Sometimes you just want a cheeseburger and a martini, you know? That's my go-to order at Cafe Select, and it's never done me wrong. The martini (I get mine with Ketel, dirty) is well balanced and the olive brine is high quality -- none of those cocktail olives that, while fine, don't lend a lot of nuance to the drink -- making it one of my favorites in the city. The burger, which I get with cheddar cheese, medium rare, is juicy, well seasoned, and not too big. While I've sprung for the truffle burger in the past you don't really need it, the original holds its own without any weird truffle oil (I also just don't really trust truffle oil in general). I opted for the side salad but the housemade chips are delicious as well, I wish you could have both. I also order my burger with a side of horseradish sauce, which gives the meat a little extra kick that I can't get enough of. While the price is a little extravagant to make it a super regular thing, when you want to have a nice, cozy dinner in the neighborhood and are up for shelling out a few more bucks than your typical Tuesday night, Cafe Select is a good way to do it. read more

Food good, maybe better laid back atmosphere for the same price around? Very European and american mixed crowd the place where French expat meet...or nothing else. read more

Please, seriously - just go for drinks! The food is terrible, and expensive for what it offers. The menu purports to be German (Swiss?)-themed, but the offerings don't really reflect that, and just seem all over the place. Aside from a quality cheese plate appetizer, my friends and I were all disappointed in the food. The bread was refrigerated cold. I ordered the spinach, which was so salty, it was practically inedible. The spaetzle was fried (it wasn't specified, and that's not the traditional way to prepare it) and arrived swimming in a bowl of grease. The "special" that two people in my party got was a seafood risotto - the seafood wasn't fresh, and the dish bland and poorly prepared. read more

I checked out Cafe Select a few weeks ago on a Friday night solo mission. I sat at the bar and had a few beers before dinner. I enjoyed the crowd and decor which was chic and intimate. For dinner I ordered the Hangar Steak RARE.....it came out mid rare which was fine. The steak was juicy, tender and flavorful and at one point I was in the zone....dead tired from a long stressful week knocking back a cold beer and eating that tasty steak. It was exactly what I needed. The fingerling potatoes were good as well (WHY ARE FINGERLING POTATOES SUDDENLY TRENDY?). One complaint....I ordered the spiced bar nuts and they were not spiced....get your nuts in order Cafe Select and I will return. CW read more

i love this place. I am wondering why it is categorized as "German" on yelp. It's Swiss, not German. Cafe Select is casual and good. It's my go-to brunch place, but I have also been here for dinner. I am not sure why folks are complaining about the service. Maybe because they expect staff at restaurants to kiss ass. If that is what you are looking for, don't come here. If you want good food and drinks in a low-key, cool environment, the this is your place. read more

Cafe Select is a cute place with a Bohemian hipster vibe, dimly lit, with 70s music playing. The menu had the season written on top so I assume everything is natural and seasonal We started with the ricotta fritters which were TO DIE FOR. It was little balls of ricotta fried with a salad and it was wonderful. It tasted fresh. For my entree I had the hanger steak medium done. It was very juicy and delicious. It came with potatoes and a watercress salad (I subsituted for arugula). For desert I had the chocolate fondue (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) which comes with a plate of fruits. They say that if you want more fruit they will give it to you. It comes with marshmallows, strawberries, grapes, bananas and kiwi. The service is good but slow. Our water, which they put into recycled wine bottles, was replaced frequently. It was overall a nice experience read more

Solid brunch place. You won't be blown away, but you'll get a good meal. The outside tables are very nice and great for people watching. My friend ordered the lobster club and I ordered the rosti Norwegian. The rosti is like a hash brown potato pancake. It was topped with smoked salmon and herb sour cream. Yum! A nice alternative for those of us that like a little savory without having to have everything smothered in eggs and cheese. My friend enjoyed her club. The entire menu is pretty good and has more than your typical brunch items. The service was fine, not particularly attentive but we didn't mind since we were busy talking and catching up. Tables are super close together, so be prepared to listen to other people's conversations, or in our case, someone listening in on our conversation (and interrupting, which is so tacky). There's a $25 minimum in order to pay with a credit card. Which is pretty easy to do with two people, but just thought I'd throw that out there. read more

We had brunch on a Saturday morning: muesli pancakes (with berries), fried halloumi (with poached egg and spinach), spaetzli, and a latte. The pancakes were excellent. The halloumi was good, though not the most flavorful I've had, and the spinach was perhaps not the ideal pairing. The spaetzli (fried pieces of dough) were very satisfying comfort food. Service was relaxed and accommodating. They provided a high chair for the baby. Entrees were maybe $2 more expensive than I would have expected. Overall, not a standout but a solid brunch spot. read more

