Babbo was the perfect choice to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday. From start to finish, the evening felt special, cozy, and indulgent. We kicked things off with pasta (the Goat Cheese Tortelloni and the Two Minute Calamari & Calamarata) and both dishes were outstanding. The true highlight of the night, though, was the Beef Rib-Cap. Absolutely phenomenal. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, beautifully cooked, and hands down one of the best steaks we've ever had. Worth the visit alone. We ended on a high note with the Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, which was decadent without being too heavy--the perfect way to wrap up the meal. Beyond the food, we loved the cozy ambience and festive Christmas décor, which made the night feel even more intimate and celebratory. Babbo delivered on every level--exceptional food, warm atmosphere, and a memorable experience. Can't wait to return. read more

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Wasn't planning on writing this review but had a BAD experience last night at the 'rebooted' Babbo. Afraid it felt like a BIG downgrade after the reopening. Our server was adequate, if not especially attentive or friendly. I understand that times get busy, but at this price point / expected caliber of restaurant, it was a bit of a letdown. Couple at the table next to ours, obviously on a date, got the pasta tasting and seemed nonplussed by it throughout. Ordered 2 Hendrick's martinis ($22) each, $4 more (ea.) than at the Salmagundi Club but less strong. We were truly baffled by the White Escarole Salad ($24) -- torn escarole hearts, toasted walnuts, Chianti vinegar, shaved torpedo onions, pecorino foglio di noce -- and the Olive Garden / Pizza Hut presentation. Bland, totally lacking in flavor. The portion was sizable, perhaps to its detriment. It was a Pizza Hut doppelgänger for sure. Sasso Chicken al Mattone ($40) -- sweet fennel sausage, braised escarole greens, spicy pepper condimento -- sausages were shaped into small, lumpy patties and BURNT. Chicken was slightly dry. Much prefer the chicken at FORGIONE. Mezzalune ($28) -- beet, smoked mozzarella, poppy seed butter -- 6 tiny dumplings. They resembled little gyoza but weren't pan-fried. The fillings were pretty tasty. Dessert was extremely underwhelming -- 4 lackluster options. Begrudgingly, we went with the Diplomatico ($18). I think they need to reboot their sweets menu and lower prices to about $14-16. Bill was $233 before tip. Tipped 14-15%. NOT RECOMMENDED. read more

Babbo is back! Coming from Lupa and Del Posto and with roots from the original Babbo, Chef Ladner didn't disappoint. We had finfish trio, pappardelle, angry lobster busiate, and squab. The trio ranged from savory to sweet, refreshing and complimentary to each other. Pasta dishes were the star of the restaurant and they came through - perfectly cooked with great flavors and reasonable portions (although my husband thought the portion size was on the smaller side). Squab, a $59 dish, was the smallest portion in my opinion yet it was greatly flavored and very well executed. Oh did I mention their chocolate olive oil cake? Devine. Interior was dark and elegant, almost exactly that same as I remembered from my several visits about ten years ago. Service was excellent. It's not a cheap meal, price point is on par with other one Michelin places, which I think is what they are aiming for. Under the new management and returning chef, Babbo is making a comeback. I'm going to add it to my rotating restaurant list in the city. read more

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Came back to this Italian staple near Washington Square Park to relive a past visit that was absolutely top tier. The food is still excellent -- the brown butter sage raviolo was rich and perfectly cooked -- but I remember being a bit more wowed by it last time. Maybe my expectations were just sky-high after such a great first visit. The only real downside is the seating. For a restaurant this nice, it's odd that parties of two are often seated side-by-side instead of across from each other -- not exactly the setup you want for a nice dinner out. Still, the overall experience was great -- solid service, lovely atmosphere, and food that's absolutely worth coming back for. A strong 4/5 in my book. read more

Babbo - Ravioli - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

The service was impeccable and I absolutely lovedddddddd the orecchiette Wowwow!! Top 5 pastas of my life! I loved the minestrone soup as well! I was nervous about being dairy free and seafood free but it was truly not a problem here. This place is great for a birthday dinner or celebration dinner. read more

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Very disappointing. Nothing bad but only a few good things and nothing memorable. As the people at the next table concluded, total fail. Rather than simply reopening (and repeating) what was a dying restaurant, Starr has lost an amazing opportunity to take Babbo to a new level. The cocktails and dessert were mediocre. The wine list is still stellar. Service is good. Overall a disappointing experience, unfortunately. read more

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Amazing experience! This restaurant was truly a unique gem that blends together a twist on iconic and classic Italian cuisine. The service and ambience was absolutely incredible, attention to every detail and accurate explanations of the food. All pastas were cooked to perfection and the chocolate cake is one of my favorite desserts in nyc. I can't wait to come back for my next special occasion! read more

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Incredible crudo, minestrone, escarole, and especially the lasagna and chocolate olive oil cake. Definitely a good spot to come back to with more than two people. read more

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The new Babbo was "ok". We ordered a number of different pastas. The linguini was delicious and the rest were good but not as memorable as other similarly difficult to get reservations. Won't be rushing to go back read more

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Visited Babbo for dinner in March and had a great experience. The Pasta Tasting Menu is 10/10 - worth it! My favorite was the Garganelli with "Funghi Trifolati" and Black Truffle Pesto. The staff was attentive. And the wine sommelier (I can't recall her name!) was fantastic - she took us on a "tour of unusual reds," and I tried a few grapes I'd never heard of such as the Aglianico. I'd definitely repeat the Pasta Tasting Menu! read more

Babbo - Wine! - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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I've lost count of how many meals I enjoyed at the original Babbo, and the reboot not only lives up to its legendary reputation but manages to surpass it. Every dish was perfectly executed: the escarole salad, sweetbreads, lobster busiate, rabbit ragu cavatelli--it will be difficult not to repeat this order when I return, much as the rest of the menu is equally tempting. The cocktails were equally delicious (espresso and tomato martinis--and to clarify, these are two different drinks). The redesign is elegant but not stuffy, intimate yet lively. Service was seamless, attentive, and warm, which tends to be rare during opening week. A special thanks to Jimmy, Radu, and the delightful hostess (whose name I regret not getting). It was an absolute pleasure meeting you all--truly class acts. Long story short, Babbo 2.0 is phenomenal. Run, don't walk. read more

Babbo - Angry Lobster Busiate - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Very good pasta! Mid olive oil cake. They started us off with a small snack which was very tasty- I missed their description, but it tasted cheesy and creamy. For apps, we ordered the Red Snapper Crudo and the Baby Wild Arugula. Salad was fine, not mind blowing. I liked the pomegranate seeds on the Crudo- a very nice touch. For mains I tried the Garganelli, Black Spaghetti, Beef Cheek Ravioli, and the Tonnarelli. The Ravioli was my favorite- a small portion, but very rich- I love the sauce. Garganelli and Black Spaghetti were also very tasty. Not the best mushroom pasta I have had though. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Tonnarelli. Not enough basil, a rather flat flavor profile with tomato overpowering the other flavors. We also tried the Brussels Sprouts and Rapini. These were both surprisingly tasty. I would definitely get the brussel sprouts again- the best brussel sprouts I have tasted. We tried the panna cotta and olive oil cake for dessert. Panna cotta was solid. I did not like the olive oil cake. Way too dry. The gelato was essential to add some moisture to the cake. I think it is funny that the menu says added NaCl which is just salt. Honestly, I liked the complimentary cookies better than either of these desserts. I particularly enjoyed the chocolate one- fudgy, sweet, crackly, delicious. Service was great. We sat upstairs- the upstairs bathroom is extremely small, I think only children are able to use the toilet- it is that cramped. Overall, food was good, and I would return. Nothing besides the beef cheek ravioli particularly stood out though. I did not like their olive oil cake but would like to try their other desserts in the future. In terms of alternatives, I prefer Rezdora to Babbo, but still a very good meal nonetheless (Rezdora similarly offers the starting 'snacks' and finishing sweet bites; also better pastas, equivalent service, and the perfect olive oil cake). read more

