Allen & Delancey

Very unfriendly/​stupid maître ‘de. Sat 2 of us at a big table in the middle of the restaurant when the place was half empty — dined at 6. Wanted to leave, but was starved. Good table service. Okay, but overpriced food.

We had reservations at the Stanton Social last night but upon entering the crowd was so gross and the place so loud it made us all uncomfortable so we left. We then called Allen & Delancey and it couldn’t have been a nicer contrast when we walked in. With no reservations we had no problem having drinks at the bar first which was crowded but not gross at all!
Once seated we found the service very friendly and the music humorous and enjoyable (maybe someones gay ipod on shuffle? Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys all night)
I had the Duck and it was great also, everyone is right, the fingerling potatoes with mustard n’ bacon are amazing, and they even have bacon in the bread! I should also mention one of our friends is one of those vegetarians you hear about and she found plenty to eat as well.
The only reason I am giving 4 stars is for the Steak for two that really looked more like a large order for one. I think they would be better off making it slightly smaller and selling it as a single portion, with no disappointments.

So here’s the deal… i don’t go to a restaurant, and plop down $ 120 bucks… to be treated as if I am not good enough to be in the restaurant. I went out with two friends on a Friday night. we showed up around 8pm — the place was dead empty. They sat us down, and the hostess was immediately very nice. We ordered a bottle of wine, and each ordered an appetizer and entrée.
Then, as time went on, we noticed they were filling our glasses very quickly, literally I take a sip and they are pouring again — which can be seen as great service.
But then they were constantly coming over trying to take our plates. I repeatedly asked within perhaps 2 – 3 minutes to three separate waiters that I was not done with my plate.
Around 9:30pm, they kept trying to take our dessert away till we finally just let them. we were now already on our second bottle of wine… they left the check on our table — basically informing us they want us to leave. We finally put down our credit cards. I still wasn’t done with my glass.
At 10pm, the manager comes over and this is what he says to us:
«we were kind enough to accomodate a walk-​in, and now we have folks waiting over an hour for their reservation» he looks at us as if we are second-​class citizens just lucky that we were allowed to be seated.
we immediately flipped out and informed him of his horrific attitude after we had already given them 20% tip and letting go of the evenings events. we were never told there was a time limit on sitting, and let’s think about it fellow Unilocalers — when is sitting for dinner on a friday night for 2 hours with 2 bottles of wine, appetizer, entrée, and dessert — asking for too much???
I have never felt so disrespected. The food was amazing as was the wine — but who wants to be treated with this kind of service?
As we left, he told us he wanted to offer us $ 25 gift cards. which we accepted… but honestly, it was a little too late. not sure i want to go back.
it won’t be worth it to show up with the gift card, only to probably be told that since i’m not a paying customer i will have to stand or something.

Gorgeous space. This review comes several months after I ate there, so keep that in mind with my take on the menu. After tasting my sweetbreads and veal, my friends told me I ordered well. I enjoyed my courses so much I didn’t even ask for tastes of anyone else’s (very uncharacteristic of me, this is a compliment to the food!) but I agreed – I ordered well!

Solid, intimate and cozy spot located in a hip part of the city — a great place to come before a night out wandering the bars and lounges of the LES.
The restaurant is quite compact — the rail thin bar area up front leads to a warm, cozy set of booths and tables in the back. The fire-​and-​lamp lit, brick-​walled bar is a beautiful scene and immediately makes for great ambiance, whether you’re here on a romantic dinner for two or larger group dinner.
The cocktails are inventive, strong and exactly the right fit for a restaurant like this — hats off to them for having a fun and memorable cocktail selection in a sea of restaurants with the same crap. The food is no different — well executed, tasty and rich — a perfect fit for the mood and atmosphere of the restaurant. A great spot that deserves its reputation — enjoy!

