Absolute gem if you're into wine!…read more One of my friends brought here and befriended the bartender a while ago and she definitely knew so much about wine. I learned so much about the different regions and even discovered a Chardonnay that blew my mind. They don't serve orange wine FYI. I just love this place and my friend blew my mind once we went downstairs. It's connected to a cocktail bar (Experimental Social Club) so you can have your wine and then move downstairs for a swanky cocktail club vibe! Usually they need reservations but if you come through the wine bar those aren't necessary! Pro tip!

Have been here twice now and it's such a lovely and beautiful space! Definitely recommend getting a…read morereservation as it gets quite busy but is not loud inside at all. We split a bottle of a chardonnay which was so delicious and for food got the chicken sandwiches which are a must get, the baby gem salad which was also incredible and the zucca pasta which was delicious but could have been a bit warmer. Such a beautiful bar and great place to catch up!

Just a Great hors d'oeuvres spot in NEW YORK CITY! In a…read morelittle under a year, I have been to this spot uncoincidentally twice through passing- The street is bustling with enticing cuisine and merging sense of palette confusion. This STICKS OUT. It is French, it offers a sunlit outdoor patio and rests on New York cobblestone. Only the finest. We ordered their 30 dollar happy hour wine selection (their choice of white, rose or red). We went for rose as it was only approaching cocktail hour. Ended up spending $60, do your own math! As for food, this was where I had a blonde moment. The French wordings of cheese or meat was simply something I haven't even seen in France. So what to do? Tell our server we love rich goudas, goat cheeses and manchego's; but stray from any blue cheese family member or associate. He brought an array of an assortment! I do not recall the names of their cheese, two we liked one we did not appreciate. The unappreciated cheese was a reminder to my deep hatred for blue cheese and utter regret for even bringing it up to our server. TOO MUCH BREAD. Not because I am a model, but because I believe in proportion sizings, especially when it comes to the delicacies within the cheese world I aspire to be apart of. NO MORE BREAD PLEASE, I begged as I calm and swiftly maneuvered the slices into my concerned and judged mouth. We also enjoyed the escargot, 10/10. Get the escargot and wine babes xxx

Vibe was proto-typical French place. Trying to be a cafe or was it nicer place?! Food portions were…read moretrying to be high end but the preparations and proportions with a high cost - overpriced. The wine list was better than most standard bars in NYC, but not high end, but it priced as if it was.

Our favorite date night spot in NYC - ambiance, food, drinks, service.... Knocks it all out of the…read morepark. Our menu staple recs: - focaccia - little gem caesar - heirloom panzanella (seasonal) - crispy potatoes "millefoglie" - roasted cauliflower - rigatone calabrese (MUCH better than the pappardelle) - mafaldine pasta (it's worth it, trust me) - we haven't tried a ravioli we didn't like - risotto: finally tried and it was delish - tirsmisu is FIRE

{Overall: 3.5; Food: 3.5} Ambiance: 4; Service: 4…read more Carlotto is enjoyable, but on the more expensive side for what it is. The pastas are good and the ambiance is dark, romantic, and intimate. Service is good and the overall experience is pleasant. I enjoy the food, but it is not something I find myself craving, which makes it harder to justify the prices.

I met a friend here for happy hour on a weekday, and we had a wonderful time. The restaurant was…read morespacious and the marble bar was gorgeous. There's even a speakeasy lounge downstairs. The bar seating was plentiful and comfortable. There is plenty of space for people to stand behind the bar or a high top tables enjoying happy hour after work. If you go at 4:30 or 5, it's a bit calmer as the after work crowd trickles in. And as the evening went on, it started to get more and more packed, and it became a really lively vibe. After my friend left for another function, I stuck around a little bit longer for a little solo dinner. I had a glass of Prosecco off the happy hour menu followed by a dirty martini, and I did request to look at their full dinner menu because there was a couple items that I wanted to try. I wanted to try the duck Ragu and halloumi cheese, both of which were absolutely fantastic. The halloumi cheese was perfectly grilled and flavorful, and the duck Ragu was very comforting. I highly recommend both dishes. I ended up chatting with a woman sitting next to me who happened to work with select apertivo, and next thing I know one of the bartenders handed me a lovely bright cocktail to try on the house. It was a refreshing bubbly Barlume spritz that I'll definitely have to get again next time. Overall, I had a really great time at Barlume. The service was excellent from the servers and the bartenders, and they were all very attentive, personable and friendly throughout the evening. I'll definitely be back for happy hour or dinner with friends!

It's been a minute since we'd dined out (life on the other side of having a kid has been DIFFERENT…read morey'all) so we decided to go check Barlume out. Did you know this is where the Beecher's used to be?! RIP, I miss their Mac n cheese.... the vibe is completely different now (think extravagant Mediterranean vibes, it's very instagram-mable with the beautiful bar area). I had made a reservation for 5:30 (again, life with a baby is very different)- we arrived early but the staff were very gracious and were able to get us seated. They seated us in a side alcove area where they had cushioned seating, which was very helpful. What we Ordered: Drinks: Barlume Spritz and Hibiscus Mule (N/A cocktail)- drinks were good, nothing too special but we appreciated the cute stirrers Appetizer: Halloumi- grilled halloumi with roasted eggplant puree. The saltiness of the halloumi went so well with the creaminess of the eggplant. (Baby liked the eggplant puree too hah) Entrees: Lobster Arrabiatta and Duck Ragu and Truffle Pizza. My husband got the lobster arrabiatta and was raving about how delicious it was. He said it was the perfect level of spice. My duck ragu was served with busiate (a corkscrew shaped pasta) which I thought 'trapped' the sauce perfectly so you get a nice saucy bite each time. Pasta was perfectly al dente- my one gripe is that I felt the duck ragu was a bit too salty, which even managed to overpower the tomato flavor. We shared the truffle pizza, which came topped off with stracciatella, porcini mushrooms and shaved truffles. I liked the porcini mushrooms on the pizza, this was a first for me. For dessert (which we had to gobble down quickly because baby was starting to get fussy) we got the pistachio cake. SAVE SPACE IN YOUR STOMACH FOR THIS ONE!!! This was my favorite in the whole meal, the kataifi gives it that wonderful crumbliness and it went soooo well with the mango sorbet that's served with it. Recommend for a nice dinner with friends or a cool place to grab drinks! 4.5 stars

Boqueria is reliably delicious - I'm usually wary of chain restaurants as they can become too…read more"corporate". Boqueria was not the case. The location was small but provided a cozy and intimate environment, perfect for a date night or a fun dinner with friends. The staff was knowledgeable about the offerings and the food came extremely fast. The dishes come out as they are ready and they just kept getting better and better ( you HAVE to get the octopus and churros ) Truly loved every single dish and the perfect spot to try many different things due to the tapas style.

I've been to Boqueria several times, and it never disappoints. It's always a lively, fun…read moreexperience, especially during happy hour. They have a great selection of drinks and small bites, and I highly recommend starting with the red sangria. Fair warning: it goes down a little too easily. The jamón croquetas and mushroom croquetas are perfect bar snacks to pair with your sangria. We happened to be there watching Spain during the World Cup, so between the food, drinks, and cheering fans, it almost felt like we had been transported to Barcelona--minus the airfare. The service was friendly, relaxed, and refreshingly unhurried. We never felt rushed and were able to order at our own pace, which made the meal even more enjoyable. For the main course, the meatballs, chicken skewers, gambas al ajillo, and beef paella were all delicious. Honestly, every time a dish arrived, I thought, "Okay, this is my favorite," until the next one came out. The churros were the perfect ending--crispy, hot, and dangerously good when dipped into the thick, rich hot chocolate. They're the kind of dessert that makes you seriously consider ordering a second round... even when you're already full. Boqueria continues to be one of my favorite spots for great Spanish food, excellent happy hour, and a lively atmosphere. I'll definitely be back--and probably for those churros sooner than I should.

Casa Carmen is a beautiful spot with a warm, upscale atmosphere and great service. The Mexican…read moredishes were flavorful and beautifully presented, and the ambience makes it perfect for a date night or special occasion. We order chicken and lamb tacos. Cooked very well. Lamb tacos have the texture of peril which I loved. We had an avocado Moscow Mule and lemonade very good. Guacamole was pretty good. Not a fan of the flan Coco because I am not a dessert person. This is my favorite space to visit when I'm in the union square. Definitely a place I'd recommend and visit again!

Despite being busy, the restaurant was accommodating for our group of 6 right after work. It had a…read moregood variety of food which makes it good for possibly picky eaters. The restaurant has great decor and low lighting which is just what we needed after a long day of meetings. Highly recommend the guacamole.

