Overrated restaurants in PS

new2hood

So now that we know everyone's favorites, what are the restaurants that you think are just not worth all they hype?

I'll start: Dizzy's. Food just isn't that good, service is completely hit-or-miss, and there's a fair amount of surliness amongst the staff (although there are also some lovely people that work there.)

verucasalt

A Di La. I just dont' get it. The food was good but it didn't blow me away. After all the hype I was expecting this fanfreakingtastic meal and it was ehh.

whatchuwant

VerucaSalt wrote: A Di La. I just dont' get it. The food was good but it didn't blow me away. After all the hype I was expecting this fanfreakingtastic meal and it was ehh.

I second that. Went for my birthday celebration a few years back on rave reccomendations from friends- guess it wasn't for me.

ginsbera113

Very much disagree with the Al Di La front, but to each is own.

I do think bonnie's is sometimes overrated with their burgers and Sante Fe Grill is highly overrated. While it's in Prospect Heights, I've found Bergen Bagels to be overrated as well. Just too doughy for me (and everyone I've talked to actually).

imlucky718

-Red Hot (ducking for cover) - granted, I only tried it once, but ate inside. Service was terrible, crunchy soup noodles were stale and everything else was just 'eh'

bergenites

I think Al Di La is very good, but it is not the best restaurant in PS or NYC, as some seem to think. I think it is "overrated" in that sense, while still being a very good restaurant.

longtimesloper

Bonnie's Grill-went there last summer because people are always raving about the fantastic burgers and we didn't think their burgers were that good at all. I also thought the place was filthy.

Sotto Voce-Just can't understand how they are still in business! The place is always crowded-don't people know what good food and service are???

omega watch repair

Ditto Sotto Voce, although I did like the burgers at Bonnie's (I'm still raving about the burger I had at Sidecar....dee-lish)

veets

AlDi La.. yeah over-rated. I have eaten there half a dozen times since it opened and none of those recently. The food is just fine but the tables are set close together. The service always had a feeling of let's get them in and out. This restaurant is not off my go to possibly list but I have lost patience because any time the idea of going there does get brought up (usually by someone else) we can't get in anyway.

old time brooklyn

Bonnie's wings rock.

zebra

Firstly, I agree with Bergenites about Al di La. It is outstanding, in a way, but not great. Their saltimbocca is just okay and their rabbit dish is done better by Convivium up the street. And this opinion is from someone who eats there every two weeks & who will be sad when they finally pack it in. Their risotto special is always "nero" with the squid ink, which is fine but why do they pretend it's special?

My answer to the question is Blue Ribbon. I can only imagine what people like here is the oysters, which I don't eat. The dishes I've tried, including fish, duck, matzoh ball soup, & hamburger (what is it, $14?) have been across-the-board bad. To me this place is only good for those times when I'm starving at 2am & want to get rid of a lot of extra money in my pocket. Furthermore I don't think Blue Ribbon Sushi is as good as Taro Sushi, though my sushi-loving friend disagrees with me on that.

I am also sort of a Bonnie's skeptic, but occasionally their burger is truly remarkable - I think it depends on the guy flipping it.

As expressed on the other thread I'm a little puzzled by the enthusiasm for Cafe Steinhof. I don't mind hanging out there, but the food has never impressed me much. Comfort food that's not terrible, I reckon.

And finally, to the extent that they are rated at all, I think places such as Sotto Voce, Mezcal's, Coco Roco, and Los Pollitos are overrated, unless for chicken at the last two. Somebody must like these places - they're perpetually busy.

old time brooklyn

If you're not getting fish at Blue Ribbon I would guess you would think it's overrated.

Blue Ribbon sushi is good and the restaurant has a great atmosphere. Taro is very special though.

ginsbera113

Blue Ribbon has some very good food, I for one loved the fried chicken, steak tartare and escargot (not only a fish place trust me), but it is very expensive and it is hard to justify $28 for fried chicken no matter how good it is. With that said it is overrated as the value is not great. I'd rather go to Al Di La at half the price (I for one think their pasta is amazing and always rotate between the ragu, ravioli and gnocchi).

I agree with the Sotto Voce comment earlier too, they only survive because the food is so cheap. Everything is around $10 or less, but the food lacks in all departments.

