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Top 5 Spanish Restaurants
in New York |
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Kaña |
Tables
outside, great food, great service, dancing at night, fun. |
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Ñ |
Live
Flamenco on Wednesdays, good for couples, a night to talk, relax,
eat, conversation. Only has two tables. |
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Pintxos |
Good
for families, pretty, and great food. |
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Pipa |
Tables
outside, excellent food, great service, best decor. |
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Xunta |
Noisy,
20-40 year olds, like a party, fun,
groups, drink, happy hour, lively. Live Flamenco. EXCELLENT FOOD. |
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New York Spanish
Restaurants |
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1492
60
Clinton Street, New York
(646) 654-1114 |
Decor:
Romantic and candle lit with thick wood furniture, very
comfortable ambience. Smoking is allowed. There is also an
outdoor patio. Food: Generous
portions of delicious tapas. Try the tuna empanadas, grilled
vegetables, dates with bacon and almonds and the ham or mushroom
croquettes and the profiteroles for dessert. Excellent service. Prices:
$7-10 for tapas.  |
Azafran
77 Warrren Street, New York
(212) 284-0577
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Decor:
Modern atmosphere with pictures of flamenco dancers, cold
feeling. Food: Not flavorful
enough. I tried the alcachofas, berenjenas, rollitos de carne,
gambas al ajillo, tortilla espanola, pinchos monunos de pollo,
and albondigas en salsa de tomate, but none were delicious or
satisfying. An overall disappointment, especially after the
article in Time Out New York magazine.
Prices: $7-17 for very small, overpriced tapas. |
Bolo
23
East 22 Street, New York
(212) 228-2200 |
Decor:
Modern with primary
colors, casual dressy. Food: No tapas. A Spanish
"inspired" menu with ingredients like cheese,
codfish, and saffron with olive oil. Spicier than traditional
Spanish cuisine. (This is Bobby Flay's restaurant). Not
authentically espanol ,but go for the dessert definitely. Try
the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and blueberry
sauce. Prices: $29-34/ entree
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Cafe el Espanol
57-71 College Pt. Blvd. Flushing
N Y
(718) 353-5263 |
Under construction |
Cafe Andalucia
533 9th Avenue, New York
(212) 736-9411 |
Under construction |
Cafe Espanol
172
Bleecker Street, New York
(212)
505-0657 |
Decor: Located in
the heart of the village; this Spanish restaurant
has excellent food, fair prices, is open late,
has tables outside, and sometimes has mariachis.
Food: Try the
sampling platter of the tapas. Eat a lot and roll
out. Prices: $16-$25 |
Cafe
Riazor
245
West 16th Street, New York
(212)
727-2132 |
Decor: Music and
TV aren't so great, and the décor is old, but
the people are happy, warm, and talk to you like
family. Food: The food is fresh, the
tortilla espanola is out of sight, and the tapas
are in unique sauces. American Express only.
Prices: $18-$30 and $6-9 for tapa |
Casa Mono
52 Irving Pl. Street, New York
(212) 253-2773 |
Decor:
A tiny Spanish restaurant where you can watch as the chef
prepares the delicious fresh tapas right at the wooden
bar/counter. You may have to wait for a table.
Food: Owner Mario Bataglia
from the Food Network on TV can make Spanish food as well as he
makes Italian food. Everything is small, but delicious. Try the bacalao
croquetas, sweetbreads with fennel, wild boar, pulpo, it's all
superb! Prices: $8-14/tapa |
Centro Espanol
239
West 14th Street, New York
(212)
243-9308 |
Decor: Like a
secret club for Spaniards, but all are welcome.
The restaurant is very authentic right down to
the old men playing dominoes and wearing hats.
Food: Huge
portions of delicious food. Very family-like.
Cheap! Prices: $10-$20 |
Costa del Sol
369
West 50th Street, New York
(212) 541-8382 |
Decor: Diner-like,
clean, plain. Large enough for a party.
