(212) 741-4695

90 Bedford St (at Grove St.)
New York, NY 10014 40.7321 -74.0053

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: West Village, Downtown

THELITTLEOWLNYC.COM

Hours:

Mon-Fri 12pm-2pm, 5pm-10pm

Sat 11am-2pm, 5pm-11pm

Sun 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm

Price:

$$$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Romantic Dining, Brunch, Date Spot, Dine At The Bar, Notable Wine List

Cuisine:

Central European, Traditional American, Mediterranean

What People Are Saying About Little Owl

Featured Review

Justin Hartung

Contributor

Cooing couples, local families and peckish night-owls pack this airy yet intimate corner restaurant in the West Village. A rustic tone is set by large paneled windows, whitewashed wood and silverware hand-delivered from boxes; the tiny, packed bar and elevated waiting bench impart a touch of who's-who. The main reason everybody loves the place, though, is the meticulous but unfussy cooking of Joey Campanaro, who has a rare knack for creating small and simple dishes that are completely satisfying, with flavors as assured as the room. Whether it's a simple but platonic pork chop with butter…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
For dessert try the refreshingly tart cherry sorbet (from Il Laboratoria).
What to Drink:
Try the $9 glass of Syrage, a medium-bodied blend of Syrah and Cabernet, or one of the unusual bottled beers such as the pleasantly mellow Goose Island Ale.
What to Eat:
The burger, available only at lunch, is the city's best. Period.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. The service was terrific, the food delish, and presentation very appealing, the atmosphere very comfortable and well thought out.
  2. Great atmosphere and amazing food.
  3. The restaurant is tiny, but cozy, the wait staff was great, though I did have to ask for bread.
  4. This cozy West Village corner is run by charming people cranking out high class food.
  5. The atmosphere is always elegant yet cozy and welcoming with great background music.
  6. Nice, cozy room, great food and bottom line, soul.
  7. The restaurant is intimate, romantic and i love the "open kitchen" The food was great, and the service seemed a tad rushed but overall very good.
  8. great food and perfect atmosphere, small but chic, meatball sliders a must.
  9. The atmosphere was great, light and airy, but cozy and comfortable--and not too noisy, which the parents appreciated.
  10. Romantic ambiance and charming space - this is a great new spot to check out.
  11. The ambiance is intimate, comfortable, the perfect setting to enjoy a great meal, marvelous wines, wonderful music and be able to carry on a conversation.
dessert
80.0% positive
  1. The chocolate cake w/espresso gelato was a good ending to the meal.
  2. We wanted to try the warm chocolate cake with espresso ice cream but they had just run out (it was past midnight) and our server very graciously brought us a trio of gelato on the house.
  3. even after they called us three times to confirm the reservation, and each time they mentioned a special dessert), we were rushed through our entire meal (appetizers came before our wine & the kitchen staff was peering out the window at us to see when we'
  4. The menu offers an interesting and flavorful variety of appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts.
  5. You must try the raspberry donut dessert is amazing.
drinks
86.3599967956543% positive
  1. coudn't help it but become taken by the good vibe of the place, talked to the rest of the bar and made friends over the obvious good food, the room is very small, the service is great yet not professional or upselling, i liked to exhange words with the
  2. The ambiance is intimate, comfortable, the perfect setting to enjoy a great meal, marvelous wines, wonderful music and be able to carry on a conversation.
  3. even after they called us three times to confirm the reservation, and each time they mentioned a special dessert), we were rushed through our entire meal (appetizers came before our wine & the kitchen staff was peering out the window at us to see when we'
  4. The chocolate cake w/espresso gelato was a good ending to the meal.
  5. Very reasonable wine list.
  6. The host was so nice and said he'd probably have something in an hour so we went to EO for a drink and 25 mins later he called us for a table at 7:45!
  7. We wanted to try the warm chocolate cake with espresso ice cream but they had just run out (it was past midnight) and our server very graciously brought us a trio of gelato on the house.
  8. had a great dinner at little O. I sat by miself at the bar,
  9. Service was very attentive, our wine glasses were never empty.
  10. The waiter was very helpful and attentive, and the manager came over and made a great wine recommendation.
  11. Vey nice service, great wine list, good food.
food quality
80.60000419616699% positive
  1. There's a genuine feeling that they care about food and providing a good dining experience.
  2. for entree I got the crispy chicken and he got the lamb - everything was yummy, I cant complain, and that?
  3. My husband and I shared crispy chicken and a steak that was smothered in a fabulous sauce with pancetta, mushrooms and other wonderful flavors.
