Barrel Inn
208 E Meadow Ave, East Meadow, NY, 11554
Barrel Inn Menu
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Address :
208 E Meadow Ave
East Meadow, NY, 11554 - Phone (516) 794-1093
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Kiku C.
Had a really gorgeous meal at El Cid today - had to use that KGB voucher before it expired... we worried about some of the negative reviews, but WOW. What a meal. The octopus appetizer was heavenly - we both thought it was reminiscent of lobster. A gorgeous consistency and flavor! I had a mixed seafood dish, lots of mussels and clams and a gorgeous piece of fish in a savory, creamy sauce (good for bread dipping!) and he had the Paella, which was amazing (next time we'll request more spice though!) Two glasses of decent house wine - a white and a red. The wait staff was friendly, the decor is not our style but not offensive and certainly a clean place. We can't wait to go back!
(5)Ruth F.
I love this place, great Sangria, great service and not the typical over priced menu with great food. Will definitely be returning to try the happy hour or lunch!!I used a KGB deal with a friend for dinner on a saturday night and we had a great experience here. by the way the paella was delicious!!!
(5)Pallavi B.
This one has been pending for a month or more now. My husband got the Google offers deal for this place and we ended up eating there last month. The place was pretty packed for a Friday night and we were seated on the high rise stools. The moment we produced our coupon we noticed that our server's mood changed. I don't understand that why establishments give deals online and then have a difficult time honoring them? Well getting ahead of my story, they server promptly brought us olives and salad for appetizers which were fresh and flavorful. He also got us a glass of wine each and when I requested to replace mine for a glass of sangria he curtly refused saying that it was the only thing we could get under the deal.. One star minus 'cause of the server's attitude. I ordered a house salad for an appetizer and I must admit that it was one of freshest and tastiest dressing that we have eaten on a salad for a long long time. My husband and I killed it. For entree' my husband ordered a Merluza En Salsa Verde for himself and he absolutely loved it. I ordered Paella Vegetariana and I simply couldn't believe what I was eating. It was so fresh and flavorful that my taste buds danced with joy! I ate slowly so as to savor each and every flavor that wonderful dish contained. After our main course we ordered flan for dessert and shared it. It was one of the best flans that I've eaten in town. We ended up paying $14 over and above the Google deal but the food was def, worth it. We are going back again for the food but not without a deal for sure.
(3)Bill B.
The service as good as was the atmosphere. However, the food was average. KI know this is a tapas place but the portions were too small. My friend had a red sangria which he described as very good. He then decided on a margarita. We both watch in total amazement that the bartender grabbed a milk jug with pre made margaritas in it and poured it in a glass. That is not a margarita, especially for a tapas place. It should be fresh made. I personally would not go back and would not recommend it to others.
(2)Lee K.
Food is fine. Host is very friendly and welcoming. Service is quick and speedy. Could be a great place if they just fix a few things. Like... Don't rush the food. Give us some time before bringing things out so quickly. Have the waiter engage in a bit of conversation instead of rushing us to order. Make it more personal. Change the music. Do we really need another Chelsea type lounge inspired restaurant? There are a million of those. Soccarat down the street has a fun rock and roll soundtrack and it's packed. Take note and offer us a similar vibe so you can pack em in as well. A little more time to find it's niche and this place could be very good.
(2)Carol W.
I didn't know what to expect when I made dinner reservations at El Cid's new location. I'd eaten at the old well-established locale, a cramped space on 15th St. between 8th and 9th that always had a line to get in. The new space is definitely an improvement. My friend and I had 3 of their tapas dishes in their very pleasant roof garden--you don't even know you're on 8th Avenue! Ambience, service and food were all great. I asked for sherry as an after-dinner drink. They didn't have any, but our young waiter suggested a rose, which was nicely dry and faintly smoky, like--sherry! How did he know?! Our dishes of marinated smoked salmon, chicken with ratatouille, and traditional Spanish potato omelette were all tasty and satisfying, and there's enough to choose from the hot and cold tapas offerings to please every palate. We were offered free glasses of prosecco, but by then we were sated! We were pleasantly surprised by the bill--since we'd come during happy hour, our wines were only $5 each. The nice thing about tapas is that you can order a lot or a little, and not feel self-conscious about it. On our way out, we were given drink and food coupons. They're trying hard to get return customers, but I'd go back regardless.
(4)Sarah M.
Amazing tapas place that's not too well known & the food is just as good as Bocqueria, in my opinion. I've been here a few times & it's never been that crowded - hopefully it stays that way! I definitely recommend the scallops & the meatballs. Great, friendly service & wine collection as well. Also, it's a Savored partner, so you can save 30% on the bill!
(5)Chris J.
I found this spot while on a hunt for a bite before a movie and I love a good Tapas joint. I will say they have a few kinks to work out, the staff seemed a little all over the place, but the one thing that made it enjoyable was the service from my bartender Jay. Dude really helped navigate through what would otherwise be an unbearable menu process trying to decide which tapas to choose and he was 3 for 3. All of my items were delish, especially the sardines...I know right!!! F'n SARDINES!! White Sangria was good, needed a little more kick, so I hope they work that recipe out as every spot needs one signature drink. I do believe over time this place will get better.
(4)Jimmy F.
Awesome early afternoon tapas and $5 sangria.
(4)Barbie R.
I took my boyfriend here on Tuesday and used my KGB deal here. $25 for $70 worth of food. We ordered two glasses of red wine, Pollo Con Pisto, and two Paellas Valencianas. We both loved the Pollo con Pisto which is chicken breast with spanish ratatouille. The sauce was excellent. We also enjoyed the Paellas. The only complaint I had was that there was only one shrimp in my Paella but overall it was a great Paella.
(4)Elizabeth H.
Was motivated to come in by the $5 margarita/sangria happy hour. The drinks were amazing! We stayed for the tapas. It was definitely on the pricey side for me for what I thought was kind of small portions even for tapas. But overall everything was delicious and the $5 (strong) drinks were amazing! The ambiance is so nice, dark and quiet. I'll definitely be returning.
(3)Nathalie M.
Beware this is not food from Spain! My first sign that this was not from Spain is when I passed by a table and saw broccoli on top of the paellas. I have never seen broccoli in a paella. My mother is from southern Spain so I grew up eating great Spanish food in and out of Spain. I went with my husband and a group of friends to try the tapas. The sangria drink was a bit sweet for my taste. They probably bought it at Sam's Club. The croquetas were awful, we could not distinguish which ones were the bacalao fish ones or the chicken ones. They just tasted like a ball of flavorless batter, definitely poured into a deep fryer, they tasted as they were frozen from a bag and not homemade. The only thing good at this place is the service, our waiter was very nice and offered to replace the bad croquetas with an order of pollo con patatas tapas size. I did not like this restaurant, they should not call this food from Spain. Either get a Spanish chef and make real food from Spain or call it a Latin infusion restaurant so people don't get fooled. If you want paella, go to Socarrat. I am still searching for a good tapas bar from Spain in NYC....
(1)Bob R.
Staff was nice, decor was nice, but it was really cold inside. The food was good , what there was of it at least, but it was really expensive, to the point where I felt ripped off when we got the bill. I have lived in the neighborhood for many years and pretty much know what to expect price wise, but I thought this was on the high side, and only one of us, in a party of two was drinking alcohol. I have paid way less with two people drinking, and been way more satisfied . I realize tapas aren't necessarily like entrees in portion size, but come on, $14 for a one person salad was crazy. The bill for two of us was $100 bucks before tip, which was about $25 more than I would have anticipated in a usual scenario. It would probably be a good place to go and sit at the bar, have sangria with some tapas and then go somewhere else for dinner.
(2)Mike H.
