Service: great service, attentive staff…read more Ambiance: sat at the Chefs Counter, it felt like watching the bear in real life. Very entertaining to see how they put each dish together and how they operate the grill Food: ordered the Pita, mackerel toast, heirloom tomato, scallop special, and the lamb. Everything was phenomenal, there were no bad bites. Nothing that felt mediocore. Also got this wine from the salt and herb section and it was delicious! Highlights for me were the pita and nduja hummus, hiramasa crudo and the scallop

From service to food they do it well here. For the price? Ok I'm starting to get worried for my…read morewallet. I wouldn't come here if you're on a budget! The best food here is definitely going to be the local specialty and I was correct! We came as a group of 6- made this reservation a month in advance. They were super patient with us and took our orders pretty quick. The wine selection is magnificent I had such a great orange wine and tried their refreshing rose secco and they paired really well with the seafood. We ordered the tilefish ceviche, the famous sourdough, maitake and yellow oyster mushrooms and grilled corn to start. They each came on their own pace so it was 1 by 1. We got to focus on each dish and share it. It felt like tapas style! Amongst these starters I definitely really loved the ceviche athough my friends felt like it was lackluster. The oyster mushrooms and corn was interesting but not as amazing as the sourdough. We ordered two dishes for this and I felt like it wasn't enough. The ricotta is just so creamy and definitely left me wanting more. For secondary we ordered mackerel toast and the shrimp! These were definitely one of the most memorable and the mackerel was raw which was so fun and interesting play on texture with the cream cheese toast. Definitely something I would like to eat often for breakfast as it's similar to lox but not smokey and just super fresh and neutral. The shrimp was absolute star of the show. I don't have much notes on that other than it was spectacular. The way they grilled it or cooked it was just love! For the mains we shared the half chicken and the tilefish local specialty dish! I think the chicken you can skip but I definitely think the fish was one of the best fish I've eaten recently! I love the tomatoes and way they flavored it. For dessert I know my friend said the chocolate cake was the best but I digress I actually think there's better out there. Instead we also ordered their recommended lemon possett and this one was actually super worth it. I'd recommend this for sure! It's so tart but not too tart and light and airy it's definitely more my vibe. Our total was pretty crazy for a six person group I ended up paying around $80 pp for these dishes. I had a fun time having dinner with friends but we were also rushed out after we finished and it was time to give other people their spots. It definitely feels like you're only going there to eat and not to stay for a long dinner and chat.

Opening night, absolutely loved the meal! To start the arancini was phenomenal, the focaccia with…read morethe dip was mind blowing, the panzanella salad was incredible. Artichokes were fine, nothing to write home about. For mains, the garganelli was phenomenal, and I loved the Bolognese. The Amatricana was very good, the lasagna and zucchini spagetti fine. For dessert the donuts and tiramisu were amongst the best I've had. Overall LOVED the meal and brought back memories of the old osteria Morini.

Had a great experience overall at Piccolo! My friends and I sat at the bar for their $9 martini…read morespecial, and our bartender, Tim, was exceptional. He was extremely warm and guided us to the best drinks for our tastes. The rest of the waitstaff and host team were equally welcoming, and the atmosphere was lovely. The only bump was toward the end when another bartender randomly rushed my group out while letting other patrons stay, which felt racially motivated. Despite that frustrating moment, Tim and the rest of the team made the overall experience wonderful, and I'd definitely come back.

I was not expecting to be blown away given the variable reviews but remained optimistic because my…read morefriend had really enjoyed Estela a few years ago. The restaurant is oddly located in a shared residential building that requires walking up stairs to a small hallway which separates the residential part from the restaurant. We entered the small space and sat in the back in a small alcove that could fit 3 parties of two. We really loved every thing we ordered from the endive salad with the nutty, acidic cheesy concoction on fresh endive leafs to the expertly done pork chops with the bean salad. The beef tartare and ricotta dish were also top notch. We would've skipped the bread and butter olive dish if we had known the beef tartare came with bread and, which would have allowed us to try another item on the menu. But we are not fretting as we will definitely be back again. The not so great things do include the price and the ok desserts. There was a review about 12 yrs ago talking about how expensive the same items were but in comparison, the price had gone up substantially. The endives salad was 14 dollars and the ricotta was 24. Both are now 29 and 35 dollars respectively... I can't imagine how hard it is for restaurants to stay afloat with the increased costs but this increase does sound a lot adjusted for inflation. The desserts were trying to blend salty and sweet which was a good concept but we have such sweet tooth that we've had better panna cotta and chocolate cake before. But overall we were blown away by the dishes so still a 5/5 experience!

