David Burke Fishtail

My family ate dinner here for New Years ’15. Great food, positive energy from the staff, balloons on the ceiling, etc. Kid friendly establishment. Happy that we found this place for our New Years dinner. Highly recommend. Great value for your money.

I came here for the first time last night and really enjoyed the food, the tuna tartare, lobster cocktail and monkfish tail was excellent! Staff was great and so was the ambiance. Unfortunately the staff had said they were closing for good on Saturday. This place is great and don’t get why they would close, I wanted to come back and explore more of the menu.
Best of luck to the staff!

Once my favorite fish restaurant, Fishtail was a serious disappointment last evening on several levels.
The waitress seemed less knowledgeable than servers on previous visits, and when suggested we order a side –creamed spinach was ordered– she failed to advise that one entrée came with creamed spinach — as a freestanding item in the identical serving dish.
— wine came quickly — but 2 drinks (3 of us) took an additional 9 minutes– I time restaurants nowadays) NOT acceptable
— we had to ask for bread (they are known for their warm popovers) these were warm on the outside and COLD inside — an unpleasant surprise)
–Lobster dumplings — delicious
–My halibut came out Luke warm on the outside –I would attribute to a timing discrepancy with other dishes –which took longer to cook — a disappointment at this level and NOT acceptable
— the TWO creamed spinach dishes were overwhelmed with garlic and inedible
— my guests chicken seemed well prepared and I was told delicious (presumably hot– unlike my fish)
Overall 3 stars is generous at this price point and a let down at one of my favorite restaurants
We skipped dessert and paid the $ 300.+ bill

Without a doubt one of the BEST meals ever in NYC! Apps tuna tartare amazing, kale ceasar expertly dressed! All fish prepared and served superbly! Great cocktails, service and dessert to die for! Drunken Donuts, cheesecake lollipops insane!!!

This place wasn’t as packed as I thought it would be. The food is very good, and some of the plates have spice so if you’re not a fan of that make sure you ask. The lobster dumplings were one of my favorites, I would recommend them if you like lobster of course!

I came here for my birthday brunch on a Saturday a few weeks ago. It’s a cute little restaurant with nice booths and was not that crowded. I got the two course prix fixe brunch for $ 39. For my appetizer, I got the tarte flambé gratinee which is basically a cheese flatbread with bacon. It was really good, and rich so a little goes a long way. For my main course, I ordered the chicken and prawns. I don’t particularly like shrimp, so I gave those away, but the chicken, polenta, and broccolini were great. However, the best part of the meal is the bread they give you. It’s pretty much a giant cheese puff and the main reason I love David Burke restaurants.

David Burke restaurants are known for their whimsical menus, unfortunately, Fishtail is a flop.
Fishtail is erected in a charming two-​story townhouse. The space downstairs contains a bar flanked with stools dressed in a dark wine colored microfiber. Mini pendant lights that are embellished with vivid splashes of pigments dangle from the ceiling above the bar. A grand staircase leads upstairs to the main dining room. The walls are painted in a matte brick-​color. Windows are dressed in muted brown curtains that cascade to the floor. The space is warmly illuminated with handsome pendant fixtures adorned with lace frills.
The staff was inadequate and unprofessional. From the hostess to the dining managers, the staff was consistently ill-​tempered. Our waiter wore a strained smile on his face. He flashed a feigned smile for the first time when he dropped the check off at our table. The dining room managers forced a brief «thank you and have a good night» followed with a heavy sigh.
The Lobster Dumplings ($ 17) are comparable to shumai, a dim sum staple made from pork and shrimp. Little balls of shrimp, lobster, celery, carrots are folded into spheres, wrapped in a dumpling skin, and steamed. Julienned chives are sprinkled across the dish. The dumplings are centered in a thick translucent pool of dark Moroccan glaze. This dish was plated well but tasteless; the lobster was undetectable. For restaurant week, two pieces were notably made with shrimp tails which would have been perfectly fine had we been warned of the substitution. The Tuna Tartar ($ 19) was perfectly diced and formed in a cylindrical shape almost like a hockey puck. The tuna was tossed with avocado and an agrodolce; made with anaheim peppers and resulted in an acidic vinegar reduction. Specks of delicate golden puffed rice dot the dish providing an interesting crunch. The tartar was standard. As a safe option, I ordered the Steak Frites ($ 44) as my entrée. A thick slab of tenderloin is served over a bed of creamed spinach, complete with a personal basket of fries. Steak and fries are a staple that all kitchens should be able to master, however, it was mediocre. The fries, were plain and unseasoned; I asked for an aioli in an effort to enhance the flavor.
We ended the night with their Cheesecake Lollipop Tree ($ 18). Balls of fresh cheesecake are rolled into globes, dipped in an array of chocolate for a hard shell, and rolled in crushed toffee. The dessert was the highlight of the meal.
Fishtail casts its lure into the sea that is New York’s dining scene and reels back zip.

