Jose Luis Introduce
In the bustling and vibrant neighborhood of New York’s East Village, where culinary options are as diverse as the people who call the area home, Jose Luis stands out as a true gem. This isn't just a Mediterranean restaurant; it is a culinary haven that masterfully blends the rich flavors of Italian and Spanish cuisines, creating a unique and memorable dining experience. From authentic tapas and signature paellas to classic pasta dishes, Jose Luis offers a journey for the taste buds that transports you to the sun-drenched shores of the Mediterranean. Its charm lies in its ability to offer an elevated dining experience in a casual and cozy setting, making it a perfect spot for any occasion, from a solo meal to a celebratory dinner with a group of friends.
The establishment's atmosphere is a key part of its appeal. While the storefront may seem unassuming, stepping inside reveals a warm and inviting space, with a large, covered backyard seating area that serves as a hidden oasis in the city. This blend of a trendy, intimate interior and a relaxed outdoor space provides a versatile setting that can be both lively and tranquil. It’s a place that feels both special and approachable, a rare combination in New York City. The restaurant's reputation is built on its ability to provide a consistent and authentic experience, where the food is the star and the environment enhances every bite. The team behind Jose Luis has a clear passion for what they do, which is evident in the quality of the dishes and the friendly, attentive service that makes every guest feel welcome.
Jose Luis has successfully carved out a niche for itself by specializing in not one, but multiple Mediterranean culinary traditions. This fusion allows for a menu that is both extensive and cohesive. You can begin your meal with a selection of Spanish tapas like Patatas Bravas or Gambas Al Ajillo, then move on to a hearty Italian pasta dish such as the Rigatoni Bolognese or the classic Spaghetti Carbonara. The true centerpiece of the menu, however, is the Paella, available in a variety of versions including the rich Paella Negra and the savory Paella De Marisco. This variety ensures that no matter what you are craving, you will find a delicious and satisfying option. The establishment’s commitment to offering high-quality ingredients and classic recipes is what makes it a go-to spot for those seeking an authentic taste of the Mediterranean in the heart of the city.
More than just a place to eat, Jose Luis is a spot for making memories, whether it's a romantic anniversary dinner or a fun night out with friends. The ambiance, combined with a great wine list and a selection of expertly crafted cocktails, makes it an ideal place to linger and enjoy the company. It's a place that celebrates the joy of shared plates and good conversation, a hallmark of Mediterranean dining culture. For New Yorkers seeking an escape to a more relaxed pace and a taste of traditional, flavorful food, Jose Luis provides an unforgettable experience that is both a culinary adventure and a comforting retreat.
Jose Luis is conveniently located at 186 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009, USA. This address places it in a prime spot within the East Village, a neighborhood celebrated for its lively atmosphere, diverse culture, and eclectic culinary scene. Its location on Avenue B makes it easily accessible to both local residents and visitors exploring the area. The restaurant’s deceptively small storefront opens up to reveal a larger space with a key feature: a spacious and charming covered backyard seating area. This is a significant highlight in New York City, where outdoor dining is highly sought after. The location is also well-connected to public transportation, making it a convenient destination for anyone traveling from other parts of the city. The central placement in a popular and trendy neighborhood ensures that it is a go-to spot for a wide variety of customers, from locals to tourists. Furthermore, the establishment is committed to accessibility, offering a wheelchair-accessible entrance and seating, which ensures a welcoming experience for all diners.
Jose Luis provides a range of services that prioritize convenience and a high-quality dining experience. These services are designed to accommodate various dining preferences, from a full sit-down meal to a quick takeout order.
- Outdoor Seating: The restaurant features a large, covered backyard area that provides a beautiful outdoor dining experience. This is a major highlight, perfect for enjoying a meal during warmer weather or for those who prefer to dine al fresco.
- Delivery and No-contact Delivery: For customers who want to enjoy the food from the comfort of their home, the restaurant offers both standard and no-contact delivery. This service is essential in a city where delivery is a key part of the dining landscape.
- Takeout: For a quick and easy option, takeout is available, allowing you to pick up your order and enjoy it at your convenience.
- Dine-in and Table Service: The restaurant provides a full dine-in experience with dedicated table service. This allows guests to relax and enjoy their meal in the cozy and trendy atmosphere, with a team of attentive staff to cater to their needs.
- Reservations: Reservations are highly recommended, and sometimes required, especially for dinner and weekend seating. This service allows guests to plan their visit in advance and ensures a table will be ready for them upon arrival, which is a great convenience given the restaurant’s popularity.
