The Bar Room at The Modern

Experienced terrible service tonight. The server just disappeared. Shocking for such a lovely place. Serious red flags now that they abolished tips. in other words, the servers no longer depend on customer satisfaction for their tips.
I feel sorry for the chefs. And now that the $USD is so strong, there may be be fewer tourists happily throwing around their money.

The Bar Room at The Modern was a deliciously great time! We were there for my husband’s third birthday dinner and they did not disappoint! Oh, it was our first experience at a no tipping restaurant, and it was actually really nice! The service was still on point, and at the end of the meal, there was no math required!
We had an array of different dishes as we always do because we are gluttonous and love trying everything!
For the appetizers, we choose the fried oysters, the marinated hamachi, the scallops, the black truffle cavatelli, and the roasted red beets. The cavatelli and the beets were SOOOOOOO good!!! the stars of the app course.
For our entrees, we choose the lobster sausage, crispy chicken, and the beef filet en croute. The beef filet en croute was flaky, crispy and buttery on the outside while perfectly medium rare on the inside with black truffles. DELISH!
We enjoyed a delightful Chablis the Somm suggested for us. That was light, crisp and a little mineral-​y!
For a birthday surprise, my husband was given a mini choco cupcake with vanilla ice cream. how thoughtful. We also ordered the chocolate beingets, which were crunchy with oozing chocolate on the inside.
All in all, we had a really good time! :)

Best roasted cauliflower I’ve ever had. Served on a bed of light purée with some sort of nut granola, grapes and cheese curds. I could have eaten three plates. The tartare was great too. Lovely wines by the glass and exceptional, friendly service. I cannot get used to the no tipping thing though. This is a must for lunch anytime I visit NYC.

Came in for drinks and apps before watching Wicked with another couple. Everything we had was amazing and service was outstanding.
We ordered the steak tartare, crab fritters, fried oysters and black truffle cavatelli. All were amazing but one we all agreed stood out was the black truffle dish. It was very flavorful. In second was the steak tartare.
We also ordered drinks, two of which were extra dirty grey goose martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives. They said they suggest a particular blue cheese they serve with what I believe was said to be bay leaf in the cheese. Probably the best martini we had ever because of that recommendation.
To go back to the service which was fantastic, our server accidentally spilled one of the martinis on to the table. No one got really wet and we all understood it happens. They apologized twice and offered to bring over a fresh one but it was okay and a lot was in the glass. At the end of the night, they brought the check over, apologized again and comped the drinks.
I wish we had time to try the dinner entrees but will definitely be back next time!

Popped in for an after-​work first date here. Sat at the bar — the place was very crowded but we were able to find a spot at the end.
I enjoyed a Harvest Punch, which was sweet (Bourbon, Pear Brandy, Spiced Apple Cider, Cardamaro, $ 18), and a Diplomat, which was more my scene, very boozy (Rye, Oloroso Sherry, Benedictine, Maple, Scotch Rinse, $ 20). After cocktails, I had a glass of Bordeaux — it was tight at first (freshly opened bottle) but settled in nicely.
Service was a little aloof — mostly appreciated, because you had privacy, but then I had to do a little eye-​chasing to place subsequent orders. Nothing terrible though.
The vibe of the Bar Room is buzzy, sexy, and busy yet still moderately intimate. Would look forward to coming back again for dinner!

The Modern Bar Room is a great casual option to the formal Dining Room. The service is consistently excellent and attentive and the food has usually been good. Notable dishes include fried oysters and tarte flambé.
However, I can’t help but notice a subtle downgrade in terms of the menu’s creativity since Gabriel Kreuther’s departure.

Expensive bar fare, but The Bar Room at the Modern is a gorgeous place and the service is excellent (super friendly and helpful). My mom and I shared the tart flambé (exquisite — melt in your mouth), a white truffle risotto (very heavy and rich, it felt like the cream or butter was excessive, but the truffles were awesome!), pumpkin soup with mushrooms and farro (tasty!), and a delicious, melt-​in-​your-​mouth sea bass with an apple and brussels sprouts slaw. We also had a fantastic pinot noir from Burgundy, France and took the dessert of cookies to go (since we were too full to have dessert at the restaurant). This place is a bit overpriced, but all of the food was excellent and it’s nice to know that the staff is earning a living wage. It’s also great that the service is already included in the price.

