Dovetail

Moments of highs and lows — that’s how I describe my experience at Dovetail. I’ll start with the highs:
— Ambiance — intimate and not a big crowd because there’s a limited number of tables. Made for a nice date night.
— Service — no complaints. Helpful and attentive.
— Canapes — served to every table as a starter before your first course.
— Fresh warm (multi-​grain/​wheat with raisin?) bread with house made cream cheese drizzled with honey. Ordered two! Do the same if you have room.
— Bittersweet chocolate soufflé (with rosemary infused caramel and brown butter ice cream) — I’d get it twice if I could. It’s good stuff.
The lows:
Although having really good flavors, the dishes didn’t wow me. Maybe I was expecting something more from a Michelin rated restaurant. Or maybe I ordered items that didn’t agree w my palette. The confit shrimp had a funky smell to it, followed by a weird and indescribable first taste. I almost didn’t want to finish it, but when you think about the money you’re spending, you clean your plate as best you can. I overheard the other table (who also ordered the shrimp) say it was «excellent». Now I’m feeling bad, but I stand by my funky smell/​taste opinion. King trumpet mushrooms and an egg yolk dish were the next two dishes for me. Egg yolk atop spicy escarole, covered in cream, with smoked crumbles that I forgot and shaved black truffles. Tasted like breakfast. Not bad. King trumpet was creamy because of the polenta blended with spinach and probably my favorite out of all the veggie dishes.
I ordered all vegetable dishes, my fiancé ordered the lamb and pork ravioli. He said pork ravioli was a bit oily, but seemed to have enjoyed it. I though the pork was underwhelming in flavor. Lamb is good though.

Had a nice dinner here. Was recommended this restaurant by a friend from France. Had the 3 course meal. Everything was impeccable from the service to the food. I would absolutely come here again.

Wonderful Michelin meal. We were a party of 4 and went on Monday because they offer a special vegetarian menu and two of us are veggies, so we had two vegetarian 3 course meal and two vegetable based 3 course meal.
After having went to several Michelin restaurants in Spain, we think it is very difficult to find vegetarian offer in this kind of restaurant.
All ingredients were perfectly cooked and tasteful. Service according to what you expect. Very well decorated and cozy environment.
Overall a very good experience, we recommend it.

The renovated restaurant is very inviting with dark wood and warm lighting. We tried the tasting which was delicious but some dishes were a little too salty. My absolute favorite was the truffled pappardelle. The texture of the pasta was perfect with a nice balance of earthy truffle and parmigiano. I could eaten a whole bowl!

It had been awhile since my husband and I dined at Dovetail and it was just as wonderful as we had recalled. We were warmly greeted and promptly seated at a cozy corner booth. The room is elegantly decorated and there is ample room at the table and between tables. There was a lively buzz but not so much noise that you cannot converse. The entire team was delightful and we felt very well served.
We decided to go for the 7 course tasting menu with the premium wine pairing. Every course, including 3 amuse-​bouche, was delicious and attractively plated and the wines were terrific matches, including a junmai sake to pair with a melt in your mouth ceviche. I’m not sure if I could name one standout course because they were all excellent, though the pappardelle is unforgettable and the wine served with the luscious foie gras was unusual and exceptional. For dessert they graciously agreed to substitute the chocolate soufflé for my husband and I had the mousse, both were heavenly though the soufflé was the clear winner. It’s not a cheap meal but Dovetail provides excellent value for this level of quality. It was a memorable meal and we’ll be sure not to wait so long to return.

The food and ambiance of this place is absolutely stunning. I had the four course meal, and each of the courses were amazing! The lamb saddle may have been the best piece of meat I’ve ever eaten.
You may be wondering why I’m giving such a low score when I enjoyed the food so much, but there was a large table of loud, drunk people in the middle of the restaurant and the wait staff didn’t seem to care. These people were loudly talking about such inappropriate topics as abortion and miscarriages… Very uncalled for, and I’m disappointed that they ruined an otherwise fantastic experience

Went with a group of 5 for a birthday celebration. Ambiance and service was amazing, but the food was sorta underwhelming. We selected the 3 course menu — while some of the dishes were a hit (specially the trumpet mushrooms), many of them were super salty (brussel sprouts and papardelle pasta in particular). Dessert was also pretty mediocre — none of us finished any of our plates if that tells you something. Had a good time but probably won’t go back because of the lacklustre food.

I had Excellent date & service & foods.
we had a course menu.
Can’t remember all the times of the foods. went there in Sept. !
I remember we were kinda mentioning the foods were a bit salty, but still they were melting =)
We got all the desserts at once because we were running late to the Broadway

The service that this place provides is excellent. The wait staff are very attentive and they bring you nice canapés in between your courses, which were wonderful surprises to the meal. My favorite canapé was the mini truffled Arancini ball. Other canapés were the butternut squash torte, the grapefruit sorbet, the pear with anise, and a kale shot.
This was probably the first place where I have had cream cheese served with my bread. The flavors of the cream cheese and the sourdough bread were very complimenting. I think the cream cheese was served with olive oil and some herbs, which was great for my palate.
The courses were a little disappointing. I guess my favorite would have to be my first course, which was the artichoke and spinach crostada, which was served with some fig sauce and greens.
For the entrée, I ordered the short ribs with smothered cabbage. It was good, but certainly not amazing or anything that I would crave in the future. My date had the salmon, which was good as well, but he has had better.
The desserts were the miss. My date ordered a chocolate mousse and I-​the chocolate soufflé. His did not look or taste anything like a chocolate mousse, in fact, it did not even taste like chocolate. It was really weird. My soufflé was very pleasing to the eye, but it wasn’t as «chocolatey» as I had dreamed it would be. It was accompanied with a Rosemary caramel sauce.
This was a nice experience and the staff was nice.

If you give this restaurant fewer than 5 stars, you likely need your brain examined. There are multiple neurosurgeons within walking distance of 77^th Street.

3 stars for the 4 course meal, 5 stars for the 3 courses of bread I devoured when I got home.
I don’t think they would have asked me to leave if I ordered another 4 courses but I didn’t want to embarass my sister.
Service was exceptional, but I felt at times that I was being served by flight attendants.
The freebies they offered were abundant but not memorable. Would it be bad form to not even bother with them? Must consult the etiquette blogs…

Excellent meal! Had the three course Sunday supper which included 3 canapés and chocolates at the end. Décor and service was excellent as well.
I had the baby’s fauxito which is basically a virgin mango mojito that was great. I started with the cauliflower velouté which was a delicious mix of hot soup and cold foam followed by the halibut and then the Apple crumble sundae for dessert.

Dined here yesterday for my birthday, and it’s everything you’d expect from a Michelin star restaurant. From the moment I walked in, they greeted me like a birthday king. My girlfriend swears she never gave them my name, but they had it written on the dessert. Was it magic — probably not, but the ambiance and food were indeed magical.
Regarding the food — the flavors here across all their plates were diverse and interesting. For my main course, I chose the veal, and it was cooked to perfection. While I write this review I am salivating thinking about how tender and delicious that baby cow was. (Thank moo!)
My only knock against the experience was the cocktails. I’m no mixologist, but I found the drinks to be somewhat of a low-​light on an otherwise perfect dining experience.
Either way, definitely come here to enjoy great service and food for any special occasion.

I dined at Jean-​Georges the night before, so I had high expectations coming into Dovetail. And let me say, Dovetail’s food and service exceeded that of Jean-​Georges. This meal is definitely one of my favorite meals to date. The finesse in Dovetail’s food is impeccable. I think the restaurant deserves more than one Michelin star.
First of all, making a reservation was easy. I booked a prime time table for 4 the night before. The entrance of the restaurant is unassuming, but once I stepped in, I felt the restaurant’s sophistication. The hostess seated my party and me immediately and greeted us with a warm smile.
We opted for the tasting menu at $ 135/​person. The price isn’t bad for these type of restaurants. Also, Dovetail uses top-​notch ingredients like foie gras, Wagyu beef, cod, truffle, scallops, and caviar. Every dish is prepared with the utmost delicacy. Every dish left the table wanting for more and wowed us nonstop.
For the service, it was impeccable. The captain, servers, and busboys all paid attention to us with great detail. I drink a lot of water, and my cup was always full. The workers here also showed a more human side unexpected of the robotic motions at fancy restaurants.
Thanks for a great meal, Dovetail.

Came here last night to celebrate our anniversary. We were very excited because we love the experience of a tasting menu, however we were left disappointed. The starter was the best part with a caviar roll up followed by a juice shot and truffle ball. The cantaloupe salad with cheese was very tasty and so was the corn polenta… The lamb was under cooked and over seasoned (very salty) the scallop was fishy. The service was average and the drink I ordered (French martini) was too strong. The first table they sat us at, was right under the AC. I don’t see why they would even put a table there, was very uncomfortable and we had to request to switch. At the price point that it was, I would have much rather went to a different restaurant in the area for a better tasting menu. Not coming back.

Dovetail keeps on exceeding all expectations. My mom and I came for Sunday Suppa before they close for renovation from tomorrow to ⁷⁄₆.
I had the suckling pig for main and dare I say, it is the best bite of 2015. Skin is extremely crispy and meat extremely tender. Salsify is slightly tangy but soft and creamy. Mushroom adds umami and fiddlehead ferns complete the dish with even more texture.
Sundaes from the Sunday menu are by no means comparable to their regular desserts, but I believe you can order from the regular menu at a supplemental charge.

***While not as creative as some of the newer fine dining restaurants in New York and Chicago, Dovetail’s tasting menu is an indulgent multi-​course experience showcasing high quality premium ingredients; the food is good but not great and feels slightly overpriced (at least the tasting menu option)***
Dovetail has been around for a while and it feels like a New York fine dining restaurant. Located near the Museum of Natural History, Dovetail is set in a brownstone that resides in an upscale street lined with trees. The interior of Dovetail is small and the room sports white tablecloth (the room is also dark and contemporary). The interior results in a lot of sharply dressed guests as well as a lot of talk, activity and energy that will remind many of the countless movies and television shows filmed in Manhattan.
Dovetail offers a lot of flexibility in their menu where you can go a build-​your-​own menu route or opt for their tasting menu. I went with their tasting menu, which showcased a wide variety of premium proteins. The dinner started with a bread service that came with comforting cornbread, an addictive flatbread crisp and a canapé of truffle croquette. The bread service can be replenished upon request, which includes a second serving of the crispy truffle croquette that has a warm, creamy and fragrant center.
The first course was a panna cotta topped with a green apple gelee, celery and caviar. I loved the panna cotta and the caviar and the celery, of course, went very well with the apple though the gelee was slightly too sweet. The next course was my favorite of the night. While it was the type of crudo presentation that I have probably seen elsewhere many times, all the flavors came across very well. There was soft and moist tuna that was lightly dressed, a mix of tender beets, watercress, and pumpernickel (one of my favorite breads) prepared two ways – a creamy purée and a croûton (both preparations delivering a sweet but also deep and hearty flavor).
White asparagus came next and it was served with sea urchin, blood orange, Szechuan peppercorn, and a rich but not too heavy beurre blanc. Everything tasted fine, but I felt there was too much going on, which distracted from the unique flavor of the mild white asparagus. Quince in San Francisco does an excellent job with white asparagus by highlighting the mild favor of it by only adding a few other contrasting flavors. With this preparation though, there was a lot going on, which took my palate in too many directions.
A decent pasta course of potato raviolo followed, which was garnished with crispy pancetta, nutmeg, sage, and potato chips. Seared halibut was the main fish course and it was served with artichokes, a creamy white bean purée and dehydrated black olive. A creative preparation of seared foie gras with huckleberries followed. The chefs crusted the foie gras with graham cracker to deliver a really unique aroma – sweet like a dessert but also a noticeable fragrance of warm duck fat.
The main course was rich and indulgent. It came with a nicely cooked piece of New York Strip that had a good sear as well as a well marbled center. Braised beef cheek and tender rutabaga was used to make a lasagna-​like side dish to accompany the beef. Garnishes included lightly charred and sweet pearl onions as well as enoki mushrooms to make this a refined but still classic take on steakhouse fare.
Desserts included coffee semifreddo with dulce de leche and crispy almonds as well as dark chocolate mousse with tangy kumquats, chocolate cake, crunchy honeycomb, and earl grey cream. They also had a chocolate soufflé on the menu and I could not resist ordering it; the soufflé was airy and light with a great warm center though I did not love the strawberry sauce that accompanied it. The dinner ended with a variety of mignardises including macarons, chocolate bonbons and pâté de fruit.
Service was good but quick. I did not mind the quick service, but I think other guests felt rushed. Their tasting menu is overpriced compared to other similar and more impressive tasting menu restaurants in San Francisco and Chicago. Thankfully though, Dovetail offers lower priced menu options for guests still wanting a variety of courses but without the high price tag.
Dovetail is a good (not great) fine dining restaurant. I think there are so many newer and more creative restaurants producing far more delicious and ambitious cuisine, which makes Dovetail feel dated and overpriced. I think it is a good option for guests looking for a high quality fine dining restaurant that offers a few adventurous turns without getting too far from the mainstream. Given though the many great restaurants in fine dining rich areas like New York, Chicago and San Francisco, Dovetail, unfortunately, would not be one of the first restaurants I would recommend to locals or visitors seeking a high-​end dinner.
I am not sure what the parking situation is like.

