Amaranth Restaurant Reviews

This place is just awesome, love their menu (the cold lentil salad and the steak tartare), the atmosphere is perfect: a local hang out with great food and good service; prices are reasonable for New York standards, specially this neighborhood. We keep coming back, time after time. BTW, was the family's New Year's choice.

great european bistro i the the upper east side. food is way above average and always a good crowd. also serves on the late side.

My mom and I came for dinner on an overnight in the city. This is a little gem on the Upper East Side. We shared a lasagna special that was prepared perfectly and a veal dish with olives, tomatoes and a delicious sauce. I really liked that they had half bottles of wine to choose from. The tiramisu was a perfect way to end the evening.

tried this place a few weeks ago with the wife and the service was fantastic. the food was delicious and the atmosphere and location were great

Good Italian option in th UES area. Fair prices for that area of the city. Maybe staff could be nicer. They are not ugly, but neither the most charming people.

Visit this restaurant if you have lots of days to be in the city. The servers are nice, the drinks are good, the food is well prepared and the options are the usual pairings- salmon & asparagus, steak and potatoes, pasta and carbonara white sauce, etc. It's a straight forward, get what you've ordered restaurant. If you want something trendy, interesting, unique, exceptional you'll want to ask your concierge for another place. They do make a smooth Vesper Martini (although the server didn't know what it was and insisted I order a cosmo. Obviously I didn't, and the bartender knocked it out of the park.)

Amaranth visible off Madison on 62nd St. is an excellent option for a spaced outdoor lunch. The summer breeze coming off of Central Park with the sunshine beyond the reach of the shady umbrellas Amaranth enhances the delicious menu here. My wife and I enjoyed grilled squid, lobster salad & Nantucket sea scallops. Their main course salads sampled on an earlier visit , are light & summery yet filling. Ahh, the pleasures of summer in NYC !!

Stopped by for lunch, party of two. Hostess seated us at a front table immediately. Our meals were light and fresh - and we did not feel rushed. Ivanka Trump and a friend were at an adjacent table. Enjoyed the visit and would return.

Great food. Nice atmosphere. Away from busy road. Good service. I'd recommend. I came for lunch after shopping. Great for lunch brunch or dinner.

It's has a very nice ambiance and service. The food fantastic, we had the eggplant, the scallops, the risotto and the sirloin, and our friends and us, enjoyed it very much.

If you want a buzzy New York scene - this is a place to visit. The food is good - somewhat pricey for the portions - but the menu has good selections. Only it is way too noisy - you really have to shout to have a conversation. Some people may like this but we felt that we wanted to visit with our friends at dinner and not being able to communicate was a problem. Service was okay.

I try a good size lobster salad, radicchio and endives gave a special taste. Main course was a very well prepared salmon with asparagus. Cristy on the outside and medium done inside,...perfect combination. Both dishes fully recommended!

Good upper east side place, good food, quite expensive, reasonably good crowd but oh boy, don't stay past 10pm! We were having a lovely dinner with dear friends and by 10 pm it was perfectly clear it was time to leave - on a freezing cold Friday night they opened the door, cleared all the tables and made it very clear that they were closed! Round the corner at Nello's it was still full Friday night throttle! Go early and be in bed by 10 or don't bother. - they were rude and I won't bother going again.......

round the corner from the rather outrageously priced Nello, this is a great location and for great food, perhaps with service just a little below par (perhaps unless you are a regular).

The location is the best in NY. The food is very good, beautiful people, very busy and noise. But is THE place to go in NY

I found the service to be very attentive. Everyone was very pleasant and professional. I especially love the cosy atmosphere of the place. I have dined there twice so fare and enjoyed both occasions very much. It is a real treat. Unlike some of the comments below I did not find it noisy or snotty. It is a wonderful neighborhood spot.

Met my expectations, Service was good, everything tasted right . The prices were very reasonable. Had a nice time

My wife and family go to Amaranth whenever we are in NYC. It is particularly pleasant when the weather is nice and it is transformed into a European bistro. The food is excellent as is the service. The tables are sufficiently apart and the noise level is reasonable to permit comfortable conversation. Our favorites are the calamari and zucchini appetizer, salmon entree as well as the stracchetti (ultra thinly pounded beef). For NYC it is a good value as well.

Great lunch place. Have been at least half dozen times over many years. Branzino with sautéed spinach was superb, as was chicken paillard. Falanghina was excellent wine choice. Service fine. Attractive room, busy with a great buzz. Expensive, though reasonable considering quality of food & location.

Great salads very good fresh fish & meat dishes classy surrounding open seven days a week from noon to midnight always busy

Just enjoyed another superb lunch at Amaranth. I had cold poached Salmon and my guests a delicious Halibut. The service is quite good and the atmosphere is casual chic. I have been coming here for years and the quality continues to be top notch. During Spring and Summer there is outdoor seating on a very attractive Upper East Side of Manhattan street. I would like to end this with a plug for a delicious dessert -- a scrumptious Napoleon with seasonal berries. We shared.

After reading the reviews I was in a quandry. Locals give it high marks. The food was great. Service very attentive.They did not rush or crowd us and the overall experience was fantastic.

It was an unplanned visit, no reviews or recommendation. we were taken for a surprise. Great ambience, service and yummy food.

Food was great! I have tried several restaurants near this area when I stayed here for business travel for a week. I ended up eating here in the last few days. I liked the ambiance and also the service here. Lots of people during lunch time so you may need to come early.

We came here on our last visit to New York , so again this June we made a booking . Really surprisingly excellent food , remember a more than perfect fettucine with wild mushrooms, delightful desserts ,the feeling here is that you have joined some sort of ongoing party , it has atmosphere in spades, yes it may well be a haunt of the local east side posh of new York -well good they can afford anywhere but come here because its exceptional -. the service is on the ball as well.

My second visit did not disappoint! We chose to sit outside and had wonderful time- perfect weather and nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and Focaccia Robiola and a delicious arugula salad.