We went for brunch. The food is EXCELLENT. Everything we tried was spot-on. We had the pumpkin bisque, the asparagus & gruyere omelet, croque monsieur with duck egg & lots of iced coffee. Can't complain about a single item. The service was lacking pretty serverely. I get it if you're really busy or it looks like some jackass customer who was in just before me ripped you a new one right before I came in and you're frazzled. But when the place isn't busy & you're literally just walking around joking and hanging out, ignoring your tables that's kind of a problem. My girlfriend and I were content to sit and chat & are very low maintenance guests so for the most part it was fine. I just would rather not have to track down my server multiple times during my meal for silly things like more water please, water remember? can we have our check, can we please have our check, dear god bring us our check!! Hopefully we'll get another server next time & have a little better experience. We'll still be back. The food was too good not to try again. read more

Yes the waiters may have some bad ass attitude, yes it's very Euro crowd, yes the service is slow. But the menu is a nice mix of Swiss German and French mix. Really affordable. I would like to recommend the snails toast and the Spaetzle. Perfect for dinners, brunch and lunch. Hipster crowd, lots of models and L.A visitors. They do cheese fondue in winter. read more

We just spend $550 on drinks (3bottles of sparkling, etc) and after being here for hours, we asked for a round of drinks in the house (3 drinks) they said no and period. Service wasnt that great either. It was just interesting to see the manager or owner saying no to the server after all the money we spent. It was my friends bday and that didnt feel right. read more

The name of this spot will match perfectly with the staff's perception of you. First, service is really long and the staff, inattentive, has a really hard time to listen to you carefully. Believe me, if you do not try you best to fake how local you may be, how pedantic you may look or just pretend that you know how people from Nice make croque-monsieur (Proust would write haikus if he heard that) and be as loud as possible, you will never get attention. I am not naive: I know why people come here but I cant explain why the service is so slow and borderline insolent. There are places in this city where you could expect cold staff encounters but Cafe Select does not show enough quality for this. Well perhaps you should try it to see what we experienced. If you do, please try le croque-monsieur and the buckwheat crepe for breakfast. Beware if you come for lunch because unless you mention the contrary specifically, the waitress will probably bring all your dishes at the same time. Make sure you ask for water, also. Could be considered way too 2000s, otherwise. Overall, despite disappointing service, Cafe Select offers different types of European casual food at a decent price. The enthusiasm sparking around this place stands more from the looks of some rather for what's in your dish. Should you appreciate and seek this specifically, open your eyes and pop your card. read more

Cafe Select reminds me of the cool-kids table in middle school. There's nothing really special about it, but the people lead you to believe that you should *want* to belong there. Drawn in by the ambiance (cute lights on the ceiling and a nice decor) I have now been to this location twice, once for drinks and once for brunch. The biggest win has always been that there's no wait for a table! Despite the half-empty restaurant on both occasions, the servers seem fairly disinterested. Averting their gaze and returning infrequently. It feels as though the server always thinks I'm ordering the worst/cheapest thing on the menu. Why don't you think that I'm good enough to give you my money?! All I want is your approval. The commenter below named Lindsey said it best: "I almost expected the servers to be dressed in all black with turtlenecks and as I ordered they quickly retort "Your story has grown tiresome" in true Dieter fashion." Spot. On. Description. --- The food is good but falls short of "spectacular." I'd recommend this to someone who wants to read their paper outside alone with their coffee and a small plate. read more

This is a good place for a laid-back after work drink or light dinner. The location is perfectly convenient and inner environment is very friendly and inviting. Crowd looks more European though. I heard about the secret back room story but I have never been to. I have to say, girls watch out the floors. I was on my flats but almost got slippered down when walking. Well, you can also see this as a sign of cleanness. read more

Had high expectations for this place, but what a let down. Way too loud, food was so average-too expensive for what it was- and service wasn't helpful in slightest. At least we tried. read more

First of the two graduation celebration dinners!! After finishing my masters and getting through one ceremony and two receptions, my family came here and LOVED it. My brother and sister-in-law reserved the back room, which used to be a speakeasy and is so intimate and festive. My mom said she could see it in my face how special it made me feel!! My parents both loved everything about this place, my sister adored the decor and detail, best friend loved it all, and my boyfriend and I couldn't get over the cool vibe! Food was GREAT, too! read more

