Yerba Buena

By far my absolute favorite restaurant in NYC. Not only is the entire menu superbly delicious, but the owner, the manager, the bar tender and the staff could not possibly be nicer or more accommodating. If you have not been there, you truly are doing yourself an injustice and are missing out on an amazing culinary experience!
If I could give this place a 10 star I would not even hesitate.

Using up characters by saying I’m going to run out of characters. The eternal struggle. That’s the only negativity you’ll hear from me in this review, though. Yerba Buena has been on my list for ages before I finally dined here on Thursday night. So my expectations were very high. Usually that doesn’t work out so well for me, but not the case here. The cocktails were superb, the food was even better, and the service was on another level. This place is all kinds of fabulous.
YB is located in one of the hotter areas of the city – straddles the LES and the East Village in the most platonic way. A friend and I made reservations because the space itself, though lovely, is pretty small. Though the place was filled with parties of friends on this particular night, I’d say it’s just as viable for a date spot – especially if you decide to dine tapas-​style. Despite YB being a smaller restaurant, they happily accommodate larger groups. We were very surprised to find a group of maybe 12 guys celebrating someone’s birthday. Surprising, because how many guys do you know that can successfully rally ALL of the troops for a birthday dinner at a fun restaurant? Maybe I’m ignorant, but my friend was just as intrigued as I was. Anyway.
Though the prices at YB are pretty typical for Spanish spots, the hospitality and décor here are that of a much nicer restaurant. Everything is beautifully polished and refined, which was a pleasant surprise. Being the twentysomethings that we are, we were totally floored when several members of the waitstaff promptly offered to remove our jackets as we sat down. Not mad at it. As it turns out, we got double the love, because we had to switch tables soon after getting settled at our table. The host told us that he needed our space for a party of four but that he’d seat us in a booth right away. As we swapped, he told us that we shouldn’t worry, for he’d personally take care of us for the rest of the night. And this didn’t seem forced or overkill or anything like that. The dude was just all kinds of classy. When words like «decorum» and «etiquette» are thrown around, well, this was that.
Onto the drinks. I had the Poquito Picante (gin + jalapeño + cilantro + cucumber + combier + fresh lemon juice) and the Desert Rose (rose infused gin + prickly pear purée + lemon juice). The Poquito Picante, though not as aesthetically pleasing as the Desert Rose, is my ideal cocktail. If you’ve read my other cocktail reviews, you know that spicy cocktails are my jam (do people still say that?). This drink is thoughtful, creative, well-​balanced and supremely satisfying. It’s apparently their most popular drink, which doesn’t surprise me one bit (sorry, I think I’ve used that word a lot in this review). The Desert Rose pretty much tastes like you’re drinking a posh English garden, minus the dirt. It’s not bad, but I’d pass on it if I got a do-​over. Still appreciate the creativity though.
Our food damage was as follows:
Hojas de Salmon (black truffle vinaigrette, quinoa, green onion-​jalapeño salsa, yuzu): A
The black truffle vinaigrette sold us. This was the perfect dish to start off our meal. Light but plenty flavorful, texturally interesting and more conducive to sharing than some of the over options.
Chicharron de Calamar (blue corn meal-​crusted calamari, sweet plantains, tamarind vinaigrette): A+
I don’t order calamari when I’m out unless there’s some kind of twist. In my opinion, there’s always something more interesting to order. Whoever decided to experiment with ways to bread calamari hit the jackpot with this one. The blue corn meal added fantastic flavor and texture which made for one of the best calamari dishes I’ve ever had. Both the calamari and the plantains are dressed in equally tasty tamarind vinaigrette. For those wary about trying ceviche but are craving seafood, this is your baby.
Brisket tacos (chipotle braised brisket, corn tortillas, avocado, chipotle salsa): A+
What could be bad? Look at the ingredients and it’s pretty damn obvious how drool-​worthy these babies are. Sure, it’s not the most creative dish on the menu, but who needs creative when you have perfectly-​braised brisket, avo AND all the chipotle. Come on friends, make the right move.
Toro Taquitos (tuna tartar, peanut butter aioli, chile de arbol, cilantro chimichurri): A+
For whatever reason, I didn’t expect these to come in «taco» form, despite the name. If you’re hesitant to order to ceviche dishes, this is nothing like any ceviche you’ve have before. You get three thin, crispy tacos filled with all the fixin’s here. They pair peanut butter and tuna in two dishes here, a venture I’m in full support of. Somehow it works. These are fresh, rich, herbaceous and satisfying. Seriously yum.
$ 100 bill. Standard for tapas in NYC.
As we were in the process of paying, the host approached us with two champagne flutes and poured us each a glass for a complimentary toast.
«I told you I’d take care of you,» he said.
Mic drop.

