Burnside Biscuits

i meant to write this review a while back. but im a procastinator so im just glad that somehow, im finally doing it.
the broccoli was the best thing i had. a mere green vegetable cooked to perfection, sprinkled with cheese. seasoned with god knows what, i lost whatever awareness i had after the first bite. i started eating it and suddenly had butterflies, the corners of my jaw got sensitive as my heart started beating faster. I had fallen inove. now i go back everytime for just that!
and the mac and cheese. ohhhh man the mac and cheese. Kraft has nothing on them. Sweet tendered macaroni, bathed in creamy gouda and cheddar with golden breadcrumbs on top. i felt guilty eating it because of how perfect it looked. but i ate it… giving in to the sweet surrender of every bite. i regret nothing.
and just saw they DELIVER, no reasons to step outside now… goodbye world

Update time:
I came here for the first time when they had first opened so it’s interesting to see the changes and improvements they’ve made since. You can tell they read the Unilocal reviews and make changes based on feedback.
The changes I’ve noticed:
–slightly higher prices
–lower priced cocktails (now $ 10)
–all butter biscuit has improved. Honestly I liked the old one too but the new one is less crumbly
–added more salads and a few other menu tweaks
The food really is great. There is something for everyone– meat eaters and vegetarians alike. (Read my previous review for more details)
The space is super cool and modern. Not cramped like a lot of nyc restaurants.
The service is also great. Our server was SO nice! Also if you need something just call anyone over who is near you and they will be happy to help you. It was my sisters bday and a bunch of the servers came and sang happy birthday to her it was so cute and nice!
I’m really glad this place is in Astoria, it’s a good place to bring out of towners or just come for a normal date night.
Wishing burnside continued success!

This was such a good food choice. Def grab the buffalo fried chicken. Probs the best thing I’ve tried so far (granted it was only my first visit lol). Def coming back.

Came here recently and was not disappointed. Not only was the southern food about as authentic as I’ve had in the city, the vibe was great. On top of that, as a self-​proclaimed broccoli connoisseur, I can comfortably say that the broccoli roast was one of the best I’ve had. Thanks for a wonderful dinner!

I was so excited for some southern food in Astoria. I gave this place a second chance after being told that the chicken was changed, only to be a little disappointed again.
In no way is the food bad, it’s just nothing great at all. The biscuits are dry and they crumble. The chicken doesn’t taste like pure white meat. it’s more bready, fatty and funky in a few of the bites.
The veggies are awesome, especially their carrots.
The atmosphere is very cool. I like the exposed kitchen.
It’s great for larger groups since the space accommodates.

Decided to check this place out after meeting one of the chefs at an event. I’m all about ambiance and really liked the décor, beautiful tiles, clean bathroom and dark wooden chairs. They are definitely winning on the city dining oasis front. We went on a double brunch date with another couple (interestingly on the Saturday of the big blizzard!) and really enjoyed our meal. We all shared the baked crispy potato as an appetizer and loved it. I had the biscuit and two pieces of fried chicken. The biscuit was perfectly cooked, not too dry and rather large. I wasn’t as into the fried chicken. I felt it was kind of dry, but still enjoyed it. My boyfriend loved his breakfast sandwich on a biscuit with sausage and eggs. I probably will get that next time. Our server, Natalie, was super sweet and gave us time to just hang and enjoy the company, but was always there in time to ask if we wanted another item or to clear plates. We really enjoyed the experience, I’m giving this place a four though because I felt the Bloody Mary’s were a little over priced. Would be nice if there was some sort of brunch/​drink deal. I also would like to come back one of the evenings when they have a DJ, I imagine it’d be a cool place to hang out.

The décor in this place was amazing. They did a really nice job in creating that homely atmosphere which is I think they were going for. We went on a Friday night — the wait wasn’t so bad to get a table. It did take a little longer than normal to get a drink/​food. I got the burger and my wife got a salad. The burger was for sure a bit salty but not so bad at all. It was $ 20 (with bacon $ 22) for a burger which I thought was a bit steep for Astoria, but everything in the burger seemed worth it. I am not sure I would get it again just because that was a very expensive burger. We also got the potato wedges and those were excellent. My wife got a mixed drink and that was also very good. I guess not 5 stars because burger was a bit steep– a bit salty. And the wait for the food and drinks was a little longer than usual.

