Norma's

08/12/2008 Posted by DonnaSchroffner

After reading about Norma's in Zagat's for years (2008 edition - Food 25, Decor 19, Service 21, Cost $36), I was excited to have brunch there this past weekend with a few friends. Unfortunately, I walked away with a negative impression of one of NYC's highest rated brunch venues. Not only was the scene a little disappointing (wasn't expecting a black tie event or anything like that but hotel guests in their pajamas?), then our "hostess with the mostess" in terms of volume production (as she could be heard through much of the hotel lobby) set the tone, the staff somewhat aloof, and the most painful part of it all - the food COLD! I'll be fair in that it wasn't cold, as in frozen or even tap water cold. Just not close to the warm/hot part in the temperature spectrum. In terms of the flavor of my Mexican-inspired dish Normalita's Huevos Rancheros, I would say it was on par with most middle of the road taco places in the city (basic guacamole, salsa, eggs). My friends had the French Toast and the Upstream Eggs Benedict, while my husband ordered the Fois Gras Brioche French Toast. My husband said he enjoyed his dish, especially because we rarely eat Fois Gras. However, our friends agreed that the food was on the colder side and nothing special in terms of taste. I rarely have to vent about a restaurant... as there are so many amazing ones here in NYC. However, for a place that serves up a $1000 breakfast dish, it should at least have some decent ambience, service, and food. To sum it up, I would not go back there again, even if my meal was paid for by a corporate account! -Donna

05/23/2008 Posted by syrine

I must say, the food here is absolutely incredible! I ordered the crepes with mango and papaya. OMG!! It was absolutely delicious! The host and hostess were very friendly and delightful but our waiter was not as warm as I would have preferred. We arrived close to closing and of course the place was still 80% full, however, we were rushed to order our food and that was a bit unattractive to me. Clearly, if you are going to rush patrons to order, despite closing at 3pm, you should not allow anyone to make a reservation after 2:30 or so. The waiter urged us impatiently to order our food and seemed a bit restless and agitated. That was the most displeasing part of our visit to Norma's. However, we did not allow it to ruin the heavenly experience of the food. Simply delicious!! A MUST VISIT-- Just arrive a bit earlier so you are not hurried.. Bon Appetite!

Pros: Delicious Food!

Cons: Small sitting areas, Unfriendly Waiter

03/31/2008 Posted by VinceFoodandFriends

I brought a friend from DC to Norma's this past Saturday with a 10:45am reservation. We were warmly welcomed by Robin who was such a charming delight that we did not mind the additional 10 minute wait in this bustling restaurant. After receiving a delicious amuse bouche shot of the fresh squeezed juice medley of the day, we were given 2 additional large glasses of this liquid ambrosia compliments of Robin!! Being "quality carb" addicts, we ordered the bakery basket for the table. Know those danish you see at continental breakfasts that look tasty but taste of iced cardboard? Well, these were flawless here! The varied basket tasty contents included house made jams of both apricot ( I happily found chunks of the fruit in it!!) and blueberry. Both dishes soared expectations: The blueberry pancakes with Devonshire Cream were clearly made with a non-coying sauce of the bright flavor that only wild blueberries can provide. This on top of cakes that were flawlessly prepared. Suffice it to say that the accompanying bottle of real maple syrup was not needed. The Eggs Benedict Norma style actually tasted of farm fresh eggs. I'm not kidding. The rasher of bacon we also ordered was flavorful without being over salted. Be sure to bring an appetite. You are in for serious breakfast/brunch heaven!!

03/31/2008 Posted by crissycivic

The tables were way to close together, they had to be pulled out to allow a person sit on the booth side, once you were seated forget about getting up and going to the bathroom. The tables themselves were very small and could hardly accommodate all the plates, baskets and glasses. We were sat 20 min. after our reservation, our food took forever, and our glasses were never refilled. My lobster omelet was amazing, however, I am hesitant to go back due to the uncomfortable seating.

