Omg my new favorite place in the East Village!! I discovered a new wine and the vibes here were immaculate!! Don’t miss this one. It’s a jewel!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
sashie veltrie
absolutely delightful. 4 course tasting menu for $55 dollars which does not leave you hungry! the tasting menu was also entirely vegan and gluten free! their online menu lists all possible allergens for each dish.Vegetarian options: their entire menu is vegetarian, and mostly vegan. everything is deliciousDietary restrictions: allergens for each dish are listed on their online menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
AJ K
Great wine bar w delicious tasting menu! Rich and diverse profile of flavors. Slovakian, Czech and Georgian wines are all top notch! And Sophia our server was amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Anonoy Mus
Delicious fresh
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Karen Bukolt
Didn't have food. Just drinks. I know they were a little busy but it seriously took 10 to 15 minutes for the server to get to us. And then because we didn't get food it seemed like they couldn't be bothered with us. It was an eclectic wine menu that was different from the norm which was fun to try.
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 1
Katie A.
i loved the ambiance and the service- as a group of 8 who were a little vegetarian shy, we didn't know what to order and the waiter took care of it, relieving us from the stress of deciding between the many unique dishes. we got a little bit of everything and each dish was curated with a rich, balanced flavor, without being too much of anything. we were thoroughly impressed and found ourselves really enjoying the dishes we actually didn't have high hopes for based on our past experiences with certain foods (e.g., baloney dish was surprisingly good!) egg dish was also amazing. i probably wouldn't come back before trying other spots in the area but for wine and casual bites, absolutely. thanks ruffian!
Marco Locatelli
My wife and I stumbled upon this place almost by chance. We took the tasting menu with wine pairing just to be completely amazed. A full vegan menu that delivered an unparalleled level of taste. Definitely to try.
Jan B.
Hopped in here for some out of the ordinary wine options. While they do serve dinner, we were not dining and opted for the seating option in the outside structure. 2 bottles of Austrian wines - an orange and a slightly effervescent red. The staff is quite knowledgeable of the wine gems and have the descriptions nailed down. The fact that the love what they do is obvious in the discussion of the wine, the region, the vineyard and grape. Time well spent. Out the door having had 2 bottles for roughly-$280.
Taylor L.
went here on a whim for date night. the ambiance is cozy and inviting, with low light and subtle decor. our server was beyond attentive and knew the wine and food menu like the back of his hand. we had no idea what we were looking for from a drink but he recommended a georgian orange wine after asking us a few questions about our preferences. it might have been the best wine i've ever had? will definitely be back again! highly recommend for a nice date or if you are looking for a more laid back quiet resturant to get dinner with a friend and catch up... great acoustics too.
Maria Gubareva
A new fav. We stopped by there by chance, and what a find. Loved the concept of a wine bar offering a vegetarian menu and small plates. We created our own tasting menu by sharing a few different dishes with a wine pairing for each course. The food was unique and delicious. It’s a fine balance between a creative dish and something that actually makes sense, and the chef was successful in finding this balance. The wine pairing our server and sommelier Jonathan offered for each course was excellent. We’ve tried tasting menus with wine pairing in fancy places like Jean-Georges, and it’s often a hit and miss. But Ruffian and Jonathan exceeded all expectations.
Had my first date with my girlfriend here, so definitely a sentimental place for me, but sentimental bias aside, this is probably my favorite wine bar in the city!Super cute vibe all around; whether you're in the bar area, the dining room next door, or in the outdoor parklet, you're definitely gonna enjoy the space.I had the course menu the first time I went here. It's a lighter, vegetable-forward small-plates menu. Definitely advise you to not come here hungry if you're coming here for dinner. The dessert was impressive but otherwise the food was good but not super memorable.Of course, you're here for the wine. And they have a great selection of natural wines, including the stuff you've had a bunch before vs. really unique wines with notes you didn't think would make sense but somehow do (I had a very vegetable-y Chardonnay on my first visit and were surprised and impressed).The staff are super helpful and knowledgeable about wine and will always offer a good recommendation, along with being super friendly and attentive. This is one of my favorite places to take friends visiting from out of town and it's never disappointed!
Chris Hohorst
Best in class outpost for eastern euro wine and bites. Food’s tasty, but don’t get a ton for your money. But hey.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Sarah Smolen
I did the tasting menu with the wine pairing. The food was decent. I'm not a vegetarian so I feel like it's not as good as a non-vegetarian tasting menus. But I was satisfied, not impressed. The wine however was really good and unique. Usually I drink wines from western Europe so it was really cool to have a tasting menu from all of eastern Europe. Tasty wines and the bar tender was great at describing them. Atmosphere really cozy and relaxed. Would recommend to try once but probably not going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Joseph Saba
5 stars for wine. Memorable, distinct and often surprising glasses from interesting locations. Knowledgable and friendly service, chill vibes and great music.3 stars for food. Taste profile leans tart/vinegar (I say this as a big fan of bitter). Dishes like Figs in a Blanket and Whoopie Hapsburg felt created to score conceptual points rather than be enjoyed by a human. Still, a surprising set of tastes and a good value for the prix fixe.Will be back for the wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Stephen G
An excellent neighborhood wine bar. Friendly, knowledgeable team, delicious lite bites - a perfect Saturday afternoon gather.
