I'm soo happy I finally got to experience Tiny's Cantina over the weekend for brunch. The weather…read moremight have been brisk outside but the staff brought the warm and coziness to the restaurant vibe inside. I came here around noon and the place haven't been filled up yet but that was truly toward my benefit as my waiter, Jeff was extra attentive (yay me!). He offered me both brunch and regular menu and was very friendly and eager to assist me if I needed it. After making all my choices, he complimented and said I made good choices and whether if that was true or not, it made me felt happy. Lol. All of the food portion were huge. I ordered their wings as my appetizer, shrimp/bacon taco for entrée and tres leche for dessert. With that they also offered me some fresh fried taco with homemade salsa that was really delicious and made me wanting more even though I had to pace myself. Presentation wise, it was all instagramable. They restaurant is very conscious about presentation so that was a huge plus. As for taste, it was all good. I especially enjoy my shrimp/bacon taco as it was huge and those trio-side sauce (hot sauce, green sauce and pumpkin sauce) was just outright slamming. As for portion it was larger then life, especially for one person. Honestly I think it could feed two people as I ended up taking half of it home. Overall, I enjoyed myself, felt really relaxed, enjoyed their playlist and especially my waiter, Jeff that help tied my experience with Tiny Cantina in nicely. Thank you again to our CM, Morlene, Jeff, my waiter and Tiny Cantina for this special treat!!

This place was super cute. I had the burrito bowl. It was good. Probably something on the healthier…read moreside considering the grilled chicken and fresh ingredients. The only gripe I had was seasoning. It lacked flavor which is huge in Latin food. Mexican food is probably one of my favorite types of cuisines because of the fresh ingredients, because of all the time, energy and culture attached to the food so it was slightly underwhelming. A bit bland. But the service was great. Our server was so nice. We got the highly instagramable pizza. It was lovely and very filling but couldn't done with a feels radishes. If you love radishes, get the pizza. The drinks were refreshing and tasty. Definitely recommend checking it out. My Yelp fren had the diablo shrimp which was spicy. It looked really good and seemed super flavorful.

I was invited to the "Food in Focus" event due to the fact that one of my reviews was being…read morefeatured in the gallery space. This was definitely a unique event in and of itself since the last time it occurred was apparently over two years ago and that it featured actual content from reviewers for restaurants all throughout the lower east side! The event itself was unique in a lot of ways! Hosted within a small gallery space in the LES, it featured both pictures and snippets from reviews related to restaurants in the neighborhood. After hearing presentations from some members of the corporate team it was clear that the event was organized to promote restaurants in the area, as well as Yelp's reservation platform. What was really awesome is that Yelp also donated $250 for every restaurant that had a representative show up to City Harvest, which is New York City's largest food rescue organization, feeding the more than 1.2 million New Yorkers who are struggling to put meals on their tables. They also had a great spread for us to enjoy! Chicken skewers, a diverse cheese platter, and marinated beef made for some savory snacks. They also had a selections of beverages for people to enjoy while browsing throughout the space. Overall a really unique and interesting event! I'll be excited to see if they try this out for different neighborhoods, but until then thanks Ruggy and staff for another memorable Yelp event!

YELP is a scam. Sales Associate Hadi Hamoudeh is a liar. Charged me as much as $40 per click!!! Did…read morenot get one lead almost $800 in fees over less than an 8 week period. He charged me $160 for an account upgrade that I did not authorize and did not get. I received a ton of calls when he was trying to sell me this service but now that I have a complaint you won't answer the phone and won't call me back. Stay away from this company. If you want to learn about them check the complaints at the BBB.

Great architecture and scenic views in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn, right by Brooklyn Bridge…read morePark. The iconic photo spot between the buildings with a view of the Manhattan Bridge was packed with tourists and EVERYONE wanting photos on a Saturday morning. Worth the stop to say you've been there!

Scenic views and great architecture. Dumbo has its own website where they post events. There are…read moreall kinds of things going on - movies, happy hours, lectures and workshops. Also the famous annual Dumbo Drop where toy elephants on parachutes fill the sky. Brooklyn Bridge Park offers beautiful views of the skyline and public art displays. There's also Jane's carousel. Carousel hours and ticket prices are posted on their website. Lots to do. Try to go here early before it gets too crowded. Wear comfortable shoes.

No regrets signing up for this wonderful Yelp Elite Event. This was my second time attending an…read moreevent here (the first time was two summers ago). The Franklin is a black owned restaurant located in Bedstuy which is not far from Crown Heights. Although I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, I enjoyed the pita bread, fresh olives, cheese, hummus, and vegetables. The Rose wine was my absolutely favorite out of the three wines that we got to try. The restaurant is cozy and clean. The owner really sold me on how great the Happy Hour is here so I'll definitely return. There's conveniently a liquor store located next door to The Franklin. This event was wonderful from beginning to end. Thanks so much for putting together yet another great experience.

Wow! Just wow! I had a fantastic time at The Franklin last night. Two previous Yelp events were…read morehosted here and now I completely understand why attendees keep coming back. The space itself is great: cozy, dimly lit with soft music creating the perfect ambiance for conversation. It's intimate enough to feel special but versatile enough for gatherings of any size. I hade the opportunity to chat with Elliott, the owner, who explained to me that this place used to be a bodega, and the passion he put into creating this space which feels modern and cozy while keeping elements of the original bodega. Elliott's passion for wine was evident from his detailed introduction about the business and their offerings. Beyond hosting great events, The Franklin offers a generous happy hour schedule that makes it perfect for casual wine tastings. The whole concept - inside and out - is just wonderful. I can easily see hosting a private event here or stopping by for a relaxed evening with friends. We were treated to three wines (the Grillo and Rosé were my favorites) paired with three, veggie-centric small plates (to celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month) that exceeded expectations. The bread and cheese plate, especially the cheese with jam, was absolutely delicious. The hummus was super-fluffy and light, and the salad with parmesan shavings were crisp, perfectly fresh, and beautifully executed. Huge thanks to Morlene, Erin, and the Yelp Team for organizing yet another wonderful event, and to Elliott and his staff for their incredible hospitality.

Food was good. Seems like on last day of block party vendors were sold out two hrs before close…read morerime. Whats up with that! Next year please invite park 11. Chicken and freshly made donuts was so good!

Absolutely delicious food from many great vendors. Definitely an experience that you shouldn't miss…read morewhen you are in NYC

I asked a coworker to come join me last minute to come have some pho on this dark, damp day, and he…read morewas very curious to see what a Yelp Elite Event was all about. Although try as hard as he might, he didn't get the Elite treatment since he's not even close to my level; I said this could be you one day! Walked right up to the counter and placed our orders with minimal issues in deciding what to go for. I opted to claim my chicken spring roll, a smoked beef brisket pho, and a Vietnamese cold coffee to stay. These three items where under $30 all together, and was grateful to get to be a part of this YEE experience! Shoutout to the Brooklyn Yelp Team! The chicken spring roll was bouncy, and the chicken inside looked like a chicken wing; very visually satisfying. The peanut dipping sauce was very flavorful and deep in umami. A great addition to the meal; highly recommend! I couldn't get over how packed my beef brisket pho was! I've been to some places that have way more broth than the noodles ratio, and this place made it 1:1. It was such a comforting bowl to have on such a damp fall day; really happy with the depth of the broth. How could vegan beef broth be so good?!?! What else blew me away was my coworker's vegan chicken in his pho. It tasted EXACTLY like chicken! Great texture and plenty of meat in every noodley bite! The Vietnamese cold coffee was also a very pleasant first time surprise! I've never had it before, and loved how refreshing, light, and sweet it was! It really would be lovely to have on a super hot and humid day, that's for sure. Great depth of flavor in the coffee itself with Lucy's adorable packaging. Come for the vibes; come for the pho; come for the love of Lucy's!

I am 100% coming back to Lucy's- I am obsessed! The inside is very cozy and cute (great date night…read morevibes), but we took ours to-go so this is their takeout review. The food was packaged securely in their own reusable bags and fully maintained their quality! The shrimp spring roll was big and delicious, and the pho was some of the most comforting I've had in a while. You get a really big portion that is very much worth what you pay, not to mention the smoked brisket is so TENDER, you'll fall in love. I also saved my Vietnamese Coffee (comes bottled as shown) for the next morning and it was SO TASTY. Not overly sweet but still very addicting. Revived my morning. Between the tea or the coffee- go for the coffee. 10/10 experience, I'm excited now to try all the variations on their menu!

