I've passed by the other madame bonte coffee shops almost daily and did not see expect this…read morelocation to have a completely different area downstairs. It was way bigger than I expected. We made it just in time for some happy hour, bring on the muled wine. Then continued the night with a wine flight and some Lambrusco for me. Before coming here I forgot how good a Lambrusco is and this really reminded me by having it as an option in the flight then by the glass. For food I had the whipped ricotta and the arugula salad, I mainly was craving the whipped ricotta but that ended up having a lighter flavor and the salad was my preferred dish. The servers were great though, we stayed almost to closing after a friends jacket on the coat rack was taken by a different patron and we waited until they could come back and swap. Thank you to the servers for helping track down the other customer and getting that situation taken care of.

Really cute space on the lower level. Prices were standard for the neighborhood. Drinks were good…read moreand service was attentive. The food was lackluster though... we ordered 5 things but none of them were special, except maybe the flatbread (mushroom ricotta). I'd go back but consider it a drinks spot, not an impressive kitchen.

Vanguard on the UES is a gem. It's what you want from a wine bar, moody and cozy. Soft…read moreconversations can be heard around you. Vanguard does well with providing an element of class and elegance, feelings you expect at an establishment such as this. The food menu isn't something to write home about but it is enough for what you need from a wine bar, in my opinion. The service was great. I'm not knowledgeable about wine so I had my fair share of questions, but they were all answered gracefully. Overall, a great experience.

"Solid Wine Bar!"…read more This is how a wine bar should be....dark, nice appointed, long long list of wines by the glass and a little personality served up with the drinks I've been here a few times and never had a bad experience. What's To Cheer - An impressive wine list by the glass which super extensive. One of the longest in the city - Darkish, hints of French cafe vibe and decor - A little NYC attitude and vivacious service from the bartenders - Good range of prices What's to Jeer - Food menu is limited - No table service for drinks

It's one of my neighborhood favorites. Food is great. Love…read moretheir pierogies. The owners and amazing. So friendly. Also have great wine. Nice place to watch a game or match.

We had an amazing meal and wine experience here. They were doing their Alaska/Alaska food inspired…read moretasting dinner, paired with wines from cooler regions. The pairing was really great! It started with Keuka's spin on a Hugo spritz. All of the food was amazing and the wines were wines we never would have ordered on their own. Unfortunately, the food on the tasting menu is not part of their standard menu so we'll have to keep in our memories forever. The owner and the waiter/server were both very friendly. The owner is super into NY wines and has a passion for wine - and is happily willing to share her enthusiasm with anyone that asks. Will come back for sure!

My friend saw this place as a recommend place for hot chocolate so we decided to stop by on a…read moreThursday night. The place itself is super cute and very cozy. The menu is fairly on the basic side - mainly drinks and pastries and there is some sandwiches. We decided to get the hot chocolate with whip cream (the whip cream is very needed). It was very rich, thick and delicious and not "too sweet." The whip cream really makes it more creamy and it does not really add to the sweetness which was good. We also got a side of Salame e Formaggio which I would recommend passing on because the cheese was kind of hard and not that great. The salami was good and honestly I'm not a fan of olives but my friend who liked it enjoyed them. Overall - a cute place to stop by for a hot chocolate and maybe a pastry!

While the space is *so* cute and cozy and the service was really nice, the food and beverages left…read moresomething to be desired. We got a torta caprese (flourless chocolate cake), a sfogliatella, a hot chocolate, and a machiatto. The torta caprese was okay. The sfogliatella, which is supposed to be light and crisp, was clearly stale and chewy, although they warmed it up which was a helpful touch. The hot chocolate was reviewed on Instagram as being super rich and decadent, but it was made from a mix that smelled oddly similar to Swiss Miss. the machiatto was also quite watery. Come here for the vibes, but not for the food.

Wanted to write this review based on the wheelchair accessibility and laptop areas…read more There are coffee shops in the neighborhood with laptop rules that say you have to sit at the high tables. Obviously as a wheelchair user, I cannot sit at the high tables, and when I have asked the staff for understanding, other places have denied me. Ines let me use my laptop at a wheelchair accessible table without any fuss. Mark was very gracious. When I asked, he said, "we will make an exception." I felt heard without advocating for common sense and I greatly appreciate the humility. Thank you!

