Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Joey Bats Café

    4.7 (416 reviews)
    InexpensiveDesserts, Portuguese, Cafes
    Open 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Joey Bats Café Takeout or Delivery

    Joey Bats Café Photos

    Business Info

    JOEY BATS CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Classy

    You might also consider

    More like Joey Bats Café

    Recommended Reviews - Joey Bats Café

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Marie S.

    Joey Bats Café is one of my favorite spots for Portuguese treats! This was my first time visiting their Essex Market location. I came a bit later in the day, so the pastry I wanted was sold out, but I was still able to grab one of my favorites, the blueberry Pasteis de Nata, and as always, it was delicious. Joey Bats truly has some of the best Portuguese tart so when I find one near I always get some. The café is inside the Essex Market, with plenty of seating both upstairs and downstairs.

    Jackie K.

    My mom ate these all over Portugal every day. She didn't enjoy these as much. The price is fair for them.

    Platonic ideal of a custard tart.
    Joel S.

    I had read about this place and came across it by surprise at the Essex Market. Pastels de nata were one of the highlights of our visits to Lisbon. The ones at Joey Bats are as good as anything I ate there. I can't overstate how excellent they are. They are rich and complex with the caramelized top contrasting with the rich custard and flaky crust. It's a thing of perfection.

    Amanda R.

    As a proud Luso-American with a deep appreciation for Portuguese cuisine, I have to say Joey Bats Café serves up some of the best natas I've had outside of Portugal. Their pastéis de nata are everything they should be--golden, flaky, and perfectly crisp on the outside, with a creamy, custard-like filling that strikes just the right balance between sweet and rich. Each bite transports me back to summers in Portugal, enjoying natas fresh out of the oven at a local pastelaria. Joey Bats has truly nailed the authenticity, and it's clear they're passionate about delivering a quality product that honors Portuguese tradition. Whether you're Luso-American like me or just a fan of incredible pastries, Joey Bats Café is a must-visit. Pair a nata with an espresso, and you've got yourself a little slice of Portugal right here.

    Cristina R.

    Just had the most amazing pasties de nata at Joey Bats festival stand in Mineola, NY! We tried two flavors - chocolate and passion fruit, and both were absolute perfection. The flaky crust was so crispy and delicious, it completely transported me back to Portugal and all the amazing traveling memories I've made there. The fillings were rich and creamy, and the combination with the crunchy pastry was just heavenly. If you're a fan of traditional Portuguese pastries, you need to try Joey Bats! Can't wait to try one of your 5 locations outside of a festival/carinal atmosphere.

    Nata
    Bernadette G.

    Holy Mother of cream! I love that new baby smell! This dessert is so gorgeous and delicious. That warm cream melted in my mouth like delicate velvet. With the right touch of torched sugar on top, this Portuguese tart is the Perfect sized dessert. If you are ever at the Essex Market in NYC stop by at the Joey Bats Cafè and have a nata or three! The owner and staff are very nice.

    Jessica Y.

    Wow these were SO good. Randomly came across this stand in the Chelsea market and did not expect it to taste so delicious. I got the chocolate pasteies and it was the perfect bite. It came out warm, gooey and super fresh.

    Storefront
    Sofyan S.

    Food (5/5): Delicious Portuguese egg tarts that had a good ratio of right amount of sweetness filling and pastry. We ordered two and they were both great. Service (4/5): The egg tarts came fast and the the server had a great attitude. Ambiance (4/5): Nice storefront that's a part of Essex market. There are spots around the market for you to sit and eat.

    Melanie H.

    ok I don't know who Joey is but he's totally Bats for making such delicious Portuguese egg tarts! I got mine fresh out of the oven and they were so flaky, gooey, and warm!! It was so good! Not the best I've ever had but a very close second and so far the best and only one I've tried in NYC! It had the slightest paprika undertone? But honestly gave it a little umph that I wasn't expecting! I also heard during open market days they hand out free egg tarts and their new chocolate flavored one! Will have to come back for that! $4 for one was kinda kinda pricy but my deep craving for it made it very worth it! Honestly I trust any egg tart place that has the raw dogged no lining look and the top that looks like it's been glazed, about to fall off and with the very noticeable flaky layers on the side! Those are the best!

    Pasteis de nata
    Kevin E.

    Notable differences from your Chinese bakery Portuguese egg tart: - Smaller - Pricier - Sweeter - Dryer crust - Thicker custard consistency - Hint of cinnamon Not worth the hype. Skip this and head over to Lily Bloom/Xin Fa Bakery in Brooklyn for a truly delicious Portuguese egg tart!

