Cafe des Artistes

Will you forgive me for not properly saying good-​bye to you? I thought by not doing so, I can pretend that you’re still around. You have loved me with Howard Chandler Christy’s murals while I dined. Will you please come back and let yourself be loved again?
Yet, with spring there is hope especially because your name remains with the owners of Hotel des Artistes and you can come back, even if Mr. George Lang is no longer with you.

After 92 years of running, Café des Artistes has closed. :-(
I only found out this morning after planning my trip to New York City.
I am completely heartbroken that this place is closed. This was such a special place for me to have a sunday brunch/​lunch when I would be in town. It was like a time traveling escape.
The room was right out of a fairy tale, with the ethereal painted murals, which transcended you a fairy-​tale haven. It was a museum that also served premier food. I came here many times and cannot remember specifically all that I ate, but every time I ate here every bite was fantastic.
Never had a complaint.
I hope to see its doors re-​open very soon.

I wanted to love this place so badly, but I just couldn’t! I came here on a Sunday evening around 6:30 pm and the restaurant only had one other table filled. I was very surprised. I love the décor and the art work… it’s a beautiful restaurant. However, I felt the food was subpar. The halibut that I ordered was a good portion size (it was a bigger piece of the fish than in any other restaurant I’ve been to), but it was somewhat dry. It also came out at room temperature and since I was sitting near a vent, I felt like my food was starting to get cold half way through eating it.

My friend and I went last night to Café des Artistes for Restaurant Week. The Café is very charming and looks like no other restaurant. It has a very apartment-​like feel. The wait staff are slightly older than in other restaurants and they are truly career professionals.
I had the mixed green salad which was very nice. Only downside was I got 1 ½ cherry tomatoes. My main course was the pork fillet Mignon with mushroom ragout and finger potatoes. The pork was okay, although chewy (as a lot pork can be). The dish was piping hot and the potatoes were very creamy in their skins. Dessert, that was the true winner. I had the Praline Chocolate Bar. I think their pralines are microscopic because I did not see or taste any, but the chocolate was heavenly and dark and they give you a very generous dollop of fresh whipped cream with it.
Café des Artistes serves a mean Death in the Afternoon (Hemingway’s drink of choice of Champagne and absinthe) and the bartender is very sweet.
This is one of New York’s iconic restaurants and should be visited once. You can admire the art, look around at all the older affluent men and their younger wives, and enjoy an evening of one of New York’s yesteryear dining experiences.

With work and school I haven’t been fully able to take advantage of the present restaurant week but my god am I happy I had dinner here. Garden themed painting on the wall, earth-​toned color dining furniture and a calm and enjoyable atmosphere are what meet you once you walk through the door.
While waiting for my girlfriend to arrive (one of the few times she’s late) I looked through the entire menu and was on the brink of deciding on ordering off of that rather than the restaurant week menu. Consequently we chose to order off the restaurant week menu and that was by no means disappointing.
The mushroom bisque i ordered was savory and flavorful while the salmon dish was perfectly cooked and amazingly flavored. The orange savarin at the end of the meal was the perfect end to my night at Café des Artistes.
Having known about this restaurant for years, walked by it countless times on trips to sheep meadows in Central Park (yet another perk of the restaurant) I’m pretty satisfied that I finally had dinner here. There is no reason not to take a night and go out to Café des Artistes if you can… enjoy…your welcome in advance

Review #100! Instead of getting stuck waiting for the perfect place to review, I’ve decided to go ahead and update my review of my most long-​standing favorite restaurant in NY. Perfect timing, too, since we just went for dinner last night to celebrate my birthday.
[Edit: It seems updates don’t count toward # of reviews. So officially, the Met is review #100. Whoops!]
As mentioned in the first review, this place is all about ambiance. The Christy murals on the walls, the charming bar area, the cozy seating arrangements — it’s a throwback to a time when cell phone reception didn’t matter at all.
They don’t get exceptionally creative with the menu, but the food is always well-​executed (we’ve never left disappointed). Try the Fountain of Youth cocktail: pear-​infused champagne with a cinnamon-​spiced pear slice soaking up the alcohol. That pear tastes SO GOOD when you get to the end of the drink.
Café des Artistes is a place we will continue coming to until it’s no longer there (and I really hope that never, ever happens!).

