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New York City is a place known for its theatricality. Broadway aside, every corner has its own whimsical personality, and much of that character happens at restaurant tables — or rather, just to the side of the table, rolled up on a cart. Tableside dishes and drinks display decadence beautifully, and whether it’s a classic martini, a prime rib, or comforting udon noodles, this city brims with tableside theater.
While tableside food preparation may seem a bit over the top and kitschy, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Dining out in New York City is guaranteed to come with a little bit of drama and a bit of pizzazz, and if you can’t appreciate the drama when it’s being shaken, stirred, smoked, or carved right in front of you, it’s time to stop taking your eating so seriously and just delight in the show for a minute. This guide to the 20 most memorable tableside dishes and drinks is a way to immerse yourself in cuisine that, above all else, is meant to be enjoyed. Drama is so delicious after all, isn’t it?
Carbone – Caesar alla ZZ
A Caesar salad seems run-of-the-mill — but nothing at Carbone is ordinary. Everything is elevated to make a meal not just dinner, but a memorable experience.
The $34 Caesar alla ZZ starts in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Creamy Caesar dressing is poured in, along with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and stirred until well combined. Then, crisp pieces of baby gem lettuce are added and gently tossed until every leaf is coated. Each person receives a generous portion, followed by crisp, garlicky croutons tossed in the leftover dressing.
181 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012
Adda – Butter Chicken Experience
Adda has an incredible menu of traditional Indian dishes, but if you’re eating at Adda and not opting into the Butter Chicken Experience, you’re doing it wrong. Only a limited number of “experiences” are offered nightly and must be reserved ahead of time, but if you can snag a booking, you’re in for a treat.
The Butter Chicken Experience is designed for sharing, so bring your friends and get ready to dig in. The Heritage Green Circle chicken is smoked tableside (you even get to choose the woodchips) while the sauce is prepared in front of you with tomatoes, spices, and the house-churned butter of your choice. The smoked chicken is added in, then it’s finished with honey and cream and served alongside unlimited rice, fresh paratha, and Adda’s signature black daal. At $42 per person, this is a table commitment, but if you want dinner and a show, this ticks the box.
107 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003
Quality Bistro – Butter Service Garni
Bread and butter are typically overlooked — merely something to snack on while contemplating the menu. At Quality Bistro, the Butter Service Garni is not to be overlooked.
The cart arrives with a crock overflowing with butter, Sullivan Street Bakery bread, cornichons, and radishes. Then, your server will take a generous hunk of butter, spread it onto a marble platter, and combine it with the cornichons and radishes, as well as chopped shallots, fleur de sel, pimente d’espelette, and freshly ground black pepper. There are also a number of snackable bites to accompany your bread and butter, like thinly sliced jambon cuit, leeks in vinaigrette, mushroom duxelles, and more. At $38, this isn’t exactly casual, but if you’re after an over-the-top presentation of an otherwise humble dish, it’s worth the splurge.
(212) 433-3330
120 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019
Chateau Royale – Martini au Chateau
Evan Sung
A martini feels classy without any added pomp. At Chateau Royale, they’ve elevated this cocktail even more with a tableside preparation of their house martini, the Martini au Chateau.
First decide: gin or vodka? No judgment, the Martini au Chateau can be made with either. Your spirit is then combined with Chateau Royale’s house dry vermouth and aperitif blend. It can be made dry or with “toute les olives,” a riff on a dirty martini made with housemade olive brine, which is fat-washed with olive oil. The martini is poured into your glass from below-freezing crystal decanters, ensuring your cocktail is ice cold and wonderfully crisp.
205 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10012
Cuerno – Tacos Taquero
Sofia Barraso
Half of your dinner group wants Mexican food, and the other half wants steak. Go to Cuerno. This Mexican steakhouse is built on bringing people together to feast, and nothing says “Let’s share the love” like steak and bone marrow tacos.
