We had an amazing meal at Smithereens and are not surprised it made the NYTimes list of best…read morerestaurants. The skewers were superb and we ordered them twice because of how much we loved them after finishing the first plate. The space itself is in the basement and can imagine it would be a great first date spot. I also thought the counter seating looked interesting and would be perfect for a solo or duo diner party. Their take on a martini was also fun.

Highly coveted table seating here which means it's time to make reservations at 10am two weeks in…read moreadvance! One of my friends have been dying to eat here and on busy times were turned away even for 1 person. When we sat down we did see on a Thursday night two walk in seatings at the bar. Even though we had a table the seats were very low and it is underground so you do feel like you're sort of eating in a chic industrial cave which is a cool vibe. All the dishes are almost seafood tapas style, they're known for fish. The prices are quite pricey for the size of the dishes and the waitress does warn you about the sizing and she was actually kind of spot on with the dishes so I recommend taking her word if you need to eat a regular amount. I also recommend taking her opinion highly into consideration as we discovered a dish we wouldn't have ordered normally! We ordered a few things from the anadame bread to the famous lobster roll, bluefin tuna, abalone skewers and the black cod. All were very delicious. The bread was absolutely FIRE it was so soft and the butter is seaweed but so light it added a perfect touch. The bluefin tuna was next and it was good but didn't wow me that much but it was a good share dish. We had the abalone skewers and this was the absolute gem that the waitress recommended us and I do think about these the next day as they were very tasty from how they cooked it and the partially cooked egg yolk was perfect spread on the abalone. Very inventive and I loved this one the most. The famous lobster roll was great! But it tasted like any great lobster roll from Maine! The flavors were slightly lighter and more fresh so I enjoyed it with the pickle. The black cod was great as well and I really wanted it since it had maitake mushrooms which I love! I highly recommend! Would I come here on a date? Definitely. The vibes are so good and perfect for being close to each other. In terms of sharing food with friends it is quite hard to share and almost feel like very small plates so I would actually get more than what I ordered amongst three people. We ordered these five dishes and two rounds of drinks (one wine and one cocktail) and it came out to around $300 total. It was a splurge but very tasteful kind of splurge. I definitely will be back for those abalone skewers but I definitely want to try what the waitress recommended us next time (rice, Neptune style buckwheat pancake and the fried whiting!)

Who says you can't have a burger at brunch?? Certainly not Fairfax. Precisely why it's a…read moreneighborhood staple. Not too difficult to get a reservation here and they have the service to a T. Great bustling atmosphere, tables are close but not too close together. What we ordered: The Burger: medium rare patty with bbq mayo, cheddar, crispy potatoes, and red onion. Buns are super thin and they don't mess around w adding veggies for 'balance'. It's officially #pubburgersummer Quiche: with smoked cheddar and spinach. The arugula salad that it was served with was unfortunately left untouched (we had other priorities on the table) Old bay tots: So crispy and well-seasoned. I am always asking for an aioli w my dippers and the chili aioli here is an amazing pairing

Went here a few weeks ago for dinner and loved it! The restaurant is smaller but super cute vibes…read morefor girls night or date night. I'd seen good reviews before going so I was excited and I think it lived up to the expectations. We started with the tuna tartare and whipped ricotta both were amazing would recommend either. The burger is a must order as their signature dish. The chicken was fine, definitely not bad just there is better. However the veggies on the side were great. The drinks were also good. The tables outside also looked really nice but it was too hot of a day. Service wasn't super attentive but nothing major to complain about. Definitely check out this spot if you can get a res!

Cosme is a Michelin guide Mexican fine dining restaurant located in the heart of flatiron. We did…read morethe prix fixe for a larger group and the event planner was super helpful in setting up our logistics. Started with herb guacamole and corn tostadas, a clean and bright opener. The hiramasa tiradito with Sorrento lemon was delicate and citrus forward, while the heirloom tomato tlayuda came piled high with peppery greens, ayocote beans, and yellow peppers on a blue corn base. Reminded me of a Mexican pizza. Ensalada de la casa rounded out the starters. For mains, the mole de la casa reminded me of sweet potato in bbq (in a good way). The branzino was charred with a caper and beurre monte sauce that balanced richness and acid. Duck carnitas came with pickled watermelon radish and salsas on the side. The mains were my favorites. Dessert was just as thoughtful. The canela opera cake paired coffee ice cream with cinnamon spiced layers, and the cornhusk meringue was a lighter, more textural finish, airy and lightly spiced. This is a special occasion spot that still feels warm and unpretentious.

