Las Ramblas

I love, love, love this place! Only downfall is the sizing. Every time I go, I forget how cramped it is! Though you definitely forget about it, upon the arrival of your food! Everything is delicious and seasoned well. Always leave happy and full. If you’re in look of a tapas place, this is the place to go.
Id just recommend going with maybe just one other person due to the sizing of the place!

Vino tinto y tapas. Que más quieres? As the location implies, it’s a good in-​between of the West Village high life & the cheap-​eat spots of the student crowd. It is tiny.

The place is TINY. If my NYC friends say it is small, then it is small.
They squeezed 6 of us into the back of the room, which gave us barely enough breathing space. It was a little deceiving because we were told to follow them into the back, which we thought was another room. Boy, were we wrong.
However, we were able to walk in without waiting for a group of 6 on a Friday night. That earns them back the star that they lost for the terrible placement of our table. (This place is more 3.5 stars than anything)
We ordered everything on the specials menu. Literally everything. It included lamb chops (3 pieces), an avocado mushroom tomato mix, duck, lobster roll, and mushroom balls (almost like a croquette with mushrooms). It wasn’t filling enough for 6 people. The food was okay. For the amount that we paid, I was expecting it to be better. Our bill was over $ 200 for a few tapas and a round of beer and 1 sangria pitcher. The strawberry sangria, however, was delicious. I’d recommend this place for this alone.
This place is best as a place to catch up quickly with a friend before meeting others at a bar or for the main dinner or to have a first date so neither party can eat too much and show their gluttonous side.
I’m not sure if this place would be worth waiting more than 30 minutes for, especially in bad weather.

My boyfriend and I were walking around in the area and decided to come in for dinner. We didn’t have alcohol, so only rating their food. The food was really disappointing. Although the presentation was beautiful, everything was undersalted and sorely lacked flavor. The patatas bravas were the best dish we ate — the dishes with ham barely had ham and just tasted fried. There are much better tapas places in the area.

Went out to this restaurant on a Friday night and was seated right away. The space is very tiny though so later in the night I would’ve had to wait. Overall, the food is great– I tried the manchego croquettes, gambas San Martin, and the meatballs. My friend and I had 5 total and were full by the end. They all were great ! My friend and I also shared a pitcher of sangria (sparkling strawberry) which was delicious ! The staff was so friendly. I would definitely returned !

I best thing I liked about my experience here was the service, hospitality of the staff.
Meatballs was my favorite, the croquetas are good too. The duck skewers just tasted a little flat.

Even if your friends are making fun of you for being basic, INSIST (I repeat, insist) on ordering the pumpkin, also known as la cazuela de calabaza. It is AMAZING and also very photogenic

Great for ambience and drinks out. Service was great, everyone was very friendly and helpful with suggestions. However, when it came to the food it wasn’t quite as impressive.
We sampled a range of their tapas, from a pumpkin special to cod, some veg appetizers. All of them pretty lackluster; some too salty, some lacking taste, and others just with a strange texture. The Paella was also a huge letdown, and to be honest the best thing we had ordered was the pear sangria.
Wanted to like this place very much, but will probably be going elsewhere.

As always great food and great Sangria.
The service is top notch as well.
We were here for brunch this time.

Las Ramblas is a super cozy (by cozy, I actually mean tiny) little restaurant in West Village.
The place could probably only fit about 20 people.
The staff is super friendly and hilarious! Everyone acts like their have known you for years.
I also really liked the prices, everything was very well priced for the area.
My friends and I started with some wine and cocktails, all very good!
We ordered a few dishes to share. Plenty of vegetarian options, BTW.
I loved every dish we had. The patatas bravas are pretty delicious.
This place is great to visit with friends and have a nice conversation.

