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    The Balcony Lounge

    4.2 (21 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    THE BALCONY LOUNGE ATMOSPHERE

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    One of the bridges over the Hudson River New York
    Miguel C.

    They had a simple menu , with appetizers like Naan with a hummus chickpea spread with spices and feta cheese. Also classic ham cheese sandwich with fancy hams it was good but a bit pricey: the same for the shrimp cocktail. Nice size shrimp I would have liked a bit more. My wife's chicken salad BLT she liked even though she's not big on bacon , the ambiance was all right ,I must say it was a bit crowded but than again it was near lunch time , I do recommend grabbing something at one of many food trucks by the sidewalk outside but we loved the Museum it was an amazing experience we do recommend it ..

    Qin Z.

    Very nice place to relax and hide away from the crowd. Food tasted good, a bit expensive for what it was but it tasted good. So why the 1 star? After eating the hamachi shortly after I started to feel unwell. About 20-30 minutes after ingestion of the food I started to get a headache and nausea. This persisted until I forced myself to throw up. The nausea improved but the headache persisted. Took a day to recover. In short got food poisoning from what is likely improperly stored hamachi. Should've know something was off when it felt a little warmer than it should be.

    Greek Yogurt

    A Hidden Gem for MET Members. Tucked away from the bustle of the galleries, the Balcony Lounge feels like a quiet sanctuary above the art. The atmosphere is serene -- soft light reflecting off the museum's marble tones, with an understated elegance that makes you slow down and savor every moment. The food is beautifully presented and thoughtfully portioned. The cake I tried was perfectly toasted on the outside, with a smooth, creamy center and a touch of rich chocolate sauce that tied it all together. The pairing of chips and dip that came before it was simple but satisfying, a reminder that the lounge values quality over extravagance. Service was also great, but sometimes a little slow. When it's crowded, service will be pretty ordinary. This is one of those rare corners of New York that make you feel like the city has paused just for you.

    Kristi L.

    The Balcony Lounge really is a little oasis in the Met. My boyfriend and I always walk around so much, trying to soak everything in, and our feet inevitably start to hurt. It's so nice to be able to go to a members only area to relax and eat some good food. The service here is prompt and friendly. No qualms. You can call to make reservations or walk in. The latter is a bit risky, but there are definitely times when they are less busy that you can score a table or sofa. The varied seating options in the Lounge give the environment a classy yet comfortable ambience. As for the food, I've really enjoyed the lobster roll. It's packed with lobster and is well seasoned. My only piece of constructive criticism is that I wish the food menu had a little more variety. There were many cold options, but some hot dishes (besides soup) would be very welcome, especially during the colder months.

    a view of a cloudy sky
    Micah M.

    I've come here several times. I've dined at both the tables and the couches. There is never a broad enough choice of food when I visit here. Today, the naan & hummus/feta/babagnoush was excellent. The chicken BLT was plentiful but overdressed. The flavor of the Earl grey tea was Impeccable but it was brought out already made; I was unable to regulate the strength. The chocolate cake portion was ample. The vanilla ice cream was tasty but the portion was miniscule. The capuchino was adequate. There was a long wait for the check.

    Steak tartar
    Joyce H.

    A little great gem in the museum!! I love the vibe - it definitely screams "lounge" with the sofa seating and that's what I came here to do. I love how secluded and quiet this lounge is compared to the other dining areas in the museum - granted, that's what you pay the membership for. To be honest, I didn't really have expectations of the food and thought that they would overcharge given the location and establishment, but was pleasantly surprised to see everything was reasonably priced (at least for New York). Yes, the hot dog stand outside would still be cheaper, but other restaurants around central park would be charging the same if not more. The food itself is good, plated nicely, and filling. If you're planning to spend a few hours at the museum, this is a really good rest stop or even just to stop by for a bite if you're strolling in the area!

    Lobster creste de gallo
    Elizabeth e.

    We came for our anniversary dinner - it was lovely. Next time I'd make sure we book reservations at sunset to ensure we can take advantage of the beautiful view. Dinner was delicious- highly recommend the mushroom tart, creste de gallo, short rib and mascarpone cheesecake with yuzu for dessert. YUM!!

    fall menu
    Andrew D.

    I am loving the newly reopened Member's Balcony Lounge. Bill Telepan's menu is excellent and uses seasonal ingredients some of it grown on the museum's roof garden. I loved the Turkey Cubano, salmon tartine and the french onion soup. The ambiance is quiet and peaceful compared to the other dining venues in the museum. Definitely try the moist and creamy member's chocolate cake.

    Steak tartare
    Eugenia Y.

    I was honestly a little shocked at how much of an oasis the Balcony Lounge is. There is ample seating in the lounge, and it's a mix of tables and sofas. The food is fancier and expensive, but surprisingly not as expensive as I would've expected. My party had lunch here and we did enjoy a lot of what we had. I felt the coffee wasn't amazingly done, but that's not a huge issue. I do wish that the Balcony Lounge was a lot less formal though, and could just be a place to relax and hang out. When I was there last, it seemed to have more of a restaurant vibe, where you would walk in, be seated, order, pay, and leave. I wish I would be able to walk in and sit wherever I'd like and have a less time-constrained visit!

    Inside

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    8 months ago

    Nice to steal away somewhere quiet while visiting the often-crowded Met. Food is good, service can be a tad slow.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Delicious food, lovely atmosphere and excellent service. Such a perfect place to have drinks and hors d'oeuvres right inside the Met!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great ambiance and friendly staff. Food was quick and tasty. Will definitely be going back

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    Prince Tea House

    Prince Tea House

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    I am a frequent Prince Tea House goer, but I've never been to the KTown location which has always…read morebeen on my bucket list because of the nice wall decors! And I commonly see the upstairs for private events like baby showers, bridal showers, or birthday parties on social media. After dinner with my friends, I was looking for dessert and I was glad to see this location closes relatively late on a weekday night at 11 pm. Upon walking in, I was greeted by a waiter who led us to one of the purple velvet chair booths that was perfect for two people and another waiter brought us a pitcher of water almost immediately. The menu is on a QR code already on the table and we were given ample of time to decide. My friend and I both already knew what we wanted to order. I got the purple Yam Souffle which takes 25 minutes to make and my friend got the fried squid tails. We also got a signature Rose Green Milk Tea to share. The waitress who took our order has great memory and recalled all of our items without writing it down. She also reminded me that I could adjust the ice and sugar levels of my drink which I had completely forgotten and would have got annoyed if my drink came out 100% sweetness. Another thing is that my drink order frequently comes out wrong at other locations so I was glad she got it right! Green tea instead of black tea and with milk instead of without milk. The purple Yam Souffle is just like the other locations. Hot, soft cakey texture balanced with an ice cold red bean Ice-Cream. So delicious! The squid tails on the other hand was not what we expected. It came out burnt and hard. The outer batter was not crispy either. We informed one of the waiters and he brought it back to inform the kitchen staff. We received a new batch that was not as burnt and had more flavoring this time around. However, the squid was still hard and not like the ones we get from other locations with smaller crispier pieces. Overall, it was still a good experience and I love the decorations at this location! This might be my second favorite location after the Flushing one. Would love to come back for brunch or hi-tea. Or regular food options when I have not already eaten dinner. My usual go-tos are the twister fries, Santa Fe chicken rolls, fried salted crispy chicken, and the trio dessert combo. However, this location has a lot more variety! FYI - there are two unisex restrooms in the rear for customers to use with really cute wallpapers too.

    This is always my favorite spot to go for desserts and hangout. The interior decor is very modern,…read moresophisticated and stylish. We ordered potted rose milk tea to share, Dubai affogato and Brown Sugar Boba Mille Crêpes Cake. We came on a Friday around 4pm. Originally I wanted to try the strawberry matchamisu, however, was told that it sold out. What a bummer. The rose milk tea came with a themed pot and cups which is really cute. The rose fragrant smelled so good and the milk tea also tasted good and has a hint of rose taste. The cake was good, the boba was well cooked, chewy and flavorful! This time there was an unpleasant experience. At first when the Dubai affogato was served, we did not realize that the amount of the coffee was little until we saw another customer's dish that the volume of their coffee looked significantly more than ours. My friend brought it to the waitress attention but the waitress brushed it off and did not acknowledge our concern. When we finished and were about to leave, the same waitress came over and showed us that the container of the coffee was different and hence the volume of the coffee looked different. At this point, we did not care for it anymore. We would have been fine if the staff acknowledged our concern. We thought that maybe using standardized containers for the coffee would avoid this problem. Other than that, the food and drinks were good.

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    Inside
    Inside
    Mango Mille Crpes Cake
    Mango Mille Crpes Cake
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    Seoul Sweets

    Seoul Sweets

    3.9
    (252 reviews)
    2.5 mi

    I believe Seoul Sweets is currently the only spot in NYC specializing in ssal cakes (korean rice…read moreflour cake), and I love how light and not too sweet it is. Made with rice flour and egg whites, it is so airy, and literally feels like cutting through a cloud. Plus, it's gluten-free! A perfect little cake for a small celebration They also make the prettiest korean dessert sets, alongside bingsu, dubai chewy cookies, and einspanner. They're seriously always keeping up with the trends! *Black Sesame Ssal Cake $16.5 ** My top pick. The black sesame layer on top was the richest. Super nutty without being too heavy. The sponge and cream cheese had a subtle black sesame flavor. It reminded me of the cream in their black sesame einspanner. *Mugwort Ssal Cake $16.5 * This one was surprisingly rich. The mugwort had a strong earthy, herby flavor, while the plain cream cheese layer helped cut through the richness. *Mango Ssal Cake $16.5 This was a bit of a miss to me as there wasn't any mango-flavored sponge or mango puree inside. It was just a plain rice flour cake with a few slices of fresh mango on top. Though I could really taste the mild, clean rice flavor in this one. *Da-On Sang Set $26 ** A must-order if it's your first time here! The mochi was super soft, and the strawberry was so ripe and sweet. The yak-gwa and joo-ak were chewy, sticky, and just sweet enough, especially paired with the tea that came with the set. *Black Sesame Einspanner $8.5 *Mugwort Einspanner $8.5 The cream was lighter compared to other einspanners I've had. The mugwort one was bursting with earthy flavor. Definitely try it if you're a mugwort fan. The black sesame was alright. I personally wish it was a little richer.

    This review is based on a takeout order…read more Was gifted a box of desserts from here and they were so delish! The box had juak, yakgwa, and injeolmi. All of them tasted authentic (I'm Korean) and well executed. Also tried the black sesame cake which was amazing. The desserts here reminded me of rice cake bakeries/cafes in Korea so it's pretty legit. Sad I haven't made it to their store yet but it looks beautiful based on pictures. I'd love to go try their desserts in store one day!

    Photos
    Black sesame einspanner
    Black sesame einspanner
    Ingeolmi (rice cake) Tiramisu and Black Sesame Einspänner
    Ingeolmi (rice cake) Tiramisu and Black Sesame Einspänner
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    The Balcony Lounge - cafes - Updated August 2026

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