This place is a scene more then it is a good restaurant. There are too many let downs on the menu. The tuna steak is very poor quality. Staff is pretty ok and the outside seating is fantastic. read more

After coming here on Labor Day weekend for brunch, which was brilliant, I was desperate to return and try Morandi for dinner. Last night we arrived at 7pm, so granted it was a busy time, but we got off to a bad start immediately. We were greeted, but then had to ask twice to be seen to our table. After barely seeing my husband for 2 weeks I was looking forward to catching up over dinner, but we were practically shouting the entire time. Our waiter was no good either unfortunately. After 10 minutes sat there with the menus, he came to give us water, then a further 10 minutes went by until he took our actual drinks order. He then said he'd be back 'in a minute' to read us the specials but by this point we didnt want him to walk off again so we just jumped straight into the main menu and ordered before he could disappear on us. The food was delicious. We had the burrata starter and a foccacia to share - the burrata is what made me want to return to this place! We had the bolognaise and lemon pici for mains, and again, both were good so it was worth the noise/slow service. summary - excellent for brunch and sitting outside. Definitely avoid dinner at the peak time - it tainted my experience of Morandi and if Im honest, with so many other places to try, Im not sure Ill return. read more

Food is good but service is terrible! I had the meatballs and it was super amazing! I also really enjoyed a very good Tiramisu but the service here is terrible. They were very slow and most often than not, forgot our orders or got them wrong. Their wait staff really should pay attention to the customers. read more

This is an amazing place... It is a cozy and warm environment with amazing food. I got the carbonara which was amazing and I usually am not a fan of tar dish but I loved it here although the grape fruit in my other dish was a little sour read more

Morandi - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Número Uno im NYC! This is by far our favorite Italian restaurant outside of Italy! Awesome atmosphere and service. I recommend the pasta al limone, mmm delicious Meatballs are off the Wall good just like my grandmas. read more

Food is decent! Some plates are overpriced! Service is lacking. Waited 15 minutes before the waitress asked me if I wanted water on my table! After I ordered drinks, took her another 25 min to come around and ask me if we wanted to eat! If I just wanted a drink on a Valentine's day I would either sit at the bar or go to a pub, I wouldn't make a reservation at your restaurant. After I ordered the most expensive platter on the menu, the smile appeared on the waitresses face! Very disappointing. Won't be going there any time soon. City is filled with good food restaurants who have great service to accompany it with. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in West Village. Great selection of apps, entrees, and drinks. Always packed on the weekends - love the vibe. Good for dates as well as casual get together with friends. Conveniently located near the main West Village area. read more

YANICK THANK YOU!!!!! I've been to Morandi several times over the years but today was extra special. Stopped in for a quick bite and glass of wine and stayed for 3 hours. Great food great wine and an amazing bartender that was engaging helpful and attentive. Thanks again. read more

It's just a scene, but the foods sucks. Cool place to visit. Avoid dinner. Drinks are weak and expensive ($20 with tip) This place will probably be out if business in a year. read more

The first time I went here I had an unbelievable lemon pasta dish, but the service was slow at best. I tried to go this morning for brunch, made a reservation, and we sat at our table for 15-20 minutes without anyone coming by to give us water- we didn't even get a passing glance. Two servers were at the bar eating and talking to the bartender, and others seemed to be milling about not doing anything. We walked out, and nobody even seemed to notice. I won't be returning. read more

I'm a big forccaia fan and this one totally disappointed. Priced fairly but not the best food . Good for a one time try

A usual go to place for great food and fun. Today was NOT GOOD. Spaghetti Carbonara was really bad - dry, burnt and cheesy-tasteless...swordfish overcooked and the octopus dry and "eww."...What gives Morandi? For the prices -- sensing something is not right after so many great meals???? read more

Great cozy spot over on the west side. We came on a freezing Friday night and enjoyed several pastas, steak, and lots of wine. The meat and cheese board were standard and good. Fried calamari was only lightly fried, which was nice, and came with a delightful tomato sauce. We ordered 4 pastas. Cacio e Pepe was disappointing and bland which was unfortunate because his pasta is such a staple to order at any good restaurant. The lemon and Parmesan was interestingly good. The spaghetti and meatballs was the winner for me. Meatballs were amazing. The cavatelli was also a solid choice. The skirt steak was perfectly charred on the outside and medium rare on the inside. Would recommend this place for groups! read more

