Precious few restaurant owners realize, as Michael McCarty apparently does, that so long as the food is good ambiance is all. Thanks to carpeting and lighting that was appropriately dimmed, I could actually hear myself think ... while also enjoying the strains of the perfect soundtrack playing ever so softly in the background. Michael was also good enough to introduce himself, making amiable conversation as the evening progressed. And, while I can't quite guarantee that this would transpire every night, those of us left toward the end of the evening were serenaded, at Michael's behest, by a bunch of singing patrons. He then gratefully bought them all a round of tequila. In short, Michael is a national treasure, as is his restaurant. I can't wait to go back again, and again. read more

I went there for a so called power lunch with a potential client. We had dinner reservations later in the evening at another restaurant, we wanted to get a small bite and a couple glasses of wine prior to our late dinner. We live and work CA. and in Manhattan; I have been to Michael's in Santa Monica and loved it! Unfortunately, this restaurant in Manhattan is not nearly the same quality. The Maitre d' and the waitress is not well versed with fine dining, poor server etiquette with bothersome ways of trying to up sell the lunch crowd menu. The Maitre d' when asked a question or for another glass of wine, that the waitress did not bring, was smug and literally walked away before the request was fully delivered, very rude. We never complained about a thing, why we got the service snub, I don't know! Both us were dressed in business suits and minded our own business the entire lunch service. The menu and food served was original, the food itself was mediocre at best. My lunch companion suggested I complain, she knows how much I dine out with clients. The servers and staff seemed so arrogant, I truly believe my constructive comments would have been discarded as "customers are so below us". The busboys and supplemental service was great! read more

Horrible Cobb salad. The greens were totally wilted upon delivery to table, bland! Service was slow. Definitely will not return

Michael's was one of our best dinners we had in New York City. This place is a must! My wife had the Hanger steak that looked great. I had their hamburger and it was the best I've ever eaten! And I'm a foodie and love hamburgers. It's made of ribeye and like nothing I've ever tried. My vegan daughter ever liked it. Their deserts are outstanding and the service is awesome as are the cocktails. Definitely check out this wonderful restaurant!! read more

This place is damn FANCY! And worth every cent. Had the best cobb salad ever, and the presentation was beautiful. Can't afford to go back too often, but good to treat yourself occasionally. Very nice staff, attentive, pleasant etc. Beautiful interiors. read more

Great food, service, and atmosphere. I went there with my colleague in restaurant week. They provided authentic Italian pasta, which was delicious. I do want to use this place for future client dinner in NYC. 美味しいイタリアンレストランです。適度に抽象的なアートが飾られていて、雰囲気はとてもおしゃれだと思います。静か過ぎず、騒がし過ぎず、会食に適したお店です。 read more

Michael's is one of those places where no matter what you order you know it will be amazing. The food is only matched by their service. The prices are a bit scary when you look at the menu but as soon as you put the first morsel in your mouth you forget all about the dollar signs! CanNOT wait to go back again... And again! We had the Korean bbq tacos, spicy fried chicken appetizer, duck confit sliders and some other stuff... Cant remember because I ate it so fast! Ha! They also have a sommelier who helped us choose an amazing (shockingly) american Riesling! About to make a new reservation! read more

Came here for restaurant week and cannot say it enough how AMAZING it was!! My friend was unsure with what beer she wanted and the waitress suggested a few and even let her try two of them. I went with the strawberry bomb which is just like a mojito but better. We both started off with the salmon tartare which was to die for. It was melt-in-your-mouth good. For an entree, I got the sweet potato noodles which sounds blah, but it was like a pad thai taste with thin shiny noodles. YUM! She had the bass which was cooked perfectly. Finally, I had the sorbet which, i mean, you can't go wrong with that. Overall, the portions were the perfect size and we have ZERO complaints about anything. Definitely worth coming here. read more

The food is actually pretty good...it's the value that's awful. As soon as you're seated you're being upsold and it doesn't end until you sign the check. $20 bowl of berries??!!! C'mon. read more

I read ten other reviews chosen at random and not one mentioned the Hockneys and Diebenkorns that grace the walls of this excellent mid-town Cali. Apparently New York diners are either too clueless to notice or too jaded to care. David Hockney is represented with his iconic LA visions of green palms and blue pools, but the real keeper is from Diebenkorn's Ocean Park series. The art sets the scene for tasty and occasionally inspired left coast fare. Even if you usually avoid ordering prosaic chicken when dining out, you will not want to miss Michael's succulent chicken breasts with perfectly crisped skin. Nothing prosaic there! The fantastic Cobb salad is another house classic. It is so good that I bought Michael's cookbook so I could make it at home. True, all is not perfect in Paradise, but as Milton reminds us we live in a fallen world. Service can sometimes be elusive during the lunch crush. Bread is not included and costs $5. An establishment of this caliber should at least offer bread by the slice if, as I suspect, the breadbaskets were often going untouched. A final note: in addition to its power lunch, Michael's also serves a superb power breakfast. Just bring your corporate charge card. And yes, if you see someone who looks like a famous media person, it's because he or she is. The original Michael's is in Santa Monica. I haven't dined there yet, but would like to. I'm sure the food -- and Art -- are great. read more

