Brasserie Cognac Midtown East

I had a business lunch meeting and it was a great location. I came in from Grand Central and it was a short walk. The food options were wide but since I was there for a meeting I didn't really focus on the food. I had a salad.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Always pleasant with great dood

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nice breakfast menu

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We went to Cognac for a classic brunch menu, hoping for and expecting a lovely experience based on reviews. We were sadly quite disappointed.

We made a reservation at 11:30; the host seated us with hardly anything more than a half-hearted hello. Not the end of the world by any stretch.

We were quite pleased with the vibe of the place, has a lot of that classic but charming French chic. When we came in, there were a couple of larger parties finishing up their meal. When they left, we were (I believe) the only customers in the restaurant; quite odd for Sunday 11:30 brunch.

There was just one server on staff it seemed, clearly not having the best day, but she still was very friendly to us! We mentioned going to Brooklyn later in the day, and she wrote down some recommendations. She was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal experience.

We ordered Iced Coffee and a Quad Iced Americano, which were serviceable. We then started with the Gougères which were the best thing we had by far. (Hard to mess up cheesy bread!)

I had a Salmon Benedict with roasted potatoes. The Benedict was fine; not great, not horrible. I added hot sauce to it to add flavor. My plate came with 7 small-ish cubes of roasted potatoes, and then a large handful of undressed lettuce, perhaps to cover the rest of the plate? The dish was disappointing overall.

My partner ordered the Quiche, asking for roasted potatoes instead of the salad. When the plate came with the salad, we kindly mentioned the error to the man who brought it to us, and he seemed perturbed at us! Definitely not great. While we waited for the potatoes, the quiche proved to be very bland. We expected something along the lines of a Quiche Lorraine, but it was just flavorless. We had no desire to finish it.

My partner’s potatoes did come out eventually, and it was clear these ones were fresh, with some roasted red pepper thrown in. These were actually delicious, in contrast to the potatoes I was served; they showed some of the potential of the menu that we never realized.

Overall, we were left wondering if we were just given what was left sitting under a heat lamp. A disappointing experience, and we do not plan to come back when we are in town next.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 3

My wife and I had an amazing dinner. Staff was very friendly and the food was great.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Classic Beef Bourguignon was tasty, service very polite and attentive.

Eugenio, the best !

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Thanks for putting up with us you

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The avocado toast is unique and amazing ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

I usually give restaurants at least 2 tries before leaving a review. I feel justified in leaving this lacking first impression. The service we received at Brasserie Cognac was less than impressive. First our hostess failed to greet us warmly, but it is NYC, and it was a Wednesday, so I was willing to forgive a chilly greeting if the rest of the service went well. Later, we were discussing the menu and our server, Edgar asked us if we were ready to order. I was not, so I asked politely for a few more seconds to peruse the menu, to which he grimaced, sucked in his teeth and asked if we had a reservation. We did have a reservation, but I was curious to know if he would have asked us to leave if we did not. When I ordered a glass of wine he carded me in the strangest way, repeatedly asking how old I was instead of just asking to see ID. Not sure when it became polite to ask a lady on a date out loud how old she is, but I guess we are in the modern century. Finally, I witnessed him haranging a poor busboy and angrily shoving him. Snobbery is one thing, but mistreating your subordinates is another. Our server never cleared our plates before the entree, and our tiny table was very crowded as result. The food itself was okay. We did not order much, just a glass of wine and two entrees and the bill was $80. My salmon burger was fine, if a bit small for the price. For such a high bill, please go to a place that actually serves good food in an accepting and welcoming atmosphere. Despite the poor service we did tip, as it is almost a requisite when you dine out in NYC. As an alternative I suggest the Smith, which has 5+ locations all over NYC and much better food and service. La Pecora Biana, which I have not reviewed yet, is another nearby candidate much more worthy of patronage.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 2

BEWARE: The OYSTERS were Rotten, I became sick immediately after eating 2 of them and I sent them right back, they smelled awful and were green -- and the cocktail I ordered tasted like toilet water. This place puts absolutely zero effort into food or drinks, I have no idea how they are still open, the place was completely empty at lunch time and now I know why!

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

Recently held an intimate wedding dinner here for 20 people and I have nothing but great things to say. Everything worked out perfectly, passed hor d’ourves, cocktails and entrees were all terrific and aplenty. The space was just the right size and very cozy and intimate in itself. The service went above and beyond for us. Would absolutely host another dinner here and highly recommend others to do the same.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Our server was so sweet.

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

This is the second time I’ve ordered the Miso Glazed Cod, and it is such a winner! Really delicious. Arrived piping hot. Needed no salt or pepper. Portion size was perfect: I could only finish it because I didn’t order anything else including bread. Service was prompt and cordial. I’ll be back. $53 including a $10 tip. It was noisy because of a private party, but the music is not too loud.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great lunch and excellent service! A little touch of Paris in NYC.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5