This place has become our go-to spot since moving to New York from California two years ago. They have the best truffle burger around, and the drinks are excellent. The service is always friendly, and the owner is usually there welcoming guests. He is genuinely a very nice person. The restaurant is cozy, with a great bar and a cool patio. Most importantly, the quality of the food has remained consistently excellent. We highly recommend it! read more

Aura - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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It's fine tapas place BUT I'm getting very tired of having my red wine served at 72ºF. Red wine should be served between 55 and 65 degrees, one star off just for that. Walked in, no reservation and was seated immediately. It was late so the place was empty. Ordered two dishes garlic shrimp and Turkish meatballs. Service was very fast. First came the shrimp. Very nice, cooked properly, very flavorful. Next came the meatballs and as they claimed they were light, melt in your mouth. They were boiled, not fried or baked but boiled. The prices are very reasonable for Manhattan read more

Aura - Garlic Shrimp - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Went during the week around 545 which was still happy hour. I was able to try some of the menu from happy hour I got the mac and cheese and calamari both were great. I also got the lava cake which was ok but I didnt love it and I forgot which drinks I got but they were good. The service was wonderful friendly and attentive. The decor inside was nice and since it was still hot outside the doors were open and lots of people at the bar. read more

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A fine bar with good eats and a nice vibe We sat at the bar and had quick service. They had a Tate McRae playlist going which was nice read more

Aura - Charcuterie board - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Came here around 10pm on a saturday night. Ambience was nice, service was good but the food was okay everything was cooked to the right doneness but could've been more flavourful. read more

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Cute little spot with great margaritas! They definitely try and upsell on everything which was a little annoying but overall service was attentive and friendly. read more

AURA proved the perfect place to throw a party. Owner Jessie was wonderful in the run-up to it. Since there was a flood watch, we couldn't be on the patio, but Jessie had an excellent Plan B: a large table and the bar all for us. The tapas were delicious, as were the drinks, with Yael gamely turning a cocktail into a mocktail at one of my friends' request. Connie surprised us with cake at the end of the evening. Yael and Connie were delightful throughout. And there was a fun soundtrack to boot. I highly recommend AURA for throwing a party! read more

This place was very nice and highly recommend. Its small, but the place will fill up quickly, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings. Staff was really nice and very accommodating. They also gave a lot of recommendations as far as drinks and food is concerned. Definitely a nice place and I am looking forward to coming back here again. read more

Came here because I was craving pasta, and it was so cozy inside I had to stay. We got some drinks and different pastas, all which were delicious. The staff was moving quickly even in the small space, and were still super friendly. read more

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From the minute we walked in the door, we felt welcomed. The staff was very attentive, friendly and very happy to be there. We travel to nyc a lot as our daughter is a performer. Well, this gem in the East Village is high on the list of all the restaurants. The tapas menu was perfect for sharing. The Brussels sprouts were the best I ever had, along with the tuna and truffle fries. The experience was so lovely and food and wine so delicious that we just had to try dessert and it did not disappoint. They even threw in some Happy New Year lemon drop shots. I wish I took more pictures of the meal. I can't recommend this place enough and definitely will be retuning! I read more

Aura - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Great food and service, the main dish and dessert were really good, i will be coming again!

Just know the reviews are so high for a reason. This was such a great place to visit. Had an exceptional experience at Aura Bar & Kitchen! We started with the Goat Cheese Bruschetta, which was the perfect balance of creamy and tangy, followed by the Garlic Shrimp -- cooked to perfection with a burst of flavor. The burger was juicy, tender, and definitely one of the best I've had in a while. The gnocchi was light, fluffy, and complemented with a rich sauce. The Pomegranate Mezcal cocktail was a standout, expertly crafted with just the right amount of sweetness and smokiness. Jesse the bartender was amazing, offering great drink recommendations and ensuring everything was perfect. Our waiter was attentive and friendly, making the entire experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for a great meal and top-notch service! read more

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Place was amazing, they were able to accommodate my family of 8 at the last second with ease. Service was great by Gabriel and the owner was the man. We'll be back read more

Delicious food and wine!! Absolutely love the warmness of the staff as well. Tess is great!

