City Hall Restaurant

I had a WONDERFUL reception in the Granite Room of City Hall for about 70 people. We hosted a lunch reception. It was affordable and beautiful. Everyone was so impressed with the food and the look of the place. What I loved: the service from the wait staff on the day of; the food; the drinks and wine were flowing; they provide candles and table numbers so i did not have to think beyond flowers for decoration, plus the room in and of itself is so gorgeous, it does not need much; if no one has it booked on the day of, the Rose Room is yours to use as a holding room until you are announced (or to change if you plan to, etc.); the red velvet cake -- so delicious; that they have a dedicated kitchen for catering events, so everything is fresh, hot and prompt.

What I didn't love: the private dining director, Amira Gertz. She is not the best communicator, so to avoid any mishaps or confusion I would clarify and double check everything and keep email records because she will play dumb or not admit to errors. There were a lot of little things that she said could or would be done in the beginning of the planning process, before we made a deposit, that were later chalked up to a misunderstanding on our part, so, again, be clear and direct with her. oh! and in all of your excitement on the day of, please remember to examine the bill before you sign -- this is how i ended up paying for a wedding cake that should have been included in the per person fee. She also did not honor my wishes of shutting down the open bar after the cocktail hour. It ended up not being a big deal, but I did wonder why people were still ordering shots and cocktails at 4 p.m.!

That being said, my experience with her did not outweigh the amazing service of the wait staff there or the incredible value City Hall offers. For NYers looking to have a real wedding with delicious food, great drinks and exceptional service on a shoestring (for NYC) budget, I highly recommend the lunch reception at this establishment.

Mu husband and I really enjoyed working with Robert Palermo from City Hall restaurant. the restaurant has two private rooms downstairs that really had the "classic New York" feel that we were going for -- including a grand piano—and the space easily accommodated our 90 guests. Robert was helpful, understanding, and always a professional. The food was excellent, and Robert even allowed us to extend the reception time for a small fee. Would recommend working with Robert and City Hall.