Boqueria W40th

★★★★☆ 4.1 (839) • $$$

"I had a phenomenal dinner out on my own at Boqueria while staying at the AC Hotel. Tapas for one isn't always a fulfilling adventure but I sat at the bar, and Manny the bartender took great care of me. I started off with the Pineapple Express (mezcal, aperol, pineapple, blood orange and ginger). It was the right amount of sweet and spicy. Manny then offered up some great food suggestions and I loved the Pintxos Morunos (lamb skewers with an exquisite salsa verde) and the Ensalada Vasca (market lettuce, spring herbs, and creamy garlic dressing), which sounds simple but had complex and well-balanced flavor. I finished up with the Churros Clásicos with Nutella. Everything was perfect from the food, ambiance, music, and service! Would happily return!"

Kashkaval Garden

★★★★☆ 4.2 (735) • $$

"Went on a cloud and blistery night and was blown away when I was walked to my table. It was in a lovely corner, all decorated, low lighting and beautiful ambiance. I felt like i was in a ski chalet. Not a large room but our table was situated in the corner where it felt intimate.Ordered a glass of lovely wine and an appetizer sampler. I have to say that we were in heavy debate on whether we should do the fondue instead but then decided we must come back and try the fondue. We ordered the hummus, babaganush, sweet potato hummus and one other. The pita bread was huge and came out warm . So good! We all loved it.Next came the main course and as a vegetarian felt like they had amazing options. I got the king oyster skewers, falafel skewers and mushroom bulgar. My friends got the octopus and falafel skewers and my other friend the grain bowl. We all loved what we had and were stuffed and couldn't finish our meals or order dessert.Would highly recommend and will definitely be back."

Tomiño Taberna Gallega

★★★★☆ 4.4 (495) • $$$

"Loved the food and the environment at Tomiño. The service was very attentive and friendly.Really recommend getting the the perfectly cooked Pulpo or octopus tapas and the Squid Ink Rice! We finished with the assorted sorbet. Please try the yogurt sorbet, it's so refreshing and creamy!I'll definitely be back again to try other items on the menu!"

Socarrat Paella Bar - Nolita

★★★★☆ 3.8 (609) • $$$

"Nice cozy restaurant- came here with family for restaurant week. Our server was great and gets 4 stars. He was hussling between many tables. Very friendly and efficient.We ordered the following tapas for our appetizers: croquettes, shrimp and brussel sprouts. Tasty all around!For our paellas - we ordered three options: paella socarrat, paella arroz negro and paella de la huerta. Most flavorful option was the 'la Huerta' version. The other options might not have been as flavorful was because the ingredients may have been added on top of the rice and didn't have enough time to absorbed the ingredients' flavors. Still good but we had high hopes for the flavor.Desserts - flan was hands down the better choice over churros."

Excuse My French

★★★★☆ 4.3 (383) • $$

"Came here with my friend for dinner! The food was amazing especially the black truffle ravioli! I really enjoyed my experience (and the Sunday happy hour!)"

Mazzat

★★★★★ 4.6 (289) • $$

"I love everything about Mazzat and have been patronizing this business regularly since my first review. It might also be safe to say that I tried almost (except red meat) everything on the menu.I had the pleasure of dining here recently and it was an exceptional experience. From the adorable ambience and great service to the excellent Mediterranean food--Mazzat is amazing and never disappoints.Happy hour runs until 7 PM with some great specials in place such as their delicious Aperol Spritz at $10. This was my selection and made very well. There's a nice variety of cocktails in addition to wine/beer.What I really like about Mazzat is the ability to share smaller plates, tapas style and go from there. We selected 3 appetizers: Chicken Cigars, Kibbeh, and Cauliflower. I didn't try the Kibbeh because it was lamb, but each appetizer had its own special side sauce.I highly recommend the Cigars--a guaranteed winner. These Cigars can be made with either chicken or lamb. Every time I dine in I can never pass them up.The Cauliflower was a delightful treat. Like the Cigars, lightly fried and a crowd pleaser. The florets (about 10 in total) with dipping sauce was great for sharing.We went on to select two mains--1. Grilled Chicken accompanied by fluffy Middle Eastern style rice and green beans. This dish was white and thigh meat flattened and charbroiled. Prepared very well, it's a popular pick at Mazzat. I am a huge fan of the rice!2. The other main was the Branzino which was very delicious and served whole. Here's a warning: the server recommended to order the fish whole, but there's plenty of bones. I am experienced eating whole fish but it can be scary for some individuals due to the bones. It's also scary for me at times. I recommend to order it filet style. The fish was accompanied by garlic/lemon potatoes and Green Beans Almondine. It was a first for me and very well executed. We enjoyed this ocean fresh pick very much. Recommend!Our selections of three appetizers and two mains was filling and very shareable. As we came close to the finish line, we couldn't pass up on dessert. Although they serve Tiramisu and Baklava among some others, we selected the traditional home made Kunafa, a special Middle Easter style dessert resembling a bird's nest (to me). It's a woven sweetened phyllo dough surrounded by fruit (trawberries or bananas) topped with vanilla ice cream and sprinkled with Pistachio nuts. I've never tasted anything quite so good. A must try.Mazzat is one of my all time favorite gems in the neighborhood. If you haven't tried it yet, make it a point to do so. With excellent food, great service and adorable atmosphere, it hits all the right notes.So solid. So good."

