Definitely a good spot, I can see why it’s popular. It is kinda dark in there, but I think that’s the vibe their going for. The food however was pretty good, and so were the drinks. Nice place to go in and have dinner, definitely recommend as a date night spot.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Rick Blake
ate at the bar. good burger and pretty friendlyp
bartender
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Mucahit Ege
We stopped by The Penrose for a late lunch after celebrating our friends’ wedding ceremony in Brooklyn — and honestly, what a gem! ✨
The vibe here is just perfect: warm lighting, upbeat music, friendly staff, and that true neighborhood energy that makes you feel instantly comfortable.
I ordered the Penrose Dry Aged Burger & Fries, cooked medium — and it was incredible. Perfectly juicy, full of flavor, and easily one of the best burgers I’ve had in the city. We shared a few plates for the table, including the Spinach & Artichoke Dip and the Mac & Cheese — both were creamy, rich, and full of comfort. My wife had the Kale Caesar, topped with roasted chicken, and she absolutely loved it — super fresh, crisp, and perfectly dressed.
I didn’t have any alcohol, just a club soda, but even that hit the spot — cold, bubbly, and refreshing.
Everything about this place just feels right — from the food to the service to the atmosphere. If you’re anywhere near the Upper East Side, The Penrose is 100% worth a visit. We’ll definitely be coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dylan Korver
Stopped in for happy hour. Great selection of beers and wine. Didn't do cocktails but they looked good! Nice servers.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Doug Carlone
Great service and good food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rashad
UES staple.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Ignace Manoury
The taste of their food stays with you long after you leave. The selection satisfies all tastes and staff enhances the experience. This restaurant earned my recommendation. The meals and staff performance merit top rating. This restaurant has earned my frequent visits.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Harlie Yahn
Thank you to Dani and Eric for a wonderful experience! My whole family came to celebrate my birthday and they were so accommodating and energetic— we caught the end of the live music on the floor. the food was phenomenal (steak frites and kale caesar especially) and the drink were top notch (naked in manhattan). Thank you so much for helping make my birthday a memorable one !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bry T
I recently visited The Penrose in New York City, and overall I’d say it was a solid experience with a few areas that could use improvement. The atmosphere is definitely one of the highlights it has that warm, rustic vibe that makes you feel comfortable whether you’re stopping in for a casual drink with friends or sitting down for a meal. It strikes a nice balance between being lively and not overwhelmingly loud, which is always a plus in the city.
Starting with the drinks, they were definitely one of the stronger points of the night. The cocktails were well-crafted, balanced, and had a nice variety on the menu to suit different tastes. It’s the kind of place where you can easily spend time just enjoying a drink or two and feel like you’re getting something a bit more special than the standard bar mix.
Food wise, there were some hits and some misses. The lobster roll was quite good fresh, well seasoned, and satisfying without being overly heavy. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something a bit indulgent but still classic. The Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, missed the mark for me. They had good flavor overall, but were a bit too salty, which made them less enjoyable than they could have been. It wasn’t enough to ruin the dish, but definitely noticeable.
Service was the biggest area that could use improvement. The staff wasn’t rude by any means, but the attentiveness wasn’t where it should be. At times it felt like it took longer than expected to get drinks or check in on the table, which is surprising considering how polished the rest of the place feels.
All in all, The Penrose has great drinks, a cozy vibe, and solid food with some standout items like the lobster roll. If the service gets more consistent and the kitchen eases up on the salt, it could easily be a go-to neighborhood favorite.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sophie Lee
Food was very good and the outdoor seating was lovely. The service was quick and simple. The seating was a bit cramped outside but overall it was alright.
Oh my goshhhhh guys. This place is so good. The servers/hosts are AMAZEEEE! So nice and knowledgeable. (Shoutout Sophie! You ate with your recommendations and service!)
We were seated really quickly with no reservation on a Saturday night, and the ambience was really nice. Lively, not too loud, really cute but not pretentious. The music choices were perf as well.
Service was excellent and speedy despite how busy it was, and the menu is priced really fairly. The Crunchwrap is DELISH! Def recommend and will be coming back🙂↕️👍🏼
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rahul Jindal
I wish I could give it 0 stars, but here we go. The moscow mule was abysmal, the atmosphere - albeit cozy, was uncomfortable to say the least.
Matthew Hughes
They've been here for over a decade for a reason. Just started going here and it's been excellent every time. The staff, the steak frites, the lobster roll, the house potato chips, the cocktail menu: all stand-outs in a super competitive neighborhood.
Daniel Cheb Terrab
I love this place. Been there countless times and the service is always great and the atmosphere is always fun and relaxed. It’s the ideal spot for a drink/early dinner after work, or a place to do drinks on the weekend.
I gave it 3 stars because they changed the menu recently, and I’m afraid it’s not as good as it used to be. The fries used to be a 10/10 (I’d say they are now a 7/10), and they removed some amazing dishes such as the veggie burger (it was the best one in the city) and the grilled cheese + tomato soup which were delicious. Really hope they can bring those back on the next turn!
