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Categories: Bars, American (New)
Neighborhood: Midtown EastBeacon is officially a Construction Free zone. New Menu, Open Sundays, Prix Fixe Lunch 29. and Dinner 42. Private Rooms starting at $35++
57th St-6th Ave (F)
5th Ave-53rd St (E, V)
5th Ave-60th St (N, R, W)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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This place is awesome.. Having a wood burning oven, an awesome grill, and an awesome rotisserie.. What's to complain about..
Food is simple, with cookimg implements like that, it's all about the technique.
Went last night to the thursday dinner.. For a hundred bucks we ate our faces off, drinks included..
Left full drunk and happy..
i will be back just for those damn oysters.. But so excited for everything else.
Spot is worth a visit.
Came here for a friend's birthday. When we walked through the door one of my friends asked "Do you think we should've dressed up?" Because on their site it did say casual, but everyone eating there were in business attire or business casual. But luckily no one gave us weird stares just because we were wearing jeans and converses.
The restaurant was pretty big and there's this semi-open kitchen in the back. The ambiance was really nice and the environment was very laid back/modern. The service was really good. Our server was pretty attentive and kept asking us if everything was alright throughout the night. We were there since 7pm and stayed til 10:45pm having a good time and they did not rush us to leave.
Alright enough of the gibberish and onto the food! We had some garlic fries and it was really really good, just love garlic! It's lovely they have a prix fixe menu. For my prix fixe dinner I ordered the pumpkin apple soup, which was pretty neat to watch the server put in the spiced spun sugar and saw it dissolved right in front of my eyes. For the main course I had the wood roasted salmon, which was really good! The birthday girl also had the prix fixe and she ordered the arugula and warm potatoes, which looked really good. For main course she had the spit roasted ten herb chicken, which was really good and not dry. My other friend had the roasted shrimp and lobster salad and it looked very cute because the half lobster was very small. Then two of my friends shared the dry aged porterhouse for two.
For dessert I had the sorbet, which came with my prix fixe. The sorbet was pretty good. The pumpkin cheesecake was really really good. The devil's chocolate cake is even better! The berry souffle was very scrumptious and it just melts in your mouth from bite to bite. The wood roasted strawberries was okay, but a word of advice the dish is HOT and should come with a warning label. Overall the food was pretty good and the service was great!
I really liked this place. The restaurant is clean and elegant without being snobby. It's big, but divided up well so that there isn't one cavernous dining room. We arrived for our 6:00 reservation (we had an 8:00 show) and were seated promptly. The service was good throughout. Everything was brought in a timely manner, glasses were refilled and our server was courteous and professional.
I liked the atmosphere. The decor was nothing fancy, but it was quiet and relaxed there. It was nice to be able to carry on a conversation without needing to strain to hear the people at your table.
The food was very good. I started with the Pumpkin Apple Soup. I liked it, but my friend did not. He thought it tasted too much of apple and not enough of pumpkin. I agree that there wasn't much pumpkin flavor, but I liked it anyway. We both though the presentation was excellent.... you really need to see it for yourself. For my entree I had the Beacon Chopped Roast Chicken Salad. It was hearty and tasty, though I would have liked a little more chicken and a little less bleu cheese. Two of my friends got the burger & fries and thought they were good. My third friend did the prix fixe, with the Baby Field Greens & Herbs, the Wood Roasted Salmon and the Trio of Sorbet and I think he enjoyed them all.
The rest of us didn't have room for dessert. But a table near us got the chocolate souffle and it looked amazing.
The prices were on the high end ($26 for the salad, $19 for the burger & fries, $42 for the 3-course prix fixe), but didn't seem totally out of line for the location. I'd most likely come here again next time I find myself in Manhattan.
Note: This review is long, just like our meal. I'm going to go with four stars because I was so happy with the food; if I could rate service seperately, that'd be a 2 or 3.
The space is nice -- very large, not overdecorated, warm colors. We were seated immediately, even though we arrived early. Our waiter promptly came over and took our drink order, and another server brought two sample-size slices of the mushroom pizza (delish, although I saw someone order this at a nearby table and that sucker is HUGE, so be forewarned), so we were off to a good start.
We shared the mixed greens with goat cheese salad as an appetizer, which was pleasantly above-average thanks to its yummy dressing. In the middle of eating said salad, I realized my wine still hadn't arrived. I hailed down our waiter and reminded him, but it still took a few minutes after that to get to the table (strike one on the service end). For dinner, I had the wild mushroom ravioli and my mom had the Fall vegetable risotto. We were both super-impressed with the execution of these dishes -- portions were satisfying but not overwhelming, and the flavors were just spot-on.
We finished our respective dishes, and sat. And sat. And sat. Our waiter was nearby, but didn't even look in our direction. We had to grab another server and let him know we'd like a dessert menu and to have leftovers wrapped up (this would be strike two for service). The dessert was absolutely worth waiting for, however. We shared the pancake with apples and swapped the cognac ice cream for cinnamon - SO GOOD!! The apples were carmelized and had this incredible burnt-sugar outside, and the spicy ice cream offset all the sweetness perfectly.
