😍
My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary dinner.
We were blown away by everything we ordered. It was creative, delicious, and presented in a way that was truly special. The scallops appetizer and the s'mores dessert was a huge highlight. We also thought it was so sweet they brought us another dessert to celebrate our anniversary. We'll definitely be coming back.
🤮
The food and atmosphere reeked of pretentiousness.
1/5 by
P S. on 02/12/2023
Exorbitantly expensive for meager portions of food. I paid $88 dollars (with tip) for a thimble sized cup of soup, 1 crab rangoon, and 1 small duck deep fried stick plus the main meal of ribs...no sorry one rib wiht sauce). Not a repeat. Not even a matter of inflation. I'm just appalled.
😍
What an experience! Went here to celebrate my husband's
What an experience! Went here to celebrate my husband's 72nd birthday and a belated 30th birthday for our son-in-law. They have a tasting menu that they accommodated for my fish allergy and son's shellfish allergy. Our daughter and myself added the wine pairing and the guys shared a stout. The menu changes with the seasons so we'll definitely have to return. We added the bread and short ribs with black garlic to the dinner. The appetizer had crab/kale Rangoon and a vegan choice with spinach. We tasted fried duck rilette, and artic char, pickled delicata squash and so much more. We finished the meal with vanilla orange ice cream with freeze dried cranberries. One of the most amazing food experiences I've ever had.
😍
Among a number of other restaurants on Vanderbilt, Olmsted
Among a number of other restaurants on Vanderbilt, Olmsted alone offers a tasting menu and one that, like Dirt Candy before it, is bound for a Michelin Star. Although they don't have a vegetarian offering, they were able to accommodate pescatarian service at relatively short notice. The phrase "farm-to-table" has, in the past decade, been used by so many restauranteurs and promotors that it can seem at times as though there is no such thing, but from the moment one enters Olmsted such doubts are laid to rest. Olmsted is absent the barn-doors, chevron walls, railroad ties and other now stereotypic paraphernalia that one frequently finds in Brooklyn restaurants and bars in order to signal to patrons that the establishment is "earthy," "edgy," or "different." Instead, one finds a long, understated and classy establishment, lined with plants, tastefully lit, with an open kitchen toward the rear. Outside there is an enclosed dining area kept warm in the winter with a beautiful view of the garden, from which parts of the menu are gathered, and which, in warmer weather, one can dine beside. The service was exceptional - attentive without being intrusive - and accommodating. The dishes themselves were extraordinary. The bread service (think a sophisticated version of Red Lobster's cheddar biscuits) was surprisingly remarkable and when combined with the garlic yeasted butter, a standout experience. The menu had Japanese influence - starting with the red miso dashi and the arctic char's accompaniment with tobiko - without being beholden to an easter flavor profile. The kale and crab rangoon was delicious, and the desert - a vanilla-orange ice cream with thyme foam and cranberries coated in a buckwheat crumble - tied the experience together in a lovely bow. I recommend: the Arctic Char. -HCLB
This is a great restaurant featuring innovative dishes, terrific cocktails and fine service. Service was very good, and the setting is quite nice.
😒
We went to Olmsted 2 years ago and were surprised by the
We went to Olmsted 2 years ago and were surprised by the tiny portions and high prices. It was during the pandemic and we thought it might just be a blip.No... it's not a blip. Long story short, Olmsted is an egregiously expensive restaurant with apathetic employees in a gorgeous space serving delicious food. We went last night, excited and nervous to try it again. As soon as we sat down, the service was fine, but lacked much personality or familiarity - standoffish. The food is amazing but the portions are surprisingly small, even for folks who are used to fine dining portions. 12 dollars for a small cinnamon roll style bread (BUT DELICIOUS)! Natural wine (tasted like grape juice) was 100 a bottle. The heated garden is gorgeous and was very sweet.
The food is atrocious. It's made for pretentious hipsters who are impressed by semi prepared Georgian food. 16.00 for 4 butternut squash rings, poorly spiced. 18.00 or so for crudo that is cut too thickly, improperly spiced. It's as though it's an amateur chef, trying to find his footing. The Main of scallops were barely cooked, the salad was the worst thing you probably ever put into your mouth. They kitchen doesn't really cook anything. The dessert is audacious. They will spoon froyo and call it innovative. Sad. Atrocious food. Impersonal service, chef table felt uncomfortable. Save your money, if you want a tough time, but with better food, try any Georgian fare
🙂
Really really good food.
