Malibu Farm — Restaurant in New York

I recently had a mid-day meal at Malibu Farm Restaurant on South Street in NYC, and overall, it was a pleasant experience with a few areas that could be improved upon. Here's a breakdown of my visit:

Food: The menu offered a decent variety, and I opted for the Malibu Nachos and Cauliflower Crust Pizza. While the food was average in taste, it didn't exceed my expectations. The Malibu Nachos had an excellent combination of flavors: queso, black beans, salsa, Roja, sour cream, scallions, and cilantro. The Cauliflower Crust Pizza, featuring mozzarella, tomato, pesto, almond flour, and Malibu greens, was enjoyable but lacked that wow factor. It's worth noting that the prices were a bit pricier, but that was somewhat expected given the restaurant's location as a tourist hotspot.

Ambiance: Malibu Farm offers both indoor and outdoor seating options. I chose to sit outside, hoping to enjoy the view of the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge. However, I was slightly disappointed when the hostess suggested seating me behind a column and a transparent partition that obstructed the view. Despite empty tables in the outside area with better scenery, I had to request a different table. Nevertheless, the overall ambiance was pleasant, and the music, though not provided by the restaurant but rather by the building management, added to the enjoyable atmosphere.

Service: While the staff at Malibu Farm was generally friendly, I encountered a few minor issues. The paper menu I received had some food stains, which were a bit off-putting. Additionally, the fork I was given seemed slightly deformed, which affected the overall presentation. Furthermore, when I inquired about the cuisine, the waiter struggled to explain clearly, offering generic responses about the food containing various ingredients. It would be beneficial if the staff could offer more detailed descriptions of the menu items and their culinary influences.

View: Although the riverscape from the restaurant was not the absolute best in the area, it was still enjoyable. Despite the initial seating hiccup, I could appreciate the slightly obscure yet pleasing view of the East River and the Brooklyn Bridge.

In conclusion, Malibu Farm Restaurant provided a decent mid-day dining experience. While the food was average and the prices were higher, the restaurant's location as a tourist destination justified this to some extent. The seating arrangements and service had a few shortcomings, including the initial attempt to seat me in a less favorable area and the stained menu and deformed fork. However, the overall ambiance and the view, though not the absolute best, added to the pleasant atmosphere. With some improvements in service and attention to detail, Malibu Farm has the potential to offer an even more exceptional...

Overall rating: 3.4

The service was terrrible. Terrible.

I have to disclose that I went with a group of 8 or so people, so maybe they don’t like giving service to larger groups? I went on a Friday at ~7pm.

I want to keep this brief because I still have angry-residue from when I went last night. But I do not recommend this place solely off of bad service.

I’m extra confused because this is a high tourism spot. I didn’t realize I should have just gone to the other farm-to-table spot around the corner.

🚩 30 minutes to get water or any type of service interaction. Had to ask another waiter for our waiter just to get initial service.

🚩 Another 15 minutes to get our food order in.

🚩 Some food came before cocktails which is not, not normal in a busy spot. However it took soo long (to pour rose) that a few people just went to the bar & ordered directly. PS they got their drink immediately.

🚩 3x+ when they mistakenly served food to us that no one ordered + drinks

🚩 Was told prior to the reservation that they can split bills among 8 people. Told at the restaurant it’s a max of 4 cards.

🚩 The bowl you see pictured was titled Salmon Poke Bowl ($31). Why add poke if it’s not poke. Just call it Salmon & Rice. It was still good & very fresh, but why call it a poke bowl?

🚩 One of our friends came late & the manager ended up serving her a drink to get faster service. When asked to get her roasted potatoes thinking it would be fast, he responded “I can’t promise that will be quick.” I do respect the transparency because this is the first time after 2 hours we’ve actually gotten clear communication. But bro, these are a SIDE of potatoes. I don’t understand.

🚩 Asked 3x separately people including the manager, where my dessert was - and no one came back with information. Someone could have at least came back and lied to say “Oh they’re making it now”. I would have accepted a lie vs getting ghosted by 3 separate people that work there.

🚩 Someone had to have realized that we were getting the worst service because there were many items off of our receipt. Which like thanks? But no one, not even the manager was like “Hey, we’ve been really busy. Sorry you’re not getting the best service, we’re going to comp xyz. Etc”. Nothing.

The lack of accountability for a $30 menu items is ridiculous. In a tourist spot, no less! I’m not saying I would have accepted this in West Village or SoHo, but you should be used to this foot traffic & know how...

Mimosa & bloody aren't the only breakfast cocktails to pair with your breakfast/brunch. Try fresh kale juice + Bombay sapphire gin. Tequila is a great option (menu suggestion) but I love gin!

Malibu Farm at Pier 17 A brand new eatery at the Seaport District serving healthy options. This is week 2 of opening (so I heard) and it seems to be popular, already.

BEWARE: you need a reservation! Walk in seats are available at the bar.

Farm to table concept in NYC with the intent of being as local as possible in this concrete jungle. Imagine that!

This restaurant is perfectly positioned for great views of the Brooklyn Bridge. If you're a local, you know the endless construction at the Seaport District has been ongoing for some time. It's great to start enjoying what's been under development...finally!

The food is fresh, tasty and innovative. I had the smoked salmon hash slightly altered (scrambled eggs vs fried eggs - my sister had). It was delicious! GUILT FREE eating!!! FEEDBACK: I would've loved to see more smoked salmon in the dish, there were only 2 pieces of salmon. Not exaggerating! Salmon is the only reason to price an egg dish above $10 so please reconsider the salmon portion.

To be honest, I was still still hungry! So I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich; it came with roasted baby potatoes and a side salad that's tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. Again, fresh & tasty! My sister & I destroyed that sandwich shamelessly. Chicken breast was flavorful and tender. It was perfect!

In addition to trying more food, I also tried the blueberry cocktail; mashed blue blueberries + infused bourbon. Just right!

Overall, my sister & I enjoyed the superb service from Henry, the bartender, and deliciously fresh food at Malibu Farm. This is a beautiful space for small and large groups with a stunning view, so definitely go try it. Either reserve first or plan to wait for...