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Fedora
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants French Nightlife Bars American (New), French, Bars
239 W 4th St(between 10th St & Charles St)
New York, NY 10014
Neighborhood: West Village
(646) 449-9336
- Nearest Transit:
-
Christopher St - Sheridan Sq (1, 2)
W 4 St (A, B, C, D, E, F, M)
14 St (1, 2, 3)
- Hours:
Mon, Sun 5:30 pm - 12 am
Tue-Sat 5:30 pm - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
64 reviews for Fedora
Review Highlights
"...would say the best dish of it all was the Crispy Pig's head."
(in 8 reviews)
"For dessert, we had the "cheesecake" panna cotta."
(in 3 reviews)
"...West Village empire (Joseph Leonard and Jeffery's Grocery."
(in 6 reviews)
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64 reviews in English
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Review from Jay Z.
Manhattan, NY
12/1/2011
Why Come Here? Great spot for any occasion (although large groups would be tough), great cocktails, diverse and interesting menu
Fedora has the feel an old neighborhood spot. The color scheme is black and white, giving the sense that you've walked into a bar in the 1940s. The speakeasy style cocktails also hanker for a bygone era and even the food is mostly based on traditional American fare, although usually with a modern (and delicious) twist. This makes it a place you can go to for many occasions (casual dinner, date, parents) although it does get crowded on weekends (it's in the West Village after all).
I've been here several times and these are my favorite dishes. The menu does change frequently though, so they may not be available when you go.
Crisped Duck Leg - The duck is incredibly succulent and delicious. You must try it if it's on the menu.
Ricotta Gnocci w/ Smoked Chicken Meatballs - The gnocchi gets a great flavor from the ricotta. The smokiness of the meatballs is amazing and goes great with the ricotta.
Roasted Skirt Steak - A very tender piece of meat, perfectly charred. The herb vinaigrette is subtle, but provides an interesting touch.
Warm Madelines - I don't normally like things that are lemony, but the madelines are so soft and fluffy you have to love them. The honey citrus sabayon (Italian custard) dipping sauce adds some weight and complexity. -
Review from Christine H.
Brooklyn, NY
1/9/2012
After reading New York Mag's review naming this one of the ten best new restaurants of 2011 AND reading the Yelp reviews, I was slightly nervous about eating at Fedora.
Yelpers, you were right. I ordered the scallops & bone marrow and it was overly rich and salty without being flavorful. I really don't know how that's possible but there it is. Could've really been saved with a dash of something acidic to cut the fattiness. The shrimp roll was decent, but lacked a subtle touch.
I will give it 3 stars for the banana cream pudding dessert, which was fabulous and I'd eat it everyday if I could. Otherwise I felt like I overpaid. Atmosphere was nice though the place was pretty small.
Guys, if you're thinking of eating here, I'd recommend Mile End over this place any day (similar style of food). -
Review from Will E.
Portland, OR
12/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
If there is one place in New York that transports you to another time and place this is it! There's something about the atmosphere here that gives it an the charm of a New England bed and breakfast. Dimly lit, long and narrow in the basement of an apartment building Fedora has a mystique all its own. I made a reservation for a Tuesday night but probably could have done without it. It wasn't empty when we arrived but it wasn't crowded either. Considering reservations are only taken the day of with the exception of Mondays we would have been safe to just walk in. Seeing a few individuals I knew when I walked in instantly let me know this was a place that is a haunt of the A-list celebrity chasers! No disrespect intended. Realizing how long they were there and how long they stayed it was obvious to me the reservations weren't to hold a spot but to maintain your spot because the atmosphere is so relaxing patrons tend not to leave.
On a fish kick I went straight for the Striped Bass. It wasn't breathtaking but enjoyable. The menu is pretty tight and chock full of pork so not being a red meat eater it limited my options tremendously. The fries seemed to be the most popular dish on the menu and the more people you get to jump in with you the less guilty you'll feel about them.
Fedora is a cool place but probably better for drinks than meals. -
Review from Jason L.
Brooklyn, NY
2/7/2012
kinda ritzy and expensive. The cocktails are great and make you feel like you're getting your moneys worth. which they should for the price. I haven't ventured too much with the food menu, but the fried chicken was great. Plus it had it's curled up little foot still attached. kinda cool.
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Review from Marc B.
Manhattan, NY
1/13/2012
Nice enough place but terrible service.
Stopped in with a friend for a drink and noticed the bar was crowded. Asked the hostess if we could sit at one of the small cocktail tables and she told us they were for dinner guests only. Fair enough. A couple of seats eventually opened at the bar, so we moved over there, sat down and ordered drinks. The hostess then informed us that unless we were having dinner, we couldn't even sit at the bar, as it too was for dining guests only. I've never before heard of such a policy. I won't be back. -
Review from Kris h.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
The fried chicken with sriacha and rice is out of control.
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Review from Lissa V.
11/4/2011
Sexy, laid back style. Intimate and very New York. I love the vibe this place has going on, they nailed it. Everything was impeccable: service, food, ambiance. 5 stars for sure!
Was lucky enough to score a resie at this new W. Village hot spot for T's B-day dinner. Fedora was perfect for the occasion. Everyone was so incredibly friendly and took customer service to a whole new level.
Had a glass of Cava at the bar to kickoff the birthday toasts. The bar area is great too. The Montepulciano we ordered also was a great complement to the meal. Decent wine list.
