It's been a while since I went to the Battery Gardens restaurant. Evidently it's been sold and is under new management. I was traveling to New York and made a reservation there for some business colleagues and I. When we arrived at the restaurant it looks like the place had been rented out for a private event. It was a chilly rainy and windy night, and we were told our table was outside. The service was nonexistent. The attitude of the hostess was unfriendly. And the lack of communication that we couldn't get a table in the restaurant was simply unacceptable. However, we sat and waited to be addressed by a server, which never came. After more than reasonable Ivana time, we decided to leave the restaurant and go to a place we've been the night before which was excellent. So we went to da Claudios Italian restaurant. And Claudio did not disappoint. read more

First customer in for lunch! Stepping in I honestly thought the place was closed, but then a guy dressed in a puffy winter coat and scarf came running out of the curtains and sat us down. I think their prix fixe menu for lunch is a good deal compared with the price of other items on the menu. At the time I dined in $35 will get you a starter of soup or salad, a main dish of salmon or steak and a dessert of root beer float or fruits on top of a cup sized cake. Both main dishes were superb and filling. Service was also good, the waiter asked us a few times if we wanted extra bread and made sure everything was satisfactory. Also note that 20% gratuity is added to your bill. That was unexpected- what if the service wasn't great? But overall I had no issue with the quality and attentiveness of the staff. The view of the harbor also made for a great experience. read more

Battery Gardens - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

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Battery Gardens Restaurant has a stellar view of the NYC harbor and Statue of Liberty. Location & view are great. Our party of 4 sat outside on a warm summer day. The menu offers varied selections, including a $35 price fixe selection, which includes and appetizer, a main and a dessert. A full bar menu as well as a wine menu is available. We ordered a bottle of California Chardonnay for $40. Lunch was reasonably good, wine was reasonably priced for NYC, service was very spotty (unorganized and slow). Dessert was brought out before our main was cleared... So while the chipwich ice cream sounded good, my waiter brought it out, saw our table hadn't been cleared and returned it to a waiting area and returned 10 minutes later with a soupy mess. Here's my summary: Friends, location and views - A+ Food - B Service - C read more

Battery Gardens - Restaurant exterior - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

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I came to this restaurant with my boyfriend who was having his company holiday party there. The setting and place itself is very nice and extremely beautiful. I loved the twinkle light branches that were around the entrance! Upon entering, there was a couch and a coat check area. They had a main bar with a spiraling staircase behind it. The bathrooms were also located behind the staircase. The crackers and cheese were in the middle of the room while the high tables and dining tables were seated outside and around it. The space seemed a little tight with the amount of people that were there but that didn't mean the service lacked any quality. The waiters and waitresses were extremely on top of their service and I couldn't stop eating all the appetizers! Later they went around and informed us that the food was being served upstairs along with the drinks and the DJ. There was 2 stations of food, an Asian section and what I believe was an Italian section. They also had a seafood table with lobster and shrimp! Overall, the venue was beautiful and the service was impeccable. In the upstairs area, there was also a wrap around balcony with chairs and tables so you can enjoy the view as well as smoke. read more

For weddings, this place is pretty picturesque and the staff are very attentive to your needs. As a vendor, photographer, they treated me with respect and made sure to take care of us; which is greatly appreciated. I can't stop raving at this place. Such a beautiful space for your next wedding. https://www.kevinliangphotography.com/2019/07/22/wd-jensen-andy/ https://www.kevinliangphotography.com/2016/11/28/wd-vicktery-justin/ read more

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Delicious food, nice staff, and an amazing view! You're at the very tip of Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty is in front of you, the Staten Island ferries are zipping by, so maybe you think this is a tourist trap, the food will be just so-so. Well, you're wrong! Tuna Tartare is delicious, the shrimp cocktails are wonderful, 5 huge, plump shrimp with a yummy sauce. Drinks are not inexpensive, but the wine and cocktails are pretty good. Duck breast is a good choice, not what you'd expect for a location that has seen better days, but the chef and the staff make up for the "municipal building' feeling by serving up a really tasty duck! The outdoor space is absolutely fantastic in the warm weather, give it a try! read more