These services demonstrate the restaurant’s commitment to providing a flexible and customer-centric experience, whether you're dining in or taking your meal to go.
Jose Luis is defined by a number of standout features and highlights that contribute to its strong reputation and loyal customer base. These attributes make it a top choice for Mediterranean dining in New York.
- Great Cocktails, Desserts, and Wine List: The restaurant is praised for its exceptional drink offerings, including a great cocktail selection, an impressive wine list, and delicious desserts. This focus on high-quality beverages and sweet treats elevates the dining experience beyond just the main course. The happy hour specials for both food and drinks are a major draw, offering great value.
- Fast Service: Despite its popularity and the option for reservations, the service at Jose Luis is known to be fast and efficient. This is a significant highlight, ensuring that you receive your food and drinks promptly.
- Popular for Lunch and Dinner: The restaurant is a go-to destination for both lunch and dinner, with a menu that is well-suited for any time of day. The combination of small plates, pastas, and main courses provides options for a light lunch or a full dinner.
- Late-Night Food and Small Plates: The menu includes late-night food options and small plates, making it a great spot for a post-work drink and a snack or a late-night craving. This appeals to the nocturnal rhythm of New York City.
- Cozy and Trendy Atmosphere: The atmosphere is a perfect blend of casual, cozy, and trendy. This makes it an ideal spot for a variety of occasions, from a laid-back meal with a partner to a lively gathering with friends. The bar onsite and Wi-Fi are also convenient amenities.
- Crowd and Community: Jose Luis is a family-friendly and LGBTQ+ friendly space, which creates a welcoming and inclusive environment for a diverse crowd. The restaurant is noted as a transgender safespace, further highlighting its commitment to being a safe and accepting place for everyone.
These highlights, from the quality of the food and drinks to the inclusive atmosphere, make Jose Luis a compelling choice for anyone seeking an enjoyable and welcoming dining experience.
For those looking to visit or learn more about Jose Luis, the contact information is readily available. The restaurant is located at 186 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009, USA. For inquiries, you can call them at (646) 707-0746. The presence of a phone number is particularly useful for making reservations, which are a key part of the planning process for a visit to this popular spot. The clear contact information ensures that patrons can easily get in touch with the restaurant to ask questions, check availability, or make a reservation, contributing to a smooth and stress-free experience.
What makes Jose Luis worth choosing in a city with countless dining options is its exceptional balance of authentic cuisine, versatile offerings, and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant successfully combines Italian and Spanish flavors in a way that feels both classic and fresh. The menu, with its vast selection of tapas, pastas, and the star paella dishes, provides something for every palate and occasion. The quality of the food, especially the Paella and other popular dishes, has earned it a strong positive reputation among a large number of reviewers. While a small number of reviews may point out minor issues with specific dishes or pricing, they do not seem to detract from the overall high ratings and positive experiences that most customers report. The service is often described as great and hospitable, with a staff that goes above and beyond to make patrons feel appreciated. Furthermore, the inclusion of a beautiful outdoor seating area is a major perk, offering a tranquil escape from the city. The restaurant's commitment to creating an inclusive and friendly environment, including being a transgender safespace, is another compelling reason to choose it. It’s not just about the food; it’s about the experience as a whole. Jose Luis is a place where you can find great food and a great atmosphere, making it a reliable and delightful choice for a meal in the East Village.
Jose Luis Food & drink
TAPAS
- Tris Di Bruschette (Pomodoro, Caponata, Salciccia E Funghi E Taleggio) $18.00
Three toasted ciabatta bread with garlic topped with tomato vegetable caponata and sautéed sausage mushroom and taleggio.
- Patatas Bravas $12.00
Pan-fried potatoes topped with a spicy paprika tomato sauce.
- Polpettine Di Vitello Al Sugo $18.00
Calf and beef meatballs in a rich tomato sauce.
- Gambas Al Ajillo $19.00
Sautéed shrimps in a garlic-parsley sauce.
- Mediterranean Plate $20.00
Dry italian sweet salami and manchego cheese plater accompanied with taggiasca olives and pistachio.
- Polpo Alla Griglia Con Patate Tiepide $24.00
Grilled octopus with cherry tomatoes capers taggiasca olives warm potatoes in a lemon citronette.
- Escalivada $14.00
Grilled red bell peppers and eggplant marinade in EVOO garlic and herbs.
- Calamari Fritti Con Chips Di Carote E Zucchine $19.00
Crispy fried calamari with carrots and zucchini chips accompanied with marinara sauce and chipotle mayo.
