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Tartine

4 star rating
based on 172 reviews

Categories: French, Breakfast & Brunch  [Edit]

Neighborhood: West Village
253 W 11th St
(between 4th St & Waverly Pl)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 229-2611
Nearest Transit:

Christopher St (1)

9th Street (PATH)

14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)

Hours:

Mon-Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Accepts Credit Cards:
No
Price Range:
$$
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
No
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
Yes
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
No
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Brunch
Alcohol:
None
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172 reviews for Tartine

Review Highlights   

user photo
"The BYOB is a VERY sweet deal and makes me love this place even more." (in 56 reviews)
user photo
"But the apple pancake was pretty darn good and it's HUGE." (in 9 reviews)
user photo
"That croque monsieur is not your typical croque, but, it's so tasty." (in 13 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Valerie S.

Elite '09

12

165

Valerie S.

New York, NY

4 star rating
10/26/2009

I went to Tartine on a Sunday for brunch with 4 other friends. This place is pretty small, it maybe holds about 25 people inside and another 10 on the outside, so we had to wait about 30 mins to get our party of 5 seats. If you're a party of 2, the wait is pretty short. This place is BYOB(bring your own bottle), which is pretty sweet. We definitely took advantage of this and our party brought about 4 bottles. The food was good, they offer a pre-fixe menu for $14.95 and it comes with coffee or tea, OJ, and an entree. I got the chicken sandwich, which was pretty fresh tasting, the roasted potatoes were great.. but I think my favorite part of the meal was the dessert. We ordered an almond crossiant, a piece of the hazelnut meringue cake, and of course, the giant chocolate macaron  a la mode, that this was massive.. think the size of a hamburger bun! I was skept about how that a cookie of that size would taste since it may not have cooked eventually and was going to be really dry, etc.. but it was great.

Since we had a big party, we had to sit inside.. and it was pretty toasty.. so it's best to layer. I would definitely go again considering it was just a perfect cute place to have brunch with friends in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. I read really good reviews about the pot pie and the spicy chicken, guac and fries.. so I want to go back and try those at some point.

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Photo of Sonia C.

Elite '09

133

439

Sonia C.

New York, NY

3 star rating
11/9/2009

SOOOO, I really liked the brunch here.  Their fluffy, fruity, perfectly sweet yet slightly tart, apple pancake was probably the best breakfast item I've eaten this quarter.

BUT
BUT
BUT

The service was so bad!  When I entered the crowded restaurant to put my name down for the wait, the waitress told me to wait outside for another waiter.  When we were finally seated, we had to flag down the same waiter 3x before he finally brought us our coffee.  This was approximately 20 minutes after our food came.  No offer of refills.

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Photo of Jim U.

Elite '09

217

540

Jim U.

New York, NY

3 star rating
10/27/2009 3 photos

Tartine offers a very good quality French breakfast but at a price that is too high to justify.  I opted for the French toast which was served with complimentary orange juice and French roast coffee as part of a brunch prix fixe.  

The French toast was made from home baked brioche and was topped with powdered sugar.  It was sweet, delicious, and generous in size.  There was no need for adding syrup as it was served in the traditional French way.  At the center of the dish were roasted potatoes topped with Hollandaise sauce as well as chopped tomatoes and scallions for garnish.  The potatoes were good, and the sauce was ordinary, not nuanced.  Additionally 4 small pieces of smoked bacon were served which tasted wonderful.  

Over all the breakfast was very enjoyable, and I loved the clean flavors.  But when I do a cost benefit analysis, I am left short.  For about $20, I bought two pieces of brioche, a slab of bacon, and a couple of potatoes.  That does not seem like a good deal, even if it was appetizing.  A couple of things to be aware of:  the space is very tight with limited seating and they only take cash.  

3.5 stars  (cost alone is keeping it out of the 4 star category)

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Photo of Roxie H.

 

223

243

Roxie H.

Brooklyn, NY

3 star rating
11/10/2009

don't rush me

don't throw orange

juice at me.

don't forget to bring

my water and never

come back.

I was so

thirsty.

pretend like you're

excited that

I'm eating in your

restaurant

remember that people like

me are the reason you

are still in

business

I am your

customer

and I'm always right

so when I say

that you

make a kick-ass eggs

benedict then I mean

it and damn it

tartine you make one

kick-ass eggs

benedict and it's a good

thing because if

you didn't

you might be in some

serious trouble from

me on yelp

you know,

that review site?

