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Spring St-6th Ave (C, E)
Prince St (R, W)
Houston St (1)
Mon-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"Romantic, cozy lounge atmosphere serving up flavorful Basque cuisine. The waitstaff/host/managers are very friendly-they treated me like a…" read more »
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Wine and Wednesday go so well together.
Parched and hungry after some early holiday shopping, my friend and I were greeted warmly and given a seat right away. For a Wednesday night, Boqueria got very crowded by the time 7:30PM rolled around. Seating for 2 is a raised but comfortable table near the bar. The wine list is extensive and completely quenched our thirst. We both love Spanish whites (okay, reds too) so we went with a bottle.
Service was a bit rushed throughout...when asked for a minute to pore over the wine list or the tapas, we were given about 30 seconds. The food also came out almost all at once, overcrowding our little table, so I would definitely suggest a reservation any night of the week.
The food was delicious. Mouthwatering patatas bravas, really zesty pan con tomate. The fried cod with a creamy sauce was the real winner. I could skip the mushrooms next time.
The desserts looked just as tempting, but we went with another glass of wine - a different white - as we somehow finished our bottle. Next time I'm all about the flan.
This place is retarded.
1) Waitress pushed most expensive items on the wine list gurgling excitedly about chocolate and berries and loam. Listen up: I'm having tapas. Not sex. And my tapas will have garlic in it. I do not want have sex with garlic and chocolate and berries and loam.
2) The *cheese* servings are the right size for a mouse. So this means random tiny chunks and strips, more appropriate to be sprinkled around a habit trail. Bonus: the membrillo portion is the size of my middle finger nail. How appropriate.
3) Crispy rice is code speak for mushy, charred risotto shaped into a tamale-shaped pellet. It was hot. We ate it.
4) Ask for bread before you arrive. Then perhaps you'll get it as you leave.
5) Salad is dressed with a sweet-ish sauce that your grandmother will remember to be like *ration* recipes.
6) Bring a flash light; high beams; or a burning torch as the *concept* forgot that cream menus and dim yellow lights make for general cataract vision. Or actually, don't bother: why read anything on the menu anyway?
Good for bitchy Uniqulo associates livin' it up; friends from Iowa; someone you dislike; those who think Spain is in Africa.
This is one of my favorite spots. I was a regular at the outpost in Chelsea and I think I'm trading up to the Soho location as my new fave. I love the tapas and the sangria is a must. I always order the squid, the shrimp, the pototoes, the bacon wrapped dates (hello!) and of course cheese from their excellent selections. I have never ben disappointed with any new choices either. They have been featuring great specials lately to keep the food new and interesting. Make sure you have room for a least a couple pitchers of sangria and you'll be well on your way to a fantastic night. I should also point out that the staff are excellent, and also are fun and have great senses of humour. All a great contribution towards that fantastic night.
It's always packed here and there are no resos for small parties so come with the intention to enjoy some drinks and snacks in the lounge area and then continue on to dinner once you secure that coveted seat.
See you there!
I was semi-hammered by the time I got to Boqueria, one Friday afternoon at around 4pm. But DAMN, is it me or is it unusual to have a tapas place in SoHo be packed at that time of day?!
Have to say that I much prefer the red sangria to the other kinds. In fact, I didn't care for the rose sangria at all.
I've not eaten at this Boqueria (or did we?), but assume that the food is on par with the Flatiron district version. And by that, I mean that I would assume it's delicious.
An okay to place to spend Saturday night... if you have money to blow and a lot of patience. I can't pretend to really love this place, even if it was my decision to try it out. It's that stupid tourist in me that wants to try something new and exciting every time I'm in an unfamiliar part of Manhattan. This place looked kind of interesting, so I figured, why not?
You ever have that experience where you first sit down, the waiter or waitress comes to talk to you, and then you immediately want to leave? That's how I kind of felt about this place. I've never had "tapas" before (so this should show you how uncultured I am, I guess), which is what this place mostly is. The waitress suggested we "build a meal" of like three or four apiece. I was with my friend Jen. Building a meal for both of us would have been like $100 bucks, so she picked out one, I picked out one, we split one, then then we got some beers. It was still ultimately $60 when all was said and done and about an hour later, I was hungry again. The food was pretty interesting, though. I tried some cod thing that was actually like creamy on the inside. Creamy fish? Sounds gross, right? Well it was delicious.
