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A Casa Fox
Rating Details »
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Lower East Side173 Orchard St
New York, NY 10079
(212) 253-1900
- Nearest Transit:
-
2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
Delancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
Grand St (B, D)
- Hours:
Tue. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Wed. 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 12:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- None
16 reviews for A Casa Fox
NOTE - some reviews said the place is BYO... it's not. I drink Sangria and beer in my two nights there.
Review -
Stumbled in there one night while in NYC alone... what a find! Tucked into a little street in the East Village, this cozy little atmosphere is the type of place where everyone is glad to see you and you can see the chef at work from any seat in the house. The empanadas are to die for and the you have to try the homemade hot sauce. I went back the very next night with my wife and ended up drinking Nicaraguan beer with the chef late into the night!
You want a big dinner? The meals are hearty! I had Costillas de Cerdo the first night and ate Carne Chorizada the second night... wow!
You want some small tapas before you go see your favorite indie rocker at one of the ten or so little night clubs across the street? This is your place. I think I tried every one of the empanadas (mini empanada plate is a great way to try lots of different ones).
Seriously... this place rocks. HIGHLY recommend.
Food is expensive for the very small portions, even for tapas. The wine I was drinking was going right through me. I had no food in my stomach so I literally poured wine down my face toward the end of the 'meal' which I found funny, not exactly the fault of this place but my point is even with wine-goggles this place was lame, I tried to like it, the food was tasty (the company was awesome), but it we probably had five bites of food each and it was about $25 per person, just for food.
I was happy to get out, then we got something to eat.
Service is was inconsistent during the same visit.
Uncomfortable seating on low backless stools, hunched over tables that sit at or below the knees. If you are over 5-6, i'm gonna guess that you will be sore from sitting here.
I assume this place relies on walk-in traffic, I would never repeat my visit.
I admit that I didn't anticipate how hungry I was when i went, the birthday girl chose the place and I should have eaten before I went. Portions were still too small (as other yelpers mention). Remains a 1 star place in my book.
Totally agree with the other reviewers. This place is not where you want to eat (if you actually want to eat). The portions are so small they're laughable (if they weren't so expensive!) and the service was only so so.
This gets one star because in addition to rather bland food, thimble spoons for wine glasses (I literally felt like a giant in this place and I'm 5'5) they also had some obnoxious photographer snapping very intrusive photos throughout the meal so every 30 seconds there was a bright flash to remind you to write on yelp how crappy this place is. Then, for the big finish they used some cleaner that made the restaurant smell like Lysol.
Perfect place for a date alert! Let me break it down for you:
-Cozy, intimate tapas bar where you can linger over your bottle of bubb (or red, white, what have you) and nibble on plates of Spanish goodness. Check.
-Real, working fireplace. Check.
-BYOB so you can impress her with your insider's knowledge of Argentine Malbecs (or just run around the corner to September Wine & Spirits - http://www.yelp.com/bi... - and ask the super helpful staff to help you out). Check.
-A crazy assortment of delish empanadas, beef chimichurri skewers, fried manchengo, grilled garlic shrimp and more, more, more?! Check. Check. CHECK!
However, before you get too excited, there are some other things to keep in mind before you set off on the perfect night:
-A Casa Fox is pretty itty (I was almost sitting on the table next to me) and they DON'T take reservations. Be prepared for a wait as the staff doesn't rush glass huggers out the door.
-The portions are small - even for a tapas bar. If you're really hungry, look to split some of the entrees or just order a LOT of the little guys. (Remember, ladies get peakish, too. Don't scrimp.)
-Service can be a little slow. Which can be great if you're getting to know each other, not so much if you're trying to catch a movie.
-Oh, and contrary to other reviews they DO accept cash and cards.
Buuut if you keep all this in mind AND order the chocolate empanadas with dulce de leche for dessert, I think you're well on your way to a very romantic, very successful (wink) night. You can go ahead and thank me later.
Food = 3.5 stars
Drinks = 2.5 stars (Sangria was tasty but weak)
Service = 0 stars
Went there for a friend's bday dinner (who happens to also be a yelper... so I'm sure his review will soon follow). We were a party of 13 people... which should not be too much for any server to handle. It's not like we were a bunch of rowdy 7 year olds throwing crayons all over the restaurant. Our waitress was completely incompetent when taking orders; she would skip over people, disappear for what seemed like hours, forget items, etc. Not to mention being completely rude when asked a question about the status of dishes which should have come out but had failed to appear.