Went there for a late lunch with my gf and Google Offers deal. It was alright for me. Pros: Atmosphere was nice, waiters were friendly. +2 Stars Paella was great, delicious, defintely would recommend. +2 Stars Cons: Definitely too costly without the coupon. Thanks Google! -1 Star Neutral: Tapas and wine were really medicore. Bottom line is defintely would not go back without a coupon. Paella is highly recommended.
(3)Peter M.
I had a great meal this weekend. Very nice salad with artichoke hearts, and very tasty soft shell crabs, and then a very fresh grilled branzino (whole fish). The staff was very attentive. I would definitely recommend it.
(4)Donna F.
Well, I got a Google Offer and I thought I would try it out. It was a good way to connect with a friend of mine and for Cheap! The service was great and the food was amazing!!! I did not expect it to be as good as it was. Totally bringing the husband next time!
(4)Tony F.
Something is fishy here! Are Nisos and El CID kitchens connected! Tapas dishes were void of robust Spanish flavors! 2nd chance in order!
(2)Diane I.
Great Tapas In Chelsea - this place just opened up and the owner, Francisco, also owner of Sol Y Sombra has done a fabulous job. The food is as expected, wonderful and the drinks are great. They also have a nice Happy Hour with a friendly crowd. I can't wait till they open the upstairs that they are still working on. Great find in Chelsea!!
(5)Sophie L.
I bought a deal and took my hubby to check out this place. I can't say it was bad, can't say it was great either. For some reason it was cold inside. Decor is very simple (ordinary tables and chairs/bar stools like in any regular Irish pub). Stuff is nice and kind of attentive. I loved my paella (that's the only thing that was really good in my experience here). My husband ordered chicken.... and got a huge white plate with 5 tiny pieces of chicken that didn't cover even 1/4 of the plate. Disappointing! We ended up sharing my paella. I don't think we will be back.
(3)Steven L.
When in NYC there are many great restaurants, and you can always spend a lot of money. However finding the rebirth of this restaurant, allows me to come back often, never getting tired of the menu. Being able to order the Tapas, when by yourself or entertaining, allows you to have many different tastes, without going bankrupt. Also known for their Sangria and wine list, their Happy Hour is a great place to meet and talk with friends after work. Their new Private Outdoor Deck, should be opening soon, making this a great little hideaway.
(5)Michelle M.
Hey all! I really enjoyed the tapas here. The staff is very welcoming. Sit at the bar and enjoy a great chat with the bar tender or sit at one of the street front tables. Loved the chicken tapas, the steak, and the mushroom tapas were a Very good. Also enjoyed the Flan. Would go back again!
(4)AJ W.
I made my way passed the Rawhide bar an S and M joint that has a big tray of ice water out for doggies which is cool. I got to El Cid and hooked up with my wife. I wanted to sit in a chair with a view of the sidewalk so I could watch the gay people pass by but we were ushered upstairs to the heterosexual section. I got the impression that the staff believed the gays did not want to look at women. They had some techno-disco music playing that sucked. I thought these people who own the place could not be gay otherwise they would not have that awful music playing. The tapas were great, shrimp, pork, quail all very good. But the staff was over attentive. Every five minutes someone would ask if everything was alright. They wanted to serve me a pitcher of sangria - I could imagine the size of the pitcher but I opted for a $30 credit for a bottle of Spanish wine. They checked the voucher and then brought it. The waiter asked if we were tourists, did we live in the neighborhood etc. He was trying to find out if we would come back as the restaurant was losing money on the deal. When the check came they padded it and it had to be re-calculated. The food was good but if I had to pay the normal amount for these small plates I probably wouldn't have been that happy. I got the notion that the place was there to exploit homosexuals. It reminded me of some pre-Stonewall place that my gay friends and I used to go to in the Village.
(1)Denise D.
After having some drinks, my friend and I were wandering around for a bite to eat. We wanted tapas, and happened upon this place. It was a beautiful night, so we asked to be seated outside. Upstairs they have an outdoor dining area. There is no view whatsoever, but if you just want to be outdoors on a warm evening, then might as well. It was her birthday, so we wanted to keep on drinking, so we ordered a pitcher of white sangria for the two of us. The sangria was alright. Nothing special. We ordered the calamari to share, as well as the paella. The calamari was a bit salty, and the paella was nothing outstanding. As a whole, the food was just average. For the service, it was pretty bad. Our server was friendly, but disappeared for long periods of time. I don't know if he was just letting us chat, or just preoccupied elsewhere, but he needed to check in more often. We waited forever to ask for the check. When two girls who are catching up and chatting up a storm have noticed that you have been gone for a very long time, you know that's bad. I don't plan to come here again any time soon.
(2)Jenn Y.
I'd like to give El Cid 2.5 stars to be exact. Came here with a few colleagues for dinner. Our original go to spot for Sangria is under new management so this was the next best choice. The service was great, though I think because my colleague is a regular. The Sangria was eh.. We tried the Red, the White, the Cava and the Passionfruit. All of which I thought was ok, none of them were outstanding. The food was good, we enjoyed numerous tapas- cheese and apples, chorizo, garlic shrimp; the tastiest in my opinion was the chicken in garlic sauce over French fries. Winning dish of the evening hands down was the Mocha Flan. It was mocha in disguise! The texture was exceptionally smooth, and the mocha flavor slowly creeped up on you. Compliments to the dessert chef. El Cid is worth a try; however, I am still on my search for fantastic Sangria. Please let me know if you have any recommendations!
(2)S P.
Always liked the 15th St. hole in the wall predecessor to this new opening up the street on 8th Ave. I know they are just getting started, but the service was execrable. We ordered two appetizers for 3 of us: only one showed up before the entrees, and the other had to be re-ordered. Oh, and about the entrees. Two of the three appeared; after flagging down a waiter, the third materialized about 15 minutes later. No indication from anyone there that they thought any of this was a problem. Food was decent--not quite as good as what I remember from 15th St., but no food could justify the awful service. I guess I will have to give them some time, but these are basics that should be in place on day one, or you have no business opening the door.
(2)Alejandro G.
Went with my wife. We were the only ones there, although it was sunday noon. We first ordered an appetizer. The appetizer was raw salmon with veggies. We werent expecting it to be raw so my wife asked the waiter if he could quickly slap it on the grill and bring it back to us...he declined by saying "thats the way it comes" My wife insisted politely to cook it. He still would not do it. Again, the joint was empty...it wasn't even packed. So after he refused to cook our raw fish, he strolled back to the TV to keep watching the soccer game with a fellow employee. The soccer game was the focus of his duties our whole time there. The main course was okay. Nothing mind blowing. Maybe he thought I was not a worthy customer since I walked in with a Google Offer coupon. Was gonna tip him $20 since I was getting a cheap lunch anyway. But decided to stick with the regular 15% for the lousy service, and hes lucky he got that. I should have given him junk change.
(1)Jared N.
Not sure how to feel about this place. I don't know if the waiters speak English. The goodlooking bartender does, definitely. But I got such a weird vibe from all the waiters. It's also empty at weird times when youd think it would be packed. Its great that they're in a place where there aren't much for options besides Italian & Thai. The calamari was alright. Nothing here was spectacular, just 3 star worthy, but the salad sucked majorly.
(2)Matthew S.
People who are saying this place has great tapas I fear have never had great tapas before. The pulpo (octopus) was bland, and the artichokes and asparagus came from a can/jar. How are you going to charge $8 or whatever it was for canned vegetables decorated with iceberg lettuce and pale tomatoes? And why are you even serving canned vegetables? It's tapas, you don't need to have that many vegetarian dishes, people don't expect that. Just don't serve them, rather than serving that blech. And we asked if the artichokes were fresh, the waiter said yes! The only fresh vegetable tapas were the leaks, which were terribly bland, and the mushrooms, which were actually tasty. So 1 out of 5. Won't be back.
(2)Gen T.
