(212) 253-8840

165 Allen St
New York, NY 10002 40.7212 -73.9895

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Neighborhoods: Lower East Side, Downtown

rayuelanyc.com

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 2.08.12

Category:

Restaurants, Bars & Clubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Late Night Dining, Brunch, Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Group Dining, Live Music, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Prix Fixe Menu

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Latin American

Bar & Club Special Features:

Specialty Cocktails

What People Are Saying About Rayuela

Featured Review

Kathleen Squires

Contributor

The Scene – An elegantly earthy decor makes the space feel like a fancy South American eco-lodge, with natural design elements like a slate bar, a wood-beamed ceiling and smooth stones stacked in wire mesh niches. An olive tree stretching to the second story provides the focal point, gauzy white drapes allow intimacy without isolating diners and khaki couches supply comfy seating upstairs. – – The Food – The menu lives up to the restaurant's name, which means hopscotch. The "freestyle Latino" cuisine jumps borders, picking up flavors along the way and rarely losing…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Try signature cocktails like Coming Up Roses ($12), made with rose water, lime, raspberry rum and champagne with rose petal floaters.
Brunch:
Brunch includes two courses for $16.95, and live music sets a spirited soundtrack.
Where to Sit:
The downstairs lounge serves food until midnight on weeknights, and 2am on Friday and Saturday.
Outdoor Seating:
The outdoor terrace on the second floor makes a cool, cozy summertime spot.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. We arrived at 8:45 to find a cozy (ergo, packed) restaurant with great ambiance that surrounded an olive tree.
  2. Really nice inside, cool crowd, great decor.
  3. I was satisfied on all levels - The atmosphere - The clients are young, good looking and chique (Can't blame me for looking :-)), the setup is great - casual downstairs and a little more uptight- sit down dinner upstairs (nice tree in the middle), the f
  4. Love the food, drinks atmosphere and decor.
  5. From the decor to the music to the warm fuzzy feeling to the food.
  6. The ambiance is great, and our meal began nicely with drinks and an offer for ?
  7. It is a great spot for a group of friends or for a romantic dinner.
  8. My wife and I order 2 appetizers and 2 main dishes; our waiter said that was enough; everything was perfect up to that moment, decoration and latin music were great.
  9. Great decor, modern, sleek, but warm.
  10. If you are looking for a great place to eat with a super atmosphere, come to Rayuela!
  11. so much fun) on the second floor where we had once again one of the best meals this city can offer, from the ceviche bar to the daily specials and our waiter made us feel taken care of, we could have use some more of those tasty rolls they serve but inste
  12. Loved the decor, seating and the constantly smiling hostess.
  13. Oh and if you get a chance, inquire about the big table they have in a BEAUTIFUL little terrace sourrounded by trees (secluded, with a view of the second floor of the restaurant), its adorable!
  14. My friend and I went to Rayuela a week after it opened and it was truly the best food, ambiance, and service I've experienced in so long!
  15. the service is top notch and and let me not forget to mention the ambiance, which is romantic and relaxed.
  16. Yummy drinks, good service and atmosphere.
  17. All in all, much like the Wall Street's economic situation, this restaurant is highly leveraged in decor, ambiance and a unisexual bathroom with a disproportionate underlying asset of good food and good service.
  18. love this place as the food is very good and the vibe is energetic and the decor is cool.
  19. From the unique and inviting decor, to the DELICIOUS drinks (I love the "vodka" cocktail, pina partida and watermelon lemongrass mojito), innovative and tasty food (especially the amazing bread, ceviches and the veggie empanada) and great service (Scott i
  20. The decor is SPECTACULAR, the service was spot on, and the food was delicious.
  21. It's hard to find a great dining experience that's equally amazing in food, drinks, atmosphere and service.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. From the way it has been designed (the picture above is only the beginning), to the fantastic service (had friendly, sweet waiters and bartenders), to the food (it left me speechless, the apps the entrees the desserts!
  2. so much fun) on the second floor where we had once again one of the best meals this city can offer, from the ceviche bar to the daily specials and our waiter made us feel taken care of, we could have use some more of those tasty rolls they serve but inste
  3. The biggest surprise was the basil ice cream which made my palate very happy at the end.
  4. For dessert we shared the banana tre leches which was so juicy and a perfect touch to end my night.
drinks
90.62999725341797% positive