Everyone still had fun... until the bill came. The cost of the food and drinks were more than reasonable, but the 20% gratuity tacked on (for the aformentioned horrible service) seemed a bit excessive. I understand the need for adding gratuity for larger parties, but usually it is 18% and larger gratuities left to the discretion of the party to reward for good service. Oh yeah, and they have a 2 credit card limit on a bill. Which can prove problematic with large parties who imbibed a whole lot of weak sangria.
It almost pains me to write this review. But it must be said ... A Casa Fox is no longer BYOB.
We took some of our friends to dinner and brought our own bottle of wine not knowing the policy had changed. They charged us $20 as an uncorking fee. Which I personally think is outrageous. Based recent reviews of the place it's less than a month since the change has been made. We had plans to go out afterwards and had no plans to carry around a bottle of wine. It look over 20 minutes for our waitress to open the bottle of wine they charged us $20 to open. We then had us pour it ourselves, and didn't provide us with anything to chill it.
We were seated around 10:00 and the kitchen closed at 11 so the waitress was quite rude about ordering our food in "flights". Isn't that what tapas is supposed to be about? The food is still great. But I've said it before - you can get great food anywhere in this city, it's the service that makes a place stand out. The food isn't good enough for pretentious waitresses and poor service. It's unlikely that we will return.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/26/2008
A Casa Fox is the perfect place to go with a group of friends. The menu is mostly small plates which… Read more »
This place was only OK for me. I wanted to be much more, but I guess I am a food snob. I liked the coziness of this place, and wow they even have a fireplace, which was so nice, because it was so cold out :)
This place is BYOB, and there is a wine shop close by. For starters, we had the mini empanadas, which were good, but not phenomenal. I thought that the crust could have been more moist and I really didnt like the queso, which seemed like it was out of the can. My BF had the shrimp wrapped in bacon entree, and it was pretty good! I had the asparagus salad, and I liked it very much. I ordered the risotto balls, and they were good, but nothing special. Yea...so overall, the food was good, but it wasnt especially memorable :(
Second time is not the charm. I recommended this place for dinner for a group of friends. I won't recommend it again. Service was really bad and the food just wasn't as good. Last time we received 6 beautifully charred jumbo shrimp per order. This time we got 3 blander shrimp per order. The beef chimichurri skewers were served cold. I would have sent them back, but we couldn't get our server's attention for 30 minutes. Now to her credit, it was a busy night. But, she literally just threw down the food and would disappear for 40 minutes at a time. We had empty plates in front of us for 45 minutes until we flagged down a busgirl to order dessert. And again desserts were thrown down. And then another 25 minutes for the check. I would sympathize but the waitress just wasn't that nice and the owner sat down at the table next to us yapping away with her friends for the full meal.
I did really like A Casa Fox the first time and therefore I won't write it off, but I need to be impressed the third time.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/24/2009
I've been wanting to try A Casa Fox because I heard the owner serves Nicaraguan cuisine. They did… Read more »
Fun little BYO that's perfect for groups. In fact, when my group of 8 rolled in at 8, there was already another bachelorette party very civilly sipping wine in the back corner. It has that low-key yet very cute atmosphere that makes it approachable and upbeat for large groups or first dates. Not to mention great lighting - everyone glowed softly.
We had the owner throw together an appetizer selection platter for our party which was fantastic. And then we ordered a few entrees to share - most came with a delicious side of rice and beans. The food was savory. Special highlights included the chorizo and manchego app as well as the fried cheese.
The best part is, you can bring in a double bottle of cheapish white or red and they'll make their special sangria for you. Delish, and packs a punch!
Despite the mixed feeling the other reviewers have about this place, I have to say that its one of my favorite BYOB joints in town. What makes A Casa Fox so special? The atmosphere. Not only is this place have a great home away from home feel, but the entire staff here was very welcoming and adjusted quite nicely to our large group.
When putting together a dinner party, we found it quite difficult to all agree on dishes that we liked, so instead we had 3 plates drawn up together all which were delicious, albeit the small portions. One of my dishes that stuck out the most was the plantain chips with guacamole. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed something so simple, so much.
On a final note, it was cash only but apparently that's only because their computers were down. Either way, definitely a place to check out if you're looking for a spot to go on a date or just somewhere to enjoy dinner with friends.
I'm pulling a Mayor Sam MetaYelp moment. I'm sitting at a table full of miscellaneous small plates of very fine food and bottles of wine that we brought with us. That's an important point...
Its BYOB. So, BYOB.
