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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Flatiron23rd St-Broadway (R, W)
23rd St-Park Ave S (6)
Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
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The good food: celery root ravioli - major major MAJOR *DROOL* You need to order this. You won't be sorry, I promise
The bad food: crunchy breadsticks are fine, but when I want to sop up some of that sweet sweet sauce that's stuck to my plate, I NEED fresh soft bread.
The good price: The main courses are a bit pricey, but not terribly expensive. And the food is stellar, so it's worth your money. ($18 for the celery root pasta that will make you drool)
The bad price: It's an extensive menu, and you'll want to try everything because it's all very interesting. These little things add up, and the all-in damage may be shocking. (Our bill for three people came to $200 ... big difference from $18 pasta)
But, just keep track of what you're ordering, and bring some fresh bread rolls with you... and you'll be fine. ;o)
The space is beautiful, the waiters are attentive, and the eggs benedict i ordered for brunch were perfectly cooked.
However.
The eggs came on what could only be called, without a trace of a doubt,
The
World's
Smallest
English
Muffins.
Each one was no larger than a dollar coin, producing a dish where eggs were magically floating above the plate supported by invisible pieces of bread. And while that made for an (arguably) aesthetically pleasing presentation, it hardly made for a reasonable brunch dish.
If it's Colicchio, I'm a fan.
The combination of tasty, easy food and an ambiance that encourages conversations to flow makes craftbar an easy fave, especially for brunch or lunch. Make a rez on Open Table for a late brunch, take 1, 2 or many companions and share several dishes.
Some tips:
-skip the sandwiches, they leave much to be desired
-do not skip the pork shoulder (I dreamed of it that night)
-request a booth for maximum coziness
-don't forget a mimosa or bloody mary to help wash it all down
I wasn't overly impressed.
1) Pecorino fondue - not bad
2) Beet Casazuelie (sp?) - mediocre - similar dish @ al di la in blyn was way better
3) butterscotch pot du creme - good
4) breadsticks were hard (IMO, i prefer soft fluffy bread) - eh.
My friend said her hanger steak was delicious, so maybe I shouldn't go to a restaurant that is supposed to have great steaks and not order one (kinda hard since I don't eat beef).
I wouldn't go back here, but the ambience was nice.
Our table of five was celebrating my son's birthday. We all munched the breadsticks happily; they are deliciously crunchy, Starter of grilled octopus was delicious with baby arugula and tiny roasted fingerling potatoes. Duck confit was accompanied by a breaded, soft cooked duck egg. Greens made this a perfectly balanced dish. Salt is almost excessive in some dishes. My husband is a southerner who adored his fried chicken. Raved about it all the way home. Mixology was okay with my ginger martini way out of balance with excessive lemon but other cocktails nicely done. Service was terrific yet relaxed, and the birthday guy's dessert was topped with a lit birthday candle as a crowning touch.
We will go back as we had a great experience overall.
My roommate and I took friends for their birthday to Craftbar. I made a reservation for 5, but the other friend could not make it. I called to make a change and were very courteous and professional.
All of us don't make much money so even Craftbar is expensive. But thankfully the food did not disappoint. I had oysters for appetizer. Yes, how could you mess up oysters? But they were fresh and a good selection. I was thankful they had Kumamotos in their selection. I was so busy savoring my food I wasn't really paying attention to what my friends were eating. Fail.
I had a hangar steak which came out just as I ordered, medium. It can be a pet peeve of mine if the meat doesn't come out as I order it. Again, I devoured the perfectly cooked meat so I didn't pay attention to what my friends were eating. Fail again.
I had a peach sundae to finish off the meal. Again, I stuffed it down. Great service, great food, and 2 bottles of wine = a great night out.
So sad that this place only received 3 1/2 stars when it should be 5! But here's the caveat - we've only been here for brunch.
Hands down, the best place for brunch if you're looking for a great bloody mary and refined food. Tom Colicchio, you are a genius.
1 star - really really really great bloody marys. Not bland and unexciting like most bars. We come here for the sole purpose of quenching our BM craving. Hearty, flavorful with plenty of kick. We've interrogated several of their bartenders for the recipe but we just can't seem to perfect it at home.
2 stars - PAIN PERDU aka french toast. 1 star goes to the sheer fact that they refer to it by the original french name... "pain perdu" which originally means "lost bread". I've never seen it on any other menu so far. The second star is for it's awesomeness. This is the most perfect french toast that we've ever tasted and my bf is french. That gives his judgement lots of credibility. Perfectly fluffy, flavorful and crisp. I will go into some serious withdrawals if Craftbar takes this off their menu. So if Tom Colicchio is reading this, PLEASE PLEASE DON"T.
1 star - We've tried plenty of their brunch selections and if you're an adventurous eater and you have a true appreciation for culinary genius, then this is the place for you. Every item we've tried so far is insanely impressive.
