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    SPES

    3.9 (54 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 11:00 PM

    Order SPES Takeout or Delivery

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    SPES ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Live music
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - SPES

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    Bruschetta
    Keeley G.

    Spes has a fun unique gimmick when it comes to their wines, which are all natural and organic. You choose the color of wine you'd like and then an adjective to describe the wine and they bring you 2 options to try that match that description. Psa a glass is ~$21 so it's not cheap. But the wines are all unique and the ambiance is great. I've only ever sat outside but it looks nice and cozy inside. The food is surprisingly good. Last time we had the octopus which I'd recommend. The bread they use for various apps is really good. I loved the sourdough that came with the mozzarella and anchovies. It's a great local spot for a small group (4ppl or less).

    Cristina Z.

    Perfect place for a date! Everyone is super nice and they have live music sometimes. The wine list is amazing and its definitely a hidden nyc gem.

    Chanda A.

    Natural wine is finally having it's moment. There seem to be a new natural wine bar popping up every week, and I'm not sad about it. Spes is a tiny, cozy Italian natural wine bar (in the old Terroir space!) with mismatched dishware and walls lined with wine bottles making it the perfect spot for the cooler days ahead. Instead of a traditional wine menu, they use a wine wheel where you spin to choose a mood and wine color, and they bring you a few options that match your choices. If that's too much pressure, you can also just tell them what you're in the mood for, like we did. I love this unique concept, but not knowing the glass/bottle price may lead to some anxiety/sticker shock at the end of the meal. For food, we ordered the burrata to share and I ordered the special ravioli of the day. Both were great, although the burrata would be a little easier to share if the bread was served on the side instead of underneath.

    Bill
    Karena M.

    This restaurant is really cute. It is smallllllllll, i mean TINY. The decor is absolutely adorable. The vibe here is really nice. I came here alone and was seated at the bar. When i walked in, i was only given the option of outside or the bar. There were tables available. None of which seem to be a set up for two people which means you will also have to sit outside or at the bar which is crammed. The seats a backless bar stools. You face a wall. Its not a true bar top so it's a little awkward. Although it is a small space, you can still be forgotten about by the staff. I had to flag them down when i was ready to order. I ended up asking for recommendations on the drink. I got the espresso martini which was absolutely delicious. I wish i would of gotten two. I also ordered the grilled octopus. It came with sweet potato puree and spinach. The octopus was soft but perfectly crispy on the outside. It had a strong grilled taste but the sauce, pure of sweet potato and spinach was a good bite together. They finished it with flaked salt which i though was really good. It was a nice pop. I highly recommend both the drink and octopus. They have this little game that you can play. Its a spinner that allows you the randomly select a wine color and flavor. I played it but still decided to order from the cocktail menu. The wine also doesn't have a price menu so that can be a surprise when the bill comes. The cocktails and food items have the price on the menu so that's perfect. Overall this place is really nice. It's a good spot to grab a bite to eat with 3 or 4 people. I recommend making reservations.

    Liane H.

    Came here for wine and some prosciutto. It is such an amazing concept! You pick your wine by color and your mood. We got orange + friendly. You get to try two wines and pick from one of them. We fortunately enjoyed the 2nd one as the 1st wasn't to our liking. I also ordered the speck which came with toast and honey. Softest bread ever! And the speck was exceptional (they ran out of prosciutto). We sat at their bar, so we were able to see the food that was going out, and my friend and I just knew we need to come back! Don't skip this!

    fruity sparkling
    Victoria S.

    spes has become one of my favorite drink spots! so pretty inside & out. the drink menu is unique, if you're picky about wines it's kinda perfect because you can try so many options :) i've had both slow and fast service (depends on the time) but these olives turn any bad day into a good dayyyy go get emmmm

    an open book and a glass of wine on a table
    Amanda Z.

    This wine bar was opened just a few months ago and is such a wonderfully intimate and romantic space-- love coming here just to read. You'll get a fun wheel of wine choices, but instead of the tradition list, you'll point two arrows to 1) A feeling/ vibe of the night; and 2) A preferred type of wine (variations of red, orange, etc.) Highly recommend. If not for the wine, the ambient buzz of life, or the authentic Italian desserts, ... then for the toilet. Seriously, it's pretty cool.

    Caroline Z.

    I came here with a friend last Wednesday where we sat at the bar. The restaurant is on the smaller side, with a cozy and intimate vibe. The staff was attentive and friendly. They have a fun game to help you determine what kind of wine you should get - it's kind of like a clock design with one hand pointing to the wine type and another hand pointing to your mood. We got a Nebbiolo ($18 per glass) with the suggestion by the waitress. We also got the meat and cheese plate, daily pasta special (tomato, caper, olive, and tagliatelle $27), and branzino. Yes it was indulgent, but it gets better - we got the tiramisu ($18) at the end to top things off. VERY NICE Anyways, I had a great time and definitely recommend for a cute and cozy spot.

    Serena M.

    Spes is an amazing relaxed, small, intimate and dim lit wine bar with delicious food. Loved the octopus and carbonara! Attentive service and overall perfect experience, highly recommend for a cozy winter weeknight dinner with a glass of wine.

    Available seating :) great ambiance

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Spectacular food, wine and ambience. Really is a level above many other places in the city.

