
Wednesday, 8:15pm
Bar Artisanal
268 W. Broadway (6th Ave.), Manhattan
Wow. We at 30toMidnight have a rule that our judging criteria is limited to Age Appropriateness. To be true to our rule, we will report that Bar Artisanal meets those requirements. To be responsible to our readers, however, we are compelled to say: Stay the Heck Away from this Disaster.
Service is appalling (though we did enjoy the fact that the Worst Waiter in NYC was training someone else); bathrooms are atrocious; hostess stand is manned by dummies ("Good evening, hello," said the one who sat us, welcoming us as we were walking out); they Ran Out of Menus; glasses of wine appeared after the first course; 2 of 3 entrees appeared during the first course (the third came 10 minutes later); decor looks like Disney-Vegas "restaurant" set; all food seems to have been marinating in salty brine before coming to table. Holy cow. It's like the entire staff came from a line of unskilled laborers waiting for day-jobs.
We have not had a New York City restaurant experience this bad since that wild boar place next to Macelleria that opened/closed, oh, 10 years ago (the waiter there was angry with us for telling him that short ribs and spare ribs are not the same; what was that place called?).
P.S. to add to the feeling that we weren't in NYC, they gave us a Comment Card with our check (see picture).