Craftsteak

Deeply, deeply disappointing. I love Craft — in fact, I think of it as one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. My experience with Craftsteak, however, was defined by subpar food and poor service. When paying for a $ 50+ steak, I have a certain set of expectations for the meal — Craftsteak failed to meet these on almost every level.
First, credit where credit is due. Awesome sommelier — recommended a fantastic bottle of wine that was half the price of others he could have recommended. Also, great bread: warm with a glaze of butter on top. Could have eaten at least 4 pieces.
The appetizers: nothing special, especially given the time we had to wait to order them. A small serving of Bay Scallops was tasty but unsatisfying (10 baby scallops and a schmear of aioli); the Lobster Ravioli was good, but hardly worth the $ 20 it cost.
After the first course, things started to tailspin. The Corn-​fed Ribeye for one of my companions was well overcooked; that of another was poorly prepared (neither well seasoned nor broiled — just not tasty). The overly well-​done specimen was sent back, but the replacement arrived some 20 minutes later, far too long to continue dinner in-​step with the rest of us. My 14 oz. Grass-​fed Ribeye was just OK (though the unequivocal winner among the Strip and the 18 oz. Ribeye) — a nice marbling of the meat, but far from extrordinary on taste. As for sides, Potatoes Gratin were undercooked — came out raw and crispy. Onion Rings were aesthetically pleasing, but flavorless. Not what you expect from an expensive dinner.
Dessert, which we expected to be comped after the steak debacle (as well as a terrible dessert ordering experience — waited 15 minutes and had to flag the Manager to give our choices), was not. Despite the rapidly rising disastifaction with the restaurant, we could nevertheless appreciate a delicious white chocolate cheesecake (with a semi-​sweet cherry garnish) and addictive pumpkin donuts (large donut «holes» with cinnamon sugar and a honey-​based pot de crème on the side).
Despite a couple of highlights, Craftsteak is unfortunately not recommended for those craving a well-​executed steak dinner. Pales in comparison to Sparks, or a host of other meat spots in NYC.

I’ve only been here while quite intoxicated, so I may have had beer goggles on for this place, but I always at least «remember» having had a great time. Sitting at the bar eating a burger and drinking a beer with friends is a perfect way to end a night of after work drinks. The staff is super friendly and professional, the food is great, and the recession menu makes it affordable. They even make a special off-​menu pickle sandwich for my crazy vegetarian friend. Kudos Colicchio.

Great ambiance, food and service. The service is friendly and quick, not stuffy at all. The vibe is classy and relaxing — it really welcomes a comfortable night out. Truly a great spot for a date or a group.
The food is the highlight. A surprisingly varied menu for a steakhouse. Meat and vegetables are simple and flavorful.

Proprietor/​Chef: Tom Colicchio
***3.5 stars
.Friday evening dinner.
The space & décor is stunning. I feel like I’m in a Chicago bar, minus the cigar smoke, with comfy leather sofas, high ceilings and candle dim lights. Beautiful beige and browns, with slick city modern nuances. Even with the seven us. there was ample space between us, made for a not so intimate feel, but no matter, the sight alone was worth the distance between.
The service left something to be desired. He was utterly slow and was barely there to service us. And when asked about the various types of oysters, I couldn’t hear a goddamn word he said.
The food… ahhhhh the food. The most memorable were definitely the oysters. They were superbly fresh and so many frickin’ varieties to choose from it made my mouth melt. The seafood overall was good… including the massive seafood platter. Tasty.
My actual entrée, salmon, was sub par. I took the waiter’s suggestion and had my salmon cooked medium. Bad choice. I came to the realization that I will never EVER have my salmon cooked medium again. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed. Everything else was good… but everything else was pretty much veggies…
Will I be back? I love Tom Colicchio so chances are, hell yes I will.

I should preface this by saying I’ve never been to any of the other contenders for top steakhouses. The finest steakhouse next on my list would be a Morton’s.
That being said, I still have taste buds that work as well as the next guy, and this was — by far — the best steak I have ever tasted. I ordered the grass fed ribeye medium rare on the waiter’s recommendation, and I was not disappointed. It was prepared and served perfectly.
The atmosphere was elegant without being overbearing, the service was impeccable, and the drinks were stiff. The price tag is an obvious distraction, but if you’re going out for a treat you won’t be disappointed to splurge a little here.
The steak is always a little bigger than it actually sounds (a pleasant surprise), so don’t go too crazy with the appetizers and sides. Still, I indulged in a half-​dozen Welfleet Oysters (they have a wide selection), and would recommend those as readily as the steak itself.
A steakhouse done right. New York through and through.

I went with a business group a few weeks ago and we were seated promptly and professionally. I had the Prime NY Strip steak aged 42 days. A great cut of meat cooked to perfection. The waiter was very knowledgeable, friendly and unpretentious. Also had the Beer Braised Pork Belly and the Lobster & Ricotta Double Ravioli with Corn and Chorizo-​Braised Tomatoes. The only disappointment were the Hen of the Woods Mushrooms. The mushrooms were cooked too much where they were somewhat charred. When I visited the Craftsteak in Las Vegas the Hen of the Woods Mushrooms were perfection and stuck in my memory more than any other part of the meal because the flavor was so distinctive. I was disappointed in the same selection at Craftsteak NY. With a good Syrah wine, selected and tasted from suggestions given us by our waiter, it was a fine meal. Chocolate Soufflé and espresso capped it.
The restaurant itself is beautiful, modern, comfortable but again not pretentious. I love the view of the huge display of oysters on ice up at what looks like a 60 degree angle. I also like the large virtical glass wine rack display.
I recommend this restaurant and also the Craftsteak in Las Vegas inside the MGM Grand.
Next time I think I will sample some Wagyu Beef.

We’re foodies AND fans of «Top Chef», so a visit to Tom Colicchio’s CraftSteak was near-​mandatory on our last trip to NYC. Totally off the beaten-​path in the meat-​packing district, I thought that this place had better be spectacular because I was giving up a dinner at Peter Luger for it. It didn’t disappoint, but it did. I wanted to see Chef Colicchio and ask him how he’d rate our meal had it been served to him on Top Chef. It certainly wouldn’t have won him any challenges… but it was a solid try, too.
So while I’ll dog on the place a bit, I do have to say that it’s not without merit. But the NYC steak competition is some of the fiercest in the nation and Tom has had his flank steak handed to him.
For starters, we ordered the wagyu steak tartare and the tomato salad. Both were fine, but neither shined on the order of Michelin stars or Zagat 25+‘s. The tomatoes — ordered in late July — tasted as bland as store bought winter varieties, rather than the heirloom flavor bursts that they should have been in mid-​summer. The steak tartare served with a poached egg lacked deft butchery and had chewy parts and some connective tissue… not things you want when eating raw meat.
To rescue our meal, we were shocked and awed by the main course! Thank god! Taking note of the giant steaks (and the giant price tags on said steaks) on tables nearby, we stuffed any shame and split the Wagyu skirt steak. It was a new level of steak! Totally different than Peter Luger, this was buttery soft and flavorful like foi gras. Thankfully, we ordered a side of carrots and a potato rosti. The baby carrots tasted like they were deep fried (awesome) but the caramelization enhanced the flavor and begged to be tried at home. The rosti had potential, but was nearly room temperature by the time it reached our table, even though it was in a iron skillet.
For dessert, our chocolate soufflé was wholely devoured. The coffee crème anglaise led an entirely new aspect to the dish that must bring compliments to the chef. Our crumb donuts with blueberry compote and cream cheese ice cream were hit and miss. While the donuts were forgetable (the wife says «too crunchy»), the tiny blueberry compote was warm, sweet, and perfectly gooey. And why don’t we see cream cheese ice cream nationwide? This was the stuff of genius.
So if you can’t stop yourself from notching your foodie belt by hitting Colicchio’s signature restaurant, be ready for some greatness and some disappointment… and bring your American Express because you’ll need the limit. If you’re thinking far enough in advance and can hit Brooklyn, I’d recommend hitting the old standby, Peter Luger.

Came here on a Friday night and came away with mixed feelings, I think it deserves a 3.5, but slanted more towards 3 in the end.
First the good, the restaurant space itself is awesome, there were three of us and we were seated in a large corner booth. The beef selection was never ending, and they had a huge choice of sides and appetizers.
We got oysters, pork belly, and Wagyu tartare for appetizers. All were great, I’m note a huge fan of oysters, but even the oysters were great. If I had to rank them, I’d go with the Wagyu tartare first, then oysters, then pork belly.
I got the corn fed ribeye for my steak. The steak itself had too much fat on it unfortunately. I didn’t feel that the steak itself had as much flavor as some other places do, but it came with very good sauces.
For sides we got the eggplant, corn gratin, and the yukon gold purée. The corn gratin was incredible, definitely the best side. The yukon gold purée was good, just like mashed potatoes, and the eggplant was just flat out not good.
For dessert I tried the cheesecake sundae. It was good, but nothing special and I expected something better from a place like this.
Overall, for 3 people we spent nearly $ 400. At those prices, every dish should be very good, and to have eggplant that was actually bad, and a steak that had a little too much fat, stops this place from getting 4 stars.

Cons:
Pricey a bit, depending if you want drinks.
Pros:
Kind of the best food I’ve ever tasted and I am a traveler, I’ve been to Cuba and all over. Really really great food, the service is NOT bad, the architecture is fucking beautiful.
Overall:
I am glad this place is kind of a gem… not THAT known yet. However I am sure it’ll be out «there» soon. It’s a mix between southern yummy and a very good chef. I love you CS
Return Rate:
Yes, I’ve been back more than 4 times.

A review of Halfsteak:
Poor Service. Great food.
Brought my friends burger out a good 15 minutes before our steaks came out. Really? Really?
Had the fried oysters app. Pretty good. Not too memorable, but nice coleslaw touch on top. Grade: B Price 6.5
Halfsteak with fries. Pretty great. Not an amazing cut of meat, but very flavorable and well cooked. Make sure to ask for the steaksauce. Dont know why they didn’t bring it out to begin with but again this Halfsteak=1/3^rd of regular service apparently.
The steaksauce made it. Really complemented the meat well and the fries were delicious. B+ Price:14.5
Desert was Cherry Bread Pudding. Rich and flavorful. Price: 4.5
Total 26.5 Grade B+ Service. F.
If i wasn’t that impressed with the food and the décor I would be giving it a lower rating. However, the food is worth a visit and the inside is really beautiful, even the halfsteak area.
Nice touch at the end was pastries from the pastry chef on the way out.

Okay, the ‘Halfsteak; burger is a super upgraded version of a Big Mac, and this is a GOOD thing! Two patties, two slices of cheese, finely chopped onions, lettuce, and pickles, and as one of my friends said as she bit into one of the accompanying fries, «These are better than McD’s!» (don’t front: salty McD’s fries hit the spot after drinking!)
Oh, and the nachos were really good as well; I love when whole beans (vs. re-​fried) are used. I recommend ordering the nachos as an appetizer vs. entrée.
When Halfsteak first opened, they had a red velvet cupcake on the menu, but what happened?! No-​mo cupcakes :(

I am only reviewing their ‘HalfCraft’ (or was it HalfSteak?) menu, which has no doubt popped up in the window for these recessionary times …
With salads at $ 7.50, steak and fries for $ 14, ribs for $ 9 at this luxe Hudsonview establishment I was expecting a simplified, albeit superbly executed menu.
Instead, we got the worst of all possible permutations of what you can do with modest price and ingredients — a tiny roasted beet and mesclun salad the diameter of a drinks coaster was an utter rip off, a tiny plate of ribs were burned beyond carcinogenic belief, and an impressive-​on-​arrival steak and fries turned out to be a nasty, tough and fatty off cut with greasy fries.
A ‘nice price’ menu, in my book, is the perfect opportunity to strut your stuff, to entice newbies to come back for more, including your full price menu.
This fancy establishment just chose to be cheap and nasty. I’ve worked front and back of house and at the cutting board in all kinds of restaurants and I call this a dumb and smug move. I’m not going back no matter how good their steaks are. My only recommendation is that they re-​think their derision for «voucher people» and «cheapskates» or change the menu title to «HalfAssed».

