Craig Corbeels

Review of The Stanton Social

Some of the tastiest food I've eaten in NYC, hands...

Some of the tastiest food I've eaten in NYC, hands down. After searching far and wide for the perfect restaurant, I took my girlfriend here for her birthday dinner earlier this month. They've got a lot of space with multiple floors, but even on a Wednesday night this place packed out, so I was happy I made a reservation. KEEP IN MIND: portions here are small, especially for the price. They recommended that we order four dishes for two people.

The Stanton Social is the product of Chef / Owner Chris Santos, who some may recognize as one of the judges on the Food Network show Chopped. The food is creative and consists of small plates that are meant for sharing.

My girlfriend and I decided we would do things a little different and started with the " Birthday Cake Milkshake Shots", which consisted of birthday cake ice cream and Maker's Mark bourbon in a tall shot glass, topped with sprinkles. They were tasty, unique, and got things started on the right foot.

For our mains, we went with the French Onion Soup Dumplings, Old School Meatballs, and the Beef Wellington. Everything was fantastic - the French Onion Soup Dumplings were steaming hot, topped with melted cheese, and were basically flavor bombs once you bit into them. The Meatballs, in my opinion, were the least remarkable. They were certainly tasty, but there was nothing too special about them. The Beef Wellington was far and away the favorite of both my girlfriend and I. The flavor was astounding and it was made perfectly. I hesitantly accept that The Stanton Social has made me a huge fan of Beef Wellington, while also acknowledging that I won't be able to find it often and when I do, it'll be expensive.

This would definitely be five stars if not for the price. I completely understand that it comes with the territory - a popular Manhattan restaurant run by a celebrity chef. That's why we saved it for a special occasion. I know the dishes are meant to be shareable, but they're expensive for the portion sizes. I will know that I've made it in life when I can charge $16 for two meatballs. Despite that, great experience, a great birthday dinner, and a restaurant that I'll recommend to everyone.