Sant Ambroeus West Village — Restaurant in New York

I have been eating at Sant Ambroeus for years. I usually love the food and the service. So when a friend and I were walking through the west village last Sunday, I was thrilled. We arrived around 4pm without a reservation. At first, the maitre'd turned his back and ignored us while talking with a kitchen employee for about five minutes. When I asked a server who was passing, who we could speak to about a table, they motioned to him, and he still asked us to "Hold on a minute..." When he finally addressed us, he asked if we had a reservation. I said we did not, but that we would be happy with inside or outside seating. We had seen some empty tables for two when we walked up. He stated that the next reservation would not be until 8:30pm(?) I asked that he put in my name for that reservation and text/call if there were any earlier openings. As we left and walked up Perry Street, we counted at least four open two tops. We stopped to see if we could possibly make a reservation online. Then the maitre 'd came running out to say there had "just been a cancelation".....🙄 and we were seated outside. We placed drink and food orders, but bread service was Not offered until we ordered entrées. I understand that this is a new unspoken practice that some restaurants have adopted post-pandemic. However, it seemed odd in my experience with them. We were interested in the roasted whole fish for two on special, which we were told was black cod. However, when we actually ordered it, we were told it was red snapper(?). When I asked about the cod, I was told, "oh yeah....there is one left.." The fish was ultimately presented to us and taken to a table some yards away for fileting. I had an unobstructed view of the waitstaff as they prepared our fish and saw that it was abruptly taken from the sideboard. Another server came and told us that the fish was "underdone" and needed to be re-fired, so they took it back to the kitchen. It was almost twenty minutes before we received our plates with the pre-plated fish. During the meal, I was drinking limoncello. My second pour was significantly shorter than the first. When I brought it to the servers' attention, she agreed and removed it from the bill. However, the bartender/barback should have caught this and resolved it before the glass reached the table. Although the food was good, the service was mediocre at best. The vitello tonnato was amazing as usual....one of my favourite dishes on the menu. It is unfortunate that the service is not as consistent as the food. My disappointment was reflected in...

I was recommended this place by a friend (West Village specifically), and oh my god, I can't express enough how amazing this place is. It's like a haven in New York, it felt like time just stopped and I could finally breathe.

I had the Prosciutto con Mozzarella as the entree and I would happily eat it for the rest of my life. It's simple, but the Mozzarella was the perfect texture and just melted in my mouth, and the Prosciutto was the perfect level of saltiness and not at all dry. My main was the Spaghetti all Carbonara and it was the best I have ever head. The perfect amount of cheesiness, creaminess, it was just amazing. For dessert I had the Guianduia which was kind of like a big Farreo Rocher, so what could be better?

The ambience was perfect, sitting outside on a warm night with a perfectly delicious wine recommended by the staff. It was calm, and quiet but not so quiet that you didn't feel like you were in the middle of the West Village.

The staff were impeccable - attentive, chatty and on the ball. You really felt like they wanted you there, not hustled out, and nothing at all was too much to ask.

I loved this place so much, that I went back for a second time during my stay in New York. The staff remembered me, and greeted me with a hug and a kiss.

I wish I lived in NY just to make this restaurant my local. It would be perfect for dates,with family, on your own - I couldn't eat here enough.

I'll be recommending Stan Ambroeus to everyone I know travelling to NY, and will be back! Thanks for one of the best experiences...

My sister and I came here to celebrate the morning of her birthday over breakfast. We were greeted by a welcoming and warm host, who immediately sat us in a table of our picking (we were the first guests of the day, I believe). It's a lovely and quaint restaurant, with very comfortable seating. We shared a pot of rich brewed coffee, enjoying every sip. We ordered the American Toast and Avocado Toast - I know, sounds basic, but it is incredibly delicious. You can tell it's a quality restaurant - the eggs are organic and decent-sized, the bacon perfectly crispy, and avocado so fresh, it's giving California a run for it's money! We had a chocolate cornetto on the side and it was very tasty. Then, my sister was surprised with the most delectable cake we have ever had, a Principessa, with a candle in it to celebrate her. It was so thoughtful of the manager to bring it over, it truly made our day. All in all, a lovely restaurant. The servers were so kind and attentive, providing such a welcoming and comfortable experience. I look forward to...