Unpretentious bistro that is perfect for a dinner meeting or any time you actually want to hear the conversation. Service is great and deliciously simple food priced about right. I had a well dressed simple beat salad and then a light dover sole. NYC prides itself on the dover sole and this was great. Atmosphere is simple which is how I describe this place in general but simple done well is refreshing and I liked Michaels read more

Minus two stars from service and value. All service was excellent with exception of the actual waitress (foreign accent with high ponytail). She explained items incorrectly, was cold, and unhelpful. Food was good but not worth the price. read more

Had a nice meal this past Thursday night. However, a few hours later one of the parties felt ill and the next morning wound up in the ER with food poisoning from an order of oysters she ordered as an appetizer. I just called the restaurant to inform them and their only reaction was "Thanks, I'll pass it on to the kitchen." Not even a token inquiry as to how the injured party was etc etc. It was as though I was being thanked for giving them information. I had no preconceived idea of what I was looking for, but it certainly involved a follow up question as to the injured party's health. I wouldn't go back even if they had free salmonella night! read more

Came here for a "power business lunch" and the food was great! Ordered lots of seafood, champagne. Great combination! The crowd was much older and not much of a decor but the service was great and it wasn't too noisy so you were able to hold an actual productive conversation. read more

What a great find! Food was delicious, particularly the specials of the day. Service was impeccable and ambience was the perfect scene. I will definitely be back! Thank you. read more

I was recently brought here by a colleague for a business lunch and have mixed reviews about this place. Food: Decent food, everything we had was tasty, albeit quite pricey. Charging for bread isn't exactly "high class dining." There are other places that have equally great food and atmosphere in the city without the condescending attitude/better service. Service: Now here is where my issue with this place is. At first, everyone seemed welcoming but that facade quickly dissipates. It seems as though this place needs to get a few things worked out NOT during work hours. During our lunch, my colleague and I saw several bussers arguing with each other. There was a gentleman in a seersucker suit who was scolding an employee. I've worked in hospitality, so I know this is NEVER acceptable to do on the restaurant floor. Overall, I thought the service was very unprofessional for a place of this caliber. I think the art is pretty tacky, but hey, to each their own. read more

I've been going to Michael's now for many years. Although this gets a heavy hitter crowd for lunch I have always found the staff to be very friendly and gracious even though I'm a "nobody." They recently changed the menu and it's been a great change. There's more variety and you can pick a few small plates. I especially love the bacon and the pizza for one. They've also lowered their prices a bit which is great. The tab can still grow if you add a lot of sides, but you can now have lunch there for 2 for under $100. All in all a good change and refresh of this classic. read more

Had a nice lunch at this restaurant. The food is well prepared and assembled nicely with solid flavor profiles. I had the cobb salad as a main course. The prices are a bit steep for just a cobb salad but there are nice chucks of bacon and chicken and very satisfying. A good place for a business lunch. read more

This is a very nice restaurant near Times Square. The ambiance and décor of the restaurant are very upscale and the service was outstanding. We started with one of the appetizer specials of the day, the Jamon Iberico which was good, but nothing special. My wife had the pumpkin soup and beet salad, both of which she enjoyed, but neither of which blew her away. I ordered the entrée special of the day, aged steak (see pic). It took about 45 minutes from the time we finished our appetizers until our entrées were brought to the table. We were not in a hurry so it was not a big deal, but 45 minutes is quite awhile to wait between courses. I believe this was a kitchen issue and not a service one...but I could be wrong. My steak was a very small portion and a little tough. Not a great combination for $34. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing, but this was their special of the day. The quality of the food was decent, but not nearly high enough to justify their prices. I didn't have a problem with the prices, but I expect a much higher quality of overall food. Everything was good, but nothing was great. There are too many outstanding restaurants to spend any more of my money here. Food-3 stars, Ambiance-3 stars, service-4 stars, Value-2 stars. read more

