Village Prime

I really like this place and have only one critique for the cook. Think about serving your crème bulee in a regular tart dish. The long very narrow dish with a normal sized spoon made it very difficult to eat the crème brûlée and was annoying… Just saying!

Friendly service and an oasis of calm amid the hectic bustle of the city. The Porterhouse for Two is excellent… not quite Luger but not a cheap knockoff either. Great presentation too, especially the Crème Brûlée.

Really great brunch spot. Suggest going with the steak options– sandwich and steak and eggs. To die for! The service was excellent… It wasn’t the type of deal where the waiter/​waitress ignores you for the 90 min span you’re there. She was excellent. Mimosas were great! The bloody Mary’s unfortunately we’re not good– no spice. You could tell it was a store bought mix– but other than that we had a great time!

Great atmosphere! Great experience from the host, Brian, to our waiter, and most importantly our food. Appetizers were delicious. Main courses are not large portions but perfectly cooked to order and well seasoned.

We came here for my husband’s birthday & it was not crowded at the time we went. We started off with the platter of dips and cheese platter. Both were so delicious that I could’ve had that as just my meal. I had the skirt steak and a side of lobster mac & cheese, which was so cheesy & delicious! Service was great and I really liked the décor throughout the restaurant. My only complaint was that the door was open, so you felt the draft coming in on the chilly night.

We came here on Christmas Day by accident. We had a reservation at AOC but they were awful. They forgot our reservation and then when they sat us the seats and floor were wet.
I called Village Prime and they were very accommodating. They sat us immediately and the service and the drinks were speedy and attentive. The food was excellent! I had the shrimp scampi, my wife had the Branzino, and my son had the skirt steak. Everything was cooked to perfection.
Definitely worth your money and time. Well done.

Went there on lunch time around 12.40 pm. Before getting in, I am not sure they are open or not. There was no customer at all. So, I opened the door, and asked them. YES, there were OPEN. We were the only table entire the meal. The food was so great, Onion Soup, Cesar Salad, Seafood Pasta, TUNA salad, Cheese Cake, and Chocolate Lava Cake. Every food were all amazing. Service was perfect. Décor is so beautiful. So, all is perfect. Will definitely be back there to try more food.

Cozy restaurant spot in the village and has a great outdoor patio for eating. Perfect for parties, groups of friends or those warmer months. They also provide a great brunch menu on weekends for $ 19. What a deal for in the Village. Some of the standout dishes we ordered were the roasted clams, cheesy herby goodness, the salmon cooked perfectly, well seasoned and moist center with a crispy skin, the skirt steak with a wonderful chimichurri sauce. Juicy and flavorful, the burrata, creamy center for a fresh mozzerella, and finally the mussels. A great garlic sauce to dip the country bread in. Wonderful attentive service as well.

Seven of us went to Village Prime for a celebratory dinner. The cool ambiance of reclaimed wood and low lights makes for a trendy spot on Bleecker St boutique row.
For a «steakhouse» it’s more of a «steakNYCapartment» as it’s not very big or wide but goes back a bit. Aisles are narrow. Neighbors make lots of noise. Surprisingly there is a lack of sound-​deadening so it’s very echo-​y. Most guys at our table couldn’t even hear the waitress explain specials.
Menu selection was plentiful and very good. I couldn’t decide between Colorado Lamb Chops or Cowboy Rib-​eye but went for the beef. It had awesome char and was cooked as requested, juicy medium rare. My ribeye wasn’t the most flavorful in NYC, but hit the spot and I didn’t leave any on my plate!
The four sides we ordered were all good, particularly the Hash Browns which were unique and spicy.
We told the waiter, «No desserts» but somehow he talked us into a chef’s surprise. It was awesome to share with at least 5 different desserts including a molten lava chocolate cake. The gingerbread cake was my fav.
Village Prime is pretty laid back especially for a steak place. All the staff from the maitre d’ to the bartender and waiters were warm and friendly, and made sure we had a great time.

