Dear Strangers

Dear Strangers deserves a Michelin star—and a New York Times review yesterday. It’s a mystery to me how Dear Strangers hasn’t already been covered by the New York Times, or how its incredibly talented chef isn’t holding a Michelin star. This place is not just a restaurant—it’s a canvas of culinary genius. Every dish feels like an intimate, thoughtful creation, blending unexpected flavors with flawless execution. The creativity, precision, and soul in the food are on par with (or beyond) what you find in the city’s most celebrated kitchens. The experience is so personal, so beautifully curated, it lingers with you long after the meal ends. This isn’t just “underrated.” It’s undiscovered brilliance. Michelin, are you listening?

Dear Strangers is an absolute gem! The cocktails are innovative and delicious, setting the perfect tone for a fantastic evening. I savored the branzino, which was cooked to perfection, and the tuna was fresh and flavorful. The mashed potatoes were to die for. Every dish was a standout! Highly recommend this spot for an unforgettable dining and cocktail experience!

Came here on a Friday night and the restaurant was at capacity. I recommend getting a reservation in advance. They had a Restaurant Week menu, which was a very good deal given their regular menu prices. The food and vibe were great!

The team at Dear Strangers are amazing. The venue is BEAUTIFUL and just slightly off the beaten path. Here is a venue where you don’t have to wait 2 hours to get the real West Village experience. Amazing decor- beautiful design, masterful cocktails and such a delicious menu. The team behind this restaurant are former Employees Only veteran bartenders so you know you are getting the best of the best. Even though that was a huge highlight what I really loved was the menu. Im admittedly a bit picky- I eat fresh, clean and quality is the main aspect of what I look for in food. This restaurant offers multiple small dishes that are crudo or ceviche style fresh fish with incredibly satisfying combinations. To boot dessert was out of this world. I came with my boyfriend and had a wild night, then brought my parents the following weekend for an easy, no fuss exceptional experience. They owners and staff made my parents so comfortable even though as tourists they were kind of fish out of water. I feel so lucky I stumbled on this place, just south of Washington Square park in my way to the village- I knew without a reservation Id be waiting an hour for a table anywhere. We stopped for a cocktail and stayed for hours!

Amazing service! Brittany was out server and she was really cool and fun. The aquachile was the best I’ve had on the east coast. Normally my date and I share our entrees, but she got the Caribbean fish and I got the chicken Al pastor and we both ate the whole dish! They were so good. Cocktails were fun too. Their take on a G&T was really good, it had like a pepper rim that was nice. The interior was also cool

Dear Strangers is one of those places you visit once – and immediately know you'll be coming back. The food is fantastic, every dish well thought out and full of flavor. The cocktails are a story of their own – the recipes are created by Branislav, one of the founders, and you can taste that creative touch in every sip. The bar team brings it all to life perfectly. Service is relaxed but spot-on – exactly the way it should be. Fully recommended!

This is such a gem of a spot!! Come for the cocktails, stay for the food!!😍 She's a new kid on the block with a unique international personality. The owners bring their Serbian heritage to the style and creative,solidly delightful cocktails, and the chef Diego Rodriquez, originally from Mexico, has captured the essence and the flavors spot on. Everything we tried was well plated and flavorful, with good portions. We cleaned our plates.

In the last month we’ve been here like 5 times but will come at least 69. We methodically tried each of the cocktails with the standouts being all of them. When we didn’t know what to try, decided using the method of whether it was served over an ice cube or up, based on our mood. What I was not expecting was the food to be so good! We ordered small plates at the bar because we didn’t have a reservation and it was nice to not feel like an inconvenience. But by far the highlight Rafael who warmly welcomed us every time, and it always feels good to be remembered. If you’re not in a super boozey mood, the bitters they use for the sober-ish soda water and bitters provide interesting flavors. Can’t wait to give this place more of my money.

Excellent bar from ex-Employees Only / Macao owners. This new bar is cozy and welcoming. Their unique menu offers drinks for any flavor profile. I hope to return back soon to try the food menu too. The service was excellent, thank you Igor!

Was immediately impressed with the host's hospitality and the restaurant's ambiance. Our server was kind but didn't introduce herself. She also didn't know the answers to basic questions my guest and I had about dietary restrictions and allergies. I know the restaurant recently opened but... We ordered the croquettes and toastsss for apps & selected the pork chop and the Caribbean stew as entrees. The croquettes were delicious - fried to perfection and still moist on the inside! My guest felt the same about the tostadas (couldn't try them because of my shrimp allergy). Her only comment was that they weren't spicy. Our entrees left much to be desired. My guest was extremely underwhelmed by her stew as it lacked the Caribbean flavor she was expecting. I was really disappointed with my pork chop because it wasn't seared well and was pretty bland. The best thing on my dinner plate was the celeriac purée. *chefs kiss* Would definitely go back for drinks and apps.

This place opened up a few days ago so I'm happy to share the first review. Overall, I had a good experience and I'll break down the deets.... Drinks.... The Wondergiulio was yummy and so was the Que Rico. Small Bites... Spicy shrimp tostada is theeee stand out dish of the night! Although there is no heated or spicy element on that dish whatsoever...it is absolutely delish! If they took the spicy out the title this dish would be 5/5...otherwise add some jalepenos or something. I would go back for these tostadas and nothing else! & leave happy Main Dishes... Pork Chops were cooked well...the flavor itself was basic . Dipping it in the gravy and adding that sweet puree really elevated the flavor. That puree is the best tasting thing on the plate . Overall 4/5 Caribbean Stew was ok. I read a lot into the names of dishes. So when I see something says Caribbean, I expect Caribbean flavors. In this case, I didn't get any elevated flavors or seasoning. I'm guessing they attributed the coconut milk to the Caribbean . Either way although the Bass was cooked to perfection...the flavor and overall plated elements was a let down. It's just fish in coconut milk with a few nuts and chickpeas swimming in it. The best part of this dish was the little cubes of squash that I found. If they made the squash an actual side and added more of it on the plate hmmm maybe that'll do it. Overall 3/5 The service was great. Very attentive. Ambiance was cool. You can dress up or dress down here . Theres a bar that is first come first serve. I don't know that im coming back but if I were to come back it would only be for those tostadas!!

Was recommended by a friend to try one of NY's newest Latin American Restaurants, and was happy I did. Made the the mistake of visiting on a Saturday night with a party of 5 without a reservation, as it was SUPER busy, loud, hot, crowded and a little stuffy. However, we came for the FOOD! Starting with the Smoked Chicken Croquettes and the Mushroom Empanadas, the croquettes were perfectly crispy and filled with a delicious cheesy filling that were truly a cheese lovers dream. The empandas were well balanced with just the right amount of filling and thickness of the crust. Next for the main course we shared the Aguachile, Caribbean Stew, and Bone in Short Rib. The Aguachile was refreshing and pallete cleansing, and left me craving more. No fishiness or overbearing citrus and saltiness as I've found with many other places, but personally would've loved to have it with a side of chips. The Caribbean Stew was not very stewy. It reminded me of a Thai dish with a very aromatic and distinct tastes of coconut milk and peanut. It was great but I personally wish I had more of the sauce (stew) to go with the fish. FINALLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT, THE BONE IN SHORT RIB. The meat was so tender and had beautiful marbling. Perfect amount of meat to fat ratio and matched with the black bean and chorizo puree. The puree was more beany than chorizoy but don't take that as me complaining. Due to dry January I didn't partake in any of the enticing cocktails, but I will definitely be back February 1st for the Restaurant Week tasting menu ($45 per person, and runs from now until Feb 9 excluding Saturdays)!

This is new discovery to me. Food got new dimension, inreally loved it. Very pleasent athmosphere, very popular new place in town. Definitely would come back again. My recommendation to try risoto di mare !!!

Gorgeous space run by very very nice people. I came in with a big group early in the evening on Christmas Eve. We were worried about taking their space over, especially without a reservation, but they invited us in, made room for us, and were generally so kind. We tried a lot of their cocktail menu; I especially enjoyed the milk punch and the liquid gold. Empanadas were fantastic. And their lush blue velvet and warm lighting felt like such a fine welcome on a winter night. High marks for both good vibes and an excellent dining experience.