Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen

I have read my fair share of Citysearch reviews and over time, you come to expect that people tend to post at the extremes. As a local Forest Hills area resident, I find it just amazing, if not entirely predictable, that some individuals would post such extremely negative reviews about a restaurant that is turning out consistently delicious food in a fun, sophisticated yet cozy and relaxing neighborhood environment, beloved by so many, and such a welcome fixture to the Metropolitan Ave area Forest Hills dining scene. So I have to express some positive energy about this place myself as a local who loves good food and appreciates staying close to home every now and then instead of trekking constantly into Manhattan for a great night out. Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen IS one of my favorite restaurants in Queens and in all of NYC for that matter! Those of us who like to go out and dine, drink some good wine, eat some good food, have been waiting for a place of this caliber locally for a long time. There is nothing pretentious about this restaurant. I have found the service to be warm and friendly, way more so than most restaurants in Queens or Manhattan. The menu is a fantastic mix of everything from chacuterie and cheese boards, to small plates, salads and larger entrees. The wine list is wide ranging, fun and affordable. And the signature dishes deliver night after night. I have been here several times. Though hardly a regular, every visit has been a great evening of food and wine. You've undoubtedly heard about the chicken under a brick. Suffice it to say that I do not order chicken out, unless it is the chicken under a brick at Danny Brown's. Now I'll tell you something else about myself. I gave up eating burgers years ago. Too much disappointment over lack of flavor and increasing awareness and concern about the source of our ground meat. One night, I went for the burger at Danny Brown's. Served on an English muffin, accompanied by delicious shoestring bistro fries, it was possible the juiciest, most succulent and flavorful burger I have ever eaten. I was so taken by the high quality and flavor of this $14 burger, I returned a few months later and ordered it again, with company, accompanied by a fine bottle of red wine. The hostess permitted us to taste several wines before settling on a bottle to accompany our burgers. Yes, our burgers. Doesn't get much better than that. And my faith in great burgers has been restored! There is something for everyone at this restaurant and you can basically spend as much or as little as you feel like. Enjoy yourself! more

There is no way DB is among the best restaurants in Queens. It might be, however, one of the best restaurants in Forest Hills, and that is really not saying much. more

DB is amongst one of the best restaurants in Queens. The service is excellent, fast without being pushy, refined without being snobbish. The menu is innovative, yet recognizable and the meats, cheeses and wines are not only an amazing variety, but also of amazing taste and quality. more

my rating of 1 star is generous! i have spent probably an average of one thousand dollars a month here, which translates into once a week as an average. i have noticed a steady decline in the quality of their selections, especially their meats. when they first opened it seemed as though it was prime, since definitely choice, and surprisingly ""select"" one of the lower grades of beef. i guess danny feels his preparation of the food will fool us!\r i have sent back sirlon steak au priove, and hanger steak several times. \r the cheese board is boring and overpriced as well, espcially their weekly specials hoping to confuse people with fancy french names whereas it is merely a form of basic french goat cheese at most.\r the apetizers are somewhat interesting but mostly boring, especialy the salads.\r he is majorly ""understaffed"" in servers, and bus help.\r he is also ""not"" obliging for customers who may be allergic to potatos, he will either not serve it, with no substitute, or serve it and make you buy a $5.00 platter of arugula! do you really need the $5 dollars!!!\r yes the flights are exciting, but ""irregular"" as far as fullness goes, and often the bartender gets argumentative about it. should i pay you 25 cents more?\r no sooner do you put your wine glass down and your hand is nearly cutoff with a waiter seemingly hiding behind a wall waiting to grabe your glass....it is very comical. \r besides the entrees being a little overpriced, especially for the glorified food he is trying to portray, the simple deserts are way past conversation. go to carvel across the street. all in all this restaurant ""did"" have potential, it is actually sad how a restaurantaur trys so hard at the begining, and then loses it when the ""ego"" comes in. oh yes the ego that is conveyed throughout his ""everchanging staff"". it starts with audrey the snobbish extremely rude hostess. she needs a lessen in hospitality. the everchanging bartenders pick up on her rudeness as well. not what you would expect in a ""neighborhood"" restaurant. i guess they forget that. danny might be a nice guy but he doesnt allow you to see it. he nevers comes over to a table to greet you. he comes across as ""standoffish"" as though he cant be bothered! i guess it comes fromhis mother, who actually is charming when you get to know her.....but you can see the french snobbish way starts there. but as least she comes to talk and greet. one of the other posts eluded to the house ever buying you a return drink.....are you kidding most patrons talk from table to table and actually say how ""cheap"" they are there. they will and have never bought a drink and i have spent over $25,000 there over a few years since they opened. .......but no more....no more abuse....when i and we go out to eat...we wish to be treated like a human being, not like cattle.\r ashame! maybe they should buy a hospitality book.\r the italians believe in breaking bread...that means sharing back....a lessen to learn here. oh the only good point beside the calarmari, is that one to two waitresses are nice and one waiter....lets see how long he stays....enough said......lets go back to parkside where for 50 to 75 dollars they the house will buy you at least 2 drinks constantly...but most important treat you right.....ashame!!!\r \r Pros: calarmari only Cons: snobbish/standoffish/rude owner, hostess, staff, overpriced more

