Pink Tea Cup

Air pie and breeze cake has more flavor. What a waste of an empty stomach. Former Knickerbocker; Larry Johnson (LJ) was a guest, our warning sign should have been this 6 ft 7 in man sprinkling salt (a lot of it,) pepper (a lot of it) and A LOT of hot sauce all over his entire plate. Just figured he wanted his food to pack the punch of hypertension, but he he knew what we later discovered — the food lacks the ‘flav’ in flavor. Oh, did I mention LJ came into the establishment after us and his food was on the table in less than 5 minutes, while myself and three other guests waited at least 20 minutes for our food. That was done in poor taste, but what else can you expect from a place where everything is done in POOR TASTE.

I was a huge fan of the entire menu at the old place. The fried chicken was juicy and crunchy, and the mac and cheese brought me back to eating gramama’s back in the 80s. Also loved the simple egg sandwich on Wonder Bread! When the old spot was in jeopardy of closing, a fan with money bought the name and recipes in an attempt to carry on the legend. I thought that was so awesome! I was so eager to go when they re-​opened!
We went for our anniversary dinner and I was so disappointed! The service was abysmal. The waitress never warned me when there was a price change and when I asked about it on our bill, she pretty much shrugged and offered no restitution. The menu is a watered-​down, pretentious version of its former self. Not only are items such as our dear egg sandwich off the menu, everything they kept is twice the price. I ordered mac n cheese and fried chicken (hard to screw up). The mac n cheese wasn’t as great as I remembered and, of course, the portions are smaller for a higher price. The fried chicken came back pink and I had to send it back to be cooked properly, and even then it was dry and waaaaay-​overpriced.
Bottom line: they took the soul out of soul food when they moved, in exchange for pretension. Sad.

We came here because my friend loved the old Pink Tea Cup and wanted to give the new place a shot. Well, from our experience, the new version paled in comparison. The wait staff was unknowledgeable and unattentive, the grits were runny, the food was mediocre. This did not sit well with us.
I’m not surprised that this place didn’t make it. When we went it was a Saturday night at 7pm. We didn’t have to wait for a table in one of the busiest neighborhoods in Manhattan. That should’ve been enough of a red flag right there.

I so wanted to like this place — the cute name, the pretty décor. I tried several items, but I didn’t enjoy the food. The salmon croquettes were especially tasteless and texture-​less. Maybe it was an off night.

I am giving them 1 star… only because there is no option for 0 stars…
I am shocked that they have opened a bigger location because when I paid close to $ 20 for 3 side dishes I had to throw it all out because it was the most disgusting food that I have ever had in my entire life. I grew up eating soul food and the food they serve is not soulful or good or edible…

For a restaurant in the west village I expected SO MUCH MORE. Pink Tea Cup must be trying to pay that good «on Seventh Ave» rent because their prices are TOO HIGH. The food is TOO average, not enough of a variety, and depending on what you order… just not enough. Don’t order the crab cakes! They are a sad display of crab meat splatted on a plate and a complete waste of $ 9. The bourbon wings… ok…I did enjoy the sweet potato waffle but the fact that you have to pay $ 2 extra for white meat is appalling.
I was already pretty through with this restaurant when they brought out my sub par crab cakes, but when the waitress told me it was CASH ONLY! I just about lost it. You are in the Village! Get it together! That’s embarrassing…
They could really have a good thing going… too bad I won’t be around to see it.

located in W. village, this CASH ONLY southern eatery had some ups and downs in terms of their dishes. The size is pretty adequate for the time we went and we were not crammed or anything. We tried the chicken and waffles. The fried chicken was delicious, maybe one of the best but the waffles were one of the worst ones so i guess they balanced it out. The waffle was soggy and flavorless, and their sweet potato waffle really didnt taste any different from their normal. The eggs they have are pretty good as well, cheesy and smooth. The waffle they served couldnt be overcame by the other good food, so do not order anything involving their waffles.

Short & sweet — was in town on business and squeezed in a meal with my colleague. Went here on a recommendation by a super cool gal pal.
Ups… Loved my meal (chops, greens, Mac, corn&okra). All very well prepared. Not overly seasoned or greasy like many soul food locales. My colleague had the dumplings. They were good but prepared differently than I ever experienced.
Loved the décor, music was slamming and servers were sweethearts.
Downs… They don’t accept credit cards (where are we, a third world country?) they were out of every wine I wanted. Settled on a mediocre grigio. Blah…
I’ll come back. I enjoyed it for the most part.

I LOVED the Pink Tea Cup in West Village! We visited for breakfast this past weekend when I was in NYC and I really loved the food, the atmosphere, the service, and just about everything. I thought the theme was very cute and I loved how they played the pink up. The tables and chairs were super cute and the food was great. For breakfast the prices are reasonable. I got 3 blueberry pancakes for about $ 8 and they were really delicious. It’s actually a lot of food and I had to take the rest as leftovers.
The service was quick and friendly and the atmosphere is nice and it’s smack dab in the heart of the West Village. I’d definitely recommend this place.

I am going to have to visit this place again (or not), because the one time I went, I wish I hadn’t.
I was meeting my friend after he got off work to do a little dinner and then a little happy hour. We decided on PTC, because we has noticed it a few times, and it sounded great!
Well, I guess you can’t always trust impressions.
The service was abysmal. The woman who appeared to be tending bar, managing and hosting took forever to even recognize us despite the place being empty other than one bar guest and one 4 top.
When we finally were seated, she spilled water on the menus and table, but then acted like it was somehow someone else’s fault. Instead of apologizing to us and graciously asking the server to help her clean it up, she sucked her teeth and commanded him to clean it and get new menus as she just walked away.
When the server came back to order our drinks, he had no idea what the bar stocked and didn’t. I tried to order a beer, but apparently they were out of all of their list except for a few. So I ordered a G&T instead and my friend ordered his usual along with an appetizer of wings.
The appetizer came 10 minutes later before the drinks ever materialized. I had to catch the server’s eye and remind him since I had seen drinks go out to other tables. When he did bring the drinks, they were small and water just as I have seen mentioned in other reviews.
I also have to agree with people that for the price you pay ($ 19 for the cheapest entrée… meatloaf…in a soul food restaurant??), it simply isn’t worth the value. The wings were just that, 4 whole fried chicken wings that needed a lot of hot sauce to make them not dry. Flavorless collard greens and beans. Mashed potatoes that improved when we added a lot of butter… we had extra since this cornbread everyone is raving about never got to our table. The entrees were both good, but I think it was mainly thanks to the incredible gravy… there was nothing exceptional to either his meatloaf or my smothered porkchops.
And make sure you bring cash since, despite a single meal of 2 entrees, an appetizer and 2 drinks came to nearly $ 80…they don’t take credit cards.
The ambiance of the place is fantastic though. It looks wonderful. And we did get to sit in their lovely enclosed patio and had the best conversation with a couple of women passing by since we sat for quite some time waiting for service and the check. The women said that it was better at the old location and that the service here was terrible.
I only wish they had passed by an hour earlier.

