$14 Birria Sandwich & $10 Breakfast Tacos: Inside Mervs, Bushwick’s 7-Day Culinary Chameleon

From morning Colombian coffee to evening espresso martinis, this Irving Avenue establishment has created a food-forward approach to the café-bar hybrid that exceeds expectations at every meal.

In a neighborhood increasingly defined by specialized establishments—third-wave coffee shops, craft cocktail bars, taco specialists—Mervs has taken the considerably more ambitious approach of doing it all. Located at 266 Irving Avenue (at Menahan Street), this versatile spot transitions seamlessly between morning café, lunch destination, weekend brunch spot, and evening hangout with a culinary program that remains consistently impressive across all dayparts.

$14 Birria Sandwich & $10 Breakfast Tacos: Inside Mervs, Bushwick's 7-Day Culinary Chameleon

“We didn’t want to be pigeonholed as just a coffee shop or just a bar,” explains Michael Lombardozzi, who co-operates Mervs with Carlos Ordonez (previously of House Party Café on Bushwick Avenue). “The food is what ties everything together—we’re serious about quality whether you’re having breakfast tacos at 10AM or wings at 10PM.”

This culinary commitment is immediately evident from the extensive menu that changes subtly throughout the day while maintaining a coherent identity built around thoughtful preparation and quality ingredients.

Morning Ritual: Coffee & Breakfast

Mervs opens daily at, 10AM with a coffee program centered around single-origin Colombian beans across 18 different preparations. While the quality stands with any specialty coffee shop in the area, the pricing remains remarkably accessible—12oz drip coffee for just $2.50, espresso for $2.25, with specialty options including Cortado ($4), Flat White ($4.50), and creative variations like Matcha Latte ($5) and Golden Latte ($4.75).

$14 Birria Sandwich & $10 Breakfast Tacos: Inside Mervs, Bushwick's 7-Day Culinary Chameleon

The breakfast menu exceeds expectations for a neighborhood café, featuring six varieties of breakfast tacos ($10-12) and hearty breakfast sandwiches. Standouts include the “Steak It Easy” tacos ($10) with shredded steak, organic scrambled eggs, guacamole, chipotle aioli and cilantro, and the “Morning at Merv’s” sandwich ($12) featuring applewood smoked bacon (turkey optional), organic eggs, cheddar and pepper jack cheese, avocado and chipotle aioli on your choice of bagel or multigrain bread.

For those seeking lighter options, the “Cheese the Day” ($9) offers a sophisticated take on grilled cheese with mozzarella, cheddar and pepper jack blend on buttery Texas toast topped with garlic aioli and scallions. Quick bites include bagels starting at $3 and Greek yogurt with fruit and granola ($8).

$14 Birria Sandwich & $10 Breakfast Tacos: Inside Mervs, Bushwick's 7-Day Culinary Chameleon

“This has become my go-to spot for breakfast and coffee. Food is amazing. The coffee is definitely something special. And the staff are friendly and welcoming. Add that to a comfortable, cozy vibe and it’s a rare combination,” notes a regular who travels from neighboring Ridgewood specifically for the “Zero Clucks” tacos ($10) with sauteed mushrooms, spinach, avocado, pickled onions and cilantro. “They’re thoughtfully constructed—not just thrown together with whatever ingredients were handy.”

Midday Transition: The Lunch Program

As morning transitions to afternoon, Mervs’ menu expands to include heartier options that maintain the culinary creativity established at breakfast. The lunch sandwich selection features standouts like the “Grilly Pleasure” ($13) with blackened chicken, applewood bacon, cheddar cheese, avocado and mayonnaise on ciabatta or multigrain bread, and the “Big Steak Energy” ($13) combining shredded steak with pepper jack cheese, peppers, onions, scallions and chipotle aioli.

The undisputed star of the lunch offerings, however, is the “Birria Me This” ($14)—a sandwich featuring steak birria, pepper jack cheese, raw white onions, and cilantro, served with a side of consome. This specialty has developed something of a cult following among Bushwick lunch enthusiasts, offering authentic birria preparation at an accessible price point.

$14 Birria Sandwich & $10 Breakfast Tacos: Inside Mervs, Bushwick's 7-Day Culinary Chameleon

The “Mervocado Toast” ($12) provides a sophisticated take on the café standard, combining avocado mash with sliced plum tomato, sauteed mushrooms, and pickled onions on rustic bread. For those seeking variety, the taco program extends to lunch with options like “Spicy Maybe” and “Sweet Heat” ($10 each) available with protein choices including chicken, steak, chorizo, pork, and Beyond Meat.

