I was not expecting to be blown away given the variable reviews but remained optimistic because my friend had really enjoyed Estela a few years ago. The restaurant is oddly located in a shared residential building that requires walking up stairs to a small hallway which separates the residential part from the restaurant. We entered the small space and sat in the back in a small alcove that could fit 3 parties of two. We really loved every thing we ordered from the endive salad with the nutty, acidic cheesy concoction on fresh endive leafs to the expertly done pork chops with the bean salad. The beef tartare and ricotta dish were also top notch. We would've skipped the bread and butter olive dish if we had known the beef tartare came with bread and, which would have allowed us to try another item on the menu. But we are not fretting as we will definitely be back again. The not so great things do include the price and the ok desserts. There was a review about 12 yrs ago talking about how expensive the same items were but in comparison, the price had gone up substantially. The endives salad was 14 dollars and the ricotta was 24. Both are now 29 and 35 dollars respectively... I can't imagine how hard it is for restaurants to stay afloat with the increased costs but this increase does sound a lot adjusted for inflation. The desserts were trying to blend salty and sweet which was a good concept but we have such sweet tooth that we've had better panna cotta and chocolate cake before. But overall we were blown away by the dishes so still a 5/5 experience! read more

Estela - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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Estela was a solid experience, but surprisingly not super standout given its reputation. The restaurant is very lively, but it was also quite loud and crowded, so it felt a bit cramped while eating. The service was nice and attentive throughout the entire dinner. Overall, the food leaned very heavy and salty, so I needed my water refilled several times throughout the meal. The highlight dish for me was definitely the Endive salad, and the portion was generous. It had a nice balance of crunch, freshness, and richness all in one bite. While I'm not a big beef tartare person, this was a solid dish. It had bright, citrusy flavors and crunch from the sunchoke. Unfortunately, the Fried Arroz Negro was extremely oversalted, which made it difficult to fully enjoy. read more

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I know this restaurant is a New York institution and I will say I enjoyed some dishes more than others. Was it life changing, no. But I definitely think it's worth checking out. There are a few dishes that consistently stay on the menu and for good reason: come for those. They are staples for a reason. Ambiance / Service: honestly not much to say about the ambiance. Not fancy, not divey, but has a casual cool laid back-ness to it. Intimate neighborhood vibe. Good for a date night or meeting a friend. Service was amazing. Food: they recommend 4-6 dishes for two people. I got 8 dishes for two people because I wanted to try a lot and it was most certainly too much food lol. Some dishes are seasonal and may no longer be on the menu. -Mackerel: comes with 3 pieces. This was just ok. Make sure to dip in the sauce otherwise a bit bland. Would maybe skip next time. -Cured Tuna: comes with bread. Very mild flavor, fresh. Just needed a hint of salt. -Beef Tartare: a menu staple. I am not a beef tartare person but I found this delicious. The crunchy sunchokes was chefs kiss. A must order. -Cucumber Salad: refreshing, tangy, and light. -Endive Salad: this is a staple. The description doesn't sound like much, but it was SO GOOD. I wish all salads tasted like this. So simple, yet so delicious. Must order. -Ricotta Dumplings: another staple for good reason. These will quite literally melt in your mouth. A must order. -Fried Arroz Negro: a fourth staple for a reason. This was addicting to eat. A must order. -Wagyu Steak: meat was cooked perfectly, super tender. If looking for a more hearty meaty dish, I recommend. read more

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Loved it, was initially worried about the cost/size of the dishes but after getting 5 things to try i was totally full and each dish was unique and worth it. Scallops and green tomato was probably my favorite, followed by the ricotta dumplings. The endive was surprisingly my least favorite even though it's their most popular dish. Overall would come again for a special date night. read more

