Betony

Wow. They just keep bringing more and more tiny little tastes and they are all wonderful.

Betony is a Modern American restaurant serving pre fixe menus. The room is large, and they actually have several dining areas, some more intimate than others. The style is fairly dramatic, and not too formal and not too casual. A good location for both a special event as well as a nice dinner out. If you’d like a more intimate experience, ask for a table in the back room. The only complaint I have about the space was that they put me (a single diner) in a table that I actually had to move to get in and out of the seat; otherwise, I’d have no room between my table and the one next to me. This is really a pet peeve of mine, and really screams «cram our customers in like sardines.» The captain was very accommodating, and moved the table when I needed to use the restroom… but still… not the best initial experience.
The service was excellent, and what you’d expect from a top-​quality restaurant… the staff knew about the food and beverages, and did a great job.
The food was great… I had the four-​course pre-​fixe. Yellowtail appetizer, lobster, and poached sea bass. All the entrees were great, but the lobster with the peas and spring onion was quite possibly the best lobster I’ve ever had. The food was outstanding. Interestingly enough, the table next to me did have a problem… cold pasta, so not all was 100% on-​point.
This is a great option, and if you’re considering it, it’s certainly a great option. They have the four-​course and chef’s tasting options.

Betony was on my fiancé’s list of restaurants to try, and figured it’ll be a nice surprise dinner for his birthday.
The staff were very friendly from start to end, and even went the extra mile to wish him a happy birthday with a handwritten card placed on our table.
We decided to go with the four course prix fixe and there were a good selection to choose from the menu. We went with the following items to share:
FIRST
1) Young Lettuces
Sea Urchin, Buttermilk
(We were surprised by the little amount of uni, pea size, and the lettuce was nothing special, very mediocre dish)
2) Maine Yellowtail
Nettles, Dried Cherry
(The dried cherry was interesting but the maine yellowtail wasn’t impressive or flavorful)
NEXT
3) Ravioli
Consommé, Parmesan
(We were glad our waitress suggested this dish because it wouldn’t have been one of our choices, and it was really good. Not heavy or super cheesy, more like a light dumpling) We enjoyed this dish a lot
4) Foie Gras
Hot or Cold
15 supplement
(Their Foie Gras dish is one of the best we’ve had and right there with Wylie Dufresne’s aerated foie gras and worth the 15 supplement)
THEN
5) Milk-​Fed Pig’s Head
Roasted for Two
20 supplement
(AMAZING! It was a good amount of food, well cooked and great presentation — prepared at your table. We didn’t find out what they did with the ear… Was told it’ll come back to us somehow but it didn’t)
As for desserts, we got the:
1) Strawberries
Pink Peppercorn, Lime
(Modern looking dessert, good flavors and very refreshing)
2) Brebirousse d’Argental
Ramp Mustard, Honeycomb
(Great cheese plate to wrap up the meal, no complaints there)
We got 3 drinks through the meal and our bill was $ 500 after tip. We had a good experience but overall did not feel it was worth the amount and left feeling gipped.
The service is on point, the drinks are really innovative and delicious like the Milk Punch, but the food is a hit or miss.
We spent around the same amount at other competitive restaurants, such as Alinea Next offering a 20+ course meal and it was fantastic. We went to Le Coq Rice for lunch to make up for this meal and ended up spending less than $ 100 for 2 people on their lunch 3 course chicken prix fixe dinner with a glass of wine each and walked out more satisfied! They offered a good amount of food, really delicious and high end cooking dishes and desserts and good wine and well priced.
All in all, we enjoyed our meal but can’t help but feel a bit gipped with the price for what we got. The supplements for the foie gras and pig’s head added to the cost and we almost wished we had tried Betony when it was a la carte.

By far the best combination of food and service that I have ever experienced. We sat at the bar for drinks and appetizers before a night out and every aspect of our time here was fantastic. The drinks are not only unique but each of the 6 we tasted were well thought out and complimentary of the food. The appetizers themselves were combinations of the exact right ingredients and flavor.
I not only recommend this place but say it’s a must.

