super friendly staff -- lorena (the owner) was the first to greet us and was very attentive in…read moreassuring that everything came out quickly and that we were satisfied. food was delicious -- we opted for two tapas (croquetas espanolas and yuquitas) and the seafood paella). the tapas were both delicious and savory without being too heavy, and the seafood paella was rich and flavorful. i also had a virgin strawberry sangria which turned out to be super large in addition to being refreshing and the right amount of sweet. would love to come back again and support their business

Having moved a few years ago, we forgot that every restaurant on 9th Avenue is packed, pre-theater…read more It was a Saturday evening, and we did have theater tickets, but thought we'd go to one of our old haunts for dinner. "Slight miscalculation!" So this place wasn't quite full, and we were able to get a table. Ordered a sangria to share, I didn't want to fall asleep in the theater, and it was huge! More than ample for 2 or maybe 3 light drinkers like us. I'm a sucker for paella, but if and when we get there again, I think tapas are the way to go. My husband had the veggie paella and I ordered the veggie Caribbean paella, theoretically spicy but it really wasn't. It's not served in the traditional cast iron pan, but in a large bowl and it's a large portion. Tasty enough! The rice was just a bit mushy for me. I was looking around and most of the tables had lots of different tapas plates. The couple at the table next to us just kept ordering them and exclaiming, so I think that's the way to go. We shared the flan for dessert and that was very good! Service was excellent and friendly. I'd go back when we are in the area.

As a tourist, this is a great local spot. I came here for breakfast and had a plate of mangu…read more(mashed plantains) with dominican sausage, fried cheese, an egg and pickled onions. It was incredible, hearty, savory and simple. I didn't have cash so I zelled them. It's super cheap, delicious, and I love seeing all the locals popping in. Very authentic.

This place is a hole-in-the-wall in Hell's Kitchen, on a quiet street. There is limited seating…read moreboth indoor & outdoor. The staff are very friendly, despite the limited English skills (and we don't speak Spanish). The restaurant takes cash and Zelle. Both of the below entrees came with rice and (a very small portion of) plantain. *Roast Pork: I assume this was pernil. It had a nice balanced seasoning that was gently savory and went well with the rice. Not a particularly "wet" dish, don't expect a lot of sauce. *Chicken Stew: They gave us two large drumsticks of chicken stew. The marinade / sauce is VERY lightly flavored and I wish the seasoning could be stronger / more interesting. This is not the best Dominican food I ever had but I did appreciate the homey charm and the very low prices. For two servings of roast pork and one serving of chicken stew we paid $40 flat!! It was enough to serve our group of four. I don't know how many other places in Hell's Kitchen or other well-visited parts of Manhattan would be this affordable.

Food: Excellent Service: Well paced and very pleasant…read more Ambiance: Inviting, pleasant

Stumbled upon Victor's after the matinee showing of Great Gatsby and was surprised at how upscale…read moreit was. By the unassuming entrance you'd never guess this was a fine dining restaurant. The decor is absolutely gorgeous and you feel transported away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You definitely need to make reservations as it gets booked up, but walk-ins are welcome to eat in the bar where they have a few cafe tables. Service was very friendly and prompt. And the food was delicious! I'm definitely coming back the next time I visit NYC.

Really great food for the most part! The tapas we ordered were the patatas bravas, ham and cheese…read morecroquets, tortilla, chicken skewers, steak and chorizo montado, and calamari. All were at least warm and delicious (for a tapas place where food is prepared and served as it's ready), with some being incredibly exceptional (the patatas bravas and chicken skewers to name two). The waitress was kind and attentive to our needs. And even though we were sitting outside next to one of the busier streets in midtown Manhattan, the outdoor patio was vibrant and comfortable. Would definitely visit again for a pleasant lunch!

I recently organized a team dinner at Boqueria for about 15 people, and I can't say enough good…read morethings about the entire experience from start to finish. From the very first point of contact, the staff at Boqueria were an absolute pleasure to work with. They were incredibly communicative throughout the planning process and were happy to offer thoughtful suggestions whenever I asked -- which took so much of the stress out of organizing a group event. The day of the dinner, they seated us in a semi-private room that had a full view into the kitchen, which was such a fun touch. My team loved watching the action behind the scenes -- it added a really cool energy to the evening. The service throughout the night was prompt and friendly, and the food? Absolutely delicious. We went with a family-style spread that included a variety of appetizers, entrées, and dessert tapas. Honestly, the food just kept coming and coming! Even though the plates were on the smaller side (as you'd expect with tapas), don't let that fool you -- there was more than enough food. By the end of the meal, every single person at the table was completely stuffed and raving about how good everything was. And I have to mention the sangria -- they had a wonderful selection of different sangrias that went down very well with my team. It was the perfect complement to the meal. If you're looking for a spot for a team dinner or a smaller group occasion, I would highly recommend Boqueria. They truly bring Spanish hospitality to NYC. You won't be disappointed!