Overpriced and small portions…read more We ordered the ricotta dumplings and scallops. Both were good but were not worth the portion. I feel like they thinly sliced one scallop and wish they were a bit more generous. The atmosphere was nice and the service was attentive.

Passed this place to go to any restaurant around NOLITA on a Saturday evening but everything was…read morepacked within that one block radius. From the outside this place looked elegant and since I saw some empty seats, I tried to secure a seating without any reservations at 5:30 PM. The hostess managed to squeeze us in, but we had to leave after two hours for the next seating, which was not a problem since my meter was ending in two hours anyway. I asked the server what he would recommend and boy they were just phenomenal. The Waldorf salad was a hit. It touched every taste buds in our tongues that we kept moaning with approval with every bite. Each course from the one grilled scallop that was shared into four to the pork chop to the bread that we had to order again, everything was just top-notch. It's one thing to go to an expensive restaurant but another thing to have just a phenomenal dining experience worth paying for. They ran out of the BBQ duck, and from the wonderful flavors of all the dishes we tried, I will definitely come back and reserve this dish. Thank you again for accommodating us last minute. I'll definitely try that duck next time.

Had a terrific meal here the other night. Walked in to a large bar area filled with a…read more Makers Mark promotional event but we were greeted warmly and were seated before our reservation time as we arrived early. Menus and water immediately provided by our excellent waiter Austin. Ridiculously overpriced wine list but that won't stop us from drinking! Started out with the grilled bread and soft yogurt butter. So good! Then had the oysters and tuna carpaccio. Both excellent. For mains, we had one of the best pork chops I've ever tasted (so tender) and the scallops, which were really flavorful. Austin recommended the the sticky toffee pudding for dessert but we were pretty disappointed. It had a weird citrus flavor and we didn't finish it. Austin did bring us some complimentary petit fours to finish, which were great. We will definitely return!

I live in the neighborhood and had been wanting to try Bufon for a few months. I'm so glad I…read morefinally did--it was absolutely excellent. The ambiance was fantastic, making it the perfect setting for a date night. As for the food, it was a true 10/10. We ordered the soft-shell crab, tuna carpaccio, snap peas, duck breast, sea bass, and long beans, and every single dish was delicious. Everything felt wonderfully balanced, thoughtful, and executed with care. The service was also outstanding. Our waiter, Jason, was amazing, but what really stood out was how seamlessly the entire staff worked together. The level of hospitality throughout the meal was impressive. What I enjoyed most, beyond the excellent food, was the pacing. So many restaurants in NYC seem eager to rush diners through their meal. At Bufon, it was the opposite. The meal unfolded at a perfect pace, allowing us to enjoy both the food and the conversation without ever feeling hurried. For a dinner date, that's invaluable. Highly recommend, and I'll definitely be back.

Bufon's arrogance is so pervasive that it interferes with other aspects of the restaurant. We took…read moretwo seats at the pleasant-looking bar, prepared to enjoy ourselves. However, once I requested Grey Goose vodka, the upward turn of the nose was accompanied by a rapid spin to grab the only bottle of vodka they serve: Ft. Hamilton Amsterdam Fortress Vodka, made in Brooklyn and known in the industry to be enjoyed by only a select few as a budget-friendly spirit with a notorious reputation among drinkers for a harsh profile that many find hard to stomach. It was disgusting. Why would a restaurant offer only one vodka that few people enjoy? Because, diners, according to Bufoon, oops, I mean Bufon, if you are a serious drinker, you shouldn't be drinking vodka. The rest of the meal followed in the same vein. My Tidal fish was smothered in a spicy corn relish that drowned out the mild white fish's flavor. Like sole, tidal fish needs a tender touch. That doesn't include a piquant corn relish. The crispy confit potato wasn't particularly crispy or tasty. Picanha steak was dutifully expensive and served in thin slices, cooked medium-rare. Okay. It was nothing more or nothing less. Everything is à la carte so that the bill can mount up at Bufon, but remember, you should be honored to be dining at this esteemed restaurant, so prices are irrelevant. The haughty, beautiful people dining at Bufon will make you aware that if you're older than 50, you shouldn't be in their trendy restaurant, so please leave and head to Katz's, where you belong. We had an uncomfortable and unfun meal at Bufon. Never again.

Very popular restaurant. Reservations are at a premium. We celebrated my wifes birthday with a…read moreterrific female Dominican server. A doll and a pro. Sorry forgot her name. We started with the Jerusalem Bagel. Other worldly bagel, absolutely fantastic Tahini yogurt dip excellent the Hummus and Spicy were ok. Also the bagel sits nicely on Olive oil as well. My wife had the steak ribeye was absolutely superb. I had the short rib which was no lie thee best short rib. You don't need a fork lol it is so good. We had the charred vegetables which we could have done without. We had a Zinfandel that was outstanding and went nicely with the red meat. We were stuffed. My wife ate half the rib eye and the rest went home. They asked for dessert we couldn't we were stuffed. However our server brought a pistachio cheesecake with a candle for my wife. It was an awesome experience and my wife was pleased. All that matters. Also so was I. Keep in mind not cheap at all. However the experience the servers etc for special occasions is a must. Yes it was the same night some couple named Swift and Kelce visited Oresh.

Honestly, this spot is worth the hard-to-get res and I found that same day reservations through…read moreDoordash are not impossible to get. The interior is cozy and the service, as well as the food, is excellent. Here's what we got - Jerusalem bagel (4.5/5): tastes as fluffy as pop up bagels. The dips are less impressive but the bagel itself is amazing - Tuna (3/5): actually the least impressive dish of the night but still solid. Just did not feel worth it necessarily - Caviar bites (4/5): caviar was really high quality. potato puff was crispy but not the best thing I ever had - Halloumi bites (5/5): must order. texture is perfect, cheese is light and the hot honey is necessary - Frisee salad (4.5/5): really light and vinegar-y, good for cutting through the sauce - 77 layer wagyu (4/5): expensive but good! The meat is tender and the exterior is crispy, and the tomato-based sauce is suprisingly light - Cardamon soft serve (3.5/5): loved the textures but a bit too sweet for me. Loved my experience here and would definitely come back to try the rest of the menu!

The food is solid here - cornbread topped with the harissa butter brings a nice slight spice. I…read moreusually don't order chicken, but it's definitely a signature dish here. The chicken was moist and I appreciated the different sauces. The skin also was well seasoned and had a nice crispness. Corn ribs were also well seasoned. Mac and cheese was gooey and had a nice crust on top. The service was really good - our waiter was welcoming. The only drawback is the AC doesn't feel super strong here so I would say try not to go if the weather is too hot.

The food was good--we ordered the broccolini, leeks, pickles, cornbread, and chicken--but the…read moreoverall experience was not enjoyable. The tables are packed extremely tightly, making it difficult to move around without disturbing other diners. The small tables also aren't large enough to comfortably accommodate the main dish and sides. Service insisted on putting everything on the table at once, leaving it so crowded that I couldn't even access my wine glass. When we asked if the chicken could be cut in the back to create more space, they refused and instead simply tried to rearrange the table. The restaurant needs to rethink its table setup and serving vessels. It's difficult to enjoy a meal when you're worried about knocking over your wine or bumping into neighboring diners. The food was good, but the experience wasn't, and we won't be back.

We loved our experience here for my friends birthday! Service was amazing - we didn't feel rushed…read moreat all for such a busy restaurant and the ambiance was very modern and not too crowded. Bathroom had Le Labo soaps too which was an amazing touch. We got the whipped ricotta and peppers and the charred green beans to start - both were absolutely incredible. Then we got two pastas to share, and two gelatos. Very memorable meal and I definitely want to return to try more!

Overall had a great experience here. Came for a Friday night elevated birthday meal. Our waiter was…read moreso nice and we received exceptional service. The food however was a little hit and miss. The ricotta toast, as per everyone who orders it, was exceptional. The creamy cheese countered with the red peppers is wonderful. The spinach tortellini was also phenomenal. One of the best pastas I've ever had. Sadly the rigatoni I had came up short, it was so boring and nothing special, quite disappointed with it. We capped our meal with espresso gelato which was also wonderful. Very loud and crowded place for a Friday night, so don't expect a quiet seating kind of dinner.