little owl

The service was more than good, but it is a small tight space. The food was above average, but it is not easily reached by subway. But, the neighborhood is fascinating. Tahe a Food Tour of Greenwich Village first/Food of NY. and return for dinner. more

We came here because heard that the burger was outstanding and it did not disappoint! The bun was soft, the meat juicy, just the right amount of cheese. I honestly can't stop thinking about it. The staff was EXTREMELY friendly and were serving people who were waiting outside tea and coffee. I will be coming back here very soon. more

This is not some enormous, glamorama, fancypants food cavern with a slick-as-sh-- bar scene and sex appeal. It's a cozy spot with delicious food from start to finish and the service ain't too shabby either. Meatball sliders blah blah blah. I'll say this: my friend WJ barely eats red meat, let alone veal or pork, but even she eats the meatball sliders here because, yes, they are that good. And we almost stabbed each other over the cauliflower because it's worth maiming a friend of over 10 years for a simply prepared but really f-ing good side like that. If you decide not to try the lamb t-bone on at least one occasion, be prepared to get a little jealous and pissy that you missed out when you see it being served to someone at another table. The wine list is one of those quality-not-quantity situations. You can tell the options are lovingly selected by people who respect how the right wine makes already good food even more velvety delicious, especially when one of the servers or managers comes by and knows what you're drinking (even if he/she didn't actually serve it directly to you) and asks how you like it and compares tasting notes with you in a non-obnoxious, douchey way. Sure, it's annoying to get a reservation. But once you go there, you understand why. It's just not big enough for all the people who love to eat there. I just wish they would open a franchise in my living room. more

Such a cute spot to stop for a bite. I first heard about them on Behind the Burner. com more

Not that the food was bad. It was pretty decent. But I wasn't sure what is so special about it. Is it because it's so small and it's hard to get a reservation? I mean... scarcity... more

great food and perfect atmosphere, small but chic, meatball sliders a must.. fun staff and very helpful Pros: meatball sliders more

This is one of the best restaurants in NYC hands down. Everything about this restaurant deserves 5 stars. You will not be disappointed if you choose to try Little Owl, its worth the reservation wait list. Pros: amazing food, atmosphere and location Cons: hard to get reservations more

Hmmm...been 3 times now and have to admit...I don't see what all of the fuss is about. But then I felt that way about Market Table and Cookshop, too. The food is fine, can be inventive but very inconsistent and the seating situation is truly appalling. I know there are many complaints about this. Okay, you have a small restaurant but c;mon. You know its limitations by now. You don't make people with reservations wait from 45 minutes to and hour and 15 (last time we went.) Cons: seating, service, inconsistancy of food more

what can i say? Food is very well plated, service is very professional, and the way eveything is set up in the place is just beautiful. I've been here a couple times now and i have not yet been disappointed. Also had a birthday here and it was great. They even had a little candle for me heh heh. Great food, great service, cant wait to go back! Pros: food,service more

Yes, yes, yes...this is THE place to go. more

nice ambience and delicious food. we had the sliders, beet salad, sardines, and duck for appetizers. my... more

nice ambience and delicious food. we had the sliders, beet salad, sardines, and duck for appetizers. my favorite were the sardines (surprisingly!... more

We've always wanted to eat here but reservations are hard to get. So on a Tuesday nite we decided to stop by at 7pm and try to get lucky. The host was so nice and said he'd probably have something in an hour so we went to EO for a drink and 25 mins later he called us for a table at 7:45! The food is incredible. We had the sliders appetizer (very tasty) and my bf & I both got the lamb. I've only eaten lamb one other time (not a big fan) but the lamb t-bones were so delicious, wonderfully seasoned. Also came with goat cheese gnocchi and an onion watercress salad. We ate every bite! Service was very attentive, our wine glasses were never empty. The chocolate cake w/espresso gelato was a good ending to the meal. We will definitely go back. One of the best meals I've had in a long time plus friendly service. This restaurant is a delight! Pros: Fabulous food, cozy (small) place Cons: wish it was easier to get a reservation more

The porkchop is so amazing that it's not worth dying for, it's worth living for. It was seasoned to perfection and incredibly moist. I can't stop thinking about it...Service was wonderful and we had a great half bottle that seemed fairly reasonably priced. I would go back in a heartbeat but I can't manage to get a reservation. Pros: porkchop, ambiance Cons: impossible to get a reservation more

