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Prune
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Canadian (New), Breakfast & Brunch
54 E 1st St(between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10003
Neighbourhood: East Village
(212) 677-6221
- Nearest Transit:
-
2 Av (F)
Bleecker St (4, 6, 6X)
Bowery (J)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 3:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 12 am
Sat-Sun 10 am - 3:30 pm
Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
522 reviews for Prune
Review Highlights
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"My favorite dish was definitely the bone marrow." In 106 reviews -
"Do yourself a favor and get a bloody mary." In 80 reviews -
"I fell in love with their Eggs Benedict." In 42 reviews
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521 reviews in English
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Review from caleb g.
5/15/2012
I know Prune is reknowned for Sunday brunch, but my gal and I had Sunday dinner there and it was fabulous. If there is a friendlier staff in NYC (okay, maybe at Maialino...in a review to come), I'd be shocked. A friendly greeting given, we were led to our cramped but not unpleasant table (this place is tiny folks).Every server in the place pitched in on our service, always efficiantly and in a cheerful manner. Whipped roasted chicken livers on grilled country bread with truffle oil was sent out gratis, plunging us into an earthy, almost too rich reverie after we had been walking all over the city for the previous four hours. My fennel with trout roe in pernod butter could have been sucked from my dreams and put on the plate before me to engender more savory dreams.Paige elected the raddichio and endive salad with Valdon cheese and toasted pistachio nuts and was pleased as punch. My salmon was perfectly cooked, with a crispy seared skin and unctuous flesh atop fava beans (my fave!) and shaved asparagus (as Spring had just sprung here). My girl devoured her spatch cooked poussin, a seemingly never ending little bird that offered up deliciously moist flesh and crackling skin. We also added minty English peas and "pencil" asparagus with breadcrumbs and enjoyed them equally.
Despite being stuffed to the gills, we split the Greek yogurt with macerated rhubarb and sweet "hay" (shredded phyllo pastry) and practically licked the plate.
By the end of the meal, we felt more like we had visited the home of dear friends who happen to cook like mo-fo's.
What a wonderful evening! -
Review from Diana L.
5/14/2012
I really wanted to like it here. My mom was so excited to bring me here - "Diana you'll just love it" - but we both left super underwhelmed and disappointed. The waitress we had was unfriendly to us (and paradoxically bubbly to the table next to us) and the food was super salty and blech not worth it. The best part of the meal was the "Matilda" beer by Goose Island Brewery in Chicago - if you ever get a chance that stuff is le bomb. Also I enjoyed the homey atmosphere, even if it was a tight space, it felt comfortable.
The marrow we started with was disgusting. Granted, I have now realized that marrow is just not my thing (who doesn't like slathering pure fat onto toast points? apparently me) but it was served with (Prune's favorite seasoning) sea salt, and a tiny little combination of sliced pearl onions, capers, and parsley(?)...not at alll enough to accompany the bland marrow. My mom couldn't eat it either. As one reviewer said, maybe would have been better with garlic? Whatever, overhyped, next...
Pork chop with clams and a side of pencil asparagus. All of this could have been good! Unfortunately, all of it was incredibly salty. The asparagus was probably the best part, but that isn't saying much. It was topped with bread crumbs and some lemon (and a pound of salt). The clams (there were 3...maybe 4) were overcooked, tough, and barely edible. The pork was tender, which was a plus, but horribly salty.
Don't go here. I don't care what Anthony Bourdain said (and I ALWAYS care what Anthony Bourdain said) it's just NOT worth it. -
Review from Amy A.
Vernon Hills, IL
5/9/2012
This reminds me of pubs in the UK. Simple and yummy dishes but with a really long wait. I recomend sitting at the bar. I have never waited less than 20 minutes and have been here thrice for brunch. My best friend, a New Yorker, loves the Lox platter. I prefer their sweet dish of fresh ricotta and figs. They should make the mini scones that accompany my dish a little less plain.
I have nothing to complain about this place.
If I had to request one thing, i would love to enjoy the food on the street. Can never get enough of good food and sunshine. -
Review from Ro N.
New York, NY
5/7/2012
So I was hung over, but I was determined to meet W and F for brunch - I don't like being that type of person to cancel last minute due to my own negligence, so off to brunch I go.
We waited for 2 hours to come and eat here and I wanted to say I didn't want to drink anymore, but I had to get the Beef Jerky Bloody Mary as a tribute to E.
Dude, that Beef Jerky sticking out of my drink looked crazy.
I asked our waitress, what are they known for and she advised...nothing.
So ummm, I usually go for some type of entree with Egg, but for some reason I ended up getting Steak and Eggs with W and F.
We all loved it and it was really good.
F got the Classic Bloody Mary - I want to say we both thought it tasted the same. -
Review from Anna T.
New York, NY
5/2/2012
Usually some place has to be crazy awesome or really horrible for me to write a review (which is the whole problem with yelp--results are skewed). But. With Prune, the dichotomy between food and service was so drastic that I wish I could give it two ratings - 1 for the service and 5 for the food.
Food: came for dinner, had reservations, seated at 6:30pm. Staff knew it was my birthday (thanks to the BF). Everything was well made, simple but tasty. Had the head-on grilled shrimp in anchovy butter, bone marrow, and asparagus. Absolutely no complaints with the kitchen. Mascarpone ice cream with carmel croutons was out of this freakin' world. Olive oil cake should have been better than it was, but still tasty. Bartender made a couple of fantastic cocktails, as well.
BUT...the staff was ridiculously unfriendly. It made me think that there was some undercurrent of miserable discontent amongst them all, like they all just got yelled at right before doors opened, or something. At the time we arrived, almost every table was empty, but the hostess sat us RIGHT NEXT to another couple (presumably because it's just easier to keep track of people coming and going if you line them up as opposed to scattering them about). This is just awkward, especially when the tables are actually touching each other with no gap in between . We politely asked if we could move down one table, since they were all open. Is this a strange request? Maybe I've been to too many accommodating restaurants, but I don't think moving to another open table 2 inches away is all that much to ask.
Apparently it was for the folks at Prune. From that moment on we got the cold shoulder. At one point the waitress literally WALKED AWAY FROM ME mid sentence. It was serious, SERIOUS, angry chick vibe in there. I wouldn't have been surprised if they spit in my food. When we left--no thanks, no good night, no go f- yourself. Nothing. It's some of the worst service i've gotten in 10 years of foodie-eating in NYC.
For a space so small, I expected a laid back, intimate, friendly experience. Instead I got shoddy service boarding on hostility. It's such a shame because I've been wanting to check them out for such a long time. Even the incredible rustic bread won't lure me back. Ladies--chill out! It's not that serious! -
Review from Rachel T.
5/1/2012
I really, really like Prune. I want to try everything on the menu. I love Octopus, fish, meat. All kinds of meat. But not everyone does. The chef here inspires me and so does her food. But as someone so skilled, is it so difficult to have a creative, savory dish with just veggies? My vegetarian friend (who also doesn't like egg) was stuck with side dishes to satisfy her savory craving. Despite my love for the menu my entire experience was brought down by her looks of "but why?"
Delicious menu items:
-The classic bloody mary served with red stripe.
-Fresh Ricotta with figs and marveilles coated in powdered sugar
-Egg in cocotte with chicken and buttered toast
-Perfect omelette with caraway seeds and sour cream
-Stewed tomatoes and chickpeas (despite the fact that it was a sad meal on its own, it was very tasty.
When we asked the waitress what a vegetarian could eat, she described items with meat. I don't know how a waitress can confuse this question and still work at a place where you need to wait an hour + for a table. There were clearly veggie options in sweet form (ricotta or pancakes), but she didn't even mention these..
Otherwise, the experience was fantastic. I loved everything I ate and drank and want to go back with some omnivores. Be prepared to wait at least 45 minutes for a table. -
Review from Emann B.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 4/28/2012
I had meetings in NY that coincided with a friend's recent promotion and I really wanted to take him out to celebrate. I called Prune about six days out and was waitlisted for 8pm for four. They called me back and confirmed and did a great job following up.
Of course one of my four cancelled at the last minute due to work, so I called back to let them know, and all was good. Our table was ready to go, right by the window. Our server was a delight, attentive and informative. Just a sweetheart!
And the food...exquisite. We started off with buttery marrow, snails in a rich cream with thick slices of buttered toast, and an endive salad. Entrees were lamb and arctic char. The char was crispy on the skin side and the vegetables on the side were lightly cooked and richly seasoned.
Dessert was a rich mascarpone ice cream topped with butterscotch and croutons.
*sigh*
This place is a true gem.1 Previous Review:
-
5/18/2010
Solid breakfast goodies, but staff is uptight and somewhat dictatorial. Cute place though.
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-
Review from Lara G.
We headed out early on a Sunday and for some reason, the bone marrow at Prune seemed apropos for the day. We hied off to Prune and the Easter Bunny had a surprise for us - there was no wait for a table. The other surprise was that the bone marrow was not available when the sun is still out. Thus, we were limited to the brunch options.
I didn't imagine Prune to be so tiny. It certainly didn't look like its fruit namesake but it is a tiny place. The drinks though, are nothing but tiny. Our mimosas were bubbly rich and delicious and not some watered down version of a brunch cocktail. We ordered the dutch style (oven-baked) blueberry pancakes with Canadian bacon and the Monte Cristo sandwich.
It was not long before the triple decker ham, turkey and swiss cheese sandwich was before me and that the huge blueberry pancake was crowding our table. :) I loved the Monte Cristo but thought the blueberry pancake was so-so. And the slivers of Canadian bacon almost blew off the plate. :) My dining companion loved it though and finished every last bite of it.
The service was fast and efficient, though one can't help but feel rushed as there is a long line forming outside. We were seated by the window so we can see the line and the windows actually served as a door for the staff to get to the tables as the place is so tight. I can't wait to be back and try the dinner items at Prune. -
Review from brian g.
