I've been here twice; first time was years ago when they first opened and the second time recently. The first time, food was mediocre, service was slow when it wasn't even crowded and the server was not so friendly. After returning with a larger group, The food has improved so much. The service was way better and it was a lively environment. Our server was so helpful and friendly. I had a great time and can't wait to return! read more

no diversity towards other patrons played Spanish music the entire night catered to the Spanish patrons more read more

I had an amazing experience a Brown Sugar. The staff was very welcoming and the food was great. It was well worth the trip from Long Island. I wanted to surprise my wife with a new restaurant and she loved it. My only problem was the music was beyond loud. It really took away from the atmosphere. Can't wait to go again. read more

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Its been a while since we've been here. I ordered a Lychee Martini, but the bartender did not have all the ingredients. He assured me that he could make it anyway, I believed in him it was lousy. There liquor selection is horrible. We ordered a sampler plate which was the worst . Empanadas were hard, fried chicken chunks were tender but you can see that they use dirty oil which made the items dark. I must say that the bartender tried his best. Music was good, really no ambiance. Will not return. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Lychee Martini I took the picture because I liked the glass. - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

It's the weekend and that means it's time to Brunch your life away! If you're not heading to Brown Sugar you may just miss out on a rotating DJ set, filling and surprisingly tasty food that somehow lasts late into the day when the Brunch transitions into a night party. If you're with a large group, the bottle sales end up being very economical and include mixers. The service is very friendly which is how many people end up becoming regulars. They have hookah available with some very decent ventilation so no worries about choking on smoke. The ambiance is definitely high energy and they welcome dancing which all add up to a great time for me. If you're looking for a quiet nook, this is the complete opposite of that. The music is loud, constant and they play a variety of music with a heavy focus on Latino, Caribbean and Top 20 type hits. If you have a large group, definitely make a reservation. If you're coming alone or with a smaller group don't you worry as there are plenty of friends to make here! Be ready to be friendly and dive right in! Bathrooms are well maintained and are at the rear of the restaurant! read more

The place was definitely a vibe. The music was good but to loud as soon as I walked in my Apple Watch said staying in the place over 30 min can cause hearing loss. I never got that alert before not even in the club lol. Our server was super nice and knowledgeable. We had the Shrimp Mofongo and it was so good for an appetizer we had coconut shrimp and the sauce on them was Amazing ! I had a great drink and everything was good I only gave 4 stars because the music was super loud. read more

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Came in when they opened. Floors were disgustingly sticky. Crazy smell of gasoline throughout the restaurant. I was a bit hesitant to eat or drink, but thankfully, food tasted ok. The staff is nice but jesus christ, they really need to clean better. read more

Tip is already included in the bill. Don't tip again. If you tap to pay you won't even see that tip is already added. Pretty sure it's done on purpose. read more

Guacamole tastes like it came from refrigerator and it was cold! I like my guacamole made fresh right in front of me. The music can be little loud. Service was decent. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Guacamole - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

Came here with my girls for brunch and we had a great time here. The food was really good. I had steak and egg, my sister had steak and lobster, one friend had salmon the other chicken. Food overall 8/10 our drinks were very good tho 9/10 the vibe was great music was great but be prepared for loud music. The DJ was interactive and had everyone dancing the whole time. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

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We had a great time here. The space was really nice. I loved the overhead lighting fixture. The food was really good. The service was really good. It was interesting that the servers were also the bartenders, DJs, and bouncers. Everyone had something different on the menu so we got to try a lot of things. My favorite thing was the shrimp mofongo and the passion fruit sangria. We were here during happy hour so everything was priced pretty decently. The music is very loud. So, be warned if you do not like loud music make sure to sit away from the DJ. I would go back and try brunch. read more

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The food is mid, nothing special. The music was good and atmosphere but the atmosphere seems to supersede the food and its quality. Service was good. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Brown Sugar Super Sampler - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

I would say that I was a "regular" at Brown Sugar pre-pandemic. A lot has changed since... seems like they are under new management and this place is trash now. Before, as soon as you walked in, there was ALWAYS a hostess with the most welcoming energy. This time around, there was nobody there, so we walked straight in... the employees were sitting at a table, smoking hookah. So, we walked in and sat where ever we wanted. The employees looked at us and did not say a word. I know that they already had the kitchen open because there was a party of two already eating, smoking hookah and drinking. I went to the person at the bar to ask if they have anyone working (since they all appeared to be on personal timing). After the guy at the bar told the server something, she started making her way to us, looking lazy and dragging her feet. She said that she had not seen us, but she clearly lied... they all looked at us when we walked in. We left-- since the energy was not right and I am not supporting a business that has a staff that is not welcoming and is distracted smoking hookah! Like I am all for everyone having a good time-- but work is work and your work should not be negatively impacted by your personal fun. ** For someone who really LOVED Brown Sugar, this place is now somewhere I would never come back to. The new management does not seem to be running this business effectively. read more

