Lido

OMG I have 7 friends that go out to lunch on special occasions and we had the best experience at the Lido in Harlem NY the Chef (Serena) and the owner came over to the table and thanked us for coming, even said happy birthday to my girlfriend, but it was the food that stole the show, each of us had a different dish we all raved about the food, that was February, I have been there (3) times since. Just Go, Thank me later. Lori

«Methinks not». Too right. What a shame. Came in for a late lunch on a random Monday and seeing as though it was less then half full I automatically assumed service and food would be fine. Granted, I was less than wowed the last time I came but I owed the host’s rude behavior to a full house. I should have listened to my gut but I didn’t and here goes. Menu arrived and I ordered. Glass of wine and mussels. Yum, right? The wine was fine. Three mussels in, I bit into a morsel full of sand. Now, I’ve eaten mussels my entire life and I know that one, they can be tricky to clean and two, they’re from the ocean (dur) so a bit of grit once in a while is not unusual. So I brushed it off, washed it down with a sip and kept going.
Another fork-​full of sand.
Not again. Then another. Now, I’m upset but figure it can’t be that the entire plate is full of mussels laden with sand. It can’t be that a restaurant full of people happily munching could have not washed their seafood before cooking and serving. After a fourth attempt, I can’t go any further. I call the waitress over, who by the way, has not checked on me once. I quietly tell her that the mussels are sandy. She apologizes, asks if there’s anything else I’d like (to which I say I’ll look at a menu) and takes the plate away. As she passes who I assume is the manager, I hear her repeat my complaint followed by «I’ve never heard anyone say that about the mussels before.»
Excuse me?! What does your memory of costumer critique have to do with my plate of inedible food?
The bill comes (?)
After another ten minutes she returns for the bill which is complete, sans menu.
I hold my card up as she reaches for it and explain that I was very disappointed with the meal and that I’m not at all concerned with what she’s heard from other costumers about the meal at which point she cuts me off, says she’ll see what she can do, grabs the bill and walks off. Two minutes later, a new bill arrives, minus the cost of the mussels and she explains that because she can’t take anything off the bill, the mussels are on her. Pity.
Lessons learned 1) Trust your instinct. 2) Don’t give average restaurants second chances. 3) Once terrible service, always terrible service 4) Lido doesn’t particularly care about it’s wait staff if it forces them absorb the cost for their subpar food.
Sad. Don’t go. Plenty of better options in Harlem.

I came here yesterday, with a friend for their brunch — and it was SO good!
I ordered the Bottomless Mimosa ($ 16) and the Omelet with Mushroom, Bacon, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese ($ 15). We spilt an order of the Grilled Bread, Butter, House Made Jam ($ 5), and each had a Mojito ($ 12).
Everything was on point.
–I never (aka. not once) had to ask our waiter to refill my drink; he kept constant tabs on our Mimosa’s.
–The Mojito was probably one of the best I’ve had in the city. It was incredibly smooth and balanced.
–Omelet came with a light side salad, which complimented the heaviness of my meal. And the house made jam (that came with the bread) was loaded with whole berries — excellent!
The décor of Lido was also quite wonderful, light colors were clutch in keeping the restaurant feel open and airy (even though it was packed). Everything seemed clean, and tended.
I would definitely return!

Best veal meatballs and spaghetti in Harlem. The staff is always lovely and accomodating. Cozy and delicious food.

Nice location, friendly stuff and great food. Would certainly come back!

Came here for bottomless brunch after running the NYC half marathon this year. The bottomless brunch portion is excellent: Once the first mimosa is filled don’t plan on seeing the bottom of your glass for the next two hours. The service was very prompt in that sense. The setting itself is very crowded for brunch, you’re going to be able to hear everything the people at the table next to you are saying (girl next to us who just broke up with her BF, I’m sorry).
The food i found to be forgettable and expensive. Two orders of pancakes, a side of potatoes, and bottomless mimosas for 2 will run you close to $ 80 after tip.

