Got shut out of my favorite Italian restaurant in midtown. Its name shall remain nameless here. So, my partner and I were aimlessly wandering for dinner through Midtown East and came upon this restaurant. "MAN THIS IS A FIND" !! Small intimate tables served by a very kind, informed and pleasant waitress with blonde hair. My pasta dish was not on the menu but they gladly made it order. Very quiet atmosphere. Well sauced, Al dente pasta with Arabato sauce and a very good portion. I asked for her red white selection and had two glasses. My partner had a steak or something, and he was totally satisfied even he is such a demanding one. Tiramisu was made to order and very delicious. This has now become my favorite go to Italian restaurant in Manhattan. There was an older guy with a baseball hat on. He must have ended his work shift at the gas station. I think he was the owner. He didn't have to watch his restaurant, as the waitress was both the waitress and the Quarterback here. A suggestion, wear an Italian fedora Fyi, the waitress doesn't need to, as her quality as a waitress and a Human Being is well represented here. read more

When we arrived early on a Thursday evening, we were the only guests in the restaurant. That didn't last long, the dining room filled up fairly quickly. I'm not sure if that's typical or if it was because it was the last day of Restaurant Week. Our server was attentive, and the owner was exceptionally friendly and welcoming. I really debated whether or not to write this review. In hindsight, I probably should have spoken to the owner directly. My impression is that he may not regularly taste the food himself, because I find it hard to believe he would knowingly serve dishes that were this mediocre, particularly the desserts, which were pretty inedible. We started with the stuffed arancini and the tomato-based mussels. The arancini was generously filled with short rib, which I appreciated, but the texture was extremely dense. It felt as though it had been packed too tightly, likely to keep the filling intact, resulting in an unpleasant mouthfeel. The mussels themselves were cooked properly, but they lacked flavor. The tomato sauce was thin and bland, missing garlic, herbs, and depth, honestly reminiscent of something poured straight from a can. A few simple additions like fresh garlic, herbs, and tomato chunks could have elevated it significantly. For entrées, my friend ordered the short rib. While the meat itself was well cooked, it was served atop a mound of overcooked risotto. It was surprising to see risotto overcooked, especially given how quiet the restaurant was when we arrived. I ordered the veal scallopini with Gorgonzola sauce after seeing it on the menu and thinking the pairing sounded interesting. I enjoy both veal and Gorgonzola, but together they simply did not work. The cheese completely overpowered the delicate flavor of the veal. I ended up trying to scrape it off because the combination was that unpleasant. The veal itself was tender, but its flavor was entirely lost. My side of spinach was unevenly seasoned, overly salty on one side and completely bland on the other. The desserts were, unfortunately, the low point of the meal. The pistachio custard was terrible, there was far too much gelatin, resulting in an off-putting texture, and there was virtually no pistachio flavor at all. It was green, and that was about it. The profiteroles were mediocre at best. The frozen ones from Costco taste better. While the atmosphere is cozy and romantic, the food alone would prevent me from returning. It feels like the kitchen desperately needs new cooks, or at the very least, someone consistently tasting the food before it leaves the pass. My confusion was that I saw great reviews, maybe they didn't put their best dishes forward for RW. My theory is you're not gonna put your best dishes forward to entice the customers to return, why even participate? read more

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Excellent service and yummy food here are La Gioconda! We were lucky to walk in without a reservation and sat right away. The small interior is cozy and very cute. They had the windows open to welcome in a beautiful evening breeze and also allow for some people watching. ;) The 2 FOH staff members were super attentive and kind. They helped with recommendations to make sure we enjoyed our food to the fullest. They were available without being overbearing which we really appreciated. They even brought us a couple glasses of port on the house as we were chatting into the evening! The vibe of this spot is laid back and welcoming. The food was very yummy! We got bruschetta to start and then the lemon linguine with shrimp and zucchini. The pasta was light and delicious with balanced flavors! We enjoyed it immensely with some wine and then an espresso to finish. I definitely recommend popping in to enjoy La Gioconda if you get the chance! read more

La Gioconda - Bruschetta all'aglio - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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The ambiance, music, food, and the service here make every visit worthwhile. Also, insist someone in your party orders the lasagna. ‍ read more

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What a gem this place is on 53rd Street! It's intimate and charming. The service is great and the prices are unbelievable. To start my friend and I each ordered a glass of wine ($11) and the waiter let us know since we ordered 2 glasses we got a free appetizer. He showed us a list of cheeses and pastas we could pick from and went with the asiago cheese which also came with a bread basket and olive oil. For an entree I had the lasagna ($18.50) which was so good - creamy, perfect amount of meat, a decent size. It had a good crunch on top along with breadcrumbs which was a nice touch. My friend was torn between cacio e pepe and paccheri alla norma, so he told her he'd bring her both - half and half of each. I feel like this is totally unheard of. The waiter couldn't have been kinder and was so attentive. Even after we were done eating and just chatting he kept bringing us water and never rushed us out. This is such a great hidden spot. I will be back! read more

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First review, solid 5 stars. 53rd between 2nd and 3rd Ave, very glad to have dropped in. Authentic Italian, interesting menu, and delicious cuisine. Limited seating - 26 people max - which adds to the romantic charm. Surprisingly large wine selection, nicely thought out. Good coffee, good cappuccinos and a small selection of excellent desserts. Reasonably priced. We will be back. read more

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I went here for Restaurant Week 2025. It already has a cheaper regular pre fixe menu but with different items. We tried the RW menu. It's a small restaurant with only one waiter. I think he's the owner. It gives the feel of a neighborhood restaurant. It's not noisy so you can have a conversation and hear each other. We ordered the shrimp salad, eggplant Parm and tomato toast. They have fancier Italian names but this is easier. For entrees, the branzino, the short rib and the gnocchi. Everyone enjoyed their food. Everything cooked well and not overly salty. They didn't rush us so we had a leisurely lunch. This is the first time I'm adding the bathroom in my review. The one bathroom was well stocked and clean. Most times bathrooms have a odor and no paper towels. A little tight but still good. Good place if you are in the area. read more

La Gioconda - Gnocchi Tricolore - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

One of my favorite neighborhood hole-in-the-wall italian places! Great service, delicious food, and fantastic wine selection, what more can you ask for? I always get the cacio e pepe here and it is divine! My friend gets the bolognese and loves it every time. They also had a special pistachio panna cotta last time we went and it was INCREDIBLE! I still think about this panna cotta. 10/10 recommend if you're looking for a quality italian food with reasonable prices on the east side. read more

La Gioconda - Tonnarelli Cacio and Pepe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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La Gioconda is really romantic Italian restaurant in midtown with tight tables, a great crowd, and a delicious past. La Gioconda was our first spring date, and we headed out early in the evening to try the food. Our pasta was delicious, though the food was on the expensive side. It is well worth a second trip, and for the newbie looking for a romantic spot, this may be the place for you. Bon appétite read more

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Outstanding food, fun service and wonderful atmosphere. Literally everything that we ordered was delicious. Fresh calamari with lemon and olive oil, garlicky garlic bread, branzino, salads perfectly dressed. Every dessert delicious. Highly recommend. Fun night out. read more

La Gioconda - Front - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Solid 4 or 4.5! Beginning to explore our neighborhood restaurants, and a new friend alerted us to this place, up a few steps from the street on E 53rd. It was in the back of our minds until we drove almost 5 hours home from several days with our grandchildren out of state, returned the rented car, and just needed a quick dinner out. We found way more than we could have imagined! This is an intimate place on a block full of a variety of restaurants. Maybe there are 12 tables. The room is dimly lit but not too dark to read the menu or see your dining companion(s). The background music is just that, softly playing in the background. The tables are all 2-tops or 4-tops, though I suppose they could put a few together for a larger party - but we really appreciated that we could hear each other and didn't have to raise our voices. The menu is a bit smaller than a typical Italian place, but the choices are varied enough to please carnivores, vegetarians, and pescatarians. Once we ordered, a bread basket and small bottle of olive oil were brought to our table. We had a glass of Chianti, very reasonably priced compared to other places. We chose to start by sharing a salad, and the tricolor was enough for two, and nicely presented. We also shared the grilled calamari con zucchine (menu spells it that way) and the seafood was absolutely perfectly grilled; delicious. I was sopping up the bit of liquid (probably olive oil) left on the plate with my bread! For entrees, my husband had the paccheri alla norma, rigatoni with cubes of eggplant in tomato sauce (notably - not drowning in sauce, a pleasant surprise) with dry aged ricotta. That was shreds of cheese , not the creamy ricotta we buy in the supermarket. He loved it. I ordered the appetizer of eggplant parm. It's served as a square about 2-3 inches each side; the eggplant was not "hidden" under the sauce and mozzarella. It was a carefully layered piece that featured good eggplant. We were both quite pleased with the nice sizes of the portions, filling but not so much that you can't finish it, just right. And we were both rather impressed with the flavors and textures and good service. It was a busy dining room, one waiter, and he genially managed every table. We had no intention of getting dessert, just wanted to get home and unpack from the trip and wind down, but he put the menu on the table...I can report that we did not regret having a slice of their most excellent almond chocolate flourless cake, which was served with a small scoop of rich vanilla ice cream in a little dish on the bigger plate. This was our first meal here, but for sure we'll be back. Prices are reasonable, food and service top-notch, ambiance pleasant, quiet, and wine choices abundant both by the glass and bottle. And it's local, but worth a longer walk. Buon appetito!!! read more