Omg my new favorite place in the East Village!! I discovered a new wine and the vibes here were immaculate!! Don’t miss this one. It’s a jewel!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
absolutely delightful. 4 course tasting menu for $55 dollars which does not leave you hungry! the tasting menu was also entirely vegan and gluten free! their online menu lists all possible allergens for each dish.Vegetarian options: their entire menu is vegetarian, and mostly vegan. everything is deliciousDietary restrictions: allergens for each dish are listed on their online menu
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great wine bar w delicious tasting menu! Rich and diverse profile of flavors. Slovakian, Czech and Georgian wines are all top notch! And Sophia our server was amazing!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious fresh
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Didn't have food. Just drinks. I know they were a little busy but it seriously took 10 to 15 minutes for the server to get to us. And then because we didn't get food it seemed like they couldn't be bothered with us. It was an eclectic wine menu that was different from the norm which was fun to try.
Atmosphere: 4
Service: 1
i loved the ambiance and the service- as a group of 8 who were a little vegetarian shy, we didn't know what to order and the waiter took care of it, relieving us from the stress of deciding between the many unique dishes. we got a little bit of everything and each dish was curated with a rich, balanced flavor, without being too much of anything. we were thoroughly impressed and found ourselves really enjoying the dishes we actually didn't have high hopes for based on our past experiences with certain foods (e.g., baloney dish was surprisingly good!) egg dish was also amazing. i probably wouldn't come back before trying other spots in the area but for wine and casual bites, absolutely. thanks ruffian!
My wife and I stumbled upon this place almost by chance. We took the tasting menu with wine pairing just to be completely amazed. A full vegan menu that delivered an unparalleled level of taste. Definitely to try.
Hopped in here for some out of the ordinary wine options. While they do serve dinner, we were not dining and opted for the seating option in the outside structure. 2 bottles of Austrian wines - an orange and a slightly effervescent red. The staff is quite knowledgeable of the wine gems and have the descriptions nailed down. The fact that the love what they do is obvious in the discussion of the wine, the region, the vineyard and grape. Time well spent. Out the door having had 2 bottles for roughly-$280.
went here on a whim for date night. the ambiance is cozy and inviting, with low light and subtle decor. our server was beyond attentive and knew the wine and food menu like the back of his hand. we had no idea what we were looking for from a drink but he recommended a georgian orange wine after asking us a few questions about our preferences. it might have been the best wine i've ever had? will definitely be back again! highly recommend for a nice date or if you are looking for a more laid back quiet resturant to get dinner with a friend and catch up... great acoustics too.
A new fav. We stopped by there by chance, and what a find. Loved the concept of a wine bar offering a vegetarian menu and small plates. We created our own tasting menu by sharing a few different dishes with a wine pairing for each course. The food was unique and delicious. It’s a fine balance between a creative dish and something that actually makes sense, and the chef was successful in finding this balance. The wine pairing our server and sommelier Jonathan offered for each course was excellent. We’ve tried tasting menus with wine pairing in fancy places like Jean-Georges, and it’s often a hit and miss. But Ruffian and Jonathan exceeded all expectations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Had my first date with my girlfriend here, so definitely a sentimental place for me, but sentimental bias aside, this is probably my favorite wine bar in the city!Super cute vibe all around; whether you're in the bar area, the dining room next door, or in the outdoor parklet, you're definitely gonna enjoy the space.I had the course menu the first time I went here. It's a lighter, vegetable-forward small-plates menu. Definitely advise you to not come here hungry if you're coming here for dinner. The dessert was impressive but otherwise the food was good but not super memorable.Of course, you're here for the wine. And they have a great selection of natural wines, including the stuff you've had a bunch before vs. really unique wines with notes you didn't think would make sense but somehow do (I had a very vegetable-y Chardonnay on my first visit and were surprised and impressed).The staff are super helpful and knowledgeable about wine and will always offer a good recommendation, along with being super friendly and attentive. This is one of my favorite places to take friends visiting from out of town and it's never disappointed!
Best in class outpost for eastern euro wine and bites. Food’s tasty, but don’t get a ton for your money. But hey.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
I did the tasting menu with the wine pairing. The food was decent. I'm not a vegetarian so I feel like it's not as good as a non-vegetarian tasting menus. But I was satisfied, not impressed. The wine however was really good and unique. Usually I drink wines from western Europe so it was really cool to have a tasting menu from all of eastern Europe. Tasty wines and the bar tender was great at describing them. Atmosphere really cozy and relaxed. Would recommend to try once but probably not going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
5 stars for wine. Memorable, distinct and often surprising glasses from interesting locations. Knowledgable and friendly service, chill vibes and great music.3 stars for food. Taste profile leans tart/vinegar (I say this as a big fan of bitter). Dishes like Figs in a Blanket and Whoopie Hapsburg felt created to score conceptual points rather than be enjoyed by a human. Still, a surprising set of tastes and a good value for the prix fixe.Will be back for the wine.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
An excellent neighborhood wine bar. Friendly, knowledgeable team, delicious lite bites - a perfect Saturday afternoon gather.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5