Had a reservation for dinner on a Tuesday evening and chose to sit outside. They are definitely on the side of where the sun is setting since we got baked at the first table then moved only to get baked again as the sun went down. The drinks were very good. The service was good. The Caesar salad was very good. The teriyaki cod with rice and veggies was ok. It was definitely too charred in the top of the fish but good overall. The pork chop dinner was very good and the chicken was ok nothing great. Overall a great place to eat but if you are sitting outside watch for the sun setting. read more

After two recent visits, ZEST bar+grille has really stepped up in unexpected ways. My girlfriend and I always enjoyed the restaurant due to it food, drinks, view, and overall aesthetic, as well as its quality staff. But now, their meals have advanced to another plain. The grilled salmon was phenomenal. Perfectly cooked and seasoned, and with amazing rice and blistered tomatoes, it was an absolute treat. My girlfriend got a couple of small plates and she loved her meal as well. In the morning, we returned for brunch, which usually wasn't as good in the past. My girlfriend wanted scrambled eggs and bacon and fries. Since I was starving, I indulged in the beef poutine with onion gravy over fries and with an egg -- as well as the blistered tomatoes. Absolutely phenomenal (along with a great cappuccino). The flavors were truly incredible. Kimberly, the server who may be the best in town, took care of us, which only added to our experience. She is a stellar ambassador to ZEST. Reservations were fast and easy. Upon arrival (both times) we were seated immediately. The only strange thing had nothing to do with ZEST: Even within the restaurant, if you search for "brunch near me" or "breakfast near me," ZEST does not come up at all. That's a shame because many souls may be missing out on a fantastic experience. read more

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Zest is a New American restaurant located on S New St. in Bethlehem. They are open Tue - Thu 5PM - 9:30PM, Fri 5PM - 10PM, Sat 4PM - 10PM, and Sun 10AM - 2PM. My friends and I stopped by for happy hour last Thursday and were lucky enough to get a table on the terrace. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and view overlooking the steel stacks and Bethlehem was picturesque. We began with the charcuterie board and crispy bao buns. The board featured an assortment of meats, cheeses, pickles, and crostini. The bao buns were filled with braised short rib, pickled pepper, and cilantro lime aioli. I enjoyed the braised short rib on the bao buns so much I chose the braised short rib for my entree. The dish was served with saffron pearled cous cous, spiced carrots, Swiss chard, and a flavorful pomegranate beef jus, all of which complimented the tender short rib beautifully. Pickup is available, but there is no delivery. Happy hour is Tue - Fri from 5PM - 6:30PM. Charcuterie Board - 8.1 Crispy Bao Buns - 8.2 Braised Short Rib - 8.3 Food - 8.2 Service - 8.5 Value - 8.0 Restaurant score - 82 read more

ZEST bar+grille - Sea Scallops - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Take the elevator to the top floor, where a friendly hostess greeted us warmly. The service was above average, and the restaurant itself is stunning--definitely one of Bethlehem's more upscale dining spots. The ambiance is elegant, making it a great choice for a celebration or special night out. The Crispy Chicken Dumplings with soy yuzu sauce and cucumber jicama slaw were outstanding! Mixed Greens with shaved carrots, red onion, tomato, cucumber, and balsamic vinaigrette were fresh but nothing extraordinary. Miso Butter Shrimp was solid, rating a 7/10, while the Salmon was decent at 6/10, and the Vegetarian Pasta was also fine. For dessert, the Banoffee Trifle was very enjoyable at 7/10, and the S'mores Lava Cake with vanilla ice cream (a great nut-free option!) was a highlight--absolutely delicious, 9/10. Overall, a highly recommended spot for birthdays or special occasions! read more

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Enjoyed a date night here with a reservation on the roof top. The weather wasn't too bad although there was a slight breeze they have several warmers out on the roof top that helped with staying warm. Our server was very friendly! The drinks were good and strong lol. Our food was delicious! I had the " butchers cut" which was the steak of the day being a 20oz porterhouse I believe and my girlfriend had the grilled pork chop. We would definitely come here again! read more

