The rumors are true: this place is worth all the hype. One of the most delicious meals I've ever had. Worth every penny. Go now!!!
Joan P.
This is a one-man operation. The chef has his earbuds in and is totally focused on what he's doing, cooking great food. Each dish is complex, packed with flavor, I fussy and really delicious. How good can Brussels sprouts be? And those charred carrot? What's in that kale salad that you can't stop eating? How can chicken thighs be so delicious? You get the point. This chef makes the ordinary into something extra-ordinary. The decor is warm and inviting, even inventive too. Definitely check it out. It's worth a detour, that's for sure. You'll want to go back, as we do.
Susan Zabatta
Enjoyed a wonderful dinner experience last night. We called before going since we did not have a reservation. Theresa saved two seats at the bar for us which we preferred. We started with the Swordfish belly and the charred Squid salad. Both were excellent although the Squid was a little spicier than I anticipated but totally enjoyable. dinner choices were Seared Scallops and Smoked Chicken thighs both outstanding. Dessert was Marsacapone sundae with caramel and toasted marshmallow. PERFECT
Simon A.
Pretentious, bad, expensive. Ordered appetizer that sounded like it had pieces of tuna, it was juice from tuna, like on a radish. Boo
Zach W.
Mind-blowing. This should have a Michelin Star. I ate here Jan 29th. I had 5 dishes and was in love with all of them. This chef is clearly a hidden gem and his restaurant should be on anyone's list that travels anywhere near Kingston, NY. Worth the trip from NYC or Philly just to eat here. Bravo.
Ali M.
No doubt the food here is on par with some of the best restaurants I've been to, here in the U.S. and abroad. Each dish is thoughtfully conceived using the best-of-the-season ingredients resulting in dish after dish of flavor with an edge towards being luxurious. Our diver scallops were cooked to perfection and the smoked-almond and cauliflower purée was the perfect velvety-backdrop to an indulgent dish. I did catch a few grains of sand in my scallops however, which made the first few bites 'gritty,' but that was minor compared to how great the dish was overall. Staff is classy and attentive, extremely knowledgable and friendly. This all comes together in an upscale-yet-casual experience. We're from Manhattan, but this restaurant will be my first stop every time we come to the area. I look forward to coming back again because the menu is bound to be a surprise with every season. Some minor things I would've loved to have seen would be candles. The space is beautifully designed, but it felt a little dead and austere in the restaurant (granted this is January and it was early in the evening). Maybe candles on the bar, or on the tables, or maybe soft lighting behind the bar would help the space be more inviting. We also noticed ceiling fans caked with dust which didn't seem to be inline with the rest of the space. A restaurant at this caliber, detail is everything--because the food is incredible.
Dawn A.
The inside of the restaurant is an inspiration to all of those artists and musicians who love eating delicate intricately made local fare, with vinyl albums playing loudly on the stereo......and animal paintings and taxidermy all over the walls. The seared scallops were phenomenal - on this night it had a picked red cabbage on top and some sort of sweet green creamy base at the bottom. Exceptional! I loved the albums that the waiter / DJ / host was playing all night long, and when the album ended and you could hear that needle spinning round and round, that added a certain charm as well! The only thing that was disappointing was the grilled octopus appetizer - it had a good flavor profile but was charred beyond "charred" it was so burnt that the dish was black and it tasted like ash. And being charred too much also made it way too tough & chewy. BUT We will certainly visit again every time that we are in Kingston, N.Y. This farm to table restaurant was definitely our type of scene.
Rachel R.
I may as well declare that this is my favorite restaurant EVER. We spent last night celebrating my birthday at Wilde Beest and there's nothing I wanted more than to share the experience with my brother and his girlfriend. We have traveled multiple times over 2 hours to eat here, including a time for my husband's birthday. There is something magical about the dishes that the chef presents and the creativity of his flavors and plating. To say I am in love would be an understatement. I cannot wait to plan our next trip back. THANK YOU WILDE BEEST! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
Boris F.
We did not have any of the issues other reviews have referred to. The service was so very welcoming, the food in a league of its own - can't say enough about those flavors, truly revelatory - and the pacing was exactly what we wanted. We live and eat out in the city, we cook almost every night at home - these people know what they're doing. We hope they thrive. I do wish we'd ordered the carrots, though!
Ellen W.