Pros: food

03/23/2008 Posted by chartenb

Folks, seriously, do NOT go there. We had Sunday brunch at Norma's recently and I don't even know where to start. Let me talk about the one positive aspect first: We were promptly seated (might have to do with the fact that we got there at 8am and had a reservation). Waitress was very unfriendly -- I asked her for her recommendation and she just mumbled somthing about "Depends on your taste" -- thanks, very helpful. I had Norma's eggs benedict (basically eggs benedict on mini pancakes with some asparagus), my wife had the egg white frittata -- there was nothing wrong with the food, but it certainly is NOT the best breakfast in New York. I'd compare it to average diner food, definitely not better than that. The portions were pretty small (contrary to what you might read in other reviews) -- and the pricing is OUTRAGEOUS. I mean, I have lived in this city for many years, but when you pay $80 for two persons for breakfast, it better be freaking awesome. And it really wasn't. The place itself is very unspectacular, typical hotel lobby kind of place. So, here are two tips: a) If you want really good quality and you are willing to spend some money on it (like $80 for two persons), go to Sarabeth Central Park: These guys have the best breakfast I have ever had in New York, the portions are huge, the staff is super friendly and the place is just gorgeous. b) If you want a lower budget breakfast in a relaxed place, go somewhere in the Village, for example Grey Dog Cafe or Tartine. Norma's is really not worth the trip.

Cons: Small portions, outrageous pricing, average quality, diner type of food, unspectacular ambience, rude staff

02/28/2008 Posted by free4all

I have been to Norma's three times and I've never had to wait to be seated. 2 of the 3 times I had a reservation--it's definitely suggested. Each time I tried something different and each time i was ridiculously full and pleased with the food. the french pressed coffee is delicious and you have to try the chocolate french toast. it is way too rich to eat alone so go with a group and share bites. the service was fine and ambience pleasant. just be ready to drop way more $$ than average on brunch--think of it as your dinner night out.

Pros: amazing unique breakfast dishes

10/29/2007 Posted by mfp123

I was truly disappointed with Norma's before we were even seated. Unfortunately, first impressions do count and service can make or break your dining experience. We were in town to celebrate my daughter's birthday and my family consisted of a party of 6. We had booked reservations for Norma's 3 weeks in advance and arrived at our scheduled time. Norma's was seemingly busy and we were told that they were running late with having our table ready. The host relayed it would be a 10 - 15 minute wait. The 15 minutes turned into a one hour wait despite 2 attempts to get our party seated (this was prior to my heated exchange with the apologetic yet ineffective host). I found that the trick here is to make a scene (i.e., raise your voice, flail your hands, and get red in the face) and magically you will get your table. Making reservations means NOTHING when you have a party of 6 people since walk-ins with parties of 2 or 3 are seated within 15 minutes. Also, the fact that Norma's touts a "we like kids more than whipped cream" attitude is a complete farce. We had 3 children with us and amazingly we were the ONLY party with children and subject to waiting an excessive amount of time (gee, that sounds real welcoming to me). You would think that the restaurant would show some remorse for having an unhappy customer in their company. The manager greeting us at the table with a feeble apology? Perhaps an item on the menu on the house? Maybe a small discount off the bill as courtesy? NOPE, NOTHING. Even the 'get red-in-the face' tactic won't get anyone's attention. In fact, we sat with our menus closed for 15 minutes before a waiter smartened up to take our order. Bottom line -- it's the unfortunate culmination of events that can lead to a poor gastric experience even if the food is admittingly quite good. So for this, contrary to what others may have experienced, Norma's gets the big thumbs DOWN. For this reviewer, it's the total experience that truly counts.

Cons: Service

09/28/2007 Posted by salm1968

The food at this place is indeed something to behold, but the service is terrible and the time it takes to get seated, even WITH a reservation, is ridiculous. This place has been coasting for years on its reputation, and on the fact that brain-dead tourists are willing to put up with anything (next stop, Carnegie Deli!). So don't bother with this corporate experience when you can have a wonderful, intimate brunch or breakfast elsewhere. Oh, and by the way, it's incredibly expensive.

Pros: food is good

Cons: price is high, wait is long, service is BAD

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/17/2007 Posted by sumptiousny

I've been here several times and never been disappointed. The breakfast menu's extensive and the only con about this place is the dilemma faced when ordering. I've had Norma's eggs benedict, the pancakes, and flat crab cake - all were scrumptious. Servings are generous and even though prices might be on the higher side it's well worth the splurge. My only qualm was that during my last visit the service significantly lacked; we sat waiting to order for what seemed like forever until finally I had to grab someones attention - my prior visit wasn't like that. All in all the food's superb - I'll be back, again and again....

Pros: Food

Cons: Service is inconsistent

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/09/2007 Posted by pxm339

What a terrific meal. There were so many things on the menu we wanted to try. We decided on the mango/papya crepes and fruit filled waffles. I can not describe how delicious it was. Ingredients were very fresh. Terrific, attentive, helpful, lighthearted service.

Pros: Delicious food, large selection

Cons: Pricey

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful