Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tuttle's-- Murray Hill

Fairly new place Murray Hill/Midtown East

Gets good reviews with a couple of dissenters

Looks very nice, but of course that means nothing to a restaurant eventually

Oh yes-- people LOVE the big outdoor garden but as winter is coming on I wonder what they plan to do about that

Tuttles

3.5 star rating
50 reviews Rating Details
Categories: Bars, Seafood  [Edit]
735 2nd Ave
(between 39th St & 40th St)
New York, NY 10016
Neighborhoods: Midtown East, Murray Hill
(646) 422-7072
Nearest Transit Station:
Grand Central - 42 St. (7, 7X)
Grand Central - 42 St. (4, 5, 6, 6X)
Grand Central - 42 St. (S)
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Price Range:
$$
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Wi-Fi:
Free
Good For:
Lunch, Dinner
Music:
Background
Best Nights:
Wed, Thu, Fri
Happy Hour:
Yes
Alcohol:
Full Bar
Smoking:
Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Coat Check:
Yes
Noise Level:
Average
Good For Dancing:
No
Ambience:
Casual
Has TV:
Yes

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "The garden in the back would be a nice place to bring a date." In 14 reviews
  • "The outdoor space in the back is amazing." In 5 reviews
  • "The staff is great and the backyard patio is just lovely." In 6 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
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50 reviews in English

  • Review from

    • 25 friends
    • 89 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    10/10/2013 1 check-in here
    Super cute bar/restaurant smack dab in an area that could use more places like this and less Mcdonald's and bodegas.

    Came here for a drink with the bf after we both had long days at work, so I can't comment on how the food is, but it sure did smell good. Beers are a bit pricey but its mostly craft beer, so you pay for what you get.

    The back garden is really cute. Set up like a beer garden, and it's aesthetically pleasing, for sure. They really put some time into making the small space feel cozy but you don't feel like you're sitting on top of your fellow communal table patrons.

    We had a bit of a hard time getting our drink order in, but afterwards, we were approached by a bunch of different servers asking if we needed anything else. The staff here were all really nice and accommodating.

    I looked at their brunch menu on my way out to see if it could become a potential spot on a nice day, but it's pretty basic. If they had more food on there and maybe some drink specials, I'd check it out. But for now, I'll have to come back and try dinner/lunch here sometime.
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    10/8/2013 1 check-in here
    As some of the reviews below me note, you need to grade on a curve here, and Tuttles is definitely on the right side of it. Though it falls prey to some the multiple-personality disorder ambiance afflicting so many other Murray Hill/Tudor City establishments, at the end of the day, it's a worthy effort.

    Of course, I was there at the day's beginning, for a very early brunch preceding a trip out to Jersey for tailgating and more. Sitting in the generously expansive garden (which surely becomes more raucous at nights) was rather pleasant. My steak and eggs, accompanied by a Bloody Mary, were above par.

    As for service? They brought my friend the morning Times without prompting, and several Band-Aids (finger nick) for me upon request. Not too shabby!
  • Review from

    • 42 friends
    • 56 reviews
    New York, NY
    9/19/2013 1 check-in here
    This is a nice, cute bar with an outdoor garden that is great for the summer. They have bar food that is not exceptionally good or bad. We tried the fries, sliders and empanadas. The fries were huge potato wedges which I like but the sliders didn't leave much of an impression. They tasted like they just slapped some meat on the grill without any seasoning or spices. I guess that's fine if you're assuming your customers are going to be too drunk to appreciate a little salt and pepper.

    The drinks were tasty but they charge $11 for a draft beer. I know this is New York City but that is kind of steep for me. Maybe I'd enjoy this place more during their happy hour special which ends early at 7pm.

    Go if you work nearby and can get their happy hour specials because the environment is really cute and they'll have decent priced drinks.
  • Review from

    • 4 friends
    • 9 reviews
    New York, NY
    10/4/2013
    Very strange experience last night...

    Beautiful bar and the outdoor area should be the envy of all neighboring establishments. The food was very tasty, though they got my order wrong and the waiter zipped off so quickly I didn't even have a chance to say anything.

    So my friends and I ate our food and drank our beverages with very little interruption (service) over a period of two hours. That was fine, we were there to chill out. Check came and I gave the waiter my card. This is when it got weird.

