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Christopher St (PATH)
Christopher St (1)
14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)
"Milkshakes were unforgettable, liked it more than the burgers.. The freaking TOASTED MARSHMALLOW SHAKE. Toasted marshmallows topped on…" read more »
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A Production of the Spotted Pig
The Scene: sexy, cozy, dark, secluded. I feel all tingly and seductive and I didn't even have to dress up.
FOH: sassy bartender, friendly hostess
Fellow Diners: In late 20's occupied with law and photography
Me: Starving. Haven't eaten since like 11 am and its now 10 pm. OH OH OH I WANT THAT BURGER everyone. talks. about. I sit by myself at the bar ( I knew the wait would be too long if I invited anyone).
Enter scene: Burger and shoestring fries. Mouth drops open due to the sheer amount of food that I'm about to consume.
Fries: Light on the rosemary, crispy, perfect
Burger: rochefort cheese! rochefort cheese! Usually this type of cheese is overpowering, but I found it almost lacking in the burger. This led to a more bland meat.
Conclusions: I was slightly disappointed and 40 dollars out, but the atmosphere really makes up for the place. The bar is great. I would definitley come back to try something else.
The Spotted Pig is great because it is open late night and they serve great food into the wee hours. My boyfriend was dying to visit TSP for the last year so we finally ventured out late on a Saturday night.
Good selection of beer and my boyfriend seemed to really enjoy the burger -- tho he did say it wasnt the best he had ever had. I always make fun of him for using a fork and knife for his burgers but it seemed appropriate at this joint! The fries were also addicting! I made sure I got a taste of them before he cleaned his plate.
I myself enjoyed an octopus salad. I love octopus and this was one of the best salads I have had incorporating it. We left very happy. The place was lively and yet we were still able to enjoy our meal at a tiny table for two.
Imma big fan of the Breslin already, but had not been to TSP until today.
I have been wanting to visit for brunch for the longest and finally got the fella to go with me. He will not wait at a restaurant without getting very cranky, so since no resy accepted, we went as early as we could on a Saturday and were seated right away.
Service was prompt and pleasant. We had to ask for bread and salt, both quickly delivered, but water was always filled and had no issues with ordering or the serving of our food.
The space is pleasant if way too overworked in a trying to not look overworked kind of way.
I loved the liver toast~loooved it.
Also had the duck egg: It was....ok.
My fella was really disappointed in the brunch choices. It was just too fussy with not enough emphasis on meat, which is what we expected from the TSP, so he was really not happy that he had to hunt for a hearty choice. There seemed to be way too many salad and cheese kind of dishes. Who goes to TSP for a salad?
He had the bacon hash and poached egg, It was...ok
It was underwhelming, in our opinion. The menu is really overhyped and I did not feel the kitchen lived up to expectations especially considering how much I have enjoyed the Breslin.
Maybe it was a bad day, dunno.
Passed Ewan McGregor on the stairs going out, so that was fun.
Best deviled eggs i've ever had. And the burger is to die for. Perfectly cooked to my preference. The wait was awful, hence the 4 stars, but worth it. It's crowded and quaint and makes you feel like you're in someone's house.
Came here in June, by accident. We heard about this place but didn't realize we would run into it on our walk. We got there around 5:30 pm, right before the dinner crowd on Sunday, we were so lucky! Waited 15 min and sat in the bar area. Loved the cute woodsie decor.
We had:
Pickled vegetable plate- fantastic
Chicken liver pate on a crostini- fabulous!
Chowder soup- fantastic
Burger with fries- amazing!
Great food here. If you come on Friday and Saturday without reservation you will wait forever, we had friend that didn't get seated until 12:30 am!
Enjoy!
The Spotted Pig is a place I have been hoping to experience for some time. Happily, I got to visit it a couple of times on a recent visit to Manhattan. I'm not sure why, but I'm on a gastropub kick. Unfortunately, there aren't really any gastropubs near where I live. So, how do I satisfy the jones? Well, I had to hit up two of them while visiting Manhattan. Otherwise, I just have to have some of the bar menu items at my favorite local restaurants or some of the decent items at my favorite local microbrewery. That seems to be as close as I can get in my town.
The Spotted Pig Bitter was quite good. I also enjoyed the great chicken liver toast that I shared with my friend. That was the first time we went there that weekend.
After the theater, dinner, and a little sightseeing on the Sunday of that weekend, we decided to go to The Spotted Pig so I could get myself a T-shirt and, well, to eat there again. We got the chicken liver toast again. I got the Bath Chap, which is like a patty of braised pork, breaded and fried. Served with it was a little salad and chanterelles. I also got the poached duck egg with lamb tongue and flageolets. Both dishes were executed wonderfully and had great seasoning and balance as well. I can't say enough good things about the offal I had there. Likewise, the braised pork was wonderfully tender and moist.