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This was my second time at Estela after a couple of years, and it definitely lived up to my memory. The restaurant has such a cozy, warm atmosphere that makes it feel intimate. I walked in on a weekday and was able to snag a seat at the bar after about a 45-minute wait, which wasn't too bad. This time I ordered: - Endive with walnuts, anchovy, and Ubriaco Rosso - Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino sardo - Cured tuna with black pil pil and ponzu - Beef tartare with elderberries and sunchoke The endive salad was fresh and well-balanced, but I personally wasn't a fan of the Ubriaco Rosso cheese. It reminded me of goat cheese, which just isn't my thing. That said, if you enjoy funky cheeses, you'll probably appreciate it. The ricotta dumplings were the standout of the meal since it was pillowy, incredibly light, and absolutely delicious. I'd order them again in a heartbeat. The cured tuna was also excellent. The fish was fresh and paired nicely with the ponzu, though I thought there was a little too much black pil pil (which I believe is made with squid ink), so it overpowered the tuna at times. The beef tartare was another solid dish. The elderberries and sunchoke added a nice contrast of flavors and textures without taking away from the quality of the beef. Overall, Estela continues to be one of my favorite spots for creative, beautifully executed dishes. The only downside is the price. It's definitely a splurge. Even so, I'd happily come back for another special occasion (and for those ricotta dumplings). read more

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To take a moment and experience a fun, playful meal like I had at Estela is an absolute joy. Starting off strong with a bread and olive starter. The little olives were lovely, one even had an unexpected citrus to it. Unexpected is a good word to pair with this idea of joy. Each dish, although appearing simple in visual, had an unexpected detail. The endive, morel lobster, white asparagus, and lamb. All very lovely. The service was so gentle and thoughtful. I would say the "weakest" dish, if I had to choose was the elysian lamb. The preparation was perfection it just didn't have the same whimsy the other dishes did. Although, the peas it came with were nostalgic and I appreciated that. Portions small, I do think pricey given the sizes. But I interpreted it as a dining experience around farm fresh ingredients. I did have a little snack later that eve, but that's me ! read more

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Came here for dinner on a weekend evening with high expectation since it is a Michelin one star restaurant. Ordered a drink, Beef Tartare, Dumplings (core dish), and Toro. The dumplings were alright, it didn't feel special. The Toro was also alright and didn't feel special, and the beef tartare felt like it had too much mushroom. Overall, the dishes weren't as expected and it was lacking in terms of the experience to be considered as Michelin one star. Tho the ambiance and the service was great. They don't make up for the food quality, expectation, and taste. I may not consider coming back here again in the future, it was too much hype and didn't deliver... read more

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Estela is an outstanding downtown restaurant with inventive, beautifully executed food and an intimate, effortlessly stylish atmosphere. Creative without being fussy and consistently memorable, it captures so much of what makes dining in New York special. read more

I wanted to use my Chase dining points on this but it was just ok. I feel like nothing was really filling or amazing. We got the foie gras, Spanish mackerel, beef tartare, oysters and bread. The foie grad and beef tartare already came with bread and the waitress didn't tell us. So a majority of the meal was bread. We had bread 3x. And it was expensive for a non filling meal. Also I just don't think the foie gras was my thing. I can't get over the texture. Taste wise there was no strong taste in anything outside of the olives. Also our table was the size of a night stand. There were other tables that were bigger. The older ladies next to us was seated at a 4 person table just for them. read more

Estela - New American Near Me - New York, New York

Ambiance is pretty upscale and we got seated in a cozy corner in the back. Our favorite dish was the endive salad and fried arroz negro. The portions are quite small, especially the wagyu steak which I felt was not worth the price point for maybe 4 slices. Service was great our server was good at recommending dishes. read more

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Solid 4 stars for Estela. Estela has been a 1 Michelin star restaurant for so long that specializes in European-leaning small plates. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. I didn't like how all of the tables were so close together. The table next to us had to move their table for me to squeeze into the booth. For food, we went with the beef tartare with elderberries and sunchokes (so delicious), ricotta dumplings (soooooo yum but very heavy), and the toro with celeriac and black truffle (better than I expected as the toro was insanely buttery). For dessert, we went with the chocolate cake which was not too sweet or heavy. Service was ok, worse than I expected for a Michelin restaurant. Our waiter gave us some recs but didn't see very happy to be there. read more

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I had a reservation and solo dined at the bar. The bartender was friendly and very knowledgeable of the menu. Service was prompt. The atmosphere was on the noisy side but the ambiance is intimate and dark. Endive salad: 7.5/10. I enjoyed this--it's encouraged to eat with your hands to use the leaf to scoop up the filling in the middle. Great textures and flavors Ricotta dumplings: 8/10. The softest things I've ever put in my mouth. The texture is like gnocchi but even softer. I enjoyed the broth it came in, it was a comforting bite in the cold weather. Duck: 5/10 I found it to be very bland and the cut of meat was incredibly fatty. The presentation is pretty boring. Chocolate cake: 6/10 nice and fudgy. I do enjoy sea salt on my desserts, however I found this a tad too salty. I'm glad I dined here however I'm not sure I'll be running back anytime soon. Nothing mind blowing, but a nice meal nonetheless. read more

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I liked, but did not love the experience at Estela. The staff was very friendly and overall I thought the service was of high caliber. What missed for me was what happens behind the kitchen doors. Overall I thought the food has some elements I enjoyed, but was overall quite salty which overpowered some of the unique nuanced flavors described on the menu. The portion sizes were small (to be expected to some degree at these sort of restaurants) but for the price tag on some of the dishes the taste/quality did not make up for the small portion sizes. Additionally, the plating did not meet the consistency standards I expect from a Michelin star restaurant. The arroz dish looked divine, the mackerel looked as if the chef carelessly threw it on the plate in a rush. Finally, the pacing of the dinner threw off the entire experience. Our first two dishes came out nicely spaced, however our third dish came out 90 seconds after our second while we just were digging in and the final dish came out over 30 minutes after the third. I think there are elements here for a nice albeit pricey dinner, but overall I didn't find that we received a Michelin star worthy experience. read more

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Went for dinner with a group and somehow ended up ordering what felt like the entire menu. Every time another dish hit the table, someone claimed it was their favorite, and honestly nobody was wrong. I kept expecting at least one thing to be forgettable, but it never happened. Easily one of the best meals I've had in the city, and somewhere I'd go back without thinking twice. read more

Stella food and impeccable service. Location: Up a flight of stairs with a tricky door. Entrance is small, so you may have to wait outdoors when busy. Ambience: Casual bistro vibe. Long bar spans the narrow entrance and in main dining room, tables are close together. Hip music overhead adds to lively vibe. Lots of dark wood and dim lighting. Food: Tapas style food. Inventive and bursting with flavors. We enjoyed every bite. Don't skip desserts, perfect balance of refreshing sweetness. Loved the food and will definitely be back. Wine: sommelier was excellent and an interesting wine list. Our first time enjoying Corisan wine, it was excellent. Will definitely be back. Loved everything. read more

New American/small plates restaurant with 1 Michelin star We made a res on open table and love that it's included in the CSR benefit, so don't forget to use it! We got 5 small plates to share (2 were super tiny) and I thought it was a good amount of food, but my husband was a little hungry after - Foie gras and uni: the custard is light, but rich with the foie gras and the uni actually cuts it quite nicely. It's a super small dish, but I don't think I'd be able to eat one by myself. It's better to share - Oysters: $6/piece, so we only got 2 to try. Really good ! the yuzu mignonette is very light and citrusy - Beef tartare: I liked how bright it tasted with the citrus. I actually liked eating it on its own better than with the bread, which was a little too thick for how light the beef was - Endive salad: my favorite dish! It looks very unimpressive when you first get it because it's just a plate of endive leaves, but underneath is a warm, cheesy, nutty mix that you scoop onto the fresh leaves. Loved all the textures and flavors - Arroz negro: I was pleasantly surprised with this one because I'm usually not the biggest fan of squid ink, but the rice was cooked perfectly al dente with some crispy parts to it, and the romesco sauce in the middle was a yummy surprise it's a nice date night spot, but some of the dishes like the endive salad was actually a little too much for 2 people, so I think it's a restaurant that would be better for a group of 4 so you can try a lot of plates and not get tired of anything My only complaint was the booth side of the table was way too high! It was a little uncomfortable because I felt like I was hunching over the whole time read more