  1. I was satisfied on all levels - The atmosphere - The clients are young, good looking and chique (Can't blame me for looking :-)), the setup is great - casual downstairs and a little more uptight- sit down dinner upstairs (nice tree in the middle), the f
  2. Great and unique cocktails and reasonably priced wine list.
  3. The drinks are amazing, specially the rising Star which has a real "star fruit.
  4. Service was a little slow--didn't really keep the drinks flowing.
  5. The churrasco are exquisitely and the drinks are amazing.
  6. Another confirmation that the lower East is only good for Cheap drinks, drunk college girls and the only good restaurant being Schillers: Priceless.
  7. The bar was packed and we were still able to order those genious cocktails and a great guac mixed with seafood.
  8. Yummy drinks, good service and atmosphere.
  9. The food is mediocre at best, drinks are either too sweet or missing something that you can't quite pinpoint.
  10. Tables downstairs by the bar seemed very uncomfortable because there were lots of people standing by the bar.
  11. For what I've read so far their drinks and ceviches are pretty good and they did not disappoint.
  12. The cocktails were also amazing.
  13. great specialty drinks, beautiful space; impressive
  14. so much fun) on the second floor where we had once again one of the best meals this city can offer, from the ceviche bar to the daily specials and our waiter made us feel taken care of, we could have use some more of those tasty rolls they serve but inste
  15. Each item we had was flavorful, the bartender recommended some unique drinks and we had a really nice time.
  16. You can relax and have a great time with your friends here while enjoying great food and drinks.
  17. From the unique and inviting decor, to the DELICIOUS drinks (I love the "vodka" cocktail, pina partida and watermelon lemongrass mojito), innovative and tasty food (especially the amazing bread, ceviches and the veggie empanada) and great service (Scott i
  18. Love the food, drinks atmosphere and decor.
  19. Their sangria is tasty but my favorite is the Vodka drink.
  20. would totally recommend that you go a little earlier and stop at the bar for cocktails, the drinks are soooo good specially the caipirinha and coming up roses.
  21. It's hard to find a great dining experience that's equally amazing in food, drinks, atmosphere and service.
  22. We order a bottle of wine which was served in the glasses every time we had a zip, in less than 1 min.
  23. It's definitely great to dine at the bar as the bartenders are friendly.
  24. The ambiance is great, and our meal began nicely with drinks and an offer for ?
  25. They have a great Spanish wine selection and I recommend the Albarino by the glass.
  26. The cocktails are great, too.
  27. Don't forget the amazing drinks!
  28. The food remains amazing, the drinks great and the staff very firendly and professional.
  29. Not only is the place beautiful, but the food and drinks were just as pretty and tasted great.
  30. The specialty drinks were absolutely fantastic and the waitress was very nice.
  31. they actually infuse the vodka with pepers, when I thought that the drinks were the good thinks then it came the food, OMG,OMG,OMG,OMG i was moaning the entire time.
  32. The wine list is excellent as well - short, but well priced with some excellent selections.
food quality
93.54999542236328% positive
  1. Everything was so fresh and the different tastes were combined so artfully that they all melted together so beautifully in your mouth.
  2. And, most importantly, tasty food at a good price!
  3. The food remains amazing, the drinks great and the staff very firendly and professional.
  4. We all shared a few ceviches and some guacamole, which were delicious.
  5. All in all, much like the Wall Street's economic situation, this restaurant is highly leveraged in decor, ambiance and a unisexual bathroom with a disproportionate underlying asset of good food and good service.
  6. From the unique and inviting decor, to the DELICIOUS drinks (I love the "vodka" cocktail, pina partida and watermelon lemongrass mojito), innovative and tasty food (especially the amazing bread, ceviches and the veggie empanada) and great service (Scott i
  7. Not only is the place beautiful, but the food and drinks were just as pretty and tasted great.
  8. The food is decent and the space is nice.
  9. Beautiful restaurant with delicious Latin cuisine and attentive staff.
  10. Unique but accessible dishes.
  11. If you like meat you must try the churasco and get it medium rare, their meat is imported from Uruguay and it just melts in your mouth.
  12. Good food, however the service staff and management are immoral, including acts of theft and lying.
  13. My friend and I went to Rayuela a week after it opened and it was truly the best food, ambiance, and service I've experienced in so long!
  14. The churrasco was tender and juicy and the paella was not only visually beautiful, but soooo yummy!
  15. Their sangria is tasty but my favorite is the Vodka drink.
  16. You can relax and have a great time with your friends here while enjoying great food and drinks.
  17. Love the food, drinks atmosphere and decor.
  18. Everything but the food here is great.
  19. The food was really good.
  20. The menu comprising pan-south american cuisine is delicious and innovative.
