Unbelievable Wine Bar

I went to this wine bar on a whim one day and was pleasantly surprised by how good it is. I’m not usually a wine bar person, but this is a realy hip wine bar withouth being over the top. It’s in a weird neighborhood and I’d never heard of it but was passing by and thought I’d give it a go. You never know how that will work out, but this time I’m so glad I did it. How fun! I was there at a weird time because I went in when they were in between lnch and dinner. The waitress was really nice though and said I could have a drink but that the kitchen wasn’t open yet. That worked out fine as I was able to sit outside on their really nice patio and enjoy my wine, and then when the crowds started coming I already had my table. I actually ended up being there a few hours, because I called my wife to meet me after work for dinner – that’s how much I was enjoying it – and we saw the place get really crowded. The waitress was nice but she seemed a little out of it at first. It took a while to get my wine, but since I wasn’t in a rush all was fine. And then when my wife arrived things seemed to be running a little more smoothly so it must have just been the time of day that was throwing them off. For dinner my wife and I started off with this artichoke dip that was unbelievable and then I had the fish and she had the chicken, both of which were really great. Then we had the soufflé for dessert. It came out not heated all the way through, but we told the waitress and she immeditably took care of it. She didn’t really explain what happened but was apologetcic and fixed the problem pretty quickly. I do find it odd thought that there aren’t refills on the coffee. It wasn’t a big deal but I could have used a little more and no one ever offered it to me. It’s not going to keep me from going back though.

Posted by: Wıll Cardoza
On: 9/29/2008 5:10:00 PM

excellent ambiance

This place is great! A fantastic wine bar in a city full of wine bars. I just wish they were bigger or took reservations. I've been coming here a while and slowly but surely it's becoming the new hip place to be, which means it's getting crowded.Though I love the palce, and want it to do well I almost wish it stayed my secret. I work nearby and go for lunch a lot, but I love their filet so I'd go pretty regularly for dinner too. Now it's usually pretty packed around dinner time and you can't make reservations after 6:30 so it makes it tough. I love it anyways though and usually just deal with waiting. Nice thing is you can eat at the bar too, which is nuice because the bartender is pretty friendly, though it took him a while to warm up. It would be nice to be able to reserve the outdoor tables though. They have great summer salads and a really nice summer red wine, that's chilled so it's the best of both worlds. The servers are really nice as well, and always very friendly. I was just coming on my own somethings, but I'll have my girlfriend meet me and she loves it because it's pretty romantic. Though sometimes the music gets too loud, but they are really good usually about turning it down when you ask. And the food is amazing. I love the filet and my gf liks this salad that they make with fruit and mixed greens. Of course when she's with me we'll often do chocolates too, though the molten dessert is really great as well. I know it' sa pretty common one, but Ayza does it really well.

Posted by: Brian Cronin
On: 9/18/2008 3:56:00 PM

Wonderful

Probably the best wine bar in new York City. The wine list is great, the cheese is from Murrays so it has to be great. The food is superb, and the service is usually pretty good too. There have been two times where it was a little messed up (the service) ut for the most part it's preatty spot on.The plates are not huge, but great for sharing, which makes it good for a little bit of a romantic outing. You know, a ltitle shared food, a little shared wine.... Plus it's got a real swanky romantic vib to it in general. They sort of know me now since I've been there a few times, whicih is also impressive to the ladies, I've found. This place is great because they'll stop by and say hello, make conversation, etc

Posted by: Tom Rady
On: 9/3/2008 7:46:00 PM

thanks

Wow! What can I say? This wine bar is truly fabulous. My new favorite place to grab a glass of wine after work. It’s great to sit outside and sip wine and unwind. The outdoor patio is really lively and fun. And on those really bad days, those days when I really need chocolate, it’s a one stop shop! Plus they have cheese. Wine, chocolate and cheese: my three favorite things in one great wine bar. Thanks Ayza.

Posted by: Sharon Murken
On: 8/8/2008 10:30:00 PM

The Best Wine Bar in New York City

Not only is it the best wine bar in New York City, but the food is divine! I’m a real foodie and make it my business to try out new places in the city. It took me a while to get to this one, but once I went a couple months ago I can’t stop going back! They have a great selection of wines by the glass. But whenever possible I get the ladies together so we can try another wine by the bottle. Their wine list is simply marvelous. And don’t even get me started on the chocolates. As much as I wish they were larger it’s good for me that they’re not or I’d simply be three tons by now. Jacques Torres is really a genius, and they do him proud at Ayza. It’s lovely to go and sip a sweet wine and nibble on a few chocolates. My favorite is the Bin 27. Too rich and lovely for words. And on top of all that good food, they really present it well too. I wish I knew where they got their dishes. Really mod but still sophisticated.

Posted by: Rachel Maroni
On: 8/2/2008 10:22:00 AM