Every once in a while a Sunday lines up the way it is supposed to. The weather cooperated, my friend Steve pulled a reservation at 4 Charles Prime Rib, and everyone actually had time to sit down and relax instead of racing through a meal like the check was on fire. 4 of us. How bad could it possibly go.
The Patio
Summer outdoor reservations always come with a little anxiety attached, especially for a man my size who sweats reading a hot menu description. Nobody wants to sweat through a French dip, and nobody wants to watch me try. But the 4 Charles Prime Rib patio has a fan and its own shade, and somehow it ran 5 to 10 degrees cooler than it had any right to. That fan alone might have saved everyone at the table from a very damp situation. West Village people watching while you eat is one of life’s better free shows, and trust me, there was plenty to watch, some of it me.
The Little Gem Salad and Shrimp Scampi
Order the salad before anyone else at the table gets a vote, because once people see it coming out for someone else, they are going to want in. The dressing was light, rich, and built the perfect bed for the crab cake sitting on top. Genuinely the move, and one of the few times all day I moved slowly on purpose.
The shrimp scampi arrived sizzling straight to the table right alongside it, crisp, loaded with garlic, exactly on point. Between the two of them, the table barely had a chance to breathe before the mains showed up.
The Martini
A few martinis made thier usual appearance, because a Sunday like this does not happen without one. Tradition matters, and so does rehydrating after that patio heat, even if the martini was doing absolutely nothing to help with that.
The French Dip
This one deserves its own moment. That horseradish sits right there waiting for you to make a decision, and once you shove the whole sandwich into the au jus, it is over. One of my favorites, full stop, and also the moment I stopped caring how much sauce ended up on my shirt.
The 10 Double Wagyu Burger
This is the one that stole the whole show, and most people sleep on it. They slice it into quarters so the whole table can get a piece, though nobody is stopping you from keeping it all to yourself, which is exactly the kind of decision I make and immediately regret around hour two. This burger has been all over my Best Burgers in NYC list for a reason, and it earned every bit of it again.
The Chicago Cut Prime Rib
Always a recommend, and honestly the namesake of the place delivers. My one piece of advice here, if you actually want to try everything on this menu, order less per person rather than more. Spread it out. You will thank yourself later, and your pants will thank you the next morning.
Chocolate Cream Pie
Non negotiable. Always order it. I have never once regretted this decision, only the ones that came before it.
Final Verdict
If you have been to Monkey Bar, you owe it to yourself to get to 4 Charles Prime Rib. Same family, same level of care, and honestly worth every bit of the weight gain, which at this point I am tracking less like a number and more like a personality trait. Sit outside, people watch through the West Village, and let the table do the ordering. Steve, thank you for pulling this reservation and making an already good Sunday even better.
As always, what do I know? I am just a fat guy from Brooklyn trying to survive the week, one martini at a time.
Looking for more NYC restaurant reviews? Check out my Best Steakhouses in NYC, Best Burgers in NYC, and Best Restaurants in NYC lists.