My only regret was that I couldn't eat there more!
This would have been a 5 star review, I'm sure, had they had the menu items we wanted to order to begin with. It's pretty much our bad though because we got there so late, but come onnnn.. no more chorizo stuffed quail? Really? Awww.
Our server was adorable and attentive, which almost made up for how busy it was inside and the cramped space we had to share with another group of people. I had the cod and mashed potatoes, which was satisfying enough. My friends had the burgers, which were pretty much as amazing as one of them talked them up to be. We started with bacon wrapped something or others that were tasty but not nearly as good as the appetizer special - tender pork head, deep-fried. MMmm. I also had a really good white wine that I can't remember the name of but was suggested by our waiter so that's another point for him. We ended with a couple of desserts, one I cant remember, the other a flourless chocolate cake which was very very chocolatey.
I have wanted to go here since A) i moved to NYC and B) found out Michael Stipe ate here when he was in town. Being a huge REM fan from the 90's that carries a lot of weight.
The wait is long because the food is hyped and I think people want to see famous people. We were able to get a seat at the bar and have a glass of wine to hold us over until we ate.
We wanted to get the full experience so we picked from each part of the menu. To start devils on horseback. What you need to know is that Bacon + fruit is fantastic and you need to try them
Second we had what the waitress described as "little balls of heaven" and boy was she spot on. I ended with the burger and It was everything i look for in a burger. Cooked the way I ordered it, and flavorful. NOt the best burger I have ever had but it was very very good.
Sadly Michael never showed up, but we did end up seeing a few members from SNL before we left so that kind of made our night.
Dear Spotted Pig,
I came early and expected the wait. It was only 45 minute, not bad, but gave me time to stroll around. When we came back new arrivals were reporting a 90 minute way around 7!
The front of house was kind enough to remember my face and let me know that there were a few tables finishing up their meal and that they have received their tabs. A nice plus. We were seated in probably one of the SMALLEST tables I've dined at but no bother, I cam for the food.
An order of the chicken liver toast, burger, and roasted pork belly and we're on our way.
Chicken Liver Toast: It was like a very greasy pate. Surprisingly reminded me of some asian flavors, the toast was nice and crunchy, very accommodating to the chicken liver. Flavor was strong, and stays in your mouth, I couldn't imagine eating more then 1/2 the toast which was just enough for my appetite.
Roasted Pork Belly: The bean puree served with this dish was DELICIOUS. The roasted pork belly was cooked fantastically as the skin was crispy, and the meat (what there was of it) and fat was a mouthful of flavors. Almost a bit too much flavor, and I kind of felt guilty as I was mostly consuming some flavorsome fat and skin with a side of meat. Despite the flavors and cooking, I figured I could get comparable and cheaper pork from a chinese BBQ joint taken home to eat.
Hamburger: The meat was tender and cooked prefectly. The gruyere was very flavorful reminiscent of a bleu cheese. The fries, were more like potatoe chips and nice to snack on. I would've preferred more potatoes in the fries but it was decent.
Overall a nice experience, I don't know if it was worth the money that I spent but if you're looking for peppier brittish pub food, give the spotted pig a try.
-Ed
I was really disappointed by Spotted Pig -- I guess I had bought into the hype about how great it would be, but reality turned out to not match the hype.
I went last night (Sunday) with my sister, showed up at 6, and we were seated by 7, so the wait wasn't too bad. We had already decided on the chicken liver toast, the ricotta gnudi, and a burger to share.
Well, they were OUT of the chicken liver toast, so we couldn't even order it... I was really disappointed but I asked the waiter for suggestions, to which he responded, "the ham hocks are good." I kept waiting for him to give more suggestionS, but no, he didn't. We asked him for some time to talk it over, and went with the poached duck egg with lamb tongue & flageolet beans.
Also when I tried to order a beer on tap, the waiter told me their kegs were broken and I should order a bottled beer instead. At least he was honest and informative, but seriously? If you're a restaurant that's known for its chicken liver toast and special beers on tap, and they're unavailable... get your act together!
So the food came, and I just wasn't impressed. The gnudi was decent, but when you fry balls of cheese, it's hard to NOT be decent. I found the gnudi to be kind of bland, especially after having amazing ricotta at Locanda Verde earlier in the weekend. The poached duck egg with lamb tongue was pretty good, probably the highlight of the meal. The lamb tongue was really, really salty, however, tasted like it was overseasoned, but great texture.
Now the burger -- it's just a toasted bun with a hamburger patty and a little bit of cheese in it. I didn't even think to ask for other toppings, but after reading other reviews, I guess it wouldn't have mattered because I would have been denied (or they would have been out of onions and tomatoes). The burger was very juicy, and it was good, but just kind of boring. Caveat: I personally prefer my burgers In-n-Out or Shake Shack style - the more toppings the better - but to each his own.
