Petite Abeille

New York, United States

3.4

33 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 212-727-1505
Website:
www.petiteabeille.com
Address:
401 E 20th St, New York, NY, 10010
b/t N Stuyvesant Loop & 1st Ave
Stuyvesant Town, Gramercy
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.3 miStarting Point for M9 - To City Hall
0.3 mi1st Avenue (L)
0.4 mi3rd Avenue (L)
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
Yes
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Brunch
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Full Bar
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Mon, Wed, Sun
Coat Check
Yes
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes
Has Pool Table
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No

Today

Today 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Local time (New York) –

Business hours

Monday 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Tuesday 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Wednesday 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Thursday 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Friday 7:30 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 11:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Petite Abeille serves home-​style Belgian dishes much like those served by grand-​mere or grootmoeder (depending on whether she spoke Flemish of French) in her home. With meals like the classic Belgian waffles, stoemp saucisse (Belgian sausage with mashed-​potatoes), Croque Monsieur (the gourmet ham and cheese sandwich), Carbonnade Flamande (Stew and fries) and Grand-​Mere mussels, diners revel in comfort food that connects them to others looking for nostalgia and a well-​satiated appetite. The restaurant evokes the Belgian experience through its white and blue checkered table cloths, the aromas emanating from the kitchen and the 60 beers (some of which have been produced by the hands of Trappist monks). Yet, things are not as innocent as they may appear at first blush. Much like the Belgians, there is humor and saucy thoughts on culture and politics expressed through Belgium’s favorite native son: Tintin!

The café invites you to kick back and relax as you enjoy Belgian beer and food under the guiding hand of our little bee «Petite Abeille». Why the little bee you might ask? Because her mischievous ways, reminds us that life should be lived with abandon, after-​all there is a little child within us all.

History

Established in 1995.

When Yves Jadot left his humble Belgium in pursuit of the American dream, little did he know that «you can take the man out of Belgium but not the Belgium out of the man.» What followed for Yves in the States were the successful and popular Petite Abeille Belgian cafes, each capturing the spirit of Belgium yet each reflecting the unique essence of the local neighborhoods in which they are situated. Company founder, Yves Jadot, had tested his entrepreneurial success on a restaurant concept of a different color when he first opened the doors to Petite Abeille Chelsea in March of 1995. Yves’ vision was to provide New Yorkers with the fine quality of traditional Belgian food at an affordable price, served up in a warm and friendly atmosphere. This was his chance to demonstrate his uncompromising passion for quality, food and people.

Meet the Business Owner

Yves J.

Business Owner

When Yves Jadot left his humble Belgium in pursuit of the American dream, little did he know that «you can take the man out of Belgium but not the Belgium out of the man.»

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33 reviews of Petite Abeille

