Okay I waited awhile to check out Red Rooster because I think a new restaurant needs time to find its footing. I really, really wanted to like it and like it a lot. I live in Harlem and we are desperately in need of some good spots to hang out, nosh and simply people watch. Red Rooster has great potential for all of this but it's just not there yet. I went at lunch and the kitchen was not ready to begin serviving customers.. The wait staff was well, overstaffed and lounging around looking for something to do. Stunning group of people and the atmosphere and design is clean, sharp and ecletic. But the service, ugh, both mediocre and snooty. Wow!! The kitchen is open, which is a nice touch and the chefs are every bit as appealing to look at as the wait staff. But, yikes, there was confusion there too, which I understood clearly because i could hear everything that they said. something about the print outs not coming into the kitchen, so they didn't realize they had any orders. Hmm, they are looking directly out on to the dining room. Secondly, not one waiter that I could see bothered to check on his order. We had moved from the bar to a table and granted that could cause a bit of confusion, but there were only four tables seated in total in the dining room. So of course our food whisked by us to the bar and we watched the confused runner and bartender scratch their head for a minute while we waved to get their attention. The food was innovative and good, we had the yardbird and mac and greens, perhaps a little bit gourmet for my tablemate but I enjoyed it and the presentation was pitch perfect. But oddly, nothing I would crave once I left or would hurry back to order.I love Chef Marcus's aesthetic and have followed his journey for awhile know. I really, really wanted to like it. We need this kind of melding of lowbrow meets highbrow sensibility and in a visually appealing space but please. please ditch the attitude
