Upscale French dining near Lincoln Center with a notable wine list and cocktails. Known for its refined atmosphere and sharable plates, though opinions on current food quality vary.
Bar Boulud, a French restaurant located near Lincoln Center, offers an upscale yet approachable dining experience. It's frequently recommended for its French cuisine, extensive wine list, and cocktail specials. Patrons have praised its suitability for solo diners and pre-show meals, with specific mentions of a $70 prix-fixe menu and sharable plates like oysters and charcuterie. While many find it a reliable choice, some reviews indicate a perceived decline in quality, with opinions split on whether it surpasses or falls short of its competitors like Cafe Fiorello and Cafe Luxembourg. Despite some mixed reviews on ambiance and current food quality, it remains a popular option for those seeking French dining in the Lincoln Center area.
Bar Boulud is recognized for its French cuisine, with several patrons recommending it for lunch and mentioning a $70 prix-fixe menu. Specific sharable items like oysters, pates, tartare, escargot, and salads are noted, alongside a good wine list and cocktails. However, there are contrasting opinions, with some finding the food to be much better than nearby competitors, while others deem it uninspiring or even terrible, suggesting a decline in quality.
"While specific dishes are not extensively detailed, sharable plates such as oysters, pates, tartare, escargot, and salads are mentioned positively. The 'joie de vivre' cocktail is also specifically recommended."
Overall, customer sentiment towards Bar Boulud appears mixed, with some finding it reliable and upscale, while others have expressed significant disappointment with recent quality declines. Positive remarks often highlight its French cuisine and ambiance, particularly for lunch or pre-show dining. However, negative feedback suggests it can feel cold and deserted, and some feel the food is not as good as competitors or has become uninspiring.
Important Note
Some reviews suggest the restaurant can feel cold and deserted, and may close early. There are also conflicting opinions on the current quality of the food, with some users finding it has declined.
"Bar Boulud is mentioned as a restaurant where solo diners can book outdoor tables without restrictions."
Neutral"Bar Boulud is recommended for its clean, upscale yet approachable French atmosphere, offering an extensive wine list, cocktail specials, and various sharables like oysters and charcuterie, located a short walk from Lincoln Center. The commenter notes its strong French focus."
Positive"Bar Boulud is mentioned as a fine dining option closer to Lincoln Center."
Neutral"Bar Boulud is recommended as a dinner option near The Beacon."
Neutral"Author believes the food at Bar Boulud isn't particularly noteworthy and considers it inferior to Felice. The original poster had an outdoor reservation for Boulud."
Negative"Author states that Bar Boulud is currently terrible, expressing disappointment about its perceived decline in quality."
Negative"When suggesting Rampoldi as an alternative for a pre-opera meal, the author mentions Bar Boulud as a comparison point, without stating whether Rampoldi is better or worse than Bar Boulud."
Neutral"Author enjoys a specific drink called 'joie de vivre' at Bar Boulud. Otherwise, they consider Bar Boulud and Felice to be pretty much the same."
Neutral"Author finds Bar Boulud to be reliable though uninspiring. They note its cuisine is a bit more refined and interesting compared to Felice, which was another option being considered by the original poster."
Neutral"Considers Bar Boulud excellent."
Positive"Recommends Bar Boulud, mentioning its great $70 prix-fixe menu and suggests checking other Daniel Boulud restaurants."
Positive"Bar Boulud is a backup option if El Fish Marisquería doesn't work out."
Neutral"Food considered much better than competitors Cafe Fiorello and Luxembourg, but potential patrons should check closing times as it closes early."
Positive"Recommended over Cafe Fiorello but can feel cold and deserted late at night compared to Cafe Luxembourg."
Negative"A viable option alongside Cafe Luxembourg, suggesting checking the menu before deciding."
Neutral"Bar Boulud is recommended as a place that does a nice lunch."
Positive"Recommends Bar Boulud for solo French dining."
Positive"Bar Boulud also mentioned"
Neutral"Bar Boulud is right nearby"
Neutral"Bar Boulud mentioned"
Neutral