1 star - the service is polite and the bartenders are so friendly and willing to share their bloody mary recipes.
Things to order:
1) Brioche Pain Perdu
2) White Anchovy Bruschetta (soft-cooked egg and braised leeks)
3) Confit Pork Shoulder (w/ braised tomato molasses)
4) Tripe (seasonal)
And wash it all down with a few bloody marys. Trust me.
Given that it was a random early weeknight, this place was quiet. Not for long though because next thing I know, people started pouring in. It was funny that I was meeting my friend here because it was dimly lit and spacious enough for each table to carry on a conversation. The staff was attentive and great for recommending some good drinks.
The fried oysters was great and I was craving more after I had it but I believe there was only about 4 that came with the small appetizer. It took me so long to find something to order since everything was enticing me. I believe I settled for the Organic Chicken, Cheddar, Roasted Tomato, Arugula and it was a pleasant sandwich in the end.
I really love Tom Colicchio, and it hurts me to give him an unfavorable review.
We wandered into Craftbar after a pre-emptive Halloween party around the corner. It's a beautiful, modern space, and our meal started off well. I get excited whenever I see sweetbreads on a menu, so that's what I ordered. I've often been served deep-fried sweetbreads, probably in an attempt to hide their strangeness, but Tom's delicate preparation honored the ingredient. My boyfriend had the deep-fried oysters (he really loves fried food), which were accompanied by a fabulous lemon aioli.
For a main, I ordered the duck confit, which was served with a scotch egg and a cabbage-hazelnut thing. The duck was scrumptious, but it wasn't technically correct. The skin was not even in the neighborhood of crisp, and it was a little salty. On the other hand, the scotch egg tasted as if it hadn't been salted at all. I have no complaints about the cabbage-hazelnut accompaniment, which was appealing and understated, but the fingerling potato side I ordered was totally boring and underseasoned. The potatoes were still whole, though slightly smashed, and they tasted somewhere between boiled and broiled. They had little green bits on them, which didn't really taste like anything, and again, not enough salt. They just sucked. And it confused me. How do you mess up a potato, Tom Colicchio? You're a food hero.
My boyfriend had the pork belly for his main, and we both agreed that it was just okay. But underwhelming pork belly is almost a contradiction in terms; pork belly has so much fat that it's usually mind-blowing. Not so at Craftbar!
For dessert, I had olive oil cake with figs, banana ice cream and toasted, salty pine nuts. Toasted pine nuts and ice cream are an ingenious and heavenly combination. My boyfriend had an improvised cheese plate. There were individual cheeses on the dessert menu, but no assortment, even though they had an assortment of sorbet (I cannot imagine wanting to eat more than one sorbet). I was not pleased by this, but the cheeses we chose were tasty, particularly the Humboldt Fog.
I will say this for Craftbar: the portions were bigger, and the prices lower, than I'd expected. I never thought I would associate Tom Colicchio with quantity.
The overall experience was good. There were so many in the wait staff it was almost overwhelming. The cheese and oysters to start were great. We had the branzino w/ sweet potatoes as well as the scallops. Both excellent!! Dont be shocked when you hear the rumbling of the subway underneath you. A little alarming at first. I would recommend going at least once.
I was impressed with Craftbar. It's borderline fancy but doesn't have a dress code. I enjoy nice restaurants that don't have dress codes. There's something regal about that, like a girl wearing high heels with jeans. On that note, we went straight there from being out all day so we didn't get a chance to change. I had on a fantasy football shirt with Merlin doing the Heisman pose and my friend was wearing a Beard Papa's shirt that said "Who's your papa?" Quite the classy bunch.
For the starter, I had the baby beets salad with smoked bacon, pickled farm egg, and tarragon. Delicious. I couldn't quite put my finger on what the light dressing was. It might be oil & vinegar but maybe salt & sugar vinegar or even champagne vinegar. I'm certainly no expert on picking out ingredients but the flavors mixed well - the saltiness of the bacon, the tanginess of the beets, and just a pinch of sour from the vinegar.
I was also fortunate enough to try a bite of my friend Helen's tripe gratin. This is an adventurous dish and the portion is large so don't get it unless you know you're ok with eating tripe. I've never seen it cooked like this before but I was an instant fan and wished I had ordered it. It sits in a low metal two-handled bowl fresh out of the oven in a garlicky soffrito sauce. There are crispy bread crumbs on top, finished with a coddled egg in the center. This appetizer also comes with a few slices of bread.
For my main course I had the black-angus hanger steak, baby shiitake mushrooms, spring onions, potato puree. The steak was tender and cooked perfectly. I can't quite describe the sauce it had drizzled over it, I just remember it was tasty. For full effect, I made sure to grab a piece of each ingredient for every bite.
I would come back again. I think Craftbar would be a good date location.