A cozy place and a find for the location. Expensive wines by the glass, average service at the bar and only had oysters.

When I first was looking for a dinner location in NYC, I was thinking bout the old standbys. Del Friscos, Bones, Peter Luger etc. I found Fishtail and figured I’d try something different. I was not let down at all, the ambiance is wonderful in the east side neighborhoods brownstone. Upon entering we were warmly greeted and brought to the upstairs dining area by the window with a nice view. The menu was a new twist on some of the traditional items but the preparation and quality of the food was jut amazing. Save room for dessert, that’s all I can say, the dessert menu is fantastic. I would not hesitate to make this one f my «must visit» restaurants when I am back in NYC. A definite must, even for the locals.

How do I give 10 stars? Very unique. Staff was well-​versed in menu and very patient because we had tons of questions. Menu wasn’t ordinary, it was extraordinary.
We had blue fin tuna and the steak. Both were cooked perfectly. Hat tip to the chef. Just as impressive were the appetizer and the sides. App was a tomato salad with some kind of wonderful cheese. Kind of brie-​ish but added unbelievable flavor. We had the brussel sprouts with cashews and bacon. Remarkable!
Could not recommend this restaurant more highly.

2^nd Burke establishment I’ve been to and both experiences have been underwhelming.
This place has good service, but the food I ordered was not good. Tuna steak served black and blue had a iridescent glimmer, the glimmer you see when meat/​fish is NOT fresh. Who in the kitchen allowed it to be served?!
Sent back the dish and got the steak frites which was good. But for $ 44, I think one should expect more than what appeared to be a small medallion of filet mignon.
Skip this place. There’s a reason why he didn’t last long on top chef masters…

Two friends and I came for summer restaurant week. Our first experience was underwhelming but this experience was much better and very enjoyable.
Tip: choose to sit on the upper floor if possible — it’s a very different ambiance.
Recommendations: smoked pastrami salmon, tuna crude, carrot salad, creamed spinach, mocha crunch bar.
Mike was very accommodating and we greatly appreciated his hospitality.

Would give this place 4 stars if it wasn’t for two things.
1. This place has issues with house flies buzzing around while you’re trying to enjoy your meal. I swear 2 flies kept landing on my place and on the flowers on my table.
2. The waiter decides to give my table our check while we were still in the middle of dessert. I still haven’t finished what I was eating when he tried to take the check (we haven’t even looked at it yet since we were still eating). He didnt even apologize how rude this behavior was.
Besides this, somewhat uncomfortable experience, the food was delicious. I had lobster dumpling, salmon, and shared the cheesecake lollipop. The bubblegum favored side dipping? For the dessert was a bit weird. The overall presentation of the lollipop tree was very cute.

Came here for restaurant week and was pretty impressed with their menu! I got smoked salmon for appetizer, spaghetti (forgot the exact name) for entrée and cheesecake lollipop for dessert. Smoked salmon was phenomenal. It was full of flavors and it just melted in your mouth. Spaghetti was okkkkk. It wasn’t really what I expected. Spaghetti was overcooked for my taste and there was too much sauce. Dessert was very disappointing and I would never get it again.
I def want to come back when it’s not restaurant week!

came for sunday brunch with some girlfriends and was met by a super quiet restaurant. should have been a clue. the layout of the space is unique and towns-​housey. the staff is attentive, but the food didn’t feel like anything special. i loved the bloody mary and the complimentary popover more than my meal and dessert (lobster dumplings, chicken with prawns and mocha crunch bar).
i should point out the when you visit the restaurant’s site, it doesn’t state which selections are included in the prix fixe. many of what you see on that menu are not. i felt a little misled.
i enjoyed dining at david burke’s other restaurant at bloomingdales a few weeks earlier far better.

