Rome wasn't built in a day, nor was the far reach of Danny Meyer's restaurant group. It all started with Union Square Cafe, which opened in 1985 and has remained among the city's most popular and beloved restaurants year after year. This James Beard award-winning restaurant (in multiple categories over the years) was also a torchbearer for the locally grown, seasonably sustainable movement: The Union Square Greenmarket supplies the kitchen. Whether you're a 20-year devotee of the lobster shepherd's pie (one of the daily specials) or just grabbing a burger at the bar – a good spot to snag if you don't have a reservation – USC pleases all palates with warm service, its casually elegant dining room and "American cuisine with an Italian soul." Consistency is king, as chef/partner Michael Romano has been with the restaurant since 1988. The signature tuna steak with wasabi mashed potatoes remains on the menu in addition to a selection of pastas and entrées such as lamb chops and crispy duck confit. Reservations suggested. Full bar with award-winning wine list. Serving lunch and dinner daily.
Where The Locals Eat rating
Best Contemporary in NYC
Top 100 Restaurant, New York City
"Twenty years ago, in October of 1985, Danny Meyer opened his first restaurant, Union Square Cafe. A new breed of American eatery, USC paired imaginative food and wine with caring hospitality, comfortable surroundings and exceptional value. Serving American cuisine with an Italian soul, USC was an immediate hit."
– Union Square Café website
"Union Square's performance isn't keeping up with its favor. And I'd like to think that as humble as it endeavors to be, it has too much pride to let that stand."
– Frank Bruni, The New York Times, Aug. 5, 2009
"The bar is a great place to lunch solo. And the banana tart with honey-vanilla ice cream and macadamia brittle can make you act the fool."
—New York magazine
"Chef Michael Romano keeps the refined cuisine coming."
—Time Out New York
"The menu is fairly simple: grilled meat and fish, salads, a good burger at lunch. Side dishes get their share of attention: the garlicky homemade potato chips are famous."
– Newsday
How others rate Union Square Cafe
The New York Times
** (very good)
New York magazine
*** (generally excellent)
Critics' Pick
Zagat 2009
27 food rating (extraordinary to perfection)