We live around this place. I love to hang out here . I think service is friendly . Love old time bartender bai-to-Kai, he's a sweetheart. Food are good. Drink are great. Back room is fun when u have big group for party , it could be ur private room. I love oyster there , hanger steak and Bronzino are my favorite. Oh and don't forget there apple strudel it's delicious. Love love love for this place. read more

Nice location, food was delicious, but would not choose again due to the awful waitresses and lack of unprofessionalism.

Pros: Nice venue and location. Cons: Host, customer service and size of venue. Experience: Very rude host! Never again! Just because we said we wanted drinks and dessert and we changed our minds to get some food also does not give him the right to give us attitude and just shut us out. He's ridiculous and we didn't even get to try anything on a Monday night. I will never recommend this place. I'm sorry, that was embarrassing for myself, my friends and the owner who hired employees like that host. Conclusion: You like rude go ahead and try it out but if not then move on and go to the other great restaurants and bars around the area! read more

I sometimes stop here for coffee most morning and like it. The service is a little grumpy. But what the heck; it's early in the morning and it is a Swiss restaurant after all. For lunch the service is very slow and the menu limited but decent. Usually looks crowded but we always manage a seat. read more

I came in here tonight with a friend because we were hungry and thought it'd be a good place to eat while passing by. Cute, cozy (if dim) environment. It'd be great for a nice date. We sat in the back booth area, away from the crowd of people in the front. The menu is not too extensive, and the prices are fairly reasonable. We didn't actually have any of the dinner entrees, but I chose two appetizers: the roasted bone marrow and the grilled atlantic squid. Both were delicious, but I think the atlantic squid appetizer is a bit small. The bone marrow came with 3 generous bones and 4 small slices of buttered, garlic, toasted baguette. If you've never had bone marrow -- it's delicious! Sort of like a nice fatty, flavorful spread for the toasted bread. I think the waiter forgot about us during dinner, because he didn't come for a long time after our dishes were cleared, and we had to flag him down to get the dessert menu (and then our check). The yogurt panna cotta was yummy, but I felt perhaps not worth the $7 cost... it seemed akin to something I'd eaten at a variety of other restaurants in the past. read more

Came here to meet a friend the other night. The ambiance was nice and the cafe was nicely situated in a nice neighborhood. The food i thought was just ok... my friend had the lobster bisque which he said was very good. I had the hanger steak which was a meh. it was nicely cooked-- tender and the right amount of cooked-ness (I like my steak rare)-- but kinda bland. My bf stopped by and he ordered the bratwurst which looked gross and was pretty bad (according to him). If i were to come back, it'll be for drinks, not for a meal. read more

Food was great, horrible service. After waiting 20 minutes for water and a waiter we were able to enjoy the ricotta fritters and delicious salad. We then had to wait another 1.5 hour for a burger. It was ridiculous and with half an apology. It was one of the worst experiences. Horrible service. read more

Nice, cozy little German cafe in Nolita. fair priced, nice elegant and quiet atmosphere. My girlfriend and I went for a light dinner to share. We enjoyed fingerling potatoes (done really well) and grilled octopus salad which was refreshingly delightful, perfectly seasoned with dressing and octopus grilled pretty close to perfection. read more

Cafe Select - Grilled sliced octopus in mixed greens w/ tomatoes and fennel. - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

They had 1 bartender on a Friday night!!! The place is cute for a casual drink date. The crowd is very mixed The bar behind the kitchen is way too small and crowded.. U almost catch the grease smell walking through that kitchen.. Ewww read more

Food was official! Waiting for it wasn't, but overall nice low key spot! There's a secret bar in the back passed the kitchen! Date night!!! Check out my instagram for places to visit and eat @expensive_appetite read more

Cafe Select - Hanger steak! And Chicken! - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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Just another unique NY experience - Follow James' advice or walk down the green lit stair case outside, you will find the cramped but cozy back bar...lots of foreigners, funky lighting, and good music. Great vibe!! Had dinner here and it was decent, unique Swiss dishes which I was pretty unfamiliar with. I went with the Zurich Veal basically because I'm a sucker for anything with a mushroom cream sauce. It was good but nothing to write home about. What made it better was that we followed dinner with a traditional glass of absinthe - the perfect digestif! read more

OK "european-style" brunch. Went to this place because we were a large group and didn't need a reservation. Food is actually good, but not at the standard of great places, such as Balthazar, which is a block away. read more

Very cute and good food. I liked this place - very cozy and fun. the zucchini chips were excellent, the burrata was really good, ricotta balls were just ok. The chicken dish I had for my main was less good than the apps. The drinks are fun and delicious. read more

I was surprised at how spacious the seating was considering my group of 4 had a brunch reservation. The hostess seated us in a booth close by the bar. The food: we ordered the burrata (Came with red tomatoes and green tomatoes) and a lobster bisque for the table and a side of hashbrowns entrees: the poached eggs with swiss and some type of ham; a croque monsieur, and the haloumi egg dish. Decor: Very cute-- had these strung lights on the ceiling and a huge bathroom. Overall the food was okay nothing amazingly delicious. I guess I was underwhelmed as the person who recommended made it seem like this place was amazing. The SERVICE was HORRIBLE.Waiters and waitresses were huddled by the bar talking meanwhile our server had brought coffees without milk 2 times. I had to physically get up and ask the bartender myself for milk and then bring it back to the table. Our silverware was also taken away after appetizers and never replaced. Our food came out and we had no utensils to eat. Also for a party of 4 with 4 people drinking coffee you can't give one little container of milk (people need more). Also they are super skimpy with their ice-- I ordered an iced tea and there were 2 ice cubes. After being a waitress for quite some time if you can't remember write it down-- leaving guests waiting for everything is super annoying. Hopefully the staff gets better but in general don't waste your time there's better brunch spots to try in nyc. read more

My friends and I wanted to go to Jack's Wife Freda which is next door, but to avoid a long wait we ended up here. I'm so happy we did! The food was amazing - all fresh and beautifully presented. The service was even better! We ordered a half liter of wine, only to be served a half liter as well as two full glasses. Upon noticing his mistake, the waiter simply said "Happy weekend!" and let it be. He had a great attitude, which made all the difference. I would definitely recommend this place if you're in SoHo for any reason! read more

Swiss amiss. But I'm still a fan. So look, the service here is sub-par. Let's get that out of the way quickly. There's usually one-and-a-half people waiting on the entire room of tables, which means inevitably latency and the occasional confused order result. But that said, the food is liplicking tasty and the ambience is great for catching up with a friend. I've done both brunch and lunch here multiple times and been more than satisfied. The croque monsieur, side salad, desserts, granola, and even Mighty Leaf tea - I've liked it all. The clientele is heavily European and the decor is Swiss-cafe-perfect. If you have an hour to spend savoring a sandwich and an interesting conversation and are looking for a new setting in which to do so: try this. Just don't blame me when the check comes 15 minutes late, because, well, I told you so. read more

Award for most attractive Charcuterie Plate. No Really. We needed a mid afternoon snack n' sit - stumbled across this finely decorated gem and grabbed a corner booth up front by the window. The cheese selection was divine (super stinky, yes please!), perfectly showcased (we're talking the floral design of dairy products) with a selection of paper thin meats and various pickled noms. The mixed cocktail menu is simple in size, but not thought. I recommend the Elderflower Spritzer or the Caipirina on a warm afternoon to re-fuel for nearby shopping. read more

You don't see many proper Swiss/Euro themed cafes in New York City, let along in the heart of Soho. That said, this no-frills place is a local favorite, with an awesome but simple brunch menu (even though few people actually come here for a meal) and some strong cocktails (even one Swiss Bloody Mary will put you in your happy place). That said, Cafe Select is known mostly for it's scene and ambiance, with a see to be seen, youthful crowd all in tightly packed (and relative loud) space. Of course, the awesome decor adds to the atmosphere, with a massive old school Rolex clock hanging off the wall, dangling Christmas lights, and Swiss posters covering the walls. The service is very friendly and relatively fast, but keep in mind this place is usually filled to capacity during peak during hours. Note that you did Cafe Select wrong if you didn't at least try the Muesli Pancakes or the Schnitzel. For those looking to visit when the line isn't out the door during brunch hours, this place is usually a low key spot to grab a late nightcap. read more

