Yellow Magnolia Café

This place is definitely a hidden gem! I’m a seasoned traveler and I can honestly say this is one of the best restaurants I’ve been to. Every detail is unique. The service is attentive, informative, and polite. My server was Nia, a very nice, friendly, and helpful lady! The decor is simple, yet classy and elegant. The food is visually appealing, so flavorful, and most importantly, fresh, high quality ingredients. The food melts in your mouth as you savor every bite! Love, love, love!!! If you’re in NY, this place is a must!

Such a beautiful place and food was delicious, the presentation is simple but yet has a unique look to it. The whole menu is very easy to read, is inclusive and has great options alongside with delicious fresh cocktails. Service was friendly and welcoming. Such a gem to have next to the Botanic Garden. Definitely looking forward to coming back again. They also have a beautiful space for private event, weddings and ceremonies with a gorgeous glass roof. Very romantic.

+4

Zhiyu Wang

Fantastic food and vibe. We went there for a late lunch, everything we ordered tastes amazing. The spiced cauliflower is super flavorful, giving a taste of curry flavor. The 2 appetizers also superfood. Soba is well emerging with sour and fruity flavors, refreshing and cooling you down. The vibe is fantastic too. It locates at the top of stairs and close to tropical showroom. Decorating gives a fine dining atmosphere with bright and clean look. One thing worths mentioning is we didn’t know the restaurant locates inside the botanic garden, you need to purchase ticket to get in( I guess it’s our rookies mistake).

Yvonne Johnston

Such a beautiful place and food was delicious, the presentation is simple but yet has a unique look to it. The whole menu is very easy to read, is inclusive and has great options alongside with delicious fresh cocktails. Service was friendly and welcoming. Such a gem to have next to the Botanic Garden. Definitely looking forward to coming back again. They also have a beautiful space for private event, weddings and ceremonies with a gorgeous glass roof. Very romantic.

Jenna G

What a lovely dining option when visiting the garden! Everything we are tasted fresh and delicious. Great mocktail selection and I can't praise the burrata highly enough! Service was great and the space was beautiful to look at.

Lexi Hay

Always an experience at Yellow Magnolia Cafe at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Service, food, and cocktails keeps going back.

Sharon Her

Make a reservation, allow for extra time to wander through the garden before checking in & fall into all the beauty & splendor of the garden & a truly lavish experience. Each dish was a culinary interpretation of the garden. Rich & bright, colorful & lively… what a lovely surprise nestled beside the waterlilies!

James Poulos

Perfect dining setting within the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Long wall tapestry/mural with floral motif stretches along the entire span of the backside of the dining room. There is a greenhouse style glass atrium half open to the sky and half facing the garden. The tables are set out with comfortable space within each other. The staff is very professional and welcoming. The place settings are immaculate and the food is visually pleasing and really delicious.

Karaoke Superstar

Very friendly and professional staff. The food was delicious, the drinks mixed well, and their gelato the tastiest and creaminess I've tried all over NYC. We will be coming back to try the rest of their dishes. It's a hidden gem!

Kate Kosche

We returned here since food service was taken over by Union Square Events earlier this month. The menu was updated and we loved every dish. The menu is very plant forward, probably 80% of the items are vegetarian or vegan but there is a burger and a chicken sandwich for meat eaters. We shared several small plates which were delicious. I especially liked a seasonal tartine with roasted carrots was nicely balanced with acid from pickled raisins and some salty bites of black olives. Beet tartare was amazing with a touch of dill, served with a big rice crisp on top for shoveling it up. Flatbread with ramps and mezze platter made it a full meal. A short but pleasant wine list is available as well as a couple cocktails. The elderberry G+T was a particularly pretty pale lavender. Price point was fairly high, especially for families coming for lunch, which might hinder bookings.

Amanda Dorval

I made a reservation before going (which I HIGHLY recommend doing), and started to get a little nervous when I decided to read some reviews. Some of the most recent reviews were so negative that I considered canceling my reservation. I'm SO glad I kept my reservation, though, because my family and I had such a lovely brunch here today! The food was really tasty, and my mimosa with the candied ginger in it was really good, too. Polenta fries were good, the biscuits were incredible, and the desserts were also unique and delicious. I love that there was a really healthy option for my 2 year old son (scrambled eggs and heirloom carrot sticks) which he ate happily. He really loved those biscuits too. I really felt compelled to write this review, because my experience is a good example of how someone can be almost negatively influenced by some overly-exaggerated bad reviews but ended up keeping the reservation to have a really nice experience. It may be true what they say about how people who end up writing reviews tend to do so out of negative experiences rather than positive ones, so I wanted to balance out some the recent bad reviews with my positive review! When I went today, the restaurant was packed, service was good and food was good, so there are plenty of people coming and having a good time. Don't always be swayed by negative reviews, it pays to have your own experience and draw your own conclusions!! It was a nice end to our visit after viewing the cherry blossoms 🌸 would recommend.

