Cafe Camellia

This restaurant was INCREDIBLE. I was initially impressed by the menu, the take on southern food and saw it was new so I wanted to try it out. It did not disappoint. The hushpuppies and fried pickled tomatoes were cooked perfectly. The ribs were the highlight, I've never had fried ribs that fall off the bone! We got the bass fish was perfectly cooked with a yummy sauce and the okra as a side. Salad was fresh, which paired well with the heavier fried food. Oh and the key lime pie is a must. Cool spot and vibe, great service. 10/10

Excellent spot near my buddies place we popped in last night for some dinner and I will say I left thoroughly pleased. The food was well prepared tasty and prompt, wine flowed and the staff was great to chat with. They said the menu changed frequently, sounds good to me! Will pop in when I’m in town guaranteed! Bravo!

came under NYTs article recommendation. the place is quite lowkey and the food was not too greasy / heavy which i really enjoyed. it’s a good place to try out southern food for sure! flavor wise there were pickled elements in all 3 dishes we tried and the fried tomato and the crispy chicken share the same sauce. chicken has a good / consistent texture but at the end of the day it’s just chicken. the fried tomatoes were very interesting; never had such format for tomatoes before; the rice and red bean was perfect as i couldn’t have imagined to have so many nuanced flavors in a fried rice!

Southern food done right! I love the menu and their cocktail drinks! We recommend the country fried ribs they were very tender, the rib cap was delicious as well, they got the doneness right. (medium rare) This restaurant definitely has amazing food! The only thing is the atmosphere they have an indoor and the outdoor. In the evening i think it tends to get too loud to the point where we can’t hold a proper conversation. Other than that, i’d try again for a better overall experience.

Delicious, refined, yet authentic - and totally unpretentious - Southern cuisine that feels perfectly at home in East Williamsburg. Don’t miss the Crispy Half Chicken, or Banana Pudding Tart. Really everything is pretty perfect here. Just make a reservation. On the New York Times list of the 50 restaurants across the entire United States that they’re excited about in 2023.

A cafe trying to replicate the atmosphere of a night club. Lighting so dim need phone's flashlight for the menu, and does none of the dishes any favors. Playing a series of 80-00's rock & heavy metal turn up to 11. Have to speak to someone's ear or shout to be heard 2 seats down as everyone needed to yell to converse above the music. Recommend the backyard if the weather is right. The food is good, especially like the ribs, beans/fried rice, crispy chicken and banana tart. The char on grilled bass is burnt and bitter betraying the tender fillet. Bar ran out of pilsner draft by 6:30. Service was good, just did not like the whole club scene.

Overall experience was amazing. The atmosphere and service was on pare just like the food. They have a very unique twist on classics. The ribs and crab cake are a must! Looking forward to coming back.

My wife and I stopped into this new neighborhood gem the other day and are so glad that we did! The food was delicious, the drink’s refreshing and the service was top notch! A huge thank you to Peter for helping to recommend a few new favorites including the Blackened Catfish, the Ribs and the Spicy Margarita! They just recently opened so we can’t wait to go back again soon!

Came here for dinner on a weekday evening. For all the hype I had been hearing, the restaurant was almost completely empty but the bartender was chatting happily with some other patrons and some nice music was in the background. It was also a Tuesday. We chose to sit at the bar. We ordered: - hush puppies: This tasted pretty good how a generic fried item + mayo dip would taste. Nothing mind blowing. - fried green tomatoes: This was a more interesting item than the other fried pieces. The juicy and tart tomato served as a pleasant contrast to the crispy oily outer layer. It was also served on top of a mayo dip though. - fried ribs: the fried ribs were fall off-the-bone. However I don't remember there being a notable flavor to the ribs. It was served with apple sauce and I didn't quite understand the combo. - rice and beans: This was a flavorful dish to stave off the oils from our otherwise completely deep fried meal. Although it's possible the rice was fried, too. Mentally it gave a feeling of balance. I'm not in a rush to come back here as it was a fairly heavy meal. But they do fried food well and if the mood strikes

