Salinas
“- Patatas bravas – These aren't the normal patatas bravas you get at tapa restaurants.”
“I had dinner here on a Saturday night and had seating in the back where the retractable roof is.”
“Some things that stood out:
Pulpo con palomitas: the reason I discovered octopus.”
Salinas
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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I went here for my first year anniversary upon the recommendation of a friend. The location did not disappoint! Gorgeous setting with roses and candlelight- they even sat us in the garden without us requesting so which I felt was a classy touch on their part for a first time patron. It was a cold rainy night so perhaps a few other patrons had cancelled their reservations. The restaurant was on the quiet side that night (unusual I think for this hot spot) and we were well taken care of. The food was good- I'm a bit of a food snob and was expecting it to be GREAT for the price we paid ($200 plus for food and drinks)- but the waiter more than took care of it when he brought us 2 flutes of champagne for our anniversary. I thought the tapas and dessert food portions were appropriate for the cost; the main course which was labeled "for sharing" could have easily been eaten by one person so be forewarned and order at least 2-3 tapas. I didn't try the paella which I regret. The table to the front of us ordered it and it looked great.
Really really cute and romantic ambience. Their roses are imported from Ecador once a week so the restaurant is decorated with vases full of them!
Highly highly recommend the seco paella SO DELICIOUS and flavorful !!!! It was definitely a lot for 2 ppl but we managed to finish all of it.
Salinas is a luxurious restaurant in Chelsea. Salinas brings a high level of Spanish cuisine to a neighborhood saturated with old school & new school Spanish. The scent of fresh flowers hits you when you enters what feels like a private club.
There is a library like dining room with a retractable roof,
Ate:
Pica Pica
Soft shell crabs with ramps and artichokes
Roast baby suckling pig
Drank- Vega Chardonnay
The food was magnificent- the dips were so flavorful, but the one criticism would be to see a higher level bread with the dips. Otherwise, the pig was a show stopper- made to order with milky meat and crispy skin with a hint of rosemary- orgasmic! Knowledgeable service.
My boyfriend and I had a wonderful experience here for our one year anniversary. We had a reservation for 7:30 on Saturday and were offered a seat in the garden area. Absolutely loved how the entire restaurant was adorned with so many roses!
The waiter introduced some specials and some recommendations, which was very helpful. We ordered the popcorn octopus, cauliflower with yogurt, and the brown rice lamb cake for our tapas. We decided on the suckling pig for our entree, which was a special that day. We also got a carafe of sangria to share.
Octopus was the BEST dish I'd had in a long time. The outside was perfectly crisped and covered with popcorn pieces (super unique) and the meat itself was so tender and had a smoky flavor.
Cauliflower was great as well, though not as memorable.
Brown rice lamb cake was really excellent too. The lamb flavor definitely came through, and the rice was very rich and smooth almost like a risotto. This was my boyfriend's favorite tapa dish.
Sucking pig was incredible. The skin on the outsider was paper thin and crispy, covering the juicy and flavorful meat inside. The fatty flavor was heavenly…my mouth is watering just thinking about it! The sauces that came on the plate ranged from tangy to buttery to herby, and all paired surprisingly well. We didn't realize how expensive it was until we got the bill – $65, yikes! But I'd say it's pretty worth it.
Sangria was good but also expensive – $36 for a carafe. It was strong and opaque, unlike most sangria. Also came with a big cube of ice made from the sangria, to prevent diluting of the flavor.
I'd say that salinas is my favorite tapas restaurant in NYC so far! Service was also super nice – when we asked the waiter to take a picture of us he even offered me a small rose to put in my hair 🙂 Would definitely recommend this place, and I would return (though not in the super-near future due to the price).
This place is THE BEST
Came here on a Sunday night, very very romantic setting. We sat at the outside (it was supposed to be a garden type open area, but the weather was not great enough that day it was covered) but it was still really nice. Tbh i wouldnt mind sitting outside or inside, both sections are decorated with fresh flowers, and the ambiance just make you want to stay there forever.
1) We started with the iberico, dry aged, server was so nice he recommended that pricier one instead of the cheaper option, and that was the best decision ever. the iberico was truly amazing we were so tempted to order another one, but we had to save space for the paella.
The fat of the iberico is amazing, it literally melts in your mouth. i would come back to salinas anyday anytime, just for that iberico
2) paella. the minimum order is two persons, so we did that, and oh my god, that was so huge! we wanted to order some other dishes to try but after the paella got here, there is no way we could stuff ourselves with any extra dishes. The seafood paella does not come with a lot of seafood, in fact there is a separate plate where they put the seafood on and it was one prawn per person and some scallops and octopus/squid
The rice though, was absolutely amazing, i could not picture myself eating so much but we did! and we totally killed the entire big plate of paella!
if you are coming as a big group, definitely order less than the number of people who is there. if there are four of you, order the size of two orders. save some space for the other dishes
Will definitely come back so soon to try out other tapas and of course! for the iberico and the ambiance!
