Butter

I definitely will not be returning to Butter. First, my seven girlfriends and I had to squeeze into a booth intended for 6 - we were so squished our plates touched, our legs touched and our purses were our backrests. Into our appetizer, an adjacent table became available, and we asked if we could use it, but the waiter said it most likely was being used. Weird how the table was empty for the next hour and a half.

Food was good, but the dishes never came out at the same time, and each time we had to remind the waiter we were missing someone's entree, dessert, etc. During our meal, we looked like T-Rexes trying to cut our food with our elbows pinned to our sides.

One of my friends complained to the host after the meal who offered a round of drinks, which was nice, but we had complained to the hostess who had seated 8 girls in a 6 person booth and our waiter and no one came up with a resolution until then? (Btw, we had these reservations for two months).

I can't help but think if my last name was Lohan if I would have had a different experience.

Pros: food, ambience

Cons: Attentiveness

Posted 07/16/06

Read the reviews about butter before I went there but I decided to go anyway despite the recent mixed reviews. The food was pricey and was mediocre at best. I went with a friend who went to butter in january and absolutely loved it. She changed her mind and said that this was the last time that she would go there. Aparently they changed their menu, possibly a new chef, and the new menu not only was small but the food wasn't nearly as good as it used to be. The restaurant is nice UPSTAIRS, the downstairs isn't that nice so a word of advice when making reservations request a table upstairs. Be prepared to spend alot of money for mediocre food and then kicked out of the bar after dinner. Oh yeah, the bartender somehow lost my credit card and a half an hour later they brought it to my table. I would pass on butter, heard it used to be great but it seems like it is over it's hayday.

Cons: mediocre food, having to ask the owner if you can stay in the bar, small menu

Posted 07/07/06

It was my anniversary and first time to Butter and despite the mixed reviews I gave it a try. Not only is Aaron georgeous and dressed to perfection, he knew how important the night was for us and gave a selection of tables on two different floors. "No" was never an option for Aaron. He gave us the whole nine... champagne, midcourse, and anniversary dessert and checked on us frequently in an non obtrusive way. All that and a wonderful wine list for 60 bucks a person exceeded my expectations and made Butter one of my fav's in NYC.

Pros: Pleasant and Attractive Staff, Ambience, Scene

Cons: Not one thing

Posted 07/05/06

We paid over $300 for a meal, just to be rushed through the end of it and asked to please leave b/c they needed to turn over our table. Not recommended if you want a nice liesurely night of dinner and drinking with friends (unless you a huge group of women who are squealing, screaming and doing shots, you're more than welcome, apparently) It was dissappointing. But the food was amazing.

Posted 06/22/06

We went to the restaurant despite the mixed reviews we had read, and what a nice surprise! The wait staff was very friendly, the service was prompt and the food was really excellent. We ordered cocktails, and they were done very well - not surprising given the reputation, but still nice. The food was great - and one person in our party ordered the steak - which nearly melted in his mouth (this guy is picky). There were a couple of celebs when we were there, but it wasn't a big hoopla which was very nice. The upper floor is much better than the lower for dining (we were on the upper floor). It got a bit loud and echoey, but not too intrusive. Its location is a little out of the way (near NYU)

Pros: Food, Service, No fuss for celebs

Cons: Loud, Too dim (lighting)

Posted 05/29/06

Most people know butter as a trendy nightclub, but if you avoid monday nights you can experience it for what it really is...a great restaurant. Yeah, it's a little pricey, but i've been there a number of times and had a great dinner and good service. Any fish that the chef cooks is bound to be good, our halibut was amazing. the sides are fun and satisfying (mac and cheese with truffles, crispy artichokes) and they have a nice wine list. And whatever you do, don't skip dessert. Last time my husband and i want to butter we had the chocolate semifreddo and couldn't have been happier.
if you can get a reservation and avoid all the US weekly celeb b.s. this really is a great reaturant.

Pros: food, wine, service

Cons: wanna bes, celeberties

Posted 05/18/06

We showed up here late one night. The usual throng of wannabes was crowded around the entrance, but despite the fact we were almost too drunk to function, we waltzed right in. Once inside, the decor is nice, but the bar/lounge itself was horrible. We were bored senseless, and after one drink we took off.

