Bacchanal

Review is for happy hour — pretty good happy hour from 4−7pm. $ 1 oysters which were delicious! The shishito peppers were good too. $ 8 for house wine, $ 5 for beer. They have cocktails also. What gives this place a one up from randolphs is the service — so friendly and helpful unlike the ones at Randolph beer. My dog was allowed to chill with us in the outdoor seating area. The sidewalk was super clean compared to what it could be in that area.

Dined here Friday night w/​a girlfriend of mine. It was a quiet Friday night at this restaurant.
— Oysters On Shell
— Hand Cut Steak Tartare
— Grilled Filet Mignon
— Seared Diver Sea Scallops
Oysters On Shell was amazingly fresh. The Hand Cut Steak Tartare was good but I think I’ve had better. Grilled Filet Mignon and Sea Scallops was good.
I don’t know I feel like the food was good but nothing special. Overall service was on point. Ambience seemed laid back and chilled. Full opened bar… It’s like a speakeasy kind of place.

Finally got to try this restaurant on the Bowery, a change of cuisine from all the Chinese places.
I had the baby green salad and the marinated olives for starters; the salad had radishes which gave it a tang and the olives dish had a good 20 – 25 olives… a good value.
I then had the lamb meatballs w tzatziki yogurt sauce and the grilled octopus. The 7 meatballs were very favorable and juicy and the yogurt sauce was a good accompaniment. The octopus was perfectly grilled and tender.
I had 2 Prosecco’s and a scoop of sorbet for dessert and a cappuccino.
With a generous tip, my bill was $ 100.
The wait staff was friendly and attentive; supplying me w 2 helpings of bread and olive oil for dipping

Looking for a very versatile menu?
Looking for awesome and balanced meals?
Looking for a good drinks-​menu?
Go here.
So i am picky, especially when i have to pay real money for the meal. I expect good service, good food, experienced staff and a nice location, if i am to give 5 stars.
And usually, i would have had to eat here more then once to rate a place 5.
And therefore, i went here 5 times. :)
From the start —
Random evening, random walk. Actually not so random, jetlagged and tired and all that, hunting for a decent meal, my friend and i came upon this place.
We get seated, we order a beer, and browse the menu. First point, they have oysters. Thank you gods of food.
Besides from that, they have a very varied menu, so there is something for everyone, if everyone has a proper palette :)
Second visit — We were in the neighborhood, and normally i would hunt for a new place, just to try things out, but there was so much on the menu we figures, why the heck not, and went again. And once more, awesome food, and even better service. We were seated outside in perfect weather, and for NYC, it was pretty quiet and all.
Third visit, we brought our colleagues from the place we work. The true challenge. A bunch of picky, quirky and loud people, right before kitchen-​closing-​time. And again, we were met with amazing service and fantastic food, and of course really good drinks.
Everything went smooth, the food rocked and everyone was happy… except maybe the people seated near us, i am not proud to admit that we were kinda loud. Sorry.
All in all — Go there, be brave and try new things. And the fish-​dishes are really nice too :)

Meh. I expected more from Bacchanal for brunch. Made a reservation on Open Table, when I arrived, the restaurant was pretty empty, so I was seated right away. Have to point out that the hostess was shoer sweet and polite!
I ordered their Brussels sprouts omelette and opted for egg whites instead of whole eggs. The omelette was served in a small pan that threw me off. The sprouts were way too salty, and the whites were drenched in oil. My friend ordered the avocado toast, which tasted good, but avocado toasts usually taste good.
They do have a bottomless brunch special, but that wasn’t necessary for us. Their bar area is huge and cool, so that was pretty enticing.
The service was good; I just wish the food could be just as great.

Heard from friends about this place, so had to try it out. Great brunch, great food, great service. Try the steak and eggs with the mimosa’s!
Wrote this review before paying, apparently the $ 20 for the unlimited brunch is extra and not deductible from your menu which makes it a very expensive brunch…

I was here this weekend for a baby shower event and half the restaurant was sectioned off. We had 90 minutes of unlimited boozy brunch drinks (huge bar area by the way) and pre fix brunch menu.
So let’s start off with the apps: we had Cinnamon buns, oysters/​shrimp, and deviled eggs. The cinnamon buns was not good. I’ve had better at au bon pain. Oysters was horribly fishy liked they picked these up in the Chinatown supermarket? Deviled eggs– what can I say? You can’t go wrong with deviled eggs lol.
Now onto my entrée: I ordered the shrimp and grits with fried kale. I think this place has much to improve on their food. The idea of shrimp grits and kale sounded amazing, hence I ordered it. But as the waiter dropped my bowl in front of me — I noticed, I got maybe 2 small shrimp (max) and it was cut up in smaller pieces to give you an illusion that there’s a lot of shrimp. The grits was good! But it was just drowning in oil. The kale too. The food was disappointing and as I look around the other 30 women around me, their plates didn’t look all that appetizing either. There was just something very mediocre about the food. Nothing special.
Great space, attentive service, but would like to see them step up their food game.

