The Odeon

I heard great things about the iconic Odeon, and I was really looking forward to eating here for lunch. I was a bit disappointed though. While I appreciate that they are probably going for simplicity and minimalism, I ultimately found the experience a bit lacking (particularly since the prices don’t reflect ordering a simple, honest, minimalistic meal).
The restaurant has a barebones diner-​brasserie feel, a bit white and sterile, with a fusion menu. We ordered the fried calamari, steak tartare, and salmon tartare to start. The salmon tartare was quite good. It came with some creamy avocado and chips, and was probably my favorite dish. The steak tartare, eaten spread on a crostini, was just okay. I prefer the steak tartare at nearby Gran Morsi, which is presented more like steak chunks — meatier with more texture. This steak tartare was very smooth, more like a pâté.
I ordered the steak frites medium rare; it came back slightly overcooked at medium. It was also oversalted. The presentation was very simple, on a white plate with just a steak and thin crispy fries, and tuft of greens. Nothing was affirmatively or outright bad, but many things were just a little bit wrong. Given the superior options available in the neighborhood, I wouldn’t go out of my way to make it back to Odeon.

This was recommended to us by our hotel concierge and we were very impressed! We had brunch outside on a beautiful Monday morning with mimosas. The croque monsieur was amazing and very authentic to real Parisien cuisine. Most importantly, our server, Richard, was the most gorgeous man in the world.

Classic Brasserie menu along with a stylish décor that never seems to date. An NYC institution that is worth the visit for the ambience alone. Great food and bar. Perfect spot for lunch downtown.

Good place to get a quick bite. Can bring the family. Classic diner in NYC with good food and friendly staff.

I’ve been here several times. I ordered the chicken salad the first time, it had great flavor but was wayyyyy too wet. The French onion soup is quite good.
Another time we opted for brunch items. We started with the warm breads appetizer. The options that day were carrot pecan and banana walnut. Both were super tasty, but a portion smaller than I anticipated (1 small slice of each). I ordered the Croque Monsieur with a fried egg on top, which was very good, but veryyyy filling/​heavy. The home-​fries had an awesome flavor too. I wouldn’t recommend for non-​cheese lovers as it is very cheesy. My friend ordered the eggs Benedict and was very happy.
The staff is adequate, not overly friendly but attentive. I recommend making a reservation if coming at peak times to avoid a wait.

Read the reviews, this place delivers! Kale Caesar, Arugula Salad, French Onion Soup, Burger, NY Strip l, the Green Bean Rice dish and Crème Brûlée were all fantastic. As were the wines and cocktails. Looking forward to coming back soon! oh and the Service was perfect as well.

Have you ever Unilocaled a place and seen pictures of the food and it looked so good you go and try the resturant and find the food was not as good as it looked?
That’s what I experienced with my Croque Madame. Its tasted frozen and so salty and very unimpressive. I think I ordered the wrong thing because this place seem to have great options…
However I walked away feeling like I had diner food as opposed to true french food.
I also order donut holes. I was so excited when they placed the donutshole infront of my face until I got through eating five to realize the had padded the cup holder with tissue and let the donuts sit ontop… making it look like I had tons of donuts to go through… whomp whomp.
I also ordered a Ogden punch. The bartender had to ask the other bartender how to make their house drink. When I got it… it was sour and gross. Instead of remaking it. He tried to doctor it up. I told him to take it back. BS.
I won’t come again. This place is unimpressive.
The owner should try eating here more often.

Best frickin’ pork chop I’ve ever tasted.
Love the lively feel of the dining room too.
Bar is really kick ass.

Doughnuts are the bomb.
Acocado toast was semi bomb.
Mimosas are not the bomb. They are 15 bucks each and they don’t put the price on the menu so don’t be deceived.

Came here for dinner after an entire day of shopping and walking all over Gramercy Park, the West Village, Soho and Tribeca. I was tired and thirsty and needed to replenish myself for my trek over the Brooklyn Bridge and back. The ambiance had the charm of an old school bistro with a little bit of trendy flair, but was not pretentious. I had a good glass of Malbec to start and ordered a tasty little Baby Kale salad. My entrée was a vegetarian Chickpea Stew with various vegetables and it was very good. My service was gracious and professional. I recommend this spot if you’re in the neighborhood. This is the type of place I would come to repeatedly if I lived or worked in the area as it has a cozy comfortable vibe.