The shoestring fries were great though. I could have eaten those all day... actually started filling up on those instead of the burger.
Anyway after all that, I'm not really sure how they achieved one michelin star... the food and service left much to be desired. I think it may PARTIALLY be due to my high expectations, but I don't think I'll be going back.
Gastropub = Heaven.
Saw Luke Wilson here and at Four and 20 in North Hollywood. Four years separated the two spottings.
Wow. The burger here is something else. The meat is almost unnaturally tender and moist. The bun is a pillow, with cute little cross-hatched grill marks on it. The shoestring fries are the fresh equivalent of Piknik chips, if you've ever had them. That's not a bad thing by the way! I looooved Piknik growing up, and Spotted Pig's fries took me back to happy days.
Everyone raved about the chicken liver toast here, so I hesitantly tried it, not being a fan of anything liver. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Two honking pieces of toast covered in a peppery spread of liver and what must've been six sticks of butter. So rich, so delicious, but also so heavy that I couldn't eat all of it because I wanted to save room for the burger.
The burger was recommended and the burger was had. And my oh my that was a tasty burger. I tried the burger with roquefort cheese which was a first for me. It certainly had a kick to it but damn it was tasty. Had I taken a good look at some of the mold on the cheese I'm sure I would have cringed but as they say ignorance is bliss.
Otherwise, the atmosphere here was great as was the service. Go.
I just went there this past Saturday night. I was hanging out in the upstairs bar. The place was packed but the service staff navigated the crowd with grace and kindness. The bartender was one of the best I have ever encountered. Remembered what everyone was drinking, took care of people in the right order, and quickly identified the riff-raff and sent them a potent yet subtle message.
My buddies and I all ordered the burger. Without a doubt, the best burger I have ever had. Perfectly portioned between meat and bun. The bun was toasted and fresh. The meat incredibly flavored and impeccably cooked to medium rare as ordered. The shoestring potatoes were definitely noteworthy two, sprinkled a little heavily with rosemary, but paired perfectly with the burger.
I can't even begin to describe how much I've wanted to try the Gnudi here ever since I heard about them a few years ago. I used to stare at the photos online and wonder what they tasted like, cursing the fact that the Spotted Pig was on the complete opposite side of the country and I didn't have much of a reason to venture out that way anymore. But I vowed that I would get to try them one day and try them I did on my recent trip to NY. And were they as good as I imagined them to be?
They were. They were so so good I'm almost sad that I actually got to try it since now that I really know how good they taste, the distance between CA and the Spotted Pig seems farther than ever.
We flew in late and didn't even get to our hotel till past midnight but we were so famished and knowing the bar was going to be open till 2 a.m., we ventured out with visions of Gnudi dancing in our heads (OK, my head, I don't think my bf had any idea what I was going on and on about).
The Spotted Pig was still very busy when we got there but seeing how it was fairly late to be dining, we were seated quickly and service was prompt.
We ordered the Pot of Pickles, Chicken Liver Toast, Poached Duck Egg with Lamb's Tongue and Flageolet Beans, the Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage (of course!), and the Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese and Shoestring Fries.
I adore Pickles so getting them was a no-brainer. I definitely did like them although they were very tart and vinegary, almost mouth puckeringly so. I liked the variety of the different vegetables that came in the pot and happily crunched away on almost all of it by myself. The Chicken Liver Toast had an earthy taste that is characteristic of liver and a slight sweetness to it which I assumed was from a fortified wine they must have added to the mixture. It was a great little bite to start the meal off with and left me looking forward to everything else. The Lamb Tongue was also delicious, slightly gamey with a tang from mustard in the sauce, paired really well with creamy beans and a poached duck egg which the buttery yolk just oozed out of. The quality of the meat in the Burger was good too, very tender and juicy and the bun had a slight crispness from the char. But in all honesty, I'd have to say it was really really salty. I thought it was from the cheese so I scraped it off but the patty itself was too salty, almost to a point that it was difficult to finish. The shoestring fries with fried garlic chips and rosemary were fabulous though. Crispy and savory, you sort of caught yourself picking out the garlic chips to munch on and dabbing at the fried rosemary leaves with your fingers to get every last piece.
And the Gnudi? I'm not sure any description would do the tenderest little balls of pure cheesy buttery goodness any justice. But I will say that they were every bit as delicious as I imagined they would be and at this moment as I type this it is taking every ounce of willpower I have to refrain myself from searching airfare to NY just so I can go back and have them again.
This spot was a great place to start off our trip at and set the tone for the rest of the weekend- lots of good food and lots of fun.
Between the three of us, we had the deviled eggs, the chicken liver toast, the chargrilled burgers, the cubano sandwich, and the pork belly. I had a taste of everything except the pork belly. My friend's friend had ordered it and it came with just four pieces! My friend did have a taste and confirmed that it was heavenly and practically melts in your mouth.
