Tag Archives: AYCD

The Master Brunch List

15 Dec

It’s about time I sat down and put all my top brunch specials down on one post…

My Top 5 Brunch Spots (mapped out below):

1) Essex (LES: Essex/Rivington) – for $22.95 you get at least 3 included brunch drinks (bloodies, mimosas, screwdrivers).  You can make a reservation, big plus.  Food/vibe is GREAT – it truly is the quintessential brunch spot. Menu is here (My fave dish is the Mexican Matzo Brei – YUM). Know before you go: Brunch is cash only!

2) The Sunburnt Cow (E. Ville: Ave C btwn 8th/9th Sts) – for $18 bucks you get fosters, bloodies, mimosas, screw drivers, greyhounds for 2 whole hours.  Service is great, the scene is awesome, just bordering on crowded.  Food is pretty good, but it’s mostly about the experience, in my book. Menu is here (Go with a Greyhound: Grapefruit juice + vodka = YUM).  Know before you go: Cash only. They only take rezzies for 6+ ppl.  Be prepared to wait, but it’s such a meet market, it may be worth it to hang at the bar for a while…

3) Mercadito Grove (W. Ville: 7th Ave S/Grove St) – for $25 you get AYCD Sangria, flavored Mimosas and Beer (cheladas) for 2 hours.  The outdoor location is perfect for warmer weather.  Menu is here (The Guacamole Granada is so creative and the Huevos Rancheros are AWESOME).  Know before you go: They accept reservations!  But before forewarned, the inside dining room is small, if it’s not nice enough to sit outside.

4) Tapeo 29 (LES: Clinton/Stanton) – for $20 you get your brunch entree (or tapas) + 2 bloodies, mimosas, or screwdrivers.  The bar/resto scene makes it a great hang atmosphere.  The egg dishes are great, particularly the Eggs Benedict and the inclusion of tapas in the special gives more diverse options for those who don’t love b-fast food.   Know before you go: they take reservations so make one for sure.  Also, if you want more than 2 drinks, additional cocktails are only $2 each or $5 for a pitcher!

5) Macondo (LES: Houston – Allen/Eldridge) – Brunch entrees are $7-18 and an extra 9 bucks gets you AYCD mimosas of several flavors (Orange+Vanilla is best) – the scene is very low key. Menu is here (start with the Yuca fries, they are GREAT). Know before you go: get a less expensive entree, it’s a better value, and also – if you’re there with singles – ask to sit at a communal table to meet new people.

*****

Some other VERY good notables:

*Agozar (NoHo: Bowery btwn 1st/2nd Sts) – Unlimited Sangria with any brunch item ($9-14).  The party vibe and food is great, but I prefer to have more drink options.

*Diablo Royale Este (E. Ville: Ave A btwn 10th/11th Sts) – for $22 you get AYCD red/white sangria + mimosas. Service is awesome, vibe is great. Menu is here (The Huevos Rancheros w/cheesy grits on the side – wow).  Know before you go: If you want a bloody mary, there’s a “make your own” bar a la carte @ $5 each.

*Double Crown (NoHo: Bowery/2nd St) – 2 Options, both include an entree +tea/coffee; for $20 you get 1 Bloody Mary, for $32 you get unlimited Bloodies.  There’s a make your own Bloody Mary bar, very cool. Menu is here (The Crispy Pork Belly is a major standout). Know before you go: make a reservation to save yourself the wait!

*Philip Marie (W. Ville: Hudson St/W 11 St) – for $24.95, you get 90 mins of brunch drinks (Saturdays-Mimosas, Sunday-Bloodies).  The food is good, the scene is lower key fun… but the wait can be little much for only an hour and a half of hang time.

*Poco (E Ville: Ave B/3rd St) – For $22 you get 3 bloodies/mimosas.sangrias (sometimes more!)  It’s a total party scene, and the food is great. Menu is here (The truffled mushroom omelet was out of control).  Know before you go: with the party vibe comes the noise factor.  Also, for larger parties you can get a 3 hour unlimited brunch for $28.

*PS 450 (Murray Hill: Park btwn 30th/31st Sts) – $13 gets you an entrée and and 1bloody, bellini, or mimosa; $25 will get you unlimited.  Food is good, the menu is limited though.  More fun if you’re bringing a big group.

*Vamos! (Gramercy: 1st Ave btwn 20th/21st Sts) – add $6 to get unlimited frozen margaritas.  Food is good and the outdoor seating is great but some more drink variety would be nice.

*Yerba Buena (E. Ville: Ave A btwn 2nd/3rd Sts) – add $12 to any entrée and get an hour of unlimited cocktails.  A little pricier, but more of an upscale resto. Cash/Amex only.

