The Reading Room

The grilled octopus was delicious. The burger was mediocre, with a stale brioche bun and a serious deficit of sauce or flavour. Way too many fries. And the fries were really mid. Service was >30% slower than it should have been - for the price point. I like the name / theoretical concept but there was nothing book or reading really about this place. I think they could have learned into it more. Nice ambient environment, slightly loud. Would not go out of my way to come back. Walked in on a Thursday at 7:30 and got a bar seat.

My mom and I came here for brunch before seeing a Broadway show! The service was great and ambiance was nice! The food was delicious! Good portion sizes and good prices! We didn’t make a reservation so we ate at the bar but that was fine. I would recommend making a reservation so you’re guaranteed a spot. Would definitely recommend and come back again!

The crispy eggs Benedict ($20 plus tax) was a novel take on a brunch classic The eggs and Canadian bacon on the English muffin were good, but the accompanying potatoes were bland. The small fruit serving could be more seasonal and fresher. The interior, maybe in the attempt to make it cozier, felt rather dimly lit, which would have suited dinner service better. For brunch, I wish it were just a tad brighter.

We had the filet and the steak frites—both were absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic, making it a perfect spot for a date night. The staff was incredibly attentive and made sure everything was just right. Highly recommend!

Peri peri chicken was solid, risotto was delicious. I saw a lot of people get the charcuterie board and burger & fries. Drinks are ok, I got the hot & heavy and it tasted watered down. Staff / service was excellent. This is a restaurant located inside a hotel. It gets packed fast since it’s near Grand Central / JPM.

A nice cosy dinner spot for a small group get together. Food was good. Service great.

A tiny but gorgeous restaurant inside the Gotham hotel. Reservation is a must for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is decorated with shelves of books to really create the reading room vibe. Accompanied by a lovely bar. From the menu we loved pretty all the things. Mussels were really good, soaked in citrus juice. Skirt steak was tender and juicy. The G&H burger was solid. At the end we got a complimentary dessert for celebration our occasion at the restaurant. The chocolate mousse cake was so good. Service was superb, constantly being checked on and kept us updated on the upcoming items. The restaurant did take a while to get our entree, understandably so since the restaurant got full right when it opened at noon. So not a recommended place to grab lunch quickly. But am excellent restaurant to chill, dine and have some wonderful conversations in company of lots of books.

The reviews did not lie about the Reading Room. The French toast was delicious. The eggs and the potatoes were also very good. I will definitely go again. The service was great. Attentive waiters and well planned menu.