Eel Bar

“At Eel Bar, that philosophy feels focused and refined. The interior alone makes a strong impression: dark-stained wood, mirrors, low lighting — restrained, European, and confident. It’s especially enjoyable to build a meal from pintxos and tapas, ideally seated at the U-shaped bar. The menu is concise, with standouts like the classic Gilda ($4) — olives, anchovies, and pickled chili on a skewer, named after the 1946 Rita Hayworth film. The spicy mussels are another highlight: breaded, fried, and returned to their shells instead of being steamed or grilled ($14). And then there’s the burger — a grass-fed beef burger with anchovies and Roquefort ($28): loud, aggressive, and unapologetically overloaded. In some bites the Roquefort overwhelms everything else; in others, it hits that perfect “too much” balance that makes it memorable. The bar offers nine vermouths, including prepared vermouths. The Marianito ($14) — red vermouth with rum, curaçao, and bitters — is particularly good. A classic picon punch is available, but the best pairing with the food turned out to be Isategi Basque cider: earthy, dry, with green apple notes and a gentle sparkle. Eel Bar delivers complex flavors and a strong sense of identity. It doesn’t try to please everyone — and that’s exactly why it’s worth coming here and taking a culinary risk.”

“The Bloody Mary and the extra dirty martini are yummy! The fried mussels were a complete new concept for us and we loved it!!! The fried sea bass was lovely The potato salad was not shabby. The onion on top was amazing. Just wish there was more octopus. The gildas was interesting. Absolutely enjoyed the anchovy!! Our server Maria was lovely. But I felt like she was extremely overworked and needed another person to handle all the drinks and order taking. Overall quite a lovely spot for a few apps and drinks. Do recommend :)”

“Very nice restaurant, I like it the decoration and how they built it. About the food, was very nice, the potato salad with octopus taste really like Spain (I am Spanish) the service was good too and the wine menu with many options. At one point was a little bit noise and converse was difficult with the waitress include, when we left was quiet.”

“Great date spot. We got there just before 5:30pm on a Saturday and were easily sat at the bar. Some people were standing by the bar, which appeared to be their best option around 6pm. The service is quick. We ordered appetizers and cocktails & we were in and out in an hour. All the reviews prior said to order the fried oysters. They were a little on the oily side but obviously tasted great. One flag: if you’re not a Spanish wine drinker, this may not be your place. Their wine list is exclusively Spanish.”

“The mussels weren’t the crispy cracker like bite everyone was talking about. Very musty and mushy. The fried fish was the best dish of the night. I liked the habanero hot sauce they brought out with it. The bamba rice was a very small serving. The burger with the anchovies and blue cheese was not great. The burger patty itself was dry and overcooked. The anchovies and blue cheese were hard to eat. Too funky for my taste. We were overall disappointed with the restaurant. We wanted to like it, but it just fell flat.”