damnlines.comdamnlines.comA longtime East Harlem steakhouse (open since 2004) known for generous portions and a club-like Motown/R&B dinner scene that draws reservation-dependent crowds.
damnlines hasn't pointed a lens at Ricardo Steak House (Casa Ricardo) yet. The most-wanted lines get a camera first.
Per Yelp reviewers, 'you have to have a reservation because the place is so popular,' and 'due to its popularity, there can be long wait times, especially without a reservation, and the limited waiting area can be problematic' — a description echoed across the restaurant's roughly 1,700-plus Yelp reviews, where the recurring advice is to book ahead rather than show up cold.
The restaurant runs its own booking page at casaricardonyc.com/reservations (also mirrored at ricardosteakhouse.com/reservations) alongside phone reservations at (212) 289-5895; per Yelp, that's especially worth using for weekend brunch and dinner, the times reviewers flag as most likely to fill the 'limited waiting area.'
Walk-ins are accepted — reviewers don't describe Ricardo's as reservation-only — but the combination of a small waiting area and steady weekend demand is what pushes walk-in wait times up, per Yelp. The restaurant stays open latest Thursday through Saturday (until midnight, versus 11pm the rest of the week), extending the dinner crunch later into the night on those nights.
Patterns as reported by press and regulars — not measured by damnlines.
Reservations: Reservations strongly recommended — per Yelp reviewers, effectively required given the restaurant's popularity and limited waiting area; book by phone (212-289-5895) or via casaricardonyc.com/reservations.
Walk-ins: Accepted, but risks a long wait in a limited waiting area without a reservation, per Yelp.
Mon-Wed 11am-11pm; Thu-Sat 11am-midnight; Sun 11am-11pm.
Per Yelp reviewers, walking in without a reservation risks a long wait in what they call a 'limited waiting area,' since — in their words — 'the place is so popular' that a reservation is effectively required. The wait crunch is worst for weekend brunch and dinner, per the same Yelp reviews, though no exact minute figures are published.
Yes — the restaurant takes reservations by phone at (212) 289-5895 or through its own booking page at casaricardonyc.com/reservations, and Yelp reviewers describe a reservation as close to mandatory given how popular the restaurant is.
Walk-ins are accepted, but per Yelp, 'due to its popularity, there can be long wait times, especially without a reservation, and the limited waiting area can be problematic' — reviewers recommend booking ahead rather than counting on a walk-in table, especially for weekend brunch or dinner.
Yelp reviewers point to weekend brunch and dinner as the peak crunch points, and the restaurant's own hours run latest Thursday through Saturday (until midnight, versus 11pm other nights), extending the dinner rush later on those nights.
Sources: Yelp — Ricardo Steak House · Casa Ricardo official site · Casa Ricardo reservations page · Ricardo Steak House official site