01/05/09

Run, don't walk from Devin Tavern!

by doctorfoodie

All I really have to say is that I got very sick eating here and citysearch will not let me specify my illness as it is an "inapropriate" word...but it is something you get from eating raw eggs, chicken, etc.! I'm better now after months of doctor visits and anti-biotics but my stomach is not as strong as it used to be and I often get sick from certain foods now.

ughhhh never again!!

• Pros: hopefully it will be closing soon
• Cons: see pros

07/26/08

More good than bad

by buddy5008

A bit sleepy in a sleepy neighborhood, go figure. Was sent by a colleague at work. The girl at the door was really nice. The food was tasty although not excellent--it was 90 degrees and my grill cheese sandwich with lobster was alright but so heavy and rich. I only ate half. The Mrs. had a crab salad that was excellent. Before we shared a ham plate. It came out on this neat cutting board. The hams were good, but the homemade honey-glazed pretzels that came with it were better. The drinks were on-point. Get the Caiparinia (sp?). It's spicy and refreshing. Oh, and the beefeater is as good here as usual (hehe...) The peach pie was delicious. The coffee tasted old. The server was competent. Everything was expensive but not outrageous. The room is nice but so big, dark and cavernous with literally, hundreds of candles. I'll go back, but in October or November when it gets cold and that grilled cheese seems more appropriate.

07/13/08

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by waltzngmatlda

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06/22/08

STAY AWAY! - horrible food and service, centipede on the table

by fathead68

I've been here multiple times before where the food and service was great, but we noticed there was a chef change and everything about the rest of the night was terrible.

Devin Tavern ruined a birthday for a party of 10 friday night. The place was empty but dinner service still lasted 3 hours for a two course meal so, wanting to get out of there, we skipped the the birthday cupcakes for dessert that we brought (which would probably have been the only good part of the meal). everything else was either too salty or tasteless and nothing was cooked right... scallops were undercooked, steaks and ribs were overcooked, lobster hush puppies and mushroom sides were like rocks, the short ribs had too much sauce that had the consistency of snot... i could go on, but you get the point.

during the appetizers, a HUGE centipede crawled out of nowhere onto the table. we captured it, showed it to the manager, she assured us that this never happened before and took everything on the table away. she came back with a bottle of wine to compensate(lame). but since she took our appetizers away we thought she was going to comp those too, so we went along with it. when the check came the appetizers were still on there even though we didnt finish them, and we werent offered new ones. she said we were almost finished with them anyway and refused to take the items off the bill. instead she offered drink tokens to a bar down the street. why didnt she just comp the rest of our drinks? we refused the tokens, paid for the crappy food and obligatory 20% tip for bad service, left as fast as we could, and will NEVER come back.

• Pros: the bloody mary, ambiance
• Cons: everything else

02/16/08

Second visit even worse food

by janetfcrr

I wanted to give this neighborhood place another shot, the first time was about poorly prepared food. Ditto last night. The salmon was ok, but my dish of braised short ribs and crawfish was a disaster. The meat was 'mucinous' and overglazed and the crawfish and beans was foul, yes foul. My friend took a taste and said, don't, you'll get sick. And the beans were hard. I'm not going back again because it's a case of style over substance. And they need to taste what they serve.

09/08/07

Upside down pineapple cake is yum!

by deloreshively

Had a great experience here a few weeks ago with a group of friends. Everything was delicious- loved the lobster strudels and seabass was delicious. Presentation was perfect as was the decor. I will def be back!

09/06/07

BEST NEW RESTAURANT!

by cleopattern

devin tavern is well-planned night out. expect to take your time through several delicious courses and wines! its a big, beautiful space, decorated on the minimal yet classy side, perfect lighting. start with a devin special cocktail, then maybe the lobster strudel (YUM!). in fact, just about anything on the menu will impress you. i've been there several times with friends, and on dates with my husband. its always a treat to look forward to. the best part is that the bill is always lower than we expect. yay devin tavern! definitely put this place on your itinerary :)

• Pros: everything
• Cons: nothing

08/22/07

Best Private Party in NYC

by caweenna

I recently threw my best friend her wedding shower in the Raleigh Room at Devin. From beginning to end, I had flawless service. Planning it with the manager couldn't be more easier. The price was extremely reasonable. The room is perfect for a small gathering, it fit 20 of us comfortably and we were all happy about being at the same table rather than splitting up in smaller tables. The room itself felt like you were at home. The servers were very professional and accomodating. The food was delicious. I had the burger and loved it. The one of many reasons why I would return to Devin's is that they mistakenly forgot to take out my deposit (which was partly my mistake as well since I didn't notice it) but they called me within an hour and corrected their mistake. That kind of honesty really impressed me. I will definitely be back and hope others looking for a place to have dinner or throw a party to consider Devin. The location in Tribeca was perfect. Great job!!!

07/30/07

Phenom!

by aaronmjacobs

10 Food / 10 Decor / 10 Value / 8 Service

Inventive delectable fare from start to finish. Amazing NY Strip, outstanding Lobster 3 way, other-worldly cream corn succatash and asparagus. Whoever is at the helm of Devin's kitchen is putting an IronChef on the FoodNetwork out of a job soon. Rich sumptuous flavors masterfully paired around the plates to leave you dazzled by the presentation and dizzied by the tastes. Utter euphoria. The experience doesn't come cheap, but I left thinking I'd gladly have paid more, a great value. Ambience: to quote and second a NYTimes review I read before going "exposed brick and blonde wood make a perfect juxtaposition and add to a romantic modern experience." The only kink in the armor at Devin slowing it from superstardom would be the service. Competent yet unrefined, but in the end irrelevant. And while on the topic, let me set the record straight for you pretentious New York foodies out there that continue to skew the restaurant ratings and make it arduous to identify quality eats:

Restaurants are for eating, not pampering.. Stay at your country club if you want a massage with your meal, and stay in your office if you need your butt kissed to enjoy a night out. Service will come and go, ranking from superlative to atrocious but doesn't matter either way ... concentrate on your food and your companions. i.e. Dine. You will dine fabulously at Devin Tavern.

• Pros: Food, Ambience, Decor, Creativity, Location, Host, Bar, all the little things - menus, coat check, fireplaces, plants, etc.
• Cons: Service (good not great)

07/17/07

Wonderful brunch!

by goodyear1

The interior of this place is very deceiving from the outside. You expect a small little bar when you walk in and it's easily three times as big as you'd think. The decor is great . Elegant yet casual. You can have brunch in flip flops or diner in a suit.

The food is awesome. I had been here when they first opened and it was okay. I had heard they had a new chef and decided to check it out again for brunch. Great! I had the green eggs and ham. Sure enough they are green, but not from over cooking. Served as an open face sandwich on top of home made brioche with a little ham out standing. The Bloody s, citysearch has right . They really are the best. My friend had eggs benedicts eggs done just right, nice plating... Can't wait for diner here now. Maybe next week!

• Pros: Bloody Brunch