A cute place with tablecloths covered with paper with their name stamped across it in red...LOL, but seriously. (I'll admit I paid too much attention to my date to give you all the details of Amaranth...if you wanted details on my date, yes, I've got those....but am not sharing! ;* ) With a nice and friendly wait staff, Amaranth has outdoor seating. A yellow glow bathes the restaurant which has very good bread (Italian or French...can't distinguish...a nice hard crust)...I don't find that at restaurants of Amaranth's caliber; the bread is usually soaked in oil or trying to do something fancy. The four cheese ravolini, which I saw someone else on Yelp mention (GO VEGETARIANS!), is very good and yes, it does come in butter and sage, but I asked for tomato sauce which they very kindly made...my date liked it as well. ;) My date had the halibut which he said was good...I can't comment though. Before venturing to Amaranth which my date selected on a recommendation from a coworker, I searched the net which mentioned that Amaranth is a Euro scene mixed with UES older ladies a la plastic surgery and jewels...again, I was paying attention to my date, but I didn't see any of the aforementioned, sans a woman who I assume to be the owner (she was all kiss-kiss with some of the tables) and a gentleman who must've been the matire d (slicked back hair and a strange mismatched ensemble...very Euro though!). read more

Interesting place. Very cozy with relatively few tables all squished together so no privacy and noisy if your "neighbor " has a baby with him or just a loud voice. Food was excellent although lemon sole and grilled shrimp a tiny bit overdone. Prices were sky high and portions much too small. Service not good either. I had to practically throw myself in front of the maitre d' to get refills on our coffee after waiting much too long for our waiter to return to ask if we wanted more, the check, etc. I definitely do not recommend Amarynth and will not return unless I have endless time and money. read more

I'm not a big fan of UES restaurants as they tend to be overly priced and it's always more about the scene than actually quality of food or service. But yet, this one is located just off Madison avenue; the whole shopping strip of Manhattan where the woman full of collagen and plastic surgery spend most of their afternoon after the shopping; which make this place I would say more interesting specially lunch time. Anyway, this place has good food (a bit pricey); but reasonable compare to the other venues on the area. It has a large number of regulars that makes it feel like a neighborhood restaurant even with all the pretensions. read more

Came here with two friends (one of which comes here all the time) since we were starving and didn't know what other restaurant around here was open at 10:30pm on a Tuesday. We got there right as they were closing the kitchen but my friend convinced them to keep it open for us. The wait staff was definitely unhappy with us arriving so late and it showed throughout our meal. We ordered the foccaccia to share (ok) and then my friends ordered the duck and I ordered the scallops. My scallops were tasty but waaaaay overpriced. The quality of the food was ok but the combination of lackluster service and exaggerated prices was too much. Don't plan on going back. read more

This place would merit a much higher review if it weren't for the service. Oh, God. The service. Our waitress was one of the rudest people I have ever met. She acted like it was a chore to get us our drinks and take our order, then she never came back again. Someone else brought our food out and brought us coffee, then she graced us with her presence to place down our bill with a frown on her face. I'd say that near ruined the experience. The food, however, was tasty. I had a main lobster risotto. The sauce was cherry tomato-based, and was simply amazing. The people I ate with enjoyed their meals as well. I would definitely not go back because of the rudeness of the service (I can get food just as good but with a smile millions of other places), but if you do find yourself here, tough it out because you'll probably like your food. read more

I really do like Amaranth despite the many reasons one could dislike this place. Its proudly overpriced, almost like a fee to mingle with the crowd - which is a mix of European snobs and really plastic looking upper east siders, just the right mix for people watching and odd behavior. However, as an upper west sider, I get some pleasure out of just that, coming here around 7 on a weeknight when the place is jammed and hanging with a crowd which is not typically my own. If you're coming here for the food, expect a hit or miss menu. Its a similar vibe to a meal at Nello or one of those overcrowded French bistros in the area. One cool thing to do here is have a birthday and get the sparkler treatment. They also turn this place into sort of a loungey/restaurant mix after 11 on some nights. read more

The food was ok- flavorful but not exemplary for the price. Nothing about our experience makes us want to return. Service was poor. We waited 26 minutes with empty glasses after dinner was served- no dessert menu- no refills- no service. The girl who was our server was on the phone and laughing up front. We had to ask for dessert menus and by the time she brought them we were just ready to go. Too bad- valentines day dinner read more

Great spot on the ues. Apps and entrees were first rate and the service was exceptional. Had the striped bass and it was cooked to perfection. Can't wait to go back Also, not too stuffy so you can relax read more