This place needs a bit of work. Ambiance was a bit strange. A lot of tables available on a Friday night. The place was definitely understaffed, but they definitely had enough people to service the 20 people there. Super super slow Our server was polite but for the life of my girlfriend and I, we could not hear him/her or honestly comprehend what they were telling us. Honestly, food was OK but everything was definitely a salt bomb. Like so much salt in everything! We ordered (from what I remember): Fried ribs - best thing we had Catfish - good but SO salty Deviled eggs - nothing special Burger - pretty bad. Tasted like something you can make at home and you end up screwing up Fried rice - solid. Wish it came out with our mains... Hope I can come back and it's better at some point

The best meal I had in NOLA on my last trip was not anywhere in the French Quarter or even in up-and-coming areas like Bywater, but rather at an understated restaurant called Mondo in the suburban Lakeview district. My experience at Cafe Camellia reminded me of that meal - while they made the Times 100 list last year, they're located on one of the most dull retail strips in all of Williamsburg, and the decor is nothing to write home about. But they serve bold Gulf Coast flavors, and the butter pecan toddy is a superb drink. The best bites of the evening were the hush puppies, served with a rich remoulade, and the fried maitake, which had a nice balance of acidity. I would probably skip the brussel sprouts next time - they were served in papery fragments that made the dish a bit hard to enjoy.

As per most of my other recent reviews, I went to this Southern spot several months back. We went here after they had unexpectedly gone on the best new restaurants list having barely heard about the restaurant otherwise. The lighting was nice here and the staff was friendly giving good recommendations. They have ample space as well. The spot has a fun creative cocktail menu which are reasonably priced with some drinks having rather humorous names. I went with the A Complex Cocktail For Bitter People for $15 which is their take on a Negroni with roots of ruin gin, saffron liqueur, and vermouth di torino bianco which was excellent. The cocktail had a nice presentation with the vivid off yellow and the flower and it had a nice balance of bitterness, citrus, and herbal flavors. This was excellent though not on the current drink menu. They also had the opposite named A Bitter Cocktail For Complex People which was their take on a Manhattan along with plenty of other choices. As per usual for food, we split a lot of dishes. For smaller plates, my favorite was the Country Fried Baby Back Ribs for $16 with dill & vinegar and jezebel sauce. This sauce in question contains fruit jelly and combined with the dill and vinegar; it was a nice mix of sour and sweet with very tender ribs which weren't too heavily fried. Excellent. Also tasty was the Hush Puppies for $10 with jalapeno, cheddar, popcorn, and remoulade. They were lighter than expected with a little kick and the popcorn was fun for presentation. I think the remoulade should be on this side and not presented on top but I guess it's more artful that way. OK was the Crab Cake for $24 listed as corn flake crusted with whole grain mustard, radish, and herb salad. It was a bit pricey and the flavors didn't pop as much as the other appetizers. The mustard was a fun spin but perhaps don't order this as this is probably one of the only overpriced things on the menu outside of perhaps the steak. We ordered two main dishes; the Roasted Rib Cap and the Crispy 1/2 Chicken which were both fine. The former for $42 with bourbon worcestershire caramel consisted of a very tender steak though maybe a bit small. The sauce indeed had some sweetness but there was a bit of salt on the steak so it was pretty well balanced. The latter dish for $26 with`bama white sauce and herbs was solid. Tender fried chicken with a fun presentation. No real major complaints though I am not exactly sure if it is half a chicken (probably is though.) The restaurant is also known for it's desserts so we got both to share which are both $12. Of the two, my preference was the Key Lime Tart with toasted coconut and candied lime zest. I haven't had many good key lime tarts in the city and this was excellent as it wasn't too sour or sweet. The candied lime zest on top as well as the coconut just added extra pizzazz. I almost found the latter Banana Pudding Tart with caramel and vanilla wafers to be a bit worse. It was well presented as per the other dessert and it was plenty rich but it was perhaps a bit too sweet with the amount of caramel they put on top. This is a fun spin on Southern food which isn't exactly a cuisine you find commonly enhanced. The desserts and appetizers were definitely better than the entrees but the entrees weren't too shabby either. Upper 3/low 4.

This is a great spot! The food was on point. The service was good and they had a great Pilsner on tap! The greens, the fried green tomato, and the chicken were all hittin! Perfect place for a relaxing dinner with friends, work or a date. The key lime pie is a showstopper!

I've been meaning to check out this spot for a while and it did not disappoint! I'm not a huge fan of fish so I was worried that o wouldn't find a dish for me but my word, there is plenty for all! The country fried baby back ribs are insane! The meat falls off the bone! Amazing hushpuppies and really solid mains as well. My date and I ended with one of the best key lime pies I've ever had! Great service! Cozy backyard dining! Worth a visit in Williamsburg!

Mid-week, my friend asked if I wanted to join in on his dinner reservation here. He prefaced it by saying that reservations are very hard to get by so of course I had to say yes! True to most Brooklyn restaurants, I appreciated all the space btw the tables. The three of us split almost the entire menu! We thought everything was very good, but nothing was super amazing that would make us want to come back asap. But given how everything was done well, we could see ourselves coming back if the menu was seasonal. We shared the collard greens, green tomatoes and hush puppies. Of the three apps, we loved the hush puppies the most. For the protein section, we shared the blackened catfish, the steak and the chicken. The chicken was probably the best. Lastly, we shared the two desserts. Similarly to the other foods, the two desserts (which I had to look at my photo to remember what we got) were good but not super memorable. They were the key lime pie and a tart.

Delicious! Definitely lives up to the hype of being on the top 50 restaurants of 2023 from the NY Times. Favorite dish was definitely the country fried baby back ribs. They come with a sweet sauce, which pairs well with the fatty, crispy, melting-off-the-bone ribs. Blackened catfish had a nice depth of smoky flavor that was cut with the freshness of the fish and the creamy sauce. Crispy chicken was boneless (a delight!) and the 'bama sauce was mayonnaise forward. Banana pudding is a must get, very light and the perfect amount of sweetness.

Can't say enough good things about this place. The vibes are so cute. The chef Roger knows his stuff. I didn't have one thing I didn't like. They also grow some of their produce in the backyard. I hope this place blows up. They deserve it.

I was so happy to find this place!! I loveee NOLA cuisine and a friend sent this my way. When we walked in we were greeted by Ashley who took amazing care of us from start to finish. She took the time to walk us through the menu and there were so many great options! Her recommendations really helped us as first timers. I ordered the hush puppies which were amazing as well as the pickled fried green tomatoes. Then for the main course we ordered the catfish. My biggest recommendation: make sure you add the rice and beans as a side it was the highlight of my dish shoutout to Ashley. Such incredible flavor paired with a great ambiance AND incredible service!?! You won't regret coming here!!!

The amazing reviews are for good reason at Cafe Camillia because everything was great. I'm very surprised this place isn't packed! Started with a cocktail called A Bubbly Gin Citrus You Get It. I usually don't like anything with bitters but the grapefruit and lime really worked here. We started with some oysters that could have been shucked a little better but tasted pretty good. We then had the fried crab claws, fried green tomatoes and collard greens. Collard greens were so good with a lot of smoked pork and the dish was somehow not heavy and might I even say, refreshing. The fried crab claws were just super creative and fun to eat. The fry somewhat took over the crab taste but honestly these are fantastic. They sadly were out of the fried fish so we got the shrimp and grits which was very tasty as well. Tons of shrimp, a large prawn but the sauce was the star. We also got the fried chicken. I don't like ordering chicken when I'm out and especially not chicken breast. The breast was so juicy, amazingly cooked and there was a drumstick and some other piece that had the perfect fry. They could have put a small side with the fried chicken, just looked lonely. Ended with the banana pudding tart, also great! 5 stars and 100% coming back!

The upside was the server we had was lovely. The downside was the food was not good. Details below: This restaurant is clearly having an identity crisis. From punk music blaring and bouncing off concrete floors, to neon stripes on the ceiling and Día de los Muertos murals, you're not quite sure if you're in the upscale seafood establishment you had read about or some quasi-chic taqueria meets Bushwick rave. The seafood plates are literally served as slabs of fish on blank white plates accompanied by nothing else, not even garnish...not a leaf of lettuce nor any attempt at a smear or swirl or smidge of design, nothing, zero, zilch, just the lonely old fish and some oil dots swimming on a blank and banal canvas. The bass was chewy with the skin left on, the catfish was semi-decent (and the only reason for a begrudging second star here). The crab cake was mediocre in a runny sauce and the potatoes...well, they belong in a diner near Penn Station. The effort all seems to be here, however it's an effort with no clear direction.

