Cecchi's

Another amazing dinner! I can't speak highly enough of this restaurant. Our waiter, Anthony, always remembers our orders, from our cocktail choices to my burger preferences--no cheese and sauce, just as simple as it comes. As a burger purist, I appreciate a good burger without any distractions. These burgers are grilled to perfection, and it shows.If you're looking for a tasty cocktail, you must come here. My favorite is "Where Has All the Rum Gone." The Brussel sprouts are the best in the city, with an incredible balsamic glaze.I would be remiss if I forgot dessert. If you love chocolate, you must get the chocolate cake--another favorite.The ambiance is wonderful--warm and friendly. We always end up chatting with another couple, and Michael always makes sure we had a good meal. This is one of my favorite restaurants. Can't wait to come back soon!

I had the pleasure of a double date night at Cecchi's recently and it was an absolute knockout. We came in with a reservation on a Tuesday night and the place was packed! Always a good sign when you can fill your place on Tuesday.The hosts greeted us warmly at the door, and we were led to our table in the back room. The decor is arty and edgy without being over the top and the overall ambiance (lighting and sound) is warm and perfect for long dinner conversations with good friends or a date. (I was lucky enough to have both!)Our waiter was an old-school (but young) pro, giving us enough time to get settled but always on call. We listened to the speicials, which were all enticing, but decided to go with some of the fixtures. For me and my friend, that meant the Prime NY Rib (cipollini onions, lunchbox peppers, fingerling potatoes), but the pan seared pork hop and calf's liver are definitely on my radar for a future visit.We shared some starters--the lobster salad lettuce wraps, stuffed wild mushrooms (black truffles, breadcrumbs, grana padano), and apricot glazed ribs (yum) stood out. The steak was outstanding--juicy and perfectly medium rare, well complemented by the creamed spinach side.Throughout the evening, Michael, the eponymous owner of the restaurant, visited with us to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and that the food was great (which it was). My friend and I had both read his book (Your Table Is Ready) and he indulged our little Q&A with the author between courses. A chat with Michael, who's full of New York restaurant lore, is part of the experience at Cecchi's.While I'm not a martini drinker, they make a mean one here. The wine list, it should be noted, was also remarkable. They had an impressive collection of wines from around the globe, and I was particularly impressed with their local-ish bottles (they had a lovely Cab Franc from Long Island's Wölffer).All in all, a memorable, throwback dining experience that's so rare nowadays in NYC. Our only mistake was not budgeting more time so we could try the dessert. But we shall be back!

Dinner, Wed, 28 Aug 2024. FIRST THE GOOD: our waiter was great; the wine pour was generous; manifest effort to create ambience with the art deco light fixtures and murals; lively crowd.THEN THE REST: vacuum-cleaner noise levels; burger lacked flavor as did the accompanying coleslaw and fries; steak frites meat bereft of seasoning; lobster lettuce cups were okay with the binding over-powering the shellfish taste.IN SUMMARY: folks dine at Cecchi's not for the food, but rather the drinks and the lounge vibe. Choose accordingly.

Popped in on a whim Friday night for drinks. The place was popping and we were able to get the last two seats at the bar. The restaurant is gorgeous. Very chic 1950s NYC vibes. Huge shout out to the bartenders who were so much fun! Cocktails were excellent. Loved the 'You're so cuke'. There were so at least 4 people behind the bar making drinks - this is a well run operation. We cannot wait to come back for dinner!

Went here for dinner last night and found it to be a bit overrated especially for the price. We started with the $7 breadbasket and I've literally had better bread at an Olive Garden (for free). This was a huge disappointment. For not having a single entree under $35 the bread really should be complimentary or otherwise not be the most basic dinner roles I've ever had with land o lakes butter on the side. Stuffed mushrooms were tasty and we loved the buttery Parmesan sauce on the plate. Nothing innovative but definitely good. The striped bass was good but very rich, salty and heavy ($39), we both had it, and the fries were very tasty ($15). We were so stuffed and feeling a bit sick by the end of the meal so skipped dessert. Service was ok, every time I sipped my water it was refilled which actually I find pretty annoying. The restaurant was absolutely packed when we left and the staff didn't do much to try to create space for people to leave or come in with so many people standing around waiting for their table. Also of note is the gender neutral bathroom with two stalls where you have to share one sink, which causes a line to form and is kind of off putting to walk into the bathroom as a woman and see a man standing there washing his hands. A little annoying.

Great vibe - but then leading to a way to crowded scene. It gets too loud and we had to shout to have a conversation. Cocktails were great; food were disappointing.NOT A WEDGE - basic STUFFED MUSHROOM - basic SAN GENNARO IN A BLANKET - basicAPRICOT GLAZED RIBS - basic CHICKEN À LA KING - chicken pot pie?CALF TONGUE - extremely overcooked, dry, disgusting.WILD STRIPED BASS - basic.

