Brick Cafe

I went there tonight because I knew this place around the corner for years as a BAR. Now, they think that they are hot stuff and consider themselves a restaurant??? Let me explain. First off their menu is printed so small so no one can read, even with GLASSES!!! The lights are dimmed attempting to create a romantic atmosphere but there is one caveat: it does not feel romantic at all and actually feels frustrating when you want to see what's on the menu and with the lights so dim you feel you are damn blind!!! So I asked the waitress for the specials. She mentioned about ""Mayan Shrimp"" appetizer indicating that they are 3 shrimps that are bigger than jumbo shrimps. So, we ordered salads and that shrimp (BWY the shrimps were NOT bigger than jumbo shrimps), main course and dessert. Everything seemed OK when we were hit with the bill. We could have dined at a very nice, romantic and upscaley restaurant with that price tag! That shrimp that was an appetizer cost us a price of a regular main course! What??? I though there was some misunderstanding and asked to speak to a manager. I explained to the manager that they should have included the shrimp appetizer as main course dish in their menu because of the price they charge for that appetizer and stated that it was outrageous to pay the price of an appetizer equal to a main course dish. This manager remained unwavered and thanked me for my comments??? He did not even attempt to adjust the bill. Overall, it was a disappointment and I won't go there again which I told the manager. He said OK. So, if they don't give a damn about me spending my wallet in there why should I give a damn going back there. There are so many nicer restaurants with good food and outstanding service. When you spend a lot of money on food you may want your food and the service be on the same level. It just wasn't. Well, you learn from your experience and the notion that Astoria cafes and restaurants/diners have is so overrated - they think they are the best (like the Greeks say), but guess what, they are RIP-OFFS!! And while we walked out of that place, I immediately realized why their lights were so dim and the menu prints so small - there is a trick there my friends, and the trick is for us NOT to be able to see what's on their menus so then we will be HIT by a HUGE BILL!!! That manager should go do some other job - he is just not fit for that type of job. He thought I owed him something!!! Check out for some other better restaurants - there are so many out there with an accommodating and welcoming spirit! I would give a 0 rating but since there is none I have to go with 1 star. more

My wife and I really enjoyed the homemade pasta and love to order their daily fish specials....Wine selection is fabulous as well as their beer selection....Always has a good vibe and lots of energy....Lastly, it remains consistent with its service and food quality!!!! Pros: fair prices, generous portions and efficient servers more

i don't know about you but when i go to a restaurant, it's because i'm hungry and i'm hoping for a decent meal. After eating here i wished i went to McDonald's instead. I could've made their food better if i cooked it at home. It was such a disappointment. If you have any decent taste in food, i suggest you don't bother with this place unless you're planning to sit and have a bottle of wine. that's the MOST i would do here. i'm surprised it's still open. Pros: ambience Cons: food more

We had a great salad for an app - it was delicious! My boyfriend's entree was very good also, however, my dish was nothing but horrible! I had the duck - so do not order that dish from there - the meat was discusting, but the side was great also - the seasoned mashed potatoes ;). The waitress was a little pushy - it seems like they have bad management - they made her read out of a piece of paper the specials for the day - that was like a poem that we were not interested in listening to, but felt like we had to... Altogether, with the exception of the good/bad service, and great/bad food, it is a great place, however the food is just a little too pricey! more

I went to Brick a number of times. The food is nothing special but it?s one of the nicest places I?ve ever been to in Astoria. I?ve tried their burgers and all main dishes with seafood ? they were all pretty good. I also tried their chocolate cake but it was mediocre. Overall, I think it?s overpriced and it can get really crowded. Once my mom and I had to wait for at about 15 minutes because all small tables were taken and they didn?t want to sit us at a table for 4 people (which was what they ended up doing eventually?). There is also one rather obnoxious waitress who likes reciting menu specials even if you tell her right away that you already know what you want to order. Other than that, the service is pretty good. Pros: ambience Cons: desserts, prices, noise (sometimes) more