Cafe Select is conveniently located in Soho on Lafayette, across the street from The Cleveland, kiddy corner from Jay Z's restaurant and Lair Lounge, and down the street from SoHo Park, some great wine bars, tapas, and pizza places. Because this part of SoHo is a foodie's mecca, I was expecting more. The menu is limited and the space is better suited for just the bar. That is not to say the food was bad, its just boring--hence the three stars. I'm unmoved by Cafe Select, so to give it any fewer stars would imply some sort of passionate distaste, and to give it anymore, would obviously be flattering. My boyfriend and I each ordered a salad, both of which were fine. Though their menu outside looked much more varied, we learned after sitting down that half the menu outside was the lunch menu. And since we were there for dinner, chicken or salmon couldn't be added to our salads. And while some of their menu items sound appealing, it is difficult to get a sense of their specialty from reading the munu. So, we had ate our mediocre, non-filling quinoa salads and ended up having a second breakfast-for-dinner at La Pain Quotidien on the Upper West Side-- much more satisfying. As for the service: It took way too long for a couple of salads to be brought out and for our check to be brought to us. To end on a positive note: While I didn't order one, the burgers looked excellent. read more

Having lived in Zurich, I've wanted to try this place to get my rosti fix for a long time. In the end, we left feeling a bit unfulfilled. The food itself was great: alongside the rosti on the menu, they have a variety of specials. Service was good but far too brisk. Rather than savoring brunch, we felt rushed through and were in and out within 35 minutes. Disappointing after a 2 year wait to check it out! We'll probably check out somewhere else next time we're in the mood for Swiss... read more

Stumbled onto this little cafe by accident because the line for a table at Jack's Wife Freda was so long. We (luckily) got seated very quickly on a Friday lunchtime (there was three of us)- it's fairly busy but the turn over of tables is quite high. Lovely decor and a good, french inspired menu. The only downside is the lack of seating area outside. It's not the cheapest place in Manhattan, but as a European I really appreciated the kind of cross over restaurant/cafe vibe, and I feel like it would be a great place for both light lunches and also cosy dinners. Also, they've got a 'gratuity free' policy, which means the servers tips are built into the price of the meals and you don't have to worry about that pesky 20% after the bill comes! Love it, more cafes should use this. However, had to deduct two stars from the rating because when we came to pay we wanted to split the bill onto three cards, and the waitress told us we couldn't (which is odd, because I've been able to everywhere else in Manhattan, and rarely pay with one card when settling the bill). Then, whilst we debated how to settle it, she walked a very very short distance away and promptly started complaining to her fellow waitress about us and how we wanted to settle the bill. As a former waitress, can I just say- take it in the back ladies! Customers can be annoying, but do us all a favor and don't complain about us where we can hear. read more

Definitely a cool place to stop in for a drink. My fiancee really enjoyed the cocktail the bartender suggested. It has a little bit of a hipster vibe but overall it is cool. I did not try the food but next time we will. read more

It's ok! Zucchini chips were the highlight of my meal. Service was great but there is a lot of room for improvement in the food. Rissoto was watery with an odd consistency. The burgers were just burgers. Do not order dessert here, but the flourless cake and mouse were a disappointment. The steak tartare was nothing out of the ordinary. Ambiance was great, music was personally too loud for me since it was difficult to talk.!! read more

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It was so great to find this place kind a like you are back in Europe... Service is nice. Food is good. We had a croque monsieur and it was even nicer than in France! bechamel was exquisite. I definitively recommend this place after shopping in the area. Great spot. read more

One of our first stops in manahattan was a miss. Let's start by pointing out that this place sits in a great area and offers a warm and trendy atmosphere. Our expectations were high before we even took our seats... Maybe too high. Service was friendly and prompt, no complaints there but the food was less than impressive. The Caprese sandwich and chips, I'll admit I thought chips meant fries or something a little more exciting than a few potato chips in a bowl. The bread was stale, tough to cut and tough to bite into and when you finally manage to sink your teeth into it, you'll arrive at a bland, thrown together symphony of boring. Soup of the day was tomato soup with a cheesed bread. Once again, a dish you'll feel complelled to add salt to. The apple strudel offers a tiny portion of ice cream on the side and of course, flavour less bites for a whopping 14 bucks. This boring meal could have been salvaged if the prices dictated its quality but that simply isn't the case here. Location, atmosphere and a warm smile simply cannot salvage the bad taste and high prices in the Cafe Select. read more

