This is an upper east side tapas bar. Get your choice of drink and then experiment by ordering a selection from the wide variety of small food items. Sharing is also a great option. Vegetarians will find here a very reasonable selection of tapas to enjoy. Notice they have two spots one next to the other. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. Service was helpful, fast and efficient. Prices are as expected in this neighborhood.
On 11/11/23, we had our wedding reception here. We had about 60 people. My experience with Pil Pil from beginning to end was simply perfect. Pamela, the general manager, helped me plan our entire wedding through email and phone, and so flawlessly. She was so detail oriented in all of her suggestions!They welcomed us a few months before the wedding to come try a complimentary selection of their food- and from then on I was blown away by the hospitality and service. We felt like special guests and the chef Pedja who is just SO nice- actually came out and served us all of our food and explained each dish to us! The ambience in the restaurant was just adorable and so much more beautiful than I expected. We are both nature people- so we adored the tree branch ceilings, the beautiful art, and the bar lighting using glass bottles was such a creative touch!The food ended up being just amazing! We actually ended up having a brunch wedding so they served us breakfast for dinner when we went to try everything and we LOVED it. My favorite were the ham croquettes, the spanish french toast, steak and fries and the coconut dates- mmmm but there was so much more than that!And Pam actually assisted me with every detail of the wedding planning, florals, scenery, the most delicious bride and groom drinks, sangrias- it was all so amazing. She put together really adorable signs with our drink and menu choices, a Mr and Mrs sign, and even had a faux cake designed (in the photos) with the MOST adorable surprise cake topper designed after our engagement photos!!! This was so unexpected and I have the cake topper framed in my living room still today! We had the most amazing tres leches cake as our “real” cake, and they put a piece into our faux cake so that we had a piece to cut. Pam even set up a memorial seat for my recently deceased father and allowed me to put up a photo and displayed my sign reserving a seat for him. It was just so thoughtful and beautiful.We ended up having a last minute rehearsal dinner, scheduled only a few weeks prior- and they were SOMEHOW able to accommodate us in the next door party room, and it was so beautiful!! We had our own personalized champagne glasses (which I regretfully forgot at the restaurant after the wedding) and a nice long table set up for all our family with a bride and groom table for us. Service was impeccable and everyone had a great night.Now- the wedding itself! A day to remember! Pam and her staff truly went above and beyond to make our guests feel welcome and comfortable while everyone waited for us to arrive (we were running a bit late after wedding photos!) but Pam made sure everything ran so smoothly! We had our own playlist connected to the speakers, champagne served at the door, food was held until we arrived, and everything was just so delicious!!! Our guests were blown away with how we were able to fit 60 people comfortably in the restaurant and still had room to dance! Our family loved the big table at the back of the restaurant and absolutely everyone came out to dance and have fun with us. Our guests thought this was such a cool and fun experience and a great place to have a small wedding. Everyone loved the food, service and atmosphere, and some begged to stay longer haha! Hopefully we weren’t a crazy bunch to host, but Pil Pil was definitely the perfect spot to have our party.We are coming back for our anniversary dinner in November- and will likely return for years to come. Thank you for making our special day so memorable 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷 We will remember this day for the rest of our lives! Our guests are still talking about how awesome it was!! We love you Pil Pil!!! And THANK YOU PAM you’re the best!!!
Food 9/10Such solid tapas but also might be biased because I had a great time. Objectively, I do think it’s one of the best tapa spots in NYC. The shrimp was a little oily but the oil sauce with the bread goes crazy. The paella had a very generous amount of seafood, the octopus was very tender and flavored, and so was the manchego cheese. The wines they recommended were also quite interesting and fun.Atmosphere 7/10We were seated at some communal table, with parties of two sitting across from each other both sides. Could tell they were both first or early dates, so it was kind of funny listening in on their conversations. It felt a bit tight and cramped, not sure who thought of this setup but I guess its fine. Cool decor inside, hopefully I can come back during the day to full appreciate the interior.Service 6/10Solid service, friendly dude. The only thing is I don’t like the iPad menus. They were quite janky and just not great for the dining experience.
I brought a group of high school students to experience authentic Spanish cuisine after a day at the Met. The owner was beyond accommodating: super easy to work with, very responsive, and open to work with a very limited budget. Planning the event was a breeze. When we arrived…Wow! The atmosphere was perfect, food was AMAZING, and I could not believe how much food was provided. The staff was very friendly and professional, we got to meet the chef, and the owner actually thanked US for coming! This experience far surpassed my expectations—We will definitely be returning! Hoping to make this an annual event! Thank YOU, Pil Pil!!
Pil Pil gives the complete dining experience! Tapas style allows you to explore a bunch of different dishes and flavors, and they know how to combine flavors! SUCH a cozy atmosphere too, feels like you’re dining in a vineyard. The service is warm and welcoming.The Pan con Tomate was a great starter — perfectly toasted with fresh tomatoes on top. These guys do chorizo right 👌🏼 Empanadillas de Puerco y Chorizo and the Spanish chorizo were some of my favorite dishes. Highly recommend trying the chorizo! Mac & Cheese croquetas were bomb! Worth getting for the table. Carne Adobada and fries were delightful — tender, savory skirt steak and I LOVED the seasoned fries and sauce duo. If you’re into coffee, end the meal with the espresso ice cream. It’s the right amount of bitter and creamy.Highly recommend this place for quality food, new flavors, calming atmosphere, and friendly service.
A great tapas place in upper east side in NYC! Perfect place with amazing ambiance for early evening drinks and bites with friends. Usually it’s a wait to get seated but the turnaround time is quick. We tried their Prosecco sangria which set the evening rolling for us. The lobster, recommended by our server, was a dud - not much taste to the meat and lacked flavor to it. The mushroom and cheese flatbread was great - I recommend that. And lamb chops were simply amazing - succulent, rich and flavorful.
Great Happy Hour Hot Spot- food and service were outstanding. Staff couldn’t be any friendlier and more accommodating. Sangria is delicious. Back room is a perfect spot for a date or “birthday surprise” like I planned for a special friend.
Cozy atmosphere, excellent tapas, and a great wine selection. Perfect for a casual night out or an intimate dinner. Highly recommend!
The food was really good, just a bit pricey but somehow worth the cost. Staff was a bit pushy about getting drinks and sangria. But overall the service was good. Great atmosphere as well as cozy setup. Very cool digital menu. I recommend checking it out.
Good bottomless brunch. Food is yummy and perfect for brunchtheir drinks are delicious. Their sangria is a must. It tastes just like what I had in Spain! The staff is friendly and nice. It’s a small space but the decor is very cute
Great place for tapas (especially for brunch) with tasty flavorful food, large selection, nice presentation, ample indoor and outdoor seating and decent prices. The Spanish omelettes were incredible.We got the region based tapas during brunch ($22 for 3 decent tapas servings from the region) with mimosa and sangria ($8 each).Of the items we had, the omelettes were the best, followed by the hangar steak with fries and Spanish croquettes. They also have a great dessert collection including a few vegan options.
We enjoyed this authentic Spanish tapas very much,so tasty and fresh !The staff very welcoming, helpful, and professional.We will definitely come back soon.
