La Dama

This is a challenging review to write because it was such a mixed experience. I have a feeling that they are going for «upscale Mexican» and if that is the case, they miss the mark. We had a party of 7 and a $ 250 bill and I am certain I am the only one that left with my hunger satisfied (as far as alcohol, 3 of them had only water, 2 had 1 beer, the other two had a margarita and one beer). 7 people is a tough number to bring here if you want to sit outside (and if the weather is nice, you will want to). It is either picnic tables (that comfortably sit 6) or «2-​only» bistro style metal tables. We got lucky enough after about 20 minutes that the couple next to us wrapped up their check and we pulled that metal table over to the picnic table so we could all breath. NOTE: I did not go inside this restaurant so I can not review seating options inside. That being said, as other reviewers have wrote, the service here seems to be an all-​time low. About 20 minutes for a Negro Modelo and 2 margaritas set the tone. The patio was at about 70% capacity and shared with only 2 servers but even those 2 were rarely checking on tables. At one point, the hostess was near our table and we asked her if we could have waters. Normally, they will say yes, walk away, and have a server take care of it. Instead we got, «I don’t do that. You’ll have to ask your server.» (Grrrrrrr). We did do nachos and guacamole as a starter. The guacamole was spot on but I wasn’t thrilled that the chip order here means probably about 15 chips. Seriously. So if you are expecting a bottomless basket of chips like every other Mexican restaurant in the United States, not in Manhattan. I didn’t eat any to leave more for 4 of our guests who were visiting from Italy. I’m sure everyone enjoyed their 3 chips and guacamole (FYI: These are pita-​style chips, very weird for a Mexican restaurant which is why they will probably justify the sparse amount they serve). As for the entrees, I have to say I made out on top here. I did the chicken burrito ($ 14) and garlic parm fries ($ 6). This will be your average cost for an entrée here (expected). The burrito was PACKED with all the fixins’ and had a wonderful flavor. Granted, fries aren’t traditional Mexican food but they came out in a pretty big bowl and well covered with garlic and parm. I could tell everyone else was drooling looking at my fries. The burrito actually came with a side of chips (almost as much that was on the starter plate) and I let my friends have them. They did forget one of our guests entrees and he had to wait about 10 minutes for his so we all felt bad eating without him. You never know if a place is having an «off night» because maybe a server called off or maybe there’s a new management… you just never know so please read several recent reviews and make your decision. NOTE: 20% gratuity automatically added here on parties of 6 or more.

Great little spot. Happy hour specials have a lot of good choices. The margarita put me right to sleep!

Oh look, another sprawling, faux trendy restaurant opened up to convince groups of finance guys that they’re hip and with it. Inside is a large space with accent walls of commercial Mexican inspired graffiti and an awkward abundance of slightly rude servers ready to accost you from the corners.
I sat outside and ordered their one vegetarian burrito that it took them great pains to make vegan. (NO CHEESE! the receipt said.) I was served some dull overfried tortilla chips with the texture of pita chips while I waited, listening to finance people getting tipsy on margaritas and complaining about their coworkers.
The veggie burrito, which I could barely finish, was dull and unsavory. A boring wrap of rice, beans, and mushrooms separated from each other. I dipped it in the salsa that came with my chips and that didn’t add much to the flavor.
For its $ 5 mediocrity, the meal was wildly overpriced.
One thing I will say is that they make a pretty good margarita, stuck in a mason jar with a handle of course. A few sips of the sweetish drink can probably make your coworkers forget their crummy meal and soon you’ll all be complaining about your boss. Just hope you can expense it.

This is quite possibly the worst restaurant I have ever been to. My friend and I went for dinner and drinks. The food was really bland. My friend and I both ended up with food poisoning. The service was terrible. And finally to top it all off, the waitress decided to charge an additional tip to both of our credit cards. Save yourself the headache and just don’t go to this awful place.

Loved the sliders and chicken quesadilla. Soooo yummy and we’ll seasoned. The tres Leche is good but the star is the fresh churros. They are killer. Looking forward to coming back for more. PS. The white and red Sangria are delicious too.

Good Food but less than desired service
I made reservations thru open table and when I found the place (NO sign outside, the address listed is for a coffee shop that apparently shares the building with the restaurant) and told them I had reservations, the woman didn’t bother to ask my name. I had to insist on her looking it up so I she could make sure Open Table knew I was there. My friend and I wanted to try to pear-​lime sangria before purchasing a pitcher and her answer was simply «NO. We don’t do that here. No tasting.» Her rude and disengaged attitude was not friendly and she seemed like she did not want to do her job. I asked her to get the Manager and ask about the tasting so we can sample it before committing. She came with a sample. When we were ready to order, we had to get her attending as she was not interesting in taking our order. We both had the churrasco and a side order of sweet potato fries with a pitcher of the pear-​lime sangria. It was very tasty and a good portion. The doors were open so there was a nice breeze flowing thru the restaurant. Its a nice place but we will not be returning due to poor service we received. The waitress’ bad attitude and bad vibe did not make this for a great location to dine, recommend to friends or return to give them our business. Its too bad because my friend works two blocks from the restaurant. I do not recommend this restaurant because of the service.

Weird service, weird ambiance and even weirder oysters.
No thank you.

We randomly ended up at la Dana and had a great dinner! Right before happy hour ended we ordered mango margaritas, sliders and a cheese quesadilla! We also tried the cheesesteak with truffle fries!
Happy hour specials are a great deal! The sliders were good, the cheese quesadilla very filling and topped with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. The best part of the meal was my cheesesteak though! It was made with real pieces of steak with caramelized onion and just enough cheese. I am not sure how it was seasoned but it was sooooo good! The truffle Parmesan fries were enjoyed by all of us at the table!
I like the look of the place, it’s chill and the staff is super nice! I recommend this place!
If ever on the block, I will go back for that cheesesteak!

After escaping Growlers (which should be avoided like the plague), we thought we’d do a bit more bar hopping before going home. The big windows displayed a cute bar, which lured us right in. The place is quite small but they’ve managed to make the most out of what they could of the space — a full bar that could seat about 10 people, and 3 rows of high tops with quite a number of other table seating. There’s a shared bathroom in the corner next to a pretty awesome graffiti art wall.
We chose to sit at the bar since we were going to down the HH menu with 10 minutes remaining. We both got the margarita and an order of quesadilla and chicken tacos. Both were pretty delicious. I had to ask for the hot sauce twice — happens when you only have two workers on shift — understandable. They gave us 3 types of hot sauce — one green and one red habanero, and the regular tobasco. Dayumm was the red habanero sauce mouth numbing — awesome!
We already kind of had dinner (albeit a very pathetic one at Growlers), so we weren’t able to finish even half of each dish but left with a good brain freeze and a full tummy. The margaritas were good — I didn’t get the frozen type since it was brick out — with them big windows, just looking outside made me shiver.
I’d definitely come back — it doesn’t get too crowded, not too loud, and has a good HH menu.

Do not have their oysters. Not fresh. Simply disgusting. Nice ambience. Decent service. Overall: below average restaurant.

This place is all right for Mexican food in Manhattan, particularly in FIDI.
I had the shrimp burrito and it was nice as I usually don’t have shrimp in my Mexican food. The person I was with on the business lunch had a turkey burger they cleared away. I saw this lady at the table next to us order the bass deep fried with brussel sprouts and it looked so good. I really wanted to order that but didn’t because I had a feeling the person on the business lunch with me would pay and I didn’t want to overdo the tab especially since they were meeting me as a favor. Btw, this is not a cheap Mexican food spot by lunch standards. There is no differentiation between their lunch and dinner menu and the interior has a corporate vibe actually.
I did though have a virgin mojito which was great as it came in this jar. Like literally a jar.
Basically, if I have to come on a business lunch in FIDI again I could see myself coming here again. It seems like most of this area is pubs or pizza places which are cute, but when you need something sit-​down and casual enough for lunch but formal enough for business, this is a good choice. And if the person you are with doesn’t eat Mexican food, I would highly advise just not doing business with them. :)

Not the best Mexican restaurant I have ever been to, but most certainly not the worst. What hindered my experience at the restaurant and kept me from giving it four stars, as I originally did, was the service. Although the service was prompt, the waitress I had was somewhat cold and curt.

been here for lunch numerous times and it’s always awesome and delicious. great mexican spot in fidi, upscale but quick enough to be feasible during lunchtime. the outdoor seating is everything during the nice weather we get a few months out of the year (haha). always start with the guac. i’ve also tried some of the other apps and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. the tacos are also great, the burrito is huge, all of it is fantastic. highly recommend!

