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Categories: Seafood, American (Traditional) [Edit]
Neighborhood: SoHoSpring St-6th Ave (C, E)
Houston St (1)
Canal-Church Sts (A, C, E)
"One word: AMAZING We had a wonderful evening last night and it all started with our early dinner at La Sirene. A friend of ours raved…" read more »
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Without a doubt my favorite restaurant in the city--I've had brilliant, pitch perfect meals here at 3:30 in the morning. I simply can't think of a place that captures the energy, excitement and promise of eating out in New York City any better. The atmosphere is just right--good old downtown Manhattan, slightly tempered by pale walls and warm candle-light, crisp (but not fussy) service and a great wine list, and the crowd is, frankly, a truly varied and sometimes strange mix of folks.
The menu is loaded with too many great options to count (although I seem to order the same damn thing I walk through the door: oysters, the mind-blowing calamari, and the striped bass, followed by the Chocolate Bruno, which is the best dessert in the city, hands down.) Blue Ribbon is ostensibly French, but the fare is so eclectic (and fun) it's unfair to describe the food that way, except to say that it's all extraordinarily well prepared. The bread, which comes from the Blue Ribbon empire's own Bakery, served on a a small cutting board with impossibly creamy butter, is just one of many details these guys get utterly *right.*
Of course none of this comes at all cheap, but if you've read the first few paragraphs in this review, you're probably grabbing your coat and wallet by now, and will hopefully be sitting down to dinner there in the next hour or so. It's a tremendous place to impress a date, treat a friend, or celebrate a special occasion, but if I could go every week for no reason at all except to eat there, well...count me in.
I loves me some classic Shakespeare so boyfriend and I decided to go see Hamlet on Broadway last weekend. We missed our 5:30 dinner reservations at BLT (it was just too damn early and we were still full of Shake Shack deliciousness from lunchtime) so by the time our play let out we were ravenously hungry. We didn't know where to go but I knew it wasn't going to be anywhere in Times Square since it makes me feel like I'm on a bad LSD trip and gives me panic attacks. It was cold and I wanted food that would feel like hugs. Big, warm, delicious hugs. With hug sauce. So, like the 21st century gal I am, I utilized my Blackberry and found Blue Ribbon Brasserie. I called them and asked what time their kitchen is open until. 5am? Oh yeah. They totally are open for the late-night meal pleasure of NYC chefs. I'm there.
We hail a cab and make our way to Blue Ribbon Brasserie. Can't find it. DAMN IT. I want FOOD!
There! No big sign, no flashiness, just a warm little restaurant on a quiet street. Nice. What was not-so-nice was the 45 minute wait we encountered. This place is bustling at all hours. At this point in the night, (around 1am) not having eaten since around 1pm, I was really ready to kill and eat the first person I saw, which would most likely be my boyfriend. And I love him, so that would be extremely unfortunate for all parties involved. Ruling out that option, we decided to share some appetizers at the bar.
Great plan. I made friends with the awesome dude operating the raw bar by calling him a bad ass mother shucker. He is actually the #2 shucker in the WORLD. Kinda like the Michael Phelps of oyster shucking. Boyfriend sucked down over a dozen fresh, ice cold oysters with a giant, goofy smile on his face. I don't think I've ever seen him enjoy something so much. We also ordered the pupu platter (ribs, peiroges, chicken wings, some fried thing, shrimp and chicken kebabs) and I ordered the roasted bone marrow with oxtail marmalade. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. What can I say? I'm a weird broad.
Well, my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I totally misjudged my painful hunger, assuming that I could eat a lot. I wish I could have. Everything on the pupu platter was delicious but the bone marrow had to be one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life. Rich, sweet and savory bone marrow slathered onto hot, crusty bread with the sweet oxtail marmalade and coarse salt... oh, words fail me. With a glass of Sierra Nevada (they have it on tap!), I was as happy as a clam. Or an oyster. This is the food hug I needed.
I came here one night for a late night snack hoping to try some their fabled Fried Chicken. The locale was very nice, a cozy dimly lit place that impresses with simplicity. Its almost as if the reputation creates the atmosphere all on its own..while the decor is minimalistic, you still feel the vibes of somewhat of a fine dining establishment and yet your level of comfort is never sacrificed. It all makes for a fine place for good conversation.
as for the food...first off i apologize to all the fans of this place for not trying the oxtail despite reading several reviews saying how incredible it was lol i promise i will revisit this review after trying them... likewise for the oysters... which the person sitting next to us had and i will admit looked very delicious.
but alas, i was here on a mission for fried chicken. First i attempted to order the wings for an appetizer...for some crazy reason i figured that the wings would be fried as well and that by trying the wings i could get it out of the way and skip the fried chicken as my meal so i can try something else...
big mistake.. turns out these were BBQ wings and bad ones at that. i forced myself to finish the plate so that i wouldnt bear the guilt of having paid 15 bucks for a bad appetizer.
then came the fried chicken.... astonishingly even more expensive then some of their seafood dishes, I was braced for excellence and smacked with disappointment. The minute i bit into it and felt the perfect crunch and incredible aroma i thought was in heaven... only to be slammed back to earth by the utterly bland taste that followed. Dont get me wrong, the Chicken is good... but the burst of flavor is gone as soon as you bite through that crust... such a shame...
