More of a 3.5 but not a 4, not really understanding how this has a star. I'd maybe come back for a glass of wine and a snack but not a full meal. I loved the black rice octopus dish but everything else was totally forgettable. The bartender wasn't very helpful, so that really the experience. read more

Every star in this review is for their food. We took our server's recommendation and shared 4-6 plates, ranked below for balance of flavor and textured mouthfeels. Fried arroz negro with squid and romesco - an extremely satisfying bite with multiple forms of crunch coming from the rice and the nuts of the romesco. Grilled Lobster with woodear mushrooms and grapes - the smokiness of the lobster really permeated each chewy ear. I'm not a fan of lobster at all, but I could eat this preparation any day! Cured trout with bergamot and dashi - the little beads provided much appreciated bursts of brine. Marinated olives - the twist of grapefruit rind was not only a great palate cleanser, but an excellent pregame choice with drinks. Sourdough miche with butter - the rustic crust is what bread cravings are made of. Kudos to the bartenders for their Halo Spritz cocktail - it was unbelievably refreshing despite its complexity. Now for the ambiance. While our corner table felt "cozy" at first tucked away from the main dining room, it became "the spot" for people to wait for the rest of their party to arrive. We soon ran out of room to be able to get up or lift a drink without elbowing someone accidentally. That was our cue to get the check and go. Alas, even a Michelin star worthy meal can't stop NYC from doing what it does on a Friday night. read more

Estela - Grilled lobster with woodears and grapes - New American Near Me - New York, New York

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Food was unique and so flavorful with unexpected combinations. The waitress guided us well! Highly recommended the beautiful Bay Scallops with date and hazelnut! The chocolate cake was also A standout! read more

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10 out of 10. The food, service, and ambiance were all spot on. Everything pictured below was amazing. We also had, not pictured, the Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino Sardo which were one of my favorites. The Endive salad was my number 1 favorite dish of the day. The Charcuterie and the sourdough bread , though basic sounding, really was delicious as well. The Executive Chef stopped at our table to see how we liked everything and that was such a pleasant personal touch. We tried both the Chocolate cake and the Panna Cotta and both were amazing as well. Really great experience and will definitley be back. read more

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We had a wonderful dinner. Oysters, endive, duck kopka, pressed duck, arroz negra. Roxanne made it a wonerful and fun evening, suggesting wine pairings with an assist from a great Som. R: best of luck with your wine journey. You will be a great master som! Oh and dessert - choc cake. Lovely! read more

TLDR: A Michelin restaurant thats worth the hype! I recently had the pleasure of dining at Estela in NYC, and it was an absolute culinary delight! The squid ink risotto stole the show with its crispy texture and burst of flavors. The persimmon salad was incredibly fresh, and the wagyu steak was nothing short of insanely flavorful and delicious. To top off the meal, the chocolate lava cake with black sesame dessert was a revelation! It's hands down the best dessert I've had in NYC, offering insane flavors and depth. The combination of black sesame, oozing lava cake chocolate base, and the perfect cream on top created a dessert masterpiece. read more

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10/10 would go again, if only reservations were easier! Makes perfect sense why they aren't though. I didn't even know I liked endives... everything about the visit was great. Service was attentive, ambiance was cute/dimly lit (popular date night it seems), and everything we ate was delicious. My favorites were the scallops, endive salad and the panna cotta. The cured salmon was good and so was the pork, but not as memorable as the other dishes in my opinion. read more

