Such a hospitable team!! We walked in without a reservation and were told they had a spot for us but had a reservation coming in 30 mins. They immediately made us feel welcome and even made us feel comfortable and confident we could order a few plates of food in that time. We ordered three plates that all came out quickly with enough time for us to enjoy. Every plate was uniquely Lei, perfectly balanced and seasoned. It was a quick visit but I’m already looking forward to my return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
S Liu
Was super excited to try this place. Cute spot, interesting wines, thought the food was ok - but we didn’t order the main dishes just the squash and goat cheese.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Kara Wilson
Had the most perfect impromptu birthday celebration last night. The wine list is thoughtful and extensive, and every single plate we had was incredible! If they have the carpaccio special, ORDER IT! The camera did not eat that plate first but it was absolutely perfect with a bottle of rosé champagne.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nicole Chevallier
Everything was sooo tasty and the service was attentive and warm
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mia Kinsch
Delicious food and nice selection of non alcoholic drinks in addition to their wine list
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Reni Calister
Best meal I’ve had in ages - wonderfully cozy and curated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Steven Rossi
Our experience at Lei was incredible. We were lucky enough to get a late post-dinner reservation to try some of their wines, and it certainly exceeded our expectations! The place is quite cozy, making it an ideal spot for a date or intimate occasion. The staff were personable and gave us top-of-the-line service. Matt, the Wine Manager, has a deep knowledge of wine, which made the experience all the more unique as we got to hear stories of how the wine was sourced and what we should be looking for as we tried some wines.
Per his recommendation, I had one of my favorite red wines I’ve ever tasted: Fukuihara- a red wine from Japan. I highly recommend going out of your comfort zone and trying whatever he recommends; I guarantee you it won’t disappoint! For dessert, we had the sticky toffee pudding, which was absolutely delicious. They poured the sauce over the ice cream right in front of you, which made the dessert a show as well.
All to say, if you’re in the area or you’ve ever thought of going - this is your sign to go. If they’re booked up, join the wait list, you won’t regret it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Paulo Coelho
Great food, wine and atmosphere! Thank you Steven!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Flor Ca
I loved everything in this place. Food, vibe, staff and wine selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chloe Y. Lin (Chloe)
My boyfriend and I were excited to try Lei for a nightcap. While the host was lovely, our server made the experience very disappointing.
When we asked for wine recommendations, he seemed taken aback and simply pointed to options without any description. After we requested tastings, he poured them begrudgingly without even telling us what we were trying. His dismissive and rude demeanor made me so uncomfortable that I didn't ask about other options, and I ended up with a $20 rosé I didn't like.
It was disheartening to feel so unwelcome by a white male server at a Chinatown establishment in the very neighborhood I grew up in. This was one of my worst dining experiences in NYC in a long time, and it has made me not want to return to try their food.
If you’re based in Brooklyn, go to Entre Nous or Bar Bête for better service, a wine program that's just as good if not better, and a less scene-y vibe.
We had such a delightful experience dining at Lei. I was looking forward to the meal and was not disappointed. The food was delicious, so many good, thoughtful wine options, and to top it off the service was 10/10. Would bring friends here who love to eat out and/or are wine connoisseurs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
tuedy wilson
Great! Amazing. Short rib is a must.
Really good spot. Great wine bar
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Chris Liu
Had the celtuce, cat's ear noodle, and a few glasses.
Smaller portions as expected for the format. The by-the-glass wine was decent, although the selection wasn't out of the range of a favorite wine bar of mine nearby. I visited on account of a mention in Eater, and while the genre is unique to the neighborhood, it feels like its primary calling card.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Mart Davidson
One of the best wine selections in the city. The food is delicious too. Service was top notch and the location is cute.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jessica Jo
Space is tight inside but I never felt like I didn't have room even with a small two-top full of food.
Food and service were great. Pacing was steady and portion size was perfect for trying a variety of dishes for 2 diners.
Such a hospitable team!! We walked in without a reservation and were told they had a spot for us but had a reservation coming in 30 mins. They immediately made us feel welcome and even made us feel comfortable and confident we could order a few plates of food in that time. We ordered three plates that all came out quickly with enough time for us to enjoy. Every plate was uniquely Lei, perfectly balanced and seasoned.
It was a quick visit but I’m already looking forward to my return
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Was super excited to try this place. Cute spot, interesting wines, thought the food was ok - but we didn’t order the main dishes just the squash and goat cheese.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Had the most perfect impromptu birthday celebration last night. The wine list is thoughtful and extensive, and every single plate we had was incredible! If they have the carpaccio special, ORDER IT! The camera did not eat that plate first but it was absolutely perfect with a bottle of rosé champagne.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Everything was sooo tasty and the service was attentive and warm
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious food and nice selection of non alcoholic drinks in addition to their wine list
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best meal I’ve had in ages - wonderfully cozy and curated.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Our experience at Lei was incredible. We were lucky enough to get a late post-dinner reservation to try some of their wines, and it certainly exceeded our expectations! The place is quite cozy, making it an ideal spot for a date or intimate occasion. The staff were personable and gave us top-of-the-line service. Matt, the Wine Manager, has a deep knowledge of wine, which made the experience all the more unique as we got to hear stories of how the wine was sourced and what we should be looking for as we tried some wines.
Per his recommendation, I had one of my favorite red wines I’ve ever tasted: Fukuihara- a red wine from Japan. I highly recommend going out of your comfort zone and trying whatever he recommends; I guarantee you it won’t disappoint! For dessert, we had the sticky toffee pudding, which was absolutely delicious. They poured the sauce over the ice cream right in front of you, which made the dessert a show as well.
All to say, if you’re in the area or you’ve ever thought of going - this is your sign to go. If they’re booked up, join the wait list, you won’t regret it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food, wine and atmosphere! Thank you Steven!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I loved everything in this place. Food, vibe, staff and wine selection.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My boyfriend and I were excited to try Lei for a nightcap. While the host was lovely, our server made the experience very disappointing.
When we asked for wine recommendations, he seemed taken aback and simply pointed to options without any description. After we requested tastings, he poured them begrudgingly without even telling us what we were trying. His dismissive and rude demeanor made me so uncomfortable that I didn't ask about other options, and I ended up with a $20 rosé I didn't like.
It was disheartening to feel so unwelcome by a white male server at a Chinatown establishment in the very neighborhood I grew up in. This was one of my worst dining experiences in NYC in a long time, and it has made me not want to return to try their food.
If you’re based in Brooklyn, go to Entre Nous or Bar Bête for better service, a wine program that's just as good if not better, and a less scene-y vibe.
Restaurantji Recommends
We had such a delightful experience dining at Lei. I was looking forward to the meal and was not disappointed. The food was delicious, so many good, thoughtful wine options, and to top it off the service was 10/10. Would bring friends here who love to eat out and/or are wine connoisseurs.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great! Amazing. Short rib is a must.
Really good spot. Great wine bar
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Had the celtuce, cat's ear noodle, and a few glasses.
Smaller portions as expected for the format. The by-the-glass wine was decent, although the selection wasn't out of the range of a favorite wine bar of mine nearby. I visited on account of a mention in Eater, and while the genre is unique to the neighborhood, it feels like its primary calling card.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
One of the best wine selections in the city. The food is delicious too. Service was top notch and the location is cute.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Space is tight inside but I never felt like I didn't have room even with a small two-top full of food.
Food and service were great. Pacing was steady and portion size was perfect for trying a variety of dishes for 2 diners.
Only thing is the short rib wasn't my favorite.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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