We had dinner on a Friday night at Nico Taverna and had a wonderful experience. We got a bottle of wine and the charcuterie board for appetizer. It was well prepared and delicious! My husband got the short rib for dinner and I got the three cheese gnocchi. Both were outstanding. For dessert, my husband got cheesecake and I got a coffee. Service was excellent and the restaurant is very pretty and nicely decorated. We will absolutely be back! read more

Nico Taverna - Charcuterie board with complementary bread - Italian Near Me - Windsor, Ontario

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Food: 3/5 Overall, pretty decent, not sure about it being quite worth the price though. Came right at prime dinner time. We got the arancini and Brussels to start. Arancini were excellent, I personally felt a little more pomodoro would be nice, but is not necessary since the arancini have good flavor and seem to be super popular by the sheer amount of them coming out of the kitchen. The pesto balanced the arancini well. The Brussels are good, a little under seasoned (I did not taste hot honey nor the yuzu aioli on any of the pieces I tried) but cooked well and the pecorino is lovely shaved. My meal, agnolotti piedmontese, was excellent. The beef inside was so tender, pasta cooked well, and the butter and cheese, finished with a potato crumb, was absolutely stunning. My husband had the pollo trevisano. The chicken was ok, was pretty bland, the only seasoning being salt, which came from the prosciutto, and the butter herb sauce, which seemed to lack any real depth. The mash was excellent. Also came with some broccolini on the side which was cooked perfectly. My grandmother got the octopus appetizer for her meal. The octopus leg was chewy/overcooked. On the flip side, the potatoes with bacon were delicious. The arugula was well flavored. Overall was the most disappointing part of the meal, barely ate the octopus that she was so excited for. My grandfather got an excellent rigatoni dish that I cannot recall the name of, and their website is currently not up to date with what their in house menu is so I do not know the name. I did not try it myself but It has veal, and either kale/cabbage leaves or some interestingly large spinach, as well as a delicious sauce. The veal was amazing, he raved about it endlessly and shared that dish with my grandmother. To end our meals, my grandparents split an Affogato, and I got a coconut and banana panna cotta. My husband was full from dinner and did not indulge on dessert. Service: 5/5 Between our server and the other staff keeping our drinks full, table bussed and reset, and the timely service, it was an excellent occasion. Our server did an awesome job checking on refills of wine. Ambiance: 5/5 Absolutely adorable corner location right on Erie and Howard. They have awesome seating, tables, and lighting. The tvs play old sitcoms. There are umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, that may seem silly at first, but seem to divert the AC/heating from blowing directly on their customers, which is a lovely touch. I've never seen any other restaurant do something like that to keep their customers comfortable, I applaud it. Overall, a great experience with decent food. If we decide to venture back, we will have to try the pizza, get some more arancini, and try some other dishes. read more

First time here and wow Nico is a great local find. Supposedly this is their newer location which has a lovely modern interior that's bustling especially on weekends. They've got plenty of outdoor and indoor seating along with bar seating available depending on the occasion. Their service is friend and efficient. As for food, they've got a great array of Italian dishes that occasionally change on the menu to keep things fresh and exciting. I had their Mediterranean chicken with Risotto! Bang on delicious and comforting. Presentation was lovey as well. Aside from my main, I had the opportunity to try their carbonara and gnocchi with lamb meatball, both delightful!!! Would highly recommend if you're looking for local Italian cuisine close to DT Windsor. read more

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Beautiful space, great service too. The food was not bad, but not worth the prices. On a separate note, yelp's word requirement is asinine. read more

Excellent homemade food from appetizers to entrees. Great atmosphere and super friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Never, ever disappoints! So glad the border between the US and Canada is open too From the time we made the reservations to the time we had to leave to come home, our trip across the border to Nico's was nothing short of excellent. Attentive service by not only our waitress Amanda, but the support staff. Amazing appetizers of Mussels and Calamari. The Mussels had a nice added spice that mad me dip my bread into what was left of the sauce, delicious. Our dinners included a very meaty pasta dish; Orecchiette Bolognese. Neither the wife or I could finish our bowls. As a US citizen coming across the border we were also treated with a favorable exchange rate, one that makes me come back for even better value. Make a reservation, highly recommend and enjoy this place like we have done. read more

This place didn't have enough help. And didn't have several items on the menu ( sweets). The cheap drinks tasted so cheap.