I'm not

sure if your

seating arrangement complies

with health codes

but I'm sure there's

some kind of

violation because I couldn't

move to my

left

right

anywhere at all.

I consider this to

be a bit

dangerous but I

understand it was

Sunday morning

and you had a lot of

hungry customers waiting

on line

outside but I

just think that maybe

removing one

or two tables would

benefit you

and the dining experience of

your patrons

because believe me when

it's sunday morning and all

you want to

do is eat a

peaceful brunch

and you have

a table of french

speaking douchebags

lodged up your

ass, you

might leave the

restaurant with some

negative feelings.

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Photo of Lydia T.

 

2

54

Lydia T.

Philadelphia, PA

4 star rating
11/16/2009

Worth the wait...yes for the fact it is BYOB.
But avoid the wait by going earlier.

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Photo of Nancy D.

Elite '09

120

222

Nancy D.

New York, NY

4 star rating
10/6/2009 2 photos

Ah Tartine, how I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1. Your perfect location.
2. Your delectable brunch menu.
3. Your reasonable prices.
4. Your charming staff.
5. And most certainly, your BYOB policy!

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Photo of Sandra C.

 

1

4

Sandra C.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
12/2/2009

I've lived in NYC for over 7yrs, and it took that long to get a table at this famous little cafe, but I was able to snag a window seat last Monday afternoon at 1:30...and it was worth the wait. Yes, the staff is a bit overworked (translation:  somewhat slow--), and yes, it's expensive-- but man, those caramelized onions with the potatoes that accompanied my lox/eggs benedict were truly tasty.  When eating out, I often end up wondering why I'm paying anything for such tasteless food, but that's not the case at Tartine:  this is not just a hot spot in the Village--it's a culinary delight...kind of what I would call "down-home gourmet."  Plus, the coffee is perfect:  strong with body, but not bitter (and they know what you mean when you ask for half n' half).  There are a lot of diners in this city that are cheap and easy, but if you want a memory?  Tartine is worth the investment of $$ and energy....

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Photo of Veronique L.

Elite '09

10

60

Veronique L.

Brooklyn, NY

5 star rating
10/19/2009

Brunch is Brunch, right?  NO!  Tartine has a limited prefix menu with your traditional benedicts, omelettes, sandwiches, etc. with an included coffee or tea and a glass of OJ.  The restaurant space is your typical WVil setting - a tight squeeze where you're suddenly sitting on top of your next door neighbor's lap.  

Never the less, Tartine is a very cute and cozy setting and the food was spectacular.  I try to stray away from Eggs Benedict because I can easily become addicted this traditional dish at brunch, but I just couldn't resist.  My friend had the Eggs Florentine, which I would actually recommend over the Benedict.  The homefries with the touch of tomatoes are absolutely wonderful.

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Photo of Ryan R.

 

34

25

Ryan R.

Greensboro, NC

3 star rating
10/25/2009

I'm a total foodie and I went here for a romantic dinner with my husband. Well, I'm a little bummed that I didn't go for brunch. The food was good, but nothing memorable. What I've read is that they have a great brunch. It's nice that it's byob. But it's also cash only.
I had the curried mussels and they were good, but a VERY large portion. So, I recommend sharing plates.
The location is nice and it was warm enough on an October evening for us to sit outside!

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Photo of Laura D.

 

0

7

Laura D.

New York, NY

5 star rating
11/21/2009

(4.5 Stars)

The food here is AMAZING, and the prices are very reasonable. I'd strongly recommend the Apple Pancake for brunch, it's to die for. Very cute restaurant in a great little neighborhood. This place would be perfect it if was a bit less of a hassle to eat there. It's always very crowded with a long wait. Also, don't forget to BYOB :)

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Photo of Rick F.

Elite '09

573

366

Rick F.

Atlanta, GA

4 star rating
9/5/2009

Very small corner French Cafe! Great Location! Love the people and Atmosphere! Great place to see and be seen!

Service was average, we asked the server for a lot of stuff and we mentioned that we might be high maintenance and she agreed! Ouch!

Coffee was excellent, Eggs Benny was good! Croque Madame was perfect! Potatoes were OK!

I Love this place overall and would absolutely come back.

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Photo of Frederick R.

 

0

15

Frederick R.

