Buster’s

After reading the reviews, I really wanted to try this place. However, I never got a chance to eat here or to meet the owners, Glenn or Fidel. Just tried to make a reservation for a relative’s birthday and experienced the most rude encounter on the phone. Very odd, vulgar and extremely unprofessional. Oh well. Maybe it is better to experience bad service over the phone, rather than in person.

Well I didn’t get to eat there. There was 1 coupled seated in the whole place but I was told they were expecting reservations to show up… Turned away at 6pm on a Wednesday… Definitely need a reservation, or maybe they just don’t feel like cooking tonight. Smelled good inside.

Just had a chicken burger. But. Oh. My. God. Amazing. No idea what Spatinental is but I need to book a trip to the Spatinent. Yum! Pricey for a burger and salad– $ 13. But so good.

Small restaurants are one reason to love nyc and this place is a gem. I’m an especially big fan of their homemade desserts!

Dont think they use fresh bread, it surely didnt taste fresh it was pretty old!

Best place in the UWS. Dropped into this place on a whim, and I was not disappointed. Fidel was amazingly hospitable, friendly, and attentive during the entire night. He was super friendly to my service dog.
Fidel even made my friend and me special coconut rum shots. The service at this place cannot be beat; I’ve never had such great service in the city.
The food was exceptionally good. The Key Lime Pie is to die for.
Loved the cozy ambience. I wouldn’t say this about most restaurants, but I would definitely be returning here.

The Quinoa soup was exquisite! Don’t forget to try Buster’s Pasta, simply amazing. Hidden gem in NYC for sure.

Delicious food. Loved the tuna melt. The tuna was a very good quality as was the cheddar cheese, and the multi-​grain roll was definitely a standout. My friend got grilled Portabello sandwich which she said was great too.
The only downside is that the place is super tiny and you can barely squeeze through tables… so if you are looking for comfortable seating… look some place else…

First time in New York with my home girl. She brought me to the place. It’s one of her favorite places to eat when she is on business in New York. I must say great food and friendly staff.

Busters is almost the perfect neighborhood restaurant. Serious food in a most informal atmosphere. Fidel runs the front of the house with an extraordinary sense of caring and hospitality. Glen performs miracles in the small kitchen with the freshest of ingredients.
Reservations are virtually essential. If you walk in at 6:00 the restaurant may appear to be empty but by 6:15 the place will be without an empty seat. In addition to the ambience created by Fidel and Glen, the great food, the welcoming atmosphere, this is a BYOB place so you won’t be stuck with a bill for grossly inflated wine prices. Busters is the kind of restaurant where you hesitate to post a review, knowing that it will decrease your chance of a reservation next Saturday.

What a standout place!
My friend and I came here Saturday afternoon for lunch. I just had to visit this place since I live a few blocks away and always read the wonderful reviews. This place is absolutely delicious. I had the buster wrap and my friend had the derby wrap. We both finished the wraps in a matter of minutes because it was SO GOOD!
The menu they have is wonderful and I can’t wait to go back and try everything else!
I am so thankful this place is a few blocks away!
Thank you for the yummy food and fantastic hospitality !
ps. the guava/​cream cheese puff pastries are to die for! thank you for the waiter as seen in the pics for the lovely treat to end the perfect meal!

I came here based on the Unilocal reviews. We love this BYOB no corkage fee hearty restaurant. I had the portobello mushroom salad, which also had goat cheese, lettuce. It was very filling. I also had the perch, which was meaty and flaky fish. Great choices on my part! My boyfriend, from Scotland, had the chicken picatta and the special salad that had walnuts, lettuce, and kale. We liked the chocolate peach cake too.
Fidel runs the front of the restaurant. He is very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Glenn cooks in the back. He is a great cook! Definitely make a reservation to this restaurant too. We will definitely come back and bring our friends!

The outside is unassuming, but don’t be fooled. Buster’s is undoubtedly the best restaurant in the neighborhood. We savored every single bite!
The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming with candles, art scattered across the walls, and friendly staff who knew this was our first time visiting. To start, we shared their salad special with goat cheese, spiced walnuts, carrots, beets, and some radish. It offered such a unique flavor profile that was beautifully complimentary. For our entrees, we had the branzino and filet mignon with a balsamic reduction, both served with a vegetable and mashed potatoes or a high protein grain that carries a smoky quality. The fish and filet were expertly prepared to perfection. For dessert, we tried their chocolate mousse and apple crisp, and both were excellent. Buster’s is BYOB so we accompanied this meal with a Spanish red. Our service was friendly, thoughtful, and attentive.
We can’t wait until our next experience at Buster’s!

