Just another place living off its reputation. The food was decent. The service was terrible. We were celebrating a birthday and when I took a bite of cake I almost choked on a whole birthday candle that had made its way into the middle of the cake. When I brought the staffs attention to it they played dumb. Then the Maitre d', Lucy acted as if she didn't understand how a birthday candle wound up in a piece of cake. The Manager, Anthony was half apologetic. If your not a regular who they will recognize by face don't bother. read more

I wanted to love this place. Valet parking lot across the street; restaurant has beautiful, old world charm. Food is OK/good, not great. The service just does not measure up to the menu prices. An arrogant waiter ruined it. He didn't bother to tell us the specials (dumb because they're usually higher $). During our meal, he'd walk by and ask if everything was ok, but would keep walking so we had no time to respond. Pet peeve: it took him forever to bring our check after we requested it, & even longer to come back for our payment. Might be ok if you get a better waiter, but pricey for the food quality. Too bad. read more

the pasta tasted like it had been pre-chewed and spit up.

What a disgrace!!!! I am african american and I and my 2 sisters went in to ask about renting the space for my nieces sweet 16. They had us sit for half an hour and never attended us, other (caucasion) people came after us and was attended to immediately. We walked out and not 1 person asked us why we were leaving. Its unfortunate as a business owner I wouldnt dare!!! I dont even know how to explain this kind of racism. Its unfortunate that this happened in an Italian restaurant as I have great business relationships with some. But it was even more sad to see the disappointment in my nieces face cause she is the 1 who found the place herself online! read more

This is Classic Italian food at its finest. Gargiulo's has been an oasis of amazing old world charm, excellent service and delicious food in Coney Island for over a Century. When I was recently their it brought back memories of my youth circa 1960's. Our family coming together for all types of celebrations and happy times. It's truly a gem both of the past and the present. read more

Couldn't even make it into the restaurant before getting kicked out for wearing shorts in the summer. Came with a party of TEN- ten full priced dinners that they wouldve benefitted from if they werent so pretentious over how clothed their potential paying customers had to be. But it's their loss I guess! read more

Located on a bustling corner about a block from Nathan's Famous Hotdogs in Coney Island is this multi-generational Italian gem. The walls are lined with pictures of years gone past showing the fantastic history that has taken place in and around these walls. Upon walking in you are greeted with the grandest of rooms that has a definite art deco feel. The food was old school red sauce Italian done right. We enjoyed the soft shelled crabs as it was the end of summer and the season only lasts so long. It was nice that they offered to prepare them 3 ways, options are always good. We also had the braised lamb shank and this was a real show stopper. Tender and absolutely delicious. The apps were good but not memorable. Service was very prompt and welcoming. Overall Gargiulo's is a real winner although Coney Island is not Park Avenue this place oozes history and great times. read more

Gargiulo's - Lamb shank! - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Not up to par.I ate here at the requezt of people i was staying with.Ordered the Veal parmigiana,dry,and didnt even offer a pasta side.This meal cost $200,as I was hosting,and clearly was not anything other than no other place to go for Italian in that area.Obviously the people that recommended it,have not travelled much.Ive had better takeout in Queens.Service was mediocre. read more

Gargiullos is pretty good. We planned a surprise for my mother's 60 birthday and it was perfect for our family. The parking lot and location was great for everyone traveling in. We dealt with Nino and while he wasn't the kind of guy i would guess to be on the other end of planning a party, he and his staff was very accommodating. Everyone was super nice from the maitre d' and bartender to the valet trying to keep the surprise for my mom. We did the Sorrento dinner for 47 people for 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon. We used their overhead PA system with a playlist which wasn't loud enough to compete with the other parties' (communions) DJ sound systems. It was fun tho and we were able to dance and have a good time. I'm giving it 4 stars because the decor and food is not my favorite, but it was perfect for my family. The Italian food is typical for my taste. There wasn't much to set it apart from smaller classic Italian American restaurants in Bay Ridge / Bensonhurst I grew up with and for the price I felt like it was lacking quality, or originality and diversity. My wife got eggplant parmigiana and wasn't happy with the way it was cooked. Nevertheless my family had a blast and had nothing but nice things to say. I would recommend having your party here. read more