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I've been searching for a new favorite brunch spot ever since my beloved Maison Premiere stopped doing real brunch (sob). It's harder than you'd think to find a truly unique, creative brunch menu--and no, egg dishes don't even come close to cutting it. So when my Yelp bestie since 2011, Kelsey C., was in town for a visit and picked this spot as our last meal together, I figured it had to be quality. I didn't count on it being the best brunch I've had in NYC since, well, Maison Premiere back when they still did leeks and potatoes. Oh. My. Flippin'. Ganesh. I have a new favorite brunch place!!! Creative? Check. Delicious? Duh. Not generic and egg-based? Yuppers. - Oysters with Yuzu Kosho Mignonette: Pungent and tangy, just how I like my mollusks - Cured Tuna with Black Pil Pil and Ponzu: There are no words to describe the deliciousness of this dish. Seriously. No words. Just cut, spread and eat with bread. Allow your foodgasmic moans to fill the restaurant. This dish. This dish is what all brunch should be. - Endive with Walnuts, Anchovhy and Ubriaco Rosso: Crunchy, zesty and tangy. The kind of refreshing that you crave on a hot summer afternoon. Uevos could never. - Lobster with Wood Ears and Grapes: Perfectly cooked and crunchy. Whoever invented this knows their textures. - Fried Arroz Negro, Squid and Romesco: Crisp where needed, soft where needed, and just the perfect mix of sea brine. - Wagyu Steak with Beets and Belper Knolle: Perfectly seared beef, perfect soft beets, and perfectly crunchy swiss chard. Wins all around. Throw in the friendly, attentive service that never let up--even when they got insanely busy an hour after we arrived--and you have a recipe for brunch perfection. The prices are by no means cheap, but the delectable farm-to-table freshness makes it worth every penny. read more

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I don't have pics of everything I ate because we were too busy enjoying the food and conversation at the table. Service here is always A1. They are attentive w/o being annoying. The restaurant is cozy, it doesn't feel cramped. This was my second time here. What I love about the food at Estela is how playful every dish is. Every plate was cleaned, no crumbs. My friend even took the ricotta dumpling broth from bowl to her face, it was so good. Things I highly recommend are the beef tartar, the Endive granola, the arroz and ricotta dumpling! We also did the cheese board and chocolate cake . Tip: I always recommend making a reservation. They be booked and busy. read more

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My humble verdict is: Estela deserves their Michelin star! Love the vibes of this place. It's unassuming and cozy, and the food is phenomenal! Pricey, yes, but the tasty food and great service more than justify it. The dishes are a bit bigger than tapas, and meant to be shared. Don't miss the black rice and the ricotta dumplings!! They also have a short but varied cocktail list - the Tomato Never Dies is smooth and savory, and unlike anything I've ever had before! read more

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One of my NYC favs. Estela is where you should be if you want to be impressed They are so good at making minimalist dishes that taste effortlessly refined. The ingredients shine through, and while some remain invisible to the eye, they all come alive in your mouth. At a higher price point but worth it! Only con is that the tables are very close together and it gets kinda loud. This endive dish is the highlight of my life I had my first endive here and obsessed since. You're presented with a beautiful stack of leaves, that reveals a mixture of walnuts, ubriaco rosso (firm cheese), and sourdough bread. Slight hints of anchovy and orange brings out the fresh bitterness of the endives and the nutty richness of the crumble. It's a lightbulb moment in your mouth The fried arroz negro is packed with flavor and while you can't see at first, but there are hazelnuts, crispy rice, and super tender squid mixed in. I love how the textures keep you entertained and the savory umami lingering along! Duck is the more predictable option and while cooked perfectly, lacks surprise. Don't leave without getting the chocolate cake. It comes out looking like a bowl of just cream. This 3:1 ratio is ideal The cream is dreamy thick without the oily aftertaste, and the dainty sweetness is a wonderful complement to the rich chocolate foundation. Our table of 2 wiped all this clean so if you need more, add the beef tartare with sunchoke and ricotta dumplings. Both are signatures for a reason (and IF you see the burrata, that needs to be on your table). Endive with walnuts $26* Fried arroz negro with squid $31* Duck with beets $45 Chocolate cake with whipped cream $14* 뉴욕에서 정말 세련된 식사를 하고 싶다면 꼭 추천하는 Estela 미니멀한 디쉬에서 엄청난 깊이와 예상치 못한 조합을 맛볼수있다. 엔다이브는 필수 주문! 이쁘게 쌓아올린 야채로 안에있는 호두, 치즈, 빵을 떠먹는다. 소스의 앤초비의 짠맛과 오렌지의 상큼함이 상추의 씁쓸함과 너무나 멋스럽게 어우러짐. 디저트는 생크림을 가득 올린 초콜릿 케이크 강추 3:1 비율로 크림만 먹어도 담백할 정도로 엄청 깔끔하다. 갈때마다 요 두가지는 꼭 시키고 나머지는 그날 끌리는데로 주문하면 무조건 성공이지만.... 육류보다는 해산물 디쉬에서 셰프님 특유의 색갈이 더 잘 느껴진다고 생각됨 단점은 가격대비 양이 적고 테이블이 다다닥 붙여져 시끄러움. read more

