Thomas Keller, Per Se Review

I was prepared to be wowed but the food was uncreative and just okay. The service was decent, though flawed (e.g., food and wine removed before finishing a big no-no!). Lovely atmosphere but just not worth the expense with all the dining nyc has to offer. Food seemed outdated and even bland. I truly don t understand all the 5 star reviews but maybe when you ve paid so much, you tell yourself it was fabulous? I left feeling wistful for the Per Se I had read about several years ago. It s gone.

Excellence. Evey dish exceeded the expectations set by the previous. Great wait staff that adds to the dining experience.

Legendary restaurant , spectacularly executed food.

Just the best of the best in New York City to have a glamorous dinner experience.

I really loved the first experience at the French Laundry, so we tried this restaurant too. Nice spot, nice view, but aren't the people in there so fake? Greeted when coming in, but nobody said bye when we were leaving. We paid good tip. Food was alright, I mean for the price, I expected to be blown away. Not the case. You basically pay their rent. I won't go back.

Quick fact:$195 for five course Dinner, service included.

This turns out to be a surprisingly relaxing experience. I took the window seat at lounge, sitting on a comfy coach, facing the view outside... I almost want to lie down, read a book with a cup of tea.

Ok back to the point, The food per se (five-course lounge menu) is exquisite. Now for nitpick (sorry to be difficult) that's most of the cuisines are on savory side, not much refreshing dishes to reset your palates. Perhaps I should've ordered the paired wine.

Overall it's worthwhile. Highly recommended.

an oasis of calm in the bustle of new york city where every seat features views of the park. thomas keller has brought his culinary wizardy to new york city and he succeeds beyond anyone's wildest imagination. beg, borrow and steal to get in and pay for

Incredible experience! The food is excellent, the attention unbeatable and a great view of the city!

Single best culinary experience of my life. Amazing

The food was delicious and the service was great but it was nothing unexpected and certainly not worth the price.

Awesome place to grab some food when in a hurry. Their customer service is quick, prices are fair, fantastic ambience.

What belongs to him beneath heaven and earth, and everything in between, and every soil.

Wasn't as good as I thought per se, but I will go there again per se. the food was good per se, but the pizza was beautiful to look at per se. The cook was especially nice per se and we got tour of the bathroom per se, not the kitchen per se. after the tour per se, I got a restraining order from the woman who was in the bathroom when we got the tour per se. All in all, it was a horrible and amazing experience per se. I will never go there again per se.

P.S. I am a proffesional reviewer

Probably the best restaurant...better than the French Laundry ...for decor, that we've ever experienced. It is truly an experience. Be prepared to spend 5 hours dining. You'd better like the people you go with.

Per Se is worth every penny. Each course of food is better than the last and the service is incredible. They are also incredibly cautious about allergies, to the extent that they're willing to change the whole menu around. The view of Central Park is impeccable, and if you tell them of a special occasion during your final emails about your reservation it seems like they will put you in an even better spot.

The meals and service is beyond my expectations.Amazing atmosphere.Great food.Friendly staff.Highly recommended.

Great food -- big price tag! Service is on point. I like that they're a little more flexible with their cancellation policy than Eleven Madison Park - but ti's still a tough policy.

Very tasty food! My wife and I had an amazing time. Quite literally

Alway great. Professional stuff and very good wine list.

The restaurant is on the 4th floor inside the mall. Service is impeccable, staff is extremely attentive and very well trained, atmosphere is comfortable, vibe and decor is pleasing, feeling is various degrees of cozy respective of your table, the food though... That's a whole 'nother story. Not that the food was bad 'per se' but it left a lot to be desired compared to other Michelin outfits. All plating was actually artsy and creative, however, some dishes were not perfectly cooked or seasoned and out of 9 courses only 1 or 2 had that wow factor the rest was boring between plain and meh. Am honestly not sure how or why this outfit has a 3* Michelin rating.

I decided to come to Per Se knowing that its reputation was not what it once was. Unfortunately, Per Se lived up to my lowered expectations. I will start with the good; the service was excellent. As soon as you enter the restaurant you are warmly greeted, show directly to your table and pampered from there on. The wine selection is robust and the sommelier will help you find the best pairing. The ambiance is perfectly lit to set a semi-sultry mood, but not overly-romantic so that a group dinner would seem uncomfortable. However, the biggest reason to go to Per Se is the food, and this is where Per Se falls short. The tasting menu is mostly pre-selected. A few dishes can be exchanged for a fee. For instance, I chose to go for a lobster roll instead of the oyster dish, which ended up being a huge mistake as the lobster roll was little more than a tiny bit of tasteless shredded lobster on what seemed to be a tough, chewy hashbrown. But, there are 7+ courses, so you would think that one failed course shouldn't ruin a meal (even if that meal costs $230+). But every course continued to disappoint; the pork belly was uninteresting, the bread was tough and even the accoutrements (the small dishes between courses) were absurd (at one point, they brought out was could only be called a fancy Ritz Bits cheese cracker). Even the desert was lackluster (but there is a lot of it). Luckily, work paid for the dinner, so I was not overly disappointed. I am glad I went to Per Se (just to say I have been there), but I have had much better meals for 1/4 the price.

Very commercialized, no unique experience at all. Food too salty. For cuisine, salt is cheating, as ingredients lose their original flavors and are turned into the same flavor. This place is only for those who want to obtain a badge of "Michelin 3-star restaurant goer"

A bit pretentious. The food didn't have prodigious flavor or appeal.

Great vegetarian option. Great experience. Amazing atmosphere. Cocktail was great. Price of everything is reasonable. Great presentation of food. Staff were nice.

epic! Every meal. Something people inside and outside New York should get to enjoy if they are ever presented with the opportunity.

Went there for my 30th birthday. I chose to go with the vegetarian menu, which didn t impress me, given how sweet each course was. I went hungry and wanted savory food. The first course was avocado sorbet with beets (which are naturally sweet). Other courses were ravioli with sweet potato. Then cheese tart with caramelized onions. Even the bread course had sweet dried fruits in it. The savory courses were deep fried eggplant and a salad. My husband tried the meat tasting course and all his meals were excellent. I finally requested that my next dish is replaced with one of his. His oyster with caviar dish and scallop with truffle was out of this world.

All the dishes were beautifully made and presented, I just feel like I couldn t enjoy as much, because I was hungry and the courses were on a sweeter side. I went from hungry to stuffed very fast without really enjoying the taste of each dish. My favorite part was the dessert course, huge spread of desserts. Loved it. Overall, it was a great experience. The service was impeccable, the view was beautiful. We enjoyed our time.

Per Se was incredible, truly blew me away. Our service team was very good. Our sommelier was especially incredible. The space is beautiful, watching the sunset over Central park was beautiful. I would highly recommend going to Per Se for something romantic or a special event.

Amazing!!! Definitely worth every penny. The food is delicious! The service is unbelievable. Try to get a table near the window to get a view. Highly recommended!

Every single bite of every dish here is near sublime.

BEST carrots I've ever eaten! Fabulous service by Kelsey.
Will come again.

We had sparkling rose, short rib, the blistered carrots and baked Brie. Its elevated comfort food. Happy and comfy. Chef knows their food.

I visit this great spot a lot! This is my favorite restaurant to dine. I go there routinely. The cooking is just great, the crew is courteous and the price is good. I enjoy meeting in this spot for a tasty supper.

World class experience Artis and Sam helped everyone create a magical evening. Thomas Keller, Chef, has a divine touch.

The ultimate in sexy NYC dining. The devil is in the details. Bravo to Chef Keller

It's hard to add something different from what other critics say, except that this is the best meal I've ever tasted. From the moment we walked into the door, we felt very comfortable. The decor, atmosphere, service and food are excellent. I often miss our meal in Per Se, I hope that we can live close and then come back often.

Here for anniversary. Everything was perfect from the environment and courses of food. It was very enjoyable moment and dining experience.

