Came to King for small bites with a work group and had a nice round table by the window, which felt very cozy. King is a very small restaurant with many tables nestled together. I was glad we were seated semi-private otherwise, the main area looked very bunched together. The service was excellent, our wait staff and everyone in between were attentive. The menu is much smaller than many restaurants, with 4-5 options. On one hand I like when restaurants have a smaller menu, as you know these are ingredients that are fresh to the season and that they excel in so I did not mind too much. We ordered several dishes to share, and all from the apps section. We ordered the tagliarini with white alba truffle, Cotechino (which was a mashed pork pieces, reminded me of spam, I was unimpressed), insalata, and Panisse (which was a huge hit!) My favorite was definitely the Panisse, which looked like a large french fry, but was made of chickpea! I was so pleasantly surprised and I would hands down, come back to King just for this dish! Overall, I like the creativity of this restaurant and would definitely come back for the Panisse! read more

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King is a West village bar-restaurant that feels a dime a dozen in the WV with pricey options and similar menu focuses, at least thinking of Crevette immediately. The restaurant is set up with two rooms - a bar in front with 4 seats for walk-ins and reservations and small tables and a back dining room tables though are quiet close together with a lot of noise. If you're looking for an intimate dining experience I would recommend King but it's very lively! The bartender was so nice and attentive and their wine list had solid options by the glass decently priced. For food, their menu is available online and changes frequently. You start with complimentary bread - basically crispy crackers drenched in olive oil. It was pretty messy to eat and I think I would've preferred regular bread. For food, you have three options for starters - panisse, olives and finochietta - and they also allow for all three combined at smaller portions. The olives and finochietta were standard and the panisse was crispy and flavorful. For second dish I got the risotto with sage and vin santo - tasted fine like a standard risotto but so overpriced in my opinion. For main I got the halibut- this was delicious with creamy sauce of chives, hollandaise and ruby chard and cooked well. It's a decent portion for the size but definitely pricey. Overall the meal was solid but pricey for the quality, portions and options you're given and wasn't worth it to me. The menu does get updated frequently so I would be open to returning in the future, otherwise the hospitality was great! read more

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Come here for a great cocktail and a nice atmosphere, but the food doesn't quite live up to the high price point. I went to King alone on a winter weekday night and sat at the bar. I got a cocktail, a potato soup (mixed with lots of greens), and a fish pie. The cocktail was the highlight of the night. It was well-made and delicious, but unfortunately was let down by the rest of the meal. The potato soup looked interesting with the addition of the greens, but it was a bit bland. It was an inventive idea that just didn't deliver much flavor. The fish pie was also a mixed bag. The kitchen clearly has the technical skill down; the texture was good and the colors on the plate were vibrant. However, the taste was just okay. At $46 an entree, I expected the flavors to be much more impactful. I wouldn't say I could have made this exact meal at home, but I definitely felt like I would have been just as satisfied staying in. There is clearly effort and professional skill going into the cooking here, but for the amount of money spent, the food needs to be more than just "fine." read more

This place thinks they're all that. Food wasn't good. We ordered a weird bread like thing which I thought sucked. It was like a cracker. I thought we were getting bread... mind you this was $18. We tried the pesto pasta which was kinda mid. The chicken was completely charred which thankfully they comped. At $84 this is absurd, the portion didn't feel like enough for two people and it was burnt. Restaurants are a complete joke now. I thought this place would have excellent food but it really didn't deliver. Atmosphere is nice, but the food needs some help. also the host didn't greet us right away he was too absorbed with open table. read more

King - Chicken burnt - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

King is in a very small space with a very loud ambience. We asked to be seated outside. We had a long wait in between courses and the waiter was very apologetic and comped us somewhat. The food was excellent, but I probably won't return because of the noise. The seating outside is not comfortable for old people like me. However, if you are in your youth still you probably have no problem with the noise and she go there because it's an excellent restaurant. read more