Overall though, judging by the praise for the other dishes this place is pretty great and id still come back for another try
Duck breast! Deliciouuuuuuuus! My friend's sweet and spicy catfish was pretty good too! The service was excellent, the people are friendly, it's a nice intimate setting. Love it!
For those who haven't been initiated to the Blue Ribbon menu, it's hardly changed over the past 15 or 20 years it's been open. The oysters are to die for. The prawns and the lobster were great. The fact that we didn't start our dinner until 2am and they maintained the high quality food and service is very impressive.
I used to wait tables in college at a couple of fine dining restaurants. I can appreciate good service. It goes a long way when you're spending good money at a restaurant. The service at Blue Ribbon was one of the best I've had in my life. Our waiter made the perfect selection of dishes (which were delicious) and drinks and desert that made the experience that much more enjoyable.
Bone Marrow & Oxtail was very tasty.
The oysters were good. They had two kinds, but I forgot which one I liked the most. East coast? Or west coast? Argh! Both were good. One was more meater and has that "oyster" taste. One was more delicate.
Short rib, was ok. We didn't need to order it. We only ordered it because we heard the waiter said it was one of the popular items.
I think it's a good late night bite or a before dinner drink place to go. I would definately come back for more wine and bone marrow if ever I venture out to New York again.
Okay -- I normally go to places a few times before I feel justified in posting a review (call me neurotic, whatevs). But let's be honest, my student budget and still-accumulating loans will probably keep Blue Ribbon Brasserie a once in a decade glorious event.
I was taken here by 2 of my finance friends who are also massive foodies. It was late late night, and they told me this is the place chefs go to eat when they're done with their own restaurants. Which begs the question, where do the Blue Ribbon Brasserie chefs go to each when their work is over? Besides the point!
Said finance friends ordered a hugely expensive bottle of wine, raw bar selection (some of the best oysters and clams ever in NYC), the bone marrow (of course!). The fried chicken, laugh if you want, at the absurdity of ordering fried chicken in such an establishment, was delicious. There were some other foods, but the ones I just mentioned were standout.
Besides the wait for 3 being long and the expected killer bill, Blue Ribbon Brasserie has been one of my most memorable meals in NYC yet. Moral of story? Find finance foodie friends.
I do not give 5 stars that easily. THIS WAS THE BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE. Hands down. Had a lovely splurge of a dinner a few weeks ago. Had some personal drama, and a good friend treated me to the most amazing &*(@-ing meal I've ever had. We started out here with the oyster sampler at the bar - east and west coast with shrimp cocktail. Great oysters, I liked both. For dinner we basically ordered every indulgent dish we could. MORE oysters...(why not, right?) caviar (reasonable price for this here), sweet breads, escargot, pate', and lastly THE BONE MARROW. which is the most amazing thing I've ever eaten. We paired all of this with a red wine the waiter described as "juicy" and was in the $60 range? I want to know what it was.
We had a blast, and I slept sooo well that night. The next day was a different story... : P But it was worth it.
If you're going to get anything indulgent here, it's got to be the marrow. Maybe don't order every rich item on the menu. haha.
Thank you, Katie.
i went on a sun night around 9 pm and was seated right away. i was preparing for some snootiness after having read the reviews, but no one was at the door so the bartender ushered us inward. it was busy, kinda dim, and people were clearly having a good time. i never would have known to wander in just by the looks of it from the outside. it's definitely understated.
i shared the oysters, bone marrow, and the duck.
-oysters were fresh and plainly good.
-bone marrow was more oily than i imagined and not as savory without the rock salt. i'm glad i tried it, but it hardly rivals the bone marrow served in asian soups. i can see why they serve it as an appetizer bc it's really not the standalone centerpiece of a meal.
- the two apps were good, but what pushed the last star for me was the duck. it was cooked to perfection, tender meat, thin layer of fat, crisp skin. juicy. even the way it was cut so cleanly really made a difference.
service was attentive and fine by me.
Scene: After work on a Tuesday evening.
Setting: Blue Ribbon (Sullivan St.)
Mission: Bones. I wanted Blue Ribbon BONES. (Yes, feel free to joke!)
Walked in and lo and behold, there were 2 cozy seats at the bar near the oyster man. The bartender was a mensch, "Hey! What can I get you-" Then me (politely) finishing his sentence, "Bones, please...Bring us da Bones..." That is, of course, Blue Ribbon's Beef Marrow in Oxtail Marmalade.
That was my mission, that's all I wanted, and figured, YES, it's $16.00, but I knew it was worth every bite of that luscious marrow, (which looks a LOT better than it sounds people, seriously) with sprinkled sea salt (that YOU control) and fried parsley on top of a sweet, crispy, toasted challah.
