Public
“Appetizer
– Grilled kangaroo on a coriander falafel: kangaroo was thinly sliced and tasted slightly jerky.”
“I had the pork belly dish in dashi with a poached egg on top and my gf had the venison – both very good too.”
“As always, the food was very delicious; we had the salmon egg benedict as well as the coconut pancakes and the cassava chips.”
Public
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Eating at Public for me was like that scene in every chick flick movie where you're sitting at a long table at an engagement party, and you're the only person there who doesn't have a significant other to sit across from. So they sat you across from the weird guy.
So yes, I came here for a special occasion–which Public is great for–they set up long tables and easily section private parties off from each other using long, drapey curtains. If you are contemplating having a birthday party/Galentine's Day/other unspecified occasion here, I highly recommend! (Unless you want to avoid the scenario mentioned above, then nevermind). The food is solid–even the basic fruit salad with fresh yogurt was amazing. Every brunch item here is fantastic. I have a weird aversion towards eggs, but I devoured my eggs benedict with no remorse. All in all, an aesthetically pleasing restaurant with delicious food and good at staging awkward scenarios for single people.
Best meal I have had in quite a while. Amazing food, service and loved the classic décor that was very warm and inviting.
We shared a mishmash of plates and loved them all. Very fresh, creative and all the flavors came together nicely. Server checked on us periodically with just the right level of attentiveness.
Try the kangaroo (carpaccio style) for an interesting twist! Octopus/squid dish was just as amazing.
Favorite, without a doubt, was Moroccan braised lamb shank. Meat was perfectly succulent and fell right off the bone.
I think I eat out a decent amount, but this menu still seemed pretty inventive for me. The atmosphere is quaint for the amount of space and the staff wasn't overly pretentious. We did a family style dinner on an expense account, so we tried pretty much everything. There were some winners and some odd combos, but overall it was great. The only thing you have to absolutely try is the Curry Coconut Laksa…it was up there as one of the most delicious things I've ever ate (really drank, as it come in a teacup). Don't miss it.
I hope to be back, Public was pretty spot on.
How could I have forgotten how wonderful Public is. While new "hot" restaurants grab the spotlight, Public has consistently delivered surprisingly inventive cuisine, great service and perhaps the best ambiance for dining on a late Spring eve of any Lower East Side restaurant, especially on a sunny day when the former front delivery dock is open. See my previous review for a more detailed description of some of the dishes I've enjoyed. But, coming back after several months, I found that Chef Brad has offered a completely different menu. Nori chips, cantaloupe gazpacho and sun chokes were great starters. The salmon left you wanting seconds. Cocktails were as good as any, especially the Marguerites. NYC offers lots of dining options, but I can assure you that you won't find many as good as Public. As an aside, I loved the music playlist. Normally, I find music intrusive, but here I felt it complemented the dining experience. Doors open for dinner at six. If you get there early, have a drink at their bar, The Daily, next door.
Dined here with a large group from work last evening. Everything was fantastic from the laksa appetizer to the grilled carrots, the salmon was divine and the chicken juicy and done just right.
The dining experience ended with a small glass of ice cream and a cookie inside it, nice touch.
The decor is pretty par for the course for this part of town but not overdone. The servers were gentle and courteous, this goes a long way in my books.
I did the dinner but hopefully this place has brunch, which will bring me back!
Solid place for brunch!
Went here with a large group for Sunday brunch. They let us sit at our table while waiting for the last person to park- very nice of them.
Service was speedy and friendly. Atmosphere was trendy casual- I wore a sweater and jeans and did not feel out of place at all.
My sister and I ordered the crowd favorite Kimchi pancakes, as well as the Turkish eggs.
Kimchi pancake itself was incredibly savory, which balanced well with the sweet braised pork and refreshing red cabbage and cucumber slaw that was on top. Overall I would say it was an okay dish- although there were strong flavors, they were not as amazing as the waiter had suggested they would be.
Turkish eggs were my favorite by far. The eggs were poached perfectly with a half runny, half solid yolk. The butter-Greek yogurt sauce provided savory tartness that paired well with the charred bread.
Would recommend for a nicer brunch with friends.
4.5 stars.
I came to Public for a wedding reception and dinner. The layout was a little cramped for the ~75 people there, but the food was delicious, drinks were stiff, and service was friendly.
The setup of the venue is nice, with the main room being a long indoor hallway that was open to the outdoors on one end.
Some of the hors doeuvres that waiters walked around with were absolutely amazing. My favorites were the curried coconut shrimp laksa (a Malaysian soup), foie gras with mango chutney, and salmon sashimi with wasabi tobiko. Most of the staff was more than open to discussing what each dish was in depth.
They were offering 3 special cocktails for the night, in addition to select wine and beer options. The dark and stormy and the margarita were standard, but the lavender gimlet was a well-fashioned drink.
For dinner, the food continued to impress. Highlights were the octopus, crispy baby artichokes, whole fish (I believe it was trout), and grilled skirt steak w/ peas and chimichurri.
Overall, a great venue that I can imagine is quite overpriced when you're not getting free drinks and food. If your wallet can carry the load, let your taste buds indulge!
I came here for brunch and I thought it was amazing. I had heard people rave about their Turkish eggs. They sounded delicious, so I knew I had to try them. The space is amazing. It has an awesome decor with almost a hotel lobby feel. It opens up into a pretty large sized dining area, and in the summer, the front of the building opens–they even put a few tables out on the metal grating in front.
Clearly, my mind was made up that I needed to order the Turkish eggs (if I haven't mentioned that already). We started with some coffee, which was good (not great…but definitely not bad). My friend ordered the fry-up, which was a bacon and egg sandwich. Honestly, his meal was pretty average, but mine was outstanding. I ordered…wait for it…the Turkish eggs. They were amazing. I love eggs for breakfast, and they were prepared perfectly with yogurt and a spiced oil accompanying them. It was a unique dish opposed to the millions of omelettes or french toast that is indistinguishable from one place to the next. I would certainly recommend it to anyone who loves savory brunch as much as me.
The service was a little bit slow, but it wasn't slow enough for me to knock the review down for it. And as we were leaving, we were offered iced tea for the road, which I thought was amazing. Aside from the slightly slower than average service, the staff and overall experience was amazing. I'll definitely be coming back here soon!