Average.
I really wanted to love this place. I really tried.
The ambience is good and the service is impeccable however the food is very blah. I order 5 different tapas and was only impressed with the patata Bravas. For someone who loves tapas I was disappointed. All items I got came with similar broth that I did not enjoy. If you are looking for typical tapas then this is not the place for you. Nothing I ate at this place amazed me. I had to return an item because it was just that displeasing.
Sangria — $ 26 for pitcher
tapas average ~ $ 10 each

I tend to keep Las Ramblas a secret because it is so small and I love it so much I don’t want it to get so packed that someone goes there one night, sits in my favorite seat and then inadvertently messes up my night. BUT, John Waters (who can do no wrong!) already did this so I guess it’s safe to review my preferred tapas spot in the city.
I found Las Ramblas around 2010 and the five stars is because the food has consistently been wonderful for all five years I’ve been eating here. That’s a tall order in a city with a discerning palate and countless opinions. Yet, Las Ramblas stays true to its taste profile and stays its course. I love that! I also love tapas and Spanish wine, and whenever I’m feeling nostalgic for my youthful trek through Spain I recreate it by urban hiking it to Las Ramblas via the B train to West 4^th. It’s sooorta the same thing… if you wear your Osprey backpack.
The tortilla española is one of my personal favorites. As are the patatas bravas (they are a good sharing plate, as all tapas are meant to be). I’m also a fan of the albondigas, which almost never happens since I’m picky when it comes to these (thanks mom!), so that was a happy surprise. I rarely order a salad when dining out (it always seems like a waste of a pick. I can make that!) BUT the ensalada costa brava is light and fresh and memorable. Sometimes I crave it on an especially hot day.
The wine list is also great and if you aren’t sure what you want, make sure you ask and talk it out with your bartender or waiter. It’s worth getting the wine right and here you will, so long as you don’t settle for guessing. Las Ramblas was were I learned I loved Mencía wines thanks to a lovely conversation with a well versed bartender one night.
If you are re-​entering NYC culture after a recent Spain trip — this is a great place to help you with the transition back.

I’ve been here many many times and it’s one of my favorite restaurants in nyc :)
It’s a very small restaurant; something like 5 tables and place holds 20 people MAX. Outside they also have 2 or 3 timy tables. But despite its size, I’ve always had a great experience. And the space they do have — they’ve decorated in a way that is so warm and inviting, that I actually don’t mind.
The menu changes all the time, and it’s always delicious. Everything! lamb chops, meatballs, to potatoes, to pumpkin with shrimp. The service is A+! Friendly and Fast. Funny story. one time I sat at one of the tables outside, and everything was dandy — until it got real weird, real fast. A random bum started stirring our sangria pitcher with the spoon inside!!! Ahhhh!!! True story. After the wtf and the «did that really happen» exchanges between me and my friend, we told the waiter what happened. The waiter apologized and brought a brand new pitcher for us!!! Even though we were half way through our old one :) that’s good service
So… The lesson is. Get here early so you can get a nice seat inside the restaurant hahah

Coming off my Madrid trip high, my date suggested taking me here. Well, I suggested it and he nodded. Great.
Naturally I didn’t expect the most authentic Spanish experience but this place was damn near close, damn near close.
The prices are, of course, pricier than tapas abroad but I could deal it’s NYC after all. I was disappointed that they didn’t offer Tinto de Verano (translation: summer wine; a mixture of red wine, mostly Tempranillo, and sprite or seltzer with a slice of lemon). A very refreshing drink indeed but although they didn’t have it the bartender was more than willing to make it for me. Great! It wasn’t great though. I realize the wine is of cheaper quality, not sure what wine he used but I could deal. No more than one though.
I ordered:
1. Croquetas (croquettes): crispy, not greasy, delicious! An indulgence but very small portion. We enjoyed it but wish there were more… Four tiny balls were not enough. Pause.
2. Gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp): the shrimp were surprisingly in dire need of garlic though they were colorfully cooked with diced red and green bell peppers that gave it a nontraditional mild peppery taste but I would’ve preferred more garlic. Only 4 shrimp, though they were large shrimp there were only 4 so once again very small portion smaller than traditional tapas as it’s usually made with many small shrimp.
And lastly:
3. Tortilla Española (Spanish omelette): this was surprisingly good but too many potatoes, not enough egg. However, the garlic lemon alioli put on top was AMAZING. I wanted a bottle of that to go. Sooo good, it saved the dish. Otherwise this omelette would’ve been TOO dry and dense.
Overall this is as authentic as I’ve gotten to Spanish tapas in NYC! Totally recommend for a Spanish date night. Make sure you or your date are not afraid of sharing.

