Ibis

I can’t believe Ibis has closed and/​or is rebranded as Empire Steakhouse. I should investigate the new incarnation – the space is breathtaking and I have happy memories of coming here.

I went here for Valentine’s Day. Very nice ambience and very romantic. The service was great and our waiter and the host were very polite and attentive. The food is also good. They also gave my wife a rose which was a nice touch. Also it should be noted that this restaurant is now called Empire Steakhouse and seems to be under new management but the layout has not changed.

Great looking venue, but that’s about it. The place was literally 90% empty yet it took almost an hour to get our food. I ordered the lamb chops and a more often than not the chop was overcooked. It was a pretty decent dish overall, but for the price it was mediocre.

Had my birthday dinner here. Beautiful décor. However for a Saturday night it was not busy. Service was a tad slow for there not being a lot of customers. Otherwise I did enjoy myself. The food was good.

Great ambiance. Live music on Saturday was fantastic. Sax and cello players were on point. Aside from the music, the service was extremely slow (despite the low attendance) and the food was underwhelming. Unless you go for a nice cocktail and live music, wouldn’t advise this establishment.

Beautiful location, interesting history, good food and excellent service. I went with my parents for my dad’s birthday and everything was wonderful. It’s a little out of my normal price range but I would love to come back– maybe with a Groupon or something.
Definitely check this place out.

Went to Ibis Wednesday Aug 14^th 2015
For a birthday dinner. I don’t take the time to write reviews unless I’m truly blown away or appalled. And this place is UN FREAKING BELIEVABLE.
Service: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Food: ¹¹⁄₁₀
Ambiance: ¹⁰⁄₁₀
Live singer and band /​old school scat music.
AMAZING.
Do not hesitate to blow away your next date here.

Despite the beautiful décor and inviting environment, I left completely underwhelmed and unsatisfied. Truth be told, the restaurant was empty on a Friday night, which is an obvious sign that the restaurant is less than desirable.
I will start off by saying, the service was horrible. The waiter did not come over to our table once to ask how our meal was, when it was obvious that we were dissatisfied. To start, we shared the shrimp was the best thing we had on the menu. For dinner, I had the spicy chicken and my date had the kebabs. The chicken was ground up chicken and was pretty disgusting. When I waved the waiter over to ask if this was chicken, he said yes, but despite the disgust in my voice, he did not ask me if I wanted something else. The menu should specify that the chicken is ground. My date had the kebabs which were what he describes as a «shredded mush on top of a bread like substance with no distinguishable flavors apart from being extremely gamey.» I will add that the kebabs were much better than the chicken if you like gamey meat.
The restaurant was also ridiculous expensive. For 2 lackluster main dishes, an appetizer, and 1 glass of wine it was $ 90 before tip which is insanely expensive for being so bad.
Save your money and skip this restaurant.

If food is important to you, DO NOT EAT HERE!
I’m sorry for the low rating but this might be the worst meal I’ve had in Manhattan in the last 5 or 6 months. I eat out a lot. Food is why I go to a restaurant. I expect something substantially better than what I cook or have delivered to my apartment on the Upper East Side.
I have to agree with the other reviewers that the bar scene is good and the décor in the restaurant is pretty special, but the same is true of the Russian Tea Room and that does not make up for the culinary shortcomings. I don’t mean to lump the Russian Tea Room into the same food category – the food is actually much better there. I’m just saying that décor alone is not enough.
If you have to eat at a hotel restaurant in midtown, I would recommend The National on the corner of 50^th and Lex, or the Bull and Bear at the Waldorf.
Best restaurant in midtown is probably Nobu 57. I also like Smith and Wolensky’s for steak and maybe Remi for Italian.

Elegant dining room with very attractive bar in adjacent front area with floor to ceiling doors that open to street in warmer spring and summer weather. Drinks were generous and staff very attentive and friendly. Caught the cool jazz trio Wednesday and Thursdays. Live solo. piano other early nights. UPDATE: This establishment is now permanently closed according to Google.

This is truly a special place.
If you are looking for a chill place to meet a friend, date, or small group on a weeknight without the loud happy hour vibe, this is your place. I like being able to sit down, enjoy a few drinks, and be able to hear my friends talk; and Ibis lounge lends itself to that perfectly. The atmosphere adds even more to my love of this place. The décor is extremely classy with low lighting– so the place has a really cozy, intimate vibe that’s casual.
I can only speak to the drinks and bar staff, but both were phenomenal. While a little pricey, you definitely get what you pay for. The cocktails are perfectly crafted! I ended up getting something similar to a Manhattan but with a twist. It was amazing, and while it’s become my new go-​to drink at bars, no one has made it as well as Ibis.

