Cafe Select Back Room

Doesn't Recommend

SteveR2

Joined 4 years ago

Stay away!. The other night I was under the impression that this place was a cute little restaurant with nice staff, suprisingly good food and music. Little did I know that I was taking up space. Thank god for a rude European Manager who reminded me that my table does not belong to me and that myself and my girlfirend are not allowed to finish our bottle of wine. We were told that the table was reserved and then ushered to the bar with our glasses and bottle while the table was put together for a person I believe to be the owner and his 3 girlfirends. The bartender was apologetic and very accomodating. After sitting with him we found him charming and forgave the mistake but we will not be back any time soon.

Doesn't Recommend

JSteindler

Joined 4 years ago

This place is dirty and full of smoke. I was dragged here by a couple of friends. Regardless of the cigarette smoke that seems to be blown in your face everywhere the space is cool and unique. That is until they turn the lights on. My friend felt something on her foot, when we used a phone light we saw that it was a huge "little friend". There are no ashtrays so everywhere you look there are dirty cups of water with ashes. They smoke things other than cigarettes back there too, if you know what i mean. Too bad because I've heard that the food is pretty good. Maybe I will come back during the daytime and sit in the dining room where there is no smoke and hopefully nothing will run over my foot.

Recommends

JillBuhmann

Joined 4 years ago

Beautiful Brunch Spot. Cafe Select is my favorite brunch spot in the city. It's perfect for brunch with the girls to sit and relax in your summer best sipping a spritzer. Prices are not outrageous and service is cute and friendly. We even saw a few not to be named soho celebs. Definitely a trendy place to see and be seen

Doesn't Recommend

vodkatonic

Joined 4 years ago

one of the worst dining experiences of the new year. I had a bad feeling when I ordered a favorite glass of Swiss wine, Chasselas and there was none available. Very, Very,strange in a Swiss/ German restaurant. This was followed by a spinach salad that appeared to be a week old, wilted and generally disgusting. The waitress removed it but made no comment, another bad sign. Finally the mains. My wife tried the recommended risotto and I had the traditional veal, mushroom and spatezle. Both came out with so much heat and steam coming off them, the window behind us steamed up. Truly the mark of great microwave cooking. i cant wait for the cookbook. What a joke of a restaurant, my only hope is that a Swiss national gets that same ripped off feeling my wife and I felt.

We were both ill that night.

Recommends

peterwilliams44

Joined 4 years ago

Great Party Space. Had a party in the back room for my wife's birthday. I'm bad a putting together things like this so thank god for lauren who put together the entire thing. It's a refreshing thing to hear "I'll work with your budget" We had a wine bar set up and had a full dinner for everyone. Service was friendly and we were able to stay around for birthday cake until late at night. It got a little too trendy for our taste by midnight but we enjoyed the time we had.

Recommends

Amy Abate

Joined 5 years ago

Tiny underground Soho hot spot located in the back boiler room of Cafe Select packs in hip young scenesters.. Enter through either the kitchen of Cafe Select or through the delivery grate on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, and head down a long dark utility tunnel into the lounge's side door. The bi-level, top to bottom concrete space is adorned in Christmas lights, while a huge disco ball hangs from the ceiling. A few stools nestled around tiny cafe tables provide limited seating. Grab drinks at the makeshift bar set up at the foot of the stairs, or grab smokes from the '70s-style cigarette vending machine.

Hits: Unlike other secret spots, the vibe inside is unpretentious and non-exclusive. Check the too-cool-for-school attitude at the door.

Misses: The low ceilings and downright grittiness of the space may take the sexiness of being in on the secret out of the equation.