Ruffian

Located in New York, New York

Address: 125 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009, United States

Phone: +1 347-674-1618

Rating: 4.6

Services

Delivery
Takeaway
Dine-in
Fast service
Great wine list
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Alcohol
Beer
Food
Food at bar
Happy-hour drinks
Wine
Seating
Toilets
Casual
Cosy
Trendy
Upmarket
LGBTQ+ friendly
Transgender safe space
Accepts reservations
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Photos

Latest NYC Bar Directory

Comments

Review 1 (2024-10-15 - Rating: 5)
Cute for intimate date night spot with local vibes. I love that the menu is small but very intricate and creative. Great wine selection, would recommend sitting at the bar since they have kind of an open kitchen situation going on. Can’t wait to be back :-)

Review 2 (2023-03-05 - Rating: 5)
One of my favourite wine bars in the world. Always a very interesting and curated wine list (Lebanese, Georgian wines, etc) and amazing by the glass selection. Heavy focus on Vegetarian menu items as well.. I’m not a vegetarian but I always enjoy the way they combine flavours. Dishes are smaller portions so you get to try more items

Review 3 (2024-03-07 - Rating: 5)
Great wine bar w delicious tasting menu! Rich and diverse profile of flavors. Slovakian, Czech and Georgian wines are all top notch! And Sophia our server was amazing!

Review 4 (2020-07-05 - Rating: 5)
Ive lived in New York 6 years and discovered this place way too late! It is truly one of the best in terms of food and wine. Im a big fan of small plates in general. When there are so many good places to eat out these days, I cannot appreciate enough a slightly more unique and delicate cuisine that is still enjoyable in a casual vibe. Its surprising how good the food is coming out of the small kitchen. Every dish is so complex, flavorful, aromatic, and sometimes oriental inspired? Of course though youre coming here for their natural wines which are definitely phenomenal. And there is also no substitute for impeccable yet relaxed service. These guys are very chill but very knowledgeable and helpful. Just know that normally their indoor seating is pretty limited (just one bar), but right now during the pandemic theyve got great outdoors seats you can reserve that are just perfect.

Review 5 (2021-06-11 - Rating: 5)
The food here is seriously so delicious and I can’t stop thinking about the next time I can go again! I felt like the dishes had flavors that I never expected from the main ingredients, much less tried in my entire life. I really did enjoy all of the wines that the staff suggested, which I l appreciated since I am someone who knows nothing about wine. All of the staff were also all very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable about the wines. I highly recommend visiting Ruffian for some delicious vegetarian cuisine.

Review 6 (2024-11-18 - Rating: 5)
Amazing wine selection. Helpful friendly servers.Highly recommended!

Review 7 (2022-02-18 - Rating: 5)
This is probably my favorite bar in the city. They have great orange wine, small plates, and vibes. Particularly, I love that I can trust the waiter or waitress to bring me a glass of something new based on what food I’m eating or what wine I’ve had so far. They always hit the nail on the head! Their outdoor seating is cozy and heated, to boot!

Review 8 (2024-10-13 - Rating: 5)
The restaurant is a small 8 seat counter. Greek and Eastern European heavy wine list. Tasty menu. Good service

Review 9 (2024-07-16 - Rating: 5)
Ruffian has a rather unassuming appearance to it. A long narrow, skinny bar, minimalist decoration, low lighting. A small outdoor patio offers extra seating in the nice weather.Ruffian features natural wines on its list. A big selection from eastern Europe. Dont worry, they will guide you. The menu is heavily veg focussed. We ordered 4 shareable dishes. Sourdough & oil, miatake mushroom kebab, white bean dip & swiss chard. I know what you will say: they all sound rather pedestrian. They are anything but. The flavour nuances the chef has imparted are intriguing and delicious. In our ten days in NYC the mushroom kebab with crunchy rice & pickled radish may have been our most outstanding dish.The dishes paired beautifully with our 3 varieties of orange wine & rose wine. And guiding us through all of this was the talented Colin from behind the bar. He is well versed in the food & the wine profiles. It was a pleasure to follow his guidance.

Review 10 (2024-06-08 - Rating: 5)
This place is 10/10 for food and clearly for their extended wine list! Staff is super friendly! Great experience awesome place ! 🍷 💯

Review 11 (2024-03-19 - Rating: 5)
Omg my new favorite place in the East Village!! I discovered a new wine and the vibes here were immaculate!! Don’t miss this one. It’s a jewel!

Review 12 (2024-08-22 - Rating: 4)
Wine and service was fantastic! Loved the outdoor seating. Desserts were not amazing, but overall had a great time and would come back to try their other bites!

Review 13 (2022-01-17 - Rating: 5)
Had the 3 courses tasting menu with 4 glasses of wine pairing. The food was innovative and perfectly cooked.

Review 14 (2023-09-24 - Rating: 4)
I did the tasting menu with the wine pairing. The food was decent. Im not a vegetarian so I feel like its not as good as a non-vegetarian tasting menus. But I was satisfied, not impressed. The wine however was really good and unique. Usually I drink wines from western Europe so it was really cool to have a tasting menu from all of eastern Europe. Tasty wines and the bar tender was great at describing them. Atmosphere really cozy and relaxed. Would recommend to try once but probably not going back.

