Restaurants promoted with Guinness Book of World Records-worthy superlatives are usually lacking in other key areas, making them rarely worth visiting more than once. So as the “World’s Highest Urban Craft-brewery,” LeVel33 is exceptional in that it covers nearly all the bases at a literally high level. The golden-hued, high-ceilinged interior is a gorgeously modern space in which to quaff their good microbrews, happily buzzing without being too loud.
Service is as good as you’ll find at luxury hotels and the view is awesome, arguably the best of any bar in the city. As a venue, LeVel33 deserves 4 stars. Unfortunately it aspires to be more than a brewpub, offering a more upscale restaurant experience where the menu is more extensive, sophisticated and expensive.
But the problem isn’t that you’re paying $20-40 for appetizers and $30-50 for mains; both on paper and in appearance they’re seemingly worth it. The problem is that they don’t seem to be cooked by the same people or at least with the same passion or precision as the chef who designed them. Carpaccio smothered in so much sauce it might as well have been a dip ($24). Veal cheeks cooked to mush, buried in gravy and served with hardened mounds of mash ($36). Bone-in-tenderloin tragically ruined by too much salt ($45). (Overzealous salting affected all of our mains.)
Perhaps we caught the kitchen on a bad night, but we couldn’t help but wonder if the team that normally cooked the bar snacks had stepped in for the regular dinner crew. Whatever the reason, until some changes are made, we recommend that you take the casual route and order off the bar menu with its more affordable items.