My boyfriend and I with another couple tried Village Prime for the first time Saturday night. I was able to get a 6:45pm reservation on Open Table a few days in advance for our group.
My boyfriend and I arrived a little early and luckily grabbed two spots at the bar. Village Prime has an incredible happy hour until 9pm every night, so we were able to get half off on well drinks, glasses of wine, and beer. The bartender was extremely friendly and definitely made a great drink!
The restaurant is small, but the warm lit décor and romantic atmosphere had us all in a great mood and excited to eat the beautiful food we were seeing.
To start, I had the french onion soup — perfectly cheesy and so delicious! My boyfriend tried the lobster bisque which he raved about.
For my entrée, I ordered the 8oz filet mignon Oscar style. The crab meat was very good, but I’m not sure if I’d go the extra mile for Oscar style at Village Prime again because the cut of meat was wonderful by itself! My boyfriend also had the filet mignon but with the peppercorn seasoning which he loved. Our friends ordered the pasta of the day and the shrimp scampi — both which looked like large portions and good quality.
The only reason why I can’t give Village Prime 5 stars now was because of what happened as soon as we paid our bill: 3 separate servers rushing us to get up from our table and leave. My friend had a full glass of wine and her boyfriend had his coffee, but as soon as our bill was paid, the waiters were trying to push us out of the table and it became extremely annoying and rude.
At first it started with passive suggestions but ended with someone– we believe to be the manager– who came up to our table and said «are you finished, or are you going to go finish your drink at the bar?»
After the price of this meal at Village Prime and barely being at the table for an hour and a half, we did not appreciate the feeling of being rushed once our check was paid. This ended our night on a sour note after such a wonderful meal with friends.

Spectacular experience at Village Prime last night. Service was great, with a waiter who was professional but friendly. The crabcakes were spectacular – my wife and I thought perhaps the best we’ve ever had. The wedge salad was good and fresh. We ordered the porterhouse – the first time we’ve done that – and it was a great cut. (It came out a little rarer than medium rare, which wasn’t a concern to us, although since it was pre-​sliced, I might’ve thought the kitchen might’ve caught that. I’d deduct a half star for this, but since everything else was great and the steak was excellent, I’ll round up.) It’s a bit pricey, as expected, but worth it, in my opinion.
Tip: It can get a little louder later, so we were glad we visited early. Visit before 7:30 or 8 if you like it quieter; go after 8 if you like it bustling and a little noisy.

