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All Reader Reviews of...
Calle Ocho
446 Columbus Ave., New York, NY, 10024
nr. 81st St.
212-873-5025
| 7.4 | "Recommended" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
Good food, iffy service
ha2207 from 10027 | Posted on 10/24/09
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I had my birthday party here, and had a reservation for 15 people. We got there late and still ended up waiting a full 45 minutes until we could be seated. 15 people loitering in the full lounge? ugh. My spirits lifted, however, when we were led to our gorgeous ROUND table with a gigantic lazy susan in the middle for easy access, and 4 pitchers of sangria on the house because we had waited for so long. The service was great in person, but they blatantly forgot one of the dishes, which happened to be MINE. I basically got it after everyone was done, but was not offered any discount or real apology. Food was good though, didn't blow my mind.
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WORST SERVICE AND STAFF IN THE CITY!!!!
KATEKATE from 10019 | Posted on 10/16/09
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DO NOT GO!!! I just had my bday party there, bringing in a lot of friends to the lounge. It was a big mistake because the staff at Calle Ocho is the worst ever. Both the waiters and the manager Luke were extremely rude. The information provided on the phone and by the hostess upon arrival was inaccurate. Overall, the service was a disaster: the waiter would not come to our table, the food took forever to arrive, etc. The prices are OK and so is the decor but THE SERVICE RUINS IT ALL, SO GO ANYPLACE ELSE AND YOU WILL BE BETTER OFF.
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Not authentic cuban. Food taste like the waiters are cooking it.
monasmadali from 11103 | Posted on 8/21/09
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Pros: Place is huge inside and nice. Cons: Nothing about this place is authentic cuban. The bread was like frozen pillsbury sweet rolls. My husband ordered steak & fries & I ordered paella. My husband said his fries were hard & weird & the steak lacked flavor. My paella lacked flavor. I had alot of paella before at many places & I never seen paella w massive amounts of onions and raw tomatos thrown on top and what tasted and looked like french dressing. Weird and bland. Also they don't open till 5:30p but still take their time seating you because they are so unorganized. Go somewhere else. I know I will never come back again. Worst experience ever. Food was awful and.....side note:.....my husband is cuban.
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great spot
realnewyorker from 10002 | Posted on 7/3/09
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The place is beautiful. you would never know from the outside...but it opens up into a grand room. Great sangria and special cocktail options. Brunch is good just very limited menu. dinner menu is great!
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Too big for its own good
cvanac78 from 07030 | Posted on 3/22/09
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Food was good, but a bit over priced and the poor service detracted from the enjoyment of the meal which for the most part was well presented and tasteful. Service was awful- had to track down waitress for drink order, extra place setting and entrees came out way too quick- bad timing, and the bus service tried to clean my plate away while I was in mid bite!. I think the problem is the place is too big for its own good and tough to manage. It felt like we could have been in Las Vegas eating at some over-the-top tourist trap. Not worth the trip uptown for an average pricey restaurant.
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YUMMY!
Bosstone from 10023 | Posted on 10/19/08
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Great food! Wonderful mojitos! You can either get different "starters" or ceviche as your meal OR venture onto their entree side of the menu. You will not go wrong. Food, service, drinks are wonderful! AND, the restaurant is HUGE. Great for big parties. Warning! The bill can add up fast, but it is worth it. (Would take kids early evening or during the day.)
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Muy Bueno!
nycdowntowndiva from 10014 | Posted on 9/25/08
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I went to Calle Ocho with friends last night and was very impressed. When I walked in the size made me a little nervous - the dining room is cavernous, which usually leads me to expect kind of boring food. Absolutely not the case - we had the most delish calamari, great shrimp and I had the Dulce appetizer for my meal - a sweet corn empanada filled with goat cheese. Washed it down with two perfectly mixed mojitos, and it was about $55 a person. I would definintely recommend it, especially if you have a larger party. Actually, I kind of want to go back right now.....
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Love It
Russianangel314 from 11590 | Posted on 1/19/08
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What a great place. A friend of mine and I stumbled upon it one night and now I always go there to unwind with my friends. I love the lounge area. It is so soothing and relaxing and shockingly the music isn't too loud (a rarity!).
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Great drinks, food and atmosphere on the UWS!
Nedda_7 from 10029 | Posted on 7/16/07
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I have been to Calle Ocho on several occasions, and I am always pleased with the experience. Our last visit was particularly good, which prompted me to write. We had to wait awhile for a table (we had no reservation) but had some excellent drinks in the bar, some Mojitos and a Pisco Sour. Our dining experience was even better. My mother was with us, and the server was very helpful in answering her questions about the menu, and even checked with the chef to get some more information about certain ingredients. The wine recommendations were also spot-on. All the food was great- particularly the goat cheese empanada, the ceviches, and the pork entree. We were too full for dessert-but the menu was very tempting. We definitely plan to include that as part of our next visit. the restaurant was quite loud and crowded, but not any worse than most places on a Saturday night-and the music is always great!
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Que Rico....
jazminmsw from 11792 | Posted on 5/1/07
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Granted I'm not Cuban, I'm Colombian...But man do I love this place. I've been here several times and never had a bad experience. I have been there for Restaurant Week, Easter, and my birthday. And will be there again for my birthday this year. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. The White Sangria and the bread the service before dinner...to die for. I've always had there fish plates and been very happy with them. The Decor is very nice and fun. Granted the food can be a little "expensive" but you are in NYC, what do you expect, $5-$10 meals??? So if anyone is looking to go there soon, GO!!!!! (I gave it a 9 for food only because I dont eat meat and rather eat fish). Their desserts are small but good!!! It can get a little loud at night so I dont know if I would go there for a business meeting. The bar is nice and long. Fun setting....Oh and if you go, dont for get to try all the different Sangrias they offer!!
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