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Went to Shellys on Valentine's Day based on good reviews in Zagats and NYMag, and also because I always wanted to dine at the old location. Was disappointed by the decor - very pedestrian and way too bright. Service was lackluster as well - they gave us most expensive Scotch and champagne on the menu even though we ordered less expensive ones. Food was plated terribly - my filet mignon, aside from being undercooked, was thrown on the plate with a slab of mashed potatoes with this thin veneer of green ooze surrounding it. Nowhere near worth the premium prices paid. If you're looking for a nice restaurant for a special occasion, you could do a lot better.

The restaurant is ridiculously overpriced and the staff must be laughing so hard at everyone who eats there. I have been taken there several times as a guest, and can only say that there are so many other nice restaurants where you can get the same quality of food for half the price. That savings allows me to purchase one ouce gold coins periodically, and you can too if you just say , "I'm not going to get ripped off again."

I recently tried Shelley's. I had set up an evening out for my mother and one of my sisters. It was to be dinner and then on to Carnegie Hall. I was looking for good food, atmosphere and location. Based on the reviews I felt Shelley's fitted the bill. The food from presentation to flavor was very good. The only thing that kept it from being extraordinary was the plating. The choice of oversized plates was a poor choice for the portion size. The large plates made the portions look smaller and thus making me feel that we received less of a value. The atmosphere, including staff, was cordial, cozy without being packed in. We were attended to promptly, from being seated to the wait staff being attentive without hovering. But where the service stumbled was on on 2 counts. One was staff appearing at the tables with samples as if it were a Cocktail party. The second was forgetting part of our order. The staff did rectify the error promptly and without airs. While the time at Shelley's was definitely pleasant, over all the is room for improvement.

Shelly's has finally come into its own. There was a gap of about a year where one might have been confused as to whether it was steak and seafood or Italian and seafood. Now, after several changes, they have finally, it seems, decided upon light Italian and superb seafood. The restaurant is extremely delightful in atmosphere, so that was never a question. And now their pizza rivals the best of them extra thin crust, special toppings, a great raw bar, a few big salads, seafood dishes, steak, and some wonderful pastas. A great place to go for a late afternoon lunch with clients as well, as the atmosphere is wonderful and elegant. I recommend this restaurant highly. It's pricey but not overly so. Desserts are also fantastic.

That's right! It's only the lunch menu though. The bread (lightly toasted) is to die for! The chicken melts in your mouth. The Russian dressing is light and flavorful. It's almost, (make that) it's actually worth the price they charge. $15-$16.

Having visited Shelly's almost exactly a year ago, shortly after it had moved to this address, we were excited about returning as we had really enjoyed our first meal there. It was still good but to us not quite as it was. It is now suffering a bit of an identity crisis in that it is uncertain whether to be a Traditional American Steak and Seafood Restaurant or an Italian Restaurant. It is in no-mans territory between the two, and frankly has suffered a little as a consequence. Personally we prefered the out and out all-American cuisine ( which was done superbly ) and were surprised that some of the sides, including onion rings were not available on the new italianised menu.

I work two blocks from Shelly's. The seafood is exceptional. You must try the crabcakes. Sometimes it can be noisy, but the atmosphere is really nice. Staff is extremely friendly. Costly? Yes, but it's worth it.