Petite Abeille

A group of 5 of us had dinner at Petite Abeille, and although I haven’t been to this location (just the one in Tribeca, which now appears to be closed), I knew it was going to be a good meal. Some of the plates I shared was the truffle mushroom pasta (highly recommend!), kale caesar salad (also recommend), salmon entrée, and burger. I ordered an extra side of fries because they’re addictive here, and they did not go to waste. For dessert, we ordered their bread pudding and chocolate waffle. Next time, we agreed we would stick to the bread pudding and try another dessert in lieu of the belgian waffle. The service was efficient, and the space — though small — was inviting and homey.

Super cute, love the atmosphere. Came for brunch. Service is not good. Hostess crossed us off the list while we were waiting next to host stand and had to wait a very long time for a table. Had to ask waitress several times for bread and the check.
The food was OK. Got salmon burger, waffle, and frittata. Bellini was good. Prices are going rate but all in all not worth it given the service and quality.

My boyfriend and I had one of those mornings where we were just craving for a sweet breakfast. So I just looked up waffles in the area on Unilocal and we ran into this business. The waffles looked pretty good judging from the pictures so we decided to give it a try. The place is small and cozy with cute vintage décor.
I had the brioche French toast and my boyfriend had the Chantilly waffle. We were surprised to see how big they were but that’s not a complaint at all, we cleared out our plates. I really liked my french toast, it was moist and I loved the strawberry sauce with it.
Although their menu’s are limited, they didn’t disappoint us with what they had. I would recommend their sweet breakfast selections off the menu.

NOTE: I visited this establishment in 2006. This review was copied from a travel site I previously blogged for.
This little Belgian bar was exactly what we needed to end our night. Heather had a peach beer that cost her $ 14, but she seemed quite happy with it. The deejay was the hit of the party though– he spun some great tunes and could really keep people dancing, but he also showed off his skills on the horn! He pulled out a trumpet a few times and wailed with the song. He was phenomenal, this was a very enjoyable place.

I really enjoyed this little Belgian bar — espresso bar — restaurant! It felt tucked away from the rest of the city but obviously still very much part of the city.
We initially came in to the little bar, waiting to go to another venue. My friend had the buy one get one free Belgian beer (I’m not good with remembering what kind) happy hour deal and I had a very euro looking cup of coffee. We returned for dinner and tried all the mussels on the menu (all three kinds) for our table. One had chorizo and tomato’s, one with a cream sauce and bacon, and one more classically prepared. They were all in their respective little mussel pots, served with fries (unfortunately not bread too for all the remaining juicr), and all were huge! There were three of us and way too many mussels.
The décor was very relaxed — there was a real working fire place in the back room we sat in. Adjacent to that room was a cute little patio my friends had sat on for brunch in the past.
We were doing a lot of «we’ll have this, no we have to leave now”/high maintenance stuff (not usual, I swear) but everyone here was super accommodating (especially the bar staff), and service during our meal was excellent.
My only regret is we were here for dinner not brunch. Between the «eggs in purgatory «, numerous waffle varieties, and croque madam/​monsieurs, it looked wonderful.
On Wednesdays they have an all you can eat mussels special. (I really think I was at my limit with one pot to eat on my own tho.)

I recently visited Belgium and wanted to re-​live the delicious cuisine, so I thought this would give me a tasty reminder. It’s a Nice place for brunch and I’m sure there are great options for dinner service, but I felt like my meal lacked a cohesive balance. My friend and I came on a Saturday and it was pretty packed. There was a 45 minute wait for 2 people. It’s a small place but there is good space between tables. The prices are moderate and the brunch menu offers something for everyone. I ordered the Belgium waffles with a special fruit topping that included kiwi, mango, and bananas along with strawberry sauce, whipped cream, and powdered sugar (a mouthful huh?). The waffle itself was not too sweet and had a nice, crispy texture. But the mix of the fruits, the waffles, sugar, and the strawberry sauce did not pair well to me; it’s a unique mix of tangy and sweet. When I tried to top it with maple syrup, it tasted worse. I ended up eating it by alternating between dry waffles and the sauce. My friend had the eggs cocolte which seemed to be a popular item. Overall, the service is great and I will return, but I think I will choose something a little more hearty. Also, FYI, their site mentions that they have a location on Broadway, to our dismay after traveling there, we realized that location was closed. Update the site please!