Review 15 (2022-08-06 - Rating: 5)
Cute wine bar with a dark and romantic vibe. The bartender gave great recommendations for me and my friend, and I got to try a very fresh orange wine. Next time when the dinner menu entices me more I might come by for a full meal . I would say the bar area was a little too cramped, I was constantly brushing elbows with the party next to me which was slightly awkward, will definitely try to get the dining room seats next time.

Review 16 (2020-02-02 - Rating: 5)
Hole in the wall type wine bar with superb small food choices given there‘s literally no space for a kitchen and extremely knowledgable and pleasant waiters. Wine choices were amazing!! Lighting and music just fit in with the vibe like it should be. Will absolutely come back here. TRY THE OLIVES!!!

Review 17 (2022-02-25 - Rating: 5)
Absolutely delicious 🤤 best wine bar in East village!The food always surprises me with how good it is!

Review 18 (2024-06-11 - Rating: 5)
Cute wine bar with patio serving up a nice variety! Lots of skin contact wines from Eastern Europe and around the world. Great place to enjoy a bottle.

Review 19 (2020-07-17 - Rating: 5)
Loved this place pre shutdown, and their outdoor seating experience is amazing. Their vegetarian/vegan fare is so incredibly tasty, if youre not excited at the prospect of corn watermelon soup or english pea dumplings on their tasting menu you absolutely should be. The wine as always is excellent, and now you can enjoy these amazing and interesting glasses while people watching on st marks in a relatively quieter patio than the other places on the street. Mask wearing and social distancing between tables is on point here.Pictures is corn watermelon soup, fatayer, and chickpea salad.

Review 20 (2024-03-15 - Rating: 5)
Absolutely delightful. 4 course tasting menu for $55 dollars which does not leave you hungry! the tasting menu was also entirely vegan and gluten free! their online menu lists all possible allergens for each dish.

Review 21 (2024-12-01 - Rating: 5)
Nice place, friendly workers and great service :)

Review 22 (2023-10-28 - Rating: 5)
A new fav. We stopped by there by chance, and what a find. Loved the concept of a wine bar offering a vegetarian menu and small plates. We created our own tasting menu by sharing a few different dishes with a wine pairing for each course. The food was unique and delicious. It’s a fine balance between a creative dish and something that actually makes sense, and the chef was successful in finding this balance. The wine pairing our server and sommelier Jonathan offered for each course was excellent. We’ve tried tasting menus with wine pairing in fancy places like Jean-Georges, and it’s often a hit and miss. But Ruffian and Jonathan exceeded all expectations.

Review 23 (2022-10-13 - Rating: 5)
Best meal I’ve had in a while. Dish titles and wine descriptions were all on point and really amusing. Our service was amazing and I strongly recommend letting them guide you through this small menu and wine pairings. We were glad to not do the tasting menu as with 3 of us we ended up trying almost the entire menu providing more than enough food for less cost.

Review 24 (2024-09-21 - Rating: 4)
Lots of natural wine options and unique dishes but food didn’t feel executed very well such as dumplings being not very hot when served and sticking to one another.

Review 25 (2024-06-02 - Rating: 4)
Really good wine list, and the food is good too. The service was quick and helpful. I tried the feta and brie and it was my favorite. The dumplings were ok.

Review 26 (2022-07-17 - Rating: 4)
Staff is very friendly and fun. Food is tasty, well curated, but in my view it was not particularly elegant in terms of balance of tastes/combinations. Wine selection is interesting but not mind blowing.Outdoor patio is cute, but music is kinda loud - so more of a night out with friends place, rather than a date.

Review 27 (2022-07-02 - Rating: 5)
We make it a point to visit a natural wine bar whenever we travel, and for NYC, we decided on Ruffian. Sometimes natural wine can be hit or miss by its very nature but every glass we had that night was delicious! The food was also incredible; so complex with interesting combinations, and everything paired beautifully with the wine. Shout out to our server, Emily, who gave a masterclass on hospitality and made us feel like we were at an old friend’s for dinner.

Review 28 (2023-06-24 - Rating: 5)
The atmosphere and vibe was very chill. I very much enjoyed the different flavors offered in the menu choices. The chef was absolutely amazing and very personable and friendly. Highly recommend to any and all who wish to expand their tastebuds and get out of the box a bit. Very nice. Thank you to all.

Review 29 (2023-02-06 - Rating: 4)
Great wine pairings and ambiance. Food looked great, but I wish it tasted a little better: cauliflower was too salty, gnocchi had too much vinegar. Close to perfection, but not quite there yet!

Review 30 (2019-09-05 - Rating: 5)
Great food and well selected wine options. This is an excellent and true wine bar.

Review 31 (2018-12-06 - Rating: 5)
Amazing place intimate and vibrant at the same time. The dishes prepared there are delicious and always inventive. Not to state the obvious but they are the best wine bar in New York for a reason. The wine selection is insane and curated with a lot of care. You can just trust them and pick any bottle on the list.

Review 32 (2023-04-11 - Rating: 5)
I dont know too much about wine, but lord do the staff at Ruffian! As others have mentioned, they specialize in wine from Eastern Europe.Came here with a friend before going to grab dinner. Happy hour was bottles only, so we split a bottle of wine and got the pita bread just to prep our stomachs. I hadnt eaten all day as I am trying to be rockstar skinny.We sat in the cute little outside area, and the decor was beautiful. Magical even. Absolutely stellar ambiance.I asked one question about the wine, and our waiter gave me more info than I possibly could have ever imagine. He was LOCKED in.I retained very little but that is 100% a me problem.As others have mentioned, just not a lot of bang for your buck. The dollar doesnt go very far here, but it is New York City.