The place is cute and small. They have good happy hour prices on wine. The food we tried wasn't…read moreso great. My friend had been here before and raved about the escargot and meatballs. The escargot was covered with pesto that tasted like the basil wasn't fresh. Also, I'm sure there was plenty of garlic because the restaurant smelled like it, but I would have liked more garlic in this dish. The meatballs were mostly bread (there may have been some meat). After we complained, the item was removed from our bill by our friendly, polite, and conscientious server. Note: This is a French restaurant, but they didn't have any butter for the bread.

Solid wine bar, the wine options are short and to the punch. There's a place to hang your jackets,…read moredecor works. Couldn't ask for better service. Definitely a "hey, let's catch up place".

Kudos to the host because he was also the waiter and busser…read more Super cute restaurant but so few options and all out of panini when we went which was sad but the outdoor space is great and indoor is quite ambient as well

I often think back to my summers in Spain, drinking tintos at crowded tavernas. My time at Pil Pil…read moregave me a taste of that. Though they didn't serve the sprite-infused red wines I enjoyed in Spain, they did serve white sangrias, which were light, sweet, and very enjoyable. The toasted bread with tomatoes was bright and summery. The grilled asparagus was cooked wonderfully al dente, with a char that added a nice smoky flavor against the clean taste of the drizzled olive oil. The beef skewers were well seasoned and fatty. While the food was Spanish, the prices certainly were not! It was a tad pricey. There wasn't anything below $13 for their small bites. Nonetheless, the food was good, the service prompt, and the outdoor vibes quite lovely. I would go there again.

I've been meaning to try this place for quite sometime and I'm so glad I finally did…read more They have an excellent lunch menu where you can get 3 tapas for $24 or 5 for $40. Regardless of the hot weather, I decided on a table outside. Each bite of the tapas was delightful for what it was and I ended up ordering an extra tapa because I couldn't make up my mind. I chose the shrimp in garlic sauce (oil) that I sopped up with the accompanied bread, the dates wrapped in bacon (they do their own twist by filling it with honey ricotta stuffing and finishing it with a red wine reduction), I also went with cod fish croquettes (the perfect crispness on the outside and a delectable creamy texture of fish inside), I can never pass up the patatas bravas, so, I got those too. I had a glass of a beautiful, crisp, white Chardonnay off the menu from Spain. Definitely a must try if you are looking for a quick meal for one. A wonderful experience overall, friendly staff and delightful colors that add to the outside atmosphere. Stoop and the city is also on the same block which is a plus

Great food, wine and a super cozy, intimate atmosphere. For me, the atmosphere is just as…read moreimportant as the food. The decor, soft lighting, the energy from the other diners.... all was great. I would definitely return. That said, it did get a bit crowded/loud....this, on a Friday night around 600p...

Great ambiance and a spacious restaurant. We went during lunch hour and were seated immediately…read morewithout a reservation. The food is delicious and flavorful. Enjoyed the waitress's recommendation (gnocchi). Yes, I would go again, to try the ravioli.

If you're looking for a cute workspace with good vibes, this is your spot. The staff are always…read moresuper friendly and amenable. They do have quite a few espresso Options but it's a pretty straight forward coffee shop. This is really a place for you if want coffee and somewhere to get some work done

What more can In say about such a nifty local biz? This is what a coffee shop should be - warm,…read moreinviting, music on a tolerable level, friendly staff, plenty of seating and nooks to get work done on your computer, variety of coffee drinks and wine/beer, live music on select evenings, clean and well maintained. The downstairs seating area is a hidden gem, nicely set up with good wifi and AC keeping it cool, and peaceful to focus on your work or studies. There is more a sense of community here as I see many regulars from the neighborhood patronizing. The new owner has done a great job.