Food... oh the food! Wow. We split a bunch of things, as I wanted to try it all! Both the Chanterelles & Shiitake and the gnocci with chicken (honestly, couldn't believe they were chicken they had so much flavor) meatball apts were amazing. The pork chop was cooked perfectly and was very flavorful. The potato pancake was good, but tasted more like a breakfast pancake. We had the Blondie (Yes, Blondie for the Blondie) for dessert, and got the whole restaurant singing happy birthday to T! (She may get me back for that one).
It is safe to say we ate every last bite. Nom nom nom! -
Review from Alexandra R.
Manhattan, NY
10/11/2011
Fedora is the newest restaurant from Gabriel Stulman's laid-back and easy-going West Village empire (Joseph Leonard and Jeffery's Grocery). It offers a great local vibe and a stronger nightlife/bar scene than the other two restos; so definitely choose this one for dinner. However, the music is loud and the bar gets crowded making it hard to hear the person you are dining with. The low ceilings, black leather booths and dim lighting create an enjoyable, low-key yet intimate evening. The best part about the tight space is the opportunity to banter and chat with your neighbors. Hey, you might even pick up a phone number or two! I love the staff at all of Stulman's places -they are always friendly and super quirky. The menu is eclectic and very rich in flavor.
Food: for photos see my blog which is listed on my profile
-Skip the hush puppies and entrees and share a bunch of appetizers.
-The shrimp dumplings are light and sweet, and if my eyes had been closed, I would have thought I was dining in an Asian palace.
-Chanterelles and Shiitake: Poached Egg and Brown Butter.
-Ice Cream Sandwich with Van Leeuween's Vanilla and Peanuts
Step on into Fedora for an after dinner drink, late dinner (serving until 2 a.m.) or at least just for those awesome complimentary peanut butter chocolate rice krispies treats bestowed upon you with your check! -
Review from Julie T.
Manhattan, NY
11/7/2011
SO GOOD.
Our reservation was at 9:30- we got there at 9:15, had one cocktail at the bar and then we were seated.
It's so cute inside, small, but a great ambiance. You feel very "cool" New York. Had the gnocchi- FANF*CKINGTASTIC. The scallops and the duck, all delish.
Will definitely go back! -
Review from Tsvika K.
Manhattan, NY
11/18/2011
Its noisy (but not overwhelming ) its crowded (good crowd) but the food is prefect !
Taste wise , size wise , price wise .
A great restaurant wrap with a great vibe .
Don't miss the deserts ! -
Review from Jess K.
8/28/2011
If I had a say, this is where I'd like to go for my Last Supper. And ironically, I ate here with my friends the Friday before Hurricane Irene, what ended up being a dude of a storm but the anticipation of it resulted in an almost kinetic energy in the air.
Sitting in the leather tufted booth that overlooks the entire restaurant, we were nestled in our private corner where we huddled over the brief yet tantalizing menu. I sipped my dirty martini and decided I would have the waitress elect my entree... I do this often, read my other reviews, I always want to know what is the wait staff's favorite, there is nothing better in my book. My companions insisted on two orders of the Artic Char, which was wrapped in a crepe and had a nice kick at the end, but my favorite appetizer would have to go to the egg in a hole, it was decadent and holy moly eggs, that was definitely a theme throughout the dinner, eggs eggs eggs, but I have no issues with my cholesterol so eagerly amassed the eggy goodness of it all. The bread was thick and soggy with the egg that cracked open and provided the perfect dressing.
The waitress ordered me the lobster salad... with fat chunks of lobster and breaded hard boiled eggs with just a bit of liquid in the middle, another perfect execution of something so mundane, yet so interesting and unique served here. I also had a bite of the lamb sausage and octopus, an odd marriage of perfect tastes... really well done.
And to top it all off, like I even had room for dessert, I forced myself to eat a quarter of the ice cream sandwich, an adult version of my favorite childhood treat. We also had the lemon panacotta with madeleine's... which were piping hot and clearly just out of the oven... while a table favorite, the ice cream sandwich was heaven enough for me. Can't wait to go back... muah. -
Review from Katie C.
Bloomington, IN
9/4/2011
Came here on kind of a whim while in the neighborhood, having read good reviews. Let me preface by saying that I hope this review doesn't make me sound too curmudgeonly. And let me also start by saying that the food was incredible, and the cocktails were quite good as well. We had the egg in a hole, wagyu tongue, fried chicken, and lobster salad and everything was superb. However, I would not recommend stopping in for a late dinner if you expect to be able to hear your dinnermates/aren't planning on drinking much.
We went around 11 PM on a Thursday and it was very much a bar crowd (I suppose we should have anticipated this). The space is small, so as mentioned, it was unbearably loud, and when not one, but two of the patrons seated at the bar behind us took respective tumbles off of their respective bar stools, it interrupted our meal. The service was also fantastic, but impossible to hear. So, a word to the wise: Fedora seems like a great place to eat delicious food and drink a lot of good drinks, Fedora is definitely not a great place to have a quiet late dinner! -
Review from Adam E.
Manhattan, NY
12/11/2011
Great place to stop in for an after dinner drink... Bartenders are friendly, deserts are tasty and the venue has a great vibe.
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Review from Rachel C.
7/12/2011
With all the choices that you have in the West Village, I think that in order to maintain yourself as a restaurant in that area, a lot of things have to be right. Not to say that there aren't a lot of great things about Fedora, but there are a few things that kind of left me wanting a little more from this West Village newcomer.
