Marseille

09/21/2008 Posted by Steve1006

Highly reccomended by a friend of ours who lives in the nighborhood and wow!!! what a wonderful experience we had. I was most amazed by the seemless transition of the restaurant, from pre theater to a chic NYC restaurant. The food was amazing specially, the shortribs, It just melts in your mouth. You really don't need a knife at all. Come dessert time I was blown away by the sparkling dessert wine that was served alongside of my dessert. Everyone in the staff was very hospitable and accomodating. Its a must in NYC.

Pros: Food & Service

Cons: None

07/28/2008 Posted by Pdidi

The moment we walked in, it is an utter disappointment. In spite of making reservations, we were offered a corner table opposite bar, next to kitchen with a bunch of young men making loud noise and making P----figures with table cloths. We were dressed for a broadway show and the hostess should have known better than to seat a young couple looking for a romantic dinner next to loud young people. The waiter had no idea about wine list when asked for suggestion. He just kept looking at the list and pointing at only one wine which is the costliest on the list. Food was awful and during the entire dinner the waiter showed up only once. Rest of the time other waiters keep showing up to take order or offering dessert menu having no clue that we already ordered. Desserts were disspeakable and a shame. If you plan to have a depressed evening, this is the best palce to be.

07/08/2008 Posted by mckinley30

Our "special occasion" dinner of the weekend. We picked a fine bottle of burgundy. I had the special appetizer (grilled, HUGE calamari with a really interesting raspberry sauce - delicious!). Seafood couscous - like seafood & potato stew in a tagine with flavorful couscous on the side. I love the three condiments they give you (hot paste, apricot chutney, spiced sea salt) to mix with your couscous -- expanded the already flavorful dish. Dad & husband did the prix-fixe. They loved the mediterranean salad, lamb, and cheese plate for dessert. Mom had a delicious, interesting preparation of sea scallops, and we split the creme brulee. Mmmm! French bistro at its yummiest. Can't say I'll be going back on my own dime (thanks mom!), but the ambience was lovely. We ate real early (5:30pm for a 7:30 show), but that was the perfect time to get our waiter's attention before the pre-theatre rush. The waiter was a bit overly attentive & chatty, but the place seemed well run.

Pros: food, ambience

Cons: almost nosy service

06/16/2008 Posted by citilivin

Our party found the food and value for the theater district to be excpetional. Salads were creative and fresh, and appetizers unique and full of flavor, and the waiter and hostesses attentive and friendly. Would recommend steak au poivre, excellent!

04/14/2008 Posted by obaingrid

We used to go there quite often for dinner and brunch but lately the service, esp. their reception, has been in a downward spiral. Twice when we got there for brunch, the hostess was inattentive at best, rude at worst. One time the hostess not just failed to greet us, but outright ignored us when chatting with one of the waiters for a few minutes, leaving us standing there, amused. This is not a top-end place for that kinda attitude, methinks. Rather, we hope the owner will replace her with a friendly face so regulars will come back.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Poor service - beware of the cold reception.

02/26/2008 Posted by bpetruccelli

My husband and i had dinner at Marseille's last night and we both loved everything we had!! We shared the warm goat cheese Salad which they split for us on two separate plates. My Husband had a white fish ( not sure what it was exactly) but it was served on a bed of Lentils with sweet little carrots... he was amazed and loved every bite!! I had the short ribs and they were fantastically tender and served with caramelized pears and super creamy mash potatoes. The sauce was simply scrumptious !!!! We will go back for sure!!!

Pros: great neighborhood, fast service, nice bar, friendly staff, great prices...ect!!

Cons: non whatsoever!!

01/16/2008 Posted by melisarae2004

This is one of my favorites in the neighborhood. I usually get the Chicken sandwich for lunch and everything else I had has not disappointed. Sometimes the crowd is a bit older and the service at lunch can be slow even when there's no on in the restaurant. If they could speed up the service I would give this place five stars.

Pros: Pastis-like Ambiance, Great Food, Comfy

Cons: Somewhat Slow Service

11/12/2007 Posted by timmf99

Just came back from New York for my girlfriend's birthday. Missed our dinner resevations at The Place and just happened to end up at Marseille as we were about to grab a taxi. The hostess was great, got us a table almost immediatley(it was 7:00 on a Saturday). We each had the reasonably priced $35 Prix fixe menu, and shared an appetizer. It was sensational! The app was Riccotta Gnocchi with mushrooms (I believe chanterelles?) and it was divine- I need the recipe!! She had salmon and I quote "the best salmon I've ever had", I had the vegetarian coscous which was a tasty morrocan stew with a seperate dish of coscous. The desserts were good, nothing to write home about, but the banna sorbet was so tasty! Martinis and beer were pricey but good. Bus staff was prompt in removing plates and putting out new settings. My only complaint was that our waiter was not quite attentive enough, as I received my relishes for the stew 5 minutes after it came out, and my espresso only after asking a second time and finishing my dessert. But overall this place was the best experience I've had in New York and well worth the price!!!!

Pros: food, drinks, hostess

Cons: waitstaff could be more attentive

08/25/2007 Posted by hollywoodjack

What the other reviews of Marseille are missing is that the menu has some really interesting finds -- sure you can find bouillabaisse and salad nicoise, but if you are willing to explore, there is a host of food that incorporates Moroccan seasonings and even East Asian flavors. Two recent examples -- curried carrot soup, served chilled was not just refreshing, but also had a nice subtlety of flavor. Monkfish, served with water chestnuts, grapes, and olives somehow managed to pull together those disparate ingredients into a spectacularly original dish. The kitchen also excels at perfect preparations of fish and meat -- on my visits, the fish tastes genuinely fresh and never over cooked -- the monkfish had a delicate softness that made me understand why it's called poor man's lobster. Best part -- the price. Nearly all entrees are 24 or less and decently sized. The appetizers are lot of fun as well, there are a number of small plates around 6 dollars and larger apps around 12. So if you have a group, you can order a couple of apps for the table like tapas or mezes. The menu itself is a bit cluttered and confusing. There are alot of different directions one can go in for dinner -- burger and salad; tapas and entree; more typical french cuisine; or a number of really tasty pastas.

Pros: Intriguing food at a great price

Cons: Why is it not more popular?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

06/13/2007 Posted by meggy978

I randomly went here for dinner the other night and was pleasantly surprised. The cocktails are inventive and delicious, the service was fantastic, and the food was scrumptious. We had the Moroccan chicken, the Tuna with fennel, and the berries for dessert. Every dish was yummy. Outdoor seating is available but the inside is simplistic elegance with a great bar. Enjoy!

Pros: great food, yummy cocktails, lovely interior

Cons: a little on the pricey side, but worth it