beauty and essex Review

Went around midnight. Cocktails weren't great, service was slow, and music was very loud, even in the dining area. I don't plan on going back.

If you want to wait an hour for your reservation, this place is for you. Looks like the Kardashians cloned themselves all over the place. 90% women with a few men around. Servers were great. Food was tasty, small plates at large prices. Excellent desserts, the rest left a lot to be desired.

I've been to Beauty & Essex a couple times over the years for birthdays, special celebrations, and just to have a great Sunday funday. If you're going to the champagne brunch area, the prefix menu is amazing! You get family style servings and endless champagne for the time you are there which in most cases is a two hour limit at a table. If you don't want to be upstairs with a prefix menu, downstairs has seating for regular brunch and it's also more family friendly. But if you're in town with the girls or big group of friends, looking for a great time I highly suggest going to the champagne brunch area.

Had a great birthday meal for my brother, I really enjoy how the upstairs bar area becomes a lounge feel, will definitely be coming back!

Beautiful decor! Very elegant but risque at the same time. Food is amazing, and service is good. Went to celebrate a friends birthday, however they charge more than expected for a "cake fee" which seems silly. We brought the cake, and was a decent size party, so its not like they weren't getting a good tip out of it.

Awful experience. They oversold their NYE party to the point that it was clearly dangerous inside and there was people still waiting outside in the rain, for over 2 hours! Their management was laughing at the complaints. They lost many, many coats. Please don t come here, there are plenty good places in Manhattan.

This place is really popular. I was there a little before 11:30 & there was already a line forming outside of the restaurant. When ordering, I got a free side with Yelp Check-in. Their portion is pretty big and I couldn't finish all my food. Their Chicken tender is really juicy & tender! Fries are crunchy & good!!! There's a small parking plaza where you can parK your car (parking can be packed). I found parking easily since I got there pretty early. I highly recommend this place.

Good for a special night out, or to take out of towners.

My sisters birthday brunch. The food is so delicious

Always a fun experience here and inventive tasty food. A New York Classic

I have been here twice and the food is always great. The atmosphere is elegantly energetic. You can go to grab a drink or enjoy a nice meal. I ordered ribs and lobster mac and cheese and I was not disappointed. I would definetly come back.

Great food - great atmosphere!

I would definitely come here for a great event style celebration. Amazing music and bar set up... and the food won't disappoint . I have been here on all my trips to the USA and have celebrated different occasions; business deals, birthdays and anniversaries.

Loved it each time.

Fun to come to from time to time. I like to people watch here, but for my 'Cheers' kind of place, this is not that kind. Fun people are attracted to this place.

Food decent but so dam loud. Even the young people I was with were deafened by how loud that place is. But fun bar scene ok and service was good all around.

Busy and with a buzz, quite a varied music selection in the background. Classic brunch options with a twist, served in a tapas style. Usually in small portions of 3s. Excellent.

Loved it! The food and drinks were amazing! Such a romantic vibe. The lighting was very dim but so beautiful. The staff were very attentive to everyone. Very organized and definitely great service. Would return again.

It was delicious food, atmosphere was very fun and service was phenomenal. Reservations are needed but worth it.

I loves this place. First of all, I was distracted by the store front as I love knickknacks and antiques. Then when we stepped inside the music choices was lit. I love beef Wellington but the best dish was my appetizer, the grill cheese dumplings and tomato soup. I thought they was going to be soup dumplings, but these was still bomb. Def want to come back.

Fine place during the week. Very touristy on weekends

This place is pretty cool. You can go for dinner, drink and then get crazy with a 4 different rooms of like minded people.

I recommend booking before going, it is usually quite busy. Entering an antique shop, going to the back and finding a super modern place, with very loud music is priceless! Kind and friendly waiters eager to work. Chicken meatballs with truffle sauce and ricotta are finger-licking!

Great food, fantastic drinks and the decor is exquisite

Went for my birthday during restaurant week. Loveeeed everything about this place. Though drinks are expensive

For such a trendy restaurant, I have to say I was not disappointed. Travel food was delicious, service was great. Free champagne in the ladies bathroom?! Very posh LES experience.

up front it looks like a guitar shop/store I would of never thought it was an elegant bar/ lounge inside. Drinks and food are great. I noticed Thursday is the popular day

Food is very good, I wouldn't say is amazing but the ambiance is, gorgeous place. Perfect for drinks

I concur with the previous poster. Disappointing evening at Beauty and Essex, NYC. Food was decidedly mediocre. Kitchen definitely has difficulty getting the food out to the customer at a hot temperature. Both my appetizer and main were cold to lukewarm- a major turnoff. The vibe here is cool, it's trendy and the crowd mostly younger and evidently, not very discerning when it comes to paying good money for poor food. Personally, I would not countenance a return visit anytime soon.

Cool pawn shop front. Decor and atmosphere are very nice. Cocktails are $17.

It was awesome classy food was super great and the service was totally on point CATERING to my bday needs. Thank you so much. I had a blast my 17 guest was very pleased we will be back.