Food: The
owner (Antonio) is a real character from Galicia. The
empanada gallega is authentic (order in advance). The tapas
are large portions. The seafood and sauces are fresh and
delicious. Try the tortilla, mussels, shrimp, chorizo, and
flan. Prices: $6-10 for tapa but there
is a parking voucher also.
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Don Luca
221 Smith Street
Brooklyn, New York
(718) 222-8723 |
Decor: Comfortable, new, and friendly with
a patio for dining out back. Food: Try the scrumptious tortilla
espanola, vieiras al ajillo, langostinos a la plancha, papas
bravas con chorizo, setas a la vinagreta. The empanadas are ok. The sangria is always fun.
Prices: $5-8 for tapa.
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El Charro Espanol
4
Charles Street, New York
(212)
243-5413 |
Decor: Small
Spanish spot, with low ceilings and ancient red banquettes, its walls appointed with
spread costume fans, painted plates and wine
bottles. Food: broiled Spanish-style
sausages, octopus with olive oil and hot paprika,
gazpacho, saffron paella, and veal with almond
sauce. A pitcher of sangria is just the thing to
wash it all down. Prices: $16-$25 |
El Faro
823
Greenwich St. New York
(212) 929-8210 |
Decor: Small,
romantic, cozy, old fashioned. There is a bar in
the front and a restaurant in the back. One of the oldest and
best known Spanish restaurants in New York.
Food: Known for the paella, but it didn't
thrill me. Service has much to be desired.
Prices: $16-$30 |
El Pote Espanol
718
Second Avenue, New York
(212) 889-6680 |
Decor: Small, old fashioned,
adequate wood decoration with a tiny bar.
Food: Average sized tapas,
nothing special. Try the chorizo, camarones, snail, and
artichoke, and the desserts on the cart. For dinner, the
lamb for two is juicy, but a small portion. The mariscada con
salsa verde is delicious, with fresh lobster.
Prices: $8-11 for tapa (A bit
expensive for the quality).
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Flor
de Sol
361
Greenwich St. New York
(212) 334-6411 |
Decor:
Beautiful and romantic from the music and candles to the
sunflower theme on burnt orange walls. One of the largest
Spanish restaurants in the city. Food: small portions,
mediocre food, (avoid the empanadas- they look like tiny
frozen eggrolls). Prices: Over-priced for the quality. $8-$12
for tapas. $17 for entrees.
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Gitana
249
Columbus Avenue, New York
(212) 579-9929 |
Decor: Warm
and comfortable with a small bar that allows smoking
Food: Everything on the menu is
delicious. Try the empanadas, chorizo, cheese plates, and asparagus.
The desserts, food preparation, and service are excellent.
Prices: $5-$9 for tapas. |
Helena's
432
Lafayette Street, New York
(212) 677-5151 |
Decor: funky,
artsy, huge restaurant with an outdoor patio.
Service needs improvement, but the place attracts
lots of young Manhattanites. Downstairs is a
lively bar and seating area, and upstairs is more
sedate. The service is not efficient and unprofessional.
Food: The food is not
spectacular, but the place is fun . There are
many tapas to choose from. Prices are cheap, and
there is a DJ. Prices: $3.50-$9, Tapas. |
Kaña
Tapas Bar
324
Spring Street, New York
(212)
343-8180 |
Decor:
Decor: Dark brick
walls and candlelit. A fun, cool bar and
restaurant that is packed. There are tables
outside. A good place for couples or singles. On weekend nights,
after 11 PM they move the tables and everyone dances until 4
AM. Great place for a
date or to meet someone. Food:
is
excellent. The tapas are rich, tasty, and keep
you coming back. Try the empanadas. Service is
friendly, fast, and professional. Prices are
average. Prices: $3.50-$9, Tapas. |
La Paella
East
214
East 9th Street, New York
(212)
598-4321 |
Decor: Valencian
classic, with bouquets of dried roses. Two
comfortable floors, one with a nice bar.
