51 Lincoln

03/17/2008 Posted by citykidd

Have been to 51 a bunch of times and thought I owed it to the chef to write a review. Last experience was on a Friday night when it was totally packed. Was meeting friends that I had not seen for a while so asked for a table out of the way so we could really talk. The manager, Ryan (cute and really nice), offered me a table in the wine room downstairs... TOTALLY FABULOUS! The room has a lush oriental carpet, reclaimed barnwood (yes, I had to ask) and wine racks on the walls, and a flat panel tv fireplace (cute idea). Innovative and cosy, we all absolutely loved it. Now to the food... we had the taleggio stuffed date with prosciutto and rose petal liquor, the caesar salad, the rigatoni bolognaise, the chili braised short ribs with veggie frites, the crispy duck breast with sweet potato hash, the vegetarian plate, and the molasses glazed pork tenderloin with collard greens and a sweet potato pancake. All were fantastic - the short ribs just melted in your mouth, the homemade mozzarella on the homemade crouton that comes with the yummy caesar salad was a really nice extra, and the rose petal liquor was really light and fresh. The service was also great... Richard knew the menu and was able to steer the group to dishes that matched our tastes. He also showed us some fantastic wines on the "reserve" list that were a great bargain... we truly appreciated a waiter that did not steer us to the most expensive bottles on the list, but rather showed us some really great wines (in our budget) that went perfectly with what the entire group was eating. Wonderful experience... will definitely be back!

Pros: Relaxing and unpretentious with truly creative food, excellent service

Cons: Hard to get a reservation on weekends

10/07/2007 Posted by qualitative

People that don't really understand food fun and chef experimentation should stick to the safer dining establishments. I think someone here mentioned "a thick fatty piece of bacon" well that's one name for it and another one is "bacon lardon". I look forward to what creative and daring food combinations chef/owner Jeff comes up with next. As long as you ask for an explanation of a dish and the server gives a full and accurate discription you should have a safe dining experience. As for sweaty disheveled waiters I agree. I expect floor staff to be able, knowledgable and in control at this price point not a sweaty, snobby mess. One last tip: Take care to ALWAYS BE KIND to your server for they will ALWAYS return the favor

Pros: putting the flavor back in food & not good for kids

Cons: may not be everybodies cup o tea

09/21/2007 Posted by ldrake781

I dined at 51 Lincoln on Tuesday night and had a great experience. Our server, Katelyn, was adorable and extremely knowledgeable. She recommended the chicken liver terrine and the duck. Both were fantastic! I have dined here before and found the service stuffy or brisk, but a new menu and fresh faces seem to have been just what the doctor ordered for 51 Lincoln. The entire staff seemed to be working together, and I never for a moment felt neglected or forgotten at my corner table. The food was all delicious and the cocktails were fabulous. I'll be heading back soon!

Pros: Service, Food, Drinks

Cons: Noise

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

09/03/2007 Posted by bkrush81

The food at 51 Lincoln is flavor forward. The chef has created a unique menu that will stun you with its creativity of combinations. All the food that we tried was well executed. The wine list is impressive in its quality and value. There are lots of wines to choose from that are more than fairly priced. The atmosphere reminds me of an art gallery in the way it displays the chef's own artwork. The service was excellent. Overall, I had a great experience and can't wait to go back.

Pros: Food, Wine, Prices

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/21/2007 Posted by epicurus910

Had a great dinner at 51 Lincoln last night, went at 6:30 and my first thought was we were going to have to wait for our table( the place was packed) but to my surprise we sat right away. Our server "Brian" was very pleasant and knowledgeable and we started with a couple of cocktails, I had the 51 monk which was a very intesting combination of the chefs "hibiscus liquor' and hendricks gin, my wife had the scarlet, both were very good and as we perused the menu our appetite grew. We ended up ordering the watermelon steak and the gazpacho for appetizers, both well done but the watermelon was truly unique in both taste and texture. For dinner we ordered the brined pork chops and the skirt steak, we loved them both! The jalapeno jam with the perfectly seasones chops was the perfect balance of heat and sweet and the cornbread with the skirt steak was possibly the best I ever had. Our waiter suggested a 2000 Figeac with dinner but for $45 I couldn't believe it would be good, it was great!! Generally not a dessert person I couldn't pass up the made to order cookies and I'm glad we didn't, they even came with a shot of cold milk!! Overall we had a great experience front to finish and look forward to going back soon, next time I want the scallop ceviche with cilantro vodka first.

Pros: food, wine, service

Cons: loud

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

04/02/2007 Posted by wedineoutalot

I had read a review of the restaurant in the paper and we eagerly made a reservation for dinner. The atmosphere is cold with little ambience..The service was brisk and not very friendly. The wine list needs work...The food was mediocre to say the least. We left unsatisfied...the prices are very high for the quality of the food.

Pros: Location?

Cons: Atmosphere...Food...Wine List...Service

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful