Midtown, Manhattan, New York
The Modern
A glass-walled dining room over MoMA's sculpture garden where Abram Bissell threads French technique through an American register.
FlightLogic expert score: 9.2/10 · ££££ · American , French
★★ Michelin Stars Photo: Ralph Daily / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Is The Modern worth visiting? FlightLogic assigns an expert score of 9.2/10 based on editorial research. The 4.8/5 star figure is an editorial composite for guide comparison — not a verified consumer aggregate. It has 2 Michelin stars. Best for milestone anniversaries, pre-theater fine dining, impressing out-of-town clients.
About The Modern
Abram Bissell runs the kitchen at a room that could coast on its address and doesn't. The dining room's floor-to-ceiling glass frames the sculpture garden below, but the plates hold their own against the view: a foie gras torchon set with rhubarb and toasted brioche, a dry-aged duck breast lacquered and carved tableside, a tasting menu that moves through French structure with American ingredients at full ripeness. Service reads formal without stiffness — the kind of room where a captain will talk you through the cheese cart without a script. Two MICHELIN Stars, and a wine list deep enough to justify the sommelier's presence at your table for longer than you planned.
Menu highlights
Editorial rating breakdown
Published reviews
Sorted by date (newest first). We do not reorder by rating or “helpfulness”. Review integrity policy
- 5.0Editorial sample
The duck course alone justified the trip in from Westchester — lacquered skin, carved right at the table, jus poured last. The sculpture garden view at dusk didn't hurt either.
Response from The Modern
Thank you, Priya — glad the timing worked out for the garden light. We hope to see you again soon.
- 4.0Editorial sample
Technically flawless tasting menu, though the pacing between the fish and duck courses ran long on a Friday night. Wine pairing was worth every extra dollar.
Submit a verified dining review
Consumer reviews require on-site geolocation verification or transaction proof before publication. See our review integrity policy.
How far in advance should I book The Modern?
Reserve three to four weeks out for weekend dinners, especially tables facing the sculpture garden. Weeknight and lunch slots open up with about a week's notice.
Is the sculpture garden visible from every table?
Most tables in the main dining room face the glass wall overlooking the garden; a few banquette seats along the interior wall face the room instead, so request a garden-side table when booking.
More in New York
★★ Michelin
Aquavit
Scandinavian · Nordic
Expert 9.2/10
A glass-walled Midtown atrium where Emma Bengtsson has spent a decade refining Nordic fine dining into something quietly, precisely her own.
Aska
Scandinavian · Foraged
Expert 9.5/10
A converted Williamsburg warehouse where fermentation and fire do the talking for a two-Michelin-starred Scandinavian tasting menu.