Cherche Midi

I came for brunch this past weekend with a friend of mine and we are both fond of other McNally restaurants so we were naturally excited to try Cherche Midi. We had a 1:30 reservation and were seated immediately by the friendly hostess. We both promptly ordered a round of bloody marys (which were $ 16 each — yikes!) and were chatting and catching up because we hadn’t seen each other in a while. Our waiter came over and asked if we were ready to place our food order, and I apologized and told him, no, I’m sorry we haven’t even had a chance to glance at the menu. He walked away and no joke came back 90 seconds later, interrupting our conversation, asking again if we were ready to order our meals. I understand that restaurants don’t want patrons sitting around for hours idling over one cocktail and taking up a table, but the restaurant wasn’t particularly crowded and we were definitely going to order food, but the feeling of being rushed and hustled out was disconcerting. We were both clearly flustered when he came back to try to take our order again and I asked if this was a time sensitivity issue, and the waiter said, no… but this is a busy restaurant and we have people waiting for tables (pretty ironic considering «Cherche Midi» means to search for noon, implying leisure).
I asked for the Cherche Midi omelet of chanterelle mushrooms and leeks. Because I do not eat potatoes (I know, I’m weird like that) I asked if I could have a side salad instead. I was then told that it would be a «small upcharge» so I agreed. Only to find out that it was an additional $ 5. For a side of plain mixed greens. Call me crazy… but that is not a «small upcharge» that’s a full charge. And it’s completely egregious to charge someone that much for a pile of leaves. My omelet arrived and literally had 2 mushrooms and 1 leek in it and I just couldn’t believe how somewhere highly regarded can justify cutting corners so blatantly. Even a bread basket, something that most restaurants place at a table for no extra cost, was insanely overpriced. When we paid our bill and left an hour later the restaurant had copious amounts of open tables and there was no one waiting at the bar. Really glad we felt that sense of urgency to leave for such a bustling brunch crowd.
All in all a pretty negative experience. There are much better options for brunch, especially in the Bowery area that are more authentic with better food.

I had been wanting to try Cherche Midi for a while and we finally went for my dad’s birthday brunch. He’s a bit more traditional so I thought he would like the atmosphere and food here.
I made a reservation on open table and they put us at the worst table in the restaurant. Right by the door with a cold draft every 5 minutes when the door was opened. Also people were crowding our table when they would go up to the host stand. We asked for the booth next to us and the hostess told us we couldn’t have it because it was for 5 people. I understand this as I have been a hostess before but the restaurant was not very crowded when we were there and she definitely could have made an exception. I do realize I should have made a note when I made the reservation pointing out that it was my dad’s birthday and that we would like to have a booth. But still. Another reason I took away stars was the annoying French people who came in to sit at the booth behind us. They crowded our table and wouldn’t sit down. Intruding on our brunch. It was very irritating. This wasn’t so much the restaurants fault but it did hinder the experience. I am really not one to complain about things like this but it just bothered me. Didn’t bother my parents or sister as much but since I work in hospitality I am a bit hypersensitive, I will admit.
The waiter was attentive but seemed uninterested. I would have appreciated a little more enthusiasm. However, I didn’t like my Bloody Mary and I let him know and he graciously got me the Bellini instead. I really appreciated that.
The food however, was awesome! We all enjoyed our meals and would definitely come back for the food alone. The atmosphere was also pleasant besides the people behind us. Luckily they left shortly after arriving. I got the Eggs Benedict, my dad got the Eggs Norwegian, my sister got the Lobster Scramble, and my mom got the Eggs any way. My Eggs Benedict was a great classic Benedict. The ham was juicy and the eggs were perfectly poached. I also had a bite of my sisters Lobster Scramble. She had already eaten all of the lobster but the eggs were so fluffy and creamy. I am definitely going to try this next time. My mother’s only complaint about the Eggs Any Way (she chose fried) was that it came out luke warm. Otherwise she enjoyed it and said the eggs were perfectly cooked without too much oil. My dad really enjoyed the Eggs Norwegian all he said was that it was: «excellent». So next time I’ll give this a try too. Unfortunately I was unable to get a picture of his Eggs Norwegian before he devoured them.
Overall, definitely a nice place to bring family. I will return hopefully for a better overall experience.
I rated:
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 3
Food: 5
Overall experience: 3.5
My sister rated:
Food: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 3
Overall experience: 4.5
My dad rated:
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Overall experience: 4.5