We had a birthday dinner with all my friends Fortunately we left from the restaurant hungry the only thing was a pizza We had the worse night ever the server never came back to the table many times we called other server to change our food but no one care about us my pasta was literally raw No taste at all Than the bill came and he saw we couldn't eat nothing he even didn't ask why Zero serves I'm sorry for this words but I left very mad and hungry from there .... read more

Went there for lunch today with a friend and we're only ones there. Waitress was amazing and directed us to the perfect wine. The saganaki was fine, the first couple of bites of each of our falafel sandwiches was extremely bitter for some unknown reason but rest was ok, and our spanakopita was horrible...just a pile of mush including the filo dough. Would not go back. read more

On our first visit at the newish location we couldn't have asked for a better experience. The inside is gorgeous with hanging Edison bulbs surrounding the bar, plush armchairs at some tables, a two-wall banquette, bar seating and half-booths. Plenty of seating options for people of all abilities and mobilities. On the right as you enter is the large wood-fired pizza oven, and what must be the only wood-fired meat oven in the city. And what delicious meats that oven turns out, such as the tender beef a la plancha. That is not to suggest that the pizze are anything less than delightful. Try the Windsor special, and soak in the hometown pride! Pasta dishes are amply portioned, so bring your own take-out containers to save the environment while you enjoy tasty leftovers. As good as the food was, service from David was even better. One of our party was - how to put it? - a lot of work. Not a problem for David, who was on top of everything without being intrusive. Little touches mattered, like refilling soda and water without being asked (and thank you to the busser, whose name I didn't catch). Our guests consider this the best Italian food in Windsor, which is saying something. Can't wait to return! read more

First time here. A traditional Italian eatery. I asked the woman who took me to the table for her recommendations. She said the gnocchi was excellent. One had 3 cheeses and the other had wild mushroom...I went with the second and it was great ....very tasty...reasonably priced. A good portion. The people next to me ordered the beef short ribs and it was a huge order...I had the nut something cheesecake for dessert. Not your traditional cheesecake, but it was excellent...very sweet Topping. Service was fantastic. Friendly, happy. I don't live in Windsor anymore, but this would be a great place for a special night out... read more

A nice quaint restaurant. We got there close to closing but we still were served our meal in a timely manner and the food was very tasty. The drinks were a little on the weak side in our opinions but overall it was a very nice dining experience. The wait staff was somewhat attentive. It was interesting though that the restaurant did not have ketchup available. read more

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When in Windsor go to Nico Taverna! This is a hot spot amount the locals and for very good reason. The restaurant sets the tone for a super fun night with its trendy and sexy vibes. This restaurant does upscale Italian food and it certainly knows how to execute. The food portions were ample and the ingredients were fresh; the dishes tasted like something your grandma would make. We started our meal with the beet salad. The beets were cut thinly resembling a vegetable carpaccio and sprinkled with candied pistachios and goat cheese. Although the beets were on the aldente side, the thinness of the vegetable complimented the crunchier aspect to the vegetable. For main dishes we decided to share the rib eye and the cioppino. The cioppino is a tomato based stew of fresh seafood (mussels, clams, squid, scallops, shrimp) sitting atop a bed of gluten free penne. The seafood tomato broth was unbelievably flavourful without being heavy. Traditionally this dish is accompanied by crostini as the starch component but I absolutely loved that it was accompanied by pasta. The rib eye steak dish was also delicious and executed well. The meat was cooked to a perfect medium rare and served on a bed of grilled veggies. The whole dish was adorned with a green chimichurri sauce that was a blend of fresh herbs. The sauce added a bright and zesty compliment to the meat. Of note for my fellow celiacs, this resto offers gluten free pasta, gnocchi and pizza crust upon request. Nico taverna is definitely a hidden gem in Windsor and a place that I will return to for delicious food, welcoming hospitality and a romantic atmosphere. read more

