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We were there last Sunday. Had the octopus, and the special of the day, fried oyster with tartar sauce, for appetizers. The oysters were the big commercial ones that are not fresh. Then we had fish for main course, the branzino and fish of the day, both of which I could had done at home. At least when I go to a serious restaurant the branzino would have been deboned. They charge the same price at Prune, they just stuff it with some lemon and herbs and throw it on grill. Very messy to eat. the bread was stale. The table was small and a piece of junk. Our bill for 2 people was $131 ust for 2 measly appetizers and 2 fish and a $40 bottle of wine. We decided to go to a nearby bakery to buy pastries and sweets because we were still hungry. The place is dirty, shabby chic is not charming, just shabby, and unremarkable food. I don't understand what all the fuss is about. When I spend $150 (with tip) for 2 at a restaurant I would imagine at least that decent quality. I didn't expect Per Se or Daniel quality but for the love of God, give me something good.

Went for brunch this weekend with my GF and another couple. The food was mediocore and not what I remembered the last time I had brunch. I had talked up Prune as one of the best brunch spots in NYC but was very dissapointed. The bloody mary's were good, but not enought to compensate for the food and wait.

Enjoyed a nearly flawless evening at Prune, last night (Wed): bone marrow, octopus, veal heart, grilled branzino, striped bass and cockles, asparagus and shallots, ricotta ice cream with caramelized croutons, chocolate semifredo, trifle--gorgeous cocktails and wine. What most of the reviewers here miss is the key ingredient at Prune: a sense of community. I don't know how they do it, but everybody in the restaurant feels and acts like part of a big family at home. We sat along the wall and--somehow--there was a birthday at every table. By the end of the night, we were all talking to each other. In the midst of what is most often a snootier-than-thou LES, Chef Gabrielle and her staff have figured out a way to make everyone feel comfortable in their skin and the result is an experience of dining that I've only found previously in a hill town trattoria in Umbria and a ferme in the Luberon. And here's the trick, I think: the comfort is cultivated by the presentation, the decor, and the staff--but it begins with the recipes themselves. The food wraps its arms around everyone at the table--everyone in the room--as opposed to pushing you back in your seat to applaud its virtuoso performance. So many restaurants in NYC serve food that turns patrons into the chef's applauding audience. Prune serves food that turns us to each other, smiling and talking. In another country, another time, perhaps, this is what eating was meant to be. And here it is. Given all that, the only thing stopping me from going back tonight is a mild protest from my carotid artery, which is still trying to understand what it did wrong to be punished by an appetizer of roasted marrow bones and toast. Nobody can create and maintain a place like this without committing her whole being to the project. And for that, a deep bow of gratitude to the folks at Prune.

For quite some time now, I have heard that Prune boasts not only the best Bloody Mary but the best brunch in NYC. While I did not expect Prune to live up to these unrealistic expectations, I was looking forward to an enjoyable and tasty brunch. Two weeks ago, my wife and I went to Prune, understanding the no reservations policy, and upon hearing of the 1hr+ wait, decided to find another restaurant but to return the following weekend prepared for the wait. This past Saturday, we went to Prune, gave our names to the gracious hostess (perhaps the best aspect of the Prune experience for me), learned again of the 1hr+ wait and happily walked around wasting time before our brunch. 1 hour and 45 minutes later, we were seated and approached about 10 mins later by a busgirl attempting to take our drink orders. Since we did not have menus, neither of us were prepared and this young lady was fairly rude about that. The busgirl returned to take our orders and the Bloody Mary that followed was tasty and unusual. Unfortunately, my wife's coffee didn't arrive and I had to ask for it, much to my waitress's dismay. Speaking of our surly waitress, I can't remember the last time I have been treated more rudely or with more apathy for our presence. This waitress pretty much let us know that she didn't care that we were there, ignored us and was VERY unfriendly and not helpful at all regarding any questions we might have regarding the unusual but intriguing menu. I can't express enough how much this waitress turned me off to Prune and pretty much put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day. I ordered the Spicy Chickpea dish with the buttered eggs, thinking it would be interesting and tasty but unfortunately, after a lengthy wait, I was not only disappointed with the less than average taste but the paltry size of the dish. My wife ordered the huevos rancheros, which were JUST OK. All in all, I had two of the ____ Matchbox Bloody Marys and each of us had our main dish...the total for the meal before tip was about $80, which is expensive but not too crazy for this town. In retrospect, the service was very poor and I am easy to please (this is my first bad review ever) and desperately wanted to be happy about the experience. The food was certainly not terrible but it was disappointing. The Bloody Mary was good but NOT the best in town. I will NEVER go back and would never recommend Prune to a friend.

