Elmo

My wife and I went here for My birthday. Service was great. They were really attentive. Not even just our server. Another server came and checked on us too. The vibe is nice and decor makes for a fancy night out or a casual chill meal. The food was amazing. They accommodated my wife’s sesame seed allergy. Our drinks were okay. BUT they were strong so I got exactly what I wanted. I will be back. I haven’t felt good about spending over $100 on food for two ever. And I’d definitely recommend for dates or just a nice meal with friends.

Very nice atmosphere but super loud. Definitely not for a romantic date. It's perfect for a gathering of friends to catch-up and have drinks, and share the many appealing appetizers. There is a great bar as well.

Great place for a brunch. The banana bread is their specialty and is very delicious and the halloumi bowl too. The lounge inside downstairs looks very intimate and atmospheric ✨

Had lunch here. It was a standard experience, friendly people at the door, friendly people at the bar. The space has high ceilings and really nice vibes. The food was pretty good. They have a beautiful lounge downstairs. The waiter was from Turkey and was helpful with recommendations, helping us decide what we wanted to eat. I would return.

I liked everything about this place - food, atmosphere, service and reasonable prices. Took beer and for sharing three choices and it was more than enough for two. Already reserved table for the next month

Excellent dining experience! First of all the restaurant is really nice and decked with beautiful Christmas decorations. Feels very festive. The food and cocktails were amazing. Get their frozen Margaritas! Probably one of the best I’ve had in the city. The Tuna tartare with Avocado and Wonton chips were really good and perfect fpr sharing. A great starter. We had the steak frites which was cooked to perfection comes with truffle fries, creamed spinach and au poivre sauce. It doesn’t get any better than that! It was absolutely satisfying. And we had to get the apple crisp for dessert which was the perfect way to end a wonderful meal. Definitely the perfect spot for that holiday vibe. Service was nice and topnotch! Definitely coming back. Highly recommend!

This place had Really nice ambiance and artwork and Plenty of lighting. The drinks we tried were the Chocolate martini and Malibu bay breeze double. They were both strong. We’ll worth the money. Calamari was crispy and delicious. Spinach and artichoke dip with fresh pica Little light on spinach. But very cheesy. Both food entree items came hot and fresh. Chicken fried chicken with mash and green beans. The chicken was crispy and juicy. Chicken was butterflied, Mash was tasty, Gravy delicious and had a Nice peppery taste. Steak frites medium, spinach with garlic and fries. Tender and juicy, highlight of the night for me!

Enjoyed the food and the service. It was a great environment and I liked everything about this place, would love to visit again

Just a heads up: this is a place for middle-aged gay men. Which I totally support, and if you are a well-groomed middle-aged gay man in NYC, I suggest you check it out. If you are not, you will certainly be treated courteously, but you might feel a little out of your element. I recommend the tamarind margarita

I like the vibe. Nice room. Very shabby chic and laid back. Perfect for a brunch. If only the could make great breakfast food for brunch. To start the lattes here are remarkable! After that it's a coin toss. We ordered banana bread ... delivered with strawberry butter. Problem was ... it was literally burnt. And they served it like this. Ok do the fabulous waitress was honest and agreed. She came back with a much better version which was quite nice. Next were the eggs. .... Oops also my over light eggs came well done. I mean truly well done. Potatoes wee fab , bacon great but the eggs... awful. We also had the tuna tartare which was hit!!! The wait staff were very accommodating and understood our dismay and did not try to defend. We'll go back to try again... because we do want to like this place.

I came here on a Saturday night with my mom and sister. We wanted to grab dinner before seeing the play Annie. I made reservations for 5pm since the play was at 7pm. We arrived and were seated immediately. The restaurant was beautiful inside with all the Christmas decorations. We sat down and ordered rather quickly to make sure we had enough time to get to the show. We ordered guacamole for the table to start. It was really good and fresh. My mom ordered a chicken caesar salad. I ordered the short rib with sweet potato puree and brussel sprouts. My sister got the mac and cheese with a side of fries. Everything was delicious. The portion sizes were good. None of us finished our food and unfortunately we couldn't take it home since we were going to the show. We asked for our check however after we paid I noticed 2 entrees were added to our bill that we didn't order. $40 extra was added to the bill. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR BILL! I informed the waiter and he voided the first transactions and we had to pay again. The process didn't take long. Then it was off to the show! Overall, it was a nice experience. The service was good. The server checked on us frequently and had an upbeat personality. The food didn't take long to come out. I recommend this restaurant.