  4. My favorite dishes are the risotto, the scallops and the cod.
  5. Food: The pork chop and cod are fantastic.
  6. Great meat, less than impressive eggs, good service, go early: food ran out fast
  7. even after they called us three times to confirm the reservation, and each time they mentioned a special dessert), we were rushed through our entire meal (appetizers came before our wine & the kitchen staff was peering out the window at us to see when we'
  8. great food and perfect atmosphere, small but chic, meatball sliders a must.
  9. As for the food, I had the crabcake (yum), crispy chicken (better than anything I could ever make at home) and brussel sprouts (so so so good).
  10. Honestly, both my husband and I hands down agree this is the best food we've ever had.
  11. Been for brunch a few times and the food is so slow, at least 30 minutes each time.
  12. His smarmy demeanor throughout our meal was unpleasant and distracting.
  13. The food is also good although there are a few kinks to work out - the soft shell crab appetizer wasn't quite as 'soft' as it should be and the halibut was a little too peppery, but my friend loved his cod and said it was perfect.
  14. While the scallops were delicious, it would have worked better on a different base.
  15. Stan got the scallops which were delicious.
  16. have nothing bad to say about the +5 times that I've come here for great food.
  17. The food is incredible.
  18. Other main dishes (we've had most all of them between a group of us) are good but nothing to write home about, which I hope can change based on the three I've mentioned.
  19. The bibb lettuce salad w/beets and sunflower seeds was fresh, nutty and excellent.
  20. The meatball sliders were quite tasty.
  21. I've only eaten lamb one other time (not a big fan) but the lamb t-bones were so delicious, wonderfully seasoned.
  22. The food is good, but I do not understand the hype abou this place.
  23. Even well done, the burger was very good.
  24. Served on runny, tasteless mashed potatoes.
  25. My husband had the crispy chicken and the in-laws had the pork chop.
  26. It should also be noted that for this quality of food the prices are not only reasonable, but a great value.
  27. The food is fine, can be inventive but very inconsistent and the seating situation is truly appalling.
  28. Not that the food was bad.
  29. Nice, cozy room, great food and bottom line, soul.
  30. coudn't help it but become taken by the good vibe of the place, talked to the rest of the bar and made friends over the obvious good food, the room is very small, the service is great yet not professional or upselling, i liked to exhange words with the
  31. The restaurant is intimate, romantic and i love the "open kitchen" The food was great, and the service seemed a tad rushed but overall very good.
  32. One friend ordered the poached eggs (fontina sausage buns, braised greens and hollandaise), and reports that the buns did not taste particularly like sausage, but overall he enjoyed the dish.
  33. We had a great meal and a perfectly delightful evening at The Little Owl.
  34. Creamy green mashed potatoes, asparagus home fries, broccoli rabbe and other very tasty side dishes
  35. The ambiance is intimate, comfortable, the perfect setting to enjoy a great meal, marvelous wines, wonderful music and be able to carry on a conversation.
  36. This I do recommend, three large meat ball sliders, flavorful, and on buns not too crispy, but enough to give it some texture.
  37. Good food
  38. This cozy West Village corner is run by charming people cranking out high class food.
  39. Excellent fresh bread accompanied this course.
  40. Our waitress was extremely attentive and I loved my appetizer (sliced duck with truffles and almonds) and entree (the pork chop).
  41. Great food, great service, cant wait to go back!
  42. The service was terrific, the food delish, and presentation very appealing, the atmosphere very comfortable and well thought out.
  43. The crispy artichoke came, and I swear, I thought it was a potato masquerading as an artichoke.
  44. While the food was decent, i wouldn't never return due to the pretentious treatment at the door.
  45. The chocolate cake w/espresso gelato was a good ending to the meal.
  46. Vey nice service, great wine list, good food.
  47. Slow food, annoying host
  48. HIGHLY recommend the pork and the meatball sliders, but everything at our table was incredible.
  49. The restaurant is tiny, but cozy, the wait staff was great, though I did have to ask for bread.
  50. The food is seriously hands down delicious.
  51. Great food, great people, great space
  52. Great atmosphere and amazing food.
  53. Crispy chicken is a nicely refined version of fried chicken, lovely flavor and moist inside.
  54. The sauce was delicious, the saving grace of the dish, as I was able to dip the pork chop into the sauce, but shouldn't the pork chop hold its own without being so dry I needed to dip it?
  55. Ours was a bit dry I felt, and seasoned as I would a steak almost, lots of salt and pepper.
  56. The spiced fries, included with the burger platter, are excellent.
  57. The food was good enough - the side was the best part.
  58. Average food, terrible service
