Some days, you just want to know that you still got it. Enter Verde NYC, a restaurant that turns into a good old club as the evening progresses. It’s like the early aughts in there, and no, you’re not too old to dance on a table. Verde NYC is part of a restaurant group with locales in Dubai, Paris and Sardinia. With this pedigree it sounds impressive, but as they say, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. The expansion to the U.S. is the true test on whether Verde has merit; this is the first look review of Verde NYC.
Atmosphere
As someone who lived for nights at Pink Elephant in the early aughts, it gives me great comfort to see places like Verde open in the Meatpacking district. Because although I’m old AF, a girl still needs a night out with friends to remind us that we still got it. My girls’ nights out now though, need a different formula than when we were lining up at Bungalow 8 on a Wednesday at midnight. Nowadays, it takes a proper aperitif at our table, top food at dinner, a beautiful setting, good dinner music and drinks flowing, if you want to keep us out past 10pm. In this category, except one, Verde excels. The dining and bar room are open, so it’s a prime setting for people-watching. The decor throughout is lavish, like a Parisian dinner club with rich red and turquoise velvet. It’s not as ornate as Laperouse, but more in that genre of modern aristocracy.
There are two other aspects to mention, one of which gets high marks. First, their DJ is on point. He reads the crowd well and gives off a good energy. Second, they have dancers that serve as the entertainment as the night gets later. This isn’t The Box by any means, or even Maison Close, but in principal, adds to what strives to be a supper club.
Where A Strength Is A (Potential) Weakness
The atmosphere though, or the efforts to achieve the kind of crowd they want at Verde, may just be its achilles heel. I think I received at least 3-4 messages prior to my reservation to remind me to dress to impress. They were pretty specific about it too, that the ladies are highly encouraged to wear heels. Quite frankly, if I want to wear my $1,500 sneakers, that’s my prerogative. I’ve already spent my twenties running around on cobblestone streets in the Meatpacking, so I’ve paid my dues. And I’ve got nothing to prove, which is the problem with the crowd that Verde brings in.
All Due Respect
A few disclaimers, as I want to make sure this comes off properly. I’m the first woman to support and promote other women, and I love seeing the next gen bringing it on a big night out. There’s nothing like dressing up for your girlfriends and looking hot AF. Anyone who knows me, knows that I personally like to walk that line at any age. It wasn’t busy the night we were there, so maybe this isn’t representative of a prime night. But the groups that were in residence were trying a little too hard. The most blunt way to say this is they didn’t look like women who had just worked in tech or who were on earnings calls all day. I would go further to stay the goal — to land a high roller, was a little obvious. The people who fit that bill weren’t at the upper tier of the food chain either.
Overall, any place that reminds you to dress up three times prior to your reservation can come off a little cheesy. This isn’t a place that the Crane Club crew would frequent (which is right next door). The Tao guys, who own Crane Club, have never taken the “wear high heels” communication approach, but have that exclusivity and desired crowd effortlessly. Not everyone is Tao — in fact no one is. So it’s not fair to compare, but of course, I’m comparing, as their doors are within 20 feet of each other. I get that you want people to dress up, but I know there are cooler ways to convey that message.
Food + Beverage
I’ll start with the positives; the portion sizes are as generous as the diversity. Think a whole selection of crudos, elevated versions of crowd pleasers, like fried mozzarella and calamari and a large selection of salads and pastas to start. Meats are large format and priced accordingly; the steaks start around around $110 and range up to $270 for the Tomahawk. We didn’t have the meats, but we did have a healthy selection of everything fish and veggie based. I’ll shortcut it; this isn’t a place you would come for food. Crudos are simple, but the main issue is the fish didn’t taste fresh. The salads were well-executed and the signature truffle pizza was good enough, but not great. The fish was the most deficient; we had the prawns and sea bream, and both were only memorable because the fish didn’t taste fresh. We never leave fish on the table, but left both crudo and the sea bream at the end of the meal.
The cocktails were all a little sweet for me, less than halfway in. For second drinks we stuck to simple martinis and old fashioneds. Wines by the glass weren’t memorable at all. Of course, they have baller wines on the list, but the food didn’t justify splurging on any fine wine. Verde NYC is more of a place for if you’re looking for a restaurant that becomes a club.
Service
Where Verde shined, in my opinion, is their service. They were nice to everyone, and genuinely happy to have guests come in the door. With my middle-aged girlfriends, they were even nice to us. I liked how they did a European dinner style of service, presenting large plates of food and then serving to everyone at the table. Service is one of their highest points at Verde.
Overall: 7.1/10
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FAQs
Q: Where is Verde NYC located?
A: Verde NYC is located at 85 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011. The restaurant is located in the Meatpacking District of New York City.
Q: What are the hours of operation of Verde NYC?
A: The hours of operation of Verde NYC are as follows:
Monday to Sunday, 6:00pm to 2:00am
Q: Is Verde NYC good for families?
A: Verde NYC is not a restaurant that is appropriate for families. Verde NYC is a supper club that turns into a nightclub-like atmosphere as the evening progresses.