Tried this the first time for happy hour and tapas. Really good food and fast service. It’s close to work so I definitely plan to stop by more often.
Beautifully decorated restaurant serving fresh and relatively flavorful Spanish food. I found the spicy ketchup drizzled on the fries and potato bravas to be too sour and sweet. The portion sizes of the entrees were quite small. Service was ok.
Service was good but the food was ok. I think the chef liked powdered Paprika a lot. All our food tasted similar because it was everywhere. Grilled octopus came in luke warm. The seafood rice was better but the mussels on it was not fresh. Croquettas de Jamon tasted like it was cooked hours ago and reheated. Overall it was ok.
I rarely write reviews and I am rarely so disappointed with a restaurant to write a review this quickly. The food is a solid 2.5/5 I can likely do better at home. Amateurish level dishes (I have been to spain many times but this is not about that) hardly a top 10 in the city... you want real Tapas go to Soccarat, Bouqeria, etc... there was plastic in the food as well.... Sangria is highly watered down and tasteless.. Did i mention the food was just bad? Nice decor, lots of potential but the food quality, the lack of a decent cocktail menu and somewhat questionable service is just sad... there are many better options to be had frankly this was one of my worst experiences in any restaurant food wise in many years. The need to step up their game.
The only reason I gave this restaurant 4* is because the restaurant was pretty empty and the host was insisting on sitting parties on top of each other, even though there were completely empty tables around.Other than that the food was great I recommend getting the bacon wrapped dates and the Lamb toast! Also, our waitress was amazing and so helpful!
Very, very nice and pleasent place to drink a good spanish wine and have some of the tapases that are in the menu. Bottles are half a regular price on the Sundays and Mondays after 6 p.m. Maybe this is what makes this place very vivid compering to all the others in the neighborhood. All the compliments to the stuff, both in and out of the kitchen. We came back, hope you will too :-)
Came for Happy Hour last week. I typically have 2 glasses of wine but didnt say anything when I saw the bartender pouring me a third glass without asking (buybacks are so nice!). Then I noticed he did charge me for it (and added an extra beer to the tab, as well)
Cozy atmosphere. Shared seating. Interesting decor. Service was very attentive. The food was very good. It was recommended two tapas for each person to share. That was perfect. We got there early in the evening, but as the night went on, it got busier and the tables filled up.
This place was outstanding and pretty much by far the best food Ive eaten on the upper eastside. My first time trying mulled wine was awesome. After if you have a birthday coming up GOOD! Tell them and youll get the delicious tres leches cake with a candle ♡
Very nice restaurant with very interesting and unique brunch options. The one with skirt steak was the best all three items are really tasty. The one with the chicken in tomato sauce was ok but the toast with strawberry honey sauce was a bit strange tasted more like an English muffin than a toast. In general highly recommended place!
It is a good place, good food, excellent drink and a good red sangria, attention to the owner and bartender, excellent, highly recommended, a quiet, relaxing place and more than a very romantic and rustic place.
Went for brunch and picked the Galicia region option. The salmon was a little different than the website menu. It was more like salmon toast but it was still pretty good. The spinach croquettes were my favorite. Servers were so attentive and friendly.
Great service and great tapas. Space was nicely decorated and ambiance was calm and relaxing.
We had so much fun in Pil Pil!Sangria was great and they have the tastiest tapas menu! I am coming back here for dates wrapped in bacon, empanadas, octopus!
Second time here, food was even better. The service was amazing.
This place is definitely worth a visit. The food was excellent and expect moderate portion sizes. The space itself is small and it can get noisy especially with the loud music. Recommend making a reservation beforehand
Seated quickly on a Thursday evening! Food is always incredible here - recommend splitting a bunch of dishes if you are dining in a group. Only complaint is that it’s pretty loud indoors, had to basically yell in conversation to hear each other.
Happened upon this place while on a work trip. Great food and service! Would come again. Octopus and croquettes were awesome!
Its arguably the most popular and crowded bar around the area--even when its barely 6pm on weekdays. If you are there, youll know why. The tapas are purely amazing as they deliver Iberian classics with subtle touch of New York. Beautiful decoration and exceptional staffs with stylish but unpretentious service.
Amazing food ina reasonable price.The only thing I can say that I didn’t like was sharing the same table with other patrons like we were just a foot away and can hear conversations.Maybe it’s not good for 2 people to go coz you’ll end up sharing table with strangers.I will recommend this place for the food!
A great find. Good Tapas. The Lamb Chops, Spinach Mushroom Croquettes and Paella were awesome. The paella was the closest to how they make it in Spain. We also had a Toasted Mushroom Sandwich, which is to die for. The Ceviche and the Sangria did not live up to the other things we enjoyed.
We loved the happy hour specials, the calamari is served with lemon aoli instead of marinara and its really good
Romantic back room Had a beautiful dinner with my girlThe food was delicious and the service was great
Overall, Pil Pil is a must try - we absolutely loved this place for happy hour! We booked a reservation for a Friday night and were seated immediately despite getting there a little earlier. The food, the music, the drinks - everything was on point. When we first arrived, they had a good mix of RnB going and eventually switched it up to some progressive house music. I’d highly recommend going with a group to try a little bit of everything. We tried:- Albondigas (meatballs in a savory tomato sauce with mashed potatoes and bread, this was the table favorite)- Spinach Croquettes (super creamy, has mushrooms in them but you don’t taste them at all if you dislike them)- Dates Rellenos (dates stuffed with ricotta wrapped in smoked bacon with a bit of honey mustard, ordered more than once it was great)- Carne Adobada (skirt steak with fries, comes cooked medium unless you tell them otherwise)- Fried Calamari (classic fried squid, very crispy and light)- Brochetas de Carne (ribeye and asparagus)We did try both sangrias, the red is sweeter than the white. The rosé is dry but still has that hint of sweetness. They also have non-alcoholic rosé amongst juices and sodas if you’re looking to be alcohol free.For dessert we got the tres leches with coconut ice cream and raspberry sorbet. The tres leches is not very sweet even with the addition of whipped cream, and is a very nice end to the meal.
I finally gave in and decided to venture back out for Brunch this past weekend. Something a lot of us haven’t done in a lonnnnnnngggg while. My gf and I decided talk a walk and we landed at one our neighborhood faves, Pil Pil. We’re so glad that we did!! First off, they have done an incredible job at making the place really feel welcoming and safe at the same time. With so many places shutting down all around us, it was really great to see them still standing strong - and dare I say, improved! They’ve added a few new things to the menu which was a nice surprise. I had the ham tortilla platter with the steak with fries. It also came with a spicy chorizo on an english muffin - which - HELLO! Wassssss to die for. I felt like; why haven’t I been putting chorizo on my english muffins since childhood because this was genius. 🤯My gf had the ham croquetas. Both were really delicious and super cozy. We put down more than a few glasses of their yummy sangria and it really made our day. Bottom line, when going out needs to always feel special since our chances are so far and few between for now - choose a place to that will be worth it. I know this place certainly was for us. :) Really made our day. We’ll be back.
Went there on Thursday evening. It was busy like it was Saturday. ☺️. Food was great, came out quickly ( no matter it was super busy), server was polite and helpful, and dessert was one of the best I had.I’ll definitely go again very soon.
One of my favorite spots in UES! My friend and I shared 5 tapas for $40 deal for lunch. Everything was so delicious as always and the service was amazing!
What an amazing place for brunch! The tapas here are legendary and yummy AF! The tapas are arranged into regions and you get 3 for a set price. Went here too celebrate a friends birthday and it was a lovely place with amazing service. The drinks were also rather yummy. They were ok to let us hang out for a bit and chat but that was probably because it wasnt too busy. Highly recommended.
I really wanted to love PilPil. There is nothing I appreciate more than brunch so my standards are pretty low, but I wasn’t floored. It was insanely busy when we went but got seated right away and seen by a server quickly. The atmosphere is beautiful and the music is great, but the reason you go, the food, fell short. Every tapa was lukewarm and one was even just straight up cold. The steak was unflavored and a bit chilled which made it completely unenjoyable and the poached egg had started to solidify at the yolk as it moved closer to room temp. If all of the food had tasted fresh hot, this would have been a 5 star experience. I’ll try again on a less crowded day.
I have eaten many spanish Tapas in my life and its safe to say that Pil Pils Tapas were the best I have ever eaten in a very long time. We didnt have to wait long for the food, it tasted fresh and delicious and afterwards I felt full, but not in an unpleasant way.The restaurant itself is very cozy and the interiour is really beautiful.
Great brunch place with bottomless drinks. You can taste Spanish tapas from different areas of the country. Basque and Catalonia make great combination (steak and soup).
I absolutely enjoyed my birthday celebration here. The combination of various dishes was incredibly tasty! The ingredients were top-notch made by Predrag and the way they home-cooked and prepared the food was exceptional.As a European, I’m quite selective about food, especially in the USA, but this place truly stands out. I would highly recommend it as one of the top restaurants I’ve tried!
Great atmosphere and service. The croquetas de jamon, patatas bravas, tortilla espanola and the carne adobada are a must. Drinks are sooo good too!
I love to come here every time with my friends to enjoy the tapas, also they have a really nice wine list with affordable prices. Food is really good and service is amazing. You feel like they take care of you plus the environment is so cozy and romantic
Delicious tapas and wine selection. Outdoor seating is quiet (little street noise), service is fast, food is quality.
Acceptable facsimiles of tapas favorites. From the music, service, and quality of food and wine, I felt like I was dining at the best Spanish restaurant in Albuquerque, which is maybe unfair to Albuquerque. I dont really know why anyone would go here vs Boqueria (except maybe price).
Updated on 8/1:I updated my rating after having lunch here.I really enjoyed their lunch special which is Tapas(5 for $40) with sangria. Jamon is good!Perfect portion and good quality of food.I found a new spot where my husband and I can enjoy Spanish food(including Jamon) and sangria. We tried the sparkling white sangria which was good(contains half of cava). I liked the vibe. I will try their spanish wines next time.
I came in a group of 6 on a Friday night. We had a reservation but were seated at an awkward table by the window. It was not very comfortable for those sitting on the bench by the window. The food was ok, overall we found that it generally needed just a little more flavor. I got the asparagus and the shrimp. The shrimp were very good, but really oily, which came in handy for adding some extra flavor to the asparagus. Atmosphere was cute, but quite loud.
Beat happy hr! Affordable and delicious food. Amazing vibes!
Amazing food & drinks, great ambience, excellent service. By far the best Spanish tapas restaurant in New York City!
If you’re looking for a well-rounded dining experience, look no more. This place eludes passion from the food to the dimly lit ambience.We stopped in on a whim. We were instantly drawn in from the music and the array of colors. We tried 90% of the tapas menu and each dish was simple yet boasted so much flavor. I also appreciate when small businesses offer a organic wine selection.No wonder this place has managed stick around the upper east side!
Tapas bar with great happy hour and lunch deals. The sangria is good, but I prefer it to be more fruity. Good selection of tapas.
Such a nice little Spanish spot on the UES. The service was friendly and all the food was great. Their gambas was my fave of the night and as a bonus because it was Monday, they had 50% off bottles of wine. I also just love the cozy vibe of this place. I’ll be back!
A fun night of tapas. Interesting menu. We ordered a nice selection of goodies. The sangria was plentiful.
You will find friendly service at this Upper East Side Spanish restaurant. The tapas were just what you would expect from a fine restaurant. My favorites were the meatballs and the gambas al ajillo. You also wont go wrong ordering dessert.
Excellent! Never, and I have been many places, have we been seated and received heartfelt service so quickly and warmly. Our waters were present and filled within the 1st 15 seconds. Will, was a great bartender, fielding our queries and offering knowledge answers. Great vibe! So impressive. We will be back! So close to MET and East side. Hardest decision was Cerveza or Sangria… Enthusiastic 5-stars!
$3 sangria during happy hour is probably on of the best drink deals in NYC. This small restaurant is really decorated great and then menu is very extensive.
Food was amazing, staff was equally as good. I really enjoyed the atmosphere.It can be a little noisy, especially up front and with shared tables having a conversation across the table can be difficult.The use of iPads for a menu and favorite menu items to order is a brilliant idea and especially helpful in the environment.I will be back again soon.
Every recommendation! Best night in Nyc so far! Food was excellent, fresh and tasty. Atmosphere, pleasant people, great chef and staff. Definitely one of favorite places and will visit again!
I heard that it was a really great place, and I am pretty sure it could have been. But service was really bad and made us feel uncomfortable. The waiter had interest only in single girls. He insisted that the bottomless drinks was 90 minutes as indicated in the menu, but the web site, along with the chalkboard in front of the restaurant indicated 2 hours. I dont know if they are trying to fraud customers, but I might not come back, at least not with Nikola at the bar.
Pil Pil was great! Had the most fun happy hour on Monday with my friends. Food & drinks were delicious and a good price. The manager Andrew was super accommodating and kind when we had a bill issue and easily resolved it for us. Our servers were also great - will be back!
Ana, our server, was the BEST! She made sure to recommend food and drink options according to our needs, and was super nice ! Honestly will go back not only for the amazing sangria and frozen drinks but also the attention. We had a blast and even more so thanks to Ana !
Tapas at best is mediocre for the price paid. I have had way better tapas in NYC and elsewhere. The garlic shrimp had no garlic in it. The fish was just adding tomatoe puree over boiled fish. Absolutely not Spanish tapas.. Our waiter service was poor and we waited half an hr for our food. An utter waste of money and our evening!
Everything was great! The food was delicious and had lots of variety. Additionally, the staff was very friendly and attentive, refilling empty water glasses when they cleared the table. Lastly, the restaurant itself is very beautifully decorated!
Lovely place. So nice inside. Food was ok but not great.
Good tapas and environment was dimly lit with date night vibes. Welcoming and accommodating staff. 🍷
Chef Predrag was amazing and he gave us the best service and his food top shelf
Great food and service. Very loud, a bit difficult to talk. We served a table for 10 and they gave us a high top. Would have have been good if they had told us about the high top or give an option.
One of my favorite restaurants. Love the atmosphere - simply a great place to relax and have fun. Terrific food and drink. Wonderful staff who are vey attentive and friendly. Ask for the owner Nik. If he is around, he will make you feel like he has known you for years. Simply the best tapas in town!
I usually don’t do reviews, but this place serves steaming garbage. I live in the Upper East Side and have walked past here a million times. My dentist is right next door.Let me preface this by saying I know Spanish food well. I lived in Spain. I have visited almost every part of the country. I’ve eaten a ton of Spanish food in the US, too.This is the WORST Spanish style restaurant I have been to. And I was a pretty poor undergrad student with limited income drunkenly slamming 100 Montaditos on $1 Wednesdays.The sangria tastes watered down. You won’t be able to taste any alcohol. The bread the open face sandwich with onions was served on was soggier than you can imagine. Texturally, it made me want to vomit. The octopus was atrocious and made me not eat octopus for several months. The patatas bravas were 100% not patatas bravas and cold / tasted like someone with no cooking experience whipped them up. I don’t need to go into all the details. But this was the third or fourth worst restaurant I have been to in my life.This place is a joke. I honestly can’t believe the positive reviews I’m reading of this. It shouldn’t be in business. If you think this is good cuisine, I pity you.
Again, one of the few times I will put 5 star recommendations. I went to visit and buddy and his family I had not seen in a while. They were thinking Turkish food, but I found this tapas place on E 78th st near 2nd Ave. We needed room for 5 1/2 peeps. We had a toddler with us. Pil Pil had no tables available because of multiple reservations already on their calendar. They asked us to wait a little and boom, they created seating for us outside, in which the temp was moderate, especially for almost winter and they did it without hesitation and with such a nice welcome. Let me tell you, there were no regrets, and we ended up really enjoying our time and interactions with almost the entire staff.Our waiter was Jerry, who seemed young but was well versed in the menu and extremely attentive to our eating and drinking needs. He knew exactly how each beer tasted. They serve beer, wine, and sangria only. This was perfectly fine for us since we were not looking for heavy alcohol. We placed orders for pulpo, gambas al ajillo, spinach croquettes, and fried calamari. All were quite good. The gambas for me were exceptional. Its probably one of the best I had. It came with 2 slices of grilled bread to soak up the oil, garlic, and spices. It was so good, we needed more bread for the garlic. They easily obliged us with a basket of bread. We were truly enjoying our dining experience. The staff, including Pamela and Pedro were just so friendly and nice. I wish I got the names of everyone else because it certainly was a team taking care of the restaurant.As I said, the food is amazing. What stood out to me was the gambas and the ribeye on the skewers!! I need to make a point to return here for dinner or brunch. It is certainly worth it.
I recently went back to Pil Pil for dinner, and the experience was incredible! From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel truly welcome. Several team members helped us throughout the evening, from the busser to the greeter, and two different waiters—every single one providing exceptional service.The staff was impressive; my friend and I could sense a family-like dynamic that added to the warm and inviting atmosphere. Our waiters were attentive and friendly, ensuring our dining experience was perfect from start to finish. They took our orders promptly, checked in regularly, and made sure everything was to our liking.The food was exquisite. I had the Mac & Cheese Croquetas, Ensalada de Queso, and Carne Adobada. My friend had the Gambas al Ajillo, Chorizo Meatballs and Croquetas De Espinaca. For dessert, I enjoyed their Homemade Tres Leches while she savored the Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse. We also tried the house wine, which was on point. Even though I don’t usually like mushrooms, they were so delicious! If I could rate this a 10/5, I definitely would.What truly stood out was the active presence of the owner, Nikola. He isn’t just a boss; he is a leader who engages with guests and ensures everything runs smoothly. His dedication to excellence sets a high standard for the entire team.The atmosphere was cozy and elegant. It’s clear that the staff truly care about their customers & strive to provide an exceptional dining experience.My friend and I will definitely be back. I highly recommend Pi Pil for anyone looking for a fantastic meal and top-notch service. I’m already looking forward to my next visit!
Such a great place! Amazing food just in the right amount and the vibe especially now during the holidays is magical and festive ✨️ loved it 👌
This place was terrific with very authentic food and great service. We felt like we were back in Barcelona. Definitely recommend (but below - a note to the owners…)Original review (see update below) One star deduction because of strong odor of disinfectant on street with outside tables that wafted inside the restaurant. If they stop using this excessively strong and unpleasant disinfectant (get a good effect if had just used a neutral detergent) ( or I suspect we may have come on trash pickup day?) we will definitely come back and bring our friends.Update: July 2023 - came by several times since wrote this and smells fine . Consistently Great place.
I stopped in for a drink and tapas while waiting for my wife to pass by during the NYC marathon. What a great decision! I was thrilled that Pil Pil had Mahou (Spanish beer) - which I havent previously been able to find in the US. I enjoyed the pan con tomate as an appetizer which was wonderful and took me right back to Barcelona. The bartender was friendly and knowledgeable and the service was excellent. We will be sure to visit Pil Pil the next time were in the city!
I’m so sorry but I can’t give you more stars, I’m originally from Spain, and I was really disappointed, we had 5 tapas, and I will start with the croquetas de jamón, they were so thick that it was hard to eat them, they supposed to be creamy and flavorful, the bravas, was ketchup with a light some how allioli, the pinchos morunos were good but not morunos at all, we had the pimientos del padrón and they were the best of all the tapas!! But bacalao al pil pil was the worst!! On the picture you can see what a bacalao al pil pil has to be!! No tomatoes no onions.. I’m so sorry to be that harsh but being from Spain I know my tapas!!
I absolutely love the atmosphere! The wine selection is delightful, and the service is fantastic. The food is delicious and the desserts are undeniably a must-try! 😋😋😋
Chef Predrag has nailed his flavours. Absolutely delicious food and a very unique menu! Very different with diverse offerings for every palate. The food was very fresh and the service amazingly fast. Dishes were on the table within minutes but uncompromised. I loved every dish and wished Id taken some pictures!
Phenomenal
Its a great experience. The ambiance is very welcoming and charming. Amazing wines, food and service. Staff are extremely knowledgeable and make great recommendations.When we think about celebrations, is always my first option and it never disappoints. From the starter to the dessert the quality and tastes of everything was outstanding, might have been the best meal I have ever been served. Tapas are so delicious!Service was delightful and very professional. 10/10 Chefs are the best!I definitely do recommend to everyone to come and visit.
Recommendation and regular haunt by our local NYC friends while we were in town for July 4th weekend. The mac n cheese croquettes... OMG! Melt in your mouth perfection! Had several other items including the meatballs which were my fav. Reasonably priced wine by the bottle as well. Very friendly service and management. Cool, vibey interior but pretty loud music.
Highly recommended. Excellent spot for a dinner with friends or date night. Nice atmosphere inside. Octopus was excellent. Shrimp, potatoes and chorizo were also very good. A good variety of wines, cocktails and sangria. Staff was friendly and attentive.
An absolutely incredible experience! Chef Pedja truly exceeded expectations with his exceptional cooking skills. We had a great time!
Good gluten free options and the staff are so friendly!
Just fine. Food was good but expensive especially considering its a tapas plate. Drinks are expensive too considering how weak the margaritas were
Once we ordered service was totally on point. Constantly had a full glass of the bottomless brunch drink. Got 2 different regions so we could share all the tapas and was in love with each 1! From flavors to tenderness the food was a home run! Very happy with whole experience!
Solid solid solid……Great food, great atmosphere, great service! Each dish was a compilation unique flavors with a lingering sensation of wanting more.
I want to add 1 more star ⭐️ for this restaurant!My friend suggested this place and don’t know how I was missing it until now. Amazing tapas style, can’t express enough how creative and fresh was everything I tasted.Ordered Spinach Crochets( pls don’t skip this, finished ordering 1 more! 😋), Shrimp with garlic, blue cheese aragula salad, potato’s and the most soft octopus 🐙 ever in my life!All plates perfectly balanced. We had a chance to meet chef 👨🍳 Nenad in person and he explained unique process behind his cousin and all fresh ingredients from Spain 🇪🇸.Place is not to big but packed. Great vibe, European-American 🥰You are definitely going to see me again Pil Pil.Nice Happy Hour Cabernet! 🍷
If you need a cozy and warm, but beautiful spot for outdoor dine in these weird pandemic (still going) times.This is it ! 78st & 2AveOne of nicer outdoor patios in the Manhattan.Oh yes food is good too.. Just kidding, actually excellent tapas and price is hard to beat in UES area. Will come again 🥘 You 👈🏻.. should too
Comfy two-zoned bar. Spanish-style beer and drinks. Amazing service and a nice atmosphere inside.
Update: Spoke with the owner Nikola and he made things right & took care of us.Turns out the staff charged us dinner prices for the happy hour portions. Not a big deal, it happens.Owner invited us back when he’s personally there to make sure we get an awesome experience. We think we‘ll take him up on it. Seems like a great guy.—This was the $28 skirt stake. The photo doesn’t do justice to how tiny it was.Not a big deal — but then the service was also rude when we walked in — telling us we only have an hour to eat (even though we had reservations)I’m fine paying up for quality.. but this was not how you treat people.As a principle, just being kind can make up for small portions.
Outside dining review : waited a good 30 min to be seated but the atmosphere was kinda pleasant. Food was pretty good and pretty authentic. The steak & fries was the most authentic. Tasted like Spain. Decent wine list. Also had some grilled octopus. Gotta say, the only thing that had room for improvement was the Pan con Tomato. Was tasty. Just wasn’t authentic as the rest of the menu. Staff was great. 6 stars to the staff. Go here.
Exlent place for good Tapas and wine, highly recomended.
Love this spot. One of my absolute favs for Spanish Tapas. The wine/beer selection is great. They make their own house Sangria, which is fresh and cold and worth a try. The food is perfectly portioned. Get a lot of everything and share, share, share. The staff is attentive and kind.The place is pretty small and even smaller now with the Pandemic. They did however add seating outside. Once it gets warmer, its a must for a good night out.Overall - cannot go wrong with spot, as long as you get a seat!
Id been staying locally during my time in New York and thought this place looked great. So I popped in on my last night and it didnt disappoint. Delicious food, great service. Treat your tastebuds and go there !
I had a wonderful dinner at PilPil the other night. The restaurant is not very big but it is very cozy. It does get crowded here so a reservation is a must. The highlights of the night was the skirt steak with fries as the steak was very tender and flavorful. The Spanish and spinach croquettes were great appetizers and started the meal off great. The wine list was very good too, especially the Rioja. The rioja went down very easily. A secret: Get the grilled octopus too and eat the octopus with the mashed potatoes together. The mashed potatoes add a unique flavor to the octopus you would never imagine!
Been here a few times. Good neighborhood spot. The wines are a bit overpriced but decent selection. Good service.
Our Airbnb was directly next door and I loved the ambiance as I walked past every night. On the last night, I got the meatballs w/ mashed potatoes - I had never thought to mix the two but Y U M. I also got the mussel/calamari/shrimp rice and that’s where I was bummed. The calamari was the chewiest I think I’ve ever had and I wished it had more balance (lots of mussels, not a lot of shrimp). Sauce was good though and portions were great (for what I’ve come to learn are the prices in NYC lol). Would def go back but I’d try other things. Go for the atmosphere at the very least - it’s such a neat vibe!
Loved it here! I had such an amazing experience here. Great ambience & atmosphere. Beautiful decor both inside and outside. Attentive and courteous staff. I asked if I can sit in a more intimate and romantic place and they give me that seat in the back room without hesitation. The food was phenomenal. Everything there was delicious. There was a man from Spain there & he was loving it as well and recommended the calamari to us and bought a bottle of wine there. Ive been to Spain a few times already and let me tell you, this place definitely makes you feel like youre in Spain. Tapas & wine is the best. I loved my red sangria and loved the lamb sliders. The music in the background is amazing. Highly recommend.
Everything we tried was delicious! Definitely recommend the baby carrots and lamb chops. Great and friendly staff!
Honestly this place is so good.I talked to the chef and the owner.They put their souls into this placeAsk chef about the oil they cook on, you will be amazed. And notice how the owner is genuinely cares about everyone. Absolutely fantastic place.Not to mention the quality of food. The best.
Great spot for Tapas! Love the vibe here. The sangrias were pretty good. We enjoyed everything. Great selection and save room for their dessert as well! Service was nice too!
This place is just awesome! It’s beautiful, cozy and of course the food is amazing. You have to try the homemade pistachio ice cream and the tres leches cake. Guys, seriously this ice cream is one of the BEST I ever had if is not the best. Thanks to the chef !!!
Best lunch time happy hour on the UES by far! Tapas are legit and plentiful and the wine list is well selected. Decor, service and music is pure and authentic quality.
We ordered the the potato’s, cauliflower, eggplant and the chicken. None of them had flavour. Most of the dishes on our table had the same sauce. The bread had mold which they got a replacement for, but was initially billed for before we took it off. We commend them on their fast service but made us question the freshness of the food (it wasn’t). The only thing we liked were the fries. Don’t recommend, wouldn’t go again.
First time dining here and it definitely disappointed. First off the white sangria was extremely watered down, the ham croquets (Sunday special menu) were undercooked and quite soggy in the middle. Their lamb dish was burnt to a crisp and no bigger then a McNugget. The only positive is there patatas bravas and that they serve Mahon beer which honestly saved the evening. Staff added a paella- Seafood over rice which we never ordered and was quite snippy about the mishap. We apologized for the confusion, we simply asked IF they served it, which they didnt.
I love this place. I recommend patatas bravas and calamares.
I’ve come here before for drinks and happy hour but never had their food. Last night we had a 6 different dishes and they were ALL stunning. 100% will go back!! Also great outdoor seating!
We LOVED THIS PLACE, they had Estrella beer, which we had in Barcelona, absolutely contributed to the nostalgic vibe I got from the meal. A few good vegetarian options, lots for the meat eaters. The tortilla española was on par with my father’s, the octopus was decent. Would recommend the crab cake as well. Service was excellent, and the interior is a treat.
At first the bartender was being a little annoying, we are a group of four and a table was split for 6 - - he wanted us to give space for another pair to squeeze in and I wasnt having it. But the waitress was awesome. I took a friend here for her birthday, we got the sangria pitcher, bottle of sparking rose, 5 dishes to share. Spent $210 with tip, awesome night and well worth the price.
