Vong
Category: Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Midtown East200 E 54th St
(between 2nd Ave & 3rd Ave)
New York, NY 10022 (212) 486-9592
- Nearest Transit:
Lexington-3rd Aves-51st St (6, E, V)
59th St-Lexington Ave (4, 5, 6, N, R, W)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
26 Reviews for Vong
I've been to Vong twice and now refuse to give it another chance. The food was devoid of flavor. The spicy thai beef salad was decent, but that was the highlight of the meal. The chicken entree was gross. I will say that the chicken itself was moist, but it was like eating bland boiled chicken - Hospital food, if you ask me.
Decor - the Decor was nice. I liked the pillows - gave it a very eastern, comfy vibe. Chairs were pretty comfortable.
Drinks - The drinks were def yum. If anything I would come back for drinks and to enjoy the ambiance.
i went for my friends birthday and the service was mediocre to say the least. We were a party of 12 and were treated like no one else. For being a big party i expected more attention... considering we were dropping deuces like nothing.
the food portions were small and unsatisfying, i would have enjoyed it more if my meal didn't feel like a taste tester.
when they bought a piece of cake out to say happy birthday they just threw the candle lit plate on the table like nothing with no pizazz or jolly singing- we got nothing for the price we paid... not worth while
only thing that i could say was cool was that we sat in a booth table that was on the floor.
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Pretty good but not outstanding. My co-workers and I went for lunch during Restaurant Week. We had a nice variety of dishes, and I would say the tamarind duck, salmon, and curry shrimp topped the list. The service was courteous but slow. The ambiance is interesting, but lacks fluidity and the 'wow' factor. The dishes were all flavorful, well prepared, and nicely presented but not very unique. I was expecting more from Jean Georges. We all enjoyed our dishes and left stuffed, but there wasn't anything particularly striking about the experience.
That was one yummy crab spring roll. All crab. The crispy wrapper wrapped in lettuce then dipped into a tasty tamarind sauce. Oooh. Order me up another plate, please.
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Vong is great. As soon as you step inside, you feel like you've accidentally stumbled into some fabulous, tropical vacation destination. It's warm, and red, and exotic, and shiny. And I like shiny. And the hostess is nearly 8 feet tall. It's surreal. Warm, shiny, and surreal.
Oh -- this is probably important to note-- the food is really good too.
Our table of four all ordered different items and shared, and there wasn't a single thing that landed on our table that wasn't complex and flavorful, perfectly prepared, and beautifully presented. I'm sad nothing was leftover.
I was looking forward to dining at Vong for Restaurant Week. It is a Jean George restaurant, after all. Sure, I read all the not-so-stellar reviews on Yelp but I still had hope. I guess I'm an optimist. I thought, maybe this time, it might be different for me! *sigh* I so wish that had been the case.
I was starving when I got to Vong's. The decor was warm and inviting. The pillow cushions hanging from the wall rods looked so comfortable. And the smell was heavenly! I didn't even mind that we had to wait a little bit before the hostess sat us down (even with reservations). Our rice crackers with peanut sauce dip was delicious! I looked around and saw a room full of people eating and thought this was a good start and a great sign. Then my first course, the Spicy Thai Beef Salad came out. It sure did look pretty and with the beef piled on the greenery, I was excited. I didn't pay any attention to the "spicy" part of the name. I am Korean, mind you, and I could take a little spice (and heat)! Or so I thought. The level of spiciness that bombed in my mouth was painful. It was so spicy- like the jalapeno concentrate kind, I thought my mouth was on fire. Or that the first layer of my gums had evaporated. Sadly, it wasn't just me. My friend, who also started with the dish, felt the same way. It was so bad that when our my Tamarind Glazed Duck entree came out 20 minutes later, 1) I was so full from all the water I drank (to assuage my angry tongue) I couldn't really eat my dinner and 2) my tongue was so scorched I couldn't even taste the duck. By the time dessert came out, I was ready to dive into my Brioche Pudding just to get that spiciness taste out of my mouth. The brioche bread pudding wasn't quite "pudding" like. It was more like a muffin. And I got a taste of the Warm Chocolate Cake and I thought I had better ones in my past. I must say that the Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup was delicious. I wished I had gotten that instead. When I wasn't focused on my shocked mouth, I did think that the tamarind glaze with all the sesame seeds on my duck was decent. My friend got the Pork Loin and it was okay, on the average side. Considering that at places like this the portions could be on the smallish side, the portions at Vong were fairly decent.
Sure, I left full but wasn't quite satisfied. It could have been all the water or the unacceptably long wait for each course. Every little detail at Vong just wasn't up to par from what I expected out of "fine dining" restaurant of this caliber. The service was slow and food was nothing to write home about... I was glad I wasn't paying full price, actually. I left feeling wanting something... more.
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It is true that Vong is no longer the newest hottest restaurant in NYC. It is also true that SE Asian-French fusion is not so cutting edge anymore, that JG Vongerichten has extended his empire so much that he can not possibly be paying Vong any regular attention, and that he also owns another debatably more interesting place with similar food in the city. However, the food is great, the service is wonderful, and the experience is top notch.
