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(More customer reviews)Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (7/08)"Belly Up to the Bar" is a collection of reviews of 101 New York City restaurants that service their full menu at the bar. All restaurants included in the book have a Zagat rating of 23 or higher, and some are Michelin starred as well. While it could take up to a month to get a reservation for a seat in the dining area at most of these establishments, you can walk in off of the street and pull up a stool to the bar without reservations. Restaurants highlighted include well-revered spots like Jean Georges, Gramercy Tavern, wd-50, Babbo, and Veritas.
Each of the 101 establishments in the book list the address, phone number, Zagat rating, Michelin rating (if any), website address and the name of the chef. The author gives wonderful descriptions of the atmosphere at each location, including the crowd that typically frequents the bar (businessmen, vacationers, opera-goers, thirty-something's, couples, older foodies, etc.). The décor of the location is included as well as what to expect when you pull up a seat and ask for a menu, right down to the type of placemat that is laid before you, the bartenders' knowledge of the menu, the bread and butter and how it is served, and if water is provided without asking.
Background information on some of the chef's and the concepts behind their menu design and the set-up of their dining establishments is included. "Belly Up to the Bar" also highlights the beer and wine selections available at each site, and the price ranges that you can expect for your drinks. Quite a few of the appetizers, entrees and desserts available at the restaurants are noted, along with their prices, and the author tells you what she ordered and how it was. Handy indexes are also included for the 101 restaurants included in the guide, broken down by cuisine, location and Michelin star rating.
I would suggest this guide to any New Yorker who appreciates fine dining and doesn't mind the less-formal bar and lounge area as long as the food is just as good as what is served in the dining room. Vacationers planning a trip to New York City will find this guide no less handy than those native to New York, as with so many dining options to choose from, even native New Yorkers probably don't know which spots offer full menu's at the bar for those times when you can't possible wait four weeks for a table. "Belly Up to the Bar" by J.S. Mitchell is a guide that will allow you to walk into the setting with confidence, knowing the crowd to expect, the attire required, the atmosphere, and the certainty that you can pull up a bar stool without reservations for a great meal.Received book free of charge.
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