Socarrat Paella Bar - Chelsea in New York
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New York, New York County, New York, US
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Went during restaurant week. The food was delicious and the portions were good. My only negative is I felt like all the food got cold very quickly and we weren’t eating slow or anything? But still ate it, still delicious. Wait staff was great, always coming around to fill our sangria when a little low.
Restaurant week lunch is well worth it! Portions are big and will satisfy. The tapas are scrumptious. I just wish they have specials for wine bottles too. But wine bottles prices are same as everywhere. 1 bottle of rioja is $48. Drinks arent not too bad either as they have bottomless for $22 additional to a food order
Nice Spanish restaurant in Chelsea. The tapas and drinks are great, however the paella could be a lot better. The rice is cooked separately and then the “toppings” get added to it. This is not ideal as a lot of the flavours are lost, especially for any paella containing seafood. I would strongly recommend following the traditional recipes, despite them probably taking longer to cook vs the current method - it’s a pity to have a restaurant with “paella” in the name and not serve paella.
We had a table for 8 in the back patio and there was lots of room. It was covered, but light comes through and great for the 70 degree day we lucked into. We ordered chorizo, spicy shrimp, burrata salad to start and they were all very solid versions that should meet your expectations for those classic dishes. We had a breakfast paella that was interesting, but i personally enjoyed the tapas more. The kids liked the sweeter dishes. the pancake was the thickest ever seen, but fluffy. The french toast was more special and more highly recommended. Very good cocktails and service rounded out a great meal.
Went for dinner on a Monday at 9pm and very excited to try this place, the Hostess before she even said good evening, was super awkward and ask us to order fast because they close at 10, we ate and drank fast and after we paid she came to our table at 10.01and ask us to leave, plus she recommended us to come earlier next time, like wahatt?? Pretty much you telling your customers they shouldn’t have come to your place? she was incredibly rude. Paella and server very good, but we felt so uncomfortable we will never come back.
There were two things that stood out for us tonight. The paella and octopus tonight, thus far, was the best we’ve had in the city for Spanish cuisines. Note that there are 3 locations, and we visited the Chelsea location. If you’re in the mood for Spanish paellas and you’re around the area, definitely don’t hesitate to try this place out.
The food was delicious! Love the back courtyard & the service was above & beyond. Had the seafood paella & shared with two friends, each received a generous portion. The mussels appetizer was very good, was hoping for more broth, but they were tasty nonetheless. Seemed as though all the guests at the other tables were really enjoying themselves as well.
We went there to have a good time. We made it a good time despite the service we received. We got there at 6pm. They sat us down outside, we asked about happy hour.. the waiter said only at the bar.. we walked up to the bar only to be ignored by the bartender for 7 mins.. he wasn’t doing anything and didn’t acknowledge us.. then be told happy hour is over ( which the waiter didn’t specify). Went back to our seat. It was humid, fan blowing hot air and mosquitoes everywhere. Many of us were uncomfortable being bit while eating. Overall I think the experience would be better being seated inside and not being attacked by mosquitos. The waiter also wasn’t the friendliest person.
As a Spanish I was really excited about this place and it was...just average. We ordered like 6 tapas and they were ok but absolutely nothing special. About paellas, we tried two different ones and first, they needed salt. Also, you can’t just do a very very thin layer of rice and call that socarrat, socarrat is something refine and amazing and this was not.
I was with a group of people who wanted to go to this restaurant and I decided to go along with them. Sadly if you dont eat seafood oh, you have very few choices to eat. I ended up eating a little small tapus of meatballs with when I stand 6-02 ft 225 and look like I can play linebacker in the NFL, I was extremely disappointed. I can only give my opinion of what I thought it was like. I am sure that I would never go into this restaurant if I wasnt forced to and this particular case, I had no option. So, if this restaurant had something other than just Seafood for the 5 or 10% of the patrons that come in that dont eat seafood, you would probably make more people happy but that is just my opinion. Take it for what its worth.
The portions are very confusing and the prices are sky high. what we thought a $30 paella for 2 people ($15 pp) turned out to be a $60 paella ($30 pp). we ate two very small plates’ worth of the paella (think: plates made for bread). the menu was so confusing and we did not get any instruction of the portions/sizes. the food was great but in the final moment when we saw the bill we felt ripped off. the portion was TINY and not worth $30/each. please rewrite the menu & make it clearer!
Socarrat paella bar is fantastic!! The staff and hosts were all extremely friendly and told us all their favorite dishes. The drinks were top tier (I highly recommend the Oaxaqueño or sangria). To start we had the pulpo, patatas bravas, croquettes, and datiles which were all incredible. Their specialty paella was maybe the best part of the meal as well everyone loved that. Lastly, the desserts were great. I will 100% be going back soon!!
