La Nacional

While wandering through Chelsea, I happened to come across La Nacional and was immediately drawn in by its inviting atmosphere. Deciding to stop in for lunch turned out to be a fantastic choice. I started with the Pan Tomaca, a beautifully simple yet incredibly flavorful dish featuring fresh, ripe tomatoes spread over crispy, rustic bread, drizzled with high-quality olive oil. The balance of textures and flavors was spot on, proving that sometimes, the simplest dishes can be the most satisfying. The service was equally impressive--our server was warm, attentive, and happy to offer recommendations, making the entire experience even more enjoyable.Beyond the food, I also appreciated the cozy and welcoming ambiance, which made me feel like I had been transported to a charming eatery in Spain. Another highlight was the affordability--given the high quality of ingredients and execution, the prices were very reasonable, making it a great spot for a casual yet satisfying meal. I left feeling completely content and excited to return soon to explore more of their diverse and authentic Spanish menu.

Cute Spanish restaurant with a lot of history. The tortilla de patatas was very good & came with a super garlicky aioli. The paella had a ton of seafood on top. Everything was perfect for sharing.We sat indoors, but their "outdoor" dining was also very well built and warm. It felt like a natural extension of the restaurant.

I really liked La National. It's been on my list for some time and we happened to pass by so we went in and got seated on a Friday night without a reservation. Which was nice since it was pretty crowded. We chose to sit at the bar which I always like. We ordered drinks from the bartender. Just a glass of wine for me and soda for hubby. A server came to us for our food order. We LOVED the pan con tomate. Best I've ever had. The gambas ajillo were very good. Came in a small hot skillet. I had the meat and cheese plate for my main. It had a nice selection of chorizo, Iberico ham and salami. Along with manchego cheese, almonds and quince (?) paste. Really good bread on the side. Hubby had the chicken with garlic and roasted potatoes. Delicious. Too full for dessert or coffee. Service e was sweet all around especially bartender who gave us tastes of espresso martini. Would definitely return!!!

My fiancé and I came here for dinner with two friends. We made a reservation for a Saturday a week in advance via OpenTable and lots of spots were still available at the time. They have a very nice open seating area outside of the restaurant that has pretty lights and looks very green which is perfect for a nice summer night. We sat inside and it equally nice, with a rustic and classic tavern feel to it. Our waitress came by to get our order for drinks and we were shocked at how reasonably priced the alcohol was. I got a glass of white wine, my fiancé got a glass of cava, and our friends each got a cocktail, no drink being more expensive than $15 which is very good for NYC. We then put our order in for food. Our table had generous space for all our plates (which is always appreciated for tapas and not always the case). The food my fiancé and I tried:- croquetas: the table ordered croquetas de jamón. The order came with 6 of them as well as a side of aioli. I did not try these but my fiancé thought they could have been a little crispier on the outside. However, he said the filling was good and that the aioli provided a nice pairing to balance out the umami flavors. Very good for sharing! - patatas bravas: generous portion of patatas which are incredibly addictive so I'd still recommend getting one order per person (you will end up wanting to eat at least half). The potatoes had a crispy outside, and a moist and smooth inside. The aioli and brava sauce balance was perfect, bringing intermittent punches of heat but then smoothed over by the creamy aioli. These are definitely a little spicy but in my opinion it was the right amount. Would order again! - gambas al ajillo: we also got two orders of this since we figured one portion for 4 of us would be a little small. These came in a sizzling pan with the delicious olive oil and chunks of tender garlic. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and had a lot of flavor. They gave us bread on the side to soak up all the oily, garlicky goodness. The aroma was divine! Reasonably priced. - citrus seafood salad: this was a special on the menu for a lighter summer fare. The salad came cold, came with marinaded scallops and shrimp that had a citrus and tangy punch. The salad was bright, refreshing, had very nice pickled elements, as well as sweet nuttiness from toasted cashews. I thought this was very good and reminded me of a ceviche. My only comment is that I wish it had come with a little more seafood but overall very good.- arroz negro con pulpo: this also comes out in a sizzling pan, beautifully plated with two chunky tentacles. The rice was rich, had a deep sea flavor without being too fishy, and had the perfect texture. The octopus was definitely overcooked and chewy but the flavor was pretty good. I am a big fan of arroz negro and thought this was pretty good overall. - churros: delicious! Hands down some of the best churros I have had in the US. These were airy and light without being dry... they also had the perfectly crispy crust without being oily at all. I appreciated how the dough was like those of churros in Spain and have an almost savory flavor (something a lot of places in the US get wrong). The chocolate they came with was rich and chocolatey with just the right amount of sweetness to contrast with the savory dough without overpowering their flavor. There was some vanilla ice cream at the bottom which had hints of cardamom and added a nice cooling surprise at the end of the chocolate. Really enjoyed these a lot and would come back just for them. Overall, I thought La Nacional was a fantastic spot. Even though some of the dishes were definitely not the best I have had, the prices were pretty unbeatable and the ambiance was lovely. The overall quality of the food was higher than I anticipated and I left very full and satisfied. Highly recommend for tapas with friends or a date!