Went there last night for my birthday and could not have asked for a better evening.
They were able to accommodate a party of 10 — which I know on a Tuesday night shouldn’t be a feat — but there was no issue getting a table and making sure all the food arrived at the same time, and we were well tended to throughout the evening.
The food was delicious. The Crispy Chicken Buns as an appetizer are not to be missed, if you want something lighter, go for the shishito peppers. The Gingerade cocktail, in my opinion, is the best on the list.
The entrees were spectacular. I had the chicken, but was able to taste the steak frites (their fries have some garlic dust on them, that make them addicting) and the branzino (which would have been my second choice).
The restaurant provided a delicious chocolate cake adorned with a few candles, which topped off the very memorable evening.
I look forward to going back, even if there is no birthday to celebrate.

Note: This review is for the «speakeasy» (I loathe that word, it’s nearly lost all meaning, but it conveys what I’m talking about) in the basement of the restaurant.
Service, service, service. I don’t know if it’s because they just opened, but the waitstaff here are almost tripping over themselves to attend to you. I don’t think I looked at an empty glass for more than twenty seconds all night, which would also explain my bar bill. The whiskey selection is spectacular for a place that doesn’t bill itself as a «whiskey bar.» Scotch, Irish, Bourbon… check, check, check.
The décor is a little weird, but not bad weird, more «eccentric.» I described it as drinking it your rich friend’s parents’ basement in the 70’s. Go on Wednesday nights so you can catch Wasabassco’s weekly burlesque show. The fact that there isn’t a stage in the place makes the show more interesting, as the performers will incorporate the room into their performances, moving between the floor and the raised level where the tables and booths are.

I’m really surprised by all the 5 star reviews of this place. I picked this place for brunch after reading all the great reviews, and I have to say that I was embarrassed to have brought people here. We had cinnamon buns to start, which were fine, but I’ve had better ones from the frozen section of my supermarket. I had the everything bagel sandwich, which was not actually a bagel at all, but rather a croissant with a ton of everything seasoning on it. It just didn’t work. The side salad that it came with was so overly-​salted, I couldn’t eat it.
Everyone else mentioned that their food was «fine,» but nothing really stood out. The place was practically empty when we came here for a Sunday brunch, which I guess should have been warning enough. Won’t be coming back.

My friend and I went to Bacchanal for Easter brunch. We were shocked that it was empty, but that’s probably because it was a holiday, because most reviews say that it’s always packed. The bartender and our waitress were both very nice and helpful.
— Iced coffee: this was particularly good, would definitely recommend it
— Fiore e uva: declicious cocktail with St. Germaine and grapefruit
— Short rib eggs benedict: I loved that this was on a biscuit, and the short rib itself was cooked perfectly. The poached egg + short rib was kind of a lot, but still delicious.
This place was great and I would definitlely go back.

Amazing, amazing amazing food. The people are friendly, the food is delicious. I would recommend this to everyone

Summary:
The newest speakeasy in Nolita. This one is located beneath the restaurant Bacchanal. This bar has amazing drinks and super tasty and creative bar food courtesy of Ryan Schmidtberger. I went here on pre-​opening night with my girlfriend and her friends and got to sample a whole bunch of drinks and food fare which were all fantastic.
The Atmosphere:
Let me start by saying, wow, what a great cozy spot. This place has that speakeasy feel with the nondescript entrance that looks like a subway stop. Inside you have a very nice large space with tables and booths set by the walls, giving the middle a nice open feel. The carved stone wall and presidential wallpaper are a fantastic touch that adds to the Prohibition feel of the place. It was a great touch to use Lincoln with a lipstick mark.
The Food:
The chefs have really done it this time! We sampled the chicken sliders which were superb. Instead of regular bread, they used pork belly buns which made it taste like the chicken was sitting on a cloud. They were light and I could eat these all day long. I’ll have to get the recipe because they would make for amazing party food. We also got the lamb meatballs which were great as they weren’t salty or heavy at all, quite light as well. My friends got the peppers which were great as well, though not my cup of tea. The oysters were indeed fresh and with the light sauce on top were definitely above average.
The Drinks:
I usually try to test new bars and their staff by ordering some classic drinks and seeing their particular style and take. I ordered an Old Fashioned which was one of the top five best Old Fashioneds I’ve ever ordered. Their particular twist on this classic was some extra orange aroma, which when the bartender was handing it to me, I could smell from two feet away. The taste was amazing and she truly shined with this drink. My girlfriend ordered one of their specialty drinks (I forget the name) and although sweet, it had a nice zing of sour (just a hint) which was a nice touch. Her friends ordered other specialty drinks which were also good according to them (though I didn’t taste those). They also have a great selection of wines of which we ordered a very subtle Sauvignon Blanc which made a great night cap at the end of the night.
The Service:
Again, here’s another area where this place shines. The entire staff was on point, through and through. The bartenders were attentive, friendly, and best of all, highly skilled. They really picked an experienced staff to lead this place. I got to meet the general manager Eric who was very attentive to not just my group, but the entire clientele. He also did a great job managing the staff from what I could observe. If they keep this up, they will be the go-​to speakeasy in the area.
Tips:
Order the chicken sliders, they’re insanely good. Also, the Old Fashioned I mentioned above… superb.
You really can’t go wrong with any of the specialty drinks. They do tend to weigh more heavily toward bourbon/​whiskey side of things recipe wise, which I love. Ask for a recommendation and they will not steer you wrong.
Almost forgot… make sure to ask for the specialty drink made of red wine reduction, fantastic!

