Jumping straight to the food because it was so good. The half chicken and Rigatoni pasta were both so flavorful. Chicken is huge and can easily be shared by two. Endive salad was also very fresh. For dessert we had strawberry cheesecake which was okay. Service was great. Ambiance can be casual or dressy. read more

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Snagged a weekend lunch reservation at Raf's. This Italian and French restaurant has a bakery up front so you just order baked goods to go if you're not dining in. The bread basket was a great start, with an assortment of breads and olive oil with butter for dipping. We shared the rigatoni, Iberico collar Milanese and burger. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the pork was nicely crispy. Had to end with a croissant and olive oil cake. The cake was covered in thick frosting, but it would have been better without it. Croissant was super flakey! The other pastries in the bakery looked so good and will be back to try them. read more

Very cozy interior with an open kitchen concept! We came on a Friday night with reservations and it wasn't too packed. We got the bread, ricotta, and carta for apps. The bread was tasty but still pricey for $14. The ricotta tasted like tofu. While the apps fell flat, the main dishes were quite delicious. I got the ravioli and also tried the rigatoni, which were both very tasty. read more

big fan! came just for the pastries which were delicious. 10/10 no notes on the caramelized onion roll. the icing on the olive oil cake was WAY too sweet but we just scraped it off and enjoyed the decadence of the cake itself. it was sooo moist and i'd go back for it. chocolate croissant was good. latte was good, nothing special though. service was extremely friendly and we were sat immediately on saturday at 11:30am, i was surprised there was no wait. it got really full around noon though. the vibes were also beautiful. read more

Raf's - olive oil cake, onion roll, chocolate croissant, latte - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Stopped in for a fancy work-week lunch. I was specifically looking for a menu item I saw online, the French onion vol-au-vent, which was sadly not on the menu, but there were plenty of other dishes to try, including several vegetarian options. I got the leeks vinaigrette, which was delicious and loaded with crunchy hazelnuts and an herby sauce, and the rigatoni trapanese, which was perfectly al dente with a tangy tomato sauce. They do not skimp on the sauce and flavor here, which I really appreciate! The service was excellent start to finish - everyone I interacted with was so friendly and warm, and anticipated my needs. I'll be going back very soon, and look forward to trying a cocktail or something from the wine list, and especially dessert. read more

Raf's - Leeks vinaigrette - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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This little gem is located in Nolita, just off of Houston Street. What a beautiful interior, charming, very European feeling. We went for breakfast and the pastries were amazing. The egg dishes very very appealing. It's somewhere that you could go and relax. have a breakfast and not be rushed. Very relaxed atmosphere. My daughter went there for dinner and the food was delicious.Service was a little slow, waiters are very friendly and chatty. I can't wait to go back for dinner because the menu looked amazing. A little pricey, but well worth it. read more

Excellent breakfast meeting spot I was in Midtown for work and met up with a friend coming in from Brooklyn. This was a great place to meet given its proximity to the subway. We met at 9:30am and it was not crowded so we were able to enjoy breakfast and catch-up without feeling crowded or rushed. The food was delicious and the service was top notch. Highly recommended. read more

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Went back for brunch and YUM! Milanese, burger, rigatoni.... Milanese was my fave super juicy and crunchy and just so good with a little squirt of lemon... burger was a lil overcooked but flavor was good... rigatoni was cooked PERFECTLY (my favorable al dente) nice little bounce back and a lovely sauce. Olive oil cake had too much frosting for my liking, I prefer not overly sweet desserts but the actual cake was moist and fluffy. Love the vibes but fyi they have a (I think wood burning) open oven in the back so the back of the restaurant gets pretty pretty pretty warm ... read more

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I was here for the famous burger. With price labels as $28, it wasn't a disappointment like I had a lot recently among NYC's high end burgers. I never noticed there was a wood fire oven in the kitchen until I tasted the burger. Smoky and crispy, you can actually taste the fire doing its work. It wasn't a burger that emphasized on juiciness of the patty, as simple as it is, the flavor made it one of my top 5 burgers in the city. Besides the burgers, I gave a huge boost for their espresso, fruity and balance, never thought I would run into this in a French cafe. Nothing can cheer me up more than a burger with espresso in a Saturday brunch. Raf's is separated into a cafe and a dining area with each having around 5 tables and 15 seats. Warm and classy colors made me feel incredibly comfortable in a morning after hangover. read more

