Awful service. Food is mediocre at best. Waiter was anxious to get rid of us as soon as we sat down. Didn't check on us at all to see if we need anything. Steak was very overdone. Very disappointed overall. read more

Class all the way. Fantastic food. Scallops wrapped in bacon was melt in your mouth delicious. Veal Scallopini Marsala was also very nice. Very friendly and accomodating waitstaff. Was not as expensive as I thought it would be. read more

Overrated and overpriced. I grew up in Brooklyn and always saw this place and heard amazing things about it. Hubby and I decided to order from here today. We got the stuffed clams, mozzarella in Carozza, meatballs with ricotta cheese, veal Parmesan sandwich and eggplant Parmesan sandwich. Food was mediocre. The eggplant parm sandwich had no taste, I had to put salt on it and I hate salt but it was just SO bland. The mozzarella in carozza was basically two pieces of toast with a thin piece of mozzarella between them and deep fried. I've had better mozzarella in carozza in pizza joints. My husband said the meatballs were good, I don't like meatballs so I didn't try them. He said the veal parm sandwich was good too. The baked clams were oily and not too flavorful either. Truly disappointed seeing we spent like $70 for food that although edible, didn't have much flavor. If you want good Italian food, skip this place and head out to Gargulio's in Coney Island. read more

I've been going for years, on special occasions like my birthday and anniversary, the food is delicious and the service is outstanding, my favorite Italian restaurant in Brooklyn read more

Michael's - Assorted Sorbet - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Everything about this restaurant is absolutely amazing! Food, service, environment -- absolutely amazing! We had the Fra Diavolo. There was a very generous and flavorful portion of seafood and pasta was perfectly cooked. Our waiter was very attentive and eager to please. We went on valentines day and the environment was very romantic. read more

Michael's - Fra Diavolo - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Michael's is truly a wonderful place. The food - delicious. The atmosphere - inviting. The desserts - magical. I'd go every day if it wasn't so far, but luckily I can buy their pasta sauce at Whole Foods. BLESS. read more

A true Brooklyn staple! Michael's has been Cooking up Quality Italian for years. They probably have the best Italian food in South Brooklyn. The decor has a lot of nostalgia. It brings you to takes you back in time. Everything they have on their menu is on point. Their bread basket and olives and cheese to start are awesome beginning to the upcoming meal. The artichokes are a must get! The eggplant rolitini is also a fan favorite. Cacio E Pepe special with buccatini was great! For dessert you have to get the cookie and cream tartufo! read more

Unbelievable good. It was bright and well lit inside. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and totally tasty. Service was great, too. Everything was great & I'd definitely love to come back again! read more

Went to celebrate our anniversary and made reservations. Still had to wait about 20 minutea in the small lobby.. place was extremely loud..I mean LOUD. We were seated at the small table stuck between the wall and a large table trying to enjoy our anniversary dinner until someone outside who was in the restaurant suffered a health issue on the outside. Someone at the large table asked what happened and she was told that someone they KNEW needed medical attention after collapsing in the street. They described a scene and then proceeded to crack jokes about his weight.Please tell me what is so funny about a person having a cardiac event as the waiter Joe and his friends sitting at the table next to us thought it was. Comments about forget the ambulance and take him to scarpaci's were totally uncalled for. Comments were made multiple times. How sad. Cannot comment on the food because I didn't enjoy it. Not the Michaels I remembered read more

Michael's is always top notch! For a night out splurge it is an excellent choice. Sometimes they have live entertainment.

Overpriced. Bland and highly overrated. Basic Italian food. Those prices I would gladly pay if the food was good. Highly disappointed. Chicken rollatini was dry. Bolognese was bland. Everything else was okay. Not the best way I like to describe food "Okay"! 3 entrees and 1 pasta and 1 app, $154. For "okay" food, not delicious food. read more

Last night as we sat in the dining room at MOB, taking it in I realized it had been some time since I'd been there almost 40 years. The meal was great old school Italian. If you want to experience the difference between cliche and classic, eat here. I had the Tripe to start and butternut squash Ravioli. My 3 companions were happy as well, we conversed comfortably well spaced tables good acoustics, live piano music !! The service and seasoning's were spot on, something that more modern restaurants find it sometimes difficult to consistently do. Look out for Enzo is a gentleman and the ribbon on this great package. read more

Best experience...service and food was perfect. We were truly taken care of and if food adjustments needed to made...no issue and they made sure you left full and with leftovers. read more