Heads up: this review is solely for my experience at the bar. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to try the food, though I’m eager to return for their famous prime rib burger.
My experience starts on a Friday night, when the entire area is teeming with people ready to celebrate the weekend. We had a friend in from out of town and wanted to show him what he’s missing by not living in NYC. But it was hard to do when every single bar we went to sent us away or asked us to wait hours for a table. Just for drinks!
We were wandering by Cherche Midi, frustrated, when we noticed the warm and welcoming glow coming from the windows. We walked in to give it a try and because most people were there for dinner at the tables, the bar area was completely empty. There was a great bartender who happily whipped up a magical shot for us that included about 10 ingredients including Mezcal and Aperol. We had a grand old time hanging out by the bar and chatting with the bartender, and because the place was at a decently buzzing noise level from the diners, no one looked over at us annoyed for becoming increasingly boisterous.
It’s a beautiful space, clean and chic and French-​inspired all at once, and as I mentioned it has some of the best lighting I’ve ever seen in a restaurant. So hopefully my 5-​star rating will remain once I return for a full meal, but for now I couldn’t love it more!

Highly recommend! This place definitely lives up to its hype. My fiancé and I came here last year and we each had the filet mignon au poivre. It was excellent and I ended up cleaning my entire plate along with my fiancé’s. I forget which wine we had, but they have an excellent selection which went well with the filet. Also had pommes frites on the side. I really want to come back here to try the burger, but if you’re in the mood for filet mignon au poivre, then definitely try this place!

Excellent food and service. The prime rib burger is simply awesome!!! I highly recommend this place!

Had a enjoyable dinner here. Started with the steak tartare — good not great. Went with the cheeseburger for my main. A solid burger for sure. The French fries are excellent. Perfectly crispy and seasoned. Service was attentive and well timed. Liked the atmosphere and bathroom.

Five star experiences all around. If I could I would give one more for their opening on Christmas Day when many of my usual hangouts were closed!
Too many reviews have accounted the beautiful décor. So I will go straight to the food, wine and have to mention the top services.
Three days later now, I am still dreaming about the roasted #venison saddle with brussel sprouts, dried fruits and the side foie gras truffle bread pudding. Repeat with me, truffle and foie gras, truffle and foie gras… it was heavenly! The bread pudding was savory and aromatic, perfectly balanced with the tart, sweet dried raisins and nuts (hello Christmas). The venison was a beautiful piece of meat, medium well done — might want to go with medium rare next time, juicy and well seasoned. It wasn’t heavy as I concerned but rather light and delicate. Paired with a spiced grenache and syrah blend, La Touge from château Maria. Perfection. I had a Christmas in my mouth :)
Last but not least, Francois, the bar tender of the night, was charming and friendly. Everyone from the host to the bus boy was welcoming and serviceable, which is much appreciated, especially on Christmas Day when many other restaurants didn’t even open for business.
It is not my first time to Cherche Midi but this time around is def more memorable. And I would just go there more frequently.

Best burger in NYC! Also duck liver pâté is next level! Perfect spot to go with your friends or alone to enjoy the best burger in NYC in peace! Get Zen, go now!

I was so excited to come and try this place out because of all the great reviews. I came late Saturday night and there was no wait for a table although the bar was totally packed!
To start off I ordered the Guadeloupe drink which I found to be just ok. Not bad but nothing special. It was extremely pricey at $ 16 but whatever *shrugs shoulder* I knew exactly what I came here for which was the prime rib burger so I ordered that medium. It came out within 10 – 15 mins and it looked amazing! After a few bites I couldn’t understand what all the hype was about! I mean it’s just an OK burger nothing really to write home about! I felt it lacked seasoning even with the geese and bacon marmalade.
Sometimes Unilocal isn’t always accurate :(if I come here again it’s to try their prime rib not the burger. Overrated!

