Thursday, September 5, 2013

MUMBLES

Was not a busy time of day when I went buy...Mumbles may be more of a night spot.

Let us see--one person says " Upon arriving I thought it was senior citizen night." OK, sounds like neighborhood crowd and not trendy....otherwise:


Mumbles Restaurant

3.0 star rating
102 reviews Rating Details
Category: American (New)  [Edit]
179 3rd Ave
(between 16th St & 17th St)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: Gramercy
(212) 477-6066
Make a Reservation
Nearest Transit Station:
3 Ave. (L)
14 St. - Union Sq (4, 5, 6, 6X)
14 St. - Union Sq (N, Q, R)
Good for Kids:
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Price Range:
$$
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
Yes
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Dinner
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Noise Level:
Average
Ambience:
Casual
Has TV:
Yes
Caters:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

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102 reviews in English

  • Review from

    • 44 friends
    • 60 reviews
    Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY
    7/29/2013
    I should start by saying this review is only based on my happy hour experience.  They had some great brews on draught (Blue Point, Lagunitas, etc.) and happy hour includes wine and cocktails as well for $5.  The bartender was very friendly and even gave us a free "half round" after we said we were done drinking until after dinner.

    I did observe that 90% of the patrons eating there seemed to be 60+.  I don't mean that in a bad way, I just got the vibe that this is probably a favorite of the locals, has been around for a while, and the food is really solid and consistent.  We noticed a few plates go by and everything looked delcious.
  • Review from

    • 1 friend
    • 11 reviews
    Montclair, NJ
    7/8/2013
    What can you say about Mumbles except a great neighborhood find.  I was in the area recently and visited, but it's one of those places that I know I would go to all the time if I lived in the neighborhood.

    The staff is friendly -- our hostess/server Bridget has been there 20+years and was a trip.  We thoroughly enjoyed her.

    The cocktail and wine lists could use a bit more variety and interesting items, but my BF seemed to think the craft beer menu was pretty solid.

    We started with the spare rib sliders and fish tacos.  Both were well executed and tasty.  Good starters.  We then opted for the Fig & Prosciutto flatbread which was delicious!  For entrees we had shared the Quinoa Risotto with Scallops and the Zucchini Spaghetti.  The scallop dish was good, scallops cooked perfectly and nice flavor balance with the dish.  The Zuchhini spaghetti didn't do much for us.  Seemed a bit old fashioned and not a great entree standout.  Next time I would try one of the other pasta dishes.

    We ordered two desserts.  The Zeppoli and the Chocolate Flourless Cake.  The Zeppoli should be renamed because they are not the heavy dough belly bombers you think of from street fairs, but more like little light (dare I say fluffly) donut holes that melt in your mouth.  The flourless chocolate cake was very good and gluten free (good for those who seek that option).

    Overall a good experience.  Feels like you're at "Cheers".
  • Review from

    • 7 friends
    • 5 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    6/30/2013
    Summary:  Good food and location, ok price, inexplicably bad service

    Outdoor brunch here on a Saturday was pleasant except for the extremely slow service.  My wife ordered a bowl of cold soup as a starter, and yet it came out several minutes after people at the table next to us (who ordered after we did) already received their entrees.  Since I didn't have a starter and it had been quite a while, I asked if the waiter would see that my entree came out.  He said in his Irish accent, "Oh, do you want be to bring it out?  Ok."  And then it came out two minutes later.  I think the waiter just forgot to bring the soup and then decided to let everything else, already prepared, just sit there.  Very bad service.  When it came time for the bill, the waiter was again disappearing for long blocks of time.  If you get this Irish waiter, well, good luck.

    All that being said, my wife and I were very happy with the food we ordered.  She really enjoyed both her cucumber dill soup and her curry chicken salad (although the chicken was a little too dry).  I had the mac and cheese with bacon in it, and it was really delicious.  The portions here are not big though, so for the price it's not a great deal.  But you're paying for the location, too.

    We'll probably go back here, but if the Irish waiter comes by I think I'll just get up and go somewhere else.
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    8/25/2013 1 check-in here
    Since it was a beautiful day, I just had to sit somewhere with outdoor seating. Found Mumbles on a corner and it fit the bill, so there we went. They have some brunch specials and we decided on the chicken cobb salad and the cuban sandwich. Both were very good and nicely prepared. The fries were also quite tasty and were not overly soggy or too crisp. Prices are as to be expected and the wine list was pretty reasonable. Service was friendly, attentive and quick. Overall a decent spot for a weekend brunch on a beautiful day.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 34 reviews
    Glendale, NY
    6/6/2013 1 check-in here
    This place deserves two stars for it's location and generous portions only, because the food itself and waiter service are horrible.