As of this writing (10:03 pm Friday, May 16) they are still working through the "soft opening" kinks. That being said, the vibe and the nibbles are thoroughly enjoyable. If only the wait staff knew what the hell they were selling. That would be cool.
This dining experience was disenchanting. Oh, it had promise, don't get me wrong. The interior of "A Casa Fox" is beautiful and cozy, with a big wooden dining-room looking table, decorative pillows thrown on corner wooden benches and, what I seem to remember as a fire place in the middle of the large room (which was sized like a decently large studio in NY. The room, not the fireplace). Even the bathroom had charm. What was the problem then you ask?
Well, despite the BYOB policy (which will be over with when they get their liquor license) this place was just too damn expensive. We were with a group of five and we ordered a lot of tapas. I mean, that was sort of the only choice besides the four "mains" which were sort of messy, slow cooked fish or meat, expensive and not conducive to sharing. So, we got the tapas.
The fried cheese with mince sauce was great (forgive me, I forget it's real name), the cheese and chorizo plate was good, empanadas, yum yum and check plus for the crab cakes. But, again you ask, "So what's your problem?" My problem is that the food was pixie sized. Yeah, it was a feast for a family of pixies. For six grown ass adults, the light tapas didn't cut it.
Silly us. We thought if the small plates were priced at $8 - $10 then the appetizer would be sort of substantial. Wrong. Three munchkin sized crab cakes, three normal sized empanadas, a small sized cutting board with a few measly pieces of cheese. How do six people negotiate the splitting of said items? It's hard. The hungry ones eyed the table nervously, plotting how to connive an extra piece of chorizo, the nice ones "offered it up," and the vegetarian ones felt guilty about taking a lot of the only thing they could eat. I don't need this kind of stress at a Friday dinner after Happy Hour, you know?
Oh, and the BYOB. After running to the deli to get a six pack and sending someone to "September" to buy a bottle of wine for the sangria, we just about exhausted our energy on this dinner. I'd even say that we worked up an appetite. After the first round of tapas, we had to order ANOTHER round because we were still hungry. Everyone felt bad because there was such a small amount of food on each plate and she didn't one to be the one who took the last mushroom empanada. You know how that is. So it was sort of a frustrating and deflating dining experience. That is all.
A Casa Fox has potential. It would be great for sangria and appetizers (not so much dinner maybe)... but first it needs a liquor license. I
This place is cute, and it is BYOB which is why it's getting 3 stars.
The food is good (savory I might even say), but you will pay $8 for 2 one inch diameter crab cakes, as well as $8 for 3 malted milk ball sized fried risotto and ham pieces.
It's not really a 'fine dining' place, but it prices like it is, so if you do go here, just know that 2 appetizers/tapas a person wont' be enough, you should definitely get 4, or 2 and a "large" plate.
The service was pretty good, a little "snarky" a couple of times, but quick.
Overall, I liked the decoration and the food was good, but I'll probably go elsewhere in the future for an appetizer that actually staves off hunger. =P
Oh and.. they charge a $6 a bottle opening fee. Be aware.
leaving hungry at $30 a person, not fun!
Cozy. Super cozy. I'm a big fan of Caracas Arepa Bar nearby and the atmosphere here beats it by far -- and you don't have to wait an hour for a table. The fireplace blazes warmth and makes you want to hang out all a cold winter's night long. I came here b/c it had tapas style eating and BYOB. I was on a budget. My mission was accomplished -- good food, and atmosphere w/o spending a lot. The only thing is the $6 uncorking fee for wine and $1 uncorking fee for beer. It does save a bit of money if you do it that way or if you have some left over gift bottles of wine. The space is the perfect size to rent out for a private party by the way -- thinking about throwing my engagement party here. Service was great too, and I'm picky.
I didn't realize it was BYO the first time I went here, but the server kindly directed me to a wine shop down the street. The food is good, but I was disappointed to be charged a corkage fee when I wasn't told about it up front, albeit only $6. It just seemed underhanded, and I'm not quite sure this restaurant should be carrying the BYO tag with that practice in place. I thought a corkage fee is what restaurants that do have liquor licenses charge to compensate for your not ordering off of their list.
Rude place. The restaurant website did not specify the $6 cork fee. Charging a cork fee is ridiculous, since this place doesn't even serve alcohol. While I looked at the menu with my date, the waitress asked us to move to a pea-sized table so she could seat the five people that just walked in. We got up and left. We got better service at a dollar noodle stand in Chinatown.
