The Bar Room at The Modern

I had an incredible time at The Bar Room at The Modern. If you're looking to try a Michelin restaurant without having to sign up for all the coursed meals, this is the place for you. It's located inside of MoMA. There is an easier entrance directly to the restaurant, but we entered through the museum, which felt a bit like a maze. We also had to have a security guard open the door to the restaurant with a key for us.Julio was our server and he was incredibly accommodating. He was very helpful with the menu and extremely patient. My fiancé got a Manhattan that he really enjoyed and I got a delicious glass of Sauvignon Blanc. We decided to share the caviar hot dogs, the monkfish, and the truffle pasta. I'm still daydreaming about that truffle pasta. It was the first time in my life that I truly considered ordering a second plate of pasta instead of dessert. All of our dishes were incredible and beyond delicious. The hot dogs were a bit funny and mini, but as someone who isn't necessarily a hot dog fan, I really enjoyed them. The monkfish was cooked to perfection and I loved the bed of chickpeas it came on. The truffle pasta was the star of the show and one of my favorite dishes I had on this weekend trip to NYC. We closed out our meal with a buckwheat cake. It was unique and while I'm glad to have tried it, I wouldn't necessarily get it again.The Bar Room itself is pretty big, but gets really crowded. We were seated close to the kitchen (we could hear the cooks chanting and cheering which was sweet). I had a view of a wall and the kitchen. My fiancé could see the full restaurant and said it was great people watching. I recommend making a reservation for this spot. When you check-in with the host, they offer a free coat check which is really nice during winter.We used inKind gift cards for this restaurant which was a really nice perk. I highly recommend checking the program out if you have a Costco membership. I loved dining here and cannot wait to revisit this spot on a future NYC trip.

I was here for a few others at the end of Restaurant Week for lunch. They were pretty crowded and the service was friendly and overall, it was worth it. There was a choice for lunch of two courses for $45 or 3 for $60 where you can do either an entree and dessert or appetizer and entree and I went with the latter. They gave us some very tasty Seeded Sourdough with French butter to start which was tasty. To drink, I went with a mocktail; the Ko-Pilot for $15 with Duché de Longueville Sparkling Cider, Yuzu, Maple, and Sea Salt. This was good with the cider having some citrus and a faint maple flavor.My appetizer was the Steak Tartare With Crispy Potatoes which is normally $28 which was excellent. The good quality tartare had an green slightly herby sauce which was unique and added some creaminess to the dish as well. The slightly salted potatoes were a highlight with a delicious crunch. Another person did what I did and got a salad and seemed to enjoy it.My main was the Pork Tenderloin and Belly with grilled leeks and cornichons which is normally $42. The pork belly was tasty though less crunchy than expected and the leeks with it had good texture. The tenderloin was better being particularly moist. The sauce had some light sweetness to it and I presume there was apple and mustard among other things which worked well with it. This was a well composed dish and worth it.This was very much worth it for restaurant week and was probably the best of the RW deals we did and I would probably go back here or to their fancier spot for a full meal. Mid 4.

I came here for winter restaurant week 2025, and had a great experience! Staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, I drink a lot of water and they came by very frequently to fill our cups. We were also taking our time chatting between the courses and staff never pressured us at all to speed things up. Food was also amazing! I honestly enjoyed all the things we ordered, but the two highlights for me were the chicken and the tres leches. The skin on the chicken was very crispy, and I really liked the tomato sauce the chicken was dipped in. The tres leches had hints of passionfruit from the drizzle and coconut from the foam and it was so delicious! Overall an amazing experience, no wonder this place is so booked out for restaurant week!

Snagged a resy for restaurant week. The place was absolutely packed the night we had our dinner. Service was tad slow in the beginning but resumed at a good pace thereafter. Staff were very professional and attentive.I had the mortadella and burrata toast with maple as my appetizer and enjoyed it. The pork tenderloin and belly were very tender and juicy, highly recommend. The tres leches was the best dessert, with the chocolate sabayon being a close second.

The food was good but with the prices and tiny portions, this place landed at 4 stars.Loved the French fries (sadly not pictured bc I inhaled them too quickly). Also enjoyed the tagliatelle (though the truffles weren't great quality) and the lobster. My husband and friends all enjoyed the steak tartare.We were celebrating a friend's birthday so I called ahead to see if I could bring an outside cake. They said of course, but there was a $15 cake cutting fee. We brought the cake and without telling us, they charged us $40. Apparently the charge is per slice (eg per person), not a flat fee, according to the receipt, but it still doesn't add up. Bizarre. They also let you bring your own wine for a $35 corkage fee.Over all, not bad. Just wish the portions were bigger! My husband and I both left very hungry despite having each ordered an appetizer, entree, and a dessert.

