We dined at La Locanda last night. It's a really nice Italian restaurant in Williamsburg Brooklyn. It is definitely a local spot for the neighborhood. The food was excellent. The grilled octopus was well perfectly cooked, the calamari was nicely fried and not greasy, and the buffalo mozzarella with the bruschetta was excellent. The agnolotti bolognese was reminiscent of how we make it at home. The rack of lamb was perfectly cooked. The service was impeccable, and the manager who I believe was the owner was pleasant and made us feel very welcomed. The atmosphere was very warm and inviting. It was quite cozy. We had the table with a view of the kitchen which I enjoyed because we could watch the plating of the various courses. It's a little far for us to go to on a regular basis, but I definitely will make a trip back, and I would highly recommend others especially if they will be visiting the Williamsburg area. It's close to the BQE as well as to the Brooklyn Steel venue (10 minute walk). read more

What a lovely experience! I went to La Laconda with my family on a trip to nyc, we got recommended this restaurant by another called Bamontes that was too busy to take us. We're so so glad for this redirect. We had such a nice time and the owner, Maria, was SO SWEET. She is NEW YORK through and through. Our server (Jose I believe) was so attentive and friendly, makes a mean espresso martini. Food was super yummy, plates were clean, bellies were happy. Would absolutely revisit on our next trip. THANK YOU MARIA!! read more

This is the kind of Italian spot that feels intimate but never crosses into awkwardly quiet territory. It's cozy enough to unwind, bright enough to see your food, and relaxed enough to hear the people across from you. I had a a vodka sauce pasta and it was exactly what I needed after a long day. The staff was nice and helpful, which added to the experience. Overall, I had a great time. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for honest, delicious Italian. read more

La Locanda - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Stopped by here on a whim and ahead of a seeing a band at Brooklyn Steel as our usual haunt was full... and we were delighted we did. Loved the layout and design of the space, and attention to authentic detail - giving the restaurant a loving and welcoming vibe. When we arrived a birthday party of the son of the hostess was taking part and it contained much love and joy. We almost felt bad for interrupting. The service was kind and welcoming, and food outstanding. Amongst my top 3 lasagna experiences. Put this way, next time we're seeing a band at Brooklyn Steel we're coming to La Locanda with an empty stomach!! read more

When a popular Italian restaurant in Williamsburg had no availability for dinner, a quick Google search for good Italian restaurants in the vicinity brought up La Locanda as a possible choice. We were so happy to discover this gem! La Locanda has been around for 30 years, but since I don't live in Williamsburg, I wasn't aware of its existence. Browsing the menu en route to the restaurant, I knew they would be serving authentic Italian cuisine. Upon entrance, the ambience was rustic and cozy with Christmas decor and music in full swing. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Our server offered recommendations and even some modifications to certain dishes. I ordered my usual Aperol Spritz which was delicious and refreshing. Warm bread was brought to the table as we placed appetizer orders. For me it was Grilled Octopus and my friend chose Fried Calamari. I tasted a couple Calamari ringlets which were tender and really good. The Octopus, although described as Grilled didn't taste very grilled. I'm used to that certain charred note for example when I ordered Grilled Octopus at other spots. This appetizer appeared to be mainly boiled. Still, it was pretty good and integrated with Arugula leaves. For main, I chose the Chicken Saltimboca while the other entree was Chicken Parm (served with a side of pasta). The Chicken Parm got two thumbs way up while my dish-- in a nutshell---was excellent. Served solo, the Chicken Saltimboca had layers of spinach and eggplant with a light tomato sauce. I didn't leave a morsel behind. We both agreed portion size for both mains was generous. Our get together was a belated Birthday dinner and so Tiramisu and Cappuccino were a great way to end a fantastic meal. The Tiramisu was brought to the table sporting a candle with Birthday song sung by two staff members. A nice touch. I indulged in 2 forks of the delicious Tiramisu along with one of the best Cappuccinos Ive had in a long time. A short while later, we were ready to call it a night. Still full as I write this. **(Note: there's a 4% credit card service fee which is disclosed by the table and elevated the total check by $6. I always frown when some restaurants do this).** Expect great hospitality and excellent Italian food. My background, Italian and from a family of great cooks, allows me to make such a statement. I'm picky when it comes to Italian food, but La Locanda will offer a positive experience and exceed expectations. I was wowed! I am definitely returning to La Locanda. If only my neck of the woods had such a fine restaurant --I'd be delighted. Recommendation--GO! read more

