Amazing. Every bite is mindblowing and staff are very attentive. Best fine dining experience in a while!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stephanie Patent
Cesar 11/22/25
The food was some of the best I have had, as someone who has done a great deal of the tasting menus in NYC, some multiple times. It rivaled Le Bernadin in the quality and creativity of seafood preparation. Some of the sauces were exquisite, especially the wagyu course which honestly I think should replace the quail. The mole was really special. My personal favorite courses were all the early ones. I thought the kamasu flavors were incredibly well balanced and the blue fin tuna Monaka was spectacularly beautiful and a little triumph in two bites. I loved the play on fish and chips and the sea urchin of course was one of the best things I have ever tasted. I think it could become iconic in the same way Ripert’s tuna tartare over foie gras is. I have a few notes on ways to improve. First of all, I think if you are doing a wine tasting that costs so much extra, the first three courses should have at least two different wines. We ran out of wine before the blue fin tuna, not realizing the glass for was two complete courses, a minor complaint. And if you have done the wine pairing, I would appreciate the names of the wines along with the courses when you are given the printed menu at the end. Again, just little gripes but these things matter to your guests. The wine pairings were lovely and I especially liked the two sakes. If you are paying extra for the Wagyu and the wine pairing, the Wagyu should come with that Bordeaux at no additional cost.
I wish that fewer supplements were offered. I think truffle shavings and the extra course are fine. But it’s a little overwhelming to be offered 5 supplements at the beginning of the meal and then have to decide where to spend more money. While all the staff was incredibly thoughtful and kind I did find some of them to be somewhat robotic at times. Our head waiter must have said three times within the first 90 seconds the same phrase something along the lines of “Thank you for choosing to celebrate with us.” I just got the impression that maybe he was a little tired and running through the motions. And I understand that they have a tough job keeping track of all the guests and who is there for what reason. But at the end they brought us a small cake that said Happy Birthday, while we were there for our anniversary (which the card at our table said). It was totally fine and my husband and I laughed it off and wished each other happy birthday. But small details like that should definitely not be ignored when they go wrong. I thought the space itself lacked intimacy to be honest, but didn’t mind that so much. I personally was completely underwhelmed by the ice cream soufflé. It was all style over substance. I preferred the palette cleanser for taste. It might be just my personal taste but I want ice cream to be thick, custardy and not icy and taste mostly like air…? 😂
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Jea Kim
French–Japanese. Spent a lot of time trying to understand where French–Japanese cuisine actually draws its boundaries, and more often than not, I’ve felt burned by restaurants that claim the label. Too many interpret it as a split personality. French plates on one side, Japanese (usually sushi) on the other, rather than a real integration. Chef César Ramirez isn’t the pioneer of the genre, but since he’s the most iconic modern figure, I was curious to see how he defined it.
To Chef Ramirez, French–Japanese wasn’t a category so much as a guiding idea of relieving tension between maximalism and minimalism in the culinary world. I know it sounds cheesy and abstract, but it almost felt like combining modern art with High Renaissance. In practice, his approach felt coherent and from what I could tell, it distilled into a few core principles. An ingredient-driven experience anchored in Japanese sensibilities but built on simple, often European carb bases (toast, chips), hybridized forms that merge techniques (flan + chawanmushi), and restrained seasoning across French-style entrées and desserts (nothing aggressively punchy).
The bluefin tuna with pickled fennel and yuzu dressing felt like the purest expression of Japanese–French fusion. Applying a sweet pickled fennel sauce, rooted in French haute cuisine, to something as pristine and luxurious as toro could have felt forced, but instead, it felt both novel and strangely familiar.
There were playful moments too, like a one-bite “fish and chips,” but the dishes that really hit me were more straightforward. Sea urchin toast (obviously), bluefin tuna with pickled fennel, squab (especially with the foie gras add-on) and the iconic tahini vanilla soufflé. Also liked how they stuck with relatively unconventional proteins for the mains (Turbot and squab).
