Brasserie Maison

Take a step out of a bustling midtown and find yourself in a refined, delish French restaurant. Atop the hustle and bustle of Times Square sits one of my favorite places in NYC. The amount of outdoor space in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world is nothing less than extraordinary. Our food was delicious and the service; friendly and energetic. This restaurant is a true example of a wonderful NYC dining experience.

Pros: Great Location

Posted 07/08/09

Stayed in NY for 10 days business/pleasure and visited this place for breakfast a couple of days into the trip. After visiting Stage Deli which was somewhat overpriced, we tried here to compare. Excellent breakfast and superb service. We had breakfast at Maison every morning from then and they never missed a beat. On St Patrick's day it was a peaceful haven away from the jammed bars though comfortably busy. Had an excellent lunch. Dropped in there on the way back from a show before going back to the hotel and had snacks and drinks (open 24 hours).Will visit here every time we are in NY.

Pros: Excellent service

Cons: None

Posted 04/19/09

Took the family to see the lighting of the Tree this year.

We were walking around and stumbled on this busy midtown brasserie. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. I will definitely be going back.

Keep up the good work!!!

Pros: Food & the Servce.

Posted 12/25/08

I went to the Brasserie Maison this past weekend for brunch. I felt slightly underdressed, but the staff was super nice and didn't make me feel uncomfortable at all. The food was great - rich, but great. Not a good place for a diet! I would definitely want to go there for dinner and drinks!

Pros: everything

Cons: many tourists

Posted 10/09/08

I got into town Friday a little late (10pm) and had to find a place to eat... now I know why NY is such a great city. This spot was awesome. Outstanding service, not bad food and side walk tabels let you know youare in NYC, but none of the trouble with a hot restaurant. Special thanks to the my CLASSY European waiter CHRIS ... Highly recommended...

Pros: service , location , 24/7?

Cons: noisy tourists

Posted 08/30/08

We chose this place for our last breakfast in NY, coronating a wonderful week of our first time in the Big Apple. Big mistake, the coffee was stale, and they forgot the cream, by the time they brought it, the coffee was cold. My omelette was cold and tasteless, and the maple syrup they brought for my daughter's waffles was watery. The waiter had a bad attitude, but the manager was what did it for me. When I complained to him about his rudeness, he told me I was rude...... Unbelievable.

Posted 07/20/08

I walked into the place with hopes, and they were fulfilled, at least partially. The last French food I had had was in Nice, and moules frites were the plat du jour that day. I decided to go with the same at Brasserie Maison. The moules were very VERY good, worthy of Nice. The frites were not up to par, I'm afraid to say, but they were still warm and tasty enough. The ambience was excellent. And even thought it was my waiter's first day at the place, I got great service. I would never have known he hadn't worked there for a while.

I would go there again, most definitely.

Pros: food in general, service

Cons: none

Posted 04/06/08

It's no wonder Manhattan brasseries are often safe havens -- even in culinary minefields like the Theater District. Who hasn't slid into a scarlet banquet, sipped a Cotes du Rhone, and ordered the roasted chicken -- all the while wondering what kind of ice cream will appear atop the obligatory chocolate cake? Given the connect-the-dots formula it's hard to get it wrong.

But Brasserie Maison manages to pull it off.

Was it the display of fake baked goods at the entrance? The plastic menus scarred with candle burns? The belated bread arriving alongside the entrees? The slightly cold scallops plopped in a puddle of coagulated sauce?

Or was it the indifferent staff -- gossiping loudly about some over demanding customers who sat barely out of earshot? (I could almost forgive that last one -- the restaurant is French, after all, even if the staff isn't.)

Sadly, I think it must have been a combination of the above. Because without substance, brasseries become Griswaldian caricatures of French dining. A place like Brasserie Maison attempts to distract us with the theater of cuisine as if we were too naive or too jet lagged to know the difference. But this is New York after all, and unfortunately for them, we do.

Pros: Location

Cons: Service, Atmosphere

Posted 01/13/08

One of the best places in New York for a great, relaxing time. This place has good food, friendly service and really a wonderful seating area, inside or out. I love to come here after work with my friends for a cold beer, and side of hummus. Really a great recomendation.

Pros: Staff, Location, Ambience, Food

Cons: Weather dependent

Posted 09/20/07

I love this place, for many reasons, for one the staff are always very friendly. Its not your typical midtown place, where they ignore you and look at you as a $$$ sign. The staff talk to you , they remember your name, remember what you eat, what you drink. The managers always stop by my table and say hi and ask how i am doing. I even saw, the top guy, who i think is the general manager stop by a table of an older women and help her up, put her jacket on and had one of his staff members help her walk home and carry her bags for her. They really do care. The food is very good and the place is a pleasure to look at. I highly recommend my neighborhood hang out.

Pros: Staff, Management, Food

Cons: A little loud sometimes

Posted 09/20/07

I was there on 8/19 and found my meal to be cold. When I complained, I got such attitude. I felt sorry for the waitress, the managers are rude. They can barely speak English. My companions food was average at best. We have both lived in France and agree that this is a poor excuse for a French restaurant.

Pros: location

Cons: food, management

Posted 08/21/07

I had a pleasant meal with two coworkers there on July 24. However, I lost the receipt and needed it for my expense report. I called the restaurant and was promised that something would be faxed to me. However, when it didn't arrive by the next day I called back and asked to speak to a manager.

What I got was a very irate little man who spoke terrible English. He kept asking me for a "check number" - how could I provide this if I'd lost the receipt? - and basically said he couldn't send me anything as "anyone could call and give their name and ask for a receipt." Right, because there's a thriving fraud industry centered around false expensing of $71 restaurant charges!! What a total joke. He was unbelievably rude and unhelpful - really hard to believe this was the manager!