Village Prime overall score: 73
My wife picked up a Living Social deal for this steakhouse that gave us $ 60 to spend on dinner. I think she may have paid something like $ 20, after applying some promo codes and other nonsense. I had never heard about this little joint until the deal, so the campaign is a success in terms of getting the word out about this place.
Let’s get into the «meat» of the review here:
Flavor: 7
I had the 18oz bone-​in rib eye.
It wasn’t as tender or flavorful as some of the steaks I’ve been eating lately, although it was certainly cooked to a perfect medium rare. No question about it.
It was well rested, and had no bleed out. The texture was a little rubbery in parts, but the fat cap was good, and I ate everything except for a few bits of grizzle.
The steak sauce went nicely with the few pieces of the seafood tower that were worth eating (see review below). It was less tomato and more hearty and brown, like an A1. I kinda liked it.
Choice of Cuts & Quality Available: 7
You’ve got porterhouse, filet, strip, rib eye and skirt on the menu here. Not a bad showing for a small joint.
This hit all the basics and added one or two flourishes for good measure. While the selection is there, however, the quality fell just a bit due to the flavor review. Kind of a bummer considering that this is apparently all prime beef.
Portion Size & Plating: 7
Portions are pretty good for the price, with the exception of the seafood tower (discussed below). The plating is nice and has a modern yet classic, and modestly elegant presentation.
Price: 5
At $ 46, the rib eye seemed to be priced right for a smaller mom and pop type steakhouse, but I was a little bummed when it didn’t deliver the flavor I had hoped for. But that wasn’t really the issue in terms of price. For the steak, I didn’t feel ripped off. But the seafood tower «for two» was a complete waste of money at $ 62. The four shrimp were great, as well as the four oysters and four mussels. We ate those first. By time we got to the mushy, weird-​flavored small lobster tail and mushy, shell-​ridden crab meat, we figured it was sort of too late to send it back or complain on the spot. Had we tasted that stuff first, maybe we would have sent it back. The lobster and crab were both mushy and grainy, as if the texture of the meat had broken down somehow. Maybe it was old or not properly cleaned. Also, mussels are cheap — a few cents each at the most to purchase fresh. Seeing mussels in place of something nice like littleneck clams on a seafood tower like this is pretty much bullshit. FOUR??? If this had a dozen mussels it would still be a fucking rip off. At $ 62 we felt completely taken when the «market price» bill came to the table. Not only was this the skimpiest seafood tower we have ever ordered, but it was probably the most expensive as well. A third complaint on price has to do with the cost of a glass of amaro. A full bottle of Amaro Nonino costs about $ 40, depending on where you purchase it. I noticed that the menu listed a glass of this average, common, easy to find amaro at $ 34. What the FUCK is going on here? It was priced higher than all of the scotches on the menu. Unbelievable. Either that’s a really bad typo, or someone has no idea of the actual value of this digestif. Fuckin’ $ 34… Anyway, I didn’t even order that but I felt compelled to discuss it. The overall take away for price here is that we felt like we overpaid even WITH the $ 60 off Living Social deal. Here’s the bill, before the $ 60 came off:
Bar: 8
There’s a small bar up by the street, with seating for about six people. There’s also some tables up there that are oriented to be somewhat part of the bar area. The wine list is extensive, there’s a good selection of beer, both in bottles and on tap, and they make some interesting cocktails. These were the «Meet Me Here» (lowball) and the «Fig Blossom» (martini glass) cocktails.
They also offer happy hour specials and dollar oysters until 7pm. Nice!
Specials and Other Meats: 7
In the back, There was a chalk board listing a bunch of specials. Some of the items on the board overlapped with the menu, or contained different information than what was on the menu, but the specials were mostly in the realm of apps, sides, drinks and non-​steak entrees. For other meats, they offer veal and lamb in chop form.
Apps, Sides & Desserts: 7
This fire roasted octopus app was delicious. It was charred crispy on the outside, cleaned of all skin and suckers, and tender on the inside. This was probably the highlight of the meal. It was served on a bed of Mediterranean-​spiced bean purée or a hummus-​type of thing, with some pepper relish and micro greens. Very tasty.
We also tried the tartare trio, which came with small portions of beef, salmon and tuna tartares. The beef was elegantly served with a raw quail egg on top, ready to rock:
REVIEW CUT FOR LENGTH BECAUSE Unilocal SUX

The food was great but it’s the owners/​service that earns Village Prime all 5 stars! Went to a well planned event in the courtyard out back, which is great to dine in when the weather is nice.
Tried the following:
Drinks:
***bourbon soda — they have a well stocked bar and wine as well
Appetizers/​sides:
***Baked clams — hot and cheesy mmm
***Burrata — still never had a bad burrata dish and Village Primes was great
***Mussels — so buttery and delicious! Generous portion, which is great because you won’t want to stop
***House salad
***Whipped potatoes — creamy and garlicky mashed potatoes
***Spinach
Entrees:
***Steak — it’s a steakhouse so the steak was pretty good. I also liked the sauces
*** Salmon — loved the way they finished the skin on top
Dessert:
***Chocolate cake — loved this cake! It was very smooth and rich. melts in your mouth
***Carrot cake — also good but a bit dry. Preferred the chocolate cake!
Overall, a nice West Village steakhouse/​seafood restaurant. Nice date spot with good service. Make sure to check out tables in the back, which might be missed if you don’t know about it!

Similar to many other restaurants in the West Village, the space is cozy. There is also an outdoor patio in the back, quite easy to miss but would make an adorable date spot if the weather is suitable.
For starters, the Caprese salad is absolutely delicious. Not only do you get a massive chunk of mozzarella, but the fresh ingredients are complemented by a spiced up dressing. This is not your typical Caprese, and I must say, I’m so impressed.
If salad is not your thing, I’d recommend the mussels! The white sauce has a super addicting salty-​garlicky-​savory flavor. Absolutely make sure you dip your bread into the sauce, you won’t regret it!
For the entrée, the salmon with the the TRUFFLE oil mashed potato (sorry don’t know exact name of the dish) is also amazing. I’ve eaten so much salmon in my life that I know off the top of my head what cooked fresh salmon should taste like. Well, this is everything like that plus more thanks to the delicious truffle oil.
I also tried the steak, which wasn’t cooked rare and juicy enough to fully satisfy my tastebuds, and the chickpea salad, which tasted quite plain. For dessert, I tried both the carrot cake and chocolate cake. The carrot was very moist, while the chocolate may have been a little too bitter for my liking. I’m not sure if the dessert was a game changer but I’m glad I had some to complement all the other flavors.
Overall, this restaurant does a great job with many of the standard dishes seen at other American restaurants and provides a nice ambience, would definitely recommend!
(The bathroom is not my favorite though. I don’t like single bathrooms that have both the toilet and urinal in the room…)

4 – 4.5 stars. I am very impressed by this place. Tonight, I had the pleasure of trying a 3-​course meal and pretty much everything was amazing. My night started with a bourbon ginger, which was strong but actually very well balanced: the ginger does a lot to mask the bite of the bourbon. I tried two salads: one with chickpeas and a caprese salad. I don’t even like mozzarella normally, but this caprese salad was delicious: the mozzarella just melted in your mouth in a hearty, pleasing goo. There was also this balsamic vinegar sauce with flakes of red chili that really brought out the freshness of the tomatoes.
Next, I tried the mussels, which were bathed in this crazily addicting and savory broth. There was bread on the side and dipping the bread in this sauce was a dangerous, heavenly combination. For the main course, I tried the steak (which came with a red and green sauce) and the salmon, which came with mashed potatoes and greens. I thought the steak was nothing out of the ordinary but the salmon dish was exceptional. The fish was cooked to the perfect degree of tenderness and the mashed potatoes were infused with truffle oil, which added another layer of flavor.
Finally, I tried two different types of cake. I couldn’t really figure out what one of them was, but I definitely liked the chocolate one better. It had just the right level of bitterness, which I really enjoyed.
Ambience-​wise, this place is trendy and cozy/​intimate. There are cute lights and towards the back there is an outdoor space that is no doubt very popular during warmer weather.
I’m a fan-​excited to bring other people here at some point!

I’ve only been for brunch, but I am already a fan of the place.
We walked in and at first we were like, damn this place is too dark and fancy for brunch. Then, we were led out to a gorgeous outdoor-​but-​covered garden which had a perfect casual-​but-​nice vibe for our little group.
Unfortunately, this brunch was less varied than the meals I usually eat.
Almost everyone got steak and eggs.
Everything we ate was delicious, they even gave us little cookies at the end, and the drinks were strong and they had the whole brunch variety.
Also the service was impeccable even though we werent in the main dining area.
I’ll have to come back for a giant hunk of meat at dinner one day.

Took a friend here for his birthday yesterday and was completely blown away. We were the first two there for dinner and we sat in the garden in the back. Our server John was very attentive and knowledgable about the food. The ambiance, service and food was just incredible.
Now let’s talk about the food. We started off with a dozen Blue Point oysters that were absolutely plump and delicious. I had the surf & turf medium rare. The presentation was beautiful, the lobster tail large and the steak was cooked to perfection. Not to mention they gave us three different sauces for our steak. My friend had the filet mignon with a side of baked potato. But this baked potato was not your ordinary baked potato. They scooped out the inside of the potato, added duck fat grease and some other deliciousness and added a sliver of duck on top. Talk about foodgasm. We were in absolute food heaven. I can’t wait to go back!

