La Nacional Restaurant Reviews

Underneath the Spanish cultural institute is La Nacional Restaurant. The modern decor atmosphere is inviting as you are greeted like family. We enjoyed the garlic shrimp, wild mushroom croquettes and octopus as well as the signature paella perfectly seasoned!!

This hideaway, and a non-profit at that, is a real find. Tucked away in an under-staircase entrance to an historic brownstone, this tapas restaurant instantly transports you to Spain. The manager, Henry, along with his warm and inviting staff will explain all the temptations to eat and drink. Journey through Spain with small locally produced wines as you savor the most tender octopus you have ever eaten. Not to mention the artfully re-created pan con tomate, this time more of a hearty bite. Patatas bravas like you've never eaten before served with heavenly light aioli, inventive salads and the list goes on. Don't rush, take time to relax, taste, unwind and enjoy the delicious food, drinks and hospitality. We will definitely return.

This is one of my favorite restaurant spots in New York. The food is outstanding! Especially the huevos rotos and the gambas al ajillo are a must, but what truly sets this place apart, though, is the team. Everyone is so kind, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. Katina, Carla, and Jorge made us feel completely taken care of, and Robert added a special touch by sharing the wonderful history behind La Nacional. This restaurant is more than just a meal, it’s an experience that keeps you wanting to return.

When this restaurant-- somewhat on the drab-side but with great food --closed two years ago it was as if an elderly relative died. BUT its back, modern, comfortable with marvelous service and great food. It has the best red sangria in town! The short menu packs a powerful punch. The portions are generous and we had our favorites noted below. A very special place is back. Thanks!!

We have visited La Nacional before (prior to the makeover and renovations). The food was just as delicious as the last time. The service was impeccable. Our server was constantly refilling wine and water glasses without being intrusive. She was also very helpful explaining some dishes. The dishes (tapas) we had were carefully prepared and arrived as they were made...and absolutely delicious. Wine selection was varied and excellent. We had delicious Spanish wines that complimented the meal. The desserts were beautifully prepared and presented and tasted marvelous. Without a doubt, you can have a delicious experience of Spanish meals here!

We loved La Nacional when it was old and dusty and we love it even more with its swell new look. The food on Friday night was delicious -- mixed paella, tortilla, deconstructed gazpacho and a wonderful white wine. The menu may seem small, but it's excellent and the Valencian chefs in the kitchen certainly know what they are doing. Service was beyond cordial. We can't wait to go back.

The reopened restaurant is quite a step up from its long time predecessor. The food was excellent! The wait service was adequate the art delivered a very good cocktail very slowly. Unfortunately the noise level is quite high. It seems people like to use outdoor voices and don’t mind yelling as a conversation style. The prices were reasonable except for the Paella, which was quite good but skimpy and about $10 more than it was worth.

Simply delightful , classic Iberian cuisine. This is a great place to try a variety of authentic Spanish tapas and some interesting wines from Spain. We made a dinner from several plates of tapas: jamon iberico, cheese platter and fantastic calamari. La Nacional has been here forever,(since 1868) and is now beautifully renovated. Don't miss it!

Excellent service and great meal. The cod and the octopus dishes were absolutely amazing. The potato’s were great. Definitely worth a visit next time

Love the food and ambience but because of the service I can only give this restaurant 3 stars. Giorgio C.

Had a friend's birthday dinner at La Nacional on Friday and everything was absolutely delicious! I had not been to the restaurant since before its renovation and it was worth the wait. We had most of the dishes on the menu and everything was great. The postres were even better, one was better than the next, and they debuted a new dessert that was not yet on the menu, a basil ice cream with Cava foam that was so rich in flavor and refreshing. I definitely recommend this place!

Excellent fish (cod), paella, gambas, pan de tomate y jamon... but the unforgettable flavor is on las patatas bravas! They’re a little hot (spicy) but creamy and addictive. Terrific bar and wine selection. I don’t fully understand, but the proceeds from the restaurant benefit the Spanish society.

