Emilia by Nai

Located in New York, New York

Address: 174 1st Ave., New York, NY 10009, United States

Phone: +1 212-677-1030

Rating: 4.6

Services

Identifies as Latino-owned
Takeaway
Dine-in
Delivery
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Alcohol
Beer
Cocktails
Food
Wine
Seating
Toilets
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
LGBTQ+ friendly
Transgender safe space
Accepts reservations
Cheques
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Photos

Latest NYC Bar Directory

Comments

Review 1 (2022-10-11 - Rating: 4)
Food: 4/5Service: 5/5Tapas brunch items that are flavored carefully and uniquely designed. Recommend 2 items per person as a group. Highly recommend all types of toasts, raw fish, and the desserts. Wagyu burger is mediocre.Cocktail design ideas are interesting ( but are a little bit too creative in my opinion). Coffee is also interesting. I ordered a cold brew with lemon juice in it - a little bit hard to get used to at first.Owner is very friendly and accomodating.Reservations not required.

Review 2 (2022-06-27 - Rating: 5)
Every dish has a special and unique taste! You can feel the explosion of flavors and textures in every bite.My top three favorites:1.- The shrimp croquettes2.- Wagyu Burger3.- ShiitakeThe cocktails are to die for! The mix of plants and coffee it’s fresh and delicious!

Review 3 (2023-09-25 - Rating: 5)
Absolutely perfect restaurant gem in East Village! I cant express enough how much I love Emilia by Nai and the team who works here - manager (Raul is the best!!), servers, chefs - everyone is incredibly warm and produces such a fantastic experience from ambiance to delicious foods. I dont say this lightly, but as an avid NYC eater and someone who is known to give restaurant recommendations to family and friends, this is an absolute must go-to.Please dont sleep on the mushroom katsu sandwich - was one of the few times Ive had a true Remy the Ratatouille moment where I had to close my eyes to savor each layer of flavor. The sauces and aiolis at Emilia are unmatched and everything from vegetable side dishes to their renowed paellas - I could go on for ages! Such a lovely lovely time and please go check out Emilia and give it some love :)

Review 4 (2022-11-02 - Rating: 5)
Clean, simple, wooden store design, with lovely staffs. One of my latest most pleasant dining experiences. Had exceptional coffee, with delicious quiche, and I also found European style almond flour cookie, shaped as a cute bear, tastes amazing. Highly recommended.

Review 5 (2023-03-19 - Rating: 5)
Tasty but pretty expensive. It was really empty on Sat dinner time; no reservation needed. We had a larger party and ordered most things on the menu. Overall, dishes are decently tasty to very tasty; there were no bad dishes.Favorite dish was shiitake mushroom, a must order! It tasted like a tonkatsu sandwich but replace the usual sauce with garlic aoli. The mussels are also up there, an interesting take the normal wine/garlic flavor.

Review 6 (2022-07-20 - Rating: 5)
New breakfast spot in East Village.Great food and service! Kade who works there was so helpful and friendly!Their signature coffee Cafe con Limon tastes light and refreshing, perfect for todays weather!Roast Beef with Spicy Tomato Toast (slightly sweet and spicy, perfect combination)Charred Peaches with Ricotta Toast (Roast Peaches smells so amazing and delicious, fruit lovers you should try this one)

Review 7 (2023-06-14 - Rating: 5)
Be prepared to eat -and eat well- from the delicious appetizers to the pork burger to paella, picture perfect drinks, toast that was so out of this world my party ordered more. desserts were also spectacular. very helpful server… magicians in the kitchen

Review 8 (2022-08-23 - Rating: 5)
Had a lovely brunch on a Sunday. The interior vibe is clean, modern, and aesthetic. We got three kinds of toast, a veggie quiche, and an ice cream dessert - all of which were yummy.The service was very friendly and professional. Id definitely come back!

Review 9 (2023-08-20 - Rating: 4)
The lonely 2 vegetarian options were good. Annoyances included insta influencers making a 3h documentary about their food, the place running out of potatoes?!, and the oblivious menu.