My main complaint is the steaks come out pre-​cut. What I am 2 years old and need a little help from mommy? Not if I am dropping at least $ 50 for a piece of meat. That aside the meal was great.
This was a special occasion for us, this place is certainly not an everyday place (although halfsteak could be…), it is what you expect from a fine dining establishment; everyone from the hostess to the bus boys were fantastic. Every aspect of the restaurant was thought out and presented well.
I am a sucker for bread, and the miniature cast iron pan that comes out with piping hot carbohydrate concoction, topped with salt is a very nice way to start a meal.
Each day the menu is updated with the ‘catch of the day’ of meat, ranging from corn fed, grass fed, Waygu and of course Kobe (really expensive really fast!!). Steaks were cooked correctly, and they might be salty for some, but I thought it was the right amount to bring out the natural, almost game flavor from some of the more naturally raised cows. The selection of mushrooms is amusing and delicious, it is not often you see the selection like this in a steak house.
The service is top notch, absolutely fantastic.
Unfortunately it does not rank among the top of my NYC steak houses, but somewhere in the middle. It is worth a trip to chose a variety of meat though, I could imagine a wonderful ‘meat flight night’…
The restrooms are immaculate private stalls, clean and stocked as one would expect with a restaurant of this caliber, 5 Flushes.

Tentatively no.1 on my list of NYC steakhouses
.
Cows like grass. I like cows. Therefore, I like grass-​fed cows. They taste real good. Especially when they are still bleeding and seasoned to perfection by master craftsmen of Craftsteak.

Craftsteak now has «Halfsteak» on Wednesday, where they have half a steak, small plates, half pints of beer, half cocktails and sandwiches all under $ 15. I had the Wagyu nachos and the meatball, gnocchi and smoked mozzarella casserole. I loved the nachos but wasn’t a big fan of the casserole — sauce was a little too thick and more like tomato paste. I was surprised however, after two small plates I felt pretty full. Still, I went for dessert and enjoyed my oatmeal cookie cinnamon ice cream sandwich.
I was pleased with my dining experience, even though I wasn’t a big fan of the gnocchi dish. Several people I’ve told about CraftSteak asked if the meal was out of our price range. For $ 26 (including tip), I left feeling completely stuffed — and drank a half pint of a «classier» beer, as well as enjoyed dessert — so a much better deal than some of the mediocre meals I had during Restaurant Week. According to our waiter, Halfsteak will be offered indefinitely, so if interested in trying the meal, we encourage you to call before you go. If you do decide to go, from our experience it makes the most sense to go with a bigger group. If we had a group of three to four, we would have definitely had the opportunity to try several more dishes without feeling too full.

This place is getting three stars given the lower-​than-​expected ratio of quality to price. For the money they charge, the meal should be better.
First the Clos Mimi ’05 at $ 55: not a bad wine, but I’d had a much tastier bottle at Moran’s down the street for $ 40. That I didn’t find the wine tasty, after already downing ¹⁄₃ of a bottle an hour earlier, speaks even less for it.
8 oz Filet Mignon: Asked for medium rare and got medium. For $ 40, I expect them to get this right! Moreover, they served the steak carved into three pieces. This is really annoying. I suppose they do this to check the meat while cooking, but if so, all the more reason not to overcook. Secondly, the carve-​up means that the juices escape from the middle. I’d like to discover the steak myself and they lose points for this. I suppose steak snobs might find fault with my reasoning, but other than porterhouse steaks at Luger’s, etc., I’ve never seen service like this and certainly not for an 8 oz filet.
Sides: the brussels sprouts were awesome. The mixed mushrooms ($ 16) were excellent. The onion rings were good, but I’ve rarely had bad onion rings in my life.
Final tally: 3 people: $ 227 before tip. Pretty pricey for what you get. Good service, but I’d expect nothing less. For this price, I think the experience at Lugers or Quality Meats (or even Wolfgang’s) is equal or better. Of course, you can’t beat the décor of this place. It is just massive and very impressive (exposed steel girders, etc.), but you do have to trek to 10^th avenue to enjoy the interior design, so it’s a tossup.

