This restaurant is a hidden gem in this neighbor, or even Staten island :). I came here for dinner on Sat for the first time, and I fell in love with the decoration when I enter the restaurant. The brick wall, chalk board, high ceiling, outdoor sitting, old pictures creative such a classy, romantic and yet modern atmosphere. The food is really amazing here. The menu is not your regular SI menu, the items are full of surprise. We wanted to tried everything from the menu, too bad we only have 4 people. The food we have ordered were: Appetizers: 1)Honey eggplant, 2)tuna tartar and 3)lump crab cakes. Entrees: 1)Cola Braised Short ribs x 2, 2)pan fried duck breast, and 3) bouillabaisse Dessert : 1)Zeppoli and 2)Chocolate cake. Everything is so delicious but I am especially impressed by the appetizers. The tuna tartar was perfectly cooked, and I love love love the fried rice ball underneath. The crab cakes was perfectly cooked, and the corn relish under was so delicious. The honey eggplant sounds so weird but it was surprising delicious, I believe it is roasted eggplant, creamy polenta with lost of honey in a martini glass (nice presentation!). The zeppole was another high light of the night. It was fried perfectly, and it comes with two kinds of dipping sauce (chocolate and honey). The staffs were all very friendly, Rick and the chef came to check on us, which I thought was very nice. At the end, there was a little problem with their credit card machine, and Rick was so nice to offer us 5% discount for the inconvenient. I would recommend this place, for their good food, beautiful restaurant and friendly staff.
Di M.
What a nice restaurant. Great ambience, unique food dishes, attentive waiters,a very nice owner and we got to hear a really cool jazz band. So glad we went there and the ending dessert fresh zeppolies with chocolate and honey dipping, topped a perfect ending to a really nice night out!
Daniel M.
EDIT: As it turned out, the owner of the restaurant was insane. He friended me on Facebook (nice enough, I guess, but strange for a business owner to do to a customer; he only had my contact info because I used FB to make a reservation), and proceeded to insult my friends and post bizarre messages. Very strange. It was such a surprise to find a place like this right in downtown Staten Island. The first thing to say is how incredibly friendly everyone at Rick's is. The owner (I assume) greeted us at the door, and brought us to the host, who then brought us to our table. We were early and there was room, so the waiter took time to offer us our choice of tables, explaining the good about each one - this one has a good view, but there is a breeze, that one is very warm. Throughout the meal, the chef came out repeatedly to see if everything was okay, if people liked the food and so on. The people next to us had some dishes that looked very good, though the man seemed to have wanted his meat cooked really, really dark. He complained, and both the waiter and the owner came to chat with him. I forgot exactly what my girlfriend and I ordered - It was Saint Valentine's Day and we ordered from the prix fixe menu. She had a chicken dish and I had a perfectly cooked rib eye with a nice pesto sauce and potatoes as well as some caramelized onions. For appetizers, I had the saccheti and she had smoked salmon. Dessert was chocolate covered strawberries for her and creme brulee for me. Usually, I expect a restaurant to excel in some things but not in others, and so expect at least one of the dishes to not be up to par. This simply was not the case here; everything was delicious. Also, it has a lovely ambiance. My girlfriend really likes the Casablanca theme, and I found it nice and not too overstated as well. Also the wine/cocktail menu is pretty good as well. I definitely intend to return to Rick's.
Diane R.
Rick's Cafe is a wonderful, refreshing change to the humdrum restaurants already in place in the forgotten borough! The food is delicious, absolutely delicious, I have been there a half a dozen times and have never been disappointed. It is great for couples, girl's night out and special occassions. The owner, Joe is a warm and inviting host and adds to the ambiance of the restaurant. Great service, great food, great setting---not much more to ask for!!! Watch for daily specials on Facebook too! Diane R. Ft. Wadsworth
Jonathan L.