Came here for restaurant week with a girlfriend and the food was wonderful…
Beware though, the bar has no cell service, so if you or your friend is running late, make sure the hostess knows and she/​he will be happy to let your other party know when they get there.
I had the mixed green salad with the king salmon and the orange sponge cake, couldn’t complain, even service was impeccable, and during restaurant week.
They also have this great summer deal for 90 dollars for 2 person dinner that comes with a bottle of wine even after restaurant week is over.
I also had this prims lemonade cocktail and it was a great summer drink, absolutely wonderful.
My friend had the leek and potato soup, the pork tenderloin and the chocolate flourless cake.
We both left impressed and fully satisfied actually food coma followed shortly after as the food was that great

So Café Des Artistes Gets 4 Stars for Being a NYC Institution but party scene it’s not.
Very old world romantic and charming with oil painted walls, foliage all around and the general feel of dining in a garden out of The Great Gatbsy.
Food was expectionally good. Can’t remember what I had anymore but everything on the menu was fantastic. The wine pairings actually aren’t a good choice, opting for wines by the glass creates more value there.
Service was expectional and this dinner was a true experience. However, the crowd was a little lacking. Being in my twenties and all, there was just something lacking in my quiet dinner around quiet diners. Very tame for a dinner out and sometimes you just to dine in a lively atmosphere.
Once the check came I realized I probably couldn’t EVER afford to pay for two here unless I won the lottery. I“M NOT KIDDING!
Nonethless worth it for a romantic dinner out. Perfect for older couples celebrating an anniversary, etc.

Café des Artistes is a Manhattan mainstay. This restaurant has been a dining destination for years. Its older, sophisticated crowd and elegant décor are a perfect fit for the Upper West Side. The interesting dining area offers several cozy rooms and a bar so tiny that emphasizes how food is the main focus of this café. While the stuffy clientele and slightly dated décor are not really my style, I decided to check out this renown establishment’s reduced Restaurant Week menu.
My friends and I decided to forgo the interesting cocktails and focus our attention on the food. In addition to the 3-​course Restaurant Week menu, we decided to share the Salmon Four Ways appetizer platter. The plate included gravlax, smoked, tartare, and poached salmon, all of which were delicious, especially the tartare with its salty undertones. A dill chive sauce was drizzled around the plate, which was a must for dipping. The herb-​infused cream sauce drew us in; I only wished there was more salmon to soak it up! After we completed this delicious starter, we moved onto the 3-​course prix fixe. Our first round of yumminess allowed us the choice of a mushroom and truffle cream soup or the Market Green Salad. I opted for the salad of fresh field greens, topped with ripe cranberries, creamy goat cheese, and a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette. This really might have been the best salad I have ever had. I was blown away by how ripe all of the flavors were. I also sampled my friend’s mushroom soup and found it full of mushroom but lacking in the truffle essence that usually attracts the taste buds. For a main course, the choices were a Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms and a Truffle Demi-​Glacé and a Skate Wing over a Butternut Squash Purée and Pumpkin Seeds, topped with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce. In this instance, I thought I made the wrong decision. My skate wing was cooked perfectly, and I loved the butternut squash; however, the brown butter sauce was way too rich and thick. The fish was swimming in the sauce, which really turned me off. My friend’s pappardelle, on the othe hand, was amazing. The dish was pure comfort food. Lastly, the dessert menu sounded amazing and a display of coconut pecan cheesecake had me drooling all evening, but our options were limited to ice cream or sorbet. I chose the sorbet, sampling all 3 variations — apricot, cassis, and passion fruit. They were all amazingly packed with fruit flavor.
Beyond the food, our service was spectacular. The waitress was friendly and helpful. I was worried that we would feel out of place in a restaurant where we were by far the youngest patrons. However, the staff treated us with as much respect as anyone else.
Café des Artistes is a reliably terrific restaurant that should be a must for special events or for out-​of-​towners. I would recommend trying it at least once. Beyond that, I would not rush back as it is just not my scene. I hear they have a great brunch, though, so maybe I would sample that as a different experience.

