Monica Trigos

Absolutely delicious, can’t believe we hadn’t been here before! Every dish was outstanding; nothing felt lacking or off. Highlights included the beef tartare, the endive, and the dumplings, which were a surprisingly light delight. The cod was fabulous, and the chocolate cake was exquisite: perfectly balanced, not overly sweet. The cocktails were also excellent. The atmosphere was lively and enjoyable, though the seating is a bit tight between tables and it does get loud, but hey, this is NYC. Overall, an amazing experience, and we’ll definitely be coming back!

Jea Kim

Solid, well-composed meal, just missing a few sparks. Came here for dinner on a Sunday evening. Estela has been around for over a decade, so compared to other Michelin starred restaurants, the reservation was fairly easy to get. While they keep their signature dishes like Endive salad evergreen, a little more than half of their menu gets rotated. However, since most of what we ordered were house signatures, they felt a little too safe. Still, nothing about the meal was mundane or disappointing. We started off with the oysters and the scallops. The scallop paired pristine, minimally treated scallops with the green snap of asparagus. Instead of the usual almond crumble, almond milk brought a creamy counterpoint and a marzipan-adjacent warmth without heavy dairy. The famous Endive salad. It was glossed with a punchy anchovy-based saline vinaigrette which somewhat masked the natural bitterness of the endives. It also softened it up a little while maintaining that crisp. Worked perfectly as a vessel to complement that nutty sweetness from Ubriaco Rosso. The fried arroz leaned more like a paella than the crispy, scorched bits I’d expected from the name. Without overloading it with seafood, the dish had a concentrated, savory, briny depth from the squid ink. Exceptionally tender squid with a nice chew, and while the romesco’s heat was subtle, I liked the occasional nutty pop from what seemed like almonds. The poached trout was our second favorite of the night. Flaky to the point of barely holding together, with gentle fat balanced by the mild, vegetal sweetness of artichoke. A beurre blanc–like sauce underneath added a rich, savory anchor. Ricotta dumplings was also one of our favorites. I was almost blanking out when I first took a bite of this and thought I was eating gnocchi. Hidden under a canopy of thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms were ricotta dumplings that were incredibly light yet pleasantly chewy. The Pecorino Sardo gave a slightly salty, sheepy finish, but my favorite part was the mushroom broth. Comforting, with a faintly funky, woodsy depth that lingered. The drinks and service were just okay, but recommend giving them a try if you’re looking for a good elevated casual restaurant.

+4

Marcos Pimentel

Estela, which means "star" in Spanish, is a one-Michelin-star restaurant in New York that has a unique charm. The entrance features a small blue door that’s easy to miss, marked only by a light sign with the restaurant’s name; it’s so difficult to open that instructions were provided. The atmosphere reflects classic New York style, characterized by humble wooden chairs and tables, dim lighting, and tables that are quite close together. As is common in New York, the restaurant is noisy, with 80s classics playing at a high volume, making it challenging to hold a conversation without raising your voice. Personally, I prefer quieter places, so I deducted one point for the noise level. The service was satisfactory, and the wine list was impressive, offering a diverse selection of French, Austrian, and German wines (though there were no Italian whites), with options across a wide price range. The sommelier, a friendly French gentleman from Toulouse, was eager to assist with suggestions. Our waiter, Katherine, was very kind as she explained the menu and highlighted popular dishes. The food was truly outstanding and undoubtedly deserving of its Michelin star. We began our meal with oysters, tuna, an endive salad, and foie gras (which may be one of the best things I've ever tasted). We also enjoyed arros negro, dim sum, and panna cotta. The portion sizes were suitable for sharing, and the dishes arrived at a perfect pace, allowing us to savor each course.

+7

Abby Rivera

I celebrated my birthday here with my cousin, and it was such a memorable experience! They recommend to order all at once and they bring in the dishes one or 2 at a time. We had 8 dishes, and each one was absolutely delicious and beautifully prepared. The staff explained each dish, which made it even more enjoyable. My favorites were the Cured Tuna, Endives, Fried Arroz Negro, Berkshire Pork, and Venison. The place and table spaces are tight but cozy, loud and busy. The servers were fantastic, always attentive and making sure we had everything we needed, filling up our water and taking the empty dishes away. A reservation is definitely a must. Highly recommend for a special evening!