Nice place for late night party.... They have many cocktails but so sadly kitchen is closed in late night when you wanna to eat so mush and it's no places to go in that time(( read more

Delightful for lunch... obnoxious for dinner. Cafe Select has got to be one of my favorite places to order out or sit down for lunch (don't try for a table until at least 1pm though). Their portions are slightly on the small side for me since lunch is my primary meal of the day, but their dishes are addictive. My favorites: The creamy, warm ouovo ticienese (sp?) composed of polenta topped with poached eggs and served with crunchy herbed toast pionts---great winter time dish; quiche lorraine with the mini side salad (I would do shots of their house dressing if no one was looking); and any of their lunch sandwiches (roast beef, turkey/avocado, croque-monsieur/madame, or chicken schnitzle). The space is inviting and sunny, especially in good weather, and the staff is so adorably hipster I'm surprised I don't see tourists poping in to take photos of them to share with the folks back home. As the sun creeps lower in the sky though, this place loses just about all of its appeal. I found myself in what's normally my work 'hood around dinner time this past December and decided to check out their evening menu. The offerings have always looked tasty, but the execution was mediocre across the board (chewey duck breast, anyone? and the rest was utterly forgettable). It was also excessivly crowded which, while a very NYC experience, I am rather over it at this point; not to mention the resulting din which you can hardly converse above and slow, forgetful service. read more

I came to Café Select for late-evening drinks and desserts and was very pleasantly surprised to find the restaurant half empty (I'm sure the torrential rain helped). The last time I came by for drinks, every seat in the house had been taken, or so the host claimed. This place reeks of Soho superiority and is crawling with models, so one can never be sure about the reason one's being turned away. OK, let's ignore my class issues for a moment. The cocktails here are perfectly fine, and the toblerone mousse is damn near sublime. I like the pull-chain on the toilets, and the postcard that comes with the bill is charming. Still, for great drinks and atmosphere in Soho, I'm more likely to go to Temple Bar. read more

I met a friend here for a Saturday afternoon lunch in the summer. We sat by the huge open front window and watched the people go by. That was the best part of the place. The food was ok. I had the cheese tartlets. Hello people- can we put some salt in these crusts or something?! I have to admit that everyone else's food did look a lot better than mine though. Maybe I am just a sucky orderer. I drank a panache (seems to be Swiss for Radler) otherwise known as bad beer + lemon soda (not the best way to introduce this drink to an American audience). read more

Ok, this is not a place to go if you want to eat to the point of needing to unbutton the top button on your trousers...well maybe if you're a model...Oh yeah, and that's exactly what you see here...Models (men & women), some entertainers, and more fashion folk. Well, they gotta eat too! That being said, the best Eggs Benedict I've eaten on this side of the Hudson was here at Cafe Select. The bone marrow dish is bangin' too! Speaking of banging, if you know the right people and you get invited to "The Chef's Table", you might get blessed with the sounds of legendary DeeJay Oliver Stumm, who happens to own this joint! If you go to Cafe Select and see someone famous...act normal! read more

Great Zurich themed cafe. Only place where I can get my beloved fried haloumi. Their Bloody Mary is damn good and is crowned with a Swiss flag. THEY HAVE PIMMS! Low and behold! The bathrooms are really well decorated, The inside of the restaurant is an eclectic representation of 20th century Europe. Come here, feel internationally cool. read more

Cafe Select - Friend haloumi and pimms cup. Oh god how I've missed pimms. - Bars Near Me - New York, New York

