The Modern

I came here to celebrate my graduation, it was my first foray into fine dining and I had a great experience here. I had Alex as my server and he was amazing! He was very genuine and did a really good job at translating the menu and feel approachable without ever being overwhelming. I was indecisive about two deserts and he surprised me with my second option complimentary. His attentiveness and service made the experience feel special and memorable beyond just the food itself. The support staff were also very nice with how they explained the dishes and presented the food. All around they were awesome. The food was really great too! The eggs on eggs on egg was one of the best dishes I've had and I definitely recommend getting it. They offer complimentary bread and butter which was really great. I loved the dry aged duck as well, both the desserts I've had were really good as well. The portions may seem small but they filled me up for the whole day. It was some of the best food I've had, 10/10 when it comes to flavor, taste, and presentation! Overall I had a really memorable experience, I want to thank Alex especially for making it memorable and all the staff. The food, service, and atmosphere was really amazing!

Hands down the best restaurant experience my wife and I have ever had. We wanted to treat ourselves for our anniversary, and I had recently watched their Bon Appétit behind-the-scenes video. Their entire operation seemed so incredibly focused, meticulous, and inspiring that we knew we had to try it. We started with the Iberico ham and the hiramasa tart, both incredible. Then came the chilled lobster, which was super fresh and refreshing, served with an amazing sauce that made me want to lick the plate clean. Every dish felt refined without being overly complicated. The service was extraordinary. You can immediately tell the front-of-house team is operating at an extremely high level and is aware of everything happening in the room at all times. At one point, my wife stepped away to use the restroom just as they were about to serve the first course. Without saying a word or making anything awkward, the staff simply looped around a couple of times until she returned. The moment she sat down, they resumed service seamlessly without missing a beat. That level of awareness and professionalism really stood out to us. Next came the rye bread, which was fresh and crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, paired with delicious butter. Then we had the sea bass with crab, which was phenomenal and one of my favorite dishes of the night. But the true star of the show for me was the lamb. My wife and I grill lamb racks often, and I genuinely had no idea this level of perfection existed. It was cooked flawlessly, and the sauce was absolutely incredible. If I was not in public, I probably would have been scraping the bone clean :) Big shoutout to one of the staff members, Stephanie, who completely made our night. We were telling her how excited we were to finally visit after watching the Bon Appétit video, and she casually asked if we wanted a tour of the kitchen after dinner. Honestly, I thought she was joking at first. Then she came back after dessert and reminded us. Even after paying the bill, I still thought maybe she was kidding, but then she walked over smiling and said, “Let’s go.” My wife and I were completely geeked out. Seeing the kitchen in person was surreal. It was exactly like the video: super meticulous, orders being called out and repeated in unison, everyone moving with total precision and purpose. You could see the Omega clock, the Michelin stars on the wall, and just the overall culture of excellence behind everything they do. We were honestly in awe. Thank you again, Stephanie. That experience meant so much to us. Every time we visit a fine dining restaurant for a special occasion, I always wonder whether it will truly live up to the hype. Some completely miss the mark. Some are very good. But none have delivered on every aspect the way The Modern did. This is officially our favorite restaurant in the world.

There’s two ways to enter this restaurant. They do in fact have a main door facing 53rd street. If you’re already inside MoMA, there’s a separate door by security. They have to let you in. I didn’t have a reservation, but was seated immediately. Win! I really should’ve asked questions instead of going rogue. My intention was to do the lunch prix fixe menu. The menu on the table was a la carte. This did however work out better for me as I had limited time since I was catching a broadway show. Started with the olives then followed with the hot dogs and closed with the gem lettuce. They did come at different times. This gave me the perfect time to nibble slowly. The olives paired perfectly with the salad. The hot dogs were my favorite. The whole meal was perfectly balanced for me. Just have to mention how amazing the service was. No table had anything waiting to be taken away because there was always someone walking around. At one point, one of the guys clocked I had just finished drinking my water and within seconds he was at my table refilling my glass. I mean c’mon. Will took great care of me. He even suggested the dessert I ended up getting which was the peach cruller. I’m gonna try to come back to do the lunch tasting before I go back home to LA.

I had a wonderful dinner at Morden last night. While we encountered a small hiccup with one of our orders, I was incredibly impressed by how the management handled the situation. They addressed the incident with such grace, sincerity, and professionalism that it actually enhanced our overall experience rather than detracting from it. The servers are all so friendly and professional. It’s rare to find a team that cares this much about their guests' satisfaction. As for the food—it was spectacular. If you visit, you absolutely cannot miss the seafood dishes; everything tasted exceptionally fresh and was seasoned to perfection. The lamb was another standout—tender, flavorful, and cooked exactly to medium-rare as requested. Morden is a gem in the NYC dining scene, not just for the kitchen’s talent, but for the integrity of the people running the floor. I can’t wait to come back!