Lunch
Great way to round off our afternoon of After the special exhibit of Picasso sculptures at MOMA
Service: 4.5÷5
Pleasant, helpful, inviting, charming, approachable. We sat at the bar and the female head bartender was delightful.
Food:3.5/5 good no complaints
Tartare
Bruschetta type tapas with carrot topping
Cauliflower
The bread was yummy :)
Ambience at the bar: 4.5÷5
Great date night after MOMA
Repeat: Perhaps. You get the food from the same Michelin kitchen as those in the dining room. Except as someone said here it is edited to include a snapshot (albeit long one) of items from the menu for the dining room. Great introduction to Danny Meyer.
Recommend: yes for a date night

Fantastic dinner! We came here to celebrate my 30^th Birthday! From start to finish it was perfect. Loved the food and service. They were very kind and I felt special for sure! We ordered the Fried Oysters, Butter Lettuce Salad and the beef filet en croute for desert the Caraibe Dark Chocolate Decadence and espressos. Amazing all around!

Great experience at The Modern!
Very attentive staff and an comfortable atmosphere made the upscale dining experience easy.
The food…
Starters
Beef tartare. Was fantastic, smother and rich the bone marrow in it is a plus
King crab fritters were good nice light texture but still had a fried taste that made them good not great.
Soup/​salad
Chilled corn soup was a refreshing and crisp
Eggplant (forgot the name) was also refreshing rich in flavor
Main
Beef en-​Crute (spelling error). For 2 was a perfect finish beef cooked wonderful and the pastry was light.

I can’t believe I’ve never reviewed the Modern Bar Room! This is on my must visit list every time I’m in NY. Located in midtown in the fabulous Museum of Modern, there is a formal restaurant, know as The Modern, and a casual concept know as the Bar Room.
The Modern has one michelin star and is one of my favorite fine dining destinations in the city, but I digress.
The Bar Room offers affordable food that is so incredibly tasty and comes from the same kitchen as The Modern. I’ve had lunch and dinner here and been consistently impressed with the level of food and service.
Recent highlights included the salmon with cucumbers on a yogurt type sauce with dill. A lovely piece of fish that was the perfect medium rare.
The chicken with toasted almonds and runner beans is sure to please any person passionate about poulet! The runner beans are like green beans with a hole in the middle and so tasty!
Black truffle cavatelli is out of this world. Literally one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in recent memory. Served with a poached egg and fricassee of summer vegetables, noticeably snap peas and swiss chard. Get this dish!
Oreo beignets are a work of genius. They are like mini molten chocolate cakes and the cream and milk sorbet is so refreshing.
Overall a win win. Book ahead!

