CHEZ JOSEPHINE 4/28/06
 

we're going w/a tour to NYC 4/27-4/30 2006. We opted out of the dinner at Chez Josephine on Friday 4/28, & got tickets for Odd Couple instead. It's too late now, we can't cancel theatre tkts, & we don't want to, but, are we missing something special at Chez Josephine? too little time, too much to do! Please give a review of Chez Josephine. Our tour was adding the dinner for $100.00 (incl tax & tip, but, not drinks), what do you think?

Was this a group dinner, or was it a voucher sort of thing for you to go on your own? Frankly, I think I'd be hard pressed to spend $100 for two there with no drinks. I don't recall it being that expensive.
If it is not a group dinner at a specific time, can you go after the theatre? They're open late and it's a great "supper club" type feel.
Frankly if it is a group dinner, I'd count yourself lucky that you can now dine on your own somewhere. I'm not big on prepackaged group dinners.

Chez Josephine is a wonderful experience, BUT, $100 per person not counting tips is excessive!
Why can't you just make reservations on your own for 6 p.m.? That'll give you plenty of time for dinner before the 8 p.m. curtain. It'll cost you about half that much for dinner, tip and tax.

I interpreted the comment as $100 per person. Actually, the $100 for 2 is only slightly more than regular, assuming you'd have appetizer, dessert and coffee, along with the entree.

the dinner is $100.00 per person, & it does include tax & tip. (nothing was mentioned about drinks, so, I'm assuming drinks not included). We thought it seemed a little spendy, might miss the company of the group, but, I think we made the right decision to go w/theatre tkts. And, as mentioned maybe we can go b4 the play. thanks for advice!

A hundred bucks a person? You must be kidding, although since they get $18.50 for fried chicken and $23.50 for Norwegian (ie, farmed) salmon, maybe you could get to such a high price but I don't see how. You can have dinner at many, many excellent places for that much. Le Bernadin charges about $92, for goodness sakes! If you need to go there, go on your own so you can order what you want.

You can see the prices on their website

http://chezjosephine.com/DinnerMenu3/DinnerMenu.pdf

I think prices have gone up recently.

thanks, now I know we made the right decision. Keep the restaurant suggestions coming! I appreciate them!

Sorry, LeBernadin now charges $98 for dinner. I don't think there is much dissent on which would be a better place to spend your money.http://www.le-bernardin.com/menu_dinner.html

I would still strongly recommend going to Chez Josephine. It's a total experience, not just the dining part! Make your own reservations and spend half as much!

It depends upon whether your emphasis lies with the food or with the "experience." Personally I think LeBernadin offers a pretty good experience of another type, without the schmaltz of Chez Josephine. And with much better food! Sorry to be so forthright, I just wonder why many visitors seem so stuck on the same old places that many New Yorkers would never, ever visit.

THANKS, this is the best site to get the real truth on everything!

Thanks for reminding us what ripoffs so many tour packages are. Can someone explain why you'd want to pay about double for someone to prearrange your meal for you?
I didn't imagine it could be per person! Last time I had the fried chicken -- and was thinking even with appetizer and dessert $100 was a lot for two. For one person it is outrageous.

Responding to ekscrunchy, I'll agree that Le Bernardin is an outstanding dining experience, one of New York'sbest. And, yes, Chez Josephine does have schmaltz...but hey, that's part of its charm. And, as far as New Yorkers dining habits go....well, without New Yorkers, I can tell you that Chez Josephine would be out of business!

Listen I am sure that there are locals who eat here but I think it is heavily dependent on tourists. After all, the original poster talks about a tour group dinner here. All I mean to point out is that I see the same old places discussed here over and over again and there are so many good places to eat, even in that neighborhood. Why does Esca never rarely get a mention? Or even Bistro du Vent? Or Frankie and Johnnie's for steak? Or Pam Real Thai on 49th Street for a cheap ethnic?

Why does Esca never get mentioned? Maybe because when we went there we were not only ignored most of the night (the waiters kept flocking around a table hosting Mr. Batali and other chefs) but would you believe after ages we asked where our food was and they said it was coming. Finally when we asked again, a waiter went to check and had to come back and ask us what we had ordered. They had completely lost our order. To make it worse, the fish was overcooked and tasteless. I realize we weren't as important as the owner, but hey this was insulting!

And Frankie and Johnny's? After walking by it a million times and hearing it was a real New Yorker's favorite we went. Mediocre steaks and the sides were all stone cold. What's more even the drinks seem watered. And I haven't mentioned the crowded table or the very hard, uncomfortable chairs.

Ok...but at least you ventured out away from the pack. I am sorry you had poor experiences at both places. Truly that area is abysmal for dining. But there are options other than the same old same olds and the oones I mentioned after a moment's thought.

Two of my favs in that area -- Marseilles and Le Madeleine. And personally I like Jezabel's better than Chez Josephine, particularly their fried chicken!

We had miserable meals at Bistro du Vent. So, you won't hear me recommending that place! We, too, love Le Madeleine.
I might also throw in a plug for Brasserie 8 1/2 on West 57th.

Well, in a few minutes I will be leaving you all to go for dinner in Astoria.

I appreciate all the different opinions! I've travelled enuf to know that usually the pre-arranged 'tour dinner" is not all it's cracked up to be. I know we can't go wrong w/spending our money for theatre tkts, & now you've given us lots of other places to check out. (it will be interesting to see just how many people in our tour decide to do the dinner or not. It will probably be fun w/the hosts, & yes, I'm sure all that do go will have a great time, but, we get to see THE ODD COUPLE, yahoo!), thanks, thanks, for all suggestions. We've been to NYC many times, (most recently 2002, can't wait for the April trip!)

Your last posting prompts a couple questions:
*Was The Odd Couple part of the package, and if so, how much did the tickets cost?
*If you've "been to NYC many times," why would you choose to sign up for a tour, which if the Chez Josephine cost is any indication, seems more costly than if you had done it yourself?

Howard, I've been wondering the same thing about a reason for the tour, unless it was to provide really cheap hotel and airline tickets as the package, and then they make it up on the options. But I didn't see anything that would suggest the Odd Couple tickets had anything to do with the tour or the ridiculous "rip-off" dinner.

we're going w/some other friends on the tour, thought it sounded like fun & the hotel & air fare seemed like a good deal. It's a good mix of people & we want to do some of the things on the tour. No, Odd Couple tkts not included, we just decided a few of us wanted to see a play. We'd rather spend our money on that than the optional dinner. But, some others say Chez Josephine, is a fun experience, & were bragging it up. I thought I must be missing out on something good, but, wasn't comfortable w/the price just for dinner. (I don't need expensive food, anything is good for me). I was just curious if it was the "in thing",since we'd never gone to that restaurant, never heard of it, before. Usually just go on our own & do what we want. Thanks for all the info.

While I love Chez Josephine and certian is a "fun experience," I wouldn't refer to it as the "in thing." And, you certainly can do better pricewise. Was it the tour company that set the $100 figure?

HowardR, not sure who set the $100.00 dinner price,that's an interesting question. There was a set price for hotel / air fare. Dinner was added on as an option by the tour hosts, but, now, I'd like to know, too.
thanks for your help

Glad to be of help.
Hey, I can understand and agree with the tour company getting paid
something for their efforts.....but $100 for a meal that would probably cost half that amount is greedy!
Are you sure there's nothing more for the $100 charge--just the meal, tax and tip?