Well, I was slightly apprehensive about taking my lady here for her birthday dinner after hearing the news of Chef Ferguson’s departure. However, after our dinner on Saturday night, I can say that this was one of the better meals we’ve had in a while.
Starters: Two words… bacon bread. Hell yes.
The appetizers were fantastic (Seared scallops with israeli couscous and lemon confit and Crispy Polenta, Mushroom Ragu and Sottocenere Fonduta).
Our entrees were just as impressive. Prosciutto wrapped veal loin and the Halibut. The sweat breads that accompanied the veal loin were perfectly cooked. The whole dish was really well balanced both in flavor and texture.
Even the desserts were damn good which is not often the case.
Overall the staff was friendly if slightly less than stellar but nothing egregious in the least bit.
I’d give this restaurant a Full Price, personally.

Allen & Delancey’s décor reminds me of a sexy library, dimly lit and draped in red velvet. The sultry lighting and fabric not only makes [you] feel sexy, but it also makes the experience (and possibly your date) more attractive too.
During my most recent visit, my date and I shared the daily special of Roasted Chicken for Two and their Chocolate-​Peanut Butter Bar. The savory-​herbed chicken was perfectly cooked and flavorful and the deconstructed candy bar tasted like an adult Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. (Smile.)
I have not had their cocktails in a while, but from memory, they were very good.
I just read that they canned the chef… I hope that A & D will be able to maintain their outstanding reputation!

We went to A&D on a Friday night — we had a party of five. The atmosphere is really wonderful — kind of like a romantic dungeon. The booths for large parties are comfortable and quiet.
Our waiter kept suggesting things to us based on «a party of our size» — it felt a little up-​selly to me — he also let us know that the size of each dish corresponded directly to the price. Um, ok.
He kept telling us to order more food, but we held firm and decided to wait to see if we actually liked things before ordering more. I“m glad we did. A few dishes were hits and a few misses.
Hits — the bologna and cheese sandwiches — tiny but really great. The Fingerling potatos– with mustard and bacon — great flavor– little tiny potato jewels.
Meh– the grilled radicchio with hazlenuts — didn’t wow me. The porterhouse– for a $ 68 PH, we all agreed we could’ve had better…
Nos — we weren’t fans of the brussel sprouts — there was a fishiness from sardines or anchovies that didn’t work on my palate.
Our PH was our only protein. Dessert was a hit– a chocolate peanut butter bar .
I was slightly disappointed but loved the atmosphere and a few of the dishes.

I love this place… it’s amazing and is one of my standby favorite restaurants in NYC.
I am a little disheartened to see so many not so great reviews on this place. I’ve been here several times although most recently it was in June and I will be going back again in the near future…
The service has always been excellent and attentive… from hostess to coat check to waitstaff. I happen to always be seated at the same front table in the corner… odd but enjoyable.
The food hits the spot for me… one time it was oxtail ragu (melt in your mouth?!) and another time braised rabbit tagliatelle… phenomenal. I fall in love. Charred octopus, striped bass… amazing. Hamachi, halibut… And even the desserts are excellent.(I am not a dessert person)…the peanut butter tart and whisky milkshake is delicious… and the cutest presentation ever.
Take a break from being absorbed by the food to take in the décor… the ambiance can almost steal the show. It’s just so damn dark and sexy… candlelight and maybe a vintage feel with the old pieces and books.
I can’t wait to go back.

Allen/​Delancy,
Incredible service for
a low check couple.
No complaints here. We were well taken care of. 1 bottle of sparkling water, two entrees. Flawless, non «check discriminatory» service. The Halibut with fennel, lemon was flawless. Pistachio crusted sea bass was very nice. Tricky to find, but the Starbucks across the street will clue you in. A nice cocktail list too. However, the food is the strong point. I will be back.
Carry on.

A worthwhile experience. Came here to meet up with friends and per their suggestion, ordered the delicious Lamb belly appetizer which did not dissapoint.
Sampled 5 drinks, all flavorful even though I personally did not care for one of them. The bartender, (a fine, friendly guy) even offered to exchange it, but I declined.
The place has lots of cache and ambience, but expect a quiet evening if you go.

I hate giving this place 2 stars. The staff and hostess were awfully kind to us, since my date and I were walk-​ins.
We had good seats, my wine was excellent and the ambience was dark and rustic.
We tried the lamb belly. It was crunchy and dry and unfortunately, salty.
Next, I had the sirloin. At $ 33, I was hoping for bigger portions. The tomato panzanella was delicious and rich. I also tried the rack of lamb. It was satisfying but so, so paltry in size.
Overall, it was a mildly dissapointing experience.

