alcala_nyc delivers a true taste of Spain with soulful tapas, comforting plates, and a wine list that feels deeply personal (yes, the chef even makes his own wine ). Every dish reflects Chef Jesús' Galician heritage -- thoughtful, heartfelt, and full of flavor. The space feels warm and inviting, like being welcomed into a family meal rather than just another dinner reservation. From the bold garlic shrimp and perfectly cooked paella to tender grilled tuna and baby squid, every bite is worth savoring. read more

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The mussels were perfect! I'd come back just to try those. The rest of what we ordered was still salty but still fine and interesting, like the squid ink. Service was nice, ambiance wasn't super fancy or anything like that. read more

Alcala is a little gem of a place; family-run, authentic, personal and satisfying. It's a slice of a classic neighborhood side of Manhattan - nothing slick or "cookie cutter" about it. Although it's conveniently a few blocks from Grand Central, Alcala has a homey feel. You don't go for the scene, stylish interior or the bar. They have a healthy following of regulars, they welcome everyone to feel like family and it's all about the food. Highly recommend any of their soups, have enjoyed most if not all of the seafood tapas on the menu. Canelones with shrimp and spinach in beschamel - a specialty of the chef/ owner - not to be missed! Everything they serve is made there, with pride. They take reservations. Check it out. read more

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My partner and I enjoyed a date night dinner here! I read through some of the reviews and although I can agree they may not have been the best about refilling waters every minute (I think that is a very American custom normalized in American restaurants; if you go to Europe, they are not like this), but then if you want it, make sure to ask for it. The tapas were really great and surprisingly our favorite was the lentil soup.... it was SO GOOD that was the first dish we finished! The paella comes in second. A large portion and great seafood flavor. Overall it's not the stereotypical Spanish food, may be because the owner is from a certain region of Spain. Nice experience and honestly the vibe reminded me of somewhere you'd find in Europe itself. The menu is quite large, so if you need pointers, ask the staff what they recommend (what we did). The meatballs are in a gravy sauce and actually reminded me of Swedish meatballs vs. the red sauce meatballs that can be found at Spanish restaurants like Boqueria. They were very good, just a different take so be aware of that! read more

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alcala_nyc is a hidden gem for anyone who appreciates refined Spanish cuisine without pretense. It's a perfect spot for a date night, a celebration, or just a dinner where food truly takes center stage. Sardinas a la Parilla were a standout. Fresh, simply prepared with just the right amount of char from the grill. The skin was crisp, the flesh delicate with a clean, briny flavor and taste of pimenton oil. Paella with seafood : The rice was perfectly cooked--al dente with a subtle saffron aroma--layered with fresh mussels, clams, shrimp, and squid. The flavors were rich and balanced, with just enough socarrat (that crispy bottom layer) to make it extra satisfying. Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp in a sizzling garlic sauce), the shrimp arrive bathed in a fragrant garlic-infused olive oil with just the right touch of heat from sliced red chili. The aroma alone is enough to transport you to a seaside taverna. The shrimp were plump, perfectly cooked--tender yet with a satisfying bite--and absorbed the bold, garlicky essence beautifully. I love to come back to this restaurant again if I'm craving for Spanish food. read more

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The hidden gem theme is legit. Popped in for a quick lunch. Had the price fixe lunch special. Everything was delicious. Menu looked amazing so i definitely need head back when I have more time! read more

Old school. White tablecloths. Good sangria, efficient service and very good food. Bonus: priced just right.

Great food quality and great service. Cozy restaurant with Spanish food. Bread is served and it goes well with olive oil. Areoz Confotado was filled with ingredients, Chuletitas de Cordero a la Parrilla grilled lamb chops cooked medium was perfectly cooked and the most delicious lamb chops I've had. It was tender with a little bit of crispy areas. Pepito de Solomillo was like ground meat on garlic bread. It was good. Dessert plate, Variedad de Postres Espanoles had 4 types of dessert. Portion was on the small side, meant for 1 person, we each had a bite. Waiters were friendly. I recommend trying this place for good quality Spanish food. read more

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I'm so confused by these bad reviews! Our weekday lunch was amazing! We ordered quite a bit for two people and ended up packing some of the items at the end. The soups were a standout, as were the boquerones. A bit on the pricey side, $185 for two people, with the caveat that we did order a lot and had some wine and sherry. Would definitely come back! read more

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Food tasted very good. Staff was nice and knowledgeable but very inattentive. Soda refill is not free?!? No AC, very hot inside. Probably would not go back. read more

My meal here was worth every penny and minute spent. First and foremost, fantastic customer service! I've never been disappointed by anything I've eaten here. Staff members were knowledgeable about the menu. I need to go back make them earn an extra star :-) read more

Overall great taste, flavor, service and experience. Service was great. On point ambiance. read more

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By far the best personal food experience for first time out of State visitors from Louisiana. Menu choice authentic and found the final product quality exceeded all expectations. Hats off to the cooking staff and mostly to our well knowledged waiter / host Samual for his superior service, 5/5 Stars. Hand Salute read more

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First, the tall waiter was nice, but super busy and not our waiter. Other than that the old man, and all the middle aged staff would avoid all possibilities of eye contact that they would look up at the ceiling and trip over each other. There were a couple of other tables that were treated the same way, but they bend over backwards for others. They seem friendly to their own/friends and completely ignore others. That's fine, we can also ignore this restaurant until it disappears. Read on and avoid this place, or just avoid this place! We really want to love this place and go back since we're here for a couple of weeks each month and it's so close to the UN and the millennium hotel. I can overlook mediocre food (more on that later) but the service is horrendous and it was aimed at various tables, while the wait staff were literally bending over backwards for others. And it's not like we upset them in the beginning, we knew what we wanted, ordered a couple of tapas and two main dishes for 2 people. Then the crap begins, first no water. While there were water brought to all but a few tables and even to tables that were seated way after us. Then the tapas started to come out (shrimp and sizzling parsley sauce was good) but still no water and now, no spoon for the sauce or bread... oh yeah, tables before us got bread too but not us. And apparently it was such an inconvenience to them when we ask. Then came the stuff peppers and the croquettes were good too. But the seafood paella was horrible, way over cooked that the rice was mush and the mussel was crunchy dry! The wait staff never came back with water and we sat around empty plates for 15 minutes while watching other tables getting serviced. Every time they passed our table, they would literally look up at the ceiling and trip over each. We really wanted to try their deserts, but after waiting for more that 15 minutes after our last bite of food and trying to call a staff over, only to be barked at for us to wait when just moments before they walked over to another table and ask if everything was fine... we paid, tipped the 20% and left. Never coming back and telling all the firms we work and stay with to avoid this place at all cost too! read more

We were a little bit disappointed there was no squid ink, but the dishes recommended by our server were pretty tasty. The restaurant is very cozy and the service is amazing. We will go back again, but need to call first to make sure they have the Arroz Negro!! read more

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Incredible wine, incredible food, incredible experience. Cannot recommend it enough. One of the best places in midtown

Excited to order from this "Spain" restaurant being that there are hardly any latin foods other than tacos in the area. My colleague ordered first & we were both terribly disappointed. Expensive bland seafood soup & bland paella :/ not worth it. Feel like I owe my co-worker for trying read more

Amazing service , food is fresh ambiance is calm and refreshing. Recommend the sea food! read more

Alcala Restaurant - Great tapas, amazing service. Best fresh sea food around. - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

Really wanted to love Alacala but unfortunately our experience fell short of expectations and the downsides outweighed the positives: First The Good: - Gambas Al Ajillo Appetizer was delicious, nicely spiced and buttery - Paella de Mariscos was good and a generous portion - We were seated promptly at a spacious outdoor table as per our online rez Then The Not so Good: - They were out of squid ink at 5:30PM on a Saturday night (said they didn't procure any squid ink at all that day) so we couldn't order Arroz Negro or Chipirones en su Tinta. This was a big disappointment as many of Alcala's good reviews are based on those dishes and we really wanted to try them. - They gave us stale bread slices with no dipping oil or butter - Sangria was potent but way too sweet - Rape Salsa Verde (Monkfish in Green Sauce) was bland and mushy - Dessert Sampler was overly sweet - Service was slow and brusque despite a small crowd, and we had to ask for water several times. Verdict: Maybe we hit a bad night, but sadly we weren't wowed by our experience at Alcala. read more

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My favorite spot for tapas in Manhattan! Family owned and run with old school family recipes from Spain. Love coming here for a date night - wine from Spain and all the tapas! The head chef and owner explains the dishes and wine pairings. Definitely don't skip dessert this spot either! read more

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Tapas in midtown? Warm atmosphere. Owners out front and visible. Put it on your list.

We recently took friends to Alcala for a thank you dinner, and it was wonderful. We've been going to this restaurant for years, and it never disappoints. The food is delicious, and proof positive that it doesn't need to be complicated to be great. We stuck to tapas, so we could try more things. My personal favorites were the classic gambas el ajillos and the canelones; others might vote for the lamb chops or the chorizo al vino, and one person said the patatas bravas were the best they'd ever had. The sangria was good too; not too sweet as it often is. Somehow the timing was perfect, there was always just enough room on the table for the plates that kept arriving! The service was impeccable, attentive and friendly without being hovering or intrusive. Five stars all around! read more

We tried this restaurant based on reviews and were sorely disappointed. Stepping into to this restaurant is like taking a time machine to the 1950's. The decor reminded me of places I went with my parents then. We ordered 3 tapas & seafood paella. Everything was underseasoned and relatively tasteless. The flan was our best taste of the night. Perhaps, we made the wrong choices but our hopes for a nice Spanish meal were dashed on the rocks of reality. read more

Wonderful food and service! We tried a handful of the tapas - they were all great but the tortilla de patatas and the gambas de ajillo were my favorites. Very cozy and welcoming, and we could tell there were regulars who come in often. read more

Food was great - tapas were tasty - service was awesome - dessert ( Tres Leche cake) was the best i have ever had

Authentic Spanish tapas! Very quaint, not fancy. (Note that the website vibe / photos do not match the restaurant at all.) Food was excellent and arrived very quickly. It was a bit hot inside (minimal AC), and decor is very dated read more

We came here for a weeknight dinner, delicious tapas but looooong wait for food. There's something especially painful about waiting for tapas too - when they come out there's just a few bites which gets your appetite going which somehow makes the wait between each that much harder. Our sangrias and order of croquetas came out first! Very sweet drinks with fried salty balls - great combination. Between the two sangrias we tried, I recommend the Cava Sangria over the Red which was for my taste, far too sweet. After the croquetas, we had our longest wait of about an hour until the next tapa came. Luckily the servers occasionally stopped by with bread which helped stave off the hunger. Finally came the Gambas (shrimp) in garlic oil, sizzling when it arrived on the table! The garlic oil was tasty but we didn't love the shrimp, not very flavorful. Then awhile later came the grilled pork with red pepper on bread - this was by far my favorite! Great flavor and combination of tastes. Last, came the patatas bravas which were almost painfully crispy but in a nice sauce. All in all, the grilled pork and croquetas were the best! Recommendation is to come early or not that hungry. read more

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Me and mom visited Alcala on a Sunday evening and had a great experience. The staff were friendly and conversational. The paellas were excellent and we sampled the chef-owner's wine, which he makes and bottles in Spain! It was fruity and completed our paella well. The ambience was also nice, with a cozy, glowing atmosphere that was perfect for a cold evening, but would also be great in the warmer months. I'll be going back with my friends soon! read more

Came in a couple of weeks ago with the family as we fancied some tapas. Any slight concern we might have had about the service having read some of the turned out to be unfounded The service was friendly, done with a smile albeit they were busy and it was a little chaotic. They even took time to engage my little 3 year old .. she learned to say gracias that evening To the food, loved the Gambas Al Aljillo The cod fish corquetas was nice too. The Arroz Negro paella was flavorful but just a little too salty but still tasty A nice evening read more

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I was in New York for my birthday weekend last month. After driving up and checking into our hotel we were hungry and wanted someplace to eat. We decided on Alcala after a recommendation from the bell hop. The restaurant was a short walk on a cold day, which was great! It's a small place and filled up quickly after we arrived. We were right on time. First of all, the olive oil was AMAZING! It paired very well with the fresh bread. I kid you not, it was SO GOOD. I ordered Sea Bass (a special that night) and my girlfriend ordered paella. I LOVE sea bass and anytime it's on the menu, that's what I'm getting. I wish I would have ordered Paella. The sea bass was cooked differently than I'd ever had it. It was just okay. I couldn't really taste if for all the peppers and tomatoes. But the paella was divine. The rice was soaked in butter (I think). It was so tasty! The food to quite some time to arrive as it is made to order. I was getting hangry when it arrived. To appease my hunger I ordered the appetizer of garlic shrimp. It was sizzling hot, but wasn't as tasty as it looked. Still, it hit the spot. Overall, it was a good experience. We wanted something different and that's what we got. read more