WORST "DINING" EXPERIENCE EVER. I would have rated this ZERO stars but Yelp requires at least a one star review. I use the term "dining" loosely since one would typically have to eat at an establishment to qualify as a dining experience and we were never seated. I arrived around 6:55pm with a party of four for a 7pm reservation. We checked our coats and then went to the maitre d to let him know we had arrived. He told us that he "needed a few minutes" and invited us to have a seat and that he would call us when our table was ready. Now, when we arrived I had my concerns about this place. There was no clear station at which one can check in when they arrive. Instead you climb up a small stair case to a large open dining area that, quite frankly, feels more like a high school cafeteria than a restaurant. A large man in a blue dress shirt approached me and I assumed (correctly) he was the person I should check in with. Since I had read here on Yelp that the waiters all wear tuxedos I was expecting the maitre d to be dressed at least as nicely. Our party sat down in two comfortable empty love seat type chairs and waited.. and waited.. and waited. While we sat (and waited) several large parties entered, all of whom the maitre d seemed to know by name, and, somehow not surprisingly, all those parties were seated ahead of us. At 7:18 I approached again and asked what the story was. I was told that the party at "our" table had paid their bill but hadn't gotten up yet. By 7:24pm I asked the rest of my party how much longer before we left and we all agreed 7:30pm. At this point another person in my party approached the maitre d and was similarly blown off regarding the people at our table still not getting up. At this point I went to retrieve our coats and only then when it was apparent we were living did the maitre d seem to take any interested in us, offering only a half hearted "I wish you folks wouldn't leave" Well, Mr. Maitre D, I wish we weren't leaving either but if you had sat us close to our reservation time, or seemed to be concerned about our wait, perhaps offering us a complementary beverage and ANY kind of reason for the unreasonable delay, we might have stayed. My friends and I were all looking forward to visiting this place after having heard so many great things about this long time Brooklyn establishment but having now been there I will never return and will adamantly encourage others to avoid it at all costs. Clearly this is an establishment that caters to repeat customers, leaving only one to wonder how long it takes to be treated properly so that you can actually consider becoming a repeat customer! read more

I went there for a friend's wedding to a Brooklyn boy in December. I had an amazing time. The food was great, EXCEPT that they put pork in practically everything. But, the staff was great about switching out for veggie/fish items. Actually, the staff was fantastic in general. The atmosphere was insane. The mafia appeared to be having a birthday party for a 70+ year old don in the banquet hall next door. If our weddings drama, the mom, the cousin punching the brother, the Brooklyn family wasn't enough, there were the dolled up women and little kids running around next door and the Lamburginis outside and the men chattin' it up with their gold chains around their necks. I recommend it, especially if you are not from NYC. read more

I couldn't tell b/c I was asian (we were the only asian crew in the whole restaurant) but the wait staff either ignored us or yelled at us. We waited almost an hour for our food, and it came out cold. I was tempted to ask them to heat it up, but was scared they would spit in our food. Two thumbs down. read more

First night out to dinner in months and Gargiulo's got it 1000% correctly! Their covid protocol is very comforting to know that they are taking the extra steps to make sure everyone is safe. The food was amazing but then again it always is here. The Lobster Fra Diavolo for two was spectacular. My husband is very picky but Gargiulo's meets his expectations and palate time and time again. read more

