The Odeon

I like the food here, even though it is really, truly overpriced, to the point that one feels uncomfortable. They even serve their overpriced wine by the glass only half-full, a bit insulting. Fun, art deco room, so the decor is nice. Oppressively noisy at times, and the service is really QUITE bad. They seem to have perfected a way of ignoring you that is unmatched in most of the city. There are some great values on the menu, although they have to get realistic -- we all know what lettuce costs, and we all know what onion soup costs.

I was at The Odeon recently and even though the prices have gone up (a lot fot that matter) the service was very friendly and efficient and it is such a scene! The food is OK, if not overpriced, but I had some delicious wine by the glass- Sancerre - and enjoyed the crowd. Even though you don't go to The Odeon for the food, at the end of my meal I felt pretty fabulous!!! Whta's with all the strollers everywhere???? Is Tribeca becoming mid-America? The Oden is still kicking after all these years - how many restaurants out there in NYC can last that long? Go for the NY state of mind... I LOVE IT!

The highlighted beaujeaulais superior was $9 a small glass and mediocre at best. The seared tuna was of high quality - but it was to come with a salad of greens, tomatoes and olives...$19. The "salad" was a couple of green leaves and some celery leaves and slices celery on top of a bread crouton which was soggy. I love Italian Bread Salad but this wasn't it ... but to give Odeon it's due, the tomatoes were really fine. I wouldn't come back.

I have been going to the Odeon for about 15 years, and I have to say much of the criticism below, while accurate, is sort of irrelevant. The Odeon is not really about food so much as it is about atmosphere. Going to the Odeon for its food is like going to the Schwarzeneggar film for its acting. It could happen, but I wouldn’t count on it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. Odeon is one of the few restaurants that can get by on style alone. The bar should be in a museum, a shrine of sorts to late 80s cool. The vibe is fantastic, with soft lighting making everyone look a tad younger and ambient noise levels that are conducive to both conviviality and privacy. The crowd is a very relaxed, chic set—-think late 80s art dealers, but older, and perhaps wiser. As for the food, well, it is a bit overpriced, and largely mediocre. My advice it go for the simpler offerings, which the kitchen does well. The hamburger is fantastic—a firm juicy and meaty offering on a nicely toasted brioche bun. I get mine with Gruyere and bacon. The fries are excellent too. The French Onion soup is also good, albeit a bit salty, even for that dish. The calamari is first rate, although grease-o-phobs need not apply. It comes thickly breaded and it slightly spicy, but the calamari itself it quite tender and the tartar sauce is also good. The best dish is probably the roasted chicken, which comes with a potato side that can be subbed for those delicious fries. The chicken is tender and moist, and the kitchen does a great job of searing the skin to lend it a crisp salty flavor. Pass on deserts and keep the Vodka martinis flowing. The bartenders are great, although servers seem out to lunch.

Ok, I've lived in Tribeca for years and throughout everything the Odeon has been the only reliable restaurant in town. I really love the food, especially the steak. Its fabulous. PS The guy below, Jeff, um..they didnt jack up the price of the tuna sandwich....times change, things become more expensive, it's no longer 1985 so I expect sales to go up a bit.

I used to come here often when I lived around the neighborhood. The service was never the best, but it's quite enjoyable if you have lots of time to kill and wish to sit around and converse. On the food end though, I'm quite disappointed at what they've done. My beer seemed to be watered! and apparently you have to pay 8$ for the tiny bread basket. The store packaged tuna burger I got was jacked up to 19$ from the 14$ it used to be.

The quality of the food is always extraordinary. The menu is varied and solid, but the comment that it wasn't exciting is probably accurate. If you want excellent food with good service and a nice atmosphere, and if you're willing to pay for great versions of the old standbys, then the Odeon is still the best. If you want something you've never had before, or something experimental, there are better places--go wherever is hot that month.