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La Cava
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Tapas/Small Plates Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Italian, Tapas/Small Plates, Wine Bars [Edit]
939 2nd Ave(between 49th St & 50th St)
New York, NY 10022
Neighbourhood: Midtown East
(212) 223-1206
- Nearest Transit:
-
Lexington Av/53 St (E, M)
51 St (4, 6, 6X)
Grand Central - 42 St (7, 7X)
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 4 pm - 2 am
Thu-Fri 4 pm - 3:30 am
Sat 11:30 am - 3:30 am
Sun 11:30 am - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
51 reviews for La Cava
Review Highlights
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"Happy hour from 4-7PM and on the weekend too." In 4 reviews -
"Cute little midtown wine bar with good wine and cheese." In 6 reviews -
"I had a great Pinot Noir tonight." In 1 review
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51 reviews in English
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Review from Pia M.
3/28/2012 8 Check-ins Here
La Cava is a cute and tiny Italian wine bar. I came here yesterday for some wine and cheese (cheeee-eeese!). As I tend to do often, within minutes of entering the place, I had already judged them (positively) for their wine glass selection. The experience only got better from there.
The HH is from 4pm - 7pm, and there are drink specials up on the board everyday. I went with the red of the day and it was bold enough for my liking. The prices are decent for good quality beer and wine ($4 and $7 respectively). My friend and I also shared the cheese plate with French Brie, Boschetta Truffle (didn't even know this existed), apricot jam and homemade bread with raisins and cranberries. Delicious. The rest of the menu looked great too, but we had to move on after a couple glasses of wine to meet my sister. To top it off, service is excellent - we had a sweet and attentive, pixie-haired waitress who was a delight.
Will def be back soon! -
Review from Matt E.
5/25/2012
Like probably half the yelpers on here, I went here for a date and like half of those yelpers I left feeling hopelessly unfulfilled.
This may sound arrogant but I found the wine list selection disappointing. For a Spanish/Italian wine bar I would hope to find some killer wines. I ordered a carafe (price conscious method) of the Paco y Lola Albarino and it was really underwhelming. It lacked vibrant aromatics, stone and flower nose, sea shells everything an Albarino should be. At a Spanish wine bar, I expect to taste a rocking Albarino. If I hadn't been on a date, I would have asked for another wine. All the other glass pours are your standard varietals, they could have like a few interesting lesser-known varietals from their focus countries. Marques de Cacera, Perrin et Fils are phone it in choices, I'm sorry to be that guy but that's like being a New American restaurant with tuna tartar--uninspired.
I also ordered a panini which was fine and fairly priced. Nothing crazy there. I wish they had more options in the paninis rather than 28 dollar steak and expensive salads. They do have a nice list of appetizer options though.
I did like the feel of the bar, it's intimate but casual with a few TVs on the walls. And it sounds like the happy hour is a good deal. All in all though, there are wine bars with more affordable food options and way better wine glass/bottle selections. -
Review from Pamela K.
5/2/2012
Happy hour from 4-7p. $7 wines and $9 mojitos. Good space.
The waitress kicked us out (eg. forced the bill on us) at 6:45p because another "reservation" was waiting.
We were there an hour. She didn't ask if we wanted food, barely waited on us, gave no warning we had to leave. Just told us to scram.
You're a WAITRESS. Do your duty.
FYI. There are 3,562,358,911 other bars in Manhattan. We don't need to frequent yours. -
Review from Nemo Nemo D.
Manhattan, NY
5/24/2012
Great menu for wine and dinner! Nice ambiance :)
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Review from Mike M.
5/15/2012
Awesome wine bar! Came her for my nephew's pre-wedding bash. They rented out the bar for a few hours. The bartenders were very accommodating, plus made the perfect screw driver. I must have polished off 4 of them in an hour. The place filled out super fast as soon as the party was over, which reinforced the point that it was a popular spot. Definitely return on my next trip to NYC.
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Review from Lena G.