You get 3 bones, yeah? You're given these little wooden mini-forks to remove that gorgeous marrow. You mix it up with this juicy, sweet, meaty oxtail marmalade until they all join together, harmoniously into one orgasmic oratorio.
I like the element of taste control here. I think part of what makes the bones so good is you decide how much salt to marrow, how much marrow and marmalade to challah. When you bite down, my Yelpers, you experience sweet, salty, meaty, crispy, lusciousness.
Truly one of the best eating moments of my life, and they nail it down every time...Back to the treadmill!
(This review is JUST for Blue Ribbon's Beef Marrow in Oxtail Marmalade.)
Where else can you eat lobster at 3 am in NYC??
I know so many people who love this place. It's good... but if you go in expecting it to be amazing you might be let down. There is something for everyone, but late night there always seems to be a wait.
Date Rating: 7
Pick up Scale: 1
Strong Suggestions: come here if you like seafood but don't go out of your way.
But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.
"what?"
He lived happily ever after.
THIS PLACE MAYBE BE THE GREATEST TRIUMPH OF YELP. Think about it it:
-Yelpers rave about "LACK OF PRETENSION"
-Yelpers rave about "late night bone marrow and oysters"
My God! My God! Your Daughter (Blue Ribbon Brasserie) is "Breathtaking" -Costanza
BONE MARROW AND OX TAIL MARMALADE. Yes, everyone has a right to sky rockets in flight...3AM Delight on this one.
Like they've all said...the most brilliant Crustini's in which you use a little wooden fork to spread succulent beef bone marrow (gelatinous and rich) and then a bit of the sweet and chewy Oxtail Marmalade and finally a sprinkle of the rock salt.
It's a flavor and texture carnival for you mouth. nuff said.
We met Eric, sitting next to our table. A regular, Eric chatted with us all night and made damn sure the host knew we were first timers. This didn't spawn us into a disparaging world of clickly regulars.
Oh contrare! We were shown respect and made to feel like part of the club...given subtle recommendations and chatted with, all obligatory platitudes aside. I half expected The Replacements to burst out from the kitchen and see "Here Comes the Regular"
NOW THE GOODS!
-Oxtail (You've been warned again...take heed, or I shall be forced to taunt you a second time!)
-Watercress & Endive & Feta Salad (Brilliant Freshness Evokes Ferries in my JOCK!)
-Smoked Tuna (Served with sweet pickled beats and the best tartar sauce ever...the 3-fold combination excites the mouth like The Bro/Manzier episode of Seinfeld excited Phil Mickelson)
-Soft Shell Crab Special with some sort of Spring Greens (really soft crab meat and of course the crispy shell...fried to perfection)
Our 4 Dinners:
-Sea Bass (my least favorite but you can go wrong a very pleasant fish...just not the piece de resistance you'd expect from every menu item)
- Sweet and Spicy Catfish (just as the others proclaimed, this one is popular for a reason)
-Pigeon (Like Duck but not as overwhelmingly rich...more of a robust animal flavor like the Lamb of Birds...served with Risotto and Mashed Sweet Potatoes)
-MY DISH!!!! The WHOLE FLOUNDER!!!! (The best fist I've ever had...a salty marinade sauce to die for poured over a whole Flounder with the most succulent meat ever...and a lot of it. Very Oceanic in flavor...so different from the Catfish.)
DESSERT
-CHOCOLATE BRUNO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I like a you people! Jesus...as good as the oxtail and flounder were...and being as stuffed as I was...the way this dessert went down, you have to give it the podium's top spot:
A flourless chocolate cake in the middle with three scoops of ice cream around it and a chewy orgasmic web of real hardened chocolate drizzle.
------------------------
This restaurant is a SoHo masterpiece.
off the beaten path...it sits teaming with a fireworks display for your taste buds in 500 s.f. of space concealed behind a crimson curtain.
Check it like your life's in danger.
Of all the great items on the menu, there's definitely something to be said about Blue Ribbon Brasserie's infamous Beef Marrow and Oxtail Marmalade!
....It made me all giddy inside when it was presented in front of me. The 3 large bones filled with marrow in the middle of the platter was surrounded by toasted bread and oxtail marmalade (a sweet reduction of an oxtail stew I believe), also a little ramekin of rock salt came with the dish.
I love assembling things and this was the perfect appetizer, which allowed me have some fun before the entree. So you stir the bone marrow loose with a cute wooden stick and poor some on the toast, mix in a little marmalade and top it off with a sprinkling of rock salt....and then BITE of course!
Wow, not only was that fun, there was an explosion of flavors and textures in my mouth too!
For the entree I had their special...Venison. It was cooked till perfection, no chewiness detected! Loved the sauce and the green veggies that came with it!
I've been wanting to come here for the last 5 months and I was not at all disappointed with the hype. Service was great and the place was lively...just a little too dim for my taste but that was very minor. :)
If you wanna beat the wait..go early or really late, they don't close until 4am.