Wow, what a special place. We had tapas and wine--delicious. We also got a special cake, which was gigantic. I was fascinated by the bathroom wallpaper, which had photos of many of the people helped by this longstanding institution. Refugees from many countries, from many times. Happy to give them my dime.

I understand this restaurant has only been open for 2 days when we visited. Go before the word is out! The modern take on classic Spanish food was breathtaking, beautifully presented , delicate flavours and surprising. The service was impeccable and welcoming and priced well below other establishments providing this quality food. Go!

We tried this place for a Valentines night meal and it did not disappoint. The food and service were excellent and the atmosphere was fabulous. Complementary Prosecco with a rose leaf in to begin and then fantastic food at a great price. A credit to Spanish tapas. Thank you for a lovely night.

This was quite a surprise. Everything was excellent. It felt like I was in Spain. The ambience, the staff and the food. Authentic and delicious food. We had several tapas that were so delectable. Portions are small but beautifully presented. The desserts were out of this world! Definitely recommend this place!!!

Excellent meal - the food was delicious and the service excellent!! The salads on the tapas menu in particular were very incredible. Classics like croquetttes were as good as you’d expect in Spain but La Nacional made their menu their own with some American Tapas hybrids - try their Manchego Mac & Cheese!

Recent Business dinner with Madrid guests. Service was phenomenal. Food: especially the paella was atrocious, gooey-sticky dark rice with rubbery calamari and sand-gritty mussels...not authentic at all. My foreign guests Disappointed. Not recommended at all for the future. G. Weitz

Their paella as close as it gets to the authentic paella from Spain. It’s not yellow rice with peas. It’s moist and of brown color. Delicious! Bacalao is a must to try even if you’re normally not a fan of it. Croquetas just melt in your mouth, cooked to perfection and not overdone. Pan tomaca and jamón are also a treat. The bread (Spanish style) was toasted just right and the tomato topping was mouth watering.

I have frequented La Nacional in the past for small bites. Of course, this was before the restaurants' grand debut in June. Hats off for the staff and directory because the difference between now and then is quite significant. Not only has the physical interior changed but the restaurant dynamic, it is now upbeat and alive rather than the "mausoleum" feel aged restaurants usually give off. I certainly attribute this to the bright-faced management running the place like a well-oiled machine. The menu is great, the wine list has a very good balance of boutique houses with an extraordinary value. This was the change that was not expected but direly needed. Now Food. Spanish cuisine is no easy task but has definitely sat well with the new crowd that is coming in and old ones as well. In regards to the critical reviews of the food I see down below; microwaving is a thing of the past and are no longer in practice from my last visit. Regardless Warm plates paella's are how it's done and how it's meant to be harder!! La Nacional has incredible potential if it continues at this pace. So it isn't too far a stretch to say it is a game changer.

We went there with friends who loved this restaurant. The food was good but the restaurant was cold and the acoustics are not good making for tiring meal as we tried to hear one another.

Nice decor in this historic building, creating the ambiance for a warm lunch or romantic diner! Service is good, food is delish! Much recommended!!!

Love this place, food is authentic spanish tapas in nice brownstone. I lived in Spain and this is as close as it gets - it’s housed in Spanish Benevolent Society building. Nice outdoor seating too. Everything we got was excellent - pulpo, pan con tomate, croquetas, jamón, chorizo, etc. also try the cocktails - the gin and tonic is perfect, made just like they serve in Madrid! Gabriel was our server and was awesome, knew the menu and made some good recs. Will definitely be back pronto!

Nice place but noisy. Service was good and Mr. Robert Sanfiz, took care of us. We order the prawns in a hot pan which was fresh and nice. The Paella, seafood with black rice was also good. The chicken noodle soup was also good.

Fun place for groups, my wife and I recently went here and felt it would be fun for a larger group. We intend to return with a larger group soon. We had several dishes the standouts were the Octopus and the croquetas. the only down side was service - very difficult to get a drink or servers attention - but we will know better next time.