Not sure if it was the dishes we ordered but Estela fell short of my expectations, especially for a Michelin-starred restaurant. Started off with the scallops which were probably my favorite dish this meal. I liked the combination of flavors and textures. The scallops were pretty fresh. The date provided sweetness that complemented the fragrant butter and savory flavors. It's chewy texture contrasted with the scallop and the hazelnut, which offered a lingering nutty taste. The endive salad featured very fresh and crunchy leaves that held up the walnuts, anchovies, and cheese. The multitude of textures was fun and I liked the olive oil drizzle. The omelete was disappointing. The egg component wasnt as tender as I had hoped, but more importantly it was too salty (even for someone who likes salty dishes). The truffle flavors did not come through sadly. The ricotta dumplings only had a faint ricotta taste and were kinda gritty. The sauce didn't have much mushroom or other flavors sadly. For the scallops and endive, I might have given a 4, but the service dropped it down to a 3. Our server was cold, off-putting, and interrupted us at odd times, even when we said we needed a minute. While the black coffee itself was good, the cup was way too thin to hold a hot beverage, which made it logistically challenging to enjoy our meal from the get go. I really wanted to like Estela and wish I had a better experience. read more

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Estela really blew me away. Despite having a star, I wasn't sure how exciting it would be given it had been around for so long and they have a number of dishes that have never left the menu in 10+ years. But i was so wrong. The beef tartare and enliven salad was the most amazing combo to start and the ricotta dumplings are also a must order. You can skip the one note arrow negro. Duck was good for a main, but portion here was tiny for the price. Regardless, I would come back just for that salad and tartare again! read more

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I came to Estela and dined alone for the first time at the bar. The seating was interesting as there was a plant kind of in my face. The server behind the bar was super nice. I ordered the endive salad, the ricotta dumplings, and the duck. I was expecting the salad to be light, but it was very rich, with cheese and nuts. The ricotta dumplings were also very thick. The piece of duck contained a lot of fat, but the portion was a lot bigger than the photos made it seem overall everything was very rich. I was only able to finish half of each dish. Who aside the ambience was really nice and I enjoyed the solo meal. read more

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All the plates we ordered at this wine bar were super fresh and delicious, and the ambiance was super cozy yet intimate. They are also super generous with the wine pours here. The only callout is the service is EXTREMELY slow -- they pretty much serve you one dish at a time, and won't serve the next one until the previous plate is finished, so we ended up dining for a lot longer than we wanted to - Scallops (5/5): love these! These were so fresh and I loved the fresh peas on top - Beef tartare (5/5): also was pleasantly surprised with these. Came with delicious sourdough and the combo of the tartare with the pieces of sunchoke was absolutely divine - Endive (4/5): endive is not my favorite, but I loved the toppings underneath! - Celery salad (4/5): really refreshing, but really expensive for what it is - Fried arroz negro (5/5): probably my favorite dish of the night. The texture of the rice was almost a bit al dente and the flavor was spot on, and also had lots of textures from the bits of seafood inside. - Ricotta dumplings (3.5/5): maybe my least favorite dish. I loved the mushroom sauce, but the ricotta dumplings were a bit one dimensional in flavor and texture Good spot for a date night, but beware of the slow service! read more

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We had a 1pm reservation but we arrived the restaurant 30 mins earlier , and the host led us to our seat right away without any problems. The restaurant is small as most NYC restaurant are , but the interior is pretty and the atmosphere is very intimate and calm, which I really like. Our table is very close to the next table diner but this doesn't bother me. The menu is small and we were informed by our waiter that the portion is small so we should order several dishes to share and we did. The star of the day is Endive salad. I was a bit skeptical when it was served as it looks nothing like the salad I had in the past but it's really really good. The rest of dishes we ordered are also good, oysters are very fresh , the lobster and shrimp sandwich is good,and chocolate cake is delicious, I like everyone we ordered today. I do think it is pricey, but the quality of the food and the service do justify the price tag. read more

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This is a super cute Michelin star restaurant tucked away on a street- it is easy to miss, but that's the way it seems to be with some of the best restaurants out there! The service was great- we had a very friendly waiter. The food was well portioned are was tapas-style. The space is well designed- we did not feel like we were overcrowded even though we went over lunch! Winds were delicious and perfect with the meal. read more

