El Faro

This is my favorite restaurant in NYC! If you are in the mood for some amazing Spanish food, you MUST go here. On the weekends it get crowded, so I would recommend making a reservation. The sangria is amazing as well as the shrimp ajillo!

CLOSED? Unbelievable. Irreplaceable. Something close to the heart of New York has died — like the end of the real Algonquin Blue Bar. Sad day.

So sad to hear about the closing of landmark restaurant it has been a favorite of our group for many years. I hope this is not just another case of tossing out the old to make more room for higher priced real-​estate. What a loss for NYC.

This was my first time having Spanish food. I wasn’t too satisfied with the tapas, which were not as flavorful and were pretty dry. The sangria on the other hand is delicious. Definitely get a glass of sangria while you’re there. The place itself is rather small, thus it can get pretty noisy with a full house. Also, don’t be angry or annoyed if you walk out smelling like food. =)

I think that my favorite part of this place is that it is totally the type of place you used to find in the West Village before it became «fancy». Unfortunately, the tapas are between 9 and 15 dollars per small plate, so it does match the area in price… but the small plates are decently sized if that makes any sense? Definitely not the typical meatpacking atmosphere where you feel like you need to wear something trendy and cute… although there were some ladies at the bar in some pseudo hipster designer garb.
The ambiance is sort of 1950’s bad décor but in an interesting nostalgic way… the walls are painted to look like stone and there are foam ceiling tiles… both the ceiling and walls are sort of falling apart. The service was sort of not very attentive, but I didn’t mind too much because I got everything I needed… although it is sort of weird for the server to be standing next to your table on their iphone and when you try to get their attention they ignore you… and you are the only table left at about 10pm…
The bar area is actually cuter so I would recommend the bar :)
The food is sort of hit or miss I guess. The lobster dish was super yummy! The octopus was decent, but the paella was sort of underwhelming and as a previous review said, very oily. Overall, I was happy with the food but I’m not dreaming about how delicious it was. I also got some white sangria and it was fine… the only fruit in it were lemons and limes which was either a conscious choice or they ran out of sangria fruit and used the garnishes from the bar. It was very light and refreshing, but could have been better.
So… don’t go here to be overwhelmed by the food, but it’s a fun, laid back option in a very lovely part of town.

A quaint little restaurant that feels like you stepped into a time capsule, intimate restaurant in my neck of the woods.
As we entered this cozy place I felt like I was no longer in the big city, but a little town in Europe.
We ordered a number of Tapas with yellow rich:
Flavorful, good portion, a lot of buttery gravy
Calamares Fritos $ 9.50 with red sauce-​fried and crispy
Croquetas $ 8.75– two cod fish and two spinach
Shrimp in White Sauce $ 9.75– I wish I had more rich to mix with this white sauce.
I enjoyed El faro and its comfy setting. The food was good but I have to admit that the food was pretty oily.

I came here on a date about 10 years ago and despite my youthful ignorance… enjoyed it very much. Reminded me of a Spanish restaurant my father took the family to often when I was a child.
Went there for Valentines day this year for the first time since. The food was delicious. But I was let down a bit with my meal. It was the mixed seafood dish that comes in the pot with the green sauce.
Maybe it was a lite batch or something but the sauce was rather tasteless and there was barely any seafood. I was literally done with my entrée within minutes and spent a few more minutes fishing around in the pot full of green sauce for more morsels seafood. If it wasn’t for my date sharing her food with me, I would’ve left hungry.

What a find! This place is a complete gem. Doesn’t fit the neighborhood (since it’s been around since 1927). WOW. Hasn’t been updated in years, but doesn’t make a difference because the food is so authentically Spanish and delicious you won’t be able to look up from your plate.
Boyfriend and I shared a bunch of different tapas, one better than the next. Generous portions. I suggest getting a bunch of tapas and then splitting one entrée so you can try as many things on the menu as possible.
Also, a very nice surprise but they make really good drinks. Our very unauthentic margaritas were DELICIOUS.
A meal fit for kings for two plus a pitcher of margarita came out to just about $ 100 with tax and tip. Was this a dream???

Just read mark g.‘s review, he nailed it. (below)
Every place I’ve ever given a 4-​star rating, I’ve eaten at many many many times.
Went to El Faro last night for the first time — love it.
Old school, not fancy, old waiters (Juan is the man), killer sangria, not fancy, old school, mouthwatering food, not fancy, inexpensive, mouthwatering food.
As for recommendations, again, read mark g.‘s review just below. After a concert at Highline Ballroom I went over with two other friends that had been there many times and just went with whatever they ordered, killer, mouthwatering food.
I will be going back, soon!

Good quality sangria here, and I usually hate the stuff. The food is good, not excellent but solidly good. Having been to Spain and experienced their amazing culinary diversity this places lacks a lot, but who could even begin to encompass such scope right? El Faro is a nice place though, sort of an old school NYC haunt if you will. It’s like stepping back in time when you enter the place, so if you’re accustomed to fancy slick décor then this won’t be for you. The waitstaff is very friendly and attentive, but never overbearing or stuffy. My friends and I ordered a range of tapas, the best being the Chorizo de Espana (imported I think on the menu name), the only negative was the beef spare ribs in fruit sauce. If I return I will definitely take a full entrée. If you’re craving comida de Espana El Faro might help you.

I love El FARO!!! First off I have been going there for over 38 years. I had my first date with my wife there, got engaged there, met my in-​laws for the first time there, my daughters had there first NYC dates at El Faro, had 30^th, 40^th 50^th birthday parties there.
If you want real Spanish/​Portuguese food this is the place to go. The menu has not changed for 40 years because every dish works.
The Highlights
1. The owners are always there
2. Best Margarita and Sangria in NYC
3. The food is consistently prepared.
4. The other patrons are terrific GREAT CROWD
5. Small enough to talk but big enough to hold a party of 20
6. Salad dressing and specialty dishes are worth going for
7. no matter what you are wearing it is the correct dress.
8. The staff remembers you.
Negatives
1. The place needs a update
2. Small but clean bathrooms
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE DISHES
APPS (NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
1. FRUIT RIBS
2. CALAMARI
3. SHRIMP AJILLO
4. CHORIZOS
DINNERS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
1.CHICKEN VILLEROY
2. VEAL CORUNESA
3. ALL GREEN SAUCES AND AJILLO’S
4. STEAK IS KILLER
YOU NEED TO GO AT LEAST ONCE AND LISTEN TO ALL THE PEOPLE BRAG ABOUT HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN GOING TO EL FARO!!! THE GRAND DADDY OF ALL SPANISH RESTAURANTS.

My husband and I have been to Spain 5 times, so we know what authentic Spanish food tastes like. Thus, trust me when I tell you that this place is the real deal. Don’t be turned off by its «hole in the wall» look and understated décor. The servers are nice and witty (especially if you speak Spanish, but they’re nice either way), the food is authentic and DELICIOUS, and the service is great. The sangria is on the plainer side, but true to what is served in Spain (not filled with fruit like the Americanized version). Try the chorizo al vino – Spanish sausage made in wine. Delish! The tortilla con patatas is tasty, and the tapas-​sized paella marinera is very good as well (and I’m extremely picky about paellas). The gambas al ajillo are to die for – but you will be burping up the garlic for a few hours after your meal! Not that we mind that… We have not had a bad tapa dish yet…
The flan was nothing to write home about, though. Oh, and the food is very reasonable for a Spanish restaurant in NYC.
In summary, worth the trip! We’ve been twice and we’ll be back.

Took me forever to find this place… nobody seems to know where Greenwich Street is… Greenwich Avenue, yes, but Greenwich Street, no.
Eventually I made it…
Ordered the Paella Valencia and really really liked it. The rice was moist yet was not drowned in sauce like most Paella restaurants I’ve been to.
Sangria Blanca was delicious. I’m not a big alcoholic, but this definitely tasted like what Sangria tasted. Fruity but with a tint of wine.
The tortilla de espanol was delicious. All my friends could not stop eating it. I ate it with ketchup, thought it tasted better.