The deviled eggs were ok... not memorable. The chicken liver toast was quite good. It had the strong liver texture, which I really like. My friend's cubano sandwich was good. I remember liking the tanginess of the pickle against the sweetness of the sauce. Didn't like the cheese. I LOVED my chargrilled burger (medium rare). The meat was not seasoned, which contrasted so well with the salty Roquefort cheese. The shoe string fries are the best shoe string fries I've ever had. They also fresh pressed a lemonade for me that was delicious.
We had really high expectations for this place after hearing about it and reading the "great" reviews.
Last Friday my wife finished up a fun off-off broadway show nearby and we headed over to the PIG with cast and friends, expecting a good time...
it's about 11:30pm or so...after waiting patiently while the male host chatted away on the phone, we were treated to a show by the hostess who rolled her eyes twice at my wife and I . The hostess wouldn't even speak with us, she just walked away...
Finally the male host realized he had customers, got off the phone and proceeded to let us know that it would be an hour and a half before we got a table, and maybe an hour wait, if we decided to split our group up....give me a break, too crowded, overrated and pretentious for my tastes. I will advise all of my friends etc to skip it!
Decided to stop in here for a quick lunch on a Friday afternoon. Sat at the bar and decided to indulge myself in the grilled cheese sandwich.
Now, I've eaten grilled cheese sandwiches before, and I wasn't expecting much anything different. This sandwich, on the other hand, was hands down the best grilled cheese sandwich I'll ever have. No doubt about it.
In fact, to call it a grilled cheese sandwich is to do it injustice. Two huge pieces of bread that are covered in some type of crispy/fried cheese, and a melted guyere cheese on the inside. I'm not even sure what the ingredients were, I just remember it was heavenly.
Atmosphere: Awesome place to grab a beer and a bite. Casual, cordial, homey, and outright awesome. I'll be going back many, many times to come, considering its two blocks away.
Let down by build up.
Power of Christ compels me!
Just go someplace else.
I love this place for so many reasons.
First, the food is divine. Like many, the dish that I usually get is the burger; its simple composition of flavors make a bold impact. I love the Roquefort cheese and spicy mustard duet that melts on top of the large and perfectly cooked burger. Resting beside this masterpiece are dainty shoestring fries emitting an elegant yet sophisticated aroma of rosemary. On a cold winter's night, no meal can invigorate your body or spirit better than this one.
Speaking of spirits, the drinks at The Spotted Pig are also heavenly. Their homemade brew, served at room temperature, is good and unique. The other specialty cocktails are just as well made and worth a try.
These drinks serve one of the best bar scenes in Manhattan. Always busy, the two bars of the restaurant attract locals, tourists, and celebs, creating a vibe better than some of NY's best clubs.
At the Spotted Pig, the 'glamor factor' has been turned down a few notches, but that is not minded by its patrons as it creates its own glamor in the fun and kitschy decor that covers every corner of the space. One feels as if they are in a distant and cozy farmhouse turned pub. Nevertheless, this place is fun no matter when you enter.
What a great spot. Make sure you head upstairs as there is a lively bar and seating area hidden away. Loved everything/service was great. The lentil salad was my favorite. Fun place to go for the couple away on a romanitc weekend! Yum. The bar was packed full of singles..so, something for everyone. Amazing service..desert wine compliments of the house was a nice touch! : )
Dining for four.
Dike bartender ripped me off for a belvedere and tonic and a house red... rang up $18 charged me $25??? wtf? And since i was in the presence of friends of friends, I kept my mouth shut., especially after being introduced seconds before.
Burgers & fries were good...but nothing special. Waitress was nice. Ambiance was cramped but doable. We did appetizers and dessert but hardly worth a mention.
I love this little spot. Highly recommend if you're in NYC.
