Tony L.
Yelp
First thing's first: Reserve ahead of time if you can -- they can get pretty crowded, as this is one of the popular brunch spots in the area.
We came on a gloomy Sunday afternoon after Brooklyn Pride and were excited to have snagged a reservation for outdoor seating. The outdoor space was really cute and well-lit, naturally, and the muraled background made you feel transported somewhere warm and tropical, minus the humidity -- perfect for me!
The waitstaff came around a few times at first to ask about food/drinks, but it didn't feel pushy. We ordered shortly after and made conversation. And more conversation. And more conversation. Although our drinks came pretty quickly, we didn't receive any check-in or attention for a good half-hour when we realised we hadn't received an update about our food (a simple eggs/sausage/salad plate, french toast on the side, and veggie burger platter). I had forgotten that the food can take a while, but it was disappointing that it took 30 minutes to even see if we needed a refill on drinks. We were told the food would come out shortly, but only when it became apparent that the tables around us -- larger parties, at that -- had ordered after us and received their food before us.
Finally, 45+ minutes after ordering, our food arrived. The veggie burger was an alternate meat kind, which I didn't hate, but it definitely needed some sauce. The hashbrowns were good, as always. However, the egg/sausage/salad plate was underwhelming. The eggs looked tired, and my partner said the sausage and french toast were just meh. I'd been to Bonafini many times so I was a bit ready for the wait, but in the past it had come with better fare (Montrealer sandwich; Italian sausage + broccolini sandwich; Frittata). This time the food didn't save the establishment from the slow service. It also took a long time to close out, so overall, it was just a very confusing experience in terms of service. I'd come back, but only for takeout to avoid the hanger.