White Plains, NY

3 star rating
11/15/2009

The prixe fixe lunch was delicious;salad or soup anda wonderful spinach quiche.  The place small and little cramped,it was my friend Eileen who had bee there before,suggested lunch at this bistro.  It was last month when it was oh so warm,and she really wanted a light lunch.  She enjoyed her tomatoes that had melted cheese on them,and I enjoyed the spinach quiche.  A little dry,and the leaves on the salad could have been torn up;they were HUGE!!  The vinaigrette was light,wonderful change from the usual creamy or balsamic dressings.  My favorite is a carrot ginger.  They only downfall is cash only.  Otherwise I might try it on my own or with another friend.

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Photo of Mark S.

Elite '09

19

138

Mark S.

New York, NY

5 star rating
Updated - 9/28/2009

As noted previously, I've had an amazing Tuna dish that unfortunately was a special and not on the menu this time around. Since that first fateful visit, I've attempted to go back a number of times, but alas the line wrapping around the block was more than I could handle. I decided to give dinner another go the other day and was successful.

The space is small. Really small. And they cram as many tables as possible into the shoebox-sized establishment. But if you're in the right mood, the cramped quarters and T-rex eating style (you know, little arms tucked in) can actually be quite enjoyable and fun. Bits and pieces of the conversation next to us that we couldn't help but overhear would have fit in perfectly with the "Overheard in New York" blog. I had the high traffic seat right in front of the entrance, but the staff did an excellent job with very few disturbances.

We started off with a BYOB Syrah. I had attempted to find a French wine, since we were going to eat French food, but soon remembered that I know little to nothing about wine. So I stuck to my tried and true Syrah. Next up was the special tuna tartar. Crisp and refreshing, served with crunchy chips, the tartar was a good start. I opted for the codfish special and my friend had heard so much about the Bouchee a La Reine that they had to try it. The codfish was nice and flakey, the accompanying vegetables were tasty and the chipotle-like sauce (I think?) was excellent. I was able to try a bit of the Bouchee, which is essentially a chicken pot pie, and it was very tasty; the crust was so crispy and crumbly.

We topped off the dining experience with some caffeine and the Dacquoise, at the waitress' recommendation. Quite delightful, with some chocolate ganache, praline cream, almonds and other tasty little accoutrements. And it was anything but small, which prompted the question of whether it is okay to eat the slice while it is standing upright, or should you turn it on its side? We went for the combo move and turned it on its side after the base had been whittled down enough by our forks. But I digress.

Overall, I would (and will) come back to Tartine. It's got charm, coziness and delicious food. Oh how I do hope to run into that tuna special I had once; hopefully if I do, it lives up to the pedestal I've put it on.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating
    5/15/2009

    I came here once for dinner quite some time ago. I was thwarted by the incredibly long line on my… Read more »

Photo of Radford T.

 

11

107

Radford T.

Downtown Flushing, Queens, NY

4 star rating
10/22/2009

Great little place to have a weekend brunch!  It's especially nice to sit outside when the weather is good.  And the food really hits the spot.

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Photo of Jane V.

 

6

12

Jane V.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
11/5/2009

It had been years since I went to Tartine but when I saw the line formed outside waiting for a table on a cold autumn night, I knew it must still must be churning out fabulous French food!  One whiff of the steaming beef bourguignon that sailed past me confirmed that the wait would be worth the sniffles.  It was!  Just don't forget that it is BYOB!  I sent my husband down the block to forage for wine.  We had a mix of specials and traditional menu items.  The curry mussel special was delicious and way more than I could consume with help, the steak was cooked to perfection, the frites were delicious, and the apple tart for dessert was not too sweet but just right.  We'll definitely come back to try Tartine's famous brunch!

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Photo of Christine F.

Elite '09

6

68

Christine F.

New York, NY

5 star rating
8/24/2009

Off for some "exploring" yesterday afternoon, I found myself at Doma on Perry street and Waverly around 4pm.

After settling down for some coffee and entertainment via the Honda commercial filming across the street (which coincidentally stars my friend Yue!), I started to hear my stomach growl.

Early you say?  Yep, but then I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to try a West Village staple that I've always walked by, but never had a chance to visit.

Due to massive crowds vying for a table in its tiny quarters.

The restaurant?  French bistro Tartine on the corner of West 11th and West 4th.  We waited until 5:30pm - the earliest I could stand to eat dinner, and raced over there to grab a table.  I don't think Tartine gets too crowded until about 7pm, so it's best to squeeze in before then.

Super cute, super small, it feels like a classic neighborhood haunt for locals.  That is, West Village locals.  Fully hoping for a celebrity sighting, looking out the window served as great entertainment as I waited for my boyfriend to run to an atm.  Tip - this place is cash only.

Oh, and BYOB!  So of course he picked up a chilled bottle of wine on the way  back.  Perfect way to cool down on the steamy August evening.

My intent observation and perseverance paid off as 5 minutes after settling in, I saw none other than Mischa Barton walk by.  Now, if celebrities claim they don't want to be bothered or noticed, why do they always dress so aggressively?

Normal people simple don't walk around on an August afternoon in black jeans, black leather jacket and a fedora.  

Indian Curry at Tartine
Anyhow - back to the restaurant.  I ordered one of the specials - Indian curry mussels and fries.  Man, was it good!!!  Sauce was made with coconut milk and cilantro, and what I determine to be LOTS of butter.

It was delicious...I nearly drank myself sick finishing off the soup.  Mussels were cooked perfectly and the fries rival those of Balthazar.  Yummm!

My boyfriend went with the Spicy chicken and guacamole with fries.  This strangely seemed to be a very popular dish as we saw many other diners order the same thing.

To be honest, I'm not sure why as I swear by the mussels as a far superior choice.  The chicken was served in medallions in a nice spicy sauce with guacamole - which seemed a little random for this place.

While it was good, it wasn't stunning.  Not like the mussels....

Tarte Tatin at Tartine
Finally, although I was stuffed silly having drank up all the remains of my curry stew, I couldn't leave without dessert!

I went with the classic Tarte tatin - caramelized apples with puff pastry and vanilla ice cream.

Absolutely wonderful. Only thing with these hot desserts + ice cream means you have to race to eat it so quickly before the ice cream becomes vanilla soup.

All in all, Tartine was wonderful - highly recommend!

Although try to get there on the earlier side or you might be waiting a while since the restaurant is so tiny.

Lastly, try to score a table at the window or outside if it's nice.  And keep your eyes open for a celeb sighting!  In that area, I'd say it's a 50/50 chance on any given night!

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Photo of andrew c.

Elite '09

20

65

andrew c.

Ridgewood, NJ

3 star rating
10/3/2009

It's cramped and crowded but serves filling, comfort food in french bistro style.  The BYO policy makes it a cheap and fun visit but beware a long wait during weekends or peak hours and get ready to feel like a packed sardine.  The close quarters are definitely uncomfortable but no one eating there ever seems too grumpy about it.  Mostly because they know what they're getting into and accept - like party-goers at a club - the accidentally bumped elbows, brushed shoulders, and long wait to get to the single tiny bathroom.  On one weekend night, my group took the overcrowded party feel literally, and brought bottles of vodka in addition to wine.  We pounded shots and got rowdy and no one around us seemed to mind.  'Twas Fun.

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Photo of Nicole R.

Elite '09

38

55

Nicole R.

New York, NY

4 star rating
7/30/2009

Adorable.  Small.  Hidden.

Darling!

This little place was tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in the West Village.  Brunch was great - I had the eggs Benedict and my mom had a salmon sandwich.  They brought free fresh-squeezed orange juice...yes, I said FREE.  That word is so rare in this city, I almost didn't understand what was happening.  

The best part? Little to no wait for brunch...also rare.

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Photo of Jewel Y.

Elite '09

45

267

Jewel Y.

New York, NY

4 star rating
6/16/2009 1 photo

I've walked passed this cafe so many times and yet never made it inside until today. Being a Francophile, this cute little cafe always attracted me and I was determined to come here one day. Today I was tired from work and needed a caffeine fix, so I decided to get a cup of espresso here. Finally, yay!

Since it was a week night, it wasn't so crowded so I picked a nice outdoor seat where I can enjoy this beautiful neighborhood....I love West 4th! This cafe is situated in such an adorable and peaceful area, it's relatively hidden from the busy main street and makes you feel like you are in France!

What's coffee break without an accompanying sweet, right? So along with my espresso, I ordered tarte tatin a la mode. My espresso was strong and  good, I like it! My tarte tatin was a tad too sweet for my taste, but overall I'll give it 3.5 stars. I would like to come back here for brunch, but sounds like the wait is too long.... :-(

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Photo of Kyle C.

