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405 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10024
(212) 724-5151

Great Burrito  

Categories: Mexican, American (New)
Neighborhood: Upper West Side

5.0 star rating
9/27/2009
Good Mexican food, where have you been all of my NYC life?

Great Burrito? You can say that again.

Cons up front: it's average expensive and delivery is slow (40 mins).
Pros all around: it's worth it.

The food is plentiful, fresh and delicious. The salsa and jalapenos are hot. The mole is rich. The pork is tender. And the guacamole ... is fantastic. The nachos -- which almost everywhere else come soggy, under-dressed and depressing -- are well-composed and mighty tasty.

Viva Great Burrito.

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630 9th Ave
New York, NY 10036
(212) 757-2277

5 Napkin Burger  

Category: Burgers
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District

4.0 star rating
7/26/2009 1 photo
I've heard a lot of reviews, both good and bad. Finally went tonight before I move out of Hell's Kichen in a week.

The original 5 Napkin Burger is good. I really liked the brioche bun and the rosemary aioli (though the bottom bun was a little soggy out of the gate, that's a tough problem to fix). Fries were good but nothing special. Was the entire ensemble worth $15? Probably not. But this is New York, so what can you do? Lucky Burger up the street is good too, but not the same.

The onion rings are delicious, as are the pickles. Also tried the veggie burger -- heavy on the beets, but quite good. If, you know, you're the kind of person who comes to a burger place to eat veggies.

Food was cooked to order and came out fast -- they are definitely working a volume business, though our server Megan was lovely.

Only four beers on tap, but the list was extensive and respectable. The 5NB Nut Brown Ale was tasty.

I would go back. Crowded even on a stormy Sunday night, so I bet the prime nights are crazy.

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New York, NY
(718) 728-6250

Ruby Et Violette  

Category: Bakeries

4.0 star rating
6/4/2009
Ruby et Violette takes the artisan cupcake trend and applies it to cookies. There's lots of varieties, and I tried German Chocolate Cake, Peppermint Chip and something peanut buttery. They were all delicious, though a bit expensive at $2 a pop.

The decor is kinda over the top, but the brownies, ice cream and other stuff look look top-notch delicious. Definitely worth checking out, perhaps in combination with biscotti from BisCo Latte down the street.

They're closed Sunday and Monday, so plan ahead for that sweet craving.

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1469 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10028
(212) 734-5600

Wicker Park - CLOSED  

Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhoods: Yorkville, Upper East Side

2.0 star rating
5/4/2009
Wicker Park as metaphor for the Upper East Side: upon arriving it looks like an upscale bar/restaurant. Scratch the surface, however, and you quickly find the fratty core, marked by mimosas in pint glasses & brunch specials that include "5 Bud Lights", apathetic service and crappy food (lukewarm grilled cheese, cement-like homefries, etc.).

Fine if you're there to have a few drinks and chat with friends. There's outdoor seating too. Avoid the food.

Also, contrary to what their $15 t-shirt says, Sunday is not much of a Funday at Wicker Park.

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637 10th Ave
New York, NY 10036
(212) 586-2707

The Pony Bar  

Category: Bars
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West

4.0 star rating
4/30/2009
Great new addition to the budding 10th Avenue quality bar scene. While a small and somewhat mixed space (lots going on between stools, tables and barrels in the middle of the room), the bar itself is a beautiful finished wood which matches the gorgeous array of American craft beers, which you can see rotate before your eyes. Moreover, it's affordable at $5 a pint for most brews. There's also a few cask offerings, and the food menu looks to be tasty when it's available.

Pony Bar is designed to be a balance to its sister Lansdowne Road, with only two TVs and just two bottles (Bud Diesel and Light, for those with uninformed palates). It's got a less sporty/fratty vibe and a warmer feel. You can't fit too many folks in there, either.

This bar is also part of the community: they're running a tour to the Sixpoint Brewery in a few weeks, which culminates in an open bar. Giving back, indeed.

For an added bonus: make it a pub crawl from 1-2-3 Burger-Shot-Beer to Perdition to Pony Bar to Lansdowne Road.

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339 5th Ave
New York, NY 10016
(212) 686-1244

Spoon City - CLOSED  

Categories: Sandwiches, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt
Neighborhoods: Koreatown, Midtown East

5.0 star rating
Update - 3/25/2009
Wanted to re-review because I've been coming here regularly and it's delicious and the service is friendly and good. Need a couple samples and a few minutes to make up your mind? It's all good. Just stand to the side. I've noticed they've been getting a lot more foot traffic.

