BYOB in New York City
May 3rd, 2016, 02:34 PM
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BYOB in New York City
The most recent thread on this topic is a few years old and contained mostly argumentative back-and-forth so I will begin a new one. Two nights a week, a very good Italian restaurant, L'Apicio (sibling of the wildly popular L'Artusi and dell'Anima in the West Village) allows BYOB. I took advantage of this last night. As long as you keep in mind that the cooking is not on the level of Babbo and Marea, to mention two what I consider to be two of Manhattan's best Italian restaurants, you should be quite pleased. A big plus is that unlike the two West Village restaurants in the group, tables at L'Apicio can usually be booked just a day or two ahead. There is also a long bar that would accommodate diners.
Service is extremely friendly, as well as being informative. Our server offered to take away our white wine and keep it chilled during our meal. Whenever the level in our glasses descended to near the empty level, Josh was there with a refill. Our wine was a German Riesling in a screw top bottle, on special at nearby Astor Place Wines. Contrary to some of the statements made on the earlier BYOB thread, service could hardly have been more solicitous if we had been toting a Barbaresco from Angelo Gaja.
We began with a Salad of Little Gem lettuce, both grilled and raw, tossed in a dressing dominated by feta cheese. The portion was large enough to share. I normally pass on green salads in favor of more interesting dishes but if every green salad was as good as this one, my behavior would be very different.
My partner followed with Agnolotti with English Peas and Ramps which he rated highly. But the star of the two pastas was my own: A memorable Bucatini coated with shrimp broth and incorporating red chili flakes (peperoncini), ramps, Parmesan, and a generous portion of medium-sized shelled shrimp.
This is a sleek, handsome dining space but I was comfortable wearing "nice" jeans, although most of my fellow diners were more stylishly dressed. Despite the fashionable crowd, the staff are warm and welcoming and there is a total lack of pretension here.
Our bill came to $64. before tip. And we went home with half of the bottle, beautifully packed by our server.
BYOB is allowed on Monday and Tuesday nights. The restaurant is just east of The Bowery and opposite Exchange Place.
http://www.lapicio.com/#menus
Service is extremely friendly, as well as being informative. Our server offered to take away our white wine and keep it chilled during our meal. Whenever the level in our glasses descended to near the empty level, Josh was there with a refill. Our wine was a German Riesling in a screw top bottle, on special at nearby Astor Place Wines. Contrary to some of the statements made on the earlier BYOB thread, service could hardly have been more solicitous if we had been toting a Barbaresco from Angelo Gaja.
We began with a Salad of Little Gem lettuce, both grilled and raw, tossed in a dressing dominated by feta cheese. The portion was large enough to share. I normally pass on green salads in favor of more interesting dishes but if every green salad was as good as this one, my behavior would be very different.
My partner followed with Agnolotti with English Peas and Ramps which he rated highly. But the star of the two pastas was my own: A memorable Bucatini coated with shrimp broth and incorporating red chili flakes (peperoncini), ramps, Parmesan, and a generous portion of medium-sized shelled shrimp.
This is a sleek, handsome dining space but I was comfortable wearing "nice" jeans, although most of my fellow diners were more stylishly dressed. Despite the fashionable crowd, the staff are warm and welcoming and there is a total lack of pretension here.
Our bill came to $64. before tip. And we went home with half of the bottle, beautifully packed by our server.
BYOB is allowed on Monday and Tuesday nights. The restaurant is just east of The Bowery and opposite Exchange Place.
http://www.lapicio.com/#menus
May 4th, 2016, 05:23 AM
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I love BYOB restaurants. In years gone by, I used to bring wine to the cheap Italian restaurants on Bleecker Street, but the opportunity to bring a good wine to an upscale place is a real treat.
Do they have a corkage fee on those nights?
Do they have a corkage fee on those nights?
May 4th, 2016, 05:31 AM
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For our anniversary we had a dinner reservation at Gramercy Tavern. We were surprised to find out they only charge $25 for corkage and welcome BYOB. So we took a fine bottle from our cellar ( not on their list but it would have been hundreds if it were). We thought we might get a negative reaction. Not at all. The sommelier even suggested she decant it as she saw it was older and knew it was unfiltered, and brought us out great wine glasses. We offered her a taste. She was impressed with our choice and mentioned they believe many people have reasons for a specific wine of their own for special occasions.
May 5th, 2016, 04:33 AM
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Yes, I think there are essentially two kinds of BYOB's -- those restaurants who don't have liquor licenses therefore allow you to bring your own and charge no fee for doing so, and those that DO have a liquor license but still allow or encourage you to bring your own and then charge you a corkage fee for serving it.
Sure, it's always nicer when there is NO corkage fee, but that's really rare at very upper end restaurants which you might feel warrants a really wonderful special bottle from your cellar. Of course, in my book it would be pretty silly to take an "under $20 bottle of wine" into one of those places and then pay them $25 to serve it -- but that's another matter.
Incidentally, we were surprised in Seattle when we dined at Ruth Chris (it was in our hotel and pouring rain out) and we took a wonderful reserve bottle we had bought at a winery that day but wouldn't be able to take home in our carry-on only luggage. They said there was a corkage fee, but they didn't charge it on the bill. We pointed that out to our server who said "oh, it was clear this was a nice bottle which we couldn't duplicate, so there is no charge". We thought that was a very nice touch.
Here in west Central NJ, we have some truly wonderful BYOB's -- often small restaurants owned and run by NYC chefs tired of the city rat race -- and most of them really can't support or even afford the very expensive liquor licenses. We are spoiled!
Sure, it's always nicer when there is NO corkage fee, but that's really rare at very upper end restaurants which you might feel warrants a really wonderful special bottle from your cellar. Of course, in my book it would be pretty silly to take an "under $20 bottle of wine" into one of those places and then pay them $25 to serve it -- but that's another matter.
