebling regardless of the occasion. I must admit that I have only come here for dinner but I have loved coming here EVERY time. The ambiance is very cozy with some rustic and modern touches as well as romantic lighting that guarantees the perfect date. The specialty cocktails are always fresh and very creative with delicious blends of fruit and liquor. My favorite cocktail, however, is Homer's Way. As far as the food goes, I came here because someone recommended the burger and I must say that on some nights I dream of it melting in my mouth with its delicious sauce! After having it once, I could never get myself to order anything else there and it really has become my standard to which I compare all other burgers. I have, however, tried some of the other food by tasting what my friends get - and they have a very good duck, delicious (but small portioned) scallops and a great steak tartar. Ultimately, I highly recommend Roebling as one of my top 3 restaurants in Williamsburg with delectable food, romantic ambiance and fresh cocktails.
(5)Tiffany H.
This spot is really cute and the food was good (one of those farm to table places) but the service took forever! Our food didnt come out until an hour later.
(3)Meghan F.
Met with a group for a meetup here. They were very accommodating to our group, which was a bunch of pregnant women and women with infants. Didn't rush us through, even though we took a very long time to get ourselves together, order and eventually pay. Will definitely be coming back. For brunch today I had the egg sandwich with bacon. It came with a side of apple slices. One of us had the smoked salmon plate and she said it was delicious, and that is what I am going to get next time. It came with the most delicious looking rye bread.
(5)Tez V.
They are totally slipping- i remember back in the day the service & food were so amazing. and now, there is nothing special about the food and the service, however very polite, was VERY GLACIAL
(3)Gabe S.
Like some other yelpers, if I was reviewing the food and changing seasonal menu this place would get five stars. However, both times I've been here the service has been simultaneously very friendly and incompressibly inattentive. The first time I came here for brunch and it was fairly busy. When my party of two walked in the woman who greeted us had the crazed, panicked look of one who just came upon a party of twenty-four during rush hour. "oh theres going to be a wait," she said. We said "That's okay. How long?" Without answering, she scurried off and some guy immediately showed us to one of the 4 tables that were open. What? The menu descriptions are kind of strange sometimes, (like "toast" as an appetizer?) But the chef clearly knows what s/he's doing because the combinations work in satisfying ways. We ordered our meal and our drinks - coffee and tea mind you, not some crazy 'mixologist' special. Our food came before our drinks. What the what? Again. And it wasn't that, oh the waitress forgot our drinks - she actually came over to our table three times and said "your drinks are coming up" and then wondered away in a haze. When I did get my tea, there was an ant in the honey jar. The next time I went it was 5pm on a wednesday and was hoping to get some computer work done and have dinner after. I sat at a table for twenty minutes before I gave up and went up to the bar to get a drink. Did I mention there were no less than five servers bullshitting at the end of the bar? According to the surly bartender - surprise, there's no wifi - so that is either a yelp mistake or a recent downgrade in service. Also, there's not much of a tea selection for, you know, a TEA ROOM. I asked to see the menu and he told me it was being put on the blackboard in a few minutes. But wasn't that the menu that all of those five servers were looking at while they were ignoring me? When I finally managed to hijack a menu, I ordered the mac and cheese, which was excellent, but certainly not worth the $10 price tag. Honestly if the service had any logic to it at all I probably wouldn't mind a good $10 mac and cheese, but as it was I was so annoyed by the time I got the food, I almost left for the taco truck down on Bedford. If I were the chef I would be seriously pissed that my food was being represented by such airhead (but so friendly!) hipsters.
(2)John R.
This place is pretty nice. Service was OK. Good setup as far as the bar and seating. Food is decent.
(3)Erika C.
Poached egg omelet? That just sounds like... a regular omelet being lazy about meat options. But what the hell, it was 9 bucks. I ate it and I thought, this is pretty good. I cleaned it up. I am a brunch pro so I was not impressed but it didn't matter, my expectations had been low. Days pass. Days turn into weeks. Every time I eat breakfast/brunch or eggs, I think about that damn omelet and how delicious it was. I didn't know what I had and now I'm 3,000 miles away from the place. TEARS
(5)Lala S.
POOR And super slow service. And bad food. Pricey. Burger came over cooked, took ages to come back, our friend ate by himself while we were waiting. Never again for sure.
(1)Lyn K.
5 stars for their creative food items & exceptional tea menu. 3 stars for slow, but helpful wait staff - I don't like having to constantly look over my shoulder hoping that someone will come by. The Roebling Tea Room is perfect for a lazy brunch at 10:30 on a Saturday morning. Make sure to get there a little early if you want patio seating. The service was a little slow, but we didn't particularly mind since we weren't in a rush & had intentions to lounge around. Brunch Recommendations: - Big Baked Pancake dutch style with stewed pears & spiced butter Perfectly light & fluffy. It was the size of a personal pan deep dish pizza, but with stewed pears within the breading. The maple syrup wasn't too thick or too sugary. Paired really well with the pancake. - Ricotta & Fig Paste with walnut, dry cherry, honey & some greens This was an interesting dish. The ricotta was nicely whipped & didn't taste like cheese at all. I wasn't a big fan of this particular plate because the bread was really hard & crunchy, but the combination of flavors was innovative & complimentary to one another. - Baked Cheddar Eggs with raisin fennel toast, apple butter & grits I don't usually like cheddar cheese, but this had a nice taste to it! The cheese wasn't overwhelming, & the way they prepared the egg in the ramekin was amazing! The soft eggs went nicely with the crunchy/soft toast, the subtle sweetness of the apple butter, & the underlying saltiness of the grits. - Iced Green Tea Latte Made with matcha (high quality Japanese green tea), honey, & milk. Refreshing to the taste. We ordered one of each plate, except the Baked Cheddar Eggs, for a party of 4, & it was definitely enough to go around. All the ingredients were light & fresh, so we left feeling comfortably satisfied & not too full.
(4)Napkin Freak C.
i dont know, this place was slightly weird for me... i understand the concept with the tea offerings and i wasn't sure if there was food? i dont know. Maybe i came at a busy time.. but we weren't seated immediately. a group of us four went straight to the back where the couches were. Then we did not get any service so we thought ok, maybe we have to order and bring it back to our couch? NO IDEA.. then we just approached one of the servers and told them we wanted drinks/desserts only. So we were eventually seated after one of the tables freed up. But I just did not get it... maybe there was no hostess and if there was, perhaps the person was not present at the moment we showed up? Who knows! there were a lot of tea selections and we ordered mainly desserts. it was alright. But still, the idea of the peculiar organization still bothers me.. not sure why...
(3)Michi R.
Two stars only because the experience I had a two years ago was much better than my most recent visit. This place seems better suited to being a bar. The service was subpar, the food portions are incredibly small, and very overpriced.
(2)Fred I.
My favorite burger in Brooklyn (after Prime Meats, of course). Get the house-made dill mayo on the side so you can dip your fries in it, and use as much or as little of it as you want on the beef. They have some other nice appetizers and entrees, but I can't resist the cheeseburger. And the meat is definitely quality. Roebling's also a good place to go for a drink, but it's packed at peak times. Staff is cool. Crowd is usually kinda lame. It is Williamsburg.
(4)Talia R.
Different times of day feel like I should give different reviews. Food at brunch as good, though think I prefer being here at night when it's a bit more empty. They don't serve food late enough at night (not their fault, I presume, but the kitchen seems to always just have closed?). Find the service confusing. Last two times I was here at night and sitting at a table our waiter service ended rather abruptly but we were not told this and took a long time to realize we had to shift moving ordering to the bar directly. Still, no one really bothers you so I appreciate that. Meh on the bourbon/brown goods selection. I do love the atmosphere, kind of wish this was a the front wing of my English countryside estate.
(3)Taylor H.
Good spot for brunch and dinner. It looks like an abandoned wearhouse from the outside, but is very nice inside. Prices are on the high side.
(4)Ariel S.
I just came back to "Roebling" after a long hiatus. I'm not sure if the quality was diminishing, or if I'd been over-attending and things were getting stale. Either way, I dropped in for a late lunch on Friday. It was nice to see that Mandy, a Veteran waitress of the tea room, was still holding it down and pleasant as ever. I had a Steak Tartare, which was delicious- and I've been dreaming about it every day since. The iced coffee was great too...... I'm pretty sure that I'll become a regular, again.
(4)Rachel K.
I've been here for a few brunches and this place is always packed. Bottom line- food is good. If you can get a spot at the bar while you wait 30 mins - 1 hour for a table, the bloody marys are de-lush! You can get a double bloody for $10. The space is awesome. It's a big, airy room and the tables are well spaced apart. For larger groups, if you can snag a couple of the couches in the back, it's a great area to be if you wanna chill out after your meal. Service is a good pace and the servers are friendly and super hipster. If you don't live in the 'Burg, be prepared to feel out of place if you come in dressed in anything less than an oversized chambray shirt, tight skinny black jeans and thick rimmed artsy glasses. All that randomness aside, the food is good. The giant pancake is really an enormous pancake- SO GOOD. The beets and eggs (who would've thought?) are awesome. If you like tea, they have a huge selection. Their drunken beans are also good if you don't really want a traditional brunch dish. Come check it out. Worth traveling to the 'Burg for.
(4)Jess L.
I love the darkness of this place. it's a perfect place for tea on a rainy day or a cool place to bring a date. I met up with a friend here and got the Black & White tea, rooibos with chocolate, vanilla and mint. Such a great combination. I was overwhelmed by the great sounding teas on the list, of which there are many. At the time I came, there was no wait staff, so we had to order our tea at the bar. A little awkward but easy enough to get around. I look forward to trying the food next time.
(4)Rus H.
Atmo: Nice, quiet dinner here on a Tuesday at 7:15. A pleasant place to sit, dim, relaxed atmosphere, well decorated. Funny, well-written menu with items like "normal apples". Dated menu, which was correct on the website also, amazingly. Drinks: Excellent cocktails; the Gin and Pickle was creative and fantastic. I tried the White Witch which was delicious. Limited wine selection, but the choices on hand were fine. Food: We tried the pork and the chicken entres, and the bass and salad appetizers. All tasted yummy. My pork was very fatty, which was okay because it tasted good, but it was more like belly than chop. So if you're put off by the texture of pork fat you'll want to avoid this dish. Minus half a star for the pork cut. We tried the apple pie and the pumpkin pie for dessert, which were both great. Service: Friendly staff, offered our choice of where to sit and were friendly throughout. A touch slow with the drinks but not unreasonable. Food came at a nearly perfect pace. Value: Total bill for 6 drinks and 3 meals was $200, which is a touch steep, but basically comparable to other places with this quality, atmosphere, and service. Minus half a star for portions, which were on the small side for the price. Would come here again, especially on a sleepy week night!
(4)Egg L.
Beautifully decorated restaurant, with large, rustic wood-framed mirrors and a spacious bar. Waitstaff seems to be full of the type that wears a MacDonald's shirt "ironically". Food: not bad for the prices. That's it. Definitely a trendy spot that has maintained that status after the years, but in my book, it's just okay. Not really worth a wait because the place has weird vibes, but if you're starving and you've got a fat wallet, you could do worse.
(2)Isabel L.
Hey ! I'm really a fan of Roebling tea room's food! Your poached egg omelete is unlike any omelete i've had before. Love your bread and tea and everything i've had here has been good.
(5)Shauna S.
Came here because my friend was raving about how much she loved this place. It's a very beautiful place, I admit -- lovely decor, great ambiance, an all round good environment, especially on the sofas and couches. But does that make it a good tea room? No, it makes it a good place to sort of hang out. I ordered the cassis tea and it was okay, at best. Hardly anything to make one rave especially considering it's a bloody tea bag. Yes, I said it -- deal with it. The joy of tea comes in preparation which lends itself to anticipation -- not sitting down waiting for the tea bag to finish brewing. I could do that home. *Gigantic note though, my friend let me know that they put the loose leaves into the tea bags to brew -- though I still wish there were a better strainer.* The cheese platter was meager and nothing too impressive. Service was fine, especially considering that they don't really tend to the sofas. Nonetheless there were a few that were attentive to my friends and I. But yeah... I just don't see it. Maybe it's in the restaurant aspect of place.
(3)Lisa L.
Great brunch spot in Williamsburg! Excellent decor and atmosphere and decent service. The kind of place you don't have to wait an hour for brunch. They also have a gorgeous large table in the back to accomodate big groups.
(4)Irene H.
I'm a huge fan of the industrial, but rustic/charming vibe. I've been here for drinks and brunch. I had a drink that was pretty swampy and strong. I've also been here for brunch. The baked eggs are great. As much as I wanted to like the pancake... the reviews are true. It's not the type of pancake you would get at IHOP or even at Chicago's Walker Brothers. It's a big chewy and more like a huge French clafoutis. I would not recommend it. It loses a bit of its potential greatness due to its size.
(4)Charles L.
The best burger in New York. Let me repeat: The BEST burger in new York. There is nothing better than a fat, bloody, greasy burger. The quality of the meat? Heaven on earth. Oh my goodness. Don't bother with nonsense like cheese or a fried egg. Keep it simple: medium rare with aioli sauce. You won't be disappointed. I haven't had the poor service as others have mentioned. But I'm used to Williamsburg. For others, "hipster" staff can be a bit much. They can be snotty to other people, but I've never had any issues. They could also benefit from an extra waiter or two. Brunch will be packed. You're forewarned. But what do people expect on a weekend at 1:30 or 2 in Williamsburg? If you want quiet and space, go eat at noon. Or earlier. Use some common sense. Of course places will be crowded and there will be a wait. It's brunch! Dinner gets heftily crowded too. My boyfriend and I went on a Monday at 6 with a near-empty restaurant at our disposal. 9 on a Saturday? C'mon people! Use those brains of yours. The cocktails are fairly good. I particularly enjoy the Way too Early: Gin, Lemon, Earl Grey & Champagne. Delicious! More food comments: I've also enjoyed the Potato Sandwich (brunch) and any of the dinner entrées. The entrees are more than I want to spend typically (~$25), but thankfully the burger is $14. And worth it. My friend had the beets & eggs and thought it wasn't hefty enough for a meal. But I guess it works if you don't want a heavy burger. I've enjoyed the tea as well. And $3 for a large mug is not anything more than you'd spend at any coffee shop. I don't get the complaints.
(4)Jonathan G.
This place is great at a variety of times which is why it is one of my favorite spots in Williamsburg. I have eaten brunch or lunch here a few times and the food is always good. I will spare the specifics of what I ate each time, but I have never had a bad meal and I often find myself watching something else tasty looking going to someone else's table and wondering what it was. I hate coffee, I don't drink it, I have always preferred tea and Roebling Tea Room has a nice selection of teas. You get your own private pot with enough for plenty of tea. This is perfect in the winter or on a cold day. I also prefer beer to that coffee crap and they have a nice selection of beers here, also nice in the winter or summer or spring or fall, whenever. The place is just relaxing to enter. They have tables to eat at, a bar and then a lounge area where you can drink tea or beer while relaxing on a couch or a nice chair. Very comfortable place to come at a random time and have a nice, relaxing time while getting caffeinated or drunk.
(4)Kelly B.
BRUNCH Amy R.'s report that the cheddar baked eggs are missing from the brunch menu is horrifying! May Sydney and Dennis quickly see the error of their ways... or replace it with something even better! Arriving for brunch at 1:00 on a Sunday was absolutely terrifying, the door was mobbed with hungry hipster (sorry I usually don't care about the whole "hipster" thing, but I was to hungry to be amused by the hamburger sweatshirt or couples with matching vintage glasses). Once we got seated their hungry eyes peered at us over the entry's half wall with all the desperation of famished homeless orphans on a snowy Christmas night. Our waitress was trying her hardest, but it was nearly impossible to get her attention. RTR needs either additional or more efficient waitresses plus someone walking around the dining room that is dedicated to just refilling coffee and water. I think the hostess and bus boy where the only employees who cracked a smiles the whole time I was there. We began with drinks; the coffee ($2) is satisfactory and the mimosa ($5) is heavy on the bubbly and made with fresh (tasting) OJ. I am not now and have never been a fan of grits, but RTR fixes them up real nice with parmigiano cheese in their Baked Cheddar Egg dish ($8.5). yelp.com/biz_photos/QoPv… The raisin fennel toast is subtle and well composed and served with delightful apple butter that I see so rarely on the east coast... but we west coast hippies love this stuff. The baked eggs are awesome but I do wish the yolks we broken (but not mixed) in the ramekin, it's like finding two yellow disembodied eyeballs hiding under a yummy blanket of sharp cheddar cheese The Cinnamon Toast ($2) is a dry flavorless bust; it begged to be slathered in butter or honey. yelp.com/biz_photos/QoPv… The Drunk Beans ($8.5) with a medium-boiled egg on a bed of polenta were flavor filled and a perfect genital but hardy stomach filler. The polenta eventually mixes in with the beans as you eat so it's like the dish evolves right before your eyes. yelp.com/biz_photos/QoPv… DINNER Dinner is a much calmer affair. You can usually sit immediately, the waitresses have room to breathe and serve patrons with the grace and attention we all deserve. I would dare to even describe the dining room as calm, serene and romantic. The Wild Dandelion with shaved fennel, celery root, marinated dates, feta & grapefruit ($8) should be outstanding, but the composition is too heavy on the bitter greens. But that's not what turned me off from this salad... it was when my teeth hit the nails on a chalkboard chilling distinct feel of sandy grit on the clearly not thoroughly washed greens. Sorry, but this is unforgivable! The Macaroni & Cheese ($10) is unique in the world of man 'n cheese... I actually find the flavors to be of a somewhat southwestern persuasion. The large ears of orecchiett pasta are encrusted in a heavy coat of non-creamy oily yellow cheddar and chili pepper sauce that I would not consider spicy, but I guess if you're a weakling it might be. It's really more of that warmth that that nothing to do with temperature. I would consider ordering it again, but it will not be my staple dish for dinners to come. CONCLUSION: Better food at brunch but better service and atmosphere at dinner. I am torn.
(3)Jen L.
Food: We had the ricotta and fig paste and the smoked salmon. Both were served with toasted bread (over toasted). The ricotta and fig was a very interesting combination - creamy and crunchy at the same time. The whole thing was drizzled in honey. I couldn't figure out how to eat this since the honey made the bread too sticky to hold but the bread was too hard to cut. I had to forego the bread all together and just eat the ricotta. Maybe you will have better luck. The smoked salmon wasn't very fresh and was more on the mushy side. Drinks: the alcoholic brunch drinks were pretty much virgin and not very good. The bloody Mary had a good amt of heat but boring with very little alcohol. Tea: It's a tearoom after all! They had a long list of flavored teas with the type of teas ranging from green to maté. I had the fiesta, maté with lemongrass and it was pretty decent. They give u your own little teapot and tea pouch. My friend had the coconut tea and it tasted like overly sweet vanilla (ack)! Bottom line: drink some tea, eat else where.
(4)Bianca G.
I don't ever write reviews but wanted to warn any future patrons about how absolutely terrible the service is here. Go somewhere else for brunch.
(2)Sameer N.
This place has gone downhill. The burger is now a whopping $15 without cheese and has significantly declined in quality and taste. I used to laud this as one of the best burgers in New York City. I can attest that it's not even worth a $10 price tag. I'm not a stickler for money when it comes to high quality food but I'm bummed. I ordered my burger and when it came out it had a strange taste to it. I already felt off when I left the place and by the time I got home I was wishing I hadn't gone in the first place. This gets 1 extra star for the service being up to par.
(2)Marin G.
Ambiance: much cuter and more trendy/hipster than I had expected. Food: I had the eggs over beets and potatoes. My friend had the egg and cheese roll. We got a side of fries (see below). I had a great bloody mary and she had a refreshing gin spritzer of some sort. The food was good save for my complaint below. Service: We ordered a side of fries to share - carbs to soak up the drinks before a day of shopping. The fries never came. Our table neighbors ordered fries too. Their fries came. We brought it to the attention of our waitress and she was just like, "teehee, I'll get them." She didn't get them. We glared at her a bunch. Our food grew colder without fries to dip into the eggs... finally the fries came. She wasn't apologetic. Liikkeee, I wanna go back but with so many yummy options around I am not sure if I can. Sure it could've been a fluke but I'm very patient and understanding with waitstaff and this time just didn't make sense.
(2)Ginger B.
Had lunch here this week and I was impressed. The salmon plate is awesome and it comes with yummy thick bread. The service was a little slow, but worth the wait.
(4)Justin L.
I Love the Look and fine For drinking but The food disappointingly fails to match.
(2)Taylour L.
I can always count on Roebling Tea Room to deliver on delicious seasonal dishes that never disappoint. That being said, it's hard for me to order anything besides the burger as its one of the best in the city. I also recommend the "baked sheets" or mac and cheese and be sure to come during brunch as the Bloody Marys are on point. I love the rustic, relaxed atmosphere here. I bring my parents here when they're in town but its also a great place for a date!
(5)Kate D.
Delicious! Stopped in this afternoon with a friend, craving a brunchy-type (read: I want an omelet) meal on a Tuesday. While the brunch menu was of course not available, the lunch options included quite a few egg dishes that all looked amazing. I ordered the poached eggs and beets, with a side of fruit. The eggs were poached beautifully, and dressed perfectly on top of a layer of chopped beets, cooked kale, and goat cheese. SO GOOD. I was practically licking my plate! Even the side of fruit was awesome - I had thoroughly expected a pedestrian little fruit cup with grapes and honeydew; I was surprised with an entire cut-up gala apple, a whole cut-up blood orange, and a whole cut-up regular orange, drizzled with honey and garnished lightly with peppermint leaves. It was gorgeous, and delicious! My friend ordered the whitefish platter and fries, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I tried some of the fries and they were yummy - skinny, skin-on, just salty enough, and heaped into a big bowl. I also ordered a coffee, which was served in a tiny french press. Easily some of the best coffee I've had in awhile! The ambiance is kind of rustic yet airy; the waitresses all look like Williamsburgy peasanty hipster types. Everyone was very friendly, and the prices were totally reasonable - I think our entire meal cost less than $50, with tip. Easy to get to off of the L or G trains; if I lived even remotely nearby I'm sure I would come here often. I want to go back to try their brunch menu, and a Bloody Mary!
(4)Will P.
I like this place. Not the best, but not the worst. Very slow service. I think our food took at least 30-40 minutes. We actually went through the entire bottle of water waiting for the food, a bottle which wasn't replaced. Also would have been nice to get our appetizer before our entrees since those took so long. We received everything at once instead. That being said, it was actually pretty good food. Not sure what the whiner on here sometime before me was talking about how thick the burger was (I'll chalk it up to yet another cheapskate Asian needing to meet her daily whining quota), but that burger was actually very good. It's intentinally thick and its sauce very good.
(3)Buster T.
It's states in the business info part of this page that Roebling Tea Room has free WiFi... Roebling Tea Room does not have free WiFi. In fact, Roebling Tea Room does not have WiFi at all... However - It *does* have a waitress with a sourpuss hipster attitude *and* it also has mediocre food. The ham and cheese sandwich is a particular interesting study in the overuse of sodium and also managed to put a sad end to my personal theory that melted cheese can save even the most boring sandwich...It cannot. Nice ambiance though. It's a shame they can't do more with it.
(2)Rodney A.
Just got back from a Saturday afternoon lunch here and my rating would probably be more like 3.5 rather than a 3... The food was actually pretty good. Bloody mary (single) had a decent spicy punch to it although chunks of whatever spicy goodness kept getting stuck in the straws. Two americano's... not sure if they do the 'endless cup' house coffee thing... I got the baked cheddar eggs which were ok, a tad on the small side. Grits were also ok, not as thick as I'd like them (had to switch from a fork to a spoon) but buttery. Ambience is casual. Lots of room, not too crowded, but probably not so easy for parties of 8 or more. A little too hipster for my tastes but what do you expect for the neighborhood? As for the service, well, this one server at the bar was friendly and attentive as opposed to what some other reviewers have mentioned. It did seem like I was getting rushed out a little fast considering i was one person at the bar and most people that were waiting were parties of 4+. No overall complaints on service from me but I did feel that genuine server-patron connection was missing.
(3)Gabe W.