Amid a hue of desperate newness the impressiveness of glittering chandeliers and lush velvet banquettes quickly fades. A vapid and overtly lavish room that is clearly designed to wow the enthusiasts of the 1920s jazz era is well adorned but lacks soul and a heartbeat. The glittering private room in the back of the restaurant where the stage should be sits hushed and empty, while a grand piano is shoved under an ornate spiral staircase like an interior designer’s sad afterthought that perhaps it would be a good idea to offer live music of the era to their patrons in lieu of a piped-​in radio parfait of Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra.
I tilt my head a little to the right, but there is no improvement in my perception that the managers/​owners of this Kimberly Hotel property entirely missed the mark.
It takes a certain kind of person to understand what makes a venue like this sing. Clearly, that person was not in the room last night — nor were they likely to have been in the planning and design meetings that took place months ago, resulting in a space that feels as though it is meant to impress an audience of ghosts. With 15 people in the place, the square footage seems like an incredible waste. What midtown east did not need was another zombie restaurant with substandard food, stingy cocktails, and rude servers boasting this large a footprint — sans dance floor.
With Orhan Yegen at the helm in the kitchen, I had hope that the food would be the silver lining. I was a regular at Sip Sak and loved how seriously he took his food. Rarely dull or clingy, Yegen had an urgency and edge in his cooking, indulging his patrons desire for an authentic Turkish fare and exceptional vegetables! Last nights hummus was lackluster, and his bread was a microwaved disk of dough that was as hard and chewy as a dog’s bone. With this as an appetizer, I was begged to stop eating before I began. I ordered nothing more.
This room, this place, wants for so much more but is vacuous and uncomfortable. A man in a suit, perhaps the general manager, skulks in darkened corners but does not greet his guests. The service staff clearly cares little for the experience of their benefactors, pushing weak cocktails while forcibly upselling by way of making your original request for a less expensive wine unavailable or by «adding» on your tab a second shot of Vodka in your meagerly poured cocktail in order to bring it up to the standards of their neighbors to the right and left of this venue.
I am baffled. It could be so wonderful, but it is not carefully managed. In fact, it is mismanaged to death.
The owners would do well to note that when entering this room, patrons naturally want to LOVE this place. I believe they, and they alone, are the reason it is so hated.
I shall not return.

Had couple drinks at the place recently, russian speaking bartenders were very helpful as my language skills are poor

This place was right next to our hotel so we stopped for drinks on the way to dinner.
Honestly, we would have probably ordered an appetizer too if we could find our waitress.
It was definitely pretty inside, but the compliments end there. The cocktails were terrible and certainly not worth it.

I came to Ibis for their Grand Opening celebration as a little perk I got from my job since the organization I work for is hosting an event there in a few months. My coworker and I went to check the place out and nosh on all the passed hors d’oeuvres and sip on some free drinks. Ibis is a beautiful venue for sure. It’s really big, dark, decorated with chandeliers and provides an intimate, lounge-​like setting. It’s two floors, with a bar on each, and even a wine room. Fancy schmancy.
Overall, the food was good. There was a cheese plate (and who doesn’t love cheese), hummus, babaganouj, roasted red pepper spread, stuffed grape leaves, and crackers for people to take for themselves, and the wait staff passed around other goodies. The babaganouj, grape leaves, and any passed hors d’oeuvres made from something stuffed inside phyllo dough deserve a shoutout, especially the phyllo stuffed with fig and the phyllo stuffed with raspberry and cheese. Another shoutout to the service! From the bartenders to the wait staff, everyone we came in contact with was great!

Very good Mediterranean food in a impressive atmosphere. The venue itself is worth a visit. If you’re celebrating a special occasion, trying to impress a date, or want a upscale venue for a night out with friends this is it.
The food is very good– I especially liked the Mediterranean platter and baklavah (amazing!). However, the person I was with ordered a nice cut of steak, which wasn’t the best of quality. Overall, I would recommend!

My new favorite restaurant. Beautiful, sexy, 1950 meets 2015 design. A small dance floor medium to large establishment with 2 floors, 2 full bars on both floors. Private half glass enclosed dinning room with racks filled with their best wine. Medium size chandeliers in both rooms. Ibis serves a delicious Mediterranean menu by attractive attentive staff. David and I were living the moment.

Such a beautiful place, delicious Turkish food and live music. I went for my birthday and it was such a magical dinner. The decoration is very elegant. Tried Lamb Shank with eggplant pure and it was delicious. Love the place.

Service was so bad!
attitude from the owner was just HORRIBLE!
Food arrived cold and when I made the waiter of this he just grabbed the plate and threw down another dish in front of me with a bad attitude.
NEVER AGAIN will I return to this place.
An owner should be able to take care of his customers.

Service horrible! My dinner was served COLD! VERY Small portions! Terrible attitude from owner, he berates us for being unhappy. SAYS: He gave us music and great food, then tries to force a large tip for bad service. Do not waste your time. They cannot take responsibility for anything. When I complained the owner told me I was mad because he did not obey me!!! REALLY??? COLD FOOD AND BAD SERVICE! Good luck with this attitude Manhattan!

Beautiful room, excellent food, great service. Hot yogurt soup was amazing and the New York strip steak was cooked perfectly. I totally recommend this restaurant! It just opened under a new chef who clearly knows what he is doing. It’s definitely worth a visit, I will certainly be returning!