Having realized that the service was lagging, we asked for our check when the dessert arrived. A young man in a suit -- the manger, I assumed -- came over with it, and apologized sincerely for the earlier delay, which was nice. But then my mom realized that the hostess who'd taken our jackets had never brought us the promised coat check tags, and when she went to get the jackets there was a bit of a to-do over whether they'd actually taken them from us. The aforementioned very helpful manager luckily was standing close by, and handled the situation quickly, but this was definitely strike three. Not only did she forget to bring the tags, she tried to pretend it never happened!
Again, the food here is just too good to go with the 3 stars, and the manager was great, so I'm comfortable labeling myself a fan. But I definitely won't come back when I'm in a hurry!
Wow. I did not expect this restaurant to be as good as it was. Food was VERY good, and the atmosphere is crisp and elegant, but not over the top as to make you feel uncomfortable.
Wait staff was very attentive; we had a great seat and did not have to wait much at any time.
Food was excellent. I had a venison special, cooked med. rare, which tasted like butter. The mac and cheese appetizer is delish, and better than made at home. Oh and the sides! Whoa those sides, the spinach and mushrooms were fresh fresh fresh, and the PICKLES--if you go here you have to get that pickle dish, even if you don't like pickles, you will like these.
I will def. be returning.
I've always struggled to find a good spot somewhere around Midtown that wasn't strictly a steakhouse. While Beacon is sort of a steakhouse, they've got quite an expansive menu. The highlight here is obviously their wood over, with pretty much everything on the menu saying "woodfire" thi and "woodfire" that. I was a little skeptical because I hadn't heard ANYTHING about this restaurant, but everything turned out to be quite enjoyable.
I've tried to rank every Mac 'n Cheese I've had in this city, but found it's near impossible to differentiate among the good ones. I've decided there are 3 classes of M'n'C - "Excellent", "Average", and "Try Again". Beacon's definitely belongs in the "Excellent" category.
I got the arugula and warm potato salad for an appetizer which was just a bunch of arugula with a vinaigrette over warm fingerling potatoes surrounded by home-made potato chips. Definitely my kind of salad and a great start to the meal. Mom got the butternut squash soup with spun sugar which was a nice surprise. The waiter brings the soup out and a separate plate with the spun sugar on it. When he drops the spun sugar into the soup, it instantly melts to reveal that some fresh croutons were inside and now floating in your soup. I don't think the spun sugar really adds a whole lot to the soup, but the presentation is fun and the attention to detail earns it an A.
I went for the special of the day which was a breadcrumb crusted (they love their breadcrumbs there) sea bass over white and green beans. It was a solid fish dish, but definitely not 5-star worthy.
For dessert we had the chocolate-chocolate-chip-souffle which was definitely a solid dish. It's tough to mess up a souffle, but it's also tough to make one stand out as exceptionally good. They definitely make an exceptional souffle there. Don't pass it up.
The service was very attentive, but not annoyingly so. The ambiance is fantastic and the drinks were enjoyable. I'll definitely be returning as there aren't a whole lot of great restaurants in the vicinity there.
Nicely done, Beacon.
Beacon is great. You just can't go wrong when you throw a wood burning stove into the mix. I've been here 4 times now, and I'll keep going back.
The service is top notch. The atmosphere is simple, unassuming, and yet refined. I think the best part is that I don't know how popular this place is. I've walked off the street 3 of the 4 times (it's on OpenTable also which is always big for me) and always been seated rather quickly.
So on the food, get the roasted oysters. Even if you don't like oysters. It's like they took oysters and made them into something else that is better than just oysters. All the ingredients are so fresh, and everything is so simple. I'd recommend getting a side as my only gripe is the portion size. It's probably what we're supposed to be eating, but I needed a little side to food drunk myself.
So yeah, Beacon is a safe haven for the otherwise disappointment that is Midtown
Business dinner for about 14 people, one long table upstairs. Abridged version - service was bad, food was decent, 3-hour dinner. I don't want to blame our waiter, because the restaurant must've screwed up royally not dedicating at least a couple of people to our table alone. Apparently, this guy was handling the entire upper floor himself.
Roasted oysters were good, then I had a salad, followed by the petite filet, which was not really as tender as filet should be. Then came time for dessert. For some reason, our waiter didn't take our after-dinner drink order with our dessert order, and then had to come around again, 15 minutes to ask if we wanted coffee or espresso. I was afraid each order would take an additional 15 minutes, so I skipped on both.
I don't know if they were having an off night or what, but with all the restaurants in the city, I don't need to go back to this one to risk another bad experience.
Came for lunch after consulting my Yelp bookmarks list and finding Beacon towards the bottom. I didn't even remember why I put it there but I am sure glad I did. This place is a FIND. Really large dining room with an upstairs, a private room in the back. The kitchen is open and the staff is very friendly.
They have a great lunch prix fix menu in which you choose two dishes. We opted for a la carte since we were intrigued by other dishes. They have numerous what seems like appetizers, but perhaps they are simply tapas style dishes.
My colleague ordered the pork belly dish and ordered the bone marrow as a second dish. I ordered the artichoke and an entree of agnolotti. My colleague's pork belly was delicious, tastes like bacon on crack. Honestly, addictive. My artichoke dish I expected to be just the heart. It was a whole roasted artichoke, in loads of oil, garlic and bread crumbs. I ate the whole thing, leaf by leaf, and was pleased to find the weird hairy part previously cleaned out for me. The heart itself was also delicious. Was such a surprise, I haven't had a whole artichoke in years.
