Mmmm... steak
Ralph Lauren has a restaurant? Actually, he has several. The Polo Bar is the New York establishment and it's pretty much everything you'd expect and hope for in a restaurant designed by a luxury fashion brand like Ralph Lauren. By that I mean the design of the restaurant itself is actually the star of the show here. The food's good too, being made up of mostly American dishes mostly ranging between $30-$40... but again, they feel like supporting characters with the setting stealing the show.
Go ahead, put it on your Pinterest 'dream house' board
Like Ron Burgundy, I walked into the restaurant and thought "it smells of rich mahogany". It kind of feels like a crossover between an opulent western ranch, the house from Knives Out, and Thomas Shelby's estate in Peaky Blinders. This is the kind of place you could take your parents or grandparents to and you'll probably get a "They just don't make things like this anymore" comment.
So, onto the food. I don't think we ordered anything we didn't like, except I probably wouldn't feel the need to order pigs in a blanket again (sounds obvious now that I type it). The salmon was up there with RH Rooftop as some of my favorite; the steak was good, the burger was good, even the corned beef sandwich was good (and I don't like corned beef). I guess what it comes down to is what you're in the mood for and how much you want to spend. Wherever you find yourself on either of those factors, you probably won't go wrong with whatever you choose.
So, a few things to note before you go: First, get a reservation well in advance (you'll probably have to call in to make it). Second, dress well - I'd say somewhere between smart casual and business casual would be table stakes here, but you probably can't overdo it. Third, mentally prepare yourself to not freak out if you see a celebrity. Finally, budget two hours to stay here. It really is the type of setting where you could lose track of time in good conversation and completely forget that you're in Midtown Manhattan.
