Michael’s

This is an extractive venue with attentive service. The food however was oversalted, not particularly good and greatly over priced for what it was. The coffee tasted like maxwell house, Bread was $ 5, wine starts at $ 14, coffee was 7 and dessert is 14 even for two scoops of ice-​cream. In sum simply an overpriced mediorce midtown restaurant.

I dined at Michael’s exactly one year ago and returned to the restaurant for what I had hoped would be a fine meal. I was highly disappointed.
Décor: Very relaxed setting with tables comfortably spaced and comfortable chairs. Interesting artwork and photographs throughout the restaurant and in the restrooms. However, despite their spaciousness and location, it is best to avoid the two tables near the window because they are also adjacent to the server’s stand.
Food: Overall, good. The breadbasket consisted of 4 rolls that had been reheated, warm outside cold inside with a miniscule portion of butter. The Bibb salad was fine. The ½ chicken was boneless and cooked perfectly with a crisp skin. The side of harcort vertes was good but I prefer my vegetables simply steamed but that is a personal preference. My dining partner’s Pumpkin Ravioli appetizer portion was excellent as was the salmon entrée. We shared a desert special, a creame brulee with armagnac. I wasn’t fond of that dish, preferring a traditional version but my dining partner enjoyed it. Coffee was good.
Service: Abysmal. We ordered appetizers, entrees, side, and bread at the same time. Our appetizers arrived first and the salad arrived w/​o the dressing on the side as requested. Several minutes passed before the waiter who took our order came to the table. He took the salad back to the kitchen then returned shortly with the salad and the dressing on the side. He indicated that the salad had been brought to the table w/​o the dressing. Shortly thereafter, the bread arrived. When we completed our appetizer course, the plates were removed and they attempted to take the bread as well. Our entrees were served shortly after. When the table was cleared, the desert menu was presented. We ordred a desert and coffee. The coffee arrived followed by the desert. Shortly thereafter, the check arrived, w/​o request and w/​o the server asking we wanted anything else.
Prices: WAY out of line with respect to the food which is the reason for the 2 star rating. $ 15 for the salad is a bit excessive but acceptable. $ 24.00 for the chicken is acceptable. But… $ 7.00 for a single cup of coffee w/​o an offer for even one refill? $ 14.00 for a regular sized cream brulee dessert? $ 11.00 for a miniscule sized side of harcort verts?
Overall, the dining area is pleasant, the food is adequate, the service seriously lacking and the prices excessively high. Definiately not a place I’d return to.

I read ten other reviews chosen at random and not one mentioned the Hockneys and Diebenkorns that grace the walls of this excellent mid-​town Cali. Apparently New York diners are either too clueless to notice or too jaded to care. David Hockney is represented with his iconic LA visions of green palms and blue pools, but the real keeper is from Diebenkorn’s Pacific Coast series. The art sets the scene for tasty and occasionally inspired left coast fare. Even if you usually avoid ordering prosaic chicken when dining out, you will not want to miss Michael’s succulent chicken breasts with perfectly crisped skin. Nothing prosaic there! The fantastic Cobb salad is another house classic. It is so good that I bought Michael’s cookbook so I could make it at home. True, all is not perfect in Paradise, but as Milton reminds us we live in a fallen world. Service can sometimes be elusive during the lunch crush. Bread is not included and costs $ 5. An establishment of this caliber should at least offer bread by the slice if, as I suspect, the breadbaskets were often going untouched. A final note: in addition to its power lunch, Michael’s also serves a superb power breakfast. Just bring your corporate charge card. And yes, if you see someone who looks like a famous media person, it’s because he or she is. The original Michael’s is in Santa Monica. I haven’t dined there yet, but would like to. I’m sure the food — and Art — are great.