Gargiulo's is probably the most over the top of the old school Italian restaurants left in Brooklyn. It seems almost out of place today around the corner from Nathan's in Coney Island. But it's been there since the turn of the (last) century, and has only changed owners once over fifty years ago. Due to a hefty amount of post-Sandy damage, it has also been redone. The place itself is huge with 30 foot ceilings, and one huge dining room in the front with another in the back. It is designed not just as a restaurant but also as an event venue, and it shows. You have to climb the stairs up from the lobby area to get one of the hosts to notice you; otherwise the staff will look at you like you're from outer space. Old school places like this are regulars-driven, after all. My grandfather frequented Gargiulo's and even had his retirement party here a few decades ago, so this place had been on my to do list for a long time. After seeing the Brooklyn Italian restaurant week deal they were running, I finally got my butt out to Coney Island. The host seated us in a very good spot along the wall in the center of that front room. I had a view of the aquariums, which I was happy about. But then other than being given water and bread, we were left alone for the next 20 minutes. Finally, probably the youngest waiter in the place came up without apology and asked for our drink order. He was slow for most of the night, and he was especially mediocre next to some of the more experience waiters, who as I saw were excellent. In an old school place with prices like this, you don't have room for error as a waiter. He wasn't the worst I've ever had, but he was clearly lacksidasical and we didn't appreciate it. As for the Italian restaurant week menu, he claimed he hadn't received any info on it. That was bullshit, but I didn't want to make anything big out of it and I really wanted to eat here anyway. But that wasn't all; once the special menu was out of the picture, I asked about lobster as that was what I really wanted. It was only available as a pasta special, so I asked if they could do a whole one for me. He told me they could which I was thrilled about, only to have him return 10 minutes later saying that they couldn't do it after all. He mumbled a bullshit excuse and just expected me to pick something else. Now I know what happened in all likelihood. He went to the back, asked the first person he saw in the kitchen, got their okay, and then the head chef found out and vetoed. Rather than fight them to get the dish for his customer like one of the older waiters would've done, or even be forthcoming with me, he just told me no and BS'ed his way through an explanation. This made the situation much worse. Next time, I'm asking the host/owner for an experienced waiter who knows how to treat customers. However, Gargiulo's is a good enough restaurant that it doesn't just rely on service: the food is the main reason you come, as it should be. As others have mentioned, the baked clams are stellar. Fresh and perfectly cooked, with the right amount of breadcrumbs. They are second only to La Palina, as they are a bit salty--especially the juices in the piping hot pan they were in. The linguini with lobster special was tasty and fairly priced at $22, but it didn't bowl me over. I got it fra diavolo and it came nicely spiced, but I felt the tomato flavor could've been bolder. It was laced with lots of lobster juices though, even though the pieces of lobster weren't actually cut up much. Good dish, but it completely paled in comparison to the shrimp special we got. The shrimp were grilled with some lemon and oil and served over arugula. They were huge; almost the size of a small langoustine. From the freshness of the ingredients to the preparation to the way the lemon and oil laced everything without being too assertive--it was one of the best shrimp dishes I've had. This dish I would come back here for alone; pricey at $28, but worth it. It was Italian cooking at its best and was far superior to anything I've had at the more modern Italian restaurants I've been eating at recently. This special also came some sautéed zucchini, summer squash, onions, peppers and potatoes, which made for a nice cheap lunch the next day and helped to give my wallet a break. For dessert, we split an Italian cheesecake with coffee and espresso. I also asked for the waiter to bring a bottle of sambuca (an old school Italian thing that goes with coffee) and he instead brought me a glass which he then charged me for. The cheesecake was homemade, a bit firmer than I'm used to but still good, and the espresso was very good unlike most old school Italian restaurants. Service aside, the food at Gargiulo's lived up to the hype for me. Dress relatively nice, get an older waiter, and you'll eat a great meal. It's one of the last of its kind and it's well worth preserving. You get what you pay for. read more

Family favorite for all special occasions. Today we're Celebrating Lauren & Vincent's. Engagement.

And so our tour of being the most gluttoneous couple on Long Island continues....back to brooklyn we go! We came here to celebrate ManWich's grandparents birthday (98 and 96, god bless them) with a group of his family. One of the things we immediately noticed - giant parking lot with valet - money. Parking in any urban setting blows, especially when you're down the block from the boardwalk and freak show. They sat us in the back room, which I think was appropriate considering the number of people we had with us. They were very accomodating, as two of the people with us were older and had trouble with stairs, so they helped us get them inside and seated. Their menu is the standard italian, so obviously I got baked clams. I also decided to get linguine with clam sauce, since we had it the week before so I'm clearly an expert on what is good and what isn't - ManWich got himself the shrimp scampi, and we decided to share our entrees. They were good - not the best I've ever had - but I'm spoiled from my recent endeavor in Italian food. Anyway, I enjoyed their food. It looked like the veal dishes were very, very well prepared, with the veal nice and thin. I also had some of this chicken dish with sausage that was good. I did find it a little odd the shrimp wasn't served over pasta or a vegetable. For dessert we had this wonderful cannoli cake that I probably could have had multiple slices of. Yum. read more

