Desnuda
“Desnuda is a must for lovers of (1) ceviche, (2) latin american/spanish flavors, and (3) extremely "cozy" eating quarters.”
“We ordered the Ceviche de Atun, Ceviche de Salmon, and some complicated Tiradito dish that was on special.”
“The lobster ceviche is a surprising combination of generous cuts of lobster with coconut milk, ginger, onions, peppers, and mangoes.”
Desnuda
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Red wine, hamachi, custom made sauces. Whats not to love? No ice cubes is whats annoying about certain establishments. Also where are the forks? I like food in my mouth all at one time and not in 10 incremental bites. Yeah thats right, Im asian and I like forks. FU. Besides this little spectacle, the fish here seems fresh with the exception of the striped bass sashimi which was suggested by the owner, and tasted quiet rubbery. This was a miss but the yellowtail was a flavorful cut of buttery deliciousness that was well prepared. It is easy to reconcile with my palate and Mr Desnuda was eager to try. Great, Im game. Take note of the flavorful sauces that each dish comes swimming in. Id love for Mr Desnuda to bottle that mouthwatering vinegary soy wif the hint of fire sauce. Delicious. 10 bottles please.
Truly a gem in our beloved NYC! Small, narrow place (no tables, seating is only at the bar!) with excellent ceviche, seafood, and service! What I love is that they give you complimentary freshly popped popcorn as an appetizer. I ordered the lobster ceviche which is made with coconut milk and definitely recommend it! Please also get their texmati rice. It is DELICIOUS! Has coconut flakes in it! Perfect accompaniment to my ceviche! My husband got the shrimp ceviche which he really enjoyed (it was a bit too citrus-y for me, but he said it's supposed to be that way :). And, if you really want to try something different for dessert (that's almost savory — really crosses that boundary!), please try their panna cotta! Unlike anything I've ever tried before. The two guys there that night (I'm sure one of them was the owner) were really awesome/friendly, and attentive. Can't wait to go back!!
Great atmosphere, great food, great wines. I've never left Desnuda any bit unsatisfied.
Food:
– Salmon ceviche with tamarind and sweet potato – Every piece melts in your mouth
– Hamachi tiradito – Fattiness of the hamachi paired perfectly with the ponzu and Sichuan peppers. I would've never thought of Szechuan peppers going so well with the dish but it didn't have the same numbing effect as in Szechuan food
Eric doesn't talk much but it doesn't matter because all his concentration is on his food and its delicious! A perfectly intimate spot for a date.
Everything we tried at this restaurant was absolutely divine. The freshness of the seafood is appreciated. The flavors are fresh.
Salmon Ceviche
Fresh, balanced, I want more.
Scallop Ceviche
This was probably my favorite! The scallops were sweet and juicy. And the citrus tones paired perfectly.
Sweet potato
Who knew microwaved sweet potato with aioli and orange zest would taste SO GOOD!
Coconut rice
This was delightful.
There is no doubt that everything in this restaurant tastes amazing. Portions are on the small side, so don't expect to be full leaving this place.
Desnuda is a must for lovers of (1) ceviche, (2) latin american/spanish flavors, and (3) extremely "cozy" eating quarters.
I met a friend for dinner on a Saturday evening at 8pm. The restaurant doesn't permit reservations, so we decided to roll the dice. We were lucky because upon arrival we managed to snag the last two seats available. Every group of prospective diners following us had a 45 minute wait, so I would suggest you either come late or come early. Even though you are seated, it doesn't mean that you won't get shifted to another set of chairs so that room can be made for new arrivals. We were moved two times throughout the dinner, but it's not a big deal because the staff moves your plates and drinks for you. You won't be the clumsy elephant stumbling down the narrow restaurant, spilling your red wine onto everyone's white clothing.
Everyone eats at a long counter, where you can watch the chefs artfully prepare your ingredients and assemble a beautiful dish. It's convenient because you can easily flag down your chef when you want to order more, or have a general question about the menu.
The menu itself is very limited, so ask for the specials of the day. There are a lot of specials not listed. We ordered the special available on Saturday night: chorizo with clams, served with buttery mini-toasts. The sauce was a little salty for our tastebuds, but that's expected of seafood. We also ordered the slightly seared scallops, which were topped with three round balls of avocado. This dish was not overly salty, perfectly sweet and tender. I would definitely recommend this dish. Next time, I'll need to try the lobster ceviche that everyone raves about. The dishes are generally on the smaller, but still large enough to share between two individuals. I would recommend sharing at least two order.
The wine price per glass were in the low teens, on par with the price of wines in the area. The restaurant pours you a very generous amount for red wines, so tip well!
Overall, it's a wonderful seafood option in the East Village for a low-key dinner with a friend. I would not recommend this spot for large gatherings or first dates (what if you promise a fantastic dinner here, but you can't get a seat? Then you look like an idiot who can't deliver).
Came here after a bit of drinking. Ok a lot of drinking.
Tried coming here twice in the past with no luck as it was full with ppl waiting already. Drunk me only had to wait like 10 minutes tho, which was pretty awesome as I could finally try this place my friend raved about.
First off – Free popcorn! Me likey.
Started with a traditional ceviche with tiger prawn. Was really good, nice balance, flavors clean and clear. Very enjoyable, both me and the date were fans and she's fairly particular about ceviche.
Tea smoked oysters – first off, the presentation is pretty cool. Comes as 4 dishes each with a glass over it to keep the smoke in. You remove the glass and you can instantly smell the tea smoke. They were fantastic. Really great, would not skip ordering this if I were you.
Lobster ceviche – Someone wrote that it was the best lobster ceviche they ever had so I gave it a try because I recalled reading that. This was really a let down. The lobster itself was very good, cooked perfectly, tasty. The issue was the rest of the dish. Both me and the date love mango, but we didn't even finish it all. The problem with this dish was it was overbearingly sweet. We both thought it detracted from the entire dish and just meh kinda ruined it. I'm sad writing this as that dish could have been amazing, but the cloying sweetness of it was the only note one could take away from it.
Anyways, regardless of that one dish, I'd definitely come back and try some other dishes and get some more tea oysters.
And oh yeah, good wine here too.
Love the environment and the food. It's nice to go in and watch the chef make the ceviche at the counter.
It's dark inside and it can be hard to get seats but the wait is well worth it.
The oysters are a great place to start and listen to the chefs recommendations.
I dine at Desnuda each time I am in NYC. Being from San Diego, we have amazing sushi and oysters. Desnuda has it all, too. The ambiance is so intimate and a great setting for me to go alone, with a date, or bring a couple of clients. I always start with six oysters on the half shell- the marmalade type of sauces (3 of them) that come with the oysters, are so delicious. I also enjoy the tea smoked oysters- but they are a novelty. Smoky flavored- not for everyone. Always ask about the specials- they are always delicious. I love trying new things but always need to get the salmon ceviche that has mango in it, and I love the lobster ceviche as well. The chefs are also the waiters here- which is great because they are very knowledgable of the menu. The truffle popcorn— YUM! Goes great with wine when you are waiting for your food. I love it here, I've never had a bad experience, and I always look forward to returning.