This is a great Italian eatery. Priced well, drinks were great and food portion was perfect. The ambiance and staff were great!

I’ve been here a few times for Sunday brunch and it does not disappoint. Typically very crowded/​busy/​loud during this time, but that’s to be expected. I’ve been to a lot of bottomless brunches that are stingy with drinks, but they are VERY generous here and the staff has always been super friendly every time.

I consider myself a competitive marathon drunk bruncher, and Lido satisfied all my brunch needs: moderately priced bottomless mimosas at $ 16 for 2 hours, attentive wait staff who kept our mimosa glasses full, an extensive menu with traditional lunch and breakfast options like spaghetti or eggs benny, and a lovely patio with umbrellas and epic people watching. It’s also right off the 116^th St subway stop or a 10 minute walk from the express stop at 125^th St.
I ordered the white polenta with poached eggs and mushroom ragu, which was topped with parmigiano reggiano cheese and mushrooms. I feel like I’m the only person on Unilocal who didn’t love this dish. It was just okay and could’ve used more flavor.
The high point of brunch: projectile vomit at the next table. I think she drank too many mimosas and too quickly because she blew chunks all over her friends. I wish I had as good friends as her. They were champs, helping her clean up, clean themselves up, and make a quick getaway.

Where did we find the best brunch… Harlem! This place dominated our expectations. It has the best offering bottomless mimosas for $ 15. See how many you can stomach while enjoying the atmosphere.
Lido Brunch Atmosphere — Loud but now too loud, everyone enjoying their respectable dishes, and talking about what they did last night. This place is PACKED on Sunday brunch and I didn’t see too many children here during that time.
Apparently they switch out their menu every season, but when I was there I ordered the white polenta. It has mushrooms, truffle oil, Parmesan and poached egg. A little salty but it is expected with this dish. Such an amazing meal for the rest of the day :)

Came here for brunch with work friends on Saturday afternoon. Staff was really friendly and punctual. We ate outside, seating was comfy and laid back. Restaurant crowded with customers but was clean and bathrooms were well kept. Food was fresh and pretty good. Place is a bit pricey but it also depends on what you order. My grilled chicken panini was really delicious, bread was toasty and buttery! Pesto and herbs were all tasty. Everyone pretty much liked their food… although my friend said the roasted potatoes with her poached eggs were bland and needed ketchup. All in all, I’d definitely come back one day.
Pro: Across the street from Levain Bakery! Grab dessert after your meal there!

Wow.
Let’s first talk about the neighborhood, this area is THE definition of gentrification. I am baffled at how awesome this area has become. With that said, Lido has to be one of the additions that defines this neighborhood. Classy, simple, great food, great crowd, great atmosphere all in the heart of Harlem.
Let’s discuss the food shall we? I started off with a kale salad which I thought sounded boring and when I first saw looked truly boring and small but don’t let this fool you, this is a delicious action-​packed tiny kale salad that you should try. Simple, filled with flavor and a great way to open up your appetite.
Next, my boyfriend ordered the veal meatballs which I tried despite being a vegetarian and I have to say are delicious as ever. I’ve always said that no one tops Uva’s veal meatballs but his place gives them some competition. They are served in a little pot and smothered in a delicious red sauce. All you need is some bread and you’re set my friend.
For my main course, I ordered the red snapper which was cooked perfectly and served over a bed of califlower, raisins, pine nuts and olives. To be quite honest I could have the bedding alone and be satisfied with my entire meal. Perhaps next time I’ll do that. Hm. The olives are a bit too strong flavored though as I normally like green olives but it doesn’t really matter this bedding is delicious as ever. A must try!
Finally, my boyfriend ordered the mussels which were served with a curry like sauce and WA out of this world. I love mussles but am turned away at times because of the graininess it bring. These however, were clean as can be and prepared in a delicious sauce.
Lido is a wonderful new addition to the area. I hope to return soon and enjoy the other wonderful dishes this restaurant has to offer.

