Klee Brasserie

Although Klee is not in my neighborhood I find myself traveling to it often for the varied and creative menu. I love the scallops with lobster risottoa and the lamb shank is the best I've ever had. there are so many dishes I want to try on the menu I keep going back but I feel this will be a never ending quest to try everything on the menu because the chef changes the offerings on occassion and I am told they will change the menu for spring too! Klee is different than many restaurants in NY because the food is simply prepared but is unique, creative and not at all pretentious. I've ben mostly during the week and the crowd in very NY -- hip but real, diverse and interesting. the decor is stunning, with Italian glass tile and soft lighting. Everything at Klee is well thought out in the design and menu. The more you look and the more frequent you go the more you see it's charm and elegance emerge. I'm a huge fan and think it's the best new restaraunt in NY! Pros: Creative and large menu Cons: Sometimes hard to get a reservation more

Klee Brasserie is a bit of a misnomer - there is no brass anywhere in the restaurant and certainly no Klee in the kitchen. The chef is Austrian, as we were told by the over-attentive waiter, who in the same breath tried to talk us into an appetizer of lobster rolls before we had even decided on a drink. But if he is Austrian he knows how to hide it. The menu tries to please too many and therefore lacks focus. I settled for the ""chef's own sausage"", a German bratwurst on a bed of sauerkraut. I liked it. But I also used to like the same kind of sausage at ""Hallo Berlin"", for half the price. The food tastes good at Klee, as far as I can tell from one visit. But there are a lot of places in NYC where you can get good food plus an atmosphere that is beyond Design Within Reach. The complete lack of genuine atmosphere made me skip my beloved dessert wine. Speaking of which, the wine list in general features mostly over-priced mediocre wines plus the occasional high-end Bordeaux for show. Again, no focus. No brass, No Klee. Pros: Cauliflower Cons: Basically everything else more

My first time at Klee was enjoyable. I love the look and feel of the restuarant . Everyone was pleasant enough but I wasn't WOW'd by the food. I had the scallop dish and it was good but not great. My husband had the wagyu steak and he was much happier with his meal. All in all I would return for a second go around and try a different dish. I'd say it's worth a shot to see for yourself...but I would be a bit leary of all the rave reviews on the food. Pros: atmosphere, friendly staff more

I had a great birthday dinner at Klee last Saturday. I had never been and was surprised by the intimate environment and delicious food. Klee is really a gem of a restaurant. The dishes were innovative, exquisitely flavored and aesthetically pleasing. As a native Tokyoite, I appreciate these touches, and Klee met and exceeded my expectations. Of what we ordered, my favorites were my boyfriend's swordfish with barbecued glaze, my sweet potato side which had a hint of curry and the apple & horseradish sorbet. I also highly recommend the very rich and sweet, hot chocolate (the kitchen actually sprinkles real vanilla onto the top of the whipped cream). The staff was professional and courteous, from taking our coats to our wine and food orders to answering all of our questions. Our experience was delightful, and I have been recommending Klee to my colleagues all week. Pros: Quality of food and service Cons: Should make reservations more

Went to Klee with a large group of self proclaimed hard to please people in the fashion industry -- and we left very pleased and even made 2 reservations for dinner while we were there. We shared first courses and had the shrimp cocktail salad which is a light and creative combination of large Florida shrimp on a bed of avocado mousse. simply perfect. We had the Alsatian pizza which is even better than all the hype about it and we had multiple salads including the blue cheese with fourme d'ambert and the arugula salad with pink peppercorns and grapefruit. wonderful. For main courses we had the swordfish, halibut, scallops, wagyu steak, pork loin and lamb shank. Every dish was prepared perfectly, so much flavor we could not stop raving about it to our server and the owners (who visted the table). The atmosphere, lighting, design were all so unique, pretty and inventive I cannot stop talking about this restaurant. I'm afraid I won't be able to get a reservation again when everyone finds out about it but it's too good not to share! Pros: Excellent food, atmosphere, attractive crowd and staff Cons: Nada more

I must admit that I had a great time people watching at Klee but the food and the service were quite disappointing. If you must go, stick with drinks and duck prosciutto sandwiches Pros: Crowd Cons: Food more

