Villanelle

I had a hard time deciding what score I should give this place. It’s a five star restaurant but we had a four star experience. All dishes we had were creative and it’s clear the food was made fresh with attention to details and serving. Yet something in each was missing. For example, the seasoning of the cactus pad salad was not enough and the serving temperature of the deer meat steak. The service was excellent and is worth noting. We overall enjoyed dinning here but some changes need to be made to improve the dishes.

Food was amazing! They do need more waitstaff but our server was very kind and great, just slow service because on a night like Valentines seemed like only 2 waiters covering the whole restaurant. Brussels - peoples pictures made me sky away from them for some reason but they’re really good, filling & awesome portion Rosemary Focaccia was 10/10 Deer was a really unique try for us and it was great, but i preferred the Halibut with the lemon risotto They gave these little strawberry marshmallow hearts which was a cute touch

Let me apart by saying the food was excellent as was our waitress.The food was inspired & unexpected. Inventive combinations & lovely presentation. Our favorites were the gem lettuce salad (addictive), the Stracciatella cheese appetizer (with cacao nibs), the tilefish (in a very delicate curry dish), and the simple pasta with tomatoes. If I could give it a 4.5 I would have. Areas for improvement with cocktails & they seem to need more waitstaff. Upon arrival we were left at our table for a while before anyone came to serve on us, and that person knew nothing about the drink menus. I told myself to pretend I was in Europe. However once our wait person arrived she was great! I wouldn’t recommend the cocktails - don’t know if it was the preparation? - but we returned both cocktails we ordered as they did not taste good. Not well balanced at all. As far as ambience, the restaurant is on the sparse side. Not ultra modern but rather not very styled? It did look like there was a nice backyard area however! Not many people inside so there wasn’t much of a vibe.

We sat out in the back garden and the ambience was lovely but you need your mosquito repellent, my friend was but five times! The food was clean tasting and well presented. We had the tomato and cucumber appetizers. I enjoyed the cucumber salad more as it was a bit more hearty and substantial. They made a vegan pasta which was a “surprise” as it went on the menu. It came out to be a tomato paperdelle. It was lovely and nice of the restaurant to accommodate my vegan diet. My favorite thing was probably the California cab sauv they had from Napa Valley by Hardin. So juicy. From a sustainability standpoint most things were on point for dining in, just the use of plastic straws to be noted. Much prefer paper. Overall I wasn’t blown away but the spot was nice.

This is a good small restaurant around union square. The inside is romantic and great for a dinner date - wonderful mood lighting that makes it feel almost Parisian. They have a good happy hour special for affordable wine/cocktails. The menu has fresh seasonal items. The food was good but nothing stood out.

A modern setting with immaculate food and presentation. For main I had the venison while my fellow dinners had the chicken and the fish respectively. We also shared the fresh Brussels Sprout salad. For dessert we shared the yam cheesecake and apple torrija. I would recommend all! I also indulged in a few cocktails which were also mixed to perfection. I will be back again!

Had Sunday brunch at this Greenwich Village restaurant that is focused on artisanal New American cooking. We ordered the BLT and Hake sandwiches. The food was delicious and the service was very warm. Will try out the dinner menu at a later date.

This is one of the places where you want to return. The menu options are really good, and every dish you take it's just simply perfect, despite that some combination might seem a little weird, however you won't want to add there anything else. Our server was really nice and friendly, and the place itself was sparkling clean!

Been wanting to try this place for years. I think they only started offering lunch recently. I like how it's not brunch items but a subset of their dinner menu. Not sure about portions but the same items on both menus are way cheaper during lunch. It's not perfect and not as exciting as expected but still overall very good. I'd want to go back again too. Rainy Saturday lunch...I feel bad how I was the only table the whole lunch. The server was attentive: diligent about refilling water, timed food readiness well, even asked about if the temperature was okay Ate: cactus salad, burrata peach salad, brussel sprouts salad, avocado tartine, tomato tartine, papardelle, spanish tortilla FYI this is too much food for two but we still finished it Burrata peach salad was our favorite dish of the meal. It was sweet without tipping over to dessert land. The peach is marinated/cooked so that it's a little soft but not mushy. There is still brightness. Cocao nibs and macadamia nuts added good texture and subtle earthiness to the dish. Don't see this combination elsewhere, so I appreciate the creativity. Brussel sprouts salad. Didn't like the brussel sprouts part of the dish. It seemed pretty raw which was tough to eat especially the middle parts. The cheddar, cashew, and rye crumble at the bottom was the best part. It was toasty but not too hard. Cactus salad was my least favorite of the salads. They use sesame oil or something of the likes in the dressing, and I don't particularly like that. I expected catcus to come served as a whole pad or in big slices, not diced up like now. Dicing takes away the unique shape and texture. The avocado and tomatoes match but less special. Tartines were bigger and more loaded than expected. Using focaccia bread is good for taste but structurally the dimples made it less sturdy between bites. The toasting wasn't overdone making the bread too stiff for biting. Heirloom tomatoes was very sweet and juicy. I'm not the biggest fan of dill but it wasn't too over powering here. The prosciutto on top is good for a kick of savoriness but as always there's the issue of clean bites between tendons. Avocado comes with a whole buttery avocado. The beet puree added good color and subtle sweetness. Pumpkin seeds gave gentle texture. Spanish tortilla. Naive us thought it was taco type of stuff. Anyway the eggs and potato were under seasoned, not sure if it's intentional. The potatoes had natural sweetness and eggs were hearty but still relatively bland. We didn't like the romesco sauce which ironically felt too overpowering. Mixed greens were dressed nicely. Papperdelle. It was wider than expected. I didn't like how the pasta texture was a bit rough rather than smooth and bouncy. The sauce is more on the savory warm side with all the olives and capers. There's plenty but I found it too wet and saucy. The parm was plentiful and melted into a nice blob of cheese to chew on. Overall I like the fun combinations, quality ingredients, portion size, and lunch prices.