Waitress was very nice, chicken parm was okay not my favorite, the pappardelle with short rib was not good at all. It tasted like a lean cuisine Swedish meatball but worse. I took my leftovers home, put it in a strainer and rinsed off the sauce read more

First time there with my wife, excellent food. Service was impeccable and friendly. Going back in a few weeks

Stopped by for dinner on restaurant week.. I don't know how to review this establishment. My friend and I ordered separately. I didn't try her mini meatballs or her pasta but her meatballs looked and smelled delicious. I had some bread, maybe 3 bites of her tiramisu and my salmon. She was OK but I got pretty sick that night. I'm not sure what exactly the cause was for me to get sick but it felt like mild food poisoning. read more

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Been here 3 times in last 6 to 8 months never been disappointed. The owner is usually there and helps out I the dining room . The food has been consistently good and prices are affordable (for midtown east) read more

My wife, son, and I had a wonderful meal here. The service was excellent, and the space was comfortable. We had a cozy table by the window facing 53rd St. It was great for our night out, and would be perfect for a romantic evening. read more

What an amazing dining experience at this wonderful Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar, I felt like I embarked on culinary journey through Italy. Beautifully presented culinary delights , lovely ambience and great service. Perfect place for any occasion, whether it's special celebration, romantic dinner or just a get together with friends for a glass of wine or two and some light bites. read more

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Amazing food and atmosphere. The homemade gnocchi was delicious and the lunch special was a generous treat. If you're in the area I would highly recommend this place. Within a block of MSK facilities. read more

This restaurant is awesome. The staff are so nice and helpful they make you feel so welcoming... The food is delicious, I have been eating in here few times and I'm never live the restaurant disappointed. read more

I was craving pasta so i decided on La Giocanda .I ordered the carpaccio di manzo for an appetizer.It was delicious.The thinly sliced beef with the arugula and and the lemon vinaigrette was incredible.I ordered the pasta special.Red beet gnocchi with radicchio,walnuts in a Gorgonzola cream sauce .One of the best pastas I ever had.I highly recommend La Gioconda for a great dinner with family or friends read more

La Gioconda - Red beet Gnocchi with radicchio,walnuts in a Gorgonzola cream sauce - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Stopped here for dinner with my bf and we were greeted and seated right away. We got a bottle of white wine which are set at amazing prices and I ordered the lamb shank with mushroom risotto and my bf ordered the ravioli. Both dishes were delicious! The lamb shank was very soft and tender and the risotto was very filling. I would definitely stop by again to try their Cacio e Pepe! read more

La Gioconda - Lamb shank with risotto - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

We did delivery for this meal. In all sincerity- I can't say I was a huge fan of the pasta dishes. The carbonara tasted grainy like there was flour on it we could taste and the vodka sauce wasn't super creamy as we expected. I will say out of all we were most pleased with the braised short rib with risotto and truffle oil. You could certainly taste the truffle which was a nice touch although I do wish the risotto was cooked more, it was a little Al Dante. The meal came rather quickly which we did absolutely appreciate. read more

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Amazing menu and exceptional service. The pasta is home made and absolutely amazing. Reasonable and delicious lunch prefix menu with a great wine list. Definitely, my absolute favorite neighborhood restaurant!!! read more

