Le Bernardin

Wow, haven't been here in over 20 years. Super expensive, but worth the splurge. 3 of us on a Saturday night, one is a vegetarian. Beautifully spacious spaces, with impeccable service. From the front desk to the waitstaff, we were well taken care of. Marco was our server and the sommelier was very helpful. We went crazy and had the tasting menu. Simply delicious, our favorite was the salmon caviar, followed by the lobster. Maybe we'll try again in another 5-10 years.

It has been a few years since I have written a review. In the last 2 years I have been fortunate to try 3 of the fine dinning restaurants in NYC(Masa, EMP, and now La Bernadine). I didn't write down the details of my experience for the previous 2, and I regret not putting down the details as each of these places is a unique and rare experience. It is not common to spend 700 dollars for a meal with wine pairing, and feel not only ok with the price, but look forward to coming back in the future. Of all 3, La Bernadine shone the most with food to value. My friend even said it was a winner under the radar. I felt my meal was worth the price without and qualms. The food was superb and exactly what I expected for world class dining.Most pairing I have done seem to be under valued, and I leave feeling only one or two glasses were worth it vs al la cart. The wine pairing was also excellent. The sommelier was on point, I feel like the pairing at La Bernardin is a good value for the delicious curated wine selection. Two of the wines particularly stood out and I would buy a bottle at home. La Escribana, a sherry grape unfortified, and Angelita del Ghallao, a yummy Rioja.Now onto a more details summary:I came with 3 people. We all decided to do the chef's tasting. Three of also went with the wine pairing. I had a phone call so I was away for the first round of drink orders. My friends decided to get mocktails for 17 dollars. At Masa I felt I drank the delicious Sake a little to liberally, and so the food wasn't as crisp. Therefore with the pairing, I didn't want to order more alcohol, but since my friends had already had a beer as well, I went with a cocktail (Captain Bernardin). The Sommelier recommended as light and palette cleansing. I found it awkward and not nearly as high level for a cocktail as EMP(all delicious). I wound up having about half and leaving it in the middle of the table all night, not wanting to waste it, but not wanting to interfere with the meal. Maybe the only disappointment of the night.I didn't take a photo of the actual tasting menu, and can't find it online anywhere as it has rolled to valentines, so from photos and memory:In the waiting area is the most peculiar photo. Kind of looks like a fat Hitler, or a sea captain.The coat check tags are solid metal and pretty fun. I took a photo.Amuse Bouche,A sesame tuna toastine, a fried cod ball, and lobster bisque (a sips worth). The Tuna I barely remember, just a light tuna tartar, went well together but didn't stick out. The fried cod ball was done well, and yummy. Tasted like a very well executed lightly fried fresh dough ball with a cod center. A nice snack, well executed, street food, both Japanese reminiscent. The star to me was the teragon Lobster Bisque. It was just perfect, and there was so little, that I was left wanting more. The light creaminess complemented perfectly with the teragon froth. The cream and lobster flavor balanced perfectly. It was delightful.The first wine was called Jager. I don't remember much about it. It drank nicely and was white.Bread service also came around now. The focaccia stood out which I tasted from friends. I got the croissant looking bun and the baguette. The baguette was good, the croissant bread was just ok, and nothing to note, although did dip well in the salty final broth.The first dish, was one of the house signatures. It was delicious. Simple, but presented well. Tuna over a crostini with a foie gras terrine thinly applied. I tried everything individually as well as together. Together was best, but the foie gras was yummy and light. The crustine was delicious, and the tuna was fresh and yummy, as good as a nice cut from a top sushi restaurant. Refreshing and easy to eat.I wrote a lot more for myself, but for space reasons.My favorite, salmon seared on one side in a leek reduction sauce, slathered in Ossetra caviar, and surrounded by beets. At first the salmon tasted like something I would cook at home, but when paired together with everything, each bite was divine. The mixture was perfectly suited together. Paired with champagne.Another signature dish was the halibut. It was surrounded by fresh snap peas. The crunch went well with the dish. It was cooked well and straight forward. The onions and citrus also brought out the flavors well. The sauce was good but a touch salty. Not overpowering and once I got into it, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am usually sensitive to salt, but have started eating more and so it was on the cusp. Very pretty and well presented.Also of note for service, my friend has a seed allergy and mentioned it, however the first dish came to her with sesame seeds. They quickly sent it back and redid it, but suprising for something like that to happen at such a high level.One of our waiters seemed abrupt, which was also a surprise. He still did a good job, but was harried when I had questions, an poured sauce on my dish before I was ready (photo snap).

