Enjoyed both the white and red sangrias. The staff was awesome and super accommodating. My date and I enjoyed the authentic decor. The tapas were good and the paella wasn't bad. I was expecting a little more flavor, but then, I always do. Still looking for that paella that just might not exist. read more

I get it. You are hungry. You really want to impress that girl or boy. Riazor may not look like much when you first walk in. Plain white tablecloths and portraits of Spain on the wall. However, don't be fooled. It's cozy, intimate, quiet atmosphere is just what you need to keep your date focused on you. Order a pitcher of their sangria--red or white--because just a glass won't be enough to wash down all the delicious in store. But what to order? Sit down. Open the menu. Close your eyes and point randomly. I guarantee, whatever you just ordered will astound you with how expertly it's been seasoned and prepared. Can't go wrong with their tender octopus, chorizo braised in red wine, simple salad, scallops in spicy red tomato sauce, or just their simple jamon and manchego plate with a side of brined olives. The tapas alone will fill you up but you say you are still hungry? NO PROBLEM! Order that paella, go ahead! You won't be sorry! Generous mounds of saffron scented garlicy rice, savory chicken, chorizo, clams, shrimp, mussels and langoustine! It's heaven in a cauldron! What's that? You're a steak and potatoes kinda gal? NO WORRIES! Their bistec platter is so juicy and flavorful, you'll be sad when it's gone in your belly. Tapas in some NY restaurants can be exotic but skimpy, overpriced and pompous but the tapas at Cafe Riazor are always made from the finest ingredients, humbly served and in generous portions! Go hungry. Leave happy. read more

Food is great in this restaurant in neighborhood full of mediocre choices. Tapas are fantastic: my favorite chives are bean dip, chorizo, langoustines. On our recent trip my husband had filet mignon and it was outstanding: not only it's twice bigger than usual cut it was done to perfection and literally melt in your mouth. I'm not big on deserts and the flan I ordered was nothing to be impressed by, but I'll try something else next time. The only disappointing thing was in the check: service charge was included and it looked somewhat confusing that we needed to ask about it. Nonetheless we will be back to try more tapas and main courses. read more

This place felt like Spain but in NYC. Not in a pretentious way either. Historic without being tacky. Felt like we found a gem because it was uncrowded and the service was kind. Food was solid too, though that depended on what you ordered. My calamari was good, but the sauce could have been considered overpowering by some. The paella was beast, and just seemed like the right thing to order in that restaurant. I would highly recommend that. I was able to get dinner expensed by my friend, but prices were a little on the high end for the calamari entree I got. Paella was worth it for the portion though; I ate the leftovers for lunch the next day. read more

I found this spot recently, and I love it! I've been twice in two weeks. The tapas are great! I'm a vegetarian, and there are some nice options. Personally, the black beans are my favorite veg pick. Last night, I tried the garlic mushrooms -- so good! I usually go here with a friend of mine (also vegetarian), and she really likes the potatoes in tangy tomato sauce. For non-veg, I've heard the ham croquettes are amazing. The interior of the place is super cute! It's an established restaurant (like 40 yrs), and the bar area has a really comfortable feel to it. The bartender is awesome, too! Her name is Young and she is happy to make any cocktail you can think of!! The entire staff seems really accommodating. Note: If you order paella, it will take forever, but it's WORTH IT. I don't even like rice. I definitely recommend checking this place out next time you find yourself hungry in the West Village. read more

I eat here often when visiting my son. This is a nice family restaurant with good people running it. Some of the wait persons speak English poorly but they always help me out with the specials. So far, I like the half chicken and the tripe. I am not a fan of the sangria but many other guests seem to enjoy it. At any rate, nice family run business with people who are willing to alter food to your preferences, which is always nice--you just have to speak up. I have always been hesitant to do so but they are so accommodating that I have been comfortable asking for changes. read more

My favorite local restuarant/bar. I love everything about this family run establishment. The tapas is great. Order the tortilla and the chile relleno stuffed with tuna. The sangria is full of fresh fruit and can kick your ass! I usually get the steak fillet if I eat dinner. There are some good oldies on the jukebox. As the seemingly endless supply of over priced, mediocre lounge restaurants close in around it, Riazor remains one of the last authentic businesses in the neighborhood. This is it folks, once Raizor is gone you will need to travel to Astoria to get of glimpse of old Chelsea. This restaurant has a full bar. read more

Great place for tapas/paella. Highly recommend the new empanada gallega and the cod (bacalao) ceoquetas are delish! Great service, highly recommended! read more

This place is quaint with a mellow atmosphere. I went with a group of 9 after work and we all had different dishes. I had the chorizo (spanish sausage) with steamed veggies and it was pretty good. Others in the group had shrimp, octopus, and red snapper. Didn't hear anyone complaining, so i'm guessing they also liked it. The plate portions were quite small, so expect to order both an appetizer and an entree if you're looking fill up your tank. Bottom line, I felt the mellow vibe would be great for catching up with a friend or a simple date. The staff was very friendly, and though the place isn't that big, we didn't feel rushed to leave. read more