 

0

1

Kyle C.

Chicago, IL

3 star rating
11/13/2009

GREAT food!! BYOB is a major plus!! Always crowded around dinner time so make sure to make a reservation!!
There was just one huge problem.  
My group of four total was ready too pay our bill.
The manager came and accepted our cash.
She took it from us and gave it to our waitress.  Now at this point, we were expecting our waitress to be polite and ask us if we wanted change back.  Well thats not what happened.  She hid around the corner and was watching us.  We sat there waiting and waiting for some type of money back.  We never got anything and ended up being escorted out because our table was needed for new guests.
We tried to explain what happened to both the manager and the waitress and the waitress played it off like nothing was wrong.
We had to leave, didn't feel welcome, and left realizing that a 42% tip on a $117.00 bill was a little tooooo much.
All and all, great meal and great food, just look out for waitresses and managers coming to you and be specific what you want done, You are the customer and the customer is always right.

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Photo of H T.

 

0

8

H T.

New York, NY

4 star rating
10/5/2009

Came here for brunch twice. Located in a quiet but posh neighborhood. Sat outside the first time and inside next. The food yum yum. I had the eggs Norwegian and french toast. Oh wow, both I enjoyed very much! My friend and I brought our own little champagne bottle, which they kindly opened for us, and it was the perfect brunch.  :)

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Photo of Jeanne C.

Elite '09

82

184

Jeanne C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
4/19/2009

Came here for Sunday brunch earlier today. The great thing was that it really was only a 5 minute wait (although I had to let other groups in front of me since my whole party wasn't there). They offer outdoor seating, which is nice on a cool Spring day.

They offer a prix-fixe of $15, including (don't be too fooled) ONE glass of OJ, and one glass of coffee or tea. I made the mistake of ordering an additional glass of OJ and was charged $3. No big deal though - onto the food.

I ordered the Eggs Norwegian. Surprisingly, although I do not load up on carbs too much, the roasted potatoes were DELICIOUS. Perfectly salted and seasoned bringing instant perfection in my mouth. Can't ask for a better egg's norwegian either. Very nice - with a touch of ketchup and tobasco. Yum. My bf's omelette was also very nicely made - full of veggies, and no extra charge for egg whites.

I will say that the inside is squishy and tiny, and it's NOT recommended you come here if your party is larger than 3... you'll probably have to wait a lot longer if you do! It's not really accommodating for a big group, but two is perfect.

Definitely enjoyed my Sunday here, and will be back for BYOB.

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Photo of Katie B.

Elite '09

11

80

Katie B.

New York, NY

4 star rating
6/29/2009

Right from the start, this place was great: there was virtually no wait for an outdoor table and the place is BYO.

We started our meal with the ceviche, which was served in a darling half-shell.  The ceviche was tasty, with just the right amount of spice and a sprinkling of tobiko.  For our entrees, I had the (huge chunk of) salmon, which was delicious and set atop a mess of julienned vegetables with sliced green onions and capers, and my boyfriend had beef with green peppercorn sauce.  I am not a red meat person, but the sauce was great and peppery.

The only negative was that the place is cash only -- but that actually worked out for me because my boyfriend had cash on him, while I didn't, allowing me to sneakily get myself taken out to dinner.  :)

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Photo of Laura P.

 

8

32

Laura P.

New York, NY

4 star rating
7/13/2009

Great BYOB place in the middle of a treelined neighborhood. Mussels were good and duck was good as well. Nice little chill place with outdoor seating great for 2 - 4 people to have brunch or dinner with.
There is a great chance you will have to wait in line on busy nights.

Great little hidden gem in west village.

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Photo of Geraldine K.

Elite '09

68

177

Geraldine K.

New York, NY

4 star rating
3/29/2009

There seems to be a wait for Sunday brunch at this tiny French bistro,  but the line moved along rather quickly when I was there.  Service is very pleasant, and the food is good.  I had the gravlax, which was more like smoked salmon rather than the Swedish cured version, but since the honey mustard sauce was quite savory and tasty, I was able to overlook it.  My friend had the French toast, which was made of thick slices of brioche.  All the items on the pix-fixe brunch menu are served with coffee and OJ, and the other items on the menu sound simple and delicious!   Decor is absolutely charming - I felt like I was back in Paris esp with some nearby French speaking clientele.

