Everyone was bound to pay attention to whatever star chef Melissa Rodriguez decided to do next. She was the executive chef at Del Posto until it closed and led the two-MICHELIN-Starred Al Coro in Chelsea. And now that same location is home to her latest—Crane Club, a blockbuster collaboration with Tao Hospitality Group.
In the seven months it’s been open, the restaurant—like so many Tao hotspots—has become a celebrity magnet, with Taylor Swift, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Pharrell all having dined there. The restaurant’s also a departure from the purely Italian focus of Rodriguez’s previous restaurants. Crane Club is as luxe as steakhouses get: dark-red booths and curtains, Parmigiano Reggiano-aged NY strip steak, and a members-only club within the restaurant.
So before you hop on your reservation, we’ve rounded up all the buzz on the restaurant right now—what local critics are saying, why influencers are raving about it, and why diners are eager to go back.
Read on for the early word on Crane Club, and book your spot on OpenTable.
What the critics are saying
“The room has the sweetest kind of buzz. Women dress to impress, and everyone’s ready to party. There’s lots of laughter and romance without the shrieking common to high-profile, high-ceilinged, 160-seat eateries,” New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo writes.
“The sweet potato is secretly one of the best things here. It’s dense, buttery, and incredibly soft, the perfect vessel for some whipped honey and mascarpone,” says Bryan Kim, The Infatuation’s Editorial Lead in NYC.
“The real focus is big-ticket proteins, most of them cooked on the restaurant’s imported Spanish Mibrasa grill, whose belly-ful of cherrywood and hickory gives everything a happy crust of char,” New York Magazine chief restaurant critic Matthew Schneier writes of the food.
“Our favorite new steakhouse in New York City,” is Beli‘s verdict on the restaurant.
What the influencers are raving about
Foodbaby aka Mike Chau is raving about the newly launched burger (only 12 each night) that’s available at the bar 5:30 pm to 6 pm daily:
“A martini is a right of passage; you have to get one; it comes with a carafe of refills,” says chewyorkcity
“The space is beautiful, the food is great, and the people watching is even better,” says thecarboholic.
Why diners want to go back
(Based on OpenTable diner reviews)
“The vibes were immaculate! Dark and moody inside. Would definitely return with friends and even get food and drinks at the bar!” — Monica.
“I went for a birthday dinner and we had a large party with many dietary restrictions & various allergies. The staff did not skip a beat, making sure everyone had everything they needed.” — Angelina