I'll start out with the things that were great. I think that the ambiance is nice for a cozy date spot- the tables are spaced far enough apart that you don't feel like you're eating dinner with the couple next to you which is always a plus in NYC.
I think that the service is nice- friendly waiters and constant filling of water. Our food came out on time without much of a wait and it was hot and fragrant and beautiful! :D
I think the ingredients are awesome. The morels with egg were really really good- the beet salad was the tops. If you like lamb tasting lamb, then the lamb sausage with octopus is delish (a cute new twist on surf and turf). I do think that this place is solid.
The things that I'll complain about are just a few things, but things that I think are fundamental to a restaurant being a 4 or a 5 star place. The first thing that I thought was a little crazy were the prices. I thought that $26 for some lamb sausage and octopus was pretty expensive. Also, the drinks which are $12 each are a really small portion. The old fashioned came in a high ball glass and it wasn't even half full, even with all the ice in it.
Another thing was that their reservations/seating was a little all over the place. The hostess had some issues figuring out whether or not she could seat us. First she said we could sit, then we couldn't sit, then we could but only for an hour, and then we could sit and it was fine. Not sure what happened and I don't blame her, but they are definitely still trying to work out those kinks.
Lastly, I know I said that the ambiance was nice, which it was, but it's a tough spot to be going for a date anyway. The noise level makes it hard to talk to the person next to you to the point where you're almost shouting. Maybe because it was Saturday and they were trying to get everyone "in the mood" but they were blasting 80's tunes. I usually wouldn't have a problem with this, but I was at a relatively classy restaurant trying to eat dinner, not get up on the table and whip out my fanny pack to break it down.
Anyway, this place is solid with a few things that they may need to work out to improve the overall dining experience, but maybe in a month or so I'll give it another shot. It's definitely not ruled out since the food is definitely good, but maybe when I come back on another day, they'll feel like playing some smooth jazz instead of Bon Jovi. -
Review from Chris H.
5/7/2011 8 photos
.333: A respectable batting average in Major League Baseball.
.333: The amount of food we ended up picking at off our plates at Fedora; a resounding swing-and-a-miss.
It was hard to synthesize if it was the mediocrity or just plain awfulness of the food we were served. Was it the 'comfort food', frantically forced down our throats? The "yes we get it, comfort food is hip! But why the hell does it have to be so goddamn greasy and stodgy" angle?
Or maybe it was the glaring misjudgement of seasoning - not only in the insipid and overly mayonnaise'd veal tongue or stodgy cod fritters, but in dishes that are *meant* to be salty, such as their rubbery bland fried chicken or an outrageously gloppy/greasy pork sandwich with burnt shoestring fries. On the other hand, I recall a side dish of brussels sprouts that were so doused with salt, I had to beg for more water from the mysteriously absent waitress.
Or maybe it was the waitstaff, too self important to notice that the recriminate .666 of our plate was untouched.
Whatever the few hits and many misses may be, Fedora swings for the fences, but ultimately strikes out with style.Listed in: The FAIL List, Sometime you feel like an…
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Review from Ryan B.
New York, NY
11/19/2011
Service was horrible. Made reservations through the pseudo call-in Saturday morning... Yet still had to wait over 1 hour for our reservation. We didn't eat our main course until Sunday morning.... Literally what's the point!!! Overrated as well, ran out of three dishes by the time we ordered. Too many other better options in the village. Don't waste your time.
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Review from Debie K.
New York, NY
4/27/2011
When I seek out a trendy, chic restaurant I know I can always rely on my wonderful neighborhood, West Village, to deliver. Fedora was one of those places I always walked by and wanted to try out--all the diners inside looked so fabulous, happy and cozy in that little restaurant down the stairs. I couldn't wait to try out this spot that had shuttered only to re-open to wild acclaim.
Sadly, all dining stories do not come to a good end.
The service was lovely but I couldn't help but wonder what our waitress thought as she cleared away each of our half-picked plates of food...
We started with the heavily lauded Crispy Pig's Head, Cod fritters, and the Wagyu tongue. Imagine my disappointment when we were met with greasy, flavorless bite after bite. The Crispy Pig's Head were certainly the least offensive of the three appetizers but the accompanying Gribiche sauce was heavy and unfortunately reminiscent of thick mayonnaise. Cod fritters left an unpleasant film of grease in our mouths and the Wagyu tongue, normally a slice of meat that I adore, was completely flavorless and slightly brought to life only after a sprinkle of the table's sea salt.
Our disappointment was only furthered by the entrees. The fried chicken was coated in what appeared to be sandy breadcrumbs which texturally was incredibly unappetizing. The attached claw, which may be meant to impress some, felt barbarian-esque and as far as we could understand, served absolutely no purpose. The pork sandwich was an even bigger disaster. An over-zealous combination of pulled pork, carrots, slaw and who knows what other ingredients left us completely confused. A terrible mish mash of flavors and textures had us agreeing that this was one of the worst pork sandwiches any of us had ever had. The crispy duck leg was the only somewhat successful dish of the table and the only one that was finished in its entirety.
I'm not quite sure what went wrong as Fedora seems to be adored by so many New Yorkers. Even the noise level was uncomfortably loud and our small table often struggled to hear what we were each saying. If there's any silver lining I suppose, now I'll no longer worry about walking by Fedora with a look of envy--I'll just wonder what it is we missed out on when we had the chance to be one of those fabulous, happy and cozy New Yorkers. -
Review from nancy y.