We were in the neighborhood and stopped in for some Belgian waffles. Their menu isn’t crazy huge but every item sounded really good. Their croque Madame wasn’t on the menu but I read about it on Unilocal so we asked for it. It seems like they do a few items that aren’t listed on the menu — just try asking!
Their fresh squeezed OJ and Belgian hot chocolate were also very tasty. The service is very fast and the food is delicious! We didn’t wait much at all for our waffles and croque Madame.
Another good thing is they have a Tin Tin-​theme with the books and decorations, which made it more fun.
I would imagine it gets busy on weekends but when I came here on a Friday morning, we were seated right away.

Came here on Sunday at 10:30 am. It was not so crowded until after 11 am. It is a bit small so make sure you come earlier if you have a bigger group. I got the Brazilian belgian waffle (coffee ice cream, caramel sauce, caramelized toasted nuts) and it was delicious. The people were nice as I sat at the table waiting for my friend for 30 minutes. They didn’t try to kick me out. Hahaha.
But nice, cute brunch spot!

Petite Abeille
NY Manhattan Flat Iron
Thursday 8^th January 2016
Four Stars
While waiting to get into Raines Law Room, we stopped into Petite Abeille (little bee). We sat in the back at a two-​top table. We ordered white wine and waffles. I had a Domaine Sautereau Sancerre from Loire Valley ($ 13). It had a pale yellow color; aroma of melon and pear; tastes of grass and green apple. I had the Belgian Waffle with Vanilla Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, and Oreo Crumbles ($ 11). The waffle had wide pattern, light and fluffy, without too much outside crispiness. The Ice Cream was rich and firm and tasted like cookies and Cream with the added Oreos. The Whipped cream was mildly sweet and more fluffy than fatty. It was quite enjoyable.
The Fries smell delicious!

Freaking love this place. Small and cozy. Small outdoor area is small but super cute. I have gone there twice for brunch after a night out. I ordered a burger and the eggs Benedict. Both good. My friends and I split one of their delicious waffles for dessert.
I am a lover of all things brunch and plan to come here again.

The first time I was here with my girlfriends, we had brunch on a weekday. We had Croque Madame, Eggs in Purgatory, and Belgian waffle — all of which was really good! Food was definitely 5/​5, so good that I came back here for the Belgian waffle. We opted to make our own: Belgian waffle with fresh strawberries, Nutella, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and the waiter didn’t make a fuss that we strayed from the menu. Service was good, and waiters were nice. Will definitely come back for brunch again :)

3.5 STARS
The wait was long on Sunday afternoon approximately 2 PM. Food was served really slow too compared to the last time I came.
PROS:
— Chicken & Waffles $ 20 — The chicken was really good. It’s a little spicy and sweet from the honey. The waffles was made really well. 4 STARS
— Oreo Waffles $ 11 — The oreos were super sweet however paired with ice cream and waffles this was amazing! We didn’t even need the dark chocolate sauce. 4.5 STARS
— Frittata (Bacon, mushroom, egg, spinach, fingerling potato) Pretty good. You can’t go wrong with bacon. $ 14 for this — not sure its worth the price. 3.75 STARS
THE OKAY:
— Mimosas $ 8 for one or $ 24 for half a pitcher.- It’s alright. It was mostly orange juice and sparkling champagne? mixed with beer? There was a barley/​wheat aftertaste to it. I don’t think mimosas were supposed to taste like that. 2 STARS
CONS:
— the wait to be seated and the wait for the food to be served was super long. We waited approximately 30– 40 minutes for our food to come out this time.