IM THE 200^th REVIEW!!! WAHOOOO!!!
(ahem)…Bunside: A welcome addition to Astoria Restaurant Rowe.
I waited to go here until after the ‘new eatery hype’ settled-​down. This also gave them the time for corrections/​adaptations that need addressing after the opening frenzy and feedback.
I went on a first date, with a fellow Astorian and this was our meeting spot. The interior was nice, sorta nouveau vintage gastropup. Love the exposed kitchen ovens!!! The waitstaff were friendly, attentive, helpful. Food was great! GREAT Mac-​N-​Cheese and i finally had Chicken/​Waffles after so many years about hearing the fad of this dish. Quite tasty = chicken yummy + waffle yummy = it was good to try it… now… i can say i tried it. (With leftovers too!)
A nice place and i will definitely be back.
*Minus 1 Star for the crazy LOUD friday night Dj, playing ridiculous music for a place like this. Really??? Lil Jon and Kayne West??? This isnt some poppin’ club with VIP bottle service… TURN IT DOWN, IM EATING WAFFLES OVER HERE!!!

My roommates and I came here during #Jonas … What a strong decision that was. I actually found out they were open because of Instagram — so keep the account churning team! After a 10 block walk down 30^th we were greeted with warm smiles and the perfect table to people watch. The wait staff is about a good as it gets — our waiter Clay was the man. Attentive yet not hovering, and just super chill and keeping a positive vibe during the middle of a major blizzard.
We started off with cocktails, and my roommate ordered a special hot toddy — and it was amazing! I had a bloody mary and it was one of those that is more pepper focused, which is what I love.
On to the main course, I had the eggs benedict with ham and in typical fat kid mode, I stopped talking and just focused on what was in front of me. The biscuits must be home made, because they flake in your hands and are dripping with glorious remnants of delicious, soul inspiring butter. We finished off the meal with Godiva hot chocolate ganache or something like that. These were clearly necessary for the walk home. It warmed my soul and my heart. I usually don’t give 5 stars, and yet I have done it twice in the last 2 weeks, but I’ve been bowled over once again with Burnside. As an Astoria resident, I can’t wait to come back, especially when its warm outside and they can open up all those beautiful ceiling to floor windows.
The other thing I want to point out about Burnside is the food matches the aesthetics, so clean and rustic at the same time. Clearly a lot of thought was put into it. A real gem on 30^th!

My friends and I ordered the fried chicken, biscuits, Mac/​cheese with bacon, and some apple cider. Literally, everything was absolutely delicious.
Also, the staff was very friendly and attentive. If you check in with Unilocal,you will receive 10% off your order. Not sure how long this Unilocal promotion will last.

The ambience at burnside is relaxed. The staff is knowledgable and friendly. The waitress was nice to inform us regarding the change in their dessert menu every month.
The food is fantastic and it’s definitely vegetarian friendly. The biscuits and butter stole my heart and tummy. If you are around the area, don’t forget to try this place.
Also, the decoration in this place is beautiful. Each piece in this place was added carefully and has made the restaurant unique. I love every detail in this place.

I’m not really sure if Burnside Biscuits is still trying to get into their rhythm of running the restaurant or if the waitstaff simply lacks experience, but either way I had a less than desirable dining experience last Saturday. We walked in as a group of four plus a baby and we were immediately seated because the place was rather empty. We realized pretty early on why this place was dead on a Saturday night in Astoria.
We were promptly greeted with menus by a friendly waitress but then she disappeared for 10 minutes. When she came back we were ready to order food and drinks and when my brother-​in-​law asked her the difference between 2 particular beers she explained that «one of the beers is their oldest and most popular, and the other beer is new.» Pretty sure that’s not what he meant but we managed to order and 15 minutes passed before we got our drinks. The food came out shortly after and my sister ordered a ragu soup that had a strange piece of food on the plate that we could not figure out what it was (maybe a mushroom?) so we asked the waitress and she didn’t know. Again, the waitstaff at an establishment should know everything about the food and drink they are serving. She told us she’d ask the chef and then she never returned. In terms of the food, the mac-​n-​cheese was bland, the biscuits were oversized and bland, and the red wine was served in cups most diners serve water in. I understand the vibe they’re trying to go for, but speaking from a woman’s perspective, I order wine when I’m in the mood for a classy drink — so a glass with a stem or even a stemless wine glass is preferred.
My fiancé and I live down the block and this was actually our 2^nd time to the restaurant, first time eating here. The very first time we came was during the summer and we were seated outside, sort of around the corner and across from Froyo, and no one ever came over to us. We waited about 20 minutes and then left and went to Sugar Freak, which is probably their biggest competition. If you’re trying to compete with a place like Sugar Freak for southern homestyle cooking I would recommend getting your service up to speed. It’s probably going to be a long time before I return, if ever.

