Date night! We arrived right on time and were promptly seated upstairs. Servers were quick and bountiful if I needed anything. it was around Christmas time and the vibe was lively and fun! Decorations were cute and there was a wedding party in the back. We split the meatballs which were fine, a bit salty. I ordered the orecchiette, my usual and it was great! Nothing incredible or surprising, but a solid entree. We split the tiramisu and ordered a decaf capp. Drink came out after the tiramisu was three quarters gone (would recommend!), which was disappointing but still enjoyable. It's very solid and consistent Italian food. Definitely could see why there was a wedding party here -- there's something for everyone. To me, it seems like the Italian Pastis. Will be back! read more

Nice spot near soho with good walk-in availability. Went here for lunch and the place is well done and cozy. Went got there at around 2:30 and received the brunch menu, it seems that around 3 PM the menu changes to dinner because the table that came after us got some dishes we hadn't seen. Ordered the agnolotti and the Caesar salad. Both were very good. The Caesar is dressed generously and topped with pepper and breadcrumbs. The agnolotti is filled with a soft white cheese and covered in a spicy tomato sauce. Overall, solid food, nice spot, not crowded for lunch. Would go again! read more

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Bar Primi was a nice spot for lunch on the first weekend of the year. I had the Fusilli Giganti - basil pesto, stracciatella ($28) and it was a simple pesto dish. The server was very attentive, always filling up my water glass and checking up to see if we wanted another glass of wine, which was always a yes. Solid Italian spot! read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Spaghetti Pomodoro - parmigiano-reggiano ($26) - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Went here when visiting a girlfriend in the city and enjoyed it! But I didn't DIE for it, however I would still come back. What I mainly loved was the vibes, the cute waiter, and the Gwenyth Paltrow type random health branded coca-cola. I got the squid ink pasta and my friend got something green... I assume pesto. Both were good! But again, mainly liked the vibes and the free match books you get at the host stand. A bit of a pricey spot but would come back if I was feeling fancy and wanted a skinny girl coca-cola. read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Squid pasta and pesto pasta - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

This is actually the second time I've been here but first time reviewing. Bar Primi is a long time East Village staple and for a good reason. They're consistent in both service and quality. You're not going to get your napkin folded when you go to the bathroom, but they're more than tolerant of your table for 7 with 2 kids and a stroller. The food is good. The drinks are fun. You can't go wrong with a rosè tower. Or maybe you can? The octopus and the squid ink pasta is probably my favorite. If you're talking desserts than 100% the affogato. Strong and delicious. We'll be back. Always a fun afternoon. read more

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Was introduced to this restaurant by friends and it did not disappoint! What a cute spot! Amazing staff that kept that came often to check how things were. Ambiance was great. For appetizers to share for four of us, we got the brussels sprouts, meatballs , ricotta crostino (with hazelnuts and truffle honey- this was my favorite!) and all three were delicious! For the main dish, I got the squid Ink campanelle with blue crab, garlic crema, and fresno and it was not heavy and had a slight kick with the few slices of pepper. read more

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I'm giving Bar Primi 4 stars solely because that pesto fusilli is so good, and I loved the ambiance. It's a really cute little place that had bright lighting when my friend and I came for lunch, and they really allowed us to eat for as long as we wanted. The staff were all very nice and attentive, filling our water and checking in often, and, let's come back to it-- the pesto fusilli. That pesto pasta was so good and I don't know what it was. The cheese on top, the al dente pasta, the sauce that wasn't too much and also clung to the pasta so well, and the nuts that added texture-- all of it came together to make this perfect and simple pasta dish. Like there really isn't anything crazy in here, but they killed it. The brussels were unfortunately too sauce-y for me. The top ones that weren't drenched were yummy, but the ones underneath were so submerged in sauce that they were inedible. The salt in the sauce combined with the salt in the pepperoni was too much. The pistachio gelato was yummy, but when it was combined with the white chocolate drizzle it became too sweet. It was also a huge portion that I wasn't able to finish because it was so rich. Overall I think their prix fixe menu is a good value, but the only thing worth getting again on my end is that pesto pasta. But BOY is it worth getting again. read more