Good music, nice atmosphere. I went there for a birthday party had a fabulous time!

Nice spot drinks are really good need to try one or two

The food was fine, but it took forever, it's very expensive, and I'm not into the clubhouse vibe of the place and its constant parade of designer clothes and gym toned bodies.

Grew up in the neighborhood, we went there on Sunday's

Beautiful and fun ambience with surprisingly good food too!

Good looks, good service & avg food sums up our experience.
Definitely a nice place as u step in. The entry chandelier, the metal wall art in bar room, the high ceilings and the skylight was all attractive. But if u have looked at the pics & as u step in, u would realize that the promise was bigger than what it turned out. Looked like the place is getting older. The dishware, silverware, table, couch, didn't speak the same luxury either.
In terms of food, the crowd favorite - soup & dumplings was cheesy & just ok. The empanadas were nice. Thai shrimp was good but not memorable. The shishito peppers could need more seasoning. Overall all these dishes didn't exceed the level an American chain restaurant can offer. Definitely not the NYC high end restaurant quality by any chance.
The Peruvian chicken was somewhat dry and the sauce didn't pack much flavor. The butterscotch dessert had nothing to write about.
My rating would be 2.5, but rounded down for the failed promise and high prices.

Amazing night with a friend ! Amazing food great ambiance

This was one of the best bars/speakeasies we went to on our week long trip to NYC (and we went to several). Our server was Keyanah and she was absolutely amazing. We just randomly walked in (5 people) with no reservation or call ahead and they were in really incomodating. The servers, host (Jackie) and manager (Alexa) were all incredibly kind and the drinks were the best in New York. The Beauty Elixir was by far the best time I had here. I would absolutely reccommend this bar to anybody looking for a NICE time!!!

The food was incredible! I would definitely recommend the Grilled Cheese, Smoked Bacon & Tomato Soup Dumplings so amazing! I don't like tomato soup but decided to give these a try. I also ordered the empanadas and meatballs. Everything was perfect. The only complaint is that even if you have a reservation you usually have to wait 30+ minutes to be seated and the music is very loud so it's hard to have a real conversation at your table.

Ok where do I begin!! Everything about this place was amazing! From the pawnshop to the decor and right back around to the food...a-maz-ing! I visited the spot for a bday dinner with girlfriends and because of our reservation, there wasn't a long wait for our table. We sat down, ordered drinks and checked out the menu. I had the lamb chops and polenta... the best I've ever tasted! Others had the salmon and while they said it was good, they weren't eating with the sme enthusiasm as I was!! For appetizers were ordered a table full: empanadas, thai shrimp and other items that I can't remember but all of it was delicious. We also had the lobster mac and cheese and broccolini and that was great too. But for dessert we had the doughnuts... the very essence of satan if u are trying to watch what u eat... they were absolutely incredible!! I will definitely be back, this place was awesome.

Excellent atmosphere, this place is absolutely amazing. The drinks and small plates are fabulous. Wouldn't recommend coming here looking for a full meal but would very highly recommend otherwise.

The food was great, the staff was accommodating. One of Manhattan's great speakeasies.

Place was much less douchey than i feared. You can even have a conversation without yelling. Perhaps this is only the case if you go early. Food was quite good & inventive, portions are quite small, and service is inattentive.

I made reservations at Beauty & Essex for my birthday dinner & was super excited about finally visiting. However, from the very moment I walked in the experience was unpleasant. First off the hosts were incredibly rude. The host counter was completely clear, not a single person waiting to be helped besides me. But for some reason. None of the host felt the need to make my presence known or ask how they could assist me.. Therefore, I get even closer to the counter to let the host know I had a reservation at 8:45 and that my party would now be 4 instead of 5 because someone was no longer able to make it. The whole time she barely looked me in my face, and had such a weird tone to her voice when she responded. Whatever..
Also, I understand that because there were changes to the party size we'd have to wait as they cleared another table. But sheesh! I feel like a 35 min wait, when I already had reservations was a bit much.

I will say, the service was slightly better when we were seated since our host wasn't mean. But to be honest I expected the food to be a lottt better :/ Only one person in my party actually enjoyed what they ordered which was the Peruvian Chicken.





Nevertheless, this was my first and last time going to this establishment.

Very interesting and trendy place. Ambiance was better than the food, but the food was still very good.

The brunch menu, fun decor and great service, made our first visit a success

We didn't get seated for almost 2 hours and we had a reservation. The woman at the desk was catty and kept giving us the same line. We ended up eating in the lounge area, where the waitress was nice, but she was the only one manning multiple tables. The food was good, but not good enough for the price. The decor is trendy, and in a cool neighborhood behind a pawn shop. It's quirky, but not worth the price or the attitude. I deem this a skip.

Such great service, loved the complimentary drink and the anniversary cupcake was just the top of the cherry for me

Upscale place with lots of ambience. Drinks expensive but def worth it. Pawn shop type shop leads to a back door speak easy. Seems that anyone can get in. Once inside place was jammed. Everyone dressed up and looking fine!

