Douglas Shumaker

Breakfast at Baltazar had been on my bucket list for a while. I had the opportunity to return to New York City this past week and took advantage. With the publication of Keith McNally‘s memoir earlier this year, the experience was even more poignant. The service, as expected, was outstanding. The ambience was perfect, transporting you to a Parisian brasserie. And let’s not forget the food. Simply amazing.

+1

Bernis Berber

Balthazar is my forever New York ritual. The second I step inside, it feels like the city’s heartbeat is happening right in front of me. The energy in Soho, the buzz of the dining room, the glow of the bar… it hits every time. The food is always perfect. Classic, comforting, and somehow still exciting. The bartenders are in a league of their own. They read the room, keep the vibe alive, and make you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. I could spend an entire day here and be happy. Every trip to Manhattan includes Balthazar. It’s not just a restaurant for me. It’s part of the city’s soul. An absolute must, always.

ang b

We always make a stop here when we visit NYC and it never disappoints. Whether you order the burger, mussels, Mac and cheese, croquet madame - you can’t go wrong. And leave room for dessert!

+2

Great atmosphere and vibe. Amazing service and a must do if visiting NY. Food is your classic style French bistro food. I Booked well in advance or be prepared to wait 1-2 hours for a seat if you try a walk in.

+4

Emek

I went to Balthazar on a Monday night and had such a great experience! I was seated right away and my server, Madeline, was super kind and attentive. She offered me a complimentary mocktail as soon as I sat down — it was originally a champagne, but since I don’t drink, she happily swapped it for a ginger mocktail, which was really good. This was my first time at Balthazar, and everything I ordered was amazing — the French onion soup, steak frites, profiteroles, and coffee. The soup was rich and flavorful, my steak was cooked perfectly (medium well, just right), and dessert was the perfect finish. Service was excellent — Madeline checked on me at just the right times, and I never had to look around for her. Everything was delicious, and I left super happy with my experience. I’ll definitely be back to try more of the menu!

+6

Rohin Gupta

My first McNally restaurant, and somewhere I’ve wanted to go for a while. We had a 2:30 Saturday brunch reservation, which I was worried would be a subpar, rushed experience, but I can happily say that wasn’t the case. Honestly, the food was good but not exceptional. It’s generally in line with what I’ve heard, the atmosphere and decor are really what make the restaurant. On that note the vibe really is exceptional. I don’t know how McNally managed to make it so large, loud, and yet not feel like a cafeteria, but he toe’d that line perfectly. Even though it’s not the best French restaurant in the city I can see why it’s become such a classic NYC institution, and I’m happy with the experience.

+4

Ella Reed

We had a lovely early dinner here during our city trip. The staff were super friendly, and the vibe was warm and lively. The food was delicious—especially the truffle fries and onion soup! The short rib could’ve been a bit more tender, but overall everything was great. Tables are a little close, but that’s part of the charm. Definitely worth a visit!

+1

Dave M

Our plane back to NY was delayed so we cancelled our reservation and ended up at Balthazar at 11p on a Wednesday. The dining was lively and mostly full when we arrived. We were seated I a 2 top, corner booth that was perfect, and very comfortable. I ordered a gin martini that was served ice cold. My wife and I split the endive salad (I love the pickled pears), a cheeseburger with fries delicious), haricot vert (perfectly cooked and so fresh) and a caramelized and bruleed banana tart (gorgeous and excellent). When we left, well after midnight, the bar was still crowded with patrons enjoying themselves and bartenders who weren’t trying to rush them. What a nice and fun night! Thanks Keith. Also, I really enjoyed your book.

Richie A

This restaurant has been on my wish list for quite a while now and since we were going to be in the city on Saturday, I met a reservation a month ahead of time. We had a reservation for 7:30 PM, but we were finished with everything we were doing and slowly worked our way down to Spring Street and arrived at 6:55 PM. We asked the maître d’ if we can possibly have a table and we were actually seated right away. Our server reminded us of the actress in Amelie, Audrey Tautou. She was very attentive & friendly. I started out with an old-fashioned and my partner had a glass of red wine, both were very good. We both shared the goat cheese and caramelized onion tart for an appetizer, and it was absolutely delicious. We are actually going to try to make this at home ourselves at some point. The crust was very light. My partner had a short ribs with polenta and I had beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes. He said the short ribs were the best he ever had. My meal was also very good. For dessert, we both shared the Paris Brest. It consisted of choux pastry with a hazelnut cream filling. My partner likes hazelnuts more than I do but I do have to admit it was very good. I also have to compliment the gentleman who kept filling my water glass, it never went empty. He was very attentive and friendly. Looking forward to coming back at some point, I heard the breakfast is very good there. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the people watching.

+5

Charlie Byrne

Breakfast at Balthazar is one of those New York experiences that somehow still lives up to the well-deserved reputation. We visited on a chilly mid-December morning, and stepping into that buzzing, brass-and-mirror brasserie felt like instant warmth—equal parts Parisian café and classic NYC energy. Even at 10AM, the room hums in the best way: servers moving with purpose, espresso machines hissing, and tables filled with locals and visitors alike. The food was exactly what you hope for and then some. My wife loved the Asparagus, Leek, and Sweet Pea Quiche, which arrived perfectly set, rich without being heavy, and balanced beautifully by a fresh pile of mixed greens. My pancakes with fresh strawberries, banana, lime zest, and banana coulis were outstanding—light, fluffy, and indulgent without tipping into overly sweet. The lime zest was a subtle but smart touch that kept everything bright. We added a side of applewood smoked bacon, crisp and deeply flavorful, plus two generous caffè latte bowls that felt very on-brand for Balthazar: strong, comforting, and ideal for lingering. The Balthazar Green Juice—packed with kale, collards, apple, citrus, herbs, and cucumber—was vibrant and surprisingly refreshing, a nice counterpoint to the richer dishes. Service was polished and efficient without ever feeling rushed, which made the whole experience feel relaxed despite the restaurant’s constant buzz. What makes Balthazar feel truly special — beyond the excellent food and attentive service — is the vision behind it. Keith McNally, the restaurateur who opened this iconic SoHo brasserie and helped define New York’s downtown dining scene, brings a distinct personality to every room he touches. He’s been called “the restaurateur who invented downtown,” and his knack for creating spaces that feel both effortless and electric shines through at Balthazar. If you loved "I Regret Almost Everything", McNally’s popular and candid 2025 autobiography (which I absolutely did), this connection adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the meal. Breakfast at Balthazar isn’t just about the food (though it’s excellent); it’s about soaking up the atmosphere of a place that feels timeless. Whether you’re a longtime New Yorker or visiting for the first time, it’s a breakfast worth lingering over.

+6

An absolute SoHo institution. This was my second visit and it somehow managed to outshine the first. The food is classically perfect—the omelette and fries are a must—but it’s the impeccable, deeply attentive service that makes you feel like absolute royalty. The perfect spot to hide from a snowy Manhattan afternoon with a glass of champagne. 10/10.

A very pleasant experience. The snails were excellent, the onion soup was not bad, I had meat, the cooking and flavour were top notch, the fried potatoes were tasty and fresh, and the service was excellent. This is a place I would love to visit again and again. Nicase was wonderful, very helpful and made us feel very welcome. We are very grateful to her.

+4

Gabriela Antunes

Went on a Wednesday around 11:30am — it was busy but I got a table right away. Absolutely amazing food: perfect eggs benedict and a divine strawberry shortcake. Got a complimentary glass of champagne too. Loved it!

Léa Kandl-Zhang

Delicious food and good service. What more could you want? Got the mac & cheese and the steak frites, both were excellent. Portions were quite big for us, and we were stuffed. Needless to say, no dessert. The restaurant is also a bakery, which has very tasty bread. Overall a great experience!

One of the places that is a "must visit", so I wouldn't skip it while in the city, but you must know few things: A. Fully booked every day. You may end up waiting over 30 min' (and i am not too sure if reservation is available). B. Very noisy, so I wouldn't recommend big tables - you want be able to speak. C. Price- well... you now, its NY, it is expensive. Other than that - it was super delicious and I will go there again. Everything we had was great. BTW - we were sitting on the bar, which was very nice.

The chocolate mousse was to die for and the vibe and service were great. Went on a Saturday night and they had a lively bar scene. The duck confit was amazing, burger was a little over priced. Can’t miss with the escargot

Sceney on a Sunday, but was a nice experience. Didn’t think the food to was die for, and because it was busy the service wasn’t top tier. I would recommend this place to people but after experiencing it, I’m not racing back.

Carl Haugen

Whenever we’re in the city, this is the place to go for breakfast or brunch. I haven’t been there for dinner yet but it’s a gem. Service impeccable, a bit noisy but that’s because it’s always packed so reservation recommended. Just love the croissants and my wife had the bouillabaisse which was delicious and the Norwegian Benedict. I had was absolutely delicious with the smoked salmon. We will be back!

+1

Katie McCormick

We had a nice early dinner here on our trip to the city. The service was outstanding and the atmosphere is everything you’d expect. The food was great but did not quite live up to the expectations. We ordered the steak frites, gougeres, onion soup, ravioli, and short rib. Of the meal we would recommend the steak frites—the fries were amazing! The onion soup is also a must-order. The short rib was a bit dry. One thing to be mindful of when dining here is the proximity to neighbors, they really pack everyone they can get in here. Overall, would recommend going to cross it off the list.

+1

The ambiance was great! The appetizers were amazing. My duck confit was good but it had only a sliver of meat compared to the skin and fat ratio. Their Burger and other entrees were amazing and good sized. TIP: if it’s late like 8:30pm and they say a 45 min walk in wait, check the open reservations on RESY. There was an opening at 9:30pm for a for sure seat with only a 15 minute wait difference. We were able to go out and grab a drink before heading back over for the reservation.

Great service, interesting atmosphere but a bit too laud. BUT we ordered their most popular dishes: Onion soup - well done, really look like in France, but too salty. Escargots - smells good, but very sour and half of them were just empty. Pate - regular, not interestign at all. Profiteroles - don't order it, its just disgrace, just dry dough with a bunch of ice cream. Warm Chocolate Cake - was pretty good but too sweet and its not lava cake.

Went with a friend and with a toddler. Checked in my stroller and right of the bat felt our server was a little not in the mood. As a server, I too understand that we aren't the best of ourselves sometimes. I can understand. We ordered a petit steak and a macaroni (Mac & cheese). Order came as a steak and 2 macaroni. I said it's okay to my friend. Not a bit deal. Steak came as medium not medium rare as we ordered, cold and with hot fries. No big deal, still can be acceptable. Finished our food. We were looking for our server or someone to pay and leave. It took a while to be attended. Some people were having the quite conversation. Finally paid. Went to get my stroller and found a push pin inside my stroller pointing at my toddler that she was about to sit on it. Very funny thing and angry at the same time is that I took it to the host and told her what I found. And she goes " oh, thank you." With a very nice attitude. I guess this place you aren't so well treated if you aren't a celebrity or maybe they judge a book by its cover. Sorry that my frist time experience at this place that had been waiting to come for years turned out to be like this.