Prime Meats

» Damn Great Place

Wow, I'm shocked one person said the service was "lame" and the food was just "okay", or "can be gotten everywhere". I can't disagree more. I'm a vegetarian, and my fiancee is a serious carnivore, and we have never been less than totally happy with our food and total experience there.

First, the service is really nice and the bartending is top-shelf. The dining room is small for now (they are...+READ Wow, I'm shocked one person said the service was "lame" and the food was just "okay", or "can be gotten everywhere". I can't disagree more. I'm a vegetarian, and my fiancee is a serious carnivore, and we have never been less than totally happy with our food and total experience there.

First, the service is really nice and the bartending is top-shelf. The dining room is small for now (they are rumored to be opening another room at some point in the near future) and people might be dismayed that they can't be seated as soon as they arrive. But even if you stand at the bar while waiting for your table, the bartenders are so damn nice and serious about their craft, it"s hard to imagine complaining.

The tails are superb. We're particularly fans of the Italian Fizz, but others are also great. We enjoy just watching the bartenders mix the drinks because everything is done with such care and love. Today I watched one of the bartenders carefully mix a drink and then shave a delicate peel off an orange, just to wipe the rim of a glass and throw the rind away. I also saw them mix a drink and then grate a tiny, thoughtful amount of what looked like hazelnut onto the surface. We've tried about 6 of their tails and every one has been no less than head-and-shoulders above what you will get most other places. Fort Defiance is the only place that bears comparison with a similarly laid-back vibe.

As far as the food, it is a sure thing. As a vegetarian/pescatarian, I will say I was wary. But I've gone for dinner and enjoyed all of the salads and the cheese plate. I haven"t tried the fish yet. For brunch, I regularly order the biscuit and egg dish and love it every time. I'm a pain in the ass, and have complained if the egg was overcooked when I asked for runny, but there has never been so much as a bad look before it was returned within minutes, freshly plated, and fantastic. The biscuit, made on-site, is the best. Even better than Cobblestone foods where I usually get mine for home.

When we talk about meats, my boyfriend and his other meat-eating friends have said, direct quote, "This will give Luger's a run for its money. Especially being right in the neighborhood." They've ordered a large steak to share. It was brought to the table, before it was cooked, for approval.

This place is definitely in our regular rotation.

They're not rushing anyone in or out, and it's a small place. So plan ahead. If you want to get dinner at a time when you would expect everyone else is too, show up a bit early and settle in for a tail. You won't be disappointed.-COLLAPSE (by canoodlers, updated November 22, 2009)

» Seriously disappointing

Just came from Prime Meats for brunch. Not only will we not go back, I wanna avoid lower Court Street altogether. For starters, coffee of $2.50 a cup which is kinda bull but it's Stumptown and so okay, But they charge $1.00 for a refill which almost made us go elsewhere. Brunch was okay. The Farmer Breakfast (eggs, decent sausage and bread) can be gotten anywhere. My gf's French Toast was good...+READ Just came from Prime Meats for brunch. Not only will we not go back, I wanna avoid lower Court Street altogether. For starters, coffee of $2.50 a cup which is kinda bull but it's Stumptown and so okay, But they charge $1.00 for a refill which almost made us go elsewhere. Brunch was okay. The Farmer Breakfast (eggs, decent sausage and bread) can be gotten anywhere. My gf's French Toast was good but also can be gotten anywhere. When we asked for the check they told us they only take cash which is total bull in my book. How can you not take credit cards in this day and age? So we called the mgr over and after talking to her that's when we decided to never go there (or any of their other restaurants) again. The mgr claimed that CASH ONLY appeared on the menu but it didn't. It was on the night menu but not on the day one. She also said that it's listed on the front door but it was very hard to find. As for the coffee issue, her explanation was so insipid to be pathetic. She said that the coffee is $20 a pound. Fine! But she then went on to say that their cost per cup is $1.75 each and at $2.50 price they make very little money on it. Huh? If their cost is $1.75 are they use 5 ounces of coffee per cup? And they only have a profit of $.75 per cup? She said they always give a "top off" on your coffee if you ask but who would ask after reading a refill is $1.00? Basically, we were treated poorly by her. She could've cared less about our issue. The place is pretty but that's it.-COLLAPSE (by Robert Schwartz, updated November 21, 2009)

Prime Meats' choucrute is pretty gorgeous - sausage, tongue, pork belly. The charcuterie and cheese selections are pretty nice too...

Look on the Outer Borough boards for more...Fette Sau and the Marlow & Daughters folks in Williamsburg. And then of course there's the original everything-but-the-squeal cuisines -- Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican . . .

Haven't been to Prune in ages, but I'm...+READ Prime Meats' choucrute is pretty gorgeous - sausage, tongue, pork belly. The charcuterie and cheese selections are pretty nice too...

Look on the Outer Borough boards for more...Fette Sau and the Marlow & Daughters folks in Williamsburg. And then of course there's the original everything-but-the-squeal cuisines -- Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexican . . .

Haven't been to Prune in ages, but I'm sure it's discussed on the Manhattan board.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (1 Reply) (by pitu, updated November 5, 2009)

» Romantic ambience, good wine, okay food, kinda lame service

One of the best things about restaurants belonging to the Frankies (457, and Spuntino, now this), is the ambience. They're all dark and old fashioned feeling, tin ceilings, rosy glowing lights, and old timey looking bartenders. The food's old fashioned too - in this case, kind of German hunting lodge inspired.

I can't remember too much about the food, which isn't a great sign. But the service...+READ One of the best things about restaurants belonging to the Frankies (457, and Spuntino, now this), is the ambience. They're all dark and old fashioned feeling, tin ceilings, rosy glowing lights, and old timey looking bartenders. The food's old fashioned too - in this case, kind of German hunting lodge inspired.

I can't remember too much about the food, which isn't a great sign. But the service stood out as kind of annoying. She tried to push an app on us we didn't want, seemed disappointed that we were splitting two apps and a main (so what?) and also would not let us have our pretzel come out with our main course. (again, why not?)-COLLAPSE (by lessleyellen, updated October 2, 2009)