We stopped by Nai for dinner and everyone was blown away at the quality and flavors of this restaurant. All of the dishes we ordered were delicious. Such as octopus, duck confit, beef cheeks, gambas! And of course paella, which is definitely one of the best we've had. The restaurant itself was cozy and service was excellent. Overall definitely recommend and would return! read more

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My partner and I celebrated a special occasion at Nai recently and were very pleased with our meal. Huge shoutout to Raul (sp?) who provided top notch service throughout! The dishes were all delicious and paced our appropriately allowing us to savor the flavors. The sandwiches were very well balanced with house made milk bread. Duck was absolutely fantastic, cooked perfectly and we loved the sauces it paired with. Tartare unique but delicious. That brownie was so decadent, and never would have thought to pair with olive oil but was such a great way to end the meal. A little pricey, but absolutely worth it. Especially for a special occasion. Would recommend!!! read more

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We were the only ones at the restaurant at 12:10 pm so no need for reservations really. Staff were attentive to us which was nice. I liked the seating near the windows! The sea bass toast was light and tasty with a citrus flavour ! Prime ribeye katsu was disappointing actually - not red enough and expensive for what it is... didn't think it tasted that great. I liked the fiduea though with the rice, it was pretty tasty ! They gave us complimentary olive oil brownie and champagne ! This place is expensive in my opinion, but maybe with the right tapas choices, it'd be worth it. read more

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I think this is one of my favorite restaurants I've been to in 2025! Nai serves Spanish tapas so I expected to order quite a few dishes. I've never had fideua before but when it was served, I was expecting to eat rice and it turned out to be more noodle based. I found it to be really flavorful and it reminded me of paella. I also really like the prime ribeye toast. As the toast was salty, I felt like the coconut crepe's sweetness was a good complement to the toast. The coconut sauce on the crepe was a big standout to me! read more

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When you walk in, the Spanish music really set the mood alongside the dim lighting. It was my friend's birthday so everyone was very accommodating. They sat us in the back and we had it to ourselves, and they frequently checked up on us and our drinks. I was also so blown away by the Spanish tapas scallop crudo -- perf zest and so refreshing croquettes with serrano ham -- I usually find croquettes so oily and heavy, but these had the perfect breading, cheese portobello carppacio -- cheesy with truffles but I would've never thought portobello can be this good ‍ fideua -- oysters weren't fishy, the pasta noodles were cooked well, and it was definitely a highlight duck confit -- juicy duck & crispy skin cheesy ice cream -- couldn't believe cheese and ice cream can pair so well like that prefix menu was $89 and they provided enough food ratio would come again ! read more

Nai - Scallop Crudo, Croquetas De Jamon, Portobello Carpaccio - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - New York, New York

Stopped in for a Valentines meal. We opted to order off the menu instead of their prix fix option. The sea bass toast & patata brava were really good. The patata brava was a little more satisfying but the sea bass toast had a fun crunch. We shared the fideua which was like a paella with short cut noodles instead of rice. This was amazing and I would definitely come back just for the fideua. The staff was really awesome and they comped our drinks for the meal, plus an extra glass of champagne for the holiday. read more

Nai - Sea bass toast - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - New York, New York

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Food 7/10 Honestly everything was just relatively fine. We ordered four tapas, and only the cod toast really impressed me. Everyone was raving about the steak katsu sandwich, but ours just was not tender enough, even though it was a medium rare. Lacked seasoning too. The squash lacked flavor too. The cod toast was great because the fish itself was super tender, but the toast was very crispy. The roe on top also added to the combination of textures. Fideua was a paella thing except with really short noodles and not rice, a very unique dish that was fun to try but flavors were pretty much just salt. Atmosphere 9/10 Lovely minimalist interior design. It was empty for brunch on Sunday except for us though. Service 9/10 Sweet server. read more

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I chose this for my birthday dinner date and was thoroughly impressed by the food and vibes. The restaurant feels upscale without being snobbish due to the friendly staff. What we ordered: 1. Prime rib katsu sandwich - so buttery and tender! Def a bit pricey but worth it. 2. Potato patatas bravas - good carb but not super memorable 3. Fideua - plenty of seafood and had a good texture! Basically a noodle paella 4. Sea bass toast - Unique and was not fishy at all 5. Pulpo a la gallega - was too oily for me and not too much flavor. I think it is the point of the dish but the octopus was almost too tender. Maybe it was a personal preference. Knocking off a star because the resy made it seem like there would be flamenco dancing at that time, but on arrival, our waiter told us it would start at 8pm, almost 2 hours after our original res time. We had reservations to something else afterwards so we were unfortunately unable to catch the show. read more