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I'd rate Raf's four and a half stars. We scored an awesome deal through too good to go, so my opinion is certainly biased. We picked up a box with a chocolate croissant, a prosciutto and taleggio crossiant sandwich, and a citrus tart for $6. The group typically sells for $23.50, so it's tough for me to fairly evaluate the value. Item wise, my favorite was the prosciutto croissant sandwich. My palate leans to savory and fatty so that hit that mark for me. Second favorite was the tart. Interesting contrast of flavors from the citrus and I believe pine nuts. It had the best shelf life of the group. read more

We started with the bread basket (because bakery), got some oysters, the gem salad, the tuna crudo, mushrooms and the split pea ravioli. I'd say skip the mushrooms and you HAVE to order the split pea ravioli (yes, even if you're not a big pea fan, like myself). They also seated us at what I thought was the best spot in the whole restaurant (booth in the corner, close to the kitchen entrance, with a excellent view of the whole space) and superb customer service. We rounded out the meal with the orange cake dessert and they gave us a complimentary budino (YUM, what a surprise hit!). As a fan of Cafe Zaffri, this spot is perfect for date night or dinner with girlfriends. read more

Somewhat of an underwhelming experience. The decor was beautiful. French omelette with roe and the burger were delicous, however considering the prices they were small and did not come with sides. The oj was fresh but tiny and the cocktail was basically a cup of ice with hardly any alcohol. I also expected the croissants to be light and flakey, although crunchy they were too dense. read more

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Came for lunch, and the place felt rather cramped and hectic. Service was fine, it just felt hurried. We ordered burgers as well as the bread basket to start (training for the marathon -- don't judge). The bread was great as to be expected at a bakery. The burger was fine -- no real substantive complaints. And again, the bun was really nice -- very well seeded. But I wasn't wowed by it. A lot of aioli which sort of overpowered things. Good coffee. Sort of a mixed bag but still four stars. read more

The food is great at Raf's, a full 5! The problem is the service is a hot mess. They just can't seem to handle the crush of such a successful restaurant. A nice room with a terrific vibe. They really need to get their act together if Raf's is going to make it for the long haul. read more

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Great both for a classy Italian dinner and for mid-day lounging with pastries. Highlights: - The Sfincione was revelatory... a cute little cast iron with a thick bread topped with savory anchovies, breadcrumbs, and countered with a simple tomato sauce. - Spaghetti was wonderful. It's not fish! It's a garnish of cured roe that explodes with briny aromas, paired with Calabrian chiles. - Leeks Vinaigrette. How savory can you make a humble vegetable? I don't know if it was confit'd, but it gave those vibes. Also good: rigatoni, dorade, the white chocolate budino dessert. Less good (perhaps reflecting my personal preferences): escargot. Separately, we went to sit in the morning at the bar with coffee and great pastries, both the almond croissant and mushroom tart we tried. read more

- overall rating: 4.5 - got last minute reservations with a friend of mine for dinner - recommend: bread basket, mafaldine, half chicken - I rarely order chicken at restaurants but it was perfectly cooked and between that and the pasta we actually had enough for some leftovers - the pasta was creamy without being heavy or overwhelming just very comforting - my companion knew some of the staff so we didn't have issues with service - wine is on the more expensive side - knocking half a point because when I ordered a second glass of the (white) wine I was drinking, he swapped it for something else (orange wine) without consulting me read more

Recently dined at Raf's, and had a wonderful experience. Although they bill themselves as a bakery, they are really just a charming restaurant, with a great menu and small, charming atmosphere. Service was exceptional, and though we didn't have a reservation, the staff was able to accommodate us as walk-ins at one of their bar tables (and their standard bar seats are also first-come-first-served). The waiter went to great lengths to describe the dishes and address our eccectic food allergies. The endive salad we ordered was exceptional, with an incredible variety of flavors that all combined well without being over-seasoned, and I'd frankly eat here again just for that. The fish was well prepared and enjoyable (though I don't think I've ever had a fish preparation that I'd rave about). The wine selection was comprehensive, and they let us sample a number of varieties I'd never had, which is always nice. Dessert was unique and delectable, and the overall experience was lovely. A great new addition to the neighborhood that I would heartily recommend. read more