Food is fresh, tasty and authentic…read more Service is warm and knowledgeable. Ambiance is eclectic midtown old New York. It's fun!

Love the Happy Hour here--daily from 3-6. Good food. Good…read moredrinks. Fun atmosphere! Tacos, guacamole, margaritas and beer all discounted! I love the open windows that look to the outdoor space during summer. The people are nice, too. ;)

First time here and wow, I'm impressed! I'm Mexican so I'm always very picky about Mexican food as…read moreit can be a hit or miss in nyc. My date chose this place and suggested these enchiladas and they were absolutely delicious!!! I love mole and this one was both sweet and spicy!! The chicken was perfectly seasoned and cooked. We got chips & guac for starters and it's an authentic guac so no notes there. They have a good selection of cocktails and ordered the watermelon cocktail without the alcohol as I don't drink, and it was so tasty and refreshing!!! Service was phenomenal. All very friendly! They had a great playlist of amazing Mexican songs and was jamming to them lol. Will definitely be coming back again!

Expensive food options. 3 average tacos on the extra small side for $20?? Ehhhh chips and salsa you…read morehave to pay for? Ehhhhhh I don't know. I feel like the food is good but not worth the price

Went there for dinner before watching a play at Broadway. The place was very busy and we didn't…read morehave a reservation but they had a table for us right away for 6 people. I would say that this was lucky cause the place was packed. Generally loud but you can still talk with people on your party. One of the first things I look for is if a restaurant serves you water when you sit and here they do and the waitress would often make sure we were topped off. That is something that is always appreciated and noticed by me. The food was generally good and service was fast. I tried various dishes and while great tasting nothing really stood out like lots of the reviews said and I tried a bit of everything that was recommended in the reviews. (Even ox tail empanadas which sounds weird but weren't bad). I think the biggest appeal here is that it's 24 hours so you know you always have a quality place to go to that is great. I would recommend it to anyone in the area but I don't know if I would go out of my way for it. I know that if I'm watching another play, it is a great stop for either before or after.

Love, love, love Empanada Mama!!! Anytime I'm in the area, I stop by for my go-to empanadas: Bombay…read more& Viagra. The restaurant is open 24 hours and is the perfect place to go for those late-night cravings. One can sit at the full bar, in the dining area, or get items to go. The restaurant is always lively and patrons get seated quickly. The most I have ever waited for a seat is 5 minutes. There are more than 40 empanadas in corn or wheat shells to order. The menu celebrates diversity through its' empanada pairings. Greek - spinach pie, Cuban - ham, pork, and cheese, Americana - cheeseburger, Bombay - Curried chicken, Brasil - traditional ground beef, Hawaiian - ham, pineapple & mozzarella cheese and many more. Besides empanadas, there is a full menu of Colombian delights to eat including arepas, salads, sandwiches, soups, tacos and tapas. They have dessert empanadas as well. Love the USA empanada, which is apples & cinnamon baked and the Nutella & banana one. You can get it topped with ice cream as well. Really looking forward to my next visit.

I stopped into this restaurant for dinner and when I arrived I parked on the street nearby. I…read morewalked into a Dilly lit restaurant. I was greeted and sat and served by Carlos and he was nice! I ordered: Red Sangria Tostones Rellenos Pollo Al Mojo (chicken with garlic sauce) Rabo Encendido (oxtail with mashed sweet plaintains) The food was really delicious with my favorite being the Tostones Rellenos! It was a great experience all in all!