Battery Gardens - Enjoy your dinner at Battery Gardens while looking at this! - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

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Area was beautiful and by the water...view was beautiful. There was a downstairs area and an upstairs area. Went to the upstairs area for a private party. Area supposedly fits about 150 ppl or more but might be a bit tight. Bathrooms are small - only 2 stalls upstairs. Staff was pretty nice. Food was alright. Had bar area...don't know if that had to be paid for separately by the host of the party..but was nice hey had that --served wine, mixed drinks, beer...took Uber so don't know about parking. read more

Battery Gardens - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

This place was absolute garbage. First, it's overpriced... which I was ok with at the start. The service was horribly slow and not once from the first order until we recieved our food did a waiter return, despite the lack of drinks. The food was average except for my spaghetti, which besides tasting awful had a mouse turd in it... needless to say, I didn't eat. Finally got a refill on a $5 small glass of coke to find out actually it was another $5 coke. So... a pizza, a mouse turd spaghetti, and a salmon dish and 2 (or 3 depending on who you ask ) sodas costed $100. As If this wasn't bad enough, remember the horrible service I mentioned earlier? Yeah they also charged $20 "service fee"... they servers didn't deserve $5. I'd steer clear of this tourist trap. read more

Battery Gardens - Mouse turd in spaghetti (top right of bowl, I picked it out ) - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

Recently came here for an invite. I was excited because it's in the city over looking the Hudson. What an awesome view. It wasn't what I expected walking in it was just OK. Nothing to brag about at all. The first floor has seating maybe for 50 people of less. A bar area and bathrooms. But the chairs want covered and the tables and set up was just ok. Our event was held up stairs which was a little bigger and a little better but not much. The view was amazing although you looking at dirty water. They did have a balcony where you can go and take pictures and stuff. Now let's get the good part the Food, which was nasty OMG I have been waiting to come here forever and the food is nasty. The presentation of the food looked phenomenal but once it reached the inside of your mouth and taste buds it was nauseating. Overall if there is another event here I would return. But definitely wouldn't recommend anyone having their future dream wedding here. read more

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Enjoyed a nice meal here after riding the Staten Island Ferry until they brought the bill. They have a 20% service fee that we were unaware of which ok, that I assume takes the place of a tip. Also got surprised that the small coke in a wine glass with more ice than coke was not free refills ($12 for a coke & 2 refills - charged as 3). Nice setting overlooking Lady Liberty but really didn't like the way the meal was charged, didn't see any indication in the meal for these charges. read more

Battery Gardens - View from our table. - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

Most of my trips into the city are strictly in Manhattan, it's crowded, dirty & expensive. Today I found myself at Battery Gardens, a place I had never been before. I have to say I was absolutely amazed; it was nothing like midtown. The fact that it was a beautiful day helped, but the gardens are stunning with various wildflowers growing about, a small Biergarden, tables & benches to sit a grab a bit or just take in the sights. All of this overlooking New York Harbor, the statue of liberty, Clipper City, the large sailing vessel & large touring boats. Also at the park is a lovely memorial park to the 4000 veterans who lost their lives at sea during WW2. I could have spent the entire afternoon just walking around the park along the water. I highly recommend visiting the area. read more

