Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar

(212) 400-4036

462 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10024 40.7853 -73.9769

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Neighborhoods: Upper West Side, Midtown

SOLYSOMBRANYC.COM

Last updated 1.24.11

Category:

Restaurants, Grill Restaurants, Catering

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard, Debit Card

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Bar Menu

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, People Watching, Happy Hour, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List, Dining Discounts

Cuisine:

Spanish, Tapas / Small Plates

What People Are Saying About Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

Cozy Spanish tapas bar offers authentic small plates like freshly-prepared anchovies, along with a wide variety of wines and cocktails.

ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The atmosphere is relaxed and the food is authentic.”
  2. “We loved the exposed brick and cozy ambience.”
  3. “The food is delicious and the atmosphere is always welcoming.”
  4. “true diamond in the UWS ruff, which rarely can sport restaurants/bars that have great atmosphere and/or food.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “Very good wine list.”
  2. “Great wine list, good outdoor dining, bar is not good as it's too tightly packed with restaurant.”
  3. “The meal was fantastic and very well complimented by their extensive wine list.”
  4. “enjoyed a nice glass of red Spanish wine which the bartender recommended.”
  5. “At least our server was very nice and attentive and the wine was decent.”
food quality
65.0% positive
  1. “true diamond in the UWS ruff, which rarely can sport restaurants/bars that have great atmosphere and/or food.”
  2. “The food is delicious and the atmosphere is always welcoming.”
  3. “The ratatouille was also delicious.”
  4. “Very accomodating staff, they worked hard to fit you in and get you to eat there, staff is hard-working and food is fantastic & served quite quickly.”
  5. “We ordered three: cold salmon slices, marinated in vodka and brandy (salmon marinado), cod croquettes (croquetas de bacalao), and spanish meatballs (albondigas).”
  6. “The tapas are delicious, especially the artichoke hearts and octopus.”
  7. “I'm only writing this review because I think it's unfair for a restaurant to serve such unquestionably mediocre food and charge such high prices for it (our bill for two was over 100 with tip).”
  8. “I've been to lots of other Spanish places that serve delicious, crusty sourdough bread and their food is no more expensive.”
  9. “The bread was like those bad "Italian" loaves you can buy at the grocery store.”
  10. “The food was exceptionaly great and the service as well.”
  11. “The service was NOT good, the food was mediocre, and I definitely would not go back to this place.”
  12. “Poor service, mediocre food”
  13. “My girlfriend and I had a very disappointing meal here.”
  14. “The meal was fantastic and very well complimented by their extensive wine list.”
  15. “As spaniard leaving in NY for more than 2 years, I was looking for some good Spanish food.”
  16. “The tapas we had was just average, but the main dish specials were great!”
  17. “The steak was juicy and well seasoned and the chicken was very flavorful and not too dry.”
  18. “do love good food and can be picky, but I haven't had such horrible food in a very long time.”
  19. “The atmosphere is relaxed and the food is authentic.”
  20. “This was the best place to dine very good food, great music and not a lot of noise it was a small place to get away from the city and enjoy the moment with someone special or just with a friend.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “don't think everything on the menu is great, but there are some shining stars.”
  2. “The meal was fantastic and very well complimented by their extensive wine list.”
overall
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “If you want to have a great time and eat well I recommend this place highly!”
  2. “The service was NOT good, the food was mediocre, and I definitely would not go back to this place.”
  3. “This was the best place to dine very good food, great music and not a lot of noise it was a small place to get away from the city and enjoy the moment with someone special or just with a friend.”
return potential
0.0% positive
  1. “The service was NOT good, the food was mediocre, and I definitely would not go back to this place.”
  2. “Now I have to go back to Socarrat to erase this memory of horrible paella.”
service
75.0% positive
  1. “At least our server was very nice and attentive and the wine was decent.”
  2. “enjoyed a nice glass of red Spanish wine which the bartender recommended.”
  3. “Great service.”
  4. “The food was exceptionaly great and the service as well.”
  5. “Poor service, mediocre food”
  6. “The service was NOT good, the food was mediocre, and I definitely would not go back to this place.”
  7. “Although the place was packed we still had a friendly staff.”
  8. “Very accomodating staff, they worked hard to fit you in and get you to eat there, staff is hard-working and food is fantastic & served quite quickly.”
value
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. “I've been to lots of other Spanish places that serve delicious, crusty sourdough bread and their food is no more expensive.”
  2. “The starters were perfect portions and great for sharing.”
  3. “I'm only writing this review because I think it's unfair for a restaurant to serve such unquestionably mediocre food and charge such high prices for it (our bill for two was over 100 with tip).”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “do love good food and can be picky, but I haven't had such horrible food in a very long time.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/29/11

I love this place

by BWilliam at Citysearch

Great Tapas!!!!