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We were able to squeeze in with a last-minute reservation for two. We had the sourdough miche with butter, the scallops with golden potato and brown butter, endive with walnuts, anchovy, and ubriaco rosso, and finally the ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino sardo. The highlight was the ricotta dumplings. They were light and creamy and it really let the mushrooms shine. I'm not the biggest mushroom fan, and I would say this really changed my perspective on mushrooms. The mushrooms were light and earthy and when paired in flavor with the ricotta, it was reminiscent of a fine rind on a soft cheese. I was also really excited to try the endive, but ultimately this dish packed too big of a punch. It has very strong flavors and textures, but I felt that the bitterness of the endive wasn't balanced with enough sweetness. Even the walnuts were a bit bitter. The sourdough was nothing exceptional, it was more on the sour side, and I think the crust was a bit too bitter as well. The scallops were perfectly tender - nothing negative to say here. Complemented nicely with the sauce. Quite good and I would happily have it again. The servers were attentive. The ambiance feels a little rowdy for fine dining or an intimate setting, it can get quite noisy from the other diners. p.s. not lactose-friendly but with it! - pack your lactaid read more

I came here to celebrate my husband's birthday, and we were both a bit disappointed. We came here for brunch on a Friday afternoon, and it was fairly packed. After looking around, we noticed that everybody had the same thing on their table, which was a dish of smoked trout. It was fine, but nothing too special and too expensive for what it is. We really enjoyed the black sauce that was paired with it but they only gave a small dab of it. The scallops were our favorite. It was delicious and we enjoyed the creaminess and nuttiness of the date. We also ordered a truffle omelette, which was way too salty. The egg was not fluffy and was overpowered by the saltiness of the cheese. Although I did enjoy the wagyu steak dish, I felt the potato chips weren't really necessary and quite random. Some chips were salty and others had no flavor at all. My picture of the steak just looks like a pile of potato chips as it was buried under underneath a mound of them. Overall, just not very worth it for the price. Each dish was pretty much $30 or more, with the most expensive dish being the potato chips (with a side of wagyu) at $54. read more

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I liked this place, but my boyfriend didn't. For some reason, many of their dishes leaned on the sour lemony side? Not bad tasting it's got a lemony zesty tangy bite but def can't have too much. At one point I had to stop eating a dish (Endive Walnut Anchovy) halfway because it was hurting my tongue (lots of vinegar?). Loved the flavor combo tho. I wish their dishes had more flavor besides sour, like more savory or umami. The arroz, like many paellas tbh, barely tasted like anything. I liked the texture tho it was crispy on the edges contrasted well with the seafood. Also very crowded and loud. I like the design but we were very cramped and hard to hear each other so just okay for atmosphere. Service was great - the waitress was kind and knowledgeable about all the ingredients of each dish. read more

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My last meal in New York, and I managed to squeeze in one more Michelin star. Estela, unlike most of its fine dining counterparts, knows how to do a good lunch. Same stuff, smaller menu, so you get a few of the highlights that put this place on the World 50 Best map. Immediately these buttery Oysters will wow, and the Tuna is a cured-meat masterpiece. Smear on the pil pil, which gives it so much depth. This Endive looks like just a salad, but load up those boats with walnuts, little anchovy bits and ubriaco rosso cheese, and it is transcendental. Warm, tender Lobster lays in a sauce that lingers with an herby high. Woodears are a brilliantly unexpected addition, and the texture adds magic to the lobster and grapes. Fried Arroz Negro is beautiful, and it's like the best part of paella - all-around crust flavored with squid. The Wagyu Steak is their most traditional dish, two perfect cuts of a perfect cut of meat. I don't need the veg, but the beets are lovely. Estela. Elegant, bold, yet polished flavors. I would come back to NYC again JUST to have lunch at Estela. read more

