Side notes- Prices aren't online, and the menu changes frequently. In general, as of a few months…read moreago, the pintxos/bites are $14 to $16, the entradas/appetizers are mostly in the low or mid-$20s, and the platos/entrees are mostly in the $30s and $40s. Anyway, I was at this dimly lit Basque restaurant a while back with a small group. The place got pretty loud eventually, and the service was friendly. As we were waiting, I had some time to kill and ordered a tasty vermut. In this case, it was the Lustao Blanco for $16 on the rocks with an olive. In terms of small bites/Pintxos, someone ordered the Gildas for $14 while waiting, and another person enjoyed the similarly tiny Croquetas de Jamón for the same price point. Speaking of prices, I am unsure exactly how much everything cost, and I can't find descriptions of everything I ate, so I'm approximating, which is why you'll see the "~" before each price point. My entrada, or appetizer, was the Salmorejo de Atún for ~$25. Salmorejo is essentially a much thicker version of gazpacho, with olive oil, tomato, bread, and a few other ingredients. In this case, it was topped with plenty of raw tuna, cucumbers, and other greens. The cold soup worked surprisingly well with the high-quality fatty tuna, and I would order this again if I came back here. Another person ordered one of the appetizers as their entree, the Bikini Hemingway, which is a type of sandwich. In this case, it was ~$25 and was filled with txistorra, queso, shrimp, and pan de cristal. They seemed to like it but not love it. My main dish/plato was, unfortunately, the Magret de Pato for ~$40, with grilled magret duck breast, port and foie sauce, and pomme purée. Unfortunately, a few pieces of the duck were a little chewy, especially the ones with more fat. The sauce was alright, tasting like a slightly above-average red wine demi-glace with a touch more richness and sweetness than usual. The pomme purée was good, being rich with a nice texture. Overall, I think a bit of acid would have helped as well. This was alright, and I would have appreciated some bread to mop up the remaining sauce. Another person thought the Bacalao for ~$35, which was topped with two shrimp in this presentation, was pretty good. This place reminded me of Txikito in many ways. Both are a bit too pricey for the quality, with comparable food. For spending around $100, there are many other spots I would prefer, such as Casa Mono, El Pote, or a few others. If I were to go back, I'd probably just order appetizers. I'll leave the same score as the other restaurant, a bare 4/upper 3, and I would give a 3.5 if available.

We didn't have a bad bite! Stand outs of the night include the bikini Hemingway, pinxtos…read morematrimonio, and basque cheesecake. We also got the chips with Iberico, ham croquettes, and arroz conjejo. Fun Spanish wine list to go with it!

This restaurant is now closed... It was good years ago the last five or six years it's wet way…read moredownhill. I think that's the reason they closed down that and their sister restaurant El barrio both closed not what they used to be. Hopefully something good comes in.

This was an underwhelming visit. I had dinner here with a friend. When we first arrived, we were…read moreover attended to while we decided from the many delicious looking options on their menu. We ordered drinks and a chips and guac to munch on while we decided on dinner. The drinks were tasty, though strong! The chips and guac were disappointingly bland and under seasoned. Everything else was delicious. I got the paquetitos de tinga (the best thing I ate by far!) and the croquetas de bacalo. My friend loved her vegetarian tacos - described them as flavorful and tasty with the perfect amount of spice. The reason for the 3 stars is that after we finished dinner, we were offered a dessert menu and said yes, but waited a long time and didn't get it! Then it took ages just to flag the wait staff down to pay our check! I have to say with so many other quality options in the area, I probably won't return.

The ambiance is amazing it brings you back to Spain and the staff is extremely friendly. It's…read moreupscale but not snobby, you will get an amazing meal and drinks and leave happy. Our group ordered the Seafood Paella and had plenty for leftovers, stuffed sole, branzino, grilled octopus, salad and numerous drinks including their sangria. The Paella was full of flavor and a very large portion, two people ordered one to share and even sharing it with the other three in the group there was a ton left. The stuffed Sole was well sized and filled properly with shrimp, scallops and more. Highly recommend and it was cooked perfectly. The mash potatoes were a miss that came with it not seasoned and bland. The branzino was cooked perfectly and well seasoned. The grilled octopus was a little chewy which was disappointing but it was packed with flavor and would try again. If you're in Newark and want an amazing meal, highly recommend this place just note it's not cheap but it's worth every penny.