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. The menu offers an interesting and flavorful variety of appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts.
overall
75.0% positive
  1. coudn't help it but become taken by the good vibe of the place, talked to the rest of the bar and made friends over the obvious good food, the room is very small, the service is great yet not professional or upselling, i liked to exhange words with the
  2. The food is good, but I do not understand the hype abou this place.
return potential
90.0% positive
  1. Great food, great service, cant wait to go back!
  2. While the food was decent, i wouldn't never return due to the pretentious treatment at the door.
  3. definitely liked the place much better than my husband did, but overall though, I'd go back here again and again if I could just get a reservation.
  4. The strawberry custard was exquisite, and although our stomachs wouldn't allow it, we intend to go back to sample the 4 inch spheres of icecream that were being lowered in front of everyone around us.
  5. We loved the restaurant, fabulous service, and even if it had sucked, I'd still go back for those addictive sliders!
service
85.55999755859375% positive
  1. The restaurant is intimate, romantic and i love the "open kitchen" The food was great, and the service seemed a tad rushed but overall very good.
  2. Great food, great people, great space
  3. oh yea, and the service was very good.
  4. Our waitress was extremely attentive and I loved my appetizer (sliced duck with truffles and almonds) and entree (the pork chop).
  5. Average food, terrible service
  6. The chef is genius, service is impeccable, host that truly welcomes you to his home.
  7. When we mentioned the poor service to one of the waiters, she responded, "Well, your waitress is downstairs right now," offering no sympathy to us whatsoever.
  8. read some previous reviewers who claimed terrible service, however our server was very nice and very attentive.
  9. Service was very attentive, our wine glasses were never empty.
  10. Gabriel, the host, is friendly, but cocky.
  11. They brought out a complimentary appetizer, and we had great service.
  12. glasses were never half empty and the staff was warm and wonderful.
  13. The restaurant is tiny, but cozy, the wait staff was great, though I did have to ask for bread.
  14. Great meat, less than impressive eggs, good service, go early: food ran out fast
  15. We wanted to try the warm chocolate cake with espresso ice cream but they had just run out (it was past midnight) and our server very graciously brought us a trio of gelato on the house.
  16. The service was excellent and the staff was super friendly!
  17. This cozy West Village corner is run by charming people cranking out high class food.
  18. Great food, great service, cant wait to go back!
  19. One of the best meals I've had in a long time plus friendly service.
  20. The service was amazing.
  21. Vey nice service, great wine list, good food.
  22. The waitress seemed friendly, helpful and accommodating, although the hostess kept reminding people that they had to finish their meals in order for tables to become available.
  23. The waiter was very helpful and attentive, and the manager came over and made a great wine recommendation.
  24. We loved the restaurant, fabulous service, and even if it had sucked, I'd still go back for those addictive sliders!
  25. coudn't help it but become taken by the good vibe of the place, talked to the rest of the bar and made friends over the obvious good food, the room is very small, the service is great yet not professional or upselling, i liked to exhange words with the
  26. even after they called us three times to confirm the reservation, and each time they mentioned a special dessert), we were rushed through our entire meal (appetizers came before our wine & the kitchen staff was peering out the window at us to see when we'
  27. The service was impeccable.
  28. Oh, and the server and the hostess were charming.
  29. Food is very well plated, service is very professional, and the way eveything is set up in the place is just beautiful.
  30. The service was terrific, the food delish, and presentation very appealing, the atmosphere very comfortable and well thought out.
value
75.0% positive
  1. It should also be noted that for this quality of food the prices are not only reasonable, but a great value.
  2. Brunch is overpriced.
  3. Highly recommended and worth your wait.
  4. The porkchop is so amazing that it's not worth dying for, it's worth living for.
  5. and its definitly worth it, although reservations are helpful.
  6. Cozy place for a date; porkchop worth living for!
wait time
75.0% positive
  1. The host was so nice and said he'd probably have something in an hour so we went to EO for a drink and 25 mins later he called us for a table at 7:45!
  2. Been for brunch a few times and the food is so slow, at least 30 minutes each time.
  3. Came here on a Friday night with my parents (in from out of town) and we had an amazing experience--besides having to wait for 45 mins even though we had a reservation.
  4. One of the best meals I've had in a long time plus friendly service.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/01/10