My buddies and I have been on a burger quest to find the ultimate burger in NYC and after several failed attempts of getting a table @ the severely packed Spotted Pig, we decided to endure the wait last Saturday. Time it took for a table? 3 HOURS!!!! We were basically starving since minute 1- so imagine just how torturous this was for our belly's. More often than not.. when a person is starving... things simply taste a lot better.. even plain ol crackers. Every few minutes that passed, another tray of S-pigs burgers came out from the kitchen to tease by giving us a quick whiff. Each time we wanted to give up and leave - another tray came out to suck us back in.. it was pure hell. As we waited we invested into what seemed to be a very promising burger by drinking pints of waaaay overpriced beer (9 bucks a pint!). But this was a SMALL price to pay if the burger tasted as good as it looked. By hour 3 our table was ready- walked through the hordes of people and sat upstairs in the corner. Ordered 2 burgers- Cod- Pork belly-Chicken liver toast- toasted Almonds and Olives. Almonds and Olives came first - Olives were very tasteless and a total rip off $4.50 for 7-9 olives! Almonds however were SOOO dam salty! This tiny bowl was the size of a half dollar and probably held about 20-25 almonds- Three grown men needed 3 glasses of water EACH to wash down the saltiness of the nuts. If we weren't so dam hungry we woulda stopped eating it at nut 1. Next came the chicken liver toast.. which wasnt bad but again overly salty.. hmm 'salty' seems to be a recurring theme here at Spotted Pig. We were overjoyed when our entrees arrived- we looked at each other and nodded- almost as to say: YAY WE MADE IT! *TEAR*
I manhandled my burger with both hands as i'd do a ginormous boob... and took the biggest chomp out of it i could.. FLAVOR FLAV! Screamed throughout my head - agonizingly, spine cringing SALTY! FUCK ME this burger is SALTY! So SALTY my tongue wrinkled up on contact like a dick that has to fuck Rachael Ray. My hunger induced frenzied chewing began to slow..confusion sets in. WHY?! In denial I swallowed my first bite..Only to take another but not before I drank another half glass of water to properly clear my palate. Second bite was actually worse than the first! I know that Roquefort cheese is salty and all but this is just ridiculous- the cheese curds were completely loaded on the burger. By this time I simply could not tolerate another bite of the burger- my tongue was numb. Maybe the fries would be a bit different? You want some fries with that salt? Good luck trying to get these shoestrings in your mouth, they hook on your face and get all messy.. think octopus on face. Its a good thing we ordered an additional entree I thought to myself- the Pork belly sure did look fabulous. The pork was nice and tender upon the first bite but dare I try the skin? Yes please! My salt induced tongue rash flared up like the 4th of July- If my tongue could talk it would've said "Feeck eeuuu!" Ever heard of the tactic where amusement parks overly salt their food so that more drinks are consumed to make revenue? Well you have your prime example here at Spotted Pig- to the extreme.
Overpriced, Over hyped, Over the top Salty. Oh no. Game Over.
I read the review and made sure to avoid the peak times for a long wait. We went for a late lunch and had Chicken Liver Toast, Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi, Roquefort Burger with Fries and their Cask Beer.
Chicken Liver Toast was so rich and the toast was just right to spread that yummy goodness all over. I had Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi which was so creamy and buttery and I even loved the burger - which is huge because I am not much of a roquefort cheese fan. It was so hard to keep my hands away from the shoe string fries and I had to mentally tell myself that it's not my dish over and over again. It was also my first time drinking cask beer and I've become a fan!
To put it delicately, the food I ordered for lunch was caustic. Very caustic. Chicken liver on toast? Some liver taste, gooey and really salty. The toast points were okay but they really didn't add anything except to act as a plate for the liver.
My roquefort burger and shoestrings? Awful. First, the meat is shaped like a perfectly made hockey puck. Second, I ordered well done and I got medium, to top that part off I waited at least twenty to thirty minutes for it and got it after a couple had received their burgers when they ordered ten minutes after me. Third, again, it was caustic. Very salty. In fact the meat was only there to support all the sale they put on the burger. Fourth & fifth, the Roquefort had some blue-ey taste but was really salty,and when I asked if I could get tomato and onion for my burger the waiter told me "no", the tomato and onion isn't available for the hamburgers. Are you fucking kidding me? Is this from the chef's pretension, or some fantasy that tomato and onion will affect the delicate balance between the harmonious rapture between the ground beef and roquefort cheese, or does onion and tomatoes over power the salt? Thank G-d I was allowed ketchup. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe the chef and/or management is a Reagan Conservative. As in "Ketchup is a Fucking Vegetable!" How about them shoestrings? Well, they're certainly stringy. You taste some garlic and rosemary but there's a even heavier taste to them. I bet you can guess what I'm going to say.
I will say that the French press coffee is good. And 1/2 of the staff I encountered seemed professional. However, it's not enough for me to give a second star. My advice is if you want good chopped liver go to Sammy's Rumanian. If you want a good roquefort burger and fries, and you're willing to travel, then maybe Alchemy on 5th Avenue by Bergen Street in Brooklyn is the place. Hell. Alchemy will even give you real smoked and very well cured bacon if you ask.
overated, overhyped, overpriced, over crowded tourist trap. Cask ale is a rare find, but at 9.00 bucks a pop it adds up quick. I've been there for lunch, dinner and brunch and i just don't understand why people wait in line for this. Seems like the Studio 54 of gastropubs. People just get in line because the line is there and for no other reason.
For a trendy NY restaurant that doesn't take reservations, I just wanted to add my experience after a half dozen visit that this has some of the friendliest service around.
And you can tell from the other reviews that the food is awesome.
A 2 hour wait?!?!? AGAIN!?!?!