You know, I've never been at a restaurant that simply seems to "throw" food at their guests. I…read moremean, a LOT of food. Damn. Ok - almost too good to be true, right? Well, let's get started: We sat down. Water and menus came, a drink order was put in, and before we knew it, bread, olives, and a salad (all unordered, all appreciated) appeared. The bread was warm (as God intended) and the salad nicely done up, already with an Italian dressing. The olives were spicy and yummy! Ok - not ordered, but I wasn't going to argue! We ordered a seafood paella - holy moly! It was like a 14" in diameter deep dish when it came out! Tasty, lots of mussels, shrimps, scallops, even a bit of lobster..... wow. I ordered chicken picatta - expecting thin strips of chicken in a nice sauce on top of pasta....damn. I got two flat, pressed chicken breasts on pasta. Can anyone say too big by half??? Wow. Couldn't finish it. And here's where the "food being thrown to us" came in- we got a side of green beans AND a side of seasoned rice AND a side of homemade potato chips (that needed salt but still). Damn. After declining dessert, they STILL brought us 6 little churros with a dark chocolate dipping sauce. WOW. Call me totally amazed. The pricing wasn't outrageous, and the food was absolutely BOUNTIFUL and yummy! The ambiance was amazing- old school in a classy way. And the service was absolutely ON POINT. Can't speak highly enough of this place! Nicely located in Ironbound and close to Newark Penn - will I come again? Yes. But I'll need room at the hotel for the leftovers! Yummy.

Sat at the bar--exactly where you want to be. Great drinks, tight menu, and the kroketa is the…read morestar...crispy, rich, and absolutely worth the stop alone. This is a "order 4-5 plates and see where the night goes" kind of place. Not overcomplicated, just really well executed. Perfect for a casual but dialed-in bite.

The vibes are immaculate with nicely dim dinner lighting fixtures and artwork. The classic tapas…read moredishes like pulpo and kroketas were perfectly executed though for the price I would have expected a bit more creativity. Some of the more unique dishes were hit or miss. The crispy spot prawns were a surprise hit, super flavorful with a really satisfying crunch. The whole fish of the day was fantastic although they added some cured meat on the top that I felt was a bit unnecessary and overpowering - would still order again though. The foie gras was a bit of a disappointment as there were some other things mixed with it to form more of a pate and we weren't fans of the flavor. Service was great and the wines by the glass I tried were solid. This restaurant made the NYC 100 Best Restaurants list ranking, and while it's absolutely worth a try it wouldn't make my top 100.

It's been awhile but this local place for Spanish cuisine is still here…read more PARKING - it's Manhattan by the tunnel but there is a garage on 39th available ENTRANCE - the bar maid greeted us with a smile and was extremely congenial. Checked our reservation and seated us promptly AMBIANCE - very rustic and Sevilla looking. They updated the decor a bit and it's nice. CAPACITY - the place is still small like 30 tables so a reservation will be needed for Friday night and weekends MENU - great choices and appetizers. You are covered for many authentic Spanish dishes SERVICE - great waiter and bus service. Never an empty glass and offered great suggestions for a few of us unfamiliar with Spanish cuisine APPETIZERS - the chorizo was fabulous. The octopus was cooked to perfection. And the shrimp and garlic sauce was amazing ENTREES - the paellas were very good. Many years ago they were a 9 out of 10 for me. I give it an 8 if 10 now. I tried the arroz con pollo which was very good as well. VINO - the Spanish wine by the bottle we tried was very good. They were out of the marquis rascal but the recommendation did not disappoint DESSERT - we had no room for more than coffee. However the list looked great. I'll try the flan next time RESTROOM - although very small, they were very clean and recently remodeled. PRICE - we had a party of 6 with 2 bottles of wine and the bill sans tip was $425. No awful at all.

"Classic Old School Spanish"…read more O muse of garlic and gambas, hear my plea, For I have stumbled, hungry, down Murray Hill's gray sea, Where neon kingdoms rise and fall each week And found a stubborn, old-world tavern that still dares to speak. Inside, the air is thick with history and Rioja dreams, Wood paneling, tiled bar, low ceilings, strong beams. The kind of room where time slows down its trot, where you'd expect a Galician uncle to slide into your spot. Here, the paella arrives like a golden, rice-clad steed, Muscles, shrimp, chorizo make for a wealthy man's feed The socarrat at the bottom? Forged in flavor and flame, You scrape every last shard, unashamed without blame The waiters glide like seasoned squires of the court, Topping off sangria, trading banter, old-school in their sport. It's not rushed, not flashy, not angled for Instagram It's more sit down, relax and have more jamón, man.

Took a stroll downtown Bordentown which had a couple interesting shops and a large number of…read morerestaurants. Decided on under the moon cafe and loved the atmosphere and ambiance when we first walked in. Different mix matched tables, glasses and plates. Loved the ceiling tiles and comfy looking benches. I love duck and when I read duck Mac and cheese with cherries I was lost in wonder of the combination of flavors so of course I had to order it. Surprisingly it was very enjoyable. The Mac and cheese was nicely made cheesy, noodles weren't over cooked and over all had good flavor with pieces of duck and a few cherries mixed in. I also ordered the burger which was cooked as requested medium rare and was topped with bacon and an onion ring. I upgrade to the Parmesan truffle fries.which I was slightly disappointed in. I didn't see or taste the Parmesan but there was a slight truffle flavor. The fish tacos I heard were good but not really blacked and the vodka sauce was just okay according to others at the table.

Wow! A fantastic experience from start to end. Entering the restaurant you're greeted by a very…read morehomey decour, which was even further decorated with accents to match the holiday season. I will say, even the bathroom was decorated to instill a sense of nostalgia. We went for brunch and started with a duck mac and cheese. As you'd expect it was a bit lighter on the duck than one would like, but was ultimately well worth trying. I'd say this goes even moreso if you're a fan of duck, as that's not the mac and cheese pairing you see most often. Beyond that, I got the fish tacos. I'm typically afraid of ordering tacos out due to portion size, and while you do only get two tacos, they are rather large, and come with a side of truffle fries which were exceptional. The tacos themselves were also fantastic and filled with the flavor you'd want and expect from the dish. While we were too full to engage with a dessert, I will say our server was nothing short of delightful and we had a wonderful time. The restaurant is in a great location in downtown Bordentown and we will certainly be revisiting when we are back in the area.

alcala_nyc delivers a true taste of Spain with soulful tapas, comforting plates, and a wine list…read morethat feels deeply personal (yes, the chef even makes his own wine ). Every dish reflects Chef Jesús' Galician heritage -- thoughtful, heartfelt, and full of flavor. The space feels warm and inviting, like being welcomed into a family meal rather than just another dinner reservation. From the bold garlic shrimp and perfectly cooked paella to tender grilled tuna and baby squid, every bite is worth savoring.

Alcala is simply the best Spanish food you can find in New York City. I was transported back to…read moreSpain and honestly have not had many better meals in the country of Spain itself. The owner, service, decor and quality of the ingredients are unmatched, and I would recommend this place to absolutely anyone. I will definitely be back and it is one of my favorite restaurants now in New York City.

Sabor Caribeno was excellent, but sadly they sold new people, who changed the name to Sabor De La…read moreIsla. Either way, it doesn't matter much now. There was a massive fire over a year ago, and the restaurant has been closed since.

So on our quest for chicharron DE POLLO throughout Union County, google lead me to this little gem…read more The first time I had chicharron DE POLLO (I'll explain later, why I'm putting emphasis on de pollo.) was at work from a restaurant in Perth Amboy. Anyone familiar w/this area knows it's a nice ride to Perth Amboy from Union for some fried chicken chunks. So I decided to call a few of the local spots near home to find out if they've been hiding these little morsels of heaven from me all along but low and behold and lucky for them they didn't. ... NONE of em. Not one. They only had chicharron which is apparently pork. Although I'm a fan of pork, I was on a mission to find heaven close to home. Which leads me to my review of Sabor de la Isla. The service is friendly and courteous. And the chicharron DE POLLO wasn't as good as Perth Amboy's version but it was a very satisfying second. You get a LOT of rice, the beans are a decent portion and the chicharron is plentiful. I personally can get two sittings from the chicken and the rice is damn near enough to share with your family. You may just need an extra order of beans. But all of that for $9 is worth it imo.

Both the meals and the service exceed what you might expect. Workers elevate this restaurant to…read moreexceptional status. The meals are delicious and the environment enhances them. This place has a beautiful atmosphere. Remarkably content.

Before I moved to NYC, I'd never heard people refer to "Spanish food". In Chicago there was…read more"Mexican" food, "Costa Rican" food, etc, etc., so I wondered if people talking about "Spanish food" was the equivalent of Dan Quayle saying a few years ago that people in Latin America spoke Latin, in other words terribly off the mark and vaguely offensive. This also gets us into this whole authentic food vs inauthentic discussion, but if a family has a Mexican Father and a Puerto Rican Mother, hey whatever the result is from a culinary perspective and otherwise is probably as legit as anything. Variety, you know, is the spice of life. Darlene is in that spirit. I've been there a couple of times, and found the various plates of meats and rice I tried to be tasty, but, truth be told, not as good as Sophie's. I sat down before, and realized this last time that this was for the best because take out service can be chaotic and slow and I'm sure you don't want to see the kitchen in action, if you know what I mean. This all being duly noted (see the mere three stars given), where the Carribean met Mexico on my last visit was a place called Fantasy Island. My favorite meat from the Islands (Pernil), met my favorite fast food from Mexico (the burrito) and it was magic! I've never seen this in a Mexican place, but my dreams were fulfilled in a place selling "Spanish Food". If my lunch was inauthentic, then let me be a fraud. Only in New York, kids. Only in New York.