This place is one of those random hidden gems that you stumble upon. Delicious food and excellent service! And 10% off your bill if you check in with Unilocal!
Didn’t even mean to come here but when we saw the line of our original destination we decided to walk around and came across this cute little place. It wasn’t busy at all and we were skeptical to try it since the items were pricey and the lack of business wasn’t any more reassuring. But we were hungry and there was oysters on the menu. It was a seafood and steak place. We were seated immediately and the waiter was so friendly asking us for beverage choices and then going over the special for the night. We started with the Chilled Seafood Tower for two and the presentation was beautiful and the seafood from the lobster tail to the oysters were absolutely amazing! They were so fresh you can almost still taste the sea! That enticed us to order another dozen of oysters and despite the price, it was worth it. For our main I went with the seafood pasta and the noodles were cooked to perfection and in the sauce you can taste the seafood flavor and the shrimp, mussels, and scallops were all just so good, not shriveled or tiny. My friend got the Yellow Fin Tuna and that was skillfully cooked! The outside just done right where it wasn’t burnt but left the inside slightly still pink. The bed of soba noodles it sat on was also seasoned just perfectly, it wasn’t soaked in sauce and the sauce wasn’t overpowering the taste of the fish as most places tend to mistakingly do with this type of pairing. But apparently business doesn’t start flowing in until well into 7/​8pm on the weekends so soon the place was filled up by dessert so glad we arrived a little early! To finish up our meal we got the carrot cake and chocolate lava cake and the cakes were both moist and it was just a mouth watering bite after another like everything else we had that night, it was delicious and we walked out with quite a dent in our wallets but a very satisfied tummy.
Pardon this long review but I just absolutely loved this place and I will most definitely be back! They have $ 1 oysters on Monday nights too!

The Quick: Very sexy bar in the west village for a drink or date. Fantastic happy hour and delicious $ 1 oysters.
The Details: The venue is very sexy, dimly lit with candles, intricate lighting, and exposed brick. Overall a very attractive spot is with handsome bartenders and waiters. We dined purely for the happy hour and appetizers, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves although the non-​happy hour options were a little pricey. I would definitely return as those oysters were magic.
The Damage: 3−7pm Happy hour $ 5 beer $ 6 wine $ 7 speciality cocktails and $ 1 oysters with a light refreshing tomato bruschetta on top.
Two of us for 2 drinks each, an app to split, and some oysters for ~ $ 35 each. Little pricey for HH but very classy and satisfying.

When the staff is really nice, I don’t like discouraging folks to go to a place, but, unfortunately, Village Prime just doesn’t ‘cut it’.
Place is very cute and décor is much better than most steak houses but when there’s 6 people in the entire place and it takes a half an hour to get raw oysters, that’s not a good sign.
Some would say they like the ‘no rush’ vibe but there’s a fine line between not being rushed and not being served.
Ultimately, no matter what your preference is for pacing, it comes down to the food:
Oysters were decent — nothing great. I’m not crazy about the red onion garnish they put on each one.
Mozz and burratta was decent. As for the steaks… it really went downhill.
Skirt steak was dry, room temperature, and chewy. Personally, I also prefer when it comes out on a sizzling plate, as that obviously means it’s hot. The cold steak on a white plate thing was a bit disappointing. As was the steak, itself.
The filet was better but cold as well and nothing special.
Mashed potato sides were also room temperature and nothing great.
The mushrooms were good and were the only dish served hot.
Considering there were only 6 people in the entire place, and our food came out cold, it was a deal-​breaker.
Banana Bread pudding was the stand-​out as it was delish but that’s about it.
Again, staff couldn’t have been nicer but they obviously have a lot of work to do if they want to stay in business in a city with dozens of great steak houses.
I wish them luck.