Cravings Tapas Bistro

I visited this place with my brother and mother over the summer and I wasn’t really impressed. I’m not really into the whole small plates thing so that might be why.
We tried several small dishes, empanadas, creamed spinach, French fries and a few others, overall it wasn’t anything remarkable.
It was byob which is why it earned a second star, my main issue was the service and staff attitude.
We walked in and were the only table in the restaurant, this was about 430. We were told that we can eat but had to be out by 530 as they «sold out the restaurant», we thought this was okay but we didn’t like being rushed. Fast forward to when we left, there still was plenty of seating available.
I didn’t really like that aspect of the restaurant, I don’t think I’d go back due to the way we were treated, not necessarily bad, but rushed, making us feel undervalued as a customer.

The Story: My company held their annual holiday party here this year. At first I was skeptical but I manage to leave the place pretty full. (Well this was second dinner for me)
Food: Tapas reminds me of dim sum, small platters served with drinks. It was never meant to be a meal. Certain items stood out to me…
1. Lobster Mac & Cheese
2. Octopus Salad
3. Short Ribs
4. Skirt steak.
Everything else didn’t leave a deep impression on me. And their take of «shrimp dim sum» was just atrocious
Price: Since my boss paid for everything. It was free! but their price is pretty steep for the amount of food you get.
Décor: Very trendy place in downtown Ridgewood. Fits about… 50 people max.
Service: I’m a little confused about the service. I’ll ask for something and the person would have to get the head waitress and i’ll have to repeat myself again. She went above and beyond to accommodate my needs but having to repeat myself twice is not ideal.
Parking & Finding the Place: Located across the Ridgewood Train Station — plenty of metered parking. Free parking on Sundays.
Additional Thoughts: This place is BYOB — they make your sangria for you. I dont know if they charge though.

We ate here last night with a party of 7. I thought it was excellent.
I could see how someone could take off a star for having to wait an extra 30 mins for our reservation time before being seated or not seeing a waiter but the staff tries real hard.
Please don’t forget when you are dining out that YOU would never want to be rushed out of your table and maybe be a little understanding when the table before you lingers.
Onto the food. LITERALLY… EVERYTHING WAS GOOD.
Whoever is running that kitchen, BRA-​VO.
Plates hit the table at a great pace and all of them were «as advertised».
Even the dessert zeppole tree and the chocolate bread pudding were excellent!
There were no misses.
Plus it is BYOB. Bill for 7 people with tip was $ 360. :-O Sign me up for this every day and twice on the weekend.
I don’t go out to the suburbs of Jersey often but if you find yourself out there, THIS place won’t disappoint.

Best restaurant in Ridgewood. I have had tapas in Barcelona with the locals and had been craving that dinning experience for many years. So I had to check it out. It was modern clean and and unique. The variety on the menu was amazing. My wife and I have enjoyed many family celebrations here.

For a non greek place, they had awesome hummus! Seems they roasted the chickpeas beforehand. Yum! The scallops special was great as well as the lobster with black linguine. Can’t go wrong with the grilled octopus as well. BYOB and liquor store at the corner will make me a regular at this place

What a great experience. The food was amazing, as was the service. The short rib special w. broccoli rabe was insane. Peach salad w. goat cheese is to die for. Dessert must haves are the zeppole tree and bread pudding. Our waiter Moe who was friendly and helpful. Definitely going back!

The food is yummy here but like most trendy tapas places, you’re paying regular price for a smaller portion. That being said, there were some tasty dishes I would go back for such as:
Short Rib Quesadilla
Ricotta Gnocci
The Elvis Empanada
My group shared several things and those were my favorites, everything else was just okay. I do think the inside of the restaurant is classy with new modern décor. The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that you have to go downstairs and through a secluded hallway to get to the bathroom… Maybe I’m just paranoid, but it felt like I had to watch my back down there. Lastly, service was amazing! Very attentive and friendly. Not sure I’d go back though, if I’m going to pay $ 14-​$ 20 for a dish I’d rather just have it be a regular size.