Klee epitomizes all the best qualities of a true neighborhood restaurant. I've dined there only twice, but the hostess greeted me BY NAME upon my arrival the second time. The chef came to our table on our first visit and asked for our thoughts on each dish. My second visit was with a large group during a very busy Saturday night; but despite the frenetic Chelsea crowd, the manager stopped by and talked to each member of our party to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. These kinds of personal touches are all too rare in New York, and they contributed to wonderful dining experiences on both occasions.\r \r I've had daily pasta specials for appetizers both times: Once, their version of puttanesca (although they call it by a different name), and more recently the rigatoni bolognese. Perfect pasta is another rarity in New York these days, but Klee pulls it off effortlessly. The wagyu beef is very good, and my date's swordfish was sublime. If you go on a Saturday, be sure to try the wiener schnitzel -- it's one of the best in town, and their presentation is very unique. For dessert, my personal favorite so far is the sorbet, especially the wonderfully different gravenstein apple with horseradish. Delicious!\r \r I wish there were more restaurants like Klee in the city. Pros: Warm, friendly service. They remember you and address you by name! more

Funny coincidence that I was at Klee last night with friends sitting at the bar when a guy ""qualitymeats"" made a scene inthe middle of the restaurant and cursed out the owner (who is a woman). He was drunk and belligerent! I live in the neighborhood and go to Klee regularly since it has opened. It has great food (especially the Alsatian pizza and pork loin -- not to be missed) and the service is friendly and knowledgeable. It's the only place I go to in NY where people remember me and really take care of me when I am there. It's my favorite restaurant. Pros: Great food, cool atmosphere, good value Cons: Difficult to get a reservation more

Klee has a nice, cool atmosphere. However, that?s where the compliments stop. The food was underwhelming and the service was unremarkable. The psycho manager freaked out b/c we didn't give her a raving review of the restaurant. Sorry but watery lobster macaroni and a cold wagyu steak don?t deserve a thumbs-up endorsement. The best part was when the managers got defensive of our ""cold"" review of their food and yelled at us to go back to ""Jersey"". Sorry to disappoint but we are from NYC. I can't wait to see what restaurant opens up in the space when this one closes shop, which can't be far off. Pros: Ambience Cons: Food / Service more

I was looking forward to my reservation at Klee for weeks and was extremely disappointed by the entire experience. Not only was the service poor, but the food was not that great. After being seated about an hour after our reservation, we were still in high spirits of a good meal ahead. But each dish was more disappointing than the next. The only highlight of the meal was the homemade potato chips they gave us as a thank you for being patient while waiting for our table. The food was so bad that we decided to skip dessert. When the staff asked us how our meal was, they became defensive and rude with our honest answer. Not only will I never go back to Klee, but i will never recommend it to others. Pros: atmosphere Cons: food and service more

This is an amazing little restaurant! I ate at Klee for the fist time a few weeks ago based on a tip from a friend and could not stop talking about it for days after the dinner, recommending it to anyone who was willing to listen. I couldn't wait to go back and broke the tradition of not going out on Valentine's Day to try Klee's special menu. It did not disappoint! Every dish I've had at Klee has been so incredibly thought-out in the way that the flavors worked together, it was perfection! What I especially love about Klee is that its food is much more interesting and creative than the usual brasserie fare, which can get boring (even if well-executed) after you've had it enough times. You can definitely taste the European influence, which made it a more exciting dining experience for me.\r Klee's salads are amazing (and I don't even like salads!). Definitely try the char tartar appetizer. Divine! A swordfish entree is also a must. (The chef knows his way around fish and seafood like nobody's business.) And when you see the dessert menu, you will wish, as I did, that you had skipped the rest of the meal and ordered three courses of dessert. The bread pudding was excellent, as were the profiteroles. The sorbets had a slightly coarse texture reminiscent of granito and had incredible, confident, fresh, delicious flavors. And the opera cake was terrific.\r The excellent food is complemented by warm, elegant decor, mellow, unobtrusive service, and a lovely hostess who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that every one of her guests has a great time. I could kind of see what some of the other reviewers were saying about the service being a little on the slow side, but it didn't bother me in the least. Just gives you more time to hang out and enjoy the delicious food and the company of your friends. And if that keeps you away from Klee, you probably don't deserve it anyway? Pros: Excellent food, great wine list, ambience more

I had wonderful first experience at Klee. I say ?first? because there will be many many more. From the staff, to the ambiance, to the most important thing: the food, I was satisfied on all levels. The restaurant is remarkably warm, made even better by its staff, which had the right personal touch, always making you feel comfortable, and never making you feel rushed. While it is a smaller space, you definitely do not feel cramped in any way, and while it was certainly filled to capacity, you could easily engage in conversation. And then there was the food: I had the braised short rib ravioli (one of the specials for the night) and the chicken. Both were prepared to my liking, and I let both the chef and hostess know as they unexpectedly came to check on how my dining experience was going. Lastly, I was rewarded with the Bread Pudding for desert that cannot be matched. Overall, I will say, as I did in the beginning of this review, that this was a wonderful dining experience. I hope others get to enjoy it too; I know I will. Pros: Two thumbs up Cons: I wish I l ived closer more

