New Restaurant: Abigail's

I am a big fan having eaten there about a half dozen times now. Do I think it is too expensive for the neighborhood? No. I think the neighborhood should have a variety of choices at different price points, and I think their's is just right. I have gone alone, brought out of town friends and local friends, and our experiences on balance were pretty favorable. It is one of the restaurants, along with Locanda and Olli on Gates and Samantha's Southern Cooking on Fulton that make me appreciate where I am living a little more, having just relocated here from Boston in February. :cheers:

Went there last night and had a really nice time. Food was excellent- 2 different crostini- artichoke & olive tapenade with a light salad, mom had the artichoke and mushroom soup (I liked it, she wasn't as crazy), and crab cakes (on special) were good.

Entrees: mom had scallops (she said they were great), BF had the chicken special with pasta (also good), and I had the hanger steak (very good, loved the red wine reduction sauce).

Dessert: the sticky toffee pudding and the chocolate almond bread pudding. Liked the sticky toffee better.

We also had the special wine, a good pour, for $3.50 per glass.

I'm really happy I gave this place another try, we really enjoyed it. The owner, Jason was extremely attentive and made us feel quite comfortable. Our waitress was "spunky," and even gave me a comp wine due to their run out of prosecco.

So while the entrees are a little pricey, if you factor in the cheapo special wine, it comes out to not that expensive overall.

Their sandwiches are delicious, and the decor is excellent.

Also, they serve Moo Thunder Stout. Moo Thunder! All the cool kids drink Moo Thunder.

Well, I unfortunately must complain.

I went to Abagail's a few nights ago with my roommate and it was pretty damn bad.

We both started out with tomato bisque soup($6.00). What arrived was a shallow bowl with what amounted to a splash of soup. I'm not kidding- the spoon didn't even sink a quarter of the way into the contents of the bowl. Note: We were not discriminated against because our neighbors also received half of a small ladle's worth of soup.

Now I normally am very vocal on these occasions, but I was trying to be sensitive to the comfort of my roommate who doesn't appreciate scenes of any sort, I was famished AND quite frankly have been feeling "short on energy" lately aka:mildly depressed.

The next thing that came out was an even bigger shocker(mind you-bread doesn't come with the meals so I'm even more hungry at this point). My roommate ordered the BLT($7.00) which was fine, and I ordered the Chicken stuffed with Spinach "Parmigiana" with garlic mashed potatoes($16.00!!). What was set in front of me was the most pathetic excuse for a meal I have EVER seen.

Two TINY and thin, dried out pieces of chicken breast rolled with some spinach mixture inside with a smattering of what tasted like fucking barbeque sauce underneath with mashed potatoes on the side. For added insult, it tasted like it was microwaved and was the smallest portion that I have ever seen but arranged on the plate as if someone was trying to convince me that I was dining on some sort of nouveaux cuisine.

Still, I didn't say anything, and ate it all in about 45 seconds.

What the fuck??!! The owner- the "nice" guy in the wheelchair asked us how everything was on the way out and my roommate abruptly said fine and calmly led me away as I foamed at the mouth.

How can someone so "nice" hose people so badly and insult his customers intelligence and culinary sensibility? How can the waitress tell me "good choice" when in 15 minutes a plate of $16.00 shit is thrown down in front of me?

I was so happy that a place with such a nice atmosphere opened in our neighborhood, but don't serve shitty, WAY over priced "dinners", smile and beam all patronizing like everything is hunky dory and expect people to come back and spend money. (Yes, I'm hoping that the owners read this, as I obviously don't have the energy for a phone call).

HEY ABIGAIL'S, stick to sandwiches and bar food. Don't dupe the fine people of this neighborhood into paying your rent with a "smokescreen" menu of a few things being reasonable in price and quality and the rest of it just a gigantic hose job- we work too hard for our money!!

Yea, I'm not surprised. A few weeks after my review, me and the BF went back for brunch. We were barely seated (I think it was calming down at that point, and the servers were clearly not interested in flipping tables), we waited about 10 minutes for menus. As were were waiting, the people next to us had just gotten their food. They seemed relieved. I asked how long they waited- they said "an hour." As we were pressed for time, we walked out, noticing that the servers couldn't care less they just lost a table.

I'm not sure what the owner's deal is. He seems so nice and makes to sure ask people how things went. I don't think he's ever around during brunch, because if he is, he should fire some of the servers. I have it in mind to stop by there one evening and talk to him. Don't think he reads this board...

Whatchuwant wrote: Yea, I'm not surprised. A few weeks after my review, me and the BF went back for brunch. We were barely seated (I think it was calming down at that point, and the servers were clearly not interested in flipping tables), we waited about 10 minutes for menus. As were were waiting, the people next to us had just gotten their food. They seemed relieved. I asked how long they waited- they said "an hour." As we were pressed for time, we walked out, noticing that the servers couldn't care less they just lost a table.

I'm not sure what the owner's deal is. He seems so nice and makes to sure ask people how things went. I don't think he's ever around during brunch, because if he is, he should fire some of the servers. I have it in mind to stop by there one evening and talk to him. Don't think he reads this board...

Jeez, I wonder what the heck is going on with them? I remember I went in there for lunch over the summer and while the sandwiches were decent, the service was ridiculous.

The waiter was this obnoxious snark trying to mask it with crunchiness and super affected friendliness, doling it out in between his beer drinking and what looked like internet surfing. We waited forever for the food(and repeated requests for drinks)while he was brazenly and apathetically perched at our table(the big one in the center)ignoring us, drinking a beer and staring glossy eyed at his laptop. I wanted to throttle him.

I would like to see this restaurant make it, but at the rate they are going I don't know. I just really have the feeling that the owner/s are struggling financially and see no other way but to get over on the customers.

As "nice" as the owner and everyone seems, to me, there is something very patronizing and phony about it all given the glaring quality issues. It's almost as if they are saying "if we come off super nice, earthy, concerned and sweet, you guys won't make much noise about bad service, food, bird size portions(sometimes rotten) and laughable prices"(Ya know, think Sarah Palin getting interviewed)!

Maybe I WILL make a phone call.....Telling the owner to log on the Brooklynian! :twisted:

My experiences have been really mixed of late. My wife & I had dinner there a few weeks ago and it was excellent; expensive, but nice. It was raining and there were only a couple tables so nobody was overworked. A second time for dinner with a group of 5, food was decent and we waited awhile but nothing to cry about.

BUT the last two times we've been there for brunch it's been totally unacceptable. One time we sat there waiting for menus, a greeting, eye contact, something, anything for over 15 minutes and just left. I pride myself on patience; compared to most New Yorkers, I have the patience of a saint.

I really really really want them to do well. I LOVE that they opened a place like that near my house. At first I chalked it up to simply working the kinks out of a new restaurant, but at this point I fear it's worse.

For the record I also wanted Saje to do well... Perhaps I'm bad luck... In that case I HATE FRANKLIN PARK!

Ok, I obviously have a lot of time on my hands today and am finding myself all but waging war on Abigail's.

I just went to their website(pretentious as fuck)and they are having a ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR PER PERSON evening of "Dark Dining-Feast for the Senses"-I think I'm going to blow a gasket.

You guys have to take a look at this shit to believe it(you must read the description of their event-it's hilarious)... Who do they think they ARE charging those prices with their track record?!

Wow-some balls..

http://www.abigailbrooklyn.com/

Oh, and they of course listed their address as "Prospect Height". Doesn't it just figure?

Sorry, left out the "s" in "Heights"... Ok, MUST find something else to focus on tonight! Ugh!

i really enjoy them a lot and i think that it's fine for them to have high prices, etc. just because it's not the city doesn't mean they should lower their prices. if they're too high, don't go. but we go on special occasions. it's not a regular like cheryl's or homage, but we go when people visit or an anniversary or something.

i think they're doing some great stuff at their restaurant.

To be fair, I'm not sure I'd call that website "pretentious as fuck"

^
No, they shouldn't lower their prices just because it's not the city, they should lower their prices because of the poor service, tiny portions, and more times than not, crappy/rotten food.

If they improved in those areas(which are all that make up a good restaurant), I would happily go there and pay the prices of their "entrees".

ebrendan wrote: To be fair, I'm not sure I'd call that website "pretentious as fuck"

Well, what did you think of it?

Note their comment:

"Please Pardon Our Digital Appearance.
Fancy - Shmancy Website coming soon."

ebrendan wrote: Note their comment:

"Please Pardon Our Digital Appearance.
Fancy - Shmancy Website coming soon."

