Just moved to BH and can't tell you how disappointed i am. Restaurants are terrible, there are no decent stores (for anything) and with the rise of park slope, dumbo and williamsberg, BH doesn't stand a chance.

Am already counting the days before i can sell and get back accross the river.

-Thai 101 used to be great, now the food is inedible. BTW it is still open, and still nasty.

-Iron Chef is outstanding, have anything except the chicken teriyaki.

-CT Muffin coffee is tasty and the service is extra-friendly. The breakfast danishes etc. are good, as is the tuna salad sandwhich and the carved turkey.

-For consistent reasonable pastas and italian, la traviatta is good.

-Centro is very overpriced.

-The starbuck's is disgusting, so people should stop going and give the business to CT Muffin, better and cheaper.

-Key food hours are good, but Dag's freshmarket was much better.

-Tried Chez Henry for the first time today, will never go back. Bugs, no butter for toast, no sugar for coffee, nasty syrup for french toast.

-Noodle Pudding on Henry Street is delicious, a little pricey (for brooklyn) but great for a celebration. (note: closed on monday's)

-Plymouth Cafe, also on Henry, has good breakfast sandwiches, as does L&H on mantague (which also owns court order and Monty-Qs).

As for what we want to see, in two words: good food. We completely agree with previous posters that if you build it, they will come.

Also, heights cafe is overpriced and theresa's is not great either.

I agree with the comments re: the D'ags - I thought it was better than the crazy key food, but it was super overpriced. The only good part about it was the beer section. I also agree re: the # of real estate places - it's ridiculous. an EJ's would be incredible! Many of the restaurants currently on montague are not great. As neighborhood people, why not campaign to the local commercial real estate places (which, where are THOSE?) as to what we want to see go in on montague.

I grew up in Brooklyn and now live in the Heights and I agree with everyone that Montague street is pathetic (that starbucks is GROSS). Don't blame it on the lawyers, blame it on all the old (wealthy) people that don't understand good food in a nice atmosphere. I would be thrilled if any restaurant on par with Robin Des Bois or Joya or fill-in-Smith-St-restaurant here opened. We need another real estate place like we all need a hole in the head, but they seem to be the only companies that can afford the rent. And I wish that a decent restaurant would open were Chez Henry is. I liked Isobels but nothing seems to succeed there, and i am hoping Chez Henry doesn't either.

Annie's Beer was nasty (strangely the quiche was good).

Thai 101 had great food but some of the wait staff had an attitude problem.... such as *demanding* a large tip even though service sucked.

I think Brooklyn in general needs a Korean restaurant, but particularly one around the Slope/Hill/Heights area. I'm tired of hauling ass to 32nd street.

Brooklyn Heights (where I work) and/or Cobble Hill (where I live) desperately need a Korean restaurant. Even a bad one.

The Iron Chef House (sushi) on Clark is the best restaurant in the neighborhood, with the Chipotle probably being the best source of lunchtime food on Montague Street. Which obviously isn't saying much.

Has anyone else noticed that the Garden of Eden will overcharge you any chance they get? Whenever I buy anything marked as a "special" (say, some olive oil) I always note the price on the sign, because it's hardly ever what you end up getting charged...

I've lived in the Heights for two years now. When did a shooting take place at Hallmark? I agree that Montague is terribly mediocre. Slim pickings for food of any kind--I think the Italian (Centro, Armando's, Caffe Buon Gusto) is abysmal, especially when you consider that Queen is right down the block on Court. Andy's is pretty decent Chinese though. But nothing ever seems to stick--hard to believe. It's a commuter neighborhood though.

If you walk about the same distance in the other direction on Henry there's Fascati's. Better pizza and cool guys.

Point is, if you want good food, get to Montague and then walk someplace else.

CT Muffin is gross.

Sooz, there's a REALLY cute little gift shop called Overtures on Hicks Street between Montague and Remsen. I go there to buy lots of birthday cards and have gotten to know the owners; they're really nice people.

The space where the Gap and "Montague Mews" used to be is now going to be home to an Ann Taylor LOFT. *shrug* At least it's not another realty agency.

I put in one vote for a children's clothing/shoe store (notice I didn't say the dreaded "Baby G-P." Goodness knows there are enough young families to support one. I second the emotion on a decent bookstore - How about BookCourt Jr.?

Brooklyn Heights Realators should wise up and realize that their utterly useless offices are changing the complexion of the very neighborhood they are trying to sell! Oh yes, and a really good card/party goods/wrapping paper shop....Ever since the shooting the Hallmark store is less than useless and the Rite Aid is meagre pickings.

Sorry. Don't mean to whine....

if you're willing to walk (just a little farther than mcdonald's), there's a great pizza place called my little pizzeria. ignore the horrible website.

There used to be an Ozzie's (same outfit that's in the Slope) on the south side of the street between Clinton and Henry. Man, I miss that place.

While we're submitting suggestions to any prospective entrepreneur, how about any of the following:

I would love to see an EJ's Luncheonette there. Their three Manhattan locations are extremely popular and have always been top-notch in my experience. How about a bookstore (not a chain), an old fashioned ice cream parlor, a tea lounge, a decent Thai place (I didn't really like Thai 101 but liked the idea of it and that Thai place on Henry near Clark has the worst Pad Thai I've ever tasted). Agreed about the Starbucks--very dirty and disspiriting in there.

I live there and I liked the D'ags.

Hate all the stupid real estate companies that are moving in. Why does Corcoran need 2 offices on Montague for God's sake. There used to be a really good pizza place on the corner there.

Oh yeah and my building just got bought by the sleaziest management company on the face of the earth. One of my neighbors went to their office and said that they all sit behind bullet proof glass. Already got through a highly questionable MCI. We fought it but think they paid someone in the DC?HR off.

This comes second hand, but I heard that a real estate agency will be replacing Annie's. Useful...

Frelkins... thanks for mentioning Gillies! My mechanic is on that block (18th St)and despite it being right next to the Gowanus Expressway and among a bevy of auto shops, that block smells amazing. They are having a hard time of it there so anything that can support them is good.

The CT Muffin is cool, and amazingly, it is kid-friendly at the same time it is quiet and a great place to read or get work done. As for the Starbucks, guys, that long pole with the sponge on the end of it? It's for the floor, dude! Use it once in a while.

As far as the D'ags, many of your points are well-taken, but all things are relative. Have you been to the Gristede's on Henry and Clark? OY! What a mess. The Key Food has improved marginally since we've been there (9 yrs now) and the Garden of Eden, after a promising start, has attitude problems (and yeah, the prices went up). Looks like it's Fresh Direct and their traffic-blocking trucks for the next few months.

Tien - not only are the people at the Court St McD's slow and dumb and rude, but the food is abysmal, even for McD's. Finding gobs of fatty tissue and gristle in my McNuggets was not only disgusting but an acute reminder of what was going on in my arteries. Best avoid it.

that court st mcdonald's is horrible (as far as mcdonald's go). i've said it's the worst mcdonald's ever and would never say that it should be an option for anyone.