Posted 05/15/06

If I didn't know better I would think we must have smelled like an old fish and looked like hobos b/c this is my worst dining experience yet. We left so aggravated after the Hostess who was dressed like a real tart was rude and condescending. The Server took the order and disappeared for the entire rest of the night until we had to stop him b/c the bus boy knocked over our entire bottle of red wine soaking the white table cloth, the seats and our business suits. We sat soaked in red wine for 20 minutes eating our meals w/o the wine b/c & the server saw us like that but did nothing until we stopped him. The food was mediocre at best.

Pros: pretty dining room

Cons: hostess, service

Posted 05/03/06

I brought a group of 14 there for dinner. SERVICE: Staff was polite & pleasant, but service was sporadic and slow. They forgot to ask some of us about drinks, and only served 1/2 of the group. However, they were quick to correct, when we pointed it out. FOOD: Helping was small, hypical of this type of restaurant. Quality was average. Seems to be a place for the "Sex in the City" wannabes. Noisy.

Pros: Fast seating

Cons: Noisy, Slow service

Posted 04/09/06

our experience at Butter was outstanding. The ambiance was fabulous, the waitstaff impecable and the food was teriffic. You must try the Butter Tini... amazing. This is a trendy place, and a great restaurant to spot some celebs. Make sure to make reservations otherwise foreget it. Overall I give this restaurant two thumbs up :)

Posted 02/14/06

I experienced mediocre, unimaginative food (to put it kindly) and a waiter that annoyed us, provided sub-par service and was tipped accordingly. He then accosted us at the door about the tip we left consistent with his service!
While the decor is alluring (if you don't mind sitting inside a hall shaped like a canned ham), the restaurant is quite loud. I sat in the center of the restaurant and could hear the people sitting next to me better than I could hear my date. To me, the music was incongruent with the atmosphere - who wants to hear tinny-sounding Motown peppered with commercials at a purportedly "hip" eatery... it sounded more like a midwestern family restaurant.
Maybe the glitterati types are privy to a different caliber of food and service at Butter, but for us average folk, it's strictly Amateur Hour.

Posted 02/14/06

After waiting over 30 minutes for our reservation (when they said it would be 10) I found bread plates with leftover butter still on it and lipstick on my glass. We were totally ignored by the waitstaff and finally left. The restaurant looks cool, but the way we were treated was appalling. Take your business elsewhere.

Posted 02/10/06

I have been here 3 times, and every time has been amazing. The food is superb, the desserts are out of this world (the chocolate cake was to die for). I suggested this place for a bridal shower, and now all the girls know me as the one with great taste and come to me for restaurant suggestions. The service is great, they give you time to enjoy your food, and there is no rush. They leave you alone, but are immediately available when you need anything. The decor is also beautiful.

Pros: everything

Posted 02/08/06

A girfriend and I went to Butter despite mixed reviews for restaurant week. The food tasty - atmosphere incredible.

Pros: Friendly Staff, Great table

Cons: Crowded bar

Posted 02/08/06

Expensive drinks? check. but they are balanced by the very friendly priced menu.
Good looking people? check. including most of the staff.
Great food? check. not everything...but most things..wow
Solid service? check. well at least plentiful and attitude-free
Butternut squash soup was spot-on yummy. genius. It's worth going here just to see the amazing space and try this soup. Halibut was also outrageous. Veal the portion size..OMG! The hyped kobe empandas were "good" and the pasta so-so. rapsberry biegnets another OMG! 4 of us, just under $200 with tip, and then drinks downstairs in the breathtaking (but hot) lounge. Our waiter was cute & vivacious and all in all a good experience in noho, a wasteland of attitude and poor food.

Posted 02/07/06

It's clear the food is prepared with quality ingredients at Butter. Last week was my first visit, and I'd love to go back. The prices were reasonable, the service was knowlegeable and friendly, the atmosphere is hip, we walked in and didn't have to wait that long for a table, and the food was great. Have the beef carpaccio--excellent! The calamari was delicious, too. My dining companions had steak and the veal and enjoyed both thoroughly. My cavatappi pasta was well prepared--thank god no mushy pasta--but I would've liked a little more pancetta in the dish. This restaurant is busy, and for a reason that goes beyond hype!

