The Corner Store NYC Restaurant Review

In a city like New York, where roughly five zillion restaurants are competing for your attention at any given moment, a certain A game needs to be brought to the table, which explains why celebs, fashion people, and foodies all seem to orbit The Corner Store. Honestly, it would be strange not to spot paparazzi camped out on the corner of Broadway and Houston, waiting for someone famous to step into the hot spot.

On a chilly Wednesday night, I checked out the buzzy Soho staple with our fashion director, Michaela Bushkin. After confirming with the bouncer that yes, we did indeed have a reservation (it seems people try to peek in all the time), we were quickly ushered from the cold to a cozy booth. What struck me immediately was the energy: warm, lively, and refreshingly unpretentious. It didn’t have the stiff “look at me” vibe you might expect from a place frequented by Hailey Bieber, Taylor Swift, Gigi Hadid, Sabrina Carpenter, and the like.

Service at hyped restaurants can be hit or miss, so I was pleasantly surprised by how genuinely attentive the staff was. We were well taken care of from the start, and the restaurant’s beverage manager, Dev Johnson, kept checking in to make sure we were ordering correctly, living our best lives, and not missing any standout dishes. He may or may not have slipped in a few personal favorites we would have otherwise overlooked. Thank you, Dev.

Ordering is where things get serious. There is an array of martini options to consider (Espresso! Dirty! Tomato! Sour cream?), starters that could have sufficed as my main, and mains that you have to give your stomach a pep talk to make room for. The Caesar salad was unique and excellent. The artichoke dip may have altered my brain chemistry. But the dish Michaela and I could not stop talking about was the Wagyu French dip from the Butcher’s Counter menu. It came with a perfectly toasted bun, impossibly tender ribeye, and an au jus that deserves to be in a hall of fame. No notes. And even though I was ready to be rolled home after that, Dev didn’t let us leave without tasting dessert: warm mini apple pies with ice cream, the Samoa sundae, and an affogato. Worth it.

And since you’re probably wondering, yes, we dressed the part. This is a dress-it-up moment. You do not need to wear your most dramatic winter gown, but this is not the place to play it too casual. Think great trousers (with a bit of stretch because, well, you know) or a pair of opaque maroon tights with a minidress and of-the-moment accessories. Oh, and since it’s winter, you can’t forget to show up in a fabulous faux-fur coat. What if you get caught by the paparazzi while walking inside? One can only hope.