I love this place. My friend brought me here when my sister was in town and we had an amazing time. We only came to drink so not sure what the food is like, but my experience was amazing. We all especially liked the back room that we would have never visited if it were not for my friend who had been to the place a lot. Overall, 5 stars! The drinks are good, the atmosphere is unique, and it is not overly pretentious like most places in the area. read more

This place is amazing. Went here after Eileen's Cheesecake....do not judge...I had the cannoli. Our bartender was the best and made me a wonderfully Autum Spiced Aperol Spritz. He tested it out on me and it was divine. You can always trust a man that reads cooking and home wellness magazines. The atmosphere is super quaint and the vibe is chill and very low key. There were diners in way before us and long after us. The menu looked delicious, but...I had just had my sweets. Coming from Texas, hospitality is everything and we will be back. read more

For me, the food deserves 4 stars. The mushroom toast with a poached quail egg is rich, bold, creamy and crunchy and the oysters very fresh and not fishy. The drinks are great and not too expensive. The crowd is always interesting to watch and mixed: locals and Euros. But the service. There was one waitress for an entire restaurant for an entire night the last time that I was there. And even when some busboys decide to come out and clear things or they actually put TWO waiters/waitresses on the same shift (gasp), that doesn't make my food arrive any faster. I had to flag her down for 30 minutes to get my check 20 minutes afterwards. Perhaps the reason why I'm actually bitter is because I had met a really cute guy outside of a performance art thing across the street at the Storefront for Art and Architecture, and instead of asking for his number like I should have done, I told him I would meet him there for the 830 performance. Which never happened. Well, Cafe Select. I lost him. And it's all because of your ridiculous service. 'Cause we started dinner at 7 and only ordered appetizers. Next time, hire some more people to serve your clients and maybe people won't lose out on hot guys that they meet at art exhibits. God, it feels so good to blame restaurants and waiters for my love life. read more

If you like GREAT fondue go to Taureau on 558 Broom street, they're professional, the food is very good, cheaper overall and it's walking distance from Cafe Select. Been patiently trying to reserve for an event since 5 days now via email, calling and even going there myself. The only response I ever had was either "come/call back tomorrow" or no response at all and eventually a waiter who started to be very rude and angry at me on a phone line that doesn't seem to work very well. A simple "No" would have suffice but instead they waisted a lot of my time. Unprofessional and extremely unpleasant. read more

Nice lunch, bad dinner (do they change chefs in between!?) Usually I go there for lunch and it's pretty nice, simple Swiss food without any bells and whistles. House-cured lox with rosti potatoes or mushroom creamed toast with duck eggs are filling and tasty. For dinner, however, it was a small disaster. Beef Carpaccio (for $19 appetizer) was totally tasteless and drowned in cheap truffle oil, panzanella salad was wilted and bland, the bread croutons tasted out of the box. Entrees were just slightly better but for the price not worth it. The best thing by far was a bratwurst with rosti and we should have stopped there but we tried desert- a soggy, tasteless apple strudel, and were thrown back to woeful disappointment. Conclusion - An option for lunch (if you like being surrounded by beautiful Soho crowd) and avoid for dinner. read more

Last weekend I went on essentially a spicy tequila rampage, a full-blown marathon. While both my wallet and I hated myself afterwards, it sure was tasty. After what was a hilarious experience at an improv show in the Grammercy area, we headed down to Cafe Select to get just one... two... three more drinks. I just "peeped" the food menu as well; I'll be heading here ASAP. I love a restaurant that serves delightful European fare such as mussels, ricotta fritters, charcuterie for days, and a delightful mix of Swiss, German and Italian classics. From 7pm onward they have their "Fondue Chalet" in their back room. If that's not the selling point, I don't know what is. So, back to my experience there; the service was good for considering how crowded it was when I was there. The drinks are a little pricey but well worth it because their seriously delicious. I indulged in the Coral Reef while I was there; which is tequila, Cointreau and passion fruit with a pink peppercorn rim. Dangerously slurpable. read more

Two words, croque monsieur. Get it, there are no excuses, unless you are vegetarian or vegan, I highly recommend it. The place has a modern and traditional swedish vibe. Very cute, a bit cramped, and light music in the background. One caveat do not sit near the front. Firstly if its cold outside YOU WILL FREEZE. Second people who are not familiar with the area have a tendency to stare in and I for one am not a fan of looking like a puppy in a pet store on display. read more

