Good or very good or even better reviews--
EXCEPT for one person who says " very worst dining experience I have ever had"
He did not mention if the server had spilled soup all over him or not
Oh yes, one person says "Meh"
Typical review calls this place a nice, hip little restaurant that has jazz music Friday and Saturday nights
Except the "sad jazz music" increased the misery of the person who really hated the place
Black Duck
Categories:
Seafood,
Lounges,
American (New)
122 E 28th St(between S Park Ave & Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhood: Flatiron
(212) 204-5240
- Nearest Transit Station:
- 28 St. (4, 6, 6X)33 St. (4, 6, 6X)23 St. (4, 6, 6X)
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu, Sun 4 pm - 12 amFri-Sat 4 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
- $$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Intimate
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
144 reviews for Black Duck
Review Highlights What's this?
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"The live jazz trio set the mood at this awesome little classy joint." In 20 reviews -
"Atop really yummy sweet corn risotto, which was." In 4 reviews -
"Located in the Park South Hotel lies this overlooked gem." In 8 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
144 reviews in English
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Review from Art L.
Black Duck is located on 28th Street between Lexington Avenue and Park Avenue. As such, you're in a neighborhood with lots of young workers, some older neighborhood folk and also you're smack in the middle of Curry Hill. On my first visit, I saw outdoor tables set up outside. When you step inside, you don't see a host, however, you'll need to walk 15 feet where you will see the host "podium" to the left. We were greeted warmly and taken to our table to the back of the dining room. The restaurant if formatted as a long rectangular space, with lounge tables up front, a bar to the right, and regular dining tables at the center, back and far back right.
We arrived on a Friday night, expecting a well lit dining room based on what we saw online, but on this night, there was a jazz band playing with the lights turned down. Being a fan of jazz, I was delighted and felt that these guys were good enough to play in West Village clubs. They weren't overly loud and I easily had a conversation. I noticed that people mostly drank wine here and the crowd was a truly mixed crowd of young, middle-aged and older. It was overall a nice higher class vibe.
As for the menu, we ordered only three items: the Jumbo Lump Crab and Rock Shrimp Cake, The Pat LaFreida Burger, and the Berkshire Pork Chop. We felt the Jumbo Crab and Shrimp Cake was easily the best part of the meal. This was nearly 8 ounces of sweet crab meat shaped in a cylinder shape placed over a delicious seafood sauce which I couldn't identify. There was barely any shrimp in the cake, but who cares when you're getting this much quality crab! They didn't even put filler in it like bread crumbs, so it was a hit with us.
The LaFreida Burger was good, a solid 8 out of 10, with a fresh, soft brioche style bun and tender meat. It was served with fries with just the right amount of crisp. My only complaint here was that I ordered medium-rare, but I felt it came out medium-well.
As for the Berkshire Pork Chop, we had another hit. The pork was nearly 3/4 to an inch thick, very tender, grilled and served over a bed of potatoes and veggies. There was also a poached pear on the side. The provided sauce was a mustard-type sauce. The bone-in provided extra flavor!
Overall, the upscale atmosphere, friendly waiters and the intimate atmosphere, made for a good place to take a date. I saw some larger tables that were full, so I guess it's also a good place for groups. In fact, I felt there was an even distribution of tables that were already set up for various-sized groups. Prices for dinner entrees range from $19 to $26 so I would consider Black Duck to be a mid-tier priced restaurant in my book. Even though not cheap, the Cheap Guy recommends Black Duck!-
Crab and shrimp cake appetizer -
La Freida hamburger -
Berkshire Pork Chop
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Review from Elizabeth H.
New York, NYKnew someone staying in the attached hotel (Park South) so I came here for drink for the happy hour one night and dinner another.
On Sunday nights they offer half price bottles of wine!
The dinner was great. We started with sweet potato fries, which they put truffle oil on, and these were delicious!
I then got the burger with the mushroom risotto as my side. The burger was ok, it was over cooked so much drier than I would have preferred it. The risotto was delicious!
My friend got the ragu and also really enjoyed this.
In addition the waiter was very nice and helpful. He was great at making recommendations and our food came out quickly.
