The National Bar and Dining Rooms
“Geoffrey Zakarian (Chopped, Iron Chef America, The Best Thing I Ever Ate) is the man behind this amazing restaurant.”
“The easiest way to find the national is to look for the Benjamin hotel.”
“The menu has solid dishes on it & some of the special items are just as good (I love the ribs, asparagus salad, octopus, steak frites & rabbit).”
The National Bar and Dining Rooms
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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We ate here last time we stayed at the Benjamin Hotel. Breakfast was amazing, easily one of the best I've had in recent memory. Mushroom omelette with caramelized shallots, spinach and Parmigiano Reggio, thick cut bacon, fruit salad with a refreshing ginger lime treatment, coffee with rich flavor… all seriously good and in my opinion worth the premium price. Plus, it's New York. You really can't be shocked at $16 eggs.
One crappy downside I have to mention was that the staff threw away our breakfast after we stepped out to the bathroom. We just got our food and took a few bites when my 4 year old decided that we need to take a bathroom break. Since I was doing some solo parenting, I needed to take all the kids to the can and leave the table unpopulated. However, we left our jackets and bag there, and of course, the nearly full meal we were just served. We go, come back, and of course, all the food is gone. When I explained it to the manager they sent out another meal toot sweet. Still, it was a boneheaded mistake for them to make in the first place.
That aside, great breakfast spot. Well worth trying!
The national is one of iron chef geffory zakarins places that is located on 50th and Lexington. The easiest way to find the national is to look for the Benjamin hotel. National is attached to the hotel. There is a secret private entrance from the Benjamin to the national. I'm not going to tell you my secrets. But you can ask a manager at the front desk. One of the main reasons I like the national is its on my way walking from the UES to grand central. I can stop for a quick drink or a cup of tea.
The national does not have a big menu but the food that they put out is very good and tasteful. I recommend making reservations for breakfast lunch and dinner. Lunch is around $20 PP. dinner is around $30 per person not including alcohol. The breakfast and lunch menu is separate from the dinner menu. In my opinion the best thing on the menu at the national is the ugly burger. Pickled jalapeños and NTL sauce baby lettuce House made pickles all for $19 + $2 for bacon which is house cured. This burger is great for the price. I have had it 3 times. I highly recommend the burger. The salmon dinner is very good and the salmon salad had a ton of salmon inside.
The ambience at the national is nice. There are checkerboard floors and during the holidays x mas lights by the bar and wreaths in the Windows. You could definitely take a date here but it's a bit too noisy if you want to have a convo. At dinner time they do put a candle at your table. The mood here is very nice it's not to dark that you can't see the menu but it's not to light that your not comfy. It's set just right. You can take a date here, I'm sure she would love it. Just keep in mind the noise and don't be surprised if someone is speaking another language at the table next to you.
The national has a very good alcohol selection. On each table there's a little card with the signature drinks. Signature drinks are $15 A drink. I think this is very reasonably priced especially in Midtown where most of the drinks are $19-$20. I have had the midtown Manhattan and it was pretty good. The bar area is interesting. At the left side of the bar you will see locals reading the newspaper and relaxing. On the right side of the bar it seemed to me like it was mostly people that were staying at the hotel or they were just grabbing a quick drink.
The servers are great here very tentative. The bartenders on the other hand have been hit or miss. I don't sit at the bar anymore. I will ask for a table and just have the server bring me a drink. My issue was a 1 time deal I have eaten in here multiple times and have never had a issue. I have been back since my issue and everything has been fantastic. This story does not reflect my review rating.
I asked one day for a double of brudaladdie 16 yr single malt please. I was at the national a few days before and had the drink. The bar tender told me scotch doesn't have a vintage which one would you like. I replied I know but last time I was here I had the 16. He replied scotch doesn't have a year it's not wine. So I pointed to the bottle that said that bottle with the 16yr on it. He gave me the drink seemed annoyed and told me wine has a year. I was a little annoyed I wanted to just put $50 on the bar and leave. I never get embarrassed easily but as he was bickering with me people were looking and my friend was laughing because he knows I'm really into scotch. Also the glass had water stains on it. I'm not saying the bartender gave me a water stained glass on purpose but… Sometimes I wonder. So if I go here to grab a drink. I get a table and have the waitress bring me a drink. I have been back and the service has been great no issues.
Overall the national is a solid place to eat breakfast lunch dinner or to grab a drink. I highly recommend the ugly burger. It's close to grand central. Staff is nice. The private entrance is fantastic if your a local. I recommend the national. I will continue to go back.
PROS:
– close to grand central
– I have never had a bad meal here
– staff is tentative
Cannot say a bad word about The National. Booked a table through Open Table a few weeks in advance and mentioned that it was for a birthday meal. Upon arrival, staff wished my partner a happy birthday and seated us promptly.
Cocktail recommendations proved to be a winner, and the food was pretty awesome – the roasted brussels sprouts were to die for. The short rib is a must!
After our mains, the waiter brought out a special Happy Birthday dessert for my partner which was on the house – we didn't have room for a full dessert after that!
