Sounds like a nice neighborhood place, but neither the food nor the wine sounds interesting enough to make me want to trek out to Brooklyn. I’ve been desperately wanting to trek out to Brooklyn to try Bunna Ethiopian restaurant, which is supposed to be the best Ethiopian in the New York metropolitan area, but there are a zillion places in Manhattan where I can have a good wine and pasta.
Darn, thanks for the tip should have sent it last week. The pastas sound interesting. I was close to the area for a specific purpose and didn’t know where to go for food. Ended up picking up some pies from four and 20 blackbirds instead and schlepped back to Manhattan for dinner. I don’t venture into Brooklyn much in the evenings save for some form ‘targeted’ of ‘destination’ dining ie. St John’s pop-up next week or researched the travel plan ahead. Tough to get around without a car, spotty subway stops and I’m too cheap to spring for Uber rides
Also ventured into some sketchy parts in the past I probably shouldn’t have at night by mistake … easier to make quick getaways in a car… not so when you’re walking 
. I must sound terrible; I’m starting to relate to the snobs in BH, SaMo & Brentwood 
Finally had the roast chicken at 232 Bleecker and I liked it. Enough for two and served with roasted potatoes and two sauces. Loved the spicy habanero sauce. I’m usually skeptical of whatever Eater is hyping, but this one I was on board.
We ordered a ton of stuff and the chicken was actually the least favorite of one of my dining companions, but he did say that in general he finds chicken, just chicken. The other dishes I really liked were the roasted oysters and the monkfish.
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Made it to Tavern by WS, albeit only for a late night snack, not to try the roast chicken. Not sure I would return and I’m glad I chose 232 Bleecker for my chicken fix this trip, rather than Tavern by WS.
232 Bleecker is a very cozy West Village neighborhood hang place. By contrast, Tavern by WS looks like it was assembled in Las Vegas circa 1990, disassembled and then dropped into New York. At first I was thinking it wasn’t New York at all and then I realized it is truly of its neighborhood — Hudson Yards — just like 232 Bleecker is very West Village.
Anyway, I hadn’t realized that Tavern by WS wasn’t actually in the mall. Instead you head outside toward 11th Avenue, walk past the Equinox Hotel and there it is.
Because I had already had an early dinner, I was just looking for a small bite and a drink, but the menu has no small bites in the appetizer section, just big plates of what I would characterize as Westchester “country club” food. The wine by the glass list was shockingly uninteresting given the Wine Spectator affiliation of the restaurant. I was about to walk out when the very affable bartender said they were pouring an off menu Barsac out of a magnum. He suggested that and a cheese plate. The Barsac was good and the cheese plate mediocre. It wasn’t that expensive for New York— $12 for the Barsac and $10 for the cheese plate.
The restaurant is a three story affair. Second floor is wine storage and third floor is the private restaurant. I saw some 1 percenters descend the grand staircase from the top floor private dining. Made me think of what I had read recently about how airlines provoke class rage as coach passengers have to traipse past first class (as I currently sit in a first class seat on a transcontinental flight, but it’s only Alaska Airlines, whose first class section is barely better than coach, so it doesn’t count). Anyway, I actually did find it off putting watching the 1 percenters descend the grand staircase. Like ha, ha, this is not for you.
Maybe the chicken is good, but unless I was staying at Hudson Yards, I wouldn’t rush back to try it, especially given the uninteresting wine by the glass selection.
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Yikes thanks for checking it out. Sounds like a pass for me; all the attributes that turn me off.
Have you tried Vin Sur Vingt in Nomad? Somehwat close to the Kitano 26 & 27th @ Broadway.
http://vsvwinebars.com/locations/
Definitely stop by the Felix Coffee shop too between 31st & 30th Park.
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