Circo
“Bruno was the consummate maitre d': professional, warm, engaging, charming, and totally knowledgable about food & wine.”
“As a regular to Le Cirque, visiting Circo, the sister restaurant is even better.”
“The restaurant is very spacious and decorated with circus-related items, but it's done in a tasteful way.”
Circo
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Wondering into a random restaurant in NYC, especially midtown, is never a good idea, but when you are too hunger to spend 30 minutes on yelp, what can you do?
After we wondered in, someone nicely took our coats and asked if we had a reservation. No, we responded, but considering it was a Monday night at 7pm and only two tables were occupied, it seemed like we were ok. She took our coats and disappeared to the coat area. Next we were asked again if we had a reservation and we responded no, once again but now by someone else. "We will find you a table" the new person said, as if they had to go searching for a table in the Serengeti because we were so audacious as to try to dine without a reservation.
Anyway, we were seated and asked what we wanted to drink. Off he went, then someone else came and asked what we want to drink. I guess with the restaurant so empty we got two waiters? Just kidding, we only had one, but he was very attentive and also a little pushy about ordering an appetizer. If I say I don't want an appetizer is it necessary to push the zucchini chips?
That said, the zucchini chips were very good so that's a plus. My major course was a squash ravioli which was delicious but also tiny. My friend visiting from London also remarked it was tiny and when a non-American remarks a portion is tiny, it's really tiny. It was on the sweeter side which I enjoyed emmensely. I just wish there was more of it. Maybe that's why there was such a hard sell on the zucchini chips.
Besides the food, the staff was very attentive and my water glass was seamless refilled. The sweets plate at the end was a nice touch. When we left the restaurant had not increased in occupancy thus suggesting they weren't reserved tables being held.
UPDATE: It appears on reading some other reviews that this restaurant is the traditional Italian Pasta course then main dish set up. If so, labeling the courses "first and second" would be helpful.
Stopped by for a quick drink and appetizer. The service was a tad slow at first (took awhile to get water and oil for the bread). However, the manager made up for it by being so personable and charming.
There was a mix up in communication, though. I met a friend there who had already eaten. When I ordered my food, two entrees came to us. Good thing my friend was still hungry after our glasses of wine because he ate his. But under any other circumstance we would've sent it back. And I did emphasis we only wanted one dish. Mind you, he just had the same thing before I got there!
Anyway… When my food arrived, Carpaccio di Manzo, it was delicious. To satisfy my sweet tooth, I had the Italian donuts, which were a nice balance of sweet and creamy, but just okay. Service was a bit like pulling teeth, I shouldn't have to stretch my neck around constantly looking for the server.
I would go back and try other items on the menu, but for now my review remains a solid 3.5.
Reserved dinner here before attending a theatre around the corner. The whimsical decorations around the restaurants was fun and interesting, while the lighting and tone kept the atmosphere intimate and cosy.
I wish I could have gotten the prix fixe menu but I was too full from eating my way around the city. However, my friends really liked the Garganelli Al Nero Di Seppia as the appetizer. I jumped right into an entree of Cacciucco alla Livornese. It was the most favorful succulent dish I've had in a while. It was complex and rich, with all the seafood cooked to perfection. I will probably dream of this dish from now on. A perfect start to the evening, from the service to the food and the ambience.
My boyfriend and I went using a groupon for 4 course tasting meal. Generally the experience was good. Having gone to Le Cirque, it is a smaller a slightly less casual version of the place. The ambience is still hard to describe as casual and the service is formal. I think everything we had was good. But not extraordinary. If you are looking to eat at a good new american cuisine, this place is good. This is a kind of place that you would want to take your significant other's parents visiting from the midwest to impress them. Nothing in the menu jumped out at me but everything they served were done well.
Went with a friend for a quick bite before the opera. We were the first table seated at 5:30pm but it quickly filled up. Bruno checked in on us and made sure all was well.
I had the Caesar salad and it was delicious. Full long romaine lettuce leaves with light dressing with anchovies and freshly grated cheese. It was accompanied by a very thin slice of toast with an egg in the middle- delicious.
No time for dessert since we chatted the time away before I had to dash to the Opera. They brought a dish of assorted cookies with my friends coffee and the bill- mini biscotti, chocolate chip, and meringues. There were also jellied candies that burst with flavor- obviously homemade.
Love the location and the amusing decor. Would like to come back for a full dinner.
A pleasant dinner but not quite up to par for the price IMHO. I ordered the four course tasting menu with wine pairings.
Service was good. The arrival of each course was well-timed.
The space is interesting with canopies and trapeze ladders up above. The endive salad was excellent. I especially liked the gorgonzola fritters. However, the tortellini carbonara was disappointing. It was warm on the outside put there were pockets of cold inside the filling.
The branzino baked in salt crust was excellent. Perfectly cooked and moist accompanied by some nice grilled vegetables. It was the star of the meal. Although, it was only one filet. I wonder what they did with the other half of the fish?
The creme brûlée was very good.
Most of the wine pairings were well-chosen but the pours were stingy.
It was a good meal but for $115, not great. Then again, for Manhattan maybe it was a bargain.
The Maccioni family's casual offspring (Sirio is from Le Cirque) has a fun circus atmosphere with seriously old school roots in its menu. A $25 lunch prix fixe menu is a bargain for a midtown restaurant with this kind of quality.
The lunch menu was more than I could eat, so I chose the Cacciucco Alla Livornese, one of their signature dishes, with monkfish, prawns, calamari, octopus, mussels, and clams for $29. It was everything a hearty rustic seafood should should be, with earthy aromas and depth of flavor. My companion ordered the arugula salad for $14 and added chicken $7.
Even though neither of us had room for dessert, a plate of little bites was offered with espresso, a sweet way to start the afternoon.
The man and I came here on a Groupon (2 tasting menus w. wine pairings) and really really enjoyed it. Since there were two choices per course, we just got one of everything (except dessert since you pick off the normal dessert menu for this course). The Wine pourings were not full glasses, but it was nice to have the added something with the meal as I believe the cheapest glass of wine is $9 out of all their wines by the glass).
First they brought a tasty bread basket to the table with oil and salt and pepper on the table. I love a good bread basket.
The first course: I think I liked the seafood salad better, though the beet salad was very tasty. I am just a sucker for grilled octopus.
2nd: Both pastas tasted fresh and homemade. I really liked the ravioli, though it was a bit sweet and I would have loved a little parm on top to cut the sweetness. The Squid ink pasta was super tasty and the first time I had tried such a pasta.
3rd: The lamb was good, though I wish there had been a *little* more meat on the chops. The fish was tasty with whatever that sauce they poured on top was. Both came with root veggies which were very nicely done.
Dessert: I chose the chocolate cake and it was AMAZING. I definitely won this round. The man got a pistachio (i think) torte thing with a coffee gelato. I liked his gelato.
All in all, I think it was definitely worth the groupon. I don't know that I would have wanted to spend the full price, but the food was very tasty. Get the groupon!