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
I’ve actually been here for lunch and dinner a few times and always loved the service. The staff is very attentive and accommodating. Sometimes the French onion soup can be on the saltier side but they always do a great job with the mussels! It’s nice to have this place as a local go-​to.
Place rating: 2
Brooklyn, NY
Came here for brunch and it was packed inside but there was outdoor seating. I don’t know about inside but the outdoor seating was pretty cramped but at least there was shade. We ordered the Belgian waffles with the fresh strawberries and the eggs in purgatory.
The waffles were okay. Just okay. The strawberries were fresh and the sauce was good but the waffles were just… waffles. For the price I expected WAFFLES!
Anyway
The eggs in purgatory was interesting? To be completely fair I have never tried this dish before. I didn’t expect it to be so soupy. It kind of reminded me of mediocre pizza sauce. The egg was cooked well. So that was nice. The bread that came with it had a strange texture. If everything I have described is what it’s supposed to be like then I am very sorry. I am naïve in the ways of the eggs in purgatory.
Both the dishes were shared between two people so I left feeling content. Not too full but not empty either. My wallet was a little too empty for my liking but I gotta stop singing that song for overpriced mediocre food is now the norm.
Place rating: 1
New York, NY
We used to love this place. They have become more and more inconsistent. They seem to have lost their food quality and service. They are going downhill. We used to come every weekend with large group of adults and kids. They don’t seem to want to seat large groups any more. TOO BAD. They are losing at least 800 to 1000 per month in my business. Considering the
Place rating: 2
Manhattan, NY
Brunch options were very limited… Not the same menu you will find online (feel like I got tricked to come here)
Food is okay, mediocre, overpriced.
PA burger came medium well though we ordered medium rare, way too tough and dry. Fries was the only item that’s not disappointed.
Waffle was ok, nothing special.
Place rating: 5
Bradenton, FL
I love this place for weekend brunch with family. Best salmon Benedict. It’s perfect for strollers. Before we had a baby, we went there Monday’s for half price beer. They got a very good variety of beers. Must try Wednesday night all you can eat mussels, if you love mussels as muss as we do. Burgers are delicious.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
I came here for brunch (not boozy brunch) and it was great! It was rainy and so my party of 4 did not have to wait for a table. Most tables seemed to be filled with families with young kids, so this place is definitely kid friendly. Service was easily 5 stars, as our waiter was great.
As for the food, everything was delicious. I ordered the Croque Monsieur. My only complaint about the dish was the salad was a bit lacking. It was just a pile of greens with a drizzle of dressing. I feel like it could have been better. The Croque Monsieur and the fries were great though. I would definitely order it again.
As a side note, I saw the Oreo Waffle as I was walking out and it looked fantastic! Kinda made me wish I ordered it, but I’ll get it next time.
Place rating: 4
Brooklyn, NY
Love this place every since it first opened. Excellent service and very good food. Sadly no more Steak tartar.
Leave room for dessert!
Place rating: 2
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY
Divey little spot. Water served with paper inside. Got a sigh for wanting to sit at a table they needed to clean.
Mussels weren’t that fantastic. They give a lot but subpar. Fries are burnt.
Calamari was too salty.
Rum raisin bread pudding was not good.
Place rating: 2
Gramercy, Manhattan, NY
Just left Petite Abeille at 4:47 p. m I had ordered the Steak Frites. The waitress returned and told me i could not have that until 5 but i could have the steak salad. She got the manager. I told him that did not make sense as steak would have to be cooked one way or another. I was astonished at this attitude. They passed up a $ 30 order + tip for the waitress over 13 minutes. I was going to have a drink which would have taken up the 13 minutes. This kind of rigidity is absurd especially since no one else was in the restaurant. There goes my business.
Place rating: 5
Baltimore, MD
The food here was GREAT. The wait wasn’t too long either for sunday brunch. We waited a total of 30 minutes for a party of 4. The service was also great. I think they had bottomless mimosas and bloody marys for $ 28 (for 90 minutes), but I didn’t feel like drinking. My friend ordered a bloody mary and said it was pretty good though. I had the beet and goat cheese tartine and it was wonderful. The goat cheese wasn’t overpowering and the beets were a good balance.
I also shared the fraise belgian waffle with a friend and that was AMAZING. I wish there was more waffle and less whipped cream, but my friend was really happy with the cream: waffle ratio. I think that’s just a personal preference.
Delicious, definitely recommend.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Came to this location as well for brunch and found their food very solid and consistent with their other branch. The eggs in purgatory was on pointe although the coffee was mediocre. The waffles were nice and fluffy and came with copious amounts of whipped cream and large strawberries.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
This might be your best bet for a good brunch/​dinner dining experience in Stuytown. As you would expect, being Belgian, there is an abundance of beer and ale options. Their waffles are good too. It really is a neighborhood place that is very low key. Service isn’t fawning, in fact it can be slow. Don’t come here if you want a quick in and out. Come here for an unhurried comfort food meal and some brews. Prices are very reasonable. Don’t miss the pomme frites.
