Duane Park Cafe

(212) 732-5555

157 Duane St (nr. West Broadway)
New York, NY 10013 40.716757 -74.008739

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Neighborhoods: Tribeca, Downtown

duaneparkcafe.com/

Hours:

Mon-Fri 12-4pm

5:30pm-11pm

Sat 5:30pm-11pm

Sun 11:30am-3pm

5:30pm-11pm

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Romantic Dining, Fine Dining, Brunch, Notable Chef, Historic Setting, Lunch Spot, Business Dining, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Prix Fixe Menu

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

New American, Traditional American

What People Are Saying About Duane Park Cafe

Featured Review

Kathleen Squires

Contributor

In Short – You'll feel like the Southern belle of the ball inside this Tara-like room, where you half-expect Scarlett O' Hara to swoop in. But not only the chandeliers and white columns set the plantation tone. Shawn Knight (ex-Natchez) adds Dixie touches to a modern American menu with dishes like barbecued quail with black-eyed pea farro salad. Otherwise, Berkshire pork chop with smoked bacon spaetzle holds Yankee appeal, while the desserts like a Mexican chocolate tart go beyond the North and the South.

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Try house cocktails like the Cliff Hanger--lime vodka, lime sorbet, and fresh lemon juice, $12.
When to Go:
Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday, while a classical English afternoon tea, complete with finger sandwiches, scones and petit fours, is served Mon-Fri, 3-4pm.
Save Money:
The lunchtime prix fixe menu offers 3 courses for $24.
ambiance
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. love the decor - check out the website, there's nothing like it in NYC.
  2. Highly recommend this place, they just renovated and the decor is beautiful, great little bar area to hang out and wait on your other guests.
  3. Completely unpretentious yet completely posh, Duane Park offers great food in a tucked away location.
  4. Posh decor, relaxed atmosphere, amazing food, extremely friendly staff.
  5. wanted to choose a place with DELICIOUS food, not just nice ambiance or fancy.
  6. The atmosphere is cozy.
  7. generally am disappointed with New York restaurants: top chefs turning out so-so fare, terrible inattentive service, long waits, obnoxious atmosphere.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. Scallop/crab cake appetizer featured light and crispy exterior/melty gooey interior accompanied by a bland but pleasant lemon 'vinaigrette' (more like a cream) indifferent pickled seaweed/cucumber salad.
  2. From appetizers to dessert (including drinks), everything is perfect.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. Great wine list and reasonable prices.
  2. In addition to a solid meal, friendly service and powerfully tasty drinks, we found ourselves lost in the lively and haunting beauty of the performances.
  3. Aside from a lovely setting--beautiful wallpaper and chandelier that transports one to an antebellum manse--and delicious food, the attentive (but not overbearing) service, wonderful wine list and gracious host/hostess make Duane Park the perfect place to
  4. Highly recommend this place, they just renovated and the decor is beautiful, great little bar area to hang out and wait on your other guests.
  5. From appetizers to dessert (including drinks), everything is perfect.
food quality
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. The food was amazing.
  2. Of course, I also love the bass, the steak, duck confit
  3. The tuna was by far one the best dishes of tuna I have ever had in the city!
  4. Floured-and-fried monkfish was dry, potato was lumpy and bland, garlicky spinach far too salty, gloppy saffron sauce strangely cinnamony and pumpkiny.
  5. night of classy entertainment and great food!
  6. Aside from a lovely setting--beautiful wallpaper and chandelier that transports one to an antebellum manse--and delicious food, the attentive (but not overbearing) service, wonderful wine list and gracious host/hostess make Duane Park the perfect place to
  7. fabulous meal
  8. The food was wonderful, especially for the price.
  9. Can't really recommend just one dish because love everyone that I've ordered.
  10. Comfortable fare, some innovative dishes, and a waitstaff that is actually professional.
  11. Posh decor, relaxed atmosphere, amazing food, extremely friendly staff.
  12. The owners definitely know what they are doing, catering to a clientele that likes food without feeling the rush and and the need to be a celebrity to get decent service like so many of the trendy, high-end restaurants in New York today.
  13. We had a fabulous meal there on a Saturday night!
  14. Scallop/crab cake appetizer featured light and crispy exterior/melty gooey interior accompanied by a bland but pleasant lemon 'vinaigrette' (more like a cream) indifferent pickled seaweed/cucumber salad.
  15. Tasty food, bad server that doesn't eat sorbet
  16. Duane Park is not only an amazing restaurant with tasty Creole inspired food (you must try the bouilliabaise!
  17. Great food, excellent service
  18. Everything I have tried is really good, but if I have to recommend one dish I would say the scallops.
  19. small sophisticated and charming restaurant with very good food.
  20. wanted to choose a place with DELICIOUS food, not just nice ambiance or fancy.
  21. In addition to a solid meal, friendly service and powerfully tasty drinks, we found ourselves lost in the lively and haunting beauty of the performances.
  22. The food was as the reviews stated, very good.
  23. The food, especially the Horseradish Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Foie Gras whipped potatoes, spinach, and wild mushrooms; Scallop and Crab Cake and Roasted Monk Fish with purple mash potatoes, lobster seafood sausage, and saffron vinaigrette, was excelle
  24. this place has suprisingly good food and service.
  25. The sauces were all incredible on the tuna, as well as the halibut & beef tenderloin.
  26. Amazing food, fabulous place for a date of group of friends!
  27. Everything was so tasty.
  28. Completely unpretentious yet completely posh, Duane Park offers great food in a tucked away location.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. Food was good although menu was a little limited(still plenty to chose from).
  2. The youthful selection of singers graced the stage and moved about the dining room floor clad in elegant gowns.
return potential
0.0% positive
  1. The service was horribly slow, to the point that I could have gone home [to Midtown] and come back with some McDonald's faster.
service
72.22000122070312% positive
  1. Aside from a lovely setting--beautiful wallpaper and chandelier that transports one to an antebellum manse--and delicious food, the attentive (but not overbearing) service, wonderful wine list and gracious host/hostess make Duane Park the perfect place to
  2. generally am disappointed with New York restaurants: top chefs turning out so-so fare, terrible inattentive service, long waits, obnoxious atmosphere.
  3. The service was horribly slow, to the point that I could have gone home [to Midtown] and come back with some McDonald's faster.
  4. Tasty food, bad server that doesn't eat sorbet
  5. The owners definitely know what they are doing, catering to a clientele that likes food without feeling the rush and and the need to be a celebrity to get decent service like so many of the trendy, high-end restaurants in New York today.
  6. The service was good - the owner personally seated every party and wished them well as they left.
  7. Posh decor, relaxed atmosphere, amazing food, extremely friendly staff.
  8. The staff is also very nice and accomodating.
  9. The server really plays a big role in your dining experience and she ruined it.
  10. In addition to a solid meal, friendly service and powerfully tasty drinks, we found ourselves lost in the lively and haunting beauty of the performances.
  11. this place has suprisingly good food and service.
  12. Great food, excellent service
  13. was seated promptly, my waiter had good timing and made excellent recommendations.
  14. Great service too - all in all, a jewel of Tribeca.
  15. I've never experienced fine dining with unhelpful and almost rude servers.
  16. HOWEVER, our server,"L", made the experience very unpleasant in the end.
  17. Place was empty and found the service to be very good, polite service.
  18. The music playlist was great too, high kudos to the manager who put it together.
value
100.0% positive
  1. The food was wonderful, especially for the price.
  2. Great wine list and reasonable prices.
wait time
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. Aside from a lovely setting--beautiful wallpaper and chandelier that transports one to an antebellum manse--and delicious food, the attentive (but not overbearing) service, wonderful wine list and gracious host/hostess make Duane Park the perfect place to
  2. generally am disappointed with New York restaurants: top chefs turning out so-so fare, terrible inattentive service, long waits, obnoxious atmosphere.
  3. The service was horribly slow, to the point that I could have gone home [to Midtown] and come back with some McDonald's faster.
4 Star Rating: Recommended

10/29/09

Ciao, Opera! and so much more

by gatecrasher15 at Citysearch

We thought we had exhausted the weekly line-up of Duane Park’s performances from burlesque, to live music, etc. The other night we were treated to the newest trick up their sleeve: opera. That’s right, opera. We were hesitant when first informed of the planned performance. I envisioned large women, belting out full bodied arias that echoed off the walls and shattered stemware. How wrong I was. The youthful selection of singers graced the stage and moved about the dining room floor clad in elegant gowns. Each of the three singers performed a short aria, and then took a 20-25 minute break before singing their second and final pieces.