These words came out of mouth about 6 different times before I finally decided to cave in and wait for a table at "The Pig". It didn't seem to matter if I came in the middle of the week or a weekend, the line and wait seemed impossible.
So here's the good news, the 2 hour estimate was a gross overestimate. I actually waited around 20 minutes. And the wait was very much worth it.
Chef April Bloomfield is a disciple of the Fergus Henderson school of thought regarding cooking. In other words, waste nothing. Use the ENTIRE animal. And she does it well (although not as obviously as Fergus or Ali of the Kebab Cafe in Astoria). The Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi is a masterpiece, as is the pig's ear (I know, sounds gross but it tastes great).
Like most NYC eateries if you really want to get in just for the food, then go alone and muscle your way to the bar. You can find a seat, order up a great meal, and chat up your neighbors.
There is an old saying, "Don't cast your pearls before swine." Allow me to update it: "Don't waste your money at the Spotted Pig."
On the occasion of my 400th review, I am going to highlight the worst Michelin-starred restaurant I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I arrived alone early on a week night, and the hostess explained that if I wanted a table, the wait would be over an hour, but I could just eat at the bar, and she recommended the bar upstairs since it would be a bit quieter. Said bar had 9 seats with all of them occupied. Unfortunately there was very little area to stand. All of the tables were taken, and people were clamoring around with their drinks. Food runners were passing by me about every minute or so. I constantly had to keep moving to one side or another. 20 minutes passed. At this point, I decided to just stick it out. I figured someone would finish their drinks and I could finally take a place at the bar, but that was not going to happen anytime soon. Other people started to arrive, and were deciding whether to wait it out too. Most left, but after 50 minutes, a group of 3 came and decided to wait. I am pretty certain they wanted to jump in front of me since three of the people were getting ready to leave, but my patience was exhausted and I wasn't about to allow it. I finally got a seat after 63 minutes. I should have just put my name on the list. Observation #1: Michelin starred restaurants normally take reservations, for good reason. Observation #2: For a Michelin-starred restaurant, this place is unique since the majority of the business was focused on drinking beer, with no less than 3 bars in the place.
Time to eat. The newly seated group was given their menu first and ordered first. I then had to ask for a menu for myself. The place is very popular for their hamburger and fries, which does not sound like a very difficult dish to prepare culinarily. I opted for something more interesting, the crispy pork belly served with bean puree and a small selection of greens. To drink, I had their house specialty, the Spotted Pig bitter. The beer was very light, but otherwise was okay. The pork belly was just terrible. Fried, greasy, lacking in flavor. How could something so naturally delicious be transformed into a heavy mound of blandness? It was so bad, I actually had to force myself to finish it. Keep in mind that pork belly is the savory equivalent of ice cream, and like ice cream no one ever has trouble finishing it. Not to be outdone, the greens were worse. I couldn't identify what they were. I also couldn't identify the antiseptic aftertaste they left in my mouth. Was that bleach? Honestly, I am asking. Now the bean puree was tasty. Unfortunately it is almost a cliche now to serve a pureed accompaniment next to a major protein -- a staid choice to be sure. And the presentation was just boring. It was the sort of dinner I would expect to have at a place like Applebee's.
Ambience. The patrons and staff were consistently interesting but I say that ironically. One of the gentlemen sitting at the bar offered me his hamburger and fries since he didn't want it. I refused. Then one of the servers dropped a tray of glasses at the bar which resulted in flying shards of glass departing in nearly every direction. Another gentlemen sitting right next to me leaned in to get my attention, and warned me that one of the shards hit him and that I should be careful that there wasn't any broken glass that may have landed in my food. Have I mentioned that this was a Michelin-starred restaurant? Then one one of the patrons was finishing a night of standing up and drinking and decided to lean in over me while I was eating to pay her bill. This culminated with her actually throwing the pen she used to sign the bill right over my shoulder, hitting me in the process. Indeed, this was a very classy establishment. The entire time it was so loud and distracting, a moment of culinary pleasure in a charming restaurant was just not going to be had here.
I was asked by the bartender how I liked everything. I responded that I didn't like my dinner at all. She said I should have said something sooner so that they could have taken the dish off of my bill. She was very nice about it. But I wasn't looking for a free meal, I was interested in evaluating their food. And in my opinion, you have exactly one chance to get it right. She did take the drink off of my bill which was a nice gesture.
Overall, this venue is just a popular bar that serves a supposedly decent hamburger. If you want to eat anything else or you think that this place is in anyway more special than that due to all of the accolades it has received, you will be sorely disappointed. But this is why Yelp is useful. I can tell you about my very bad experience so that you will know better and not be taken in by the hype.
After seeing The Spotted Pig in Food & Wine, GQ and Conde Nast Traveler I decided to go there last night.