Cozy atmosphere, great place to hang out with friends. Staffs were friendly and attentive. You may have to share the table if you’re setting on one of the long narrow ones. Drinks were great, presentation of the food were excellent, but somewhat pricey. The Paella were good but the seafood weren’t as fresh as we liked.
ProsDecent back yard sittings with heaters. (Ceiling is covered - not enough ventilation).Food is good.Staffs are nice.ConsOver capacity (didn’t feel comfortable. In fact scary with all people off mask talking a lot)Heaters are off in 1.5hours and we had to request to turn back on.
We came here for lunch at around 4 o’clock and the store is not crowded. The waiter is good, however the food is normal and not as amazing as our expected.The mussel in the plate has some bad smell but I’m not sure is it because of the food taste like that or the quality is bad.
I love Spanish food, especially Tapas and Paella. While my mother was visiting us, she wanted to get some good paella. Who can blame her? There has been this Paella Bar that I have been wanting to go to, so we decided to go during the week day lunch, when it should be rather slow.The inside was very narrow and long, and have window at the front entrance and all the way back. The rest was lit with rather dimmed lights, creating cozy, romantic, and somewhat warm atmosphere. I liked how the interior had that rustic, antique look to it with red brick wall and dark furniture.We heard that the paella is not that huge in portion, so we decided to order a sandwich in addition to paella. We chose Steak Sandwich. The sandwich was bigger than we expected. The steak was cooked really well, soft, juicy, and packed with flavor. I didn’t have too much of expectation for the sandwich, but it turned out pretty great.Now, the paella. They have eight kinds of paella to choose from. Yes, I said it right, EIGHT!!!! No wonder they call themselves the “Paella Bar” with that many selection. We went with Pescados y Mariscos, which comes with shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, cockles, white fish, and English peas. It was brought to our table in a piping hot pan, which was awesome. They were right about the amount, it was smaller portion than I thought it would be. They do not do mountain of paella, but they do quality paella.When we were getting to the bottom of the pan, the waitress came back (as promised she would), and scraped off all the crispy rice on the bottom for us. We always loved the little burned rice on the bottom, so we were excited… And it was so delicious!!! We were very happy with our food, it was really tasty and and the staffs were all friendly. I would definitely go back again for more paella! Read my full review of the restaurant and food on my food blog, foodlovergirl.
Perhaps the best paella in town. Ive been to this place many times and every time they deliver amazing paella with great socarrat. The only downside about this place is that its so cramped that diners and servers have to brush/squeeze by your seat, and it takes away from the meal a bit.
Chance find and loved it... beautiful backyard, open space and Covid compliant with social distancing.They have great spread of tapas and mains.No prize for guessing we started with a pitcher of red wine sangria.. I dont think a Spanish restaurant can go wrong with that. Croquettes and patata bravas perfectly complemented the sangria.My absolute favorite was sizzling shrimps in garlic and olive oil, dont miss it if you love sea food.Spanish omlette was fine too..For mains we ordered vegeterian Paella; it was an absolute visual delight with burst of colors, though I am not into vegetarian paella (ordered it as we were splitting this amongst party of three, one of who was a vegeterian).Be careful while ordering paella, the menu mentions as paella for party of 2 but they charge you for two portions.. we had a major bump in our bill due to that.I would rate our server 3 out of 5. He was friendly at first however started acting a bit irritable towards the end coz after 1.5 hrs mark we still wanted to order our dessert.Again my point is you need not be in service industry if you have problem being patient. But well we cant solve that issue here.We ended our afternoon with delicious chocolate based dessert and warm coffee.I would definitely like to visit their restaurant at other location on the east side.
The best paella in the city, hands down! Their wine menu is true to the theme of the place, with great Riojas and Rivera del Duero selections, and the cocktails are hand-made on the spot (no pre-mixed stuff!). It is very popular, we got lucky without a reservation, call ahead!
Squid ink paella was fantastic, good tartare, and they gave us homemade almond ice cream which was absolutely fantastic. Leisurely service and friendly waiters.Edit: came back a second time with friends to try more paellas. Squid ink still best, but one with chicken and seafood was also great. We also got one which was kind of like hash browns instead of rice, not a huge fan but was still ok. Friends loved the croquettes, got two rounds. The octopus was great — one large piece cooked soft and tasty, with a center of mashed potato. Bacon wrapped figs were also yummy.
Loved the little patio seating with the heaters on especially for a chilly Saturday night. The tapas items were amazing, especially the shrimp! Was quite disappointed by the vegetarian paella as it was burnt, hard, and chewy to the bite. We went off the suggestion of our server who insisted on getting the paella as it was their signature dish...better luck next time? Definitely won’t come back for the paella but the tapas, service, and vibe was on point!
