The Sunburnt Calf Bk

So first things first, this place is now called «Hawker Bar»… The menu is the same and the new owners are apparently previous employees of The Sunburnt Calf.
So the menu is still the same, along with the awesome brunch deal.
I went and tried the burger and was a little fearful of the toppings (egg, bacon, beet, and pineapple — all things I enjoy) but it was surprisingly good! The beet was a fairly neutral addition but the pineapple added a nice little sweet bite to the burger which was juicy and cooked nicely.
The restaurant is fairly small, but has an awesome patio area out back.
The staff was friendly however they were a bit slow (there were only 2 of them trying to cover both the inside and outside (patio) patrons)… They also miscalculated our bill twice but we dealt with it.
Like everyone else mentioned, this place is cash only andddd there’s no tax, so splitting the bill is much easier.

One of the few places in BK offering bottomless mimosas and able to fit a large group (albeit you come right when they open). The burger is the standout dish for brunch. Overall the quality of the food has lagged since they’ve opened. Many items, like their signature wrap & roll does not taste as great as it used to. plus they skimp out on the bread now!

This is my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. Excellent food in a style I’d never had before. Dinner is great. Brunch is great — plus add on $ 10 for all-​you-​can-​drink. Happy hour is great with 2-​for-​1 drink and $ 1 small-​apps. I like a good value. And the staff is incredibly friendly.
Also — we tend to get lots of freebies every time we come in.

Decent food and atmosphere. I ordered the poached eggs over crab cakes with a salad and spiced fries. You get two crab cakes and I think for $ 14 they could make it three. Even with the fries it’s not very filling. I didn’t really like the lime hollandaise on the salad, it had to much vinegar for me. Not such a fan of the super small tables sitting right on top of each other either, or the backless metal bar stools that serve as seats.
The crab cakes were really good but I wouldn’t come out of my way for this place.

Unique concept and I feel like the wait staff had a hip style about them that made me feel like I was one of the cool kids just for being there.
We actually came here on a whim and walked in as they were opening on a Saturday morning. I got the Banh Xeo, which is traditionally a Vietnamese dish that’s like an egg wrapped around sausage, shrimp, and crab. It also comes with a sauce that you are supposed to dip and it was pretty tasty. The whole experience was very unique to me, but what stood out was how popular this place was. Within 15 minutes the restaurant went from being empty to having a line out the door. I was shocked… I mean it was good, but not so good I’d wait around for 45 minutes to be seated on a Saturday morning.
Then I figured it out… everyone waiting was in their 20’s, the owners are Australian, Australians (in my experience) can handle their alcohol and usually encourage others to try, and they have some sort of all you can drink brunch special.
So I think 5 – 7 years ago I would have given this place at least a 4. Now I care more about getting in a good Saturday run than all you can drink in the morning and I don’t like being shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of people trying to get a refill so I had to go with a 3. I’m not sure what this place is like later on, but if I were in the area and if it weren’t busy, I would definitely come back for the food… I just wouldn’t wait to be seated.

Who doesn’t love a bottomless brunch?! Went w/​a few friends for brunch. It’s a bit tight so we had to wait for about 20 or so mins. The back was open, but didn’t matter if the sun was out we weren’t sitting out there.
Once seated I ordered the french toast w/​roasted pineapples and coconut… super yummy and tasty. My companions had the sunnyside egg bok choy, and breakfast americano… and their plates were clean so I’m guessing they liked their food.
You can add to the meal by having the unlimited drinks of Moo-​mosas, greyhounds, bloody marys, and fosters… So your total would be $ 20 or $ 25…definitely can’t beat that.
I’ll definitely venture again!

I second everything the previous brunch reviewer said. During my first experience, I walked in alone, since my friends were about one minute away. I was cool with waiting for a table because many other establishments have the same policy. They came in very soon after me though, and it became awkward hovering over the people sitting closest to the door because there really is no waiting space. I continued to awkwardly try to get eye contact with the waiter and even when I did, he still never came back to say how long the wait would be. About 15 minutes and multiple «I’m sorrys» from bumping into people trying to leave, we (and the couple waiting next to us) were finally seated. Then, we weren’t given any menus, so once again, we were just awkwardly waiting since the waiter was clearly overwhelmed with the number of customers he had to serve. Great tips, I guess?
By the time the waiter came around with a menu, the couple that was seated next to us left. Rightly so. There are other brunch places close by and the experience, thus far, was not the best. Once we got our food (I got the Rice bowl and my friends got the Sesame noodles), it was pretty good, but was lukewarm (was this on purpose?) and the mimosas were mostly orange juice and VERY LITTLE champagne.
I REALLY wanted to like this place. It came highly recommended, but I just didn’t see the hype. I would like to come back or try the Manhattan location before I completely write this place off since I’ve only been here once.