2.5 Stars
This place was just okay. The chorizo with white beans was too salty, though it came bubbling hot (it also cooled down quite fast). The octopus salad was much better though I didn’t care for the green olives in it. I found it more refreshing and I liked the celery in the salad.
The stuffed mushrooms were ok… I wasn’t partial to the creamy shrimp mixture inside. The skewer of stuffed mushroom kind of fell apart as soon as it was grabbed.
The arroz con leche was not good at all. I could barely eat it even though I love rice pudding. The rice grains were soft and the pudding tasted sweet and mushy to me. The flavor of cinnamon was dispersed throughout.
The place itself is quite cute, dim, smooth wood, and large, wide windows opened to let in the summer air. It was lively enough.

So came here with friends for dinner while in the city. Very intimate casual spot. Loved the décor and nice bathroom. We sat outside which was great for a nice spring night.
I rated this place a 3 because I didn’t like anything I ordered but friends enjoyed their meal. I ordered octopus salad. There was too much going on with the salad that I couldn’t enjoy it. My friends order empanadas and shrimp. The only thing I did like was the calamari my friend ordered which was great. Lightly fried.
We had a great waiter, Carlos. Very friendly, funny, and attentive.

I found Las Ramblas after being tasked to find a reunion dinner gathering spot by a couple of close girlfriends. Typed in «trendy cheap» near the WV on Unilocal and this came up.
Overall I was pleased with my choice but the 3 star rating comes from two important details: you can’t make a reservation; and this place is TINY. We barely fit in our table or on our stools (all girls under 120lbs…). As a result there were 5+ very close calls where our sangria glasses nearly ended up on the floor because with the tapas and the glasses nothing really fit on the table all at the same time.
Despite those hurdles it was a fun place to go and the prices are definitely reasonable! We got multiple pitchers of sangria and about 8 small plates for us to share. Didn’t break $ 50/​each including 20% tip!

The Quick: Such a perfect tapas spot in the West Village, with great seasonal specials and people watching opportunities.
The Details: All of Las Ramblas is one room and there is always a wait (no reservations). If you manage to get in, you’ll be comfortably cramped and enjoy fantastic tapas, which are all a fairly good portion for the price.
My favorite item is the fall stuffed pumpkin, which is literally a cooked pumpkin filled with chorizo and goodness. The seared tuna special ($ 15) was fantastic on top of refreshing lentil salads, and the chorizo ($ 10) with beans was also very flavorful. I have yet to be disappointed with a menu item.
The pitcher of sparkling strawberry sangria ($ 26) was unfortunately weak and not really worth it – if I order drinks I want to get buzzed. Overall a great spot.
The Damage: A pitcher of sangria and 3 tapas (good amount of food, but we were not starving) was $ 41 with a 20% tip each.

I first experienced the magic of Spain at 17 years old, and while the churches and mosques and gardens and all that jazz were nice, it was really all about the food. Twas here, then, that I first discovered my love of tapas. Las Ramblas captures that essence of Spain — plentiful dishes and flamboyant, friendly staff.
My first thought upon walking in: my god, this is tiny! I had read about Las Ramblas online, but I had no idea it was going to be this small. While it is cramped, I didn’t feeling like my limbs were spilling over onto anyone else’s table, so it was cope-​able (if there is such a word).
We had several waiters attend to us during our time at Las Ramblas. It all felt quite familial — also reminiscent of my time in Spain. My only complaint about the service was the lack of water. I actually don’t think I’ve ever been to a restaurant at which water isn’t immediately served upon sitting down (yikes, double negative, I know). Here, we realized after going through almost an entire pitcher of red pear sangria that we still hadn’t been served water — I had to asked. Trying to booze us up, eh? The sangria was delish, though. We couldn’t taste the pear much but maybe the wine just overpowered it. Regardless — refreshing and dangerous, as sangria should be.
Our waiter was adamant that the specials that night were some of the best, so in addition to the overwhelmingly long tapas menu, we had six or seven specials to consider as well. What we settled on:
–Special salad: Warm mushrooms, avocado and tomatoes with garlic and some other tasty seasonings
–Chorizo Con Alubias: chorizo with cannellini beans & onions
–Mejillones Al Jerez: mussels in a tomato sherry wine sauce
–Chopitos: baby calamari fried & drizzled with lemon, garlic, & olive oil
The salad, chorizo and mussels dishes were all absolutely sublime. I rarely eat red meat, but I tend to make an exception for spicy Italian sausage and chorizo because I’d be missing out on some serious deliciosity otherwise. And damn, was this chorizo good. Couldn’t get enough. The mussels were also prepared beautifully. I rarely order mussels in New York because nothing can compare to the Martha’s Vineyard mussels that I grew up on. I still stand by that statement, but these mussels still made a valiant effort. My date all but drank the tomato/​sherry sauce out of the bowl. In other words, I think he maybe might have kind of liked it.
The chopitos. So, we were thinking of getting the prawns, but we wanted to get the opinion of our waiter first. He was unenthused. He recommended (strongly) that we try the chopitos. My date and I weren’t too high on those — you can get fried calamari anywhere. Our waiter noticed the hesitancy and said: «If you don’t like them, you don’t pay. If you do, you pay double». Chuckles aside, we figured: why not? Well, our inklings (no squid pun intended) were correct. That was an undfortunate way to end the night. HOWEVER…
…when our waiter cleared our plates, he noticed that one was noticeably fuller than the rest. He abashedly asked if we didn’t like the chopitos, to which we replied that it wasn’t our favorite. Moments later, he returned with two champagne flutes filled with some sort of magical elixir. These, he said, were on the house — because we didn’t like the chopitos! Such a lovely gesture. And what’s more, it tasted like something that Dionysus would have imbibed in. We of course had to ask what it was — Moscato, if anyone was wondering.
So all in all, an overwhelmingly positive experience. Can’t give it 5 stars, but it comes pretty damn close.

