Beefbar New York — Restaurant in New York

A Disappointing Experience at Beef Bar NYC - A Lesson in Disrespect and Discrimination

I had the unfortunate opportunity to experience Beef Bar NYC last Saturday, and I left the restaurant feeling deeply insulted and mistreated. I had a 6 PM reservation for a dinner date with one my close girlfriends, but from the moment I arrived, I was met with an unexpected and unjustified level of disrespect.

Upon arrival, a security staff member immediately instructed me to step aside without offering any explanation or even a greeting. After confirming my reservation, I was told to wait outside in the freezing cold New York winter. While I stood there, I watched several other patrons casually walk past me and into the restaurant, seemingly without any delay or judgment. I was perplexed, but little did I know that this was only the beginning of an unpleasant encounter.

A woman, who I still don’t know the identity of or what her role was at the restaurant, approached me with an accusatory tone. Without any proper introduction, she asked, “Are you aware we have a dress code?” At this point, I was taken aback—especially since I was dressed warmly in an ankle-length coat, a scarf, and had a purse and a bag containing my heels that I planned to change into, Does that sound like you can see my apparel? She claimed that she was told I was dressed in athletic wear, despite the fact that no one had seen my outfit or greeted me in any way. I was not given a chance to explain myself, nor was I treated with even the most basic respect.

Instead of simply addressing the issue, she spoke to me condescendingly as though I was a child in need of a lesson. She informed me, in the most dismissive manner, that I wouldn’t be allowed entry due to the alleged violation of the dress code, and suggested I return at another time. It was clear at this point that I was being judged unfairly and without cause. The worst part of the experience was that, while I stood outside in 10° weather, I noticed others entering the restaurant—wearing casual attire like jeans and sneakers—without any issue. What I couldn’t help but notice, however, was that none of those patrons were Black like I am.

This experience was nothing short of discriminatory. I was made to feel less than human, mistreated, and unjustly singled out. I called My friend, who had already been checked into the restaurant to make her aware of the situation and we decided to leave and head to Locanda Verde, just around the corner. The contrast was night and day. At Locanda Verde, I was greeted with warmth, respect, and excellent service. We had a wonderful time, enjoyed fantastic food, and felt valued as guests.

Beef Bar NYC may have garnered a reputation for its offerings, but based on my experience, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend it to anyone. No one deserves to be treated the way I was treated, and I will be sure to share my experience with friends, family, and colleagues so that they can avoid the same disappointment.

If you’re looking for a restaurant with excellent food and a respectful atmosphere, I highly recommend Locanda Verde. It is an establishment that knows how to treat its guests, no matter their appearance...

I visited Beefbar last night, and my experience was a mix of highs and lows.

First impressions were not great—the welcome was disappointing. When we arrived, the hostess was finishing a conversation with a colleague, and we were left waiting without acknowledgment. Eventually, we were asked to go to the bar while we waited for the rest of our group, which felt odd since they quickly asked us to sit down at a table before we even had a chance to order drinks. This created a bit of confusion from the start.

Once at the table, however, things improved. The menu was clearly explained, and there were enough waitstaff to look after us. The food was good, though not extraordinary. I’d recommend the ribeye steak, smash potatoes, and fries—they were solid choices. Even the ice cream was a highlight.

The wine service, on the other hand, could use some improvement. The sommelier simply praised our wine choice without sharing any details about how the wine paired with our food. A bit more engagement and storytelling would have elevated the experience.

As for the espresso martini, I’d rate it a 6.5/10. It was fine, but not memorable. The table arrangement also felt cramped, and the couple seated next to us even requested to move because of the lack of space.

It’s clear that the restaurant is focused on maximizing revenue, which unfortunately affected the overall vibe. There was a sense of pressure to move things along, which made the experience feel less relaxed than I would have liked.

Overall, I’d rate Beefbar 6.5/10. It was an okay experience, but I’m not sure I’d recommend it to a friend over other places that offer a more polished...

Overhyped and Underwhelming

We had seen this place all over social media and expected it to live up to the hype, but it ended up being a complete letdown.

The experience started off on the wrong foot as soon as we walked in. The hostess had to run to her manager for “approval” of our attire—two young women dressed in all black, wearing heels, with makeup done. What exactly wasn’t up to their standards? To make matters worse, once we were seated, we noticed that this so-called dress code seemed to apply only to us. The rest of the restaurant was filled with people dressed casually, which made the whole situation even more confusing.

As for the food, it was just as disappointing. We ordered the bone marrow, croque sando, hamachi pastrami, and black angus filet. The filet arrived cold, the croque sando was basically a salami sandwich with green sauce, and the bone marrow was just straight fat with no depth of flavor. The only dish we somewhat enjoyed was the hamachi pastrami, though it leaned on the salty side.

Service felt rushed, with staff constantly checking if we were done and trying to clear our table every few minutes. After finishing our meal, we moved to the bar area, which was loud and not particularly inviting.

The final straw? While waiting for our Uber outside in the cold New York wind, a patron approached us and asked us to leave (we were hiding from the wind), supposedly for “our own ssafety reasons.” That interaction summed up the entire experience—unpleasant and unwelcoming.

Bottom line: The food was underwhelming, overpriced, and definitely not worth the hype. Won’t be...