Vong is clearly targeting a different crowd with it's midtown location and exotic but reserved decor than it's cousin Spice Market. That may be sneered at by the cognoscenti, but this restaurant has a track record of long term success and good food that speaks for itself. The appetizers and deserts were the real stars at a recent dinner I had there. They offer their restaurant week prix fixe deal all year and we went with it but also ordered the mixed appetizer platter (min 2 people). It offered grilled spicy quail, lobster daicon rolls, crunchy fried shrimp satays, tuna rolls in rice paper and crab spring rolls, all with their own sauces and condiments. This platter seems like the best thing on the menu, everything was stellar. The prix fixe menu came with appetizer choices including oyster mushroom and avocado carpaccio, (subtle and tasty) and a savory addictive coconut chicken and galangal soup. The mains were a hanger steak which was good, a so so salmon dish (the only down point of the meal) and a tofu dish. The desert I selected, a delicious pineapple brioche with pineapple ice cream and roasted pineapple, was fantastic.
So what if you leave the restaurant and find your self in deserted nighttime midtown instead of the trendy clubland of the meatpacking district. Vong is a very pleasant restaurant.
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Our concierge at the front desk of the Hudson hotel directed us here on a last minute request. When we entered the restaurant it was not very busy, which surprised me and made me think that this was a last resort for where they would send hotel guests. They have cute little small menus which I really liked.....mini-anything i like. Our table ordered a bunch of starters to share because this seemed like a place to experience new flavors. All of our starters were wonderful.....especially the charred corn dumplings we had. Everyone liked them so much we ordered more for the table. By the time we finished our starters....the restaurant quickly started to fill (I guess around 9). I was worried about this place when we sat down....but was pleasantly surprised. We all enjoyed our meal, especially since it was new and different then the usual spots we frequent in NY. Highly recommended for a change of pace...
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The restaurant was recommended to us by a friend of a friend. We all met up for dinner at VONG, the food at Vong is French-Thai fusion. We definitely did not enjoy the food, a few of the appetizers were okay but the main course was disappointing and we left hungry.
After the fact I was surprised to find out that this was a Jean-Georges restaurant since I had such an amazing experience at Jean-Georges.
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The decor was awesome. As soon as you walk in the place strikes you as a very relaxed, classy environment. I thought my food was pretty good too. The lobster roll appetizers were a good, standard first order. I ordered the sirloin beef as my entree, which was good too.
The food was good overall but not outstanding, portions are small so dont go in with expectations that you're going to get a filling meal, thats just not going to happen.
The place's general vibe was awesome and far eclipsed the quality of the food. Funny thing is, the area was so chill and relaxed that it actually kind of distracted me from the food so I left thinking the place was amazing even though the food was hardly spectacular. So the end takeaway is that there's something to this place that makes it good but the food shouldn't be your primary reason to visit.....even though it is a restaurant....if that makes any sense.
I lived a block away from Vong for a number of years, and I always enjoyed eating here. The food was always good, of high quality, and well prepared. The ambiance is great, both chic and professional, and the service was always attentive. Taste in food is so subjective, but I would say that if you are looking for traditional Thai food, the kind that is very spicy, this is not your place. This is gourmet, so the flavor is just that....flavorful....not intended to be firey hot or so spicy that your eyes tear up. Go with a friend, take a date, take a client or business associate....or take your significant other's parents. Despite its age (which is irrelevant when it comes to good food...resale value isn't important) this restaurant is a class act, all the way.
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Meh. I'm sure Vong was amazing in its heyday as one of the first Asian fusion restaurants out there. But now it's been surpassed by newer, more innovative cuisine. The decor is interesting, almost over the top, and the food is good enough, but it lacks anything that would make me interested in returning. I also really don't like it when restaurants seat parties of two next to instead of across from each other. But that's a whole other story.
I have been here many times now. The Lobster with Thai Herbs, Duck Rolls, Chicken soup with Coconut Milk, Crab Spring Rolls, ..all to die for.. Don't pass up JG"s Chocolate Cake and have a Passion Potion :)
Why do people treat restaurants like women?..when they get older...they want to abandon them! Not only does Vong seduce me, but it always satisfies.
Everyone I have taken here has loved it. Jean-Georges has got it going on...
Highly recommended.
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Vong definitely has great food, service, and the ambiance is quite nice, but is it really better than a lot of the other lesser priced Thai restaurants I've been too? I'm not sure. OK so its actually French-Thai, but still... For the prices and big name behind this place (Jean Georges), I guess I was hoping for a little more. I am not bashing it and I would go back if someone else was paying, but it's not a place I feel the immediate need to visit anytime soon.
Ambiance. Vong is a great place to take your significant other. The setting is great for dinners.
The food is exquisite. You won't be disappointed with any of the appetizers, and the main courses are even better.
Definitely a great place, if you are willing to shell out the cash.
Wow, is this old dinosaur still around? Jean Georges Vongerichten just needs to pull the plug before Vong dies a slow long death and pulls him along with it.
I suppose it's worth a spin if you want to complete your "tired throwbacks of the 90s" tour of Manhattan...after your visit to Tao and Nobu. But god-damn, at least those places remain relevant to the popular masses.
Unfortunately, Vong is a restaurant where time has passed it by. Leaving in its wake uninspired dishes, a surly staff, and the depressing air of a place well past its prime.
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I think that this might be my first 5 star review. I have nothing but lavish praise for this establishment. The food was divine, the staff was impeccable. I can't remember enjoying a meal as much as I did this one. The chicken curry will render you speechless. See, I can't even think of more to say. You're crazy not to go.
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A short walk from Citicorp Center, Vong labels itself French Thai. And like many of its fusion food cousins, it thrives on mediocrity on multiple fronts. The food is just okay for the price. And caution: quite vegetarian unfriendly. My guess is that half of the patrons come to Vong because they know of few other places to go to in that neighborhood for a business lunch or dinner.
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One word: AMAZING! This was one of the best NY dining experiences I've had. Where to begin..
My husband and I went here last Saturday night and had an early 6:30pm reservation. The place wasn't very crowded. It got busier towards the end (around 8ish), but still quite a few empty tables. The service was great - our waiter was very attentive and someone was there at all times refilling water, cleaning the table, replacing the utensils, etc. They definitely spoil you and make you feel special.
The food was SO good. Everything had such an amazing flavor - I know that when my foodie husband is savoring every bite, there's a whole lot of secret ingredients in the dish. I had the pork satay appetizer and loved it - the mango salad it came with was very creative and made up for the very un-thai peanut sauce. Hubby had the crab dumplings and he said they were excellent. My portion was big, his was pretty small. For dinner I had the organic chicken - it was worth it just for the sauce. Extremely good flavor. Hubby had the sea bass and also loved all the flavor. My portion was pretty large, his was small.
The chocolate cake dessert was tiny but delicious. All together, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 1 dessert with no drinks came to $100. Pretty typical of a nice NYC restaurant so I don't think it was overpriced for the experience you get. Definitely recommend this place - try going early for better service and don't go in expecting pad thai! Also, the less expensive meals have larger portions so if you're really worried about the size of your meal, pick the cheaper options =)
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Your anticipation level of the glamor quotient is raised - hey -it's in the Lipstick Building.
Like a beautiful woman, Vong seduces you on first impression, and then 'she lets you down and leaves you flat.' (Beatles).
As you go inside she embraces you in soft light, hypnotizes you with an exciting voice and teases you with her sexy dress; that you'll be in for a great romance, or at least a terrific romp in an exotic setting.
But after the big come on, be prepared for a kiss-off.
You are ignored, or at best perfunctorily served. There was not one hint of any intention on part of the wait-staff of wanting to be helpful if you even dared to ask for suggestions or recommendations. (I always like to ask questions, because usually a good restaurant has staff that is more than happy to point you in the right direction. Not here.)
I went here for a birthday, and the only good thing about it is that I already forgot what I ate. This place is for the crowd that loves to say 'you must eat at this restaurant' or; you must stay at this hotel' but their definition of good is when they are stuck with an outrageous tab.
I am sometimes guilty of the above (although I compensate for it by trying off-the beaten path pleasures and /underrated treasures' ). I am going to give Jean-Georges another chance by visiting one of his other restaurants.
But the Lipstick Building is gorgeous. And a 'must see.'
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Keep this in mind when you consider my 4-star rating of Vong:
1. It was recommended to me by a French guy.
2. I ate a prix-fixe $35 Restaurant Week meal.
That said, the best parts of Vong were the decor, excellent service, and free extra dessert. The rest of the food was OK, but not what you would expect from Jean-Georges and certainly not what you would expect an in-the-know French guy to recommend. Go here for the atmosphere and/or proximity to your Midtown office (especially if the meal is on your expense account. Score!)
BTW, simple tips for getting special treatment at nice restaurants: Show up on time for your reservation, dress nicely, and be polite. Free sorbet will be yours!
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I went to Vong with a large group and no one had any compaints. Their house salad w/ asparagus was huge and amazing; however, many of the other appetizers/entrees were too small. I had the tofu which I found great, those around me had equally good meals. Had lavender ice cream for dessert--fantastic. Give Vong a try, I don't think that you'll be disappointed.
The portions seem small but actually they are just right. The appetizers we had were quite good especially the ones served with a chili oil. My problem was that some entrees are begging for some flavor. The only thing that was savory in the salmon with tomato galanga was the sprout on top but unfortunately the sprout was just the garnishing. The salmon was very fresh but bland; the tomato was fresh but had no kick; the sauce was watery and tasted mostly ... well ... like water. For the price, I wouldn't go back; on a business account, ok fine. I did have the pleasure of seeing Andy Rooney there so I give it 1 extra star.
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It's a beautiful yet comfortable restaurant. Although they can seat relatively large parties, I don't recommend going with a party larger than 4 because of the noise level.
The appetizer sampler for 23 bucks is an absolute must. Most items are great and are accompanied with their own sauce. If you don't want the whole shebang, don't miss out on the crab rolls, which melt in your mouth.
For an entree I had the Spiced Cod, which was completely over-spiced and in my opinion should not be served. Jean-Georges Vongerichten, shame on you!!!!
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