Once we found our way to the correct escalators and elevators to get to The View atop the Marriott Marquis, we were greeted warmly and wished a happy birthday at the desk.

Another host led us to our table in their rotating dining room, holding a “Birthday” placard to place on our table so the staff would know we were celebrating. The room makes a full loop of Manhattan in about an hour, giving us plenty of time to chat and enjoy the sights since it took a while for our server to return.

We started with their massive salads. They were so plentiful we definitely should have shared, a realization that hit us as we dug into the Caesar Salad ($19) and the loaded baby iceberg wedge ($20) topped with a quail egg, crispy lardons, and blue cheese dressing.

The service disappointed. Alex cleared a plate while our forks were practically mid-motion, loaded with salad. I shook my head, as proper service waits for all guests to finish. He reappeared a couple minutes later holding our entrees, asking if he could take our salads to make room or if we were still working on them—especially frustrating since we had already told him on a timed schedule, as we didn’t have a theater curtain to make.

Ironic, I’d say.

Danny Meyer, author of “Enlightened Hospitality,” recently reimagined this restaurant; well,  his Union Square Hospitality Group did. They would be absolutely appalled to see their own staff rushing us, especially after we told them we didn’t have a curtain to make.

The entrees were just as huge as the starters. Two of us could have easily split the giant prawns ($39 for 4), and the birthday girl loved her crab cake. Naturally, we added fries ($16) for the table. We were way too stuffed for dessert, but Alex redeemed himself a bit by bringing over a complimentary scoop of ice cream with a glowing birthday candle and a “Happy Birthday” message scripted in chocolate.

It’s still a really fun spot for a celebration.

The View
Mariott Marquis
1535 Broadway,
New York, NY 10036
(212) 704-8900
theviewnewyorkcity.com