abc kitchen — Restaurant in New York

What can I say besides that this place was utterly CHAOTIC? As much as I had hoped for a wonderful birthday dinner, unfortunately, that wasn’t my experience this evening. I was excited to book a reservation here based on my previous dining experience at JG restaurant and since I’ve already eaten here before. As someone who truly enjoys a great meal, great experience, I was left feeling quite disappointed and sad that I came back.

When I arrived, a kind and polite server Kathy greeted me, brought me water, and took my drink order. She informed me she wasn’t my server, but my server will be there shortly. I have to say, original server was nice. She was polite, and everything that happened it wasn’t her fault, just it was part of whole dining experience.

Just as I was settling in with my drink and browsing the menu, an alarm suddenly blared—guess what? I was sitting right under it! 🚨 The manager (who clearly doesn’t have much experience since he never checked to see what was the reason they almost let guest leave unhappy or anything) and staff seemed unconcerned, brushing it off with remarks like, “It’s fine; it’ll go back to normal soon.” I mean it was very unpleasant since I was the one sitting there under the ALARM. Despite the commotion, I decided to stick around and continue with my dinner when the alarm finally stopped.

Drink was not good, cucumber was old and mushy, so the flavor was not good and refreshing. I opted for a few courses, hoping to savor my meal. For my first course, I chose marinated olives, which were quite good. For the second course, I had the sweet pea soup. While the soup itself was decent, the peas were undercooked and incredibly crunchy; a creamier version would have really elevated the dish, as it felt like it was simply cooked and served without much thought.

Next, I ordered the yellowfin tuna tartare, which I was excited about, especially since I love this dish at ABC Kitchen. However, it arrived without any crostini or wontons. I asked another server if I could get some, but they must have forgotten. When I finished the tartare, my original server finally brought some sourdough. Honestly, that should have been served at the beginning, especially since the restaurant had bread plates on the table. I thought that was the proper way to do it—am I missing something?

For my entree, I chose the black sea bass, and I have to say, it was the worst fish I’ve had in quite a while. It was mushy and overly fishy, accompanied by more peas that weren’t cooked or blanched.

Overall, what a shame and a disappointment this dining experience...

Tucked away in the Flatiron District of Manhattan, this place isn't just another fancy New York eatery. It's Jean-Georges playing a symphony of organic, locally-sourced ingredients. When I mean local, hyper local because you’ll see him or his executive chef shopping steps away in the farmers market at Union Square. Here are some fun dishes to order:

Roast Carrot and Avocado Salad: Now, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill salad. With crunchy seeds, sour cream, and a hint of citrus, every bite takes you on a rollercoaster of textures and flavors.

Kale Salad with Lemon, Serrano, and Mint: This dish is kale's redemption song. It’s zesty, it's spicy, it's everything kale wants to be when it grows up.

Spinach, Goat Cheese, and Herbs Pizza: Thin, crisp, and oozing with flavor. It’s like the Amalfi Coast and a New York slice had a love child.

Housemade Ricotta Ravioli: This isn’t just pasta—it's a revelation. Creamy ricotta cradled in delicate pasta, dancing in a brown butter sauce with a hint of truffle. Pure, unadulterated joy.

Roasted Hake: With braised fennel and romesco, it's a dish that pays homage to the sea. The hake, perfectly cooked, whispers tales of oceans deep and far.

Sundae with Salted Caramel Ice Cream: Popcorn, candied peanuts, whipped cream – it’s childhood nostalgia and sophisticated dining rolled into one. A trip down memory lane with a first-class ticket.

Line Caught Tuna Sashimi: Marinated with ginger and mint, it's a fusion of flavors that takes your taste buds on a journey from the streets of Tokyo to a herb garden in Provence.

Walking into abc kitchen, with its reclaimed wood and sparkling chandeliers, is like entering a culinary sanctuary. A place where farm meets table, where each dish tells a story, and where, for just a moment, the frenetic pulse of New York fades away. It's a reminder that food isn't just sustenance – it's poetry, it's passion, it's an art form. And in the hands of a maestro like Jean-Georges, it's nothing short of magic. Cheers to culinary adventures in the city that...

My friends and I came to celebrate a birthday, expecting a polished experience from a restaurant bearing the Jean-Georges name. I waited an hour for my burger, which was an absolute atrocity—dry and flavorless. The calamari starter, meant to be shared, arrived in a skimpy portion that barely sufficed for the table. The tomato pizza was fine, but honestly the only true standout was the black truffle pizza. Everything else felt simply not worth the exorbitant wait or expense. The food was decent, but nothing memorable — and it was completely overshadowed by the trainwreck of a service experience. On top of that, we had to ration our water throughout the meal because no one ever refilled our glasses. Despite having an abundance of staff — including three people handling the hostess duties, one of whom’s entire job seemed to be just walking guests to their tables — it felt like no one was paying any attention to us.

We came in as a party of seven, got our drinks and appetizers fairly quickly, and then waited over an hour for our entrées. In that time, our waiter showed up once to let us know the food would be out “shortly.”

Thirty minutes later, the manager appeared with an apology and an offer of free dessert — which sounded nice, until the entrées finally arrived and the waiter immediately told us the kitchen was closing in five minutes.

By then, the restaurant was nearly empty, our frustration was peaking, and we had to put a rush on our plans. We ate, had our plates whisked away, and — shocker — the promised dessert never came.

In all my visits to many restaurants, this one was among the rare occasions where I felt genuinely disrespected and flat‑out disappointed—from the service to the overall experience, it fell far below the standard I expect when dining out. We walked out disappointed, annoyed, and completely over it. I won’t be back, and I won’t be giving any other Jean‑Georges restaurant a...