I spent New Year's Eve here with my friend, her hubby and brother. I was a guest, and needed the invitation in order to get in. I believe it is a members-only center for Spaniard nationals (and relatives). The ticket included a sit-down dinner (stuffed lobster, fish, filet mignon), plus wine, champagne and desert. We had a great time - the food was delicious (the lobster claw meat was a little undercooked...), atmosphere was great and the music kept us dancing! The room was on the second floor, with many attentive staff. There was also a separate little makeshift bar, and the bathrooms were also nearby on the same floor. The only gripe I had a bit with the layout of the venue was there was no dedicated dance floor - everyone was dancing in the middle of the room, which was essentially fine because it was wide enough. But once it got a bit more packed, with the staff having to move around to all the tables, they'd rush and bump into people dancing (or one had to always be on the look-out for them.) also, it was very family-friendly, so many people brought their toddlers and smaller kids with them who were also pretty rambunctious and full of energy running around. (not a criticism, just an observation). At midnight, we cheered, sang songs and welcomed 2026 properly. I liked learning also about the Spanish tradition of eating fresh grapes and making wishes upon welcoming the new year. I hope all of mine come true and others' as well! read more

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Great food, reunited with old friends. Casa Galicia is always a stop when ever we return to NYC.

If you are not from Spain. These people look at you a funny way. Very unsatisfied with service read more

This place is soo cool! And not in the waiters in white suits or cutting edge interior design type of way. It's a community center where the spanish locals, young and old hang out. The front facade has the look of a church so it's hard to find if you don't know what you're looking for. When you walk inside there's a crowd of older men standing near the bar watching the football (soccer) game on tv and drinking. The space opens up to a dining hall-ish area where you can seat yourself. It was almost empty when we went; on one side of us was a spanish couple in their 30's, an older man by himself at another table, and a group of young 20's (including asians) at our right. The tapas available are in the back on a white board and average at $10/plate. Thank goodness I came with my Spanish friend because he knew exactly what to order, even though we ordered everything on the menu. Except he ordered for us in Spanish, and our nice waitress didn't flinch when we asked for all the wines they had in stock. The food came and... Oh YES!!!!! I swear, I swear, I suh-WARE it was the BEST octopus I've ever had! The most tender, juicy, flavorful octopus that melted in my mouth! And then, I got all up in the octopus flava (oil) with my bread and dunked away. The tortilla was great. The shrimp was my bf's favorite and the chorizo was my friend's fave. The wines were perfect! So buttery smooth! This isn't a restaurant so people don't come here to eat exactly. It's a place to watch Spain play soccer on the big screen tv and chill out with friends and family - parents and grandparents are talking at the table, kids running around to occasionally check the score of the game. But man, that octopus is going to have me comin' back for more, even if I have to come back by myself. Cash only! read more

Casa Galicia - shrimp, octopus, chorizo, wine - Spanish Near Me - Astoria, New York

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Old institution in New York founded by migrants from Galicia. It literally feels like a piece of Galicia, and a bit of a trip in time. You are requested to become a member to dine here. But that is really neither expensive nor time consuming. The food is irregular. Somethings really good an others just ok. read more

It was a Sunday evening when as we were passing by Casa Galicia, I dragged my husband to go inside to eat. He was reluctant to do so as the sign indicated, "club members only". I had to tell him that I secretly joined the club so I can persuade him to walk inside. :) We walked into what can be best described as a big family party. Loud chatter, kids running around, the sound of utensils as them meet with the plate, laughter and everything else that will tell you that this is a family restaurant. Casa Galicia, an organization devoted to the preservation of Galician culture. opens its doors, specifically, its restaurant doors, to the public during week-ends. And I was just too happy to walk through its doors. The paella was all gone so I opted for the gambas al ajillo (shrimp with garlic) while my husband ordered grilled sardines and callos (tripe). We had some Rioja while waiting for our food. My gambas didn't fail me as I sopped the bread on its sauce. :) The sardines tasted fresh and smoky while the tripe was tender but a bit salty for my taste. Besides, I'm not a big fan of tripe and just wanted a little taste of it. We are soon headed back to Casa Galicia and we'll make it earlier so we can have some paella. :) read more

