Brookline Lunch — Restaurant in Cambridge

I was visiting Boston to see some friends where they guided me to this iconic Palestinian owned brunch restaurant, I was eager to try it out as they were reputable for their pancake infused kanafa! Being a lover of Kunafa since I was young, I knew we had to visit the spot!

When we first arrived to the eatery, there was a long line that extended to almost jalf of the street, my friends had warned me about this as it’s always packed and hence why they never got to try it out. We waited in line for about 45 minutes, I knew it seems long but it was more than worth it, I’d wait 2 hours if I had to!

We were greeted with the warm and welcoming aura and scent of freshly made pancakes and za’atar, absolutely hearting and stirring. We really admired how the restaurant was like an open bar, where you could write certain memories or phrases on the walls and throughout the restaurant, I’ve always enjoyed places like this as my friends and I are able to scribble our fun memories and moments alongside walls that aren’t ours, leaving a little bit of us in the restaurant genuinely elevated our experience.

While we glimpsed through the menu we tried to take a secret glances onto what others were having as we wanted to make a combination of sweet and savory in order to maintain a good balance. Our waiter helped us choose and we discovered that they had a little secret menu with baklava Pancakes and French Toast, which drived us insane! Finally after prospering the menu for so long we were able to decide on ordering:

Kunafa Pancake Baklava Pancake Za’atar Egg Bowl Turkish Coffee Orange Juice As soon as they came in our mouths were watering on how much of an absolutely masterpiece it was, breathtaking. The delicacy of the pancakes with the rosewater infused syrup sent me away, I was in paradise at that moment, I really cannot emphasize on how good both the Baklava and Kunafa pancakes were, truly something sent from heaven. The crunchiness of both the baklava and kanfa was really a treat that could not be missed out on. Also to emphasize on their huge portions, we were three people and were barley able to finish the pancakes yet alone the zatar bowl, I really loved how for the price you were paying it was more than enough, god bless this family owned restaurant. As for the zatar bowl it was pretty good too, I really enjoyed how their was a variety of different vitamins, protein, and carbs ensuring that you get a well balanced meal, with chickpeas, poached eggs, zatar, a wide range of vegetables, pita bread, and feta cheese, absolute perfect combination!

As for the Turkish coffee, I’ve never been the biggest fan of it but I well have to say they really do make it fine and the way it’s meant to be brewed and served, would absolutely recommend.

The atmosphere and ambiance of the of Brookline was absolutely top notch! Very relaxing and laid-back yet inviting, definitely the type of little dinery experience that really is oriented towards being family friendly and welcoming, especially the abundant range of signatures and art engraved onto the walls. The simplicity of this diner really made this become a restaurant that would be your ideal Sunday brunch spot to catch up with friends and family!

Lastly I’d like to highlight the friendliness of the waiters and staff that accommodated us so nicely although. The service at the restaurant was very gracious! The staff were so friendly and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. They really went the extra mile to make us feel welcome and taken care of. It definitely added to the cozy vibe of the place and made our dining experience one to remember!

I really cannot stress enough on how amazing our experience at Brookline was, absolutely worth the 45 min wait, and i’d wait even more if I had to; this must be a go to spot if you’re heading to Boston. Overall speaking I really loved my experience at Brookline, can assure you I’m definitely coming back again and again!

One thing to note is that Brookline only accepts cash, just...

Any day that starts here is bound to be a great one. Breakfast is the most important meal, as they say, and Brookline definitely delivers. Their menu features everything you want to see on a sleepy Saturday morning.

It's a small establishment, so there is often a bit of a wait, however my friend was seated in about 5 minutes. I was running a bit late, and the waitress gruffly told him that they don't hold tables, but let him stay anyway for some reason. How nice of her.

Once I arrive, it takes a while for her to take our over. We're hungry! However, the place is packed (and loud!) and we can see that the cooks in the tiny kitchen working their butts off. All I want in my life right now is a breakfast sandwich!

After we order, there's another waiting game. The slow, inattentive service is my biggest complaint about the experience, so don't come starving (as we had) or need to be anywhere in an hour (as we did).

Once our meals arrived though, we forgot all of our troubles. It's so nice to see a full, colorful plate! A hefty sandwich cut in half surrounded by a heap of homefries and veggies. I was feeling especially classy and ordered my breakfast sandwich with salmon, which was a great decision, as the fish was tender and added a nice element. The sandwich is grilled, cheesy, eggy, and just the right amount of drippy and oozy. It's served on soft Texas toast which is charred perfectly and provides just the right absorbancy and texture to house the mm mm good fillings.

Homefries were prepared well, although I've had better, and I really enjoyed the pile of veggies which provided a (somewhat) healthy balance. The homemade chili sauce on the table was just alright in my opinion, since I didn't taste much flavor and the heat hits you later. The sandwich itself has flavor for days, so I didn't find the sauce necessary. The price is also on point, as the meal cost us each under $10 buckaroos.

Now I can officially...

I visited Brookline Lunch today for brunch, and while I was initially excited to support what appeared to be a family-owned business, my experience turned out to be deeply disappointing.

I ordered the baklava pancakes and a chicken dish. The pancakes were delicious and unique, but the chicken dish was far too salty. I politely let the server know, and she was kind and professional—she took the dish back without any issue. Later, she returned to ask if I wanted a replacement, but since I was already full from the other food, I declined and asked for a refund instead.

Shortly after, I heard raised voices and arguments coming from the back, which seemed to be about my refund request. Then one of the owner’s daughters came over and slammed the refund cash on the table without saying a word, then walked away. I shared my concern with the original server, who apologized and said she would inform the owner.

Sadly, the situation escalated even more. Both daughters returned visibly upset, began yelling at me to leave, and one of them even grabbed my to-go food and threw it outside the restaurant. It was one of the most unprofessional and hostile experiences I’ve ever had at any dining establishment.

The only person who treated me with respect was the father, who I believe is the owner. I hope he speaks with his daughters and addresses their behavior. Other diners saw what happened and were just as shocked as my friend and I were.

I will never return here again until I see a clear change in customer service—especially from the daughters. Please learn to treat your customers with...