I didn?t see any of the aloofness that a few have cited in their reviews, though we did see many people turned away while we were eating. (My full review at: AmericanMadness dot com). The place is small! One has to expect that there?s only so much that can be done to seat everyone and in a timely fashion. Our table (for 6) took 30 minutes to open, which was downright reasonable. And we stayed for maybe twenty minutes after everyone else had left and the place had closed for brunch and no one in management made a peep! The food has been described by angry critics as nothing special. I?ll say this: what I ate was damned good. The meatball sliders were quite tasty. I thought the veal slider, in particular, was extremely good. One friend ordered the poached eggs (fontina sausage buns, braised greens and hollandaise), and reports that the buns did not taste particularly like sausage, but overall he enjoyed the dish. Another friend ordered the white omelet and said it was unexceptional, but that it had clearly been whipped up in a most labor-intensive way. Two others ordered the burger but both had it well done. Even well done, the burger was very good. I think at medium rare it would be impressive. The spiced fries, included with the burger platter, are excellent. The coffee was hot, tasty and mugs were kept full. Orange juice ($4) was freshly squeezed. I ordered an African Rooibos tea (from MightyLeaf) and it was tasty. Go early. More than half of the side dishes were gone by 1:30pm, including the cheddar grits, which I was excited to try, and the sausages. We did get some Brussels Sprout Home Fries (home fries and Brussels sprouts presented together, not melded together) and they were perfectly cooked, which is to say crunchy and not underdone. One cute final touch: the check comes bookmarked in a weathered paperback book. In our case, this was Around the World in 80 Days. Pros: Great meat, good service, nice decor, cozy Cons: Popular dishes run out fast more

came here tonight for an anniv. dinner w/ my bf thx to yelp. I couldn?t get reservations but was told they reserved tables for walk in's so we decided to try our luck. got here at about 6pm on a Fri. and didn?t have to wait at all. the place was so cute, nice and cozy, just perfect. I was tempted to get the lobster soup but chose the meatball sliders instead, yummy. Stan got the scallops which were delicious. I did taste the anchovy which I didn?t care for but it didn?t overpower the dish. we also tried the oysters from nova Scotia they had this evening which was heaven, we should?ve got more. for entree I got the crispy chicken and he got the lamb - everything was yummy, I cant complain, and that?s hard for me :-) unfortunately we got so full not only could we not finish our entree, but no room for dessert :-( damn, and I really wanted to try the pear crisp. I?ll be back. oh yea, and the service was very good. the busboy was on point and the food came out very fast Pros: food, service Cons: hard to get a reservation more

The restaurant is tiny, but cozy, the wait staff was great, though I did have to ask for bread. Pros: Cute space, cozy, good service Cons: Nothing special, but with so much hype, there's always a wait more

Vey nice service, great wine list, good food. Tiny little venue making getting a table tough. Great for two people on a date Pros: Great food, amazing wine, intimate Cons: a bit cramped, service a bit rushed more

Went to The Little Owl last night (Saturday) with a party of 3 after reading great review in a notable food magazine. Showed up as a walk-in at around 9:15 and it was completely packed, hour and a half wait. They ended up getting me a table within an hour. The restaurant is small, and the seating is somewhat tight but never uncomfortable. I read some previous reviewers who claimed terrible service, however our server was very nice and very attentive. Now, the food. My company both ordered the New York Steak, which was not adventurous in the least, but still perfectly cooked and excellent. I had the broiled Halibut, which was one of the top 3 pieces of fish I have had... ever. I also had the Meatball Sliders appetizer which had great flavor and is a must-order if you go. I would have given it 5 stars, but consistency is part of my criteria, so I will have to go back and eat again (which I will) for them to earn the last star. It should also be noted that for this quality of food the prices are not only reasonable, but a great value. Very hard to find a place (especially in Manhattan) that lives up to the critical hype and stays in this price bracket. Highly recommended and worth your wait. more

Little Owl is over-rated and average at best. The waiters were snobby and rude when I was there (for my birthday, no less). We were seated late after being told to go have a drink elsewhere while they got our table ready, they were out of the first three things we ordered, we weren't offered dessert --keep in mind, it was my birthday!!!! even after they called us three times to confirm the reservation, and each time they mentioned a special dessert), we were rushed through our entire meal (appetizers came before our wine & the kitchen staff was peering out the window at us to see when we'd finish our next course), and the food was incredibly salty - we woke up with that horrible dehydrated feeling in the middle of the night. When we mentioned the poor service to one of the waiters, she responded, ""Well, your waitress is downstairs right now,"" offering no sympathy to us whatsoever. I would NEVER recommend this place. And this was all on Sunday, no less - not exactly the busiest day of the week. Sad. Pros: actually getting a table at this ""hot"" restaurant Cons: everything else: from the service to the food - just plain rude. more