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I am of Galicia decent my mom is from Galicia Carnota to be exact my father was too he died when I was 14 my step dad is from Spain cantabria. I have 2 sisters 1 born here and 1 born in Spain I speak Gallego very well my mom and stepdad are members for a long why they go to a lot of activities at Casa G ( Casa Galicia ) my mom got COVID from going to. Previous party but now she's fine Tommorrow we Celebrating my step dads 80 th birthday surprise party there Can't wait he's going to be really surprised!! My favorite is Pulpo !! (Squid ) cause any Gallego loves squid read more

This is one of my families favorite place to go to for birthdays, special occasions, soccer games, and even New Years parties. My husband and I have been coming here for the New Years parties for the past two years and had a pretty good time. My dad is a member- please note that you have to be a member to eat here. My family is of Spaniard decent and not sure how my dad convinced a couple of people to sponsor him lol. Anyway here are my favorite dishes: Tortilla española (which is something that we make all the time in Uruguay), octopus, fried sausage, the steak is GREAT, shrimp in garlic sauce, and they always have great fish also. If you are a member I highly recommend that you consider this place for large parties or birthdays- they are great at accommodating. Will be here later today, and I am certainly looking forward to it :) read more

A true hidden gem as I have lived in Astoria for over three years, walked past this establishment on 31st Ave countless times without ever suspecting that a restaurant was ensconced within the impenetrable stone walls. Indeed I, along with other Astorians, had assumed that this was some sort of government building. I mean, Casa Galicia has been here for years and as of now (3/26/12), it still has fewer 10 reviews. Unheard of in a neighborhood full of yuppie foodies and Yelpers! A friend from Spain who happens to be from the Galicia area took me here. I felt a bit sheepish as he had only recently arrived from Spain a few months ago knew about this. When I met up with him, I wondered why we were meeting at JJ's (in Astoria, everyone knows JJ's Sushi -- it's like our Cheers) when he had clearly stated that we were going for tapas. He motioned me up the stairs of Casa Galicia (and at this point I thought he clearly lost it because it looked like we going into a govt building), when through the doors, I hear a flood of Spanish and swarthy dark-haired people mingling, laughing, and eating in a large and overly bright room. I had entered the inner sanctums of the Galician community. The building is actually a govt building owned by Spain and functions as a community center for the Spanish ex-pats. Casa Galicia is not technically a restaurant; it's a social club. While the looks of the place would not impress, nonetheless, the jovial nature, good fresh seafood that exceptionally well-priced, and the authentic nature of Casa Galicia makes this a rare and wonderful find in Astoria. The restaurant looks like a large community hall that you would find in a church and similarly decorated with harsh white lighting, haphazard white linen tablecloths, and tables and chairs dotting the room. It's very much a family friendly place as evidenced by the traces of crayon on the tablecloths and walls. While this is not a place for romance, it is a great place for casual dining with friends. We ordered Spanish tortilla (omelet with potatoes), fried fish (They were like large sardines, except not sardines. Very traditional from the Galicia region), Pulpo a la Gallego (octopus! My favorite), a bottle of Galician white wine Ribiero, and finished off with tarta de Santiago, a traditional Galician almond cake. The portions are large, filling, and very cheap. Our bill with tax and tip came around $60 for all this. I very much recommend the pulpo if you love octopus. It was cooked perfectly (for I hate rubbery octopus). If you have a sweet tooth, the almond cake is a real treat. Light and sweet, it was a great ending to the meal. read more