However, Tartine isn't good for group brunches at all.  The max number of people I can recommend is four, but that's pushing it.  It's more suitable to come here on a romantic brunch date or with one or two close friends.  The downside is that it's cash only, so make sure to have some greenbacks on you.  I'd love to come back to Tartine !

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Photo of Cat L.

 

8

62

Cat L.

Cambridge, MA

4 star rating
7/1/2009

Adorable, cramped, perfectly located far into the neighborhood enough that you can sit on the sidewalk and not be consumed with exhaust fumes.

I had the beet salad and was impressed by how large it was by NYC restaurant standards.

Major points for having a sink outside the bathroom so you don't have to wait to wash your hands.

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Photo of Michael W.

 

10

26

Michael W.

New York, NY

3 star rating
9/22/2009

A nice little gem for a weekend brunch.  The eggs benedict and croque monsieur were very satisfying but fairly straightforward.  I really enjoyed the potatoes with the hollandaise sauce.  I wish we would've have gotten refills on the coffee or orange juice.  It kind of seemed a few dollars overpriced.  Overall, delicious brunch options in a cute neighborhood joint.

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Photo of Joshua A.

Elite '09

230

120

Joshua A.

New York, NY

3 star rating
2/26/2009

Spotted: J meeting his ladies in the West Village for an inebriated, BYOB going away dinner.  Could this be another delicious drunken soiree or would Tartine's promise of cheap delicious eats fall flat?

After waiting outside for an hour for a table we were seated uncomfortably half a foot away from the front door.  This normally doesn't bother me because I recognize and appreciate teeny places like Tartine where seating is sparse.  The only problem was overzealous-door-opening-girl felt the need to swing the door open way wider than she needed to slink through, causing annoyance and discomfort all around.  I HATE overzealous-door-opening-girl.  If you are reading this overzealous-door-opening-girl, you are a an evil whore and i hate you.  I digress.

After sitting down we quickly opened a few bottles of wine and got to business.  In retrospect I wish we had brought a box of wine because it would have been way more hilarious to have on the table.  We all ordered and two thirds of us ended up ordering the same thing - the spicy chicken.  After placing our orders we had to go out of our way to ask the server to bring us bread (I realize this is contrary to my carb-avoiding ways).  I really detest having to ask for customary things like bread.  I think it's a sign of poor service, even if you are small, understaffed and busy - learn to adapt!

The spicy chicken came garnished awkwardly with a romaine lettuce leaf with cherry tomato halves strewn on top.  I'm all about presentation so needless to say I was a little appalled at this plating.  The chicken was cooked nicely but the sauce needed to be a bit thicker.  There was a major pool of sauce swishing around my plate at the end that happened to be a bit spicier than the chicken tasted so this definitely tells me the "spicy sauce" needs to be thickened or concentrated.  The french fries were crispy and fresh and delicious.  The guacamole had a nice little spicy kick to it and I devoured all of it very quickly.  So simple yet so delicious!

Overall, the food was good but not great and the service did not compensate for that.  I do love BYOB places and I don't think that there is a corking fee, but I think that I'd rather go somewhere a bit cheaper and just pay for my own drinks.  The food and service were mediocre enough that my generally frugal self would be willing to pay more for a better experience elsewhere.  What Tartine really did for me was made me realize how much I miss Florent.  Florent used to blow Tartine out of the water and it's sad that such an amazing nearby New York institution is gone.

You know you love me.  X O X O

-Gossip Girl

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6

28

Sarah T.

New York, NY

4 star rating
7/6/2009

I went late on a Sunday night on a date. The food was great- he had the spicy chicken, I had a special that was mussels in some sort of wine sauce. They were perfectly cooked and seasoned. We split an apple tartine a la mode for desert.

The food was great, not too crowded. The server was VERY slow and inattentive, luckily they bring you a bottle of water for the table or else I think it would've been impossible to get refills!

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Elite '09

39

113

Danielle D.

New York, NY

5 star rating
3/30/2009

I have died and gone to breakfast heaven.  The pastries are true to French reputation and expertise, and the coffee is perfectly strong and bottomless.  My favorite - enormous apple pancakes that are not light on the apples, are sprinkled in powdered sugar, and a perfect mixture of pancake and crepe. Scrumdiddlyumptious.

I'm not the only one who knows about this place and it's not big enough to seat my entire Italian family, so be prepared to wait.

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Elite '09

15

117

Emily C.

