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    Txikito

    3.7 (440 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Txikito Photos

    Business Info

    TXIKITO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Txikito

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    Wow, such beautiful and artsy spoons.
    Seth F.

    I write with a heavy heart and an empty stomach. So it goes following a dinner at Txikito earlier this week. I shall write this with utmost honesty, speaking truth to the incorrect opinions expressed by certain individuals in this platform. I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites. Txikito is a Basque restaurant somewhere in the realm of Chelsea in New York, the same area that inspired the 2016 Rachel Platten hit song "Angels in Chelsea." It appears that the restaurant is greatly popular amongst the masses, although in this case the masses categorically exclude the everyman. Patrons are seated at tables by the warm flames of single tea candles, as is traditional in Bilbao. The menu at Txikito, which may rotate (who am I to say), has a selection of vegetables and greases and starches, and a select handful of proteins. I will advise you now to temper your expectations: your wallet and your gullet will remain out of sync before, during, and after your meal. Txikito, after all, is not a venue visited for the satisfaction of hunger, but rather for the futile opportunity to fill one's soul with aesthetic pleasure. And now it is time for my story. We were advised that the plates on the menu are small, and to therefore estimate two to three plates per person. We selected the following items: gilda, kroketas, pulpo, baby eggplants (a special), double pil pil, morros, and cheesecake. There was another item or two, but for better or worse they were not impressive enough to linger in my memory. Gilda is a humble and salty pintxo that includes an olive, an anchovy, and a guindilla pepper. The ones at Txikito were perfectly tasty, but this is an exceedingly simple dish, so I will reserve any and all praise. (Would you applaud a child for making a piece of toast? I should hope not.) The kroketas were good. I have been told that the kroketa is a famous and delicious dish unique to the Basque Country that is not found in other cuisines of the world. The pulpo was one of those dishes that was titillating on paper but not in practice. I was admittedly perturbed by the decision to name this dish "pulpo," which simply means "octopus" in Spanish, when the euskara term, at least per my understanding, is "olagarro." The confusion does not end with the name. This dish consisted of octopus tentacles sliced so thinly that they were barely visible to the naked eye; their unimaginable thinness sucked out all of the joy of eating an octopus tentacle. I did not bring my kitchen scale, but I would estimate that this dish contained approximately thirty (30) grams of octopus. The baby eggplants were tasty thanks to the succulent sauce in which they were bathing. I have never purchased a baby eggplant, so who am I to say, but was viscerally touched by the size-to-price ratio of this plate. Consolation can be found in the fact that its flavor is, indeed, quite good. The double pil pil was good. The morros was perhaps the most substantive dish, as it consisted of a non-negligible quantity of beef. It was soft and succulent. The cheesecake was moist, although not as moist as a waterfall. In addition to the food listed above, we ordered a bottle of white wine for approximately $64. The entire meal for four totaled just under $250. Sadly our gullets remained wanting and our stomachs nearly-empty despite this price point. The food at Txikito was, overall, perfectly delicious, but it was not extraordinary. Sadly, it was not commensurate with the price we paid.

    Trout with jamon
    Ken R.

    Great service and great food. Of course it is a little cramped. And with tapas there are always some meh's and yums. The Japanese sausage was meh but the amberjack, trout and white bean with shrimp and mussels were all excellent. The wine list has an extensive amount of Spanish wines and we were guided to a solid choice.

    Dining area
    Digna B.

    We found Txikito through the NYC 100 Best Restaurants list, and it truly deserves its spot. This Basque tapas restaurant is warm, intimate, and feels like a little European escape tucked right into the city. The ambiance is cozy, the lighting soft and inviting, and the service... absolutely wonderful. The staff is attentive, friendly, and genuinely excited to share the dishes with you. Every dish we ordered was delicious -- simple flavors done perfectly, with beautiful presentation: * Hot Jilda skewers: the ideal salty bite to start the meal. * Croquetas: crisp, golden, creamy... we could've ordered another plate. (Blue cheese * Quesquillas --Flash-fried head-on shrimp: tender, flavorful, and so fun to eat. * Arroz meloso: rich, seafood-forward, comforting -- one of our favorites. * Mendreska: cooked beautifully, tender and flavorful with the perfect char. And the desserts were outstanding: * Flan Batido (the creamy cup): soft, whipped, chocolatey with that fluffy cream on top -- unbelievably good. * Pastel de Moscatel: warm butter cake with grapes and crème anglaise -- cozy, buttery, and perfect to end the night. We enjoyed every single thing we tried. Txikito is the kind of place where the food feels thoughtful, soulful, and just hits the spot. If you love tapas or want to try something truly special in NYC, this is a must-visit.

