A fun place with interesting people watching but I came alone hoping to sit at the bar and was expecting and comfortable with waiting for an hour since it was as a Saturday (it was 6pm but that wasn’t early enough), but they were not sitting solo diners and instead would wait for seats next to each other to open up to sit couples, at one point leaving and open seat available for about 20 minutes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Sophia Barnes
Great service & bustling atmosphere that's very charming. The food was great, the French onion soup was perfect for cold January weather. The bone marrow was huge portion but got a bit too oily for me, and I felt too greasy to eat much of the Minetta burger I ordered. Luckily I took it home as doggy bag.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Eugene L
Minetta Tavern is one of those New York places with a real backstory. It originally opened in 1937 in Greenwich Village, built a reputation as a late-night writers’ hangout, and for years it had the reputation of a more old-school, red-sauce Italian kind of neighborhood spot. Then it was revived and transformed in 2009 under restaurateur Keith McNally into what it is now: a polished, French-leaning tavern/steakhouse with classic bistro energy, and the menu (and pricing) clearly reflects that shift.
Today the experience is about atmosphere, iconic dishes, and a certain “New York institution” feeling. The room is moody and old-fashioned in a deliberate way—tight, busy, and usually buzzing. The flip side is that it can feel crowded at peak times, and the entry/bar area can get jammed, so reservations matter and so does timing. This is not a quiet, spacious dining room where you linger unnoticed; it’s a place where the staff is moving fast and the room has that constant hum.
Food-wise, Minetta’s reputation is earned most clearly with its burgers and grilled meats. The Black Label Burger is the headline for a reason: made from a blend of prime dry-aged cuts, rich and deeply beefy, served simply with caramelized onions and fries. It’s expensive for a burger (currently listed at $38), but it tastes like the restaurant is treating it as a signature steakhouse item, not casual pub food. The regular Minetta Burger (currently $33) adds cheddar, still straightforward, still very satisfying if you want something a little less intense than the Black Label.
If you’re coming for a more “proper dinner” instead of the burger moment, the grill section is the other anchor. Steak frites is the classic order (currently $49), and it leans into that bistro idea: a solid steak, fries, and either maître d’ butter or béarnaise. The big splurge is the dry-aged côte de boeuf for two (currently $189), which comes with roasted marrow bones and a simple salad—very old-world, very indulgent, and very much the post-2009 Minetta identity (French steakhouse ritual rather than the older Italian comfort reputation).
The sides read like a French brasserie greatest-hits list: fries, aligot, pommes Anna, haricots verts, sautéed spinach, lentils, mushrooms. They’re designed to support the main event, and you can build a satisfying table by mixing one “rich” side (like pommes or aligot) with something green and sharp.
Value is the main tension here. You’re paying for the room, the legacy, and the “only-in-NYC” feeling as much as the food. If you go in expecting an affordable neighborhood Italian like the old stories, you’ll be shocked. If you go in expecting a classic, pricey, downtown institution that delivers on atmosphere and a few signature dishes, it makes much more sense.
Best way to enjoy it: treat it like a special New York dinner, not a casual stop. Pick one signature (Black Label burger or steak frites), keep the rest simple, and enjoy the fact that it still feels like a living piece of Village history—just updated, sharpened, and priced like the modern city around it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amanda Cross
Order the GRILLED OYSTERS!! They are spectacular. Always a great time at Minetta. We made our reservation for late lunch or early dinner and this was lovely around 3pm on a weekday. Still a great menu. Cocktails are great. Husband got the espresso martini and it was very well made as was my Bloody Mary. I ordered us both prosecco as well that was delicious. The waitstaff was wonderful- Ashlyn was our server and she was very accommodating as was the manager on duty, Clark. From the fresh warm bread to our entrees everything was delicious. The Duck Ragu with Pappardelle pasta was great, al dente, homemade to perfection. The filet mignon was cooked very well, charred nicely on the outside. Sides was lovely and the desert was rich and delicious! Highly recommend for a nice brunch or dinner or even just cocktails and the grilled oysters.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julie Toulas
What a NY gem. So glad we planned my Birthday weekend to include Minetta. Was concerned about even while having a reservation that we would have to wait but luckily got seated within 3 minutes! Front room by bar is super crowded due to people waiting on their tables, but was so happy to be in the back room. We had a table facing out and appreciated the epic table! You can see the old school NY vibe in the pics. Our server was super efficient as well as the staff that helped with water and bread. My water glass was filled every few minutes! Husband had the maple Old Fashioned and said it was one of the best he’s ever had (and he’s for sure an OF snob)!! For food we started out with the onion soup which was excellent and the petit salad (not so petit)! For an entree we actually split the black label burger PLUS cheese which was absolutely incredible. Fries were insane too. Passed on dessert as we were just so maxed out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ben FEITELSON
I just love the place and the food is so good A must when in New York
Aidan Parker
Beautiful looking place that feels comfortable enough to sleep in, but lively enough to keep you up talking all night. French food was absolutely stellar, with a special emphasis on the bone marrow. Girlfriend and I had 2 lovely visits and everything we ordered was a hit both times. Would absolutely recommend
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joshua Grenier
Beyond solid, this institution lives up to all the hype.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lily Wu
The food was good (it was my first time, ordered the onion soup as well as the black label burger) - perfect dry gin martini, delicious fries and burger, amazing depth of flavor in the soup - but I wanted to write about the service. I came as a solo diner on a Sunday evening (around 6.15) - just in the city for a week for work and looking for dinner after my travel - and everyone, from the hostess to the staff checking my coat to the staff behind the bar, was so nice and easygoing, and struck a perfect perfect balance of making me feel like I belonged even though I was by myself and the restaurant was actually packed. Sometimes when you’re alone and in a place that’s so super buzzy and everyone is in a group it can make you feel a bit self-conscious but all the staff was so friendly and didn’t make me feel unwelcome at all that it made me feel so at ease. I don’t know how they do it. And it’s like the same brand of easygoing smooth service too - friendly without being overbearing with or formal or like they’re trying too hard.
