Get bar staff, very attentive. Good happy hour @ 4:30pm to 7pm. Good happy hour cocktails. Not too…read moreloud during happy hour.

What an absolutely amazing place. My husband and I visited NY two weeks ago and went to Valerie…read moretwice! The second time, I took my aunt for her 90th birthday and the staff bent over backwards to make it a special night for her. We truly appreciated their kindness and generosity! And the food! I'm a vegetarian and my husband is a celiac so it's not always easy to find a place we both like! But the food and drinks were amazing. Valerie will definitely be our go to place when we visit NYC again!

Visiting the monkey bar was a fantastic experience! The atmosphere was lively, the drinks were…read moredelicious, and the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. It's a great spot to unwind and have fun with friends. Highly recommend!

Amazing vibes and food! We got a lunch reservation and I was surprised at how busy the restaurant…read morestill was. Service was a bit slow but not an issue. The waiter was really nice. I ordered the non-alcoholic ginger drink, spicy rigatoni pasta and the truffles pasta and Monkey Bread. Everything was so light and fluffy. None of the food felt heavy or greasy. Would definitely come here again!

We stopped here for our arrival dinner and within walking distance from our hotel in Manhattan on…read moreour way to visit Grand Central Station. We enjoyed the food and ambience. Service was great and we had a relaxed meal. I ordered a grilled chicken Cobb salad (photo included), which was substantial, fresh and delicious. We also meandered to the lower level and discovered another lovely bar area on our way to the restrooms. The stairs are a bit steep, but great decor with a nod to NY subway entrance as you descend.

First time here on a biz trip and met up with a friend for dinner…read more Was seated for my reso right away and had a cushy banquette table. The service was no nonsense NY efficient. They have a solid menu with standard tavern offerings. We ordered a burger and the special chicken with rice and beans. The food was good -- not great-- overall. The comeback chicken was nice and warm but a hit anemic on the portion while the rice and beans were room temp. The sauce was delicious! The burger was solid as were the fries. All in all a good experience and I'd come back to try other things on the menu.

Our group of 5 met here for Saturday lunch and were seated in the large covered dining room. I…read moreenjoyed the atmosphere, which reminded me of a garden atrium and felt serene. Waitstaff were excellent and all service was top notch. The food was prepared well and fresh. I enjoyed Cobb salad and other diners selected a Thai duck salad with papaya and mango, Caesar salad, crab cake, watercress soup, and crispy Canadian salmon with spring vegetables. Everyone enjoyed their selections.

Didn't check the reviews beforehand because we only intended to have drinks, but should've known…read morethat places like this are only for the atmosphere. We asked if we were able to just sit at a table for drinks, she said yes. The wine selection was minimal and not good, but we ordered 2 glasses anyway. We asked the server if we could order bread for our son. He said "I'll bring bread after you order food." We told him we were only there for drinks but were happy to pay for a bread order. He begrudgingly said okay. After being there 10 minutes, we decided we wanted an appetizer so went for the tuna crudo. Not did it taste awful, it didn't even look appealing. It also oddly came out with a massive piece of grilled bread?! Bizarre combo. Do yourself a favor and just sit in Bryant Park, don't waste your money here.

Always looking for easy places with good food close to where I stay for work…read more This place is fantastic! Good ambience, great food selections, friendly bartender, easy location. I had the charcuterie chips which were beyond delicious! Generous portion, I didn't think I'd eat it all, but I did! I had the lavender 75 cocktail, which was also delicious. It was quiet when I arrived, so I sat right down, but as the time progressed people that were coming to see the Knicks game filtered in, and it got quite full. Good value, good service, good food, good location. I will be back!

3.5 rounding up to 4…read more We came here after a long walk around midtown and wanted a late night bite and some drinks. The interior is very cool with a speakeasy vibe. We sat at the bar but they do have tables. What was ordered: Drinks - Lavender 75 Cucumber Basil Cooler Pepperoncini Martini Cavi-tini Food- Margarita Pinsa The pinsa was delicious and really well executed for a late night bar snack. The drinks were creative and well crafted. Dinging them for the service. The bartender was brand new and did not know her way around the bar or the menu. She kept telling us it was her 3rd day and asking other staffers for help. She was super friendly and nice, just not remotely professional! Her personality was great, so I hope she settles in and gets familiar with the job.

Had reservations for 2 on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. We got there about three…read moreminutes late, but they seated us within 5 minutes in a booth. It was our first time eating at a Friedman's location. It had a nice diner feel to it, with a mix of booths and tables. The brunch menu has a variety of breakfast items, salads, sandwiches and burgers, starters, and entrees (fish tacos, grain bowl, fried chicken). I like that several of the items are naturally gluten free, and some can be made gluten free by request. We decided to go with three breakfast items from the brunch menu: I got the shakshuka, my sister got the Nova Benny, and we got the lemon ricotta pancakes to share. All 3 dishes were great. The shashuka came with grilled ciabatta, perfect for dipping into the sunny side eggs and tomato sauce. My sister loved that the poached eggs and smoked salmon of the Nova Benny came on top of a crispy potato latke. The pancakes were fluffy and the lemon ricotta and lemon zest elevated their flavor. Our server was friendly and attentive, and he asked us if we had any allergies when he took our order. He came by several times to check on us and refill water. I would return to Friedman's when I'm in the Herald Square area, or check out one of their other locations in the city.

Friedman's is a great casual brunch spot with a cozy, approachable feel. We walked into a…read morecomfortable, easygoing space that makes it a nice place to sit down for a relaxed meal, whether we were catching up with friends or just looking for a good breakfast nearby. The restaurant has a welcoming neighborhood atmosphere that fits well with their comfort-food focused menu, and the dining room stays lively without being too loud, making it easy to settle in and take our time. The food here leans classic brunch, but there are enough options that make it stand out. The chicken and waffles are a must-try, with the crispy chicken paired with the sweet waffles for a satisfying balance that hits both savory and sweet notes in one plate. The lemon ricotta pancakes are another highlight, with a lighter texture and a nice flavor that does not feel overly sweet, allowing the ricotta to add a subtle creaminess. We also liked the pastrami hash and the latke with smoked salmon and poached eggs, which bring more savory options to the menu and give the brunch spread a bit more variety beyond the usual sweet offerings. The portions are generous, and the flavors are straightforward but well executed. One thing that stood out was how many dietary options were available, especially with clearly marked gluten-free choices across the menu. It made the experience feel more accommodating without making the menu feel overly complicated or scattered. The service was friendly and attentive, and the overall experience felt comfortable from start to finish. The staff checked in at the right moments and kept the pace of the meal moving without rushing us. Friedman's is the type of place that works well when you are craving a familiar brunch meal done well. It is not trying to reinvent breakfast, but it delivers a reliable, satisfying meal with a welcoming atmosphere that makes it easy to return to. Whether you are stopping in for a quick bite or settling in for a longer catch-up session, it offers the kind of consistent, comforting experience that keeps neighborhood spots like this in regular rotation.

This is a great place for italian food. It has an upscale feel and friendly staff. The white lamb…read moretheme is recurring in the decor. We got their garganelli, tagliatelle, and ravioli pastas. For dessert, the iconic tiramisu. Garganelli- This has a nice, arugula pesto sauce that has a rich garlicky finish. It's enhanced with roasted mushrooms and sharp pecorino. Tagliatelle- You get a rich pork and beef bolognese. The house made pasta is cooked to perfection. Pretty satisfying! Ravioli- This is a light, seasonal dish with pumpkin, brown butter, and sage. The sauce complements the sweet pumpkin and the brown butter adds a nuttiness. Tiramisu- This dessert was too cute to eat! It was decorated with a meek looking model of their namesake lamb. Nobody wanted to ruin its face so we slowly ate this from the outside in. The espresso it strong, complemented by the creamy marscapone layers. Textures and flavors were perfectly balanced. Great experience overall!

due to their being one in every neighborhood I was skeptical this wasn't a glorified Cheesecake…read moreFactory - and sometimes you're wrong and you just have to accept that! - I started with an espresso martini, which, even though it's not on the menu, it was wonderful. definitely deceivingly strong & perfectly balanced w/ a little bit of sweet in the strong espresso taste. love the foam & 3 necessary beans - the whipped ricotta is delicious. it is a fluffy lightspread with olive oil, a little bit of chili, & a pool of honey. the bites with honey & olive oil were the perfect combination of sweet + earthy - the Toscano salad was so simple yet so needed. we needed a light dish to balance out the other heavy Italian dishes. it had the most perfect coating of a light vinaigrette w/ thick, perfectly roasted soft carrots, flakes of parm, & seeds + tiny croutons for a crunch - the 3 pasta dishes all got stamps of approval. the pasta is made each day in house. the Gramigna pasta was the thickest so it really had an amazing chew to it. the rest just felt a little bit plain overall. the caprese ravioli is the definition of simple done well. the tomato sauce was light & slightly sweet. the Campanelle was buttery + a very slight tang from the lemon. it was definitely pepper forward, but that went well w/ buttery noodles & shrimp. - the side of broccolini was definitely overpriced at $13 but came with big chunks the vegetable. I appreciated the char going down the stem as well but think it could have been cooked for a bit longer to make the stems less snappy in texture

Ragtrader is truly a gem! We scheduled a small graduation celebration with Ragtrader and felt like…read moreroyalty! We were designated with our own special section, which was beautiful, spacious and incredibly clean. The manager was very accommodating to our dietary needs in terms of allergies (safe for those with peanut and fish allergies). Second, everyone from the servers to the bartender treated us so well! Lastly, the food was amazing (and the bartender made the most stupendous and STRONG drinks)! You cannot lose with this establishment! You are guaranteed a good time and experience! Cheers Ragtrader!

Good Times were had. Nothing went bad. The birthday girl was glad. And the music was really rad…read more Try getting any seat during game #2 of Yankee win mania. When we got to the bar upstairs, it was packed with screaming twentysomethings having a ball. Our party was downstairs at Bo Peep, tucked in the corner with cushioned seats. Everyone in our party of nine had a ball listening to the stylings of the piano player. His repertoire range extended from 80s into 90s pop classics. A couple of the waitresses jumped on the mic to belt out some radio goo goo. We ordered a ton of food. Everything including our drinks came out promptly with no issues. We gobbled it up quick with not a crumb left