Really Really Really deserves 4-5 stars, so why give it 3? If I were just reviewing the food, it would be 5 star, would want this ever changing menu for all 5 of my meals every day (yes I eat 5 times a day or not at all! Nothing weird with that). The major problem with the Roebling Tea Room is the staff, behind the bar and waiting on customers, I don't want to make a huge deal of it, but when you work in an establishment where food and drink is key, you have to be attentive. And neither at the bar or when waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more to order, were the staff attentive, they were courteous, but in all honesty, I would rather be yelled at yet be served in a timely fashion. I had no problem waiting for the food, which was an amazing oozing burger, rare, mmmm, with delicious fries, baked mussels or clams, I forget now, but they were good, and grilled calamari. The cocktails were good as well, but the wine left something to be desired, especially for the price and limited selection. Again, lesson should be learned when hiring staff for a restaurant, make sure they are actually acknowledging that they are being interviewed, and not pulling the nodding head trick, or that fish sucking look. Stoopid hipsters.
(3)Duncan R.
Just not good... enough. No. No. No.
(2)Thomas G.
Place really was great, was there with my wife today and we totally enjoyed 4 different dishes and 2 fantastic Bloody Mary's. Atmosphere was great, ate at the bar and he took real good care of us. They really do it right, cant wait to go back. Was going to eat at Fette Sau BBQ but wound up walking out, for a number of reasons, and strolled into this place for a Wonderful Lunch.....
(4)Chew And Revie W.
Stopped in on the way to another bar........I shouldn't have made the stop. At first glance it's impressive with the high ceilings and vintage feel but that's where the beauty ends (well, I'll get to the bartenders in a minute). The drinks we ordered were so sweet!! I added half my water to mine and I still couldn't make it palatable. I didn't go in there looking for a sugar headache. The mozzarella appetizer smelled like seafood. Apparently their menu changes quite often so it's probably hard to know what to even order there. The staff is kind of blase and in slow motion and hard to flag down. As much as the food and drinks suck the actual space is really nice and in theory would make a great location for a party. The only benefit to sitting at the bar was checking out the eye candy bartenders that must have side jobs as actor impersonators Andrew Lincoln and James Franco's character from Spring Breakers.
(3)H. N.
Superb for brunch. The country fried steak and pancake are top notch. Wash it down with a super coffee (brew with bailey's, grand marnier, jameson) and you will have yourself a very satisfying brunch. At night, it's a great place to grab a drink or cup of tea before heading out to other nearby bars/restaurants.
(4)Raja K.
I liked it. We had a quiet date night and it was perfect. Good for reuniting with an old friend or a simple evening with a loved one.
(4)Athena M.
This place is literally one of my favorite spots in the city. I love the atmosphere and the seasonal, farm-fresh menu can't be beat. If you want a comfortable, low-key spot to sip awesome cocktails and chillax with friends, you can't beat it.
(4)Sam Y.
Some may think 2 stars abit low but I'm a hard grader; take it for what it's worth so here we go. The chickie and I were walking by and decided to finally give RTR a try for post-NYE brunch. I was in the cheeseburger mode so that's the direction I headed while she went with the classic eggs and stuff (look for her review). I asked the waiter if instead of the fries they could substitute. He said "sure, we could do a side salad." Perfect me says. Burger comes out with egg/bacon/cheese on top of thick puck of a burger pattie with several leaves of romainish lettuce. Cool. So why 2 stars you ask? First RTR you need to go for the 3/4" thick burger vice 1.5" thick burger profile; much better to eat/handle. Second and most important was the bill. $18.50 for a burger platter. Hooah!! Have to be a helluva burger right? Apparently substitute means 'we keep the fries and charge you $3 extra for lettuce leaves/oil/vinegar'. Now I've experienced better burgers for much less thus the "Meh, I've experienced better - 2 star rating." To be fair however the french press coffee was almost comparable to that which I prepare at home....almost like in "Apocalypto"...Ollllack....
(2)Michael F.
After hearing so much about it decided to check it out on President's day Monday. I was hoping for a place to great a small bite, a great cup of coffee and a table to get some work done. What I got was a very busy brunch place with average coffee, slow service and a crazy brunch crowd (in terms of size). Went around 1pm, and after waiting about a half an hour, decided to to take a seat at the bar with my wife, rather than waiting for a table. Took a while to get the bartender's attention, but managed to get some french press coffee and a Reed's Ginger Brew. Ordered the Cod Hash Browns, which were OK. Much like a "coddie" one would get at an "old school" Jewish deli. My wife got the smoked salmon which was very good, her pumpernickel bread was topnotch. Overall, it was OK. Maybe I just went on a crazy afternoon, but if you're looking for a quiet place to get some work done, this is not it.
(2)J L.
I dined here recently to catch up with an old friend over dinner. I hadn't been in maybe 3 years. My memories were always good: there was a beet item I had once at brunch that was super tasty and there was monkfish special that was utterly divine. But then the neighborhood went out of control and there was just too many other places to eat. While Williamsburg's culinary world is besieged with cool chasing mediocrity it was was exciting to find that Roebling Tea Room, despite enjoying its own cool spot reputation, was still committed to good cooking (I think they may have changed chefs since the last time I ate there). I came on a Thursday night and it was packed with your typical Wburg crowd, which nowadays skews more Yuppie than Hipster. We were invited to have drinks at the bar which was also packed but halfway through our beers (of which they had a highly specialized selection) we were seated in a wonderful spot far from the din and clatter. If you ask you shall receive. Out of morbid curiosity I ordered their version of steak tartar as a first course. The menu explained that it contained kewpie (Japanese) mayonnaise and deep fried chickpeas. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to this dish and this rendition sounded like a disaster. I had to find out for myself. Of course it turned out to be actually amazing. The mayonnaise, which I feared would drown out the flavor of the meat in the way the worst mayonnaise based salads tend to, was only mild and added a subtle creamy taste and texture, which when combined with the nutty and fatty crunch of the chickpea was highly addictive. I could have just had this for dinner and fortunately they do offer this dish as a larger portioned entree. For my second course I ordered halibut with poached egg and asparagus. I lower my expectations for dishes like this: fish dishes with asparagus/greens and some kind of clear/white sauce. They are always a bit simple and often leave me with the "I could have just made this at home" feeling. But this, like the steak tartar, was exceptional. The flavors and textures had so much delicacy and nuance, in trying to figure out how I could replicate them at home I was totally stumped. It was a dish that reminded me of the great pleasure of dining out and the rare culinary experiences that can be had. And for me that is the mark of a proper chef. I will say my dinner guest had the hamburger which visually looked underwhelming. He said it was good but he may have just been trying to be positive. If I had to nit pick on something it would be the fact that it was a bit crowded and that did slow down the service. For me, personally, it was not an issue, but if you're impatient it could have been.
(4)Julie O.
Can't wait to go back... Mac n Cheese - out of this world! Specialty cocktails - so amazing! (Stay away from their white wines by the glass though - yikes.)
(4)C B.
OK, yes, sometimes the waitstaff is a bit cold, and the food can take a while to get to you... BUT the ambience is lovely -love how big the place is, and the high ceilings. Plus, once the food does get there, it's great!
(4)Charles P.
The food is terrible, plain and simple. Let's start with my burger: it was definitely seasoned, but it came way overdone, and you can absolutely tell the quality of beef is not that great. It was also small, and the bun...there's just too many things that need to be fixed. The mac and cheese was watery, and dissatisfying. The dessert (which I thought was going to be good) might have been the worst of them all. Vanilla panna cotta drizzled with balsamic vinegar, sounds amazing right? I thought I was eating snot, and the vinegar was generic $5 balsamic vinegar. Just gross.
(2)Freya C.
This place has a great atmosphere. Vintage-style tearoom transplanted within a converted Brooklyn brick warehouse, with modern-industrial fittings. Table seating and low-level lounges surround a central bar, with a small but appealing outdoor patio at the back. The arrangement makes for good people watching (and hipsters constitute the best social typology to observe, so even better). Wasn't too busy for weekend brunch so we were able to be seated immediately. We ordered: The fig and ricotta on toasted baguette sprinkled with dried cranberries, walnuts and dandelion greens drizzled in honey; The smoked salmon on 2-inch thick cut pumpernickle bread garnished with greens, shredded beets and ricotta; The eggs with diced-beets hash and curly-kale, with a side of toast. Not only did it all come speedily delivered, everything was handsomely presented (amazing colour palette) and tasted fantastically fresh. Portions was spot on, perfectly filling but not oversized. All plates were reasonably priced (circa $10). Lively and congenial waiting staff didn't even budge us for at least 30 minutes after we paid, although it was starting to fill up. When we were finally asked if we might open up the table soon, they were very polite and of course we happily obliged. Would love to go back to try some of their teas next time I need an afternoon break in Williamsburg.
