Insider Pages Reviews for Room 18

5 Stars: Ideal date spot! (by summer422)

summer422 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

I was pleasantly surprised when me and my bf stumbled into this hole in the wall. The wait staff was friendly and the decor was beautiful. What surprised me more was how reasonable the drink prices were! I definitely will be coming back here for some weekend pregaming and tapas!

5 Stars: Amazing food, Amazing Staff, Amazing All Around (by Citygirl67)

Citygirl67 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:00 GMT

I discovered this place on Halloween two years ago when the bar I was supposed to go to was crowded and unbearable. Walking in Room 18 was delightful. While there were a lot of party goers, the bartenders were on top of their game and the tapas we ordered were perfect. Order the Spicy Tuna Sushi Roll (so so so good)!

Ever since, I have always recommended Room 18 to friends for any occassion (holidays, a romantic dinner, a casual get together, an event for friends)!

And to the woman who commented on the roaches in one of the reviews, I am appalled! I have been there REPEATEDLY, and never witnessed one critter! The restaurant is clean and impeccable.

1 Stars: beware (by meredithkl)

meredithkl — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

My boyfriend and I went here for his b-day since it was rated as one of the top 10 most romantic restaurants on citysearch. Since I really appreciate citysearch and have found the site to be very useful i thought it was necessary to report this since this place is so well reviewed. As we began eating, we saw a r*ach on the wall. I jumped (I'm so scared of creepy crawlies) and then my boyfriend let me know that he had already taken care of a r*ach running by his plate on our table but didn't tell me at first b/c he knew I'd be so upset. Then about 30 sec later we saw a r*ach crawling on our menu sitting on the table! So we saw three X's in a matter of a few minutes - on our table or an arms length from our table! Food was nothing special. Service was nice and the place is cute but make sure they get rid of the r*ach problem before going!

5 Stars: Nice & Cozy (by Pearl L.)

Pearl L. — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:50:00 GMT

Nice and cozy little restaurant just off of SoHo. Great place to grab some lunch or dinner after shopping in the trendy SoHo district. Great food at a very reasonable price.

5 Stars: FUN, RELAXING, CHILL, GOOD FOOD (by luv4eva92)

luv4eva92 — Mon, 05 May 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Great and cozy place to catch up with friends, excellent place to bring a date, and food is really good. The fish wrap was so fresh and tasty. The fried shrimp/crab roll was crunchy on the outside, but melted in your mouth in the inside. The service was excellent. Nice and friendly staff. Overall a great experience and highly recommended. I will definitely be back!

4 Stars: Fun place and relaxed (by wwcitizen)

wwcitizen — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 09:00:00 GMT

My friends and I love this little place - friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Good value for the quality and cost. Friends are astounded that I found the place before them. I have taken friends visiting from out of town for a SOHO experience and they loved it. We had tended to order the same things all the time, and then recently started branching out more into other menu selections. Everything I've eaten was tasty. Even the grape martini! Definitely a recommendation.

5 Stars: Great mojitos, good food (by weho013180)

weho013180 — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 09:00:00 GMT

My husband and I stopped in for a post-shopping drink one afternoon and were pleasantly surprised. The pomegranate mojitos are fantastic, and the salads we ordered were pretty good. The bartender was friendly, if bored, and served everything promptly once we got his attention. This bar is kind of stuffy looking but don't be fooled--it's very casual and the music (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, Bloc Party, etc.) is not for the geriatric crowd.

1 Stars: Bad All Around (by firewomanm)

firewomanm — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 09:00:00 GMT

Had dinner here a few days ago. It was our 4th choice, since the other restaurants nearby were packed. The place looked nice enough. We were able to sit anywhere since the place wasn't busy. We ordered a bottle of wine, the Bodegas Palacio, Castillo Rioja at $30. Our waitress brought the bottle over, opened it and poured our two glasses, then walked away, without even letting us try it first. Fortunately it was okay.

We ordered the ropa vieja and coconut chicken. The food wasn't hot, especially the yellow rice that came with both entrees. It seemed almost cold. The beef in the ropa vieja was a bit dry. The coconut chicken should have been called 'chicken breast with a bit of white gravy'. I could not taste a bit of coconut at all. I don't care for beans so I didn't try the beans that came with the beef, and the peppers that came with the chicken seemed okay enough, it was just a few slices anyway.