I've been to Craft, which I thought was amazing if not a tad overpriced. Today was my first visit to Craftbar, and it was only a lunch. I think I would've liked it better had I had free range to order what I wanted. I was eating with someone not as adventurous as myself, and although the octopus, pork shoulder, and anchovies were calling me, we played it safe.
Started with an app of fried oysters, they were good, not great. Next was a bean salad with fresh ricotta and and a walnutty pesto sauce, excellent! Finally we split the corned beef sandwich with raclette. It was a "where's the beef?!" moment to say the least. I wasn't expecting a Carnegie Deli type offering, but I want the layer of beef to be at least equal with the bread in this scenario. Again, I think if I had handled the ordering, it could've been better.
Anyways, I will def return now that I got a good look at the menu. Also, we chose to sit close to the windows in front because it was quieter. Might have just been our waitress, but it took awhile to get our order in, and the courses came very spaced out, like oysters....20 mins, salad....10 mins.....sandwich....dessert menu.....no thanks......10 mins bill....you get it. Anyway, maybe it's better to sit in the action area if you don't want to have a 90+min lunch.
If I were local, I'd definitely come back. Dinner was really good, even though there were some issues with the pasta. Some of it was too al dente, some of it was over cooked, however it was all definitely fresh.
All of the meat was good, the mini fennel sausage meatballs in my oricchiette, the smoked pork shoulder app, to the veal meatballs and pork loin. The beef tongue got rave reviews as well, I didn't try it though.
Service was spot on, the wine list was impressive. All in all, a nice night out without breaking the bank.
I heart Tom Colicchio. CraftBar did not disappoint. If there were a bar like this in our neighborhood we would not be able to be peeled away. It was like an upscale cocktail lounge with simple and tasteful décor. Candlelight and impressive window views of Broadway. Best part? I loved the classic rock playing. (We picked out the Dead playing while we were sipping our first glass of champagne.)
The menu seemed to be made up of lots of apps and entrees that were more comfort food and entertaining to eat. It was so well made and absolutely delicious. The presentation left nothing to be desired. The wait staff was courteous and witty. It made my birthday dinner all that much more fun and gave us a few good laughs.
Apps: Pecorino stuffed risotto balls (which oozed pecorino cheese when you cut into them. Cured meats and fresh Italian bread and a warm olive salad with warm Marcona almonds. We also ordered the Market Bean, Fresh Ricotta, Walnut Pesto salad. So, so yummy.
Dinner: We had the Confit Pork Shoulder with Tomato Molasses and Turnip Slaw. It was served with lettuce wraps, which we weren't expecting but it was so, so good. Sweet and savory but the lettuce wraps made it something cool and refreshing at the same time. We also had the pasta of the Beet Casunziei, Wild Lamb's Quarter, Brown Butter and poppy seeds. It was something I had never seen before! The casunziei was like a ravioli. When you sliced it open, there was a thin slice of the lamb and the beet puree just poured out of it. It was just gorgeous.
Dessert: Warm Brownie with chocolate Sauce, whipped Cream and a mint chocolate chip ice cream. This was no average dessert, however. The ice cream was made from fresh mint leaves so it was so strong in a curiously good way.
It really was a fabulous meal. I would go again in a heartbeat.
I heart Craftbar.
Sparse decor, bar seating, an extensive and impressive wine list (even by the glass), a fascinating menu presented on a simple sheet of paper and a sharp bartender taking care of us on my first official dinner in New York as a resident.
It was a pretty damn great night.
The varietal meats freaked my date out (mmm, cow brains and innards) and we were sharing to get to taste as much of the menu as possible so I stayed away from the sweetmeats.
Took our time trying out a few dishes and everything was good. The menu has something for everyone. Pricey and so worth it.
I know a lot of Craftbar "haters." People who say that this is the "worst" Tom Collichio restaurant. However, I just think they are being pompous and confusing "worst" with "least pricey." The quality is still great, the space is appealing and warm, and the food is YUM! If you ask me, it's the most worthwhile of TC's restaurants (and yes, I have been to them all).
I've been to Craftbar at least 4 times, each time for dinner. Recently I went for Saturday brunch for the first time - and that experience prompted me to finally write a review.
The menu changes pretty often and always incorporates fresh, local ingredients. The food is really rustic and fun, really accessible and great for exploration. I particularly love their seafood choices. I almost always get fish at Craftbar and tend to order octopus dishes here whenever they are available. Some dishes I recommend:
*The Spanish octopus, potatoes and roasted lemon puree (RIDICULOUSLY good!)
*Beet salad.
*Confit pork shoulder (OMG - tender, almost like pork belly)
*Mussels
*Short Ribs
Either way, I've never been disappointed with the food here.
The only thing I have somewhat of an issue with is their service. It's pretty overzealous with "is everything ok?" and there's a lot of aggressive water pouring (as soon as I took a sip!) and taking of plates before the last bite was taken off the plate. I noticed waitresses here tend to interrupt deep conversations with "is everything ok?," which gets annoying after the 3rd time in a single dinner. It was excessive to the point of annoyance, though I understand it might just mean they are good at their jobs...makes me slightly uncomfortable so I deducted a star.
