Maybe this is some kind of clubby place or something, who knows. But here is Yelp
ABC Kitchen
Categories:
American (New),
French
35 E 18th St(between Broadway & S Park Ave)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Flatiron
(212) 475-5829
- Nearest Transit Station:
-
14 St - Union Sq (N, Q, R)14 St - Union Sq (4, 5, 6, 6X)Union Sq - 14 St (L)
- 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:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1051 reviews for ABC Kitchen
Review Highlights What's this?
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"Let's not forget the roasted carrot and avocado salad." In 83 reviews
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"salted caramel ice cream dessert was a real treat." In 64 reviews
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"How could you not love all of Jean Georges' restaurants." In 68 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
1050 reviews in English
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Review from Jando S.
- Elite '13
- 1087 friends
There was a time when ABC Kitchen was undisputedly my favorite restaurant in Manhattan. Not "best" mind you, just simply my favorite after so many wonderful experiences for all occasions. It was a restaurant that rarely got anything wrong and produced a countless array of quality dishes that were delicious, potent with all sorts of tongue tingling flavors, and remarkable in their consistency and execution.
After bursting onto the scene two years ago and winning a bevy of "new restaurant" awards, including one from the James Beard Foundation, co-owner Jean-George Vongerichten made the mantra of the restaurant quite simple: local, organic, with nods to sustainability, presentation, and quality. Countless patrons, reviews, and reservations later, it still remains as one of the city's most popular mid-to-high end dining destinations.
The trendy, yet contemporary decor is a nice departure from the other line of JG restaurants. There isn't a night where it isn't bustling with people and reservations are almost always recommended. Sit at the bar for a tasty cocktail or two and if there is time to kill, chance an experience with a walk-in anyway. The food is definitely worth the wait.
To suggest that one can't go wrong with ordering anything on the menu may seem a bit ambitious, but my advice is to always heed the seasonal recommendations from the server and then choose a few dishes to share. Go for simple and eat something you know you're likely to enjoy. One can be like regular patrons and constantly shoot for something different. After all, not being afraid to experiment means there are plenty of surprises to be had.
Their salads, appetizers, and seafood choices have been the strongest contenders on a plate for me. Salads like a beet or kale salad, which are both wickedly simple but are incredibly tasty and would count for meals on their own. Whether its the chicken liver pate toast or the lump crab meat aioli, or even the kombucha squash toast, all are stellar choices. From the sea bass, salmon, cod to the burger, fried chicken, and homemade sausages, it is all truly tasty and salivating from start to end. If there was anything to avoid, it would be the suckling pig, which at $34 feels like a lot to pay for a small brick of crispy pork.
ABCK's price point of $$$ is pretty accurate and quite reasonable considering the variety they offer. Service is always outstanding and the wait staff is usually efficient and knowledgeable about the menu. The knock of course would be their wait times, which for many quality establishments is practically a prerequisite of something wonderful in the making.-
Spinach, goat cheese, and herbs pizza.
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Ricotta cavatelli with shrimp, crushed tomatoes, and chili …
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Cod, fennel, chillies
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Roast suckling pig
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Review from Pat P.
- 135 friends
Four stars easily. ABC Kitchen is a fantastic option for group events and intimate dinners alike. With numerous awards under its belt, this place is run by some experienced restaurateurs with some impressive credentials behind them.
I've had different menus here for each visit, so I don't know how consistent it is. What I can say is that each visit is as pleasant as the last, and the staff is incredibly competent in delivering a superb dining experience. Good food, good atmosphere. Certainly a place worth visiting! -
Review from Marisa F.
- Elite '13
- 82 friends
Finally visited ABC Kitchen this past Monday to celebrate my 30th birthday. We were a large party of 7, and made that reservation nearly a month in advance. If you want to be guaranteed a table, definitely call ahead and make a reservation. (The restaurant is on OpenTable, but OpenTable availability is more limited than if you call directly.)
I had scoped out reviews and the menu prior to the meal, and was pretty excited -- happily, the food did not disappoint. The menu at ABC Kitchen relies heavily on seasonal fruits & veggies, which is something I really miss about living in the Bay Area.
We began with a few small plates for the table to share: housemade ricotta with strawberry compote and grilled bread, salmon tartare toast with creme fraiche and sesame garlic crumbs, and a squash dish I can't recall exactly (and isn't listed online). All of it was delicious, but the squash and housemade ricotta w/strawberry compote were the standouts. Everyone enjoyed their appetizers and entrees. My roast carrot and avocado salad was AMAZING, as was my housemade spaghetti with sugar snap peas, pistachio pesto and lemon chili crumbs.
