Stout NYC — Restaurant in New York

It's high time I posted a review on this place as I've been quite the regular, and know quite a bit about Stout. Let me start off by saying that this location positions itself as a bar, but the prices are on the higher side for it's category, and lack of service. However, I want to be quite honest, and I will acknowledge that the food quality is 1st rate and what's offered is fresh and rather delicious. Unfortunately, beyond that Stout's falls short on numerous criteria. One of my chief complaints about Stouts would be the lack of food selection when it comes to places that fall within this category. First, there are no soup's offered of any kind, and or daily specials. Most restaurants in this class always offer a soup such as "french onion," which is a staple of bars in the city, and at least a daily or weekly special based on the season. Another blatantly childish omission is the lack of any major beer brands offered, and to add to the ridiculousness, the beer taps aren't labeled with the selections offered. How does management expect customer's to know what's offered? Every major bar and pub when offering multiple selections of beers proudly labels, and advertises it's drinks, well, except this place. Now, my biggest pet peeve with this place would be the the service, or lack of. When you walk in there is no warm welcome, and the bar tending staff doesn't go out of its way to explain whats offered. They don't even offer regular salads. When I asked what dressings they offered, they begrudgingly grabbed a menu, and started reading what they offered in their other salads as if they were angry. As a customer how am I supposed to respond to such ludicrous behavior? I have also come in on other occasions and my food was not brought with the exact condiments, and or there were no knives, and forks offered. After I reported this, management did nothing to offer something complimentary. When these kind of blatant omissions occur most places offer you some concession or a free drink; not this one. Stout's isn't sure whether it's a high-end restaurant or a pub. I would say at best everything is incredibly average. If you can find other options I say try those as you'll probably have a better...

Everything looked quite promising when we arrived. A wonderful looking bar and restaurant buzzing with atmosphere. We were slightly early and expected to wait, but were shown quickly to our waiting table.

Except it wasn't our table. We had reserved a booth but were shown to a high top table in the window. Not a huge drama, but not what we booked. We thought oh well, we're early it's on us.

So we wanted to order and were told to do it on the app. We asked for paper menus but were told to do it on the app. We tried managed to get it working but only by downloading an unnecessary app and then when we went through all the motions on the app, selecting in turn what each of us wanted, but it wouldn't accept the order. The front of house staff told us it was because we weren't using American registered phones. No big shock there as we're from the UK. The app should really check for this first.

Soooooo.... After a wait, someone comes to take the order, but still no menus, so everyone tried to recall what was orderedin the app. A bit awkward but we got our order placed.

The food arrived after a short wait, served by an angry Spanish speaking gentleman. No cutlery, no condiments and one order of fries missing.

We asked for ketchup which never ever arrived, cutlery arrived about 10 minutes later and the fries slightly later .

The food was ok, but nothing special, and the Spanish speaking waiter kept taking plates away while muttering in Spanish and while the rest of us were eating. It ended up one person still eating while the rest of the tavle was completely cleared.

Would we eat her again : Definitely not. Yes, it was a fabulous venue, but very average food, with bad service at every stage, apart from getting...

Had been to NYC many times in the past and to Stout on 33rd every visit (as it was the only Stout back then), after babies and a ten year break we came back last week with our kids (7&9). Stout on 33rd is a lot narrower and to be fair they won't seat kids near the bar area - not something we ever thought about or noticed on our previous (childless) visits. But....

Stout on 39th was a revelation,! close to our Hotel, big bar area and high tables right in the middle of the bar so my boys (who have pretty much grown up in pubs) could see all the sports screens and be part of what was going on. We visited every day for 8 days, either as a family, me alone, or just me and my eldest (who one evening they spontaneously gifted an apple pie to, yeah!). We even went there the night of my birthday as I could be sure of a great night, good staff and good food.

Back home now, will be a few years before we return but next time we visit NYC, the Hotel will be picked so we can end our evenings at Bryant park Stout - big thank you to all you guys who served us, and your customers who were kind enough to...