NYCReview

photo credit: Noah Devereaux

The Ribbon image

The Ribbon

American

Upper West Side

$$$$Perfect For:BrunchDay DrinkingDeliveryKidsLiterally EveryoneLunchPrivate DiningSports!
RESERVE A TABLE

POWERED BY

OpenTable logo
Earn 3x points with your sapphire card

Included In

Attention restaurateurs: the Upper West Side is famished, starving for anything that resembles a cool downtown restaurant. More than any other Manhattan neighborhood, the UWS has been neglected. Badly. And judging by the level of human enjoyment at The Ribbon so far, you guys are missing out on a GOLD MINE.

Dip into The Ribbon on a Saturday night, and you’ll see what we’re talking about. Blue Ribbon’s first Upper West Side outpost is banging like 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” days. It’s overflowing with people, and, more importantly, happiness. People simply can’t believe they finally have a better option than the so-so stuff they’ve been surviving on locally for so long, especially for dinner.

The Ribbon is smart, too. Their menu, like the restaurant itself, is massive, and is built to please pretty much anyone. At brunch, lunch, and dinner, they serve the classics with enough of a twist to make the food stand out. Its flexibility makes it the perfect location for any number of occasions: on one hand, The Ribbon is a great place to come early with kids, but it’s also the perfect spot to watch college football during the day at the bar, or to visit for a night out on the town with a big group. Recently we were lucky enough to land the private room, which has one of the best round tables in all of Manhattan. There’s an old rock ’n roll jukebox, TVs at the bar that don’t interfere with the rest of the dining experience, and an impressive assortment of brown liquor. Service is on point, and overall, it’s just a really fun place to hang out.

The Ribbon has a lot of style, and plenty of substance. It’s essentially a classier, more upscale version of The Smith. If you live up here, check it out. If you don’t live up here, now you can travel north to go out with your friends who do, without having to settle for slop.

I’m ending this review the way I started it, but this time I’m going to yell. OPEN MORE GOOD RESTAURANTS ON THE UPPER WEST SIDE. TONS OF PEOPLE LIVE UP HERE AND WANT TO EAT GOOD FOOD. AND NOT JUST BRUNCH.

Food Rundown

The Ribbon image

Deviled Egg Trio

Deviled egg bling. It’s a new thing. We’re down with any restaurant that has an entire menu section dedicated to deviled eggs. The smoked salmon and trout roe are 🔥, the pickled peppers and olive oil mayo are 💣, but the fried oysters and pickled jalapeños are our favorite.

The Ribbon image

Butcher’s Board

All of the MEEEEEATS. All of the CHEEEEESE.

The Ribbon image

Buffalo Cauliflower

Putting buffalo sauce on anything makes it taste good, but even so, this is good on a shockingly addicting level. We needed to order seconds. Of cauliflower. You read that right. Definitely get this.

The Ribbon image

Beef Marrow & Oxtail Marmalade

Bone marrow has long been a greatest hit of the Blue Ribbon brand, as the one they serve at the Brasserie in Soho is one of the best that exists on the planet. The Ribbon’s isn’t quite on that level, but it’s close. If you like eating pure fat out of bones, order it.

The Ribbon image

Prime Rib Of Pork

Fancy. One of the softest, butteriest, tender pieces of pig you’ll ever sink your teeth into. Rub that apricot and chile jam all over and enjoy.

The Ribbon image

Ribbon Steak

Sliced hanger steak in a green peppercorn sauce, with a big plate of fries. The sauce is thick and rich, which makes this a heavy dish, and a great one to share.

Half Amish Chicken

Solid, simple chicken. Lots of garlic. Extra juicy. We’d order it again.

The Ribbon image

The Ox Burger

An open face monstrosity of a burger, smothered in oxtail marmalade and topped with a poached egg atop challah toast. You’re going to need a fork and knife. And a nap.

The Ribbon image

The Ribbon Dip

Their take on the classic french dip is a good one. The gravy dip is on point.

The Ribbon image

Corned Beef Hash

They do the classics quite well here. The hash - with poached eggs and hollandaise - will fill your belly with enough carbs to last you until dinner.

The Ribbon image

Challah French Toast

Good French toast, not great.

The Ribbon image

Eggs Benedict With Smoked Salmon

Because when you have brunch on the UWS, smoked salmon should be involved.

Included In

FOOD RUNDOWN

Infatuation Logo

Company

2024 © The Infatuation Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FIND PLACES ON OUR APP

Get it on Google PlayDownload on the App Store