Dina R. D'Alessandro

What a lovely experience! The menu items were fresh and delicious. We ordered the mushroom pie with époisses and tomato soup (both vegetarian-friendly) and the chocolate budino tart for dessert. The wait staff was attentive. Would recommend this as a fancier option after a stroll through the garden instead of the more casual canteen or coffee bar on premises. NOTE: Be sure to make a reservation as this place fills up quickly.

Lan C

There’s a whole new revamped menu at Yellow Magnolia Cafe - and it was all delicious. Lots of veg friendly options! The chickpea pancake with a healthy mound of sautéed, pickled, and fresh vegetables was hearty and fulfilling. The mushroom pie with luscious schmear of epoisse cheese could be a starter or light entree. Really nice option for visits to the Garden.

Attorney Lopez

This place is definitely a hidden gem! I’m a seasoned traveler and I can honestly say this is one of the best restaurants I’ve been to. Every detail is unique. The service is attentive, informative, and polite. My server was Nia, a very nice, friendly, and helpful lady! The decor is simple, yet classy and elegant. The food is visually appealing, so flavorful, and most importantly, fresh, high quality ingredients. The food melts in your mouth as you savor every bite! Love, love, love!!! If you’re in NY, this place is a must!

Third and time there. Portions seem to have increased! Everything delicious. Waitresses are all smiles and friendly. Our waiter, however, was a bit robotic or grumpy. BBG member gets 10% off.

Amazing! The Service was Great, also the surroundings, were outstanding. There was this Japanese Area, It was like a part of the Japan culture came to US! The food though.. YUM. I ordered A national hot dog, just to see what it'd taste like. There were no sides or anything, but you can ask for a side of chips. (They don't have fries.) Anyways, I also tried a Cheeseburger, Good, but one thing.. a bit DRY for comfort.. I'd recommend a bit more Juicy patty. Otherwise, Yeah. The food was great.

+2

Visited during Cherry Blossom season at 4pm. Location was quite warm. Especially window view seating. No circulation fans. As for the food. The biscuits are soft but flavorless. Taste was added with the raspberry preserve. The salted maple butter also had no flavor on its own or on the biscuit. Maybe add a dash of brown sugar to butter? Green salad was decent. Steak and Egg bibimbap was tastey and good. However the steak was a bit chewy at the end.

After a serene stroll through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, we had a wonderful brunch at Yellow Magnolia Café, nestled right inside the gardens. The dining room is bright, calm, and tranquil with tables far apart from one another. We both ordered the market salad, adding salmon for an additional $12. The ingredients were fresh and seasonal, and the salmon was perfectly cooked, making for a light but satisfying meal. The presentation was beautiful with the edible flowers. Our waiter was sweet and attentive, enhancing the overall pleasant experience. It's best to make reservations even if you are a small party.

Carin Rudich

After a serene stroll through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, we had a wonderful brunch at Yellow Magnolia Café, nestled right inside the gardens. The dining room is bright, calm, and tranquil with tables far apart from one another. We both ordered the market salad, adding salmon for an additional $12. The ingredients were fresh and seasonal, and the salmon was perfectly cooked, making for a light but satisfying meal. The presentation was beautiful with the edible flowers. Our waiter was sweet and attentive, enhancing the overall pleasant experience. It's best to make reservations even if you are a small party.

G. A. C.

Third and time there. Portions seem to have increased! Everything delicious. Waitresses are all smiles and friendly. Our waiter, however, was a bit robotic or grumpy. BBG member gets 10% off.

Westley Carter

Amazing! The Service was Great, also the surroundings, were outstanding. There was this Japanese Area, It was like a part of the Japan culture came to US! The food though.. YUM. I ordered A national hot dog, just to see what it'd taste like. There were no sides or anything, but you can ask for a side of chips. (They don't have fries.) Anyways, I also tried a Cheeseburger, Good, but one thing.. a bit DRY for comfort.. I'd recommend a bit more Juicy patty. Otherwise, Yeah. The food was great.

