Gotham Bar and Grill

(212) 620-4020

12 E 12th St (nr. Fifth Ave.)
New York, NY 10003 40.7343 -73.994

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Neighborhoods: Greenwich Village, Downtown

GOTHAMBARANDGRILL.COM

Years in business

Established in 1984

Hours:

Mon-Thu 12pm-2:15pm, 5:30pm-10pm

Fri 12pm-2:15pm, 5:30pm-11pm

Sat 5pm-11pm

Sun 5pm-10pm

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 8.05.11

Category:

Restaurants, Bars & Pubs, Taverns

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Quiet, Special Occasion Dining, People Watching, Business Dining, Lunch Spot, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List, Prix Fixe Menu

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

New American, Traditional American, Seafood

What People Are Saying About Gotham Bar and Grill

Featured Review

Josh Ozersky

Contributor

In its heyday, Gotham was one of the most influential restaurants in America for its towering platings and ultra-seasonal cooking. The room was modern, airy and elegant and it still is; the only thing that has changed is that the rest of the cooking world has caught up with chef Alfred Portale. But the food is as good as ever. Typically, there is one top-quality ingredient understatedly supported by two or three elements; a soft shell crab might come with some chanterelles and asparagus and a brown butter aioli, or a king crab risotto might show up with a few braised artichokes and some…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Before digging into the massive, international wine list ($38-$1,750), a great pre-meal option is the potent Whiskey Smash ($14), a mix of lemon, mint, simple syrup and whiskey.
Where to Sit:
The restaurant encourages last-minute and solo diners to eat at the bar with a substantial list of half-bottles of wine.
Fun Fact:
The restaurant is next to Cinema Village, which makes it a great choice for dinner and a movie.
Group Dining:
The space can be reserved for private dinners of up to 140 people.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. The atmosphere is incredible and the food.
  2. Lovely ambiance coupled with a delicious and well-prepared meal make for a perfect dining experience.
  3. Parking is ample; the location is great if you are in LM.
  4. their soups are fantastic and the atmosphere is excellent.
  5. To sum it up, the service, food, staff and decor were incredible.
  6. The layout and decor are great.
  7. The decor is lovely, the service is warm&attentive and the food is divine.
  8. like to have a cool, fun, or romantic atmosphere when I'm paying these kinds of prices.
  9. The food was exquisite, the service impeccable and the atmosphere elegant (with a tad corporate air feel).
  10. loved the ambience and the service was great.
  11. The setting was stuffy for a young couple looking for a romantic spot - the wine steward was amazed when we showed a basic knowledge of grapes, and the couple next to us were in their 80s (they informed us of this proudly) and on their 2nd date.
  12. The rack of lambs are to die for, the service is great, the ambiance is perfect.
  13. The dining room has great lighting and a nice ambience, with beautiful white drapey things hanging from the ceiling.
dessert
90.0% positive
  1. The menu offers 3 savory courses and dessert, we figured there must be a reason for this so we went for 3 savory courses.
  2. The asparagus salad was fantastic, the mahi mahi literally melted in my mouth, and the warm flourless chocolate cake with mango sorbet was phenomenal.
  3. The desserts I loved was the creme brulee of caramel or chocolate dipped with the churros, as well as the delicious strawberry souffle!
  4. The chocolate carmel cake was amazing!
  5. Even if you don't order desert, there are these little nibblets that come out for you to snack on.
  6. cake with an amazing espresso/walnut ice cream.
  7. And to top it off, the Gotham warm chocolate cake left an indelible impression on my mind as the best chocolate dessert I can remember to date.
  8. While all of the food is delicious, I highly recommend the chocolate cake.
  9. Then the desserts came, and they were hands down the best dessert we ever had.
  10. The entree was good, not outstanding and the desert was great.
drinks
90.62999725341797% positive
  1. Service was outstanding both in the dining room and at the bar.
  2. cake with an amazing espresso/walnut ice cream.
  3. Presentation is excellent and so is the bar.
  4. nice twist is their lunchtime wine menu (all at $20.02) for tasting wines, half bottles, and full bottles.
  5. They can make a good martini once you get then bar tenders attention.
  6. It was exactly what I was looking for; gourmet, seafood, excellent presentation, enormous wine list, beautiful setting.
  7. The wine list had mostly expensive wines, but one does come here to treat oneself, right?
  8. The only thing which was even a slight problem to an otherwise perfect experience was they didn't have the wine we ordered.