Great spot!! The service was fantastic. The food was excellent. The service was spot on. Everything I asked he did. If I asked for a recommendation, he gave me the best recommendation. Can you give me the craziest thing but he made sure that he gave me what he knows that is good and everything is excellent. I got the filet mignon and the dumplings and they were out of this world! read more

The menu was not what I preferred and the view was a street and the top of some ugly buildings . Our waitress was wonderful

ZEST!!!! I work in the Lehigh Valley and am usually quick to get out as soon as possible because my commute stinks, but decided on a day off to venture back. We were attending a comedy show at Wind Creek and grabbed dinner before. Wanted to find something special, since this was also our anniversary celebration. At Zest- celebrate we did!!! Our bellies celebrated and it was incredible!! The restaurant was packed when we arrived, but were happily and readily seated for our reservation. A nice quiet table in back, yea! Our service was delightful and she checked on us regularly. Conversational, attentive and so polite. The food pace was terrific even considering how busy it was. We started with the bread plate and bone marrow apps. Loved the butter accompaniments with the bread! (I think I am also a bread and butter addict, lololol). The bone marrow did not have much substance, but tasted well and I checked a new eat off the list For entrees, my fiancé had the short ribs and I had a cod dish- Short ribs, fell apart, very good. The five stars most especially is attributed to my dish!!! WHAT????!!!!!! This cod was piping hot the whole time in my eating. But crispy and flaky, elevated in a way I've never had cod before. It was with a romesco, black garlic sauce, I believe, and veggies. The plate was beautifully put together but deconstructed. And cauliflower in the plate- Cauliflower and fish------ Now a new FAVORITE combo!! This cod dish was not only delicious it was inspiring- It changed my thoughts in cooking to a combination I hadn't tried before. And.....I tried to replicate it at home. Nice try, but congrats Zest, you win!!!!!!!! And lastly, they treated us with a glass of Prosecco to celebrate our anniversary. Very good work Zest!!! You'll make me want to hang out in The Valley more!!! read more

ZEST bar+grille - Bone Marrow App - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Recently booked a table for 5 for a birthday, which was noted on the res. Arrived a few minutes early and waited about 15 minutes past the res time to be seated. Was taken to a small room right off the entrance with no view and what seemed like no heat. We immediately went back to the hostess to request a warmer table and were told there weren't any. Meanwhile another party of 6 came in and was seated in the warmer part of the restaurant. Messaged the restaurant in the opentable app to let them know our displeasure, specifically since this is a rooftop establishment, the view is part of the experience and people in my party were cold. It also wasn't noted in the app that the seating would but be on the main part of the restaurant, like so many other bookings will note. We resigned ourselves to a less then ideal situation and proceeded to order drinks. The waitress was excellent and service throughout the night was spot on. After our drinks arrived management offered us two small round tables pulled together in the main part of the restaurant, which we declined since we were already seated and settled in. We then ordered apps. Highly recommend the roasted chickpeas, they are always amazing, unlike any we've had elsewhere. After our apps arrived management informed us they would be comped and offered another regular table which we also declined as it would just be awkward to move at this point in time. And while appreciated, actually brought the less the ideal situation back into the conversation again. Our mains arrived and everything was as expected. The pork chop and braised rib were excellent, with the mahi mahi was well received by one but not by another. The lobster mac, which is an app but was ordered as a main, was also fairly good. So overall just an ok experience this time, noting management did try to remediate. If the single larger table had been offered immediately or if we had been informed that if we waited longer before seating us it would have been available, that would have been a satisfactory resolution. They also need to note in opentable the type of seating, as we would have booked elsewhere knowing we would be staring at four walls and not windows on a rooftop restaurant. read more

Food was excellent! Drinks were amazing! Expresso martini is a must! We got to sit outside and enjoy the view! Our waitress was great!! read more

