The Polo Bar

Amazing ambience that proved to be everything it is advertised. Greeted outside restaurant door by men with iPad reservation systems. Seated at a booth in the main dinning room. Yummy savory popovers as a bread course. Everything labeled with the Ralph Lauren logo, even the heavy solid silver salt and pepper shakers. The crab cake was one of the best I’ve ever had, and my wife’s veal chop was sizably generous and perfectly crumbed. The much lauded Polo Burger was… ok. Nothing spectacular. The fries pretty damn good too. The desserts spectacular to end it all. Definitely a top flight place — $ 350 for 4 with barely 1 drink per person.

The staff here is not rude, nor is it impossible to get a reservation. Just follow the rules and you’ll be happy. The sense of entitlement in the one star reviews is absurd … Is it hard to get a reservation? Sure, but if you want to eat here, call a month in advance and be flexible. It’s not that big of a deal.
Anyway, the décor is amazing. It’s so Ralph Lauren-​y with all the wood and leather.
I had no issues with any of the hosts … I didn’t find them to be pretentious or rude at all. They were nice and accommodating from what I could tell. The bartenders were funny.
As far as food goes, my friends and I all got the veggie burger. It was massive. The description doesn’t say bbq sauce, I don’t think, but there was definitely bbq sauce all over it. The veggie burger itself was very good despite the bbq sauce. The fries were perfect. We also had the Brussels sprouts, which were good but not great.
Service was great.
Overall, we left feeling full and happy.

I had such a fun night here on a Thursday night in December.
You do not go here for the food, but you go for the ambiance and the décor. It was the BEST people watching I’ve ever experienced. I’d return back in a heartbeat.
It was tough getting a reservation. Had to go through a friend!

The Polo Bar is so much fun. I’ll break this review down into three areas:
1. The décor, ambiance, mood:
As you might expect from the Ralph Lauren brand, the restaurant is designed to a T. I would liken the interior to that of a old East Coast or Palm Beach supper club. Well at least the way you envision one, in realty they’re not nearly as nice as this restaurant. The place is camera ready and looks good enough to double as a movie set or special exhibit at a museum. There’s a lot of saddle leather, tartan and warm woods. Even the bathrooms are remarkable with green stone, marble and brass fixtures.
2. The service:
The service is excellent – among the best I’ve experienced anywhere, very on-​point. There’s a flow to the service that you can subtly notice. One is sort of gently guided through the restaurant upon arrival. First from the doormen, then over the course of an hour or so in our case, to the bar, to the maitre d’, downstairs and to our table. The service staff is very personable and tries to get to know you and what you like.
3. The food.
I’ve dined here 5 times and the food has been impeccable and consistent each time. Each of the 5 times my wife has had the veggie burger. It’s her favorite in town. If you’re a vegan, vegetarian or just in general a healthier eater, there are many options. There’s a vegetarian menu in fact. Each of the times I’ve dined here I’ve eaten at the the other end of the spectrum and had roasted chicken, wild salmon and the filet mignon. All have been perfect. All of the starters, soups and salads we’ve tried have been great too.
I don’t find making reservations here too duanting, but having dined here a few times it would be nice if that got me some acknowledgement or better/​quicker options for a reservation.

Totally shareable appetizers and entrees. Great food and great service. No cell service in the restaurant (it’s in the basement) but there is free WiFi. Check your polo mallet by the coat check.

I wanted to try the Polo Bar for a while, and planned a dinner with a friend for this past Saturday night. I called exactly 1 month in advance to make the reservation, and when I finally got through 40 minutes later, they only had 5, 5:30, or 10pm tables. We chose the 5:30, which worked out fine during the winter, since it was dark out. The largest party size is 4 people.
The setting was fantastic. Very cozy, plaid pillows, a warm glowing mahogany brass feeling. Again, a perfect spot for mid-​winter. I love that they offer an elevator in lieu of the staircase when you enter the restaurant on the lower level. It’s thoughtful for both older patrons and those of us who chose to wear our best looking pair of high heels for the evening. The entire staff, from the trench coat clad bouncer to the hosts and waitresses were supremely professional and well-​trained. Service was truly exemplary.
My friend and I chose to share some Kumamoto oysters and clams oreganata to start. The oysters were perfect, although the mignonette maybe had just a few too many minced shallots for my own personal taste. The clams were delicious too, but the breading was a little charred on a few.
For my main course, I went with the burger, which was cooked perfectly, and so tasty. The special sauce was great, and I love that bacon is a standard accoutrement. Overall, I was really impressed with Polo Bar, and if it wasn’t so damn hard to get a reservation, I would love to return.