I like Amaranth very much. It is a quite simple place with honest food and reasonable prices. Lunch time there is always full with nice people. It is my favorite for lunch when I am in town.

A pleasant place, good service, nice salads and other possibilities - we were in search of just that plus a break from shopping and Amaranth hit the spot. We are not locals but spend quite a bit of time in the area and will certainly return to this restaurant when we want a reasonable bite well served. Dishes are fresh but not overly creative, one could even say bland, but sometimes decent bland is just the thing for a restful lunch.

The is a small restaurant just off Madison Avenue that is know to all the locals in the area. The food is great, the service is always perfect, and the prices are very reasonable. Their soups are homemade and never with any fillers, their Dover sole is one of the best in the city and their pasta dishes never disappoint.

Had lunch in this classic upper east side restaurant. The food was excellent, the service attentive, but the restaurant was very noisy and the tables a little squeezed in. Difficult to hold a business conversation.

Amaranth is in my list of top favorites in NY, nice little place with great food, the focaccia is my #1, I totally recommend it.

Amaranth was recommended by a friend and it was an excellent idea. A small Italian restaurant at Upper Eastside. Unpretentious and authentic. Very fast service, delicious food. Especially the berries for dessert were fantastic. Value for price is appropriate.

We were walking up Madison and stumbled on this little gem. It had just opened for lunch and we thought "why not?" The service was great, the food was nice and it had a great neighborhood vibe. But please note: their specialty focaccia is absolutely amazing. I saw a very negative review here. Please disregard it. Amaranth is worth visiting if you are looking for a brief respite from walking, shopping, and gallery viewing.

Ate here at the recommendation of our hotel. Typical high priced food for the area. Saw a celebrity or two. Appears to be a go to place for people watching.

This place failed for the third time - never going back. Front of house incredibly cold and snooty. Last night our guest arrived on time before us to be told the reservation had been cancelled - we had not answered a confirmation phone call forty minutes before. Finally got a table, but then they added a twenty per cent gratuity on a huge bill - removing it was a joy!!

Had dinner with family and friends. Nothing (except for the focaccia) was good! Not the service, nor the food. Fish had a very strong smell and risotto was almost a soup! My husband’s pasta was very bad. Super expensive!! Will never visit again.

Have been frequenting Amaranth for many many years. It is my 'local" restaurant with a predominately faithfully-loyal neighborhood clientele whom I recognize year after year. Rare gift: consistency, professional service and attention. Also one of the most reasonably priced restaurants in the mid town East side area. It is loud, rambunctious, alive but warm and always friendly. Always, always make reservations.

Excellent atmosphere, attentive, courteous and very professional service. Actually able to have a conversation without being interrupted by overzealous waiters and / or extra loud music.

We almost ate at the restaurant around the corner, right on Madison, but I was dismayed by the attitude of the Maitre de there, and reviews online. As my partner, an ever aspiring foodie had eaten at Amaranth last year, after looking at their menu in person, I agreed to eat here. We were not disappointed. Be forewarned though, their online website is old and dated, and not mobile friendly. For starters, we had an arugula and prosciutto salad, and I had one with goat cheese. I had the 4 Cheese Raviolini and Butter Sage Pasta, however, my partner was mistakenly heard, and when a plate of Large juicy Prawns and Jasmine rice arrived, (it was on their special sheet) although it was not what he ordered, he chose to accept it as we didn't want to wait another 20 minutes. Both dishes were outstanding. The pasta melted in my mouth, and the Prawns were perfectly cooked and very meaty. Not a huge fan of Jasmine, but the sauce on the prawns covered that. Our server felt very badly for the mistake, and offered us both deserts of our choice. Very professional of her. What could we say, but accept! I had the Creme Caramel and my partner the Apple Tarte Tatin. Again Delicious. As the tables, in true Italian Bistro style are only 12" apart, I chatted briefly with the ladies next to me. They were New Yorkers, and said it was one of their favourite restaurants . It certainly was on the top 3 of the 5 we ate at while in NYC. Dinner, 2 cocktails, 2 glasses of wine, (no desert added) was about $190 US.

Well, not really a "private club", but it seems that way. The management and staff clearly welcome and cater to the neighbors, the "members", but why would you expect it to be any other way. If this was your local eating establishment, where you go regularly, wouldn't you expect to have some preference, whether in terms of the location of your table or the friendliness of the staff. One other important characteristic of this club (on a Monday evening with a 7:30 reservation) is that most of the men were wearing suits or sports coats and ties, and women were dressed accordingly. No one wearing a t-shirt or with a backward baseball cap is going to be admitted to this club (unlike, for example, Scalinatella). So we were shown to a table towards the back of the restaurant, next to a table of three, at least two of whom were locals (the tables are so close, you heard every word), but there was no one at the table for two on the other side of us until we were almost finished. It would not have been very pleasant with two tables conversing so close to us during the entire meal. You can request a table on the patio, or close thereto, but unless you're a member, or very good looking (or it's August), you're not going to get a table there. But, the food is really good, or I wouldn't bother writing this review. We started with the tuna tartare ($19), and my wife had the branzino ($34) and I had the mussels ($25). Everything was delicious. We both had well made and generous cocktails (martini and negroni, $14 & $13) and Pinot Grigio ($12) and Sancerre ($14). We thought the prices were reasonable for good quality food, generous portions, prepared very well. In our experience the service was professional and amiable. I had intended to order the focaccia robiola but the waiter pointed out that this was a very large dish, intended to serve at least 2 people. I was grateful for this advice and didn't order it because my wife didn't want to eat this. The tables are close together (more than "cozy"), and it is noisy when the restaurant is full. So, our tips for enhancing the experience is that you must understand that you are a visitor to a clubhouse, which has excellent food, and expects you to know your place and dress appropriately. This restaurant has tables that are uncomfortably close together (not unusual in this area of NYC), so it's best to eat early (7-7:30) before it's full and noisy. As another reviewer has noted, the restaurant does not accept children (probably some NYC law prohibits barring children, so it's not an official policy). It's not for everyone and there are a lot of other good choices in the neighborhood. But the food really is good. With all these caveats, would we return again? Well, if the timing was right, probably.

