Really delicious food and great service. The pasta was perfect. They do outside dining really well.

One of my favorite restaurants in NYC. This place never disappoints on food, service or atmosphere. And you can almost always count on a celebrity sighting. The lemon pici pasta is to die for. The Sunday lasagna special is so amazing! read more

Morandi - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Terrible, overpriced food and drinks. Untrained and unprofessional servers. The manager constantly upsells wine and other items to pad the bill. It's a tourist trap that locals avoid. Other than that, enjoy! read more

Ordered takeout & our order arrived very promptly. The food was excellent. The seasonal burrata/ zucca salad was a particular standout - roasted squash with pumpkin seeds, & arugula, topped with a whole burrata & drizzled with pumpkin seed oil. The pollo Diavolo was good, but could have been more spicy. Of the 2 pastas we ordered, I preferred the deeply satisfying orrechiette with sausage, rabe & chilis, & my husband liked the campanelle alla Norma with eggplant & mozzarella better. The ricotta fritters were outstanding as usual, dusted with cinnamon sugar & studded inside with currants & chocolate bits. Great Sunday dinner! read more

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We went here for lunch for my aunts birthday. We had a reservation for 9 people and the service was amazing! I had the pasta bolognese and it was absolutely delicious!! I highly recommend. I am pretty picky about pasta but this was incredible. Great Christmas festive atmosphere. They split our check 4 ways with no problem which I admire about restaurants. I work in restaurants and I know how East it is! Over all good atmosphere, fantastic food. Order the carafes of the wines definitely worth the money. Also a friend had the raspberry mimosa. Holy shit get that!! It was so fresh and so good. Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

After being locked up in my apartment job hunting for the past few weeks I decided to grab an early dinner with my friend and former co-worker Debbie. I think we both deserved a fun night out after the stress we had just dealt with at our former place of employment. We ultimately decided on Morandi in the West Village because I'm obviously a sucker for all things Italian, and I'm constantly on the search for my new favorite place. This cute and cozy restaurant is located on Waverly at 7th Ave, and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. This is the perfect place for a date, or in our case, a nice place for two friends to grab an early dinner and drinks. Our waiter quickly approached, poured us some water, and took our drink orders. A basket of bread arrived shortly after and we were off to a wonderful start. I have found that while California had some great qualities, good service was not one of them -- oh how I missed NYC. Debbie decided to order from the "Focacce E Panini" section of the menu, and selected the Facaccia prosciutto & rucola aka Focaccia, stracchino cheese, prosciutto and arugula. She really enjoyed it, however she felt that the "panini" description was deceiving, because she was expecting a sandwich instead of a flatbread. I decided to order the pasta special which was homemade tagliatelle with corn, pancetta and mushrooms. This dish was amazing. The pasta was light and fresh, the mushrooms were tender, the corn added nice texture, and the pancetta added some necessary fattiness to the dish. I really appreciate when a pasta dish isn't swimming in sauce. Morandi allowed the freshness of the ingredients to speak for themselves and it made for an exceptional dish (if it were up to me I would add this to the permanent menu). All and all I will say that this restaurant is on its way to earning a spot in my mental bank of favorite places to eat. I think I need to have a few more meals there before I can title it a favorite, but it's definitely on its way. This restaurant can also be very affordable - depending on what you order. Panini's range from $9 - $17, Pasta dishes are $15 - $24, and meats/fish range from $18 - $91 (aged porterhouse for two). There are also a bunch of wonderful antipasti choices that are all under $20. If you're looking for a quick, cute, and tasty spot in the West Village for some delicious Italian food, you should definitely check out Morandi! For more restaurant reviews - www.theloveofpasta.com read more

Morandi - Facaccia prosciutto & rucola aka Focaccia, stracchino cheese, prosciutto and arugula - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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The Morandi provides elegant casual and classy ambience. The guests and staff members are polite, prompt and cordial. This is my second visit and looking forward inviting my friends and family. A bit pricy but the quality of the food and beverages are flavorfull and punctual to the palate. I ordered a glass of Rammitello G exquisite! read more

Morandi - The Bar - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Busy and bustling, I just don't get why, in my opinion food was boring. Flavorless dishes for high prices. However service was quick attentive and good. read more

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Cute ambiance and nice service. Had the lemon pasta and salmon. Both were yummy but be warned the Portions are small.