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We have been going to this iconic small plate bistro for years! The service is excellent. The host was kind enough to sit me at my table. Few minutes early. The vibe is energetic and fun. Most of the menu is unchanged and all the best dishes are still there: Not to be missed: Cocktails Wine list Steak Tartar - beyond amazing Bread and French butter Endive salad - family favorite Black squid ink risotto with Romesco Then we had sweet breads - just ok But the sad news was a very disappointing fois gras that arrived wrapped in slightly charred tough green leaves (chard?) - the fois was soupy and poorly seasoned. In the past - a while back we had awesome fois gras - a completely different abd much more delicious preparation - combining sweet, crunchy, etc to offset the richness a bit of tart.. The chocolate dessert was brilliant Estela is not an inexpensive restaurant given the small to-be-shared- portions. So everything should be excellent !! We will be back ! read more

Came in on solo reservation, was seated at bar in a corner with a huge plant right next to me with branches/leaves extending over food whenever I bent head. Seemed like a recurrent issue from seeing some videos. Staff was helpful in recommending drinks and dishes. Went with the beef tartare and mackerel/onion/caviar. The tartare didn't have much flavor to me. The mackerel was incredibly salty to me and the caviar only added to that. Bread was fine. Pleasant ambiance at least chatting with other diners and staff. Still would definitely return and think table seating is better and try other dishes, probably just off experience. read more

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Me and my dad came here for a nice dinner a few weeks ago and he had made a reservation in advance. We got there a little early to see if they could seat us early, but they were all booked (even the bar seats). Unfortunately, they don't have anywhere you can wait in the restaurant, so we ended up going to a bar down the street while we waited for our reservation time. Once we made it back in time for our reservation, it was smooth sailing. The restaurant is quite small with limited tables and only a few seats at the bar, and therefore very intimate. We ordered the sourdough with butter, the bay scallops, the celery salad, the crab and the ricotta dumplings. Everything was really good with great flavors. For me, the standouts were the bread (it was just so good), the salad, and the scallops. The dumplings weren't bad, but I felt they were a bit too heavy. For cocktails, I ordered the La Chilanga, which was delicious and my dad ordered a glass of red wine, which he really enjoyed. Overall, I would definitely come back here again! read more

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Our table reservation for 4 was at 12.15pm on a Saturday afternoon. We were seated promptly. When you step into Estela, you want to love it. The atmosphere is calm, sensual and tranquil. The transparent glass coffee pot that accompanied the porcelain thin, handle-free cups and saucers already distinguished the restaurant from majority of its peers for me. Milk was served in a matching glass jar. As if to say, 'welcome, we want you all to stay for as long as you like and please make yourselves at home'. Emily is attentive and delightful as our server. Her smile alone packs personality. By 2.30pm, we have selected and devoured the shrimp sandwich, ricotta dumplings, Belgian endive, cured pork belly, oysters, scallops and peppers selected from Estela's lunch menu. Aesthetics, execution, and flavor. We enjoyed every dish immensely. Culinary flair paired smoothly and successfully with seasonal freshness. Estela definitely knows how to woo its guests back with finesse. The plating appeals and comforts, teasing one to imagine how potentially capable Estela is of stunning you if you come back for dinner on the same day. Appreciated the initiative on the part of the staff to arrange change of plates, refill our glasses of water and requested if we'd like to stay for dessert: a. Panna cotta, vinegar, and honey b. Chocolate cake with sesame ganache and cream c. Cherry sorbet with olive oil and black pepper We were too full but it's got a dessert selection that beckons one to return for the sole purpose of placating one's sweet tooth over afternoon coffee and/or tea. That's the visit I have to make with my daughter. Thank you and to be continued, Estela read more

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The food was great, as it should be for a Michelin Star restaurant, however it wasn't as memorable as I had hoped it to be. I probably wouldn't come back with all the other Mich star restaurants in NYC, but still a good time nonetheless. read more

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Great bar and ambiance. Service was good but made to feel weird because we only ordered three items. Didn't like that. Steak tar tar though good flavor, where is the beef? The lobster with scallop stuffed morels was delicious. The star was the ricotta stuffed dumplings with mushrooms. That was the amazing most bite ever. read more