Wish I'd read the recent reviews before I went back with my family, all excited for another delicious Spanish meal! My dad is from Spain and he had researched Spanish restaurants before I moved to Queens. We heard this place was open to the public on weekends, so every time my parents visited we'd have a meal there. We'd been there like 20 times, never as a member, and even had my sister's bachelorette dinner there. Went tonight. As soon as we walked in, this guy at the door immediately demanded to know if we were members. When we said we weren't and had eaten there many times on weekends he said, "Really? Well I've never seen you here." like they'd been enforcing members-only forever... Nope. We'd always just walked right in and no one questioned us. Anyway, dad finally walks in after parking the car and talks to the guy (who was still quite rude), turns out they had a members meeting and members were sick of nonmembers eating there... so... guess we won't be returning. My dad would buy a membership except I am planning on leaving the city soon so it wouldn't be worth it. Perhaps he was so rude because so many people had been walking in who weren't members... but still. Perhaps I shouldn't share this (don't want the secret out!)... but a woman outside told us of another Spanish center, Centro Espanol on Broadway, that has a restaurant open to the public. We ended up walking over there and having an even more delicious Spanish meal than we ever had at Casa Galicia (AND they had croquetas and patatas bravas which Casa lacked! love me some tapas) read more

I used to come here quite a lot and watch Barcelona games.. I love to be around spanish people they seem very welcoming and warm, so close to my mediterranean culture.. This new "membership" policy was a slap in the face to me.. I don't usually eat there. Just a couple of beers, maybe a calamari dish to munch on, and I always leave a handsome tip. This time I was quite disappointed to see a bouncer at the door! Are you kidding me? this is Casa Galicia that I love so much. Why is management turning this once so beautiful place into an american brothel? The doorman obviously had mental and social issues and was extremely rude, the same attitude you'd receive from "bouncers" in the meatpacking district on Saturday night. Americans like to call them bouncers so as to give them some form of esteem, but we all know they're just doormen on steroids. Anyway, I had to revisit my 5 star rating submitted last time. I hope Casa Galicia management go back to their senses and put an end to this charade. You don't treat guests like this, especially if they're nice, civilized and respectful both to your culture and football skills. read more

CASA GALICIA is an amazing place where I've always had a lot of fun. The food isn't maybe the best in town, but the pulpo is f**king good. Being Spaniard, it's hard to judge spanish food, because no one taste as good as mom's:-) but this place makes me feel like home. I celebrated my birthday in C.G. last year and I'll repeat again this year. We were 35 people and we enjoyed a lot the food, the liquors and the Spanish vibrations of Casa Galicia. 500% recommended. read more

A pleasant surprise!!! This is a NYC "secret" for eating home-made food from Spain. Do not expect a fancy decoration or an excellent service or cutlery. This is more like the type "casino" or "social center" in Spain, where people meet to play cards, watch soccer or just talk at the same time they enjoy some tapas, a beer or just an espresso. Here you can enjoy some of the plates your grandma or your mum used to cook like potaje gallego or pescadilla at very, very reasonable prices. The food is good, the portions big and the prices for food and drinks unbeatable!!! Just an example a very tasty "pulpo a la gallega" and enough for 4, is $12!!! The only con is that this is far away from Brooklyn, otherwise this place would become my own kitchen!! read more

You do not come here for the ambiance, you come here for the food. I was here for a birthday party, and my first question to the host when we arrived is, are we in a nursing home?! You walk in, and nothing about this place makes you think hip, cool restaurant. Don't worry, though, the food is amazing! There was a cheese plate that had a mancego like cheese that was very good. The scallops were large and mostly good (a few over cooked ones, but otherwise great). I really liked the calamari, it was just perfect. I was not impressed by either of the steaks. However, there was a canned small fish that was absolutely delicious. I've been told this is as authentic as it gets, and I believe it! read more