5/23/2011
I'm surprised I haven't seen this restaurant in Greenwich Village, given that it neighbors I Tre Merli, a restaurant I've eaten at several times. I can't remember why I bookmarked Fedora, probably because it's in the heart of Greenwich Village and has a trendy name, but I decided to check it out after a coworker highly recommended it.
The layout is fairly reminiscent of many restaurants I've seen in the area - imagine walking in through a narrow doorway into a quaint and teutonic space, with a crowded bar area on the left and an array of booths and two-person tables on the right. No one pays any attention to us as we descend the stairs and we get the feeling that the hostesses are actually peeved that we decided to come in without a reservation on a Saturday night at 10:30pm. Neverthless, we are seated within a few minutes at the bar, which was completely fine with me because I had only eaten half a turkey sandwich all day and it was long past my feeding time.
Everything sounded good on the menu, but K and I decided to go easy on the ordering, learning from our manifold binge feasts in the not-so-distant past. Ohh sweet progress. We shared 3 appetizers and a half dozen oysters and it ended up actually being quite a lot of food, given that the portions are pretty generous.
-East coast oysters (5 stars)
-Wagyu tongue with celeriac remoulade and apple (4 stars, very tender, flavorful, and thinly sliced, very good)
-Egg in a Hole tripe ragout and cheddar (3.5 stars, this was basically a piece of toast covered with a poached egg and tripe morsels in a cheesy ragout. Very homey, interesting concept, not necessarily the most delicious dish)
- Cured arctic char with roe: (4.5 stars, very interesting flavors and textures. I love smoked salmon, so naturally this dish was a favorite)
By midnight, the dinner crowd had been almost entirely replaced by an influx of socialites that filled out the bar and we quickly finished up before the bar-goers could dip their elbows into our plates. -
Review from Nina B.
New York, NY
8/1/2011
Came here with a friend who had never tried the food, but had been for drinks and thought the food always looked really good. Great call by my friend. Neither the drinks, the bartender, nor the food were disappointing.
Had the delicious chicken liver toast. Perfectly toasted and the pate perfectly creamy. Tried the fish of the day, which was also prepared wonderfully...I had no complaints.
Without a doubt, I would go again. -
Review from Samantha M.
Winthrop, MA
1/1/2012
Went here for after-dinner drinks with a girlfriend while on vacation in NYC! Great atmosphere, classy decor. We love to dance and this definitely wasn't a dance-y place but we had a great time just sitting at the bar hanging out. The place was small so probably wouldn't be best for very large groups. Great bartender, delicious drinks. It's a casual but classy place -- I wouldn't wear sneakers there! Little bit more dressed up. Would definitely recommend this spot!
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Review from Claire F.
3/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
"The Woman who mistook this restaurant for a hat"
In this new iteration of Fedora -- named not for headgear but for one of the former owners -- I love what they've done with the place.
I shared a bunch of things off the menu, but I would recommend the Cream Of Cauliflower soup, which has large chewy chunks of salty bacon and bread in it as little prizes to devour. The name of the Crispy Pig's Head in gribiche sauce almost scared away this admitted food weenie, but I am glad I was talked into it. Looking nothing like a head, these tiny crispy balls were crispy and flavorful.
As a main, the special of cote de boeuf for two (and by two they mean seven) came with Brussels sprouts soaked in a delightful wine/balsamic reduction. After eating and eating, it appeared the cote de boeuf might be reproducing, so the rest of it was taken home.
Polishing things off with the giant chocolate cake with milk was too much even for this dessert fan. The cake is HUGE!
We drank a nice Gruet, Brut Rose "Champenoise" 59 from New Mexico, which was not as sweet as you might think and worked particularly well with our earlier courses. Much like a good cv, their compact yet tight wine list hits all the right notes in one page.
The Old Fashioned with pecan bitters was a nice little twist on a classic, but was a bit strong for this girl.
The odd reservation rules, that is to say, only day of, at the whim of whomever is on duty to answer (or not answer) the phone, could almost scare you away. But once you get there it's more relaxed, with amiable service and smart looking yet non-pretentious fellow diners.
The new owner walks in and is greeted warmly by staff and regular patrons, we turn to look at the scene, smile, turn back towards our meal. Warm, friendly atmosphere; comfort food done up well.Listed in: F-love, Eat here., Ménage à trois (ou plus)
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Review from Nancy L.
New York, NY
4/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Blocking off 11am on my work calendar, setting multiple reminders and calling the reservation line on both my work and personal phone were absolutely worth the meal I had at Fedora. I was initially put off by their day-of reservation policy, but in retrospect, it's great for crowd control, and a successfully booked reservation is a mood booster that can last 48 hours (seriously).
The real culprit behind my Fedora high is, of course, the food, which I'd describe as unobtrusively memorable. Our meal was the perfect balance between heavy and light stuff. To start, we had the Spanish mackerel and egg-in-a-hole. The mackerel was fresh and a good palate awakener for the meal to come. The egg-in-a-hole was my favorite dish of the night: hearty enough for a man, but complex enough for a woman. I'm tempted to say this statement holds true for the rest of the menu (signature dishes include fried chicken, pork chop and madeleines).
