The Four Seasons

(347) 901-4986

99 East 52nd Street (between Park & Lexington Avenues) (nr. Park Ave.)
New York, NY 10022 40.758474 -73.973169

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Neighborhoods: Midtown Center, Midtown

fourseasonsrestaurant.com

Years in business

Established in 1958

Hours:

Mon-Fri 12pm-2:30pm, 5pm-9:30pm

Sat 5pm-11:30pm

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 7.03.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Private Rooms, Business Dining, Lunch Spot, Group Dining

Cuisine:

Traditional American

Dress Code:

Coat & Tie

Editor's Tips

Email Business

What People Are Saying About The Four Seasons

The Owner

The Four Seasons

Owner

No restaurant is a better symbol of New York than The Four Seasons. Designed by legendary architects Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, the restaurant is a modern classic that has been redefining American cuisine since 1959.Winner of Where Magazine's Best Food in New York award, The Four Seasons recently seduced New York magazine with "adventurous new flavors and marvelous pairings."When planning a visit to The Four Seasons, be sure to give your guests the address (52nd St b/w Park and Lexington Aves). Otherwise they may end up at a hotel chain by a similar name, rather than the restaurant…

Provided by CityGrid

Read more from the owner

Featured Review

Josh Ozersky

Contributor

The Four Seasons is totally unique as a New York institution: For over half a century it's defined the New York power restaurant experience. The world's leading moguls, millionaires and bankers come to sit in either the Pool Room, with its central marble pool and the hum of quiet deal-making everywhere, or the equally elegant Grill Room, with its shimmering metal curtains. Designed by Philip Johnson, it's the essence of sleek modernism. But the food, as the name implies, has always hewed more to seasonal fresh cooking than to slickly contemporary trends of the times; the menu, like the…