  9. This is a great place to have dinner or even just for drinks.
  10. Engjoyed the 3 course lunch at the fabulous bar, such a deal ($24.70).
  11. Try dining at the bar for a casual lunch - it's a great spot to people watch.
  12. We started with excellent house cocktails which are all very old school and for serious drinkers - no fruity watered down concontions and lots of bourbon based drinks.
  13. If one has to wait a bit for a table, the bar is huge and perfect for pre-dinner conversation as it is never too loud.
  14. My girlfriend and I ate at Gotham bar and grill last night, and our experience was amazing.
  15. Love the spacious dining room and the bar is great for solo diners.
  16. The setting was stuffy for a young couple looking for a romantic spot - the wine steward was amazed when we showed a basic knowledge of grapes, and the couple next to us were in their 80s (they informed us of this proudly) and on their 2nd date.
food quality
96.05999946594238% positive
  1. Lovely ambiance coupled with a delicious and well-prepared meal make for a perfect dining experience.
  2. The meal was amazing every bite was savory, we were disappointed when the meal was over.
  3. Wonderful food in a mundane setting, definitely geared towards an older crowd.
  4. Excellent food with professional but friendly service.
  5. recommendations were right on: the octopus appetizer was delicious even for those unadventurous with their tastes.
  6. You'll get Fidji water out of plastic bottles served to excellent food.
  7. The Miso Black cod was extremely tasty, the fish was perfectly cooked as was the veggies and rice.
  8. The food was tasty, creative and well seasoned.
  9. have had an incredible duck risotto there (with cabbage), sweet shrimp risotto, filet.
  10. Gotham is awesome- so much better than Jean Georges (where I found my food inedible), or Union Square Cafe, or so many other hyped restaurants in NY.
  11. The decor is lovely, the service is warm&attentive and the food is divine.
  12. loved the presentation, the service, and most importantly the food, we were never rushed, we had the nicest table, and we enjoyed the whole experience!
  13. Great food almost makes up for robotic service
  14. The food was nice- I choose that word intentionally.
  15. Asparagus/beet salad, mahi mahi and warm choc.
  16. And the food is superb.
  17. The steak was a perfect medium rare and served warm.
  18. They consistently serve top-notch food and the service is always fantastic.
  19. Gotham's food is fabulous, 98% of the time.
  20. While the tuna tartare appetizer was excellent, the ny steak entree was nothing special.
  21. their soups are fantastic and the atmosphere is excellent.
  22. The lamb chops were superb.
  23. The tables are a bit close and it can get a little loud, but the food is delicious and the service is outstanding!
  24. loved the refreshing chilled melon salad to start off with.
  25. Everything from the food to the service was incredible.
  26. The food here is fabulous.
  27. The food is excellent.
  28. The food was outstanding -- I inhaled the venison chop that was (barely) cooked to perfection and the bite I stole of my husband's duck was equally wonderful.
  29. The food was the best I have tasted in a long while.
  30. The food was exquisite, the service impeccable and the atmosphere elegant (with a tad corporate air feel).
  31. The food was excellent - good fresh ingredients, prepared well, and served stylishly.
  32. Meaning, I ordered Lobster Tails as an entree (The Tails were delicious) and along with my Tails came Spinach with beans and fried potatoes that were close to potato steak fries.
  33. It was exactly what I was looking for; gourmet, seafood, excellent presentation, enormous wine list, beautiful setting.
  34. My wife ordered a warm mushroom salad and the free range chicken, She enjoyed the mushrooms and other stuff in the salad but was overwhelmed by the greenery on it (which was almost comical in how over the top it was stacked).
  35. The foie gras would transport you with it's flavors and it was simply divine, the grilled lamb was perfectly tasty, not overcooked, and the seasoned herbs were really mouth watering, and I can't wait to return for another occassion!
  36. tasty towers
  37. *It is the single most delicious dish I have ever tasted.
  38. Wonderful service and amazing food make this place a must try.
  39. This used to be a vow what incredible food place.
  40. The squab was good but not outstanding as was the seafood salad.
  41. While all of the food is delicious, I highly recommend the chocolate cake.
  42. There was 3 baby carrots, a spoon full of spinach, sun dried tomatoes, 3 pieces of eggplant, and 10 string beans, oh and onions.
  43. but the greeting at the door is so rude, that it puts a damper on the entire meal.
  44. Last night was no exception; the tomato salad with arugula was the best appetizer I've had in awhile and my lobster was cooked to perfection.