jon
Burger and french onion soup were absolutely legit!! Jorge the bartender is the man we know him from the balthazar days!!! Love this place!!
Amazing restaurant, fantastic service, and I understand why they say this has the best burger in the city. I could eat this meal every day. Everything about this place is a great vibe and great experience. Cocktails were fantastic, and I would recommend you order the bone marrow as well. But of course, the burger was the centerpiece. If you can get a table, definitely and absolutely worth the trip.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Richard Davis
Great experience overall. Great burger and fries are exceptional. Pickle was very good and different. Apparently house made. A little pricey but worth it.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Label Burger and Fries and Cassoulet
jean salvadori
Great place, amazing food and really good service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
julio diaz
I do have to give the service 5 stars but the food was so disappointing to me. I’ve waited months for this reservation and wow, what an overhyped place. They brought us cold bread which I asked to reheat, and they STILL brought it out cold again and asked if it was better. They finally got it right after a few tries.
The French dip was such a disappointment, it was so cold, tasted like it’s been sitting for hours. I can’t believe people would even say they liked it, it’s so bad. The duck pappardella was very good but it has like 4 noodles. The coconut cake was an average cake slice. Drinks were what you’d expect for $23, so nothing above and beyond. I don’t think I’d ever come back sadly :/
Service was excellent. Guys were very nice and even gave us free champagne cus we didn’t enjoy the meal. The were very apologetic.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
Andres Oyuela
I’ve been coming to Minetta Tavern for most of the 10 years I’ve been living in New York, and I have always loved it. I’ve spent birthdays and special occasions there, and for the past four—and now five—years, I have spent either New Year’s Eve or Christmas there, since it’s my mom’s favorite restaurant.
This year, my mom really wanted to spend New Year’s Eve there, so I made sure to be on the phone on December 1st at 10 a.m. to secure a reservation for the five of us. I got the 9 p.m. table—the one that goes through midnight—paid $50 per person, and signed the agreement they send you to commit to your table. All of this was done to secure a very special night for my family.
So why am I talking about this? Well, last night we arrived at 9 p.m. sharp, and it pains me to say that everything was a total mess. As soon as we arrived, we noticed that more people were waiting, but we figured the wait wouldn’t be long. We were wrong. We stood cramped by the door, along with about 20 other people wearing giant winter coats, for thirty-five minutes.
I know this is New York. I know spaces are small, and that we’ve learned to crave the fabulous bullshit of lively, joie-de-vivre, yellow-lit places. But after seeing how people of color and fat people—including my family and me—were held by the door, while blonde, hip-looking, older families were seated before us, I felt compelled to write about it.
I know people here love to say, “I hate to be this person,” but I don’t. It angers me to my core to constantly see how New York’s elitism is so blatantly visible. Especially when, after that half hour of waiting, there was no comped drink, no offer to take our coats, and—most importantly—no apology from the hostess. Yes, you—the blonde woman with the long bob—who asked my sister, who has an accent, my name five times until my tall, white husband noticed the subtle face-selection happening and said my name loud and clear. Only then did you understand, and you still decided to call me Andrew when our table was finally ready.
I honestly could have forgotten the tiny, wobbly table for five that had to be moved twice because it was in the way of the waiters, or my glass of wine that arrived 15 minutes after the rest of my family’s drinks, or even the dry truffled chicken. But everything I witnessed during those 35 minutes of waiting triggered everything I stand for. From now on, Minetta Tavern is a no for me.
