The Upper Crust Queens — Restaurant in New York

Last night, my family and I went out to celebrate my father’s birthday. There were 17 of us in total, so it was immediately evident that we were a large party—typically a good sign for both business and gratuity. We had a reservation for 7:45 PM. As we waited for the rest of the group to arrive, I ordered a few appetizers to start things off.

Around 8:15 PM, while some of us were still settling in and enjoying the appetizers, our server approached and asked for our entrée orders. I politely informed him that we’d need a few more minutes to enjoy the appetizers before placing our entrée orders. By 8:30 PM, we began ordering our main courses.

When the entrées were served, approximately around 8:45-8:50 PM, the waiter returned to ask if we were ready to order dessert. I responded that we had just received our meals and would prefer to enjoy them first. It was at that point that he informed me the kitchen would be closing at 9 PM and that if we wished to have dessert or hot drinks, we would need to place those orders immediately.

Feeling rushed, I agreed to choose from three dessert options that, according to him, did not require the kitchen. I also specifically requested that the desserts be held and the birthday cake with candles be brought out later so we could first enjoy our dinner. He agreed.

However, not five minutes later, the same waiter returned to inform us that the register needed to be closed and asked us to settle the bill. At this point, I was extremely frustrated. I’ve dined at this establishment several times before and have never been treated in such a rushed and dismissive manner.

I asked to speak with the manager, and the situation only worsened. A young woman, who identified herself as the manager, approached with a dismissive and combative attitude. I explained our concerns—primarily, why we were being rushed out when the restaurant’s posted closing time was 10 PM. Her response was that she had school and other obligations and could not stay late on our behalf.

Meanwhile, other tables around us were still dining peacefully. I reiterated that we had just received our food and were hoping to order dessert and hot drinks, as part of a special family celebration. Our bill was close to $1,000, and we expected to be treated with a reasonable level of hospitality.

Her behavior escalated further—she became increasingly loud and argumentative. My husband then stepped in, but she continued to raise her voice. Shockingly, when one of her busboys attempted to de-escalate the situation, she berated him publicly and even threatened to fire him in front of the entire restaurant.

After being closed for 10 days for Passover, one would expect the staff to welcome business and treat customers with respect. Unfortunately, the experience we had was deeply disappointing, and we will no longer be patronizing this restaurant—neither for large gatherings nor for...

Wrangling a group of over 40+ people into a restaurant usually spells chaos, but Upper Crust handled it effortlessly! The atmosphere was amazing and beautifully set up, making our big group feel both intimate and special. The service was impeccable. It was attentive, speedy, and spot-on.

As someone who’s gluten-free I'm used to feeling super limited in dairy restaurants, but I was thrilled with all of the delicious options. There were amazing salads and mouthwatering fish dishes. I initially ordered the lemon butter sole, but our insightful waiter, after inquiring about food sensitivities, alerted me to a sneaky bit of flour. Crisis averted! He recommended the maple-crusted salmon instead, and it was absolutely divine.

The group got a variety of different pizzas (i think they were neopolitan style), each more delicious looking than the last. Even though I couldn't partake due to my gluten-free diet, they looked so heavenly I almost considered paying the price because of how good they looked! We also ordered penne ala vodka, fettuccine alfredo, and a bunch of others, which all received rave reviews from everyone at the table. The truffle fries were also beyond heavenly.

And the limonana? One sip brought me back to my year of sem in Israel. Literally nostalgia in a cup lol.

So basically, if you're looking for amazing food, a beautiful atmosphere, and top-notch service—even for large groups—Upper Crust is the place to be. Highly...

Tried to make a reservation for a special birthday celebration for 2 diners but they said they only take reservations for parties of 10 or more. When we arrived they seated us right in the middle of the restaurant, in a spot with no privacy or ambiance. When we asked to be moved to a more private spot they said those tables were reserved for parties of 4 or more. I asked to speak to the manager and was gruffly told he’s not here. This was 8:00 on a weeknight. They were not very busy. Shortly after we received our meal, another party of two came in and had the same conversation but this time after one member complained , they were seated in the back. While paying the check, a waiter -( the head waiter? )Apologized for the seating and said that the other party was related to the owner so they got special treatment. This really upset me especially since those back tables remained empty throughout our entire meal and we could have been seated there. The food was decent if not a little pricy for what we ordered. My dining partner got a modified salad and I got a quinoa burger. I understand that preferential treatment occurs but they could have accommodated us as well without any loss on their part. It was insulting and really not nice. I don’t think that i will be returning there after the experience with the seating. It felt...