I was craving tapas after work one day and I'm super happy we ran into this spot! I've never been to Spain before but it felt like I was being transported to a restaurant in Barcelona~ the octopus was so tender and the croquettes were the perfect crunchy to creamy. The tomatoes were nice and fresh and all around the meal was so delicious! Vibes inside were cute as well, not too loud not too quiet, overall a great time! And the service was great!

- croquettes: the garlic mayo (?) was really yummy. There are two types of croquettes. The meat one was delicious!- paella: we got the combo paella and it was yummy! The seafood felt fresh and the overall flavor blended well together. While it doesn't taste completely authentic, it was still very yummy

Made a reservation for five for 7pm, we got there late and they were really cool about it despite us adding an additional seat. They accommodated us nicely and didn't make a big deal. I appreciated that. The server was nice and informative about the paella and the history of the restaurant. The food is overall delicious, I recommend the paella marisco, the shrimp and calamari are so good. The sangria was also pleasant but in my opinion a little too much ice/water. My fav dessert is the chocolate lava cake with the vanilla ice cream, so delicious! Too small though. If you do try any small plate then go for the pan tomaca with ham! I've had it with and without, but the ham is an extra $5. Overall, I came here twice and left bloated twice. Super filling!

This has become one of my new favorite restaurants. It has a friendly and homey atmosphere, and the restaurant has special origins to La Nacional society. They tell you more about the history and background of the restaurant when you arrive which I loved. We got the Negara paella which had squid ink, shrimp, and mussels. It was so good. The seafood was fresh and not sandy, the rice was cooked perfectly with a lot of flavor, and it came with a generous portion of seafood. We also got the patatas bravas which were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and the sauce paired so well. We shared this between two people and we ended up with some leftovers from the paella. The staff was really friendly. We did have to wait a bit for our food to come out, but it was well worth the wait! And the price is very reasonable in comparison to other paella restaurants in the city.

Such a cool vibe here. The layout so classy, sleek, and modern.Empanadas - Pretty good by themselves, I didn't care much for the sauce.Arroz de Lobster - Delicious! I enjoyed this rice more than the one in the paella.Marisco Paella - Huge and enjoyable. The seafood was cooked so well, especially the shrimp.Churros con Chocolate - My new favorite churros in the city. They were thick, crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside. The chocolate sauce was amazing. It was like a chocolate mousse pudding with cool vanilla cream at the bottom. We scooped it clean.

Decently priced tapas spot in West Village. The seafood is strongly flavored and I liked their lobster dish- though there wasn't as much meat as I'd have liked. I really liked their croquettes which had a strong mushroom flavor and were nice and crisp on the outside and soft in the inside. It also came with a creamy sauce that paired well with the crisp exterior. The shrimps were also tasty but a bit salty. Service was moderate, with us having to ask for refills of water multiple times (and then only filling the glass of the person who asked even when other glasses were empty).