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Stumbled upon this restaurant after a long walk after my visit to the Tenement Museum. I was glad it was open and pretty empty inside (I quickly learned the cold and rain does not deter New Yorkers) I was greeted and seated quickly which was great considering I was cold and already tired from my walk that morning. I ordered the Dante's hot toddy because I was in the mood for a warm boozy drink and this was a great choice. You could definitely taste the mulled cider with the bourbon and it helped relax and warm me up. I wasn't overly hungry so I chose the ricotta crostini and the insalata di scarola as a somewhat light lunch. The ricotta was extra light but creamy on the crostini and the honey was a great balance to the ricotta and nuts. Definitely a good starter. Since I love Gorgonzola, the salad was salad was great too, just a tad overdressed with the vinaigrette dressing. Overall everything on the menu looked amazing and if I ever find myself in the area again, I'd love to come back to Bar Primi. It's located in a great area to walk in and not far from the former site of the CBGB. read more

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Bar Primi does Italian well! On a warm summer evening, their outdoor seating is just perfect. We started with the 20-month aged prosciutto and a side of bread, an absolute must order. For our mains, we ordered the Linguine and the Charrita & Clams. Great atmosphere, good service, and delicious food! Worthy of a repeat. read more

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Bar Primi is an adorable little restaurant right in the corner of Bowery and 2nd with the most delicious pastas! My friend and I popped in on a Friday night for dinner and got a table outside to enjoy the last few weeks of nice weather. We ordered the bucatini and pappardelle and both dishes were extremely flavorful! For drinks, I got the toil & trouble which was great and my friend got a mocktail called faux daisy but she didn't like it much. Overall, it was a lovely spot for an intimate dinner with a small group. read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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We had a late lunch reservation and the restaurant wasn't too busy. We were seated in the booth, which was dark, and it was also very warm where we were sitting on a hot summer day. The service was very friendly and attentive. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and mains to share. The items were on the smaller side, for example the $14 ricotta crostini only came with one slice of bread. The pasta's were better than the appetizers. We ordered the squid ink campanelle, which did not come with a lot of crab. The ricotta agnolotti was probably my favorite item, although nothing too extraordinary. The sea bass alla griglia was well prepared. Overall I thought the portions were small for the price. read more

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Not your average Italian restaurant food was flavorful service was great. A little pricey drinks were also good. We got spicy margaritas I would definitely revisit. read more

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Bar Primi truly never misses. I don't know what it is about this place but every time I come in I'm left extremely satisfied. On my most recent visit I had the Agnolotti and it was absolutely incredible. We were a large party yet the service was impeccable, and literally everyone at the table was dying over how good their food was. Ambience is definitely lively and not the kind of place where you go for an intimate quiet dinner but this was perfect for us and we really enjoyed our meal. Anytime anyone is looking for quality Italian in that's not one of the overhyped establishments I always recommend Bar Primi as it's always solid and hits the spot. read more

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The drinks and smaller dishes were AMAZING we were also starving coming in so those items came first and fast. After waiting almost 15mins for our mains, we were completely disappointed. Pasta was still crunchy and bland and skirt steak was cold and unseasoned. We wanted to try the desserts badly but was very disappointed with the mains we didnt bother. read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Another visit to this not fancy, not amazing, yet incredibly solid Bowery spot. Pretty easy to snag a seat. Service attentive and down to earth. I sat at the bar this time, as I was in a rush and alone, and got my food and drinks quickly and with a smile. This time I had the steak frites. I ordered medium, but received closer to rare or blue. But flavor was good. The "frites" was more like home fries, but crispy. I had a couple cocktails--a frozen wine cocktail which was rich and savory, almost like a cobbler without the sweetness. I also had the smoky Luigi--illegal mezcal, aperol, cucumber, and vermouth Bianco. Lived up to the smoky name! Again, this place is not mind-blowing, but it's laid back, accessible, food and drinks are decent, service is good, and close to tons of shopping, art galleries, and theater options on the Bowery. read more

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Average NYC Italian. Satisfying and surprisingly spacious in a weird area for food. No standouts.