4.5 stars.
I came here with my parents the other day, and we had one of the most delightful dining experiences I’ve had in the recent past. The service staff were fast and attentive, but not overly intrusive. The ambiance could be better — although it’s classy and pleasant, I thought it has a rather old and dull feel to it. Nonetheless, it wasn’t bad to the point that it would interfere with my experience in any way. As for the food, I really enjoyed:
Long Island Duck Breast: this was the first dish in the four courses ($ 88), and it turned out to be my favorite out of the entire meal. The duck breast was cooked perfectly to medium and went greatly with the sweet, nutty sauce.
Cured Carrots: some of the best carrots I’ve ever had. It wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet, but it was very flavorful and had a great texture.
Chevre Cheesecake: very different than a traditional cheesecake, but it was absolutely delicious. I loved the rhubarb sorbet served on the side as well.
Chocolate Soufflé: crispy on the outside, but moist and soft on the inside — exactly what a soufflé should be like! I also appreciated that the chocolate flavor wasn’t overwhelming.
I’m taking off ½ star because I wasn’t too impressed with the main dish of the course, which was the Venison. This was my first time trying venison and I found the smell rather odd and distasteful. I’m assuming this is a unique taste that venison meat is supposed to have, and thus not really a fault on Dovetail’s part. In fact, the veggies served on the side (mushroom, carrots, etc.) were so delicious and helped filter out that odd smell when eaten alongside. Nonetheless, the fact that I didn’t really enjoy the entrée was a big disappointment, which is the only reason I’m withholding ½ star.
Overall, however, I greatly enjoyed my time at Dovetail. I highly recommend it to anybody who is looking for a fancy, delightful dinner in UWS.

Restaurant week review: lunch prefix $ 25 – 3 courses
I was actual really looking forward to this place because I saw that it was mentioned on a vegan ig page I follow. PLUS it’s has a Michelin star !
Service was good, got seated right away, people were nice and friendly. Never had to look for a waiter. Someone was always asking us how everything was and if we needed anything.
Complimentary bread was the best part of the meal… Which is sad REALLY SAD. But even the bread was salty. It was sprinkled with sea salt?
First course:
Apple salad — was okay nothing memorable. The toasted rice looked like dead meal worms which really turned me off. My bf said it tasted like Korean potato salad because it had a mayo-​y base and apples in it (which is also in Korean potato salad)
&
grilled mushrooms — aka oyster mushrooms. I love oyster mushrooms but they didn’t take any risks with this dish. Actually they didn’t take any risk with any of the dishes. Since it is Michelin I expected more. Plus it was overly vinegary that the inside of my mouth started hurting after I was done.
Entrée:
Manicotti: cheesy and also salty. The walnut pesto was the salty part of it.
Roasted cauliflower– SO SALTY I COULDNT EVEN FINISH IT! And there was only 3 pieces of cauliflower !! The quinoa was even salty.
Dessert:
Both super basic. Just chocolate cake and coffee ice cream.
None of the dishes were balanced in flavor and overly salted or vinegary. Seriously disappointed.
Only reason I wasn’t flipping tables is because it was only $ 25 bucks.
The chef must of had a bad day because all the reviews are raving for this place and I had such a bad experience I would never recommend it to anyone ! The inside mouth is still hurting from all the salt …
Never again.

SO AFFORDABLE FOR THE PRICE. Wtf?! one Michelin Star? Ummmm try 3 in my book!
Chicken sous vide. All I need to say for this review really. This was my first time ever having sous vide chicken and let me tell you I think I had a foodgasm. Like… legit.
From start to finish this place is TOP OF THE LINE.
+ Service impeccable
+ Wine amazing
++++ FOOD!
The prices made me almost fall over. Honestly the value for money here is one of the best in the city. For the experience and food that you get, blown away.
Also a tip, they have amazing lighting over each table so your pictures are going to come out AMAZEBALLS.