Came here for ValDay dinner and can't wait to return. First, loved that it wasn't a prix fixe menu for Valentines Day. Double Props for that. The two of us shared the fried green tomatoes, brussel sprouts, ripped potatoes, crispy chicken and the pork. Everything was delicious. The brussels are not to be missed! My boyfriend loved the chicken. We couldn't stop picking at the ripped potatoes. The drinks were also so good. Out two favorites were the scarf weather and green tease. The green tease tastes like Arizona Green Tea! For dessert, we shared the banana pudding tart. Less banana than we expected but the crust was so tasty! Dinner was so good, I can't wait to return!

Take this with a grain of salt, since the 3 stars are only for the food in my opinion. The person I dined with loved the food. I visited this place on a Saturday night. It wasn't too busy, but it did have people in it. The place looked clean and relatively nice. The service was good and my water was always refilled which I drank a lot of since I was thirsty that day. To start we had Crab Cake, Red Beans and Fried Rice, Hush Puppies, and Fried Green Tomatoes. The hush puppies were really and using popcorn gave it a unique texture and flavor. Other than that nothing stood out. Beans and rice were relatively tasty, but not worth the price. For entrées we had Fried Maitake which laked flavor and were overcooked in my opinion. The shrimp and grits needed salt and I didn't like the burnt taste of the prawns. Banan Pudding Tart was ok as well. The food was ok, nothing stood out, especially for the price.

Great night/meal here. Back garden was great and there was a nice, light breeze. I got 62 mosquito bites, so maybe wear bug spray if you're eating outside. Food wise: HUSH PUPPIES were amazing. We ordered the grilled escarole salad, but they were out of the escarole so they were accommodating and used the green from their other salad for that one. Fab. Ripped potatoes were also amazing. The summer squash was fresh, interesting plated, but I prob wouldn't get again. Great if you're looking for a veggie medley though. Crispy 1/2 chicken was so good. That white sauce is heavenly. I ordered the crab cake which I was super excited about, but that never came. It's ok though, I'll get it next time. For dessert you have to get the banana pudding tart. Was unreal, stunning and so f'n tasty. Drinks: really enjoyed the coconut rum drink cocktail. Their chilled red and orange wine Mosel Glou Glou we're amazing. The owner and the beverage director were super helpful, friendly and genuine. 10/10 vibes *heart emoji*

Very friendly service, beautiful indoor and patio dining areas, fun small plates with southern twist. We enjoyed the fried ribs with yummy gator seasoning, crab cake with mustard, and the roasted okra and tomatoes. Great addition to the neighborhood! Looking forward to returning with our pup. Dog friendly patio!

Delicious food, friendly staff, great drinks (alcoholic and NA alike) and fun ambience. Highly recommend! Shoutout to Ashley who took extra special care of us!

A pleasant experience, but nothing unexpectedly divide. How in the world did it get into the NYT top 50 restaurants to try for 2023? I have no idea. Everything was well prepared, but the seasoning was uninspiring. The fried ribs: fall off the bone, not greasy, but dusted with a very sour seasoning, somewhat offset with the sweet apple sauce, but still unbalanced all together - a pucker with each bite. Then, the picked fried green tomatoes: well fried and nicely presented, but frankly tasted just like pickles, eliminating what should be the star of the dish - the tomato; hardly any seasoning and bland garnish with a mayo-forward sauce. Another fried sour thing. Understandably, sour is meant to cut through the fat on the palate, but balance must be achieved. Now on to the 1/2 crispy chicken: perfectly cooked and well presented, yet tasted just like any other rotisserie chicken. Serving it on another (may be the same?) bed of mayo-forward sauce and calling it 1/2 a chicken when it was a drumstick and 4 small rounds for $26, did nothing great for the dish. For dessert, the key lime pie: this was the star of the meal, finally! a well balanced, beautifully presented, and delicious dish. Lastly, the wine menu was quite nice and the ambience was warm and friendly. The service was quick and attentive. We may come back out of curiosity to try other dishes. Overall, nice, but nothing to write home to mom about.