As second courses arrived, we were delighted to receive a dish of roasted asparagus & egg parmesan, compliments of the chef. Even though neither of us are big vegetable fans, we really enjoyed this dish. The asparagus was crunchy and very tasty.
We expected my colleague's bone marrow dish to be super tiny but she actually got two huge log-chunks of bone. She couldn't even bring herself to finish both. It was my first time trying bone marrow (I think) and I am sure it won't be my last. Was so rich!
My agnolotti was filled with braised beef, pork and had spiced raisins and pine nuts in the brothy-like sauce. It was slightly sweet, and salty- delicious, very garlicky.
In fact, everything had a lot of garlic, so keep that in mind as you order.
We had to order desert to try and wipe out the garlicky taste in our mouths. We opted for the lavender scented creme brulee which was a home run. Each bite was like a spoon full of bliss. Hard to describe, but that is what it felt like.
I would suggest this place for a big group. It is not small and intimate so I am not sure I would pick it for a date, but for a group gathering or celebration it is perfect.
Waldy, Waldy, Waldy. What up with your waitstaff? Observe:
Do you have a show to go to after dinner? Why, yes we do, thank you.
What time do you need to leave? 7:45PM should do it, thanks for asking.
Roasted Oysters, mmm yes, six is a lot for Restaurant Week prices. Nice!
Tick.
Filet Mignon, mmm yes, almost luscious, in fact. Salty spinach, but whatevs.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Erm, sir? Hi. We're sort of desperate to leave . . . .
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Tick.
Hello, excuse me, we'll just skip dessert, we've GOT to go now. Here's our credit card . . . .
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Tick.
Hi! Yes, it's us again - where are you going? Sir? Sir?
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Tick.
8:20PM. Dessert and check arrive simultaneously. Thanks a lot Waldy. Really.
Run out of restaurant. Miss first few songs of David Byrne set. (No opening band? Who doesn't have an opening band????).
Food aside, Waldy: MalOOF.
We went for Restaurant Week & loved this place.
Tons of appetizers were brought to the table, plus a salad. All were tasty.
Main courses were fantastic. Dessert - make your own sundae with brownies & cookies was great, too.
Our wine was delicious and from their bargain list (30 bottles less than $30). We got a ton of food for a very decent price. Not sure if they are still doing their prix fixe, but that sounded like a good deal, as well.
Since we live in LIC, the restaurant is convenient to getting home via cab, as well.
Cannot wait to go back!
I've lived in this neighborhood, i've worked nearby, and ive looked for decent places to eat in this neighborhood more times than i can count, and yet I never heard of the Beacon until I discovered http://midtownlunch.com. How did I miss it?
The Beacon is fantastic, in unexpected ways, especially for this neighborhood. First-- ambiance. This place has a great look. You step inside an unassuming door to find a beautiful room that looks like it should be a scene from a movie about a nightclub in the 40s, and yet it feels shiny and new. I dont know why, but I half expected Tom Jones to walk out onto the balcony and sing for us. There's a beautiful open kitchen down a set of stairs, there are balconies and french doors, and beautiful color and glass and detail. There are tables as well as long communal counters to sit at if you're just dropping in for drinks or to graze and nibble from their extensive apps, sides and small plates menu. Overall, very comfortable.
It was the reviews of their burgers that got me here, but the real surprise here, and the way to go...is definitely grazing around the wood fired 'tasters' plates which are unique, fun, and really delicious. Their cooking isnt particularly creative-- just damn good-- but its their creative choices that make Beacon just a little different from other restaurants. Small plates are all over Manhattan these days, particularly with tapas and antipasto, but at Beacon, you can play around with small tastes of things like wood fired pork belly (outrageous), roquefort macaroni and cheese, roasted artichoke covered in breadcrumbs and buttery roasted garlic cloves, sliders-- which are not the typical burnt miniburger on a hard bun, but instead were medium rare tender flavor filled tiny sirloins sitting on a delicate half bun, garlicky bone marrow so tasty you'll want to scrape the bone clean with your teeth (and i did), lamb meatballs that will take you back to your childhood, small crispy wood fired pizza (sent compliments of the chef so we could try it-- what a nice touch!), and fantastic fries deserving of the accolades they've received.
And thats just the things the three of us tasted-- there were so many more temptations, but of course, we couldnt try EVERYTHING at once. A second visit will be need to try grilled cheddar sandwiches, chicken livers and lamb kidney, lamb short ribs, grilled sausages, razor clams and a full entree menu that i barely glanced at, because to me, nothings more fun than sharing and tasting lots of great apps.
I wholeheartedly recommend the Beacon, and for goodness sake, venture out from the burger! You'll thank me.
Open fire cooking in a warm, charming, modern steakhouse. However, the eats extend well beyond typical steakhouse fare.
I enjoyed the restaurant week lunch menu, which wasn't limiting at all. Great options, huge portions of amazing, flavorful treats. I had the pumpkin soup, which was the perfect bite/slurp on a snowy afternoon, the winter vegetable risotto, rich and delectable, followed by their ultra light fall sorbet flavors of cranberry, apple and pear. I couldn't finish my risotto, but loved the cleanse of the palate of sorbets. Worth it, kids.
The restaurant is huge. Room for parties and large dinners to spare. Great vibe, which is almost (almost) as inviting as Waldy's food.
Went here for Restaurant Week. The food and atmosphere was fantastic! Like others mentioned, the Roasted Oysters and Choclate Chip Soufle was out of this world. It's well out of my price range for anything but special occasions, but I would definately come back.
