Ditch Plains

Dropped by for an early dinner. Fair warning, if you go in early… Chances are there will be kids everywhere.
Started with the deviled eggs with fried oysters on top. They were great! Also had the fish and chips and the ditch dogs. The fish and chips were a little too fried for my taste but the homemade target sauce was delicious! The mac & cheese on top of the hot dogs was creamy and cheesy, the perfect addition!

I love Marc Murphy on Chopped, so I really wanted to like his place. I went here for brunch a few days ago. It was fine — not great, and probably not good either.
First, the pros.
Service was friendly and attentive. Our server was polite and helpful. A highlight.
We also got the French Toast, which was awesome and a lot of fun to try and share. There are plenty of pics online, so I won’t describe it here, although I will say that it may be best enjoyed when eaten by hand. The real maple syrup is excellent.
Cons:
I had a $ 17 breakfast taco order that was bland and mediocre. It was made worse by getting sour cream and guac: $ 2 for the sour cream and $ 3 for the guac. This may have been my fault (i.e. a bad order), but if I’m paying $ 22 for a breakfast taco, it should be *transcendent.* This one wasn’t. Either price should go down or taste should go up.
The pancakes were pretty good, but there was just too much — no one person could really eat all of them.
It was a bit too expensive for the quality of the food. Also, we got there right at 11 when it opened — get there much later and there are kids everywhere.

This is a lovely, open space, that looks and feels more like a home than a business. The staff is very friendly and the breakfast we had was delicious. At the top of the chart is the French Toast, which is unlike any French Toast I’ve had. My high expectations were exceeded with a brioché loaf soaked in flavorful batter. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. Not sweet. The egg sandwich with bacon was outstanding, as was an incredible side of thick bacon. If you’re so inclined, their Bloody Mary is the best I’ve had. I’m a big fan of Ditch Plains UWS.

Wow, this place was pretty bad. And dirty sticky (they must not wipe down the place after the kids)…
Maybe I should preface that I am not an UWSider with a baby stroller? If you are, please not that this place welcomes baby strollers — and in fact, they are all piled up in the traffic doorway of the restaurant. I am sure that it is technically a fire and safety hazard, but I will waive judgement since my cousin’s stroller contributed to the mess.
I didn’t realize that this place is targeted to be family friendly — they had a Disney Nemo cartoon replaying on little flatscreens in every booth. I was a bit distracted by the Nemo cartoon for which Nemo and a girl fish come into view of a bed of fertilized fish eggs, and then Nemo brings the girl fish into a private spot inside a sea anemone… hmmm…
She and her hubby definitely regretted taking me there. They had only been here once before, and it was a bit «meh» then, too. But apparently, this place has gone downhill even more:
— Sticky table (from the kids?)
— The beer on tap was super flat.
— Burger was dry (hard to mess up a burger)
Our waitress was nice, but didn’t ask if we wanted refills of our water or drinks.

My husband got eggs florentine and I got pancakes. REAL MAPLE SYRUP, y’all!
The place was really cute, and it was Easter Sunday and it was fullllll of pastel-​clad babies!!! Pros and cons. So cute, and so loud. So many strollers. I don’t know if it’s normally like that, but I enjoyed it, anyway.
Service was good and friendly.

Came for brunch on a Sunday. Thank goodness I made a reservation on OpenTable or we would have waited for 45 minutes for a table amongst the crowds of baby strollers. We ordered mimosas for the table and were brought mini bottles of Freixenet Cava and small glasses of orange juice so we could mix our own mimosas. Definitely cute and fun. I ordered the French toast, which arrived looking like half a ham– it was enormous. Apparently they bake fresh bread, soak half a loaf in the egg custard mixture, and bake it whole. I had to ask the waitress how to eat it! But was very delicious and filling. The service was great, and by the time we left most of the crowds of families with toddlers had left as well. Not a cheap brunch though– my french toast, mimosa, tax and tip came out to $ 38.

I could not wait to try this place! The menu made me wanna borrow three other people’s stomachs. Unfortunately, the menu read better than the food tasted.
Moreover, I did not really feel/​see the surf-​vibe they were purported to have. The place seemed very dark, wooden and dull, like eating at a prison with a bunch of UWS strollers. Now if the interior designer was going for a Romper Room Review rehabilitation center look, mission accomplished.
The Service:
Great hostess and servers; both were gracious and both had great teeth.
The Food:
–deviled eggs
(Tasted like problems and tears: The yolk was like a weird soapy Styrofoam; this is not the way a deviled egg should taste; something was wrong with the relish or the mayo or something. It reminded me of a worse version of the tuna deviled eggs served at Enduro)
–the big marc
spiked ketchup, house-​made pickles, homemade black pepper + cheddar bun
(The bun was OK but this burger was a real let-​down; there was no juicy goodness; I aint taste no ketchup so it could’ve been spiked with Rohypnol for all I know. This was just a sad burger; I didn’t even like the presentation. I was waiting to be blown away because this and the ditch dogs are supposed to be their signature dishes).