Chicken And Fish
- Pollo Al Ajillo $30.00
Bone in chicken, garlic and parsley sauce, roasted potatoes
- Salmone Con Glassa Al Arancia E Caponata Di Verdure $30.00
Pan-seared wild-caught salmon with an orange glaze served with an eggplant zucchini caponata.
- Pollo Parmigiana $30.00
Baked chicken Milanese topped with a rich tomato sauce Parmesan and provolone cheese with a side of penne tomato sauce.
- Fritto Misto $32.00
Crispy fried mix seafood with calamari shrimps anchovies accompanied with a spicy marinara sauce
Paellas
- Paella Negra $65.00
Squid ink paella rice with calamari and shrimp.
- Paella Meat Lovers $65.00
- Paella Mixta $65.00
Saffron paella rice with paprika and mix of seafood and meat.
- Paella Valenciana $60.00
Classic Valenciana paella with saffron rice paprika chicken pork ribs peas and artichoke.
- Paella José Luis $65.00
- Paella De Verdure $48.00
Saffron paella rice with mix vegetables (peas mix mushrooms broccoli bell peppers).
- Paella De Marisco $60.00
Mix seafood saffron paella rice with paprika calamari mussels clams and shrimp.
Side
- Sautéed Broccoli $7.00
- Roasted Potatoes $8.00
- French Fries $5.00
- Creamy Carrots $7.00
PASTA
- Gnocchi Verdi Alla Sorrentina $26.00
Spinach gnocchi sautéed in tomato sauce topped with melted fresh mozzarella.
- Rigatoni Bolognese $24.00
Rigatoni pasta sautéed with rich calf and beef bolognese sauce.
- Spaghetti Carbonara $24.00
Spaghetti pasta sautéed with crispy guanciale in an egg yolk and pecorino romano sauce.
- Penne Al Salmone E Erba Cipollina $26.00
Penne pasta with fresh salmon chives in a creamy sauce.
- Linguine Alfredo $22.00
Linguine pasta sautéed in a butter creamy sauce topped with Parmesan cheese.
- Pappardelle Al Ragù Di Salsiccia E Funghi Con Fonduta Di Parmigiano $27.00
Fresh pappardelle pasta sautéed in a sweet Italian sausage and mix mushrooms ragu in a bed of Parmesan fondue.
- Ravioli Di Ricotta E Burro E Salvia $25.00
Ricotta ravioli sautéed in a clarified butter flavored with sage topped with Parmesan cheese.
- Penne Al Pomodoro $19.00
Penne pasta with a classic tomato basil sauce.
- Spaghetti Alle Vongole $29.00
Spaghetti pasta with manila clams in a garlic and oil sauce topped with lime zest.
- Spaghetti Al Pomodoro Con Polpettine $19.00
spaghuetti pasta with calf and beef meatballs with a rich tomato sauce.
- Lasagna Bolognese (Classica) $24.00
Classic lasagna with bechamel parmesan and bolognese sauce.
- Frutti Di Mare $32.00
Linguine, calamari, clams, mussels, shrimp, tomato white wine sauce
- Spaghetti Puttanesca $24.00
Spaghetti pasta with taggiasca olives capers anchovies in a spicy tomato sauce.
Salads
- Insalata Cesare $14.00
Classic caesar salad with romaine lettuce house-made croutons shaved Parmesan and caesar dressing.
- Burrata Caprese $18.00
Burrata mozzarella with tomatoes topped with a basil and balsamic EVOO vinaigrette.
- Insalata Mista $14.00
Mesclun lettuce with cherry tomatoes cucumber taggiasca olives shaved carrots in a balsamic EVOO vinaigrette.
- Insalata Di Barbabietole E Ricotta Salata $16.00
Best salad with rucola dry cranberry pistachio topped with aged ricotta Salata cheese in a honey lemon citronette.
Jose Luis Details
Service options
- Outdoor seating
- No-contact delivery
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Fast service
- Great cocktails
- Great dessert
- Great wine list
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible seating
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Offerings
- Alcohol
- Beer
- Cocktails
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Happy hour drinks
- Happy hour food
- Hard liquor
- Healthy options
- Late-night food
- Small plates
- Wine
Dining options
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Bar onsite
- Gender-neutral restroom
- Restroom
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Trendy
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Groups
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Transgender safespace
Planning
- Reservations required
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
Jose Luis Photos










Jose Luis Location
Jose Luis Reviews
paellahappy hoursangriatapasoctopuslimoncellobruschettabackyardmeatballsclams
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1A tucked away mediterranean restaurant on Ave B offering incredibly discounted happy hour tapas and wine. Through the deceptivly small store front opens to a large covered backyard seating area. Service is a bit slow and relaxed. Calamari, octopus, meatballs, eggplants, charcuterie, arancine were all delicious along with refreshing sangrias. Even got a round of shots on the house at the end. Would definitely visit more often if not for the remote location.
