How do you review a Food Network Iron Chef? You start at 5 stars and want to give more!! Prix-Fixe menu for lunch offered great choice & value. The veal bacon & tuna carpaccio were out of the world. How her mind & palate work is so evident in every bite. Octopus outstanding, but the amazing sauce or spicing brings everything to a new level. The branzino had soft flaky flesh with crispy skin. Even the ButterBurger had a levels of flavor, top to bottom! The mocktail cranberry had so much depth that alcohol could not make it better. And don't forget her signature Parker House rolls & house made butters Service is more than you would expect. Fresh plates& clean cutlery at every turn. Attentive and made sure each plate was presented in style. It was a quiet setting in the lower level of the large midtown location. We were able to chat without worrying about other diners. So start with 6 or 7 . It will be better @ Butter. Thank you Alex Guarnaschelli!!! read more

I got the prie fixe lunch. The octopus was decent and the branzino was good too, although not as good as the seasonal salmon I had before. I am glad they have other dessert options now, I got the flourless chocolate cake and it was decent too. read more

Staying true to my first review, my boyfriend and I returned for dinner service this time and had an excellent experience. Our server was fantastic. Super friendly and personable. Much better than our first visit. Her insightful menu suggestions were much appreciated. The food (again) was excellent. We started with the Parkerhouse Rolls and the Gnocchi Mac & Cheese. Both were divine. For entrees we got the Smoked Double-Cut Heritage Pork Chop and the Colorado Rack of Lamb. Both were great. The pork chop is massive! You will not leave hungry. If I was nitpicking, I'd say the sweet potato doesn't do much for the dish. But I'm sure greater culinary minds than me would disagree. Note the difference in fries between both pics. There is definitely a better fry during dinner service. For dessert we got the Basque Cheesecake. The restaurant was much busier during dinner than it was during lunch. Highly recommend making a reservation. read more

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Lackluster all around. Incredibly dark and didn't feel clean. Couch in lobby was disgusting. Food was just ok. So much better option for the price. read more

Outstanding meal with terrific, attentive service, the most memorable experience in a long time. Someone in my party has a garlic allergy. The staff was very mindful of it and my friend loved her lunch. They have a great prefixe lunch. The restaurant is below ground with ceilings two levels high and a chic, dark interior. I like the lounge area at the bottom of the stairs next to the wine storage area. Great for cocktails or waiting for your party. Grilled octopus - perfect cook and flavor Gazpacho - the fresh mint added next level flavor to a bright soup Chicken Paillard with Farro Risotto - chicken breast also cooked perfectly, risotto made skillfully from farro. I don't like frisée but the abundant amount won me over. This entree is a huge serving and creamy but not heavy Branzino - made without garlic, chef's kiss! Their Parker house rolls were fluffy though a little disappointing. I don't like the large salt crystals but I'm glad we tried them. Oat milk brownie sundae - I could tell it was a nondairy ice cream but the other components made it delightful! Fair prices for quality food and amazing service. Even with limited menus, a return to Butter on my next trip is a must. read more

Come here for the cloud cauliflower! I am still thinking about it. Also the butter.. duh. All around, there were so many fun unique items on the menu- I wanted to try so many, so I'll have to come back when I visit next. The service was OK but the food and drinks were worth coming back for. Also the vibes were immaculate! read more

Butter Midtown - Exterior sign - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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WoW! That in itself should sum it up! I had high expectations going to Alex's restaurant, but they still managed to blow my mind!!! The ambiance was amazing, even with restaurant full it is spaced out enough where you can have a normal level of conversation and hear each other. The service was amazing. From our hostess, to the wait staff, to our server, everyone was very professional, friendly, and went out of their way to help you. Our server Visar was absolutely incredible!! The food was BEYOND spectacular. From the first bite to the last and everything ordered was just mouth watering and left me speechless. My one and only regret was not going there sooner! I will definitely be visiting again knowing I will not be disappointed! If you were on the fence about visiting, don't give it a second thought and make sure you make your reservation and go as soon as possible! The staff also stated Alex visits often so she is not just a silent owner. Kudos to you Alex for what you have put together in the location, the food, the staff, and the service! Absolutely incredible! read more