Review 33 (2022-07-24 - Rating: 5)
Wow! I was looking for a nice place for a date night with my gluten fregan girlfriend and found that Ruffian has a vegan+gf tasting menu - I was sold.All four courses of the tasting menu were incredible, and the wine pairings were excellent as well. Were admittedly still new to the city (3 months), but this is the best meal weve had here. Well be back for the Fall menu

Review 34 (2022-08-28 - Rating: 5)
Such truly exceptional service from Amelie (the beverage director, forgive me if Ive misspelled your beautiful name!) and the team here. Delightful small plates and an exceptional wine list. Worthy destination, well-lauded for so many reasons!

Review 35 (2024-09-26 - Rating: 5)
This is a classic NYC wine bar without frills. The quintessential place to start or end your evening out. Not bad for an afterwork happy hour either. If you are newly curious about wine or an expert, youll be equally pleased with their neatly curated and often rotated wine menu (I myself, am partial to trying whatever the funkiest orange wine is). The staff are always kind and knowledgeable and always able to assist you in picking a small plate or desert to compliment your wine.

Review 36 (2019-01-30 - Rating: 5)
It’s just amazing the way people can make difference. An small place,nothing sophisticated but a great selection of unique wines and yes, an outstanding service of owners and staff. Not many options for eat but who cares? The few are delicious and prepared in front of you. Don’t know what to drink? Nevermind, you will be surprised with different options to try before ordering. I couldn’t be happier and satisfied with this Wine bar!Will come back for sure

Review 37 (2021-08-01 - Rating: 5)
I have been going to Ruffian since it was a two hot plate restaurant - love this place! The dishes are always innovative and interesting and they always have unique wines I have never heard of before. And super friendly servers! Great date spot or even dining solo!

Review 38 (2024-09-24 - Rating: 5)
Ruffian is easily one of the best wine bars in NYC. In fact it’s more than just a wine bar. The bartenders, somms and chefs work seamlessly together and are committed to making every experience exceptional. I love their selection of natural wines by the glass, which focuses on discovery, and the food is always exceptional.

Review 39 (2020-10-24 - Rating: 4)
Wine selection was great and the ambiance/service was solid. Unfortunately, the food was just OK in my opinion. I’ve had mind-blowing vegetarian food before, and this is not it. The dishes were somewhat unimaginative and left something to be desired. Solid experience overall though.

Review 40 (2021-08-29 - Rating: 5)
Delicious, surprising flavors. As a vegetarian, I loved the cuisine! I had potato salad with caviar, mushroom tortellini with plum sauce, black lentil tahini dip, polenta maitake chickpea with tomatos…The plates were well executed and the wines were unique and delicious. Staff was very helpful and friendly. We had five small plates, one being dessert and we each had a glass of wine. With tip was $150-200 range, so not your average dinner night fare.

Review 41 (2020-11-09 - Rating: 4)
Good wine list, great food. But other than the full-sized dessert, the other 2 courses you get for the 3-course end of summer tasting menu were very small. Perhaps we should have opted to share a number of small plates instead, but I felt pretty unsatiated for the $$$ meal at a pretty casual spot. We went straight for a slice of Joes afterwards.

Review 42 (2023-05-26 - Rating: 5)
Amazing vegan and gf dishes. Complex flavours and great natural wine selections

Review 43 (2024-10-22 - Rating: 4)
Nice little spot with very good service and great wine selection. The appetizer dips and smoked trout were really good and so was the spatzle. The enoki schnitzel was a bit like eating shoe leather, but everything else was really good, and we arent vegetarians.

Review 44 (2019-02-27 - Rating: 5)
Small wine bar with a large wine list. Extremely popular place, great personal service, lovely vibe, good food and a reasonably priced. You cannot go wrong with all the curated wines that they have in this place. The owners/staff are highly knowledgeable about wines, and will suggest you something based on your taste or mood.

Review 45 (2017-03-11 - Rating: 5)
Wow, not many places live up to their hype (reviews), but this place did. Went here on a weeknight for happy hour, and got here around 530, expecting it to get packed (based on prior reviews and photos), and luckily it was empty.The music was ON POINT, old school hip-hop. The wine list, although im not a wine person, found a nice bottle on special that we ended up getting two. And their food, woah, damn good. The liver pate with bread was unbelievable, so good that we ordered two as well.

Review 46 (2020-03-06 - Rating: 5)
Great wine bar with great food. My favorite place in nyc. Love everything about this place. It never fails to wow me. Amazing wine. Always fun, interesting and different. And always changing. Good happy hour deal too (which is when you want to come because by the time 7pm hits, this place is packed); it’s not very big which is part of its charm but it means it fills up fast so i always try and come right when they open at 5pm. The food is always amazing. Had so many interesting, different dishes here and always full of flavor and delicious. They do a great job of taking something you know but doing it in a completely different way. Great vibe and ambiance. Great staff. But be careful, you can easily spend a couple hours and a couple hundred dollars here lol

Review 47 (2019-08-27 - Rating: 5)
My favorite wine bar in the city. Obviously the wine is great but the food is equally incredible and whenever the chef picks the playlist the music is amazing as well. Only wish it wasn’t so hard to get a seat but I’m happy they’re so successful, can’t wait for their next venture.