Pincho de pollo tapas had a tasty mushroom and veggies and tender, nicely cooked chicken. Pescado y marisco paella was a perfect portion for two and tasted natural and fresh, delicious. Good drinks. Excellent, very attentive customer service. Reasonable wait and spacious outdoor seating.
Friendly staff and great background music! We started off with two appetizers, shrimp and croquettes. Both are excellent starters. The croquettes were smooth and creamy inside. The paella is meant for two and it’s a big dish! We got the paella socarrat and it was loaded with seafood. Great crispy edges too.
The food was amazing! the paella socarrat was better than the paella I had in Barcelona. the sizzling shrimp and fried artichokes were also very tasty. service was great as well. my only complaint is that the tables are all bar height and the accompanying stools dont have backs. come on socarrat, some of us need the back support! if not for the seating I would have given 5/5
Well established restaurant and bar. This is the perfect place for a date night. Full of energy, but just shy of being loud.Met some friends out and we ate at the bar. They had the black paella and lots of drinks. I arrived late so I just had the Calamares and a Strawberry Fields cocktail. The staff was wonderful and super knowledgeable about more than just cocktails but the over history of the restaurant.
I went there two years ago and was amazingly able to find out the name of that little bar today thanks to the searching power of google maps. I remember that their paella was decent and very large in portion (2 persons can barely finish if they don’t order anything else). Their octopus was more underwhelming. Overall not bad though
Had our nieces graduation celebration here yesterday and it was perfection! Excellant food, excellent atmosphere and Diego our server along with his awesomely helpful coworkers treated us like gold! It was just a wonderful event to begin to come out of this pandemic and start living again! Everything was delicious but the brussel sprouts were on another level of amazing!
I love this place. I always take visitors here because the Sangria is always on point and the paellas are dreamy. I highly recommend the squid ink paella. For tapas, bacon-wrapped dates are popular (but too sweet for my liking). Gambas (the shrimp in garlic oil) always make me drool so definitely get that.
We had fabulous service. Food was good, but was a bit disappointed with seafood paella. It needed more variety and, well more seafood. Rice was not as crispy as Ive had other places. The cocktails were wonderful. And the service was terrific. I cannot say enough about our server and bartender--they were great!
We visited Socarrat because a friend highly recommended it . Between the two of us, we ordered an appetizer (the scallops) and a paella (socarrat) and overall really liked both! The scallops were perfectly cooked and the iberico was nicely chewy. Very well seasoned. I havent had really good paella before so cant compare to anything traditional but loved the texture of the rice, the fluffiness of the top against the crunchiness of the bottom layer. The only downside was that some of the seafood in the rice wasnt seasoned (no salt) and it took away from how good everything else was. Overall a great experience though, would definitely love to return here
Excellent service, cozy indoor space (seating a little cramped as theyve split their 4-top high top into two with a clear divider so youre literally sitting next to another couple). Food was fantastic. My bf and I ordered the bacon wrapped dates (my fave), mushroom croquettes (yummy), scallops with Iberian ham (scallops cooked to perfection and ham had just the right amount of fat), bread with tomatoes (needed salt but nicely toasted), meatballs (savory and soft), and lastly the meat paella. I havent had a traditional paella in years and this one did not disappoint. We asked for it well done in order to have more crispiness, depth, and flavor to the dish and boy was it amazing. We ate every single thing brought to our table. After devouring our meal we ordered dessert - flan and churros. Flan was creamy and chirros tasted fresh and crispy. Will definitely be back!
My review of sakurat:Food: 8service: 8ambience:10Waiting time for food: 10Overall experience: 9Summary: When I came into the restaurant I was absolutely shocked by the ambience! It was the nicest place I have been to since the last time I was at Olive Garden! Once I had sat down they brought bread and soup right away. I was very impressed at how fast it came out! After the bread and soup they had brought out croquettes that were absolutely delicious! Then the chef came out and notified they would be serving piaya! I was very intrigued because I had never had Piaya before! fast forward once I had ate it, It was some of the best Spanish food I have ever had and the chef asked If I wanted Desert and because the food was so good I ordered churros and this caramel chocolate desert I forgot the name of! They were so delicious and at first bite I was in love! After my experience this is definitely a place I would take a girl out to!!! If you dont believe me please try out the restaurant yourself! Youll regret it if you dont!
My Spanish friends (from Seville and Madrid) swear by this place for the paella. The squid ink paella is my favorite, although all of them are great. A little less comfortable seating than the SoHo location, but, if you have a big group, the long table in the second room is great. ¡Muchas gracias por la deliciosa comida!
Shrimp in paella was completely rotten. Had vile powdery texture. Other seafood in it wasnt that fresh either and it wasnt even well seasoned. They make it look pretty but it doesnt taste great. Also, the pan de tomate, which is such a simple recipe had a very rancid taste. Overall it was highly disappointing and quite gross with all the rotting ingredients they use to save money while halfway poisoning diners. Do not attempt. There are plenty of paella places that actually have integrity and self respect in how and what they serve people paying their hard earned money!