My date and I went to Danny Brown on a busy Friday night and decided to dine by the bar. The barkeep was courteous and knowledgable and was very helpful in helping us narrow down our wine selection to a delicious Argentian Malbec. Our main courses were decent and were both delighted by our dessert which was paired with a crisp sparkling Italian dessert wine. Definitely will go again. Pros: Friendly, prompt service, ambience, wine selection Cons: Cant think of any more

Danny Brown is superb. My wife and I have been there at least a dozen times and have always been treated to great service and unique, flavorful cuisine. We have introduced Danny Brown to 3 other couples who in turn have become regulars. As far as the few negative reviews go, all I can say is this - we all know people, freinds, family, etc., who seem to have bad experiences wherever they go. more

My friends and I came here last weekend and as we were going to order our entrees the Rude and unprofessional hostess or manager came by the table and accused us of not paying our bill the last time we came in for a birthday dinner which we paid the waitress in Cash.. I guess that was our mistake, to pay in cash, but to have a hostess humiliate and accuse us at the dinner table for not paying a bill is very unprofessional. Danny Brown should hire honest and reliable wait staff. The only good thing about this restaurant is that it has a very big wine list. This is the worst restaurant I have ever been to in all my years of dining out.\r Pros: Convenient Cons: Waitress, Managers and Hostess more

The service was very lacking and the staff was very rude, especially after i informed them the was a six legged creature in one of my dishes and asked for a refund, since i had lost my appetite after seeing such a sight in my food. I will never go back to this establishment and would not reccomend this place to anyone, heed my advice! more

I go to restaurants regularly and this was the best meal that I've had in a long time. I had the duck special and it was delectable - well-seasoned, so tender and juicy, not too fatty, which is one of the challenges when cooking duck. The wait staff was personable. They were willing to accommodate our needs (a friend wanted a double portion of an appetizer to eat as a meal). Our waiter made recommendations for wine after asking how heavy or light we like our wine, etc. The atmosphere has a nice upscale feel so that you can spend a quiet evening with your love, but relaxed enough that you can have a nice family dinner if you choose. For the dessert I had the apple crisp. It was pretty good, not too sweet. Presentation of the food is typical of a restaurant of this type. I'm definitely going back again. Pros: great food Cons: we did have to ask a few times for more bread, but it was busy more

When DB's opened last year, my boyfriend and myself loved it instantly. The food is consistent, the service is good.\r We probably frequent DB at least 3 times a month. The food is moderately priced, higher end for the neighborhood but way worth it. \r The atmosphere is perfect, perfect lighting and volume levels. Seats comfy,, especially if you get one of the booth seats!\r As mentioned earlier, we are regulars as the staff know us by name. \r \r The unforunate part is recently we brought our family there for a dinner, and we felt a bit shafted. We were a party of 6, and the family does not have the most advanced tasting palet- we just wanted to bring them to our favorite spot in the neighborhood. We ordered the calamari, which is not something we have had before. After we tried it, it was really not good- I have personally tried almost everything on the menu.... and everything is Excellent. With that said, we asked if we could get another dish b/c we thought the calamari would be cooked and breaded. We were told no. I was embarassed and very upset. As I mentioned earlier, we spend $300 there each month, and the bill that evening was over $250. This left a very bad taste in my mouth. I have not approached the staff about it, but hopefully they read the reviews. 1 app was all I wanted :)\r \r I went there last night,, and had an amazing meal, good to the last drop.\r We just hope in a neighborhood spot, the neighborhood regulars could be taken care of and recognized more often.\r I do highly recommend this spot.\r more

I ordered the burger for dinner & it was made to perfection. It was the juiciest burger I've ever had. I tried the cheese platter as well. The fruity bread they offered was delish & the cheeses were great. I will definitely go back for another burger. Pros: Great burger, nice location more

My friend introduced me to this GREAT find. We had a bottle of wine and the cheese selection and it was FANTASTIC. The wine and cheese were perfection - not to mention the ambience is magnificent. I can't wait to go back. Pros: food, wine Cons: reservations more

