The Milling Room

“I've lived on the UWS for over 5 years now and I seriously regret not coming here sooner!”

“Onto the entrees: we tried the skate, the steak, the salmon and the rabbit pappardelle.”

“I got the crisp skate which our waitress recommended – the tomato worked so well with the perfectly-cooked fish.”

The Milling Room

Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Coat Check: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes

Price range.

$$$ Price range $31-60

8 reviews

  1. Wonderful dining experience on a recent Friday night. The bar area is cool to hang out, cocktails are great. My friends said it was one of the best Cosmos she had and I tried the Besos Caliente……spicy! Loved it! As we were lead back to be seated at our table, the walk in to the main dining room is great. It's like a very large room with a very high ceiling, an atrium type skylight which lets a lot of light in. So the room is open, warm, rustic yet very well lit till sunset. And then becomes intimate & cozy. Beautiful fireplace. Lovely.

    Service was excellent, attentive without being over fussy.

    We tried the asparagus & octopus appetizers, steak & duck for main course and a chocolate dessert and another that my friend had, can't recall. Overall, a lovely experience & would definitely like to come back again.

  2. Really lovely ambience. Breathtaking actually, especially in the main dining room… Reminds me of a modern version of my grandmothers house – right down to the bundles of pussywillow.

    For starters, the menu looks excellent. Well, I'd already been stalking this place for awhile, so I had an idea of what I wanted to eat. FYI, I drank pisco sours (I think $12 or $14) and pretty damn good. They have a great happy hour at the bar, too. This place isn't too pretentious for that, I love it.

    Prosciutto croquettes, self explanatory… Served with an aioli that had a hint of olive. Great crunch, had more of a pancetta texture filling. I felt it could be a tad bit saltier actually.

    Orzo mac n cheese was just okay. A little dry, and the toasted breadcrumbs on top don't help. The orzo was cooked well, just needed to be creamier or cheesier so I wouldn't recommend if you're looking for indulgence (sorry not sorry).

    Skirt steak was so good, my favorite. And I will recommend to any meat lover. No complaints.

    Well actually, one small complaint – it can get so dark inside! Such a beautiful restaurant and food, but for the dinner service, the turn the lights down low (Marley style). But VERY romantic, good for a first date.

  3. Solid meal in a nice environment.

    We stopped by on a Saturday evening as a party of four at 6 PM, and while it wasn't busy at that point, it got moderately busy by the time we finished at 7:30. We split two orders of the octopus appetizer, which was very tender and came with a very nice paprika sauced salad. For my entree, I had the duck braised pappardelle, which was prepared well and not too heavy. I also sampled some of the Long Island duck, which was very tender and flavorful, while the squid ink pasta was also well prepared and tasty as well. The service was also great throughout, and the ambiance was nice; I'd definitely recommend it for a quieter, more elegant yet not too fancy meal in the area.

  4. Summary
    Yet another foray to the Upper West ends in utter joy!  This place has its own personality not easily found in other hoods.  Modern yet rustic establishment that opens up the deeper you head inside.  Well balanced dishes full of value and flavor on top of imaginative cocktails makes this a killer spot.  I came here with my girlfriend before a concert and we quickly saw this is a great date spot but also has potential for a great group outing experience.  All around phenom spot.  Highly recommended!

    Atmosphere
    Upon entry, this place looks very chic, modern.  Delving further in, the space opens up to its own grand opus of modern meets rustic.  The main dining hall is absolutely gorgeous and widely open.  No claustrophobia here.  Fantastic spot for a meeting, dinner with friends, romantic date.

    Food
    We ordered the orzo mac and cheese as our app, subtle cheesy flavor with a panko crust.  We also got the salmon which was cooked to perfection, its sauce light and fresh.  I ordered the squid ink pasta and shrimp.  The shrimp were big and beefy and the chorizo spice was just the right amount of heat, very filling.

    Drinks
    With "The Upper West Side" these guys prove they can make a mean Manhattan in their take on the classic.  We also got the Besos Client which came with a literal cube of an ice cube and had a nice kick.