Make sure to call in advance to check if any policies/specials have changed!

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Upscale & Unlimited: Brunch @ Yerba Buena

13 Dec

For some time now, I’ve been meaning to try the unlimited brunch at Yerba Buena’s Alphabet City location (Ave A btwn 1st/2nd Sts) and I finally satisfied my curiosity this weekend…  While I did have a few tiny issues with the service, I think the great food, cool atmosphere, and unlimited drink special (+$12 for all you can drink) make it a great brunch spot.

Chips n Sips

The restaurant itself is somewhat small but very tastefully decorated and has an upscale feel to it.  The Maitre D’ was involved in the service and often came over to see how we were doing which was nice; however, the wait staff did seem more interested in canoodling at the bar than at refilling our unlimited drinks.  Normally, I wouldn’t mind but since they do limit the drink special to an hour, the clock was a-ticking (although they did allow us a few more refills once our time was up). I started with a Jalapeno Bloody Mary (not on the menu – just ask) which was spicy and delish, but it was a bit of a procedure to get another.  Your best bet is to go with a mimosa -they had a pitcher pre-made so those were the easiest to have refilled.

Tilapia Taco-Mania!

We got things started with the guacamole + chips which was a really good dish – it was spicy and the queso fresco on top was a nice spin on it.  For an entree, I chose my go-to dish on the menu – the Huevos Rancheros!  The egg on top was a perfectly sized portion, the tortilla was crunchy and the sauce the dish sat in added some heat, I’m big fan.  Another entree on the table was the Tilapia Tacos which looked amazing (minus the fact that I don’t eat fish).

If you’re going to try out this LES Brunch hot spot, make sure you call in advance to make a reservation; you’ll spare yourself the headache of waiting for a table.  All in all, I’d say if you’re looking for an upscale unlimited brunch, and you don’t mind having a bit of patience, Yerba Buena is definitely worth a try.

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Brunch Deal with the “Devil” (Diablo Royale Este)

1 Nov

As an avid brunching fan, I must admit I have enjoyed many a weekend afternoon seeking out the perfect All You Can Drink (AYCD) brunch specials.  This brunch phenomenon became popular with pioneer spots such as Sunburnt Cow and its sister resto Bondi Road but is currently being perfected by restauranteurs across this great city.  Now, I’m not about to start hating here because paying $18 for AYCD and a brunch entrée at the Sunburnt Cow franchises is pretty darn great, but their food does leave something to desire.  So while the Cow is a favorite old go to, I’m def one to “make new friends but keep the old” – now on my “Gold” list is Diablo Royale (Este).

Staying true to our East Villager roots, my dear friend Aimee and I decided to give the AYCD special at Diablo (Ave A btwn 10/11th Sts) a try.  The layout of the restaurant is great with a bar at the front (perfect to start with a cocktail while waiting for your dining mates) and a big open kitchen that you pass through on your way to the spacious gothic-inspired dining area.  They start you off with Churro-inspired cinnamon+sugar pita chips.  YUM.  The menu has Mexican-inspired brunch fare (the huevos rancheros with cheesy grits on the side –WOW, must try) as well as some lunch classics (Aimee had tacos – 1 fried fish and 1 shrimp), all which can be served a la carte for around $11…. Or AYCD for only $22!  The unlimited drinks include red or white sangria as well as mimosas.  Our glasses were NEVER empty and the portions kept our bellies full!  Our waiter was so great and he even filled up our glasses for an extra 2 rounds while we chatted, even though the bill was on the table!  My only “wah-wah” would be that we were 1 of only 3 parties dining there all afternoon, although Aimee said the W. Village location is bumping….  BUT this leads me to my point – GO THERE PEOPLE!  Although, maybe I want to keep this one a secret!

Diablo Royale, serving brunch Sat/Sunday 11am-4pm (AYCD for $22) – http://www.diabloroyale.com/

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You Know, Kumo?

28 Oct

Unlimited Sushi?  Check.  Never-ending pitchers of beer, sure…   Included sake – why thank you!  Kumo Sushi, conveniently located within a 1-block radius of my apt in the East Village (1st Ave/13th St), is what’s up.  For $31.95, you get unlimited sushi/sashimi (special rolls included) and your choice of sake/beer/wine (or any combo of the 3).  With the modern atmosphere and huge flat screen TVs, I think you’ve found yourself a multi-purpose fun zone that’s safer than Chuck-e-Cheese (come on, that place is a ticking timebomb) and more fun too (although there’s no ball pit).  Bring your party pants and your waitress may even officiate your sake bombing.

Make your reservation for the back party room, weekend nights are sure to fill up fast ===> 212.533.3030

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