Went here with my friends for dinner!! Very responsive and easy to work with to get a reservation with!! We got burrata pockets and fried tomato rice (arancini) for appetizers and I got parpadelle for the entree! They were all delicious but the highlight had to be my entree; parpadelle. All the things on the menu looked very good. My friends got stuffed pasta dishes but the portion seemed so small!! But alas i had a great time there. They noticed we were a group of three and recommended to have three (instead of two) fried tomato rice, which was a nice suggestion. The inside has a bar and a little dark ambiance for the seating part, which looked cool. Outside dining was also well lit and cozy to dine at! read more

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On a Sunday afternoon in July a friend and I arrived to a near by event early so we wander into Bar Primi. Looking for both a lite bite and a way yo past the time we perused the menu. We both decide to order grilled octopus and to share the Sicilian Caesar salad. Both dishes were extremely tasty and service was nice. We both approved of the mountain of freshly grated Parmesan on the Sicilian Ceasar. I would stop back in for both dishes when in the area again. Just A Note: The Sicilian Caesar is large enough to share. The grilled octopus is enough for an individual serving. read more

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Back at my favorite place in the world! This time here to celebrate my best friend's birthday! We were seated upstairs, super cute and more intimate setting for catching up. I had the johnny magazzino drink all night and my friend had non alcoholic espresso "martini" which she loved! For appetizers we had a prosciutto dish, brussel sprouts with fried pepperoni, fhe black truffle suppli (in other words like an aracini) and the ricotta with truffle honey crostini. I knew I was going to be blown away again but my friend was speechless. Thats how good. For entrees she had the sea bass dish- in her words "the best fish Ive ever had. Her husband has been here before and he has said the same. I had the linguine with garlic and breadcrumbs- it was very simple but it hit the spot. Then we shared the steak with crispy potatoes and arugula. WOW WOW WOW. I didnt think it was also going to be this good but it was the fav dish out of both of us and hands down one of my fav steal dishes ever. I dont know how they can get the potatoes cooked that way but we were obsessed!! As the finisher, they had a hazelnut special. So basically a nutella kind of situation with hazelnut ice cream and lets not forget we got the pistachio dessert! Cant wait to come back and highly recommend. The service was impeccable, all staff super attentive and just simply amazing. Huge shout out to Victoria for checking on us and making this dinner super special! read more

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Great food, and nice ambiance and smartly-dressed public! Lots of young couples on date. Though I came for a group dinner :) My fave dishes here were the Sea Bass alla Griglia (olive muffaletta), Hanger Steak (garlic butter, patate fritte, arugula), and Octopus (warm cannellini beans, salsa verde, chili). The sea bass especially tasted soo good!! Just soft delicious and rightly seasoned. The Red Garden Beets (pistachio & horseradish yogurt) were okay though not my top favorite, Ricotta Crostini (hazelnuts, truffle honey) I quite liked, and Pistachio-Pistachio gelato was okay but again not out-of-this-world good imo. Still overall food quality was really good and dishes were delicious!! Plus lighting not too bright, service attentive, and other ppl there presentable and elegant too. read more

Get the ricotta toast and the prosciutto, but stop there. Those two are definitely worth coming back for. Maybe a place to go if you can't decide and want to try multiple places, come here for apps then somewhere else for mains. We did get the chicken piccata as well but honestly it was not that great. read more

One of my favorite Italian restaurants in Manhattan! The ambiance is so warm and cozy and inviting. The servers were very attentive and helpful. The food was absolutely delicious and incredibly filling. I would totally recommend the pumpkin mezzelune! Its vegetarian, and my non-vegetarian friend said it was better than her Bolognese. Would also recommend the tiramisu, but be sure to leave room if you plan to get it, since the food is a bit heavy. read more

