Lovely atmosphere and decor. Big spacious bar and dining room. Some tables overlook 5th Avenue. Staff was lovely. Cocktail was delicious. Food was perfectly prepared and very flavorful (curry vegetables). There is only one reason I gave 4 rather than 5 stars….. the bread and butter. I requested some prior to my meal. What was placed before me was worthy of no greater than a NJ diner. The were two small dinner rolls that were both so stale I literally could not tear a piece off of one of them and it was just a hard crust; they were both so hard I was concerned I might break a tooth. And then there was the butter, one pad of tasteless foil wrapped butter-like spread. I would expect a restaurant of this caliber to have delicious, fresh bread/rolls and high quality salted butter serviced in an individual chilled dish while the butter is still easily spreadable. Unwrapping foiled wrapped butter results in greasy finger tips, not the experience I would choose for a lovely afternoon lunch date. Enough about my complaint, I say this in hopes the management/chef will see this and have an epiphany about the error of their ways. So to recap…. A beautiful experience and I do recommend with one caveat. Hopefully I will find fresh bread and exquisite butter the next time I dine at L’Avenue at Saks.
Vegetarian options: The only vegetarian option I recall is the curry vegetables but they were quite delicious
Kid-friendliness: Please don’t
Wheelchair accessibility: Seems like it would be very accessible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
M. H.
Inside Saks Fifth Avenue this restaurant offers a modern menu with sophisticated presentations. In my opinion, the ambiance is very chick and it’s a place people go to see and be seen. The food is very over rated. Service is professional.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sharon Labuda
A word of advice..... If you order a glass of wine make sure you ask the price by the glass. I made the mistake of not asking and paid $70 for 2 glasses of wine! That was actually more than the filet mignon!! I feel like I was robbed to be honest!! The food and service was just OK but not great. I'm a native New Yorker and if I could get taken like that tourists beware!!
Sam Petherbridge
As an Australian visiting New York, I was excited to experience L’Avenue at Saks but left sorely disappointed. For starters, the wine list is exorbitantly overpriced by global standards—far more than you’d pay for similar bottles at top-tier restaurants elsewhere.
The Butternut Squash Soup (Velouté de Potiron) was passable at best but nothing memorable. The Vegan Curry Vert Légumes Tofu was utterly bland, featuring a massive chunk of tofu with no seasoning or flavour. The French Fries were soggy and lacked the crispness you’d expect from even a mediocre bistro. For a venue touting French-inspired cuisine, the food was well below par—nothing close to the quality you’d find in an actual French restaurant in Paris. It felt uninspired, as though there’s little effort or creativity coming from the kitchen.
The service was equally underwhelming. Waiting 10–15 minutes just to pay the bill is unacceptable. If staff say they’ll “be right back,” they shouldn’t then go deliver drinks, take another table’s order, and check in on someone else’s meal before returning. This lack of attention and efficiency is frustrating and detracts from the dining experience.
The location and view are undeniably beautiful, particularly during Christmas with the tree lit up below. But sadly, that’s the only thing L’Avenue at Saks has going for it. For the price, you’d expect so much more. Save your time and money—there are far better dining options out there, both in New York and globally.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: French Fries
Rafi Mando
Don't come here if you care about the taste of the food. Come here if you like sitting in a posh atmosphere and absolutely need to bring your glucose level up to avoid certain death.
Dominic Herdman
Visiting from out of town for first year wedding anniversary and made a reservation over a month in advance. Was seated in the very corner of restaurant behind a pillar (despite ample seating elsewhere) and received water and bread. Over thirty minutes later and we had not been asked for drinks or food. Restaurant was busy but not nearly busy enough to warrant this. Overall very disappointing and upsetting for what was reserved to be a nice celebratory dinner. Have never received such a lack of service before.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
D B
Very nice place, well trained staff and excellent food. A bit pricey and the main dinning hall may need updating this century, the view of the rock center tree is great, but the myriad tourists inside and outside takes a bit away from it. Lovely place to go to once.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amna Busoud
The waiter’s attitude completely changed the moment he realized I was there just for dessert and not a full meal. He was rude and dismissive throughout the visit, making me feel unwelcome. As I was leaving, I chose not to leave a tip due to his poor behavior. In response, he sarcastically shouted “Thank you!” in a loud and condescending tone as I exited. This unprofessional and disrespectful behavior is unacceptable, especially at a place with such high expectations. I won’t be returning.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Darby
Skip to bottom for dish reviews: Summery: Eeesshh. I mean realistically you know you are not coming here for the food, but woah was it flavourless. The last time I had their famous tuna tar tar was in Paris years ago and I enjoyed it. This time around was literally flavourless as well as the artichoke salad. I came here because my bougie brother was in town and likes to feel lavish and wanted to go shopping at sacks…but for me there is nothing less lavish than flavourless food. I will say the service was great and the ambiance does feel nice clean and elevated in there.