    Amberjack
    Kelsey A.

    I have no idea why this has a low star rating. The restaurant is intimate, lively, and cute. The food was great, with a lot of interesting flavors. And the service was friendly and helpful. It was a great night! My favorites were: hot jilda (sausage skewers), pipperak (shishito peppers), amberjack. I thought the pulpo and mendreska (swordfish) were good, but not a 10/10 must order. I had a special that was hake and it was under-seasoned, so that was the only let down.

    Risotto
    Alyson W.

    Really good food and service, but I thought it was a bit overpriced- about $480 for 4 people, including drinks (wine). All the sauces were so delicious, and we got to try some very different bites which was enjoyable- they had a goose neck barnacle special which I've never heard of but it was tasty, like clams! Inside ambiance was fine but nothing to write home about. I found the chairs a bit uncomfortable.

    Arroz Meloso
    Patricia T.

    Expect to spend ~$60-$100 per person (with a drink) Went here for a girls' dinner and had a good time overall. The vibe was nice, the space had a fun energy, and the staff was super kind and attentive--really appreciated the warm service. FYI, they have both indoor and outdoor seating. As for the food, it was a bit hit-or-miss: Hot Jilda (sausages w/ pickles & olives) - 4/10 Pretty underwhelming--tasted exactly like what you'd expect. Patatak y Padron (thick-cut fries w/ grilled jalapeño) - 10/10 Obsessed. These were crispy (double fried??), well-seasoned, and the verde sauce was great. Best thing we ordered (we ordered two of these). Pulpo (octopus carpaccio) - 8/10 Simple and clean. No frills but solid--if you like octopus, this is a good one. Foie Micuit - 7/10 Felt more like dessert than a savory dish. The bread it came with was similar to a double-toasted croissant--super rich. Interesting but leans sweet. Alcachofa y Jamon (artichoke, jamón, runny egg) - 7.5/10 Like a fancy version of ham and eggs. Hard to go wrong with jamón. Arroz Meloso (uni, shrimp & mushroom rice) - 9/10 Low-key the most underrated dish of the night. Creamy, comforting, and packed with mushroom flavor. Would order again. Cochinillo (crispy suckling pig w/ chimichurri) - 5/10 Falls off the bone easily, but a bit dry and forgettable. Overall: 7/10 Some standouts, some misses, but great service and a fun spot for a girls' night. If you order right (get the fries and the arroz meloso), you'll have a great time.

    Neko K.

    Hands down one of the best dining experiences we've had in NYC! I'm honestly baffled by the low Yelp rating. I even checked the one-star reviews, and most were from pre-COVID -- clearly outdated. From the moment we arrived, the staff was warm and welcoming, and they even allowed our dog to stay with us the whole time (huge bonus!). Yes, it's pricey -- but this is NYC, and for what we got, it was worth every penny. My husband and I shared six dishes and one drink, and our total was about $170 -- less than sushi omakase, and we left completely full. Every dish was a hit. The pulpo was fresh and simply divine. The cochinillo was perfectly cooked, crispy outside and juicy inside. The eggplant and squid from their specials menu were also standouts. Don't be swayed by the low rating -- this place delivers on quality and service. We'll absolutely be back!

    Uni and enoki risotto
    Katherine Z.

    Such a great dining experience!! Both dishes were super flavourful and tasted great without being too heavy. They also both had very unique flavour profiles. My favourite was the uni risotto, which was so creamy without being too overpowering. The ambiance was perfect for date night, with low lighting and fun music. Service was also speedy, and they brought out everything relatively quickly.

    Maggie C.

    This place was just... all right. Nothing particularly special stood out to me, and I left feeling a bit underwhelmed. The fried shrimp was probably the highlight--crispy, flavorful, and cooked just right--but aside from that, the other dishes didn't blow me away. To be honest, the location we were sat in totally killed the vibe. We were placed right outside the kitchen, so we had staff walking by us constantly, which made it difficult to enjoy the meal in peace. Not exactly the cozy, intimate dining experience I was hoping for.

    Forum S.

    This was such a great random find. Please note though that there aren't too many vegetarian options. However, the options that exist very amazing! Each item was well thought out in terms of the different flavors to combine and the seasoning. The sauces enhanced each of the dishes. I was able to get 5 veggie items and between the 5 I left pretty full. Ambiance: The vibe of this restaurant is perfect. It's a great combination of elegant and casual. Service: Everyone was very friendly. We sat at the bar and service was fast. They also took their time to give us recommendations.

