Mediterranean Menu with Craft Beer and Specialty Cocktails in Murray Hill
Bubo-NYC is located on 33rd between 34th and 35th Street. It is a quick 10 minute walk from the 35th Street Ferry and an 11 minute walk from Grand Central Station. Although a bit further up 34th Street, New York Penn Station is about 25 minutes by foot. Many of the patrons of Bubo-NYC are Murray Hill residents…while others stop by on their way to Trader Joe’s (on 32nd Street), or after a movie at AMC Kips Bay 15 (on 2nd Avenue & 31st Street). We stopped by on our way to the 35th Street Ferry after an afternoon in Midtown. Although we sat outside, we did explore the inside space that was very welcoming yet a bit mysterious.
The inside gives off a speakeasy vibe as it is a bit darker than most restaurants (and important to note is that it is free from clanking noises coming from the kitchen). You may briefly feel like you have been transported to a different place or a different time upon entering. The outdoor space seems to have been developed as a result of COVID but the patrons dining alongside us on the sidewalk seemed to prefer being outdoors. The outdoor tables are more high end and sturdy picnic tables and the outdoor dining structures are well built and esthetically pleasing. It did rain briefly and although we were not directly under the covered structure, it kept us and all the other patrons dry.
Bubo has a 4.6 star review on Google and 240 reviews. Per Google, the menu is $$ moderately expensive and we would agree…everything is reasonably priced. Nick M’s review on Google says “decent prices, good selection of small plates and wine and beer”. The menu does have an excellent selection of small plates in addition to larger plates and special menus such as happy hour and brunch specials.
Many of the reviews from Google highlight the happy hour menu and the brunch menu, which is understandable with house choice draft beers at $7, house choice wines at $10, and house choice cocktails varying from $11-$14. The real deal is the prix fixe brunch where you can choose 2 cocktails, 1 beverage, 1 main dish, and 1 dessert for $24. The cocktail choices are mimosa or prosecco; the beverage choices are orange juice, coffee, or tea; the main dish choices are chicken and waffles, waygu cheese burger, or farmers market omelet; and the dessert choices are olive oil cake or creme brulee. You can also order a la carte at brunch.
Happy hour is from 4-6:30pm. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 12p-4p. Normal operating hours are Monday through Thursday 4pm-1am, Friday 4pm-2:30am, Saturday 12pm-1am, and Sunday 12pm-11:30pm. The happy hour is great for anyone looking for a quick, reasonably priced drink as the only food option is the $24 Faroe Island Salmon. The a la carte brunch menu features the classics (chicken and waffles, wagyu burger with fries, vegan burger, and pancakes), toasts and flatbreads (smoked salmon tartine, avocado toast, pork belly, huevos rancheros), eggs (all organic eggs-avocado benedict, farmers market omelet, mushroom omelet), burritos (breakfast burrito with chorizo, benedict burrito), sides (mixed green salad, applewood smoked bacon, truffle fries with feta), and for dessert: nutella crepe. The dinner menu features a variety of soups and salads, tapas and meze, tacos, empanadas, flatbreads, homemade pastas, larger plates, side dishes, and desserts. The drink menu features a variety of beer (draft, bottle, and canned) as well as a dry rose cider. In terms of wine, there are a few options by the glass and more variety if you are looking to buy a bottle.
When we dined, we started with a glass of the Domaine Raffaitin Planchon Sancerre ($14 for the glass, $55 for the bottle). We shared a french onion soup…which is the only reason we chose Bubo in the first place. After researching great french onion soup in the city, relative to where we would be and where we needed to go, Bubo’s menu lured us in. Not only did it have excellent french onion soup reviews, the rest of the extensive menu offered non-heavy, fresh, different, and flavorful dishes with a Mediterranean twist.
photo credit: justine wezenaar
Back to the french onion soup…there is something about the way that the broth, the cheese, and the bread work together. Bubo’s french onion soup is just right. The broth is perfect, not too salty, not too thick. The cheese perfectly melts on top and does not turn into a choking hazard (we’ve all been there…). The bread somehow did not get too soggy despite sitting in the broth. There was nothing left in the bowl when we were finished.
We also shared the Rosemary Chicken Bites with Tzatziki Dip and took Buffalo Chicken Empanadas to-go. The Rosemary Chicken Bites were flavorful on their own but the Tzatziki Dip was too good not to smother the bites in. The Buffalo Chicken Empanadas (spicy and tangy marinated shredded chicken with blue cheese on the side) were filling and flavorful. They were not overly fried and had a good balance of shredded chicken to empanada dough ratio. If we had more time, we would have ordered the creme brulee and olive oil cake for dessert. We will definitely be back with a group so that we will be able to try more on the menu.