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Really nice atmosphere upon walking in. We were the only ones there for a while but eventually a few more tables got seated. Our waiter was friendly enough but service became slow once a few tables came in. It was a long wait between our apps and entrees. It look a long time to get another drink. The food was very good but it was all lukewarm when it arrived. The least impressive dish was the steak and it's the most expensive. It was rather chewy and fatty. All of the other dishes were great especially the 3 cheese gnocchi. Desserts were wonderful! I'd for sure go back for another special occasion. read more

Nico's is a great Italian restaurant on Erie. We started with grilled calamari, which was delicious. I shared the arancini and boar Ragu pasta. The rice in the arancini was a bit over cooked, but had great flavor. The pasta was lacking salt/flavor, but was good. My friend had the chicken dish which he said was awesome. Another had the seafood pasta dish which was also very good. I recommend the red sangria to drink! read more

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Best Italian in Windsor. Go when you are really hungry. The portions are huge!! Great service too.

Excellent. That's what this place was. Well, the pasta was what sealed the deal for 5 stars for me. The rest was good, but the pasta outweighed the rest at Nico. What's funny is we drove in to Windsor just for the evening from the Detroit suburbs and expected the area to be lively. Frankly we were disappointed when the whole area seemed pretty much dead. We drove around and drove around and couldn't really find anything that looked promising. The other thing is, our phone signals were like low and mobile yelp searches weren't working too well. Plus then it switched to the Canadian service, and I didn't want to pay extra, so we were left to the means of old tourists. Just drive around and take a chance. We must be the luckiest people around to have driven down just the right street and randomly stopped at the right restaurant because it looked crowded. We got the Insalata Caprese and it was fine. Not my favorite appetizer to order, but that's what my friend wanted to get. What was really good was the bread that comes with it. It comes pre-dipped in olive oil and sprinkled with some herbs. It was yum. For the entree I got the Rigatoni al'Amatriciana. I asked to substitute whole wheat pasta for the rigatoni and they accommodated. This has got to be the most delicious pasta I've ever had. Well, definitely one of the best for sure. It says spicy tomato sauce and it sure was spicy. I loved it. The portion is pretty big and I could not finish to matter how much I tried. Basically my 5-stars mostly comes from this pasta dish. For dessert I got the cheesecake which was just OK. They didn't have like normal cheesecake; it was peanut butter flavor, which I ordered knowing it was probably not going to be great. I love cheesecake, but plain is just unbeatable. The service was great. The server was very attentive - we got more bread as soon as what we had was finished. I would say, maybe he should've come back to ask about drinks or what not - more towards the end. read more

Just come here--it's one of the best! Located on Erie St., you really can't go wrong! The cozy environment and small dimensions lend itself to a romantic atmosphere. Service is great--servers are super sweet. And don't get me started about the food--it's just like grandma made it! You really can't get much better than in Italy itself. Let me tell you, I've been there, and this place gives any restaurant in Italy a run for its money. Try the roasted beet salad, you won't be disappointed! The beef short rib is absolutely mouth-watering--literally falling off the bone! The pesto genovese and bolognese are both phenomenal! I've had the veal scallopine, which seemed bland and salty at the same time. However, I'm personally not a fan of veal scallopine, so I'm not the one to ask. You cannot skip the tiramisu here! Terrific!!! read more

Came from Michigan, this place is in a strange looking area but so worth it! Cocktails, service and food were all incredible. Definitely stop by! read more

Despite being on the corner of a main street, this unassuming place would be easy to overlook, but you would be making a mistake if you are looking for excellent Italian fare. Waling in, the room is small, but not packed tight and it's clear the staff is glad to see you and many folks are regulars. It would be a perfect intimate retreat for a date, a fun family get together or dinner with friends. I was there for dinner with friends and we enjoyed the traditional antipasto appetizer. It's a perfect combination with an old school cocktail like a Sidecar, a red wine or a Peroni. The serving is with beautiful herbed olive oil bread and offers Italian salami, olives, pecorino, parmigiano, marinated grilled eggplant, peppers and mushrooms. All the items are fresh and flavorful. The menu offers a nice selection of homemade pasta dishes and other Chef prepared items. I cannot resist veal and opted for the veal scaloppine. Perfectly delicate and tender pieces of veal sauteed in butter with wild mushrooms, white wine-veal stock, garlic, herbs, cream. Highly recommended. You will love this place! read more