Service was great, but food was overall mid. I ordered the crispy chicken sandwich, and I thought that it was very odd to have corn in the sandwich. I understand the coleslaw, but i've never in my life seen corn in coleslaw. An abomination! My friends expressed that their fries/potatoes lacked seasoning and the chicken sandwich was not enjoyable. An interesting pick..

Elmo just does not get enough love IMHO. This restaurant, which has been around for a very long time, is one of the few LGBT run restaurants in the community. And sure, the food is simple American fare, and the atmosphere is 90s modern chic, but you are certain to get some yummy, reasonably-priced, slightly-upscale comfort food each time you visit Elmo's. My favorite thing on the menu is the Cobb salad. It's huge and tasty!!! I also really like the steak sandwich for dinner and the grain bowl for brunch (order an extra poached egg for this one - yum). As for service, it is always spot on at Elmo. In other words, you can bet on getting friendly attitudes and attentiveness from all of the wait staff and bartenders.

Came in on a Sunday night for dinner with a friend. We were promptly seated and offered water. I got the Aperol drink on the menu and it was delightful. The meal pictured here is the Elmo burger. It comes with fries. I elected to upgrade my fries to truffle fries - definitely get those! Staff was friendly and vibes were cozy.

I guess this is where all the guys eat actual food and not just ice chips. Food was good, with smaller sized portions. Strong drinks. Lots of space. Not too loud but has a lot of seating. The host and servers were really nice.

Whenever I'm in New York I make sure I get together with two of my dearest friends. Gonzalez y Gonzalez used to be our go to spot, but now Elmo's is the place where we rendezvous. We love the ambience and the vibe. Plus, they make an excellent Watermelon Martini. The restaurant's moniker pays homage to the legendary nightclub, El Morocco. It has been a few years since my last visit, but it was just as lively as I remembered. Of course, I had to have the Watermelon Martini (Citrus vodka, watermelon puree, watermelon schnapps.) The rest of our group ordered the Blood Orange Cosmo (Citrus vodka, orange liquor, fresh key lime, blood orange puree) and a Summer Tea (Bourbon, peach puree, black tea, lemon juice). The Blood Orange Cosmo was good, and the Summer Tea was refreshing. However, my favorite was the Watermelon Martini. For our entrees we ordered Chicken Fried Chicken, which came with sauteed green beans & mashed potatoes. Penne ala Vodka, Grilled Steak Sandwich with fries, and Crunch Mandarin Orange Salad. My salad consisted of chopped romaine, red cabbage, wonton strips, carrots, scallions, & sliced almonds. It was a delightful combination that was enhanced by the sesame ginger dressing. The Penne was al dente, and the sauce was tasty. The garlic bread that came with it was bomb! My friends enjoyed the chicken and the sandwich. They said the chicken was tender & juicy and the steak was perfectly cooked. TJ was our server, and he was fabulous! I hope he is there for our next gathering! I also want to check out the speakeasy lounge, The Coby Club, when I return.

I stopped in for a quick lunch and was pleasantly surprised. I had never heard of this restaurant, pretty bar area, pretty decor. For starter we shared the guac and chips. I had the penne pasta w added grilled chicken, my husband had the Elmo burger. The dessert was amazing (Peaches and cream). I would return and I recommend. Staff was friendly, service was good.

My partner picked this place when we wanted a light supper after shopping on Seventh Ave. late on a Sunday. It was hopping, and the host seated us right away inside and mindfully away from the excited and loud gays (mostly if not all men) in the front, which we appreciated! There is just so much on the menu we picked Elmo Bites, a choice of 3 appetizers, to try a variety. They were all good, and came out in dramatic triple-decker fashion, which made eating it all really fun! Though our table was tiny, the tables immediately adjacent to us were empty so we put the rack on one after we were done to get to our other dishes. My Little Gem Caesar Salad was delish. I'd had a big lunch so it wasn't too small, and we elected not to buy drinks as we'd had enough the night before. Our waiter was nice, and I also felt like our busser wasn't from a completely different social and ethnic class (i.e. exploited) from the waitstaff so that felt reassuring. It wasn't really our scene but we know where to go for great American food in that area now!