This was our second time dining at King St. Our first visit was back in the summer of 2022, and we loved sitting outside on a warm evening--great vibes and a relaxing meal. This time, since it's freezing in NYC, we requested indoor seating. The indoor dining space is divided into two areas: the front by the bar, and the back, which is the main dining room. The back room is cute but extremely tight. Tables are very close together, to the point where you can hear every conversation around you. Unfortunately, a table of four behind us had one woman whose loud laugh echoed through the whole space. It became distracting, and the poor couple beside them looked like they were suffering through the noise too. Service was friendly and attentive overall. Our waiter was great, but the pacing of our meal missed the mark. We specifically asked for our dishes to be coursed out--first, second, and third--so we could share everything. Instead, two appetizers were brought out at the same time. Not the end of the world, but definitely not what we requested. Food, however, was very good across the board. King St. continues to deliver solid dishes and warm service. The real challenge is the indoor layout--if you're sensitive to noise, conversations, or tight spacing, it can take away from the experience. All in all, delicious food and great staff, but be prepared for a lively (and loud) dining room if you're seated inside. read more

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Food is ok, place is really cool inside. Have eaten here like 3-4 times. It's solid. That bread thing they give you at the beginning is really good. read more

I have been here for dinner several times Before the pandemic. They have never had great service but it was passable. I went Sunday 03/6/22 for the Friuli dinner. It's a prepaid pre fix meal with a tasting of 4 wines. It was a mess, and that's being kind. The service was awful. From the hostess being rude, confusion throughout the bar to the waiter not knowing how to pronounce the menu items or even describe them. I've given the restaurant the opportunity to address my feedback but instead it's been crickets. Aside from this experience I've been 2 other times more recently and it was also just a lackluster experience. I know NYTimes gave them a very high ranking on top 100 but I cannot fathom how. The service is habitually atrocious and the food is mid at best. Definitely put this low on your list if even at all. read more

Holy moly this place was good. I don't even know how to describe it. It needs to be experienced in person! The food is so yummy, high quality, and I felt like I could keep eating. It's like when you visit Europe and you know you're eating wholesome food versus anything with preservatives. That's how I felt eating at King. Expect to spend money here, but it's worth it for the quality, atmosphere, and friendly service. read more

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Love the ambience here. Out Waiter Tom was excellent. The Pork chop was huge and flavorful, The Serlion Steak was juicy and redured just right and Medium Rare. Sea base also exvellent! read more

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I give this restaurant 3.5 stars and because of the pros and cons below, will most likely not go back. Pros: (1) Food, service and ambiance were all very good. Very friendly wait staff. (2) The char-grilled sirloin over rosemary branches was cooked just right (medium rare) and the veal was very tasty (though this is the first veal I have eaten in 30 years, so it could have just been because of that). (3) We were offered a "chef's special roasted pepper salad" made just for us since the "very last special tomato salad available" offered to us as a compliment to our meal became unavailable. See below for cons about items offered to us that were "chef's special." (4) Fancy thin crusted pop-over-type bread with olive oil was good. Cons: (1) Our waiter was super friendly, asking us after each course for feedback for the chef. This felt very attentive, however, in hindsight, we feel he was chumming us up to get us to order a special dessert that ended up costing us $38! The dessert was actually really interesting ... raspberries, blueberries and blackberries cooked in a fermented pastry with a sour sauce & creme fraiche on top (the creme fraiche didn't work). However, he never told us the price and honestly, how do you sell someone a dessert that costs that much w/o telling them the price? We now joke that this is by far the most expensive dessert we've ever eaten! $38!!! Seriously??? If you go here, ask for the dessert menu with prices on it or ask what the price is for anything that is offered to you as a "chef's special." (2) As stated above, we felt like the waiter, in hindsight, was so nice, because he was charming us into buying more food by making it seem like everything was a unique "chef's special" and just for us. They could have been, but I doubt it. We were left with a sour taste in our mouths after getting the bill. (3) The wine list didn't contain a single natural wine, so the orange wine I got was the closest I could find to anything natural. Very disappointing that there weren't natural wines that I could enjoy and pair with the food. read more

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Really fun place for dinner, small/cozy inside so be sure to book ahead. Drinks were delicious. We started with panisse (aka chickpea fries) which were tasty for the whole table. We all enjoyed our meat and fish dishes! read more