Exceptionally average. Distastefully pretentious. Disgustingly overpriced. I don't usually write any reviews. First of all, I don't want to hurt the business, however bad it is, and secondly, I just rarely have the time. But for this establishment... I can't believe how I still manage to find bad food in Manhattan, especially on Upper East Side. With such a competitive restaurant scene one would think bad places will cease to exist quick, but somehow Amaranth shines with its mediocre glory. But let's get to the food and service. Last time I have seen greasy stained laminated menus printed on recycled Costco paper, and wrapped in cheesy cloth/vinyl report covers was during unfortunate stops in the middle of nowhere during trips through midwest, in "gastroenterologist special" roach infested roadside dumps. However, menu is not how you judge a good restaurant, so I was hoping that it was sign of its authenticity and their neglectfulness of any style in favor of amazing food and cuisine. Seeing all the good reviews here on Yelp, I had nothing but great expectations of food quality. After all, New Yorkers are a tough crowd, so a place with that many good reviews has to be good, right? Wrong! Food was completely average. Meals are tasteless, bland, uninteresting, and awfully plain. Prices are close to most of the fine establishments of surrounding neighborhoods, but food is akin to a low grade Jersey diner! I shall say no more - go try for yourself. Service, however, was good. It is hard to find a place that tries to look upscale that doesn't hire good waiters. Professional waiter is an inherent trait of most food service workers in NYC, so at least that part wasn't so bad.... except.... we didn't even leave yet and they started fixing the table for another party. We are still there and we are being bumped and shoved by service staff that desperately tries to get us out! Never, even in the worst places, have I seen such treatment. So, if you like dark, worn out decor and furniture, cramped, semi-dirty, crappy-inkjet laminate-menued, overpriced average food restaurants that pretend to be european-mediterranean upscale places, please go there. Otherwise, I would look for something else. Partly, because of the crowd too, it seems like the only people enjoying it were locals that live there and have a tradition of going someplace that is right at the bottom of their apartment staircase. read more

We had dinner at Amaranth on a Saturday night, so it was very crowded. They don't play music, but it was very noisy. I don't know if it's always like that, or whether we just happened to get stuck between two tables of people with incredibly loud voices. The first table we were offered was in a row of tables so close together that they have to pull the table out in order for the person by the wall to sit down. We asked for a different table and they gave us one that wasn't against the wall. They had a large selection of reasonably priced wines, including half bottles. The menu is also fairly large. The dressing on the organic arugula salad was a little too lemony for me, but otherwise the salad was good. The beef carpaccio was very good. The menu offered a lemon sole special, but they were out of it and said they had turbot instead. I enjoyed the turbot, although I would have preferred lemon sole. The halibut was good but slightly dry. We enjoyed the profiteroles, but the tea didn't have a great flavor, probably because the tea bag was brought separately from the pot of hot water and added at the table. Why don't restaurants know that you have to pour the boiling water over the tea bag? The service was very good - everything came promptly, and our water and wine glasses were refilled frequently. I would probably come back, but maybe at a less popular time when it might be less noisy. read more

Ever since Bilboquet closed, I've been searching for a replacement that is appropriate for a nice date night, and also a casual stop in for a glass of wine. Amaranth is perfect, and I'm only sad that it took me so long to find it! Situated on a peaceful block, it offers speedy and easy service, great dishes and sidewalk seats (which feel more casual than sitting indoors) that are hard to beat on a nice day. We had the rib eye and the soft shelled crabs. Cleaned the plate on both -- fries were extra crispy, just how I like them. Minus one star for slightly disappointing profiteroles (the cake was a bit dry and hard). Lots of complaints about prices, which I generally agree with are too high. But in fairness... Nello's is right around the corner, where prices are more obnoxious and the food is nowhere near as good. If you want value, this isn't the neighborhood to be dining in, but that's not necessarily Amaranth's fault. read more

Excellent dinner..... great service and pretty outdoor setting. Honestly no complaints at all.

I generally don't get excited at a prospect of eating at the table setup on a sidewalk as passing cars fumance my palate on a warm day, but that block of 62nd street seems to be traffic-less enough to create a nice outside-brunch experience. We had their house pinos, fresh squeezed oj, Florentine omelet and berry and fruit salads - all were well prepared. It is an expensive place, but good food, service, setting make for a decent value. read more

Tip; try the fried calamari seafood mix as an appetizer. Best I've ever had! Couldn't tell it was fried, so light and the seasoning most delicious! read more

