The Polo Bar

“Ralph Lauren built The Polo Bar underneath his flagship store on East 55th Street and it is exactly what you would expect from the man who turned American style into a global brand. Dark wood leather banquettes equestrian art and a menu that reads like the greatest hits of American comfort food elevated to a level that justifies the price tag. The burger is one of the best in New York full stop. The crab cake is lump meat minimal filler perfectly seared. The wedge salad is classic and generous. Everything on this menu says we know what you want and we are going to give it to you done right. The crowd is a mix of Upper East Side regulars tourists who know what they are looking for and celebrities who come because nobody bothers them here. The bar area is always full and the cocktails are strong and well-made. What Lauren understood that most restaurateurs miss is that atmosphere is not decoration it is identity. Every detail in this room from the napkins to the light fixtures tells the same story and that consistency is what makes great brands and great restaurants. The service is warm and attentive they treat a couple on a date night the same as a table of executives. That democracy of experience is rare and valuable. The Polo Bar does not need to be trendy. It is timeless. And timeless always wins.”

“Great experience overall. The only negative thing to say is the ambient sound downstairs is very loud during dinner service. Hard to hear your own party at times as it feels like everyone at every table is collectively talking loudly. Great hot spot and celeb sighting joint. Hugh Jackman’s ex-wife Deb was there. Scott Caan was also dining the night I went. Food was very tasty. A touch pricey but it’s a near impossible reservation to get, so you pay it. Service was pretty good. The bar upstairs is the real winner for me. Elegant. Outstanding service. Fantastic drinks. In terms of food downstairs, the burger was solid and the dish of the night was Ralph’s Corned Beef Sandwich.”

“Difficult to get a reservation, but we finally managed to get one on NYE, and we had a wonderful festive dinner. The entire staff was kind and welcoming, we were greeted by a nice man at the door and at coat check and our server was attentive and professional. The decor is classic Ralph Lauren, elegant wooden moldings and polo motifs. The cocktail menu is fabulous, so many great martinis to choose from. The food is classic American fare, we ordered several dishes and everything was excellent. The steak was a quality cut and the burger is one of the best in the city, the biscuits and crab cake pair well together as starters. Save room for dessert, we opted for the chocolate cake and childcare brownie with sambuca. Nice spot for a date or a classy evening with friends and family. Hope to visit again soon.”

“Most classy restaurant I’ve ever visited. From the warm welcome to the professionnalism of the waiters, we felt very peaceful ! The jazz music in the background is cherry on top ! The place is magnificent, cozy and feels like 30’s New York ! Beautiful. I must admit that I was excepting higher quality dishes/entrées and more subtile in the taste. I was a little disappointed on that. The dessert was perfect !!! If I could, I would definitely come back, it was phénoménal over all. Merci encore de France”

“This is part of the Ralph Lauren brand, and they are busy - very hard to get reservations, and they check at the door. Required reservations to get in, and they don't let you in otherwise. Upstairs as you wait for a table, you can get warmed nuts, deep fried olives, and chips that are quite good at the bar. Downstairs dining is limited to a strict time. Seating and area decorated with lots of wood and horse paintings and drawings. Reuben appetizer was good, as was the dover sole with lemon butter sauce. The Caesar salad was ok, and the crabcake disappointed (the weird bird-nest like outside fell apart and didn't give it much consistency). Burger looked good but was somewhat undercooked, only one pickle for the table to share the quartered burger. Dessert sundae was good. Chocolate cake too dry. Overall service was ok, but ushered us out quickly - they really try to stick to the time. Will I be back? Maybe if invited, but probably won't be here as a first choice.”