The space is very cool and we were excited to try this new fine dining spot in Kingston. Unfortunately, we experienced the same problems with the service that are mentioned in many other reviews. The dishes were poorly paced and the staff seemed totally unable to manage the place. This is totally unacceptable given the high menu prices. We gave up on ordering dessert after waiting for over a half an hour for our entrees. It took even longer to get a check. The hotel Kinsley restaurant across the street is much better and less expensive.
It's my favorite restaurant. Best decor and the chef is an inspiration to watch and extremely nice. Such an artist. Every plate looks like an artwork. The food is most delicious, It makes me happy every time I get to hang out there. He will work around any food restrictions you have. I have personally experienced that :) . So glad such a restaurant is happening in Kingston.
Alison Richards
We had read the reviews for Wilde Beest and couldn’t agree more! The food is so creatively prepared and the combination of finely sourced ingredients was spectacular. We ordered the Branzino and was grilled so delicately that I could have ordered another one. We are not Kingston locals and driving to the restaurant was more than worth it. We will be returning very soon ! Our server, Theresa was outstanding!
Cristian J.
Very disappointed. The good first: Nice design, friendly server, amazing appetizers and an interesting and affordable wine list. Now, the not so good: Underwhelming entrees. Flavorless (the scallops) and unrefined (the pasta). The worst part of it was the chef. We sat next to the open kitchen, so the chef was literally 4 feet away. We were only two tables in the entire restaurant. Well....the chef didn't even say hi or check whether we liked the food. (remember, this is an entire restaurant with only 4 people seated). The kitchen was extremely dirty with splashes everywhere, a filthy fryer and a disgusting vent. If you are going to do the "open kitchen" thing, you have to be sure your kitchen is sparkling clean (even if you don't have an open kitchen). I wouldn't recommend it at all. Particularly, since across the street you can enjoy the excellent Kingston Hotel.
Hans F.
Wilde Beest was such a surprise, The duck breast was out of this world with such surprising flavors as was the amazing carrot dish. The diver scallops were delicious. You feel the passion and creativity which goes into the dishes. Service was great and the wine list well rounded. Can't wait to be back !
Graham Franks
Although I love the food, love the animal prints that are a significant part of the decor, I could do without the ducks on the wall. Ah but the food: spectacular. On a recent visit for dinner, I adored the smoked carrots which were an app. I plan to return and enjoy this fine restaurant again.
The rumors are true: this place is worth all the hype. One of the most delicious meals I've ever had. Worth every penny. Go now!!!
This is a one-man operation. The chef has his earbuds in and is totally focused on what he's doing, cooking great food. Each dish is complex, packed with flavor, I fussy and really delicious. How good can Brussels sprouts be? And those charred carrot? What's in that kale salad that you can't stop eating? How can chicken thighs be so delicious? You get the point. This chef makes the ordinary into something extra-ordinary. The decor is warm and inviting, even inventive too. Definitely check it out. It's worth a detour, that's for sure. You'll want to go back, as we do.
Enjoyed a wonderful dinner experience last night. We called before going since we did not have a reservation. Theresa saved two seats at the bar for us which we preferred. We started with the Swordfish belly and the charred Squid salad. Both were excellent although the Squid was a little spicier than I anticipated but totally enjoyable. dinner choices were Seared Scallops and Smoked Chicken thighs both outstanding. Dessert was Marsacapone sundae with caramel and toasted marshmallow. PERFECT
Pretentious, bad, expensive. Ordered appetizer that sounded like it had pieces of tuna, it was juice from tuna, like on a radish. Boo
Mind-blowing. This should have a Michelin Star. I ate here Jan 29th. I had 5 dishes and was in love with all of them. This chef is clearly a hidden gem and his restaurant should be on anyone's list that travels anywhere near Kingston, NY. Worth the trip from NYC or Philly just to eat here. Bravo.
No doubt the food here is on par with some of the best restaurants I've been to, here in the U.S. and abroad. Each dish is thoughtfully conceived using the best-of-the-season ingredients resulting in dish after dish of flavor with an edge towards being luxurious. Our diver scallops were cooked to perfection and the smoked-almond and cauliflower purée was the perfect velvety-backdrop to an indulgent dish. I did catch a few grains of sand in my scallops however, which made the first few bites 'gritty,' but that was minor compared to how great the dish was overall. Staff is classy and attentive, extremely knowledgable and friendly. This all comes together in an upscale-yet-casual experience. We're from Manhattan, but this restaurant will be my first stop every time we come to the area. I look forward to coming back again because the menu is bound to be a surprise with every season. Some minor things I would've loved to have seen would be candles. The space is beautifully designed, but it felt a little dead and austere in the restaurant (granted this is January and it was early in the evening). Maybe candles on the bar, or on the tables, or maybe soft lighting behind the bar would help the space be more inviting. We also noticed ceiling fans caked with dust which didn't seem to be inline with the rest of the space. A restaurant at this caliber, detail is everything--because the food is incredible.