For my entree, I had the rock shrimp salad; the manchego that came with it was a good substitue for the spicy mayo that usually accompanies rock shrimp. For his entree, my dinner date had the fish-of-the-day; on his hake, Simon says, "Fedora made a valiant effort...everything was cooked just right and I really enjoyed the brussels sprouts. Unfortunately the fish itself was just too plain and the sauce they made didn't give it the kick it needed unlike the deep-fried battered variety which I prefer much more." I'm personally unfamiliar with hake, so I'll have to take his word for it.
For dessert, we had the "cheesecake" panna cotta. The passion fruit drip and graham cracker crumbs that came with it made a sweet and satisfying combination.
Getting back to "unobtrusively memorable" - the sunken location, the simple decor and the great service made Fedora pleasantly lowkey. While there was a bit of bustle, it was never too loud or uncomfortably crowded. It's easy to see how some might peg Fedora as hipster, a scene or both, but there's much more substance to the restaurant than such descriptions could allow for. -
Review from Jenny S.
New York, NY
11/3/2011
Everything about Fedora was rad. It's tucked away, intimate and most people probably avoid it because of the unfortunate name. The hostess and bartenders were friendly and accommodating, and everything came (and went) quickly. I had an endive and apple salad and my friend inhaled the steak. He literally gnawed on the bone. Despite my aversion to sugar, we split an ice cream sandwich that was totally worth it -dipped in dark chocolate and partially coated with crushed peanuts. Can't wait to come back.
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Review from Thomas K.
Los Angeles, CA
7/12/2011
Disclaimer - I did not eat anything while I was here. Just a review of the bar.
The drinks were awesome and original. The bar was easily accessible but that's probably cause we were there at 6pm on a rainy Sunday. I had 3 drinks while I was there.
Songbird - light and floral. Nice easy drink, a good starter. Ease yourself in.
Black Squirrel Old Fashioned - The bourbon blended well with the maple wash albeit very light on the maple. The citrus notes rounded out the drink. I'm not a huge old fashioned fan but it was nice.
Kid Vs. Cobra - I am a gin fanatic so it goes without say that I would order this. Death's Door gin? Small batch gin from Wisconsin. Awesome. I felt that the pepper cinnamon was a little strong and overpowered the gin but it was still good. -
Review from Kristin G.
White Plains, NY
6/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Brilliant food. Inventive, a little out-there and unique. Our whole party (6 of us) really loved it.
The only bummer was that it was very crowded (around the bar as we waited) in an uncomfortable way. There was no good place for us to stand without being in someone's way. Other people might not mind that, but it was awkward for us.
Good house cocktails too! -
Review from Kristina C.
New York, NY
3/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
After loving Joseph Leonard and hearing rave reviews about newly opened Fedora, I decided it was time to make a stop here. Knowing their reservation policy, I began calling promptly at 11 and by 11:02, I had nailed down a reservation for 2 at 8:15.
We showed up in the middle of a hailstorm lightning blizzard and wandered into a cozy downstairs haven. We arrived a few minutes early and were seated probably 10-15 minutes after arriving. While waiting, I got my hands on a Black Squirrel Old Fashioned which lived up to the hype (especially since I have a new fondness for Buffalo Trace bourbon).
Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and honest. I had the arctic char with a side of brussell sprouts (with bacon, of course). My friend had the fried chicken. Both of us cleared our plates. The fish was fresh, flavorful and the accompanying mushrooms were divine. We pondered dessert but we were both stuffed and decided to postpone the chocolate cake for our next visit; maybe we'll stop in for some Old Fashioned and cake next time. -
Review from DeathandFood b.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2011
I'm not going to lie. I went here because I was wearing a Fedora and even though I was heading somewhere else the name made me stop and check out the menu.
Since I was on meatfest 2011 during my trip to NYC and I saw they had both pig's head and beef tongue I knew I had to eat here.
I really don't understand why so many people will eat the butt (roast), the chest (ribs) the loins (chops and tenderloins) of an animal but not all the other parts that edible on the animal like the offal, brains, tongue and hooves. I find it practically disrespectful to the yummy animal to not all the tasty bit not to mention as kid raised hunting Bambi just plain odd and wasteful to not eat all of the animal.
This is not a place for a vegan or vegetarian to go or even a pescatarian like the French spouse as even the seafood dishes may have meat products in them. The only vegetarian dishes was a beet salad and the cauliflower soup. It is also not a budget mean with entrees all in the 20's including a sandwich.
I went here on a Monday night at 10am and sat at the bar. Only a couple of tables were still filled but most of the bar had people eating small dishes and having drinks. It's a charming looking place with lots of dark wood and a cozy feeling that would nice on a cold NY winter night.
Everything looks so interesting so I ordered three appetizers, they are all large appetizers so a meal could be just two.
I started with the wagyu beef tongue which is braised and was perfectly cook and was some of the best tongue I've had in the US. It came with a celeriac remoulade, apple and peanuts which was a nice contrast in texture and the sweetness of the apple worked well with the flavour of the meat.
Then I had the crispy pig's head with greens and gribiche sauce which was actually five lovely crispy croquettes of shredded pork served on a bed of greens with a nice sauce. It is luxurious comfort food and perfect for eating at a bar or late night.
I had ordered the egg in the hole a traditional English breakfast dish without realizing it had a ragout in it. As I can't eat tomato sauce they were nice enough to take it back and not charge me.
Instead I had the cream of cauliflower soup which was actually pretty bland and disappointing.
I would certainly stop by this charming place either by myself or with my carnivore friends. -
Review from Crystal W.
New York, NY
4/4/2011
Consider this review part one of two... or at least a tantalizing trailer to what appears to be a very promising movie! I can't wait to return to sample the food.
I didn't stay as long as I would've liked to here at Fedora due to some unfortunate time constraints, but I did perch at the bar long enough to savor an impeccably mixed cocktail - the Songbird - and soak up some of the effortless, relaxed warmth and professionalism that is the trademark of all of Gabriel Stulman's joints (see also Joseph Leonard and Jeffrey's just across the way).
I don't know if it's the fact that you have to duck down some stairs to get inside or what, but the bar truly feels removed from the outside world and a true respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Relax, unwind, and maybe even put down your phone and have a conversation with the bartender. It's that old school. -
Review from Meg N.
1/25/2011
I never had a chance to go to Fedora in its previous form, but the owner of Joseph Leonard's has now taken it over and it is sure to become a favorite... if i can get in!
Its only been open a few weeks and each time I've stopped in it has been packed! Unfortunately we've turned ourselves away a couple times because we didn't feel like tucking ourselves into the corner but 3rd time was the charm when a few of our friends already had a table there late night. That night I had one of the Sixpoint brews on tap, which was good. We also had some snacks off the late night menu. The BBQ chips were excellent, and while I didn't eat any of the cod fritters- my friend said they were excellent as well.
i look forward to adding Fedora as one of my regular hangouts. Just look for the same old neon sign that still hangs above it! -
Review from Danielle J.
West Village, Manhattan, NY
4/28/2011
Another where I really couldn't decide between 3 and 4 stars..
After we'd decided to try Fedora - which we knew from living nearby was downstairs and indoors - it ended up being a gorgeous spring day in manhattan (which says a lot as up until now it had still been the miserably long winter weather, as we all well know). At this point we decided we couldn't bear to sit indoors on such a lovely evening, but after walking around the neighborhood in circles for 30 minutes, and it beginning to rain, we ultimately ended up heading back to our original destination - Fedora.
Upon entry they were super sweet - saying we were getting the last available two top (although the place was fairly empty, I guess the tables were likely reservations). Sat quite close to a somewhat awkward table of two women dining essentially in silence to where you assumed they were eavesdropping on you...but our waitress was great, super friendly.
We asked for advice between appetizers and also entrees (i coudlnt decide between the arctic char and the fish special, boyfriend coudlnt decide between the chicken and the other special (rack of lamb)). She didn't really say much at all about the cod fritters when we inquired, other than clumping them together with describing the oysters, so we decided to get the cured spanish mackerel to start, i got the fish special, $23ish (sadly i cannot remember what type it was, but a white fish on top of polenta, allegedly with sunchokes - my favorite, but of which i saw few or none..), and my boyfriend got the fried chicken ($23).
Appetizer was great, but extremely small for $12 - I'd probably feel annoyed paying more than $7 for that portion size (huge plate, but only a thin stripe of mackerel pieces down the center on top of a bit of avocado). My boyfriend was pretty disappointed and creeped out when the chicken arrived - with a chicken claw holding a cucumber - however he actually really enjoyed his dish, and said the rice it came with was quite filling.
My fish was also great quality and taste wise, but a fairly small portion, so i left starving. Also i think there was MAYBE one sunchoke in the dish - which was half of why i ordered it rather than the char.
For these reasons plus appetizer portion size i'm leaning towards 3 stars - great quality food and service, but the fish appetizer and entree just left me feeling slightly ripped off - however if you eat three meals a day (i only eat dinner, so tend to want larger portions), the portion size would probably be fine. Prices were consistent with WV restaurants, although afterwards i did mention i wished we'd paid more and done St. Ambroeus instead (or my longtime favorite, extra virgin).
Also somewhere I wouldn't imagine being packed on a nice day since its pretty dark in the basement - but i'd likely return for a low key drink at nighttime at some point! -
Review from Scott B.
Wow! Best drink I've had out in a bar in a long time! I had the Black Squirrel Old Fashioned, and it was possibly the best drink I've had all year. So just what made this drink concoction so amazing? Well, I suspect it was the skill of the bartender, Brian (I think that was his name). He was like an alchemist! He had these small dropper bottles with unique ingredients that he carefully added to each drink to make it delicious. One of these that I remember was grapefruit-infused bitters. He didn't use these in my drink, but he used them in a friend's drink that I tasted. Amazing! By the way, the drink prices here aren't too exorbitant especially when you consider the high quality of the drinks. Cocktails were somewhere around $13, and draft beer was around $6.
I didn't try the food at Fedora but saw some amazing things pass by me as orders were delivered to tables nearby. Everything looked yummy, and I can't wait to come back and try the food. I'll definitely update this review when I do.Listed in: Best Happy Hour & Drinks in…
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Review from Native N.
Brooklyn, NY
8/8/2011
With well over 20,000 restaurants in New York and 100's of bars just in the West Village alone, FEDORA is officially crossed off our list. It's not about the food. We didn't have any. It's not about the drinks. They were fine. It's about a certain employee's attitude.
The other night we met some friends at Fedora's bar. They had been there for a couple of hours and were already seated when we arrived. The restaurant was far from full. As we stood sipping our $12 cocktails, 2 additional seats became available at the bar. So we did what any paying customer would do, we took them. Not five minutes had passed when we were approached by the 22-year-old, hipster host with requisite handle bar mustache (think Williamsburg, circa 2002). He asked us to give up our seats. Apparently the 21 year old couple who just walked in the door wanted some snacks at the bar and because they were PRESUMABLY going to spend more money, they were the priority.
In the end, what did their policy gain them? Well, five paying customers stopped drinking there and left. We changed our minds about possibly eating there. And now we will certainly be sharing our experience with others. So buyer beware, with so many other choices to enjoy an overpriced cocktail or meal, I highly recommend you offer your hard earned cash to an establishment that actually appreciates it.
To Fedora's owner --before you entrust your restaurant's reputation to a hipster with poor judgment, you might want to take a closer look. -
Review from Jyoti H.
3/28/2011
My friend made a reservation for 5 of us (for her b-day) for 9:45pm. I'm assuming she did the whole "call at 11am that day" thing. Anyways - I walked in at 9:47pm, and said, "Hi I'm here for my friend's b-day reservation at 9:45pm". The hostess RUDELY snaps back, "well she's LATE. We give the table away after 15 minutes if she's not here". Whoa, crazy lady, it's 9:47PM and our reservation was at 9:45PM. I texted my friends to hurry up and that my yelp review would get 1 less star because of the rudey-kins hostess.
The rest of the group arrived at 10:02PM, but we still got our table (because who else was showing up at 10pm to eat dinner?). We started with some apps: the beef tartare, crispy pig's head, egg in a hole and the Brussels sprouts. Honestly - they were all delicious. The egg in a hole was savory, and I loved how crispy the bread was. Also - I had never tried tripe before, and that was a tasty addition. The Brussels sprouts were tangy and a bit spicy - but very good. The pigs head was fantastic - I think it was my favorite of all the appetizers. I wasn't a huge fan of the beef tartare, but i will say that the texture was interesting (in a good way) - the tartare was accompanied by something crunchy that boosted the overall enjoyment of the dish.
We ordered our entrees: crisped duck leg, fried chicken, pork chops for 2, and the hake special of the day. I loved my duck leg - it was moist and tender (that's what he said), but the skin on the outside was crispy. I love this whole texture trend that Fedora has going. The pork chop was just okay - I didn't think it was as tender as I thought it would be. But I was very satisfied with my duck leg.
For dessert, we ordered the chocolate cake (birthday and all), the Madelines, and the passionfruit panna cotta. I was not a fan of the cake - it wasn't moist enough. But the warm madelines were very tasty. The passionfruit panna cotta was good - my first bite, I thought to myself "ew what is this" but the 2nd bite onwards, it was delectable.
For some reason, it took over an hour for us to get our entrees and equally long to get our desserts. Unclear why - but we were there for a celebration so that was fine. -
Review from Gloria C.
2/21/2011 6 photos
Easy to miss place in the conundrum area of the West Village, I wouldn't have even thought of coming here if not for a birthday dinner. Weird reservation rules ( only make day of, party must be there within 10 minutes of the accounted reservation. I'm not sure about you, but these reservation rules seem to belong to a restaurant that should be offering me gold flakes on my food. -shrug-
When we got there though, the waitress was amazingly helpful and nice and we were seated.
Drinks are pretty well priced. I heard good things about the cocktails from the people I ate dinner with, but I stuck to a nice glass of Rose.
Appetizers: Family style sharing, I would say the best dish of it all was the Crispy Pig's head. It looks like a couple of meatballs on a bed of salad but was so delicately delicious. I hate salads but couldn't get enough of the greens here. Must try. The Wagyu tongue was pretty delectable and moist - sadly the Egg in the hole was a bit of a disappointment to me.
Entree: Artic Char was a must. Moist, delicious, with a delicious side of cabbages and mushrooms that went so well together with the Creme Fraiche. -Note- I saw this dish on the menu and was somewhat interested in ordering this dish versus the others. . What cinched it for me? Seeing the words "Creme Fraiche" with it. -snickers- *
Dessert:
Tall Chocolate Cake: I adore that it comes with shots of milk. The chocolate cake was good, moist and oh-so-rich, but not extremely amazing to me.
Cheesecake Panna Cotta: If I could have shoved my face in this dish, I would have.
But I remained ladylike and only took spoonfuls of the graham cracker sprinkled panna cotta that had a wonderful tart flavor because of the passion fruit.
Overall a great place to come for dinner - I wouldn't definitely recommend it for a semi-fancy night out.
*Due to a recent South Park episode, I will forever think of Creme Fraiche differently and will probably insist on eating all foods with Creme Fraiche accompanying it. For all who call themselves foodies, I implore you all to watch it. -
Review from Daryll H.
New York, NY
1/26/2011
The newly renovated Fedora is another Gabriel Stulman creation (formerly of Little Owl, currently of Joseph Leonard and Jeffrey's Grocery), which finally reopened last week after months of renovation.
I'm a huge fan of Joseph Leonard, and was curious to see what they were going to do with Fedora. I'd never been inside the original, but the various walkbys and reviews seemed to indicate that it was an institution that would both be sadly missed post-reno, but was also in desperate need of one.
So, New Fedora. It's fairly simple and tastefully done inside. I was expecting one of the fad "make it look really old" makeovers, but thankfully, they didn't do that. It just looks classic-current-west-village, which is good, even if slightly cautious. There's a long bar on the left (basically the entire length of the thing), with tables on the right. Most of the walls are covered with old looking photos, but hard to tell if they were actually old or just old-style.
