Boqueria UES — Restaurant in New York

Our recent brunch at Boqueria UES was a mix of highs and lows, offering a fantastic ambiance and service but a food experience that left us feeling underwhelmed.

Ambiance & Service: Boqueria truly excels in creating an inviting atmosphere. The decor, lighting, and music set the perfect tone for a relaxed yet vibrant brunch. The comfort and noise level were spot on - lively without being overwhelming. The service was impeccable; our server and the entire staff were professional, courteous, and attentive without being intrusive. It’s always a pleasure to dine somewhere that prioritizes hospitality at this level.

The Food: The Good: • Choripan – The chorizo, garlic allioli, and salsa verde were flavorful, and the combination worked well together. However, the brioche roll was a bit dry, and the toppings leaned towards the oily side. • Matrimonio – A wonderful mix of boquerones, salt-cured anchovies, piquillo peppers, Kumato tomatoes, and sherry vinegar reduction with fennel pollen. Served on toasted sourdough, this dish improved with every bite and was one of the highlights of the meal. • Torrija – A showstopper. The crispy French toast, stuffed with sweet mita crema and topped with blackberry compote and maple syrup, was a hit with everyone at our table. Rich, indulgent, and perfectly balanced. • Patatas Bravas (from Dos Huevos y Más) – Crispy, well-seasoned, and satisfying. A solid execution of this classic Spanish dish.

The Not-So-Good: • Dos Huevos y Más – I ordered my eggs sunny-side up, and they were cooked well. The patatas bravas and salsa verde were enjoyable, but the bacon was disappointing - reminiscent of supermarket quality, which detracted from the overall dish. Simply Disappointing: • Huevos Estrellados – This dish fell flat. The shoestring fries, truffle potato cream, Jamón Serrano, and fried egg combined into a bland and uninspired plate that lacked any real depth of flavor. The Jamón Serrano tasted like it came from a supermarket, and the truffle potato cream not only lacked truffle flavor but also unfortunately caused my wife significant stomach issues afterward.

Final Thoughts: While the atmosphere and service at Boqueria UES were top-notch, the inconsistency in food quality, especially with dishes that should shine in a Spanish tapas setting, left us disappointed. Given the wide array of Spanish tapas options in New York City, I don’t see myself returning anytime soon - there are simply too many other places to explore that may offer a better balance of quality...

What a phenomenal tapas experience! As you walk in you feel the warmth of the venue with the beautiful soft lighting, thoughtfully placed high-top tables and benches, and the open kitchen concept. My friend and I each ordered an Aperol Spritz. The drink was flavorful, but a little sweet for my taste. We then feasted on a spread of seven tapas. First came the Croquetas de Setas which were filled with a warm and delightful burst of chopped mushroom filling. The Patatas Bravas are my old favorite: they are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside with a delightful aioli and tomato-based sauce. The Ensalada de Tomates was the most refreshing dish with a delicious sherry vinegar reduction which added beautiful acidity to the dish made savory with the sheep’s milk and fresh herbs. The Escalavada was a wonderful nod to the Mediterranean culture of Spain , similar to a dish you might find at a Greek or Turkish restaurant, but instead of being served with pita or Turkish bread, served with perfectly toasted focaccia. The Zanahorias were very tasty, delicately cooked to tender, with the almonds as a nice touch of texture for the otherwise soft dish. We then got another round of drinks. My friend was pleased with his Dirty Martini, and I love the heat in my Shishito Margarita. Our last set of tapas were the play on American bar food - the Iberico Mac n Cheese and Mini Hamburguesas. They were cooked well, but they were not special, only made Spanish by the addition of a lot of Manchego cheese in the burger or tiny little bits of Iberico to the Mac n Cheese, which were nearly indiscernible. I understand that they would like to have something for everyone, but I wish I had saved my appetite for more of the other dishes which I had so enjoyed. We enjoyed top notch service led by Peter, the general manager, himself.

Overall a fantastic experience at Boqueria that led to conversations of praise into the next day.

Note - I have previously tried the seafood paella, and really enjoyed the seafood which was cooked to perfection, but found the rice greasy and soggy, and have happened to also have overhead others speak of the inconsistent rice. Please see a picture of the beautiful...

The experience I had in this place was the most traumatic I’ve ever had in a restaurant before. I got there at 11am for our reservation hoping have a nice brunch with some friends. I brought my dog - who always goes with me to this restaurant and others - and I asked the host if I could sit outside and she said it was not necessary, “but only don’t put your dog on the table as it is not allowed” , and I said of course not, I will never do something like this. We sat and we ordered many things that were coming in different times. My dog, is a happy and friendly dog, and while my friends were arriving he will sometimes bark (he is an 8 pounds poppy by the way) and got excited. So when that happened, I start getting questioning from one of the employee (I don’t know if he was the manager) so I asked the host if we could sit outside as I suggested on the first place and she said no because all the tables were occupied at that point… He continued coming to my table to complain about any little thing like: give my dog water (that I brought) or a little sound he will make. The food kept arriving and I gave my dog a treat. This gentleman who works there, immediately came to me (at this point I think he was observing me the whole time) and said that I could not give him food or anything… so I asked him politely what should I do, he needs water and some treats. He said: “well I think you and your dog need to leave”. He brought the check and I paid for food that I couldn’t even finish and that was not brought to our table. I said to them when I was leaving: why you didn’t let me sit outside (there were empty tables after I checked) and he said: maybe you shouldn’t have brought your dog here. This is an act of discrimination at this point in my opinion. There are many restaurants that would have welcomed me and my dog. And he shouldn’t tell me what to do any I couldn’t eat all the food that I paid for As I said, a terrible experience. I will...