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Wow- an absolutely fabulous surprise! Wonderful experience. Will be back soon. Started with the Roasted Bone Marrow appetizer. It was so delicious, melted in your mouth atop roasted bread. Wagyu Beef was so buttery and tender. Topped with bone marrow butter. The dish was absolutely divine! Also ordered the Grilled Scallops & Shrimp, gluten & dairy free. It was very tasty. Sat outside with a view of the valley - very picturesque. Can't wait to go back! read more

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We visited for brunch on 10/26, We ordered the cheesesteak empanadas as an appetizer and were underwhelmed due to the lack of meat inside. Our breakfast burger was ordered medium and was served rare/raw. We had to send the burger back to be remade as it was grossly undercooked. The monte cristo sandwich was mushy and eggy so overall we could assume the food was rushed to be put out and not cooked properly. We requested to have a discount taken off the total bill due to having to wait for our entree to be remade and they denied our request. Terrible food, terrible customer service. Will not be returning. read more

So I stayed at the Comfort Suites in the same parking area for work these past couple of days. I work for a classic bar and loved having a bar to get a drink or two after work. After two nights coming I was "flagged" by management. This is not hospitality. They DO NOT give the "all welcome" vibe. Maybe if I was an older couple drunk and making out at the bar I would not have been "flagged". To boot the fact the bartender told me this was even WORSE. Be a good establishment and train your employees appropriately. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS read more

The food at Zest is ok, not great, not bad. The best thing was the butter lettuce salad, fresh and delicious. I got the charcuterie platter which basically had salami from the grocery store and cheese that was nothing special. I want local speciality cheeses and meats when I pay $30. The mustard and hot/sour sauces accompanying were not ver good. The crispy chickpeas are good but very dry, they need to be served with something else. I did have 2 cocktails that were pretty good. That's it, not many places to go in Bethlehem so it's up to you. read more

i'm really disheartened tonight ... i stopped in for a cocktail and they automatically added a %20 gratuity to my bill. it was insulting, as i always added at least 20% .. but it's up to my discretion to decide my tip. when asked about the extra charge. the bartender said it was because of valentine's day. really... i'm a local and enjoy this restaurant, but won't be back soon. i'm also in the service industry , hair stylist.. yet i don't get 20%, and i'm doing more then serving a dinner or making a drink. i do a entire service. so i feel this is a rip off. so heads up this weekend.. check your bill... it doesn't matter for a drink or dinner. where do they get off adding this charge.. yes i do sometimes add more on for my service.. i work in a salon and now add a 3% for credit but not for cash...so why am i being charge extra.. i'm very disappointed and will not be patronizing this eststablishment any longer...rather go to easton than bethelem.. enjoy the rip off read more

Great birthday dinner with my mom! My daughter is up at Lehigh so we went up to celebrate. Zest did not disappoint. Service excellent. View wonderful! Be back for our next celebration'n read more

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Nice Place. View is great if you get a window seat. Terribly over priced for food I can cook at home. unfortunatley there is no wow factor to the food but they charge like its New York. Disappointed to pay 250 dollars for valentine dinner of 2 with fish and rice that was decent and a duck bolognese that had no signs of duck or any kind of meat in it. It tasted like tomato sauce over pasta. And i can make a better tasting tomato sauce than that. Over priced, food needs some work if they want to charge NY prices. read more

Great trendy place in Bethlehem. Beautiful views and on-trend seasonal/rotational menu. Drink selection is fun. Great for happy hours, dinners, girls nights or dates. read more