Review 48 (2020-01-17 - Rating: 5)
Awesome natural wine bar with a super friendly, helpful staff who know their stuff. Fun vibe and an easy place to keep on the return list. HH also helps cut a few bucks off the tab on a stellar wine selection.

Review 49 (2024-09-06 - Rating: 5)
Excellent wine bar with a good selection of natural wines from not-so-typical countries! The atmosphere was cozy and the service was perfect.

Review 50 (2021-10-30 - Rating: 5)
I went to Ruffian 2 years ago for my birthday, and with the pandemic ebbing away and a newly landed job, I wanted to go back to one of my favorites. The pandemic has not been kind to our restaurants in New York, and I know our restaurant workers are often run down by the job, especially today because customers have become overly privileged and at times vicious. Ruffian is doing something so right, to connect with the food, the wine all because of our exceptional host Emily the way we did last night, theres no price you can put on that. The experience at Ruffian last night makes me believe in the resilience of our best restaurants in New York.

Review 51 (2019-10-07 - Rating: 5)
Absolutely incredible experience. Loved seeing the food prepared in front of us, and the community atmosphere that emerged from the tight seating. Prices are great and the wine selection has something for everyone.

Review 52 (2023-09-07 - Rating: 5)
An excellent neighborhood wine bar. Friendly, knowledgeable team, delicious lite bites - a perfect Saturday afternoon gather.

Review 53 (2022-12-25 - Rating: 4)
Amazing wine but service was a weee bit pretentious and the food menu is limited, high priced, and portions are small.

Review 54 (2023-01-29 - Rating: 5)
We had an amazing dinner here. The food was exquisitely flavorful and creative. The wine selection was amazing as well with some unique flavors. 10/10

Review 55 (2024-09-27 - Rating: 5)
Great place with great people and a wine list!

Review 56 (2023-10-06 - Rating: 4)
Best in class outpost for eastern euro wine and bites. Food’s tasty, but don’t get a ton for your money. But hey.

Review 57 (2016-01-13 - Rating: 5)
Ruffian is a wine bar and chefs table occupying one of the most inconceivably cozy spaces in the East Village. At 20-seats in total, Ruffian will keep a full-time sommelier and chef behind the bar nightly. The cellar is deep enough to support your most dastardly tastes.Wine, more Wine, Craft Beer, French-inspired Cooking.Check us out, Monday-Saturday. Open until Midnight.

Review 58 (2016-11-23 - Rating: 5)
One of my favorite wine bars in the city (along with Wildair and Four Horsemen). Excellent, ever-changing natural wine list plus knowledgeable staff and good food

Review 59 (2023-04-20 - Rating: 5)
Pretty excellent and authentic wine

Review 60 (2016-05-11 - Rating: 5)
There was a lot to go through here but managed to get about 6 different dishes and 5 different wines.Try their steak tar tar while they have it and pair it with their Pheasants Tear Red wine.

Review 61 (2019-08-27 - Rating: 5)
Great selection of wines and super helpful, friendly service. The space is just large enough to hold the bar and a few small tables, and the music is too loud for me - but I’m old.

Review 62 (2019-10-30 - Rating: 5)
One of the best wine bars in the City. The four female founders have created something special here. Diners sit along a long bar and watch the chef prepare flavorful dishes as hip hop music plays in the background. The wine list is special, with a focus on Eastern European countries like Georgia and Slovenia. I cannot recommend this enough.

Review 63 (2024-06-29 - Rating: 5)
Went on a Wednesday night with a couple of friends and I had some of the most attentive service! Servers were great (special thank you to Noelle!) and the wine selection is vast! Food was banging too!

Review 64 (2021-04-30 - Rating: 5)
Delicious food and incredible wine selection with charming service from the whole team - we had such a great time in their cute outdoor setup.

Review 65 (2020-12-12 - Rating: 5)
Amazing menu items, great wine pairings, dope music playlist, and friendly staff. Every time I go here, I’m reminded of why its one of my favorite spots in East Village!

Review 66 (2021-10-20 - Rating: 5)
Fabulous wine spot. Love the curated food options. Right now (10.2021) their focus is Hungarian, soooo good.

Review 67 (2022-05-24 - Rating: 5)
Stumbled upon this vibrant pocket-sized wine bar yesterday evening. Will be back. Top 3 reasons: interesting wine list curated by knowledgeable staff, creative (delicious) vegetarian and pescatarian small plates and a sweet vibe. It’s really small but this is cozy if not comfy and lends itself to learning about the wine and food as folks here prepare and serve. A treat. A big thank you to Jonathan, our sommelier, for the attention he gave that made our evening truly memorable!

Review 68 (2023-06-08 - Rating: 5)
Wonderfully descriptive wine menu and excellent service from Ross who’s approachable, congenial, informed, and unobtrusive. Sit with him.