It's a little pricey, but so worth it and I would not hesitate to recommend it, or to hurry back next time I am in town. It's right next to the Waldorf, where we were staying, so in a great location, too. Sorry that we didn't get to try brunch there, as it looked phenomz.
The national just keeps getting better and better. I've been here probably 10 times. Today was the most recent time and the best so far. I started going here when I moved to the city a year and a half ago.
I needed to make a last minute reservation at 11am on a saturday and found that the national had a reservation for 5 available literally 30 min later.
I've had everything here from the spinach and mushroom omelette, to the pork belly bennedict, to the house made granola, to the short rib biscuits and gravy. Everything is delicious. Plus potatoes to die for.
They also have great coffee and their bar is pretty good as well.
This time we had the apple walnut pancakes and the smoked salmon benedict (not on the menu). Both were very good. But let me tell you the eggs benny was some of the best I've had in the city. The hollandaise sauce is superb. Its got scallions it in which really makes a difference.
Can't wait to find myself at The National again soon. Thanks for creating such a cozy and delicious brunch spot Geoffrey Zakarian!
Swung through for a "power lunch" with a sponsor and must say the overall experience was quite forgettable and rather bland. I think the waiter had a hard time understanding English and was not very friendly – I ordered the the 'Ugly Burger' and it was served medium to well-done despite my request to have it prepared medium rare. I wasn't a huge fan of the burger, I realize they were trying to be different by adding jalapenos and other pickled veggies but it doesn't really work very well. The fries with the burger were also very sub-par, despite all the seasoning they were still very bland/potatoy.
The appetizers were by far the best part – steak tartare was on point and the risotto with butternut squash was delicious (not to firm nor were they too mushy).
Bottom line: there are much better "power lunches" in midtown than The NTL.
ps my appetizer plate was super dirty and I had to ask for a different clean plate.
IN SHORT: When you get the feeling that there is nowhere to eat in Midtown, The National comes through with simple, but solid American cooking.
THE STORY: Almost without fail, only 3 types of restaurants exist in Midtown. There is the 3-star restaurant where a jacket and corporate card are required; there is the themed, Times Square-adjacent, chain restaurant familiar only to Middle America; and, of course, there is the galaxy of fast-casual eateries that might as well close their doors on the weekends when every corporate employee tries to avoid the entire area for a few precious hours of freedom.
That being said, a few restaurants have started to squeeze their way into an otherwise sterile dining scene, offering a cozier cafe and brasserie style that stands out amongst the typical Midtown joints.
In the center of it all, just 3 short blocks from Rock Center and around the corner from the Waldorf, lies The National, Geoffrey Zakarian's all-day American bistro in the ground floor of The Benjamin hotel on East 51st Street.
Though it still bustles with weekday power lunches, The National cools off and relaxes during dinners and weekend brunches, allowing diners to appreciate the comfortable, leather banquettes and old-timey, D.C.-like atmosphere.
Staples like mussels, oysters, and the Steak Tartare with hand-cut sirloin, pickled mushrooms, cherry pepper, mustard, Indian sweet soy sauce, and a quail egg are always on the menu for every meal, but anything involving pork at The National is particularly worthwhile. The Pork Chop at dinner was recently served with red cabbage, black pepper spätzle, and baked apple for an exceptionally juicy and sweet bite, while the Pork Belly Benedict at brunch is a heartier, richer favorite, with its creamy béarnaise sauce and pickled fresno peppers.
The Egg White Frittata with quinoa, sharp cheddar, kale, and ricotta is also remarkably flavorful and well seasoned for what could have been a basic dish, with the creaminess of the cheeses balancing the lightness of the eggs, preventing any distasteful dryness. Prices here are reasonable, too, with most items on the lunch menu coming in below $20, and entrees on the dinner menu hovering at $30 or under, a rare moment where prices aren't abused in Midtown.
For what could too easily become a heartless Midtown establishment, the service is also surprisingly excellent and will make every guest feel well cared for. At a recent brunch, my otherwise perfectly chivalrous date ordered every woman's worst nightmare – something healthier than her – and opted for the House Made Granola with berries and about a tablespoon-sized portion of greek yogurt. He must have sensed my horror at having a dramatically larger appetite than him, because he then asked our waiter for more yogurt and warm milk, which they quickly brought without fuss.
Those few thoughtful moments prove that even in an anonymous neighborhood like Midtown Manhattan, The National can be a power lunch destination that doesn't break the bank, or your spirit. And for the East 50s, that's pretty remarkable.
Best portobello sandwich ever! That's my favorite item on the lunch menu. I even brought a friend here for lunch, and he said the same thing about the portobello sandwich. I also came here for brunch one time and ordered the steak and frites, it was ok but it's good value for the price (midtown East standard). The bar here is nice at night, you could bring a few co-workers here to grab a couple Manhattans and wind down for the day.
Still a fan of apps and entrees but not so much the dessert 🙁 No more creme brulee and hard profiteroles and lemon tart
BUT I would go back for charred/grilled octopus and short ribs, chicken. The pork chop was well liked but compared to the other two mains, it tasted a bit dry.
The wedge salad takes a lot better than it looks–probably best wedge salad I've had.
Good for a pre-theater meal (one that brought in the New Year!)