Great place ! I been here already 3 times .It use to be my favorite restaurant but not anymore .The food is great but I did realize they did get lazy. Before they had yuca balls now they serve regular fried yuca that are dry. The pork dish use to be shredded now they just give you a big piece of pork. But there drinks are great. I Recommend there flan and church’s for dessert .Also remember call to make reservations, the wait time will be long if you don’t plan ahead.

I have to say that Yueba Buena service was excellent. Hands down! I purchase a groupon for 25%. The groupon was for the location on Perry street. The manager honored the groupon for me. The food and the drinks were excellent. Loved the Pisco Punch. Overall I will be visiting this establishment again.

In short, make reservations for an hour of bottomless booze for brunch.
The drinks were top-​notch (and prepared by a gorgeous bartender to boot). My party of four especially liked the YB cocktail, their mojito.
The food was marginally palatable, though I think it works in Yerba Buena’s favor that alcohol makes food taste good. I ordered the fish tacos, which were great but about ¹⁄₃ the size of an average taco.
Service was attentive and friendly, but they seemed frazzled from all the bustle in the restaurant. It’s par for the course, though, for this kind of brunch.

Aside from waiting 40min for our food, it was all worth it. So flavorful and the staff was accommodating. Such a great experience!
Their cocktails are so good! I highly recommend the DESERT ROSE. I think I had 4 of those. boom!

If you’re looking for a chill and tasty brunch spot in Manhattan, Yerba Buena is a perfect choice. I recently came here with some out of town friends and we had a blast.
The ambiance is chic and modern. All the options on the menu are delicious. I had the Steak «a Caballo» which was beef short ribs, fried eggs, congri, salsa criolla. We shared some apps like guac and civiche too. You can opt to do the all you can drink, and once you finish one glass, they bring another over. Service was great and the food delicious. The wait can be long because it’s an awesome value for delicious drinks and food for a Manhattan weekend brunch. Will come again, had a fabulous experience here.

I came here on a friend’s suggestion and I was not disappointed!
The food and drinks are absolutely fantastic! I don’t think there is a bad thing on the menu. The drinks are fantastic too. The bartenders like to be creative and have fun with what they do.
The service was slow, but the staff was friendly and accommodating and sent us free chips and guac to compensate.
I’m looking forward to returning to explore more of the menu. I definitely recommend it. Make reservations though. It’s small and looks like it fills up very quickly.

Wow def the best service I’ve had in NYC brunch history. Great food. They always refilling the drinks for bottomless. They even help you take off your coat and hang up your stuff? Amazing.
Pan dulce came out smaller than I imagined. The tres arepas were good! The margaritas were def the strongest of the bunch. The pineapple sangria was so delicious!
Would def come here again.

What a night! I was at Yerba Buena with a fairly large party for a friend’s birthday, and the management and waitstaff there made sure the night was special. Every part of the experience outstanding, and I cannot wait for my return.
For myself, I had the guacamole, empanadas, and brisket tacos. All three were very good. The guacamole was notable for its incorporation of smoked whitefish, which added a layer of flavor that elevated the mashed avocado to better than any guacamole I’ve had before. The empanadas, while vegetarian, were equally delicious. The spinach, mushrooms, and manchego cheese combined to explode in flavor. The tacos were not quite as notable as the other two dishes, but still decent.
Never one to dismiss good service, the manager and waiters were both phenomenal. The manager was very visible between the tables, not only gracious during the process of getting us seated but also sticking around to thank us for coming in when we left well past closing time. Similarly, our waiter forbade us to pour our own wine, and even helped us with our coats. That is what I call going the extra mile, and I will be back as soon as I can.