4.5 stars. Painted murals on the walls, loads of plants around the room, cozy and glamorous. This is old school dining refinement, nothing hip or avant garde here. But that’s ok, as long as the food delivers! Great place for dinner with parents or old friends.
5 star service (white-​shirted waiters will pour your wine, make sure your water glass is never empty, etc.)
5 star entrée (the veal «breast» served as part of the prix fixe was mouthwateringly tender, the sauce and veggetables were perfect)
4 star appetizer (salad of greens with herbed goat cheese and pomegranate seeds, yum!)
2.5÷3 star dessert (a too-​goopy chocolate mousse that was unnecessarily garnished with a caramel drizzle and a maraschino cherry. The dessert would have been more at home in an all-​night diner. Here, I recommend they fluff out the texture, lose the caramel and cherry and add dark chocolate shavings instead).
The wine was good, plus they have all of the dessert wines and aperitifs you could want. We tried a lillypilly white dessert wine and a port, both were good and served at the right temperatures.

Short Version: Are you kidding me?
Long Version: Look, whatever else you think or know about this venue, understand two things: one, the quality of the food is high, and two, you better like butter. Rich food abounds here, and the price reflects it, so be ready. Great place to go to impress someone, to be sure, and it does have an East Coast feel to it, complete with the great murals and the fantastic waitstaff. But does it capture New York? Some would say yes, some no. I think I’m in the latter group, because it isn’t as ethnic as I would love a fantastic restaurant to be. If you’re into ‘old money’ venues, then believe me, you’ll love it here. You won’t be disappointed with your meal. But, perhaps, this may not be the best place for me.

Very traditional, Beautiful murals, and great location!
I wanted to review this place just to say that anyone planning to go here should definitely try the Prosciutto/​Watermelon appetizer! Many unique, distinct flavors that are a great treat with a light taste that won’t weigh you down. The service was so-​so, our waiter couldn’t really understand us. The main entrees were nothing super special. The scallops I had tasted great but a bit expensive in my mind ($ 30)
Definitely a place where you are paying more for the atmosphere than you are the food. It is certainly gorgeous with food complementing the murals. Not a must-​try with so many choices in NYC, but would recommend for a romantic evening

Yes, this place is very fancy and kind of old fashioned– and you will most likely find older people dining here. But this is not a trendy place– it is a traditional place. There is a huge difference between the two. The decorations are nice, they have murals painted on the walls. Honestly, it really isn’t that badly priced either. Their prix fix menu is year-​round. $ 35 for appetizer/​entrée/​desert is not that bad. If you are looking to impress that special someone this is a great place to take them (just make sure they stick to the prix fix!)
I had the french onion soup as an appetizer– it was spicy, hot, delicious. Very oniony (to be expected, right?). I had the skirt skate for my main course, and they had this balsamic-​like sauce drizzled underneath it. The presentation of the dish was beautiful, and anything with balsamic on it is super tastey– great dish. For desert you are supposed to pick from two items on the prix fix but for $ 3 extra you can order anything on the desert menu– I opted for the pumkin pie (my favorite– I could eat a whole pie by myself in one sitting). The pie was so soft, perfectly made.
The wait staff is very friendly, they don’t try and rush you to order and they don’t rush to take your plates away. They are very friendly and nice. Also jacket preferred but not required. Great meal, I was very pleased!