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Lively little place to have a date or party brunch. Typical options for the place. Food is delicious! I had the burger sliders and they were a good size portion! Food service was great!! Overall the place is great to chill with friends or have a brunch! read more

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July 15th 2021 I was looking for a nice spot to take my date and stumbled across this dope restaurant. It was nearby my area and we decided to go. The food was amazing. The atmosphere was amazing. The service was spectacular. My date and I really enjoyed ourselves. And they have hookah and that shit was bussin lol. Cash only for hookah as per usual but they do accept debit & credit cards for everything else. I would most definitely go back again. Theres no parking available but theres a parking lot nearby that only charges about 11 dollars. Not bad. read more

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Good spot in Inwood to grab drinks or a bite to eat especially for happy hour. The happy hour menu is limited. There are literally 4 food items on it. But the steak mofongo is good albeit it's comes with it's on moat. The appetizer menu is longer and not priced much higher. Drinks are good and strong. Their mojito are amazing and the passion fruit sangria is strong and will sneak up on you. Wait staff is fun and attentive. However one day the water boy was refiling water glasses like he was paying for the water himself (barely half filing the glass). The live dj on Friday nights is cool. They have the videos to the song he plays project off their TVs. However upon the second time you realize his playlist gets repeated probably every time he plays. read more

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I hosted a very last-minute dinner party for 18 guests for my brother on a Thursday night. We made last minute reservations and were accommodated. Conveniently located on a corner with a large gorgeous chandelier at the entrance, so you can't miss it. The manager came over a few times to make sure that our party was well taken care of; this speaks volumes. Our food was great, came out quickly, and they kept the drinks flowing although we were a large group. A+ read more

This place is so cute and upbeat! The DJ was great, the food was good and the ambience is fun! Most of all we appreciated our personal hype woman/hostess/server Crystal. She kept the drinks flowing, the night upbeat, the mood on 10, and overall just a great energy!! Thanks Crystal for making the night a blast-we'll be back! But only when your working....... read more

Love this place I have been heat 2 times so far and I can see me going back again I enjoyed myself read more

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Let's get right to the point.... Food- SO GOOD!! Yummy!!! WOW!! Service- Good Drinks- weak! watered down & extremely overpriced! Pass on drinking here. Ambiance- very young crowd, not a family restaurant. Came on Sunday night, they had a DJ with the loudest music club style. We sat outside, inside would have been impossible to have a conversation! Bathrooms- clean Waiters all had masks on. I got up to use restroom... forgot to put my mask back on, when I came out employee was standing waiting to give me a mask to walk back to my table. I appreciated that, good job. !!!Warning!!! They do not honor the first time 10% off checkin promo on Yelp app!! Manager claims they are not even on Yelp to except it. This was such a ridiculously stupid excuse! I didn't make a big deal about it, what really annoyed me was the 15% gratuity already added to my bill of two people!! Also these "five star" reviews I see seem suspicious, in other words fake. This is not a "five star" establishment. Side note they have hookah if you smoke that. Pics to follow... Enjoy!! I won't be back...‍ read more