Splurging to celebrate a special occasion, we went through the process to reserve a time and felt fortunate to get this 5:30 time in the middle of the week. Exceptional service from the moment you walk in envelopes you. The 4-course prix fixe menu is what we chose, but if I ever return, for the adventure I would go with the 8-course tasting menu that only costs $125 more than the 4 course. My choices were the hamachi appetizer, raw, with a touch of jalapeño. It was absolutely delicious with a vinaigrette that added a nice touch. Next dish was a poached lobster dish served piping hot, cooked to the right texture and placed in a scrumptious broth. I finished with the striped bass dish. Again, I think perfectly cooked. Look, all food is personal, as my partner requested that the kitchen cook her salmon dish a tad more when she ordered, and it was brought out meeting her request perfectly. While maybe not an appropriate way to judge, this restaurant's dishes satisfied your hunger without you feeling like you needed to hit a Wendy's drive-through afterwards (as I have felt at a couple places.)I will say that I ordered my traditional vodka martini, and you're not going here for the martinis. Nonetheless, for the right occasion, splurge on Le Bernardin and be prepared for an enjoyable seafood experience.

Le Bernardin delivers on all of its promises.The establishment is not overly stuffy or pretentious despite the business casual dress code and esteemed reputation. Service is warm and friendly but very sharp. For example, a member of the staff was already pulling the table to make room for my wife to slide into her seat before I even realized she was returning from the restroom.We opted for the tasting menu with the wine pairing. The execution of each dish was just perfect. This is with the understanding that the offerings here are very classic in terms of flavor combinations and technique. I think if the tasting menu featured Uni or Oyster this could have added the missing bit of flair but there was enough to love about the dishes presented. One dish was a standout specifically - the tuna carpaccio (pounded tuna over fois gras mousse crostini). We actually substituted it in for the hamachi at the suggestion of our waiter and I am so glad that we did. It was one of the best individual dishes I have had in my life. I also want to compliment the generous portion of the best caviar I have personally tasted that adorned the salmon in horseradish sauce. The wine pairing did a good job mixing practical and adventurous but I would go for a white wine by the glass for future visits (some of the later wines were interesting to taste but I did not finish the serving).Speaking of which, I fully intend to come back for the pre fixe (choice of 4 courses for ~$200) to see how the impeccable execution applies to some possibly more exciting dishes.

Celebrated my husband's birthday here on Dec 30th and it was a wonderful experience. The restaurant is stunning but being escorted to the salon felt like the start of an iconic evening. The salon was beautifully decorated and felt like a silver winter wonderland, but classy ~Having my own little stool for my purse was one of the most bougie things I've experienced and they haven't even brought out the food. Started with an amazingly fresh amuse bouche and of course my favorite, a dirty vodka martini.The first course was decadent king fish caviar tartare. One of my favorite courses of the evening - everything is better topped with buttery fresh caviar.The sea trout that was just barely cooked on-top of a bed of lentils was heavenly and a meal I would love to repeat. Snapper was yummy, but not on my top favorites of the night - still, delicious. The Dover sole was honestly so good. I think about this plate often now cause the olives and toasted almonds were such an unexpected love for me. Poached lobster and truffled gnocchi. Do I need to say anything else? Cmon, amazing Halibut was juicy and flakey and the baby veggies were cute with a nice bite to them. The sherrywood (I think?) martini was a work of art with the pink peppercorns and rosemary. I want this to be my signature cocktail cause it was so good and not overpoweringly sweet. The pan roasted venison was a spectacular way to end a night of endless seafood. The sauce was 10/10, the truffles, the steak itself, very delicious and would order this again if I could. The green apple sorbet was so refreshing. And the Mont Blanc dessert was scrumptious. Of course, the staff is incredibly attentive and makes you feel like royalty. My bread plate was never empty - the cranberry bread and brioche were my favorite. To finish the evening, of course an espresso martini. Probably the best I've ever had. I think we ended up having 2 each... almost 3 tbh... Yummy decadent chocolate dessert gifted to the birthday boy also paired well with our drinks to tie out a remarkable evening. Can't wait to be back and enjoy more delicious food. Hopefully soon!

