The New York Steam Packet

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

In a dark and dingy alleyway off Rose Street and up a spiral staircase, the New York Steam Packet is not the sort of place customers stumble across by accident. As a result it only opens during the week if it has bookings. Office parties from nearby workplaces, stag and hen dos and birthday groups are all attracted to the cheap, traditional North American fare, as well as the ability to book out the whole place, bring their own wine, beer and music and have some fun. A decent sweet potato soup is a strong starter, as is a bowl of mussels sautéed in garlic, onion and white wine. There’s a £2 supplement on steaks, which are cooked to order, and come with salad and French fries. A selection of New York burgers don’t particularly show off their red, white and blue credentials, although a straight-forward cheeseburger with fries is satisfying enough. Desserts are bought-in and include a Dime Bar cake or pecan pie.

• High point: Make this fun-filled party venue your own with a group of 30
• Low point: Wear a scarf in winter – poor heating creates Alaskan rather than Californian temperatures