Selected this restaurant because of the many choices available on the New York City Winter Restaurant Week menu. My partner and I were not at all disappointed with the food which was all served freshly prepared and nicely presented. The portions were generous. We chose a Salmon and a Veal entree. In addition, we opted for a $30 bottle of wine which was also lovely. Overall, the restaurant's ambiance is intimate, service professional, friendly-- not rushed and the again, the food, delicious! read more

Visited La Gioconda During New York's restaurant week. We were immediately seated, the server was very attentive and helpful with explaining the different meals offered. We ordered a bottle of rosé I personally had the octopus salad which was a special offered that day. Also had the short rib entrée everything was very tasty the risotto was a little salty. We also ordered the veal meatballs sautéed calamari chicken bolognese and the calamari pasta. We thoroughly enjoyed everything. We were even offered free wine after. The service was amazing, I definitely recommend. read more

La Gioconda - Octopus salad - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

The food is authentically Italian and so is the owner and staff. Price is reasonable, especially for NYC. It was quickly evident that we were from out of town and they were helpful and kind, engaging us in conversation. I would definitely recommend. read more

We stopped into La Gioconda for lunch at 1:30pm today. It wasn't crowded and the server was attentive. We had a latte & prosecco to start. Then we ordered 2 prix fixe lunches. The calamari with julienned zucchini & the seared shrimp over cannellini beans were both fresh & delicious. For our entrees, we both ordered the braised short rib in red wine with truffle oil risotto. The meat was tender & seasoned perfectly and the risotto was cooked perfectly. We shared a piece of tiramisu della nonna which was not too sweet. Highly recommend this cozy, relaxing place for fresh, authentic Italian food. read more

Great service and wonderful food! Special eggplant amazing. Pesto Burrata fusilli superb! read more

Good restaurant week meal with a lot of options! I ordered the burrata con prosciutto & tartufo nero, stinco di annello brasato, and shared the tiramisu and panna cotta dessert with a friend. The burrata was good, with the crisp of the veggies and the saltiness of the prosciutto. My friend had the piadina which was similar to my burrata but just a different cheese and on top of a thin flatbread. The braised lamb shank was amazing and just fell apart with the fork without needing a knife. I've had better mushroom risotto, it needed a little more seasoning. The panna cotta and tiramisu were both great, refreshing and creamy, respectively and weren't too sweet. They didn't skimp on the restaurant week portions because two of the three of us had to take half our entree to go. Overall, a great choice for restaurant week. read more

This is a small restaurant that is practicing social distancing and has outdoor seating as well. The waiter was friendly and good with suggestions. We started with the eggplant and meatballs as appetizers. Then I had the short ribs with risotto. The meat was flavorful and tender. Hubby had the fish - The bronzino dish was lacking in something. It did not hit the spot but the veggie sides were good. The dessert! Tiramisu is a must! The panna cotta was not that tasty but some liked it. It was a filling meal and worth another visit! read more

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Belly's 23rd! After poor luck across the street, we came across this empty restaurant tucked away in Turtle Bay. After seeing a figure slowly retreat into the dark recesses of the establishment from the window, we decided to follow. The waiter was eager to have customers after a quiet day, and provided a story or two with great service. Some yappers walked in later and the venue was suddenly a bit more vibrant... Beare got the salmone and Belly got the braised short-rib, both paired spectacularly with the white wine. To celebrate Belly's big day, a complimentary panna cotta was served (yum). read more

Looking for an Italian place near our hotel and came across this place. La Gioconda small and intimate, maybe can sit 35 people in total. They have a decent sized wine list, although most are true Italian wines we had never heard of so we asked our server for a recommendation. The service was okay - our server seemed awarkward, not comfortable speaking at length about some of the menu items. Perhaps we was new. My husband got the lasagna - it was a decent sized portion but he said there wasn't enough meat mixture between the pasta so it was like he was just eating pasta and nothing else. I ordered the gnocchi and found the potato nuggets to be delightful. The sauce was a bit heavy on the tomatoes though - a bit more seasoning would have been nice as it felt very acidic. They closed at 10pm the night we went (Sunday) and they literally dimmed the lights at 9:50 to indicate they were closing. That felt a bit odd as it truly felt like they were trying to hurry us out. read more

La Gioconda - Gnocchi All'Amalfitana - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Top notch authentic Italian! I got the bolenese and added meatballs. Also the meatball and pancetta appetizer. Top notch wine selection here, with great service. Ask for Luis, he was great! Rambled the specials in Italian and was ready for everything we had questions on. Absolutely nothing like this place in LA. Definitely a fan and worthy of 5 stars. For an app, two entrees, 2 glasses of wine and sparkling water it was $100 flat including tip read more

There are friendly staff, great foods. Everything is very nice. We will come back here soon.

