We have to admit, Chelsea Living Room caught our eye when we saw that they served a caviar pasta. But what we saw online was different in some good ways, as well as some other ways that could be improved. This is the review of Chelsea Living Room, and whether it’s worth it to stop by.

Atmosphere

The Chelsea Living Room is a dark boîte of a spot, that exudes a supper club vibe. Set randomly on 14th Street in the middle of the block, I wondered right away if I made a mistake choosing the restaurant for friends. I was pleasantly surprised though when I walked into the velvet and dimly lit dining room. It kind of had a Victorian chic feel, if there is such a genre of decor.

If I had to compare it to something, I think of Chelsea Living Room as a lower key, less premium version of The Nines. The people are a touch younger and less outwardly affluent, and unlike The Nines, there aren’t groups of super models having dinner together. Instead though, it’s everyday New Yorkers who are looking for a cool spot to hang out with friends, or go on a date. The live music is at a nice volume and and there’s a good energy to the room.

Food + Beverage

I can say with almost 100% certainty that they’re not going for a Michelin star at Chelsea Living Room. However if you’re looking for a decent no-fuss meal and good live music, Chelsea Living Room could be your spot.

With that said, I felt that appetizers were weak. The dirty martini dip was a few olives in a blue cheese dressing. They should totally re-forumulate this recipe as the concept of it is too good. I liked that they had Pigs in a Blanket and a cacio e pepe pot pie, but both were pretty unmemorable for my dining companions.

Before the apps came out though, almost as if my spidey-sense kicked in, I decided to forgo the pasta with caviar. Although that’s what drew me to Chelsea Living Room, if I’m going to spend $100 on pasta, I need a little more certainty it’s going to be worth it. And I was pretty confident it wasn’t going to match Loulou in Paris’s rendition.

Instead, I opted for grain bowl with a double portion of the shrimp because with three pieces it wasn’t enough protein. The dish channeled an upscale Sweetgreen, but then again I didn’t have high expectations. I was nourished and that extra dose of protein was hit the spot. Most of the group had fish – both the Branzino and fried cod sandwich, which everyone reported was quite good. However the fact that the group of dessert eaters totally decided to forgo dessert, spoke volumes. Like I said though, the environment and unfussy food was a perfect place for our party of five to catch up with good music in the background.

Service

Service was well-meaning yet spotty. Everyone was as nice as could be, but servers disappeared for unexplained amounts of time. Drinks took a long time to come out, and there were empty glasses throughout the evening. The dining room was full, but not overly busy at the bar. In fact, it was a lower key Sunday evening. So I can only imagine (because I’m not going to try it out) what a Friday or Saturday look like. Not sure if they were short-staffed but Chelsea Living Room is not a well-oiled machine. However to end on a positive note,  the attitude of the team was always friendly.

Overall: 6.8/10

I wouldn’t eat here again but I would drop in at the bar for a drink if I was in the neighborhood.

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FAQs

Q: Where is Chelsea Living Room located?

A: Chelsea Living Room in NYC is located at 243 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011, United States.

Q: What are the hours of Chelsea Living Room in NYC?

A: The hours of operation of Chelsea Living Room in NYC are as follows:

Q: What type of food does Chelsea Living Room in NYC serve?

A: Chelsea Living Room in NYC serves American food with French influence.