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This review is for our amazing experience with our wedding. If you are thinking about having a wedding in NYC, there are three reasons why you should have it at Battery Gardens Restaurant. 1. Michele Cavallero. She was basically my day of wedding coordinator. She is an event manager there and is such a pro that I swear she could do weddings for a living. From day 1, she was so nice and so accommodating. Always response to your emails and questions, always sweet, but not too sweet day of because she gets stuff done and she is the only one (besides Eddie the maitre'd) that ensures everything is on time and executes without at hitch. I cannot praise her enough for everything that she's done to make our wedding EXACTLY what we imagined it to be. She helped us plan timelines, helped us arrange vendors, and was honest with us 100% of the way. Michele was an integral part of the best night of our lives! 2. The venue. The view is fantastic. Even though I had clouds the entire evening, the view is still appreciated and you can't beat those glass walls. I saw an image of the venue on Google and thought to myself, that is really beautiful but must be photo enhanced for the website. I swear to you, when I saw what the venue looked like before guests got there, I got chills and couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Granted I had a great florist, but the restaurant is positioned so that all guests face the tip of Manhattan and overlooks the surrounding body of water and you can't go wrong with the photos. Also, the day of, the girls and I got ready in the bridal suite which has plenty of room and the staff ensures you have everything you need. Water, champagne, fruit/cheese plates, tea/coffee, etc. Everything about the venue is seamless. 3. The food. I know the reviews on here have sub par food reviews, but perhaps the venue is just exceptional at large group events. The food was excellent and I have several fellow yelpers agreeing with me. The tasting was one of my favorite parts of the entire process, and I was so happy with the menu we chose. It was exactly what I would have hoped for. The cocktail hour even gave us a signature drink. And the venue allowed me to bring in my own oysters and had them shucked! The appetizer and veg option of papparedelle with mushrooms was soooo good. Arugala salad is my favorite and everyone enjoyed it. Entree wise, we chose what we thought were the best - filet mignon and chilean sea bass. Sounds so generic, I know, but trust me it was delicious. (They even ask how you want the steak cooked so you know it's made to order!!) All in all, very very happy with the food. 4. The price. I don't know how we lucked out but the price per guest was so reasonable that we couldn't say no and I am still impressed to this day at how great this venue is for the price, especially in Manhattan. This place will forever hold a special place in my heart and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get married in Manhattan! http://instagram.com/p/u1R1P_JEcX/ read more

Battery Gardens - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

Well color me impressed - Battery Gardens served as the venue for a dear friend's wedding reception last evening and it ended up being one of the more beautiful weddings I've ever had the pleasure of attending. The location: Easy to get to - if cabbing it, ask your taxi driver to drop you off at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal entrance and the restaurant is located at the south end of Battery Park facing the waterfront (just steps away!). The setting: Panoramic waterfront, melting sunsets, passing boats and an unobstructed view of the lady (the Statue of Liberty). The patio is gorgeous, with a full-service bar and the upstairs terrace views are swoon-worthy! The drinks: Since Jen studied abroad in Spain and then lived in Buenos Aires, she wanted sangria (red and white), good wine, champagne, Peroni beer and cocktails. Impressive selection! The music: During our cocktail hour, we were treated to the energetic, gypsy-tinged sounds from a wild + hot flamenco guitar ensemble and during dinner, big band-style music from a live band. Both were great, but the flamenco guitar stole the evening (and my heart)! Guests from four continents imported their style of dancing but somehow, wedding classics such as 'Love Shack' always bridge the cultural differences, yes? The food: Choice of red snapper or filet mignon (cooked to our liking) for our main was followed up with a shot of limoncello as our digestif. Yes and yes! A gorgeous, top shelf evening... and yes, I cried! read more

Battery Gardens - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

Such a fun place to come and rest your tired feet after a long day of sight seeing! Free public bathrooms, great views, and so much to do and see. I usually don't stop at parks when I'm traveling, but this one was at just the right place at just the right time. There are CityBike hubs on either side of the park, so you can rent a bike from here and continue on. The park is located right next to the Staten Island Ferry terminal, so catch than and get some amazing pictures of the Statue of Liberty. read more

Battery Gardens - A gorgeous day at the park! - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

Beautiful wedding venue with a perfect view of Hudson river and the Statue of Liberty. There were a variety of food options at the cocktail hour ranging from pita with hummus, fruits, and grilled vegetables; hot items such as ziti, chicken with penne and a variety of meat options. The dinner portions were large and the main entree had two options. I chose the red snapper and received a large portion of fish that coupled with dinner satisfied my food cravings. The fish was well seasoned as where the vegetables it was paired with. The venue had a large dance floor, an outdoor patio to taken the view, and fit their 150 guests with ease. The only two issues that arose were the cocktail hour appetizers were not refilled fast enough and I didn't see an elevator for those with disabilities. Other than that it was a wonderful experience and a great place to celebrate my friend's big day. read more