  21. The food was very good, or, rather excellent.
  22. know, I know, it may sound like an exaggeration, but I tell you, (and for your own good you should try to prove me wrong) I felt like I was in a dream (now that I think about it, it might have been that delicious roses cocktail I had :).
  23. good mix of not too stuffy, but also don't feel like I am eating a good meal in a barn.
  24. they are soooo many other good restaurants (food and service wise) thoughout the city.
  25. We had our table upstairs, the food was really good, I had the churrasco con cangrejo, yum!
  26. From the decor to the music to the warm fuzzy feeling to the food.
  27. Perfect LES without being scuzzy with really great food!
  28. to be clear, my girlfriends and i are not "needy diners" that requires the staff to be at our beck and call every second of our meal - i am talking decent requests, such as being seated close to the time of our reservations, not an hour after.
  29. The bar was packed and we were still able to order those genious cocktails and a great guac mixed with seafood.
  30. was so delighted to experience a great meal and best mojiots in this exciting establishment.
  31. Loved the spin that they put on having tons of ceviche options and great fish dishes.
  32. Great food, better environment
  33. Very inventive and creative cuisine, and they give huge portions!
  34. Really good S.American cuisine
  35. The place is hip, the food is amazing and they have Goood!
  36. Great vibe and very good food
  37. they actually infuse the vodka with pepers, when I thought that the drinks were the good thinks then it came the food, OMG,OMG,OMG,OMG i was moaning the entire time.
  38. beautiful space, great food
  39. Great food combos
  40. From the way it has been designed (the picture above is only the beginning), to the fantastic service (had friendly, sweet waiters and bartenders), to the food (it left me speechless, the apps the entrees the desserts!
  41. so much fun) on the second floor where we had once again one of the best meals this city can offer, from the ceviche bar to the daily specials and our waiter made us feel taken care of, we could have use some more of those tasty rolls they serve but inste
  42. The staff was extremely helpful and the food was phenomenal.
  43. The only problem was the service was really slow, had to ask a few times for bread and waited a long time for the check.
  44. It's hard to find a great dining experience that's equally amazing in food, drinks, atmosphere and service.
  45. Not being a big seafood fan my options were limited.
  46. Their staff was attentive and polite, they were knowledgeable of every ingredient and spice used for the preparation of the dish.
  47. The food is excellent!
  48. The decor is SPECTACULAR, the service was spot on, and the food was delicious.
  49. The food is delicious.
  50. The ambiance is great, and our meal began nicely with drinks and an offer for ?
  51. The ceviches rocked (try the tiradito de scallop) and I loved the variety of textures in my salmon salad.
  52. POOR service, food was okay--- i will NEVER return to this restaurant again!
  53. love this place as the food is very good and the vibe is energetic and the decor is cool.
  54. Each dish was flavorful yet not heavy.
  55. Nice restaurant with delicious Latin cuisine.
  56. The camarones con chorizo is a great spicy sharing dish.
  57. The food was outstanding and they also have a extensive ceviche menu.
  58. The food is mediocre at best, drinks are either too sweet or missing something that you can't quite pinpoint.
  59. The limited food we ate had was also good.
  60. I was satisfied on all levels - The atmosphere - The clients are young, good looking and chique (Can't blame me for looking :-)), the setup is great - casual downstairs and a little more uptight- sit down dinner upstairs (nice tree in the middle), the f
  61. My wife and I order 2 appetizers and 2 main dishes; our waiter said that was enough; everything was perfect up to that moment, decoration and latin music were great.
  62. My [unbelievably undersized] entree was the beef tenderloin, although being the best Medium-rare I have ever seen, it tasted like it was aged in the spew of frat-boys and raccoons.
menu variety
90.0% positive
  1. Not being a big seafood fan my options were limited.
  2. They have a great Spanish wine selection and I recommend the Albarino by the glass.
  3. We then all tried some different things from the menu, everything except for the crispy vegetables was pretty good.
  4. Don't miss the extensive cocktail menu.
  5. Loved the spin that they put on having tons of ceviche options and great fish dishes.
  6. The food was outstanding and they also have a extensive ceviche menu.
  7. The ceviches rocked (try the tiradito de scallop) and I loved the variety of textures in my salmon salad.
  8. The menu comprising pan-south american cuisine is delicious and innovative.
  9. The wine list is excellent as well - short, but well priced with some excellent selections.
  10. Their menu is exquisite.
overall
80.0% positive
  1. Its a nice looking place and our waiter was very nice too.
  2. Additionally, this is not a good date place.
  3. great place