I'm most definitely a Top Chef fan, and have always really liked Tom Colicchio, but Craftbar really didn't live up to my expectations.
First off, it's really loud in there. The acoustics are way such that I felt as though we were in a cave with a bunch of rowdy soccer fans, when in actuality, it was just a relatively steady but not packed Tuesday night.
The food was so-so. We are small plate lovers and would rather try a lot of different things, than settle on a single entree. I wasn't overwhelmed by anything, and a few dishes were either slightly over or undercooked.
And probably my biggest gripe for the evening was the Grateful Dead on loop on the sound system. Just really put a non New York/somewhat slightly dirty spin to the place (maybe that's what some people like about it, but this is my review, so....)
The wine was superb and the bartenders were knowledgeable and friendly. As well, our fellow bar mates were a lot of fun. Not a total waste of an evening!
Leave it to the indomitable foodie and wild-haired woman-about-town Miss SM (yes, those are her initials) to treat me to yet another delectable NYC eating extravaganza. And who can't dearly love a Turco-Franco-Italian fashionista who will eagerly share a plate of sweetbreads (oh so tender), tongue (tender but too thinly sliced) and crazy gossip about the rare book world with you?
S snagged us a coveted reservation at Tom Collicchio's paen to small plate dining on a shred of notice, as is her wont. I arrived famished after a day of conference-attending at P.S. 1 in Long Island City. As is often my wont, I chose style over comfort (will I EVER stop being Italian? Nah) and was ready to weep salty tears after miles of walking (I heart walking in Manhattan) in my Gaultier booties (the night was way too beautiful for a subway ride).
It all got better, fast, when Brandon, our charming bartender with the 70s mustache and the timeless dimples served me up his signature cocktail--his own concoction of Makers Mark, seasonal spices and two little bits of heaven in the shape of Italian amarena cherries. Delizioso! Brandon further discoed his way into my bartender hall of fame when he flirtilaciously slipped THREE more amarena cherries into my drink with a wink and a dimple flash. Mwah! lil' disco boy!
Immediately after being seated in an absolutely perfect corner table with a great view of the goings-on but enough quiet to conduct a relaxing conversation, our excellent waiter was there to tell us about the specials, give non-snooty advice on the fabulous wine list, and crack wise with us about food fads. We ordered a cocktail-and-wine fueled barrage of tapas plates, vowing we'd keep ordering until we were full or after exhausting every possible item listed on the menu. Everything was good-to-excellent, but the absolute standouts were the seared cod and the aforementioned sweetbreads. I'm telling you, these little thyme nuggets were buttery, crispy, and as airy as those Japanese donuts you get at the train station in Kyoto (I'm such a disgusting show off, I know). They were served with a side of tomatillo chutney, which was kind of like a glorified ketchup, but really who cares...and who noticed?
Equally fantastic was the perfectly charred Spanish octopus, with a side of lemon pure`. Octopus can be chewy and tough, and that's when you notice the tentacles and think about their bulbous heads and penchance to kill divers in bad 60s undersea film scenes. Not this baby--it was like octopus filet mignon. Tast-ee.
The only dish that fell flat was the tongue, and that only because it was less superlative than the other tastes. And by the way, the small dishes were big enough to satisfy, and in fact to not leave room for dessert. Instead, we had two more glasses of wine, some mint tea, and a post-prandial cigarette under the shadow of the Flatiron Building.
The meal left me in such a good mood that I didn't even mind having my cabbie get completely and catastrophically lost getting back to my "boutique" hotel in LIC. My good humor about it subsequently made him turn off the meter as we whizzed around Astoria, laughing hysterically at our plight (neither of us could see the directions on the iPhone, and he kept mis-understanding the name of the hotel: "Ravel' "Rebel?" "No, RAVEL" "Rapell?"), until finally he pulled into the lot of the truly unfindable secret location RIGHT UNDER the Queensborough Bridge.
"Good night, sweetheart!" said the hardened cabbie, in his gruffest Noo Yawk accent "you take care-a yahself...and as i was walking away "I love them boots!"
And just like that, it was worth the pain.
I have a serious problem with their Mixed Greens salad. It is embarassingly naked-- just a small pile of mixed greens, tossed lightly with dressing, sitting limply on your plate. No nuts, no dried fruit, not even a speck of cheese in sight. Completely and utterly devoid of, well, anything. I don't need to pay someone else to make this crap.
Had I only gotten the salad, this place would've gotten a single star. Lucky for them, we also ordered the veal ricotta meatballs-- probably the only memorable thing we had at lunch today. The meatballs were juicy and fell apart in your mouth. They were balanced with a bright, flavorful tomato sauce and chewy, al dente pasta.