King is practically a criminal enterprise. The noise level is a deafening, defeating, life sucking, mood killing, BRUTALIZING, my ears are still ringing, anger inducing, food ruining, ear shattering, make you want to vomit, freaking OSHA violating hazard to your health that makes me want to curse and scream at them for their willful, intentional desire to physically and emotionally to hurt their customers in order to get the most money they can by squeezing tables so close together in a concrete box with no f**ing relief that I wanted to cry. The service was slow. The food? Who cares about the food? Can I sue them? For actual physical damage to my ears? Oh my dear God. Did Pete Wells (NY TImes) go there in 2017 when it was empty and quiet? read more

If you could eat self-regard, King would be delicious. But the night I visited, the restaurant was disorganized and inhospitable. The cooking was decent but the menu felt like quotations from other restaurants. Call it the Pete Wells' 100 "Best Restaurants" curse. Small restaurants in nyc are fighting a heroic battle against exorbitant rents and the mini-chain business model. King might have found the sweet spot in the past but it was a mess when I visited. read more

After The NY Times put King on their best of NY list we decided it was time to give it a try. On our visit we found King to be a good restaurant, and didn't have any issues with the food or service as some of the other reviews have pointed out. Though, it is in an extremely competitive area where there are plenty of options just as good (with no fuss for a table) or better (and not included in The NY Times list). Kings menu changes daily and on our visit we had; Complimentary Flat Bread - drizzled in olive oil, this was fine. Panisse - these are chick pea fries and pretty good. A lot of tables had this dish and it's worth trying. Pansotti liguri con salsa di noci - This ravioli pasta is paired with a walnut sauce and was great. Get it if it's offered on the menu. Sirloin chargrilled over rosemary branches - good. Striped bass - like the sirloin good. Service was solid. read more

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I have dreams about their roast chicken. I wish it wasn't just on their lunch or brunch menu. The seasonal sides that its served with are always incredible. Service is excellent. And the dining room provides a quiet reprieve. read more

The ambiance and service are there as expected from an established veteran team. What is hit and miss is the food. Some of the dishes were interesting fusion of Spanish, French, Italian, and even Basque. But other dishes like the lobster was good but nearly impossible to eat. The shell was too tough to Crack and there was no assistance or thought to giving customers a better way to tackle the shells. Furthermore, there is no thought to extra napkins or handwipes for the lobster.worst of all, the lobster itself was overcooked, making the meat stick and cling to the shells. The experience was a major letdown especially because the lobster was the most pricey of the items we ordered. I'd go again but avoid anything that seems to be just an idea of the day sort of dish, it's not well thought out. read more

This place has been on my hit list for awhile now, part because of the food & in large part in awe of this business founded by 3 women. This also completes my Clare de Boer Mecca having previously hit Stissing House in the summer, Jupiter in the Fall, & now this. While Stissing House probably remains my favorite for its roaring fireplace vibes, this comes second with its coziness and just flavorful menu that changes daily. We kickstarted with the Sicilian Flat Bread, which was just incredible. Our grp couldn't resist asking for more as it was just this crispy and light concoction that was delightful. The panisse was also unique and a great protein rich alternative to fries . All other dishes in the picture were superb but the raclette cabbage mixture stands out (though I have been racletting for weeks now so maybe I'm just biased ‍). Definitely order the tarte tatin if available. It did not disappoint. Very easy going service & worth another visit! read more

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My initial experience left such a good impression I'll definitely return. They presented many dishes, each one improving upon the one before. Staff members are helpful and the place has great energy. All staff members deliver superior service. This place makes me want to come back. read more

A friend and I stopped in here for dinner on a Friday night. We were seated right away and order drinks to start. I went with a classic Manhattan, but my friend order a cocktail off the menu and liked it. They have plenty of options for wine and beer as well. For food, we decided to share Panisse, Sirloin, and Balanzoni verdi. I wasn't all that impressed with the food to be honest. The pasta was just ok. Nothing unique or exceptional. The Sirloin was extremely difficult to cut into. It was very rare (though we order medium rare) and felt like i was chewing for days. Service was good. The wait staff stopped over to check and refill waters as needed. Though when our waiter delivered my drink he spilled it and instead of wiping the glass or bring me a napkin, it was just left as is. Ambiance is cramped and noisy. They put us in the center section, which may as well be a communal table you're so close to each other. Overall, King was not impressive. Considering the high prices, I was expecting better. read more

