Then you are confronted with a funky, older looking but extremely hip place like Cafe Noir .....at Thompson and Grand
Cafe Noir
Categories:
Tapas Bars,
French
[Edit]
32 Grand St(between Avenue Of The Americas & Thompson St)
New York, NY 10013
Neighborhood: South Village
(212) 431-7910
- Nearest Transit Station:
- Canal St (1, 2)Canal St (A, C, E)Spring St (A, C, E)
- Hours:
- Mon-Wed, Sun 12 pm - 2 amThu 12 pm - 3 amFri-Sat 12 pm - 4 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
- $$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner, Late Night
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual, Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Julie M. said: "Travel weekly for new brunch spots that make it worth while to travel, this is one of those places. Food is always made with perfection taste is consistent and staff is always busting there ass there satisfy the customer. Good job to…" read more »
168 reviews for Cafe Noir
Review Highlights What's this?
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"Cute decor, cozy atmosphere, great sangria." In 45 reviews
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"spicy lamb meatballs - the perfect tahinni sauce accompaniment." In 7 reviews
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"Perfect to go out in SoHo afterwards." In 20 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
168 reviews in English
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Review from Irina L.
- Elite '13
- 13 friends
1/30/2013Very cool spot.
1. Go Monday night. Great live music. A flamenco / brazilian band was pretty fantastic, and later on in the night a fun eclectic banjo-vocals duo took the stage.
If you are trying to get away from the noise (while still hearing the music) - go in the back of the restaurant. You still get the full entertainment experience, but much quieter and better for talking.
2. Food was pretty fantastic as well. So were our wine and mojito.
3. Superior service with polite and knowledgeable staff that does not rush you or give you attitude when you ask questions.
I'm a fan - will definitely go back. -
Review from Anny Y.
- Elite '13
- 295 friends
4/20/2013We searched for a dinner spot on a busy saturday night. The weather was finally warming up and you see people walking around, hustling and bustling everywhere. We decided to hit Soho - Mercer Street and Spring Street. Everyone was dressed to impressed. Very chic! However, the waiting time at mercer kitchen was 1 hr 15 minute and Lure Fish waiting time was 45 minutes. No seating even at the bar. Seriously NYC is the bomb!
My friends decided on cafe noir. Being smart this time, I called to make a reservation the receiver said. "No wait at all, we will wait for you". Finally!
It was a decent crowd when we arrived with no wait. The host and server were very cordial.
Hungry by 10 pm now and we devoured the food in one shot. I like the fact there are tapas, small portions to try a little of everything. We ordered the meatball, squid, shrimp tapas and cheeseburger for dinner (a man's appetite). Pretty delicious. However, my lychee martini was so so.... More liquor than anything else. It didn't go down as I would like it to.
I think overall it was ok. -
Review from Evik J.
- Elite '13
- 26 friends
4/18/2013I was staying at the hotel across the street and was looking for something close. Through the open doors, I heard some exotic live music. I stepped in and was immediately met by a waiter who came from behind the bar to help me find a small table near the front door.
I ordered a dirty gin martini and a plate of olives. While I waited for my drink, I noticed that the only bartender continued to talk to the customer while she was NOT making my drink. After a few minutes, she began making my drink. The drink was fine, but certainly nothing special and certainly not worth the wait. The plate of olives was not as fresh or as tasty as I am used to, so I was a bit disappointed.
The best part of this place is the atmosphere. It was very hip. I really dig the vibe. The live music was absolutely awesome. My waiter was quite attentive. -
Review from Jon B.
- 9 friends
5/25/2013Love Cafe Noir. Great atmosphere. Great dj at nights. great tapas. american express only is not so great. came here often when i worked down in soho -
Review from Tom K.
- Elite '13
- 207 friends
1/20/2013The complicated interactions and conflicted cultural histories of the Mediterranean peoples could fill volumes of scholarly works. Post colonial scholars like Edward Said write of the West's long tradition of romanticizing the Middle East, perceptions that have justified imperialist land grabs.
Such intellectual worries are enough to make one wish there were a place that had...
Mojitos by the pitcher and tapas!
Cafe Noir's a tabouleh of Spanish, French and North African Maghreb influences. In pop culture talk, it's like Casablanca, the film noir classic that had a huge impact on Western attitudes towards Morocco. (Wait, there's no real Rick's Cafe in Casablanca? Let's build one to make the tourists happy.)
Anyway, the space that makes up Cafe Noir does transport you to an imaginary world of souks, bazaars and late night intrigue. The arches and geometric bathroom floor tiles, the Coca-Cola sign in Arabic, the bric-a-brac of collectibles and candlelit wooden tables exudes a very worldly vibe that I do like.
And the drinkers would be pleased to know that pitchers of mojitos, sangria and margaritas are readily available.
I was more interested in tapas and am condemned to walk this earth to try and recreate the magic of tapas in Barcelona proper.
While impossible to fully satisfy my tapaslust, Cafe Noir was surprisingly adept at presenting small plates in rapid succession.
My favorite was by far the simplest- pan tomaca or grilled bread topped with a spread of tomato, sea salt, garlic and olive oil, lovingly smushed together.
Wild mushroom gratin was also an unexpected hit, with the bechamel making everything better.
Note that most tapas orders were large enough for two to three people to share.
As for the gambas al ajillo, they featured head on shrimp, not the measly shrimp that are the size of my little toe.
Txistorra, when presented, had me thinking pigs in a blanket. But the name and the aioli had this as slightly more complicated than a CostCo/BJ's superbowl frozen apps party platter.
The boquerones were somewhat disappointing as I had hoped for the full anchovy. Instead, I was presented with a small slice atop avocado and multi-grain toast. Tasty yes but not in line with what I had hoped for.
Main courses are also available and may make sense if you don't want to fall into the money trap of tapas. With each order of tapas ranging from $5-$14, you can quickly lighten your wallet. Note that the Cafe only accepts Amex or cash; there is an ATM by the bathroom.
Service was able to accommodate a late arriving third person with minimal fuss. The staff was efficient enough without being rude (or overly friendly).
Seating could be tight if the restaurant is at capacity. By no means a portly man, I did have some extra squeezing and maneuvering to do while trying to make my way to the seat.
And no, this is not the sister restaurant of TechNoir, terminator fans...Listed in: The Yelp 100 Challenge -
Review from Tricia K.
- Elite '13
- 93 friends
1/21/2013Surprisingly authentic tapas options abound in this cozy space in this LES/Village eatery. I didn't quite understand the slight Moroccan bent (Moroccan pizza is on the menu and the decor is Arabesque) but...whatever - the gambas were a delight!
An extensive wine and cocktail menu, fast delivery of small plates and cozy atmosphere make this a relaxing spot to get snacks. -
Review from Michel K.
- 0 friends
5/15/2013Excellent food and music, I will be back
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