    Park
    Jean K.

    Nice little outdoor seating area. This is on Reed Street close to West Broadway. Nice to have a place to sit here and get coffee. They don't have tea. I think they have pastries. The outdoor place is really good. It's clean. You can sit here for a while obviously no one is going to chase you away. Coffee is fine. It's just regular coffee and they have coffee and espresso and that's all they have.

    $20- 6pcs- traditional flavor.
    Kyrie Jude E.

    Bryant Park, Winter Village Service: Very accommodating, gave me free one to taste. Ambiance: since it's a stall, don't expect a big space but enough for a quick snack, mostly to go. Taste: Got them warm, crispy outside and creamy& gooey inside. Plus cinnamon and powdered sugar dusted. Its lava feels so be careful before tossing all to your mouth. Tasted perfect. Highly recommend! My new go to egg tart pastry.

    Alan S.

    Custard tarts (pastel de nata) have become an edible legacy of the reach of the Portuguese empire's former span. I have loved the Macauan/Hong Kongnese interpretation since childhood - perhaps the single best one I've ever had was at a KFC in Taipei, where the dessert is also very popular. I also recently tasted a fairly solid version of the dish in Panjim (Goa). However, Joey Bats serves the original Portuguese variety, and I have to admit I was a bit underwhelmed. I was hoping for a bit more creaminess, but instead found the texture of the pastry sturdier than expected. I did prefer the dark chocolate over the original plain.

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jean K.
    538
    247
    754

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Giacomo C.
    2180
    1627
    5749

    3 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Elsa B.
    0
    292
    0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 20
    Thanks 0
    Love this 23
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Kyleigh D.
    1
    148
    275

    1 year ago

    Solid pastel de nata! I would say there might be some even better ones in Fall River/New Bedford, MA (little Portugal).

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ro R.
    99
    2580
    670

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 2

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Iris F.
    798
    682
    2140

    4 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Joey B.

    Joey B.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Jamie Y.
    1513
    833
    2251

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    6 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    6 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    Page 1 of 11

    Joey Bats Café Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Joey Bats Café

    Do they make travesseiros here?

    Is this the same business that operated 40-50th st on Lexington in midtown?

    Yes it was but that location closed (right before or during the pandemic. I distinctly remember them having the same logo.

    Where is this place?

    Where are they located and do they have vegan desserts

    View All 4 Questions

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Desserts 51,873 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Keki Modern Cakes

    Keki Modern Cakes

    4.4
    (558 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Wow, this little shop is unassuming, it definitely catches the eye, especially for someone like me…read morewho loves Asian pastries. I've never tried a Japanese cheesecake before and was extremely excited to be able to pick up some treats for my coworkers as well as my partner's birthday cake from Keki. Ordering is fairly straightforward and done with a simple machine outfront. Once your order is ready one of the staff members hands it to you through a window; there is no inside area accessible to customers but our food came quickly and we took it back to the office. The cheesecake was fantastic. I read a bit about the background of the shop online and how the owner really cares about using high-quality ingredients, specifically dairy. It was justas described, light and bouncy. I enjoyed how it was not overly sweet and found that it was all too easy to devour the entire cake over the course of two days. Despite it not having much weight to it, it traveled surprisingly well as I took it home on my three train commute! Similar to what others have said, the real highlight of the shop, in my opinion, are their cream puffs. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the outer layer was thin yet had a nice little crunch to it. We tried the classic milk, cookies & cream pistachio and ube flavors. Our favorite was the pistachio by far, which had such a unique yet decadent flavor and our second favorite was the milk cream puff. There's not much else I can say other than you really have to go here and try the desserts yourself. If you're a fan of Japanese desserts that are rich yet not too sweet, you'll be a fan of Keki.

    Just got some tarts here so my review isn't reflecting what they're known for or typically have. I…read moreliked these ok because it was creamy and light, not too sweet either, but it may be the crust part that I wasn't as much of a fan of. There are lots of other tart places that do something sinilar and didn't really think these were that memorable. But read this keeping in mind I didn't try to cake items so that product may be better if all you're looking for is a light fluffy dessert that's not too sweet. Try something else here! Just did take out option here so not much to ambiance or service from my experience to speak on.

    Photos
    Bouncy cheesecake
    Bouncy cheesecake
    Keki Modern Cakes
    Keki Modern Cakes

    See all

    Sundaes Best

    Sundaes Best

    4.6
    (321 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    I spontaneously went here on a night out and may have stumbled across the BEST asian gelato place…read moreever. The flavors I ordered were tiramisu and berries and cream, but there were also a lot of fruit flavors you usually wouldnt see at other stores like lychee, ube and coconut. I didnt order them, but I was able to sample it and they are all so good and strong!! The workers are really nice and patient when customers are picking flavors out. It can get long since its usually 1-2 workers, but its also a gelato place, so I get they wouldnt have so many employees at once. The space itself is small, so expect to find a spot outside to eat but there are benches along the windows.