I'm glad we went here, but I would never go back. The waitress kept suggesting the most expensive things on the menu to us and wasn't even the slightest bit sincere. I think she really didn't want us there, which is not a good feeling to have if you're a customer, especially blowing that much money on one meal. It was Manhattan snobbery at it's finest. The food is yummy, but not enough to make up for the atmosphere. Don't go here, kids. You won't have that much fun.
Seamus Mullen (next iron chef) works here. I sat at the chef's counter in the back where Seamus basically acted as our waiter and gave advice on the menu. Great food and service and we ended up with a bill that was less than what we owed (didn't charge us for the tapas he recommended).
Probably doesn't happen often but would generally recommend the atmosphere and menu (especially the sangria). Check out Cafe Noir on Grand if you're in the mood for more moderately priced Tapas in SoHo.
Came here randomly for a quick bite with a friend. The place was packed so we chose to seat ourselves at the kitchen counter in the back, which we sort of regretted because of the heat of the stoves. I think I could've forgiven how cramped the spacing was had I enjoyed my food more. The patatas bravas was pretty good but a little too salty. However I was not at ALL impressed with the mushroom and chicken croquettes. I felt like I could've bought them frozen at the store- they even sort of looked like they'd just come out of the microwave. I found the roasted brussels sprouts with chorizo to be pretty bland as well. We honestly left feeling like it was a waste of stomach space. Service was also kind of slow and I'm pretty sure our waiter was either high and/or drunk.
Still, I really want to like this place based on some of the positive reviews so I might be willing to give it another go...Maybe we just ordered the 'wrong' things (if that's even any consolation) cause some of the other dishes we saw being prepared looked more promising. The atmosphere was lively and atleast the wine was good...
Came here for dinner with some friends. Tried several different tapas and they were all delicious. Great service and a good wine selection add to my recommendation for this place. Will return.
Great food and great atmosphere. Everything we ordered were great; the daily special was fresh and well done. We had monkfish and scallops. The portion is smaller than most tapas places around town but it is well worth it.
AMAZING food and sangria .. we went in on a Friday nite at 930 and the place was still crowded and popping... When we left at around 1130-12 it was still nutso as well.. LOOOOVE IT
(I tried them all but the red is still my classic favorite)
I came here for my birthday in August and we all had the chef's tasting... my favorite of the night was the chorizo fondue. AMAZING... and the churros con chocolat!!! :] Everything was fresh and tasty... the proscuitto was AMAZING... ahh I love meats... I left just wanting more and more and more... even though I was already full...
Read my full review of it here: http://misstiffie.word...
I was excited to try this place bc I heard it was good. And food was good. The dates wrapped in bacon tasted quite nice and not too sweet like I thought it might- you get four. The spinach and chicken croquette came in a total of 8-10 pieces and were delicious- sorta a pastry w/ thick creamy soup filling. The seared lamb is amazing. The cheese selection was nice. The only item that I was not a huge fan of was the squash w/ duck confit- not bad, but not particularly memorable.
While I enjoyed the experience, I think it was too expensive. The tapas in general reminded me of expensive dim sum as far as the size is concerned. if you don't have money to spend, you are just paying for one small plate which will not make you full. If you go as a group make sure you tell folks that everything can be shared and you can try each other's plates..
Boqueria is far from a traditional Spanish tapas place. The croquettes look more like cheese balls and the tortilla is drizzled with what tastes like lemon-infused mayonnaise. Nonetheless, my family and I were pleased with the food, especially the Pata Negra serrano ham - YUM! What ultimately tarnished our experience was the terrible service. The waitress failed to explain that most items on the menu were unavailable so, after ordering a panoply of tapas, we were left sans main course. The situation was aggravated by the manager's rude reaction to our comment that they should maybe print lunch/dinner times on the menu, or at least have waitresses explain what's available when one sits down to eat. We will definitely never set foot there again. Oh, its also super overpriced.
perfect place to go to for a nice glass of wine and some tapas during tiring shopping trips to soho. The meat and cheese plates hit the spot
Very unimpressed by the brunch.
My coffee was cold.
They brought our dishes our 10 minutes apart.
My trout, cured salmon and egg was uninspired and not enough food to call it a full dish.
Her omelet was fine, and the fries were nice and well-seasoned. At least there was that.