Beautiful venue for a wedding. There's an outdoor area that can comfortably seat at least 80. A friend had a summer wedding there just before sunset and it was beautiful (though a little bright). The reception was inside the restaurant. There's a patio out back and then a dining hall upstairs with two more balconies. Tons of great views (you can clearly see the Statue of Liberty). read more

Battery Gardens - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here for work party on 1/14th. First off this place is hard to find. It is tucked away in Battery Park. It is pretty spacious with 2 floors. It was a beauitful spot. The food/dessert tasted good and the drinks were also complimentary. The views were nice and the dj they had was great. He played a lot of different music from different genres. I liked that. Parking is limited so do be prepared. All and all I had a great time. read more

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Had a reservation for a big group of people, and we called just to see if they allow dogs. WENDY answered the phone and said she didn't know. We asked to speak to someone who did know and she said no. Another person in our group tried calling. We didn't even ask about the dog, we asked to speak to the person in charge of the beer garden. She assumed we were the dog person. She said she did not know, and I mentioned we had a reservation. She said that the beer garden doesn't take reservations, so we are confused about that. Then she said "I already told you, we only allow service dogs!!" in a really rude tone. Then she hung up on me. This place does not seem to value customers. I had a simple question. read more

I came back here for a huge firm event. Four course meal, drinks, the works. In that atmosphere it seems perfect. So if you're planning a big event and have lots of money, think of this place! I also have to mention that their cheese ravioli were probably the best I have ever tasted. Perfect amount of cheesy and a very smokey flavor. If I ever come back here, I'm definitely getting them. read more

*Beautiful location with a great view of the sunset. *great for private parties. read more

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We had our wedding reception at Battery Gardens in September 2019. Alex made the whole planning process so easy, providing layout suggestions, and accommodating even our silliest requests (yes, we had a pirate-themed signature drink). Maitre D' Eddie and all the staff were so nice and accommodating! We received so many compliments on the views and the food, which people couldn't stop talking about. Battery Gardens is a restaurant and an event space, so the food is exceptional! It is a breathtaking venue with indoor and outdoor spaces, and very affordable for the food and space you're getting -- through our wedding planning process, we found it to be the best value among Manhattan venues. We hope to host events there in the future! read more

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This place is a little confusing. As you walk up to it you first see an inviting sign that suggests you hide out behind the restaurant at an outdoor bar thats good for the happy hour crowd even though the views are really obstructed. Don't fall for the reasonably priced beers prices and keep going find the front door and you immediately see its potential as the outdoor area comes into view. But first, we have to go inside to meet our hostess. Upon first glance of the inside decor, I felt like I was way under dressed. The inside is all white and reminds me of 70's Miami. It's seems like that nice room that your parents had when you were a child and not allowed to go into it. That is fine with me because when the weather is nice, I'd rather be outside anyways. The outdoor furniture consists of a green rod iron that's different but nice. It's metal but still charming and rather comfortable thanks to the seat cushions. The atmosphere here is one of the best. The East River meets the Hudson River and you are right there at sea level to see it all. The Statue of Liberty, beautiful view of Governor's Island and all the water traffic is quite romantic. I recommend arriving right as the sun begins to set for the day. The outdoor seating area has a tree that contains ball lighting hanging from the limbs. The tree itself adds a depth to the situation. It allows you to almost forget for a moment the water view. This allows you to say something witty or romantic and then "oh yeah, what a view!" I tried the pizza and a lamb/blue cheese salad. Overall, maybe an appetizer or dessert is worth trying but overall I was unimpressed with the food and you're paying for the view. The place was not busy on a Tuesday night so don't feel bad if you just want to grab a few drinks and take in the scenery, just don't spill anything on the indoor white upholstery. read more

Battery Gardens - The white room - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

We got married here before it changed management, but it's a great wedding venue. Plenty of room and stunning views.

I have no idea why there are such bad reviews, but I had a great experience here and the food was amazing. I came here for lunch with a group of 10 people and got seated right away. We started outside but of course the rain came...we all rushed inside and within seconds, they pushed together some tables and had us seated inside. We started with some tuna tartar, crab cakes and a number of pizzas, all of which were delicious. As one of the reviews stated, the tuna tartar wasn't soaked in some sort of liquid concoction, but it was still good. Every restaurant puts its own twist on a basic dish and that's what makes it their own. Crab cakes were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside and the pizza was thin and crispy, just the way I like it. As an entree I had the mushroom risotto and talk about a food coma. Every bite just kept you longing for more. I got so full so fast that I was able to take home half my meal which means I can enjoy it again tomorrow. We ended our meal with a number of desserts but my favorites were the creme brulee and the blueberry cheesecake. The creme brulee had a nice crunchy top and a buttery, creamy, not too sweet cream hiding underneath. The cheesecake wasn't creamy, but it was super flavorful. It didn't crumble, but it definitely melted in your mouth. The service was great and everything we asked for got brought to us right away, whether it was a drink or a fork. They took our orders right away and our food came out super fast. Dishes were reasonably priced, and for the area it was in, definitely a steal. read more

Came here for a work event - the service was solid and the bars were well-stocked. The food was meh, nothing exciting about cheese and hot appetizers, the snapper at dinner was a bit tougher than expected, the salad was understated but good, and the dessert reminded me of something I put together as a kid (cake with cool whip and some fruit in a cup). To be clear: I don't know if the event was catered, but if this was the food from the venue, I was not impressed. Still, hard to beat the views of the Statue of Liberty. Downside: construction in Battery Park meant a really long walk around. But it does have a great view, a lot of weddings go on here, and I can see why. They have all the audio/visual for business meetings and weddings, so that was easy for the organizers. Definitely paying for the pleasure of the view. Much better food options elsewhere. read more

I came here for lunch on a Friday afternoon and I was pleasantly surprised! I was tasked with trying the food for a future work event and I honestly wasn't expecting much. figured they have good business consistently due to the amazing location on the water. However the crab cake and spicy avocado sauce was great and the lemon caper sole was amazing! The chicken salad would've been great had the thin chicken not been cooked dry. We also enjoyed a cucumber cooler cocktail, two spritz's and chocolate trio for dessert. The check came out to a cool $140. This is definitely a special occasion kinda place and the view and outdoor seating really was worth it. They never rush you and you really can just lean back and enjoy the view of the , sailboats and gov island across the way. Decor is classic and elegant, and staff also friendly. Oh and don't get me started on the bread and warm butter! read more

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My first time in Battery Park and I was not expecting this beautiful park at the tip of the peninsula. Not only are there many flowers and shrubs to enjoy, there's also a war memorial honoring heroes who sacrificed their lives for our freedom in World War II. If in the area an excellent place to walk around and maybe hit the beer garden. There are also great views of Upper Bay, Governor's Island, and of course Lady Liberty! read more

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My husband and I had our dream wedding last year at Battery Gardens and went back to celebrate for lunch on our anniversary. We were greeted with the warmest welcome by the gentleman I believe was the head waiter/ person in charge of the service at our wedding. Upon sitting down we received complimentary mimosas. The food (shrimp cocktail, one fried and one grilled calamari salad) was fantastic. We were so surprised when dessert was also sent over. I can't thank Battery Gardens enough for making our anniversary another special day.. highly recommended to the fullest!!! read more

One of the better tourist restaurants The pasta bolognese was very good here, and the ribeye was not a disappointment. Would not get the frozen meringue again, a little too sweet. read more

The view is extraordinary! Overlooking the water and lots of boat activity with Lady Liberty in the background. Great outdoor seating. Food was very good. Great roasted cauliflower salad. We had the Dover Sole w/ Lemon/caper sauce, which was delicious; the Black Sea bass was also terrific. Served with great variety of vegetables. Would definitely recommend trying if down in Battery Park/Wall Street area. read more

