Brine — Restaurant in New York

TL;DR - It's kind of like dating someone that could be great but can't get it together. Fine, not good. Appropriate for a "need to eat now." Consistently undercooked sides and overcooked chicken fingers/fries. Never hot, but flavorful, though.

I've eaten here a lot since it opened. I think I get it: quick-service proof of concept with plans to expand. Sitting in front of the Google building in a well-populated neighborhood, I think the idea was to crush lunch service with tasty, quickly available options and if they do a solid dinner business, great. The execution is mediocre at best. I wish that they took more care in the execution as much as they do the preparation of their food. I come here as a last resort when I just need to eat quickly but want something healthy-ish. As more people work from home, this is more a neighborhood spot than a mid-town office QSR lunch place, and I think they need to adjust their model a little. The staff isn't unfriendly, but they aren't engaging at all. I've been the only person in there so many times and they don't even say hello, which is weird to me.

I usually get the same thing: 1/4 or 1/2 chicken, with sweet potato and broccoli. While extremely flavorful and tasty, the veggie sides have always been undercooked and never ever hot. The chicken is delicious because, well, it's brined, and them SMOTHERED in sauce. If it weren't for the sauces, this place would be truly inedible. It's really disappointing.

The times I (or friends) have ordered chicken fingers, they are often so overcooked that the chicken is translucent with the texture of plastic. I've thrown them away before because it's an embarrassing hassle to go back and complain.

They have posted hours until 10pm. On October 26, 2021 I went in at 9:30 to grab something because I needed to eat and hoped for the best. The grill where they typically "warm" the chicken and sweet potato was already broken down (a full 30 minutes before close). So, the guy just threw my items in a box and off I went. Since the grill was broken down, I didn't feel comfortable asking them to heat it. When I heated it at home (broiled to mimic the grill) the sweet potato and broccoli were near-raw when I took a bite — neither ingredient is difficult to cook properly and if you're going to par-cook these things, at least take the time to get them up to temp or a palatable texture. I ended up eating a little of the chicken and then cooking it for lunch today... and notice I said "cook" and not "reheat" because, again, the vegetables were basically raw. Even after nuking it and then throwing it in the broiler they were...

I came here for lunch one day. I ordered a head of time and went to pick up my order. The restaurant was bright and spacious. It had two kiosks to order and a large font menu on the wall with the kiosks. I waited a few minutes before the clerk was alerted to my presence. They checked and my order wasn't ready. It took a few minutes before my order was ready.

I ordered three pieces of the buttermilk tenders and crinkle cut french fries. I wasn't sure about the sauces so I waited until I got there to ask for a suggestion. The food came out after 10 minutes or so. I was surprised on how hefty and heavy the container was. I asked for some suggestions and I got honey mustard and a smoky chili sauce.

When I got to my office, I was surprised on how big the tenders were! They were definitely one of the biggest I ever had. The tenders were crispy and juicy. The only thing I didn't like is that I ate a bit of gristle or cartilage in two of the tenders. The other tender I was saving for another meal. The fries were tasty but I wish they had a bit more of seasoning to it. I was surprised to find a small triangle of toast that was okay. I wasn't sure what it was there but I love toast so I ate it. I thought the chili sauce was okay. But I was surprised on how much I loved the honey mustard. It was so delicious! I wish the container was bigger because even though I got two, it...

oh Nrine :( I’m super sad to report that the portions of Brine’s (always yummy) chicken tenders have shrunk to a such a shocking degree that I can’t see going back. Over the years, I have ordered their 3-piece tenders, eaten 2 and had 1 left over they were so nice and big. Maybe 5 inches and nice and thick. We’ll, tonight I ordered our usual so three 3-piece orders to feed the whole family ($48 for 9 pieces — $5.33 per piece) and wow… I wish I’d taken pictures of all nine in our order to show they were seriously less than half the size they used to be. But when I saw the middle one in the picture here I just had to say something. Just this tiny piece itself cost me $5.33!? Not cool, not at all worth it. Feeling ripped off. Boo.

EDiT: I am changing my review to reflect the AMAZING customer service I received from Dan Mezzalingua. His responsiveness and intent to correct this situation is admirable, and I’m sure that future experiences at this location will be back to their previous high standards. Really, I’m impressed with the professionalism and personalized attention paid to this matter. Mistakes and inconsistencies happen, it’s how they’re handled that matters. Thank You Dan, I will be back for more delicious Brine...