Hicksville, NY
5/5/2012
Met a girlfriend here Friday night 8:30ish to catch up over wine and tapas. Looks like its a -get off from work late and have dinner and drinks -type of place. It was pretty crowded, and its a small place so waiting 10 minutes for a table was a bit uncomfortable. The club-like music was too loud. I really wanted to tell them to turn the volume down, the atmosphere is too romantic for that volume.
Despite these negatives, I would return for the really good food and wine.
We were seated at a 4 seat table even though we were only 2 and they asked if its ok if we share the table. Not ideal, but hey this could be interesting depending who sits down next to us. The funny thing is that there weren't even any chairs left, so the people would have been just standing next to us at the table, and not surprisingly no one wanted to do that so we ended up with the table to ourselves.
While I'm not a wine connoisseur, I do have to say I LOVED both the sauvignon blanc ($9) and the pinot grigio ($9). The cheapest white wines on the menu and they did not taste cheap at all (and I've had really cheap gross wine).
We ordered the Cava Plate, which is the chef's selection of meats and cheeses. The prosciutto and salami were easily the best I've ever had. We also got a cheese plate with Cambozola and Boschetta Truffle. Boschetta Truffle = AMAZING, if you are a mac and cheese lover, must try this. One bite of this is like a spoonful of the creamiest mac and cheese you've ever had.
Would return with a date or a group no larger than 4.Listed in: Tapas and Wine
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Review from Elizabeth E.
Raleigh, NC
3/23/2012
I came here for a late brunch one Sunday with an old friend. We ordered food and 3840738 bellinis... and then suddenly it was 5 PM and our waiter handed us the dinner menu. We debated ordering more food and then decided we wanted sushi instead. We had a seafood salad, duck pate, and eggs benedict. All very standard yummy.
Side note: I was cleaning out a purse a couple weeks later and found a business card supposedly from the owner of La Cava.... I think I met him at Lavo? It's a small world after all indeed. -
Review from Ashley B.
3/1/2012
A favorite happy hour place of mine and a friend/co-worker. What is there not to love about happy hour every day from 4-7pm! The list of wines on the happy hour board are good and reasonably priced at $6-7 a glass.
The setting is rustic and intimate. Perfect for catching up with a friend or two, but not for a large group. La Cava is small and fills up pretty quickly. A good amount of seating at the bar and there are some high-top tables; however not a lot of standing room.
The food is pretty good. They give you a decent amount of cheese on the cheese plates. The paninis are solid. I've never tried the main dishes, but if sticking with the small bits don't plan on that being your dinner for the night. Especially if you have a long night of drinking ahead ...
The service is good. The table service is attentive, but not overly friendly as they often seem understaffed. The bartender is very friendly and very attentive. At the bar, I always get a lot more wine than I have paid for ....Listed in: I Wine A Lot!
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Review from Valentina L.
Manhattan, NY
I met a friend here on an unusually mild Sunday evening last weekend. The French doors were open to the street. The warm(ish) breeze, faint sounds of 2nd ave traffic, dim lighting, and great wine list make this place a breath of fresh air. Having to walk past Opal and Turtle Bay to get here makes this place shine even more. The setting is great to catch up with a few friends. M was waiting for me at the bar, already sipping on red. I was greeted right away by the bartender and ordered the Malbec, Du Miguel Gascón 2010, Mendoza. Yum!
In my case, our wine catch up turned into wine, dinner, and dessert catch up. The salmon tartar was delicious and fresh over avocado. We split the lamb chops, and asparagus. The lamb was a little fatty for me, but still tasty. For dessert we had chocolate covered ice cream balls. Its a great place, and I'm looking forward to trying everything else on the menu. -
Review from Alisha W.
New York, NY
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great little spot on 2nd Ave for an after work glass of vino.
The happy hour specials are always on point + at $7 a glass, you can't beat it! I highly recommend the tempranillo! -
Review from Matt A.
Redwood City, CA
2/14/2012
I LOVE La Cava! I recently visited this establishment on a trip to NYC. The food was awesome, the wine was stellar and the staff were accommodating and knowledgeable.
The scene was hip without being pretentious, which is a very hard thing to do in New York. I wish this place was around when I lives in NYC. Regardless, I will definitely be back on my next trip out.
La Cava is on the top of my list and I would highly recommend it to any and everyone!!! -
Review from Stephanie T.
New York, NY
4/20/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Love this place! Happy hour with good quality wine for $7 a glass every day including weekends! Staff here is super friendly. There is outdoor seating. Cute ambiance. Food is really fresh and delicious.
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Review from Justin A.
San Francisco, CA
4/17/2012
La Cava is like that cute wine bar from the movie in your mind. You know what I mean - the place that has the perfect amount of noise, perfect amount of light, and everything mixes together (with wine and cheese) to form a wonderful experience. I highly recommend you stop by and enjoy it for yourself!!
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Review from Flora F.
Troy, NY
4/19/2012
La Cava does a good job with its simple concept (wine bar) and menu (panini, charcuterie, salads). Each item we tried, from grilled asparagus to a cheese plate accompanied by fruit, bread, and jam to my friend's shrimp dish, was really delicious. In honor of the warm weather we drank a nice, reasonably priced tempranillo. Service was attentive and efficient. We ate outside, but the interior looked inviting too with its whitewashed walls and accents of dark wood. You're in good hands here.
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Review from Sonia A.
New York, NY
3/20/2012
Cool vibe, great place for a 'no pressure' date, loud, and a good menu.
Except, the cheese plate was poorly executed. For two cheese selections at $10, we got three slices of goat cheese that looked to be sliced off a one inch diameter goat cheese log. Tasty, but not enough. And three teeny tiny triangular slices of manchego. Along with some bread, grapes, and yet again, a stingy serving of generic apricot jam. I would willingly pay $10 for a small cheese platter, but at least make the wood board on which the food was served look a bit more full! Part of the dining experience is visually appealing food.
The paninis were the worst - crummy white bread with rye seeds, run of the mill tomatoes, few basil leaves, and of course, generic, cheap, mozzarella.
I do NOT recommend the paninis.
Three stars based on this food experience, but everything else appeared decent. I'd give it another shot, just don't get a panini. -
Review from Kelley C.
Manhattan, NY
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
La cava is the perfect blend of dance club and wine bar. The music is great, and so is the wine. I will definitely come back. (Keep in mind there really isn't room to dance).
We had two types of wine, both were very enjoyable. Service staff was busy, but still attentive. Great place for late night drink and snacks. -
Review from Steak c.
Albany, NY
10/25/2011
So after an average meal that we paid too much for, my bride and I decided to find a nice wine bar where we could relax an get a nice dessert. We found a couple wine bars but the first one was packed so we I times down the road to La Cava. We are sure glad we did.
We had a few glasses of wine an some dessert. I had the chocolate mouse cake and the bride had the cheesecake. Both were excellent. The wine selection was also very good and the staff was outstanding. Very friendly and attentive to us, even though the place was very steady.
The place was tucked in a nice location and the ambiance was very fun. It definitely looked like a place for the younger single crowd, but we fit right in and enjoyed ourselves just the same.
We will be back to visit NYC very soon and will definitely be back to visit La Cava! -
Review from SaRea S.
Manhattan, NY
2/27/2012 4 Check-ins Here
One of my absolute favorite bar/restaraunts in NYC. The music is great and the owner is such a character! Bring friends here, crush a cup of wine and have a ball :-)
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Review from Jayne G.
Brooklyn, NY
10/12/2011
Went last night for happy hour. I wanted to write a review because the service was great and the place is super cute. Not to mention they have a great happy hour plus pretty decent food.
The server was so friendly and helpful. From what I could tell 3 people were running the entire place: one server, one busser, and one bartender. The spot filled up and yet you never waited for anything. Check it out; I agree with a previous review - La Cava is a great alternative to the rest of the Turtle Bay bar scene. -
Review from Dani S.
Paramus, NJ
3/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
We were just talking the streets and were looking for a brunch place. This place it the spot. They have $5 drinks for brunch and great selection of cold cut meats you can just pick at. Service was a little slow, not too bad. Worth checking out.
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Review from mochaM F.