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Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday. It was relatively straight forward to make the reservation unlike most restaurants in NYC these days. We were seated at the top section of the restaurant. It was nice and cosy but sort of close to other tables too where you can hear their conversations. Ordered 4 courses to share with my friend all together. My least favourite was the salad. It was very tarp and tangy - which isn't my thing. The mushroom pasta was fantastic. The short rib was also great although I wished it came with more polenta. Came out filling very full and happy. Also found out on my way out there is a postcard you can fill out and the restaurant will mail it for you FYI read more

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I had a really upsetting experience here that left me feeling completely disrespected. When I approached the host stand with my two friends. I simply asked how long the wait was. Instead of just answering the question, the hostess told me to go outside and look at the menu posted outside to see the prices. The way it was said made the situation feel extremely uncomfortable and honestly humiliating. I did not ask about the prices at all I only asked about the wait time. Being told to go check the prices outside felt like I was being racially and financially profiled, as if the assumption was that I needed to make sure I could afford the restaurant before even being considered as a guest. It was a disgusting approach to customer service and completely unprofessional. No one should be made to feel judged or singled out when simply walking into a restaurant. Customers deserve to be treated with basic respect and professionalism. Because of this experience, I walked away feeling angry, embarrassed, and disappointed. I will absolutely never be returning. I hope management takes situations like this seriously and reevaluates how guests are treated in the future. read more

Phenomenal...you would think this place had been open for years rather than one week since reopening. The service is truly a class act and the food is next level. Loved the Shellfish Trio, Beef Cheek Ravioli, Lobster Busiate, Beef Cap and Blue Cheese Budino. Can't recommend enough. Welcome back Babbo! read more

Phenomenal meal!!! Love the new babbo. The $100 lasagna was maybe the best lasagna we ever had. The minestrone soup the best we've ever had. The bread incredible. And the desserts (chocolate cake and cream with cherries) fantastic! Love this place. read more

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Best pasta meal of my life. Hands down. Everyone else is out of the race, sorry world. This was a bucket list meal for sure. I admire and respect Joe Bastianich so much, yet I live no where near any of his restaurants... so when I happened to be in NYC it was goal #1 to hit up one of his spots. Let me tell you that man talks the talk, but he can also walk the walk. Top to bottom an amazing experience. Service and servers were helpful and knowledgeable. I ordered the special of the day, a homemade pasta with a truffle cream sauce with fresh shaved black truffle. My friend and I shared the burrata. She ordered a pasta with fresh marinara. Hers was good, but we both agreed I won. I don't know how often this is on the menu as a special as not a regular item, but if you are here and it is there, YOU ORDER IT IMMEDIATELY. Absolutely phenomenal! I'll be back the second I'm in NYC again, as it had several other top dishes on menu I want to try. Thank you Babbo! Till next time *chefs kiss* read more

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Great service and great food! A delicious menus to choose from and we celebrated a birthday there. read more

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I wasn't a fan. All this hype for something I felt was "alright". I tried the 100 layer lasagna and what an amazing dish except, the thing was very thinly sliced. I finished it in a few minutes and ordered another entree because I was still hungry! Overpriced, 100 paper thin layers of goodness. More like a very expensive tease. So, went with the clutch bolognese which was much more filling. Service was slow, and had to constantly flag the server down. There are so many options for better and cheaper pasta in the area. I won't be returning. read more

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So I stopped in for a late dinner with the fabulous Ashley P. Our first time dining here in several years. We were not disappointed. We sat on the balcony, ordered some vino, and slowly got into the excellent soundtrack. Ashley ordered a glass of Vermentino, and I a glass of Etna Rosso. I went with the Cavatelli, and Ashley with the Beef Cheek Ravioli. Both were delicious. Our overall experience was very good. I felt that the front of the house people we a bit stiff, but the sommelier was at the top of his game. We'll be back! read more

A great fancy dinner spot! I came here with work colleagues for a dinner, and it was a nice, upscale spot. We had a reservation and were seated in 5 minutes. I had the Red Snapper Crudo as an appetizer, which was seasoned well, with a nice vinegar flavor. I had the pear ravioli, which came with 8 pieces and was mild and sweet flavored and coated with butter. I finished with the olive oil cake and gelato, which were okay, the flavor was not very strong. Overall, everyone at my table enjoyed their meal. My one complaint was that I tried moving my reservation up 30 minutes, and the employee I called was very unhelpful. He told me that he couldn't adjust my reservation because the restaurant was too busy, but when I checked on Opentable, there were seats available. The employee told me I could change the reservation on the app, but he couldn't do it for me, which was fine, but seemed silly. When I got to the restaurant there were lots of open tables, so it didn't make sense. read more

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Unfortunately a disappointment. Had high hopes walking in to the newly acquired Babbo - front of the house was lovely and the space was gorgeous as usual. Our dining companions had arrived before us and had started on drinks. It was a full 20 minutes before our server reappeared to take out drink order and another 20 minutes before we received them. The third drink ordered did not arrive with the other two and our dinner order had not been taken by that time. My friend asked to speak with someone to get our service restarted and after she voiced her displeasure, service was a 180 degree turn. Apps were delightful - got the sweetbreads (phenomenal,) escarole salad (amazing,) and trio crudo (shrimp was best, but all good.) At that point had high hopes for dinner, but the pastas were mind blowingly bad for a place which is supposed to be known for its pasta. My friends pesto was inedibly salty while my beef cheek ravioli seemed to have forgotten the salt entirely. Additionally, the chicken liver filling was slightly rubbery (not at all appetizing.) My husband's linguini was clumped together, unevenly cooked and also extremely salty. Definitely not a worthy experience. read more

Had a lovely dinner here! It's pricey but the service is fantastic and it's a very cute vibe. The wine list is also great. The octopus appetizer was standout - the sauce complemented the texture and flavor perfectly. For main, I had the lobster pasta, which came with a huge claw and was comforting and elegant at the same time. Would recommend - especially for a special occasion or date night. read more

Babbo - Grilled Octopus - yum! - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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A quintessential New York restaurant. Dark wood bar, art deco soft lights.... White tablecloths, attentive service professional bartenders who have been here for years. A fully stocked bar including exotic vodka, gins, and digestives that one doesn't normally see Menu has sweet bread, halibut, steaks, everything would expect from this type of restaurant ... White truffles in season are to die for... A gem.... read more

Babbo - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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With the caveat that I never went to the original Babbo so have no basis for comparison (or preconceived notions), I can say without reservation that I loved my recent meal at Babbo 2.0. The food was some of the best Italian cooking I've hd in a long time - maybe not as cheekily avant garde as somewhere like Torrisi, but flawlessly executed. Highlights for me were the escarole salad (perfect), the carne cruda, and the orecchiette. The orecchiette was new on the menu and I hope they keep it. They asked for my critical feedback, and I was unable to come up with anything I didn't like about it. Which brings me to the service (which was excellent). The old Babbo was sort of a scene, and service can be variable at places like that if you're a normie. The service at new Babbo was attentive, efficient, and friendly, without being overbearing. Sommelier was excellent at steering us in a good direction for our meal within our budget. We sat on the upper level. Apparently, this was Siberia in the old place, but I thought it was dark, private, and nicely designed. Though as with many West Village spots, the tables are not overly spacious. One of the best meals I've ever had was at Del Posto in the early 2010s. Mark Ladner was the chef there and is now the chef at Babbo. He has not lost his touch. If you're looking for a special meal, I can't recommend Babbo enough. Tables can be hard to come by, but we had luck on reasonably short notice findinf an early slot on a weeknight. read more

Super fancy - with creative and delicious takes on Italian food. Super bonus: the music wasn't too loud! Perhaps Babbo management listened to the MANY complaints of recent patrons? You're on your way toward getting you Michelin Star back! The service was excellent; very helpful wait staff. At these prices,Babbo is a special occasion only kind of place, but what they do, they do very well!! read more

Babbo - Halibut, tonnarelli, maltagliati, Black Spaghetti, amuse bouche, ahi tuna. - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Amazing meal last night for my family of 6 - all of the excellent dishes met or exceeded our expectations, outstanding cocktails and attentive staff - Radu (aka Peter - inside joke) was totally knowledgeable and a true professional waiter. Jimmy was attentive and the sommelier was spot on. Thanks for a wonderful evening! read more

I was excited to try this restaurant! When I arrived I parked on the street. I walked into a beautiful restaurant. I was sat and Garson was my waiter and he was excellent! I started with an amazing red wine. I then had two pastas, the ravioli and the tonnarelli. My favorite was the tonnarelli! Everything was just so so good! read more