Meh. I would come again if someone else insisted upon it, but I probably won’t be back of my own accord.
Wait time — group of 4, Saturday at 10:50−11ish, was around 45 min.
Ambience — just okay. To me, it was cute enough, but just another copy of that typical Euro-​country, rustic brunch look that other places (like Rosemary’s. Jane, or Chalk Point Kitchen) do more precisely, more whimsically, and more creatively. Also, why is it so dark?
Service — friendly hostesses and overall, the service was not deficient except on one point — our fairly small water glasses were not refilled once throughout the entire meal. I consulted with a friend, who was the one to recommend the restaurant to me in the first place, and he confirmed that throughout his meal on a separate occasion, his water was not refilled either so this might be a consistent problem that they have. I know it’s a seemingly small point, but to me, keeping waters refilled is easy, cheap, and standard, so I use that as a litmus test for service/​attention to detail. This failed that test, unfortunately.
Food — disappointing! I ordered the eggs cocette. Way, way too salty, so much grease that there was a pool of clear oil at the bottom, and the gruyère cheese (which I usually LOVE) selected for the dish was so oddly stinky that it kind of smelled like… dried spittle? The saving grace was the tomato, which offered a bastion of fresh, unsalty relief in the baked congeal of salt, oil, and odor. Overall, it was edible but slightly unappetizing. My friend ordered the kale salad — I know, some believe that those who order a salad at a restaurant don’t deserve good things, but I disagree! If a restaurant is going to put a salad on the menu, they should do it right. PA did not do it right. It was dry, the leaves chosen were stiff and dry (even for kale) and it was paired with anchovies? I get restaurants that do unconventional pairings, but only when it’s done right.
So, overall, PA is a decent place to come if you just NEED brunch-​type food, but try to go somewhere else if you can. Nothing is bad, but nothing is good either :(

My wife and I came to Petite Abeille based on Unilocal reviews and I’m not sure what the fuss is about. The food was just ok and nothing special. My wife ordered the croquette Madame which she did like but didn’t rave about. I had the fried chicken and waffles. This was the most boring chicken and waffle dish I’ve ever had. It had no special flavor or wow factor to it. We also decided to try a sweet dish and had them do a waffle with strawberries and Nutella. This was fine but really nothing that I was in love with. This is an ok spot but nothing I would come back to or recommend to someone for a special breakfast. Our bill was over $ 65 after tip and we didn’t even get drinks.

I came here at 1pm on Sunday and the wait was only 15 minutes! The place looks tiny from the outside but the restaurant is pretty long so has a ton of seating in the back.
I had the chicken and waffle ($ 20) and a coffee while my friend ordered the croque Madame. I was a bit worried about the chicken and waffle as my first experience with this dish at a different restaurant was quite a disaster (literally thought I was scarred for life)…but this was super yummy! The chicken was crunchy, tender, sweet, and slightly spicy all at the same time. The waffle itself was okay, not fluffy enough in consistency for my taste. I’m just glad that it satisfied both my sweet and savory cravings. The serving size was also huge, 3 large pieces of chicken, so I definitely left feeling full and happy.
I took a bite of my friend’s croque Madame. The bread was super buttery and the egg was cooked sunny side up perfectly.
And the coffee was super solid!
If I’m looking for brunch near Union square, I’ll be sure to keep this cute little spot in mind.
UPDATE
I came back and tried the strawberry waffle and wasn’t too impressed. The texture of the waffle just isn’t special enough for me to choose a sweet waffle over other items on the menu, so I’d definitely recommend the chicken & waffle (because the fried chicken is awesome) or the croque madame.

I swear that half the patrons here found this place because they had to wait for the text in order to get into the secret speakeasy bar next door, the Raines Law Room. But whatever the cause of entry, it surely is a good waiting area.
Their menu looked quite good. I decided to give the chicken stew a try. It’s basically a variation of the chicken pot pie, but not entirely enclosed. The bottom and side are pie crust and a triangular portion on top. The contents of this pie was mostly open to the surface. It’s not a very large dish, but it’s quite hearty and delicious. It also unexpectedly came with a side of really good fries.
Service was good and the ambience is very New York. There is a patio area in the back that tends to be full.
One issue I had was that it was so hot in here I was sweating.

I came here for late brunch on Sunday, and there was no wait (although we had to sit at the high top tables).
We ordered the Oreo Waffle, the Croque Madame and the Frittata.
The oreo waffle — the waffle itself wasn’t as crispy on the outside as I liked and even seemed undercooked. I’d definitely recommend the waffles at Wafels and Dinges more.
The croque madame was a good size and flavor. It comes with a side of fries and arugula salad. The egg is perfectly cooked on top. My only criticism is the ham is almost not there. It’s such a small slice, you can barely taste it.
The frittata is more like a weird omelette in texture. It was very bland and not even what a frittata should be.
The hot chocolate is great — creamy, foamy and rich!
I wouldn’t recommend coming here, but get the Croque Madame if you do. Maybe I’ll be back for AYCE Mussel Wednesdays!

