212-243-4020
21 E 16th Street
Near Union Square
Rating: Mind Altering
Cuisine: American Nouveau
Entree Price: $24-$38
Meals: Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Most addictive dish: ricotta gnocchi
Review
Sometimes I'm really dumb. Like the first time I heard the name Union Square Cafe, and I thought to myself, "What? A cafe?? I need more than a cafe. I'm not up for just a cafe." Luckily, my friends sometimes slap me out of my numbskullery and drag me to places like Union Square Cafe - which is by no means just a cafe.
Consistently ranked in the top 10 restaurants in the city, Danny Meyer’s USC does everything right. A large communal bar evokes a distinctively New England feel and is the centerpiece of the main floor. It’s perfect for sipping your favorite Barolo, devouring their crispy duck confit or getting to know the clandestine writer to your left.
Some of the dishes that have made them famous include the heirloom tomato salad (when in season), the lamb chops and the amazing ricotta gnocchi (rehab could be necessary afterwards). Everything on the menu is truly great. USC is a place that works as a first date location, a second date location, an anniversary, or just a Tuesday night dinner - because it's Tuesday night and I had a bad day at work and I deserve some good food and good wine, ok? You know what I'm talking about.
Don't talk this place up. It's already well-known, and we don't need more tourists mucking it up.