Other things we tried: white anchovy bruschetta (okay, but wouldn't order it twice), white bean gazpacho (boring, lifeless thing) and a beet salad (decent, but no memory-maker).
All in all, craftbar was an average experience. Certainly not top chef quality eats. I say come for the meatballs and you'll leave pretty happy.
Appetizers were great. I loved trying things like lamb and cow tongue. I also tried their ricotta meatballs and halibut BUT, i thought it was alright. .
Halibut a tad dry for my taste and meatballs were a bit too seasoned. (Man do i sound like a snob.. !! :( ) Sorry guys but there's just way too much competition around these neck o'the woods to truly say it was the best.
I am a fan of Tom (b/c i love watching Top Chef) and this does not reflect on his credibility as a judge what so ever.
I loved the ambience. Good for groups and drinks. Casual, with a fine dining appeal.
I'm a fan of Top Chef. I enjoyed Crafbar very much. The service and wine was great, the decor very hip yet casual, and food very good! We started with a few appetizers/small plates - the risotto ball with spicy tomato sauce was actually just average (the outside was not as crispy as expected and was just warm), the terrine was tasty, the baked peccorino cheese plate had a good balance between salty and sweet, and the fish croquette balls were just okay. What made my meal was the entree and the dessert. I ordered the short ribs with grits, fried egg, and cooked peppers - it was SO good - one of my favorite meat dishes! For dessert, I had the concord grape granita with creme fresh and peanut butter cookies. It was heavenly! I'm sure you'll like it. It's not a shee-shee place - it's chic but casual.
Went back again lat week and the food was outstanding, but the wait staff was a bit annoying. They hovered near our table talking to each other. granted the restaurant was not crowded at the time, but it was very rude of them to be standing so close to us during our meal. There had to be better places for them to gather so as not to intrude on our personal space and conversation.
I love Tom Colicchio and was so excited to be going to Craftbar. I scoured the menu for days… Read more »
TC garners a big "Eh" from my book for Craftbar. While the restaurant itself is beautifully designed and spacious, the food quality and wine selection at Craftbar left something to be desired.
There are some very good dishes at Craftbar and indeed, nothing I sampled or ate at this locale was bad. Craftbar, however, lacked a certain je ne c'est quoi. This place is certainly hit or miss when it comes to food. The execution amongst dishes is inconsistent. Amongst the better dishes I had there were the veal meatballs, the short-ribs, and the beet salad --all very tasty. However, the pasta sauces lacked punch and the fried oysters were over-battered and over-fried. I believe the oysters were also dusted with cornmeal (if I remember correctly). Typically a good thing but in this instance not additive to the dish at all and a bit disappointing. At the best, the food is tasty and comforting. At worst, showy and needlessly engineered.
The wine list was lengthy with several options split by flavor/taste category but didn't seem like there was much value on the list.
Now before you go running away from this place, I should really qualify my statements. Despite the hit or miss food, I did enjoy my time at Craftbar, the service was friendly and the ambience is great. These are very big considerations for many. Unlike many NYC restaurants, you aren't literally rubbing elbows with your neighbors. The place is perfect for large groups and is quite aesthetically pleasing --like many other locations in the Craft Empire. Also, the prices here are a lot more reasonable. Nonetheless, I'd recommend coming here for a drink and maybe a shared plate or a snack rather than a full on meal if food quality is your main consideration.
Menu is all over the place
Service has no personality and is annoying how they are always shuffling plates and glassware around, and trying to take things away befoe you are done. I would not eat there again.
I can only say that this place is the applebees of celebrity chef chains, though the experience at such place would probably be better.
the bottom of my list during a busy fashion week, craftbar gets the nod due to availability. but i wasn't expecting quite this.
A hint to the staff: obviously a lot of misses here, so if someone is going is about to make a huge mistake, please steer them somewhere else. Now i know why the deer in the headlights look. SAY SOMETHING!
honestly, the best thing about the place was the bartender's libations. The food, not too impressive. The waiter, hostess, sommelier, decidedly unimpressive. If you're going to guide me on a wine, please tell me when its $80 if tastes like its a $4.99 special, or steer me elsewhere. Just because i ask about it doesn't mean i'm looking to be told that it is what i want. Why is it even on the list? I can pick out ten $8 bottles at my local store better than this *with my eyes closed*. My biggest pet peev of all time. As a waiter, please do not be outwardly curt, even if some in the party are a little indecisive, because we both know the place isn't full. Seriously, fuck you dude. Fuck you. Entree portions are either small or bland, though by this time it going to have to be impressive to overcome the experience. Ah, well, heck, we only spent $125 a person, so what was i expecting.
Mr Colicchio, "good luck with that".
When my friend decided to take me to one of Tom Colicchio's restaurants for my birthday we both thought for sure that the cuisine would be of a delight to the palate. It started that way the wonderfully long breadsticks with a hint of rosemary were scrumptious
We of course ordered the well acclaimed pecorino fondue which was delectable and the spanish octopus another joy to the palate and from here it went downhill.
