I ate what r/FoodNYC told me to, at Minetta Tavern.

Bone Marrow

Some Cocktail recommended by the server. I got this instead of Martini, since I don’t like olives. The photo is blurry, because you are drunk.

Black Label Burger. Yes I got it with cheese.

Souffle for Two. I ate it by myself.

Thanks to everyone in this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodNYC/comments/1iufja1/i_managed_to_snag_a_solo_minetta_tavern_booking/

TLDR: 8/10.

So I managed to get a late night Minetta Tavern Reservation on Thursday. So when I saw a same day dining room reservation at 10:30 P.M, so I jumped on it. Over all I had a good experience, but this place is really build for a party of at least two and ideally four people. The appetizers and dessert are meant to be shared and are almost as expensive as many entrees. The meal was 160$ after taxes and tip, and I only got a single cocktail and the free champagne they give to solo diners.

So the run down:

Minetta Tavern is a French Steakhouse and the vibe is very much steak house. Its white table cloth, waiters and staff dressed in white button downs, and you’ll be surrounded mostly white people. The service is exceptional, but its also very much a place where you feel the distinction between diners and restaurants staff. Its the polar opposite of somewhere like 63 clinton, which has excellent service, but are warm and inviting https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodNYC/comments/1iq78l8/other_nice_restaurants_with_extremely_warm/

In terms of the food:

Bone Marrow Appetizer – so I wish I hadn’t gotten this dish and had opted for the steak tartare instead. I understand the appeal of the dish. Its visually extremely appealing since the bone marrow comes in bones and for most people would be a novelty. I am from a culture where eating bone marrow isn’t uncommon so this dish did not particularly stand out. Its incredibly rich, but kind of bland. The bread is buttered sso its fat on fat. The Black Label Burger – This was excellent and lived up to the hype. I’ve been disappointed by other highly rated burgers (looking at you Gamercy Tavern) and was wondering in this would be a dud. Great flavor and excellent mouth feel. However, I probably won’t get it the next time I come back as this is a French streak house, and had I not known about the burger from all the hype, I would have never ordered it. Chocolate souffle – Excellent, and they aren’t kidding when they said it is mean for two. Bread – I just came from paris and have been craving the bread that was served with every meal in most parisan restaurants. I am happy to say the bread here lived up.

Some things I learned: as a solo diner, I did not really need a reservation. It seems like on an earlier week night, a bar seat would be easy to get especially after 9 p.m. or so. I probably will come back around for another visit and do a more of a french/steak house experience.