A Peachy's Pick Since 2012 El Pote Espanol #ElPote #ElPoteEspanol @elPoteEspanol Since 1977 by New Owners Nicolas Ahuatl and Juan Costa Fall 2025 Starring Waiter Since 1998 #FranciscoOrtega #WhomYouKnow #PeachysPicks @ManhattanPeachy #PeachyDeegan
Owner Nicolas Ahuatl
Over time, El Pote Espanol has been one of the strongest and most consistent performers in Peachy's Picks, and the frequency with which a venue is published upon reflects its degree of excellence. We notice practically everything everywhere, and this visit to El Pote we noticed how amazing the geraniums look when you walk in. We are super jealous because to be honest Peachy is not as good as them at taking care of geraniums but she aspires to be! The healthiness of the real flowers (note: not fake) outside of restaurant are quite often indicative of the quality and freshness of the food inside.
Superstar waiter Francisco Ortega is a veteran who began in 1998 and always has a smile on his face and greets you with genuine friendliness that you would never find at a trendy place that is here today and gone tomorrow. We are glad to see that there are three female waiters now! Your water glass is never empty here and the attention to detail is perfect at El Pote all around. In addition to water, we indulged in the amazing red sangria, not to be ignored:
Queso Manchego is sourced from the region of Castilla la Mancha and is wonderfully chill in eight rays of cheese, joined by delicious olives. If you like wine and cheese too, this is a great start!
Every element of El Pote is super clean and we love that and it's all white crisp tablecloths. One of the best improvements owner Nicolas Ahuatl has done is the bathroom renovation. Peachy's favorite appetizer here is undoubtedly the Champiniones Rellenos: a bastion of exquisite depth of flavor with crabmeat and shrimp dancing in mushrooms! We love them.
Note we do not edit pictures: the truth is, everything we show you looks exactly like this for you too. Garlic Soup season is now upon us, and if you are batting a cold any time of year, this has your name all over it. Also in our humble non-medical professional opinion we believe that garlic has great health benefits. El Pote was last featured this summer: this time, please meet Francisco Ortega on the right, next to Avelino Diego whom you already met.
Peachy's overall favorite entree over time is the Pollo al Ajillo: Chicken in garlic, spanish style. Piping hot, the arrangement of chicken with amazing flavor is juicy, fragrant perfection with just the right amount of garlic to flavor it without turning you into a garlic-breathing dragon! We love it.
We have had Entrecote before at El Pote and it is always very good, but this time might be the best rendition we've ever seen of the broiled Sirloin Steak. As you can see, it is correctly medium rare just as Goldilocks Peachy ordered it: not too well done and not underdone. Just right!
It boasts a tremendous charred quality and comes with delicious mixed vegetables: steamed carrots and creamed spinach. It is competitive with steakhouse steaks.
If you want to order something authentic to Spain, opt for one of the glorious Paellas: Paella Valencia above, or the Fideua, below. If you are visiting from afar in particular, these are the kind of dishes you will only see in world-class cities like Manhattan. Classic Chicken, Sausages, Seafood that includes Shrimp, Mussels and Clams all are a symphony of spectacular resting upon fragrant yellow Spanish rice. The red peppers in particular are a nice touch.
Fideua is served with either seafood or chicken: it is Spanish pasta.
We choose seafood: Calamari, Mussels, Clams and Shrimp all are a revelation in vivid tomato sauce culminating in a standout flavor that is simply sublime.
If you are looking to eat something on the lighter side, opt for the Pork Milanese, perfectly pounded and also called: Milanesa de Cerdo! It's served with the famous yellow Spanish rice that you know and love.
El Pote continues to Earn Our Highest Recommendation.