This is my humble opinion I wasn't asked to write a review…read morenor am I getting compensate for this opinion. This place is top 3 of my restaurant I wasn't going to order a Main dish after I had hands down the best salad ever I had the chickpeas salad. It is to die for and a must have I had the red snapper Now here's the beauty today is the last Sunday before lenting season is over I managed to have great Italian dinner while not having pasta dairy nor alcohol Yet I'm so happy it felt like I had all of that. Here's the best part the bill was way below what I expected. I'm a believer. I don't usually do Manhattan since I'm Brooklyn all day every day. They're going to see me again Great food great music great atmosphere great staff love everything about this place. The chef is awesome

An absolutely fantastic dining experience. Came with a group of 4 celebrating a birthday dinner…read more The ambiance is perfect for a date night. Music and decor sets the mood for an "elevated casual" vibe. Everyone at my table enjoyed their food. Servers were very attentive. Perfect restaurant in the city to receive a top-rated experience.

We get crazy for any decorated restaurants and this place was in our list for a while. After a…read morelong planning, we were able to experience last weekend Oscar Wilde's insanely good decors. We timed their summer's Alice in Wonderland theme and was not disappointed. Our group of 15 was situated in the room just when walked in from the front entrance . Not has the privacy we wanted, not has sitting comfort we expected , not the best food we waited but delighted to be with the most decorative backdrop. We had a delay on our food service, had a mixed up to few orders, there was one extra charge for drinks not accounted by our group hostess until after the stay and was not assisted to our expectation level. Nevertheless, the experience was lovely .

What a fun spot in New York! The floral decor is wild, over the top and totally "mad hatter"! But…read moresomehow it works perfectly. Not sure what Oscar Wilde has to do with Alice in wonderland but we just accepted it - lol. We went here on our girls weekend trip to the city and we liked the place so much that we went back for a second night.

Call me the wicked witch of the west bc I am blown away how delicious everything was! From what I…read moresaw on socials and Yelp, I knew Opto was gonna be good but idk, wasn't expecting it to be THAT good! Everything was so crisp, flavorful, clean and delicious!! We had a rez for 4 on Tuesday at 630p and we left around 1030p - we were there for almost 4 freakin hours bc the vibes, food and service was impeccable. We felt bad being one of the last to leave but it's a testament to how great this restaurant was. I'm sure we were only able to do that bc it was a Tuesday but even then, it was boppin in there - every seat was filled! It wasn't hard to get a rez for the week but idk about the weekend. Note: We had someone that was allergic to dairy and they were so accommodating with putting some things on the side and being clear about which dishes to avoid!! Here's what we got Feta butter: 10/10 mild yet deep and flavorful Gem salad: 10/10 crunchy, crispy, tangy, umami Melon: 10/10 the sweetest crunchiest melons I've ever had with the milky goodness of stracciatella Calamari: 10/10 when the dish came out I was hoping for a more tempura-y fry but this was somehow light and tempura-y yet had that that rustic Italianness and squid was perfectly cooked Branzino: 10/10 the crispiest saltiest skin with the perfectly cooked flaky meat YOM Ribeye: 100/10 PERFECT NO NOTES Limone: 10/10 so buttery and salty and cheesy with the parm Tomato Pasta: 9/10 They brought this out complimentary for us!! And made sure it was dairy free!!! We were blown!! The pasta was slightly too thick/al dente for me but the rest of the table loved it!! Herbed Carrots: 10/10 maple (?) glazed and so sweet and soft!! Almost tasted like a mix between a carrot and a yam Harry's Strawberry Shortcake: 100/10 DO NOT SKIP!! I wished I wasn't so full at the end bc this was AMAZING! It was deconstructed with a nice serving of whipped cream and poppy seeds on top - wowowowow perfectly slightly sweet and the shortbread in it was indescribable!!! The restaurant itself was bigger than you'd think walking in and from what I saw, was a great spot to accommodate 6-9 people! Can get a bit loud but vibes are bright all around it was giving amalfi coast ~ Can't wait to bring more of my friends here!!!