Great Paellas! Namesake dish delivered. We had the meat lovers version along with a long list of appetizers - quantities are on the smaller side so definitely aim to have 1.5-2x appetizers for the party size.The Covid backyard setup works well, and make no mistake, its still cold and a draft comes through easily, but the heaters all around help. Dress for the cold!Will have to come back to try the Squid ink Paella 🥘
They ruined my thanksgiving. I called 3 times up to a week before thanksgiving to reserve one of their thanksgiving meals for Thursday. Every time I called a woman answered the phone and said no need to order ahead, same day order is fine. I asked “even with thanksgiving?”. She confirmed. On thanksgiving I called and they were sold out at all locations. Not a single person on the phone would listen to my story, or offer any help. One man just kept saying “no you’re wrong we don’t do same day delivery”, without spending any time actually listening to my situation. It’s thanksgiving today and I have no turkey, no fixings for the holiday. I have nothing but a bad story for my guests.
I went to Socarrat Paella bar for bottomless brunch and it was such a great experience !1. Food- delicious ! I had a party of 10 and the family style for the tapas was the right amount of food for everyone. We also enjoyed the entree we got to choose from the menu2. Drinks- We had the option to choose between mimosa or sangria. Both options were amazing and our waiter never let our glasses go empty !!3. Ambiance/Seating- we visited the restaurant during the middle of Covid/ban of indoor dining/ and winter! Eduardo made sure to keep us all warm and happy in the midst of everything! His outdoor seating had the perfect amount of heaters. My friends and I never felt cold! Eduardo also had a beautiful set up in the garden area and I felt safe with all the regulations he has in place for Covid.I highly recommend going here if you’re looking for a great time ! Everything was amazing and I cannot wait to come back!
I’ve been here many many times but not since the the new outdoor dining restrictions have been put in place because of COVID. We sat in the back garden area and let me tell you on a 30 degree night I was SO warm and cozy. I was able to take off my jacket and really enjoy dinner while still being safe, it was amazing! Food and service was great as always. But just wanted to jump on here and confirm that the heated patio is in fact very heated and warm! great job!!
We made a reservation at 915 on open table. When we arrived before being greeted with a hello the staff told us that the restaurant closes at 10pm and we need to order fast. Once we sat down we were told we couldn’t order some things on the menu because they were closing in 45min. Don’t let people make reservations later if you’re not going to provide a full service menu. Food was great but because of the customer service we won’t be back.
OMG! I had the best dining experience EVER at this marvelous establishment. The wait staff was exceptional in taking care of my groups every need. The manager must have checked with us at least three times to make sure we were happy with everything. The food, while deceptively pricey, was so very good that I didnt even care about that facet. And now that I know about the pricing practice, I will be better prepared and enjoy it even more next time. I cant say enough good things about this place!
When I visited here, this is my first time to come to NY. Thats why everything is new, amazing and little bit nervous for me. But, the server really cared about me like he explained about each plates, had a good conversation. I just went there by myself so he served Paella especially as one person size. The taste is awesome. I really appreciate it. I wish I wanna come back here again.
Eating as I write this. Happy hour half priced sangria and wine! Half priced tapas. Food I have tried has exceeded expectations. Great food. Though admittedly have not tried the Paella. Couldnt pass up on the half price tapas. Definitely some of the better tapas I have had in a while. Nice ambiance too. Staff is attentive and responsive.
Absolutely amazing service, the staff was so thoughtful and cared about your overall dining experience. The food was incredible with a specific mention to the arancini balls which literally melted in your mouth. Highly recommend this restaurant! Great outdoor dining areas and perfect atmosphere for any occasion. I cant wait to go back in the future!
Came here for a work dinner and we took up the whole bar side of the restaurant. The atmosphere was great and we appreciated the privacy. Tapas were good but nothing special. I enjoyed the seafood and meat paellas but the veggie one lacked flavor. Desserts were OK, Id recommend skipping in favor of an extra glass of wine or sangria.
Thought the food was good, but a bit on the pricier end. Also, the server recommended lots of dishes, noting that the three of us will easily be able to finish the food but that wasn’t the case. I honestly don’t like when that happens so giving this place a 3 star at best.
Great Spanish restaurant. As a Spaniard, I can testify that the paella is as good as it is in Spain. We also had the squid and pan con tomate that were good. The sangria is however disappointing (too much ice, not enough fruit, small glass) and horribly expensive - like the wine. The restaurant is pretty small so reservation is highly recommended. The staff is very professional.
