Waited two weeks to finally dine here for me and my partner's five year anniversary only to have my reservation canceled by the restaurant on the day of my reservation without notifying me in advance. Never received any other communication from the restaurant. Called four times with no response, was offered no apology or other suitable options. read more

Good for date. Environment is good. I would recommend reserve the seat in advance, especially for the weekend. We ordered the lamb, squid, pork belly, the chef special croquette, and the duck rice. read more

Salinas - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

This experience has two parts. The first part was when I called 12 minutes late for my reservation. Knowing that it is cancelled after 15 minutes, I wanted to inform them that I was 1 minute away. Apparently, in addition to making the reservation AND calling the day before, you have to call that day before 4 pm or else the reservation is cancelled. The hostess tried to explain this terrible procedure for the restaurant and then proceeded to say, "I would try and help you but either way your reservation would have been cancelled for being 15 minutes late". The only reason I was 15 minutes late was because for 4 minutes I had to listen to the worst reservation procedure I have ever encountered. Part 2 was when my wife still wanted to see what all the commotion was for and we decided to try the restaurant anyway. We ended up sitting in the lounge area with plans to get drinks and food. After looking at the menu for about 10 minutes both of us could not find any food that was worth eating besides the rice that took 40-45 minutes. We ended up only ordering extremely overpriced drinks and then went to a nearby restaurant that was classy and romantic but didn't try too hard. The only reason I gave 2 stars and not 1 was because the waiters seemed extremely friendly and helpful. read more

I was prepared for a beautiful dinner after looking at a bunch Of yelp pics. Def would not have known it from the outside but once you enter, all you smell are the beautiful fresh flowers that fills the entrance and dining rooms. It's like a secret garden hidden in Chelsea. As for the food, definitely go with the paella, that's a must. It's $30/pp and portions are more than enough. Tapas list and ingredients are fancier than you typical tapa spots but still good. Go for the pulpos. The fish of the day was okay, had the grilled branzino and I thought it was bland. The rest of the food plus drinks and dessert made up for the fish disappointment. Overall. It's a true 4 stars. Perfect date spot or pre-GNO dinner spot ;) P.S. The back dining room opens up as a garden/open roof during NYC summers!! read more

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Beautiful roses all over the restaurant! Gorgeous decor all over. We had a girls night here and we all started out with Sauvignon Blanc which was excellent/14 dollars a glass. The girls and I split a bunch of appetizers, a rice and a side of the potatoes. Everything was great. We had the following: Pica pica: so delicious : COUNTRY BREAD, BEET AND GOAT CHEESE AIOLI OLIVES, PIPARRA TOMATO ALASPARRA RICE, CRESCENT DUCK, CAULIFLOWER GARBANZOS, CHANTERELLES, SEASONAL FLOWERS. Insane. The side of potatoes.... And an entree with eggplant that I cannot remember what it was called! Enjoy this place it's good! read more

Salinas - Eggplant and beans! Delicious - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

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This is closer to a 3.5 stars, but decided to give it 3 instead of 4 for the following reasons I'll list out later in the review. We had early dinner reservations on Saturday and was quickly seated when we arrived. The ambiance of the restaurant is great and it looked like the restaurant was comprised of several small rooms. We were seated in a round booth in the room with the bar. For dinner, we ordered the llauna (duck + sausage rice) and the crispy suckling pig special. Both were pretty good but I found the portions were somewhat smaller than I was expecting. Additionally, the rice to be too salty and the pig was really hard to eat (it was difficult to cut, etc). Food was overall pretty good but I thought it was extremely overpriced for what it was, so I don't see the value there. What was also extremely annoying is that in the round booth we were sat in, the height of the table was way too high for how low the seats were. This may sound like a small detail but not kidding when I say my arms are still sore the next day from having to raise my arms so high for the entirety of the meal to reach the plate. It honestly somewhat ruined the entire dinner because I was never completely comfortable during the meal and my arms definitely hurt by the end of it. I'm also of average height and my boyfriend had the same issue, so I don't think this was a problem just for us. Overall - if the food wasn't so overpriced for what it was and if we were seated in a more comfortable location I probably would have given this 4 stars. read more

Salinas - Crispy suckling pig - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

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I decided this was the perfect place to take my girlfriend because it shares the same name as the city she was born in! so i quickly booked a reservation through Opentable. The place itself was quiet and cute, I requested the garden room, but I get it .. its just a request, so i never actually got the chance to see it. Our server was nice and very knowledgeable and deserved ever last $$ of our tip money. We split about 4-5 tapas and a larger entree and went gaga over the dessert. Every dish was superb, some better than others, but definitely counts as an elevated latin food experience. Kinda Reminds me of the old days when "Rayuela" was still around. All in all it was a great experience and I would love to come back to actually eat in the garden room *wink* *wink* Salinas' Staff* read more

Cute spot. Only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because I felt extremely full after this meal. It's filled with a lot of flavor and ingredients. Doesn't seem like many options if you want something lighter, but I think most people going to this restaurant this is what they are looking for. read more

Salinas - This was a crunchy dessert with some type of popcorn on it. The texture was awesome. Definitely recommend - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

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My husband and I came to Salinas for our anniversary dinner and loved the dim-lit intimate vibe of the place. One thing which struck us noticeably were the missing fresh flowers which is such a signature of this restaurant. May be it was a seasonal thing but I wish we had known so as to book our dinner accordingly because Salinas is all the about the vibe which is added to in a big way by their flowers. Sigh. Coming to the food- I must add that even before our first meal in Salinas, I was well aware that Salinas is more about the decor and the feel and not as much about the food, which can be a hit or a miss. We ordered quite a few signature dishes on their menu, but overall they were all okay. Nothing that jumped out and excited us, except maybe the patatas bravas. Here's the detail of our food- We started with the lamb tartare which was a textural pleasure but fell flat in flavor. It was accompanied with crispy bread, crispy barley or buckwheat and a white sauce which may have been yoghurt to add some sour-citrus notes but overall it was just meh. Our second dish was the famous pork belly which was again of wonderful melt-in-the-mouth texture but all the added garnishes didn't seem to add much in terms of flavor. Nothing really jumped out of the plate except maybe the presentation. We also got the octopus which was overcooked and not big on flavor, and we have had tons of great octopuses in the city from fancy and not-so-fancy restaurants. But then octopus is very easy to overcook, so maybe we got unlucky. We then got the patatas bravas which were crispy and bold and robust in flavor and really made us smack our lips. Probably the best dish of the night which may not be saying much. The croquettas are flavored as per the chefs choice and we got the ham and butternut squash filled croquettas which i seemed to enjoy more than my husband. They were soft and silky on the inside and crunchy on the outside- again perfect textures but didn't hit the high notes in terms of flavor. For our main dish we got the black crispy rice with squid which was an interesting dish given than I have never had crispy rice. Great textural elements, and I say that at the risk of repeating myself, but it was pretty much that. I also got the grapefruit flavored Gin and Tonic which someone had mentioned they come and mix at your table, but that wasn't the case. It was a great drink nevertheless. Overall, I probably felt a little sad to have missed the famous flower decor of this place that probably adds to the dining experience in a big way and probably won't be back for the food. Having said that, Kudos to the chef for playing with the textures and elements of the dish as that is a hard fete to achieve. read more

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Wow. That is the only word that is needed to describe Salinas. The second you walk through the door you no longer feel as if you are on 9th ave in NYC. I was a bit nervous about eating here as I am not the biggest seafood fan. However, I decided to be bold and split some food with my friend. We immediately decided to get the bacon wrapped quail because anything that says bacon wrapped obviously has to be good. It was unreal. We also enjoyed the paella which was a treat for both of us. Aside from the food, the waitstaff was hands down the nicest I have ever encountered. It is a bit pricey for an every day place, so I would recommend coming here if you're celebrating a birthday, anniversary, etc. read more

Salinas - Yummy Paella :) - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

My friend & I came here the day after Christmas for dinner. Reservations are recommended. Lovely ambiance! Cozy, intimate & more space that one expects looking at the restaurant front. The dining area goes all the way to the back and the open garden space in summer is completely closed & sealed off during winter, with a charming fire place. The décor was very pretty, LOTS of fresh roses. Romantic spot, great for date night. Services was very good, efficient without being overbearing. Their food is mainly tapas style. We started with the Croquetas de Txipiron, Coles Y Cauliflower & the Patatas Bravas. Everything was very good. For the main course we had one of the night's special items which was Pan Seared Scallops with Lobster & some sauce, topped with caviar....delicious! For dessert we had Quesos Artesanales (assorted cheese plate) and Chocolate Y Pistachos....good stuff. I do feel the place is a tad bit overpriced for what it offers, compatible places can be found for less $. (Thus the drop in a star). read more

Salinas - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

After the fourth attempt to make reservations here, for a girl's night out/birthday dinner, we finally got in. The first thing you'll notice walking into the dining area will be the smell of fresh roses in the air. It was pleasantly surprising, they have roses everywhere. They have a huge rose on everything table and have noted on the menu that if you take their ecuador imported roses, they will charge $15 on your bill so... don't steal the roses lol Drink - they have two different kinds of sangria. We first ordered a pitcher of the red one and because it was way too watered down and too bitter, we sent it back and ordered the other one (forgot the name but it's more pink in color) which tasted better. Food - we ordered the brussel sprouts, artichoke and potato tapas and for main we ordered the succulent pig and the paella. We first got the brussel sprouts. They were baby brussel sprouts with colored cauliflowers. "Baby" meaning very miniature and most of the brussel sprouts were burnt. The artichokes were also a bit overly cooked and some tasted a little bit plastic like. Then it was followed by the paella, which was very tasty but the chicken in it was kinda dry. The succulent pig, the sauce and vegetables that were cooked with it was just right. And the salad that came along with the dish was good as well (the dressing was really delicious). The patatas were cut into very tiny pieces and was sauteed and sprinkled with some kind of cheese. It was kind of hard to eat actually because it was so small. The service was great, until we received the bill and we were all spliting it, some cash and credit card so we wanted to give exact change and when the waiter saw that we had given change he literally threw it back to my friend and said in a very snarking way, "we don't take change" and walked away. Very rude. That kind of ruin the end of our dinner. So, thanks guy. The bill came out to about $240 for everything for the four of us. Overall, our dinner was set in a very lovely environment. There were things i liked and things i disliked but i do however see myself coming back in hopes my dislikes will become my likes in the future. read more

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Wish I could leave a 0. Had my birthday dinner there. We were a group of five and we ordered many dishes; however were asked to hurry up and finish and leave like 3 times because there were bookings afterwards----we barely sat there for more than an hour. Waiters treated us as if they were above us. Don't bother to come. read more

The hostess and wait staff could not have been more rude. The hostess was too busy flirting with a customer to greet us. The head waiter was sarcastic and treated us as if he was doing us a favor by seating and serving us. Servers were just as rude and unaccomodating. All attitude, which you don't expect on a dirty block on 9th Avenue. Oh yeah, the food was mediocre. read more

I came here for my birthday celebration with some girlfriends & we had a great time. The hostess was super accommodating when we requested to sit outside - the weather was beautiful and the back garden was perfect. We ordered a number of appetizers and a rice dish and the waiter was really great at helping us pick out a great meal. He also offered good suggestions for cocktails. Can't wait to come back here! read more

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First time going to salinas. I have to agree the decorations and environment is very romantic and nice, but to be honest the food was very mediocre. Nothing left me with deep impressions. The food was expensive so I was expecting a LOT. Taste, presentation etc. This is not authentic spanish food but a fusion of American and even a bit of Asian. We had the Berkshire pork belly, which tasted like Peking duck but replacing the duck with the pork belly. The meat was cold but the potato puree on the bottom was warm. The sweet and sour sauce and cucumber did blend well, but the pork had a very "porky" taste to it which tasted cheap. For the main we got the catch of the day and the grilled chicken breast. The fish was more than 40 dollars and the chicken breast was a bit less than that. We were served with half of the fish, which our server already indicated, but it was smaller than I expected. The fish and chicken were both good. But like I said nothing special. I feel like I could have made them both at home. The food has good presentation, the environment was nice, but the food is mediocre, and nothing about it lures me back to have it again, especially for the high prices. read more

Extremely rude, incompetent and condescending staff and severely dysfunctional place. It was hands down the worst experience I've ever had with any restaurant anywhere. read more

Meh. I think the over-hyped reviews raised our expectations too high. The staff was not well trained. We felt very rushed through dinner. The server was quite unprofessional and a bit off putting. The food was average for the new wave of Spanish tapas restaurants opening all over the city. The decor is intimate and lovely, but the tables are packed so closely together that the back room is a cacophony of diners shouting over each other. We ate there in August 2021. read more

Went here for a special occasion. First off, I agree with most Yelpers when I say this place is BEAUTIFUL. Very romantic, very well-decorated and dimly light. Maybe it was my fault for coming during a Valentine's pre-fixed menu weekend and not being able to taste the normal menu, but I was very disappointed for what I got. The flavors didn't seem to blend very well, although there were a few good dishes in the mix. But for $300 for 2 people w/ no drinks, that is definitely not worth it. Unfortunately the star of the show were the beginning 'tapas' but it kind of just went downhill with a few nice/ok dishes. However I'm hopeful that on my next return, it'll be better. read more

Salinas - Appetizer for $125 pre-fixed V-Day 2017 menu. - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

I have to say that I was pretty disappointed. Four stars for ambience and seating as there is a retractable roof and it was marvelous to sit "outdoors." The food, however, was all forgettable. I remember a pasta dish in tomato sauce that was just not that good. My friend liked the salad and patatas bravas, but aside from that, everything was bland and medicore. Had hoped to make this my new favorite tapas bar, but unfortunately, we won't return. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, food, and waiter service throughout the night. We were having such a great time we ordered another round of drinks after dinner, paid our bill, and continued to sit at our table for a bit chatting. Abruptly, the manager or owner came over and told us to pretty much get up immediately because he had another party who needed the table and it caused a scene with others sitting around the garden. We did stay nearly 2 hours and we totally understand how reservations work but he could have approached it more politely by telling us he enjoyed having us for dinner, maybe we could join the bar for a drink, etc. read more

Horrible service, had a reservation and completely ignored us. Don't go to this place.

The restaurant is filled with flowers so it gives a very romantic vibe (you can buy the flowers there too). After you enter the restaurant, you pass a short hallway to get to the main dining area which is split into patio sitting and indoor sitting. The restaurant uses minimal lighting so it may not be good for children. The food is great. My husband and I got one main dish and three small dishes and we were comfortably full. Baked goat cheese, potatoes, lamb and rice were the small dishes we got which were very tastey and rice with octopus was the main dish for us. The food was not too heavily seasoned and the staff were very friendly. I would come back to try other dishes on the menu or try new dishes on the menu (I think they change the menu to keep it fresh). read more

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Such a cute cozy place. Everything we ordered was delicious. The waitress and the manager were both so kind and attentive. I highly recommend! read more

I booked this restaurant for my dad's birthday three weeks in advance. Having spent some time living in Spain, we're always looking to find a little piece of our second home. They had decent reviews so we decided to give it a try. Upon arrival, we discovered much to our dismay, they had cancelled the reservation without warning, due to the fact that we did not "REconfirm" (after having received two confirmation emails previously). They were unapologetic and rude but we decided to go back and have dinner anyway to give it a second chance. The food was average at best. I was really excited about this place and wanted to bring back my friends. So disappointed. read more

Salinas is a small & romantic Spanish restaurant located in Chelsea. It has recently been remodeled allowing for more private romantic seating yet has lost some of its beauty in the removal of the amount of roses adorning the rooms. Still it's one of the more romantic spots in the city. The staff are friendly yet not accommodating with requests for substitutions. The food itself is quite flavorful but some preparations mask the true flavor of the ingredients (eg, squid ink and popcorn on the octopus). The menu might also benefit from a few more green vegetable options. Overall a good place to go for a romantic evening out and a nice meal. read more

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We went to that restaurant yesterday and we had an amazing time!!! It doesn't look like much from the outside, but it is a little jem in the inside! The backyard is magical, the food was amazing, the ambiance, the waiter , the music. We had a remarkable dining experience. We had tapas such as shrimps, salmon ceviche, goat cheese, soft shell crab, and we had the catch of the day fish plateau. Thank you Donald, for your warm welcoming:) your Celine girls :-) read more

Salinas - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

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Salinas is the most perfect restaurant. Romance, Ambiance, Incredible hand crafted food, exceptional service, tons of flowers and candles. They know how to treat you, feed you, and create a unique and memorable dining experience. My wife and I have made Salinas our official Anniversary spot, you should too!! Thank you Salinas (& Daniel our awesome server), we appreciate you guys! Chris & Anna. read more

I went to Salinas because I wasn't able to get a reservation at Degustation and I'm so happy I didn't! The dining experience at Salinas was great. Service is outstanding with the entire staff being very attentive, prompt and very friendly in a laid back manner yet always keeping the elegance of the restaurant. 5 stars here! The decor and ambience is amazing! I was going with friends so was a bit reluctant of the very romantic atmosphere that was described in most reviews. Although it does fit that description and I'm sure it's an amazing place for a date it's also a very cozy and elegant place for a nice dinner with friends. 5 stars here! Finally, the food ... this is the one area I would give the restaurant a 4 star rating and its only because I wouldn't say every single dish was amazing. The bread serving is really nothing to talk about. The appetizers (croquetas and octopus) were good. Well cooked and good flavor. The "arroz negro" paella was good, but wouldn't rave about it. The Panceta appetizer, however, was out of this world. I don't normally like panceta or pork belly, but this was "undescribably" good. It was like cutting into butter without the taste of fat or grease that sometimes identifies this dish. Everyone that goes to this restaurant should it! Finally the dessert (olive oil cookies with chocolate ice cream) was very, very good. Great for anyone that likes a sweet-salty combination. Would absolutely recommend this restaurant for Spanish for lovers! read more

Let me preface this review by saying I have been to hundreds of restaurants in literally dozens of countries and I have to say this by far the worst experience and worst customer service I have ever come across...that is if you can even call is customer service. Short Version - If you want to experience the worst customer service in your life, have your table given away without notification (even though you show up on time) and experience a complete lack of respect you can go here. If you would like to have a nice dinner in a friendly, professional environment reminiscent of a high end restaurant then do not go here. This is clearly an "assembly line" restaurant catering towards tourist with no intention of actually providing a proper restaurant experience. And if you still want to come here, make sure you have the ability to make traffic part like the Red Sea and control the past present and future because if any member of your group (no matter how small) does not come on time, they will not think twice give your table away. Long Version - Honestly I am still shocked by the events that unfolded last Saturday night. I had a reservation for 3 people at 8pm to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday for which we promptly arrived. We were greeted and told that they cannot sit us without our entire party so we sat at the bar. My sister, whom we were visiting from out of town, is temporarily moved to NYC due to a serious health condition of her baby for which she is being operated on Monday. The reason I bring this up is because she was the third member of the group that was running late trying to put her to sleep and while at the bar she unfortunately she texted us saying that she probably won't make it. At that point I went to see the hostess again and told her that my sister probably won't be coming so we would like to be seated and I was told that they cannot seat us without our entire party. I explained to her the situation and told her that it will be two people now, and if my sister did somehow end up coming we could squeeze in if they sat us at a booth or another table. I saw several couples sitting at these tables and assumed it would not be an issue however I was told that was not possible and thus I requested to speak with the manager. At that point I went back to the bar and after several minutes the manager came over, introduced herself and told us that since our party was over 15 minutes late they ended up giving our table away (this was the first we heard of this policy by the way) and gave some preformulated line about their policy without letting me get a word in. I tried to explain the situation but she would have none of it and didn't even let me talk, actually talking over me at one point. Honestly I have never seen a colder, ruder and more inflexible manager in my life. What makes this entire incident completely unforgivable is that this entire situation could have been easily avoided if any semblance of customer service was practiced. We were not a large party and things happen, so why not just sit us down and let us have our dinner? If my sister did end up joining, we would squeeze in and everyone would be happy. One thing I did not mention is that I am a restaurant owner myself, and have owned several restaurants from both casual to high end and I would NEVER let this happen if any of them. It is very evident that the management at this restaurant does not care about the customer, is not open to accommodate their guests when situations arise and SIMPLY DOES NOT CARE. One of the other reviews which went through a similar experience compared it to the "Soup Nazi" episode on Seinfeld and it could not be any more true. Please, heed my warning and do not risk coming here for any reason, but especially for any celebratory event. There are countless other reviews which outline a similar experience and that should have been a big red flag for me. If you do end up coming here, and you have something similar happen, then the only person to blame is yourself. read more

