Cafe Boulud

The service was superb! Beautiful and relaxing, great ambience :)

Came here to have a nice lunch because sometimes you need to treat yo self. Nothing short of a michelin star experience here.
We had a Saturday reservation for two at noon, special request for outdoor seating since the weather was beautiful. The place was pretty empty, so even without a reservation I feel like we would’ve been fine.
My friend and I both got the three course pre-​fixe lunch menu.
I started with the Salmon Gravlax and loved the texture and flavors! My friend got the arugula salad (forgot the real name) and it really filled her up.
For the main I got the Spiced Halibut. It was plated on top of two falafel with hummus and mayo sauce. Everything tasted so well together. The fish wasn’t over seasoned and it was cooked to a delicious texture. The falafel was fresh and light and went great with the hummus and mayo. My friend got the farfalle (again, I forgot the full name of her dish). I tried some and it creamy and fresh. Though the portion looks small, she said it was a good size!
We both ended with the Sunflower Chocolate Bar which consists of thai ice cream, a chocolate bar, apricot, and a chocolate ganache in the shape of a circle. I was just staring at it for a while because it was SO PRETTY. It literally put a huge smile on my face and made me feel so happy. I’m a sucker for pretty plating. Oh, and it was delicious.
They also gave us a little starter before our starter came out and madeleines with our dessert.
Would definitely come back, or maybe even try Daniel next time.

This is an exquisite restaurant so be prepared for a first rate experience. The staff are welcoming, informative and attentive without being intrusive. The oysters were perfect. The Mackerel appetizer was smokey and moist. All the main courses, pork chop, filet mignon, duck and my lamb saddle were cooked with perfection and the accoutrements for each brought out the full flavor of the meat. This is place not to be missed.

It’s an unique lunch experience here. I was hungry and walked in, the vegetable salad freshed me, and the next plates were better and better. I took a three plates prix today, and it was really amazing for my last stay in NYC.

Food was okay. Not sure if that’s because we had the Sunday brunch menu, but I guess we were expecting a little more for a 1-​Michelin star restaurant. You can get the same quality (if not better) in other restaurants without that star.
Our appetizers were good, English Pea Soup good. The entrees were good too, grilled trout and roasted poussin. Good but not really great.
The highlight of our experience was the dessert. We both had the orange creamsicle. It was excellent.

Surprisingly, there aren’t many restaurants open early on weekdays, so I was extremely pleased to find that Café Boulud was open at 8AM on a Tuesday. Already a big fan of Chef Daniel Boulud, plus, the Michelin Star is certainly a bonus.
The restaurant is beautiful and very relaxing. We all opted for coffee and it was delicious. I’m not particularly fond of café and this one was fantastic.
Steak & Egg ($ 26): Confit tomato, Pommes Rosti, market greens, sunny side-​up egg.
Monte Cristo ($ 22): Sunny side-​up egg, Jambon de Paris, Camembert, fig jam, roasted potatoes, market greens.
Wild Mushroom Quiche ($ 19): Arrowleaf spinach, goat cheese, chives, market greens, roasted potatoes.
The food was phenomenal. The steak was amazing — both flavor and texture; it was wonderfully tender. The Pommes Rosti, a crispy cube of creamy potatoes was a group favorite, though the roasted potatoes were just as scrumptious.
I’m sure lunch, brunch, and dinner is just as outstanding, but this was truly one of the best breakfasts I’ve had and I would love to visit for breakfast again!

Overall: great experience, good food, good service, good ambiance
Appetizer: foegrois was delicious, well made and balanced with other ingredients
Entrée: duck, cooed perfectly, nice flavor and good combination of vegetables
Dessert: molten chocolate cake, not too sweet and just the right amount of sweetness and chocolate flavor
The preservation of the food is beautiful well done by the chef, check out the pictures!
The menu is not cheap but a good place to go to for a special occasion…

Perfection. That’s all you can say about Café Boulud. Went here the other night for a tasting of Senegal cuisine by Chef Pierre Thiam in the private dining room.
The passed appetizers were amazing — the highlight was the date and sausage.
Dinner was lamb and red snapper. Words can not describe the excellence of these dishes.
The night was perfect from the host Chef Daniel to the service and the very warm atmosphere.
If you want to treat yourself to how dining should be go to Café Boulud. You will not be disappointed.

What is there to say… it’s a Boulud restaurant so you already know it is freaking amazing.
To start, get there early… whatever time your rez is… and have a drink it the ultra sexy bar. It is dark and leather and just great… here’s a plus, they have Bols gins. I understand that a ven diagram showing people who give a shit about the fact that they have bols gin and people in the world would have an intersecting point of only me, but still… it’s a good thing.
The brunch is awesome and the dinner is great.
It is in the Surrey Hotel which, along with the Carlyle and the Mark, make the hotel triangle. Spend a Sunday doing brunch and drinks and dinner and more drinks at the three hotels… you will be glad.