Sumptuous dining room and service bar none. Reminded me of the old Locke-Ober’s in Boston where wait staff are standing by to assist your every need, often anticipating it beforehand. The rolls were out of this world, my husband, the steak snob found this to be on par with his fav steakhouse. I had the lobster salad and I find lobster in NY a gamble. This did not disappoint. Worth the 20 minutes to make the reservation a month in advance.

Are you kidding me?! This was such q memorable dinner experience… I can’t believe how much we enjoyed it.
Greeted at the door and came in thru the chic bar. We decided to go right into dinner…(make sure you are hungry when you walk in the door – more on this later). The dining room is kind of U shaped and we had a great table because we could see the other patrons (celebs come here) but also felt we could have conversation ever with a full dining room (we were a party of 3). They have cozy banquettes if that is your thing.
After cocktail orders (brown derby and lemon drop martini)… Then the popovers arrived. Warm, light and scrumptious!
For apps we had the crab cake which had a phyllo topping and mustard sauce (yum) and a blt salad… We shared and it was great because we wanted to leave plenty of space for main entrees.
Dinner was a NY strip & fries… Perfectly cooked and served with horseradish sauce. The roasted chicken with herbs de Provence and veal which was pounded thin and breaded. Portions are big enough to have some to take home!
Dessert was the multilayered chocolate cake with cloud like whipped cream, and coffee ice cream… refreshing and delish! And and ice cream sundae.
Our server was professional and darling. Nothing wrong with a charming waiter!
Getting a reservation is an exercise in futility if you are not a planner or flexible. We had 5:30 ressie and I was disappointed until we walked in the door.
What a treat and special night out for us!

This place is really fancy and old school-​I liked it!
Right when you reach the door, they check you in and have you go downstairs for dinner. For our meal, they started us off with a couple of complimentary popovers that had onions and swiss cheese to ‘em-​delicious!!!
As for food, we had the pigs in a blanket as our appetizer (pretty standard). For our entrees, we had the filet mignon (I loved the diced onions and sauce!) which was cooked well and tasted great! I had the garlic spinach in place of the fries it would have came with, which was nice! We also had the spaghetti n meatballs which was also good.
The service was great-​super attentive and friendly.

This place amazed me from start to finish. The decorations are gorgeous and the staff is extremely attractive. There drinks were good. The food was outstanding. I had the filet mignon. It was by far the best steak I’ve ever had. My husband had the roast chicken and it was tender, moist and so flavorful. We shared dessert. The cheesecake with citrus sauce was a great mix of rich cake and refreshing fruit. We can’t wait to go again!

Pleasantly surprised.
Hard to get a table. Very impressive ambience. Well dressed crowd. Simple food done extremely well. Gave it an extra star for the moderate prices. Must go!

This place has a very classic décor, which gives it a lot of warmth and great ambiance.
The food was good, traditional American fare. But, the best part was our waiter Kyle. The most accommodating, funny and entertaining service that I have ever received in any restaurant. Coming back just for him.

**They do not allow walk-​ins even for the bar area, for just drinks. I mean, just after-​work drinks at the bar area. Seriously? Who in the world makes a reservation for drinks?
Long story short, we were denied at the front door because we didn’t have a reservation in place. Ahhhh. We lost word, just turned around and walked toward the King Cole Bar in St. Regis Hotel across the street.

To start, we ordered the cornbeef sandwich for the table to share and it was great, the bread was toasted with butter and the meat was cooked perfectly.
For the entrees, 3 of us had the branzino cooked in butter sauce and it was fantastic! The fish melts in your mouth! I also tried the filet and that tasted good. We ordered the side of mashed potatoes and they were creamy and delicious! Those are the best potatoes I have ever had and we all have been raving about them ever since!
We ordered the brownie with ice cream for dessert to share and it was very tasty… we should have ordered another one!
The staff was great and very attentive, kudos to the bartender and the waiter. Overall it was a great dining experience and I can’t wait to go back!