    Beef cheeks
    Victoria G.

    Food 8/10 Overall great flavors and tapas are lovely, but it is pricey for what you get. We ordered the fried shrimp, bone marrow, jamon and fried artichoke, and beef cheeks. Highly recommend the beef cheeks, they were super tender and flavorful. The jamon and fried artichoke were very unique and a fun dish to try. The bone marrow was alright, I think not enough bone marrow and too much red peppers + bread. The shrimp were crunchy, but not a necessary order. Atmosphere 8/10 Very cute, located in Chelsea. Plenty of seating inside. Service 5/10 Honestly very slow service, I was a bit disappointed. It took a while for them to notice us and take our order, and also to get our bill.

    Pulpo
    Bevano L.

    Overall, good food 4.5, good service 5/5. Food is tapas style so portion is small which mean be ready to spend $$$ if you have a big appetite. We ordered 6 dishes and that's more than enough portion for 2 people. For some dishes, the server gave breads before or after we finished our meal for us to soak up the sauces. Below is my ranking. Highly recommended #1-2. 1) morros- beef cheek that came recommended by our server. It's so alluring that my phone fell and kissed the food (that's why my picture of the meal looks messy). It's juicy inside (cause beef cheek melt in your mouth), crispy outside with bold flavors. 2) Foie micuit- it's very good too. The foie is pretty standard like other fine dining restaurants but the sauce/jelly stood out for me. My favorite is the violet gelee which is a burst of refreshing citrus (good for palate cleanser as well), followed by the pickled rose. 3) special dish suckling pig. This is the most expensive of all ($38) and has the largest meal portion. Some parts are tender but some are kinda overcooked/dry (had to soak the meat with the green sauce to save it). The crispy skin is good but for the price, I'll probably skipped for other dishes. 4) txipirones- It's like a pasta but instead of noodle, it consisted of thinly sliced squid with creamy buttery sauce. Best to ask for bread to soak up the sauce. 5) pulpo- octopus carpaccio that looks pretty but seemed to be very simple. You can taste the simplicity of the octopus flavor but it can get overwhelming with the olive oil. 6) kroketas- it's a solid appetizer but doesn't stand out as much.

    Menu
    Michelle O.

    A small, intimate restaurant serving delicious basque food. Portions are small and sharing style. Each dish cost around $18-$25. It's definitely not cheap - be prepared to spend about $100/person, $125 if you want drinks and desserts. The food feels like fine-dining (sans fancy service) so it is definitely a worthy splurge for special occasions Kroketas - 4 pieces of croquettes. Hot and crispy outside, stuffed with creamy cod. 4/5. Foie micuet- creamy, slightly gamey Foie Gras balanced with tart pickled rose petals, floral jelly and crispy toast. So delicious and also a great fun to assemble 5/5 Morros - how can beef be crunchy yet tender at the same time? Really good. Our favorite of the night. 5/5 Pulpo - tender slices of octopus drenched in delicious olive oil. The octopus is modestly seasoned so that the flavor of the olive oil really shines through 4/5 Txipirones - delicious pasta made out of squid and drenched in pine nut butter sauce. A tad salty but really unique. The sauce is sooo good! 4/5

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    2 years ago

    Very good Spanish restaurant, went with friends and enjoyed the evening! Everything was delicious and the service nice.

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    Excellent across the board. Food was great. Service was great. Would highly recommend and will def go back

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    Page 2 of 11

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    Ernesto’s - Fried red mullet & calamari