And then there was dessert. We splurged, because you know, turning 30 and ordered a bunch to share. Truly, it was all really yummy. I'm not an ice cream girl, but surprisingly my favorite dessert was the sundae: salted caramel ice cream, candied peanuts and popcorn, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. The ingredients were proportioned perfectly and the popcorn combined with the salted caramel ice cream was straight-up heavenly.
TL;DR: This place deserves the hype around it. Book your dinner in advance and leave room for dessert!Listed in: The Yelp 100 Challenge -
Review from Lori L.
- Elite '13
- 592 friends
I have a certain nostalgia for anything JGV-related as I still remember my introduction to fine dining in NYC at Nougatine almost a year ago. When I'd first heard of ABC Kitchen, the concept seemed to be quite an outlier from what I'd come to expect from this city's restauranteurs; after all, too much of an emphasis on utilizing "organic" and "farm-to-table" ingredients can turn the focus away from what's truly important: the final product on the plate. But under his guidance, ABC has evolved to become one of the city's most celebrated restaurants; the fact that I'd had to book a reservation an entire month in advance for brunch only speaks to this fact.
We arrived just after noon on a Saturday and after spending a little time trying to make sure we had indeed found the entrance (there is no evident signage at the door), stepped inside. The interior is like none other that I've encountered - the interior is predominantly white, spacious and open, and simultaneously minimalistic and whimiscal. Tables and chairs are pared down versions of their typical counterparts while playful LED-lights and chandeliers hang from the wooden beams across the ceiling. It's a slightly jarring feeling at first, as though you've entered an adult's playroom, but it's an atmosphere that has become unique to ABC Kitchen.
We were led to our seats after our table was ready and given the brunch menu, which I had (of course) looked through extensively beforehand. The offerings are fairly diverse, spanning across the typical brunch plates and pulling some of their better-known dishes off of their dinner menu. I was sorely tempted to try the famed Mushroom and Farm Egg Pizza or the Akaushi Cheeseburger, but my love of poached eggs eventually won out. Both of us decided to order the Eggs Benedict with Flying Pigs Farm Ham and if either of us had any uneasiness about ordering the same dish, it was immediately dispelled once our plates arrived.
It was a picture-perfect plate of egg benedicts: Two beautifully poached eggs sat atop several slices of ham and a toasted english muffin and were finished off with a spoonful of hollandaise. This plate was truly one of the best egg benedicts I've had in NYC - the ingredients were simple, but each element was cooked to perfection and were paired together perfectly. Our order came also with a side of roasted potatoes, and these were generously seasoned with a delightfully crisp outer shell. The ketchup that comes on the side is also made in-house and I enjoyed the slight acidity that was present in each bite.
The continued success of ABC Kitchen should be enough evidence that it's a place worth visiting. Indeed, the combination of a delightful dining ambiance, a professional staff, and a strong emphasis on the quality and presentation of food are sure to guarantee a positive experience. -
Review from Vince T.
- 9 friends
Fantastic restaurant, fastantic food. It's quite impossible to get a reservation at a decent time via Opentable, though walk-ins are welcomed. I suspect people call in their reservations, but I haven't tried.
One of my favorite dishes here is the cheeseburger. How different can the lowly cheeseburger be, right? Well, it was surprisingly good without being greasy. This is one of those places that I always recommend to friends asking for recommendations, and it hasn't disappointed yet. And don't let the reservation situation deter you.
I just wish it's easier to get reservations on Opentable! -
Review from Allison Y.
- Elite '13
- 281 friends
3.5 stars. abc kitchen by jean georges is solid, but underwhelming. i love that he uses all organic and fresh ingredients for this restaurant but the preparation was not that impressive. our crab toast appetizer was the best part of the meal, albeit SUPER oily. i got a fish for the main and it was cooked well, but the flavor just tasted like salt.
the zucchini cake we got for dessert was pretty good -
Review from Hicham C.
- 10 friends
I heard about ABC Kitchen from a friend who recommended trying it while I was visiting New York. I went there with two of my friends during lunch time on a random day of the week. We didn't have a reservation but the hostess sat us at a table near the bar. The decor of the place was really nice and interesting as it spoke upscale yet modern.
Our servers were extremely nice and they came around so often to check up on us or to switch out our silverware that it seemed almost unordinary but I definitely did not mind.
i ordered the lunch prix fixe for 32 dollars and had myself the sweet pea soup with carrots and mint which tasted delicious and for pea soup it seemed very light. We had another appeitizer for free due to an error on the server but we did not complain. We didn't even know what it was until the waitress told us it was fluke, which is a very light fish, sprinkled with many different herbs. It had an odd taste but tasty nontheless.