This is an update to my prior review. I've been a couple of more times, and I have to say that although the food is good, service must have been on their A+ game when I visited the first time because although service was still friendly, I noticed some slip ups and that overall, they seem a bit colder. They also changed the wine offerings, and for the price that I am paying, I'm not pleased that on two separate times, I had to ask them to pour my champagne into the correct champagne glass so the wine can aerate better, rather than them just utilizing the red wine glasses already on the table. To be fair, they made it up by pouring more into my champagne glass the second time I visited, but again, not to be a wine snob (I'm sorry!) I do expect more for the price I'm paying. In addition, I also had to ask if we would receive the free bread, whereas the first time I had visited, they had brought it out without me asking and it was warm. All in all, this is a great place to visit for a corporate or business meeting/event, but I'm not sure it deserves the original 5 stars I gave.

Stopped by for some much needed refreshments after accompanying my friend to her wedding dress fitting. As expected, everything was as fancy and sophisticated as the museum itself.I had a late lunch to attend so only nibbled on the fries and some of the salmon, but both were very well done. For drinky drinks, the Spiced Coconut is a heavy dose of sweetness to brighten your dreary winter morning, while the alcohol-free Ko-Pilot and Passion Fruit will give you much needed vitamin C (coincidentally, also brightening). They make a mean Daiquiri here, of all things, too. Will be back for proper dinner. One day.

I came by on the weekend for lunch during restaurant week. Make a reservation early because they go quick! The bar room is still small bar area off from the main dining room, a bit more casual than the main dining room. We started off with cocktails, and the apple martini was one of the most refreshing martinis I've had.We started off with steak tartare and salmon crudo. The potato wedge that came with steak tartare was so perfectly crispy and a perfect balance to the steak tartare. Salmon crudo nicely paired with a sweet and tart vinegrette and plums.For entrees we had the fish and lobster ravioli. The fish was sitting in a decadent seafood broth and the lobster ravioli actually had nice pieces of lobster in it. Service was great. Overall a nice meal.

Summer Restaurant Week Menu2 Courses $45, 3 Courses $60- - - - - - - -~ Roasted chicken, leek vinaigrette & fresh hazelnuts ~[Rating: 4.5/5]Chicken dishes often lean towards the ordinary, but this one was a pleasant surprise! The fresh hazelnuts paired with the subtly flavoured leek vinaigrette brought a new level of complexity to the dish. The chicken breast was tender and juicy, with a perfectly crisped thin layer of skin, even the fat beneath it was delectable!~ Cured arctic char with apricots & smoked eggplant ~[Rating: 3.75/5]The arctic char is fresh and rich, with its natural fattiness beautifully complemented by the sweet and fruity apricots. However, the oil drizzle feels excessive, making the overall dish a bit too greasy.~ Steak tartare with crispy potatoes ~[Rating: 3.75/5]The steak tartare is just what you'd expect, with a classic presentation under a pool of emulsified gribiche sauce. What truly stood out, though, were the crispy, fluffy potatoes - an absolute highlight that added a wonderful texture contrast and won me over completely.~ Sea bass with charred romano beans & sofrito ~[Rating: 3.25/5]Unfortunately, the sea bass left little impression. While tender, it was otherwise unremarkable and quickly forgotten.- - - - - - - -Overall Rating: 3.75/5Will I be back? MaybeThere are some nice elements in selected dishes, especially the chicken dish! The portion is quite small for us. We are still really hungry after 2 courses, and thought having a third course would not make any difference and a waste of money. But I'd love to come back and try out the a la carte menu at the modern!

This is a review from August 2024 during restaurant week. This was my 2nd time at the Bar Room. Having been also to the regular dining room at The Modern, the Bar Room is like the more casual cousin although directly across and in the space, it provides a lighter-feel atmosphere. Arctic char - Salty/ sour pungent sauce very citrusy , slight fishy aftertaste for first bite but overall good Steak tartare- Loved this dish. Crunchy potato exterior. Smooth not too chewy. Not overpowering Sea bass - clean, soft - nice texture - not too well done . Really tasty - the sauce adds an additional element of flavor. The vegetable piece has a nice crunch that adds contrast Lobster ravioli - soft, smooth, not too chewy, nicely done Al dente, creamy. Good pasta : lobster filling ratio. Peach profiterole - There is raspberry sorbet inside which adds a surprising chill and tartiness. Lemon pain Perdue: Not super lemony, very very sweet - tastes like a deconstructed compact French toast Overall, a very solid meal. Nice atmosphere and pleasant service.