I’ve lived on NY since 1995 and remember the original (to me) Pink Teacup location. So in all fairness, this new location is an upgrade in many ways; cleaner, more spacious, brighter, newer. But after 2 visits to this new location, I can’t say there will be a 3^rd.
First visit was uneventful really. The service was average, not bad, not above and beyond, just as expected. The prices were the shocker. Price-​to-​value ratio has to be established for consumers and I just can’t justify the price for the quality of the food. Again, the food was good, not great, the portions ample. The actual meal from presentation to interpretation was no better than Sylvia’s but pricy.
Second visit on Friday, June 24^th was a disaster other than the waitress Thalia. The restaurant was pretty empty at 8:45 — 9:00pm so the two of us asked if we could be seated not directly next to other diners. We didn’t think this could be an issue because there were more than 90% of the seats available. The host takes us right next to two other patrons and we immediately ask for another option. He points to the elevated stage seats; who wants to be on stage eating? Though he did provide an alternative to the first option, as we asked about other seats, he kept saying those are for 4 people, etc. Finally I said, there’s no other 2 seats in this place? Finally we were allowed to sit in the entry area facing 7^th Ave South, lovely seating.
The first thing my friend said was that he didn’t even want to stay after that exchange and when he saw the prices he was shocked. I wanted him to have the experience so that I could have another point of view about the «Pink «Palace.» He agreed there was nothing special about the food other than the amazing cornbread that is complimentary.
So when people go on and on about Red Rooster and how expensive it is I recommend that they look at the amazing presentation and interpretation of soul food as well as everything that is well done there from the restaurant décor to the bathrooms.
If I am going to pay for overpriced food, something has to be worth the trip.

That Southern hospitality warmth and charm!
Following a delectable event of co-​hosting and curating an Open-​Mike with fellow experienced aspiring spoken word artists, our party of three ventured here for dinner. Entrees are served with a choice of two side dishes, thus no need for appetitzers. My first true exposure to Southern home cooking specifically to grits as the BBQ ribs, fried pork chops, black eyed peas were juicy in flavor. Yet our dinner table was missing corn bread which is like icing on a cake for a divine Southern meal. Ironically wearing a bright pink top plagued with immense exhausation from my newly venture month long travels, a good friend recommended Pink Tea Cup for a delightfully sweet time.
Service is somewhat efficient friendly welcoming in true Southern form. Facilties are small though clean and décor in dark wood. Oddly, there is a small raised stage which prehaps live performances are/​were played.
That Southern home cooking goes straight to the heart for a desirable delicious and delightfully sweet effect.

I was excited to try this place because of the great reviews it received before they reopened at the West Village location. I went a few weeks back with my boyfriend and our friend from out of town. When we got to the door, we were greeted with the lovely, «Cash Only» sign. Ok, fine. Before we were about to leave to get cash, the «host/​ess» comes out and tries to persuade us to come in. We told him we were going to, but we just needed to get cash.
Upon our return, we were promptly seated. The menu looks pretty good, but the prices are CRAZY high. I couldn’t believe how high it was, but ok we’ll take a chance.
My friend and I ordered drinks (me: a lychee mojito, my friend: moscato). My mojito was GREAT! It was very, very good. Small, but good. We ordered our food and about 10 mins after we ordered, the server comes back and says they’re out of my order (I ordered baked chicken, white meat). Apparently, they only had «1 piece of white meat available» and he asked if I wanted that along with dark meat. I said no and decided to go with the cornish hen. My boyfriend ordered the ribs and my friend ordered the salmon croquettes.
Our food came out in spurts. First my boyfriend’s ribs and then my side dishes. Next came his side dishes and then my friend’s food, that ended up being wrong. She ordered a waffle with her croquettes. He brought out grits and croquettes. He takes the plate back and brings back her croquettes and says the waffle will take a while (it took nearly 20 mins). Didn’t really understand why it didn’t come out all together, but ok, fine.
The food in a nutshell was alright. My friend’s croquettes looked like two big dry balls of… crap. I don’t know… they just looked awful and they were extremely dry. She only ate half of one. My boyfriend said his ribs were ok. OH, I forgot we ordered mac ‘n’ cheese for the table since they don’t offer it as a side, but «a la carte». If you look at the menu, entrees come with two sides but unfortunately the mac ‘n’ cheese and yams (two of the most popular soul food dishes) aren’t included in the sides. You have to order them separately. AND… they’re more expensive than the sides. I see what the Pink Tea Cup is doing.
I will say that the mac ‘n’ cheese was great. It was baked, which is rare to find at a restaurant. It was very cheesy and not dry at all. So thumbs up for that. But everything else was ok. It wasn’t bad, wasn’t great… just right in the middle. For the price, it wasn’t worth it at all.
If you’re the type of person that likes a little ambiance, then definitely do NOT go here. The décor is quite cheesy. I guess they’re going for a laid back, southern home look? Who knows. All I know is that I wasn’t impressed. I will not be returning.