Five years ago, I swore I'd never return. Last year we went again as we were taken by "regulars". I absolutely hate the place.Waiters are "Euro-trash" version of the waiters at the Stage Deli. Tonight we went with friends who insisted. Tables are too close. Attitude of entire staff is horrible. Imagine sharing an appetizer salad and having it brought to one person and being told to share it yourself as the kitchen will not divide it. Salmon was fine as was risotto and lamb chops. We ran into old friends who stopped at our table on the way out. He said "you know, I hate this place and only come because it's a block away and the food's ok". We laughed. New York City, especially the Upper East-side has so many better choices. Why waste a dinner out on this?

The food, the wine list, the service, the look and the clientele. There is a good and honest balance between all the attributes.

We went here after a new store opening party and at least two other tables around us were people from the same event - which allowed us to all get to know each other, and in a far more docile setting than the madness of that event. The menu was easy to navigate around meat, dairy, shellfish, etc. for allergy avoidance. The service was friendly, though a little less attentive than I would have preferred. Everyone in the restaurant was very friendly and in the end we made several new friends and had a marvelous late night dining experience.

The restaurant is good, but not surprising. The service is good, the food is good and the price a little above the expected. A good option for lunch.

I like this restaurant a lot although it can be very noisy. The food & service usually consistently good. Particularly like the shrimps and artichoke salad.......

This is a great restaurant frequented by locals. The food is excellent. Try sitting by the window and watch people.

We have a good experience, the staff wasn't the best i think they can improve a little bit more. the food was good.

We had dinner with a friend and was impressed by the nice atmosphere. The wine list was very good and the dinner was very good also, except that the courses were not hot enough, meaning you could not delay eating them. I will be back with my wife in a couple of weeks when we visit NYC again.

Nice predictable old-stool mediterranean on the upper east side. Have eaten there a few times over the years and it has always been great. Good fish and pasta dishes.

We had a 5:30 reservation and were seated promptly. We had tickets to a 7:00 p.m. event in the neighborhood and asked to have our check by 6:30 p.m. We made our selection with our time constraints in mind and were served quickly, though we did not feel rushed by our waitstaff at any time. My dinner partner ordered lobster risotto, which was creamy and flavorful. I ordered cold salmon, served with a tomato dill salad. My meal was also excellent, light and fresh. The dining room is intimate and romantic. There is a small sidewalk seating area. I highly recommend Amaranth for its excellent food, attentive and professional service, and lovely romantic charm. Some reviewers suggest that Amaranth can be noisy. If you wish to avoid that, visit early on a weekday as we did. Reservations are essential.

After being seated, no one waited on me. There were three waiters standing directly three feet in front of me. I waited several minutes while the waiters continued to talk. After ten minutes I left. I went around the corner to another restaurant on Madison and received prompt attention.

Arrived unbooked but early and shown to a table ok. Ordered duck which was amazing other than it was cold so was returned. Second time around was fab and soo tasty with great smooth mash Lots of regulars here and they were obviously known and plenty of mink coats and surgery!!!! Desserts of molten Choco cake and tarte tatan were good also Service was forgettable and mediocre but would return as good was lovely

Shame on the NYT for printing a "passable" review of this dump within the past year. It's the biggest rip off in NYC. If you don't care about good food, want to be greeted by the snottiest owner/maitre'd in NY and don't want to be able to hear a thing your dining companions are saying because of unbearable noise levels Amaranth is the place for you. The only thing the Times got right was that it was full of old dowagers from the upper east side and they can have it!

We had lunch here whilst on holiday , it was a haven from the bustle of the heat and shops. The food was fresh and delicious, the service was attentive yet discrete. Very professional . We sat outside and the table was spacious and airy. After a few days in New York we had got used to the high restaurant prices which were a huge shock compared to London......, so our meal here was excellent value for money considering the great quality and service. Highly recommend it.

Loved the Eggplant app! Great wines, great pasta. Pricey, but that's because of location. Great service, great atmosphere, but small.

Cozy, intimate setting. Great people watching scene. We were there for lunch and each had a salad. Nice presentation but rather bland.

I had heard a lot about this restaurant but was blown away by the food. Hopefully other compatriots will enjoy this food which is close to home.

Lunch is my time to go - less expensive. Salads are fabulous, and so is the Tartare! Wait staff can be a bit off line...but smile and be persistent and it will work! Great people watching...

The food is always wonderful. Tonight the waiter basically thru our meal at us. Such a shame to leave a restaurant you really love so disenchanted. It will be a while before we return.

Lucky to get a table thanks to friends who used their influence to get us reservations on a rainy Saturday night and they squeezed us in, literally. Its a tight fit and the staff were constantly hefting chairs and tables around the place as they re-configured for groups coming and going. A buzzy Italian bistro feel to it, excellent, pricey food. An outstanding foccacia Robiola which was a meal in itself. I ordered steak tartare, described on the website as being "prepared right in front of you". It came pre-prepared, mainly because there was no room to do otherwise! Good range of predictable Italian wines, we chose the Feudi Falanghina from Campania and can highly recommend this complex, aromatic white from a top producer. All in all a very good experience and well worth another visit, maybe mid-week next time when it won't be quite so frenetic.

Love every single dish at this restaurant. For so many years I have been eating there. The staff is friendly, the service is great. Mostly the same crowd and not a touristy place really. Upper east siders.

We went to lunch at Amaranth. It was very busy, which probably accounts for the requirement that you have to spend at least $25 per person for lunch. All I wanted was a salad, but I had to order soup also to fulfill that requirement. Food was good, but not great.