Theme generally seems to be cocktail & wine, with three Sixpoint beers on tap (pilsner, ipa, rye). We got there too late for food, but they were able to find us some passionfruit pana cotta and chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was the best chocolate cake I've ever had. Get it. I took a look at the food menu after too many IPAs, and I don't remember most of it, but it seemed similar to Joseph Leonard type food.
The crowd was pretty diverse, from the dressed-to-the-nines (do people still say that?) to people in flannel and harley davidson hats (ok, that was me). In an interview, the owner said (I'm paraphrasing) that he really wanted to create great, non-snob hangouts for locals and friends. Assuming he keeps his hands-on touch (he was there last night, and is at Joseph Leonard all the time too), I think he has a good chance of pulling that off.
(My only gripe: The bar did not appear to have coat hooks underneath, at least not where I was standing..)Listed in: 5 Minutes Out of Sheridan
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Review from Sasha M.
Manhattan, NY
9/22/2011
Hi Yelp! This is my first time writing a review but I couldn't resist because I adored this restaurant!
Called same day to see if I could get a reservation around 9 for 2 people. The sweet hostess said that she would put me on the wait list and see what she could do. Around 5 I got the call that a table was available for us which was raaaaaad!
The place has a pretty lively bar scene. Very fun, upbeat atmosphere. When I sat down my friend whispered "look who is next to you" I look to my right and it's Nick Lachey and Vanessa. Wasn't mad about that.
For food we ordered the mushroom app (amazzzzz!) endive salad, amberjack, blackened fish sandwich, and passion fruit panna cotta. All were very good. Def recommend the mushroom app I died over it.
Originally wanted to order the pork chop, but Nick Lachey took the last one. I was so bummed because it look redic, but couldn't be too mad bc our server was so sweet and gave us an after dinner drink to make up for it.
Overall I highly recommend this place if you're looking for a fun date night or meeting up with a good friend. Gets a little loud so if ur looking for an intimate cuddle with ur man spot this isn't it. Amazing food, great service, and fun atmosphere. done and done. -
Review from Sean K.
3/13/2011
I think Maison might have been reviewing this from a really long time ago...
The downsides to this place, extremely limited as they may be, would be that it gets a little crowded and can be loud. I thought of identifying myself as an old person and asking them to turn down the music but thought better of it.
Overall I find this to be classic Gabe Stuhlman - really, really high quality food that's simple yet intelligently prepared. Our group got the cote d' beouf (sp?), the fish special and the pork chop for two. They were all quite incredible but the pork chop for two (which can be ordered just for one ambitious person) is beyond genius.
Getting a reservation is tough - they only do day of. However, I was walking the pooch in the neighborhood around 11a which is when they start taking them and my friend walked in and got us a table for 6 at 8:15p so its hard to complain.
As with other Stuhlman locations, the staff is there to help in a genuine way and although its not necessarily cheap, its certainly worth it. -
Review from lysa p.
3/3/2011
Seriously great! Went for dinner last week with 2 friends and we all loved it. The space is beautiful, and a scene.
Drinks are fun and creative.
The food was excellent, truly excellent. Started with the Chioggia Beet Salad ricotta and candied pecans - tasty and a large portion to share. I had the special fish of the evening, served grilled over a bed of garlic potatoes and roasted veges.
I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Mark S.
New York, NY
3/2/2011
I kinda wish I'd had one of the house cocktails to start. However I wanted to keep it light so after scanning the amaros on the menu for Cynar (to have with soda) and not seeing any, I asked for an Americano, and five minutes later was brought a coffee drink ... haha ... anyway, it was rectified with the right drink being brought over to the waiting area right before we were led to our table!
Service was lovely throughout, but the food was the real hit of the night. We just had a dozen oysters to start, which were delicious, my favourite being the variety of east coast oysters they served that night (remind me to just always get east coast in future, anywhere. I dig.). My friend had the octopus with sweetbreads on top of a barley "risotto", with a buerre rouge sauce. She's a huge sweetbreads fan and declared these to be best she's ever had. My entree was equally delicious, a crispy duck leg (almost confit, but with some soft fat too) with a barbeque sauce and a really interesting warm earthy vegetable salad. All so good! Washed down with a nice Brouilly. We didn't leave room for dessert, but the chocolate cake looked really nice. Next time ... -
Review from la b.
Brooklyn, NY
8/5/2011
came here with a friend after hearing a glowing review from a good friend about the food. LIterally as we were sitting down, we were being told the specials, and not even 5 minutes later the waitress was back to see what we wanted to order. we barely had time to even glance at the menu let alone listen to the specials before she showed up again 2 minutes later to see if we were ready yet. in the next 15 minutes the waitress came 4 times to see when we were ready to order making us feel immediately as if we were being pushed out before we even ordered.
we ended up ordering the beet salad to share as an appetizer and i ordered the skirt steak as an entree and my friend ordered the cripsy duck. the food was fantastic, cooked to perfection, no complaints there. but the service continued to get worse as the night went on.
i was only half way through my entree with an empty glass of wine when the waitress approached our table- i assumed she was going to ask if i needed another glass when she reached for my plate to take it away. i had to tell her to leave my plate and had to let her know that i needed another glass of wine. when we finished our meal, while still finishing our wine, the male host (with the necessary pretentious mustache) came to tell us that we had exactly 27 minutes left at our table before they planned to seat someone else there. not only did this ruin the end of our night, but it convinced me to create a yelp account, so that i could specifically tell people out there to avoid Fedora because the SERVICE IS TERRIBLE. food is good, but only go if you care nothing about service-- you certainly won't get it here.
