A Meal A Meeting and A Mojito

There was a time I could pop up at Ricardo Steak House for a meal and a Mojito, but not anymore. Why? Because I must make a reservation. And I would suggest you not pop up either believing you're getting in because you won't. Well, let me rephrase that, don't pop up on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, or Sunday evenings expecting to get in because you won't. Well, you might if you're patient enough and have time to kill. I will tell you why a little later in this article, but first, let me give you a little information on this great spot in East Harlem or Spanish Harlem, whichever one you prefer. Ricardo was established in 2004 and located at 2145 Second Avenue between 110th and 111 Streets. We (the locals) thought it would not last. How many steaks can one person eat? But after going there a few times and experiencing the food and the drink, we knew why. Ricardo is more than a steakhouse. It is the place to be if you want to be seen, along with good food.

First of all, I am not a steak lover. Nor do I eat pork, but I am a seafood lover, and I am a fan of a good piece of chicken. I never tasted a bad meal at Ricardo in all my years going there. And the drink, well, let's say I left there a little intoxicated a few times. Besides, I became very friendly with one of their bartenders, so it wasn't unusual for me to leave a little toasted. I am grateful I live one block away on First Avenue. There is nothing like walking a block to your apartment after you've had one too many drinks—no need for a designated driver.

When I started going to Ricardo, they stopped serving dinner at 11:00 pm, and from 11:01 to about 2:00 in the morning, we drank, talked, and listened to good music. Ricardo's became our spot on Friday and Saturday nights. Like I mentioned earlier, I became good friends with one of their female bartenders. She was great and her drinks, well, let's say she was and is an excellent mixologist. I made a name for myself there in the early years, but I am a nobody now. I didn't have to wait to be seated; if it was crowded, I could just come right in. Thanks to my bartender friend. Ricardo has become a whose who place to hang out. As I said, I was a nobody, but tipping well always helps. Besides, I was and still am an excellent tipper. FYI, the acronym TIP is "To Insure Prompt service," and if you want waiters/waitresses to remember, you remember to TIP before and after your meal. I guarantee people will not forget you.

The atmosphere is impressive at Ricardo. It has beautiful artwork on its exposed brick walls, incredible floral decorations, and the bar overlooks an open kitchen. Everything is cooked right in front of you, and their chefs are amazing. The entire staff is fantastic, from the greeters at the door, the bartenders and servers. Don't be surprised if the owner makes a special appearance to see how his guest is enjoying their experience. Pre-Covid Ricardo expanded the steakhouse to an upper level along with their main dining area and patio. It's a great place to go for an intimate dinner or a group celebration with family and friends.

I can only remember one bad experience I had at Ricardo. It was a few days after my 51 birthday many years ago, and my then-boyfriend invited me out for a candlelit dinner and drinks. I was expecting a great dinner, good drinks, and a great time with the man I thought loved me. I remember ordering an original Mojito, and he contains a Rum and coke. We ordered appetizers and delayed ordering our main meals until we finished our first drink, but that never happened. Ten minutes into arriving and getting our drinks, he broke up with me. He stood up, swallowed his drink down with one gulp, let out an "aah" sound, places the glass on the table, and walked out. I sat there, in this beautiful place, my drink in my hand with the straw comfortably between my lip, ready to sip as he broke up with me. Need I say I was shocked? I swallowed and sipped some more before what just happened sunk in. I finished my drink and had another one, ate the appetizers we ordered, ordered my meal, ate and may have ordered the third drink, and then after the embarrassment wore off, I left. Ricardo is fantastic.

This might be one of the reasons outside of the good food and drinks you can't pop up at Ricardo and expect to walk right in. Ricardo was featured on Love and Hip Hop. I am also a Love and Hip Hop fan, so imagine the joy I got when I saw Ricardo, the steakhouse in my neighborhood featured on Love and Hip Hop? Ricardo was already popping, but now it has gone to another level. So, you never know who you might run into when you dine there. So, be prepared to have a wonderful time, eat some great food and drink. Oh, and if you never watched Love and Hip Hop NYC, I suggest you do. People have there reasons for not watching reality TV, but I love it. Personally, I'm not cut out for reality TV for a number of reasons, but I love watching it. So, don't forget if you're ever in NYC on the upper East Side, visit Ricardo Steak House. You might even run into me there sipping on an original Mojito.