Definitely a good spot, I can see why it’s popular. It is kinda dark in there, but I think that’s the vibe their going for. The food however was pretty good, and so were the drinks. Nice place to go in and have dinner, definitely recommend as a date night spot.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
ate at the bar. good burger and pretty friendlyp
bartender
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
We stopped by The Penrose for a late lunch after celebrating our friends’ wedding ceremony in Brooklyn — and honestly, what a gem! ✨
The vibe here is just perfect: warm lighting, upbeat music, friendly staff, and that true neighborhood energy that makes you feel instantly comfortable.
I ordered the Penrose Dry Aged Burger & Fries, cooked medium — and it was incredible. Perfectly juicy, full of flavor, and easily one of the best burgers I’ve had in the city. We shared a few plates for the table, including the Spinach & Artichoke Dip and the Mac & Cheese — both were creamy, rich, and full of comfort. My wife had the Kale Caesar, topped with roasted chicken, and she absolutely loved it — super fresh, crisp, and perfectly dressed.
I didn’t have any alcohol, just a club soda, but even that hit the spot — cold, bubbly, and refreshing.
Everything about this place just feels right — from the food to the service to the atmosphere.
If you’re anywhere near the Upper East Side, The Penrose is 100% worth a visit. We’ll definitely be coming back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stopped in for happy hour. Great selection of beers and wine. Didn't do cocktails but they looked good! Nice servers.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Great service and good food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
UES staple.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The taste of their food stays with you long after you leave. The selection satisfies all tastes and staff enhances the experience. This restaurant earned my recommendation. The meals and staff performance merit top rating. This restaurant has earned my frequent visits.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Thank you to Dani and Eric for a wonderful experience! My whole family came to celebrate my birthday and they were so accommodating and energetic— we caught the end of the live music on the floor. the food was phenomenal (steak frites and kale caesar especially) and the drink were top notch (naked in manhattan). Thank you so much for helping make my birthday a memorable one !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I recently visited The Penrose in New York City, and overall I’d say it was a solid experience with a few areas that could use improvement. The atmosphere is definitely one of the highlights it has that warm, rustic vibe that makes you feel comfortable whether you’re stopping in for a casual drink with friends or sitting down for a meal. It strikes a nice balance between being lively and not overwhelmingly loud, which is always a plus in the city.
Starting with the drinks, they were definitely one of the stronger points of the night. The cocktails were well-crafted, balanced, and had a nice variety on the menu to suit different tastes. It’s the kind of place where you can easily spend time just enjoying a drink or two and feel like you’re getting something a bit more special than the standard bar mix.
Food wise, there were some hits and some misses. The lobster roll was quite good fresh, well seasoned, and satisfying without being overly heavy. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something a bit indulgent but still classic. The Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, missed the mark for me. They had good flavor overall, but were a bit too salty, which made them less enjoyable than they could have been. It wasn’t enough to ruin the dish, but definitely noticeable.
Service was the biggest area that could use improvement. The staff wasn’t rude by any means, but the attentiveness wasn’t where it should be. At times it felt like it took longer than expected to get drinks or check in on the table, which is surprising considering how polished the rest of the place feels.
All in all, The Penrose has great drinks, a cozy vibe, and solid food with some standout items like the lobster roll. If the service gets more consistent and the kitchen eases up on the salt, it could easily be a go-to neighborhood favorite.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Food was very good and the outdoor seating was lovely. The service was quick and simple. The seating was a bit cramped outside but overall it was alright.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Oh my goshhhhh guys. This place is so good. The servers/hosts are AMAZEEEE! So nice and knowledgeable. (Shoutout Sophie! You ate with your recommendations and service!)
We were seated really quickly with no reservation on a Saturday night, and the ambience was really nice. Lively, not too loud, really cute but not pretentious. The music choices were perf as well.
Service was excellent and speedy despite how busy it was, and the menu is priced really fairly. The Crunchwrap is DELISH! Def recommend and will be coming back🙂↕️👍🏼
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I wish I could give it 0 stars, but here we go. The moscow mule was abysmal, the atmosphere - albeit cozy, was uncomfortable to say the least.
They've been here for over a decade for a reason. Just started going here and it's been excellent every time. The staff, the steak frites, the lobster roll, the house potato chips, the cocktail menu: all stand-outs in a super competitive neighborhood.
I love this place. Been there countless times and the service is always great and the atmosphere is always fun and relaxed. It’s the ideal spot for a drink/early dinner after work, or a place to do drinks on the weekend.
I gave it 3 stars because they changed the menu recently, and I’m afraid it’s not as good as it used to be. The fries used to be a 10/10 (I’d say they are now a 7/10), and they removed some amazing dishes such as the veggie burger (it was the best one in the city) and the grilled cheese + tomato soup which were delicious. Really hope they can bring those back on the next turn!
Way cool go-to any time of day UES NYC bar!
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