Battery Gardens - Caterers Near Me - New York, New York

My husband and I live in the area (one block away to be exact) and have always passed by saying we would like to eat here at some point but it's not the type of place you drop in for dinner and anytime we had a special event, for one reason or another, it didn't seem to fit into our plans. Finally, my birthday came around and it was the perfect time to try it! My husband and I made a night of it and got dressed up and luckily we fit right in. Surprisingly, the restaurant was pretty empty, but that made the experience all the more special for us. We were seated at a beautiful table by the window with the gorgeous view of the river and Lady Liberty herself. Of course, I took my husband outside for some mandatory birthday pictures, and when we came back in, a lovely man greeted us with warm delicious bread and Bellinis on the house! It was lovely. We got the tuna appetizer and the mozzarella appetizer. Both delicious. My husband got the steak which he enjoyed but we both agreed that my sea bass (I think...could have been a different white fish) was the real winner of the evening. Cooked to perfection and seasoned perfectly. My husband had apparently called ahead and told them it was my birthday and they included dessert with a candle just for me. The only critique I have is that while the service in incredibly kind, attentive and wonderful, the lack of knowledge of the menu and wine list was a bit frustrating considering the prices they charge. We ordered wines--I ordered a Riesling which but was served a Sav Blanc, but it went well with the fish so I didn't mind. Having the staff know the menus a bit more would have been useful but overall our experience was so fantastic that it did not negatively effect our experience at all. We will definitely be back and are sad it took us so long to finally try it. read more

Walking around Battery Park with 5 girls.. we decided to stop in and have a quick drink and rest our legs. The place has an awesome view of the Hudson and the Statue of Liberty, so we sat out on the big patio. We sat down and no one seemed to want to wait on us and we were the only people sitting outside with maybe 4 patrons inside. It was shockingly dead. We had to grab our own menus from the bar and order from her. Once we got our drinks the bartender shouted from the bar our total at us [yelling - IT'S 72 DOLLARS!!!] no check.. just screaming the total at us and to bring a credit card. #rude I will pay $15 for good drinks in Manhattan any day... but these were blaaaaahhh and with bad service. These people are not taking advantage of their amazing location. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in NYC amazing food and service and beautiful views of Statue of Liberty. Paul Nicaj is amassing host at the restaurant he built. I love this place and food and ambiance is superb!! 5 stars read more

I had my surprise bridal shower here on June 10th--and it was the most incredible shower I could have ever dreamed of! My mom and sister worked with Donna Ahern for 6 months leading up to the event- she was so helpful, responsive, knowledgeable, hard working, accommodating and kind..the list can go on and on! The day of the party she made sure everything ran smoothly from behind the scenes and I could tell that she truly cared about the party and making sure we had a great time and that things went seamlessly-paying attention to every detail. Samantha also helped during the day of the party and was so sweet and helpful! The venue itself is incredibly gorgeous, the food was delicious, the ambiance was beautiful with lady liberty in the background. Thank you to Donna and the rest of the staff for a truly incredible shower!! read more

If you want a downtown spot with a million dollar view overlooking the statue of liberty - EAT HERE! Or, if you're feeling spontaneous and decide to get married this weekend and want a flawless experience, this is the place for you man! I got married here on Nov 23 and thanks to their MVP Michele C., it went off without a hitch (except of course for us getting hitched). For those in town for the weekend, this place gives you the true NY landmark meal. Eat dinner in their downstairs dining room while basking in the glory of the statue of liberty view. It's an intimate, romantic atmosphere, yet not too formal that you couldn't walk in here with whatever you're wearing from your day of exploring. Wedding Seekers - we've had just about everyone who attended our wedding tell us ours was one of the best weddings they've ever been to. Of course much of that can be attributed to my wife and I being awesome, but you can't look past the venue setting the stage for the evening. Let me break it down... Michele C. - she was our catering associate. The nicest person of all time. She's on top of everything we sent her way, always timely responses, never gave us attitude for making nitpicky changes, and on the day she handled it like a pro. In fact, there wasn't a single thing that went wrong. You normally hear that something goes wrong at most weddings - but with Michele at the reigns - not a damn thing! Thank you Michele for being awesome in every way possible!!!! FOOD - our guests have been raving about the food. You pretty much can't go wrong with what you order. We got: Frisee salad with blue cheese and pears, pasta with mushrooms and truffle oil, then choice of Chilean Sea Bass or Braised Beef Medallions as well as the Cheesecake for dessert. The Chilean Sea Bass is one of the best I've ever had. And the cheesecake will BLOW YOU AWAY. Guest count - we had 152 adults and 8 kids. Felt like it was the perfect size for the space. We had the tables set up on the west side of the upstairs room, with the dance floor on the east side (by the fireplace). Valet Parking - the place can be a bit tricky to find, no way around that. But small price to pay for an awesome venue with amazing staff. If you're paying for the valet parking, I recommend reminding your guests leading up the wedding. We indicated free parking on the details card in the invitation, but a few people didn't pay attention to that detail. Layout - Guests arrived and hung out in the downstairs dining room. At 5:20p they were invited upstairs where we had our ceremony. After the ceremony, they went back downstairs for cocktail hour. Once that ended, back upstairs for the reception. Again, everything was flawless, easy transitions for the guests and vendors. And btw, anyone reading this who is looking for a wedding cake: Silk Cakes. Trust me. Google it. Cake is so damn good, we decided not to save the top part of the cake and freeze it for the 1 year, but rather order a whole new cake. It's that good. Overall, unbeatable NYC wedding location with fantastic views, good space, friendly staff, delicious food that'll leave you with fond memories of your wedding day. .... Man, I shoulda made my wife write this. Now I feel like a chick, getting all gushy about my wedding. Great. read more