Carlsbad, CA
5/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
A very small restaurant (24 seats which includes 4 at the small bar) serving top-notch food and drinks with excellent service. The food is approachable and innovative at the same time. The small open kitchen provides a peek into a fast-paced restaurant kitchen.
On my latest visit (I have eaten here 10 times before) I started with razor clams sauteed with garlic. The clams were perfectly cooked (not over cooked), sweet with a slight bite of garlic - perfect (razor clams are one of my favorite foods). For my main I had the roast pork with clams and English peas in a pork/clam broth. It was perfectly cooked and delicious.
Make reservations, the place is tiny and fills up very quickly. -
Review from Tracey A.
San Anselmo, CA
Gabrielle Hamilton's bio is that of someone who's trusted their heart, pursued their passions, and found that this truly is a recipe for success. When she opened Prune in 1999 she filled the menu only with foods she'd like to eat at home. The result is a menu with a very female sensibility housed in a restaurant that feels homey and female without becoming cutesy or precious. The place is warm, inviting, and comfy, and manages to be both a neighborhood treasure as well as a destination spot.
Even on a late weekday afternoon we waited 30 minutes for a table. Once seated we enjoyed a couple glasses of 2010 Panmanok, NY Cabernet ($10/glass) and some Schneider Weisse Hefeweisen ($8/glass) followed by a sampling of perfectly fried oysters (compliments of the chef).
We went on to share the daily "Sous Chef" salad ($14) then my dining companions enjoyed Skate Wing in a lemon, caper sauce ($15), and a Grilled Hamburger with sharp Cabot Cheddar on a toasted English Muffin ($15). I felt like I'd won the lotto with my selection, a "Pasta Kerchief" with French ham and a poached egg ($14). It was something I've never before seen on a menu nor made at home and it perfectly captured the essence of comfort food: A perfect, runny-yolked poacher was surrounded by the thinnest cut of French ham then wrapped up in a wide, thin egg noodle as though it were a gift.
We finished late lunch with both a poached pear and a cruller accompanied by hot fudge dipping sauce and coffee. It was raining as I stepped back outside, feeling like I'd just been swaddled by mama in a tight, warm blanket. -
Review from Quinn E.
3/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I stopped by for brunch over the weekend, arriving just about 10:15. The friendly and totally cute hostess informed my date and I that we were in for a 15 minute wait. What a hardship. 15 minutes worth of gazing in the window like schoolgirls while pretending to look at the menu? Don't mind if we do!
After a leisurely few minutes, we were seated. We were on top of another couple and I was practically in the kitchen. There was no doubt in my mind that people would be shoving my chair and spilling things on me throughout the meal. I know it's hard to believe, but I was wrong. It was close quarters, but perfectly comfortable. Service was fantastic too.
And then it got even better when the food happened. The Dutch pancake is a dream come true. Not only is it a downy pillow of a pancake, it is also enormous. It was like 5 pancakes worth of food, and five times better than any pancake I've ever had. There were only a few slices of pear on there, but it didn't matter. It was so delicious! My date ordered an omelet, which she enjoyed but I wasn't interested in. I did try her hash browns and highly recommend ordering them. They were super crispy, nice and salty, and just plain perfect. My only sadness was that I couldn't order a real bloody mary. Their offerings sounded freaking amazing (one of them had homemade lemon vodka, pickled brussels sprouts, and some other crazy stuff), so I'll have to go back for a very late brunch one of these days. Or introduce legislation to change that silly blue law. -
Review from John D.
3/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ahh, the long awaited Prune brunch. This place is one of the oldest on my bookmark list so needless to say, expectations were high.
The gf and I arrived at exactly 10am to find a short line waiting for the restaurant to open. We were seated without a problem however those arriving any later had to wait outside for the first seating to leave. It's extremely tiny inside and the decor is warm and slightly rustic, giving you the feel as if you were actually in someones kitchen.
Coffee's were ordered and we noticed that they are not "bottomless." AKA, if you want a top off on your cup, you're going to pay for it. I'm assuming that they do this so that they can seat more guests and not have people lingering, sipping 3 cups of coffee while tables are going unturned. Not a big deal, you gotta pay the bills. We didn't order any Bloody's because they are booze-less before noon but the selection was wide and they all sounded delicious. I'd like to try one next time.
The food came very quick. I ordered the Spicy Stewed Chickpeas which came with two panko crusted eggs. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the dish as I've never had anything like this before. It was a little spicy and the eggs were crispy on the outside which added a nice consistency. It didn't blow me away or anything though. The gf ordered the pancake which was huge and had sliced pear on top. We thought it was good but lacked something. It wasn't particularly dry but it could have used some more fruit to get the salivary glands working a little more. Again, nothing special.
Service was excellent and I would go back but maybe for dinner next time. I just don't understand what all the hype is about. Did we not order the right things?? -
Review from Stefan L.
3/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
It was a glorious experience. I had been waiting for months to go to Prune. Ever since I read Blood, Bones and Butter, by Chef/Owner Gabrielle Hamilton. (Which, by the way, if you have not yet read is a MUST READ for any foodie).