We came around 4:30pm, and there was lots of space. The place is super cute!
I had the gnocchi and I didn’t love it. It was a bit too much. The crostinis were good, but the best was the Tuscan pizza.

Had a great dinner here! Shout out to our waitress who was casual and friendly but also kept it professional. Wish I remembered her name.
4 stars because it was really good, but nothing mind blowing. I hope to come back for their bottomless brunch one day and add that 5^th star!

My friend and I came here for a boozy brunch on a Friday afternoon. When we got there we were told that they normally didn’t do unlimited mimosas on weekdays… but they could make it happen for us! Then we both ordered off the lunch menu. I got the mussels in this amazing tomatoey, bean sauce and she had the spaghetti arrabiatta. I was impressed by the portion size of both, but especially the mussels.
The brunch was awesome! Food was good and we both drank a lotttt of mimosas.

Lido is a great brunch spot! My friend invited me here for her birthday brunch and I was pleasantly surprised. We were a group of 11 and, as we were warned, we couldn’t sit down until most of the group was there. However we somehow all showed up within 15 minutes of the reservation (#groupwin) and they seated us no problem.
I ordered the White Polenta with truffle oil, mushroom ragout, Parmesan, and poached eggs. It was delish. This kind of dish is easy to make too salty, but a Lido did it just right. It was just the right amount of savory with some cheesiness, the mushrooms, and the polenta cooks just right. I finished the whole thing! Yum.
Of course I can’t forget to mention the bottomless mimosas for only $ 14. They were good too! The waiter was very attentive and made sure purses were always full. No cheaping out on the restaurant’s part here.
I would absolutely come back here — good service, good food, and cheap drinks. Win-​win-​win situation.

Late Restaurant Week Winter 2016 review for January 20. Came here with my friend for restaurant week. I had Lido bookmarked for a few months, and finally able to try their food. I made an early reservation at 5:30pm, and naturally, when I arrived, the place was empty. No complaints there. I figured the restaurant would start filling up after 7.
Inside, it’s a cute little restaurant. Comfortable seats, good lighting, nice bar setup. Restaurant week menu seemed good, which was another reason why I decided to make Lido my 1^st stop for Restaurant Week.
We started off with 2 glasses of Pinot Noir. The red wine was light, fruity, and smooth. Very nice. For apps, I had the Roasted Pumpkin & Apple soup, and my friend had the Crostino that was served with burrata. For entrees, I paid the $ 6 supplement for the Grilled Salmon filet, cooked medium. She had the Roasted Duck Risotto. And for dessert, I had the bread pudding and she had the Bittersweet chocolate brownie w/​vanilla gelato.
I wasn’t impressed with both my apps and my dessert. My pumpkin soup was way too peppery, and watered down. My friend’s burrata crostino though, was delicious and flavorful! I tried a spoonful of my friend’s Duck risotto and it was good. Creamy risotto, w/​bits of duck in it. Not bad. My salmon entrée was cooked perfectly. Flaky, moist, fresh ingredients and perfectly seasoned! And for dessert, I thought my bread pudding w/​some kinda dried fruit that I still can’t identify and a scoop of ice cream seemed rather busy and a poor combination of flavors. My friend’s chocolate brownie dessert was impressive though.
Overall, despite the underwhelming apps and dessert, I would still rate my restaurant week experience at Lido as 4 stars because of the attentive service and the quality and execution of my salmon entrée. I will definitely be back to try their brunch food someday. from their pictures, brunch looks pretty legit.