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My now former boss brought me here on my last day of work. He's been wanting to try it. I didn't know this place was owned by Iron Chef Alex Guarneschelli but when I found that out it definitely piqued my interest. We started off with appetizers including the octopus, endive salad, fried green tomatoes, and veal bacon. We also got the Parkerhouse Rolls but I didn't photograph that. The octopus was very good and so were the rolls. I didn't try the other things but everyone kept raving about the thick-cut veal bacon. For entree I got the short-rib, which I though was pretty decent - very tender, but I found the polenta too cheesy and creamy for my taste. The other entrees frankly looked better and I wish I got the strip steak. I don't think we got dessert. I was too full at that point. The dishes all looked good so next time I'm in town I'll try the steak. Service was good and like I mentioned before, it was a quiet night that night. read more

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Made a reservation in advance. Clean, simple ambiance. For appetizer, had the pear and endive "salad." There were too little leaves and pear and too much cheese and nuts. It tasted good but the ratio was off. Sometimes and "elevated" salad doesn't taste better than the basic version. I had the special - pan fried tile fish and it was delicious. Another special, the fingerling truffle potatoes were too acidic for me and I didn't enjoy it at all. 5 stars for the tile fish. 3 for the salad. 2 for the potatoes. read more

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The food is delicious. My favorite was the chargrilled octopus- the flavor is beautiful. The herb butter with the rolls was crazy good, and I loved the endive and peach salad. The endive boats were fun to eat and fresh tasting with satisfying feta cheese creaminess and walnut crunch. The lamb was delicious too but I don't personally prefer lamb. The three ages of prosciutto was also very well curated but I think I'd prefer it at the end of a long meal with drinks. Servers are all lovely and very attentive. The restaurant is quite spacious, dimly lit but you can still see very well and the music is at the perfect volume- enough for ambiance and quiet enough for long conversations. Overall it's a very comfortable dining experience. We came for a 7:30 reservation on a Friday night and it wasn't too busy. There were several big bathrooms that are nice and clean. If you're looking for a nice dinner out this is a great choice with reasonable pricing for value exchange. I thought all the dishes came with enough food. Everything tastes of quality and good cooking. read more

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I wish I could remember our server's name because she was awesome and took great care of us. The bread service was really good, as the name suggests, the butter was really yummy (both kinds we got). I was debating between a few things but landed on the branzino which had a really good lemon-y type sauce. read more

Butter Midtown - Pan-Seared Branzino - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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This meal was outstanding! Yes, I watched Gossip Girl so that's what initially piqued my interest, but then the reviews and menu reeled me in. I am so glad we came here! It was truly a wonderful experience. We of course started with the roles, they were absolutely delicious and I had to stop myself after eating two, to save room! Then we shared the octopus appetizer. I have had a lot of octopus and a lot of fancy restaurants, and this is hands down the best octopus I have ever consumed. It was extraordinary! My highest recommendation is to get the octopus. After that, we had the short ribs and the mac and cheese and a kale salad. The kale salad was the only dish that was not exactly my favorite, I think maybe there was too much dressing, or the dressing was too tart. It was not horrible. Just not as good as everything else. But the short ribs were fantastic, as was the famous mac and cheese. We were almost too full for dessert but had to try it. The chocolate ice cream was delicious, as were the raspberry beignets. This is a fantastic place to go if you have something to celebrate. Also, the service was excellent, warm, friendly and professional. read more