I ordered a burger done medium well, and they served me a burger that was mostly raw (totally pink). I ate it anyway, but halfway through I started to get stomach cramps. I told the manager about this, and said that there might be something wrong with their meat since I eat lots of burgers and never get sick. Despite this, the bill came with the burger on it. I told him again that the burger was raw and made me sick and he said "How do you know it was the burger?" I said "Because I haven't eaten anything else since lunch." Now, the service is famous for being awful at this place, and I'm used to the routine there of waiting 45 min for my bill and being ignored by waiters, but this tops it. I'm not going back. read more

Just came in here for breakfast with a couple of friends. The service was absolutely horrible, given this restaurant already has a "B" rating so we were hesitant. Our server was Matilda, she took forever to get to us. Our menus came after we sat down for 10 minutes. Maybe she was busy, but didn't look like it. Also the bartender was too busy reading his newspaper to help the server out or us. It was just a weird experience. Never going back. The food was tasteless too. read more

Writing this review will not stop you from going. You will go because you will always see a line outside. You will go because enough New York bloggers and photographers have been pictured hanging out here, and it is the most psuedo authentic exposure as to what a Parisian bistro knock off can be in a place like New York City, where good food and good hangs await around every corner. However, the facts are: -great food, fresh. -terrible service, purposefuly rude. not in a chic way, but in a way that makes you wonder how a staff of people could all collectively fail at their routine gigs. but.... -order a burger, and come here for the people watching, it gets pretty darn good. read more

This restaurant serves a delicious brunch! Jack's Wife Freda next door typically has 1hr+ long wait times, but in my opinion, this fare is practically up to par. The granola here is one of my favorites in the city, but you really can't go wrong with anything on the extensive menu! The salmon on rosti is also a delicious signature. read more

Cafe Select - Amazing granola - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Cute little cafe in Soho. Worth the prices? I think not. A bit loud to be able to talk comfortably (not because of music, but people chattering and outside noise). We ordered quite a few of appetizers, the one with prosciutto option was my fave. read more

Love a place that takes resi's for brunch! It's super cute in here, especially around christmas. The entire interior ceiling is adorned with lights, and festive ornaments- but not in a corny way. There isn't much table space, but that keeps the place cozy, and the wall art and huge clock in the center of the gives it some artsy character. The brunch was not bad...I got the croque monsieur with a fried egg and it was quite delicious and satisfying. The steak and eggs were no Jane, but very tasty & well cooked. In an area a little off of the heart of SOHO, it still has all the appeal of the neighborhood, I'll definitely be returning! read more

Cafe Select - Festive Christmas-y Sunday brunch! - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Go for BFast! The poatato pancake with poached eggs is excellent. Great location Service is Fine. It's a Cafe! Not loud. Not overpriced. Good seating. read more

A great bistro-style spot in the heart of Soho minus the crowds and pretentious attitude. (Shocking!) Menu is basic but has a nice variety. Prices are very (very) reasonable. Food quality is a solid 3 stars. Service was great. read more

We got in to the city pretty late and very hungry. We threw our bags in our room and headed out for food. Our hotel guest services recommended Cafe Select. We got there around 10pm and it was packed. The menu looked good and we went in. We were greeted by one gentleman who said he'd make sure we were taken care of right away. The hostess was right behind him. She told us that she did have a table for us - in the speakeasy! We didn't know there was a speakeasy! Score! Through the restaurant, then through the kitchen, and there you'll find yourself in one of the coolest little hidden bar/restaurants in the city. We had planned on getting Risotto until we saw a burger come out for another guest. Trust me - get a Truffle Burger with Horseradish Sauce! The service was fabulous. The food was delicious and the cocktails are strong! Try it and enjoy! read more

Cafe Select - One of the coolest speakeasy bar/restaurants in the city! Get a Truffle Burger with Horseradish Sauce. - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Came here for breakfast a few times. Really enjoyed it. They make great rösti, and the cold oats and milk was really delicious. Don't let that discourage you, I would come back here for dinner or lunch. It has a great vibe, along with a great pacing to eating. If you're in SOHO looking for a really good meal, at a decent price, from a friendly staff, you should check this place out. Lots of places in SOHO seemed trendy but without really good food, whereas this place had great food. Got some eggs on top of rösti with lox, yumtastic! I really wish I was back in NYC to give this place another breakfast tour. We only dined here on weekdays, but never had to wait to get a seat. read more

