Arden

The Arden is decently close to the Brooklyn Museum. We were down here with a visiting friend, who really wanted to see the museum. For a Sunday early afternoon, we looked for something that was affordable and not too expensive. Most of the good spots around this area seemed to open closer to the evening, and there were some places I was interested in that were also closed on Sundays for some reason. The Arden would have to do. When we arrived, were seated at the counter top immediately.

Ambiance & Service

The space is pretty quaint and small. There are tables outside, but it was too chilly to sit there. Inside, it was pretty full with a lot of noise. This was the brunch crowd with strollers and families. The counter had some openings, and they seated us there. Within the next 10-15 minutes as tables started to clear up, there was much more space.

The service was pretty quick as they tried to turn over seats quickly. Be warned there there appears to be just 1 bathroom, so there can be a bit of a line for a small casual sit-down place.

Food

The Arden Benedict ($17 smoked Berkshire ham, $18 pastrami sliced salmon, $24 Maryland crab cake) came with Hollandaise, breakfast potatoes, and mixed greens. My partner ordered the Maryland crab cake, and I ordered the pastrami sliced salmon. The crab cake tasted OK. It had that frozen crab flavor, which I’m not that fond of, but it was decent. The pastrami salmon had a surprisingly chewy texture as opposed to a raw salmon texture. Everything else met expectations, so not much to rave about.

Overall Impression

I thought this place was decent for brunch, and I definitely would’ve preferred to try their dinner menu instead. Regardless, the food appeared to be decent and has that local Brooklyn vibe to it. If you are near the museum, this is a place that can be an option.

Yelp & Google Jabs

Very expensive, and doesn’t taste good. Evening ambiance is nice but very loud.

The price is comparable to local spots, but definitely no where as expensive as Manhattan equivalents.

Made a last minute brunch reservation at Arden - I would highly recommend you do so too. The place is small but popular… Unfortunately, I wasn’t as wowed by the food. It was mid at best

Generally I find most brunch menus “mid”. Brunch is brunch, so definitely expect the food to not blow your mind. This person enjoyed the drinks, which is fine. When we were seated at the counter, there were several folks just there for the cocktails.

Revisions

1. Nov 16, 2025 - Initial revision.