Cortez is very plush and cozy, like an expensive cashmere sweater. The cream colored/dark wood decor coupled with low lighting gives the whole place an upscale feel.
The cocktails are pretty darned good - the Cucumber Gimlet in particular - and the presentation and quality of the food is excellent, but big eaters be warned - when they say "small plates" they really mean SMALL. Take the duck breast, for example: this small plate contained four so-tiny-you-don't-even-have-to-slice-them pieces for $15. Since there were four of us, that meant one tiny piece for each person, which we finished in 30 seconds. Next!
All of the dishes tasted great (and the two types of bread were really good, too), but not only were they small, they were expensive, and the high prices were what deterred us from ordering more. The server had suggested 8 to 10 small plates for a party of four, but all of us still felt a little hungry after finishing dinner (thank god for the bread!) - and a lot poorer - 8 or so plates plus 4 desserts and a few cocktails brought the bill to around $250 before tip). It may be a better place to go as a party of two, as there would be a bigger portion for each diner per dish. I'll definitely keep Cortez in mind as a place to go when someone else is treating!"
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