Villanelle is an intimate spot with mostly small tables, I came in on a Friday night and was surprised to find that it wasn't very busy. For drinks, the Wild Passion cocktail was very tequila-forward so I found that I preferred the Kiwi Mai Tai. The service was great throughout, our waitress was very attentive and kind. I ordered the salmon but noticed they also had a vegan eggplant/tofu option on the menu that I almost opted for. The presentation of the salmon was fine, it could have been nice to have had a cleaner plate. I enjoyed the wild mushrooms in the dish but wish there was a bit more. While it was good, I don't think the dish justified its price point. The pappardelle was also good, but again not particularly amazing. I didn't try any dessert but there were a few intriguing options. This is a nice spot for a date or to catch up with friends, but I don't think I would go out of my way to return.

Villanelle is a wonderful little hideaway for dinner. The Brussels sprouts salad is nice. The gnocchi are pretty good. But the best thing about Villanelle is the happy hour drink (the Pinot Blanc is excellent) and the ambiance. Did I really say that? The ambiance. I never thought I would say that was the best thing about a place. I'm really usually all about the food. But I think the ambience trumps the food at Villanelle. And it's the reason to go there. Romances. Old friends and new. I think it's good for both.

4.25 stars. Villanelle is an unassuming but elegant restaurant near busy Union Square. The food isn't perfect; for instance, a $7 charge for what should have been complimentary (IMHO), Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls & House Butter, both quite plain, started dinner off on a sour note. And we were also let down by the mealy Chocolate Layer Cake & unextraordinary Sticky Toffee Pudding (each $16) that closed our meal. Though the bookends to dinner lacked any wow factor, the vibrant, creative, & delicious dishes in the middle more than made up for it. Sugar Snap Peas ($22) sat on a flavorful Green Goddess dressing & made me feel like I got an entire week's worth of veggies in one sitting. Macerated Brussels Sprouts ($22) are unlike the ones on every menu across the US; this one was fresh & had the textures of cashews, cheddar, & rye to make it unique. Burrata ($23) came with pickled grapes, herb oil, & wait for it...cocoa nibs! A departure from the ordinary, indeed. And, lastly, Villanelle's Pappardelle ($27) is possibly the best tasting pasta dish I've had in years. Spiced with harissa & flavored with olives, capers, & generous parmesan shavings, the creamy tomato-based sauce & tender ribbons were magic in a bowl. I'll be back. I now know which menu items to avoid, & which ones to order doubles of so I don't have to share.

Villanelle is a good find if you're looking to eat near Union Square. Our small plates were great - we had the focaccia, burrata, and striped bass crudo. All dishes tasted fresh. Our entrees were good too, though slightly less spectacular - we had the hake and the green circle chicken breast. For dessert we shared the olive oil cake, which is one of the best renditions of olive oil cake we've had. The space is nice and the staff is friendly. It was fairly quiet for a Saturday night. It was just us and one other table indoors (there were a few people seated outside).

Come to Villanelle for unique, flavor-packed dishes. Although prices are on the higher end, I promise it's worth it. My party of four absolutely loved the following 3 entrees and 2 desserts on our visit in June 2022: 1/ Forbidden Rice with Mushrooms and Piquilo Pepper 2/ NZ Red Deer Loin with Charred Broccoli - tasted like tender duck! No gamey-ness to it 3/ Roasted Quail with Morels 4/ Pineapple Sponge Cake 5/ Strawberry Hibiscus Pavlova We could've passed on: - Steelhead Trout in Pho Broth (just tasted like salmon and wasn't as flavorful as I expected) - Focaccia Al Rosmarino Service was attentive. Villanelle gets major plus points for their private outdoor dining set-up. Although it's on the smaller end, their outdoor dining is not on the street, but rather in the restaurant's backyard (no icky trash smell yay)!

