BBF

Great dinner here on a Friday early evening! We made a reservation but they take walk ins as well. We came with our toddler and they were accommodating and had a high chair! My favorites were the scallop hand roll and the tuna hand rolls. My toddler loved the udon noodle soup.

Words cannot describe how much I love BBF! I’ve been a regular and fan for over a year. Shun, Salamanca and the staff are incredibly kind, generous, inventive, and taste experts. This Japanese spot offers delicious coffee, matcha, croissants, and snacks throughout the day. In the evening they have cocktails, sake, Japanese food and best of all a secret omakase room in the back. Hands down, the best omakase I’ve ever tasted & a kind chef. Stop by because every piece and menu item in the store is chosen with heart and care.

Amazing dining experience. The cocktails and food were delicious. The staff were accomidating in turning down the music for a member of our group who has a noise sensitivity. We will definitely return and recommend the amazing restaurant.

BBF is such a gem! I came in with a friend for a quick bite and found out that they only opened this month. You would never have guessed with how good the food & attentive the service is! I got the mentai cream udon and my friend got the tuna and salmon temaki. We also had some edamame to share. They’re a cafe during the day and an izakaya at night. I’ll definitely be back to try out their matcha and onigiri!! Also, a huge shoutout to Niki and Kit for the amazing service :)

They had a 50% promotion on sake, so I ordered a bottle along with some simple hand roll set. The bartender was friendly, and everyone there was kind and welcoming. It was a great experience!

So excited for this restaurant - recently switched management, and it’s the most affordable yet delicious Japanese food in the area. For 3 people, got miso soup, a salad, 5 hand rolls, mentaiko pasta, the miso butter escargot, unagi don, and matcha mochi ice cream for dessert. Will come back for the cafe soon

Awesome place and great atmosphere! Honestly I did not have a reservation, but they were able to accommodate despite that. The hostess and my server Shirli was very friendly and dedicated to making this a positive experience. I will come back for the lunch menu next time.

just passed by this place with my husband and decided to go in and try the chicken katsu sandwich. It was amazing, and the side dish pairings were equally as great! Love the affordable food options and diverse menu. What a great, lucky find!

Great dinner here on a Friday early evening! We made a reservation but they take walk ins as well. We came with our toddler and they were accommodating and had a high chair! My favorites were the scallop hand roll and the tuna hand rolls. My toddler loved the udon noodle soup.

Came here on a whim after a birthday party, because I want to check out this place for their temaki and L is very particular and this was a safe bet. The place is small and we had this petite waitress wait on us. I advised that we were going to do two of the Temaki set of five and to give us the first five on the menu. She was confused and she didn't know which five and so I had to show it to her, but meanwhile she could just did that on her own and worked it out. She asked us if that was it and we said yes, since it was already really late and we wanted to just eat and go. When the temaki arrived, she set it down in the middle and I pushed it to L. She asked if we wanted anything else? I said no, just waiting for the other set. She's like you wanted two? I said yes, we ordered two sets of the 5. Minutes later a dude shows up and rushes the other set down. But I noticed this set was different than the other one, because the new set had the shrimp that was part of the first five on the menu. I don't even know what the first that came with, but it didn't come with shrimp. I want to say the temaki was good and dare I say have better flavor profile than Nami Nori. The waitress came back and asked us if we wanted anything else and we said no, and then she never came back.. It was getting really really late and so I was like let's go and then I realize we never paid and L was like we could just go up to the front. We waited there for a good minute while the other guy was taking a phone order and she finally came to us and we were both holding out our cards, but she tried to swipe the entire meal on one card. I said we're going to split it and it's like she was shocked, even though she clearly sees us having two cards out. Food is good, but service wasn't there. I would come back though, but next time I will just know what I'm getting if I get her as my waitress again.

Sushi sushi what more can I ask for. I had the pleasure of trying the California Roll. I always stick to what I know. Need to get out my comfort zone and try other speciality rolls. lol Overall service was excellent staff was very patient with me as I scan their menus to think if I would like to try a new roll. Very clean.

LOVED BBF!!!! My partner and I swung by for drinks and bites recently, and were so impressed by our meal. We ordered a wide selection of small plates, which were unique and high quality. Our favorites were the miso butter escargot, the 5 temaki set, and the kinoko butter... though honestly, everything was incredible. We appreciated that sake was half off, as it allowed us to try a couple different varieties. Service was also super friendly and while we received our food fairly quickly, we weren't rushed at all. We put in multiple rounds of food orders to pace ourselves, and truly got to savor each bite. BBF is a new favorite. We will be back!