Just came here to catch up with an old friend and was pleasantly surprised to see they had their happy hour menu from 3:00pm-6:00pm on Saturdays! We had made a reservation but ended up sitting at the bar. It was very quiet for it being mothers day weekend, but that suited us.
I had a delicious glass of rose ($ 7) and my friend had a glass of sauv blanc (also $ 7) which she enjoyed, very much as well. The oysters were some of the best on the UES and their popovers are always solid. We also shared the salmon burger and two small crab tacos. Though the tacos were OK, I don’t think they were good enough for a repeat order. The salmon burger however was very tasty… might ask to have it cooked a little more on the rare side if possible.
We had our eye on the Brussel sprout flatbread… but that’ll have to be for next time. Will definitely be returning!

I dined here with family on Christmas Eve 2014 — it was one of the best dining experiences we had in New York.
We were seated upstairs in the Upper Eastside townhouse and although it was a little noisy, the attentive servers and amazing food more than compensated.
We had the traditional Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes at $ 75 a head, and each course was incredible. I also started with a glass of Moët — but at $ 25 i was the only one who indulged. It was Christmas after all.
Just on that, the sommelier at Fishtail is truly fascinating to talk to. She really knows her stuff particularly in terms of wine and pairing. Her knowledge would have to be on par with that of the executive chef — highly specialised.

So I canceled my reservation at Aureole during Restaurant Week and opted to head over here to try out their attractive HH menu.
We ended up with the salmon burger, crab tacos, oysters, tater tots and brussels sprouts. All were decent but none packed a «wow» punch; nothing too memorable. I would even skip the crab tacos unless you like it prepared with a «tuna salad» sandwich type consistency with lots of mayo.
All in all, I can’t say that it was the better choice at the end of the day. I would probably opt to try another restaurant on my next go around.

This is a review for a Restaurant Week dinner I had here semi-​recently.
I’ll start with the ambience. We ate downstairs by the bar, the said area which I would describe as comfortable and more or less casual. It has a very nautical theme to it. I haven’t seen the upstairs, but I’ve heard it’s more upscale and visually appealing.
On to the food. I had the seared tuna for my entrée and the cheesecake lollipops for dessert. Let me say that tuna is possibly my favorite meat and seared tuna is my favorite preparation. So that being said, I’m gonna enjoy the dish automatically. This dish was… ok. Didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it. I was looking for a little more zing. As for the cheesecakes lollipops, all I really needed was 1 or 2. Chocolate covered cheesecake I think is a little too rich for my taste. Glass of water please.
Not a bad place, but I much prefer David Burkes Kitchen in Soho area. I think I’ll spend my RW bucks elsewhere next time area.

Came here for the Restaurant Week Dinner menu. Had never been to a David Burke restaurant, but given how many people were talking about him, I expected the décor to be that softly-​lit, clean cut atmosphere you get at reputed places. This was surprisingly different– TVs above the bar playing ESPN, very friendly and personable wait staff, and lights bright enough I could actually imagine I was at a bar.
For my appetizer, I got the Crab Cake Balls, which were coated in a tasty cornflake crumble and sitting on a bed of mango salsa.
The main dish, Branzino with brocollini, was good, but not what I was expecting. It was a slightly smaller portion than I wanted, and the brocollini was flat, although texture-​wise was decent. The Branzino had a nice crispy finish and was seasoned well.
The dessert was far and away the best thing there– Cheesecake Lollipops. Came on a tree configuration with 10 lollipops (3 strawberry, and 7 with chocolate, although unsure what the actual flavors were). AMAZING– that’s all.
Probably wouldn’t come here again, given the price point and underwhelming entrée, but was worth a try for the discounted menu!