wd-50Always excellent and interestingAlways excellent and interesting food. Tasting menus only.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMPlayfulLoved the tasting experience. Fabulous contrasts, unexpected combinations, and foods masquerading as different foods or even objects kept us off-balance in delightful ways. The quality and taste were top-notch. A limited tour of the kitchen made these foodies' hearts even gladder!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of our best meals everNeeds no introduction, really, but even better than imagined. Innovative, fascinating, but never simply for its own sake, always in the service of an amazing culinary experience.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious!The chef's tasting menu was amazing! Each course was better than the last!
Great for small groups or as a date spot.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food, but microscopicExcellent food, but microscopic portions, & ludicrously over-priced.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMShockingly good food. CompletelyShockingly good food. Completely impressed. Asked so many question we got a tour of the kitchen. One of my most favorite nights out.
Skip the set menu and just go for the ala carte in the bar. While sad to miss out on the cushy booths two courses and the most amazing deserts ever was plenty.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food , once in a lifetimeGreat food , once in a lifetime experience.
The best way to state it is " pretentious extortion "
My way of saying it is way over priced.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was spectacular,The food was spectacular, as we expected. The staff was extremely personable, which added a great deal to the experience4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMPhenomenal menu. Expert staff.Phenomenal menu. Expert staff. Exquisite food. Amazing experience.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA Caliber All Its OwnGreat with dealing with allergies; the food was excellent and varied. Staff was very knowledgeable and efficient. Great decor and ambiance. Can't wait to go back and do the wine pairing!4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed a great AnniversaryEnjoyed a great Anniversary dinner, although not every dish in the tasting menu was a winner none were not enjoyable and several were awesome! Service was attentive without being overbearing4/8/2013 12:00:00 AM12 course tasting menu!This was a memorable one of a kind experience to be shared during our first visit to New York. I have never had such a wide variety of creatively prepared new-to-me foods. It was also neat to be able to say we were at the restaurant of one of Top Chef's judges, Wylie Dufresne. We were only sort of disappointed to know that he was not there that evening as he was busy opening up a new restaurant. We were happy to be able to enjoy this 12 course tasting menu with wine pairings with others who love to try new things. If you like new foods and preparations, this is the place for you!
Favourites: Pike fish, and S'mores!4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was a cerebral diningThis was a cerebral dining experience. The food wasn't the best I've had, but it was fascinating. It's certainly worth going if you've got some spare cash and you're into molecular gastronomy and cleverness with food, but I wouldn't put it on my best-ever dining experiences.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMBalanced perfection! EveryBalanced perfection! Every dish was fantastic. A MUST when you are in NYC.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMVery welcoming staff - despiteVery welcoming staff - despite it being such an iconic resataurant. We had high expectations - and they were met! Beautiful delicate tastes, lovely compositions. Only complaint was that the size of the portions were really tiny. We have smaller appetites than most - and we were still a bit hungry at the end of the five courses.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMI took my boyfriend here asI took my boyfriend here as a surprise, special 25th birthday present. We both love everything food and have always wanted to try a place like WD-50. I decided we were going to splurge and do the 9 course tasting menu. It did not disappoint. Every dish was so carefully thought out and presented. Each bite was different than the last on any given dish. The whimsical elements had us stunned (i.e. "pho gras" pho soup with foie gras). The staff was EXTREMELY friendly and attentive. They answered every question we had about ingredients (and believe me, we had a lot). They even gave us an extra dessert with a candle when they overheard me say it was his birthday. This was one of the best food experiences I have ever had.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMYou already know you're goingYou already know you're going to get amazing food at wd-50. (It's true.) What you might not expect is the rest of the experience is just as good. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming - they let me in without a second glance after a day of sight-seeing around New York in jeans, sneakers and a hoodie. The staff were all incredibly inviting and friendly, happy to answer questions and go to the extra mile to make the evening enjoyable for a couple of amateur foodies.
The 12-course menu is definitely worth it. Stick with the special cocktails - the "Duck Blind" (scotch, sherry, smoked maple, cocoa oil) was great, while the more traditional Old Fashioned was underwhelming.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMMy second time at this gem.My second time at this gem. The food is full of lots of flavors. The chef(s) are incredible at creating flavors and textures that tantalize your tastebuds. It's pricy but wort h every penny/dollar.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMProbably one of the best diningProbably one of the best dining experiences ever, Wylie was willing to take time to me us and the staff is world class. This is a must when in New York3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMNot just delicious, but funThis was our second time to wd-50, and we were excited to try the new menu. The first time we had been here was amazing and mind-blowing... an everything bagel made out of ice cream, pine nuts somehow turned into red beans and rice, and a foie gras falafel. This time was just as delicious, with a bigger menu, and better wine pairing. The first course made you feel like you are eating a bowl of the ocean. The next one turned around and made you feel like you were in the forest, complete with "pine needles" that looked exactly like the real thing, but were delicious. Pho gras, unreal. Smores, unreal.This place is not just delicious, but fun. I'll be coming back.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat creativity, well worth it.Interestingly created menu, with inventive dishes. A nice change of pace for high end food, the restaurant was fairly casual for its price point and quality. I was disappointed not to have the full trading menu but the short 'from the vault ' was still very good.