We chose for our entree's the scallops that were served with pancetta in a smoked orange sauce The scallops where cooked only on the one side and one could hardly note the pancetta but for certain you could taste that something had been smoked. Our other entree was the beef short ribs which had absolutely no flavor simple as that
Luckily the manager or whomever he was was walking around and had come over during appetizers but now is when we surely wished to speak with him and he did sway by again when he noted we had stopped eating and so very apologetically we expressed our disappointment with the lack of flavoring in our entree's and as in most restaurants he offered to replace it. We felt bad doing so but the food was just such a let down from the beginning of our meals that we decided to go ahead and take him up on his offer. We went with his suggestion and ordered the field mushroom bruschetta and the Celery root ravioli. It was a bit of a surprise that we received the the bruschetta and mussels and not the ravioli's but we left it alone because by now you know your food might truly get tainted and both the mussels and bruschetta were okay but nothing to return to the restaurant for. NOW comes the real sign of a loss to details and lack of paying attention my friend had told them that it was my birthday and requested it be acknowledged during the dessert.
Well if you peak their dessert menu you will see that though they be fun and quirky there truly is a lack of elegance to them
We ordered the cranberry and pear sorbets which were very tasty but one would think they might place a little biscotti with them but nothing and no candles or recognition of it being a birthday celebration.
So this was our evening at craftbar a true disappointment from one so famous.
One might be better off sticking to wichcraft for a sandwich at lunch time
The thing is, I am a sucker for an offal menu. Or les abats, or "organ" meats, or whatever you prefer. It was such a section on craftbar's menu which prompted me to re-visit after an absence which must run to at least two years. It's called c"Varietal Meats." Yes, okay, that's not really the right word whichever way you look at it - a "varietal" is one member of a variety - but I expect to someone's ears it sounded posher than "variety" meats. But let's be specific: sweetbreads, tongue, head, tripe and chicken livers currently offered, and I will be looking eagerly to see if any other body parts join the list.
They're offered as appetizers, so for my first flight through the section, I ordered appetizers only. The pig's head plate was a nicely balanced assembly of paper-thin, slippery meat slices and young (doubtless "market") vegetables pickled with sweetness and very light acidity. Good combination of flavors and texture too. I've sampled several good tongue dishes around town in the last year: here it's beef tongue, poached, sliced, and served cool with a dusting of horseradish and some slices of carrot - the texture thing again. Toasted country bread on the side. I really couldn't fault this preparation.
For the hot course, I deviated from the offal and chose a pork shoulder appetizer. The meat, soft enough to be pulled, was bathed in a rich tomato-molasses sauce and topped with a ramp marmalade. It will be too sweet for some tastes; I know some people can't abide sweetness in braised pork dishes. I was fine, and wrapping the meat in lettuce leaves was a nice, if messy, idea.
Whatever happened to pressing sweetbreads before cooking? I learned that technique a long time ago: after blanching the glands, you squeeze them between weighted plates, turning them into a sort of flat, white sheet which can be cut, breaded and fried to order. That's how they used to come; but I am an old codger, and nobody does that in New York any more. These were fluffy, just crusted on the outside (not crispy), and enjoyable enough with a soubise sauce and a touch of preserved rhubarb - this chef has a nice sense of balance (Lauren Hirschberg, by the way).
On a subsequent visit, I ordered the tripe gratin, and was relieved not to have paired it with another dish. It's a huge portion, and would be a fine main course, with perhaps a vegetable on the side. Tripe is one thing I firmly believe I cook well, so I'm fussy. This was impeccably executed, the strands tender in a garlicky red soffrito sauce. The breadcrumb topping is kept admirably crisp, and there's an egg on top, and slices of toasted bread for dipping, in case you're peckish.
I haven't sampled the chicken liver pâté yet, but every other dish on the "varietal" list was a hit. Main courses were more everyday, in particular a halibut with artichokes and peas which lacked any big hit of flavor. Almost at the other extreme, lamb shoulder - which I was pleased to see on the menu as an alternative to the predictable rack - was sauced with a powerfully intense reduction. The meat wasn't overwhelmed - it tasted appropriately lamb-like, which is not always the case - but it was a close thing. Tarbais beans were a correct accompaniment - personally, I prefer them slightly less al dente. Splinters of crisp merguez sausage added to the flavor, and slowly built up some spicy heat.
Craftbar was buzzing each time I visited. You can eat well and relatively inexpensively, and the best way to approach the menu might well be to explore the periphery - not only the offal, but the other appetizers, the pastas and rice dishes, the charcuterie, the salads. This is not necessarily a negative; I've often recommended approaching Craft the same way, constructing a dinner from a series of smaller plates rather than investing in one big hunk of meat. I liked the wine-list here too; international, with good French country selections and some unusual Spanish choices. I drank several glasses of a Willamette Valley Gamay, "Celebration," which was a good match for lighter meats like sweetbreads and pig's head. I also met an unusual Spanish varietal - in the usual sense of the word - Bobal in a 100% Bobal wine from Clos Lojen in Manchuela; smoky, herby, flinty and unusual.
Cheese is a good way to finish: rather than a pricy plate, you can order from the list at $4 a piece. I was glad I took another look at the place.
I had low expectations for this place-- usually a 3.5 star rating on yelp is enough to make me consider not going to a restaurant. However, we went and the food was REALLY good. I loved the rosemary breadsticks and my husband's veal meatballs were amazing. My goat cheese ravioli was good but perhaps a little too citrusy for me. Restaurant was nice, servers were helpful. I'd go back.
I had the wrapped sausage as an app, and the skate for my main course.
The food was phenomenal! Although the app was nothing more than fried sausage links it was good, but it was just fried sausage.
The skate wing was truly out of this world and and the size of the plate was perfect.
My only qualm with Craftbar was the atmosphere. It was a very open restaurant and very dark. We were seated by the window and the place was packed. We sat at one end of the crowd and the noise was a but excessive and I often felt like someone was right on my shoulders.
Overall the place was great- i'd recommend it maybe during the week, etc.
After reading the review here, I decided to try this place. I ordered the risotto balls, pericco cheese with honey and almond dip with garlic bread and veal meat balls while my boyfriend got their 26 day age sirloin steak. Everything tasted really good and cooked well. The risotto balls are so creative and the perico cheese dip has a very interesting flavor to it. It is unexpected.
I love my main entree, veal meatball because it tastes so tender and less greasy than regular ones. My boyfriend's sirloin is a bit lacking on the portion but the flavor is great.
I really like the decor here; it looks classy and modern but friendly enough for young foodies. Top chef rocks!
We were a table of 5 for lunch, so basically we ordered different appetizer plates from a variety of choices! Great menu. Great food. Great ambiance and deco. Attentive service. Looking forward to dinner there next time!
I've been here a couple times for dinner and for brunch and I've been a fan every time. Today we went for brunch and started with the hot donuts (you must get) which arrived so fresh out of the fryer that they were too hot to touch. Amazing.
Then I got the sardine and leek bruschetta, which I think may have been the best choice of my group of 4. B. got the baked egg with shortrib and mexican chocolate -- which he only thought was ok. The rest of the brunch menu was sort of basic -- eggs with bacon and potatoes, corned beef and hash etc. I'd recommend you don't go with the boring things.
I think the lunch and dinner menus were a little more interesting, so I might recommend you skip brunch and go for the other two meals.
The meal was good taken as a whole, but I was underwhelmed by the food.
-raw oysters were tasty enough
-sausage stuffed sage leaves were weird (and not too pretty to look at either, kinda like something you scoop from the catbox)
-the peccorino fondue was outrageously good
-the watercress, white anchovy and egg salad disappointed: I would not have expected FRIED anchovies, which cheapened the dish for me
-I hear the short ribs were great
-My saddest dish was the beet casunziei with brown butter and poppy seeds--I've had this dish elsewhere (though I think it was enhanced by sage--thank you Al Di La!) and when it's good, it's a little bitta heaven.
The staff is lovely, welcoming, and disarmingly friendly, with multiple servers greeting you like an old friend even as you walk back to your table from the ladies room.
In the end I think I'll save my pennies next time and try Craft as other Yelpers recommend, though I'm just not sure why this restaurant isn't better; it really should and could be. Although I might also come back just for wine and that peccorino fondue...
After a few seasons of Top Chef obsession, my girlfriend took me out to Craftbar for my birthday. The menu offered an overwhelming, but impressive assortment of options, and we decided to start with two "snacks", split an appetizer, and then split an entree. We started with Sausage Stuffed Sage Leaves and Crispy Chicken Wings with Creme Fraiche. We didn't realize the sage leaves would be fried, so it was a bit of a heavier start to the meal than we were hoping for. That said, both dishes were enjoyable, if not entirely remarkable.
The meal kicked into high gear with the arrival of our appetizer. The Pecorino Fondue with Acacia Honey. While I'd hasten to call it a fondue seeing as how it wasn't particularly melted, and it was somewhat difficult to get on the bread, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a unique taste that was absolutely delicious.
Our entree were the Veal Ricotta Meatballs which were spectacular. Very juicy and tasty.
We finished the meal with a Rhubarb and Apple desert, also served with creme fraiche. It was the perfect end to an extremely enjoyable meal.
For our drink, we went with the cheapest white on the menu. It was a Spanish wine, and I have to say, at the risk of sounding insanely over-exaggerated here: it might have been one of the best wines I've ever had. And it was the cheapest!
