Tessa: A Trendy New American Eatery with Exciting Sandwiches and Happy Hour Specials

My daughter and I went to Tessa on a Monday evening. I'm so glad we had reservations! We arrived at 5:45, and the place was jammed pack. The bar was full (probably because they have a fantastic happy hour menu), and there were three empty tables; one was ours. Within 15 minutes of arriving, the other two tables were filled. The restaurant is loud, but intimate and cozy. I noticed so many people drinking an orange martini, so I tried one. It's actually a blood orange martini, and it was delicious. It tasted like a creamsicle. That could be dangerous! We started out with the house dips. It was nothing like I expected and actually kind of disappointing. The whipped ricotta, although creamy and smooth, and and spinach artichoke dip lacked flavor, but the hummus was one of the best I've ever had. The dips were served with spears of cukes, carrots, celery, peppers and I think white radishes, which were delicious. Next we shared a small portion of cacio e pepe. It was served with a basil crunch of top along with fresh cracked black pepper. Surrounding it was a parmigiano foam and when mixed altogether, it was creamy and very, very flavorful. It was so good I regretted not ordering a full portion. For dinner I had the icelandic cod. What a great choice! Perfectly cooked, it sat on a generous portion of potato puree, again, cooked perfectly. I also enjoyed the roasted cauliflower and the lemony picatta sauce. I also want to mention the wait staff was friendly and attentive. Between each course, our table was cleaned and new silverware was brought out with each course. I would definetly go back.

Had An amazing dinner at Tessa! When we went was Monday night prior to heading to the beacon theater which was about a 5 min walk. We were seated and waited a few min for a waitress to come over, to my surprise they were fairly busy for a Monday. I ordered a dirty martini and my mom ordered a blood orange martini. Both were very good, hers tasted like a creamsicle. To start we ordered the dip trio. It was just ok. It didn't come with any pita chips, just veggies & lacked a little flavor. This was the only downfall of the meal. We did also receive bread, and that was complimentary and It was warm & delicious! As our second app we can an app portion of the Cacio e Pepe, OH MY GOSH It may have been the best pasta I ever tasted. The crunch on top with the delicious pepper taste, really so delicious & could have had a whole bowl to myself lol. For dinner I got the branzino which was filleted and delicious and came w broccoli rabe and potato. The broccoli rabe was delicious & had red pep flakes. My mom got the cod & loved the cauliflower mash. We both enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner & they brought It over to us to try beforehand. Really delicious & definitely would go back!

"Happy Hour" is my middle name. Joking aside, who doesn't love a good deal on drinks and food? My friends and I love to look for happy hours around the UWS. Tessa has to be one of the most enjoyable happy hours I've been to in a while. They have a vast array of choices for happy hour at really prices for this day and age. Cocktails and small plates for $10 beer for $5 and wine for $8 from 3pm-6pm food starting at 3:30pm in the bar area. We ordered three apps-all delicious. My friend ordered the chocolate tart with ice cream and honestly that was the only disappointed as it was too sweet but that doesn't bother me at all. I orders 3 of the blood orange martinis. Enjoy said on how good they are! Service here deserves 10 stars if I could give it. When do you not love a server/bartender who's not only knowledgeable, nice and funny? Both servers were super sweet. The restaurant is definitely spacious and warm with the lighting. You can't tell from the outside but the back is huge. Will definitely be back.

Stopped by for drinks. Place was packed. Bartender was super friendly. Food and vibes are great.

The food was tasty, service was quick and responsive and ambience was delightful. Highly recommend it

All time favorite afternoon bar & small area still under scaffolding for outdoor dining. New HH and small bites menu, the Cauliflower Fritto is just perfection. Every drink is made with precision, fig old fashioned is a favorite, as well as the Spicy Lichee or Garden Martini. Mussels, burger, trio of dips also nice bar food. Staff couldn't be nicer, only flaw are the horrendous acoustics !! The metal decor ceilings are beautiful but need some soft material to absorb the cheerful chatter. Upscale wine bar but screens over the bar typically have sports on.

After dining at Tessa on several more visits, I am updating my review to 4 stars. They are losing 1 star for lack of consistency. Sometimes, we dine at Tessa and have a fantastic experience, other times we leave with a hit or miss experience. Service is particularly inconsistent, but we have discovered you usually get better service in the bar section for some reason. We still LOVE the tuna tartare w mango, yum.! The pasta dishes are also great- and we appreciate having the option to choose a small or large portion as well. The steak we ordered on our last visit was just okay, definitely can get a better steak nearby, and the mixed drinks are almost always poorly mixed to the extent that we now only order Wine at Tessa if we want a drink.

Great spot in UWS for brunch. The restaurant is big and has a nice vibe to it. The service was good and prompt. We got both hot and iced coffees (the hot is better - iced was watered down) and tried the ultimate brekkie, steak & eggs, and the gnocchi with chicken. Everything was delicious and very filling. The ultimate brekkie was a particular standout with the size of the sandwich. We also split the rosemary fries and loved them! I definitely recommend this spot for brunch. I'd love to come back and try their dinner menu.

I cannot state enough just how delicious the food is here !!! Soooooooooo good !! Everything was full of soo much flavor and the steak had to have been one of the best cooked steaks I've ever had perfect temp and seasoning. It's pretty inside and perfect to go for a date night the ambiance is nice and the service is prompt and very courteous.Definitely recommend this place