04/17/09

Best of Brunches

by SteveSommers

This is a staple brunch spot for me. Best bloody mary in the city. Hands down. Brunch is fantastic, but the rest of the city seems to know this too. It gets slammed on the weekends.

The bartenders will pamper you with their carefully mixed cocktails. These guys were mastering the art of the cocktail long before it became the newest fad.

• Pros: Bloody Marys, Fish Tacos, Cocktails
• Cons: gets busy

04/17/09

My new favorite brunch spot

by Susanshepard

I have been to this spot a few times for weekend brunch but it was always a little to crowded for me. I recently started working in the area and have since made 202 my regular lunch spot! The tuna burger is so good and if you feel like really treating yourself; try the french toast...its sinful! I just recently learned they are also open for dinner! I think it would be a great date spot.

• Pros: French Toast
• Cons: crowded on weekend brunch

10/29/08

ehhh!

by Bennerific

food was subpar the service was good..more so it was strange to eat in a store where people shop.

bad idea!

• Pros: everything
• Cons: store

09/11/08

Stellar Cocktails

by Kate10

Some of the best cocktails in the city. I had a Watermelon Caipirinha, which was out of this world!

04/28/08

no hostess problem for me, good food, original, nice atmosphere

by laneyj

I don't really get the rude hostess comments. I've never had that problem. I go here often, am in the neighborhood. The food is original, good; the specials always wonderful. The room is large, warm, nice deco, with the store right there. I like this place. It's always clean, fresh, fine service.

11/05/07

202 its off the list for my Boss!

by celebrity411

Hello I'm the assistant to a Vip Personality and we had Brunch at this Restaurant this past Thursday,i have to say the Food is Delicious,l and very well prepare,but the service provide its not the best that can be offer.the server was trying to hard to be attentive to us i assume because of the Celebrity i represent! which is a regular at this place but she comment to be how this server which was a female, we had a hard time understanding her while she was trying to recommend the daily brunch specials and seem to be in a bad mood the moment she walk away from our table.then this same staff, while i was on my way to the Restroom all of a sudden started Screaming about how they stole her jacket,Wow even sated the price of her Jacket.she Really is a embarrassment to this place.My Boss was so disappointed that we choose this place out of so many other great places in nyc to have brunch and you actually have such Spectacular happening!the screaming and panic wasn't necessary we believe.Not while the place is Packed with customers and at that moment the priority should be the customers and not a $500 dollar coat!My client said that she will never have Brunch there again thanks to this uneducated Server!who not only made herself look Bad but made the restaurant look So low Class!

• Pros: Food is Excellent
• Cons: Uneducated & Rude server

09/13/07

Great Food But Poor Service!!

by foodexpert4u

I been to this Restaurant on 2 different occasion on the weekend on a Sunday with my family to have brunch & i must say the food is deliteful but the staff can be rude and thats definitely a issue because if you have a business and u have rude staff that don't attend the customers in a friendly matter then the food its not just gonna do it for you.my first visit to 202 i was seated by the host that by the way felt offended because we ask if he was the hostess & he reply no i'm the host! come on how rude is that we in America host /hostess its the same in the restaurant industry so thats the only issue i fist encounter at this lovely place after that we got seated and serve by a wonderful server who was very courteous and attentive to our needs & cravings she was super sweet we still remember her name she was call Arlin.unfortunately for us on our 2nd visit to the restaurant i and a group of Friends decided to sit @ the bar & the service we received was so disgusting by this female bartender she completely ignore us for the first 5 minutes we took a seat & was chatting away on the phone fully aware that we was there.then went she decided to come and take care of us she gave us the daily specials & drink menu and had the nerves to let us wait another 10 minutes to order our drinks & food,the other Girl that work next to her in the bar was much more nicer & attentive to us then the so call bartender & spoke so much more professional definitely the manager of this place should switch them he has the wrong individual Taking orders & providing service to clients.i believe she was called by another staff maria" beautiful name for such a miserable person because that how she look this day,the food was Excellent i must Clarify thankfully maybe since the bartender didn't prepare it.The manager should definitely pay more attention on how he has staff that are so unprofessional working at such a high class empire.

• Pros: English breakfast/Dessert/Drinks
• Cons:  Some Staff & just not people person & very Unprofesional

06/12/07

My favorite pancakes in NYC!

by kellymiller03

I'm a regular at 202 and I don't know what the recent, negative reviews are about. In fact, I just took old friends there for brunch on Mother's day -- and they absolutely loved it. We had the same excellent food, service and ambiance that consistently make this my favorite brunch spot. Their pancakes with blackberry compote and creme fraiche are the best I've had in NYC -- and their salads are great, too! Lines for brunch tables can get long as it gets later, but that's often true in Manhattan. And you can look through Nicole Fahri's gorgeous clothes and housewares while you wait. I love 202 -- and everyone I've taken there does, too!

• Pros: Great pancakes, gorgeous boutique, friendly staff
• Cons: Brunch lines as the day gets later

03/26/07

DELICIOUS BRUNCH OVERSHADOWED BY RUDE HOSTESS

by chelsealocals

202 has great interesting food, consistently delicious specials and a great familial atmosphere. Unfortunately the hostess is so rude and difficult, it's not worth it to continue going! We live in the neighborhood and went to 202 at least once a week during the first year the restaurant was open. Initially there was a young, hip host that was very nice, but a little bit spacey. At some point they hired a hostess who is completely disorganized, acts like she owns the place and is consistently rude and unaccomodating - not exactly the type of person to welcome customers into your restaurant!! We have complained about her to other staff, and even he agreed that she is not well-liked among the staff!

Bottom line: good food, great place IF you can tolerate a miserable hostess.

• Pros: yummy food, great deco, communal tables
• Cons: obnoxious hostess

01/13/07

Debatable Ambiance, Abhorrable Service

by bunnymeals

We went for Sat Brunch. Though we really like the antique furniture in the restaurant, we felt like eating in a department store with the clothes within sight. Also, would anyone want to buy clothes that smell like food?

3 things made it impossible for us to set foot in this restaurants ever again. We were in line to have our names down. One guy behind us jumped in and gave his name to the maitre d who accepted his name. We nicely asked to be put in front of that guy on the list, as we were there first. Maitre D' said he understood and will do so. Fine, but wish he wouldn't have done it in the first place. Once we sat down, we saw many ppl not getting their food until they almost finish their brunch cocktails, so know that kitchen might be slow, but we didn't mind. But 30 minutes later - we decided to check. Turned out they "messed up the order", and the food will be there in 5 minutes. We got our food 10 minute later. The food was quite good (egg and mushroom on toast, and full "English" breakfast), though seem more American than British. Lastly, when we got our check. The restaurant tipped itself 40 cents and gave us singles for change. Ok. It's only 40 cents (who would mind when the brunch is $30+ for 2), but please don't round up my bill - especially not after we didn't get our food for 40 minutes. If they had comp our coffees (restaurant service 101), we would have felt so much better about the experience. But sadly, it's the service that makes this one of the worse brunch experiences ever.