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Michael's is known as the power lunch restaurant and such places usually are the inconspicuous-looking restaurants. The maroon awning and art-deco font draw little attention. Inside is a warm, open dining area that seems to befit a power lunch or a ladies' lunch. There are large windows in the rear dining area looking out, in the winter, to a snow-covered hill that does make you think you are in Colorado and not New York. I am attracted to the contemporary California cuisine it serves. I enjoyed the Pan-Seared Arctic Char, Creamed Spelt, Savoy Cabbage, Sauce Vierge which was very flavorful. The service is good and not over the top. In all, a fine meal in a pleasing atmosphere. read more

We came for dinner for a group of eight for dinner before attending a nearby theater. Our waitress was not helpful at explaining the menu and made us feel like it was a chore to answer questions. We chose Michael's as it was close to our theater, Mistake. Getting our bills created mayhem. I won't be going back there. read more

We took friends to dinner at Michael's last week. The food was excellent. The service was quite poor. The waiter seemed disinterested, and while the restaurant was only about 1/3 full, we had a hard time getting his attention. When we got it, he was not particularly pleasant. And, the cocktail "pour" was about as small as I've ever experienced. read more

Sorry, but I was taken here for my Birthday and I have to say disappointed.... The waitress treated me like I was 12, I asked for Hot tea, and it took forever. I ordered the pork chop, it was very good, but that's it ! The risotto was mushy and tasteless. OH and the bus boy came and handed us 1 tiny roll each I asked for another and the poor guy looked so scared and quickly walked away. My husband got the NY Strip, and it turn out to be little cut up pieces of steak in gravy...:( very disappointing. We left went for a walk and all went for a Pizza!! We were starving!! Sorry but just because you can afford a place like this doesn't mean your not hungry!! Come on... Never going here again. Oh BTW the Nice's person there was the coat check girl very nice girl. read more

4th time at Michael's and I love it. Fries to die for, Korean steak scrumptious, Branzino grilled to perfection with leeks and some yummy kind of pepper. Service was great. Looking forward to returning. read more

I was here for restaurant week. There are so many options to choose from and decided to check out this restaurant because of the location and pictures of the food. Food was good, but not worth getting seated at a later time (even with a reservation) AND not having the seltzer water I ordered from the bar brought to the table, as they said they would, and then getting charged for it. Cherry on top was that the manager refused to remove it from the bill because she then forgot she had mentioned that they'd bring it over. Ultimately the manager could have turned this into a more pleasant experience, but decided not to. All in all, the place is very '80s looking. As I write this The Police is playing, if that's an indicator. There are plenty of options out there, you may try something different. read more

Apparently this is a midtown lunch media industry power scene. It's not a bad place to grab drinks in the summer on a weekday in the evening as it was almost completely empty. The service was good but for the abrupt hostess. The drinks were good as were the apps. Nothing was insanely expensive as one sometimes finds in midtown. I would return. read more

First thing you notice when you walk in? Mildew smell. Not subtle either. Second thing you notice is the decor. I kept wondering when they took out the shag carpet. Third thing you notice is the art. Fantastic. Fourth thing is the oddly eclectic menu. Fifth thing you notice is the food. Excellent. A tad too expensive all things considered. Fix the smell and update the decor and this is an easy 4 stars. read more

A fantastic lunch spot in Midtown. Michael offers great food, excellent service and an ideal location for a business lunch. One of the best lunch experiences I have had anywhere. They are also open for breakfast. read more

Love the art on the walls in the resto. Great wine list. The best haricot vert I have had in some time. Did I mention the wonderful art? Oh yeah and Michael is a cool dude. read more

Great service! Amazing food! Went there with my husband for dinner a few times and we'll definitely be going back! Mario was the best sommelier! Favorite apps are the tuna tostadas and Korean tacos! For dessert the sticky pudding is to die for!!! read more

I went here for restaurant week with a few of my friends. We were seated early and promptly waited on with a fresh out of the oven roll. After ordering, we were given a small piece of bread with goat cheese and another topper, compliments of the chef. Our appetizers came out shortly after and they were delicious! We all wanted to know how they made the bacon marmalade! We didn't have to wait too long after the first course for our main dish; however, they had a slight mix up with 2 of the dishes. Instead of the short braised rib, they had the risotto. After realizing the mistake, they served us the risotto while we waited for the braised rib, which was a pleasant surprise. All in all, it was a great experience. The wait staff was pleasant and very attentive, filling out water glasses and making sure we had everything we needed. There was an option to pair wine with our dishes and the woman who served the wine was super nice and really made sure we were set with the wine selections. read more

My review will be different since I went there for a breakfast where a wholesaler picked up the tab since they were presenting on why we should use them so the price factor was actually not a factor in determining my review (it was very pricey, 20 bucks for an omelet, etc.) The food was nothing spectacular but the service was terrific and it seems like a power breakfast/lunch Midtown spot. Expect to overpay for the food, which was decent but did not match the price. Would I recommend it? Sure, just as long as you know that you will be dropping some $ read more