Spoon City is about to introduce (within a week) some new delicious items: Krispy Kreme Donuts, H&H bagels and Illy coffee. That will definitely put them in strong contention for breakfast, and with Illy vs. Starbucks it's a no-brainer.

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1 Previous Review: Hide »

  • 4.0 star rating
    1/21/2009 First to Review

    Spoon City is about as wide as an actual spoon, wedged between Wendy's and a souvenir shop across the street from the Empire State Building. It's takeout only, and they offer about 6-8 Hale & Hearty Soups daily, as well as a small variety of tasty sandwiches.

    A little pricey but good, and soup comes with bread/crackers, fruit & chocolate. They're friendly and it's easy -- a good addition to the desolate Midtown lunch scene.

    In the summer they plan to ratchet down to ~3 soups and serve ice cream.

    Visa and Mastercard only.

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1 Rockefeller Plz
New York, NY 10020
(212) 262-7700

The Morrell Wine Bar & Cafe  

Categories: Restaurants, Wine Bars
Neighborhood: Midtown West

3.0 star rating
3/1/2009
In the culinary wasteland of Midtown, Morrell stands out as a reliable spot for a good but not overdone lunch. I've been twice, and both times the food was good but not amazing, same as the service. The wine selection's not bad, but don't count on tremendously knowledgeable advice from the staff. Slightly more upscale for a business meeting without going overboard. The menu is recession-friendly, I'd say.

Also pleasant for outdoor dining, if you don't mind the crowds and the weather allows.

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24 Greenwich Ave
New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-2500

Funayama Japanese Restaurant  

Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
Neighborhood: West Village

4.0 star rating
3/1/2009
Sushi without pretentiousness or great cost, what more can one ask for?  Went with a bunch of friends, everyone enjoyed their food, it came quickly, the service was good but not overbearing, and they let us linger for quite a while after we finished eating -- while continually refilling our green teas.

Though the all you can eat menu was suspended due to the chef being on vacation (?), a good place for solid, quotidian sushi.

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318 Van Brunt St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 222-1865

Brooklyn Ice House  

Categories: Barbeque, Pubs
Neighborhood: Red Hook

4.0 star rating
3/1/2009 1 photo
Do you like good, cheap beer and pub food? How about a laid back vibe, comfy booths, mellow regulars and a playlist that's full of interesting music? Brooklyn Ice House is the place for you.

Found myself here during a tour of Red Hook this weekend. Settled into the corner table by the front door, where we played some Connect Four and Jenga, enjoyed the eclectic yet always quality playlist, and sampled the perfect sweet potato fries (the ideal blend of crispness and chewiness). And they were $3, as was my oatmeal stout. And the barkeep seamlessly took care of us, refiling water glasses without asking (this is a bar, mind you). The pulled pork sandwiches and corn dogs also looked quite tasty, with a number of folks tucking into them.

Loses one star for being so far out of the way, but a great spot I would gladly revisit soon. If you're in Red Hook, go to the Ice House.

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133 E 65th St
New York, NY 10021
(212) 249-6565

212 Restaurant & Vodka Bar  

Categories: Lounges, American (New)
Neighborhood: Upper East Side

1.0 star rating
1/16/2009
I'm told this is more of a restaurant, so maybe my visit there wasn't representative. Also, now that I've had 12 hours to relax I am less angry. Wait, am I? No, not really.

I was here for a networking event. All that aside, the service at this place is one of the worst experiences I have ever had. At the bar I ordered three beers and a seltzer with lime. Total: $31.16. What?

Beers: 7$ each. 1 Diet Coke. Who ordered Diet Coke? $4.25. 15% gratuity (for ordering at the bar?) Oh, and tax. Not even a smile.

So not only is this place a ripoff, but the people aren't pleasant.

Fin.

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9 Compliments

  • You're Cool

    That place was awful!!! I wish I read your review before ordering.

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My Neighborhood

My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
1.  Bis. Co. Latte
About 25 steps from my…
2.  Dousoeur de Paris
A new patisserie and…
3.  Lansdowne Road
Love this bar.  Good pub…
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26 Useful, 8 Funny, and 20 Cool

Location

New York, NY

Yelping Since

October 2008

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