Loved Pamela and Jerry. They both made my dining experience great!! Kudos to the chef. The food is amazing and they always make sure we feel like family. The space does require assistance with wheelchairs so please call ahead of time.
Authentic foods with nice environment you can enjoy any occasion
I have not felt such a spiritual atmosphere for a very long time! Very beautiful interior and delicious food!
Definitely can see why this place gets the hype! Gets packed around happy hour as they have amazing deals. Tapas and drinks are available for the happy hour. We really loved the sangrias, flatbreads and fries.
I am speechless. One of the worst dining experiences ever. We saw all the good reviews and decided to go- not sure why. First, we were served bread that had mold. After that, we got the cauliflower dish which was so bland and small, that the fourteen dollars for it was not worth the four pieces of cauli.. Before we got there, we called to check if they had vegan food. When we actually ordered, they had none. The same mayo, ketchup sauces were slapped on every dish that was probably reheated and served. Portion sizes were ridiculously small. And, all the dishes arrived so quickly, I wonder why. The bread was stale and dry. Worst part, we were charged for the replacement bread basket before we asked to take it off. Fries were okay- but even I can make good fries. But we had a good time with the roast(ing).
Consistency and quality is fantastic here. Never disappointed with the food and service. Will continue to return.
The servers were very kind and helpful. But this food was not good at all and definitely not worth the price. I ordered the fried calamari, lamb sliders, and the ham on flatbread, with a few other items. Everything just tasted either bland or...odd. I wish I didnt have to write this review but in my opinion, there are much better tapas restaurants in NYC. Id skip this one.
Great service quick and down to earth. Amazing atmosphere and decor! Food came out quickly with nice portions. The cod croquettes are a must try !!
The food was so good, I talked about it as my win for the week during a team meeting. And the service was outstanding. I like that the outdoor seating area is covered but is actually open-air and not the fiberglass huts with doors. Great drink list, creative variety of tapas. Went twice in one week!
Original Spanish cuisine with a slight American touch, to give credit to the sensitive locals’ taste buds.Perfect spot for both a weekday portion control and a weekend treat-yo-self kind a afternoon.Enjoy your spiced-up Sangria and croquetas con spinach and truffle :) plus believe it or not- it all comes at highest quality from Spain directly! And it’s all with decent prices and much bigger than expected - tapas portionsSuch a fancy vibe, with an intimate atmosphere where even the chef comes to greet you himself 🙌🏻 Love these kind of places
Stopped in for brunch and had a lovely time! The atmosphere is amazing and the service is well coordinated. I had the anadeluica region brunch tapas, my particular favorite was the dátiles con coco.
Delicious tapas. Lots of variety for different food preferences. Great spot for date night or dinner with friends.
During these hard times for restaurants I find it important to support local businesses. Pil Pil will always be my favorite restaurant and I am thrilled that they are still open. The food is phenomenal, the wine list is incredible and the service is hard to come by. I plead for everyone to help support Pil Pil, you will not regret it, you will find your new favorite restaurant.
Awesome food ,great pulpo a la gallega and shrimps service was ok
The place and food were amazing. The chef and staff did a great job, in the professional and social fields. Brunch special tasted great with frozen Rose.Definitely recommend everyone to go and try the food!!
Excellent dining. Friendliest service Ive seen in awhile. A bit pricey, but such is NYC and really everything these days. The food was good to great. Enjoyed our time.
My girlfriend & I discovered this place at random while strolling through Central Park and wow did we love it. The place itself is small but comfortable. Food is delicious and the sangrias are good as well.Go for brunch. You can choose 1 small plate of tapas or order by region and get 3 small plates. We always go with the Basque region. Took us back to our trip to Spain. This place is a gem check it out.
I wandered in here one lunch hour and had such a great lunch experience I brought my husband back for dinner. Both visits I had the steak with amazing Fries with a special aioli sauce. Yum! The red sangria is excellent as well, one was enough. Will be back!
When I used to live on UES, Pil Pil was my favorite tapas bar. I think I ate almost all of their dishes, ha! The staff is so nice. The sangria is fantastic (my favorite is the one with white wine). The tapas are small, but enough to share between two people. Make sure you make a reservation, because the place is very small and very popular.
Used to come to PIL PIL every other weekend for brunch for almost a year!! Came for brunch today and the service has become extremely poor and not friendly. The manager was staring us down after being here for an hour when the entire restaurant was half empty. Unacceptable. Will quickly be finding a new go to brunch place in UES.
Like a fine aged wine, each time you go will be better than the last. The magnificent dishes are always fresh and flavorful that even Gordon Ramsay himself would be impressed! Pil Pil’s inviting atmosphere and excellent service takes your experience as close to Spain as you can get in NYC.
Very loud. Food so-so. Skirt steak very good, pollo catalan oversalted and dry.
Omg, this has become my fav Spanish tapas restaurant!We ordered:Octopus: soft and tender. Well seasoned and malt in your mouth! 10/10The spinach croquettes: really good! Cheesy but not too much, soft and scrumptious. 10/10The grilled eggplant: pretty good can’t complain ! 7/10The mushroom flatbread: must have! I am usually not a flat bread person. But the mushroom and truffle oil combination is the best in the world. 10/10
Always came here for some tapas and forgot to give them the rating they deserve!
Delicious place for a quick lunch or nice dinner. Sangria is sweet and strong. Beautiful decor inside as well. Worth the trip!
As a Spanish person myself I always go to spanish restaurants with a bit of fear... In regards to food, Pil Pil had a good variety of tapas, not just the main classic ones (a lot of regional ones that ai was surprised to find). We had the Pulpo and it was pretty good. We mainly went there to enjoy the happy hour drinks, and the sangria was good, just didnt taste like sangria fully. But still, it is worth it for the happy hour prices. We also had the sparkling white sangria for a change and really liked. Overall a good choice for a Spanish experience in NYC.
Pil Pil is has delicious food! If you love tapas, this is the place for you! However the portions are a tad small, so if you are going with a big group you will need to order multiples of dishes. My friends and I ordered many dishes, all of which were fantastic, but a bit pricey given the size & the sangria was a big weak. I would recommend the Mac & Cheese Balls and the bacon wrapped dates! The restaurant is not that big, so there may be a wait. I would definitely go back again!
Loved it! Classic tea service. Good hot tea selection, breads were all very fresh on the typical tea sandwich fillings. The atmosphere phenomenal. Thats what makes it amazing. Cool inviting, original, so much fun on a hot day to slip into a luxurious booth with great service and yummy desserts and food. A must do at least once in NY!Only thing I would have appreciated... since its such an iconic place, they should really expand the downstairs gift shop. The items were well curated Russian tchotchkes. I would have spent a lot more money down there if they invested in making it a real shop. Sell tea, caviar etc...
Great place with a cool ambiance and tasty tapas. Love going on Sunday nights to make the most of 1/2 price bottle of wine. Perfect for a date!
