Park Slope Brunch Beat: Lobo

With so many places in the neighborhood to grab a mimosa and a plate of eggs on the weekend, how can you decide which is the best spot to take your visiting in-laws or where you’ll want to sit quietly for a couple hours with the hair of the dog? The Park Slope Brunch Beat aims to guide you through the choices — we’ll break down the basics, share some special tips, and provide a quick scorecard to help you pick the best place for what you need next Saturday and Sunday.

A meal at Lobo, the Tex-Mex joint located on the corner of 5th Avenue and Berkeley Place, is most often a casual, relaxed affair, almost like you’ve been transported to a hot afternoon in Texas where there’s no rush to do anything but sip a cold drink, picking at bites of spicy, salty snacks until it’s time for a siesta. At brunch, that feeling is almost exaggerated, with hungover friends seeking out boozy cocktails and plates piled high with sides of rice and beans — which could mean a wait for a table, particularly as the weather warms up and people don’t mind hanging out on 5th Avenue for a little while.

If you’re coming with a large group — which they can certainly accommodate — call ahead for reservations. Or, if you’re on your own, you’ll definitely feel comfortable pulling up a stool at the bar, watching a game on the TV, reading a book, or making conversation with the bartender.

Another plus for the brunch service: It’s served daily, so if you don’t work “regular” hours, or you’ve got a weekday off, and you’re looking for a spot for mid-day eggs, this is a good option.

Once you get seated, you won’t have to wait long to start filling up. The free chips and salsa come quickly, and keep coming, if you want. The chips are good, and the salsa, while nothing to write home about, is mildly spicy, and the snacks will certainly get you thirsty for a drink.

The drinks are perhaps the most fun part of the experience, with a menu that’s right in line with the theme — Shiner’s on tap, and they’ve got signature drinks like a Texas tea (a sort of vodka lemonade), micheladas, tequila- and chili-laced bloody Marias, and more. Don’t miss their margaritas ($8-$16), though. The house margarita can be made with a choice of fresh juice — blood orange, passion fruit, mango, or raspberry — and while you can’t go wrong with any, the blood orange has become one of our favorite margaritas in the neighborhood, sweet and tart and pretty refreshing alongside all those salty chips.

The food, on the other hand, can be a bit more hit-or-miss. Dishes you can’t really find at other places in the area are always the ones we’re drawn to, but the migas ($8.50), which is essentially scrambled eggs with tortillas, leaves a bit to be desired — we’d love it if the tortillas still had some crunch, as we’ve sometimes seen elsewhere.

Still, it’s a mountain of food, and, like many of the other Tex-Mex dishes — breakfast tacos ($8.50), huevos rancheros ($8.50) — they’re perfectly decent examples of eggs/tortillas/spicy-sauce-optional plates. Can you get more interesting versions of some of these dishes at other local spots? Yep. But if you’re looking for a good deal on food, some really tasty cocktails, and an easy-going atmosphere, you probably won’t mind — particularly if you order one of their best side dishes.

A standout at Lobo that you shouldn’t miss are the jalapeño cheese grits ($3 as a side, though you can also get it as part of the Tulsa, which, for $9, comes with beans, eggs any style, and toast or tortillas). Baked but still creamy in the middle, they’ve got a bit of a kick from the peppers, and they’re such a satisfying, homestyle treat that you should probably order a couple for the table, no matter what else everyone’s eating.

Park Slope Brunch Beat Rundown: LOBO
Where: 188 5th Avenue, on the corner of Berkeley Place
Phone: 718-636-8886
Brunch Hours: Every day, 11am-3pm
Reservations: Only for parties of 6 or more
Outdoor Seating: Yes, there’s outdoor seating on the Berkeley Place sidewalk in the warmer weather.
Who To Bring: Hungover pals looking to commiserate over a little hair of the dog; friends who want to carbo-load after a run in the park; large groups who planned ahead. The staff is also pretty accommodating to families with kids.
Best Time To Visit: There can sometimes be a wait for a table in the warmer months, but this is often a good option if you don’t feel like waiting forever for a table at prime brunch hours. Another big plus: weekday brunch!
Best Bites: If you come hungry for free chips and salsa, some of the best margaritas ($8-$16) in the neighborhood, and the incredibly satisfying jalapeño cheese grits ($3 as a side), you’ll leave happy and ready for an afternoon siesta.