Great spot for amazing coffee. Service was very friendly and helpful. They have a unique menu with vegan options. Restroom is clean and big! Check out the rooftop for a serene option to enjoy your latte. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Cute rooftop. Not a lot of shade, but who cares when you have the best iced coffee in NY?! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I was in the neighborhood and just wanted to go for a quick meal so I looked for some places on Yelp and found the Brooklyn Ball Factory. The place has a clean industrial feel to it. I walked in and ordered the salmon bento with a draft beer. The food is delicious. The bento comes with rice, a small salad, soup, some vegetables and salmon. It tasted amazing and I would highly recommend the place if you're in the area (or even if you're not). The price is pretty fair ($17 for my meal and a draft beer). The people working here are also very friendly and helpful. A 'must-taste' for anyone that's in the area! read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Salmon bento and a draft beer on their patio. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Do not bother. The nigiris were so salty it tasted like a mistake. There was also one teaspoon (if that) of mentaiko in my mentaiko nigiri which was placed at one corner so I had to eat through 2/3 of just plain white salty rice to get to the mentaiko. Too salty. Never coming back. Overhype. read more

Delicious matcha! Didn't try the food (which is known to be great as well), but the matcha was so good that I'll definitely be returning regardless! I'd say maybe one of the best I've had in the city? You can come to do work, there are 3 little tables with 2 seats for each in the front. There are outlets and soft music playing. The roof would be a good spot in the summer, but I came in on a day that was below-freezing so I passed on it this time read more

Oh I really like this place!!! Especially in warm weather, their rooftop dining area is SUPER cute! This place serves some comfort Japanese food in the form of sandwiches or bentos. I had the meatball ball bento which came with soup and several small items. My date had the pork shabu shabu which he really liked. I tasted it and it was indeed good! Prices were on point too, items avg 10-12 bucks. Also their yuzu ginger iced tea is yum! Definitely coming back to try all their other stuff. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Love their rooftop dining area - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I really appreciate that there is authentic Japanese food in my neighborhood. I would certainly rather them be here than not but this place wildly overrated. Onigiri set is probably the best value but it's nothing remarkable. The curry rice bowl has no soul. The rice was drowning in curry. The garden salad had no dressing. The presentation was nice but I'm more of a "that shit hit the spot" type hoe. I even added chicken to it to be safe but for $3 extra all you get are two paltry karaage morsels. Seems like you're paying more for ambiance. Also I don't drink coffee so that might be a big component of their popularity. That said, on the strength of their food, it ain't much to it especially considering how easy it to make onigiri and curry rice for such a hefty price. I honestly don't know why people fall for these bougie hype joints. Just cause you feel it, doesn't mean it's there. read more

Excellent! Delish. Hip. The food was fresh and tasty, the atmosphere fun and lively. It's a fan favorite.

My boyfriend & I have been onigiri hopping these days and found this cute little space tucked in between two tall run down buildings. We walked inside and immediately smelled the ginger, the lattes, the pungent aroma of their karaage & of course...their onigiris. We started with one salmon, one teriyaki beef each, but then added karaage and their pork belly midway into our afternoon snack. Rice was mixed with chia, sesame, flax seeds so it made us feel guilty about eating before our all you can eat korean bbq dinner we had later on that day because it was a healthy omega and vitamins filled munchie. The karaage was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. We washed this all down with our matchai latte (matcha+chai) latte which was absolutely delicious, there was a tiny little ginger kick in there too, but I loved every sip of it. Definitely coming back for some gyu don and curry soon! read more

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Came here by chance on a weekend visit to East Williamsburg. They have a nice rooftop space you can take your food or drinks up to. Not a super scenic view, but the roof has a nice garden and some cool graffiti art which makes it a calming space to getaway and enjoy your morning. Had the hot green tea and the iced yuzu drink which were both great. They also have bento boxes that come with a soup, salad rice, and your choice of protein. Tried the meatballs which come in a heavy, savory sauce and are pretty tasty. Also had the pork belly which was surprisingly tender (~$12 each). If you're in the area, it's a great place to grab a quick bite of Japanese food or some coffee/tea. read more

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One of my favorite local Japanese cafes. I'm so relieved they have a hojicha latte- and it's damn delicious hot. You can bet I get it every single time. Normally, it's too sweet for me - so I just ask them to keep it unsweetened. As far as I know, you can either get it regularly sweetened or unsweetened (nothing in between, which makes sense as a prev cafe barista) Please everyone -don't give them crap complaints about not giving it to you "slightly sweetened" They have better things to do. As far as food: Onigiri combo. So heartwarming and enough to share. I'm not much of a curry person, but my boyfriend likes their curry. As a mochi lover - I do want to try their dango. I love coming here with my boyfriend to just hangout for a Saturday AM stroll - or to work on my laptop with that hojicha latte. Haven't been up on the rooftop because it's been raining/snowing/too damn cold, but I'm stoked to do so when it's available. read more

Don't come here looking for coffee after 5 pm they will tell you it's closed and coffee can't be sold after 5 pm. Even if it 5:02 pm...

My mom and I moved here from Japan. Its one of the few japanese places in NYC that taste like home. Thank you! Also thanks for staying open even during a winter storm warning It says a lot that the places still had so many loyal people pop in. ^_^ read more

This is such a special little place. We walked past and took a chance walking in and it was such a pleasant surprise. The Bento boxes were pure perfection and the perfect amount of food for lunch. We both had the salmon which blew me away with its sweet and umami flavor. It's paired with fluffy dreamy white rice, steamed veggies, and a pickled veggie. There's a little salad, edemame, and really really great unique miso soup. I left feeling full but light and healthy. The rooftop area is really special complete with string lights and a little garden. When it gets warmer I can imagine it will be a great place to hold up with a book and lunch. The matcha latte was so delicious and the coffee is high quality. The staff is friendly and everyone is sort of doing their own thing. Seems like a great place to post up and work. I can't wait to try more things on this menu. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Toasty warm inside with cool decor and incredibly polite, friendly service. The hoji-cha latte is amazing for $4 (if you're vegan remember to tell them, because as well as regular milk they add sweetened condensed milk to make it extra delicious), or you can get a regular tea for $2.50 in a giant cup. They've added one vegetarian option (I think it's like a sprout bento?) to their menu, and one vegan - the teriyaki tempeh burger, which is two slabs of tempeh with this ridiculous peanutty sauce and radishes and greens and om nom nom. $9 There's also wifi and bench seating if you wanna roll out your laptop and stay a while - everything is served in cute cardboard bento boxes as a matter of course so you can decide to take out or eat in at any point. They don't deliver yet, but they're working on that and they've applied for their liquor license so hopefully delicious sake will soon join the menu. Highly recommend. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Teriyaki Tempeh Burger - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The tiny amount of meat in the onigiri rice ball is sad. Mostly just rice and seaweed. Disappointed because what little meat there was, was actually delicious. Also, the onigiri set says it comes with pickles but there were only two tiny marble-sized pickle cubes. Matcha was decent though. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - very little filling in rice ball. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The more accurate rating would be 4.5 stars but due to the great service and ambience I feel good about 5 stars! I found this place by accident several months back as I was walking thru the neighborhood. The atmosphere is really great, how do I describe it.... Like a Japanese hipster rustic-chic? The staff is laid back, friendly and cool. One of my favorite things they serve is their iced coffee - meticulously brewed! The pork shabu bento is great and comes with a side salad and grilled vegetables and is pretty filling. The prices are a bit steep but definitely a gem in the east Williamsburg neighborhood!! read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Pork shabu bento box - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I'm obsessed with this place!!! This is the best spot for Matcha and the Mocha is also 10/10. I love coming here. Everyone who works here is always so nice and the onigiri is bomb. If you're in the area and need a coffee spot this is the one! read more

Their salmon bento box is delicious and the staff is super friendly ! A bit pricey but worth it

Super cool space with a rooftop. Their iced matcha latte is one of the best I've ever had and I'm sad I didn't get my own. Rookie mistake on my part. It's 1000000X better than Cha Cha Matcha. We also got the meatball and fried chicken bento boxes, which were pretty good as well. Included a salad, soup, rice, veggies, 2 daikons, and the main course. read more