Cosme has been on my list since forever ago for their corn meringue!…read more We went for a weekday dinner and the restaurant wasn't super full-- feels like you could walk in without a wait. I loved their flower arrangements and felt like the overall vibe was very modern. Duke carnitas ($120 but feeds 2 people): wow this duck was so good. it's fall apart and truly does have that melt-in-your-mouth texture. However, I would've liked it even more if it had a crispy skin. It comes with fresh purple corn tortillas (some of the best I've ever had, super chewy and delicious!) and a trio of sauces. To be honest I thought the duck was a little overpriced for what it was because other than the perfectly cooked duck, the rest of the condiments were fairly normal and uninspired. At this price point I need some creativity in the flavors in addition to immaculate execution. Corn meringue was interesting because the cream is predominantly salty while the meringue provides most of the sweetness. I can't say I'm the biggest fan, but I do appreciate the innovation. Likewise, I think the flavors were quite minimal and could've used more creative manipulation. They gave us complimentary cookies that were quite good. However, service was a bit spotty as the table next to us got in depth explanations of each dish whereas we barely got any.

Booked ahead for dinner with a friend and really liked this place! I tried:…read more + The bells at Trinity cocktail - excellent + Seeded Parker house roll - great + Chicken liver mousse - highlight #1 + Agnolotti - only miss, had a spice I didn't love + Bucatini - highlight #2 + kale salad - great + Bruleed rice pudding - great + Rhubarb choux bun - excellent Service was very good as well. They didn't rush us, which feels rare these days. Will be back for dinner and would try the brunch as well (need that cinnamon roll).

I could not say enough amazing things about The Noortwyck. From the food to the staff, everything…read morewas flawless! The restaurant had a wine dinner series called "Between Bottles," which included a recent pairing hosted by renowned wine expert, Andre Mack, of whom I am a big fan. I immediately wanted to attend the event, though I also knew that my partner was a fussy eater that had a tough time with tasting menus. I saw that the reservation page noted that the Chef tried his best to accommodate dietary restrictions, so I emailed to confirm. I let the team know about his particulars, and the staff graciously agreed to oblige swapping them out, which was so special! I was thrilled to be able to finally experience one of my culinary adventures with my companion. When we arrived at the restaurant, I just let the staff know that we were the reservation that had requested the special menu, and they had the custom version printed and ready for him! We were escorted to a large communal table by the front window, which was a bit removed from the dining room on the other side of the bar, so our group had some privacy. When Andre arrived, he sat right in the center of the table, engaging the rest of us as if he had known us for years; it was truly an intimate experience. The sommelier, Sam, was also involved in explaining the wines and acting as an additional resource. Jodi, the general manager and wine director, similarly made herself available and had had a hand in crafting my partner's special menu. Honestly, the staff here was incredible! Anyway, now on to the actual dinner. We were served three wines for each of the three savory courses, which was much more generous than I was used to! One of the three wines was always one from Andre's brand. The 4-course, 9-wine menu was as follows with my comments after the * below each: First course: Hamachi in a yellow curry with radishes 1.) Maison Noir Wines, O.P.P, Pinot Gris, Williamette Valley 2023 2.) The Eyrie Vineyards, Cuvee Leger, Chasselas Doré, Dundee Hills 2023 3.) Domaine Sylvain Pataille, Aligoté, Burgundy 2022 *The hamachi was very fresh and served sashimi-style. The yellow curry sauce was aromatic and clearly Thai-inspired. The dish was stunningly plated. I enjoyed wines 1 and 3 best. (Partner received a Kale Salad with toasted pine nuts and horseradish, which he surprisingly liked!) Second Course: Bucatini with ramps and white pepper 1.) Maison Noir Wines, Oregogne, Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2019 2.) Cameron, Abbey Ridge, Chardonnay, Dundee Hills 2020 3.) Domaine Christian Moreau, Les Clos, Grand Cru, Chablis 2022 *Pasta was perfectly cooked and spun into a mound on the plate. It had been twirled in a ramp pesto that was divine. Again, I liked wines 1 and 3 the most. (Partner received a vegan version of this.) Third Course: Grilled Short Ribs over creamy polenta and wild mushrooms Maison Noir, Oregogne, Pinot Noir, Williamette Valley 2023 Kelley Fox, Weber Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2021 Lignier-Michelot, Vieilles Vignes, Morey-Saint-Denis, Burgundy 2022 *The short ribs were very tender, but had been cooked with a bit too much cumin, in my opinion. The polenta and mushrooms were great complements, however. I preferred wines 2 and 3 this time, particularly 3. (Partner received broccoli rabe instead of polenta, and it was a bitter, yet comforting warm slaw of sorts.) Fourth Course: Rhubarb Choux Bun, Pernod ice cream *This was a giant cream puff and a layer of oozing rhubarb gem that was as tasty as it was hearty. (Partner received raspberry sorbet in champagne, which he liked.) What a treat it is to relive this incredible experience. The Noortwyck delivered sheer bliss and a spectacular evening. We will be back!