First time we went to Amaranth it was by chance. What an experience! Superb food and beautiful New Yorkers all in one little place. It can get noisy and at peak hours there are lines waiting to come in. We enjoyed coming here and have repeated ever since. Not once have we been dissapointed by the menu choices. Service can be a bit hectic when the place is full, but hey, this is New York, right. Goof value for the money.

Great food and superb service. The atmosphere is very inviting - a must visit for any tourist or regular!

tried this couple weeks back with friends and the service was fantastic. food was delicious and can't go wrong with the atmosphere and location. perfect for a date night

The food was good, seared tuna in particular. However the tables are very close together and the hard surfaces meant the noise level was too high for us. Could do with more curtains, drapes or similar to absorb the noise and enable you to dine without overhearing every word from all the tables around you.

I very much enjoy this excellent restaurant very well located close to Central Park on the upper east side. The food is good and the service kindly and warm. It is surprisingly not a ridiculously priced. Restaurant given its location and Nelo close by is an absolute disgrace the difference between the two in every way is "Chalk and cheese" Many Manhattan locals frequent this restaurant and I a am not surprised why!

Friendly staff, clean place and tasty food!Can't ask for more. I have visited this restaurant a few times and aside from being a little pricey everything else is (almost) perfect: Friendly staff, clean place and tasty food! Can't ask for more.Highly recommended!!! Ideal for birthdays and other celebrations.

good service, great food and would love to visit again, not a bad place to visit sometime... food was delicious and the atmosphere and location were great.

With its outdoor seating and wonderful menu of French and Italian specialties, Amaranth is the perfect neighborhood joint to hang out with friends and family while people watching.

What a great place to eat! Don't leave without having tried the Focaccia Robiola! So yummie! Loved the ambience! Great customer service. Will go back in January!!

If you are looking for a very New York bistro with great food, service, and sophisticated people watching Amaranth is it.. The may have the best branzino in town! We are regulars, and recommend it to you.

This is a lovely local restaurant, busy and buzzy and has a good atmosphere. Unfortunately the food was not good on the Friday night when we visited recently and I can only say that having spent quite a bit of time in the Mediterranean, I have never tasted food so bland and dull as this when there. Naming a couple of ingredients and then mixing with large plate of plain pasta does not an Italian dish make. Disappointing.

I was there twice with my friends. Each time additionally to the regular menu they were proposing something extra. Focaccia is nice, risotto with crab is very nice too. Good recommendation of wine and drinks. It is small and quite cosy place, good for friends and couples. What is also great (for non NYC people) that you can meet people form the city and feel the NYC atmosphere.

We found this gem a number of years ago when our daughter lived in NYC and go back every time we are in New York. The food is basically French Bistro with their twist... and everything is great. The atmosphere is charming and despite the fact that it is right in the heart of a lot of shopping it seems to mainly be locals that go there.. so please don't tell too many people how great it is!!!

A place to go with the rich and famous especially during Sunday, I loved their pan seared Nantucket Sea Scallops & Croque Monsieur/Madame, truly amazing French food. Recommended.

I love the ambiance and the service in this restaurant. Its crowd is mainly nearby upper East siders. Staff recognizes if you are a frequent wich is a very nice greeting for a place in Manhattan!

We had a wonderful dinner and cocktails at Amaranth! Scallops,Mussels and a fab dessert too! Great and courteous staff!

Took 30 mins for two salads.... waitress was MIA.... the other waiters took over and did a great job Nicoise Salad was small but tasty.... added seared tuna... Desert was the highlight.... napoleon with berries

Our hotel doorman recommended this. It really felt like we were the only tourists in here. The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and the food was excellent. I had the straccetti and my wife had the rigatoncini. The only downside was the dessert. We split the apple torte, and while it was OK, it didn't live up to the rest of the meal. I would definitely eat here again.

Had a good time and food is tasty. Order took a while but overall nice experience. Would go again with my family.

I'll join the others in saying it has excellent food, superb people watching, and you pay a bit of a premium for that. I truly enjoy it, notwithstanding it will be somewhat noisy at peak hours. Regardless it's a New York experience, and you should try it at least once - if not regularly.

A very bustling little restaurant this is! Excellent service and great ambiance. Waiter brought our water, wine and appetizer right away. Focaccio pizza, I highly recommend this as a starter for the table to split - Delicious! Wonderful fish entres! The salmon and sea scallops are cooked perfectly and decoratively served with lightly seasoned vegis. Looking around this fine establishment one cannot help to notice all the women in this place. This place was packed yet I was the one of the only woman sitting with 2 handsome men ( my husband and his colleague) It must be the preferred place for girls day out. Ladies if you are going with a friend make sure you dress the part or be prepared for the femme fatal stink eye!

Food was very good and very classic. Service was very good as well. They have a nice wine menu as well. My only complaint was dessert. It was not up to the standards of everything else.

What a discovery! We spotted this small place while we were walking along Madison Avenue and luckily got a table for lunch even without reservation. It seemed like there were only locals there, elegant Upper East Side inhabitants, what a nice atmosphere! Service was very friendly and attentive, and they didn't let us feel like tourists. The food was just wonderful! The artichokes and avocado salad with parmigiano was comparable to what you get in the best restaurants of Rome, the crab-lobster cakes were delicious and the vegetables inside gave a nice taste to it, the wild King salmon with asparagus was just great. Very nice wines by the glass. It was a perfect lunch in a cosy atmosphere and we left the place happy and content, with the certain feeling that we do want to come back!

Really nice place to eat on the Upper East side, definately a local favorite...No tourists. The food was great, the service attentive. Not giving it five stars due to the high noise level and though we requested outdoor seating when making our reservation, we were immediately shown to the back of the restaurant with no acknowledgment or apology that our request could not be honored. Overall a very good experience and I would go back.

I like eating in this restaurant. Full of the locals that live in the area. Great dishes especially the veal. One has to leave room for the flourless chocolate. It is delicious. Fun for people having a birthday...waiters come with sparklers, blast the music to sing an upbeat melody of Happy Birthday.