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I've been to Estela so many times over the years and every time I go back I am surprised that it has maintained the high quality of food and drink since I remember it opening a decade or so ago. The space is small and cute on Houston. It has the vibes of a quintessential cute neighborhood New York restaurant. Something you would have wanted to go into on a first date, or with your significant other of 20 years. Estela really hits the occasion for anything intimate and nice - and the space is quite intimate, not large at all. The service matches the intimacy with honest, kind, and interactive servers. This is what I wish of more servers, however many fancy places have felt much more formal and distant in their service, thankfully Estela does not do this. We spoke to the bartender and requested bespoke drinks, they were all fantastic. We had a great conversation with the waitress and she made some great suggestions on the menu, again all fantastic. I had many of my favorites, including the ricotta gnudi with mushrooms and black rice (both of which you should get), but really enjoyed the scallops that come served so beautifully and the duck, which was new to the menu and the one thing I hadn't tried yet. It was fantastic! I'll keep coming back to Estela, it's such a treat. I don't come more than once a year because there's so much dining to do in NYC - but I do think Estela is a standard for NYC small plates and if you haven't been you probably should come. read more

Estela - Duck - truly specatcular - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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The venison was excellent. The wines by the glass that I ordered were fine. So here were my issues. I I'm a single woman, 62 years old, sitting alone at the bar, so some of you will dismiss everything I have to say. For those of you who don't, here goes. First of all, there were two very nice gentlemen to the left of me, seemingly friends of the house, which of course would be fine except that I had to do semaphore signals to get the waiter's attention. And I got treated rudely for expressing frustration at needing minutes to grab the attention of my waiter. I was served bread without a butter knife. I was given an old menu that listed a Gigondas, and received no apology and was treated with rolled eyes when I had an issue with this. The Cote du Rhone they offered was tasty, but I was treated rudely for expecting to order a wine on the menu I was given. I still had half a glass of champagne left when they dumped my venison main course in front of me, and no one remembered to bring the red wine I ordered--or, even better, thought to wait until I finished the champagne before bringing the next course. Not a heart-warming experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant. read more

I trying to understand why they are a Michelin star restaurant. It's a small cozy restaurant. Service is nothing special is just ok but not for a Michelin star restaurant. The food was flat no taste for what they offer it was to expensive. They recommend to take 6 plates for 3 ppl I still believe even 10 plates would be enough. Very small portions with no TASTE. I don't understand the ppl they recommend that to me read more

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Went to Estela last minute as a walk in just to experience it and didn't have to wait on a Sunday which was nice. The best dish of the ones I tried was the lobster and wood ear mushrooms. Lobster was perfectly cooked, the mushrooms had tons of texture and the sauce/broth was smooth and not too salty. The foie gras was different, but I didn't get a photo of it since it was wrapped in grape leaves. It came in a soup and the leaves had to be unwrapped or cut, but I enjoyed it for a different approach than the typical pan sear. I'm not sure I'd go back for dinner, but possibly to try their desserts even though I think the dishes were executed well overall, even though they were relatively small in terms of portion. read more

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The food is as amazing as it was on my first visit! There is a reason you keep going back to Estela. The food is creative and delicious, the vibe is so upbeat and the service is perfect. The cocktails and the wine list are terrific as well. read more

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This spot had been on my list for a while, and it definitely lived up to the hype! We came on a Thursday night for a 9 PM seating, but due to subway delays, we arrived 45 minutes late. Thankfully, the staff was kind enough to seat us anyway. The service was lovely throughout, and I appreciated how the dishes were coursed out at a comfortable pace and we never felt rushed. I especially enjoyed the arroz negro with squid -- it was incredibly flavorful. The mackerel crudo was another highlight, topped with thinly sliced mushrooms that added a nice texture and depth. And the endive dish was such a surprise! I don't think I've had it prepared this way before -- the bottom layer had anchovy and walnuts, and you scoop a bit of everything together for the perfect bite. Ambiance is dimmed and it's quite lively. I wouldn't really hear what my boyfriend is saying but it was fine. Overall it was a good time :) read more