Lovely, traditional decor; attentive, friendly staff. Started with the insalata d'indivia, which was fresh and flavorful. Casoncelli di zucca is a delicious pumpkin-stuffed pasta, not too sweet but just right. Lovely dinner. read more

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We went here when we took a weekend trip to NY. It was a Saturday night and they made room for us. The food was good and the service was excellent. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting but it was such a wonderful experience. I don't know if I would return, but I am very glad that I went. read more

We just had yet another wonderful dinner there. The service, ambiance, and food are always exceptional. One of the best. Our favorite.

unimpressed. Its the type of place that does nothing notably well. It hovers on the cusp of competence and is saved from going belly up only by its prime location. Its an Italian restaurant but the menu items that you expect to shine in a place like this, for example, the risotto, are barely passable. It's probably the worst risotto in recent memory. The service was spotty and over the course of the meal we had 3 different servers none of which was particularly personable. The wine list is corporate and uninspired. You can tell they use a big distributor that doesn't bother to put any effort into the list. If they actually have a wine director here, his salary could be best spent on getting a better chef as he provides nothing. With a city full of top notch restaurants, you would be mistaken to spend an evening in this disappointing, paint by numbers, snoozefest. skip read more

In this current day of bad food, bad service and overpriced restaurants, Morandi broke the mold. What a great experience from the min we walked in to the moment we left. Great pastas, we had 4, attentive and friendly service and a warm and inviting atmosphere. Best meal we have had in months and we live in NYC and eat out 3x per week. read more

Had brunch here recently. Service was great! Had a couple appetizers. The burrata was awesome as well as the bread on the table. The brushetta was nothing like we expected. It did not have any red sauce or tomatoes, instead it was bread with ricotta and nuts such as almonds and pistachios sprinkled on top. That was probably our least favorite thing we ordered. However, all the pastas were amazing! From the claims, bolgnese to cacio pepe. Fun scene but very crowded and loud. Would recommend read more

I used to love coming here. Had my sister in town for one night and we were celebrating our birthdays and we chose Morandi. Classic, nice outdoor table -- what could go wrong?! It took over 20 minutes to order wine ... and then around 15 to get the bottle to our table (after I asked about the status). The waiter tried to tell my sister her shellfish allergy wouldn't be affected by octopus, despite her dr. telling her otherwise .. what a nice start. We ordered. 2 apps, 2 pastas. The apps came out, i had to get up after waiting 10 minutes or so to flag down someone to bring us pepper. Before we were finished with the apps, the pastas came out. WE NEVER once saw our waiter after ordering. He never checked on us, asked if we needed anything-- nothing. The food was... flavorless. We got a focaccia flatbread to start. Under-seasoned, but the focaccia was good. The pastas were such a disappointment! Bland, boring. I got pesto.. if you would've blindfolded me, I honestly couldn't have told you what sauce I had. No flavor whatsoever. My sis got bolognese. Pretty much tasted like a chain-y restaurant rendition of a classic bolognese. For $80/person, there's so much better Italian in West village/NYC in general. Go anywhere else. read more

I absolutely loved the poached eggs over mushroom, artichoke and peas. Super flavorful. The coffee was exceptional too. French fries were delish and not at all greasy! I'd give it 5 stars but need to sample more things on the menu. read more