Review 69 (2019-04-16 - Rating: 5)
Love this place! They have a small but well executed menu of Middle Eastern accented, vegetables driven dishes that go pretty well with their extensive natural wine selection. The staff is very friendly and theyre always happy to talk to you and explain their wines. This is a great bar to discover many natural wines coming from non-conventional locations such as Slovenia, Georgia, and other up-and-coming wine countries.

Review 70 (2022-12-19 - Rating: 4)
Cant speak to the food, but the service and wine were both lovely. As expected, a bit pricey!

Review 71 (2023-10-31 - Rating: 5)
Cozy spot for natural wines!

Review 72 (2021-09-28 - Rating: 4)
Lovely place to spend a night out with friends. We sat outside in the booths and enjoyed their tasting menu + two bottles of wine. Im no expert in wine but they werent personally to my taste. However, my friends seemed to enjoy it. The tasting menu was quite good, I believe it was all vegetarian. If Im ever in the area again I wouldnt mind coming back!

Review 73 (2022-12-19 - Rating: 4)
Interesting wine selections - many niche natural wines. Not my taste but my friend loved it.

Review 74 (2024-04-22 - Rating: 5)
Oh my goodness this place is absolutely worth the hype. The food was not only delicious but thoughtfully plated. The atmosphere was nice but the porch is great for people watching (lol) the service was excellent and we had a fabulous time.

Review 75 (2023-05-10 - Rating: 5)
Always here on the weekdays since a little less crowded, especially treat yourself after work.Staff are 🤌 know what their doing, small plates are fireeeeee!!

Review 76 (2022-07-03 - Rating: 4)
Great food. Trendy. Fun. Pretty uncomfy if youre tall. (zero legroom) inside. Tight but better outdide

Review 77 (2021-06-29 - Rating: 5)
Best restaurant in nyc at the moment. Flavors that you haven’t tasted before and combinations that will blow your mind. 100/10

Review 78 (2018-07-24 - Rating: 5)
Nice selection of wines and the food was very good, but the atmosphere, music, and vibe are what really sets this place apart. Very fun time.

Review 79 (2018-11-03 - Rating: 5)
My favorite spot in NYC. Great staff, amazing wine and food. The only 5 star review I’ve given.

Review 80 (2018-01-31 - Rating: 5)
Really love their attention to detail, knowledge of wine, and ambience. Without taking off a star though - could do with a bit less oil in your food!

Review 81 (2017-12-07 - Rating: 5)
Fabulous food and wine. Incredible ambiance. We will go back again. Great place just to hang out and enjoy life.

Review 82 (2021-12-11 - Rating: 5)
Had a fantastic meal and the service was just as great. Emily was the perfect addition to our tasting meal.

Review 83 (2016-06-21 - Rating: 5)
Tiny little place. Great food. Cool people working there. Wine pairings were on point.

Review 84 (2024-05-08 - Rating: 5)
Hands down the best wine bar in the east village! Great for all occasions!

Review 85 (2024-03-26 - Rating: 5)
If you need a spot to mess with your taste buds in a good way, come here as the experimental food is phenomenal. The Wine selection here was absolutely amazing as well!

Review 86 (2020-11-19 - Rating: 5)
Good small plates & wine with outdoor seating & heat lamps. You need a reservation.

Review 87 (2018-10-13 - Rating: 5)
Delicious food and excellent wine selection. Cant wait to come back for more.

Review 88 (2018-08-06 - Rating: 5)
The Ruffian is intimate, but once you have made your way to a seat at the bar good thanks ngs happen. The wine list is quite large, but classified in an interesting way that makes selecting your wine a far easier task. And the staff very much enjoy being engaged to help drill down to something that will have you asking for more. The bar food selection is interesting. So far Ive only done the shishito peppers. I came today to explore the Odyssey of orange wine, and I was not disappointed.

Review 89 (2018-07-22 - Rating: 5)
Loved it. Unique and awesome wine list! Must try for wine lovers

Review 90 (2023-12-27 - Rating: 5)
My wife and I stumbled upon this place almost by chance. We took the tasting menu with wine pairing just to be completely amazed. A full vegan menu that delivered an unparalleled level of taste. Definitely to try.

Review 91 (2019-12-02 - Rating: 5)
This place is so mf cool it kills me. 10/10The natural wines are a whole experience.

Review 92 (2018-07-10 - Rating: 5)
Beautiful experience here. Bit like a santorini cave, staff paid nice attention to detail and the ambience was interesting.

Review 93 (2021-12-11 - Rating: 5)
The Buffalo chicken Flatbread was absolutely amazing!!!! Gotta come this place out, great family and food!

Review 94 (2023-08-07 - Rating: 5)
Friendly and down to earth staff in a sophisticated restaurant. So excited that they have so many vegan options. The variety of wines alone that you cant get anywhere else is wonderful. Their summer wine menu is amazing.

Review 95 (2020-10-12 - Rating: 5)
Fantastic food and wine selection. Im saying that as someone who isnt vegetarian.

Review 96 (2023-04-24 - Rating: 5)
Always love it here!!! Beautiful food and wine!!

Review 97 (2024-06-23 - Rating: 5)
Great wine menu and bar tenders, and great food! Rare for a wine bar.The dining room is great if you dont want the bar vibe and while the menu keeps changing its always great.This is one of those places thats always a great experience, dont miss out.