Food: Try the
selection of different tapas, pinchos de cordero
(small lamb skewers) Spanish omelet, and sample
of Basque cheeses, served with slices of apple.
Prices: $15-$20 |
Malaga
406
East 73rd Street, New York
(212)
737-7659 |
Decor: Smoky
paintings of flamenco dancers and bullfighters,
lanterns and Spanish artifacts. Food: Mixed
seafood with green sauce, grilled shrimp in the
shell, grilled veal with a touch of garlic and
wine, and chicken with a hot garlic sauce. The
specialty of the house is broiled butterflied
lobster with seafood stuffing, and pitchers of
sangria make everybody happy. Prices: $16-$30 |
Marichu
342 East
46th Street, New York
(212) 370-1866
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Under construction |
Ñ 33
Crosby
33
Crosby Street, New York
(212)
219-8856 |
Decor: Tiny,
intimate, romantic and cave-like. Great live
flamenco on Wednesday nights and jazz CDs on
other nights. Beautiful bathroom, too.
Food: The food is
fabulous. The chef is a real chef. I've eaten
everything on the menu and each plate is better
than the one before. Good selection, fast service.
Try a cheap wine. Prices: $3.50-$8, Tapas. |
Oliva
161
E. Houston Street, New York
(212) 228-4143 |
Decor:
Small, lower east
side, informal, dark. Food: horrible wine, draft bass
is watery, small selection of mediocre tapas, bad quality and
small plates: don't go. Prices: AMEX only, $7-$9
per tapa |
Ostia
113 7th Avenue South, New York
(212) 924-2305 |
Decor:
Just opened, it is
small, simple, and nondescript. What they need to work on here
is the service.
Food: Very good, crispy, juicy, fresh ingredients. Try
the desgustacion de montaditos, the gambas al vino blanco, and
the ensalada de cabrales. The datiles are ok.
Prices: $6-$20.
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Picasso
303
East 56th Street, New York
(212) 759-8767 |
Decor: Traditional, older crowd.
There are linen table cloths, candles, and a bar in front.
Good service. Food: Very good. Try the
empanadas de carne and bacalao, the pulpo a la vinagreta,
higado al jerez, and vieiras a la gallega. For dessert there
is flan and postre catalano. Prices: $8, Tapas
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Pimenton
21-50 44th Drive, Long Island City, NY
(718) 707-0442 |
Decor:
The fireplace makes a cozy ambience in this casual restaurant
with an authentic live flamenco show every Friday night at 9pm.
Make a reservation to see the show, since there are only eight
tables that can see. There is a second floor for parties and a
bar in front. The service is incredibly slow. Food:
The tapas are ok, not gourmet, but if you are in Queens, give it
a try. Try the pork tenderloin with Spanish cheese and the
vieiras (scallops) in a rich cream sauce. Prices: $7-$11, Tapas.
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Pintxos
510
Greenwich Street, New York
(212)
343-9923 |
Decor: Simple,
tasteful, and pretty. A quiet and relaxing dinner.
Food: Salad, tapas, drinks, and desserts are all outstanding.
Eat to your heart's content. Cheapest bottle of
red wine is terrific. Wonderful tastes to please
your palate. Prices: $3.50-$8,
Tapas.
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Pipa
38
East 19th Street, New York
(212) 677-2233 |
Decor:
When the helpful folks at Pipa sit you down in their darkly
sensuous surroundings, next to the slightly brighter, inviting
bar space, you know you are in for a treat. The decor is muted
when quiet is called for and extravagant when subtlety would
be condescension. Food: The
food arrives as pleasingly presented and luxuriously textured
as the multi-hued, broken-tile tables. Rich with regional
tastes one expects, but rarely receives, in a high-end tapas
restaurant. The aromatic piquancy of the cheese plate blends
perfectly with the tang of masterfully prepared chicken liver.
