I've been away for a couple weeks so I might have missed this, but it's very exciting to me:
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2014/08/25/burrito-gallery-bringing-rooftop-dining-to.html
Excellent news!!!
Despite the design, this is going to be a hopping place. Here's hoping the sky way extension goes through.
and Burger Fi
http://members.jacksonville.com/business/2014-08-27/story/burger-fi-added-brooklyn-station-riverside
Looks like Burrito Gallery In Brooklyn Station is gearing up for an opening soon. I walk by there on my lunch break every week, they're busy at work inside. It will save me that 1 mile drive to the downtown location woohoo! (Seriously, I will go more)
It's not that parking is impossible downtown, but it's just enough to deter me from tacos on most work days. They should do well at this location.
I've been peering in the window for a while now. It was difficult to determine how close they were getting until just this week. looks like the finishing touches are being added now.
Can't get the rendering to open.
It's open, very nice inside and on the patio. I joked with my friend that it looked like Bar Rescue had been in there.
My only concern is the one BG staple I've been eating since 2005, their blacken chicken quesadilla. The one downtown serves up a delicious, huge, flavorful quesadilla, the one I had at Brooklyn station was completely different. I'm hoping this isn't the case with the rest of their food. Tacos looked smaller as well, but my coworker said they were very fresh and delicious.
So i'm guessing although it carries the same name, their menu at Brooklyn Station is a bit different. Ingredients are too.
How's the view from the rooftop?
Quote from: David on February 03, 2016, 01:24:26 PM
It's open, very nice inside and on the patio. I joked with my friend that it looked like Bar Rescue had been in there.
My only concern is the one BG staple I've been eating since 2005, their blacken chicken quesadilla. The one downtown serves up a delicious, huge, flavorful quesadilla, the one I had at Brooklyn station was completely different. I'm hoping this isn't the case with the rest of their food. Tacos looked smaller as well, but my coworker said they were very fresh and delicious.
So i'm guessing although it carries the same name, their menu at Brooklyn Station is a bit different. Ingredients are too.
I'm sure they're trying a new set up on their menu, but will evolve as time goes on. As for the above poster, the rooftop is pretty cool. It doesn't open until 4:30 on weekdays, but the view is pretty good.
Quote from: David on February 03, 2016, 01:24:26 PM
It's open, very nice inside and on the patio. I joked with my friend that it looked like Bar Rescue had been in there.
My only concern is the one BG staple I've been eating since 2005, their blacken chicken quesadilla. The one downtown serves up a delicious, huge, flavorful quesadilla, the one I had at Brooklyn station was completely different. I'm hoping this isn't the case with the rest of their food. Tacos looked smaller as well, but my coworker said they were very fresh and delicious.
So i'm guessing although it carries the same name, their menu at Brooklyn Station is a bit different. Ingredients are too.
Yep. The tacos are like half the size of what they are downtown and the same price. We were kind of meh about the whole place and decided we'd keep going downtown. They've tried to fancy it up in Brooklyn and while the menu looks interesting the execution was a little lacking. Hopefully things get ironed out and hopefully they don't bring down the original location in this whole process.
Quote from: acme54321 on February 03, 2016, 02:15:16 PM
Quote from: David on February 03, 2016, 01:24:26 PM
It's open, very nice inside and on the patio. I joked with my friend that it looked like Bar Rescue had been in there.
My only concern is the one BG staple I've been eating since 2005, their blacken chicken quesadilla. The one downtown serves up a delicious, huge, flavorful quesadilla, the one I had at Brooklyn station was completely different. I'm hoping this isn't the case with the rest of their food. Tacos looked smaller as well, but my coworker said they were very fresh and delicious.
So i'm guessing although it carries the same name, their menu at Brooklyn Station is a bit different. Ingredients are too.
Yep. The tacos are like half the size of what they are downtown and the same price. We were kind of meh about the whole place and decided we'd keep going downtown. They've tried to fancy it up in Brooklyn and while the menu looks interesting the execution was a little lacking. Hopefully things get ironed out and hopefully they don't bring down the original location in this whole process.
Good lord why would you change the best part of Burrito Gallery?? The food... wow...
I've now been there 4 times. Twice I've had issues with the food coming out promptly. The tacos are tiny and today my coleslaw was basically just a bowl of cabbage and my Bacon Burger taco was off. I like the atmosphere, but they have some kitchen and service issues to work out.
I'll reserve judgement for a while. But I wasn't blown away with the service or the food. To top it off I had to stand in a line to order my food, then stood in,line at the bar to get a beer. The whole experience seemed very corporate, not the funky local feel of the original. Hoping they get things corrected.
Was not impressed at all. The DT location has a totally different clientele and vibe that I love. It is all scrubbed in this one. Very sterile environment to me and the food does taste and look different.
Higher rent at the new location could be to blame for the smaller portions. Just another example of why downtrodden but salvageable buildings should be preserved because new construction requires a higher level of debt that a new business cannot support when just starting out.
I've been twice so far for dinner. Once with table service on the patio, and once by standing in line downstairs.
It felt exactly like the one downtown. Decent food, somewhat strange/inattentive service.
I actually think that my experience was better both times at the new Brooklyn location than most of the times I've been to the downtown location, which I eat at regularly. My burrito was about the same size as downtown burritos, and the other time I got a "Torta" which I don't believe was on their old menu.
