Reviews

Based on 22 reviews

Devittatator

great place

love the atmosphere.

great place when you are stressed out

posted at 07/09/11

TardyKat

Once was good, twice...?

Came here because I was impressed with the variety of the Restaurant Week menu.

We started off with the Pecorino Fonduta and white anchovy bruschetta. Both were tasty.

My friend and I both ordered the Black angus hanger steak. We...

posted at 07/14/11

cynthiakay

Good service, but too salty entree and too sugary dessert...

I ate at the bar during Winter Rest. Week, about 2pm, so I had good service. The fried sage stuffed with sausage appetizer was fabulous. The orrechiette entree was way too salty and spoiled it for me. I was desperately thirsty the rest of the afternoon. Had I known about the salty entree, I would never have ordered the Brown Sugar cake for dessert. It was good, especially the egg nog ice cream accompaniement, but too sugary (altho I realize it was a sugar cake).

BTW, people should know that in my experience, MenuPages edits out many negative reviews. I have submitted two recently and both never appeared. They clearly cherry pick through the submissions and apparently are biased against the negativity. This defies the purpose of reviews. So don't trust the "big picture" at MenuPages. It is not representative.

posted at 01/31/07

jl104

Average Service, decent dinner entrees, nice dessert

Upon arrival, I notified the hostess that we needed a table for two. After agreeing to wait at the bar, the hostess managed to FORGET to seat us. Finally after seeing more and more tables opening we finally took the courtesy to remind them that we were waiting. After some brief confusion we were seated and began a decent dinner 40 minutes later. The short ribs were salty, but the bass was nice and tasty.

posted at 02/01/07

qwertyuio

Terribly disappointing!

Very embarrassed after suggesting this restaurant to my date. It was lousy! I have no idea where the people ate that wrote good reviews about this place..it wasn't the same Craftbar I visited for dinner the other night. The service was extremely slow and confused - I stopped counting after the third waiter visited our table...and none of the three could remember what we had asked for! The food was either overcooked, oversalted, or worse - both. The only thing I enjoyed eating were the breadsticks at the beginning...but there were only two in our basket and they were gone in fifteen seconds. No one offered to replenish them. The dessert was good, though - we had the brown sugar cake. The worst insult was that we had to wait - ready for it - TWENTY minutes to get our martinis. My date finally got up and walked to the bar to get them.

With all the great restaurants in NY to frequent, I have zero plans to return and no intention of recommending this one to anyone. Spend your money elsewhere.

posted at 02/02/07

micdude

BAD SERVICE!!

I was really looking forward to Craftbar, since the reviews were great. Unfortunately, the service was horrible. The waut staff were the most disinterested servers I've ever seen; they were slow and non-responsive. Our waitress, who acted like she would rather be doing anything else but to serve us, chided us for not ordering in the propoer order; when we asked for our bottle of wine to be served with dinner, she promptly came back with the wine during our entree and began serving it. On top of the mixed food (excellent salmon and calamari), but tasteless ricotta salads and over-salty olives, the hostess forgot to bring out a birthday dessert for my boyfriend after I called in advance to ask for it and she confirmed that it was noted in the computer. I would not recommend this place to anyone. The food was good, but the service was so bad as to ruin the entire experience. I was really disappointed...

posted at 04/02/07

tylersloan

This dive should be renamed the CRAPPY BAR.

We went to the Craft Bar for Sunday brunch. The menu was very limited and I was shocked that the waiter could not recommend anything on the boring menu. So I ordered the same dish as my friend, since this was my first time at this "restaurant." The portion sizes vary dratsically by each brunch item. The food took way too long to arrive, seriously, how long does it take to prepare eggs? There were no salt and pepper shakers on the table and the kitchen staff didn't season the food either. I've had tastier food at the IHOP and a better price. Needless to say, we were hungry when we left. I'm surprised this dive has any business with such an enormous selection of delicious restaurants in the city.

posted at 04/23/07

tstearnss

inexpensive for quality of food

I've walked into craftbar and gotten a table either immediately or within 15 minutes of getting there 4 times. That's one advantage of the new bigger digs. Getting in is not half as difficult, though for busy nights like thurs., fri., sat. I would make the effort and get a reservation. It had been a while since i had been to this place but when i went a month and a half ago i had a great experience and have gone back another 3 times. The food has been consistently good( pecorino fondue is amazing, all the bruschettas, short ribs like craft's are impeccable, orrechiette pasta is great, salmon with shitake mushrooms, and of course the meatballs), and the service is very friendly and knowledgeable. the wine list has great wines by the glass( i had an amazing gruner veltliner from austria last time i was in), a lot of good inexpensive bottle selections, as well as a good selection of pricier wines(but not break the bank level).
the overall vibe in the rest. is relaxed and fun, and at neighborhood rest. prices the quality of food and wine is leagues above average. they care about the food and it shows.

posted at 05/05/07

tictoc

Not sure what the hype is about...