Hands down the worst restaurant I have ever eaten at. The food was all out of cans and tasted old. They threw a tiny bit on a large white plate with no garnish as if to make it appear as unappetizing as it tasted. I eat out a lot and have been to some shady restaurants but this one takes the cake... The long thick black hair I found in my meatball really sealed the deal. Ugh still feel sick thinking about it. And the worst part was it was pretty expensive for what they are serving. Nyc has enough good restaurants that ones like this shouldn't be open...The health board should really shut this place down.
(1)aa W.
Nice looking space with pleasant service. The sangria and french fries were terrific.....the entrees were awful.....little wonder it is usually empty while many other close-by 8th Avenue restaurants are packed.....Ya esta suffciente . . .
(2)Jacquelyn R.
Had a very late lunch here w the girls. The sangria both red and white was very very good. We hit it at happy hour so the prices were good. It wasnt the best tapas i have had but not bad. The garlic shrimp was decent. The calamari was ok. The chips and guac were good. The service was very pleasant and the atmosphere was nice (upstairs). My favorite dish was the chorizo. It wasnt a bad place but not the best tapas i have had.
(3)Devin D.
Terrible service and only okay drinks. While there was nothing wrong, per se, about El Cid, weeks later I'm having a hard time remembering anything about the place. Lackluster on all points, and I will not be back.
(2)Celina K.
The waiters will try to fool you with happy hour specials. The sign downstairs can say one thing and your bill will say another. Food is mediocre at best. Service is horrible, especially upstairs where the servers are often engaged in a dance party.
(2)Jessica W.
My girlfriend and I came here on a cold wet afternoon. We got there just in time for HH and the deals were amazing. A 4 dollar glass of sangria? Who can beat that? We had the fried calamari, bisteca, and a chicken garlic dish. They were all delicious. Our bartender Louis Miguel was great, he kept recommending drinks and food. All the dishes he recommended were awesome. Can't wait to come back when I can actually drink and not watch my friend drink! Those damn warning label on the antibiotics, it was VERY difficult to stay sober and dry!! Good crowd at the bar after 6:30, a good mix of people.
(5)Chelsea C.
There was a mouse as soon as we walked in. Unfortunately did not even sit down before we decided to walk out. GROSS!
(1)Anita S.
We loved El Cid! Great prices for awesome food and drinks. Lively crowd and a really fun place to go anytime!
(5)Katrina S.
El Cid is THE BOMB for happy hour, which is perfect, because it's basically always happy hour at El Cid. Their drink menu spans any flavor of margarita, sangria, mojito, etc. that you can imagine. Many days, you can snag a glass of sangria for $2-3! I've never seen anyone order food here, which I suppose is typical for a lot of Chelsea spots. Maybe because the music is bumpin'? There's lots of house music with a Spanish flair, so I guess if you're the doorman club type, El Cid would be your ideal pregame Mecca.
(4)Laura G.
Love the happy hour great for afternoon drinks margaritas are only 5$ and they have alot of flavors the guacamole and chips are great also. I also recommend the solomillo its delicious!!!!!
(4)Glen K.
I used to eat at El Cid back when they were on 15th Street.. it was a nice surprise to see them open again, with some of the same menu favorites that I missed. Noteworthy menu items: Pulpo a la gallega, Boquerones (anchovies but not the salty kind you get on pizza), Albondigas, Bacalao, Calamares al Ajillo (grilled, not fried), Solomillo.. and the best -- Torrejas (dessert). Lamb chops were good but $25 is expensive for 3 chops. So glad to see El Cid back. (LOL, I reviewed this place 8 years ago on Yelp. Proof that this is a real review!)
(5)Christopher M.
Didn't eat here. Had a drink. Bartender Luis Miguel was awesome. Good services deserves 5 stars.
(5)Erik L.
Had only been for drinks in the past. Had dinner here the other night and the food was not good at all. We ordered 8 or so dishes and all were disappointing. Even the wine tasted skunked.
(1)Carlos R.
What a shame of spanish food.... Not hones people, not honest food.. Something as simple as olive oil.... The kept giving me cooking oil... What a shame.... What a disgusting place.... Please don't waste your money
(1)Lisa W.
Came here for brunch only because: - I walk by it all the time, and they are always advertising boozy deals - I needed a place for brunch that was not too crowded so I could hear myself think (i.e. this place is generally pretty empty, and I'm sure doesn't get much business) - I needed a place with wifi Their brunch deal is very reasonable $14.95 for any brunch entree + 2 drinks (mimosa, bloody mary, or sangria). I got a 3 egg white omelet w/ mushroom, cheese, onion that came with potatoes and a small salad. Pretty standard. My biggest issue was the drinks. The bloody mary was WAY too salty, the vodka was clearly very cheap, and it just overall tasted plain weird. Moreover, I could tell the alcohol was extremely cheap because of both the taste and how I felt an hour or two later, throbbing headache and just heated up from the inside out. This place is located at a very prime location right at the corner of 19th and 8th, and has so much potential just based on it's geographical placement... but falls short on so many aspects, inside it really isn't that cozy, and despite all the advertisements for cheap, and I mean super cheap, alcohol deals ($3 for wine or beer from 12-8pm, or $5 sangria ALL day etc.), this place is almost always sadly pretty empty. I feel they need to completely revamp the branding or do something to get more people in the door that has a more refined feel to it as I feel like customers will generally get lured in by the deals, but then nothing really sticks out to make you want to return.
(3)Mireille R.
I was in the neighborhood to celebrate my friend's birthday but the Venezuelan restaurant down the block we planned to go was closed so after strolling around we settled on this place. It's basically a tapas bar and we enjoyed a variety of hot and cold tapas - soft shell crab, lamb chops, poached pear, Manchego & raisin bread, scallops in Asparagus sauce. Happy Hour with fantastic Sangria. Everything was delicious with a friendly and attentive staff, however prices were a bit steep and definitely save this outing for a special occassion as you'd break the bank account if you frequent this place too often for the food. However, a great atmosphere if you're just coming for the bar
(4)Denisse G.
Can't wait to go back! The rooftop is cute and its the best place to have brunch. Theres beach balls on the floor and you get a nice view of Chelsea. I came for the prices and it was just great. Brunch is 2 drinks and an entree for $14.95 or you can do unlimited drinks for 1 hour and get your meal for $24.95. I did the first option. The huevos ranchero was very delicious. Everything was perfect except the beans weren't refried. I kind of expected that but it was still good. My bf got the Cid burger and he loved the pineapple. The Rum punch was strong and so good like I love it. Needless to say, we were happy. The service was great and the host/ waiter were friendly and had genuine smiles on the faces. I'll be back ya'll. I may try the reg menu but I usually stick to what I know works.
(4)Benjamin H.
I will freely admit I came here with extremely low expectations, having been to Spain thrice in recent memory. As a longtime neighborhood resident, though, I felt somewhat obligated to give it a go. Chelsea is blessed with a number of very competent Spanish restaurants (Txikito, Quinto Pino, Boqueria, Tia Pol, La Nacional, Soccarat, to name a few), but even without said competition, El Cid would be considered well below par in my book. We ordered 3 dishes to get a sense for the kitchen, and were disappointed in all three. Naturally, we declined to order more. Chicken Croquetas were a safe starter but missed the velvety texture typical of croquetas made with a béchamel base. What really threw me off here was the side of marinara sauce they came with. Yes, marinara sauce. Puerros con Setas were a few strips of leek with flavorless button mushrooms - underseasoned and decidedly unexciting. Mollejas (sweetbreads) arrived burnt. The garlic they were cooked with was also burnt and anyone who cooks knows exactly how overpowering burnt garlic can be. These were served with some kind of sweet and sour cabbage side that could only be described as "gross". After one sweetbread, we sent this dish back. Inedible. I gave El Cid 2 stars because the service was quite attentive and appropriately apologetic when our disappointment became evident. The drink specials and lively bar scene seemed like it might be fun, but purely for food, you have plenty of tapas alternatives nearby that would be far more worthy of your dollars.