Opto has all the elements of a restaurant with staying power. Very good food that's well-executed…read moreacross the board, drink and food menus with tons of good options, and particularly great service. The prices are definitely a little inflated but for some reason I feel like the prices at most Flatiron places of this caliber are set similarly so I suppose it is ~locally~ normative. In any case, it fits the vibe of the area well and it is suitable for pretty much any occasion so it's versatile too. We came here at 8:15 as a party of four on a Saturday night. Though it wasn't too hard to get a reservation, the place was completely full. That said, it's a relatively big space so they have plenty of tables to accommodate parties of many different sizes. The decor is fresh and refined, lots of greenery which is the move these days. Though it's a white tablecloth situation the vibe is not pretentious or buttoned up, it's lively and fun just in a sophisticated way. Cocktails and wine options aplenty here, with quite a few cocktail options featuring Greek/Mediterranean ingredients (mastiha, I'm looking at you) which I very much appreciated. A few folks started with the "I Speak For The Trees" (Spring 44 Vodka, Cucumber, Mastiha) cocktail and in doing so tried mastiha for the first time. I, not surprisingly, had to try the martini, which is the Fantasy Is A Necessary Ingredient (Dill Vodka, Sardinian Vermouth, Olive Oil). Despite not being a vodka person, vodka in dirty martinis is the one exception I will make from time to time, especially when there is a fun infusion that elevates the drink. I was extremely happy that, after ordering it, our server asked if I wanted it with a regular olive or feta-stuffed olive, as if there is really any deliberation that needs to happen there (read: feta-stuffed olives are a no-brainer). For the rest of the night I just got dirty martinis or espresso martinis which are both particularly excellent here. My partner tried the La Osa Albarino (Val do Salnes, Rias Biaxas, Spain) with our entrees which I also enjoyed. Food-wise, we got to sample a decent portion of the menu being a party of four, though we didn't order any of the bigger entrees (mostly because we could not justify the price). Everything was great and the only reason this isn't five stars is just because I reserve that for experiences where things are mind-blowing/super memorable and as they say, it is called the Hall of Fame not the Hall of the Very Good. In any case, it's hard to pick out a favorite dish because we really enjoyed everything, but that is a good sign for the rest of the menu should you want to order something we didn't try. Everything was an A or A+ in this meal so I'll skip the letter grades for this review. Eats, below: Norwegian Yellowtail Tartare w/ Ezme, Borage, Sumac Light, delicate, relatively straightforward as far as tartares go but the ezme adds a nice touch that's a nod to the Mediterranean. Gem Lettuce Salad w/ Dill, Scallion, Cucumber, Sesame-Anchovy Vinaigrette Super fresh and delicious, perhaps a little Caesar-esque but with far more intrigue. Sugar Kiss Melon w/ Stracciatella Di Buffala, Spicy Coppa, 25 Year Balsamic We actually decided to nix this at the last second when we realized we may have ordered a bit too much food but our lovely server brought it anyway (she really made the night for us). This could even be a dessert-type dish if you'd like, but certainly works among the savory courses too. Charred Spanish Octopus w/ Potato, Mint, Aged Sherry The octopus was beautifully cooked and presented, seasoned well, no notes on that. The potatoes were decent but less exciting than the rest of the dish imo. Roasted Dorade w/ Tamarind Glaze, Pomegranate, Jalapeño, Herb Salad Absolutely loved this dish. According to our server, it's on the opposite end of the spectrum from the branzino, which is a cleaner, simpler preparation (and the whole fish), while this is a total flavor bomb. While I do love branzino, I'm glad we opted for this at less than half of the price. And I'm pretty sure the last time the four us went out for dinner we ordered a full fish and I'm pretty sure it was branzino so here's to shaking things up. Rocky Mountain Lamb Chops w/ Black Garlic, Ras El Hanout, Mint Chermoula Despite not usually being a red meat person I really loved these. Incredibly juicy and flavorful, making a strong case for being priced as high as they are. Honey Spiced Carrots Don't sleep on sides! Often an afterthought but they deserve a seat at the table, and these were good evidence of this.

Located in Chelsea, this cute cocktail bar is the kind of place that feels right for a date night…read more It's cozy and intimate. They have daily happy hour and a nicely curated cocktail menu, making this place a great choice to grab a drink. The food doesn't disappoint either. The chicken wings in buffalo sauce were delicious, but the tater tots were my favorite. They were served as a mini casserole with jalapeno, cheese, sour cream, enchilada sauce. Really tasty and interesting. The service was great and friendly. Overall, the whole vibe is quietly charming. A real neighborhood gem.