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Absolutely amazing. From the minute you walk in you'd feel the welcoming space and team, its cozy and sexy. We were quickly seated and our server was great. I would suggest everything we ordered so good. The rice and salad were insaneeee!! A must!! Love how they play with textures. Like kindly obsessed. Cannot wait to go back!! read more

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We had a booking for two, and were seated in the corner, next to a wall, isolated from the rest of the restaurant. We had a fantastic view of the backsides of all the bar seated patrons and the waiting area. Table was cramped, and we enjoyed the eventful scenery of customers being ushered in and out all night in the narrow walkway to the waiting area. Not a mention about my wife's birthday. Food is expensive and above average. Left a 15% tip because we didn't want to punish the serving staff. This is not their fault. Estela needs to do better for their staff and customers. Dumbfounded that this establishment has a Michelin star. read more

All the dishes we ordered were extraordinary! - endive salad: 100/10 (I loved the combination of the crispy endive with the salty, vinegary, and crunchy sauce. I can eat this salad everyday) - ricotta dumplings: 10/10 (loved the texture of the super thin mushroom. The ricotta dumplings were great!) - crab omelette: 10/10 (the omelette was super silky smooth. The pickled greens on top really helped balance out the richness of the whole dish.) Service was good, ambiance was very cozy chic. Be wary though that the seats are super small! read more

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The spot: The restaurant is on the smaller side. As a party of two, we were seated in a cozy little nook in the back of the restaurant. Larger groups were seated in the narrow space between us and the bar seating at the front. The drinks: The cocktail program here is great and perhaps even rivals the food. I tried the Halo Spritz, an elevated spritz comprising Tximista Blanco, Sirene Canto Amaro, lemon, salted lime, and cava, and the Tomato Never Dies (cute), a martini riff that reminds one of a caprese in beverage form. I think the spritz, with its lively Spanish vermouth, citrus notes, and depth of flavor, was actually my favorite, but the martini was so refreshing and had really strong basil notes. The only thing that would've made this better would've been a mozzarella and tomato skewer garnish. The food: If you're a sourdough lover, definitely start your meal with the delicious bread. It's a filling option and only $5 and the butter is heavenly. As we were first-timers at Estela, we largely stuck with their classic dishes, including the endive salad, fried arroz negro, and ricotta dumplings. We got one rotating dish, the Crab (celeriac and dulse) which was fantastic in its simplicity. I mostly just tasted sweet, fresh crab and butter, and honestly that was perfect. I only wished that the dish was a bit larger. The endive salad was presented as a little foraging adventure, with the vinegar-dressed endives on top of a bed of ubriaco rosso (cheese), walnuts, and anchovies. It was great and not a light salad, but pricey at $28. Ricotta dumplings were also very good; the best part was the umami-bomb mushroom broth. This was a hearty dish. The fried arroz negro, served with squid and romesco*, was a delightful surprise for us. We don't always automatically go for dishes dressed in squid ink, but this was very good. I loved the crispy element to the rice, seafood-flecked bites, and the lively but delicate savory sauce that pulled it all together. Finally, we saved a bit of room for dessert and tried the panna cotta. Good but not my favorite version, and I wouldn't probably try a different sweet to end our meal next time. read more

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Get the ricotta dumplings, endive and panna cotta. Service is attentive but friendly and relaxed.

Honestly can't say enough good things about Estela. I've yet to have a bad meal or bad dish here. I dined here 2 days ago and decided to only eat pescatarian friendly dishes. Usually I go all in on meat dishes. I ended up being just as happy. The oyster presentation was good (but those are hard to screw up). The tuna tartar was extremely tasty. The black rice with crab has a wonderful flavor. The ricotta dumplings were light and mouth watering. What I wasn't expecting was how good the desert was. I ordered the pana cotta. It had honey, sea salt, and perhaps vinegar. The flavors worked exceptionally well with the super creamy pana cotta. If you can't tell, I'm officially a fanboy for Estela. I probably should eat at some other restaurants when I'm in Ny, but it's hard not to come to this little charming spot when I stay in the lower east side. read more

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