The new wave of NYC Japanese entrepreneurs strike again! Here you have a communal, intimate space with cheap and tasty bites, insanely high quality beans, and the best part yet : a rooftop. Brooklyn Ball Factory represents all that is good in life..I mean they even potted baby succulents in old Converse to represent their take on recycled art (hipster central, yes). I popped in on a rainy day with the Mac for an afternoon latte and onigiri. Kicked back for a few hours and fell in love with the eclectic vibes of fellow patrons, mad mad fashion inspos here for you skater/emo kid hypebeast selves. Pero -1 star for the $5 credit card minimum. read more

Only get the coffee and pasties- and don't get anything fancy unless u have time to wait...the food takes 20mins for glorified airplane food, skip that- and please do not go out of your way for this strange understaffed spot. read more

This place is great. It's def a neighborhood favorite. There's a long line sometimes on a Saturday morning but it's the best matcha and cold brew I've had in Brooklyn read more

Absolutely love me some health food at times and Brooklyn Ball serves exactly that. Firstly, walking in, you're greeted by the fresh smell of Japanese cuisine cooking and all you want to do is order the entire menu to boast to everyone that you've been eating healthy for a day. I usually order the grilled salmon bento box for lunch. It includes some edemame, grilled veggies and delicious rice. On occasion I order the grilled salmon on a ciabatta! And holy damn, that sandwich is super tasteful and filling. They have delicious fresh brewed coffees and amazing teas, all at very reasonable prices. They have an awesome outdoor seating space including indoor seating. Everything about this place is spot on and I'm in love that it's steps from my office! If you're looking for healthy, filling and super delicious foods, this is your place. read more

How have I never heard of this place?! -Great vegetarian lunch options -Absolutely the best iced matcha latte I've ever had -A ROOFTOP with WiFi! And it's cute as hell. Great place to get some work done during the day! read more

Let me tell you something. I have been all over the land in search of some decent matcha. Brooklyn Ball Factory HAS HANDS DOWN THE BEST MATCHA LATTE. Maybe it's cause they're actually Japanese and know their stuff, you know none of that "watermelon matcha" nonsense. It's milky never powdery, it's thick, like a milkshake. Ok not actually like a milkshake cause it's a latte, but you get the idea. It's how a matcha latte should be. I'm just salivating thinking about it. Oh and the food is good too. But SERIOUSLY. Nothing compares. read more

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oh, BALLS... someone beat me to reviewing this place first! heheh. beautiful design inside. industrial, beautifully lit, big warehouse/factory feeling and cool cafe vibe. their decor is very pleasing to the eye- not too much and just hipster-to-modern-japanese-chill-cafe. no big tables- for now, it's booth/bar seating. their milk/juice station is super smart and cute. it's a big metal basin with milks and juices iced inside the basin. i lurrrrve it. i made friendly with the barista/cashier. "hajimamashite! watashi wa joolie desu." he was super friendly but quiet... however, we talked about my mother and his father both lived in Nagano when they were young. don't ask them too many questions about the menu... because it's super straight forward BENTO or SANDWICH. i lie, because they have japanese curry as a main dish, too. =P i asked Daisuke what he would recommend and this was his response. "well- our meatBALLS are specially made from from the meatBALL factory... so, the BALL will be the specialty." TRUE. i do love my BALLS. Mabes had the salmon sandwich. it looked super delicious. she approved. I had a craving for homemade japanese curry- so that's the route i took. with a little salad, pickled veggies and jalepeno relish tasted wonderful with the combination of the curry over rice. i wish the portion was bigger, but that's because i'm a fatty. i also wished that they had more BALL options. like turkey meatballs, chicken meatballs, lentil balls, takoyaki (octopus) ball, etc. they have delicious coffee... i stuck with my usual, the iced coffee. LOVE THIS PLACE. BALLS. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - the Meatball Bento - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

