Alta

08/22/09

Not so Alta (high in spanish)

by Elinyct at Citysearch

They should rename it to "Bajo" (low in spanish)

I took a date over there and it was one of my worst dates ever. and I have been around the block once or twice.

first, you cant carry a decent conversation, the place is crowded and the acoustics are terrible, if you are ok with screaming over your food - go for it, thats your problem, if you look for an intimate conversation, decent space between tables, some kind of magic while you eat with your partner then avoid at all cost. the food was ok, I wasnt blown away but again, I could not really enjoy it in that setting. it was very hot over there and took a while untill the AC was turned on- I am speaking about august in new york city. seriously, I am pretty open minded person and easy to satisfy and not a new comer to the city - do yourself a favor and stay away, unless you like the vulgar scene.

• Pros: Price
• Cons: Very noisy, bad service, rude bartender, over crowded

07/29/09

Wonderful West Village experience

by michelleschiano at Citysearch

I love going here. Taking out of town friends through the kitchen to the dining room that faces 10th Street is always fun. Hanging and having nibbles at the bar is a perfect mid-week hang, too. And in winter, you can't beat fireplace-side seating.

• Pros: Great wine and food, beautiful and fun vibe

07/03/09

Beautiful place, amazing food

by nandinigreenmango at Citysearch

This place is gorgeous - it makes you feel like you've stepped out of NYC and into a beautiful home somewhere in Spain. The food is amazing and the menu offers almost anything you can think of!

• Pros: Best cheese!

04/07/09

Comfortable but unfriendly

by girlskoutNYC at Citysearch

The food is good but it is served way too fast. I felt like I was in a competitive eating contest. For the price, I wish the waitress had advised us on this because it's a lot of money to feel rushed through a meal. If you go, order in stages.

The waitresses were pleasant but seemed disinterested in us, even though it was a Monday and the restaurant wasn't crowded.

But it is a beautiful room and good for a group.

• Pros: Decor
• Cons: Service

12/29/08

Incredibly Rude Bartender.

by Richard76 at Citysearch

About a month ago I went down to Alta on a Tuesday night and the bartender was so snotty to us. He treated us like idiots when we asked too many questions and rolled his eyes a few times. Worse yet there was another bartender, a young nice kid and the nasty one treated him like dirt... even said "get outta my way" when walking by him. When the young guy stood up for himself the nasty one started demeaning him. I felt bad for him. I didn't think too much of it after but then we came back again last Tuesday to find the same nasty bartender being even nastier to us. He took forever to get to us and the bar wasn't too packed. When he finally came over he just seemed like he had somewhere else to be. At the end he just slapped the bill down in front of us and walked away.....the food is great but steer clear of the short bald bartender !!!

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Bad Service

11/24/08

Just Brilliant!!!

by Gref22 at Citysearch

Best tapas restaurant in the city.... the food is actually what you find in the streets of Spain.

The restaurant ambiance is nice and romantic, perfect if you want to impress that special one.

Excellent wine selections !!!

Just go there close your eyes and let your finger pick for you, you cant go wrong the food is just delicious!!!

• Pros: The food!!!

11/19/08

if restaurant staff starts shouting at you for overstaying your time....

by pochemu at Citysearch

while the food is great (stil great after coming here a few times), quality of service has drastically deteriorated, enough for me to say I am not coming back. i was so happy my birthday party mood didnt get affected by it, but dont think I need that experience ever again.

our waiter, literally didnt know what they had on the wine list or menu (i.e. he said few dishes and wines were not any more available and had to go to check again to find out that they were). he could not hear anything we ordered, he was forgetting to bring us glasses of wine, glasses of water, etc etc. and it was not that easy to find his attention when we needed it either.

on top of it at the end of the party another waiter started shouting at a friend of mine (yes, I cant believe it, but it was very good we were in too good a mood to have it affect us) because we have OVERSTAYED our allocated time - 2hrs and 40 minutes, that is all what you have even if it is your birthday... plus by paining your bill you do get the right of getting shouted at!

10/20/08

Great Decor - great service

by FinnickyEater at Citysearch

I took a date there the other night (Saturday) and it was great...its very small looking from the outside but once you get in its a beautiful restaurant. We were seated upstairs in a very rustic looking room overlooking the main floor. The food was great and the Sangria is awesome. I just got home from Madrid a few weeks ago and had gotten into the Tapas thing. Our waiter was very knowledgeable, recommended some great dishes and was very attentive. The food came quickly (get the summer salad) and the ambience just helped to spawn conversation. All in all a positive experience...these other reviewers, not too sure what they went through but I could not disagree with them more.

• Pros: Ambience, Food, Sangria
• Cons: Portions are kinda small and a bit pricey

10/14/08

Amazing service

by NYer83 at Citysearch

I made a reservation for 10 people here on a Saturday night. We were seated immediately, and knew right off the bat we wanted the best value so we ordered "The Whole Shebang" (the entire menu). They failed to bring out a couple of dishes, and duplicated a couple of others, but when we voiced (nicely) that certain plates were missing, the manager gave us all a free round of shots! She also knocked some drinks off our tab.

Alta offers the kind of customer service that is a rarity these days, especially at hip and trendy restaurants like Alta. I don't normally write reviews for restaurants but this I had to share. The food is impeccable, but I would return here just to know the management really value its clientele. Never did I feel rushed to leave, either, which is also rare in this city!

10/07/08

Fun Times!

by foodenthusiast84 at Citysearch

I went there for a friend's birthday party and it was a lot of fun! The rustic decor and the romantic ambience gave us a warm, cozy feeling inside. Our waiter was very knowledgable and helpful and very prompt with our orders. As alcoholics and wine connoiseurs we appreciated the lovely wine and cocktail list. The sangrias are a must! The tapas were delicious! We had almost everything on the menu because we were a big group. The portions were a bit small, but I think it was enough for everyone. My favorite dishes were the fried goatcheese and pintos of foie gras terrine and strawberries! I would definitely go back.

• Pros: Great Place For Groups or Couples
• Cons: Not Cheap