Fabulous Saturday lunch. Best Omelette ever! The cheese and herbs were beyond fresh. Also had the flourless chocolate cake which was amazing!! Very cute, small, intimate restaurant. Great for party of 2-4 but no more. Highly recommend read more

While King used to be one of our favorite restaurants, we were very disappointed with our last visit. Given how expensive King is we expected the service and food to stand out. Neither did. The service verged on rude. We were initially seated so close to the kitchen that service staff were on top of us and the heat was intense. We moved to another table. Our meals took a long time to arrive and not all at the same time. We ordered an asparagus dish for $25. While it was quite good there were 7 stalks on the plate. I wasn't aware that asparagus was so rare and expensive. Our main dishes were all fine, but nothing special or particularly interesting. Overall, this was an expensive mediocre meal. read more

New year = more food! King Restaurant in NYC is totally fine dining from the moment you walk in you are greeted with the best scent of the delicious food. The menu is TINY but changed daily and cooked with perfection. You have to know someone to get a reservation. The place is also TINY so you are VERY close to fellow patrons but it is great to be in the company or the other guests! Everyone seems pleasant and seems like they have a story to share. The Sommelier suggested some amazing wines - we got two bottles. One was possibly the best Barolo we have ever had (2018 Castiglione)!! I strongly recommend this experience!! They have both indoor and outdoor dining year round. So the outdoor dining has great heating support so you can fully enjoy while watching the passerbys! The only downside is that the lighting is NOT great for taking pics or if you have vision problems. read more

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Cosy spot for a fine downtown dinner. The menu at King is not wide with options on any given night, but it seems to change and evolve pretty regularly. I feel like King is a place where you kind of have to turn your menu item selection over to the kitchen a little bit and trust that whatever you pick will be designed deliciously and prepared really well. If you're willing to place that kind of faith in the place you've chosen for dinner, I'd say King will not let you down. Our party of four had mussels, a fennel salad, hanger steak and the pork chop. The mains were cooked to perfection med-rare and slathered in terrific sauces and seasoning. An appetizer of olives were amazing. Definitely put King on the "go there" list. read more

The buzz at King is always great, as is the service. I'm not sure if this is Soho or the South Village, but right on the border, so it is a trendy upscale crowd. The food is creative and delicious. While it is a good meal it is not a great meal. It could be better and we keep coming back hoping it will be. read more

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Last time here was just before that "wonderful" pandemic that pause us for a while .... And nothing changed . Still great food , still great service and still great atmosphere even at the (King st) patio . No reason to elaborate regarding the food cause they change it daily which make this place even more unique and desirable. Highly recommended!!! Definitely A destination!!!! read more

King is a super fun restaurant given that the menu changes daily- you never know what the chef may have come up with for that day! Unfortunately there is also a bit of risk in this. We were sat right next to the kitchen pass (which meant all the servers rushing past kept bumping into our seats), and I actually heard one of the main line cooks say "how do you cook this fish?" and "wow I haven't cooked [this appetizer] in forever!" This was concerning, and it showed a bit on the plate. A lot of dishes needed salt, the rabbit we got was very overcooked (I called it jerky), the "creamy" polenta was a solid mass (I had to cut it into chunks with my fork), etc. The desserts and ice creams, on the other hand, were fantastic! The service was really great! Very knowledgeable servers and fast service, although the space inside was cramped and led to a few bumps and brushes. And the bartenders were wonderful- we enjoyed all our cocktails. I would come back for cocktails, panisse (their amazing chickpea fritters), and to try an appetizer or two. I can't recommend their expensive main courses, which are very hit or miss. If the prices matched the quality a bit more, I would give this a great recommendation. But the food is just not quite worth the price. read more

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Came here with work colleagues for dinner. We were seated in the outside "heated" cabin, although they didn't turn the heaters on as the temperature dropped to about 50 and we were freezing. I got the limoncello spritz, which was just ok. I also got the asparagus app, which was very good--I've never had asparagus that was cooked so perfectly! However, the pork chop was very tough and I don't recommend it. For dessert we shared the rhubarb thing and it was delicious. They were fairly attentive but it felt like they were trying to rush us out at the end of our meal. Overall it was a subpar experience and the food was very hit or miss read more