What a lovely little restaurant!
Each dish we had was a creatively delicious take on traditional Latin cuisine. We weren’t that hungry so we had the guacamole, the trio of fries, tacos de costilla, and tacos de pescado, We were surprised at how special each item was. Then for dessert we had the amazing flan and the tre leches.
The service was gentle, attentive, and warmly friendly.
There were at least 3 birthday groups when we were there so it can get rather loud with all the whooping and raucous laughter but it makes for a fun atmosphere nonetheless.
Tip: This is an expensive place which could easily run to over $ 200 with dinner and drinks for two.

Utterly. Amazing. Experience.
We made 6pm reservations on a Friday night and we were seated immediately. We were placed at the «presidential table» (nicknamed by the staff, ask about the story) which is the best seat in the house because you have a view of everything and everyone. :)
Once seated, we were greeted by the amazing David. He was informative, extremely friendly and hysterical. We laughed with him our entire dinner. 5 stars alone just for him. However, the rest of the staff was just as spectacular. The manager, Angel, also checked in on us through out the night and that was highly appreciated.
We started with cocktails and anyone who knows me, knows I am a sucker for a jalapeño cocktail and Yerba’s did not fail me. It was refreshing with the right amount of sweetness and spice.
Now, for the food. O.M.G. Why did I wait so long to eat here? We started off with the guacamole which was very tasty but definitely on the small side (but then again, guac is my weakness and I will kill a huge bowl alone). Next we had the chicharrón de Calamari with maduros mixed in… where has this been all my life?! Lastly, we ordered the black cod to spilt as David said it was his favorite… he did not let us down. It was simply delicious.
We ended the meal with a bottle of wine and the churros and dulce de leche crepes. Yum.
This was the perfect dinner.

Y B here? bc the dinner & brunch at Yerba Buena (YB) are excellent. seewhatididthere
anyway, i’ve been to Yerba Buena a few times for dinner. the food and drinks are excellent as the influences for edibles and imbibe-​ables stretch over areas of Latin America and are executed with flavor, style, and authenticity.
however my review is focused on brunch which i had finally had here a week ago and was just as excellent. DO THE BRUNCH HERE.
PRO TIP: make reservations for BRUNCH. walkins can work, but you’re rolling the dice on a wait. and YB can get crowded during prime brunch/​drunch hours.
a medium sized space. fairly well-​lit without being too bright. as you walking, there’s a bar flush to the left. host station too the right. past both are banquette seating options on the left and a variety of tables squeeze to the right. the restaurant seems like it will be a tight fit, but everything ends up being well-​spaced out – you’ll be close to your fellow dining neighbors w/​o being crammed into their table or conversations. the style is modern Latin from the accents, to the hued colors to the inset mirrors to the general vibe. nothing kitschy or over-the-top…from the tables to the settings. classy. a lil trendy. and an air of casual comfort.
the restaurant works for dates and date night (brunch), birthdays, group eats, biz meals, or family that wants to explore Latin cuisine. a nice amount of flex in this restaurant. my only pet peeve was paper napkins at brunch which came off a lil «cheap» looking (at dinner, they got cloth ones), but other than that… visually YB works for me at brunch (and obvi at dinner)
brunch apps: get the GUAC. it’s chunky. well seasoned. and very crunchy-​munchy for two people. it’s not a huge portion, so it will not ruin your appetite for your entry into entrees lol. seriously though do the guacamole. also it’s a nice bridge from boozy cocktail to your main eats.
brunch entrees are all under $ 15 buck: do the «steak a caballo» — short ribs. yolky eggs. much savor and flavor. no filler. and spiced just right. also the «tres arepas» are mini mouthfuls of deliciousness – you get three different arepas filled with 1) pork belly n eggs, chickn n eggs, and short ribs n eggs. HIGH FIVE to the kitchen and chef… a perfect amount of food to fill your belly, bring a smile to your face, and complements the booze offerings nicely.
brunch draaaanks aka drunch: for about $ 14-​$ 15, you get an unlimited hour of sangria, margaritas, and mimosas. the booze pours are strong and yet artfully mixed. the sangria has the sweet sting of wine and fruits whereas the margaritas have a strong pour and punch. the mimosas are a great way to toast the the start of the meal. the bar folks here know what they are doing – trust in their potions that are «top shelf» not «bottom well“‘
service? stellar. friendly. gracious. and helpful. WARNING, the service will be a lil slower during the brunch crunch hours. HUGE points to the staff for quick speed in correcting anything you think is off.
PRO TIP: be patient and be ready to order Guac and drinks once seated by the staff. then order your entrees once you get your draaaaanks. trust me.
drops mic bc there’s no need to shout here HA
i out.
zzz