Ahhh! My uncle and I visited Salina's tonight thanks to a recommendation from a random stranger I met at the Whitney yesterday - and it was incredible! I'm so glad I followed his advice :-) We shared the bravas, tiny trout toasts, eggplant, chicken, market fish, and the rice pudding - and wow! Beautiful food, impeccable service - this place would be perfect for an elegant date or celebration of sorts. Wonderful! read more

One of our best moment in NYC! The first contact was the delicious cocktail at the bar with the very friendly barman! Then the food was great tapas are excellents and the paella is amazing! The ambiance fits perfectly with the good music! Great moment here we Will Be back here during our next journey in the big Apple! I suggest it to everybody read more

Salinas - Great cocktails! Yummi!! - Spanish Near Me - New York, New York

Outstanding service and great food! It was our anniversary and service, food and personal attention from the owner made it truly special. Highly recommend - you cannot go wrong at Salinas. read more

I don't know the food but service was unbelievably unreasonable. My friends reserved table for 8, and I came as 9th person after they finished eating. When I asked to order, the waitress told me to order meal for 9 people, bcoz chef only prepares food for group people not only 1 person. So I said I order nothing, she told me they charge 65$ per person anyways whether I order or not. So I have to leave my friends! Bcoz I can't pay $65 just for sitting there not eating, also I can't order food for 9 people and eat all of them myself or force my friends to eat again and pay again!!! My friend also try to cancel the reservation, but they told my friend they gonna charge anyway even we don't show up, bcoz they have my friend's credit card information. I know it's my fault not reserving the place in advance but it's kind of fraudy!!! I am so disappointed. Shame on this place! read more

I visited Salinas for dinner this past Wednesday and had a fantastic dining experience! I sat at the bar and tried one of their signature cocktails, the Duende, which is a unique combination of Alacran mezcal, white peach, black pepper syrup, lime, and thyme garnished with an aromatic thyme sprig. This combination made for an earthy drink that was flavorful and balanced. It was one of the best cocktails I've had in a long time. I usually hate ordering cocktails out because 1) they are generally watered down, and 2) they don't use quality or homemade ingredients. This was not the case here at all! I also had (a few) shots of Comandante which is vodka, raw ginger, lemon, and Chartreuse. I had never tried it before and I must say it might become a new favorite drink. My party ordered an array of tapas which were all delicious and layered with flavor. Charcuterie with cured Serrano ham and manchego cheese: very fresh. Patatas bravas: this was basically a fancy version of hash browns with a spicy brava sauce and was addicting. Grilled octopus: I'm not a fan of octopus that isn't fried, and even then I don't particularly like it, but this dish was really good. The octopus was cooked perfectly and the garnishes cut whatever fishiness it had, which wasn't much. Crispy quail: wrapped with bacon and served with seared apple it was the meatiest quail dish I've had to date. Sautéed shrimp: the shrimp were flawlessly cooked (hard for restaurant's to get right) and the white wine broth was incredible and begged for bread to be dipped into it. Crispy vermicelli: Spanish pasta with squid ink! Dare I say it had umami flavor? It was equal parts salty, sweet, savory, and had an underlying flavor I couldn't quite name. The table ordered paella to share. It was TO DIE FOR. I licked my plate clean! The flan for dessert was the best I've had. The consistency was wonderful. It was the perfect way to end a perfect meal. In conclusion, Chef Luis Bollo killed it and I will surely be coming back with all of my friends. The service was incredible to boot. The bartender was very friendly and the management team eager to hear our feedback. Did I mention the gorgeous décor? This place is perfect for a special event. read more

I had come across Salinas on OpenTable many years ago, and after being enticed by the menu, I had vowed to check it out. So, when one of my friends raved about his recent dinner there, it finally drove me into action. I arrived for my Friday evening reservation exactly at 7:30 pm, though my friend had texted me that she was running late. While I waited for her in the entranceway, I overheard the hostess mention that they require the presence of the entire party in order to be seated and that they only allow a 15 minute grace period before giving away the table. I frantically text my friend with this crucial information, hoping to rush her arrival; I simply could not lose my chance to try the restaurant! Luckily, she made it with about 2 minutes to spare. The restaurant had a tiny front dining area, adjacent to their small bar. However, there were also two larger rear dining rooms, the further of which possessed a retractable roof for seasonal outdoor dining. The atmosphere was classy and romantic, with vases of red roses everywhere. We were seated at a tight table in the back and given copies of their appealing menu, which invoked some major indecision. We started our order with some cocktails, while we tried to figure out our game plan for the food. My drink, the Halcon, was so delightful that I wound up ordering two! The tart and smoky blend of Alacran mezcal, cucumber, passion fruit, ginger syrup, and citrus was truly refreshing. My friend's Flor De Luna was a feminine glass of gin, St. Germaine, Creme de Violette, cava, and lemon juice garnished with an orchid blossom. In terms of the food, we finally decided to just share a bunch of items. The Spanish Blood Sausage was seared and served with mustard greens and pickled onions. The plate was dabbed with a goat cheese-red beet emulsion, which was the perfect earthy dipping sauce for slices of the spicy, rich sausage. The Ensalada de Calabaza was a seasonal blend of baby kale, roasted butternut squash, Cabrales blue cheese, roasted pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate seeds in a quince vinaigrette. While this was a tasty salad, it was mainly leafy greens with hardly any of the toppings. We foraged through the kale, but had little success locating butternut squash; it turned out that there were only a few chunks scattered about. The Arroz Brut A La Plancha was a crispy brown rice cake topped with braised lamb, merguez sausage, golden raisins, honey mushrooms, and a parsley-Idiazabal emulsion. This earthy dish was hearty and comforting on such a cold winter evening. Lastly, the Arroz De Pulpo Socarrado was a crispy bottomed paella pan stuffed with bomba rice, Galician rock octopus, Rioja red wine, Irwin farms wild local mushrooms, and pimenton de la vera. The octopus was cooked to perfection, and there was quite a bit included in the dish. Salinas far surpassed my expectations. While it did not look like much from the outside, the interior was seductive. Plus, the food was very well executed and packed with flavor. I would highly recommend this restaurant as one of the best Spanish restaurants in the city! read more

We came here on a Wednesday night for dinner. The place was crowded and noisy and the tables were situated too close to one another. The garden has a decent ambience, but honestly, the Thai restaurant that previously occupied this space was far more pleasant. After we sat down, we waited about fifteen minutes before our server came by to take our order. The martinis (small portions) and food came shortly after. To start we had the Crujiente Mahones and Coles y Coliflor. The crujiente turned out to be crumbs with mahon cheese and was pretty much a joke. The brussel sprout and cauliflower dish was an improvement, but was served luke warm. For the entree we had the vegetarian Arroz de Calabaza. This dish had potential, but unfortunately it was so over salted that we pondered sending it back. If you are looking for Spanish cuisine in the neighborhood I would suggest Soccarat. It's not my favorite place, but it blows this out of the water. read more

