l'Avenue at Saks Reviews

Walked in to have drinks and were quickly greeted by 2 very rude hostesses. We were informed that we could only stay till 3:30. Completely understandable since they were having a private party. However… It’s not what you say, it is how you say it. We were then seated in the middle of the bar area when clearly there were cozier seating areas available. We were offered a drink menu which only offered champagne and wines. Many other drinks available. We are at locals who come in to Manhattan often. We had never been into this bar and thought to give it a try since we were right across looking at the tree. Very disappointing!

L’Avenue is a great place to have a meal. I went recently and really enjoyed their smoked salmon. Le Chalet, the bar downstairs, is a cozy place to have a cocktail and I’m planning to bring out of town guests there soon. Both floors are comfortable and well decorated.

We are fans of easy department store dining. Casual lunches, mid shopping, can prove to be lovely. We have found service can be very good and menu offerings appealing. (Yes, Wolf Nordstroms, we are referring to you!) L’Avenue at Saks was our recent venture. This pretty room at the top of Saks has interesting menu options. Typical lunch salad offerings are replaced with escargots, tuna carpaccio, curry (well, you get the idea). The smoked salmon plate was truly good, thick cut, excellent quality salmon was served with blinis and creme fraiche. This was NOT (in a good way) your Sunday morning bagel shop lox/nova. The service, while pleasant, was a bit inattentive and clunky. This is a nice spot for a ladies lunch or solo dining while shopping.

I had the sliced avocado to start and the vegan tofu curry as a main entree. Both were absolutely delicious, and portion sizes were on the larger side. I was getting full so didn't even come close to finishing my entree, but wanted to save room for dessert. My husband and I split the costes crackers cheesecake and the vacherin infiniment citron. Totally worth it! Our server and attendants were lovely, and they timed arrival of our dishes exceptionally well... I'm not picky about many things when dining out but it kind of peeves me when, at a fine-dining restaurant, they bring the food and clear the tables super fast so you feel like you're being rushed out. This was not the case here which I very much appreciated. The decor is beautiful and the people watching is also fun. Definitely check out the restrooms when you are there~ absolutely stunning!! On a final note, I read reviews before we went for dinner on Nov. 15, 2019. I was a little hesitant to keep our reservation considering the extreme negativity of some posters. I'm so glad I didn't believe them. After patronizing the restaurant, I think those reviewers might have either had drastically different experiences and/or are just contrarian types. If you AREN'T prone to complaining about everything, I can't imagine you wouldn't find this dining room marvelous.

This was a bit hyped up. While the miso salmon was good - the rest was at best average. Tuna tartare had no flavor and the Rasberry macron made me a little I’ll after. The atmosphere could be anywhere. I was disappointed as the place was hyped up and I certainly throughly it would be better than it was.

Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at L’Avenue. Decor is very appealing and the vibe is perfect. We ordered a lot of appetizers and fewer entrees- the dumplings were delicious. The salmon entree was superb. For dessert we had the fruit plate and it was beautifully presented and very refreshing. Great place.

A wonderful place for lunch right in Saks 5th Avenue. The service, ambience, food and wine list are top notch. It’s quiet, beautiful & comfortable to meet. The lobster dish as well as the tuna was fantastic. Definitely worth the price. Don’t miss dining here.

I had a dinner with friends, this is my third time at this restaurant. The service was fantastic, ( as always!) the atmosphere is very pleasant and creates a great experience. Meal quality is ok, it is not bad, but from French chef you would expect more. Chicken breast is not my favorite, grilled vegetables appetizer could be more flavorful. I will come again, just hope they adjust their menu by season. I insist to choose that restaurant when my friends were deciding where do we go, I felt slightly disappointed of quality our meals . The best part was dessert “ La Pavlova “ is delicious and presentation was beautiful.

We came to New York from the UK to celebrate my 65th birthday and this place put the icing on the cake ....from entering to leaving the Staff make you feel special ....the General Mangers knowledge and professionalism and charm made the whole experience magical ....The food was outstanding and it totally blew me away ...thank you to all ...would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting New York and Saks ...

A Saks employee mentioned to us about l'Avenue. The atmosphere, the food, drinks, dessert and service were absolutely wonderful. We were so impressed that we came back a second time. I can hardly wait to come back to NYC and stop in!