They had a lot of squash on the menu the night we ate there: battered delicata rings for an appetizer, the bread had squash in it, and there was a honeynut squash entree. Skipped the bread but the other two were excellent, as was the the duck liver mousse and the short ribs. Where they were less than perfect was service. We waited 3 minutes inside for someone to greet and seat us, with no acknowledgment from the bartender or any of the wait staff who saw us standing here, not even an eyebrow raise or nod or "we'll be with you shortly". Our server was very nice but extremely soft spoken (the restaurant is NOT QUIET) so we had to have her repeat things again and again. And the dietary restriction thing got a little...forced. Both of us have some - not allergies, more like strong preferences - and we told the server we could figure it out. She kept questioning us - are you vegetarian? Pescatarian? We said no, and no allergies so nothing for the kitchen to worry about, but we can work it out when we look at the menu. "But are you pescatarian?" Back off, we got it.
🙂
Very nice ambiance, seated promptly when we arrived a
Very nice ambiance, seated promptly when we arrived a little early for our reservation. Very attentive service.Everything was really good:Cocktails: 4/5. My friend felt so-so on the first one he received, but then was able to freely swap it out with the one I got because he liked it a lot more.Beer battered squash rings: 5/5. Presented on a cool, albeit a little cumbersome, tree.Mahi-mahi crudo: 5/5. Fresh, simple, garnished tastefully with a delicious sauce.Crab and carrot curry: 5/5. Our favorite! Tasted Thai-inspired.Scallop lettuce wraps: 4.5/5. Reminded me of vietnamese wraps, but with pickled vegetables.Roasted maitake: 4/5. Something about it tasted a little yogurty/sour, and unfortunately I don't like that. Also seemed to need a bit more of umami.Grilled honey nut squash: 4/5. I don't remember this too much other than that it didn't really wow me... Although, the squash Rangoon, that was memorable in a great way.Grilled pork collar: 4.5/5. Nice.Service: 5/5!Rounded down to a 4 for some of the above dishes and the price. Would come back here again, but not frequently as it's pricey.
😍
After wanting to try here for a while, we finally went for
After wanting to try here for a while, we finally went for dinner last night. Excellent food, wine, and service. The three of us ordered 5 dishes and 2 desserts and it was the perfect amount - the waitress was spot on when she suggested 5-7 dishes for us. She also gave a great wine recommendation that was a very good price. All the food was tasty but the duck was by far our favourite. In fact it was probably one of the best duck dishes I've ever had and I regularly order duck when I'm out. Just perfectly cooked and such good flavour. We got: crudo, brussle sprouts, speatzle, pork, duck, chocolate and corn, and the zeppole. Also had a bottle of bubbly and some port. Will definitely go back when the weather is nicer and try out the back yard.
😍
Food was amazing, ambiance was amazing and service was
Food was amazing, ambiance was amazing and service was wonderful. You pick 2 appetizers, 2 small plates, and 2 main plates. Then they time each plate to come out after you are finishing the last, and they did a heck of a job! Smocked duck and Pork collar were fricken amazing. You should 100% plan this in your next trip out.
😍
Food was amazing I ordered:Quinoa crusted Duck Carrot crepe
Food was amazing I ordered:Quinoa crusted Duck Carrot crepe Kale and crab wontons Although the duck was crusted, it was still morsel melt in mouth good; very soft and paired well with the berry and greens dip served with it. I had a glass of Tempranillo that paired well with the dish. The carrot crepe was not what I expected but in a good way. It was savory but a small dish.If by yourself, ordering an appetizer and one main dish will definitely fill your needs. When learned most plates were small I ordered more but ended up having leftovers.