First the service: as the editorial review says, the service is overly attentive at times and completely absent at others. The four of us first-timers were seated for almost 45 minutes before a waiter came by to take our orders, despite our trying to make eye contact with staff that seemed to avoid us. I was perplexed at why the waiter would ask "how's everything" five seconds after they put the food down, before we even started to eat. Throughout the meal they were too attentive to fill our water and wine glasses. At the end of dessert they started to take our plates before one of us was finished with her food. The food: the menu was what attracted us to come. It has variety, and is creative and different. Portion sizes were on the small size. The food was good, but with the price and the service, not good enough for me to want to return. Ambience: spacious - no elbow to elbow that is so typical of popular nyc restaurants. However, it got a bit noisy as is typical in many popular restaurants, and we had to raise our voices all night to have a conversation. With many many other decent NYC restaurants to choose I most likely will not return to this one.

posted at 08/23/07

monbons

craftbrunch

I've been there before for lunch and the food is excellent, with variety, and the waiter was helpful and friendly. Went there for brunch yesterday and it was a less than satisfying experience. The waitress looked like she fried her hair that morning and could not think properly due to the damage. When asked whether there was turkey sausage or turkey bacon, she looked blankly and replied, "There's just regular sausage and bacon." What exactly does that mean? Regular? We ended up having to eat with ALL the unused utensils around us when she should have come by to collect them. Didn't know there were even specials until another wait a few tables down, was reciting them to his party. The food was mediocre and could've gone to the local diner for some turkey sausage. Would not go back for brunch.

posted at 10/15/07

mgallowanyc

Food was Fine, Service Was Insanely Bad

This is the second time I have ever written a Citysearch review. Craftbar left such an impression that I felt the need to share.

In summary, party of seven, the appetizers were great, the entrees were mediocre, and the service was EMBARRASINGLY bad (for Craftbar, that is). We arrived to a nice looking space, had a drink at the bar and then sat at our table. After waiting for 15 minutes to even get an order in for wine, we finally ordered a couple of bottles only to see the waiter disappear for another 20 minutes before returning with drinks. Mind you, we were in no rush and celebrating a birthday. Just thought it would be nice to have a drink in the first 30 minutes after being seated. After cornering the waiter to order appetizers and entrees, we began to enjoy our evening. The appetizers were very interesting and very well done. The entrees were ok, but seriously nothing to write home about. Short ribs, Bass and Pasta entrees, not particularly interesting or impressive.

...And then things kept going wrong. The waiter, after having already ordered 3 bottles of wine, kept pushing. We are certainly wine people, but it was just getting ackward. Without exaggeration we were asked 3 times if we wanted another bottle and then told 4 times that we could order additional wine by the glass. Give me a break, we know!!!! The topper of it all is that we finally get the bill, pay and leave the NY standard 20% (even though it was NOT deserved) only to have the waiter pick up the bill and start quizing the table about his pen. Literally starts picking up napkins looking for his pen. Who knows where the cheap, plastic, "Craftbar" 15 cent pen went, probably fell on the floor. But how completely tactless. We spent over $600 and he is acting like we are at an IHOP and stole his pen. Didn't catch the guys name, but if you get the waiter with a goatee/chin hair deal going on that looks like he did his training at the Outback you'll be in for the same experience. Best of luck.

posted at 11/20/07

yressolut

Don't go to Craftbar Hungry! If at all.