Came here for dinner with a large group. The staff were friendly and efficient. The entrees were delicious, especially the fried tomatoes and the marinated prawns. We had three different paellas - seafood, vegetarian and mixed meat. The mixed meat was my favourite. The waitress came around and scrapped the bottom of the paella which kind of ruined it for me. We were dining with friends from Spain and apparently this is not what you do.
Nice tapas place. We sat at the bar during happy hour & got a few plates to share which was pretty good value. The Chorizo, the prawns & the octopus were all memorable. Drinks list was mostly wine but there were a few beers incl an IPA which I tried. Good spot for a casual bite.
I didnt try the paella but the couple sitting next to us looked like they were really enjoying their huge seafood feast! We ordered tapas, I have to say very pricey for tapas, $13,$15.. the shrimp were great, bacon covered dates were good but we did send back the pork dish, so much fat! My mom is a carnivore and she didnt want it!!!
This paella bar is decent. I had their lunch special. Dates were really good, churros were alright. The paella itself was good, but Ive had many better ones. Perhaps it might be that I had one of the non seafood ones. I would recommend and possibly will go back to try the other paellas.
The tapas are amazing! Definitely give the crispy brussel sprouts a try! The only issue I had was that the waiter was very nice, but he was overly ambitious in repeatedly coming to check if were ready to order without allowing enough time in between. Otherwise a great place. I had been to there two other locations before so I knew I was in for delicious food and they did not disappoint.
Me and my boyfriend were so excited to see Soccarat participating in NYC restaurant week 2021. We ordered our favorite paella dishes from Uber Eats this evening and after an hour and half later we still have not received the order. The owner who picked up the phone claimed that the delivery guy had already picked up the food and was on his way, and hung up abruptly. We patiently waited but still there was no update on our delivery after. I tried calling back, the restaurant didn’t pickup their phone. (I guess they closed early?) We were able to get a refund from the Uber Eats app eventually, but I hate to say we were extremely disappointed with the experience here at our favorite restaurant. I don’t think I’ll be ordering from this place again despite the fact that it is during hard times and we wanted to support our favorite restaurant.
Heard a lot about the place. Thankfully it was happy hour so tapas at the bar were at half price. That was the only good thing about the place. The bartender wasnt a very pleasant lady. So that was kinda annoying.Tapas were average at best. Pork belly was completely flavorless. Chorizo sausage very sad.Paella had to be ordered at a minimum of 2 servings and that would make the food rather boring if you go there as a couple. Probably best to go in a group if the Paella is actually as good as everyone claims.Frankly would not reccomend at all. Maybe tourists like the place. As a new yorker, you are sure to be disappointed.
We, 4 pensioners senior citizens visited the Socarrat Paella Bar yesterday for the first time.Drinks excellent. Friendly atmosphere. Seats very uncomfortable for older people. We placed 2 orders of Paella with Lobster, each order is for 2 people. We were very disappointed with the small portion, and the rice was too greasy to eat. But our major surprise was when we got home and noticed they charged us for 4 orders instead of 2. We called to dispute the charge but the manager told us the menu indicates the $38.00 was for one serving but they dont sell one serving, so they charged us for 4 servings [152.00]. So the real price of one small Paella dish is $76.00. Weve eaten Paella all around the city and around the world and this is the only restaurant we know has that trick; place one order of Paella and we charge you for 2. After spending $325..54 and leaving a big tip the manager was reluctant to give us credit for 2 Paellas. If weve been explained by the waiter that we would be charged for 4 orders of Paella wed have ordered something else. Very, very disappointed.
The food was excellent. I had the Banana French toast and it defied my expectations completely. It had a very nice texture, kind of crunchy at the edges. They also fry their potato pretty well too. The place is more on the cozy side with not that much space to mingle. The drink I ordered was terrible. I cant remember the name of it but it was clear.
If you are in the mood for paella, go to Soccarrat and not one of the smaller tapas places that only give you paella in a small serving and fake pan. You need the paella served in the paella pan! For appetizers we ordered a few tapas but the only one that stood out for me was the grilled squid with squid ink. The sangria was light and mild. We got two versions of paella to share. This was between 6 people and we had plenty of leftovers. One of the paellas was with fish and seafood. The other was with black rice from squid ink. They tasted just as good the next day heated up. The price you pay is well worth it.
Theres a happy hour on sangria and couple tapas until 7 but only at the bar.Is this the best paella I ve ever had? Hard to say since its been a while. If you get the paella for two, id really say its large enough for three. The sangria was fine, nothing wrong w it, tho at 9 bucks a glass it aint a value drink that is for sure.