    Located just at the edge of ktown, this spot serves plenty of Asian flavors to choose from! They…read morehave your more classic options, like strawberry + mango, to classic Asian flavors, like Pandan, lychee, + Thai tea, all the way to your unique Asian flavors, like Thai Basil, Choco Pie, + Hwache, just to name a few!! I love that they draw inspo from Asian snacks to derive their flavors - it's what makes Sundaes Best unique! I surprisingly enjoyed Pineapple Thai Basil, which had the classic fruity flavor, but also a freshness from the basil, which was pleasant. You can sample as many flavors as you want. Not that many indoor seating options, but you're not too far from Herald Sq to grab an outdoor seat. Perfect post-dinner dessert spot if you're in the area!

    Photos
    Mango & Lychee
    Mango & Lychee
    Guava and Kaya Coconut
    Guava and Kaya Coconut
    Melona and Misugaru Choco Pearls

    See all

    Melona and Misugaru Choco Pearls
    Prince Tea House

    Prince Tea House

    4.2
    (229 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    I am a frequent Prince Tea House goer, but I've never been to the KTown location which has always…read morebeen on my bucket list because of the nice wall decors! And I commonly see the upstairs for private events like baby showers, bridal showers, or birthday parties on social media. After dinner with my friends, I was looking for dessert and I was glad to see this location closes relatively late on a weekday night at 11 pm. Upon walking in, I was greeted by a waiter who led us to one of the purple velvet chair booths that was perfect for two people and another waiter brought us a pitcher of water almost immediately. The menu is on a QR code already on the table and we were given ample of time to decide. My friend and I both already knew what we wanted to order. I got the purple Yam Souffle which takes 25 minutes to make and my friend got the fried squid tails. We also got a signature Rose Green Milk Tea to share. The waitress who took our order has great memory and recalled all of our items without writing it down. She also reminded me that I could adjust the ice and sugar levels of my drink which I had completely forgotten and would have got annoyed if my drink came out 100% sweetness. Another thing is that my drink order frequently comes out wrong at other locations so I was glad she got it right! Green tea instead of black tea and with milk instead of without milk. The purple Yam Souffle is just like the other locations. Hot, soft cakey texture balanced with an ice cold red bean Ice-Cream. So delicious! The squid tails on the other hand was not what we expected. It came out burnt and hard. The outer batter was not crispy either. We informed one of the waiters and he brought it back to inform the kitchen staff. We received a new batch that was not as burnt and had more flavoring this time around. However, the squid was still hard and not like the ones we get from other locations with smaller crispier pieces. Overall, it was still a good experience and I love the decorations at this location! This might be my second favorite location after the Flushing one. Would love to come back for brunch or hi-tea. Or regular food options when I have not already eaten dinner. My usual go-tos are the twister fries, Santa Fe chicken rolls, fried salted crispy chicken, and the trio dessert combo. However, this location has a lot more variety! FYI - there are two unisex restrooms in the rear for customers to use with really cute wallpapers too.

    This is always my favorite spot to go for desserts and hangout. The interior decor is very modern,…read moresophisticated and stylish. We ordered potted rose milk tea to share, Dubai affogato and Brown Sugar Boba Mille Crêpes Cake. We came on a Friday around 4pm. Originally I wanted to try the strawberry matchamisu, however, was told that it sold out. What a bummer. The rose milk tea came with a themed pot and cups which is really cute. The rose fragrant smelled so good and the milk tea also tasted good and has a hint of rose taste. The cake was good, the boba was well cooked, chewy and flavorful! This time there was an unpleasant experience. At first when the Dubai affogato was served, we did not realize that the amount of the coffee was little until we saw another customer's dish that the volume of their coffee looked significantly more than ours. My friend brought it to the waitress attention but the waitress brushed it off and did not acknowledge our concern. When we finished and were about to leave, the same waitress came over and showed us that the container of the coffee was different and hence the volume of the coffee looked different. At this point, we did not care for it anymore. We would have been fine if the staff acknowledged our concern. We thought that maybe using standardized containers for the coffee would avoid this problem. Other than that, the food and drinks were good.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Mango Mille Crpes Cake
    Mango Mille Crpes Cake
    Too

    See all

    Too

    Joey Bats Café - desserts - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...