The Place You Want To Love But Can't I've been here four times since the space opened and was very excited at its opening. All the components are there but it just does not seem to congeal into a composed total! Tonight I dined on the selections of the host. The tuna tartare is not tartare, but a tasty chunk tuna fashioned around a delicious potato cake, but the portion is enormous and miscalculated: smaller potato latke with a true tuna tartare would be a lovely opener to a larger dinner. I have seen the rabbit rise from the brunch menu to the standard dinner menu. The side of bunny served atop a tasty polenta is tasty, but when I suggested to the management that they might want to trim and prep the rabbit better, I was meet with an icy retort about the size of rabbits! The fried ricotta zeppole are charming in their brown paper baggie, but the two accompanying dipping sauces, chocolate and honey, didn't vary enough in intensity and sweetness. My suggestion for a salted caramel sauce was also met with minimal tolerance, I wish these guys well, but if you want to make a successful neighborhood eatery look down the block and check out the Phunky Elephant!
Alexa H.
Just had dinner with the girls and we were all pleasantly surprised. The owner and the chef could not have been more accommodating and the food was really great. The room remains warm and welcoming especially with the fireplace going.
vicki d.
Decided to try this place with a large group. the ambiance was great. We love good food and we were not diappointed. From the great service, to the owner and chef coming over to make sure we were satisfied and offered suggestions from their menu. the signature martinis were unique and delicious. Again food was excellent from appetizers to desserts. We mixed up several different dishes and appetzers so we could try alot of choices. just delicious. This place is a keeper
Brittany E.
My boyfriend and I visited recently due to a Groupon that I bought... I'm glad I bought it because I doubt that I would have ever learned about Rick's Cafe otherwise. The restaurant is located right by Dock Street. Althought the neighborhood isnt the best, the food was amazing. I had a beet salad minus the beets (they make the salad fresh) which included blue cheese, candied walnuts, pears etc. My boyfriend the cornmeal calamari which he loved. For entrees, he had the duck which was perfect not too dry not too greasy, and I had the grilled rib eye steak. The chef came out multiple times to check on us and the waiters as well. We randomly came here at about 10:30 pm on a Saturday night and didnt expect to have such great service. Also, for dessert we had this french toast with strawberries and brioche. Heaven. The only downside is that they don't have sangria. Also, they are a little expensive, if we didnt have the groupon the bill would have come out to about $100.
Maggie H.
I really, really, REALLY wanted to like this place. We discovered Rick's Cafe at Staten Island's annual "Uncorked" Food & Wine Festival. Their display had yummy food, with an awesome wine pairing. The service was attentive & friendly. The Chef came out and made his rounds at each table. The space itself is beautiful and the ambiance is warm & romantic. Unfortunately, the food was only "alright", at best. Our mussel app was served in a strange sauce and a handful of the mussels were served still closed. My pasta entree had way too much sauce...and a greasy/oily sauce at that. This place has a lot of potential, and I'm really hoping they improve, I'm just not sure I'll be back anytime soon to see if these improvements ever happen.
First, let me say that if they can get the food to the level of the service, then this would be a GREAT place. Throughout our meal, our server was engaged, attentive and proficient. The food, however, left much to be desired. Our app of mussels arrived with a great deal of the mussels still closed. The broth had a slightly off taste and we didn't bother using the yummy bread to sop up the juices. My meatloaf entree was drowned in a ketchup-like sauce that overwhelmed the mashed potatos. The meatloaf itself was bone dry. The above mention sauce did little to save it. My wife's pasta with lobster sauce was more like a very oily alfredo and lacked any sort of lobster flavor. We skipped desert. The outdoor patio has potential but needs a little TLC... maybe some flowers or plants to make it more inviting. I really wanted to like this place, but until the kitchen improves, I won't be back.
Jen M.
We tried Rick's last Friday after picking up a Groupon (busted!) and we had a great time. The ambiance is top notch, very elegant, I hadn't been in the building for many years since it was last Patricio's. The portions are HUGE and the food quality excellent. I recommend trying the "Hurricane" off their cocktail list, the bartender is a pro. My boyfriend had the ribeye and I had the pork milanese, we both had to wrap the rest since the plates were packed and beautifully done. The chef checked on us to ensure our entrees were enjoyable, great customer service. There was live entertainment on Friday, a very jazzy, sultry sort of retro lounge act that fit well with the decor. We'll be back when we can fit dessert (bacon caramel bread pudding? yes please!) and to check out their lovely outdoor seating area. Rick's is a must try!