Checked this place out for their $10 3-course pre fixe anniversary special. Cheese sticks to start were good if not too salty. Seafood chowder with saffron was manhattan style (not cream based) with small bay scallops and clams; flavor was a little flat and lacked brightness. Main entree was a plate of 3 sausage types that was oversalted, with a very lame side of grilled toast (don't need more bread when there's already a bread basket!). Without any side greens or carb the dish was overpowering in its greasiness. Ended on a good note with clean if not boring trio of sorbets. Thank god for mango.
For its price class, Beacon seems to be behind the average. I'll be back to try the burger and grilled oysters though, so hopefully the place will warrant another star or two.
I love restaurant week menus where the portions are not limited and the food quality is the same as on the regular menu. That is the case with beacon.
First off the decor was awesome, dressy casual but mostly attractive for the after work business types. we had, in my opinion, the best seat in the house, by the balcony overlooking empty tables (thanks to the recession)
The wood-oven oysters, like you all said, were good, covered in butter and spices. It was my first time tasting them so i have no real basis for comparison. 2nd course, i had the salmon, which was a little too salty but very succulent. I tasted my SO steak and that was really awesome. our entrees had no real sides, just meat so had to order garlic french .Our waiter waived about them but they were just ok to me. Chocolate souffle was just so-so. Nothing spectacular. Overall, I was satisfied with the experience. Wouldn't go back for their regular menu. Food is not worth the price.
My wife and I did The Kitchen Counter last Thursday night.
Wow! This one of the better experiences in Manhattan and priced great.
We started with a passion fruit rickey to drink along with a large bite size portion of foie gras with spun sugar (cotton candy) and passion fruit while waiting in the lounge.
We were escorted to the Kitchen Counter which faces the open kitchen.
Our second and third courses were the infamous wild mushroom pizza with red onion and basil and the roasted oysters. They were paired with a shot of Harpoon, Winter Warmer, beer. Great combination. The shot was refilled several times.
The next drink was a Cairnbrae, Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
The fourth food course was seared cauliflower, chipotle, almonds and scallop. Great.
The fifth course was a hot-smoked bass with fennel, lemon served in corn husks. Delicious.
The next alcoholic beverage was El Coto, Rioja, Spain.
The sixth course was a poached egg that was then fried with panko and served over chorizo with a small piece of quince. Fun and tasty course.
Seventh course was sage, duck confit, butternut ravioli. I think this was my wife's fave.
At this point we were given an intermission. Seriously. We needed the break.
The next alcoholic drink was Amadio, Shiraz, Australia.
Eighth course was horseradish, marrow bone on toast. I was looking forward to this course the most but it ended up being the weakest of the courses.
Ninth course was braised venison, lardons, chestnuts and currants. This was my favorite course of the night. Chef Sergio was even kind enough to give me seconds!
The next alcoholic beverage was Chateau Belingard, Monbazillac, France.
The tenth course was kobe beef served/cooked on a hot stone. The stone was so hot that it cracked my plate in half! Another very fun and delicious course.
The eleventh and twelfth courses were dessert. The first was a refreshing sorbet of coconut along with a caramel ball served with a mojito-like sauce. The second dessert was a very fine chocolate souffle served with smoked vanilla ice cream.
Chef de Cuisine, Sergio Lopez, was a delight. He was very interactive and informative about all the dishes.
I just wanted to point out that they are very generous with the amount of wine served. Our glasses never went empty. Well, at least not until the end of the night when we were soooo stuffed.
A quality restaurant in Midtown is shockingly hard to find, especially at the price point I am usually aiming for (though if anybody would like to take me to Le Bernadin, I'd be happy to accompany). If Beacon was in any other part of the city, I think it'd probably be less exciting, but surrounded by stuffy restaurants catering to the expense account crowd or quick sandwich and salad shops, it's special. The menu is large and diverse and they manage to put that wood-burning oven to use in a myriad of ways. The menu is more expensive than I'd like, but I think the best way to do it (and the best way to utilize that wood-burning oven) is to order a few appetizers and entrees and share them tapas style. You can get out cheaply and quite full that way. The mushroom pizza is a must. If you're looking for a good pre-show meal, Beacon is pretty solid.
My most recent experience was my second at Beacon. My first time I was impressed, but not enough to go back, or bring friends. But, this time I have to say I am a Fan.
The atmosphere is comfortable, warm and inviting. It's a spacious dining space, high ceilings, modern wood decor, comfortable bar area. If you sit in the back towards the kitchen you almost feel like you are near a fire (in actuality the wood oven). I think Beacon has more charm in the fall and winter... and the food lends itself to the season.
The wood fire is a main part of how many items are prepared. That being said, the appetizer thin crust four cheese pizza is a must, along with the wood roasted oysters. Think warm oysters oozing with garlic and parsley and butter.
For my entree, I split the ribeye for 2. While it was beautifully presented with the bone and nicely sliced, I did envy another person at the table who had their own ribeye. The one for two gets cold too quickly. Brussel sprouts and chestnuts were tender and savory. And, Beacon is known for its garlic frites - and it won't dissappoint.
Overall, Beacon is a great place to take guests (my friends from London were pleased), since the menu is varied (lots of fish, meats and veggies to choose from). The wood fired cooking aspect is also unique. The service is professional, and still keeps a casual atmosphere.