See all

Recently visited Amaranth on a lunch date with one of my friends. My friend had the Amaranth salad which was fine (not mind-blowing), while I had the tuna tartar (entree portion) which was pretty delicious. Make sure to utilize the lemon as the acidity is clutch. Much like other reviews, I think the highlight of this place is the truffle focaccia - the cheese melted with the arugula, tomato, and truffle oil = delicious. If you pair this with a salad, it's the perfect lunch; nice and light! Side note: there's a minimum of $20 per person. read more

Came to this place on a recommendation from a NY local. My expectations were high. I was not let down. The bread was crusty and delicious and offered with the most amazing olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Between us we ordered the ribeye, halibut, and the lobster pasta. Everyone devoured their food. I absolutely loved the rib eye it was so tender. Service was great never had to ask for anything. The Bill was a little much, but we had two bottles of wine. I would recommend this place! read more

Amaranth Restaurant - Beautiful table setting. - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

The ambience, food, and service here are consistently excellent. Understated elegance, lovely presentation of plates and properly sized portions of fresh well prepared dishes are to be expected. They do however need to add some decent Cabernets to their wines available by the glass. I look forward to my next lunch or dinner here. read more

Piss poor customer service-as a lifelong New Yorker, some of the worst I've experienced. We made reservations for the (very expensive) pre-fixe dinner on New Years Eve several days in advance. We had not eaten here before and were excited to try it. We received an email confirmation of our reservation, and we were also told we'd be charged $100 per person if we cancelled. We showed up (early) for our dinner-the restaurant was nearly empty. We were told that, even though they had our reservation in their system, they had overbooked for the night. The maitre'd walked away without saying anything more, but told us to hang on, and had us standing around waiting for 10 minutes without telling us what, if anything, we could do. Finally he came back and just shrugged his shoulders, said he couldn't help us and we left. No apology, no attempt to rectify the situation in any way, and left us without dinner reservations (and out in the rain) on New Years. Absolutely terrible way for an expensive NYC restaurant to handle this screw up- I will never return here. read more

Our meal could not have been more perfect for a frigid cold night in NYC. We were seated immediately for two in a half-empty, yet charmingly cozy restaurant off of Madison Avenue. We shared a half bottle of a beautiful red wine - the Chateauneuf du Pape "Telegramme". I definitely need to get my hands on this for home! For appetizers, we had the Baby Artichokes Salad & the Octopus Salad. Both were refreshing and delicious - even better paired with Amaranth's warm, crusty French bread. For my main course, I had the Seared Tuna over Warm Lentils. This dish was absolutely fantastic- the tuna was cooked perfectly and the lentils were rich and hearty. The BF had the super tasty Tiger Shrimp and Arugula Pesto Linguine. Feeling so smitten and satisfied, we had to end our wonderful meal with some Tiramisu. Although Amaranth is a bit on the pricy side, the food is well worth it. I will definitely be back! read more

Average Italian food for high prices. Ambiance is warm, service is decent. Beef carpaccio was delicious. Bread not so much. read more

This is a classic NYC French bistro, made the more charming and inviting by its small and cozy layout. Every meal at Amaranth needs to begin with their famous and awesome focaccia bread: toasted focaccia, filled with mozzarella, arugula, and tomatoes, and topped off with white truffle oil. Their steak au poivre, tuna tartare and steak tartare are the stuff of legend... as are their profiteroles with chocolate sauce. And if it's cold outside, there are few better drinks than the bloody bull shots that Amaranth famously serves... (or the virgin version, if you want to skip the vodka)... and when it's warm, try their Bellinis. read more

We went here at 4pm on a Saturday. The manager was so dismissive and rude. Service was slow. Food was ok. To say on your menu that there is a $25 minimum per person is just tacky. Especially when most of your dishes are $27-$35. I had a small $30 salad. My husband has veal that was rubbery, said it had fresh tomatoes as it didn't. When I asked how the tuna on the $30 Nicose was cooked the waiter told me it was canned! Overall poor food, full staff and not worth it. Proving again that West side is the best side. read more

Absolutely love coming to Amaranth. One of my favorite places to get tuna tartare - the best! Also recommend the Napoleon of eggplant appetizer. Their pastas are very good. For dessert, their warm flourless chocolate cake and Napoleon with mixed berries are outstanding. read more

Amaranth Restaurant - Napoleon with mixed berries - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Went for dinner Thursday 4th of July weekend at 830pm. We were one of three tables. Service was slow and poor. The tomato provencal was drowning in oil and were not that fresh. The curry chicken special 1) didn't taste like curry 2) they didn't have chutney to go with it 3) was drenched in butter sauce and 4) the white rice was ice cold and hard. Server and the host / manger were usless, clueless and should be fired. All in all a crappy dinner. I would have rather gone to Bilboquet around the corner or any other french bistro fare place a few blocks away. Used to be MUCH better. read more

Good Tuna Tartare, good wine, good service. I enjoyed my Risotto with Wild Mushroom and had to skip desert..