Among restaurants of its level it holds its own, and probably should receive a 4/5 overall in comparison to places like Le Bernardin and Corton.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMPushes the envelopeOverall a great dining experience, capped off with a tour of the state-of-the-art open kitchen in the back. Mr. Dufresne offers two tasting menus right now, a new $155 selection of 16? (I lost count) dishes and a smaller selection of some of his old, best dishes. The table has to select one of the other so my friend and I decided to go with the newer menu. Some were definite hits (bone marrow, pig tail, Wagyu beef, coconut/cucumber dessert, smore dessert) and misses (shrimp with pine needles, pho gras, walnut/sweet potato(didn't like the plum wine sorbet with it) but the service was excellent and it was fun to watch the action happening in the kitchen from my seat. If you like a challenge to your palate this place is for you.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA journey & commitmentOf WD-50's choice of 2 tastings, I opted 4 new fare,a 15 course (small bite) sublime journey through the culinary mystique spun by Chef Wylie. The decor is warm, including a fireplace, and comfortable. The wait staff was excellent, attentive and not too pushy. The wait in-between the dishes was just enough for romantic banter... We sat close to the kitchen which is immaculate bolstering confidence in the purity of the food itself. Each course had a flavor profile unique unto itself, but built from each plate to the next. I love smoke and the S'mores dessert was like none other & indeed left me wanting.. S'more!
Overall a commitment to sit through all the courses, I will certainly go back and try the more retrospective tasting.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMNEW PEAK FOR GREAT KITCHENFourth time diner in as many years. The place has hit a new high. Cocktails, food, ideas, flavor, beer and wine pairings...all incredible.
Purposeful technique, beautiful plates, (again) outstanding pairings.
I mashed up the "vault" menu with a few courses from the longer tasting and had a blast.
Maybe I'm still savoring the night, but Wylie and staff are on par if not better than most of the big meals I've had this past year in NYC (atera, per se, empellon cocina, (forgive me)ko)3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were wowed!I have had better meals but I don't think I have ever had a more exciting and entertaining experience. Some of the dishes in our 12 course meal were absolutely perfect but even the ones that didn't quite work for us were still so much fun to eat. Ingredients and elements were used and composed in such creative ways and presented beautifully. We were really wowed. I am a decent cook, but in my wildest imagination, I would never have come up with ideas and methods of preparation like this!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was amazing And theThe food was amazing And the staff were excellent with all their suggestions3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was very inventive andFood was very inventive and beautifully presented. Very expensive -- a special event for us.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful, unique food, andWonderful, unique food, and friendly attentive service. We're glad there were 3 in our party so we had a table to ourselves. The tables for 2 are right on top of one another -- hardly what one expects at these prices3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything about wd-50 isEverything about wd-50 is stellar, except for the proximity of the tables. Even for New York, it's too close. If they removed just one table, it would make a world of difference. The food, the service, the wine -- everything else -- is out of this world.3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGood but priceyThe reputation of WD50 and its famous chef are to be believed. We had a great experience. The service was top notch. The food ranged from amazing to good. I just found the price tag, even though I knew going in, to be higher than what I believe the experience should have cost. I am happy that we went and had the experience. I don't think I would do the tasting menu again.3/8/2013 12:00:00 AMDisappointed NYC eaterI have heard a lot of buzz about this place over the years and finally decided to try it out for myself. We got the "vault" menu which is supposed to be their greatest hits. It was very disappointing food. The dishes had interesting components (popcorn dust, black olive mochi) and well cooked proteins (very nice roasted duck breast, flavorful shrimp medallions) but were not well composed. The varied components generally did not enhance each other and make a dish that i would want to eat again. None of the diahes made me go "wow" which is something i expected from this type of restaurant.2/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a great night hereWe had a great night here last night! Everything was really great, better than I expected. Lots of fun and creativity is going into these plates and you can taste and see it. My husband usually isnt the biggest fan of tasting menus, and he was in love with almost every dish and left extremely satisfied....and wont shut up about the last savory dish (and the mushroom jerky). They were very accommodating throughout the meal to my special requests (and made some great non alcoholic drinks for me!) My husband had the wine pairings and he was blown away with how well they went with the dishes. Our servers were all great, very friendly and attentive. Even gave us a quick kitchen tour at the end. All in all I would love to come back!2/15/2013 12:00:00 AM