Bar Primi Bowery - pumpkin mezzelune - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Great ambiance and cozy place here for a date.night. Had a very strong espresso martini and the crostino was very unique and a filling appetizer. Bar seating is a good way to get a quick seat here. read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Espresso martini and Ricotta Crostino - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Honestly, was so excited to check out Bar Primi! Heard so many good things and see so many good reviews online. But the food is just mediocre. Meatballs were bland. Ceasar salad was eh. The pasta was NOT to die for. No food really screamed COME BACK AND HAVE IT AGAIN. What a disappointment. The restaurant is hyped by these wanna-be socialites and influencers. 1 star for ambiance and design. 1 star for service. But that's it. This place can definitely be a skip on your list. read more

I was in New York visiting my brother and went to dinner here one night for very delicious Italian food! Loved the interior design and the overall vibe of the restaurant; it felt very rustic and old-school but still trendy! We were seated in a comfortable booth upstairs and the service was perfect. We ordered some drinks and then the brussel sprouts and ricotta toast as starters. Both amazing! For my main, I ordered the pesto fusilli. I'm not typically a pasta person but this dish did not disappoint! I loved the cheese that melted into the sauce and the pasta was perfectly cooked! My boyfriend and his friend both ordered the rigatoni which they also agreed was delicious. My brother ordered the tortellini and absolutely devoured them! Overall, I really had a great time dining here! Loved the food, drinks, and the atmosphere so would definitely come back! Delicious Italian food! read more

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Nice Italian restaurant serving tasty Italian dishes , good service and nice atmosphere. We stopped by for lunch and had a nice dining experience read more

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Now I don't have a lot to compare to when it comes to NYC Italian, that being said, Bar Primi was hands down one of the best Italian restaurants I've visited. The vibe was eclectic and breathed the city. The service was swift but didn't feel rushed and the food... wow! We ordered a couple cocktails, a cosmo and a martini. Followed by broccoli as our appetizer... don't judge, it was fabulous. Our entrees were the pappardelle, the bucatini and a classic linguine with vodka sauce and there were no leftovers! Well done Bar Primi! read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Cosmo cocktail - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I actually first heard about Bar Primi when I overheard someone talking about it on the train, but I looked it up and it seemed yummy, so voilà, here we are. A few friends and I came by for a weekday dinner; we had a reservation, but it was really empty when we got there (6:30pm ish). The restaurant is a bit bigger than I expected, since there's a second floor, but even though there's a lot of space, our table was pretty small (it was fine since there were only 3 of us, but it's ordinarily meant to seat 4). Also the seats of the booth we were in were rather uncomfortable for me heh. Regardless. We ordered the stuffed meatballs to start, which were pretty good. The meat was savoury (although a little too heavy, I think) and the tomato sauce was very yummy (would have gone nicely with e.g. bread but alas, no bread. For the price I did think portion size was a little small (it's 4 medium-ish meatballs). We ordered three pastas to share: - rigatoni carbonara: the sauce felt a little one-dimensional and too salty; there wasn't that much of the usual egg/cheese undertone throughout. I did like that the pasta was nicely cooked to the perfect al-dente chewiness, but the overall flavour profile was definitely a bit lacking. The guanciale was very savoury and yummy, definitely the high point of the dish. - ricotta agnolotti: so, interestingly I learnt that the main difference between agnolotti and ravioli is that agnolotti is made from one piece of folded pasta whereas ravioli is with two separate pieces stuck together. (fun fact of the day.) this dish was fine-ish; I liked the mouthfeel of the ricotta and agnolotti wrapper together, but I felt like the flavours of the ricotta and the vodka sauce were a bit unbalanced (both rather heavy, and not quite in a complementary way) - orecchiette: I thought it was surprisingly good, although it did get very mixed reviews around the table. The sauce wasn't too heavy while still adding a nice complement to the broccoli rabe and spinach. The sausage was a bit salty for my taste but I think it worked pretty well with this dish in particular. Pasta also very nicely al dente. And finally we shared a tiramisù for dessert. I am the biggest tiramisù fan, so of course it was delicious, but not spectacularly so (e.g. I think you could get a similarly above-average slice at many places throughout the city). Overall, I feel like our meal was pretty OK - nothing particularly bad, but also nothing particularly fantastic. Price point was decent (pretty good compared to many Italian restaurants in the city) but still a little on the higher end. read more

