Profile

With its authentic cooking and relaxed atmosphere, this spacious bar achieves a convivial vibe that encourages you to make a full evening of tapas. Surrounding tables (two-tops and communal ones for four to six) are big enough to accommodate a pile-on of plates yet small enough to encourage mingling. Dishes are simple, light and subtle: classic pairings of shrimp with garlic and olive oil, assorted aged cheeses, chorizos and calamari. This reasonably priced menu is well-balanced by an extensive list of Spanish reds (with a few whites) while the fruity sangria comes in generous pitchers. As white candles scatter a soft glow that plays on the wooden floor, the one-room hangout’s open windows framed by dark, weathered wood look out on the Lower East Side. The Iberian-influenced music plays at a volume that allows for deep conversation with an upbeat soundtrack. — Mary Beth Maioli