I had my birthday dinner here with a large party and it could not have gone better. The staff was extremely nice and accommodating + the food was absolutely amazing. My birthday was in February but I think about the hush puppies once a week. Highly recommend.

Ate here last nite and everything we had was fantastic! For apps we got the hushpuppies, which were a surprisingly light and had a bit of a kick, served with seasoned popcorn for crunch with a tangy remoulade we could not get enough of. And if having one fried appetizer wasn't enough we also got the country fried baby back ribs which were sensational! The breading was heavily seasoned but not in a negative way, the salty flakiness a delicious contrast with the creamy richness of the fall apart ribs they coated. If you think deep fried ribs is going to be too much absurdity to handle the fruity vinegar relish it comes with cuts through the fat like a tart acid sword of sweetness that perfectly balances each bite. What a dish! I could have eaten a dozen! We'll be back for these for sure. I will say, we are not ones to typically order a lot of fried food but we found ourselves ordering 3 fried items out of our entire meal of 4 and there were absolutely no regrets. Nothing felt greasy or heavy, just crisp and wonderfully juicy. For entrees we got the 1/2 fried chicken and the blackened catfish. The catfish was the least wow dish we got. Some bites were very tasty and the blackened seasoning on point but the fish overall was lost in a sea of beurre blanc. We saw the striped bass came with chow chow and I really think something with some vinegary texture to contrast with the fish like that would have helped. But the 1/2 fried chicken was phenomenal! The entire half chicken is deboned down to the leg then the breast and thigh rolled together tightly around herbs. The chicken skin is stretched wafer thin over the seasoned roll and fried golden crisp. The chicken was delectable, marvelously juicy while the mayo thick bama' sauce it's served over coated it sublimely. I wish either of these entrees came with a veggie side since this meal was almost entirely protein but we ate every last bite without complaint. THE DRINKS! Don't sleep on the cocktails! The margarita (not spicy) is a lush, refreshing cucumber based margarita that was a revelation. Not your usual sugar/salt bomb at all but something more nuanced and a perfect summertime companion. I had the truffle honey infused Old Fashioned and every sip I would swish around in my mouth, the earthy honey coating my tongue before being softly bitten apart by the rye. A rich, slow appreciative drink. For dessert we went in planning to get the banana pudding tart after reading rave reviews for it but once we saw the key lime pie slice land at a nearby table there was no question that was happening. A confectionary monster, the curd filling standing nearly 3 inches tall and a thick waistcoat of graham cracker crust surrounding it. It resembled a cheesecake more than a pie slice! Topped with toasted coconut and candied key lime zest (oh my!) it was bright, punchy, tart, and rich. Everything you want from a key lime pie and hands down THE BEST one I've ever had, no denying. This meal was rich, yes, but not heavy and I didn't feel at all disgusting at the end of it, only wonderfully satisfied. Each dish was an updated twist on classic comfort cuisine and arranged with intelligence. We'd walked by Cafe Camellia several times glancing inside to see what it was before finally taking the plunge, so very glad we did. The decor was beautiful, minimal and modern. We were quickly seated and if the weather had been nicer the outdoor garden looked lovely. Our only complaint during the entirety of our meal was the music mix and volume felt more fitting at a bar than a sit down restaurant but that didn't stop us from digging in. If you want to try some homestyle southern cooking executed with modern technique and a bit of whimsy, this meal will not disappoint.

All the dishes we tried were terrific: the oysters, Artichoke, Black Gass Gnocchi which was delicious (you could taste the potatoes) even the Chicory insalata was good. On the desert since the Passion Fruit Chiboust was exceptional. Service was excellent and was the setting. We spent $309 plus tip including an $80 of wine. There is a nice bar called Portrait in the back. Reservations are recommended.

