The Little Owl
“They also made us an extra meatball slider free of charge since we were sharing (They usually come in threes).”
“The chicken was among the best I've ever had and my friend devoured the pork chop.”
“Of course, if the real reason you came here was to take a picture in front of the Friends building….”
The Little Owl
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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This is quite the cute and cozy brunch spot for a late morning meal in the village.
It's small and simple with a homey and welcoming feel. The staff is extremely friendly and never let us run out of coffee, which is a huge plus on my list. Luckily there was no wait when we went on a late Sunday morning and we were seated and served very promptly.
We ordered the Mexican scramble special (scrambled eggs with jalapeños, tomato, salsa, avocado with a side of beans and chips) and the flapjacks (wheat pancakes topped with berries). We also shared a side of bacon, which was thick cut and griddled to perfection. If you're a bacon lover, it's a must have. The portions aren't too big for the entrees, but the side of bacon was definitely enough to share.
A bit pricey, it ended up being about $14 per entree, $9 for bacon and $4 per coffee. $50 total for the two of us to enjoy a decent brunch and start our day off right. Not somewhere I'd go regularly, but for a nice weekend treat it's worth a little splurge. But I do want to return to try their meatball sliders which seem to be all the rave.
Cute and small venue in the West village
Quiet enough to have a conversation with a friend
Friendly service
FOOD
Gravy Meatball Sliders — Pay $6 per slider. I just ate the meatball, but it was good. It wasn't doused in gravy… it's as one would expect from the name
Chilaquiles — Two sunny side eggs (think you can customize the egg prep) with 1/2 an avocado sliced plus tortillas on the side covered in a slightly spicy red sauce. As someone who is pretty sensitive to spice, this really didn't have much heat. This was filling but not as flavorful as it looks
Crunchy Chicken Culet — Delicious chicken. My favorite dish
The table next to me ordered the Beignettes, which didn't look that appealing in person. Both the beignettes and the nutella had this 'hard' look to them as if the former had been slightly overdone while the later had been sitting out in the air for too long.
The Little Owl wouldn't be the first place to come to mind for brunch, but it really is a solid brunch place. Everything was as expected (hence the 3 stars since nothing really wow'ed me). It's pricey for the flavors.
This place has definitely got the atmosphere. It's perfect for a nice and intimate setting. Although i definitely recommend making reservations ahead of time.
The staff are very friendly and try to accommodate you as best they can since this is a small but packed business.
Their thing to try here are their gravy meatball sliders so of course me and my friend ordered them. Very soft; melt in your mouth bite for sure. But as for taste, it is lacking and a bit on the salty side. We also ordered the lobster gazpacho as an appetizer and it was a bit disappointing. The lobster was deliciously cold and refreshing but the gazpacho I thought tasted a bit too much like it was lime juice and tomato sauce straight out of a can.
We also decided to order the grilled/roasted corn. OMG. It was so delicious that we devoured that plate.
As for our entrees, i had a swordfish special and my friend ordered the salmon. My swordfish was perfect. Not overcooked and it came with some greens and rice. It was a pretty overwhelming meal considering swordfish isn't exactly light and airy. Again, the greens and sauce was very salty. The swordfish made it alright to eat it with but i definitely couldn't finish this dish. I practically drank the whole bottle of sparkling water alone with this dish.
The salmon is decent. Nothing spectacular to remember by.
As a West Village resident, this is by far my favorite dinner spot in the New York. As a regular here, I'll start by saying that I'm quite frankly unsure how The Little Owl hasn't won a Michelin star yet. The menu (which is seasonal) is loaded with a number of highly revered items, with the meatball sliders, asparagus risotto, and the pork chop the consistent favorites. The gnocchi (which is usually on their winter menu) will not disappoint either. The wine list is quite extensive, with a cocktail list that expertly plays of the cuisine and vibe (that said, get the winter sangria). With that said, the menu is only half of The Little Owl experience. The space is very intimate and cozy (holding maybe 35 patrons at most), with a usually youthful and upscale crowd. From the street, the space gives off a picturesque magical, warm, and highly inviting glow that almost makes you forget your're in Manhattan.
Don't expect any chance of getting a table during peak hours without getting a reservation weeks in advance (or having a connection). This is also only of the most coveted restaurants in the West Village, so expect to pay for the experience. With that said, if you're looking for a spot to impress a special someone or simply need a place to celebrate an occasion, The Little Owl is highly recommended.
This little restaurant made me forget I was in NYC which I always love! The restaurant decor and vibe earned little owl my 3 stars. My husband and I indulged and ordered some amazing wine ($18 a glass). I had the asparagus risotto. It was incredibly flavorful and my two shrimps were fried to perfection! My husband's appetizer of soft shell crab over pasta was tasty but not as creative. I wish they did more with the pasta and the sauced. It was just marinara sauce so a but disappointing in my book. The entrees were beautifully cooked by an artist. However my chicken was really salty. We ordered beignets for dessert which were dry and doughy.
All in all it was a good experience but I wish the night ended better with impeccable execution on the dessert at least
Simple yet hearty, Little Owl definitely possesses every single element I was looking for as a decent west village gem. My friend and I stopped by in the morning and it was completely empty, so we were able to grasp the best corner seat, from where you could enjoy a good view of street.
I loved my scrambled egg with mushroom and pea, cooked in a way that I could enjoy both the tenderness of egg and the fresh smell of mushroom. My friend was on a training session yet still could not resist from trying their strawberry toast. I stole a bite – really, no need to add any syrup and it was just at the right level of sweetness!
I guess there was only one complain – we felt a little bit rushed…while my friend was still enjoying her toast, our waitress came multiple times and asked whether she could clean up the plate. Really a bit annoying if you could answer the same question many times with the same answer. But I do recommend this place for some simple tasty food!
They had me at the spoon.
I had a dish with clams[1], with a sauce so good I dipped the table bread in it. In fact, I started to drink from the bowl[2]. The staff noticed, and someone came by to offer me a spoon (hilarious since I already had one). Moments later, they came back with a straw. Yes, a straw.
That's top-notch service, and it was a packed house.
Convivial atmosphere, yet dim enough for a romantic rendezvous. I know I'll be back with a date, but I'll try not to drink from my bowl.
[1] Not into seafood? Get the meatball sliders.
[2] Partially for comic relief.
Neighborhood spot. Your standard brunch fare. Move along.