Confessional

This is not the type of place I normally give 5 stars to, but Confessional earns it with delicious tapas, amazing and friendly service and an atmosphere which I love.
The owner, Erica, whom we thought was our waitress the first time I was in with friends could not have been more delightful or attentive. In subsequent visits with many other groups of friends and dates, I learned that she’s the owner and is someone who cares immensely about her place and her customers. I’m a cocktail fanatic and have been to all of NYCs speakeasies and lounges and can say without reservation that Erica’s cocktail menu rivals any of them. I tend to get the David and Goliath more often than not, whiskey/​bourbon fan that I am, but friends and I have drank through most of the menu in which every drink is not much short of perfection. One more thought — when people complain about the disappearing allure of the east village, this is the kind of place that gives me comfort with regard to that.

We went here Saturday night for my friends birthday. It is very interesting place. The service was good, we only had drinks there. This is a date place.

We were totally stuck, turned away from 3 restaurants with our sad party of 3. The confessional was almost totally empty– for no good reason! The bartender welcomed me in, told me the food was delicious (she was so right!). The drinks are amazing (especially the sexy little lies), and everything we ate was stunning. The guac came with plantain chips, the sliders were juicy, the tamale was sweet and fresh and amazing, the crabcakes perfectly crispy and flavorful. This is a gem! Eat here! Drink here! Eschew all the pretentious places in this area and come here instead.

Sexy little lies is EVERYTHING! Most delicious cocktail
Must gets include the smokey calamari, wild mushroom croquettes, stuffed shrimp and chorizo & lamb chops… in fact just order that and you’ll have the best date ever
Thanks, Erika!!! We’ll be back for the paella!

Vibe: dark, romantic, mysterious
Super unsuspecting, quaint spot in East Village. The drinks and food were delicious! Came on a Wed evening (around 7pm) and it was fairly empty. You can sit and eat at the bar or at some tables in the back, the place isn’t very big. We sat at the bar and really liked it, as the bartenders were friendly.
The lamb chops were super tasty, probably my favorite thing we tried. All the dishes were good though — the truffle fries, sweet plantains (they have two types) and the quinoa risotto were all really great as well.
The drinks were strong! I tried Ruby’s White Lies, which was bomb — my friend had a whiskey drink which he liked. All the cocktails sounded good and had catchy/​scandalous names, very fitting with the theme, and I can’t wait to go back to try more of them!

Living in New York City exposes you to many memorable experience involving the numerous restaurants this city offers. It’s rare to be treated as if you are more than a revolving customer and you get the notion that nothing would make the establishment owner happier than to have you as a regular. This is how Erika, at Confessional makes you feel, after just realizing she is the owner I was obliged to shout her out. Her humility, warmth, attentiveness and friendliness will only continue to bring the best outcome for this cozy establishment. Enough, about how wonderfully you will be treated at Confessional, I must also speak of how amazing their mixologist is. I had the Hot Scandal, it is best to have it spicy, but it will be tweaked to your very own tolerance level. The drink can definitely get you into trouble, a bit scandalous or provide enough of that courage to say or do things you might have taken a long time to do. Most importantly, I’ve never been able to continue to order a drink with Tequila in it and be able to express myself positively about it the very next day. Finally, everything on the menu sounds delicious, but my date and I had the shrimp and chorizo with sweet plantains which was pure heaven, the different flavors in this plate immediately awakened my palate making it one of the best foodgasm I’ve experienced. The concept of confessing your secret on the walls was our dessert definitely put it on the wall and lift some of that weight off your shoulders.

Drink. Sin. Confess. I chose this place solely based on the dope Unilocal reviews.
Confessional is cozy and dark. Erika, the owner, was at the bar and she is super sweet and social — she and a regular hung out with my friend while we were at the bar. She hooked our drinks up too. I had the Love Affair (gin, chartreuse, basil). My friend had Adam Without Eve (it was goood).
When we moved to our table, we noticed how dark it was in the dining area — but so sexy with all the candles around. Ambiance on point.
Chalkboards everywhere too, so you can scribble confessions in between bites! And… While you’re on the toilet!
What we ate…
Chicken entrée — excellent, sauce makes the dish
Manchego & mushroom croquettes — meh
Yucca crab cakes — deep fried goodness
Shrimp appetizer — fire, literally & figuratively
Steak — tender, but not very flavorful
Service was A+ not because we were the only table eating at that point, but our server was serious about his job. I love it.
Very fun and eclectic experience. I even called my friend in midtown to come join us here. Can’t wait to go back. Thanks!