When I first sat down and looked at menu wasn’t sure if I would stay! Glad I did!!!
The pineapple drink (I don’t usually care for pineapple) was amazing– the actual drink and the presentation!
The food was outstanding! I had the mixed greens and the chicken. My friend had the poached sea bass– also outstanding! Our waiter– Anthony– was very attentive!
Oh yea– we had this mushroom TEA! Was complimentary– was more like soup in a wine glass! Yum!!!
Highly recommend!!! Thank you CHAUNDRA Hoover– for yet another great restaurant recommendation!!!

Fantastic Food, Beautiful Space, Gem in Midtown
Simply put — the food is spectacular, which didn’t surprise me given that the kitchen has the benefit of time spent at Eleven Madison Park. The décor is dramatic and inviting. Went for lunch — beyond reasonable. Food was beautifully presented, flavorful, and satisfying throughout. Started with the lobster, finished with the chicken. Thought that I was finishing with a relatively generic dish, but was pleasantly surprised that when perfection is the goal, chicken can be served so well. We didn’t drink at lunch, but we watched the bartender put together something that was smoking and highly detailed. Would definitely stop by the bar for drinks with a colleague when I am on 57^th. Enjoy!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: SERVED RAW CHICKEN with a dollop of BAD SERVICE.
My husband and I came here on a week night expecting a fine dining experience and got anything but that. We opted for the $ 110 four course meal and left feeling cheated and a bit nauseous.
Initially the night started off well enough, but gradually took a downward spiral. The amuse-​bouche they provided were decent enough but nothing to rave about. For our first course, we ordered the roasted winter greens and fluke carpaccio. The winter greens were extremely underwhelming. The fluke carpaccio was quite tasty and refreshing (probably the best thing we ate that night). For our second course, we ordered the ravioli and hot foie gras. When the waiter placed the foie gras in front of my husband, a substantial piece of the dish fell onto his lap. The waiter then asked «Would you like another one?» which we thought was a bit odd. We’re paying hundreds of dollars to eat here and you really have to ask? My husband is laid back so he brushed it off and said it’s fine. This incident is important to note as I encounter the same waiter in my raw chicken ordeal.
NOW HERE’S THE KICKER, for our third and main course, we ordered the roasted chicken and short rib. The short rib was fine, but the chicken was RAW. That’s right folks, R-​A-​W. My husband was the first to dig into the chicken and he thought the texture/​color was a bit off, but continued to chomp away. When I went to have a bite, I immediately knew something was not right. Upon taking a closer look, sure enough the entire center of the chicken was utterly raw. I’m talking stringy, glistening, pink meat raw.
A waiter stopped by to ask how things were going. I’m really not one to make a scene so I quietly said «I think my chicken is raw». My initial thought is that a waiter at such a restaurant would simply apologize, whisk the plate away and offer a new, COOKED version. Instead he doesn’t even look at the chicken and proceeds to say something along the lines of «Oh, we try our best to gently cook the chicken to keep it as tender as possible». ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Even if that’s the case, at least LOOK at the chicken before condescendingly talking to me as if I can’t tell the difference between raw vs. cooked chicken.
He then says «Ok, do you want us to cook the chicken more ma’am? Just the chicken?» At that point I really thought he was just going to recook the leftover chunk of meat and bring that out to me. That’s likely what he intended, but someone in their right mind must’ve dissuaded him. Eventually a new plate with cooked chicken was brought out. I’m not just saying this… I’ve cooked better chicken at home and at a Michelin star restaurant, I expect pretty damn good chicken.
Aside from the mediocre food, the poor service is really what warrants such a low rating. «What a disappointment». Those were the words of the diners next to us. They have been to Betony several times and said that night was by far the most disappointing meal. They even commented on how unappetizing my chicken dish looked… FAB.
I find it difficult to believe that such poor service and ill prepared food can be isolated to one night so beware.

Amazing food. Highly recommended!
The caterers are always nice and friendly when I visit and Eamon the general manager makes the best shots ever.
Located on 57^th street, its at the perfect spot to hang out in the night

Definitely a great place to bring a date for some interesting gastronomic exploration. Great experimental cocktails, excellent wine list, and the food deserves all the great press that they’re getting. Nice to see some more innovative restaurants in midtown!

I think your experience here is entirely dependent on what you order. But there is potential for a great experience, which I believe I had.
I didn’t like the cocktail I ordered, but loved (almost) all the food. Most waiters were great. Soup was good but not great, caviar course was fantastic. Wine selection was good. Dessert was amazing (sweet potato something). The intermittent canapes were mostly very good, except for the last bite. Didn’t love that. Overall, great meal.

I guess one sentence summary to Betony would be — I have strong mixed feeling about it. We opted for the 12-​course chefs tasting menu, so whatever being present should be able to reflect the true standard.
Courses that I enjoyed the most:
Clam chowder — the Unami flavor perfectly mixed itself with the freshness or clam, very tasty!
Fluke with yuzu sauce — so soft that almost melt in my mouth, also had a light touch of refreshing feeling.
Courses that I had a hard time appreciating:
Grilled squab — cooked medium rare in order to present a juicy taste, however to me it probably was too raw…
Sweetbread — personally not a big fan of sweetbread, and the course itself was not able to amaze me from the way they cooked it.
Aside from food, I would strongly recommend to try their soft cocktail. We ordered the beet wine and milk punch, both delivered a combination of sour and sweet flavor, impressive!
The fact that both executive chef and general manager came from EMP does speak to its hype. Well deserved its Michelin star.

The meal started off on a poor note after I realized Betony had recently raised the price of it four course menu by 16% from $ 95 to $ 110. When you surpass the price of Marea ($ 99) and approach Le Bernardin ($ 147) it certainly raises expectations. The price increase was even more surprising given how easy it was to get a reservation and the many tables that remained empty during our dinner service.
Even though I went into this meal with low expectations, Chef Shuman consistently disappointed. With the exception of maybe two bites, the food was mediocre, with dishes ranging from bland to incredibly overpowering. The service was subpar at best: the servers dropped bread on one person in a party, were confused as to who ordered which dish, and even brought one of my friends the entirely wrong dessert. The one bright spot was the décor itself, with hand carved wood walls and a stunning ceiling that made for a posh and beautiful dining environment.
The meal started off with 6 small bites, most of which we highly unmemorable. The pineapple marshmallow was the single interesting starter, combining a light fluffy marshmallow with a liquified pineapple inside.
The dandelion first course was incredibly bitter and difficult to eat and it seemed that little effort was put into the dish. If i wanted plain dandelion I could buy it in the grocery.
For the second course I had the «Fruits de mer». It’s unclear to me if Betony understands the use of quotation marks as the dish was a classic fruits de mer, not some interesting or creative take on the dish. Why the quotes when it was a few pieces of well cooked squid and two thin strips of a scallops? The dish left little impression.
For the main I opted to pay a $ 10 supplement (necessary unless you want roasted chicken or fish) to get the lobster dish (available on the bar menu for an incredible $ 48). The half tail of lobster was decently cooked but the sauces and accompaniments did little to add flavor to an otherwise plain lobster.
The desert course was described as brioche and white chocolate. While the fantastic white chocolate was shaved on top, there was little of it. The small scoop of lemon flavored ice cream was so sour it made the entire dish difficult to eat.
The food may have been acceptable for a $ 50 tasting menu, but not the $ 155 it cost after tax and tip. In either case, Betony is certainly undeserving of its Michelin star and with so many other incredible restaurants in the city, there is no reason to waste your time or money here.

Took the maternal unit here for her birthday. Reservations easy to come by, which was a bit curious, but hey, I’m not complaining.
Unfortunately did not remember to check out what is supposedly a fascinating cocktail program here, instead relying on the standard martini. Will have to come back specifically for drinks at the bar now. The sommelier was very helpful, and if you like whites (particularly Rieslings), this place is chock full of good and reasonably priced options.
Meal starts with a nice little canister of baked cheddar cheese. Paper thin and just wispy enough to entice without being literal air. If this was the bread course, I would have probably raged and cried and thrown the canister at someone’s face, but they are clever and knew the danger of denying me my bread. I just needed to cultivate patience. This is difficult for me.
There were three amuse bouche — a small tumbler of incredibly rich and warm mushroom broth. Usually I’m not a fan of mushroom water, but this was so intense and earthy (and PERFECT for the weather) that I savored it. The other two amuses were less memorable — small bites of chicken mousse with a crispy shell, and an unremembered bite that was quick and tasty, but obviously not something that lingers in the mind.
Honeynut Squash — curiously composed, but delightfully sweet, and this (like many other courses) had a very strong nut component that the chef seems to be able to work seamlessly into the course. This might not be the best restaurant for nut allergies, but then again, screw those people.
Fluke Carpaccio — Paired with a number of very mildly sweet fruits and radishes, this was perfectly composed to give the neutral fish just a hint of sweetness and acidity.
Bread — a small pretzel roll with a very mild and creamy butter/​mustard combo. I had to ask for another because I’m an asshole. They were very accommodating.
Foie Gras (hot) — it is very strange to have a foie course where the foie is almost an afterthought, with the extremely intense and salty ham hock consommé (and hocks studded throughout the foie lobe) as well as the dried (and therefore stronger tasting) kale overlaying it. I would probably skip the added cost of the foie in the future, but it was an interesting attempt that kind of lost the richness of the foie. They push a Madeira to pair, and like, whatever, it’s a gimmick but it’s also alcohol, so I wasn’t going to say no.
Risotto — overlayed with celery root (a perfect pairing), this is the kind of risotto you only get at Michelin joints. Too many places make risotto that tastes like Rice-​A-​Roni — the good sh*t is a bit soupy and highly toothsome. Amen, risotto champs!
Cauliflower — This is a main course that will make vegetarians cheer — meaty cauliflower in a strong creamy cauliflower/​butter/​vanilla purée, overlaid with a cauliflower crisp that had a resemblance to the airy chicharron they serve at Empellon.
Chicken Breast — this is a perfectly cooked chicken breast, not too large, with flavorful skin and incredible moistness. The grains that came with it were intensely flavored, but probably could have cooked another minute. The dish could have probably lost the roasted parsnip on the side, and made up for it by adding another plop of the hell of powerful carrot purée that I potentially smeared across my beard so I could save some for later.
Chocolate/​Graham — This is a deconstructed smores, with graham ice cream, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce. Tasty but forgettable
Butterscotch — Sweet scotch ice cream over butterscotch with crunchy hazelnut niblets. This is the dessert I’d get again. It’s intense.
This is a great special occasion place for people on somewhat of a budget but still want to eat some classy as f*ck food. If you can keep cool about alcohol, you won’t break the bank. Or, you know, break the bank. I appreciate the low pressure quality of this joint. I’d come back (on someone else’s dime, for someone else’s birthday)

Really tasty food, great service. Would definitely recommend it.
I came as part of a group of 3 for lunch on a weekday, and while we had a reservation, it didn’t seem particularly busy aside from a few business lunch groups. It’s definitely a bit more formal, as a warning. For our meal, we split the toasted labne, butternut squash veloute, and pappardelle as starters. They were all delicious – my favorite was the pasta, but the texture contrast in the labne was great, while the squash soup was creamy and delicious. For entrees, we split the chicken, the scallops, and the beef tenderloin, all were extremely well prepared, although the scallop dish was a bit on the smaller end. For my drink, I had the Pandan Swizzle, which was a unique and tasty drink, while I also tasted the milk punch, which was subtly flavored and delightful.
Overall, the meal was delicious and the service helpful throughout. I’d definitely come back to try other dishes/​drinks.