My wife and I went to Casa Galicia today for brunch. I had Googled "tapas bar" in Astoria and read the reviews and decided to check it out. The ambience is poor, but the food is phenomenal! We had the tortilla, cuban sandwich and rib tip (in red wine), and you must try the Galician Beer, Estrella (light and refreshing). The tortilla was a huge portion and easily weight a few pounds. The cuban sandwich, for the price was also big, the size of a hero. The rib tips in the red wine sauce were by far my favorite. The food in general is awesome! Our total bill was $24 for all that food and beverages. The ambience. Well, it's a Community Center for Galician Spaniards. As reviewed before, it is very boring. We were the only ones there, and before we left a couple of men entered to sit at the bar and watch a preview of the World Cup. Spoke to the waitress, Maria, who by the way, is very timid, but nice. She tells me that it is hopping in the colder months. Apparently all the Spaniards go home for the Summer. So I am giving it 4 stars, the food is excellent and easy on your wallet. The ambience again, is poor, but if you are in good company, it will not be a problem. read more

Best authentic spanish food in NYC hands down. And at real spanish prices! I've been living in NY for years and I always get together with my friends from Spain to go here. read more

As some reviewers have pointed out, Casa Galicia has become strong-handed with enforcement of their "members only" policy. I agree that the guy at the door is obnoxious and does not provide a positive welcome for anyone. So - for members only (you need to be Spanish and have proof), once you pass the guy at the door, this is a nice place to go to feel a touch of Spain and enjoy good food. The pulpo is especially delicious. This is a fun place to watch fútbol at the bar or in the restaurant. read more

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, was there anywhere else you'd want to be today besides Casa Galicia? In the massive government looking structure I had calamari, 4 Galician beers, squid, chorizo, pan and coffee with Baileys all for $20. The prices are reasonable, the food was MUY DELICIOSO but what really takes the torta espanola aqui is the people! Many many Spaniards gather for futbol matches and shout obscenities at the screen. Today Barcelona won, and, discovering this venue, I feel like I did too. read more

The other two reviewers are right indeed. My friends told me to meet them for the Spain vs Paraguay match at this spot, but when I got to the corner, I quickly scanned and the only eatery I saw on that side of the street said sushi. I knew it couldn't be right. But when I pay closer attention, folks were strolling into the regal looking building that I at first took for a consulate or upscale private club. Casa Galicia's menu was simple enough for the lunchtime crowd of seemingly five hundred Spaniards, offering shrimp in eggs, paella and potatoes. For the vegetarians there was little more than french fries, but the beers were affordable, the staff was working hard, and the place was popping. Spain 1 - Paraguay 0 read more

Dined there last night for a family meal. We are not members but we were made welcome. There were a couple of families and a big table of business men yet the service was very slow. Big deal. It's a social club NOT a restaurant. Once the wine and food started arriving life was fine. Our son ran into a school friend and off they went to the kids play area (far away from the tables!). Shrimp, Octopus and chorizo plates are not be missed. Same for the wine. 5 plates of food, two desserts and two bottles of Rioja reserve for $88. We will return. read more

This is the best spanish restaurant in NY, and probably in the whole US. Period.

Nothing for this price in this side of the Ocean (West) and this side of the continent (North). I was invited yesterday by a friend who is a member, and we had an amazing time at an amazing price. The food is great, the pulpo a la gallega is even cheaper and bigger than the ones I would get in Madrid, the service is nice, the wine is delicious... I am thinking of joining as I am spanish. Will think about it :) read more

Yes, the guy at the door is rude but he is doing his job, which is understandable... I was hoping that the food would be better but I'm going to give it another chance to see if it is better. FYI, it's true, you have to become a member to go in. read more

The tapas are not the best, they are ok. The price and portion sizes are very good. Fun place to watch a soccer game, and the community hall atmosphere is comfortable and fun. read more

A very pleasant experience every time. My wife and I visit Astoria often on weekends, and about 4 months ago we started going to Casa Galicia either for lunch or for dinner when we are in the area. A very nice find. The food is very well prepared with natural flavors and the cost is very reasonable as well. Sopa de Ajo reminds me of my childhood and it tastes just like mama's. A must try...among other things. Buen provecho! read more