I arrived to be greeted by the very last seat in the house. Which is not hard considering the whole place seats about 30. One last bar stool awaited me.
I started with the Roasted Marrow Bones, which many do. It is one of the house specialties. Twas delicious! The KEY is to pile some of the dressed herbs on top of the marrow on the toast point. This is what brings the whole dish together (kind of like the Dude's rug tied the room together).
Michelle, the bartender knows the menu and what wine to pair with your selection. So put yourself in her hands.
I then had the octopus with fennel and celery. Also delicious, but the guy to my left had the homemade (everything is homemade) lamb sausage (grilled) and I was envious.
He said it was delicious. Even better than the grilled beef tongue (which he also enjoyed).
It's not cheap, but it is far from the most expensive in the city. It is well worth the price paid. I'll be back for sure. Hope to see you there! -
Review from Andrew G.
Providence, RI
3/14/2012
Came for brunch recently when clinton street was swamped. While we waited 20-30 min, it was not excessive on the nice day.
We were seated in the back of the phone booth sized restaurant near the kitchen. i had the coffee, which was excellent, but unfortunately did not come with refills. We split the chickpeas and eggs, which need a little hot sauce, but was a nice twist on a savory brunch dish. We also had the dutch pancake which was hot out of the oven and had a nice texture topped with pears. Both dishes were demolished by the 2 of us.
It was definitely worth to the hype or at least close to it. -
Review from Lawrence C.
New York, NY
4/1/2012
Had brunch. The food is probably 4 stars, but it's not worth the wait, so i'm going to knock it a star. The wait is ridiculous and it's not the greatest brunch in the world.
I had the carbonara and my biggest fear is that it would be too thick. It wasn't. Pasta was perfectly al dente. I wished they cooked the meat a bit longer. A bit of crispiness would have helped the texture. -
Review from Yaka H.
4/16/2012 3 photos
I was asked about by a friend how was brunch at Prune and I'll start off with "ehhhhhh..."
The brunch fare was pretty standard for any brunch place, however, I don't believe it was worth the wait. I came in a few minutes before 11:40 to get a table for 6 and we weren't seated until almost 2 hours later. Admittedly, the wait time is much better for groups of 2. We were seated in basement with our own table. The upstairs is very tightly packed. Perhaps the sudden popularity and hype about this place has caused certain things to suffer, which is unfortunate.
I was a little disappointed about the meal at Prune and traveled across 3 states to have brunch here. It started with the coffee service here (1 cup is $3 with no refills) and my entree. I ordered the egg en cocotte with a side of lamb sausage. Skip the lamb sausage. It's a thin rope of sausage twirled on a skewer, but was pretty dry and bland. It was disappointing to see sausage in such poor conditions; it's one of the few items I really look forward for brunch because it can be super flavorful in it's own fatty goodness, especially if it's in its own casing for that extra snap. The entree came with a salad and 3 pieces of buttered toast (a bit on the dark side; see pic). They were out of butter lettuce, so all salad sides were done with mixed greens with a Dijon vinaigrette. I wish the egg was less cooked as the egg yolk was not runny, which made it disappointing to eat. The spicy chickpea entree and eggs benedict entrees may be better choices for brunch, as they seem more fun to eat. Those eggs seemed to be properly cooked (aka: runny yolks).
Gratuity is automatically added on groups of 5 or more. While we had knew about it, it was nice that the service had mentioned it prior to giving the check. Same went for when they had asked if we had wanted any more refill cups of coffee (mentioned the $3 per cup).
With this place being so tiny, I would opt for lunch or dinner service where reservations can be made. Perhaps there is more magic at the lunch and dinner service and menu. -
Review from Agnès L.
Manhattan, NY
4/8/2012
Not bad but over-rated. DOESN'T WORTH THE WAIT!
My 2 friends and I arrived at 2PM on Saturday and had to wait 1h15 (in front of the restaurant, because they come every 20 minutes to check if somebody on the list has left) before being seated.
The room is nice but has nothing really special.
The brunch was good but not extraordinary (the potato rosties were EXCELLENT though), and the presentation was very basic.
I guess we had highter expectations regarding the good reputation and the long wait, but you can find a at least as good brunch with much less wait in a lot of other restaurants in East Village! -
Review from Lucy Z.
Manhattan, NY
5/1/2012
3.5
My boyfriend and I came here on a Saturday night. We made a same day reservation for 10pm which was fine for me. When we arrived, our table wasn't ready but that was ok given how very tiny the restaurant is. A lot of the reviews say the restaurant is tiny but the actual size of the whole restaurant floor including kitchen is probably 15 by 25 or 30 feet. Also the door is the right in front of the downstairs cellar so if you're wondering if that glass window is the door...it is.