Great little Spanish spot. The paellas are great and big portions. We had a couple of the tapas which were nice. Looking forward to going back for tapas only as they had a very extensive menu.I havent tried the other locations, but this one has a patio at back which is a nice touch
I dined here with a work group and while we were supposed to have the back room, they seated two other tables of folks near us.The potato appetizers were delicious and the chicken paella was OK, but I wasnt impressed with my experience at all.Seating in the back (technically side) room is limited to high tabled with stools, so not only is it uncomfortable, its a cramped table when youre sharing dishes and its hard to interact with people around the table. Service was adequate, as they were quick to fill the bowls, but the bottom of the paella pans werent just crispy, they were straight up burnt. Im not likely to return though it was an otherwise lovely space.
The tapas were absolutely amazing; I had the bacon wrapped dates, croquettes and an array of jambon. These little dishes came at nice intervals to the table and we were frequently asked if we needed more drinks. The squid ink paella was interesting and came in a huge portion. Its a small restaurant so I definitely recommend reservations.
I went here for NYC restaurant week after I have been meaning to try this place for over a year. Everything was delicious from the starters to the dessert. We started with the sizzling shrimp which was well seasoned and so fresh. We then ate the paella (what theyre known for) and it was amazing and the dessert churros were served with an amazing chocolate syrup and whipped cream combo which I can only describe as heavenly.The staff was also amazing. It is small so recommend making a reservation if you can - I can imagine this place having a wait. I look forward to going back again but hope they keep the churros and shrimp on the menu from restaurant week!
What a great place to meet for tapas or fabulous paella! The setting is rustically dark, and much of the seating is at high stools, but the atmosphere and easy-to-share dishes engender a great deal of camaraderie. The tapas are original and appealing to a wide variety of tastes. Share! Eschew wine snobbery and just go for the pitchers of tasty, fruit-laden sangria.
Food is excellent but I’d have to note that the server was a bit rude. He wanted to rush our order and constantly pressured our party to place our order by coming back every 60 seconds to ask the same question. He seemed to have a bit of an attitude and was impatient. I didn’t understand the rush as they were not closing for another 2.5 hours. They certainly have to work on service. Nevertheless, the paella is delicious and I’d come back to try the other options.
Second time Ive been here. Four stars for the food. Absolutely excellent paella. Codfish croquettes also. And the Ribera del Duero was outstanding. No bread? But the place like many others in the area is very noisy and crowded. ..and the high chairs without backs remind you that they want to keep you as uncomfortable as possible in order to get you out within an hour. Small tables too...Staff was fine, no complaints there.
It was the second time Ive been here. Four stars for the food. Absolutely excellent paella. Codfish croquettes also. And the Ribera del Duero was outstanding. No bread? But the place like many others in the area is very noisy and crowded. ..and the high chairs without backs remind you that they want to keep you as uncomfortable as possible in order to get you out within an hour. Small tables too...Staff was fine, no complaints there.
Delicious tapas and such nice service! Its a cozy spot so it was a lovely date night. I dont recommend groups as it is such a tiny place. Its casual classy too. I felt slightly underdressed but its not like they have a dress code of blouses and skirts! The rose sangria was delightful and I dream of the shrimp we had. We would absolutely go back if ever we go back to NYC!
Usually I dont review restaurants. But I will with this one. The food we ordered (Langosta Paella) was really bland, no taste whatsoever, we ended leaving half the plate due the bad taste, and it wasnt cheap either But the main issue for me was the service, it was HORRIBLE, first like 20 minutes for someone to ask us what do we want and then more than 1 hour to get the food, finally no follow ups, no one checking how was everything, if we wanted more drinks, etc. NOTHING, trust me it was really bad. I would NOT recommend this restaurant, first and last time I will be there.
I was very excited to visit Socarrat finally and my dining experience did not disappoint! Its a very cute tapas restaurant with some communal tables and small tables at the back. We started with the scallops special and pork belly tapas and finished with the valenciana paella. All were excellent! The paella was served on a large (iron?) pan so you get the slightly burned rice at the bottom - YUM! The paella is probably one of the best Ive tasted in NYC.Tapas are generally around $10-15. Paella starts from $20, minimum order of 2 people. Service was very friendly. As others have mentioned, reservation is recommended.
Three of us had VEGETALES A LA PLANCHA, the flatbread special, and PESCADO Y MARISCO paella. We enjoy every one of them.We also had a nice bottle of red wine and almost ordered a second, but as a responsible third wheel I promptly stopped it. FUN NIGHT!PERFECT for:Date Night for couplesFirst date if you are trying to impressGroup of 2-6 peopleNOT recommended for:Solo eater - you can order 1 persons serving of paella but it will still be served on a pan that can feed a whole familyPeople who dont like long and narrow space
I have been in Socarrat at least 10 times! Today the first after the pandemic . First to say that a day like today when is cold and raining, they shouldn’t have the door open like it was 80 degrees. Make the customer uncomfortable when eating . I was disappointed when I request “ gambas al ajillo”. They are boiled in hot oil with slices of garlic! We had the lamb chop tapas! Sauce was not hot , lamb was well cooked ! Prices are up! The black rice was cold and half the amount used to be. For me not worth the money! 😔😔😔
My party of three tried this restaurant for the first time during NYC Restaurant Week. The host was pleasant, the waiter was knowledgeable and efficient. The entire staff seemed to be from Spain. Our waiter was from Valencia. He was able to tell us about our food, make suggestions and pair it with their wine selection.The portions were on point, served hot and in a reasonable amount of time. I highly recommend the gazpacho. It was completely smooth and liquefied with a light creaminess, topped with a drizzle of olive oil. The chuletas de cordero were also great -- served with a heaping portions of veggies.