The pacing was perfect. The performances were unobtrusive, pleasant and refreshing. My perspective on the genre completely changed.

In addition to a solid meal, friendly service and powerfully tasty drinks, we found ourselves lost in the lively and haunting beauty of the performances.

  • Pros: Great food
  • Cons: In Tribeca...
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/15/09

A night of classy entertainment and great food!

by MandiWhitford at Citysearch

I found this place over the weekend and am in love! Duane Park is not only an amazing restaurant with tasty Creole inspired food (you must try the bouilliabaise!!), it is also making its way into the entertainment circuit a few nights a week. On Friday, there is a burlesque show. Yes, that's right, burlesque! No cover! It's classy, inspired, and I felt like I was in 1940's Paris. The room transforms easily into this environment - it is spectacular. I can't wait to go back. You must check it out.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/19/08

Best restaurant in Tribeca

by Tribecadineralicia at Citysearch

I love this place! It is elegant without being stuffy; unique without being overstated; and the food is out of this world! I first came here with a couple friends, and loved it so much that my friends booked my birthday lunch here - they accommodated 40 of us promptly, warmly, and we never felt rushed. I love the decor - check out the website, there's nothing like it in NYC. And the food is spectacular - been here many times and am always delighted. Great service too - all in all, a jewel of Tribeca.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/26/08

Perfect neighborhood restaurant; perfect "special evening" restaurant--Just Perfect

by TWHW at Citysearch

Aside from a lovely setting--beautiful wallpaper and chandelier that transports one to an antebellum manse--and delicious food, the attentive (but not overbearing) service, wonderful wine list and gracious host/hostess make Duane Park the perfect place to be whether for a bite to eat after a long work day or when looking for a special place for a celebration.

We eat there quite often and never tire of the food. From appetizers to dessert (including drinks), everything is perfect. Can't really recommend just one dish because love everyone that I've ordered. However, while I usually don't like to order chicken, I am hooked on Duane Park's pan-roasted organic chicken. Of course, I also love the bass, the steak, duck confit ... get the picture?

If there is a complaint, it's Duane Park serves up too much of a good thing and, so, not good for the waistline!

If you live in the neighborhood, you're very lucky. If you don't, well worth the trip.

Also hear, there will be late night supper club on Friday nights. Can't wait to check that out.

  • Pros: Ambience, Service
  • Cons: NONE
3 Star Rating: Average

06/18/08

Tasty food, bad server that doesn't eat sorbet

by mskkcc at Citysearch

I read such good reviews on Duane Park and was super excited to take my bf there for his birthday.

I wanted to choose a place with DELICIOUS food, not just nice ambiance or fancy. Any price would be ok, as long as the food was different and special. The food was as the reviews stated, very good. HOWEVER, our server,"L", made the experience very unpleasant in the end. The server really plays a big role in your dining experience and she ruined it. She was not helpful in the menu item suggestions and we had to ASK for the specials for the night. When asked about desserts, she was not only helpless but sort of rude. She did say, "Well people get that a lot." When asked about the sorbets, which I'll bet are really good since they're made in their kitchen, she simply said, "I DON'T EAT SORBET!" And that was that. She really disappointed me! And in the end, she really actually made me angry that she ruined our dining experience. I've never experienced fine dining with unhelpful and almost rude servers. I'd go back for the food, but just as long as I don't get "L" who doesn't eat sorbet.

  • Pros: Delicious food
  • Cons: Poorly trained server

The Details on Duane Park Cafe

Place Categories:

  • amazing food
  • polite service
  • relaxed experience
  • very nice staff
  • personally liked place
  • recommend dish
  • really good everything
  • perfect neighborhood restaurant
  • fabulous meal
  • obnoxious atmosphere
  • rude server
  • horribly slow inattentive service
  • helpful waiter
  • love decor
  • big role
  • good timing
  • love bass
  • professional fare
  • delish scallops
  • not amazing restaurant
  • powerfully tasty drinks
  • beautiful wallpaper
  • excellent recommendations
  • nice fancy
  • perfect pacing
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