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4 stars for Raf's - good Italian / French fare but not great to require the 5 stars. We got the sfioncione, the leeks, the mafaldine and the escargots. Plus cocktails and desserts (ricotta cheesecake, white chocolate budino). The sfincione was the best! Tasty and rich bread base with tomato, cheese and anchovies on top - pretty unique. The mafaldine was good but felt a bit dry (I'd prefer the mafaldine from Misi for example). The escargots also good but not the best I've had. The leeks were average - perhaps we should have skipped that and tried one of their tartares instead! I really liked the budino from the desserts - soft and sweet, but if you're not into soft puddings and creamy desserts you might not like it. read more

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3.75/5 Raf's is a good restaurant with some very good food. The cocktails (tried the Palermo and Scorcese) were excellent, the selection of daily breads served with butter and olive oil was delicious, and the half-chicken was moist, flavorful, and enjoyable. Though many of the other items on the menu were average including the "Warm Fresh Ricotta" that was watery, the "Rigatoni alla Trapense" that was decent, and the steak tartare, leeks, pommes frites, and oyster mushrooms that were largely forgettable. The restaurant is beautiful with an ambiance like a nice living room. However, the benches were uncomfortable and the service was awkward at times, with waiters trying to clear plates too quickly. With a proper menu selection and optimal seating, a small party could potentially avoid Raf's' negatives. Though I likely will not return, I am happy that I tried it. As I believe that Francie does 'Europen Bistro' better, I would go there instead. read more

Raf's - Half Chicken - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

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Have you kept a place secret? I did with Raf's. It is both a bakery and restaurant and was on my "New Eating Delights" List. Open from 9 to 2 pm in the mornings, I finally made two visits. I ate a variety of delicious baked goods from a tender candied orange almond croissant to amaretti that I took home twice. Last Thursday I had dinner here. Having read that reservations were hard to get I was surprised when on my first visit John, the manager, made one for me. All I wanted were the escargots and leeks. The menu is fairly small and expensive. I was stretching myself thin eating here but these two dishes beckoned. The tiny round rolls that looked like large buttons were divine. All the breads were warm which gave them oomph especially when I dipped them into the Sicilian olive oil and the salted butter. I could have eaten five of those rolls. Six escargots came with their pool of garlic butter. Three were empty so I told the server and I was given another plate with six snails which had plump meat inside. That was kind. I dreamed of the leeks with hazelnuts for several days after I had eaten them. I mistook the green vinaigrette for pesto. Each bite was sublime. I wanted to kiss the chef. A scoop of vanilla ice cream with a wafer completed dinner. I was happily satiated with fine food and kind service. read more

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Extremely disappointing to show up for a confirmed reservation with my family to find out the restaurant is closed. We are visiting NYC and are now stranded outside in the cold at prime dining hours so no alternative. Really unacceptable! read more

Fantastic addition to the NYC restaurant market . Seems that they change menu monthly , but it looks like the Dorade will stay and it was excellent. Their jambon is fantastic though I will definitely change that cracker (which they offer as flat bread - it's not) to something more of a REAL flat bread . Great wine ,fairly priced , selection . And of course their fabulous deserts , we took the budino & torte and both were high class . Their bakes during the weekends morning are a must . One annoying problem , which is an American problem - ACOUSTIC - Terrible !!!! Mostly when some people into their second , third drink..... Even though. Highly recommended !!!! Definitely A Destination!!!! read more

I've been here a couple of times now and love it! First, I came to try the breakfast pastries and was pleasantly surprised. They were buttery, flaky, and delicious. I appreciate that they rotate them based on seasonality. My favorite ones were the strawberry ricotta bun and the orange blossom almond croissant. Most recently, I came for dinner and was pretty impressed too! We started with the Carta di Musica and the Escargot, both on point. When the Warm Fresh Ricotta arrived, we ordered some bread, thinking we would need it, but the ricotta's texture is pretty unique and not heavy at all. We were very happy we ended up ordering the bread basket because it was so good! It came with 3 different types of bread and they were all delicious, especially with the butter and olive oil that comes with it. Then we had the Mafaldine, Whole Dorade, Pork Shoulder, and Leeks Vinaigrette. Everything was superb - flavorful and well-executed. The pork collar was juicy and tender and the leeks were well-balanced. To finish our meal, we shared the cheesecake and the chocolate torte. The cheesecake was light and refreshing and the torte was decadent but not too heavy or sweet. Service was very friendly and attentive at all times. The space itself is elegant, yet cozy and unassuming. I would definitely recommend checking it out. Perfect for date night! read more