I am no foodie, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Recently a transplant from Napa, and the food here reminded me of the meals I had there. Not as refined, but still delicious. I had the Korean steak tacos that were quite flavorful and the Branzino. The Branzino was a bit underwhelming, but it was paired well with the leeks. The star though was the sautéed mushrooms, they were quite delicious. Very nice wine selection, and maybe I am not yet used to New York prices but the wine was way overpriced. All the California wine prices were double than what they are truly worth. The service was good and the ambience was nice. I would recommend Michaels highly except that I feel it is highly overpriced. read more

What a lovely evening with a surprise celebrity sighting! Recently landed at Michael's with a friend for a leisurely after work cocktail. What a great place, nice ambiance and not too crowed but pumping with life in an otherwise Midtown after 6p desert! We started at the bar where the awesome Joffrey plied us with wonderfully crafted cocktails. The Ginger Margarita was an absolute winner for my winter blues! My friend loved her walnut Manhattan--It had maple syrup! yum! Next were the oysters! We tried all three available that night--each more delicious than the last! For dinner we shared the potato soup with crab. So light and unexpected. The crab added the right amount of sweetness! The duck confit was well balanced, each bite with just enough fat to make want to dig back in! I was sad when it was finished. Dessert was the topper--a chocolate profiterole that melted with each bite. The service was impeccable and attentive. As for the celebrity, I won't say who it was, but she is just as tall, gorgeous and super modely as ever! Do yourself a favor and just go! read more

Brunch on weekdays. Need I say more? And brunch isn't that much more pricey than a typical weekend brunch.

Good place for power breakfast meetings or lunches. Good traditional card. A little bit old and dated but always an enjoyable food and service experience. read more

I had dinner with a friend at Michael's a week ago and was incredibly impressed. From the moment I walked in the fantastic service began. The hostess was vibrant, down to earth and welcoming. The manager was engaging. Regarding dinner...the food and service was excellent; sophistically presented, creative and incredibly delicious. The server was attentive and the manager and owner stopped by the table to see if all was alright. The decor was very tasteful. I also liked the size of the restaurant (12-16 tables). It's a great place to have an upscale dinner experience in Manhattan. read more

Really liked this place. I think there were no fewer than four me in suits making sure everything was just "so". Very New York power spot- food was great, service was attentive, maybe a bit loud but that sort of adds to the ambience, really. read more

This is the first negative review I've ever written for anything. I'm an early 30s, Black male and physician who enjoys food as much as anyone. I drove for about 2 hours from out of town to have a quick lunch at Michael's prior to attending a taping of The Late Show. I showed up at 2:36 for my 2:30 reservation and was told the kitchen was closed and my reservation was cancelled because I wasn't there at exactly 2:30. The staff was utterly unsympathic and condescending. Unfortunately, I'm unable review the food, but I can say the service was appalling. I understand I was a few minutes late, but why allow people to make reservations for 2:30, if the kitchen closes at 2:30? read more

Wow, am I glad I didn't read the reviews prior to choosing Michael's !! I can't believe prior to my 4 star review the average was a 2 1/2 -- either we lucked out, or you guys are a tough crowd. Sure, this restaurant is expensive with a Capital E. Our dinner for 2 was $200 prior to tip, and that's with sharing an appy, and desert, and only 2 rounds of wine/beer. I didn't read all the reviews, so not sure if anyone else felt this, but with exception of the Sommelier and the Water /Bread Guy who were both charming, we felt the service was Chilly --- Our server was downright Frosty, and if I wasn't so drunk wouldn't have tipped the full 20% -- The food and wine, however, was spectacular. The foie gras ($22) was split prior to serving. A nice little morsel for each. Rich and Lush, just like it should be, served with a dab of glaze, a sprinkle of pistachio, and a spot of fig. The hubby and I each had the Lamb ($45 ). We usually get different dishes, but the lamb was calling to us -- even though we mostly live in Denver, (Home of the Colorado Lamb) we don't often order it in Co, as even the best restaurants are eh. The lamb was perfect -- seasoned lightly, and cooked to temp. T here were only 2 chops, but each bite exuded a yum from both of us. The wine picked from our helpful Sommelier went well. To tell the truth, I can't remember what desert was ( We started drinking at The Hudson Library Bar) but whatever is was, we both ate it with gusto. Would I make this my regular stop? Probably not, but we enjoyed our dinner, and was a nice prelude to our next stop - Broadway. read more