I visited Beacon recently over the weekend for my friend's birthday dinner. He asked me to help him find a restaurant that could cater to 9 people, being close to his birthday party destination ( which was in the East 50's), while having a nice selection of meat. I figured Beacon would be the perfect place given the criteria, so went about and booked it.
After the evening was done, I was satisfied with Beacon. The only reason why I gave it 3 stars (would have given it 3.5 stars) was because for the price we paid, I'd expect better. Just the same however, I enjoyed my meal and appreciated the accommodating decor and atmosphere. There were just certain things I felt were lacking that prevented me from giving Beacon 4 stars.
I arrived 30 minutes early before our 8pm dinner reservation (don't ask). I went straight to the bar to enjoy a glass of wine (I gave up alcohol for lent and wine was the only exception haha). The bartender was very friendly, prompt, and attentive. I asked him some recommendations from the menu and suggested the pork chops for dinner, a side of garlic fries, and the ginger man pudding for dessert. Around 8pm, the guests arrived and were seated in the downstairs near the kitchen counter.
I decided to forgo an appetizer, however, Beacon brought over a complimentary tasting of their wood-fired pizza which was very good and was very much appreciated. What was also appreciated was the fact that Beacon was offering 30 selections of wine for $30 a bottle. For a party of 9, we decided to order 3 bottles (2 reds, 1 white), which came out to $10 a head in which we were able to enjoy 3 glasses of wine per person. Great bargain.
As suggested by the bartender, I ordered the pork chops for my main course, a side of garlic fries, and the ginger man pudding for dessert. The pork chops was beautifully presented, with roasted pepper and ginger chutney sitting on top of a large piece of pork chop. The piece of pork chop was very tasteful, as the roasted pepper and ginger chutney complimented the meat very well, providing an explosion in taste. My only complaint, however, was that the pork chop was a bit dry for my liking. Overall though, I did enjoy the pork chop.
The garlic fries were nothing special. Perhaps I had high expectations? I felt it was under fried, and did not have much of a garlic taste to it. Was very disappointed.
The ginger man pudding was very delicious, which had cinnamon ice cream and spiced apple glaze. I highly recommend ordering this for dessert!
Looking around, the decor was certainly relaxed and not intimidating, but yet, I also felt it was a bit uninspired. I suppose I had high expectations, given the restaurants in the area.
The wait staff was friendly, but I felt they could have been more attentive and organized in their plate placement in between courses. We were a party of 9, however, so I guess I can understand why the wait staff was a bit muddled.
The bill came out to $800 (with tax and 20% tip already included). I didn't mind, but for what we paid, I certainly expected much better and also considering the other options in the area.
I'd consider coming back, but only if its under an expense account. I heard lunch at Beacon is much better, so perhaps I'll do that instead.
Came here with a couple of friends for a Pre-Birthday dinner. It was Restaurant week, so we all ordered from the "cheaper" menu, but it didn't taste cheap. Before we ordered, a complimentary sliver of pizza was given to us...not bad in flavors, but nice to have as a starter. I ordered the wood oven cooked oysters, Filet mignon and a chocolate cake for dessert.
Oysters were flavorful, but were a bit too buttery....although butter was still good and I soaked it up with some bread. I had some of my wife's arugula salad with cooked potatoes and they were pretty good...I should have gotten that instead.
Filet was cooked to perfection with a reduction sauce and mushrooms ontop. The sauce was waaay too salty for my tastebuds as well as another friend of mine who ordered the same. I also had a taste of my wife's rotisserie chicken and it was pretty tasty and super moist. The best rotisserie chicken I've had for a long time...no joke. If it hadn't been for my wife's chicken, I probably would have been a bit more hungrier. Perhaps a side of veggies to cut through all that salt.
Chocolate cake was okay,...nothing that wowed me, but fine. I should have gotten the souflee instead. It actually looked pretty good when my friends ordered it.
Service was slow and 2/3rds of my dinner was a bit too salty, plus the menu was a little uninspired, but that could be the result of ordering from the Rest. week menu. Overall I had a good experience with the typical food thats seen at most high end restaurants....Oh and warm decor.
I went to Beacon on July 10th for their PERFECT TEN specials in celebration of their 10th anniversary. Who could beat a 3 course meal for $10? Having been here a number of times before (twice for Restaurant Week in different years, one for Happy Hour and another for their summer burger specials), I knew Beacon wouldn't disappoint.
I had the watercress salad with peaches (decent), spare ribs (tender to its perfection) and toasted coconut cheesecake (recommend for coconut and cheesecake lovers). If you have never dined here, I suggest appetizers like its gauzpacho soup and oysters and entrees like hamburger, seafood and spare ribs (had the steak here before one time and it was overly salty). Their desserts have been winners, too; if they happen to offer any one of these, I suggest you try them, too-- assorted sorbet, berry filled cakes, chocolate cake souffle, cheesecake.
Oh, let's not forget the libations! You MUST try their sangria (red and wine) and take advantage of their drink specials when they have it. As a sangria snob, I completely dig Beacon's sangria. One thing to know though, the restaurant is pretty generous with alcohol... Aside form the excellent service; the only thing missing is natural lighting so be prepared and bring something to layer on because it can get cold in there with all the AC.
Went for restaurant week with a friend from high school and my favorite yelper's girlfriend (shout out to Adam S!)