I went there for brunch on a Saturday. I called for a reservation but they told me it was first-come first-served basis; although we didn’t have to wait for long (15min) The food was really good, I suggest you select the Basque Region; that skirt steak is worth it. We arrived a little late to consider buying the unlimited sangria promo, but one was good enough to taste and eat, it was delicious.Tables are on the sidewalk but it’s fine because there aren’t many people walking around. I’d go back for sure
Fantastic place for brunch, both food and drink wise. Unlimited brunch was such a deal, $20 for as many sangrias, Bellinis and mimisas you can drink in 90 minutes and they keep them generous and free flowing.Food was also very delicious and varied. Fun tapas options. Would highly recommend the Basque region with chimichuri steak over fries, eggs Benedict variation and a potato pie.Atmosphere and vibes were also quite amazing and unique. It truly felt we were transported somewhere else.Highly recommend this place and would love to come back whenever Im around the UES again.
I cant believe I waited so long to visit this place! Such a nice vibe. Great food. Nice vibe. Good music. Fast service. Grilled octopus and yummy pimientos de padrón! Must try! I will be back!
Pow!!!!!! Can I say more? Come and enjoy this place for yourself. Fun and laid back environment.
Honestly the only reason I’m not giving 1 star is because the interior decor is very cool.First of all, the jamon iberico we ordered was either mixed up with a different meat, or they are straight up giving their customers the worst possible grade of it. It is not the melt in your mouth acorn-flavor you expect as you would get from Barcelona (or just other tapas bars in nyc) for less than this place is charging. It tasted like chewy prosciutto.The rest of the food wasn’t very good either. The pollo Catalan tasted like an Applebee’s dish.Lastly, which is very rare for me to say, the service was not good. We had finished the appetizer for 20 minutes before we could even flag down a server to put in the rest. Then they bring out the wrong items of which we never ordered and were meant for a different table. Again had to track down another server to let them know.
The main room of the restaurant is really cool, fun ambiance. Unfortunately, we were seated in the annex, which is next door and quite different. Just a square small room. The food was good! Great Patatas bravas and pulpo a la gallega. Service was super fast.
LOVE this little gem. Happy hour here is fantastic and i have to agree with the other reviews.. SUPER friendly staff :)... go in 2-3 times and they already remember you. Steak is yummy, fries are yummy... DRINKS are yummy!!!
The food was amazing. Like the concept of the whole restaurant
Staff is always professional and pleasant to deal with. Cleanliness of the restaurant is always at the high level. They have the best Spanish prosciutto in the town 100% and one of the best fines!
We ordered all dishes. All are delicious, but definitely my favorite was the one with steak. Soo good.
They dont use seed oils here which is awesome !! Service is always good and fast, sangria is great!
There is noting better then coming to Phil Phil after long day at the office with my friends or whole office crew. Love the atmosphere, guys are super friendly and the food is superb. My favorites are ham empanadas, calamari and by far the best dish are dates wrapped with bacon filled with ricotta cheese :)I can eat those for breakfast lunch and dinner :)Amazing selection of wines and very good sangrias perfectly complements great food. Love this restaurant !
Really great place to have a couple drinks with friends and hang out after a walk around Central Park. The tapas were good but not the best we’ve had. We ordered the mini-chorizo bites (think pigs-in-a-blanket), the chicken in spicy sauce and some eggplant asparagus empanadas to round it off. The sangria was refreshing and the place had a good vibe. We’ll be back for a drink, maybe not for the tapas though.
We had lovely evening at pil pil. The place has dim lighting and moderately loud music, the tables and seating is packed tight with almost no space between. The environment and vibe of the place is young and pub like.The food was exceptional. We ordered the mac and cheese croquette, bacon wrapped dates, Spanish meat balls, abd the steak and fries. I would recommend the first two dishes, they were delicious.I would recommend to have a reservation on weekends and fridays nights. Although we did not have a reservation, they were kind enough to accommodate the two of us within a few minutes of waiting. Otherwise the place was packed.Come here to enjoy a joyful evening with a group of friends and enjoy their small plates and drinks.
Save your money. Food is atrocious. Seafood paella was terrible, rubbery seafood, overcooked rice, bland flavours. Patatas bravas undercooked. Meatballs boring.
Had six different tapas. Sorry but all were tasteless and poorly cookedMaybe we went on an off day. I hate to give a bad review but I don’t eat out a lot and was disappointed.
As someone who has lived in Spain, I take tapas seriously. This place comes close to making you feel like youre in the heart of Madrid. The service was great, and the atmosphere cozy. I would highly recommend.
This restaurant claim to be a Tapas Spanish Restaurant. I have ordered food for the first time from Pil Pil yesterday. The food tastes bad. It was reheated food. The Spanish Tortilla was bad. The Pan con Tomate had nothing to do with Pan con Tomate from Spain. It seems like the cook has never been to Spain. They Use Frozen products only. Very bad experience
Great tapas and atmosphere! We really enjoyed the meats, cheeses, and white sparkling sangria.
Pil pil have the best deals for lunch. Me and my wife stop by today and got the 5 for 29 and we enjoyed so much. Tasty food and great service. Ask for Renata, she is great.
Really cute spot and great staff but did not like the food. iPad menu hard to navigate and no cocktails. I think it could be a good brunch spot tho
Food was so flavorful and quick. The whole staff was very accommodating. Romantic setting. New favorite place.
I went because of the 4.5 star rating and now I am seriously questioning if you can go by the rating. I would not recommend. Staff is super friendly, place is clean, great location… all is great, but the food. We tried 7 different things, none was to the level that I expected…
Octopus with celery root purée / braised pork belly with pinto beens purée (smoked olive oil) and chia seed microgreens / truffle spinach croquettes with roasted peppers salsa! 🤤 we loved it!also, they have vegan menu! my cousin is vegan. she enjoyed the food! the chef was very knowledgeable about vegan food and gave us the advice about the diet we want to apply to our lifestyle. the food was the epitome of sophistication and remarkable for its simplicity.
Love this hidden Gem, not familiar with the food but all was great, they have a real chef back thereNice vibe, the staff sets the tone..
Came by on a Sunday night with 2 other people and it was pretty busy but we were seated immediately. The space is VERY dark, but cozy and once your eyes adjust, the decor is actually really cool! This is a great spot for a date or a group of no more than 6. However, there was a back room that looked like it had a very different set up so maybe a bigger group could fit in there!It was hard to tell what menu items were smaller/meant to share, but the waiter recommended we get 6 for the 3 of us and it was the perfect amount of food. We got the patatas bravas which werent anything special, but you cant not get them at a tapas place! The meatballs (they had two kinds, but we got the de la abuela ones) were fantastic! Tons of sauce and it came with some bread, which they brought us extra of to tip.We also got the Pollo Picante, which were crispy chicken rolls, which were probably our least favorite dish. The consistency was off and they barely tasted like anything, even with the sauce.We then got the empanadillas de berenjena, which were empanadas with manchego, eggplant and asparagus, which were AMAZING! The combination of flavors was great and so was the sauce. The zuchinni frito was great, but would have liked it to be thinner slices. It didnt taste badly or anything, I think we were just expecting something more like strips!The last thing we got was a special of mac and cheese chorizo croquettes, which were UNREAL. I am so glad we got them instead of opting for something on the regular menu because I would hae never known what we were missing out on. They were huge croquettes and the sauce on them was amazing. We ended up using the bread and patatas to eat what was left of the sauce!Overall, there was nothing that I didnt like that we ordered. I dont think Id get the chicken or zuchinni again, but everything else was fantastic and there are so many things left to try. Fingers crossed they will add the mac and cheese to the regular menu!
Loved Pil Pil for some sangria with a friend! Came without a reservation on a friday afternoon and it was easy to get a table. Had a great happy hour prices and was sad to miss it. The ham croquetas were not good croquetas, they were great bombas the papa though. I liked the regular red sangria if you like sweet drinks, but the sparkling red was better if you dont. The atmosphere was cool and the service was good too. Would definetly come again!
Love this place!!! Great vibes! Could spend here all day!
Great little spot. We managed to get in right before it got crowded. Happy hour is from noon till 6PM on Monday through Friday, so people were rolling in just after work, and before the happy hour finished up.The place is relaxed and has great tapas. Plenty of wine and beer to choose from, and several on special. We had the Spinach Croquettes, the Shishito peppers, and the Patats bravas (of course). All of it was really yummy, and next time Im bringing a bigger appetite.
Pil Pil is sweet. There are vines entwined in the pergola on the ceiling and a wall of brightly backlit bottles behind the bar. Theres even a creepy skeleton on the wall. It took me a while to notice him, but hes there and hes holding a champagne glass waiting to toast with you....from the other side.This place is a Spanish tapas and wine bar, so naturally, all of the wines were from Spain. This happens to be one of my favorite wine regions, so I was pleased. The service was prompt and polite and the wine was tasty. I like Pil Pil!Im visiting every wine bar in Manhattan and blogging about it. Check it out for my complete and unedited review of Pil Pil. http://drinkofthevineblog.com
Awesome place for Spanish tapas and wine, plus a great outdoor setup for the colder months
Fun vibe, great place for friends or dates, nice snacks / tapas but red sangria was not as authentic as hoped due to large demand and fast turn out (my pitcher had definitely not soaked the fruit overnight, but it was a step up from normal bar sangria)
Beautiful space, excellent food, great service. Good half off wine specials Su-Th.
Cute little tapas place with grapes and vines along the ceiling. The bacon wrapped dates, stuffed with cheese, were absolutely amazing. Off the daily specials while we were there, the chorizo and peppers were also very good. The sangria at happy hour was delicious and well priced. We were able to sample five plates and a total of four drinks for about eighty dollars. Worth a visit.
Everything is delicious here, you really can’t go wrong. The space is tight so it’s not exactly great for groups but you can sometimes get lucky. Their bacon wrapped dates are my all time favorite.
Amazing food. Mac and cheese croquettes are to die for. They come in a sauce thats more like a penne a la vodka sauce then traditional mac and cheese so be prepared. Great wine choices and really yummy sangria
Very beautiful interior. Service was friendly and fast. The food was good.
Best vibes/Spanish food in nyc! Highly recommend the arroz meloso (dish in photo) so so so delicious!
Brunch plates were good especially the Basque region plate
Phenomenal spot. Amazing tapas, great drinks, nice folks running it and working there. Doesn’t get better.
Best staff Ive met at a restaurant in quite a while. Super friendly and good vibes. And the food is great too. A cheese plate plus the imperial plate (meats) are a fantastic combo and will go a long way even for four people. It is upper east so it can be a hike but if you are in the neighborhood it is great value.
An excellent place with delicious food. In my opinion, the dish I chose (Albóndigas de la abuela) was an excellent choice; I recommend that dish along with the Spanish cocas. The service, the food, and the restaurants design—top-notch 👌.
Great cute Tapas bar with great happy hours and tasty small dishes. At times some of the staff have been very pushy sort of pressuring you to order. Pil Pil has become a go to when near around the area
Went with my Spanish 4 class. Best food, service, and aesthetic ever. Positively delectable.
Have been here twice. Enjoyed the food and ambience both times.
Dont let the 4 stars dissuade you from going to Pil Pil. The service was really good, the atmosphere was equally on par, but if youre looking for a happy hour this may not be the happiest hour.
Very good Tapas and friendly staff. Small place but cozy there is also seating in the back, and a nice size the bar.
The food is very good. We were five people total and we ordered five different plates of the lunch menu. The Bocadillo de Carne was very good as well as the Tortilla de patatas and the calamares pequeños...In conclusion everything was good and tasty.
Pil Pil is by far one of my favorite restaurants on the Upper East Side.The Spanish cuisine is phenomenal. You literally cant go wrong with anything on the menu.I usually order the Gambas Al Ajillo (shrimp, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and sauvignon blanc) and the mac and cheese croquettes. The croquettes are highly addicting and delicious.Sangria for Happy Hour is $3. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday is a fantastic way to spend your mornings with friends/family. Who doesnt like unlimited sangria for two hours?
Went there for a little dinner, food was good but not the best. It is lovely for a quick dinner with a little drink but not for a date night
It was excellent for a first date. The wine was good , so was the food. The waitress took good care of us. I am definitely going back!
I now this place is a staple in the area but being Spanish, I can say it was disappointing in many fronts - one, the Spanish wine list is not great and very original, the food is a weird mix version of authentic Spanish tapas (maybe just the shishito peppers are the way they supposed to be) and it is pricey for what it is. Great vibe though, cosy and I guess cool to chill with friends. I think UVA across the street on 2nd Ave is a way better option.
I enjoyed all the dishes we ordered. The happy hour is great, $3 sangrias, they dont taste very good but they are cheap, so.... the service is not great.
We were looking for a place to eat so late on a Wednesday night and the staff at Pil Pil kindly accommodated us. We wanted to celebrate the end of our video shoot and they were the best people to celebrate with - great food, great company. Thank you so much and we will definitely come back! Would highly recommend this restaurant for the good food, good vibes and the great staff.
Food was good. However, it was very upsetting that we found ourselves arguing. We were a total of 6 people in my table (3 couples) and we all ordered our own plates. I ordered a meat board and another couple ordered jamón serrano and manchego. The 3 orders: meat board, jamón serrano , and manchego, were served in the same board, So the couple that ordered the jamón serrano and manchego, didn’t even eat what they ordered, thinking that was part of MY order because it was served on MY meat board, IN FRONT of me . Huge misunderstanding, but I didn’t appreciate how it was handled by our servers or management. We felt they were trying to make us feel as if it was only our mistake for not noticing it, and they still charged me for something They put on MY board, (without me knowing that it was someone else’s order).!I am just leaving this review because I thought that was of bad taste . No one ever even came to talk to me about my check and extra charges, it was really confusing customer service. I would have appreciated someone to apologize about the confusion , it is the least they could do after I was charged for something I didn’t order.
Its a great spot for wine and atmosphete. The shrimp scampi looked amazing but was drowned in butter and oil and not much flavor.
Simply amazing - from the food to the service! I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant. My experience was great! Muchas gracias al restaurante Pil Pil!
I went here for some drinks with a friend on a Thursday late night. The wine, service and atmosphere were all good. I havent tried the food but I would come back for a drink if I am in the area.