Great vibe, excellent service, and amazing food. We started with the meat and cheese board and the calamari which was fantastic. We were there on Sunday for the Lasagna and also had the clams. Everything was on point. Really love the atmosphere. You could come here for any occasion. Simply fantastic! read more

Morandi is a fun well designed Italian bistro. Lots of room at the table and in between the tables. Went there with a group for a friends birthday and everything we ordered was superb. The food came out quick, drinks were a bit slower getting to the table but they did come. We ordered prosciutto, artichokes, antipasto, veal, salad - you name it. It was great, not too fancy but very flavorful and innovative food. The one thing I will say that was, well interesting, was the bathroom situation. (was more social in the line for the bathrooms than it was at the bar that night.) read more

Heard about this place from a native New Yorker. Excellent authentic Italian food with a great selection of wines. Highly recommended. Alex read more

Beautiful restaurant with a wonderful ambience and amazing service. Overall an enjoyable authentic experience. I recommend the burrata and the bread was fantastic. read more

Service Italian excellence, ambiance rustic old world, food is great. We went in for lunch after a referral from a jeweler we met in San Francisco. Thank you it was fun and the food terrific. read more

Such a fun and festive place! Started at the bar and was able to get a table for our group after an hour or so, which suited us fine. Started with meatballs (yum), fried artichokes (ok), and the bibb lettuce salad (pretty good, but would split with someone). I got the lasagna, which was pretty delish. Our table only got pasta, but the consensus was "tasty!" read more

Loud and over-rated. Food is average but Morini and Maletesta are way better. If you are looking for excellent service and really good authentic Italian, go elsewhere. Highlight was the lemon pasta. read more

When down in the Greenwich soho district this is one of my favorites. Hits all the buttons of great service, food and ambiance. Fresh pastas, great wine selection and authentic Italian ambiance. Appetizers, especially the flatbreads are an outstanding starter. Been here four times and so far not disappointed once. read more

http://restaurantbrat.com Ever since a fortuitous dinner at Morandi a year ago, I've been wanting to go back. A combination of difficult-to-secure peak hour weekend dinner reservations, a general desire to try different, newer restaurants and the ease of Opentable (where Morandi does not feature) have meant that it's taken me a very long time to return. However, I'm glad I did. And I'm even gladder that I brought some out-of-towner friends, as they were suitably impressed. You really don't have any leeway to mess up when it comes to food in NYC. In a city so saturated with culinary quality, one bad pick could mean you don't know your stuff. And I like to think I know my stuff. Sometimes, I even think I am the stuff. However, in this case, the stuff was clearly Keith McNally. We'll not discuss the bonus (albeit superficial - but you know me, superficial is superfine by me) aspects of Morandi, like how the crowd tends to be young and hip, how I love the rustic vibe and all that exposed brick, or how their sidewalk seating area is great for people watching on a sunny day. I'm sticking to the food on this one, because I think the menu at Morandi deserves a to be the focus here, and afforded proper respect for being packed with so many standout dishes. To start, a slew of small plates from the fantastic Antipasti selection. The Calamari alla griglia (grilled squid with peppers, capers and olives) was a wonderfully tasty dish. The little squid rings were just the right texture, firm yet chewy in the way that fresh calamari should be, and the medley of flavors were delicately balanced - salty, sour, savory and sexy. I was initially slightly less enthused by the Fritto misto de pesce (fried platter of calamari, fish and prawn) as the grilled calamari was already so good I wondered how it could be topped. However, the real winner here was the fish: simply put, the best fried fish I've had in a long time. I regret not asking our waiter what kind of fish they used and where Morandi was sourcing this oceanic gold. The meat was unbelievably flaky and melt-in-your-mouth tender, the flavor pristine and sweet. I didn't bother with the marinara dip, these little nuggets of crispy deliciousness had to be savored unadorned. Next, the Focaccia scamorza e cipolline, a beautiful flatbread with smoked cheese, potatoes and onions. The cheese was smooth and luscious, the potatoes added firmness to the texture and the onions brought a gentle sweetness - all atop a lovingly charred, crunchy platform in the focaccia. The Burrata e pachini featured a milky ball of velvety cheese and a bunch of juicy roasted cherry tomatoes on the vine. Each bite brought forth a joyous flood of summer and warmth. The Peperoni friti - blistered shishito peppers - well, I was popping these like pills. One after the other the little green aphrodisiacs made their way into my belly. I couldn't stop. Once every 5-6 peppers, I'd get one with especially spicy seeds - they burnt so good. I washed everything down with two glasses of Pimm's Italiano - a refreshing, lovely take on the traditional Pimm's Cup with an extra dash of bitters for a lush aftertaste. I was stuffed by the time we ordered our mains, so I went simple, ordering a plate of Pici al limone. Best call of the night. This dish was divine in its simplicity and execution. Just a heap of steamy handrolled spaghetti tossed with lemon juice and parmesan. Literally, that was it. No meat, no veg - just two primary flavors intertwined in a harmonious salty-sour explosion coupled with absolutely perfectly textured pasta that made me a very happy man. I could eat this dish every day. It was like that scene in Ratatouille where the food critic Anton Ego is, with a single bite, transported back to his childhood and reminded of a simpler, more innocent time. It's quite obvious that food does not need to be infused with foie gras, topped with shaved white truffles and then turned into foam via molecular gastronomy to be good. But sometimes we, the dining public, lose sight of that reality. And this was, to me at least, a stark reminder of that fact. read more