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Was in Manhattan for post New Year's Day fun. After seeing the "tree", times Square and all the important landmarks, we finished up at Butter. This was our first time there. First, the setting was excellent. Very open space which made it easy to talk to the people at your table because it was not too noisy. This is despite the place being full. The menu wasn't huge, but very interesting selections. Some usual dishes with interesting twists. Definitely wanted to make you try something new. Our waiter, Javier, was very attentive without being annoying. He was kind enough to answer some questions we had about the origins of the restaurant. The food was very tasty, beautifully presented and generous portion. No room for dessert this time. Great find and will be back and recommend to friends. read more

Butter Midtown - Thick-Cut Veal Bacon - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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Absolutely LOVE this restaurant!! Such a vibe. We had the price fix for lunch, both had the burger YUM. Drinks delish ( expensive but it's NYC). Moody and dark, nice bar. Service great. Shout out to the cute girl in the headband ( hostess) who was so sweet! read more

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Haven't been here in a while, but I've been there a few times since its opening. Outside of the menu being a bit different, it's nice to see the quality hasn't changed. Only issue I found was, the octopus appetizer was a bit overcooked. It wasn't terrible & I'll attribute that to the fact that it was pretty crowded & busy when I was there. The Brussel sprout salad was delish & the duck confit was perfect. As always, the rolls were a yummy delight and taste as good as they always have. Service was professional and courteous as always, very glad to see that hasn't changed. I'll definitely be back. read more

Butter Midtown - Duck Confit - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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Dinner was absolutely amazing. The staff were very friendly and helpful in making selections. Started with the rolls, yummy. Then went onto the lamb cavatappi and gnocchi mac n cheese, both could've been meals in themselves. So flavorful. Then the main course were the balsamic glazed short ribs and the halibut from the specials' menu. Alex, the menu is perfect! I'm looking forward to my next visit, the octopus is calling my name. read more

Butter Midtown - Halibut with ramps - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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We went to this restaurant two times within two days. That's how much we loved everything about this place. We went the first time for lunch. Service was outstanding by Jasmine. My husband salmon was cooked perfect and he enjoyed every morsel. I had short rib raviolis in a sauce that was delectable. We had such a great meal that we decided to come back for dinner the following evening. Our server with Janet, who is a lot of fun and very attentive. We shared a ribeye steak, pricey, but well worth it, that was cooked to perfection. Along with it, we had mashed potatoes with chicken gravy. I thought that would be a little strange, but it was so good. we brought a rare bottle of wine from home to celebrate our anniversary. We also ordered the Parker House rolls we discovered the previous day. For dessert we had Raspberry beignets that were marvelous. Since my husband is a chocoholic, we had the dark chocolate crème brûlée. The restaurant is downstairs and feels very cozy and warm. Good thing we could walk back to our hotel to walk off a little what ate. I wish Alex Gemelli could open a duplicate restaurant in the San Francisco Bay area! read more

Very nice cocktails, good vibes, yummy bread, and amazing gnocchi Mac and cheese. That's all I needed here - delicious and simple but not running back here read more

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Had a wonderful time at Butter on Friday. Great atmosphere, great service, excellent food! Will definitely go back for more.

Maybe Alex just isn't a restauranteur (we question if she's even involved with running this place, at all, anymore). If you watch cooking shows, she's everywhere (thoughtful judging and yummy looking preparations). Butter wasn't in the same league as other seemingly comparable restaurants in Manhattan. We were seated with one set of drink menus that had cranberry drinks on it but, when we ordered, the waitress indicated they didn't have that anymore and that they had retired the menu they'd given us (suggested strawberry as alternative drink). Short-rib was more like pot roast. Center Cut Filet felt like it was missing something when we got it (seemed poorly seasoned, or something) checked back after our visit and realized it was supposed to have a bordelaise sauce that apparently hadn't made the plate. At $69, wish we'd have recognized and called out, while there. Branzino was good. When it came time for dessert, we'd considered the strawberry dessert but were told they were out of it (so, skipped dessert). While we were leaving, we were walking out the front door escorted by a couple of kitchen staff with dripping bags of garbage. Wasn't close to the experience we were expecting from an Alex restaurant. So many good places in NYC but this visit ended up being a throwaway for this trip (Shuka was an excellent Celebrity Chef alternative (was an all around better experience)). read more