For the entree I had the ricotta and farm egg raviolo with chilies, mint and parmesan. The mixture of the sauce and farm egg worked wonderfully together. Everything was perfectly cooked and was also very light. My friends ordered the mushroom, parmesan, oregano and farm egg pizza which I heard was one of their more popular dishes and it did not disappoint. Cooked wonderfully.
And for the dessert, which I would recommend to anyone who goes there, I ordered the lemon bundt cake with whipped cream and orange ice cream. The orange ice cream was a little too sweet for my taste but the lemon bundt cake with small chocolate grazings over it really did it for me. It was heaven after the first bite. My friends assured me they were full before the dessert came but once they saw my expression after the first bite, they had to try it for themselves and they enjoyed every bite.
I highly recommend this place if you're visiting in New York as it's a hot spot for not only tourists but locals and celebrities as well. Not too expensive for a semi-upscale place and definitely worth it. I left feeling full yet not bloated or lethargic which a testament to the high quality of food that they serve. -
Review from Alexis M.
- 1 friend
I was sadly not so impressed with ABC Kitchen. I had such high hopes considering all of the hype for this place, and the food was just OK. I had the appetizer calamari which was said to be dusted with pretzel, but I didn't taste any. They served it with a mustard sauce which was unique and actually paired really great with the calamari. I had a pizza as my entree and it was fine, nothing great. Maybe I ordered the wrong things, I would definitely like to give it another try. -
Review from Ashley R.
- 13 friends
YUM! Tons of vegetarian options (and non-veggie options, too!) The service is excellent. Our waitress couldn't have been more patient or helpful. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and gave great recommendations. We ordered:
Appetizers:
Roasted Beets with housemade yogurt (the favorite app of several people in our party)
Fresh Ricotta with strawberry compote and grilled bread (tasted like something you would want for breakfast. delicious!)
Spinach goat cheese and herbs pizza (OMG, tons of fresh dill on here that made this pizza so so delicious and above and beyound the description. Get this!)
Roasted Carrot And Avocado Salad crunchy seeds, sour cream and citrus (SO delicious. The carrots had this amazing spiced flavor and the mixture of everything in the salad. I could have just eaten this and been delighted! Get this!!)
Entrees:
Housemade Ricotta Ravioli herbs and tomato sauce (basic, but yummy)
Pasta with corn, blue cheese, and something else delicious (rich and unusual)
2 Skuna Bay Salmon with spring peas and shoots, chili oil (The boys said this was spicier than they were expecting; ate every last bite!)
Roasted Summer Beans (side dish) (Maybe my favorite thing all night!? SO fresh tasting. Hint of lemon and other deliciousness. GET THESE!)
Corn with manchengo cheese and jalapeno (side dish--also yummy)
Dessert:
Butterscotch pudding
salted caramel sundae (the dessert winner by far. the ice cream is amazing)
seasonal donuts
almond cake with strawberries
Do you think we ordered enough?! we left way too full but every bite was delicious!!
Highly recommend coming here. -
Review from Danielle S.
- 27 friends
this place is truly amazing. its a must try, at least once!
Went here with my husband and my 10 month old daughter. they were so accommodating to our needs. We both started with a glass of wine, and the kales & jalapeno salad. it was so good! it has just the right amount of heat, and it was a large portion. We then shared the roasted beet and home made yogurt salad. (mainly bc i wanted my daughter to have some) we all loved it! the yogurt was beyond delicious. Next we had the tuna tartar. it literally melted in my mouth. the flavors in the "broth" were so bold yet didnt over power the tunas natural flavors.
For dinner, i had the black sea bass with a spicy spinach salad, and my husband had the lobster. Although i do feel my fish was a bit on the small side, the flavor was unbelievable. the heat was just perfect, the spinach had the perfect amount of salt, and the bass was cooked to perfection. crispy skin and flakey inside. my husbands lobster was cooked perfectly as well.
i'm not going to lie, we were still a tad bit hungry after dinner, so as we munched on our fries (which btw are like fried in garlic rosemary perfection) we looked over the dessert menu. i had the chocolate cake or something like that. it was sooooooo sweet and savory. perfect end to our dinner. my husband had a glass of port which paired perfectly with the cake.
the service was perfect. from the hostess to the food runner, server and manager everything was on point. the food runner even stayed and entertained my daughter for a few minutes which was really cute.
the decor is cute. very simple but elegant looking.
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