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

    LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!! The vibes are great, perfect for an intimate dinner or catch up with close friends

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    incredible vibe , wine , aesthetic , food everything was excellent and the waiters are phenomenal

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    some of the worst service in the east village which is a shame cuz they don't have their food to fall back on, would never go back

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    Rake Wine Bar

    Rake Wine Bar

    4.8
    (29 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    Wow East Village! You have yourself a gem with Rake Wine Bar! We were waiting for our dinner…read morereservations and decided to stop in here for a pre-dinner drink and bite. I am SO glad we did. The vibe drew us in, they had great music bumpin from the outside, it looked lively and welcoming. Let me tell you- I would have skipped dinner and just stayed here all evening if it was my choice! But alas, my husband wanted a bit more to eat. But let me tell you- their knowledge of wine is PRISTINE! I can't tell you what white wine we had but they captured our tastes perfectly. We also shared a bruschetta and it was deliciouso! I love how friendly the staff was here and how unpretentious it all was. Next time we are in NYC- we will definitely make a point to come visit Rake!

    My partner and I were looking for a great double date spot, so we decided to give Rake a try due to…read moreits relaxing vibe and multitude of bites we could share. First I'll start with the wine - we ended up trying all three happy hour wines (HH until 7), which the tables favorites were the white and we ended up getting a bottle to split once HH ended (but I really enjoyed the other vino verde option). It was incredibly refreshing and paired well with the many tinned fish options. As you'd expect - it's a pretty massive selection and there is bound to be a varietal and glass for any palate. It's also attached to a wine store - so it's fine to see all the bottles when peaking over. Food-wise - this is where it was hit or miss, they have a pretty extensive menu (with a whole tinned fish section!) and we ended up ordering the buratta on focaccia (buratta was excellent, focaccia was too dense for my tastes), mushroom truffle crostini (way too salty), the flatbread with sliced kielbasa (was fine), halloume (table favorite ), tinned sardines in lemon oil (delicious), tinned smoked trout (my favorite). Overall the four of us were very full at the end of the meal! The space itself felt very relaxing and rustic, and definitely got busier as the night went on (we got there at 6:50 and left around 9). The service was also fast and attentive - even for the amount of tables they were serving. Overall - I'd definitely go back again, and maybe just focus on the wine and another tinned fish selection!

    Photos
    Rake Wine Bar
    Rake Wine Bar
    Menu

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    Menu
    Sunn’s

    Sunn’s

    4.1
    (45 reviews)
    1.2 mi

    yeah boiiii…read more phenomenal. perfection. snagged a res for the ladys birthday and was so so so excited to finally be at Sunn's. went into thinking it was traditional korean, but was actually really fusioned with french/new american flavors, but never forgot its korean roots. everything was divine, and the service was exceptional. sat at chefs table; man that tiny ass kitchen is a miracle. was really suprised with the soondabo. feel like i've ever only had one flavor profile, but chef sunn was telling me how she was inspired by pozole as a rift on the dish. i have had a lot better banchan before thoooo thanks for having us and making the night so special! excited to come back

    Restaurant is small and best to make a reservation. Was greeted and seated quickly…read more Menu is small but there is an extensive wine list. I ordered the banchan and all of the main dishes. Food came consistently quickly. Banchan was kimchi, spicy cucumbers, egg, tofu, and potato salad. Also ordered 2 of the specials which was the squid and the beef jerky. Standout was definitely the squid since it packed so much flavor. For the mains, the standout was the ssam which was a beef brisket. The flavors went well with the sauce and garlic and jalapeño they give on the side. The dumpligs didnt really have a lot of taste. Liked the ttekboki concept as it reminded me an Italian dish. May go back to other seasonal dishes.

    Photos
    Vibes + wine bottle + cute water dispenser
    Vibes + wine bottle + cute water dispenser
    Cozy sitting corner by the window
    Cozy sitting corner by the window
    The counter by the kitchen

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    The counter by the kitchen
    Cork

    Cork

    4.3
    (42 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    They have quite a robust wine list! Nice atmosphere. I didn't love the patio seating options (very…read moremuch on the sidewalk), but it was much more comfortable sitting inside at the bar. The wine was great and we had an attentive server who was able to help guide us through the wine choices. Would return!

    Olivia H. is clearly a paid reviewer because my experience here a few days ago felt like a literal…read moresitcom. First off, the front door is mounted on flimsy plastic hinges, so every time someone opens it, it swings open violently and knocks the vase off the nearby table. The service was somehow even worse. When I was there on Tuesday, May 19th from 8-10 PM, there was exactly ONE bartender working the entire place -- both inside and outside -- and she was unbelievably inattentive. My date and I sat at the bar for TWENTY MINUTES before she even acknowledged us or asked if we wanted drinks. I literally had to call out "Excuse me" just to order a $25 quarter-filled glass of wine. Embarrassing all around. And when we were ready to leave and wanted the check, the female bartender working on Tuesday May 19th from 8-10 PM was busy standing in the corner chatting with someone instead of helping customers. I haven't seen someone move this slowly or care this little since the DMV. TO MANAGEMENT - this was absolutely horrible, embarrassing, and unprofessional service. Clean up your act, and hire a second or even a third bartender.

    Photos
    Perfect match!
    Perfect match!
    Cork
    Cork

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    SPES - cocktailbars - Updated June 2026

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