What was ordered:
Tuna tar tar: 4/10 Giving a 4 because at least the fish was fresh. Sauce was not enough and also lacking in flavour. Same with the avocado spread - zero flavour. Scary stuff, no spice, no zest, no salt.
Artichoke salad: 2/10 Unfortunately, we ordered two of these because we had just come for a quick little bite, even less flavour than the tartar. At least they were generous with the Parmesan cheese. Skip.
Fries: 10/10 Thank the Lord that these fries were at least crispy and skinny, and came with a generous amount of mayo and ketchup.
Overall, if you were looking to walk around and go shopping and need a quick bite, that’s fine but if you’re looking to save up your paycheque and go for a nice meal or really, just enjoy the food that you’re eating I wouldn’t recommend this place to go. The ambiance is nice and elevated and the service is indeed great. Now I’m just left wondering if I really enjoyed the tuna tartare in Paris or if I was just jaded by all the hype?
For a French upscale restaurant the menu is very mediocre. Only few French dishes. Many items on the menu are not French cuisine like burger, Spring roll, pasta and in general not impressive.I expected a real French cuisine and was very disappointed. Atmosphere is very nice, service is mediocre, getting your dishes and glasses without inquiring , charging for champagne we never had. Be careful and review your bill. Except the atmosphere I would not grated as an upscale place more like a casual place to hangout for a glass of wine because the food is not impressive and very expensive.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Ali Charkeih
The experience at the restaurant was mixed. We ordered the filet mignon to be cooked medium, but it arrived rare. Even after sending it back, it was still undercooked. Unfortunately, the spicy lobster pasta also missed the mark—it was bland and lacked any real heat. On a brighter note, the tuna carpaccio appetizer was delicious, with fresh flavors and a great texture. The highlight of the meal, though, was the s’mores dessert. Not only did it taste wonderful, but the presentation was creative and impressive. Overall, the meal had some high points, but the mains didn’t quite meet expectations. The staff were very professional as well.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
S N
Had lunch with my husband and our 2 kids, we loved the food and the atmosphere, the staff were very friendly and the service was quick. I am putting 4 ⭐️ only because the desserts were terrible (we had the carrot cake and the cheese cake, really not nice and tasteless). All in we had a great time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Lobster Pasta, Spring Rolls
P R
Such a boring place. Food not great. Pretty though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Emma Darkwa
Fun and cute brunch spot nice and quiet in there as well
Desserts were amazing too!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Tuna Carpaccio, Smores
Lovely atmosphere and decor. Big spacious bar and dining room. Some tables overlook 5th Avenue. Staff was lovely. Cocktail was delicious. Food was perfectly prepared and very flavorful (curry vegetables). There is only one reason I gave 4 rather than 5 stars….. the bread and butter.
I requested some prior to my meal. What was placed before me was worthy of no greater than a NJ diner. The were two small dinner rolls that were both so stale I literally could not tear a piece off of one of them and it was just a hard crust; they were both so hard I was concerned I might break a tooth. And then there was the butter, one pad of tasteless foil wrapped butter-like spread. I would expect a restaurant of this caliber to have delicious, fresh bread/rolls and high quality salted butter serviced in an individual chilled dish while the butter is still easily spreadable. Unwrapping foiled wrapped butter results in greasy finger tips, not the experience I would choose for a lovely afternoon lunch date. Enough about my complaint, I say this in hopes the management/chef will see this and have an epiphany about the error of their ways.
So to recap…. A beautiful experience and I do recommend with one caveat. Hopefully I will find fresh bread and exquisite butter the next time I dine at L’Avenue at Saks.
Vegetarian options: The only vegetarian option I recall is the curry vegetables but they were quite delicious
Kid-friendliness: Please don’t
Wheelchair accessibility: Seems like it would be very accessible.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Inside Saks Fifth Avenue this restaurant offers a modern menu with sophisticated presentations. In my opinion, the ambiance is very chick and it’s a place people go to see and be seen. The food is very over rated. Service is professional.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
A word of advice..... If you order a glass of wine make sure you ask the price by the glass. I made the mistake of not asking and paid $70 for 2 glasses of wine! That was actually more than the filet mignon!! I feel like I was robbed to be honest!! The food and service was just OK but not great. I'm a native New Yorker and if I could get taken like that tourists beware!!
As an Australian visiting New York, I was excited to experience L’Avenue at Saks but left sorely disappointed. For starters, the wine list is exorbitantly overpriced by global standards—far more than you’d pay for similar bottles at top-tier restaurants elsewhere.
The Butternut Squash Soup (Velouté de Potiron) was passable at best but nothing memorable. The Vegan Curry Vert Légumes Tofu was utterly bland, featuring a massive chunk of tofu with no seasoning or flavour. The French Fries were soggy and lacked the crispness you’d expect from even a mediocre bistro. For a venue touting French-inspired cuisine, the food was well below par—nothing close to the quality you’d find in an actual French restaurant in Paris. It felt uninspired, as though there’s little effort or creativity coming from the kitchen.