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"It's the best pasta tasting outside of Italy" You can order a lot of things here, but if you really want to go decadent, you must order the many course pasta. It's rich and over the top, but you have to do it once in your life if you come To NYC. Yes, it's that good. Pros - Great service - Elegant, upscale setting - Quieter than most place - the amazing pasta of course - great desserts The Cons - It is a little pricey - slightly pretentious read more

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I have had Babbo book marked for a long time. This was a great choice. My husband and I went for Mother's Day. We had a 3:45 reservation, we were early, so we sat at the bar. I can not say enough about the food and the service! Service was exceptional! The food was outstanding!! We were started with their complimentary bread and the polenta bites. Then we had the wagyu carpaccio, which melted in your mouth!! We then split the Garganelli with Mushrooms and black truffle. Then we split the Short Ribs over Polenta, it was melt in your mouth. read more

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Mario Batali's older highly sought out restaurant that has had celebs and power brokers dine here in the past. One of the hardest reservations to score in the hey day for many years still is a top grade Italian Restaurant. My friend who lived in NY gave me two options of restaurants to choose from (Babbo and L'Artusi) and to his and my amazement we were only able to score reservations at this spot. After reviewing the two menus Babbo was my top choice however so we were set on our way. I love Italian restaurants that really go into the vault and bring out unique Italian pasta dishes that you do not see everywhere, this spot is perfect for the world of high end pasta dishes. I went with the Black Spaghetti entree (With jumbo lump crab, scallions, and green chiles). Buttered to perfection my only complaint is I would have liked a larger portion size. My girlfriend ordered Ravioli (With pear and pecorino "cacio e pepe"). That is right, pear in the ravioli! The dish was unique, artsy, mouthwatering, but again portion size was even lighter than my dish. Other qualms would be there was only one wine by the glass that I would order as some of the red wine by the glass options sat at $30.00 a pour. Olive oil cake and Gelato - Olio Verde, Two Ways + NaCl Rachele Bosca - So, the cake was great however I am not sure I want sodium poured over my cake which they do table side. I say try it once but given the option to have my cake with salt or without salt sprinkled on top I have to say I prefer without salt. Loved the dining option but will certainly be a number of years before I return. As always people SYOY!!! read more

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my wife and i popped in here spur of moment for a little nostalgia trip. used to sit at the bar for pasta tasting menu, routinely. we were younger with less experienced pallates but definitely poorer than we are today. relevant setup. $120 + $80 for wine pairing 5 pasta courses + sorbet + dessert portions were less than 1/2 size of regular pastas. 3 small raviolis of ricotta with heavy butter. fair squid ink spaghettini with crab. nice abundant lump crab but in the end a silly dish cause crab doesn't integrate into pasta or sauce. sauce was oniony then squab liver ravioli. 3 of them. unctuous. but minuscule garganelli with mushroom. the shrooms were outstanding. sauce was basically just butter. and grana padano which is kinda life too short for that. but overall this was the best course then tag bolognese which was super lame. no ragu. just like ground meat. dessert was the high point. olive oil gelato with olive oil cake topped with olive oil and maldon. totally outasite. value poor. portions lame. not happy. won't be back. end of the era and was already uncomfortable continuing to patronize the place given the former proprietor is a rapist read more

Babbo - drinks - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

27 years ago tonight - my family and I were dining at Lydia's now closed wonderful uptown restaurant- My daughter was near her due date. Lydia grated truffles onto her pasta, and said... "You'll give birth tonight." And she did. He'll be 27 tomorrow. She creates magic! read more

Disappointing dinner experience at Babbo tonight which had been our favorite Italian restaurant for over ten years. Babbo had been our goto restaurant every time we were in NYC. Authentic amazing Italian cuisine with genuinely friendly people who are passionate about their food and wine. Unfortunately it has totally changed and gone downhill. 1/3 of the pork chop was totally fat and inedible. The lobster spaghetti was bland and had no taste to it. The lamb tongue can't compare at all to the beef tongue used to be on the menu. Service was "professionally friendly" instead of the genuine neighborhood friendly you will experience in Italy. And the list goes on..... Really wanted to love the restaurant but so disappointed that we wasted a dinner in NYC on this trip. read more

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Babbo was such an amazing experience and I will definitely be returning!! The environment is so lively and our server was very diligent and attentive to our party. Lastly, the food was A M A Z I N G. We had the pork chops which were cooked exactly to our liking and the gnocchi which was so flavorful. Can't wait to go back!! read more

Babbo - Gelati - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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What a lovely venue. They have upstairs seating too! There are stairs in the middle of the venue that show how the venue has ample seating for large and small parties. Went with a girlfriend and it was delightful. Wonderful staff who was very knowledgeable and attentive. Also - JUSTIN! What a gem! He gave us an impromptu sommelier lesson of Montenegro that was boss! Thank you Justin! I had a pasta that was delectable! Don't know the name however the flavor- scrumptious! Also had a Sbagliato that was SUPERB. Want to take your partner out for a classy date at an affordable price in the Village? Baboo is the way to go. read more

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First, the service was 5 star... our server had been their 19 years and was fantastic. The food quality was across the board... We had high expectations for the Ossobuco which was plated beautifully but tasted dry and uninteresting... ( no, we didn't complain...) The veal and fettuccine special ($62) was amazing, rich, deep and delicious...everything you would expect from Babbo... except it came on tagliatelle sized pasta, not fettuccine. The "pappardelle bolognese" was "pretty good ", but definitely not great. Here's the BIG one though, THE MUSIC!! Babbo, what's up with the blaring, not even great choice rock? It was so out of place it was almost funny...except it was so cranking loud we couldn't hear each other laugh... or talk... or hear the server, or the Somm... I have eaten in restaurants all over the US, Italy and Australia... this was a first. Why do THAT to your guests in any fine dining restaurant before 11pm... or after for that matter? read more

Babbo - Servers hovering around "center piece" in entry way... - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Went last night with family in tow. A wonderful experience and we are looking forward to our next visit Great experience with Wine, 2001 Sori Paitan Barbaresco and great service from the Sommelier. Maybe in the future they will allow corkage but the wine I had was great. Highlights Halibut for my wife and daughter-in-law was very outstanding maybe, according to them, the best halibut they've ever had Lambs tongue appetizer was sensational for me. I shared this with my son. Pastas were a 10 Mint love letters with spicy lamb sausage for my wife Duck pasta special for my son For me, beef cheek, ravioli I understand the new/ old Chef Mark Ladner was in attendance and we are looking forward to his menu modifications We've always had fond memories of Babbo. I think the best is yet to come. read more

Still my favorite Italian restaurant after all these years. The service is still excellent. I came here the first time when they had a Michelin star and the food is still just as good. Wish they could get their star back! I always love their squid ink pasta option and the ricotta cheesecake for desert. Glad they are regulars now. The only favorite they haven't had my last couple visits is the cockles. I wish it was an appetizer staple. The server went above and beyond this last visit and crafted us a small multi course tasting of the several pastas we wanted to try. Can't come to NYC without stopping here. I recommend a seat downstairs for the people watching and ambiance. read more

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What a great restaurant! Came to NY for a birthday party and this was where our dinner was. The cutest little place that is bigger than it looks! Walk in to a cozy, intimate style Italian restaurant with amazing staff and servers! The only thing I will nit-pick is the sommelier we had should not work at the restaurant... the least experienced som I have ever seen and he did not know his wines... but everything else so amazing, so can't complain too much! The food was unbelievable. Amazing presentations, flavor, everything was over the top. For starters the little neck clams were amazing! The sauce was so delicious and amazing for dipping! Our favorite pasta dish was the Cacio e Pepe Ravioli. The flavor on this was unreal. Slightly sweet? This dish was devoured!! The beef cheek ravioli was also a killer dish too! Never had beef cheek so tender! The entrees were also amazing with the seared tuna being the star of the show! Gorgeous presentation and seared to perfection. Desserts were also amazing, but you almost don't even need them with all the amazing savory dishes! Panna Cotta was super amazing and very light though so this was the perfect finishing dish. Overall amazing place and really looking forward to coming back here! read more

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