A fun place with interesting people watching but I came alone hoping to sit at the bar and was expecting and comfortable with waiting for an hour since it was as a Saturday (it was 6pm but that wasn’t early enough), but they were not sitting solo diners and instead would wait for seats next to each other to open up to sit couples, at one point leaving and open seat available for about 20 minutes.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Great service & bustling atmosphere that's very charming. The food was great, the French onion soup was perfect for cold January weather. The bone marrow was huge portion but got a bit too oily for me, and I felt too greasy to eat much of the Minetta burger I ordered. Luckily I took it home as doggy bag.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Minetta Tavern is one of those New York places with a real backstory. It originally opened in 1937 in Greenwich Village, built a reputation as a late-night writers’ hangout, and for years it had the reputation of a more old-school, red-sauce Italian kind of neighborhood spot. Then it was revived and transformed in 2009 under restaurateur Keith McNally into what it is now: a polished, French-leaning tavern/steakhouse with classic bistro energy, and the menu (and pricing) clearly reflects that shift.
Today the experience is about atmosphere, iconic dishes, and a certain “New York institution” feeling. The room is moody and old-fashioned in a deliberate way—tight, busy, and usually buzzing. The flip side is that it can feel crowded at peak times, and the entry/bar area can get jammed, so reservations matter and so does timing. This is not a quiet, spacious dining room where you linger unnoticed; it’s a place where the staff is moving fast and the room has that constant hum.
Food-wise, Minetta’s reputation is earned most clearly with its burgers and grilled meats. The Black Label Burger is the headline for a reason: made from a blend of prime dry-aged cuts, rich and deeply beefy, served simply with caramelized onions and fries. It’s expensive for a burger (currently listed at $38), but it tastes like the restaurant is treating it as a signature steakhouse item, not casual pub food. The regular Minetta Burger (currently $33) adds cheddar, still straightforward, still very satisfying if you want something a little less intense than the Black Label.
If you’re coming for a more “proper dinner” instead of the burger moment, the grill section is the other anchor. Steak frites is the classic order (currently $49), and it leans into that bistro idea: a solid steak, fries, and either maître d’ butter or béarnaise. The big splurge is the dry-aged côte de boeuf for two (currently $189), which comes with roasted marrow bones and a simple salad—very old-world, very indulgent, and very much the post-2009 Minetta identity (French steakhouse ritual rather than the older Italian comfort reputation).
The sides read like a French brasserie greatest-hits list: fries, aligot, pommes Anna, haricots verts, sautéed spinach, lentils, mushrooms. They’re designed to support the main event, and you can build a satisfying table by mixing one “rich” side (like pommes or aligot) with something green and sharp.
Value is the main tension here. You’re paying for the room, the legacy, and the “only-in-NYC” feeling as much as the food. If you go in expecting an affordable neighborhood Italian like the old stories, you’ll be shocked. If you go in expecting a classic, pricey, downtown institution that delivers on atmosphere and a few signature dishes, it makes much more sense.
Best way to enjoy it: treat it like a special New York dinner, not a casual stop. Pick one signature (Black Label burger or steak frites), keep the rest simple, and enjoy the fact that it still feels like a living piece of Village history—just updated, sharpened, and priced like the modern city around it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Order the GRILLED OYSTERS!! They are spectacular. Always a great time at Minetta. We made our reservation for late lunch or early dinner and this was lovely around 3pm on a weekday. Still a great menu. Cocktails are great. Husband got the espresso martini and it was very well made as was my Bloody Mary. I ordered us both prosecco as well that was delicious. The waitstaff was wonderful- Ashlyn was our server and she was very accommodating as was the manager on duty, Clark. From the fresh warm bread to our entrees everything was delicious. The Duck Ragu with Pappardelle pasta was great, al dente, homemade to perfection. The filet mignon was cooked very well, charred nicely on the outside. Sides was lovely and the desert was rich and delicious! Highly recommend for a nice brunch or dinner or even just cocktails and the grilled oysters.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a NY gem. So glad we planned my Birthday weekend to include Minetta. Was concerned about even while having a reservation that we would have to wait but luckily got seated within 3 minutes! Front room by bar is super crowded due to people waiting on their tables, but was so happy to be in the back room. We had a table facing out and appreciated the epic table! You can see the old school NY vibe in the pics. Our server was super efficient as well as the staff that helped with water and bread. My water glass was filled every few minutes! Husband had the maple Old Fashioned and said it was one of the best he’s ever had (and he’s for sure an OF snob)!! For food we started out with the onion soup which was excellent and the petit salad (not so petit)! For an entree we actually split the black label burger PLUS cheese which was absolutely incredible. Fries were insane too. Passed on dessert as we were just so maxed out!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I just love the place and the food is so good A must when in New York
Beautiful looking place that feels comfortable enough to sleep in, but lively enough to keep you up talking all night. French food was absolutely stellar, with a special emphasis on the bone marrow. Girlfriend and I had 2 lovely visits and everything we ordered was a hit both times. Would absolutely recommend
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beyond solid, this institution lives up to all the hype.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was good (it was my first time, ordered the onion soup as well as the black label burger) - perfect dry gin martini, delicious fries and burger, amazing depth of flavor in the soup - but I wanted to write about the service. I came as a solo diner on a Sunday evening (around 6.15) - just in the city for a week for work and looking for dinner after my travel - and everyone, from the hostess to the staff checking my coat to the staff behind the bar, was so nice and easygoing, and struck a perfect perfect balance of making me feel like I belonged even though I was by myself and the restaurant was actually packed. Sometimes when you’re alone and in a place that’s so super buzzy and everyone is in a group it can make you feel a bit self-conscious but all the staff was so friendly and didn’t make me feel unwelcome at all that it made me feel so at ease. I don’t know how they do it. And it’s like the same brand of easygoing smooth service too - friendly without being overbearing with or formal or like they’re trying too hard.