Meh is right.
Way too expensive. Food isn’t worth mentioning. Service and décor suck.

I had to work out an additional 15 minutes today because of my dinner last night at the Pink Tea Cup.
And it’s really because of one specific item that calorie burning cardio came to my rescue: red velvet cake.
I’ve already skipped ahead to the best tasting part of the meal, dessert. And for $ 10, I’d hope that this slice would prove worthy of the pricetag. It does and then some, as in, have some with another person or people and you’ll still have a hearty helping of the red velvet cake.
Moist, delicious cake with a strong layer of frosting with well balanced distribution across the geometry of the cake– that’s a formula for good eats.
But what of the other foodstuffs?
First, a bit of history. Pink Tea Cup had been in the West Village for 56 years. In NYC years, that’s quite some time and so it established a loyal cadre of happy soul food seekers. it recently reopened at a new location with a commitment to preserving the spirit of the original PTC but adding a few healthier and vegetarian options to the menu, along with more space.
I never went to the original so lack the attachment others may have to the smaller, more intimate digs.
I did like the interior, however, with its exposed brick, candles on every table, tables for two, small bar with happy hour specials and large painting depicting some dancing people.
The menu certainly falls into the soul food school– most entrees come with two sides except for chicken and waffles. I was torn between meatloaf and pulled pork but opted for the pork. Our waiter was friendly, water refills were a plenty and the music wasn’t that loud as noted in previous reviews.
Instead of having the two sides and pulled pork all mixed and mashed together on one plate, presentation was fancied up with smaller bowls that would seem more at home at other establishments. The pulled pork included some fat, always a plus, and my waiter gave me additional BBQ sauce. Free corn bread would have been nice but it’s available for a buck. The pork wasn’t that stringy or tough so kudos on the preparation.
My side of grits was tolerable but I’ve had (and made) better. I asked for cheese grits and was given regular grits with a few shavings of american cheese to mix in myself. The black eyed peas were a little watery.
My wife had the fried chicken, which is also available smothered. She had to borrow some of my bbq sauce as it was a little on the dry side.
Total for two entrees and dessert was $ 57. Not inexpensive for soul food but given the location, space and overall feel of the place, not unexpected. I’d have to compare the prices and feel with midtown’s B. Smith’s.
I’d definitely go back if in the area as the overall dining experience was pleasant, despite some side issues. And let’s not forget the cause of my extra long workout today– red velvet cake!
Note that the link for the restaurant doesn’t seem to work but this one does:

I like all the pink, but this restaurant must be coasting on a rep they got about 5 years ago.
I’m from the south and this restaurant is a Northern imitation of Southern food. The grits were a disgrace to true grits Tasted like they came from an instant grits box. My fried chicken was $ 2 more because I wanted white meat (which was extremely dry) instead of dark.
The only good part of the meal was my sweet potato waffle. The service was super SLOW.
Oh, and CASH ONLY.

The Pink Teacup has been around for about 50 years now and it’s almost pointless to review now because they’re set to close on Jan 3^rd (I suppose there’s always a chance someone will come and buy the business at the last moment though). The Pink Teacup is a restaurant (about average size for the area in Manhattan) serving a combination of soul food and diner food throughout the day. Prices range for the very reasonable ($ 7 for a couple eggs, home fries, bacon, and a couple biscuits), to the unbelievably cheap ($ 9 for a combo consisting of a burger, fries, coffee, soup, and pie).
From my experience the food was pretty good but the service was so so. My waitress was business only and not that pleasant. She seemed rushed and hectic (while the other waitress seemed friendlier and calm), she took forever to get my water and mistakenly gave me a coffee and then forget to take off the coffee from the bill at the end. It wasn’t a horrible experience it just wasn’t a great one. As far as the food the bacon was the thickest I’ve ever had, I’m not a fan of bacon so thick it can’t get crispy but I certainly appreciate it. The home fries thankfully didn’t have peppers in them and were very good. The portion of eggs was tiny and seemed slightly less than 2 eggs worth. The biscuits were good but didn’t taste home made.
All in all the place was pretty good and the reasonably priced menu was a breath of fresh air to find in Greenwich Village. If nothing is done to continue the Pink Teacup legacy it will be disappointing for sure.