Our eggplant 🍆 napoleon and penne bolognois with fresh Italian bread & hot black coffee made a lovely Sunday luncheon that we enjoyed dining in the open air. The hospitality & service could have been improved .. the management & staff were a bit indifferent but we had an acceptable meal

My wife and I had been here before and decided to stop in again. The service was excellent. We both had gazpacho which was cool , tasty and hit the spot. I had a special of the day which had tiger shrimp, fennel, apple and other goodies. It was excellently. My wife had halibut with tomatoes, capers and olives . Also very good. Not inexpensive but well worth it.

The best focaccia ever . Food and service were excellent especially Luka the manager Great Xmas atmosphere . Perfect for lunch break upper east

This is a small place so you may need to book if you are going at popular times. Staff are a bit brusque but the food is good and overall there is a nice atmosphere.We saw a couple of people we recognised with their bodyguards who also seemed to be enjoying their meal

Had been back to amaranth in years. We were seated at the terrace. Service was good Food was very nice. A definite stop when on the upper east side.

Great birthday celebration with great food , great waiter and great atmosphere. Never felt rushed and we were able to relax and enjoy good wine , delicious food and excellent desserts !

I'm a regular at this place; and go very frequently. Food is great but do keep in mind that this place gets very busy during the evenings, so service becomes slower then and the restaurant becomes quite loud - so if you rather enjoy a quiet meal in a less hectic environment then come for lunch. The shrimp curry is extraordinary and we usually share the focaccia or the lentil salad as an appetizer.

This is an amazing jewel in the middle of Manhattan. The menu has something for everyone. Snack or Big Meal. Drinks or just Coffee and Deserts. The best branzino in Manhattan. Veal Picatta is consistently Good. The Mille Feuille is the lightest and the freshest anywhere in the world. Casual visit or Birthday Celebration. Best Kitchen and friendly service in NY.

Had dinner with my family. The place had very good vibes without being pretentious. Service was on the spot very accommodating and efficient,Had the focaccia with spinach and robiola cheese for the table was good. Vitello tonnato excellent and the egg plant was good but I thought it would be hot but was served cold as an appetizer, I should have read the menu better. The place filled up very quickly we were there early but when we left was full and more. is a very popular placa with nice clientele.

Was catching up with my cousin who I hadn’t seen or talked for year and missed the lunch service at my hotel. So at 3pm walked into Amaranth to see if we could order a late lunch, with a smile we were seated and handed menus. This place serves Mediterranean cuisine with heavy Italian influence. This was probably my third or fourth visit to this restaurant so I already know it’s got good daily specials and today was no exception. I was cold so I ordered a bowl of pea soup and the Dover sole. The soup tasted of fresh garden-picked peas, a pinch of salt and nothing else. The sole was presented and then whisked away to be de-boned and served with grilled asparagus spears. Both were really yummy and furthered my belief that this place is consistently good.

Great place for casual dining and pleasant food. Quite extensive menu. Love the fried zucchini and shrimp starter. Tomato and olive starter is also always great.

Amaranth is a favorite restaurant of ours. Great food, great atmosphere, great location, nice but older crowd. Dover sole, Salmon, Halibut all excellent. Salad with avocado and artichoke is delicious. tuna tArtare is wonderful. New Years eve was a special treat. They didn't hit you up with ridiculous prix fixe menus like so many other restaurants do. Nicely decorated. DJ played wonderful music, age appropriate. A fun time was had by all.

This restaurant was recommended by our concierge for a dinner destination. It is nicely decorated, reasonably quiet for conversations and an easy walk from the Apple Store on 5th Avenue. The menu is creative and the food was nicely presented and delicious. Service was excellent. As the location is on a quiet street, it would be great to sit outside on a warm night. Price was reasonable. Strong recommendation.

No whining About ridiculous NYC prices. It comes with the territory. That being said I would like to believe that the cook actually cares about the quality. I had veal scallopini. With bland white rice on the side. F2f or all i knew it was Dr. BEN's. Nothing distinguished it. They were out of tiramasu for desserta How could you be out by 9 pm? Give me s break. One customer! It was his birthday so all the wait staff stopped what they were doing to serenade the client with sparklers and a song. I felt like I was atfAplplebees. Plus the owner was talking with one of his customers -with handcuffs on the table. What was that all about?

I was looking for a restaurant in the 60's to meet a friend for dinner, and had passed Amaranth many times and finally had an excuse to drop in. The place was bustling as usual even for a 7:00 reservation for three. Like many restaurants in NYC, Amaranth has expanded out into the side street, most likely doubling the number of seats pre-pandemic. We shared a Fritto Mediterraneo, which was excellent. Of the three main-courses; chicken paillard, mussels, and Risotto with vegetables, only the mussels was disappointing. When our wait staff, Mirabella (who was excellent) asked if were enjoying our meals, my husband was honest and fair. It appeared that the mussels had been sitting under a heat lamp too long and the top half of the mussels had dried out; however, the bottom haft and sauce were very good. Also, for a restaurant of this quality they served frozen French fries that you would expect from a diner. Mirabella, to her credit, was honest about the fries, saying their potato delivery came up short and this was all that was available and apologized for the mussels. We didn't ask for any compensation, but she took upon herself to speak to the manager and arranged to have our dessert plus another dessert comped. This is an indication of good management responding to a fair and honest review. Bravo. We will definitely make a return trip.

Such a great restaurant in a non-touristy part of the city. The food was outstanding and the restaurant had great character. Perfect for a date, girl's evening or friend's night out.

The East 60s neighborhood in NYC near Central Park is a surprisingly difficult area in which to find a restaurant where one can carry on a conversation. Hope springs eternal, however, and my latest venture was to book a table for three at Amaranth. Bad idea. I asked for the quietest possible table, to no purpose. My guests and I screamed at each other; I was able to grasp the content of perhaps 70% of what they were screaming at me. Amaranth is at present the sort of restaurant where if you order a birthday or other celebratory cake, out comes a cake accompanied by a giant sparkler and even more noise (there were four such celebrations while we were there) The food was OK and the wine list reasonable -- though the rims of the wine glasses had thick Libbey-like beads. The cloth tablecloth was covered with a paper protector on which the Amaranth name was printed. Silly me: I thought Amaranth was a restaurant; what it is, is a raucous bistro full of stentorian thirty-somethings out for a good time. Not a restaurant for grownups; best to avoid it. And my search for a useful restaurant in this neighborhood continues....

We were a party of 7 persons, originally 8. The maitre'd was very gracious, food was very good, service could have been a little better but they were busy for a Monday night. My guests enjoyed their dishes, seafood was fresh and they all looked lovely. I was just a bit disappointed in my dish as it was not the traditional paillard I am used to, however it was still good. Desserts were shared including the tiramisu and profiteroles that were absolutely delicious. It was an enjoyable evening and ambience was great. We had a couple bottles of wine, thank goodness one of my guests chose well.

We first came to NYC six years ago for CHristmas. That year we arrived late on the 25th and our hotel had stopped serving dinner in the dining room. While out walking our dog we found this restaurant and they were open! My stepson was awed by a couple celebrities and my husband and I really enjoyed the food. My husband and I now visit for a week or so at Christmas and always eat at least one dinner here. Last night we so enjoyed the food and the ambiance. A couple of lone diners were there as well as extended families and friends. The stafff was attentive to all. We both enjoyed our meals.

We had dinner one night. It was not totally booked so we made a last minute reservation. The food was solidly good and the service efficient. Not really special, but better than average for the neighborhood. It was within was walking distance of our hotel and was a good choice for our situation.

Found Amaranth by chance. Friendly service, and very good service. Loved the ciabatta and the special lamb.

Excellent food.. great flavour and great service. Very popular weekday lunch spot. definitely would go there again.

My wife and her friends enjoy this restaurant so much that they come here to celebrate her birthday every year. They love the ambiance, the food, and the service.

The restaurant was cozy and tables were close. Unfortunately, the table next to us was occupied by toddler age children and parents who didn't seem to care if others were disturbed. The food was good, not outstanding, and nothing memorable.

The seating and service was professional and efficient for us. The menu is quite extensive. We chose to share White asparagus with sauce and grated cheese which was superb. My Straccetti was again full of flavour as was my wife's soft shell crab. The wine list was adequate and the profiteroles strangely came with ice cream in the centre instead of custard or cream. It was not overly expensive and is well worth the visit.

I went here on a saturday night, it was really busy but the servers still made time to greet you and keep coming back. The food tasted amazing, the prices are a bit high but your in NY so thats a given. Great place to go out for food!

We were welcomed right away and seated. A bottle of pinot some appetisers (goat chese pie, artichokes) later had the halibut which the fish was perfectly cooked tender and delicious. Just enough capers, sauce and beans on side. The artichoke app is a must try, you will not regret it. Tried tiramisu and profiterol. Tiramusu was ok, prifiterol was made with ice cream, a little different not too great. Finished off with double shot of expresso which was pretty good. 4 adults our bill was 500 with tip

For lunch, my friend ordered the arrugula salad. It was a medium-size flat plate with a small handful of arrugula just out of the pouch and 7 transparent slivers of parmesan cheese. No dressing, she had to ask for it, and for the bread. My special salad of the day was a bit more generous, but with a bottle of water definitely not worth the 90USD. Service at the table was good, the Maître D clearly judgmental and giggling about new guests with his assistant. A waste of time and money with so many great places near Central Park.

I had family visiting from out of town, and since I regularly eat here I made reservations for our party which included 2 children (who are extremely well behaved and have grown up dining out so they know how to behave). I was appalled when we arrived, and after given our name we were completely ignored by the staff!!! They would not seat us; we were kept waiting for over 10 minutes even though there were available and open tables and again we had made a reservation. The maitre walked by us several times and would just mutter when asked that we had to continue to wait for our table -no apologies, or a smile was offered.. we were treated in the way very snobby French deal with what they consider people who are inferior. After being ignored for a long time, it was clear to our group that they did not want us in their restaurant because of the children (other people who arrived later and in larger groups who had no reservations were seated), so after being ignored some more we just left. I have eaten there before, the food is good but this sort of behavior is UNACCEPTABLE or the staff should just have the decency of telling customers that children are not welcome so no one looses their time

We stumbled upon Amaranth 3 years ago while shopping on the Upper East Side. Decided to do lunch. It was so good we went back for dinner a few days later. On each subsequent trip, we have done the same. The menu literally has something for everyone, the food is top-notch, the wait staff very friendly, and especially at dinner, it is packed with people who live in the neighborhood - always a very good sign. Great spot, fabulous location....always packed. Make a reservation if you want a specific time.

My wife and I enjoyed a superb weekend lunch. The ambiance is tasteful and relaxed. The service is professional and the food is delicious. I highly recommend this French Bistro. The branzzino and halibut are the best. Also, side order fries.

I highly recommend the good and great ambience. Should try at least once to experience the great atmosphere. The menu choices are very cast too.

I had not been for a while and a little disappointed. My salmon was bland and over cooked and it was half full on a weekend in October. Always used to be packed and more fun vibe. I'll try again though as maybe an off night.

Good food, a table full of friends, and Stevie Wonder's birthday song playing while waiters danced with sparklers makes for a great local place to celebrate a birthday. and if it is not your birthday, go for the food!!

Stopped by here with friends on a Sunday morning. We had eaten an early breakfast and were just looking for somewhere to chat and have cocktails. The restaurant was mostly empty when we arrived. We ordered our drinks but once we informed the waiter we were only ordering drinks their attitude definitely changed. The staff did not bother to hide their disapproval and we felt very unwelcome. The drinks were good and priced as expected for the city. Food looked delicious as well.

Great small restaurant for lunch or brunch. feels like best of NYC meets Italy. Not overly heavy, on an Eastside street with a few tables on the street. Lots of locals, Italians. felt like I was in Italy. but the best dish was crab cake, followed by a lobster salad. Atmosphere is the reason to go. Low key, good food.

I would go to this restaurant again and again! I went there with my wife and some friends. I could see that they were looking at me with an awe as I had chosen the restaurant!

We went for dinner to this bistro. Food was great and service even better. The atmosphere is very nice and it is very affordable for New York prices.

It is located between Madison and 5th. This restaurant is open for more than 15 years and it is a great spot to see beautiful people and taste the food that is excellent. You have to try the foccacia with robiola cheese.

Robert, the outstanding concierge at the Loews Regency recommended Amaranth for a delicious Italian restaurant. The bellini drinks, mozzarella and tomato salad and profiteroles were delicious. My wife and I enjoyed the lunch and plan on going back the next time we're in New York.

So many restaurants will wrongly serve you room temperature food that is supposed to be served hot. It's nice to run into this one which does not. The two soups of the day were Lentil and Onion. I chose the Lentil ($11) and thought that it was very good. My main course was the grilled Bronzino ($36) which was very flavorfully prepared, delicious, and served whole, as I requested, in order for it to be in front of me as hot as possible.

Went for a birthday dinner and loved it. Jovial, fun, good food. The staff made my friend feel special and seamlessly serviced a not so quiet take of 14. Lovely crowd of young-ins and more mature clientele. The food was superb. First time for dinner- Its always lovely for lunch.

tried this place a few weeks ago with the wife and the service was fantastic. the food was delicious and the atmosphere and location were great. a good place to bring a girl.

Excellent service, great food! love to visit again! Friendly staff, clean place and tasty food!Can't ask for more. I have visited this restaurant a few times and the service is excellent every time!

A upper Eastside of Manhattan gem. At lunch well heeled women are the primary patrons. They come in groups of 3 and 4 setting out to have a good lunch. The setting is informal. The food is top rate. Highly recommend the halibut but omelettes and fries are scrumptious. And if you have room try one of their delicious desserts.

We walked in to the restaurant to be greeted by the back side of one of the owners busily texting and ignoring the door. We were finally seated and ordered an aperitif. While discussing the menu with the server he suggested we try the Lobster risotto which we did. When it finally arrived it was not inspiring in its appearance and upon tasting my worst fears were realized. It tasted like tomato soup with rice thrown in to it and the lobster was inedible as it was so over cooked and rubbery. The waiter asked how it was and when informed he offered to replace it which he did... with a Lobster Salad. We had specifically mentioned that the lobster was tough and he assured us that the ones for the salad were freshly poached. Unfortunately my idea of fresh and his are off by a couple of days as this one too was inedible. The waiter disappeared not to be seen again. We flagged down the owner when he finally looked up from his texting requested our check, paid and left. Don't bother.

Had a good time and food is nice. Waitress is nice and felt relaxed. order took a while but overall nice experiance. Would go another time if I am in neighbourhood

Amaranth is one of those upper east side society-type Italian restaurants that caters to the very wealthy or expense account clientele that lives in the neighborhood or is staying at one of the nearby hotels. The noise level makes normal conversation difficult, and, when they turn the music on for a birthday celebration, you might as well put that thought on hold until you are actually able to think. Service can be spotty. Our drink order was taken promptly and brought promptly, but, after that, we had to get the host in order to place our order (and the host took the order), and never saw our waiter again until he brought our check. Food was fine, nothing special or out of the ordinary. People watching was the best part -- a table from the music business was right next to us (with a bold faced name), and there were others that looked to be from the upper end of NYC society.

Table for 7 persons was really for a maximum of 5. Food was average, as well as service. Too many tables for the space.

Stylish restaurant just off Madison Avenue. Good atmosphere although spoiled by a table of loud young ladies who had obviously too many pre-dinner drinks! My wife had a very good dish of linguine. My plate of fruits de mer although beautifully presented was slightly over-cooked. Good and attentive service, Pricey but this New York!

Décor is nothing special, but what a great dining experience! The service was absolutely outstanding, and my food was beautifully cooked and presented. Has a “local” feel to it, and this all adds up to a top-notch dining experience :) With so many wonderful restaurants in in NYC, I rarely return to a restaurant, BUT I will be back to Amaranth when I’m in the neighborhood.

It's easy to forget about this restaurant that has been around for ages because of its quiet side street location. But then again that's good because it keeps the masses away that trend toward the more flashy restaurants along the Madison Avenue corridor. I've eaten here many times during the evening, but it had been a couple of years when my friend and I decided to stop in for lunch this past Saturday. It was a beautiful spring day, but still a little chilly so we opted to sit indoors instead of at the front at one of the outside tables. We started out with the grilled octopus salad and the frito misto. We should have just ordered one appetizer as they were generous portions. My friend had the soft shell crab special, which he said was very good. I had the shrimp curry with cous cous, which hit the spot. We shared the profiteroles for dessert, which we really didn't need as we were so full. The help was very good and was very attentive. It can get very loud inside, but it's fun. A very high energy place, you feel like you are in Europe.

We wandered into Amaranth on a Monday night just after we arrived in NYC. It was crowded, but we managed to get a table and have a late supper. The food was lovely, innovative, and delicious. We enjoyed being in a neighborhood restaurant that seemed to be frequented by locals. It was a nice welcome to the City.

Good indeed very well located nice restaurant and terrace. I go on each visit to NYC and always enjoy the quality of the service and food. It is close to Nello which is no good at all and much more expensive. For lunch it is one of my favorite New York restaurants and I can highly recommend it. Everything I have ordered has always been very good indeed.

Very well location, very good food, italian touch ! Mussels,delicious foccacia, excellent steak and a good value for the money !

luckily we happened to go into this restaurant when we were lingering in upper east side. the food and wine are great. from a Taipei resident perspective, I strongly recommend it.

Super-fun, always bustling. Wealthy and wonderful neighborhood clientele. We came back to the city today after a year away. WOW was it expensive. I mean, it was never cheap, but this is absurd.

Every experience here is better than the previous one. The quality of the food and the excellent service contribute to a wonderful dining experience.

Fish was delicious. Outdoor seating was enjoyable. Staff can be snooty, so if you want good service you must dress the part! The upper East Side customers have been face-lifted and tucked. Not a scene for the weary!

If you're looking for a great place with good food where the locals eat, this it. Small tables are squeezed together but the food and service were excellent. I had the lentil vinagrette salad and seared scallops. It was perfectly cooked. My husband had pasta bolongnese and said it was very good. The desserts were also fresh and very good. An enjoyable evening meal with friends.

Food is so delicious. we went there with friends and we really liked the ambiance and food. Customer service is so wonderful.we went there with friends and we really liked the ambiance and food. Customer service is so wonderful.we went there with friends and we really liked the ambiance and food. Customer service is so wonderful.

This restaurant is awful! It is in need of a major redo! It is so shabby the only way to describe it is as sad! The service is merely adequate. No one comes to the table to see if you need anything or if you are enjoying. The prices are a joke even for New York City! Eight dollars for a Diet Coke!!! Minimum per person is $35! Nothing on the menu is worth it! One dish was so bad we sent it back. I have lived in the city all my life I don’t ever remember a more awful meal. It seems to be a restaurant for the bridge and tunnel set that want to say they ate on Madison Avenue.. It seems to be quite busy at lunchtime and I cannot for the life of me figure out why.

What was once a good neighborhood restaurant is now someplace to avoid. Our waiter was condescending and rude and seemed not to realize that we could see the faces he was making I the mirrors. Let a table of 5 order a bottle of wine that he had no other bottles of and when we asked for a second, tried to push us to a significantly higher price point. Food was barely mediocre and an Italian restaurant ran out of biscotti! Skip it.

The service was really good and also was the food, but the place looks a little bit old. Anyway all we ordered was delicious and is really well located just next to the Madison Avenue.

I visited amaranth many years ago and returned last week to find it was still as good as ever. It's a restaurant with a fantastic buzz and beautiful decor. I had the baby chicken in a mustard sauce with fluffy creamy mash. It was delicious! My girlfriend had a very tasty pasta bolognese and we shared a scrumptious tarte tatin. My only word of caution is that it is pricey but as a one off experience or treat, it's worth it! Whenever I'm back in NYC, I'll be back in amaranth.

Nice, cosy, great food and service. When I had lunch there it had too many women tables, it was like a place to meet your girlfriends, so it was quite noisy inside. Women talk!

My husband and I booked this restaurant in advance for a family celebration for 5 people. We had been there before and felt it would be good due to it's great location and "typical New York upper eastside look". The table was very very small and cramped. It was also at the very back of the restaurant near the entry to the kitchen. The host who has been there for over a decade was obviously charming with patrons he knew and uninterested by anyone else. We had ordered a birthday cake in advance and had to remind them repeatedly before it finally came. The food was fine. The problem is that there is a snobbishness that you feel with absolutely nothing to warrant it. We have put up with it in the past and now we will skip Amaranth for good. There are other nice "upper east side restaurants!"

I went there after reading good reviews and was really amazed by the food taste and quality. I had the eggplant napoleon and it was tasty and perfectly cooked. Then I had the halibut which was light and flavourful. Dessert was equally fantastic : profiterolres that melted in your mouth. I highly recommend it. Worth time price.

We discovered Amaranth last year and were eager to return during our recent trip. Fabulous! Loved it so much (again...) that during our 4-day stay we visited for both lunch and dinner. As per last year, we ate here on Sunday evening, which is an lovely way to end up our stay. Menu excellent - difficult to decide what to order. Prices very reasonable, and service terrific. Amaranth is filled with locals, so best to make reservations - even for lunch. If you arrive for lunch before 12:30, chances are no wait, but beyond that, it is full. Very chic and yet very friendly - lovely combination.

A keeper for beautiful and tasty food, fine service, cosy ambiance. Pricey, but it's New York. It's the alcohol that drives up your bill in these restaurants so be advised. Had a lovely zucchini carpaccio and bread with a drink.

Chance find as a respite from shopping and they squeezed us In amongst the locals and the Christmas parties...just! Really nice staff and a good menu. Excellent bottle of Sancerre hit the spot with some good pasta and prawns. Lovely atmosphere and very pretty restaurant. Definitely recommend.

We stopped by the outdoor patio for drinks this past weekend and had to go inside the restaurant to hunt down somebody to wait on us - this was after being seated by the maitre'd. We sat for 15 minutes and finally had to go look for a server. After we found somebody it was fine.

went there by chance, public was on average 70 and over, all well integrated in the local tissue. but nothing to watch. food was ok but not to European standards. service very good. nice wine list.

Friends who have been before wanted me to share in their previous lovely experience but alas it was not to be. We had reservations albeit slightly early but my gosh the entire staff was surly very brusque with any questions we had about the menu items or when ordering several Bellini's. It is in a great neighborhood and lots of locals were welcomed while we waited for our service/food. It is a very small and cozy place and could have been a wonderful time but it was as though we were imposing on them. The food was good but so overshadowed by their attitudes and surly behavior.

This fine restaurant is across the street from the club in which we often stay while in NYC. It is very trendy and the food is good. The service the last two times I visited is better than it has been in the past (which was not bad but not memorable). Tables are a little too crowded for my taste.

very crowded place and very noisy but nice atmosphere and good food- focaccia is great and also the fish- Branzino-is very nice

One of our favorite New York restaurants We have been enjoying this fun place for over ten years The food is consistently good and the service great Reservations are always kept and the tables are waiting Birthdays and other celebrations are great Not to be missed

Beautiful ambiance, fabulous flavors, lovely staff. A perfect spot for lunch with friends. Super location if on a shopping excursion on Madison Ave!