Posted 02/07/06

This is one of my favorite restaurants. First of all, there is lots of eye candy: the staff & clientele. The drinks are delicious. The menu changes each season. The food is contemporary American & always inventive, sophisticated & fun. Save room for the raspberry beignets at the end. They also have a hot club on the weekends.

Pros: trendy, delicious, lots of eye-candy

Posted 02/06/06

Butter has really come along way. I would say it's restaurant and food is at par with its club and lounge, which was not the case when we went there 3 years ago. My husband and I went here for our anniversary and everything was perfect. From the moment we walked in the door the staff were fantastic, really friendly and accomodating. I couldn't choose between sitting upstair or downstairs so they told us to have a look around and let them know when we had decided. We choose to sit in the main level dining room. Our waitress was really good, she went out of her way to research some wine for us. The food was fantastic, I had the duck and it just melted in my mouth. Strawberry shortcake for dessert was just out of this world. I've recommended this place to lots of people.

Pros: beautiful staff, food

Cons: crowded

Posted 02/06/06

Went to Butter for restaurant week and it was amazing from the beginning when we walked through the door. The atmosphere is great. There is a club downstairs so if you are there late, then you can hang out at the bar upstairs and hear the music from downstairs. Food and service were both fabulous. I highly reccommend this restaurant to anyone and everyone.

Posted 02/06/06

Every time we go to Butter, whether it's for their incomparable lunch or the genuinely fun and elegant dinner service, we have an outstanding time. To me this is the epitome of a New York restaurant: artistic food ingredients and presentation; a young, very attractive, and knowledgable staff; great downtown location; intelligent and well-maintained design of the space; stylish fellow diners; and an all-around good vibe every time I walk in the joint...a must-go...I know I can't get enough!

Pros: Everything

Posted 02/06/06

Having only 2 nights left during our trip to NYC from London and after a tremendous disappointment at the Rainbow Grill the night before a friend suggested we check out the Butter... What a nice surprise. The food was great and service very attentive. The lobster salad for starter was the best I have ever tasted! The warm chocolate cake for dessert - simply heavenly. The dessert wine suggested by the waiter - absolutely spot on, and because we are from London we don't usually tip but I made sure to give him a couple extra dollars. After dinner we were lucky to get downstairs for some more really great cocktails and dancing. The owners were amongst the guests and we felt really taken care of. It was like a great therapy session we needed.

Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Friendly Staff

Posted 02/06/06

My experience was awesome! 1st of all, the ambience is pretty damn cool with the trees. I have absolutely no complaints about the service. And I went during restaurant week--while other places this week have treated me like an unwelcome step child and treated me funny for ordering from the rest week menu, butter did not. The Food: AMAZING!! App:arugula salad with warm goat chees, butter croutons, glazed pears. Entree:Gnocci w/pesto, shaved parmesean, portobello mushrooms Dessert:Warm chocolate cake with ice cream. :) And the butterscotch martinie is delicious!!!

Pros: Delicious Food, Delicious Food, Ambience

Posted 02/02/06

Don't waste your time. This place is genuinely terrible. I read the CitySearch reviews and thought, "there is no way it can be THAT bad." But, it was!!

I am disguisted at the level of service, the quality of food, the management and the wait time. I just cannot wait until this place goes out of business.

Cons: Food took two hours, Drinks were wrong, waitstaff/mngmt= RUDE

Posted 02/01/06

Honestly - if you think you can get away with making someone wait to be served for 2 hours after being seated, bring them the wrong meal on the first try, put personal blame on them for taking a few minutes to decide on the order, then slap a 20 percent gratuity on to the final, un-altered, bill - YOU ARE NUTS! This place is by far the WORST NY RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE ever. After all the drama with our experience, the manager proceeded to tell us there was nothing he could do. This place won't last...so don't waste your time.

Posted 01/31/06

BEWARE: 1/2 of our party was 20 minutes late - stuck in traffic - while the other 2 were there. Mind you, we made the reservation 3 weeks in advance. We watched as they gave away our table - and they told us that it would only be 15 minutes until the next table. The rest of our party showed up and they refused to seat us, and proceeded in giving away the next table to a party of 4 that just walked in- no reservation - as the 4 of us looked on with disbelief. Then he said, "sorry - you should have been on time, it will probably be another hour!!!" Long story short... we left and had a great meal elsewhere, but I can assure you, I will never eat at Butter. The staff was just RUDE. Don't waste your money on this one!!!

