Junior's Restaurant & Bakery

sean menor· 7 months ago

This location is fabulous!! Normally on my visits to New York I go to the 45th street location in Manhattan but I wanted to check out this location just because of how it looked in pictures lol. The food is obviously the same, very good with excellent service. I love the classic charm of this location, it feels more like a neighborhood family restaurant that is quite cozy… The other location is obviously more diner like for tourists, still a great location though. If you feel like taking a little subway ride to Brooklyn or if you’re already in the area… definitely check out this location!

Sarah Kudler· 3 months ago

Absolutely amazing. This is the original location and I'd say the best one! They are open all day serving some of the most delicious food and cheesecake you can get in NY! Try the Breakfast All Day option of French toast with the pork sausage that comes with stewed apples and raisins and get a nice cup of coffee to go with it and a slice of cheesecake for dessert and you'll be set! Of course there are so many other options including the pastrami omelet with Swiss cheese...yum. Service was excellent too, especially from Julia V, thanks Julia!

Arouna Tamboura· 3 months ago

The cheesecake is the star and it delivers on every expectation. The original plain is the purest version, baked on a thin sponge cake crust rather than a graham cracker one, which is a subtle difference that changes the whole texture in the right direction. Dense and creamy without being heavy, it's the kind of cheesecake that makes you realize most of what you've had elsewhere was a compromise. The strawberry cheesecake and the red velvet are the other two that come up most, the strawberry piled with real fruit on top and the red velvet with a cream cheese swirl that ties the whole thing together beautifully. But the rest of the menu earns its place too. The pastrami sandwich is a serious piece of work, thick-cut and piled on rye the way it should be. The matzo ball soup has its own loyal following, puffed and soft matzo ball in a deeply satisfying broth that fills the whole room with the smell of something your grandmother might have made. The rugelach that arrive at the table when you sit down are complimentary and gone almost immediately. Service moves with a confident Brooklyn pace: fast, friendly, and completely uninterested in formality. Bring cash or card, both work fine.

Mitch W· 7 months ago

I went to the original Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery in Downtown Brooklyn because I wanted to try what’s considered “real” New York cheesecake. I’ve seen it everywhere, and I even tried the mini Junior’s cheesecakes from Costco months ago which I honestly thought were pretty bad. So I figured maybe the original at the source would be better. It wasn’t. It tasted exactly the same to me. Very dense, overly rich, and just not enjoyable. I know New York style cheesecake is supposed to be thick, but this felt heavy in a way that wasn’t balanced. I genuinely don’t understand the hype around it. If this is what New Yorkers consider great cheesecake, I just don’t get it. I really wanted to like it, but it was a letdown for me.

Kimberly Lim Legaspi· 6 months ago

Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery is one of those classic New York institutions that leans heavily into traditional American diner culture, with large portions, comfort driven dishes, and a menu that reflects decades of crowd pleasing staples. Originally opened in Brooklyn in 1950, Junior’s built its reputation on New York style comfort food and its iconic cheesecake, becoming a staple tied closely to the city’s diner and deli culture. It’s the kind of place where the food isn’t trying to be modern or reinvented, but rooted in familiarity, volume, and tradition. We started with the fried mozzarella sticks, made with breaded mozzarella and served with marinara. They were one of the highlights, crispy on the outside with that stretchy, melty center. Simple, nostalgic, and exactly what you expect from a classic appetizer. For the mains, portions were generous across the board, very much in line with traditional diner style plating. The steak burger came on a soft bun with lettuce and tomato, served with fries and onion rings. Burgers like this are rooted in early 20th century American diners, where ground beef patties became a quick, affordable staple. The patty had a nice sear, giving it that slightly charred, beefy flavor, but overall leaned more straightforward than standout. The pastrami Swiss burger, also served with fries and onion rings, was layered with sliced pastrami, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and tomato. It’s a very New York style addition rooted in deli culture. Pastrami, originally from Eastern European preservation methods using curing and smoking, became iconic in NYC Jewish delis, adding that salty, peppery depth. It worked, but could’ve used a bit more balance so one element didn’t overpower the other. The onion rings were disappointing. The batter was thick and overly flour heavy, with barely any onion inside, so you don’t really get that sweetness or texture you’re supposed to. The BBQ ribs and fried chicken combo came with fries and coleslaw. The ribs were glazed in barbecue sauce and tender with a decent base flavor, but they needed more sauce to fully coat and enhance the meat. Barbecue ribs are rooted in Southern American cooking, where slow cooking and sauce layering are key to building flavor. The fried chicken, dredged in seasoned flour and deep fried, had a crispy exterior but came out dry inside, which took away from what should be one of the stronger dishes. Fried chicken, also deeply tied to Southern food traditions, relies on keeping the meat juicy while maintaining a crisp crust. The coleslaw, made with shredded cabbage and dressing, added some acidity and crunch to balance the heavier items. The brisket platter was served with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Brisket, a tougher cut from the lower chest of the cow, is commonly used in both Jewish and Southern cuisines because it benefits from slow cooking to break down connective tissue. Here it was paired with a savory mushroom gravy that added richness. The mashed potatoes, made with butter and cream, were smooth and worked well to absorb the sauce, while the vegetables added some balance to the plate. The open roast beef sandwich came with sliced roast beef on bread without gravy. It had that classic diner feel, but the sandwich itself was a little dry and would’ve benefited from either some sauce or a side like fries to help balance it out. Service wise, the staff was kind and welcoming, but a bit slow. Water glasses were often left empty, and the pacing throughout the meal could’ve been better. Junior’s is appreciated for its large portions and nostalgic New York feel, especially for classic comfort dishes, but the experience can be inconsistent. Some dishes are executed well while others fall short in seasoning or texture, and service, while friendly, can feel a bit slow during busy times. Consistency in execution and a bit more attention to detail would elevate it from good to memorable.

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