Went for the first time the other night. It was too hot to try the garden or one of the little huts. The a/c in the restaurant was working so so to start, so if you're sensitive to the heat, take note. The staff were very professional (checked vaccine cards at the host station), friendly, brought big glasses of us for us (and then later more glasses) and answered all our questions about the menu. We started with the cucumber salad, which looked beautiful. It tasted quite good although what I think were green tomatoes were a bit mushy and flavourless. My friend had a different salad for her meal and was very happy with it, both with the different flavours and that it was pretty substantial. I had the purse pasta, which I thought was really disappointing. It lacked any distinctive flavour and the pasta was accompanied by even starchier corn. The portion was very small and I didn't think the quality, even being farm to table, justified the price of $26. I must be in the minority though because the place was doing brisk business and the other diners seemed happy with their selections.

Villanelle in Flatiron, a New American farm to table restaurant focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Cocktails are $9 during happy hour which is an incredible steal given how fantastic they were. We enjoyed the citrusy 'Grab Me by The Guava' and the bourbon-based 'Peach Perfect'. We ordered the rosemary focaccia to snack on while we savored our drinks which came out warm and perfectly crusty. We'll be sure to return to Villanelle for its comfortable ambiance and great service (but mostly for their great bar)

Villanelle is a hidden gem with an awesome one hour happy hour from 5:00 - 6:00pm. Happy hour includes drink specials and snacks perfect for sharing. If you're looking for a quiet outdoor space to enjoy a drink after work, this should be your spot. Despite only being here for happy hour and snacks, the service was incredible. Very friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff. Would definitely recommend and can't wait to come back to try dinner!

Good food but small portions and quite expensive!! We made a reservation for a party of 3 for Friday at 7:30 and were seated immediately. We ordered the House Ricotta as an appetizer and our waitress immediately recommended adding the focaccia to pair with it. I absolutely loved the house made butter on the Focaccia Al Rosmarino, and the focaccia was super fluffy and delicious. I found the Forbidden Rice a bit salty, but it has a yummy garlicky flavor. The fettucine was absolutely delicious as well with the crab, and the pasta had the perfect bite. My biggest problem with this restaurant was that the portions are tiny and quite expensive. I wasn't hungry after the meal, but also wasn't full. Would not recommend coming here on an empty stomach unless you are willing to break the bank!

Villanelle is a very Village and very cozy restaurant offering signature cocktails and entrees. I ordered the black rice and mushrooms as a main and it was a rich dish. It had a combination of crunch with delectable mushrooms. My smoke enhanced bourbon cocktail went down oh so smooth. Servers were pleasant and efficient.

Cute and cozy restaurant that sounds French but is actually new American. Had the smoky Negroni, which felt more like an old fashioned, and it was good. Brussels sprouts were surprising in texture and enjoyed fully. Appetizer was tuna but it wasn't raw as we expected. Duck and salmon both good albeit duck being a bit on the light side.

Great food, great drinks, great ambience Food: I really enjoyed the food! Portion sizes are tiny but everything tasted really good. I got the tortellini which I highly recommend! Really interesting twist! The ricotta was my favorite, just so creamy! The house crackers were interesting to pair with it, in a good way! The endive salad was probably my least favorite l, could have used more flavor Drinks: the purple haze is incredible! The cocktail menu in general seemed so innovative and fun! Price: expensive, especially given portion sizes. Ambience: I really loved the vibe of the restaurant! It was small but quaint and elegant feeling! It's such an awesome date spot! Service: loved our waitress - she gave great suggestions, was attentive but not pushy!

Customer service is terrible. Impossible to reach them by phone (no one ever picks up) or email (no one responds). My friend and I had a reservation, but she started feeling unwell right after the Resy cancellation deadline had passed - we tried to reach the restaurant to explain but to no avail. Emailed afterwards as well. Zero response. I completely understand the purpose of a cancellation fee to avoid no-shows and last minute cancellations, but we cancelled well before our reservation time, and we were still charged. It really didn't seem ideal to go anyway to avoid the cancellation fee and expose other patrons...but in light of their lack of any empathy given today's COVID environment, others may very well do just that. TLDR: No empathy for customers who have to cancel their reservation due to illness; I wouldn't be surprised if sick customers end up dining there anyway to avoid the cancellation fees.

Great service and great vibes. Very easy to walk in or get a reservation. The Burrata was OK. The entrées were pretty good. I'd say other Italian/American places in the city are better though. Nothing stood out really, just a normal good spot. Good to catch up with friends here

Excellent all the time. You can't go wrong. We recommend it highly. (The fish is consistently outstanding.)