IN SHORT: Exquisitely contemporary dining in a surprisingly pleasant, stately space. The Modern is the perfect end to an afternoon spent perusing art with friends or family, and then sitting down to an elegant, refreshing meal.
THE STORY: Just like at MoMA, «modern» at Danny Meyer’s handsome midtown establishment means many things.
It means that every diner has a choice to enjoy a meal in either the formal Dining Room with a more costly prix fixe-​only menu overlooking Calder and Giacometti sculptures in the museum’s garden just next door, or the more relaxed, but equally sophisticated Bar Room, where smaller a la carte plates are served in a quietly buzzing, consciously chic space.
It means that the French-​influenced, New American dishes are not only gorgeously presented, but also edited and refined with such depth and expertise that each ingredient feels like a showcase of its kind. The Steak Tartare with silky bone marrow on lightly toasted croutons was smooth and rich with notes of salty herbal elements, completely winning over even my mother who was visiting from our homeland of California and was convinced that she had never liked the dish before.
Leading up to our main courses, the Pea Salad with the creamiest burrata and crispiest herb bread crumbs was simultaneously cleansing to the palette and comforting to the taste with its distinct, herbaceous freshness balanced by the ethereal threads of burrata. The Black Truffle Cavatelli with a perfectly poached egg and spring vegetables was then a natural extension of this earthy, robust comfort food concept, with tender morsels of pasta soaking in a rich butter sauce under a garden of bright greens.
Sitting in a light jus, the Roasted Pork Tenderloin was the most tender my mother and I have ever had, the sweet pink meat complemented by cherries, onion, and morcilla blood sausage for a fresh yet hearty plate. The flavors of the menu are modern, bright, thoughtful, natural, and deeply satisfying, highlighting ingredients and flavor profiles that are exciting in their nuances, and comforting in their straightforward familiarities. It is food that is accessible yet original, understandable yet unique, and it makes for an exciting dining experience.
Of course, «modern» here also means that the restaurant is next door to the Museum of Modern Art and sees a clientele that is well-​dressed, artistically inclined, and perhaps celebrating a special occasion, but also likely enjoying an ordinary evening soaking up the culture of the city.
Yet «modern» also means that Danny Meyer’s innovative model concept of enlightened hospitality is underlying the entire restaurant. The staff here has an ineffable, charming quality, pampering and treating every guest more than any other restaurant of this kind. The Modern makes it a joy to eat this well and this beautifully, because the front of house is genuine and attentive, the bartenders are bright and informative, the waiters are clever and congenial, and the room feels like a privileged peak into a sophisticated, sleek, and still darling gallery. It’s a restaurant my mother and I realized we loved even more after leaving, because we were still feeling radiant from the experience and thinking about when we could come back.
Indeed, «modern» means many things, and somehow, The Modern is all of them.
More on

We came in for a for a quick cocktail before leaving town and this place really defies description– you just have to see it. It’s like Versailles meets Restoration Hardware… not sure that is even accurate but I digress. It is such a beautiful space– the flowers, the furniture, the art– this place was decorated and curated meticulously. There is also a beautiful terrace outside to enjoy.
Maya at the bar helped us choose some cocktails and even watching her make them was a treat — a true mixologist! Drinks were incredible and enjoyed learning more about the art and the hotel from Maya.
This bar is amazing and worth every penny for their over the top cocktails!

This is a wonderful place! We sat at the bar and ordered drinks and the following:
Fried oysters — crispy and tasty!
Black Truffle Cavatelli — soooo good.
Pork tenderloin — tender and wonderful
Lobster sausage — omg the presentation. The pour lobster bisque over the top once they place it in front of you. Amazing! Every part had great flavor.
Espresso and mascarpone pudding for dessert.
All this plus two drinks apiece was only $ 200!
Bartenders were funny and attentive and drinks were awesome. The interior is beautiful and modern. I would be back for sure!

The Bar Room at the Modern is a place for refined eating while still keeping things casual. I love the sofa-​like chairs and lounge seating arrangements, which imply that you could come here to grab a few impromptu cocktails and small plates. After much going back and forth, we settled on the steak tartare, stuffed potato, gnocchi, and pork loin and belly confit. For dessert, we ordered the chocolate sundae. All in all, our meal was a blend of 5-​star and 3-​star dishes.
Cocktails and bread basket — I ordered a martini to start, which was clearly strong. The bread basket consisted of warm rolls and butter. Nothing out of the norm, but a good start to the meal.
Steak tartare — I’ve never liked tartare until I had it here. It wasn’t gooey, like other tartares I’ve tried, and came with buttered toast. Eating it reminded me of eating a cleaner version of bone marrow, which is one of my favorite things to order when dining out. Probably my favorite dish of the night if we were to go purely by taste.
Stuffed potato — our server encouraged us to order this as our second appetizer. While it didn’t sound like much from the menu description, it was a thoughtful twist on the baked potato we ate growing up. The sour cream and bacon bits were replaced with crème fraîche and roe. These ingredients may sound like an odd combination, but it was delicious.
Gnocchi — this was the biggest letdown of the night. Thought the flavors were there, the gnocchi was mushy and overcooked. I probably should have known what to expect, ordering pasta at a New American restaurant.
Pork loin and belly confit — a beautifully plated dish, yet the addition of pear and mustard seeds didn’t appeal to me. I also wish there was more tender meat and less bacon and fat. I heard that in the past, the Bar Room did an excellent duck confit, and I hope they bring that back sometime.
Chocolate sundae — I forgot what was exactly in this, but it was your classic American sundae, with nutty, crunchy, and creamy elements. We didn’t really see anything that popped out to us as a must-​try on the dessert menu and decided on this as a safe bet.
It feels like we went when one of the Bar Room’s weaker menus was in rotation. Since their menu changes seasonally, I am looking forward to coming back once I see new dishes that sound enticing.

lovely place! Our hosts are super nice!
It is right next to MoMa but they are not associated! It’s a little noisy because it’s called the Bar Room, but overall good atmosphere.
Me and my friend came in for a quick dinner, service is pretty promt except we never figured out who our server was, because we were served by 5 different ppl. But later I think it’s prob because there is no sections to separate the tables.
Anyways, the food is unique and nice. I was a little disappointed in the shrimp fritters, not as great as describe— not so crunchy being fritters. The tuna sliders are not that amazing either, but not bad.
I was very interested in the lobster sausage, it’s unique! But you can’t taste all the seafood the server mentioned. My friend loved the black truffle pasta, slightly smaller portion, but not so small comparing to my entrée.
Enjoy!

First, a confession: I dislike Valentine’s Day. There are few other instances throughout the year when restaurants will fill up reservations over a month in advance, when overpriced prix-​fixe menus will be the only dining option, and when dining rooms will be packed to the brim. Sometimes, however, the decision falls out of my hands, so I must commend The Bar Room at The Modern for pulling off an overstaged holiday with surprising finesse. Unlike most venues, The Bar Room sticks to its a la carte menu, keeping its identity as the more casual sister to The Dining Room in check.
The Modern is not a venue I’m unfamiliar with; over a year back, I was lucky enough to enjoy a memorable dinner in the Michelin-​starred Dining Room [1], but the Bar Room had yet to be explored. This time around, we were led to a two-​top in the brighter, livelier space and promptly given menus and glasses of water. We each opted for an appetizer and a main, and after letting our server know we had a ballet to catch afterwards, were soon presented with a small basket of too-​firm bread.
Thankfully, we were saved by our appetizers. We started first on the Steak Tartare, an elegant presentation of a well-​seasoned steak tartare with a dotting of chopped chives served with lightly oiled bread. The seasoning was spot-​on, with the flavor of the steak coming through beautifully with a faint edge of spice. Just as delicious was the Tarte Flambée, a circular flatbread that was served with sliced onions and bacon and dotted with crème fraîche. It was a simple amalgamation of ingredients, but with a chew, warm crust and well-​chosen savory ingredients, it too quickly disappeared from the table.
Our plates were efficiently cleared away and our main courses were soon brought out. I had decided on the Pork Tenderloin and Belly Confit, a dish that was one of the most beautiful presentations of this protein I have yet to encounter. Two cuts of the pork loin, cooked to a perfect medium, were plated next to the belly confit; in between, there was a half a poached pear, mustard seeds, a handful of greens and garnishes, and a few surprising bites of pancetta. The dish was thoughtfully conceived and executed to a tee; each element was done to perfection, carefully seasoned and texturally juxtaposed, and just as tempting for the eyes as for the tastebuds. There’s probably no need for me to go into how delightful the texture of the pork belly was — fatty, but with a crisp, almost caramelized exterior — or how the final spoonful of jus on the plate brought all the ingredients — sweet, pungent, herbaceous, and sinewy — into surprising accordance. What I can say, however, is that I definitely picked the better entrée, even though my companion’s Herb-​Roasted Chicken with winter vegetables and a wheat berry fricasée was also delicious.
In the end, I have to give The Bar Room at The Modern four stars as it’s only marginally the lesser to The Dining Room. The food is nonetheless superb — delicious and exquisitely presented — but there’s something incomparable about dining at night next to the MoMA Sculpture Garden. For those looking for a quality meal on a time limit and in a slightly more casual setting, however, there is no better option to be found.
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[1]

