One If by Land, Two If by Sea, New York

My fiance proposed to me here in February. The Maitre D' was very nice and accomodating when he called her to set up a special table. She even called my fiance's brother to let him know they were going to bring the ring out soon so that he could come take pictures (he was walking around the city waiting on us) and she got our camera when I went to the bathroom and gave it to him so we would have pictures. Our waiter was pretty snobby, but I was very impressed with how everything was handled.

Very over-rated, very expensive and we're still hungry!

extremely romantic: I will alway remember it as one place i truly enjoyed dining with the one I love. however, it is pricey.

PERFECT food... PERFECT service... PERFECT setting... PERFECT price... We brought our two children, ages 12 and 8, for a Sunday brunch and they loved it, too. The piano, the fresh cut roses, and the fireplaces were beautiful. The service was impeccable. If you're in the City for brunch you must try this place...

When dining in a romantic setting is the only recommendation. If a restaurant serves good as well as bad food, do you give it the benefit of the doubt? I wouldn't do that with a four-star restaurant so why should I do it here? Especially when most of the dishes I've tried at One if by Land are simply unpalatable. One if by Land is actually two restaurants: the main dining room on the ground floor with views over a jewel box garden, and ‘little Siberia’, a low ceiling second floor chicken shack. A mushroom tart arrived as an unabashed copy of Michel Bras’, the only distinction being the adjunction of truffled cheese. How original. There was a Hawaiian tuna with miso dressing. The texture was scary unless you were board-certified in cosmetic surgery. The flavors, however, reminded me of the little containers you can get on a discounted Korean Airlines flight at meal time; all at once it's sickly sweet, overtly salty, slippery and bitter. A generous chock of meat floating in a pool of coagulated ‘wine’ sauce landed with a thud in front of me. I was informed it was my beef Wellington. I was intrigued: last time anyone had beef Wellington in my family, Roosevelt was president. That’s Theodore. The beef was rubbery and tasteless. I scraped the whole wretched garnish to one side. Bordelaise sauce appropriated its name fraudulently, it’s more like a gravy. I couldn't help but think at this price I could be dining at the Little Owl. Roasted (?) filets of wild striped bass showed curiously dry on the edges. It was garnished with black olive tapenade, confit tomatoes, golden raisin couscous (a much tarnished word these days). Nothing to write home about, it's not great but passable, except for the high acidity of some of the ingredients. My date was wavering between a chocolate dessert and a coconut bavarois (mispelled with an e at the end) and being the gentleman that I am, I offered to order the bavarois if she chose the chocolate dessert. The ubiquitous molten chocolate dessert is also a Michel Bras rip-off. Bras was making these 15 years ago. The bavarois was a quivering blob of gelatine. Texturally, it brings to mind the sugary equal of a slouched bag of silicone. The menu isn't held back by minor glitches; it's flawed in concept and execution. And at $75 a piece, it’s a major problem. The service is rushed, the waiters and runners appear at the table panting like dogs after a long chase. I was not informed of any special, received no description of the menu or the courses. This restaurant clearly lives on its image of romance and glitter. In a city where romantic dining has improved out of sight in recent years, One if by Land is a bleak spot on the culinary landscape.

I like Oceana better...the food and service was excellent.

NOT BAD BUT PRICES ARE A LITTLE HIGH,THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PLACES TO GO FOR HALF THE PRICE AND BETTER FOOD I SPENT 225.00 PLUS TIP AND ME AND MY WIFE WERE STILL HUNGRY

This place is extremely romantic and a great time and the food is even better.Highly recommended.

My husband and I first discovered this fabulous restaurant in 2002. We dined here again during restaurant week in 2005 and enjoyed their brunch this past Sunday. The restaurant is located in “the Village” and there is no awning or large sign displaying the name of the restaurant. The entrance is an old carriage house. Our first experience was so memorable that five years later, my husband and I reminisce. The food was excellent and frankly you get what you pay for. The service was flawless and the food exceptional. We recommended the restaurant to my in-laws and the loved it. The staff is attentive and respectfully formal. It is what you expect in a restaurant of this class. We recommend the tasting with wine menu. If you plan to visit One If By Land… then enjoy the meal to the fullest and don’t complain about the tab. Leonor Vivona