Don’t dine here. It is not worth the money. Although the service is very professional, it is also snooty and they do rush you to flip for their next seating. If I’m paying these types of prices for a special occasion, I don’t want to feel hurried.
I had a bad feeling when our melon salad appetizer arrived. We asked what it was about it was described as 4 different types of exotic melon. What it was was 4 ‘carpaccio thin’ slices of melon. For $ 17! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t mind paying for top quality, but it is insulting to be charged that amount for so little. My friends actually ended up getting slices later in the eve because they were still hungry.
My vegetarian friend ordered an entrée that came with a mushroom side. Since she doesn’t care for mushrooms she requested a substitute of ANY other vegetable. The waiter told her they couldn’t substitute because all the other vegetables are limited and assigned to the dishes they are intended to be paired with! Give me a f’in break! I had the rack of lamb which was very tasty, but I felt bad enjoying it when everyone else was having a piss poor meal.
Yes it has a beautiful décor, but you can’t eat lighting and wallpaper. Don’t waste your time and money. A’pizz is right around the corner and for the same $ you will have a 5 star meal. The one thing I took home with me was feeling insulted for paying what we paid and what we got in return. My friend who suggested this place felt stupid and now knows he doesn’t get to pick the spot next time we decide to throw down for a nice night out.

The décor of A&D is impeccable… something about the exposed brick, low lighting, and bookshelves full of old books that appeals to me. This aspect could not be more nice.
The cocktail menu is superb. For each «drink» they offer you two different lists of ingredients for that particular drink so you can pick which one you like best.
The appetizers and main courses were great. You simply must come here at some point, if only to try the lamb belly. Let me say that again in case it wasn’t clear.
LAMB.
BELLY.
I have never seen this before. It’s basically the «bacon» of the lamb. When we asked the chef why we’d never seen it before, he said it is usually either thrown away or put into sausage because so few people use it. If you like lamb then this dish is transcendent.
But. There’s always a «but». The dessert selection is terrible. The cake-​crème-​brulee is lackluster and the cookie plate is downright terrible. Cookies should be moist, and these were dry and did not sit well in my stomach. If a 1-​star Michelin restaurant can do better by outsourcing your cookie supply chain to Otis Spunkmeyer, then they just should not have cookies on your menu.
The one sentence executive overview (which I put at the end so you’d have to read the entire thing) is: Come here, but just come here for a snack of drinks and lamb belly.

Going to restaurants late at night can be a challenge, especially the ones where the food is made from fresh ingredients everyday. My friend and I first settled on the bone marrow appetizer, the seafood tagliolini, and sea bass entrée. We were also going to order the lamb belly appetizer, but that was out. Then the maitre’D came over after 10 min to tell us the tagliolini was also out, so we wanted to order the scallop crudo, but that was out too. Thus we settled for the fluke crudo. The already small menu was reduced by half for us.
My friend and I have completely different taste buds even though we grew up together and ate a lot of the same foods, so needless to say, I hated the fluke and she loved it. Although the fish was fresh, I just don’t like raw fluke in general, especially when the sauce doesn’t taste like anything. The small teaspoonful of cucumbers accompanying each piece of fluke definitely help take away some of the fishiness. Perhaps if the fish was a bit colder, sliced paper-​thin and had a better sauce, I would have loved it. The bone marrow was not what I expected at all, but it was elegantly presented. The dish just tasted like generic warm, sweet, mushy stuff with delicious caviar on top. After waiting for about another 15 minutes, our bass came out. This dish didn’t have the bells and whistles of the appetizers, because it didn’t need any. The slightly sweet, fresh, juicy sea bass was placed delicately on top of a ratatouille bouillabaise – it made my mouth water with excitement as I looked forward to every bite of it. We literally ate everything in the bowl and made sure the bread soaked up most of the bouillabaisse. The waiter came around to wipe out tables, but you could tell this part of the job should have been left to the busboys, because each swipe seemed to make the table dirtier. It was a bit amusing actually just to see him attempt to clean the table for dessert time. We settled on the chocolate sponge cake with crème brûlée, which was a superb decision. The «sponge» cake on the bottom of the bowl was more of a mix between chocolate cake and fudge, and it went well with the crème brûlée sitting on top. Our food progressively got better over time.
Service: The neg — The maitre D was definitely hovering a bit too much and the waiter took forever to take our orders, but it’s hard to generalize service for an entire restaurant since service really depends on your waiter. The pos — They were very friendly and not at all pretentious.