Debajo

★★★★☆ 4.4 (97)

"The place is nice and comfortable. It has a modern look. The service is ok. The staff know the food and they are attentive. The food is "ok". Perhaps I am picky because I know Spanish food. I know some of the dishes are just canned even though they could actually make them by themselves (as they do in most spanish bars). I thought the chistos would actually be the sausage, but it's more like little hotdogs! The best dishes: the octopus is good (I wonder if they buy the octopus raw and cook there - I didn't ask). The patatas bravas were good. The shrimp were good. The cauliflower was tasty but it was not really a Spanish dish. I've stayed away from Spanish food in NYC so I can't compare but it is inferior to at least most bars in Spain."

The Rusty Face

★★★★★ 4.5 (90)

"They have a small but varied menu with daily specials. Decent vegetarian options. The cocktail offerings at happy hour are limited but tasty. I wish they'd lose the huge tv at the bar though. Total vibe killer and not what people go there for. It's a catch up with friends or chill date spot."

Via Toscana

★★★★☆ 4.4 (34)

"We wanted to choose a restaurant on the same street where we were attending a show. I read the Yelp reviews prior to booking this restaurant. We were greeted, seated, and served by the chef owner. He was delightful and entertaining. We first ordered drinks and enjoyed our conversation with the owner. The restaurant is long and narrow, with patio dining weather permitting. The ambiance was warm and comfortable. We relied on the owner choices on appetizers and entrees. Before any food came, we already downed our second drinks. I love to provide a review of our menu choices, but I have little memory of how good they were. I ordered the bronzino, and I believe it was delicious. We were spending most of our dining experience hanging out with the chef owner, which was actually informative and fun. ."

Los Dos Hermanos

★★★★☆ 3.5 (47)

"I like stopping by here when visiting the my family in BK. I've never had a bad experience. The waiters and owner are always polite and friendly. The food is cooked fresh and is very flavorful. Next time I'm stopping by for brunch!!"

Mezquila Bar & Restaurant

★★★★★ 5 (18)

"My friends and I came here on a weeknight for happy hour. The drinks and food off the happy hour menu were delicious! The bartender as well as the owner were so attentive and great. We will definitely be coming back again."

Aria West Village

★★★★☆ 3.5 (36)

"Came here with a friend who normally loves Asian but really wanted to try their pasta. She swore by their bolognese, and so I also got the cheese truffle gnocchi to just keep things a little more diversified on the table. Things we got:Fresh mozz and Tomato appetizer: (They were out I think of the buffala).PROS:- probably the most healthiest thing we ate minus the cheese haha.- good portions, we could share it and still had enough appetite for our pasta (thank goodness)- not overly salted (some places add way too much for some odd reason)CONS:- not so much a con, but I'd like a little bit more olive oil to go. Just a personal note for me.Truffle GnocchiPROS:- GREAT quantity. It's a whole freaking bowl (almost) of fresh made gnocchi- super soft, super fluffy melt in your mouth gnocchi pasta- nice flavors, not overly saltyCONS:- did NOT have as much of a truffle taste as I anticipated. - too much cheese and cream. (see picture). Some people love dairy, and while I like it this was a bit overkill. And I am not lactose intolerant.Bolognese Pasta:PROS:- great quantity- pasta tasted almost freshly made- good balance in the meat sauce, not too salty, not too watery, coats the pasta well.- (it's also my favorite kind of pasta)CONS:- dumb me should have gotten this instead. (NONE except for diner error).Oh man, was this good? Yes. I'd definitely come back for the bolognese. Had to take off one star for the gnocchi and also the lighting. Ate indoors for this one, but it was well ventilated. Service was fantastic, very attentive, never had to ask for anything. Forgot to take a picture of the tiramisu which was equally as good (or maybe I can't find it on my phone). They do require a CC reservation with a $50 hold (understandable given COVID). It's well worth the trip though, esp for that bolognese pasta (and I usually do not gravitate towards Italian food!)"

