Ruffian

Hmm... This is... Interesting! Dishes are a bit hit or miss. The wine is definitely the main draw. And service is impeccable. The food is not for me.Had a reservation here at 8:00 pm with my friends. Upon entering, it's cozy yet lively-- tiny space that's packed full of chattering customers. Given that it's mainly small bites, we ordered a variety to share.3 DIP SNACK PACK: The liptauer dip is to die for! First time trying this. Savory with a bit of heat. I liked this with their papadum more than the bread. The other dips were good, but didn't hold a candle to the first.CRISPY SPAETZLE: A bit... Sweet? Sweeter than I'd like. And not particularly crispy, more mushy and casserole-like in textureKHACHAPURI: Quite petite for a khachapuri, just enough to house the egg and a bit of cheese. It's fine.DUCK PIE: Dry? And not much of the sweetness of duck.I can appreciate that Ruffian's menu includes a variety of cultural influences more than most. While it's not for me, I am glad I tried it-- and would come back for their excellent selection of wines.

I had dinner at Ruffian a week or so ago when I was in NYC for a solo Labor Day weekend. I was so excited to have dinner here because it's a wine bar with a focus - on natural and Eastern European wines and vegetarian and vegetable-forward food. I did the four course tasting menu ($60 per person) with the wine pairing ($55 per person). I really appreciated that the menu is mostly vegetarian and focused on vegetables, but I didn't find the food very memorable. Because I had selected the tasting menu to avoid making choices, I hadn't paid much attention to the menu before ordering. But the descriptions when the dishes were brought to the table were really minimal and quiet, so I was often confused by what I was eating and occasionally asked some follow up questions when staff swung back around. That might be a part of why the food wasn't that memorable for me. I do remember that one course was my absolute favorite but I couldn't tell you what it was (something with Swiss Chard over the top - but what was under it? something delicious!). There was a cucumber starter that was light but maybe not a standout (but good for summer). And the main was a roast melon with dukkah and served over lentils, I think - good dish overall. I remember enjoying the dessert but now (a little over a week later), I can't remember at all what it was. And there was an amuse bouche to start that I remember being interesting but again can't remember what it was. The wines served with the wine pairing were interesting and definitely different than your typical wine pairings with a tasting menu. I ended up having one more glass after the pairing. The space is charming but tight - so I definitely felt in the way as staff walked behind where I was seated at the bar to get to the other side of the bar or as guests walked behind me to get to the bathroom. The music and ambiance were good, but I just wish there was a little more space behind the bar seating. The service was friendly, but I do wish there had been more communication about the individual dishes in the tasting menu. This wasn't a bad meal. The food I had was interesting (especially since I didn't always understand what I was eating), and so were the wines. I think the value is good for the tasting menu and the wine pairing. And I did really enjoy the wines they offer - different from your average wine list for sure. But the space and the service (just lack of explanation about the dishes, the service was fine otherwise) just left me a little underwhelmed by the experience. I would return - especially just for a wine tasting at the bar - though!

Cute little wine bar that actually has two areas for seating. They have a great selection of funky and orange wines and a great set of snacks and apps including many great vegan and gluten free options. I love how the space is very relaxed and cosy, not crazy packed on a weekday night but lively with several groups of young people catching up.

Hopped in here for some out of the ordinary wine options. While they do serve dinner, we were not dining and opted for the seating option in the outside structure. 2 bottles of Austrian wines - an orange and a slightly effervescent red.The staff is quite knowledgeable of the wine gems and have the descriptions nailed down. The fact that the love what they do is obvious in the discussion of the wine, the region, the vineyard and grape. Time well spent. Out the door having had 2 bottles for roughly-$280.

It was the sweetest person's bday last week and we weren't able to make the weekend happen because his mom was in town. My other friend wanted to make sure we hung out because I made a cake for his bday and didn't want it to go to waste. So on a Monday night, we met here for light drinks and bites. Such a gem of a place. Fun fact, this place was Michelin in 2020 and 2021. I did not get to try the food but a bean dip like moment, but I would love to come back here and try more of their food. East Village is a hit or miss for me and it is a bit of a pain to get to, but it is also an area I would like to venture out to more. I did not see a single wine on the menu that was from California. Good them! I give this place a two thumbs up with an asterisk because I need to give this place a second go with the food.

Very nice wine bar in LES. Good service and interesting plates to go with the wines. While it's on the pricier side I think after you've tried the wines you can easily compare it with higher priced names and find the wines are very good quality.

A cute little wine bar in the heart of East Village serving up delicious wine and tapas -- the outdoor patio is so lovely and we stopped by on a Friday afternoon, highly recommend to soak up the sunshine. The wine menu is extensive, but we opted for a bottle to share. It can definitely get a bit pricey, but the wine was really great. We got a Roaster Pepper and Eggplant Dip, so delicious. I'd definitely come back!

I'm not quite sure why there are so many positive reviews. I'll give five stars for the service and ambiance, though the atmosphere was somewhat spoiled by the loud table next to us, which isn't the restaurant's fault. I tried the red wine tasting flight, and unfortunately, the wine was quite disappointing--two out of the three were terrible, with the Italian merlot being the worst, followed by a wine called "Who Do You Love." The dips were bland, and the trout was too salty. Overall, it was just mediocre.

Outstanding meal here. Big flavors and great textures with every dish. Started with the black cardamom feta on toast. It might've been my favorite dish of the entire meal; hard to believe they got so much flavor out of such a simple dish. Others: - tikka masala cauliflower: bold flavor, excellent dish- parsnip dumplings with beat emulsion: great- pork shoulder: cooked just perfectly, great sauceThe only slight disappointment was the chocolate cake for dessert, which was too salty and had a slightly off texture. Wines were great, a pretty amazing selection.

Good wine, good food... battery tea candles? At these prices it's the little things that matter, why not have good lighting?