Klee Brasserie (Reported Closed)

Doesn't Recommend

tanicknyc

Joined 7 years ago

All over the place. Overall, Klee gets some things right and some things wrong. Inventive drinks were fun and tasty. The pizza app & homemade chips were very nice. Lobster rolls were fine, but bread was dry and they were nothing special. Rigatonni special was horrible (a friend mentioned Ray's Pizza next door would have been better - and 1/4 the price!). Lamb Shank "pie" was serviceable, but pretty bland. Pear torte was fantastic, but the apple crisp was pretty doughy and tough. Bread pudding was simple yet fabulous. Decor is pure Ikea send up - though it's obvious many of the elements are custom, it just goes too far. The place could be a gorgeous blond wood mecca, but unfortunately wicker spheres and leaf garlands hanging from the ceiling (among other excess) push over the border into kitsch.

Recommends

laneyj

Joined 6 years ago

I love klee. This is a great restaurant. The service is great. The food is excellent. The wine list is terrific. I've liked everything I've eaten there. They have these special menus that are totally reasonable. The last time I was there, it was a cheese menu (meaning, not just cheese, but dishes including cheese) with the wines to accompany each dish. In the summer, they have a special peach sangria that's great on a weekend afternoon. They also do special picnic baskets in summer, which I never got around to taking advantage of, unfortunately. The decoration of the place is lovely, seasonal. I've been here several times, and I think that my general feeling about the place is that it is very original. I don't think you'll find this kind of menu elsewhere. Had a minor order snafu the last time I was there. I was given the wrong dish. The correct one came out very quickly. The kitchen sent out little milkshakes after dinner and lessened the over-all bill, and we hadn't even complained! Now that's good business.

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Caristocrat

Joined 11 years ago

Whee Klee!. OK, so that doesn't really rhyme. Nonetheless, Klee is excellent all around. Great Austro/European-inspired menu. Satisfying yet not heavy, inventive yet straightforward cuisine. Superb wines and cocktails. Friendly service & vibe. Comfortable, contemporary 'west chelsea' atmosphere and design. Highly recommended - I'll be back! My only complaint - fix the AC (and bring the bread before our appetizers arrive)!

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bgwnyc

Joined 6 years ago

High Quality, friendly, neighborhood place - Try it!. They are nice from the start and you can feel a very pleasant neighborhood feeling in this little gem of a restaurant. They know their repat customers and welcome them as they arrive like friends. The hostess is particualry amazing and pleasant, the bartender, studied and serious and probably officially a mixologist, offers interesting fresh juice cocktails and great Sangria. The food is first class and equal in quality to some of New York's best chefs. The Chef is present (unlike New York's best chefs) and he is clearly hands on as the details are all carefully consider to make a very pleasant dining experience.

Recommends

hbrown11

Joined 8 years ago

Great food, great atmosphere, great service. I've been to Klee several times now and every time has been a great experience. The chef constantly has new, inventive offerings - and the food is always excellent. The Alsatian pizza is a must-have! Other than that I've tried various pastas, fish, and meat dishes - all very tasty. The owners are very friendly, as are all the staff members. The atmosphere is fantastic - not too fancy, but a nice hip vibe. They also have a very reasonable wine selection.

Recommends

blakejo77

Joined 6 years ago

One of NYC's Top New Restaurants. The softshell crabs I had at Klee two weeks ago have brought me back two times since. The food is nothing short of exquisite. The crabs were lightly battered in a tempura and served with fiddlehead ferns, fava beans and wonderful herbs. There are so many interesting menu items to choose from. All the talk about the Alsatian pizza lives up to the hype -- cracker thin crust, smoky bacon and sweet onions. Great atmosphere too. I waited at the bar for my friends to arrive and the crowd was attractive, lively and the staff friendly. The host/owner is so accomodating and warm, the bartender was really knowledgeable and engaging, made a gerat martini and the service overall was well informed, personable and efficient. Definitely among the best restaurants to open in the past year.

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faciabruta

Joined 6 years ago

Unique, Hip & Delicious!. Klee is my new favorite restaurant. The pork tonnato is delicious and different, the best mini lobster rolls in town and the monkfish is ezquisite. I've been many times and am continually impressed by the inventive menu, the chefs new creations and spins on familiar dishes. the atmosphere is great too -- gorgeous design, friendly staff and owers and a hip vibe that stays warm and familiar at the same time. Such a great restaurant!

Doesn't Recommend

bistrobistro

Joined 6 years ago

Skip it!!!. Klee Brasserie is SO confused. There is no brass anywhere and they don't use clover. The female owner is a angry woman who has a tendancy to abuse the guests. (I saw her yell at one guy) The chef, Austrian, hides his roots and instead reached ALL over the world for his menu. Decor: IKEA? The wine list: ok but, pricey.

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nyc_gal_123

Joined 11 years ago

Good food, great vibe, room for improvement too.. Let me just say- Klee has solid food. Appertizers are much better than most NYC 5 star restaurants. Entrees do get a bit underwhelmed. Services, by far, are first rated. People who work here seem to care about their restaurant. Decor is cool, not overly Chelsea-fied, not too generic either. Price-wise, cheaper than most upscale restarants in the hood, but more $ than Cafeteria-alike. And the BAR! Love it. Here, you're paying for the food, not the wallpaper.

However, I think Klee has an identity crisis. It wants to be a comfy cafeteria but at the same time, it thrives to be upscale. Weekends are bustling here while weeknights are so much more cozy. I prefer to come here for an early drink and appertizer, but services are almost too much at times and become intrusive. It's not a complain (I do truly enjoy conversation with bartenders-- very professional & friendly), but I can see how some customers have wrong expectations & get confused. Some get genuinely surprised by the food quality, while others expect Danny Meyer-ish circus digs. I just think Klee is trying to do something people are not ready to grasp.... solid / approachable yet understated / high priced. Klee almost requires its customers to be knowledgable to appreciate it.

For the price and the food, this place is under-hyped and much more solid than most places NY Magazine has reviewed (IMHO of course). Try it for yourself to decide. I am definitely going back.

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miramira215

Joined 6 years ago

Best paella ever. Yummy! This place has the best paella and roasted lamb I have ever had. The hangar steak and potato chips are also a must. If you're a beer fan, go for the belgium beer. Be sure to call for reservations for any chance of eating at a decent hour.