I’m a believer of the old adage, «you eat first with your eyes».
At A&D your first taste when you walk into the restaurant immediately registers with rustic but refined flavors, muted ambiance, beautiful exposed brick and various shades of gray and brown. A single flame of a candelabra pierce the mellow notes of the décor, similarly as an acid note of yuzu gelee pierce the earthy flavors of a well composed tartar of arctic char.
The service is cordial and efficient, but the atmosphere is appropriate for long, intense conversations which induce a myopic focus on your dining companions, oblivious to the rest of the world.
A striped bass on a potato purée with sunchokes and fennel is predictable, but well executed. The protein is rendered to a snowy white flake and the skin maintains a nice crispness. A ‘piedmontese’ daub of skirt steak is decadent beyond belief, defiant of its humbler origins.
The food is well executed, but it’s nothing ground breaking or cutting edge. Paying $ 28 for a bit of fish is a stretch, and I expected nothing short of magnificence. I received a great product, but nothing that would make me knock down the door for a return visit.

I have mixed feelings about this place, and teetered between a 2 or 3 star rating. In the end, the brussel sprouts and the chocolate peanut butter tart (explanations to follow) bumped it up to 3 stars.
I liked the décor (though it did seem more suited for a date than dinner with a friend which is what I went for). The hostess and our waiter were really attentive as well.
Foodwise, my friend got the seared duck breast (which she liked, with the exception of the rice that was served with it), I got the halibut (which had so many variations of seafood that it was a little bit overwhelming), we split the brussels sprouts (I’m usually not a fan of them, but these were amazing — the highlight of the meal according to my friend), and we also split the chocolate peanut butter tart (which might have been my favorite part of the meal, though the whiskey vanilla milkshake packed a punch).
So why did I almost give this place two stars? THE BREAD (or rather, lack there of). For some reason our table and our neighbor table were in the «no bread zone» and did not get the supposedly delicious bacon bread and mini baguette while every other table in the restaurant did. Of course we only realized this after we got our main courses, so it didn’t seem appropriate to ask for bread at that point, but I don’t think one should have to ask for bread when you’re blowing at least $ 50 for a meal. Ok, rant over. I kind of want to go back to my 2 star rating after that mini rant but I’ll focus on the highlights of the meal and be nice.
Overall, it was good but I won’t be running back (unless I am guaranteed some bread on my next visit).

This is how it’s done!
Fantastic, low-​key location in the LES, too far for tourists, but just right for New Yorkers. It’s like the Spotted Pig, but not. Allen&Delancy is fitted perfectly for the LES and not too sceney.
Grungy, dungy, sexy and inviting. The décor of the restaurant is dim, warm and tavern-​esque. The food doesn’t exactly come in massive portions and the prices are high, but WOW are they savory and delicious! We sat at the bar and shared a bottle of Cabernet while waiting for our meals, which went a little something like this:
to start, the foie gras… Seared foie gras with pear purée and pickled apple. Holy High Heavens of the Lord. It was like eating gold dusted butter… butta! My mouth salivates just thinking about it and I would run back just for this dish! Those of you not into goose liver will never turn back after trying this dish. I promise you.
Entrees: Beef ribeye served medium rare with Balsamic Braised Red Cabbage and Potato purée and Caramelized bone marrow over cavier and shalot purée. I. Kid. You. NOT.
For Dessert: Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart with whole milk sorbet and whiskey vanilla shake AND the Cider Roasted Apple Beignet served with Honey-​Stout Ice Cream and Candied Walnuts. speechless. no words.
if your tastebuds crave savory foods like mine do, please don’t deny them of such heavenly pleasures by passing up this perfect gem.

We came to Allen and Delancey to celebrate our third wedding anniversary with high hopes, and I’m happy to report they were all exceeded. The interior manages to be understated while totally gorgeous and incredibly romantic. Take a cue from UrbanDaddy and sweet-​talk your way into reserving table 35 (see pic — usually only for parties of four, but I’m pleased to report that they make exceptions).
The reservation person must have made note when I mentioned it was our anniversary, because in addition to hearing, «we have a special booth just for you,» upon entrance, the manager came by moments later with complimentary glasses of bubbly, thanking us for choosing A&D to celebrate our special occasion. Compared with the aloofness and airs of pretension that often accompany fine dining in NYC, the gesture was refreshing and thoughtful. This and the attentive, warm and knowledgeable service we received all evening undoubtedly contributed to the superior rating.
A relatively new draw to A&D is its well-​designed cocktail menu, created toward the end of 2008 by Death & Co. barkeep Alex Day, one of New York’s rising kings of cocktail. Alex’s menu (
) takes inspiration from a few select spirits /​components, and offers two versions of each: «No. 1 is light and festive… meant to refresh the mind and whet the appetite, while No. 2 showcase base spirit… best enjoyed with thought, time and good conversation.» Charming! Between me and the hubby, I sampled four, my fave being the Tinker’s Stand No. 1: Bourbon, Amaro, lemon, honeyed ginger syrup. Are you drooling yet? There’s something for everyone on the list (except you vodka drinkers, and we all know how I feel about you ;-), and according to Unilocal,A&D is offering half-​price happy hours on Tuesdays. If you think about the homemade tinctures, bitters, chilled glasses, proper ice, all along with the blood, sweat and tears that go into making these properly, we could be looking at the best drinks deal in town.
We also enjoyed every part of our meal, including well-​balanced flavors and at times unexpected ingredient combos. Plating was impressive in that «I don’t want to mess this up but then again, I’m going to demolish it» kind of way. I will say that you shouldn’t expect gargantuan portions but I found them more than adequate, allowing us to comfortably enjoy appetizers and desserts along with our entrees. Follow Dr. Becca’s (and George Clooney’s) leads by ordering the whiskey milkshake /​choc. PB tart (see pic).
We couldn’t have asked for a better evening, and if you want a special one of your own, look no further than this LES gem.

They may only have one vegetarian entrée (risotto), but I still suggest you come here, even if you are a vegetarian. The best risotto I have had! The mushrooms and carrot purée were really flavorful, and the dish was rich without seeming too creamy (though I’m sure it was).
But let me start from the beginning. The décor is very cosy and rustic (I felt like I was in a wood cottage). The drinks come in pairs– of one light, citrusy drink, and one stronger drink, both with the same base liquor. I ordered a lighter drink but still found it to be really strong. The bread, as everyone noted, is delicious and warm. The portions– tiny! For our app, we ordered the roasted, goat cheese stuffed pear– it was a tiny half pear. The pear was eh, but the smoky sauce helped. I’ve covered the risotto. The best part was dessert! We ordered the whiskey milkshake/​whole milk sorbet/​peanut butter chocolate tart plate. The whiskey milkshake was amazing. The chocolate peanut butter tart had a warm chocolate ganache filling that went really well with the cold, creamy sorbet.
The only downer was the service. It was so. slow. We waited at least 15 minutes for our drinks, and then another 10 for bread. And it was not a busy night. I suggest you come here on a night when you don’t have plans after, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the strong drinks and good food.

Popped in for a drink last night after dinner at Apizz (review to follow) and to see what all the fuss with this place is about. While the lighting is sexy, the drinks are fantastic (I had the Allen — tangy and yummy), the staff is as nice as can be (at least behind the bar) and the mood is warm, cozy, and chic, it seems like just another over-​priced, under over-​decorated restaurant with exposed brick walls and red velvet curtains. Is it sad that I’m getting tired of this?
That being said, I’ve proven myself as of yet not cool enough to score a reservation, so points for being buzz-​worthy and unattainable. More to come when I try the food (i hear it’s pretty drool-​worthy).