What a well run establishment. To say the service tonight was exemplary would be an understatement. The staff here is EXTREMELY Welcoming/​accommodating/​attentive/​personable. Ever person that works here makes it a point acknowledge you and make sure that all your needs were met. Yerba Buena is a small spot in LES that specializes in Latin fare. They do one thing and they do it well.
I started wth the yucca y tostones appetizer. I wasn’t impressed with this. It could have used a touch of garlic/​salt. Not bad but average as far as yucca/​plantains go. For the main I had the paella. The paella was very good. The rice was fresh and soft like I like it. Alot of places over cook the rice in the paella. This dish was loaded with clams, mussels, shrimp and octopus. They weren’t cheap with the seafood. The rice was seasoned nicely. Flavorful dish, I had no urge to add salt. For desert I had the tres leche cake. This was a great rendition of the classic Latin desert. The cake was saturated in that signature milky mixture that you would expect and garnished with strawberries. Perfect end to my meal.
I’m giving Yerba Buena 5 stars. Usually would deduct a qstar because the appetizer was average but the service I received more than compensates for that. This is a business that understand how their service can make or break them. That understanding is rare these days. Yerba Buena is a nice addition to the area, LES was missing a classy Latin spot.

Yerba Buena is an excellent choice for brunch. It’s a hole in the wall but once you enter, the restaurant is beautiful, trendy, and definitely a spot that I would like to revisit.
The staff was phenomenal. Our server Jose was the most gracious, attentive gentleman I’ve seen in a long long time. He was a full 10, all the stars for him!
Overall, the food was QUALITY. Six of us came for Saturday brunch. I ordered the steak «a caballo» my friend ordered the tres arepas and we shared. Both were delicious, very flavorful, beautifully presented, and perfectly portioned.
Now the most important part — the brunch cocktails were so so good and STRONG. First I tried the passion fruit margarita and then the pineapple sangria. Delicious and our glasses were constantly being refilled. You have the option to do bottomless drinks or buy them a la carte.
My only complaint about the food was that the guacamole was ~extremely underwhelming~ Lacked any flavor, or salt even and the portion was painfully small. Not worth it.
Another thing to note is how jam packed the place is. I’ve never seen tables and chairs situated so close to each other. If you’re a big person, you may feel uncomfortably close to others around you. However, the quality of food/​service/​rest of the ambiance far outweighs this factor.
ALSO — the menu says «american express only» but they do take visa and mastercard… but will only take a max of 3 cards… why? I guess just something to be aware of if you’re coming with a group.
Despite the complaints, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Yerba Buena and hope to find myself here again for brunch or dinner.

Service! Service! Service! PHENOMENAL!
I had dinner here on my birthday and was extremely impressed with the hospitality and excellent service. We had 8:30pm reservations on a Friday night. It was busy but we were seated promptly. Two managers literally stand around all night making sure everything is running smoothly. They checked on us several times, shook our hands when we left and helped me put my coat on. You feel like royalty and it was greatly appreciated.
As an appetizer, we had the Jalapeño Manchego Croquetas. Delish! As entrees, my boyfriend and I both had Paella ($ 24 each). Excellent portion and tons of seafood. The cocktails average $ 14 (not cheap but crafty and tasty). The Whiskey Smash drink was excellent. My boyfriend secretly alerted the staff that it was my birthday and I was surprised with a flan dessert that had a huge sparkler and the waiters all sang happy birthday. It was awesome I can’t wait to go back! They made me feel very special. Thumbs wayyyyyy up!