This is the best of the best. Kenny is the best waiter I've ever had at any restaurant! The food is delectable. If you've never been to this establishment I implore yo Ugo stop by. Try the fish salad, hot antipasto, penne pasqualina, and chicken scarapiello! Actually, try anything, it's all great!! read more

See all

Just wonderful! The food was excellent - the ambiance lovely. If you are looking for a true culinary experience, you must try Garguilos. My husband and I had passed it many times while driving, but the pandemic stalled us from going. Finally went this past weekend and we were very pleased. The decor is so well thought out - you feel like you've been transported to some quaint cottage in the Berkshire's. Too elegant and sophisticated for young children, but it makes for a perfect date night. We will definitely be going back! read more

We have attended many beautiful events at Gargiulos over the years. However, if you are looking for somewhere to feel comfortable with outdoor dining during a pandemic and want to act responsibly, this is not the place for you. Gargiulos has failed to establish a workplace culture where safety guidelines are followed. (Patrons, hostess, servers do not consistently or appropriately wear masks, Party happening of over 100+ not wearing masks and not social distancing. Server gave us a used parmasean cheese right off another table. Valet parking required to use the parking lot- I didn't want a stranger in my car.) Patrons even made comments, poking fun at my husband and I for wearing our masks as we waited for our car. This aside, our meal was tasty, but I would not return. read more

a day ago I will always have a warm attachment to this establishment. Over 30 years ago I brought my young daughter to Coney Island on her birthday, she was hungry and it was brunch time. She did not want to eat fast food. I drove around and spotted Gargiulo's. An employee was at the door and advised us that the establishment wasn't open yet, it will open in another hour. I also proudly shared that today was her 8th birthday. This gentleman then smiled and advised me that we were welcomed to come inside and sit until opening time. There was a huge octopus on the ceiling as decor. We both enjoyed a delicious lunch of grilled pork chops, pasta, and vegetable. Other than a private event taking place in another section of the restaurant we were the only people there. They made her day by presenting her with a slice of cake for her birthday. The food, service, and graciousness were spectacular. Thank you always. read more

Food was excellent, but waiter was lethargic. Hot bread is becoming a rarity and Garguilo's did it right. Drinks were well-made. All in our party agreed food was excellent. So I gave it 4 stars. Unfortunately, our waiter was bored and indifferent. Perfect example: I knew our entrees came with vegetables or salad, but he was walking away without asking which I wanted. I don't know what he was planning to come back with, but I had to ask "doesn't that come with salad or vegetable?" He mumbled "yeah". I chose the salad. and asked about dressing and he mumbled "it comes with house oil and vinegar" in a way that said "don't even ask for anything else". When he came to the next person in our party, unbelievably, it was a repeat. I had to say "his comes with salad or vegetable too, right" Then I just ignored the waiter and encouraged my young companion to make a choice and tell the waiter. Finally, a herd of snails could have traveled through a jar of peanut butter in less time than it took for him to bring the check. read more

Pasquelina pasta Yumz. Atmosphere, nice. Fried Calamari so so. Prices.. expensive but on the whole everything is good here. If you can get those little rice balls that they make for parties... do get them Delish and they are not on the reg menu but u can ask for them and I think u have to buy a 10 count or something but no worries, take um home and enjoy! They play a nice little guessing game at the end of ur dinner to possibly win it for free .. just guess a number and they pull one out of the bag... match it and you won ur dinner free! read more

One of my all time favorites. It's like having dinner with family. I have known this family and have eaten at Gargiulo's since I'm a little girl. The food stays consistently good. Oh and now they have added music on weekends/holidays. I enjoy having dinner with live music. Can't wait to come back. read more

5 stars from me. The food is amazingly Delicious and very good. The service isn't the greatest. Me and my girlfriend went there for Christmas eve and our section of tables were ignored most of the time by our 90 year old waiter, he was very rude and messed up our order multiple times, he even laughed at my over generous Christmas tip. The appetizers were good, the pasta was very good and the dessert was to die for. The price is was only $50 for a complete meal for 2 on Christmas eve! Will defiantly go to again and will recommend to anyone. read more