After spending several hours touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, I wanted to continue my solo sightseeing tour by having lunch at this restaurant that overlooked the Hudson. It was such a beautiful day, I asked to be seated outside. I was seated immediately and was asked if i wanted anything to drink. After discussing the wine-by-the-glass choices with my waiter, he recommended the Pinot Noir. Shortly thereafter, another waiter came up to take my order. I ordered the Lobster Cobb Salad and when asked if I wanted anything to drink, I informed him that I had already placed my order for wine. Getting a little impatient waiting for my wine, I started munching on the bread. By time a THIRD waiter came over with my salad, I told her that I had ordered wine, but now they can just forget it and to make sure I didn't see it on my bill. Not once did waiter #2 or waiter #3 validate with waiter #1 about my wine order. Waiter #2 asked me if I wanted anything else, apologized for the wine no-show, and left me my bill. When I looked at my bill, I just about jumped out of my seat. While they didn't have the wine on the bill, they did have an $8 bottle of sparkling water on my bill. I tried signalling to my waiter several times, but I swear I must have been invisible. I finally stopped one of the bussers and asked him to bring my waiter. When my waiter arrived, I told him that I didn't order the sparkling water. He started to argue that I had. WHERE ON MY TABLE WAS A BOTTLE OF SPARKLING WATER?! I'd had enough. He then offered to take me to the manager. So I followed him inside. The manager...who was waiter #3 in this scenario...listened to my story. Waiter #2 came up and said "I hope that I'm not going to be blamed for this. *Waiter #1* does this all the time." Long story short...free lunch, but an unpleasant experience. The impression I was left with was that they see a lot of tourists and didn't really give a hoot about what kind of service they gave. 2 stars because the salad was phenomenal :-) read more

The hostess was looked as if she was bored out of her mind helping us, as if we were bothering her. The server did not alert us about the automatic 20% gratuity added onto the bill. I'm miffed at the idea of unknowing patrons paying tips on top of an already ridiculous 20% rate. Additionally, there was bird droppings on the plate of my seat. The outside patio furniture was all rusted and in needing of a makeover. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