  4. If you are looking for a great place to eat with a super atmosphere, come to Rayuela!
  5. Seems like it would be a great place for a small gathering.
return potential
0.0% positive
  1. Would not recommend the place, nor would I return.
  2. POOR service, food was okay--- i will NEVER return to this restaurant again!
service
80.0% positive
  1. The staff was extremely helpful and the food was phenomenal.
  2. The decor is SPECTACULAR, the service was spot on, and the food was delicious.
  3. Not only were the servers knowledgeable but attentive.
  4. My wife and I order 2 appetizers and 2 main dishes; our waiter said that was enough; everything was perfect up to that moment, decoration and latin music were great.
  5. am not a fan of oyster but the waiter highly recommended the ceviche/oyester platter for the table, OMG!
  6. The specialty drinks were absolutely fantastic and the waitress was very nice.
  7. However, the management is bad and the service is not prepared for the crowds that settle here on busy nights.
  8. It's definitely great to dine at the bar as the bartenders are friendly.
  9. Our waiters were all great and really friendly.
  10. really hope this place turns the service around because it detracts from what was otherwise a great experience.
  11. The only problem was the service was really slow, had to ask a few times for bread and waited a long time for the check.
  12. The only con, the service is a little slow, but we still had a great time.
  13. Don't even get me started with the worst customer service ever!
  14. The food remains amazing, the drinks great and the staff very firendly and professional.
  15. the service is top notch and and let me not forget to mention the ambiance, which is romantic and relaxed.
  16. The service was friendly and professional.
  17. The hostess was great, sat us really fast and was very sweet.
  18. All in all, much like the Wall Street's economic situation, this restaurant is highly leveraged in decor, ambiance and a unisexual bathroom with a disproportionate underlying asset of good food and good service.
  19. The waiters, bartenders & staff are very friendly.
  20. It was packed with beautiful people.
  21. POOR service!
  22. Good food, however the service staff and management are immoral, including acts of theft and lying.
  23. Their staff was attentive and polite, they were knowledgeable of every ingredient and spice used for the preparation of the dish.
  24. The service was extremely poor!
  25. Tables downstairs by the bar seemed very uncomfortable because there were lots of people standing by the bar.
  26. POOR service, food was okay--- i will NEVER return to this restaurant again!
  27. From the way it has been designed (the picture above is only the beginning), to the fantastic service (had friendly, sweet waiters and bartenders), to the food (it left me speechless, the apps the entrees the desserts!
  28. Yummy drinks, good service and atmosphere.
  29. Loved the decor, seating and the constantly smiling hostess.
  30. Beautiful restaurant with delicious Latin cuisine and attentive staff.
  31. Each item we had was flavorful, the bartender recommended some unique drinks and we had a really nice time.
  32. From the unique and inviting decor, to the DELICIOUS drinks (I love the "vodka" cocktail, pina partida and watermelon lemongrass mojito), innovative and tasty food (especially the amazing bread, ceviches and the veggie empanada) and great service (Scott i
  33. The hostess and waiters were outstanding.
  34. to be clear, my girlfriends and i are not "needy diners" that requires the staff to be at our beck and call every second of our meal - i am talking decent requests, such as being seated close to the time of our reservations, not an hour after.
  35. My friend and I went to Rayuela a week after it opened and it was truly the best food, ambiance, and service I've experienced in so long!
  36. so much fun) on the second floor where we had once again one of the best meals this city can offer, from the ceviche bar to the daily specials and our waiter made us feel taken care of, we could have use some more of those tasty rolls they serve but inste
  37. they are soooo many other good restaurants (food and service wise) thoughout the city.
  38. It's hard to find a great dining experience that's equally amazing in food, drinks, atmosphere and service.
  39. Its a nice looking place and our waiter was very nice too.
  40. The staff was warm, professional, and accommodating.
value
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. Food was good but very small portions.
  2. And, most importantly, tasty food at a good price!
  3. Very inventive and creative cuisine, and they give huge portions!
wait time
40.0% positive
  1. Best restaurant experience in a long time!
  2. Service was a little slow--didn't really keep the drinks flowing.
  3. My friend and I went to Rayuela a week after it opened and it was truly the best food, ambiance, and service I've experienced in so long!
  4. The only problem was the service was really slow, had to ask a few times for bread and waited a long time for the check.
  5. The only con, the service is a little slow, but we still had a great time.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