Just stopped in to see where my dad celebrated his "Italian" Barmitzvah almost 50 years ago. It lived up to the stories he would tell. From the slick looking bartender that served us with a Goodfellows attitude, to the Italian American Princesses that took a break from the private rooms to chain smoke Virginia slims, this just felt like a place with tradition. Will make sure to try the cuisines next time. They have a nice little bar with a big flat screen. Nice place to watch a game actually. Drinks were reasonable. Re: Dress code--while it's laid back, you can't get in with shorts. So even though the punk with a blue mohawk and a t-shirt was able to get sat, I saw them turn away a nice Paisan from Queens because he was in shorts. read more

This is what I call old fashion grandmom's cooking. Let me start with the valet. Polite men who ask how is your day so far? Enjoy your dinner. Walk into the actual restaurant and the foyer/bar area reminded me of a Hotel (in a good way). Walk up steps and greeted by the hostess who had our table ready. Let me say this any where you sit in this restaurant is a great view. Angelo was our waiter, made me feel like I was a frequent patron. Who I believe was the owners came to our table to see if we were happy with our waiter, the service as well as the food. My husband and I were driving through New York were more than satisfied and will be definite frequent patrons. read more

oooh Gargiulo's!! I just LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!! My favorite italian restaurant, a must whenever I visit! the food is AMAZING! clean, awesome atmosphere. The food is always fresh and delicious. Their mozzarella cheese is the BEST I've ever had! Not even in Wisconsin could I find anything even close to it! They made it at the restaurant and it is out of this world! that combine with some nice, fresh tomatoes and bread! wow!! My other faves are the riceballs and the seafood salad. Lamb chops, the gargiulo's alfredo, oh! and the tiramisu, soooo good!!! ....everything there is worth every penny, you will leave happy and wanting to come back! read more

Came here today for Easter. Absurdly expensive fixed menu, extremely mediocre and bland food. The hot antipasti had five different elements to it: spinach pie (a square of microwaved spinach) eggplant rollatini (canned sauce) a stuffed mushroom, a stuffed pepper, and some unidentifiable cheesy puff. However, each was all so tasteless that I couldn't distinguish one from the next. The veal marsala was stringy, the sauce thin and not tasting even vaguely of wine. The mushrooms were like rubber. It might as well have been a microwaved lean cuisine. The chocolate cake was still half frozen when I got it. To add insult to injury, almost $80 per person and we didn't even drink alcohol. Utter trash. read more

If you are in south Brooklyn, if you want atmosphere, if you are interested in good Italian fare - this is the place. Gargiulos has been serving food at the same location for over 80 years. It has an upfront art deco restaurant and in the rear relatively new catering business. Atmosphere 85 The restaurant is old line design -European style Service 85 Cordial and professional - like the old days Food 85 Classic good Italian food Value 80 Prices are a tad on the high side Worth every dollar. Great unique dining experience since you can always walk it off on the boardwalk. Exceptional experience for a late Sunday afternoon. read more

I love when the maitred finally waddled down off his perch when we had our coats and said to us after waiting 35 minutes with a reservation, "Wish you wouldn't leave". Well, gee, "We wish you would have honored our reservation and given us a table". Had he approached us at any time during our wait and aplologized or offered us a drink (God forbid) or even gave us and again,God forbid, one of those 6 tops instead of making us wait, our story would have been different. As Jerry Sienfeld said (paraphrasing), "It's easy to take a reservation, you should know how to honor the reservation". Instead, he opted to not make potential patrons satisfied and write a great yelp review! ?! Go figure! Yes, the ultimate in customer satisfaction, Gargiulos is. read more

Two stars only for the charming & competent bartender, makes a hell of a Manhattan! We waited at the maitre d' table for five minutes before someone approached us and seated us with menus. The busboy poured water, we quickly knew what we wanted, ten minutes went by without a waiter greeting us or offering drinks or listing specials or anything at all. So we got up and left. The place was totally un-busy and there's no excuse for such poor service. We'd heard good things about the food but were hugely disappointed, will not be returning. Update: Nino graciously reached out to me and felt badly about the poor impression we got that night and I'm sure he would have made it right next time. We were only there for our annual Cyclones game and are not regulars to the hood, but I'm sure the food and service are wonderful. I've updated my review to four stars. read more

