Tavern On The Green

Not even close to te experience you would want and expect from an "institution" of New York. Save your money and go someplace else. TOTG is now an over-rated establishment that has outgrown it's reputation as a finer point of NY dining and, sadly, it's now a faded icon that is best left to a museum. Maybe it's about time, we all started to pay less attention to logos and false standards that have hyped up their own value, just to create an atmosphhere of false ambience. We have bought into that idea too long and that's why we have been so easily seperated from our money for so little in return...hence, the "Tavern on the Green," which is a perfect example of cheering for a dog and pony show that is an absolute disappointment. Honestly--try a little ethnic eatery, clean, reasonable, pleasing and back to the grit, flavor and plum reality of New York culture as it should be--and forget about the Tavern on the Green. It's a total DUD.
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Kate
Thursday, July 24, 2008

I went to Tavern on the Green last year in October, and after so many years visiting this place since 1981, I found a different environment where maItre'd did not have the glamour of previous years, waiters were not duly trained about elaboration of different dishes, someliers without the proper knowledge about the wines they were offerings, the quality, presentation and taste of the food, never was the one as we were accustomed at this restaurant, that for more than twenty years I reccomended to friends and clients around the world. The waiting time, personal attention and in general client satisfaction must be taken as the first prioritiy of the management of this magnificent icon of NewYork City
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Luis N Carrazana
Thursday, March 13, 2008

A big thumbs down to this year's New Year's Eve celebration at Tavern on the Green. The tickets listed a 9PM start time but we waited for two hours in line in bitter cold to get inside. After entering, we waited interminably in the buffet line to finally be greeted with a tiny plate and poor quality food. Everyone in line was actually eating their meal while going through the line, reminicent of pigs at a trough; hardly contributing to the "sophisticated crowd" advertised. Finally, to top off a disappointing experience, there was no midnight countdown to ring in the New Year. This was a very poorly organized event and not worth the money.
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Wednesday, January 02, 2008

I booked a table in Tavern on the Green for Thanksgiving Dinner. I'm not from America and as a tourist to New York I was told that this was a restaurant that I should definitely go to. The menu was set for Thanksgiving and to eat in the Garden Room was a set bill of $130 each. This is expensive by anyone's standards and therefore by booking this meal we expected outstanding food and service. This could not have been further from the truth of what we received.

We arrived at the door and firstly were asked were we leaving, when we said no we were reminded to "check out" the gift shop before we left. We were then told we had to check in our coats and this cost $1 per coat. I then went to check in for our 9pm reservation and was told there was a wait and given an electronic beeper to inform me when our table would be ready. We were given a glass of champagne and then ushered into a marquee. Please remember that the weather was bitterly cold and as they had taken our coats off us at this stage we were freezing. We sat there for a half an hour until eventually one of my party asked was there somewhere else we could sit. We were then told there was a bar upstairs and as there were seats free we went up there. An hour after our reservation was booked for, our beeper started to vibrate and we were brought to a bigger room for our dinner. We were told that they apologised for the wait and had reserved us a seat at the window. The cold air was even worse here. We were left to sit there for 10-15 minutes before we received a menu and then some time later before we were asked for our order.

During this time we had asked for our coats back as the room was so cold. These did come but they didn't appear to make any effort to try and turn the temperature up. There were other people in the room also wearing their coats.

Our order was taken and the three of the starters had to be returned as they were cold. They came back after been reheated in a microwave as was evident from the congealed sauce around the side. Our maincourses came out warm due to the fuss we had made at that stage. In fact in some cases they were so warm and overcooked they were inedible. We called the manager over at this stage and voiced our complaints. We had also seen a table beside us do this also.

The manager we spoke to couldn't have been more unhelpful if he tried. He did nothing to try to appease us and only once uttered an apology but with no sincerity. As most people would know, Americas are widely known for their high level of customer service but this man was a disaster. When we told him we had booked that restaurant specifically as it was Thanksgiving and we were over for the weekend he proceeded to tell us that he gave thanks for life. I found this totally patronising and unrelated to what was being discussed. He basically implied that we were being petty and selfish over our concerns for paying $130 before taxes, drinks and gratutities for what could only be described as pure muck. His insensitivity and lack of concern for our complaints added fuel to the fire of our complaint. We refused to pay the full bill or gratututies and wouldn't darken the door of the establishment again. Regardless of the amounts of covers they had in the restaurant that day, the whole package, from walking in the door to leaving that evening left us lacking and not to be repeated under any circumstances.

On another note, the glasses we got were dirty, the bread stale and the decor of the restaurant is totally antiquated.
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Martina Moran
Tuesday, November 27, 2007

This is a NY tradition that all visitors should try and go to. Located within Central Park on the west side, ask to eat in the Crystal Room. Food was good, not the best, but service was wonderful and is more about the experience. Wonderful holiday atmosphere especially around Christmas. And, you never know who you may see.
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Tuesday, September 20, 2005