Rovik Robert

a month ago

"One of the best meals I’ve had, across food, service and beverage. Loved the inventiveness of some of the dishes, especially the potato, duck and the coconut dessert. Wine pairing is very good as well. Service is attentive and personable. Very blessed to be treated here."

Antonio On The Map

2 months ago

"⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An unforgettable dining experience at Eleven Madison Park! From the moment I walked in, everything felt meticulously crafted — elegant yet welcoming. The service was beyond exceptional: attentive, warm, and incredibly knowledgeable. Every course was a piece of art, balancing creativity with flavor in a way that only Eleven Madison Park can achieve. What impressed me most was the restaurant’s commitment to plant-based cuisine without sacrificing luxury or depth. Each dish told a story — from the delicate textures to the thoughtful plating — and the flavors were bold, surprising, and deeply satisfying. The wine pairings elevated the experience even further. The atmosphere is serene and sophisticated, with every detail designed to enhance the meal. By the end of the evening, it didn’t feel like just dinner; it felt like being part of a masterpiece. A particularly memorable highlight was being personally invited into the kitchen — an extraordinary gesture that offered a glimpse into the artistry and discipline behind each creation. The team’s professionalism and passion were unmistakable, making the experience even more inspiring. If you’re looking for an experience that’s both inspiring and indulgent, Eleven Madison Park is truly one of the world’s finest."

Caitlin Abelman

2 months ago

"EMP has been on my bucket list for a long time. When I found out they were featuring meat courses again, I was ecstatic because we happen to be in town. I was lucky enough to grab one of their bar tasting menu reservations. We’ve had the privilege to dine at many Worlds Best and Michelin starred restaurants around the world, so I had extremely high hopes. The courses were good, but nothing really wowed me. I wish they offered less vegan courses. Since we do not drink alcohol, I was surprised to see a non-alcoholic wine pairing. I opted for it ($135) bc I was intrigued, but I would not get it again. The white pairings were delicious, but the red pairings all tasted sour and left a bad aftertaste. I only had a sip. Service was exceptional, I did not expect anything less. For the price, I would rather go to Per Se or Le Bernardin."

Jea Kim

2 months ago

"First heard about the restaurant back in 2017, when it took the No. 1 spot on World’s 50 Best. Didn’t know much about fine dining back then, but even so, it immediately landed on my bucket list. Then EMP went fully vegan. My friends and I hesitated. I love great plant-based cooking, but at that price point, it’s a gamble. Still, after reading Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality and hearing about the recent change (back to MEAT), I finally pulled the trigger. Food-wise, it wasn’t the most extraordinary tasting menu I’ve had. But the hospitality. The best I’ve experienced in the U.S. The menu was still a vegan–meat hybrid, with only three non-vegan options available to swap in: scallop ceviche, poached lobster, and honey lavender duck. In hindsight, that mix was probably what made the experience feel more special than a fully vegan menu would have. A completely plant-based lineup can be impressive, but the flavor spectrum is inevitably narrower. Some dishes, like the leek and mushroom dumplings, felt more like attempts to mimic non-vegan flavors than to embrace their own ingredients. Interesting, but not particularly moving. Yet, three of the vegan dishes ended up being my favs. The meat courses were great, but didn’t reach that same level of nuance or impact. At most fine dining restaurants of this caliber, a tasting menu starts with something small and delicate (usually amuse bouche). EMP did the opposite. They opened with a loaf of vegan laminated bread, onion butter, and a roasted allium & leek broth. It’s almost a full meal’s worth of food right out of the gate, but honestly, I couldn’t complain. The bread was incredible. Flaky, layered, almost too buttery for being vegan. The onion butter added savory & subtly sweet, and somehow so satisfying that it felt like eating a full sandwich without the heavy toppings. The allium broth tied it all together with deeper roasted notes, echoing the same flavors in a more concentrated form (it kind of smelled like a really rich pho broth). Borderline excessive, but impossible not to finish. Soba – Wasn’t sold on the first couple of bites, but the dish unfolded in layers I’d never experienced in a cold soba before. Growing up, I had countless versions of cold buckwheat soba, and the texture was always the whole story (since buckwheat itself is notoriously tricky to work with). Here, the noodles were spot-on. Firm, no hint of mushiness. But what surprised me was how each slurp carried a different dimension. The first was sharp and refreshing with pure tomato water. Then came the herbal aroma of Thai basil. Another bite leaned nutty, with roasted sesame seeds releasing just enough crunch and warmth. It felt almost engineered as if each element was portioned to create a rhythm between acidity, fragrance, and nuttiness. The sesame note in particular was addictive, and it felt like they precisely halved the sesame seeds to release more of that aroma while maintaining that crunch. Potato – This ended up being my favorite dish. Potato in multiple forms (purée, smoked and crisped, and powdered) and crowned with a generous spoon of “land caviar.” The tonburi seeds had that same satisfying pop as tobiko, but instead of their usual broccoli-like flavor, they were infused with sea grapes, bringing a subtle oceanic umami. A reinterpretation of the classic potato and caviar pairing that actually made sense. Honey Lavender Duck – I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t the dish I was most excited for. The duck breast was beautifully cooked, with a perfect ratio of tender meat, fat, and crisped skin. But despite the name, the honey and lavender never really showed up. I caught them in the first few bites before the Sichuan peppercorns on top muscled in and took over. Technically flawless duck, just not the honey-lavender balance I was hoping for."