Torrance, CA

4 star rating
9/9/2009

i started off giving this restaurant three stars.  but then i felt like it deserved more than three stars.  so, i guess i'm really rating this place 3.5+ stars.  

anyway, the girls and i stopped by tartine for a late saturday brunch.  i don't know if it was bc we visited this place during labor day weekend, but the wait was not the one hour plus wait i expected; instead, it was closer to 15 mins. for a party of five.  the place is typical new york city, TEENY TINY, so it wouldn't surprise me if someone told me that the normal wait for saturday morning brunch is about an hour or so.  

the pre fixe brunch is a bit on the pricey side, but i guess it's not so pricey considering that it's nyc.  it was $13.95 for coffee, juice, and a breakfast entree.  portion-wise, each of the entrees are pretty substantial.  all of the dishes we got were also on the heavy side, so it was very filling.  

we ended up with a table of croque monsieur, eggs benedict, eggs norweigian, and a chicken sandwich.  i personally ordered the croque monsieur, and i must say that i was pretty disappointed.  i mean, all the cheesy goodness made the sandwich good, but it wasn't even close to the median on my scale of croque monsieur goodness.  the other dishes were pretty good, too.  according to the eggs benedict connoisseur of our group, the eggs benedict were just... "meh, average."  

what really blew me away, though, were the breakfast potatoes, topped with just enough hollondaise sauce.  yum-o.  i mean, i am a sucker for potatoes, so i may be overhyping them, but i thought they were DE-LI-CIOUS.

overall, a nice nyc brunch spot in a cute little nyc neighborhood.  yay!  i'm a fan.

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1

7

Kaity S.

New York, NY

4 star rating
5/18/2009

BYOB, simple yet tasty food and cute atmosphere....What more can you ask for?
This place is just absolutely adorable. It's a small place and if you go during the weekdays you can avoid the lines. Because we all know how much we hate lines! I suggest sitting outside on a nice breezy spring/summer evening and really soak in the village.
Appetizers:
- onion soup- just your normal french onion soup. Nevertheless, still tasty and with lots of cheesseee! yum
- Grilled Saucisson- This dish is just sausage and potatoes. The description really didn't impress me, but the waiter recommended it to me. And I'm glad he did! It was so simple yet soo good. The potatoes and sausage were well cooked and the whitish looking sauce was just superb! By far the best dish I ate that night.

Entrees:
-Mussels and fries with green curry sauce- My friend said that the curry is powdered, but it was still delicious. They give you a huge bucket of mussels and the fries are great!! They are the size of McDonald's yet a lot less greasy and salty. I definitely recommend this entree if you like mussels.
-Filet mignonettes- It was good, but I probably wouldn't order this again. I had asked for medium and it was definitely not medium. Medium means PINK and I hardly saw any pink.

Dessert:
Chocolate Marquise- SO DISAPPOINTING! All I wanted was a good dessert after a good meal, and I didn't get it. The cake was dry, the mousse was just alright. Eh..maybe I picked the wrong thing. =/

All in all it was a very good meal. Get a cheap bottle of Riesling from trader Joe's and you're set!! Happy eating!

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Elite '09

498

498

Audrey J.

New York, NY

2 star rating
1/23/2009

As this restaurant is literally half a block from my apartment, I was really hoping it would become my go-to neighborhood joint. Unfortunately, the food was only acceptable (thin chicken soup...where I had to go fishing for any bits of chicken?), and considering the wait time to get in and the bumping elbows once you do, the experience is just not worth it. It seems as though they are just riding on their popularity, and their extremely limited supply (~16 or so seats inside?) just means that any amount of demand will create a curiosity-inducing line outside, even at below-freezing temperatures. I don't think the experience is worth such a wait -- it's loud and crowded inside, and the food is really nothing to write home about.

In the timeless words of Stinger (via "Top Gun"), "son, your ego's writing checks your body can't cash."

Skip this place and head to Westville, which is also tiny and elbow-bumping, but which at least has food worth that wait.

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8

46

Yi J.

New York, NY

4 star rating
5/26/2009

Tartine stands at the forefront of NYC brunch scene.  Their prix fixed $16 brunch menu offer a great selection of brunch classics, such as eggs benedict, omlette, etc.  The pastries at this place is also delicious.  I love their almond croissant.

Tartine doesn't take reservations, and it's cash only (who doesn't take cards nowadays??).  Otherwise, I'd give them a 5 star.