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Finally writing a review after multiple visits over the years: Morandi is a solid 3.5 stars (rounding up to 4). It's a quaint and cozy dinner spot, with small distressed-wood chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, brick arches, and bottles of Chianti lining the walls. Hopefully you are comfortable with your fellow diners, because sitting at the tiny wooden tables means huddling close together without much elbow room (maybe that's why it is such a popular date night spot...since you are practically hugging each other anyway). The lack of space may not be such a bad thing, since the noise reaches such bedlam levels in this forever packed restaurant, that asking your neighbor for salt involves yelling at the top of your lungs. The menu is very traditional, this is not a place for inventive cooking. But Morandi comes through on the tried and tested (and not frequently changed) menu. The ingredients are good quality, presentation is simple and no-fuss, and the preparation is above average and consistent. Some of my favorites are: Burrata Fried artichokes Porcini gnocchi Pici al limone Cacio e pepe The wine list is well priced and has choices from many regions in Italy, in selection of bottles, carafes, half carafes and glasses. The service is a rushed and frantic affair though, with the servers hurrying through the closely spaced tables and the crowded bar area. Note - make a reservation, the convenience of the location makes it a popular spot even on weeknights. read more

Excellent food. Excellent service. Excellent wine. It was very noisy and crowded but we managed. Four stars, only because there's always room for improvement. It we truly enjoyed ourselves and our meal. read more

I decided to come try this place for lunch on a weekday due to the amount of people I saw being seated outdoors. I mean it must be good if there's so many customers. Meh it was not good... let's start off with the atmosphere. It's very cozy but it didn't feel very clean in there... My table had some food stains on it and my chair was sticky. The food...the portions are very very small. I ordered the grilled octopus and half of it came burnt. I had to scrape off the outside layer of it, which left me with 1/2 of the octopus. It was literally just two legs of an octopus for $18? Not worth it. I got the corzetti al pesto for my entree and it was just drenched in olive oil. I mean they loaded it with a lot of pesto sauce too but it was just so bland. Oh and it is like an appetizer size... really lacking in volume. My father ordered a meatball sandwich, and that was the only decent tasting dish in a good size portion. I would not come here again... read more

This was our third year celebrating New Years Eve at Morandi. It is amazing how we just always have the best time, delicious food, music, ambiance and our waiter was just wonderful (I wish I knew his name, tall guy). It never fails that the people sitting around us are fun and wonderful, so it is just one great night with champagne to top it off. One mainstay that I hope remains is Roberto, the very tall, handsome, charasmatic host who most definitely adds to the warmth and welcome and seeing him (even when it is not holiday) makes me feel like a million bucks. THANKS MORANDI FOR ANOTHER FABULOUS NEW YEAR read more

Morandi was packed with diners on this frigid Sunday night in January at 9:00 PM. Even with a reservation, the staff was forced to give us this tiny and uncomfortable two top tucked away near the window. It was such an awkward spot, even our server had difficulty getting dishes and drinks to us. It took a yoga position I would never try. Yet, every other table was taken. How many restaurants would die for this kind of business late Sunday night? Morandi knows something. The menu has all the well known Italian specials, and there are absolutely no surprises. Oh, the acoustics provide the ambiance of a Roller Derby match, so better be prepared to scream. The food was mediocre, my cacio e pepio bland with no flavor. Minestrone soup was very weak, with nothing to it. Prices are high for what you get. However, the young folks of the Village flock to this place, so what do I know?However, because I do know, there are dozens of better Italian restaurants within a 15 minute radius. Morandi's quality has sunk to an ineffectual nadir. Skip it. read more

Cozy and casual restaurant in the West Village. We came here for brunch with friends. The frittata was quite delicious. It has seasons veggies (zucchini and asparagus) and came with country style bread. The focaccia with a fried egg and prosciutto was heaven (served on a rustic wooden board). The seating is tight but some tables are spacious enough for strollers (we saw two uppababy vistas!) read more

This place to me hovers between a 3 or a 4 star depending on what I'm looking for in a dinner experience that night 'Cozy' by which I mean the tables are close together, the ambience is loud (with laughter and conversation but loud nevertheless and the service is on the rushed side with servers running around an intimate seating situation The walls are lined by bottles of Chianti and the distressed wood and the arches take you out of Manhattan to the Italian countryside and the food is quite good and a solid 4 The Cacio e Pepe (tomnarelli with pecorino and pepper is simple, elegant and warmly reminiscent of farm food elevated) Also tried the Tagliata de Manzo which is like a grilled steak with roasted onions and potatoes. Nothing to write home about but hearty for sure. My favorite was the meatballs with pine nuts and raisins which was unique and filling (we shared) In short make sure to have a reservation, its busy, and keep in mind that it'll be loud and friendly and the food will not disappoint even if it's not the best Italian food you'll have in Manhattan read more

The food here is solid. The ambiance is lively and extremely loud. I had to shout at my friends the entire night during our conversation and there were only three of us at a very small corner table. I went with the lamb chops and was very pleased with them. Probably some of the best lamb chops I've ever had actually. I tried my friend's food and thought it was good. We all got a desert and I was left wanting more. Small portions mostly. There are other Italian places in West Village that I prefer but I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it. I wouldn't mind going again on maybe a less crowded night... if there is such a thing. read more

Typical west village Italian restaurant. The food was great, had the Bolognese and the burrata. The vibe is rustic Italian and the crowd is young, hot, normal west village dwellers. I would say you're coming more for vibes than the food but neither disappoint. Would come back again if I had friends who wanted a place to be seen while enjoying pasta. read more

Morandi - Bolognese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Booked a group reservation in advance and appreciated the great service. I ordered the Mafalde Alla Pugliese and enjoyed my meal! Perhaps I am adjusting to NYC prices, but the quality of the food (and portion size) did not seem to merit the price tag. Others at our table said their meals were decent but nothing to write home about. This is a reliable option in the West Village and the ambiance was lively and warm. However, I would seek out a better Italian food option. read more

Very disappointed in this restaurant's service. I came here for my friends bday where we dropped over a grand on her celebration and the manager told us to keep quite. We never once used profanity or offended the waiters or others guests but yet we still tipped well for the servers. We never caused any trouble but the manager still felt the need to say that to us. He did try to offer us complimentary shots but that did not make up for passive aggressive comment he made to our table. We would've respectfully left if we had known saying happy birthday to our friend at the dinner table was an issue read more

The service was terrible. I also came during the heat wave in New York and there was no air conditioning. I also ordered my eggs over easy and they messed it up twice and the third time they brought it back the server had a smart "Alec" attitude with me when it was his mistake. Don't recommend at all. Very expensive and the acoustics were terrible. Couldn't hear the person next to me. read more

Came here as a last minute recommendation and am very happy we did!! The burrata and fried artichokes were amazing. Salmon was awesome!! Flavors worked so well together and the top was crispy and delicious. The lemon pasta was also very tasty!! Only con was that our dessert took FOREVER to come out while everything else came out so quickly. Great service!! I forgot his name but he did state he was from Michigan.... great recommendations and very personable :) read more

Morandi - Burrata, crudo, artichoke - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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We recently returned to Morandi after a long hiatus, this time for my fiancées birthday dinner with a group of 9. We had reservations and were seated promptly at a long table with a good amount of space, which was refreshing! We love it here for date night, but beware that the wine is particularly expensive and portions are small, so though the food is spectacular I wouldn't necessarily recommend this spot with a group as large as we had. For appetizers, we had the insalata verde and insalata with apples and brussels, of which the Brussels salad was definitely the winner! The Bibb salad was light and refreshing as well, both good choices. We also shared the fried artichokes which were really tough, overcooked, and not very flavorful, I wouldn't recommend them as there are probably much better options (helloooo burrata!)...our bad. For dinner I had the pici al limone - homemade spaghetti with lemon and Parmesan, simple and absolutely delicious. Other favorites at the table were any of the homemade pasta options and specials! Portions are definitely small for both appetizers (except salads) as well as mains, particularly for the price. We finished with tiramisu for dessert which was delish! Overall I'd mention that the wines are significantly more expensive than comparable places in the city (and really compared to anywhere) - "carafs" which are usually associated with portions larger then a bottle here are only 2.5 glasses but run $35-$50, more than a bottle at many places. The wine is delicious, don't get me wrong, but there are a number of Italian spots in the area where you can drink for much less! This is not a place to come if you're planning to get your drink on, but if you're looking for a lighter Italian meal and a glass of wine this is definitely a great choice. read more

Decent reservation times as I booked it 20 mins before allotted time. Average drinks and appetizers. Below average main course (absolutely nothing great or even good) - We ordered both vegetarian dishes (ones was based on servers recommendation). Awfully expensive for what it has to offer. Not worth it. I did not want think the food was edible. Being in New York for 10+ years and eating out almost 4 times a week I wouldn't return. There wasn't anything great about the food (most important to me) which is most important to me. It was like a joke! Not worth it any price. read more

So, so, disappointed in my recent trip back to Morandi. This is the unfortunate consequence that sometimes occurs when a popular celebrity chef restaurant becomes all about the scene and forgets its obligation to serving great food. I guess when you know you're going to consistently fill every table with tourists and foreigners who care more about people-watching and being seen, then why bother caring about the food, right? That's the only conclusion I can draw after six of us descended on Morandi for dinner the other night. I was among the first in line when Morandi opened in 2007, and it was a scene back then, like most of Keith McNally's restaurants are. I've always been a huge fan of Schiller's Liquor Bar on the Lower East Side. Because there you can count on eating a delicious meal at a decent price that's never inconsistent no matter how many times you come back. That's the way the formula's supposed to work. But that's not the case at Morandi. I surmise that's because Schiller's is a neighborhood restaurant that caters to locals, whereas Morandi has clearly become a tourist trap where fools are soon parted with their money. Unfortunately, I was one of those fools the other night. All of the pastas we tried were on par with what you could get from your local pizza joint. And perhaps the most egregious fault of the night was the Pollo alla Diavola - grilled chicken with chilies and lemon. The chicken was dry and overcooked, and there's wasn't the slightest hint of chilies or heat of any kind to be found. And to add further insult, this travesty of a dish clocks in at a whopping $26. People sometimes ask me why I don't send bad dishes back or complain to the manager when things go wrong. Sometimes I do, but generally speaking, when I am out with friends trying to have a nice dinner, I have no appetite for causing a scene or getting into a debate with restaurant staff. And frankly, when you're a name brand restaurant charging name brand prices, it should be seen as your duty to get things right the first time. An extra star for service, which is indeed excellent, as it is at their other restaurants. And the meatballs were good, too. Famous? Not so much... You can do much better than Morandi. read more

This place has such a great vibe. You walk in and you feel like you stepped into a quaint hip restaurant in Italy, cute men and all! We ordered the Olive Ascolane (fried green olives stuffed with sausage) which were yummy but definitely not the best I've ever had. There were only a few and the four of us didn't even finish them. We ordered the Insalata di primavera with watercress, beets, asparagus, rhubarb, mustard vinaigrette & goat cheese and it was delish! So good I wish I hadn't shared it. The Bruschetta con ricotta with mushrooms was also amazing and worth ignoring the very yummy table bread. As my main dish I had the Linguine alle vongole (pasta with clams, white wine & green garlic) it was stellar, probably one of the best I have ever had and it was full of clams! So why only 3 stars? The service and price. Our waiter took our order but different people kept bringing food, it was a bit confusing at times. The price met the quality of the food but not the quality of the service. sidebar: We were so full we had to skip dessert. So sad, but that's okay we were able to walk off our dinner on our way to Big Gay Ice Cream and enjoyed some Salty Pimps instead! read more

We have been loyal and frequent customers of Morandi for years. We have never been hustled out this establishment and tonight's experience was shocking and confusing. Ordering a carafe of wine at 11:30 and being told at 11:45 that the place is closing (outside) and we would need to move in, is one thing. Moving inside to having a staff putting up chairs and knocking on bathroom doors to clean up is quite the other. Ordering and delivering wine in this sequence is not the Morandi that we have (or have had) come to cherish. I won't be back for quite some time. Brandon was a FANTASTIC waiter amidst these circumstances. read more

We used to love this place. One of our favorite restauranteurs. The atmosphere is great and laid back. However, I don't think anyone is overseeing the kitchen. Our cacio e pepe had so much olive oil we could have filled a small bowl. The calamari alla grilia is now almost all peppers and no squid. Carciofi alla Giudea was cold. Such a shame because our last few times have been very disappointing. They need their old chef back to get back on track. read more