Beautiful place. Erkan and Vitaly are the best bartenders we have ever had. Nice place, Nicer staff. read more

Aura - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Aura had amazing drinks! We also got a small plate of tapas to share and it was delicious. Service was amazing, Andreas was so sweet and attentive and was willing to play along with some typical dad humor read more

Aura - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

The food was amazing and our server, Nikki was phenomenal! We ordered the salmon bites and truffle fries and we were given free limoncello shots at the end of the night. Can't recommend this spot enough and request Nikki (if possible). read more

I went here recently with a group of friends. There weren't any seats available inside, but they let us sit on the back patio. For starters we ordered the grilled octopus and it was AMAZING! For my main dish I ordered the bolognese, which wasn't the best. It tasted super watery and overall wasn't my favorite. I did really like the ambiance of the place and the servers/bartenders were friendly enough. read more

Aura - Pasta bolognese - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

I walked in with a friend on a Saturday night. They have happy hour margaritas which were strong and tasted good. We had truffle fries which were tasty. The servers were very friendly. I'd be curious to come again and try the entrees. read more

Aura - Margarita - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Great food, great drinks, great service, and THE BEST staff. I hosted 9 of my gal pals here for a ladies night, and we had a blast. They easily accommodated our group and were super attentive -- couldn't have asked for more! Can't wait to go back!! read more

(Before you read this I should have wrote this back in July) Came into aura bar one night just looking for food. Ended up with one of those nights you wish would never end. We had 8-10 people and were instantly accommodated. The food hit, small plates, get the steak or the salmon apps, everything in between felt solid. Drinks absolutely smacked, good price too. But what made the night was Erkan at the bar. He wasn't just pouring drinks, this man made us feel like we were hanging at a friend's place. On point with recommendations, always around when you needed another round, it felt like I was talking to a friend i've known my whole life. If you're in the East Village and are looking for some f*cking good food and cocktails, come here. Ask for Erkan, he's the absolute homie. And that's my review. P's go parasailing in Fethiye(Ölüdeniz) read more

Stopped in for Valentine's Day dinner at this cozy new Italian place in EV. We shared the brussel sprouts as our app - it came out quickly and tasted great. The portion was big for an app. Our meals took a little longer to come out than we expected for simple noodle dishes, we guessed that the pasta was made fresh? I ordered the pasta primavera for my meal (linguine, veggies, olive oil + garlic). The flavor was very mild and I ended up adding a little more salt and pepper. There were plenty of veggies which I was happy about. Overall I liked my meal. For a new restaurant, I wish our waiter shared a little more about the menu or highlighted any specialties. read more