Favorite place in New York!
Fidel (the charismatic and friendly owner) creates a small town, friendly feel in the big city. The food is fresh, and prepared with TLC. I have been exploring the menu for years, and still haven’t found a thing I don’t like. Can’t explain why it took me so long to write a review…

The place is tiny, you can barely squeeze through tables-​kind of tiny.
Went there wanting to order something for take out, and the guy came from the kitchen saying they couldn’t because they were getting «too busy», when half of the 12 chairs they have were actually empty.
Slackers.

At Buster’s, it’s all about the food… and the service… and the vibe. This tiny, unassuming little spot on Amsterdam is easy to overlook, but to do so would be a mistake.
Brilliantly trained and experienced partners have been making this place rock for almost a decade. (This was my first experience) The food was spot on delicious on a Thursday afternoon.
I ordered a tuna melt, a childhood favorite I haven’t had since I was 12 years old. I was confident this place would do it right and they did! The tuna was a very good quality as was the cheddar cheese, and the multi-​grain roll was definitely a standout.
My companion’s grilled Portabello sandwich was equally A-​1.
Everyone on staff treated us like gold, and we received a free plate of cookies at the end of our meal.
LOVED IT (You will, too)

Great place! The food is delicious, fresh, and very reasonably-​priced. Everything here seems to have a tasty and well-​balanced flavor so I think it’s perfect for a light lunch where you leave feeling both full and energetic. Stand-​out dish is the Buster’s Pasta (perfectly-​roasted chicken, cheese that’s still in the process of melting when it hits your table, sharp bites of sun-​dried tomato) My only complaint is that it comes out so hot that I can’t wolf it down as fast as I want to.
Casual ambiance and a very small space so I think a group of 2 is the perfect size. Try to snag the seats by the window — window cushions are fun.

Got the seafood special (lobster, shrimp, scallop in lobster sauce and tarragon $ 23.95) with freekeh and it was insane nomness in very healthy portions.
The owner is a very kind and polite man and seems to be friends with everyone. I cannot believe the whole place is run by two people, so it is understandable water refill was not as prompt.

After apartment hunting I was in the mood to eat. Unilocal lead the way with Buster’s being tops in the area. The place is small, basically a small storefront that you can miss it. Fortunately for us, I didn’t. I was the only that was hungry and after hearing the specials I went with one of them: the sesame noodles with skirt steak. I looked around and noticed the place was small but with a bunch of paintings that didn’t make it seem cramped, although the bathroom requires you to walk through the kitchen, though it’s a little strange to do.
The food arrived and it was simple, tasty and well done. I kind of scoffed at the term ‘spatinental’ food, but that’s really a good way to look at the food as well as the ambiance of the place. A small, serene spot that’s good but not pretentious. The gf didn’t order anything but ate off my plate, and our server brought out another set of utensils for her. He even brought out a smaller version of their pastry for her since he figured I wasn’t in the mood to share.

«It’s supposed to be right here.»
«Really? Are you sure? Check Unilocal again.»
«No, it says we’re on the right block. Maybe it’s closed?»
«I hope not. Let’s walk by again. I’m starving.»
«Wait … is that … here! There it is!»
You will have this conversation while looking for Buster’s on Amsterdam. But don’t lose hope: this place is sooooo worth the confusion!
Let me start by saying that it’s a small place. Like, you’re going to wait if you come here during normal hours. I came here WAY off-​peak (I’m talking 4pm) for lunch, so there was no one else inside.
I had the Chicken Caesar Wrap, and I can tell you that it was huge & delicious! The croutons were crunchy and the salad was so fresh, it was practically still growing. No sogginess; it’s Choose Your Own (Culinary) Adventure because the dressing was served on the side! The best part is that you feel *good* after you finish your meal. Not stuffed, or bloated, or guilty. How many restaurants can make you say that?
AND … when we asked for the check, we were served fresh chocolate chip cookies! I’m kind of sad for telling you about it, because it’s like a happy surprise that makes you feel all warm & full inside. Bookmark this place for a nice spring/​summer lunch. You won’t regret it.