Last night I went to go to craftbar with a few friends for my birthday. The ambiance was nice. Drink prices were on par for a NY bar, nice bar scene. We sat down and got out appetisers ( Fried Rissoto (comes 3 1 inch each) which everyone enjoyed, and Cick pea fries (about 8 -nice size order for an app) which I found original. I ordered the steak dish for my entre ($23, seemed very reasonable, on cheap side). When the dish came to my table I was shocked. It was two slices of steak with a smattering of pureed potatoes and green peppers on top. These two slices were about a 1/4 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches long. So I thought, wow, these must be really tasty. They weren't. They were tough and a little dry (Ordered, medium, came medium well). The potatoes were tasty, but there was barely any of that on my plate either. My sister got the scallop dish for her entree. It came in a small bowl and was filled up about half way up. (Picture a half a bowl of cereal). She sent it back for being salty and gritty and opted for more friend risotto spheres (it wont let me say &alls on here)!

I heard such good things about Craft but I am rethinking if I should go there after this Craftbar experience.
Oh and the form fitting shirts on the wait staff was not flattering. Bottom line, Don?t go to Craftbar hungry because you will end up getting a hot dog on the street after.

posted at 12/15/07

stevenmsargent

amazing brunch

I went there yesterday with a friend for brunch. After we were seated promptly and greeted by our lovely waitress Leslie, we started with fried oysters, chicken apple Brie and cucumber sandwhich followed by baked egg with steak and spicy spinach. Great Earl Grey tea. All was fantastic. Service was prompt and delighful. Surprisingly, it wasn't anywhere near as expensive as I thought it'd be.

posted at 01/13/08

lviv35

a bit off balance in my opinion

good points: got a six-top on Sat night without advance reservation (30 min wait) / anchovies bruschetta
mussels / blue point oysters / braised lamb shoulder was nicely done however the whole combination tested too acidic

bad points: very average quality of food - hangar steak tasted like it sat on a backburner for half an hour / all root vegetables were way overcooked - watery and tasteless / portions are extremely undersized for a simple fare / services is lousy ? waited 40 mins between starters and main course with nearly half restaurant empty (around 10:30)

The whole philosophy of simple food within casual dining was a bit off balance. In my opinion the setting was too contemporary and wasn?t warm to suite simple food. The overall experience was disappointing. You can get much better food for this kind of money.

posted at 02/20/08

miz3000

Great Time

We were a party of four on a busy Saturday night. Bartender was friendly and did a nice job whipping up a cocktail that I know he doesn't make very often. Table service was also friendly, professional, minimally visible but always available. No pushiness on wine. We were drinking by the glass after we finished our cocktails and there was no pressure to order bottles, it was just very good service. All food was great. Apps and salads were generous, entrees were on the light side, which was sort of expected. Would have been nice to have more than three little slices of meat on a "steak" entree, otherwise no complaints.
It was our first time at Craftbar and we had heard mixed reviews from friends, but we had a nice experience.

posted at 03/15/08

carolinanic

Poor....

I am one that doesn't mind paying a lot of money for great food and service. This place was just lacking. We paid a lot of money for small portions that just didn't taste any better than my local pub. We walked in and the hostess was wearing dingy old jeans and a dingy top, for the money you are paying for food, I would expect a little bit better wardrobe for the person that is greeting you. The bartenders were nice but slow, they were more interested in entertaining themselves than helping the customers. This place was a definte example of someone slapping there famous name to a restaurant and that thinking that gives them the right to charge whatever they want! Skip this place, there is so much better in NYC!

posted at 03/23/08

cvierra

Oversalted

We had a girl's dinner here. I assumed it would be a no brainer - food and service has been very good in my past experiences. We could just catch up and enjoy ourselves. Unfortunately there were a few different dishes that came out of the kitchen completely over salted. It was strange. My orecchiette tasted like the pasta itself was cooked in a brine. The escarole soup and one of the mixed greens salads were oversalted as well. I hope it was just a one off for the evening. I felt the kitchen did a poor job. Otherwise, service was very good in the front.

posted at 03/28/08

maddylocks

Great service, so-so food

Had one of the friendliest bartenders take care of me one early Monday evening. Perhaps that was because he was about to get off work soon, but he still managed to help us decide on a great beer and appetizer before leaving, kept our waters refilled until his shift was over, and told us to pass our tip onto the next bartender instead of trying to close our bill. I even offered to leave him a tip but he wouldn't take it! Now onto the food... had the salt-cod brandade and polenta fries. Salt cod was okay, but the toast that came with it was over-toasted and too big to eat with any shred of dignity -- there were breadcrumbs all over the bar and myself. Polenta fries were good right when we got them but quickly got cold and dry. Didn't really bother to eat a full meal... there are better ways to spend my money.

posted at 04/10/08

theeasykill30

Not impressed

Honestly, I expected more from Craftbar. The food was not bad but not great. I expected to be enthralled by Craftbar but instead I was highly underwhelmed. The food is decent but it's not worth what you pay. I think what Mr. Colicchio was going for - elegant yet casual dining - just doesn't work.

posted at 05/19/08

Godzuki24

BIG Let down...

