Cercle Rouge Brasserie

My husband and I recently visited our daughter and son-in-law in New York for Christmas and New Year. They told us they had booked Cercle Rouge for New Year's Eve and we were slightly concerned as we didn't think a restaurant would be as much fun as an Auld Year's Night back in Scotland. Well.....we had the best New Year's Eve in ages! Everything was fantastic. The service was very good, even though the restaurant was packed. The food was top notch, and the ambience was great with an amazing jazz band and show. We didn't leave until the 'wee' small hours and the staff couldn't have been more helpful, accommodating and fun. All in all, a perfect evening. We'll definitely be back next time we're in New York.\r \r Pros: Daily specials, happening bar scene Cons: tendency to have too many of the great B52s more

Cercle Rouge has become one of my favorite places to dine in the city, whether for special occasions with clients or a significant other, or casually late nights or after work for dinner and drinks at the bar. The dim lighting and decor blend for a beautiful dining atmosphere that can be both casual and upscale. The food is traditional French, but there is a greater passion in the approach to all the dishes and a pleasant creativity when it comes to their specials I've tried, i.e., tripe. For the overall experience, the cost is very reasonable. On special dates, such as Halloween (I've dropped by), Valentine's Day, etc., Cercle Rouge has taken its passion to a higher level and hasn't disappointed. In fact, the experiences for me have been very memorable. I don't see why I would choose another place on these days - I figure I will now make it a tradition of mine. Pros: Ambiance. Good French food with creativity and passion and twists on American fare. Cons: Hard to say. Overall, my experiences have been extremely positive. more

My date and i had such a great Valentine dinner. Felt like Paris in the 30's. The jazzband was very good, the service was smooth, friendly and neat. My favorite romantic gallic downtown had an affordable prix fix specialy with what we had (Amuse bouche,foie gras, beef wellington, chocolate fondant mousse).\r Thanks.\r Pros: Ambience, food more

Tribeca seems to have lots of really nice over the top places, and lots of low end dive type places. Cercle Rouge is a very refreshing compromise. The cozy restaurant serves great food, reasonable prices (let's not forget we're talking about NYC!) and a superfriendly staff that always makes you feel like home. I find myself there all the time and when I bring friends along they always ask what's good. I am always stumped because it seems the menu is so consistently good that I can't decide what to tell them. Don't miss the chicken wings though! I would highly recommend this super-chill, super-great restaurant anytime for any occassion. Pros: Great vibe, great staff, great food - just great more

I don't understand some of the negative reviews on this site - when the place first opened it had problems but there has been a new chef and team in place since I started going there in the spring of 2006 and it's been awesome since then, and keeps getting better. I live in Tribeca, and have tried pretty much every restaurant in the district, at all price ranges, and Cercle Rouge is the place I end up the most. I've always found the staff to be very friendly and very welcoming. Any time I have visitors from out of town, we always seem to end up at Cercle Rouge. During the warmer months it's a no brainer, as they have the best outdoor terrace in the area!\r \r The food is great - as good as any I've had in any bistro in Europe. The specials of the day seem to frequently include regional French dishes - cassoulet, veal kidneys with pasta, fois gras, etc. The bar scene is a lot of fun - probably half the time I've been there I've just eaten at the bar. Everything is reasonably priced, and the wine list is pretty moderate too.\r \r It's a bistro, not a fancy 5-star celebrity hangout, so if you want to drop the megabucks you should probably head a couple of blocks over to Bouley, Chanterelle, or wherever. If you want authentic French bistro cooking, friendly staff, and a great ambience, then you should check out Cercle Rouge.\r \r Cheers\r H.A.\r \r P.S. I was there on Valentine's night, and it very clearly stated on the menu that the fixed-price was per person. Given the choice on offer it seemed pretty reasonable compared to other restaurants in Tribeca, and as another poster wrote, the restaurant pulled out all the stops in terms of decor, music, etc.\r Pros: Ambience, Food, Friendly Staff Cons: Bar can be crowded more

Love, love, love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\r I love my neighbourhood place and I hate people who trash nice places like that down. I have been coming to Circle Rouge since it first opened two years ago. I know the menu by heart and I love everything on it. I spent my birthday there, New Years and Valentines day. And next month me and my fiance are organizing our engagement party there. By the way, you have to try their Chicken Wings - they are absolutely insane, and they are nothing you would imagine chicken wings to be!\r I read the review of some guy who also was there for Valentines and I was surprised. Such a miserable, bitter cheap person! And it seems to me that after all that money he had spend, he still ended up not getting lucky with his date. I wonder why? more