Aura - Brussel Sprouts - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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My boyfriend and I stopped here completely by accident- we were trying to go to a place a couple doors down, however, they were closed temporarily for a private event at the bar. With a little disappointment, we decided to walk down the street to find somewhere else to get the drinks we wanted so badly. This is when we stumbled across Aura Bar & Kitchen. The bar is small, and it was pretty busy considering it was a Saturday evening! A man (the owner) named Jesse immediately greeted us and coaxed us to two seats at the very end of the bar and made us feel extremely welcome at his establishment. To get to the main part of the review, we started off our time there with the Toscana Bruschetta and a couple of drinks. I ordered the Seratonin cocktail (even though I usually don't enjoy blue curacao) and my boyfriend ordered his go-to, an Old Fashioned. Toscana Bruschetta: Delicious and refreshing appetizer that did not disappoint whatsoever. It was the perfect size for the two of us and the flavours worked very well together to create the perfect bruschetta that made my palette sing. 10/10 recommend this appetizer to anyone that enjoys bruschetta! Seratonin Cocktail: Beautifully done drink with a gorgeous blue-green hue that tastes as good as it sounds. Despite there being two ingredients I don't tend to care for (blue curacao and tequila) I can genuinely say that I loved this drink as a starter to the evening and didn't even notice the things I don't like, that's how pleasant the cocktail is. Old Fashioned: Crafted using Four Roses Bourbon as the well, my boyfriend is notoriously picky about his Old Fashioned drinks and said that this bar makes the best one he has ever tasted in his life. You can tell that Frankie (the bartender) really knows what he's doing with this drink (and all of the drinks that he crafts). After that rockstar start to our journey, we ordered the Fried Calamari and two more drinks. I got the Purple Dream and my boyfriend got the Espresso Martini. Fried Calamari: Calamari is one dish that is always hit or miss at restaurants I've noticed. Luckily, Aura is one of the places that absolutely does not miss and knocked the poor calamari into orbit. It was crisp, fresh, not too oily, and the tzatziki we ordered rather than the marinara sauce (in Canada we commonly serve calamari with tzatziki and NOT marinara) was phenomenal. The tzatziki tasted like it had just been made within the past ten minutes, and not like it had been pre-made hours before and then served at a later point. Espresso Martini: By far the smoothest espresso martini I've had the pleasure of trying. We watched them prepare the espresso shots right from our seats so we know it was not JUST a coffee liquor used in the cocktail as a lot of other bars and restaurants will do (a cheap parlour trick on other bars if you ask me). Purple Dream: My favourite drink I've ever tasted in the 25 years I've been alive. Let me tell you, this drink is absolutely dangerous. It's smooth, it's delicious, it's refreshing, it's fruity, and it's subtly strong and that's the recipe for getting me way too wasted in one evening. The drink is served with a skewer of fresh blueberries which I loved eating once the drink was (sadly) finished. I was already very drunk after my two drinks (fuck being short and having a very low tolerance for alcoholic beverages!) so I didn't get any other ones, but my boyfriend got a third drink called The Luna. Throughout the evening, Jesse also provided us with these delicious black pita chips that were flaky and tasted amazing when dipped in the tzatziki we'd gotten with the calamari. The Luna: My boyfriend can't remember but he did love it! I don't recall trying this one, however, it came from Frankie and Aura so I'm going to go ahead and recommend it anyways! :) Jesse took great time and pride in speaking to us throughout the evening and truly made us feel like family and friends while we drank and ate at his business throughout the evening. A lot of time, love and care has clearly gone into this business. Jesse uses top of the line products not only in his drinks and food, but the environment in general is well thought out and executed. He uses high quality decor, and I know this is going to sound silly but I was even impressed that in the bathroom he uses the Simply Human brand of trashcan. It's all about the details, okay? To wrap this up for people that don't like to read novel length reviews... Drinks: Phenomenal and out of this world delicious. Fairly priced as well considering everywhere in NYC is insanely priced for, in my opinion, cheap tasting, shitty drinks that don't even taste good. Food: Scrumptious and had me craving more and more. Also very fairly priced and high, high quality. We will for sure be back the next time we visit the Big Apple and highly recommend this restaurant and bar to anyone that has never been; you will NOT be disappointed with your visit here, guaranteed. read more

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My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place and decided to give it a try. Fabulous. Service was great, drinks and food were even better! They had happy hour on a Saturday and we ordered a mojito, beer, pulled pork sliders, and Turkish meatballs. Everything was great, we will be coming back 10/10 read more

Came here two night in a row...best cocktail bar in all of MYC. Trusting V and Erkan with our lives. Come here for the best drinks on the planet!! read more

Aura - Tiramisu martini, The Charcuterie Boardcharcuterie - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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This place is a hidden gem! They have great happy hour specials ($5 beer and shots, $8 wine, $12 cocktails) & 10 dollar flavored & regular margs every day!! Our server, Andres, was the nicest ever and made us feel at home. We tried a variety of cocktails & foods, from margs to espresso martinis to wine and everyone liked their drinks. My friend ordered the truffle fries and brussels sprouts and raved about the sprouts! We also tried the figgy piggy bruschetta which was delish and the drunk gnocchi which was so good and indulgent. I will definitely be bringing all of my friends here!! read more

Aura - Drunk Gnocchi - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Walking by, looked cool and decided to check it out. Tapas and drinks. Good variety of tasty food options, we shared a bunch. Pastas were really good. Drinks were great. Was perfect vibe and friendly service. Excited to go back read more

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Great food, ambience, service and the vibe, make this a place that I cannot wait to go to again. I had the grilled octopus, all I can say is wow. Definitely a place to see and be seen. Then I tried the Tuna Tartare, it was outstanding.... read more

Great drinks and wonderful service! I've sat at the bar a few times and it's always a great vibe. Friendly and attentive staff, and the tapas are good too! read more

Service was incredible. Stumbled in here while waiting for another restaurant and regretted leaving. Great place, will be back.

Food was great, ambience was cute. There was a slight mishap with our order (they forgot to put it in) but the waiter made it up to us with shots and extra food. I was very happy with this spot and I'm planning to go back. read more

Aura was an INCREDIBLE dining experience! The pasta was one of the most fresh I have ever had in my life. Our waiter was so sweet, friendly and kind. He was so attentive and so happy to serve us. He even brought us a dessert on the house at the end of our meal (and that was delicious too). I went to Aura with a group of five and we ordered the Brussel sprouts, garlic shrimp, figgy piggy bruschetta, and the Cesar salad to share at the start of the meal. Literally every single appetizer was amazing. Then we each ordered our own pasta dish. I had the cacio e Pepe and it really just tasted so fresh and delicious. I will definitely be returning to Aura! read more

We finally got to try Aura Bar and Kitchen! We know the owner, Jessie, for many years from his previous restaurant, Champignon, in Chelsea. The menu is very similar to what we loved about Champignon. Salmon, Chicken, Shrimp Scampi and other pasta dishes. The cocktails were exceptional! And our food exceeded our expectations. This will definitely be a regular place for us and our friends! read more

Great food an amazing service. Came here for a date night Would go back here again anytime read more

This place just became a new go-to spot for me in the east village. It only recently opened but the owner Jesse is an experienced restauranteur in NYC and it shows. I ordered the tuna tartar app, which was delicious and a very good portion size, and the drunk gnocchi, which came with what I think is the best vodka sauce I've ever had. We also got to enjoy their great happy hour deal ($8 house wine and $10 well drinks) and the bartender Max made us these awesome lavender gin drinks. Truly no complaints, the food, drinks, and service were all fantastic and I can't wait to come back here and try some of their other dishes. read more

Aura - Tuna Tartar - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

Last night I shared an amazing dinner with my closest friends in the most cozy beautiful setting at Aura. The gorgeous patio seating area and intimate ambiance was a pleasant surprise paired with well seasoned, flavorful dishes and crisp cold Pinot Grigio (I discovered a new favorite wine). We were a party of 4, and literally everything we ordered was delicious. I will be back for the Steak Bites, Garlic Shrimp, and the Truffle Fries are a must. I'm still thinking about that steak, which was buttery, tender, and cooked to perfection with a spicy sauce drizzle that was heavenly. I also sampled the Shrimp Scampi pasta and the Calamari which were also amazing. I would like to add a 6th star for service as our server Arkan was impeccable in his attentiveness and warm interaction with us the entire night. He definitely brought the good energy and vibes to our special gathering. I can't say enough good things about my experience at Aura other than we will be back and I feel like we truly found a hidden gem last night. - Veronica read more

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This place is amazing! They have the best drinks in east village. The owner/ servers are super friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere is fun without the music being overwhelming. Great spot for a date night or girls night! The food is great too, and there are tons of appetizers/ small plate options if you can't decide on one thing. 10/10 will go back :) read more

Great place with a great vibe and most importantly great drinks. Told the bartender to make us custom drinks and he obliged... And did a great job! read more

Probably one of the best places' I've ever eaten at. When it comes to food, service and mixology this IS the place. I highly recommend the Brussel sprouts as a starter and as your main course we ordered the NY steak, Atlantic salmon and Lemon chicken and they were all 10/10! The ambiance was also amazing! They know how to present, give this place a chance and you will NOT be disappointed! Thank you Aura Bar & Fernando, you guys made my stay! Go Warriors! -Cali people read more

Absolutely amazing food and service!! We had so many things on the menu and every single thing was out of this world spectacular. Also very reasonably priced! Erkan was a fantastic waiter and we loved the bartender and chef. Thank you so much!! read more