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Come here for the ambience! Atmosphere is great. Everything is very modern from the light fixtures, to the plates, etc. Hit or miss with some food items. Appetizers - Shrimp and Scallop agnolotti - jam with bacon has the most flavor but the agnolotti tastes like a soggy dumpling with little flavor - would pass on this appetizer - Chicken dumplings - awesome, little on the heavier side but my favorite of the appetizers - Crab mango spring rolls - lightly crispy fried, great sauce little sweet, great for a lighter appetizer - Crispy Chickpeas - not unique for me but I'm also not a huge chickpea fan - Mixed greens: as expected nothing different Drinks - Colada tini - smells like a piña colada, and has a more orange juice taste to it but awesome if you like coconut pineapple - would recommend! - Zangria - very aesthetic looking, has a strong ginger beer taste sangria, if you like ginger beer then you will like this otherwise just ok Entree - Short ribs - soft, little dry, mash potatoes were not as creamy as I'd like. Overall decent not amazing. Dessert - Creme brûlée was awesome! The custard was amazing - I was looking forward to the torte but this was definitely better - Flourless torte: has both a dense and fluffiness to it, not as heavy as traditional flourless cake, was warmed so a little gooey, tasty and enjoyed Shoutout to Hannah who was our main server. She was very polite, and staff came in throughout the day. Could have been a little more attentive with water but otherwise great Food: 3.5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambience: 5/5 Overall: 4.5/5 You should come for the ambience, there are some great dishes but also some that are lacking and felt too many dishes didn't meet expectations. I still enjoyed and would recommend! read more

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Zest was excellent. I had the burger--it was perfectly cooked, juicy, and full of flavor. The ingredients tasted fresh and the presentation was spot on. Service was friendly and quick, and the overall vibe was relaxed and welcoming. Great place for a casual meal done right. read more

Awesome ambiance and great service. Eclectic app choices and great entrée choices. Beautiful views of city. read more

ZEST bar+grille - Shrimp and scallops - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Everything from entrance to exit was excellent . The cocktails , charcuterie, board, artesian, breads, posture of the day Barada salad and ribs were phenomenal Hannah , our waitress, was also excellent! I would definitely zest again many times! read more

Solid 4-4.5. Service and atmosphere always great (love that it overlooks Bethlehem). Food doesn't live up the price (although the appetizers are good). Drinks are usually good but like the food, it's pricey. If you're looking for a meal that that is about the experience, look no further than zest. read more

It started off with a sangria - amazing! Then we had the Crab & mango spring rolls- Super Amazing! Jill had the salmon, which she said was excellent. I'm had the filet with a side of scallops- Super Super Amazing!! Our server, Deanna was just fabulous! If you can request her- do it! read more

My friend and I went to Zest Sunday morning for their brunch. My friend was dressed in a lovely dress and carried a water bottle because it was 80° and humid out. When we arrived at the front desk to request a table for two they proceeded to tell us that bringing a water bottle in was a health code violation. They made my friend go to the bathroom and dump out her water bottle. I questioned them saying that bring a water bottle into a restaurant wasn't a health code violation. We decided to get seated, but then left because I knew in my heart that bringing a water bottle into a restaurant was not a health code violation. After doing some research, codes states, in some municipalities it is a health code violation to bring a water bottle into a restaurant. However, in the City of Bethlehem, specifically it is not a health violation. The three women at the front desk all back and supported her in her false claim that bringing the water bottle into a restaurant was a health code violation. I am here to say that this woman working in the front desk, had no idea what she was claiming and also ultimately judged my friend, made assumptions, and had prejudices. Zest lost a patron who regularly went to the restaurant for the last 10 years. I would never return. People can't get away with just making up false claims because they perceived a person to be a certain way. It was discrimination to its core. read more

First time at Zest. Absolutely one of the best places in Bethlehem. We will definitely be back. I had the shrimp and scallops appetizer and my wife had the chicken dumplings. Both were outstanding! Our main courses were a special of the day before pasta dish with shrimp and brazed short rib. Amazing flavors. My wife had the filet with 1/2 lobster tail. Melt in your mouth fantastic. Dessert we shared a peanut butter chocolate crem brûlée. Absolutely to die for, decadent. We all ready have plans to return and this time we are bring some friends along to experience Zest! read more

ZEST bar+grille - Special pasta dish. Shrimp, short rib, 1/2 lobster tail. AMAZING! - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