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Came here for brunch this past Sunday. Easy walk-in and got a table for 3. Service here definitely gets a 5/5. Friendly , inviting service with smiles. Food was average - nothing to write home about. Now the real reason I wanted to try this place was because of the pastry chef Camari Mick who was featured on the CBS "The Dish". The pastry basket was all sold out so I tried a la cart candied orange Almond Croissant and the asparagus and goat cheese danish. While not bad, not sure what the raves are about. The almond croissant at Wholefoods is about the same minus slight orange flavor, and I hardly tasted any goat cheese in the danish. The pastries were also pretty dry- maybe was just an off day? Not sure I'll try again since I feel Maman has much better quality pastries. But again service was excellent so still a decent brunch spot :) read more

Was really looking forward to trying this establishment out but was truly disappointed. Firstly, it's very difficult to get in touch with anyone at the restaurant. No one picks up the phone or responds to emails, especially when it's a party of more than 4ppl. Second, when arriving the waitress, Jenna was extremely rude, unwelcoming, and Inflexible. We had a party of 7 with us, and she could not seat us all together because "that's not how the aesthetic of this place is" like WHAT??!? Our party had to be separated where we played musical chairs to be able to catch up with one another and try to have the birthday girls (twins) happy. Just steer clear of her. Lastly, the food was ok. Nothing super special. Presentation was beautiful but quality and taste - meh. Spend your money elsewhere. Good luck! read more

I thought lunch here was really solid, although I'd like to go back for dinner to give it a fair shake. Tardivo Salad... Sicilian Pistachio, Blood Orange, Ricotta Salata $24 - I liked the salad enough, although the tardivo is SO BITTER. Wish a different base was used. Grilled Chicken Panzanella... Market Greens, Salsa Verde, Fennel Pollen $28 - a little bland Dry-Aged Beef Burger... Gruyère, Tarragon Aioli, Capers, Sesame Roll* $28 - really liked! Iberico Collar Milanese... Celery, Cherry Peppers, Neonata $32 - I really liked this (doused in lemon- yum) Tuna Tartare... Chilies, Mint, Lemon, Baguette* $26 read more

Is there a better cotes d' boeuf in NYC? I truly doubt it! Nice formal restaurant in lower Manhattan.

Wonderful little place with European bakery setup upfront and lovely upscale dining room in the back. Small menu but delicious menu choices. Nice wines. Good service. read more

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Raf's offers an intimate and romantic ambiance with an open kitchen, but my dining experience was marred by subpar service. The staff could benefit from additional training to enhance the overall customer experience. read more

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TLDR: Extremely overhyped, purely social media marketing. don't go unless you feel like wasting your money and time to get a pic cocktails were subpar, and the budin while cute was terribly balanced - way too salty, and although the granola / cookie base was solid overall some parts tasted burnt read more