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1/1 Ambience; 2/2 Food; 0.5/1 Service; .5/1 Value Tucked away behind a discrete door on an otherwise sprightly Houston St. is the charming and intimate Estela featuring inspired takes on tapas-style western Mediterranean dishes. The ambience traverses rustic bistro with modernity, evocative of a European bistro with chic accents and finishes. It is certainly a small, narrow space, so expect to be privy to the conversations surrounding you. However, it still makes for an excellent date night spot, romantic or otherwise. My friend and I ordered a number of dishes to share: crab with celeriac and dulse, grilled tuna belly, fried arroz negro, the ricotta dumplings, and the striped bass with the chocolate cake and celeriac ice cream with figs for dessert. The food was incredible from start to finish with an exquisite array of flavors and textures from the subtle, savory broth and cloud-like dumplings to the umami-rich, slightly crisp arroz negro to the fresh, flaky crab under delicate, buttery celeriac sheets. My favorite was the arroz negro, but the striped bass was a close second as I enjoyed the unique combination of fruits and vegetables paired with the flaky fish. My least favorite was the grilled tuna belly as the fish was difficult to cut through and a little too chewy. The chocolate cake was very dense and almost had a lava cake like consistency, being the dish that finally filled us up. However, I enjoyed the celeriac ice cream more because of the earthy brightness that compliments the figs well, a flavor combination which I was really surprised to find how good it was in ice cream. Otherwise, the food was prepared fresh and it was a delightful experience. The only setbacks on which I felt the experience could have been better: the service was so-so. When my friend and I ordered our dishes for the main meal (not even dessert yet), our server made an off-hand comment about if we were sure and that we were ordering very heavy today. Neither of us had eaten lunch that morning due to our professional commitments, so in effect this meal was our only real meal of the day. None of the main dishes were particularly filling given the very small portion sizes relative to the steep price, even for the neighborhood either. We were both put off by the comment and initially hesitated to order dessert until we decided that we were still too famished not to order more. Our other server, however, was much kinder and attentive without being intrusive. Barring these setbacks, the culinary experience at Estela was excellent, and I would definitely consider returning for special occasions and treat-yourself dining! read more

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New York is seemingly run down. And this Michelin 1 star rated restaurant was the last place one would think they would find here. I reserved this online a month prior to visiting NYC from out of town. As we were walking up we heard this middle aged whit guy screaming at the top of his lungs at a 'wife'? It was like something out of the movies. He was berating her while making claims that his drinks with another lady was all just friends...Anyhoo...nice intro to the restaurant. Once inside were could not hear the drama outside as the restaurant. We were promptly seated and our waiter immediately introduced himself and let us settle. He came back and explained that this was tapas style and meant to be shared. He suggested about 2 plates per person. The service was impeccable and very prompt. They literally picked up each dish you used previously so you had a clean plate for your next entree. That was a lot of work for the servers. The meal was outstanding. The scallops were served first and hands down my favorite! The lemon inspired flavoring was amazing. The beef tartare was also delish and had a little zip. The foie gras was melt in your mouth delectable. I'd say the two dishes that I selected ended up disappointing me. The Tilefish was really just white fish and the flavor it picked to wasn't so inspiring. The seaweed was too over bearing and the iberico was just ok. One thing I forgot to take a photo of was the squash! While it looked uninspiring, it was amazing!!! It was fresh raw zucchinis with delicious tangy lemon sauce. During the course of our 2 hours the place became very lively (5:45-8:45). Clearly a popular place! read more

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Everything was great, no bad choices on the menu. Also like that the menu is short. Service and drinks were great as well. Got an orange wine that tasted so fresh. The beef tartar was good as well as the endive salad. The lamb didn't disappoint and the ricotta dumplings were so good and so different! Everything had the right mix of flavors! read more

About a 1-1.5: We came to check out Estela for lunch as a group. The following was ordered to be shared between us all to sample: +Sourdough miche with butter +marinated olives +Charcuterie +Cured trout with bergamot and dashi +Grilled lobster with woodears and grapes +Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino sardo Unfortunately, we weren't fans of the dishes we had ordered, as what was presented didn't seem to relate to what was stated on the menu. The food was underseasoned or super bland, and not at all memorable. Service was more on the pretentious category. No dice, Estela. +pretentious service +poorly represented food read more

This is a go to spot for me whenever I'm back in NyC. The vibe is perfect. The service is exceptional. And the food, for the most part, is unique and fantastic. We had the celery salad which was a real hit and neither of us are celery fans. It's light and fresh and the shaved cheese makes it a highlight. Endive salad is a must as are the ricotta dumplings. The only "miss" on this menu for both of us was the crab omelet. Very salty. And not exactly from the crab. There is maybe Maldon or some sort of larger salt inside. To me it made it inedible. So I cannot recommend that dish unfortunately! Otherwise, follow your servers lead and get the hits. Enjoy the vibe and a place that doesn't rush you. It's truly one of my favorite places in New York City. read more