I kinda want to hate Keith McNally. Balthazar, Pastis, Schiller's. He's like the popular girl in high school that was also nice. And smart. And thin (but could eat anything.) And gorgeous. You want to hate him, yet you can't. And Morandi just gives me another reason not to. The place has the potential to be his most egalitarian yet. The bar is small. The wine list is well edited. And the food is great in its simplicity. The fried olives (stuffed with veal and pork) were amazing. The salumi was delicious. The meatballs were different (pignoli nuts and raisins) but perfect. The fried artichokes had me at hello. The decor is more rustic than his other establishments and the service is efficient. I guess Mr. McNally has it down to a science without forgetting the importance of good food. And how can you hate that? read more

I didn't go all the way with Morandi, and by all the way I mean, I didn't feast. I only consumed alcohol at the bar. What follows is my interpretation of going to second base with a restaurant/bar... For a resident of Brooklyn this place is not the easiest to find. I got off the train at West 4th and walked along Waverly, only to realize that it splits going towards Christopher St. After asking three people I finally arrived. This place is very pleasing to the eye with a copper bar, low ceilings, exposed brick, and seating both in and outside. I've been told that certain items on the food menu are to die for. However, I elected to have a liquid dinner, which consisted of pumping my liver full of Peronis for the duration of the evening. Other floozies were drinking as if they had forgotten what it felt like when they were 13 and got completely annihilated (that's neither here nor there). I would say I was in the minority by sticking with the college staple (beer). More of a wine and "drink" crowd. I like a nice bar every once in a while so this fit the bill. I prefer terrible bars, where I can be comfortable in jeans, t, and some sneakers and not have to worry about all of my fashion blunders. This is definitely a place to go and be seen. Seven fifty for a beer won't send me into the poor house, but I'd prefer $5 a beer sans haute couture. Weekends and watering holes are meant for enjoyment and relaxing, not to be staging America's Next Top Model. If I wanted to dress to the nines, I would have stayed at work. All is not lost, I had a good time with some good people. Only 14,597 bars left to check off of my list in Manhattan. read more

I have ordered from Morandi for the past 6 years, while it is on the expensive side, I was always happy with the quality of the product and especially for delivery, the people taking the orders ALWAYS were extremely friendly. It's not often you call restaurants to place orders anymore because truthfully it's a pain when you can order through Seamless but it was always a pleasure speaking to them on the phone. Last Sunday my fiance and I placed our usual order of Lemon Pasta, Meatballs and Burrata and when the order came the Burrata was missing and the meatballs were open and sauce was everywhere. The delivery man was very friendly, said he would go back and get the Burrata (as we were charged for it) and would bring a new order of the meatballs as they definitely looked very suspect since they were open. 45 minutes later the food never came and when we called we said it was too late to have it delivered. We were disappointed but understand things happen and they promised us to credit our account for future orders. We called tonight to order and there was no credit on our account, spoke to an extremely rude manager named Herbie (unclear if he was giving us his real name) who said he had no record of the mishap and would not credit our account but could give us a free dessert. This is the first negative review I have ever written on Yelp but the level of customer service was appalling and something needs to be said. I've been a customer of theirs for over 6 years, ordering on average 1x a month, and it's all documented in my account. They failed to document the credit In summary: you place an order for delivery, wait 45 minutes, when it's delivered 1 item is missing that you are charged for, 1 item is damaged. Restaurant says they are sending a new order, it's never sent and instead we agree to have the credit, which they failed to document and then said we were lying about. This is the hospitality business and I've never dealt with a restaurant that was less professional and frankly, just rude. Will never be ordering again, and when we said that HERBIE said "fine by me." Too many other great restaurants in this city to give business to rude ones. Suggestion: try Frankies which is in the West Village! read more