    Ernesto’s

    3.8(183 reviews)
    2.4 miLower East Side

    Side notes- Prices aren't online, and the menu changes frequently. In general, as of a few months…read moreago, the pintxos/bites are $14 to $16, the entradas/appetizers are mostly in the low or mid-$20s, and the platos/entrees are mostly in the $30s and $40s. Anyway, I was at this dimly lit Basque restaurant a while back with a small group. The place got pretty loud eventually, and the service was friendly. As we were waiting, I had some time to kill and ordered a tasty vermut. In this case, it was the Lustao Blanco for $16 on the rocks with an olive. In terms of small bites/Pintxos, someone ordered the Gildas for $14 while waiting, and another person enjoyed the similarly tiny Croquetas de Jamón for the same price point. Speaking of prices, I am unsure exactly how much everything cost, and I can't find descriptions of everything I ate, so I'm approximating, which is why you'll see the "~" before each price point. My entrada, or appetizer, was the Salmorejo de Atún for ~$25. Salmorejo is essentially a much thicker version of gazpacho, with olive oil, tomato, bread, and a few other ingredients. In this case, it was topped with plenty of raw tuna, cucumbers, and other greens. The cold soup worked surprisingly well with the high-quality fatty tuna, and I would order this again if I came back here. Another person ordered one of the appetizers as their entree, the Bikini Hemingway, which is a type of sandwich. In this case, it was ~$25 and was filled with txistorra, queso, shrimp, and pan de cristal. They seemed to like it but not love it. My main dish/plato was, unfortunately, the Magret de Pato for ~$40, with grilled magret duck breast, port and foie sauce, and pomme purée. Unfortunately, a few pieces of the duck were a little chewy, especially the ones with more fat. The sauce was alright, tasting like a slightly above-average red wine demi-glace with a touch more richness and sweetness than usual. The pomme purée was good, being rich with a nice texture. Overall, I think a bit of acid would have helped as well. This was alright, and I would have appreciated some bread to mop up the remaining sauce. Another person thought the Bacalao for ~$35, which was topped with two shrimp in this presentation, was pretty good. This place reminded me of Txikito in many ways. Both are a bit too pricey for the quality, with comparable food. For spending around $100, there are many other spots I would prefer, such as Casa Mono, El Pote, or a few others. If I were to go back, I'd probably just order appetizers. I'll leave the same score as the other restaurant, a bare 4/upper 3, and I would give a 3.5 if available.

    We didn't have a bad bite! Stand outs of the night include the bikini Hemingway, pinxtos…read morematrimonio, and basque cheesecake. We also got the chips with Iberico, ham croquettes, and arroz conjejo. Fun Spanish wine list to go with it!

    Photos
    Ernesto’s - Back dining room

    Back dining room

    Ernesto’s - San Sebastián-style crab with grilled sourdough

    San Sebastián-style crab with grilled sourdough

    Ernesto’s - Pintxotini

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    Pintxotini

    El Pote Español Restaurant - Chicken and shrimp salad for Brunch

    El Pote Español Restaurant

    4.0(257 reviews)
    1.4 miMurray Hill, Midtown East
    $$
    Speaks Spanish
    Outdoor seating

    It's been awhile but this local place for Spanish cuisine is still here…read more PARKING - it's Manhattan by the tunnel but there is a garage on 39th available ENTRANCE - the bar maid greeted us with a smile and was extremely congenial. Checked our reservation and seated us promptly AMBIANCE - very rustic and Sevilla looking. They updated the decor a bit and it's nice. CAPACITY - the place is still small like 30 tables so a reservation will be needed for Friday night and weekends MENU - great choices and appetizers. You are covered for many authentic Spanish dishes SERVICE - great waiter and bus service. Never an empty glass and offered great suggestions for a few of us unfamiliar with Spanish cuisine APPETIZERS - the chorizo was fabulous. The octopus was cooked to perfection. And the shrimp and garlic sauce was amazing ENTREES - the paellas were very good. Many years ago they were a 9 out of 10 for me. I give it an 8 if 10 now. I tried the arroz con pollo which was very good as well. VINO - the Spanish wine by the bottle we tried was very good. They were out of the marquis rascal but the recommendation did not disappoint DESSERT - we had no room for more than coffee. However the list looked great. I'll try the flan next time RESTROOM - although very small, they were very clean and recently remodeled. PRICE - we had a party of 6 with 2 bottles of wine and the bill sans tip was $425. No awful at all.

    "Classic Old School Spanish"…read more O muse of garlic and gambas, hear my plea, For I have stumbled, hungry, down Murray Hill's gray sea, Where neon kingdoms rise and fall each week And found a stubborn, old-world tavern that still dares to speak. Inside, the air is thick with history and Rioja dreams, Wood paneling, tiled bar, low ceilings, strong beams. The kind of room where time slows down its trot, where you'd expect a Galician uncle to slide into your spot. Here, the paella arrives like a golden, rice-clad steed, Muscles, shrimp, chorizo make for a wealthy man's feed The socarrat at the bottom? Forged in flavor and flame, You scrape every last shard, unashamed without blame The waiters glide like seasoned squires of the court, Topping off sangria, trading banter, old-school in their sport. It's not rushed, not flashy, not angled for Instagram It's more sit down, relax and have more jamón, man.