Ordered the salmon blat which was decent and a passion mojito that was very poorly made.

Great place for an everyday dinner date. I frequently pop in with my boyfriend. I love the atmosphere. The food here is quite good. I usually get the Elmo burger. Although I've had most of the menu that has remained my consistent go to. Our go to appetizer is the Elmo bites. The drinks here are some of my favorite especially the cosmo and the lychee martini. The service is usually good. I recommend trying the Colby club that is downstairs as well. It's a bit more intimate and cute for a date night!

Service was phenomenal, and our waitress was so nice, but food was horrible. We ordered the calamari, large ceasar salad, and fish and chips. The fish and chips came with A SINGULAR piece of fish???? The ceasar salad was mid if I'm being generous. Calamari was fine, but portion was egregiously small. It's the singular piece of fish we got that irked me the most. Criminal.

Wow! This place has a super simple menu and big flavor and presentation! I ordered the southwest salad with chicken it was so good. It was a perfect size and left full. My husband ordered the fish tacos which he said tasted really good and the sauce that was on it was amazing. There are seats outside but inside has great seating and really nice chandeliers.

This place ELMO = EVERYTHING! From the location, the ambiance, the delectable dishes, (Mac-N-Cheese is outstanding) incredible service, staff and crafted cocktails & libations- this restaurant is like a celebration to dine here when visiting the city. Can't wait to return!

Came here on a Friday night with a reservation. It was busy at the bar and throughout the restaurant. The service was very good, everything was prompt. I got the halloumi salad which was pretty good and my friend had the vodka pasta which she really liked. Both portions were huge - they each made two meals and the prices were reasonable. We also both got the spicy guava margarita and loved it. I'd come back if I were in the area! Nice after-work spot.

Was walking down 7th avenue looking for a place to eat before going out on a Friday night and stumbled across this restaurant. Given this restaurant has been around for 20 years and is a fairly large footprint I was surprised I hadn't heard of it. The menu is pretty diverse. I had a chicken sandwich that I thought was delicious. We also started with a popcorn shrimp appetizer which was good too. I will say the frozen margarita was large but wasn't good, which is a bad combo because then you're forced to get drunk off a big mediocre drink.

Really enjoyed our lunch at this fun, little place on 7th Ave! Service was great and the food was tasty as well. I got the grilled salmon BLAT sandwich. It was a good sandwich, however, my only complaint is that it could have used more salmon and I would have rather it be stacked. The salmon was on one side and bacon on the other, so I never got a full taste of all the flavors in one bite. Otherwise, the bread was perfectly toasted, the roasted garlic aioli (I got on the side) was flavorful, and everything was cooked well. I like that they give you the option of a side salad at no extra cost as well for a side choice. Mom got the grilled chicken sandwich and she said it was amazing. It looked fantastic too and they were very accommodating to swap out Cheddar for Swiss cheese. Prices were reasonable as well. Would recommend and return here again.

Been here a few times and enjoyed the food. Prices are very fair. The interior space is a trip in itself - cavernous, retro. Service is usually by modely types, so that's a plus. Lots of LGBTQ+ clientele, given the location. In a word, recommended.

This place was ok. I ordered the French toast and it was VERY soggy. I ended up splitting mine between the table because I just could not. The crusty portion wasn't too bad. The banana, strawberries and blueberries were great except the blueberries were a bit overripe. The scrambled eggs with cheese were decent. I added some pepper and it was aight. I also tried the side salad on my friend's plate and the dressing was very oily.

Fantastic brunch cocktails- their martinis are very strong! The club sandwich is a little unconventional but very good as well.