I absolutely loved this meal and am surprised that people rated it anything less than a 5/5. The service was top notch and our waiter Ted gave stellar recommendations (hint: try the pork chop!!!). Michael also stopped by to make sure we were enjoying our meal and cocktails. My friend and I left saying how we want to come back here every week (more like biweekly to fit in our NYC budgets). This spot is now on my recommendation list for any NYers and out of towners.

Cecchi's is a wild experience and it improbably lives up to the hype. Sure, it's a little chaotic, nearly bursting at the seams, but the vibes are on point and the product is exceptional. I'm very proud of myself for snagging a reservation here, because this seems like one of those places that holds tables for VIPs and executive-types with assistants who have the privilege of circumventing the usual system. In any case, we got to eat here, and it was delightful. We came here at 8:30 as a party of four on a Saturday night. I immediately noticed that to maximize every square inch of the space, there are literally five or six tables crammed in the entryway, such that parties waiting for their tables may be unwittingly clogging up the tiny passages that servers are using the deliver the goods. Hectic, but it's all fine once you sit down. We unfortunately had to wait for our table for 20-30 minutes so we became very well acquainted with this area. Once we did sit, it took a bit of time for someone to finally get us some meus. At that point we were very thirsty after observing the martinis atop every table in sight. That said, after the staff's first point of contact with us, they were very efficient throughout the meal so all initial frustrations were forgotten. I had heard all about the famous off-the-menu martinis here (and even if I hadn't, they were everywhere, as I mentioned) so I first went with my go-to, a dirty gin martini. The server asked if Hendricks was okay (which it was not), which I very much appreciated as I was once served a Hendricks martini on the assumption that I would enjoy it, which I did not (this happened elsewhere). If a place takes its martinis seriously, it will know to ask about types of gin. Anyway, the martini was fantastic, as expected. I also got a Vesper which was equally good. Food-wise, we ordered ambitiously and confidently. The portion sizes are decent but not too big, so splitting a bunch of plates is a solid option. Several of us were quite hungry, so we ordered what initially felt to me like too much food but ended up being just the right amount. I didn't try every dish that we got so I'll only review the ones I can confidently speak to. That said, everything sampled got only positive marks. Pickle Bowl: !!Exclamation points because the talk of the night was the pickled pineapple (there were other fruits and veggies as well). I would never think to pickle pineapple and I don't think I ever will, however it was a great conversation topic and served as an amuse bouche of sorts. Beet Salad w/ baby spinach, arugula, candied walnuts, walnut vinaigrette: ALittle to say here, just a delicious beet salad with heavenly dressing and I'll never say no to candied nuts in a salad.Not a Wedge w/ red onion, russian dressing, cherry tomato, bacon, blue cheese, chives: A+This one got lots of praise in all of the review I read, and I can see why. Wedge salads tend to be heavier than other types of salads, and while this was still hearty it was well-balanced and checked all of the boxes. I didn't think I liked Russian dressing but apparently I was wrong. Wild Striped Bass w/ p.e.i. mussels, asparagus, leeks, potatoes, white wine: A+This was the main I had the most of because it was just magnificent. Everything about it. The fish was cooked perfectly, the mussels were juicy and delicious, the sauce was truly next-level good. I was excited to try this when I saw it on the menu and somehow I was still shocked at how good it was. Swordfish w/ wild rice pilaf, delicata squash, toasted pumpkin seeds: AI must admit I did not try the fish itself but I had a bite of the rice pilaf/squash/pumpkin seed mix and it was excellent. Brussels Sprouts w/ balsamic glaze, lardons, grana padano: A+Another standout. Brussels sprouts are my favorite veggie bar none and I love to see them featured as a side on any menu. I ignored the sides section on menus for many years but after ordering from upscale restaurants via Seamless during the pandemic, I realized the potential for sleeper hits in the sides realm.Fries: ANuff said.

Brand new Restaurant!NY vibe! Very very load! No music! Loved the wall design! Our friend got reservations for here, and we were really excited to try this place! The cocktail menu was very interesting. I went by my signature which is Mezcal Cocktail! It was very tasty and i was happy with Alcohol portion. We ordered followings: Appetizer: market Salad and Sausage in blanket - both meet the standard but nothing special. Main: Pork Chop and Burger... again nothing to be remarkable about it.. I love limited menus but if you only offer few options, I would expect something special or above average as far as receipt or quality. I think the main reasons that NY experiences new restaurant opening everyday in every corner is that nobody wants to go back to same place so the owners dont put effort on good quality food.

So many great restaurants in NY and this is one of them. The manager ? Owner greeted us personally. Service was infallible. The ambience is perfect. Just dark enough with beautiful tables and red lights that put you in another world off the NY street. In swanky East Village. Food was superb. Would highly recommend to others and will be back.