Cookshop

09/10/09

extremely welcoming

by edie sousa at Citysearch

I think you can tell a lot about a restaurant by how they treat single diners. Cookshop is unfailingly cordial and welcoming--even encouraging me to linger when it's clear that my table will soon be needed by an actual couple. The service is gracious and low-key. No attitude here. And the food is terrific. Fish is always a good choice, and the wild nettle risotto is the best risotto I've had anywhere in the city. Although I hadn't planned on dessert last night, it was such a lovely evening to sit outdoors, and it is peach season after all, so the warm peach cobbler sounded like a wonderful idea with some green tea. "The table is yours for as long as you'd like," said my server. When it got too dark to read anymore of my New Yorker, it was time to go. I was there 1 3/4 hours and had a perfect meal. It wasn't the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.

• Pros: everything
• Cons: none

08/28/09

nice location, sub par food

by dcinnyc at Citysearch

the place is lovely at night - esp if you get a seat on the terrace. but the food last night lacked any subtlety - greasy does not begin to describe it. green beans and spinach drenched in not-too-good oil, and soggy polenta sticks. some bizarre acidy taste to the dips... drinks are delightful and so is the service tho. and great location by the highline. but if you want a decent meal... go elsewhere

• Pros: location and service
• Cons: the food at dinner

08/10/09

Absolute worst. Go to Olive Garden for better food/service.

by dcoo at Citysearch

Disgusting people. No ethics, greedy greedy.

• Pros: nothing
• Cons: Management

11/23/08

large menu

by rshor at Citysearch

Cookshop is one of my favorite restaurants in the NY. I dined here many times- mostly for special occasions, as the price is somewhat high. I have enjoyed everything I have put in my mouth- from the chicken, steak, oysters, to the scallop and pork chop, to the fabulously decadent lemon cake.

The wine list is varied and extensive. I like the fact that I can order a bottle of wine for $40-50 and not feel cheap. The service here is typically wonderful. I recommend this place to anyone.

• Pros: food,large menu
• Cons: pricey

11/08/08

check this place out if you can squeeze in!

by awdixon at Citysearch

This place was outrageously crowded but I managed to quickly get a seat at the bar (with a friend) and we ordered dinner. We started with bar snacks: The Buffalo chicken wings are your basic lollipop size wings (all the kind of...er... gross parts of the little "drumstick" have been cleaned off and you can pop it in your mouth without looking like you're gnawing on a chicken wing). You get about 6 which is not a lot but is fine for a snack. This reminds of the wings that they used to have at "First" when it exists. They are delicious. The deviled eggs are exactly what you think nothing more nothing less. It's two eggs halved which not a lot but is only $3 and tasty. For the entrees we got the pork chop which was well executed. I was suspicious of the "pineapple and black beans" but it actually went well together. The candy bar dessert was playful (3 finger-sized ice cream bars on white lollipop sticks) and heavenly. The menu reads/seems a bit underwhelming but I was pleasantly surprised at how well the execution of the food was. The service at the bar was friendly and surrounding the patrons were quite friendly.

08/31/08

good brunch place, but expensive

by joehoya at Citysearch

checked out cookshop today for brunch. we were seated immediately in the outside area although the restaurant was packed. our waitress was pretty good (and cute, but she forgot the coffee), and our water was always filled. the food was good, but nothing to write home about, seeing as brunch is a pretty easy meal to h*t a home run. i have to say the place is pricey for what you get. there are apps, all of which run about $10, we ordered a couple and they were good. brunch plates at places in nyc are either just enough or ridiculously large to justify the price, and at cookshop it's the former. most plates are $13-18, which i guess isn't horrible, but you can find similar quality food in a shabbier environment for cheaper pretty easily. go there if you're taking a date; if it's w/ your buddies or family go wherever is closest to you.

• Pros: outdoor area, posh, packed, prompt seating
• Cons: price, avg food for brunch

08/24/08

Amazing brunch

by prlgirl at Citysearch

As a fan of Five Points, figured I'd give its sister restaurant a shot and it lived up to the best in brunch family. A bit off the beaten path, but absolutely worth the treck. We were seated promptly at a spacious table by a pleasant hostess. Our waitress was very attentive. Loved the pastry basket- if you're not up to the entire basket, def get the sticky bun! I had the huevos rancheros and it was unbelievably flavorful. Large portion and I ate most of it. Loved my brunch here!

• Pros: Brunch, outdoor seating
• Cons: Far from train

08/22/08

Great Lunch, Didn't Love the Service

by emsy at Citysearch

My mom and I went here for an impromptu lunch today because we were nearby, heading to another restaurant but stopped here instead. I loved the menu choices because of the seasonality of the ingredients - my mom had eggplant lasagne and I had a pizza with summer squash, ricotta, chili flakes and lemon oil. The food was lovely and I appreciated the little dish of coarse salt and our own pepper grinder at the table as well. Thank goodness the meal was a pleasure because the environment and staff were pretty underwhelming.

The place was fairly empty on a weekday at 1 p.m. The host seemed pretty determined to let us know that he was much too good for the task of welcoming and seating us - he just stared at us disinterestedly when we walked in, and continued to be entirely mute, so I had to really bring him along in the interaction and pretend I was answering questions ("hello." "yes, two of us for lunch." "um, let's see, i think we'd prefer to sit inside."). Our waiter also had a disdainful vibe. It's just lunch, people! In a near-empty restaurant! I've eaten at plenty of "finer" restaurants than this where the staff was happy to see me and didn't need to overcompensate by putting on airs.

Honestly, I have a sense of humor and I am generally more amused than offended by people with no social skills, but there are a lot of places to have great food in New York, so why would I go back here?

• Pros: seasonal ingredients, lovely menu, good food
• Cons: disinterested, unwelcoming staff

08/18/08

Some inventive dishes but too inconsistent

by pbr2008 at Citysearch

I've been here twice and was disappointed both times. The food is unpredictable. The starters are generally more exciting than the main courses. Vegetarian dishes are particularly poor and the desserts don't taste fresh. Not worth the money.

08/18/08

It's okay.

by hund at Citysearch

Just okay. I was really looking forward to it, and it let me down. We did get seated quickly; we had nice cocktails; we weren't rushed out on a Saturday night. The service was fine and not overbearing, but also somewhat absent when we needed something. We had a bottle of wine that was nicely priced considering that it is usually hard to find. The food was a big let down. Four people ordered four different starters and four different mains. None stood out; all were a bit bland. The mains are about $10 overpriced each. Just don't bother ordering a dessert; all were just bad. Even though I live in the neighborhood, I probably wouldn't choose to go back soon, but if a friend really wanted to go, I probably wouldn't veto it.

• Pros: nice atmosphere; wine
• Cons: food; chairs uncomfortable