No wait around 7:30pm on Saturday! Got the mentaiko udon and shared the 5 set hand roll! Loved the hamachi one. Thought the interior was cute and cozy, service was also attentive.

*This review is solely for the matcha and hojicha lattes* It's a café during the day and a sushi restaurant at night. I swung by BBF in the morning and afternoons as I was staying across the street at the Ludlow Hotel. The service is friendly and a little on the slower side. They take a while to make a latte, but the end result is delightful. The matcha was light but the nutty hojicha was my favorite. Even hubby agreed. Aside from the non-branded cups and the $6+ dollar price tag, it's worth checking out this day time café. Cheers.

Went here with my friend for dinner, and it was so good!! We were both really pleasantly surprised with every dish that we got. We ordered: -fried squid legs (by far our fave. Super light and crunchy) -pork belly wrapped dango (soo good. Great sauce and balance of flavors) -shiso fries (really crispy and loved the seaweed flavor. Would've love a little spicy mayo or some kind of dip but was still good) -mentai shishito peppers (I'm not a fan of peppers and I still liked this. A little spicy which I love. Could use a touch more salt) -3 temakis (scallop, shrimp tempura, and mentai squid; we both agreed we loved the last 2. Scallop was just okay) -mentaiko udon (amazing. Super light sauce so we were able to eat a lot of it) -tan tan udon (sooo flavorful and delicious but a little too salty) Great, strong cocktails as well. And wonderful, very attentive service the entire time. 10/10 would come back!

Such a nice gem! Stopped by here around 11am for lunch on a Saturday and there were maybe 5-7 parties in front of us. Lots of seating options and food options!! I ended up getting the fried chicken nanban and my friend got the salmon. The chicken nanban was great!! Loved the sauce of the chicken paired with the tartar - my only complaint is I wish there was more chicken since it was kind of small. Will be coming back, though!

We walked in at 5 PM and the restaurant was relatively empty. The service was friendly, and since it wasn't busy we were able to take our time. Even when we left, there was only a few tables filled. There is a communal table in the middle and tables for groups of 2 or 4 on the sides. We sat in a corner and it was spacious. We shared the Party Bomb which came with tuna, hamachi, salmon and shrimp. There was a decent portion of fish for each piece, and the hamachi was my favorite. We also ordered the Mentai Udon, which was only okay. We got a dessert which was small and not that memorable. I would come back if I was in the area and needed a place to eat without a reservation.

Went during the day, so only experienced the cafe portion. Super nice space to study in, but the wifi was a bit slow when I went. Everyone was very nice. I got a mocha and it was delicious! I saw some people get actual food there and it looks really good! Will be back to study and try more of the menu.

This has got to be my favorite place EVER. (Or at least one of them). It's an izakaya spot that moonlights as a cafe during the day. Really great third space in NYC to work from home, hang out with a friend, or journal. It is super spacious and somehow not a place in NYC that isn't overcrowded. Service is really wonderful here. They'll bring out your drinks and food directly to your table. I am a huge fan of their onigiris. They are ginormous, they come warm, and their rice is delish. Also love the matcha lattes. Everything about this place I looooooove!

Great ambiance, good French toast. Lots of outlets, there's a bathroom. Cool place to study. BUT their sesame latte and strawberry matcha lattes were basically milk - I would not recommend ordering those.

BBF was right next to where I was staying my most recent visit. I only stopped by for coffee so I don't have an opinion on the cuisine. The store is very clean and aesthetically pleasing. Staff was very friendly. I ordered the Tiramisu Latte and loved it. I believe they steamed the milk with the mascarpone cheese and that really enhanced the latte. I ended up getting one every morning of my trip. Definitely will stop by again if I'm in the area.

Place was not busy on a Saturday night so we were seated immediately. The mentai udon was not bad and the 3 piece temaki was okay too. I like how the temaki comes with lettuce to balance the fish.

Loooove this place. Everything was so good. Got the escargot, the mochi wrapped pork, orange bomb and the Donburi. My favorite was the escargot and the mochi wrapped pork, omg. I dream about it. Service was amazing, they were training someone new and she did great. Ambiance was also very nice and pretty inside.

Dare I say that this is my favorite cafe AND restaurant in all of New York City?! My friend and I came here for coffee, and were immediately impressed by the open, spaciousness of the place. It somehow stays open from morning to night, opening as a cafe and closing as a bar. We stayed for a whopping 7 hours here and saw the subtle transformations throughout the day. I got the cold brew here, and I loved its balance of boldness and fruitiness--a treat for taste buds and the brain as I worked. Then we ate their shrimp onigiri and Salmon Saikyo Yaki for lunch and they were delicious! Well-seasoned and generous with their portions, they were so satisfying. Though we shouldn't have taken up a table for so long, the barista and waiters never rushed us or made us feel uncomfortable. If I could, I would've stayed for dinner as well. :)

This is a nice spot for a lunch. It is classic nouveau sushi in SoHo. It's a small spot just off of Houston and it's got a clean vibe with nice decor and clean wood and new Asian layout. You order at the counter and there quite a few tables nearby. This is the kind of place that I could work all day in. We had the Onigiri which is classic Japanese Snak that is basically rice with a nice filling. We tried the Shiitaki version and it was great. There is a huge variety of filling and the ones we tried were pretty good. We didn't have time to try the Curry plate, but boy I really wanted to. Overall a nice spot for a good light lunch

I had the best chai latte that I have ever had in my life. I should have taken a picture, but it was cold outside, and the latte looked so delicious that I didn't want to wait! The latte had the most delicious foam, as well as star anise, a cinnamon stick, ginger, and delicious flowers of some sort. I felt like I was drinking a magical, special potion!! The shop is cozy and impeccably tidy and sweet. I can't wait to go back and try some food!

Love this addition to the LES - a cafe that actually has space! Came for lunch and ordered a delicious matcha and chicken nanban lunch set. My partner ordered a cortado and chicken katsu. We both loved our drinks but felt the lunch sets while tasty had a lot of fried elements (fried lotus chips accompanying fried chicken with fries) and felt a bit heavy. There was salad on the side, and it would be nice to see some more of these fresher elements to balance up the set dishes. Will definitely come back to try the onigiri!

Rainy days means that it's time to seek shelter in your local café. This time, I went to BBF, a cute cafe turned restaurant/bar at nighttime, to get some work done! The interior of this restaurant feels comfy, with soft lighting and woody decor. During the afternoon, they serve actual food on top of their usual coffee/tea drinks and pastries. Theres bar seating, and an open space in the back with more seating. I got a latte, and she came out in this cute glass cup! I was able to find a place to sit down and work on my laptop. Their wi-fi worked well, and they even had a bathroom. All in all, I'd come back! It's a nice environment to work in, with just enough chatter in the background.

This izakaya-cafe blew me away! The entryway leads you to a coffee counter where you can watch the barista make your drinks and peruse the small display of pastries. My friend and I were hungry so we dove straight into the menu and both ordered the same thing. You order and pay at the counter and then make your way to the dining area in the back where there are plenty of tables, chairs, and restroom. I immediately fell in love with the warm, beckoning wood finishes and warm lighting. The dining scene was very casual and relaxed, the perfect place to catch up with a friend. They feature a different set lunch daily, but each lunch bowl comes with a small serving of lotus root chips, potato wedges, and rice. I chose the fried chicken nanban, and it stands out the BEST chicken nanban bowl I've ever had in NYC. The chicken was so moist, juicy, and flavorful that I savored each bite. At first glance, it might not seem like there's much chicken but between bites of seasoned rices, veggies, and potato, I felt myself reaching satiety. The bowl was so exquisitely balanced between the creamy bites of chicken with sauce, the crisps, the crunchy pickles, and comforting rice. I could not rave about this enough as this was the perfect meal to satisfy my appetite without being too greasy or heavy. BBF is now one of top lunch spots. I would love to come back for dinner one day and try their sushi bombs.

Came here to try per my nieces suggestion and a friend. First time here we tried the omakase pop up. I got the 20 piece option. The chef was very nice and service. But his flavors for each piece were more traditional and old style. Unlike the other places I've been to. I really wanted to like the omakase but only some pieces I liked. Came back here for the dinner menu to try. Was very disappointed by the option. We walked all the there just for udon. And the broth wasn't bad but the udon was little over cooked, on the soft side. The appetizer was nothing special. The chicken we got was very moist but pretty bland. Without the sauce on the side it would be difficult to eat. I would like to come back and try their lunch menu. Hopefully it's more appealing. Eating hot noodles in a hot place was not fun on top of the door being open mosquitos and a small little water bug we saw by our table.

Big fan of BBF. Love the venue and seating area. The lunch, coffee, and dessert menu is great. Haven't tried dinner yet. The burger steak and the chicken nanban are excellent. The onigiri varieties includes generous portions of ingredients as well. Love the souffle and red bean soup too.

BBF is a Japanese cafe by day, sake bar/tapas like restaurant by night. I really liked BBF on my first visit. The whole vibe and ambiance of this place is chill and calming, with the soft lighting and modern woody decor. It's a quite spacious restaurant with a wide counter at the front and seating in the back. They also have pop-ups; currently there is a Ushiwakamaru sushi pop-up. Their regular menu offers a variety of sushi as well as some Japanese tapas-like dishes, obanzai, and some larger entrees. We decided to try the sushi bomb deluxe (12 pcs), fried yellowtail collar, and some seasonal pickled vegetables, along with a deluxe sake flight (3 sakes). I really enjoyed the yellowtail collar; it had a nice, light fry on it. The texture was just great. Sushi bomb deluxe was also nice. I liked the variety of sushi options. Pickled vegetables were a perfect complement to the meal. For sake lovers, it's definitely worth checking out BBF for their flights. Their sake menu is pretty extensive and they offer a flight of 12 glasses for $65, which is not a bad deal at all. I kind of regret not going for that flight, but there is always next time. Overall, BBF was pretty great. I'd like to come back for lunch too. Their menu is different during the day. Service was also really friendly and attentive here. I'll be back soon for sure.

Delicious food, super authentic and cute atmosphere Very clean, super cute and great lunch special

Okay! So we dropped in here for some snacks at the bar -- a kyoto cold brew & the matcha ice cream. Both were so high quality & delicious. Re: coffee, the cold brew was really good & served the way they serve whiskey with a large ice cube so the drink stays cold longer & doesn't get watered down as fast. Loved that. The matcha ice cream was super rich & creamy & had an awesome flavor -- think they might use a different, more fattier milk here.

Perfect spot for a quick lunch. Their lunch sets are so pretty and well balanced. Would recommend!

I love this Japanese cafe, and how passionate that they are about quality coffee. Not to mention, their casual Japanese food is spectacular. I really like how onigiri is made to order, but I love how their Japanese Hamburger steak meal tastes. Also, there is plenty of space to do laptop work or read with just the right amount of chatter. 5 stars!

Two of us came for dinner at the bar and had a great experience... they have a GREAT sake selection, and you can have any of them serve warm which was perfect because it was a cold winter night.... The food was great, especially their noodles (I forgot to take a picture of it, I got it for the main course)... the stuff was nice and the music playlist was really cool... I didn't go to the back room but I am told they offer omakase there.

I visited BBF for happy hour, which offers Sapporo for $6 and a few food set options. The sushi bombs are creative and delicious! Their servers were pretty nice too. We wanted to order more from the dinner menu but didn't see many options for entree, which is a bit disappointing because it looks like they changed their menu from before and lunch menu seems to offer more variety of entrees. But overall it's a very cozy spot just to sit at the bar and chill after work. I will come back visit maybe during lunch time next time or when they add more items on the dinner menu!

Not sure "kitchen is backed up" is a good excuse for something many cooks are able to whip up in ten minutes or less at a similar eatery at a random train station in Japan. Taste is decent but nothing special.

Visiting NYC from Orange County, CA for the first time and this was the first meal we had after a long day of travel and it was exactly what I needed. Everything was DELICIOUS, the drinks, the food everything was perfect. The staff was so nice & welcoming it was a wonderful much needed relaxing evening to start our vacation. The jidori chicken was Juicy and cooked perfectly & the udon was flavorful and comforting.

My new favorite coffee spot. Great drip, pastries and fresh onigiri! Super nice people working here. Can't wait to try em for dinner.

Salmon onigiri was a little dry but they gave me mayo after I asked :) delicious matcha

Almost don't want to post this review because I wish I could keep it a secret!! A wonderful find in in lower East side. Came here with a friend to do some work. Got a nice strong well-balanced latte and my friend got the cold brew. The salmon bowl and spicy shrimp onigiri but some of the best Japanese tasting food I've had here in New York. The rice ball was warm and the seaweed clung to the rice. The salmon bowl came with 4 pieces of well seasoned salmon, salad, and fries. Will be back!

Had the most amazing tiramisu latte here!! The food was good but i dont know if I'll come back for the food, definitely for the drinks! The inside is also extremely spacious - great do work in the morning/afternoon.

Ludlow Street offers BBF as a Japanese cafe that moonlights as sake bar with food in the evening or perhaps BBF is a sake bar that "sunlights" as a Japanese cafe from morning to late afternoon . either way, it's a fine addition to the Lower East Side--warm inviting modern ambiance, clean to the eye, lots of sunlight /light, and very chill quiet vibe during the day. seating options stretch from the long counter bar to a few tables in the front area to a more substantial seating / dining room area in the back of the interior. the space is well-maintained by staff...Marie Kondo wb proud. the coffee options--very good. my last two stops at BBF, got a drip and Americano to go, respectively. both fine hot brews completed the mission of kicking up my energy and alertness and warmed me up as winter weather failed to oppress me with coldness...and the coffee is quality as it tastes so smooth. there's a variety of seasonal coffee and tea drinks as well as a small menu of pastry and sandwich options. last time, i got a croissant--it was such simple buttery flaky richness. have yet to enjoy BBF for an adult beverage or a dinner bite when it flips to a nighttime spot but it's on my mental list. the service is hospitable and efficient...the dedication to what's being served shows in the authenticity of the staff in serving guests--even in things as basic as a drip coffee or a plain croissant. places like BBF subtly remind you: the most important time is always the present...be in that moment

Super cute place. Very spacious and good level of noise for like studying/doing work. Decent amount of seating. Staff is very nice. Got the hoji latte it was good. Had good flavors! They also have food on menu as well if you're interested.

The food reminds me of some of my favorite meals in Japan! Such a cute spot and soooo delicious. They need support, especially during dinner hours! Go support them and enjoy!!!

The food is super good and I was pleasantly surprised the food is amazing and the staff is super nice! The restaurant is calm and the ambiance is very nice!

loved this spot so much i came back within a week! great spot to work at and just enjoy tea and light foods (they also have more substantial sandos too). the staff are very sweet and friendly. def will be a regular spot for me!

Made a res same day and there was plenty of space when we walked in at 7pm. Solid no frills Japanese food!

I read about the opening of this restaurant & wanted to check it out so here we are celebrating my friend's birthday on the first full weekend BBF has been open. Holding true to its Japanese roots, this restaurant has a very open vibe to it. BFF has that clean feel to it with good lighting and simple yet elegant decor. Regardless of how the dishes were made, they all brought out the natural flavors of the ingredients. A few highlights I would recommend from the menu: the scallop salad, the sweet potato, the DIY egg sandwich, the fish & chips, and the fried chicken. And yeah, I get it: the sweet potato & DIY egg sandwich sound so simple but THOSE FLAVORS!!! Amazing, amazing, amazing! I would recommend making a reservation on Resy. Right now you can probably get away without one but I see this place becoming a hot commodity sometime in the near future. Oh yeah, and only best for intimate one-on-ones or very small gatherings. Bon appetit!

Their chai latte and warm onigiris are delicious! Perfect ambiance to get a couple hours of work done. It's unfortunate their yelp hours say they are closed on Tuesday evenings. They were open tonight, Tuesday, when we walked in to look at their dinner menu and there were only a couple customers.

Traditional Japanese serving authentic Japanese cuisine served by Japanese people. The staff is friendly. The food is delicious and the drinks are terrific with great ambiance. I highly recommend eating here

A great place to work with ample seating and wifi...plus the matcha and assorted hot drinks are so good. They may have the best croissants in lower east side.

BBF just opened and is well worth a visit. I'll definitely be back. The sushi was outstanding and the drinks 100% the icing on the cake. Everything about BBF is on point. My new Friday night spot. If you're in the area or have to travel to it's worth the trip. See you guys next week lol .

Absolute favorite cafe spot to grab a drink and small eats, great place to chat with friends too!

Food quality was excellent. Service was very good. Ambiance was just right. This was my first visit and I was very impressed. The staff was friendly and welcoming and I really enjoyed the interesting menu. I will definitely recommend this to my people. Also will definitely come back.