Honey Badger — Restaurant in New York

Amidst the backdrop of Hurricane Henri, our group of five were blown away, not by the wind and rain, but by the incredible experience we had at Honey Badger (HB). We had our own quaint outdoor chalet complete with music, fan, air purifier, plexiglass windows and tree branches weaved into the ceiling that miraculously kept us dry despite the record breaking deluge outside our little sanctuary.

I arrived without reading reviews or descriptions of the cuisine. I was only told Brooklyn and “wild-to-table” so I was intrigued, yet a bit wary. If your expectations are set for large portions or a formal Michelin-star experience, then HB may not be your jam. I’ve enjoyed many meals at those restaurants, but they are like the symphony of fine dining, whereas HB has the flare and improvisation of a jazz performance - both are amazing in their own way.

Husband and wife team Junayd Juman and Fjolla Sheholli immediately set the tone with their warmth, enthusiasm, knowledge and what they described as a palate “opener.” The spilanthes flower bud had us all wondering what could possibly come next as our salivary glands kicked into overdrive. The sensation was so novel that I delayed eating the other parts of the amuse-bouche to let the party in my mouth continue for a few minutes longer.

We were delighted by what seemed like a torrent of a dozen different courses that included Montauk oysters underneath a glass dome filled with juniper smoke that filled our cabin parklet with a lovely aroma when unveiled. We also had acorn cheese with wild berries, cucumbers and olive oil made by Fjolla’s family, seaweed taco, scallop carpaccio underneath squash blossom, truffle with mushroom, squid, sea bass, egg from traveling chickens and many other unique and wild ingredients combined in a bold, yet delightful way. The pace was never too slow and at times, it was the opposite as several courses were presented in unison. My description doesn’t do the cuisine justice as my mind was racing to keep up with the flurry of new items we were introduced to. Even with a menu, it would be impossible for me to fully appreciate the thought and creativity weaved into every dish.

HB has built a loyal network of local foragers and fisherman who drop off their discoveries to create daily surprises that are then deftly prepared at HB. This is where Fjolla’s childhood in Kosovo, Junayd’s Trinidadian heritage, their exposure to Italian, French and Asian cuisine, their expanding knowledge of techniques and recipes forgotten or lost over the generations are all combined with wild ingredients, some of which are preserved and stored at HB, to create a truly inspired and memorable dining experience.

Somehow Fjolla & Junayd found plenty of time to talk with us despite being a team of 3!?! at the restaurant. I can’t forget their daughter Nina who played DJ for the night. They regaled us with their love of the virtues and health benefits of wild ingredients, as well their efforts to support their local Brooklyn community - they rallied neighbors and farmers to prepare meals for 60+ elderly members of the community that were literally starving during the depths of the pandemic.

What an incredible team who are innovating, and yet humble as they are constantly learning about the infinite treasures nature offers. They also maintain a boundless optimism and energy despite the pandemic headwinds that no doubt have impacted them as well, but they somehow turn it all into a positive. If it hasn’t happened already, it’s only a matter of time before New Yorkers, and people in the US and abroad, are clamoring to experience the magic and movement Fjolla and Junayd are creating at Honey Badger that leaves a positive impression that lasts far beyond the few hours spent at the restaurant.

Everything about HB is special. I can’t wait to return to support this under the radar gem. As if on cue at the end of our experience, two mushrooms opened up just outside our parklet, although I’m not sure they were the edible type ; ) Oh, the...

One of the most frustrating and disappointing culinary experiences I have had in a long time.

We arrived at 7pm and were greeted by a very friendly server who was quick to wipe down the table for us after we remarked that it was extremely...sticky.

We both selected the tasting menu for $74 and, after about 20 minutes, the first course came out. Unfortunately, this is where things started to go downhill. After finishing the salad, we sat there for nearly 40 minutes... waiting. Meanwhile, other tables that had come after us were already being served their second course.

Still, a full hour into our birthday dinner, we had only had a tiny salad as well as a small bowl of broth with literally one mushroom and one small piece of meat in it.

