Avenida

“***3 1/2 stars*** Without even going inside this place, I could tell that an ideal experience probably centers around a few margaritas after work. I came DURING work at lunchtime this past Thursday and had a water, so keep in mind I didn't have some of their biggest selling points. That said, this was still perfectly fine as far as it goes. I work next door at Penn 1, so this is literally a 30 second walk for me. In warmer weather, the clientele seems to be a healthy mix of both tourists (which makes sense given its proximity to MSG/Penn Station) and office workers. There's a pleasant outdoor area that butts up against the plaza we use when it's not wall-to-wall brown piles of snow, but in late February it wasn't possible to take advantage of that. When I walked in, I made myself comfortable at the bar, which had a great lighting/window situation going on - felt like an atrium or greenhouse almost, though I imagine that's often contingent on the sun situation outside. This was a pretty no-frills situation. I ordered chicken quesadillas and requested they hold the sour cream. The food showed up in about 10 minutes or so, which I think is very reasonable - the restaurant overall seemed quiet and the bar was otherwise empty, so there wasn't an obvious reason for a wait time, but thankfully that was moot. As you can see from the attached, it was a large portion and had solid presentation value. I ate two of the quesadillas while I was there, took the last two to go, and may have accidentally consumed a third as a late afternoon snack. Not bad; the cheese was a little rubbery and the chicken a bit dry; nothing egregious, but the accompanying chipotle sauce was definitely needed. The tortilla itself was arguably the high point here - nice and crisp, and had a little seasoning to it. The service was decent. Again, turnaround time was very good, and the bartender/waitress (Diana, I believe) was hospitable and pleasant. When the bill came, it included an edgy postcard that I'm 100% utilizing in the future, my concerns about the USPS notwithstanding. She also handed me a card with a QR code to write a review, not knowing she was in the presence of someone who literally does that at every opportunity. This type of overture can kind of play both ways - I don't like situations where someone is not-so-subtly urging me to shoot them a positive review - but I thought this struck the right balance where she was just giving me the forum to send some feedback. Noted and done. I'd come back, especially given how conveniently located it is for me on the weekdays. But it's probably an overall better experience if I wait for the end of the workday.”

“Evan is an absolutely outstanding bartender. From the moment you walk up to the bar, he brings great energy, professionalism, and attention to detail. He's incredibly friendly, remembers what people like, and makes everyone feel welcome. The drinks are always perfectly made, and he keeps the atmosphere fun while still running the bar smoothly even when it's busy. You can tell he truly cares about giving people a great experience. If Evan is behind the bar, you know you're in good hands. Highly recommend! ”

“Located on top of Penn Station. Place was beautiful and the service was great. The manager was a great guy and very helpful. Huge bar inside. Brunch was great. Massive outdoor seating area for Manhattan.”