Saturday Brunch-In in Throggs Neck!…read more Lena Trattoria has been in the "Neck" for two years and they have made their mark. As they continue to respond to customers' feedback they are introducing a new Luxe Brunch menu and we were granted the opportunity to check it out. On a warm Saturday afternoon we arrived and were greeted by Shah. With our plus 1's we were checked-in and then grabbed seats. As we perused the new brunch menu we also had the opportunity to take in the design of the place. Very fresh and aesthetically pleasing with a modern design. Lena, gives an open yet intimate vibe. They have the perfect back drop for a group or date night. The staff was extremely pleasant and helpful as we all made our selection for the 3 courses. While there is ample to choose from, a couple of observations, there wasn't many protein options especially for people like me whom do not eat red meat or pork. As well as there were no side items listed even for an a-la-carte charge. However, I'm sure you can order additional items. The service was great even when they fell a little behind. The entertainment was amazingly perfect, a saxophonist who did his damn thing! The food was good a the drinks were flowing. Personally, I would have liked more continuity between all three courses. If you don't pick wisely you will end up with a carb-heavy meal. Without realizing it serval dishes have bread. Which is not bad, I love me some bread, but by the end it was too much. Again it's because I should have paid closer attention to my selections. I selected the lobster roll to start, fresh and nice flavor, however filling to bread ratio was not balanced. This could have just been an oversight because of the size of our event. I went with the french toast for my main course and it was perfect. While it was available, no syrup was needed. Again with no side options for a protein, they were nice enough to allow me to order grilled chicken breast. Sounds like a weird combo, but with limited options available for me, it went well. The chicken was flavorful, nicely seasoned and surprisingly very tender and juicy. Lastly for dessert I opted for the bread pudding (again my fault... too much bread). It was tasty but capacity had been reached, so I only had a nibble. Brunch @ Lena's was a lovely treat and an amazing sit down event. Thank you to the oh so fab Shah! To the manger, staff, and owners of Lena Trattoria for both their hospitality and generosity. Just A Note: Lena Trattoria gives you the vibe of a restaurant in city without the congestion pricing. Go check them out!

4.5 We had the chance to try Lena Trattoria's new brunch…read moremenu, and it was such a treat! The food was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented, and the staff were amazingly friendly, attentive, and genuinely excited about the new offerings. There was a variety on the menu, with something for almost everyone to enjoy. The space itself is beautiful and inviting, being perfect for a relaxed weekend brunch. It has that cozy-yet-upscale feel that makes you want to linger a little longer over your coffee. The only downside was that there weren't many substitutions available for those who don't eat pork, which was a bit of a letdown. We mentioned it to the manager, and they were kind enough to make other provisions for us, but it would've been nice if those options were already available. A few items didn't include any protein, and there wasn't an option to add sides, which would've been a great touch. The drinks were fantastic because they were fresh, flavorful, and regularly refilled. And Absolutely awesome live music! It created such a fun, lively atmosphere that had everyone smiling and even dancing a little. I've enjoyed dinner here several times, but now I'm so happy to have them as a go-to brunch spot too!

Beer, Bourborn, and BBQ 2012 - what the hell happened last night?…read more Good God, exactly how much booze did I drink last night? I honestly don't even remember leaving or saying goodbye to anyone. My bad, but when one is presented with a ridiculously unlimited amount of good craft beers and terrific bourbons your mind kinda gets erased. My hangover has finally subsided and the JACKHAMMER has been removed from my brain. I do have to say right off the bat that I think they oversold the event a bit this year. Sure, it was packed, and very crowded, but not so much so that you could not get a glass of beer or bourbon quickly throught the venue. Our group drank A LOT before we even decided to get some grub in our bellies. We even hit up a bourbon tasting class where one who shall remain nameless pretty much spilled everything onto her crotch. I even bought a viking helmet hat to wear. Drunken fun times! The food lines were another story - ridiculously long and slow moving. Sure, I had some decent pulled pork from one stand right out of a pig carcass, but the best was from the Kloby's BBQ booth where the line was the longest. Gotta give it to Monique R for holding her ground on that long line amid some drunken fools and line cutters to secure a few plates of amazingly tasty hush puppies, pulled pork and coleslaw sandwiches, and pork rib wings. Worth the wait even though it cut into our drinking time, but we needed to eat something to help soak up all the alcohol. Our group had a great time. There were so many terrific beers and bourbons on hand. Many of the staff would even fill your tasting glass to the brim. All you could consume for four hours - wonderful or insanity - it's all how you look at it. So worth it when paying half price, 2 for 1 tickets, or discounted tickets. You have to be a noob to pay full price for any of these events as there are always offers on different websites with big discounts. But to charge $3 for the coat check is kind of a money grab, even though it was nice to ditch our heavy winter gear. We came, we drank, we ate pork, we pillaged and plundered. Looking forward to doing it all over again next year. Oh, and kids, here's a tip for you all. When you are totally blasted outta your mind on bourbon and beer it's not really a great time for an Italian-Norwegian to fight with your Russian-Polish fiance' out on the street. There is just too much stubborn hard headedness in that combination for any good to come out of it.

