Blackbarn — Restaurant in New York

When I arrived at the Blackbarn Restaurant, I was met with a warm welcome and superb service. Despite being early for dinner due to another commitment, the accommodating staff graciously attended to my needs.

Nestled across the beautiful Madison Square Park, the restaurant's location is picture-perfect. The alfresco dining experience and the serene park view were refreshing and calming. The weather was in my favor, and I chose a curbside table shaded by vibrant red umbrellas.

My dinner commenced with a basket of freshly baked bread and a small plate of butter doused in a tasty sauce; both were served promptly even though the restaurant wasn't officially ready for dinner service. The service was commendable. The waiting staff was courteous and professional, showcasing the restaurant's dedication to its patrons.

The food was nothing short of excellent. Each dish was meticulously prepared and presented in an aesthetically pleasing manner. My appetizer, Bone Marrow, was made with Manila clams, a lemon-herb crumb, and a shallot reduction, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. The main course, Grilled Amish Chicken, was tender, succulent, and served with white bean and leek ravioli, charred ramps, garlic crumbs, and parmesan. Each bite was a testament to the chef's craftsmanship.

The pricing was very reasonable for the food quality and the service rendered. Furthermore, the restaurant features an onsite bar that serves an array of alcoholic beverages, making it an excellent place for an after-work rendezvous or a weekend night out.

However, there were a couple of areas that could use some attention. The staff, while courteous, seemed unsure when asked about the specific culinary style of the dishes served. While it was eventually categorized as American cuisine, it would benefit the team to understand the restaurant offerings better. The Diet Coke was also slightly off, being a bit watery and less effervescent than expected for such a high-end establishment.

The superior elements of the dining experience quickly overshadowed these minor issues. The decaffeinated coffee I ended my meal with was a highlight - rich, aromatic, not too strong, and served with an array of sweeteners in a charming mug. The ambiance and layout of the restaurant also deserve mention, as the spacious interior and well-spaced tables ensured a private and comfortable dining experience.

In conclusion, my experience at Blackbarn Restaurant was a delightful one. The slight opportunities for improvement do not detract from the overall high-quality dining experience. I eagerly anticipate my next visit to sample more of their exquisite dishes. This restaurant is a gem in the heart of Manhattan, offering excellent food and service at a reasonable price point, complete with...

Now that the wedding has come and gone, we have the time to show our immense gratitude to the Blackbarn team. So sorry it took so long!

To any couple going through the wedding process and are looking for a wonderful restaurant wedding, Blackbarn takes the (wedding) cake. lol.

We always knew that food was one of the most important parts of our wedding, it’s our love language that we wanted to share with our friends and family. We knew the food was top notch, but we wouldn’t be at Blackbarn without Justine Drew.

In our research, we came across many events coordinators at the venues, but no one like Justine. There were no generic responses to her emails, which at some places, made us feel like a number on a page. She always made us feel like the one, even though we knew there were others. Justine genuinely made us feel welcome and at home every time we stepped into the restaurant. Her kindness, and easy going nature made the whole process a breeze, even with the few curve balls we threw - hanging florals, champagne tower, wheel of cheese and fruit tower - all which she made happen so seamlessly.

Our time with both Chef John Doherty and Chef Bryan exceeded our expectations. They spent the quality time, getting to know us, what we liked (and didn’t) - even guiding us in the right direction if they thought we were straying down a different path. We weren’t wedding cake type people (more so I’m not) and the Chefs were able to create something that represented us.

Each time we came into the restaurant, whether for wedding planning or just for fun, our meals were always so delicious and fantastic. And we never went home empty handed, those donuts always followed us home.

Needless to say, our day/night wouldn’t have happened without the entire Blackbarn team - from setting up the ceremony to flipping it into a whimsical dinner in an hour - it was all seamless yet meticulous, no detail was missed. They welcomed us early to accommodate our getting ready schedule and kept our nerves at bay.

We are so so happy we made the decision to have one of our biggest life moments there. We will forever cherish it and remember for the rest of our lives. We cannot recommend this place enough - everyone at our wedding has said it was by far the best wedding they’ve been to.

So to our servers, bartenders, chefs, back of house & front of house services, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

XX...

To start off, Blackbarn is incredible. If you’re considering going to this restaurant, don’t think twice, just book a reservation and go. To start, the restaurant has an abundance of room and feels like a brief escape from the city with all of the wood detail in the interior. Our server was very friendly and attentive, and was happy to make recommendations for us.

The first course: bread basket. This basket came with three different options to pair with a pat of butter sitting in garlic confit and flaky salt. Divine.

Second course: tuna tartare that tasted so light and fresh, octopus with a red pepper hummus and greens, and bone marrow with clams. The only dish I didn’t really care for was the bone marrow, but I think it’s just too fatty of a dish for me! My friend really enjoyed it. The octopus was well cooked and I loved the combination with the hummus.

Main course: fall off the bone ribs. Don’t sleep on this dish!! Even if you’re out at a business dinner, order the ribs. They used to have shoestring fries and have since been replaced by steak fries. We asked if we could upgrade to the parm fries instead and were told there would be a fee, and we were a bit disappointed to see us being charged for an entire side of fries, when we were under the impression it would just be an upgrade fee. It also comes with a cucumber salad which is a great light compliment to the overall dish, but our waiter forgot to bring it out and I had to separately ask for the cucumber salad. Don’t let that discourage you though, order the ribs…and to the restaurant… please bring back the shoestring fries! We also ordered the truffle ricotta gnocchi and it tasted like little fluffy clouds of creamy truffle gnocchi. Cannot recommend this enough.

Dessert: bread pudding with house made vanilla bean ice cream, and a Granny Smith apple custard shortbread situation. If you’re going to order one thing outside of the ribs, make it the bread pudding. I would go the the restaurant just for that dessert alone. It was heavenly!

TLDR: order the ribs and the bread pudding. Everything on the menu is incredible. Please bring back the...