(5)Lakshmi R.
I really appreciate it when restaurants/bars accommodate me if I ask for something that isn't on the menu but is also not a totally crazy request. Case in point: I really wanted a dirty gin martini, which was not on their list of cocktails. No problem. The Alexa-Chung-lookalike server procured it for me right away. Score! Points also for: the tastiness of my friends' mac and cheese dish, the brief but well-curated tea menu and overall warm, friendly vibe. Definitely a good place to stop in, especially in the winter!
(4)Mac W.
Food really good, but the bartender lady with the bun on her head needs to learn a lesson in customer service. Such attitude. Could hear every comment she made about every customer. She should get a job in corporate America and be humbled. What an attitude. Does she own the place?
(3)Karley S.
Awful, bitchy service. The food is fine--a similar quality to the many other nice brunch spots in Williamsburg--however the service is abysmal. I went for brunch this morning and the hostess/waitress--a girl with a black bob and bad tattoos--made my friend and I wait a solid 10 minutes before she even spoke to us, while she chatted to friends. She then refused to seat us at a table, despite the fact that many tables were free, claiming she "wasn't able to fill those tables at the moment." Confused, we waited at the bar. When we request to be seated again 10 minutes later, she just completely ignored me, so we just gave up and ate at the bar. Afterward, two friends of ours came and wanted to have brunch, so we requested a table for 4 so that we could all sit together, but again she told us we couldn't sit, even though the restaurant was only half full with many free tables. She was so condescending and bitchy to us that the nice bartender ended up taking $20 off of our final bill to apologize for her behavior. My friends ended up just leaving rather than ordering food, because they felt so insulted by being refused a table in an almost empty restaurant. I've just read back through other reviews of this restaurant, and I'm not surprised to see many other people noting the horrible, patronizing service.
(1)Maricel T.
I've been here twice. First time was for brunch, second time, for dinner. Brunch was better than dinner. It took about 20 minutes for us to get a table and the lighting is a bit dim inside during the day, even with the large windows. I recommend ordering their grits if you're into cheese and garlic. They serve it with cheddar cheese and garlic. It's got a punch to it. For dinner, there wasn't a wait. The place wasn't as crowded like it was for brunch. You could barely see in there. I don't know why they have to keep to the place lit like a movie theatre. It was hard to read the menu. Maybe they didn't want you to see the prices on their over priced entrees. I ordered the half chicken served with kale and mashed potatoes. Sucker cost $16.50. Not worth the price. I also ordered their mac n' cheese. It's not traditional. It was tangy and I think they added tobasco sauce to it. It tasted sour and I didn't enjoy it. I would definitely come back for day food but definitely not for dinner.
(3)Jennica J.
The Bloody Mary's are great! That's about the only reason why I would go back. Everyone was very snobby. We were getting nasty glares left and right! They didn't bring out my food with the rest of the table so I had to eat while everyone else was finished. The granola was bland and wasn't served with the milk that it says it comes with. The place itself is very beautiful and has a nice atmosphere. The others I was with said their food was good but I have to say this place didn't leave a positive impression on me.
(2)Olivia C.
I came here and tried their "Silver Bullet " tea.. I tried it because of it's cool name... If you were to ask me: what is in "Silver bullet" tea? I would tell you that i don't know and I don't care because it was amazing... and it was the only thing that i had here so maybe i'm the wrong person to judge this place overall, but whatever.. i enjoyed my short time spent here so.... you rock roebling
(4)Rae C.
I have mixed feeling about this place. I love their mac & cheese, the burgers are good too. I was a bit irked after my husband and I came here last weekend for Happy Hour. They supposedly have a weekend happy hour from 6-8, 2 for 1 drinks. But beware- we were charged the normal prices for our $12 drinks because the bartender didn't enter our drink order til after 8, mind you we ordered our drinks at 7:30... We tried to refute the charge but the bartender was no where to be seen, perhaps conveniently on break? I felt like this was sneaky. While I like Roebling Tea room, there are plenty of other restaurants in the neighborhood just like this place where I don't feel like I'll be skimped (i.e. Manhattan Inn, Dumont [best mac at Dumont's, btw]). Aside from all of that, the table service was soooo slooooooooooow. Considering the restaurant was pretty empty, I am not sure why it took 45 minutes for a salad to come out. The food was good, but not the best I have ever had. I don't think we'll be coming back here again.
(3)Bill H.
Great atmosphere for brunch. Classic Williamsburg. Food was okay; the cheddar egg was very good. But the soap wasn't washed out of my water cup. No one came to seat me when I waked in. Poor selection of coffee, tea (they really want you to order the higher margin alcohol drinks) Too many other good options to need to visit this spot again for brunch. I'm sure it's an awesome spot for drinks in the evening though with all that ambiance.
(2)Keith T.
The food was good, the beer was cold, the server was wonderful. The crowd leaves a bit to be desired, but that may just be the Manhattanite in me talking. I don't fit in well in Brooklyn. 3 girlfriends and I came here last weekend. We had to wait at the bar for 20-30 minutes before a table opened up, but with a beer in my hand, I didn't mind so much. By the time we left, we had ordered steak tartare, the salad, macaroni and cheese, crostini and a couple of other dishes that I can't remember. We split a bottle of Prosecco and I had another beer. Everything was polished off by a slice of apple pie. I've had better and I've had worse. The best part of the experience was that, even after ordering so much, our bill was barely over $100 for the 4 of us. Great prices. I wasn't overwhelmed by Roebling Tea Room. Nothing was terrible, but nothing jumped out at me so much that I'd want to venture back to Brooklyn to try it again. Maybe some day...
(3)Lisa M.
Very nice place, food is great. Can't wait to go back for the burgers .....
(4)Brian H.
Get the burger... 'nuff said. Oh, and if you really want to go the heart-healthy route, the mac and cheese is pretty f'n good too. You'll thank me for this advice later.... or curse me when doing an extra hour of "guilt-cardio"....
(4)Carlie D.
I made it a point to try the Roebling Tea Room out before I left NYC. I have to say, I am indeed a fan. It's such a good brunch and dinner option. I wish that their waitresses weren't such rude hipsters but when in Williamsburg...
(4)Stephanie V.
My impression of Roebling Tea Room was that it was a fun experience, the food was pretty good (though a bit greasier than I would normally go for) and it could be managed a lot better. I find it kind of silly that a place that serves brunch doesn't allow people to order egg whites. When I tried to get egg whites and cheese on my egg and cheese sandwich, I was told that there were no substitutions allowed. The place was packed to the gills on the Sunday I stopped by for brunch. The food was very good, but also very greasy due to the massive amounts of (delicious) cheese added to everything. I tried a salad with dates, grapefruit and fennel, an egg and cheese sandwich and some of my boyfriend's egg and cheese with grits. The egg and cheese on my sandwich was the same as the egg and cheese that came with his food, only on bread. It was fun eating brunch alongside half of Williamsburg, but I felt the restaurant was understaffed. It was next to impossible to get anyone's attention. There was also a volume issue. The music was pretty loud which probably wouldn't have been as much of a nuisance at night, but it's a little much in the morning. The menu is written in a cryptic manner listing the ingredients in the dishes without mentioning anything about the preparation....which led to a lot of "What do you think this is?" prior to ordering. This is how I ended up ordering an egg and cheese sandwich, it was pretty much the only item on the menu besides the salads and sides that wasn't described with so much artistic license that you really had no idea what you were signing up for. Normally I'd ask, but I wasn't in the mood to holler over the music and I didn't want to engage our waitress in conversation as she seemed to be waiting on half the restaurant by herself. And honestly....I'm still kind of hung up on the egg whites thing.
(3)Diana T.
Beef tartare is fast becoming one of my fave foods (following yogurt and chocolate of course). Roebling Tea Room makes a killer steak tartare-the flavor of the steak is very mild and rich but paired with fried chickpeas which are loaded with Indian seasonings -you may as well have to close your eyes to eat this dish. Wasn't sure if I levitated. Cool Rummings cocktail tasted kind of like a toned down ginger soda with alcohol-very good. (For the record ingredients are actually-Flor de Cana 7yr. / Tuaca / Soda). The cocktail menu looks well put together-a draw for a future visit. My problem with the Roebling Tea room is portions-measly. Ordered the mussels as an appetizer and I could not have gotten more than a handful-it was pitiful. Noticed entrees ordered by other patrons were also disproportionately small. Don't think the burgers come with a side. The risotto appetizer was tasty, just not special enough to have a wow factor. For dessert, we had a chocolate tort that was rich; it was paired with some whipped cream. It was simple yet delectable. The space seems to be a former warehouse- rafters are visible and it is spacious with a high ceiling. Decor tends towards a 50's sensibility (mason jars are used for decoration) and lighting is dim. There is a bar in the middle of the space and an outside garden that I would like to try during my next visit.
(3)Daryll H.
I used to stop by where hen I lived in the 'hood, and apparently never realized how large it was -- there's a ton of space behind the bar. If it looks full, chances are it's not. Sadly this is now on my "list of places to go to break up with somebody," so its utility is otherwise limited..
(3)Jay B.
Great food, drinks and environment, my only knock on Roebling Tea Rooms is that it is a bit overpriced.
(3)Jackie D.
Really cool space and it's nice that they don't cram as many tables as they can - the huge communal / party table looked fun. However... I ordered the apparently fabulous burger, thinking i couldn't go wrong with this one, and the first bite was delicious. Then, I cut the whole thing in half. The middle of this burger was super rare/raw. So I sent it back (I neeever send things back) and was informed they would have to start over with a new burger (sad). 15-20 min later, another burger. I cut it in half first. It was even more undercooked than the first one. I asked if they could just throw this one back on the grill as it had nothing on it this time. No. Restart the process. The third burger was a little bit better. I cut out the center and ate the perimeter. This part was tasty. They did the right thing and apologized and left it off the bill. Hopefully this was just an off night. But you may want to order the burger "well done" if you prefer your burger cooked all the way through. I hate to be a girl about this, but thinner patties would be so much better for ease of cooking and eating (for me); I wish restaurants would offer this option.
(2)Robyn H.
OK so I am editing my frist review of 2 stars to make it 3 because I went for brunch and it was good. But the service still kind of sucked. Like, zero sense of urgency + attitudes. Gross. I feel like I only go there because it's the hip place to go and all my friends always want to go. The first time I ordered food there it was a cheeseburger disaster and they served my requested medium burger to me like raw TWICE-the manager was apologetic but the waitress was rude and nothing was comped. The food is good but if I have to deal with such marginal service, I want the food to better so it's more worth it.
(3)Mr. Robert Dobalina S.
Four stars for most improved Williamsburg establishment. The service was great on the last visit, which is saying a lot. This joint has notoriously petulant wait staff. But out waitress was friendly and helpful and now I don't have to boycott them anymore. Huzzah! The food, which was always good, didn't fail: the smoked salmon on pumpernickel was simple and delicious, and my coffee fabulous.
(4)Tim D.
Eh, the music was too loud, the waitress was a real jerk and the food, while pretty tasty, was not nearly enough for the stupid high price. We were all like, "Hey we've been here for 2 hours, can we get our bill." And they were like, "psssssh, i guess so...ASS" She didn't really call me an ass but her eyes said she was thinking it. At least they serve Dale's Pale Ale.
(1)Morgan D.
Went here in early October with my two gay boyfriends...and I LOVED it!! It's very hipster --skinny jeans--black square framed glasses type, but then again this is Williamsburg. We had about an hour wait, but we spent the time wisely...sitting on the black leather couch in the lounge area downing 2 bottles of white wine. The aura of this place is neat...the wallpaper reminded me of colonial virginia with the small lamps on the wall, kind of tavernish... The menu is very selective...there are about 5 things to choose from, but these 5 things are prepared very very well :) We had a fabulous time here and our waitress was awesome! A little pricey but a great time nonetheless!
(4)Felipe P.
Amazing brunch experiences happened in here. The baked cheddar eggs are excellent and I love the choice of cocktails. Supercoffee is superb, and it only gets better. Teas of course are great too. Service is always friendly and we love the overall ambience. I felt that the menu was a bit limiting when not during brunch time, but their mac and cheese with bacon is probably the best one I have ever had...a heart attack on a plate, but sometimes is just what I need.
(5)Lisa B.
My previous review stands on its own merit, and this review is just for their brunch which gets the same number of stars. I read about the brunch but was scared off by reports of the long wait for a table. Today I woke up to icky, cold rain and realized that it's the perfect time to go here for brunch. Hunch was right on...we got a seat right away. The place felt sooo cozy because of the decor and the contrast with the ugly weather outside. We shared a grapefruit/feta etc. salad which was delicious (tho the greens could have used an extra wash). I got the baked cheddar eggs which come in a little ramekin. What a perfect way to eat eggs! It comes with another little ramekin of grits with some cheese on top. I'm a yankee so the appeal of grits is lost on me and I also won't judge the quality, but it was a nice addition. The bread was two huge chunks of really wonderful and healthy bread. My dining companion got the lox which came with thick slabs of excellent, dense pumpernickel bread, cream cheese, a little bit of beet salad, scallions. The lox was thickly sliced with a beautiful buttery texture and the perfect smoky fishiness....in other words, real lox. Other reviews have complained about the hipster-attitude wait staff but I didn't find it that bad at brunch. Our waitress seemed low-key but it wasn't a problem, it didn't feel like attitude, just lazy, no-hype Sunday.
(4)Justin V.
This is definitely one of my favorite places to drink. I've never eaten here, but I enjoy the atmosphere very much and they have quality beers on tap (Allagash, Dale's Pale Ale), which of course is very important to me. I've only been here at night, and it is always quite filled up. The only light that is present is the candles on the tables and the lights from the kitchen in the back; a very romantic, yet energetic atmosphere. At the back of the building is a lounge area that is very comfortable, so in my experience the people that are sitting near are very relaxed and open to conversation; so maybe it can be a good place to meet people. I'm always excited about visiting here. I think it is a perfect spot for a date, but also a great place to have relaxed conversation with friends and possibly strangers as well.
(5)Nikki H.
I've been here numerous times before today when I went in for lunch. I started to get really hesitant to suggest going here because I was certain that a requirement to work here was "Never fucking hurry!!!!" I mean, 3 hours for tea and sandwiches seems a bit ridiculous. I know this is Williamsburg, and the staff is probably hungover from a night of cocaine and sparks, or they are stoned, but geez, they were SLOW. Well, someone got the memo to change their ways and today was a much better job. I think I only had to wait an hour. I'd give more stars for decor, tea selection, and pretty decent food, but I'm still bitter from the past experiences.
(3)sarah d.
(Brunch review only.) Roebling Tea Room has tasty food, a convenient location, and cute decor (waitstaff included). The baked cheddar eggs mentioned in many reviews are tasty and cheesy; but the real star of that entree is the fennel raisin toast with apple butter. I highly recommend ditching the baked cheddar egg entree and instead customizing an egg and cheese sandwich (with bacon!) to include that fennel raisin toast. The salty and the sweet combine to create a brunchy superfoodgasm that will take the edge off of any crankiness incurred by the inattentive service. Also a word of warning; the "crispy potato" side is not homefries; its potato chips. Tasty and housemade, but still, a different food. While (as a Tearoom), they've got an extensive tea menu, they also have amazing coffee. Seriously, the americano is one of the best cups of coffee I've ever had. The first time I came here for brunch I came back in the afternoon because I couldn't resist the call of that americano. It is rich, smooth, almost chocolatey, and so strong that no amount of milk can triumph over it. As for the service...they always take your order fairly promptly and bring out the food fairly promptly. After that you'll have to do some arm waving or eye catching to flag down your server if you want something, otherwise you could end up living the rest of your life at that table. But, this doesn't really bother me. They feed me promptly and are sweet when you can catch them; thats good enough for me. Also recommended to try: Ricotta with fig paste, smoked salmon plate.
(4)Sydney K.