(2)Nick A.
The happy hour drinks were fine - not high end in any way, but servicable - but the food prices are another matter. Fried calamari, about twelve pieces for $15, was a rip-off. Similarly, guacamole and chips, fresh (as were the chips) but unflavored, at $11 were a turn-off. If this place made the food as acessible asthe booze, they'd have way morehappy customers. I'd go back for the deck in summer, the OK drinks,but not for. The over-priced food.
(3)lisa a.
Went here last night for Happy Hour drinks & dinner. Such a nice ambiance, great service. Loved the $5 sangria! The Garlic Chicken dish was very good and I loved the rice. Will come back!
(4)Nikki L.
So surprised to see these low reviews because my experience at El Cid was spectacular. My mojito was expertly made and my tapas were delicious. My waiter, who provided excellent service, suggested the lamb chops and they were perfect. I would definitely recommend El Cid for dinner and drinks.
(5)Olivia R.
My girlfriends and I had hoped to get into a different paella place down the street, but it was packed so we landed at this one. The happy hour looked interesting, and we were hungry so we were shuttled upstairs. The ambiance wasn't as nice on the second floor, and despite the few customers, service was slow. The sangria was pretty weak, and the food - paella valenciana, patatas bravas and chorizo, were all mediocre. I'd skip this spot and wait for a table at a more well reviewed establishment.
(2)Katie H.
Adorable bar. The design is very pleasing to the eye. Stumbled over to El Cid from a brunch excursion. Under the influence to say the least. Luis-Miguel (sorry about the spelling) was our bartender. Such a fantastic bartender. As a bartender, we spoke about the job.. casual drinking convo. Cannot give justice to his service. Very attentive to our requests and can make an amazing pitcher of sangria. The 5 of my friends that went here were a bit sloppy. Lol, tears and conversations along with massive alcohol consumptions influenced our visit here. Rodrigo, one of the employees at El Cid was also SUCH a sweetheart. He was speaking to my rather intoxicated friends, never once seeming annoyed or frustrated with the aggravating situation. I say this as I work in the industry and understand how aggravated people can get. Totally advise anyone to come here. Great drinks and lovely people. Buy Luis a shot of Jameson! Whiskey is always the answer.
(4)Taylor C.
Came here with friends recently looking to find a new regular spot in the area. We were excited bc the happy hour was so great and it was the only restaurant not packed. Drinks: 4 stars affordable and strong while tasting great. Good: 2 disappointing. My friend ordered 2 tapas and they were good, I had the paella and it was nothing special and kind of hard to finish. Service: -1. I was gonna give this place a good review until the service. My friend ordered 2 tapas which came out instantly, my other friend ordered a different paella which came out as she finished 1 plate (10 min later....) and my paella came out 30 min after. My friends awkwardly sat there with empty plates before I received mine. I understand a rushed kitchen but there was only 3 other tables and our server sat around talking to another sever and the manager even sat there and watched as we tried to flag him down for 10+ min. Which might I add was to order more food but since he was too busy we decided against it. Eventually 3 breadbaskets later my paella came out with veal (after requesting none) and was obviously just sitting in the kitchen for 10 min which was why it was so late... The server forgot when we were his only table. Can't say I'll be back except for happy hour....
(2)Rusty R.
Really, this is 2.5 stars. Went in with a voucher - $70 worth of food. I think I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 for it. Got 2 glasses of wine, 1 appetizer, and 2 entrees. Wasn't allowed to sit on the roof (the voucher "isnt' for the roof"....um, huh?). Appetizer was pork tenderloin. It was fine, neither here nor there. For an entree I got gambas ajillo. It was rather bland. The vegetables on the side were good, though. Friend got Arroz con Pollo which was served almost like a paella. It too was very bland. Wine was fine. Table bread was cold and butter was frozen. Service was average. Bill came and tip was added in for us. When it's a large party that's one thing, but a "required" tip for 2 people is inappropriate. Didn't fight it because the amount was about what we'd pay anyway, but that's presumptuous. All in all, once I paid tax, tip, and the +/- $20 for the voucher, I paid $40 for a meal for two. Not bad by NY standards, but considering the quality of the food I'd say it was still on the high side. Wouldn't return, there are too many better options in the immediate vicinity.
(2)Karen E.
Drinks way too sweet. Bartender will pour unwanted gravy on your plate. Terrible music for the ambiance. Overall a bust. But the Joyce across the street has incredible shows.
(2)Candice L.
This is a local haunt for us. The atmosphere here is great and we can usually find a seat. The upstairs of the place has a rooftop patio that is quite nice and something of a hidden gem. So let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. The food here is *meh*... which boggles my mind a bit because it's basic tapas... how hard could it possibly be? Just make sure you have fresh ingredients and don't be a cheapskate with the portions right? We ordered the ham and the shrimp and the serrano ham they gave us was REALLY dry and chewy- like it had been sitting in the fridge a few days in an unsealed package. It was borderline jerky. The shrimp was tasty... but they were quite small and we only go like 6 of them if I remember correctly. And there shrimp would not be considered "large" or "jumbo" by any stretch of the imagination... so while the food was not very good, the sangria was delish! As was the service. This place usually has happy hour and other drink specials going on so it's a good place to stop in if you are looking to chill or grab a quick drink. I would skip the food.
(2)L. Eliza C.
I was looking forward to Lasagna next door but it is gone! So as I am there with my friend staring at a now empty restaurant, the promoter for El Cid told us it was closed for a few months. He was friendly and we figured why not give it a try. Pros: 1. Good sangria. There is white sangria. 2. Desert is delicious! 3. Staff is friendly. 4. They wont rush you out. 5. Good olives as free starters. Cons: 1. It is a tapas place so don't expect big sizes but do expect big bill that quickly adds up from the tapas. 2. Prices are not told when you order from the special menu. 3. Our bill was about $80 and I still had to buy a slice of pizza afterwards. I was hungry. 4. I had a nice potato salad which basically was home fries with ketchup of some sort but it was a small plate for $10. Will I come back, most likely, but only for drinks and desert. Not a place to go if you are hungry.
(3)Caroline B.
I was really excited to try to this restaurant, as it was a summer day and they keep the front of the restaurant open and breezy. I also thought the menu looked interesting. Please note that I served in the Army, and( actually enjoyed some of the food while down range!) I am not too much of a food snob in other words. I ordered the garlic chicken and I have to say it. was one of the most dry and flavorless experiences of my life. I know that not every meal comes out perfect, and I am grateful that I can afford to eat out .I work hard and when I decide to spend money eating out I would something prepared by a professional chef who cares. The service was pretty good. I may try it again.. One of the managers saw my review and reached out to me regarding my experience. I am impressed that they care about their customers, and will definitely go back as this type of treatment is much appreciated and very rare.
(2)Tracy M.
During happy hour at the bar, wine is $5 and margaritas are $6. Pretty good! They also serve some olives / tortilla espanola as you sip. Reminded me of Espana, which I loved! The boyfriend had bought two dinner coupons online and we needed to use them here. We got to try the paella valenciana, arroz con pollo, and hake (fish). Definitely was not impressed with the hake as I thought it wasn't as fresh as it should've been. The other two dishes were enjoyable. Overall, a decent place for happy hour.
(3)Scott H.