What led me to write this were the couple of bad reviews I've read on Yelp and Google. Y'all are plebs! Raf's food is incredible, and yes it does live up to the hype. Shockingly so. Because I came here prepared to be a hater lol. First off, to anyone who says this is the prettiest restaurant they've ever been to... are you guys really into country clubs or something? It looks like a regular fine dining establishment. I wasn't impressed *at all.* But I'm here to eat, so decor is last on my list of priorities. What we ordered: - Bread basket - Fluke crudo - Steak tartare - Leeks vinaigrette - Mafaldine with rabbit - Spaghetti with tuna bottarga - White chocolate budino I rolled my eyes when my partner ordered the bread basket for $14, because it's bread and olive oil!! How good can it be, right? No y'all, this bread is absolutely delicious and the olive oil and salty butter that it came with was incredible. GET THE BREAD. Just get it. 10/10 The fluke crudo may have been my favorite dish of the evening. I paired it with the orange wine and the flavors were just perfect. Tangy, aromatic from the basil, freshly peppered, and drizzled with that amazing olive oil. The fluke was tender and fresh. Absolutely get this. 10/10 The beef tartare... how on earth did this get so much hate in some of the other reviews? This tartare is topped with a creative play on a Caesar salad. There's no egg yolk. You get fresh steak tartare, topped with mint, lemon, a bit of anchovy-based dressing I think, Parmesan, and bread crumbs. The flavors went so well together, especially with the mint and savory sharpness of the Parmesan. I didn't love the texture of the breadcrumbs, but because it was inspired by Caesar salad I appreciated the creativity. It didn't take away from the dish, so it's still 9/10. Next was the Mafaldine with rabbit and fava beans. The pasta was perfect in texture, the rabbit extremely tender, and the sauce very salty and savory, cut with the sweet earthiness of the fava beans. I thought fava wasn't the best flavor to pair it with but what do I know, it was delicious anyway! 9/10 After this we had the leeks, and this is where the spell was broken. The flavors here all fought with each other. Stracciatella, pesto, and hazelnuts are all of my favorite things, so how could this not be amazing? The leeks were caramelized, ending up mushy in texture. Because of the way they were cooked they were also quite sweet. The mushy sweetness tasted so strange with the acidic vinaigrette, the pesto was trying to be its own star, the stracciatella was completely lost, and the hazelnuts didn't even know why they were invited to the party. This dish was straight up gross. Why is this even on the menu? 1/10 Following my disappointed leeks was the spaghetti with tuna bottarga. This was balanced and savory (though not as salty as the Mafaldine) and had classic Sicilian flavors. I'm not the biggest fan of Sicilian food tbh, so this one wasn't an immediate win for me. The pasta was again perfectly cooked. Tuna bottarga is dried cured tuna, known as prosciutto of the sea. The reviewer who claimed it was fishy and inedible is dramatic af. That being said I wasn't impressed with it because of how turned off I was by the leeks. It was good, not too greasy or oily, but not the best thing on the menu. 7/10 We got the white chocolate budino for dessert and I'm convinced that it's the better dessert without even trying the other one. I'm so glad we got this. 10/10 After dinner I usually opt for something sweet like a fancy amaretto served neat or an espresso martini. They didn't have either, and the waitress suggested amaro. My partner and I both dislike amaro, and I'm so tired of the amaro trend. Please stock amaretto! Or offer a limoncello or something, damn. But whatever, I ordered an amaro that was on the sweeter side and it was okay, better than most of the amaros I've had. 6/10 So here's the reason I knocked off a star: - When we got there, we were offered tap or sparkling water. We ordered sparkling. They brought a bottle of San Pellegrino. We got the check and it was $10. TELL US THAT IT COSTS $10 BEFORE OFFERING. Are y'all crazy? It's $1.25 at the deli. - Lack of good after-dinner drinks or cocktails. - The cocktail menu actually didn't sound good overall. Amaro was in the majority of the cocktails, yuck. - The cost of the bread basket (yeah it's incredible but maybe cap that thing at $10 and hand over the sparkling water for free, wtf). - The decor and ambiance wasn't all that and it was super hot because of the open kitchen. The benches were also uncomfortable and made sitting at the table awkward. My back hurt a little afterward. After tip our total was around $300. It was the most expensive meal we've had to date, but it was our anniversary so it's a rare treat for us. Next time I'll skip the spaghetti, leeks, and drinks unless they switch it up. (Cut back on the amaro, seriously.) read more

Food is delicious but my god they packed way too many tables in there. I spent my entire meal getting hit left and right by the staff leaving the kitchen and other patrons needing to walk around to the back and into the kitchen to get to the other side of the restaurant. Our waiter was a space cadet and didn't seem to know anything about the food. You have to wait a long time for your wine bc the sommelier is running behind and only she can pour the wine. Id rather sit in the front where the lounge booths look more comfortable and it's less crowded. Also why is the bread basket $14!!! read more

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It has the possibility of being a great place, but it's not there yet. The wait staff are friendly, but they do make mistakes, take way too much time to serve or clear plates, don't refill the water quickly enough. Small stuff. The menu is so perfect, there is something for everyone. we found our fluke crudo very meh, over salted and with too much acid. The chicken and spaghetti we ordered were both heavenly. The dessert was tasty but nothing to write home about. The consistency isn't there. We were on a date so didn't mind the wait time or the food. Its a cute, cozy spot, great for date night or with a few friends. Definitely has potential. read more