I've been here for drinks more times than I can count, but I never wrote a review because I really wanted to try the food. I finally did just that this past weekend and absolutely loved it. Yes, their cocktails are fantastic, and the decor is beautiful, the food is on another level. We had the egg and corn raviolo, which was creamy and salty and absolutely perfect for dunking the big hunk of foccacia in that is served with it. Next was the tuna tartare with fried chickpeas, also served with crusty bread (give me bread or lose me forever), which was fresh and delicious. My husband and I split the duck, which was served with chorizo and clams - unexpected, perfectly cooked, and the best way ever to end a meal. We had to wait a while for our check, and our waitress kept passing by us as we stared at her with our empty drinks obviously waiting to leave, but I don't even care because I left fat and happy. This is a great romantic spot or a place to take your parents if they are in town and treating to dinner.
(4)Kyle D.
It's currently getting harder to say what the best Brooklyn restaurant is these days, but I have certainly come back to this one the most and its truly rewarding in so many ways each and every time. In terms of stylistic and artist approach they've essentially nailed it. The music used to be better at dinner time, but I remember going one afternoon with Satie overhead. I think it would strike certain employees and eaters as strange to play more quiet or classical music here, but it fits the food and wine (and tea) experience to a T (tea) ... I brought some Canadian lackeys here recently and they were blown over. I usually recommend it to anyone staying in the fillet of the Williamsburg neighborhood. Definitely one of the prime cuts of Brooklyn here. I think it's difficult for them to add an up to the date (second) menu online for them as they are constantly making new and very interesting changes and variants to their dishes. They had so many superb variants on a pork chop about a year or so ago that it nearly killed this old goober head. I love thy place and strongly commend and recommend.
(5)Amy R.
Sigh. Roebling Tea Room was my favorite brunch spot of all time, simply because of the cheddar eggs dish. I would wake up hungover on many-a Sunday morning craving the cheesy grits and apple butter. I went back for a one-year anniversary brunch with my BF and was appalled to see that the cheddar eggs were removed from the menu. Now, I must search for a new favorite brunch destination. Le sigh.
(2)Jacqueline S.
Egg dishes here tend to be the best, but obviously the teas are fantastic (I prefer the lychee tea). Veg friendly, but not so vegan friendly (limited). Never had a problem with servers. I think it's a little overpriced for what you get, especially compared to spots around the area.
(4)Lisa N.
Dear Roebling, You are pretty alright by me. Red flannel hash is pretty amazing, although I wish your portion was slightly bigger...more beets please! Oh and desmicious baguette toast with butter and jam! YUM! You are fantastic for brunch and also lovely for dinner. I honestly don't think you have ever disappointed me. What happened to the cinnamon toast? My guy friends like the level they are seated at because they can turn their head and have a fantastic waitress butt in the face. True story. x
(5)Rosa S.
I wanted to like this place. I really did. It's in a great neighborhood, the waitress was friendly and very helpful, and the service was good. The food, on the other hand, was abysmal. I had the Journeyman's Steak, medium-well, which is how I always get my steaks. It came out hard and bloody. It was like eating into a car tire. I spent half the time struggling to cut into the steak with my knife and the other half trying to chew it. Not fun at all. I was here on a date and couldn't unwind because I was, for one, worried that I looked like a cow grazing on grass. That's how tough this steak was. The fries that came with the steak were the only highlight of the meal. I asked the waitress for mustard and received the most delicious dijon mustard I have ever had. At that point, I gave up on the steak and just ate fries. The fries were very good, which is why this place is getting 2 stars instead of one. At least something was edible. I might go back for their fries with their amazing mustard, but as for a meal? Nope.
(2)Terry J.
Pros Great atmosphere, well designed, beautiful outdoor seating. Full Bar Food is delicious and priced nicely The staff is attractive Great place to bring a date Cons The food isn't amazing If you eat there for dinner, bring night vision goggles The staff, although they are nice on the eyes, are not very nice. Overall, I think they have got a good thing going on.
(4)Jm J.
it is a beautiful space with nice background music and ambient and it is very nice to seat there, the food is very tasty and worth the price. large portion. interesting creations. the cocktails on the other hand where weak and not good choices.
(4)Mateo S.
I've been here several times for lunch, and I never realized they had a late night scene, or served dinner/drinks for that matter. My friend suggested it for a pre-wedding dinner last night and it was a very pleasant surprise. Four of us arrived around 9:30, to a packed room, with no reservations, but were sat within a very reasonable twenty minutes. While we waited we had delicious ginger fizz cocktails at the bar. This place gets very loud and the menu is pretty cryptic- no prices, no food descriptions... just single headings: pasta, steak, fish, salad #1, salad #2, so communicating with a server can be a frustration. She was attentive, but had to reference a cheat sheet often to give us pricing or entree details. Just list it all out on the menu! That said, that is one of my only quibbles. The food was outstanding and super fresh. I started with a dozen oysters and then a beet salad with Stilton and walnuts. I ordered the entree portion of the steak tartare- thick cut and enlivened with the creative addition of fried chickpeas (but perhaps a few too many capers). It was huge... if I returned I would order the appetizer portion. I'm not usually a dessert person but the vanilla panna cotta was one of the most memorable I have eaten recently. The room is drop dead gorgeous, the bathrooms, not so much. Multiple stalls are crammed into a unisex space that would comfortably accommodate just one. It creates an awkward and uncomfortable experience, not to mention a crowded one!
(4)Christine L.
uggggh I had a good time but I think that was only due to the good company I was keeping since when do you turn huevos rancheros into bean soup with grits on the bottom? the waitress did not describe the "drunk beans" in a way that would make me think they were soup. and it didn't come with a tortilla or anything so we had to order biscuits which is just... unnecessary. also I had 2 cups of coffee and am still not awake from it. ALSOOOO we were a party of 6 so yes, they added tip, which was 20% (?!) which really pissed me off because the waitress deserved at THE MOST, 10%. and I'm generous! eh. well, the biscuits were good and I heard the buddha finger (heh) tea was tasty as well.
(2)JaShin T.
My friend told me about this place, so I decided to try it out. When I walked in, I really liked the vibe. It's a nice open space with tables in the front and side and a more loungey area with sofas behind the bar. I could see myself sitting here working on my laptop if I lived in the area. Ordered the recommended chai latte while waiting for my two friends, and that was delicious. When we finally sat down to eat, I was a bit disappointed. The food wasn't anything special. One friend ordered the salted cod hash brown, and it came out look like two jelly donuts, except it was all potato...kinda like mashed potatoes shaped into a donut and mixed with very little salt cod. My other friend ordered the recommended BIG pancake. It was tasty but definitely too large for one person and very cakelike. I ordered the red fennel hash which was cubes of potatoes mixed with beets and goat cheese and two friend eggs on top. Mine was the tastiest out of all of them, but still not impressive. The best things we had were the teas. So I'd recommend this place if you're looking for a place to do some light work (it's a bit loud in there) or just chill with some friends over some drinks or tea. Good atmosphere.
(3)Rebecca S.
Just came here for drinks with friends the other night so I cant comment on the food. the big table in the back was perfect for our big party. However, my friend saw a giant cockroach in the bathroom. I realize this is BK and yes there are roaches everywhere, but still.
(3)Lee J.
The space is pretty and airy. Too bad that the staff seems catty. It's just not my kind of place. I've been a couple times and could never feel comfortable. I won't be going back. Food is pretty good but nothing earth shattering. Comfort food with a twist.
(2)Juha U.
This is one of the many casual places within minutes walk from our place. I've gone there every now and then since I moved here in 2006. I really like the place. It's cozy and comforable inviting one to stay for a long time. I also very much like these places where you can equally well have a cup of coffee (very good), a glass of wine or beer (a pretty decent selection), or some food (not super, but basically healthy).
(4)cobra c.
One of my favorite cheeseburgers in ny! why? they use mcdonalds secret sauce, EDIT last time i ate there the burger was not so good
(3)Craig P.
i like tea. i might even say at times i love it. i don't know the fancy names of many of them but i do own a teapot in the shape of an owl with matching tea cups that upon filling, are rendered too hot to hold. so yes tea would seem to be the topic of this review given that this establishment's name is aptly titled "roebling tea room". enough about tea. i'd like to suggest we rename this place "roebling HELLA DANQ BURGER ROOM" OMG the burger was so good. soooo gooood. like i pretty much only will order the burger there because it's just that good to me. we all have different opinions on what makes a burger good so i'm not going to bore you with my version but let me just say these few words. perfect juicyness from the right fat to meat ratio Blue cheese mmmm awesome bun ok you're bored. shut it. go here and get the burger. seriously. oh and some tea.
(4)Eric M.
Roebling Tea Room is pretty much everything that all the reviewers so far have said. So let me reiterate some points. The hipster waitresses are right out of American Apparel, though they have always been nice and attentive when I needed them. The tea selection is great and the food is always fresh and appealing. I recommend coming here at night and grabbing a seat for a while and just chatting it up. It is a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy one and others company. As for the comment that everyone is prettier than you at this place, I found that hard to prove as it is so dark that you can typically only see the person sitting right in front of you. Everyone looks pretty in the dark.
(4)Katherine R.
J'adore Roebling Tea Room. I moved to Williamsburg less than six months ago. There are a million wonderful restaurants, many with good weekend brunch deals, but week after week I find myself back at Roebling Tea Room. Why? I love the space. I love the sunlight pouring through the windows, making you squint as you sip your perfect tall Bloody Mary. I love the baked cheddar eggs; the cheese-topped grits; the smoky bacon; the smoked salmon plate with the thick slices of pumpernickel, beet relish, cream cheese and capers. There's a delicious gourmet-style burger -- the super thick and juicy variety, served with your choice of cheese and a tangy sauce. And the baguette. My god, the baguette. Lightly toasted, perfectly crusty, side of butter. I fantasize about the baguette all week. Weekday lunch has some of the same staples as the brunch menu, but adds some gems, like a delicious steak tartare, more cubed than minced, accompanied by slices of fried (fried!) bread and deviled eggs. At dinner, the steak tartare comes in an entree-sized portion with crunchy chickpeas and capers. I've had a delicious, moist chicken with a crisp, salty skin, served with kale and a soft dumpling. For dessert, I've had a slice of glazed toffee cake topped with fresh whipped cream and a few sprigs of mint. Basically, the food is delightful, the space is ambient, the crowd is appreciative and hipster-y. The service can be a bit slow, but then, the restaurant can be a bit busy. I usually have to wait about 10 minutes for a table during prime brunch time on weekends; I've never had to wait during lunch or dinner time. But I would wait. Because it's worth it. The tea's good too.
(5)ashley h.
This place in delicious, and they serve Brunch 7 days a week which is genius, but what's up with the service?? I mean all the servers are totally nice, but does management require them to smoke a joint before they come in? Seriously, look alive people!
(4)Nathan L.
Love this place, love the space, feel like I can concentrate here....like that it's slightly off the main drag....great burger, nice salads, kicking mac and cheese.....staff is super sweet if slightly cool for school which is par for the course cos it's Wburg. I have kicked it there on my lonesome and have rolled up with a group of like 15 people, and they're always welcoming. Yup I dig this beautiful place, would give it 5 if they had truly killer desserts. Which they don't. Otherwise a fantastic, home away from home kinda spot.
(4)Justine M.
Man oh man. So much potential wasted on attitude and plain rudeness. The place is beautiful - interior is thoughtful, elegant and fun. It is only overshadowed by the dreamy back porch... so damn charming. Basically, my idea of interior design heaven is this place. Sadly, the attitude of most people who work here keeps me away. I have been here over 5 times and last night was the first time I had a nice bartender. Two weeks ago in fact, a hostess basically told my table to leave. We would have ordered more, but instead all decided we would never dine here again. In summation: Go for the decor, but do not expect screaming or even pleasant customer service.
(2)Jennifer G.
epic burger win.
(5)ryan b.
Likes: Atmosphere, Location (1 block from me), Lighting is low Dislikes: Food is not very good or predictable. For example, ordered a burger one day and it came out on Brioche with trimmings etc. Ordered the same burger another day and it came out on a wonder bread hamburger bun with nothing but meat and bread, and the bread was not even toasted. They have some good beers and I'll still pop in but the food is just not that great. Service is also a bit slow, easy to get passed by or ignored if you don't stand up and shout.. Bartenders tend to roam around.. I think it could be something to do with the way the prep stations are right there with the bar.. Hard to say. They could definitely stand to have a group huddle and turn it around, but from the looks of it, business is still booming anyway.
(3)Jen H.
Awesome brunch, awesome bloody Mary's, awesome atmosphere!
(5)Todd D.
We went here with some friends who live in the city. This place is awesome. The food was excellent. The place is cool. It was full, but we had a short wait. We all shared food, and tasted each others drinks. Everything we tried was great. Favorite drink was was the Homer's Vacation. You can request "how many days off" which reflects drink size. Let's just say i did a lot of relaxing with this particularly delicious concoction. Definitely check this place out.
(5)Ann B.
I really like the decor of this place. The outdoor seating is nice in the summer. The lighting is always soft and pretty. I come here for brunch and dinner fairly often. The food is good and just creative enough. It's reasonably priced. They do really good things with figs and fishes. The only complaint I have, which expands to most places in Williamsburg, is that the wait staff always has a little more attitude than they should. But I generally find them nice and friendly.
(4)Meg W.
Gorgeous space. Wall paper and exposed brick painted white give the decor a light and elegant feeling. The seating arrangements are well thought out allowing for an impromptu pig pile where the couches are, or equally good for those who desire an intimate dinning experience tucked away in a darkly lit corner. Speaking of darkly lit this place is TOTALLY, inappropriately dark, don't bring your parents here- they will bitch about it (oh and minus a star for that b/c it's hard to see the menu). Tea Room uses the finest local ingredients and it shows as the overall quality of the meats, cheeses, breads, and other ingredients are top notch. For an appetizer we had the goat cheese and tapenade served on toast. Had I been with a more adventurous dinning partner I would have opted for the frogs legs and snails. For my main coarse I had the trout which was sprinkled with hazel and pie nuts. Odd combination but great texture, and the taste of the brown butter was zaftiglicious . The service was impeccable and well versed on the menu. The BF dropped his fork on the floor and a waitress was there within seconds quietly replacing his tainted fork. But, get this, she heard it from across the room with the music on. Like the Govenator once said, "I'll be back." For brunch, frogs legs, and CASCADING snails.
(4)Dennis T.
Can I just say that I love everything about Williamsburg? Because I do! Apparently the hipster capital of the world, but I don't mind. I love the area; I love the local shops and eateries. It's just a great place to be. We stopped by the Tea Room for dinner. We were starving. I've never seen a restaurant so dark before. Lit with VERY low lights and candles. To be honest, it did create a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. Somewhere I would totally take a date for a very chill dinner. Upon looking at the menu, the prices were moderate to a little pricey. Not bad. I ordered the Journeyman Steak with a side of potato salad. We proceeded to wait the longest I have ever waited for a meal. I don't know whether or not this was the usual wait time or if it was because we had a large party in front of us. Either way, the wait was soooooooo brutal. When our meal did come out. Even though I could barley see it. It smelled incredible. My steak came out a little to well done, but the sauce it was draped in was AMAZING. The potato salad wasn't all that. I got to snake a few bites of the mashed potatoes and I instantly wished I had ordered that as my side instead. It was so good! So in conclusion, the food was great, the wait was not. And I loved the ambience of the restaurant.
(4)Eric B.
Holy sh*t! I f#%king love this place! I met a friend for dinner and drinks on a cold, drizzly day. I had never been before. It has a very warm and inviting atmosphere, generous and friendly bartenders/waitstaff, and excellent food and drinks. What's this hipster hating? NIce people are just nice people. And good food is just as self-evident. Scallop ceviche and blowfish tail? Sign me up! The food was excellent in taste and presentation. I wish Roebling Tea Room was in my neighborhood because I would be here every day, maybe not to eat every day because the prices might make it a special occasion restaurant for many but it was so comfortable it felt like home. Plus it has a great wine list, local beer and whiskeys, communal bar and patio benches, and a cozy dining area. Roebling Tea Room, you have ruined me forever!
(5)Alf O.
Very cool hangout spot.
(4)Rachel M.
Had dinner here the other night for the first time. It exceeded my expectations. They have a great selection of beers on draft - had a Kronenbourg- very yummy. For my meal I ordered the chicken - top 5 best meals I have had in the city. I cleaned my plate! The atmosphere is also really nice - great lighting, cute decor, and they had the windows open to let in the breeze. Just watch out for the hipsters! I would definitely go back - maybe try the brunch one weekend
(5)