Circus Restaurant

Beyond our expectations! We came here bc of groupon. It was a great deal 3 courses. I had the shrimp. The service was great and the art work was fantastic too. I would return.

What can I say, this was the best experience we could have asked for!
We booked a very last minute, large party. They were more than accommodating. The original party number shrunk a bit, and when we showed up they had to adjust to the new number. They did give it a second thought.
From the minute we walked in there were welcoming an accommodating. We felt so special. Cocktails were amazing, and they made sure everyone was accounted for (even the non-​alcoholic drinkers). We went with the recommendations on appetizers, and they were spot on. Delicious and plentiful!
The food in general was amazing, the entrees were spot on. And we were all served together, despite our sporadic ordering.
We felt like family, and I can’t wait to go back to visit.
The restaurant was fresh and clean, the décor bright and cheery, the service above the top, the food delicious (and we were mostly Basil natives). Could not have asked for a better experience in NYC!
Vasco and Patryck were wonderful!

I attended a small wedding reception at this absolutely charming restaurant. Lunch reservations for 20 were easily accomodated in a very roomy space. From the minute we arrived the head bartender Vasco was at our service to insure everyone was attended to as they arrived. The service staff was extremely professional and classy. Interior décor tasteful for a «circus» theme. Not «ketchy» or tacky. The bride and groom were certainly the focus of the wait staff which was admirable. Booked sight unseen by my sister and i’d give this two thumbs up. We had an absolutely fantastic experience! Patryk, the owner knows how to run a good restaurant and we felt like we were lucky to celebrate in a well managed spot.

Sorry I took too so long to write this review. I went to this restaurant for my 11 year anniversary last December 2014 and I have to tell you it was ALL CLASS!!! I am writing this review because the way I write the bad, I like to write the good. This is a beautiful business. I loved it. I mean, the prices are more on the high end, but, you totally get what you are paying for. Understand, this is a place for nice occasions. Some people may say: Oh it’s too expensive! I understand that, but like I said, when you want something really nice, great Brazilian cuisine, with attentive staff and relaxing and even romantic admosphere, this is it! I used a groupon and they treated me just as if I paying full price, which is always great… I have just been a bit busy, but I am going there soon!

I wanted to participate in NYC’s ‘Restaurant Week’ but, I didn’t want to go somewhere I’d been so I looked for some place not to far from home but, with food I wanted. I wanted steak & I got it! When I walked into the dimly lit setup filled with couples I just wanted to eat in an inconspicuous area. The hostesses placed me dead center until I motioned to s more obscure seat. I don’t mind eating alone but I don’t like staring. Anyhoo though the steak didn’t appear how I thought the taste was excellent! The tender beef basically melted in my mouth. The potatoes & reduction complimented the meat well. The 3 courses started with Lula (calamari & mesclun greens) of which I’ve had better and concluded with bolo (chocolate cake & icecream) of which I wanted more. The overall experience was nice I liked the mirrors & circus themed photos.

The atmosphere is nice.
The food is good, but not fantastic — therefore quite expensive (even during restaurant week).

The moqueca and feijoada were great! So flavorful. I didn’t really care for the chicken empanadas, though. They were kind of bland. The staff here is very nice and professional and the atmosphere is cute and cozy.

Came here this week to sample the restaurant week menu. It was super cold outside and empty inside at 7PM, except at the bar. I was a little concerned, but, it was 0 degrees outside!
Food was great, service great and the restaurant filled up while I was eating. I will come back to try the regular menu as well.

Came here with a friend during Restaurant Week and it was delicious! Would recommend the beef pastels and sirloin; the market fish was ok, but portions were tiny. Flan and coconut mousse also very tasty but small. Overall, a worthwhile experience for restaurant week. It probably would have been a great date spot, but I came with a female friend and sat surrounded by nuzzling couples and rose vases. I don’t think we were who this place was made for, but recommend either way.

Great Food– Great Service– Jumbo Shrimp, Crab Cake, Steak delicious– Coconut pudding and caramel cheesecake to die for– We had a Groupon and they couldn’t have been more gracious– and we were running late for a show and they paced our meal perfectly! Bravo!

This restaurant has potential to be better. The clams are very tasteful and the flan was the best part of the meal. However the main course, beef sirloin was subpar. My friend’s miso fish was cooked very well and flavorful. Service was meh.

Co worker and I came her for restaurant week for lunch. The atmosphere and décor were mostly mirrors, pictures of giraffes and other animals, and a tiny figurine group of clowns hanging from the ceiling. Not how I imagine a circus would be but it fits the theme. The restaurant itself is pretty small but yet comfortable and not cramped up.
Service was quick and prompt even though there was only one server serving three tables.
I ordered the cold cucumber soup with crab meat. Delicious! Great for the summer time. For the entrée– fish with coconut milk. Also came with rice and yucca seeds. I liked the yucca seeds as it adds texture and crunch to the soft fish. It was yummy for the first few bites. But by the end of my meal it had became salty to my taste. Portion size was good since it was filling. Dessert– guave cheesecake. It seemed like they had put a bottom layer of cream cheese and topped it with a creamy guave mousse on it. It tasted salty as well.
I prefer the coconut flan my coworker had order. It was sweet and toasty.
from the selections on the restaurant week menu… I wasn’t sure how they were of a Brazilian cuisine… maybe next time I’ll order from the regular menu.

Came here for restaurant week and this is a small quiet spot. For an appetizer my boyfriend had the coconut shrimp in a light crust, it was very light and fluffy and I had a salad. The food was good, I had market fish with mussels and it was delicious. My boyfriend had the coconut shrimp in a sauce with rice and spinach and it was a little to bland for us. They make the perfect margaritas, absolutely delicious, it was a little pricey but it was extremely good. For dessert I had the flan with caramel sauce and coconut pieces and it was yummy. While my boyfriend had chocolate cake with ice cream and pistachios and that was great as well. I would recommend this place if you want to go on a quiet intimate date with someone. Also it is a bit in the pricey side for drinks so do be aware of that.

This review is just for the bar, but I’m a major fan, so thought it was worth a review. I do intend to go back and eat some day. I’ve had many a drinks at Circus.
It’s a cute joint– on the smaller side for sure– but everyone is so friendly and welcoming! I think the bar has 8 – 10 stools max?! I LOVE coming here, especially before concerts in Central Park or after work due to it’s location near my office. I came a few times during the World Cup matches and they had set up some additional TVs and although still very much a restaurant, it gets lively! and a bit rowdy! Woo!
Happy hour includes a house beer, red/​white house wine, and some other cocktail.

This restaurant is definitely sets a mood for romance. Small, quaint, and comforting. The servers are all extremely professional and friendly. We didn’t have order a single dish that wasn’t by far stellar. Even the complimentary bread and butter were out of this world.
Every dish is a mecca for flavor. The proteins are paired up so well with the side dishes that they come with. But the question weighing on my mind and I never got the chance to ask was why is it called «Circus?»

Went for dinner with group of friends.
This is this beautiful, small restaurant.
Décor was cute. Service was friendly.
A good, reasonably priced meal.
The food was excellent. We each selected different
dishes and enjoyed them all.
I would definitely dine there again.

I’ve been here four or five times and never been disappointed.
The décor is cheerful and unusual with many small sketches on the wall and there is a bar with 9 or so seats, where people actually go to have a drink even if not waiting for a table, which is common on the Upper East Side (Bistro Chat Noir has a tiny bar and really it’s just for people whose reservations are running late).
The seafood-​stuffed acorn squash is a signature dish for a reason.
I went for Restaurant Week and the steak with port reduction was amazing and different from the traditional seared steak medallions with mashed potatoes.
My tuna tartare was excellent, if small, but the avocado was as crunchy as an apple. Surprising that a chef or kitchen staff of this caliber wouldn’t notice he was making tartare atop an unripe avocado.
I never have cocktails here, just wine. But two weeks ago, I ordered a Ketel One martini and it was huge and STRONG. I only needed one.
If I’m paying, this is not somewhere I go, though it’s literally a block from my NYC apartment. But I am going to start going to this bar.
The clientele is always nice and the servers are great. I like this place more and more and might start coming even to eat when I’m paying, even when it’s not Restaurant Week.
My coconut flan was terrific too: I love flan and coconut so the combination is close to an ideal dessert for me. Less watery than traditional Mexican version of this dessert.

Let me just say Circus was very mediocre in every way.
Had high hopes walking into this restaurant. Made reservations one hour before we decided to go to Circus. As we walked in we noticed the restaurant was nearly empty. There was only one other occupied table after-​all it was a Thursday evening.
The décor at Circus was casual and simple (the place could use an interior designer), We sat at a table for two, next to the only other occupied table which is not my favorite thing for pricey sit-​down dinners, especially when you are able to hear each others conversations.
Service was such a disappointment. We had a nice waiter but he was very erratic… it seem like he had a difficult time managing two tables. We got our menus and waited and waited for him to come and when we were about to order he got distracted with some other business. We finally ordered drinks and chose what we wanted from the tasting menu 30 min after we sat down.
First thing that came out were two loafs of bread with butter… blah! so not interested. We ordered the Caipirinhas… this was the only thing that was decent at this place. They were good but not pronominal by any means.
The food finally came out… note we ordered from the tasting menu… Any everything that came out seemed like it was just taken out of the freezer and plated or it was just microwaved umhm!!!
Appetizers:
–beef skewers with bread crumbs: beef very dry and unflavored.
–crab cakes: Two quarter sized lumps… tasted like they came from a box.
Main:
–fish of the day (flounder) baked with some sort of mystery sauce. The fish seemed fresh but sauce was way too salty and sweet for our taste.
–Strip steak: you would think being a Brazilian restaurant they would get this right… two measly slivers of strip steak with watered down a1 sauce. Meat was bland and flavorless.
Dessert:.
–Flan: Was the best part of the meal. It sweet soft and yummy but it looked like it was cut from a larger slice of flan…
–Ice Cream in a blanket: YUCK! looked like it just came out of the freezer. Way too hard to eat. Tried to bite down and no success. The people next to us also got one and they just let theirs be…
OVERALL:
The three course tasting menu was 38 dollars. Kinda of a rip-​off if you ask me. To be honest I have had better meals at fast food joints in the city. Service was not so great and did I mention that the food was such a disappointment… I definitely would not come here again.

First off, they had the best caipirinhas I’ve had in a restaurant outside of Brazil. They even had cashew fruit and passion fruit cairpifrutas with a choice of several kinds of cachaça. The only disappointment was that they didn’t use pieces of fruit but some kind of pulp or juice to make them. Very good all the same.
The entrees were a bit of a disappointment though. I had the bacalhau and didn’t think it was anything special — the sauce was soy sauce-​based and didn’t go with the Brazilian cuisine theme. The feijoada was pretty good — worth ordering. The shrimp moqueca, on the other hand was weak, but better than the cod.
The ambiance was tasteful and friendly. The service was attentive and amiable.
Overall, might go back, but it didn’t make the list of favorites.

When I was searching for a restaurant for my friend’s bday dinner, I ran into this place and I knew we would all enjoy it. Made the reservation and the rest is history.
The place looks like it could use some decorative work when you walk inside as the décor is a bit on the bland side. The lighting was semi dim so it was definitely a nice atmosphere for my party of 3. There were lots of delicious items on the menu so it was pretty difficult to choose what we would eat. I was definitely feeling like fish so I went with the Salmao which is Potato Crusted Wild Salmon, sauteed Napa Cabbage, Shiitake Mushroom and Muqueca Shrimp Sauce. Very delicious and a nice sized portion. I enjoyed every bite that I had and was upset when my plate was cleaned.
My martini drinking ass wound up drinking 3 french martinis in which I should be ashamed of myself being @ a latin restaurant. There was a table with 2 Chicagoans right next to us so we let them join our party of 3. Good place to get good latin american food!