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Came here with two food-knowledgable out-of-town friends for an 8:30 pm dinner. We were promptly seated outside, and received the complimentary flatbread starter about 10 minutes later. Although the somm came by to take drink orders, nobody else checked in on us. Around 9 we asked the wine guy to get our server; he said he would, but still nobody came by. Eventually we flagged down another server who said he'd take our order. This included the scallops, which he then informed us they'd been out of for hours. More time passed, and we managed to flag yet another person down to ask about our food; she returned to say it was in the process of being plated. The starters finally arrived, over an hour after we sat down. We liked the ricotta ravioli. The poached asparagus was fine. The rose veal was okay. Nothing was particularly delicious. On my way to the restroom I ran into the server who'd taken our wine order. He asked how we liked it; I praised the minerally white he'd recommended. He asked if I liked the other wines we'd gotten; when I demurred, he asked if we were finished eating. I said we hadn't even gotten our mains yet. He apologized and said he'd come by and give us a bit more white wine, which was very generous - except he didn't. During the long foodless interregnum, we managed to flag down another person and order more drinks. Our mains arrived after 10 pm. The bass amandine had delicious crispy skin, and was cooked well, but was extremely salty. The $48 chargrilled sirloin consisted of a few small lukewarm pieces, and was so tough and flavorless that we didn't even finish it. At some point a server wandered past carrying a plate of spinach and tried to deposit it at the table; when we said we hadn't ordered it, he carted it off. He returned a few minutes later, threw it down and said "compliments of the chef." It turned out to be unfathomably oil-soaked, just completely drenched and with zero balancing acid. Really inedible. We each had one bite. As we sat waiting for the check, someone came by to ask how our meal was. Eventually, I said we never had a server, and had to flag everyone down ourselves. She said we did have one, but they'd just been busy. Then she left. Eventually the bill arrived. We each paid $100pp + tip and left, in search of a bar that could provide the hospitality and value we'd just been denied. read more

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Bad Meal....I'm not Going Back My wife and I are locals in SoHo and went to King for the first time tonight. I never leave bad reviews, but tonight's dinner was incredibly disappointing. When we sat down, the people at the next table told us that the best thing they ate were the beans. I took this to mean "try the beans" rather than nothing else was good. We ordered four items. We ordered, of course, the beans, a rainbow salad, a striped bass and a vegetarian entrée. The striped bass came out half white and the other half was oddly brown. In case you don't know, Striped Bass should be white. I called the waitress over and showed that the fish was a weird brown color. She responded by saying "I'll check with the kitchen" and walked off. She returns moment later and told us that the fish was brown because of a "blood line" and walked off. What she should have said is "I'm sorry, can I get you something else?" I was so surprised that I took the time to Google "brown bloodline fish". Google responded with "The bloodline is also an excellent method to tell the quality and freshness of a fish" and continues with "Flounder and other whitefish have to be a pure, brilliant white color". In other words, the brown, rather than brilliant white means that the fish is either low quality or not fresh (according to Google). This entrée was $48, and I didn't eat it. My wife ordered, at the waitress's recommendation a "Vegetarian Plate" as an entrée. When she made that selection, she specifically asked the waitress if it was possible to make the vegetarian plate with "no starch and all green vegetables" and the server responded "Yes". When that plate arrived, the largest item on the plate was polenta (i.e. boiled cornmeal). Additionally, all of the vegetables as well as the fish had more oil than any food I've ever tasted. When my wife told one of the servers that the food was "swimming in oil", the server responded with "yes...the chef is heavy handed with oil" and again walked off. On the plus side, the beans were good (not amazing but good) and everybody was nice. I'm not going back. I am incredibly disappointed. read more

King is elegant and unassuming all at once. It feels very "nice," without any of the pretension, and really just let's the food speak for itself. Everything is meticulously prepared, and the amount of care given to the details--from the art and decor, to the ingredients, is impeccable. On the topic of food, the clams are fat and away the best I've ever had. Fresh tasting, perfectly chewy and decadent with butter and vermouth. Perfect. The lombatello was also a standout. Don't skip the chocolate cake either. read more