🤢
I was really looking forward to my visit to Olmsted, but we
I was really looking forward to my visit to Olmsted, but we were very disappointed. Ee were seated where the air conditioner was dripping next to me. I was unhappy with the Ramp cocktail. I am a big fan of Gin Gibsons, and this drink just had way too much vinegar. I could not drink it and sent it back. We thought that Watermelon Sushi was terrible, all you tasted was bonito flakes. It was a waste of good fish. We liked the carrot crepe. The crab rangoons were under seasoned, and it was just poor presentation that the dumplings did not fit in the bowl for the sauce. We got the smoked duck - which was way to smokey - the duck was tender, and that was good - but you tasted only smoke. It was a waste of a good piece of duck. The scallops were prepared well, BUT - that corn/blueberry sauce was not good. We also had to wait 20 minutes for the scallops. I think the server did not put the order in until we checked in with her. I appreciated not being charged for the Ramp cocktail. Overall it was a big disappointment! I would not recommend Olmsted and I doubt I will be interested in trying it out again.
😍
I came here to celebrate my sister's birthday last night,
I came here to celebrate my sister's birthday last night, and she chose this restaurant because she had heard that it's a great restaurant, and after my experience, I realized that this is definitely true. Olmsted is a farm-to-table tapas restaurant and there were plenty of good options on the menu. We had a hard time deciding what we wanted because everything sounded really good, so we just ended up ordering everything. The food was great, and I loved everything but we got full really fast because everything on the menu was so good. After we had finished our meal, we were escorted to the garden area of the restaurant for dessert we ordered the froyo and the chocolate/corn dish and they were good. I originally thought the chocolate and corn combination would be too weird but it was pretty good. I have to say that the froyo was AMAZING! It was a lavender-flavored froyo with a honey-flavored marshmallow fluff topping. I am SO happy that I can eat dairy now because this was an amazing experience. The restaurant is also very accommodating towards dietary restrictions, which made it easy for my gluten intolerance and my dad's intolerance to certain spices. The restaurant was also really beautiful, and I recommend going to the bathroom with the long hallway because it feels like you're stepping into another world. It's so beautifully decorated. The garden is also really nice because there is a lot of space and they grow their own herbs. I also notice that they have three quails for some reason. I don't know why they had them there, but they were so cute! If you're thinking about coming here PLEASE, DO! I promise you will love it.
🤢
We were sat at a cozy little table for two in an absolutely
We were sat at a cozy little table for two in an absolutely beautiful garden out back. The space was enchanting and felt like a celebration of summer. If only that were enough... THE MOUSSE AND THE BREAD SERVICE -The mousse was fantastic, but unfortunately it's served only with these terrible slices of greasy bread. I think they were going for some kind of a cracker situation, but it was just a complete failure. Greasy as anything, paper thin, extremely brittle, and barely able to stand up to the mousse actually being spread onto it without crumbling into a million pieces. We were also only given enough of them to enjoy roughly one third of the mousse. We had to heckle our waiter for two more orders of them just to finish it off. We would have loved to spread it on the focaccia that came with the twelve dollar bread service, but the two pitifully tiny little rolls that they sadly try to pass off as an order of bread had already been eaten by that point. The bread really pissed us off. When you read "bread service" on a menu, you're probably under the impression you'll be receiving some kind of a bread basket. What we received were two absolutely pitiful and frankly insulting little pieces of focaccia. Each as big as a small biscuit. And if you want two more? That'll be another twelve bucks. We found this not only greedy, but kind of pretentious. These two basic little focaccia rolls are presented as if they're something special, something that actually warrants their price tag, but they're just not. THE RANGOONS -Four little dumplings, each maybe the size of a ping-pong ball, served in some cheeky little red and white Chinese food to-go container with a side of sweet and sour sauce. This container appeared to be brimming with rangoons, so my boyfriend and I each immediately popped one into our mouths. We quickly regretted this decision, as we found on closer inspection that this container was not in fact brimming with rangoons. There were but four, propped up in the box by some cardboard at the bottom to make it look like you're actually getting a reasonable amount of food. We'd accidentally eaten half the dish in a single bite (These were in the mid-sized plates section on the menu, mind you). Just pathetic. And just as we were about to eat the last one, a server came to pre-bus our table and took the sweet and sour