The Tacos Taquero presentation starts with the taquero rolling out the cart, introducing themselves, and giving a background on the dish. They chop arrachera (skirt steak) with grilled cipollini onions, add the roasted bone marrow, and mix thoroughly. Guests can then choose to add extra spice by way of piquin limon salsa. A sprinkle of fleur de sel goes over everything, then the meat mixture is scooped into three corn tortillas and served on a hot plate.
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Au Za’atar – Tableside shawarma
Melissa Hom
“I wanted to create something special and unique,” said Tarik Fallous, founder and executive chef of Au Za’atar. “I wanted to bring the energy and aroma of a traditional shawarma stand into the dining room where guests can become shawarma masters too.”
The prime cuts of beef ($158), lamb ($158), or chicken ($138) are designed to serve two to four guests, and are marinated for 24 hours in a proprietary Middle Eastern spice blend before being stacked on a vertical spit that continues roasting as it’s brought to the table. The skewer is carved tableside and served alongside sumac-dusted fries, grilled tomatoes, and onions. Guests can then build their shawarma any way they like — garnishes include tahini, toum, za’atar-infused aioli, hot sauce, pickled turnips, and cucumbers. It’s a feast in every sense of the word, but don’t be discouraged if you didn’t finish everything — taking home leftovers is encouraged.
Multiple locations
Maison Premiere – Old King Cole martini
The cocktails at Maison Premiere feel special — each one is hand-crafted with thoughtful precision and creativity. The Old King Cole martini, which is prepared tableside, is perhaps one of the most memorable of them all.
The $28 Old King Cole martini is presented on a silver tray with all the accouterments: Old Raj Gin, orange bitters, Gordal olives, a lemon twist, ice, and a chilled martini glass. The martini is prepared, stirred, and poured before your eyes, letting you watch and appreciate the magic in real time. Go ahead and add on the caviar for $15 extra — it’s worth it for this upscale New Orleans-inspired experience.
(347) 889-5710
298 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Rosevale Cocktail Room – Rosevale Irish coffee
Sara Kay/Tasting Table
An Irish coffee is perhaps the coziest cocktail of all. At Rosevale Cocktail Room, this comforting beverage is elevated with the Irish Coffee Experience ($50), a tableside preparation for two.
A server will bring a glass vacuum siphon coffee maker to your table, and the chemistry will begin. In the top chamber goes a 2010 vintage black tea, which is cured with toffee, caramel, and almonds. Spices like allspice, coriander, cardamom, star anise, mace, cassia, kokuto sugar, dehydrated citrus wheels, and juniper are also added. In the bottom chamber goes Teeling Irish whiskey, French apple brandy, and Italian coffee to become a chai-infused Irish coffee. All the liquid is heated to 175 degrees Fahrenheit, then cooled to 155 degrees — the perfect temperature for sipping. And last, but certainly not least, each glass is topped with homemade apple-infused whipped cream and finished with chocolate shavings from a 5-pound Hershey’s Kiss.
(646) 829-1500
305 W 48th St (2nd floor), New York, NY 10036
Bourbon Steak New York – Tuna tartare
Rey Lopez
When Bourbon Steak NYC opened in 2024, New Yorkers were given a gift: a steakhouse for butter-poached steak and beautifully prepared seafood. That preparation starts with the tableside tuna tartare.
Chef Michael Mina first created this tuna tartare when he was the executive chef at AQUA, and for those who now get to appreciate it in New York, consider yourself lucky. A cart arrives with finely chopped sashimi-grade ahi tuna topped with pine nuts, mint, Asian pear, habanero-sesame oil, and a quail egg. The yolk is pierced and poured over as a sauce, everything is gently combined, and the finished tartare is served with freshly toasted brioche.
(212) 484-5120
160 Central Park S (Inside the JW Marriott), New York, NY 10019
Park Rose – Vermouth bar cart
Nicholas Ruiz
For those who like starting and ending meals with cocktails, fortified wine like vermouth is key. At Park Rose, its housemade vermouth selection is wheeled out tableside.
The cart includes four vermouths at $14 each: Park Rose Rosato, Cranberry Rosso, Pear Bianco, and Charred Grapefruit. Select your vermouth for one of three preparations: a spritz with bubbles and seasonal fruits ($20), a negroni ($22), or a Manhattan ($24). Cocktails are prepared and served tableside, and with constantly rotating seasonal ingredients, each experience is bound to be a unique one.
444 Park Ave South (inside the Hotel Park Ave), New York, NY 10016
The Alderman – Ice cream sundae
Nicholas Ruiz
Tableside preparation isn’t just for savory dishes and cocktails. For sweet whimsy pre- or post- a night at the theater, The Alderman inside the Motto by Hilton Times Square delivers with a tableside ice cream sundae.
The cart arrives, and from there, it’s a choose-your-own adventure. Creamy vanilla ice cream serves as the base, and guests can go all out with the toppings, opting for as many as they’d like. Sprinkles, gummy candies, chocolate chips, corn flakes, and other confections are all there, plus sauce options like hot fudge and caramel. Finish with a cherry on top — or several. It’s your sundae, after all.
(929) 566-5280
150A W 48th Street (inside the Motto by Hilton Times Square), New York, NY 10036
San Babila – Digestive bar cart
Heather Grabin
If you’ve ever had a meal in Italy, you know it’s never really done. There’s always time to linger. San Babila’s digestive bar cart invites diners to stay longer and enjoy each other’s company with a curated selection of amaros and herbal liqueurs celebrating Italy’s aromas and flavors.
Once the cart arrives, choose from Amaro Roger, Jefferson Amaro Importante, or Madame Milù, all of which are poured and presented tableside. Enjoy them neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail, allowing time to savor the atmosphere with every sip.
(646) 448-4120
1355 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10021
Shinji’s – Hand roll cart
Joanna Lin
Every cocktail at Shinji’s is driven by science and creativity, with a host of housemade creations for the daring tippler. The focus on innovation and sensory delight extends to the food menu, too, as proven by the tableside hand roll cart.
Fillings include wagyu ($40), vegetable ($19), wild salmon ($26), Hokkaido uni ($85) and scallop ($27), bluefin tuna ($40), and caviar ($99). The fish is flown in four times a week from Japan, and everything is prepared tableside for peak freshness. Each roll is packed with your chosen ingredient and freshly steamed rice.
37 W 20th Street, New York, NY 10011
The Gallery by Odo – Wagyu udon noodles
The Gallery by Odo
There’s nothing that warms the body and the bones quite like a hot meal, and a steaming bowl of udon is just right. Hiroki Odo, the two Michelin-starred chef at The Gallery by Odo, celebrates food and art through his housemade udon — a tableside dish rich with artistry and flavor.
Guests can pair the chewy, wide udon noodles with tofu skin and greens ($22), seasonal mushrooms ($24), or A5 Japanese wagyu sirloin ($30). The dish is prepared using the traditional Japanese kami nabe method, or “paper hot pot,” which is heat-resistant and allows the broth and ingredients to cook in perfect harmony.
(646) 870-0383
17 W 20th Street, New York, NY 10011
Palladino’s Steak and Seafood – Trolley Treat
Jenn Kimmel
New Yorker natives and visitors alike know how hectic Grand Central Terminal can be. Luckily, Palladino’s Steak and Seafood is there to be a relaxing step outside that chaos. Come inside, pull up a chair, and partake in the ultimate indulgence: the Trolley Treat.
Few dishes exude class like prime rib sliced tableside, and Palladino’s elevates it further. A luxurious prime rib portion arrives on a silver trolley and is sliced tableside, finished with a touch of salt, ladled with a rich au jus, and accompanied by duck fat popovers. At $110, this is certainly an extravagant treat, but if you can’t (trolley) treat yourself every once in a while, when can you?