Alcala Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

There is zero charm to this restaurant. The greeting upon entrance is an aged essence of fish. The food is punishingly laden with garlic, the only resemblance the paella has to the real thing is the pan it's served in. The greens are wilted, and the bread tasteless. The waiters seem like they're serving sentences, and the hammering reverberating from the kitchen is the coup de grace. read more

Alcala is my favorite spot in midtown east area which is where I work! Whether it is work lunch or dinner with friends, this place will not disappoint you. It is family style, very friendly and food is amazing. Great selection of wines, tapas, paella choices. Staff is always very helpful and have great recommendations. Just come here, you will love it! read more

Went to Alcala twice during the past days in nyc. The best Spanish cuisine I've ever taken. Chef and owner Jesus is the best of the best. The sangria is the top 1 in my lifetime. Must give it a try. read more

Alcala Restaurant - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

Excellent authentic Spanish and Gallician cuisine with interesting wine options. Modest appearance reminiscent of any number of genuine family owned cafeteria in San Sébastien. It's next to impossible to find real Spanish cuisine of any region in NYC, so Alcala is an absolute gem for anyone looking for the flavor of Iberia. read more

Meh, mediocre food, beat up room but priced accordingly. I had the steak, ordered medium rare,, came out medium at best. Very garlicky , not the best cut of meat. Lentil soup was tasty. Paella was ok, over cooked . Would not return. Service was very good. read more

Walked in for a late lunch and will return. The food, service and overall vibe was outstanding. We had a variety of items including the pre fixe menu-asparagus soup-delicious with a bit of a kick, a fish entree-beautifully cooked with salad and scalloped potatoes, finally an outstanding dessert of home made ice cream-not too sweet with a delicious texture. The seafood paella was also delicious. Overall, a wonderful dining experience that I highly recommend! read more

This place was an amazing find thanks to Yelp! It felt so intimate and the staff was so attentive and courteous. The food is on another level, definitely coming back when im in NY! read more

Alcala Restaurant - Mar y Tierra plate was exquisite! - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

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Came for my friend's birthday on a friday night. This restaurant looks and sounds pretty classy when you walk in, definitely an older crowd at least when we went, dimmer lights and soothing music. We ordered the chorizo and squid in black squid ink to start. (Arroz confitado and arroz negro) Chorizo was delicious a bit salty and oily but that's the point! My friends were dipping our bread in it. Did not like the 4 pieces of squid though which was odd because i usually really enjoy food with squid ink. I would not order that again just because it was small and only tasted ok. For dinner we shared the rice dishes of squid ink and the one with all the meat which was not that big in my opinion but we were content overall. We had mixed reviews i liked the meat one best while one of my friends liked the squid ink rice dish. I prefered the meat dish just because it was more filling and again i don't know why but the squid ink did not taste the same i guess as when i eat it with pasta. The seafood in it was tasty though but i do not like heavy, creamy dishes usually which it was. I usually really like spanish food so this was ok. They were really nice about bringing our own cake there and not charging extra for serving it. Service was good and they were helpful in terms of setting up the cake logistics. 20% tip for a party of 4 was weird though... read more

I think this restaurant is underrated for the food it serves. Sure, the restaurant has an old school feel to it, the service is mostly good, and what makes me come back to try their dishes is that they make simple dishes taste absolutely delicious. The salads are wonderful, the garlic shrimp is tasty and very garlicky, and the paella is served in large portions, loaded with seafood, albeit abit tard salty for my liking. This restaurant is truly worth visiting. read more

This restaurant is not good. If you are from the tri-state area this restaurant will not live up to your standards. The food was not an edible, but it is most definitely not Spanish food. Everything was just OK. The restaurant is very old and outdated and rundown. read more