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Classy but not pretentious ambiance :) High ratings for service, had to make a last minute addition to my reservation and it was very quick and easy. Made a note in my resy that we were celebrating my parents' birthday and they brought out this delicious dessert (not sure what it's called, but sort of like a yuzu ice cream with tart shaved ice) and sparkling wine for everyone at the table! My favorites were surprisingly the portobello carpaccio (more filling than expected for a veggie dish) and the dessert. If you're looking for instagrammable foods, this is the place. Seabass had more of a mackerel texture instead of a buttery one, and scallops were fresh but everyone commented on its small portion size. Katsu sandwich was good but not mind blowing. Paella was also interesting and tasted nice. There's a lot of aoli flavors going on in the heartier dishes if that's what you like. Overall the dishes were good, but their flavors weren't always as delicately balanced as they looked. Ambiance and service: 5/5 Food: 4/5 read more

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Delicious and creative tapas! This place fuses tapas with Asian flavors to create unique flavor combination. We came on a Saturday night around 7:30pm. It was easy to get a reservation and the interior wasn't too busy. The inside is enormous and we were hoping to see the flamenco show, but it did not occur when I was there. However, the interior was chic and minimalist while the food did not disappoint. We tried the patata brava, roasted carrots, sea bass toast, cod, and fideua. All were so delicious and I would recommend. We finished with a yuzu cream and an almond cake. Overall, we had a great experience here. read more

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After visiting grandma in the East Village, my son and decided to have dinner in the city. Came upon Nai, a Spanish Tapas bar/place/restaurant on 2nd Ave, OK, looked inviting. It was relatively early for our dinner 17:45 but ok. We walked in, besides the wait staff and one single dinner in the corner, the place was empty...no, no reservation, in any case we got a prime window table (window floor to ceiling) for two. In few minutes the host came to the table and said - we are a Spanish Tapas establishment. Do you know what tapas are?...yes we do. Now that was amusing. After perusing the menu for a few minutes we decided on: Braised Lamb in Garlic Oil and another dish, only to be told that they are not available :( So, we settled on: Grilled Octopus - Salsa Brava, Paprika Breadcrumbs. Forgettable, rubbery, not at all comforting. Fideua - Mussel Escabeche, Shrimp, Spicy Sausage, Alioli, Tobiko, Nori. Nice take on the paella with the pasta instead of rice, but, the nori & tobiko do not belong in a paella, leave that to the Japanese, saffron does. St. Louis Rib Confit - Cilantro-Chimichurri, Spicy Pepper Marmalade. Nothing to write home about - chimichurri & spicy pepper marmalade...forgettable For dessert we had a lemon something, something??? brûlée, probably the best course of the meal and Churro - when it arrived my response was where is the chocolate sauce...inside was the response. With the sauce inside, it was neither crunchy or crispy :( Asked the host why no Iberico ham on the menu. The response was more than amusing...the guy who brings it in from Spain did come this week, he missed his flight....I'm puzzled and more than amused now Had so many better tapas- ehhhh, find another place for tapas read more

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Absolute great ambiance in this spot! We were upstairs while the show was going on but it was definitely great flamenco sounds. The food was great. We all shared the food, it is tapas style. Had a great beer Hahou from Madrid. Our server Carlos was amazing, very attentive. He also helped us out with the ordering and amounts of food to order. Would definitely need to come back soon. read more

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Nai is absolutely amazing! Every dish was spectacular and worthy of 5 stars! Definitely an outstanding place! We started with the Shrimp with Garlic and Pimenton. Next, my favorite the Scallops with Yuzu dressing and lime - thinkly sliced and sublime. (It went so quickly, only could take a pic of the last piece!) The Beef Tartare with Cilantro, Lime and Sherry was scrumptious. Patatas Bravas with Chipotle Aioli were another great choice. Following that, the Beet Salmorejo with tofu balls and blackberry was an interesting combination. Then, the smoked Octopus was a first for me I will always remember. Since it was my friend's birthday, they brought out a Yuzu dessert that was a perfect topper to the meal. Fine service to boot! read more

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Ate here less than 24 hours before and I already recommended this restaurant all over social media and to close friends. Highly recommend the katsu bites and patatas bravas - but the star of the show for me was the ham croquettes. Our group of 3 got 6-8 dishes and even stayed for the Saturday evening flamenco show which was super cool and entertaining to go with our dinner at no extra charge. I love the ambiance of the restaurant and I would definitely return. read more

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After hearing about how hyped up this place is over social media, we finally decided to give it a try. We got the chilean sea bass and the pasta paella. Both dishes were creatively put together and not what you would expect on paper. The pasta paella was very light touch and had a delicate, addictive flavor. The chilean sea bass came in a cracker-like format that had a incredible umami taste. The only downside is that the service was lackluster and ambiance was very dark and gloomy. Also, I have to subtract another star because there was a giant hanging decoration positioned right above my head that I bumped into twice. You'd think it's common sense to get rid of it by now! read more

Nai - Pasta paella - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - New York, New York

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Came here for my bachelor party dinner and Raul was so charismatic and nice. We ordered a pitcher of the white Sangria, but he misheard us and comped us our glasses that he gave instead. The white was the best out of the 3 I thought - the red was fine too and the blueberry/cava was much drier if you prefer less sweet Sangria. The dishes here can be portioned into 4 people max. So we got 2 of each thing since there were 8 of us. The menu seems to change constantly: - Grilled octopus: maybe my favorite of the ones I ordered. It went well with the sauce and I wish I could have eaten more of it. - Fideua: sort of like paella but the rice is much thinner and very crispy. They had an interesting texture like tobiko added to it. I'd definitely get this again. - Ham croquettes: the best ones I've had in a while. Well seasoned but not too rich. Hot and crispy exterior. Someone asked how I thought it could be better and I couldn't think of anything. - 14 oz rib eye: this was cooked to actual medium rare, and all the friends appreciated it. - Semifreddo: this was like a light ice cream, and it had Spanish lime ice shavings on top. It was refreshing and light dessert. read more

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I want to start by highlighting the customer service here as the staff were exceptionally pleasant and attentive. The service alone would bring us back for more. The food was great, and we enjoyed each dish we picked out. For two, we got the Croquetas De Jamon, Patatas Bravas, scallops, and lamb. The lamb fell off the bones, it was so tender. I probably wouldn't order potatoes again for tapas, but I liked the kick of the spice. We also got the Filipino Cover Band and Central Park Carousel cocktails which were delightful. Now, if they are still serving this dessert, GET IT!!! This is arguably the best dessert I've had in New York. It's tart and balanced with the sweet panna cotta. I forgot what it's called, but I've been thinking about it ever since. read more

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- overall rating: 3.5 - we weren't sure what to order so we asked for recommendations from the staff: ended up with portobello carpaccio, seafood paella, and st louis rib confit - all were unexpected and interesting, not sure I'd order any of them again, but were enticing enough to come back to try other dishes - good for small groups or a date, intimate atmosphere read more

Nai - Seafood paella - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - New York, New York

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I tried Nai years ago, and remember liking the food there. So I was excited to go back again when my friend suggested tapas for her birthday dinner. Our party of 4 had a 6:30 reservation on a Friday. For drinks, I had the Central Park Carousel (Yuzu sake, Moroccan black olive-washed vermouth, raspberry, lime, ginger, cava), which I really liked. It wasn't overly sweet, and it was refreshing. Overall, the food was only okay. It was kind of pricey for what it was. We ordered a bunch of plates to share: Portobello Carpaccio (truffle oil, marcona almond, manchego) - this was probably the best dish of the night. There were a lot of flavors but everything went well together. The marconas were a nice complement to the truffle Patatas Bravas (with chipotle aioli) - can't really go wrong with fried potatoes, but not the best patatas bravas I've had Sea Bass Toast (with tobiko and orange) - I liked the tobiko but I remember the sea bass being a bit dry Garlic Shrimp - this was very underwhelming. It tasted like they got the shrimp from the frozen section of a Shop Rite Octopus - this was actually pretty good but it was bland. Salt would have helped Fideua (similar to paella, with mussels, clams, shrimp, tobiko, nori, and aioli) - interesting take with the tobiko and nori Skirt steak - this was good. The dipping sauce it came with was nice I think the dishes are very well presented and very pretty. Unfortunately, they look better than they taste. I probably won't be back for a third visit. read more

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Super unique and eclectic menu. Incredible flavors and textures. Cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The staff were so friendly and appropriately attentive. Wish I live din NYC so I could go back soon! read more

Out of hundreds of reviews I've done, this is the first where I wish I could give 6 stars, not just 5! The tapas were outstanding, including superbly executed hot and crispy potatoes bravas, a garlic shrimp which had a mysterious and piquant touch of spice, a subtle fresh cold scallop crudo with crispy fried mint leaf, an incredible portobello and shaved manchego and truffle dish which even the cheese hater at the table loved, cod cheeks in a light savory cream sauce, and super fresh hot bread to soak up the juices. Raoul our server kindly brought three drinks for the table which we hadn't even asked for, and a free round of dessert which we turned back because we were so full. Raoul also moved us to a better view table for the flamenco performance, which started at 815 pm on a Saturday night and was stunning! The guitarist was unbelievably adept with the fastest melodies, the drummer/dancer (his son) was a dominating presence perfectly controlled in his spins on the small dance floor, the tap dancing of the two women was blindingly fast and elegant. At the end the dancers invited up three guests who happened to be celebrating their birthdays and joined them in a dance, much to the enjoyment of all. A festive and warm environment, with an intimate close view of the action by all in the room. My only modest suggestion is for the waiters to be cognizant that when they serve the front tables they may block the view of the dancing. With many plate and utensils changes due to the optional tasting menu, they may wish to wait for between songs to do their table clearing. Dinner and a show indeed, a truly remarkable and memorable experience with even higher quality food and comparable quality of dancing to a famous, century old Michelin starred flamenco restaurant in Madrid which we attended a year ago. If you're looking for an amazing, and surprisingly affordable, meal and entertainment, this is the place. Definitely will return! read more

Cute restaurant and great food! Definitely on the pricier side and does get pretty busy for dinner, so make sure to get a reservation. Staff was great and attentive throughout the night. We were a group of 3 and we ordered: - Portobello Carpaccio - Brussel sprouts - Gambas (one of our favorites of the night) - Octopus (good but wish this was seared a bit more, texture was a bit slimy) - Chorizo (delicious! I liked the bread it came with too) - Croquette (another favorite of mine) - Oysters (very different and tasty, highly recommend) - Churrasco (cooked well but could probably skip) - Yuzu creme brulee for dessert (could also skip on this) We enjoyed all the dishes and were stuffed by the end. After 4 glasses of wine, the total with tip came out to around $320. read more

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I arrived late for our reservation but my family was already seated, they had drinks and had ordered a few dishes to start. The flamenco show was winding down. Our server came and took my drink order. Beer and wine only here. The first few courses were sardines in olive oil with julienne red pepper and charred avocado wedges. This was served with warm buttery, crusty bread. This dish was really good. The fried artichoke dish with a white sauce on top. The dish was fine but forgettable. The table liked the papas bravas. Fried cubed potatoes with spicy tomato chipotle aioli. The sauce didn't have any real heat or smokiness. The roasted carrots were soft on the outside and still had a slight crunch inside. Sesame seeds added a nice bit of earthiness. I would order this dish again. The ham croquettes didn't do much for me but my daughter liked it. I thought the croquettes were fried nicely but needed salt and the fell apart quickly. The ribeye slider was exceptional. The meat was tender and super flavorful. This is a must order. The beef tartare was really good. Nicely seasoned with a bit of citrus really made for a great bite. The bread served with the dish was thankfully just like the sardine dishes bread. The last dish was the octopus, the dish was my least favorite. The dish needed texture, salt or acid. Unfortunately it just wasn't that good. Overall some dishes were great, some were kind of a miss. The good thing is the small plates give you lots of options to try different dishes. read more

Nai - Ribeye katsu sliders. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - New York, New York

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The restaurant maintains high standards. The food preparation is remarkably good. The team displays warmth while being helpful. The popularity didn't compromise the service quality or pleasant surroundings. Amazing cuisine and incredibly friendly assistance. read more

I just loveee tapas so was super excited about trying this place. It was a mix of classic and modern Spanish tapas. Nomz: We were told to order 4-5 tapas per person by our waitress. Definitely don't. Order 3 at most per person. We ordered 6 and it was too much food for us. We had: Croquetas: really enjoyed these, good size and good proportions inside as well as crunchiness on outside Gambas: sucker for gambas, very nice and flavorful although they didn't come with bread which was confusing Pan con tomate: very good, generous with the tomate and seasoned very well Carrillada: too sweet for us but very tender Presa ibérica: lacked in flavor, texture was off, would not get again Papas: a bit too salty for me Drinks: had a bottle of white wine, our waitress did not put in ice although couple next to us had theirs in ice, inconsistent - they were $45+ Service: Very young team, you could really tell they were inexperienced, left a lot more to be desired for a place at this price point. Ambiance: Modern and cool. Do not recommend sitting downstairs, ask for a table upstairs - very loud kitchen, coming and going and felt a bit dungeon-y. Nope or Dope: Nope, really wanted to like it, some dishes were tasty but not worth the price or experience in service. There are much better tapa places! read more

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The area feels more complete with this restaurant here. Their staff showed attention that warrants another meal here. Besides tasty dishes, the environment here is noteworthy. The meal featured impressive flavor balance. All expectations are exceeded at this restaurant. read more

Genuinely impressive. The meals taste fresh and delicious with many options. Staff members maintain absolutely faultless attention. You get wonderful food in this compact eatery. Nai shows what's possible in dining. read more

The reputation seemed impossible to live up to until my meal did exactly that. The meals here are mouth-watering. The employees exceeded expectations repeatedly. Nai never falters in their execution. The workers demonstrate exceptional attentiveness with real care. read more

Our party had a wonderful experience. We entered to discover a serene atmosphere. Their kitchen avoids processed ingredients. Our attendant was enthusiastic when clarifying food selections. There's no doubt I'll eat here again. read more

Most of the food was mediocre. The mushroom carpaccio was really yummy though. The drink I got was also very good. The service was great, the waiter was really nice. The ambiance was quite dark but romantic. It was like a speakeasy. read more

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We tried this restaurant for our midday weekend meal. Their team amazed me completely! This place serves impeccable food consistently. My search results on Yelp included this place. The restaurant delivers on multiple levels. read more

Nai showed why it deserves its good reputation. On top of that, team members demonstrated remarkable kindness and flexibility. The excellence at Nai is difficult to capture. Their seasoning is always on point. Make sure you visit this spot soon. read more

Simply excellent. Their menu items are carefully prepared. Basic recipes done with skill make great meals. Every worker demonstrates pleasant behavior. This restaurant provides superior service. read more

Really creative spin on classic tapa items! The inside of the restaurant is big and really nice for a date night, but it was a little dark (we couldn't read the menu). the servers were really attentive & brought out an extra lamp so we could see better. They also gave us a complimentary dessert (yuzu semifreddo) and this was AMAZING. Really light, not too sweet and a really nice tartness. would absolutely order this dessert if you visit some standouts but we thought everything was a solid choice: -scallop crudo (8/10): love how big and generous the slices of scallop were. good pairing with the sauce -tomato (8/10): really creative dish, I liked how they peeled the skins on the tomato and the jelly served with the tomato was surprisingly a good play with flavor and texture -45 day aged prime ribeye katsu (8/10): the bread was toasted and buttered really well. The meat was solid. read more

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The entire experience here feels carefully thought out. Food is freshly made. The whole team exhibits remarkable skill. The decor and feeling both impress. Excellent food and remarkably welcoming staff. read more

Come for the tapas...stay for the Flamenco show. All the tapas were excellent, particularly the fiduea, beef tartare, and prime ribeye katsu. Flamenco show on Saturday with sets at 8pm and 9pm. Downsides are the wine list was limited and meh, and sangria was Sprite filled aka watery. Because of that, more like 3.75 stars. Fun time and will be back! read more

I love tapas style dining. You get to try a little of everything. The seabass and the wagyu sammich were two of my favorite things. The broken noodle dish was also really good and I enjoyed all the different textures in it. Skip the octopus. read more

Nai - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - New York, New York

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Loved the food here! We love a good Spanish tapas and was in search of one in NYC. Every dish in this place was a hit with the flavors. There were such interesting mix of flavors, especially the chocolate mousse. For some reason, it was so simple, yet so so good; the best chocolate mousse I've had ever. I want to go back just to eat the mousse again haha. But every other dish blew me away as well! The servers were very nice and the place was fairly quiet. We sat in a semi-outdoor area and it was nice and sort of isolated. I would 100% recommend this place if you want some great Spanish tapas! read more

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Second time I've been here and it's just as good at the new location. The paella is their signature dish in my opinion and it's so unique since they don't use rice. It's a must order dish. The rest of the dishes didn't blow me away, but they were also great. The semi frodo was exceptional, it had that nice crossover texture between ice cream, frozen yogurt and Panna cotta, but topped with a little bit of shaved ice. Even if you don't really want dessert, it's not a bad idea to order it anyway since it's very light and just a touch fruity. I'd go back for just those 2 dishes even if I was eating by myself. read more

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The food was incredibly flavorful, each dish tasted deliciously good. Service was impeccable. The restaurant decor was very inviting with booth seating. We took our time dining and stayed for two and a half hours. We were never rushed. Highly recommend this place. Unique tapas dishes I've never tried before. read more

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