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Our family had a great lunch at Bar Primi. From the ambiance to the food to the service! We came in on a Sunday afternoon with about 10 people and there were 2-3 other tables seated so seating was not an issue at all. We started off with the Chickory Salad, Sicilian Tomato Rice Balls, Ricotta Crostino, and Brussels Sprouts (with pepperoni!) to share as an appetizer. For the main dishes, I ordered the Rigatoni Alla Norma and the table shared Ricotta Pancakes and Breakfast Spaghetti. Everything we ordered was delicious and there were definitely many unique ingredient combinations. If I had to pick, my favorites were the Sicilian Tomato Rice Balls, Ricotta Crostino, and the Breakfast Spaghetti! read more

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Bar Primi is a decent spot for italian fare. I came here for Sunday brunch with friends, and it was easy to get a reservation. It was not too crowded so you may not need a reservation. Service was good and attentive, and the ambience was very nice (bright, clean, spacious) and perfect for a brunch. It felt cozy inside. In terms of the food: Ricotta crostino 4/5: very decadent ricotta with a little bit of honey, truffle, and hazelnut on a crunchy piece of bread! This was really delicious and nice to try. Felt rich and light at the same time! The sandwich 2/5: this unfortunately wasn't it for me. My main complaint is the sliced beef... it was dry and completely flavorless. The sandwich tries to compensate with a bit of sauce and a decent pepper jam, but I really didn't enjoy the beef. I'm also not that into the brioche-type bun that the sandwich came on. Sandwich is a decent size but definitely disappointing from a flavor profile. read more

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Solid spot for a nice dinner after work. I had a reservation with a group of coworkers for Tuesday evening and were seated immediately upon arrival. The restaurant has two floors and we were lucky enough to be seated in a cozy corner upstairs. Our table split a few appetizers, including the Sicilian Tomato Rice Balls, Beets, Buratta Cremosa, and Grilled Octopus. Every dish was great, though my favorites were the rice balls and the buratta (the bread that came with it was so fluffy!!). For my main, I ordered the popular Squid Ink Campanelle, which was delicious and had a nice kick of spice, though there could have been bigger chunks of crab. Pasta texture was great and the dish wasn't too salty. I also ordered a Fellini - nothing super special but light and refreshing. The restaurant was pretty busy when we were there, but the space is large so it was pretty easy to get a reservation for our group of 7. Would recommend! read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Squid Ink Campanelle - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Bar Primi was wonderful. First off, the ambience is great. There are two stories, we sat upstairs. It was just a beautiful restaurant. It had a cozy, yet upscale vibe. The pasta you could tell was handmade, it was perfectly al dente and so yummy. The salad was also delicious -- the perfect amount of toppings (aka, a lot of toppings!!!) Our server was also great. As we arrived, he offered us Prosecco for our anniversary and was also happy to make menu recommendations. read more

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I really liked their ricotta crostino, but unfortunately not much else. We had made a reservation for a party of 5 ahead of time and were seated as soon as we arrived. For appetizers, we shared two of the ricotta crostinos (they come with 2 pieces each), and I thought this was a wonderfully balanced dish with the sweetness of the honey and the crunch of the hazelnuts. For entrees, I ordered the orcchiette which came with broccoli rabe and peperoncino. The pasta itself was cooked fine, but the meat was overly salty and there was not much depth to the actual dish. My friends all ordered the fusilli, which I had tried a bite of and thought the dish was actually too overpowering for more than a couple bites. The pastas felt reasonably priced, but the serving size was gigantic so I ended up taking home leftovers. read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Ricotta Crostino - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Made a reservation for a Friday night and had a solid meal here. They were sadly not serving Frosé (they invented it here!) so I got the Capri cocktail instead. Also tried the Vesuvio cocktail. My boyfriend and I shared: + Insalata greca + Stuffed meatballs + Squid ink campanelle + Fiori di carciofi + Tiramisu The tiramisu was by far the best thing, and the meatballs were also particularly delicious. I think AC's newer spot Carne Mare at Pier 17 is better, but this holds up! read more