My only complaint was the commercial aspect. The tasting menu felt a little short for the price tag, and the aggressive list of add-ons. Krystal Caviar ($80), Uni ($35), Wagyu ($190). I didn’t feel the need for the caviar or wagyu, but if you’re going to cave on one upgrade, get the Hudson Valley Foie Gras ($48). It comes with the grilled squab and is the one extra that feels essential to the dish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
JaySan Avante
Cesar is a bonafide, top tier New York City culinary destination! We were truly looking forward to our evening @ Cesar with great anticipation & were not let down! We had the privilege of being seated directly in front of Chef Cesar Ramirez himself as he & his team plated wonderful dishes! Please note, dining at Cesar was not just another night out for us, but rather a culinary journey into the depths of our awakened sensory receptors! Everything we had was remarkable. We also opted for the wine pairing which absolutely complemented the delicious dishes. The interior is clean, fresh and welcoming. A minimalist design that is geared towards food quality than flash interior optics. And on that my friends... Cesar absolutely delivered! The food was perfect! We definitely recommend Cesar!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Vera Aprilya Lie
The food was excellent, and my husband is a big fan of Chef Cesar and wants to keep supporting his work. I just felt a bit uncomfortable seeing one chef use his tasting spoon twice and stir the sauce with the same spoon after it had already been in his mouth. Since it’s an open kitchen, we could clearly see what was happening. I’m not sure if that’s normal or acceptable? but personally it made me uncomfortable knowing I’d be eating the sauce right after.
That said, 5 stars for Chef Cesar — the food is delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melody
Such yummy food and immaculate service - I eat out a lot but this was a real stand out experience ❤️❤️❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
W Kim
For a couple like us who love both Japanese and French cuisine, this place was honestly perfect. Adding uni, truffle, foie gras, and wagyu to the course took the whole experience to another level. The tasting menu itself was full of surprises, and the wine pairing matched beautifully throughout. And the dessert… so soft it felt like it would melt the second it touched your tongue. Service was polished but warm, and dining while watching the open kitchen made everything feel even more special.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christian Pearsall
Went 3 weeks ago, food was very overpriced, space was nice, service was mediocre. Suboptimal experience overall.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
sebastian ramirez
This was the second time i had a meal from Chef César , first time was over 3 years ago. My first meal changed how i view food and how precise flavors can be, it made it very hard for every other fine dinning restaurant to compare. This new menu at his new restaurant spells harmony. All the flavors and presentations and precised and balanced, the whole tasting menu tells a story. Days after my meal i kept going back and realizing small details about the food and flavors through memory. I feel the best is yet to come from Chef.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lideyni Flores
The food was absolutely delicious. The uni toast on brioche was truly mind-blowing—rich, perfectly balanced, and easily one of the highlights of the meal.
They offer optional enhancements to some dishes, such as uni, caviar, foie gras, wagyu, and truffle. The full enhancement package was an additional $1,400 per person, on top of the $365 per person dinner price, which I personally found excessive. That said, you do have the option to select individual enhancements or skip them altogether.
While I understand the concept, I did feel like I was missing out on certain courses by not opting into all the enhancements, and that feeling slightly detracted from the overall experience. The food itself was exceptional, but the structure of the add-ons made the meal feel a bit less complete if you didn’t go all in.
Overall, a memorable dining experience with outstanding flavors—just be prepared for a very premium price point and decide ahead of time how much you want to indulge.
Great food with some highly memorable bites you won’t find anywhere else. Cesar’s cooking is influenced by both French and Japanese cuisines but they’re used in alternating ways rather than fusion. And, even though French-Japanese has become so blasé in the current state of fine dining, many dishes here had their own spark and unique personality.
The royal red shrimp monaka was one of the most delicious bites I’ve ever had. It had so much going on yet it was in perfect harmony and balance: the sweetness of the shrimp, a strong binchotan aroma, lively acidity, the light crisp of the monaka, the pop of the roe, the herbaceousness of shiso, and the onions tamed to be without a bite. This is the kind of dish that commands you to close your eyes and savor it as it lifts you to heaven.
The frozen souffle was unlike anything I’ve ever had before. It had to be 99.9% air or something. You take a spoonful and it disappears into nothing as you put it into your mouth, leaving only the fragrance of milk and vanilla. How do they do it?
A lot of other dishes were a strong showing. The binchotan-kissed barracuda (such an under-appreciated fish) laid on top of nori with such a puffy delicate crisp and a bed of rice that exploded with the aroma of shiso and an acidity that made all the other flavors pop. The turbot had such an alluring aroma that highlighted the fruitiness of the chanterelle and the meatiness of the firm turbot; the gelatinous end was such a textural delight. The signature uni toast started with a strong earthy truffle flavor that felt overpowering, but then strikes balance as you chew and the uni melts.
I do wish Cesar breathed more of the wild creativity he’s known for into some of the dishes, though. The fish-and-chip course tasted great but it was not greater than the sum of its parts. It was just fish served with a potato chip, even though the potato chip was exactly the way I like it. The chawanmushi came with one of the most delicious ankake I’ve had, such a concentrated and clear expression of katsuobushi, but it felt safe and unsurprising. And the squab felt rather conventional fine dining, nothing like, say, the monaka.
Beverage pairing and service were nice enough. The only minor feedback is that the printed take-home menu should be spell-checked as people do keep them as memorabilia.
Overall, I do recommend Cesar if you can afford it because some of these dishes you simply can’t get anywhere else, and they’re just that delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex Barnett
I’ve dined at many restaurants over the years and have found that I typically enjoy a one- or two-star experience more than a three-star—and dining at Cesar only further solidified that belief. Last night’s dinner may have been the best dining experience we’ve ever had. Not a single dish missed. With a tasting menu of 10+ courses, you usually expect at least one course to fall slightly short, but that simply wasn’t the case here.
The ambiance was fantastic, and being able to view the kitchen and watch each course prepared in waves added an incredible layer to the experience. What truly set Cesar apart, though, was the service. The team was professional and precise, hitting every mark without ever feeling intrusive. Our lead server, in particular, brought such warmth and personality that it felt less like formal service and more like dining with a friend—something that often gets lost at the three-star level.
I genuinely have nothing negative to say, other than the fact that I’ll have to fly to NYC to experience it again…which I absolutely will. Thank you to the chef and the entire team for an unforgettable evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Lu
That uni toast looked abstract at best. Just not appetizing and inappropriate at that dining level. Tells me you don’t care ~
Food was okay. Nothing memorable and I’ll forget this meal tomorrow. Service also okay, nothing stood out except my table’s wine glasses were always empty
Biggest problem I had tonight was this uni (pictured), if I’m spending 900/pax with wine after tax and tip, you better be perfect (that includes the plating)
I mentioned it to my server, heard nothing back. But hey at least the vibe was nice 😂
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Perrin Chipouras
New York’s best kept Michelin secret. Chef was beyond generous, the entire team was welcoming, kind and engaging. I will dream of the tuna with caviar and vanilla soufflé. Our family ate at the counter which offered an unparalleled experience. Cannot recommend enough. Thank you for a memorable experience.
Amazing. Every bite is mindblowing and staff are very attentive. Best fine dining experience in a while!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cesar 11/22/25
The food was some of the best I have had, as someone who has done a great deal of the tasting menus in NYC, some multiple times. It rivaled Le Bernadin in the quality and creativity of seafood preparation. Some of the sauces were exquisite, especially the wagyu course which honestly I think should replace the quail. The mole was really special. My personal favorite courses were all the early ones. I thought the kamasu flavors were incredibly well balanced and the blue fin tuna Monaka was spectacularly beautiful and a little triumph in two bites. I loved the play on fish and chips and the sea urchin of course was one of the best things I have ever tasted. I think it could become iconic in the same way Ripert’s tuna tartare over foie gras is.
I have a few notes on ways to improve.
First of all, I think if you are doing a wine tasting that costs so much extra, the first three courses should have at least two different wines. We ran out of wine before the blue fin tuna, not realizing the glass for was two complete courses, a minor complaint. And if you have done the wine pairing, I would appreciate the names of the wines along with the courses when you are given the printed menu at the end. Again, just little gripes but these things matter to your guests. The wine pairings were lovely and I especially liked the two sakes. If you are paying extra for the Wagyu and the wine pairing, the Wagyu should come with that Bordeaux at no additional cost.
I wish that fewer supplements were offered. I think truffle shavings and the extra course are fine. But it’s a little overwhelming to be offered 5 supplements at the beginning of the meal and then have to decide where to spend more money.
While all the staff was incredibly thoughtful and kind I did find some of them to be somewhat robotic at times. Our head waiter must have said three times within the first 90 seconds the same phrase something along the lines of “Thank you for choosing to celebrate with us.” I just got the impression that maybe he was a little tired and running through the motions. And I understand that they have a tough job keeping track of all the guests and who is there for what reason. But at the end they brought us a small cake that said Happy Birthday, while we were there for our anniversary (which the card at our table said). It was totally fine and my husband and I laughed it off and wished each other happy birthday. But small details like that should definitely not be ignored when they go wrong. I thought the space itself lacked intimacy to be honest, but didn’t mind that so much.