    A half hour later I had to get up and search the place for my waiter and he was no where to be found. He finally came by and asked if we were ready for our check. Um, I already gave you my card. Whoops he says! And he runs off to look for it. Another half hour goes by. Where is this guy? I walk around and find him. He apologizes and says the check and card have been lost. He offers to comp our meal. Offers? WHERE IS MY CARD. At this point it's humorous. I ask if he will please look for it. He agrees and says please give him a little more time. We wait ANOTHER HOUR. I have to go find him again. He says he can't find it. That's his final answer? I give him my name and number and say please call if you find it this evening, otherwise I have to cancel it in the morning.

    I get home, go to bed. Get a phone call saying I should come back that they found my card in the garbage.

    I get dressed and go BACK this this crazy place. Speak to the manager and he has no idea what I'm talking about and sends me to the bar where they run the cards. They have no idea what I'm talking about. Back to the manager who gives me the hand while he's on his cell phone. After a few mins he asks me again what I want. I say MY CREDIT CARD. Your waiter said you found it in the garbage. He says OH, you're THAT card. HOW MANY CARDS GO MISSING HERE THAT YOU ARE SO CASUAL ABOUT THEM?

    He runs off for about five minutes and then returns and hands me a receipt to sign. WTF. They charged my card after fishing it out of the garbage. I complain and he says they will void the charge and I should see the money in a few days when it clears. I had to ASK for them to comp me after this debacle? Total insanity. Everyone was nice but oddly comfortable with this happening like it happens all the time. They are either severely short staffed or under trained. Either way I hope they get their act together and someone else doesn't have to go through the same insane evening.

    YAYAYAYAY JUST FOUND OUT SOMEONE USED MY CARD TO BUY THEMSELVES A $50 STARBUCKS CARD!!!!
  • Review from

    • 4 friends
    • 34 reviews
    Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY
    8/28/2013 1 check-in here
    I've been to Tuttles twice now, both times for brunch, and I can say that my time there has been both enjoyable and very strange. The first time I had brunch there, my boyfriend and I were looking at the brunch menu and we asked to see a drink menu. The waitress replied that they do not have a drink menu and we will have to go inside to look. She was super polite about it, it was just very bizarre. We ended up getting mimosas and she informed us later in the meal that one mimosa actually comes free with your brunch entree. Woo! Free drink!

    The second time, my boyfriend and I were waiting for the rest of our group to arrive and the waitress handed us a lunch menu. She said that they did not have a brunch menu but that they were serving brunch. She proceeded to recite all the brunch menu items. This was very odd. I felt bad that our group arrived in waves and she had to keep reciting the options so I tried to find their brunch menu online but to no avail. We later learned that all the brunch menus were in the manager's locked office and they could not get them out. WEIRD.

    ANYWAY. The service is definitely a bit strange. BUT I do keep coming back! The space is pretty incredible-- one of the nicest gardens I've found to eat at in Manhattan. The back garden has a bunch of picnic tables, some tucked away around the corner, and umbrellas for shade. The tables are surrounded by well tended plants (even some tomatoes!) so someone is definitely taking care of this place. The interior space seems very clean and modern as well and it's probably much busier at night. The area is always super quiet on Saturday mornings.

    Personally, I really like the food. Maybe I'm biased because their waffle dish comes with fresh berries and a scoop of ice cream. I'm a sucker for waffles that automatically come with ice cream. Naturally, that's the only dish I've gotten here. My boyfriend likes the pancakes. I will say that the menu is a bit limited (no eggs benedict!!). I basically have it memorized after last weekend and it's something to the effect of waffle, pancakes, steak and eggs, maybe a breakfast burrito or something like that, and a choose your own omelette option with some nice veggie choices. Their lunch menu actually looks really good too, it's much larger. They seem to have a great beer selection too but I'm not sure what this place is like in the evenings.

    The one really outstanding thing about this place is the value. Every brunch entree (except maybe the steak and eggs) is like $8-10 and comes with a free mimosa or bloody mary. Show me somewhere else in Manhattan where you can spend like $12 at brunch for an entree and cocktail (no, seriously, show me. I'd like to go).

    Long story short, Tuttles has an amazing garden, pretty good food, and great value but sometimes the service is a little weird. I think they only recently started serving brunch so that may be part of it. Definitely check it out if you like those food options and want to sit outside! Great for large groups!
  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 47 reviews
    Philadelphia, PA
    9/3/2013 3 photos
    We stopped here  for dinner time to grab light foods and drink. My friend found this spot which opened this april and it was the first time for both of us. We had their hummus and crab cake.