This is mostly a brunch review. I’ve only been one time for dinner and that was after Sandy, so they were short staffed and I’m pretty sure the just got a giant block of salt to fill in for their regular chef, so we’ll ignore that!
Food = Awesome. Drinks = great. Service = pretty spotty honestly, but if they realize they’ve slighted you, they always try to make up for it. Really nice and understanding wait staff. This is a neighborhood gym, and you always feel welcome once you get inside.
My only complaint with this place is that the reservation system is bananas. It gets super crowded, and the space isn’t big to begin with, so intuitively you want to step outside to get out of the way. Huge mistake. Even if you’ve put your name in, you have to stand in the front of the house. No one comes to get you if you’re outside, and you’re forced to continuously make eye contact with the host to let him know you’re still there. Frankly, it’s uncomfortable for both host and guest. I really wish they’d implement a number system, or maybe just a physical list. The place is loud, so it’s not like someone yelling out «Donner Party!» would be upsetting.
All of this is easily forgotten when you actually do sit down. The crab cakes benedict is a MUST. The pancakes are also great, but seriously get those crab cakes.
My suggestion is to stick with mimosas. It’s the only drink they keep mixed in a pitcher, and any specialty drink is going to take 10 minutes to get made by the overwhelmed bartender while you watch your brunch go by. Seriously, this place is busy. But very very worth it!
Please guys. Get a reservation system in place! I beg!

I love the happy hour here! From 4−8pm and then again from 10pm-​12 you can enjoy 2 for 1 on their selection of cocktails, wine, and beers. As well as $ 1 samples of all of their appetizer small plates. The food is pan-​Asian Australian and is the perfect light dinner or snack after a long week at work. I recommend the Steamed Veggie and Pork Belly Buns, and the Vietnamese Spring Rolls. The Steamed Buns are sweet and succulent and not enough to overly fill you if you are watching your waist line. I prefer the Spring Rolls to the Summer Rolls just because they’re richer in flavor whereas the Summer rolls are wrapped in a thinner paper and are just flat and more vegetarian and on the lighter side.
The bartending service is super as well! Both times I’ve been here I’ve gotten served immediately and when my drink was empty and he was straying away from the bar he made sure to refill me promptly. I’ve tried most of the cocktails at this point minus ‘The Illusion’ because they were out of it both times I’ve gone. However, my favorites were the Moscow Mule: Vodka, Lychee Purée, Fresh Lime Juice with Bundaberg Ginger Beer. It’s mild and tangy and like a not-​overly sweet alcoholic ginger lime drink. The Grandmaster’s Garita is pretty amazing as well, tasting like a spicy cucumber margarita. It’s savory and refreshing at the same time. If you want a super girly drink get the Sunburnt. If you want to grow some hair on your chest the lemongrass rickey and 5 spice st. clair are for you. It took me literally 3 of my friend’s cocktails to finish the St. Clair but only because I’m not a whiskey drinker and I was living on the edge for once. But for whiskey (which I hate) I finished the entire damn tumbler and then sucked on the orange peel at the end. Maybe I’m converting.

I’ve never had Australasian food before and I was very excited about this place. The restaurant itself is teeny with no room to stand whatsoever. We were pleased when the host (and his Australian accent) told us it would only be a 30 minute wait. But… it was not. We waited almost an hour and a half for our table.
When we finally sat a few of us were deciding on the endless brunch and when the host heard us say the word «unlimited» he quickly came over to tell us that it really is only about 4 – 5 drinks per person. Not like we were looking to clear out their bar on a Sunday afternoon anyways.
Despite the long wait and not-​so-​friendly host the food was pretty good. My friend ordered the Sunnyside egg & bok choy with garlic tomato rice bowl & sweet sausage which to me tasted similar to Korean bibimbap. I ordered the poached eggs over coconut basil crabcakes which I liked but what really got me were the fries. They have to be some of the most delicious fries I’ve ever eaten. Skinny fries that are extra crispy and full of flavor and spiciness. They season it with some sort of cajun spice or the Chinese 5 spice powder and it was ah-​mazing.
If I could give those fries 5 stars all on its own I would because I’d definitely come back to eat those again. Not sure if I’d want to deal with that wait though. Take out please!

