Josephine L.

Sorry, folks. The emperor has no clothes. Anyone who tells you otherwise needs to make an appt with their eye doctor ASAP. Our meal was an exercise in loud mediocrity. Loud because we were seated in the front room with the bar, and the cacophony of the Friday night post-work crowd was exceeded only by the cheap showiness of the clientele who all looked like extras from Succession. The cold, unfriendly service we received throughout our meal was just the cherry on top of the boisterous, frigid sundae. *Shudder* Mediocrity because, well, our meal was the perfect equation of undeserving hype + disappointing execution + inflated prices. Let's dig in: - Live Maine sea urchin, potato and meyer lemon: I get that the point is to serve the uni "live", but the end result is a warm/hot au gratin topping over an ice-cold bite of urchin. An unpleasant pair of extreme temperatures, and not the most interesting flavor combo either. This is one of their signature dishes? - Cured tuna with dates and young onion: I assume, in an attempt to be different from the millions of other crudo/carpaccio fish dishes in Western restaurants, the team here landed on dates and onions as a unique flavor/texture pairing to go with tuna. It doesn't work. The dates are too sweet to go with cured tuna (really, what?), and the onions are just crunchy annoyance when all you want is the easy slipperiness of sliced fish. - Comté tart with morels and leeks: I really, REALLY don't get the hype for this dish. It's a decent shell and filling, sure. Any third-rate bakery in Paris could make a similar one. But what's with the bizarre laziness of sauteeing morels and leeks in butter, and then just...dropping them on top of the tart? So, you have to gather a forkful yourself with each bite if you want to experience everything together. For $37, this should've been more creative. They couldn't have tried baking the veggies into the tart? Or found some other more interesting way to weave in those flavors? - Pork sausage with cabbage and potato: I'll save you the trouble. It tastes like a pork and napa cabbage dumpling served in a lightly soy sauced broth. Oh, and someone added some potato the mix because #creativity. Everyone keeps fussing about how Bridges the Michelin-starred restaurant is "in the heart of Chinatown, lolzzzzzOMG!!!1!!" Well, for $38, I could've bought five dinners' worth of pork and cabbage dumplings in Chinatown--and I would've hated myself a lot less afterward. - Trout with mussels, bergamot and Swiss chard: By the time this $42 dinero-waster was served, I was ready to leave. Wish I could've said it made up for the previous mediocrity, but it was the worst of the bunch. In fact, the memory of this dish is still so rage-inducing, I'm going to spend the shortest amount of time describing why it sucks. Oversalted trout. Non-existent bergamot. 7 mussel shells, 5 actual mussels. Barely cooked, bitter-because-it's-unseasoned Swiss chard so hard, it'll chip teeth. I'm so glad they hand out Michelin stars for hole-in-the-wall Chinatown spots. Now if only they'd, you know, reward actual gems in the neighborhood...

Annalise W.

This meal wasn't necessarily "life changing", but I enjoyed every bite of food and I thought the service was impeccable. Literally zero "complaints", thus the 5 stars. And to set expectations, don't walk in here expecting a Chinese restaurant or low prices just because it's in Chinatown. Ambiance/Service: Not your "typical" Michelin starred restaurant - they don't change out the plates every course, butcher paper on the table, etc. But I didn't mind. Ambiance still felt elevated, but warm and inviting and not stuffy. You can come here and talk in loud voices and dress however you want. I also think this place would be a great date night or celebration spot. Service was impeccable: friendly, attentive, knowledgeable. What you'd hope for from any good restaurant and expect at any Michelin starred restaurant. Food: Honestly, before coming, the menu didn't necessarily stand out and scream "YUM! I need to try this." But I'm happy I did. Everything was delicious: fresh, perfectly prepared, and seasoned. Meant to be family style. Recommend 4-6 dishes for two people. Some highlights: -Sardines: I don't normally eat sardines, but this was amazing. If on the fence, just order. -Live Main Sea Urchin: If getting other dishes, I think one is good for two people. Fresh, strong seafood briny taste (I enjoy) but only get if you like that. -Cured Tuna with Dates: comes with 5 pieces. Wow! Who knew tuna & dates went so well together. One of my favorite dishes because of how surprising it was. -Comte Tart: good to share. Very rich and decadent. Other enjoyable dishes: squash salad (cheese makes it. Simple, but good. Nice balance to heavier dishes). pork sausage (hearty), trout with mussels (cooked perfectly. Trout melts in your mouth), hazelnut tart (good to share. Unique texture - it IS grainy and combo with cream + fruit was really good).

Daniella G.

Any Michelin-starred restaurant that doesn't force a prix fixe menu already has my heart. I love having the flexibility to choose based on my tastes and how hungry I actually am, so honestly, this place started at three stars before I even sat down. Bridges is an amazing spot with very cool, relaxed vibes. This is not your stiff, buttoned-up fine dining experience it is flexible, hip, and welcoming (I realize that made me sound like a grandma, but you get the point). The staff was fantastic: friendly, knowledgeable, and great at explaining the menu. They made thoughtful recommendations on what to order and how much food made sense, which I really appreciated. Went with my husband and we ordered: Scallop with limequat, cultured cream, and pancetta Live Maine uni with potato and Meyer lemon Comté tart with chanterelles and black truffle Dover sole with clams, bergamot, and Swiss chard Every single dish was excellent Fresh, unique flavors unlike anything I've had before. That said, the Comté tart was the standout. Absolutely amazing. Silky, savory, perfectly balanced, and satisfying bite after bite. So glad I tried it. For dessert, we had the hazelnut tart with quince and chamomile. Important note: you need to order it at the start of the meal since it takes about 45 minutes. It was delicious, generously sized, and very different from typical desserts--highly recommend. Overall, Bridges is officially going into my regular rotation. I can't wait to come back and try more dishes, and I strongly recommend letting the staff guide you--they really know what they're doing.

Betsy S.

I stopped by Bridges in Chinatown/Chatham Square (in the old Hop Shing space) and was seriously impressed. First of all, a Michelin star in this location? Amazing. It's incredible to see how much this stretch of the Bowery has evolved over the years. We came by just to hang out at the bar and sip Cosmopolitans -- and it was such a vibe. The space feels polished and chic, like it could just as easily live in SoHo, the UES, or NoHo. Definitely a hip crowd, but not in an overwhelming way. It feels like the neighborhood is transforming in real time. Service really stood out. The host was beyond helpful -- checked our coats without hesitation and even let me plug in my dying iPhone near the host stand. Those small gestures go a long way. We didn't try the food this time, but after this experience I'll absolutely be back to see what the Michelin star magic is all about. A great addition to the neighborhood and a perfect spot for a stylish drink night.The neighborhood is probably one of the few left that is affordable but I'm sure soon it won't be!

Brion R.

"Michelin level But Not Chinese, Chinatown" Bridges feels like someone dropped a Michelin-star kitchen into the middle of Chinatown and then quietly refused to make a big deal out of it. It's warm, candlelit, and just noisy enough that you can talk trash about people in the restaurant without them What's to cheer - Dishes are rich, layered and flavorful - Service quality and competence as commensurate with the level of the food - Dishes are innovative but not a science project What's to jeer - It's not the least expensive restaurant

Cherry J.

This restaurant was recently awarded a Michelin star, so of course I had to make the trek to try it. It's a bit funny walking into a classic French restaurant right in the middle of Chinatown. I ordered a few dishes to get a good sense of the menu: - Live Maine sea urchin, potato and brown butter - Cured tuna, dates, and spring onion - Pork collar with salsify and boudin noir - Comté tart with chanterelle and chestnut - Warm hazelnut tart, quince and chamomile cream The uni served inside the urchin shell was rich, creamy, and warm. It was one of the freshest uni servings I've had. But it's a whopping $22 for a very small portion, and realistically each person needs their own. The cured tuna came with five pieces and leaned a bit too sweet for my taste. The pork collar, on the other hand, was cooked to perfection -- tender, juicy, and balanced nicely by the savory boudin noir. The Comté tart topped with mushrooms was extremely dense and intense in flavor. It's apparently a classic French combination. It was $38 for a single slice, and I definitely wouldn't recommend ordering it on your own. The hazelnut tart was also pricey at $33, but this one I actually loved. It's a large round tart served with cream on the side, and the crust and warm hazelnut filling were comforting and delicious. Overall, the dishes were hit or miss, though the service was smooth and attentive. I'd say it's worth trying once if you enjoy classic French cooking and seasonal ingredients, but be prepared -- this place will absolutely break your wallet.

Allison C.

I feel like for the price point I was a bit underwhelmed, especially by the hazelnut tart and the uni. The tart was quite grainy and pretty lukewarm by the time we got it, and between two people we didn't finish it. The uni was rich but not strong in flavor for how much uni was there. Overall the service was good and the best thing of the night was the rockfish with rice they had as a special, but for a 300$+ meal for two, I probably wouldn't come back

Mark G.

What a great meal! Service, ambience, (even room temperature) was all superb. The uni custard and squash salad were huge standouts and the comté tart was excellent as well. It definitelt trends on the rich side but everything was delicious. NGL some of the best bread butter I have had in a long time...

Brandon Y.

My favorite restaurant in NYC! Staff is super chill Kai, Samantha and Oniyx are spectacular. The food is priced really well. Ordered the Comte tart, uni, tuna and Vin Jeune ice cream. The Uni itself is worth the price of admission. The Comte tart was also unreal. And the wine by the glass list was lovely. Ambiance is elevated, professional but approachable. Honestly can't recommend a place more than this one

Josh S.

On an additional visit in late June, we noticed several changes to the menu including the lobster dish (one of my new favorites), tomatoes with the Comte tart (which introduced a fresher sweeter flavor) and a melon dish (the melon itself was amazing but could have benefitted from more caviar). Service didn't have any issues this time round and the sommelier had some cool and different recommendations - we enjoyed a bottle of a very nice aligote.

Alan S.

There aren't a lot of options for vegetarians at this vaguely French newcomer to the area I think of as Confucius Plaza (but whose name is rapidly losing meaning). I came here purely to try the Comte tart, and so I sheepishly suggested that we sit at the bar so that it might appear as if I was merely having a light bite to pair with my white Negroni, rather than a full meal. Yet the $38 Comte tart, so priced thanks to the inclusion of morels, is a destination dish - it is savory without being excessively funky, and the morels certainly earn their keep. I was riding on such a tart high that I then suggested we opt for the hazelnut chocolate tart for dessert, which plays its role as a sweet decadent counterpart. This new extension of Dimes Square is turning into a noteworthy destination, although I hope it doesn't expand any further west.

Mel J.

One of my favourite restaurants in NYC right now. In the heart of Chinatown Chatham square , it's a lovely little spot for a great cocktail and some delicious food. The menu evolves regularly but with some main favorites - the oysters, crab, dumplings, and of course the uni custard and the comte tart! Flavors are decadent with fusion mixes that are exciting. The restaurant is quiet with a cool vibe with great service.

Tory G.

We really liked the tuna and the comte tart. We also tried the liver pate, the sea urchin custard, the pork and we finished with the hazelnut tart for dessert though none of those stood out to us as things we would order again.