Schiller's Liquor Bar
(212) 260-4555
131 Rivington St
New York,
NY
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40.71959
-73.986749
Neighborhoods: Lower East Side, Downtown
Hours:
Mon-Wed 11am-1am
Thu 11am-2am
Fri 11am-3am
Sat 10am-3am
Sun 10am-1am
Price:
$$
Last updated 6.11.09
What People Are Saying About Schiller's Liquor Bar
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Owner Keith McNally should find a way to bottle his formula: Uber-chic Balthazar and Pastis have long been the default hangout for the famous and fashionable, and Schiller's follows suit. Wine bottles painted with prison-block letters line the walls; cool, flattering light streams through north-facing windows; and busboys with Heimlich maneuver instructions printed on their T-shirts--it's a downtown bistro aesthetic that makes every diner (or drinker) feel chic. Service is good and usually swift.
The Food
At dinner, a nicely gamey chopped liver mousse, watercress salad with blue cheese and walnuts, and meat loaf with mashed potatoes stand out among the menu's bistro fare. But it's brunch that showcases the kitchen's best work: From the eggs Hussard--poached atop ham, tomato and mushrooms, then doused with Bordelaise and Hollandaise--to the simple fines herb omelette and homemade doughnuts, everything is done well. For dessert, the sticky caramel cake is just about perfect.
User Reviews
mikeandrus
April 18, 2009
We had a reservation for 9:00PM and didn't get seated until 10:30. We were a large party but they never told us they wouldn't be able to accommodate us -- they took our reservation, took our credit card to hold it, and when we got there it was "5 more minutes, 5 more minutes" for an hour an a half. The food used to be OK but the burger was charred on the outside and raw on the inside, and the pumpkin salad was tasteless. The steaks were tiny and tough, and the cocktails, which used to be amazing, were small and poorly mixed. The space was cramped and crowded with loud, tacky, annoying people. One of the worst restaurant experiences I've ever had in 20 years of living and eating out in New York. They should close.
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FoodLV
March 04, 2009
I read a few reviews on this site and the experience is really good or really bad. I was in the neighborhood with a few friends looking for some place to stop and eat, Schillers looked like good energy so we stopped in. That was things went down hill from there. The place seemed fun but it was pricier than I thought considering the food was not that great. They seem like the type of place that is used to being really busy so they expect things to continue that way. Baltizar and Pastis are definitely better options. I guess Schillers is the runt of the bunch. Dry staff and management.
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RivingtonLES
March 02, 2009
Ok, I just don't get this place at all. Been there on several occassions. After my second visit it has not been my choice but i've ended up going because I was meeting people who were dining there. Its a sudo French - American bistro. The waitstaff is not that friendly. The food is ok at best. They do have a couple of really greesy dishes that sort of define them. Greesy mac and cheese, or greesier mac and cheese with square bacon bits in more pools of grease. They have a poor wine list of overpriced bad wines. A $14 hamburger. Cafe Charbon in the same neighborhood has a much much better burger, fries and salad for $10. Even the hotel on Rivington's burger is less expensive than the unseasoned bland burger at this place. It's loud, and it seems their apporoach to customer service is that they are doing you the favor. I suggest that there are better alternatives in the neighborhood. This place is a no no. For drinks there is Verlaine, 151, Cafe Charbon, Stanton Social, Allen and Delancey, THOR, Spitzers Corner just to start. Why waste your money on this place, with ok food, poor service, not great drinks that aren't cheap, not comfortable seating dingy nasty bathrooms (they need to renovate those dungens). Only redeeming menu items is they have one good desert, a taffy cake with ice cream. If they even think of removing that from the menu they should consider closing. They are doing the neighborhood a disservice and I think the patrons just don't know how many other cool resturants there are in the area. Maybe they were better and are still floating on that reputation. But now they are lazy. By patroning here, spending your hard earned money with the overall experience you have there and also based on the food and drinks, I would not recommend it to anyone. Unless they are the someone who loves TGI Fridays or Applebees. This is an overpriced Applebees.
read full reviewThe Details on Schiller's Liquor Bar
What to Drink:
Wines are split into cheap, decent and good. Prices top off at $8 a glass, $19 a carafe. At brunch, cucumber and mint freshen up the Pimm's Cup; the bloody mary is spicy and just right.
Know Before You Go:
The restrooms, located downstairs, can be confusing: Enter a gender-marked door and find a common washroom. Keep to your side of the room--restrooms are through the second pair of doors.
Bar Scene:
Located in the thick of the Lower East Side's most bustling area, boisterous boozers take over after the weekend dinner hour, when the restaurant seemingly transforms into a full-scale bar.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Breakfast, Late Night Dining, Celeb Hangout, Brunch, People Watching, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Business Breakfast, Food Delivery, Carry Out, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene
