Best Restaurants for People Watching in East Village

Outstanding dining experience. Our 8th time going for dinner or brunch. Dinner is excellent, but the brunch is hands down the best in New York City. Hesitate to write a review because it is obvious that in the next couple months it will be impossible to get in. The setting/ambience is stunning. What you'd expect from a massive budget from RH. Staff is like Four Seasons hotel. And the food is unbelievable. You'll struggle to figure out what to order and so you'll do what we do...which is to go back. Whatever you order at brunch, make sure to include the Swedish Pancakes...possibly the best pancakes on the planet. Sweet potato is not to be missed (brunch or dinner!). I heard another diner today (patriarch of what appeared to be an elegant Southern family) say "the avocado dish was epic". I think I'll have to go back myself to verify!

An amazing dining experience at the Strip House on Valentine's night! Even with the VDay busy night, we really enjoyed our evening. Courtney Eckert the GM and her team made the night special. Always excellent food, sips and ambience! Much appreciate the service by Laura our server too. The Strip House is our fave Steakhouse in NYC! We will be back again soon!.

I will always reccomend Piccola in every lifetime and every opportunity when the occasion arises. I particularly love this location for the feel. Yes, the restaurant is undoubtedly small and tiny, but because of this with the combination of excellent and warm service, it feels like you’re at a friends apartment who’s an excellent host having dinner. It is an unbeatable, unique experience. My partner and I came in September of 2024 during a trip to NYC and called it the meal of our year. We went yesterday for Valentine’s Day and it was show-stopping yet again. The pasta was so incredibly fresh and flavorful. The care, love, and time it takes to make the noodles to curating the dish was tasted, loved, and appreciated. We had two specials: the Lobster Linguine and the Apple Tart (unsure if it was a tart—it was demolished too quickly to really tell.) The Linguine was otherworldly, perfectly sauced and had a decent amount of lobster. Wild Ragú is a must, it’s why we come after all. And of course, table side made Tiramisu to finish because we would be dumb not to (and so shall you). I can’t wait come back to New York to come back to Piccola. I’d fly spirit just to come back.

Came here for the first time with my girlfriend on Valentine’s Day. We were welcomed and seated quickly. Our waitress was very attentive even though it was a busy evening. The food came out fast and was absolutely delicious (we ordered the salmon, steak frites, mac and cheese and mash potatoes). Only small complaint was that the mash potatoes was cold but the waitress addressed this issue easily and got us another one. The drinks were delicious and the atmosphere was very romantic. Our waitress even helped us take some pictures together. Overall wonderful experience and we will be going back for sure. 10/10 would recommend.

A very nice American bistro in the East Village. Good cocktail list and good bread. They bring both still and fizzy water for you automatically gratis. I had the Bar Steak; the steak was great including the green peppercorn sauce. The fries were cooked excellent but were slightly overstated in spots. The spinach was good for spinach 😀.