Le Pavillon — Restaurant in New York

Edit: Dropping review to 3, due to wasting my time. The resturant responded to my review, asked me to reach out to provide more details, and then never responded to my emails and deleted their response to my review. If you are not honestly interested in following up on feed back, do not waste people's time and ask them to reach out.

Sorry for the long review, but I feel it is best to be specific. We had a 6 person reservation that chose the 6 course CANAPÉ tasting menu.

The good: I have never liked fish or shellfish. As my pallet matured over the years, I have tried to eat these types of food again, but never once have I been able to enjoy eating these types of protein. This changed when I visited this resturant. Only one of the 4 ocean based dishes had a smell of fish, and even that dish did not have a fish taste. In the past, all shell fish have tasted fishy, chewy & rubbery, but the oysters here were amazing. It was impossible to believe it was a shell fish. Each fish based dish, had a real unique flavor, and not the normal overwhelming fishy smell and taste that had made me hate fish in the past. I urge, anyone that has never liked sea based food, to try these dishes, you will be in for a surprising treat.

The bad (reason for 4/5 stars): The pre dinner bread was cold, hard, and very stale. The attendants of the table, pretty much took it out of our hands while eating, in preparation of the first course. Nobody asked us if we were finished, and the next course did not come out for almost another 10 minutes. It felt rather rude and rushed. The shrimp/prawn was oddly fishy smelling for everyone and over cooked. It did not have a crisp snap or crustacean taste, but was chewy and fishy. The dish with short ribs, only provided a piece of short rib, smaller than a finger tip, like it was an after thought, and for me, had no meat at all. Mine was 100% fat.

One of our 6 members did not want the tasting menu option, and they stated that all members of the table must get the same dish. While this was understandable, they never once mentioned that there were othere menu options available on a menu called bar bites. They should have made these additional options apparent so that everyone at the table was satisfied.

Opinions and afterthoughts: It was a pity that almost all dishes were sea based. I wish one was some type of poultry to even it out some. The red meat was not the best quality. It was all lean. Not expecting wagyu a5 for the price, but a little fat would be nice.

The shrimp/prawn was also low quality, compared to what is available.

Since we had such a large table, it would have been nice to have 2 individuals explain the dish, instead of one. Half of the table never had the opportunity to hear what was on the dish. For a 2-4 person table, one individual is fine but more than that, needs additional consideration.

The only other issue was when the individual taking requests came back to the table to advise a drink was $80 each, they should have spoken to the person ordering in private. While I understand the consideration, some of the people at the table took offense and felt they were being embarrassed. I personally do not feel that they did anything wrong, but the mood needs to be read. This was a...

Pavillon is one of those places that truly takes you by surprise, from the moment you step inside. I walked up a short flight of stairs, turned a corner, and was greeted by the most unexpected and breathtaking view of the Chrysler Building. It was such a cool moment, and honestly, a metaphor for the whole meal—little surprises hidden in each dish, just like the entrance itself. I knew I was in for something special right from the start.

I went with the 3-course prix fixe menu, and everything I tasted blew me away. The first course, Oignon, was just incredible. I’m a sucker for French onion soup, and this felt like a totally elevated version of that classic flavor, without being too fancy or losing the essence of what makes French onion soup so comforting. The onions were perfectly caramelized, sweet but not too much, and the broth had this rich depth that I didn’t expect. You could tell a lot of thought went into the balance of flavors—such a perfect start to the meal!

Next came the Poulet, which honestly felt like two meals in one. First, there was the roasted chicken, which was absolutely spot-on. The skin was crispy, and the meat was juicy and tender. It was served with this savory jus that just took it to the next level. And then came the pot pie. Oh man, the pie! The crust was perfectly flaky, and inside, the mushroom filling was earthy and rich, making the whole dish feel really hearty. It’s those little surprises like the second dish of the Poulet that really made the meal stand out to me—it wasn’t just a regular roasted chicken, it had that extra touch that made it feel special. It’s like the restaurant took something you thought you knew and showed you there’s more to it.

For dessert, I went with the Noisette, and I have to say, I’m not usually a huge chocolate fan, but this dessert changed my mind. The chocolate was silky and smooth, and the hazelnut added this perfect crunch that made each bite interesting. It was rich but not overwhelming, sweet but not too sweet. By the time I finished, I was both satisfied and ready to come back for more.

But really, beyond the food, what sticks out to me is how thoughtful everything at Pavillon is. There’s an intentionality in how they surprise you, just like in the architecture. The team behind this restaurant clearly loves to play with expectations. Every course had its own little surprise, whether it was an ingredient I didn’t see coming or a technique that elevated the dish in ways I wouldn’t have thought of. You can tell the chef loves to experiment while staying true to traditional French roots, and that’s what makes the place so exciting.

One thing I really appreciated was how relaxed and friendly the service was. I’ve been to a lot of fine dining spots in the city, and sometimes the vibe can be a little too stiff, but not here. The staff made us feel right at home from the moment we arrived, and our server was on point with recommendations.

The atmosphere inside is classy but not pretentious at all. The dining room is modern, and you have this stunning view of the Chrysler Building in the distance, which just adds to the overall experience. It’s upscale without feeling stuffy, and it’s the kind of place you could go for a special occasion or just when you feel like...

In early January, we visited this one-Michelin-starred restaurant for my boyfriend's birthday dinner. When making the reservation, I noted that it was a birthday celebration and requested a table in the garden/near the garden. However, it seemed the staff didn’t read the notes—there was no birthday acknowledgment from the receptionist or hostess, and we were initially seated at a less desirable table with no congratulatory postcard, which was unexpected for a Michelin-starred establishment. Fortunately, the manager greeted us and we mentioned our celebration and seating preference. He was very accommodating and quickly found us the perfect table near the garden, resolving the issue smoothly. Despite this, the lack of attention to our reservation notes and the absence of any personalized touch made the experience feel less special.

We opted for the three-course prix fixe menu, which offered about 6 options from seafood and land. For each course, we selected one dish from the sea and one from the land. Before the first course, we were served a delicious bread basket and an amuse-bouche—small but bursting with flavor. I started with Quail (CAILLE | KABOCHA), and my boyfriend had Octopus (POULPE | POMME DE TERRE) with crushed Yukon potatoes. The quail was perfectly roasted and paired with the sweet, nutty kabocha squash, creating a velvety texture. The octopus was perfectly grilled, and the flavors were outstanding. For the main course, we shared the New England Sea Scallops (SAINT JACQUES | POIVRE), which were baked in the shell. The presentation was fun, and each bite was fantastic. We also had the Roasted Striploin (BOEUF | STRUDEL) with wild rice and mushroom “strudel.” The kitchen kindly split it into two plates for us, making it easy to share. Since I'm not a huge chocolate fan, for dessert I chose the KAKI | ÉRABLE – crème brûlée with persimmon compote, bourbon ice cream, and maple fudge.My bf went for the NOISETTE | JIVARA – milk chocolate crémeux with praline croustillant, and hazelnut nougatine. As a final treat, we received complimentary miniature profiteroles in two flavors. All the desserts were terrific. Service was attentive and well-paced, with staff clearing dishes efficiently. The elegant yet inviting ambiance made the meal feel special. Despite being a Michelin-starred restaurant, the portions were generous, and we were completely full after three courses! Although the lack of personalization for special occasions was disappointing, the quality, flavors, and execution of every dish left a...