04/06/11

great food - keep an open mind

by daphnis16

I think if they had pictures, it would make it a little easier to understand the menu, lol. But seriously though, the food there was amazing. I went there in March with a group of friends and we all enjoyed it. The staff was great. There was a super long wait and we waited after our reservation to be seated which really annoyed me, but the manager was very generous in providing us with complimentary appetizers and desserts for our HOUR long wait for a table. Our bill was a small fortune even with the comps, lol - but everything was well worth it. The deserts were great also.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/30/10

Wonderful Food

by ThisSideUp

Me and my friend we tried this place. It was very crowded and I wanted to go but my friend wanted to wait. We got a table finally. The food was really good. Maybe I would try to go back when there's not so many people. Its a nice looking place and our waiter was very nice too.

  • Pros: Great Eats
  • Cons: Too Crowded
2 Star Rating: Below Average

04/10/10

not the best latin fusion...but decent

by 11Bravo

Everything but the food here is great. The restaurant is gorgeous. The staff was warm, professional, and accommodating. I made reservations and I was an hour late and they were still able to seat us within 20 minutes or so. The hostess and waiters were outstanding. The food and drink were nothing to write home about. I had a mojito that was bland. The ceviche was okay. I ordered the arroz con pollo and it was tasty but again lacking flavor. The desert was just strange and unsavory or sweet. The food was high quality and fresh just missing something.

  • Pros: beautiful decor, sexy, romantic, and modern
4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/28/10

Great Decor, Menu and Special Occasions.

by es11sn0w

Great place for one on one work/business dinners, dates and small groups. Food is top quality and consistent. Cocktails are creative and well thought out. Had many dinners in the past and special occasions and were very pleased.

  • Pros: Great Cocktails, Food and Atmosphere
  • Cons: Service
1 Star Rating: Poor

03/15/10

ssshhh, they'll give the surprise away...

by foodlover127

knowing the owner doesn't mean anything anymore. went to rayuela for a surprise birthday party and was extremely disappointed. first, when the birthday boy got there, they basically said the surprise party is upstairs. huh? you knew it was a surprise. why would you open your mouth and ruin it. then when we metion something regarding the hostess' mistake, i don't remember hearing "i'm sorry". only got a brush off. the person putting the party together, worked it out so we had a pre-fixe menu. $45/person. this doesn't sound bad when you're getting 3 courses. they did offer a decent selection, and the food was ok. but if you're bringing your own cake, that's not really 3 courses and shouldn't be part of the $45/person. if you look at the menu and ordrer the most expensive appetizer and most expensive entree, then it'll be $45. why bother doing a pre-fixe? i don't even see the items we offered on the menu. plus, wouldn't you throw in ice cream or even coffee in the $45. not only was coffeed not included, but they didn't even ask if we wanted coffee prior to dessert (the cake we brought). instead, we had to ask 3 different waiters. 2 of them twice if we could have coffee. and then we got a separate bill for the coffee from the rest of the bill. i was also told, the birthday boy, who was drinking diet cokes all night got a separate bill for the sodas also. seriously? having growing up in the restautant / catering business, you put sodas, coffee, and tea as part of the $45. how insulting to hand out separate bills for $3-$50 dollars for coffee and soda. and don't get me started on the wine issue. if i ask for a bottle, then bring it. i shouldn't have to wait 30 minutes to have a bottle brought to me. sorry hector, but not sure if i'll be back.

  • Cons: service, can't handle big parties, pricey, coffee bill

The Details on Rayuela

Place Categories:

  • great limited food
  • great place
  • favorite new pan latin restaurant
  • great specialty drinks
  • very nice waiters
  • fantastic service
  • great dining experience
  • great cocktails
  • slow customer service
  • polite knowledgable staff
  • great decor
  • great everything
  • beautiful space
  • friendly bartenders
  • really good setup
  • great spot
  • great ambiance
  • delicious ceviche menu
  • outstanding constantly smiling hostess
  • great meal
  • delicious s american cuisine
  • great music
  • great spicy sharing dish
  • very small portions
  • delicious few ceviches
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