Burger and french onion soup were absolutely legit!! Jorge the bartender is the man we know him from the balthazar days!!! Love this place!!
Elise the GM was so so nice!!!
Love!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Amazing restaurant, fantastic service, and I understand why they say this has the best burger in the city. I could eat this meal every day. Everything about this place is a great vibe and great experience. Cocktails were fantastic, and I would recommend you order the bone marrow as well. But of course, the burger was the centerpiece. If you can get a table, definitely and absolutely worth the trip.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great experience overall. Great burger and fries are exceptional. Pickle was very good and different. Apparently house made. A little pricey but worth it.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Label Burger and Fries and Cassoulet
Great place, amazing food and really good service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I do have to give the service 5 stars but the food was so disappointing to me. I’ve waited months for this reservation and wow, what an overhyped place. They brought us cold bread which I asked to reheat, and they STILL brought it out cold again and asked if it was better. They finally got it right after a few tries.
The French dip was such a disappointment, it was so cold, tasted like it’s been sitting for hours. I can’t believe people would even say they liked it, it’s so bad. The duck pappardella was very good but it has like 4 noodles. The coconut cake was an average cake slice. Drinks were what you’d expect for $23, so nothing above and beyond. I don’t think I’d ever come back sadly :/
Service was excellent. Guys were very nice and even gave us free champagne cus we didn’t enjoy the meal. The were very apologetic.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
I’ve been coming to Minetta Tavern for most of the 10 years I’ve been living in New York, and I have always loved it. I’ve spent birthdays and special occasions there, and for the past four—and now five—years, I have spent either New Year’s Eve or Christmas there, since it’s my mom’s favorite restaurant.
This year, my mom really wanted to spend New Year’s Eve there, so I made sure to be on the phone on December 1st at 10 a.m. to secure a reservation for the five of us. I got the 9 p.m. table—the one that goes through midnight—paid $50 per person, and signed the agreement they send you to commit to your table. All of this was done to secure a very special night for my family.
So why am I talking about this? Well, last night we arrived at 9 p.m. sharp, and it pains me to say that everything was a total mess. As soon as we arrived, we noticed that more people were waiting, but we figured the wait wouldn’t be long. We were wrong. We stood cramped by the door, along with about 20 other people wearing giant winter coats, for thirty-five minutes.
I know this is New York. I know spaces are small, and that we’ve learned to crave the fabulous bullshit of lively, joie-de-vivre, yellow-lit places. But after seeing how people of color and fat people—including my family and me—were held by the door, while blonde, hip-looking, older families were seated before us, I felt compelled to write about it.
I know people here love to say, “I hate to be this person,” but I don’t. It angers me to my core to constantly see how New York’s elitism is so blatantly visible. Especially when, after that half hour of waiting, there was no comped drink, no offer to take our coats, and—most importantly—no apology from the hostess. Yes, you—the blonde woman with the long bob—who asked my sister, who has an accent, my name five times until my tall, white husband noticed the subtle face-selection happening and said my name loud and clear. Only then did you understand, and you still decided to call me Andrew when our table was finally ready.
I honestly could have forgotten the tiny, wobbly table for five that had to be moved twice because it was in the way of the waiters, or my glass of wine that arrived 15 minutes after the rest of my family’s drinks, or even the dry truffled chicken. But everything I witnessed during those 35 minutes of waiting triggered everything I stand for. From now on, Minetta Tavern is a no for me.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 2
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