    Service
    Attentive without being annoying.  Very professional.  Good stuff.

  5. Modern // Rustic
    Farm-to-Table

    Whether you're dining casual at the bar or slightly more dressed up this spacious neighborhood spot is a welcomed addition to the Upper West Side. Meat eaters welcome, fish lovers too. Delicious but limited options for vegans or vegetarians.

    This is one of those restaurants you could come to regularly without getting bored of the menu. An appetizer and a main and not be overwhelming the portion sizes are just right. There are both light and hearty options available.

    Loved the octopus, beet salad, hamachi tartare, rabbit pappardelle, pork chop, chicken… the list goes on. Have yet to have a bad dish here everything has been delicious.

    Whether you're on a date, have a group of friends, are with co-workers, or you're dining at the bar. A solid choice for any occasion. Definitely worth visiting the neighborhood if you are elsewhere.

    The Scene: Upscale, Modern, Rustic
    Destination Rating: 8
    Date Rating: 9
    Hob Nob Potential: 5

    Note: bring a friend who thinks they're a foodie.

  6. Celebrating anything?  What about an anniversary, like us?  After a friend of ours critically acclaimed this place as THE place to come for our one year wedding anniversary, we were told one thing, "get any pasta; I was just here last week."  Being the Italians we are, we made reservations ahead of time at a 6:30pm seating on a Friday.  We couldn't wait!

    We were warmly greeted and shown to our table tucked into a private corner on the leftmost side of the room.  My husband sat on the gray bench with all the comfy pillows and I sat in a chair.  He propped himself on that corner as if he was a cat sitting in the window.  Very inviting seat; I suggest you claim this.

    For starters, we had the tuna tartare.  It couldn't have been any fresher- both the tuna and the other ingredients.  The melody was fresh tasting with the lingering taste of citrus from the watercress.  $16 as one of their most popular appetizer options.  Heard nothing but rave reviews for the grilled octopus too!  We'll do that next time!

    For the entrees, my husband got the pasta special of the lump crab meat and the zucchini in an angel hair pasta.  The sauce was very close to a vodka sauce that married an Alfredo.  Crab in every bite!  Yours for $26.

    I opted for the squid ink spaghetti with beautifully supple shrimps- 6-7 of them!  The heat was turned up a notch on this dish, and it definitely catches you by surprise towards the end of your bite.  Chorizo oil and thinly sliced peppers pack the punch.  This was unanimously mine and my husband's favorite.  $24 and I practically licked the plate.  Save that bread for the love of God!!

    I look forward to coming here to celebrate again really soon.  Maybe I'll just celebrate Friday or something….

  7. "It's like eating in the Taj Mahal"

    Ok that opening may be a little extreme but this restaurant with its two levels is absolutely beautiful and very spacious. This place is perfect for an intimate date, meeting friends for dinner, or grabbing a drink or two before heading out on the UES.

    The bar scene is cool and they have generous happy specials. I can't remember the prices exactly but wine, beer, and well drinks are 6-8 bucks. Also, they have a cocktail of night, which is 6 bucks – a pretty good deal.

    On to the food. I had a bean soup and the baked chicken. I found both to be perfect!!! Usually, many places overdo the chicken so it ends up dry as the Sahara desert.  Plus, the skin was crispy and the chicken itself was beautifully seasoned. An A+ for the kitchen.

    If i am on the UWS, which is pretty rare, I will give the cocktail bar and/or the restaurant another shot.

  8. A nice place.

    Wandered in on a Friday night, and the there were some tables in the bar area.  Nice decor, great ambiance – a great date spot.

    We tried some items that people recommended, including the white asparagus (the mushrooms really make this dish) and duck pappardelle (don't think they have rabbit anymore?  This was decent).

    Overall, pretty nice.

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Columbus Avenue 446
New York 10024 NY US
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Monday, 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Tuesday, 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Wednesday, 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Thursday, 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Friday, 5:00 pm - 12:00 am
Saturday, 5:00 pm - 12:00 am
Sunday, 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm