Paladar is a Latino restaurant in the Lower East Side that has a neon sign and sits not far from the famous Katz's deli. I stumbled upon it with a friend on one of those days where you get to leave early but have no plans. We ate at a little French bistro for a late lunch and began bar-hopping promptly when happy hour began. My friend mentioned Paladar because of the affordable and delicious Mojitos, apparently a favorite at this bar. We walked up and noticed a cozy little window seat with a table, a long row of tables usually reserved for diners and a wooden bar that wraps around the front. We sat at the bar and enjoyed blue and white corn tortilla chips with white and blue sauces. Combine with a fruity drink at half price and who could ask for more? Mojo y Mas (their happy hour) is everyday between 5 and 7pm and on weekends the happy hour begins at noon. The drinks include: Champagne with Passion Fruit, Mango or Guava juice, standard margaritas, mojitos, El Vampiro (hibiscus flower juice margarita with cayenne pepper, and many more Latin-inspired fruity drinks. Surprisingly, Paladar also has an extensive international beer collection for those who shun the sweet drinks.
The decor is, at best, completely random. Items behind the bar look like somebody got grandma's re-gifted knick knacks. Everything else was furnished courtesy of the dollar store. Still the chef, Aaron Sanchez, is noted for his cuisine which is straight from "El Barrio". The dishes include a variety of ingredients from Latin culture such as plantains, chorizo, chipotle, tomatillos, avocados, mango, coconut, chiles, and yucca. Entrees range from $16-18 but you can also grab some appetizers like empanadas, plantains, calamari, and steamed mussels in Tequila sauce for less than $10.
The bar area is small so go here with a small group for drinks. The dining area is quite large, so you can bring a large crowd for dinner and drinks.