I wasn't overly thrilled with this place. Don't get me wrong the service was good, staff friendly, I just found the food underwhelming. I was excited to try this place based on reviews. So I brought my family while they were in town. I started with the macerated Brussels sprouts. This was actually really nice! Bright flavors, dressed well, and the clips of cheddar in there really added a nice flavor. I ordered the Cavatelli with eggplant and truffles. The sauce on this was a bit strange. Really hard to identify any specific flavor and it was a weird consistency. I don't think the truffles added anything at all. My sister had the gnocchi. She said it was nothing special. I had a bite too. It wasn't memorable. My parents both got the spaghetti. I tasted it, and thought it was kind of a weird dish with olives in it. My parents both liked it though! They enjoyed the spiciness of it. Lately we got the panna cotta. I think everyone at our table had a bite and agreed it was good. It wasn't the best, it wasn't the worst. I probably won't come again, except maybe for the Brussels alone! The service was good too!

Small menu but the food was excellent! I had the duck and tried most of the appetizers.

Fantastic food and service! Came here for my birthday with my whole family and had a lovely night. Highly recommend the burrata and the cavatelli pasta with asparagus. I've walked by many times but this was my first time eating here and I was very impressed - will definitely be back again.

Very very cute nautical place. Would like to come more often but the menu option is quite limited, very healthy food options though! Had the smoked whiskey and strawberry cocktail, both are very unique and delicious, definitely would come back for this. Crispy Chicken- not so impressive but not bad as well. Fluke Crudo- pretty presentation but tiny, also doesn't feel so fresh. Complimentary bread with sake butter- very good, fluffy and tasty. (Need to ask for it)

We sat out in the back garden and the ambience was lovely but you need your mosquito repellent, my friend was but five times! The food was clean tasting and well presented. We had the tomato and cucumber appetizers. I enjoyed the cucumber salad more as it was a bit more hearty and substantial. They made a vegan pasta which was a "surprise" as it went on the menu. It came out to be a tomato paperdelle. It was lovely and nice of the restaurant to accommodate my vegan diet. My favorite thing was probably the California cab sauv they had from Napa Valley by Hardin. So juicy. From a sustainability standpoint most things were on point for dining in, just the use of plastic straws to be noted. Much prefer paper. Overall I wasn't blown away but the spot was nice.

Villanelle brings together a well-curated menu, fabulous food and even better service in an area that desperately needs it. There aren't a lot of restaurants of this caliber in the Union Square/NYU area--you're either looking at something thats either quite casual or very upscale. Villanelle found its way onto my radar because I'm always on the lookout for organic/health-conscious dining options that don't sacrifice flavor and creativity for the sake of making things healthy. Villanelle fits that description perfectly, and then some. Everything about the space feels fresh, warm and inviting. Local, seasonal, organic ingredients. Outstanding cocktail program. Excellent execution on everything. You very well might leave hungry, but I can almost guarantee you'll still leave with a good taste in your mouth. Came here at around 7:45pm on a Friday. The space itself is lovely. Intimate but not romantic. Bright, clean and warm. Just like the food. This is a wonderful spot for a date but equally viable for a chill girl's night or a place to bring the parents. It feels refined but still down to earth. I was planning on sticking wine on this particular night, but then I saw the cocktail menu. What's up online right now isn't updated but expect house-made, seasonal ingredients and superb execution. My first drink was a mix of house-made Aquavit, Horseradish and Beets. Woke the palette right up. Very light/fresh. The bf went with a pumpkin-infused rum cocktail, made with egg whites and some other spices, which was sweet and decadent. I switched to wine once we started receiving our food. If there's anything to complain about here, it's the wine pours. The cocktails here are $14, and that's about the same as the cheapest glass of wine here. Glasses range from $12-$25, which would be fine if they poured generously. But my two glasses of wine (small glasses, too) were not filled to satisfaction. I'm not being greedy--I scanned the room and saw the same thing at other tables. When you're charging that much for every single wine offered by the glass, I'd appreciate seeing a bit more of that precious nectar in there. Because they've got a solid menu (try the tempranillo). But that's really my single complaint of the evening, because the service was top-notch overall. The service is a big reason why I went with five stars, as it turns out. Everyone who helped us out went above and beyond. About 15 minutes after sitting down, the manager came over and after preemptively apologizing profusely, asked us if we minded moving over one table to help them accommodate a larger party. Not at all, we said. He thanked us and said he'd make sure we'd get a little special something later in the night. Not long after, we received two cocktails that were pretty much my ideal drink--gin/herbaceous with a bit of citrus. When it came to food, our waiter asked at the outset whether we had any dietary restrictions and/or preferences. I'm gluten-free and soy-free, which they were quick to accommodate. My bf and I received different types of bread--my gluten-free piece was delicious. I've noticed that most restaurants won't make the option available when it comes to pre-dinner bread, so I appreciated that very much. They also made necessary adjustments when it came to our meal, which made my stomach and small intestines very happy. As was the case with the wine, portion sizes were on the small side. But not egregiously so. Our eats, below: Macerated Brussels Sprouts w/ Cheddar, Cashews, Rye: A A really delightful first dish. Rye was served on the side due to gluten (thank you!) but it didn't make the dish worse for me. Cheddar/cashews added some great nuttiness. Creative and clean. Fluke Crudo w/ Pomegranate Seeds: A This isn't on the only menu so sadly I don't know what the yummy pink sauce was underneath. But it was damn good. Fish was fresh and paired wonderfully with the pomegranate. Clean flavors, also helped to energize the palette before our heartier dishes. Roasted Carrots w/ Carrot Ribbons: A+ Comically small portion size here. But man, this was seriously delicious. Carrots done two ways over some decadent spread. Wish I could remember what it was. Maybe squash puree? It was very autumnal and rich. Highly recommend. Crispy Octopus w/ Cauliflower, Green Curry, Mint: A+ Octopus is one of my very favorite foods and I tend to be quite picky about it. This preparation was unique yet simple. Served with cauliflower and an unbelievable curry, the flavors were beautiful and harmonious and made for a perfect bite. The octopus was just slightly crispy to add some great texture, but not so much so that it overpowered the meat's essence. Arctic Char w/ Sorrel, Caramelized Cream, Dill: A+ That caramelized cream is my new Drug of Choice. Wow. The char, as expected, was cooked perfectly. Creamy and rich, yet still light. Elegant, thoughtful, great technique. Throwing out a second round of props to the new manager here, who's awesome.

