[11][12] Jacob Bernstein, writing for the New York Times, attributed this surge in part to the relocated offices of media company Condé Nast,[12] located in the nearby One World Trade Center.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant built an outdoor dining structure,[13] with seating on both West Broadway and Thomas Street.

[2] Moira Hodgson, the first critic to review the restaurant for The New York Times, in 1980, praised chef Patrick Clark's cooking and the service.

[16] Bryan Miller, reviewing The Odeon in 1986 for the Times, awarded the restaurant one star.

[3][19][20] In his 1989 review, Bryan Miller commented that the restaurant was already "called an institution" despite having been open for less than ten years.

[23] Scenes in Jay McInerney's novel Bright Lights, Big City take place at The Odeon, and the exterior was depicted on the book's first edition cover.

[26] Regulars at the restaurant have at points included Jean-Michel Basquiat, John Belushi,[2] and Andy Warhol.

[30] When asked about claims the drink was invented at The Odeon in an interview with Bon Appétit, Keith McNally said "Nothing could be closer to the truth.