Cafe Fledermaus Reviews

Now that the Plaza Hotel's Oak Bar is closed, you can get your late afternoon dose of Manhattan elegance here. Cakes are heavenly with a beautiful crystal pot of the tea of your choice.

My friend and I enjoyed lunch at this cheerful café, on the lower level of the Neue Galerie. We had hoped to get a table at the Café Sabarsky on the museum's main level, but they don't take lunch reservations, and the line to get in was ridiculous. Fortunately, someone mentioned Café Fledermaus, which was bright and pleasant, and served the same menu as the other restaurant, and we were seated immediately. The menu was quite authentic Austrian/Bavarian, with many delicious choices. My friend enjoyed the Weiner Schnitzel, and I loved the Beef Goulash. We shared and excellent Sachertorte for dessert, though we were tempted by an amazing selection of pastries and confections. It is worth mentioning that they are open for breakfast from 9 to 11 AM, before the museum opens.

If you find ypurself in Manhattan and consider combining food and art, this Cafe in the Upper City is highly recommended. I enjoyed the Bavarian Ham and soft eggs, one of our friends had a beautifully arranged plate of granola, fruits and yogurt. Excelent coffee. The service was good, though plate would go over you shoulder a bit far from the etiquette. Best of all is the combination of visiting the galleries full of dramatic German/Austrian art: Klimt in the center and Egon Schiele's portraits, all didactically displayed. Good taste, great art and knowledge. I promised myself to return in my next visit to the city.

Cafe Fledermaus serves the same menu as Cafe Sabarsky, except it's in the basement and generally less of a wait. A wonderful alternative if you are in the mood for the best German or Austrian food in town and in a bit of a hurry.

The menu is the same as Cafe Sabarsky for which there was a huge lineup on the footpath. The man at the door asked me if I would be prepared to go downstairs to Cafe Fledermaus which has the same food, and I jumped at the chance and went straight in. Had the most delicious steamed asparagus with hollandaise and sauteed fingerling potatoes and a glass of riesling to sustain me through my afternoon's shopping. Loved it.

Although the Cafe Sabarsky on the main floor gets all the attention, you can get the same food in this, the lower level cafe. Our group feasted on Weiner Schnitzel, Roast Veal, Spatula and a Kaiserschmarm for desert. Delightful service, a cafe like atmosphere. I almost felt I was in Munich or Vienna.

Love this baby brother of the larger main floor restaurant. IT serves wonderful Viienesse specialties especially the whipped "schlag" laden cakes. I also love the hearty soups and mains that transport you back to Austria. The only "down" is that the wait can be fierce unless you are early and sometimes service is a little lacking.

When Cafe Sabarsky is full- this is the overflow room downstairs-same food pricy Am told very Austrian the salmon open face sandwich was good. do visit museum upstairs--but you can eat there without paying $20

Café Fledermaus is located in the basement of the Neue Gallerie. Often overlooked it is far easier to snag a table here than waiting hours for a table at the more popular Café Sabarsky upstairs. The cuisine here is just as tasty and authentic as what one would eat in Vienna. Prices here are a touch high but worth every bite. Whenever guests visit this is the one art gallery and café that we visit. Not only because it is beautiful but because the food is memorable and it’s walking distance to Central Park. Refreshments come first before viewing the exhibits. This year Dagny came on her annual visit and she loves the Neue Gallerie. We each had coffee and cake. My guest ordered the kaiser mélange (espresso with whipped cream) and I had my favorite einspänner (double espresso with whipped cream served in a glass). Choosing a cake is hard as they all look tempting and we often want two but then we would be too full to walk around. This time we chose the Himbeer Joghurt Mohntorte (raspberry yogurt poppyseed cake) that was sublime. When we arrive especially hungry, we like to have the bratwurst mit sauerkraut and rösterdäpfel (sausage with sauerkraut, roasted potatoes and mustard). Then we feel like we are in Vienna! This is a relaxing café that starts serving at breakfast. Weekends can get busy especially during the winter season and then one cannot linger as much as one likes. Highly recommended!