I never heard of this place until I went to Moab, Utah. In Moab, they have a breakfast place that bragged about how good their food was, and in particular said that their bacon was just like a famous restaurant in Manhattan. I inquired politely as to which restaurant it was, and made sure not to order their bacon. Why settle, when I can have the real thing?
So flash forward to this week, and I finally got to have a late breakfast here. It was definitely worth it. I had 2 scrambled eggs, hash browns, buns, sweet tea, and of course, BACON. I was very surprised that the eggs were soft. How unexpected. How French! I loved them. The hash browns were straightforward not compromising the taste of the potato. Also good. The buns were blah, however. But as for the bacon, wow, that’s good bacon. Three generously sized slabs of bacon with only the tiniest amount of fat. Robust pork flavor that just entices you to keep having more. And the sweet tea was remarkable. I have had sweet tea all over the south for the last 7 years or so, and this may be the best sweet tea I have ever had. Saccharine and yet maintaining the taste of the tea — well executed. Highly recommend for a good solid breakfast.

I won’t embarrass myself and tell you the last time I went to the Pink Teacup, but I believe Linda Evans was wearing shoulder pads… and I think Jimmy Carter’s doofus brother was pitching Billy Beer. Yep, that long. So imagine my sense of déjà vu when I returned just last week and saw the place has little changed. Oh sure, there are photos of Obama on the brick walls where there were jazz record album covers before.
I remember having the fried chicken and the pork chops before, but my metabolism left me sometime during the Clinton years. So this time, I went for a simple omelet with cheese and tomatoes for only $ 4. The home fries were extra, but they just added $ 2.25 for those. They were buttery-​tasty for sure, but the high point came in the form of their flaky biscuits (see my photo). The omelet, on the other hand, was standard diner fare with little loving care.
The place was packed when I came in, so service was spotty at first with two requests for coffee promptly forgotten. It got much better as the place cleared out. The neighborhood vibe is still the same, and I’m glad I came back all these years later. But Thomas Wolfe is probably right… You can’t go home again, but maybe you can get a pink teacup again. By the way, I didn’t see a single pink teacup when I was there.
FOOD — 4 stars… solid breakfast fare with a hint of soul if you want
AMBIANCE — 3.5 stars… a neighborhood place that has managed to survive
SERVICE — 3.5 stars… spotty at first but better when it clears
TOTAL — 4 stars… for the good vibe and the food and the memories

Southern hospitality never felt so good in the village and with a mountain of soul food, great brunch options, and fantastic service, Pink Teacup will be here for a long time. Of all the locations, I would have never guessed this little place to be where it is since its relatively easy to miss. Items can get pricey for soul food, but since this is the village, it’s considered to be quite reasonable.
Most soul food loving gluttons will find what they’re looking for here, as the menu is decked out with plenty of variety. Service is great here, most of the wait staff is polite, friendly, and very attentive. A nice touch to the semi-​intimate spot is the jukebox that occasionally will belt out some old school tunes, from Motown to 90s. Seating is really tight and can be a nightmare if there is a group of 4 or more in the house. Plus, no credit cards accepted here, just pure cold hard cash.
I have yet to try everything on the menu, but so far the favorites would be beef tips over rice, salmon croquettes, and the catfish. The macaroni and cheese, potato salad are fatteningly fantastic and the sweet corn bread is oh so good. Each of the side orders can be served like an entrée for about double the price and double the fat ass. I can’t wait to come back.