The only problem with that is is that when you find a dish you enjoy you need to order three or four. Food is unique and fresh the downside is that it gets very noisy on the weekends when the place is quite small so often the lines are long. Great variety for adults and teenagers alike.

Loud!
Loud!
Loud!
Loud!
Can not hear anything!
Food ok but can not have a conversation

My friend and I came here for dinner. We ordered four kinds of tapas plates. They were flatbread pizza with hummus topping, tuna tartare, shrimp in a butter type of sauce and a quesadilla. All were excellent and pretty reasonably priced. This restaurant only gets three stars because they do not serve wine or liquor. I don’t like to bring my own bottle so the meal was enjoyed but without a nice glass of wine.
I will return with my husband but will have to coordinate to bring a bottle.

Two part review. First part is via my father who hates every new restaurant opened since 1976. He’s not big on trying new things or new cooking styles. He loved Cravings last night. Better than a brick and mortar review, this says more about the place than anything. He even wants to go back later in the week.
I have food ADD. I lose interest very quickly and want to move on to something different; different taste, different texture, different whatever. For me and my palate, tapas is the perfect answer. It’s also a hell of a lot easier than asking your dining compatriots, «can I have a bite of that?» The meatballs, lobster sandwich, mussels and fresh mozzarella (thanks to my friend Nick I pronounce it, mootserelle) were all delicious. Dessert empanadas stuffed with apples or Nutella were a modern and delicious twist on the traditional Spanish fare. They also made one hell of a sangria using BYO wine since they have no liquor license. Prices are reasonable.
All in all, Cravings is a solid choice, especially if, like me, you crave variety in your meal. I’m anxious to try their sister restaurant La Finca which I hope is identical in flavor and variety simply in a different location. One of the problems with restaurants in Ridgewood is that they rarely last. Plagued with sky high rents, crushing competition and crappy parking, remaining profitable is a major issue. Judging from the crowd and the enthusiasm of other diners last evening, I have a feeling they’ll be there for quite a while. Great news for them AND for us.

After hearing many great things about Cravings, I finally went last night with my friend. The meal was very good and I love tapas. It’s BYOB so make sure to remember the booze or grab some around the corner at the liquor store. The staff was very helpful and knowledgable regarding the dishes.
The Good: Reasonably priced charcuterie options (we had fresh mozzarella, sopresatta, and Gouda), perfectly cooked scallops with a nice spicy sauce dollop on top of each, knowledgable and friendly staff, nice outdoor seating area, empanadas were awesome, laid back and no rushing.
The Could Have Been Better: zucchini with scallops was very overcooked and mushy, potatoes with scallops were soaked in oil and no longer recognizable as Yukon potatoes, the bread served with the charcuterie was doughy and would have been more enjoyable with crostini.
Overall, it was a very good meal. I would absolutely return.

Cravings is a really awesome tapas place in the heart of Ridgewood. The ambiance was really cool — unique tables, chairs, silverware, décor, etc. I went with two of my friends and our server was very helpful and attentive, promptly bringing us water and informing us of the specials and his recommendation for ordering.
We tried a variety of items, including a burratta special that was unreal, with super fresh tomatoes and basil. The gambas con ajo was to die for — I was literally spooning the sauce into my mouth by the end of it. The flatbread was delicious and we tried it with the ricotta/​Gorgonzola/​truffle, roasted garlic, and roasted eggplant spreads. The Rosemary chicken panini was out of this world, with incredibly ripe avocado and a delicious chipotle sauce. The stuffed avocado special was also fantastic and filled with super fresh salmon, shrimp, and mahi ceviche.
Overall, everything we tried was amazing, and the service and ambiance both added to the experience. A really awesome lunch at a cool little place. I would definitely recommend.

I walked in to meet my parents with my young son and got looks from the waitstaff. I thought for sure I wasn’t going to enjoy my meal. I was very surprised. The staff warmed up to my baby and the food was delicious! We ordered the Croquettas, Cheese Steak Empanadas, Shortrib Quesadilla, Skirt Steak and the Shrimp over Orzo special that was our absolute favorite!
Everything was really delicious and the recommendation they make of about 3 plates per person worked out perfectly.

I love the concept of tapas; you get to experience a lot of different flavors and you don’t have much to worry about if you don’t like a dish or two. Trouble was, I only enjoyed one of the many dishes we ordered.
I was in a party of three on Thursday night. We made the mistake of not making a reservation and had to be seated at the bar. Our waitress was very kind and helpful and we soon got in our orders.
I ordered the mussels, gnocchi, and sea scallops. Apparently they ran out of mussels and, without telling me, subbed in an order of crab cakes. I wish they had brought it to my attention so I could quickly look over the menu myself and pick something I would’ve preferred more. The crab cakes were salty and not to my taste. I did really enjoy the gnocchi, but there’s only so many starchy carbs you can take before you get tired of chewing. The scallops were surprisingly disappointing. The mushrooms taste way too strong and overpower the taste of scallop.
My table also ordered tuna tartare, grilled pulpo, traditional empanadas, and clams (on special). My mom did enjoy the pulpo, but the other dishes didn’t impress.
The restaurant itself was cute, though. I found myself wishing that I liked the food more because tapas, wine, and that environment would be perfect for a cute date night.

Awesome tapas restaurant. My girlfriend took me out here for my first time. We both tried this restaurant for the first time together, but I am not familiar with tapas. Good thing I came to this place for my first tapas experience, because I am sold! Small little bite size dishes for us to share wasn’t very exciting to me at first, but once I started digging in it changed my entire bias towards larger dishes.
My personal favorite here was the veal meatballs. Those alone will bring me back here more. Service was also decent. Awesome place for a light dinner and in an awesome location so feel free to walk around the streets of ridgewood!

First the servers were friendly and attentive, very helpful by pointing out their specials and what they are known for.
The tapas was ok, not out of this world but tasty but a little pricy. We had pretty much most of their specials and what our server recommended. A little bit surf and turf but would suggest avoiding the hummus as we had way better. I would also avoid the lobster sandwich which was like the Chinese shrimp toast. Lobster in the middle of bread and deep fried, didn’t really taste the lobster.
Grilled squid, short ribs, shank steak were pretty good. So was the shrimp dumplings in a sweet and spicy sauce. We also had the Soriano ham which I was all that impressed. The mozzarella cheese was interesting, very soft and enjoyable. The best dish of the night I had was the lobster bisque soup. Didn’t have any chunks of lobster but the flavor was there.
I would have given it 4 stars except for the fact that it was a loud and noisy place. It was packed and everyone was trying to talk over the music and each other. Some wouldn’t mind the noise but I think you shouldn’t have to almost shout at each other during dinner.
It is a bit pricy pricy for dinner averaging $ 50.00 per person including soft drinks. The soft drinks are not free refills but we only had 2 rounds. Interesting and worth trying at least once for Spanish tapas.

I have a permanent craving for Cravings. Tasty food, great service and classy atmosphere make this my new favorite spot in my beautiful hometown of Ridgewood.
Before Cravings, I had never actually been to a tapas restaurant. Considering my usual M.O. when I go out to eat is to get 2 or 3 small plates, I already loved the concept. The menu is so eclectic and innovative, you’ll want to try a variety of things anyway.
I’ve only been here twice and I’ve tried most of their vegetarian options already. The food is unique, fresh, and always beautifully presented. My favorite is the warm brussel sprout salad. Grilled brussel sprouts over arugula, toasted almonds, caramelized onions and sharp blue cheese tossed in a tangy dressing. To die for! Another one of my favs is their onion rings. Freshly battered and fried onions are stacked high with a crisp radish coleslaw in the middle, then sprinkled with a tart mustard seed sauce. Definitely a far cry from the boring onion rings you’re used to.
A tip: make sure you save room for dessert. If you know me, you know I’m not a big fan of sweets, but I can say without a doubt that their dessert is out of this world! My favorite: the churros. They’re crispy and cinnamony with the perfect amount of sweetness. On the side comes a petite scoop of vanilla ice cream and a delectable homemade chocolate dipping sauce. The chocolate sauce is superb, you can really taste the cocoa and it’s just the right consistency. The fact that I would come back just for that sauce alone should tell you something.
Sure, its a little on the pricy side. But this is Ridgewood we’re talking about. Luckily, the last couple times I came here it was on my parents. (Thanks Mom and Dad!)
The atmosphere is warm and intimate. BYOB with a liquor store around the corner. The service was excellent on both of my visits.
I’m not sure why this place doesn’t have better ratings. For me, its a solid 5 stars all around. Great place for a date, or an intimate meal with family or friends. I will definitely be back, and can’t wait to try their newly opened sister store across the tracks.