We had lunch at L’Avenue on Labor Day and enjoyed so much we want back for dinner. The service was exceptional and the food was delicious.

The formidable atmosphere. Very correct service. The prices, like everything in the city. The burrata with eggplant is very delicious. The steak tartare, AMAZING! Lemonade is unforgivable. House seal.

Impossible to get a waitress to attend. Poor service through our Saks. Disappointing. Ate at the Plaza. They were happy to serve.

This is such a chic French / American place to go to after shopping or just to hide from Fifth avenue busy vibe... food is excellent, the decor stunning, very much a memorable location... highly recommend.

I can't speak for food service but if you want a great little hideaway place for a cocktail/beer and the view below of Rockefeller Center....with some nice nosh (olives & macadamia nuts), you will like this. Good service and worth staking out the seats by the window. Warm relaxing atmosphere.

I can see why this place may be considered pretentious or overpriced. But that was not or experience. Staff seems genuinely friendly and attentive. Wee did not want a full lunch so we sat by a window with magnificent views and had soup. All very good - reasonable and memorable. I would return - but perhaps not for anything more than a light meal or refreshment.

This is one expensive restaurant but I'm glad I came here once to try it. No need to come back as the prices are outrageous. You can get a fantastic BLT for $26. Ask for a table in the back. The bathroom could be voted as one of the NICEST BATHROOMS IN NYC!!

From the beginning to the end, this p’ace is really enjoyable… Ideally located in the heart of Midtown, the p’ace has been tastefully designed by Philippe Stark in a warm and chic spirit… Chairs and tables are noce and confortable… The service is friendly and very attentive ti the clients… The food is just excellent… all very tasty and dresses in an impeccable settings. Good cocktail as well at the bar. Definitely a place to go and enjoy with family and friends… even convenient for business … Wish you every success and to keep it at the same level of quality 👍🏻 Highly recommended.

I used to go to L’Avenue during my Paris years and was exited about going down memory lane by having brunch there. Staff was very nice and pleasant but the food was terrible and so overpriced. I had the egg white omelette with spinach. It came with raw spinach on top and rancid eggs that made me ill for 48 hours. Even though I took just a bite out of my plate no one bothered to ask me if food is OK and was not comfortable sending plate back as I was with group of people that I had just met. Another guest at the table ordered a filet MR it came so well done not a sign of pink anywhere on the meat. Maybe this is a decent place for a coffee at best.

This restaurant is located on the 9th floor of the luxury Saks 5th Avenue store. With sophisticated decoration and good service, it is possible to eat while looking at the Rockfeler Center. good food

Always very good.... Ideally located and with an interesting new menu that deserves to be tasted in its entirety ... keep up the momentum! From almonds to be thrown in Ricky’s rank... it is fabulous and very effective 👍

It's always nice to eat at this place. First, it's one of the few places in NY where there is space! The restaurant is comfortable and the service is very good. This time we tried the Filet, the puree and the gyosas. Everything was very good. The bathrooms are always clean.

My first time here at L'Avenue and it did not disappoint! I had the butternut squash soup and green salad with hot tea! Beware though, they do charge $ 14 for a bottle of sparkling water that is hard to finish if you are solo. Bill was $ 50 which is great for NYC Also came with two smaller hard rolls and butter. The bathrooms are beautiful and private. The view (on the window side) was great of the Rock Tree. Will be back!

Many dining options to appeal to different types of people. You can eat at the bar, sit on the couch, formal dining or just sit at one of the high-top tables and enjoy the view.

Located in the flagship Saks Fifth Avenue store, this Philippe Starck-designed restaurant is beautiful, comfortable, and satisfying. We’ve read some reviews complaining about service, so perhaps management read those reviews, too, as our service was cheerful and spot on. And, it turns out the food was also excellent! The dining room is all browns and beige, for the most part. I know that the restaurant is supposed to evoke a Parisian eatery but both my husband and I felt like the decor was reminiscent of an old steamer ship, particularly the beige and gold fluted columns. There were also floor-to-ceiling glass display cases that contained various objects, like hats and vases and other stuff I’m not too sure about. The place was comfortable, with tables spaced nicely to give everyone room. We always love to see “mocktails” on a drink menu as hubby cannot drink alcohol and I sometimes don’t want to. They had some really refreshingly nice ones. The Shrimp d I’m Sum Dumplings were excellent, as was my Rigatoni Aux Morilles, which was earthy and the rigatoni was just the right al dente texture. Hubby loved his Tom Yam Chili Sea Bass. Dessert was truly interesting and outstanding — I had a vanilla tart called L’Infiniment Vanille which had at least three different kinds of vanilla in it. You wouldn’t think that you could discern different vanilla flavors in such a dessert, but you can and it’s delightful. Hubby had a milk chocolate sorbet sundae with passion fruit elements that I think I have to get next time. And there will definitely be a next time (or ten).