I'm already looking forward to my next dinner here!
Apparently there is jazz on Saturday night, so I will have to come back to try that out.. -
Review from Yifen J.
Manhattan, NYRestaurant week review.
Flat Bread with Goat Cheese, Bacon, Dried Figs, Fresh Herbs: A-ok. I think it's..a little heavy for an app. The flavor of the bacon didn't really lend itself to the flat bread unless you ate a chunk. Aroma was predominantly of the figs.
Seared Espresso Rubbed Petite Filet: while it came out perfectly medium rare, juicy and tender, this was a bit of a disappointment because I didn't really get that espresso. The filet had zero crust, and I think I got more of a cinnamon flavor from the supposedly espresso butter. Garlic mashed potatoes and spinach were both standard.
Lemon Cheese Cake: This is probably what I liked most about the meal. It's a very light fluffy cheese cake with a thin caramel flavor crust topped with a dollop of cream. The plate's drizzled with caramel...I'm not sure if the slightly burnt flavor was on purpose or intentional, but it was a good contrast to the sweet cheese cake.
Service is very friendly, all smiles, which was awesome, and pretty quick with water refills.
Atmosphere is warm and cozy without being crowded. The noise level isn't too loud and I think it'd be a good place to grab a drink and have a chat, but I don't know if I'd come back soley for the food. -
Review from David Guy B.
Brooklyn, NYVery hip little place with great food. -
Review from christine f.
New York, NYFriday night/Saturday night jazz trio is really good and the bartender is nice. Tasty gin drink and brownie dessert. Definitely coming back for cocktails and music. Kind of a quiet vibe even with the music but good for conversation/nightcap.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/22/2013
Came with a $55 Travelzoo voucher that included 2 cocktails, 2 apps, 2 entrees and a dessert to… Read more »
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4/22/2013
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Review from S B.
Hoboken, NJRestaurant Week review, take this as you will.
Short and sweet: Nice atmosphere and ambiance. Attentive service. Food was good but unremarkable (then again, restaurant week). Solid meal but didn't leave me wanting to ever return to try the full menu.Comment from Richard S. of Black Duck 7/30/2013
Hi S.B., Thank you for coming in during Restaurant Week. I… More » -
Review from TheSasha K.
Long Island City, NYThis place was amazing, and almost entirely because of the manager. We came for restaurant week, and i have definitely had the experience of being treated as somewhat second class for doing a restaurant week menu in the past. Not so here. When our group of 4 all seemed disappointed that they were out of the amazing sounding grilled watermelon soup, he offered us any appetizer from the regular menu as part of the deal. I got the crab and shrimp cake, which was really delicious. They accidentally brought 2 to our table, even though we had only ordered one. The manager gave us the second one for the table. Then he scrounged up the last cup of watermelon soup, and gave us advice on making it at home. Unreasonably good service.
The crab and shrimp cake, watermelon soup, and mussels were all fantastic. I also loved he key lime pie (although it is very much not a traditional key lime pie). My actual entree, the fish, was a bit dry and bland, but everything my companions got seemed to go over really well, especially the petit filet. And the rum runner cocktail was amazing.
Go to this place. Some of the best service I have ever had.Comment from Richard S. of Black Duck 7/30/2013
Hi, Thank you for the great review. I am glad you had such… More » -
Review from Richard D.
New York, NYI actually had a wonderful dining experience here with my boo.
The service was great even and the food was delish. I really enjoyed my burger. I had it medium rare, and it was cooked to perfection. Most restaurants I've been to usually overcook the burgers, but BD cooked it juicy and pink in the middle.
The atmosphere is also warm and inviting.Comment from Richard S. of Black Duck 7/1/2013
Hi Richard, Thank you very much for coming to the Black… More » -
Review from Darya C.