Love the relaxed vibe! Came here for brunch on a Sunday. Plans were a bit last minute so no tables were available but we only waited about 15 minutes for bar seating for 2 people. Décor was bright and spacious.
We opted for the bottomless «barrel» brunch and were not disappointed. Mimosas were delivered promptly and drinks kept coming over the next 2 hours.
PORK BELLY BENEDICT. So good. Perfectly oozy eggs and well seasoned thick slab of pork belly accompanied by potato hash. Also tried their Everything Paris-​Bresse Éclair Breakfast Sandwich. Normally not a big sandwich person but the lox+eggs+soft éclair interior… would definitely come back to order this!

Came here for a holiday prix fixe dining experience. While I found the food, particularly the sirloin steak, delightful, I can’t say I was wowed by the flavour in any of the dishes, which was a little bit of a let-​down for the price.
Chestnut pappardelle was good, as was the butternut squash/​cranberry soup, although verging into being quite sweet.
Star of the night was easily the sirloin steak, cooked to perfection and bursting with juicy flavour.
Dessert was just OK– pumpkin & the apple pies were delicious, the rest of the items including coconut covered marshmallows and a small (read:very) chocolate chip cookie left much to be desired.
I might try this again, but at $ 55 a person, I found it a little steep for the ordinary dinner.

Just had drinks here, but the autumn themed cocktail with strained pumpkin tasted like it was created by Fall (himself/​herself). The space is intimate and the clientele were not overly bourgeoisie despite the cocktails we were drinking.
Definitely would recommend for a drink as you roll around SoHo, but hope to be back for the food.

We ducked into Bacchanal, a new restaurant that opened in late May that quickly became known for serving tantalizing small plates with influences from Italy, France, and Spain. We started things off the right way — with a superbly made cocktail. It was a particularly humid July afternoon and this Old Fashioned was the antidote.
The décor was a perfect blend of tufted leather banquettes, wood columns, and iron. After the sommelier selected a nice Beaujolais for us, we began ordering a few things. We were all fans of octopus and were not disappointed by this rendition. Although I have not tried Jiro’s octopus (known for being massaged for 40 minutes), Chef Scott Bryan’s version was one of the softest and most flavorful I’ve had the pleasure of trying, with notes of paprika bursting through.
The Hamachi Crudo, served with avocado, chili, chive, and hearts of palm was a refreshing appetizer but since it only came with a few pieces, we doubled down.
Unfortunately, they ran out of brandade fritters, the one appetizer I was most curious about, but the ample amount of perfectly cooked Gulf Shrimp more than made up for it. The chorizo oil gave each mouthful a slow burn while a mound of white beans remained on standby, ready to extinguish.
The best dish of the night, however, wasn’t even on the menu. My colleague Gavin recalled an asparagus dish he had a few weeks back that came with the juiciest mushrooms topped with the most addictive mushroom fondue cream sauce. Luckily they were still serving it and the sauce was money. If parents poured it on steamed broccoli, kids would eat it, no question.
Our fifth appetizer consisted of crisp sweet breads, seasoned beautifully with an intense sweet and sour reduction. The cippollini onions were cooked down until they melted on the tongue. My only regret was not having bread to sop up that sauce.
After sampling most of the appetizers, we massaged our stomachs to make room for the entrees. The Grilled Skirt Steak retained its juices and the black bean chipotle tinga and spiced avocado gave off the perfect amount of heat. Both Gavin and Xavier ordered this entrée and were silenced after the first bite for about five minutes. Eyes were rolling back. Truth.
Peter ordered the juicy Roasted Farm Chicken and I loved how it went so well with the creamy mascarpone polenta and soft carrots. Again, the sauce was excellent and «made» the dish. I believe it was madeira-​based with some minced tarragon.
With everyone ordering meat, I decided to get fish. The Scottish Salmon was cooked perfectly and not dry. Skin was slightly crispy and underneath was velvety soft flesh that broke apart easily. Loved the texture of the pea shoots, the bright ginger soy vinaigrette that cut through the fishy essence, and the earthy chanterelles with sesame seeds that helped round out the dish.
Our first stomachs were full after five apps and four entrees. But our second stomachs ached for dessert. The vanilla panna cotta in a passionfruit soup eased us into our second round of gluttony. Creamy texture paired with an acidic and almost floral soup. Perfect summer dessert.
The Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake with cocoa nibs was heavier and sinfully decadent like your typical chocolate cake. The side of vanilla ice cream was a welcome addition to balance out the sweetness.
The last thing we stuffed down our gullets was our least favorite dessert, the Peach Tarte Tatin with créme frâiche ice cream and caramel. The peaches could have been cooked down to a softer texture and the pastry wasn’t as warm and flaky as I had hoped.
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Came to this four weeks old French-​ish restaurant run by chef Scott Bryan, previously Veritas and Apiary. I am happily report, it does not disappoint.
Must have? Crisp seared sweetbreads! This is one of the best sweetbread I ever had in NYC. It is crisp outside and savory, soft inside.
I also tried the grilled Spanish octopus with eggplant purée and paprika. It is perfectly charred, great texture.
Although it is only a month old, service is pretty on point. The bartender, Louis, is awesome.
One small complain tho, the wine list. To make it up, they have an interesting and extensive cocktail list. That is not surprising as this is the sister restaurant to Dead Rabbit, best cocktail bar 2013 in the US. They also serve vermouth on tap, if that’s your thing.
There will be a speakeasy opening up downstairs soon. Definitely come check it out again soon!

