Le Bernardin

02/27/2009 Posted by tatsianaperidot

The stars are strictly for service. Regarding food, I've never in my life had salty kumamotos, these oysters are naturally some of the sweetest ones, so please, how in the world can you screw them up? The scallop appetizer was literary one scallop sliced into 5 pieces as if on a mandolin, as was the octopus. If you break it down it's $60 for both dishes, while a whole pound of those baby octopuses costs $3.99 and something like $18.99 for a pound of scallops. In general I would splurge on great tasting food no matter the quantity, but this was nothing special, my boyfriend even mentioned that he'd trade this octopus for the one I make at home any day... And the place is full! Don't people know any better? The only thing that was 3 stars was the service - impeccable. I wish the money we spent there would go straight to the waiters, sommeliers and maitre d.

02/25/2009 Posted by LeeLee74

Took my Mom here for dinner--she was not happy. OK the food was not bad but they barely gave you any. I understand that 4 star restaurants are not buffets but the amount of food I received at this establishment was tiny compared to other fine dining restaurants Ive gone to. The service staff was impeccable, wonderful cutlerly and china, the ambiance is pretty but not original. Lastly, here were no 'extras' that would cause me to visit this restaurant over the competition. I love seafood and here I just didnt get much of if. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere

02/20/2009 Posted by tbrax

No complaints at all about the food--it was outstanding. Each dish we had was excellent and some were even better than that. I could have done with only 3 courses instead of 4 and still been full, but it was nice to taste a wider variety of items. The desserts were very good as well, which is yet another thing that makes Le Bernardin stand out from the seafood crowd. It isn't cheap though--$109 for the 4-course menu and more than that for tasting menus. The only complaint I had was that the service was pretty slow. We waited roughly 30 minutes between the first appetizer and the second, and while the food was certainly worth waiting for I would still have preferred to get to it a bit quicker.

Pros: Tremendous food

Cons: Tremendous price, slow pace of service

01/30/2009 Posted by blastfx

It's funny that an average New Yorker like me can post a review for an establishment with a reputation as one of the finest in the world. But thank goodness for the internet. My new wife and I went to Le Bernardin to close out our honeymoon celebration. To say we both enjoyed the tasting menu with wine accompaniments would be an understatement. This wasn't dinner, it was a dining experience. Basically it was the finest of our lives, we loved the food, atmosphere, and service. FYI - spectacular dining experiences cost a lot of money. But it was the most special of occasions so well worth it.

Pros: One of the best resturants in the world

Cons: No trace of ketchup anywhere (joking)

01/24/2009 Posted by CCCHHH

NOTHING IS GOOD ABOUT THIS PLACE!!! THE SERVICE, THE AMBIANCE, THE FOOD. ITS AN INSULT TO OTHER 3 STAR CHEFS TO BE COMPARED TO ERIC RIPERT.

11/25/2008 Posted by scorpio37

my husband took me here today for my birthday. he booked a good month in advance by phone, got a confirmation call a week before the date, ordered a 'surprise' bday cake apart from the prefix desert (he was given a choice, lemon or chocolate, and he chose chocolate) and asked to be seated at a quiet table for two. we got to the restaurant, the maitre' d asked for our name, and then told us that our reservation had been cancelled because we didn't answer the confirmation request (call). my husband and i were in total shock. although my husband explained that he DID in fact confirm, the maitre' d was at first unapologetic and simply replied "i'll try my best to seat you". apparently, they outsource their reservations, hence, the screw up. we were told to wait, sat in the bar area for about 20 minutes, given complimentary champagne, and finally were taken to a large table for four in front of the buffet table (where the waiters hang around to get silverware). i suppose we should be thankful we even got a table. the maitre' d was kind enough to come to our table a couple of times to check up on us, which was thoughtful.... but his initial reaction to the mix up was far from welcoming. as for the food, i personally preferred the dishes that were more classical french than japanese inspired, since i'm japanese and i know good flavorful bonito broth (after all, i cook with it everyday). (btw, the kobe beef in the surf and turf entree was tasty but minuscule!) the waiters/servers/sommelier were excellent. in the end though, we were left with a bitter aftertaste. for a $400 - $500 price tag, getting your reservations right and listening to the simple requests of your customers should be a prerequisite. oh btw, i didn't get my bday cake (even though my husband told the maitre' d about it when we first got there). i felt kinda envious of the birthday girl sitting in the table near mine (she got lemon!)

11/09/2008 Posted by stanroth

This restaurant is an incredible feast for the senses. The atmosphere and food is fantastic. Anything you order on the menu is likely to knock your socks off. Their dessert offerings are impressive as well, the panna cotta , chocolate - peanut & cakes are melt in your mouth. Since this place is on the pricey side, it's an excellent choice for a special celebration.

Pros: desserts,ambiance,food

09/23/2008 Posted by felicitasnyc

My boyfriend took me for our 2 year anniversary and we had a wonderful evening. We arrived and were promptly seated, he had ordered flowers for me and they were already placed on our table. The food was wonderful. I love seafood and fish and could not decide. EVERYTHING sounded great! The staff are fantastic, we will absolutely be back for more.

Pros: fantastic service and food

Cons: decor is a bit boring

09/12/2008 Posted by mr_meursault

We came here for dinner, with a reservation. We were seated immediately. The restaurant looks very nice, with tastefully arranged flowers, and the space is very warm and pleasant. The service is fairly attentive, but not as good as it this restaurant's reputation would suggest. We ordered the four course dinner. The pre-appetizer was very original and tasty. For the first course we had the tuna with foies gras and kampachi tartare. Both were acceptable and nicely presented, but neither was outstanding. For the second course, we had the squash blossoms stuffed with crab and the langoustines. Both were phenomenal - perhaps the best example of each we've ever had. For the third course, we had the surf 'n turf (white tuna and Kobe beef) and monkfish. The monkish was nice but not wonderful. The white tuna was decent and the Kobe beef was very good. The desserts were quite tasty and original, though not out of this world. The assistant sommelier was quite knowledgeable about wine. Overall, this is certainly a fine restaurant that is on par with the upper echelon of New York restaurants. However, it is more expensive than most of its competition, and it doesn't compare to those few truly remarkable places. So, the bottom line is that we enjoyed the dinner here, thought the price was a bit high for what we got, and perhaps were expecting something more magical.

06/26/2008 Posted by chiway

Meal: Chef's Tasting Menu with Wine Pairing... I think this is the best meal I've ever had in my life. I think Eric Ripert should run for President. I think everyone in this world should be able to have a culinary experience like this at least once. I think who needs heaven when there is Le Bernardin.

Pros: EVerything

Cons: Couldn't you make it just a little cheaper so more people could try it?