Visiting Café des Aritstes is like walking into a valentine. It’s got cherubs painted on the walls, pink and red sprays of flowers everywhere and a warmth that just feels like amour scenting the air.
The continental menu is lovely, if not entirely transfixing. But the food isn’t the point. This is a place for memory making, and if taken as such, it’s love at first sight for all who make a reservation. Don’t bother murmuring sweet little nothings into your paramour’s ear, though: It’s difficult to hear yourself think over the din of the dining room.
Café des Artistes is a celebration of sights, but not sounds. Single people need not apply — love, as they say, is in the air — it’ll only make them feel more so.

If you’re in the mood for some upper-​crust brunch, Café Des Artistes is tremendous. Pricey, a little bit snooty, but very tasty.
The atmosphere is very sedate, with flowers everywhere and murals of woodland nymphs cavorting on the walls. They say jackets preferred, but not required, and business casual is a minimum. When I asked them about this, they said no jeans, no sneakers, though they still let in my friend who was wearing a pair of black jeans, but maybe they just didn’t notice.
The melon prosciutto salad was really good. The crisp refreshing taste of the watermelon is a perfect counterpoint to the savory prosciutto.
The french toast is some of the best I’ve ever had. Deliciously crisp on the outside.
They said the Virginia Ham Benedict was a Café des Artistes invention, but I really couldn’t tell what was different from any other eggs benedict.

Café des Artistes has a wonderful atmosphere for a perfect dinner. I was actually taken here on a first date, and the ambience is perfect for getting to know someone. The beautiful murals are playful and make you feel like you are truly in a special place. It was a wonderful dinner after a day at the Guggenheim and before an evening at the Lincoln Center.
It does seem a bit crowded when you are in there, but it just makes it feel a bit more intimate. I highly recommend the dark chocolate fondue for two, it was by far my favorite part of the meal.
I would definitely come back here for another wonderful meal and romantic evening. What better way then to be surround by history and art?

I expected this place to be over the top romantic and classy. Needless to say I was slightly disappointed. The experience reminds me of visiting a high-​end restaurant in a provincial town in the Midwest. First of all, a much-​needed face-​lift is long over due. The whole place including the hotel lobby smelled like old carpeting. Secondly, the crowd there is much less refined than a standard New York City restaurant at that price level. Last but not least, the food is also lack in sophistication. Nothing on the menu presented distinctiveness, nor creativity.
It does offer that old school charm that you don’t find at many New York restaurants, but charm alone does not justify its self proclaimed reputation and price point. For similar affect but superior execution, I would recommend Caf Carlyle, or the Oak Room.

Wait staff was amazingly attentive and sweet! I chosed this place for a friend’s bday and told the watitress we got a birthday boy and she said she will make arrangements with our waiter. Beautiful heart shaped crème brûlée treat on the house for him =P which came after our meals were done with a lit candle to make a wish ^.^
We got the shrimp risotto, goulash (pork), and cod…
verdict…they were all average
(preferred the cod in Nobu on Hudson st. =D)
the appetizers were pretty good: P maybe i just have a thing for appetizers… never seem to go wrong… lol
escargot, butternut squash soup, spinach salad
the steak tartar was YUM!
and of course we enjoyed the paintings on the wall… just lovely!
and the older crowd would not stop me from coming again =D
(Note: $ 35 Pre-​fixe menu every day)

I guess this place is suppose to be special because it’s old and upscale. But honestly, I wasn’t very impressed. The ambiance was a bit stuffy for my taste. All the other dinner patrons around us looks like old money types. And when I say old, I mean rich senior citizens. I think we were the only ones in that place under 50.
The food itself was not at all memorable. Too pricey for not being tasty.
I will admit though that it is a beautifully decorated restaurant. It would be an impressive place to take some ditz who knows nothing about food but loves pretty things.

We were there recently for an office dinner. The crowd generally comprises middle aged couples, so our group of 10 – 12 was atypical.
The murals are stunning. And the wine selection befits a restaurant of this standing. The service was spotty. The waiter was quite slow on the uptake initially, but warmed up to our particular requirements over time.
This was an inappropriate choice for a group business dinner, but I can see why dinner-​for-​two might be a more natural choice. So I shall only take one star off – blame it on food quality and service.