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Ok, so the last reviewer clearly had a grudge... There's just no way that you can have the type of experience that he claims to have had unless you're looking to make it negative. My wife and I went last night, and it was one of the best meals we've ever had...from the food (every dish was stunning) to the service (the most personalized and accommodating we've ever encountered) this place fires on all cylinders. Yes, it's pricey - but if you're going there, you already know that. It won't matter though - you'll walk out feeling like you got your money's worth and will remember the evening for a long time to come.

If you believe that cost and pretension make a good restaurant then this place is for you. If you are interested in service and food quality then don't waste your time here. Whilst we waited 2 hours for our uninspiring appetizers and almost that long for bread we were served indifferent amuses bouches and had a third rate barely chilled martini. When our first bottle of Montrachet ($450) ran out we were told by the just out of school 'sommelier' that we had the last bottle. Amateur hour! Every course was cold, uninteresting and badly presented not to mention barely existent. My seared foie gras was duck not goose. The turbot was ok but cold and uninspiring. The tiny roulade of fatty, stringy, overcooked veal was shameful. The Blue Cheese comprised three tiny lumps of an indifferent American blue hidden under piles of green stuff. The service was a amateur. How this place gained any Michelin stars I shall never know. To put it in the same category as Jean Georges or Le Bernardin is an outrage. New York must be full of people that have more money than they do knowledge of food or service. Danny Meyer did well to sell it. The king has no clothes!

Exceptional all around

Truly enjoyed our meal, everything was at its best. Got there few minutes early and were seated promptly. Everything we eat was great, best being the beef, you have got to try it! Tuna, chicken were good, but not a wow, the bass was a little dry, slightly over cooked (guess the peice was too small to time the cooking:) The berry dessert you should pass, stick to chocolate. Wine parings were good, but next time I would stick to getting a bottle or three! One observation, when they tell you what's on your plate, they stand on one side of the table and talk to all four people, they should talk to the 2 people on each side seperately, I could barely hear what she said was on my plate, besides what I had ordered as the main ingredient. Overall a great food experience if you are a food lover. Would definetly go back.

As a chef, I can appreciate the heart & soul the entire team poured into the meal. From the servers and our sommelier, to the artists in the kitchen, they made it a meal to remember. The creativity of the dishes begins with the blending of exotic flavors and fresh ingredients. The plates are works of art. The colors and composition are just beautiful. The food itself is spot on and fabulous. Some people complain the portions are small. The portions are just right (most cases where there was a main protein, I would say they were about 200g each). We ordered from the new four-course meal and by the end of the evening, we were full. You must go at least once. You will remember it fondly.

I am a bit surprised by the comments about the new format. I think it is a wonderful way to sample a variety of things, all highlighting your specific favorite. As a foodie, I love hearing about how the various items have been used and showcased. Everything we ate was outstanding. I loved it!

Dined at 11 Madison Park yesterday evening, my wife and I visiting her Dad. It seems that other reviewers have some rather harsh things to say, but we found it to be very pleasurable. The dishes served were all wonderful taste treats, some spectacularly so. The service was, overall, very attentive. Some others describe it as "fawning," but in a fairly edgey town, anything less than the one-finger salute can seem a bit too familiar. In terms of critical commentary, it comes down to the fact that when so much is done so well, it becomes easier to quibble about minor details. Want quibbles? I got 'em: The order should have been taken from my wife first, then either her Dad or his contemporary, rather than from me. The Martini was served in a curvaceous glass, too effeminate for the crisp, linear style that expresses that cocktail. There were occasional moments when finished plates sat waiting (though, in all fairness, most were whisked away promptly and with a minimum of fuss). The food is, as some have commented, a bit precious. It is modest in portion, and art-on-a-plate. For us, that added to the uniqueness of our experience. Yes, the dishes are so massaged by novel techniques of preparation that the tether from the original ingredient to the presentation on the plate becomes extremely attenuated. The same, however, could be said of a McDonald's hamburger--and you'd miss both charm and flavor. The surfaces in the room are much more lively than, say, at the Four Seasons, so it is not as hush as there; still, conversation is easy. We especially liked (moving off the quibbles here) the efficient bustle of the wait staff. Best of all: when the dishes for your table were ready, they all descended at once. In other words, none of the awkward moments when all but one person is served: "Go ahead, before it gets cold." "No, we'll wait." "No, really--start!" Etc. All in all, it was a wonderful, memorable experience. I don't know how this would do as a regular haunt; but, for a rare treat, it was just that.