You won’t get bread automatically with your lunch…
You have to ask for bread…
They charge for bread… ($ 5.00)
Coffee starts at $ 7…
Glass of Wine starts at $ 15…
That’s NOT gracious dining, imho,… it’s greed…

Want to close a multi million dollar deal? Get your suit out and head over for breakfast or lunch. Your table number relays your cache.
Ate: NY Power breakfast $ 21 egg whites, spinach, toast potatoes or grilled tomato citrus salad
Decaf latte $ 8
Decaf cappuccino $ 8
Food wise, the food is California classic. Nothing innovative or farm to table. My egg whites were fluffy and tasty. The grilled beefsteak tomato
was a plum. Brioche toast was good. Spinach & citrus salad was also nice. Preserves were the good ones in a jar. Both the latte and cappuccino were weak.
Service:
Snotty coat check girl should check herself. Otherwise, service was fine. The space is spacious and comphy, but unlike Jams where the California cuisine pops, Michael’s is a staid, arrogant mainstay that serves those who may not know the difference between a beefsteak or plum tomato.

This midtown wonder magnificently orchestrates lunch and dinner from the beautiful settings to the perfectly grilled steaks and lamb chops. Seafood is fresh, portions are so delicious, and the place oozes with elegance. On the casual side, I really enjoyed the Korean Tacos. Staff puts you at ease to enjoy every facet of the meal. Bartender shakes a mean martini. Just too cool to not return for yet another helping.

I was drawn to Michael’s for its reputation of fine food and an excellent midtown lunch choice. It did not disappoint ! The energy was high and the room was packed, yet the service was on point throughout. Our entrees were excellent and we appreciated the healthy options. It was a nice touch that Michael was there to greet each guest. I would most definitely visit Michael’s again when in the area!

I went here for lunch with a few coworkers & was very impressed. They are well equipped to handle the very busy lunch crowd they have. Good portion sizes, not too big /​not too small. We went at noon and by 12:30 it was extremely busy. My only complaint was that our server took a while to bring us water/​take our drink order but otherwise a great meal & experience. Would definitely recommend /​go back.

Apparently this is a midtown lunch media industry power scene.
It’s not a bad place to grab drinks in the summer on a weekday in the evening as it was almost completely empty. The service was good but for the abrupt hostess.
The drinks were good as were the apps. Nothing was insanely expensive as one sometimes finds in midtown. I would return.

The outside has a very home-​y feeling to it. Once you enter you are greeted by the hostess and also welcomed by Steve and Michael as well. They’re very friendly and quick to land a good first impression on you. The inside décor is very modern. Inside is a lot bigger than you expect.
As for the food, I ordered lamb chops and they were cooked to perfection. The sauce that comes with the lamb chops and their special onion is amazingly delicious. Their oysters and shrimp cocktail is very fresh and tasted clean. You will NOT be disappointed with their selections of raw food.

I am no foodie, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Recently a transplant from Napa, and the food here reminded me of the meals I had there. Not as refined, but still delicious. I had the Korean steak tacos that were quite flavorful and the Branzino. The Branzino was a bit underwhelming, but it was paired well with the leeks. The star though was the sautéed mushrooms, they were quite delicious. Very nice wine selection, and maybe I am not yet used to New York prices but the wine was way overpriced. All the California wine prices were double than what they are truly worth. The service was good and the ambience was nice. I would recommend Michaels highly except that I feel it is highly overpriced.

Took a client here for lunch on a recent trip to NYC. It is much bigger than it appears. I picked it based on the Unilocal reviews and was not disappointed at all. I love the back room and was lucky enough to get a table right against the floor to ceiling window overlooking a small garden area. .. of course being winter it was snow covered.
I had the Nicoise salad and it was really good. The tuna was perfect. My client had the crab-​cake and said it was all crab, there were 4 small piles of crab.
It has a convenient location as well.
I will go back. For what it is and the reviews I thought it would be pricier especially in NYC. The price was not bad at all. The menu has a lot of options and you definitely get the Cali feel. Enjoy!
P. S. While I am labeling this dressy it truly is not that dressy, but it is not casual either. You don’t have to have a coat at lunch and could get away with smart casual /​biz casual and probably a nice pair of jeans.

I love the duck tacos here. And their desserts are so delish too! Their home made macaroons are to die for. And the fruit tart is just the right finish for a great meal!

Good place for power breakfast meetings or lunches. Good traditional card. A little bit old and dated but always an enjoyable food and service experience.