(917) 725-3011
Grand Central Terminal, North & West Balcony, New York, NY 10017
The Fulton – Black bass en croute
Mike Szpot
To truly appreciate the cool, laid-back waterfront vibes of the South Street Seaport, a meal at The Fulton by Jean-Georges is a must. To understand what makes this seafood-forward restaurant so impressive, you simply must order the black bass en croute, a tableside marvel.
En croute simply means “in crust” in French. The whole roasted black bass is encased in golden puff pastry and served with velvety sauce choron and tomatoes concassé, then carved tableside. The dish is offered in limited quantities nightly and market-priced, so if you’re having a meal at The Fulton or even just passing through, check the availability.
(917) 633-4221
89 South St, New York, NY 10038
Tourmaline – Duck a la presse
Tourmaline
There’s something to be said for fine dining that feels cozy and welcoming, and Tourmaline does just that. The menu is seasonally influenced, but the duck a la presse remains year-round. At $250, this is a meal meant for a group who loves and appreciates duck, and each other.
First: The duck is aged to order and must be ordered one week in advance. The dry-aged duck is presented and carved tableside alongside wild rice, seasonal vegetables, peaches, and rich duck jus. Add premium bread service with Balthazar bread and seasonal butter for a meal for the ages.
(646) 535-5799
106-17 Metropolitan Ave, Forest Hills, NY, 11375
Cathédrale – Mamie Cornu chocolate mousse
Noah Fecks
Jason Hall, chef at Cathédrale, was inspired to add the Mamie Cornu chocolate mousse after a trip to Saint-Nazaire. Made a la minute and served tableside, this dessert is designed for chocolate lovers.
The smooth mousse, made with 70% cacao barry dark chocolate fleur de cao, arrives chilled on a cart and is scooped into quenelles tableside for each guest. Individual quenelles are topped with chocolate sauce and crunchy hazelnuts, making each bite a symphony of flavors and textures. At $23, this isn’t a splurge, but once you take that first bite, it’ll sure feel like one.
moxyeastvillage.com/cathedrale
(212) 888-1093
112 E 11th St, New York, NY 10003
Jack and Charlie’s No. 118 – Bloody Mary cart
Dillon Burke
We all look forward to the weekend, and nothing celebrates these sacred days like brunch. Brunch isn’t complete without a little hair of the dog, and at Jack and Charlie’s No. 118, the Bloody Mary, prepared and served tableside, is the crown jewel of the weekend menu.
Jack and Charlie’s Bloody Mary cart is a love letter to this classic weekend cocktail, starting with housemade oven-roasted tomato Bloody Mary mix. Guests can customize their drinks with a full suite of garnishes to choose from. Bloody Mary blue cheese olives, pickled okra, celery stalks, house-cut bacon, and many more are available, making the classic brunch cocktail a theatrical one.
(212) 680-4265
118 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011
Park Avenue Kitchen – Swinging Tomahawk
David Burke Hospitality Management
New York is lucky to be home to many David Burke restaurants, and Park Avenue Kitchen is just one that showcases his artistry and creativity. The menu features several tableside dishes, but the most eye-catching and theatrical of them all is the Swinging Tomahawk.
The 42-ounce Tomahawk ribeye steak is first dry-aged using Burke’s patented pink Himalayan salt brick process, seared and grilled to order, then wheeled out still attached to the bone and swinging from a hook above the cart. It’s sliced and served tableside with chef Burke’s signature DB “B1” steak sauce, salt, and watercress salad. At $160, this is a dish meant for two to enjoy and fawn over all night.
(646) 847-4166
514 Lexington Ave (at the corner of 48th St) New York, NY 10017
Methodology
Froggyfrogg/Getty Images
As someone who lived in New York for most of my adult life, I’ve enjoyed several of these tableside delicacies myself. For the rest, I turned to the internet and social media, reading through reviews and reaching out to friends in the restaurant business for insight as well. I relied on Reddit reviews, respected food blogs, and magazines for many of these, but because a tableside presentation is more of a visual experience than anything else, I focused a lot on videos of these preparations so I could get a first-hand, or close to a first-hand, understanding of just what’s in store with each one.