*SO* disappointed. So very very disappointed.
We were going to be up in NYC for the weekend, and my fabulous foodie brother wanted to do dinner at Craft. However, unable to secure reservations, he made reservations at the sister restaurant, Craftsteak. Understanding that this was primarily a steakhouse, we were still expecting the level of quality and impeccable flavors that Tom Colicchio has a reputation for. We were so disappointed (well, the rest of the party was very disappointed… although I find Tom Colicchio on Top Chef very personable, I generally hate knowing the personalities of my chefs/owners…it ruins the magic of the food for me).
We arrive, and the hostesses quickly took our coats and bags, and showed us to our table. Because of a last minute change in our reservations, we were seated in the front of the house — which was the bar area. Dark yet cleanly crisp, the room was quite elegant in an understated relaxed way. I rather admired the décor, until I noticed a random painting on the wall — the only painting on any of the walls — of 4 cows, with cut of meat labels (ie «prime rib», «ny strip», etc). Besides that the painting didn’t fit in with the rest of the room, I’m not quite sure how I feel about being reminded that the $ 60 steak I am about to consume in a moment was once a living animal. A little off-​putting to say the least.
My family is full of foodies, and we can smell out a black truffle at a 100 paces. We take our food seriously. We order a couple of appetizers to share. Sadly, they were out of the bone marrow, which made me sad. However, they did have sweetbreads (yum!), fois gras (or «faux grass» as my best friend calls it… heh, she’s adorable) and pork belly. The sweetbreads were exactly how they should be done. Crisp, tender, moist and succulent, each bite reminded me why I always hunt for it on any menu I come across. The sauce that came with it was savory without overwhelming the sweetbread’s delicate flavor. The fois gras was amazingly creamy. It was cold and smooth — almost butter like in the consistency. When coupled with a sliver of the pickled something (radish? apple?), it was an explosion of deliciousness. The pork belly was marvelous as well. As my best friend (who was with us, on this gastronomical journey) said «it’s like BBQ pork, only delicious!». Not sure how to take her comment, but yes, I agree with her in that it was quite tasty.
All of the ladies at the table ordered the 45 day aged NY Strip. We were in NYC after all (haha, yes, I know that it refers to the shape of the state — but I still find it funny). The men ordered the ribeye. Perhaps I was expecting too much of my steak — after all, it was $ 53 for a 12 oz. steak, and this IS Craftsteak — but I was sadly disappointed. Although the meat was tender (although, I would like to point out that all of our steak knives were so blunt that we couldn’t cut our steaks with them!), I couldn’t really taste the flavor of the steak due to the fact that my steak was desperately oversalted. The salt had such a sharp taste to it, that by the second slice, my tongue couldn’t taste anything beyond the sharpness of the salt — it easily overwhelmed the steak, and even overpowered the quad of sauces that was served with the steaks. To be able to finish my meal, I had to cut off the crust of the steak. Yes, it was that bad. My brother mentioned that his steak was cold. Cooked properly, but it was as if it was left out to rest too long. Again, every disappointed.
For our sides, we ordered the sauteed mushrooms, the brussel sprouts, and fries. The mushrooms were dry and almost bitter — and unlike my steak, extremely underseasoned. The brussel sprouts were very bitter and cooked to the point of mushiness. The fries were cold and limp and under seasoned — I would have taken Wendy’s fries over these… and I hate Wendy’s fries! Even my best friend — the only non-​foodie in our party, felt that the sides were tragic.
All in all, the atmosphere was fine. The service, while not exceptional (we had to ask for water a few times, and our server mumbled when he would serve us our dishes — so we couldn’t tell what he was telling us), wasn’t bad. If I just came here for the appetizers, I would have gladly given this place 5 glowing stars, however, the disappointing steaks, blunt steak knives, and the limp, flavorless sides forces me to downgrade this to 3. Given the number of fantastic restaurants available here in the city, I will probably never come back here (although, I may be enticed into visiting Craft).

I’d gladly give this 6 stars if i could, since I had a virtually perfect dinner at Craftsteak last night. Quick Summary– food– amazing, ambiance-​amazing, service– amazing. I even loved the bathrooms. I also had the benefit of dining with people who really know how to enjoy a great restaurant, which made everything more delicious and more fun. So i recommend going with the right people to get the full experience.
Where to begin? I visited Craft because i’ve been learning a bit about organic food, grass fed and corn fed cows, and I’ve been looking to improve the quality of the food i’ve been eating wherever possible, so as long as dinner wasnt awful, i was going to be happy to have the option of eating organic Grass Fed steak. But Craftsteak really blew me away. Everything was outstanding by any standard.
First of all, the ambiance. A lot of Unilocalers complained about the décor but I found the environment to be just perfect. We had a gorgeous view through enormous windows (so rare in ny!) of the sun setting with an orange glow over the hudson which complemented the retromodern/​semi industrial interior. High ceilings, great color, and the space fit the exterior environment as well. So well planned! We sat in a beautiful round banquette table, which was luxuriously spacious– again a rare treat in New York. One of my friends remarked that just sitting in the restaurant completely changed his mood after leaving work, and I have to agree.
Appetizers– we tried the pork belly (which seems to be a craftsteak favorite) foie gras, and bone marrow. All outstanding but the bone marrow stood out the most. This is a MUST ORDER! Pork Belly was perfect, and loved the foie gras as well. All the apps looked great, and I could easily have ordered the Waygu tartare or the octopus or several others; there’s always next time.
Oooh almost forgot the parker rolls, served fresh and hot and perfect! Save room for these. Mmmmmm.
On to the steaks. We ordered four different ones to try the different regions. Two grass fed rib-​eyes (one from MT, and one from OR) a corn fed ribeye and a corn fed NY Strip. They come served cooked to perfection, and presliced in a cast iron dish. Some people hate that, we all loved it, keeping the steak in the pan and removing slice by slice when we were ready to eat it also made for easier sharing. Everyone loved their individual steaks but i think we all ultimately decided the grass fed were the best. Clean tasting, great texture, perfectly seasoned– im hooked!!!
The french fries were outstanding!!! The artichoke side dish was unlike anything i’ve ever tasted and not to be missed, and even the onion rings were unique and delicious.
But after all that, you’d think– who could eat more? But we were so glad we decided to share some desserts. The crème brûlée was good but fairly typical. The homemade donuts were outstanding. But the show stopper of the night… and quite possibly the best dessert we’ve ever tasted… was the monkeybread with crème freche. I dont even know how to describe it. Dont worry about what it is– JUST TAKE MY ADVICE AND ORDER IT!!!
OK have I babbled enough? Conclusion– gorgeous space. Incredibly spacious. Very comfortable seating. Great service. Exceptional food. Exceptional night. (cliff notes of my favorites– bone marrow, grass fed ribeye, fries/​artichoke, monkeybreads). AMAZING!!!

I was invited to the Bravo TV awards, and was able to meet Tom Colicchio. My nerves got the best of me and I blurted out «Thank you! Thank you for the best piece of meat I have ever had!»
REALLY? I digress.
The atmosphere is cold, and damp. I could take clients, but can’t imagine being romanced here. The service was spot on. Our waiter was so attentive, and knowledgeable about pairings and the menu of cows to choose from. The oyster selection was extensive, but not as intense as the meat. We had to ask the waiter what the flavor difference would be. We felt like we could write a research report after the detailed speech he gave.
Knowing all about Tom C.‘s love for mushrooms, we had to try his assorted side, and were extremely satisfied with the array. He also created a purée of butternut squash that had a hint of cinnamon and a pound of butter (delicious).
Our waiter kept bringing us tasters in between each course, and brought us a scone to take home for breakfast (it could have been because we were 2 women eating in a male dominated restaurant).
I couldn’t tell you which steak to order, because it is all about preference and taste. What I can tell you is whatever you order, it will be cooked to perfection! This place needs a makeover (warmer feeling) and I wouldn’t eat steak anywhere else.
About a month later, I received a letter from Tom Colicchio thanking me for coming (which I am sure is sent to anyone who leaves comments), but it was a nice touch.

This is a really handsome restaurant. They also serve ‘monkey bread’ which is their version of sticky toffee pudding — one of the best things ever created by man. Their version is good. Not awesome. But good. It makes up for its shortcomings by being called «monkey bread» which is fun to say over and over again. Especially if you have had a drink or two.
Oh, wait. Steak. That is what we need to talk about. If there is such thing as a «steak geek», then they’d like Craft Steak. You can pick from various types of steaks and many of them you order by the ounce.
How is the steak? It’s very good. But, like the monkey bread, I have never thought it was awesome.
I’ve had a variety of their steak types, but even after four or five visits, I couldn’t tell you a lot of specifics. The only major thing I notice is that they don’t blacken the meat like a lot of NYC steak houses (which, I kind of prefer).
It seems like, for the prices (recommend bringing the corporate card), I should be raving about this place and going into great detail. I’m not. Hence three stars.