The service was equally underwhelming. Waiting 10–15 minutes just to pay the bill is unacceptable. If staff say they’ll “be right back,” they shouldn’t then go deliver drinks, take another table’s order, and check in on someone else’s meal before returning. This lack of attention and efficiency is frustrating and detracts from the dining experience.
The location and view are undeniably beautiful, particularly during Christmas with the tree lit up below. But sadly, that’s the only thing L’Avenue at Saks has going for it. For the price, you’d expect so much more. Save your time and money—there are far better dining options out there, both in New York and globally.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 1
Recommended dishes: French Fries
Don't come here if you care about the taste of the food. Come here if you like sitting in a posh atmosphere and absolutely need to bring your glucose level up to avoid certain death.
Visiting from out of town for first year wedding anniversary and made a reservation over a month in advance.
Was seated in the very corner of restaurant behind a pillar (despite ample seating elsewhere) and received water and bread.
Over thirty minutes later and we had not been asked for drinks or food. Restaurant was busy but not nearly busy enough to warrant this.
Overall very disappointing and upsetting for what was reserved to be a nice celebratory dinner. Have never received such a lack of service before.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Very nice place, well trained staff and excellent food. A bit pricey and the main dinning hall may need updating this century, the view of the rock center tree is great, but the myriad tourists inside and outside takes a bit away from it. Lovely place to go to once.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
The waiter’s attitude completely changed the moment he realized I was there just for dessert and not a full meal. He was rude and dismissive throughout the visit, making me feel unwelcome. As I was leaving, I chose not to leave a tip due to his poor behavior. In response, he sarcastically shouted “Thank you!” in a loud and condescending tone as I exited. This unprofessional and disrespectful behavior is unacceptable, especially at a place with such high expectations. I won’t be returning.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Skip to bottom for dish reviews:
Summery:
Eeesshh. I mean realistically you know you are not coming here for the food, but woah was it flavourless. The last time I had their famous tuna tar tar was in Paris years ago and I enjoyed it. This time around was literally flavourless as well as the artichoke salad. I came here because my bougie brother was in town and likes to feel lavish and wanted to go shopping at sacks…but for me there is nothing less lavish than flavourless food. I will say the service was great and the ambiance does feel nice clean and elevated in there.
What was ordered:
Tuna tar tar: 4/10
Giving a 4 because at least the fish was fresh. Sauce was not enough and also lacking in flavour. Same with the avocado spread - zero flavour. Scary stuff, no spice, no zest, no salt.
Artichoke salad: 2/10
Unfortunately, we ordered two of these because we had just come for a quick little bite, even less flavour than the tartar. At least they were generous with the Parmesan cheese. Skip.
Fries: 10/10
Thank the Lord that these fries were at least crispy and skinny, and came with a generous amount of mayo and ketchup.
Overall, if you were looking to walk around and go shopping and need a quick bite, that’s fine but if you’re looking to save up your paycheque and go for a nice meal or really, just enjoy the food that you’re eating I wouldn’t recommend this place to go. The ambiance is nice and elevated and the service is indeed great. Now I’m just left wondering if I really enjoyed the tuna tartare in Paris or if I was just jaded by all the hype?
Restaurantji Recommends
For a French upscale restaurant the menu is very mediocre. Only few French dishes. Many items on the menu are not French cuisine like burger, Spring roll, pasta and in general not impressive.I expected a real French cuisine and was very disappointed.
Atmosphere is very nice, service is mediocre, getting your dishes and glasses without inquiring , charging for champagne we never had. Be careful and review your bill. Except the atmosphere I would not grated as an upscale place more like a casual place to hangout for a glass of wine because the food is not impressive and very expensive.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
The experience at the restaurant was mixed. We ordered the filet mignon to be cooked medium, but it arrived rare. Even after sending it back, it was still undercooked. Unfortunately, the spicy lobster pasta also missed the mark—it was bland and lacked any real heat. On a brighter note, the tuna carpaccio appetizer was delicious, with fresh flavors and a great texture. The highlight of the meal, though, was the s’mores dessert. Not only did it taste wonderful, but the presentation was creative and impressive. Overall, the meal had some high points, but the mains didn’t quite meet expectations. The staff were very professional as well.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
Had lunch with my husband and our 2 kids, we loved the food and the atmosphere, the staff were very friendly and the service was quick. I am putting 4 ⭐️ only because the desserts were terrible (we had the carrot cake and the cheese cake, really not nice and tasteless).
All in we had a great time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Lobster Pasta, Spring Rolls
Such a boring place. Food not great. Pretty though.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 3
Fun and cute brunch spot nice and quiet in there as well
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spicy Lobster Pasta
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