All of the restaurants in this mini empire of restaurants bare some elements of the "Japanese hipster" trend, but at the Brooklyn Ball Factory, things really take flight. There's an expensive water filtration system designed to remove certain minerals in the cooking and coffee, an expensive machine to make said coffee and management straight out of a Muji catalog. It's all a bit silly, and would completely fall under the weight of its own pretension if the product wasn't up to snuff. I don't drink coffee, but I have sampled my way around the slowly evolving menu. On a recent visit I wasn't able to sample the curry (I remain surprised at how often this professional operation is out of certain food items) but instead returned to the meatball rice plate. Not a traditionally Japanese dish by any means, the very hearty and slightly sweet balls come with a large, bitter salad, plenty of rice and an elevated take on miso soup. It's a very good deal, even more surprising considering the rather steep coffee prices. Less innovative dishes and Japanese classics available here at the same level. There's no evidence of the boring flavors and dry meat that led to Samurai Papa a few blocks away being a massive letdown. The best thing about the Ball Factory it is roof space. I don't think many guests realize that the Ball Factory serves alcohol, but they do have a beer on draft on a couple on bottles. Coming out here on a spring afternoon, with the wrap around wooden benches and fresh breeze, the most surprising thing is that there aren't more people here. Don't tell anyone. read more

Husband and I came here after reading a pretty cool review of this place on the NYT, and we definitely enjoyed our time here! Why we liked it: 1. Cool atmosphere, interesting decor/vibe, great rooftop terrace 2. Not too busy/hectic when we visited on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. 3. Food was neatly packed in little boxes, whether you got the bento box or just the sandwich. 4. Great little menu that isn't overwhelming. 5. GREAT strawberry milk shaved ice. Definitely hit the spot on a summer's day. Now for the reason why we weren't wowed: food was good and tasty, but was not amazing for the price you pay for it. (Sandwiches are $9+, bento boxes are $11.50+). The size was also not big enough to feed those boys with real appetites. For girls, perfect/filling size. I had the pork shabu shabu sandwich - the meat was really good and not too salty. They provided extra sauces if you needed more flavor. The ciabatta bread was also nicely toasted. While watching them prepare our food, it almost seemed to us that everything was pre-cooked, packaged, and just reheated when ordered. At least it didn't actually taste like it was pre-cooked! My husband had the meatball bento box, which came with rice, soup, and to be honest, I can't remember what else. He liked it, but I couldn't eat the meatballs since they didn't seem thoroughly cooked through enough for a pregnant lady! Would we be back? Not sure if I'd make the trek out here again just to eat here again - so, probably not. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory Food: 7/10 They have pretty good food here. I usually come here for lunch so I get their bento boxes. Their bento boxes aren't like classical japanese bentos but are very classic in flavour with a small "hispter flair" to it. Their curry is really good and that's usually my go to when I come here. They've got this classic japanese spin to their curry. if you've never tried Japanese Curry, I HIGHLY recommend you try it, and try it here. Their coffees are amazing and I'd recommend not skipping out on it. Overall, this place is kind of pricey (by my standards, maybe spend more than $15 w/ lunch and coffee) but for what you're getting, it's pretty expected. Service: 6/10 Pretty normal service, I wouldn't say it's super fast or super slow. You order "in a fast food fashion" at the counter and it takes a small bit to come out but that's fine in my opinion. If youre on a SERIOUS time crunch, then I wouldn't advise this place. Overall: 7/10 Additional Notes: Brooklyn Ball Factory's a unique mash up of coffee shop and japanese bento box. If youre in the neighborhood and youre either up for Japanese food or coffee, I highly recommend you come here. And if you've got some time, GO CHECK OUT THEIR ROOF TOP garden; it's a nice quite oasis away from the bustle (just a few blocks away) read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Their curry bentos are amazing!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Big fan. It's a small space but very industrial with high quality coffee. You can tell it's a Brooklyn spot by the ambience.

Came here on a Friday night around 8pm. Cool interior; modern space. Was a little too chilly to use the outdoor area, but I could tell it'd be fantastic on a sunny day. Despite the friendly staff and cool decor, the food was terribly disappointing. The rosemary fries were soggy, resembling a pile of steamed potato strips as opposed to french fried potatoes. It's also worth mentioning the fries were crinke cut, and did not resemble those pictured on yelp at all. Lastly, they were incredibly over-seasoned. We were a group of three and none of us were able to eat more than a few pieces. They were kind enough to refire another order of fries, which came back with less seasoning, but were still soggy and mushy, not a crispy fry in sight. Sadly, I'm led to believe it's just the way it's done here. The rest of the meal was hard to enjoy, I think all our palates were burned out by the initial salt attack from the rosemary fries. I'm gonna give this place another shot, in all honestly the pork shabu bento looks delicious. Fingers crossed! read more

I'm so happy that this place is in my neighborhood. The food is so delicious and fresh and the staff is very warm and welcoming. Everything I've tried has been equally delicious, the meatball bento, the miso salmon bento, and the veggie sandwich! The components of the bentos compliment each other so well and the amazing bread and sauces they have set their sandwiches apart from other places near by. Also, the decor inside is so clean and calming and I think they might even open a roof deck this summer! To sum it up, it is hard for me to walk by this place and not get something. read more

Good, not great. Ordered the vegan rice bowl, not nearly enough vegetables. Salad and pickle portions were very tiny. BBQ tempeh was good but for $15 I should be full after a meal. Rooftop dining would be nicer if they put up a decorative fence to hide the AC units. Would recommend real dishes for dine-in. Finally, from the stairs I can see paint chips have fallen onto a plastic guard above where they are preparing food. And there are gaps in the plastic guard. Doesn't that mean the food isn't throughly protected from falling paint chips? (I posted a picture) A little more effort and bigger portions and I'd give this place 5 stars. read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - From the stairs: paint chips have fallen on a plastic guard directly above food. But there are gaps in the plastic guards. So... - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I visited here once & i'm not sure why I haven't been back. It really is a ball factory. Everything I tasted was packed with flavor & juicy. And the tears are so uniquely refreshing. They've figured it out. So glad to have this special gem in my neighborhood. Can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can take hubby up to the roof area for a delicious Spring lunch. read more

This place is very cool. Great coffee, understated vibe, but Jesus fucking christ are they slow.

SO GOOD. The staff there is VERY sweet and polite and kawaiiiiiii! The decor is simple and naturally classy. I had the meatball bento for lunch. Comes with meatballs in sauce, crisp, fresh cooked veggies, and rice as well as a relish and a pickled carrot garnish. Also includes one small croquet and side salad. Everything was adorably packed using brown paper/light cardboard boxes and paper cups for garnishes (read: environmentally friendly). All food is of GREAT quality +++++ Good portions- not too much of anything--you're full, but not too full. Tried the milk toast and cheese ball for dessert. The milk toast is amazing- condensed milk toasted on fresh baguette. The cheese ball is good- sort of like a cheese Danish cake with raisins inside. I will DEFINITELY be back. *these meatballs are dense, Asian style and flavor, do not expect huge meatballs. They are cute and about two bites each. *minimum CC charge is $15 Do not hesitate to eat here! read more

Brooklyn Ball Factory - Meatball bento: about 6 meatballs, Brussels, mushrooms and bell peppers, rice, relish, pickled carrot, croquet. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Loved the roof top but it gets very hot if you don't sit in the shade. Minor detail, of course. Seems like a good place to grab a beer with friends. Got the Salmon Bento which was decent, the rice is a beautiful composition of white grain, sesame seeds and barley. The salad and pickles that come with it are good but the salmon was a little underwhelming. The Meatball Bento was great, I liked the meatballs they were tender and salty! Props to the $5 coffee. It tasted like it had liquor in it (but it didn't) and it was extremely refreshing. Not too heavy or dark at all, but not overly citrusy either. I'm not a coffee expert but I really liked the one I got today, I thought it was aromatic. Only grievance is having to fork out $5 for iced coffee! Really??? read more

If you are a coffee lover, there is no better place in Brooklyn. Make it a priority to get some coffee from these top notch coffee connoisseurs. Just tell them what you want, and they'll give you one of the best cups in town. read more

Every weekend I find myself in the area which Brooklyn Ball factory has nested. I eagerly await Saturday mornings' with my girlfriend; we walk with brisk steps to this quaint and exotic cafe for Matcha Lattes and Topochico (Mexican sparkling water brand). With some of the best Matcha Lattes I have ever had (they already come sweetened unless asked for an unsweetened one), this place is a neighborhood staple. read more

Best lunch around .. feels like you are walking into a joint in Tokyo. Very genuine and seriously good bento plate. Only did take away so far and its still delicious even after 10 min walk.. read more