Socarrat Paella Bar - Chelsea

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$$

"We celebrated my sister's birthday at this venue. The staff was friendly and made sure we were well taken care of. We had a fantastic time. The portion sizes are generous; contrary to some reviews, I didn't find it expensive. We finished every dish, even when we were already full. My only recommendation is to include sitting for people who may have difficulty using high chairs inside the venue."

Boqueria

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$$

"The flavors in the lamb skewers were impeccable. It was so tender and juicy. I wasn't even hungry since I just had ramen from a place close by. I came here for drinks and left stuffed. My red sangria was light so I switched to the rose sangria which has rose wine, tequila and grapefruit. I would choose this over the red."

Izakaya MEW

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$

"Everything here was delicious! We found this place randomly while searching for a place to eat after watching a show at the Lincoln Center.We happened to arrive a few minutes before the restaurant opened and when we got in line, we were the 3rd or 4th in line without a reservation. And then, the line got really long very fast. And once we entered the restaurant and was seated, the place filled up super duper fast and soon people coming in were informed of long waits. This is a great place for a night out or a date with a cool interior with interesting decorations. The servers were super nice and fast, which is smart because it helps turn over customers quicker. BUT they don't rush you at all, FYI.Back to the food, everything was delicious. Yes, I know I said that already, but I will say it again. It was hard to choose just enough food for 2 people. Food was definitely not cheap, but exorbitantly expensive for izakaya and sushi dishes. Here are the dishes my friend and I tried and were good:-age tofu ($8.95) - deep fried tofu in soy broth-Sashimi Moriawase ($22.95) - Chef's assorted sashimi selection-Amakara Sweet & Sour Ribs ($11.95) - Marinated sweet and sour fried pork ribs-Geso Kara ($13.95) - Deep-fried squid legsThis is definitely a popular place and worth checking out if you are in the area and you like Japanese food. Tips:-Make a reservation! Or go stand and wait and try to be the first few to go in when they open for the day.-They have their menu online with pictures, so it's helpful to see what the menu items are.-I saw a lot of people eating alone, so go even if it's only you. :)-Or maybe go with more people so that you can try more dishes. :)"

Alta

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"Google maps says PERMANENTLY CLOSED. I take them at their word. I should call but I won't."

Salinas

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$$

"What a hidden gem! Except maybe it was just hidden to me? I've walked by Salinas a million times, but I never thought twice about its unassuming exterior and simple neon blue sign. We wandered in on a rainy Thursday evening, because my bf was craving patatas bravas and Tia Pol was full, and we were taken aback by how large and cute this restaurant was! It was very busy, but we were able to be seated by the bar and then graciously upgraded to a table in the front room when a reservation didn't show up. The bar room was a little noisy, with a live dj, but we looooved the front room, with a quieter ambiance, comfy booths, and a lovely library vibe with the fireplace and bookshelves. Here's what we ordered:- Berenjena: Japanese eggplant with toasted pistachios and pistachio-anchovy aioli. The aioli was delicious but this was probably my least favorite dish. It was still good, but didn't stand out as much as the others. The pistachios were a little too crumby for me. - Bravas Marinas: patatas bravas with a twist! And the twist is caviar so they can justify charging $22 for potatoes. This was a solid dish, with well-cooked potatoes that fulfilled my bf's cravings. However, we both agreed that while the caviar was good at first, the fishy taste doesn't fit that well with the traditional flavor of patatas bravas. Good, but wouldn't order again. - Pulpo con cenizas: get this!!!!! This was probably my favorite dish we got. Well cooked octopus over a bed of black beans and... seaweed? When we were eating, I actually thought it was pasta. Anyways, I loved this dish. - Steak skewer special: I forgot the actual name of the dish because it was on the specials menu, but this was great! Generous portion of meat between three skewers over a bed of flavorful and crispy chickpeas, topped with a bright chimichurri. Delish! - Rossejat rapida: this dish took quite a while to come out, and we were joking that we hoped they forgot it because we were really full by this point, but I'm so glad we got this! First of all, the presentation was beautiful. I've never seen pasta like this, but I actually loved the short spaghetti shape - it was so easy to eat. It doesn't taste like Italian pasta at all, but I loved how unique this dish was, infused with saffron and with little chunks of chicken breast, fava beans, and salty chunks of chorizo. Reminded me a little of paella but with spaghetti instead of rice. I'd probably prefer the flavors of Italian pasta, but this dish is worth trying! I don't love paella so I was happy to try this Spanish pasta. Very happy with our meal at Salinas! If you want delish, elevated tapas in a romantic setting, I'd highly recommend. Spanish tapas is definitely not one of my favorite types of food, but I was thoroughly impressed and I would come again to try the cauliflower, arroz vasca, croquettes, and basque cheesecake."