The concept of Confessional is an amazing idea. Don’t get me wrong, I love that you can read secrets on the walls and write some of your own, and I love the décor of the bar. The atmosphere is very cozy and relaxing and a perfect way to catch up with friends or go on a date.
I can’t imagine what service must be like when the bar is crowded though… on a Saturday night around 10pm-​12pm, the bar was relatively dead… but that’s not what bothered me though, it’s that the service was as SLOW AS SNAILS. It took a long time to get our drinks. Actually, it took a long time for the bartender to even get to my friends and I! I would have loved to see what this place is like busier since I’m sure it’s fun to see people writing on the walls.
If I’m ever back, I’ll want to try a nice sit down dinner with friends. The food looked really good from what I saw and the drinks (once we got them) were delicious!

This place is very nice and special to a romantic date, I choose this restaurant for my engagement… the food is amazing and the drinks are very special… Very nice employs and i felt like they were my friends for a long time. I recomend this place!

Came here last Wednesday night to meet with a colleague for some great conversation before the long Labor Day weekend.
A little hole in the wall, charming narrow lounge with soft-​ish music so that you dont have to shout over each other.
It is very dimly light which adds to the ambiance.
The long wall can be drawn on it seems with chalk.
I must say the bartender was very nice. Plus she was great at suggesting a wine that I may like.
Nice spot. Will def be back.

Something about chalk walls automatically tacks a star on there for me. This place is interesting in all aspects! Drinks, Food, Ambiance, Location and employees! I love visiting establishments where the people who work there clearly love what they do!
The bartender there was also the server but for this small intimate spot– it just worked. She was so helpful in her suggestions, offering affirmations to our choices of food/​drinks (which honestly is the easiest and fastest way to make the indecisive feel confident!).
She caught wind that we were there celebrating a friends’ birthday and that we had work the next day so she (so kindly) made very delicious and not too intense shots to celebrate the day!
I will definitely be back here for a date night! Confessional– you’ve made a new fan! 5 Stars well deserved!

Came in for a late Thursday night dinner with my Dad. Wasn’t too noisy which was important to him.
4 stars for food — I had the lamb chop, very good
3 stars for drink — I had the hot scandal, couldn’t taste any tequila
5 stars for service — the new guy was very accommodating
The table has a bowl of chalk for writing confessions on the wall. The chalk is NOT food. I thought I wouldn’t have to explain this, but since my Dad asked… better safe than sorry.

This is an awesome place! It was an unexpected final stop on my birthday revelry. The space is dark and sexy that is illuminated with candles. It has a long bar and intimate seating in the back. Plus — the entire wall behind the bar is a chalkboard.. . for you to write your confessions! Surprisingly, there were some real confessions, and some joke confessions. But it’s fun, regardless.
The drinks were great, strong and creative. And the barmaid was super nice and fun!
Absolutely, positively come in here if you are in the area. It would be great for a low-​key meeting with some friends or even a date.

Come Holy Spirit into my soul, Enlighten my mind that I may know the sins I ought to confess.
As we step through the door.
What not better place for a birthday dinner and on Easter/​Passover weekend to boot. The dimly sexy lit bar/​restaurant has a casual feel. The friendly bartender greeted us as we sat at the bar while waiting for the birthday girl. The chalkboard you can write your deepest darkest secrets for all to read.
Our excellent server was friendly, got our order and social able. This tapas style place serves solid Spanish fare and drinks with names like Love Affair, David & Goliath and Devil’s Advocate how can one resist. The menu split into sections like Commandments, Mortal Sins etc follows the theme. I certainly don’t think nothing that came out the table didn’t love. The small plates were perfect to share, converse, drink. Repeat.
For tonight a little sin for the soul and tomorrow I’ll do a couple hail Mary.

I have to say that if something from my dinner is inedible, I can’t give it a good review. I came here with a friend one evening after having a hard time deciding where to grab dinner. We were in the East Village and we were looking for something without a wait and in the area. We decided on Confessional, but I have serious regrets about our decision.
To start, this place has a very strange décor. The space is dimly lit with dark painted walls and strange sculptures jutting from the walls. (One of the sculptures is a girl’s open legs). I thought the entire thing was oddly sexual… but not in a good way. The service was prompt and the waiter was friendly, but I wasn’t impressed with my first impressions of this place.
They have a relatively large drink list, and the drinks are strong. The drinks are the only reason that this place is getting 2 stars, really. We each had two drinks over the course of the meal, and we were really happy with the flavors and choices. To eat, we shared a few of the small plates. The manchego and wild mushroom corquettes ($ 12) were good, but what I don’t think you can really mess up most fried foods. The same goes for the truffle cheese fries ($ 7) – good but predictably so. The yucca crab cakes were average – nothing too special.
Then there was he sweet corn goat cheese tamal ($ 10), which was quite possibly one of the worst things that I have ever eaten at a restaurant. I honestly felt like I was on a game show and the challenge was to eat the most disgusting thing they could find. I forced myself to have a few bites, but I couldn’t even come close to finishing it. It tasted like something was rotten or spoiled!
My experience wasn’t absolutely horrible at Confessional, but most of the food was average and a quarter of it was inedible… two stars, Confessional… two stars.