Wow this spot was incredible. It's been on my list for years to try and finally made it back to the city & snagged a dinner resy. Started with the endive salad that did NOT disappointed, there were pieces of anchovies, walnuts & cheese under the endive pieces that made each bite with the citrusy dressing so perfectly balanced. I would order again and again! The ricotta dumplings were delicious in the brodo w/ almost aerated slices of cheese on top, each bite was so rich & decadent. The scallops were SO fresh & amazing flavor combo with hazelnuts & dates. The venison was cooked to perfection & the grilled radicchio was the perfect balance. Amazing service with great recommendations for food & wine and explanation of food when it arrived. I absolutely LOVED the ambiance of this spot, it just exudes the NYC vibe of a tiny railroad house/ restaurant with low candlelit lighting, a great bar & few tables. Loved this spot! read more

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After a recent dinner date at Estela, I felt compelled to write this review after falling victim to a deeply troubling, yet clear-as-day issue with this restaurant. My date made the reservation. We were guided to the seating area and ushered to a small two top. I am a male, roughly 4-5 inches taller than my date, so I took the outer chair, allowing her the bench against the wall (Mind you, I'm not staunch about gender norms. It just seemed like the thing to do). To my dismay, when we both sat, I realized that the seat of my chair was dramatically lower than the seat of her bench. Thus, for the remainder of the dinner I was relegated to the posture of a child sitting with his guardian. Fortunately for me, she and I are familiar with each other already, so we could laugh about the absurdity of it. And yet, I felt infantilized at times during the meal. I was so thrown by the difference in eye-line that I even started to behave as a child. Fidgeting, loss of concentration, and so on.. I was even tempted to ask for a straw for my drink. I thought to myself, as I was sampling the black rice, and various dishes featuring a reductions of this or that, what if this WAS a first date?? Then, the dynamic would be completely thrown off by this establishment given the perversion of their seating. Dare I say, I could imagine a pair meeting for the first time with the potential to fall in love, to get married, to have children, only for that dream to be decimated by the folly of Estela. Because one thing is for certain, it does not matter how self assured you are, if you are forced to sit in a child's seat across from someone, your date will be an inevitable failure. For what it's worth: The food is very good. read more

TLDR: the fried arroz negro and the ricotta dumplings are two of the best dishes I've had this year. Restaurant is pretty cozy, so I don't recommend you come after shopping or with bags like we did. Came here on a weekend for lunch with a friend. I actually knew nothing about Estela before coming and I was so pleasantly surprised by how good our lunch was! We ordered the three "signature dishes" as advertised by our waiter: the endive salad, arroz negro, and the ricotta dumplings. We added the duck as well. For dessert we got the panna cotta. The fried arroz negro and the ricotta dumplings - I still think about these dishes weeks later. Two of my favorite dishes this year. I would go back just for these. I love the crispy rice texture. The dumplings were so soft and unassumingly flavorful. Great. The salad felt endless. I personally thought there was too much cheese. The duck was also good, but not super memorable. The dessert was okay. Vinegar on panna cotta was not my favorite and I gave the rest to my friend after a few bites. Service was friendly and attentive. Ambiance was casual, but you can dress up if you prefer. Restaurant is quite cozy! read more

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Food was generally good but I thought on the heavy side because every dish seemingly had cheese incorporated into it. I had high hopes for the ricotta dumplings, based on reviews, but was it was just ok. The endive salad was probably my favorite, however found hair underneath the salad. The restaurant didn't charge for the salad, but did come back and basically shifted the blame saying it wasn't from the kitchen, which didn't leave a good feeling in my mouth. Ambiance is really nice and the server was very attentive (a little less so after I mentioned the hair). read more

Came for a special occasion and was not disappointed. We sat at the bar initially as we were early for the reservation. There was some disconnect amongst the hostesses about how/when to transfer to a table. - Started with the beef tartare. This was an excellent flavor-profile and texture. We debated ordering bread but luckily this came with it, as a tip! - It seems like every single table orders the endive dish. The aesthetic is super interesting. It's a skosh difficult to eat but there was a good amount of the filling below the endives themselves. - The crab dish with the celeriac was a highlight of the night. We almost didn't get this but it was just so perfectly executed so highly recommend. - Fried arroz negro with the squid was the other highlight. The fried-ness of this was perfect. The squid doesn't stand-out but I truly didn't mind. - The ricotta dumplings were fine. Essentially just a lump of ricotta formed into a dumpling. Probably could skip next time. - The wagyu steak was well-executed. I appreciated the potato puree it came with and the cooking of the steak was exactly what I wanted. The biggest downfall of the meal, however, is the space itself. There are just too many tables packed into the space and it is extraordinarily loud, both from the conversations and the music. The service is great but the servers are truly battling amongst themselves for traffic. read more

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Estela is all around a very balanced restaurant: good food, good atmosphere, and good staff. I would highly recommend the arroz and the endive salad. We also enjoyed the scallop (looks odd but works)! Kolrabi was good, but not a must. Skip the bread. We got a table but honestly I would've enjoyed sitting at the bar. Definitely not a res I'd die to get. Can probably just walk in. I'd like to go back to try their cocktails and dessert. read more

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Wow had an amazing dinner here! I really don't understand the negative reviews - yes it is small and loud but I could easily hear my date and had no issue with it whatsoever. We walked in without reservations and there happened to be 2 bar seats available which was very exciting. The head bartender was fantastic - he made me his own version of a martini which was more lemony and really nice and refreshing. I was so enthralled by the food that I forgot to take pictures of my dishes! The menu for the night was quite different than what was online so I'll include that in my review. We started with the oysters, very good. We then got the beef tartare and the endive salad - both were incredible and had such a great crunch. We got the crab, it was very unique and good. And we finished with the venison, which I don't believe I've ever had venison before but this dish was incredible! We talked about our dinner all night and I'm still reliving it the next day. Highly recommend this spot! read more

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

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For a Michelin star the food here sucks. Everything is very salty and lacks any other flavors. I found a piece of plastic in the butter. Overall very disappointing. read more

Came here for a birthday dinner with the husband and parents with a reservation so did not have to wait before getting seated. Tried to make reservation about 2 weeks ahead and only the unpopular times were left, so make yours early! The service was good, people were nice. It was a bit crowded environment for me, but we were able to get one of the bigger tables in the back so this was not so much of a problem. The food was amazing! Each dish had such unique mixture of flavors that I have not had anywhere else and the balance was so great! The portions were small, definitely tapas style and meant to be shared. Honestly everything I ate just blew me away, the Michelin star is very well deserved. Did not feel the price was too much for the food, would absolutely come again! read more

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While the service at Estela was warm and attentive, the overall experience didn't quite live up to the Michelin star. The dishes were well-prepared but lacked the wow factor I was hoping for. A pleasant meal, just not a standout one. read more

Been wanting to come here for awhile given all the accolades they've gotten. The food absolutely did NOT disappoint & the ambiance, was super cozy and would recommend for date night. However, I was incredibly disappointed by the service we got hence the 1 star knocked off. The waiter we had was a bit belligerent, we barely sat down and was repeatedly rushed to order drinks. We were also being pushed to order more dishes than we wanted and felt vindicated in ordering just enough. read more

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The food was incredible. Everything we got was amazing and flavorful. I really liked the foie gras. I've never seen seared foie gras wrapped in grape leaves. Beef tartar was unique and creative. The oysters tasted super refreshing and the pork had really good seasoning. Desserts were great too. Lychee sorbet was particularly impressive. Our drinks were just okay though. Hard to pick cocktails from the menu that we typically like. The reasons why I gave 4 stars are mostly service and how crowded the restaurant was. Our waiter was pretty cold. And the restaurant was small and all the tables were squeezed into it. My friend couldn't get out of her seat without moving the table. read more

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Food 7/10 We came right when it opened for lunch. I think they are probably a bit overhyped. The food is good but it isn't worth all the rave reviews I hear from the people around me. My favorite was probably the squid ink rice and the free bread LOL. The tuna was fresh, but the ricotta dumplings were way too creamy and rich, my lactose intolerance was quaking. I don't think I could justify the price, so it is more of a special occasion kind of spot. Atmosphere 8/10 Cute interior, natural lighting and natural wooden furniture. Seats are slightly uncomfortable because it's all wood haha Service 9/10 Super friendly service. read more

The second menu I tried wasn't as amazing as the first one. However, the ambiance of this place is still perfect. The scallops with peaches were the best bite of the whole meal, bar none. The summer squash with pine nuts and miso was also excellent. I didn't like the cured tuna with black pil pil, the foie gras grilled in grape leaf, or the hamachi. read more

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This was an absolutely first rate dinning experience. Well travelled friends from Australia came to town and invited us. I hadn't heard of it before but the menu looked good and not crazy expensive, however we had to go super early to get a table - usually a good sign. The place was empty when we arrived at opening and filled up completely in about 15 minutes. Our server was on top form the entire time. Multiple dietary restrictions emerged, so she went into the kitchen and marked up the menu by hand, tailoring the menu for us in a flash. Never seen anything like it. Plan to share everything and get as many dishes as you can. We did 8 items for 4 people including standouts such as scallops, oysters, tartare, dumplings, and wagyu, plus a beautiful chocolate dessert. I left feeling like I had learned something new about food in New York, finally in the know, part of those who have been... and you should too. Enjoy! read more

Very disappointing. Chacuterie board was a joke. Several pieces of prosciutto.....that's it! Bread was dry & hard. Went because of the ratings. Ratings were wrong. Don't waste your time or money. read more

We went way too long between visits, but this was as great as ever. This time, we got bread with butter, olives, scallops, beef tartare, the endive salad, black rice, ricotta dumplings, the duck, and the chocolate cake. Every single dish was excellent, with all of them being strong re-order candidates. The thing is, I'd expect that every single dish is amazing, so I could see an argument for subbing out the dumplings for jamon, or something else for the tuna, etc. Regardless, an incredible restaurant and I'm so glad we finally made it back. read more

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This place rocked my socks in a way that I did not even realize possible. The outside and exterior or nothing to write home about it's in sort of a grimy grungy part of New York. Even the interior when walking in the restaurant is pretty small. The atmosphere is not particularly amazing or exciting so I guess my expectations were low. We ordered a bunch of small plates, which seem to be the general theme. We were three people and sharing. once the food started to come out, I realized how good this place was. The biggest standouts had to be the endive salad, the arroz negra, and the ricotta dumplings. These were flavor and textural explosions. I'm not even kidding, I think about this endive salad every day. I don't even like endives. But it had crispy caramelized anchovies, which sounds gross, but it was this amazing flavor combination. Everything just had the perfect amount of balance. The ricotta dumplings were all so soft and pillowy in this way that I totally did not expect. It was also our friends birthday, so they catered to us with Prosecco and a dessert. This was such an amazing experience, and a great surprise, considering I didn't think this would be anything to write home about. And underrated find in New York - it should be on more lists and more people should be talking about it. read more

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Loved it so much and visited again, felt like more of a 3.7 experience this time : ( post pandemic? First experience was that simplest flavor bomb that left in my mouth. Post pandemic visit, lots of old seafood menu is taken out, which is understandable. Squid - feel like it's just in a bed of butter soup. Endive Salad - the leaf wasn't crunchy but stale, not ok that it's not the freshest. The sauce was simply just orange juice. Not exactly sure where the anchovy is used? Steak tartar - ok but the dried yukon (I think, or yucca) was overpowering and we don't think it compliment well. Ricotta Dumpling - as it sound, kinda nothing special. Steak - very good, cooked to perfection. Clam - good too but not memorable. Used to be one of my favorite restaurant but not anymore :/ read more

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I was decently excited about trying Estela after having received recommendations from a few people. Upon entry we were told our table was not ready (which is fine, understand no one likes being rushed out of dinner for the next party but you include time limits when making reservations as well as a grace period). I was with my elderly parents who went to then sit at the bar, but we were told to move as they were reserved. One person sat down at the bar, and quickly left and the seats were not filled for quite some time. When we approached the hostess about an update on the table, she was quite rude. We were then sat around 7:55pm (7:30 reservation time). The waiter was polite, however, felt quite dismissive and almost as if we were inconveniencing him for ordering. The sommelier however was wonderful! The food was pretty good, not sure it was one star Michelin worthy, however. It was quite salty and a bit overpriced given the size of the plates. Overall the ambiance was nice, but I wouldn't return. read more