Review 98 (2023-10-12 - Rating: 4)
5 stars for wine. Memorable, distinct and often surprising glasses from interesting locations. Knowledgable and friendly service, chill vibes and great music.3 stars for food. Taste profile leans tart/vinegar (I say this as a big fan of bitter). Dishes like Figs in a Blanket and Whoopie Hapsburg felt created to score conceptual points rather than be enjoyed by a human. Still, a surprising set of tastes and a good value for the prix fixe.Will be back for the wine.

Review 99 (2024-05-29 - Rating: 4)
Such great food!

Review 100 (2019-11-11 - Rating: 5)
Amazing! Ask for wine recommendations. Very knowledgeable. Enjoy

Review 101 (2016-12-31 - Rating: 5)
No place in NYC utilizes space better than this spot, small plates and an eclectic wine list!

Review 102 (2018-11-18 - Rating: 5)
Great wine list, fantastic food, and lovely hosts.

Review 103 (2023-06-19 - Rating: 5)
Great place and atmosphere. The bartenders and servers were attentive and very nice! I truly enjoyed my experience. I got a glass of Reisling and few charcuterie/some blue cheese. It was great! Will definitely be coming back, not crowded and you could really enjoy some breathing room unlike other places in EV.

Review 104 (2017-04-20 - Rating: 5)
I love this place. Great service, awesome food, and really unique selection of adult beverages.

Review 105 (2023-01-02 - Rating: 5)
Amazing food, great wine pairings. Never been to a wine bar and this set a high standard! We had multiple waiting staff work with us to answer questions and serve the wines. They were all very knowledgeable about the wines and clearly enjoyed what they were doing. The food was spectacular, great flavors with veggies used in ways I’ve never seen before. Would definitely recommend for all those looking for a great vegetarian spot!

Review 106 (2020-11-29 - Rating: 5)
Unique wines. Not pretentious. Lovely in so many ways.

Review 107 (2023-09-04 - Rating: 5)
Some of the best food I’ve eaten in a long time with wine to match.

Review 108 (2018-11-28 - Rating: 5)
Obsessed. Patrick can put all the things in my mouth; it’s the best every time.Don’t be a perv. It’s just that good.

Review 109 (2023-05-16 - Rating: 5)
Excellent vegan restaurant. Very original dishes. Seasonal veggies. rhubarb tart is a wonderful dessert

Review 110 (2022-12-04 - Rating: 5)
First time visiting Ruffian yesterday and a fantastic experience. We visited as part of a “wine tour” my friends and I do, and Emily and the team were excellent in terms of looking after us, providing great wine recommendations and making the experience amazing.We will be visiting Ruffian again, and so should you

Review 111 (2023-08-14 - Rating: 5)
A very nice selection of wines and tasty food (especially the pita and khachapuri). But you will pay

Review 112 (2022-11-03 - Rating: 5)
Phenomenal food, service and staff. Maddy was incredibly knowledgeable and kind. From beginning to end, the love that goes into this place is inspirational! Beyond deserving of its Michelin Star.

Review 113 (2022-12-30 - Rating: 5)
Amazing wine selection and knowledgeable staff. Had one red and one orange wine and it was incredibly good. Small plates are good to share!

Review 114 (2021-11-13 - Rating: 5)
Loved my night! Emily is AMAZING, very knowledgeable about the wines and great for conversation about philosophy. Recommend both tasting flights (food and wines). Had a locality selection you wouldn’t see at most typical wine bars (Czech, etc.), and pairings are chosen with even the most subtle of tastes in mind. Would come back for Emily alone; she is a gem!

Review 115 (2016-04-22 - Rating: 5)
Love this place. Super friendly, great food! Best of luck to you guys!!

Review 116 (2023-03-15 - Rating: 5)
The most interesting wines in NYC. Crazy colours and flavours, really worth your time if youre into wine.

Review 117 (2024-02-07 - Rating: 5)
Delicious fresh bread

Review 118 (2021-09-01 - Rating: 4)
Last review I left was 4 stars and I still believe the staff and food are worth 4. But this past week I ate outside in the hut. Well we had 2 unwanted guest by our table. RATS!!! The were rats running around the sidewalk right in front. And one came in. But I still leave my initial review up:Pure culinary artistry! Ruffian is more of an experience than an eatery. The place says small bite, but provides big flavor.They playfully dance with your pallet with dishes like Chaat (traditional Indian dish) done with different spices that gives it their own unique taste. The tartar is pure genius ( I hope you know at this point its a vegan restaurant).As for the main staple of the restaurant. Their wine is divine. Must try the Orange wines. Also if your not a wine expert or even if you think you are, ask the server for a pairing. They are very knowledgeable, help you find you the perfect combination to delight your taste buds.This is a very small place which is now bigger because of outside seating.Grab some friends and enjoy a summer night if wine and culinary art.

Review 119 (2022-12-13 - Rating: 5)
Service was great - ambiance amazing and the food was good too! We were seated promptly on time, one of the best wine bars in the nyc!

Review 120 (2022-12-29 - Rating: 5)
Unusual wines perfectly paired with vibrant and flavorful small plates. The wine list is organized in an innovative way and the sommeliers go out of their way to create a memorable experience.