Lorie H.
This is DEFINITELY a great and welcome addition to the restaurant scene on SI and people should be running to get a table! The food was superb. Dominick, the former owner and chef @ Aesop's Tables, has been away from SI too long and has come back strong with a creative and beautifully executed menu...everything we ate was shamelessly, plate-licking good! We started with martinis....perfect....mine gin and his vodka...no usual complaints of the glasses not being chilled, they were delivered on ice! He had a second I had wine...gotta say, the only weak link is the wine list. Even by the glass, wines should be well-chosen, but a consult with any wino in the know will fix this right quick! The food...asparagus with duck egg and truffle fondue..don't think about the pounds but DO ask for more bread to sop up the truffle cheese sauce...and duck egg, really? I wanted to write that duck a thank you note! Razor clams on the special menu were replaced with a generous bowl of vongole, a fresh twist on the mussels in white wine standby...especially with the fresh green of cucumber puree. Entrees kept the fork party going.... We weren't eating meat that day for some reason...maybe we watched Dr. Oz that morning so we went full-on fish of the day. River Cobbler for him, (look it up it was amazing) and Salmon for me...salmon? Really? The most over cookable, eat it 'cause it's good for you.. the broccoli of fish? This salmon was a POEM! You'd think I'd be in an Omega 6 haze but I shook it off and rallied for dessert. We ordered the chocolate raspberry cake....listen...my wedding cake was chocolate with raspberry it is my all-time go-to confection, so I KNOW these two...I can only assume there's a wait list for cocoa beans and berries to audition for this plate! Save the toll. Dress nice. Enjoy.
Jen L.
The restaurant is beautiful. Went for drinks and dessert. The bartender makes great drinks and the flour-less chocolate cake was amazing. I have ate at the chef Dominick's other restaurants and the food was always amazing. Cannot wait to go back for a full dinner!
delicious
This restaurant is a hidden gem in this neighbor, or even Staten island :). I came here for dinner on Sat for the first time, and I fell in love with the decoration when I enter the restaurant. The brick wall, chalk board, high ceiling, outdoor sitting, old pictures creative such a classy, romantic and yet modern atmosphere. The food is really amazing here. The menu is not your regular SI menu, the items are full of surprise. We wanted to tried everything from the menu, too bad we only have 4 people. The food we have ordered were: Appetizers: 1)Honey eggplant, 2)tuna tartar and 3)lump crab cakes. Entrees: 1)Cola Braised Short ribs x 2, 2)pan fried duck breast, and 3) bouillabaisse Dessert : 1)Zeppoli and 2)Chocolate cake. Everything is so delicious but I am especially impressed by the appetizers. The tuna tartar was perfectly cooked, and I love love love the fried rice ball underneath. The crab cakes was perfectly cooked, and the corn relish under was so delicious. The honey eggplant sounds so weird but it was surprising delicious, I believe it is roasted eggplant, creamy polenta with lost of honey in a martini glass (nice presentation!). The zeppole was another high light of the night. It was fried perfectly, and it comes with two kinds of dipping sauce (chocolate and honey). The staffs were all very friendly, Rick and the chef came to check on us, which I thought was very nice. At the end, there was a little problem with their credit card machine, and Rick was so nice to offer us 5% discount for the inconvenient. I would recommend this place, for their good food, beautiful restaurant and friendly staff.
What a nice restaurant. Great ambience, unique food dishes, attentive waiters,a very nice owner and we got to hear a really cool jazz band. So glad we went there and the ending dessert fresh zeppolies with chocolate and honey dipping, topped a perfect ending to a really nice night out!