Came here for brunch, the burger was great, the fries were a little room temperature, but after a few moomosas I completely forgot.
I have to warn though, if you’re coming for Sunday brunch, and don’t get here when they open at noon, you’d better have a plan B. With the added booze, everyone likes to linger, leaving your seating time up to the bunch gods.

Went here for the Sunday Brunch at noon and stayed until 4… can you blame me? Unlimited drinks and a slammin’ breakfast.
I suggest getting the burger on the brunch menu and the screwdriver… ah maze zing.
The ambiance of the place kept me comfortable, the staff kept me satisfied, and the food kept me seated, lol. I must admit that there was a slight delay in getting started but once the rhythm got started; there was no stopping the good times.
Price: ⁵⁄₅
Service: ⁴⁄₅
Location: ⁴⁄₅
Food: ⁵⁄₅
Drinks: ⁵⁄₅
Bathroom: ⁴⁄₅
Cash and credit accepted… plz tip well.

First of all, I don’t understand why Unilocal categorizes this place as a Gastropub. They brand themselves as an Australasian restaurant, which for all intents and purposes is just like Asian fusion. Also, the street address on Unilocal is correct but the cross streets are wrong (it’s actually one block north). My last gripe with the Unilocal listing is that the Sunburnt Calf accepts credit cards and Unilocal says it doesn’t. The «no» for «takes reservations» is, sadly, accurate though.
The service here was amazing. We had no fewer than three people helping us from the moment we walked in to getting our check. We were a group of five, and there were no tables to be had when we first came in, so they seated us by the bar against the wall. But after ordering appetizers, they offered us a booth that opened up, which was very nice considering one in our party was with child.
They had an eclectic mix of cocktails available. I had the 5-​Spice St. Clair but I thought it was little bit too sweet (probably as a result of the agave they used in it). However, I thought the Grandmaster’s Garita (which had muddled cucumbers) was very refreshing and was probably the best cocktail that I tried at our table.
For appetizers, we had the typical spring rolls which were, as expected, very good (though inconsistently sized). We also had the pork buns which were not the types you would normally get at a Chinese restaurant. The bun was more similar to the half crescent type you get when you eat Peking duck. It was very good but it wasn’t large enough to justify the price of four dollars each ($ 8 gets you two, but they were nice enough to offer us 5).
Lastly, I did not expect to be eating a crêpe with my hands but the bang xeo is eaten much like the spring rolls. You wrap it in lettuce and then dip it in a sauce (in this case a peanut sauce). The crêpe had a fried outer layer similar to a taro dumpling that you would get at a dim sum restaurant. Inside was shrimp, crab, and pork, although the strongest of the three flavors was shrimp. I thought it was a delightful dish that mixed of a lot of flavors, though I was still a bit hungry afterwards.
All things considered, it was a great meal and very reasonably priced. Would definitely return and recommend to my friends!

I’ve never heard of Australasian food before— but after going to The Sunburnt Calf a few times, I’d love to keep on eating it!!! The steam bun is quite possibly the BEST steam bun I have ever had – I crave it on a regular basis and try to find excuses to get my fiancé to agree to walk to Prospect Heights for lunch or dinner! The steam bun is a flat, sandwich-​style version with red braised pork belly that is so delicious I could eat an entire bucket of it! Just thinking about it right now, is making me salivate! Do yourself a favor and try the steam bun! Everything else is good as well, however, only the steam bun keeps me coming back for more!
I asked the waiter what Australasian was and he described it as «Asian food with an Australian mentality» meaning that you should be able to eat most everything off the menu with your hands and it’s best to get a few small plates and to share with friends to try a little of everything. They also have a great back patio area! My only complaint is that on their lunch menu, it states that they accept credit cards and then on the next line underneath it in small print, it states cash only?! They do accept plastic for dinner!