I guess I should have been more specific. I didn't find the website as a whole to be pretentious, I found the fact that they are having a soiree at 100 a pop when they can't even hold it together on a regular basis pretentious.

And now they are planning on stroking the public even more with their "Fancy-Shmancy" website?

If that isn't pretentious, I don't know what is.

These reviews speak for themselves....

http://www.yelp.com/biz/abigail-cafe-and-wine-bar-brooklyn

I've had the same sub-par to bad experiences as most people mentioned here. Granted I've only been a handful of times and mostly stuck to drinks. One of my friends once ordered food, which was unremarkable besides being a tiny portion.

The odd thing is friends who have been to Camaje, by the same owners, in the West Village thought it was great. They said the prices at Camaje were more reasonable than Abigail.

That makes no sense to me.

inconsistent on all fronts: food, service, experience, etc.

Basically a restaurant managed like a cafe- half-assed and too casual. Try doing the math with the brunch menu. You can order the same food three or four different ways and get three or four different prices. Just when we thought we had cracked the code and gotten the best deal- they effed it up and gave us side orders instead of the full meal versions, etc. Needs Effective Management on All Fronts.

I haven't been, and still won't go due to the negative reports, but regarding service, have you guys considered the fact that it may be difficult to find good servers who are willing to work in a neighborhood that isn't exactly known for it's restaurant culture? I doubt that the check averages are consistently high on a daily basis. A good server will choose a place where they can be assured of a certain salary. If you're good, you'll look elsewhere. So, although the prices may be too high, and the food may not be good, I think people should not totally blame the owners for the fact that the servers are bad. It's hard to find good staff members who are already polished in what some people still consider to be an "under-served neighborhood" that is still "on the verge."

nearnostrand wrote: I haven't been, and still won't go due to the negative reports, but regarding service, have you guys considered the fact that it may be difficult to find good servers who are willing to work in a neighborhood that isn't exactly known for it's restaurant culture? I doubt that the check averages are consistently high on a daily basis. A good server will choose a place where they can be assured of a certain salary. If you're good, you'll look elsewhere. So, although the prices may be too high, and the food may not be good, I think people should not totally blame the owners for the fact that the servers are bad. It's hard to find good staff members who are already polished in what some people still consider to be an "under-served neighborhood" that is still "on the verge."

Um, point? You already stated that you aren't going there. Ya think everyone else should keep going in hopes that it will get better, then? The prices, food, and service are the responsibility of the management and ultimately the owners. The fact that there are perfectly plausible _reasons_ for the crappy service does not in any way excuse it. Ditto, food and price. Hopefully they can step up their game somehow.

we got fairly often (3 times a month or so i'd say) and there are some GREAT servers and some TERRIBLE servers. Last time we went there was a great male server ... really energetic, friendly, gave great recommendations, very attentive, etc. But the time before that we had a woman who stopped by once and told us they were out of artichoke after we had both already ordered and waited 10 minutes (both of our dishes included it). I find they are hit-or-miss, but I like the ambiance a lot, love their cheeses and beers, and find it's a great place to drink/have apps. if you don't want a loud bar.

Hello everyone,

Well, not long after my tirade, I decided to send an email to Abigail's notifying them of the major discontent and sent them the link to The Brooklynian.

Haven't heard a word back from them, which I find unprofessional as my email was very polite and respectful. I also let them know how much we all would like to see the place do well.

To me, this is another example of them thumbing their noses at the public and I'm sick of it. Maybe if enough complain, we will eventually have a decent place in Abigail's... til then- good luck!!

ChristinafromBklyn wrote: Hello everyone,

Well, not long after my tirade, I decided to send an email to Abigail's notifying them of the major discontent and sent them the link to The Brooklynian.

Haven't heard a word back from them, which I find unprofessional as my email was very polite and respectful. I also let them know how much we all would like to see the place do well.

To me, this is another example of them thumbing their noses at the public and I'm sick of it. Maybe if enough complain, we will eventually have a decent place in Abigail's... til then- good luck!!

Why would they owe you an email response? I don't understand what your personal crusade is about.

dapearl9 wrote: [quote=ChristinafromBklyn]Hello everyone,

Well, not long after my tirade, I decided to send an email to Abigail's notifying them of the major discontent and sent them the link to The Brooklynian.

Haven't heard a word back from them, which I find unprofessional as my email was very polite and respectful. I also let them know how much we all would like to see the place do well.

To me, this is another example of them thumbing their noses at the public and I'm sick of it. Maybe if enough complain, we will eventually have a decent place in Abigail's... til then- good luck!!

Why would they owe you an email response? I don't understand what your personal crusade is about.

It's a crusade to see the place succeed. She stated she was polite and respectful (although there's no way to know that from where we're standing).

As someone who's lived here for many moons, I can tell you how excited I was to see this place open, and how disappointing its been to see that they have yet to connect to the nabe in which they conduct business. It is not good form that they have yet to respond. In fact, their non-actions speak loud and clear.

It's a crusade to see the place succeed. She stated she was polite and respectful (although there's no way to know that from where we're standing).

As someone who's lived here for many moons, I can tell you how excited I was to see this place open, and how disappointing its been to see that they have yet to connect to the nabe in which they conduct business. It is not good form that they have yet to respond. In fact, their non-actions speak loud and clear.

Fair enough. I do think it's a little ridiculous though to be offended from not getting a response email, however. Maybe I'm just a rude prick with no manners though...

dapearl9 wrote: I do think it's a little ridiculous though to be offended from not getting a response email, however.

She didn't say that she was offended. She said that she found it "unprofessional as my email was very polite and respectful" and "another example of them thumbing their noses at the public."

Which it certainly could be interpreted as. Typically, a business that cares about their customers and image would at least say, hey, thanks for the note and we will take your points into consideration, or whatever.

dapearl9 wrote: Maybe I'm just a rude prick with no manners though...

So- went there last night and talked to Jason. They did receive the email (christinafrombklyn, check your PM) and they are responding. We had a nice chat and he explained that in the last few weeks they've made dramatic changes in regards to Brunch (staff changes mostly- hiring of a new manager, increasing brunch waitstaff, new hostess). All sounds really good. They're doing great things there (comedy night, live music, dark dining) and as someone who lives really close to them, I'd like to see them do well. So! Let's give them another chance, shall we?

BTW- Jason IS registered here and will be posting- he's having log in issues....

OK, let me start with my personal opinion regarding Abigail's. I like the place, and I think it is a nice addition to the neighborhood. The prices are not cheap, but they are _far_ from expensive. Glasses of wine range from $7.50-$12, and there are frequent specials far below that. Compare that to, say, Saul's on Smith Street where glasses _start_ at $12 and go up. *shrug* Just for perspective.

When I ate dinner at Abigail's, I found the food to be very good. I had a delightful experience there, and the service was excellent. The atmosphere is great, and the music perfect. I had a completely different experience upon returning for brunch. The service was abysmal, and I couldn't rate the food, as we walked out.

Which brings us to last night, when we dropped past for a glass of wine and to try and figure out what was going on regarding the persistent hit and miss that is reported there. We spoke with Jason, the owner, and he was very open to discussing our concerns. He was already aware of issues with the brunch, and is making changes to hopefully address it by adding a hostess and additional staff. I found him to be forthcoming and honest and truly concerned about trying to do whatever was needed to address any and all problems.

Regarding the unanswered email, he said that he was aware of it and that his wife, Abby, was in the process of composing a proper response. Jason is often at the restaurant during the week, not so much on the weekend. They have another restaurant, Camaje, in Manhattan. Having said that, they live within blocks of Abigail's and are definitely part of the neighborhood.

Jason shared with us some upcoming plans, including more music, trivia/quiz nights, and comedy show. We also took a peek at the basement, which was a great space, where they have had movie nights and the dark dining.

So- in conclusion, I suppose, I would encourage anyone that does experience a miss rather than a hit at Abigail's to have a chat with Jason. It is a nice place, and a great addition to the neighborhood. He is interested in and open to feedback, and I feel like the establishment is worthy of support.

That and $7.50 will get you a glass of Prosecco.

daver wrote:

[quote=dapearl9]Maybe I'm just a rude prick with no manners though...

You understand me Daver.

Well, my bastardness aside I'm glad to hear the owners are working to make it a good, lasting establishment. The couple times I've been there the experience was fine though I just went for espresso and appetizers.