I've known of Butter for a long time - having Alex Guarnaschelli as your executive chef and being on Restaurant Row puts you in a position to be one of the more well-known restaurants in NYC. I first dined at butter almost 10 years ago for my birthday, and though I hadn't been back I remember it being a good experience and kept it in the back of my mind. I had made plans to see a show, and since it let out relatively early I thought it would be a good idea to grab dinner here, so off we went. Typical of midtown restaurants, Butter is relatively spacious - it actually sits on the lower level of the space it occupies, so upon entry you're greeted by stairs. Once you descend, the aesthetics are very nice - there's a small lounge in the main lobby area and once you walk into the dining room you're greeted by a very open space with a combination of booths and tables. The setting is intimate and upscaleish with medium woods and low lighting. The majority of the menu is New American fare - with a selection of snacks, apps, mains, and sides. We decided to start with two apps - the burrata and the gnocchi mac and cheese. Both of these were good - the gnocchi was paired with slices of squash in a tasty sauce; the mac and cheese was rich without being too heavy and topped with breadcrumbs to add some texture. For my main I had the salmon; I enjoyed this - it was topped with roe and paired with a tasty sauce on top of potatoes. We also got a side of chilled potato salad to share which was prepared in a cream-based mustard sauce. I'm normally not a fan of potato salad because of the mayo but this was a welcome alternative while still being kind of creamy. We opted for dessert and I went with the gala apple which was stuffed with bread pudding and pared with gingersnap ice cream. I really enjoyed that - perfect for the season. Also, the coffee was excellent. Service was pretty good, though there were a few things that made me go hmm. Specifically, they were out of one of the items on the menu as well as one of the cocktails which was odd to me seeing that it was a Saturday night in the middle of the holiday season. Also, my dad ordered ice cream for dessert - it came with an option for one scoop for $7 or three scoops for $14. My dad asked if he could get two scoops which they said yes to, however failed to mention that they would charge him for two single scoops; to top it off, they served it to him in two separate dishes - what is that all about? Overall, Butter is a solid restaurant - you'll get a good meal here and I'm glad I returned to rediscover it. I would be open to dining here again, but with all the other restaurants in the city I'm not running back. read more

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I can't say enough about our experience at this restaurant. From the moment the bread was served with their specialty butter on the side, I knew it was going to be a great night. The bread was baked to perfection, and the salt on top was truly chef's kiss. The two different butters were incredible! Butter was living up to its name right from the start. We ordered the aged steak and the branzino with broccolini and fries, plus an appetizer of the gnocchi mac and cheese. Everything was cooked perfectly. I rarely get excited about a side dish, but the broccolini with toasted sesame sauce was worth the trip to Butter all by itself. Then came dessert and they absolutely saved the best for last. We ordered the Raspberry Beignets and they were amazing. Perfectly baked with just the right balance of sweetness between the raspberry sauce and the sugar coating. We don't get excited about many places, but we're already planning another trip to the city just so we can eat at Butter again. 6 out of 5 stars! read more

This was everything I'd hoped for and more than I imagined. Appetizer, main, service, ambiance.... Wow oh wow. read more

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Good: easily got a reservation, loved the ambiance, the rolls were delicious, we had appetizer - the Brussel Sprouts salad - it came out very quickly and was delicious. We had the pork chop(huge and delicious), the bbq( so tender and flavorful) and the zucchini (which was a special that day) (spicy and small) and we tried so many desserts (my daughters birthday so we had too) sherbet, apple pie, and beignets - highly recommend the sherbet and beignets Not good: we didn't get our drinks until the main course was almost finished, we didn't get a sharp knife for the pork chop, and just not great service over all. The apple pie with ice cream was not good. The zucchini was so small and it was ordered as a main course - I think it should've been explained as it was an appetizer. Overall I am glad we went but for almost $300 before the tip- I expected sooooo much more. read more