This place gets more props for it’s friendly service and drinks than the food…
A friend and I tried several of the appetizers (chicken satay and papaya salad). The papaya salad had just the right amount of spice but it used too many of the little shrimps that was just a touch too rubbery. I like the idea of the different wraps with various ingredients, but I personally didn’t see too much of the australian influence on their food.
Their drinks were great though — packs enough punch and flavor and gets the job done for a reasonable price. And to make things better, our host came by with a free sample of the moo juice.
Pardoning the very dim lighting and maybe slightly too bamboo-​laded décor, this is a nice place to go to if you’re looking to try something new and have a few strong drinks. Enjoy!

Wow I was really blown away by this place when I stopped by for brunch. (It’s cash only for brunch so make sure you hit the ATM before hand)
Service was fantastic. The Australian gentlemen who greeted us at the door was very pleasant and so was the female waitress who served us. The food came out very quickly (maybe 15 minutes tops)
The food was excellent! I ordered the Aussie burger, and although I was skeptical about the combination of bacon, cheese, eggs, pineapple, lettuce and tomatoes on a burger, it did not disappoint. It is probably one of the best burgers I’ve had at a restaurant. The fries that came with the burger were seasoned VERY well, they were awesome. For only 10 $ this was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. We also ordered the Shrimp and crab banh xeo: crispy seafood omelette. The omelette came with a peanut sauce that served as the perfect thing to add to the meal.
I’ll definitely return here to try the crab cake eggs Benedict because it looked awesome. (it’s also served with fries). They offer unlimited mimosa’s for an extra 10 $ per meal which seems like an awesome deal but we didn’t feel like drinking. This place has won me over as one of the best brunch spots in the area.

Too bad we weren’t the drinkers that morning they thought we were! Yup, they started by giving us free shots at our table before we had even ordered coffee! We do look like bosses who normally love endless mimosa brunches, but we had a big day ahead of us, and after that shot it was just coffee for us! And boy was that coffee tasty!
This place is run by Australians and the owner is hilarious. He was the one who told us he expected us to drink and we could he was super disappointed ha. But their brunch menu at least was one of the more unique options for brunch that we had seen. We had congee with some tasty tasty sausage and greens in it, some poached eggs over coconut basil crabcakes which really needed some more coconut in them if you ask me, a bahn xeo which was this lettuce wrap type pancake thing with shrimp and crab, and a sunny side egg in a rice and tomato bowl complete with bok choy. Definitely made our brunch outing more exciting and the décor in here too is also pretty different than the usual spot. So if you are out in Brooklyn, stop by here and be prepared to drink! We left wishing we had ha ha

Prior to dining at the Sunburnt Calf, my experience of Australian cuisine had been limited to flat whites and D.U.B. Pies and the barbecued offerings at Sheep Station. Sunburnt Calf serves modern Australian cuisine, the fusion offerings of which reflect the influence of Australia’s multicultural immigrant population, particularly Southeast Asian.
I really enjoyed the refreshing Thai basil lemonade made with 42 Below vodka, Thai basil infusion, lemon juice, and soda. My friends enjoyed their cocktails as well (the Sunburnt Moo Juice and Kaffir lime rickey), but the staggered serving of four drinks all ordered at the same time was a little strange. I also highly recommend the «Wrap N Roll» with roti, lettuce cups, and a choice of two proteins (I chose the crispy Thai chicken and shrimp). We had one minor snafu with this dish. We had seen the people at the table next to us enjoying this dish with stacks of both the lettuce cups and roti (and the name of the dish clearly indicates an «and» rather than an «or.»). However, when two of our orders were delivered, we only received the roll part of it. When we asked about the wrap portion, to which we were entitled, our waiter made it seem like we had a special request and only came back with two lettuce cups total. We later saw another table receive this dish with both wraps and rolls as a matter of course. In any case, the dish was very tasty, with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce and crisp vegetables in addition to the marinated proteins, and presented a nice mix of textures. Another good choice was my friend’s order of tumeric beer-​battered Barimundi with dill over vermicelli, which was a heaping portion of fresh, crispy fish. Minus one star for the service snafus.

Again I’m facing a dilemma – to post a glowing review of a place, thereby increasing brunch waits for everyone else? Oh, well. I don’t know if the Australian charm of the servers is enhancing the friendliness here, but this place has the best service I remember getting at a restaurant. They make the 30-​minute wait (much better than the 2-​hour wait at its Manhattan parent) somehow tolerable and even apologize for it.
The food is amazing (Aussie burger! – and I’m coming back for their fusiony stuff, too, like banh xeo). The moo marys are pretty strong, and of course you can’t beat the deal. Even when my friend was being difficult, the awesome Aussies (mullet guy and the more clean-​cut guy) didn’t miss a beat. They were ahead of us at every turn, fulfilling eye-​roll-​inducing requests, trading repartees, all the while managing a crazy crowded room and people waiting outside. They truly lived up to the «no worries» attitude of the ubiquitous Australian.
Three cheers, mates, three cheers, indeed.