Came here for some drinks and snacks after a movie with my cousin and brother. We got a booth in the bar area which was nice and bright and spacious. The décor and vibe is Montauk casual and open and perfect for a beautiful Saturday afternoon.
We ordered a bunch of things to share (because, well you know, sharing is caring). Between the three of us, we got some oyster shooters, raw oysters, New England Clam Chowder, Truffle Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, Jalapeño Cheddar Tater Tots and Deviled Eggs.
The oyster shooters were served in a larger glass than I am used to. It kind of took away from the enjoyment of a shooter since it took gulp after gulp to finish it. I wouldn’t get these again. The clam chowder had a bit more bacon throughout than I am used to, but it was good and a definite try for bacon fans. The tater tots were also good and the deviled eggs had a little kick to them. The best part of the meal, though, was the truffle lobster macaroni and cheese. There were huge parts of lobster throughout, though the truffle flavor was a bit muted. Still delicious and a must try if it is available on special.
Service was friendly and we were comfortable enough to linger there for hours. Nice spot for a lunch.
Also note, the place was quite kid friendly, so it’s great for families. For those that have no kids in tow, don’t worry, the kids that come here are actually quite well behaved and we didn’t mind them at all.

As most reviews explain, the atmosphere is pretty casual and tends to attract of lot of families and strollers. I can’t blame them, its the nature of having a restaurant in UWS.
The French Toast was awesome, definitely the better version of the Landmarc one.
Crispy dense exterior with a soft fluffy bread pudding soufflé-​like interior. You could distinctly taste the bourbon and the vanilla, but neither was overpowering. Delicious!
The Jalapeño Cheddar tots are delicious! They are round and not anything like your average tot. Pretty pricey at $ 12 but good to share.
The fries were average. My over-​easy egg came fried well done.
Brian’s Oyster sandwich was tasty but the quantity of Oysters was miniscule. He could barely taste them between the bread and toppings. Big disappointment.
I really loved the glass of salt water taffy that came with the bill! It was a great treat and showcases their customer service.
We came in on a busy Sunday, but were able to be seated at the bar right away rather than wait 30−40mins. The bartender was super sweet, friendly and happy to make recommendations on our food order. She didn’t seem to mind at all that we did not order drinks.

3.5 stars.
Ordinarily, I would have nothing whatsoever to do with a fish shack. But I went here anyway, and I liked it. Here’s why: this is the most veggie friendly, child friendly fish shack there ever was.
If you come here with a kid, they will seat you in the back portion with booths, high chairs, and get this: TELEVISION. This is the next best thing to them actually whisking away your child while you get a bite to eat in peace. Every booth has a TV and they will put it on for you so that you can eat your meal in peace while the kid zones out. (If you’re one of those 0 screen time for kids or have a toddler like mine who has 0 interest in TV, I feel bad for you). And yes, they have crayons and the like too. And no one in the neighbouring tables scowls at you when your child fusses. They all smile understandingly, and then you notice they’re holding a child too. For the regular baby-​less folks of course they have regular seating too, but you won’t get your personal booth TV ;)
I’ve been here for both brunch and dinner, and their offerings on the green side are adequate, even if not plentiful. For brunch, I once tried their red velvet pancakes — Now I’m not a big pancake person, but if you top it with cream cheese then that helps very much, thank you. The soft veggie tacos with smoked tofu are pretty good as well. I also noticed they have Smoked tofu wings, and veggie hot dogs. They’re not amazing. but hey, they didn’t even need to have those options and they did. I appreciate that.
All in all worth visiting if it is a short walk, in a mixed group of herbivores, carnivores & little monsters.

4 stars for uniqueness of ambiance, vibe, and food. Food alone is a 3.
Food: ordered a beer battered fish and chips. The fish was AMAZING – super tender and juicy meat with a slightly sweet, crispy shell. Their tartar sauce is also the best tartar sauce I’ve ever had in my life – perfect consistency (a bit thinner than usual) and mildly sweet. Really amazing. My only issue with this fish and chips dish is that it came with 5 (albeit large) hunks of fish but a disproportionately ginormous bed of fries. I do not know if this effect is due to optical illusion: that the fish were arranged on top of the chips in a bowl makes the chips look disproportionately larger, but that was the impression. Also ordered the jalapeño cheese tater tots which were OK.
The UWS location has a very interesting vibe/​ambiance. The restaurant honestly looks like Abercrombie (if it was a restaurant) but has the feel of an Applebee’s crowd. Definitely one of the first times I’ve seen full families and teenagers. Quite spacious and unique location with an interesting light setup.
Also a big plus for professional + friendly service. Our waiter charged my friend an extra $ 7 for these tiny «sides» of jalapeño, sour cream, and cheese that were listed nowhere on the menu (no idea they’d total up to a meal’s worth either), friend raised this, and waiter promptly removed all charges! Very courteous :)

Amazing place for a brunch with a family. The nice part is that the back booths are basically all families and the rest of the place is those without kids. No need to worry that the little ones are disturbing everyone else.
Food is good and portions are good. Nothing was a true standout except the clam chowder which was a combination of New England and those island styles. The bacon made the chowder amazing.