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Went for my birthday dinner. Wanted to like it but was unimpressed. Service: attentive when we got there (early before 6), a bit lacking after the place got busy Wine: okay selection. Hugely overpriced. 20 dollars for less than half a glass of house red Food: Panisse is the best dish we had all night. It's like a southern French fries made of chick pea Beef tongue: edible, the horseradish side saved it Ravioli: not bad, flavorful Entre: steak is pretty tough and served cold. It rested too long in the kitchen. Mediocre cookery. Pork chop is so tough you would need a jaw of a dinosaur to break it down. It was served cold, which made the fatty part hard to eat. Every dish is heavily seasoned with rosemary and sage. The herbs are overwhelming but are also the saving graces of these dishes. Side: we got a pumpkin dish. The thing explodes with rosemary dish my taste buds were numb. Dessert: chocolate cake is winning. Ginger ice cream is unpleasant. Will never come back. read more

Update. Still limited menu. Three apps, three mains. At 8:30 on Friday night, they were already down to two apps with no backup, short ribs having been 86'd. Protein, lukewarm beans, lettuce garnish for the mains. Fish was a day or two too old, single duck leg was moist but skin was dried and burnt. Server was very nice. Pricey wine list. Will try again in six years. read more

What a pleasant surprise- service was exceptional. Menu was small but very taste - they even made a special meal "at the chefs choice, but it will be fabulous " so many textures, flavors and heats ... seriously a treat read more

We were excited to try this Top NYC restaurant for our anniversary last night. But sadly disappointed. The ravioli app was excellent and the English pea salad and scallops were fine. Thats about where the fun ended. The steak wasn't cooked or cut well, was hard to eat and without much taste. The pork chop was a joke. It had the taste and a toughness that brings back the pork chops I used to have back in the day because people thought pork chops should be pulverized to be safe to eat. The dessert was tragic. Berries were supposedly macerated overnight but they clearly left out the sugar from that process. There is NO WAY that the chef tasted them before serving that dish as Ive had lemons that were less tart. Friendly staff, good Som. But they were slow. read more

Went here for a friend's bday dinner where she had ordered and picked out wine beforehand. The food was good but it took 40 min for drinks and water to come. No one checked on us. The wine that came wasn't what we ordered. My wine glass had lipstick on it. Haven't had service this lousy in quite some time. You won't miss anything by skipping this one. read more

If I could give King 10 stars I would !! Amazing and unique in every way ..The chef /iowner.. JESS puts her heart and soul in every aspect of King ! A warm family driven heart filled restaurant with menus hanging every day .. Try it ..you will go back over and over ... thank you Jess!! read more

On a recent trip to NYC, we had dinner at King and it was amazing. Cosette was our lovely server who was well versed on everything from the wine list to the food and dessert menu. Dinner began with plates of Panisse (chickpea flour fries) and Carta Di Musica (thin, crispy crackers which originated from the Italian island of Sardinia). Everyone enjoyed their entrees. I had the artichoke pasta which was exquisite. It was the best pasta dish I have had since a past trip to Italy. The pasta was cooked perfectly. For dessert, we had the delicious chocolate cake and exceptional mint chocolate chip ice cream. The flavor was distinctly unique. Cosette said it was made with mint leaves and Crème de menthe. The ambiance was cozy and from the moment we were warmly greeted at the door and seated at our table, we were well attended to. We had an early dinner and the place began to fill up as we left this popular eatery. I definitely recommend King for its exceptional food and service. read more

Holy cow from the moment you step in, you feel special. My husband and i went to celebrate our anniversary and they gave us complimentary sparkling rose! So special and so simple. I plan on coming back simply to enjoy their bar and the wonderful patisse that i still dream about read more

Well, we came hungry and certainly left hungry. Definitely expect to pay a lot and get almost nothing. I would have expected that a $49 sea bass would have been remarkable, but it was quite literally the smallest sliver of fish I've ever had. Not to mention that our appetizer never came, yet they charged us for it. The hostess was quite off putting as well. Great space, though! read more