Editor's Tips

Fun Fact:
In the Pool Room, the trees change from season to season and even occasionally bloom.
Where to Sit:
For maximum people-watching opportunities, come in at lunch and sit in the Grill Room.
Know Before You Go:
Men are still expected to wear jackets, although ties are optional.
ambiance
88.88999938964844% positive
  1. “The "flowing" curtains and the pool in the center of the room make the atmosphere unique and enjoyable.”
  2. “don't consider the restaurant romantic at all (city search lists that as one of the restaurants ammenities).”
  3. “The pool room is classy and romantic, superb service, good food, unique ambience.”
  4. “seasons had an exceptional decor with decent appetizers and deserts.”
  5. “It's a great atmosphere for a business deal or a place for a romantic dinner.”
  6. “The inside is cozy for winter dining too.”
  7. “The decor was awesome when you walk in there is a different set up for”
  8. “Atmosphere was not romantic.”
  9. “My date was so impressed as we were seated poolside for the best romantic meal I have ever experienced.”
dessert
40.0% positive
  1. “Plus, we got a plate of dessert samples full of great-decorated tiny cakes & chocolate.”
  2. “seasons had an exceptional decor with decent appetizers and deserts.”
  3. “The dessert (we had a pear torte) was good - but, once again, the staff was unable to provide appropriate drink suggestions.”
  4. “One dessert was terrible.”
  5. “Our fish was dry and overcooked, the souflee was hard and cakey, and at dessert time, a ridiculous mound of cotton candy was dropped unceremoniously on our table's center, effectively blocking visual contact with guests sitting across.”
drinks
87.5% positive
  1. “We had great food, wine, and service.”
  2. “Furthermore, had it not been for an astute wine afficionado in attendence, an inferior bottle of wine would have been uncorked, consistent with a disturbing and increasingly prevalent scam occuring in New York's fine restaurants.”
  3. “the entres however were absolutely amazing and the tea was the best i ever had.”
  4. “The wines are excellent and they make a very good cocktail.”
  5. “This restaurant delivers it all: romance, impeccable surroundings, delicious food, rare and exotic wines and the kind of service you rarely find anywhere.”
  6. “have spent my life traveling the world, sampling the finest foods and wines and The Four Seasons is by far the best restaurant I have ever visited.”
  7. “The dessert (we had a pear torte) was good - but, once again, the staff was unable to provide appropriate drink suggestions.”
  8. “The wine list was extensive - though the staff did not seem knowledgeable about wine pairings.”
food quality
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “The steak was good.”
  2. “This restaurant delivers it all: romance, impeccable surroundings, delicious food, rare and exotic wines and the kind of service you rarely find anywhere.”
  3. “The food was delicious with an elegant presentation.”
  4. “the food was good - but at those prices is it really exceptional and worth it- NO.”
  5. “The bread we received was horrible - rock hard and cold - and the "free" appetizer of olives was disappointing.”
  6. “The food was wonderful.”
  7. “My date was so impressed as we were seated poolside for the best romantic meal I have ever experienced.”
  8. “We had great food, wine, and service.”
  9. “Great food,excellent service”
  10. “The cold foie gras appetizer was too cold to allow the dish's flavor to appear.”
  11. “was speechless by the horrible food.”
  12. “Our fish was dry and overcooked, the souflee was hard and cakey, and at dessert time, a ridiculous mound of cotton candy was dropped unceremoniously on our table's center, effectively blocking visual contact with guests sitting across.”
  13. “The pool room is classy and romantic, superb service, good food, unique ambience.”
  14. “The food was excellent as well as service, however, I left The Four Seasons very dissappointed.”
  15. “attended a holiday dinner at the restaurant, and the food was majorly disappointing.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Excellent menu selection.”
  2. “The wine list was extensive - though the staff did not seem knowledgeable about wine pairings.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “The Pool Room is the best place to eat, especially if you're entertaining.”
  2. “have spent my life traveling the world, sampling the finest foods and wines and The Four Seasons is by far the best restaurant I have ever visited.”
  3. “Quite simply the best restaurant in NYC I've been too.”
  4. “It's a great atmosphere for a business deal or a place for a romantic dinner.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “The room remains fantastic but considering the prices, a beautiful space isn't sufficient reason for me to return.”
  2. “All in all, I would return - as it was a beautiful restaurant - but I hope the staff pays more attention to the little details in the future.”
service
100.0% positive
  1. “This restaurant delivers it all: romance, impeccable surroundings, delicious food, rare and exotic wines and the kind of service you rarely find anywhere.”
  2. “Very professional staff.”
  3. “All in all, I would return - as it was a beautiful restaurant - but I hope the staff pays more attention to the little details in the future.”
  4. “The dessert (we had a pear torte) was good - but, once again, the staff was unable to provide appropriate drink suggestions.”
  5. “The pool room is classy and romantic, superb service, good food, unique ambience.”
  6. “Waiters were attentive, charming and never once condescending, even though both my dining companion and I made what we felt to be minor gaffes.”
  7. “Try to count the number of business deals and 'friendly agreements' that have been struck around the pool.”
  8. “Great food,excellent service”
  9. “The food was excellent as well as service, however, I left The Four Seasons very dissappointed.”
  10. “Always elegant and great service a new york classic!”
  11. “The wine list was extensive - though the staff did not seem knowledgeable about wine pairings.”
  12. “We had great food, wine, and service.”
  13. “the service was delightful and there were even a few celebrities sitting at the next table.”
value
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “Try to count the number of business deals and 'friendly agreements' that have been struck around the pool.”
  2. “the food was good - but at those prices is it really exceptional and worth it- NO.”
  3. “It's a great indulgence if you can't regularly afford such prices (like myself), but worth the splurge at least once in your lifetime to see and experience how the more fortunates live regularly.”
  4. “read reviews that called the restaurant too expensive and I thought to myself, but may be it is worth it.”
  5. “the only con is its expensive but if you want to go someplace special with somone special, i can see it being worth it.”
  6. “The room remains fantastic but considering the prices, a beautiful space isn't sufficient reason for me to return.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

05/11/11

Hooker Central...

by leeH at Citysearch

It's awkward to go for a few drinks when you are surrounded by hookers! Don't waste your time and money.

3 Star Rating: Average

02/15/09

There is "Expensive-but-worth-it" and there is "Expensive-and-WTF"?

by rgmx at Citysearch

This is a twenty-something guy that doesn't mind laying down $300 for a fine and delicious meal for 2 on special occassions. But $500 for a dinner for two that didn't include Wine? Are you freaking kidding me?