Love this spot. Great atmosphere and really nice food. Cacio e pepe is a classic. The linguini and clams was also very nice - tons of clams! Burrata appetizer is awesome. read more

This place is so average and it bothers me that the prices don't match. I'm happy to spend big money on food, but I expect it then to blow me away. Try it out once if you really want and live in nyc, but if you're visiting, PASS! read more

Great pastries and Sunday Brunch. Huge portions. The coffee is really tiny though; I left there feeling like I should look for a Starbucks for my venti. read more

I lived right in front of this place for a summer and it was always super packed so I figured I had to check it out. The first two times I tried to get a table without reservation I was rudely dismissed by a waiter with a superiority complex. The next time, I booked an 8pm table at the terrace on a weekday. When we arrived, the (still pretentious) waiter, told us to wait 5 minutes for our table to be ready, which we did, for 10 minutes. When our table had finally been cleaned, and we were about to walk over to the terrace, two guys just came in and were warmly welcomed by the manager who instantly gave them our table. Seeing, this, our waiter told us to wait 5 more minutes and brought us to an inside table next to the restrooms. At that point, we left. I actually ended up finally eating there a month later. To be fair, the meatballs were good. But the service was still insulting and slow. There are dozens of good Italian places in West Village, without the obnoxious waiters. Go elsewhere. read more

I would describe Morandi as overrated. The food was good but it wasn't AMAZING. The service was sub par, the waitress was very very flustered the entire night. And the restaurant get's so crowded! It was on my list of must try restaurants and I am glad I went but it's not a must go back to. Everything was just average for me and from all of the awesome things I have heard, I think I just expected a bit more........ read more

We wandered by at lunchtime and the outdoor seating looked so inviting and the food delicious so we decided to try it. So happy we did. We had to wait for outside bc we didn't have reservations so we walked around the neighborhood to Washington Square until she called us. We ordered light appetizers - the tartine of bean spread, tuna and pickled onion and the flatbread with salami and cheese. Both were excellent. The crispy toasted country bread had the bean dip spread on it, flaked chunks of tuna (I'm assuming from Italy bc it wasn't like tuna from a can we get here) and the house pickled onion was the perfect foil for the richness of the rest of it. Three giant pieces. The flatbread was crispy and had the right touch of flavors - better than a pizza. The waiter was very attentive, the receptionist went out of her way to apologize for our wait which was no problem at all. Gavi wine is hard to find so I was delighted to find it on the menu here. We will go back for a heartier lunch next time bc everything looked fabulous. read more

Do you like hordes of tourists? Aggressively can't-be-bothered -- and sometimes downright rude -- service? Mediocre, assembly-line food that wouldn't be out of place in a restaurant slightly more upscale than an Olive Garden? Then Morandi is the place for you! If none of those things sounds appetizing -- and they weren't for me -- then stay away! Sometimes, a Keith McNally restaurant is acceptable just for the scene. The food at Balthazar has never blown me away, but it certainly has a see-and-be-seen air about it, and that can be fun every now and again. (It can also get tiresome.) The now-departed Pastis was the same way, at least in its early years. And the oft-copied Schiller's also ranks in the same category: decent-enough food, but a fun-enough scene to not mind. Not so with Morandi. It's a cavernous West Village storefront tricked out to look like a strip-mall version of an Italian tratoria that you might find in Phoenix. The food ain't much better. And the service: Let me just say that in 10 year of living in New York, I've never been treated more poorly. (And this is the first time I've left less than a 20% tip.) It seems these servers have been infused with the same ethos as the "chef." That is: Feed 'em quick and get 'em out the door. I was less than half finished with my appetizer, when my main course arrived. Can you please keep that warm in the kitchen, I asked the runner. No less than a minute later, the waiter comes back, with the runner, and insists on leaving the main course at my table, despite my protests. As I dug into my bland, cold pasta, I wondered if anyone would come back to check if I wanted another glass of wine or needed anything else. Nope. Same thing for the rest of my meal. And the waiter came back three times in the space of 10 minutes to see if I'd filled out the check (which I had to ask for). Really an unpleasant experience all around. I'd give the food a 4.5/10. The atmosphere and clientele a 2.5/10. And the service a 0/10. You can do better, Keith McNally. And so can you, Yelper. read more