EDIT: As it turned out, the owner of the restaurant was insane. He friended me on Facebook (nice enough, I guess, but strange for a business owner to do to a customer; he only had my contact info because I used FB to make a reservation), and proceeded to insult my friends and post bizarre messages. Very strange. It was such a surprise to find a place like this right in downtown Staten Island. The first thing to say is how incredibly friendly everyone at Rick's is. The owner (I assume) greeted us at the door, and brought us to the host, who then brought us to our table. We were early and there was room, so the waiter took time to offer us our choice of tables, explaining the good about each one - this one has a good view, but there is a breeze, that one is very warm. Throughout the meal, the chef came out repeatedly to see if everything was okay, if people liked the food and so on. The people next to us had some dishes that looked very good, though the man seemed to have wanted his meat cooked really, really dark. He complained, and both the waiter and the owner came to chat with him. I forgot exactly what my girlfriend and I ordered - It was Saint Valentine's Day and we ordered from the prix fixe menu. She had a chicken dish and I had a perfectly cooked rib eye with a nice pesto sauce and potatoes as well as some caramelized onions. For appetizers, I had the saccheti and she had smoked salmon. Dessert was chocolate covered strawberries for her and creme brulee for me. Usually, I expect a restaurant to excel in some things but not in others, and so expect at least one of the dishes to not be up to par. This simply was not the case here; everything was delicious. Also, it has a lovely ambiance. My girlfriend really likes the Casablanca theme, and I found it nice and not too overstated as well. Also the wine/cocktail menu is pretty good as well. I definitely intend to return to Rick's.
Rick's Cafe is a wonderful, refreshing change to the humdrum restaurants already in place in the forgotten borough! The food is delicious, absolutely delicious, I have been there a half a dozen times and have never been disappointed. It is great for couples, girl's night out and special occassions. The owner, Joe is a warm and inviting host and adds to the ambiance of the restaurant. Great service, great food, great setting---not much more to ask for!!! Watch for daily specials on Facebook too! Diane R. Ft. Wadsworth
The Place You Want To Love But Can't I've been here four times since the space opened and was very excited at its opening. All the components are there but it just does not seem to congeal into a composed total! Tonight I dined on the selections of the host. The tuna tartare is not tartare, but a tasty chunk tuna fashioned around a delicious potato cake, but the portion is enormous and miscalculated: smaller potato latke with a true tuna tartare would be a lovely opener to a larger dinner. I have seen the rabbit rise from the brunch menu to the standard dinner menu. The side of bunny served atop a tasty polenta is tasty, but when I suggested to the management that they might want to trim and prep the rabbit better, I was meet with an icy retort about the size of rabbits! The fried ricotta zeppole are charming in their brown paper baggie, but the two accompanying dipping sauces, chocolate and honey, didn't vary enough in intensity and sweetness. My suggestion for a salted caramel sauce was also met with minimal tolerance, I wish these guys well, but if you want to make a successful neighborhood eatery look down the block and check out the Phunky Elephant!
Just had dinner with the girls and we were all pleasantly surprised. The owner and the chef could not have been more accommodating and the food was really great. The room remains warm and welcoming especially with the fireplace going.
Decided to try this place with a large group. the ambiance was great. We love good food and we were not diappointed. From the great service, to the owner and chef coming over to make sure we were satisfied and offered suggestions from their menu. the signature martinis were unique and delicious. Again food was excellent from appetizers to desserts. We mixed up several different dishes and appetzers so we could try alot of choices. just delicious. This place is a keeper
My boyfriend and I visited recently due to a Groupon that I bought... I'm glad I bought it because I doubt that I would have ever learned about Rick's Cafe otherwise. The restaurant is located right by Dock Street. Althought the neighborhood isnt the best, the food was amazing. I had a beet salad minus the beets (they make the salad fresh) which included blue cheese, candied walnuts, pears etc. My boyfriend the cornmeal calamari which he loved. For entrees, he had the duck which was perfect not too dry not too greasy, and I had the grilled rib eye steak. The chef came out multiple times to check on us and the waiters as well. We randomly came here at about 10:30 pm on a Saturday night and didnt expect to have such great service. Also, for dessert we had this french toast with strawberries and brioche. Heaven. The only downside is that they don't have sangria. Also, they are a little expensive, if we didnt have the groupon the bill would have come out to about $100.