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
Good brunch special — $ 28 AYCD mimosas and bellinis with a choice of any entrée from the menu. Great value, but you’re limited at 90 minutes.
Place rating: 1
Fort Dodge, IA
This place is sustained purely by being in a convenient location and being kid friendly. The food is extremely disappointing, especially the breakfast/​brunch. The dinner is ok at best. I wish a better restaurant would open in this location.
Place rating: 1
Beacon, NY
WARNING… I GOT TERRIBLE FOOD POISONING FROM HERE TODAY AND HAIR IN FOOD… had chicken with waffles. the chicken was greasy and waffle dry… cold mashed potatoes that tasted box made… and to get food poisoning from this… insult to injury.
Place rating: 4
Delta Junction, Estados Unidos
Me encanto! No me gusto mucho el tema de que no toman reservas, sin embargo solo esperamos 20 minutos y el servicio fue muy rápido y muy amables todos! Comi el croque madame y mi amiga los waffles con frutillas… Todo delicioso! Defiknitavamente volveré!!! Ahhhh! Y el precio súper accesible
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
Just all the rest of them, they have a great Belgian beer list and great food. I had the mussels in white wine sauce, which is basically a classic proviance style, comes with pomme frites of course.
Place rating: 4
Sunnyside, NY
This was the first time I have gone here for dinner, I’ve been here for brunch but i wanted to see how their dinner menu pairs up. it was a Sunday night (not so busy) so my BF and i were greeted right away. The atmosphere was nice and not too loud. My boyfriend ordered the burger which he was very happy with (it did taste great) and i ordered the mac and cheese with bits of ham in it. its a nice size portion too and comes in a little cast iron skillet. they also have a great beer menu with many beers from all over! I love that it’s so close to my BF’s apt so we can always take a walk over!
Place rating: 2
Manhattan, NY
Wish I would have enjoyed this place more than I did. Came for dinner, which was really low key and not very crowded at all. Seemed like a good family spot being that it’s right next to Peter Cooper Village. Ordered the mussels and I have to say the microwaveable grocery store mussels tastes better than these. The batch I got was very sandy which is the absolute worst when eating mussels. Based on the other reviews, brunch must be the time to go.
Place rating: 5
Elmhurst, Queens, NY
Amazing food!!! Friendly environment !!! My friends and I went on a Wednesday; All you can eat mussels+ 1 draft beer $ 28. My favorite was the white wine, the bacon was creamy yummy and the basque was spicy delicious! A must try!
Place rating: 4
Manhattan, NY
I had brunch here recently and it was excellent. We started off with the daily special Avocado Toast appetizer. The avocado pieces were mixed with lime, some seasoning, topped with a bit of crushed red pepper and a piece of cilantro. It was delicious but what I did not like about this dish was that the bread was warm and the avocado was cold, I would have preferred room temperature avocado.
Then for my main course I had the Eggs Benedict with salmon. It came with mashed potatoes that had carrots mixed in which added a nice flavor to it. The side of salad was good as well. This dish was very filling but of course I had to get dessert!
The waffle special was a waffle with blueberries, blackberries, and bananas. It was pretty good. Maybe it’s just my sugar tooth but I would have preferred that it be served with a little maple syrup on the side. I guess most people would be okay with just the whipped cream and fruit spread around the plate but I love maple syrup on my waffles.
The tea was Harney & Sons, which is decent.
Place rating: 4
Skokie, IL
Nice NYC charm right here. Great café for people watching, great menu and drink selections. The staff was friendly. I had the calamari and a few beers. Lots of stuff on the menu I wanted to try but I wasn’t hungry. The place is so comfortable I didn’t want to leave. Look forward to visiting again.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Tried croque madam. Losing one star because the waitress forgot to take my order for 20 minutes! But she realized it and quickly made things up. The food is good but not surprising.
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
Food is always good! Just so noisy at the bar area after work… because they have tv and can watch game after work however cute Belgian café
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, NY
What I’ve tried: BRUNCH– Brioche french toast, Chantilly Belgian Waffle, Eggs Cocotte, Croque Madame, coffee
Tip: Getting a table at this location (for brunch) is far easier than at the Chelsea location. I’ve rarely had to wait at all for a table here.
Story: I started coming here when I was pretty young, on visits to a friend who lived in the area. I used to love the Chantilly waffle with strawberries (and still do!) Fast-​forward eight years and my cousin moved across the street, so I immediately suggested we come here for brunch. She was hooked immediately, so it became a regular spot for both of us! She loves the brioche french toast and rarely strays. When I’m craving a sweet meal, I go with the waffle– it is still the best I’ve had in the city. When I want something more savory, I go with the Eggs Cocotte. I absolutely love it. The mixture of bakes eggs, tomato, and goat cheese is just so flavorful and awesome. I even think their coffee is great. The croque Madame was good not great. This location is quite large, and I’ve never had a problem walking in and getting a table. The Chelsea location is much smaller, but also has a very charming rustic feel that I really like. I’ve never been here for dinner, but will definitely try it in the future. I know they have week night specials such as, ½ priced beer on Mondays, ½ priced bottles of wine and Tuesdays, and all you can eat mussels and a beer on Wednesdays. I’ll definitely be back!