Had an enjoyable meal this past Friday with my BFF. The ambience is grown and sexy. Nice electric array of customers and the staff for the most part were friendly and attentive. The seating is close and a tight fit to say the least. At times during my conversation, felt the need to whisper as to not let the adjacent tables be all in my business.
Now for the food. Really good to stellar dishes. We had lobster ravioli an A+, their steak delicious, and fig and cheese dish that was ok but not memorable. The cocktails were on the strong side but well made. Dessert was a bust with unimaginative dishes.
I would return again for girls night! The price point is on par with other restaurants in the area. Our bill was $ 130.

Decent bottomless brunch in Harlem, but go for the the drinks, and the service, but not the food. I got the short rib hash bennie and just wasn’t impressed. Unimpressed to the point that I didn’t even have the second (half) portion. My friends got the omelette, grits, and pancake, and were equally underwhelmed by the food. It’s not that the food was bad, but that it was uninspiring. I wouldn’t come back to Lido’s for a food craving. The bottomless option is fantastic though. The server kept both my mimosa and the coffee topped up at all points. Every server we encountered was courteous and helpful. If I come back here, it would probably be after eating brunch elsewhere, and only to satisfy my need for bottomless mimosas.

I’ve been there before under a different name.
They changed physically the place as well. There is a large bar now to the side.
We went on restaurant week and there was an option for $ 38/​p. We opted out of the fixed menu and ordered a la carte as we shared appetizers & dessert.
The crostini with golden beets, goat cheese & cod fish fritters were delicious.
As main dish we ordered Organic Chicken Milanese. It was very good.
Caramel budino finished our meal.

Went on a Saturday for Brunch just as they were opening their doors. The décor is nice and bright. Staff are friendly. Unlimited mimosa option is great and they refilled my glass several times before it even had the chance to become empty. The French toast was good but I little chewy around the edges like it could have been soaked in the batter a bit more. But overall still good. BF had the steak sandwich which was tastey and better than the French toast. Overall I like this harlem spot and will return.

It was a random weekday and my cousins from Canada came to visit. We decided a bottomless brunch would be the plan of the day! And so the search began for a place that had a bottomless brunch option on a weekday.
Now I don’t know if I should be advertising this but I think this simply speaks volumes about the customer service at this establishment. Because when I called lido, a woman who I believe is the restaurant manager, answered. I asked if they offered bottomless brunch on weekdays and she said she could make it happen!
That she did! We enjoyed bottomless mimosas with our delicious lunch. We started off with the garlic bread which is creamy gooey, crispy goodness. And we all had paninis.
The service was outstanding and the venue is clean and simple yet elegant. I definitely want to go back!

Came here for boozy brunch on a weekend afternoon and it was packed! $ 15 for bottomless mimosas? Yes please!
My friends and I had a reservation and were seated immediately even though the entire party had not yet arrived at the time of the reservation. Very nice of them to do so! The service was also impeccable even though it was so crowded. Our waiter was extremely attentive throughout our meal, kept coming by with refills for our mimosas and water, and was really friendly. We definitely got a great deal with the mimosas because he topped up our glasses so frequently our glasses never went empty! Very impressive service!
As for the food, a few of my friends got the Polenta ($ 15) which looked and smelt amazing and tasted delish! I really regretted not getting that too because I was underwhelmed by the dish I ordered (Tuscan Pizza Tart, $ 13), which was pretty much just a small pita-​pizza that you could easily make at home. To give them some credit, the dish was meant to be an appetizer and the waiter had actually advised me to order something else. I was just too stubborn and just HAD to satisfy my pizza craving right there and then.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend Lido for a great boozy brunch experience. I can’t wait to go back and already know what I’m gonna order next time! If you’re thinking of doing brunch here, I’d suggest making a reservation beforehand because I overheard them telling walk-​ins that the wait was at least 1 hour long (this was around 12:30pm on a Saturday).

Unlimited mimosa was dangerous! Our waiter was so attentive we have no idea how many we had but we knew that we struggled to walk out of there!
Short rib hash is amazing
Polenta amazing so incredible I wanted more. Unfortunately the eggs were overcooked but forgivable since the flavor was amazing.
Will be back!