I really, really, REALLY wanted to like this place. We discovered Rick's Cafe at Staten Island's annual "Uncorked" Food & Wine Festival. Their display had yummy food, with an awesome wine pairing. The service was attentive & friendly. The Chef came out and made his rounds at each table. The space itself is beautiful and the ambiance is warm & romantic. Unfortunately, the food was only "alright", at best. Our mussel app was served in a strange sauce and a handful of the mussels were served still closed. My pasta entree had way too much sauce...and a greasy/oily sauce at that. This place has a lot of potential, and I'm really hoping they improve, I'm just not sure I'll be back anytime soon to see if these improvements ever happen.
Restaurantji Recommends
First, let me say that if they can get the food to the level of the service, then this would be a GREAT place. Throughout our meal, our server was engaged, attentive and proficient. The food, however, left much to be desired. Our app of mussels arrived with a great deal of the mussels still closed. The broth had a slightly off taste and we didn't bother using the yummy bread to sop up the juices. My meatloaf entree was drowned in a ketchup-like sauce that overwhelmed the mashed potatos. The meatloaf itself was bone dry. The above mention sauce did little to save it. My wife's pasta with lobster sauce was more like a very oily alfredo and lacked any sort of lobster flavor. We skipped desert. The outdoor patio has potential but needs a little TLC... maybe some flowers or plants to make it more inviting. I really wanted to like this place, but until the kitchen improves, I won't be back.
We tried Rick's last Friday after picking up a Groupon (busted!) and we had a great time. The ambiance is top notch, very elegant, I hadn't been in the building for many years since it was last Patricio's. The portions are HUGE and the food quality excellent. I recommend trying the "Hurricane" off their cocktail list, the bartender is a pro. My boyfriend had the ribeye and I had the pork milanese, we both had to wrap the rest since the plates were packed and beautifully done. The chef checked on us to ensure our entrees were enjoyable, great customer service. There was live entertainment on Friday, a very jazzy, sultry sort of retro lounge act that fit well with the decor. We'll be back when we can fit dessert (bacon caramel bread pudding? yes please!) and to check out their lovely outdoor seating area. Rick's is a must try!
This is DEFINITELY a great and welcome addition to the restaurant scene on SI and people should be running to get a table! The food was superb. Dominick, the former owner and chef @ Aesop's Tables, has been away from SI too long and has come back strong with a creative and beautifully executed menu...everything we ate was shamelessly, plate-licking good! We started with martinis....perfect....mine gin and his vodka...no usual complaints of the glasses not being chilled, they were delivered on ice! He had a second I had wine...gotta say, the only weak link is the wine list. Even by the glass, wines should be well-chosen, but a consult with any wino in the know will fix this right quick! The food...asparagus with duck egg and truffle fondue..don't think about the pounds but DO ask for more bread to sop up the truffle cheese sauce...and duck egg, really? I wanted to write that duck a thank you note! Razor clams on the special menu were replaced with a generous bowl of vongole, a fresh twist on the mussels in white wine standby...especially with the fresh green of cucumber puree. Entrees kept the fork party going.... We weren't eating meat that day for some reason...maybe we watched Dr. Oz that morning so we went full-on fish of the day. River Cobbler for him, (look it up it was amazing) and Salmon for me...salmon? Really? The most over cookable, eat it 'cause it's good for you.. the broccoli of fish? This salmon was a POEM! You'd think I'd be in an Omega 6 haze but I shook it off and rallied for dessert. We ordered the chocolate raspberry cake....listen...my wedding cake was chocolate with raspberry it is my all-time go-to confection, so I KNOW these two...I can only assume there's a wait list for cocoa beans and berries to audition for this plate! Save the toll. Dress nice. Enjoy.
The restaurant is beautiful. Went for drinks and dessert. The bartender makes great drinks and the flour-less chocolate cake was amazing. I have ate at the chef Dominick's other restaurants and the food was always amazing. Cannot wait to go back for a full dinner!