Junior's Restaurant & Bakery

Hours

fri

7:00 AM – 11:00 PM

mon

7:00 AM – 11:00 PM

sat

7:00 AM – 12:00 AM

sun

7:00 AM – 12:00 AM

thu

7:00 AM – 11:00 PM

tue

7:00 AM – 11:00 PM

wed

7:00 AM – 11:00 PM

Photos

Recent reviews

• ★★★☆☆Mei C6/19/2026

  My and my family's first experience at Junior's left so much to be desired. We had heard many great things about the place, especially their cheesecakes, so we wanted to give it a go. Unfortunately for us, to sum up, the food was underwhelming and our server could've been better. We ended up feeling like this place should've just stuck to cheesecakes. I want to briefly mention the service. Other tables seemed to have more amiable and helpful servers, but ours was comparatively mediocre. For instance, we had two platters of fish and chips, but one of them was missing lemon slices and coleslaw. When we brought this up to him, he just left our table and never returned with those items. We had to let another server know about the missing items, and he helped us bring the lemon slices and coleslaw. When we reminded him that we hadn't received the two cups of soda we ordered, he just left our table and wandered off. He didn't come back with them ever, so we had to signal another server about the missing sodas we had ordered and got them in a timely fashion. At the end of our meal, he helped us get to-go boxes and bags, but when we asked him if we could get one more, he did the same thing and wandered off. We had to signal another server/runner for a box. Moving onto the food, our family ordered a variety of stuff. My parents were both interested in the happy hour Jamaican chicken and pulled pork burger, my brother wanted the happy hour fettucine alfredo with chicken (which cost an extra $9 to add chicken onto), and I got fish and chips. We also ordered disco fries, calamari, mashed potatoes, and a ice cream soda. First, the fish & chips were pretty flavorless, especially the fish. While they nailed the texture, the fish tasted like nothing. Have they always not had seasoning? My brother was VERY underwhelmed by the fettucine alfredo, especially by the fact it cost $9 more for a few chicken blocks that didn't do much to elevate the dish. Every bite made him more unhappier. My parents seemed to be okay with the Jamaican chicken and pulled pork burger. While they didn't have any complaints, they also didn't have any praises for it either, just that it was "okay." The disco fries, mashed potatoes, and calamari were great though! The gravy (with the disco fries and mashed potatoes) and marinara (paired with the calamari) especially were very delicious. The ice cream soda was fine, though there was much more whipped cream than ice cream on the soda.

• ★★★★★Tony Rudy5/10/2026

  Great classic diner with no frills plates and all the classics you would expect on any diner menu. Obviously the bakery is the over the top draw here- and it is not just hype. Service was excellent.

• ★★★☆☆Kimberly Lim Legaspi4/5/2026

  Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery is one of those classic New York institutions that leans heavily into traditional American diner culture, with large portions, comfort driven dishes, and a menu that reflects decades of crowd pleasing staples. Originally opened in Brooklyn in 1950, Junior’s built its reputation on New York style comfort food and its iconic cheesecake, becoming a staple tied closely to the city’s diner and deli culture. It’s the kind of place where the food isn’t trying to be modern or reinvented, but rooted in familiarity, volume, and tradition. We started with the fried mozzarella sticks, made with breaded mozzarella and served with marinara. They were one of the highlights, crispy on the outside with that stretchy, melty center. Simple, nostalgic, and exactly what you expect from a classic appetizer. For the mains, portions were generous across the board, very much in line with traditional diner style plating. The steak burger came on a soft bun with lettuce and tomato, served with fries and onion rings. Burgers like this are rooted in early 20th century American diners, where ground beef patties became a quick, affordable staple. The patty had a nice sear, giving it that slightly charred, beefy flavor, but overall leaned more straightforward than standout. The pastrami Swiss burger, also served with fries and onion rings, was layered with sliced pastrami, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and tomato. It’s a very New York style addition rooted in deli culture. Pastrami, originally from Eastern European preservation methods using curing and smoking, became iconic in NYC Jewish delis, adding that salty, peppery depth. It worked, but could’ve used a bit more balance so one element didn’t overpower the other. The onion rings were disappointing. The batter was thick and overly flour heavy, with barely any onion inside, so you don’t really get that sweetness or texture you’re supposed to. The BBQ ribs and fried chicken combo came with fries and coleslaw. The ribs were glazed in barbecue sauce and tender with a decent base flavor, but they needed more sauce to fully coat and enhance the meat. Barbecue ribs are rooted in Southern American cooking, where slow cooking and sauce layering are key to building flavor. The fried chicken, dredged in seasoned flour and deep fried, had a crispy exterior but came out dry inside, which took away from what should be one of the stronger dishes. Fried chicken, also deeply tied to Southern food traditions, relies on keeping the meat juicy while maintaining a crisp crust. The coleslaw, made with shredded cabbage and dressing, added some acidity and crunch to balance the heavier items. The brisket platter was served with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Brisket, a tougher cut from the lower chest of the cow, is commonly used in both Jewish and Southern cuisines because it benefits from slow cooking to break down connective tissue. Here it was paired with a savory mushroom gravy that added richness. The mashed potatoes, made with butter and cream, were smooth and worked well to absorb the sauce, while the vegetables added some balance to the plate. The open roast beef sandwich came with sliced roast beef on bread without gravy. It had that classic diner feel, but the sandwich itself was a little dry and would’ve benefited from either some sauce or a side like fries to help balance it out. Service wise, the staff was kind and welcoming, but a bit slow. Water glasses were often left empty, and the pacing throughout the meal could’ve been better. Junior’s is appreciated for its large portions and nostalgic New York feel, especially for classic comfort dishes, but the experience can be inconsistent. Some dishes are executed well while others fall short in seasoning or texture, and service, while friendly, can feel a bit slow during busy times. Consistency in execution and a bit more attention to detail would elevate it from good to memorable.

• ★★★★☆Firestrike3/24/2026

  Came here to try their famous cheesecake. I ordered the plain one and a hot chocolate. The hot chocolate was chocolatey, not too sweet and piled with whipped cream - very good! The cheesecake was delicious too! But I will say, I'm not sure it lived up to the hype. I liked that you could really taste the tanginess of the cream cheese, but I thought it could have been a bit creamier. The sweetness level was on point though. The atmosphere is very classic diner so if you're looking for that kinda vibe this place has it! Overall it was pretty good, I would recommend it if you're in the area.

• ★★☆☆☆Mitch W2/27/2026

  I went to the original Junior’s Restaurant & Bakery in Downtown Brooklyn because I wanted to try what’s considered “real” New York cheesecake. I’ve seen it everywhere, and I even tried the mini Junior’s cheesecakes from Costco months ago which I honestly thought were pretty bad. So I figured maybe the original at the source would be better. It wasn’t. It tasted exactly the same to me. Very dense, overly rich, and just not enjoyable. I know New York style cheesecake is supposed to be thick, but this felt heavy in a way that wasn’t balanced. I genuinely don’t understand the hype around it. If this is what New Yorkers consider great cheesecake, I just don’t get it. I really wanted to like it, but it was a letdown for me.