Sweet fruit accents enhance the sea-saltiness of skillfully
prepared meat dishes. The flatbreads, bruschettas by any other
name, are as good as their mixed ingredients indicate.
Desserts are prepared with a delightfully restrained
sweetness. Prices: The
price, exactly as one would expect, is high. Design, good
service, and excellent food rarely come cheap. At least you
get what you pay for. Prices: $6-$12, Tapas.
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Rincon de Espana
226
Thompson Street, New York
(212)
260-4950 |
Decor: Dark, cave-like
interior and strolling flamenco guitarist could
almost fool you. Its charmingly shabby interior,
with black velvet paintings and hanging
candelabras, contributes to a cliched mystique
that some devotees of Spanish food find soothing.
Food: The food here is spicier
than the traditional Castillian fare it aims to
replicate, the paella is reputed to be good by
Spaniards and Americans alike. Prices: $16-$30 |
Rio Mar
7
Ninth Avenue, New York
(212)
243-9015 |
Decor: Galician
authenticity. The bar is a great place to go for
a pitcher of intoxicating, sangria, especially if
the serenading guitarist happens to drop by.
Food: The
garlic and kale soup is a winning appetizer,
while regional standouts include the shellfish
platters and the paella, both of which are served
in industrial-sized metal pots. It's nearly
impossible to walk away hungry or without a bag
full of leftovers. Prices: $15-$25 |
Sala
344
Bowery, New York
(212)
979-6606 |
Decor: Dark,
rustic, Madrid-style eatery in the heart of NoHo.
Food: Fruity pitchers
of sangria and the tidbits of food. Plates of
pinchos (small bites served by the piece, such as
chorizo frito), raciones (appetizers like ham
croquettes and garlic shrimp), and platos (main
dishes including paella, roasted baby lamb, and
skewered monkfish. In addition, there are
homemade desserts and a list of well-priced
Spanish wines. Prices: $9-$20 |
Sala One Nine
35 West 19th Street, New York
(212)
229-2300 |
Decor:
Spacious yet
cave-like setting with romantic lighting and a bar area in
front. Food: The service is fast
and effective, the food is fresh and portions are generous, yet
nothing tastes spectacular. The tortilla espanola is very good,
the croquetas are the largest I've seen, and the datiles are
crispy and tasty. They deliver. Prices:
$ 7-9 |
Sevilla
62
Charles Street, New York
(212)
243-9513 |
Decor: Dark and evocative, there
are huge red booths, Tiffany-style lamps,
chandeliers of black lanterns and Spanish
paintings on the walls. Food: Garlic
soup, chicken in hot garlic sauce, seafood paella
and lots of shellfish dishes pull in a mixed
crowd of Asians, Brazilians and tourists looking
for a slice of old New York. The sangria is said
to be the best in town. Prices: $16-$30 |
Solera
216 East 53rd Street, New York
(212) 644-1166 |
Under construction |
Spain
Restaurant and Bar
113 West 13th
Street, New York
(212) 929-9590 |
Decor:
Not beautiful, but old fashioned and simple with a huge
skylight on the ceiling. Food:
Fresh, but not the best. They have a few tapas, mostly
chorizo and shellfish. Portions are larger than average. They give you three or four tapas free. For dessert, ask for
half spumoni, half tortoni. The service is excellent. Open until 1 am every day. Prices:
average, $6-8/tapa.
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Tapas
Lounge
1078
First Avenue, New York
(212)
421-8282 |
Decor: Persian-like
atmosphere with candles and velvet. Beautiful. Horrible service.
We waited an hour and a half with a reservation! Food: This is not Spanish food. Everything
tastes the same, no rich sauces or fresh food. Everything is
overpriced. Prices: $ 12/ tapa |
Tasca
130 7th Avenue South, New York
(212) 620-6815 |
Decor:
This new addition to the Village is crowded with a lively,
informal scene of single women, (don't know where the single men
were) people on dates, and loud club music. Come early for a
window seat.