If you visit Cafe Select I would suggest making a reservation in the back room which has a Very intimate atmosphere. I ordered the Chef's Assortment of cheese and cured meats to start and it was amazing. All of the cheeses were cow's milk which was a plus for me since I loathe gots milk anything. It included a small but lovely portion of pâté and an excellent truffle cheese. For main course I got a burger which was perfect and my boyfriend ordered the Zürich Veal which was hearty and deliciously German. Cocktails here are great too and what I realized is that you can easily sub out a liquor for one of your choosing for any cocktail. For dessert, we concluded with the Chocolate Mousse which was plated to look like the Swiss Alps! Super cute. Service was excellent. Kermit was helping us throughout our meal and he was great with any questions we had about the menu and the cocktail list. Be advised it is cash only in the back room but worth the $1 charge at the ATM inside the main restaurant. read more

Would not let me because i was not vaccinated! A few weeks ago before a vaccine was made they were desperate to keep their doors open and could care less about anyone's medical history! And the lady at the front was a rude nasty person. Don't waste your money or time here. read more

I feel like Cafe Select wants to be a cousin of Cafe Gitane, since La Esquina seems to be doing a good job mimicking Cafe Habana. The servers have little dresses that reminded me of Cafe Gitane, and they do a good job of presenting a casual, hip cafe setting. Really had potential as a good spot for the neighborhood. The problem is with the food. The turkey and avocado sandwich is just bland. The schnitzel was dry. The only things that were decent were the cheese tartlet and the green beans. But overall, very poor food. It's a shame because I like the space; it's comfortable and pleasant. But without good food, it's not worth it. read more

I love this place!!! My boyfriend and my favorite go-to-brunch or casual dinner spot in his neighborhood. Great people watching, consistent service/quality of delicious food, always a fun vibe. For brunch, we ALWAYS get the rosti with egg on top special. How can you decline the rosti!! The uovo ticinese can be really salty sometimes, but when they get it right, it's delicious. For dinner, the zucchini chips are amazing to start with! read more

The back room speakeasy was one of the coolest places I've ever been. Make reservations online (especially if you have more than 2) and enjoy some super cool fondue as well as their regular menu items. They take you into the back room - no waiting - through the kitchen to a cool back alley room. The seating is very haphazard but it was fun for a girls night. My husband wouldn't have liked how cramped it was but we liked it. White truffle fondue was $27/person which included cheese, bread, and a veggie plate. We had 3 people but we only got 2 orders and it was super filling. They also have a good wine menu with affordable options. The fondue was so creamy and delicious - I would go back! One important note - the back room is cash only and there was no ATM that I saw. They do post this online to tell you when you make reservations. read more

I wish you could give 0 stars. I did not eat here and never will. The staff is completely unhelpful in regard to requesting a table saying they don't know how many people are booked but clearly they have a reservation system with the number of reservations. After they could not accommodate a table request so that my elderly mother didn't have to sit outside in the freezing cold with a broken leg we asked to cancel, especially considering freezing rain and snow were expected that night and were told to do it online. I was told online I couldn't do it online. I had to sort that out with opentable which follows three phone calls I made to the restaurant. Recently spoke to manager who was equally unhelpful. They charged me $75 for a no-show. Would have spent a lot more than that at their restaurant. If you want to be treated with respect dine elsewhere. read more

If you're coming here for brunch, I think it's safe to say you should try the Truffle Burger. I got it with cheese (extra $) and a side salad instead of fries (sorry, fat gurlz). Burger was absolutely delicious. Our server was pleasant - she (Asian girl) checked in on our table a few times. read more

Loved it! We came in last night and it was super packed. Airy and clean but small with a good vibe for small groups. Arugula salad was super fresh and the vegetables too! My bestie got the burrata salad and said it was delish. Cocktail list was on point. We tried the back room as well, but felt it was better for a date night! read more

Excellent for breakfast, lunch or brunch. This place has the best pancakes I've had in a while. They are made of Muesli. So dense and perfect balance of tart and sweet with the variety of toppings. Other favorites: - Excellent bloody marys with little Swiss flags on top - Rosti Norwegian is a kind of potato pancake with lox-salmon and cream on top. Think bagel with lox but sans bagel and with a hashbrowney delicious potato pancake. - Croque Madame hits the spot Nothing is in ginormous portion and hits the spot just right. This place has become a favorite staple for me. Service is friendly, space is Soho-tight and very cozy. read more