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Went here for a 70th birthday party, probably 25+ people. Excellent calamari, shrimp rollitini, stuffed clams and mushrooms. Very good rigatoni Bolognese and penni Ala vodka. Our entrees were chicken parm, pork chops and sole, all very good. Excellent service and atmosphere, would definitely recommend. read more

I had a wonderful evening at La Loconda the other night. I figured it was worth a second review! The food and service are still so solid. I tried a new app and a special and I was so pleased! The restaurant is also consistently cozy and clean! read more

La Locanda - Special Dish - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Their good stuff is seafood, chicken and appetizers. I have been their customer for long time and normally I only try their seafood but this time I order steak, and it was disappointing so much. The steak was very hard and sticky, too much hard fat and high price. Actually, I'm not crazy about salmon and sole too. They used to have whole branzino which was I loved it but not anymore. Service was good if the owner was there, or they saw some of their VIP customer that know me, so they tent to treat me extra good too. read more

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Love this place! Food is delish and the old world charm is lovely. You feel like you are at a friends house. A friend that knows how to cook and greets you with warm hospitality. The homemade pasta is so so yummy. read more

La Locanda - Long homemade fussili pasta - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A disappointing local eatery. I had high hopes -- who doesn't want to find a good local Italian taverna in Brooklyn? Positives: desserts are slightly above average, like the tiramisu. Some of the pastas are passable, like the spaghetti and meatballs. I had the grilled octopus, which was all plate and limited tentacle, but had a nice flavor, thanks mainly to the grill. The space had a lot of wood and the decor of grandma's house (that's a positive for me), and the pitched roof added a little extra vertical space you don't typically find in NY. Describing two (not cheap) dishes summarizes nicely: - App: eggplant rollatini (aka involtini). The ricotta stuffing had a sour tinge to it, which means it was old. But the point: the tomato sauce, the eggplant, and the ricotta all conspired to deliver no flavor. I was surprised at how little. I'm not sure how you can have tomato and eggplant and not know how to bring flavor out of that combination. - Main: Veal Milanese, a classic. Like the schnitzel, Japanese tonkatsu -- the breaded and fried cutlet is a worldwide delight. This one was served completely buried under a very vinegary mixed salad -- the showpiece of the dish was literally hidden. And what happens when you do that? The breading, which is supposed to crunch, becomes soggy. And veal itself is a subtle flavor. So what did I eat? nearly flavorless meat (even saltiness was nowhere to be found) covered in a soggy paste of waterlogged breading. Really unpleasant. The service was intermittent. It had the feel of a place frequented by locals, so there was little effort made. Here I mean simply that the staff was not present, and I spent a surprising amount of time flagging down staff to first order, and then pay. Water never refilled, little things like that. A general lack of interest in the customer. Even the bill was surprising. Handwritten in a choppy cursive that one might assume was written while impaired, it was nearly impossible to read. After finally flagging the waitress I asked if she could explain the bill to me, which she did after some struggle to read it herself. $104 dollars. I won't go into how much better meals can be had for much less than that, even in NY. The point is that when the printed bill arrived it was for $108. Which just really confirmed that I wouldn't be coming back. read more

Can't even begin to tell you how amazing this place is. We are park side loyalists, over 30+yrs. But lately the poor service has pushed us to go elsewhere. Found La locanda by chance at the last minute. There's maybe twelve tables. The sauce is exceptional just like my nonna Rosie's. Light, beautiful tomato flavor and nothing else. Each dish, because of the homemade pasta elevated the experience. The portion sizes were fair for the price. My dad got a salad and we were all able to dig in. The lettuce was fresh, the vinegar perfect. The eggplant was deconstructed and beautiful. So, not your your typical pile of cheese and sauce. This was thick cut, skin on and doused in sauce. The brasceola was tied just like my mom made. She loved it. I don't gush often but this is deserving. Also, buy the bottle of Sicilian Pinot noir for $36 bucks, can't go wrong. Villa maggio's the name. Comes out slightly chilled. Only problem, please, please add cheese and ricotta to the lasagna. There was next to nothing in between these gorgeous layers of goodness. Katerine was an efficient and smart server. She new the menu and delivered on everything. She deserves a raise. At first blush we weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into, then it all fell into place. **They're are closed for two weeks so visit after Labor Day. That's also why none of their homemade desserts were available bc they're off for a bit. read more

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Spectacular meal as always as owners are back from Italy with an array of new dishes!! Service was on their game tonight as well and very attentive to my family even with a party in the back and a big crowd. Even my kids were happy!!! read more

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We recently walked by this absolute Gem of a restaurant and headed in. The owner Conno happily greeted us and treated us like Kings. We ordered so many items off the menu and paired it with bottles of white and Red. The octopus was excellent as was the calamari. We also tried a pasta dish as an appetizer everything delicious. Everyone was happy with their choice off the menu. We have been back three times already. Fortunate to have found this beautiful Brooklyn restaurant. read more

La Locanda - Hot/cold combo Antipasto - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Walked in on a Friday evening and we were able to get a table right away as the place was not busy at all. We started with the baked clams and also got the fried calamari. For our entrees we got the shrimp parm and chicken parm, pretty basic staples. The baked clams were quite tasty and perfectly cooked although were lacking some seasoning. The calamari was also okay, crispy but nothing special and appeared to be the frozen kind ( i could be wrong). Moving on to the parms, my chicken was pretty disappointing. It looked amazing but the chicken was so stringy and tough, i wonder if it was just an old frozen breast. Flavor wise it was also lacking some salt. Overall we were not impressed and probably wouldn't go back. read more

What a wonderful authentic Italian restaurant! Mateo was our waiter and he was wonderful. I had the homemade buffalo mozzarella with basil and tomato. my husband had the veal Franchese. it was light and they don't use butter. and our friend had the chicken Marsala. Bread arrived in a basket warm with butter. They don't serve American coffee only espresso and cappuccino. They have a lovely room in the back that holds about 30/35 people for private events at very reasonable prices. Williamsburg has changed a great deal so it's so nice to still have one of the original Italian restaurants in the neighborhood. read more

This place is so amazing!! Friendly staff very pretty inside! this Was our last dinner in Brooklyn and this was the perfect place to go!!!

Best pasta I have had in a very long time! Came here on a whim looking for a good Italian meal. We were met with such nice service and food that is top notch. They offered home cooked pasta for many of the dishes on the menu and traditional Italian sauces we were excited to try. Most of their pastas are below 20 bucks which you never see. Out waiter was so nice she was so informative and funny. Would go back just for her. Definitely coming back for sure and telling anyone I know about it! read more

Are you looking for a perfect place to host a special celebration? LaLocanda checks off every box! Starting with a beautiful decorated, spacious private room filled with a sumptuous assortment of delicious foods, owners Cono & Maria are the most gracious and accommodating hosts around. We held our daughter's bridal shower there last weekend and it was off the charts. The appetizers & entrees were plentiful and wowed every guest. The attentive service and festive music added to the terrific ambiance we enjoyed. Maria enthusiastically works the room making sure everything is perfect while Cono conjures up the most mouthwatering dishes you'll be talking about for days after! I can't say enough about this gem of a restaurant - not to be missed when planning something special! THANK YOU La Locanda for a wonderful celebration read more

cute neighborhood Italian spot and very friendly owner. Good size portions for the price. read more

First time here my friend invited me to dinner with our daughters who love pasta. Let me tell this is a cute one this restaurant is. It's small but lovely it makes you feel like a family here. Definitely kids friendly place. The inside reminds me of a cabin in the Poconos area. I will definitely coming back here often the food that We try was soooo yummy, unfortunately some of the pictures didn't came out too good, but trust me you won't regret coming here. They have a small cute little bar in the back where you get your drinks from. read more

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We loved this place, very cozy and has a great family atmosphere. The food was very good, the quantity and perfect presentation, the house wine totally recommended. Simply amazing dessert. Excellent service and atmosphere. It is a place to recommend and return. read more

La Locanda - Choccolate Temptation - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Visited the location and took my team to a business lunch. They sat us right away the service was good and the ambience was very nice. All the food ordered was delicious and they serve large portions. So be prepared to eat. Over all a very good experience. If you are in Williamsburg Brooklyn I recommend you give them a try. read more

Food is delicious. They had the Mahi Mahi special I ordered which was a bit small but tasted great. The service is great and the wait staff is quick to get your drinks and orders taken. It's a small restaurant so when it gets crowded it can be hard to move around. read more

La Locanda - Mahi Mahi - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

For old school Italian newer rules don't apply. You judge the food and décor on sentiment and nostalgia. Graham Ave. is one of my fave drags- it combines the best of old and new Williamsburg and La Locanda is a throw-back from the old. They make their own bread here- like Carmine's up the street. The bread is so good and goes perfectly with butter- you want oil oh well, just go with the butter. My friend and I shared baked clams and stuffed mushrooms. Both $9 real cheap. I loved the mushrooms- simple in a nice marinara sauce. The baked clams tasted very fresh but could have sat under the broiler for a moment. The circular eggplant parm. was perfect. $12.50 for skin on thin gooey mozzarella throughout plus pasta or salad side. Since we both ordered the eggplant parm. we got one of each. The salad was good with lots of balsamic vinegar and the linguine simple with that good marinara. You want new school- there are plenty new fangled Italian restaurants in the 'Burg- this one keeps it OLD school- roll with it! read more