Beacon is a really pretty space and would've worked well for a date or larger group dinner. There' s a main dining room with a balcony overlooking it as well as private rooms for larger parties. The food was overall good, not great with standouts being the arugala and potato salad and summer risotto. Skip the chocolate chip souffle.
The service was lacking as we sat with empty plates for at least fifteen minutes before they were taken, and my friend never recieved her dessert wine although she ordered the 3 course wine pairing (good news is, when we said something, they comped the whole pairing!)
It was a great spot to catch up with a friend, but certainly not so noteable enough that I'll be back soon.
Awesome roasted oysters!
Steak was just "okay" but the accompanying creamed spinach and fingerling potatoes were delicious.
The chocolate chip souffle was to die for! Only complaint: unfortunately the house Port was terrible, tasted spoiled like vinegar.
Overall a good experience and I can't stop thinking about those roasted oysters!
Went to the intimate Burger Bar at the Beacon for lunch today and was really happy with the results! The executive chef took our orders, and my burger was really medium rare- and delicious. There are only about 7 seats available, so try to get there right at noon and hope you hit it correctly, without a huge wait. It's a v straight forward menu, and I love that the "fixins" are already on the table for you, and the burger is served between two pieces of bread already cut in half, bc cutting the burger in half can be the messiest part of eating in most cases.
The fries are excellent, too!!
Came here for a business lunch. I had the Beacon Chopped Salad, while delicious - was nothing more than a $26 cobb salad. The desserts were awesome though - of the chocolate cake, lavender creme brulee, and the coconut cheesecake - the coconut cheesecake definitely won. They have a prix fix menu also - but I didnt' feel like partaking in the gluttony. Overall, a decent restaurant for the neighborhood, but not something I would go out of my way to visit.
Pro: Very Good Burger, the fries are alittle salty though.
My mom and I had Broadway dinner vouchers and we chose Beacon as our restaurant. I am so glad we did. The overall atmosphere is very home-like and the decor and ambiance are beautiful as well. The food was great, the service was even better. I got up from the table to use the bathroom and threw my napkin on my chair and one of the guys came by and folded my napkin and placed it nicely on the table! They have a guy walking around with a big bread basket, so you don't overload eating your entire bread basket at the table.
The food was so yummy. I started out with a regular salad with parmesean cheese. Good. Then for my entree I had Oven Roasted Chicken in herbs and a pesto sauce. First off, the chicken was HUGE and the pesto sauce was heavenly. We got one side to share, garlic fries, and boy they were yummy and garlic-y! Dessert was strawberry sorbet, three small-ish scoops and it was the best tasting sorbet I have ever eaten.
Absolutely wonderful overall. There is also a bar you can sit at and a private room upstairs too.
My boss took me to Beacon for lunch one day and I really didn't like it.
Yes, even though it was a free meal, bad food is still bad food.
Maybe I ordered the wrong thing - Roasted Mussels and Clams - but nearly half of the shellfish came out closed and the broth was just not very tasty. Either the mussels and clams were in protest of the bad broth, or the Beacon uses bad shellfish, or the chef doesn't know how to cook, or all of the above.
I ended up walking out of the restaurant still hungry but completely devoid of an appetite.
The Beacon is one of those typical Midtown restaurants that lack substance. Sure, the place looks impressive and it's got a cool multi-layer dining area, but what's the point if they can't even serve a decent plate shellfish?
Don't be a lazy-assed douchebag and find yourself a better place to eat. It's Manhattan. There are way too many good restaurants in the city for you to be helping these guys pay for their expensive rent while they serve you overpriced and poor quality food.
I wasn't really impressed by Beacon. I just ate there last night and I'm already having to strain the brain to think of something to write. To me that means the meal was pretty unmemorable, and sort of ho-hum.
We didn't have reservations, and on a Wednesday night three of us got in after a 10 minute wait. We didn't get menus until after the wine was poured (maybe this is normal..?). All three of us got the $44 fixed price menu. My entree (salmon) was on the salty side, and my chocolate dessert was just okay. I was disappointed that the waiter upsold us a side dish, and didn't warn us when we selected fries for the table, that one diner's dish already came with fries.
The stand out thing of the evening was the pumpkin soup. It's made without cream, and when they serve it, they drop some spun sugar in it. The spun sugar dissolves in the hot soup and leaves croutons in it's wake. I thought that was pretty nifty.
Beacon is one restaurant that is very unique in New York . Open fire and wood fire cooking give everything a unique taste . Using mostly local food from the Hudson Valley , you will find many very tasty seasonal dishes and wild game
The roasted lobster bisque is earthy , and very flavorable , one of my favorites , and Waldy's excellence in preparing Duck is always one of my treasured choices . Masterful use of herbs adds to very flavorful entrees.
The atmosphere is very pleasant and comfortable , well appointed and clubby . The service can be a bit uneven , but the overall experience is worth a visit
So Beacon would have gotten four stars had it not been for the service.
The meal: pretty darned good. I had the risotto which was cooked perfectly, while others in the party had the chicken, salmon and the pork chop. I tasted the pork chop, which had an amazing glaze on it and was cooked to perfection. The salmon was not the medium rare that was ordered.