This is where I imagine the people of Gossip Girl and Crazy Rich Asians frequently dine. The Polo Bar is aesthetically pleasing and made for the upper echelon of wealth. Doormen dressed to the nine guard this reservation-​only restaurant. I had no idea chips, pigs in the blanket, and fried olives could be so fancy. The over-​priced food is good, but you’re paying more for the ambiance of high society. No one even batted an eyelash when Martha Stewart galloped on by. Although I enjoyed my experience, this just isn’t my scene. I prefer venues such as the Prancing Pony in Bree.

It was what you would expect. Good service. Packed. Expensive. Normal food selections, yet cooked very well.
GREAT: Burger. Pigs in blanket. Big Shrimp Cocktail. Side of crispy Mushrooms. Apple Pie. Steak/​Filet.
GOOD: Tuna Tartar (bottom sauce was salty)

Is it a scene? Yes
Are there portraits of horses on the walls? Yes
Is it expensive? Yes
Appetizers were good — the crab cake had a bell pepper sauce and the watermelon salad was refreshing. The lobster roll was OK but the bone in ribeye was great. The service was great.
It is worth a trip just to see what RL envisioned when he set up a restaurant in midtown Manhattan.

To start out I’m a huge fan of steaks and steakhouses and this place is certainly on the top of my list.
Not much to say here the food was perfect the service was amazing.
The ribeye wasn’t as good as the ny strip but both were great.
As for prices I would say they are reasonable for the location and the name of the place
The only negative thing worth mentioning is that reservations are required and can sometimes be a couple of weeks away so plan accordingly

A solid four stars just for the theatre of this place. Great for people watching, polo paraphernalia and good American food staples.
The shrimp cocktail was enormous. Fresh, juicy and delicious. I followed this with the lobster roll. Perfect proportions of lobster served on a sweet bread. The vodka mule cocktail, served in a copper cup, was refreshing and a great accompaniment to my meal.
Quick to take your coat and attentively take your order, the service was excellent too. Well worth the experience. #polo #ralphlauren #nyc

I’m in awe with the 1 star reviews. Everyone is complaining about not being able to make reservations– this restaurant belongs to Ralph Lauren, why would you ever think you can walk in or get reservations a day or two before? I’m literally laughing out loud.
I called three days before and they told me they didn’t have availability but the lady was kind enough to tell me when a good time is to call back. So I called the next day around 5pm and was told they had a reservation available at 5pm on Friday. I don’t eat dinner early and never at 5– but I took it because I know how pristine and upscale this restaurant is.
From the moment we arrived outside, until we went inside and down the stairs the customer service was great. Everyone that worked there was dressed beautifully, just like I’d imagined them to. Our waiter was very helpful and very patient with us.
We ended up ordering the polo burger and the grilled lobster salad. Both to die for!
The place was immaculate – bathrooms beautifully decorated – extremely high etiquette flourished the place; it was the meaning of class.
I recommended this place to everyone– it is just a beautiful experience!

Vou dar essa péssima nota pelo fato da reserva! Fiz a reserva com 3 semanas de antecedência. Quando cheguei no restaurante não conseguiram encontrar a minha reserva, ficou uma situação muito chata! O restaurante estava cheio pois era Dia dos Pais… Dai depois de muito reclamar, ele acharam a minha reserva… E disse que estava CANCELADA! Fiquei maluca da vida! Ficou um clima muito chato, tivemos que chamar o gerente do restaurante! Depois de quase 30 minutos de espera, eles conseguiram nos ajeitar em uma mesa… Mas vou te falar que foi uma péssima experiência e muito constrangedora! De resto não tenho que reclamar, a mesa que nos colocaram estava boa e o garçom que chama Danny era muito prestativo! O décor do restaurante me agradou muito! De entrada pedimos ostras e coquetel de camarão. De prato principal fomos de salmão, branzino e o burger! Tudo ótimo!