Came here for dinner on a Friday night, and the restaurant was not that busy. We had a gilt city voucher that we used, but even without that I thought the prices were good. We both ordered the prix fix (your choice of 3 courses and dessert for $75) and the wine pairing ($45). Amuse bouche - this was delicious For the first course we got the fluke tartare. I did not really like this to be honest. I thought it was a bit fishy and I didn't think the wasabi/yuzu flavor worked. This was gluten free. For the second course my fiance got the risotto (which was very good) and I ordered the crispy octopus. The octopus was very well cooked and I loved the crispy texture, but I didn't love the curry. For the main course we both ordered the bavette, which was a very large portion. The mustard greens and potatoes were delicious. The steak came out a little more on the rare side of medium rare, which was surprising. For dessert we both ordered the smores - mine with the breton, my finance's without to make it gluten free. This was pretty good though had unique flavors. The food was a 4/5, but the wine pairing service was a 2/5. There was one course where we didn't get the wine until we were finished with the course, and every other course we had already received our food before the wine came. This was very annoying especially considering the restaurant was not busy.

We arrived rather earlier than our reservation, but we were seen to without any problems. We were invited to a drink at the bar, which was still nice and quiet. We started with a couple of egg-white based cocktails, which were tasty (one of them has pumpkin spice in it and it's perfect for fall). The Colombian bartender took the time to have a chat with us, and gain a better understanding of my taste. Armed with that, he was able to concoct something a little more bespoke for me, which I appreciate it and was very tasty: a short gin based drink with st Germaine. They even accommodated my rather odd request of having all my drinks from a coupe glass. The octopus was especially worthy of mention, with a subtle spice from the home made curry jus. Food was a good standard, but the drinks and service as stand-out. Would recommend.

This place, while good, is unfinished and unlikely to last long unless they change their food menu and execution, improve their service, and altogether bring the experience up to a standard that would justify their prices. Simply put, their food is boring and lacks finesse although the flavors are bold and enjoyable. I ordered the grilled shishito and sweet red peppers that was the special of the day, and the citrus aioli that the peppers were paired with was heavy, chunky, and did not take well to being dipped though I imagine that was the intention. Instead, it required a knife to spread (like butter). The hake, in comparison, was delicious - perfectly cooked and wrapped in delicate summer squash alongside roasted/grilled larger pieces of summer squash. That said, however, while execution was there on this dish, the flavor profile was pretty much southeast Asian (i.e. Thai) and nothing that was surprising albeit quite good. What makes the mediocre rating is that their service, or lack thereof, really does not justify this price point. While the head server was lovely, the water did not come til much later after I had sat down, and I had to flag her down to order and to prompt her for wine recommendations. When my entree arrived, I clearly lacked a knife which she noted, but still took more than five minutes to fetch a knife during which my entree was cooling and I ended up digging in with a spoon. Meanwhile, the busser who was likely picking up her slack cleared my plates and served me water with a totally stoic face. Perhaps just figuring it out, but not Villanueva does not give you your money's worth.

SOLID. My wife and I just happened upon Villanelle the night before pride and decided to stop in purely based on the name. I am SO glad we had dinner here. The service was excellent and so was the food. The Amish Chicken was juicy and filling, not words you usually mince with well-plated, which it also was. I had a couple of delicious cocktails and we finished with a yummy panna cotta starring tart kiwi. I can't wait to return. It's definitely a solid date night spot or just a great place to have a meal.