Not again.
my heart(or stomach?) skipped a beat when we got to the door of Boqueria and the blackboard said: PIG dinner! had this tender, golden roasted cochinillo last time here, too. a pitcher of sangria & flan rounded up a classic Iberian meal in this favored soho spot.
OMG the dates with bacon is soooo amazing. Came here with the man to get a few tapas and drinks at the bar. The bartender was the best! She was amazing and made a mean margarita. The gambas were delicious and the food amount was perfect. Will def be back.
I was here earlier this month. The menu at Boqueria is the most authentic I have seen in the United States. However, the flavors were off compared to tapas and dishes I've had in Spain.
The croquetas had a odd texture and flavor. I can't put my finger on what made them taste so different. The patas bravas seamed like they had a dry seasoning on them which I have never seen in Spain.
Perhaps, Boqueria is much more refined then what you'd expect to find in a tapas bar in Spain.
I really enjoyed that they served Estrella. I'd come back here again with a large group to enjoy jamon y queso and Spanish wine or beer.
Good atmosphere. Interesting menu - ok wine selection, menu items add up fast. Decent portions for tapas. Flavor and prep could improve (our "crispy rice cake" was mushy risotto with charred mushrooms). Food went right through us (we made it to hotel-60 Thompson-just on time). Good atmosphere, wish the food was better.
Nothing says Spain to me like Charo singing the "Love Boat" theme...
http://www.youtube.com...
Lucky me that I'm going to Barcelona for a week. It'll be my second time there, and one of my fondest memories was perusing all the fresh produce and meat at the Boqueria Market off the Ramblas. So on my recent trip to New York, I came upon a tapas bar with the same name in SoHo. It received a nice review in Time Out, so I figured I'd get a sneak preview of the type of food I'll likely be having on my vacation.
Cool space, not that big. What I liked about it is that as a solitary diner, I had the option of two different counters to sit at - which is nice when a place fills up as quickly as Boqueria does with convivial, trendy-looking people. One is actually in front of the food preparation, but I opted for the wide-open bar near the entrance. Great bartender. I don't think I've had a more refreshing sangria in my life - with all sorts of fruit and a subtle beer chaser inside (see my photo). She ended up giving me my third one for free since she had extra in the pitcher...yet another advantage of sitting at the bar.
I went for two dishes - one small, the other not so small. The first was a house specialty - the $7 Datiles con Baicon - which were three big dates stuffed with almonds and Valdeon cheese, each wrapped in a strip of thick-cut bacon (see my photo). I could have easily eaten a dozen of those, but I have to say I do appreciate the portion control concept that seems innate with a tapas bar menu.
The second was a winner and on the outer, heftier edge of the tapas menu since it really is an entree to a normal human being. It was the $14 Pollo Aasado, which was half a roast chicken but obviously very slowly roasted since the meat just came apart at touch. It came on a bed of potatoes and was covered with chard, chopped apples and rustic mushrooms - none of which was at all mushy (see my photo).
It all tasted so savory and juicy that it made me realize why I wanted to go to Barcelona. The place has only been open since November 2008, an offshoot of one already established in Chelsea. But they seem to have already found their rhythm with food and service in a neighborhood full of trendy eateries. I really feel this one stands out. I bet Charo would agree. Cu-chi, cu-chi.
FOOD - 5 stars...granted I only tried two dishes and had three sangrias but what I had, I liked a lot, a whole lot
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...a hip vibe but not overwhelming...and good if you're dining alone in this sometimes cold city
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...terrific bartender doubled as my server
TOTAL - 5 stars...I'm normally not this liberal with five-star ratings, and I am a bit on the fence...but the planets just happen to align this time
Some of the best Tapas we've had in NYC. Yup.
Its definitely on the hip and fancy side. Tapas - small to medium size $9-14 each.Try the churros and chocolate. That's what we were really looking forward to, but it wasn't as good as we both remember what we had in Spain, but they were good and the food was excellent.
You could share 3-4 tapas and then save room for dessert somewhere else. We liked the patatas bravas (one of my favorite memories of Madrid), dates with blue cheese wrapped with bacon, albondigas are all good. It can get loud so pick a cool corner or try not to go during peak hours... 8:30p ish - 10pm ish. The matching t shirts are a little much in my opinion and bring some of the cool factor down just a tad, but they definitely blend with the scene and vibe of the place. The service was very good.
Group stats: Score or rezo the table in the back. I bet you could get 6-8 cozy people there. What a great way to try many many of their dishes.
