Orchard Restaurant

The Scene – The restaurant takes its decor cues from the Lower East Side's clubby metamorphoses. A front bar in hues of orange and brown doubles as a waiting area for the spare, modern dining room. Attentive servers handle tables of dressed-up clubbers and subdued older couples with equal grace. – – The Food – Start with a thin flatbread--the chanterelle mushroom is a heavenly mix of creamy polenta, savory mushroom puree--while perusing the menu influenced, but certainly not restrained, by Italy. Diners can construct a table-sharing first course of tuna tartare,…

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The Extras:: Don't know where to go out after dinner? Check out this Lower East Side nightlife guide.

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User Reviews (21)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“The decor was beautiful, the service was impeccable and my meal was perfectly prepared (I had the bass) - although my friend's pasta with tomato and avocado was a little al dente.” “The tuna tartar is amazing, as is the ambience and service.” “It's romantic, good place for conversation, I don't think you can go wrong with this restaurant.” “Surprisingly great atmosphere, especially considering there are no windows.” “Calm, spacious, lovely decor, together with attentive but not intrusive service (& good wine suggestions) and uniformly excellent food, make us look forward to making another "long LES trek"soon.” “This cozy little restaurant on Orchard is packed come date night Friday and Sat.” “Modern romantic place” “Good food in an unexpected location” “The design of the Orchard is masterly done to create a warm and inviting ambience.” “beautiful decor, stellar service, excellent wine selections, and a meal that we could have gotten at the corner kebab joint for several hundred dollars less.” “The food is good, the atmosphere nice, but there isn't anything really notable about this restaurant.”
drinks	100.0% positive	“wait to go back every Sunday to eat the delicious food and bring my own wine!” “Our waiter provided great service with attentive details to table space (which can be cramped), pace of our dishes coming out and time between wine refills.” “Calm, spacious, lovely decor, together with attentive but not intrusive service (& good wine suggestions) and uniformly excellent food, make us look forward to making another "long LES trek"soon.” “also had an amazing waiter who suggested their blood-orange soda drink (delicious!)” “beautiful decor, stellar service, excellent wine selections, and a meal that we could have gotten at the corner kebab joint for several hundred dollars less.” “Top that off with two delicious bottles of wine and it made for a perfect night.” “We went around the corner, got two bottles of wine, and had a fabulous dinner.”
food quality	98.28000068664551% positive	“We next shared the lobster empanadas (fried pockets stuffed with lobster served with corn on the cob--the corn was wierd and unneccesary) and the crispy rock shrimp salad (super dressing!)” “Top that off with two delicious bottles of wine and it made for a perfect night.” “The food is simply amazing.” “... entrees (lamb) outstanding.” “The beef shortrib flatbread was decent.” “The food is good, the atmosphere nice, but there isn't anything really notable about this restaurant.” “For our main course, my friend had the mushroom ravioli which was SO good, and I had a delicious, huge, tender steak.” “prettiest room, and still good food” “... flatbreads (steak tartare) were great” “Enjoyed a delicious dinner here recently with a friend.” “was skeptical but the cheese option was really yummy.” “Calm, spacious, lovely decor, together with attentive but not intrusive service (& good wine suggestions) and uniformly excellent food, make us look forward to making another "long LES trek"soon.” “The restuarant is well designed and the food was quite amazing!” “The decor was beautiful, the service was impeccable and my meal was perfectly prepared (I had the bass) - although my friend's pasta with tomato and avocado was a little al dente.” “It came with a little tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad which was tasty, I just wish there had been something a little more consistent.” “good service, and great food with a little modern flair,” “Good food in an unexpected location” “also had an amazing waiter who suggested their blood-orange soda drink (delicious!)” “beautiful decor, stellar service, excellent wine selections, and a meal that we could have gotten at the corner kebab joint for several hundred dollars less.” “The food was GREAT!” “wait to go back every Sunday to eat the delicious food and bring my own wine!” “Our waiter provided great service with attentive details to table space (which can be cramped), pace of our dishes coming out and time between wine refills.” “The food was delicious.” “We started with the lobster empanadas and drunken goat cheese salad which were both great.” “This restaurant is a breathe of fresh air!” “My husband, our friend, and I shared the most delicious dinner I've had in a long time at The Orchard last night.” “The servers were very helpful but left us to relax and enjoy our food.” “would recommend dishes but I bet that everything on the menu is great.” “excellent food - small portions on the entrees, but somehow we left completely stuffed.”
menu variety	100.0% positive	“would recommend dishes but I bet that everything on the menu is great.” “beautiful decor, stellar service, excellent wine selections, and a meal that we could have gotten at the corner kebab joint for several hundred dollars less.” “Robiola is my favorite cheese so I was excited to see it on a menu.”
overall	100.0% positive	“Overall The Orchard is our new favorite restaurant in the Lower East Side and it looks like it will stay our favorite for a long while.” “had initially chosen this place hoping we could BYOB, but now, without the cost-effective dining out option, this place went from a great deal to just another good place in NYC.” “best new restaurant” “It's romantic, good place for conversation, I don't think you can go wrong with this restaurant.”
return potential	100.0% positive	“wait to go back every Sunday to eat the delicious food and bring my own wine!” “But my whole experience was amazing and I will definitely be back again.”
service	100.0% positive	“... just very friendly and polished service.” “Our waiter provided great service with attentive details to table space (which can be cramped), pace of our dishes coming out and time between wine refills.” “Props to James, the friendly and personable bartender who is a real good sport.” “Beautiful dining room, great staff” “The wait staff is friendly, helpful, and attentive.” “also had an amazing waiter who suggested their blood-orange soda drink (delicious!)” “beautiful decor, stellar service, excellent wine selections, and a meal that we could have gotten at the corner kebab joint for several hundred dollars less.” “The tuna tartar is amazing, as is the ambience and service.” “The servers were very helpful but left us to relax and enjoy our food.” “The decor was beautiful, the service was impeccable and my meal was perfectly prepared (I had the bass) - although my friend's pasta with tomato and avocado was a little al dente.” “The waiter was helpful and friendly, especially when my friend changed her order after the appetizers.” “Service was very helpful and friendly.” “Calm, spacious, lovely decor, together with attentive but not intrusive service (& good wine suggestions) and uniformly excellent food, make us look forward to making another "long LES trek"soon.” “good service, and great food with a little modern flair,”
value	80.0% positive	“But for $12, the flatbread is a little overpriced for the neighborhood (6 small squares).” “beautiful decor, stellar service, excellent wine selections, and a meal that we could have gotten at the corner kebab joint for several hundred dollars less.” “Portions were perfect (not too small, not too huge).” “For our main course, my friend had the mushroom ravioli which was SO good, and I had a delicious, huge, tender steak.” “excellent food - small portions on the entrees, but somehow we left completely stuffed.”
wait time	100.0% positive	“My husband, our friend, and I shared the most delicious dinner I've had in a long time at The Orchard last night.” “Overall The Orchard is our new favorite restaurant in the Lower East Side and it looks like it will stay our favorite for a long while.” “Calm, spacious, lovely decor, together with attentive but not intrusive service (& good wine suggestions) and uniformly excellent food, make us look forward to making another "long LES trek"soon.”

12/14/08

prettiest room, and still good food

by wilford

heard alot about this place, and it seems to be all true,

was kinda quiet there on wed, night, but it just added to a nice dinner,

good service, and great food with a little modern flair,

Pros: food, lighting

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10/29/08

New Sunday BYOB!!! :)

by lucyloo121212

Ate here Sunday and it was BYOB..Wonderful touch with the economy right now!! The food was GREAT!!!! Service was GREAT!!! Can?t wait to go back every Sunday to eat the delicious food and bring my own wine!!!!

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12/16/07

Good food in an unexpected location

by punky21

I went to dinner with three of my girlfriends on a Friday night and had an above-average dinner for less than $50. In my opinion, this is not super expensive but not cheap either. We each had one or two drinks (beer, wine and liquor drinks), an entree, shared two appetizers and shared one dessert. The waiter was helpful and friendly, especially when my friend changed her order after the appetizers.

Special notes about the food -- the flatbreads are an interesting part of the menu. I was skeptical but the cheese option was really yummy. It had lots of garlic so that always makes it yummy! The steak wraps were small, wrapped in lettuce and, in general, just ok so I wouldn't recommend them. The Orchard Salad was nothing special but hiit the spot. I had the butternut squash Agnolli (which is like something between ravioli and tortellini) and was really really yummy! I would definitely recommend that.

Pros: location, ambience

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12/09/07

?

by andyportico

beautiful decor, stellar service, excellent wine selections, and a meal that we could have gotten at the corner kebab joint for several hundred dollars less...

Pros: service, wine list, ambience
Cons: food, poor value

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10/22/07

Bring your own wine?

by lschomp

When I went to this place it was waiting for it's liquor license (maybe still is?), so it was BYOB with no cockage fee. Food's great, smokey and unique. Surprisingly great atmosphere, especially considering there are no windows. It's romantic, good place for conversation, I don't think you can go wrong with this restaurant.

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Erin Behan

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Editor's Tips

12/14/08

prettiest room, and still good food

by wilford

10/29/08

New Sunday BYOB!!! :)

by lucyloo121212

12/16/07

Good food in an unexpected location

by punky21

12/09/07

?

by andyportico

10/22/07

Bring your own wine?

by lschomp

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