Alison Eighteen

Went for mother's day brunch. They don't normally serve brunch and now I know why....I mean, seriously? It took forever to get our food. Portions were tiny. My sister ordered an omelette which game with a side of old greens and no dressing. The stems were actually turning brown. She asked for dressing and our waiter said he would "try and find some". Try? Its a friggin restaurant, you must have dressing. It never appeared. My croque madame which I ordered with my egg cooked hard came with a just barely cooked sunny side up egg. Shocker. I sent it back asking for the egg to be cooked through. What came back? A sandwich with scrambled eggs on top COVERED in about 1/2 cup of bechamel sauce. Disgusting. Sent it back AGAIN, egg cooked through to a rubber state, this time with even more bechamel. Please let me describe the size of the sandwich: 3x3", maybe 4x4". I don't know what that was, but it wasn't a croque madame. Everyone on staff looked lost, concerned, and without all their marbles. The whole thing was laughable, everyone at the table was cracking up because it was THAT bad. Please stop trying to serve brunch....just stop.

excellent food, service, comfortable, low noise level, portions just right/ best in Flatiron

Went here for lunch. Please looks nice and is tastefully done. Left hungry and ended up getting a snack less than an hour after my meal.

Back in the day Alison's on Dominick was a fave. Think to when Chef Tom Valenti was just a cook-albeit a cook responsible for turning out the best lamb shank on earth! Alison's new effort, on eighteenth street, lacks the inviting warmth,while charging 2012 prices and offering up much smaller portions. Firstly, get it together in terms of hospitality! we arrived promptly at seven on a week night(made our reseration several weeks in advance) to be told: the Table wasn't ready and we should go to the bar until our two friends arrived~ at 7 pm c'mon. Were they trying to be ungracious and annoying? Do we really need to be schooled in the resto "Policy" prior to being seated for a meal? Very uncool. Our waiter was excellent, though the delish 1/2 portion of rabbit pasta was only a few bites while the spit roasted lamb was prettily presented but only a paltry few slices. The offering from the house of a mini handful of petite chocolate covered almonds equaled a joke...a paltry gesture. The room itself is fine, an exterior brick wall is highlighted as a focal point- weird, but overall, we were comfortable. Nonetheless, the old girl sure ain't what she used to be~

excellent lunch, carefully prepared food, great celebration place, attentive service. portions just right for lunch, everything fresh ; imaginative desserts. very good value .

I work in the neighborhood and took a date to this new restaurant that just opened up and had one of the best meals of my life, needless to say she was thrilled as well. All the dishes have relatively simple flavor combinations that aren't too challenging, which usually isn't my style. However, everything we ordered was truly special. My favorite dishes were the octopus and lamb shoulder. I don't know how they manage to cook everything so perfectly and evenly but they do manage. Besides the food the dining room is one of the most romantic and relaxed settings I've seen in a New York restaurant. Truly elegant place. I've already been back twice. Can't wait until they open for lunch too.