Review 10 (2022-08-19 - Rating: 5)
I really hope if anyone has walked by this place and thought “maybe I’ll try it” that this review convinces them to! This was my third time here, the first 2 times I came to grab a coffee and get some work done. I remember being blown away by how perfect the iced dirty chai with oat milk was because sometimes you order one and it’s just not it! I almost expected it to be bad the second time because I was thinking no way it can be as good as it was the first time, but it was just as perfect. I fell in love with the simple and natural ambiance of the restaurant, and so I was going to grab bagels but thought why not get brunch at Emilia next door! The chef was so welcoming and sweet, the drinks were perfect, service was fantastic, and the food was INCREDIBLE. Such a rich seasonal veggie quiche and the flavors on the charred peach ricotta toast were in perfect harmony. We got a cafe con limon which was a pleasant surprise and adventure on the tastebuds, 11/10 recommend, and an iced dirty chai, of course! I want to come here for dinner soon and I look forward to Emilia getting the love it deserves!

Review 11 (2023-08-19 - Rating: 5)
The best brunch me and my girlfriend had in New York City.

Review 12 (2023-08-20 - Rating: 5)
So, so, soo good. The dishes we ordered were simple but perfectly prepared. The salad was just a few ingredients but combined textures and flavors optimally (likewise with the crudo). They were out of the dessert we ordered, so they gave us a delicious alternative, free! We highly recommend the flamenco show on Thursday and Saturday nights, the energy and beauty of the performance made it a special experience and a great complement to the food.

Review 13 (2022-07-23 - Rating: 5)
Nicest experience! Beautiful deco, warm staff, delicious toasts, and fresh wines.

Review 14 (2023-08-19 - Rating: 5)
Food is AMAZING and Staff is super nice😻 great atmosphere! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Review 15 (2023-04-20 - Rating: 5)
Went inside Emilia by Nai starving and walked back out super satisfied. Check out my description in the captions. Great vibes, excellent hospitality, delicious food, let’s go!!!!

Review 16 (2023-08-29 - Rating: 5)
Emilia by Nai is highly underrated! I ate here on a Friday evening (party of two) and there were several empty tables. We loved everything and were very pleasantly surprised! Our favorite dish was the garlic shrimp, they somehow managed to elevate such a simple dish. We also loved the grilled octopus, the croquettas, and even the potatoes were a more delicious version of such a Spanish staple. The special on that day was a battered katsu sandwich which I also recommend. Chef Ruben was on-site and chatted with us for a while, explaining the dishes and his history. He offered us a chocolate cake for dessert, which we devoured despite feeling full after dinner - it was just too good!! We drank gin & tonics which were also very good and well-priced.

Review 17 (2023-03-05 - Rating: 5)
Came in around opening on the weekend for brunch and it was fairly quiet which was nice! Service was great and my favorite dish was the shiitake katsu sandwich. Wish I could have it everyday! Didnt get coffee but the smell of it in the restaurant was really tempting, so maybe next time!

Review 18 (2022-06-12 - Rating: 5)
Had a great time. Can always trust folks from the Nai group to put together a great concept and comfortable dining experience.Even though it is a brand new establishment, the staff are extremely pleasant and the food was well done.Get the jamon from them, better than other Spanish shops; they do their seafood extremely well; and the veggies are killer. We loved the carrot preparation at Emilia. Soooo good.

Review 19 (2023-01-15 - Rating: 5)
10/10 staff, amazing food!Recommend the shrimp croquettes and the salmon

Review 20 (2022-08-07 - Rating: 5)
Incredible food! The chef served us most of our dishes and even made me a special vegan friendly dessert. Will be returning!

Review 21 (2023-08-20 - Rating: 5)
Amazing service you gotta try! Amazing food quality!

Review 22 (2023-03-06 - Rating: 5)
Really enjoyed Emilia Nai’s vegetarian tapas selection, presentation, and interior design! Would definitely like to visit again next time I’m in the neighborhood!

Review 23 (2023-07-29 - Rating: 5)
The tapas are to die for! Excellent service, super friendly and efficient. It was a great discover. Happy to return soon!