I often go to Blue Ribbon Sushi... and choose Aquagrill for my Oysters... but the snooty lil hostess at Aquagrill averted my attention to Blue Ribbon Brasserie... Good thing.
I mean it was good, the bread was good the french onion soup was good... the oysters were good... but no horseradish? Eh...
There wasn't a very large selection either, everyone else loved their meals... the catfish, fried chicken, turkey etc...
A wide assortment of food... but if you are in the mood for oysters I would skip it and go somewhere else.
I can't say enough about this place - it's definitely one of my favorites in NYC ever. You can't come here and not order the bone marrow; it would be sacrilegious. The menu is a hodgepodge of sorts, ranging from pu pu platters, to fried chicken (amazing), to skate, to lamb, etc.
Atmosphere is very laid back and chill; not an ounce of pretentiousness which is sometimes hard to come by in a good restaurant. And as you know might already know, it's open til 4am.
I'll save myself some time and yours - stop reading the 100+ reviews that rave about this place, just get your ass up and go!
I've been here several times and used to think this place was wonderful. Wonderful despite the condescending waiter, despite the tight tables, despite the loudness and despite the judgemental customers. Then it finally dawned on me why I used to love this place - I had never had bone marrow before and their execution of the idea was wonderful. Once I had bothered to try other places that serve bone marrow, my interest in Blue Ribbon waned. And once I was able to replicate the dish in my kitchen, I saw all the follies of tolerating a Blue Ribbon experience, and have yet to return.
Alright, the only reason anyone should go to Blue Ribbon is for the bone marrow dish. Not the wine, not the fois gras, not the fried chicken. I have tried all the other dishes along with the bone marrow and they are no better than dishes from restaurants a third of the price. The bone marrow certainly sets the benchmark for other bone marrows. Braised till soft, with some stew underlying, sea salt, and slices of bread. Awesome.
And perhaps the only other reason anyone would want to come here is to see if you can hold your nose the highest. Damn the judgemental people watching going on in this restaurant is insane. People in nice dresses talking down other people in nice dresses. A couple talking about an elderly group as if they have no right to eat at Blue Ribbon. Nuts!
And the dealbreaker for me: that cocky full-of-himself dude they use as a waiter has to go. I've had the same waiter every time I went there (it seems like the other guys are only there to serve the food or pour water) and he thinks he is the sh*t to be taking orders. First time I went there and told him, in trying to get recommendations, "I heard the bone marrow is good here" he goes "of course! that is known in New York City!" and at the conclusion of our meal goes "I hope you enjoy your stay in New York" despite not having ever asked where we were from. Dude can't get any classier than that. Second time I was there I told him that I knew exactly what I wanted and he lectured us that we don't really know what is good and we should listen to his recommendations. The last time I was there I wanted the bone marrow only. I had wised up and was going to eat the remainder of my dinner elsewhere. He looked very pissed... "No I don't want wine. No I don't like your fois gras. Nothing else. Just bone marrow." Oh man I can't believe I tolerated this guy so many times.
After all these years, baby, you're still The One.
It had been several years since my last visit to Blue Ribbon -- NYC was a different world back then. But recently I came here for a late night snack after a concert downtown.
It's amazing how busy this place gets in the wee hours of the morning -- not surprisingly it's a well-known hangout for the city's restaurant staff and food royalty.
Our meal consisted of oysters on the half shell (from Nova Scotia and Northern Cal), served with lemons and three different types of sauce, including vinegar. Simply perfection. We're talking orgasms in the mouth.
I wanted the Matzoh Ball Soup but was afraid I wouldn't be able to fit the main course -- fried chicken -- into my stomach if I did imbibe.
Knowing that my accomplice and I wanted to split the bird, our waiter offered to serve it on separate plates. A nice touch, especially considering I'm not a fan of splitting food off the same plate (Just a weird little thing about me that seems to annoy people.)
You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. For my money, BR is still one of the best restaurants in the city. It's consistent, fresh and delicious, and it serves up a healthy dose of cosmopolitan cool.
The rye whiskeys were also very nice. Next time I'm trying those matzoh balls.
This used to be THE place to eat - back in the time when chefs actually cooked in their kitchens. And if you wanted to spot those chefs, you'd come here...late, late night, of course.
This is the place that also introduced me to bone marrow - that wasn't in a soup broth. And I still love this dish. In fact, I have to say all the times that I've been here, it's the only appetizer that I get. (if it ain't broke...)
The last time that I went, they didn't tell me that it would add a 20 min wait like they had in the past, so I was a bit worried it's been streamlined and wouldn't taste as good. No worries, it was still delicious and I was happy.
To counteract my red meat ways (and to try be a bit healthier? sad face) I ordered the skate - because I rarely eat fish but I know this dish would be done well. It was delicious - but a bit dry. I was surprised they didn't tie it all together with perhaps a white wine reduction...but like I said, the skate was cooked perfectly, tender, light, the bacon & potatoes were also cooked perfectly...the little bites of shrimp were tender and sweet...