Morandi has been there with delicious food and service for me, my family and friends. What perfect dish do I mention first? The porterhouse for two, The fried artichokes and olives, the handrolled lemon pasta... everything more scrumptious than the next... I have eaten here for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Morandi maintains a perfect balance to service for each. I am a lucky boy to live so close! read more

Fantastic! We had a bunch of appetizers, all of which were delicious. The stand outs were calamari and the fried olives (or something like that). The service could not have been better, and the host was super friendly, checking on us throughout the meal. All around great experience. read more

Mmmm not so good anymore. Staff getting a bit crusty. Actually really crusty. Just like the sauces on their pasta - the carbonara sauce now tastes like it was made from a box bought from the corner store next door. Maybe the restaurant has seen its best days. They certainly make you feel that way. read more

I really shouldn't start off on a negative note, because I don't really have any major complaints, but the first thing that struck me about Morandi is the fact that it's in a nondescript apartment building sitting almost smack on Seventh Ave itself. This in itself isn't a problem -- but it might be a pretty good indication that this place is lacking a little something in character. There's really nothing WRONG with the place -- the food's fine, the service was adequate for opening week -- but something just felt a bit off. I don't know if it's because the lights were a little too bright, or the fact that the menu design was oddly generic, or that everything seemed to be a shade of light brown that silently screamed bland, or maybe, just maybe, because we all have such high standards for Mr. McNally by now that anything less than perfection gets blown out of proportion. In any case, I'm with Ruth Reichl here, it's all very pleasant but yet also a little odd (http://www.epicurious.com/gourmet/blogs/foodeditors/2007/02/morandi.html). If you're wondering why I'm not starting off by talking about the food, it's because a big reason that I (and I think so many other people as well) go to McNally's other joints is because while the food is reliable and ranges from good enough to great, above all the atmosphere is fantastic. He's a master at magically capturing that ersatz Parisian feel and matching it to just the right New York neighborhood. Of course, he's had a lot of practice with the French thing (from Lucky Strike on) and Morandi's his first Italian, so maybe you give him a pass... But then again, while I'm not going to say that Pravda reminds me of Russia, it does have a nice feel (even if the crowds have since moved on), and it's not like he had a string of Soviet-inspired spots prior to it. Once you get past the issue with the atmosphere -- and it's not that hard to do with some good wine (they have a nice Aglianico by the glass) and some good company -- sit back and enjoy the food. Of course, I say that from the perspective of having sat on a banquette along the wall in the back. Not spacious by any means, but much better than sitting in the front amidst the crowds from the bar and the people waiting for a table. But hey, I guess it's either pack the seats in or else have people complaining that they can never get a table (and if you want that, head down the street to the Waverly Inn -- which, incidentally, I'd give a lot more atmosphere points to). So anyway... the food. The menu's well-executed and varied enough to keep the conservative and the moderately adventurous happy. The pizzocheri al forno (baked rye pasta with speck and bitto cheese) isn't a dish I'm that familiar with, but I found it quite satisfying, and the coniglio in porchetta (rabbit roasted in lardo and fennel pollen) was delicious. And the hangar steak and branzino were both perfectly cooked. All in all, no major missteps, but still lacking that certain je ne sais quoi... What's the Italian equivalent? read more

I've eaten decent amount of Italian food in this city (and then some) and Morandi definitely has it's own unique twist on the cuisine. The highlights from my recent meal there included sole with roasted green grapes that was very light and fresh tasting. The squash salad with ricotta had a nice jalepeno-induced kick to it. The watermelon and eggplant salad with goat cheese was also refreshing for a summer night. My friends and I regretted not ordering the Focaccia Caprese which I had enjoyed on a previous visit. We were seated right away on Friday night which was surprisingly nice. The service was fast and friendly. Will definitely be back here again. read more

the food is good (but not outstanding) so its more 3.5 stars than it is four. the staff are nice and friendly. the dishes arent anything out of the ordinary (i went for dinner. i wonder what their brunch is like) but the bread basket was wonderful - i mention this because i loved their bread (looked crusty, but not very crusty) and the olive oil was good. (it wasnt olive-y) the pasta was good too - however, my hubby had the lamb pasta - and since i absolutely dislike the lamb-y gamey aftertaste, their lamb pasta dish was too gamey for me. i like the place, however, this place seems to be a "be seen" place for me - and the prices are a bit too high for me. reality is, i dont mind paying this kind of prices but the price to taste value is really lacking. good restaurant - for the price they ask, i wish the food tasted better. read more