I personally was completely underwhelmed by the ice cream soufflé. It was all style over substance. I preferred the palette cleanser for taste. It might be just my personal taste but I want ice cream to be thick, custardy and not icy and taste mostly like air…? 😂
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
French–Japanese. Spent a lot of time trying to understand where French–Japanese cuisine actually draws its boundaries, and more often than not, I’ve felt burned by restaurants that claim the label. Too many interpret it as a split personality. French plates on one side, Japanese (usually sushi) on the other, rather than a real integration. Chef César Ramirez isn’t the pioneer of the genre, but since he’s the most iconic modern figure, I was curious to see how he defined it.
To Chef Ramirez, French–Japanese wasn’t a category so much as a guiding idea of relieving tension between maximalism and minimalism in the culinary world. I know it sounds cheesy and abstract, but it almost felt like combining modern art with High Renaissance. In practice, his approach felt coherent and from what I could tell, it distilled into a few core principles. An ingredient-driven experience anchored in Japanese sensibilities but built on simple, often European carb bases (toast, chips), hybridized forms that merge techniques (flan + chawanmushi), and restrained seasoning across French-style entrées and desserts (nothing aggressively punchy).
The bluefin tuna with pickled fennel and yuzu dressing felt like the purest expression of Japanese–French fusion. Applying a sweet pickled fennel sauce, rooted in French haute cuisine, to something as pristine and luxurious as toro could have felt forced, but instead, it felt both novel and strangely familiar.
There were playful moments too, like a one-bite “fish and chips,” but the dishes that really hit me were more straightforward. Sea urchin toast (obviously), bluefin tuna with pickled fennel, squab (especially with the foie gras add-on) and the iconic tahini vanilla soufflé. Also liked how they stuck with relatively unconventional proteins for the mains (Turbot and squab).
My only complaint was the commercial aspect. The tasting menu felt a little short for the price tag, and the aggressive list of add-ons. Krystal Caviar ($80), Uni ($35), Wagyu ($190). I didn’t feel the need for the caviar or wagyu, but if you’re going to cave on one upgrade, get the Hudson Valley Foie Gras ($48). It comes with the grilled squab and is the one extra that feels essential to the dish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cesar is a bonafide, top tier New York City culinary destination! We were truly looking forward to our evening @ Cesar with great anticipation & were not let down! We had the privilege of being seated directly in front of Chef Cesar Ramirez himself as he & his team plated wonderful dishes! Please note, dining at Cesar was not just another night out for us, but rather a culinary journey into the depths of our awakened sensory receptors! Everything we had was remarkable. We also opted for the wine pairing which absolutely complemented the delicious dishes. The interior is clean, fresh and welcoming. A minimalist design that is geared towards food quality than flash interior optics. And on that my friends... Cesar absolutely delivered! The food was perfect! We definitely recommend Cesar!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
The food was excellent, and my husband is a big fan of Chef Cesar and wants to keep supporting his work. I just felt a bit uncomfortable seeing one chef use his tasting spoon twice and stir the sauce with the same spoon after it had already been in his mouth. Since it’s an open kitchen, we could clearly see what was happening. I’m not sure if that’s normal or acceptable? but personally it made me uncomfortable knowing I’d be eating the sauce right after.
That said, 5 stars for Chef Cesar — the food is delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Such yummy food and immaculate service - I eat out a lot but this was a real stand out experience ❤️❤️❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
For a couple like us who love both Japanese and French cuisine, this place was honestly perfect.
Adding uni, truffle, foie gras, and wagyu to the course took the whole experience to another level.
The tasting menu itself was full of surprises, and the wine pairing matched beautifully throughout.
And the dessert… so soft it felt like it would melt the second it touched your tongue.
Service was polished but warm, and dining while watching the open kitchen made everything feel even more special.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went 3 weeks ago, food was very overpriced, space was nice, service was mediocre. Suboptimal experience overall.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
This was the second time i had a meal from Chef César , first time was over 3 years ago. My first meal changed how i view food and how precise flavors can be, it made it very hard for every other fine dinning restaurant to compare. This new menu at his new restaurant spells harmony. All the flavors and presentations and precised and balanced, the whole tasting menu tells a story. Days after my meal i kept going back and realizing small details about the food and flavors through memory. I feel the best is yet to come from Chef.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was absolutely delicious. The uni toast on brioche was truly mind-blowing—rich, perfectly balanced, and easily one of the highlights of the meal.