Having been to Daniel a few years ago, I immediately wanted to try out his other establishments. Daniel Boulud, you never fail to impress me! We came in for Restaurant Week lunch and we both had a good time even though we were in a bit of a time crunch (1 hour parking about 5 blocks away). We had briefly mentioned it at the coat check and our plates came as quick as they could — probably also because we ate a little quicker than usual too. Our server definitely picked up on it and I think the lady at coat check must’ve mentioned it to our server too because if you looked at other tables, their plates didn’t come as quick. I like that attention to detail.
What we ordered:
— Arugula Salad w/​grapefruit, almonds, ricotta salata, tarragon, white balsamic vinaigrette: fresh and light, it was a perfect starter for me
— Duck Terrine w/​pickled vegetables, grilled sourdough: full of flavor and by far, one of the best terrines we have had (2^nd to the one we had in Paris)
— Pot au Feu w/​brussels sprouts, turnips, bone marrow toast: tender and pull-​apart-​easy beef was so delicious and the bone marrow toast was perfect. Wish I could have more of the toast. Mmm.
— Scottish Salmon w/​sunchoke, fennel, parsley oil sauce maltaise: My bf had this dish, and I was much too engaged with my pot au feu, but I had a small bite of his salmon and it was cooked perfectly
— Coconut Flan w/​pineapple, passion fruit guava sorbet: the flan has a slightly thicker consistency than the caramel flans at spanish restaurants. Great coconut flavor, but my favorite from that was definitely the passion fruit guava sorbet! Sweet and tangy!
— Gingerbread Gâteau w/​pear bavarois, praline, coffee ice cream: this cake was pretty tasty, but didn’t wow me much. The winning dessert for me had to be the coconut flan
And the finale, those little madeleines we LOVE so much! They are warm, soft, and tasty with a tiny hint of orange flavor… I would eat a big box of them right then and there if I could!
For $ 25 for a 3 course lunch, it was an eye opener to the delectable creations Café Boulud has to offer. Combined with their service and attention to detail from the plate settings to YOU, as a patron, it is easily one of the restaurants I know I will definitely be back for. I can’t wait to make the next reservation and dine here again.

We came here many months ago so unfortunately can’t provide much details since mostly forgotten. But I suppose that’s one way to describe it. One thing notable was that they uses coravin wine preservation system when pouring by the glass, very interesting since each system cost couple hundreds dollars though it does ruin the mood slightly with the device squirting out wine loudly into your glass. It was a very nice experiences but just somehow forgettable compares to its peers.

Again, another gem brought to us thanks to restaurant week! It’s a cute little place inside a hotel on the UES, nice quiet neighborhood. It’s modern and a bit formal. However I disagree with other posts that it’s snobby. Everyone was nice despite knowing we weren’t spending as much (though we do always rack up a bill with drinks… Oops). We dressed more formally but people were in jeans and tshirts (definitely NOT appropriate) but they weren’t treated any differently.
The bread at his place was great with three to choose from and the bread guy kept comi around. Kudos to him. Our waiter made sure to explain the menu and answer any questions.
Is started with the celery root velouté, a thick creamy, flavorful soup. Entrée was a spinach can ravioli with mushrooms. Probably the best vegetarian entrée I’ve ever ordered. Granted I’ve probably only ordered like three in my life.
Desert was good. Except the chocolate cake was dry but I had gothams cake the day before so it’s not a fair comparison.
Another great think is their wine. No bar in the restaurant, they walk across the hall to bar boulud for drinks but the wine list is good. We did the suggested wine pairing and had a savoie sore month that was so good I had to get it the next day (and only $ 12 a glass). When we showed up at Flatiron Wine they complimented our esoteric taste in wine (yeah right lol).
Good place. Great food. A little expensive far and fancy for me but maybe for summer restaurant week?

A favorite spot of my family’s for occasions and such. My parents like the environment, and my brothers and I love the food and drinks. Everything I’ve ever had from here has been fantastic, and I have to give them kudos for service. The bread guy is our favorite, he pops up every time you find yourself itching for another piece of bread (any flavor of bread you can imagine). They also once accommodated us in the lounge area when the air conditioning was broken in the dining room. THAT is service, we love you Café Boulud!

Have been to Daniel and been well aware of how talented Daniel Boulud is, I decided to pay a visit to Café Boulud, the one-​starred restaurant on a rainy Sunday noon. It is actually right before restaurant week, however we all know how not «trustworthy» even the top tier restaurants could become during that time, I would suggest to skip RW if you would like a true feeling of Michelin star food and service.
Brunch menu can either be two or three courses and after doing some research, I knew what I am going to order even before stepping in. Smoked salmon toast to kickoff, pan seared brenzino to fill up my rave, and Mandarin orange entremet to cleanup my palate (or probably open up even more?). As a fish lover, I enjoyed my well executed fish with a crispy touch to the outside. The orange shortcake was refreshing and had the right level of sweetness.
Don’t forget to grab a bite on their warmly prepared madeleines basket before the end of meal. Definitely the highlight! Such a fantastic brunch with lots of takeaways.

Want the perfect Sunday Brunch?
Found it at Café Boulud (A Michelin star restaurant) in the Upper East Side.
You might even see Chef Daniel Boulud dining here, like I did today.
Also, walking distance to some of the great NYC museums, i.e. Frick Collection & Met Museum of Art.
2– or 3– course options for brunch. I think you can also just order one course.
The 3-​course option at $ 49 is such a great value.
You’re gettting three excellent courses: App, main, and dessert.
Service was excellent, as expected, from a Boulud restaurant.
Want to come back and try their dinner menu.
Highly recommended.
: A

Daniel Boulud is my favorite French chef. Café Boulud and Daniel. Are my 2 fav places to eat on the UES. I eat here once a month. The ability to keep the ingredients simple and pure blows me away every time I eat here.
The easiest way to get to café Boulud is to tell the driver to take you to the Surrey hotel! Or you could just walk there. Café Boulud is located in the surrey hotel on 76^th. In between 5^th and Madison. When you walk into the doors of the Surrey. To your left is bar Pleiades. To your right will be café Boulud. During the summer you can sit outside.
If you are coming here for breakfast lunch or dinner I recommend calling advance and make reservations. You can also make reservations online. The manager Jason is extremely nice and very accommodating. Last week I came here and I made reservations for 2 o’clock. I ended up showing up just passed 3 o’clock. Jason was extremely nice and made the a commendation for the kitchen to still prepare lunch for me. Thank you Jason.
I have read some of the reviews about individuals saying that they felt like they were being stared at because they weren’t dressed accordingly. New York is different than any other city. I know how it can be It’s my hometown. You can tell who is a local and who isn’t. You have to do your research on the place before you just go there. Every time I have eaten here I am one of the youngest people. There is a silent set of rules in New York that you wouldn’t understand unless you lived here or grew up here especially on the UES.
The food at café Boulud is fantastic. It’s simple but can be extravagant. The staff is very knowledgeable with pairings and the ingredients. The chestnut tortellini with celery root Brie and a red wine pear purée is delicious. There risotto with Confiet egg yolk and aged parmesan. is delicious as well. Generally I am not a big fan of duck. But Boulud seared duck breast is fantastic. For desert my waitress recommended the Chocolate entremet hazelnut with poached pears and a hazelnut ice cream.
Café Boulud has a fantastic wine list. Some of the wines and scotches are very difficult to find. I first started coming to bar Pleiades a few years ago with friends and my EX girlfriend. The bar is extremely private and normally is very quiet. The drinks are normally $ 25-​$ 30 a drink. They have a fantastic selection of single malts. On certain nights there is live jazz playing. Last time I was here I had 2 scotches and it was $ 106. By having the drinks this expensive this weeds out the crowd. But it’s a great place to grab a drink. There is a great bar and the lounges are very nice and candle lit in the evening and night.
Overall café Boulud is still one of my favorite restaurants on the UES. If you are a fan of Daniel or French cuisine. I highly recommend you stop by also check out bar pleidies across the hall.
PROS:
— one of my fav places on the east side
— staff is 110% fantastic

Came here for a work related Christmas gathering. Exactly what I would expect in a nice Upper East Side restaurant. Elegant dining area, impeccable service, and incredible food.
I enjoyed the wild boar, which was amazingly tender and flavorful. Also excellent were the Massachusetts raw oysters and the foie gras.
All of that being said, be prepared for the bill. For a party of 12, including a few lower end bottles of wine, the bill was $ 2500! Certainly large bills are the norm when doing business, but that was still a bit higher than I expected.
Nevertheless, nothing about the experience was less than wonderful.