At this point, the atmosphere was really starting to slip. My girlfriend and I were both hungry and had no concept of how much longer we would be waiting for our food. Even worse, as we sat there tired, hungry, and increasingly frustrated, the owner's(?) child was sitting in the kitchen "playing" a flute very loudly above the otherwise pleasant music. Why she was allowed to do this is completely beyond me. It was loud, erratic, piercing, ....and just utterly unpleasant.

Still, we sat there, helplessly waiting for our third course. At no point did the waitstaff check in on us to see how we were doing or let us know that the food would be delayed. After ANOTHER 45 minutes the third course finally came. Some sort of meat with seagrass on it.

Unfortunately, after the first bite, I decided it would be a hard pass for me. This course was so salty that it was hardly edible. My girlfriend, who unlike me had not had lunch that day, scarfed hers down and then asked if she could have mine "It's awful, but I'm just so hungry" she said with a pained look on her face.

I decided we had had enough. Rather than sit there for presumably another 45 minutes, we would just cut our losses and go eat elsewhere. I waved over the waiter and politely asked for the check, telling him we'd have to be on our way.

Another server brought the check, and I was slightly surprised we were charged for the entire tasting menu even though we only had three out of the five courses. (I understand that you pay for the entire menu, not per course, but I had secretly hoped the staff would pick up on the fact that they had made us wait almost a full hour between each course and we had completely lost our motivation and enjoyment - In my view, they could have at least comped the drinks)

At no point was there any acknowledgment by the staff that the courses were taking an inordinate amount of time to come out. While waiting for course three, I even went to the Honeybadger website to see if they made mention of this somewhere (they don't). We also were not asked whether everything was to our liking at the end or I could have told them that it wasn't. Alas, with other guests right next to us, I was not going to dispute the check or make a scene.

So, a full 2 hours and 15 minutes after sitting down, we ended up paying almost $200 for a small salad, a small soup, the saltiest meat we have ever tasted, and a glass of wine. I'm embarrassed to say we ended up at the $1 pizza joint across the street just for the sake of actually getting some nourishment.

This is a long review that I wouldn't ordinarily write, but I am just so utterly disappointed by my experience here. Slightly angry, definitely annoyed (what's with the flute playing??), but mostly just sad and disappointed. I was so very eager to come here (my girlfriend had wanted to go elsewhere and I had to convince her to come here instead) - we were ready to have a great evening and celebrate my birthday, and ended up feeling like we wasted two hours being hungry and burned 200 bucks. It's not even about the money, it's just a special evening that got ruined.

I really hope our experience was the exception - It looks like other patrons are having great experiences, but based on tonight, I cannot in good faith recommend...

It wasn’t looking like a great Christmas. Unable to visit my family for the first time in my life and in a city I’ve only called home for two years, things seemed foreign despite their familiarity. Presents didn’t arrive on time. Zoom didn’t replace family time. It was a bleak end to a bleak year.

Then, on the 26th, I had the opportunity to take solace at Honey Badger. My partner and I were warmly ushered into a cabinesque structure lining the street in front of their establishment. On a silk curtain strung across the restaurant’s windows played classic movies featuring New York skylines not seen since our grandparent’s generation. Our feet and cabin were warmed quickly by the provided heaters.

No sooner had we sat down when our waiter, who also happened to own the restaurant along with his amazing partner and their daughter, brought us a pallet cleanser that was aptly described as wild; the spilanthes plant. Used by Native Americans to cure toothaches, the plant has a mild anesthetic effect, almost like a tingle on your tongue. The curiosity of this plant was a foreshadowing of the delights to follow.

Each course we had built upon the last. Inside our well-built yet makeshift abode, we dined on roast duck, oysters, fish baked in coconuts, and chestnut soup.

I’m a simple guy. A home cook meal is almost always preferred to a fine dining establishment. And yet the meal spoke to me in a way I’ve never experienced.

Perhaps it is because I’m an aspiring outdoorsman (and because Honey Badger sources everything from local foragers and farms). Perhaps it's because it's Christmas. Whatever the reason, somehow, sitting in that tiny little cabin with my gorgeous girlfriend, having carefully constructed course after course described in elegant details made this stranger in a strange land feel like he was home, if...