Restaurant is beautiful, in an old fifth avenue mansion house with piano music, great food and wonderful view of Central Park and fifth avenue.

We were in NYC on the last Saturday in December and we were making the rounds of our favorite museums. Our daughter found the Cafe Sabarsky reviews on her I-phone and we decided to stop there for lunch. The line was long at Sabarsky so we went downstairs to the Cafe Fledermaus, We were very pleasantly surprised by the fine Rathskeller atmosphere we encountered. We all ordered the bratwurst with sauerkraut and potatoes with a bottle of excellent Austrian beer. The food was delicious and the service was excellent, despite the luncheon crowd. A tip: the desserts are TO DIE FOR! I had a delicious shredded crepe with plum sauce, our daughter had a great apple strudel, and my wife had a piece of an excellent rich chocolate cake that looked like it had a heavy consistency - but was as light as a feather. We all had a lot of fun sampling each other's desserts. This restaurant is located close to the great museums: the Guggenheim, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Jewish Museum and the Frick. We would recommend Fledermaus highly and have every intention of coming back.

One hour in line just to get in. Restaurant looks empty. No information whatsoever. The female guard at the door doesn't even answer what place to go when entering the building. Simply sad European service in NYC.

We waited in line for 20 minutes. it was 3 pm. We look at a very expensive menue and decide to order 2 cups of average coffee and a small apple studle. The cups are small to begin with and when I asked for a refill the waiter said it will cost you another $7.00 . I said are you kidding ? He said no and put the check in front of me and walked away. Rude and Expensive. No Refills ! Maybe I am out of tune or NYC is off the charts. Popped into Lobells Meat market on Madison and asked the price of 1 pound of filet. He told me $78.00 ! Wow. I guess if you can afford $78. for one pound of meat the cafe's $7.00 NO refill coffee is a bargain !

The café tries to make you feel as if you're in a café in Vienna. There are some lovely pastries and delicious coffee and hot chocolate. Don't go if you're on a diet!

The Cafe Fledermaus is located in the basement of the Neue Galreie, and given the general atmosphere of the museum, the room disappoints. Strange things were happening with their music with occasional blasts of sound. The chairs were rather rickety and the service for our group was disinterested. Good food, but diminished by the general atmosphere.

Nice pastries and great coffee in the basement boutique of Neue Galerie. We had sandwiches that were fresh and excellent. A little pricey but you come to expect that in New York. But a fine respite after a couple of hours of absorbing some of the world's greatest art.

I read about this place in a random blog when looking for places to visit near the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Being less than a block away, it was very convenient after the long tour we had. Being a tourist I was carrying a bottle of water in my bag. We were told it was not allowed inside. I assume this is because the cafe is inside the museum, although security did not elaborate. This was a bit frustrating but we complied. There was about a 20+ minute standing wait. The items we ordered were; Kaiser Mélange Fresh-ground Coffee with Whipped Cream Wiener Eiskaffee Chilled Coffee with Vanilla Ice Cream, topped with Whipped Cream & Cocoa-powder Apfelstrudel Apple Strudel The cafe was busy so servers were goal-oriented and not overly friendly. It took a few minutes and our waters, strudel and drinks came out in stages which wasn't appealing. I believe the quality and service was 3 stars, I gave it 4 because of the uniqueness.

Is better Sachertorte available on Manhattan? I'm inclined to doubt it. The Cafe Fledermaus generally has seats available when the Cafe Sabarsky upstairs has a lineup, and the pastry us the same on both levels. The coffee is also very good. Highly recommended!

This place was fabulous. A bit expensive, but the restaurant was beautiful and authentic. I felt like I was in vienna! The goulash was tasty, but just meat, so not quite for me. My husband had some tasty sausages, and my friend ordered a beautiful salad with a poached egg. I really recommend visiting here after a long morning at the met! There aren't many good places to eat in the area, so this restaurant is a real find.

