Palo Cortado

1 star for coming all the way here only to find that it’s closed. Another eatery has set up shop here. Why wasn’t this mentioned? Oh well… went 2 doors down to eat instead.

I almost had a heart attack when I could not find you! However, you still exist, some of the best «dates» with my bf here for several years! You guys never disappoint!

Is this place still open? Is the location on the map correct? I tried to go four months ago bc I had an amazing meal here a year ago and we couldn’t find it! :-(

Great food, great atmosphere, great staff, great place.

Just back from Spain, we thought to keep the culinary groove going. Not quite.
Frankly, I don’t think Spaniards would recognize this as their own cuisine. Not that it wasn’t decent; just don’t expect authenticity.
I had the house paella, which was edible, but ranked in approximately the 30 percentile of paellas I’ve eaten over the years. The sea bass was ok, but can make the same or better at home.
The sangria was interesting – again not authentic – but drinkable.
Nice deviled eggs as a starter.
They do have an excellent selection of sherries including Pedro Ximinez, a personal favorite.
Way too much time between the appetizer and the entrée — well over half an hour.
Serviceable, but a bit sad that Bklyn can’t muster better Spanish food.

Initially my cousin and I wanted to go to Buttermilk Channel, but with a one-​hour wait-​time, we decided to go to Palo Cortado instead!
The décor was lovely, with a bohemian accent! With exposed brick wall, soft lighting and a very high decorative ceiling, I thought I would surely like this place. But after being seated, I started to notice how slow their service was, despite the lack of costumers in the restaurant.
However what made it worse was when I started to see flies looming around my table after being seated. Let’s just say, I was a bit disgusted. If it was summer, I might have waved my hand and excused them for having flies, but it was cold and it was raining outside when I was there, so that just told me their flies were hatched inside the restaurant! Uggggh!!!
Personally, I would have left but since my cousin was hungry and she is also a whining teenager, I decided to stay even though my gut told me to run the other way.
To be honest, their food was okay and it wasn’t entirely bad. We both shared their mushroom paella with a sunny side fried egg on top and a very small pot of mussels and clams that were cooked in onions and wine. When we asked for extra bread to dip into the broth, they apologized and said they ran out of it. I don’t know about you, but that just sounds dumb! More so, when I ordered coffee, I asked for half/​half and they also told me that they don’t carry that at all!
At that point, it just became apparent to me that this restaurant doesn’t really care how to run a business. My bill rounded out to a total of $ 32 and yet, both my cousin and I left feeling unsatisfied!

This place was excellent. My friend and I went on a Sunday night so it was relatively quiet and our server was really attentive.
Sangria Blanca: I loved this! The cucumber was really refreshing (and I don’t even like cucumbers!) and the cool presentation was a nice touch. They pour the sangria from a tiny carafe into your ice-​filled glass tableside but there’s still so much left in the carafe for a second glass. Totally worth it.
Mixed nuts: I didn’t hate it but it didn’t taste really special to me.
Octopus: This was my friend’s favorite dish. Loved the fried potatoes because I used them to try and soak up as much of the pimenton vinaigrette as possible.
Chorizo puffs (?): I can’t remember if that’s what it was. They were these fluffy little fritters that came with a spicy mayo-​type sauce. So, so, so good!
Fried chickpeas: I’d never had fried chickpeas before but I definitely need to learn how to make this. It was so good and had the perfect lime kick.
Anchovy crostini: My favorite dish of the night! I would eat this as a main course if I could.
I’m definitely making a trip back here!

been bookmarked for over a year and finally came through…
first disappointment, we couldn’t understand the wine list and the waitress didn’t know, can’t blame her, she did offer us tiny wine glasses sample (so cute !) but the outcome was blehhh… so no bottle poppin’ for us. we went for the sangria which was delicious!
tapa style food including tapa sized entrée. however i was grateful, cuz I could now to attempt to clean off a plate.
the fried corn was great with its marrow butter. what is that tho? marrow… butter…marrow & butter…
but besides the butter being the BOMBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBt, i wouldn’t come back just for the corn.
sucks cuz i’m stuck on a CORN CORN CORN CORN pheen faze.
had the paella entrée and the steak with the dude.
was good. paella was weak and soggy
steak was yummy. potatoes fried to its perfect crisp.
thankful for the nice and long anticipated dine here…
but overall,
can’t say i was too fond of this joint.

I would really like to give this place more stars. However, the cons outweigh the pros. My husband and I have dined here twice. The first time was couple of years ago when they first opened. I can’t remember the food, but I do remember that we thought they were decent. We ended up forgetting this place until last night. We were in the mood for Spanish food. When I did a search, this came up. So we decided to give it another go.
The waitress was really nice, and attentive, always refilling my water glass, and checking up on us. I ordered the paella de verduras (I don’t eat shellfish), and my husband ordered the standard paella. We also opted to split the patatas bravas, and a glass of their special white wine (I can’t remember what it was).
So here’s the problem– each plate was so small, that frankly, they should have all been under the tapas section. The patatas bravas were appetizers, and they were ok, but not great. The portion size was fine for the price and the fact that they were actually appetizers. The paella however, was so small, that it was ridiculous. This was my first time having any kind of paella. I have always wanted to try it, but as I said before, I don’t eat shellfish. So, I thought it was really smart of the chef to create a paella that didn’t have pork or shellfish in the dish. It was flavorful, and texturally very nice. But it took me less than 5 minutes to finish it. And if you’re going to charge $ 16 for vegetarian rice, you had better make it a heaping portion. My husband was charged $ 19 for the standard paella, and it was the same size. This was a shallow bowl. We’ve eaten at several Spanish restaurants, and my husband is Spanish. We know what these dishes should look like. The price for the size was utterly criminal, and disappointing.
Then, we decided on dessert because we just weren’t even close to full. Now, I personally wanted to go to the chocolate room for some sorbet or their butterscotch custard, but we thought we would see what they had to offer. We opted to share the dulce de leche. We figured there would be enough. Well, we’re stupid, and didn’t learn our lesson from dinner. The dulce de leche came out in a ramekin that ketchup or dressing would normally come in. Are you kidding? $ 6 for dessert, and it’s barely big enough to hold enough ketchup for a serving of fries? To top it off, it was just ok. It was nice, and the sea salt gave it a nice kick, but not worth it by far. Should have gone elsewhere for dessert.
Then the end of our meal comes. We were sitting just below the air conditioner. As if getting ripped off wasn’t bad enough, the air conditioner decides to puke water all over my husband. Did we get an a napkin to clean up? No. Did we get a sincere apology? No. An offer for a glass of wine on the house, maybe dessert? No. Now, I don’t expect the moon and stars to be hung for us, but some reasonable embarrassment would have been appropriate. It just kept spitting up on my husband. We paid, and ran off.
So, that pretty much seals it for us. Way too expensive for such tiny portions. Food is good, but not stellar. Service is ok. They don’t seem to care much if you get covered with air conditioner water a la nickelodeon gak.

I had such a great experience at Palo Cortado from the food to the service to the drinks — all excellent.
I tried their patatas bravas, shishito peppers appetizer, octopus appetizer, ceviche, Palo Cortado paella, and their steak with chimichurri sauce. Everything was delicious. And their sangria was great, too.
I can’t wait to come back!

I came here for Brooklyn restaurant week and it was surprisingly empty.
I forgot what we ordered, but I do remember the waiter being immensely helpful. IT’s a shame this place is cash only, or he would’ve gotten a bigger tip. And the red sangria was one of the best I’ve had in my time of going out.

I’m so glad I found Palo Cortado. Honestly hands down this is my favorite Spanish tapas joint in NYC. It’s a lot to say, given the fact that I fell in love with the food & tapas when I was in Spain for two weeks last year. I searched everywhere in Manhattan, hoping to find a similar place to satisfy both my appetite and nostalgia. I especially love the fact that Palo Cortado takes you back into Spain and is not one of those typical pretentious Spanish tapas restaurants in Manhattan.
The pulpo a la gallega (grilled octopus with fingerling potatoes) is so divine and made to perfection. It is fresh and prepared with simple ingredients, just like Spanish cuisine. Their patatas bravas is honestly the closest you can get to Spain’s. I cannot tell you how many times other places have messed this up or came up with different renditions.
The paella palo cortado (seafood blend) was also good and the rice had a good consistency and texture. It was cooked just about right — not overcooked like most places do. Obviously I cannot and it is not fair for me to compare it to the paella in Valencia, hometown of paella. Although I would like to see their rendition of paella valenciana!
Even though it is a drive for me to get here from Park Slope, I see myself visiting this place pretty often. I highly recommend this place, especially if you just came back from Spain and yearning for the gastronomic experience.

First outing as a married couple. Couldn’t have picked a better place. The cold breezy night rendered the restaurant virtually ours.
Very romantic setting. I loved their mango red sangria! Appreciated that it came with an lil extra on the side in a carafe.
Appetizer: Ensalada Palo Cortado and Empanadas stuffed with flank steak. Salad won over the empanadas, which needed more flavor in my opinion but was easily be shared by 2 people. Both dishes were nicely presented, great to start with.
As entrees, I had the paella palo cortado while my hubby had the marinated skirt steak. Both very satisfying dishes. Had enough paella for lunch the next day.
Finished with Datiles Borrachos (dates topped with sherry vanilla yogurt mousse & roasted almonds) & my favorite Tartade Santiago (Galician almond tart w/​blood orange mousse).
Overall, I had a lovely dining experience. Would certainly return for future dishes.

Warm, pretty little tapas place, brick-​walled and candle-​lit, dominated by a comfortable bar with several tables up front and a few in the back. We dined here on a very quiet Monday night. Friendly wait staff.
Libations on offer include Spanish wines and sherries, cocktails made with these, house white and red sangria, and several tap and bottled beers. I sampled the white sangria, a very different version than what I’d tried elsewhere before; it was good with a strong melon component, but lighter on wine than I prefer.
The food arrived beautifully presented. We selected mostly from the tapas and small plate offerings, but there are also several entrees. Crisp and lightly fried, the petite croquetas encasing goat cheese and truffle honey was the universal favorite and a highlight. Otherwise, I found most of the rest to be solid, decently made, but not exceptional. These include the balacao and salsa verde croquets, lamb albondigas, empanadas, tortilla a la Cazadora, and paella Palo Cortado. We also ordered the smaller charcuterie platter, choosing from 6 selections of 3 cheese, 3 cured meats. Jamon iberico is always delicious, fuet and murcia al vino interesting. Portions are small but, as you should do with tapas, offers a taste to everyone in a small group.
If you’re looking for a tapas place in Carroll Gardens, Palo Cortado is an excellent choice, with lovely ambience and good service. I don’t consider the food destination-​worthy by itself. Amex and cash only.

If you are looking for delicious tapas, full of flavor, and finger-​licking good, THIS IS YOUR PLACE! My husband and I stumbled into this restaurant early on a Saturday night in January. We have been back several times and have loved every single bite.
First of all, order a glass of Sangria (they give you much more than a «glass» and it’s divine). Trust me. The first time we went we sat at the bar and craned our necks to watch the chef do his magic. He is literally in the corner preparing each dish by himself with something that resembles some sort of hot plate. Don’t let that scare you though; this man knows what he is doing.
Some of our favorite dishes: octopus with fingerling potatoes, spiced lamb meatballs, charcuterie plate (with iberico ham). If you don’t eat yourself into oblivion, then try the churros with a dark chocolate dipping sauce. Scrumptious! This is a nice, quiet date night place though, so don’t bring a pack of people with you. Also, the chef can get kind of backed up at times since he’s doing most of the work by himself so my advice is to either go early or go late (or go on a Sunday night).

The décor at Palo Cortado was visually pleasing, and our server was excellent, but I found the food to be too expensive and the portions too small. We tried the crudo, which had good quality raw fluke, and refreshing red grapefruit, chilies, radish, and mint. The empanadas with flank steak and Tetilla cheese were fresh, hot, and tasty, and the avocado crème fraîche dipping sauce was spot-​on. I was particularly disappointed with the Tortilla a la Cazadora, which consisted of a slim slice of a mushroom and potato omelet with roasted Poblana crème fraîche. Every other time I’ve ordered this dish at a tapas place, it has consisted of an entire omelet/​tortilla, not a slice of one. Here, It fell under the «Pinchos» category, which apparently refers to pieces served on toothpicks in Spain, so perhaps a smaller size was supposed to be implied. For my plato principal, I tried Paella Palo Cortado with shrimp, mussels, manila clams, chorizo, which was pretty standard. It definitely had saffron in it, but I’m not sure if the rice was bomba rice. I also tried two types of Sangrias: the
Sangria Rosa with watermelon, strawberry, manzanillo barbadilla, and Illurce Garnacha Rosa, and the Sangria Tinta with mango, peach, Carpano-​Antica Formula, and Roureda Garnacha-​Tempranillo. The latter was a better choice, and the drinks were more generous here than the food, but I wish they would offer the more economical pitchers.