Weekend Transformation: Bottomless Brunch

Weekends bring a special dimension to Mervs with the introduction of bottomless mimosa brunch. For $35, guests receive any entrée from the specialized brunch menu plus two hours of bottomless mimosas—a remarkable value proposition that has quickly established Mervs as a brunch destination.

The weekend menu maintains continuity with weekday offerings while introducing specialized items like the “Pancake Patch” with berries, applewood bacon, avocado and organic sunny-side egg, and the “Toast Almighty” featuring French toast, berries, bacon, and organic eggs. Weekend favorites from the regular menu remain available, allowing guests to enjoy specialties like the birria sandwich alongside bottomless mimosas.

Evening Evolution: From Café to Bar

$14 Birria Sandwich & $10 Breakfast Tacos: Inside Mervs, Bushwick's 7-Day Culinary Chameleon

At 4PM daily, Mervs undergoes its most dramatic transformation as coffee service ends and the establishment pivots to its evening identity. While many establishments attempt similar day-to-night transitions, Mervs distinguishes itself by maintaining culinary quality throughout—treating food as a central component of the evening experience rather than an afterthought.

The signature evening offerings begin with the espresso martini, described by regulars as “one of the best in the neighborhood” at just $10—a price point virtually unheard of for craft cocktails in North Brooklyn. Wednesday’s $1 wings have developed particular notoriety, available in four varieties (18-spice dry rub, BBQ, buffalo, and sticky sriracha honey) and prepared with specific technique—”dry rub baked, fried to crispness.”

Monday’s $20 special combines a Pat LaFreda beef burger with fries and a martini—highlighting Mervs’ commitment to quality ingredients even within value propositions. The use of premium Pat LaFreda beef (the same supplier used by many high-end Manhattan restaurants) exemplifies the establishment’s approach to accessible pricing without compromising quality.

The evening atmosphere benefits from entertainment options including a $2 pool table, free dartboard, Thursday karaoke, and Wednesday vinyl nights. VHS movies playing on a 12″ monitor add to the nostalgic, comfortable atmosphere described by many as reminiscent of “a cool aunt and uncle’s place” rather than the calculated aesthetic typical of many Brooklyn establishments.

Culinary Cohesion Across Dayparts

What distinguishes Mervs from other café-bar hybrids is the coherent culinary vision that connects its various identities. Rather than treating different dayparts as unrelated concepts, the establishment maintains consistent quality standards and recognizable flavor profiles across all menus.

“You can taste the same attention to detail whether you’re having breakfast or dinner,” notes a patron who frequents Mervs in multiple dayparts. “There’s a recognizable point of view to the food that carries through everything they serve.”

This cohesion extends to sourcing, with quality ingredients like organic eggs, applewood bacon, Pat LaFreda beef, and single-origin Colombian coffee appearing across various menu items. The 18-spice dry rub used on evening wings makes appearances in daytime dishes, while the chipotle aioli that enhances breakfast tacos recurs in several lunch sandwiches.

“We developed the food program as a single concept with different expressions throughout the day,” explains co-operator Carlos Ordonez, who brings experience from his previous venture, House Party Café. “Everything connects—we’re not trying to be completely different things at different times.”

The Future of Neighborhood Dining

As Bushwick continues to evolve, establishments like Mervs represent a new approach to neighborhood dining—offering culinary ambition without pretension, quality without inaccessible pricing, and versatility without compromise. By excelling across multiple dayparts and cuisines, Mervs has created something increasingly rare: a genuine all-day destination that serves neighborhood needs rather than tourist expectations.

“What makes it special is that it feels like it was designed for people who actually live here. It’s not trying to be a destination for Manhattan people to visit once—it’s built to become part of your regular routine whether you need coffee, lunch, or dinner.”

With its combination of culinary creativity, quality ingredients, accessible pricing, and unpretentious atmosphere, Mervs has created an establishment that feels simultaneously specific to Bushwick while transcending neighborhood clichés—a genuine culinary chameleon that changes throughout the day while maintaining a consistent commitment to quality and accessibility.

Mervs is located at 266 Irving Ave (at Menahan St) and operates seven days a week, opening at 10AM as Mervs Café until 4PM daily, followed by evening service. Follow them on Instagram @MervsCafe.


For more news, sign up for Bushwick Daily’s newsletter.

Join the fight to save local journalism by becoming a paid subscriber

spot_img