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I made reservation for 6pm & there were still many tables available. We were seated quickly. I put on the reservation to be sat in a section away from the guest smoking hookah but in the middle of eating our food there was a table right next to us blowing smoke away so just keep that in mind they do not have a section with no hookah so if you're coming here on a weekend after 5pm you might just get someone smoking next to you and your food. The Picadera cubana platter was everyone's favorite. It's a great starter for the table. This platter includes a variety of fried food to accommodate everyone. We also started with a pitcher of sangria not bad for 35$ but the sangria was decent my dad was not impressed said it was all juice. We then waited for our entrees and it took about 15 -20 minutes not bad at all and we didn't mind waiting. The environment was very nice at first we were able to converse but as the night progress the music did get louder. I don't know if this is more of a lounge or family restaurant but it was a bit loud to even talk by the end of the night. They had a live dj so I think this would be great for anyone looking for something lively. I came here to celebrate my dads birthday he had seen the place when they opened up and wanted to come here. Our serve Hennessy was very friendly and got all our orders right woop woop. She was very busy towards the end of the night but she still provided good service. For our entrees we ordered the chicken Cesar's salad salad which was very good no complaints. Then "Camarones a tu modo" this was good came with a little bit of vegetables enough to make the plate look cute. The dish only brings about 8 shrimps and it was very good but too little. The other entree was the "pechuga relleno de Camarones this dish was very presentable and was a good amount of food however it was a bit salty & although it was seasoned it didn't really have a taste to the sauce. The shrimps are the baby shrimps and the avocado side was a little brown in the middle which was 4$. The last entree was the churrasco this was my favorite I think it tasted very good and was a good amount. The only thing I would say all the dishes do not come with a side so you have to pay for an extra side for your entree. To end the night we ordered a small dessert to sing happy birthday to my dad. It took so long for the surprise to happened my mom was annoyed with the hookah so she even left. When they brought out the dessert it was cute the dj played a birthday song and they brought out a red light. The plate said HBD and there was a small flan next to it for 6$. read more

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I loooooooove brown sugar. My Family took grandma here for her 70th birthday 3 years ago, for brunch, and we fell in love with it. The atmosphere is just amazing. Not sure if the DJ is always the same but He was awesome. Everyone felt comfortable to dance and mingle with each other and we couldn't wait to come back! Fast forward to post- Pandemic may 2021 There are now partitions between tables. 90 minute table time. BUT THE DJ IS STILL KILLING IT. THE ATMOSPHERE IS STILL GREAT. we were now just dancing in our chairs. The brunch menu was much different than it was three years ago when I remember loving most of the things we ate. This time I had a Cuban which was not the best Cuban I've ever had. Aside from it being cold the bread was not toasted at all. Just a boring sandwich overall. Fries were good tho. Each entree comes with app and dessert as well. App- quesadilla, empanada, or salad Dessert- Typically cheesecake or Oreo mouse cake. Blahhh. Cheesecake and Oreo mouse cake should be cold, these are fairly warm. Can't enjoy a hot cheesecake people! Returned july 2021 This time I had the churrasco with eggs and fries Deeeeeeelicious! They cooked my steak to medium perfection ! Dessert still warm. Salmon- eh. A little bit dry. Cheeseburger sliders were basic. This is not a bad thing! Mangu was a very big eh. Little bit dry as well. DJ STILL KILLING IT THO! Even though the food may be a hit or Miss the vibe is always great at brown sugar. & I'm Always coming back! read more

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Thursday night me and ladies stop by at this gem. We had such a great ladies nights services was phenomenal. We act the DJ to mix the music up and he did so we dance and sign a little. The outside seating made you feel safe and comfortable during this pandemic. I'm greatful you could come to this gem for a relaxing fun night out just to get away from being in the house so much. Prices are very reasonable and staff is friendly and welcoming. Thank you read more

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Came here for my birthday brunch this year. The food was okay, nothing to brag about. We made the mistake of coming earlier than 3 PM so the vibe was not there. Once 3 PM hit, the music was turned up louder and the place began to fill up. The drinks were strong but they are strict about the 2 hour limit and made it clear we had to leave which I could have done without but I get it, they have other people to sit, they just could have been more professional about it. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is a great hangout place drinks are awesome. The food and music are a bonus ... definitely a local place to chill with your boo! read more

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Had an amazing brunch here with some friends. They have a prefixed brunch menu with unlimited mimosas so worth the money. The dj was amazing I had so much fun I forgot to take pictures. read more

Awesome brunch spot. You get a ton for $35 bucks with bottomless mimosas and sangria. The food is delicious except I wasn't in love with the dessert. I don't think they make it there anyway so it's no fault of theirs. Cool decor everywhere, live dj and a super helpful staff. I would definitely go back. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

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Seems as this place has a lot of fake reviews but here we go nonetheless. I have seen many other restaurants open and close at this location, so I waited to see the faith of this new venture. Stopped with the Wife, child and cousin to try the Cuban food. Glanced at yelp and saw a great rating but without reading many ( I was driving) Parked and decided to walk in, it was a Saturday, around 1pm. The waitress offered us the menu and it's only brunch?. I see 2 other patrons at the restaurant at this time. I asked her, why is it only Brunch? there are only 2 people here and I'm with a child. Can I just order from the regular menu?. she went back and asked the boss I suppose. Ordered the Mofongo de Juan, The Ropa Vieja and Churrasco. The Ropa Vieja was very good, in fact it was excellent compared to the one from Havana Central. The Moro was soft and not salty. The Shredded steak was very soft and full of flavor. The Churrasco was as expected nothing wow about it. The Mofongo the Juan tasted delicious, the plantains were made perfectly, chicken was bland and rubbery but not horrible. Overall we enjoyed our stay but I don't get why only provide 1 menu when it's obviously not working. Prices are a bit high, for instance a Mofongo is 20 bucks, it's presented very well but it still a Mofongo. Service was excellent and 0 issues there. Our server was Coralie and she was on point. Tips to management, if there are only 2 patrons in your place at lunch time, you got to do something about it as what you are currently doing is not working. If people arrive with children have your staff accommodate them with options. The 30 dollar unlimited brunch is a great option as prices here are a bit high for the food but it makes up in service and ambiance. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Mofongo de Juan - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

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*BRUNCH REVIEW* Sunday's are for brunch!!! My son and I along with a friend and her son came here for brunch on a Sunday. For 29.95 you have the choice of an app, entree, dessert and 2hrs of unlimited drinks (sangria,mimosa,coffee,juice). They offer a good amount of choices for entrees. I opted for the churrasco with home fries and sautéed veggies which was awesome. The mimosa and passion fruit sangria was strong and tasty just the way I like it. The setting was very welcoming, music wasn't too loud and was very kid friendly. I'm taking off 1 star for the lack of variety in dessert options. I will definitely be returning for happy hr during the week! read more

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We walked in and were immediately greeted with a smile and taking to our table. We were giving menus to browse over. Happy hour was still going on...we ordered a strawberry margarita and a passion fruit mojito. They were both great drinks. We ordered wings for appetizers. They were flavorful and crisp. For the entree we ordered the salmon and it was soft and the flavor was perfection. The shrimp mofongo was mouth watering. The chef definitely knows how to cook!!! The Dj played music and the staff was very attentive and friendly. They serve hookah when the restaurant does not have children seated. I will definitely return here! Great ambiance read more

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I love going up to the the Heights/Inwood for dining. I "searched for place near our friends home who just came back to NYC for a visit. I saw Brown Sugar Kitchen and thought the menu looked really good for brunch. I wish that I read Yelp first. We walked in to a lovely hostess, Nida. However, the music was so dangerously loud that we couldn't concentrate and started to get a headache. I have never asked a restaurant to turn down the music -especially for brunch service ! We were moved to a table behind the DJ who lowered the music for less than two minutes and the raised the volume again. We could not stay because of this. And considering my partner was a professional DJ for 20+ years and I was in food/hospitality business for 25+ years, this was not how you treat customers. As many other reviews have stated, the music is too loud to come here for a relaxing brunch with loved ones. Sadly, we left hungry without ordering ANYTHING. Thankfully, we found a delicious brunch place a few blocks away. read more

Nice ambiance and pricing. Food is delicious and drinks even better! Service is quick as well.

The music and vibes were great. The drinks were nice and strong but the food was eh. Also, the service was really slow, they took really long to find us a waitress and when they did she wasn't enthusiastic or nice or anything like that and our food and drinks in between also took forever (like 30+ mins for 3 margaritas ). I tried to ask one of the bussers a question but he made a face at me and ignored me LOL. I didn't take it personal because places in The Heights tend to be a bit discriminatory towards people who aren't Dominican or ambiguous looking but I would've given them 4 stars if the services was faster and the staff was a bit nicer, Atleast fake it. read more

Good food, good hookah, smooth service, Nice Ambiance!!!! I will be revisiting Brown Sugar soon.

I've been here several times and always managed to have a good time until my last visit. The waitress/bottle girl sat my party of 6 at a table for 4 and insisted bigger booths were reserved for large parties and ended up siting a party of 1 and a party of 2 there instead. She was so difficult to get a hold of when we needed things and was Constantly on her phone and socializing. There was a promotion so my table Paid $80 each for unlimited drinks and food and in 2 hours and we only got 2 drinks lol. They never mentioned in the promotion or before we paid that it was only house liquor with limited mixers. We paid for buffet style food to which they let those that didn't pay have as well lol. I HATE to be that person but my table really felt discriminated against with how much we were ignored and given attitude and we weren't alone. When we left the establishment, other black customers were complaining about the same thing and warning others to not come in. It was a mess. They deserve 0 stars. read more

