Allen & Delancey

04/28/2008 Posted by foodie4114u

Well, what can I say, the was good, atmosphere nice but the service, eh. 6 of us had dinner so the tip was included. At the end of our meal we went to the coat check when I realized I left my Blackberry at the table, by the time I got to the table (less than 60 seconds) the table was clear and the blackberry was gone!!! The manager insisted that his staff would never do such a thing but since no one else walked by the table or left the restaurant in that 60 seconds you tell me where it went??? All I can say is be careful!!! And did I mention the manager didn't even offer a free soda? I will cross this one off my list.

Pros: Food

Cons: Service

04/28/2008 Posted by chowfiend

Went for my second time this weekend and it was very good, definitely hitting it's stride from a few months back. Our table enjoyed every dish--from Sweetbreads and Foie Gras to Tazmanian Sea Trout and Roasted Chicken and morels, the chef Neil Ferguson can certainly cook. I like the menu--very English and understated, despite the bold flavors and unapologetic simplicity of the way the menu reads.

Pros: food, vibe of the room

Cons: tough reservation

04/14/2008 Posted by jeneepha

i first tried this place in the winter, then last night. Each experience was awesome. The food is consistently delicious and inventive, from the bacon-sage bread, to the rabbit terrine, to the bone marrow, to the carrot cake with coconut flan. I love the decor, even though it may be a little too dark to read the menu properly, but who cares... everything on the menu is great. Service is genuinely friendly and knowledgeable. Bringing friends next time!

Pros: Food and ambience blend harmoniously

Cons: Might be a little pricey for some.

04/13/2008 Posted by foodsloop

It was busy. We were seated 15 minutes late. The room was dark and cacaphonous. Then the good stuff- the maitre'd couldn't have been warmer, bringing over champagne in apology for our crowded bar wait. The food was tremendous. Best scallops in years. The veal was good. I don't eat sweetbreads and there was a side of them with the veal. I didn't know what they were until I had finished and asked the server. Now I eat sweetbreads. They were fantastic. The evening was really wonderful, very romantic, my girlfriends birthday was very special. I'll return.

Pros: Great food and atmosphere

Cons: Dark and loud

04/09/2008 Posted by stardustcharly

My friend and I decided to meet for at the bar after hearing good things about the cocktails. The drinks were good and as soon as we started enjoying them, the bartender came over and said "whenever you two are ready, that'll be $25." My friend and I just looked at each other - was she serious? I've been a bartender for many years and I like the "would you like to open a tab?" approach. My friend put down his card, thinking that then she would at least say "would you like to keep it open?" She, of course, said no such thing and instead ran his card, pretty much guaranteeing that we would stay only for that drink. It gets better...some guys were sitting at the one table in the bar and they came to her to order food. She asked how many of them there were. They said 3 and she asked "is it going to stay that way?" They seemed confused by her question and said yes and she replied "I just need to know how much silverware to bring you." Ok, ok, maybe this is just one oddly rude employee...but wait there's more... I went to the ladies room. On my way out, I touched my nose (I'd had a slight cold) and a waiter said "Ah, coke." I'm no sheltered goody-two-shoes, but I didn't get what he was saying. Then he looked at me and said "tastes good, goes great with everything." His tone was somewhere between an accusation and a come-on. I was baffled. Did he want some? Did he have some to share? If we'd worked together or been friends, it might have been funny, but saying it to a customer was completely inappropriate. It's too bad, because the place is stylish and cozy. And the cocktails were good. But there's no shortage of good cocktails on the LES these days...

Pros: nice decor, good lighting

Cons: rude and inappropriate service

04/04/2008 Posted by j4me

So you want to pay $12 for a piece of "French Toast" That is one inch by one inch? (I AM NOT KIDDING!) Or $12 for a piece of carrot cake that was 2" tall and 1" wide? I mean Allen and Delancey is a beautiful room and the designers put a lot of thought into making a stunning room. However when the line for the bathroom is ALWAYS 3 people deep, you begin to think that perhaps the thinking that goes into this place is very shallow. The maitre D', with his dramatic eye liner clearly thinks that charm and warmth aren't necessary. We were 12 minutes late for our reservation, and they refused to seat us till all 4 of us were there...despite the fact the restaurant was basically empty. (It was 6:40pm) Then, when the rest of our party arrived about 8 minutes later, we were told we had to finish dinner by no later than 8:30. Nice start. While the food was all very tasty, the prices are fabulously high. You get two scallops for around $20 as an appetizer. And for $27 you get less than a cup of risotto. Generous they are not, and everyone at the table agreed they were surprised the prices were so high for the food they were enjoying. Dessert was a joke...despite the fact the waiter SWORE the pastry chef was a wiz! The sorbets were exceptional, but again the portions were ridiculous. At some point without asking if we wanted the bill, it was dumped on the table. Nice. $327 later we left. Ahh, new york. She's grand.

Pros: Lovely decor - the food was great

Cons: One bathroom, snotty service, and ridiculous portions/prices!

03/24/2008 Posted by Spain123

I picked this restaurant from Zagat and made a reservation via Open Table. After making the reservation, I was concerned about some of the comments that I read in this and other sites - I have to say, I do not agree with most given my own experience. The good: It is a great setting, and decor/ambiance are excellent. The service was great, and we did not have to wait at all. Our reservations were confirmed in advanced, which is customary for NYC. Portions were generous (the Lamb was delicious), more food would have gone to waste. In addition, pricing may be higher than average for the location, but it is lower than a NY restaurant with these attributes. What could be better: The music was a bit loud and did not match the setting... I would have preferred more of a "loungy"/chill-out sound as most of the customers are couples engaged in conversations. Definitely will return.

Pros: Ambiance

Cons: Music too loud

03/16/2008 Posted by pol

Made a reservation for 4 people a month in advance knowing it was a tough restaurant to get a reservation at. We were all pretty excited to try it because we had heard great reviews. I was called on Wednesday night to confirm a reservation for Saturday for "2 people", not the 4 people I had originally made the reservation for. "Since when do restaurants call you that far in advance to confirm a dinner reservation?", I asked. "It's our new policy" replied Casey the lovely confirmation man. Not surprisingly, Casey would not honor my reservation for 4 (he had no tables available). Then had had the audacity to not give into my request for a new reservation 5 weeks out because they don't take reservations that far in advance. So basically they first sabotaged my reservation and Saturday night plans and then would not accommodate me in any way whatsoever. The tactic this restaurant used on me to get me to cancel my reservation with them so they could fit in someone more important is abominable and exemplary of a restaurant with zero class.

Pros: The pictures look great

Cons: Didn't honor reservation

03/10/2008 Posted by parisnyc8

I took my friend here for dinner and we had a great time. The place is a bit off track, but once you're in the restaurant, it's very warm and welcoming. The food was great, although they can improve their wine list. The waitress we had was very charming and helpful, she really made our evening pleasant. I will come back again!

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Location

02/28/2008 Posted by jab2295

Love this place. I've been twice already and just made another reservation. Food is phenomenal and service is some of the best I've experienced in NYC. Definitely recommend it. Oh, and very romantic for 2!

Pros: Ambience, tables are not on top of each other, service, food