Best Restaurants that are Worth The Drive in Downtown / Union Square

Walked into this charming and quaint bistro in an upscale neighborhood. The three of us were celebrating a birthday. We ordered from a special "School Night" menu. Good portion sizes and good value. Meal came with complimentary warm bread. All of us had the endive salad...consisted of endives, mixed greens, blue cheese, pecans, pears and pomegranate in vinaigrette. Very Refreshing! Lingcod Meuniere filet includes sauteed potatoes, green beans, parsley, capers and croutons in a brown butter sauce. Fish prepared perfectly, beautifully plated, tasty and flavorful. Lamb Shank entree with kidney beans, was lean and tender with meat falls off the bone. It was juicy and full of flavor. Our choice of dessert was the delectable Apple Tarte Tatin which came in layers of thin apple slices on puff pastry with a scoop of vanilla ice cream added. Apple Tarte Tatin was light and enjoyable. Not too sweet. Food was AWESOME!! Waitstaff was warm and welcoming. Servers were attentive and very efficient. Our water glasses were topped off during our entire meal. Will definitely be back!

I could not recommend this restaurant enough, the cozy back patio right by the fireplace makes it inviting and enjoyable for everyone. Quiet and enjoyable for all groups. Reasonable prices and excellent food and drinks! The winner of the show, was Svetlana… SHE makes this the place to be. Her kindness, recommendations and enthusiasm will bring us back again and again. Sincerely looking forward to another visit very soon! Thank you for your hospitality, they are damn lucky to have you!

Our first time here and our experience was incredible. The food was amazing, the ambiance wonderful, but the welcome we felt made the entire dinner fantastic, though it would be fantastic on its own!

Meats were thinly sliced and marinated in various gluten free sauces..shio, shoyu, miso, etc. I ordered a simple meal...beef, chicken, gyoza, spinach and green tea ice cream. Food came to the table quickly. My spinach with garlic came foil wrapped for easy handling. The beef, chicken and spinach packet require cooking on the hibachi. Server mentioned length of grilling time required for each ingredient. After a few attempts on the hibachi, I was getting a good hand on grilling food. Three different sauces were available to complement food. Grilling beef was short and easy as I like my beef medium rare. Beef was tender and UMAMI! Enjoyed meal, will do this again. It was fun. Servers were helpful and efficient and came around to assist. Beverage was replenished often.

The setting was lovely - like a romantic villa in Italy - and the service impeccable. But the real standout was the food. We started with the Insalata di Finocchio e Arancia and Insalate Riviera, both perfect balances of freshness and flavors. Then the showstoppers: Salmon with olive tapenade and housemade Fettuccine alle Vongole with homemade bread. And finishing the evening with an Affogato and the lightest Tiramisu ever. Bravo Chef!