I admit it, I LOVE Top Chef. So, I had to try this place. Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe, what everyone else is saying here is true. I'll just stick to my guns and lay it out for you...

The meatballs were no better than your Italian friends grandmother could/would make. I was sorely disappointed. The sausage in sage leaves were interesting, but not great. The donuts were a bit dense, but the highlight of the meal (I was in for Brunch). Polenta fries were soggy and thus didn't hold their shape. The brunch items were lacking and the brioche was good, but thats not saying a lot. The Chatham Cod was nicely prepared, but was overpowered by the accompanying vege/stock. Some of the other dishes at my table were underseasoned. The meal just seemed to lack balance. Considering TC's insistence on simplicity and good ingredients, his menu comes across as pretentious. There were only a few "simple" dishes on the menu and those were almost great. Dessert was probably the best course of the day. Brown Sugar cake with peach preserves and vanilla/honey ice cream was out of this world. Sundae with coffee crunch was delectable and the chocolate cake with mint chip ice cream was good too.

Drinks were spectacular, but that has more to do with a good barkeep than a chef. Service was indeed attentive, but was never around when you needed something. The space is cool, but too noisy- I shudder to think what it sounds like on a Friday night. The bill was not ridiculously expensive, but more than what I felt the meal was worth. For my money in NYC there are several better options. Whether you are looking Celebri-chef or just a better meal, the options abound in the big city, so I would stay away from TC's places. So sad, as I really wanted to like this place.

posted at 07/14/08

nybapfood

Mediocrity shouldn't be mistaken for good

This place is just alright--if even that. The only entree that was good out of the three people I was with was the meaty pasta, but even that was ordinary. Disappointed with how the chicken was prepared: well-done. Not a lot of charm to this restaurant during the day, in fact, eerily empty when I went. Service was rude, also obnoxious. He ignored requests and it took a long time to receive the essential bread and water we asked for 3 times. Not even close to very casual Craft 'wichcraft.

posted at 08/18/08

MaddyL

A Birthday Celebration

When my friend decided to take me to one of Tom Colicchio's restaurants we both thought for sure that the cuisine would be of a delight to the palate. It started that way the wonderfully long breadsticks with a hint of rosemary were scrumptious
We of course ordered the well known pecorino fondue which was delectable and the spanish octopus another joy to the palate and from here it went downhill.
We chose for our entree's the scallops that were served with pancetta in a smoked orange sauce
The scallops where cooked only on the one side and one could hardly note the pancetta but for certain you could taste that something had been smoked. Our other entree was the beef short ribs which had absolutely no flavor simple as that
To our delight the manager or whomever he was was walking around and had come over during appetizers but now is when we surely wished to speak with him and he did sway by again when he noted we had stopped eating and so very apologetically we expressed our disappointment with the flavoring of our entree's and as in most restaurants he offered to replace it. We felt bad doing so but the food was just such a let down from the beginning of our meals that we decided to go ahead and take him up on his offer. We went with his suggestion and ordered the field mushroom bruschetta and the Celery root ravioli. It was a bit of a surprise that we received the the bruschetta and mussels and not the ravioli's but we left it alone because by now you know your food might truly get tainted and both the mussels and bruschetta were okay but nothing to return to the restaurant for. NOW comes the real sign of a loss to details and lack of paying attention my friend had told them that it was my birthday and requested it be acknowledged during the dessert.
Well if you peak their dessert menu you will see that though they be fun and quirky there truly is a lack of elegance to them
We ordered the cranberry and pear sorbets which were very tasty but one would think they might place a little biscotti with them but nothing and no candles or recognition of it being a birthday celebration.
So this was our evening at craftbar a true disappointment from one so famous.

posted at 11/14/09

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