The Bar Room at The Modern is a less upscale, more casual version of The Dining Room. It’s a perfect place to catch up with friends or family without having to wear fancy outfits.
To start, I got the Seared Diver Scallops with broccoli, sucrine lettuce, and charred leek vinaigrette. The three pieces of scallops were seared with nice burnt edges and soft, chewy inside. I loved the charred leek vinaigrette and the broccoli — wished there had been more greens! My friend had the Wild Mushroom Soup with toasted chorizo ravioli. She really enjoyed it, but thought the «toasted» chorizo ravioli should be renamed to «fried» instead.
For my main, I had the Maine Lobster Gnocchi with wild mushrooms and spigarello. The portions were pretty small… or maybe it was so good that I just wanted more. The gnocchi had beautiful yellow-​ish orange hue from the butternut squash. It was doughy and chewy at the same time. The lobster tasted fresh. My friend’s Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with Münster gratin, onion confit, and cumin jus was cooked perfectly with pinkish red inside.
To cap off the meal, we shared the Modern Cheesecake with almond crumble & raspberry and fromage blanc sorbet. The cheesecake was luscious, creamy, and soft, while the raspberry sorbet and fromage blanc sorbet added dimensions of sweetness, creaminess, and freshness.

White Truffle Pasta.
Let me repeat — Fresh, in peak season aromatic white truffles shaved onto their piping hot, creamy pasta, creating a rich fragrance that brings you back to the Italian countryside where these unbelievable treasures are found.
Okay, I’ve had a other dishes here and there at the bar room and they were all deliciously prepare. But none as memorable as the white truffle pasta which one can not and will not forget. I can’t say it’s the same experience with the risotto, but the pasta… it’s a must try while truffles are in season!

I heard so much great things about the Modern bar for years and yet I don’t have a chance to try it. They used to do restaurant week so my friend told me to wait for it. Sadly, the do not do it anymore.
I live downtown and seldom find myself travel all the way up to have dinner and I usually don’t go to an upscale restaurant without any reason. So, decided to bring one of my best friend to dinner here because he helped me a lot in my apartment. I am gonna cut that down and straight go to reviewing the food.
I like the bar room where it’s a little more casual than the dining. You can start of with ordering cocktails/​wine. 3 of us went with a bottle of wine. and then the bread was served. it was warm and we totally love it and asked for more.
Starting of with appetizer.
— maine shrimp fritters: the description attracted us. However, 3 of us didn’t really enjoy this dish as we couldn’t really taste the shrimp but the flour.
— black truffle glazed eggplant: if you are a fan of eggplant, you will enjoy this dish. it is cooked with black truffle and the fragrance was strong.
Entrée:
— seared scallops. I didn’t get to try the whole portion but simply just a bite. I am a fan of scallops and I think it’s great
— ***beef filet en croute: I think this is definitely my favorite. I love foie gras a lot and the combination is simply perfect. the beef was cooked medium rare with ham and foie gras baked it in a crust (just like the chinese pork bun crust). sweet/​salty… the taste and texture combination were perfect… I am so glad my friend and I ordered this.
Dessert:
— peanut butter jelly sundae: it’s really unique with a combination of peanut butter and some fruit foam. you gotta eat it together if not it will taste pretty weird. I like it because it’s unique
— hazelnut praline gateaux: I am a huge fan of hazelnut and chocolate = nutela but sadly I do not enjoy this dessert as much. It tasted pretty normal to me.
Service was great. after dinner. we sat and just talked till around 12am where everyone left. They never kicked us out but simply just allow us to have our talk.