I’ve been to La Nacional many times over the years, both before the renovation and after it was completed several years ago. The updated space is beautiful, and I’m happy to say the food remains just as delicious as ever. Most recently, I hosted a baby shower for 11 women, and the experience was outstanding from start to finish. From my very first outreach, the La Nacional team was incredibly accommodating and even worked with me to stay within budget, which I truly appreciated. We used the private room in the back, which was the perfect setting. They even allowed me early access to decorate, making the day feel extra special. Food and service: 10/10. Value: unbeatable. You simply cannot find a better price-to-quality ratio in NYC. This is truly one of the best values in the city for both dining and private events. I look forward to dining here again, and I am already excited to host another celebration at La Nacional. ¡Hasta la próxima, La Nacional!

Definitely an experience to have in New York. Pleasant environment, very polite staff, exquisite paella and the croquetas and desserts are also delicious. About 30 dollars per person eating large portions. Highly recommended!

This newly, imaginatively renovated and reincarnated Spanish restaurant is a winner! Fresh ingredients done right with chefs coming from Spain on a rotating basis and featuring a rotating menu is an interesting and well executed concept. We had the very unusually prepared gazpacho and the yummy ham and mushroom croquettes. The paella and flan dessert were also exceptional. Prices are very reasonable as this restaurant is run by the non profit Spanish Benevolent Association to help promote Spanish culture. We will be back often and hope they open for lunch soon.

One of the best Spanish restaurant I tried in my life. Food was really nice as was the wine, the service was nice and the music also feels like Spain.

Great ambiance, tasty & authentic Spanish food and great service. All reasonably priced. We will be back.

Nice and cosy place with amazing staff and great atmosphere. A great variety of spanish food and tapas exactly like the ones you can have it in Spain. Definitely a good place to enjoy a good time with your friends or loved ones.

We truly enjoyed our experience at his bustling Spanish restaurant that boasts its roots as a training ground for Spanish chefs! The seafood paella was very good. My wife loved the roasted octopus. The appetizers and desserts were also very good. The only reason we did not give it 5 stars is that our booking on Trip Advisor seemed to fall through after I thought we reserved our table. However, the hostess still seated us, but in the front area right outside their door (not on the sidewalk). It was a humid and warm night and a bit uncomfortable. Ironically, when we were almost finished eating, the hostess called me on my phone to check to see if we were arriving for our reservation! I said, "we're here in the restaurant and almost finished eating. I am the person you could not find on your reservations earlier!." I would return to this place as it's in a nice area and the food was very good!

Pretty sure this is overall the best Spanish restaurant in NYC. On 3 visits, the service has always been good, the food impressive and the size of the dishes relatively generous. With a reasonably priced wine list for NYC, its well worth a visit.

Hello, we were having Christmas dinner at the restaurant and celebrating my mother's birthday. The food was very good, we finally ate the way we Spaniards like but in New York. The attention was also wonderful from our waitress Catina. Highly recommended. Mahou, godello wine and Gyn from Nordes. The food was also great.

I discovered this gem two weeks ago and have been there 3 times since my first dining experience. The exquisite cuisine brings back pleasant memories of my vacations in Spain. Yes, it is that good! I am guilty of photographing my food all the time, but I must confess I did more eating than photographing because the food was JUST. THAT. GOOD. I've recommended La Nacional to my clients ( I'm a New York City-based Travel Advisor) visiting NYC and they've all LOVED it. Some of my recommendations: Pan Tomaca, Croquetas Caseras, Patatas Bravas, Gambas al Ajillo, Tabla de Mixta, Pollo & Verduras, and Mixta Fideua. Yum!! In addition to the food, the history of La Nacional - Spanish Benevolent Society, 150 years old, is the oldest Spanish cultural institution in the United States. Even as you stroll to the restroom on the ground floor, you get a glimpse of the history this building holds (check out the wall). Suppose you are a local and want a quick "escape to Spain" or an NYC tourist. In that case, La Nacional should be on your shortlist of restaurants to visit for an unforgettable and reasonably priced dining experience. BTW, both times we were not rushed, so it felt like an authentic European experience.

