Estela

I was a bit disappointed with the experience at Estela - a place I had heard great things about. The cuisine is not cohesive in any way, from what I could tell… a bit too “New American” perhaps. The dishes are meant to be shared; however, each small dish costs anywhere from approximately $20-$40. They recommend you order around 7 items for a group of four. Granted there are only about 12 items on this particular brunch/lunch menu, so it almost seemed as if we needed to order one of each dish to be full. I do not recommend the crab dish, I forgot to take a photograph of it because I was deterred by the sight of it. It was very very fishy to taste, you could even smell it. The best dish was the mushroom dumplings and the arroz with squid. However, for the tiny portion sizes and the cost, I am not sure if the flavor was that impressive. The chicken entree was so strange. Two small pieces of chicken that tasted so regular. Some orange type of purée and squash. The restaurant itself was cute- small and quaint. The service was good, normal - not above and beyond or anything memorable. Perhaps the dinner would be a better option for people who have booked reservations far in advance and are looking forward to the meal because unfortunately I was not very satisfied with the brunch / lunch experience.

Food was really really good, and I love how it’s so unassuming, but intimate. Only have positives to say, but my one negative is I felt the service was just a little slow. One of those experiences where your drinks sit empty for four or five minutes too long and you start to wonder where your food is. Nothing too crazy or unbearable, but I think a slightly quicker service would be beneficial!

One of the best dining experiences I’ve had in NYC. The staff were all lovely and attentive, especially our server Gavin who was an absolute dream. We had the scallop, fried arroz and the ricotta dumplings. Just perfection.

Estela has all that downtown New York charm you’d expect of a dim, cozy and loud first floor restaurant. The endive salad is iconic and worth the visit alone. We also enjoyed the jamon, ricotta dumplings and duck we ordered. But the endives were on a different level! Four dishes were enough for two. Drinks aren’t cheap, but they sure are strong! (That’s a compliment.)

Amazing food experience. Tuna and beef tartare are a must. The ricotta dumplings was mind blowing and the duck was so rich in flavors that we didn't want it to end. Skip the pork and try not to eat too much bread (hard, given the bread is perfect). Service at the bar was 5 stars; at the table was a bit pretentious (poor attention, didn't helped much)

Came here with a few friends and we sat at the bat. It was recommended that we share what we ordered. My favorite dish was the black rice. It doesn't look like much, but the flavors were fantastic. I really enjoyed the flavor combinations of every dish. It's very overpriced, but worth trying at least once.

Amazing amazing amazing food and ambience. Definitely the best food I’ve had in NYC We had - oysters 10/10 - steak tartar 15/10 - fried rice 15/10 - ricotta dumplings 10/10 - wagyu steak 9/10 - chocolate cake 10/10 - beaujolais wine 10/10 Very generous quantities, great timing, friendly staff Would suggest going with one other person or two maximum and be seated at the bar The only reason this is not a 5 is - scallops were sold out even-though it was early on a Monday - my friend had given his card to the manager before dinner (he passed by) to make sure he pays the bill. And yet when we ordered the bill the card was not taken into account and we had to ask for it - water cups had an eggy smell

I only have wonderful things to say about Estela. Although it is a place for sharing meals I went alone and had the best meal EVER. The oysters were from the east coast and were absolutely delightful. The highlight of my meal was the “Endive, walnuts, anchovy, and Ubriaco Rosso” which I ordered based on the suggestion of the server. He was absolutely correct. The walnuts and anchovies paired with the cheese is a complex and delicious meal. It def is packed full of flavor and texture. I wish I could eat it again. The duck, which is aged for two days, was also great. the fat adds to the flavor. I enjoyed dessert which was the panna cotta with honey and vinegar! The perfect amount of richness and sweetness with a little bit of bite! I’m definitely looking forward to bringing my friends here in the near future.