Willow Vegan Bistro

This place is phenomenal! Everything from our appetizer (calamari) to our dessert (chocolate dome) was delicious!!! We ordered the chicken skewer, the brisket and the hen of the woods mushrooms with grits. All were incredible!!! We talked about this meal for days! I love when you go out and it feels like the food is actually worth the money! We also ordered the Rum Error drink and it was so tasty!!Our server Teddy was great too! (Our five year old son even felt the need to compliment him.) He gave great recommendations, was personable and friendly and even SANG when he brought out my husband's dome cake with a candle in it! (Id like to add thay he has a nice singing voice! Lol)<br><br>We loved our experience and it is definitely a new favorite for a meal out.<br><br>There was a girl behind the bar thay is worth bringing up, she hear our 5 year old complain to us about something in his tooth and she came over with a toothpick for him. She was very sweet, I wish I knew her name!

Food is amazing! It's a little bit overpriced for my taste but probably worthy for special occasions. I didn't love the service, however. I felt the waitress was very pushy. We didn't order drinks for personal reasons and the waitress repeatedly asked if we wanted drinks. That gave me a bad feeling. Also, she seemed to be watching us all the time since the place was almost empty because of the hour we went (5pm). I didn't feel relaxed. She never smiled at all which resulted in a tense environment 😮‍💨. But I recommend the food 👌🏽.

We went for dinner and had Cornbread with Garlic Thyme butter & French Onion soup to start & the Ravioli & a Grilled Ceasar Salad with Plant Based Chicken added. The food was absolutely incredible - amazing quality and taste. The staff, service and ambience were all superb. We can’t recommend it enough! Bring your non-Vegan friends- they will love it too. Hard to believe it’t 100% plant based. Kudos to the chef, staff & owners in creating this amazing food that also helps human health, animal welfare & our environment/planet. PS the cocktails & mocktails were outstanding as well.

I’m absolutely thrilled to be dining at Willow for the second time, and once again, it exceeded every expectation. From the warm, attentive service to the beautifully prepared, incredibly flavorful dishes, every detail was flawless. The consistency and quality across the entire experience are truly remarkable—everything was simply outstanding.<br>Having now visited 3 of Chef Guy Vaknin’s 8 restaurants, I can confidently say each one delivers something special and memorable. It’s rare to find this level of excellence time and time again. I’m already planning my next trip to experience the rest—can’t wait to continue the journey!

Teddy was a fabulous server. The food was very deeeeelish and innovative. I had crab lagoon and the salmon. How do they make the flakes of salmon out of vegan ingredients????? So good! ❤️ come for happy hour and half price drinks before 6:30!

Came to eat here with a friend who is vegan and honestly loved it. We got the smoked Mac & Cheese, and whisky BBQ brisket frites. It was honestly all amazing, hard to believe its all plant based. I loved everything I ate, definitely one of my top meals. Teddy was our waiter and absolutely amazing. Highly recommend trying this place out. It will surprise you!

A charming little find in Chelsea. The menu is comfortable food and done very well!! I had the steak with the Dijon sauce with lentils and my son had the French dip. The French dip was amazing - the cheese and caramelized onions were excellent.<br><br>I really enjoyed my steak, it was just a small serving. So I would definitely recommend getting an appetizer as you will still be hungry if you order the steak.

Truly enjoyed our experience at Willow! I think it may be the best vegan restaurant in NYC. We loved the crispy “calamari”, the French dip, and the banana pudding!! Also, the drinks were fantastic and our server Teddy was amazing. 10/10!

Might be the BEST vegan restaurant in nyc. This spot in Chelsea is a cozy, elevated spot that’s 100% vegan and fully kosher‑certified. They put a creative twist on comfort food, serving dishes that are flavorful and satisfying without being heavy. Beyond the food, their cocktails are refreshing and well-balanced, making it a great place for date nights, casual dinners, or drinks with friends. The vibe is warm and inviting, with a stylish touch that makes the experience feel special

Plantbased experience 10/10!!! Great food that taste like the real stuff. We had the tuna tartare, crab ragoons & smoked mac and cheese. All were really lovely and would recommend to everybody. My boyfriend (not vegan) and I (vegan) loved this experience so much, would go back if we could. Also, staff super kind and makes the experience complete. Worth every penny, especially considering it a ‘high end’ experience prices are really good.

TLDR: Great food, great service, great environment.<br><br>Atmosphere is modern and clean, but warm and cozy. Love how the decor has woods, and golds and dark blue, but remains modern. Looks like a magazine!<br><br>Service was exceptional with staff that were attentative, kind, and professional. We felt welcomed from every staff member and these folks seem to actually like their job!<br><br>The food is not fussy, not inventive, but just is dang good. Sometimes vegan restaurants either just focus on junk food or are avant-garde. Willow takes classics, veganizes them, and gives a solid belly warming feel. My wife had a great latte and smoked "salmon" avocado toast that was so far above the average toast. I got the French onion soup and meatball sliders. The soup had a good depth of flavor. My only complaint is I wanted a bigger bowl! The marinara sauce was stick to your gut and I could have used a bit more garlic on the buns, but maybe that is because I'm worried about vampires!

My vegan mind was blown away - came here for a solo dinner post-gym after hearing rave reviews and Willow completely surpassed my expectations.<br><br>Their cocktails are well-balanced - I got the Tropical Blush (fruity, tequila-based drink, super easy to sip) followed by the Smokey Petal which was a bit stronger.<br><br>I had the sweet cornbread with garlic thyme butter, which was delicious and filling. The cornbread was really soft and rich. For my entree, they unfortunately didn’t have the chicken skewers that night, so I went with the Whiskey BBQ Brisket Frites which was the star of the show. The texture of the Chunk Foods’ brisket was tender but still had that amazing pull-apart quality going for it. The salty fries cut through the sweeter BBQ glaze.<br><br>Finally, I got the banana pudding to go, since I was very full at this point! It wasn’t too sweet, but had a satisfying thickness to it thanks to the coconut cream. Will definitely be coming back the next time I’m in NYC!

Wow! Highly recommend getting the cheese board - great variety, and there was not one cheese or preserve that was not shockingly like the ‘real’ thing. The calamari was also delicious and the portion was so big we couldn’t finish it. I found the Mac and Cheese lacked a bit of flavour in comparison with the other dishes, but it was fine.<br><br>When I go again I’d choose wine instead; the cocktail I had was nice but tasted more like a mocktail.<br><br>Restaurant itself was lovely - good vibes without being too loud. A nice date spot. Service was very attentive, friendly, 10/10. Thanks Teddy and team. We’ll be back!

The food was unsurpassed, atmosphere was perfect, and our server Ally was super attentive, knowledgeable, and very professional. Took the time to listen and give great recommendations. Couldn’t have had a better experience. Chef Guy Vaknin was present and we got to speak with him. Very sincere hospitable professional. Thank you for the experience. Highly recommended.

Sometimes I’m just not in the mood for meat, so I love checking out vegan restaurants to discover creative plant-based dishes. Willow Vegan Bistro is by far the best vegan restaurant in Chelsea! All of the food is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. I especially recommend trying their tartare and the steak! Both are outstanding, but you can’t go wrong with any dish item. Highly recommend this spot!