I had my birthday brunch here yesterday and everything was so great. We were a group of 20 and the service handled us fantastically. I made a reservation a week before with no hassle. Everyone said the food was the bomb dot com and thanked me for picking such a great brunch place. I personally got the chicken and waffles and loved it. The chicken is so decadent. When ordering, I promised my boyfriend I’d share it with him but once it came, it was so good that I forgot about my promise and scarfed it down. Yep, I’m that girl.
Atmosphere is beautiful but a little too quiet for a group of 20 — it’s a place more fitting for groups of 1 – 4 people. Cherry on top was the complimentary birthday dessert (I got the bread pudding by the way).
Props to Burnside for exceeding my expectations and then some!

I came here as a group and after hearing all the lopsided reviews about this place I was prepared to be a little underwhelmed. What I found was that it was surprisingly simply food that made good use of the wood oven and pretty good cocktails.
We showed up pretty late so the fried chicken was unavailable-​they were out. I got the Hot biscuit sandwich but we also split the pimento cheese dip, the crispy potatoes as well the carrots and roasted broccoli and the crack mac and cheese.
The pimento cheese dip was delicious, it’s hard to do fancy up something simple and they didn’t. Why improve on something that’s already so good? A little spiciness with a nice smooth cheese, the crispy potatoes were as advertised, crispy and the green goddess dressing, a nice throwback/​compliment.
By far, the best thing I had were the vegetables. The carrots and broccoli were presented simply, straight out of the oven with a little bit of purée. I know they call the mac and cheese crack but these little carrots were freakin’ phenomenal; likewise, the broccoli was also presented pretty plain dipped with the vinegar, delicious.
The biscuit sandwich was okay, I liked the flavors but the biscuit fell apart pretty quickly. Honestly though, those veggies. I could easily make a meal out of just the veggies here alone and for me, that’s saying a lot– I eat half a pack of deli meat as a snack but the vegetables here were that satisfying.
I had the peanut old fashioned which was good, the maple and peanut mellows out some of the whiskey bite and added a little bit of a twist that was pretty good.

Mehhh. Went to dinner during the week around 8ish and waited forever after placing my order. The restaurant wasn’t even packed. We tried the crispy potatoes and the Mac & cheese as an appetizer. Very bland.
For my entrée, I ordered the naked chicken sandwich. It was good but not the best. I guess I am spoiled with pies and thigh in Williamsburg and the Mac from Soco.
The sandwich had a decent size piece of chicken served on a big biscuit. Drizzled with honey, I needed some hot sauce to complete this sandwich. Why in the world would they had me a Mexican hot sauce? I asked again if they had something else. After the 3^rd attempt my server said they had a homemade hot sauce. Well duh yes I want to try that!
My boyfriend tried the 2 piece fried chicken with biscuit & sausage gravy. The gravy was yummy but not the best. The fried chicken was just ok.
Maybe I’m just spoiled. Not sure ill give this place a second try for the food but might go back and have some drinks at the bar.

I’ve been checking out the popular brunch spots along 30^th ave. and Burnside is definitely a winner. This place has delicious fried chicken and fixins, and just the right amount of check marks in a variety of categories to make me come back again.
My friend and I were seated immediately once I arrived. The waitress gave us ample time to check out the menu — and we needed it since we were being incredibly indecisive. Ultimately, I ordered The Full Ration, which comes with two pieces fried chicken, two sunny eggs, a melted pimento cheese biscuit, fruit salad and a side of maple syrup ($ 17). I asked for white meat chicken so it came with a full breast and breast/​wing piece. The chicken was tender, juicy and perfectly fried. I tend not to eat the skin, but I actually ate some of this. I could have gone without the eggs and the pimento cheese was not fully melted so I ended up scooping it off of the biscuit. A plain biscuit would have been much better and I recommend ordering the two piece chicken meal instead ($ 13). You can see the entire brunch menu here:
Aside from the chicken, the other highlight of my meal was surprisingly the cup of chopped honeydew melons. They came in some sort of oil with spicy peppercorns. Wow, this is what I need to introduce into my life to stay on a diet! Very creative, Burnside.
I also ordered a side of sausage gravy, which was pretty good for what I’ve tried in this neighborhood, but far from the best I’ve ever had.
My friend ordered the mushroom ragu, which was a seasonal dish. It came with a medley of mushrooms in a stew of grits topped with a sunny side up egg and pecans. I didn’t like it; I thought it had too much going on. My friend liked it, though.
I really liked the ambiance of this place. It’s a little hipster, but it doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard. The first waitress who served our table was friendly enough (though I suspect in that fake friendly way), though the gentleman who later assisted our table seemed much more naturally pleasant. The only thing particularly disappointing was the iced tea. This would not pass in the south. It was watery and flavorless. I should have stuck with good ‘ol Agua de Nueva York.