I will go back because the place is so warm and cozy yet very cool decor. Also, the food is great. The only con was the service and loud acoustics...slow, slow but somehow that always is better than feeling rushed. The bartenders were sweet so might try dining at the bar. Definitely get the char tartar....yummy. All around way above average. If they work out the service kinks and decibel so you can hear your conversation it's a 10. Pros: Food, Ambiance and Decor Cons: Slo w service and bad acoustics more

Finally, good food, pardon me...great food, delightful service, class yet comfort all in one. This is a definite keeper! What more can I add that hasn't already been said? In the 3 consecutive weeks that I've been (yes, it's becoming a ritual) I've directly (or by way of rude table-reaching) had the scallop w/barley risotto, pork chop w/cabbage, lobster mac and the hanger steak each in its own rite simply impeccable. Did I not mention the pumpkin bread pudding...one of those ""shhh...I need a moment"" experiences (smiles). And to boot, regardless of the time you dine whether it's early evening, late night, week or weekend the quality of the food, presentation and service always on point. Thanks to Klee for raising the bar in the neighborhood...and yeah for us! Pros: Ambience, service, punctual, food, sommelier Cons: crowded more

What a wonderful addition to the Chelsea restaurant scene. Everything we ate was flavorful and delicious. And the portions are just right, too. The space is inviting and warm with just the right mix of interior design and art. It's not overdone. Great looking crowd, too. more

We love Klee. We have been there several times now for both personal dining as well as business entertaining. The food is outstanding, the staff , always pleasant. It is so nice to dine in a restaurant where the owners are there nightly and personally come to table to check on their customers. Klee has excellent food, a hip flair, and the personal touch. We'll keep coming back. more

We happened upon this place one night and were so pleased to have found it. The food was meticulously made and delicious, while the restaurant felt both elegant and homey/cozy. The porcini chowder was fabulous, as were the perfectly cooked scallops. They clearly know what they are doing. We will be back. Pros: two thumbs up more

\r A darling new neighborhood 'find' in West Chelsea. I returned to Klee for a second visit last evening whereupon I was warmly greeted and quickly seated at the appealing blond wood and mosaic bar. The kind hostess brokered an introduction to some fellow diners and and soon enough we were all sharing deliciously decandent duck prosciutto, lobster rolls and Bacalao. The wines by the glass selection is wonderfully varied and the carafe option a great value. The Alsatian thin crust pizza melts in the mouth, deliciously light and loaded with lardons. The lobster mac and cheese was divine though I couldn't figure out if it features regularly on the menu or represented just another whimsical treat devised by the chef that evening. Needless to say the carbohydrate coma kicked in soon thereafter but I do recall feeling similarily satiated on a previous visit by the succulent Pork loin. All in all absolute treat - pop by for a solo dinner at the bar (you won't be alone for long) or return with friends to show off your new 'find'! more

Although I live all the way uptown, I have been to Klee several times already and will definitely be back again soon. The food is delicious--I especially love the swordfish and scallops, and the pumpkin bread pudding for dessert is not to be missed. The design is beautiful, and the lighting is gorgeous. Warm and friendly service rounds out the evening. I have already brought out-of-town guests there and they raved about it to their friends at home--the perfect NY experience. Pros: Food and ambience are wonderful more

I love Klee - I have eaten there many, many times and believe that, contrary to the review below, it is (somehow) getting better, not worse. The restaurant is simply gorgeous - chic, without being pretentious or overwrought. The service is warm and welcoming. And the food is just spectacular - the tarte flambee, the pastas, the mushroom chowder, the lobster roll, the schnitzel, the desserts - just spectacular. One of the many things I love about Klee is that it was designed with the customer in mind - the food, while glorious, isn't about the ego of the chef, it is about creating a delicious, comforting and accessible experience - but it's never boring - creating that balance is very difficult and Klee pulls it off beautifully. Similarly, the hostess, the manager, the sommelier, the bartenders, the waiters, the runners - they focus on you, the customer, in a way that is sorely lacking at most restaurants. And have you tried the brunch?? Fantastic. New Yorkers should be thrilled about the addition of Klee to the restaurant scene and, as someone who lives in Chelsea, I feel blessed to have it in my neighborhood. Pros: The food, the setting, the warmth of the service more