Love the tacos hand made tortillas. Taco de alambre was delicious horchata is soo good everything is fresh. Prices are reasonable. I recommend this place.

Wonderful experience, very generous with the white truffles and awesome staff. We basically spoke about anything.. also shout out to the dessert team - Chef Ana and crew.

I have been to many restaurants but Per Se stands out as the best. Amazing food with great presentation. Service is incredible. Fabulous wine list

Amazing food, great experience, the people working here really know what they are doing when it comes to food, per se.

This was a very anticipated experience. Service a d atmosphere were exceptional. Food very good but expected more of a wow experience, with more intense sauces. Many dishes. Barely cooked and while delicious were missing pizzazz. I wonderful experience but I don't think we will repeat it.

Absolutely top drawer. I went to Per Se for an "event" lunch. This is very difficult for the kitchen and the staff and they all did an outstanding job. The signature dishes were dead on the mark. Even the Petit Fours were outstanding. Service was top drawer. Overall, a great experience, and it was "only" lunch!

Tasting menu was OUTSTANDING, the 9 courses it is like a never ending dream. And the gifts! It was Perfection. To me, the best restaurant in NY

This was the. Best. Dining. Expeirience. of. My life. If you have the means and are on the fence, just do it. From the very beginning this experience was thoughtful, enjoyable, perfect down to the smallest details. It was my boyfriend's birthday and it even said so on our unique menu that was signed by the chef and given to us as a souvenir at the end. We left absolutely bursting at the seams with incredible food, and they had more goodies for us as we left as well. The waiters were helpful, patient with explaining different cutleries such as the purpose of the mother of pearl spoon, or the cake fork, but they were also mindful of my allergy to soy. The food.....let's just say it's 3 star Michelin rated for a reason. Our experience from start to finish was incredible and we honestly hope to return every year to this wonderful place.

It is a great dining experience! the cuisine is so delicious. it worth every penny you paid. I have tasted in many 3 star restaurants, this is one of the top 3 star restaurants. Will be back again!

Absolutely beautiful!! Got treated insanely well with a visit to the kitchen & a bag of gifts to take home... Food was amazing, staff totally attentive & wines were first class....

This is the right place to have an elegant dinner. My husband loved it. Of course is very expensive so it is not the restaurant to go with the entire family. It is the place to have a romantic dinner, good food ( very small portions) and watch famous people.

I made a second visit to Per Se this trip. This is a place for a very occasional indulgence unless you are wealthy. Phenomenal food and service. This visit was accentuated by Artis, a fellow Texan who exuded personality and competence. He will go far in the restaurant business with his personal service attitude and love for his employer s restaurant. There was not a miss in the entire meal. Highly recommend if you are a foodie.

Amazing dinner, perfect view over Columbus circle and very friendly staff.

Thank you to our friend who generously treated us to this extraordinary experience at Per Se. The service was impeccable and the food was phenomenal. I was full by the time we reached our seventh course.I'll let the photos be the story. Every morsel of our 3 hour meal was delicious. We were able to bring home the desserts we weren't able to finish. And a we also received a folder with our night's menu.

There are not enough words to describe this amazing experience, I m surprised to have taken this long to make a comment about it. Everything was perfection and the food is divine. Worth every penny. So excited about their reopening on October 15!!!! You guys deserve all of the stars!!!

It was delicious, but it was a little salty in my mouth.

Many friends recommend his family, the Americans do the French, at the level of Mi San, I don't have much to say.

In terms of personal experience and feelings, in addition to sweets and a variety of chocolates, the other can only say so so, the New York area French cuisine is better than his home.

Salmon Coronet is a unique variety of French cuisine. The salmon rolls are OK. Unfortunately, the outside is not crisp, not only crisp, but also tidal, and the taste is not good.

Frying flounder is acceptable, the flounder is relatively close, and the taste is very good. It can be eaten. Sometimes the level of the side dish will decrease. This makes the old lady very unhappy. In fact, his family's fish is OK, but it has not yet reached the level of Le Bernardin.