Cons: Rude host

Posted 01/24/06

Me and my girlfriend had heard so much about this relatively new and hot spot in NYC. We figured it would be a great place to celabrate our 2 years of happiness together. From the moment we arrived the service from the front was below average. We had to ask to have our jackets taken. We then went to the bar for a drink while our table was being set. It took the bartender a good 5-10 minutes to notice us. FYI-It wasn't even that busy either !! We finially get sat and the hostess who sat us. Gives us the worst seat in the house. Thereafter the night was good. Our server was helpful and attentive. The food was terrific. Overall the experience was a good one. However I would be a little more demanding of the staff and Maitre'D if I was to return to celabrate an occasion.

Pros: GOOD FOOD, GOOD SERVICE

Cons: HORRIBLE MAITRE'D, HORRIBLE HOST/HOSTESS

Posted 01/22/06

I had heard soooooo much about this place so we decided to go for dinner last friday. As we were running late (stuck in traffic) called the resturant to inform them and they made us wait for an hour! 1 hour for being 10 minutes late!! When we finally got the food, it was bad. There was sand in the clam chowder, had to return it. The spinach was soooooo salty, had to return that too. Overall a bad expereince, not going back for sure. There are plenty of great places to go to in this city.

Posted 12/21/05

We heard many great things about this place and decided to give it a try. We had reservations and got seated right away in the down stairs room. The room is nicely decorated however, it is simply just too dark in there for dinner. Our waiter was extremely rude, and not attentive at all. The food was aweful, I ordered duck and because it was so dark in there, I put a piece of fat in my mouth. Not sure why there is a big chunk of fat in there in the first place. The waiter rushed us through the last half of our dinner because they were turning the room into a dance floor. I would never go back to Butter again. Way over-rated

Pros: Nothing

Cons: Everything

Posted 12/06/05

My experience dining at Butter was a very pleasant one. My husband & I were wise enough to call and make a reservation beforehand. Anyone who lives in this city should know this. The service was beyond excellent, and the food was amazing. The lower level was a little tight for me...but that's not my scene anyways. Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Butter. One thing I have learned from my dining experiences....if you want great service, try smiling to you're waitor. You're guaranteed a "fine, dining experience"

Posted 11/09/05

I just read the previous review and completely disagree. The downstairs is unlike anything else I have experienced in this city. It does feel like a lounge, but that's what I want on a Friday or Saturday night with my friends. I have dined at butter since it opened in 2001 and the food, ambience, and service have been nothing but stellar. Good times at Butter!

Posted 09/03/05

I think my expectations were a little too high when I walked into Butter. We had a fairly large party and I felt as if we were being rushed by our waiter. We also had reservations, but had to wait around at the bar for about 15 minutes before being seated. The food was pretty good, but I would have preferred to sit upstairs. I think the downstairs area is better if you're just going for drinks... I felt like I was in a dungeon.

Pros: food

Cons: service

Posted 09/01/05

There were 10 of us last Saturday for my bachlorette party and the Butter Staff went above and beyond to make sure we had a great evening. Service was excellent, the halibut was to die for, and the DJ downstairs had a great vibe. At the end of the night we had drinks in the lounge and the maitre'd called us in to another club (Hiro). Had a blast at Hiro and no wait! The line was all the way down the street. No restaurant compares to Butter, they have connections and really made our night!

Posted 08/29/05

We waited over 45 minutes for two people during an off time -- when we were seated we saw tons of open tables and they still made us wait! The food, which took forever!! was nothing to brag about. The waiters were clueless and SLOW!!!! We should have walked out, but we were hungry. Would not recommend and would NEVER go back.

Cons: Food, Service, Everything else

Posted 08/09/05

I took my family to Butter early on a Monday night and the hostess sat us in nice booth in the upstairs great room. They were suprisingly very accomodating with my two girls under the age of 8. The server was very attentive and the halibut was cooked more than I wanted so they brought out a new one and took it off the bill completely. Great place, I will be back.

Posted 08/03/05

I will admit I had my doubts after reading mixed reviews, and after were an hour late for my husband's birthday dinner Butter was more than accomodating. We were stuck in traffic and when I called the reservationist she said it would be no problem, and sure enough we were sat right away. I was taken back buy the space, our server courtney was so accomodating, and the food was wonderful. I mentioned it was my husband's birthday, and we were sent a complimentary dessert with candles and the whole 9 yards. Great Place, and next time I will be on time, I promise!!

Posted 07/30/05

Overall, my impression of Butter was that the best part of the meal was actually the bread and butter. So the name gets and an A+. However, the overall food, decor and experience is just average. A local bar serves better drinks and the service is much friendlier! Not to mention they dont require a 20% tip! The apps and entrees were nothing spectacular and the dessert could have been delivered from Dunkin Donuts. Hopefully Butter does a better job impressing other patrons, cause Ill surely NEVER return! In my opinion, this once critically acclaimed restaurant is turning to margarine.

Pros: decor

Cons: 20% required tip, lack of service, food quality

Posted 07/14/05

I really wanted this place to be good. Alas, it was not. I went with 3 other people and tried everyone's food so I got a sense of what it was all about. Everything tasted like I had burnt my tongue and couldn't taste anything. Fish was overcooked. Meat was blah. Water was delicious but scarce. What's going on? Why was the restaurant full? I think the crowd wanted to be there because they heard the Olsen Twins ate there once. The waiter was friendly but an idiot. This was like being in some terrible movie about snotty people with no taste. This was the restaurant equivilant of Cats.

Pros: tree trunk decor

Cons: not very good, service

Posted 07/03/05

If you want to impress someone from out of town with a trendy restaurant than this is the place - but only by appearances and not by food quality or service. High marks for atmosphere but a ZERO for service. I went for restaurant week June 2005. We were promptly seated but waited 25 minutes to get the waiter to come back around and take our order. Drinks were ordered and those came 20 minutes later. Food was salty and mediocre. I waited 15 minutes for the waiter to take the bill from me and finally I got fed up with him walking past our table I had to start waving the bill in the air and finally some other waitress took our bill. I guess the automatic 20% added service for every party size is a license for waiters to let patrons wait when it's convenient for the waiters!

Pros: atmosphere

Cons: service, dessert

Posted 07/01/05

I am not one to complain, but I was so frustrated by my experience here that I thought I had to warn others. The dining room was beautiful but that was about the only good thing. The worst part was the horrible service and snobby attitudes. I went here for a business lunch. Our waiter was not attentive, we waited about 20 mins just to order drinks. We decided to do a 3 course meal. The first course was fine, second course was cold and we waited over 30 mins for desserts that never came. I tried to voice my frustration with the wait staff, but they seemed to care less about what had happened. No one appologized and I was completly embarassed by the service since I had taken a business client with me. I will never, ever return to this place again and I wouldn't reccomend it

Pros: nice dining room

Cons: awful service, snobby staff

Posted 06/30/05

I wish I had listened to the reviewers, they were right. Butter has a nice scene, but in my eyes, food and service should always trump scene. We went during June 05 Restaurant Week. Waiter couldn't have cared less what we ordered. Entrees - Mahi-Mahi was flavorless. Short ribs had a crock-pot like quality. Appetizers - mushroom soup was good but all cream, if you like that sort of thing. Carpaccio was just ok. My main "beef" with this place was the aloof, too-cool-to-serve-us waiter and the 20% automatic tip that he didn't deserve. I won't ever go back.

Pros: wood paneling, high ceilings

Cons: service, mediocre food, cold

Posted 06/28/05

um no. just because you think you're cool doesn't actually make you cool.

Posted 06/27/05

Seriously, don't waist you time or money.... After all the hype, we had to eat at Butter, but it plain out stunk. It was bright and cold in the dining room and the service was terrible. They sat us in the middle of the room under a gust of air from the vent. When we asked to move to an open booth, they told us that it was reserved for a bigger party. Needless to say we were pissed when a party was sat with the same number of people as us. The food.... ok. However, the portions are small and overpriced. I had the filet, which consisted of a hunk of beef on a plate. Definitely nothing fancy. That and one drink put me at $51. After planinnig to stay the night after dinner down in the lounge, you couldn't get us out of there fast enough.