  45. The service was great and the waiter made sure we always had fresh bread to eat.
  46. The organic free range chicken was a 6, the lamb chop was excellent, and we had to send the halibut back 2x with no result- ended up having to order anther dish (cod) in which the fish was good but the clams were too tough to eat and the sausage wasn't ev
  47. But the food is wonderful.
  48. tend to like my pasta a bit over done, just slightly past al dente, but this was like eating rice.
  49. The desserts I loved was the creme brulee of caramel or chocolate dipped with the churros, as well as the delicious strawberry souffle!
  50. The appetizer (pasta of the day) was very tasty, and the Atlantic halibut had a sense of individual style, but was a bit bland.
  51. The asparagus salad was fantastic, the mahi mahi literally melted in my mouth, and the warm flourless chocolate cake with mango sorbet was phenomenal.
  52. I've been there on numerous occasions and with the exception of a recent disappointment (ordered the duck and the dish came cold to the table, so I had to send it back), the food is always excellent.
  53. The Pasta was delicious, very rich and earthy like i expected (and the bread we were served was very handy in mopping up the sauce) and the pasta was well cooked.
  54. We ordered a nice bottle of rose champange for the meal.
  55. Gotham has good food that is displayed elegantly (can you say Leaning Tower of Pisa made of lobster?)
  56. The asparagus mushroom risotto, seared tuna, and lobster tail were the best we ever had.
  57. The food was good, but seemed mismatched.
  58. All the food was very delicious, including ceviche, lobster, berkshire pork.
  59. It's a place for people with stacks of money who don't want to get dressed up but want 5 star food and great service.
  60. But the winner was the grilled hanger steak with baby carrots and crispy fingerling potatoes bordelaise sauce; so perfectly cooked, tender and well-seasoned.
  61. Great food is not that hard to find.
  62. yummy pasta and he had a wonderful large NY steak, it was the best of the best.
  63. The food was fantastic and worth every penny, I had the house special.
  64. The atmosphere is incredible and the food.
  65. Great food, lovely dining room
  66. To sum it up, the service, food, staff and decor were incredible.
  67. The place is enduring for a reason - excellent food, well prepared, beautifully presented.
  68. Let's be honest - the food is always great here.
  69. Considering the money you pay, you would expect good food AND spectacular service.
  70. Overall, the food was good.
  71. Gotham is quite expensive, but the service and food are flawless.
  72. Gotham is pricey but this is NYC and the food and service was worth the visit.
menu variety
62.5% positive
  1. The menu offers 3 savory courses and dessert, we figured there must be a reason for this so we went for 3 savory courses.
  2. nice twist is their lunchtime wine menu (all at $20.02) for tasting wines, half bottles, and full bottles.
  3. guess they knew people wouldn't order it if they had that on the menu.
  4. The place was an excellent place for lunch - my friends and I had the pre-fixe lunch menu.
overall
100.0% positive
  1. Without a doubt, Gotham is our favorite restaurant in New York.
  2. This is a great place to have dinner or even just for drinks.
  3. In general its a nice place but it certainly not in the outstanding class.
  4. Service was friendly, we were early for our reservation but were seated immediately coat and bag check was very nice and the hostess was as friendly as you'll find in a place like this in NYC.
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. The foie gras would transport you with it's flavors and it was simply divine, the grilled lamb was perfectly tasty, not overcooked, and the seasoned herbs were really mouth watering, and I can't wait to return for another occassion!
service
84.75000381469727% positive
  1. On more than one occassion when I am with a large group where the tip will already be included, the service is awful.
  2. It's a place for people with stacks of money who don't want to get dressed up but want 5 star food and great service.
  3. The service was helpful, but aloof.
  4. Service was average, but our waiter was full of "tude
  5. Gotham is pricey but this is NYC and the food and service was worth the visit.
  6. Namely, the space is beautiful, although the tables are set very close to each other and the waitstaff was very attentive.
  7. loved the ambience and the service was great.
  8. Service was friendly, we were early for our reservation but were seated immediately coat and bag check was very nice and the hostess was as friendly as you'll find in a place like this in NYC.
  9. Everything from the food to the service was incredible.
  10. Hostess, servers, bussers--all staff were very attentive and pleasant.
  11. Service was professional and friendly.
  12. The service was great!