My brother and I were wandering the area and after seeing how bustling this beautiful candlelit Italian restaurant was on a Friday night, we decided to dine there. The outdoor seating is plentiful, but we opted for a tiny table on the inside with no wait at 7pm on a Friday night. The three or four sets of front doors were left wide open, giving the inside a fresh and breezy feel-- so perfect on a cool summer night. The seating arrangement is however, not so easy breezy. With waiters and waitresses darting in and out from behind us, edging past the tightly squeezed tables and chairs, this really lost it half a star: it's not fun to feel like you're "in the way" when you're trying to eat. The other half star was lost due to a giant table of tourists next to us, who were taking blindingly bright flash photos of each other. That really destroyed the ambiance for us, but didn't destroy my experience overall. What really blew me away about this place was the main dish I ordered. Days later, I'm still thinking about it, pondering its subtle details, reflecting on its delicate flavor. I'm talking about the risotto con melone e granchio, or risotto with melon and crab. Growing up in a Jewish home, I was never a huge shellfish fan. That being said, nothing else on the menu jumped out to me, and I was intrigued by this odd combination. The risotto was perfectly cooked, so creamy and delicious and topped with a plentiful snowy pile of parmesan. There were slightly small chunks of crab in the dish, but the buttery rich crab flavor permeated throughout each bite of the risotto. There were balls of cantaloupe and honeydew scattered throughout the plate, giving an explosion of subtle sweetness and freshness to contrast with the richness of the rest of the dish. Magnifico! I really can't stop thinking about this dish and I will stop at nothing to try to reproduce it. Even if this restaurant was a rickety shack located in an alley of Times Square, I would still return just to taste the magnificence that was the risotto con melone e granchio. read more

Time for Sunday brunch ! The menu was perfection from my point of view. It is always a good sign when you are torn between three different orders. That means you must return to brunch again. I will. This time I ordered insalata verde. If heaven had a salad this would be it. A perfect rose of bibb lettuce placed upon a chilled plate. It was delicately dressed with vinaigrette. If I were to attempt to achieve perfection in dressing a salad I would need a little sprite of some sort to touch a magical wand upon the air about the plate engulfing the salad with a mist of dressing (simple perfection) Tinkerbell must work here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSajJ_7HgRU Next time I may order the nutella crepes or grapefruit with caramelized topping. We joined a couple who advised us to share a plate of "sugar dough nuts". OK! a perfect puff of light sweetness. It was great advice and I am passing it on to you. Don't pass on the sugar dough nuts. I can not wait to go back to Morandi. read more

Morandi - insalata verde/simple perfection - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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I was walking around the West Village on a chilly Sunday afternoon, and I literally dropped in here because I had to go to the bathroom, and I intended on ordering a coffee to justify my bathroom usage. I was seated immediately at a table for two, alone. Then I noticed the atmosphere was festive, and felt like a teleportation into Europe. Fine. I decided to move to the bar, and maybe get a glass of wine. I took a look at a menu, and decided to go for a cocktail... and a frittata. The cocktail was fabulous, I just remembered that there was Amaro Montenegro liquor in it and it was tart and fun. The frittata was lovely and came in a generous portion. The server was called Alessandro, was super charming and provided excellent service. I was eavesdropping on him speaking Italian, as I always look for opportunities to develop my Italian speaking expertise. Somehow my consumption escalated into multiple glasses of Prosecco and I was having such a great time I drunk texted my girlfriend into joining. Starting as a pit stop for a bathroom break, my experience at Morandi turned into an epic and memorable Sunday afternoon. read more

We saw Helena Christensen here on Saturday night. [Helena, if you're reading this, I truly apologize but we were the table against the wall singing "Wicked Game." We partied at the bar before we sat down and alcohol makes us do tacky things.] If only the rest of my group hadn't eaten dinner already, I would have been able to try more dishes. My escarole salad was FANTASTIC-- super fresh escarole perfectly dressed with just the right amount of capers, anchovy and crumbled eggs. The meatballs with pine nuts and raisins were perfect. Moist and tender, flavorful and a great balance of textures. The fried artichokes were okay. The hostess was adorable and our server was knowledgable. Will be back. read more