Ok, so you'll probably think that I'm a liar when I said I was trying to eat healthier because we ordered the banana split that had hot fudge, caramel and whipped cream...I mean, it's a traditional banana split, how can you say no to that?!
Service was excellent - they always have the cutest guys working there (if you like that) and the manager has been there forever stopped by to see if everything was alright (nice.)
OH. and they have montepuliciano by the glass - I like that.
What?!?! A Blue Ribbon? Maybe for last place. I'm looking at all these reviews adoring this place, and I had to check a number of times to make sure that we were talking about the same restaurant. Lo and behold, a trip to the website confirmed that it was indeed the same menu.
I have always maintained that a one star rating requires an epic fail regarding service, atmosphere, and food. The saving grace of this restaurant, thankfully, was that last category. Here is how Blue Ribbon narrowly avoided qualifying for the dreaded one star.
First, the host was equal parts belligerent and condescending to my friend who took me here. With one table in view that was very close to clearing up their check, she was told that we would probably have to wait one hour. She was then routinely ignored by the host who actually turned his back to her. Given that it was already pushing 3 AM, I figured we were getting the brush off. Then again, for a restaurant that stays open that late, shouldn't they be aware that patrons might come in very late and want to grab a bite to eat? This brusque service was a poor start to the "blue ribbon" experience.
When we were (finally) seated, our waiter seemed visibly disturbed that we did not order off the wine list. While I am quite positive that a wonderful wine selection could have been made at that hour, it simply would not have matched any prior beverages I had drank that night. I went with El Presidente (a Dominican Republic beer that I was very happy to see available) and moved on to the menu section.
During this time, it should be noted that there were a couple of hipsters who seemed quite smitten with my shirt proclaiming that I am indeed affiliated with the State of Texas. While I did not mention how their sartorial choices that night would have led a fashion designer to poop directly into their meal, I did find the whole charade more than a bit disconcerting. Gawking and giggling looks from an immature couple pressing thirty years old did not make for a comfortable atmosphere.
The food was a welcome respite from the service and the atmosphere. As they were out of the steamed artichoke appetizer (understood at that late hour), I started with some pierogies. The pierogies came both steamed and fried (the server allowed us to try both) and were a rather fine rendition of the classic Russian treat. I also enjoyed the rich sauces that complemented the savory meat-filled pastries. By far, the pierogies were the best part of our selections.
While the pierogies were hastily added (the server hovered over me like a vulture so I had picked the first thing that sounded interesting), the rest of the meal was seafood based. Apparently, this was a mistake. While the grilled shrimp remoulade certainly wasn't an insult to the dish, I have certainly had tastier shrimp and creamier, spicier remoulade in the Deep South. The server took away my plate before I had a chance to sample the accompaniments. The raw bar scallops impressed me less than my general order of oysters, but I give some praise for the novelty of raw scallops at 3 AM. However, maybe I should have thought about the relative freshness of them as well. They were best in the mundane cocktail sauce. I wondered if the overly pungent shallot vinaigrette was prepared to mask the lack of freshness of the scallops in the manner that sushi is often "dressed" with chef sauce and wasabi to take the customer's eyes away from the fish.
DC Yelper and food critic Jack F. has often stated that Asian eateries that provide an eclectic array of options spanning different regions of Asia are suspect. By extension, I fault Blue Ribbon Brasserie for the exact same issue (although apparently they are looking for world domination). At this price point, that lack of execution is absolutely unacceptable. NYC has an extensive amount of dining options. There is no reason to go somewhere that attempts too much and executes a number of dishes clumsily at this price point. A generous two stars for Blue Ribbon Brasserie.
yeah, it was expensive--maybe average by nyc standard, but it's a once-every-three-month kind of fancy dining for me.
it's been a while so i can't tell you what entree i had; it was good but not memorable, i guess. the bone marrow, on the other hand, was out of this world. if it wasn't my friend splurging, i would never thought of ordering it. had him to thank that he did.
arrived late (it was way past 10pm, if i remember correctly), but the place was still bustling. had to wait for a table too. crazy. but it turned out the meal was worth the wait.
Blue Ribbon is one of my favorite restaurants! The setting is elegant, yet comfortable. The servers are friendly and patient. And the food--absolutely delicious!
I had read that it was a good idea to order a number of appetizers in place of entrees. And I've found that this seems to be true. My bf and I started with the fried oysters, the escargots, and the beef marrow and oxtail marmalade. Everything was presented beautifully, and tasted wonderfully. The escargots were done in a mushroom&bacon stew, different from the traditional oil and garlic, but still delicious. It was my first time having beef marrow. We were instructed to spread the marrow over the toasted baguettes -- rich and savory -- yum! The dish was unique and the marmalade was a good complement to the marrow. The fried oysters were each presented on a little bed of tasty and semi-spicy veg on top of their respective shells. The flavors were amazing!
For our entrees, I had the sweet and spicy catfish and he had the hanger steak. While both were good, I felt that our starters were much more interesting. And because of their generous portions, by the time we were through with our appetizers, we didn't have much room left for our main courses.