  13. The food was exquisite, the service impeccable and the atmosphere elegant (with a tad corporate air feel).
  14. get it that Restaurant Week is discounted, and many people tip only the percentage of the cheap prix fixe price, I am sure they would much rather have people paying full price and buying liquor and leaving big tips, but they sure as heck are not going t
  15. The service was fantastic.
  16. It's such a unique place - you can dress formal or casual and you'll get the same level of service.
  17. The service was great and the waiter made sure we always had fresh bread to eat.
  18. The rack of lambs are to die for, the service is great, the ambiance is perfect.
  19. Always perfect attentive service.
  20. The one drawback was the service-while professional and precise, our waitress was not friendly by any stretch of the imagination.
  21. Excellent food with professional but friendly service.
  22. The service was very pleasant if not observant.
  23. The service is formal yet friendly and Gotham has always been CONSISTENT on delivering a memorable experience (oh.
  24. very attentive and they all truly seemed to want you to have a perfect experience there.
  25. loved the presentation, the service, and most importantly the food, we were never rushed, we had the nicest table, and we enjoyed the whole experience!
  26. Gotham is quite expensive, but the service and food are flawless.
  27. The serving staff was superb; our server was perfectly nice without being our buddy, always responsive and cordial without being snooty.
  28. Went with a small group, had great service and truly enjoyed our meals.
  29. Wonderful service and amazing food make this place a must try.
  30. our waiter was so friendly and made you feel at home.
  31. To sum it up, the service, food, staff and decor were incredible.
  32. Try dining at the bar for a casual lunch - it's a great spot to people watch.
  33. They consistently serve top-notch food and the service is always fantastic.
  34. Although the place is a bit overcrowded, waiters are always polite and professional.
  35. but the greeting at the door is so rude, that it puts a damper on the entire meal.
  36. Great food almost makes up for robotic service
  37. Service was very attentive, but not pushy.
  38. Considering the money you pay, you would expect good food AND spectacular service.
  39. The Captain was attentive & polite, unlike most NYC restaurant service employees.
  40. guess they knew people wouldn't order it if they had that on the menu.
  41. The service is impeccable and they really look to make sure you are taken care of.
  42. The staff is truly wonderful and classy.
  43. The tables are a bit close and it can get a little loud, but the food is delicious and the service is outstanding!
  44. The manager was cold and rude from the minute we walked in.
  45. The employees were very warm and pleasant and made us feel at home.
  46. The service was wonderful from the minute I walked through the door.
  47. The decor is lovely, the service is warm&attentive and the food is divine.
value
61.11000061035156% positive
  1. It's a place for people with stacks of money who don't want to get dressed up but want 5 star food and great service.
  2. The wine list had mostly expensive wines, but one does come here to treat oneself, right?
  3. If one has to wait a bit for a table, the bar is huge and perfect for pre-dinner conversation as it is never too loud.
  4. My boyfriend and I are huge fans of the TV show ?
  5. If you are going to an expensive restaurant the least they can do is work with you.
  6. Great value lunch for $20.02!
  7. get it that Restaurant Week is discounted, and many people tip only the percentage of the cheap prix fixe price, I am sure they would much rather have people paying full price and buying liquor and leaving big tips, but they sure as heck are not going t
  8. That place is overpriced for what you get in your plate.
  9. My only complaints: 1) tables are close together and it's an uncomfortable situation to go to the restroom - you need someone to pull the tabel out for you and if you don't wait for that to happen, your butt will be in your neighbor's dinner (and I'm not
  10. like to have a cool, fun, or romantic atmosphere when I'm paying these kinds of prices.
  11. This is a pricey place to dine in the evening, but the prix fixe lunch offers superb value.
  12. Gotham is quite expensive, but the service and food are flawless.
  13. Gotham is pricey but this is NYC and the food and service was worth the visit.
  14. The food was fantastic and worth every penny, I had the house special.
  15. Considering the money you pay, you would expect good food AND spectacular service.
wait time
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. The manager was cold and rude from the minute we walked in.
  2. The food was the best I have tasted in a long while.
  3. The service was wonderful from the minute I walked through the door.
3 Star Rating: Average