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Elite '09

3

102

Jason R.

Hoboken, NJ

2 star rating
4/8/2009

In my opinion, there are 2 reasons to dine at Tartine, a cute restaurant in the West Village.

1) It's BYOB
2) There is an intimate feel inside the restaurant as tables are stacked next to one another (if you like that sort of thing, which i do). What can i say, i like dining next to strangers and engaging in random conversations, if the situation calls for it.

The food was not impressive, which is unfortunate. Everything was bland! The onion soup was bland - it looked stellar, but the result fell flat. There was just no bite, no strong cheesy onion flavor. It was weak.

The Steak au poivre also looked great, but just lacked flavor! The sauce looked so rich, and the filet mignonettes looked mouth-watering. But it's almost as if they didn't season the steak OR sauce with the most basic of all ingredients - salt. Carnivore that i am - i was only able to finish 2 of the 3 steak mignonettes. Now that is saying something.

The spicy chicken, which is their signature dish, was also not up to par. Chunks of chicken in a spicy sauce, with a side of guac. Nothing special, although the waitress made it sound like the best thing on planet earth. Sorry, no dice.

I'd say the best thing we tried was the beet salad. Not bad!

Well - i wish i could recommend Tartine, because it's a quaint, ecclectic little restaurant, but the food just did not cut the mustard. But it's BYOB! Saving grace.

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7

25

Natalie R.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
3/16/2009

I actually liked this place.
First of all the service. Im all about service. the food could be amazing but if the service sucks I would never go back. Fortunatley I think the service here was really good. So bonus points for them
Ok now food. I had eggs benedict and the potatoes that came with it were amazing. Im more of a scrambled eggs girl so i guess me not liking the eggs that much was my own fault. My friend had grilled chicken liked it and got really full. So good bang for your buck with that dish I guess.
And finally price. Reasonable. nuff said

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15

46

Hadley S.

New York, NY

4 star rating
3/24/2009

Very, very good food in the tiniest space ever.  If you go at peak brunchtime, expect to wait 15-30 minutes.  The upside, however, is that you're waiting in the cutest street in the West Village.

The menu is simple- there are pretty like-minded things to chose from like 3 variations on eggs benedict, a croque monsieur or an omelette.  There's one sweet thing on the menu which is an amazing apple pancake.  

French pastries and beverages are also available.

Cram into the tiny little space and eat up- the potatoes that come with every dish are TO DIE.

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11

30

Elaine S.

New York, NY

4 star rating
8/16/2009

I noticed Brunch in Manhattan invariably involves poached eggs.

Anyway, Tartine provided shaded seating on a perfect Saturday early afternoon. Warning - if you get the seat all the way at the end by the railing, and the table facing you inside is seated, you will probably be greeted by the back/ass of the diner sitting inside. However, despite this awkward situation, which was really only recognized by the two of us dining outside and made conversation all the more interesting, Tartine is quaint and the brunch special arrives w/ tea or coffee and orange juice. Service was flash gordan fast, and as for the aforementioned poached eggs - they were well done. I had the poached eggs w/ some norwegian lox, which came w/ a side of their well-seasoned home fries. I'm not sure if it was b/c of my hunger, my rationale that I would be walking the whole day, or the fact that the food was just that amazing, but I scraped my plate clean to the point that my mother would have been proud.

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19

40

Jen C.

New York, NY

3 star rating
4/12/2009

Had an amazing seasonal black bean soup with guacamole and farmer's cheese on top. Following by a deliciously toasted sandwich that was less memorable but equally fresh. Go during the week for a low key affair. It's a tiny place I don't think I'll ever be brave enough for Sunday brunch here.

Good FRESH food. Tiny portions :-/

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Elite '09

195

561

Lucy L.

New York, NY

3 star rating
3/14/2009

This is a little cute/cozy brunch place. they have few tables outside good for people watching.. probably during summer time.

Went with few friends for brunch. First of all.. it's difficult to find. west village always confuses me.  it wasn't too crowd when we got there.

#1 problem with this place is the space is TINY.. i seriously meant it. probably cozy for couples but definitely not group friendly.

They have fixed menu with decent food. I was expecting more so my omelet didn't turn out perfect but it's OK if you are hungry.

CASH ONLY!!! this place does look nice from outside.. but it's just A-OK when you experienced the real thing.

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