Such a wonderful find! A beautiful family run restaurant. The staff is wonderful and the food is delicious. The pallela is to die for! Will be back. Thank you Cafe Riazor! read more

Hate to give a bad review but I did not like the food or the service. I do appreciate the lady bartender trying to be nice/helpful but not enough to give good rating. It's a shame cause the place is cute and conveniently located. Improvements needed. read more

came here this past weekend starrrrving, but my friend said it was good and was fairly inexpensive so we went. it was about 9pm on a saturday night and we had no problem getting a seat. everyone working there was really nice and helpful. heard the sangria was amazing but we were in a bit of a hurry since there was more to drink later in the night so we didnt get any. but the tapas were really good, i had the croquetas and the shrimp in garlic, and she had the chorizo and the tortilla espanola, all of which was really good and filling (which was suprising because of how hungry i was) its a really chill, homely place that would definitely be good for a dinner date or something, and it seemed they had really good deals on lunch specials. so i'd definitely go back, but like alyssa said they do only take cash or american express. so one star off! seriously though.. you dont take visa? what is this 1998? read more

I love this restaurant! I returned last evening for the first time in many years and was thrilled to find that Cafe Riazor is still going strong! This family owned and run establishment really delivers a taste or Spain and Old New York in one shot! Fantastic food and service at a great price! read more

Excellent spot for a dinner date as the place is cozy and romantically decorated in red. Although the place lost one star because they took about 20-30 minutes to bring out the seafood paella, the ambiance was excellent and the wait left a fair amount of time for me and the boyfriend to talk. When the food arrived, I couldn't even be mad because it was just delicious! Even after the 2 hour meal, service was excellent as we were never rushed. There are a bunch of different sized tables so this place is really ideal for any intimate occasion, such as a date, family time, or catch up time with friends. read more

I love this place! I went for dinner, 3 people. We had the sangria, it was tasty. I liked it a lot. We had the paella and some mixes of other foods on the menu. I have to say i was rather impressed. I really liked the food. It reminded me of going to family dinner back home during a big holiday or just a sunday night family gathering. The chef came out and greated us and chatted a bit, we don't know the guy, this was a nice touch. Every one on staff was very friendly. I'm glad everything was so great. I actually really like the decor, and atmosphere, its not going crazy and stuff, its kinda quiet and you can just enjoy the food. Its very pleasing to me. For the food I would recommend it. read more

I was skeptical when I walked in, but the food was awesome. I had the chorizo as well as the garlic mushrooms, and my boyfriend had the Arroz con Pollo. They were delicious and reasonably priced, especially for NYC. The ambiance could use a bit of work, but it's not bad overall. I'd definitely go again. read more

Best neighborhood restaurant in Chelsea. Not a scene, good bar, good food, old school authentic. Paella, tapas, fab.

Attentive service. The octopus and chorizo with special sauce are to die for. Good wine choices. Calm place, good for conversation and friends/family get togethers. Decor slightly outdated but who cares so long as the food and service are top notch. read more

Great place, the food was delicious and a lot great ambiance and good customer service. We definitely we will be back and we recomand to our friends. read more

The food here at Riazor is awesome please order the grilled octopus and squid ink paella is Delicious , great sangria .

We had a family get together here--10 adults and a couple of kids--over the Thanksgiving weekend. Everything was perfect. The food was delicious. Authentic tapas like croquetas. Great lunch entrees including an amazing steak, delicious shrimp al ajillo, and juicy pork chop. The sangria and desserts were great. Most of all, the service was attentive and the ambience was so cozy, reminding us all of Spain. New York is losing restaurants like this, where you feel like there is real caring behind the food and service. read more

I love this place. Fantastic service, delicious food and drinks. My favorite place in the City - I wish I could go more often.

I lived one block away from this restaurant for ten years before I went in and tried this restaurant. Wow, I wish I would have tried it the first week I moved to Chelsea! The food is delicious and so fresh and authentic. I was transported back to Spain! The portions were big, especially the roasted chicken and potatoes, and also the paella. The tapas is delicious and very flavorful, and good portion. Miriam, the bartender and server makes the best sangria and she is very attentive. The happy hour is great and there are some great wines, too. I have been there several times in the past few months and every time is wonderful. The restaurant is very clean and the food comes out very hot. The service is fast and friendly, too. The price is good and I look forward to coming back again soon. Great place for family and friends also dates. The music is low enough to talk and enjoy conversation. read more

We were starvin' - The tapas were yummy. Wine was good. Beer wasn't icy - We told them and they got us a new icy bottle fast. Were very nice. read more

Great friendly service and delicious Spanish food. Be forewarned, though - the ONLY credit card they take is AmEx. Important to know before the bill comes. read more

the paella is excellent! i was craving paella and this place definately hit the spot. we got a LOT of paella for a very good price (other places charge the same price for half the amount!). The tapas were good too, but we ordered 3 and were too full to finish the paella. The decor is a bit boring and old, but it seems like a nice local spot to hit when you are the mood for paella. $60/2 ppl w/o alcohol. read more