I found Maria's Mexican on Union overrated last year. The guacomole wasn't even seasoned and the food wasn't that great (I'll stick with La Taqueria).

zebra

Well, I did get the fish at Blue Ribbon.. maybe I got the wrong fish. I am curious, though, about which are the showcase items that people love at Blue Ribbon.

longtimesloper

Agreed-you have to have fish at Blue Ribbon to appreciate it.

When we went we shared one of the paella dishes-we thought it was very good.

nativesloper

What happened to Cocotte? Why did it close down?

longtimesloper

native Sloper-you have to get out more! Cocotte has been gone since late February! They just weren't making enough to cover the rent-the usual maladie around these parts.

meganlibrarian

LongTimeSloper wrote: native Sloper-you have to get out more! Cocotte has been gone since late February! They just weren't making enough to cover the rent-the usual maladie around these parts.

Such a shame, too - I loved their pancakes at brunch.

windowdressing

I too share the feeling that Al Di La is overrated. I can't remember any dish that made me want to eat it again, and too many of their pastas are served with a "brown butter sauce." Yuk.

Stone Park is blah too. And Barrio was terrible.

metalnyc

my vote goes to Blue Ribbon. way overpriced for not that fantastic of a meal.

whoever said Bonnies is nuts!

tajmb

Los Pollitos because the chicken always tastes like freezer burn and you always smell like Los Pollitos when you leave. Don't they go through enough chicken to use it up before it begins to taste like the freezer and how hard is it to change the hood filters?

purple rain

add me on the Sotto Voce hate train. I swear I don't know why I always insist on giving it another chance. (but now never again). Took dad for dinner there on Sunday. Took forever for meal to arrive and when it did, was a very "petite" portion (and I am not a super size me please by any means). Oh and the server treated us like we ran over his puppy.

meganlibrarian

Overrated: see also "Favorite"

Favorite: see also "Overrated"

8thandprez

I'll throw my vote to Bonnie's. Gross charred burgers; the place always looks like it's on fire.

Also:
Tutta Pasta
Santa Fe Grill
Moutarde
Stone Park. :twisted:

maplewoodian

Ech. Tutta Pasta! Blech blech blech.

Santa Fe Grill too. I'm with ya on that one

p.s. are the babies here? how are they doing??

pastoralia

I'd have to say Tempo has never really impressed me too much.

And, while I love Bonnie's, their burgers are just OK. I'm not sure why they aren't better.

City Sub is overated too...just kidding! I love that place.

What about that awful AOC Bistro? Why can't PS have a decent French place a la Bar Tabac or Robin du Bois on Smith Street?

new2hood

Ugh, AOC Bistro is AWFUL. and Brooklyn Fish Camp should be ashamed for charging those prices.

linusvanpelt

Brooklyn Fish Camp. Unimaginative and dull fish dishes, and not in that simple-yet-perfectly-prepared way. Coasting on the reputation of their Manhattan predecessors.

Also, sorry to speak ill of the (for now) dead, but agree with Flexi about Red Hot. Good Lord, I know the bar is low for Chinese in Park Slope, but you'd think it was the closing of the Second freaking Avenue Deli the way people wailed over the closing of one half-decent restaurant.

brooklyn baby daddy

The Cocoa Bar, for the lose. Terrible hipster service, over-priced everything, and bad, grainy hot chocolate. Yuck.

Also Cocette was terrible the one time we went there. Slow service, like really slow. Yes it was Mother's Day, but it was slow even for Mother's Day. The food was decent.

brooklyn baby daddy

The Cocoa Bar, for the lose. Terrible hipster service, over-priced everything, and bad, grainy hot chocolate. Yuck.

Also Cocette was terrible the one time we went there. Slow service, like really slow. Yes it was Mother's Day, but it was slow even for Mother's Day. The food was decent.

j0518

Other than the great lobster roll, I'm in total agreement on Brooklyn Fish Camp. I need to remember to just walk out if they tell me they're out of the lobster roll.

Some places, like Lobo, attract people but are generally considered to be bad. One place where the word of mouth AND crowd completely loses me is Miriam. Never had a decent plate of food there, and once was served the absolute worst-tasting shrimp I've ever had. I long for the mediocre days of the Surreal Cafe.

Not to pee on anyone's grave, but the 2nd Street Cafe was another one of those places I never quite understood the appeal of.