04/11/10

One of the best with spotty service

by worshma

Let's be honest - the food is always great here.

What is not so consistent - the service. On more than one occassion when I am with a large group where the tip will already be included, the service is awful. On the most recent visit, the waiter had to flagged down to bring us water, take the wine order (and he had to bring someone else to the table because he had no knowledge of the wine list), to take our order, to reorder win, to bring us the tab, and to correct the billing. We had to search him down each time. And once we finally asked for him to correct the billing mistrakes, he assigned someone else to the table. Unfortunately, beacuse I am usually a fan of this place. Considering the money you pay, you would expect good food AND spectacular service. Not the case.

  • Pros: Amazing food
  • Cons: Poor service with attitude
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/27/10

An Exquisite Dining Experience

by silverblue , Citysearch Contributor

Gotham won me over with the $25 Prix Fixe restaurant week lunch in February (note that the 3-course lunch deal is now running at $31, which is still a steal!). The food was exquisite, the service impeccable and the atmosphere elegant (with a tad corporate air feel).

I loved the refreshing chilled melon salad to start off with. Then the delightful miso-marinated cod with spring vegetables and foamy purée tasted light and healthy. But the winner was the grilled hanger steak with baby carrots and crispy fingerling potatoes bordelaise sauce; so perfectly cooked, tender and well-seasoned. And to top it off, the Gotham warm chocolate cake left an indelible impression on my mind as the best chocolate dessert I can remember to date.

Tip: Every Monday, Gotham invite diners to bring their own bottle of wine from the featured region of the $75 prix fixe uncorked menu, without the customary corkage fee. In March, the theme is Spain.

  • Pros: Warm Chocolate Cake, Meat Entrees, Solid Service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/19/10

It doesn't get any better than GOTHAM!

by IDASQ

The experience at Gotham Bar and Grill is not one to be missed while in Manhattan. It's such a unique place - you can dress formal or casual and you'll get the same level of service. The service is formal yet friendly and Gotham has always been CONSISTENT on delivering a memorable experience (oh....just when you think it doesn't get any better after your meal, the dessert menu arrives - whatever you choose, you'll LOVE it)... the Pastry Chef is a MASTER!

Try dining at the bar for a casual lunch - it's a great spot to people watch.

  • Pros: Service, Cuisine, Ambiance, PRIVATE EVENTS
2 Star Rating: Below Average

10/02/09

Expected more

by trlyclsc

I went after wanting to for so long and being in the food industry, it was about time. Went for lunch, ordered 3 apps, 2 entrees, 3 desserts.

The terrine was definetly the best of the 3 apps, octo was a bit over-done, and the flavors didnt stand out at all. Their tartare was ok, I'm into slightly over-seasoning, but this was just too much for the dish +how it was plated, I promise you, gordan ramsey would have thrown it on the floor.

Tried the shrimp risotto, they put one shrimp split in the dish. you cant really call it shrimp risotto with one shrimp, come on. +the risotto was way over done. I tend to like my pasta a bit over done, just slightly past al dente, but this was like eating rice. no bueno.

The duck was ok. polenta and succotash were good.

The apricot terrine was eh. summer cheesecake, oh this was interesting. the sorbet was I believe a white balsamic huckleberry. Cheesecake though, it tasted tangy like there was blue cheese in it and no one seemed to know what it was made of. they found out for us and it was 80% mascarpone and 20% gorgonzola. I guess they knew people wouldn't order it if they had that on the menu. plus the linzer tart that came with it was bigger than the cheesecake. 3rd dessert I can't even remember what it was.

Service. Our waited greeted us with, "so 'bout some lunch today" No shit. Didnt smile once. never checked on us. when we didnt order wine they left the wine glasses on our small table with 3 apps.. never cleaned the crumbs off. left our empty bread plates. No one could or did explain the dishes. then when our waiter dissapeared, it seems his shift ended. No goodbye and so-and-so will be your waiter/waitress. Goodness. It was atrocious. Latte wasnt worth the 5$ something. which was even more than le bernadin's.

Perhaps it was because we came right when lunch was ending? I still dont think thats an excuse. Maybe it was just a bad day in general? Or maybe I just expect too much. Hope others have a better experience.

  • Pros: room temp butter like it should be.
  • Cons: service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/25/09

Delicious Food

by LeeLee74

My Husband and I went to Gotham for Valentines day. The meal was amazing every bite was savory, we were disappointed when the meal was over. I wish the resturant itself had a little more character but other than that the experience was tops.

  • Cons: ordinary ambience

The Details on Gotham Bar and Grill

Place Categories:

  • excellent topnotch food
  • great spectacular service
  • overpriced place
  • wonderful whole experience
  • incredible serving staff
  • favorite lovely fine restaurant
  • like pasta
  • great gotham bar
  • truly enjoyed meal
  • pricey gotham
  • incredible atmosphere
  • best chocolate dessert
  • great desert
  • very tasty tuna tartare appetizer
  • warm flourless chocolate cake
  • full waiter
  • great value lunch
  • nice ambience
  • loved melon salad
  • helpful maitre d
  • order anther dish
  • pleasant employees
  • memorable oh
  • superb lamb chop
  • excellent presentation
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