    Every food is bit pricy but also comes with pretty small portion(though they were yum), so if you are used to American size, you will be surprised.

    The stuffs are friendly and nice but not knowing their menu.
    There is also no drink menu (they are working on i hope).

    I really liked this place for the atmosphere and huge beautiful back patio with flowers and romantic lightings it reminds me of Italy in movies, also that they weren't crowded at all and were very laid back.

    I would love to come back just for their atmosphere if it kept less crowd.  But I feel they would be very popular spot soon, then I hope their service and menu will be improved to enjoy next visit.
    • Patio
    • outside patio with beautiful plants and lightings
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    7/29/2013 2 check-ins here
    I tend to be harder on bars then I am on restaurants when it comes to my reviews. It probably has to do with the fact that I go to them more often, which is only a small problem for me these days.

    I came here for a work social. I really like that they have a nice back garden. It's perfect for the summer. The bush-lights keep the place dimly lit at night and gives it a cool ambiance.

    The drinks here, however, are rather pricey. $9 for a draft beer? Is that really necessary? The waitress also gave us a hard time for sitting down on a bench that was completely empty. She told us that the previous patrons went to smoke.

    The garden in the back would be a nice place to bring a date. Not really seeing the necessity to overcharge for beer so I'll probably be going elsewhere if I'm just hanging with the boys.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review
    Manhattan, NY
    6/21/2013
    I really want to love this place for the atmosphere BUT their service is ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE.  I went for happy hour on a Friday.   It wasn't busy and there was an abundance of staff however no one came to our table for 10 minutes.   We had to ask for the menus, waited another 10 minutes to ask to have our orders taken.  The food came in a relatively decent time however the drinks never showed up.   We asked for the check twice, then was asked who our server was; to be honest it was a mystery because the person who took our order never came back to our table.   The bill included the drinks that were never served,  when asked about it the waiter asked do you want to take it off the bill. Yes I want it off my bill. I'm not going to pay for something I didn't have.
    Seriously wish the service was better because the atmosphere and decor is really nice.
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    6/12/2013 1 check-in here
    Fantastic backyard brunch spot in the most random of Midtown locations.

    It literally goes - - chain, chain, Duane Reade, chain, Tuttles.
  • Review from

    Sunnyside, NY
    5/19/2013 1 check-in here
    Cool, laid-back bar in midtown that's great for after work dinner and drinks. Also, a chill place to catch a game. They have outdoor seating in the back which is nice place to relax with the weather warming up.

    I tried their turkey burger which was a little bland but a great value for only $9. I enjoyed the fries that it came with were seasoned well and thickly sliced. The service could have been a bit faster.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review
    Kips Bay, Manhattan, NY
    9/15/2013
    Let me preface this review by stating that i just created a Yelp account for the sole purpose of writing this review. We hosted my boyfriend's 30th bday here and had ABOVE and BEYOND service. They were super nice and super accommodating in every way, from start to finish. Service is great, drinks are strong, food is yummy.
  • Review from

    • 25 friends
    • 47 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    6/27/2013
    This place is new to the neighborhood, and seems VERY popular. The back garden is actually really beautiful and comfortable. I live around the corner so we've been here about 4 times.

    I can't rate it higher because the food is mediocre and the drinks are not cheap, even during happy hour. Also the infamous Midtown Madhatter hangs out here. So if you're into that...
  • Review from

    Manhattan, NY
    8/22/2013 1 check-in here
    For this neighborhood this place is AS GOOD AS IT GETS!  If you work (or live) in the area, this ought to be your summer happy hour go-to!  The outdoor space in the back is amazing!  Very large and good for groups - there is even an upstairs overlooking the garden area.  The service was friendly, food was delicious and gotta love a heavy pour on a glass of wine!
  • Review from

    • 116 friends
    • 2 reviews
    Woodhaven, NY
    5/1/2013 1 photo
    I've only been here twice. First time I came here, it was like their first day open ever. The manager (Patrick) & bartender were really nice & cool. Even received complimentary sliders for being one of the first customers ever. So far, I liked the place.