Which may go to the overall bummer of the night: the service. We were prompt for our 7pm Sat night reservations and got seated...without menus. Thankfully (sarcasm noted) we were seated by the waitstation so that we could snag some menus. When we asked our server if we had indeed selected the menus, we got a "um yeah, those are the menus." He was inattentive all meal so that whenever we wanted something it had to be in one foul swoop cause who knows when he would have been back.
But good food, if not slightly overpriced. Slightly. Especially when you consider the service.
The gargantuan steak here was out of this world. Really. My only problem was the lobster bisque, it was served a bit cold. but the sides, such as the fries and spinach, were incredibly good. Sitting near the kitchen was great because the smells and activity really built me up for the food. The place was bright and lively and certainly not low-key. Unfortunately our party was supposed to be seated on the second level with the nice view but there was a mix up, so I guess that's points off but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Update: came back here for a birthday work lunch, and I avoided the bisque and went for the fried egg and garlic soup. It was bank, reason being the broth was hot and really tasty, and the way it soaked into the fancy-large croutons to make them piping hot was great. The egg didn't really add anything, but the soup itself was amazing.
I finally had the goddamn mac and cheese made with rochefort or roquefort or whatever you equate bleu-y richness with. Bank. The fries were bank....again. Spinach was bank on my bank. Again.
chicken caesar was pretty bank, definitely not run of the mill with a thigh thrown in the mix. snow Crab sandwich I tried as well. Fairly bank, although I couldn't really figure out how to eat it, so I ate what I thought was the shell as well. Bank.
Your Beacon for a great two martini bar meal after 8.
I hit Beacon for dinner during my last trip to NYC. I was turned onto the place by a coworker who said that a seat at the bar would be my best bet for dining alone.
The restaurant is sleek and is multi-tiered. There is a front dining room, lower dining room with the open kitchen and an up stairs that appears used for parties. The bar is long and the seats there are comfy.
The menu at the bar is the same for the restaurant and it's pretty expensive. The appetizers are all over $12 and the lowest priced entree is the Burger for $18. Beacon's culinary style is everything is grilled over wood flames.
I went with the Beacon Burger cooked Medium Rare with the Garlic Fries. The burger was cooked to perfection, it had this nice salty crust of melted Parmesean cheese on top and the veggies that came with were grilled as well (tomato and onions). The fries were salty, garlicky sticks with fresh parsley that were a nice companion to the burger. The house made ketchup had a smooth smokey kick that added a new flavor deminsion to the meal.
Now for the best part; every night Beacon offers a 2-1 Happy Hour from 8 - 10 PM. I got to have 2 expertly made Negronis for the price of one with my burger. The only problem is that the restrooms are upstairs and the walk can get tricky after the second one.
Overall, I'd be back for the after 8 burger and two drink minium for sure.
UPDATE - Shortly after I posted this review I got an email from the manager Joe Stevens. He apologized for our negative experience and offered to send me a gift certif for a future meal. We have not had time to go again but I hope to soon. I"m glad they check online for reviews!
*******
We went to Beacon on Easter Sunday for brunch. Was one of the more affordable options for brunch at $40 pp when I looked on Opentable and we were really excited for a great looking menu.
The restaurant was CROWDED. We were seated on the balcony with no other tables near us. While it was nice to have some privacy I think in the end our table location hurt us because we were ignore for the majority of our meal. The staff did not seem prepare at all for the large holiday crowd.
Ok - I'm getting ahead of myself. The food was great. We had family style appetizers that was so good, i could have eaten the Salmon, prosciutto and fruit plate as my main course, all good. I got the traditional Easter Ham, it was so good! Dessert tray was awesome - lots of mini treats. Mimosas were included in the $40 and they were just right. Nothing says Sunday brunch like a good champagne cocktail.
Ok back to my problems with Beacon. Soon after we gave our order a tray of butter and jellies came. Perhaps the bread would follow?? No. The trio of apps came. After our apps were finished, we asked for bread and got an "Oh. Ok.". After a long time a great bread tray came, yumm carbs! By now we had finished our mimosas and ordered 'bottomless" peach bellinis. They took forever to come, our waiter even apologized, and tho they cost $9 and were 'bottomless" they were cleared as soon as we were done and no one ever asked if we wanted more. Yes we could have spoken up, but as you can probably tell we didn't have high hopes for ever getting them. No one stopped by to ask if our main course was ok. My husband ordered a steak, what if it wasn't cooked as he ordered? The dessert came and we now had nothing to drink. So we waited for someone to come by so we could order coffee perhaps? Everytime we tried to flag someone down they kept on going at full speed to the larger dining area. Finally someone stopped and we ordered coffee. And we waited. And waited. Then the waiter who took our oder tried to take the dessert tray! "No please we're not done, we're waiting for coffee" He brought the coldest coffee I've ever had in my life. We didn't even bother asking for hot coffee at this point we had enough.
And the "Pièce de résistance" when the bill came we were informed "Oh the gratuity is included" - lucky for them! I would like to come back and try Beacon on a non-holiday but I don't have high hopes. Will probably pass.
OK, I'll admit something here. I live in Manhattan and I'm not a lawyer, investment banker, or doctor...which means that I'm poor. Poor enough that the ONLY way I would go to this restaurant was during restaurant week.
That being said, my friends and I met for a a dinner "on the town" and decided to splurge. Being the first to arrive, I checked in at the hostess stand and was told that I couldn't be seated until the majority of my party had arrived. Standard NYC. Thus I went to the bar for a pre-dinner cocktail.