We went for breakfast, it was just ok. Nothing close to what you’d expect from a Michelin restaurant.
The manager seemed to take issue with our appearance, and tucked us into some weird table in the back.
The rude hostess literally dropped our menus on the table and walked away without as much as a sound or acknowledgment of any kind.
Our food was delivered without any explanation of what some of the accoutrements were. We asked 3 different people to explain, none of which spoke English. Finally a nice server (not ours) came but to describe what was served.
We had reservations for the evening as well, since we were staying in the attached Surrey Hotel. We almost canceled due to the rudeness and lack of attention to detail at such a «premium» restaurant. However, we concluded dinner would certainly be a much better experience, so we kept our reservation.
While checking in for our dinner reservation, we were greeted with the most condescending glances by the same general manager as in the morning. Then with utter arrogance, and a patronizing tone, says” I’ll get you guys a jacket”. Just for the record: the 3 of us in our late 20s early 30s, were dressed sharply. One in a black cashmere sweater, one in grey and one in a black shirt and jacket. I informed him I would NOT be wearing any jacket he provided, and we had one in our room, since we were staying in the Hotel. In an equally snide manner, he relied, «I know, I saw you this morning».
We explained had there been a «jacket required» dress code on their website we would have happily adhered. He admitted there was no such policy but «they preferred to maintain a certain aesthetic». This all while spotting several men dining WITHOUT jackets feet away from us.
We asked the concierge if a jacket was required and we were explicitly told no. Apparently this man thinks this restaurant is a nightclub and can turn people away based on looks and his personal preference. That, or he took issue with our sexual orientation.
We travel frequently and visit Michelin restaurants often. We do our due diligence to ensure we’re properly dressed in the RARE event there is a posted dress code. This experience was the most blatant and disgusting display of discrimination I have ever encountered at an establishment of such acclaim.
I assure you, this place is not worth it. And until I receive a written apology, I will never step food in a Boulud restaurant again and will advise my friends to do the same.

I came here on a first date with the man in my life. That was two years ago who I waited so long to return?!
This second time around we dined here post opera — Othello at the Met– with our Parterre partnaires.
It is a delightful elegant restaurant located in but off to the side depressed entrance to the Surrey Hotel. It has delightful outdoor dining in season.
Elegance that is exquisite in every sense from ambiance to service to the generous hospitality and designer dishes.
This is quintessential Daniel and he knows what he is doing here.
The fours menus include 2 appetizers and main courses each:
Traditional French selection
Seasonal
Vegetarian!!!
Cuisine of the day: today was Indian.
Then of course he desert menu to absolutely toss your prudent behavior out the door.
So beautifully presented so exquisite in taste and aromas I love this place all the more because it differs so from his Bar Boulud near the Met where you are treated as if at a fast food joint it often feels.[
Worth the trip up here and street parking with meters is perfect.
Coming back Soon.
Merci Daniel

Gutes Essen, schöné Bedienung, nette Leute — alles was man braucht. Toll.

Went there for lunch today with my friend to celebrate her birthday. Came during 2015 summer restaurant week. 3 course menu, I had beet cured salmon, Skate Wing Grenobloise as entrée, and Vanilla Tartelette as dessert. I love skate wing Grenobloise the best, it’s one of the best fish I have ever had, a bit of crispness and crunchy, tender insider, the flavor is balanced very well, even the finger potato is well baked, I had a blast.
The dinning experience was great, decent and elegant decoration, quiet and romantic atmosphere, service is great, food is served in a reasonable quantity and it’s efficient, not too much waiting between courses.
You know what, when we stepped outside, we saw Sharon Stone, who was making phone call and dressed in black! She is very beautiful:) What a day:)

Que dire du café Boulud? Un cadre classique pas déplaisant mais qui n’emballe pas non plus. Une clientèle composée de personnes agées et/​ou de touristes principalement. Et une approche à la cuisine «française» très américanisée, ce qui mèné à des résultats… Amusants.
Lors de mon repas (qui remonte quand même à un an maintenant) j’avais pris le menu complet pour un prix tout à fait sympathique. Ma soupe, bien qu’assez bonne, était présentée sous forme déstructurée: on m’a apporté un bol à soupe vide avec du saumon dedans puis versé au-​dessus ma soupe. Original. mais le résultat final était peu emballant et bien moins mémorable que sa présentation.
J’avais ensuite un trio de canard dont une boulette de canard. La boulette encore une fois était surprenante mais n’apportait rien au repas, surtout vu que le goût du canard était ainsi effacé. Les deux autres présentations du canard étaient meilleures.
Le dessert fut la vraie bonne surprise du repas. Il s’agissait d’une sorte de gâteau avec du caramel beurre salé et des morceaux de je-​né-​sais-​quoi croustillant au-​dessus. C’était délicieux!
Je né peux regretter que les autres plats n’aient pas été à la hauteur, malgré des idées intéressantes et une volonté claire d’innovation.