I've had tight seating but this was probably the worst. The only other close competition was Omai on 9th Ave and 18th st. It is so close that even when the waitress moves the table out for you to get in; your rear is still offending someone next to you. So close that you can literally hear everything the people next to you are saying "OMG I can't believe they ordered that." Service however was friendly and efficient. They served those crispy Indian crackers--a personal favorite so we were off to a good start. We had the marrow bones as appetizers. It was incredibly underwhelming. I thought it would be one of the tastiest things to try. It was not, it only tasted like boiled fat. We finished one bone between the two of us. On the other hand the tiny parsley salad that came with the bones was incredibly flavorful and yummy. A man sitting next to us, ordered some type of pan fried roe that smelled so delicious it made our mouths water...so maybe ask for that instead.
Next I had the whole branzino and my boyfriend has the lamb shank. I really liked the pairing of the fish and fennel seeds together. The fish was cooked right and the skin was nice and crispy. I tried the lamb blade chop and it was very moist and juicy. We skipped dessert here. All in all, the prices are good, the seating is crowded, and the food solid. It's not food that will necessarily impress you but it is good. If you are a pretty skilled cook, most the food will just remind you of things you make at home. They do give you two chunks of chocolate with the bill so that was very nice. -
Review from Sophia S.
New York, NY
2/12/2012
Best brunch in a long, LONG time.
The wait was ridiculous, but then again EVERY brunch wait in the city is. We were sat in about 75 mins. Thankfully Bowery coffee shop is close by and has amazing coffee.
The place is small (small even for NY), cozy and simple. Our two servers were sweet and attentive. The hostess was nice and I didn't get any whiff of hostility or attitude (from anyone there).
We had the eggs benedict and the monte cristo. The benedict was a good, the hollandaise not too lemon-y and not too creamy, really just right. The potato cake hash brown thinga-ma-jigga was ridiculously perfect: crusty, light, soft, and flavorful inside.
Now the monte cristo, oh the mouth watering perfection of bread, meat and cheese. I love the idea of monte cristo's but rarely eat one that can rival my imagination of how awesome a montecristo should be. This is one of them. Perfectly stacked ham and cheese, wrapped around french toast and then fried to perfection. The best is that it comes with preserves and eggs over easy which when piled together is out of this world.
Bloody mary: I had the matchstick (?) which has a million pickled veggies and all the bm's come with a shot of beer. Good solid mary, not the best but won't disappoint.
Would prob go back, but would DEFINITELY, definitely recommend. -
Review from Share W.
It's a long wait on the weekend for brunch if you don't get their fairly early or wait till near the end. We waited an hour in the cold and hungover. It's okay, because I was going to nurse it with one of their signature bloody mary's.
I got the Bloody Bullshot (special ingredients: beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce). It was tasty and did the trick. Even though it was brunch, I wanted something hearty to sop up the alcohol still flowing in me. The Spaghetti a la Carbonara was delicious and filling. I was going for the bacon chunks.
Staff is really accommodating and helpful. The bathroom is cute too and I love the diffuser that they have in there.
Your check comes w/licorice, which I normally like, but that I did not. Nice touch though. -
Review from Anastacia S.
New York, NY
Okay, I was initially turned off by a fairly rude, unfriendly hostess when we first arrived for our 5:30PM reservation (hence my quick tip when I checked in here), but aside from her, everything about this place is incredible! So I have to go with 5 here because honestly, it just doesn't get better then Prune!
A teeny, tiny restaurant reservations on the weekend are a MUST.
The food is incredible and they marry bizarre flavors together and it just works! Favorites of mine are the bone marrow, three come in an order and it's highly addictive, three people in our party came back just for this dish so order a few to share. Entree wise you can't really go wrong, we all shared a bite or two of our dishes and my favorites were the grilled octopus salad, the beef short ribs and the branzino. Dessert is a must so save room and order the chocolate fudge thing, and don't worry, dessert portions are very small so it's just the right amount of a few bites to satisfy your sweet tooth.
The cocktails are just as good and masterfully created as the food so try some of the house specialties, or go for one of the wonderful wines.
All in all, make a reservation, check out an unbelievable restaurant you would have missed otherwise, and have a great evening here with friends or on a date, it's just perfect!Listed in: Easy Guide to Valentine's Day
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Review from Emma C.
3/2/2012
An hour and a half wait on the weekend for brunch is worth it if your salmon bagel came with Sturgeon caviar and your Bloody Mary came with flecks of gold. And if your waitress did a monkey dance on command.
Obviously. It didn't.
Food was entirely underwhelming. Maybe it was because of the hype and the line. Soft scrambled eggs with hash browns were hearty, but stopped short of amazing. My friend ordered the Dutch pancake, which is the size of a small baseball field. A soft crumbly interior, topped with poached pears and real maple syrup, this definitely was memorable.
TINY space. You will graze elbows with your neighbors. Just not worth the line. -
Review from Janel Y.
Came here for brunch and there was about an hour wait for a table of 5. When our name was called, we got the option of waiting longer for a table of 5 or sitting at two different tables. We were all hungry so we opted for the latter. Apparently, if you are a party of 5, there are only two spots you can sit at: the bar or downstairs.
Here's what my table ordered:
-spicy stewed chickpeas ($14): chickpea stew with 2 pieces of bread and 2 soft boiled eggs. Looked like a small dish, but filled me up for quite some time. The spicy chickpea stew was savory.