Brooklyn, NYWe went to Black Duck with friends and their seven-year-old daughter. It is close to my work and I had a $25 gift certificate - more reasons to go. We got a very nice table at the back of the main room. Our waiter was very quick with his recommendation of mini-burgers dish for the child and offered a lot of details on wine, which was very helpful since we were all thinking of ordering different entrees. For appetizers, we ordered muscles, calamari and kale salad to share. All dishes were great, but I especially enjoyed the kale salad. I never liked kale before that night but now I do! My husband and our friend went with the fish special, which was tilapia, served over corn and bacon bits; his wife got the steak dish and I had the duck. We ordered the mini-burgers and sweet potato fries for the child. All dishes were well prepared and tasted excellent. I enjoyed bit of cranberry preserves with my duck -a nice touch - and the meat was not dry at all. Our men practically licked their plates clean. And no left overs on the kid's side of the table either. :) Our dining experience, accompanied by sounds of soft jazz, was memorable and we are glad we chose Black Duck to bring a family of first-time NY visitors to. -
Review from Leo R.
Bronx, NYI had a wonderful experience. the waiter was knowledgeable of the menu and food came out fast and hot.
Try the flight of beers only $8 for 4Comment from Richard S. of Black Duck 7/1/2013
Dear Leo, Thank you very much for the nice review. I am a… More » -
Review from Andie N.
Astoria, NYHad a very good dinner here. Had steak and potatoes. Tasty and cooked to a perfect medium rare. Enjoyed that the serving sizes weren't overwhelming. Live jazz trio adds a nice touch to the ambiance and gives the restaurant a pleasant stand out from others. Lastly, stay for dessert and don't miss the warm chocolate chip cookie baked into its own skillet with ice cream and fudge. So simple yet so amazing.
Also I noticed that there was a large party celebrating some sort of special event. Maybe an engagement? It did not detract from the service to other tables and their table was adorned with rose petals. It looked lovely. Well done on the service!Comment from Richard S. of Black Duck 7/1/2013
Hi Andie, Thank you very much for coming to the Duck. I am… More » -
Review from Dee T.
Manhattan, NYI am writing a belated review because months later this place still lingers as the worst dining experience I ever had, and I felt it should be put on record.
I came here with a Travelzoo voucher (mistake #1) on a holiday weekend (mistake #2) for my birthday (mistake #3). The place was empty except for some tourists from the hotel above getting drinks (I should've taken this as a cue to turn around and run). I suppose the stars were not aligned in my favor, but god damn the food was just downright HORRIBLE. Not fresh, bitter or bland depending on the course, and completely unoriginal. One yelper who, like me, also had the cod correctly noted: "I usually finish all my food even when it's tasteless, but I found it hard to swallow the cod and it almost made me want to vomit." AMEN, SISTER. My bf's food wasn't any better. The sole jazz player playing his sad tunes only highlighted the painful experience. If I wasn't a look-on-the-bright-side person, my birthday would've been ruined thanks to this really bad restaurant.Comment from Richard S. of Black Duck 6/27/2013
Dear Diana, I am very sorry that you had a terrible… More » -
Review from Jeff M.
Manhattan, NYAnother restaurant found through Yelp that was exactly what I was looking for.
The live jazz trio set the mood at this awesome little classy joint.
Our waiter was awesome. Great service and honest recommendations.
The grilled romaine salad was absolutely perfect, and easily shared between the four of us along with the mussels, which were equally good. Super garlicky with tons of shallots.
My fiancé and I split the chicken and the duck. They were both amazing. Fairly small portions, but that's how we like to eat.
Will definitely go back for more!-
Grilled romaine salad was perfect -
Cast iron chicken w collard greens/pork belly and a fried e… -
Duck two ways
Comment from Richard S. of Black Duck 2/27/2013
Hi Jeff, Five stars!!! Thank you very much. I am glad… More » -
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Review from Andrew D.
Astoria, NYService was a solid 4, food was a 3... but they have Boddington's on tap!
I went with a 3 rating because I'm a glutton, and at the end of the day the food is the most important part of a meal to me. It was good, but not great. There was only one duck item on the menu, which struck me as odd for a restaurant who's namesake suggests otherwise.
We had the flatbread appetizer, along with a kale salad with pear and pine nuts. My wife had the free range chicken entree (which was probably the best thing we tried), and I had the duck - which was a little dry for my liking.
For dessert we shared a mediocre red velvet cake. The cake itself was good, but the icing had an odd texture - almost like fondant.
All in all I'm not saying you should avoid the Black Duck altogether, but I'm also not saying you should drop your plans and book a reservation. -
Review from Lauren R.
New York, NYI vacillated between three and four stars. The reason I chose not to give it four was simply because I can't let how helpful and kind the manager is cloud my judgment toward the food.
Here's the run down:
We ordered the mussels as an appetizer- They were fine. I've definitely had better, but they did the trick.
I had the scallops and my bf had the duck. When my scallops came to the table they were on a sizzling hot plate, yet were underdone. I told the waitress this and they were more than accommodating- taking the dish back and cooking me a new one. They did make it a point to tell me that the chef took a look at the original scallops and thought they were cooked perfectly. I disagree, they were cold and like jelly in the center- not how scallops should be cooked.
The duck was delicious. It is certainly a dish that would draw me backComment from Richard S. of Black Duck 4/3/2013
Hi Lauren, I am sorry about the Scallops. It was a… More » -
Review from C K.
New Orleans, LAMeh. I came here with a large group of people and none of us were all too impressed with our meals. I ordered their specialty and namesake, the duck, and it tasted alright.. a little bit on the sweeter side, but the disappointing part was that it was cold. I'm pretty sure it wasn't meant to be cold. The waiter was nice about it and asked if I wanted him to take it in the back and fix it, but I wasn't really interested in having it get further cooked while they heated it up or in waiting for a new dish while everyone else finished their meals. Bottom line, plenty of restaurants in the area with much better food for that price. -
Review from ellen p.
New York, NYMore like 3.5 stars.
The food was ok...duck was very good but the accompanying puree was SO salty. Dessert was fine, appetizer salad was good.
For an RW meal, didn't really wow me, and service was extremely slow. I'd probably go elsewhere but I did really enjoy the company! -
Review from Lawrence D.
New York, NYI thoroughly enjoyed the food, atmosphere and service!
For appetizers we had the crab cake and a romaine salad order. Both were excellent. The crab cake had an excellent flavor and the sauces spread out and around it offered a pleasing follow through. The romaine lettuce plate was unique in that it was touched with some flame in order to produce a woody, smoked flavor. I had no qualms with the entrees other than the quantity. One pork chop, though well prepared was certainly not worth the exorbitant price. Neither were 3 small to medium sized scallops worth $28. My date left hungry and unsatisfied. ...which meant I would too. Thanks Black Duck. -
Review from Kevin B.
NY, NYFood 3.5 Stars
RW menu Duck 2 ways and Cast Iron chicken not bad, the Apps and Dessert were lacking
Service 5
was 45 min late to the reservations but still accommodated
Decor 4
Standard but nice -
Review from Crystan B.
Henryville, PASo I very much meant to review this back when I went, October 2012, and never got around to it. Still, the service we experienced there was so excellent I felt compelled to write this, even if it was a bit delayed.
I went to Black Duck for my 25th birthday dinner, with a group of 10, Halloween weekend. Most of my party arrived on time, with some a few minutes late, and we were seated immediately. Fairly early into our night a friend of mine mentioned to our waiter that it was my birthday and, unprompted by me, asked if I could get a free glass of wine. He readily complied - this was unexpected and, at this point, I would have been happy for the night.
The impeccable service did not stop there. Without provocation the manager came over to our table with a (free!) champagne toast to celebrate my birthday. They brought over a small desert later as well (for me, not the table) and the fun, atmospheric jazz band played Happy Birthday to me. During the night the manager thanked us as well, I assume for bringing a large (very hungry) group in that night.
I should note, the food was great as well. I am notoriously picky amongst my friends, and I tend to skew toward a small, plain menu. Because of this I went out of way to pick a place with a more eclectic, grown up menu. I had the free range chicken, which I loved! Between the 10 of us we probably ordered three quarters of the menu, and there was not a complaint at the table. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed everything, from the food to the drinks, and the feel of the place was great. Classy, but not boring, busy, but not overwhelming. The lighting is on the darker side, but it fit for Halloween weekend.
I had gone back and forth over my dinner decision for awhile, and am so glad I went with the Black Duck. I would recommend it to anyone, especially for a special occasion since they really went above and beyond for us.
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