I believe that Danny Brown's has come into it's own realm of Fine Dining in Queens! Service here is very customer friendly and responsive to one's needs and desires. Food it beyond fantastic, cooked and seasoned to perfection. Celebrated Darling Daughter's Birthday here and they were spot on, from the manager/hostess asking if someone was celebrating a birthday as wse arrived with gifty shopping bags! Very astute. Candle in the dessert w/o asking. Can't wait to come up with another excuse to dine here. Loved it all! Thank you! Pros: Food, Wine, Service, Atmosphere Cons: Can't think of any more

My friend and I chose this very visually appealling restaurant in Forest Hills. The waiter was clearly new and not familiar with the menu, so we chose classics.\r I ordered the salmon tartare and the grilled calamari. The flavors on both were so bad, we only ate half of one of the two dishes. I could not even figure out what they were trying to do with the calamari. It was not edible...I mean I eat calamari even when they send it overcooked like rubber. However, the flavors clashed and the dish was a failure. My friend had the swordfish with couscous....yet again bad. The couscous was dry and cold. I mean $26 dollars and this is what they serve. The place was quiet too, not busy at all. The fish was mediocre. \r I also do not appreciate the so called reviews the staff or owners themselves have clearly posted all over the web.\r FOCUS ON MAKING THE FOOD BETTER TASTING ...PLEASE. more

Great food wine decor! you couldent ask for more. The space is very nice cheese plates are awesome. Pros: Ambience, Food Cons: Parking (but not too bad) more

After years of disappointing restaurants in Queens, I just decided it wasn't worth my time or money to dine anywhere other than Manhattan. That is, until Danny Brown opened his restaurant last year in Forest Hills. \r \r I found Danny Brown while looking for venue to hold a small, private, intimate wedding reception in Queens. I wanted a place that was a reflection of us. I found Danny and his staff to be very accommodating. Danny personally helped me create an incredible menu for the reception. My guest were very impressed with the restaurant. The food was delicious, the staff was attentive, the venue was perfect. The restaurant felt like an extended part of our family celebration. I've been a regular since and am looking forward to hosting more private functions there.\r \r This cozy, intimate, private-looking, corner restaurant is nestled in Forest Hills, but looks like one you would find tucked in the West Village for the young, the hip and the beautiful. The restaurant is elegant and sophisticated with high ceilings, table linens, stemware, flatware, just like those pricey Manhattan restaurants, but for a fraction of the cost. I love the jazz and Brazilian tunes that pipe out of its speakers, without overwhelming its diners. The staff is attentive and friendly without being intrusive. The owner, Danny Brown, is incredibly down to earth, without an ego or attitude. He's very approachable and reaches out to his clients. Danny Brown is not only in front running the restaurant, but you can often find him in the kitchen cooking up his delicious meals and desserts. Everything (and I mean everything!) on the menu is delicious and the selection of wines is incredible. The restaurant is ideal for romantic dates, having dinner with your friends and/or family or just plain having dinner by yourself. You will never feel alone at Danny Brown as the staff always makes you feel welcome and right at home. \r \r It is truly a nice way to spend an evening. Pros: the food is delicious, magnificent wine selection, staff is attentive, Cons: parking more

DB Wine Bar is without doubt one of the best restaurant experiences I have had. There are many reasons I can point to for their success. One of those reasons is that as I watch their staff greet other patrons, I notice that each person is made to feel welcomed. It's a cozy good feeling place that you can either bring a date or come with family & friends. The food is superb with menu choices that will make you think you're eating out in Manhattan. Their staff is very knowledgeable and care about their customers.\r One of the biggest reasons I was sold on DB was last year upon their opening and how they introduced themselves to the community. From that moment on I was convinced that the character that was shown that day to the neighborhood was all anyone would need to know about the class of restaurant this would be. The food is always good and it is that reason I consider myself a regular. I have certain customer likes and habits when it comes to dining; and this restaurant is one of the best and in my opinion a true gem. Although my review may be bias, it is for good reason and once you experience DB Wine Bar you too will be sold as I was. Treat yourself to a wonderful time out and checkout Forest Hills best kept secret. Pros: Great service with a cozy atmosphere. more

Went for the first time with some friends. All in all a different experience than I've had. Cool ideas like the wine flights, half bottles list and the menu is split up into small plates and bigger plates and sweet things.That was kind of neat. I had a really good steak and desserts were really good too. Some of my friends thought it was comparable to some places in Carrol Gardens or the Lower East Side that they go to.\r I would definately check it out again. Pros: Thumbs Up! more

I live in Forest Hills and can't believe a restaurant of this caliber is here. My wife and I have been there at least ten times.The food is down right fantastic as well as really nice cheese and cured meat assortments. Many opptions for wine by the glass and a great wine list at very reasonable prices. The service is very good as well. Weekends are packed, definately make reservations. Pros: Menu changes seasonally. Cons: I can't go every night. more