Kristian Ivanov

I’ve been to The Polo Bar several times now, and every visit has been nothing short of exceptional. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with warmth and that timeless Ralph Lauren charm — rich wood tones, soft lighting, and an atmosphere that feels equal parts classic and exclusive. The service is always flawless — attentive, polished, and genuinely kind. The food never misses: the burger is iconic, the fries are perfect, and the martinis are some of the best in the city. Even after multiple visits, everything still feels special and perfectly executed. The Polo Bar is one of those rare spots in NYC that manages to be both upscale and inviting. Every time I go, it reminds me why it’s one of my favorite places in the city.

Edward Rose

The steak tartar special was absolutely worth trying again. While some of the other dishes were good, the specials really stand out and are worth checking out since the main menu is a bit limited. The atmosphere of the restaurant is lively and welcoming, making it a great place to enjoy a night out.

Chinyere Igwe

Truly an amazing experience. From the moment you walk to the door you are greeted with such kindness and enthusiasm to when you get downstairs for your table. My server Camille was such a joy and made such great recommendations when my friend and I couldn’t quite pick between drinks or dishes. The drinks and the food were all amazing which I figured they would be. I’ve loved the Ralph Lauren brand since I was a kid so this was such a pleasant experience for me. I highly recommend going if you get a reservation

+3

Chris C

Our server Luke was amazingly good. He was very attentive for our table of 6. Very patient and professional. We ordered bunch of food, but the best dish was recommended by Luke - the Ralph’s corned beef bites from the bar snacks menu. That was a star of the night. Please, you must get that. Beauty and tasteful interior, typical Ralph Lauren old money style but elegant as always.

+5

Destiny Richmond

An incredible place to hold a special occasion, especially if you are fortunate enough to snag yourself a table ahead of time! The staff take care of you and are attentive and insightful. Shout out to bartender Andrew and our waiter Noc who were a stand out to me and my boyfriend. We came here for our five year anniversary and we will definitely be back for future celebrations! ❤️ The food was delectable. The red Cabernet that we had ordered was the best we have tried as of yet. Tuna tartare was fresh, scoured with avocado and soy ginger sauce. Our entrees, (the special of the night which was a rendition of their polo bar burger) and the salmon were flavorful and tantalizing. I definetly recommend stopping off for a nightcap to snag yourself a special cocktail (we were entranced by the perfect score should you need a recommendation from two sweet tooth’s!) All in all if you are hesitant to go, just do it!

Sara Silverman

Pleasantly surprised. My expectations for the food were low given so/so reviews, but honestly, I thought it was very solid. The atmosphere and vibe was fun for a special occasion - they know how to make you feel like you’re at a special spot without being rude. We had a 515 res I got thru Amex platinum. We arrived at 5 and had a drink upstairs at the bar for 30 mins utilizing the 15 min grace period. The bar snacks were tasty - especially the fried olives. All of our drinks were delicious. We had classics like a dirty martini and espresso martini as well as some menu specials like the Roman holiday and a mezcal cocktail. Bread was a popover (delish!). For dinner we had the pigs in a blanket (skip), Cesar salad (amazing!), corned beef sandwich bites (solid, worth trying, but wish I had gotten to try the coleslaw that comes with the main), tuna tartare (solid, but not special), burger (medium rare, delicious!) and branzino (ok - a bit fishy). For dessert, we tried the coconut cake (yum!!!), chocolate cake (would try something else) and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If I had one main complaint it’s that our servers didn’t seem knowledgeable about the menu or restaurant. Both the server at the bar and restaurant were new and didn’t know how to describe a drink etc. The service itself was flawless, but I’d expect more professional style servers. We never felt rushed. All in all a very pleasant fine dining experience!

Patrick Zajac

Incredible vibe and classic old money decor, thus, comes with an old money pricetag but the food met those expectations! The space inside was beautiful and such an elevated experience. Started with the oysters and while I’m not an oyster kind of guy, I had to try them while I was here and they were so smooth, and the sauce to go with was great. For my main I went with their special of the night which was a Peppercorn Crusted Burger with Triple Creamed Brie and Fresh Maroon Truffles. Probably the best burger I have ever had in my life. Meat was so tender and the brie was beyond creamy. Like you could tell it was triple creamed. The truffles were a great touch too. The fries were standard. Alongside my meal I had the Ralph’s Club Martini which was very pricey for a drink but came with a sidecar with enough to refill my glass so that definitely was worth it! Flavor was lightly fruity but much more deep and dark. Ended the meal with a slice of the Pumpkin Cheesecake which was divine. The two layers were great and it was not too heavy as a meal ender.

Andrew Hazelrigg

The corned beef sandwich and cheesecake were wonderful. The steak tartar special was also worth ordering again. The rest of our dishes were good but not great. Each night they have a few different specials worth considering as the main menu is sorta limited. The vibe of the restaurant is better than the food. However I would still come here again. My grandma would love all the paintings of the horses.

+9

A must try spot in NYC if you can get a reservation. The food was solid for the price but you really come here for the ambiance. There is a bar upstairs which you can wait at prior to your reservation time to make the most of the experience. The pre-diner warm popovers are a wonderful treat. Highly recommend you get the brownie dessert.

JoJo

The Polo Bar was a whole journey. We started upstairs in the salon, where our waitress seemed allergic to serving drinks, like not even a drop of water in sight. I guess “hydration” wasn’t on the menu. 😂Thankfully, once we got downstairs, things turned around fast. The staff was lovely, and the sommelier who opened the wines that we brought was attentive. Now onto the food: everyone hypes the hamburger, but honestly? The corned beef deserves its own PR team. Absolute star of the night. The bread was good but a little confused flavor-wise, and the biscuit? 8/10 only because I don’t like the taste of cheddar cheese and maple syrup fused together. Dessert was a plot twist tbh. The coconut cake was divine, but pairing it with that mango sorbet felt like working with my Cornell Capstone group. The mango tasted suspiciously like high fructose corn syrup in disguise, but the chocolate coffee ice cream was a nice respite. Overall, the Polo bar was chic, charming, and definitely worth the story (just bring your own water next time 😂). 8/10

+13

Jamie L

Finally scored a reservation at The Polo Bar! You have to call right at 10 AM and wait roughly like an hour or so. Dress code is elegant! I absolutely loved the vibe at the bar. Cocktails were strong and well crafted. The Manhattan? (Not on menu) Amazing! Food wise, I’d give it a solid 4 stars: - The Polo Bar Burger – If you’re not getting the burger, why are you even here? It’s the star of the show. Cooked perfectly medium, juicy, and served with crispy fries. This might sound crazy, but their ranch is unreal. It’s like a tangy sour cream ranch? You have to order a side of ranch for your fries! - Crab & Avocado Salad – Super refreshing. Generous lump crab served on half an avocado with tomatoes and vinaigrette. Light, simple, and really well balanced. - Ralph’s Corned Beef Sandwich – Had to try it. The bread was a little too charred/burnt for me, but the corned beef itself was actually really good. We ended with a brownie, which was just okay. But I love that they pre split the burger and sandwich for us — makes sharing way easier. The overall vibe here is classy and friendly staff. For three of us, with drinks and gratuity, it came out to $150pp. Honestly? Not bad at all. Would I come back? Definitely. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

+3

James Cook

What started as a beautiful experience ended in a rude and very unacceptable, disappointing ending. When you go to the Polo Bar, you expect an exceptional experience which is delivered with the interior and decor. Unfortunately, the service is chaotic and unfortunately non present. We did not even receive the second half of the bottle of Krug (at $400 a bottle) that we ordered. We understood later that a customer has to request an ice bucket for the champagne….really? This should be standard and is the proper way to serve champagne or any wine. Furthermore, the bartender was rude and hostile to us and referred to one of our party as “the blonde”. He then proceeded to shout at me at which point I asked to speak to the manager. The manager could have, and should have, defused the situation. Rather, he said that they would take care of the issue the following day and would give me a call. The call never came. If this establishment wants to continue to attract the clientele it seeks, it has to strive to deliver exceptional service reflective of a luxury brand. At the moment, it delivers below average service and management while charging premium prices. In all, it was a big disappointment and I will likely never return. I go to the other Ralph Lauren restaurants in Europe and the service is exceptional…not in New York unfortunately. The management did not seem up to the standard of an exceptional restaurant and as loyal clients of the brand, we left quite disappointed. This is not a luxury experience. Rather, it felt like a below average restaurant at exceptionally above average prices. Looking at other reviews both before and after my visit, there appears to be a similar pattern of disappointment. Very sad about what we hoped would be magical but turned into a very ugly experience with the Polo Bar…there are so many exceptional places to go in Manhattan. UPDATE: Over a month later and still no phone call to apologize from the General Manager even after a reminder from the Ralph Lauren representative. As a loyal customer of the RL brand, I have never experienced such poor customer care. Unacceptable and definitely not a luxury experience I’m sorry to say.

Olivia M

I wanted to love the Polo Bar given its legendary reputation, but the experience fell remarkably short. At the upstairs bar, we found ourselves seated beside a visibly intoxicated “provider” and her “date” whose behavior was not only disruptive to other guests but openly disrespectful to the staff trying to serve them. The management seemed either unaware or indifferent to the disturbance. Dinner on the lower level proved even more uncomfortable. We were positioned directly next to what appeared to be a sugar daddy ending his arrangement with a much younger woman. The conversation was painfully audible and deeply inappropriate for what should have been an elegant dining room. It felt less like fine dining and more like an accidental front row seat to someone’s personal drama. The oyster selection was disappointing as well. Despite being from different coasts, they were virtually identical in size, suggesting little attention to sourcing quality or variety. For a restaurant trading on the Ralph Lauren name and charging premium prices, this lack of curation was telling. If you’re seeking the refined, classic New York dining experience the Polo Bar promises, prepare to be let down. The clientele seems more interested in being seen than in respecting the space, and the restaurant does nothing to maintain the standards one would expect from an American institution. What should feel timeless instead feels like a scene from a reality show nobody asked to be part of.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​