Love this place! I went here for dinner on saturday night around 6:15pm and there were a lot of seats available, but it became very crowded by about 7pm. I love the décor of this restaurant, very roomy and homey. Our server was very friendly and she even walked me all the way to the ladiesroom in case I couldnt find it!
I ordered the ramos fizz cocktail and hubby and I shared the pimento mac and cheese and the broccoli. We came here for the fried chicken so we ordered 4 pieces to share, the fried chicken came with 2 biscuits, 2 pickles and 2 sauces. Everything was very delicious and they all came out in a timely manner. The ramos fizz was very light and refreshing, not what I was expecting as I saw egg whites as one of the ingredients. I am not sure why some people on here said they did not like their fried chicken, even though i cant say their chicken is the best i ever had, they are still very very good, the skin was crispy and perfectly seasoned and not overly greasy, we didnt even need the dipping sauce that came with it. We ended our meal with a pear on graham crackers and ice cream dessert, think they made from scratch from the time you order as we waited about 10 – 15 mins for it but so worth the wait!
I really like the atmospher here, everyone was very friendly and with a big smile on their face, the music they played were excellent as well! Also I got a 10% discount from checking in on Unilocal!Parking is a bit tough but we found a municipal parking couple blocks down. Next time I will try their open biscuit sandwich!

I was really excited to try Burnside. I have a weak spot for biscuits and fried chicken. Burnside has a fairly simple menu. The food was good but their signature item the biscuits were way too salty. The edges actually were inedibly salty. The fried chicken was very good. As good as any fried chicken I have had. Later that night I was so thirsty from all the salt, I expect things to be salted property but everything g here was a little too salty. The service was good but a little slow.
We ordered the following.
Mac and Cheese
It is very good but the pimento cheese gives the cheese little curdle. The curdle makes the texture of the Mac and cheese a little odd.
Cornbread
Skip it. Too dry.
Fried Chicken
Excellent
Biscuits
They are fluffy and buttery but our bunch had way too much salt.

The owner is from Alabama– nuff said. I am surprised by the negativity cause the food was all that! The awkward layout leads to a cozy back area near the open kitchen. Great for a warm Fall night. I must admit that my first server couldn’t handle my food questions– yes I am that food Bitch.
Ordered:
Mushroom ragu
Biscuit
Shaved collards with green goddess sauce
The mushroom ragu over grits with some hot sauce was insane. The tasty raw collards with green goddess was a great counterpoint add on a biscuit and honey and you have a hot meal! Quuens love!

It’s kind of surreal being served delicious southern and soul-​food inspired recipes by a bunch of alarmingly white northern hipsters, but at Burnside, it just kind of works.
Granted, we were only able to explore the brunch menu, but what I tasted was made with love. Well, mostly chicken… but also love. Let me preface this by mentioning that my wife spent many years in the south and can be obnoxiously picky about southern food– and she loved everything. If she’s happy, so am I. I stand less chance of a violent purse beating at some point in the evening when she is happy.
In the interest of avoiding the aforementioned thrashing, I made no remark when she ordered the «Hoecake” — a hybrid pancake/​cornbread dish served with fresh preserves that seemed like dessert, but not quite, and was fantastic with a cold summery beer. The grits, which is one of my favorite dishes, was creamy, buttery, cheesy and had a nice little hot pepper kick. Probably the best I’ve had in the Yankee states. The crispy potatoes were fairly good as well, dusted with parmesan cheese and served with a creamy Green Goddess dressing. Not to sound like a hee-​haw, but they’d probably be better with straight ketchup.
The naked chicken on a biscuit deserves its own paragraph. How to explain with mere words the simultaneous simplicity and decadence of this sandwich? The fried chicken is perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy inside. The biscuit so fresh, dense and buttery. What brings it all together is the warm honey drizzle and the pickles. The savory chicken, the slightly salty biscuit, the sweet honey and the fresh, acidic pickles all converge on your taste buds like an army of awesomeness. And BEER. Have this sandwich with cold beer and you will have an epiphany. I think I saw the visage of Jesus toasted into my biscuit… though it may have just been an air bubble.
In any case– see you never Athens Café. Hello Burnside.