First Bites Reviews: MOB Brooklyn

 

MOB BROOKLYN:  525 Atlantic Avenue

So this place is in the heart of Brooklyn and is a vegetarian-only, vegan, gluten-free optional restaurant. You can only wear hemp and showers are not encouraged (KIDDING.) But I do command you to stop your eye roll and Free Yo Mind! Even the most loyal of meat eaters would have a hard time saying anything bad about the food here. It is that good. If you think you could never have mac and cheese without the cheese...I dare you to try their cashew-based mac and "cheese." You won't even miss the cheese. Their gluten-free, veggie burgers are something to write home about and they start the meal with complimentary gluten-free pumpkin muffins...which are also blow-your-mind good. Oh, and portabella steaks are a thing....just so you know. And if I'm not blowing smoke up this restaurant's butt enough, it is massively kid-friendly. Like, play-area, let-your-kids-roam kid friendly. Go figure the day we were craving (yes, it is possibly to crave food like "THIS") MOB, Jenson passed out in his stroller about a block away. While this made for a heavenly lunch for us, Jenson majorly missed out. But I got over it pretty fast. 
How disruptive will my kids be?
They won't be! This place highly encourages your wild brood. Before they turned the front part of the restaurant into more tables, it used to be an area filled with toys and foam tiles. While that is now gone, they do have a smaller area toward the back with toys, blocks and some toddler chairs. The vibe is fun and the tables are communal so it's not uncommon to see little ones sort of roaming around aimlessly. Noone seems to care and there is usually some form of hip hop music playing in the background or a DJ spinning. It's really great for kids AND adults. 

Can I bring a stroller into the restaurant?
Yes, but just be mindful. The space is large and there are plenty of configurations where even the biggest of chariots can fit with ease into a corner. Jenson was asleep in his stroller and we just wheeled him outside out of the way. The patio is bit more cramped, so I wouldn't recommend keeping your stroller open unless it was slower and you had either the front table or one at the very back of the patio. 

Does the restaurant cater to kids in any way?
Massively. There are toys, changing tables, crayons, mini-muffins and while there is no kid menu, they can make a mini version of anything on the menu. There are lots of side options as well that are healthy, but still have kid appeal, if you don't want to pay for a full entree. They will also charge you a cheaper price if you order a mini version of whatever you order. 

How early does the restaurant start serving dinner? 
They open at noon during the week and 11AM on weekends. They have a special brunch menu on Saturday and Sundays from 11AM-4PM and during the week they start serving dinner at 5PM. Perfect for those rock 'n' roll weekend dinners that commence at 5:30PM on the dot. 

Are there food options for allergic kids?
YES! I have never seen a place where it actually lists the allergies that could affect you or your child if you ate that particular item. You can go on their website and it lists the food item and then lists the potential allergy hazards. So far, this is the most friendly, allergy-conscious restaurant I've ever been in. 
 

Rating?
5 Bites
Why? This place really does tick all the boxes. Well, not the meat box...but the food is so good that even this Midwest sausage lover can't get enough of this place. It's great for groups, kids of all different ages and it even has a floor area that encourages your kids to go hang there while you eat. I love that it gives families an opportunity to expose their kids to different types of foods that fall outside the realm of cheese, white bread and pasta. This is a massive Furst Bites win!