Came here for Sunday brunch and just WOW.
These 5 stars are for both the impeccable service as well as the food. We walked in without thinking to call because we were exploring the city and there were 11 people in our party. We asked how long the wait was (and expected it to be long because of the reviews and the place is smallish) but the manager was so kind and accommodating. He pushed the tables together and let us know he will accommodate us as long as we are finished by 2 as there are other reservations (it was around 12:30 so this was totally reasonable).
One of my friends just COULDN’T live without watching the Eagles game and the restaurant even tried to put it on the TV but I guess they didn’t have the channels so they let him pull out his laptop and live stream it despite the tight space and all and even conversed with him about the progress of the game. At this point I was thinking there must be something wrong with the food because they were being a bit too nice and we all also looked kinda like bums lol…
The food was incredible, I got the steak and eggs with a yummy salad and it was only $ 14 — amazing for such delicious flavor, meat, and for a high rated NYC restaurant!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED — Thank you Yerba Buena for helping to make our New York trip easy and enjoyable!

Lively enough for a group of people yet romantic and intimate for couples. It’s usually hard to get those two together, but this place gets it right. The lights are dim, music plays in the background and the drinks are flowing. ⁵⁄₅ for ambiance.
I went with a large group and we shared a few dishes. Here’s the breakdown:
Cheese croquettes: (6 – 8 per order)
Delicious crispy cheese balls served with a spicy green dipping sauce.
Coffee glazed pork belly arepas: (2 per order)
My favorite dish, hands down. Deliciously tender pork in a crispy corn arepa presented as a sandwich. The coffee flavor is very subtle, but the pork was soo good. The two per order were actually a good size, you can slice them in half and share with 4 people.
Spicy lobster tacos: (2 per order)
Light and refreshing with a spicy kick. So good!
Ceviche: (served in a small bowl)
Can’t remember which one this was but it had peanuts and a vinegar slaw in it. This was pretty good — maybe a little heavy on the vinegar.
Dishes I wasn’t too fond of:
Calamari: Too rubbery and had no flavor.
Cod entrée: The cod was actually too tender and it was sitting on a bed of inedible kale. The corn was the only other thing in this dish and even then it was a minimal amount and did nothing for the overall meal. This dish came HIGHLY recommended from the waiter — to the point where half the table ordered it — so I was very disappointed.
DESSERT:
I had a pricey scoop of caramel ice cream ($ 3) that was so delicious and creamy it made me forget it was overpriced. The table shared the upside down banana bread (which also came with a scoop of caramel ice cream) — superb.
COCKTAILS:
I had my fair share of cocktails that night (don’t judge me). «La Pina» — fave drink, the coconut foam sounded weird but actually made the drink interesting and tasty. «Summer Fling» was summery and refreshing. I also had the royal passion — tastes just like a margarita.
Overall, cool spot!

One of the few bottomless mimosa brunch places in NYC! I can’t for the life of me figure out why bottomless mimosas aren’t a bigger «thing» in NYC. For my very first NYC birthday, this LA girl wanted bottomless mimosas, and Yerba Buena offered bottomless mimosas at a reasonable price without the limitation of a prix-​fixe menu.
When we arrived, we were very warmly greeted by the wonderful host and bartender. We started at the bar, as a member of our group accidentally went to the wrong location.
Bottomless mimosas were excellent and flowed at an appropriate rate.
Though the menu is somewhat limited, everything my party ordered was well-​executed and delicious, including the guacamole, tres arepas, and ceviche. The was very nontraditional but still very good.
The staff at YB made my birthday very special with a slice of cake and giant sparkler. If I end up living in NYC sometime in my life, I will definitely be coming back here for more mimosas and to sample more menu items!

So I’ve actually been here to the LES location a few times.
My boyfriend and I came here impromptu 2 weeks ago after a birthday party.
The service and the attention are wonderful here. They make you feel like a regular even if it your first time.
Here’s what we had:
— Lechon Confitado Plato –Suckling pig, sunchoke-​black truffle purée, kale-​red chiles.
Now I had this.
I usually cannot finish a plate much to my boyfriend’s delight because that means his body building, high metabolism, dancing, engineer self can have a dinner and ½. But when he asked me if I was done, I gave him a look a wolf reserves to assert dominance on those who dare to come close to their food.
Once he quickly apologized, I was able to LICK MY PLATE in peace. THANK YOU.
He on the other hand had the:
–Rib Eye Steak– 16 oz. Wine demi glaze.
Now even though he’s Ecuadorian and basically eats chicken and brown rice he finally stepped out of his comfort zone and tried this one.
He unlike me, actually shared a piece of his meal with me and it was really good. Next time I’m getting this.
Also wine is on point here.
I enjoyed (actually enjoyed) a great Malbec.