Agnolotti is very disappointed. First of all, the pasta itself has no place to shine; secondly, the lettuce above the pasta is very dry and quite old. The combination of these two things is simply a torture of taste. Fortunately, his family's sauce is good, this face is completely in the sauce to support the field, said exaggeration, do not know how this thing came out of the kitchen.

Meal wine recommended the recommended 2011 Meursault, it is estimated to be a matter of taste, personally said that I generally prefer a lighter taste, this is still a bit heavy for me.

Desserts are very hard, like. It seems that people like us are defeated by desserts. The chocolate cake is very good for my appetite, the berries on the cake are marinated, very good. I remember that there is a raspberry cake in his house, which is also very good.

Four desserts, I chose the color to look good, the chocolate did not take a lot. Although his family's homemade chocolate is arbitrarily chosen, but there is a good surrender of the people who have just said that they are very good.

What I want to say is that some restaurants are famous. In fact, they are not good at all. At least his home is what I think is best for all kinds of desserts and chocolates. More like a candy store!

Great vegetarian option. Great experience. Amazing atmosphere. Cocktail was great. Price of everything is reasonable. Great presentation of food. Staff were nice.

Nothing bad to see, but it hasn't kept up with the times and stayed fresh. It feels stagnant and bland.

Some fun and creative dishes, but a little too precious for my tastes.

Don't go to per se thinking it will change the way you think about food (go to a molecular gastronomy restaurant for that). Expect attentive staff, lots of goodies between and after your meal, and great attention to detail. There's also no set wine pairing, but they'll happily accommodate your tastes.

Amazing experience. Not cheap. But neither is the food or experience. Highly recommend.

Excellent Ice Tea, amazing Humus plate and The Very best Tuna Sandwich I have ever had in my life rounded out lunch.

The meals and service were beyond my expectations. I absolutely liked the environment of this restaurant. Wonderful place to take the family out for dinner.

We did the 9 course chef s tasting menu, although we swapped some of the courses. We started with an amazing amuse bouche which was a salmon tartar in a crispy cone. Next I had good but not great beet dish. Then I had the sweet carrot salad which wasn t actually sweet but was it was really good. Then we had a John Dory dish which was very moist and really tasty. Next up was the bread butter which was fine. Then the chestnut agnolotti which was good. The tagliatelle with truffles was next and that was also really good. Tons of truffles. Then I had a beef dish which was very flavorful and a little marble-y. We were so full that we skipped the cheese course and went right to dessert. My favorite was the coffee cappuccino which actually had very little coffee flavor and was outstanding. At the end, they invited us to see the kitchen and meet the chef and gave us yummy cookies to go (they were supposed to last a few days but in the end they only lasted a few minutes )(we ate them immediately!)

This place has the best chicken tortilla soup! The steak fajitas are also very good. The atmosphere is fun and laid back and a great place to unwind (especially with their margaritas). The servers are very friendly and attentive. Been coming here on and off for years, and rarely disappointed. And if it's your birthday, you leave with a little souvenir. Highly recommend!

What a phenomenal gastronomic experience and very welcoming staff. My fiance left feeling like royalty after his birthday dinner. The captain and sommelier were very attentive to all of our requests. Truly a unique NY experience.

Everything was perfect except fr the dessert... it was good but compared to the rest of the menu ... a let down! But overall .. a great experience!

Wonderful meal. Plenty of time to sit and enjoy each dish. Each one is delicate and savory. All the desserts were phenomenal as well. It does have a high price tag, but I think it's worth it for a one time experience.

We had the most wonderful dinner experience, worthy of the expensive price tag. Also appreciate that tax and gratuities were included in the price.

The food was top notch quality, servers were knowledgeable, warm and friendly, and ambience was classy and comfortable. They were also flexible with our food preferences.

Definitely recommend if you re looking for a three-star Michelin experience!

Crazy expensive but almost worth the price! Staff awesome. Food very good. Can't quite justify the $800 lunch for two.