+6

Stella food and impeccable service. \n\nLocation: Up a flight of stairs with a tricky door. Entrance is small, so you may have to wait outdoors when busy. \n\nAmbience: Casual bistro vibe. Long bar s…

Stella food and impeccable service. \n\nLocation: Up a flight of stairs with a tricky door. Entrance is small, so you may have to wait outdoors when busy. \n\nAmbience: Casual bistro vibe. Long bar…

Stella food and impeccable service. \n\nLocation: Up a flight of stairs with a tricky door. Entrance is small, so you may have to wait outdoors when busy. \n\nAmbience: Casual bistro vibe. Long bar…

Stella food and impeccable service. \n\nLocation: Up a flight of stairs with a tricky door. Entrance is small, so you may have to wait outdoors when busy. \n\nAmbience: Casual bistro vibe. Long bar…

We had a wonderful dinner. Oysters, endive, duck kopka, pressed duck, arroz negra. Roxanne made it a wonerful and fun evening, suggesting wine pairings with an assist from a great Som. R: best of luc…

We had a wonderful dinner. Oysters, endive, duck kopka, pressed duck, arroz negra. Roxanne made it a wonerful and fun evening, suggesting wine pairings with an assist from a great Som. R: best of l…

Our table reservation for 4 was at 12.15pm on a Saturday afternoon. We were seated promptly. \n\nWhen you step into Estela, you want to love it. The atmosphere is calm, sensual and tranquil. \n\nTh…

Everything was great, no bad choices on the menu. Also like that the menu is short. Service and drinks were great as well. Got an orange wine that tasted so fresh. The beef tartar was good as wel…

10 out of 10. The food, service, and ambiance were all spot on. Everything pictured below was amazing. We also had, not pictured, the Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino Sardo which were …

Came here for a birthday dinner with the husband and parents with a reservation so did not have to wait before getting seated. Tried to make reservation about 2 weeks ahead and only the unpopular t…

Every time we visit NYC, we go to Estela (need to reserve in advance, it’s relatively small). It offers small, tasty dishes like tuna tartare, scallops, black rice

Every time we visit NYC, we go to Estela (need to reserve in advance, it’s relatively small). It offers small, tasty dishes like tuna tartare, scallops, black rice

food and service were terrific. Loved the endive dish (remarkable), the celery dish (incredible) but the tuna carpaccio was the best I've ever had. My wife loved the crab dish. Typical of u…

Food and service were terrific. Loved the endive dish (remarkable), the celery dish (incredible) but the tuna carpaccio was the best I've ever had. My wife loved the crab dish. Typical of upsca…

Food and service were terrific. Loved the endive dish (remarkable), the celery dish (incredible) but the tuna carpaccio was the best I've ever had. My wife loved the crab dish. Typical of upsca…

Wonderful dining experience with creative dishes. Not cheap but worth the money. Only point of criticism that the place is tiny and feels a little bit cramped. Noise level also high. Nevertheless…

The food was amazing, It was unconventional but really good. The servers were so nice and the ambiance was perfect. I recommend to go to this restaurant any time you are in nyc.

Really amazing restaurant. Small, packed, buzzing with wonderful knowledgeable and friendly service. The Som was especially good with a veritable tour of interesting new natural wines. But the food…

Small plates allow you to experience nuanced flavor profiles. Our favorite plates were the Ricotta Dumplings; scallops with Squash Blossoms; pork with seaweed, potatoes, and clams. The combine…

felt cramped, great service, food tasted good, but portions for the mains definitely on the smaller end. fried arroz and scallops were my fave.

The food and service easily explains the Michelin Star rating. We shared 7 dishes. We had the ricotta dumplings, the black ink fried rice, scallops, wagyu beef, oysters, mackerel and endive salad. All are meant to be sharing dishes. As always, we skip desert. Incredible experience. They bring the food out in order of light to heavy…meaning the oysters are first and the wagyu is last. Our server was spot on. A bit on the pricey side, but definitely worth the price.