Sorry to have to write this because staff was very friendly and nice-every tapas we ordered froma very limited tapas menu was without flavor and bland-to supplement the tapas we ordered a quick paella-also very bland-thank goodness they at least had a tasty cheese platter and the 2 bottles of albarino-we can't however justify ever returning here and we're sorrybout this.

Great culinary experience. Very good service and great products. Definitely a place to try when In New York.

Is it possible to be transported into an actual tapas bar in Barcelona just by taking the C train to 14th Street? Si! This place is authentic and amazing! From the sangria which comes in three choices (red, white or cava) to the pan con tomate, this place is the real McCoy. We also had the tortilla, patatas, croquettas, octopues and the stellar inventive dessert of deconstructed lemon meringue pie. All were delicious, flavor forward and reasonable. The place has a truly happening and comfortable vibe; the never pressure you to give up the table. So order that second pitcher of sangria. It's certainly cheaper that a flight to Spain

It was 100 degrees in NYC and the AC was not strong They were very accommodating and let us go to a table outside,.The food was delicious. We loved the fact that this was a non-for profit that trained spanish cooks and let them live upstairs. The prices were very reasonable. I had the there is some tapas but we ordered different entrees and shared. We had the monkfish with squid ink pasta, the omelet ad papatas fritas, and the oven shrimp with bread crumbs and garlic. All of us enjoyed all the dishes.

Food extremely good! Pan con tomate great and the tortillas too. Service a chaos: glass of water after half an hour, drinks after 45 minutes, appetisers after 1 hour 15 minutes and the last appetiser almost received with the dessert. More waiters servicing us in a chaotic way. Well, or an unfortunate night, or a need to revise the service in depth!

A Friday night reservation. The newly renovated space is attractive, brightly lit and navigable from entrance, tables and bar. The servers were charming, solicitous and bilingual. Not all the paella entrees listed on the menu in their website are available during the week. We were disappointed that the paella of the day was vegetable. We passed and selected pulpo and gazpacho. As former long time resident and frequent visitor to Spain, I can say the pulpo a la gallega was extraordinary- the best - better than what I have ever had in Spain! Tender, flavorful, in creamy garlic sauce, garnished with parsnip chips. The gazpacho, a surprising pale orange "custard" served in an elliptical bowl, was a foam distillation of tomato, peppers and cucumber "snow" quE delicia! It is ambrosia. You must have it. The ensalada mixta, a large portion of arugula, with red, orange and yellow cherry tomatoes that burst in your mouth- garnished with roasted garlic (for crunch) and Spanish onion- was superb, a refreshing and satisfying summer salad. For being the house wine, the vinto tinto was excellent, lacking the harsh bite of a usual house wine. The portions are small as nouvelle cuisine dictates. Conversation is difficult due to the noise level. Pity, but it is New York. I applaud La Nacional, for the surprising and delightful originality they employ serving up traditional Spanish cuisine in the most novel way I have experienced. Bravo! Viva La Nacional!

At one time years ago, his was an unobtrusive true Spanish (as in Spain) restaurant. In the interim, we've been to Spain multiple times, my wife cooks Spanish food quite well The food was awful. BUT, if you are looking for a partying type scene, it has been thoroughly renovated, and appears to be a "happening "place. Just avoid eating The only things edible were the croquetas and my wife's monkfish fideula The pollo a la ajo was disgusnbg-inedible There was a mystery sauce (I;ve never seen such a sauce and have had this in Spain and @ home dozens of times) , which rendered it ...yucch. No I would never go back,.

I had their unique gazpacho that is an orange colored tasty foam with thin slices of red onion and scallion on top and a spoonful of green icecream. Later I had a delicious slice of tortilla espanola with aioli. For dessert I enjoyed flan. Service and ambience were also excellent.