Giant platter of terribly prepared vegetables which I could have made in a basement, 75 dollars. These people should be ashamed of the people they hire. I wanted to treat my newly wed-brother to a nice meal, all I got was to seated next to the moronic staff, just next to the door. Does anyone have some common sense to recommended seating not next to the god damn door. Please do not go this place if youre in any way trying to treat some people as youll made a fool of. Just a terrible experience.
Fairly standard tapas and paella menu. Patatas bravas, fried artichokes, and meat and cheese board are tasty. Paellas are good, particularly the carne version. Desserts are not their strong point (Ive had four out of five and all are blah). Service is friendly and accommodating. Easy place to take a large group.
A unique paella bar with a nice bar adjacent. Service on very long narrow table where about 40 people sit and are served giant cooking irons of Paella for two--or more--as theyre really gigantic. Wonderful variety. Very crowded so good to arrive at opening hour, if possible.
Extremely cramped space with a large crowd, though the room itself is comfortable. You just have to wait. They only offer two-person paella, that means you have to pay two-person price no matter how much paella you order. The food per se is not disappointing, especially when you are hungry after 25 min wait.
The establishment was lovely and the staff was attentive but the food was pretty disappointing. Perhaps it was an off night in the kitchen but we both thought the paella was bland and the seafood was overcooked. Shame because we were both looking forward to trying Socarrat.
I was happy to go there with group of people because I could taste so many different dishes but it gets pricy in the endI had both Lobster and Squid ink paella and everybody liked Squid Ink. It was little bit sweet and rice was perfectly cooked and crunchy.I also liked Brussels Sprouts, anchovies/goat cheese toast and scallop carpaccio.I did not like pork belly/ watermelon and cheesecake. Pork belly was cooked well but I did not think pork belly and watermelon combination went well. Presentation was pretty though...I am cheesecake (baked cheesecake) lover but I did not like this rare cheese cake. I tasted really strong...goat cheese flavor somehow.... haha
Not exactly a steal at at least $25/pp, but the paella is delicious and if you like the namesake crispy bits, youre in heaven. The waits are often long in the warmer months, but the ambiance is casual and friendly; no one is rushed and no one complains. The squid ink paella is killer.
Very unfriendly hostess who didnt offer any apology after having to wait 30 min past out reservation to be seated. The food was mediocre and all 5 of the tapas we ordered came out at the same exact time. We barely had room for our plates on the table and didnt get to enjoy the plates as we should as some of them were cold by the time we got to them. I would not recommend this restaurant, at least at this location.
The paella is really really good, so with this said, I have to say I felt everything was a bit overpriced. The tapas are great (octopus, bravas, datiles, croquetas...) but not to end up paying that much. In comparison to the other spanish-tapas nearby I have to admit this was the best one.
We came here with a group of 11 on a Friday night. We had a reservation and was seated immediately. We ordered the prix fixed dinner which came with 5 apps, 3 paellas and dessert.For the apps, we ordered the:Gammas al ajillo: I really enjoyed the oil that the shrimp was covered in. It was tasty to dip with the bread. It did have a spicy kick to it so caution if you cant handle the spice.Patatas bravas: Fried potatoes- nothing so special about it.Pulp a la gallega: This may have been one of my favorite apps. If you like octopus, youll love this!Atun: tuna :)and the croquettes del dia: croquette of the day- when we went there was cheese and potato. This was good but I think its better to save your stomach for the other yummy apps.The paellas:1. Squid Ink: I loved it! it was my favorite. it was crunchy rice in the bottom and the rice was covered in squid ink and its something different about it that made me keep reaching for this.2. Socarrat: There was a mix of seafood and meat but it wasnt my favorite.3. Carne: Lots of meat and paella. If youre a meat lover, youd probably enjoy this.Dessert:We had the churro sundae. The churro was hard and you can dip them in coffee cream but I didnt enjoy this too much. Im not really a big fan of churros but if you like hard churros with ice-cream you do you.
As usual, Soccarat does not disappoint. Having adjusted to covid-regulations with aplomb and grace, the experience was not diminished in the least. In fact, the outdoor dining added a.... je ne sais quoi that just truly uplifted what is already a very comfortable and delicious experience. Everything we ordered was prepared exceptionally well, the staff were perfectly attentive and informative. This is quickly becoming an institution in NYC!
