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Most Annoying Restaurants in NYC

weinoo

By weinoo
in New York: Dining

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weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted

Allright, so last night we didn't want to go above Canal St. for dinner, and decided to stay very local. Normally, we don't even go out for dinner Saturday night, knowing what a pain in the ass it is, unless we go out very early.

So we (or I) made the choice of Les Enfants Terrible, which back when it opened maybe 3 years ago had some pretty nice food with a decent FOH staff. Warm, friendly, etc.

Holy shit - what an annoying place - and the food bordered on sucked (which was interesting, because it's the same chef). Forget the loud, obnoxious music - we deal with that a lot here in NYC...but the loud, obnoxious staff made it even worse. Why are they walking around yelling at each other (and doing shots at 8:30?) And please, tell the bartender to stop touching his facial hair before sticking his hand in the olives to garnish the martinis...nice. A bunch of friggin' poseurs.

What was I thinking?!!!

So, what's yours?

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

nypork

nypork

Posted
Posted

I nominate Momofuku-all the praise and worship is so out of hand-the food is good but people put it so high on the worship pedastal it is ridiculous-it's a noodle shop people.

Nathan

Nathan

Posted
Posted

actually the noodles are the worst part of the menu.

it is the seasonal dishes that make Momofuku great. It is everything that the Tasting Room aspires to be and isn't.

Luckylies

Luckylies

Posted
Posted

For pure unadulterated suckage-

Cafe Deville- what total shit.

Royal- a burger with no fries!

Danube- why is this place just not better? it's "date food" done at it's worst.

Coffee shop (union square)- I guess most people don't go for the food, but whatevs.

Blue water grill- the fish is not fresh enough, and not prepared well.

Union square Cafe- zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Bubby's- gross stroller party, bad food, service.

Otto- gross stroller party.

does this come in pork?

My name's Emma Feigenbaum.

weinoo

weinoo

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Momo's food is way too good to be annoying - though the crowds can be especially at Noodle Bar.

Have to agree on Blue Water Grill - and all the BR Guest places have that annoying factor - mediocre food at best, pricey, and that touch of whatever it might be called in the service...oh yeah, it sucks.

Is Otto really that bad once the strollers have gone home? I tend to sit at the bar and always enjoy myself.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

H. du Bois

H. du Bois

Posted
Posted
Blue water grill- the fish is not fresh enough, and not prepared well.

I would add bad service and overpriced to the list...

u.e.

And it's so loud that conversation with your dinner companion(s) is impossible.

ulterior epicure

ulterior epicure

Posted
Posted
Is Otto really that bad once the strollers have gone home? I tend to sit at the bar and always enjoy myself.

As have I... but, I've never stepped foot in the dining room area.

u.e.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

ned

ned

Posted
Posted

I'm a regular stroller partier at Otto. I love it there (at the bar) and, Emma, I'm inviting all my stroller partying friends. You never know, you may push one of those things yourself one day. And have a craving for octopus with celery and lovage just at the moment when your toddler has crashed in his dreaded stroller after a couple of hours of heavy play in Washington Square Park.

Keeping it topical, I'm going to say the Four Seasons. I used to love this place. Great mid-century high American food. I had a crap experience there one night that included reservation shuffling, getting upsold a bad bottle of wine, floppy undercooked and served cold seared foie gras. . . there were other problems. I wrote a thoughtful letter and heard. . . crickets. Not that they need my business but they haven't gotten any of it since this unfortunate night.

You shouldn't eat grouse and woodcock, venison, a quail and dove pate, abalone and oysters, caviar, calf sweetbreads, kidneys, liver, and ducks all during the same week with several cases of wine. That's a health tip.

Jim Harrison from "Off to the Side"

chefboy24

chefboy24

Posted
Posted

fatty crab

i really really don't understand the fuss

i had a raw mango battonet appetizer that knocked a filling out

the food came out in the most random weird order

the tables were wobbily

you are so freaking close to the diners next to you cant help but hear their conversation, and you have no privacy at all whatsoever (i mean they were so ram packed in with uncomfortable chairs and tables, for NYC this was a sardine can)

finally when i got the fatty crab, it was so dark in the room, and the crab was so spicy and covered with sauce, the effort required to get the few micrograms of meat out of the slippery wet hot spicy sauce covered legs, it was totally unworth it.

i remember thinking i was wanted the broth and the bread to dunk it in...the crab was totally annoying. like the most annoying dish ever in new york ever.

and all the servers kept coming over to tell me how much they liked the movia wine i ordered......honestly the wine was the only good thing there.

Luckylies

Luckylies

Posted
Posted
I'm a regular stroller partier at Otto.  I love it there (at the bar) and, Emma, I'm inviting all my stroller partying friends.  You never know, you may push one of those things yourself one day.  And have a craving for octopus with celery and lovage just at the moment when your toddler has crashed in his dreaded stroller after a couple of hours of heavy play in Washington Square Park.

They deliver! :biggrin:

I'm sure you're munchkin is cute and brilliant, but before you had one...didn't you ever want not to hear their wails?

Another one-

Ill Mulino- for the upsells, the bait and switch, the schmaltzey waitors, and the busy signal on their phones. I do like the garlic poisoning occasionally.

Any restaurant on Park Avenue South- Glitzy douchefest.

does this come in pork?

My name's Emma Feigenbaum.

JohnL

JohnL

Posted
Posted
Nish for the most sarcastic owner,chef in NYC.

I believe this is a bit unfair. Are you posting this as a result of the one bad experience you noted earlier?

To deem him "the most sarcastic owner/chef in NY" based upon this is IMOP unjustified.

I have had several experiences where I found Mr Nish to be gracious and accommodating.

dvs

dvs

Posted
Posted
I'm a regular stroller partier at Otto.  I love it there (at the bar) and, Emma, I'm inviting all my stroller partying friends.  You never know, you may push one of those things yourself one day.  And have a craving for octopus with celery and lovage just at the moment when your toddler has crashed in his dreaded stroller after a couple of hours of heavy play in Washington Square Park.

They deliver! :biggrin:

i guess that is wonderful news for you then!!

Luckylies

Luckylies

Posted
Posted
I'm a regular stroller partier at Otto.  I love it there (at the bar) and, Emma, I'm inviting all my stroller partying friends.  You never know, you may push one of those things yourself one day.  And have a craving for octopus with celery and lovage just at the moment when your toddler has crashed in his dreaded stroller after a couple of hours of heavy play in Washington Square Park.

They deliver! :biggrin:

i guess that is wonderful news for you then!!

It was when I lived in the 'hood. I pretty much stopped patronizing Otto except for delivery...it was just not the dining experiance I was looking for...which was...annoying.

does this come in pork?

My name's Emma Feigenbaum.

Sneakeater

Sneakeater

Posted
Posted (edited)

And the rest of it is annoying in the EXACT SAME WAY.

(Tofu-based vegetarian restaurant. The blandness and preciousness of the food is exceeded only by the smugness of the clientele.)

Edited by Sneakeater (log)
ulterior epicure

ulterior epicure

Posted
Posted
And the rest of it is annoying in the EXACT SAME WAY.

(Tofu-based vegetarian restaurant.  The blandness and preciousness of the food is exceeded only by the smugness of the clientele.)

:laugh: Sneakeater, you and I are totally/I] on the same wavelength.

u.e.

“Watermelon - it’s a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face.”

Italian tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921)

ulteriorepicure.com

My flickr account

ulteriorepicure@gmail.com

Nathan

Nathan

Posted
Posted

oh my goodness, yes. (on Zen Palate). throw in Pure as far as I'm concerned too (yes, Kenny did manage to put together some palatable dishes....but to sustain that across the menu?)

don't get me wrong, there are some great vegetarian restaurants in the city:

Per Se, Daniel, Gramercy Tavern. some Indian places as well of course.

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