sauce away. She obviously knew we weren't finished with the dish since she left it on the table, so I'm sure it was just a mistake, but we then had to ask for another side of sauce and wait for it to be ran to the table just to eat our one little rangoon, which felt really silly. If they hadn't been so forgettable we may have just been able to enjoy it without the sauce, but sadly they were no more enjoyable than your typical Chinese restaurant crab rangoon. THE SCALLOPS AND THE DUCK-Both the scallops and the duck were fantastic, and Olmstead's only saving grace. Especially the duck, which was cooked absolutely perfectly. It was smoked in house and seasoned generously with zaatar. Of course, neither the duck nor scallops came with a substantial side dish, but the duck was accompanied by a nice piece of simple, chewy flatbread. The bread was something between a crepe and a thin piece of naan and added a nice textural element to the protein. The scallops, served on a skewer, were extremely tender and came with a bit of nicely cooked corn and a beautiful blueberry gastrique. We felt the gastrique actually complimented the duck a bit more than the scallops, so we were very happy we received these dishes together. The portions of these dishes were also a bit more reasonable, but then again, they ought to be for thirty to forty bucks a pop. If we ever decide to go again (which we probably won't), we'd probably just forego the smaller plates and stick to the meatier dishes. IN CONCLUSIONSo all in all, some of the food was quite good, and with the exception of the crackers served with the mousse, none of it was bad. But I left kind of feeling like I'd been taken for a fool. This place attracts park slope stroller pushers and clean-cut Brooklyn yup-yups like flies to sh*t and Olmsted knows they can just charge clients like this whatever they want and that they'll all just lap it up with a smile on their face, but places like this are a splurge for me. So if my boyfriend and I are gonna spend $200 on a single meal, you bet your ass I want to leave feeling full, and this was far from the case. It's the typical shared plate scam; half the food for entree prices. And when I say half, I mean barely.
😍
Had dinner here for the first time after hearing good
Had dinner here for the first time after hearing good things. The staff was courteous and knowledgeable and the service was seamless. The food was a delicious sensory experience. Come here with an open mind and enjoy the ride.
😍
One of the most creative and delightful meals of all time!
One of the most creative and delightful meals of all time! Great service and atmosphere, loved the garden space. Don't wait to get here!!
😒
We had an odd experience here! We sat in the back area,
We had an odd experience here! We sat in the back area, which was lovely. I'll start with the good:- Some nice natural wines- Fish finger special was tasty and unique w/ lemon zest addition- Snap pea and scallops entrees were superb- Great location!And the bad:- We experienced maybe the weirdest service in our lives here. Our server, who was cordial during the first 15 mins of our meal, suddenly turned icy and wouldn't say a word to us (?!) It was so profoundly strange. It was my partner's birthday, and other little birthday treats were given to other tables -- not ours, which is whatever but strange considering the circumstances. We kept wondering if we did anything wrong, but after talking to a few friends about it who live in the area, they confirmed they experienced similar things. So strange. I've never had service that left me feeling so uneasy. One other server, however, a jovial looking man who was one of the others working outside, seemed very lovely! - The food, while good, definitely wasn't all that. The entrees were delicious but on the smaller side for the $$. The apps were fine, but fell short compared to our expectations. For example, the carrot crepe was rather boring and the flavors did not gel together well whatsoever.
😍
We were a little hesitant to dine here because it's not an
We were a little hesitant to dine here because it's not an inexpensive meal, but boy was it worth it! My only regret was not making the reservation further in advance. They were fully booked outside so our only option was indoors. The have a beautiful outdoor space in the back for dinner, and there is also a wonderful area for drinks and snacks outside. TIP: If you have to book indoors, arrive early to grab a drink outside (in the back patio) prior to your meal.We ordered the following for three people which was the perfect amount of food:Tempura Fried Asparagus: crispy and deliciousZucchini Som Tom: if you like papaya salad, order it!Fluke Crudo: small bites with big flavorKale & Crab Rangoon: unique, crunchy, and sorta healthy because of the kaleCarrot Crepe: delicate, light, and feels/tastes like summer Za'atar Smoked Duck Breast: cooked and seasoned to perfectionOld School Chocolate Mousse Vanilla Creme Fraiche: creamy, rich, and just the right sweetnessTIP: If you are going here to celebrate something (we went for my friend's birthday), mention that in the reservation. They brought out a special dessert with a candle, and I didn't even have to remind them. Nice touch Olmsted!The service was impeccable.
