Doc Watson's — Restaurant in New York

Burger post!

Atmosphere

Doc Watson’s is your average Upper East Side bar. There are high top tables immediately when you walk in and in the back the bar opens up into a small dining area. The highlight of the place is definitely the outdoor seating area in the back. If you’re lucky enough to snag one of the few outdoor seats you could spend hours drinking the day away on a Saturday afternoon. If they’re all taken, the upstairs dining area is a decent alternative since it has large windows which open above the outdoor seating area and help provide an “al fresco” feel.

Food

I wasn’t expecting anything fancy from the menu at Doc Watson’s since it’s your run-of-the-mill bar. A burger seems to be the appropriate thing to order at a bar so I opted to try:

Doc’s Squealer: Bacon infused with frizzled onions, mushrooms and bleu cheese (How could you not order something with this name?!)

Let me just say, Doc Watson’s doesn’t skimp on quantity. This burger was big. A large patty with pieces of bacon cooked inside it was topped with lots of thin fried onions, plenty of chunks of bleu cheese and mushrooms. This was all sandwiched between two extra thick hamburger buns with a wooden stake through it to keep it all together. The burger was good, but far from great. Despite all the toppings, this burger lacked any lasting flavor and I found myself constantly trying to figure out why that was the case. The meat was overcooked and I couldn’t really taste the bacon in the ‘bacon infused’ burger. If anything, the bleu cheese stood out as the dominant flavor, but that’s not surprising considering the strong flavor it has to begin with.

Service

Average burger, average service. Our waitress started off very friendly and even joked around with us. (I’m a huge fan of this.) However, by the end of the meal, she was extremely unfriendly and practically threw the bill at us without bothering to say thanks.

Value

Prices were average for a burger. The Doc’s Squealer was $14. Careful though, Doc Watson’s charges extra for everything. My coworker, Anisha, was charged an extra $2 for a side of ranch dressing. I mean, seriously? The bill came out to around $50 for the two of us, which seemed to be more than it was worth.

The Verdict

Doc Watson’s is the definition of average. Average atmosphere, average burger and average service. Is this a great place to have some drinks, yes. Is this a great place to have some food, no. I don’t live on the Upper East Side, but even if I did, I probably wouldn’t head back to Doc Watson’s anytime soon. There are lots of other places nearby that boast better food at the...

I have popped into this bar on and off, but when my normal sports bar couldn't play the Steelers game on a busy Sunday at 1pm (satellite issues from the terrible rains), I wandered in here to watch the game.

I was greeted immediately by a friendly young woman who pointed out the tv with the Steelers game when I asked if they had it playing. She gave me a table facing it, which was awesome! I was checked on multiple times by every person working on the floor that day. Everyone working there was efficient and so helpful and friendly, despite the busy-ness of the bar. I felt very welcome, despite taking up a two-top table as only one peep.

I got the ahi tuna tacos to eat, and they were absolutely delicious! They are on the appetizer menu, but they made for a great lil meal. There was a whole lot of tuna, perfectly seared, and I was surprised by how filling they were. They were also (as I mentioned) so yummy!! So happy about that choice, because pub food can sometimes be a gamble.

The bar was very crowded, seemingly with an event going on in the downstairs as well. Regardless, the service was beyond excellent, and I felt very welcome throughout.

A++ on the experience (except that the Steelers totally blew the game, so sad). However, the servers (psychic-ly?) gave me plenty of napkins with the tacos with which to wipe my tears, so another feather in their caps 🥹👍

10/10...

All I can say is thank you to our servers Kaylee and Danielle who were outstanding! Our company, Eastside Massage Therapy celebrated our 35 year anniversary downstairs in Doc Watson's private room. We decorated this party room in a festive manner (they were so accommodating and let us bring balloons, cake and private decor) earlier than the party and 28 people that work for us really enjoyed their cocktails and meals. The food was very fresh and enjoyable from the appetizers, salads to the fresh salmon and the burgers. It's a great place to have a healthy and tasty meal! They have had the same chef forever and that's why I booked this venue for drinks and food! The music was very appropriate hip and fun as well. We were happy to have our gathering in a party room with a fireplace and outdoor view. I highly recommend that you book your birthday bash, family gathering or employee party there...you won't be disappointed! The owner and staff are extremely caring and professional. Great party and experience for all concerned! P.S. There is NO CHARGE for use of this room if it is reserved and...