Cons: service, decor, food

Posted 06/26/05

Went to Butter this week for the first time. The space is really interesting and the food was wonderful. We got the bill and saw we were charged a 20% service fee. We thought that was a little bizarre because that's usually added for groups of 6 or more people and there were just 2 of us. We asked the waiter if this was correct and he said yes. I don't recall that being mentioned on the menu and it's the first time we ever had that for a party of two people, and we eat out a lot. I don't recall it being mentioned on the menu, and I wish it had. We wouldn't have gotten up to leave, but it's something I like to keep in mind. Other then that it was a great experience. Oh, get the peach and lychee martini. They definitely don't water down drinks!

Pros: delicious food, great cocktails, beautiful atmosphere

Cons: not the best service, added fees on bill

Posted 06/23/05

Personaly I found the decor quite cheesy, the "wood paneling" surrounding the dining room is plastic wall paper wrinkling at the seams. Anyway this is not terribly important as I went for the food but it was hit and miss. The "Kobe" (fake) Beef Empanadas were not bad, the crust was soft and the interior nicely spiced and creamy. The entree of Pan Seared Cod though was very bland, considering the cut of fish was only average they could have made it more interesting. The highlight of the meal was the Chocolate Grand Marnier Cake, it wasn't the best but considering the mediocrity of the previous servings I was pleasantly surprised with the richness. I would have returned to try other menu choices but the all around low quality service (I requested salt which arrived after I finished my appetizer) closed the book for me on this place.

Pros: decent sized portions, desert

Cons: bad service, quality of fish

Posted 06/21/05

Me and my wife went to Butter while we were in NYC to celebrate our one year anniversary. It took us about 30 minutes after our reservation to be seated, but we sat at the bar and had a very stiff drink with the bartender. We then were seateed and started out with a very nice Romaine Salad with an assorted bread basket which you get with all meals. We then both had the Grilled Prime New York Strip Steak, which was a very nice piece of meat well cooked with Fingerling Fries, Caramelized Onions and a Béarnaise Sauce. We ordered a bottle of champagne and ended our dinner with the Caramel Profiteroles. Our waitress had the chef write Happy Anniversary on our plate which was a nice touch. The service, food, and atmosphere was great and we ended our night by having a drink downstairs in the Birch Room.

Pros: Service, Preperation, Setting

Cons: Price

Posted 06/21/05

This is the worst meal I have had in NY since moving here a year ago...and I eat out ALOT. The decor is pretty and the atmosphere is nice in the dining room, but I have no idea what the hype is about downstairs (except for the sweet DJ set up). The meal was really awful. I got the halibut, which was undercooked, chewy, and smelled fishy. My boyfriend had the beef filet, which was decent, but boring. The service was atrocious (not rude, just non-existant and the restaurant wasnt even crowded). We were going to order another bottle of wine and some dessert, but we had already been sitting for too long, just trying to get more water, so we gave up, paid, and went home.

Pros: attractive dining rm

Cons: slow service, poor food

Posted 06/17/05

I always enjoy Butter..whether it's meeting for dinner, a late night drink, or just to chill on a Monday night..Butter NEVER dissapoints...Not too mention, the space is phenomenal..a must see!

Pros: Nice Crowd, Decent Food, Beautiful Space

Posted 06/15/05

Ate there this Sat and had a decent experience. We had a 9:30 rez and were seated by 10:00 after a drink at the downstairs bar. The menu offered a nice selection of meats and the wine list was good but a bit overpriced for the offerings. We just picked from the app menu and my favorite was the scallops with tangerine. This place is filled with the beautiful and stylish and the downstairs room turns into a small dance club at around 12. Would recommend eating upstairs as it got a bit loud downstairs. Stay tuned for Scott's next installment on the NYC hipster scene when he opens club Home.

Pros: Decor, Trendy

Cons: Loud, expensive

Posted 04/17/05

I went to Butter with my family for my birthday dinner this weekend and everyone enjoyed the space, food, and service. I was worried due to all of the reviews I read but was happy when I found them to be off the mark. Butter is a fun place to go if you want a trendy scene and good food.

Posted 02/16/05

I just went to Butter for Restaurant Week...it wasn't so bad. The food was a bit over salted and the decor is very trendy and great for people watching. Our waiter was pretty attentive (we were missing a fork and he brought it over right away.) I also noticed the table next to ours didn't enjoy her dish and they went above and beyond to try to make up for it. Not a bad experience considering the service standards these days!

Pros: Decor, people watching

Cons: salty food

Posted 01/28/05