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The atmosphere was absolutely charming. Imagine a candle-lit wine cave somewhere in Europe. It was glowing and bustling, and the garden was especially lovely with vines intertwining above and cobble stones below. HOWEVER, the food was really lacking. I ordered the shrimp and spaghetti squash ap- the shrimp were fishy; not an auspicious beginning. Then the poached salmon arrived- it was decent but left a lot to be desired. I couldn't even finish half. It wasn't worth it. Too bad! I had been told this place was great numerous times, but I won't be going back (unless it's for a glass of wine to enjoy the environs again!).

Sad that what should be a quaint neighborhood place just isn't hitting the mark. First off the apps. 1. panna cotta...many young chefs abuse fancy salts but the panna cotta was already salty and didn't need a salt garnish.(salt lick) 2. best dish was the tart flambe but... onions were not caramelized just mushy; bacon not rendered enough; Dough was not crispy and the dish needs some acid to cut richness, which should have been in the onions but wasn't. ( flat bread) 3. Lamb belly... good dish except completely charred on the top to the point off bitterness..... waitress said that is how the chef serves it.(REALLY) You may be able to char meat or spices but not seeds! The smell of burnt black sesame seeds was nasty alone never mind the taste. Re-work the dish! 4. Rib eye...Truly don't believe I was served rib eye, pretty sure it was sirloin, But if it was rib eye it was poor quality, and if you only serve 4 meager slices of the eye of the steak you should inform your guest (4-5 oz. tops=disproportional entree sizes). A good rib eye is marbled and has a flap piece that is one of the best parts. If you only want the eye cut you should just serve sirloin instead. It is cheaper and looks like what you are trying to achieve in your presentation. ..OH Yeah try resting your meat (bulls eye). I don't mind paying for a good meal but at these prices and in these times you need to hit the mark. I am truly sad to say August did not. I usually don't wright these things but I felt this one necessary. The waitress was nice though and very apologetic. I kind felt bad for her. I would guess this a young sprout of a chef with an attitude who has only worked in fine dinning and doesn't understand anything other than those types of establishments. Good luck and take this as constructional.

The place is nice and the cool garden is cute. But this place is in my opinion a rip-off. When they brought us our entrees (priced in the $26-28 range) I though they were bringing us free small appetizers. I'm not expecting diner sizes, but when a dish is $28 and it has TWO sardines, that bothers me. The food is OK and the staff tryes to be nice, even though they are a bit inexperienced (mispronouncing foreign words and spilling a whole glass of wine inside my ladyfriend purse).

1) The stairs to the restroom are very steep. I do not suggest you go here with an elderly or handicap person. 2) I shared a few apps and sides, some were good, others I didn't eat after the first bit. The chef is more into acidic flavors then I'd like (gazpacho tasted like dressing me to me). It didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. I did LOVE the apple and pretzel tart for dessert though. It was perfect for those who like a little dessert but nothing overly sweet.

I was here over the holiday weekend with a group of girlfriends for a birthday dinner. They seated us promptly in the back garden, which was lovely. We started out with oysters, a ricotta heirloom tomato salad, carmelized onion tart, and beet salad with 'yogurt' panna cotta. Most of the table ordered lemon-ricotta gnocchi with fava beans, which was delicious. I had the stuffed trout with asparagus and mushrooms. Everything was well prepared, the service was wondeful, and we enjoyed the evening. Recommended for a nice atmosphere and good food.

it is just fine. Good NY place. typical, well-done-with care and love, well taken care of, just the right 35-50 year old establishment with expensive wine by the glass and WINE BY THE BOTTLE. Enjoy the right NY to be done the right way. It is great to be young in your 40s. Thanks Mom for my edu. I can afford August!

My friend and I decided to check this place out on a whim. We went for dinner on a Saturday night. We did not have a resservation and we were seated, pretty much, within 5 minutes of our arrival. We sat in the garden and the atmosphere was really lovely. The appetizers were definitely sized for two and I even had my 2-year-old daughter with me and she ate whatever we ate and there was plenty to go around. The portions were not small at all, and we were very stuffed when we left and didn't even have room for dessert. The waitstaff was very considerate and they were very friendly to my daughter and really made sure we had everything we needed to make our meal a delight. We found the menu to be innovative and they let us taste our wine before making our decisions. Their pate is rich and velvety and delicious. Their stuffed trout was mouth-watering. We got to meet the chef on our way out and he was really sweet and modest. We went back for brunch the next morning, we liked it so much. The brunch was, admittedly, not quite as exciting as dinner - but it was fine. I would not order the mimosa again...but the food was fine. Much more likely to go back for dinner.