La Locanda - Eggplant parm - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The name says it all: a charming, cozy meeting place with great food. This is a lovely family-owned restaurant in the heart of Williamsburg. Owner Cono makes everyone feel welcome and dishes offered are tasty and well-prepared. I loved the sole oreganata and their antipasti is delicious. Wonderful pastas, too. We've enjoyed dinner here twice and will be back again, soon. read more

The Mexican corn was yummy. Had the Rellino (vegetarian) and it was delicious. So much food , wish I could've eaten it all. Very cozy and pretty quiet even though tables were close to each other read more

I went to this place on a Friday afternoon when there was basically no one there and asked for wifi and a bottle of wine and an appetizer which translates into a $50 check. After 1.5 hours they cut the wifi off (even though no one was there) and when I asked what happened they said the wifi cuts off after some time because there reservations coming in... I find that very offensive, they could have just asked me to leave when other people show up... The grilled octopus was too sour btw but the house cab was nice and fruity read more

If I could I would give this 4-1/2 stars. It's not exactly as good as it gets, but it's way above far for a restaurant specializing in traditional, Italian-American fare. The food is expertly prepared with good ingredients, and the restaurant itself features a pleasant neighborhood ambience, well-rounded menu, friendly service. We went with a party of four. We all ordered different things, ranging from gnocchi with a pesto cream sauce to a special chicken parm with Bolognese sauce. Everything was excellent The tiramisu deserves special recognition. read more

The food was great, however, they need to hire more professional waitresses and not kids who talk ghetto and unprofessional. The waitress was horrible. read more

I can't believe I didn't come in here sooner for lunch all the times that I was in the area. I ordered a basic eggplant Parmesan with spaghetti in a garlic and oil sauce. The food was fresh. The price here for the lunch was very reasonable and I would return. I felt that the restaurant was a very relaxed vibe and I liked this. I'll be back! **tip in cash only read more

I have been to La Locanda 4 or 5 times in the last few months. I noticed as I was preparing to write this review there are a few 1 star very bad reviews but I also noticed they are 5 to 7 years old. Let me tell you about La Locanda in the present day. Every time I have been there the food has been superb. Their eggplant parmigiana is to die for. Its better than Bamontes which is something I never thought I would say. I'm Italian, half Sicilian btw and my grandmothers cooking was, to me unbeatable. Well its been tied at least! Besides the fantastic food including the fried calamari and the stuffed mushrooms every entree me and my friends and my wife and daughter has tried are all top notch. The service is wonderful. This family owned place treats you like family and is attentive and very accommodating. Tell Maria that Tony sent you!! Try La Loconda now in the present day and prepare for quite possibly the best Italian food in Brooklyn. And btw all of the recent reviews seem to agree with me spot on. read more

Always an amazing atmosphere in here. The food and the staff are great. It's a very welcoming and warm neighborhood staple. read more

La Locanda - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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After the great reviews from fellow Yelpers and Italians from the neighborhood I was disappointed yesterday while dining here. It seemed that everyone was praising the eggplant rollatini and penne alla vodka but were just blah. Eggplant rollatini came in two pieces soggy not much flavor and an abundance if seeds (could have just picked a male plant and wouldn't of had this problem). The penne came and looked promising however it just lacked any flavor and was just loaded with cream, and I get it I was looking for a nice fatty meal but there was no procuttio or pancetta to flavor this thing up! Will not be returning :( be forewarned, I told you so read more

La Locanda - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Been going here for years and returned yesterday for 3rd time since Covid. Brought friends who were never here. Well as always our food was delicious. My wife orders the Cavatelli and bean soup winter summer spring and fall. It can't be beat. I had pasta with a beef veal and pork ragu sauce excellent! Raviolis delicious the hot Antipasti was increased for 5. Service was accommodating and helpful. Numerous questions and requests were all answered. Marie stopped to talk to us and threw our clowning right back at us! The entire dinner was like a visit to her kitchen. Highly recommend read more

