Balthazar

My girlfriend and I have been visiting Balthazar for the past four or so years and every time have a wonderful experience. Part of the experience is the hustle-bustle of NY's "in" crowd assimilating with the "common" folk, but overall, every time we've been there the wait staff has been friendly, efficient, helpful and attentive. The food is French bistro at its best -- which means it's a bit salty, very heavy, prepared with lots of cheese, butter and other fats, and anything but forgettable. There's very few bistro places in this city that do it perfectly (Les Halles is an excellent choice, though it pales in comparison); Balthazar does it perfectly. The person who posted a review of Balthazar as "Disappointed Foodies" under the caption "Poor experience" is obviously being less than genuine (to put it mildly). He/she begins his review by suggesting "We have been loyal customers of Balthazar for some time now" and conclude same with "Balthazar certainly didn't live up to its reputation." Which is it -- how many times did you have to visit the restaurant to reach this conclusion? It sounds to me like that particular review was written by someone who was never there and is posting in favor of a competitor. I guess it's a credit and a testament to Balthazar's consistent high quality that they get people posing as actual foodies to complain about experiences they've never experienced. In my opinion, there are two legitimate complaints against Balthazar: first, having to wait for thirty minutes for a reserved table is not wonderful (though this problem is typical at high-end restaurants all over NYC); second, the prices are astronomical. But we've been there at least a dozen times and every time we leave happy and sated with the knowledge we'll return. To wit: if one can afford to drive a Ferrari, complaining about the pricetag is only something one does until one gets in and drives off. Balthazar is pricey but worth the wait and the experience, period.

I nearly rated the food as 3.5 until I remembered the desserts. My plum tart was sweet and tart. The others in my party were equally impressed with this part of the meal. However, I objected to having to wait 50 minutes to be seated especially when there were NO seats at the bar. We had to weave our way between customers and waiters whilst we waited. Once seated the service was efficient but unfriendly. The food was good but not as outstanding as I had been lead to believe. Worth a visit but be prepared for the flaws and you will enjoy the experience more.

I've never eaten at the restaurant, but I can comment on the bakery. I've been a loyal customer for about 4 years now, and every time I'm in Soho, I need to drop by. The croissants are to-die-for and are light and airy without being overly greasy (they also sell out very quickly). Scones are good too. Baguettes are tasty as well and are good as the basis for a sandwich or alone. Who am I kidding? I honestly don't think the bakery fails at anything! Also, on another note, I got to use the bathroom (in the restaurant) and found it to be beautiful. It was like being in a Lautrec painting! Finally, the interior of the restaurant is fabulous as well (but I can't attest to the food as I have not tried it yet.)

One of the enjoyments of dining out is a positive experience with the wait staff. Our waiter (I wish I remembered his name) was subpar and when the manager came over to try and save his tip, he failed miserably too. The food is not good. It is salty, over rated and, unless you are a rock star or a model, forget about getting a good seat, even if you make the reservation 1 month in advance.

We have been loyal customers of Balthazar for some time now -- and normally are very pleased with our experiences there. However, today EVERYTHING was off!! Our reservation was lost, and instead of being graciously seated, we were hastily shoved into a wobbily table in front of the restaurant entrance...where we were subjected not only to the inconvience of other customers crowding around us, but patchwork waitstaff service. Our coffee was spilled, juice order was forgotten, and our meal was not only mediocre but we were dismissed the moment the food was delivered. Every moment of the meal felt rushed, and every request that we made felt like an afterthought. (For example, we kindly asked for a newspaper and we were brought a day-old copy.) There are PLENTY of other great restaurants in New York that we will happily give our business to. Balthazar certainly didn't live up to its reputation.

My sister, a chef, recommended Balthazar to us on our latest trip to NYC, and we were not disappointed. My wife, son and I each had a delicious meal. We were fortunate enough to be seated in the back at a booth, so it was not noisy and gave us a good vantage point over the rest of the restaurant. The atmoshpere is great; reminiscent of a Parisian bistro. We enjoyed a bottle of the house wine which was tasty and reasonably priced. We thought our meal was a good value. We'll definitely return.

We went last night, had a group of eight, and were treated so well. The waiter was extremely patient with our rowdy crew, and made some very good wine recommendations. The food was good overall, with the goat cheese appetizer and the scallops being the best of what was ordered at our table. The tables were a bit close together, but the atmosphere was fun. Will definitely go again.