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
I have to update, my previous review was unfairly harsh. I must have had a bad day.
The place is very clear comfy and elegant and serves great Belgian dishes. Staff is always very friendly, and if it was closer to my hood: would be there a few times a week.
Place rating: 2
Yonkers, NY
Updated to reflect the poor service from the waiter and the infestation of flies at my table
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
I met my friend here for brunch and was impressed by the food but not by much else. The wait staff took very long to come and take our drink orders and even brought out food to a different table at first.
Once we received our food both us were impressed by both the presentation and the quality! I had the brioche French toast with bananas and strawberries and was blown away! Absolutely delicious. I forget what my friend had but I believe it was a special. While eating there were numerous dog sightings, which for dog lovers this is a great aesthetic!
However, while our meal was tasty, the bill was less than savory. The meals were a little on the high priced side which was disappointing. All in all I may come here again sometime in the future for the food, but not for the service.
Place rating: 3
Los Angeles, CA
TL;DR good brunch but a bit overpriced and bad service.
I came here with a friend for Sunday brunch on a beautiful, sunny afternoon and we were able to sit outside in the shade, which is a huge plus. The waiter brought out a huge, cold carafe of water, which was refreshing and much needed on a hot summer day. After that, though, the service got spotty. I had to ask the waiter if there were specials (which there were) after waiting to be served for a good 10 minutes… And it wasn’t crowded. The waiter also told us about a $ 20 special– one egg entrée of your choice, a mimosa or screwdriver, and a coffee or tea, that he otherwise wouldn’t have if I hadn’t asked. We had to order our drinks and meals simultaneously because they made us wait so long.
Anyway, after a slight hiccup in the meal, bad service was compensated for by delicious food. I had one of the specials– two eggs with tomato, goat cheese and Gruyère– and it was delicious and filling. My friend had the French toast and she ate every bite, so I’m going to say it was a hit. To drink I had the iced tea, which needed a little sugar but was otherwise good!
We split the check and each paid about $ 14, which is a little pricey for what we ordered. All in all, I’d say this meal was satisfactory, although next time I hope I’ll get better service.
Place rating: 3
Boston, MA
This is really a 3.5 star rating for me. I’ve been to both this location and the other one on 17th near 5th ave, and feel like the quality of service and food at the other location is a bit better. I come here more though given convenience.
Let me start by saying I really love their fraises belgian waffle. It comes with strawberries, strawberry sauce, and whipped cream. The waffle is light, crispy, and not too sweet. It is awesome. But it is not that awesome that it’s $ 10 and never filling. I finish it in about 5 minutes and just want another one, but know it’s unreasonable to spend another $ 10 on a second waffle.
The service is a bit on the slow side at this location. Servers can be forgetful and you need to wave them down pretty frequently. It does get fairly hectic in here during brunch hours so there might be a wait, or prepare yourself for slower service in general.
I’ve ordered an omelette from here twice now. I can only recall the most recent time, when I ordered the roasted pepper boursin rolled omelette, thinking it was the same omelette as what I ordered the first time. It wasn’t. The omelette literally only came with roasted pepper, but I distinctly remember the first time I ordered an omelette there were other ingredients. At a price of $ 14, I would’ve liked something besides just roasted pepper in my omelette. The egg itself was cooked nicely, the omelette was fluffy and fairly sized, but wasn’t really worth $ 14. I’ve had better omelettes.
I’ll stop by occasionally for brunch since it’s so close, but the place isn’t anything special in my opinion.
Place rating: 3
New York, NY
Food was exceptional. Their French onion soup was out of this world. Unfortunately, the service wasn’t all that great. Our server looked miserable to be there and the food took forever to come out.
Place rating: 5
Manhattan, NY
This place is da bomb! The tuna sandwich is probably the best I’ve ever had. The ambience is cute, the service is prompt and respectful (rare in NYC).
The waffles though– amazing. Get the Banoffee waffle. It’s banana + waffle + drizzled caramel + whipped cream.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
Established as a Belgian restaurant, Petite Abielle is a staple in the neighborhood for excellent food!
My favorite meal to indulge in here is breakfast/​brunch. They have excellent assortment of traditional waffles, pancakes and other incredible breakfast foods. My personal favorite is the Belgian waffle. It’s simple, fluffy, and served decadently with fresh cream and fruit.
They are also known for pretty solid dinner options. During the weekdays, they have a daily dinner special. For instance Sunday is all-​you-​can-​eat mussels night, one of my favorites! Come here during the spring or summer and get a table outside. What a great atmosphere! It’s not trendy or overdone. It’s simple, great food, friendly staff, and I’ve always had a great experience.