Tranquility and glamor! Michael’s is one of my favorite spots for lunch. Most recently we shared the Korean tacos as an appetizer, and I had the salmon, which was beautifully displayed and tasty as always.
The back room is one of the few places in midtown to eat and see daylight. I love looking out at the garden. The front room always bustles with energy. It’s rare that I don’t see someone I know or someone famous.
Best of all, there is elbow room and my guests and I can actually hear each other. My one complaint is they take 12:00pm reservations, but are never ready to seat people. They should open at 11:30 or 11:45 to avoid the impression of being overwhelmed and not ready for guests.

Enjoyed lunch in the conservatory in the back of the restaurant. Both the appetizer — Korean steak tacos and the salmon main course were delicious and well prepared. We were not rushed and things were delivered with a good amount of time so we could have a proper business meeting.
The manager was a touch late in getting the restaurant opened for our 12:00 seating. The staff meeting had run over.
Pleasurable relaxed business lunch surrounded by stimulating nude artwork. Either no or very low music so it was easy to talk.

Last week my family and I visited Michael’s for dinner prior to a play. Traffic in the city was horrendous and our arrival time seemed to compromise whether we’d be able to fit in dinner and get to the play on time. Our service staff was confident we could and attended to our order as soon as we were ready. Servings arrived comfortably spaced and we were able to depart on time. That was enough for 3 stars. The fourth star comes from the way the staff and management were able to make us feel — as though we had all the time in the world — and it truly felt that way. The fifth star? Eat a Michael’s and you’ll learn where the fifth star came from.
Awesome experience!

Wow. How confusing.
Walked into a mildew smell like the basement in my grandma’s house with the 80’s décor to match.
The menu was confusing. Every kind of food you could imagine.
We opted to try the chefs korean inspired food and I’m glad we did. He should have a full korean menu. The food was great tbh.
The décor and overall style and ambience, not so much.
The art was beautiful though. Really great pieces.
This restaurant needs an update. The food is good, but it was very awkward to have a meal there.

Came here for restaurant week and cannot say it enough how AMAZING it was! My friend was unsure with what beer she wanted and the waitress suggested a few and even let her try two of them. I went with the strawberry bomb which is just like a mojito but better.
We both started off with the salmon tartare which was to die for. It was melt-​in-​your-​mouth good. For an entrée, I got the sweet potato noodles which sounds blah, but it was like a pad thai taste with thin shiny noodles. YUM! She had the bass which was cooked perfectly. Finally, I had the sorbet which, i mean, you can’t go wrong with that. Overall, the portions were the perfect size and we have ZERO complaints about anything. Definitely worth coming here.

A few months ago a really good girlfriend of mine in the service industry sent me a text to let me know that she is now on Michael’s staff and urged me to bring in my clients in the finance industry occasionally because she thought they’d really love it. Occasionally has now become a weekly ritual and I’m just getting started.
I can’t say enough about this place, so unlike most of my reviews, I’ll keep this one short.
Dining while surrounded by all of that incredible art is about the best thing in the world until you realize that the food is completely out of this world. The garden is spectacular and I’m still plotting which event I’m going to host in their private room and when. Any day now, the invitations may just very well go out for a charity dinner or business luncheon, or I might just book the whole place for my «I’m 30 something and still single party» which I plan to have in lieu of a wedding reception if I fail to find a mate any time in the next couple of years!“
Unlike most of my reviews, I’m going to stray away from telling you about my favorite dishes because they are all incredible! What I will stress though is that this is one of my favorite cocktail hours in all of NYC! The bar is quiet and I can sit and chat up clients without a ton of chatter around me or intrusion.
Final thoughts: the staff here is amazing. I have never been to a restaurant that treats you as a welcomed and honored guest like this one does. It never seems «put on» or insincere. The staff cares that you are there and that you are enjoying yourself. It’s no wonder people keep coming back.
Michael’s is not inexpensive, but I will say that it is not the most expensive restaurant in NYC and for the atmosphere and service it very well could be! Their wine list is exceptional and their cocktails are old school and perfect every time!
Love!