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Schiller's Liquor Bar
131 Rivington St., New York, NY, 10002
at Norfolk St.
212-260-4555
| 6.1 | "Mixed Reviews" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
Don't bother for brunch
kw0812 from 11215 | Posted on 10/25/09
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My husband had been looking forward to eating here as a relaxed alternative to brunch at Clinton Street Bakery. We got seated right away and were given menus. So far so good. Our waitress seemed to be a bit out of it. I wanted Eggs Benedict - nothing on the menu indicated if it came with potatoes, so I asked. No potatoes I was told, so we ordered a side dish. My husband ordered the waffle with hazelnuts and maple bourbon syrup. The waitress came back and the waffle was the one thing they didn't have. The substitute French toast was deep fried with a few tasty berries and syrup. Not a great substitute. My Eggs Benny came resting on - you guessed it - a bed of home fries. And of course we got our side dish of home fries. Not mentioned at all by the waitress - not an oops or an apology. I loved the home fries, but not enough to eat them twice. And the white of the poached egg in my benny was not cooked in some places. All in all a mess and we'll never go back.
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Very Disappointing-- DO NOT BELIEVE THE HYPE
gilbey from 10128 | Posted on 8/9/09
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How this place made it on to any list, on ANY score, is beyond me. The service was at best workmanlike, but not one iota more --certainly not warm or solicitous. To say that the food was overpriced would be an understatement. The quality of the food presentation ( what else can I comment on since I had a simple brunch consisting of eggs, bacon, toast, potatoes, cappuccino and OJ) was strictly blah. The potatoes were greasy and had a reheated taste--read not fresh. The best item of the lot was the decaf cappuccino-- it was robust, tasty and foamy. I did lose some sleep wondering how the mostly young, faded jeans crowd that was brunching there could afford to do so, since few looked like buttoned-down investment bankers. Then it occurred to me that these were likely trust fund kids acclimating before the start of fall classes. In a nutshell: Do yourself a favor and stay away from this sub-par, overpriced dive. There is obviously hype driving the interest in this place, but DO NOT BELIEVE IT.
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"eh"
Iliketoeat from 10014 | Posted on 6/5/09
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"eh" (((shrugs shoulders))) My Jewish grandma would not have been impressed. I liked the bathrooms, and not much more. Our sever ran around a lot, but refused to make eye contact with anyone at our table as she ran by appearing to be busy and apparently not getting much done. The entire place seemed to have this forced fake feel. Keep the postcard and bring me a hot coffee. Jeez. go to Ess-a if you're looking for a show?
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A Favorite
christinah from 10013 | Posted on 3/29/09
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Despite the McNally name and voracious weekend crowds, walking into Shillers always feels like stumbling upon a captivating and secret little world. The decor is transporting and thoughtful down to the last detail. I would go for the oysters alone, and even the "cheap" wines taste "good".
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Late Night Drinks Meet High-Brow Comfort Food
ninak87 from 08824 | Posted on 10/26/08
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Never had brunch here but for after-work drinks late on a Friday night, Schiller's transports you to New Deal-era New York. The ambiance is warm and sparkling: tin ceilings, subway tile, checkered floors and a beautifully-stocked bar populated with beautiful people. Nevermind the above-average-looking clientele, the cocktails are fresh and perfectly mixed ($11). "First Snow" was infused with warm, wintery spices; strong, but not overly liquory. Beyond the unusually friendly service, perhaps the best part is that food is served late into the night. The french fries are fried to crisp perfection, garnished with mayonnaise the European way. The only downside is that the bustle of socialistas and profusion of reflective surfaces makes maintaining a conversation nearly impossible. You might manage to avoid a hangover, but be prepared for the morning-after sore throat.
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My Kinda Place
GRcirca1985 from 06840 | Posted on 8/6/08
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After being dragged around from one tacky, pretentious bar after another, I was nothing less than ecstatic to arrive at Schiller's. Granted I am partial to Futura extra bold and anyone who shares my typographic proclivities, the decor is first rate--everything you'd expect from a McNally joint. A Saturday night, the place was buzzing with activity--lively but not overwhelming. We managed to get a table right away and were promptly greeted by one of the staff for our drink orders. My buddy ordered a double Dewar's on the rocks which ended up being a full glass of whiskey--generous doesn't cover it. That, the two pitchers of Sangria, and several additional shots came out to under $80. Between four people it was a bargain (for Manhattan, mind you). There were no bridge-and-tunnelers, the wait staff was friendly, and the ambience was brilliant. I'm looking forward to trying the food.
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Decent food, paper napkins, not bad for an easy Friday or Saturday night
EBITDAmargin from 10028 | Posted on 5/11/08
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Service was attentive but felt a bit rushed. Staff actually was pretty friendly and professional. The food was good, for what it was.
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Cool place for brunch
girardasse from 11211 | Posted on 12/14/07
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Very living place. As a liquor bar, the decor consists in a pile of bottles, simple tables and a bar where people are eating (no wonder it's a bit noisy sometimes). A nice atmosphere doesnt make a nice restaurant, fair enough the dishes are good and not overpriced (I really don't understand some reviews below since everything is under 20$). Cool spot for brunch!
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Pretentious
circle9ine from 11217 | Posted on 12/11/07
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If you like eating overpriced fair-to-middling food with some stripey-shirted bridge&tunneler's ass in your face, you will frickin' LOVE Schiller's! The LES is a hotbed of good food these days. Schiller's is nothing to write home about. For the same buck you could get a lot more bang within one block in any direction. And seriously - WTF is up with having a bouncer at the door? What LES restaurant or bar does that? That's retarded. Is Jay-Z hanging out in there? Are they, like, some "exclusive" scene or something? No. They're an overpriced restaurant with a decently priced wine list, that's all. You wanna pay $14 for a cubano when you could get one that's bigger AND better for $10 less two blocks away - hey, man, be my guest.
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Finally a change
RoninVP from 20008 | Posted on 4/17/07
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Coming from DC with our posh hot spots, pretentious wine bars, and dingy clubs faking Miami, this was a relief. Led by a soon to be Master Sommelier, we arrived late after diner around 11:30 to this dimly lit, hospital tiled room with staggered lamps. The drinks (tequila sidecars) were amazing, atmosphere was studio like, with dancing girls and "Fight Club" lighting. A place for everyone if you like change and are comfortable with it. If not,... continue to be pompous and safe with your day to day choices. Cheers to Shiller's!
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