Casual fine dining? Sounds like the best of both worlds, come as you are, and enjoy delicious and sophisticated fare. This is how Bacchanal in Little Italy is described, so, I had to try it out. The food has Mediterranean inspiration and a wine list as extensive as Paris Hilton’s shoe collection.
I did have a glass of wine, which was delightful, but I also had to try one of their cocktails, courtesy of a Saxon + Parole vet. I went for the Chamomile (altos blanco, yellow chartreuse, chamomile honey, fresh lemon, egg white). This was a glass of summertime sweetness. It has a really delicate flavor and sweetness, and is very refreshing.
Next, to start, we got Grilled Spanish Octopus (eggplant caviar, paprika). Topped with arugula, a single, thick piece of octopus (sorry, that sounds inappropriate, but, that’s the description… deal) is laid atop of an eggplant component, almost similar to ratatouille. The octopus was excellent, it was flavorful and tender, and went really nicely with the eggplant, which was also delicious.
Then, I had two smaller plates as my main dish (es). First, I had the Roasted Beet Salad (chèvre, marcona almonds, frisée). Now, the only negative thing I’ll say about the dishes that I got, is that they were all topped with greens, that didn’t allow you to see how pretty the presentation underneath was. I’m not one to tell a chef how to plate their food, but, it was a shame that it was all hidden. Back to the salad, it was delicious. The beets were prepared perfectly, with great consistency and texture.
Finally, I ordered the Hamachi Crudo (avocado, chiles, chive, hearts of palm). Ok, so, again with the greens. But, underneath, was a flavorful and tasty dish. The fish was really great, flavorful, and topped with the hearts of palm and avocado, adding a nice mix of crispness and creaminess to the dish.

Underneath the Sohotel, on Bowery and Broome, you will find Bacchanal.
The long awaited opening will not leave you disappointed.
Décor of the restaurant, is old world with a wine cellar feel. The bar is focal point, with an impressive bar menu to match.
We started our meal with the, SUNCHOKE VELOUTÉ w/​pickled mushrooms & black truffle. Excellent, by far and a way one of the best balanced soups I have ever had.
For the second course we had SWISS CHARD & RICOTTA AGNOLOTTI w/​poppy seeds, brown butter & sage. Perfect pasta course.
I had the SCOTTISH SALMON, pea shoots, ginger soy vinaigrette & sesame seeds. The fish was cooked perfectly, and the sauce was the perfect compliment.
My boyfriend had the GRILLED SKIRT STEAK w/​black bean chipotle tinga & spiced avocado. cannot express how perfectly cooked this steak was. I had no idea skirt steak could be this tender.
For dessert we had the flourless chocolate, paired with ice cream, amazing.
As for the cocktails, I enjoyed the OLD FASHIONED WHISKEY COCKTAIL, perfect drink.
This restaurant is nothing short of impressive, devoid the exorbitant cost. You will not be let down.