First time I've had dinner here in a long time and the dinner menu is better than the lunch menu. Our server seemed to have a bit of an attitude, not sure if it was because we didn't order a ton of drinks (though we did order a lot of food) or it was just his normal behavior. The food was great, except for the appetizer that was so salty(!). Yummy dark chocolate brownie. Restaurant is very noisy and it was difficult to hear conversations at times. Also, somehow got stuck in the middle, almost all empty tables around, and the server was wedging his way between one of our chairs and the table behind us instead of going around. (P.S. Don't just throw the dessert menu on the table without a word and walk off).

Rob Sherman was our server. He was high as a kite and very rude. I'll never eat here again.

Great ambiance, good food, weak service. Waiter truly only acted as an order taker. He expressed no interest in anything. Took my order and never saw him again until I flagged him down for check. I expect this type of service at McDonalds not Elmo. Disappointing experience but I will maybe give a second chance.

What a wonderful place to enjoy a great and pleasant dinner. Awesome atmosphere and staff was top notch!

Walked past here and decided to book for dinner whilst on visiting New York, so glad we came here !! the service to start with was amazing, our server (think her name was Kat) was so lovely and attentive. The food was delicious, I had the tuna tartare and the truffle Parmesan fries as a side (don't get these just for yourself they are huge) which were both amazing. For desert I had the apple cobbler which was just as nice although could've been slightly hotter. My step mum chose a variety of sides (the fried lemon-Parmesan Brussels sprouts, sautéed spinach and mashed potato) and said it was just as amazing. The whole vibe of this place is really cool and warming too and the cocktails are great also :) we loved it!

Dropped in on a Friday night looking for a bite. Despite being half empty, we were seated all the way in the back of the restaurant, which was a little odd. The attention to decor was clear in the atmosphere, but the "signature cocktail" I ordered lacked the same attention to detail. The spicy margarita came in the same type of glass as the water, the tamarindo rim wasn't neat or evenly distributed, and it tasted like the margarita was made with store bought orange juice (I even recognized what brand it tasted like!) The menu had a decent amount of options, and the grain bowl with kale sounded good on paper. I probably should have listened to the (very nice) server's recommendation of adding a protein to it, because the bowl by itself was lacking balance. The quinoa, chickpeas, and broccolini were cold, which surprised me, and again, it felt like the ranch dressing came straight from the grocery store. It didn't feel like the kitchen had thought about what ingredients worked well together and at which temperatures, but I'm just one person. Importantly, the spicy margarita did get better after I let it sit with the jalapeños for a few minutes, but overall I left feeling kind of confused by the whole experience.

Loved this spot!! Beautiful classy decor. Attentive staff and great food. Tried all the starters and did not disappoint. Tuna tartare and bang bang shrimp were super yummy and the crispy wonton were divine.

Had a lovely pork chop and fixings and a very enjoyable dinner. Great vibe here and on a Sunday.

The food was good. But the place is filthy and run down. The service is spotty and slow. Broken chairs, layers of dust on the bench seating. And the noise nearly drove me mad. I was hoarse from have to yell in order to have a conversation. I only at here because my crazy brother-in-law likes to drink and yell anyway. I would never go back to this place except the BIL insisted on eating here.

Loved everything about this restaurant. Service was wonderful, I ordered a drink from the menu which didn't have all ingredients listed. When I got it, I did not like it so they made me another drink without any fuss. The food was also exceptional. The restaurant was moody and dark.

My partner, myself, and a couple of friends came for dinner and the service was fairly attentive for a busy Saturday night. The ambiance was super fun and lively which was great since it was so rainy and cold outside The food was just okay. We got popcorn shrimp which tasted kind of bland. I had the steak salad and was a bit bummed to only have maybe five or six pieces of steak the size of my thumb. The cheese was well portioned for the salad though. We ordered cocktails and I found the mojito to be way too strong. I ordered an açaí margarita and unfortunately the frozen machine was broken but they did make it on the rocks. It was okay but nothing special. I will say the thing that pushed this to a four star rating is the dessert. The creme brûlée was much larger than I expected the the top was absolutely perfectly caramelized. The custard beneath was like velvet and balanced. A very nice note to end our meal on!