Maha and I were looking for a place to brunch, and although i can never ever complain about the options available within a 3 minute walk, we felt like something new. I was surprised to find that the Sunburnt Calf had opened up down the street!
We rolled out of bed, and as it was the morning after the night before spent at Adara in New Jersey, I did need a Bloody Mary and some (MORE) food.
We walked over, and arrived at 12 pm on the dot. I was very disappointed that they had reservations for both tables of 6 people set up and she led us to the bar. A few minutes later however, she realized that they had a table and I perked up at being seated properly. We opted for the burger with all the works, as well as the garlic rice bowl, and both got bloody mary’s and coffee.
Although I only planned to have a few drinks (and only had one and a few sips of the second) I would have, had I not had work to do that day, had a whole pitcher. The bloody mary’s were downright excellent. The burger is cooked to a perfect medium rare, and is topped with beets, grilled pineapple, cheese avocado and an egg. It is served with insanely good spicy succulent fries. The only issue is that the egg is bland and tasteless and I could have done without it.
The rice bowl was equally exciting with sweet sausage, ample bok choi and two eggs cooked so the creamy yellow yolk forms a sauce when broken. We did feel ever so slightly rushed as we were a table of 2, but nonetheless for 60 dollars with tip for 2 people, the service and prices were spot on. We will definitely be back!

«Oh Snap!» Was what I said when my friend sent me a picture of the new Sunburnt Calf restaurant. I’ve been raving about the awesome Sunburnt Cow in the LES for years but couldn’t convince them to schlep their arses to the City to enjoy the treasure. Again, the food god answered my prayers in the form of one of the new deities; the Calf.
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; I’m a lover of bottomless mimosas. Besides trying to do good in the world, I also spend much of my time trying to find the best unlimited mimosa spot and I think my journey may have ended. Just maybe.
The Calf is a small joint so expect a wait to get seated; however you can order your drinks from the bar while you wait. I peaked out back and come next Spring it looks like there will be outdoor seating with an outside bar. Sweet!
There is so much goodness in this place that it must be chronicled in a time line:
1^st minute in: Sister is greeted by Jackie, the manager who remembered her from the previous night’s dinner and remembered it was her birthday
15 minutes: Drinks in hand, chatting it up and waiting to be seating. Stare longingly in the kitchen at all the goodness being prepared
30 minutes: Super cute/​fun bartender jokes around and asks if we want to stand around all day. We sheepishly say no and prance over, tipsy off the strong mimosas (Score!)
45 minutes: We are happy to be alive and drinking, and drinking more, oh and now we must order food.
1 hr: Orders in, gals are smiling like the Cheshire cat because the waiters understand our thirst for the Vitamin Champagne. These folks KNOW the true meaning of bottomless mimosa.
1 hr 5 minutes: A potential sexual harassment suit may occur after friend asks waiter his name. It’s Angus. She makes some inappropriate joke about his beef. Said waiter turns beet red, pours more mimosas and skips off.
1 hr 10 minutes: Speaking of beets our big ass burgers come piled high with a fried egg, beets, pineapple, onions, lettuce and tomato. Others have the Barramundi with Vermicelli Noodles and Rice Bowl
1 hr 11 minutes: Friend frowns a little at egg that she asked to be prepared non-​runny and best waitress/​manager alive Jackie, swoops over out of the blue and takes it back.
1hr 45 minutes: Good mimosas flowing like Cristal in a bad rap video. Friend finds a hair in her devoured burger. Waiter (on his freakin’ lunch break) swoops over and asks what’s wrong. Other sober friends realize it’s said friend’s own hair. Said friend needs to slow down.
2 hrs: Cupcakes and candle come out for sissie’s birthday. Jackie, you really outdid yourself!
2 hrs 30 minutes: Very full, very tipsy. Perhaps we should leave and continue the par-​tay back at home.
Best unlimited mimosa brunch in BK that I have had thus far.