-dutch style pancake ($15): dense, heavy and sweet...I wasn't a fan
-prune juice: tasted more like pure grapefruit juice than a mixture of different juices
-potato rosti ($3): potato pancake...average
Food was decent but nothing spectacular. The place is definitely small and cozy. I thought the black licorice candies that were served at the end of the meal were cute, but too bad I'm not a fan of black licorice. -
Review from Mary S.
1/31/2012
Prune is a tiny little must-visit restaurant. As a passerby, you may miss this little gem, but once you step inside, it's so worth it. I came here for brunch with a friend.
I decided to order the Monte Cristo--a triple-decker ham, turkey and swiss sandwich deep fried with powder sugar--can we say heaven?? It's served with a fried egg and jelly. As the egg oozes, the sandwich soaks up the juices and the jelly serves as just the right amount of sweetness. It's perfection.
The only downsides are the wait is a little long and you will be sitting on top of each other. -
Review from Nelson W.
To travel one hour on a brisk Sunday morning with a minus 10-degree windchill for brunch, this truly ought to be a memorable occasion to warrant this type of effort. Forget about the fact that there is usually another 30-45 minute wait on top of this, I simply want the food to be good. The company you keep should always be good, so that is one is one less thing to worry about.
Yes, the food is awesome. Forget about the price because the wallet-conscious will simply squirm upon fixating their eyes on a fifteen-dollar giant pancake. Be mindful that this is no ordinary pancake. This is a Dutch-style pancake, cooked in an oven with pears, served with Canadian bacon, and topped with powdered sugar. (Please excuse the run-on sentence.) Chewy, soft, light, and crispy on the top and sides. The pancake is amazing and one is sufficient to be shared among three people.
The Sausages & Oysters came with grilled handmade lamb sausages with 3 malpeque oysters, stewed tomatoes and grilled bread. Light and refreshing, but not much more other than that. On the flip side, the Fried Oyster Omelette is meant to satisfy. Fried oysters with tartar sauce wrapped in a fluffy egg wrap makes this a delicious and textured experience for the tongue. There is absolutely no excess moisture that typically makes an omelette a messy experience. A side of fried, shredded potatoes complements the omelette.
At the end of this meal, a big thank you goes out to our server, Miriam. She was delightful and accommodating to my requests. During busy brunch hours, she served us a brand new pancake upon only a request to reheat ours after being partially eaten. In all, the food and service made a whopping seventy-dollar brunch (between 2 people) a worthy experience. Next time, I'll certainly remember to save up and come early (doors open at 10am) with a small party. -
Review from Valerie G.
New York, NY
4/3/2012
After being turned away from Prune the week prior for arriving at 2:30pm (brunch ends at 3:30pm), the boyfriend and I were determined to get some Prune in our bellays! We arrived at 2pm on Saturday and were quoted a 1 hour wait - expected and completely doable. We frolicked around for an hour, returned and were seated right away!
We were seated right along the window, which would have been amazing had it not been a somewhat chilly dreary day in NYC. Nonetheless, the cozy interior and the pink menus warmed me up inside, harharhar.
The waitstaff were all very polite without being super friendly or overtly in your face. We chose a mix of savory and sweet for our meals: Classic Eggs Benedict ($13) and Dutch Style Pancake ($15), along with a glass of pear champagne ($9).
The drink came out right away and was adorable with a fizzing wooden stick topped off with a piece of candy - super cute. Our food quickly followed. I am a self-proclaimed Eggs Bennie snob and have had quite a number of this brunch staple before - but I have never had anything that tasted quite like the Prune Eggs Benedict. Portion sizing was substantial, and it came with a huge half circle of hash brown that looked and smelled delish! The eggs themselves were perrrrrrrrrrrrfectly poached. I used the extra yolk on the pancake as well! The English muffin was nicely toasted and all the flavors just blended together so well. Yum! The pancake was ginormous! It was mainly pancake, with a few slices of pear baked into the top along with a light dusting of powered sugar. The pancake itself was pretty sweet, so no need to have a heavy hand when pouring the syrup. The pancake was fluffy with just the slightest taste of pear. Really good dish; only drawback was that the menu stated the dish would arrive with bacon but there was no trace of my favorite vice to be found :(
Although I am not a fan, I've heard amazing things about the bloody marys and they were really big too! Our bill was served alongside 2 pieces of black licorice, fashioned into a Euro and a little Scottish dog. Adorbs!
Pink décor, good hearty food, and a sweet treat at the end of our meal made Prune absolutely worth the wait.Listed in: My Faves!, Bruncharama!, Conquering the Platt
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Review from Allison D.
Manhattan, NY
1/15/2012 8 photos
Out of all the restaurants in NYC, my two chef friends from out of town knew they wanted to dine at Prune -- and I'm so glad they took me along! We had a reservation on a Monday night. Though the restaurant was packed, they had our table ready and waiting, and we were seated immediately. The waitstaff was friendly and enthusiastic about the food. I'm not an adventurous eater, so I passed on the tripe, bone marrow and sweet breads -- but my friends raved about all three dishes. I thoroughly enjoyed my starter of goat cheese with bread and butter -- when do we allow ourselves the indulgence of bread and butter these days?! The radishes with butter and salt were also fantastic. For my main dish, I got the chicken and a side of Brussels sprouts -- amazing.