So cute! Such good menu options! Walking here for lunch on a sunny weekday, you'd think Elmo was a super expensive posh place. It IS nice but the decor and beautiful seating and quality service suggest a much pricier menu than you see, which I appreciated! Ordered the watermelon martini, which used real fruit and had a deliciously fresh flavor. The salmon nicoise was really tasty as well and very well dressed (not too wet, not too dry). On the way in we smelled the wings and next time I'm definitely getting them. So much about this place looks good I'll need to try more of the menu!

Why is this place always so terrible? I get the lack of seasoned service staff who have no common sense (thank you COViD) but TBH it's really not that hard to take an order and fill a water glass vs checking your sad reflection in the many nearby mirrors. The service staff all needs to be let go and just do a big revamp. Otherwise, just go with being on the level of a Waffle House in Alabama... where truth be told, there is much better hospitality from genuine people who aren't sad wannabes. We're all thinking it and I'm just saying'

horrible night at Elmos. Service was as usual, slow. Took forever to get drinks And they weren't busy. They insisted on leaving the front doors open so it's was hot and humid, even in the way back. But to top it all off, we got scammed by the waited who insisted we shorted him on the check. We all (group of 9) paid $90 each. 4 did it in cash and we all know the cash was correct. Waiter takes the check and goes in back and comes back out a few minutes later saying we were a whole $60 short. That was impossible as we had made count a few times I'm putting this out there incase other have had the same experience

I came here for dinner and the food was really good! The waiter was very nice, welcoming and attentive. He circled back to our table a few times despite us being indecisive about our entrees. To start we had the calamari which was seasoned well and the texture was not extra chewy so it was cooked perfectly. We also shared the tuna tartare which was also very delicious! For my entree I got the fish tacos, but it only comes with 2. But thanks to the appetizers I was full. My friend got the brownie that came with fudge drizzled and vanilla ice cream. Overall I would definitely return the service was great, food was pretty good and the space is beautiful as well.

The food is always good here and the drinks as well. Recommend the devil eggs and the short rib empanadas. The service was great and quick! Ambiance is good but can be a little loud inside but still can hear each other. Love coming here whenever we visit NYC!

This place has been here forever and I hope it stays forever. Apart from the paining of the old lady sitting on a pool chair, on the right as you enter my other favorite part of this place is it's energy. It's kinda loud for dinner so business meetings would be difficult but perfect for catching up with friends. I always get the Tower (three appetizers) if it's a bigger group since the portions are on the biggish side. Their fried chicken sandwich is always a safe and delicious bet but the turkey burger is not bad either. Our experience with the service has always been good. They do have a cake cutting fee but I suppose most places do now.

Really enjoyed this restaurant. Very cool vibes and ambiance, nice and attentive staff, good menu selection, and fresh & flavorful food. The fish tacos with fried flounder were quite good.. can't really say it was because of spectacular flavors or because the fish was fried but needless to say I'd come back here!!

I've been here a few times and have to keep coming back because a literally CRAVE their truffle fries. Such a good local spot to get some solid dishes.. this weekend I went with my best friend before we went to see a show. We just picked on a bunch of apps and had some delicious cocktails. I love this place because they are always consistently delicious. Tonight we had artichoke dip, firecracker shrimp and of course truffle fries. They are a MUST have, you'll be dreaming about them!

I've actually been coming to a restaurant at this location since Claire's. Elmo is the very best incarnation of an eating establishment in location for sure. The menu is sort of a sophisticated diner menu with everything from Tuna Tartare to great burgers and salads, something for everyone. Very attentive and efficient wait staff, food runners and bartenders. For me it's like family, I'm grandad. A very diverse clientele very much like the staff. I have brought family and friends from all over the country to Elmo, they rave. One guest years ago that I brought there had Celiac's, the waiter sat next to her and reviewed the menu so she'd know which is which. Also they have survived the pandemic and were there for the community through entire pandemic. They saved my sanity.