This is the new spot from some of the crew behind the now-closed Betony, bringing some of that fancy/pricey vibe a little further downtown to the Union Square area. Start with the tasty (but should probably be complimentary) $6 bread. Next up, the Brussels Sprouts ($17) immediately reminded me of the Endive salad from Estela, where pieces of the leaves formed a covering over the whole dish, an effect that is employed again with the Artic Char ($26). The Sprouts are actually raw, and the dish is cold, which was actually a refreshingly different take on the same old Fried Brussels sprouts dish, and ended up being really delicious and probably the best dish of the meal. If you are looking for something pretty, get the Sunchokes ($16), topped with bright little balls of trout roe. For the mains, the Arctic Char was a bit slimy and lacking any texture, but the Crisp Octopus ($21) was excellent. Lastly, we tried the interesting sounding Parsnip dessert ($12), which comes aside a little pool of white chocolate to add some sweetness to the very savory dessert. It was interesting, but I would probably order the Chocolate Sorbet instead, which I would have liked to try if if wasn't an additional $12. This is a beautiful restaurant with a really nice atmosphere and excellent service. Having tried a good sampling of the menu, I'm not sure I'd return for the other more expensive entrees, but would definitely consider returning once the inevitable brunch/lunch thing happens and they have some more casual options.

Villanelle is excellent -- you really must go. It almost feels like a secret place, just off noisy, teeming University Avenue, but easily reached from 14th Street. Villanelle is both quiet and wonderful; we took foodie friends from Los Angeles and they loved every dish. The burrata, the eggplant with labne; all our starters were delicious. For mains, three of us had the pasta with crab and other well-chosen but unexpected ingredients that came together to be magical. For dessert, the semifreddo was...otherworldly. Seriously. One of our friends dived for the last tiny spoonful out of someone else's bowl. Which was not appreciated by the bowl's owner but shows you just how motivating the flavor and sensation was. I thought portion sizes were appropriate (they are not Midwest large, which I can say because I'm from the Midwest). Pricing: I think it was good value for the money. As with any restaurant, check the prices before you go to see if you are up for it. You know how to use the internet -- don't be that person showing up and being shocked, SHOCKED! because they didn't check beforehand. Service was friendly and attentive.

I decided to return to Villanelle after seeing they changed their menu substantially after feedback, and am happy to revise my original review based on a stelar experience with service and food quality. First, let me say Villanelle put their best foot forward this time with respect to service, as our servers took the time and care to describe each intricacy of the every dish, answer all questions and afforded us every courtesy. My friend and I went to Villanelle to celebrate both our birthdays and enjoyed the 5 course tasting menu with cocktails - a refreshing treat that allowed us to sample the improved menu. My favorite dishes were the honeynut squash, pork belly with curried lentils and pearl onions, and pana cotta with celery granita. The honeynut squash was subtly sweet, a festive dish for fall and portioned perfectly. The pork belly was cooked to tender and the salt and fat of the pork was purposely tempered smoothly with the black lentil and pearl onions. Finally, the pana cotta genuinely stole the show with the cool and crisp celery grantia. I was surprised that one of their most popular starters, the macerated brussel sprouts, was not part of the tasting menu, but it allowed the endive salad to shine through with just a hint of sea salt from the anchovies. Finally, the venison was just as consistently tender and juicy as when I had it the first time I was at Villanelle, but in a more generous portion, and the crispy mushroom was a pleasantly satisfying addition. I am glad to have given Villanelle another chance and hope they remain here for years to come.

Great food and top notch drinks. The only small critique I have is that the portions are a little small for how expensive they are.

Came here to celebrate my birthday. The server came to the table 10 mins after we were sitted. (we had to figure out that there are only QR code menus). The server didn't inform us of what portion style restaurant it is. In short we left hungry after spending $140. We shared a the bread appetizer (you might expect crispy sourdough bread but in reality you get 3 tiny dinner rolls), I got the pork main and my husband pasta. The portions were SMALL. We decided finish with a desert as we were celebrating the birthday (it was marked in the reservation). I always celebrate it at a new restaurant and at least get a "happy birthday" from staff or a candle in a desert. Or a glass of Prosecco, or literally anything to make celebration at your restaurant special, but not here. We left disappointed and got pizza on a way home.

REALLY adorable hidden gem in Manhattan. A little pricey, but the food was delicious. The $40 prix fixed menu is the way to go. The tortellini was delicious and so was the chicken. It's a small, quiet restaurant with a great ambiance. Will definitely be going back!

One of my most memorable meals recently! The decor is outstanding, the service is impeccable, and the food is absolutely delicious - the combination of which is often a rarity in this city. The preparation of the soft scramble was incredible and some of the best eggs I've had, and the accomplanying salad provided some nice acidity and contrast as well. It's clear that this restaurant values and sources high quality ingredients, and that they have chefs that understand how to strike the right flavor profile and presentation of their dishes. Add to this the most lovely and friendly servers, and you have the perfect dining experience. Could not recommend this place more highly for brunch, and I can't wait to return for dinner!

Small-ish restaurant....with a subdued, earthy look. But a cute bar, pine beams, and the candles on the tables made it feel nice and cozy. The cocktails are fantastic - the gracias agave was my favorite. But we tried a few different ones and they were all good - pretty and potent! The menu is quite vegetable heavy, and the food held up its end of the bargain - nicely plated, flavors were on point (mostly, apart from a few minor nits): Beets - nice dill flavor and good crunch from the pistachios (though a bit under seasoned) Macerated brussels sprouts - fine (this one was a bit underwhelming) Cauliflower risotto - really good, but a wee bit heavy (watch out, the portion is quite large, especially since its also on the heavier side so it feels larger) Black bass - cooked well The service was fantastic - our server was attentive, knew the menu and drinks really well, and he was hilarious! By the end of the night, our tummies were happy, it felt like a relaxed evening, and we had a few laughs with our server. Night done right :)

We waited an hour for a table despite having a reservation. The service was extremely slow and forgetful once we sat down. Our server seemed very irritated with us, and in general, and at one point told us that they can't get anyone to work and they have lost 2/3s of their staff. The portions are so incredibly small, salty and overpriced. Seemed like a very silly place.

Villanelle instantly struck me as a safe, reliable restaurant when it came to flavor and composition of dishes but left a touch to be desired when it came to service. I came here for my birthday celebration, which was organized by a friend. As noted, the food had broad appeal and was well-executed, but the consistent service missteps, from having to continually correct that we had sparkling water, not tap, and debating with the server what another guest at my table had ordered, were tiresome. The interior is a clean and minimalist decoration that feels as if a cool breeze was made into an interior design. Mostly white, with light woods, the design makes the smaller, Greenwich village space feel a little more open. Once we arrived, we were quickly seated without a wait (though we had a reservation) and our meal began. We ordered sparkling water which, overtime, lead to an increased stress level at the table answer had to continually defend our glasses against the zealous tap water refills. I'd suggest some method of distinguishing between tap and sparkling water for the benefit of the servers and runners attempting refills. Otherwise, the attention backfires into being annoying. In addition to the waters, the selection of cocktails were tasty, with the campsite being the most notably. Served table side with a decanter of smoke, the apple, bourbon, and rose flavors were a terrific flavor combination with a fun, easy presentation at the table with the smoke. The food met all expectations. The Amish Chicken is a solid chicken dish that did not need to rely on its condiment (mustard in this instance) to overcome dryness. For those seeking a traditional chicken dish, the Amish Chicken will do the trick. The Honeynut Squash was a pleasant, filling surprise with a sweetness juxtaposed against the texture and saltiness of the pepitas (basically giant, south american sunflower seeds) and shallots. The macerated Brussels sprouts were a stand out side. While we also received the broccoli tortellini (which was fairly standard as far as pasta dishes go; you're not missing anything if you don't experience the pasta here), which was another service issue. When we mentioned that one of our guests ordered the venison, not the tortellini, a debate started about who remembered what who ordered. I understand from a restaurant perspective that you can't have persnickety guests changing their orders when they determine they don't want/like something once it comes out (which seemed to be the implication here), but sometimes admitting a mistake makes more sense (especially when it is a legitimate mistake). We ended up receiving a venison order at the end of the meal, and I understand we were charged for both the tortellini and the venison (it was my birthday, so I wasn't paying...). At a bare minimum given the circumstances, just charge for the venison (the more expensive of the two) and the memory of the negative aspects of the experience won't be so strong. The dessert menu clearly lacks a pastry chef and relies strongly on panna cotta, churros, and chocolate. Regardless, the churros were an easily approachable and casual finish to the dinner. Villanelle appears to have a reasonably priced tasting menu ($80) that I might opt for next time to avoid any service confusion. It also may be more cost effective to go that route for both the consumer and restaurant (which makes me wonder why they don't just commit to a tasting menu only/primarily). Ultimately, Villanelle walks that very fine line of being a functional restaurant, but I think makes enough missteps that it could be hard to significantly differentiate itself. I'm in the area enough I'll almost certainly try it again and I look forward to what changes to my opinion that experience will bring.

Food was really boring. Server recommended the beet tartare. It was a stereotypical beets with goat cheese and dill. Plated in a perfect circle but the dill wasn't cut so when we tried to take a bite a large, long piece of dill would come with it. On top of that our server was very strange. When he would come to the table he would only look at my male friend for the order. The backwaiter told the server we had a question and he immediately looked at my friend closely and asked him what the question was. Is it possible that a woman could be thinking and have a question to ask? It's not the 1950s anymore. Very off putting service.

