Union Square Cafe
(212) 243-4020
21 E 16TH St Ste 1
New York,
NY
10003
40.7372
-73.9921
Neighborhoods: Flatiron District, Midtown
What People Are Saying About Union Square Cafe
The Editor
Kathleen Squires
Citysearch
The Scene
The three rooms look as if Ralph Lauren might have designed them, with hunter green wainscoting, deep wood floors, ivory colored walls and warm mahogany accents. The entire space hums with excitement as power deals are made, daters connect and tourists thrill to a true New York dining experience. The servers, casual in their striped button-downs, anticipate and fulfill needs as if they were trained as mind readers.
The Food
Chef Michael Romano's seasonal menu draws on the local greenmarket to create fresh, classic crowd-pleasers. Perfectly sauced pastas are a sure thing, like exquisite ribbons of tagliorini dotted with garden-fresh English peas and savory gnocchi plumped with porcini, proscioutto and Parmesan. Meats, like a succulent, crispy lemon-pepper duck, are no less worthy. The gourmet take on the peanut butter cup encompasses the restaurant's philosophy best: take a familiar pleasure, then elevate it to delightfully delicious extremes.
User Reviews
pw321
March 02, 2009
My girlfriend arrived 20 minutes early for our 7:30 reservation on a busy Saturday night. Despite being early we were immediately seated. The server was excellent, he overhead us talking about the duck confit and came over to tell us more about it. My girlfriend has been to Italy, been to most of the best Italian restaurants around, and said that her ravioli she got as the first course was the best pasta she ever had. The food was amazing, the price is excellent for a top tier restaurant, and the service was impeccable. I cannot wait to go back. This is a must visit.
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puiyin1031
January 26, 2009
I finally gave them another go after 10 years of staying away after my initial visit. There was a long BLONDE hair in my salad & when I tried to return it, the waitress implied that it was probably my hair that fell in after she served the dish?.ahem, I am ASIAN, enough said! Then we got charged for not 1, but 2 salads..talk about audacity. Any other restaurant in the country would?ve given me the salad free of charge. I left making the vow to never return again. & was disgusted year after year when they made the top of Zagats list. Fast forward10yrs to Restaurant Week in early ?09. I went with my Mom to celebrate the Lunar New year. The food was tasty, service brisk yet polite. & the ultimate redeeming moment was when the pastry chef decorated our dessert plates with a beautiful illustration of a dragon & an ox, to signify the Chinese horoscopes & in observance of the Year of the Ox which started today. We were so delighted with the personal attention that we asked to meet her, what a sweetheart! People & good service are what make the restaurant business succeed?don?t forget that.
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rachelz3
July 21, 2008
What a difference 4 months makes! I wrote in July that USC was "near perfect" and "welcoming". Two hostesses discouraged my Nov 1 booking. This time I stopped in personally two days in advance to go over the seating arrangements for my son's stroller. We've been to USC with the stroller twice before (including July)- no problem. Jesse, a male host, apologized for the rude reception we received at the door. Just as I began to forget the trouble during the meal, Assistant Manager Jill came up behind me, put her hands on my back and told me that I would have to move the stroller to accommodate a male diner at another table. I tried to sort it out with Jill- she turned her back on me. I stood up to confront her. The male diner interceded to say that he has a child and he was quite happy with the stroller as it was. Jill's bizarre behavior explains the dismal performance of the blond hostesses. Our meal was wrecked, we cut it short, paid the bill, thanked the kind gentleman diner and left. Go elsewhere, USC is in trouble now.
read full reviewThe Details on Union Square Cafe
Know Before You Go:
Leave your cellular phone at home; Meyer has explicitly banned the use of the devices in his restaurants.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Diners Club, Discover, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Special Occasion Dining, Brunch, Notable Chef, Business Dining, Online Reservations, Dine At The Bar, Notable Wine List, Prix Fixe Menu
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Michael Romano