1 Star Rating: Poor

08/29/09

Old seafood with freezer smell

by FoodLoverNYC at Citysearch

This visit wasn't my first here, and I don't remember it being this awful last time. Did it take some kind of a very sharp down turn?

Service was very pushy (no need to keep asking us if we're not selecting from today's special), but that wasn't even the main issue.

The seafood in the Paella Marinera was clearly very old. Before the waiter even set it down on the table, I was overwhelmed by the fishy, passing-by-China Town-fish-monger-in-summer odor. I managed to put some in my mouth, and they had the distinctive freezer smell. So did the peas. And what kind of paella has so much liquid the bottom was completely covered in soup??? It's supposed to be crisp on the bottom! The whole thing tasted so stale, I felt like even the rice tasted like cardboard. Argh.

I left more than half of my dish, and the bus boy was stunned when I didn't want the rest to go. I was already feeling sick in my stomach by then.

I do love good food and can be picky, but I haven't had such horrible food in a very long time. I will never go back - and we live in the neighborhood! So glad we went with a restaurant<dot>com coupon... Otherwise I would have definitely complained to the manager.

Now I have to go back to Socarrat to erase this memory of horrible paella.

  • Pros: restaurant<dot>com coupon
  • Cons: Old seafood, freezer-smelling food, pushy service
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/20/09

Economic Stimulus Plan In Effect

by Jordieyoyo at Citysearch

This place is Awesome,

I enjoyed a nice glass of red Spanish wine which the bartender recommended. The atmosphere is relaxed and the food is authentic. I presented a Coupon from Citysearch which gave me 30% off of my dinner bill.

Now that is an Economic Stimulus Plan that I did not have to wait for. Pay less taxes, create more jobs, the government is telling me it will get better. It just got better by finding Sol y Sombra. The business owner is obviously in touch with what is going on, and he is taking action which is immediate. Thank You! Now, it is time for me to plan a group night out where all of my friends can enjoy the same as I did.

  • Pros: Atmosphere, Music, Great Wine Selection, Authentic Spanish Food, Value
1 Star Rating: Poor

12/06/08

I wouldn't go back

by socialbutterfly1 at Citysearch

My 2 friends and I were all disappointed. The service was NOT good, the food was mediocre, and I definitely would not go back to this place.

  • Pros: the food is reasonably priced
  • Cons: the service was really bad and the food was just so so.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/07/08

Fantastic spanish cuisine. Very good wine list.

by Pelev888 at Citysearch

My girlfriend discovered this charming place this summer. We loved the exposed brick and cozy ambience. We started with tapas. The starters were perfect portions and great for sharing. So many different flavors and styles of dishes. My girlfirend ordered the pollo con pisto and i got the fried steak. Couldn't have been happier with our choices. The steak was juicy and well seasoned and the chicken was very flavorful and not too dry. The ratatouille was also delicious. The meal was fantastic and very well complimented by their extensive wine list. We will definitely come back and recommend it to everyone!

The Details on Sol y Sombra Tapas Bar

Place Categories:

  • authentic good food
  • not recommend place
  • mediocre food
  • great service
  • very disappointing meal
  • nice glass
  • very nice server
  • not too dry chicken
  • well seasoned steak
  • very good wine
  • wonderful restaurant
  • horrible paella
  • mediocre baguette
  • perfect portions
  • loved cozy ambience
  • friendly staff
  • wonderful sangria
  • loved exposed brick
  • good tapas restaurants
  • very sharp down turn
  • expensive crusty sourdough bread
  • great atmosphere
  • delicious ratatouille
  • great music
  • great main dish specials