This place really ups the competition in the Lehigh Valley.  As a native, I was blown away with the caliber of this place.  The top floor location of the restaurant is beautiful, albeit a little confusing to get to the first time.  Don't worry, there are plenty of signs. We sat on the mostly-enclosed outdoor heated deck in early April.  You'd be hard-pressed to tell you were outside.  Our party of 4 got a variety of drinks and appetizers to share.  Among them: Crispy Chicken Dumplings, Grilled octopus, ZEST Caesar, Crispy Short Rib Buns and a couple of flatbreads of the day.  The Crispy Chicken Dumplings were my favorite.  They have a great food and drink menu as well, featuring beers from Saucony Creek, which were fun to try.  I'd love to return to try the Sunday Brunch. read more

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Earns a solid 4* for quality, service and location but has a potential to be a fully excellent place. But I digress from the whole story. I was looking for a place to have dinner on Valentine's day. Made several reservations for later times but fortunately or unfortunately needed an earlier time and Zest was able to accommodate, which was great, so we arrived at the appointed time and WOW! The views are spectacular (remind me to visit in the summer for dinner on the terrace)! They just opened and I guess we were one of the first and this is why the review as 4*. The menu is Prix Fixe for Valentine's day and a lot of innovative dishes we wanted to try weren't available, so we ordered a Halibut and Duck breast medium rare we just wanted to share and a couple of appetizers (Shiitake Fritters and Crispy Chicken Dumplings) the appetizers where good but some of the ones we wanted to try weren't on the menu for Valentine's day. Also the Duck came out well done, which had to be redone and it was with great haste and to perfect condition (gotta give the kitchen props) but I think that because we were one of the first the dishes may have come out a little earlier then they should have and got overfinished under the lamp but I am guessing. Overall I think this is a great place to visit and have dinner but I think that for the Valentine's day a little more innovative menu may have made for a better choice even at Prix Fixe. read more

I really love this restaurant. Been here a few times and it doesn't disappoint. The view of the city is terrific. The food is always prepared well and tastes delicious. The wait staff is also very nice and accommodating. The only recommendation I would make is; don't sit outside on the covered patio when the weather turns cold. The view is not great becasue of the plastic sheets and it is really noisy. But again the food is great! read more

If you're looking for a restaurant with outstanding food and ambiance, this is your place. My group and I made reservations for Sunday brunch for a friend's birthday. We arrived and were seated right away. We were not only greeted by friendly staff but a gorgeous view of the Lehigh River and Steel Mills. Would recommend requesting seats near the window. We were sat towards the interior of the restaurant, but honestly not a bad seat in the house. In the warmer months too there's a nice rooftop dining option. Now on to the service. We were very promptly greeted at our table by our server Travis who was excellent. He was attentive from the moment we sat down until the moment we left. He made sure our water glasses were always filled, gave great recommendations, and made one delicious Bloody Mary. Speaking of adult beverages, there is an extensive brunch drink menu including the classics like mimosas but also numerous other additional options as well. There's even a mimosa tower that looked super fun for $75. More than enough for an entire table to make Sunday into Sunday funday. Brunch menu had all the classics but elevated classics. I had the chicken sausage eggs Benedict and it was delicious. It also came with potatoes and they were cooked to perfection. Potion sizes were very generous and food presentation was on point. Everyone at the table was beyond satisfied with their meal and left full and happy. Also bonus, parking is free in the parking garage attached to the building Zest is in so no need to walk outside to access the restaurant which is convenient for winter months and inclement weather. I can only speak to brunch as this was my first time at Zest, but based on tasting the brunch food/drinks leads me to believe dinner would be enjoyable as well. Definitely looking forward to going back. read more

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Great views. Nice wine selection, and check out the bottles they have not on the wine menu, I've had some gems. The food is terrific and the changing menu options make it always worth going back. Views are nice, atmosphere is nice. Plenty of parking! read more