Fabulous !
Beautiful décor, sat upstairs to have a more intimate setting as it was our 8 month anniversary.
Our waiter was very knowledgable on the tasting menu and explained all the dishes precisely. The tasting menu was $ 95 and well worth it for a special occasion.
You get to chose from 4 courses and small plates are included in between.
The hamachi is OMG, the mint tortellini second course is perfection and the lobster finisher was spectacular.
For dessert I chose a pea cheesecake which surprisingly was delicious
If you want an incredible unique experience and test your taste buds you definitely have to try this place out!
A delight.

Seldom gave 2-​star review on Unilocal.But The visit was quite disappointing to me. The food was not good and the service delivering the food was in chaos. Another part is that the food didn’t worth what I paid.
I knew this place from a friends recommendation. So I bookmarked here and came here to meet with an old friend back in high school. The ambience is nice and classic. The services were polite and friendly. These are what worth the 2 stars I gave.
However, there was some problem with the table service-​I didn’t get bread and butter until I finished the second course, and for the tasting bites, I did not get any spoon or fork but was told to use my hand… Maybe these were special features here, but I just couldn’t get it.
Move to the food part. I ordered chef’s menu-​4 courses at $ 95. Sadly, I like none of these four and some had major tasting issues at least to me and my friend. 1^st course-​Fa Leave with strawberry and milk: so-​so, look special but taste ok; 2^nd course-​Spanish mackerel: the worst part, tasting like raw fish, only felt salty flavor; 3^rd course– skate wing: still tasting like raw fish, peas were not fully cooked, and I just ate half; 4^th course-​till this moment I was not even full yet… And I ordered chocolate with banana and Yuzu. This should be a sweet dessert from what I understand but it tasted a little bitter and half part was salty… I suspected if the chef misplaced sweet with salt… So I was very Unsatisfied with the food part and think what I paid and ate did not match.

I finally found gastronomy in NYC! I always enjoyed Gramercy Tavern, but I think Betony tops the cake. Bryce, the executive chef here really knows how to please his customers and provide them with beautiful farm to table creations with such unique flavor profiles, his dishes couldn’t be replicated if tried. The service here is impeccable. The first place I have been to since Del Posto that truly wow’d me with the service, above and beyond my expectations. The ambiance is beautiful, romantic, decadent, upscale & sophisticated. The place itself was fairly quiet and the staff easily outnumbered the patrons at the restaurant by 4:1.
The second we sat down they came over with 4 small appetizers, each one just exploding with flavor. The cocktail I ordered was delicious, bourbon based & very prohibition style. I couldn’t even tell you what I ate before our 6 courses as each dish was so complicated, but I can say that all of the ingredients were locally sourced and absolutely delicious. We told the waiter to pick out 6 dishes, my only dietary restrictions being no red meat. We ended up with: toasted grains (I believe), which should have been called burrata with mint, & fresh pepper, marinated fluke, which was excellent, seared striped bass, what a unique sauce it came in, squash ravioli, my favorite dish, roasted chicken that they slow roasted for 8 hours, and a beautiful desert of vanilla ice cream & fresh rhubarb with rhubarb sauce.
I felt like royalty eating here, the waiter and all of the staff members give you their undivided attention & make you feel like you’re the most important person in the world. I couldn’t even describe the flavor combination in all of the dishes, they were all so complex. I felt like Anthony Bourdain in No Reservations in Spain when I dined here. Everything was excellent, hands down one of my favorite restaurants in NYC right now!

Ehhh…
I ate here a few months ago. While the ambiance was great, the saddest part of my review that I write with a heavy heart is: the food wasn’t that great.
I’m no foodie. I don’t claim to be. I just like food and eating it.
Perhaps you can blame an unrefined palate for not liking the food that much but I will tell you why I came to this opinion.
There were two of us dining and we got the 12-​course tasting menu. Very expensive. Some of the courses were outstanding but some had me staring at the plate going, «seriously»? One course was raw vegetables, julienned and stacked on each other like Lincoln Logs in a light mayo sauce. Essentially, it was a deconstructed cole slaw. Not impressive, taste or culinary-​wise. The vegetables were broccoli stems, carrots, cabbage. Another dish served was a sweet potato that was cooked for three days that tasted a really chewy, overcooked sweet potato. The last course served was 2 mint sticks that tasted like Scope, the mouthwash.
Harsh words, I know, but for the price of this tasting menu I had really high standards. It was also upsetting that every single other table received an amuse bouche and mine did not. I would’ve asked a waiter but it was impossible to wave one down, eventually I gave up. The wait staff seemed well intentioned but maybe just busy.
The last let down was when the waiter had mentioned when we receive our coats from the coat check we would receive a «surprise». We received nothing. I guess that was the surprise.
It’s a gorgeous restaurant but taste-​wise, there was nothing memorable (in a good way) and that, for me, is the most important part.

Wow a Michelin star. I never been to a Michelin star restaurant until now. Was it worth it?
I tried their Chef’s choice 10 course meal. I also got the wine pairing. They also have a tea service which was interesting.
The theme of the Chef’s Choice was umami. Every dish was supposed to make us experience the flavor of Umami. I love umami. It’s one of my favorite flavors since it’s so prevalent in Asian cuisine.
They treated us like royalty, like a restaurant of this caliber should. I liked the staff. They were polite, fun, and pleasant.
The Chef’ Choice was a fun experience. The food was interactive. For example, for the dessert course, you had to forage for your food. I felt like a wood mouse looking for branches and nuts to eat.
The course were simple and delicious. I have to admit, however, I was getting sick of umami near the end. I love umami and loved the theme. But it was too much of a good thing.
Some of the courses was a miss for me. For example, their cole slaw was just cole slaw. All they did was stack up the vegetables like Lincoln Logs. I guess I can give them points for presentation.
The courses had all the fancy ingredients: a caviar here, a foie gras here, a oyster here, and a sweet potato there. You know, typical stuff. Although I was surprised they didn’t have anything with tomato since they are packed with umami taste. Of course, if they wanted to be daring, they could’ve used human breast milk, which was suppose to have good amounts of umami.
We didn’t get any Amuse Bouches though. Sure, I shouldn’t expect them, since they’re extra, but it seemed like the table next to us got them. I’m wondering why the 10 course meal didn’t get any Amuse Bouches while the 4 course table next to us got them. Maybe the Amuse Bouches would’ve ruined the umami theme?
I mentioned the tea service earlier, and let me write about it. They described the tea service as some mind-​blowing, life-​changing experience with tea. The tea was suppose enhance the course. And as you steep it more, the flavor was suppose to develop and pair with the food. Nah, it just got more diluted. All they did was refresh the hot water in the tea steeper. The tea was good though. However, I would recommend it if you don’t want to pay for the wine pairing.
I guess I left underwhelmed. I was expecting something more. But it was just a good 10 course meal. I didn’t hate it. I thought it was good, and I had a great time.

I had no choice but to bump this up to five stars. Betony might be one of the best *new dining destinations in the city.
My first trip was more of a bar setting with some snacks and a few cocktails. While fantastic, it’s nothing compared to a full dinner experience. What Chef Bryce Shuman and GM Eamon Rockey have created makes dining out at a restaurant the main event it was always intended to be. Impeccable and inventive food, an adventurous cocktail program, and some of the most genuinely hospitable service you’ll find in fine dining. I swear Eamon remembers every guest by name and can recall the last time they chatted with past anecdotes to match. From start to finish, it makes you feel good to be alive when spending your time at Betony.
Depending on your preference you may not be excited about their new direction as a prix-​fixe only establishment. But given my experience, the best bet is just letting the kitchen choose the GPS coordinates on your behalf. Put the evening in their hands while you sit back and enjoy a well rounded and memorable gustatory sojourn.
*it might not be «new» in the true sense of the word, but their footprint in Manhattan’s culinary landscape is still in motion. I have no doubts they’ll eventually become a household name.