Café Fledermaus is as much a part of the museum as the gallery exhibitions. Without waxing flowery, it was as if I were transported to a pre WW1 Vienna. It is small café space-8 or 9 tables as I recall--and the black and white checked floor, and glass display of pastries was a perfect space to repair after the Ergon Schiele portrait exhibition. What did we eat? I, a bratwurst with sourkraut and potatoes. My wife, a salad and a beer. Nothing special, really, but complete in its simplicity given our state of mind following an hour of Schiele's "degenerate" world.

Sandwiches 16 bucks, wine is expensive! 15 a glass! Great desserts! House made liverwurst! Beers 8 bucks. A Viennese cafe. Classic.

Probably one of the most exquisite little cafes on the Upper East side, just a stones throw from the MET. Coupled with the fact that the museum itself is a undervalued treasure, you can't go wrong. The cafe is accessible without paying the admission for the museum. Breakfast on weekends is only til 11, but the lunch menu is divine. The breads that accompany the sandwiches, soups and salads are rich, flavorful and hearty. Prices are very competitive

A must visit for fabulous pastry and savory foods. Takes you back in time to Austria and such a memorable place. Love to stop here when visiting the Met Museum. http://www.nycstylelittlecannoli.com/2012/06/cafe-fledermaus-at-neue-galerie.html

Popular museum cafes call for a strategy to beat the long lines--especially when the museum is as small, and as crowded as the tiny Nueue Galerie was this week with the recent opening of "Munch and Expressionism," a fabulously-curated exhibition examining Edvard Munch’s influence on his German and Austrian contemporaries, as well as their influence upon him. The line to get into Cafe Sabarsky on the main floor was already depressingly long when hunger overtook us at 12 noon. A guard told us we couldn't even begin to line up for the more informal Cafe Fledermaus in the basement until it opened at 12:30. As soon as he turned his back, we raced down the stairs and got in with no problem--several people were already eating here before the "official" opening hour. The carnivore among us opted for chubby bratworst and potatoes, and I chose the delicate outsize mound of frisee, tossed with a light dressing and served with a simple, perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg. Delicious. The Austrian chardonnay was very good. Service is fast and gracious.

My husband and I had a wonderful lunch at the cafe after walking through the Neue Gallerie. The downstairs cafe had a much smaller line and we were seated in a few minutes. The menu is identical to the more forms cafe upstairs The food was good. My husband had the spazael and I had the bratwurst with champagne sauerkraut which was very good. We split a Sacher torte which was excellent and one of the best cups of coffee that I had in a long time Service was very good The wine was expensive but the food and coffee was typical price for museum restaurants After seeing the exhibit. You did fell like you were on Vienna for a few hours

Nice ambience in a nicely replicated European setting. Certainly not cheap, but the food is delicious, well-prepared, and nicely presented.

Museum cafes are great, this one is really special. After viewing the Klimt, enjoy Austrian dishes, like knackwurst or bratwurst, then indulge in sachertorte or other decadent dessert. Like an interlude abroad. Service was slow-ish and there is often a wait to get a table, but do try it; you'll not forget the experience!

The Nueu Gallerie is wonderful and the food is fantastic...Where else can you get good Austrian food now that Yorkville is gone.

I had heard good things about this restaurant, so after enjoying a visit to the Neue Galerie, and being blown away by the Klimpt portrait of Bloch Bauer, the so-called Woman in Gold, I expected to have a fine meal. I ordered the spaetzle with mushrooms and peas in a cream sauce. The spaetzle was soggy, the peas and mushrooms almost nonexistent, and the cream sauce had no flavor. Perhaps other dishes are tasty, but this one was a major disappointment. And it was not cheap. I was sorry that I had not left the museum, jumped on the 5th Ave, bus and headed downtown to Eataly for flavorful Italian food.

One of those days where we had to wait 15 minutes to get water and only after chasing down a waiter Mid-High marks for food but service lowered their overall score in my mind. Doubt I would go back

I was here for coffee (an einspaenner; espresso with whipped cream) only; my wife had elderberry juice. With an early dinner looming it seemed unwise to have any of the pastry, which I know to be good because they are also available in the Cafe Sabarsky upstairs. You can get cheaper coffee elsewhere, but the ambiance is worth something, too.

A real treat in s small, charming cafe. Same menu as upstairs in the much more crowded Cafe Sebarsky. We were seated immediatly and thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and food. We had goulash soup and celery root salad. The desserts included Sachertorte. We did not stay for dessert but will be back for it next time. We went to the Neue to see the Gustav Klimt painting Adele Bloch 1. The painting is worth the trip alone but the lunch was a lovely addition.

What a Pity to have such a bad service in such an interesting place. Food was ok ,quite expensive for the portion .and the service was incredibly rude .

Located at lower level of the Neue Galerie. Had a nice feel to the ambience. Ordered espresso , mille feuille and kirsch torte. loved it. Must go for a nice coffee time.

We ate here before touring the museum and like others chose the Fledermaus rather than wait in the long line for the Cafe Sabarsky. I had the Spicy egg sandwich and my husband the bratwurst plate, both meals were really tasty. I couldn't resist drinking an Almdudler limonade (Austrian herbal beverage), which was every bit as good as I remembered. We finished with coffee, a Linzertorte and an Apfelstrudel which were delicious and brought back memories of a long ago trip to Austria. Two complaints: the tables are very low for eating and the service was abysmal. However I have still given it an overall very good rating as the food was so tasty.

The lines at all of the dining options in the Metropolitan Museum of Art were hopelessly long, so a Yelp search brought us here -- cold winter days seem to call out for German/Austrian food. So we made our way here, only to find that the cafe is in the Neue Gallery on Fifth Avenue, downstairs. The Cafe Sabarsky is also in the Neue Gallery and is a little more posh, with essentially the same menu, but it also had a long line. So, downstairs we went. Husband, who lived in Germany for years, thought it looked like a very typical German cafe. But three beers between two people, two entrees, and two desserts set us back $94, not counting tip. Really, a little steep for lunch, and the food and the service were fine but not extraordinary. I'm pretty sure in a city of excellent bakeries like New York, you can get better cakes and pastries for a lot less than $9 a pop. It was all fine, but we won't be back -- we will look for better values elsewhere.

We were told to eat at one of the cafes in the Neue Galerie. Both cafes have the same menu, so we chose the Cafe Fledermaus. The entrees were OK. We were really looking forward to the pastries, but the signature pastry was average.

We went at 11:30 and missed the rush. You can order the same food here as the Restaurant upstairs and it was quite. I had the chestnut soup and it was wonderful. Only reason why I'm not giving 5 stars is it seems little too pricey for a museum cafe, but worth a visit.

After a morning visiting the Frick we were ready for lunch. We knew this cafe from prior visits. It has lot of Austrian/ German options: sausages, smoked salmon, liver wurst, beer, wine, and authentic desserts. There is a fancier cafe upstairs called Cafe Sabarsky and this place is a little more casual and not quite as pretty but the food and coffee are good. A nice break from taking in the sights.

We had a tasty lunch at the Café. We got in early and watched a line build as we had our meal. It was tasty.

Great pastries and coffee, you could imagine you were in Vienna. Lunch offerings also but we did not try. Downstairs at the Neue Galarie Museum. Pricey but good ($40 for two pastries, two coffees plus suggested 20% tip)

Went for dessert only. Food looked good. Such choices! And very good service. View of Central Park nice. Good atmosphere.

Same menu, as the staff will tell you. Just not as fancy, but if you are going for the food, either wait in line or head downstairs. We did and happy that we did. Hard to pass on the sausage dishes, but the wiener schnitzel coming to a tavle neargby made me drool. Compact wine selection, but a nice compliment to their menu.