Was in the area and kids wanted mussels and decided to give this place a try. Had no idea that kids eat free on Sunday’s between 5 – 6:30 … Lucky us! We ordered the mini mussels that came with frites, for each kid. The adults ordered the $ 29 prix fixe which included any appetizer, main course, dessert AND and free glass of beer or wine. It was so. Much. Food. Lucky for me my husband doesn’t drink any alcohol — scored two glasses of wine too all to myself.
Everything we ordered was great, especially my husbands appetizer of mussels (cooked with pesto, garlic and oil). He ordered the beef stew which was a tad overcooked but hearty and good. I ordered the goat cheese and potato app and the pot mussels with cream and bacon. Everything was really good. Vanilla ice cream for dessert (on brownie and waffle) was excellent.
Service was a touch slow but waitress was very friendly and otherwise attentive enough. Prix fix and kids eating free though was a great find/​deal.

Safe, good brunch option. It was our last day in New York and we were trying to find a quick brunch spot. Looked up some places and found Petite Abeille not too far away from our hotel, so we walked over. Even though it was a holiday, it was not too crowded and we didn’t have to wait to be seated.
Fairly straightforward menu. I ordered the Benedict Classic ($ 15) and boyfriend ordered the frittata ($ 13.75). I chowed down my eggs benedict. Eggs were cooked poached, lovely hollandaise sauce, paired with ham it struck the right balance. The dish came with a side of greens and mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes were also really good.
My stomach is happy and my wallet is too. If you need a brunch spot that doesn’t comes with the insufferable wait and the hefty price tag, this is a great option. Most patrons were ordering the waffles, which looked really good. Thankfully, I was able to squash my sweet tooth craving and stuck with the eggs but I may not be so strong next time.

Petite Abeille is a great brunch option without the excruciating wait. I stopped by for brunch with a group of 5 on a Sunday. They originally said the wait would be 30 – 45 min, but we only waited about 10 min. The restaurant is small and cramped, but they have an extended room in the back.
I ordered the Croque Madame as my entrée. Damn, so good. I really liked the hearty country bread which stood up well to the ham and melted cheese, aka no sogginess. Get the Croque Madame with the runny egg instead of the Croque Monsieur, because it just makes it so much better. The sandwich comes with a side of fries and a lightly dressed side salad. The fries were quite good. Really oily, but so crispy.
Out of curiosity, I ordered the Leige Waffle to see if it was as good as some other ones I’ve had. It definitely pales in comparison. The best leige waffle I’ve had is Waffalonia in Pittsburgh, which in my opinion is also better than Wafel and Dinges. The leige waffle here is kind of dense, chewy, and somewhat stale. It doesn’t have the crispy, crunchy exterior but fluffy, doughy interior like the ones at Waffalonia.
Definitely coming back for the Croque Madame again. Also I looked over at another table and the French Toast and Eggs in Purgatory looks huge.

Wir haben nebenan im Chelsea Inn gewohnt. Dort hat man uns wegen des fehlenden Restaurants/​Frühstückraums für jeden Tag einen Wertgutschein für dieses belgische Restaurant gegeben. Wir haben uns dazu entschieden diese zu sammeln und am Ende des Aufenthalts einmal richtig dort Essen zu gehen. Eine gute Wahl! Das Restaurant ist urgemütlich, die Bedienung sehr freundlich. Wir hatten Burger, die grundsätzlich sehr gut waren. Allerdings hat man es mit dem Roquefort vielleicht ein bisschen zu gut gemeint… Die Waffeln waren richtig gut– und das, obwohl ich eigentlich gar kein Waffelfreund bin.
Am Ende wurde es ein wenig unruhig, weil das EC Gerät gestreikt hat. Da war der ein oder andere aufgeschmissen.
Für alle, die Fern-​/​Heimweh nach Belgien haben: es gibt auch diverse belgische Biere– vom Fass und auch aus der Flasche.

I loved my expérience there
Really classy decoration, typical european bistro flair
The food is on point (we’ve had breakfast) with a good service
Definitly will go back when i’ll be around

Waffles, strawberries and cream
Petite no mo’