I was anticipating a meal here for a long time. We phoned, and a table was available at nine. I saw Chef Gabrielle on a few TV interviews, at once I found my culinary soul mate. Her passion, imagination and control makes her one of the very best alive today. The staff was polite, courteous, welcoming. However, the service was a tad slow. A delicious Italian red by the glass at around $14. looked scant. The waitress replied, "that's the house pour." It was a scant 4 ounces. Other places would have poured another ounce to keep a guest happy, but there was the economy. Yet her comment was off-putting. The noise level was high, but every seat in the cozy, well lit room was filled. A phenomenal first course of baby artichokes cooked a la barigoule, joined perfect snails, bathed in a beurre blanc of fragrant tarragon. I wouldn't let go of my plate until every drop of that marvelous sauce was gone. I'm dreaming of that sauce even now. My companion ordered the duck breast, normally served with raisins and capers, asked the chef to hold the raisins. Our server smilingly obliged, no hesitation. One happy guest enjoying his dinner instead of eating what some autocrat chef decided. The duck was perfectly cooked. My slab of lamb shoulder was grilled perfect pink just a bit oily, topped with an oven crisped but tasteless grape leaf. I would have brined the meat to get the right lamb flavor, but it was served with a small dish of sea salt, the next best thing. They serve a good cuppa coffee, and while I ordered the brandied cherry trifle, with surprisingly good home made lady fingers. The cherries were a tad boozy, but easy to overlook given the meal was near perfect. Since every dish is made to order, the service was understandably slow. With that packed room, there seemed to be almost enough servers, but one more might have made the difference. Bravo Chef Gabrielle.

I'm not sure if we came on a great night or what - perhaps the stars were just aligned. The reviews seem mixed with everybody but I can honestly tell you - it was one of the most rewarding restaurant experiences I've have in a really really long time. Appetizers: Sweat Breads & the Bone Marrow. Entrees: Prawns & the lamb. Side: Hen of the woods mushrooms. Dessert: Chocolate semifreddo. Good wine list & beer list. All of the food was fantastic - and the portions were huge. Now that I know the portion sizes I think I'd prefer to split the appetizers. The sweet breads were OUT OF THIS WORLD.. as was the bone marrow (though as I said.. its a huge portion of marrow so next time I'll split the appetizers). Both the prawns & the lamb were good. The mushrooms were intense but awesome. The semifreddo was amazing - more bitter than sweet which is right up my alley. None of the food was over flavored - very gentle and appealing. Everything was paired with something that would complement it just so. Total bill was $140 including two glasses of wine. The restaurant is well lit and has a nice atmosphere. The waitresses seemed to be having a good time - and they were extremely attentive. We didn't seem to have a dedicated waitress - everybody would come to us to either replace a fork, fill up our water, ask us if we wanted anything else, etc. So basically - we never waited for more than a few minutes for anything. Oh.. and they cycled oldies on through the night - which I loved. My boyfriend & I were just really happy with the experience. So if you're reading negative reviews - at least give this place a shot prior to turning it down.

2 weeks in advance reservations. Showed up AFTER they confirmed my reservation only to find out they totally screwed it up. They had me and my wife down for a 6:15pm reservation. Who on earth eats dinner at a restaurant like this at 6:15p? No One. They seated us with severe attitude - like we will seat you but were knocking someone else off the list. Hey sorry, but your restaurant had 8 tables empty at 7:45pm on a Saturday night. Get a clue- times are tough - you should appreciate someone going out of their way to eat at your restaurant. Perhaps you should reconsider who you should have to represent your business when you walk in.