It's true that we only write reviews when we have a great experience or a poor one, and I have to say that this was a terrible experience, with the waitress seeming cold and unattentive. Or is it inattentive? Either way, she was both! Unfortunately I try to always tip twice the tax amount, or else she would have gotten much less. When you click on some of the positive reviews, you'll see that the writer has written a review only on this restaurant, which has to make you wonder if they're writing it themselves. Please don't go!

5 Stars: can't beat in the neighborhood (by mizzzie)

mizzzie — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Room 18 is by far the coziest lounge/bar/restaurant you can find in the neighborhood or even the whole downtown. The service is always warm, drinks are always made perfectly, good wine selection, and tasty tapas. I really rather keep this jewel to myself to prevent overflow, but yet couldn't resist raving about this place!

5 Stars: good Pomegranite mojitos (by princessoh)

princessoh — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 09:00:00 GMT

Found this place by accident when looking for a pre-Sweet & Vicious visit. Nicely done drinks. Casual Chic Atmosphere. Service was ok. Almost seemed like they didn't care. Tapas dishes were fine but not good enough to order again. I have only gone back here for the cocktails.

5 Stars: My new favorite place! (by antanvon)

antanvon — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 09:00:00 GMT

My friends and I were wandering around looking for a nice chill place to grab some drinks, and we passed by Room 18 which was outstandingly cute. Even though it was small, we were seated right away, and the waiter was very friendly and knowledgeable about their wine selection. When we saw there was an opening by the window and asked to be moved to the front, he was very nice and accomodating. Their bottles of wine and drinks are very fairly priced, will test out the food next time. Even though it was a calm crowd, the music was upbeat and lively. Definitely coming back here for another fun night!

4 Stars: Service not good, everything else is (by mars2)

mars2 — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I went to Room 18 for my bday, and they said that they could accomodate a group of 20+ people. I went there a few minutes early to see how they set it up, but they did not set up yet even though the restaurant was empty. When I asked them where we would sit, the person in charge ignored me. Once they did set it up, they said that their table arrangement could accomodate 20 people. But it could not. A chunk of the evening was spent playing musical chairs and rearranging the tables so that everyone could find a place to sit. Some of my friends were not comfortable,and they did very little to make sure that they were.
On the flip side, good food, good ambiance and the service got better once we had a different waiter.

5 Stars: Great Unique food (by ab1847)

ab1847 — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 09:00:00 GMT

The food is amazing. Service was average, but still decent. Go there for tapas, there are unique tastes you don't get other places in the city. This place has character and really good food.

5 Stars: where everybody knows your name... (by flosays)

flosays — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 09:00:00 GMT

contrary to a few of the reviews found here, i find the service to be extremely warm and friendly. room 18 has been a great addition to this neighborhood and fits right in. the regular crowd consists mostly of locals and we enjoy the inviting and cozy atmosphere that room 18 provides thanks in large part to the wonderful owners who are always on duty.

the delicious tapas and wine selection is just the cherry on top!

2 Stars: Okay at best. (by ravishing)

ravishing — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Came here with my girl, and it was okay at best. The place may be romantic, but we were the only people in the place. Great place to be if you want to be by yourselves. Food was okay- typical bar food... greasy. Food is better next door.

5 Stars: User review by chillaxing (by chillaxing)

chillaxing — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Rm. 18 has a cozy romantic atmosphere that's very comfortable to enjoy myself in; whether I want to have a drink at the bar or get together with a group of friends for dinner, suitable accomodations are available.

Their food is great! And the drinks are very unique + fresh...
Best of all, their service is excellent!!

5 Stars: Just chill... (by nkyin)

nkyin — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

I love this place, the food is excellent and the employees there are just wonderful and sweet. I visited NY during the summer, and found myself becoming another regular. A really relaxing place to chill after a long days work or to hang out and mingle with your friends/family. The next time I come back, that'll be the first place I hit up and the last place to finish off the visit.

on a last note: I LOVE YOU PETER AND JILL!!!!!

5 Stars: Downtown's hidden jewel (by sushicats)

sushicats — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Happened to stumble into Room 18 as it's tucked away between Cafe Lebowitz and Bread when a few girlfriends flew in for fashion week. A must go if you're looking for an atmosphere that's warm and sangria that's COLD!!

Packed when we arrived but the gracious owner, attentive staff, awesome drinks and delicious tapas made the wait worthwhile!!