With so much hype from NYTimes' recent 2 star approval rating and the much talked about retractable rooftop, I chose Salinas for a girls' night out with 6 of my closest friends. Reservation was at 7:30p, but we were told to wait at the bar until 7:45p when the table "cleared up". The restaurant wasn't even full. Interior decor is breathtaking, dimly lit, and rather sexy. It's a LOT smaller than it looks in pictures and the back half of the restaurant is the "garden" dining area, with plants dotting the walls, a fireplace, and the retractable roof. When I made the reservation, I was told they would try to get me a garden seat. Upon arrival, I was informed the garden only holds 4 max. They didn't get that right either. Service was spotty and waitress difficult to flag down. I was not impressed at all, especially with the prices they charge. Food tasted like a gallon of salt was accidentally tilted in while the chef was out on a cig break. Coles Y Coliflor: Fried brussels sprouts with green cauliflower consisted of a measly 3 buds of brussels sprouts paired with 3 sprigs of cauliflower. I had to fight a friend to snag the coveted sprout. And it didn't even taste good. Croquetas De Carrillera: Corn crusted veal cheeks with a mushroom emulsion may be the only menu item that was passable. Cruijiente Mahones: Spanish flat bread topped with aged Mahon cheese, thyme, and honey. Sounds delicious? Yeah, well it was pretty sad. It was ONE 4x6 piece of cardboard. Langostinos Al Ajillo: Shrimp in garlic and lemon failed to dazzle the senses Rosejat Rapida: Crispy pasta with chorizo and all natural chicken breast had the strangest texture and flavor. All I remember is it tasting like a salt bucket. Costilla Al Rioja: Short ribs paired with roasted beet puree. This may be the only dish of reasonable portions, except that it again, I had to guzzle a gallon of water with this dish. Salteado De Temporada: Seasoned greens was tasty, except we were all fighting for the 3 wilted leaves on the plate Patatas Bravas: The best dish of the night. Wish I ordered 10 plates of these and nothing else. Salinas disappointing to say the least, and I have to say that I'm not that hard to please. Please give me decent service and a meal that I can eat without having to feel like I'm swimming in the Dead Sea. This place is only good for the decor and nothing else. read more

I was skeptical, I must admit. I grew up in Spain and have NEVER eaten a paella outside of Spain that I actually enjoyed. Let me tell you, when I say that my fiance and I were blown away by the food, I'm not lying! The paella surpassed my expectations and dare I say - was as good (if not better) than my mom's (who is Spanish)!!!! The ambience was superb. We felt totally isolated from the city, as if we had actually traveled to another country. As we were walking back to our car, we were saying how wierd it was that we were still in NYC. Great for a first date, special occasion and for taking visiting relatives that have a taste for something they can't find anywhere else. Oh, another thing, the wait staff is super nice. I told the hostess that I was cold and I would rather wait for an inside table but my fiance wanted to sit outside in the garden so she totally found us a compromise and sat me right next to the fireplace - PERFECTION! read more

Lots of reviews for this place so I'll keep it short and sweet: Romantic setting, great use of space, great mood lighting, snappy design choices. Atmosphere 5/5. Eclectic, well-rounded tapas menu with plenty of mains and sides to keep you interested. The highlight for us was the pan-fried red snapper, the fish of the day. Perfectly prepared and scrumptious all around. The dessert we ordered, an interesting combination of white chocolate, olive oil, and foam fell a little flat. 4/5 for the food. 0/5 for the front staff. Hostess was surly and rude and had a holier-than-thou attitude. The bartender who took our cocktail orders while we waited an additional 30 minutes beyond our reservation time was equally pissy and snooty. We were THIS close to walking out until the owner came over to our table, personally apologized for the wait, and gave us a few freebies. Nice gesture. I was so angry that my stomach ached throughout the entire dinner and I didn't really enjoy anything. Fire the Friday hostess and maybe we have something here. UPDATE (4/13/2015) Attempt #2 at Salinas was a MASSIVE FAIL. The hostess is still a scowl-faced pretentious monkeybeast. All of the freebies in the world could not compensate for the lack of decency from this individual. read more