All in all, it was an extremely enjoyable and relaxed dinning experience that I would happily recommend to anyone who wants to know what makes Chef Tom Collichio the right man to lord over the judges table on Top Chef.
Now that I live only 2 blocks from Craftbar, I know I'm going to have some problems. A very yummy go-to place for brunch. I think the best bets are the Brioche Pain Perdu and the White Anchovy Bruschetta. The other foods are good, but not awesome. I think these two dishes definitely top the menu. Especially since I've almost had everything on the menu so far. The next thing I need to try are the donuts.
Excellent ambiance, but don't sit at the bar. waiter service at a table is much better.
My wife took me here for my birthday last night. On the way over, we were discussing if there were any restaurants we would never go to again. Having lived in the two culinary meccas of the US (New York and San Francisco) we could only arrive at one "high end" restaurant to never return to (for the sake of anonymity it will rename nameless but it is supposedly one of the best Indian restaurants in NYC).
Let's add Craftbar to the list.
First the good - the food was not that bad. We split the mushroom foccacia appetizer (the highlight of the night). I had the lamb which was small but tasty and my wife had a pasta dish.
The bad - the service is on par with TGI Fridays but not as friendly. Upon walking in (and the place was not particularly busy at 7pm on a Saturday night) the hostess immediately put a finger up to us and picked up the phone. REALLY? Taking a phone call ahead of the person who actually walked in???
The waitress was pleasant enough but fairly inattentive. Plus she asked us not once but twice the cringe-worthy "How's everything tasting?" If I wanted the Applebee's greeting I would have gone there and saved myself $150. The busboys were so eager to clean up they took not one, but two plates away from us while we were mid-bite.
I suppose I should not expect much in the way of service from a large corporate "chain" like the Tom Colicchio empire. If you are looking for a high end casual experience might I recommend Houstons which makes no bones about its chain-ness but does a lot better job of it.
I love Top Chef. Love it! So when the tax return checks came in I treated myself to some Craftbar. I was excited!
Overall the meal was okay, but i was looking for amazing. I was really expecting more, but I've been told "thats what you go to Craft for, duh". Open minded, open mouth waiting and wanting to be wowed, and I wasnt (not by the snack and appetizer at least, although they were intersting). I do have to admit though, the meatball entree rocked my world and the dessert was a perfect 10.
oh and let me not forget to say, the service was very good. well played wait staff, well played!
A solid restaurant choice - have been here twice and both times there were highlights and disappointments. First, I disagree and think the portions are fine. At a nicer restaurant, most people order an appetizer, entree, and a dessert - big portions aren't necessary. By the time I was done with both the restaurant week lunch menu and a three course dinner, I was stuffed despite the "small" portions complained about.
Appetizers - I've had the fondue and the duck bruchetta. My fondue really did not come hot and it was essentially congealed cheese - not at all a melty cheese I could dip something into. I had to cut the cheese and place it on top of the bread. The duck bruchetta was the better choice.
Main Courses: Baby Chicken - delicious. Usually I'm not a fan of ordering chicken at restaurants but this was delicious and the skin was very crispy - perfect portion for lunch. Dry Aged Sirloin - also delicious. It came as three small slices of beef but when eaten with the accompanying vegetables, it was more than enough food and it was cooked perfectly.
Desserts: The apple cake is delicious and I would highly recommend it - a small little piece of cake slightly larger than a doughnut hole and a scoop of ice cream - the perfect amount to fill you up but not leave you overstuffed. The oreo cookie brownie sundae is actually really large and really delicious - you're typical ice cream sundae.
Three great items I tried from the menu: steak (Colichhio knows steak), risotto balls, and Craft margarita. Tried a bunch of dishes with friends and these were the standouts. The grapefruit campari margarita was light and refreshing.
Sometimes I forget why I read and write reviews on Yelp. I was reminded why I do this after my experience at Craftbar.
Even after reading a number of just mediocre reviews on Craftbar, I foolishly decided to bring a group of friends here for a dinner, and was completely underwhelmed.
I think I could compose a better charcuterie platter with ingredients from Costco. It was the single most boring platter of meat i'd ever had in a Manhattan restaurant, and at $20, it was a frustrating outcome. The duck prosciutto app was actually decent, but couldn't cover up for the mediocre risotto balls.
There was visible disappointment when the plates for our main course hit our table. The portion of striped bass was literally the size of a matchbook, and was dry and tough according to the diner. My pork leg was reasonably moist but under seasoned and under portioned. Another diner's lobster was closer in size to a large shrimp than a Maine lobster. The only dish that actually received praise, was the dry-aged sirloin.
I won't even bother writing about the service. Let's just say that it didn't come close to deserving the tip that we left.
It was a bittersweet moment leaving the restaurant. On one hand, I felt incredibly guilty for subjecting my friends to such a bad dining experience. As a lone positive, this experience renewed my faith in Yelp reviews. If Yelp users say that a place sucks, then they're usually right.
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Bars
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