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All Reader Reviews of...
Hearth
403 E. 12th St., New York, NY, 10009
at First Ave.
646-602-1300
| 6.8 | "Recommended" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
Did I miss something?
DeanNYC from 10023 | Posted on 10/26/09
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I am a NYC fine dining regular and was excited to give Hearth a shot after numerous excellent reviews. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a pleasant hostess and a large, spare dining room with padded carpet strips on one wall. Hearth has a large, complicated wine list that is likely excellent by-the-bottle, but too highbrow if going by-the-glass. After plenty of consultation with our server, we opted for the autumn tasting menu with one substitution. The salad course was not remarkable, with light dressing reminiscent of Henri's Tas-tee on the pear and pecorino salad. Next, came lukewarm pumpkin ravioli that was so sweet it made my teeth ache, like a too-rich dessert. The main course was venison (again, lukewarm), which was overcooked and which the server smartly and subtly tried to warn me off. I should have taken her advice. My wife substituted the duck, which was excellent and the best thing we ate that evening. The apple crisp dessert was very basic and very good. In the end, I was turned off by the coldness of the dining room and the average quality of the food, especially at those prices.
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I don't care what others say, you'd be CRAZY not to eat here
tasterC from 10023 | Posted on 9/1/09
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I took a date and we sat at the kitchen pass; a real treat, especially since I work as a cook in Brooklyn. We chose the Riesling from Alsace; light with nice acidity. I had the chilled corn soup with fennel and gulf shrimp, a perfectly balanced Summer soup. She had the beet salad, which was expertly seasoned and beautifully presented. Next I had the zucchini raviolo; a pouch of perfectly cooked pasta enveloping ricotta, zucchini, onions and tomato. She had the chicken with polenta and market vegetables. I'm not usually a fan of poultry but this was delicious. One critique I have is that, in general, they could hold back just a tad on the salt, but that's it. We both enjoyed the pie of the day; key lime with graham cracker crust, presented with a beautiful quinelle of whipped cream. The hostess and our server were friendly and knowledgeable, the decor was warm and inviting. We both had a wonderful time and agreed that it was the perfect place for a date. In fact, if I had the cash I'd go back again tomorrow!
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One of the best in NYC
panagisv from 10011 | Posted on 6/12/09
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I've been to Hearth many times and every single time the food and the service have been excellent. Their wine list is very interesting to read, with great comments from the sommelier. It helped me discover an excellent Cab Franc from the North Fork! Their knowledgeable staff are great and very friendly. The only comment I'd make is that I'd like to see some more variety in the main courses. I love their food and that's why it'd be nice to have more choice there! I can't wait to go back!!
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Delightful
Campbell55 from 10022 | Posted on 6/2/09
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We had the half portion of the mushroom/pasta to start, followed by the veal breast and chicken. All items were exceptionally prepared and our server was instrumental in the selection process. Other than atmosphere, which can be noisy, the food and service are top shelf.
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casual, great food, cucina povera + wine = deal; sit @ kitchen pass
wavsurfer from 10032 | Posted on 5/22/09
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Hearth's new "recession special" is a 3-course "cucina povera" dinner for $35 (wine pairings only $15 extra! really cheap for restaurant wine, esp. in NY). Came in w/o a rez on a Thurs night in the mid of the dinner rush and sat at the kitchen pass. Got a great show and a bit of an education watching the fish cook juggle 7 dishes at once. Even felt bad when the chef gently scolded the saute cook for delaying an order. Fun night with great food in a casual, non-pretentious atmosphere. BTW: yelp sucks!
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Don't expect too much
nyworkaholic from 10016 | Posted on 6/7/08
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Too expensive for a neighborhiood haunt...but Hearth doesn't have the quality food, cocktails or wine list that warrant going out of your way for. Service was ok but there was nothing distinguishing about Hearth.
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a huge disappointment
stargirl75 from 10011 | Posted on 3/31/08
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we dine out a awful lot and i must say that the service at hearth was the worst i've EVER experienced in all of nyc. after being seated for our 9:30 reservation at 10:45 the food was a bit of a disappointment. it wasn't bad, but it was just pretty average. there was something just sort of "off" and nothing was cooked quite perfectly. the manager was very apologetic about our wait time but the service didn't improve much once were finally seated. overall it wasn't worth the wait.
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Incredible
msulli5402 from 10019 | Posted on 3/26/07
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I have been a few times and found it consistently enjoyable - it has quickly become our favorite restaurant. Menu is interesting, food well prepared and service is always attentive and informative. I would never have expected such a good experience in the East Village but regardless they deliver.
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Dine elsewhere, NY is too big of a city to go here.
cubbos from 10010 | Posted on 11/3/06
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Service is horrible, food is hit or miss (often way too salty), and the decor is so-so. Waiter ignored us all night, coming by just to pour way too much wine, courses took a half hour in between. No concept of class or service, they should be charging like $10 an entree at their level. There are too many restaurants in NY to waste your time and money here. I'm not sure if it was better in the past, but steer clear now until they attempt to make it better.
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great spot
bklynpair | Posted on 8/19/05
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We had a great dinner here. We were immediately welcomed by a personable and attentive staff who took good care of us throughout the evening. The decor is perfect: warm and inviting with just the right touch of sophistication. We had the tasting menu which was very good, but I have to admit I thought the price was a bit much. Overall I definitely recommend for a great evening out.
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