If you were blindfolded and transported to this place and opened your eyes, you would think you were in Delaware from a decor perspective. This place would have so much potential but doesn't deliver. The first time I was there, I had a decent tapas plate while I watched whom I believe is the manager or owner getting drunk by himself at the bar. I have been back a couple more times and had some of the sangria but it is very weak. For $5 it seems like a good deal, but its not that great. I ordered the chicken croquetas and they were like pasty, doughy, and cardboard-like. Flavorless and a waste of money. And then last night we gave their rooftop a chance. It was a bust. 15 minutes passed before anyone came by to take our order. We purposely waited to see how long it would take. Given our past experience with the croquetas before and how long it took to get even the slightest attention, I decided we would stick to a liquid dinner of beer. Ended up ordering a glass of wine too but it was rancid and I sent it back. Meanwhile one of the managers is sitting at the table next to us with stacks of invoices, a ledger and a calculator conducting his nightly paperwork. Seemed unprofessional to me on a Friday night to be doing that in the middle of the rooftop patio while people are trying to enjoy. There is a good waiter downstairs but have been unimpressed with the others. One of the waiters on a different occasion continually got into my gal-pal's personal space and made her feel uncomfortable as he hit on her and sounded like he was drunk. 4 or 5 visits, not a fan. I gave it a fair shot.
(1)Jason G.
This place is definitely a dive, BUT there is always a time and a place for cheap decent food. Nothing to write home about, but not offensive.
(2)Will F.
First of all I can't understand how this place's Yelp rating is so low. Ignore all other reviews and trust this one. Second, the service was amazing. There was an amazingly friend guy at the door who drew my friend and I inside. (Though the Happy Hour specials helped.) Then our waiter was really friendly and knowledgable. Hell, even the bus boy who cleared our plates was polite and asked us how our meal was. When does that happen? Then there was the great meal. My friend and I had the tapas Lamb Chops which were on special and were phenomenal. They came with a side of these potato chips that they make which blew our minds. I would have never have believed that potato chips could be such a great side to dinner. And the lamb chops themselves? Amazing. There was no fancy sauce, nothing to obstruct the flavor of perfectly cooked medium rare lamb. And the margaritas were fantastic. I had a classic margarita on the rocks. My friend had a frozen mango margarita. Both of is were incredibly pleased. Maybe it was the wonderful company I was keeping that added to this moment. But dining here was a highlight of an already wonderful evening. We were lucky to find this place just walking up 8th.
(4)Jordan L.
Bar hopping doesn't always lead to good things. On a casual Saturday bar hopping with friends, we stumbled upon this place. It was EMTPY on a Saturday afternoon on 8th ave. That should have been my warning to stay away. From outside, it looked fairly nice. It was when we started to drink we realized our mistake. I started with a Barcelona draft called Estrella. Flat and tasteless. I'm thinking this keg hasn't been switched out in some time. My fiance had herself their sangria and was met with the same level of disappointment. Whatever house wine they are using, it's cheap stuff, and not the good cheap kind. Needless to say, we decided not to stay for food. Bottom Line: This place looks good, but the offerings are sub par.
(1)Thomas A.
If you're named after a Charlton Heston flick - I'm going to give you a shot. And boasting that you have the best Iberian food in the United States is a mighty big claim. All I can vouch for - the happy hour $5 glass of sangria really hits the spot right before heading across the street to the Joyce Theater. (Being buzzed really helps with understanding contemporary dance.)
(3)Brian P.
My girlfriend and I had 20 minutes before a performance at the Joyce across the street, Fish tacos and shrimp tacos from the tapas menu were fantastic, big, and ridiculously cheap. This is an attractive place with very good food that would be a good value even if they raised their prices 50%.
(5)Margi S.
My favorite place to go for a light lunch. A meal is typically $8 and has a variety from Spanish food to a salad or a burger. Comes with a salad or soup- loved the soup! I usually order the chicken with garlic sauce and it's really good. Their drink specials always keep me coming back. You can't go wrong with $3 sangria during Happy Hour! They have red, white, and pink sangrias that are all delicious. The waiters are all extremely nice and always very sweet. Love coming here and getting to see my favorite waiter and host. I recommend this place to all my friends, it's definitely worth a shot.
(4)Kelly S.
I live in the neighborhood and El CID is one of my go tos. Simply put - Great food, drinks, atmosphere and service. Luis Miguel was very friendly and constantly asked if I needed anything.
(5)Lina K.
My friend has been coming here for years and I finally had the opportunity to try it. So happy that I did! The red sangria was delicious ... sweet but not too sweet with just a hint of lip puckering citrus bite! One carafe was enough for the two of us to get a good buzz ... next time we'll go for two! ;-) The waiter brought over a small plate of olives and potato pieces before we ordered. We settled on four tapas ... two hot and two cold. My favorite was the pulpo gallego. I normally don't like squid, in fact, I hate when my friends order calamari because of the rubbery texture of the dish. The pulpo gallego was SO GOOD .... Perfectly cooked to the point of an almost lobster-like consistency. I am definitely getting this again. The other tapas were swordfish (wonderfully marinated), steak and the signature omelet. All were very good with crisp and flavorful vegetable garnish on the swordfish and outrageously good fries with the steak. Rodrigo, the host, was charming and attentive. When he found out it was my birthday, he sent over the flan de cafe, which was creamy with concentrated coffee flavor in the caramelized part (yum!!!!), and a dessert liqueur. Incredibly sweet! All in all, I thought El Cid was a great dining experience! The atmosphere in the new location was inviting and relaxed, the service impeccable and the food wonderful. And let's not forget the sangria .....
(4)LISA N.
First off I'm confused...why is it when you Google this place it says that it's CLOSED?? They really need to fix that because they're losing business that way. Anyways my friend got some deal here, 5 tapas and a pitcher of sangria. The sangria was yummmmmy we ended up getting another sangria..the red sangria is highly recommended! DO get the anchovy, meatball, and steak tapas. DON'T get the quail tapa, and even the scallops weren't worth it to me. Also strange how it was a pretty empty restaurant and they sit 4 people at the table next to us..very strange, it's like 20 empty seats and they wanted to hear my friend and I talk about our daily bitching. Bathroom was clean though, and purse/coat hangers...cool. And our server Rodrigo gave us sherry to drink as well...we were pretty tipsy at the end. And he also gave us a free dessert, I was happy with that! He hooked us up with a coffee flavored flan. YUM. I really don't remember our entree, we did order more food but there wasn't anything special about this place.
(3)Marlyn V.
I came here for a bday party and got the open bar option which I'm assuming saved me millions of dollars, since I drank jack and coke all night. I did like the place, it was a cozy ambiance, but I didn't love it. I think if I came here for happy hour it would've been better. It seems like a happy hour kind of place instead of an all night type. The private party had food with it, all very cute and tiny tapas. I didn't particular love any of them, the presentation was nice, but they lacked flavor (we ended up getting $1 slices at the end of the night actually! lol).We were a very large party of about 50 people and they also only had one bartender that was taking more shots than the birthday boy! Really the only thing holding this place at 2 stars instead of one is that the bathroom was very clean and they poured strong drinks!
(2)Elena B.
Came for lunch with a friend. Sangria are good for the price of happy hour. I recommend appetizers like ensaladita rusa, codorniz al b..., and the sardinas. I had the paella valenciana, it was good but not the best. Service was very good & attentive.
(2)Martha M.
I went with a KGB Deal on a Saturday and was skeptical that I would not get good service especially since I ended up in this El Cid because of an awful experience I had at Bar Celona Restaurant (Brooklyn) earlier that day so I decided to go to El Cid. Had an awesome experience the Pulpo Gallego was super delicious. The ambiance was nice, the waiters were very friendly and attentive to us. The paella was delicious and the shrimps were cooked perfectly. I do agreed the shrimps should have came with a starch instead of vegetables but other than that it was a great experience.
(5)Charles L.
One of the worst place that I have ever been to. The food was not fresh at all. The shellfish, fish, and clam all had weird taste. The server just stood there whole day without asking us if needed anything. When we told the waiter that the food had bad taste, he didn't do anything at all and just said that there was nothing he could do. Don't ever ever bring a date to this place. What a joke!
(1)Tom L.