I found a special for Valentines for this restaurant here at city search. It stated $85 fix menu. I called the restaurant and ask if it was $85 per person or per couple. The lady I spoke with said it was per couple so it sounded like a decent deal, so I went I head and made reservations. \r \r Then I ask her a second time is it $85 for 2 people and her respond was of course. So she put me in hold for a minute then came back and asked for my info. After we were completely done I asked a 3rd time so its $85 for 2 people, she said yea and sounded annoyed like you already ask me 3 times.\r \r So I take my date to the restaurant, they sit us. We are cramp in with couples next to us literally inches away. The music was nice they had live jazz. \r \r The food was average at best, I had the fish and it had no flavor. It was cooked to perfection but no flavor. The lobster ravioli wasn?t that great. So the food was average.\r \r When I get the bill, guess what came out to $200 plus tip. I couldn?t believe it; I was in an awkward position. Think about it, my date is there I can?t really make a fuzz about it because is embarrassing if I do. They charge me $85 per person when I clearly confirm not once or twice but three times to be sure.\r \r I could of had taken my date to a far better restaurant for that price. I think it was a great scheme if they did it on purpose cause you know you are not going to fight a bill on Valentines with your date there. \r \r After I paid I ask to talk to the manager and told him that I confirm 3 times the price prior to setting up reservations. He said hell make it up to me, yea right!\r \r In conclusion I feel I was taken advantage of, this experience did not cloud the judgment of the food. Honestly the food was not good, I would admit if it were even after this bad experience. I do not recommend this restaurant to anybody.. Pros: The atmosphere ok Cons: Food, take advantage of you, more

I am a regular at cercle rouge and i was there for dinner Friday night and i was just reading a review put on here by someone who obviously was there friday night for dinner too and yes as he pointed out the there infact was a smell of smoke, which he seemed to be blaming on the restaurant, but if he checked out the facts before posting, the whole of Tribeca smelled of smoke due to a huge fire south on chambers and West broadway.I am a regular there and to be honest after reading your comments you should not go back,they dont need people like you there,its a fantastic place with wonderful staff very helpful and accomodating, stay with macdonalds or burger king,the service might suit you better there.\r \r Pros: service, atmosphere, ambience Cons: smell of smoke when the whole of tribeca is on fire more

Visiting from San FRancisco and found them on OpenTable. Went on a Tues evening, we were the only ones in the dining room at 6pm. The food is good and the portions are right. Very French and enjoyable. Love the authentic menu and the real French waiters. Pros: quiet, good portions, near metro Cons: can't think of any now more

I am a big fan of Le Singe Vert, so I had to try Rouge - I was not disapointed. The food was great and the service was nice...in a french way ;-) The Hostess (manager?) was very nice and accomodating. The out door cafe was perfect and the interior was charming. I highly recommend it! I had the Sweat breads - they were cooked to perfection and the portion was large. Suprising, since specialty meats are usually doled out miserly. I also had the Foie Gras, (sounds likes the beginnings of an offal night ;-) and it was tender, and delectable. My date had the Tuna Tartar that was well portioned and exacuted. Pros: cafe, decor, service Cons: parking before 6pm more

Twas a beautiful day when we decided to go to Cercle Rouge. I'll admit the wait staff was very helpful to accomodate our large party. However, that is the only good thing I can say about the restaurant. My friend who is a vegetarian found nothing to eat on the menu, except a caesar salad, which she chose after asking the head waiter if the chef could cook some vegetables up for her and was quickly turned down. They brought her salad out with anchovies on it. We also ordered a cheese plate which had 3 tiny pieces of cheese. When we asked why the portions were so small, he pointed out that there was fruit as well on the plate (there were two berries only!). In summation, Food was Awful and Overpriced. Waitstaff was uncreative and not so helpful. There are definitely better places down the block! Pros: Helped seat large cro Cons: Bad Food, Expensive Food, Tiny Portions more

