(212) 772-2600
20 E 76th St
(Madison Avenue and 5th Avenue)
New York,
NY
10021
40.7744
-73.9643
Neighborhoods: Upper East Side, Midtown
Hours:
Tue-Thu 12pm-2:30pm
5:45pm-10:30pm
Fri 12pm-2:30pm
5:45pm-11pm
Sat 11:30am-2:30pm
5:30pm-11pm
Sun 11:30am-2:30pm
Price:
$$$$
Last updated 7.20.11
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Special Occasion Dining, Outdoor Dining, Notable Chef, People Watching, Business Dining, Online Reservations, Notable Wine List
Cuisine:
Other Locations:
What People Are Saying About Cafe Boulud
Featured Review
Contributor
Contributor
In Short – Cafe Boulud couldn't be less like Daniel in terms of decor. One is a globally ambitious temple of gastronomy, and looks every bit the part; while this one is sleek and minimal, a quiet and austere East Side space. The food, however, is a different story: Wunderkind chef Gavin Kaysen has a shocking mastery of all the old virtuoso French techniques (witness his Brandt Farms beef duo "pomme de terre au four") as well as a willingness to go out on a limb (his penne with lamb merguez meatballs.) Boulud is as famous among cooks as a mentor, and Kaysen one of his greatest…
Editor's Tips
- Know Before You Go:
- There are a few tables in front of the restaurant, but they feel a little too close to the street for comfort.
- The Extras:
- If you're feeling flush, the best way to experience the food is via the tasting menu. Running nine courses and at least two hours, it's a real adventure.
- Where to Sit:
- Try to get a table at the opposite end of the room from the bar. Waiting diners can make some tables slightly cramped.
| ambiance | 100.0% positive |
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|---|---|---|
| dessert | 55.56000232696533% positive |
|
| drinks | 88.88999938964844% positive |
|
| food quality | 90.17000198364258% positive |
|
| menu variety | 80.0% positive |
|
| overall | 87.5% positive |
|
| return potential | 100.0% positive |
|
| service | 87.25000381469727% positive |
|
| value | 70.83000183105469% positive |
|
| wait time | 0.0% positive |
|
Excellent Service - where's the food?
by TonyArdmore
The service at Cafe Boulud is almost perfect, If you want to get into details, there are flaws, In the current heat wave, we asked only for ice tea. But, with the refills they did not include new lemon slices. - Pickey - yes. But for a place that has more service staff than you can imagine - something of a question,
The food - what there was - really quite good. But here is the point. We dined during restaurant week and had the 25$ menu for three courses Very respectable.
But the portions were miniscule. I had the flounder. Yes, it was very good, But, the piece of fish was about two inches square.
My daughter had the Fusilli ( which weren't fusilli) and there were about four fork fulls. - How much does pasta cost? Is there anything cheaper?
Oddly, the most complete course was the dessert. Very satisfying,
Next to us a mother and son were dining a la carte.
The boy had the beef. A few tiny pieces at something like $40.!!!!
Cafe Boulud is very Manhattan. It lives on what the NY elite think they should be getting and how they should be treated, Include with them the tourists who timidly resign themselves to the invented machinations of NY chefs. \
For the $25 restaurant week, this place was fine - even enjoyable. But - beyond that, you will be creating your own illusion and paying quite well for your fantasy.
Boulud on Behind the Burner
by lovingfood15
Behind the Burner. com has a great video about the chef at Cafe' Boulud
Sample Daniel Boulud's Genius on a Budget
by jimandinla
As you might expect, the menu is terrific (though certainly not cheap) at Mr. Boulud's popular "downscale" concept restaurant. More surprising is the ability of the kitchen to deliver the goods with consistent reliability despite the pressures of its often full house. Equally impressive is the graciousness and attentiveness of the front of house staff -- though decidedly a "hot spot" there is little "attitude" here.
- Pros: Great menu and execution
- Cons: Can be very busy and noisy
Hope you're not hungry!
by bagsamoney
If you are in a rush and not hungry then this is the place for you! I had lunch here and ordered ravioli as the main course. What I was served was ONE ravioli, total. Seriously! Oh and if you are looking to fill up on their dessert, think again! I ordered the chocolate cake and I use the word "cake" loosely. What I was served was mmmmmmm imagine a chocolate mini muffin and then imagine it cut in half. That was the size of it. Oh I almost forgot, I also got a tablespoon of ice cream. The waiters were attentive but we felt hurried. So if you plan on coming here to eat then you better plan to grab a bite after your time here because you're going to be hungry. In conclusion: If you think you might enjoy eating a 3 course meal here in 6 bites then this is the place for you.
- Pros: attentive waiters
- Cons: portions are so small that they are insulting!
Everything was amazing
by lesterslls
Everything was amazing. I was taken here with my friends for a birthday dinner and we each had different dishes and couldn't stop raving. The kicker might have been the price, but for a splurge this is a great place.
- Pros: food,ambiance
The Details on Cafe Boulud
Place Categories:
- perfect sophisticated service
- great food
- best restaurant
- overly helpful staff
- great overall experience
- fine atmosphere
- favorite place
- much enjoyed meal
- bad service
- great wine
- quite good restaurant week menu
- amazing everything
- nice screaming children
- fantastic evening
- bent courteous
- loved bread
- not as great average food
- really good friends scallops
- unique more dish
- full duck
- absolutely delicious dessert
- fantastic waiter
- polite servers
- beautiful decor
- excellent simple salads


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