Came here for brunch with 5 of my girlfriends, had an amazing time!
Made a reservation before hand (has a pay a deposit for any party more than 5), got here and loved the ambiance! Classic vintage décor, tables are tight together, typical Manhattan scene.
Brunch menu isn’t very big, but they have all the usual brunch food: benedicts, avocado toast, french toast, pancakes, yogurt.
I ordered the avocado toast and the french toast — the french toast is phenomenal — probably the best french toast i’ve had in the city.
Service was average.
Love everything else, would recommend this place for brunch for big and small groups!

An iconic bar and eatery in tribeca, The Odeon is one of the few institutions in NYC that continue’s to earn it’s legendary status. I’ve eaten there dozens of times and I have not once had a bad experience– ever. Food is good (french fries are tremedous), the drinks are outstanding and the staff is superior. I have had one «numbnuts» waiter in all of my experiences and am fairly certain they got rid of him.
The Odeon is hallowed ground in Tribeca and worth a visit. Great date place, btw.

Bustling French restaurant in TriBeCa. I had lunch while in the area on jury duty. Skimmed the Unilocal reviews and went with the seemingly popular Croque Madame with a side of fries. The C.M. was solid, very tasty, better than some places I visited in Paris. Odeon certainly nailed the recipe, my only gripe was it felt factory-​made. I could certainly tell the sandwich had been prepped earlier, heated up then an egg added on top. I understand the necessity of preparing for a lunch or dinner service given the «New York» minute is more akin to a millisecond, but it felt mass produced rather than chef made. This is not a compliant only an observation. I would certainly re-​order, minus the French fries which were cold and tasteless (and absurd for any place, no less a French place, to screw up). Plus a side of fries costs $ 10. Give me a break.

Nice brunch venue in Tribeca. Yes, it’s been around for ages and it has a hipsterish feel. The food was standard brunch fare with nothing particularly memorable. I didn’t feel comfortable, the tables are extremely jammed next to one another. The service was good and we were seated immediately with our OpenTable reservations. It’s also very pricey for what it is and that’s brunch.

Brunch. Warm donuts were probably the best pick although my eggs bene with salmon were closely competitive. Bloody Mary was average. The finishes looked dated, retro and coolly original for a Seinfeldish feel.
Wife says short rib hash was on point. Coffee could have been better.
Friend 1&2 say coffee tasted diner-​esque at best. Gluten free toast paired surprisingly well with the avocado and egg.
Probably wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here on another visit.

We got to the odeon at 9pm on a Friday night. It was very crowded, but we had a reservation we had made earlier that day so it was fine. We were seated close to when we arrived, and the service was fast, however not very pleasant. The waitress wasn’t rude, however not very nice either. Nothing to complain about. The food was great, and although I have had better, it ranked high on the scale of quality of food I’ve eaten. Overall, it was a good experience, and I would definitely return.

Great atmosphere, very art deco inside. Fantastic, prompt service and nice staff.
Make sure to try the Tuna Burger and their soup of the day! Would recommend for a quick lunch.

The Odeon Restaurant has been around for a very long time, and has been redone over the years. Although now modern, there are specks of its old interior. On 145 W Broadway, apparently I had been here when I was very little but unfortunately I don’t remember. THerefore, I had to go again and I was not disappointed. I ordered a Croque Monsieur with Black Forest ham, prosciutto di Parma, Gruyère cheese, Mornay sauce, and french fries. So good, and the cheese was melted beautifully. Definitely worth the trip downtown.

After years of biking past The Odeon I finally tried it for a lunch meeting. The service is very friendly and attentive, with great tables both inside and out. I had the aromatic chickpea stew, which was extremely flavorful but ultimately felt more like a salad and left me still hungry… which would have been fine if it didn’t cost $ 23. I’ll definitely be returning, but only on someone else’s corporate card.

A Nicoise Salad with Tuna as an extra for $ 10, who are you kidding?
Nicoise Salad is about the tuna.
Been coming here for 20 years but I feel cheated now and worst insulted.
Shame on you!

I didn’t originally plan on coming to the Odeon for dinner. I was supposed to go to Terroir with a few friends, or Smith & Mills, or Locanda Verde. But all of that fell through, as we found many spots in Tribeca closed for corporate holiday parties, or packed beyond comfort. We snuck into the last open bar tables at the Odeon brasserie, and cozied up to some bread and butter and wine.
Both the bar and the restaurant were busy during the few hours we were there this past Thursday. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, and our food came out quickly.
On to the food! I went with a straightforward cheeseburger and fries. I knew the fries would be perfect «France French» double-​fried bistro style, and they were. However, the burger was absolutely fantastic. It was extremely juicy, and I loved smothering the spicy mayonnaise all over it. The abundant melted cheddar dripped down the sides, and the beef had great flavor. This is definitely a stand out burger in the city.
It’s easy to overlook iconic restaurants (present day analogy: The Odeon is to 1981 Tribeca as Roberta’s is to 2011 Bushwick), or restaurants that used to be trendy, or restaurants with a standard menu. However, this thought process is sometimes a mistake. If a place is 35 years old and still busy at 6pm on a Thursday, there is obviously a good reason for its success.

The hype matched reality… it’s just that simple.
The Odeon is a bit of New York history. Vanity Fair said it best in a feature written for the restaurant’s 25^th Anniversary in 2005:
«A neon-​lit promise of excitement on Tribeca’s then dark streets, the Odeon was the restaurant that defined New York’s 80s: a retro haven for the likes of Warhol and Basquiat, De Niro and Belushi…»
The restaurant was home to Tom Wolfe, Lorne Michaels, and Jay McInerney, and, consequently, has to live up to its own legend.
Fortunately, at least on my visit, it did just that.
I and my two direct reports dropped in for a business lunch to mark the sad departure of one of our own. It seemed fitting that we would go to such a landmark at the end of a wonderful partnership that had seen us redefine our company’s messaging.
I went with the Croque Monsieur (and I added the farm-​fresh egg which, technically, makes it a Croque Madame, no?), and what I received was both a treat for the tongue and the eyes. Such attention to detail… almost like eating art. The Pullman white bread, Black Forest ham, prosciutto di Parma, Gruyère cheese, and Mornay sauce all played well with each other, with just the right amount of fat and salt, creamy and crispy, all meant to stir the eater to emotions beyond mere satiation. But, I shouldn’t oversell this, right? Nah, let’s do it. The side of french fries – of course I got the fries… do I look like a salad guy? – were crispy and lightly salted, but I’d never spend the $ 10 to get a side of them. As an accompaniment to my meal, it was perfect.
My lunch companions got the Aromatic Chickpea Stew (an item I had eyed before going with my Croque) and the Baby Carrot Salad. They said they both enjoyed their meals and, from my vantage point, the same care and attention was put into dressing their plates as was paid to mine.
This was a sublime meal, and one I’m afraid to try to replicate if only because it seemed to perfect to be repeated.

very crowded, but staff is super friendly. Sunday Brunch is kind of a $%^& show but nonetheless good. We sat at the bar and ordered some hangover cocktails. Their bloody mary is good and would recommend, as I tend to be a Bloody Mary snob. I ordered the eggs Benedict. Nothing mind blowing, but it wasn’t awful. My husband had the avocado toast with a poached egg and he loved it.

It has been a while since I have been to the Odeon until last night. The Odeon was a 1980’s hot spot that has endured for decades. We got there late and it was still packed. I am always surprised how busy this place is after all the years it has been open with a fairly generic French bistro format. The place does still have a buzz about it.
We ordered a bunch of stuff, the moules frites and I got the steak frites with béarnaise. The food was very good and I really liked my steak. The fries were good, but not great. The service was very good. We never had to grab a waiter or get something refilled. It was also a birthday and they brought out a dessert with a candle. My only complaint is that Odeon is a bit expensive. The burger is $ 19 and my steak with the béarnaise was $ 42. Yikes.

There is something charming and glamorous about this familiar old-​worldly place that makes you feel like you stepped back into a wonderful time in New York City. I was prompted to visit this place after reading about it in NY Mag, and hearing the who’s whos of NY called this TriBeCa brasserie their regular spot, artists, actors… It’s easy to see why when you walk in. Apparently they were the pioneers of this area, you get a sense of that today. Perfect amber lighting, attention to detail on every table and you never have to summon a waiter, the staff is so attentive almost mind reader-​like. Celebrity sighting seems to be a regular thing here.
Ok, so food:
DELICIOUS! Everything we ordered was spot on:
*GRILLED OCTOPUS
*CROQUE MONSIEUR (theirs is arguably the best in New York, it’s like a French style grilled cheese only b
etter!!)
*CAVATELLI PASTA WITH TRUFFLE OIL, ASSORTED WILD MUSHROOMS & RICOTTA PARMESAN CHEESE. Jesus Christ, I was licking the bowl.
*CHOCOLATE PUDDING
*PROFITEROLE (can I just say I haven’t had one this good since Italy… The top and bottom pastry were fresh and the ice cream was stellar!!)
Our waiter was the man. The Pinot was delicious, and my hennys kept coming. Love this place!

The Odeon’s food isn’t very creative and a little overpriced, but it is pretty good bistro food and we ended up here twice in one weekend, for dinner and brunch.
For dinner, we started out with the octopus, which were nicely flavored but a little too chewy. I also wasn’t a fan of the roasted red pepper, which was pretty strong next to it.
Drinks: Dark and Stormy (solid), ginger martini (grated ginger throughout was a plus, though there wasn’t much other flavor) and the mulled winter wine (great).
I ordered the duck, which was the right temperature. But the Brussels sprouts accompanying them were well flavored, though soft and not crunchy, and the poached pear was just… there. My friend ordered her regular steak frites, which seemed a lot more enjoyable — those frites are pretty darn good!
For both brunch and dinner, we ended both meals with the cheesecake, which is a circle of joy topped with raspberry sauce. The crust is soft and not as coarse as other graham cracker crusts. And for brunch, we both had the salmon benedict — rich, solidly made, and filling.
Overall, I’d say a 3 for dinner and a 4 for lunch. The tables can be a little cramped, but what the Odeon has going for them is a buzzing room and great service in spite (or because?) of it.

Dinner at The Odeon was even better than I expected, with unique food options and excellent service. To start, we split the Spicy Chicken Dumplings which were a twist on Buffalo Wings with a side of blue cheese dressing. We also tried the Crisp Ricotta Squash Blossoms which were amazing… like nothing I’ve even seen or tasted. For entrees we each ordered the Sweet Corn Ravioli, which was topped off with some pecorino cheese shavings and truffle (my current obsession). We also tried the Warm Doughnuts and Molten Chocolate Cake for dessert… I especially loved the peanut butter ice cream that came with the cake.
The space was really nice, with plenty of seating (though reservations are recommended) and the noise level was still low enough that you could carry on a conversation. Our waitress was awesome, anticipating our every need. I will be back.

We stopped at the Odeon for lunch while in TriBeCa. We came in right around 11am, so the restaurant was quiet and there was no wait. The most exciting part was spotting Jake Johnson from New Girl (star stuck). But I digress! The food was great! We got mixed greens, a tuna burger with wasabi mayo and Gruyère macaroni and cheese.
The tuna burger was delightful and so were the fries. But the real winner was the macaroni and cheese! So creamy, topped with breadcrumbs, and baked to perfection! Delicious and recommended while in the TriBeCa area.

Came here for a birthday dinner with my aunt last night, and had a great experience from the get go. We got a 2 top in the back and actually changed to not be as close to the waiting stand — with no complaint or sass from the staff. We started off with mac & cheese and it was simply divine. I cannot recommend the mac and cheese enough! Followed that with Croque Monsieur with an egg. The ham is almost baked into the bread, it was phenomenal. I had two cocktails during dinner, vodka martini’s up with a twist and they were great, strong amount of Tito’s vodka … yes please!
We finished the night with a Crème Brule which was fantastic, perfectly crisp on the top and delicious in the middle. I will say that we sat for easily over 2 hours, a pretty long dinner, and our waitress was nothing but gracious and patient. Top marks for that!
Atmosphere at Odeon is crowded but also intimate. I would say if you’re going on the early side prep yourself for children, there are loads of them and this seems to be the go to joint for families in Tribeca. So if your looking to avoid the crush of tikes I would suggest reservations after 7.
I will definitely return again!

Came here for weekday lunch last week with a colleague. The placed was welcoming yet packed. We managed to find two spots at the bar and were served immediately. They give you bread to munch on if you want it. I passed only because I am eating gluten/​dairy free at the moment due to allergies, sigh. I ordered the sea scallops on special, and my friend ordered the blue cheese burger. The scallops were $ 27 but had toasted hazelnuts and a beef and cauliflower coulis on a bed of baby cauliflower. There were only 3 scallops, but it was the perfect size for lunch. I was not stuffed, but it satisfied my hunger. They were seared nicely and the flavors were excellent. The burger looked amazing especially with the pommes frites. A happy time for all. Only wish I could drink during the work day!

I’m not here to make arguments against what The Odeon clearly is. It is, without a doubt, a true New York City classic. It’s cemented its place in Gael Greene’s list of the most important restaurants in the past 40 years [1], is emblazoned on the cover of McInerney’s «Bright Lights, Big City», and has seen its fair share of celebrity brawls and late night binges. The restaurant was initially built in 1980 by Keith McNally, Brian McNally (Keith’s brother), and Lynn Wagenknecht, and although ownership has since transferred solely to the last of the trio, it continues to carry the weight of the McNally name. At first glance, the restaurant has the appearance of a retro diner; enter, though, and you’ll be greeted by décor that merges that concept with a French brasserie.
Our evening got off to a rocky start as, despite the existence of a reservation for our party of 4, we weren’t seated until nearly half an hour later. Thankfully, the hostess was gracious enough to offer each of a complimentary drink from their bar as an apology. which helped wile away the remainder of the time. Once we were led to our four top and seated, menus were quickly brought out and we set out to the difficult task of choosing what to order. The Odeon’s menu is very broad, spanning a variety of dishes typical of a diner (burgers, sandwiches, omelettes, and the like) as well as more complicated dishes, including a tempting Duck Confit and Steak Frites. There’s a dish that will suit almost any palate, although the prices definitely skew towards the higher end.
First to arrive were the starters for the table. The Salt Cod Croquettes were satisfactory at best, four crisp fritters that were filled with a warm mixture of cod and potato. A stronger order was was the Country Frisée Salad, which took the foolproof combination of crispy lardons, a poached egg, and Fourme d’ambert cheese over a bed of frisée drizzled with bacon vinaigrette. While it may be deemed a salad, it’s a misleading category as few salads have the richness and depth of flavor as this plate.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, I went with the simple Burger as my main. The patty is a Pat LaFrieda blend of chuck and short rib which is rubbed with chopped garlic and grilled over charcoal; an additional $ 2 will add on a slice of melted cheese. Sandwiched between two halves of a lightly charred challah bun sprinkled with sesame seeds, it makes for a well-​rounded bite. I will note that it was cooked closer to well done instead of my requested medium rare and that the meat was surprisingly loosely packed. The flavor, especially given the abundance of garlic, is certainly present however. A side of shoestring fries round out the carbohydrates, and I had no complaints about their crispness or temperature. For those with more substantial appetites, however, the Leg of Lamb is quite the impressive plate, especially when served with Acini di pepe in a tomato sauce, carrots, and olives.
We couldn’t leave without opting for dessert, and the Apple Pecan Crumble Tart was a satisfying finish, served with a generous scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream on the side. The tart portion was a little too crumbly for my liking, but it wasn’t too sweet, and the crushed pecans made for a unique texture. Also worth mentioning is their Crème Brûlée, although from the spoonful I tried, the crust could have been a little thicker and crisper for a more satisfying contrast against the custard.
As a whole, I think The Odeon is «A-​OK». The food has its hits and misses, but more than anything, this venue has a deep and often overlooked mark in the history of this city. Despite the fact that a recent fire in the overhead residences have forced the restaurant to close for a few days [2], I’m sure it’ll remain an institution in the years to come.
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[1]
[2]

A group of six of us came here for brunch on a Saturday. We got here around 1pm and it was packed. As a result, the service was slightly slow, so we ordered drinks and food all at once. The drinks were normal brunch drinks, and all the normal brunch items at the table, i.e. Eggs Benedict, Omelette, Spinach & artichoke quiche, were good, but you can pretty much get it at other places. The only reason that I’m giving this place a 5 star, despite the slow service and crammy seating, was the Tuna burger. I’ve never had a Tuna burger that’s this tender and flavorful. It completely blew me away and all I could think of after the meal was when I would come back here and have the Tuna burger. As matter of fact, my mouth is watering as I write this review and start thinking about the tuna burger.
The point is, I don’t know about other dishes, but if you come here, you HAVE TO get the Tuna burger.

Is it because I am as Belgian quite used to French cooking and brasserie-​style? But I wasn’t impressed by L’Odeon. Mostly because of the price. The food wasn’t bad indeed, but it was far too expensive for what you get. I ordered a club sandwich with chicken and advocate that was ok except the bread was a bit hard. My friend took the quiche that was really good but also really small. My other friend took the Croque-​Monsieur which wouldn’t have been to my taste (cheese and bechamel over the toast kill the whole Croque-​Monsieur idea) but he claims it it be good. One in another, if we had paid 25 $ per person, it would have been OK. But at more than 30 $ per person, it was really too expensive. Is it linked to the place? To the over-​the-​top service? Anyway it doesn’t worth the money…