    Second time was today. Me & a few coworkers decided to come here & enjoy our lunch out in Tuttle's outdoor dining area. Food was great (& fairly priced! $8 panini.) & drinks were alright ($7 beers), but the service....the service was nothing to write home to.

    After we first got our drinks, we were not checked on by the waiter until WELL AFTER we received our food from the servers, which was roughly 40 minutes later & ONLY because I flagged him down for a 2nd beer.

    I would understand it if the place was packed & busy, but there were only 6 (at most) tables being occupied outside, all of whom who were being given the same cold shoulder we were getting.

    I gave this place 3 stars, but there IS a possible 4 or even 5 star rating in its future.

    Tuttles, you're definitely a good bar, but if you find better service, you could be a GREAT bar.
    Please don't let us down.
    • The steak panini with spicy mayo on the side.
  • Review from

    Brooklyn, NY
    6/8/2013 1 check-in here
    The outdoor patio is HUGE, making this a really great place to hang out with a beer on a spring night!

    At first glance, feels like a very unique and upscale bar/lounge but the outdoor atmosphere makes it feel less pretentious, like a beer garden.

    Definitely want to hit this place up again after a long day!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 7 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    9/8/2013
    We stopped by to get a beer on a Saturday night, and ended up getting food to go along with it. First of all, they didn't have a drink menu. Which was fine! The waiter was able to recite their draft beers. But it would have been nice to see the prices, rather than ask him the price of each beer. Anyway, he was very nice about it.

    The food was so-so: not too expensive, but tiny portions.

    Unfortunately, the waiter gave me the dinner menu and gave my friend the lunch menu, which had the same food but different prices. We figured this out when the bill came and my friend's burger was pricier than she thought it was supposed to be. When we pointed out the mistake, they apologized but refused to honor the price difference. If it had fantastic food or great prices, we might go back, but all in all, definitely not worth it. Too bad it's got such a cute courtyard; it could have been our go-to local place, which is hard to find in midtown.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    5/22/2013 1 check-in here
    GREAT outdoor area with plenty of tables and fresh air.

    My work colleagues and I came here for lunch and found the service to be friendly but very slow.  There was 6 of us and our food took over 40 minutes to get to us (burgers and paninis).  We were also the first ones there for lunch so I'm not sure why the kitchen was so slow.  That being the said, the food is very good.  The burger portions are HUGE, the mushroom panini was pretty small and more like a quesadilla.

    I think this would be a great spot for an outdoor summer happy hour.  If you're in a time crunch for lunch, this may not be your best option.
  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 68 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    8/10/2013
    I came weeknight for dinner and drinks, and I was not impressed. The food was OK, but small portions and the bar didnt have many basics for drinks. With all the bars in NYC, I would come back if friends were going, but I wouldnt recommend.
  • Review from

    • 20 friends
    • 56 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    6/11/2013 1 check-in here
    I'm giving this place 4 stars mainly for the outdoor space which is literally amazing. HUGE space with wooden tables and benches...you feel like you're in another city.

    The menu is pretty standard, nothing too exciting, but the portions were big. The food took way too long to arrive. So long that the waitress offered us a free round of drinks on the house. That was a nice gesture. I will definitely be back.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    5/17/2013 7 check-ins here
    Tucked away in a relatively low-key block on 2nd Ave is Tuttles.

    They have an excellent back yard area with plenty of seating. Beer specials are very reasonable and the food smelled amazing. We came here for a work function just for a couple of drinks but service was quiet good!

    The Midtown Mad Hatter also paid us a visit and stood on the balcony for all to behold.
  • Review from

    Brooklyn, NY
    5/22/2013 1 check-in here
    Came here with no expectation and came out very pleasantly surprised
    The huge outdoor patio really makes this place unique, almost reminds me of some spots in Europe I've been to
    It has the makings of a beer garden, but with a touch of class, with food and other alcohol to boot.
    We had a huge party of people, and there was plenty of seating, and space outside to accommodate all of us
    The service was good, and the staff was nice
    An overall great place to grab drinks with friends
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 96 reviews
    New York, NY
    9/30/2013
    This is a great addition to the neighborhood. The outdoor garden is lovely, the food not typical "bar" food but still great and reasonably priced, and the wine/beer selection pretty good. I am curious to see what happens in the winter as most of the seating does appear to be in the uncovered, unheated garden.

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