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All Reader Reviews of...

Vice Versa

325 W. 51st St., New York, NY, 10019
nr. Eighth Ave.
212-399-9291

Avg. Rating

8
Food: 8
Service: 9
Décor: 9
"Recommended"

Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10.

78% would go back.

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Hellish Cuisine in Hell's Kitchen

By akriegel on 4/22/2012

  • Overall Rating: 4
  • Food: 1
  • Service: 7
  • Décor: 8
  • No, I would not go back!

Last night I took my girlfriend out to Vice Versa for a pre-theater birthday dinner. I have never been more disappointed with a restaurant Mr. Patronite and Ms. Raisfeld have recommended. Yes, the restaurant layout was spacious, the service charming, and the decor modern and beautiful. But the food was simply inedible. The minestrone soup was tasteless and bitter. The caprese salad was unimpressive with its underripe heirloom tomatoes, chewy mozzarella, and lifeless oil and vinegar dressing. The lobster salad was the most pleasing item we had, however, it's hard to mess up lobster, and it was overall unimpressive. For the main course we had the grouper and the spaghetti- both highly recommended by the server. The grouper was extremely dry, the accompanying sauce was nauseatingly sweet, and the brussel sprouts it was served with were undercooked and bitter. The spaghetti was supposed to come with crab, but it was barely discernable in the dish. The olives tasted canned, and the sauce was worse than any jarred variety you can buy at the supermarket. It appeared our dishes had been left out for an extended period of time before they were brought to us because they were lukewarm and had a crusty film covering the top. The wine, the best part of the meal, was delicious and reasonably priced. Do not go to this restaurant for the food- foodies beware.

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20 out of 38 people found this review helpful.

Loved it.

By JohnHand on 1/16/2011

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 10
  • Décor: 10
  • Yes, I would go back!

We had a 7:30 reservation on a Saturday night. We arrived about an hour early and sat at the bar with a glass of wine. The place was packed but we were seated after about 20 minutes in what seemed to be the best table in the place. We were right next to the glass enclosed courtyard and they still had their Christmas tree up and it was a perfect touch. The goat cheese I had with my appetizer might be the best I have ever had, and the grouper was perfectly cooked. We had no room for dessert, which is one sign of a great meal, but we did manage to eat half the plate of cookies they brought out.

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29 out of 54 people found this review helpful.

Good food, wallet stolen

By walkercooper on 5/13/2010

  • Overall Rating: 7
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 7
  • Décor: 7
  • No, I would not go back!

Pleasant evening, food and company good. Nice restaurant. My wife's wallet was stolen from her purse while we were in the restaurant, a fact we discovered the next morning when AMEX alerted us of suspicious charges. We notified the NYPD who are on the case. When we called the restaurant the next night to tell them, the "manager" questioned our veracity and the accuracy of our account. Since we were not asking them for anything, but merely wanted to let them know this event took place, we were surprised by the manager's assertion that we had no "proof." This was a pointless and offensive response. We will not be returning to this restaurant.

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53 out of 97 people found this review helpful.

The best I've ever had!!!

By emilyw on 5/9/2010

  • Overall Rating: 10
  • Food: 10
  • Service: 10
  • Décor: 10
  • Yes, I would go back!

I had the whipped egg white omelette for brunch and I have never had anything more delicious in my life! A definite must for the food lovers!

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40 out of 81 people found this review helpful.

Fantastic Hells Kitchen Find!

By rleib on 1/20/2010

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 9
  • Yes, I would go back!

I could not say enough good things about Vice Versa. I recently had dinner here and every member of the staff could not have been more gracious or accomodating. I would highly reccommend this place to anyone looking to just have a very great meal - or even to celebrate a special occassion. Fantastic food, great decor, and very sweet staff make it a wonderful evening!

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59 out of 128 people found this review helpful.

Great Place for a Martini

By texasmountaineer on 8/29/2009

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 9
  • Yes, I would go back!

This place is upscale but has very comfortable casual feel. The artichoke and calamari tart is great and you have to try the roasted baby chicken. The Prix fixe is all the time and great deal. They make and awesome martini....the best part of the meal is the surprise plate of cookies. Each cookie is a complete tasting delight.

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57 out of 118 people found this review helpful.

My Favorite Theater District Restaurant

By JAlexander on 8/6/2009

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 8
  • Yes, I would go back!

Vice Versa is my favorite theater district restaurant. The food is consistently delicious and the service is superb...and cute!

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64 out of 133 people found this review helpful.

Nothing contrary here

By CaptainCook on 8/24/2005

  • Overall Rating: 8
  • Food: 7
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 9
  • Yes, I would go back!

They still offer a very nice "Restaurant Week" prix fixe for $35, and it's a pretty good deal. The room and atmosphere are wonderful, but it can be noisy if you're sitting at a table away from the wall. The bar looks great. There are good wine choices, and the pastas are first-rate. I was disappointed in the carrot cake dessert: small and dry, not at all like your typical cc.

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278 out of 577 people found this review helpful.

Simple Pleasure

By martin_chamois on 5/21/2003

  • Overall Rating: 9
  • Food: 9
  • Service: 9
  • Décor: 9
  • Yes, I would go back!

Everything about this slightly below street level dinning room and adjacent garden restaurant is the essence of simplicity and elegance. Reception is efficient and professional. The staff is superb. The menu is authentic Italian cuisine, executed to perfection by the kitchen. It all seems so simple, but rarely does a restaurant carry if off to perfection, the way Vice Versa does routinely.

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338 out of 630 people found this review helpful.

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