Meh. Meh. Meh. Service food meh meh Views are great Bartender would rather play on phone. My drink sat empty OVERRATED read more

Wait time could use improvement as I had to wait 20minutes even though I had a prior reservation. However the service was top notch, the waiter was respectful and very friendly. The atmosphere was lovely and the food was delicious. The chicken dumplings were also delicious, I sadly ate them before getting a picture. read more

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My husband and I came here to celebrate with an early anniversary dinner witha very last minute reservation and were so pleased. We enjoyed Caesar salads, short rib and the bolognese special. I had a zestini and a glass of Malbec. Cocktail was made perfectly- great taste and not weak either (my biggest pet peeve is when I get one and the bartender gives me just juice so I was very pleased) My husband got two beers. Our waitress was attentive, our food was out in a very timely manner, and it was really delicious. We came on the hottest night of the year but still enjoyed their outdoor patio. We liked the way the indoor seating was set up as well. Can't wait to come back and enjoy the patio later at night sometime. read more

ZEST bar+grille - Short rib and bolognese special of the day - New American Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

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So we went to Zest in '19 shortly after it opened and it was good, but not great and I gave them 5 stars due to being new. Obviously it wasn't over the top because we just returned now with our of town guests to show off the views. Well the atmosphere and views were there and pleased that we got seated outside to see the Steel Stacks. Now for the pros: -Great professional service. Waitress was amazing!!! -Atmosphere -Appetizers were good Cons: -Drinks took forever to get delivered. They probably could have milked another $30 of drinks out of use if we got them faster. We were sucking down our water waiting in between drinks. -2 of the Martinis ordered were watered down. -Entree's - 3 out of 4 were not good. The duck was way too fatty (Wegmans sell better quality) and the beans were bland and chalky. The sea bass was only seasoned on one side and the special (pasta) was bland. The reason I'm reviewing this place again is because I wanted to see if they stepped up their quality of food and drink, but it got worse. I certainly won't steer folks away from here because the overall experience was still good and staff is awesome. Hope this review helps. read more

Had a great experience at zest while in town. Went to check out the brand new igloos which are perched atop the outside deck. Cozy and warm with attentive service made it a great experience. The food and drinks were great. Our server, Johnny, was super attentive and knowledgeable when asked for suggestions. We were a little shocked at the end of the meal when we were told there was a 300 minimum for the two of us. As we booked through Open Table I thought oh boy I kissed the fine print. I asked to speak to the manager and promptly was greeted by Lee. He immediately said they were waiving the minimum as it wasn't entirely clear on the reservation system. He was awesome and took feedback from my wife and I. That's what great customer service is all about. The only thing keeping this from being a five star was the risotto was a bit bland. Otherwise, a wonderful experience. The igloos are a ton of fun too, just go with a large party! read more

The food was excellent, the service (Emily) was outstanding, and the view of Bethlehem was beautiful.

Amazing staff and place. Beautiful view and ambiance. Excellent food. The atmosphere was very elegant and classy. Will definitely comeback again. read more

We've been to Zest a number of times but haven't been there for a while. We ordered Seared Salmon which was not seared. It was under cooked, the skin still on it. The side dish was a melody of veggies. The food was bland a plebeian's delight -flavorless, mushy, and missed matched with the Salmon-- non complimentary. Since we were with a small party celebrating a birthday, the guest paid for themselves. Restaurant charged an automatic 20% gratuity. Arrogant and greedy-- charged other guests extra for sauce which they skimped on their entrees , extra for more cheese for an appetizer that they skimped on and the the drinks were overpriced-for a third of a wine glass$14!! Bottle $67 ( bought the same wine for New Year's Eve-$15) The 2star rating is for the server, loud but nice and the separate room we had for privacy. read more

Came here during Oct. because it was highly recommended. I had made reservations to sit outside but upon arrival they mentioned the outdoor seating was closed. We got a table inside, server was nice but very confused on the menu items and specially on the wine list. Food was good. Overall the experience was okay. read more