Pros: nice environment, friendly waitress

Cons: horrible unhelpful manager

Posted 08/01/07

I have been to Maison many times over the years since I work near close. The service has always been medico, but today took the cake. My friend and I arrive right before the lunch rush and ordered our food, grilled chicken salad (which is precooked) and tuna salad sandwich (requires no cooking). We had to ask 3 times if our order was forgotten. Many tables of people who arrived after us were served and done before our (no cooking required) meal arrived, about 50 minutes later. Then the check came and someone other tables Pate was on our bill, which took another 20-25 minutes to correct. I will not go back there any more. There are plenty of great places in this city with good service.

Pros: outside seating

Cons: horrible service, expensive for what you get

Posted 06/04/07

Maison is a very pleasant Brasserie; the food is always good, there is a large selection of wines and beers and is a great spot for people watching. At lunchtime they are serving a Sandwich platter that is to die for. It comes in a wooden platform, literally covered with sliced ham, roasted chicken breast, and juicy slices of roasted lamb, Brie and Gruyere cheeses, roasted vegetables, mustard, mayonnaise and duck reilletes. On the side they serve a tub of French fries and warm pieces of baguette. You combine your own flavors, and eat it your way; this is a dish to be shared and enjoyed in good company. Can?t wait to have it again.

Pros: Great food, fast service

Posted 03/20/07

Thanks god!!

I won?t say I am a regular customer in Maison but I visit the place once in a while. I always thougt the pace was nice. God food, nice prizes, good service, excellent but unreadable wine list. The last time I was there if it wasn?t for the sommelier( very nice girl ) who recommended to us the haut ? medoc 96 for only $60 we would not get anything because the letters were to small. I went there yesterday and I was shocked. The new wine list was extraordinary. Readable, and for the first time I noticed the excellent prices and choices this place offer. As a wine lover my self I was so happy. I also could not believe when I saw Margaux 99 for $ 55 and some excellent Burgundies. I also notesed that they added on their wines by glass list my favorite wine " One" for only $8 a glass. Keep up the good job.

Posted 12/14/06

Maison is a hidden gem. I know the place has been there for years but for some reason it never caught my attention. Last night , my wife and I decided to give it a try in our way to the theatre. Even though we did not have a reservation we were sear promptly. We enjoyed very much our dinner, classic brasserie fare, well prepared and fresh. The mussels in cream sauce were delicious and the trout wrapped in potato makes you think in a higher end place. The wine selection is very nice and fairly priced, our 2001 Savigny-les-Baumes was outstanding. I will certainly come back.

Pros: location, food, wines

Posted 11/29/06

I have been here twice, and absolutely love it!. The menu has a great variety of delicious sandwhiches, salads, pasta, omletes and much more! The decor is sooo nice, even though it is a great outdoor dinning place, they still have a gorgeous set up for the winter months. Nice carousel style. The grilled brie sandwhich w/pear is my fav! Perfect for brunch!

Pros: Grilled Brie Sandwhich, Decor

Posted 11/05/06

I live in the neighborhood and this is one of my favorite places in warm weather to eat outdoors 24/7. I find the service generally very friendly and accommodating. The burgers and fries are excellent. And the views (and that lovely umbrella) just set the stage for the end of a great evening or the beginning of a new day.

Pros: Outdoors in the Center of NY

Posted 10/04/06

After reading the reviews on this site, I thought twice about bringing my family to this place but was absolutely delighted that I went. Our 11 member group had an excellent meal and our server was very attentive. The restaurant was not full but it had a respectable crowd and the food came quickly, freshly prepared, well-presented and hot. No issues at all with service. The food was excellent as well and everyone -- to a person -- enjoyed their meal.

Pros: Good food, Good service, Good value

Posted 12/22/05

We had every stop of our trip to NY planned, except for a late night meal when we arrived. The restaurant is open 24 hours, so at 1:00 a.m. we tried it. (It was only a few steps from our hotel (Dream). While the service and setting were average, the food was excellent. We are "foodies", so by taste alone, the food was a real "10".

Try the Mediterranean platter, which beats any of the nearby Greek places. Even the Croque Monsoir (grilled ham and cheese) was out of this world. The crepes are also highly recommended.

No kidding, but his was the only place during the trip where we ate twice.

Pros: Taste, Location, Price

Cons: Ambiance

Posted 10/22/05

We were there March 7 and found Maison very nice. The food was good, the service prompt, and the price very reasonable. In better weather it would be even better.

Pros: food, price, atmpsphere

Posted 03/14/04

I made reservations for Valentine's Day 2 weeks in advance. I got there 15 minutes before our reservation time and guess what? They were closed! That's right! Apparently they're undergoing renovations. Unfortunately no one told me that while I was making reservations. They had my last name and telepone number and they didn't even bother to call!!! What kind of establishment would do that? I won't even think twice about trying to go there. When they open again I will make sure the manager gets an earfull.

Posted 02/17/03

Was in town for business, staying in midtown. All-night restaurant with excellent burgers and stella on tap. Great food, great experience!

Posted 11/01/02

I stopped by for dinner at this place because it was close to a show I was going to see nearby. The restaurant was definitely a pleasant surprise. I can't comment much on the decor, it was lush and they had these old style, yet modern fans hanging from the ceilings. The food however, is worth mentioning. The mediterranean tapas were delicious, and the morrocan tuna with mashed potatoes with pepercorn crusted tuna was mouth watering. A definite GO.

Posted 07/30/02

Friendly service, great outdoor seating, nice selection of french food at ANY TIME OF THE DAY. Nice people watching too.

Pros: very popular, not too expensive, outdoor seating

Cons: not very big inside

Posted 06/20/02