Dining at Le Bernardin was easily one of the highlights of my recent trip to New York. After reading countless positive reviews, I was curious to see what many consider the city’s top restaurant — and one of the most expensive dining experiences in the world — was really like.
Le Bernardin has long been a cornerstone of fine dining in Manhattan. It’s held three Michelin stars every year since the guide launched in New York back in 2005, and it’s also maintained a rare four-star review from The New York Times since 1986 — a feat in a city where tastes and trends shift constantly. The focus here is classic French seafood, with a strong sense of tradition. This isn’t the place for culinary theatrics or experimental “foam” dishes. Instead, it delivers an experience that feels elegant, assured, and very much part of the old guard of New York fine dining.
Reservations open on the first of each month and can be made through Resy or by phone. I managed to secure a table for 5pm on a Saturday night with the help of the concierge team at Aman New York, where we were staying.
I went with the 8-course Chef’s Tasting Menu at $350, which was both flavourful and very filling — especially coming from Asia, where portion sizes tend to be more modest. A few dishes stood out more than others, but overall the meal was very solid.
Service was exactly what you’d expect from a restaurant of this calibre: quietly precise, warm without being intrusive, and full of thoughtful touches. At one point, after a visit to the restroom, I returned to find my slightly soiled napkin had been replaced without a word. Tables were subtly cleared of crumbs between courses, dishes were introduced with detail and at a comfortable rhythm, and water glasses were never left empty. Wine was topped up just as the last sip approached — all done seamlessly, without prompting or performance. It was the kind of attentive yet invisible service that defines true fine dining.
I’d give the experience an 8.5 out of 10.
Le Bernardin
155 W 51st St, New York, NY 10019, United States
Phone: +1 212-554-1515
Menu: le-bernardin.com
Instagram: @lebernardinny