I order shrimp in garlic sauce. The shrimp were ok but the rice i couldn’t touch. My friend had the salad bowl and she took two bites and that was it. It was bland and the quality of the products reflected the flavors. Terrible to say the least.

co workers and I enjoy coming here for our lunch cheat days. Service is hit or miss. Food is always spot on. Great for vegans and vegetarians. Great prices. Good wine selection. Reccomend. Really can’t go wrong with a burrito. Guac could use more seasoning.

My friend and I ate at La Dama for lunch. La Dama has both indoor and outdoor seating. As is typical of most Manhattan restaurants, their outdoor seating area fills up rather quickly in warmer weather, and we settled for a table inside. There seemed to be ample table and bar space. I will definitely return during happy hour to find out packed it gets.
The atmosphere is vibrant and lively. The artwork adorning the entire expanse of far wall is interesting and makes for a great conversation piece. The layout of the tables and seats makes for a cozy & intimate atmosphere, though thankfully, not stuffy.
My friend and I ordered fried oysters and nachos for starters. We egregiously underestimated how large the potions would be and ordered the Ahi Tuna Ceviche and Sliders as well. Given that we had become accustomed to small portions on large plates, we were pleasantly surprised, yet utterly aghast, at the sheer amount of food before us. We ended up having to take the ceviche and sliders back to work.
The food was amazing. The oysters were fresh and light with the perfect amount of breading. Despite being deep fried, the oysters were not oily. The nachos were just as great. The chips were crispy and flaky and there were ample toppings. My favorite dish was the Ahi Tuna Ceviche — it was spectacular. The dish was fragrant; the tuna was fresh; the Serrano chilli provided the perfect amount of spice; and the watermelon was a great contrast.
To top it all off, the staff at La Dama was courteous, checked up on us during our meal, and were fun and lively throughout.
In sum, La Dama is a great find with spectacular food at reasonable prices, and a fun wait staff. I look forward to returning during Happy Hour!

Not sure how long La Dama has been open at this point but I’ve been four times. I think it’s a great addition to the neighborhood. The Guacamole and chips are great. I’ve had the pork and the shrimp tacos and they are amazing (the shrimp ones are spicy– really good). The calamari is crispy, not chewy and gummy. Honestly, all the food was fantastic. The Tres Leches and Prosecco float desserts are fab too! The only reason I’m not giving La Dama 5 stars because the service has been bad each time I’ve been. There is one waitress I’ve had 3 of the 4 times and she’s just miserable. I’m surprised she’s still working there– I’m guessing she’s a relative or hooking up with one of the owners. A waiter JP ended up taking over our table the last time we were there– and he was great– very attentive and at least looked happy! Regardless, I will definitely go back!

No LUNCH MENU speaks for itself. The menu is over priced for what you get. My «gringo» tacos were tasty but not worth $ 13 and then for a shared rice n beans that is +$ 3 = $ 16 then if you happen to want a beverage that is another +$ 3 for $ 19 I had tacos and an iced tea. $ 19.00USD!!!
I think the atmosphere of the restaurant is inviting, the staff seemed welcoming and friendly. I was just astonished at the lack of lunch specials or lunch menu. They have a happy hour special menu 3−7pm, but what about lunch? If I go back it will only be happy hour.

What a cool place. My coworkers and I sat outside when the sun was shining and there was a light breeze. I had the Tuna BLT which was delightful. There was avocado and mustard on it which was my favorite part. Basically it was just a fancy sandwich that I really liked. It came with crunchy fries. Two of my coworkers got the FiDi burger which they seemed to inhale within minutes. The waiter was attentive and made sure to check on us every so often so that was nice. Next time i definitely want to try the lobster roll or the lobster mac and cheese which sound divine. Would really like to come back here for lunch!
Update: Tried the lobster roll. Nothing special and the bread was dry. Will not get again!
The classic margaritas were good and worth trying

The service here is 5 stars alone. Fast, courteous, and friendly! I’ve only had two meals here so far, the Cubano and the Buffalo. Both were great, but the Cubano was especially amazing.
5 star bartender here too, really friendly guy, and pours drinks pretty heavy so you always get your money’s worth.
This atmosphere here is warm and inviting, and a lot more chill than say, Ulysses or some of the other bar/​restaurants nearby. If you’re in the area, check this place out. Great spot for dates, solo dinners and a large outdoor area that’s perfect for groups!
—- edit June 6 2016 —-
Man, this place has changed in the past year. Service was okay, nice enough but felt like our presence there was a bother or something. Food has also changed. The menu is really limited now, and many really good things have been removed in favor of more basic dishes (with exception of the tacos/​tostadas). Red sangria also seemed pretty weak. What happened here? :(