Back in the Clouds: Manhatta Returns to NYC with a View and a Little Restraint
Manhatta is back after a long pandemic pause and it still feels like a place rediscovering its rhythm. The kitchen hasn’t been fully back online for long, just a couple of months, but the space is alive in the way only a New York restaurant with real history can be. The 60th-floor view is as captivating as ever, but this time, the food and drinks didn’t just rise to meet it, they grounded it.
This is a version of Manhatta that leads with its bar. According to a recent Times review, the decision is intentional. Danny Meyer himself had said the memory that stuck with him from the restaurant’s final pre-pandemic night was of the bar, packed five deep with locals as the city around them began to quiet. That same energy was still flickering when we walked in. And yet, this wasn’t just a place for drinks with a view. It was something more composed, more restrained, and more aware of what it meant to be back.
The Space
The elevator doors opened to a wide, open dining room flooded with late daylight. You can see everything from up here: the bridges, the outer-boroughs, the grid. At 6pm, the tables lining the windows just started to glow gold while the center of the room kept its cool, dark edge. There was no music to shout over with conversation. No pretense. Just the city laid out in every direction, and a dining room that felt ready to ease back into motion.
Despite the restaurant’s restart, the service didn’t miss a beat. It was polished without stiffness, familiar without assumption. A short, confident menu replaced the old multi-course format, but it was clear every dish was designed with intent.
What We Ordered
We started with mocktails; Walking Talking Enigmas, which were perfect against the brine of the dozen east coast oysters that came next. They were cold and clean, the kind of oysters that don’t need more than a drop of mignonette and a glance out the window.
The Black Bass Crudo was a standout. Paper-thin slices of bass beneath a garden of citrus, herbs, and roe. There wasn’t much restraint in the colorful plating nor in the flavor. Each bite landed with clarity, the acidity walking the edge of the fish without ever drowning it.
Next came the Grilled Octopus, charred at the edges and nestled in a vibrant green sauce. It was tender but still had grip, not the rubbery chew so many places settle for. The accompanying vegetables were pickled just enough to cut through the richness. It wasn’t trying to be a centerpiece dish, but it held its own.
The Hanger Steak was the most quietly impressive dish of the night. It arrived sliced, rosy pink at the center, with a loose chimichurri that was more herbal than acidic. The vegetables were seasonal and thoughtfully arranged; nothing added just to fill the plate. It was the kind of steak that tastes like someone in the kitchen actually cares where it came from and how long it rested. No flash. Just solid execution. We each had our own portion.
The Experience
We left before the sun dipped and the lights of Brooklyn flickered on… an early dinner. You could see One World Trade through one window, the Empire State through another, the bridges threading the boroughs together down below. And yet, the meal kept us grounded.
This wasn’t Manhatta trying to be the best view in town. It was Manhatta trying to be better than it had been before.
The total bill was $230.82 before tip. Certainly not cheap, but not out of line for what we ordered and where we were. I left feeling like I’d gotten what I paid for, not just in ingredients or service, but in the way the evening was paced and handled.
Final Thoughts
In its original run, Manhatta never quite found its critical footing. The reviews were mixed, the expectations high, the kitchen maybe a little too classic for the food media moment. But what I saw was a restaurant that had recalibrated. Leaner, quieter, more focused. Less theatrical, more grounded. It felt like the team knew what they wanted to be now: a place where the view is a bonus, not the purpose.
There are flashier spots to eat in Manhattan. There are louder ones, more Instagrammed ones, trendier ones. But few have the ability to take a setting this dramatic and pair it with food that shows that kind of care. It was one of the more balanced meals I’d had in a long time; not just in flavor, but in tone.
And honestly, I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
Manhatta
28 Liberty Street, 60th Floor, New York, NY 10005
manhattarestaurant.com | @manhatta_nyc
Expect ~$100–$150 per person with drinks
Reservations recommended