If we had a 3.5 option here I would put it! I live in Brooklyn and came here for a friends birthday brunch! They were already seated when I got there so no wait but I did feel bad because they were waiting for me to order I ran about 10 minutes late! I ordered steak and eggs with potatoes. The steak wasn't bad! Just not the best steak I've had! Seasoned and cooked okay. The eggs needed pepper and maybe some salt. The music was great just a bit too loud for my liking at 4 in the afternoon. But don't get me wrong brunch was LIT. great music and people. I give a 3.5 for quality of food, the actual food options (menu has about 3/4 options only) and the service. Multiple people are helping so you have to flag someone down when you needed anything. read more

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Drinks... We order the passion fruit sangria and the red sangria which were delicious. Full of fruits and the perfect amount of wine. If u plan on having more than two drinks, pitchers are probably the smarter route to take. The waiters were attentive and and had a friendly deminiar. They were also knowledgeable about their menu and that was extreme helpful to make a decision. Food... Me and my boyfriend shared our Entre considering the portions are a decent amount. The beef empanadas were full of flavor and amazing. Great establishment! We went on a Monday night so they're weren't many folks there, but it seems like weekends they come alive. Live band, hookah, dj, and space to dance. I definitely would consider coming back! Thank you for a wonderful Birthday dinner. read more

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Went To This Spot On A Monday. Not Bad. It Was Empty. Felt Like I Had It To My Self. Went Generic So I Would Get What I Paid For Lol. Wasn't Bad. Something I Can Definitely Do At Home. I Had The Passion Fruit Sangria. Don't Do It If You Don't Like Passion Fruit Mixed With Watered Down Drinks. Lol. At Any Event. I Patronize This Spot Again. But Maybe For Brunch On Sunday. read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York

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THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE DO NOT COME HERE!!!! Let's start w/ the workers ( Man w/ different attire rocks a half ponytail-which I think is the Manager= Rude... We were waiting to be seated and he told the host to sit us next to the door.. right in front of us stating " O well that's all we have!" When asked if we could be moved ( b/c it was chilly& other tables became available), he stated " This is all I could do it's a pack house tonight.. " (Benefit of the doubt- let's see how the service is and the food).. We are seating down for 5..10... 25 minutes total to get a waiter to our table.. When I finally stopped a blonde female to ask if she was our waiter she said " No I am not" and walked away ( Didn't even ask are you guys okay.. did anyone take your order?)... Finally our waiter comes very nice and apologetic.. The food... Horrible the Chicken stuffed w/ shrimp made me sick and it wasn't cook properly... My friends steak dish was better but mine was un-done! The Coco Mojito delicious.. ( that's the only good thing in that place..) When it's time to pay the bill, I Check-In so I received a discount from Yelp.. when I showed my waiter to show the manager my bill went from $90 to $80 and he had a very unpleasant face... When we walked out he was there w/ 3 other people and nothing was said to us.. just awkwardly stares and silence... By FAR.. this has been the worst place I think I have blogged on... No bueno and No Go!!! read more

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I want to first start off with how welcoming this place is. From the moment I waked in the Hostess guided me to the bar were my 2 friends were (which was maybe 50ft away, she's didn't have to do that). As soon as I sat down our waiter Pascual immediately attended to me. My friends and I came on a Sunday for brunch ($30 for 2 hour bottomless drinks) great! We got our mimosas and they were a little watered down however Pascual took care of us and made sure our drinks were made to perfection. He was honestly the best waiter I have had in a very long time. He understands what customer service is all about and I appreciate that. On top of that, the food was amazing. Also, my friend needed a charger and made sure he found her one. Seriously who does that. The place was crazy busy and he made that happen. Go visit pascual !!!!!! Finally, I can't say enough good things about the manager, Javier. I called to make a reservation, but the place was all booked. He told us we're more than welcome to come in and sit at the bar. We knew the place gets busy, so we got there pretty early, 1 o'clock considering the place opens at 12. From the moment we walked in to the moment we walked out, Javier made sure we were accommodated nicely. He came up to us several times to make sure we were good. Before he left that night he came up to us just to tell us he was leaving for the evening. Javier also gave us 30 extra min for out 2 hour boozy brunch since he could not accommodate a table for us. Great experience. Definitely coming back. Thanks Javier and Pascual!!!!! read more

Brown Sugar Bar & Restaurant - Cuban Near Me - New York, New York