Always used to be a lovely place to go, but as of Jan 2014 they have started insisting aggressively on their members-only policy. Doorman at the front, "El Delgado", was extremely rude.... the previous time, back in September, they had been falling over themselves to encourage us to join and sign our son up for music classes. Good food, but they seriously need to work on their social skills. read more

I called to find out if they were open. I was told in no uncertain terms that they are not open to the pubic, you must be a member to go there. I'm not sure if the rules changed or if all these Yelp reviewers are members or friends of members. read more

Disclaimer: this review is based solely on my experience going to Casa Galicia for the World Cup 2010 final between Netherlands and Spain. Though the awful experience was mostly due to the special nature of a country being in the final game, the place planned so poorly for this event. When I arrived, it was already crowded and hot. The air conditioning could not keep up. The bar was packed, the main room was packed, the upstairs room was packed. I was looking forward to some delicious food, but I did not want to eat standing up, getting pushed around by customers and waiters and I was hot enough as it was. There was only one bar, poorly staffed with only two people. One of the bartenders clearly shut down about ten minutes into the match, ignoring people and yelling at other staff. The other bartender was pretty slow. It took me almost 30 minutes to get beer... by then, the only beer they had was Becks and Bud Light. I went for another round of beers... they replenished their stock, good, but all the beers were warm, bad. We waited to see if they would have any more cold beer but for the entire second half and overtime, no cold beer to be had. Impossible to get food and beer, disgruntled staff, and disgruntled clientele all sum up to a one star. I would be wiling to try this at some point in the future though. No credit cards. read more

Awful. Incredibly rude and unfriendly to our entire party from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. Almost comically so.

We were a party of 6 adults and 3 kids ready to have some really good Spanish food. We always love to come to Casa Galicia, it is like being back in your country for just one moment, however their new 'members only' policy is really very disappointing, especially because the restaurant was almost empty. The door guy was extremely rude to us and it seems as though the rule was not applied to everybody since a man was telling me to my face that he was not a member while drinking at the bar..... if you have a new rule, at least it should apply to everybody!!! you know what? As a Spaniard, I was going to become a member, but after the way that door guy treated us....forget about it...at the end of the day, it is your loss Casa Galicia, not ours.... read more

A mi esposo y a mi nos gusta mucho la comida española y buscando en el internet encontramos este sitio y lo visitamos. Nuestra experiencia fue maravillosa, realmente no es un restaurante, es mas un sitio acogedor donde compartir en familia y ademas comer delicioso. El personal de atencion al publico es excelente y el cocinero es un autentico español que cocina deliciosos platos de ese pais. En medio de la semana hay mucha limitacion en el menu, pero el fin de semana ofrecen una buena variedad. Por supuesto yo voy a volver y lo recomiendo. read more

Have eaten there several times and love the tapas. Pulpo is fantastic and so is the shrimp and tortilla. Cant wait to go back.

The best pulpo in the world!! There is nothing like this place, the food, the atmosphere is like being in Spain, if you don't like you just don't get it. read more

I have to update my review. After having been there a couple of times, and having written a positive review, last time I was greeted by "El Delgado", who asked me if I was a member. I addressed El Delgado in Spanish but he insisted in addressing me in English, which makes me wonder how Galician is Casa Galicia nowadays... Anyway, I told him that I was waiting for some friends, including a Galician one, and was pretty sure that we would be let in just like all the other times... I was very thirsty and asked for a coke at the bar, the waiter served it to me but El Delgado shouted "No!! He doesn't belong to us!! He's not a member!!!". OK, no problem, I'm not gonna spend a single $ at this place, but found it rude to refuse to serve a non-alcoholic drink to a thirsty would-be customer... Shortly after my friends arrived, including the Galician one, El Delgado confirmed that we were refused access... Well, thank God Astoria is full of good places to have lunch, but please do not bother making a trek here in case you encounter this bouncer, because the door policy seems to be a bit inconsistent at this place... read more