Can I just say how crazy it is that this place has so few reviews? We made a reservation because the NYT put it on its 2023 list of 50 restaurants across the US that they're most excited about. I thought it would be impossible to get a reservation - it wasn't, so my recommendation is: GO, while you still can. The food here is amazing! Everything we ordered was delicious, and we ordered almost half the menu. The best thing about it was the even though we had lots of fried things, nothing was greasy, heavy, or felt too decadent. Both desserts were out of this world (Banana cream pie and Key Lime). Service was about as quick and friendly as it gets. And the space is relaxed and smartly decorated. What a treat to have Southern food in NYC that is this tasty.

Unique dishes, great space & above all incredible staff. You can tell everyone who works there is excited to meet people, happy to talk through the dishes & drinks and passionate about the restaurant. A great new addition to East Williamsburg! Peter helped us choose from their fantastic wine menu (great wine!), we ordered the simple salad, fried green tomatoes & hush puppy dishes to start. Chicken is fantastic & can't miss dessert and an amaro to finish! Highly, highly recommend.

I live nearby and pass this restaurant almost daily so I was really looking forward to trying it. Most of the stars are based upon the vibe & aesthetic. We were seated & I asked what HH entailed. Our server was unable to answer & said she would find out. 10 min later she returns to take our order and when I asked if she was able to obtain info on HH, she just stared at me blankly. Not a strong start. We ordered the highly recommended deep fried ribs, the ripped potatoes, shrimp & grits & I believe, catfish. First, none of the food was hot which really annoys me. For us, the potatoes were the star of the show which is sad. Nothing was particularly special or delicious. Definitely a one & done, especially at this price point.

I often try new restaurants, but this one really stood out as one of my best new spots of the year. Delicious food, excellent wine and very unique dishes! Great vibe and our server was excellent. The roasted rib cap completely blew me away (Carmel sauce?? With a steak???) and the banana tart rocked my world. Will 100% be back!

I stopped by this place last week and thought the ambiance was lovely. The outdoor seating in the yard is beautiful and spacious. One of the owners helped me out and he was extremely nice. I didn't have the food but recommend this oasis for sure.

Came here with a group and we had almost the entire menu, and it was all incredible. Cocktails were great. Service was great. Cool spot with a big patio. Highly recommend.

The service and ambiance were great but the food was at best mediocre and in some cases really bad. Our server was very attentive and friendly and our table comfortable. We started with the ribs and some fried green tomatoes. The batter on both were so salty that they were practically inedible. Some in our party pulled off the batter to find the meat underneath pretty good. We had the bass, the chicken and the prawns and grits mains with a side of greens. Again the chicken and the greens were over salted though not as badly as the ribs and tomatoes. The fish and grits were good but in a group that usually leaves nothing behind, we were not inspired to clean our plates. The banana custard tart we got for dessert had a cookie crust so hard, we had trouble cutting it with a knife. The custard was tasty, but again, not worth finishing. We did share our concerns about the salt level with our server who listened but the restaurant did not respond.

Incredible food. Incredible service. Impeccable vibes. Cannot recommend enough. So amazingly good. What a gem!

Delicious food + cocktails. Highly recommend the ribs, hush puppies, and rippers (potatoes). For drinks, we had the bubbly gin & margarita, both of which were refreshing and tasty.

Walked by this nondescript place (somehow missed when this place opened) and was drawn in by the menu. Very glad I did. Friendly service and everything I ate was excellent. Hush puppies and ribs and key lime pie all hit the spot. Looking forward to coming back on an empty stomach to try more of the menu. I feel like this place might blow up so I gotta get back here before it's impossible to get a reservation.

The food was amazing, drinks were terrific, and the service was outstanding. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Cafe Camellia blew us out of the water. I legitimately never write reviews here but I felt like this place deserves it - they're fairly new and it's under the radar for now! We shared 5 small plates, each one better than the last. We got the simple salad, grilled escarole salad, hush puppies, crab cake (served with grain mustard, incredibly good) and the red beans and pork fried rice (the flavor and seasoning of this dish was next-level). We'll be returning soon to try their mains!!

Amazing atmosphere. Great music. Simple but elegant modern interior. Service was outstanding just as the food was. Highly recommend the ribs but you can't go wrong with anything here! Must stop in