I try to be gracious with Jersey eateries but even with this one, ugh!
Everything was a little «off», pushy wait staff suggesting ~4 tapas per person (5 total dishes was more than plenty both times I went), to their NYC’s best rated meatballs (don’t even start).
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate this place; I’m just really disappointed by our Unilocal brethren to give it an outstanding review.
Out of the many things I’ve tried here, there were 2 things that stood out:
Garden Empanadas.
Eggplant Hummus with their naan (it’s not pita, folks)
Creativity is great, but you’ll end up missing the point when you start suggesting fusion-​esque meals. And sorry Cravings, it fell awfully short.

5 star food… 3 star service.
My family decided to dine here after reading a review in the paper. The promising review gave me pretty high expectations on the food, and the chef did not disappoint.
Came in her on a Saturday night after making reservations the day before. The owner was quite accommodating over the phone and made space for us at 5pm, when he told us that they were fully booked for the night (Definitely make a reservation here ahead of time if you plan on dining here. I saw the owner turn away a few groups of people who walked in).
In general, the servers are very friendly the moment you walk in. It’s blatantly obvious the owner wants to maximize profits here, and is pushing the fire code limits by placing a table to cover any square footage he has. The tables are very cramped. You feel as if you’re dining with the people behind you, on your left and right, and even two tables down. You are THAT close to them. Our waitress came over to our table and explained the menu and told us what she recommends. I had asked her if it would be better to order everything at once, or if we can order as we go. She told us it was fine if we ordered throughout our seating. We were given a very small table for three, so we didn’t want all our orders to be served very close to one another and having to play Tetris on our table in order to fit all the plates.
Fast forward an hour or so, and we had placed an order three different times during our seating. Our waitress was a bit annoyed and asked in a rude tone if that would be our final order because there were people waiting for our table. To be honest, it was our final order, but I find that inexcusable for a waitress to come off that way, especially for the premium that they charge on these tapas. She walked a few feet over to the owner and clearly said to him that our table was driving her crazy because we kept ordering food instead of ordering it all at the beginning. As a paying customer, who needs to overhear a waitress bad mouthing you a few feet away.
Since they serve tapas here, the portion sizes are small and are meant to be shared. I would suggest ordering 3 plates per person as a good rule of thumb. You won’t leave here overly stuffed, but just enough to fill your stomach. Here’s a list of what we ordered:
–Ricotta gnocchi served with lamb — I really liked the dish, and the lamb complemented the gnocchi surprisingly well.
–Veal meatballs — I would recommend this. The tenderness and sauce were wonderful
–Octopus — The green sauce was the hit on this dish. A great dish.
–Crabcakes — If you get the small portion, it comes with 2 small crab cakes. I actually like the coleslaw it was accompanied with more.
–Beef Empanadas — Nothing really special here
–Lobster slider — The fried egg on top of the sandwich is brilliant!
–Shrimp (gambas con ajo) — for $ 10, I was shocked to see how big the shrimp were
–Flat bread pizza — Skip this, it’s naan served with hummus and some toppings
I would come back here simply for the food if were some friends/​family were in town, but for tapas the price is a few dollars excessive. I guess being situated in Ridgewood, you can get away with that. It’s great that it’s BYO, so definitely bring some wine with you. Expect to spend $ 30-​$ 35 per person here after tax/​tip, but not including dessert.