After drinks at the bar and a great dinner, the waitress added a $37.00 tip to the check without telling us. Illegible 'entry' on check. We actually would have tipped the same or more for a great dinner but... we are both New Yorkers and know a scam when we see it. She wanted to be 'double-tipped'. We will not be back. read more

This place is great, and only 50 feet from my apartment! Why did I wait 30 years? One of the last remaining Chelsea Mainstays...don't make the same mistake I did...eat there! read more

Terrible food and terribly slow service... The food had terrible presentation- which wouldn't matter if the food was good, but it was tasteless and look unappetizing. I've been to many Spanish restaurants in the city and this one was as far from authentic as you could get. The put tostitos and stale bread on the table... And they advertise as an 'authentic' Spanish restaurant.... read more

Great neighborhood place we visit once a month or so. Staff is top notch and they have a good red wine on the list. We love going and taking our time eating the seafood paella, octopus and chorizo. It's a relaxing quiet place to have a good meal and a bottle of wine once in a while. read more

I went there with my former roommate when I was last in NYC. It was comfortable and just like we were in Spain. It was a Saturday night, but we got there early. The service and food were first rate. I read the other reviews first. Yes, it is small and it can get very crowded, but I did not find it too expensive for what we got and it was a great experience. read more

Although this is my local, and I love it. I have been to seemingly every Tapas place in NYC and I have yet to find one with better tortilla espanol or white sangria (a real treat) than this little neighborhood institution. It's also a great place for a birthday party -- if you pick the right night you and your friends can "own" the bar without renting it out. Talk to David, the manager, and he'll set you up. read more

Delicious food and outstanding service. Would definitely go there again. Great for a small group of people

I just had a late lunch with a friend at Café Riazor this afternoon. After ordering three (!) dishes that I had to send back because they simply tasted BAD, I asked for the bill and left. The one star in my rating is for the delicious sangria they served us but that is the only highlight of this visit. The waiter (bartender/manager?) did not even lift an eyebrow when I politely sent back the first dish with an apology. Nor did he comment when I sent back the second dish with a little less friendliness. By the time I sent back the third dish without any kind of response from him I told him exactly how offensive this dining experience had been. And not even then did I get a response. Not a word! Who does that? Especially in New York! Incredible! I could have just flushed that $40 down the drain. read more

It's been a while since we've been to Cafe Riazor and we definitely have been missing out. The food is amazing and the atmosphere is cozy. Any very reasonably priced for a restaurant in Chelsea. Check it out!! read more

With rave reviews on its walls from the mid-90s, this traditional tapas place is now sadly disappointing. Despite friendly and pretty service, most of the dishes are not done decently. The black (squid ink) paella is of course interesting, but pretty uneven (delicious in some bites, too salty in others). I love seeing NYC venues that manage to survive decades - but if this place wants to stay relevant/afloat, they need a major kitchen overhaul. read more

We immediately knew we would have a good experience as soon as we walked into Cafe Riazor. The service was excellent and the entire place smelled delicious. We shared sangria and several small plates - chorizo, stuffed mushrooms, scallops baked in a tomato sauce, black beans, and shrimp. There were a couple interesting octopus dishes that I would like to try when I return with a more adventurous group. Entree's were very big - especially the arroz con pollo, which could have easily fed 3 people. read more

This is a limited review based on a mid-afternoon visit when my friend and I were the only people in the restaurant. We shared a small sangria, which was 2 small glasses each that we didn't get any buzz off of. Large is probably the way to go. I sampled the patatas bravas, which were much spicier than expected, and they were out of the almond tart. It was all around decent but nothing that would entice me for a repeat visit. read more

Came here with my husband on Valentine's day. This place was a very unique find. We sat at the bar and ordered a pitcher of sangria and the pulpo. The sangria was really good (strong) and the pulpo tasted fresh. We then sat at a table and ordered a tortilla espanola. The tortilla espanola was amazing- my husband said it brought back memories of the tortilla he had on his visit to Spain. The wonderful waitress then served us a salad on the house. For our main dish we both ordered the paella marinera. It came in a big pot (fyi it took more than 30 minutes to come out) and the wait was well worth it. Our wonderful waitress then served it to us in our plates. It was one of the best paella I have ever had! We somehow managed to have room for dessert. For dessert we had a slice of the chocolate cake since they were out of the chocolate mousse. The cake was so good (get a slice or two you won't regret it). We will be back soon! read more

We found this 4 star place and we were unimpressed. We got a paella, two tapas and one glass of wine. the bill was 59 including tax. The tapas we got were grilled sausage and potatoes. There were two medium pieces of sausage and the potatoes portion was also quite small. They made us wait about half an hour for the paella marinara. it was 24$. I distinctly remember there were 4 regular clams, 4 mussles, a couple of pieces of squid and half a lobster head over a pot of super salty rice. Yeah, you read right, half a lobster head. One taste of the minute piece of meat from the head and I know the lobster piece was from at least a couple of days ago, well that explains the exorbitant amount of seasoning. There were 2 parties (including us) at around 8pm. Steer clear of this place. Try the tapas place on the west side close to the pier. read more