Gluttony, thy name is BBBQ!…read more At the urging of our resident over-consumer Phil H., a bunch of us got tickets for this (third?) annual festival. I am allergic to beer, addicted to bourbon, and will be smited for eating pork, so to me this was a no brainer. The entrance line was massive, but I fortunately only waited for a few minutes thanks to Yelp teamwork. Despite some other lines when you walked in (coat check, drinking glass), it really wasn't too bad a start. The selection of consumables was incredible. La Venue is huge and there were beer stalls (and to a lesser extent, bourbon) as far as the eye could see. All the drinks were free, and considering the crowd, the pours were generous. The food selection was a little less spectacular. Although there were ostensibly many options, there was only one line in the whole place that was consistently less than 30 minutes long. This meant that I used all three of my tickets on the same plate of shredded pork and beans. Delicious as they were, I would have liked to try something else. Also, the sight of a large man in camouflage sticking his rubber-gloved hands directly into a pig's stomach to serve me dinner will stay with me for some time. In addition to the many stalls, there were several workshops, classes, and seminars where you could learn more about the products and enjoy additional tastings. It was the four shots of bourbon at such a seminar that would come to define how I felt for the rest of the night. As a standalone event and for the $85 that some people paid, the lines and food selection might be a turnoff. For the ~$55 that I paid for this ticket (and the company I was with), this was a great evening.

I haven't been to Atlantic Antic in years. This is a huge street festival with tons of vendors…read moreselling clothes, jewelry, food you name it and was probably at this festival. It was sooo crowded and hard to see every vendor. The weather was beautiful and it was so happy I wore comfortable shoes. They had a few activities for the kids and some street performances. You definitely need patience and comfortable clothes and shoes to maneuver the crowds.

I've never seen this many jerk chicken vendors in one place, so far enjoyed a combo from Four the…read moreHard Way. I was drawn there by the smokiness. I also liked the optional gravy for the rice; I chose goat curry. The Bake and Shark from Heather's was a dazzling melange of flavors and textures. There's hot sauce, but pineapple too. Since I didn't get to Minnesota for the state fair grilled peach I was glad to see Songbird Fruit had one here. I enjoyed shows from DJ Tyler B & Bruff Da Crowdpleaser and Nice Brass.

Huge thanks to Yelp NYC and Hailey for this wonderful Yelp Elite Experience. I've been to Kalye's…read moreother location on Broome Street, but this was my first intro to their Rivington location. I must say I was really impressed by the space, décor and ambience. The check-in and pickup was so smooth. It was a hard choice, but I ended up with the Beef Tapa and Fried Lumpia for the comp meal. And after perusing the menu, I also ordered the Sliders and Pork Skewers. The food smelled so good that I ended up scarfing down one of the Lumpia on my walk to the subway. The Lumpia was easily my favorite out of the items I took home. They come 6 pieces per order and were massive, easily double the size of normal Lumpia. The Beef Tapa came with rice, fried egg and slices of tomatoes and cucumbers. The meat was flavorful, and this was a hearty dish. The items I paid for were also quite good. The sliders came two per order in the bright purple Ube buns. So very tasty. The Pork Skewers were great and paired well with the vinegar dipping sauce. I honestly think that I prefer this location over their Broome St location. The food just tasted better. I noticed that previous reviews for this Experience mentioned that they were given Yelp bags with their order. Unfortunately, I didn't get one. I went on the last day of the Experience so I think they must have run out. Nevertheless, I'm so grateful to have gotten this delicious meal. Thank you so much Kalye for your generosity.

Kalye serves Filipino Street-Fair Inspired Cusisine & this is their 2nd establishment located on…read moreRivington in Lower Manhattan. Just like Kalye's original location on Broome St., Kalye- Rivington is close to the F,M, J & Z trains @ Delancey / Essex Staion & is a short walking distance to the place. Thanks to Yelp NYC & Kalye. Kalye - Rivington is a larger dining space w/ more tables / seating & a bar area. This Yelp Elite Experience @ Kalye - Rivington granted the opportunity to order an appetizer & entree for takeout. Staff are kind & gracious & the takeout order process was easy & smooth. Once I was able to eat my dishes, the Lumpia Shanghai - Spring Rolls filled w/ ground pork & vegetables & the Mushroon Sisig - Mushrooms sauteed w/ onions, chili, & seasoned calamansi - were both flavorful & delicious. While waiting for my takeout order, Kalye - Rivington had a movie playing on their flat screen TV (volume on silent), while playing Cleo Sol's "Life Will Be" in the background. Such nice music to listen to in a beautiful place w/ colorful decor & gorgeous wall art. Kalye.com @kalye.nyc Hours of Operation - Tues. - Thurs. - 4pm - Midnight Fri. & Sat. - 11am - Midnight Sun. - 11am - 10pm Happy Hour is from 3pm.- 7pm. HH includes Classic Cocktails- $10, Wine - $8 & Beer - $6.