Stopped in for lunch, and got to enjoy their 3 course prix fixe menu which is a great deal. There is a huge variety of items to choose from and there are certainly options for everyone. I had the sea bass ceviche as a starter, and the fish was super fresh, the portion size was perfect, and the ceviche was studded with avocado and what I believe was pineapple, alongside more traditional red onion and pepper. The main course for me was a grilled branzino fillet (I was keeping it healthier today) which was cooked perfectly, also super fresh, and bathed in a buttery, lemony sauce and served alongside some fall veggies like squash and brussels. Excellent. Also got to try my dining companion's butternut squash ravioli, and it was also divine. Dessert was tiramisu - super rich but well executed and beautifully presented. All said, it was a steal for the price and quality of the food. Ambience is gorgeous and service was cheery and on top of things. 10 out of 10 would return if in the area.

Vaucluse has become one of New York's great restaurants. We keep returning and it keeps getting better and better. When they first opened it was clear that they had spent a fortune on the decor. Recently, they re-decorated and it's even more gorgeous.....and no banquettes.....and the surfaces are softer so the noise level is lower..... and the menu is terrific. Staff is wonderful. Bravo to Rocky for his relaxed but sharp eyed way of running things.

On May 2nd my family and I had dinner. Upon leaving the Vaucluse/Omar doorman quickly ushered by elderly mother into an old black town car, even though she had asked for a Taxi. I told the doorman I wanted a taxi and he replied that this was the same thing. The doorman put her in, closed the door, and said everything was arranged and that this was a taxi. I grew up in NYC (and we are Chinese) and stated that this is not a taxi, but climbed to help my mother. When asked the driver, he said it would be $45 to go 10 blocks. I had to threaten so he would let us out of the car. The doorman thought we were Asian tourists, and we were racially profiled for this scam. The doorman’s absolute insistence on using a beat up car service when taxis are around, indicates he is getting a kickback. The shocking part is that I called to complain twice, and the restaurant management never responded as promised. I have the names of the floor managers who I spoke to, so management is either complicit or inept. Shocking that they allow foreigners to be scammed.

The pasta and starter courses are the real stars here. All else is just uninspired French fair-and mediocre at that. The steak frites was far from impressive, like a pre-cooked (probably sous-vide) steak that lacked any flavor or depth, and which I didn't feel inclined to finish. My husband's duck was also just okay. If you really want to dine properly at Vaucluse, stick with the pastas and starters. Honestly, they were some of the best I've had in NY and I can't remember ever tasting more rich and satisfying tagliatelle or rabbit ravioli in my life.

I should also point out that the service was unfitting of the restaurant's ambiance and reputation. Our server thrice got our orders wrong (wine, water and appetizer, and we only bothered correcting him on the appetizer) but worse, we overheard him and other staff talking at full volume about what other tables tipped, how tired they were, if they could go on a Starbucks run and even that one waiter was glad he brought a sandwich from home. Yay. In fact, we actually had to rely on the bus boys, who were more attentive and even more courteous than the professional waiters. I hope that they're given a good portion of our tips, they deserve it.

In sum, this place deserves all the praise for its pasta (I'm still dreaming of the tagliatelle) but falls short on meat entrees and service (can't speak to the seafood or sides).

When I made our reservation, I read many very good reviews of this restaurant, and it seemed that after about every fifteen "excellent" ratings, there would be a real clunker. When that's the case, I usually chalk in up to the reviewer, and not the restaurant - who knows, maybe he/she was in a bad mood, or had unrealistic expectations (e.g., "not enough vegan options" - give me a break...). Unfortunately, I have to add a negative review for Vaucluse. The room is lovely, and the service was good. The sommelier was helpful in selecting a wine (which was, unquestionably, the best part of our meal). We were served our appetizers quickly, but it took an inordinately long time to get our main courses. My steak frites was delicious, although the fries were cool and had to be redone. My wife's duck was inedible, tough, and undercooked - she sent it back and had the steak frites instead (which arrived quickly). The wait staff was very attentive, and we were given free after-dinner drinks and dessert - they even remembered we were there for a special occasion, and wrote "Happy Anniversary" on the dessert chocolate. The terrific wine and the attentive waitress are the only reasons I'm not joining others with the lowest possible rating on this place. Part of the problem may be that they have a main dining area and a "club"-type room on another level. The waiter explained that our dinner was late because they had a large crowd in the other room. Sorry, I shouldn't have to pay the penalty for that - this is New York, perhaps the one place in the world with more restaurant choices than any other city on the planet. For the price we paid for our dinner, Vaucluse has got to do a whole lot better. Tasty steak, but I won't be back.