11/19/08

perfect exprerience

by helennajmahel

I'll keep this short and sweet. Our experience was perfection -- I went with my parents, who wanted something special, and this really was it. Order the rib eye steak ! Everyone envied my steak. The service was absolutely divine, the food, creative and gorgeously presented. If you are wanting to mark a special occasion, this is the place, it is very memorable!

• Pros: food,service

10/30/08

Good Restaurant

by PJulie

This place is awesome for it's atmosphere and food. I went with my co-workers (party of eight) around 9pm and the place was still busy. I got to try all the appetizers and couple of their main dishes. I ordered the crusted salmon which was very delicious. Also, their drink selection is great too.

10/22/05

20% automatic added on tip - not worth it!

by hatkinson

Looks nice at first, but they add 20% service charge for parties of TWO or more, and the service is TERRIBLE. When I complained to the manager, he became argumentative, then abusive! I'm an experienced journalist reviewer, and I would never go back to this place.

• Cons: bad service, rude manager, hidden charges

06/08/05

2005 porters comes back big time

by eldorado

Been there recently, definetly will come back.Intimate athmosphere at the bar,cute gilrls and boys and above all exellent food.Service above average...Check their garden or lounge for some extra privacy.

Not to forget great music in the backgound...

Great neigbourhood

07/06/04

Good Burger

by matt5mn

My wife and I came into NYC the afternoon of 6/29. We stopped by Porters at roughly 4:30 which is no eating time by NY standards; however we were seated right away and were served. The Burger was excellent, one of the best ones my wife has ever had. I had the Tortellini of which was pertty good. When I do come back to NYC, I would like to come back

• Pros: Food, Staff, Martinis

05/22/04

Not what it used to be

by markandjohnny

When Porter's first opened, they took great pride in their service. However, like most middle-of-the-road restaurants in NYC, that sense of "pride" gets overrun with something else, and that something else is--not good!

Our dining experience on 4.21.04 was simply that--not good! We sat way before 2 other tables ahead of us that rec'd their appetizers before us; the waiter neglected to apologize. When returning our credit card, he gave us someone else's card. For 2 patrons paying over $100 for dinner, you'd think that the waiter would check to see if everything was okay with the dining experience, and he certainly did not. At one point, the cook had to notion to our waiter to take our plates.

Before coming here, think about the money you are going to spend, and if it's worth the bad service.

05/13/04

Bruch is GREAT

by esquire30

I went with a friend on a beautiful Sunday morning and sat in the outdoor seating area. The service was attentive and the brunch prices reasonable. The bread was served hot and the mimosa delicious. There was also a piano player serving up some great jazz tunes. I am surprised it wasn't more crowded. I'll definitely be back.

08/14/03

A true-blooded continental restaurant in Chelsea that feels like a culinary period piece.

by Contributor

The Scene
Apropos of its name, Porters engenders the spirit of an early-20th-century bourgeois dining car, with a narrow, rectangular shape, mahogany paneling and Art Deco light fixtures. From the moment you walk in the door, there is a pronounced sense of performance to the dinner experience, as if you have stepped into a life-sized museum piece. Servers wear pink button-down oxfords with trim, tightly-knotted bow ties. The coup de grace is the electric shoeshine machine in the bathroom.

The Food
An aged, anachronistic brand of continental fare delivered without an ounce of perceivable irony. Breaded diver scallops like those offered here must have been the sort of sustenance over which grain futures were discussed at downtown patron saint Harry's at Hanover Square in the 1920s--before anybody knew what an emulsion, a coulis or the NASDAQ were.

05/05/03

My favorite local restaurant

by eltopo

I've been to Porters maybe 10 times now, and it's pretty much my favorite restaurant in Chelsea. It's upscale but not pretentious. Most importantly (to me at least) the food is outstanding, every time. I highly recommend the crab cakes and ANY fish on the menu. I'm kinda glad that this place hasn't blown up yet, because it will eventually and then I'll need a month-in-advance reservation.

• Pros: Awesome food, atmosphere, reasonable $

04/01/03

Meet for a drink

by elroy35

I stopped into Porter's to meet a few friends and have some drinks before we checked out some clubs in the area and was pleasantly surprised. There was a hopping bar scen and many groups of young, attractive women sitting around that were there to pre-game just like I was. It is a great atmosphere to casually make a connection before heading out to Sessa or Serena. The bartenders were not up to the task of serving the busy scene, I guess they arte used to dealing with the dinner crowd.

• Pros: lots of women, casual atmosphere, good pre-club spot
• Cons: slow bartenders