Review 24 (2023-08-06 - Rating: 5)
I aboustly loved it the potates was great the bread was great great service great shrimp was amazing and the service was wonderful i would be back again anytime try to go back excellent and cant wait to go back

Review 25 (2022-11-19 - Rating: 5)
Cute place. Yummy fishes. Well portioned, decent wine list.

Review 26 (2023-09-10 - Rating: 5)
Amazing food, great service and live flamenco on Saturdays!

Review 27 (2022-09-11 - Rating: 4)
Beautiful space but food was just okay and coffee was actually terrible. Not sure if it was just a bad day.

Review 28 (2023-08-19 - Rating: 5)
Impeccable service. Love the food. Thanks a lot. Will come again!!

Review 29 (2023-08-13 - Rating: 5)
Excellent little place. Fresh, delicious seafood and drinks. The flamenco dancers were incredible and fun--people in the street were looking in. Our waiters were sweet and on top of everything.

Review 30 (2022-08-20 - Rating: 5)
Beautiful place and good food!I’m Spanish, and I can vouch for the ham!

Review 31 (2022-07-31 - Rating: 5)
I left a more detailed review on Yelp but suffice it to say that this place is amazing and for the time being I would say a hidden gem. Fresh farm-to-table food, perfectly prepared and proportioned and all meant to be shared.The staff was wonderful and the restaurant itself is clean, modern and minimalist (in a good way.The owner Raul is clearly passionate about this project and spent a lot of time talking with our table.Definitely worth a trip to the East Village. Highly recommended.

Review 32 (2023-02-18 - Rating: 5)
Firing on all cylinders! Light yet crispy and delicious shrimp croquettes. A fluffy savory tortilla with aioli topping. Even the coffee is good. And the interior design is 👌🏻.

Review 33 (2022-08-15 - Rating: 5)
Walked in about 50 minutes before the cafe would close for the afternoon, and was shown the menus by the very hospitable Isaac. He prepared me a commendable espresso beside sparkling water. For only a 4 dollar transaction and use of their restroom, I got friendly service and a peak at the fresh-looking interior. Would like to come back for dinner but need a date.

Review 34 (2022-12-02 - Rating: 5)
Stumbled upon this 4 month old restaurant. Dinner was amazing with super friendly servers. Size of tapas dish is generous. Coffee was nicely crafted and delicious - great way to finish a wonderful meal!

Review 35 (2023-02-04 - Rating: 4)
Delicious tapas that are fairly priced with excellent atmosphere and service. The menu is a bit limited but combinations are great.

Review 36 (2022-08-22 - Rating: 5)
Very nice place. I love the decoration and the food. I went for breakfast and also went for dinner. I have to say the breakfast was amazing! And there was not much noise, so this is a recommendale place if you want to have a conversation with someone.

Review 37 (2022-08-13 - Rating: 5)
Amazing vibe and perfect Saturday morning energy. Will 100% come back. The cafe subliminal was so unique and yummy

Review 38 (2023-05-21 - Rating: 5)
Excellent food.Excellent service.Excellent ambience.

Review 39 (2022-07-30 - Rating: 5)
Very little places have such successful blending of interior, lighting and great food.Emilia by Nai a must visit place. 🖤

Review 40 (2022-08-02 - Rating: 5)
Awesome coffee & desserts. Good service too

Review 41 (2022-06-11 - Rating: 5)
Beautiful interior, delicious chai, and super friendly people!

Review 42 (2022-10-13 - Rating: 5)
Great place to work during the day and good coffee

Review 43 (2022-11-27 - Rating: 5)
Super nice spot for a dinner or brunch

Review 44 (2022-09-21 - Rating: 5)
Delicious, original food!

Review 45 (2022-12-04 - Rating: 5)
Very soothing

Review 46 (2023-08-16 - Rating: 4)
I wanted to have fruit toastBut they change the menu regularlyI also liked what I ordered this time.The salmon is deliciousIt’s fun to matchBut dessert pop