You can never go wrong with paella except maybe portion wise. My friend and I wanted the same chicken paella dish so we told the waiter we wanted 2 orders of it. The problem is we didn’t realize one paella serves 2 so basically we ordered a double trouble that could possibly feed a family of 5. It came in a huge pot and I give myself and my friend a pat on the back for miraculously putting a decent dent on it. First of all, the paella was delicious! Chicken was juicy and tender and the rice was cooked perfectly. Flavorful, indeed. I wish they put more chicken in it just to even out the portion of the rice. The place itself is rather small but quite cozy for a small group of people. If you tell the staff that it’s someone’s birthday, they will come out and sing a lovely Spanish song for you. Quite sweet.

There isn’t much I can say about this restaurant that others haven’t mentioned. So why not just talk about my dating experience in NYC. I arrive 30 min late … And apologize profusely about my tardiness. He smiles and hugs me and said it’s ok I’m glad you made it period. (hmmm I actually might stay all the way through on this date instead of sneaking out through the back door)
Problem: restaurant is busy. Luckily my date is a sexy South American Spanish speaking guy, as he so handedly smooth talks in Spanish to get the two of us a table in this crowded restaurant on a weekend. I think I saw awesomeness as he puts on his A-​game. (he just won another date with me and some PG13 make out session)
He suggests we share several tapas, guiding down the menu to what he loves at this place. I think it’s very manly, but of course I put my 2cents in by stating I wanted chorizo and potatoes. In addition we had the rice, ham and cheese platter, and shrimp dish. A Spanish meal is not complete without sangria of course. I couldn’t have been more happier with the choices, and I couldn’t stop myself for being a gluten either. He attentively listens to me and compliments me on my choices of dishes. (I think I see fireworks … Ok maybe next time we make it an R rated make out session)

I’ve dined at el faro 4 times and they’ve all been ok tapas meals. I probably won’t return because the food is oily & didn’t seem particularly fresh. The vibe is fun & service is fine. It just seems like pub food at restaurant prices.

Oh My Gosh. The food was amazing. This place isn’t really fancy, but they are good at what they do. If you can deal with crowded, close quarters, your mouth is in for a treat. We started with glasses of sangria, which as so good we convinced our table to get the sangria to share in the el gigante sized pitcher. My sister and I split the mixed seafood paella (entrée sized) and mixed seafood in green sauce. That green sauce is heavenly… it tastes a bit like creamed spinach with basil, garlic, olive oil… mmmm, I’m salivating just thinking about it and its only 10:15 am.
They bring you all the bread you can eat, which comes very helpful, and when you get an entrée they bring you a mixed green salad with a spicy catalina-​style dressing. The entrée and tapas was more than enough food for the two of us and we left happy and stuffed and a little drunk from the delicious sangria. I highly recommend El Faro, even though it is exactly the type of place I’d skip if I just saw the website or the front of the place.

I was excited to try this place as I’ve passed by more than once and thought that it looked like an interesting and authentic tapas place. After having tried it, I’ll probably not go again. The atmosphere was nice and the staff was very friendly; however, the food was just «ok» — not horrible, but a little too oily and nothing felt very fresh. The wine offering is a bit limited, but they make a homemade sangria to order (although I didn’t taste it — but as I sat at the bar, I watched it being made several times).
If you want something similar but of a better quality, I’d recommend Pata Negra or Bar Jamon. Although, for a larger group (4 or more) — this place might be better suited.

This is a traditional old school spanish tapas place that has been around for a very long time. My friend and I ordered 4 tapas between the two of us, which was too much food. So, the portions are a good size. The price isn’t bad, with 4 tapas and half a pitcher of sangria, the bill was 30 each.
The tapas themselves were just ok though. Nothing really special or interesting, just your very basic spanish tapas.
There’s a lot of other more interesting tapas places in the city that I would recommend over el faro.

Places like this are just shrinking away, authentic, warm, no pretension and down to earth food. It’s a New York experience that you should not miss.
A little tight, a little cramped, yet it screams family owned warmth and really is the only place where after the second visit, they remember who you are. Pretty extensive menu of tapa’s to delight.
This really is a downtown dining experience. You will NOT find any UES imports down here, trust me! It is simply way too grounded for all that.
Haha sangria of course, mandatory, along with your Spanish :)