10/22/09

A repeat customer

by PussyCat

The first time I came here was with a group of co-workers and we all had a great time, the service was excellent, everyone enjoyed the food and the wine suggestions were very good. My husband and I came here again recently and yet again, everything was excellent. I'll be back

• Pros: decor, service, food
• Cons: none

03/09/09

Great Restaurant, Met our Expectations!

by BandTchick

My friend brought the Il Bastardo wine to a gathering over the summer (we liked the wine and got a kick out of the name) so when we found out recently there was a restaurant in Chelsea we HAD to go. It was a girls nite out, we had 8 in our party for a Saturday. Made reservations the day before - 45 mins before we had to be there, I called to try and push our reservation a half hour due to some of our party running late (and public transportation). They were very accomodating and when we got there the table was ready and we were seated immediately in the back room. There was so much room, it was nice and intimate, the ambiance of the place was great. We got 2 bottles of their Il Bastardo wine, (they gave 2 pieces of bread with balsalmic dip, olives and butter) appetizers and we all got different entrees which everyone loved. A few people got coffee and there were biscotti cookies on the table after dinner. There were zero complaints about the food or wine. The price was very reasonable. After tax and tip we spent about $40 a piece. We weren't in any kind of super rush so it wasn't as big as a deal to be there so long (2.5 hrs) and it was also a Saturday night at prime time for dinner...we only saw our waiter when he brought us our food. I don't recall him checking on us to see if we needed anything in between but it didn't really affect our opinion of the place (and there appeared to be a young man in a suit walking around if anyone really had a problem). It didn't seem like the food itself took long and he was patient when we took a bit to make up our minds when we first ordered. That is definately better than being rushed out! Besides we were gabbing so much we hardly noticed the time until we asked for the check. I would definately go back again and recommend this place if you are not rushing and going to have a relaxing meal in an nice setting. (Note: It was also our first time walking around in Chelsea and it seems like a fun neighborhood.)

02/04/09

Uh Oh! What happened?

by DonInNYC

After eating here more than a year ago, I booked a reservation for a business meeting with my boss and two others. I guess the fog of time must have dimmed my memory of the place, either that or the restaurant has gone downhill. My first visit, I recall a lovely meal in a lovely setting with attentive service. My most recent visit was nothing like the first time. It was the first week in February after a blizzardy day. The hostess seated us at a chilly front window table, rather than the cozy intimate back room. Do they not have a coat check, we weren't even asked. My fault? I could have spoken up. Next, the bartender failed to deliver a decent round of drinks, my scotch and water was just that, no ice. The second round included ice in a separate glass, the third time was the charm and my drink arrived as expected. The waiter was inexperienced, had to read the specials from a list, pronunciation was an issue, no upselling of the needed sides (meat on a plate is a bit lacking). The shared appetizers arrived but without sideplates, we reappropriated the bread plates for the task (where was the bread anyway?), and soon after, three different members of the wait staff attempted to place sideplates. Coordination? The entrees arrived and so did additional utensils, things were looking up! But sadly, the pork loin special was overcooked and tough. I was afraid to ask what the others thought of their meals. Thankfully, we had a lively and fun conversation through the meal, so the evening wasn't a complete loss. I did feel the need to shoot off an email to my colleagues the next day to apologize for the restaurant. We would have been better served at the Outback. This could be a good restaurant with experienced well-trained personnel, but sadly no.

• Pros: Atmosphere is nice
• Cons: Unprofessional wait staff, incompetant bartender, clueless hostess.

01/13/09

My 'Go To' Place!

by nlshillings

I adore this restaurant. This has become my "go to" restaurant this past year. it's one of those places that I feel comfortable bringing anyone to have a great meal in a beautiful place without it being pretentious. It's perfect for a date, for groups, for families, we've done birthday parties, new year's here... really spectacular. The food is consistently delicious and always exceeds my expectations. The service and staff are wonderful and helpful. The drinks are kickin' and the bar tenders are great. I've even met the owner a few times and he's delightful! I'll be going back here again and again!

• Pros: Ambiance, Sangria, Delicious Food, Great for groups, wonderful service
• Cons: That it's not next door to my apartment so I can go there more often.

10/22/08

mmmmmmmm good

by JAgirl23

I was looking for a place to have a birthday dinner and found the name while going through some options. It was a GREAT find, the food is sooo good and the prices are sooo worth it. I first went their with a friend and it was perfect for just two people, I went there again with a gp of 10 and it was perfect for that too. I has more space then it lets on for everyone to eat and drink comfortably. The wine list is definately amazing and the cocktails are just on point. The only problem is some of the portions are kinda small, but it is still quite filling. I am definately going there again for one of my birthday guest's birthday celebration, so they definately got some customers from me...just a week after taking them there.

• Pros: Ambience, food, service, drinks, the whole nine yards
• Cons: some of the staff never knew too much about wine

07/17/08

good food!

by fourinhand

enjoyed Il Bastardo immensely,while waitstaff seemed confused as to what they should be doing , our waiter appeared experienced. food was great: arugala salad was absolutely delicious; the veal was tender and breaded appropriately; the desert of cheesecake was perfectly creamy and sweet. waiter made good selection with brunello, though the cocktails could use help(mojito simply wasn't the best)... but when the $180 bill came for two people, i was more than happy to pay. great time, trendy but relaxed scene, especially in the summer.

It's a bit mind boggling, as the waiter was nice and the management was nice, but the host at door he has

bad attitude.

• Pros: Food

07/03/08

Great Brunch!!

by kanataj

Ahhhh I'm loving this website, finally I opened an account after a long time reading other people's comments. I'm eager to rate as many restaurants I know, especially this one. I'm new to Chelsea and I've been to El Bastardo only for brunch (btw don't u love the name!? lol)

The brunch was adorable, I sat outside with my boys and the service was very good. The best thing though was the unlimited drinks, I got so waistedddd maybe that's why I have such good memories of this place lol

06/16/08

Great place to go for a group dinner

by lucnyc

I was desperate to find a place that would accommodate my birthday party. We called a bunch of places (think Stanton Social) only to be frustrated and pretty much laughed at. One of my friends suggested Il Bastardo, so I called up and was able to get a reservation for 12 people. Without knowing what to quite expect, we ended up having a terrific evening without feeling rushed - - we did not end up leaving until after midnight. The back room was great and very intimate. Definitely plan on going back there.

• Pros: Great Place for Groups - - Back Area

06/16/08

My weekly outdoor hangout

by sophie4469

My friends and I have been going to Il Bastardo at least once a week for the past 2 years. We particularly love to go during the summer when their outdoor area is open. We have always had great food and love, love, love their sangria. Since I never cook in my tiny kitchen, it is nice to have a place to go to where everyone knows me and I don't even need to look at the menu anymore.

• Pros: Ambience

05/31/08

Don't go!!!

by heatherpeck

My boyfriend and I dined there last night with much regret. The service was HORRIBLE!!! We waited for sometime for our waiter to even greet us at our table, not to mention never once checked on how we were doing throughout our meal. Our condiment plate seemed as if it had come off of someone else's table, and the shrimp on my dish was translucent as if it had not been cooked. I had asparagus in my dish, that half of it was over cooked, and half of it undercooked. The waiter also watched me pour my own wine, then later came back and picked up the empty bottle and attempted to pour the empty bottle of wine that he had just seen me pour out. We had better service from the busboy, who actually asked us how we were doing, and even brought us the dessert menu. The fastest thing that our pompous waiter did was bring us the check, peer over our shoulder to see his tip, and pick it up. I've had better service from a hotdog vendor.

• Pros: still trying to figure that our
• Cons: horrible service, food sub-par