Raf's - Cheesecake ! - Bakeries Near Me - New York, New York

I have only been to the bakery in the morning for pastries and coffee, but this place is not only the cutest bakery, but has phenomenal food as well. It has a European feel to it and all of the pastries are delicious. Highly recommend for meeting up with a friend for coffee or simply to get a nice breakfast. For the pastries you have to order at the bar and then they bring it to you. read more

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Came for dinner with my daughter who lives around the corner. Before we ate the server spilled a coffee martini down my back - hair, silk scarf, cashmere sweater and coat - all wet and smelly. They comped our dinner and made a huge deal about paying the dry cleaning. Interesting that the manager asked me to tip the server, even though I never saw the server again and she never said sorry. But I did tip because I was once a server. Submitted my receipt a few days later. I never heard back from them and was not reimbursed. I just sent them a note asking them to do something good with the money. The food was fine but not amazing probably because I was so rattled and wet. read more

One of the worst dining experiences I have ever had. The staff here are beyond rude, and they have no regard for their customer

Front of house service ruined our entire experience and meal. Do not come here unless you want to be treated badly, rushed through your meal, seated at a bad table and receive the worst service in New York. read more

Front of house Service was terrible. We were forced out of our table, made to feel uncomfortable, constantly trying to take our dishes before we finished, tried to seat a table of 3 in a space for 1, all the plates kept falling. And did not even offer us dessert just threw the check to us. This place needs a class on hospitality, all started with the guy giving the tables at the front. He was the absolute worst! read more

Just a terrible experience here at Raf's. Almost everything arrived cold, which was even more surprising since we had a 5pm reservation just as they opened for dinner service. Started with the bread basket, which arrived cold. Then we had the leeks vinaigrette, which was also cold. At this point I asked the server if it was supposed to be cold, and she first said yes, then no, and then that she wasn't sure. She finally agreed to go ask the kitchen, and came back and said it was supposed to be served hot (of course!). But since we'd already eaten half, she didn't offer to replace it. I finally negotiated them bringing us at least a HALF serving, served hot. How can a restaurant not automatically replace a dish they botched? Then came the mains. My wife's Iberico pork chop ($48) arrived... cold. When we finally got the server and told her, she tried to tell us that it was because the salad served on top of the meat cools it down. Right. Like a few pieces of greens would drop the temp of a pork chop 30 degrees. They replaced it with a version that was so small, it probably only had 6-8 bites of actual meat. I ordered their signature chicken, which was at least warm, but was really not a good piece of meat. And it wasn't just us. Both tables next to us sent dishes back for being cold. One was the $165 cote de boeuf for two; I could see their dish arrived raw in the center. They sent it back, and when it came back it didn't look much better. One problem was clearly the server. There are only about 10 tables in this restaurant, so it should've been manageable. But every time I looked for her, she was hanging out at the bar, either chatting with the bartender or having a drink while reading her phone. This while all the food in the kitchen was getting cold, I guess. Finally the server then seemed shocked that we wanted the check without having dessert. I went over all the problems again, and when the check came, they didn't even take anything off the bill. Finally the manager came over as we were leaving; I told her everything that had happened, and she also didn't offer to adjust the bill. At this point she should've just voided the whole check, and just charged us for the cocktails, which were decent. She did offer to give us a deal on a future visit, but there's no way I'm ever stepping foot in this place again. This is all pretty bad for a place that's going to run at least $100 per person. I believe this is the first time I've ever given a 1-star review to any restaurant in NYC. read more

Would have given a higher score if it wasn't for the front of house service. We had made a reservation 5 people over email (that's the only way to get a resy for larger party). I informed the restaurant that this was a special occasion. When we came, they sat us at a table right by the front door, next to the loud bar, and not in the back room. I asked them if we could be moved, and, in a rude fashion, the hostess told me that I had to request the back room in my reservation. This is untrue! I've had many friends dine there, and not a single one even knew to request the back room. Furthermore, when I saw another empty table and asked if we could sit there, she told me it was reserved for 8. Upon leaving, we saw 6 people at the table. The food was good, but not great. Chicken was the best dish as was the spaghetti with tuna bottarga. For all the hype, very disappointing experience. read more