The Phunky Elephant - Staten Island

I recently attended an annual Girls Brunch Christmas party at this restaurant. Ethan did a fantastic job making all the arrangements. The food was incredibly tasty and the sangria was outstanding - not too sweet and perfectly strong. On top of that, the price was fantastic! We had a spacious table in the back that was all set for us when we arrived. The staff was very accommodating. Overall, I was extremely pleased with my experience.

I used to frequent this restaurant often with my group of high school friends, who have remained close for over 20 years. We used to enjoy great meals here, including brunches and drag bingos. However, with COVID restrictions in place, this restaurant made some disappointing changes. The hostess was cold and rude when we arrived, insisting we wait for our temperatures to be taken. Our waiter broke glasses twice, spilling their contents all over our children and their electronics. He then blamed an 18-month-old child in our group for his mistake. Another waitress made rude comments, implying that our children shouldn't have been walking around the empty restaurant. Our kids were also told they had to order from a set menu, and were locked outside in the courtyard dining area because of poor air quality. Overall, our experience was a disappointment and we will not be returning. It's no surprise that the restaurant may be closing down.

I visited this restaurant recently and, although it was not busy inside, we had a quiet evening with live music and generous portions for a reasonable price. The staff were attentive and ready to serve us right away. I will definitely return!

*This review is for Drag Bingo Brunch with Luscious Lola* If you haven't caught on to this fantastic trend at the Phunky Elephant Gastropub on Staten Island, you need to get your reservations and experience the Drag Bingo Brunch with Luscious Lola! First of all, the brunch is a great deal. $21.95 for brunch and two cocktails. The food is incredible! We had the mac'n cheese stuffed spring rolls (extra charge). More like the size of an egg roll, but crispy and thin like a spring roll, these babies are on a bed of sweet chili sauce and are divine. The chicken and waffles is uniquely served with a lovely southern gravy which contrasts the maple syrup perfectly. Caesar's Huevos are served on homemade tortilla chips and a delicious salsa verde gravy. Luscious Lola puts on an incredible show. She lip syncs, does costume changes, and interacts with the crowd in a respectful, but hysterical way. Bingo is a blast and every time O 69 is called, the entire bar gets shots of Fireball! It was called 3 times in 5 rounds of bingo. The bar was pumping smiles and cheers all around! We will absolutely go back to see Lola. They even have other events at the bar like live music and Game of Thrones trivia. Reservations are a must for bingo, and they fill up fast so plan ahead!

Not sure what has happened with this place but for the second time in a row, my order was delayed and the staff was rude. I don't understand. This has been one of my go to resturants for years. I placed order at 7:04. I arrived for pick up at 7:40, woman says with attitude, I told you, 45 minutes and keep in mind the order was placed at 7:04. She went to speak with someone else, came back and said you need wait another 10 minutes. I asked her did I have a choice? Now it was time to pay, had to ask for all of my change, as they decided to keep the coin portion ot it. If looks could kill when I asked, I wouldnt be writing this. Oh and another 10 minutes after the whole payment issue, that's when my food came out. 8:12 was when I actually got my take out order. That's it local, long time customer lost. PS over 1 hour for a take out order. Stay away from here if you want to eat on time. Will never again tell anyone to go here.