The bartender made an excellent cosmopolitan (for a mere $18), that went down just a little too quickly. However his fast service could have had me drinking another if I hadn't been more careful. Looking at my fellow bar patrons, I noticed one thing very quickly. Nobody in this restaurant appeared under the age of 50. Either this establishment offers a senior citizen's special, or I was about to have dinner with my parents instead of 4 other happy homos.
As my dinner companions had arrived, we were seated at a table for 5 in the back of the restaurant. We all found it a bit odd to be seated so far from the main dining room, as it was nearly empty at this point, but made no other thoughts about it. We just assumed we were being seated at the "kids" table.
For an additional $9, I decided to pair the meal with 3 different wines.
I started with a Mixed Baby Greens, which had a nice lite dressing, that tasted a little like the typical Italian dressing with just a hint of Grey Poupon. What is there to say? It's salad...nearly impossible to screw up.
My dinner companions would be happy to agree that our busboy (with the extremely tight pants) brought our bread/ water/ and fresh ground pepper very quickly. Personally I think we all continued to drink as much water as possible to have him come back over to refill our glasses.
For an entree, I had the Wood Grilled Filet Mignon, which had a reduction of a Cabernet sauce. Was it good? Yes. Was it the best freaking $38 dollar steak (regular price...my cost...an additional $6) I've ever had. No...but by this point I've been drinking wine, so I'm not too worried about it (I did bring my MasterCard). However, the steak was very tender to both slice and chew.
Our waiter had recommended that I get a side of the Gratin Potatoes with my steak...but seriously...this steak is well over 8 oz, and I am 37! It's going to take a least a week at the gym to work this off. Hold the carbs please...I'll take it in dessert form.
My dessert consisted of both a cappuccino and a chocolate chip souffle. The souffle was interesting, but actually a little bland. My friend tried the Caramelized Apple Pancake (from the regular menu), which actually was much better.
The service: Very good. Props to the buss boy with the nice butt!
The atmosphere: Great place to take someone over 50.
The cost:
Mixed Baby Greens and Herb Salad - $9
Wood Grilled Filet Mignon - $38.
Beacon Specialty Souffle - $14
Cappuccino - $5
Cosmopolitan - $18
3 glasses of wine - $27
This would have cost me $111.00 if I was ordering from the regular menu. During the restaurant week promotion, the cost was $72.
Thank you Visa for a wonderful meal I'll be paying off for a few months.
***Update: in my disgruntled state I contacted the dept of health. They conducted an inspection, and found the Beacon in Violation, and are now on the watch list, not to mention paying some fees for their failure*** PS- Amy S... one review on your whole profile and its to comment against mine here... looks pretty darn suspicious to me.
Some friends and I went to the Beacon last night for restaurant week. As a consumer I was under the impression that this promotional week was to gain new customers even though I understand that some places can be rude since you are ordering the "cheap" stuff.
Anyhow, I will never return to Beacon. Our first complaint was a hair on my friend's bread plate, the second a bug in her water... we should have left right then. After we were apologized to, the appetizers came out, the lobster soup, if you can call it that, tasted like salt water, with a few very measly tidbits of lobster meat. At that point, the entrees came out and my mushroom ravioli had yet another hair in it!
While I was not charged for my entree, as a "trial" for new customers, we were appalled (as a restaurant goer I was appalled!). They first offered to replace the dish, to which I responded that I had lost my appetite. Had they even taken notice they would have seen that my dining companions had barely touched their food as they too were disgusted by the chain of events. For the record, only one of the three of us even ordered off the promotional menu!
We did not have dessert, though supposedly included in one of our meals, as we asked for the check so as to leave the disgusting establishment. Never again will I return to this restaurant and sad to say my already faltering view of restaurant week was further reinforced last night.
I urge you to avoid this restaurant at all cost!
Recommended by his co-workers, my friend and I tried this restaurant as an alternative from our usual haunts. Beautiful atmosphere and pleasant/attentitive staff. The restaurant is bigger than what I expected from a midtown restaurant.
Like a previous reviewer, the menu reads better than how the food tastes. In addition, the majority of the menu are all items that have been tried and tested (mushroom ravioli, wood-oven roasted trout, roasted chicken) and so trying to find an unique dish was nearly impossible. However, the specials of the day all sounded appealing (I tried the braised short ribs - Thursday).
In summary, excellent waitstaff, crab cake appetizer, specials of the day, chocolate and the pecan souffles.
The steak was excellent, and the crab cake appetizer practically melted in my mouth. The waiter was attentive, but in an annoying way, particularly as we were trying to have an interview lunch and he kept coming over at the most inopportune times to interrupt us.
The dessert, however, was extremely disappointing. My chocolate cake was dry and cardboardy, and I heard from my colleague that the souffle was also terrible. Even though the rest of the food was delicious, I can't patronize a restaurant that can't get dessert right. They definitely need a new pastry chef before I'll be back!
Went here to the chef's table on thursdays....really a great experience. 12 courses, really friendly chef, and making friends with 4 other people you dont know. Some highlights, the wood oven mushroom pizza, the oysters, roasted in that same over. Also the Short Rib and Polenta, as well, the venison was amazing. Might be on eof the better deals for a meal like this. As well, we met some really cool peops and I ended up partying in some penthouse overlooking Times Square......
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Theater District
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Category: Italian
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