Food: Pure, strong, fresh,
delicious flavors. The service was excellent, although the
waitress didn't know a word of Spanish. They even give free
hummus with pita bread and olives while you wait. Everything we
tried was great, which included solomillo, mejillones, chorizo e higos, pulpo a la gallega,
and zanahorias tapena. The croquetas were ok.
Prices: $
10/tapa
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Toledo
6
East 36th Street, New York
(212)
696-5036 |
Under construction |
Xunta
174
First Avenue, New York
(212)
614-0620 |
Decor: Blue
lights- young 20-40 year old crowd. Real Spanish people,
sometimes live flamenco music (call for which day and for
reservations) and the best tapas. The tables are
barrels, but there are a few wooden picnic tables
in the back. It is my favorite tapas bar.
Food: The
bread is delicious, there are about forty
delectable tapas to choose from. They are juicy,
spicy, fresh, and fun. Try as many as you can
stuff in. Very cheap. Prices: $3.50-$7,
Tapas.
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Far away
Spanish Restaurants |
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Casa Luis
1033 Jericho Tpke. Smithtown,
NY
(631) 543-4656 |
Decor:
An old fashioned Spanish family house with a bar, fireplace,
and lots of space for parties. Food:
Mexican and Spanish food. There are tapas and dinners. Try the
shrimp, paella, potatoes, chorizo, and natilla for dessert.
Prices: moderate
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Farther away
Spanish
Restaurants |
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Boston |
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Dali
415 Washington Street
Somerville, Mass. (Boston)
(617) 661-3254 |
Decor:
Romantic and lively with gold leaf walls, flowers, pig legs,
pitchers, figurines, and mosaics. Food:
The tapas are gourmet, among the best I've had. After eating
almost all of the 40 tapas on the menu, I am sorry that it's
so far away. Try the codorniz de costilla, tortilla espanola,
cigalas a la plancha, queso de cabra montanes, and croquetas
de pollo. Prices: between
$3-7.50/tapa.
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Tapeo
266 Newbury Street
Boston
(617) 267-4799 |
Decor:
Owned by the same people as Dali, but the decoration is not
nearly as electric. Food: Same as
Dali, but go to Dali instead since they are in the same area.
Prices:
$3.50-7.50. Sangria is cheaper at Dali.
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San
Francisco |
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La
Bodega
1337 Grant
North Beach, CA- San Francisco
(415) 433-0439 |
Decor:
Interior designer needed. Food:
Experienced chef needed. The tapas are an embarrassment to the
Spanish cuisine. They are low quality, greasy, cheap, and
without flavor. Prices: Good
sized portions, free flamenco show, free flan, but higher than
average prices. No red diamond at all. |
Ramblas
557 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 565-0207 |
Decor:
Cozy, for all ages, extra friendly service- cool tables,
lighting, mural. Food:
Outrageous! Delectable tapas, wine, and desserts. Ask for the
fresh sardines, croquetas, piquillo, citrus flan, (empanadas
could be better). Prices: Smaller
portions, $7/ Tapa
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Thirsty
Bear
661 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA
(415) 974-0905 |
Decor:
Huge, beautiful, loft, modern like SOHO. 20-40 year old crowd,
social, good for happy hour or to meet people.
Food:
Very good tapas and excellent beer. Brewery on premises. Try
the tortilla espanola, goat cheese in tomato sauce, patatas al
ajillo, fish cheeks, and a Kozlov black beer.
Prices:
Fair $7/ Tapa.
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Washington,
D.C. |
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Jaleo
480 7th Street, NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 628-7949 |
The
only reason I would live in DC. This elegant, but
fun and cool restaurant has the best tapas this
side of the Atlantic. Each dish is a work of art.
Buen Provecho! Prices: $4.50-$15,
Tapas.
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