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We enjoyed a nice dinner at Butter Midtown early-ish on a Friday night recently. The restaurant is below street level but feels very open and spacious. It seemed like majority of tables were nice, big booths which were very comfortable. Attentive, friendly service. We enjoyed the Parker House Rolls, Cavatappi pasta and chargrilled octopus as starters. We then shared the Beef Wellington. Everything we tried was delicious. We aren't in the neighborhood often so not sure when we'll be back, but we give this a solid recommend for the neighborhood (can't recall the names of our drinks but they were tasty!) read more

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The restaurant has a very low-key vibe. There wasn't a big crowd for a Saturday night. Our waitress was AMAZING; attentive, but not overbearing. She seemed to appear when we needed something. The NY strip was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The gnocchi melted in your mouth. We are huge fans of Alex Guarnaschelli and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. read more

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Went to a private event. Was super impressed by the service and bar. The food was also pretty good. Notable standouts were the cheese and pea tartlet, arancini, beignets. The veggie spring rolls, mushroom toast, and chocolate covered strawberries were just good. The profiteroles were yummy but were super cold so it seemed like they were in the freezer. The taco bar was super yummy and I enjoyed it for the most part. The carne asada was a bit too fatty. Overall really enjoyed the quality and the outdoor space was super cool. read more

Butter Midtown - New American Near Me - New York, New York

The food, service, and atmosphere are phenomenal. It's a beautiful, quiet spot with great soft music and delicious eats. The perfect date night spot. read more

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Gossip Girl may be off the air, but Butter still serves! Blair Waldorf's favorite spot, now in Midtown. The dishes and services were absolutely amazing. XOXO Di Palo's Burrata Pan-Seared Branzino Barbecued Boneless Beef Short Ribs Raspberry Beignets + Vanilla Dipping Sauce Calamansi @GoerToEat read more

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Food: best Wellington I've ever had. Gnocchi was super pillowy. Service: fast and efficient ambiance: classic americano feel. This restaurant was on my list to a very long time as I am a long time and huge fan of Alex. Her restaurant exceeded my expectations. read more

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One of my favorite places for a special occasion. They have a garden area and indoor dining. The menu occasionally changes but some dishes are constant. The Parkerhouse rolls are to die for. I've never had a bad meal there and I've tried several entrees over the years including the steak, the smoked pork chop, and duck confit. You can not go wrong with the raspberry beignets for dessert. read more

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As my husband is a HUGE Food Network fan, we had to try Chef Alex Guarnaschelli's "Butter". We made reservations several weeks ahead of our trip (this was advised). Butter is a lovely restaurant in Midtown, near Times Square and the theater district. It's posh and classy. The service was great. The menu is simple, but provides a variety of flavorful options. We started with red wine and the house made rolls and butters. Delicious! Soft rolls, but perfectly toasted and the house made butters are to die for! Herby and full of flavor. For dinner, I chose the endive salad (a perfectly orchestrated blend of crunchy endive, expertly grilled peaches, feta, candied almonds and a shallot vinaigrette). I also enjoyed the gnocchi macaroni and cheese. What an amazing substitute from regular macaroni noodles! Creamy and rich, it's a a definite new favorite. My husband had the Chargrilled Octopus, white bean salad, roasted piquillo pepper and the cheese pan-seared Branzino. The wilted rainbow chard and vinaigrette sauce took this up a notch. We also had a side of grilled broccolini for the table. This was almost my favorite dish! Perfectly blanched and very flavorful. The whole meal was perfect. It was spendy, but a wonderful experience on our trip to NYC. read more

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So so good and great atmosphere. Pork chop was insane! I also had the pear salad which was outstanding. My friend had the balsamic short-ribs which were delicious. I will definitely return read more

Ambiance and vibes were awesome! Our server was attentive and had great recommendations. Rolls were delicious (wish the 2 person portion was 4 rolls, not 3!), and so was the sour cream butter. Our booth by the bar was comfortable. Only complaint is that our food started to get cold almost as soon as it hit the table. Also, the fries were delicious, but the portion was very small for the price. read more

Butter Midtown - New York Strip Steak & French Fries - New American Near Me - New York, New York

I visited the other location half a dozen years ago and had a bad experience but decided to give Alex's place another shot. I came here solo and was quickly seated. Nobody looked twice at my tshirt and jeans which I'd been worried about. Service was quick. I ordered a Ghost Margarita, a "snack" of fois gras and an appetizer size of grilled octopus. The fois gras came out first and was quite delightful. Once I finished that dish, the octopus quickly followed. The dishes were well timed. The octopus was perfectly charred without a hint of rubbery texture which it can often get. Both dishes were well worth getting. The server was just the right amount of attentive and almost even convinced me to take a look at the desserts without being pushy. I'm definitely glad I gave Butter another try. read more

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Excellent dinner at Butter. Started with the hot rolls and butter they were good. Then endive salad with goat cheese and arugula, it was very nice. Entrée's were excellent, my husband had the Pork Chops. They were cooked perfectly and tender. They had a nice smoky flavor, he loved it. I tried the Duck confit and it was fantastic. Flavorful, juicy and plentiful. Portions were very large. Arrive was great! We'll be back again when we come into the city. read more

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Food was good overall. Have been here many times over the years. The bread basket was super tasty. Went with colleagues who tried various dishes, as photographed. Would say this is above average for NYC but was not blown away by the food. Decent but not awe-inspiring. read more

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Coming in, my expectations were high. The pluses were the elevator to the restaurant, a great cocktail, and good service. Unfortunately, the food fell flat. I had the prosciutto appetizer. It was three mounds of meat totalling probably a whole pound. I did not know how to eat it. The pieces were huge and accompanied by stuff. You can't cut it with a knife, so I used my hands. The first mound had these tiny berries that went well with the fattiness. I finished that. The second mound contained a single hunk of Parmesan that I had to break apart with my fork forcibly. It was clumsy but okay. I finished about half. The third came on top of some sliced-up cantaloupe. But I was getting full from an appetizer when I tried it. I left a little less than half the prosciutto on the plate. The cofit duck was a disaster. I was thinking duck leg quarters with crispy skin and yummy slow-cooked meat. I don't know what they gave me. A fried leaf covered soggy, rubbery pieces of skin on top of small, disconnected chunks of duck meat. The meat tasted fine, but it could have been anything. There was a pint of puree and a cup of sauce. The thing ate like a messy soup. Also, when I sat down and put some weight on the crossbar of the bar stool, it just snapped off. The place's vibe was cool but pretty empty for a Friday night. For the price and the clout, I couldn't expect perfection, but I had hoped for better than bad. I actually complained about the confit, and all I got was a sorry. I'm so sorry. I will not be returning or recommending it. read more

Came here based off a friends recommendation but man this place was terrible. The worst restaurant we had on the whole trip. They swear it was a lot better when they went but jeez.. it was beyond mediocre I would give it one star but at least the service and ambiance was good The branzino was not even the whole fish. Every steakhouse I've been to offer the whole fish and the sautéed spinach underneath was so sour The pork chop was OK nothing special but at least it was juicy read more

Butter Midtown - Pan - Seared Branzino Not even the whole fish. Just a filet. - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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The food was first class and just what I expected. So 5 stars for the food. Ambiance we sat in a weird table that was like two card tables put together. No table linen and think kids table at holidays. Table next to us had a 12 inch tear in the seat and the stuffing was hanging out. Rating a 2 Server initially was attentive and then delivered wrong meals. Nonchalant about it and not too engaging afterwards. Had to hunt down to pay. Rating 2 Would we go back - not sure for the price of the "experience" read more