Sofrito

I went with a group of girlfriends last Friday and had the most amazing time. I will admit there was a bit of a wait however it was worth every moment. After having a very engaging converstaion with the most beautiul and sweet, manager I have every met in the NYC restaurant industry we were taken to our table were not only did our one server but two others check on us constantly. Now I've been from Tribeca, to Soho, Chelsea and up to Harlem and never have I been so egar to finish my meal to head back the following night. I HIGHLY Recommend SOFRITO............ (MANAGMENT)STAFF, FOOD, DECOR, ALL THE BEST..... Pros: FROM THE DOOR TO THE BATHROOM more

I will agree to the SOAPBOX on reservations, and the WEEKEND....being extremely difficult for a night at Sofrito. If it doesn't change... people will definately go elsewhere, ... after all rice and beans you can make at home?, and that I'm sure is definately NOT the intention of the restaurant, which is to be at your service... offering you GREAT food, LIVE MUSIC/DJ and the space for chic yet comfortable entertaining. MAKE SURE YOU CALL AHEAD....I went the first time a few weeks ago on a Friday night, had some drinks, the band was great! It is very inviting with a Caribbean/Miami/San Juan metro yet ""you are home"" feel. Went again this weekend (again Friday), service was attentive, possibly short staffed. The reservation system is being worked on, tweaked,..... the increasing popularity is making this a MUST. the policy for large parties is fair. Fair for the guest in mind. It is impossible for the capacity of that reastaurant and the nature of weekends to hold reservations, why you may ask.... people like to camp out and chill at tables, which if you are waiting for a table, feels like forever, and will totally setup your expectations for a horrible night. Logical?! Guest deserve consideration upon reservations and accomodating requests within reasonable limits of course. Pros: FOOD! and Music, LOVE the music, open late! Good people watching! Cons: on-time reservations more

A couple of friends and I went to this place last night to celebrate a birthday. Disappointment is an understatement! This place has great qualities the decor is great, the ambiance is nice, the signature drinks are awesome but the service is the most UNACCEPTABLE excuse for service I have ever come across...we tried calling ahead of time for reservations and was told they do not take reservations for large parties on Friday nights yet when we get there the restaurant manager, who was more concerned about her cleavage than managing the restaurant tells us we had to wait 3 hours for a table because we did not make reservations!? When we tell her we tried to do so but was told several times that they do not take reservations she said ""I know you can't make reservations on Friday."" So I asked her how could we have reservations if you don't take them!!?? Needless to say they TRIED to accomodate us at their so called ""Lounge"" area which is a fire hazard to say the leas we ordered some drinks and 2 hours later were able to actually place an rder for appetizers(which were pretty decent)but had to argue with the server about some apps that never made it to our table our waitress tried to do a good job but between the scantily clad restaurant manager yelling at her and the ambulance taking a heavily drunk woman out of the restaurant on a stretcher, she was a little more than distracted!! I being a latina have been to some of the best Latin/Carribbean restaurants in the city and have never ever had an experience like this,even at Son Cubano's in the heart of the meatpacking district will you ever see chaos and lack of organization as we saw here!! To make matters worse they expected 10 people to eat on a tiny coffee table which at that point we decided was our que to leave so we headed to our lounge of choice and finally got the meal we should have gotten 4 hours prior. THIS PLACE IS A DISGRACE TO NY!!!!! PS - get new management and you might just save the place! Pros: appetizers and drinks Cons: STAFF AND SERVICE more

the place is very swanky, ambience very inviting. our reservations were pushed back 15 minutes but we waited at the bar and were treated very well - drinks were potent, appetizers very tasty. we didn't get our table till almost 45 minutes after our pushed back reservation time. our waiter had some issues - started off grumpy and rude, got our orders wrong, was replaced by 2 other people in the course of the evening, but then came back to close our night with a much happier and friendlier attitude. the service was definitely lacking but the food was amazing and the drinks were fabulous. the food was very authentic and beautifully presented. i would go back, maybe not on a busy friday night though. oh yes, i did see a latin celebrity and a local news anchor. Pros: Food and Drink Cons: Service more

i went here a few weeks ago with a group of friends and we had a great time... awesome waiter, great food and yummy drinks. we liked it so much a few of us went back there last week for my birthday. what a disaster! when i called to make reservations for 8:30 they told me it was ""no problem,"" yet when we arrived we were told, rather rudely, that our reservations were actually for 8:45. we brushed it off but still ended up waiting for a table until 9:30 -- an hour after our reserved time. the food was great once again, but the waitress was horribly rude. she also brought out a side dish we didn't order. the manager told us to eat it anyway and that he would take it off the bill. well, it was still on the bill and when we reminded the waitress her manager had promised he'd take it off the tab, she huffed, ""well you ate it didn't you?"" and then told us snippily that we could ""talk to him about it,"" then turned around and walked off without even sending the manager over. towards the end of our meal they were using our table to rest other diners' food on as they served other tables. literally the most appalling service i've ever experienced ANYWHERE. hopefully it was a fluke night, but i'll be surprised if we ever go back. Pros: food, pineapple mojitos Cons: rude staff more

I went to Sofrito twice - one with a group of friends and another time for a friend's birthday. The occasions couldnt have been more different. The first time was enjoyable overall - service, food, atmosphere, etc. But the second left me never wanting to come back. Our reservations were bumped back without notice, and we still weren't seated for an hour after that. The bartender was rude, as well as the wait staff. My food came out wrong and the waitress argued with me about it. The phrase ""the customer is always right"" does not exist at Sofrito. Great food though, although I'll never taste it again. Pros: food, atmosphere Cons: service more

Make sure you get yourself to Sofrito before they realize how inexpensive their amazing food is! The place has an outstanding design and great atmosphere. Now I dont have to go to the meatpacking for a trendy restaurant, its in Sutton Place! Pros: Decor and Food more

I had posted an exceptional review when I first visited in Sep 06. The food is amazing, that is if you ever make it to your table. It is such a shame they can not decide if they are a restaurant or a bar club. The wait is beyond infuriating. The first time there the wait was 15 min, but the next time around it was much longer. I called on a Fri nite and was told it was too early to make a rez but we could just come over since tables were available. We arrived at 7p and I cursed the she man Iman (who claims to be a manager and is only 2 steps away from getting a job pumping gas) at 9:30p after being told numerous time our table was going to be ready in 10 min. She was completely useless and is only there to extinguish the fuses of many irate customers who are periodically lied to about getting seated. Needless to say my husband and I will never ever set foot there. We are sticking to our spanish dive on Delancey that make the best meals. And the beauty is never having to deal with IMAN. She is the worst and the rest of the staff in nothing to brag about. And forget about the managers, they are there for the quick buck. But eventually people will get wind of this and l look forward to the day they are out of business. Pros: Food, Cons: Service and IMAN more

EXCELLENT! A group of five of us went to Sofrito on a Thurs. night and were seated about 15 minutes after our reservation time. Wait staff was amazingly friendly and helpful. Everything we ordered was excellent (crispy shrimp, tostones, ropa vieja, skirt steak and the best sweet plantains ever!!). Also, we could not believe how large the portions were!! We were shocked when the bill came to discover it was only $40 a person (with drinks, appetizers, entrees, side dishes and tip!!). Excellent atmosphere, excellent food at an excellent price! more

Wonderful experience. more