Best paella Ive had in NYC. Come for brunch or lunch instead of dinner to avoid the wait and still enjoy the same menu. The sangria is delicious (wines and beers also available), as are all the small tapas plates, but resist the temptation to fill up on tapas while waiting for the paella.
Total reviews rating
199 Reviews for Socarrat Paella Bar - Chelsea 2023:
Review №1
2022-02-01Overall good meal and good service. Went for restaurant week and got to try both Paellas on their menu. The paella with squid ink rice was very good, though the scallops weren’t as soft as they should be. For the tapas, would recommend the croquettes, champinones, and shrimp
Review №2
2022-07-24Overall the experience was average and probably would not go back nor recommend to friends. The croquettes was great, the calamari didn’t have much flavor. The lobster paella was underwhelming. There was a thin rice layer that was burnt on the pan which gave a weird crunchy taste. They asked to “scrape the rice” which was a first for me. There was a sporadic laying of prawn shrimp and other seafood. Again, underwhelming food, atmosphere was good and decent acoustics and could hear conversation fine. Service was excellent and food came out promptly.
Review №3
2022-01-30Super delicious drinks - Oaxacaño was spicy, well blended and so good I had to order two.The tapas were the perfect precursor to a delicious blend of rice and marisco aka paella.Tapas:Octopus / Brussel SproutsOctopus was a tender, the mash that accompanied it had a good buttery wax potato mixture. It paired well.The brussel sprouts were spot on, goodbye boils and mushy brussel sprouts and hello new age roasted and fried . The glaze was a sweet and tart , which was surprisingly pretty great.The paella:was a generous serving, plenty of marisco (sea food ) to go with it. Only complaint if any was the rice was extra dry, but flavorful.Overall this is a great place, but not a daily visit - more of an on occasion , or when youve got a craving for a solid paella.Photos below.
Review №4
2022-07-21Went here during restaurant week 22. The garlic shrimp was really good and it is a must to dip the bread into the oil 👨🍳💋. The Brussel sprouts were cooked well. And the paella was delicious, the rice was cooked el dente and cooked right, but I wished it was slightly softer (asian rice soft), but everything was so flavorful. The sangria was a nice pairing to everything. Finished off the meal with crispy churros.
Review №5
2022-01-29Restaurant week take 3: I would give this place a 5 star but something just bothers me. Im not sure if because we came for restaurant week, I have reservation but they put us all the way in the back close to the kitchen and bathroom where we couldnt sit face to face and no space between other customers, while theres a while row of table empty the entire time until we left. So disappointed at the seat arrangement.The service on the other hand is super, our waiter kept our water filled, plates cleaned and make sure our table is clean without crumbs.-croquettes of the day:4/5 crispy outside soft inside, good ham flavor-sizzling shrimp: 4/5 soaked in boiling olive oil with sliced garlic, about 8 pieces.-PAELLA SOCARRAT: 3/5 flavor is very great, good amount of seafood and chicken, wish there were a bit more rice, not enough for two guys. Still hungry after the meal.-Flan 5/5: I really enjoyed this flavor; flan is soft with pistachio crumb and whip cream on top.-CHURROS 5/5: churros are fresh made still hot. With dark chocolate dip to balance the sweetness.For 3 courses meal only $29 which is very decent for NYC. But not sure I would come back for regular meal if the paella portion is not enough to fill up the belly tho,
Review №6
2022-03-01Sangrias were ok. Sardines and beet salad were delicious and filling. We could have skipped the paella,$72 for 2, was excessive for what it was. It was no sense service in a quiet small diner. The painted images of Spain added a nice touch to the ambience. Would return for tapas.
Review №7
2022-04-04Came here for restaurant week a while ago - paella was very good and had a nice variety of ingredients, croquetas were just okay, churros were great. Bartender was very friendly and happened to live near where I lived in Madrid a few years ago!
Review №8
2021-11-27Scoarrat delivers on the seafood paella as you might expect, but it is the tapas that stole the show. Try the potatoes, and peppers, brussel sprouts, eggs and bread with tomato sauce - all super yummy. The vegetarian paella was OK (would recommend skipping it). The restaurant has a great ambience, perfect to enjoy some great wine.
Review №9
2021-12-18It was my first time trying this restaurant and it was good food and drinks but I commend them on the service. I dined in their outdoor patio in the backyard and the heated lamps and drinks kept us nice and cozy in 50 degree weather. Food came out surprisingly quickly and waiters check on you frequently which I havent gotten during the pandemic. I will definitely recommend and return to the Chelsea location. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review №10
2022-07-07To find a real Paella bar it’s a miracle. This place have the vibe, the energy, the music and the taste. Great restaurant to have a first date.