I just had dinner with my boyfriend last night at Brick Cafe. It was our first time going, and because I was so pleased by the experience I decided to write my first ever review on citysearch. The atmosphere for one thing is very cosy and warm. We went on a Saturday night, so the restaurant was full and had that energy of good friends going out for a good meal together. Secondly, the service was great. Our waitress was obviously very knowledgeable of both the food on the menu and the wine selection, and was able to recommend both a delicious and affordable bottle of wine as well as the very tasty rigatoni with veal ragu which was very satisfying. My boyfriend had the homemade gnocchi and added some bits of prosciutto to it , with the suggestion of the waitress, which really made the meal. I'm very glad we stumbled upon this restaurant and look forward to planning another dinner there soon. Overall the atmosphere is superb, the staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and the prices are worth what you get. Pros: Service Cons: prices, although relatively reasonable more

We went for appetizers and dessert a few months ago. The drinks were good & the apps were great. For dessert, we ordered the ""Chocolate Bomb."" It sounded good, but when we got it, it was stale & rather tasteless. The very sweet waitress immediately removed it, asked if we'd like something else (we ordered the crepes, which were wonderful), and said she'd remove it from our bill. Apparently, when she informed the manager, he made her return to the table and find out exactly what was wrong with it. Perhaps we should have been more forceful, but we just said that the taste was bland and the consistency was unappetizing. The manager then refused to remove it from the bill, stating that it was exactly as described on the menu. Now this was patently untrue and it seems extremely shortsighted for a manager to refuse to comp an inadequate portion of the meal, especially if it's a $6 dessert. And to ask the waitress to return to find out exactly what the problem is--absolutely classless. I've waited tables & when there is a problem, the MANAGER goes to the table to get the specifics: that is not a responsibility to be delegated. This guy forced the poor server to relay the decisions that he made from ""on high.""\r \r Anyone could have a bad night, so we returned to Brick a month later with another couple. As before, the service was great; however, the manager displayed remarkably poor leadership. It was a special occasion, for which I had brought a *very* nice bottle of wine to have with dinner ('82 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild). He refused to allow the server to open it. Now ordinarily, I would never do that, but it's a very special bottle of wine for a very special occasion (engagement!), AND i offered to pay a corkage fee equal to the most expensive bottle in their cellar. Again, the apps were great (shrimp, especially!), server was nice. Pasta was okay (I can make better). We didn't order dessert.\r For a neighborhood place, this kind of service is unacceptable. Pros: great appetizers, crepes Cons: the manager's customer service more

I moved in NYC from France 7 years ago, working as chef in small Manhattan restaurant and spending a lot of time out dinning and looking for new ideas. I am so happy becouse I discovered Brick Cafe, the unique place in whole Astoria. Their food is more then good, selection of drinks is great but a friendly service is something that it makes me go back there every week! When I am in Brick I feel like home, I wish they don't change ever ! Pros: Brick chocolate bomb Cons: Tasty Sangria! more

The food tastes maybe one step above wedding food. \r The service is really inconsistent. There are a few staff members who are amazing, but far and few between.\r We've been long time customers and each time we go there we become a little more disappointed.\r Skip it. Go to Locale. Pros: location Cons: The Food, The Prices, The Service more

whoa, guys, they did the same thing to me! Took my cake, stuck it in a\r fridge, and then were all like, ""Cake? What cake?"" And then I noticed they had \r cake crumbs around their mouths and frosting on their fingers. so let \r this be a warning to all you cake-carrying peeps out there: leave your cakes \r at home!!! Pros: nice ambience, wonderful wine, glorious cocktails Cons: they steal your cake more

I am hooked on Brick Cafe. After going there for brunch one Saturday, we have been returning every week. I have tried quite a few things on their menu and they are all so good that I am hard-pressed to pick favorites. The Caprese Salad is a lovely start, as is the Bruschetta. The Tuna Carpaccio is so light and delicious. The panini are tasty, but the burger is fantastic. Go to Brick if you've not already -- enjoy wonderful food and a bottle of wine in the sun if it is nice enough to sit outside. Pros: great food, outdoor seating Cons: inconsistent service - sometimes poor, but often good more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Astoria. It is consistently good. The food is delicious, the atmosphere and service are great. more