Wow, I dunno what day that other reviewer went but mine and wife's experience was much different. We were walking around and I saw the awning that said it was a French resturant so I had to go look. The menu looked good so me and the wife decided to have lunch, and let me tell you how incredible everything was. First off the staff was very nice. Our orders were taken promptly and we watched the servers dance to the music. I had the French-style Philly cheese steak and the wife had the lobster roll. Everything was made to perfection and was delicious. Oh, get the mousse! The prices were also extremely reasonable. Pros: good food, reasonable prices, waitstaff more

I went here with a group of friends and had a great meal in an unexpected place. I didn't know anything about the restaurant, but when we arrived, I liked the setup immediately. It has a chic vibe and we had a drink at the bar before dinner. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive. We had a nine-course meal that was filled with a variety of foods that all worked together. The wings were an unusual addition in a French bistro but maybe the best I've had anywhere. The other dishes, tuna and fois gras were fantastic. We were able to have conversation without shouting over the noise - it was a very comfortable setting. I would definitely recommend Cercle Rouge for the great food and good atmosphere. Pros: Food, Ambience, Variety Cons: , On the expensive side more

Went here for brunch and it was awful! Service was slow and it took them 90 minutes just to prepare eggs. The waiter kept avoiding our table or any eye contact because he was actually embarrassed by how long the kitchen was taking. Several other tables were also complaining and left right away. My chorizo and eggs should have been advertised as potatoes and eggs, because that's all it was. The amount of chorizo I got amounted to 1 inch worth of sausage. The crab benedict had no crabmeat. I think only one burner was working and they must have a problem with their food supplier because there is no way any restaurant can operate like that. Cons: slow service, missing ingredients more

I went there last weekend and had a great time. The food was delicious and the ambience was very sexy. The staff was extremely nice. Awesome place!! more

Cercle Rouge was such a wonderful experience in so many ways. I have been here twice and both times were amazing. The food is wonderful especially the chicken wings & the Fois Gras - never have I had Fois Gras that is so fabulous. Once we had wine pairings which was fun and once we chose our own wine - both were wonderful. The food is truly over the top and the experience is worth every penny. I live in Tribeca and I am very happy we have now a great French Bistrot around. more

When first opened I had the highest of hopes. Great locale and live set up. Sit outside and enjoy the scenery, tuck yourself in back for intimacy, find a spot at the bar to eat and imbibe. Wings? Capricious yet outstanding. Lamb was also on, but service flawed, menu lacked depth. Returned to find same great set up but vastly improved menu. Snapper was aces, my wife(so fussy) raved over the bass. Apparently changed GM/chef and voila, next level. Hopes restored, bring on the spring! Pros: Roasted Red Snapper, Saddle of Lamb, Chicken Wings more

Went for Valentines day and ordered the 7-course valentines' sampler. Romantic, prompt service, nice presentation, and my date was lovely. Drawbacks? The Food! First dish tasted like bait, and I'm Chinese, so I'm used to fishy items. The second dish was OK...oysters rockafeller...but how french is that? Next...buffalo wings. Buffalo wings? What wine goes well with Buffalo wings? Following that was a plate of fois grois. The sauteed was nice, but I could have done without the poached. Then there was a fish dish. It was like a fish stick...minus the breading over some fancy sauce. Then a couple of deserts that weren't bad, but not innovative. The only thing French on the menu was the fois grois...and that is by definition French. My beautiful and charming date combined with the ambience made for a lovely evening. I just never realized ambience alone was so expensive! Pros: ambience, service Cons: Food, Food, Food more

Cercle Rouge has excellent service. I was greeted right away by a friendly hostess. I tried a delightful strawberry and champagne cocktail which added the perfect accent to my meal. Iv'e never really been a big fan of wings but my friend insisted that we share some, I'm glad she did, they were fantastic. The staff had just the right amount of energy to make any guest feel at home. The overall experience was the perfect cherry on a lovely evening, making it one of my new favorite hot spots in Manhattan. Pros: great ambience, accommodating staff, great food more

My boyfriend and I were excited about trying this new french bistro. Unfortunately, it was not what we expected. The menu, apart from being overpriced, is very spase. It took 15 minutes to get a server to greet us, 30 minutes to get our salads and over an hour for our meals. Mine came out totally burnt and COLD! I have never sent an item back, but when I did the manager was so rude that I didn't even want a replacement. I had to complain again to get them to take it off my check. It was embarassing and unpleasant and there are too many restaurants in new york to go back. Cons: overpriced, poor service, poor management more