A-Z Vegan

2 months ago

"If ever a plant-based restaurant deserved 6 stars, it's Eleven Madison Park. They proved that you don't need to serve animal products as part of the very best dining experiences. This review is written after the announcement that they're soon returning to serving animal products as part of the menu but before they've made this transition. It was difficult deciding how to write and frame this review given the recent announcement made after we made and pre-paid our reservation, but in the end we're reviewing the restaurant as visited based on what we experienced. We hope that reviews like ours will help convince the management that the plant-based tasting should at least remain the default option, as it's a great shame to lose what the restaurant represents (or represented). Having the plant-based menu as the default, while offering optional omnivorous swaps to secure the bookings they need to remain in business, would be an acceptable compromise in our opinion (as we believe it's better for a place like this to exist and provide a plant-based experience than not at all). It's easy to condemn a restaurant that serves an omnivorous customer base, and in an ideal world we would all be plant-based, but with the closures of so many vegan restaurants in both the UK and US (one even closed its doors between the planning stage and the trip itself), we think it's better that vegan dining experiences exist alongside options we wouldn't have if that's the genuine difference between closure and staying afloat. That said, the experience we had was second to none. We booked the full tasting menu and added a cake to the booking. We also opted for the non-alcoholic pairing to go with the tasting (not selectable at booking but possible to request at the restaurant). We were emailed ahead of time to ask if we needed any accommodations or if we were celebrating any special occasions, and we'd let them know that we were coming as a joint honeymoon highlight/30th birthday meal. The restaurant gave us personalised, hand-written cards in reference to both shortly after we were taken to our table, and the staff were extremely friendly and outwardly interested in our trip. I cannot understate how excellent the service staff were. We're not used to Michelin-star level service (it's difficult to find it at all if you're vegan), but it blew every possible expectation out of the water, especially as we're used to the less personal, less enthusiastic service of the UK. Every single member of staff that we spoke to or were served by was warm, knowledgeable, courteous and really made us feel special. The food was without doubt the greatest meal we've ever eaten. Every single course was an exercise in brilliance, from presentation to flavour. Pictured are some highlights, but some elements/dishes weren't photographed. The non-alcoholic pairings were undoubtedly a great choice, as it was explained that every one was prepared on-site in partnership with the chefs to ensure that each paired and complemented the course it was served with. Primarily consisting of the juice of a grape varietal traditionally used in wine, each one was imbued with aromatics, spices and infusions to shape the taste exactly to go alongside each course seamlessly. Every single thing we ate and drank tasted amazing, ranging from in-your-face flavours to more subtly elegant dishes. Every single course and pairing was explained by the staff, which really added to the experience. One particular highlight was the preparation table-side of the smoked hasselback potato, tonburi 'land caviar', pomme purée, seaweed cream and chive blossoms. The service staff assembled the dish in front of us, walking through it while demonstrating excellent quenelle technique. To close out, we had a coffee and a tea (for which the staff were more than happy to walk us through the options and their own recommendations) and the prepaid cake, which, before it was served, was presented with a birthday candle for us to take photos if we wished. A once-in-a-lifetime experience we will never forget."