Mei Deng

My first Michelin star restaurant. Came here bc my friend used his Chase Sapphire Reserve dining credit. Very fancy vibes, kinda dark inside. Food was good, wine was okay. Prob wouldn’t come again tho - Fried arroz negro, squid, and romesco: YUM, one of my fav dishes - Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms and pecorino sardo: Wasn’t the biggest fan of this - Wagyu steak with sunchoke, spinach, and coffee: YUM, meat was tender - Poached trout: Yummy

Gianluca Savaia

Honestly I was thinking expecting a better experience. The tables are cramped together with little privacy and you need to push other guests just to get in and out of your seat. The food is high quality but not all the options were impressive. The mackerel is for sure the best we tried. The octopus and steak were good but lacked the wow effect. Make sure you make a reservation well in advance, there's just a few seats.

Zixiang Pan

Came in for lunch. The atmosphere is comfortable and the drinks menu was innovative. The food was a mixed bag. The scallop was perfectly balanced, the celery salad lacked creativity, the omelet was well made but the kelp that was served alongside was extremely salty that threw off the whole feel of the dish. The steak was cooked perfectly and the heirloom tomato was the highlight of the dish, but it felt that the ingredients did most of the carrying of the flavor

New American/small plates restaurant with 1 Michelin star \nWe made a res on open table and love that it's included in the CSR benefit, so don't forget to use it! \nWe got 5 small plates to share (2 …

I came to Estela and dined alone for the first time at the bar. The seating was interesting as there was a plant kind of in my face. The server behind the bar was super nice. I ordered the endive s…

I had a reservation and solo dined at the bar. The bartender was friendly and very knowledgeable of the menu. Service was prompt. The atmosphere was on the noisy side but the ambiance is intimate…

Went to Estela last minute as a walk in just to experience it and didn't have to wait on a Sunday which was nice. The best dish of the ones I tried was the lobster and wood ear mushrooms. Lobster w…

The food and service easily explains the Michelin Star rating. We shared 7 dishes. We had the ricotta dumplings, the black ink fried rice, scallops, wagyu beef, oysters, mackerel and endive salad. …

We were very excited to finally dine in this restaurant because its reputation, we came out a bit flat as the experience was definitely mixed. The staff was fantastic, they were kind and courteous,…

The restaurant has excellent food. No doubt. Presentation is beautiful. ambience is excellent. The most important thing for my dining experience is that I not get sick from the food. Unfortunatel…

Kristy Salgado

I have mixed feelings about our experience. The place had a cozy atmosphere, good music, but from the moment we sat down, I felt like they wanted us to finish quickly and leave. I’m not sure if it was due to the flow of customers, but we had to order all the dishes at once. Before we even finished one, they brought out the next, almost urging us to rush, and the same with the wine. The scallops were wonderful, as were the dumplings and the tuna. The salad and steak were nothing special compared to other places, but I wouldn’t recommend the pork. It arrived undercooked and was too fatty, which really lowered my expectations. I've been to other Michelin-starred restaurants, and this has never happened before.

Khang Tran

Sourdough - 5.5/10; it was a very okay bread with generic butter and olives. I would've at least liked the bread warmed. But the fact that I paid for it knocked it down a lot, I would expect specialty bread and butter if it comes with a price tag. Endive - 6.5/10; Crisp, crunchy, and overall complimentary flavors. However it could've used a bit more sweetness to round out the bitterness of the endive personally. Wagyu - 6.5/10; Very good crust, the sunchoke and spinach were very flavorful, and the coffee sancho was a sleeper hit that added a lot to the wagyu. However the wagyu itself lacked flavor. Although the dish was good, I don't feel that it can justify that price tag. Chocolate cake - 8/10; Rich dark chocolate flavor w. a nice toasted note from the sesame, and a hint of savory. Crunchy exterior and gooey interior. However I feel that the whipped cream actually detracted from the overall dessert. If it were slightly sweetened, it could've added another element of sweetness to round out the richness of the chocolate. Overall I personally feel that many of the dishes could be exciting and interesting. The actual execution of these dishes does not match concepts. The service was nice. The restaurant itself is dimly lit and a bit cramped.