Victor's Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"The place is near the theater so it was a great spot for lunch. The decor is set differently throughout in each section. The automotive hand fans that hang above are super cool to look at, not for cooling. There are seats for couples and groups. The umbrella table inside makes you feel like your outside. It also happened to be restaurant week. I ordered from the special tasting menu while my guests had the standard items. The place is visually pretty. Nice vibe. The food was well received and tasty. The presentation of the dishes were lovely. The Cuban coffee was better than the american.. go figure it's a Cuban restaurant!. I tried the creamy corn grits and shrimp. I would have loved some garlic in that. The battered shrimp were ok in the mix. As an entree the shrimp in a spicy creole sauce with wine boniato puree with boniato crisps. What is Boniato right?...a sweet potato. The Spanish description said camerones enchilados. This was tasty and not too spicy. The shrimp were medium sized. The puree combinations in the entrees for the snapper was sweet plantains. They dress the plates nicely. This came with delicious white rice and black beans If you like a puree you're winning. The tastting menu for restaurant week also came with flan. All nicely done. Others had the Cuban sandwich they asked for some garlic aoli. The flavors need a punch. Unfortunately, one guest had to send her meal back, the snapper wasn't fully cooked. The warning is that the location for the bathrooms are down stairs which wasn't favorable for the older guests. It's not disabled friendly. They recommend that you go next door to the hotel. Also, if you can make the trip downstairs, the walls are adorned with pictures and diffusers. The place smells nice. Note: The toilets go from very low to mid height. Stay away from the one on the far right if you are tall. It's for children. Nice place for ambiance for sure."

Briciola

★★★★☆ 4 • $$

"Food - 4/5 My group got the Daily special lamb shank with risotto, the steak and the burrata. The lamb shank with risotto is a big portion. The lamb was tender, not too gamey and very well seasoned. It was roasted well and was fall of the bone juicy with a good balance of fat and meat. The steak was cooked a perfect medium rare, salted to perfection and super juicy and tender. The burrata tasted fresh, mixed with the tomatoes. Service - 4/5 service was good, the waiter was attentive and refilled our drinks often. He was friendly and very informative when we had questions about the menu and wine. Ambiance - 4/5 the ambiance is decent. It mostly consists of high chairs and high tables which can get a little uncomfortable when sitting for prolonged dinners. The outdoor dining is nice though, excellent for a summer - fall dinner date!"

Casa Mono

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$$

"This cozy Spanish tapas restaurant in the East Village has a good assortment of small plates and Iberian wines. Atmosphere is lively, i.e., loud, but romantic (dark!). We had a party of 6*, and my Spanish co-worker ordered ~20+ small plates which were enjoyed by all. *The only ding is that their max capacity per table is 6 and they would not add an extra seat for our 7th co-worker, so the poor guy had to eat at the bar by himself."

Boqueria Flatiron

★★★★☆ 4 • $$$

"I clearly remember recommending tapas for dinner and then getting shot down by the group. Little did I know we ended up at Boqueria Flatiron for tapas. Some of the best tapas available in the city, too!The patatas bravas and the fries were the best dishes for the night.Octopus was way too chewy. Service was incredible with a slight hiccup caused by a nearby table saying our group was too loud.Inkind recommendations win over King of Yelp recommendations this one time."