I live right next to this place. I am SO HAPPY I live right next to this place. I work with Vinny Q: 62 year old Italian guy from Long Island who still visits this place with friends who live in the area. When I told him I was moving to Graham Ave he said I absolutely have to come here, they make food just like his mother used to make. Legit. I usually bring my parents here when they come to see me, it's a family owned restaurant that makes great food, and my dad's a cheap ass so with everything here under $15, it's perfect. I'd go for the pastas if you want to fill up, as some of the specials/meat dishes can be a little small on portions. It's not always in the size of the dish though, and since it's so affordable, it's not like you didn't get your money's worth. I'm a regular, if you live in the area, or even if ya don't, stop by. read more

I've been to La Locanda twice in two weeks after recently moving to the neighborhood. It's a small gem with great food, but don't expect a first-date-y, modern atmosphere. I almost took a star off for the decor, but then I realized that the decor is EXACTLY what you would expect at this type of place. It's part of the whole experience (in my opinion). Growing up in an Italian family, I always told my mom, aunts and grandma that they should open a restaurant. Well, La Locanda seems like the place they would have opened if they ever took my advice! The menu is extensive and filled with Italian classics and some original dishes. Start with an antipasta plate with roasted peppers and mozz - I don't even know if it's on the menu in that format, but just ask for it. Their bread is amazing. The food my friends and I have gotten was truly great and made you feel like you were having a nice dinner with plenty of wine at your Uncle Guido's house. Great place, friendly staff, great food, low key. Go! read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about this amazing restaurant. I love the cozy , comfortable, and very Italian atmosphere. The service , well I felt like family , even though it was my first time there! And the FOOD... omg the food. I had the grilled octopus, which was cooked to perfection and the Chicken alla Zingara which was amazing. And my husband devoured his dish, which was the fish special. The sauces in both our dishes were so good we went though a half a loaf of the HOMEMADE bread to soak up every bit of it. I HIGHLY recommend La Locanda if your looking for DELICIOUS Authentic Italian food in Williamsburg !!! read more

La Locanda - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Wonderful Italian local restaurant! Family owned and operated. Menus are electronic currently through covid. Masks are worn and required as per law. Tables elegantly separated according to covid compliance. You can do no wrong, everything on the menu is delicious. I highly recommend the ravioli with meat sauce and baked ziti (forgot the Italian name lol) in particular. Handmade cheese cake is for desert only on a Friday night! This place is a total gem on Graham ave! Takeout, outdoor dining, local delivery. Call to ask about catering. read more

Walking into La Locanda seemed promising with its cozy, homey interior that is very welcoming on a cold winter night. How wrong I was. My 10 person table was started off with 2 tiny pitchers of water that were refilled only twice. For appetizers my table ordered subpar calamari, which came without lemon slices. For dinner, I ordered Bucatini alla Romana, aka spaghetti with olives and pancetta. Absolute disappointment. Not only was the dish absent in pancetta flavor, but there was only a single piece of (soggy) pancetta. I couldn't even tell the restaurant I was unhappy, because the servers never bothered returning to my table to check up on everyone and ask if we needed anything, like water. For dessert, the staff was supposed to bring out a cake to surprise someone at my table for their birthday. Instead, they brought out dessert menus, so I had to remind the server about the cake, ruining the surprise. I also asked them to make another dish to bring home and to box up everything. It took them a literal hour to make the dish and, evidently, carelessly box my dinner. When I got home I found my takeout bag and car mat to be sopping wet from sauce because they didn't seal the tin properly. The only thing La Locanda has going for them is the comfy atmosphere, but this is ruined by weird electro-ambient music blaring through the speakers, interrupted by even louder advertisements every 2-3 songs. I couldn't hear myself talk due to the speaker screaming at my table to buy Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I could have made spaghetti of even better quality at home, with lots of crispy pancetta in it for a fraction of the cost. Then I wouldn't have had an hour of my time wasted waiting for take-out that would spill all over my car either. If anything could be the physical embodiment of disappointment and carelessness, it would be La Locanda. read more

A hidden gem off of the Graham Ave stop with a cozy atmosphere and no music. I think they already know Italians will talk over any music anyway. I think this is some of the best Italian food regardless of cost (although it is at a very reasonable price). The portions are generous and the staff will make great suggestions for your taste. I had the spinach ravioli with vodka sauce and it was absolutely delicious. It wasn't too heavy on the cream and the ravioli was cooked to perfection with a tiny bit al dente chewy to it. It all mingled very nicely in my mouth and left me completely satisfied. The only thing was that the wine was a little crappy. I'd suggest cracking open a bottle instead of getting the individual $5 glasses. Call me old fashion, but you gotta have a good wine pairing with Italian food. I will definitely be back here to try some more things on the menu. A repeated dining experience and food quality will bump this to a five-star rating. I would highly suggest dropping by if you're in the area. read more

La Locanda - yummy.... - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York