Fancy stuff...but this is some LA shiz. Looks pretty, no substance. Great place for a cocktail. The food is sometimes good. Do not fall for the trap that onion rings or similar dishes might be better...they just aren't, but if you know this.... The environment is fabulous. The cocktails are awesome, and this place is mother effin fancy.

FANTASTIC place. This restaurant is a must-eat-at when in NYC. The interior design is great and more importantly the FOOD and the COCKTAIL is amazinggggg. I definitely recommend reservations prior to heading out there as they are busy and this place is happening even on a week day!
the reason why it is missing a star is the service.... Unfortunately we didn't have the best experience regarding the service.

Great place, a little pricey but worth checking out!

Great brunch! Offerings well beyond the usual eggs and pancakes. Excellent spot for groups if reserved in advance.

This place is so beautiful. The staff is very professional. Very pricey but worth it. Go here if u wanna feel like a million bucks. The portions are small but delicious.

Service was horrid. We had reservations for 22:00 and we were seated only at 22:40. The service which came after was really bad as well. The place is super LOUD and you can barely hear your dinner partner. Wouldn't recommend this place to anyone even tough the food was good.

I loved their food taste and customer service. They serve very quickly and carefully. Not only the service but their foods are also good. There are American, new foods and snack items available. Recommended for people nearby. Good for bringing family and kids.

One of the best restaurants I have been to in a long while

Very cool place, food was delicious and bubbly in the bathroom for the girls!

Great spot to hangout with friends and enjoy some good food!

Wow.... Just wow.
If you go to one restaurant.... This has to be the one.
I'm not going to spoil it for you.... All I can say is..... You need to go.

From the moment you walk up to what appears to be a pawn shop, even though it's not exactly a best-kept secret, it still delivers on the feeling we love to get when walking into a place that many onlookers may dismiss as some random shop filled with trinkets and antiques... which by the way, it is a legit shop. The drinks, the food, the service we experienced here, all were exceptional. Unfortunately, given the duration of time between my visit and finishing the review, I can't recall the exactly what we ate (other than the bone marrow). I can tell you, everything was tasty.

Every visit is a fantastic experience. Tapas style dishes make for a perfect small group meal. Recommended: milkshake shots, grilled cheese and tomato shooters, tuna poke tacos. Of course the women's restroom is always full of surprises. Great value... Just make sure to make a reservation in advance. A+++

Very nice place, upscale. However, the dish I ordered was truly bad, some sort of pesto pasta, and I'm not a very picky eater. Also two of our orders were incorrect, resulting in this low review.

Service was great. Food was amazing! Must get the grilled cheese!!!!

Lando was a great server! The pancakes and scrambled eggs were the best dishes and the cocktails were all amazing (as expected of any speakeasy). The crowd going there leaves a lot to be desired but the establishment is terrific.

Barbeque fries were great and the other food was wonderful.

Definitely an amazing place, delicious food and a spectacular atmosphere.

Great atmosphere and service and food was good too, but I have to agree with other reviews that the portions were not that big and for example steak tartar was little bit disappointment. Although their wine selection is amazing.

Buzzing and trendy spot where the tapas style plates will force the whole table to enjoy the delicacies on the plates. I recommend to go with a large group and order the steak tartare along with most things on the menu. Go earlier for drinks, the bar is nice and the drinks are well crafted.

So very, very New York - a decadent brunch spot hidden inside a bling pawn shop. Whether it's the Wizard of Oz 40s sequin slippers for sale, the flashy champagne bar in the bathroom or the tasty food that's built to share (we loved the tomato tartare, cornbread waffles and chicken meatballs), this is an excellent date or gossip-with-friends spot. It isn't even that pricey - we ate half the menu and drank champagne but it came to $40ish each. If I didn't feel so disloyal to my beloved London, my fingers would be itching for that 'Best Ever' button...

Great food in a very cool setting. The cocktails really stand out and it's always fun to bring people through the pawn shop to get to the restaurant on their first visit. Upstairs bar is good for small groups getting drinks (downstairs bar is really more for people waiting for tables or just couples as there isn't that much space). The grilled cheese soup dumplings and the jewels on toast are the menu items everyone should try at least once. Poke wanton tacos and tuna tartar are also consistently good. Also be sure to tell your girlfriend to go to the bathroom - there is a bar with free champagne for all women down there!

Cool layout. Great vibe. I came for drinks and had a lot of fun.

Best for: taking someone from out of town out for drinks. Fair warning, it can be a bit pricey.

The worst experience we have ever had at an expensive restaurant. Besides the interior is nice, the rest of the food and service were really under standard. The staff was very inattentive and slow. The food tastes very weird, and salty. Especially the dessert, we were shocked by its presentation, it looked and tasted like a chocolate cake from Walmart . It s totally overrated!

Incredible experience for a work party and definitely want to return for a dinner with my husband.