Review 121 (2022-02-03 - Rating: 5)
My fiance proposed to me here and the staff was just as excited as us. Amazing wines anf amazing staff. Will be coming back every year for now on

Review 122 (2018-09-05 - Rating: 5)
Great food. Awesome wine

Review 123 (2020-09-04 - Rating: 5)
Delicious food excellent wine recommendations. Employees here are great, didnt know the place was vegetarian/vegan and I was thoroughly satisfied. Kachipuri was bomb as were the umami bombs. Music is fantastic too. Seriously I love this place.

Review 124 (2018-08-22 - Rating: 5)
Great wine bar with delicious food. Pretty small - about 15 bar seats and no tables. Very nice staff who are quite knowledgeable. Had a great Georgian red that was full-bodied, complex and dry. Lamb, octopus and corn soup were great, and the bread is also quite nice.

Review 125 (2016-01-16 - Rating: 5)
Great wine selection! Killer food!

Review 126 (2019-01-16 - Rating: 5)
Ruffian is small but mighty. An epic wine list, a menu where every dish is worth a try, and enthusiastic staff in their tight space. You go here for the wine - non-interventionist, natural, unfiltered, funky, and so so good. If you like wine, this is where you go.

Review 127 (2022-11-19 - Rating: 5)
Wonderful food, drink and staff. Can’t recommend it enough.

Review 128 (2018-05-25 - Rating: 5)
This is literally my favorite restaurant in Manhattan. Its bitter sweet writing this because I want to keep it a secret all to myself, but they truly deserve a glowing review. The restaurant is unassuming, you could walk by it if youre not looking out. When you walk in you notice immediately, its just a bar. No tables. But the lighting is just right and the music invites you in. Its the food and wine, however, and their incredible attention to detail that make this place so amazing.

Review 129 (2022-05-13 - Rating: 5)
Probably one of the most extensive, unique wine lists in New York City. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a wine drinker!

Review 130 (2019-04-22 - Rating: 5)
This place is intimate, but has so much charm. Absolutely amazing wines - some of the best Ive ever tried. Charlotte was friendly, warm, and extremely knowledge about wines. Ill be back again, as this is surely a new favorite for me.

Review 131 (2019-01-06 - Rating: 5)
At 6 pm, this small wine bar was filled to capacity, but the waitress found us a cozy spot to stand and order drinks while waiting to sit. We were excited to try some of the Orange wines that Ruffian has by the glass. Orange wine has become something of a tradition for us, and we were excited to learn more about the flavor palette of orange wines. We ended up trying a Chilean smoky orange, that got its smoky flavor for exposure to forest fires while the grapes were growing. We also enjoyed a tart Austrian orange. The menu is well organized by wine style and our waitress was very helpful in helping us navigate their diverse selection of options. Rather than organizing the wines by grape or country, they’ve categorized the selections by flavor profile, which is a nicely approachable way to divide the menu. The food also looked quite good, if a bit overpriced. We look forward to returning next time we make it to the East Village!

Review 132 (2021-06-18 - Rating: 5)
Big flavors, fun plates, excellent service.

Review 133 (2021-06-21 - Rating: 5)
Just came for wine. Everything was great and from less common origins. The descriptions are fantastic. Service was great too

Review 134 (2022-03-27 - Rating: 5)
I came here with my date 7 months back.Our waitress was very kind, professional, and knowledgeable. Based on her recommendation, we chose our males and wine.The dashes presented very esthetic and ABIOUSLY DELIOUSE !!!!My date was very happy I chose Ruffian as our date dinner.So did I 😀

Review 135 (2018-03-29 - Rating: 5)
Great food and great drinks!!!Best costumer service,small place with big heart!!!Cool and also very cozy place ,they have a place for around 20 people so you should get there early and sure you gonna like it like I did ! 😊

Review 136 (2019-11-15 - Rating: 4)
Tiny little place with a great selection of wine ..

Review 137 (2021-07-27 - Rating: 5)
The best sparkling rosé of life. Flavorful, fresh, imaginative food. Excellent service. Great ambience.

Review 138 (2018-06-17 - Rating: 5)
This was such a surprise! Definitely drop by to get a good wine or beer. I went in thinking I’d get coffee but, alas, friendly folks guided me to an amazing beer experience.Definitely coming back.

Review 139 (2018-10-05 - Rating: 5)
Lovely hole-in-the-wall wine bar. Try and get the window seat (theres only one) so you can sip some of the diverse range of plonk, and nibble on the olives and nuts that come with it while you people-watch east village.

Review 140 (2021-12-07 - Rating: 4)
This is a bar that I could hang out in all the time. Its a chill vibe with great drinks.

Review 141 (2021-07-13 - Rating: 5)
Got the 3 course tasting menu with my friends and it was amazing! Flavors are so delicate and well balanced - and the servers are so helpful with the wine menu if you’re not very well versed :)

Review 142 (2021-11-17 - Rating: 5)
Delicious vegetable forward menu and unique wines. very knowledgeable staff

Review 143 (2020-01-03 - Rating: 5)
Great food but the draw is the unique wines, especially the orange wines. Loved trying the different glasses that they don’t carry at most restaurants. The music is on point and the atmosphere is buzzing.

Review 144 (2021-08-04 - Rating: 5)
The best wine bar in the city. Outstanding staff.

Review 145 (2020-10-10 - Rating: 5)
If youve ever wished for a place that serves you what you want even if you cant name it, this is it. Always the best selection of the most creative and surprising wines.

