Bar Boulud
“My husband and I came here for dinner last night after watching The King and I at Lincoln Center.”
“Pate grand-mere (fine country pate) – A portion of their to-die-for homemade classic duck liver pate.”
“Had brunch with the bestie and came here just to try the croque monsieur and it was definitely delicious and is the best I've ever had.”
Bar Boulud
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Coat Check: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Its location and foods were fine for us. But the server was very bad. She did not care us and did not check our next orders anytime. She was supporting other customers not Asian. I felt uncomfortable with this kind of obvious differentiation with Americans.
After walking past it so many times and wondering why it was always bustling with customers, I finally got to try Bar Boulud thanks to restaurant week prices!
The restaurant's interior is unique, calming and beautiful. You feel like you're in an elegantly lit tunnel of sorts! That probably doesn't sound too appealing, but I promise the interior is actually nice. Restrooms are located downstairs, and I again found myself admiring the decor.
I got the following off of the prix fixe menu: Salmon Rillette, Roasted Corn Risotto, and Blackberry Financier. Afterwards, I also got chamomile tea.
Because I was so hungry when I ordered, I glazed over the menu and impulsively chose the Salmon Rillette; as such, I didn't realize the salmon would be on top of a piece of toasted rye. Being gluten free, I couldn't eat the rye, and so the salmon tasted a bit too salty. But that's not the chef's fault! The Salmon Rillette wasn't anything mind blowing, but it was still quite good. I think the best way to describe it is to say that it was basically a tuna tartare, but with salmon.
The Roasted Corn Risotto was tasty as well! The smooth, unprovocative flavors felt nurturing for my soul and stomach. The star ingredient – the corn- was sweet, soft, and so very juicy. I was initially a bit unnerved by how much olive oil there was in the plate, but I grew to like the taste of the olive oil. It isn't so overpowering that you want to gag – the chili oil roasted peppers and scarred scallions help balance out the flavors.
I made the same mistake with desert as I did with the appetizer and ordered a gluten-heavy menu offering. While I couldn't eat the actual blackberry financier, I did like the curious and innovative toppings on the blackberry financier (i.e. popcorn and sweet corn), and I also loved the brown butter ice cream!
As a side note, I had a bite of my friend's pan-seared mackerel and must say it was one of the best mackerel dishes I have ever had. I'm generally not a fan of mackerel because the mackerel has a certain scent that I don't particularly like, but I couldn't detect it here at all. The mackerel was also superbly tender, yet moist. Don't get the argulua salad (appetizer option) though, as it is just your normal argulua salad – unless you like that!
Love this place. Can't wait to try the food. It's a good place to pop in on your lunch break for a drink. It's casual and sitting at the bar solo is no problem at all. I loved their red selections, which vary in price. The atmosphere is very soothing. I will update this review when I try the food.
Came here for drinks after dinner with a few friends. Loved the atmosphere which was upscale but still brightly lit. So I would recommend this place if you want to see what your date actually looks like. Small cocktail menu (not surprisingly) and extensive wine menu (also not surprisingly). I really enjoyed my last call gin cocktail. I requested grapefruit cooler instead of lime and was shocked to see the drink come out a translucent green. I was informed that Bar Boulud's grapefruit mixer was indeed green–interesting!(?) Citrus Ile Flottante, a poached vanilla meringue soaked in coconut lime creme aingalise, was very good. Again, shocked, that the meringue was actually soft and spongey versus crispy and airy, but loved it nonetheless. Creme really made the dish. Madeleine cookies were also much better than I had anticipated. They were smaller but softer, more moister, and sweeter than most, which is a good thing, as my main complain with most madeleine cookies are that they're bland and dry. Great service, great place. Didn't get a chance to try dinner but cheers to rounds on rounds of champagne.
This restaurant brought a down to earth industrial chic to Lincoln Center. Nobody would have ever thought that exposed rocks in a cage would stay in the neighborhood this long. Fortunately, the food is as timeless as the good ingredients that are the meal's foundation. My salmon, served resting on beans bathing in an herb sauce, was wild and flavorful. The mild flavor was reminiscent of spring lingering into summer. I tasted everyone's food. The beef tartare was nice. The lamb stew with pasta will melt in your mouth. And the trout must have been caught in a sweet river. Cooked in almonds, that fish tasted like dessert.
I've been disappointed by Lincoln center restaurants mostly but I'm glad I gave this one a try!!
We went for a Sunday brunch and there was no wait which was wonderful. I got the galette which had ham and cheese and topped with two sunny side up eggs – great texture and just the right amount of saltiness. SO got the pistachio French toast which was divine… He should have gotten the large instead of the small (large is 3 pieces and small is 2, but note that a "piece" is very thick, but not as big as one slice).
Drinks were good but probably not worth the price. Mine was a Bellini which I couldn't finish, but SO got the Souther Swizzle, which was quite good (and he hails from the south!).
Would definitely come back for the food for another brunch!
My overall experience was fine, but I was hoping for something a bit more special. The space is simultaneously open and cramped–the result of casual seating, a long space, and a narrow fit of tables and bar. The food was good, but not good enough for the price. While I understand the pricing given location, there are better restaurants within a stone's throw, so I am unlikely to return.
Bar Boulud is a great brunch spot!
We met our best friends there for Sunday Brunch this past Saturday and had a lovely time. The space has a wine bar feel to it.
Most of the staff is very friendly and helpful. The reason I say most, is because our friends were late and I stood outside to see if they were confused by the several Boulud restaurants in a row and went into the wrong one. A male maitre de asked me (rudely) if he could help me. I politely said, I was okay.
Our waitress was great, we had:
– avocado toast with poached egg – delicious
– eggs florentine – very good
– eggs with sausage – tasty
Another negative was the cleanliness of the main floor restroom. When I went in, someone made a fairly significant mess. I notified a staff member and she said she would have it taken care of. Granted, it could have just happened and I was the first person to go in.
I would definitely give Bar Boulud another try.