Came here on the 12th with my husband to celebrate the start of our vacation as well as our upcoming anniversary. We were immediately seated and Enzo had our drinks in front of us like magic. That is one of the best things that I love about this place, they have a wonderful eye for detail and make you feel special and catered to. This time I had a crab, shrimp and avocado salad that was amazing. The chunks of crab mixed with large bites of shirmps, the smooth yet firm avocado cubes, all kept together by a light creamy mayo type of dressing was so good that my mouth is salivating as I write this. My hubby had clams. Main dish was pasta which was prefect. We topped the whole meal off with the most delicious chocolate molten cake with ice cream. Yummy. Michael 's never disappoints. read more

Michael's - Crab, shrimp and avocado salad. Outstanding. - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The garlic cheese bread oh my Lord. I'm daydreaming about them weeks later. Their marinara sauce was pretty good, they gave pizza bread in the bread basket my penne allá vodka was underwhelming, the sauce was too milky/creamy. read more

Michael's is a popular Italian spot in Brooklyn. They are known for their sauce and pastries. They have a spot across the st that sells just bakery items and their sauce can be purchased online or buy a jar while you are there. We were there for a repast so our choices were preselected. What was served was really good. The bread was warm and delicious. The all important soft butter could have been masticated without bread. So good! We started with fried calamari, fried artichokes, mozzarella w/tomatoes & roasted peppers and clams oreganato. Everything was delicious except for the clams. A little too chewy for me. Then the pasta came out. Cooked al dente with vodka sauce. A great choice. The tomato sauce was just ok. Not sure what the hype is about. Mamma makes a better sauce. For entrees I chose the veal. It was average. A little too rubbery. Then the dessert arrived...their famous pastries...all of them were fresh and delicious...completely devoured in no time. Service was exceptional! Staff was very attentive and friendly. Overall a great experience. A return is a must. ENJOY! read more

Idk this place doesn't impress me!! The lobster creeps are the best but u can't get them all the time. The bacon appetizer with jack Daniels , sounds amazing it's allllll fat, I hated it. I don't even remember what else I ordered. It was a pasta dish wasn't great. It's expensive. I don't know what to say it's just nothing special but with lack of good places in the area I can see why people like it I guess. The food is not that great, the choices aren't that great. read more

I've been to Michael's a number of times and the food and service is always spectacular. The waiter whose name I didn't catch was very attentive and helpful and provided fantastic service. What was even more impressive than the waitstaff were the two gentlemen bartending, one in particular, Douglas was excellent. Despite how busy he was, he was extremely engaging and pleasant to deal with. He also answered any questions that we had concerning drinks. Truly the highlight of the night. Another incredible experience at an amazing restaurant. read more

For Christmas dinner, a companion and I decided to venture deep into Brooklyn to try a place that we hadn't before. Michael's is a place that my parents went to years ago when they lived in this area. It wasn't their go-to, as they found it a little expensive with the food not being great. However, that was then when there were dozens of old school Italian restaurants across Brooklyn. Today only a handful remain. Looking at the reviews here, it looks like Michael's held up well and even modernized with some newer dishes. Given that we gave it a shot. Walking in, you can tell this is very much a regulars place. Stucco ceilings, wood paneling separating the bar from the dining area, and a whole lot of Christmas decorations. We got seated almost immediately, which was good because it filled up soon thereafter (including a large party room in the basement by the bathrooms). Service was good, although it was very obvious that they were trying to maximize their tips. Negronis were on the small side. The atmosphere was perfect for the occasion and I enjoyed it thoroughly. However, my parents may have been right about the food. One nice thing is the bread basket and antipasti Michael's gives you. When you sit down, the bread basket they give you has breadsticks, Italian bread, and some garlic crackers as well. To go with this are little dishes of olives, salame and provolone. It's not much, but it doesn't have to be. It's a very nice addition to the meal. We got an order of baked clams and crab, shrimp avocado salad that everyone here seems to like for starters. The salad was the easy winner. The crab meat was served in big chunks and was nice and fresh. The shrimp was great too, but a bit skimpy on the portion. Avocado was left in chunks and there wasn't too much of it; just enough to contrast the textures of the shrimp and the crab. Overall a very well made dish. The baked clams were mediocre. Too much breadcrumbs, a tasteless broth underneath them, a little on the tough side...not impressive for an old school Italian restaurant at all. For a main, I got the lobster fra diavolo. The lobster was fresh and good quality, although the claws were a bit uncooked which was a first for me. I enjoyed it regardless. The fra diavolo, normally a spicy, bold sauce, was muted and only mildly spicy. Linguini was on the firm side at least. This was priced well for an entree around $30 to be fair. The other one got a black squid ink linguini special that came with calamari. I didn't try any, and she didn't come close to finishing the huge portion although she insisted it was good. My dining companion later insisted on a creme brulee. That isn't my favorite dessert and I have no idea why you'd order that in an Italian restaurant, and as you could expect it was just okay. We didn't finish it. I also got a dessert drink that consisted of amaretto, espresso and vanilla ice cream. For what it was, it was very good and a good change of pace. Michael's definitely got some things right, but based on what I saw it isn't the amazing old school Italian restaurant that some seem to think it is. It's good, but not great. Actually, they seem to do modern dishes better than the classics, especially reading through the reviews here. Stick to the specials and the more unique dishes I supposed. Michael's may have been open since 1964, but they're better as a modern Italian restaurant. One thing that was a pleasant surprise was the prices. It was $150 for 2 including tip which is Manhattan pricing. Given that this is fancy for the area, I had a few drinks, and the quantity of food, it was a good value. I'd come back here if I was in the neighborhood for some reason and craving Italian food, but generally I'll be sticking to my go-to's. read more

Last year on Valentines day we had reservations and management made us wait for over 1/2 hour! We were so disguisted we walked out and never returned. On another occasion they wanted to seat us at the bar to eat! This was surprising to us because our family has been going here for more than 20 years! All of our special memories were here- I had my son's christening party at Gargulius in Coney Island and now we go there because they service is impeccable! Next time you see a customer for more than 20 years, you should take care of them. read more

Love Michaels! Best Italian food in NYC!

Last night I attended a medium sized dinner party at this restaurant. Before the invite I had never even heard of Michael's. Upon walking in my expectations were pretty high. It looked and sounded very much like an authentic Italian restaurant. From the friendly Italian proprietor who greeted us as we waited for our 15 top table to the low murmur of the patrons accenting their conversations with their hands. From there everything went sour. We simply were there for entrees, and after ordering it took nearly an hour for the food to arrive. Bread was plentiful, but never refilled our water. Everyones' food was unseasoned, with the most egregious example being the salmon that had no flavor whatsoever. I had the Veal Scaloppini Sorrentina. It was cooked quite well, but it lacked spice. We were given the excuse that the poor service was due to a bar mitzvah being hosted next door - I'll chalk our poor food up to that as well. read more

My first time at this place and my last as well. The food was tastless blunt and expensive. One martini costs 17$. Penne vodka no taste, meatballs no taste lazagna no taste calamari hell burnt unsalted no taste italian cheese pie No taste, marinara for dip No taste. I asked for parmesan came after 5 mins for my cold pasta. We ordered linguini they put spagghetti. Overall the waiter was ok but, he is not food. read more

Really nice environment with very good staff and live piano but I don't understand the rave reviews for the food. Average tasting braised rib, the chicken was borderline dry, steak was burnt. Mediocre food that doesn't merit a second visit. On the plus side, they did have good bread and cheese. read more

Coming here from Berkeley was like visiting another planet. My parents have been going here for decades, but somehow I had never visited before. The "other planet" aspect mostly has to do with the ambiance, which I'd have some trouble describing. (See the other reviews, however.) Let's just say that you feel a bit as if you're in a movie. The food was actually quite good. I started with one of the specials, a fava bean puree with grilled portobello mushroom. This was delicious! Then I had quite a bit of some lentil soup that was another one of our starters -- the portion was enormous. My main dish was a pair of soft shell crabs that had been sauteed with garlic; again, this was really good. The other mains on the table were pieces of grilled fish that I found "A-OK" but not exceptional in any way. Somehow with all of this we managed to order a small side of angel hair pasta; in addition, each main dish came with a side dish of vegetables. The bottom line: I ingested a month's worth olive oil and garlic at one sitting but figured that this was alright because I hadn't had much lunch on the plane. I got two wines by the glass, one $9 and one $10. The Chilean sauvignon blanc was not a disaster, and the Sardinian red was quite interesting. I steered around the Kendall-Jackson chardonnay in order to get to these two choices, which I thought were optimal. The main dishes ranged from $22 (crabs) to $28-29 (fish). The prices are a tad on the high side, but they take care of you pretty well. I should return to check out the business across the street for lunch: they specialize in Chinese and Tex-Mex food. You can get tacos and egg rolls on one plate!! read more

As someone who has been eating at Michael's since she was in a booster seat, I though this place deserved a better review than the sole, semi-literate one that appears on here. When someone asks my opinion of an Italian dish, I have two baselines - my mother, and Michael's. I have never had a bad meal here. It doesn't matter if you're ordering branzino and a salad, or mozzarella in carozza and lasagna, you're going to go away happy. Just leave room for dessert - I still dream about their fruit tart. The other bonus is the staff. Granted, my family had the bonus of being regulars (pretty much every special occasion for the last 30+ years), they're all friendly and professional, and ready to make great suggestions for wine and food. The only reasons I've reserved a star are the price factor (the place can be hard on the wallet), and the crowd factor - watch yourself on a weekend night - the place can get completely packed. And rightfully so - the place manages to be classic without being stodgy, and progressive without being too edgy. If you're within a reasonable distance, this is classic New York-style Italian at its best. read more

Had lunch at Michael's the other day. I haven't been there in ages and was so pleasantly surprised to find that the restaurant was as good, if not better than it always was! read more

I came here this past Sunday for Mother's Day and i was expecting a complete disaster because every restaurant is always complete insanity on Mother's Day, am i right or am i right? Boy was i wrong... We got seated right away, even though we were 30 minutes late for our reservation. The maitre'd was extremely nice and sociable, checking up on us many times throughout our meal. The wait staff was also really pleasant and was conversating with my father-in-law in Italian- yes, the staff at Michael's actually speak Italian. They had a set menu because of Mother's Day, so the choices were kind of limited, but they had more than enough choices for even a picky eater like me. The bread basket they brought to the table was huge, and HOT. They also brought a small plate of antipasto which was nice. Everyone's food came out quickly, and without error. I ordered the Penne Vodka, which was really good and the serving was huge. My husband had the Chicken Francese, moy mom had the Veal Scallopini, my father-in-law the Fisherman's Platter (which was HUGE) and my mother in law the Pasta Puttanesca. Now, we are all Italian- and nobody had any complaints about the food, so they must be doing something right. All in all it was a pleasant experience, i would definitely come back on a regular day to try some other things on their menu. read more

I was disappointed with the food. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good. The calamari was overcooked and the mozzarella carozza was all batter. Overall, it was overpriced for the quality of food served. The spinach and antipasto was good. read more

I jus bought your marinara sauce all the way in San Antonio Texas.... I cannot stress enough how happy I am that you bottle and sell your sauces... Smh... best pasta sauces ever ... I am in love read more

It's been years since I stepped into Michael's. It hasn't changed at all. The menu is upgraded, but that's about it. I had Veal d' Michael. Butter soft boneless veal topped with spinach and mozzarella in white wine shrimp sauce. They make a chicken version too. The menu is very big but I don't think you can go wrong with anything. It's like walking into a 1970's MOB movie but everything is fresh. Service is second to none and this time I won't wait so many years. I missed you Michael's. I'll be dating men in my future who can afford to bring me there. read more

Ate here Friday night. I was so impressed with the bread spread along with the olives , cheese and soppressata. The mozzarella in corrozza was the best I've had! My Entree of fillet of Sole oreganata was supreme. I love fried calamari, it was ok but def a very short order for $14 which disappointed me.Looking forward to coming back.. thanks. read more

Michael's - Fillet of Sole oregganata..YUM - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

On the occasion of a friend's birthday, I finally had the opportunity to dine at Michael's. It is a very nice restaurant and obviously popular, because there wasn't an empty seat in the house. I loved that the owner and/or manager (not sure about his role) was interacting with his patrons. It was super helpful that another staffer collected our coats as we walked in. I thought it was pretty cool that there was a piano slightly above and adjacent to the bar. The pianist played very softly in the background. The conversations in the dining room were not at all loud. I could enjoy conversing across my table of 10. Our server was so friendly and full of personality. Great, delicious bread to delay the growls of an empty stomach. My favorite was the one that tasted similar to bread and marinara sauce. With a full house, you can expect the arrival of your food to be delayed. I ordered the chicken parmigiana (breaded, fried chicken then covered with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese) and a small plate of potatoes and vegetables for $25. Please note any additional sides like pasta costs $5 extra. I can definitely say that when you dine at Michael's, you are paying for the name and quality depending on the dish. I felt my dish was overpriced. I love dessert, but resisted the urge since I didn't think the portion of tiramisu for example was worth $8.50. Great ambiance. Ideal for families. Wonderful that there was an ADA restroom on the main level and additional restrooms below. Spacious and clean. read more

I didn't actually go out to Sheepshead Bay to enjoy Michael's restaurant, but I did enjoy samples of their sauces at WholeFoods Market in Columbus Circle yesterday. I had an hour to kill, so I was there looking for the Wine Cellar sorbets, but ending up finding some really good sauce from Brooklyn. I never made it to the freezer section. I got stopped by some guy from Brooklyn handing out samples of sauce. Michael's from Brooklyn. The sauces were in glass jars, with simple white labels. The sauces were... WOW !! The sauces are made on site at the restaurant by their chef's in a second kitchen they built downstairs just to make the sauce. That day they had arrabiata, a hot pepper sauce with a little heat that was my favorite. They also had marinara sauce, which I was avoiding because most places make a very wimpy marinara. Michael's had chunks of garlic in it. It was anything but limp. Another good one. They also had Tomato and Basil that everyone who was walking up loved. I had Tomato & Basil, right after the hot pepper sauce, so being so mild I could hardly taste it. Didn't get the sauce. I like making my own sauce fresh. And I still have a jar from some other tasting a year ago that was also to die for. I hate bottled sauces. Most of them taste nasty. Like I said, I like making my own. So I get excited when I find sauces that are so good they taste homemade. For those who want an awesome sauce and don't like to cook. Check out Michael's of Brooklyn, at Wholefoods and other local specialty markets. You only $8.99 you get to impress a date with your fine gourmet cooking skills. Just boil the pasta, throw some asparagus in pan with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and some crushed garlic. Shake the pan a couple of minutes to make it look like you're working hard making dinner. Open a bottle of wine. Trust me. Impressive. For me, it means I'll be making a trip to Sheephead's Bay sometime in the future to check out the origin of this impressive sauce. Time ran out. Gotta go. WT worthy. read more

Just had an excellent party for my fathers 80th birthday In their private basement room. We had 17 people Our choice of food was · Champagne Toast · Mixed Fresh Vegetable Players · Antipasto all' Italiana - Hot Antipasto (Baked Clams, Stuffed Eggplant, Shrimp Scampi and Mushrooms) includes salad · Italian Style Salad (included with hot antipasto only) Pasta course with choice of two different sauces · Lemon Sorbet Intermezzo Main course one of: · Eggplant Parmigiana · Chicken Marsala · Broiled Salmon · Veal Scaloppini Francese · Great cake Everything was excellent They made my dad very happy thanks! read more

Probably the best Italian food I've ever had. My dad was in town from Philly & he buys their sauce in the grocery store, so we had to check it out. I made a reservation for 12, but we got there a little early. They let us in and seated us anyway even though they didn't even open until noon! Fast, prompt service & an incredibly attentive staff made this such an enjoyable lunch. It was great to talk to staff & owner! read more

Very good Italian food but I'm no expert. All I can say is it's gotta be good when the restaurant's sauce is sold in major super markets. I've been coming here very infrequently (maybe once a year) for about a decade and have to say one of the things that impresses me most about this place is their ability to stay the same. The place definitely has old world charm, from the dressed up waiters to the piano player, to the owner who walks around the tables and makes chit chat with the patrons all of whom seem to be frequent visitors and intimate friends of the owner. It's just an awesome spot for this part of Brooklyn. read more

Very good Italian food - and yes, it is high priced - but there are not too many fine dining options in this part of Brooklyn. My ex (he's an ex for a reason) boycotted them for some infantile reason, but I would still sneak over for lunch. I also like the fish entrees at dinner. They have a private dining room, as well. MAKE reservations, especially for Saturday nights or holidays (New Year's EVE, Valentine's Day) it gets packed. Gorgeous bar area. read more

Been here on multiple occasions and it's always good. Every dish is made with care and with high quality ingredients. Not your typical oversalted, over buttered, tomato sauce -in-a-jar italian restaurant establishment. (though they do make their own marinara sauce). The menu items are expected and traditional.. think warm bread with tomato sauce to start, eggplant parm, fried calamari, linguine with white clam, chicken marsala, etc etc. It's all quite scrumptious and I haven't had anything yet that disappoints. Their pastry shop across the street also sells delicious cookies and cake if you need a sweet pick me up. A local brooklyn favorite for the neighborhood! read more

John is the best chef and nicest guy in all of Brooklyn! Everything is absolutely delicious but I love to start my meal with some fried calamari, then move onto the amazing penne alla vodka, top my dinner off with chicken parm, and end with the chocolate chip cookie cake which I dream about at night. read more

Michael's - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York