They offer optional enhancements to some dishes, such as uni, caviar, foie gras, wagyu, and truffle. The full enhancement package was an additional $1,400 per person, on top of the $365 per person dinner price, which I personally found excessive. That said, you do have the option to select individual enhancements or skip them altogether.
While I understand the concept, I did feel like I was missing out on certain courses by not opting into all the enhancements, and that feeling slightly detracted from the overall experience. The food itself was exceptional, but the structure of the add-ons made the meal feel a bit less complete if you didn’t go all in.
Overall, a memorable dining experience with outstanding flavors—just be prepared for a very premium price point and decide ahead of time how much you want to indulge.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Great food with some highly memorable bites you won’t find anywhere else. Cesar’s cooking is influenced by both French and Japanese cuisines but they’re used in alternating ways rather than fusion. And, even though French-Japanese has become so blasé in the current state of fine dining, many dishes here had their own spark and unique personality.
The royal red shrimp monaka was one of the most delicious bites I’ve ever had. It had so much going on yet it was in perfect harmony and balance: the sweetness of the shrimp, a strong binchotan aroma, lively acidity, the light crisp of the monaka, the pop of the roe, the herbaceousness of shiso, and the onions tamed to be without a bite. This is the kind of dish that commands you to close your eyes and savor it as it lifts you to heaven.
The frozen souffle was unlike anything I’ve ever had before. It had to be 99.9% air or something. You take a spoonful and it disappears into nothing as you put it into your mouth, leaving only the fragrance of milk and vanilla. How do they do it?
A lot of other dishes were a strong showing. The binchotan-kissed barracuda (such an under-appreciated fish) laid on top of nori with such a puffy delicate crisp and a bed of rice that exploded with the aroma of shiso and an acidity that made all the other flavors pop. The turbot had such an alluring aroma that highlighted the fruitiness of the chanterelle and the meatiness of the firm turbot; the gelatinous end was such a textural delight. The signature uni toast started with a strong earthy truffle flavor that felt overpowering, but then strikes balance as you chew and the uni melts.
I do wish Cesar breathed more of the wild creativity he’s known for into some of the dishes, though. The fish-and-chip course tasted great but it was not greater than the sum of its parts. It was just fish served with a potato chip, even though the potato chip was exactly the way I like it. The chawanmushi came with one of the most delicious ankake I’ve had, such a concentrated and clear expression of katsuobushi, but it felt safe and unsurprising. And the squab felt rather conventional fine dining, nothing like, say, the monaka.
Beverage pairing and service were nice enough. The only minor feedback is that the printed take-home menu should be spell-checked as people do keep them as memorabilia.
Overall, I do recommend Cesar if you can afford it because some of these dishes you simply can’t get anywhere else, and they’re just that delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve dined at many restaurants over the years and have found that I typically enjoy a one- or two-star experience more than a three-star—and dining at Cesar only further solidified that belief. Last night’s dinner may have been the best dining experience we’ve ever had. Not a single dish missed. With a tasting menu of 10+ courses, you usually expect at least one course to fall slightly short, but that simply wasn’t the case here.
The ambiance was fantastic, and being able to view the kitchen and watch each course prepared in waves added an incredible layer to the experience. What truly set Cesar apart, though, was the service. The team was professional and precise, hitting every mark without ever feeling intrusive. Our lead server, in particular, brought such warmth and personality that it felt less like formal service and more like dining with a friend—something that often gets lost at the three-star level.
I genuinely have nothing negative to say, other than the fact that I’ll have to fly to NYC to experience it again…which I absolutely will. Thank you to the chef and the entire team for an unforgettable evening.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
That uni toast looked abstract at best. Just not appetizing and inappropriate at that dining level. Tells me you don’t care ~
Food was okay. Nothing memorable and I’ll forget this meal tomorrow. Service also okay, nothing stood out except my table’s wine glasses were always empty
Biggest problem I had tonight was this uni (pictured), if I’m spending 900/pax with wine after tax and tip, you better be perfect (that includes the plating)
I mentioned it to my server, heard nothing back. But hey at least the vibe was nice 😂
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
New York’s best kept Michelin secret. Chef was beyond generous, the entire team was welcoming, kind and engaging. I will dream of the tuna with caviar and vanilla soufflé. Our family ate at the counter which offered an unparalleled experience. Cannot recommend enough. Thank you for a memorable experience.
Good job
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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