The inside of the restaurant is an inspiration to all of those artists and musicians who love eating delicate intricately made local fare, with vinyl albums playing loudly on the stereo......and animal paintings and taxidermy all over the walls. The seared scallops were phenomenal - on this night it had a picked red cabbage on top and some sort of sweet green creamy base at the bottom. Exceptional! I loved the albums that the waiter / DJ / host was playing all night long, and when the album ended and you could hear that needle spinning round and round, that added a certain charm as well! The only thing that was disappointing was the grilled octopus appetizer - it had a good flavor profile but was charred beyond "charred" it was so burnt that the dish was black and it tasted like ash. And being charred too much also made it way too tough & chewy. BUT We will certainly visit again every time that we are in Kingston, N.Y. This farm to table restaurant was definitely our type of scene.
I may as well declare that this is my favorite restaurant EVER. We spent last night celebrating my birthday at Wilde Beest and there's nothing I wanted more than to share the experience with my brother and his girlfriend. We have traveled multiple times over 2 hours to eat here, including a time for my husband's birthday. There is something magical about the dishes that the chef presents and the creativity of his flavors and plating. To say I am in love would be an understatement. I cannot wait to plan our next trip back. THANK YOU WILDE BEEST! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!
We did not have any of the issues other reviews have referred to. The service was so very welcoming, the food in a league of its own - can't say enough about those flavors, truly revelatory - and the pacing was exactly what we wanted. We live and eat out in the city, we cook almost every night at home - these people know what they're doing. We hope they thrive. I do wish we'd ordered the carrots, though!
The space is very cool and we were excited to try this new fine dining spot in Kingston. Unfortunately, we experienced the same problems with the service that are mentioned in many other reviews. The dishes were poorly paced and the staff seemed totally unable to manage the place. This is totally unacceptable given the high menu prices. We gave up on ordering dessert after waiting for over a half an hour for our entrees. It took even longer to get a check. The hotel Kinsley restaurant across the street is much better and less expensive.
Restaurantji Recommends
It's my favorite restaurant. Best decor and the chef is an inspiration to watch and extremely nice. Such an artist. Every plate looks like an artwork. The food is most delicious, It makes me happy every time I get to hang out there. He will work around any food restrictions you have. I have personally experienced that :) . So glad such a restaurant is happening in Kingston.
We had read the reviews for Wilde Beest and couldn’t agree more! The food is so creatively prepared and the combination of finely sourced ingredients was spectacular. We ordered the Branzino and was grilled so delicately that I could have ordered another one. We are not Kingston locals and driving to the restaurant was more than worth it. We will be returning very soon ! Our server, Theresa was outstanding!
Very disappointed. The good first: Nice design, friendly server, amazing appetizers and an interesting and affordable wine list. Now, the not so good: Underwhelming entrees. Flavorless (the scallops) and unrefined (the pasta). The worst part of it was the chef. We sat next to the open kitchen, so the chef was literally 4 feet away. We were only two tables in the entire restaurant. Well....the chef didn't even say hi or check whether we liked the food. (remember, this is an entire restaurant with only 4 people seated). The kitchen was extremely dirty with splashes everywhere, a filthy fryer and a disgusting vent. If you are going to do the "open kitchen" thing, you have to be sure your kitchen is sparkling clean (even if you don't have an open kitchen). I wouldn't recommend it at all. Particularly, since across the street you can enjoy the excellent Kingston Hotel.
Wilde Beest was such a surprise, The duck breast was out of this world with such surprising flavors as was the amazing carrot dish. The diver scallops were delicious. You feel the passion and creativity which goes into the dishes. Service was great and the wine list well rounded. Can't wait to be back !
Although I love the food, love the animal prints that are a significant part of the decor, I could do without the ducks on the wall. Ah but the food: spectacular. On a recent visit for dinner, I adored the smoked carrots which were an app. I plan to return and enjoy this fine restaurant again.