The Neue Galerie, a museum on 5th avenue dedicated to German Viennese art, has two restaurants with identical menus. Cafe Fledermaus is in the basement, and generally shorter lines than the upstairs Cafe Subasky. We have eaten lunch downstairs, and breakfast upstairs. They have breathtaking sausages (I am fondest of the bratwurst and sauerkraut, and competent salads - the Begum Playaneuron prefers salad). Today we had breakfast upstairs sharing cold crepes wrapped around smoked trout salad, sunny side up eggs (spiegeleie), and a wonderful bread basket. We felt like the Marschallin and Octavian, except we weren't in bed. The ambience is great, the food very good but a bit expensive, and the German beer collection excellent. Not a destination restaurant, but a nice place for lunch or breakfast if you are on your way to see the excellent collections of Klimts and Schieles at the Neue Galerie - or even if you are a fugitive from the Met most of whose restaurants are not as good as this one.

In a beautiful room. German cuisine. Small menu, but sufficiently varied that there is something for everyone. Not inexpensive.

Beautifully decorated, wonderful food. Those in the know arrive at 10 a.m. or so to have breakfast before the museum opens at 11 a.m. Reservations are recommended if they take them.

When the line for the upstairs Sabarsky cafe is too long, just skip it and take the stairs down to Cafe Fledermaus, which offers the same menu and typically has no line. The setting is not as charming as upstairs, and the chairs are not as comfortable, but the Schnitzel tastes just a good in the basement cafe and the service is very good.

The Café Fledermaus is the "downstairs" to the Café Sabarsky upstairs at the Neue Galerie. The menu is the same, and the food is acceptable, although overpriced. The reason to go there is to enjoy Viennese specialties and the ambiance. The ambiance at Fledermaus is lacking, as café hosts admit, but encourage patrons to try it as an alternative to waiting for a table at Sabarsky. But there are problems, first of all, the tables, which are cute and pretty, but far too low for eating. Rather, they are intended for drinks and snacks, nothing more. There are a few tables of normal height and when we requested one, our waiter refused to allow us to move on the grounds that those were to be saved for larger groups (we were a couple). All but one of those tables was unoccupied, and five minutes later a couple were seated at one. The same waiter neglected to bring the bread basket that all other tables received and threw the check on the table at the end of the meal. None of this behavior would be acceptable at any time or any place, but for a place with pretensions, it's beyond laughable.

Snack here to immerse yourself in the early 20th Century Austrian experience after seeing the Woman in Gold.

Whether you are dining or having a cafe mit schlag, the experience here is like a trip to Vienna. The decor is wonderful. Can't travel to Europe, makes this stop a must. You don't have to include a museum visit to dine here. Best to make a reservation.

Downstairs at the Neue Galerie (which focuses on German and Austrian art), this recreation of an Austrian coffee house is charming with good light food for lunch or tea. The desserts are everything you would want in Austrian delicacies. The service can be slow, surprising considering the cafe's small size. Wine and beer are available to go with your sausage, potato salad, and other German dishes. Not as many people know about this downstairs cafe as they do the first floor Cafe Sabarsky, which has an elegant menu and fancy prices. Not that Cafe Fledermaus is cheap - it isn't. But it is atmospheric and convenient at the corner of 86th and Fifth where there are few eateries.

Waiters standing around chatting or cleaning silver. Could not have cared less about patrons. Waited on a line outside the museum then waited on a line downstairs at the restaurant. Food ok, but plan to wait forever for it to arrive. Would not go there again.

Cafe Fledermaus, the lower-level (basement) restaurant in the Neue Galeries, does nicely at providing casual Viennese dining in a pleasant setting. If you want lunch or dinner, but Cafe Sabarsky upstairs is too crowded, you can get the same lunch and dinner menus, and the same patisserie, in Fledermaus. Fledermaus's marble-lined walls and tiled floors make the space a bit noisier than Sabarsky, but the service was efficient and the ambience worthy of a Ringstrasse address.

