EZ Paella & Tapas — Restaurant in New York

What a little gem of a place! I went here after work for a casual dinner with my friends. Even though it was a weekday, the place was full so we ended up sitting at the bar. The bar seating looks into a small open kitchen where the owner Alex himself cooks up delicious food. Our server that evening was no other than Alex’s wife and the other owner, Lorena. Alex was very friendly and had great love and pride in the food he offered. The owners are originally from Venezuela, so their menu offers a fusion of Venezuelan and Spanish cuisine. From the tapas, we tried the creamy shrimp, carne tostada, croquettes, empanada, and burrata. My friends loved the shrimp dish the most. The shrimps were cooked perfectly with a snappy bite and the spicy curry coconut sauce was very flavorful. My favorite was the carne tostadas. The plantains were crisp but not dry and the generously portioned meat topping was tender and soft. We also ordered a pitcher of red sangria and it was the perfect accompaniment to our meal. The glasses were so big, they were the size of our faces. The wine wasn’t overly sweet, and there were lots of berries mixed in. After the tapas, we had the land and sea paella. Alex told us the reason he named the restaurant EZ paella was to make paella more approachable. Instead of only serving paellas as a group dish like most other restaurants, he figured out a way to make single serve paella. So if each person at your party wants to try a different flavor, it’s not a problem here. His paella had a ton of seafood like shrimp, mussels, and scallop and was well seasoned and cooked. After stuffing our stomach with all the food, somehow we managed to make some space for their homemade tres leches cake made by Lorena. The cake was very soft and the little bit of cinnamon sprinkled on the top made it quite different from other tres leches I’ve tried. We all finished our meal full and happy. It felt really good to have found such a great mom and pop place. I will definitely be coming...

I realized that I've never had Venezuelan food before so I decided to check this place out. It's a Venezuelan / Spanish fusion and everything was so tasty. We went with a few appetizers and finished it off with the seafood paella. The paella doesn't look like much but the flavors that come out of that bowl are quite bright and dynamic. There is a lot of shrimp in there which you don't see in the picture on the menu. We added chorizo to ours and I loved it. It added a nice contrast in texture since everything else had a softer feel. My friend didn't love it but I think it was a great add-on.

We ordered the half-carafe of red sangria and it was such a good choice. Good size and the flavor was pure. It didn't taste like other sangrias that have fat too many extra stuff in it.

You know I love great service. The food can be A+ but if the service is lacking, it's a huge disappointment. But out server Cataldo was amazing. He was knowledgeable, patient, and gave the best recommendations.

I really like this place. I love how small and cozy it is. Big restaurants stress me out but this place had such a nice vibe, I can't wait to go back. Thank you Cataldo for a...

Absolutely amazing! We stopped in after seeing the Buena Vista Social Club show on Broadway with three hungry teenagers, and it was the perfect end to the night. We grabbed seats at the bar and got a front-row view of the chef working magic in the kitchen. The host was so kind—she even helped us pass the sauces around!

We went for an all-vegetarian menu, but of course, they have everything!

The vegetarian menu was a blast to try, and we shared everything family-style. Favorites? Hard to choose! • Yuca Croquettes – Crispy perfection with creamy garlic sauce. • Caprese Skewers – Fresh, flavorful, and so cute. • Venezuelan Cheese Stick – Ooey-gooey delicious. • Garden Salad – Light and refreshing. • Veggie Paella with Spicy Caribbean Sauce – A flavor explosion. • Pantry n’ Criollo – White rice, black beans, fried plantain (vegetarian style) – pure comfort. • Truffle Potatoes – The star of the night!

Dessert was just as memorable—Crème Brûlée and Tres Leches that were melt-in-your-mouth good. I was barely able to snap a photo of the Tres Leches as my girls finished it so fast!

Warm atmosphere, friendly service, incredible food—can’t wait...