Nonetheless, we ordered the creme brulee to share. Good, but not outstanding. (On the other hand, the bread pudding at the Park Slope location is out of this world!!)
I always look forward to coming back to Blue Ribbon. But next time, I will most likely be substituting my entree with an appetizer or two.
This is my first review in nearly three months. A lot has been going on. And no, I haven't stopped eating at fantastic restaurants. So what does that mean? I have a lot of catching up to do.
Though I've eaten at Blue Ribbon Cafe several times, I'd never made it over to the Brasserie. I'd always heard about this place, namely, that it was a big chef hang out after hours (they're open until 4am). So a couple of weeks ago I went with a group for some post theater dining (saw Billy Elliot--horrible, but that's a different write up).
At nearly midnight, this place was busy, and only got busier as our mean went on.
Let me give you some highlights:
Bone Marrow and Oxtail Marmalade - A signature dish and rightfully so. I've only had bone marrow once (at the wonderful Prune), but I became a fan instantly. Fortuantely, my experience at Blue Ribbon didn't change anything. In fact, the addition of the oxtail maramlade and buttered toast confirmed that this delicious, albeit fatty and probably 3000 calories dish, was something I had to have again.
Skate: Wowzer. After that bone marrow and oxtail marmalade, I'm feeling pretty heavy. My mind thinks fish. Salmon? No. Boring. Ah. Skate! Delicious, light fish. But it's served with bacon? I love compromises. Beautifully presented and cooked to perfection, with the crust of the pan seared skate slightly crispy, this is the fish dish to go for if you're in the mood.
Desserts: Chocolate Bruni and Panna cotta. One heavy and a glorified molten cake (in the best way possible) and one light and airy with homemade ice creams. Fantastic!
Overall, this is late night dining perfection. I can see why chef's would chose to eat here, beyond the flexible hours. Blue Ribbon Brasserie uses premium ingredients and makes simple, delicious and flavorful food.
The menu includes everything from Paella to Fried Chicken, Rack of Lamb to Matzoh Ball Soup, Beef Marrow with Oxtail Marmalade and Cheese Fondue. I looked over the menu and saw a couple of entrees that I could possibly enjoy. One was the Roast Chicken with sweet potato, spinach, and sweet leeks, and the other was the Sweet & Spicy Catfish with mashed potatoes, collards, and tartar sauce. After some careful consideration I decided that something sweet and something spicy would totally satisfy my taste buds.
My entrée arrived and it was the image of perfection. The catfish was displayed with such beauty as it lie upon the plate surrounded by the tasty collards and potatoes. I could feel my mouth begin to salivate in anticipation of the many explosions of flavor that I was about to taste. I don't know if you that are reading this have ever seen the movie Ratatouille, but if you haven't go watch it now then continue reading my review after viewing it. There was a moment when the evil food critic placed his first bite of the Ratatouille in his mouth and it was so good that it took him all the way back to childhood when his mother made the dish for him and he remembered how happy he was at that moment as a child. That is how good this catfish was....
Blue Ribbon will forever remain on my list of places to eat when in this city and I recommend it to all. Please be sure to have your wallets in order before going as the bill can reach new heights faster than Gary Coleman can say, "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?!" and also bring your appetites because there will be a party in your stomach. Bon Appétit!
If heaven had a cafeteria, I think it would look and taste something like Blue Ribbon.
This place is so delicious that in the mere 30+ hours I was in NYC, I ended up at Blue Ribbon twice. Ha! Once right before dinner.... because there was no wait at the bar for 2. Then again at 3:30 in the morning with another group of people who were tired of listening to be talk about how good this place is.
They've got a good wine list and the oysters are also a specialty of theirs. The dim lighting makes this place quite cozy and romantic.
If you come here, please order the Beef Marrow & Marmalade from the appetizer menu. If not for yourself, do it for me! PLEASE!!!!
I absolutely luv this place! This is where all the top chefs go after they get off work. What do… Read more »
I LOVE this place. The freshest oyster I've had in my life is at this place. of all my many visits here I have not had a bad meal, From their paella to their fried chicken it is worth the trip. Go late if you want to miss the wait. I highly recommend this place!
"Blue Ribbon is an industry standard," explained my friend, "but now everyone goes here."
And yes, EVERYONE. The place was packed at 3:30am!!! Whoa. The bar was packed, the tables were all sat, and there was a line for the washroom.
But, by some magical miracle we got sat immediately. Leafing through the menu, I was amused at all the playful diner items--- pierogies, hummus (11.50 wtf? Got it anyways, meh.), and motzah ball soup.
I was knocked off my feet by deliciousness I didn't expect to encounter. The bartender made the best rye whiskey (toasty and anisey) and soda I've ever had. Very tingly and mellow at the same time, ahhhhhh.
We had the oysters, burger, hummus (okay), and pierogies (whatevez). The burger was very memorable, the beef was so fresh that it was aromatic--- mmmmm, you could tell it was ground just ten minutes ago in the kitchen.