This place has been on my radar for a few months, but rarely do I find myself in this part of town. It is hard to get to by subway, with only the F and G servicing this area. But when fellow Brooklynites wanted to meet up for dinner, I suggested this place. Also, it is rare to find a tapas joint in Carroll Gardens. So I was naturally intrigued.
My dining companions were already seated and enjoying wine and sangria when I arrived. They were sitting at a table near the front. The doors open up onto the street and it was a beautiful night to dine with alfresco.
After eyeing my dinner companion’s rose sangria with much curiosity, I also ordered a rose sangria which had a hint of watermelon flavor, garnished with mint and a piece of dried guava. It was a bit sweet for my liking but still refreshing. Next up, I ordered a cava cocktail. It really wasn’t a cocktail, just a glass of cava. Not sure if the waitress got my order right. But either way, cava is cava is cava.
The menu consists of tapas but also main entrees. For tapas, we tried the empanadas, the crudo, and tortilla. The tortilla was a sliver of a slice, and one of my dining companions complained it was not enough. I would have to agree. It was a small slice, but I am not a big fan of tortilla, so it didn’t really bother me. The crudo was raw fluke, with grapefruit marinated in lemon juice. Tasty, light and refreshing. I could have just eaten this all night. The empanadas were large and I was happy with the filling. Not the best empanadas this side of the Atlantic. But if you want good empanadas, go to Bogota in Park Slope.
After sharing the tapas, we were all still hungry, so we ordered main entrees. Both of my dining companions had the paella. I opted for the lenguado, which was basically the paella minus the rice. I am not a big rice fan, so this dish worked nicely for me. It was made with fluke, mussels, chorizo, and some potatoes. It was filling and tasty.
We decided to skip on dessert and have a drink elsewhere. This place is romantic and nice for alfresco dining. There was no wait and the food was decent. The waitress was extremely nice with a mesmerizing smile. But with so many good tapas places in NYC, I doubt I will be back here. And for 3 people, the bill came to $ 150. Pricey without the quality.
Take note: only AMEX and cash only.

SOOOO GOOD!!!
This place is a long time coming in Carroll Gardens. I have never had anything I didn’t like but I have to give a specific shout out to the chicken stuffed peppers. Mouthwatering. The wine list is good and the bartender is knowledgeable about the bottles he has (very important in my book). The waitstaff is friendly and the service is just the right combo of attentive and not hovering. I suggest the white sangria on a warm summer night. They put their own twist on it and it works.
One thing to remember, this IS a tapas place. Be prepared to spend some money to fill up your belly. The bill can add up really quick! I have to disagree with the posters that complained about the size of the dishes though. While they are tiny (and absolutely smaller that you would get in spain), you are most likely never going to see a true spanish tapas place in NYC. It’s kind of like complaining about wine prices because they are so much cheaper in Europe. That is just the downfall of NYC. But compared to the other NYC tapas places, this place is great! I highly recommend it if you’re in the area!

I had been wanting to try this place out for a while, and when the wait at Buttermilk Channel turned out to be 1 ½ hours, we decided to come in for some wine and grub.
The menu is very small, all tapas, and we basically ordered one of everything for our party of 4. With 2 big boys, it would have been nice to be told that each order was pretty small, and we might want multiples (like 4 orders of meatballs… not one). The food itself was not very special-​basically run of the mills tapas. Nothing stood out as particularly delicious, though I love love love pan con tomate.
The service was s.l.o.w. and not terribly attentive. The tables were awkward and not very comfortable.
After dining for about an 1 ½ hours… we headed back over to Buttermilk Channel and split a couple of orders of fried chix! Heaven!

I have been waiting for this place to open for a while and I finally went in last night. It exceeded all of my expectations! It’s a beautiful space, warm and inviting. The wine list is exceptional with great choices by the glass and the bottle as well as a nice sherry selection. There is something for everyone’s budget.
Though they market it as a wine bar, the menu of small plates is not to be missed. Everything is made to order by their chef. We started with the meat & cheese plate. All I have to say is Iberico jam, ammazzzing. We also tried the potatoes brava, stuffed peppers, anchovies and meat balls. We finished with warm homemade churros served with chocolate sauce and some sherry. Everything was incredible.
The staff is so friendly and helpful. Great place for a date, night out with the girls etc. I can’t wait to go back!