5 Stars: Hot spot! (by delphinne)

delphinne — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

discreet and cozy lounge. the french windows and banquette area in the front are the prize seats in the house. tin ceilings, hardwood floors and many other details provide a sexy and romantic ambience. tapas with an asian flare and a wonderful wine selection is satisfying and complete.

5 Stars: Charming lounge... (by herbbette)

herbbette — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Celebrated my 32nd birthday at Room 18 this year and couldn't ask for more. The tasty tapas, signature cocktails and wine selection was excellent. The atmosphere and ambience was perfect for an intimate evening with a large group of friends.

Most importantly, the staff and owners were warm and accommodating.

5 Stars: Cozy and stylish (by sugarandspice)

sugarandspice — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 09:00:00 GMT

This place is a huge hit for me and my friends. Super cozy with from its lighting and atmosphere. Definitely love the brick walls! Food was great, a fusion in every little dish. A great sense of style. Not to noisy, its was great night for me and the girls. Girl talk all night! If you like a romantic date or just a plain night out, this is the place.

4 Stars: Sweet Spot (by segpdx)

segpdx — Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:00:00 GMT

This review is really just for service and atmosphere- we went with a group one Sunday night for drinks after Pizza after Lombardi's- wonderful atmosphere- comfortable and warm. Our bartender/server was charming as can be. All we did was have cocktails, but it was a very pleasant experience. I'm sorry to see all of the negative reviews as we had a very nice relaxed time.

2 Stars: Don't try the sangria (by adid)

adid — Tue, 20 Jul 2004 09:00:00 GMT

The sangria was so bad that they exchanged it 4 times. The food is ok but not really tapas. Even with reservation it took them 25 mintues to seat us.

2 Stars: Terrible service ruins good name (by skonur)

skonur — Fri, 25 Jun 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Let me start out by saying, we heard great things about this place. But beginning with the attitude of the first waiter, things slid from there. The attitude was followed by inattention and continued attitude (slamming drinks down, not checking on us, tone of voice), the evening deteriorated and we simply paid for our drinks and skipped dinner. I had to seek reassurance from my friends that we had done nothing wrong.

The place was not crowded and there was no other apparent reason for the horrible service for I would have loved to eat some of the cuisine others rave about.

5 Stars: Alluring (by bunjow)

bunjow — Thu, 13 May 2004 09:00:00 GMT

First, must mention that this is a perfect "date" bar. Candle lit/brick walled/cushy stooled atmosphere, combined with great food at a VERY reasonable prices. A perfect fit between neighboring Bread and Cafe Lebowitz. Tasty, beautifully presented tapas-style dishes that are pimarily asian-latin flavored make for easy sharing with whoever you're with. I tried crab croquettes, chorizo wontons, and coconut milk chicken....all GREAT. Try to get the pillowed bench seating by the open window for maximum effect....more utilitarian seating/tables are loacated in the back for groups exceeding 4-6 people.

5 Stars: Don't Eat Here (by peanut234)

peanut234 — Thu, 06 May 2004 09:00:00 GMT

I'm afraid the word is going to get out that this place is phenomenal. Everything is just about perfect - from the atmosphere to the food - I can't recommend it highly enough. The food is outrageous - everything just about melts in your mouth (try the crispy crab roll and the teryaki calamari salad). Best of all, the prices are extremely reasonable. I assure you nothing here will disappoint.

5 Stars: Fabulous food, highly recommended!! (by melissa_traylor)

melissa_traylor — Wed, 05 May 2004 09:00:00 GMT

Everything from the soup to the dessert was amazing. Extremely reasonable. Great atmosphere. The only problem was spotty service, because it seems the chef does everything tapas-style (ie. one dish at a time) even when you've chosen the entrees. No big deal, since it's very comfortable and the small wine list is excellent. A great addition to the neighborhood.

5 Stars: Food so good! (by Juicyspice)

Juicyspice — Tue, 20 Apr 2004 09:00:00 GMT

This is the greatest little bar - it's the perfect combination, trendy but not pretentious. The food is amazing. I am definitely going to become a regular at this place.

5 Stars: awesome (by mochie)

mochie — Sat, 10 Apr 2004 09:00:00 GMT

I must admit, I'm pretty keen on this place. The seats by the windows with the pillows are really comfortable and the atmosphere is really chill. Must try the crab croquetas, the beef empenadas, and the deep fried crab rolls. If you like tapas and asian food, you'll love this place.