The best thing ever though: the oysters. Silky with just the right amount of toothsomeness. They smelled like pearls. I was tempted to lick the oyster shells, too.
They also sent us lobster on the house because they liked us. Wow. If someone walked into my restaurant at 3:30am I would rush them out like crazy so I could get to bed--- but what did Blue Ribbon do?!?!?! They sent us lobster.
I'm loyal forever.
Where else can you go at 3:30 in the morning, and eat like this? If you know, please do tell.
This place is great....Sure, when I end up here it's after a night of some fairly heavy drinking. But despite that, I can still remember how fantastic it was when I wake up the next day.
Everything is good. Anthony Bordain said that this is where the chef's go when they finish their shifts late at night. I can see why.
Fois Gras, bone marrow, pate, sauteed calamari all at 3:30 am?!?! And it tastes great? Yup, that's right.
I can't say how it is to drink here, because i just don't know....this is where I come to start sobering up, and eat some great food.
I've been back to this place four times, and each time it was for the grilled calamari and not much else. The food at both locations are equally alright. It's not BAD, but it's not as incredibly delicious as I was hoping it to be. The exception is, obviously, their grilled calamari. Fabulous. Not rubbery, and not too oily, grilled perfectly with an amazing garlic rub. Perfection each time, and a hefty portion as well.
The other appetizers and entrees are good, not great. The reason I'm giving this place 3 stars instead of 3.5 or 4, is because of the service at the SoHo location. Please note that their Brooklyn location deserves at least another 1/2 star for the friendly and accommodating staff. However, the staff at the SoHo location are the stereotypical "I'm a talented writer/actor/artist and I do this because I haven't made it big yet" asshole. They are pretentious, and lack any kind of personality. I'm quite sure none of the staff has ever looked at me directly in the eyes, as if I'm the Mexican Staring Frog (circa South Park 1998) and looking directly at me will cause them to die a painful death. Despite this, the calamari and random assortment of comfort foods, seafood, and steaks is enough to keep me coming back to their Brooklyn location.
Blue Ribbon Brasserie somehow feels overlooked lately. Maybe it's because the flagship of the Blue Ribbon Restaurants is nearly seventeen years old. Maybe it's because they open a new restaurant, sushi bar, bakery, or bowling alley every six months (all to critical acclaim) like they're in an expansion race with Panera Bread Company. Either way, it's time someone shined a light back on the patriarch of the family.
Blue Ribbon Brasserie is famous for a few things. The kitchen is open nightly until 4:00am, which makes it the most gangster of gangster late night eating options. The raw bar is one of the best in New York City, and whether you are getting down on some hard shell crab or half a dozen oysters, you're going to be happy. Blue Ribbon also does an incredible fried chicken, often the sole motivating factor for an Immaculate Infatuation visit. That being said, the most impressive thing about Blue Ribbon Brasserie is its consistency. The service is without exception the best in the city. Everyone on the nightly payroll is invested in you having a great meal, and it shows, yet the attention is never overbearing. The menu doesn't really change aside from the specials, and whatever your go-to item, it will be exactly as you remember it, even if years pass between visits. The bottom line is that Blue Ribbon Brasserie is a perfect example of why it's great to live in New York City ... bone marrow and fried chicken at 3:00am. Damn it feels good to be me.
This place is amazing. The raw bar is excellent. Oysters- fantastic. My favorite place for a late dinner. The service is the best I have ever had in the city. A must for anyone who truly enjoys the experience of eating out.
Awesome french and gourmet cuisine at reasonable prices with awesome hours! I will need to hit this up every time I am in NYC. It will run you 20-50/person for a good meal here.
My flight into NYC arrived at 11PM and the choices for gourmet late night eats is limited. Good thing Blue Ribbon is open from 4PM until 4AM. From O'Hare my cousin called in and made our reservation for 1:30AM. We arrived slightly early but there was one table open in a packed restaurant.
Atmosphere: Trendy, busy, upscale. My only complaint about the place is that it was very dark. So dark that you can barely read the menu. Too dark to take any picture without a flash. I think I saw this on some travel or food show with Anthony Bourdain a while back, but can't remember for sure.
Service: Service here was flawless. Great recommendations, quick and attentive service.
Food: Every dish we had here was well prepared and tasted great. I would order anything I had again. Below I will note the dishes that stood out as the best of the best.
Bone marrow and oxtail marmalade - one of the top 5 dishes I have ever had. creamy and gelatinous bone marrow paired with sweet and savory oxtail marmalade spread on toast points
Escargot - removed from shell, paired with a sweet apple sauce that contained crunchy bits of bacon. I loved this dish...some of my dining companions though the sauce was too sweet.
Paella - pretty big portion. would say it feeds at least 2 as an entree. we split it amongst 5 people as we were ordering lots of dishes to share.
Creme Brulee - a good finish to the meal. high quality version which is what you would expect for this class of restaurant.
Yay! I'm a fan of this brasserie.
