Yet another City Roots/Chef Guy offering to love! Willow takes the "comfort food" concept to a whole new level. To be honest, what is comfort food to most is not comfort food to me (I dislike mac and cheese and most casseroles and don't love burgers), but here I was comforted by everything I ate! Probably no one thinks of a cheese board as traditional comfort food, but by gods, Willow's cheese board inspires what is instrumental to that feeling of coziness-- satiation. As an ensemble, each cheese selected offers an array of umami, tanginess/brightness and creaminess vs more toothsome. I absolutely loved it (the blue is especially exquisite) and even the gluten-free crackers are not an afterthought. I might have liked them even more than the crostini. Start with this and share, though I can't say I wouldn't come here and get one for my main course. I ordered a BLT and the perfect salad to accompany it. The sandwich is served on soft sliced whole grain bread and is piled high with bibb lettuce, housemade succulent bacon, avocado and tomato. It deserves a spot in the BLT hall of fame. Willow's ambiance lends itself to a good date night, but I also saw a large group dining in (space is large and open but not as big as my favorite City Roots' spot, Anixi). Acoustics allow you to hear the person across from you, which is nice. The cocktail list is intriguing (and I had a sip of my friend's thoroughly unique Willow Wonka-- try if you are more adventurous!) but I stuck to a Montepulciano. Although I do prefer the Mediterranean and Italian offerings of Anixi and Coletta (minus the chunk steak and chicken skewers offered there) and Anixi's ambiance is the ambiance of my dreams, I'm glad to put Willow on regular rotation especially when I'm in Chelsea.

My family surprised me with a birthday celebration at Willow, and it was a memorable experience! Although they don't usually eat vegan, they enjoyed every dish, which speaks volumes about the quality and creativity of the food here. The ambiance is cozy and beautifully decorated, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The only slight distraction was the flickering lights, but it didn't detract much from the experience. Service was 5 star as well. Kennedy was great! Now, onto the food - all vegan and absolutely delicious! The chicken sandwich was phenomenal, probably one of the best I've had, and it came with flavorful fries. We also ordered the onion rings and calamari, both crispy and perfectly seasoned, accompanied by tasty sauces that complemented each bite. Although the onions were very good I would not purchase those again. The price was a bit high for onion rings. The BLT was fresh, with high-quality ingredients, and the mac n' cheese was incredibly rich and creamy - a dish definitely meant for sharing! Just don't let it cool down. We also tried the clam chowder, which had a wonderful flavor..more like a delicious cream of mushroom soup. The salad was fresh, though the dressing was a bit mild. Being from Atlanta, I'm used to restaurants offering a complimentary dessert for birthdays. Not the case here. That would have been a nice touch. Nonetheless, Willow is a must-try, especially for anyone curious about plant-based dining - even non-vegans will love it! Highly recommend!

Absolutely scrumptious dinner Don't skip the cocktails! They are inventive and tasty. I chose something with elderflower and the Mr chose an infused bourbon. We loved them both Starters was the truffle Mac n cheese to share & wow & so creamy & lots of truffle flavor! Then shared the Fried Chicken sandwich and the BBQ Brisket. Both winners but if we absolutely had to close, we'd err on the side of the Brisket. It was so incredibly flavored with a BBQ sauce that had the best afterburn. Sweet to start then the heat kicked in. YUM! Too full for dessert but we'll make sure to save room next time!

What a fun, yummy vegan restaurant! Good for large groups or intimate date night. Very friendly staff with pretty quick service. Of the dishes that we ordered I would highly recommend the French onion soup and the Smashburger. Those were one of a kind where I can't say I've stumbled the pond anything even close. If you're in the area, it's a must try.

As a part-time Vegan, I give Willow some of the highest remarks! Nice atmosphere, great service, and delicious food. The Truffle Mac & Cheese was very tasty, but I was really impressed by the Double Smash Burger! Wasn't sure how they'd execute the egg, and if it would even be runny, but they pulled it off. From a QPD (quantity per dollar) perspective, this was a tremendous value and was definitely one of my favorite restaurants on this NYC trip.

A new favorite vegan spot: awesome food and service - the downside is that we didn't try enough things! Enjoyed the chef's other restaurant Beyond Sushi and another winning spot here. On a Wednesday evening there was plenty of seating for an early dinner. A selection of items on the menu, with a few burgers, sandwiches, appetizers and desserts. We enjoyed the BLT (tasty and a little messy to eat because of the generous filling) with salad (while small, it was NOT a salad with wilted greens and lame veggies which I appreciated) and the sirloin steak with asparagus and whipped potato (tender "meat"). Wish we had room for the desserts and appetizers. Service was very nice and attentive. A good date spot. The actual street isn't the best in terms of things around the restaurant but better than a few streets uptown. Looking forward to returning!

As a meat eater, I was pretty satisfied with the food here! I didn't miss the meat at all. I came with my friend who's vegetarian and she enjoyed it too. Our waiter was so kind and attentive! Our favorite dish was the fried calamari, had same texture and taste as the real thing.

If you're craving classic American comfort food with an upscale twist, you must visit Willow in Chelsea! This vegan gem offers a menu that's 100% vegan and certified kosher, but what really blew me away was how spot-on the flavors and textures are. From the salmon crudo and New England clam chowder to the steak fillet, every dish was a culinary masterpiece. They looked and tasted just like the real thing--so flavorful, so satisfying. Truly exceptional! And shoutout to Ian, our server, who made the dining experience even more memorable with his top-notch service. We'll definitely be back for more! We ordered: -Lychee Pom Pom -Dragon's Den -Salmon Crudo -New England Clam Chowder -French Dip -Grilled Steak Fillet -Banana Pudding -Strawberry Cheesecake Follow @spinx17 for more NYC Food recs!

My meat loving friend gave me the liberty of picking the restaurant for our girls night out. When I told her it would be vegan she almost had a heart attack but decided to try it since she insisted on me selecting the restaurant. To her surprise, she loved the entire order and questioned if it was all vegan. Yes, the entire menu IS VEGAN! Let's begin with: Food: we ordered the Mac and Cheese, calamari, steak and potatoes, a burger and cocktails. Everything was flavorful and cooked with love. We both kept saying "oh my GAWWWWWD" in disbelief of how delicious the food was. They were well balanced flavors and textures that mimicked the real thing. The drinks were also exceptional! Service: Our waitress was attentive and had an extensive understanding of the menu. She made the recommendations and we were pleased with her choices. We gave her a nice tip! Ambiance: Intimate and good for conversation. The only con was that the AC was not working properly so we broke a sweat as we enjoyed the food. I'm summary, my meat loving friend and I enjoyed our meal and she said she would return. That innitself is a surprise. This place is a must!

What's not to like. Everything we ordered from the clam chowder, the mac and cheese, steak entrée, chicken entrée and the chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream was absolutely delicious. Seriously, the flavor and texture of everything we ate was spot on. Good location for a date. Metered parking on the main road (8th ave) or free parking the side streets.