La Sirène — Restaurant in New York

As an Upper Westsider, I really wanted to like La Sirene. However, we had a very poor experience on Valentine's day. My wife and I booked in advance on Opentable, and were called by the restaurant to put a credit card on file in case of cancellation - this was fine, no problem. When we showed up at the restaurant, that's when the trouble began. Here's the play-by-play with timing.

8:39pm - showed up early for our 8:45pm reservation. Inside the small entryway, there were already 5 other couples crammed elbow to elbow and waiting with no host or hostess in sight. All were clearly frustrated and grumbling that although they'd all made reservations, they'd been waiting upwards of 30 minutes. A wait staff did pop out to apologize and admitted that they'd gravely overbooked for the night.

9:20pm - after 40 minutes, we get seated. We were promptly given menus and our orders were taken quickly. However, that's when more waiting began.

9:40pm - it would be 20 minutes from ordering that our soups came out. Famished and cold, we scarfed down our soup which was indeed quite tasty.

10:02pm - another 20 minutes pass before our appetizers appeared. Foie gras was really nice, ravioli was so-so. The food wasn't ever really the issue. After they took away our appetizers, we began playing a game of over-under for what time each next course would arrive (which is why I recall the times in such great detail).

10:25pm - the main course took the OVER. Filet mignon topped with foie gras was tasty but not exceptional. My wife's duck breast was the same - good not great.

10:54pm - after another nearly 30 minutes, desserts appeared. The profiteroles were good!! Someone did come out to apologize for food having taken so long (he had been apologizing to other tables throughout the night).

It was clear that the staff and kitchen were overwhelmed. This is nothing against the servers and staff - they were not set up for success and did the best they could under the circumstances. 2.5 hours is acceptable if you're having a dining experience at Daniel (Boulud), but not so at a neighborhood restaurant such as this one. By the end of the night, we were $280 lighter and just itching to get home and put this experience behind us.

This was not a pleasant dinner, particularly for Valentine's day. The tables to our left and right seemingly had the same issues (one waited over 30 minutes from sitting just to receive bread). Understanding that this location is new, please take this as constructive criticism and an opportunity to improve.

Unfortunately, we don't plan to come back and can't recommend La...

Extremely Disappointed – Felt Ignored and Possibly Discriminated Against

I had high expectations for this restaurant after hearing great recommendations from friends, and I was genuinely excited to finally dine here. Today is International Women’s Day, and I chose to celebrate this special occasion at this establishment. However, my experience was deeply disappointing due to the shockingly poor service—to the point where I question whether I was being deliberately ignored.

When I arrived, I was the only Asian woman in the entire restaurant and also dining alone. From the moment I sat down, I noticed a stark difference in how I was treated compared to other guests. Not once during my meal did a server check in on me to ask if everything was okay. After finishing my main course, I sat there for 30 minutes before anyone approached me to ask if I wanted dessert or the check. During this time, I actively tried to make eye contact with passing waiters and even tried to speak up to get their attention—yet I was consistently ignored.

When I finally received the dessert menu, the same pattern repeated itself. I waited another 15 minutes trying to get a server’s attention to place my order, only to be completely overlooked again. Meanwhile, the tables around me received constant attention—servers even stopped by empty tables to tidy up, while I sat there, completely disregarded.

I cannot help but ask: Was I ignored because I am Asian? Because I am a young woman? Experiencing this kind of treatment on International Women’s Day—a day meant to celebrate and uplift women—made the situation even more disheartening. I left feeling invisible, unwelcome, and deeply disappointed.

If this restaurant values inclusivity and good service, I sincerely hope they reflect on how they treat their customers. No one should have to feel singled out or disregarded in a place that claims to provide...

Very happy to report that we finally have a worthy French bistro on the UWS! I dined for lunch and had some of the most delicious escargots I’ve eaten to date (including in Paris). The bread and butter were to die for (French baguette was so crispy and warm!) and the restaurant kept them coming. I also had the gnocchi in the most lush cheese cause. The gnocchi tasted like clouds. I arrived right as they were opening for lunch, so the owner came over to apologize for the cold and said they had just turned on the heat (it took only a few minutes to make the place cozy), and he asked if I wouldn’t mind if the gnocci took 15 minutes to cook because they wanted it to be perfect, bubbly. I said that was fine. He then brought me a complimentary glass of beautiful white wine (I think a savignon blanc), which he said would compliment the cheese in the gnocchi well. Adorable french-inspired bistro music played in the background, it was cheery and cute on the inside, but not over the top. They also brought me a side salad, which was the best little salad I’ve had in a while... not sure their secret? It tasted so fresh, with such a vibrant lemon dressing, I loved it! I can’t say more positive things about my meal here, and I cannot wait...