Not for snooty fancypants.

by MrsJefe

This is not some enormous, glamorama, fancypants food cavern with a slick-as-sh-- bar scene and sex appeal. It's a cozy spot with delicious food from start to finish and the service ain't too shabby either.

Meatball sliders blah blah blah. I'll say this: my friend WJ barely eats red meat, let alone veal or pork, but even she eats the meatball sliders here because, yes, they are that good. And we almost stabbed each other over the cauliflower because it's worth maiming a friend of over 10 years for a simply prepared but really f-ing good side like that. If you decide not to try the lamb t-bone on at least one occasion, be prepared to get a little jealous and pissy that you missed out when you see it being served to someone at another table.

The wine list is one of those quality-not-quantity situations. You can tell the options are lovingly selected by people who respect how the right wine makes already good food even more velvety delicious, especially when one of the servers or managers comes by and knows what you're drinking (even if he/she didn't actually serve it directly to you) and asks how you like it and compares tasting notes with you in a non-obnoxious, douchey way.

Sure, it's annoying to get a reservation. But once you go there, you understand why. It's just not big enough for all the people who love to eat there. I just wish they would open a franchise in my living room.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

06/01/10

Adorable

by lovingfood15

Such a cute spot to stop for a bite. I first heard about them on Behind the Burner. com

3 Star Rating: Average

07/11/09

someone tell me why this place is special?

by winterdaisy

Not that the food was bad. It was pretty decent. But I wasn't sure what is so special about it. Is it because it's so small and it's hard to get a reservation? I mean... scarcity...

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/15/09

hidden gem

by speakyourmind

great food and perfect atmosphere, small but chic, meatball sliders a must.. fun staff and very helpful

you must go

  • Pros: meatball sliders
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/01/09

One of my favorites.

by Jger23

This is one of the best restaurants in NYC hands down. Everything about this restaurant deserves 5 stars. You will not be disappointed if you choose to try Little Owl, its worth the reservation wait list.

  • Pros: amazing food, atmosphere and location
  • Cons: hard to get reservations

The Details on Little Owl

Place Categories:

  • great food
  • great fabulous service
  • airy atmosphere
  • never recommend place
  • crispy chicken
  • great dining experience
  • annoying host
  • loved scrumptious meatball sliders
  • incredible everything
  • super friendly wait staff
  • enjoy wonderful music
  • recommend large meat ball sliders
  • nutty sunflower seeds
  • nutty bibb lettuce salad wbeets
  • very nice server
  • great meal
  • very helpful waiter
  • fabulous sauce
  • delicious scallops
  • flavorful variety
  • fantastic vibe
  • truly appalling seating situation
  • recommended highly
  • terrible service
  • fantastic cod

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

New York

Advertisement

Featured In

Recent Reviews In Manhattan

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Curry Dream

66 W. 39th St, New York, NY

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Libation

137 Ludlow St., New York, NY

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Blackstones Pub & Restaurant

245 E 55th St, New York, NY

1 Star Rating: Poor

Garage Restaurant and Cafe

99 7th Avenue South, New York, NY

Advertisement