Yes there are some hiccups, but that's going to happen with a whole new staff.
You know what I really love about BG in Brooklyn (besides the tortas and the awesome rooftop deck)? The fact that they've been open one week, got feedback from customers that their taco tortillas were too small (the protein portions stayed the same between downtown and Brooklyn, just the size of the tortilla changed)... and as of today, they are now serving the larger tortillas.
This is a restaurant with great leadership, that will be humming like a well-oiled machine in no time.
^That's good to hear. The tortillas have been stuffed, but the small size makes it seem like you're not getting a lot of bang for your buck. I tried the calamari taco yesterday for the first time yesterday and it was great. I'm going after work today and i may get a taco and a torta.
I can confirm that the tortilla sizes are now bigger! Weirdly, I almost missed the small tortillas. Still had a couple service issues, but they are starting to get things ironed out. Considering the bad weather, they were pretty slammed for a thursday night. I'm sure tonight will be another packed house.
Stopped by there this afternoon at 1:30. The place was packed. In fact the entire complex was packed. Not a parking spot to be had. I actually parked on a dirt lot beside the circle drive.
So it's been 4 months since the new BG opened and it's great in the sense it's across the street from my work, and they have upped their portion sizes to match the original location, but the main thing about the new BG is the menu items taste completely different than the downtown location. Blacken chicken quesadilla, steak tacos, shrimp tacos, even the nachos, they all have less seasoning, more of a bland taste in my opinion.
I still drive to the downtown location to get my original BG fix. But does anyone know what the deal is? How can a place with the same name taste completely different? It taste more like Tijuana flats than the original BG.
If this were a new place with a completely different name, I wouldn't notice, i'd probably say it's not bad. But the DT BG has always been a "flavor town" experience as Guy Ferrari would say.
Same for me... I stopped going... not a fan of the service either... 8)
I have eaten at BG downtown but it was years ago as I am not local. My GUESS, and it is only that, is that a difference in rent/mortgage between the two locations is driving the initial difference in portion, and the suggested difference in seasoning levels currently.
If true it supports the argument that has been made on this forum many times before, that rehabbing an existing space is more economically competitive that building or renting newly constructed space.
Uh, you don't season less or change your product because your rent is high. I mean you can, but you won't make rent that way either.
It's obvious what the difference is : One was built by the guys who started it and have a passion for food, the other by businessmen who have a passion for money.
The passion for money always lacks flavor.
^ Nailed it, Rockstar!
Quote from: RockStar on June 01, 2016, 07:24:26 PM
Uh, you don't season less or change your product because your rent is high. I mean you can, but you won't make rent that way either.
It's obvious what the difference is : One was built by the guys who started it and have a passion for food, the other by businessmen who have a passion for money.
The passion for money always lacks flavor.
Dying for a Hoptinger update Rock star...
Quote from: RockStar on June 01, 2016, 07:24:26 PM
Uh, you don't season less or change your product because your rent is high. I mean you can, but you won't make rent that way either.
It's obvious what the difference is : One was built by the guys who started it and have a passion for food, the other by businessmen who have a passion for money.
The passion for money always lacks flavor.
So overhead has no influence on price of the food, quantity of the food or quality of the food offered? I take it the two locations have different owners?
Quality of the ingredients maybe, but a commercial sized container of oregano or sage or whatever isn't likely going to tip the balance on making rent - I think that's RockStar's point.
RockStar likely nailed it, but personally I don't have an issue with the BG food at either location. There are some differences, but I'm cool with it. Does every multi-location restaurant's food have to taste the same at all locations?
My first visit t the Brooklyn site was for lunch. Place was packed but the food came out rather quickly. Had the enchilada. Tasted great. I like the décor. I look at the two locations as sisters, not exact but with enough similarities that you can enjoy both. Can't wait to check out the view from the rooftop. BTW - service was good, no issues at all. Very friendly.
Quote from: Steve on June 02, 2016, 08:54:10 AM
There are some differences, but I'm cool with it. Does every multi-location restaurant's food have to taste the same at all locations?
Not necessarily but the Brooklyn location is in the same category as Tijuana Flats or Moe's to me now, quality wise. Typically chains do have a similar experience across all locations. It's just a very notable difference between the two, IMO.
They're doing fine though, so I doubt my little rant on MJ will make much of a difference. Just call me a Burrito Gallery purist.
Are all the employees at the downtown one now wearing Burrito Gallery shirts? When I went to the Brooklyn one I noticed the bartenders were wearing them; I took this uniformity in uniforms as a sign of its encroaching chain expansion. They had (have? I haven't been since the Brooklyn location opened) a looser dress code downtown.
Not that this has anything to do with the taste of the food at either location, of course. I'm just curious.
I also liked BG before they were cool...
Quote from: jlmann on June 02, 2016, 04:48:34 PM
yes lowly, clearly that's what this is about. genuine concerns or input on the much anticipated expansion of a beloved local establishment really is people just trying to show their street cred and how cool we are. great job bud. you're onto us.
if you really cant tell the difference in the food and ambience I humbly request you read from afar any thread involving dining, jax food culture or good taste in general
no one's pulling rank here just sharing thoughts. Maybe you could try?
dude - I'll let lowlyplanner speak for him/herself, but I'm pretty sure all he or she was saying was that he liked them when they were smaller.
meme time!
(http://i.imgur.com/PzyIseF.jpg)