The Spotted Pig does not take reservations. I called around 6:30 pm to see how long the wait was and a gentleman advised it was an hour to an hour and a half. I called again around 7:15 pm and the wait was down to around 45 minutes. When I got to The Spotted Pig and gave the host my name I was told to expect to wait for 45 minutes. My girlfriend and I were seated within 20 minutes. I think we got lucky.
The service was very friendly. I am not sure if I like the decor of ceramic and other pig items or not, but I do love how casual and unpretentious The Spotted Pig is. I agree with other yelpers that the tables are packed pretty tight and the low stools do not help out my bad back much.
The Spotted Pig Bitter Ale was real ale pulled and served at cellar temperature.
The Deviled Eggs had a great taste and texture. The flavors were perfectly balanced in the Seared Squid with Cilantro Butter & Fennel. This is one of the best squid dishes I've had in a while.
When asked for a personal recommendation our waitress boasted that the Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese & Shoestrings was one of the best burgers in The City. The meat in the burger was packed very lightly, which allowed for maximum moisture in it. Tossing the shoestring fries with fresh rosemary put The Spotted Pig's fries on my 'best fries' radar. I am not sure if the burger is one of the best in the city but it was pretty damn good.
Crispy Pork Belly with Bean Purée also came with swiss (maybe rainbow?) chard. The pork belly was perfectly seasoned and I barely needed a knife to cut in it to it.
Summer Pudding with Creme Fraiche was the first time I've seen a cold pudding served in the United States and did not disappoint. I think the pudding was even made in a proper pudding basin. I would advise against ordering this dish unless you really love tart summer berries. I enjoyed it very much.
Probably the best part of the meal was my coffee that was served in a French press. Like the squid it was one of the best coffees I've had recently. The coffee was on par with European coffee.
Oh my God! I had my first experience at The Spotted Pig last night and let me just say...the food was OUTSTANDING! One of the best meals I've had in the city.
The food on the menu read very odd...I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into, but I'm glad I took the plunge. I would definitely recommend the Scallops with corn pudding as a must! The sauce they were sauteed in was to die for, and the corn pudding was creamed corn with a delicious crust on top...scrumptious. A few other memorable menu items were the beets (don't remember what the dish was formally called), the succotash, and the brushetta with goat cheese and red pepper. We started with Deviled eggs and they were such a good idea to whet the appetite...good twist on a traditional favorite.
As amazing as the meal was, it was a bit expensive. I wouldn't recommend ordering wine as it is severely overpriced. The restaurant is also very quaint (crowded) and since it has turned into a hot spot, it was packed and LOUD...Not a place for romance.
All in all, a great time was had by all and I will definitely be going back, once I save up for another savory meal.
PS- I'm not 100% sure, but I think their menu may change on a daily basis...Don't be surprised if some of the things I mentioned aren't on the menu...
Food= *****
Atmosphere= ****
Prices= ***
To begin, I wanted to rate The Spotted Pig at a 6 or 7, but Yelp wouldn't let me.
So a friend and I decided to go late night binge eating, and I had been dying to try The Spotted Pig. I was afraid that because I had so many expectations that I would be let down somehow, how silly of me. This place lived up to all hype I'd heard. We ended up ordering five different plates (between two little girls) so that we could attempt to try everything!
Deviled Eggs - They look ordinary enough, but after you take your first bite, you can tell they have something a little extra, I'm thinking maybe olive oil? I'm probably totally off LOL
Chicken Liver Toast - I could subsist on this alone. It was so rich and creamy, the toast was toasted to perfection. This was pure nirvana... there just aren't enough words in the world to describe it.
Crispy Pig's Ear with Lemon, Capers & Trevise - Oh geez.... I could feel my arteries clogging just at the site of this dish, but I couldn't help myself. The ears were cooked to perfection. If not done properly, pig's ears can turn out very tough to eat and not tender at all. Obviously, they knew what they were doing.
Seared Squid with Cilantro Butter & Fennel - What a surprise it was to get a little spicy kick at the end of first bite. But absolutely a good surprise. This dish was full of flavor, the squid was tender... I could go on and on.
Rosemary Shoestring Fries - I love it when your fries have so much flavor and seasoning that for once you actually don't need ketchup, ranch, 1000 Island, whatever you normally use.
To finish, Head Chef April Bloomfield is a food genius. I will be sure to go to John Dory and also back to Breslin Bar when they start serving food. I officially worship the the stove she cooks on!
PRO: Awesome deviled eggs, great vibe
CON: If you go prime time you'll probably wait awhile for a seat
***If ya want the full VinDivine review & more reviews, check our profile.
The Deviled Eggs ($3). I don't know WTF they put in these to make them better than any other deviled egg in the world. And not far down the list of being pizza and wing bitches, we can be a pretty demanding crew. Damn these are good. Ya get 2 halves with the creamiest filling ever, well-spiced with paprika and some secret spices I could not put my finger on. Then they drizzle some EVOO over those bad boys and rock. I think we ordered 3 plates.