Small, crowded and noisy but still worth a visit. The grilled salmon with roasted asparagus was delicious and the tuna tartare was fresh and excellently prepared. It's also a place where you might see a NY fashionista or two. Definitely has the NY city cafe vibes. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. I went with a friend at 6:00PM (made a res) and we were immediately seated. The waitress was friendly and really gave us our space which I appreciated. Additionally, we didn't feel rushed at all with our meal which is a pet peeve of mine. I had the octopus salad and the steak frites. Both dishes were flavorful and fresh. I will certainly come back! read more

Worst waiter experience I have ever had. I have been here many times. I just had lunch with my mother. I was brought the wrong entree and the waiter insisted that's what I ordered. I said I did not. He said you did. You pointed to it on the menu. I said I didn't. He kept this up. I had ordered a main tuna tartare entree. He brought me a lobster salad. He was so rude and unprofessional. I then spoke to the manager who just shook his head and said sorry. Like he couldn't care less. My entire meal was ruined. I expected to have a pleasant lunch with my mother. No offer of anything. Just brought the check. Very disappointing. I will never ever eat here again and will encourage my friends to do the same. read more

Just walked into restaurant with my party and the owner (tall, greasy, too taned Italian Douchbag) was chatting with friends. He greeted my aunt and I after several minutes after he saw us staring at him. He said it would be several minutes when there were clearly open tables. He then proceeded to go back and chat with his friends for an additional 5 minutes until he saw me giving him the eye. He then finally approached me and said he wouldn't seat us until our third member was there. Mind you she was a block away. He never said that on the phone when I called for the reservation I told him. He said I never asked. So I said let's go! He looks at me and said - good get out of here. Biggest jerk. Worst service. Don't go. read more

This review is not about the food because we didn't have a chance to eat any. So far our experience of New York has been great, but this place. We arrived thinking that we were going to eat mediterranean food, however we were told to seat ourselves and we waited for 20 minutes without anyone greeting us or providing us menus. We sat there looking around to see if there were any servers and hoped to get the attention of the hostess, yet we were unsuccessful. To add insult to injury the place was virtually empty. read more

Nice UES place for a casual family brunch or early dinner. Service was good and prices not bad for the area. Some really nice French wines, no surprise. read more

Food - great. Gazpacho, chicken w mashed potatoes, lentils vinaigrette...lovely. Noise level - very very loud. Hard to hear dining mate. Service - ok. Crowd - packed! read more

I love this place! Its true that it is small and a little loud, but the food is amazing and the people watching is unparalleled. The staff has always been incredibly warm and accommodating to me. Order the focaccia for the table as soon as you sit down - it is not to be missed. Some of my other favorites include the zucchini carpaccio, lentils vinaigrette, avocado salad, eggplant napolean, whatever the pasta of the day is, the baby chicken and definitely leave room for the Mille Feuille Napoleon for dessert. read more

Safe, well-executed and expensive. My endive salad was fresh and delicious, the scallops that came in a rich mixture of mushrooms and braised leeks were perfectly done, and the affogato was the ideal end to the meal. read more

Mediocre food. Mussels - many were closed (about half), and the broth was not so great. Lobster pasta was meh. Undercooked pasta...not al dente...uncooked. This location is fabulous, so it's disappointing to have lousy food. read more

I lunched here two weeks ago. Crowded and service slow but I did enjoy the food.

Came for lunch and smelt the truffle oil focaccia right away. Tasted sooooo good! Tuna tartar was ok. Typical upper east older crowd. Very popular weekday lunch spot. Wud go back read more

Simply splendid! We thought the food was rather good (I had the grilled salmon with asparagus, she had the pounded-flat chicken with cabbage), the atmosphere spot-on (wealthy, older manhattan crowd (LOVED the euro guy with the jacket draped over his shoulders)), and the unique aspects of this restaurant made the meal extra special (we were treated to the birthday sparkler show *TWICE*!). It's a nice place, attractive, a little crowded in a good way. Would visit again. read more

We were guests at a hotel nearby, which recommended this place. We were seated right away, but the staff seemed really stuffy. They made no small talk or gave recommendations on what to have. I couldn't tell you if there was any specials that night. I ordered the lobster risotto, and we also got the tiger shrimp spaghetti. The food was decent, but I don't know if we would ever go back. read more

My favorite restaurant when I go to NY. Their flatbread appetizer is by far one of the best I have had and I highly recommend the steak tartar. Amaranth is a small place but it still is very very good. read more