Tru Astoria
“Very modern looking space, if the weather allows it, the outdoor seating is the place to be, and great location”
“The bottomless brunch for $15 is reasonable (any more than that and I'd have some hesitations).”
“I'm definitely going to come back here for dinner and again for brunch to try the frittata and waffles with chicken!”
Tru Astoria
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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It's a Pokestop.
The Crab Benedict and Pulled Pork Benedict are excellent here. The drinks are moderately priced, but they are very good. I also feel very strongly that the portions were medium – you will NOT leave here with a full stomach. The decor is beautiful and they have both indoor and outdoor seating. But once again, you will not leave here with a full stomach.
I have walked past this place a few times and it is clearly a popular spot in the neighborhood so I thought I would give it a try today for brunch. I really wasn't bowled over to be honest. They clearly do a great coffee business as this was more important than even saying hello to use once we were seated, to the point it almost pushed me to leaving.
The food – I had a pulled pork eggs benedict. The eggs were really nicely done but I am not sure whether the pork is a good combination, it really clashed flavors with the hollandaise. I ordered home fries with my meal and they were cold which was also disappointing.
The drinks – nice bloody mary, better mimosa. I had no complaints here.
The service – left a lot to be desired, between the greeting and the lack luster, unfriendly bartender I was certainly not blown away here.
The price – good 2 hour deal on bottomless brunch. Overall reasonable menu.
Finally, the ambience in the place was a little weird. Playing dance music at 11:30 am might keep the staff moving quickly but for me it just never allowed me to really get comfortable. If that was the tactic to turn over the tables, it definitely worked!
I think I will give it a miss next time.
Brunch on a sunny day in New York!
THE AMBIANCE:
Tru Astoria is a medium-sized cafe/eatery. It was a sunny day so we sat outside in their patio.
THE FOOD:
To start we tried their Fried Calamari with marinara sauce. Because were Mexican of course we ordered lemons. The calamari was good. For my lunch entree I tried a wrap that had spinach and eggs in it. It came with a side of grilled potatoes and two (2) sauces: ketchup and a semi-spicy chipotle aioli. I didn't like the wrap. It barely had any flavor. I really liked the aioli and because of it I ate almost all of the potatoes. I definitely recommend it. I can't find the wrap I had on their menu anymore.
THE TIPS:
Three (3) stars for my experience but I would come back again and order something else. Tru Astoria has three (3) menus:
1. Breakfast/Lunch Menu –
Morning HH 9am-11am Monday-Friday: all coffee and tea beverages $2.00 + all breakfast items $6.00
Bottomless Brunch Weekends 9am-4pm Saturday-Sunday: Unlimited brunch cocktails for two (2) hours, $15.00
2. Brunch Menu – 9am-4pm Saturday-Sunday: Unlimited brunch cocktails for two (2) hours, $15.00
3. Dinner Menu – 5pm until Late (close? no idea)
Is Ditmars Boulevard trendier than Williamsburg or the West Village? I truthfully don't know, having not spent enough time in any of those three locations. But does the setting at Tru seem more trendy and contemporary relative to other restaurants in the area, or to restaurants anywhere else? I would certainly say so, and I am sure you would tru dat!
The menu is unusually diverse for a restaurant that is positioned as serving Mediterranean fare. Pasta, pizza, burgers–it almost seems like Tru was designed for group dining, and didn't want to risk making anyone feel left out. But in life as in restaurants, diversification comes at a price. The food is not "spiky good". Sure the falafel platter is filling, and the servings of the sides are generous, but at Manhattan price points I expect better. Service is friendly, with the manager doing the rounds, although seemingly her desire to get your feedback exceeds her reticence to interrupting your conversation at the table.
Tru seems to be a good meeting place, and offers a casual and relaxed alternative to some of the authentic yet inelegantly appointed alternatives in Astoria, not that I am an expert on Astoria. I might just be back here another time.
I've been back a couple of time for brunch and it has not disappointed.
The drinks are good, the atmosphere is solid, and the food is delicious. The bottomless brunch for $15 is reasonable (any more than that and I'd have some hesitations). The egg dishes are all solid as well.
Oh, get a frappe on a summer morning/afternoon.
Great service- food was mediocre, typical menu. No takeaways
Rolled into this spot after a Yelp elite event which was down the street in hopes for some more food and to have dinner for my best friends birthday.
I was stuffed but she was starving so we found the nearest location with decent reviews to grab her a bite to eat. I can't say much about her burger but the guacamole and chips was the only thing I tasted.
All I can say is don't order them! The guacamole was absolutely disgusting and I would never suggest them.
Other than that our waiter was really nice and attentive. It was pretty empty due to it being a Monday night but everyone seemed nice enough.
I mentioned that it was her birthday and he was nice enough to bring her a delicious, adorable tiramisu cake with a sparkler on top.
All in all, we had a nice time. We got outdoor seating which was amazing since the weather was so nice.
Came here for dinner with a friend and it was amazing. I got a steak sandwich with fries and it was cooked to perfection. They have cool outdoor seating (it was a little chilly) and then the indoor seating looks amazing. Drinks were a little expensive, but in line with prices in the city. Food prices were extremely fair and reasonable for large portions.
What really stood out was the service. We were the only ones sitting outside and we were constantly checked on and our water was constantly full. They were just friendly and always made conversation.
After reading that they have a AYCD brunch, I will definitely be back here to check it out.