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Bar Primi was pretty good but definitely not my favorite pasta in the city. We got the burrata pockets, bolognese, and a clam pasta that I can't quite remember the name of. I absolutely love burrata, but I found the burrata pockets to be a little underwhelming. My bolognese was good! One of the better bologneses I've had, and the clam pasta was nice as well! It had a lot of garlic flavor which I loved. We also asked for some bread to help sop up the extra sauce we had, and that was either free or they didn't charge us for it which was nice. read more

If you're looking for a place that truly delivers flavor, service, and atmosphere, look no further. Every dish was bursting with taste -- the kind of flavors that make you pause mid-bite just to appreciate what's happening. The staff was incredibly attentive and genuinely friendly, "Victoria and Rafael"making me feel welcome from the moment I walked in. The vibes were perfect: warm, energetic. This is the kind of spot that doesn't just serve food -- it creates an experience. Highly recommend! read more

Went there for a dinner with family. It is a nondescript place but quite affordable and with a nice pasta selection. Apps - the beets which came in a spicy bed of hummus and yoghurt and pistachios. Generous portion very nice beets. The octopus was on a beans. Cold. Refreshing very tasty. The meatballs were great. I am not a huge fan but I tried a small piece and it was delicious Entrees were the pastas and the steak. The pomodoro spaghetti was my choice. Cooked al dente with plenty of sauce and some Parmesan already sprinkled. Delicious. The squid ink pasta was tasty but lacked sauce and the crab was sparse. The steak was delicious! Perfectly seasoned dnd cooked. I am not a dessert person but the tiramisu and pistachio ice cream were loved. Great service. Attentive and knowledgeable. Nice old NY ambiance. I highly recommend this place! read more

Bar Primi Bowery - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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It was okay, took awhile to get served when other tables that came after us were attended to first. Food wasn't bad nor good, the pasta was a bit undercooked as well but the meatball dish was good. Once service got to us, they did a decent job of checking in here and there. Personally, it's a one and done for me but wouldn't come back. read more

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Upon entering, we are greeted by a lovely host. We were led to the second floor ( much nicer than the ground level) in immediately were greeted by the most wonderful waiter named Dave Cocktails for average, but the food was quite nice. We began with a Caesar salad and an anti pasta salad. The Caesar salad was wonderful the auntie pasta salad which claims to have salami and cheeses mixed in was disappointing. There was hardly any cheese or salami with radicchio salad I would rather pay a more money and have More of those items. The pasta dishes were lovely. My favorite was the linguine with four cloves of garlic, perfectly al dente and Truly a beautiful garlic flavor. In addition, we ordered the hanger steak, the bass, and the chicken piccata These dishes were all outstanding The hanger steak was very tender, the bass was amazing served with chopped olives, parsley, and plenty of olive oil and garlic. All in all, a delightful restaurant. A few negatives are the bread service was lovely bread, but it was ice cold. As if it was refrigerated, the dessert menu was rather skimpy however, we were offered a complementary tasting of the pistachio ice cream in the cherry sorbet. Both were absolutely outstanding. I'd go back because the team in this restaurant were absolutely delightful in the room is cheery and pleasant read more

Bar Primi Bowery - This bass was absolutely delicious, so sorry that I got into it before I took the photograph - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Good place, people, service, but poor results. Went here on a Friday night and were sent to sit in the tight booth duo area. The setting was lovely and the servers were very attentive! We ordered the brussels sprouts, calamari as apps and the ravioli and parpadelle as our mains. Although the apps were the star of the show, the pasta were very lackluster. They lacked flavor and harmony with all the components. Very pricey for little. read more