I came in with my boyfriend and a friend for dinner on a Friday night, with a reservation (which I highly recommend!). We walked through the bar – tiny and intimate, with seating you can reserve there as well. The ambiance of the entire place was so intimate and romantic, it's absolutely beautiful and filled with live flowers – $15 fine for stealing them too.
We browsed the cocktail menu and decided to ask for spicy margaritas, not on the menu but the bartender was happy to oblige and they were phenomenal! Their drinks are exotic and I'm sure the bartenders are capable of creating any request you throw at them.
All of the food comes out as it is made, so it's definitely best to share. We started with the pulpo con palomitas (popcorn crusted octopus), the bravas, and the croquetas of the day which were lamb and also amazing, I didn't taste the octopus but my boyfriend cleaned the plate. I highly recommend the bravas to share for any group, we could have each eaten an order ourselves for sure.
For dinner we shared the Brut a la Plancha – lamb brown rice cakes which came exactly as they sound (though somehow we weren't expecting it!) little brown rice patties with lamb mixed throughout. So moist and flavorful, I'd definitely recommend it but we ordered it because we aren't huge seafood fans – I hear the paella is the way to go here! My boyfriend had the Fideos Negros (squid ink vermicelli pasta) and was equally impressed. No regrets on not ordering fish for us though, everything was amazing and is absolutely come back for a date night!
Overall a three star experience. It started out strong but I wish it would carry on through till the end of our dinner.
The ambiance is wonderfully romantic,lots of fresh roses all over the restaurant. Really beautiful ones too, I think they import them from South America. The decor in general also ties nicely into the warm intimate feel they are going for. Definitely well done.
The service seemed a little too cold and disconnected. He seemed a bit offended when we had questions about the menu. A bit snooty even. I really would have liked a friendlier server to make our special night out feel nicer.
The food we got was all quite good, as was the wine. Definitely a plus point here.
Good place to wow someone on a date or a special occasion, but the service may let you down a bit.
Salinas is a beautifully decorated restaurant. I went early Spring so it was too cold for them to open the back room rooftop but I could just imagine how lovely it must be when they do. They did have the fireplace going in the background of a room filled with aromatic lilies and roses. The tapas, entrees, cocktails, and wines were delicious.
Here's what we ordered:
Small Plates:
– Anchoas Jardinera – The white anchovies were oily and full of flavor, highlighted by the brandade. The toast is small so it is easily bite size.
– Cauliflower with yogurt – It seems like a simple dish, roasted cauliflower. But the char was just enough to highlight the depth and creaminess from the the citrus yogurt with pimenton gave it more body.
– Tuna toro – This was a way too salty. The fish was overcooked so it wasn't my favorite. We didn't finish this dish before it was taken away.
– Pork belly – Cooked to perfection and the kabocha manzanilla was sumptuous and oh so creamy.
– Fried artichokes – Another simple dish done very well. I'm assuming the batter was tempura based because it came out thin, crispy, and light.
– Octopus – Perfectly cooked and impeccably tender. One of the best octopus dishes I've ever had.
– Patatas bravas – These aren't the normal patatas bravas you get at tapa restaurants. These are diced small and crispy all around. The spicy bravas sauce is also addictive, enough kick without overwhelming the dish.
– Croquetas – These were so creamy and decadant. We ordered both the special, which was pork (and maybe lamb) and a vegetarian one. They sit on a bed of sauce that made you eat a croqueta just to swipe more of it.
Entress:
– Seco ($34/person for 4) – This is the show stopper and comes out in a large shallow paella pan. It was so fragrant that the moment it came out, all I could smell was that beautiful seafood aroma. It also came with a skewer per person of one of the largest head-on prawns I've ever seen, octopus tentacle, and a very large sea scallop. Each piece of seafood was cooked to perfection, tender, and deliciously flavorful. This was so good! I wish I had more room in my stomach to eat more.
– Dorada a la Sal – The Mediterranean sea bream was a bit underwhelming when it came in the background of the seco for four. But it was nonetheless a delicate fish. The kale was braised and dotted with small diced purple potatoes. I just don't remember much of it since the focus was all on the seco, sorry.
Dessert:
– Rice pudding
– Chocolate torte
– Sundae with a merengue
– Cake with syringes of syrup
The desserts were all a bit too sweet for me and by that time I was too full to eat any more.
Overall, Salinas is a beautiful and romantic restaurant for a special occasion. The food and drinks were delicious and the servers were more than accommodating and friendly.