Solid food, especially for the price. The chicken paella was out of this world. They run great specials for lunch and happy hour as this is a great Chelsea neighborhood watering hole. Check this out when your local or if you live near by. The wait staff is attentive, however, they do not all speak English.
(4)Anthony L.
Service was good but we ordered 5 tapas dishes and probably wouldn't order any again. Not coming back. Plenty of other good places in the neighborhood.
(2)Brenda M.
Dear upstairs bartender, Despite your being somewhat nice, I have a few grievances from my visit last night. First, i asked for a wine list and you told me that you didn't have one (strike one). Strange for a Spanish bar. I asked for a glass of cabernet and you showed me a bottle of Tempranillo and said it was the only cabernet you had. So I asked for a blue moon that was on tap and you said you were out so I settled for a corona (strike two at $8 a pop). After you served my drink, I waited for a moment to pay but you turned around to serve some other folks (obviously frazzled from the cabernet incident) so I went on talking to my friends hoping to settle up later. However, I never had the chance to as you charged my friends for my drink (without asking) and said that it was because I hadn't paid (rude and strike three). All in all, my experience with you was shocking and confusing from beginning to end. Please understand that I won't be returning to your mediocre establishment. Sincerely, Disappointed customer. PS Here s something that might help along your journey as a bartender in a spanish restaurant. allaboutredwine.com/type…
(1)Brian K.
Visited El Cid after purchasing a Google Offers deal. Very clean and modern interior with a great happy hour special. I definitely suggest going for the margarita if you are thirsty. The deal that we purchased afforded us 2 glasses house wine/beer, an app and 2 entrees. The Gambas al Ajillo Hot Tapas tasted fresh but left me wanting one or two more shrimp. For dinner we had the Merluza en Salsa Verde and Paella Valenciana. The rice in the paella was very good, however for the price (had we paid full) I would have wanted a larger portion. I personally enjoyed the Merluza, however my girlfriend said she found it a little too "fishy" tasting for her. I attribute the stronger taste to the sauce. For the price of the deal, we were happy with what we received. However, if going in without an offer, you might be able to find better for the price you'll pay.
(3)Beth R.
Excellent service! Authentic Iberian cuisine. Fantastic happy hour 12-7pm! The shrimp al ajillo tapa was perfect except that it was on the small side. The red sangria was tasty but weak; the white sangria was good but not great. The sauvignon blanc was quite yummy. The pollo al ajillo and the paella valenciana entrees were very good. Will I go back? Definitely for drinks at happy hour and food with a coupon; probably for wine and food at full price.
(4)Alexander T.
I had a Travelzoo deal that brought me here. I didn't have a printout, but the confirmation email said I could show my iPhone and they'd accept it. Had my iPhone and my hot date, and we arrived to find nobody else in the restaurant. The manager was sitting a few tables over and refused to talk to us, instead making the waiter tell us again and again they won't accept the Travelzoo voucher without a printer. I ended up having to leave my date at the restaurant while I walked to a nearby NY Sports Club to print out the voucher. This 1 star is for you, Mr Manager. Suck it.
(1)Megan W.
The happy hour sangria was a great price and we enjoyed the rooftop terrace. However, the service was a bit slow - it took us about a half hour to get our check. Not sure if I'd go back...
(2)Helen B.
Don't bother coming here unless you are using a coupon as I did last night when I came here with my friend for dinner. We spent $25 on one tapas plate, 2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine that would have probably have cost us $80 bucks if we did not use the KGB deal. And say that was the case, I would have been highly disappointed because the food was super bland and forgettable. Refrain from ordering octopus ``galician style`` (broiled octopus in olive oil, vinegar and paprika). It's rubbery and has NO flavor. I was really turned off by this dish especially since it looked like they took a bunch of paprika and went nuts with it. There was nothing to counteract it and I longed for a touch of acidity - "broiled octopus with vinegar?? More like octopus + paprika and massive amounts of olive oil. Blah. The Sautéed shrimp in garlic sauce was nicely flavored but there was no starch on the plate! Don't understand how it's labeled an entree without a starch component. It needed that to soak up the garlicky shrimp oil and to add another dimension to the dish. Seafood Paella was good but I've had better. Not a bad dinner for 25 bucks but I am definitely NOT coming back and paying full price for the food. Not worth it.
(2)Ian B.
Save it. This place is wasting real estate on prime Eighth Avenue. The food is god awful, the bar serves weak drinks and the upstairs room has the worst band of all time playing music you'd hate to hear at a wedding. I am amazed this place hasn't closed. Stay away.
(1)Robert C. Y.
New location. Five times larger than the old one on W 15 St. The food was a good quality, but not as much of a bargain as the old place. Seemingly smaller portions at a 10% increase in prices. Staff still delightful. Next time we will try the entrees rather than the tapas. They looked good.
(3)Jacob Y.
I honestly have mixed feelings about this place. This past weekend, a group of us were in Chelsea prior to the Pride March for some food during brunch time, with consideration of beating the crowds afterwards. The sangrias were good. Healthy portion of chunky fruit that goes along with the drink. We tried both red and white, and both were good. The scallops...this one hit the spot. Excellent. The broiled octopus...just ok. A bit fishy tasting, and I can honestly say I have had much much better octopus dishes. Service wise...just ok. Nothing impressive. Maybe that explains why it was so empty when other establishments had people on waiting lists?
(2)xihua c.
Usually if I go to a restaurant with mediocre or worse food, i don't really complain but rather take it as part of the experiment. But for this one, I seriously think people may get food poison from their seafood. Every single seafood, from mussel, clams to fish all had weird , apparently unfresh taste. What's worse? When I told waiter about it, he took my dish to kitchen and came back telling me that the chef tried it too and thought it's fine... eventually they still changed the dish but i never thought it's something customers needed to fight for... Bad food, service and non-classy atmosphere. It's kinda self explained when I walked in and saw only 1/10 of the tables were filled. The only reason I went was because i bought KGB deal. Can't think of a reason for anyone to go there. Not worth it even with the coupon...
(1)Paul L.
Walking down Chelsea the other night looking for a place to eat, my friend and I stumbled upon El Cid. It was a little quiet inside but the menu looked promising and they had someone up front ushering people inside like the folks in Little Italy so we thought, why not? We were feeling hungry, so having tapas wasn't my first choice but I was surprised on the decent sized tapas. Between the two of us, we shared 3 tapas and 2 entrees. Before we even ordered, they send out a small plates of stuffed green olives and paprika roast potatoes which was very nice. We got a basket of bread which comes with those little olden days gold foiled butter that sent me back a decade or so. I honestly can't remember when the last time it was that I saw those little things. I was craving for octopus, so I ordered the pulpo. They were tender, the flavor wasn't really as distinctive as I like them to be but it hits the spot. Gambas a la Plancha was quite stellar, the shells were cooked to a crisp, so you can eat them with shells. There were juice in the head that you can suck out. Very nice. Albondigas aer like tiny italian meatballs with in a tomato sauce. Nothing special but no complains. My friend got their Bistec a la Chef which was cooked perfectly medium rare. You get vegetables and fries with that and it's a very affordable price point. I wish I ordered that. I had the Paella Valencia which wasn't bad at all, but there were no crispy parts even though the whole thing was under the broiler a bit too long. It's tasty but my roof of my mouth got burnt from eating it and I'm still in pain even after a few days. Actually after eating it for 10 minutes, the whole thing was still steaming hot. Decor is so-so. Service is strange. There were plenty of space on our table but the waiter insisted on pushing our drinks around and rearranged our whole table just so that he can put a basket of bread right where he likes it. Nobody smiled. You have to track them down at times just to get something out of them and the place was quiet (dead). But just for the steak or the shrimps, I might just go back.
(3)Alanna G.
Wow, I never find the need to write a negative review. I try to look at the bright side and give people the benefit of the doubt. We ALL have bad days. This is the first time I've ever woken up and said, no I must inform people of how horrible this place is! Feel free to skip to the end, as that's where the review gets really good. My boyfriend and I have the tendency to frequent the same places, so in an effort to try a new restaurant I bought one of those vouchers ($25 for an appetizer, two entrees and two glasses of wine). I love Spanish food and jumped at the chance to buy my boyfriend dinner for once. As another member wrote, we weren't allowed to sit on the roof because we were using a coupon. While that was slightly embarrassing and disappointing we moved on from that moment and decided to sit by the window and people watch. I drank white wine and my boyfriend ordered a beer. The house white was not fresh. We had clams for our appetizer. They were not very good. A little fishy and the sauce was way too salty. As for entrees, I ordered the seafood paella and he ordered the garlic shrimp dish. They got his order wrong and came out with garlic chicken. Apparently the kitchen messed up, but they fixed the situation and it didn't take too long. His food wasn't impressive but it was fine. My paella wasn't the best (it's much better in Newark). I ordered a second glass of wine. I asked for white about three times and the server came out with RED. Which is annoying and as I said the food wasn't very good but I didn't want to make a fuss because I was having a nice time with my boyfriend. At the end of the meal I got up to use the bathroom. I left the voucher with my boyfriend and said if he comes by just hand him that and tell him we will pay the difference. I came back and the server was talking to my boyfriend about how they wouldn't accept it. As he messed up two of our orders that night I assumed there must have been some sort of miscommunication. The owner had made circles before so I knew who he was and I spotted him at the bar to let him know. I said excuse me sir but he is telling us he will not accept the voucher. The owner's immediate response was that if I didn't give it to him at the beginning of the meal they will not accept it. I said we told the hostess and made a note of it in our reservation that we had this voucher and we weren't allowed to sit on the roof because we had the voucher so clearly all parties involved knew we had this. I left it with him and said we'll pay the difference can you please handle this and I went and sat down. The owner came over to me with the voucher in a rage and underlined the part that says "Present printed voucher to server prior to ordering." Okay fine, maybe we did not hand him the printed voucher before we placed an order, but I've almost never been required to do so in other instances. I assumed that if everyone knew we had it he would have ASKED for it if he REALLY needed it. I told the owner that he was being unreasonable and I said that this must have happened to him before because he has a note on his chalkboard out front about happy hour that says NOT VALID FOR COUPONS It just felt like a complete SCAM! He continued to be rude and unreasonable and raised his voice at me. I asked him several times to calm down so we could fix the situation. He kept pointing at the part that he underlined and kept raising his voice and yelling at me to pay. I was mortified. It's not like we don't have money to pay but it was the principal. I said this is a disgusting business practice and I don't know how you ever expect to get repeat business if you treat your customers like that. He called me disgusting and walked away and said we had to pay. My boyfriend threw his credit card down and said fine we will pay. I felt robbed, embarrassed and frustrated. I have NEVER been treated like that anywhere, ever. Moral of the story the owner sucks. You have been warned.
(1)Steve L.
Terrible. I'd say "terrible" in Spanish, but it doesn't even deserve it. It's like paying people to microwave frozen Stouffer's International Destinations TM Spanish Tapas at Home! Better food at Duane Reade.
(1)George D.
So there I was at a nearby tapas place and severely disappointed, I did a Yelp search and found El Cid. This place has a few things going for it that Boqueria could take a lesson from. First off, tapas shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Second drinks shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. And finally, service shouldn't be like asking a strange woman for her panties. So while this place has all that going for it, the food isn't as good. But I'd rather go here than Boqueria any day.
(3)Nadia K.
I went here because I had a KGB deal, but it wasn't even worth the promotional value. Ick!!!!! Their paella was a little worse than the cheap frozen paella you find in the back of the freezer at the grocery store. I have another KGB voucher for this place and don't even think I'll go back to use it, not even worth the $4.55 tax I paid. To be fair, we also ordered steak and it was decent, so maybe this place just shouldn't call themselves Spanish. I'm only giving this place 2 stars because the wine was decent.
(2)Joel N.
Good vibe, friendly service, but sadly, mediocre food. We had the tortilla, pulpo, chorizo and jamon Serrano for tapas. The first two were quite good but the other two didn't fare as well. We had a Japanese friend returning to Japan and he wanted to try paella. We had the Marinera and Valenciana. Both were soggy and lacked the ingredient that makes a paella a paella: saffron. Moreover, the Valenciana and Marinera were similar, with only bits of chicken and inferior chorizo as the differentiating ingredients between the two paellas. Their paella was definitely not Spanish, more South American, despite the Spanish flags displayed all around and the incessant guitar music that was blaring from the speakers. Note to the owner: no Spanish restaurant would flaunt the Spanish flag, so pull those down, unless there is a Spanish soccer match playing on TV. And the sangria blanca was syrupy. A plus though is a small plate of pickled celery and carrot, potato salad and good olives that goes with your drink. No refills though, even if you order more drinks. The Friday that we went was a busy night and there was only one waiter and one busboy doing the second floor dining area, which has a capacity (seated and standing) of 100. Although our waiter was very friendly, he was not very knowledgeable about the menu because it was just his second day on the job. When I asked for the Mocha Flan, he asked if it was an entree or a drink. Poor, overworked guy. Not a keeper of a restaurant.
(1)Glennznyc R.
The place just opened and as I walked by I saw an inviting place with the front sliding doors WIDE OPEN. The name "El Sid" captured my attention as did the decor. We sat in the very front. The food was GREAT, the service was EXCELLENT and the owner Francisco was talking to every table - how often DOES THAT HAPPEN any more in NYC? Bobby Flay walked by with his wife (?)
(5)Ana A.
Horrible service, horrible food I went with a friend. We had a deal from groupon I think or one of those sites for sangria and entrees. The sangria was just alright. Tasted more like fruit punch than red wine. The food was terrible. We order paellas and the rice was soggy and without flavor. Next the waiter was quite rude when we requested the check and to go boxes (we were polite enough to throw the food out outside). Save your money. There are plenty of good restaurants in Chelsea and this is not one of them.
(1)Nicole D.
3 stars for the Chicken Ceasar salad, probably the best that I've had so far. The Chicken is always moist and juicy, the salad is always fresh and not brown and they add just the right amount of dressing W/o drowning it. However, the service from 3 particular waiters in there SUCK! A friend and went there for drinks and lunch, after we ate & it was time to pay the bill my friend tipped the waiter, by pure accident my friend tipped the waiter $3.00 the waiter had the audacity to come back and asked was this all he was being tipped?!! Really???!! Who does that? When we brought to his attention how rude that was he brushed us off as if we were in the wrong for tipping him so cheaply. Wish I woulda got his name so that I could put him blast.
(3)Tatyana R.
I think I'd give 2 stars just because it wasn't completely hopeless and is nice inside ... The food lacked flavor completely ... And the staff, while extremely friendly, are tooooo ... Much
(2)Marcy K.
My first time at this restaurant. Everything seems lovely when my boyfriend and I arrived: friendly wait staff, very welcoming, it felt like a lovely place to be. But things went downhill from there. The salmon appetizer was dried out. Then came my vegetarian paella. Even worse. A mound of rice on top of which was piled huge, flavorless chunks of vegetables. They looked ... boiled? And tasted unseasoned. I ate a few mouthfuls and then decided I'd had enough. I don't know why I didn't send it back to the kitchen. I guess I was feeling shy. I took it home, thinking I'd eat it the next day ... after all, it cost $18 ... but just couldn't face it today, and threw it out.
(1)Frank M.