We were invited as guests to eat at Guantanamera, especially since I grew up cooking authentic…read moreCuban food, as well was Puerto Rican food. I can dissect every ingredient placed into a dish. I personally ordered the Cuban sandwich that cost $24. You heard that right, $24 for a sandwich, and expect it to be worthwhile for that price. I had to ask for mojo in order to eat the sandwich, and only able to eat 1/2 of it. All I have to say is, it tasted mediocre, and didn't have that expected Cuban sandwich flavor that a gastronomical Cuban cuisine expert would know right away. One of the person in my group, ordered the lechon asado plate, which comes with moro (congri), and yuca (cassava). The person who ordered this dish is diabetic, and cannot eat yuca that has 78 grams of carbohydrates. A substitution was requested, in which the waiter addressed the paying patron with a rude attitude that there is no substitution, either have it or omit it from the plate. He would not make an exception for another vegetable or food item. This lechon asado entree cost $30, and no substitution, if unable to eat such as starchy, extremely high carb vegetable. I didn't like the waiter's attitude. It was not welcoming nor prioritized our comfort throughout the meal. I wanted to walk out of the restaurant. Especially, since the waiter did not show any Cuban mannerism to the culture. The patron tolerated the incident, asked me to let's try their food and see how authentic and/or delicious it is. He gave me the yuca, even though he paid for this item, yet unable to eat it. A simple swap for another vegetable could have been accommodated. I ate the yuca, and noticed it was just boiled, and had no seasoning whatsoever. Cuban style yuca, should have that garlic mojo, or be seasoned with a little vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Not even mojo was given for this dish that should compliment it. I tasted the moro (at this restaurant it was known as congri). The flavoring did not taste Cuban style for this rice casserole. It was missing the savory sofrito of onions, garlic, pepper, cumin, and oregano seasonings. The lechon asado didn't have that expected flavor, either. Is this really a Cuban cuisine restaurant? For this place to be called a Cuban restaurant, is an overstatement. Whomever the chef is cooking in the kitchen, supposedly authentic Cuban dishes, needs a refresh course in how to season and properly prepare Cuban dishes. To be honest, the food had more of a Peruvian flavor than Cuban flavor. Very disappointed, since I was invited and eager to eat authentic Cuban food in which I didn't have to cook myself, that is a part of my everyday lifestyle. I have to say, the waiter from the get-go had an attitude with our group, and did not have proper etiquette to address us properly, as paying patrons, who spent over $300 at the dinner table. Secondly, the lechon asado entree, which comes with moro, and yuca (cassava), there is no food swap substitution, if unable to eat one of the items on the plate. If a patron is allergic to one of the items on the menu plate, such as yuca, it will become a too bad for you, situation. Thirdly, the ambiance, especially the lighting was very dark. There was a few artwork, but overall, the place needed some lighting at the table. You couldn't read the menu, unless you have a pocket flashlight. Overall, the food at Guantanamera was not up to par, nor authentic Cuban cuisine. Either this establishment changed ownership from the original Cuban cuisine owners, or are current owners (not of Cuban culture), who are oddly not well versed in Cuban cuisine. It may be that the chef cut corners to not make the effort to cook the food according to expected Cuban traditional ingredients. Maybe, the chef had a bad day and the food was not being prepared well, that was showing when we were eating it. When the bill was given, we were being rushed by the waiter who stand by our table and hovering throughout the entire time while trying to see and analyzed the amount charged. It was very uncomfortable and rude. He could have walked away for a moment while we settle what was being charged. In addition, the waiter never declared that there was an automatic gratuity before the order was placed or any time before that when we were seated. At the very end when he hand us the bill for us to pay, in which there were separate bills for each party, there was an automatic 20% gratuity added to each of the bills. The invited guests, and myself, have decided to NOT come to this restaurant ever again.

My kiddies was in the mood for pizza and I wanted some pasta. We was in the area and decided to pay…read morea visit to Briciola. We was greeted upon our arrival. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was very elegant and relaxing. Fresh delicious pasta with wine. A glass of wine keeps the stress away. Overall a really nice elegant small franchise. Presentation of food was outstanding.

The food: excellent. The atmosphere: romantic, cool, and…read morecalm. The people: friendly and fascinating. I love this restaurant. You will too.

There are approximately 18,000 restaurants in NYC, and I spent one afternoon of my trip pondering…read morethe seemingly endless options of all different cuisines from all across the world. It took me awhile to go over my options but I eventually settled on this place, and in a seemingly endless sea of choices, this is a very good one. Kashkaval Garden is a cozy little place in Midtown, with friendly staff and fantastic food. I ordered the Two Skewers (I had the kofta and the marinated chicken) and both of them were fantastic, super juicy and flavorful and served piping hot with that fantastic harissa. I was not a fan of either of the salad options and the person behind the bar was able to substitute in an order of the pita and hummus instead, and I wish this was one of the normal options to accompany the meal since their pita and hummus is delicious. The guy sitting next to me strongly recommended it as well and I ended up chatting with him for a bit after. Everyone I interacted with, especially the staff, were really nice and friendly. Overall, this place was fantastic after a long day of walking around the city, and I would love to come back the next time I find myself in New York.

I came here for lunch with a couple friends from out of town. We were given window seating, and the…read morespace was cozy with pretty lights, brick walls, as well as wood. There was a welcoming ambiance to the place. We shared the Rose Cardamom Pistachio Pastry, and I wish I had gotten one of them with fruit salad and labne. The Rose Cardamom Pistachio Pastry was delicious, layered with delicate mixture of rose and cardamom flavor, and sprinkled with plenty of crushed pistachio. It was sweet, lightly flaky, and slightly crunchy. For my entree, I chose the Truffle Fondue with various types of sausage. The Truffle Fondue was served on top a small flame to keep it warm. It was satisfyingly melty, full of true truffle taste, and quite yummy. It came with pieces of white sourdough bread, which were nicely chewy. The sausage also came with purple grapes, as well as a piece of carrot. Sausage was succulent, juicy, and well seasoned. It was a perfect dipper for the fondue. I would have also liked to have potatoes with it, but each additional ingredient were priced a la carte, so would have to pay more. I wasn't really a fan of that set up and think that each fondue should have included more than just bread. Service was solid. Our waiter was personable and helpful. We were well taken care of throughout. Prices were reasonable, though fondue can get a little up there, depending on what you order with it. I would be open to returning to try the Cheeseburger.