Yesterday, along with a bunch of others, I braved the smog (blame Canada) to go to this Algerian…read moreseafood place. It was pretty quiet inside, outside of the TV playing somewhat loud highlights from the World Cup on loop (why,) with the servers and staff being helpful and friendly. In comparison to the other pick-your-own seafood spots like AbuQir or Hamido, the spices are a tad lighter here, being almost closer to Astoria Seafood, minus the olive oil. I didn't mind, though, as the fish was all fresh and perfectly prepared. To drink, our table stuck with water, though there are a few mocktails and some sodas, including some Algerian ones. They put down some simple bread with a bit of garlic and herbs, which was refilled. For non-seafood dishes, we had a few. The first was the $8 Hmiss, or Hammis, a dip made with roasted pepper, tomato, and garlic sautéed in olive oil. The warm dish was earthy and garlicky, and went perfectly with the bread, with the flavor reminding me of a warmer version of some Turkish eggplant dips. There was also the Peasant Salad for $12, with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and Kalamata olives topped with feta, oregano, and dill. If you're familiar at all with Horiatiki/Village salad, it's basically the same thing, though with crumbled feta instead of a block, and it was refreshing and tasty. Finally, we eventually got an $8 side order of Basil Garlic Mashed Potatoes, which were decent. The first seafood to arrive at the table was the $16.99 Algerian Sardines, which consisted of sardines from Morocco with a spice mixture. The man in front recommended them fried, and the portion was nice, and the flavor was excellent. The fish was fried perfectly, with the bones fried enough that the entirety of it could be eaten. This was delicious, and one of the highlights of the meal. As we loved these sardines, we eventually got a small order of the other option, the "Marinated Sardines" from Spain. These were a bit more expensive by weight, being $10.56 for 0.48 pounds, but by comparison, these were much flatter and larger. The half pound consisted of three large pieces, which were broken down and divided among the group. While I slightly preferred the spices from the Algerian version, I liked the texture of these more, as they were more meaty. I don't think you can go wrong with either, as both were excellent. There was also one pound of Mussels for $17.99, which was available in one of two cooking preparations, Moules Marinière or a version with tomato sauce, herbs, and feta. I went with the latter, and they were excellent, with all of the mussels being open. The feta added a unique, slightly salty touch, with the broth being delicious. They had brought us out some extra bread, and we made good use of it. If I were here alone, I might have this along with some sardines and leave very happy. We also got two whole fish, which were both ordered grilled and butterflied. First was the Dorado, or Orata, for $29.24 for 1.54 pounds. As is typical for this fish, it was delicate and light, but had plenty of flavor. The other was the American Red Snapper, which was a bit more expensive at $37.90 for 1.58 pounds. By comparison, this fish was a lot thicker and therefore, a bit more flavorful. We enjoyed both, with a slight preference going towards the cheaper fish for most outside of me and one other. Another highlight was the Scallops for $37.23 for 0.98 pounds, which came out to 14 large pieces. As recommended, we got these sautéed, with the scallops coming in a delicious garlicky juice on the bottom with plenty of other herbs. The scallops were tender while staying plump, though I slightly preferred the more caramelized tops at AbuQir, with these having a more uniform texture. The rest of the people liked what I couldn't eat, the $24.99 Octopus for around half a pound. The octopus came out pre-cut, which made splitting it very easy. I can't comment much on the flavor or saltiness as some other reviewers brought up, or else I'd be in the hospital right now post-anaphylaxis, but people liked it a lot. If you don't want to bother with the lines or crowds at the other fish spots, I would highly recommend going here. The fish is fresh, perfectly prepared, and seasoned just enough to highlight the natural flavors. I would go back.

Le Petit Pecheur was a great find for the area! My friends and I enjoyed a nice summer time dinner…read morehere! This is another pick-your-own seafood style restaurant. At the table you order the appetizers, sides, and drinks then you can proceed to the raw seafood display to pick your seafood and how you want them to be cooked. To start, we got the Fried Calamari, Roasted Eggplant Dip, and the Greek Salad. For entrees, we got the Grilled Spanish Branzino, Fried Sardines, Sauteed Scallops, and the Special Greek Salad. Our favorites were the Roasted Eggplant Dip (smoky and delicious) and the Grilled Spanish Branzino (grilled to perfection and well seasoned). For drinks, the Virgin Mojito was amazing and soooo refreshing that we had to ask our waiter for the recipe! Overall, it was such a pleasant dinner experience here!