David Burke Tavern

We were here for restaurant week. The start to the night was great with some delicious lobster dumplings (although I could barely taste any lobster) and fried calamari. Both dishes were prepared well. We had similar expectation from our entree but it was a huge let down. We ordered the mushroom raviolis and scallops. As you will see from the pictures, half of the raviolis were either burst or not filled and the plate had pasta water. The scallops had no sear, the peppers and corn were just steamed and thrown on the plate with no seasoning. Of the two sad mushrooms that came with the scallops, one was burnt to a crisp. When I asked the waiter if that’s how it’s supposed to be prepared he said “yes”. I ate one scallop that was slightly seared. My partner took a bite out of one of the unseared ones. After that I left my plate untouched. Seeing that the waiter came back and asked to take my plate away and see “what had happened”. When my plate came back there was one scallop seared on one side and white on the other so it was obviously not cooked in the middle. We finished with key lime pie and molten lava cake. Again there was no care or thought put. The key lime pie was put haphazardly so half of it collapsed and the base was broken. It must have stayed out for quite a bit because the ice cream was melting when it arrived at the table. All in all an extremely disappointing experience.

An elegant dining room with adjoining spaces, Tavern is a wonderful place to eat, drink & be merry. The bar downstairs offers cozy banquettes for cocktails (although the full menu js available) and the second floor has four different rooms to experience. Good wine list, knowledgeable service, great food and convenient to the 4, 5 & 6 train out of Grand Central. Street parking on 62nd if you’re lucky!

Highly recommended, and make a reservation! This place has a spacious long bar upon entering and a lovely comfy space downstairs the upstairs allows for a fine dining experience as well, depends on your mood! Service is friendly, professional and attentive. We had the clothesline bacon, a must here, though pricey. There is a $55 pre-fixe that was enjoyed, but the menu is broad along with cocktails and mocktails. We'll have to come back for happy hour and brunch! Great neighborhood spot!

This review is for restaurant week dinner. The upstairs dining area has an elegant club room feel with dark walls and red tufted leather banquette seating. The lobster dumpling wrapper was not quite fully cooked in the portion where where it was crimped and sealed. The pomegranate seeds in the mushroom ravioli were probably added for textural contrast but seemed unnecessary. The mixed berry sorbet was ok but a tad sweet. While it was admirable that the server had extensive knowledge about the food, he did not have to explain everything in great detail, especially on items that were not asked to be clarified. To hear that long spiel (and jokes) at every table was a bit annoying.

My review is based on their service and drink selection since I only came here during happy hour. David Burke's food menu looked fantastic though so I'll try out the food very soon! As mentioned, I came here recent after work and was very impressed with the decor and service! I didn't realize this tavern was so close to my office! The layout consists of a nice long counter bar up front, and seating opposite of the bar. Also there's a second floor which I imagine the majority of the seating is located. Their drink menu was impressive consisting of beer, cocktails, etc. I had a couple of beers at half price (yay happy hour). The staff were very professional, friendly, and their uniforms are on point. 🔥 I can't wait to come back here and try their food menu, especially since I now know David Burke is a couple of blocks away.

Ambiance (5/5): The establishment has both an indoor and outdoor dining area. The first floor is a casual experience with high top and bar seating. The upstairs is the main dining area but exquisite decor that feels like a rustic library mixed with a speakeasy. I love the life-sized stuffed penguins! The place is moderately lit, low music volume, and overall comfortable place for a comfortable meal. Service (5/5): On a Sunday evening, the place was probably at 25% capacity. We were asked if we wanted to dine downstairs or upstairs and am glad we chose upstairs and in a corner with the stuffed penguin. We were able to sit intimately side by side this way! We were attended to throughout the meal and the manager/owner also came to check in on us. Food (4.5/5): There is an option for the fixed price menu for 3 courses indicated by a little grain icon. We opted to choose our own courses. Pisco Disco cocktail (1/5): it was extremely tart and not good Tuna and Salmon Tartare (5/5): I loved the combo of the seaweed salad and avocado with the ponzu. More importantly, the fish tasted really fresh. The spices melded with the avocado made each bite taste creamy. Dry-aged 34 oz porterhouse for two (4/5): This cut’s seasoning is patent-protected! The dish had a great presentation of the bone standing upright with a couple slices of onion rings, and the meat pre-cut laid around the bone. Half of the dish had meat that was cooked more medium than our ask of medium-rare. I’m being picky with their choice to provide blunt knives instead of a steak knife since without the serrated edges, it was a little more difficult to cut tougher meat. Sadly, I felt like the meat’s crust wasn’t seasoned enough! The crust was salted but did not have the thick crisp that I was hoping for. Perhaps the layer of marbling and crust wasn’t aged for long enough?? Otherwise, the flavoring was great! There was an optional au jus to complement the steak, which I felt helped to moisten some of the well done meat. Mash Potatoes with garlic confit (5/5): Perfect creaminess and savory taste that a mash potato dish should be Brussel Sprouts (5/5): These were amazingly charred and had a fully packed flavor in each bite! The creamy sauce added an extra layer of taste that the Brussel sprouts already had on its own! It’s almost like there was a marinate to it that allows each bite to be rich. Chocolate Mocha Dome (4/5): The dome was a work of art! Inside the dome is a chocolate mousse. I loved the raspberry drizzle and it went well with the vanilla ice cream. Overall, loved our experience! Definitely interested in coming back to try their other dishes!

Both cozy and delicious. Ordered the Chicken and Waffles. Partner ordered the Mushroom Omelette. Fluffy. Thick. Tasty, especially with the guajillo sauce. Chicken was perfect. Waffle was slightly tough, but all the flavor components worked very well together to overcome the texture of the waffle to leave me satisfied. Our waitress was extremely kind and helpful. Clearly, knew the menu well and was professional and honest, something that can be hard to find in this city’s best restaurants. The ambiance was perfect for a weekend brunch. Intimate and relaxing, but also sophisticated. We’ll be back.