Manhattan, NY
4/21/2012
Just had my going-away party here with a large group of co-workers, and had a fantastic time. I had wanted to find a bar that had great food, and this was the place plus great atmosphere and very helpful staff. Loved all the appetizers, especially the country pate and salmon tartare. Too bad I found this on my last day in the neighborhood!
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Review from Janel Y.
9/4/2011
Happy hour from 4-7PM and on the weekend too! Was looking for a place to grab some drinks with a friend in the area and when I saw the happy hour sign on the sidewalk, I knew this was my place.
Pretty empty on Saturday at 4:30PM, but that quickly changed once it hit 7 or so. During happy hour, I had a bellini ($5) as well as a rose ($7). Pretty standard drinks as well as service. The place is cute and on another day, I might have stayed for just a simple appetizer plate or something.Listed in: Happy Hour
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Review from Amit A.
Jersey City, NJ
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Small and cozy restaurant. This is probably a great date place. The food was good but the beer selection was small and nothing exciting.
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Review from Justin S.
Duluth, MN
12/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pretty much closed it out on a Friday night. Awesome bartenders, couple of free drinks, good pour, good prices. Fun loving atmosphere that had people up on the bar dancing. Can't wait to go back when I'm in town again.
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Review from Liz B.
6/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
We were sad to see all seats filled and a line for tables at 7:30 on a Friday evening. With the floor to ceiling windows blowing a cool breeze in this slightly unique midtown wine bar, the upstairs makes a perfect atmosphere for a date a dinner to catch up.
My friend and I headed downstairs to the cava part of La Cava, an open space with 2 tables, white leather couches, and nothing else. Basement- like, this space offers nothing but space, and we were just happy to have a quiet spot to sit and talk.
The 4 stars go to the delicious pear martinis ($12 each and I was convinced to order 3), my last one came with a lovely slice of pear. I ordered the "Cava salad" which came with goat cheese and shrimp... it was soaked with dressing and the shrimp was chopped? I've never had chopped cold shrimp on a salad before so it was interesting to say the least.
Before martini number 3 our waiter told us a table upstairs had opened. We were ushered to a delightful seat by the windows, and it just seemed right to order a fruit and cheese plate. This last hour really topped the night for me. -
Review from Dan W.
Manhattan, NY
2/12/2012
AWFUL food. Nice bar, nice wines, nice location - but the food is inedible.
The meats and cheeses were worse than if you had picked up pre-packaged foods in the supermarket. The chicken sorrentino was exactly what I used to get out of a vending machine in a bowling alley (seriously). And, the panini was a total joke: six inches of bread with one measly slice of meat and a watery tomato.
Do not eat here. -
Review from laura r.
Belmont, CA
4/10/2011
What a happy night!
Fast service at bar - they are so excited to share their wines - you fall into immediate rapport. If in doubt, of course they immediately give you a taste before you order a full glass. Even busboys seem to show pride in work, pay a lot of attention to being gracious. Good karma feel to the place.
Small plates - the Caesar salad was heavenly, just piquant enough to feel satisfying without interfering with wine acidity, and the assorted cheese plate was top drawer, great contrasts in flavors, irrestible artisan bread.
Atmosphere - even first timers feel like welcomed members of the family - no rush on anything; "be here and enjoy" attitude.
We wished we lived nearby and were not just visiting! -
Review from Neha S.
12/28/2011
Met a friend here for the happy hour. We managed to get two seats at the bar, but after we finished our drinks we were constantly being pressured to keep ordering or to get out. Very rude service, would not recommend.
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Review from charlotte G.
New York, NY
3/15/2011
Bruschetta = no, no, no
turkey sandwhich = delicious!
cheese plate = yes
This place is a little bigger, which makes it a nice addition to the midtown east wine bar situation. Lots of tables, nice lighting and a really great bar space. The downstairs is kind of loungey with couches. The place was somehow quiet too, there was no strain to have a conversation. Very relaxed, will be back and hopefully they can fix the brushetta issue!!!
prices seemed on average lower than vero and cello, but i need to check those specifics! -
Review from Julie T.
Manhattan, NY
12/19/2011
WAY better than I expected. I hate wine bars.... really I do. This place was really good though! The cheese and meats were great, the shrimp appetizer with guacamole is my new favorite dish! I'd definitely come back and recommend to anyone!
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Review from Susan s.
12/26/2010
Lovely new bar in the Midtown area. What a shocker since the rest of the area is pretty dull. I love their selection of wine. I had a great Pinot Noir tonight. Also their cheese platter is plentiful and comes with delicious bread and grapes. Service is excellent. Very romantic or just a place to meet with friends so you can actually have a conversation without the loud noise or overly crowded place.
Will be back soon since its my boyfriends neighborhood! -
Review from Cris M.
Port Jefferson Station, NY
1/1/2012
Wine was good. Good attentive service. A few weirdo regulars that tend to be loud were a bit of a turn off.
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Review from Rahul K.
New York, NY
11/5/2011
Good spot with solid food. Vibe downstairs is a little odd with the mirrored walls and layout, but main floor is comfortable and great for getting small plates and a few drinks with a few friends or date.
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Review from Paul C.
New York, NY
5/11/2011
Classy alternative to the Irish bars in Turtle Bay.
After having walked by a few times, the girlfriend and I decided to go in one day after work. What we found was a delightful little wine bar that is free of pretense and a calm, civilized place to have a drink. Our bartendar was an easygoing guy who was welcoming and helpful.
The wine list is composed mostly of familiar and accessible grapes with the occasional random varietal. We had one of the happy hour specials, which was a pretty decent sangiovese. We also shared a cheese and prosciutto plate which was also good if a tad on the small side.
A note to the fellas - as one would expect, La Cava is mostly filled with groups of 20- and 30-something single women talking about... whatever it is they talk about at wine bars. So if you're on the prowl... -
Review from Ryan N.
Addison, TX
9/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
A gem on the Eastside. Dudes, you probably won't like it, so don't go. Ladies, this place is amazing. Always have had great service and it keeps me coming back.
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Review from Divya M.
Manhattan, NY
9/12/2011
I am so happy that they are opening more wine bars in midtown east!! This place is pretty good. I went here on a random week night and ordered some bar snacks and a half caraff of wine (with someone, not alone....). The meat and cheese plate was great - good quality meats, cheeses and jams. Also, the wine was great. A little on the pricey side - but well worth it.
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Review from Jessica O.
Washington, DC
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cute little midtown wine bar with good wine and cheese!
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Review from Sean F.
New York, NY
1/4/2011
This place is very good!
The wine selection isn't EXACTLY what it says on the list so don't go by what it says on the menu. This I can forgive because I know it's hard to keep up. Besides, the selections were mostly pretty good stuff. ALways ask what they have that isn't listed because they might have some REALLY good stuff. For instance, they had Franciscan Cab by the glass but I had to ask what else they had that wasn't on the list. In this situation I would much rather have asked than have the guy try to sell me on it. He knew I knew my stuff and let me make my choice.
The cheese plate was okay. Two out of three of them were good, extraordinarily thin and the last was about the most generic goat cheese there is, so generic I didn't realize it had a name even. It was the type of goat cheese they give you at two-bit diners. There are great artisanal goat cheeses available from purveyors all over the city- they could've done better than that.
Service was excellent although I didn't really get to test their knowledge. They were extremely personable.
Things that could improve: Some more adventurous and more crafted wines as opposed to regions recognizable by amateurs (if it's good people will drink it no matter where it's from) and the cheese plate (obviously).
Strong points: Pretty much everything else. Really beautiful stained wood interior with nice leather seats, very personable staff.
I'll be back. Definitely the best place of its kind in the area. Nice to know I don't absolutely have to go to a completely different part of the city to get quality stuff, finally. -
Review from Sylvia M.
Torrance, CA
3/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great atmosphere, nice selection of small plates and salads. Good wines by the glass. Waiter was super nice.
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Review from douglas B.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2011
I LOVE WINE. That is all you need to know about me while reading this review. Having needed wine I was very happy to run into La Cava on a trip uptown. We only had small plates and wine but If you are in this area and you want wine, you cannot go wrong!