+2

While the service at Estela was warm and attentive, the overall experience didn't quite live up to the Michelin star. The dishes were well-prepared but lacked the wow factor I was hoping for. A ple…

Not sure if it was the dishes we ordered but Estela fell short of my expectations, especially for a Michelin-starred restaurant. \nStarted off with the scallops which were probably my favorite dish…

pretty average food but it was quite salty. drank so much water. i liked the cripsy things in the squid risotto, thought the classic ricotta dumplings were just okay. i liked the beef tartar though…

pretty average food but it was quite salty. drank so much water. i liked the cripsy things in the squid risotto, thought the classic ricotta dumplings were just okay. i liked the beef tartar though…

Superrrrr expensive ong and the options sre not for the average Joe. I'll give 3 stars for letting us leave without ordering/paying. I would try again if my bank account bounces back from this rece…

The food was good but not great and certainly not worth the ridiculous prices - maybe 15 slices of raw zucchini with some sauce and pine nuts for $20. One review said it was one of the 50 best rest…

I was excited to try this place based on recommendations from foodie friends in the business. The food is fantastic, very shareable, the service varies from great to indifferent (our server who app…

I was excited to try this place based on recommendations from foodie friends in the business. The food is fantastic, very shareable, the service varies from great to indifferent (our server who a…

Don't arrive early otherwise you will have to stay in the hallway waiting. The restaurant is super small. They only have small menu and they just pump out the food pretty fast. I felt rushed. Every…

Food and drinks were honestly amazing, kitchen takes care of the dishes thoroughly, however our waitress was not happy that our order was not as big as she expected, also we constantly needed to as…

The less then stellar rating is really about the ambience and the service, not the food. The place is small, ver small, and the tables are quite close. Not unexpected for a place like this. The noi…

Susan Wen

Honestly quite a disappointing experience. I heard good reviews from a friend and knowing that it has one michilen star so I had high expectations. But the flavoring of the dishes is uneven. The endive salad only has intense saltiness and sour and it's hard to taste any nuance. The duck was too chewy for my taste and by itself quite bland and oily. The most surprising thing is the cream on the chocolate cake has shockingly no flavor at all. It purely taste like air. The cream I wipped at home has more flavor than that. The only highlight is the texture of the ricotta dumplings. But I would say the sliced raw mushroom on top provided more style than substance. Not to mention everything is tiny in portion. And we spent over $110 per person (after tax and tip). For that amount of money, there are definitely better place to eat in New York City, potentially on the same street block. As we were sitting down at the counter, the bartender asked the lady sitting next to us how she liked the squid ink rice, and she grimaced at her half finished plate and said "I don't like it". To which the bartender didn't have any follow-ups. That should have been the sign for my experience to come.

Hwihyeon Kim

The food was overly salty, and the description of the dishes was too brief. Also, the bill was incorrect, and when I pointed this out to the server, there was no apology. Overall, the quality of service did not match the price.

Very disappointing. Chacuterie board was a joke. Several pieces of prosciutto.....that's it! bread was dry & hard. Went because of the ratings. Ratings were wrong. Don't waste your time or money.

Very disappointing. Chacuterie board was a joke. Several pieces of prosciutto.....that's it! Bread was dry & hard. Went because of the ratings. Ratings were wrong. Don't waste your time or money.

We still cannot quite wrap our brains around the fact that Estela has a Michelin star. We had been trying for quite some time to dine at this Ignacio Matos establishment, and securing a reservation r…

Soooo disappointing. Extremely small portions that were just adequate as far as taste goes. I don't know how you fail to properly prepare Wagyu beef but they did. Most of mine ended up in my napki…

We were very disappointed with this restaurant. Everything starts with a cold welcome, you have to wait out, in the corridor because your table is not ready. The dishes are tiny, banal and overpr…

Andrew Kim

I had dinner at Estela for my birthday with my boyfriend and received some of the worst service throughout the night. Our server James (whose name I only found out after looking through their instagram) had an attitude with us right off the bat that was extremely unwarranted. Right as we sit down i’m looking through a book that was what i assumed to be the wine list. Before i even get a chance to look, he snatches it from my hand and says that’s the drinks are on the other side of the menu. The attitude did not stop there and that interaction set the tone for the rest of the dinner. It felt like he was doing us a favor by dining there and that was the overall feeling from the hospitality. Although my boyfriend marked that it was a birthday dinner on the reservation, there was no mention of a celebration from any person. The hostesses were also extremely cold. Absolutely no hello or goodbye as we entered the restaurant. Everyone just seemed like they were too good for the place. I expect a base level of formality or just friendliness from a one star but this is the worst one star restaurant i’ve been to by far. Food was hit or miss, we liked the beef tartare and lamb the most but the endive salad was extremely salty and that’s coming from someone who eats on the saltier side. Ricotta dumplings were okay and arroz negro was good.

+2