We have always wanted to try this Jean-George neighborhood iconic restaurant and why not during…read moreRestaurant Week. For a $60 prixe fee special we were able to choose an appetizer, entree and dessert. Food : 5+ stars - we started with the wax bean and cherry tomato salad and long island fluke tartare. The salad's veggies were extremely fresh and flavorful- like right out of a garden - and the accompaniment of goat cheese was excellent. The fluke tartare could have been a little more flavorful but it went well with the strong flavor of the kohlrabi leaves. The entrees were excellent - casarecce and seared hake. The pistachio pesto was rich and creamy and the pasta was perfectly al denté. The hake was perfectly seared and moist and the puttanesca was tangy and sweet. Dessert was decadent - especially the caramel popcorn sundae - which is apparently their signature dessert! Service: 5+ stars - The staff was warm and very attentive yet you never felt rushed. Ambiance: 5+ stars The ambience felt intimate and warm even though the space evoked a large barn / warehouse. The bar was large and well appointed and we could certainly envision just stopping for a pleasant drink / appetizer. Our only complaint was that there were a few fruit flies which were a bit of nuisance during dining experience. We will definitely return - even for just the cocktails and the dessert!!

I came here for my Fiancé birthday. I let them know ahead of time. This was a very pricey meal and…read morethe service was not great. It was not terrible but no one came over to check on us. No one said happy birthday Our waitress was dressed very unprofessional and was really not friendly at all. She was not terrible but for a high end restaurant they could be more attentive I ordered the sea bass with salsa verde sauce. This was so bland. I love salsa verde sauce . This was so bland. I had to ask for salt it took 5 minutes for salt to come. It tasted like a bland mess of herbs and the fish was a pretty small portion We ordered the Japanese yam side dish. It was not great or sweet. I make Japanese yams all the time and I don't cook and mine are better. They were so undercooked you missed the sweetness. This is hard to mess up. My fiancé order lobster. We asked how large the lobster was and the waitress was unclear. Plus I told them it was his bday before and they said they would do a candle and a small cupcake. We got sorbet and we're not even given a choice. I did speak to the manager after and he was accommodating. He said sorry it is Mother's Day but to be honest the section we were sitting had many open tables . So i felt the made a very special occasion less than ordinary

"The Dutch" Treat -- Salmon & Salad Light Lunch -- IMRAN®…read more A long, challenging Wednesday had already started off on the wrong foot -- but at least not foot in mouth. An early‑morning LIRR failure stole two extra hours, created unnecessary drama, and caused me to miss meetings with people who were flying out soon afterward. By the time I finally made it to Manhattan, several back‑to‑back sessions and no breakfast meant hunger was clearly the order of the day. That made our light working lunch with a few technology leaders at The Dutch -- right at the Sullivan and Prince streets intersection -- feel especially welcome. It's a lively spot where our semi‑private corner still felt open to the energy of SoHo. Victoria, our server, was gracious, attentive, and kept the pace just right. Two of us went for the light salmon over greens, while the others mixed it up with different dishes. My plate was fresh, flavorful, and fairly filling. But as anyone who loves salmon knows, a salmon‑and‑salad combo has a way of making you hungry again a few hours later -- which is exactly what happened to both of us who ordered it. © 2026 IMRAN® #IMRAN #NewYork #Manhattan #seafood #dining #food #salmon #SoHo

When choosing a place to host a work event for my department, I usually take lead. This particular…read moreevent was a little more intimate than others I've planned, however there were 14 of us which still required me to go though the events department for most places. The Dutch was referred to me by the events planner of another Andrew Carmellini restaurant - the menu, prices, and vibes looked on point so I decided to pursue booking my event here. The Dutch is one of several restaurants owned by chef Andrew Carmellini. I'm not too familiar with his spots, but I have been to the nearby Lafayette and it has slowly become one of my favorite restaurants. The Dutch checked off several boxes for me since they were able to accommodate a party of our size in a private room, offered a varied menu, and allowed us to purchase drinks as we went instead of locking us into a preset package. The restaurant itself looks great - the decor was somewhat modern, and the private room was a decent size with the walls lined with liquor bottles that made the aesthetics pop. The menu was preset for us when I booked, though they said we could make modifications and add more food if needed. All the food was served family style with three apps, three mains, and two desserts. We started with scallion chipotle cornbread, marinated baby beets, and Chinatown calamari. These were all pretty good - the cornbread was warm and buttery, though I could not really taste any chipotle. The beets were good, but the calamari was the most unique dish for me. The squid was breaded, but then served in somewhat of a salad which added brightness and cut through the heaviness of the fried fish. For mains we had the smoked ricotta agnolotti, the hot fried chicken, and the lemon roasted cod. These were all solid, though I would say I was looking for the smoked in the pasta, the hot in the chicken, and the lemon in the fish. Besides that though, the chicken was fried well and juicy, and the cod was a great consistency - each coming with sides that complemented the proteins well. The pasta was the weakest dish IMO, I probably wouldn't order it if i ever returned. Additionally, they served us sides of broccolini and shoestring fries which were both very good. To close out the meal, we were served chocolate chip cookies and various ice cream scoops which were solid. Service was great - we had a dedicated server and bartender for the evening who were really friendly and accommodating. Outside of that, the communication with the team when making the arrangements was great - Jo was very responsive and made sure all my questions were answered. Overall, we had a good time at The Dutch - the food and vibes were on. I would be curious to return as a regular patron to see how their food and service holds up.

This is a really nice spot in the West Village that has a classic feel to it. We were seated in the…read moreMain Dining Room upstairs for brunch on a Sunday. The service was pretty slow - it was over 30 minutes before we were able to order. Luckily the food was worth the wait though. The pancakes are a must order - they were nice and fluffy, topped with butter and syrup giving the perfect sweetness. The burger was cooked really well. I appreciated the fact that the fries were served on the side so they maintained their crispness without the burger juice seeping onto them. Overall, I would highly recommend this place, but not if you're in some kind of rush.

Stop by for Golden Hour in Wallace Room. Host and bartenders…read morewere very friendly, love that for a small cozy place. Cocktail HH was boozy and delicious. Artichoke Dip for $22 and Fish & Chip $22 more like regular meal pricing, not bad to snack on!

Friday night. West Village. Felt like I time-traveled straight to the South of France…read more Hit up Le Petit Village with a friend and immediately knew this wasn't your average "let's grab dinner" situation. Corner of Perry & 7th Ave, leather utensil holders, two floors, packed house -- real grown man ambiance. Started responsible... with East Coast oysters. Fresh, mignonette on point, lemon squeeze, and the world's tiniest Tabasco bottle. Felt personally attacked but respected it. Then the duck confit pulled up. Slow cooked in its own fat for hours. Translation: tender enough to make you emotional but still act tough about it. The beet salad? Game changer. Didn't expect to be impressed by beets... yet here we are. Branzino with olive tapenade, green peas, and enough garlic to protect me from vampires through 2030. No regrets. Cocktails? Dangerous. Creative. Smooth. I considered speaking French after two. And shoutout to EVELINA -- elite level service. Attentive, warm, made us feel like VIPs in a place that filled up fast. Window seats looked romantic... and slightly freezing. Choose wisely, gentlemen. Executive Chef Mehjabin Ahmed clearly knows what she's doing. The founders built something special here. Rustic South of France energy right in the West Village. Moral of the story: Eat well. Order the duck. Don't underestimate beets.

Food: very good (eg, the branzino, the pate, the mussels)…read more Service: very good Atmosphere; charming, modernized old school French building and decor. Vibe: nightclub -- this killed it for us. So, so loud club music thumping which then drives those around you to talk loudly and, lucky us, we had someone very very loud next to us. To be fair to her she dropped her volume when the ambient volume dropped so I very much blame the restaurant, not her. I'd try it again but only for lunch and ideally outside. 7th Avenue and it's ambulance traffic is far quieter than the interior of this place