Love when the cocktails are just as good as the food - I'd come here for the drinks alone. I tried the fennel & honeysuckle and really enjoyed both. The honeysuckle was gin forward without being overwhelming. Also had a sip of the "cucumber" cocktail and that was (so!) refreshing. As for food, some reviews mention a prix fixe but this wasn't on the menu when we came in on a Sunday during early dinner. Our party of two had the duck liver mousse, tempura asparagus, lobster cracker, some kind of ceviche, duck breast, and a froyo w/ lavender honey. Everything delectable, everything plated prettily. Plates are on the small end so we could've done one more dish, but we left feeling content and not stuffed. Only miss was that there were random lulls, e.g., two apps arrived before our drinks; there was a period of random 15 mins from our third dish to the fourth; another lag of 15 mins from the fourth dish to the fifth; someone dropped off the lobster cracker without a suggestion as to be mindful that the lobster foam would dissipate (we were too busy finishing off the mousse) - but none of these shortcomings were attributable to our waitress, who was hospitable & helpful in ordering. Looking forward to coming back to try other menu items v soon (restaurant seems to change menus according to what's in season). Tip - we made a resy for inside & dined indoors but the pros / repeat patrons appear to opt for the outdoor garden area which seems to be the right move; they have a beautiful outdoor setup.
🙂
I live in the area and have been meaning to come to this
I live in the area and have been meaning to come to this restaurant. It is usually fully booked and if you're trying to do a walk in on a weekend , forgettahboutit! I was ecstatic when I got an early reservation and had the pleasure to try the farm to table food provided. We ordered the duck liver mousse, the fried asparagus, the scallops, and roast duck. For our drink we both got the fennel! Which was also very good, light and herby, perfect for an early dinner.The duck liver mousse was light and surprising. It was sweet and paired well with the baguette and spring onion. The fried asparagus was one of my absolute favorites! It was perfectly seasoned and the side sauce of lemon aioli, I couldn't put my finger on, but it paired well with the salt from the asparagus. Between these two plates they wiped our table to get ready for the entree , which was a nice touch! Then they served us the scallops with polenta and Za'atar Duck. The scallops were cooked perfectly and seasoned well, with a little heat kick I loved. The polenta was great and creamy and should be eaten with the scallops . Last but certainly not least we had the Smoked Duck. This dish stole the show. This was single-handedly the best duck I've ever had. It was so tender and paired with a semi sweet sauce underneath it was just golden. It came sliced and also shredded, and a side of something I thought was like a roti. I could've eaten 10 of those ducks, I am not kidding. Anyway, an amazing experience with amazing food. I would've given 5 stars, but I would suggest an addition of a screen door to keep any (of the very few) flies out of the restaurant. My favorite: Za'atar Smoked Duck Breast Her Favorite: Duck Mousse ("I've never had mousse like that!!")
😍
A must visit if you are a foodie
Having scored a table on Saturday night during prime time, it was one of my favorite evenings thanks to the team that collaborate on this excellent restaurant. Warm welcome, very busy but no wait, knowledgeable twists to classic dishes, genuinely attentive associates combined to hit all the high notes. An open kitchen adds to this intimately sized restaurant that serves outside in their rear garden as well as the recent addition to street seating. The restaurant is umami. Loved it!
😍
I went to Olmsted last night to celebrate my husbands
I went to Olmsted last night to celebrate my husbands birthday and had a pleasant experience.We sat in a little shack in the garden. There was also outdoor garden area with heating lamps if you are waiting for tables & wants to have a drink. Food here was casual fine dining which were light and flavorful. Overall food tasted relatively healthy and I also find staffs at the restaurant friendly. I thought price was good ($89 for 4 course menu) and was satisfied with the amount of the food but my husband who is a big eater wasn't full after the dinner and had another small meal at home. One thing I liked about their menu is that they also provided non alcoholic pairings with pre-fixed menu which I appreciate as a light drinker. They also had some really cool looking cocktails.Even though we visited on Wednesday night this place was packed and I think Olmsted is a great casual but nice place to have a dinner with friends.