Took my friends here, from Long Island before a concert in Coney Island because of how wonderful it was last time. Unfortunately, I was unable to. They WOULDNT LET ME IN because I had shorts on. Shorts!! They do realize it's the summer, in Coney Island right?? I understand having a dress code, but this dress code is absurd. Even if it was a code I respected, at least let us know when we make the reservation, not after we traveled all this way. Very very very disappointed. read more

I have been coming here for something like 3 decades, back when as a kid I used to marvel at the huge (plaster) octopus on the ceiling, and Gargiulo's has a special place in my heart. The decor has been updated, and is now much brighter and with softer tones than the dark (and intimate) theme it used to have, but the food has consistently remained the same top-notch quality. Do yourself a favour - order anything from the sea. However you like it prepared, just make sure it started life swimming. The portions are generous, so go easy on the bread and appetizers, although both will tempt you. The wines (and suggestions) pair wonderfully, and don't neglect the espresso (with or without sambuca) after dinner to set it off nicely. The owners are warm, welcoming, and always happy to see a familiar/friendly face (yes, yes, Italian-speakers do get love here), but I also see they run the restaurant with a precision that could be learned by many establishments in Manhattan. If you are from out of town...make the trek. There are some noteworthy people-watching opportunities, but really, the food is worth it. read more

I must say that I am very disappointed, been here back in the late 90's as a child, came back here because my grandmother who took me here the first time around flew in from LA had wanted eat here. The food was very bad, the shrimp and rosotto had sand in it the veal chop was the size of a diner t-bone. I must say, it saddens me to see a great place go down the tube. read more

Great Italian restaurant in Coney Island. This place has been around since 1907! It's like a big catering hall too. You walk up stairs and almost feel like you're on a big stage. A little high end, but good food. Love the old photos on the wall, looks like lots of cool events happened here around the 1930's. Cool bar too. read more

Wow. What can I say about this place. We were denied access to the inside dining area due to our attire and all I can say is thank God! We were seated at table one in the Pizza Garden. We would have missed the colorful characters Louie, Lucy, little John and the entire waitstaff. The energy and atmosphere was amazing. The place was slammed and they had people bogarting tables yet they managed to maintain a positive attitude while being so amazingly Italian, boisterous and exuding just the best that people in the service industry have to offer. We had the best time. When we get back to Coney Island we will definitely stop back by. Thank you for an epic evening. read more

Mixed reviews as I've been there only twice for special events. I can't remember how good the first time was, but in November 2017 i thought the food was dry, appetizers were no good, drinks watered down and the waiting staff was horrible. Only good thing was the outside entertainment. Very disappointed and I won't be spreading the word to party here. read more

beautiful, charming and elegant but simple transporting atmosphere - DELICIOUS fresh food in every course, makes you want to take your time and stay a while and definitely return. Can't wait for the magic of the Holiday Season there ! read more

Great Old school Italian! I have noticed there are no pictures of the food, too bad. This place serves up the "real deal". Best red sauce in New York! We put up pictures of the outside of the restaurant but haven't had the nerve to take pictures inside. They have fresh pasta, all the usual suspects and a dessert menu. We even peeked into the kitchen and saw what looked like an Italian grandma cooking. That's the real deal. All the food was served piping hot. The ingredients were authentic and the service very prompt. They even spin a special dice at the end of the meal and if you pick the right number, the dinner for everyone is free. Never got the number. If you are from out of town and want a taste and look at what Old New York was like, this is the place. read more

Gargiulo's - Gargulio's outside - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

One word: Timeless. Hurricane Sandy has left its mark throughout Coney Island, but Gargiulo's is still standing, thank goodness. Gargiulo's is one of those timeless places with real, authentic Italian-American cuisine. Being Italian-American myself, this is one of the few restaurants I deem worthy of being authentically Italian. The service is outrageously graceful, the portions are a little above average for the price, and I always find myself filling up on the bread (such a bad habit, but the bread is freaking outrageous). I recommend baked clams and stuffed mushrooms. Those baked clams are like mouth 'gasms every single time. I will admit, I am iffy on their pastas and usually stay clear, but that's just a personal preference. read more