My only regret is that we didn't have room for dessert. -
Review from Emaan M.
1/13/2012
If this review was based solely on food, Prune would get a 4 stars for dinner. Beef Short Ribs (very fatty and generous portion), Bone Marrow (three pieces), Salty Brussel Sprouts, Escargot in Cream Sauce. All lovely.
Alas, service counts! At least when it borderline ruins your dining experience. It essentially felt like I was dining at someone's home while I unexpectedly stopped by in the middle of a fight that she only knew that we were having.
The restaurant was bright, I was expecting something darker, more romantic. Maybe i'll be back for brunch, but probably not. Especially since the wait begins an hour before the place opens. Next! -
Review from Erin S.
Baton Rouge, LA
2/12/2012
Overhyped, overpriced, under-seasoned.
We gave this place a try. Interesting menu, poor execution. After waiting an hour in sub-zero temps, getting into the warmth of the restaurant was the highlight of this place.
We had the fried oyster omelette with remoulade, which is more appropriately dubbed "Bland egg patty begging for seasoning of any sort with one small fried oyster sitting in a bath of mayonnaise and capers.". I guess that wouldn't fit on the menu.
I also tried the lamb sausage, which was okay but looked more like coiled dog waste(which, ironically, might have had more flavor).
We also had the pasta carbonara. It was good if you like the bottomless pasta bowl at Olive Garden. Woefully underwhelming.
Finally, there was the bloody mary. While I recognize that a bloody mary is tough to perfect, it is even tougher to make one that blows -- mission accomplished though. If you like the taste of watered down vodka, then this is the place for you.
In a word, SUCK. -
Review from Dana T.
New York, NY
4/15/2012
This is definitely a neighborhood gem, but can be hard to get into so plan ahead and reserve for sure. The biggest negative is that is it really cramped, but the vibe is great, the staff is friendly and the food delicious. We had the signature roasted bone marrow appetizer - be sure to ask for extra bread in advance - and I had the BEST dark and stormy, redolent of a summer evening in Bermuda. Portions are on the small side, but they are delicious, esp. the roasted char with shaved asparagus on a very light hollandaise. For dessert, do not miss the marscapone ice cream with salted caramel croutons and caramel sauce. Beyond belief, and easy to share with 2-3 friends. I'm a fan.
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Review from erika n.
Santa Clara, CA
4/14/2012
Favorite brunch spot. I wish I could come more often. Listen to me and you won't be disappointed. Order the Steak and Eggs. Convince someone to share the Dutch Style Pancakes. Get a Bloody Mary - take your pick. You'll love me when you're done.
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Review from Heidi J.
New York, NY
2/7/2012
ugh, OVERHYPED!
I feel sad, disappointed, confused, betrayed, but mostly annoyed that I waited an hour in arctic climates for a chance to finally eat brunch here. I had the stewed chickpea, which was an interesting in that it wasn't your typical brunch fare. I enjoyed it, but I just didn't think it was anything spectacular. Ditto the sentiment in regards to my friend's huevos rancheros. The bloody marys, however, were really good, though definitely not the best I've had in the city.
The service was rather brusk, but I think that's kind of their thing, so I won't hold that against them as much as the underwhelming food. I would really like to come back here for dinner and amp up this rating because there must be a reason why people love this place so much, and I'm determined to discover it for myself. -
Review from Brian C.
2/7/2012
This restaurant is small, and since I came with a fairly midsized-large party we were seated in this cramped table downstairs by the kitchen and the bathrooms.
One thing I liked about the restaurant is that the food is definitely innovative. We were there for brunch, and the fresh ricotta with fruit, honey and merveilles (these beignet-like powdered sugar dusted baked goods) was quite delicious. The egg "en cocotte" was also interesting. The coddled egg is good.
The food is unique and innovative, and I would definitely try it again. -
Review from Chi N.
Updated - 3/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
dinner can be pretty pricey here.
started off with drinks
pims drink is pretty strong... even though it has ginger ale in it couldn't taste the fizz.
the rum drink though is very very easy to drink and good.
food
shared the beef tongue - super super tender but only 2 large pieces... wish it were more. great contrast of lemon and parsley.
also shared the bone marrow (3 large plenty of marrow) which is really better shared among 4 people as it is quite a lot of fat to ingest in one sitting for 2 people. sprinkle some pickled onions and parsley and salt and soak up the fatty goodness... plenty of bread for this.
sit at bar much easier and faster than having a reservation.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/14/2009
hint... if u see a bunch of nicely dressed girls lookin like they belong in soho... quickly speed up… Read more »
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Review from Monika S.