Maybe I’m weird, but this was good, not great.
The space is as beautiful as it is eclectic. The Bowery and Houston location beckons all types. A good date spot, for sure, but would also be fun with an intimate group.
The hostess and waiter were lovely; we were seated right away with our reservation. Snag a one of the corner tables if you can.
A carafe is red will cost you $ 24, which was quite a deal. The bread they bring out is just eh.
We started with the Frog Legs ($ 19), which are fried and seasoned perfectly; easy to eat like tiny little frog nuggets. Served on a purée of garlicky greens. The flavor really pops. Get ‘em.
The Fois Gras ($ 28) was excellent. Seared to perfection and served smartly with a seasoned green apple slice and delicate brioche mini-​bun. Expensive, certainly, but the serving was larger than I expected. This dish was the star of the night.
Skate Wing Meuniere ($ 23)
A huge serving, despite the bones throughout. Skate bones aren’t your typical fish bones, so it wasn’t difficult to navigate around them, plus the bones were the least of this dishes problem. Perhaps it was an off-​night, but it was doused in salt. We tore through our water. We alerted our server and manager who said if we couldn’t finish it, we shouldn’t pay for it, so we didn’t. Smart move by the staff. Fish was cooked perfectly, I should add, and I’m sad we couldn’t finish it as I love skate. But not here… not on this night at least.
Their Prime Rib Burger ($ 21) is served medium rare (done perfectly so) with bacon marmalade, roasted mushrooms, gruyère cheese and an inconsumable portion of Pommes Frites. And it was just OK. Really, I don’t get the hype. Fries were nothing special, just omnipresent. It was almost as if the huge burger was insecure. Hear me out: if your burger consists of prime rib, you don’t really need all the other flash. The burger tasted only like the overbearing bacon marmalade and mushroom, and not at all like the high quality meat. Perhaps I’ve had too many Shack Burgers, but this was just too much. There are better burgers in this city.
Overall, not sure I’d come back. Got what I wanted, wasn’t bowled over, but happy we finally tried it out. Staff was excellent. Service was a bit slow; I didn’t mind, but others might.

I hesitate to give Cherche Midi because it likely deserves at least four stars for food quality and the beautiful French-​inspired space. But I can’t give it more than three stars based on my one Saturday afternoon brunch experience because it was — and I know no better way of describing it – an hot mess. I will have to say that the situation evolved to the point where we either had to laugh or cry, and we chose to laugh — and still enjoyed the delicious food.
When we arrived with our reservation for 6, we were immediately seated. The mimosas, Bloody Mary and other brunch drinks were quite expensive ($ 12 for a mimosa), so we opted to share the punch pitcher. It was tasty and fairly strong, so we were satisfied with it. We all chose to experience the famous prime rib burger and fries. There is no disputing it – it was delicious, and the bun was perfect. It is a small but thick burger that would have been made better, in my opinion, if it were charcoal grilled. While the food and drinks are a bit on the expensive side compared to the usual brunch options in NYC, we all agreed it was worth it.
What made the experience so laughable was the service. Our «first» server looked as if he had just arrived from an all night rave. He started to set our tables with the punch glasses, and accidentally placed the two glasses down on the empty table beside us instead of at our plates (which was just amazing to watch). After correcting this mistake, he would go away for long periods and seemed completely disoriented. He also delivered the wrong food to other tables. Enter Server #2 who started coming over to see us (because we are cute ha), and commenced to serve us with excellent service and a fun flirty attitude. We loved him. But unfortunately, Raver #1 still thought that he was our server, so he would come over and ask us ever so often how we were doing, and of course we had already ordered from Cute Flirt #2. I felt kind of bad for #1 because he realized that he had been inattentive, and noticeably was failing. I would love to know the end of this story, and whether Raver Boy still has a job, but Cute Flirt #2 eventually won out at our table and was — well, fabulous.
Despite the craziness of the situation and what seemed like some bad choices in staffing, we actually did love our food, and we had a memorable experience — unfortunately a bit at their expense. Lots of possibilities here, and I hope our experience was circumstantial.

Great food and atmosphere here.
We showed up as a party of three but a fourth person joined us later on. We started off with the frog legs, which was a perfect size to share with four people. If you’ve never had them before, the way they prep them here makes it much more palatable.
I went with the prime rib burger, and the others at the table went with the lobster ravioli and the dorade. Their entrees seemed good based on the few bites I had from them, but their burger was divine.
The fries were arguably some of the best that I’ve ever had but the burger still doesn’t make my top 3. It is absolutely in my top 10 though. The service is excellent, the cocktail list is solid and the bathrooms are definitely interesting to say at the least.

Cherche Midi is a 3 star restaurant. I don’t have much to say about this place other than it wasn’t as great as I hoped it would be. Expectations were too high. It wasn’t terrible. It just wasn’t excellent. At least it wasn’t that night. While the service was very good, I didn’t love the food. The app of pan-​roasted foie gras wasn’t seared enough for my liking. It was served lukewarm and was accompanied by the cutest mini loaf of sweet buttery brioche I’ve ever seen. The sweet warm apples added a great contrast to the rich foie gras.
I was so looking forward to the lobster ravioli as I’ve heard great things about this dish. It was sent out room temperature and I didn’t care for the peppers on top. They didn’t add anything to the ravioli. I was so disappointed. Perhaps they had an off night.
Homemade ice cream was great. Oh, I almost forgot. Don’t get the Guadaloupe. This cocktail is terrible. While the actual drink was well made, the taste was awful. The rose salt on the rim tastes just like dirt. I kept drinking it in the hopes that the taste would improve. Sadly, it did not.

Our waiter was so nice. I had two types of drinks: The «Flower of Scotland» and «Julia’s Blush», both gin-​based. The bartenders know how to get you nice and buzzed.
It was my first time trying steak tartare, and I loved it.
Their lobster ravioli was just deeeee-​vine. So light and airy! Their prime rib dishes seemed to be popular but I wasn’t feeling the meat scene that night.
Shared a dish of their pot de crème which was more like fancy chocolate pudding to me.
And their bathroom… you basically go through a door to go through another door only to realize they’re two doors leading to the same path… so confusing.

Came here for lunch with my sister and it was a mixed experience. The service was very good.
In terms of the food we both ordered the Niçoise salad which was I think the best I’ve ever had, and I have had many! Unfortunately, the bread here was just average, the butter rock hard and the dessert we shared ile flottante not memorable. This is very disappointing even more so for a French restaurant, sister to Balthazar, which prides itself on its bread and pastries. If I come back it would be uniquely for the Niçoise salad

Cherche Midi is a french expression meaning «searching for midday.» After my meal and experience, I was left searching for the reason why this place had 4-​stars. We started our meal with two salads. The only one worth mentioning was the kale salad. It was worth dying for although it was slightly overpriced considering that 90% of the dish consisted of kale and the rest consisted of the additives for flavoring and that extra pizzazz.
I agree with Cindy C’s review when it comes to expecting amazing bread from a french bakery. It was a bit stale and the salt and butter that accompanied it did not help one bit. The crêpe is not worth the price and I could think of at least five places off the top of my head where you could get one for ¹⁄₃ of the price.
We had the roasted chicken breast as our main entrée. The dish was served with baby leeks, gnocchi and hen of the woods. The presentation was not as flawless as I had read in previous reviews. It looked a bit messy. The baby leeks were very mushy and overcooked. As I cut the roasted chicken breast in half, there were several red counterparts and stems that made this dish hard to eat.
We had the pommes frites on the side and they should probably rename this menu item to «burnt, overcooked lackluster fries.» They just were not worth the price and the dip they came with (I’m assuming mayonnaise) did not make them any more tasteful. I would recommend saving the time and doing more research if you’re looking for a Parisian styled restaurant in New York.

IN SHORT: A new Keith McNally restaurant that excels once again in the familiarity of traditional French comfort food. Shuttered from the street and tinted with a golden hue throughout, Cherche Midi focuses inward on what it means to dine with casual joy in New York.
THE STORY: In his latest installment of relaxed yet raucous French dining, McNally seems to have picked from his own personal arsenal of style and flavor, and as a result, Cherche Midi looks like Balthazar, tastes like Minetta Tavern, and roars like Pastis once did. Yet despite sharing what has emerged as McNally’s casual, French brasserie formula, Cherche Midi’s nuances in food and décor make it better for a dinner date than Balthazar, more accessible to a budget than Minetta Tavern, and more earnest in cooking than Pastis. Cherche Midi has learned from its predecessors, and has in turn presented something unique to the downtown dining scene.
The menu is heavy on protein, with a focus on beef in particular, and reads like a tribute to the greatest hits of the McNally empire. There is a Dry-​Aged Prime Rib that commands the attention of any carnivore in the room, and there is of course an excellent Steak Frites whose simplicity highlights a perfect preparation of steak.
But there is also the Prime Rib Burger that comes with roasted mushrooms and a bacon marmalade whose rich, sweet scent is balanced by a thick draping of melted aged Gruyère cheese over the dense patty. It has been inevitably compared to the Black Label Burger of Minetta Tavern, but it is more crowd-​pleasing with its pungent, hard-​hitting toppings that happily steal the focus from the subtle flavors of the beef patty. It is a winning burger of its own casual variety, whose thin, dark fries on the side may be equally as delicious.
It is also worthwhile to try the Crispy Suckling Pig that focuses on the fresh, complementary flavors of radish and salsa verde, and the Pot de Fromage, a ramekin full of a light, silky, lemony parmesan custard meant to be spread upon crispy slices of anchovy butter toast. While most people I know would get behind anything that translates to «pot of cheese,» it is a special, vibrant, and dreamy addition to a classically elegant, yet deeply comforting meal.
Comfort at Cherche Midi also comes in the form of $ 19 carafes of wine, and pleasantly attentive service. It also comes in recognizing tried and true McNally elements, and knowing that because of this collective culinary experience behind it, the meal is guaranteed to be a vibrant, fun-​filled success.
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My friend who is from NY recommended this place for us to try for Mother’s day dinner and it did not disappoint. I made a reservation online for 4 at 8:30pm Sunday evening. The restaurant only holds your table for 15 minutes if you’re late. It’s a little difficult to get a hold of someone from the restaurant when you call their number because it’s an automated service and then you have to get connected to the RSVP line. I had to call 6 times before I got in touch with someone which was a little frustrating. The restaurant is definitely charming and the outside as well as the inside of the restaurant makes you feel like you just arrived at a cute bistro in France. The staff and service are both friendly and fast. I didn’t check out the bathrooms, but hubby said it was very «cute» and «French».
For dinner we ordered:
Spring salad (special): baby romaine, watermelon radish, snap peas w/​buttermilk dressing — very refreshing and the dressing is ranch-​y w/​an enhanced dill flavor.
Chicken liver parfait: mustard fruits, frisee, grilled bread — I love anything chicken livers and this pâté was exquisitely made. Smooth, creamy, buttery, and perfectly seasoned. The tanginess of the mustard fruits and bitterness of both the frisee and grilled bread made this spread absolutely superb.
Frogs legs: green garlic veloute, garlic chips, crispy parsley — the frog legs were perfectly fried and salted. The subtle garlic and herbiness of the veloute paired so well w/​the crispiness of the frog.
Scallop risotto (special): porcini, fava, ramps, and parmesan — my mother in law enjoyed this dish very much. She loves scallops and has developed a new interest in risotto. She said it was perfectly seasoned and the creaminess was just right, not too much or too little. The veggies inside the risotto created a perfect spring pairing.
Atlantic snapper (special): tomato mouli, nicoise olives, zucchini ribbon, and
arugula — my father in law raved about his snapper dish. He said everything was well balanced and the snapper was tender and sweet. This dish made the perfect spring dinner and the tomato sauce tied everything together.
Bone in skate wing meuniere: onion fennel soubise — I loveeeee skate wing so when I see it on the menu I always order it. The skate wing was pan seared perfectly, crispy and delicious. The meuniere had segments of lemon and capers which added the perfect amount of acidity to the dish. The fennel and onion soubise was sweet and savory which complimented the fish well.
Crispy suckling pig: braised easter egg radish and salsa verde — I enjoyed this dish, but everyone else felt that it wasn’t as amazing as the seafood entrees. I disagree because the pork was aromatic and tender with notes of thyme and the sauce was thick and succulent. The braised radishes were mediocre and a different veggie would have elevated this dish. The skin was crispy and delicious.
Overall, we would definitely return to this restaurant. The food was amazing, perfectly executed and seasoned. When we came to dine here, the AC happened to be broken so it definitely impacted our dining experience. Mother’s day was definitely HOT and dining in this restaurant w/​no windows did not help with the steamy mugginess. We were all drenched in sweat. Wish we were near the open door for the cool night breeze. Aside for this minor issue, Cherche Midi is definitely worth the visit!

This French restaurant was just delightful. My BF and I were here on Sunday evening for dinner. We made reservations prior to coming so we were immediately seated upon entry. In comparison to Le Grenouille or Balthazar, Cherche was a breath of fresh air. Still French bistro, but with a spring-​feminine vibe.
The food here is fantastic. We had started off dinner by sharing the FROG LEGS appetizer and it was was absolutely divine! The meat was cooked to perfection; the creamy sauce was so sinful. For our mains, I had decided on the SKATE and my other half, the CRISPY SUCKLING PIG. My Bone-​in Skate was so big, I had trouble even flipping it over to clean the back side. For dessert, my boyfriend wanted the RASPBERRY SOUFFLE. It was so delicate yet packed a powerful flavor without being sweet.
My advice? Skip Balthazar, and visit Cherche Midi. Added plus, celebrity sightings!

lets start with the burger– FIVE STARS. Best I’ve had, possibly… ever? Granted, have not made it to Minetta, but holy sh*t. Full burger bug out here.
rest of it: disappointment. service was abysmal. We sat at bar so had low expectations. but between the bar tenders forgetting to put in half of our meal, taking 20 minutes to get us water, never refilling the water, and forgetting my to-​go bag after being reminded twice? ya, pretty bad. I get this place is a hot new spot so maybe hire some more staff members?
restaurant is also incredibly small and noisy. I had to drink a glass of wine to cope with the claustrophobia and the blonds next to me loudly discussing designer handbags.
besides that, the cauliflower tasted like… well, cauliflower. super blah. expected it to be seasoned better but really just had that buttery cheese mixture plopped on top.
Cherche midi, your burger may be your only redeeming quality. I’ll probably just order take out in the future. Doubt I’ll make it home before scarfing down the burger though.