Incidentally, we were surprised in Seattle when we dined at Ruth Chris (it was in our hotel and pouring rain out) and we took a wonderful reserve bottle we had bought at a winery that day but wouldn't be able to take home in our carry-on only luggage. They said there was a corkage fee, but they didn't charge it on the bill. We pointed that out to our server who said "oh, it was clear this was a nice bottle which we couldn't duplicate, so there is no charge". We thought that was a very nice touch.
Here in west Central NJ, we have some truly wonderful BYOB's -- often small restaurants owned and run by NYC chefs tired of the city rat race -- and most of them really can't support or even afford the very expensive liquor licenses. We are spoiled!
May 5th, 2016, 11:15 AM
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I agree that there are two types. But many restaurants, even upscale ones, would allow you to bring a special bottle if you call ahead and ask. Of course the corkage fee might be very high, so only worth it for expensive wines. Jean Georges charges $85 ($45 at Nougatine) so not the place for my value Riesling!
Another restaurant I thought of, a very good one, is Batard in Tribeca. They allow BYOB with no corkage on Monday nights. The food is very elegant; chef is Austrian. They have James Beard award as Best Restaurant in The Country in 2015 and have three stars from NYTimes. It's nice enough for a special occasion, but one does not have to dress up. Decent value for the quality.
http://batardtribeca.com/restaurants/batard/index.php
And one more BYOB, Sundays only, wine only: Colicchio and Sons in Chelsea. Both the Tap Room and the Main Dining Room.
And there are the Chinese restaurants in Flushing, many of which allow you to BYOB wine and liquor.
Another restaurant I thought of, a very good one, is Batard in Tribeca. They allow BYOB with no corkage on Monday nights. The food is very elegant; chef is Austrian. They have James Beard award as Best Restaurant in The Country in 2015 and have three stars from NYTimes. It's nice enough for a special occasion, but one does not have to dress up. Decent value for the quality.
http://batardtribeca.com/restaurants/batard/index.php
And one more BYOB, Sundays only, wine only: Colicchio and Sons in Chelsea. Both the Tap Room and the Main Dining Room.
And there are the Chinese restaurants in Flushing, many of which allow you to BYOB wine and liquor.
May 7th, 2016, 03:46 PM
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The idea of going to a fine restaurant and spending a couple hundred for food, but bringing a $25 bottle of wine is absurd. There's a difference between trying to be "cheap" at an already inexpensive eatery, and being able to bring your own special bottle to a fine restaurant.
May 7th, 2016, 11:47 PM
#10
I'm trying to find the connection between the posts saying how nice it is to take a special bottle to a BYOB, and the comment "bringing a bottle of $25 is absurd". I can't see where anyone suggested bringing cheap wine to expensive restaurants.
Did some threads get deleted here?
Did some threads get deleted here?
May 8th, 2016, 03:44 AM
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He might be aiming that comment at me because in my OP I mentioned bringing a "value Riesling" (on sale at Astor Wines) to dinner at L"Apicio. Although maybe not, cause my dinner there cost me $64 for food.
If I want to bring a $25 bottle of wine to Batard on a free corkage night, and if this is one of my preferred wines, what difference would it make to anyone? Why is that absurd?
If I want to bring a $25 bottle of wine to Batard on a free corkage night, and if this is one of my preferred wines, what difference would it make to anyone? Why is that absurd?
May 8th, 2016, 03:52 AM
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I don't think so. Why? Did anyone say that someone DID suggest taking a $25 bottle of wine to a fine restaurant? If so, I missed that too.
But yes, I was simply emphasizing ekscrunchy's comment that paying corkage in a high end restaurant only makes sense if you take fine wine, not a cheap wine. That was her comment and I was simply agreeing. I think ekscrunchy and I agree that it would be absurd to pay a high corkage fee for a cheap bottle of wine. Did my agreeing with ekscrunchy bother you somehow, Icuy?
Here's ekscrunchy's comment that you must have missed but I was agreeing with.
>>>"But many restaurants, even upscale ones, would allow you to bring a special bottle if you call ahead and ask. Of course the corkage fee might be very high, so only worth it for expensive wines. Jean Georges charges $85 ($45 at Nougatine) so not the place for my value Riesling!"
But yes, I was simply emphasizing ekscrunchy's comment that paying corkage in a high end restaurant only makes sense if you take fine wine, not a cheap wine. That was her comment and I was simply agreeing. I think ekscrunchy and I agree that it would be absurd to pay a high corkage fee for a cheap bottle of wine. Did my agreeing with ekscrunchy bother you somehow, Icuy?
Here's ekscrunchy's comment that you must have missed but I was agreeing with.
>>>"But many restaurants, even upscale ones, would allow you to bring a special bottle if you call ahead and ask. Of course the corkage fee might be very high, so only worth it for expensive wines. Jean Georges charges $85 ($45 at Nougatine) so not the place for my value Riesling!"
May 26th, 2016, 01:45 PM
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Addition to the list:
HILLSTONE..two East Side Manhattan locations. No corkage fee on first two bottles of wine. Interesting and positive article on this chain in the April Bon Appetit magazine. Probably not the place one would choose on a visit to NYC, but I thought I should mention the BYOB.
Open lunch and dinner.
http://hillstone.com/menus/hillstone...n%20Dinner.pdf
HILLSTONE..two East Side Manhattan locations. No corkage fee on first two bottles of wine. Interesting and positive article on this chain in the April Bon Appetit magazine. Probably not the place one would choose on a visit to NYC, but I thought I should mention the BYOB.
Open lunch and dinner.
http://hillstone.com/menus/hillstone...n%20Dinner.pdf
