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Butter

415 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10003 40.72863 -73.992448
nr. Astor Pl. See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
work212-253-2828 Send to Phone

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Cuisine: American Nouveau
Price Range:
$$$
Key to Prices and ratings
Upscale

Almost Perfect

Exceptional

Generally Excellent

Very Good

Good

Cheap Eats

Best in Category

Excellent

Delicious

Very Good

Noteworthy
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Expensive

Moderate

Cheap
Reader Rating:
6.4 out of 10
|
22 Reviews | Write a Review

Photo by Bill Durgin

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Official Website

butterrestaurant.com

Hours

Mon-Sat, 5:30pm-11:30pm; Sun, closed

Nearby Subway Stops

6 at Astor Pl.; N, R, W at 8th St.-NYU

Prices

$17-$38

Payment Methods

American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Special Features

Bar Scene
Celeb-Spotting
Dine at the Bar
Hot Spot
Notable Chef
Notable Wine List
Private Dining/Party Space
Romantic
Singles Scene
Design Standout

Alcohol

Full Bar

Reservations

Recommended

Make a Reservation with opentable.com

Profile

With its lofted space packed with youthful scenesters and a pumping soundtrack, Butter has the trappings of a nightclub, but the spot also boasts an expert New American kitchen under the direction of Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli, a Greenmarket devotee. An extensive wine list and specialty cocktails like puréed-blackberry margaritas further distract from the food, although there’s much to enjoy on the homey and hearty menu; dandelion greens provide a bitter counterpoint to smooth, and sweetened chicken liver crostini; Colorado rack of lamb comes with fresh chili-basil pesto, or a decadent mound of goat cheese and honey, depending on the season. The dining area is windowless with tables for two clustered in the center, and crescent-shaped booths along the sides. In lieu of a view there’s an illuminated photo of a birch forest in back, an arboreal motif that repeats in the exclusive Birch Room lounge downstairs. — Ethan Wolff

Recommended Dishes

Steak tartar, $19; rack of lamb, $36

Food:	7

Service:	5

Décor:	6

Value:	6

I went here with a friend during the week and took advantage of the restaurant week special. They served a great shrimp app, short ribs and rice pudding. The restaurant has two levels: upstairs with more lighting and space, and downstairs which is smaller but more intimate. The clientele was impressive and I did happen to notice secret service at the bar. The bartender was quite friendly upstairs and while I was waiting for my friend he shared stories and life experiences. Overall, if you're going on a date try to get seated downstairs for more intimacy. If you're going with a group of people try to get upstairs seating.

Butter

unequivocally disapointing

MissHart from 32725 | Posted on 11/27/09

Overall Rating: 101 (Not Recommended)


Food:	2
Service:	1

Décor:	7

Value:	(NA)

Looking to dazzle some friends from the UK we headed to Butter. It began with mediocre appetizers; my partner’s looking and tasting like some salt saturated chef Boyardee kids meal. An hour and three bottles of wine later our entrees still hadn't arrived and the only excuse any of the staff could muster was "apologies, there is a large party upstairs tonight." Too bad for us we weren't invited which meant we had to suffer through shoddy service and ... NO FOOD. To the horror of the restaurant manager we kindly paid for the little food we had been served and waltzed out of the restaurant. We went to Peasant – I highly recommend it.

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