Home > Restaurants > Union Square Cafe

Union Square Cafe

Critics' Pick

21 E. 16th St., New York, NY 10003
nr. Union Sq. West See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
212-243-4020 Send to Phone

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
Very Expensive

Expensive

Moderate

Cheap
Critics' Rating:
***
Key to Prices and ratings
Upscale

Almost Perfect

Exceptional

Generally Excellent

Very Good

Good

Cheap Eats

Best in Category

Excellent

Delicious

Very Good

Noteworthy
Very Expensive

Expensive

Moderate

Cheap
Reader Rating:
6.2 out of 10
|
5 Reviews | Write a Review
Cuisine: American Nouveau

Photo by Quentin Bacon, Courtesy of Union Square Cafe

Map Rate & Review

Official Website

unionsquarecafe.com

Hours

Sun-Thu, noon-2:30 and 5:30pm-10pm; Fri-Sat, noon-2:30 and 5:30pm-11pm

Nearby Subway Stops

4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W at 14th St.-Union Sq.

Prices

$23-$34

Payment Methods

American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Special Features

Bar Scene
Business Lunch
Celeb-Spotting
Dine at the Bar
Hot Spot
Lunch
Notable Wine List
Singles Scene
Special Occasion

Alcohol

Full Bar

Reservations

Recommended

Profile

Yes, the rooms are a little cramped, and after twenty years, those scrawled murals on the wall look like some early Martha Stewart experiment gone horribly awry. But consistency and good cheer are the keys to Danny Meyer’s perennially popular, Zagat-approved restaurant. And nowhere else are uncommon combinations such as wasabi mashed potatoes so seamlessly incorporated into dishes (so as to never frighten the buttoned-down natives). Surprisingly, vegetarians will eat better here than at any of their hallowed haunts. The bar is a great place to lunch solo. And the banana tart with honey-vanilla ice cream can make you act the fool. — Adam Platt, Robin Raisfeld, and Rob Patronite

Light Bar Menu

Daily, 2:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m.

Reservations
Can be made up to 28 days in advance.

Recommended Dishes

Filet mignon of tuna, $32

Food:	1

Service:	2

Décor:	1

Value:	1

10 - The hostess shakes at 6 pm, was caffeine or.. 9 - The other hostess is even worst 8 - Here comes the clueless waitress 7 - Its the busboy turn, he drops the bread on the table.. 6 - Is there a manager in this cafeteria? 5 - I am 50 and i am the youngest, is it NYC or West Palm Beach 4 - The runner/clown and clueless waitress bump into each other 3 - Is there a manager in this cafeteria? 2 - The ingredients are fake, is this a joke? 1 - They asked me to leave at 7.52 because the 8.00 party is arrived, i just spent $260 for two, what a waste of time..

Good, but not great

amelialocks from Upper West | Posted on 5/5/09

Overall Rating: 7 (Recommended)


Food:	7
Service:	7

Décor:	8

Value:	6

We've been to this restaurant several times as we have some friends that love it. Having had multiple meals here, I have to say the food is always consistently Good. It's never once been Great (or really awful for that matter). The bartender made a great martini, but I had to wait a solid 15 minutes for it. The waitress was efficient and helpful, but didn't smile once and I found myself continually trying to be more and more polite to garner a kind response from her (never happened). We were the last to leave the restaurant however, and no one rushed us from our table. It's hard to love the place, but hard to hate it as well.

Read All 5 Reviews >>

Advertising

Latest News

Latest News Near

Popular Restaurant Guides

Where to Eat

Adam Platt picks 2009’s top dining destinations,
including Dovetail, Momofuku Ko, and Corton.
Best of New York Food

The best that the city’s restaurants have to offer:
paella, coffee, grilled cheese, ramen, and more.
The Cheap List

We live in a city full of small cheap-eats miracles,
including $1 foods, Korean fried chicken, and burgers.