Sequoia, Poor Food, Drink and Service, Yet I Still Recommend It
Written: Apr 14 '05 (Updated Apr 14 '05)
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Pros: Fine atmosphere, great for people watching.
Cons: Food and Drink are below par.
The Bottom Line: For afternoon lunch this place is the perfect place to people watch while catching breezes off the water.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Sequoia |
There are restaurants that have a have a relaxed and sedate feeling in the afternoon and a high spirited party atmosphere at night. Sequoia is one of those kinds of places.
When downtown my wife and I take pleasure in strolling around the docks and waterways and then stopping to relax and have something to eat while enjoying the views of the surroundings. Sequoia happens to be a perfect place for us to do just that when we are in lower Manhattan in the South Street Seaport area.
Though we have never been to this restaurant at night it is a very hot spot for Wall Street Yuppies looking for a good time on Friday and Saturday nights after being stuck in high pressure work all week. I have seen crowds while attending many parties at the nearby Bridgewaters Restaurant that is just across the East River Drive.
Atmosphere
We have been to Sequoia a few times for afternoon lunch. It has an inside dining room and bar. The bar area is all dark wood with a nautical yet modern look to it. It is a fine looking area that is very quiet during the day. We prefer sitting outside on one of the deck areas. This is a perfect place to relax, people watch, and eye the tour boats as they come in and out of the dock area. The open deck happens to have a south exposure so everything is bright and warm even on a cooler day with breezes coming off the East River.
The restaurant is on a couple of levels. The bottom one is a bit busier and lends itself to more people watching as they walk by your tables on the outside deck. By walking up a flight of stairs you get to the bar area and again more outside as well as inside seating. We like to be seated outside so as to take advantage of the fantastic views of the harbor, old ships and very modern sleek-looking sky scrapers just beyond.
It is a busy restaurant and the tables are small. The waitstaff is business like and not all that friendly. Never-the-less, we tolerate the mediocre service and relax with cold beers in hand as we wait for our lunch.
The Menu
We have had Margaritas and other mixed drinks there in the past. They were served in tiny little plastic glasses and certainly were not worth the high dollars they charged. My suggestion is to just get a beer. They do have a fine selection to their credit.
The Sequoia has a mostly seafood menu with dishes that have a taste of the Caribbean added or so they say. There was nothing at this place that has really been all that good except for just hanging out with a beer and having a little something from the menu so as to be able to stay at the table for a little while and enjoy the city sites. In the afternoon the lunch menu runs $10-$22 that also has burgers and such. It's a few dollars more in the evening. The burgers are good but I had some of their New England Clam Chowder once that was more like an undiluted condensed can of cream of mushroom soup with a few small potatoes thrown in. I did chew on a rubbery thing, it may have been a clam. I don't like this place. They also have a few pasta dishes but nothing inspired. Their portions aren't generous by any means and little thought is given to presentation.
In Closing
If it weren't for the view and laid back afternoon atmosphere, I would be giving this place one star. The foods not great, they mix a poor cocktail and put it in a tiny plastic glass. Heck, the service isn't even friendly or that attentive. Even so, they seem to do well enough to stay open for many years with day time tourists and a good bar business at night.
I can say that just sitting outside, with the lower Manhattan view, while a warm sun is on my shoulders makes it a place to try once in a while. Even though I rate this place as below average, the atmosphere makes it so I cannot hit the "Not Recommended" button.
Other downtown Manhattan reviews by Popsrocks
SOUTH STREET SEAPORT
The Statue of Liberty
NY WATERWAY Tour NYC by boat.
Fraunce's Tavern George Washington ate here. You can too! Downtown NYC
New York City and many more NY destinations and places to eat.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Sit on the deck outside.
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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