We are staying at the Palace Hotel in NYC and we were in the mood for some Spanish Tapas and we were recommended to this wonderful restaurant. We went around 5pm, and were immediately greeted at the door with a warm smile, when we seated the waiter Rodrigo took our drink order and informed us that it was happy hour. We ordered a variety of Tapas, Tortilla Espanola, ensalada Rusa, jamon serano, Grilled Sweatbread in Garlic Sauce, papatas fritas, every single Tapa was amazing. For our Main Course we order 2 Grilled Lobster tails and they were amazing too. The food was excellent and our waiter Rodrigo was incredibly pleasant and he made our dinning experience wonderful. We highly recommend this wonderful Restaurant. We are going to make sure to come back when we come to the NYC.
(5)Susan P.
Horrible food. We had a groupon for 1 tapa, 2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine. The wine was the best part! My boyfriend and I first ordered the chorizo tapa, it was basically sausage drenched in oil. After eating this we already started not to feel so well. Then I ordered the chicken with ratatouille. It was very bland, and after a few bites I stopped eating. My boyfriend got the seafood paella. He loves seafood and always finished his meal, he hates leaving unfinished food. He actually left more than half of it. He was scared to eat the seafood because it didn't look cooked properly and the rice was drenched in oil. If we didn't have the groupon, I would be really mad to pay that kind of money for such horrible food.
(1)Gloria M.
Super slow service. A party of 10. We waited 45 mins to get our food. The excuse of we have a party upstairs is a poor excuse. Will not be going there again
(1)Ciprian T.
great spot for pre-show tapas friendly staff !!!! I will go again !!!
(4)thermopylae x.
only came in for pre-joyce drink ushered upstairs and was very taken care of sangria came in white or red free, heaping portions of bread and olives yummy drinks but had to scram in 15 minutes top 40/club music distracted from the scene a little, but an overall swell way to kill some short time
(4)Yovanna L.
I went with a friend to El Cid to celebrate our birthdays. The ambiance is really nice. We ordered some tapas, Pulpo a la Gallega, Croquetas, Queso Manchego and Chorizos. They were all delicious, very tasty! We had some Sangia both red and white and it was also top notched. The waiters and the owner were very attentive and nice. We had a great night, good food and drinks and a great ambiance.
(4)Gab N Munch B.
Came here yesterday to watch the Euro 2012 game between Spain and Portugal. I've often gone to tapas places to watch futbol games, and was rather surprised to find only two other customers in the entire restaurant for SUCH a MAJOR GAME! I figured it was empty because this was an early game in the middle of the week. I have mixed feelings about this place. It wasn't bad.....but it wasn't good. I will try to be fair in my discription. First of all, the comments here on yelp about the tapas portions being small, these people must not be familiar with this type of eating experience. That's what tapas are. Small portions of food meant to be shared amongst friends over drinks and lively conversation. The tapas portions at El Cid are pretty standard. If I had to weigh the service, with the quality of the food, AND the pricing....I won't be back AND I can not possibly recommend the place to friends when I've been to other tapas places with much better food, more attentive service, and more authentic atmosphere for the same price if not cheaper. But like I said....it wasn't bad. It just wasn't good. They have a $5 happy hour from 12pm - 7pm where you can choose from white or red sangria and margaritas. I opted for red sangria. The portion was generous with nice chunks of fruit. The sangria itself was mediocre. Nothing I would say "mmmmm I want another glass YUM." The Pulpo Gallego I admit is a VERY simple dish with very simple ingredients, but, for some reason at this restaurant it lacked any flavor. The pulpo was nice and tender but tasted very fishy. I cook with ALOT of pulpo at home. Fresh pulpo should NOT taste fishy. So the dish was not bad, but, there was just something off about it.....can't put my finger on it though. Possibly it was the quality of the olive oil? The quality of the paprika? I don't know. The dish wasn't bad, but, it wasn't good either. Now the chorizo was good.....VERY good.....but then again.....HOW could you POSSIBLY mess up chorizo.....all the flavor is in the chorizo already and the wine and garlic its simmered in are just enhancements! The Paella Valenciana SUCKED.....BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!! You bring me out a PAELLA made with PARBOILED RICE and I'm disappointed before even tasting it! Paella is NOT made with parboiled rice!!!!! Anyone who knows Paella KNOWS it's all about the rice! Seeing parboiled rice in my paella tells me that the ingredients (in this case being seafood for paella VALENCIANA) has been cooked on the side in a broth and then mixed in with the already cooked rice before being served to the customer. THAT is NOT Paella! Now even though I had already judged the rice just by looking at it, I said you know what you never know, maybe they'll surprise me and it will be fantastic. Well.....I didn't even finish it! I was soooo disappointed. By the time half time came around in the game, I rushed to pay the check and literally ran over a few blocks to La Nacional (my favorite Spaniard restaurant EVER and the oldest Spaniard restaurant in New York City) located at the bottom level of the Spanish Benevolent Society on 14th street where it was a PACKED house and I had a RIP ROARING time with where all the Spaniards were at! Oh.....and as for Paella Valenciana.....I'll stick with the paella at Sevilla over on Charles Street thank you very much.
(2)Paola S.
not a first choice for tapas. but because i had a gift certificate from gilt/ruelala/travelzoo/groupon/whatever, i figured might as well. TAPAS: MEATBALLS - MAYBE STEAK TAPAS - YES ANCHOVY - YES. good sauce. SCALLOPS - YES QUAIL - SKIP. it's cold, dry and hard as a rock. ENTREES: SHRIMP - NO. it's not fresh & tastes like a frozen package, defrosted & served with some ridiculously lame excuse of a sauce. SWORDFISH - YES. it's a perfect portion, fresh and juicy. SERVICE: waiter was super sweet. served up some aperitifs on the house as well as a portion of their coffee flan. which happened to be very good. i wouldn't go back just because Soccarat is right around the corner & i'd rather share a huge serving of paella with fresh seafood than order small plates here that may or may not be from the frozen section of c-town. xoxo
(1)Elle K.
Good tasting food but small portions... Also very pricey.
(3)Paul M.
Great sangria super tapas and awesome service
(5)M H.
If your planing to use a coupon for this place, then beware. We originally when straight upstairs since it's the newest part of the restaurant, the "rooftop" and when we told our waiter we had a coupon they immediately directed us downstairs. The downstairs was loud and looked more like a simple unstylish dark room with tables and chairs with a loud bar. We ordered our drinks, 1 appetizer and 2 entrees. We decided on the seafood Paella since that was their signature dish. I had ask the waiter how long for the wait since I know a good Paella takes time, his answer was 15 minutes. I was surprised but I sipped on my drink and waited. We Also ordered the shrimp in garlic sauce. When the Paella arrived it didn't look to appealing, and the taste was just as bad. The rice tasted like minute rice. Their was a few small shrimps, and a lot of rubbery round calamari. Totally tasteless. The worst Paella I have ever eaten. We where hopping that the shrimp is garlic sauce would be better, but it was so bland, and dry. If I wasn't in such a hurry I would have returned the food and ordered something else. When the bill came and I wanted to use the voucher, the manager didn't accept it cause I ordered a dish that was $1.00 more then the required amount for the entree. The approved amount on the voucher for an entree is $22.00, and the one I ordered was $23.00, so they did not approve the voucher, instead they just deducted the value I paid for the voucher from the bill. I had told the manager just charge me the extra charge for the dish on the bill and accept my voucher, but he was invasive, uncaring and unprofessional. The only good part of this hole experience was the service. Needless to say, It was horrible from the moment we got upstairs, till the moment we left downstairs.
(1)Yasmin E.
The paella was bland. I was told vegetables weren't supposed to have flavor...won't be going back. The manager doesn't "get complaints" so "I was hard to please"
(1)Gee D.
Great food and drinks the bartender was really nice
(4)Erika M.
Very nice and friendly staff. We had the tapas and they were all delicious. We also had a pitcher of sangria which was also very good. The portions were perfect for lunch and the restaurant itself was really nice
(4)