Date: Friday, March 24th, 2023Time: around 1:45pmMeal: Solo LunchCity Harvest Menu ($90)*Lobster: Maine Lobster, Saffron-Mussel Potato Soup*Skate: Poached Skate "a la Nage"*Pistachio: Pistachio Praline, Grand Marnier Bavarois*Glass La Caravelle NV ($25)While in NYC, I decided to take myself out to lunch. What better place than a 3 michelin star restaurant?! I didn't have a rezzie since I was planning on sitting in the lounge area. It wasn't busy at all when I arrived, so I found myself a seat at the bar / counter.Each course offers a choice between two or three things. And they have a complimentary bread basket where you can choose your carbs. I'm not a huge bread girl, but their butter was sooo good! Had to eat the bread just for that. So creamy and tasty. Plus, why not try one of each kind while here?For the first course, I decided to get the soup. The other two choices were scallop or a mesclun salad. I adore lobster and soup, so decided to get that. The broth was super flavorful and the lobster was cooked perfectly. Second course was a choice of snapper or skate. I don't think I've ever had skate, so I decided to try it. Such a large portion for lunch. The texture was soft with a bit of a chew. It melted in my mouth. I wasn't excited about dessert at all. I'm not a huge nut fan, but the other choice was a selection of ice cream or sorbet which seemed boring. The dessert wasn't bad. Just not my cup of tea. I paired everything with a glass of bubbly which was nice for sipping. After the 3 courses, they gave me a little mignardise / petit four.So happy I was able to check out Le Barnardin. The city harvest menu is a great way to try the restaurant without having to commit to a large coursed meal.REVIEW #3636

The food was absolutely delicious. The montauk shrimp were light and flavorful. The lobster was perfectly cooked with an excellent broth. The black bass was recommended by our server and did not disappoint- very crispy skin. The pistachio dessert was definitely the highlight amazing flavor. The service was impecable as was the ambiance.

Fantastic special occasion restaurant! We opted for the 4 course menu and loved it. The FoodIf you want to choose from each category, go for the 4 course. If you don't want to think and take the chefs recommendations, go for the eight course. We did feel satisfied after the 4 courses. In addition to the menu items, bread service is offered for each course (yes please), there's an amuse bouche and there's a selection of chocolates after dessert. The WineWe were able to be flexible with pairing different wines by the glass which really sold us on going that direction. Apparently the 8 course pairing comes out to almost one bottle of wine per person (this felt a little much for me, but my husband's eyes did light up after hearing that). We tried a few different whites and a Pinot noir with the lobster. The ServiceThe food is all of course excellent but it's the service that stands out the most. Despite the price tag and notoriety, the staff makes you feel welcome and goes above and beyond. Their recommendations and wine pairings were fabulous. AmbianceNot the over the top midtown establishment you were probably expecting but it's still lovely inside. Most people are dressed well, a lot of dresses and jackets. Noise level is good for conversing and the tables are spiced out nicely. Overall, this is likely not your go to restaurant but it certainly one you should check out at some point for a celebration.

I've heard from more than one source before visiting this place that no one does fish like Eric Ripert. And after my visit to Le Bernardin (albeit years prior to writing this), there was nothing I noticed for me to think any different.As I mentioned above, my actual visit was years ago, so this is out of nostalgia and for posterity reasons. So the process of being able to dine there and making reservations may be different. I was in the New York area for work and at the time - I didn't even have reservations - I don't think. I came in on a week night and asked to sit at the bar and experience the 9 course tasting menu. I sat next to a fellow traveler who had the same thing in mind. The room/ bar was elegant and the service was top notch. I'm not gonna go through each to the nine courses, but I was thoroughly impressed by each and everyone. I had such a great and memorable dining experience there that night. If I could experience her tasting menu now I would, but it would definitely have to be for a special occasion and of course, I would have to be in the New York area.

On a recent trip to NYC my wife and I were privileged to visit Le Bernardin and boy did it live up to the hype. I would 100% agree with the reviews that indicated that Le Bernardin puts out perfectly flawless seafood dishes, whether raw, lightly cooked, or fully cooked.We each had the 8 course tasting menu. Each savory course was paired with a sauce that was tasty and very complimentary to the seafood presented. Service was also knowledgeable and attentive. The perfect balance of being available but allowing you to enjoy the luxurious meal with your dining companion. The wine pairings were also spot on, and the space was perfect for a 3 Michelin star meal. My favorite dishes were the Lobster, the Halibut, and the Hiramasu. There were no misses at all. While I don't go to these types of restaurants because of the dessert courses, both of the ones presented on this menu were excellent. My favorite of the two was the Peruvian Dark Chocolate one. Thank You Le Bernardin for one of my top 10 meals ever.