    I came here with my sister for dinner on a weeknight, and upon walking in, we were found ourselves standing awkwardly for minutes waiting for someone to seat us. The steak we ordered was okay, nothing special or memorable. What I liked least about this place is our waiter. Our food took forever to come out and the waiter never bothered to check on us once or let us know how long it'll take. Also, he never offered the bread basket while we waited. We didn't notice this at first until another patron seated next to us was given the bread.

    To top it off, the waiter decided add a 20% tip to the check just because we were using a Groupon voucher. This might explain his lack of service the whole night. Business uses Groupon to attract potential customers, but I doubt I'll be returning here after the way the waiter behaved and the food quality.

    Overall, this place was a disappointment and I don't recommend it.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    5/12/2013
    No food was to be had when I came here.  The 2 stars isn't really saying I was disappointed... More like saying... I don't care.  I guess?

    The group I was with, apparently come here a lot and are friendly with the bartender so they would hook us up a little.  Popping bottles in a shitty place always makes me giggle.  We drank a lot.  Pretty forgettable 7~ hours of day drinking - for various reasons...
  • Review from

    • 22 friends
    • 50 reviews
    Fresh Meadows, NY
    5/6/2013 1 check-in here
    WOW. Do not go here. I repeat, DO NOT GO HERE.

    My boyfriend and I wanted a nice yet low-key romantic dinner out on a Saturday night so we chose this place. Its ambiance is bit romantic but not overly, so we thought it'd be perfect.
    It was perfect. Perfectly disastrous!

    Short Summary for those busy bees:
    Ambiance: 3/5 stars
    Service: 3/5 stars
    Food: -5/5 stars (yes, that's a NEGATIVE 5)

    Appetizer: Parmesan Polenta Fries $9
    Weird flavor, salty but not cheesy enough.
    1.5/5 stars

    Meal:
    #1. 10oz "flatiron steak" burger $13
    Got it medium rare. Had a choice of coleslaw or fries. I went with coleslaw.
    I thought it was okay but my burger and steak loving bf said it was pretty bad.
    2/5 stars

    #2. Fresh tortellini w/chicken $?? (this was on a separate menu - I think it changes every night)
    RETURNED. Pasta tasted like flour and it was hard. Sauce was mediocre to terrible.
    -3/5 stars

    #3. Truffled Mushroom Pappardelle $17
    Wanted to return but at this point we were just tired of being at this place.
    Pasta was hard, yet again. Sauce was too salty
    -3/5 starts

    Dessert/Drinks: got none.

    The best and most delicious thing at this place: WATER. I think I had about 5 cups. It was really truly delicious. (This is coming from a girl who drinks maybe 1 cup of water a day. LOL)

    To rant a bit more:
    I rarely complain about food because I love food so much and he was so hungry at that point that I felt like a hotdog from a street vendor would've tasted like a fine cuisine to him. And for both of us to say "HECKA NO!!!" to this place.... Its pretty bad.

    I mean, we go out to restaurants because we want to relax and eat good food, not to get stressed out and eat terrible food, right?

    Returning food is always a stress to me. I don't like wasting food and also, how am I supposed to know that they won't spit on the newly made food? Sigh

    We left saying, "no wonder that place is so empty on a Saturday night, even with happy hour specials" "we're never coming here ever again" "let's yelp the terrible quality of food"

    So here it is folks. Terrible food that ruined our date night.
    We should've just stuck to hotdog vendors..... LOL

    (This is my first 1star rating and I hope this would be my last.)
  • Review from

    • 22 friends
    • 32 reviews
    New York, NY
    5/22/2013 1 check-in here
    A friend and I were meeting friends at Triona's across the street to watch a Rangers game one Sunday afternoon but my friend wanted to eat but did not want bar food.  We had no plan on where we were going to eat and decided Mumbles looked like a good spot to grab a quick bite.

    We both ordered the Lamb Shank Eggs Benedict and it was delicious.  The meal also same with a basket of corn bread and mini muffins which also were good.  My friend used the term "greatest thing I have ever eaten" but he was quite hungover so take that statement with a grain of salt.  I thought the muffins were just fine.

    The three stars is not a bad thing, I liked the restaurant and would eat here again, but for my experience it was just about a normal experience.  Nothing really blew me away.
  • Review from

    • 21 friends
    • 19 reviews
    Philadelphia, PA
    4/1/2013
    THE WORST MEAL in NYC.
    We were so hungry from work we walked into the first restaurant we saw.