Desiree Ballentine

Visited during Cherry Blossom season at 4pm. Location was quite warm. Especially window view seating. No circulation fans. As for the food. The biscuits are soft but flavorless. Taste was added with the raspberry preserve. The salted maple butter also had no flavor on its own or on the biscuit. Maybe add a dash of brown sugar to butter? Green salad was decent. Steak and Egg bibimbap was tastey and good. However the steak was a bit chewy at the end.

We dined here after visiting the LightScape installation. We were a party of 5 and the seating was tight. We ordered a soup and three appetizers. Five minutes later our main entrees were being brought to our table. It really ruined the dining experience. The food was good, but unfortunately we couldn’t enjoy it as desired.

It was a nice break to stop by this cafe after walking around the garden. The place gets really busy so a reservation is a must, otherwise you'll end up waiting 30+ minutes for a table. The food was OK; I wouldn't say great. The polenta fries were bland and really needed salt. The chutney that came with them was too sweet. The scrambled eggs were decent but I found the eggs too buttery and the home fries underwhelming. The fried chicken was excellent, however. It was perfectly fried and went really well with the bed of wild rice and the coleslaw. The cup of cappuccino I ordered was over-foamed. Overall, even though the food wasn't top-notch, this place is still a good stop to rest while enjoying the sun coming through its large windows.

Paul Cheong

It was a nice break to stop by this cafe after walking around the garden. The place gets really busy so a reservation is a must, otherwise you'll end up waiting 30+ minutes for a table. The food was OK; I wouldn't say great. The polenta fries were bland and really needed salt. The chutney that came with them was too sweet. The scrambled eggs were decent but I found the eggs too buttery and the home fries underwhelming. The fried chicken was excellent, however. It was perfectly fried and went really well with the bed of wild rice and the coleslaw. The cup of cappuccino I ordered was over-foamed. Overall, even though the food wasn't top-notch, this place is still a good stop to rest while enjoying the sun coming through its large windows.

Nancy Torres

We dined here after visiting the LightScape installation. We were a party of 5 and the seating was tight. We ordered a soup and three appetizers. Five minutes later our main entrees were being brought to our table. It really ruined the dining experience. The food was good, but unfortunately we couldn’t enjoy it as desired.

We went for the midsummer nights dinner. This dinner is supposed to feature fresh, local, summer produce. It really seemed more like a fall dinner- rich stews, spiced salads, faro, tomato sauces, rustic bread, etc. I found the meal far too rich and heavy, especially for a humid summer evening. I don’t think the quality matched up with the price, but the menu was a big miss for me considering the theme. To boot, as we were leaving the restaurant we were looking forward to a stroll on our way out of the garden, but the security guard started yelling to exit the park. A very disappointing experience.

+2

First, our reservation was at 1 pm. We reached there early (12:15), and asked them if they can accommodate. After waiting for 10 minutes upon their request, we were told to come back at 1 pm, though there were plenty of seats. This is the first time that has happened to us ever. Second, the tea and coffee we ordered were of so poor quality that I would not have it even for a dollar. The charge for coffee was $4.75, and tea $4.00 The niscoise salad had cold, tasteless tuna. Soba noodles were tasty The fruit pastries were store bought class. The server couldn't explain what they were. The dish presentations were good, taste less than average.

Shipra Mitra

First, our reservation was at 1 pm. We reached there early (12:15), and asked them if they can accommodate. After waiting for 10 minutes upon their request, we were told to come back at 1 pm, though there were plenty of seats. This is the first time that has happened to us ever. Second, the tea and coffee we ordered were of so poor quality that I would not have it even for a dollar. The charge for coffee was $4.75, and tea $4.00 The niscoise salad had cold, tasteless tuna. Soba noodles were tasty The fruit pastries were store bought class. The server couldn't explain what they were. The dish presentations were good, taste less than average.

Frances

We went for the midsummer nights dinner. This dinner is supposed to feature fresh, local, summer produce. It really seemed more like a fall dinner- rich stews, spiced salads, faro, tomato sauces, rustic bread, etc. I found the meal far too rich and heavy, especially for a humid summer evening. I don’t think the quality matched up with the price, but the menu was a big miss for me considering the theme. To boot, as we were leaving the restaurant we were looking forward to a stroll on our way out of the garden, but the security guard started yelling to exit the park. A very disappointing experience.