    Photos
    El Pote Español Restaurant - Pulpo Estilo Feria

    Pulpo Estilo Feria

    El Pote Español Restaurant - Broiler salmon

    Broiler salmon

    El Pote Español Restaurant - Octopus

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    Octopus

    Toledo Restaurant - Spanish Cheese Manchego

    Toledo Restaurant

    3.4(72 reviews)
    0.9 miMidtown East
    $$$

    My cousin from out of town recently visited and we dined here at Toledo Spanish Restaurant and we…read morewere thoroughly impressed! The ambiance was beautiful, combining warm colors and elegant decor that created a welcoming atmosphere. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by Juan, who set a positive tone for the evening. Our server, Wilmer, was exceptionally attentive throughout our meal, ensuring we had everything we needed. We indulged in the fried calamari and escargot bourgogne for appetizers and the main meals were Paella A La Valencia's which had chicken and chorizos Paella A La Marinera with Saffron rice, lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams & mussels which was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The combination of saffron, fresh seafood, and tender chicken gave a delightful taste of Spain. We finished off with the Apple Tart and the Flan for desserts. Overall, our experience at Toledo was fantastic, and I can confidently say that I will be returning for more culinary delights. Highly recommended for anyone looking to enjoy authentic Spanish cuisine in a beautiful setting! Buen Provecho!

    Went to the place last night. It was terrible! We had to ask for everything several times When…read morewe asked to see cocktail list we were told they don't have one. We all had different sauces (according to the dish description ) but they all looked the same Also my dish came out last and as they plated food for everyone in my party they didn't plate mine. The food was not good and the service was not good

    Photos
    Toledo Restaurant
    Toledo Restaurant - Filet Mignon Medallions with Truffle Tournedos Toledo

    Filet Mignon Medallions with Truffle Tournedos Toledo

    Toledo Restaurant - Chicken Ajillo

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    Chicken Ajillo

    Darlene

    Darlene

    3.0(3 reviews)
    2.1 miTriBeCa

    Both the meals and the service exceed what you might expect. Workers elevate this restaurant to…read moreexceptional status. The meals are delicious and the environment enhances them. This place has a beautiful atmosphere. Remarkably content.

    Before I moved to NYC, I'd never heard people refer to "Spanish food". In Chicago there was…read more"Mexican" food, "Costa Rican" food, etc, etc., so I wondered if people talking about "Spanish food" was the equivalent of Dan Quayle saying a few years ago that people in Latin America spoke Latin, in other words terribly off the mark and vaguely offensive. This also gets us into this whole authentic food vs inauthentic discussion, but if a family has a Mexican Father and a Puerto Rican Mother, hey whatever the result is from a culinary perspective and otherwise is probably as legit as anything. Variety, you know, is the spice of life. Darlene is in that spirit. I've been there a couple of times, and found the various plates of meats and rice I tried to be tasty, but, truth be told, not as good as Sophie's. I sat down before, and realized this last time that this was for the best because take out service can be chaotic and slow and I'm sure you don't want to see the kitchen in action, if you know what I mean. This all being duly noted (see the mere three stars given), where the Carribean met Mexico on my last visit was a place called Fantasy Island. My favorite meat from the Islands (Pernil), met my favorite fast food from Mexico (the burrito) and it was magic! I've never seen this in a Mexican place, but my dreams were fulfilled in a place selling "Spanish Food". If my lunch was inauthentic, then let me be a fraud. Only in New York, kids. Only in New York.

    Sandy Restaurant

    Sandy Restaurant

    2.6(104 reviews)
    4.7 miEast Harlem
    $

    I called the place the night before and asked about the thanksgiving sale. I was told that I could…read morestill get it because the lady I spoke to got in contact with somebody for the morning shift she gave me the name of the person I could ask to. I went the next morning and the lady recognized me and asked me what time I wanted the order for. I told her 5pm and she told me that it would be best for me to order it at 4:30pm. When the time for me to order arrived, the person on the phone told me the sale was over. I tried to explain the person on phone what the other people told me and she put on hold. On and off I was on hold for ten minutes so I just decided order a combo. I was told it was a 35 min waiting for the chicken. I gave them 40-45 mins and the food was still not ready. In total I waited over an hour.

    My order 3 beef empanadas…read more 3 chicken empanadas! Came in for a quick bite after my examination malfunctioned (lost internet service). It was extremely busy when I walked in. But I was immediately greeted by the staff behind the counter. I definitely recommend stopping by this restaurant. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner! The food behind the glass (hot bar) looks extremely fresh. The staff works together and are very consistent when it comes to catering to their patrons. Family friendly, date worthy place. Please support this business for those days and nights you don't want to cook! They also have delivery as well. Plus I just tried JUGO DE COCO for the first time...i 100% recommend!!! This is a local staple for Harlem. Please support the locals!!!

    Photos
    Sandy Restaurant - The bar

    The bar

    Sandy Restaurant
    Sandy Restaurant

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    Txikito - basque - Updated May 2026

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