Morandi really is a place you can linger for hours, so Tracy M and I did just that! It helped that she knows the bartender and that she told half the bar I was pregnant (in case my hand on my back like Samford and the newly-perceptible waddle didn't give me away) so we could sit down while we waited for the hubs to arrive and our table to be ready. The patrons were the first thing I noticed. Well, right after the bathroom, which is my first and last stop everywhere I go these days. The WCs really were WCs, by the way--a room of six little co-ed closets. I have to say I thought co-ed bathrooms were cool when they first became popular a few years ago (i.e., Frisson in SF and Vessel), but now I just find it wildly irritating to put the seat down and clean the joint just to take a pee. But I digress, this is only important if you are also in a family way, which you probably aren't (or ARE you? this sort of this thing can sneak up on you, trust me!). So, back at the bar and people watching... Tracy M. is already comparing notes on their weekends in the Hamptons with the other regulars--a 40-something woman by herself, fashionably dressed in white jeans (I'm always in awe of people that can pull off white pants a) without divulging any imperfections from the waist down and b) without getting dirty. It is one of life's great mysteries if you ask me) and an also-solo 6'6" business man looking for a good glass of wine and a snack after work. And by snack, I mean a pretty socialite in white jeans.... He kind of subtly squeezed in between us and White Pants and the rest of the night is anyone's guess! The rest of the patrons were equally fascinating to me--an eclectic mix of casually-dressed young neighborhood folks, married businessmen looking for trouble on the way home from work, and gorgeous women in their 20s and 30s dressed like they were on their way to the Oscars. And here I thought that Sex and City was just a show, but now I know it is based on reality, one that makes my beloved San Francisco look like Bakersfield. Sorry again--none of this is very useful (or cool or funny) if you are simply looking for authentic Italian food in Soho. So here you go: Morandi delivers delicious Italian with some twists--like perfectly-cooked meatballs with pine nuts and raisins! For apps we shared the calamari and lightly friend artichoke hearts, both yummy. The two fish dishes looked awesome but we went carne--lamb with rich roasted veggies. We also got every green side dish they had and each was better than the last--excellent steamed spinach, asparagus, and broccoli rabe. We know about as much about Italian wine as we do about French (see Boulud review), but the green-eyed boy got a red he liked and Tracy M. seemed to enjoy her bottomless rose (like I said, she's a regular and they treat her well here!). They also have a full bar, so if I weren't with child, I would have ordered an ice cold martini of the likes that kept being ordered around me when we were sitting at the bar. The bar was really loud but festive (which is what I'll call the two bellowing, pin-striped financiers behind me), so we sat outside for dinner where it was cooler and quieter. The service from the bartender to the waiters was great--we didn't want for a thing and everyone was attitude-free. The prices seemed reasonable too. I think I'd be a barfly here if I lived in Soho too! read more

Hit Morandi last Sat night. Walked in at 7:30 w/out resy and was seated with no wait. Seated to the left of the entry, the bench booths were fairly uncomfortable, so I'd recommend sitting in the main space if possible. There were no parties waiting at the bar yet which was somewhat surprising. Our waiter was actually very knowledgeable about the wine list so that was helpful. My recommendation is to stick more with the appetizers at Morandi and less with the entrees & desserts. Place started to pack in at 8p and I was surprised by how much B&T there was.....at least 2-3 strippers and a few mobsters. Definitely felt like we were eating a lot closer to the Lincoln Tunnel. We had fried artichokes and the bruschetta which were both great. Admittedly, bruschetta seems like a lame choice, but it was probably the best I've ever had. Excellent bread and topped with ricotta, pesto, roasted pepper puree. Entrees were braised pork shank special and whole branzino. They pitched the pork shank hard...."fall off the bone", blah blah. Unfortunately it wasn't....came out looking like a small dinosaur bone and took some serious surgical skill to get at the meat without shooting it off the table. Branzino was fine but certainly nothing special. Dessert list was uninspiring but we tried the Bosc pears in red wine sauce. Found them to be boring and lacking character. My ultimate opinion of this place is that it's staying power is questionable. With so many other great choices in the West Village, I'd be hard pressed to go back for other than an appetizer and a glass of wine. read more