Meh. FIrst, I didn’t realize that this was such a kid friendly establishment. The entrance was rife with strollers – so much so that I thought maybe I was entering the wrong place. There were kids at almost every table. Considering this a warning. Second, the service was incredibly slow. Our food took about an hour to come out, which is pretty extreme for casual brunch food. The red velvet pancakes were good, not spectacular. The portion was substantial though I cannot say the same for some of the other entrees like the pork and sweet potato hash. The cocktails were very hit or miss. The sangria was surprisingly tasty, though the peach margarita was incredibly disappointing. All in all, it was a satisfactory brunch but I wouldn’t not coming running back here.

Brunch was the plan — and Ditch Plains delivered on a decent one. I wouldn’t say the food was spectacular, but the service was amazing. Hands down the best I’ve encountered at a restaurant in a very long time.
The atmosphere was also relaxed and inviting, even with such a large space.
If you have a large group and happen to be in the neighborhood, this place would be a good bet to stop in and set a spell.

Not much different from the West Village location, other than that this one in the UWS is much bigger (includes a small party room), and of course there are far more strollers during brunch time.
I really like this place, though it’s not perfect. Despite the menu having many good-​sounding plates, it’s oddly priced. I enjoy their burgers and their fish and chips, but never get anything else because most of the other plates seem expensive for what you get.
The old standby Ditch Dogs is still ridiculously filling and quite good for that comfort food craving.
Service was excellent every time I’ve come here (about 4 times or so).

Holy cow, this was awful. Only my second 1-​star review.
I like to give restaurants the benefit of the doubt. Marc Murphy, I expected better. For all the criticism you give on Chopped, you should try eating here and changing things around.
I had a «Po’ Boy» which was nothing more than a hot dog bun with tiny tiny fried shrimp. It was so mushy with the slaw that I didn’t even finish it. A joke of a sandwich. I could have made something better.
My dad eats almost anything and when his salmon came out, he ate two bites and stopped because it was oversalted and the quinoa was undercooked. C’mon son.
I can understand the appeal for families and for happy hour, but foodwise, it might be one of the worst places I’ve eaten at in the city.
Sorry if this is strongly worded, it makes me kinda mad how bad this was. Only bright side was the service, which was pretty attentive and apologetic for the mistakes, but not quite enough to redeem anything at all.

I had a very good experience for brunch on a Saturday around 11:45AM. The back room was for the kids and parents, nice separation.
The egg sandwich with bacon was delicious, the home fries were cooked well done (excellent) and the side of cheese grits was creamy and cheesy. The red velvet pancakes were good, big portion and lots of cream cheese and syrup with it.
Overall, price and portion size was excellent. Service was fast and friendly. Good beers on tap too. The space is comfortable. Will return again for lunch or dinner.

What an enjoyable lunch we had here yesterday. The interior is gorgeous — a combination of black, white, wood and an attention grabbing white ceiling of distressed wood boards.
Ditch Plains is deceptively large, we sat in a small dining area by the bar and had no idea that two huge dining rooms were around the bend. Our lunch of a small Seafood Cobb Salad, a Caesar Salad, and an omelette with ham and Smoked Mozzarella ran $ 49.
My Cobb Salad ($ 16 small or $ 21 large) had shrimp chunks and shredded salmon alongside the bacon, avocado, and the rest. It was great and the small was perfect for lunch. I had a forkful of the omelette and it was excellent.
The check was delivered in a rocks glass that was filled with taffy pieces. Nice touch !
We liked everything about Ditch Plains.
One funny thing, there were a lot of young families there, and the front vestibule must have been jammed with 6 or 7 strollers. It looked like the baby department at Kohls…

Came here for brunch at 11:30 on a Saturday, where it was roughly 10% full. Surprising. Seated quickly.
French Toast — it was served on a massive piece of toast, however the bread was very light on the inside and I didn’t love it. By the end, I thought having another bite might make me sick.
Short Rib Hash — good, but really greasy
Orange juice — not fresh squeezed
By the end of our meal, this place was swarming with children. It was like someone put an ad on one of the UWS parenting blogs that this place is stroller friendly and then they all descended en masse. The restaurant was big so it wasn’t a problem, but it was quite bizarre. On the way out, we saw Matt Damon walking in (of course, he was part of the stroller crowd).

Great for brunch or dinner. A neighborhood eatery and on weekends you’ll find the stroller crowd. It’s definitely family friendly as they place crayons out for the little ones to draw on the white paper tablecloths along with wall mounted TV’s playing cartoons.
Food wise it had a variety of choice. Great apps and a good spin on their mains. Loved the oysters and their signature burger that won the Food Network Burger Bash Challenge. Great bloody mary’s as well with the right amount of kick.
If you don’t mind the family with the little ones and are a family yourself its a great weekend place to grab some food with other family friends. For those of us getting together as a brunch meetup it maybe a bit noisy with the little ones running around.