We've eaten here several times over the last few years and have found no significant improvements in the food. The menu remains largely the same and the food is not well-prepared with the pasta generally being overcooked. The food also lacks flavor like creamy cheese sauces lacking the distinct bite of gorgonzola. Despite the lack of inspiration the place is packed and the waitstaff can be spread quite thin, but at least they are very nice and helpful. Pros: Nice staff, good wine list Cons: Mediocre food, cramped seating more

I perused some of the other reviews & can see how some of the negative reactions could happen. I dined on a Sat. nite @ Brick Cafe' w/ my bf. He ordered the seafood chowder to start & the veal for his entree. I ordered the Caesar salad to start & the gnocci w/ gorgonzola cheese sauce. I liked the bread brought to our table while we were deciding what to order. If the service is slow there, then my bf & I are superslow b/c we were so busy trying to narrow down many delicious sounding choices that we couldn't decide on & our server was sweet enough to indulge us 'til we finally ordered the 3rd time she came to our table where we were already enjoying a btl. of wine. Not a gnocci fan, I truly only ordered them b/c the Gorgonzola cheese sauce reminded me of an Italian trattoria back in my hometown that was served over cheese tortellini, so I had to indulge that yearning for that creamy Gorgonzola zip. The gnocci covered w/ the sauces was so tasty that I actually really enjoyed the gnocci. My bf loved his dish as well. I thought it to be quite flavorful as well. The entire place was hoppin' & you could see it was hectic, but we'd gotten a decent seat on the covered patio. All in all, we had a really pleasant xperience & will prob. go back again. Pros: Awesome Gorgonzola Sauce, Reasonably Priced Btls. of Wine Cons: Busy, Crowd Noise more

Good for brunch and a night out with friends. The service can be slow, but the food is pretty good. I really like their baccala and polenta appetizer. Wine list could be better. Pros: Good food. Nice place. Fun in the summer. Cons: Service can be slow. Meat dishes are often over done. more

We love this place. Been going here for a few years now. The food, atmosphere and service are great. My only complaint is that the menu never really changes. Pros: Ambience, Service, Food Cons: Need some new dishes more

This was one of the first places I had gone too since I have moved to astoria and I have found that the place had a nice atmosphere. but the service was sub-par and the food was nothing special. It was recommended to me, which may be why I had such high hopes. it was a bit of a let down. when my wife and I first walked in for dinner, the hostess was not polite and did not seem to care. There was a larger party waiting to be seated before us and they took priority. it was a saturday night and the music was too loud for my taste. the place was also way too crowded to eat confortably. Pros: atmosphere Cons: service more

My wife was introduced to Brick Cafe a month ago by a friend. They went for brunch enjoyed themselves. The next week, my wife and I went there for dinner. With the exception of the door always flying open in the cold wind, it was very nice. \r So, when a group of us (12) wanted to throw a surprise birthday party for a close friend on a Tuesday night recently, I recommended Brick Cafe. \r My wife, an expert baker, and the celebrant's close friend, wanted to make her a cake and bring it in. \r This is where the trouble began. First, Brick wanted to refuse. Well, all right. They have a point. But, then they agreed, but wanted to charge us 35.00 for the privelege.\r \r Okay. Well, which is it?\r \r Here's where it got really nasty, though. When we asked if they could waive the charge, saying that, in a short four weeks time, we were bringing in a total of 16 covers, that we live close by, that we eat out a great deal, that the group would balk and go somewhere else, we were told, flat-out, 'We don't need your business.'\r \r Wow. \r Nice. \r You don't allow food to be brought in? Or, you just want to charge us for the privelege? Pick a policy. I can understand either one. \r But, telling your customers to go take a hike? \r I about sh*t a 'Brick'. Pros: Serviceable food from a rather generic cafe Cons: Service with more attitude than is acceptable more

It was so nice to find this place my accident ...after dinner we were looking for a place to have a last drink no loud music or dress code ..what a nice place so relaxing and cozy..We are coming back for brunch!!!!!\r keep it up Pros: everything Cons: the night had to end more

i love this place. great brunch, dinner, everything. reasonable prices. seating outside. its all good! more