August 16 · Jia SunJose Luis is a place that is relatively easy to miss, but thanks to its slow scenery near the park, you might come to find it anyway. However, that is not how I discovered this place—Google Maps does wonders for discovery. My partner and I went here for our anniversary dinner.Here is what we ordered on 4/17/25PolpettinePaella Negra (single serving)The total came out to around $70, tax and tip included. You might ask, why order so little? Well, we were just coming off of a brunch and decided we weren't all too hungry by 7:15 PM but rest assured, it was enough for us. Your mileage may vary.Here's what I think of it:Atmosphere: 4/5I was hard debating on whether to drop this to a 3.5/5 instead of a 4/5, and I believe it barely ekes out its rightful spot in my eyes. A part of it was definitely the fact that Google Reviews doesn't provide a half-star, but I digress. For starters, I believe that the restaurant has its charm, somewhere between "cozy" and "mechanical order." I would say that this establishment would lean more towards the "cozy" were it not overshadowed by the sort of lighting that restaurants seem to be following the trend of lately: dim enough to make sure your photos aren't crisp. Couple that with the blue hue that permeates the interior? Not for me. As an aside, two notes: 1) The green glowing sphere at the door isn't doing any favors; 2) The party (3-4) sat across from us were rambunctious and, frankly, rude. But rest assured, that won't be factored into point deductions; it's unavoidable.Service: 5/5The service was great and near-perfect. I felt that there were small hiccups at times where we were left unnoticed, considering we entered when there weren't many people aside from us and the aforementioned party. For added context, people did come in after we sat down for a bit. Bread service was satisfactory, we were provided a bowl for shells present in our Paella Negra, and even received a digestif—one shot each of Licor 43 on the house. I am not a big drinker and still I found it quite delicious. Very hospitable and much appreciated. Perhaps I will consider buying a bottle for myself as a homage.Food: 3.5/5The big thing that makes or breaks a restaurant and, after all the high ratings, why a 3.5/5? First, consider that of the many menu items, only two were ordered. Maybe we should've ordered something else, maybe it was a bad day, who knows? That said, if an item is on the menu, it must be good enough to be on the menu and representative of a restaurant's quality. For example, the Polpettine. We received two meatballs in our order. Luckily, as a party of two, there was plenty to go around and certain faults could be overlooked. But for the price? In fairness, they were quite big—still wouldn't order again. They weren't as juicy as I might have hoped, the tomato sauce was nothing noteworthy (not jar-worthy, though), and the flavor was... average. Average all around, I'm afraid.What about our big star, the Paella Negra? Unfortunately, also not a showstopper and uninspiring. Not all food needs to be inspiring! But again, for the price? Taste-wise, salty and lacking the seafood flavor that it was (hopefully) cooked in. The shrimp was by far the best. The marker of a good shrimp is always a good snap on the first bite, followed by a meaty chew of crunchy-tender thereafter. Lastly, the squid, clams, and mussels—the three mollusks—are grouped together not just by phylum, but by quality. Nothing again to write home about except existing for consumption, lacking flavor besides salt and a hint of seafood. If only the clams weren't so small. For my first ever time trying a paella, disappointed I'm sorry to say. I simply don't see what 600 other reviewers see in it but again, maybe others are better.All in all, what would Jose Luis be placed? The numbers would dictate it to be just below the cuff of a 4.25/5. My gut-feeling X-factor dictates it be a 4/5 in finality. Would I come here again? No, not really. But did I regret my stay? No, not really.Edit: 9/2/25Dropped to 3/5 on further thought.
September 02 · Cyrus WongSitting on the back patio is such a cute and fun experience. It felt so lively and friendly back there, an environment that is fostered by the owner and his upbeat attitude. There were two birthday celebrations happening that got special treats and the whole patio was singing for them. Food was very good. Drinks were very strong.
June 14 · Tierney MastersonJose is an exceptional and charming host, the service here was superb. Happy hour is a great deal and the sangrias are delicious. But the real star of the show is the paella which is the best I’ve had in the city. Definitely stop by here to get your seafood fix, can’t praise this place enough.
June 10 · adam lyonsTapas were great, and so were the paellas! The combo paella could use some more seafood flavor.
August 04 · judy
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