Next, the Charbroiled Burger with Roquefort Cheese + Shoestring Fries ($17). Not cheap, but worth every buck. Easily. The burger comes on an excellent, semi-soft bun that has a great char to it that gives it some crunch.
***If ya want the full VinDivine review & more reviews, check our profile.
Will keep this short because there's a million other reviews. Some friends took me here for a late dinner on Thursday night around midnight. They recommended the burger, which was cooked perfectly medium, topped with a strong bleu cheese on a delicious bun ($17). If you like a bleu cheese burger, come here. It came with shoestring fries that were just ridiculous, thinner than actual shoestrings, curly, fried with a generous amount of fresh garlic and chopped rosemary...mmm.
To drink, we ordered 3 bottles of Local 1 beer, which is a strong, 9% alcohol "local" NY beer that is awesome. The place is rustic looking and has a cool, relaxed vibe. Everything else on the menu sounded and looked delicious but we all had the burger. I'd like to head back here next time I'm in town and sample some other menu items.
Finally got to try this place out with a friend. We went on Friday after work around 6:30p and waited for less than 10 mins! We shared the classic burger, the ricotta gnudi and carrots. Everything was AMAZING. The burger was juicy with a bite from the blue cheese spread. The burger is served with shoestring fries sprinkled with rosemary and garlic chips. SO delicious and a perfect compliment. Next, the ricotta gnudi were decadent, milky and perfectly paired with a brown butter and sage sauce. mmmm
Finally, the carrots side dish blew me away. I didn't know that carrots couldbe so damn good, though I'm sure these were doused in butter before being broiled. Albeit the high price you pay in calories, the food is worth every extra pound that landed on my hips the morning after.
Minus one star for the lack of compelling beers on tap. This is a British gastropub, afterall so how come they've only got a handful of pedestrian beers on tap? SP needs to up its libation game but when it comes to food, they're spot on.
FOODIES: EAT HERE..simple stuff done really, really well. couldn't decide on the intriguing choices so friend and i decided on ordering a few starters. gnudi was highly suggested and am glad we had the delicate cheese-gnocchi-type-thing, cooked in sage butter, that was pillowy-delicious. the seared squid with cilantro butter was tender, so lightly seasoned you could taste the sea. PeRfEcT.
a big taste-WOW for the fried pigs ears on tangy salad AND crispy, succulent porky belly....let me just say there were ohhhh's, mmmm's and OMG's all over the busy dining room last night. and i was leading the choir.
You walk in and it feels like just another packed after hours pub. People squeeze in around the bar like pigs around a trough, squealing to get the bartender's attention for another pint. It's dark, it's noisy, and its hastily decorated with swine trinkets. Those who get seats at a table are on stools bumped around by rushed wait staff and intoxicated customers trying to make their way to the bathroom. This may not sound appealing, but the uncomfortable, messy, and unrefined atmosphere works as a surprisingly pleasing foil to the world class food they serve. Palates which are accustomed to experiencing such refined food in equally refined dining environments are therefore in for a taste enhancing contrast of the senses. On the one hand, your eyes and ears subconsciously tell your mouth and nose, based on the decor and ambiance, to expect mediocre food. However, once your taste buds and olfactory nerves get to experiencing the food, it becomes one wonderfully confusing and lovely combination of seemingly contradictory sensory perceptions.
P.S. - Mario Batali is my hero.
Long live chicken liver toast.
Enjoy your night, while being watched over by a choir of guardian piglets overhanging as decor.
Hubby and I came here last Friday evening due to a craving for a good burger and shoestring fries. I am very happy to say that this place did not disappoint! The burger was juicy, the fries, oh so thin and crispy, and they used a nice sharp roquefort cheese on the patty, melting the way I like it.
I love the casual feel of the place, completely unpretentious. The cute, tattooed bartender knew her stuff, and I'm betting she could kick a guy's ass if he acted like an ass. The food is haute gastropub, though it doesn't present itself that way except in quality.
Rihanna seems to come here all the time (twice in the last month). Other celebs frequent The Spotted Pig, so I didn't know what to expect when hopping off the cab one fine Saturday afternoon.
The ambiance was intimate, cozy, and not at all stiff. Though we waited a quick few minutes at the counter, thanks to my friend who waited earlier, we were promptly seated.
My companion was able to point out that on this Saturday afternoon, chef April Bloomfield was in the kitchen (also seen on Top Chef).
We shared a huge burger and some amazing fries. Everything was stellar, including our drinks. Lunch was so filling that we skipped desserts.
Chicken liver toast was the perfect item to compliment a non-stop, marathon-training running schedule. If only I could eat like this every day and not be affected by it!
We will come again!
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Category: American (Traditional)
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