This restaurant and it’s owner have absolutely no respect for customers and customer loyalty. This WAS one of my favorite restaurant in the city last night at 9pm
I celebrate my birthday last here and absolutely loved it. I subsequently came back and recommended it to all my friends and even got the opportunity to meet the owner last summer.
On March 11^th 2015 using Open Table I made reservations for 3÷28÷2015 for 8:15pm (this was subsequently altered to 8:45pm)
Around 8:35 I arrived at Astor Place and began walking over to East 6^th. When I arrived to 2^nd avenue (and St. Marks) I was turned around by the police to do the building fire clean up. I was subsequently reroute by foot and this took and extra 20 minutes.
While walking I called the restaurant 6 times BEFORE 8:45pm to explain the situation and let them know I was on the way.
I arrived at 9:03pm and the place was literally standing room only.
I asked the bartender whom to speak with about reservation and he went to go get what end up being the owner.
I explained to her the situation and let her know my guest was also rerouted and on the way.
She remembered who I was and at first was very pleasant. Then when I asked her about my reservation she said «We have no more tables»
She offered no solution, no possible waiting time just «we have no more tables»
And then said «well we couldn’t have sat you anyways because your whole party isn’t here.»
I believe as a restaurant in general if I have made a reservation more the 2 weeks in advance and I am celebrating my birthday at your establishment for the 2^nd year in a row you could be able to accommodate me.
Further more if you are going to allow reservations you should have someone in your staff available to answer the phone.
These actions almost devastated my birthday but thankfully the night was save.
And to the owner, I sincerely hope you trip and fall down a manhole…

If you’re in the east village you have to stop by!!!
The cocktail menu is perhaps the best I’ve seen in a while.
If you’re a piña colada lover like my girlfriend then you will love the confessional’s spin on it. Sweet and savory perhaps the worst part is when it’s all gone but do not fret you can always order another. The crucifixion which was the drink ordered was one of their best run infused drinks I have had in a while it’s was a bit tart however there is a hint of sweetness that counter plays the drink and brings it altogether to give you an experience you will never forget.
As for the food I didn’t get to the entrees but the appetizers were to die for. The shrimp chicharron is amazing eating so much (had two orders) makes you feel like a «sinful glutton» but worth the confessions on Sunday (see what I did there) if you’re looking for an amazing place with cocktails to compliment the tasteful menu then look no further. The east village has a new place to purge their sins and it is here at the Confessional.
Can’t wait to go back and try the other cocktails

My wife and I dropped by this restaurant after being pointed here by a friend. It’s a small restaurant with a huge chalk board wall where you can write your confessions! Woot woot! We made a reservation for 9:45 but we got comfortable at the bar so we just stayed there.
The bartender here is absolutely amazing. We ordered several drinks off the menu and he made me his special «traditional» whiskey sour which was absolutely outstanding. The food here was delicious as well. My wife unfortunately didn’t like one of her dishes but the owner came out and very happily replaced it with something else for no additional charge.
This place gave us an absolutely amazing experience and we look forward to coming back with some friends. Make a reservation if you’re coming in with a large group! Finding a good speakeasy is not hard in nyc. Finding a good restaurant is not hard in nyc. Finding a restaurant with expert mixology and amazing food is a challenge but The Confessional has put the two together beautifully. Oh how I wish I didn’t drive to nyc tonight so I could pound down a few more.

I found this place over the weekend and had such a wonderful time to say the least. From the second I walked in the door I felt like I was in a space that was both exclusive, yet warm and inviting at the same time. The place is small, but set up well so that even though there were several tables dining and drinking at once, it was organized and fun and there was a great (and attractive) crowd at the bar.
I think I tried 4 of the cocktails off their list and being a bartender for years myself I was so impressed with the selection, quality and diversity and I NEVER SAY THAT.
My friends and I ate at the bar and ordered the montaditos, the sliders, the croquettes, and the shrimp chicharron (sweet and spicy and probably my favorite appetizer and something I’m going to make sure to stop in for at least once a week).
We were all blown away by this place, and we’ve been just about everywhere this city has to offer! I now have my new «hidden» go-​to date spot and also know where to bring my friends who come in town from Los Angeles. I will definitely be back often and I’m looking forward to it!

We tried a few apps with my sister and her boyfriend. They were pretty small, but each one better than the last one. We tried the montaditos trio… we each had one bite of each. Yum! Then we had the sliders. Sooo good! Lastly, we had the beef in a wine sauce. This dish was so cool. Cam out with a flame around it. And it was so tasty!
My sister’s boyfriend had a drink, it was only okay. You do need to make reservations. It’s a very small place. We had to eat at the bar.

Very good place we enjoyed eating there.
Nous (Julie et Moi) avons bien mangé et avons apprécié l’endroit. :)