I've come to Villanelle a few times now since it opened, the first time on a recommendation while looking for somewhere to eat to celebrate a special occasion. Villanelle promises vegetable forward fare and it definitely delivers. Service is beyond fantastic. Everyone is incredibly helpful, attentive, professional, and friendly. The food itself is delicious. I've had two different versions of the Thai snapper (on different days, both were great!), the crisp octopus, the black bass, brussels sprouts with no cheese, and the beef. Everything was great to the point where it is hard to choose favorites. The octopus is one of the best octopus dishes I've ever tried, and the beef was unbelievably delicious. And now, the important part: the wine list. The bottle list was amazing and contained some great gems. The by the glass list was small, but very thoughtful. The atmosphere is classy and beautiful. This restaurant is great for dates and special occasions. Yes, the prices are high, but the food really is fantastic and the experience of dining here is definitely worth it. Villanelle is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Highly, highly recommended. I will be back again and again, for more food and for some bottles of wine.

Small delectable portions with a delightful seasonal menu, which I would absolutely recommend to anyone!!!

Fresh review off the dinner tonight at Villanelle! It is a resounding "wow"! Food offerings are creative, veggie-centric and of course, yummy! Wine by the glass are short listed, yet well curated with some interesting biodynamic options like a Hungary-born Furmint. Everything on the menu look quite appetizing and we picked out what we wanted without much effort. My favorite tonight is definitely the sunchoke four ways - : sunchoke puree , braised heart of sunchoke, crispy sunchoke skin and sunchoke infused trout roes, on a bed of creme fraiche . It is heavenly , even tho I don't usually like sunchokes! The seasoning and ingredients, while having very different characteristic, orchestra seamlessly, delivering a salty sweet symphony. The bright orange, Pearl-like trout roe is the cusp of all these elements, leading to the climax of the performance. Take a forkful of a little bit of everything and let the roe burst in your mouth, blend with the creamy savory symphony. Fireworks! Pairing it with a Riesling cousin from Hungary - furmint sec, works like a charm. Also enjoyed very much the raw brussel spouts with cheddar, rye and cashew. The savory, mildly pungent cheddar contrasts well with the nutty sweet sprouts. It is beautifully plated - spring time in a bowl :) Main we are sharing the crispy octopus - boiled then flash fried. Juicy tender inside and crispy outside. The accompany, soft and creamy-ish palm and potatoes adding additional layer of texture. An interesting twist of the regular preparation of octopus. Yum! Service is good considering the restaurant is new and is a busy Friday night. The bar area where we seated, are beautiful, good vibe and high energy. All in all, we have a good time and will def come back for more of those magical sunchokes. The words are out now and this place is already a hot spot. So make your resy now!

Service, wine, cocktails, and the fooooood were amazing! We made the right choice by ordering half the menu and will definitely be back for the other half. PS: Hands down best Octo I've ever had!

Cute little place with delicious food Food: Shishito peppers - good Octopus - delicious Risotto with shrimp - delicious Brussel sprouts - very good Sweet corn - delicious Torrija dessert - must get this

For a very small restaurant it's amazingly loud, but we could hear each other without too much work. The food was lovely. The Fluke Crudo was delicate with a very strong lemon flavor, and very pretty. The House Ricotta was the heaviest dish we had and had a terrific flavor, but needed bread. We ordered the focaccia for $7, which was a perfect with the cheese but makes for a fairly expensive way of eating. The Fettucine with crab and black sesame seeds was probably the weakest link, but was fine. The New Zealand Red Deer Loin was fantastic but the charred broccoli that accompanied it was a bit salty. At $40 for the dish it really needed some type of potato to a company it. All in all the restaurant feels like a special meal but dinner for two without dessert and with only two glasses of wine costs almost $200.

Went here on a double date and absolutely loved my meal. Shared the following with my husband: -Brussels sprouts -squash -cod -octopus -torrija dessert Everything was amazing and highly recommend it all! Will definitely be back!

Enjoyed dinner here last night. I was so impressed with everything from start to finish. Amazing food. Gorgeous atmosphere, but still casual...the perfect balance. Wait staff was knowledgeable and had great answers to our questions. If you're looking for a place to impress a date -- this is it.

So, this place is very nice. Takes customer service to the next level. It is an experience! The intimate setting yet vibrancy makes dining here a relaxing and fun time. The menu is very diverse and let me tell you, the food is so so delicious and proportioned perfectly. I highly recommend it. You will not regret it.

I ordered the burger during the restaurant week (to go). The burger was so juicy and just right. I'll def order again soon!!

Really good meal here. Everything was super fresh, tasty and healthy. Particularly enjoyed the Bolognese

Victor was our waiter. He got us in and out in our small time frame stipulated. Lunch was GRAND. Risotto so fluffy and full of chanterelles. My husband had the bolognese. Exquisite! Come here. You won't be disappointed.

Had a private party at this gem of a restaurant. Delicious food, great service, fantastic wines (Syrah particularly) but more importantly super inventive chef. The Brussels sprouts app (shredded leaves and chopped hearts with nuts and cheese) was off the charts as was the lamb dinner (a mix of loin and belly) that was tender and full of flavor. This is a hidden gem that you will thank yourself for discovering.