This is a small, local place on the UES that consistently delivers to a very entitled crowd. Food and service is excellent. The specials, and everything on the menu, and the drinks, are delicious, every single time. And you can order off menu, and they are genuinely nice.
Tanner Muzikowski
I’ve eaten Italian all over the city, and this is truly the best. I come here as often as I can. The fried calamari, daily specials - especially the fish, and the pasta is phenomenal.The staff is incredibly kind, patient, and thoughtful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Capellini Italianissimo
NYCdiner
Consistently excellent food and variety. Also love many of the specials — black linguini with shrimp, mussels in a tomato based shrimp sauce — one of the best pastas ever. The filet of sole in a Parmesan crust on a bed spinach was also outstanding. Nicest owner and wait staff. The kind of place you want to go back to again and again
M M.
Delicious. Visiting NYC and after a long "museum day" we were looking for good Italian food nearby. Although it was a Saturday, we were able to get a last minute reservation for 2 in this small, cozy restaurant. The food was so good!!! Service was great. Highly recommend if you are in the neighborhood.
maryAnnC
This is truly a neighborhood gem. They had a huge crowd on New Year's Eve. Service was excellent. Food was delicious. I had homemade pasta bolognese. Sauce was exceptional and pasta was cooked all dente. Owner Nick was lots if fun. Met him for the first time last night. Would definitely recommend.
Wendy Magro
The food was delicious: I had the chicken, red pepper, and sausage entree. The space is tiny, and I'm sure the servers feel pressure to turn over as many tables as possible, but we were rushed to pay the check.
DebraR
Nice cozy neighborhood restaurant.(I come from Brooklyn) Very good food & sizeable portions. I had the red snapper for the 1st time.Delicious! Staff very accommodating & friendly.Reasonably priced. I went on Sat nite 6:15; nice & quiet w/two other couples.Upon leaving is when it started getting busy. Even though it is not a large establishment; it still is worth a nice dining out.You will enjoy.
Nolan Tzou
Service is a little slow but 5 stars for the food coming out hot and al dente.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Spaghettini Carbonara, Pappardelle Alla Boscaiola, Risotto with Porcini Risotto Con Porcini
NYCnative
Really had high hopes for this neighborhood spot, but sadly, we will not be returning. The appetizers (eggplant rollatine and minestrone soup) were decent, the drinks were good (but extremely overpriced), and service was friendly. Unfortunately, the entrees were extremely disappointing. My husband inquired about the preparation of the snapper, and was advised by our waiter (per the chef) to have it with a garlic sauce, because without it, it would be very bland. My husband agreed, but despite the sauce, the fish was still incredibly bland, and not cooked very well. What really rubbed us the wrong way, was the additional charge for this sauce - which the waiter conveniently forgot to mention. So the chef and staff recognize that their fish is bland, but still charges for a sauce that could potentially make the fish less tasteless? Ridiculous. Additionally, my pollo alla romana was inedible. The chicken was overly tough and chewy, and also bland - it was terrible. We will not be back.
Amy Staley
This place would (And should) be viral, the influencers just haven’t found it yet. I came across this place by accident last year and to say that I dream about their pasta regularly would be an understatement. Everything is homemade, the pasta is unreal, and to top it off, the location is unbeatable on a quaint and quiet UES street. Consider yourself lucky to have stumbled across Italianissimo.
Absolutely amazing everything! Absolutely going again ❤️✨
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
HenryM
The restaurant came recommended by a friend. But honestly I don't know how anyone can think that the food here is edible. The mussels were very “fishy”, the chicken/sausage dish was salty. I definitely will not be coming back.
David A.
That little quaint Italian restaurant of fame and song, Italianissimo Ristorante is an understated gem. We have eaten there at least a dozen times without ever having a complaint about the incredible food and service that met us. The owner chef is Italian which may account for his understanding of what is the essence of fine Italian cuisine. You name the category and you should check off the excellent box in all of them. While small in size, it makes up for its genuine Italian charm and spirit. We simply cannot say enough good about this place. Weekend nights may be a bit busy, but do not be dissuaded from calling for a reservation. You will never be disappointed by your choosing Italianissimo for a memorable dinner.
Maggie L
Best Italian on the UES. Excellent service, quaint spot, wonderful (and I mean WONDERFUL) staff. The food? Best Italian cuisine I’ve eaten. Transports me back to Italy. Well thought out specials that are crafted with care and appealing presentation. The chef is a genius. Ok, have to go… to Italianísimo!
Eats
The food was extraordinarily good. Outstanding caesar salad and both veal dishes we ordered were also very, very good. We found it a little expensive but so are all the other restaurants nowadays. Excellent service.
This is a small, local place on the UES that consistently delivers to a very entitled crowd. Food and service is excellent. The specials, and everything on the menu, and the drinks, are delicious, every single time. And you can order off menu, and they are genuinely nice.
I’ve eaten Italian all over the city, and this is truly the best. I come here as often as I can. The fried calamari, daily specials - especially the fish, and the pasta is phenomenal.The staff is incredibly kind, patient, and thoughtful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Capellini Italianissimo
Consistently excellent food and variety. Also love many of the specials — black linguini with shrimp, mussels in a tomato based shrimp sauce — one of the best pastas ever. The filet of sole in a Parmesan crust on a bed spinach was also outstanding. Nicest owner and wait staff. The kind of place you want to go back to again and again
Delicious. Visiting NYC and after a long "museum day" we were looking for good Italian food nearby. Although it was a Saturday, we were able to get a last minute reservation for 2 in this small, cozy restaurant. The food was so good!!! Service was great. Highly recommend if you are in the neighborhood.
This is truly a neighborhood gem. They had a huge crowd on New Year's Eve. Service was excellent. Food was delicious. I had homemade pasta bolognese. Sauce was exceptional and pasta was cooked all dente. Owner Nick was lots if fun. Met him for the first time last night. Would definitely recommend.
The food was delicious: I had the chicken, red pepper, and sausage entree. The space is tiny, and I'm sure the servers feel pressure to turn over as many tables as possible, but we were rushed to pay the check.
Nice cozy neighborhood restaurant.(I come from Brooklyn) Very good food & sizeable portions. I had the red snapper for the 1st time.Delicious! Staff very accommodating & friendly.Reasonably priced. I went on Sat nite 6:15; nice & quiet w/two other couples.Upon leaving is when it started getting busy. Even though it is not a large establishment; it still is worth a nice dining out.You will enjoy.
Service is a little slow but 5 stars for the food coming out hot and al dente.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Spaghettini Carbonara, Pappardelle Alla Boscaiola, Risotto with Porcini Risotto Con Porcini
Really had high hopes for this neighborhood spot, but sadly, we will not be returning. The appetizers (eggplant rollatine and minestrone soup) were decent, the drinks were good (but extremely overpriced), and service was friendly. Unfortunately, the entrees were extremely disappointing. My husband inquired about the preparation of the snapper, and was advised by our waiter (per the chef) to have it with a garlic sauce, because without it, it would be very bland. My husband agreed, but despite the sauce, the fish was still incredibly bland, and not cooked very well. What really rubbed us the wrong way, was the additional charge for this sauce - which the waiter conveniently forgot to mention. So the chef and staff recognize that their fish is bland, but still charges for a sauce that could potentially make the fish less tasteless? Ridiculous. Additionally, my pollo alla romana was inedible. The chicken was overly tough and chewy, and also bland - it was terrible. We will not be back.
This place would (And should) be viral, the influencers just haven’t found it yet. I came across this place by accident last year and to say that I dream about their pasta regularly would be an understatement. Everything is homemade, the pasta is unreal, and to top it off, the location is unbeatable on a quaint and quiet UES street. Consider yourself lucky to have stumbled across Italianissimo.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Absolutely amazing everything! Absolutely going again ❤️✨
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The restaurant came recommended by a friend. But honestly I don't know how anyone can think that the food here is edible. The mussels were very “fishy”, the chicken/sausage dish was salty. I definitely will not be coming back.
That little quaint Italian restaurant of fame and song, Italianissimo Ristorante is an understated gem. We have eaten there at least a dozen times without ever having a complaint about the incredible food and service that met us. The owner chef is Italian which may account for his understanding of what is the essence of fine Italian cuisine. You name the category and you should check off the excellent box in all of them. While small in size, it makes up for its genuine Italian charm and spirit. We simply cannot say enough good about this place. Weekend nights may be a bit busy, but do not be dissuaded from calling for a reservation. You will never be disappointed by your choosing Italianissimo for a memorable dinner.
Best Italian on the UES. Excellent service, quaint spot, wonderful (and I mean WONDERFUL) staff. The food? Best Italian cuisine I’ve eaten. Transports me back to Italy. Well thought out specials that are crafted with care and appealing presentation. The chef is a genius. Ok, have to go… to Italianísimo!
The food was extraordinarily good. Outstanding caesar salad and both veal dishes we ordered were also very, very good. We found it a little expensive but so are all the other restaurants nowadays. Excellent service.