We entered through the restaurant entrance and not the store. The hostess there used the first name of the person who reserved to greet us. For an upscale place, this was not a good start. The wait staff is attentive but the service itself is not up to the reputation they want to have: the drinks came held individually, not on a tray; one of the side dishes did not have a serving spoon, and the food was not hot, just warm. The food is good but not worth the price. Wait staff moves awkwardly between tables with large trays, trying to avoid hitting diners in the head. When our main course dishes were taken away, the waiter stacked them carefully making sure the plates were symmetrical, the spoons together and so on while standing next to the table. Again, not acceptable at a place that wants to be upscale. The descriptions of the desserts are weirdly long and not that appetizing. The space is nicely done but very loud. As someone at the table said, L’Avenue at Saks has upscale prices but Olive Garden service. There are many better places where price, food and service come together to create a far better dining experience in New York City.

The environment is cozy and relaxing, giving the idea of a nice dinner. We ordered one chicken spring rolls which was very tasty, an organic chicken and one fillet mignon with bearnaisse sauce. Everything was really tasty, well cooked and smelled nice. Service was very kind and polite. My only notice was that I found the plates too common, for such a nice restaurant. I mean that a fillet mignon which costs about 46 dollars should be served on a nicer plate.

A great location, a nice atmosphere, a professional staff, a high-end cuisine made with quality ingredients, a good wine list ...

Despite being on top of a department store, the decor and ambience of the restaurant are quite lovely. That is about all this restaurant has to offer. The random assortment of dishes on the menu is extremely mediocre; food at the Smith tastes better. And the service is deplorable, the waitstaff is as incompetent as they are indifferent.

This is such a wonderful restaurant! It is elegant and roomy and beautifully decorated. The food and service are wonderful! The mushroom pasta is wonderful. This is my go to place in nyc!

Expectation greater than the reality. Very good looking place and nice menu and nice food and nice service...............but we were expecting so much more. We went with friends who go all the time so we were particularly well cared for..........Dale had the steak and it was outstanding. Everything else, high end fine.

Not sure what the buzz is about, but this restaurant was nothing special. We asked to be moved to another table because the chairs only had half backs and were very uncomfortable. We had the Extraordinary Snails for an appetizer and it was extraordinary that we could get them out of the shells. We had to break the shells into pieces to get at the snails. A first in my dining experience. Sea bass had lots of bones and was served with a bland sauce. Lobster salad was good with a decent amount of lobster. Cream Cheese Ice Cream Sundae was rich and delicious. Service was OK.

I had lunch last week at this restaurant . It is very beautiful inside , the service was good , but the food was nothing special and the bathroom was super dirty . Very disappointed to see this fancy restaurant with a dirty bathroom . Why are people so dirty ?

We love l'Avenue in Paris, so I was very excited to try the newly opened sister restaurant at Saks on my visit to NYC this past November. It's a chic spot to lunch and people watch and the food is excellent! A must when shopping at Saks or in midtown.

Ate at the bar on 5/1 lunch. Atmosphere is beautiful. There was an excellent barman who let me taste 2 white wines before choosing, very accommodating and professional. Bar mistress (I will call her the chubby one, so management reading this can figure out who it is) was “out to lunch”. She took my original order, but she was so busy spending time away from the bar (she came running back putting her phone down quickly) she missed cues, food coming out, mis directed runners, was busy talking to a man sweeping inside the bar so no one could get her attention. She was a disaster. For a place with this clientele (I’m a black Amex holder), reputation, prices and atmosphere and food quality—there should not be someone so unprofessional and inexperienced in a such a key position with guests. I’m a big supporter of women but in this case—lose her!

This relatively new eating place is on the 9th floor of Saks department store. The tables are well spaced and the lunch menu, while not overly long has lots of goodies. It is not inexpensive but a quiet and delicious place to unwind. Don't miss the cheesecake dessert. It's worth the calories. Reservations a must. However, you can sit at the bar ], if you can get a seat, without a res.

While in NYC, we went to L'Avenue twice. Once for lunch and again for dinner. The food, drinks and of course the cheesecake was wonderful!

We ate dinner here recently - the restaurant was maybe 25% occupied. We ordered two entrees and three sides. The waiter brought out one entrée and all three sides - then left our table without saying anything. So we waited. And waited. I do not eat while my dinner companion sits with no food. The waiter obviously expected us to just deal with it and eat separately. I tried to get the (useless) manager's attention: he was doing nothing - checking his phone - not helping anyone. After 5 minutes of waiting I asked a bus boy: where is our other entrée? The waiter returned and said the kitchen was plating the missing entrée. So we waited. It turns out the waiter was lying. 15 minutes later the missing entrée arrives. Then the waiter asks if he should take the first entree (now cold) and warm it up? So we would STILL be missing one entrée? I declined the silly offer and ate my cold dinner. What kind of kitchen sends out one entree and all the sides - and then sends out the second entree 15 minutes later? A cook who does this has no business cooking in New York City. A third-rate diner in Oklahoma can get out two entrees at the same time. Then the manager comped my glass of wine as compensation. Why? There was no problem with my glass of wine. When an entree is sent out 15 minutes after the rest of the meal, the price of that entree should be deleted from the bill. It was a rookie experience with a rookie, half-hearted gesture to compensate. I would never eat here again. Prices are very high which makes the experience even more annoying.

It’s hard to say enough good things about l’avenue. The room, the food and the service are all fantastic. It’s a great place to grab a drink and a snack, or better yet, sit down to a full meal and bask in the serene atmosphere. The Thai Chili Sea Bass and steak tartare were both excellent. Don’t miss out on the s’mores dessert. In a neighborhood full of expensive, overrated, crowded restaurants and bars L’avenue is the anything but. I suppose it’s a bit expensive but but given the exquisite atmosphere and professional yet super friendly and attentive staff it’s worth every penny. I’d come here for an after work drink, with friends, family or out of town guests.

I am a loyal customer of L’Avenue in Paris. For years we went with family friends for Sunday lunch. When I read that the restaurant had opened at Saks , I quickly made a reservation. Somehow I got in before the Resy reservations started and after it was difficult to reach anyone . That being said , I highly recommend a visit . The decor is beautiful and elegant. You enter through a separate entrance on 50th street. The reserved restaurant is on the ninth floor. There is a bar area on the eighth floor which is available for private functions. There will be lunch in the near future and the bar will be first come first served. I hope that is correct . The entry is light wood with a beautiful carpet, soft lighting and stained glass on one wall cleverly concealing the kitchen. You do not feel as though you are in Saks but instead a very chic , interesting space with curtains camouflaging any department store vibe. The entry is a little daunting with dining to the left and center, pastry bar to the left and bar etc downstairs. The decor is light wood with accents of art and lighting , truly elegant in the best of taste. The crowd is a big part of L’Avenue. Beautiful people and people they know are in the front so there is a buzz and quiet who’s who and those of us who may not be so obvious are towards the back. Don’t feel bad - in Paris you can end up upstairs! There are booths, free standing tables and banquettes. I prefer a booth or free standing table. The food and service were excellent . I want to really complement the manager on this. It is unusual for a new restaurant to get it right in the beginning so bravo to you. I had a salad with avocado, my friend had risotto with truffles . For a main course I enjoyed the sea bass in a red curry sauce. My husband had chicken and mashed potatoes. My friends husband had the veal chop and my friend had the Dover sole. Everyone was happy. The only negative comment was a little too much butter and salt on the Dover sole. I suggest you ask for it the way you enjoy it. We shared the cheese cake and the other specialty ( a chocolate ball that melts when chocolate is poured over it to reveal berries and sherbert). Really outstanding. The quality of the the chocolate is superb and yes I am a chocoholic. My one regret was not ordering the French fries! We were admiring them from afar. I want to make sure to compliment the waiter who was training someone as well. The service was excellent . At one point the servers were not absolutely sure of which meal went to whom but they were well trained enough to wait for the answer before approaching the table. Well done. I had the good fortune to meet the manager on the way out. I hope that you remember me since I probably won’t be able to get a table after my review! Seriously although I would never order the 3100 dollar bottle of wine ( don’t worry there are ones you can afford) I never mind paying for a delicious meal, great service and beautiful surroundings.

In search of a cocktail, I asked a young helper if there was such a place at Saks. She said 'Yes, I will take you there'. My wife and I were taken up in a lift to the top floor, walked through a heavily curtained passage into this beautifully laid out restaurant. We asked for a table at a window and were seated looking over many roof gardens. We had cocktails and really elegant and superb quality food. We noticed that other customers were elegantly dressed and coiffured.

This must be the best kept secret in NYC!! They provide the absolute best service! The Morel Mushroom Rigatoni is wonderful! The restaurant is elegant and roomy! It's a must every time I'm in town

If you happen to be shopping at Saks and want a bite to eat; try L'Avenue. The decor is very cool; goes back in time. A nice menu and service is always top notch. Try the cheesecake; it is amazing!

This is really a wonderful spot. The restaurant is gorgeous and iconic. Just being there makes you feel special. The staff are just wonderful and go out of their way to be kind and helpful. The menu is perfect and the food fantastic. Just worth a visit to look and worth the money to stay and eat. Yummmmmm

The escargot, steak tartar and drinks were excellent. And the server- Jack- was simply outstanding- we were debating on wine after we enjoyed our cocktails- and he brought out tastes for us to try. He also recommended we try a new to us dish- the artichoke asparagus app- and it was lovely. 5/5 for service

From the chic, mysterious entry from the private elevator, to the gracious well-informed service our early dinner for 3 was beyond our expectations. I cannot imagine a better dining experience. Great service. Exceptional food. From starters to the decadent desserts, event he crusty spears of toasts accompanying the escargots were unusually good. Every detail was heavenly. My Sea Bass with a Thai preparation extraordinary. We were not rushed, we were served with a discrete charm. We are New Yorkers and we will be back.

We had a lovely lunch, the hostess and waiters were very friendly and food was excellent. All in all a nice experience.

This is a great place for family as well as business meeting. The food are all fresh and clean. Lobster is so fresh not hard chewy. The lamb chop is very flavorful. Spaghetti Lobster is also cooked just right. I was surprised the service was great too. I would definitely come to this restaurant again.

The experience doesn't start right from the usual annoying " we are so booked " trick during reservation : only availability at 5.30 or 9.30 pm . We take the 9.30pm and we enter to an almost empty space . We get escorted to the most uncomfortable table and asked to move to another table but we were told they are all reserved . At 9.30pm ? When it's the last slot and kitchen is about to close ? After several attempts and several managers we got a nice table .( by the way all the other " reserved" tables never got occupied during the rest of the evening!!!! ) We order from the wine menu a bottle of Puligny-Montrachet 2013 but the sommelier presents a 2016 , without saying anything .We pointed it out and he comes back saying that's what they have . So the menu advertise 2013 but they instead serve 2016 !!!! The food is a mediocre mix of Asian , Italian and French with no outstanding taste. Service was way too fast , I guess they wanted to close the kitchen .The space has a distinctive decor , but I personally didn't feel it particularly sophisticated or so special . Overall not a nice experience expecting to simulate the always excellent Avenue in Paris . It might take time ...one advice : loose the attitude .

We went into the City for an overnight stay, lunch, shopping, dinner and to see the Rockefella Christmas tree. We decided to have lunch at Saks. We had a little wait for a seat/table in the bar but was able to score a perfect pub table overlooking Rockefella center. Perfect! We ordered lunch and a couple of cocktails.We shared the artichoke, aparagus and parm salad....very tasty. I had the Club sandwich, which was a nice portion, and my wife had the Thai Beef. Both were very good. The service was very friendly but a bit slow. It did not detract from our experience.

Excellent spot for drinks and dinner. We had some great cocktails and excellent entrees. Quiet restaurant, very chic. Great location near Rockefeller Centre. There are some views of the tower, and the Christmas Tree depending where you are sat. Would recommend a visit!

The place is beautiful, the service excellent, the food very good, but not economical Very good service and quiet atmosphere