Review 146 (2016-10-08 - Rating: 4)
Cute place to have a glass of wine and a small plate. Staff is friendly and seems knowledgeable. No tables, just seats at the bar...and its a tight fit.

Review 147 (2020-12-25 - Rating: 5)
Their Christmas for two is LEGIT. It literally saved my family during covid because my husband was sick and I have a newborn. The meal is vegetarian which is so hard to find bc all nyc holiday meals are heavy on meat/unhealthy. However, the meal did not skimp on flavor and reheated so so well. I will keep ordering from this place if they continue to serve vegetarian meal kits for two!

Review 148 (2017-12-29 - Rating: 5)
Great wine and lovely food.

Review 149 (2016-12-02 - Rating: 5)
This is my favorite place to take friends who are visiting the City for a couple days or want to catch up real quick. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommended!!

Review 150 (2019-03-25 - Rating: 4)
Great food and more wine than you drink

Review 151 (2017-11-11 - Rating: 5)
Excellent wine selection with really good bar food. Great service. Love that place!

Review 152 (2017-03-24 - Rating: 5)
Everything about this place is perfect: the ambiance, the wine, THE FOOD!!

Review 153 (2016-05-05 - Rating: 5)
Awesome place! Insane wines! Great atmosphere & service! Patrick is a cool dude!

Review 154 (2016-08-10 - Rating: 5)
On offer are delicious and inventive dishes at this cozy chefs table, with an even more impressive wine list, including some interesting orange wines and sparkling rose that was spicy and funky (great beers are also available for grapeophobes). A refreshing place to pop into on a hot summer evening, I got into an interesting discussion with the owner about some of their more unique wines on the list. Chat with the chefs while they work their magic - they offer suggestions and its extremely easy for them to accommodate any dietary modifications/changes.Decor was tastefully oldworldish and trendy without being pretentious or stuffy.Ill definitely be back next time Im in the area, its worth a detour if you can get a seat.

Review 155 (2019-10-17 - Rating: 5)
Such a cute little place. Folks were so friend and they know their stuff!!

Review 156 (2018-12-10 - Rating: 5)
Intriguing list! Convivial room. Attentive service.

Review 157 (2019-04-04 - Rating: 5)
The best at what they do. Wine incredible. Food to match.

Review 158 (2018-05-05 - Rating: 5)
One of the best meals I’ve had in New York. Fantastic ambiance, intimate setting with impeccable service. Great wine list with knowledgeable sommeliers and unbelievable food.

Review 159 (2019-03-24 - Rating: 4)
Many orange wines. Manager very knowledgeable. Music too loud, but I can be an old fart

Review 160 (2017-02-01 - Rating: 5)
Ooooooh so good. Absolutely amazing, creative food and wonderful wine with spot on music in a cozy little space!

Review 161 (2018-04-08 - Rating: 4)
Pretty small place. Good choice of drinks. Music was too loud

Review 162 (2019-03-12 - Rating: 5)
Absolutely one of the best wine bars in NY. They carry the ethos of organic & biodynamic, interesting regional (think Georgia Saperavi, Austrian Blaufrankisch), and great undiscovered wines. BUT - they will also have you rediscover “classic” grapes from both expected and off-beat locations (think Sonoma Zinfandel, Slovenian Merlot, north Italian Cabernet). Best part is - great value for everything sold here; they find the gems. Food to pair is great - seasonal, both small plate and full plate (none of the slow-bleed tapas turns into a large check at the end), everything we had was delicious.

Review 163 (2019-05-19 - Rating: 5)
Try the lamb pie... to share! Wines are incredible, with a great selection of orange we appreciated.

Review 164 (2018-01-15 - Rating: 4)
Great wine list. Very good food

Review 165 (2019-11-21 - Rating: 5)
Interesting natural wine selection and friendly staff

Review 166 (2022-01-20 - Rating: 5)
Every plate, every glass 🍷 true joy!

Review 167 (2016-02-22 - Rating: 5)
Delicious food, great vibe, extremely friendly service!!!

Review 168 (2016-01-16 - Rating: 5)
Great wine, Great food. Cute spot and VERY sexy bathroom!

Review 169 (2019-05-21 - Rating: 5)
Awesome service, great wine and amazing food

Review 170 (2022-10-09 - Rating: 5)
Great vibes, solid food

Review 171 (2016-05-02 - Rating: 5)
What an excellent discovery on the East Side. I never expected to find such fine dining at a Wine Bar. Most important, the Bartender knew his wines very well. We had a very good sampling.To keep us from falling off our stools, we went in full-throttle and started with Bread & Tomato Chutney. Then a Charcuterie for me and my carnivore friend. :) which is a impressive plate of Finnocchiona, Coppa, and Soppressata.For the grand tour, we shared the Lentil Salad which was seasoned with spiced yogurt and curry Leaves. For contrast we got the Braised Octopus - which came with Fingerlings and Chermoula.Excellent presentation by the Chef. The dishes were simple; yet full of flavor.This pristine and intimate Wine Bar is a just a long, narrow room with a cozy French Bistro/Bar feel to it. Intimate lighting set the right tone to enjoy everything. Not too busy. Plenty of elbow-room and no issue with finding a seat.Im sure they would do very well with an expansion.I highly recommended you give them a try.