— — — Overall Verdict:
SERVICE: Decent
VENUE: Cute brick-​walled place with a waterfall décor on one side.
TAPAS: Okay; I’ve had better options and better flavored ones
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Get here early for seats and don’t bring more than 4 people (I only saw one table that seats at least 4; the rest is for 2 people).
VERDICT: I’ve had better. Overall, this small place only presented me with small flavors and, thus, only deserves a small number of stars. I’d give it another try if I happen to be around the area though, just to give it a fair chance of perhaps presenting me with a bigger experience.
— — — Experience/​Service:
A cute, tiny place to reflect their small plates. My friend and I came into this cozy spot around 6:00ish on a Monday. At that time, there were open tables available. However, by 7pm, this place was fully booked to the point where the waiter appeared to kindly ask «if we needed anything else» as in «can you hurry up and finish your tapas and sangria — pleeaaasssseee?». But pushing aside the feeling of being unwanted and rushed, I’d say that the waiters were still friendly as they were never outwardly rude; they were just busy, and even then, they still gave what seemed to be a genuine smile. So perhaps they were just exceptionally attentive???
— — — -Tapas:
We tried the following tapas:
— Gambas San Martín: The sauce made my taste buds jump! Otherwise, the shrimp would have been flavorless.
— Banderillas con Chorizo de Pato: The duck sausage had good flavor and the quail eggs were average. The pearl onions were okay (but I’m hardly a fan of onions).
— Atun al Mojama: Okay.
— Patatas Bravas: My friend liked it but I wasn’t a big fan.
— Empanadas de Pollo: Satisfying.
All in all, I’d recommend the Empanadas y Gambas (although you’d have to smear the sauce all over the shrimp).
— — — -Sangria
As for the sangria, we had both the Red Pear and the White Pomegranate Berry. I favor the Red Pear over the White Pomegranate as it was sweeter; however, both were decent-​tasting.

Las Ramblas habe ich als die beste Tapas Bar ausserhalb Spaniens empfunden.
Die Karte ist überschaubar, aber die Gerichte sind gut ausgewählt und die Zutaten sind qualitativ hochwertig. Das wirkt sich natuerlich dann auf den leckeren Geschmack der Gerichte aus, die zudem liebevoll angerichtet sind.
Ich habe die Karte bei mehreren Besuchen rauf und runter gegessen und mein absoluter Favorit sind die gegrillten Sardinen, die mit marinierten Gemüse serviert werden.
Das Personal war immer liebenswürdig und lebenslustig und es kam wirklich das Gefühl auf in Spanien zu sein. Die Bar selbst ist stilecht und harmonisch eingerichtet und hat eine große Fensterfront, die im Sommer auch geöffnet wird, sodass man das lebhafte Treiben auf der Strasse im Blick hat. You’ll love it.