Battery Gardens has been one of the regular participants in the Downtown for Dinner restaurant week, which I believe was started after 9/11 in an effort to lure New Yorkers back to Lower Manhattan. I rarely venture into Battery Park unless I'm entertaining out-of-towners and taking them on the South Ferry, so I often forget that Battery Gardens even exists. Thank goodness Downtown for Dinner is around to remind me! My mom and I hadn't eaten at Battery Gardens in a couple of years and decided to partake in their $35 prix-fixe menu. We were pleasantly surprised with both the quantity and quality of food. Usually when restaurants (begrudgingly) participate in these restaurant week events, they sacrifice the former for the latter, but not in this case. To start, we both had the spicy salmon tartare (the other option was a butternut squash soup, I believe), which sat atop a small thicket of frisee and was accompanied by thin slices of pear. The frisee had a citrus dressing on it, which I thought was too overpowering and didn't really complement the salmon. Overall, I thought the dish lacked focus and didn't really mesh well, but I still enjoyed my generous portion of salmon. My main course was the baby lamb chops, which came with baby carrots and shallots (I guess babies were the theme of this dish). My lamb chops were perfectly cooked - so juicy and tender - and plentiful! The plating was a bit odd, though, since it was a rectangular dish with two concave sections - one for the meat, one for the veggies - so it would get off balanced when I'd cut into my meat. Considering I'm a messy eater to begin with, I had to be extra careful with this dish. My mom had the cornflake crusted monkfish with pancetta and potatoes, which was also very flavorful and a good portion. The pancetta was thick and crisp, like the best bacon you've had in a long, long time - dangerous stuff! Our desserts were the cheesecake with cherries (hers) and chocolate beignets with espresso mousse (mine). Not too often that you see "beignets" on a menu in NYC, but a cream puff by any other name is fine with me (although it wasn't nearly as good as Beard Papa's). The espresso mousse was very light and not overly sweet and was actually the standout of the dish. The cheesecake was a real NYC portion of cheesecake, and I was already too stuffed to help her finish it all the way (something that rarely happens with prix-fixe menus). The decor here is predominantly white, but to a calming effect as opposed to a bland one. The chairs were very comfy and also covered in white cloth, to match the pretty white curtains that decorated sections of the walls. It seems like a nice place to have a wedding reception, especially since you get such a lovely view of the waterfront and Statue of Liberty. I've been to the upstairs dining area too, which is very spacious and could accommodate a very large party. I'll definitely be back for Downtown for Dinner next year, although I may not wait that long for a return visit to Battery Gardens. You shouldn't either. (Bonus: They have a little parking lot in the back!) read more

Call received Fri May 6 - 2:30pm: 15 minutes after a wedding extended their event beyond their existing reserved slot, this restaurant began calling all the reservations for the night to tell them they were being moved outside, where the forecast predicted it would be raining. The poor hostess was in tears. I don't imagine these are easy phone calls to make. I asked to speak to the manager but was denied. No recourse, no apology, no attempt to reschedule. To the hostess, if you ever read this, I'm so sorry you were forced to do your manager's job while he cowered in his office, not taking calls. read more

Had my wedding here, and it was absolutely amazing. Every important aspect was hit. Location and Accessibility: Being in the Financial District, it is easily accessible by almost every subway line. There are plenty of hotels in the area. There is also a parking lot with valet parking available. Venue: Beautiful. So much so, that we purposely did not go nuts with ambient lighting or flowers. The large windows showing battery park and Lady Liberty, along with the standard lighting, provided the perfect visual background. We opted for candles to be places around the tops of the walls, which provided a subtle but beautiful effect. If one does want to be extravagant, the standard decor is simple enough that anything extra will be seamlessly integrated. We had about 200 guests with plenty of room for dancing. Service: Excellent. Alex, who helped us with planning, is knowledgeable and professional. The rest of the staff are all experienced, and will help your day go as smoothly as possible. They are open to any suggestions and customizations. In addition, we have come in for "regular" meals, and the waitstaff always recognizes us and treats us accordingly. Food: Also excellent. The chef is able to cater the menu to your request. Our cocktail hour even better than we expected, both in quality and quantity. For entrées, surprisingly, the vegetarian risotto and pappardelle were actually two of my favorite dishes, but the various chicken and fish options were also delicious. The beef ones, however, did not make the cut from the tasting session. We decided on risotto and sea bass for entrées, and were able to offer the pappardelle as an appetizer. For dessert, we opted for the blueberry NY cheesecake... certainly giving the likes of Junior's and S&S a run for their money. Drink: Abundant. Value: Superior. Easily the best bang for the buck. (^_^) Venue (^_^) Location (^_^) Service (^_^) Food (^_^) Bang for buck Glad I came. Highly recommend. read more