I've been to Boqueria in the Flatiron district before. A group of girlfriends and I decided to check out this location for a Friday night dinner, since the Soho area is but more lively. I like the layout of this location a lot more because it's slightly brighter, more seating, and the kitchen is exposed (I like watching food preparation). Similarly, seating is very tight, so don't come with too much 'baggage' or stuff if underneath the bench. There is also a long bar area near the front.
We didn't make reservations ahead of time for the 5 of us. They only seat completed parties. So if your friends are like mine, put your name in with the hostess when you arrive. By the time the last girl struts in, the table will be ready.
We had the pan con tomate and patatas bravas (pretty standard). We also got the scallop in a cool cucumber broth, rock shrimp (ask for extra bread to dip in the yummy olive oil broth), spring chicken with endives and fresh figs (I love figs), croqueta sampler with iberico pork/mushroom (truffley)/salted cod, and lastly, my favorite - bacon wrapped dates. The dates come in 3's. I loved all of the food, but if I had to pick something I wouldn't order again, it would probably be the croquetas. The mushroom one was good but the others were mediocre. We also had a yummy pitcher of white sangria with a touch of red and pomegranate. We finished with churros con chocolat. Not as great as anything I had in Spain, but decent.
Service was great - our hostess/waitress couldn't have been any friendlier or helpful with recommendations. I'd love to come back for more sangria (as if I needed a reason). This place has a very nice vibe/atmosphere.
So Good I Want To Glue My Tongue To Stuff In Their Kitchen
It has been brought to my attention that people on Yelp are starting to feel bad for me because they think I only go to horrible places where guys shave their facial hair into the shape of lightning bolts and where Balison pukes on someone. I wanted to dispell that myth. I actually go out and have a great time and enjoy the place I'm at often - it's just not very interesting to write about on Yelp. So fine. I'm going to write a review about a place I ate at this weekend that was so good that I'm considering giving up the gym in favor of sitting in a corner in this restaurant and becoming a paella-faced 400 lb land monster.
Are you kidding? This place made BRUSSEL SPROUTS taste like the best thing since carrot cake (highest compliment ever, and if you hate carrot cake then I hate you). I went with three of my girlfriends, and I think we shocked the waitstaff with how much we ordered and then actually consumed. But whatever. If someone was like hey why don't you try this fig that's been stuffed with all kinds of delicious cheeses and then wrapped in bacon and then given a hug by God, wouldn't you eat it too, and then everything else on the menu? I thought so.
The staff was really knowledgeable and helpful - for instance, they suggested we stop ordering when we just kept shouting the names of items on the menu. And they were right. They paced our meal perfectly, and one waiter was really excited about clearing our empty plates. And ya know, if you can get excited about that then you have the right attitude. Maybe he knew he was serving Jen S. though and didn't want me to write a review about how I wanted his face to explode. It's cool though, waiter guy, I was into you.
So that's it. There you have it. Jen S. went out and had fun and no one vomited and no one went on OkCupid. 5 stars for me for having a normal time.
We all feel so committed to the accuracy and detail of our reviews; I know I would like to think I have a "standard". If I asked any one of the Yelpers of how they write their reviews, more often than not the answer would be the same as mine; "I include the important facts supporting my rating". But, on this occasion I am reviewing an excellent property and awarding only 4 stars because my thoughts on a 5 star place make me hesitate thinking, "could this place be that good?"
Boqueria on Spring street is bright and lively. The space is comfortable with a modern feel. The kitchen is open with bar type seating around it and for the curious looking to watch a great kitchen in action, this is a fun place to sit. We needed some time to look over menu and wine list not because of it's size but because of the quality selection (as my friend had said, "we could be here all day just trying one thing after another"); and, it was that good. So, from the top we ordered the squid, croquettes and jamon: simple, fresh, balanced, and traditional style tapas. I actually lived in San Sebastian, Spain and was happily surprised at how good this place was. To add to the food, we ordered a great white wine from the daily special list and it was a great wine, balanced and food friendly.
A good value for your dollar, Boqueria in Soho was excellent. I am some what at odds with myself since this really was a five star experience but my sensibilities on the ultimate rating has me asking, "this couldn't have been that good?" And regardless of it being 5 or 4 star, after reading this review, one could only ask yourself, "why am I not sitting down and eating some of this wonderful food?" Try this place and like myself, you will be back for more.
My friend chose Boqueria for her 21st birthday dinner last night and we all kept praising her for the incredible choice of restaurant.
Having been to Spain a couple of times and gorging through cities such as Sevilla and Bilbao, I'm a tough critic when it comes to tapas and pinchos. Everyone in the group left the ordering up to me. I was ready to place an order for paella and 5 tapas, but our waiter suggested we either order less tapas with our paella or order more tapas and scrap the paella idea. We decided to throw down 4 more tapas because we wanted to try as much of the tapas as we could since it was the first time there for everyone in the group except for one.
I'm very happy our waiter took the time to offer the suggestion because we were all very excited to sample each dish. We each found our favorites and least favorites. Although the tapas are a bit Americanized, such as the jamon Serrano served on soft bread with garlic & basil bruschetta topping, I didn't mind at. If anything, the extra spreads and toppings only enhanced the flavors. The portions were huge. If I go in alone, I won't have to order more than 2-3 tapas.
They don't have tortilla espanola on the menu but they do serve it. It wasn't up to par for me. It was a grainy color and the texture was dry with a tough, crusty exterior.
The desserts had some of the rustic, Spanish countryside flair, especially in the crema catalana which had a terrific lemony zing and lined with beads of tapioca. One of my friends ordered the tarta de fruta and another one ordered the churros con chocolate.
Our reservation was for 6:30. By the time we walked out at 9:00, the front was so packed with people waiting for tables we had to squeeze and shove our way through. This last bit only reaffirmed how awesome this place is.
I went to this place a while ago and never wrote a review. But I have to say besides the cramped up seating the food was yummilicious! Really good food and the portions were decent. I am looking to go back!
BORICUA!!!!
no, no wait. boqueria. i've been living in new york for too long.
this always happens to me. i go somewhere with a good wine list, find something that i like, then proceed to drink so much of it that i can't remember what it was. oh well, just one of those things.
that said, i'm a sucker for tapas. something about telling everyone you ate some tasty morsels at a tapas (slurr word here) bar really makes me giggle. now if i could only find one that served venetian nipples.....
The atmosphere at boqueria is casual euro-trashy (it is soho, kids), with the standard somewhat pretentious wait staff and f-a-laming bus boys. ahhhh, sexual ambiguity goes so well with garlic shrimp.
we had the garlic shrimp (duh), meatballs (nothing do with the afore mentioned staff), bacon wrapped dates (oh g*d those were good), and some other stuff (read the first paragraph again).
i've heard it said that tapas is not considered manly manly hairy chest food but i dig it. it's like walking around a restaurant and trying a little bit from everyone's plate. without the aghast reactions and afronted attitudes.
so i give this lovely little joint four stars and two snaps.
I love the atmosphere here, which was very intimate yet casual. Service was very friendly yet unintrusive, so I was able to enjoy my conversation without being interrupted, yet they always made sure that we had everything we needed.
In terms of the food, to be honest I can't really remember how good it was, not because it wasn't memorable, but because I had such good company that I wasn't completely focused on the food the way I usually am. But I do remember that I enjoyed it.
- Sangria: they have three types, white, red, and rose with tequila. We had the rose with tequila, which was very refreshing
- Fried quail egg with chorizo on toasted bread: simple but very good, but then again, I've always loved eggs and chorizo
- Pan con tomate: just the right hint of garlic and refreshing tomatoes, although the bread did get a little soggy
- Patatas bravas: This was just ok- not quite as spicy or flavorful as I would have liked. The ones in Tia Pol were so much better.
- Seared lamb skewers: perfectly cooked, with a nice flavorful salsa verde on top. We actually got two by mistake, but the waitress ended up giving the second one to us on the house
- Croquettas: There were three types, mushroom, suckling pig, and salt cod, all crispy and light (or at least as light as croquettas can be). Although they were all good, the mushroom was my favorite. However, I still prefer the croquettas at Degustation, which to me has a more interesting and memorable flavor
- Vanilla, fennel, and olive oil ice cream: Vanilla was normal, fennel was good and had a very unique flavor, and olive oil, which I had heard about on Eater, really did taste like olive oil and was kind of a savory ice cream. However, I actually like the olive oil gelato at Otto better, which found the perfect balance between sweet and savory.
Overall, a pretty good tapas place although not my favorite.
One of my favorite meals in recent memory, partly because of the company, partly because I was already tipsy and mostly because of the amazing scallops special. We arrived at primetime on a Friday night and the place was packed. We were told it was going to be an hours wait but we were seated within 20 minutes. Everyone was friendly and helpful, the wine was delicious if not a little expensive and the scallops...oh the scallops! We spent half the night trying to figure out what was in the scallops, definitely butter, some lemon (maybe meyer lemon?), carmelized squash, fresh watercress, a little bacon or pancetta. I'm drooling. At $15 a pop, this tapas sized dish was not cheap but we had to get another order. Everything else we sampled was delicious as well. I cannot wait to go back.
Even though the tapas are priced mostly around and under the $10 mark, with a glass of wine at $15, you won't get out of here w/out spending a pretty penny.
Overrated. 2 Stars because I think all of the reviews I read set my hopes/expectations fairly high.
A friend and I decided to go to the SoHo location of Boqueria for tapas. Fortunately, we didn't have to wait for a table and were seated immediately. Our waiter had a large area of tables and was constantly running around, so it was very hard to get his attention, but I completely understand. The seats are fairly close together and it gets crowded, so it does get loud.
Since it was a fairly warm day, my friend and I decided to try the sangria. Big mistake. My red sangria tasted more like Kool Aid fruit punch - even the color was odd. Not worth the $8 a glass. I'm thankful I didn't let the waiter coerce me into buying a pitcher.
As for the tapas, I felt as though they were very hit or miss. The pan con tomate was decent. We ordered some tapas from the seasonal menu as well: A spinach dish, pulpo, and Swiss chard croquetas. The octopus was fantastic, the croquetas were very good, but the spinach was overloaded with garlic. I lost count at approximately 12 cloves of garlic and had the aftertaste of garlic the following morning - not good at all. The cheese we ordered (Garroxta) was great, but there's a serious problem if a restaurant messes up slices of cheese on a board/plate. For $6, there wasn't very much cheese I might add. The paella was obviously not prepared by anyone Spanish - there was weird cream stuff as garnish and the taste was all off.
For dessert, my friend and I shared the cheesecake, which was tasty and not too rich.
There's a good selection of tapas on the menu (both seasonal and regular), so there are probably ways to steer away from the sub-par tapas (providing you know which to avoid). All in all, I would say the tapas are hit or miss - they're either very good or very questionable.
Great food, great service. Perfect for a small party.
I already had a great impression of Boqueria from the 18th street location and this new SoHo location didn't disappoint. Their strengths are their delicious food, reasonable prices (considering their trendiness) and fantastic service.
The wait was 45 minutes for a party of 2 at prime time 9pm on a Saturday evening if you want to sit in the main dining area and put your name down on a list. However, do note that the bar and the bunch of tables that line up the corridor right by the entrance are all up for grabs, ie you don't have to put your name down on a list but simply stake your own claim by hovering near the diners and being quick enough to take over once they start getting up to leave. I waited only 10 minutes or so to find a table for me and my friend.
The food here is always delicious. Bacon-wrapped stuffed dates, croquettes etc, all delicious. There are a bunch of daily specials that your waiter will describe to you. Their white sangria by-the-glass is AMAZING, very fruity and sweet, the way I like it. Churros are always a winner too.
I highly recommend this place for a meal if you aren't rushed for time and are looking for a trendy but comfortable place to have a leisurely dinner with one or two friends. The atmosphere is busy and noisy but very cozy. The service is always attentive and knowledgeable.
Noisy, Packed, Modern Chill Tappas
Came here with a friend and wanted to order every dish on the menu - honestly needed a bigger group to try more. Love the decor here and the service. Definitely a place I will come again even if I'm alone and want to sit at the bar.
Must Haves!
*Brussel Sprouts with Chorizo - Excellent!
*Definitely agree with Ahu the Patatas Bravas were delicious
*Bacon Wrapped Dates stuffed with almonds. YUM!!
(Wanted more bacon though)
*The peppers were good if you're a pepper fan but I like the peppers
better here http://www.yelp.com/bi... - still an excellent choice!
Eh...
Did not like the whipped cod at all (but the server was nice about it -
he said it wasn't fishy but after one bite I was afraid seagulls would
chase me outside when I opened my mouth)
The special with pork & cheese that looks like lasagna (tasted like a
flour flavored pot pie. So we doctored it up with fresh lime, and salt
and it worked wonders!)
Date Rating: 8
Pick up Scale: 5 (not such a social place but you are literally sitting on your neighbor's lap. Wouldn't be hard to strike up a conversation)
Strong Suggestion: Come hungry
What's all the hype about?
I tried a few dishes, but the ceviche, octopus, and quail egg/chorizo all managed to be pretty bland. Jamon serrano was decent, probably your best bet.
Cool features: Open kitchen (you can see your food being prepared), nice selection.
Not-so-cool: Strategically placing coat and bag on either side of you so as not to involuntarily cuddle with your neighbor.
Welcoming and warm atmosphere. Had a real feel of a tapas place with the high raised seats and tables. Very attentive server who recommended an excellent wine. The dates wrapped in bacon were delicious, but I don't advise having them all to yourself. They're rich and need sharing, no matter how good they smell. My friend doesn't eat meat and was pleased to find that there were plenty of fish dishes. It was all tasty. I highly recommend.
Since my trip to Spain over 1.5 years ago, I was really tapa'd out. I have not craved all the traditional dishes such as patatas bravas or chiparrones or even paella. The lasting impression of tapas I've had are of the fried and bland bites and the thought of eating at tapas restaurants in the US has made me cringe. But after eating at Boqueria I can remember the vibrant flavors from the better, more modern Spanish eateries I had forgotten I'd had during my trip.
I swear all the dishes at Boqueria are cooked in chorizo fat or something because most of the tapas were incredibly rich and flavorful. Some of the highlights:
Patatas Bravas - perfectly seasoned and tasty even without the aioli
Pimientos de Padrón - Shishito peppers w/ sea salt
Cojonudo - little fried quail eggs and chorizo on mini toast (I can imagine the cook cracking open those little eggs and using a tiny spatula)
Lamb BACON - one of the specials of the night - delicious tender, fatty cut of lamb with squash puree
Paella Valenciana - seafood paella (a little greasy) with a perfect soccarat, browned crust at the bottom of the pan. It was served in the smallest paella pan I've seen and could be shared as an entree for 2.
We got there early enough for happy hour then dinner at 6:30 to avoid the crowds and the scene. Originally, we tried making reservations but for parties of 6 or more, they required a $40 minimum/person. Portions are pretty tiny for the price but the best part about eating in NYC is that if you're still hungry there are plenty of cheap, quick bites you can grab afterward.
Surprisingly well-run for such a new restaurant!
The menu, which is smaller than that of it's older sibling, Boqueria in Gramercy, is still fantastic. I still think that Boqueria (both locations) make the best sangria in the city. It's absolutely delicious.
Memorable plates:
Patatas Bravas - a must order. Very good, and a staple. Who doesn't like potatoes?!
Pimientos de Padron - they look just as good as they taste. Yum!
Brandada de Bacalao - the BEST!! My favorite. Never had whipped cod before, but it's superb.
Specials: Rouget, Pulpa - the Rouget was good, didn't try the Pulpa but the plate was cleared so that's a good sign!
Churro - I'm not a huge fan of this dish in general, but it's very popular. I guess it's the go-to dessert here!
Lastly, in terms of differences between this location and the other, the layout here is more open and spacious than the Gramercy location.
I would say 4.5 stars, but rounding up because I think they will only get better as they smooth out any growing pains. I will definitely be going back!
After seeing Boqueria on Urban Daddy yesterday, me and the boy decided to stroll over for a couple small plates and some sangria.
This second installment of Boqueria offers Spanish style tapas and regional wines just like it's original on W 19th St. We already expected there to be a wait, duh, it was the second night being open. The hostess was very nice and told us the wait would be about 30 minutes, which it was.
We ordered the almond and Valdeon stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. $7 for 3 dates
Next was the Bacaloa cake (whipped salt cod on toast) $8 for 2 pieces.
It was pretty good, but it was lacking in flavor. Plus, the toast was burnt.
Finally, we had a shrimp dish. I can't remember the exact name or ingredients. It was $13 for a small bowl of baby shrimps in a garlic and olive oil mixture. This was tasty. We asked for extra bread to soak up all the left over sauce.
Oh and I can't forget the sangria. It was probably my favorite flavor of the night.
Summary:
Food was just ok. I thought the portions were a little small for the price, but I know how it goes with tapas. The ingredients all tasted really fresh, but I think something was lacking in the dishes.
The service was great. The host and the waitress both did a great job and actually looked like they enjoyed their job. (A rare sight in Manhattan)
The decor was warm and welcoming. Good lighting. I like the open kitchen. The only thing I didn't like about the place itself was the music. I think at one point "here comes the rain again" by the Eurythmics came on. Not ok.
I might come back to sit at the bar, try a couple other tapas and have some sangria.
I really can't remember the last time that I had a dining experience that made me as happy as the dinner I had recently at Boqueria. I literally had a smile on my face the whole time I was here.
The service was absolutely outstanding. Everyone we encountered was friendly and hospitable. The place was packed by the time we arrived a little before 7:00 on a Saturday so we ended up sitting along the bar overlooking the kitchen. This actually turned out to be really cool because it afforded us a view of everything they were cooking and we got to make friends not only with the staff, but also with the other diners seated near us.
The food, although delicious, was really only one small part of the amazing experience I had here. Everything from the decor, to the service to the location and the overall vibe of the place was awesome. And, for the amount we ate and drank, the bill was really reasonable. If I ever get to New York, I will definitely be a regular here!
I'd tried to go to Boqueria not long after it opened, but the wait was too long, esp on a frigid day, and there's really not much space to hang out and have a drink (the whole front area is meant for that, but it was packed and overflowing with people). So I tried again a few weeks later and this time scored a bar table where my friend and I shared a pitcher of sangria while we waited for a table. We could have eaten where we were, but it was the closest table to the door, so every time a new party came in, we were blasted with winter chill.
We were seated a little over an hour later, so thank goodness for sangria and many years of catching up. We ordered the ensalada del momento, patatas bravas, the bacon-wrapped figs, a cheese plate and the brussel sprouts. Everything was yummy, the potatoes were a treat (who doesn't love fried potatoes?), and I loved the brussel sprouts. The service was ok, but we had to flag down a waiter to get more water and more bread for our cheese (4 slices for 3 cheeses? really?).
Anyway, we enjoyed the food, the wait wasn't too terrible, and the prices were about average. There was only 1 working bathroom the night we were there, which wasn't exactly convenient, but it's a new place so I guess they have some wrinkles to iron out. I can honestly say I've had better and worse tapas at other spots, so I'd definitely come back here.
LOVE this restaurant! Great food, affodable, great service. Cool, open kitchen bar towards the back to sit at. Great Tapas!
Yum!
It's fancy, yes. But Boqueria is also casual enough to not be off-putting.
I hung out here after pre-holiday shopping in the freezing December wind, and was SO happy to be inside drinking fantastic Spanish wine and sharing great food. My friend and I were curious about everything on the menu, and although it was a very busy Sunday night in SoHo, we did not feel rushed or crowded. Our waiter gave a few terrific suggestions, which we did well to follow.
We started with Datilés con Béicon (dates stuffed with almonds and Valdéon, wrapped in Bacon, $7 for three pieces -very good but I thought there should be at least one more on the plate), Txipirones (Baby squid a la Plancha, black olive vinaigrette, $11 -AMAZING!!! The best. So good.), Jamón Serrano (aged Spanish ham, just like we got every morning in Madrid, really good and familiar on toasted bread, $6), and then moved on to Cana de Lomo (hard cured pork loin on toasted bread, so-so, kind of bland for me, $5. I think the Braised lamb shank would have been a better choice.), and a special that was out of this world...shrimp sautéed with garlic in olive oil brought to the table in the little pan it was cooked in... I wish I could remember more details because it was fantastic).
We split a bottle of Torres "Gran Sangre de Toro" 2001. Beautiful, hearty blend from Cataluna, and one of the cheaper selections at $39. Loved it.
For dessert the waiter steered us towards the Crema Catalana Clásica
(caramelized creamy custard), and he was not wrong! I only wish I'd tried their Café con Leche with it.
I sat on a banquette facing the open cooking area, gazing at squid being grilled and the strange Jamon leg being covered and uncovered for slicing. I like sitting up high. My cold feet appreciated getting off the floor. It's a great-looking place, with authentic echoes like the tapas behind glass on the bar you pass on the way in. In Spain we appreciated being able to just point to what looked good.
I recommend Boqueria, and I'll be back. When I have another fifty to spare.
Neighborhood: Flatiron
Category: Spanish
Neighborhood: SoHo
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: SoHo
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: NoHo
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: SoHo
Category: Tapas Bars
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