I used to think Midtown East was too corporate (aka depressing) and lacked any interesting restaurants beyond late weeknight fast-casual options (still love you, Dig Inn). Thus, I was pleasantly surprised when I tried La Gioconda! It's been operating since 1993, and they specialize in classic Italian cuisine. La Gioconda offer lots of daily specials, so the entrees that we ordered that night were off-menu! Appetizer Gamberetti Gigliati con Pancetta - Seared shrimp wrapped in Italian bacon over cannelini beans. Entrees Risotto - I try to get risotto whenever I can at restaurants because it's such a laborious dish to make. This dish was extremely creamy, and the rice was a bit mushy but had chewiness at the center. The abundance of sausage and mushrooms lent a subtle earthy and savory flavor. Squid Ink Pasta - There was an abundance of clams, almost a 50/50 ratio for seafood to noodles. The noodles themselves were thick, al dente and had a silky outer texture thanks to a copious amount of butter. Dessert Tiramisu - Honestly my favorite type of cake: Decadently soft and creamy, with a slight bitterness from cocoa and coffee powder. We came on a Friday night at 7 pm and thankfully had reservations, otherwise there would've been an hour long wait. It's a small restaurant that has fewer than a dozen tables. Service was smooth, and I personally loved eating here. read more

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This was by FAR the BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT I HAVE EVER BEEN TOO! The service was incredible and the food.... SPEECHLESS. I have never eaten so much... let alone so affordable!!! We will be making trips back to NYC just to eat here! I couldn't recommend a better place!!! read more

La Gioconda - table - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Quaint cute little Italian restaurant. Came here during NYC Restaurant Week, overall all the dishes were bland. It needed seasoning or marinating over night. The potatoes had flavor probably due to the pan frying in oil with rosemary sprigs added to it. I had to let them know my wine glass had someone else's lipstick on it, thank goodness I got to pour my own wine and noticed. Did it, done it, don't think I'd be back. read more

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Fantastic. Had first date here with my wife 26 years ago. Did not disappoint. Ambiance, food, service, patrons...all terrific

I am in NY with a son who is picky eater who limits himself mostly to italian, a wife and mother in law that were born into italian cuisine... so.... When my son spotted an italian restaurant with good reviews we went in. It is a small restaurant with about 12 tables, and the food is soooo good. We had crostinni with prosciutto, carpaccio, gnocchi, shrimp and shitake mushroon pasta, abbruzzese pasta for dessert we got chocolate crepe and tiramisu. Waiters (forgot the names) are very nice too. Its a great place, try it out. read more

Came by here for restaurant week recently with a group of friends and really fell short for me. The vibe of the place is a typical smaller New York Italian spot that has its cozy older vibe and isn't trying to be a fancy Italian spot. Given this, I like to think that the food takes priority but not so much. The staff was super nice, helpful in giving us recommendations for wine and the restaurant week menu. The owner (I think) was around and chatted with us which I always enjoy but he also told me that all of his recommendations for dinner would be off the restaurant week menu. That was very off putting and made it sound like they serve whatever just to get rid of it. The restaurant week menu included an appetizer, main and desert. A few of us swapped to try multiple things so I'll rate below. My overall impression was that the food was ok, nothing spectacular and some not good dishes. 1. Meatballs - 3/5 - well seasoned and standard. A bit over cooked for my liking 2. Calamari - 2/5 - very bland. The dish was lacking in flavors and complexity IMO. 3. Short rib risotto - 1/5 - mine came out so over salted it was a bit gross. I ate it to just not make a big deal about it but it was definitely over salted. Otherwise this dish would have been a 3 or 4 out of 5. I tried a friends risotto whose ended up being much less salty so just poor oversight and prep on their part. 4. Chicken bolognese - 4/5 - this was actually very good. Chicken was crispy, well seasoned/breaded in a delicious sauce. 5. Tiramisu- 4/5 - very good. Light textured and strong forward flavors. 6. Panda cotta - 1/5 - I can't describe why me and the 4 other people at the table didn't like this. Texture? Flavor? Idk. My overall impression is that I had more things I disliked than liked and I'll pass next time. read more

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