12/24/2011
Our visit to Prune proved to me that NYC has just as many fantastic little dining spots as SF does. Gabrielle Hamilton created a small sanctuary that makes really good food. Key word: SMALL. This is not a spacious restaurant. Tables need to be pulled out so that you can sit down and your neighbors are an elbow distance away. The restaurant is well lit; and pretty boisterous. Still, it allowed for an intimate dinner (where I didn't need to pull out my phone flashlight to read the menu).
Timing of the food was perfect and when a kitchen issue led to my main course being delayed, not only was I provided with a salad to tide me over but my main course was comped.
So hubby and I shared everything as we usually do and therefore got an amazing array of food.
Started with the bone marrow, which was juicy and flavorful. Who doesn't like beefs answer to butter?
Main courses included the brined pork chop (generous cut) and the roasted duck. Both were fantastic. The pork was prepared pink like we asked for and was one of the best chops we have had anywhere. The duck was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Since my duck lost the battle of a small kitchen, I was given an amazing salad while they made me a new main course. It consisted of mixed wild greens, cranberries, goat cheese and some fine herbs. Super yummy. By the time we finished the salad, the new duck appeared.
Desert was a nest of filo with yogurt, honey and pumpkin. So light and a perfect way to top off the meal.
Can't wait to get back.
Things to know: no diet soda, you can order off the bar menu ( different small plates) and service is excellent.Listed in: I love NY
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Review from Anon y.
Jersey City, NJ
5/9/2012
Been here three times now, and it is truly great everytime! Heard about this place from watching Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations (great show by the way) on Travel Channel and came for the roasted bone marrow, though have been back for brunch and that menu was great as well. A place chef's go to eat.
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Review from Laura H.
1/7/2012
I came here for lunch on Thursday, and was overly impressed that everyone in the restaurant was drinking. EVERYONE, young old and in between. The table of three next to us actually ordered two bottles of wine. A man in his late 20s walked in by himself, sat at the bar and ordered a raw burger with a whiskey, one ice cube. I wanted everyone at this restaurant to be my friend.
The portions (with the exception of the burger) are on the small side, so you leave full but not stuffed. My only compliant about the food was the excess of butter. Seriously, they must go through gallons of butter here. I ordered the bloody mary (which came with tons of pickled treats and the petite poule vert, fancy term for stuffed cabbage. It was really good and in a buttery sauce. What slightly terrified me was the mound of butter on top... it was a lot, and probably would make Paula Dean proud.
The space is small but absolutely charming and adorable from the decor, plating, color scheme etc... We went for lunch, and I was bummed we couldn't order off the dinner menu. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes. -
Review from Ki G.
11/1/2011
What can I say? When you have Lamb Shank, Rabbit Legs and Duck Breast on your menu, I'm going to love you no matter what.
No matter what? That sounds like there was something a matter here. No, not at all. In fact, dinner here as the last hurrah before one of my favorite people left the country was perfect.
We sat at the bar, got friendly with the bartender and the staff. Was brought the largest amuse bouche I've ever seen - battered and fried oysters with a spicy fresh tartar sauce to dip the crunchy goodness in. And what boggled my mind was that the oysters were still luscious inside - like a warm, silken surprise. This was followed by buttered bread, pickled red onions and a lovely crumbly Catalonian cheese. I nabbed some snails as well - snails bathing in a cream sauce.
I had to have the rabbit (vinegary and surrounded by cornichons). I never pass up rabbit, and these were two of the largest rabbit legs I've seen on a plate ever. And they were good to the last little scrap of meat on the many tiny bones. Luckily, I was also able to try the Lamb Shank and the Duck Breast as well (by sharing some of my rabbit with my dining pals) - all were winners, but I still loved that rabbit!
My heart was lost to a wine here - the Touraine "Poire et Sel" Olivier Lemasson (2010). Let's just say I wanted to bottle the aroma and wear it like a perfume.
Round off the meal with laughter, banter, sparkling (and sometimes silly) wit, good atmosphere and people you want to always be around and this evening knocked it out of the park.
I can't wait to come back. -
Review from Laura T.
3/13/2012
Yep, the food is ok but it's not worth the money or the subpar service.
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Review from Peter O.
Tarrytown, NY
12/19/2011
We (a party of four) had dinner on 12/16 at 8.00pm. We had to wait about 10-15 minutes for the table - no unexpected with trendy restauran. However it is so cramped we had to wait on the street and temperatures were hovering around 20F. We were seated right next to a vent that blew cold air ...but apparently there was nothing the management could do about it. This is clearly not the first time someone commented as the waitress' revealed.
Drinks were fast but the redwine selection lacked depth: the Cabernet Franc promised to be fuity fell flat.
As a starter we ordered Endive Salad which was good. While the Shrimp starter tasted good the shell was not sliced open and was served in a bowl(!) ...making it essentially impossible to try to open it with utensils. Major faux-pas. The bone marrow was mediocre at best: it was dry (clearly not prepared in builllon) served with dried-out toast with holes too big to hold the marrow and NO GARLIC.
The porc main dish was juicy but bland served with acidy apple and textureless cabbage bits. Very underwhelming.
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