I went to this place back in December and the bartender was a complete mess maybe it was his first day but anyway I ordered drinks and a chicken pot pie . i was slowly drinking my drink purposely then I ordered another drink so after that last drink I closed my tab 52 dollars later he never added my chicken pot pie to my bill . I told a manager she told me she was gonna void my drinks .. so time goes by they never voided anything off my tab. I went in there recently to discuss this to the manager . he was smiling like something was funny .. I didn't say a joke. so then he says what do you want out of this I said two drinks would be nice . when I was telling the bartender the story he got an attitude like it was his restaurant. so I asked the Bartender how many drinks did he say was I receveing. he said one with a attitude. Poor customer service at this place .

Went to Elmo with a group of co-workers and had no expectations for this place but I gotta admit, it was kinda cute. Elmo was rather spacious and had a few differing types of seating options. We sat at a larger table and our waiter Gabriel handled us with efficiency and ease, although he was a bit curt (however I do realize that when one is being efficient, one may not have time for pleasantries...). Overall Gabriel and the busboys that worked our table made sure we wanted for nothing. The meals we had were all rather nice. I had the calamari appetizer and the salmon. I loved the salmon and though it wasn't my favorite style of calamari, the calamari did its job and "appetized" me. The salmon, however, was flawless. Aside from my meal and my very small (but almost too sweet) key lime pie dessert, there was a plethora of interesting entrees all around me, which included some really nice vegetarian offerings and drinks that summer to please us all. Feels like a fun place for a date.

Food was actually really good, we ordered the guac, steak sandwich, steak and eggs and everything was very tasteful and great portions. The waiters were attentive and nice. The ambiance is really nice, really nice decor and the downstairs has a really cool lounge. My review would have been a 5 star and I would recommend this place if it weren't for an unpleasant experience towards the end of the meal, we were taking a little long to get up because we were talking when the female manager with short hair started clearing off our table taking drinks a little rudely while we were sitting down. No big deal but than a second later she comes back and informs us that there are reservations. No problem at all she was a little aggressive but that it's okay. We collect our things and get up and we're waiting for the rest of our party to use the bathroom when the manager comes back over and started moving chairs in front of us and really wanted us out meanwhile the place was empty. She had a really unwelcoming look to her the whole time we were there and if it wasn't for her I would have been totally satisfied and rated a 5:(

This place is awesome! I got the beef empanadas. I was thrilled that ricotta was involved but I actually didn't taste it but I didn't like the texture of the beef inside. My main was chicken fried chicken which was really good. My only issue was the chicken wasn't seasoned at all. For dessert I got the brownie sundae which was good. Our waiter was so polite and attentive.

This review is for the downstairs room only. I have been here twice now for birthday parties and both times I had such a great time! The passed hors d'oeuvres were great. There was a huge cheese and crackers platter, sliders, guacamole and chips, veggies and dip and a few other delicious things (not sure what exactly they were but I ate them, obviously). The bar offers good service and healthy pours. Three glasses of wine had me feeling really good. It is a small bar though so it does tend to get a little cramped. Also good to note, even though it is referred to as a cash bar, they do take credit cards but have a standard two drink minimum. There are areas to sit down with small tables and there are a few coat racks which come in handy in the winter. In the center there is a small dance floor and an area for a DJ. There are bathrooms downstairs as well so you do not have to go through the entire restaurant to find one. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the space without a ton of people of them but it is a great space to host a large party. I would highly recommend for parties of 40+.

My friends and I are here last week and the food was great. However, I'm disappointed that the restaurant would seat customers in the dining shed on the street. We ate at night and there were so many roaches. They were hiding in the crevices and few were crawling out in the open. There's absolutely no way the restaurant wouldn't have noticed this.

As we were walking by we stopped to eat here at their outdoor dining because we witnessed the table being disinfected and that even included the vase. When they explained the contact free ordering and the waitstaff even offering us hand sanitizer before we touched anything, we knew we had found the right place to eat out at during this crazy time. Coronavirus or not, I'd certainly go back for the burger and drinks. The fish taco needs some seasoning but all in all it was a good meal and great service.

I first explored this restaurant last week for Saturday brunch and was pleasantly surprised at the quality and value. For $21 I had strip steak and eggs and a salad and fries ! Service was good and I don't outside alfresco. This is not a gourmet restaurant but a good every day restaurant for the local crowd. It is a gay on operation however the clientele is very mixed.