We thought we would have lunch at Café Sabarsky after going through the Neue Galerie, but there was quite a line, and we needed to get to a movie that afternoon at a certain time. Then my daughter and I both remembered from the audio introduction that there was a restaurant downstairs as well, so down the stairs we went. There were still tables available at Café Fledermaus, and the menus on the table said Café Sabarsky as did the menu at the front of the restaurant. Our open-faced smoked salmon sandwiches were delicious and came with a small portion of salad. The three of us split one pretzel out of curiosity, and it was very light, not like the Philly pretzels that become weapons after a couple of hours. Service was very good, and the room itself had a pleasant café-type vibe. Yes, to some extent it was expensive, but considering the location--5th Avenue and Central Park--it was reasonable for the quality of the food. A glass of wine was the same price as at the expensive steakhouse in Gibbsboro. NJ--at a much better location! So we were able to experience the food from Café Sabarsky without the long wait! Worked for us!

This cafe is in the Neue Gallerie on 86th and 5th. It is a gorgeous cafe that reminded me of some of the grander placed I have eaten in Vienna. The breakfast that I have eaten here was great and well priced (mid range, $20+/person which included a main dish, a pot of coffee and a shared dessert). Lunch was way too expensive ($35/person) but delicious. I would return for breakfast again and for just tea and dessert.

AT breakfast on Saturday (which was popular) I had the bread basket. Everything was good, but the Ring cake was best. On another day, at lunch I had bratwurst with sauerkraut and mustard - superb. The waiters were very attentive and very quiet, never intrusive.

No visit to tg the Neue is complete without eating at the Fledermaus.Cef In addition to scrumptious desserts there is a full menu. Try their Weiner Schniktzel.

The restaurant experience was a DISASTER that soured an otherwise pleasant museum experience. We waited on line to get into the main floor restaurant. After 10 minutes or so the hostess suggested we try the lower level restaurant where she said there was “no line and everything else is virtually the same.” We went there immediately and there was no line, but we were asked to wait outside the dining area for a few minutes anyway. We chatted and lost track of time, but after another 10 or 15 minutes, we went in to ask about being seated and saw 3 empty tables for 2 in front. It’s a small, square-shaped restaurant, everything is in plain view from the bar where the wait staff does much of their prep work. Still, these 3 empty, cleared tables were right in front, and we had been waiting much longer than expected. A waitress immediately asked about drinks; we asked for coffee and napkins. We had to ask for the napkins more than once. When our lunch was served, we had to ask for flat ware. After lunch I asked for a refill of coffee. It was a small cup, and I was told I would be charged again – no free refills! Spotting the manager, we motioned him to our table. We calmly and politely let Gerhardt know about our experience. His only reply: “Do you want to keep arguing or do you want me to get you more coffee?” Continuing politely, I explained, “I’m not arguing. I’m trying to give you helpful feedback.” But the icing on the cake was the bill. That tiny cup of coffee that would not be refilled was $7.00! For that money they should leave a carafe at the table, not begrudge a refill. And this unusual policy should be mentioned at the start. I would not have indulged in a pre-lunch coffee. Well, in reality, I probably would have left and easily found a better value in the neighborhood. I will never return to the restaurant, and I will strongly recommend others avoid it. I’ve been to many wonderful museums in New York and in other cities and countries and I’ve never seen anything so unreasonable and unwelcoming. Sadly, this dining experience was not consistent with the rest of the museum standards.

It is not as refined as the Cafe Sabarsky upstairs, but with a similar menu it still is a good choice either when visiting the Museum or just in the neighborhood. The black and white floor and decor are striking. It can get a bit crowded when the museum has a special show.

Loved the reproduction period furniture and fittings from early 20th century Viennese designers and artists. Great friendly waiters despite the crowds Menu was varied and EVERYTHING was so yummy GREAT Viennese coffee

The price would have been fine if they had better quality. The small portion would have also been fine of the service was better.

The beautiful restaurant upstairs had a queue but the cafe did not. The food is the same, and while the cafe is not as elegant, it is very charming. If only one could sample all of the desserts and coffees! I had the espresso with whipped cream - the best ever!

We had Soup an dessert and all was delicious and serive was very good! Not to be missed when visiting Neue Galerie!