Came for Brunch on a Sunday . Great food (try the shrimp &…read moreGrits- different but really good). Live music is fabulous (Danny Lipsitz) and the drinks are perfect. Of all the places to go In New York, Glad we stopped here . The attentive service (Bar and Restaurant) made the experience even better. Great job Valerie's !!

Came here for a slightly early dinner after a Broadway show with a party of 4 on a Sunday evening…read more We had a reservation, but it didn't seem like we would have needed one, but I suppose better safe than sorry. The ambiance feels straight of the golden age, which is an aesthetic I'm certainly a sucker for. Even their robust cocktail menu fits the bill and is one of the prettiest menus I've ever had the joy of perusing. Staff was able to sit us a little bit ahead of our reservation which was also much appreciated. Wait staff was also very helpful and attentive, I don't think I've ever had my water glass so topped off! Starting off with cocktails, this place is a gin bar through and through and you'd be making a mistake if you didn't try one of their many options. I went with the 10,000 words, which you simply just give a spirit of your choice (I picked gin of course) and whether you antes) wanted your drink shaken or stirred and the bartender does the rest, so a bit of a surprise! I wound up with their version of The Last Word which was delightfully citrusy but I was hoping I'd wind up with something a little more adventurous app things considered. My girlfriend got the blackberry G&T, which was not only very pleasing to look at but delicious to boot. For food, we started with splitting some zucchini blossoms and beef cheek bao buns (both come in portions of 3). Both were tasty, but I love a good bao bun and these were so light and pillowy, I could have just went for an order of those for my main course. For the entree I went for the roasted half chicken, perhaps the most unassuming choice on the menu but this was maybe the best roast chicken I've ever had. Prepared perfectly, cooked to perfection, excellent portion size, and the kicker of it all was the stunning gravy that I was tempted to lick my plate for. Chicken is very easy to screw up, and they nailed it on all fronts here. My girlfriend went for the Valerie Signature burger with white cheddar and this thing did not mess around! A very rich patty, cooked to her temperature of choice served alongside some garlic truffle fries that made an American classic feel just a little more elevated. Our experience was delightful and I'd love to comeback here again, especially to check out more of the cocktail menu and soak in more of that golden age aura the place gives.

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.

Came on a busy Thursday morning at nine am. Got a decaf iced vanilla latte and a nova Benny and the…read moreMac and cheese. And lemme just say the food came out sooo quick. The Benedict was so delicious. I've never had it on a crispy hash brown type before. It was good and a massive portion. Mac and cheese was alright, though I would probably opt out of it next time. I was so full I totally forgot to drink my latte but the latte was good too. Ambiance was nice clean and very busy.

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!

We were a party of nine looking to have one last (memorable) meal before visiting relatives from…read moreEurope were headed back across the pond and we decided The White Sheep (thank you, Duolingo!) across from Bryant Park was the place to go. From the outside it didn't look like much but after passing through the two sets of glass doors... It's packed. And lively. And (really) loud. And it was only a Tuesday night?! (How are all of these people living so high on the hog, without a care in the world?!) We were escorted off to a little tucked-away enclave near the back, but the restaurant was just too boisterous and we had to shout just to talk to people at the other end of the table. We got our menus and there was a bit of 'sticker shock' on my part, I can't lie. "We're in NYC, what did you expect?" - the Mrs. whispered when she saw my eyes go wide. But $38 for chicken parm? (Which is what I went with after seeing it had its own little "parm-fection" hype on the menu.) And $36 for the Branzino (which consisted of one fillet on a small bed of wilted spinach)? Our table dabbled all over the place and for the most part everyone really enjoyed their meals. The food they're knocking out is legit, for sure. But the bill came out to over $60 a person (including the tip, but we didn't have apps or dessert and half of us just had water), which hurts when you're a cheap-o like myself. Our waitress was awesome (and she didn't even seem fazed when I tried to rattle her that we were going to split the check onto nine different credit cards... but we only used one). And Bryant Park (right across the street) was the perfect nightcap on a lovely spring evening.

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