    As soon as you walk in you feel as if you have walking into a chain, suburan-life restaurant that hasn't had a menu change in 15 years. I grew up in the suburbs this is a last place I would choose in nyc.

    The waiter came up to the table and abruptly asked if we were ready to order. I needed a freaking min, sorry about that one. It was like I was bothering him
    They did not have any steak (I am assuming they know they are going under and did not put in the meat order?)
    I ordered the Chicken Franchise, my little sister could have made it better. The taste was just off, I am surprised I did not get sick

    My boyfriend got the crab cakes  after sending back the sword fish which was disgustingly over marinated. He was hard to even take a bite with all that salt and pepper it was dipped in, (He originally wanted the steak but they didn't have meat that day?!?! WTF)
    ....they were OK...but he was craving a steak.

    The waiter was of no help whatsoever. My bill was wrong, over charging the wine. The manger fixed it right away but then proceeded to play on his phone and eat his meal right behind our table.

    I have worked in the restaurant industry for about 7-8 years now and this was disgraceful.... everything about it.

    Dont go here, and if you do please please check your bill!!!! Up charging on wine is not a mistake..I know that trick to
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    1/8/2013 4 photos Seated via OpenTable 1 check-in here
    I saw this place on Yelp many months ago and had always wanted to try this place out. So I finally made dinner reservations here one night with a friend right before "the world ended", and her birthday.

    A shout out to our waiter, Marcos, who was remarkable with his service skills. He was very personable, attentive to the right degree, and just awesome.

    The house salads we each ordered as appetizers were fresh and not soggy-- perfect with a simple vinaigrette that we chose to dress our salads with to watch our appetite and waistline.

    When time to order entrees, Marcos told us about the specials that night but when I asked for his preference and how he would rate the sirloin steak to another meat (possibly a lamb or something) he suggested the steak with a 8/10 rating compared to the other meat with a 6/10 rating. Easy choice! Sirloin steak it was.  

    Our ladylike behavior quickly subsided when her penne alla vodka and my sirloin steak arrived and we dove in there and praised "holy hell, this is good". Not ladylike at all.

    I personally never order pasta when I'm out but I tried the penne alla vodka that my friend ordered and it was wonderful. Not too heavy on the sauce, flavorful, and nice tangy kick with the right amount of vodka.

    That sirloin steak.... Jesus Christ. One of the best I've had. This nice-hefty-portion-sized-fresh-medium-rare-steak was juicy, tender, succulent, flavorful, and had a wonderful grilled aroma to it.

    Lastly, I made my way towards the front when I said I had to use the bathroom only to hunt down a manager to surprise my friend with her favorite kind of dessert.. A cheesecake!!! Marcos waited for my return from the bathroom and came from behind my friend with a candle-lit cheesecake with "happy bday Angela" in chocolate writings on the plate. How sweet of them!

    Props and shout outs to the HeadChef and sou chefs at Mumbles, for crafting and plating these two dishes with beautiful presentation and class. You guys make your dishes look like they belong in upscale restaurants and events.

    To sum up, we both very much enjoyed our visit at Mumbles. The food was just amazing in taste and in presentation, and service was remarkable. I highly recommend Mumbles to those who haven't been here yet.
    • House salad
    • Sirloin steak
    • Penne alla vodka
  • Review from

    Brooklyn, NY
    2/1/2013 1 check-in here
    Upon arriving I definitely thought that it was senior citizen night.  The crowd was very
    "mature."  Don't get me wrong.  I love old people.  In fact, some of my best friends are geriatrics.  After dining here I could see how this is a local spot for area residents.

    It is quite homey inside.  The kind of homey feeling that conjures memories of restaurants in the suburban town where you grew up.  The decor is simple and frankly kinda outdated which didn't turn me off at all.

    We came with a Groupon and they accepted it without hesitation.  We split a house salad which was simple and decent. We had the mussels for appetizers which were good.  I opted for the marinated sirloin steak.  Snap! That sucker was huge and tasty.  I also swapped the potatoes for all sauteed veggies which were perfectly seasoned.  BF had the lamb and he was very happy with it.

    We were pretty stuffed at the this point but the Groupon included a dessert so we split the apple tart which was not so nice. The pastry was not fresh and tasted freezer burnt.  It's a shame because it put a damper on an overall pleasant meal.
    Listed in: Yelp 100 Challenge

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