Cecchi’s is a stylish bistro with a lively atmosphere, known for its outstanding martinis, delicious comfort food, and welcoming service—a true neighborhood gem.
"With reservations available from 5 to 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Checchi’s has its full menu available as well as specials, including: cod cakes, roasted lobster, stuffed pork belly, and toffee cake." - Eater Staff
"It’s fitting that I slipped into Cecchi’s on my first night back in New York City after weeks of travel. This is where you go to remember why you live in the city; it’s also where you should bring your visiting friends who can’t help but mention how “New York” your life is. The menu, which owner Michael Cecchi-Azzolina says comes from researching decades of New York restaurant menus and their iconic dishes, will remind you exactly where you are. Start at the bar, where drinks range from the cheeky (cosmos! appletinis!) to great pours of Sancerre and Beaujolais. If you’re having a great time, chatting with seatmates and bartenders, stay there and order the New York Happy Meal ($25 martini and fries, offered everyday from 5-6 p.m. and late night). When you’re ready to migrate to a table, you’ll hope you brought enough dining companions to really explore. Starters like the stuffed mushrooms go down easy, but it’s bold reincarnations of the classics like the “Not a Wedge” salad (which comes as finely chopped as Farmer in the Deli sandwich innards, and is cravably tangy) that I would go beeline to in the future. You should like meat if you’re eating here (or be taking advantage of a cheat-day from your efforts at a more plant-based diet—who’s with me?), because the apricot-glazed ribs, the steak-frites, and the burger all deserve your attention. The food is rich, so under-order to start. And make sure to look around the room between bites, as the atmosphere and constant din of spirited conversation is the most New York thing about this place. —M.S." - CNT Editors
"Cecchi’s is named after owner and longtime maître d’, Michael Cecchi-Azzolina — who has noted the front-of-the-house gig is a “lost art form.” In the position at various restaurants for over 35 years, he worked at River Cafe, Raoul’s, Minetta Tavern, and Le Coucou. He also wrote the restaurant-service chronicle, Your Table Is Ready. As such, the restaurant is extremely accommodating for families, sporting high chairs, offering crayons and paper, and generally catering to kids. Yes, there are burgers, mac and cheese with bacon, and other items kids might like." - Eater Staff
"Cecchi’s opened recently in the venerable Cafe Loup space, owned and hosted by veteran maitre ‘d Michael Cecchi-Azzolina — so you know the service will be good. In addition to the expected French flourishes at this price, the place also emulates an old-fashioned supper club, and features jazzy colorful murals. Will you go for the chicken pot pie or the steak special? Onion rings are especially good." - Robert Sietsema
"No one’s ordered a Harvey Wallbanger since Prince was charting with the Batman soundtrack. But, if you want, you can get one at Cecchi’s. You’ll see the essential ingredient, Galliano, sitting behind the mahogany bar in an impractically tall bottle that’ll remain untouched for the next decade or so. Cecchi’s isn’t trendy, in the sense that it isn’t chasing recent trends. If you plopped the West Village restaurant into 1980s Midtown, it would raise, at most, an eyebrow or two. With its finicky service, Art Deco murals, and food that’s arguably just a formality, it feels like a post-theater hang from an era when dining out was mainly a social function, and it’s a nice place to feel glamorous while you drink a martini. Under rows of glowing light fixtures that provide the perfect ambiance for vodka-soaked memories, lint-rolled clientele lounge in leather booths and pick at fries in a way that feels performative. Up front, folks on chrome stools chat with a bartender who, if you’re lucky, will remember your name, like a little league coach who thinks you have potential. There’s no on the menu, but most people drink one. That’s the main activity at Cecchi’s. Eating is a semi-distant second. The food here is competent and utilitarian, and in the tradition of other apostrophed clubhouses like Sardi’s and Elaine’s, the menu seems to have been made with partial disregard for what a menu should look like. Alongside chicken à la king—last observed at the Yale Club circa 1979—it features onion rings, mushroom toast, and flaky pigs in a blanket stuffed with Italian sausage. Ribs and coleslaw also make an appearance, and it’s kind of charming how mediocre they are. Don’t get cute. Stick to the basics, like the juicy steak frites. Atmosphere will always take precedence over food at Cecchi’s, and you could say the same about a thousand other restaurants. But here, the experience doesn’t feel hollow. You’ll see Cecchi himself (first name Michael) working the room alongside several enthusiastic hosts who watch the front door as if they’re expecting Liza Minelli to arrive any minute. There aren’t any gimmicks, just stiff white tablecloths, properly stirred drinks, and old-school hospitality that isn’t as trendy as it used to be. " - Bryan Kim