Cafe Select is truly a bit of a gem in the SoHo area. A lot of new places cropping up these days can get overrun with the "see-and-be-seen" sort of crowd, but this place feels like a locals' favorite spot, or a nice, ol' comfy couch (choose the metaphor that speaks to you). It's a charming place with outdoor seating, and inside, the hanging lights all over the cafe is a very sweet touch that adds to a romantic ethos (date night appropriate!). Once you settle yourself in here, it doesn't take long to feel like you're somewhere in Europe. The decor is very tasteful and there is even a tiny nook in the back for a more private experience. We had a quick bite to eat here recently, and ordered the Cafe Select burger with Gruyere cheese, and the Swiss Bratwurst. In lieu of a bratwurst bun, they serve the brat with "rosti" which is basically a Swiss version of a potato latke or hash brown. The sauteed vidalia onions on top added a subtle sweetness to the dish overall. They have a full bar, a fun cocktail menu, and even some fresh squeezed juices (the grapefruit was my choice). The best part of Cafe Select is that they've taken a page out of the European dining play book and built gratuity into the prices, so there's no need to leave tip unless you feel compelled to do so as a result of exceptional service. Or a generous heart. But we had a great time enjoying our meal, people watching, and feeling as though we were on vacation in Europe. Another reason why we liked this place so much is that we met and subsequently got engaged right next door to the Cafe!! I hope they stick around forever and a day. read more

I came here for happy hour with a friend of mine for the two-for-one drinks. One of their special cocktails costs anywhere from $7-9 each, relatively cheap for NYC prices. The super adorable and sassy (can I use that adjective for a guy?) bartender makes them strong and tasty, too. So A+ on the drinks. My friend decided we should get a small bite to soak up the alcohol, so she asked the bartender and the waitress to recommend either the swiss hash browns or the grits. Immediately, both recommended the hash browns. We also ordered the asparagus. The hash browns ROCKED. It came out like a super thick pancake, but managed to be crispy on both sides. Deeelicious. The asapragus was also well-cooked. They hit the spot, that's for sure. Haven't tried their actual entrees, so we'll have to reserve that review for another time. For now, they get 4 stars for the drinks, the sides and good company from the bartender. read more

If you want to see big SoHo celebrities -- come here on a Sunday. Make sure you order the rosti with egg on top special and must try hazelnut capp. Café Select is such a cute convenient and cozy brunch spot. ' Highly recommended. read more

Indifferent staff for second visit in a row. Sure the place is cute, but not worth the attitude you get when you ask to be seated nor the long wait (not because they are busy, but because the hostess was no where to be found and the two wait staff had no interest to remedy the situation). The one exception to poor service would be their delightful bartender. However there are plenty of other cozy spots with twinkly lights to charm in nyc without the annoyance of poor service. read more

5 stars for the staff, they are very helpful and patient, even when the place is all crowded. Despite our slightly chaoticly seeming order when more dishes came towards our table, our waitress managed that calmly and it was no problem to decline one of them. Egg Norwegian were tasty, could have had more souce though. There's no Wi-Fi, just in case someone needs this information. read more

Food was good, very cute atmosphere. The cheese board appetizer was delicious, as was the linguini with clams (very buttery, which I'm not usually a huge fan of, but I really liked it). Seating is pretty tight, but it added to quaintness. I would recommend keeping group size to no more than 4. Service was a bit slower than most NYC restaurants which I saw some other reviews mention, but it felt very typical for more European style dining. The food came out plenty quick, but our server did not hover or visit the table too frequently which we actually appreciated. I was there catching up with some girlfriends and our server let us take our time. We were there for nearly 2.5 hours and did not feel rushed at all. read more

For a cafe, I had assumed that this would be the kind of place where you could meet up with a business associate in the mid-afternoon for a coffee and pastry. I was wrong. I mean, you can, and that's what we did, but it's really not the kind of place for that and we got the feeling that the staff didn't appreciate us taking up a table for an hour over a coffee, tea, and croissant. There's also a $25 minimum if you want to pay via debit or credit so that discourages the coffee crowd also. I had made a reservation for 2pm on a Friday because I wanted to make sure we had a table and it's a good thing I did because the place was packed. Unfortunately, if everyone in your party does not arrive at the same time, they don't let you sit at your table until everyone does. That means you most likely have to stand outside in the cold while you wait because it's kind of awkward standing around inside. The place is small and there's not much room. The tables are really small and in typical NYC fashion, very close together. So close together in fact, that you may catch your neighbors eavesdropping on your conversation, like we did with the table next to us which was occupied by "ladies who lunch". What gave it away was the youngest member at the table moving into an awkward position to snap a photo in our direction. So don't talk about any tech or media related ventures. read more