I had an one craving agenda by coming here on a Monday night at 6pm - Bone Marrow. Oh delicious fatty spread paired with sweet oxtail marmalade with the perfect crunching of sea salts -- lying on bread of toast (not a hard baguette, score!)
My review is all out of order here because the thought of fatty bone marrow goodness has clouded my mind. I had that as my meal and we ordered steak tartare for appetizer. IT WAS YUM-O! I think I literally had licked the plate clean of raw tidbits of beef mixed with just the right seasonings (egg, capers, onions, and worcester sauce?) -- that was an embarassing first.
Fried chicken dish was the other entree - it was just ok. Nothing special. Clean fried chicken paired with really good mashed potatoes and honey for dipping. That's all. Nothing to be in awe about.
The break out dish was definitely the steak tartare.... so good! None of the flavors out powered each other, it all blended quite nicely. Drool........
This place has it all! How can they packed so much awesomeness in such a tiny place like this? My boss suggested I go check out this restaurant while I was out there in NY with my friends. I'm so thankful he steered me in the right direction.
We started off with a cheese fondue served with apples, cubed bread, and bread-sticks. It was my first time seeing fondue on a menu so I wanted to try it out, unfortunately I didn't think anything of it. I love cheese but this wasn't for me.
Then out came the beef marrow & oxtail marmalade and foie gras terrine. Both served with this light butter toast and I think sea salt with the marrow and oxtail. Can you say "food p0rn"?!? Freakin' amazing!! About being polite and reserved and save the last piece/bite for your friends? Screw all that.. I claimed it and yes, I'm a monster.
Entree came out, I had the rack of lamb even though my boss highly recommend their fried chicken. Something about fried chick didn't sound too fulfilling esp at a place like this. I wanted to make my visit count and couldn't be happier with my lambs :D
Friends had the hanger steak and the other 2 had the soft shell crab which was the special of the night.
For dessert we shared the chocolate bruno, a flour-less chocolate cake, that failed to deliver. It was too thick for me and the puny ice cream scoop didn't help much either. The creme brulee however was delish!
Service was good, but not great. I thought it was a nice touch for the manager to check up on every table there. Definitely will have more dreams of the beef marrow and oxtail marmalade ;P~
Service was awesome! Food was average, nothing I'd write home about. We ordered the bone marrow and oxtail marmalade based on comments from other yelpers in addition to three other appetizers. That was an experience.
Good place, but shake off the peer-pressure, and it's just not very impressive..
I've even gotten sick from the Steak Tartare... and I've never got sick from that anywhere else, no matter the country even.
Cool menu, though they don't out-do any single place with any single item on it.. Everything is "good but nowhere near as good as xxxxx"..
Wine selection is cool.. some surprises.
The hours and the Beef Marrow app is the only thing that draws me back.
Overpriced, over-hyped and not at all worth the wait (which is usually ridiculous)
Another one of those places that hang their reputation on being a in the know (chef's) industry joint. So lets compare it in that context.
Prune has the same type of offering on the menu but is less spacious - don't even try to go to the washroom if you are more than 185lbs.
Spotted Pig has a better ambiance upstairs and a livelier younger crowd -cleb sightings if your into that - BRB has less of a line more refined food.
Employee's Only service is slow at best and uptight - more of a bar seen than a true restaurant - not sure what kind of employees they're referring to - obviously unemployed ones.
Upside the food in general better than those mentioned above and they have a raw bar.
Downside the sweetbreads not cleaned or cooked properly. Lacking ambiance - guess it's coz it's a real restaurant not a hang out.
I've spent many a late night at Blue Ribbon. Hungry at 2...3am...
Here is my tasting menu:
Starters:
Oysters
Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Bone Marrow - signature dish
Foie Gras - one of the best ever
First Course:
Onion Soup - sometimes
Main:
Duck Club or
Fried Chicken
I love Blue Ribbon - and now that I live in SF - I miss it even more.
I enjoyed my meal and my wine in this cozy little restaurant that is very well managed and attended to. There is mostly seafood on the menu but there are some treats like the spare ribs which were delicious as well. It's a solid place with a classy vibe that should be experienced when in the mood for some interesting yet classic food.
I cannot begin to describe the food here. You just have to go and eat there!
Starters:
Sauteed calamari
Escargot..not your traditional garlic preparation...still VERY delicious coming from someone who just started eating escargot!!!
Bone marrow and oxtail marmalade...melts in your mouth goodness!
Main course:
Roasted duck club
Paella basquez
Sweet and spicy catfish
Fish special of the evening
EVERYTHING was DEEELISH!!! Not the least bit disappointed!
Wine list is great. Ambience is cozy and buzzing with conversations. Great service.
Bon appetit!
Its 2 Am do you know where half drunk self proclaimed "food lover" Is? Its probably at Blue Ribbon. This place is amazing. Pretty much everything on the menu is amazing and the the staff is equally as great
If you have a few extra bucks in your pocket I'd recommend skipping the usually after hours diner trip and make your way here for a great meal and something to talk about the next morning, besides the dumbass who spilled there cranberry and vodka all over the back of your pants at the bar.
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