Look, the appetizers were really good. The entree was also very good. Can't argue about that, but they are clearly over priced. What you are paying for is the environment and the name. Yes, the place is classy and beautiful, but they most certainly target the uber whealthy. Not the common joe that wants to go all out every once in a while.

$500 included:

Drinks: 2 glasses of Dom Perignon at $35 each.

Starters: Kobe Beef Sashimi. Which of course is not real Kobe but Wagyu beef. Surprised that a place of this caliber would advertise it as Kobe. A beef Consomme.

Entrees: Vanison steak and Bison Steak. Vanison was good but not amazing. Bison was quite excellent however.

Dessert: pure disaster. Just not good at all. Some Pineapple covered in a glaze of some kind and some pear tart thing. Not impressive at all.

I read reviews that called the restaurant too expensive and I thought to myself, but may be it is worth it. I was wrong.

The Four Seasons has history and it is a sort of landmark of New York City restaurants, but trust me, they will charge you through the nose just so that you can say "I've been to the four seasons restaurant". I wanted to go there to see if it was worth it and sadly, curiousity got the best of me and I paid dearly for it.

All in all, the food was great (except for the dessserts). The environment is very upscale and you will see a lot of rich guys with trophy wives or just highly paid escorts. If you are going for the food, it will not be worth it. Yes, it is good, but I've had better for cheaper.

You would think they would make up for it with service, sadly, no. Service was just ok, it is not what you'd expect for $500.

  • Pros: Beautiful Restaurant, environment is very upsale.
  • Cons: Unless you're a 40+ man that loves throwing money, this restaurant is not for you.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/11/09

Best Occasion Dining

by ritzgirl21 at Citysearch

Menu items were innovative. Service was top notch. The pool room was the most relaxing dining ambience that I've ever experienced in Manhattan. Our server even presented us with a great presentation of cookies and cotton candy with a candle at the end of our lunch. I'd love to come back soon, if I can only get a reservation at one of the few places where reservations are still hard to come by.

  • Pros: Ambience (Pool Room), Bread Basket, Service
  • Cons: Takes a while, if you're in a rush
4 Star Rating: Recommended

11/30/08

nice dinner

by lakej at Citysearch

Very grateful for my parents who invite me to really nice dinners. And The Four Season was definitely good...but way overpriced for the portions. And a little too upscale for my liking. The grilled octopus appetizer was amazing. The steak was good. All in all, an intimate restaurant for special occasions .

3 Star Rating: Average

11/01/08

Not because you are "The Four Seasons"...

by ur2nite at Citysearch

you are allowed to charge an arm and a leg for a romatic dinner. The food was excellent as well as service, however, I left The Four Seasons very dissappointed. I do not think dinner in Manhattan should cost $400.00 where I am not swept off my feet.

The Details on The Four Seasons

Place Categories:

  • delicious food
  • great service
  • not romantic atmosphere
  • nice dinner
  • best place
  • too cold foie gras appetizer
  • good dessert
  • especially love crispy duck
  • really good appetizers
  • romantic meal
  • overcooked fish
  • charming waiters
  • professional staff
  • warm pineapple base
  • cold bread
  • fast serving
  • ridiculous mound
  • awesome decor
  • very good cocktail
  • not best filet
  • impeccable surroundings
  • beautiful decos
  • best restaurant
  • great wine
  • loves great restaurants

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

New York

Best of Citysearch

New York

Message from The Four Seasons

  • Power Lunches
  • Special Events
  • Private dining rooms

No restaurant is a better symbol of New York than The Four Seasons. Designed by legendary architects Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, the restaurant is a modern classic that has been redefining American cuisine since 1959.

Winner of Where Magazine's Best Food in New York award, The Four Seasons recently seduced New York magazine with "adventurous new flavors and marvelous pairings."

When planning a visit to The Four Seasons, be sure to give your guests the address (52nd St b/w Park and Lexington Aves). Otherwise they may end up at a hotel chain by a similar name, rather than the restaurant that New Yorkers love.

Menu items include whole roasted pheasant, saffron aoli bouillabaisse and filet of bison with foie gras and truffle sauce.

The Four Seasons
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