Johanna and Chris are wonderful servers and the atmosphere is amazing. The food was to die for. We all really enjoyed celebrating my birthday at Nico's. Highly recommend! read more

Nico Taverna - Italian Near Me - Windsor, Ontario

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My family and I had an absolute splendid experience at Nico Taverna. The food was so amazing; from the taste, to the presentation, to the uniqueness of our meals. Our compliments to the chefs. Our server Celeste, was truly exceptional, and made our time all the more better. We cannot wait to return to the beautiful Nico Taverna. read more

The food is delicious. I had veal with mashed potatoes. The atmosphere is very accommodating for all groups. You're able to blend whether you're eating on your own, or at a business dinner or even a casual dinner. Service was fast and the waiters are all very nice. Will definitely be going again to try some more optins read more

Nico Taverna - Osso Buco (milk fed veal shank/ braised in red wine)with a side of mashed potatoes and herbs - Italian Near Me - Windsor, Ontario

Soooooo slow. We waited forever for salad and pizza. Terrible service. Expensive and not worth it. Menu was weird. They said they change the menu everyday. If you like veal parmesan go across the street to Spago. We will never go back. read more

After years of hearing about Windsor, I finally got a chance to see this mysterious place that is just across the river from Detroit. I was in town for a wedding recently, and for an adventure, my girlfriend's family suggested we grab dinner at an Italian place called Nico's. Situated on Erie street, Nico's is on a drag occupied by a bunch of Italian restaurants. Clearly, Italian is what this neighborhood specializes in. Upon arrival, we were quickly seated in their cozy dining room. To start, we shared some mussels and calamari...both excellent. For my main dish, I ordered the seafood linguini, which is one of my old standby dishes when eating Italian. Without qualification, this was the best seafood linguini I have ever had. All future seafood linguini dishes I have will be measured against this one. After a leisurely after dinner coffee, we wrapped up, stopped by the Duty Free to pick up some cheap liquor, were questioned briefly by the border patrol/customs, and hit the road for the burbs. Hopefully I will be back some day. read more

This place was incredible! Excellent food ... excellent staff and the chef went out of his way to greet us. Definitely worth the trip... make a reservation you won't be disappointed. read more

They don't get five stars simply because the service is impossibly slow. The servers are probably the most friendly you'll ever meet....which is good because they'll keep you there for about three hours. Awesome, awesome, awesome bread plate served with quality olive oil and herbs. Immediately reminded me of the bread served in Italy. I could have eaten 5 of those plates as my meal and would have been quite content. Insalata Caprese: 5/5- Oh heaven. A pile of thin-sliced traditional Italian prosciutto atop a bed of marinated grape tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. The saltiness of the prosciutto and the smooth richness of the mozzarella created magic in my mouth. Rigatoni al'Amatriciana (Pasta in a spicy tomato sauce with guanciale, red onion and freshly grated pecorino romano cheese): 4/5- This was the BF's dish. Again, it held perfectly true to a dish you'd find in Italy. We were disappointed by the lack of guanciale, but the flavors were still astounding. All sauces should taste like this. Gnocchi Quattro Formaggi (Potato dumplings in a gorgonzola, asiago, mozzarella and parmesan cream): 5/5- I felt my arteries closing as I ate this dish. The gnocchi were PERFECT. No exaggeration, they actually melted in my mouth. Very, very few restaurants make proper gnocchi. This dish was almost too rich to finish...almost. Other notes.... Thee servers here are very friendly, but they're in no rush. Be prepared to wait a long time before placing your order....and an even longer time to get your bill at the end of the meal. We were seriously here for about 2 hours. They are VERY generous with wine pours. I think they give a full eight ounces. And a glass is only about $7. So get one. The dining room is very tiny, so make reservations. Even at 8pm, the place was packed. Take the time to go here. It's worth it. read more

Nico is a charming trattoria located in Windsor's "Little Italy", Erie Street. Nico was one of my Uncle's favorite restaurants and I think Nico came through in spades for my family when we held a reception there after my Uncle's funeral. The service was impeccable and the food was absolutely delicious. When we arrived, there were plates of antipasti and bruschetta waiting on all of the tables. That was followed in succession by family style bowls of the most succulent mussels steamed in a white wine pomodoro, ziti with a tomato and eggplant sauce, platters of veal cutlets sautéed with mushrooms and herbs, grilled salmon with grilled zucchini and peppers and finished with the Italian equivalent of a chocolate bombe glacee. The wine flowed, toasts were made, memories were recounted and tears were shed and it felt like we were eating in a family dining room. It doesn't get much better than this. read more

This was my first time to the new location and I was happy to find that the service was still excellent and the food still . The decor is classy yet comfy - very tasteful and on trend design. I drive in from Detroit for the best Italian food outside of Italy in my opinion. I would like to go back soon and try the pizza. read more

Absolutely and incredibly amazing, Nico's is easily my favorite Italian restaurant. My family has been going to Nico's for years and it's well worth the trip across the border from Detroit. Their food is incredible -- like in-cred-i-ble -- and the service is fantastic. Everything I've eaten there has been amazing, but I usually veer towards their seafood pasta dishes and they're always filled with lots of seafood. I also love their Caesar salad and calamari appetizer. My big tip is to make a reservation. The restaurant is relatively small and they can't always accommodate walk-ins. read more

Beautiful space, unbelievable food, attentive staff. Simple. Go here. Everything we ordered was excellent. I will be back here for sure. It's the best restaurant I've found in Windsor. read more

Came here on a Thursday night, was expecting a crowd and made reservations. However, when we arrived the place was virtually empty. The dining hall is fairly small but cozy and decor was that of old fashioned charm. My boyfriend had the tagliatelle alla bolognese which was absolutely delicious! It had broad noodles cooked with lamb along with pork and beef meatsauce. Other than being slightly salty, it was fantastic. Noodles were perfectly cooked and the sauce tasted bold, and the flavors were complimented eachother perfectly. I had the stuffed chicken breast which was also very tasty. The portions are fairly large, we both took home boxes of leftovers. The service was fast and very friendly. Our waiter was very attentive and quickly responsive to requests. This experience was pleasantly surprising and I will definitely come back here again! read more

Beautiful atmosphere, lovely cocktails and outstanding service. Joanna was our bartender/server and she was phenomenal. Ordered the seafood platter and it was delicious. Would go again! read more

The best!!! Always consistent. The atmosphere, staff and food is always on point. It's one of our favourite places in windsor.

Great find. I had the desire for a good pasta dish and walked into Nico. It was about half full with diverse groups of people, a good sign. The only waiter took our order promptly, delivered drinks and fresh bread. A short time later my bowl of pasta carbonara arrived, when he topped it with pepper and cheese I thought I was in heaven. I could not wait to dig in. The flavor was amazing. My wife enjoyed a beet salad with goat cheese. It took a little bit to get the bill because he was the only waiter, I guess he is more into the whole European meal=time type thing. Nevertheless it was a great meal. read more

Nico Taverna - Pasta carbonara - Italian Near Me - Windsor, Ontario

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Nico's was recommended by one of the ladies in my dining group.It did not disappoint. I strongly recommend both of the appetizer plates.I judge Italian restaurants by their veal and Nico's is excellent. We were a party of 12 and the staff went out of their way to make our night special. If you are looking for a wonderful experience GO TO NICO'S !!!! read more

Excellent. Went for a low key birthday dinner the day after Thanksgiving. We had the grilled calamari to start. Wasn't sure if my daughter would like the tomato vinaigrette that it was served with, so we got it on the side. We should have left it alone because it was great and would have been even better the way they had intended it. She got the special, a seafood pasta. Loved it. Full of clams, mussels, shrimp, squid and more. I got the ravioli Norma. I'd go back just for a whole plate of the eggplant. Cooked perfectly. Dessert was creme brûlée and cafe affogato. We enjoyed it very much and look forward to another visit. read more

This was one of the first places that I went to that really started to interest me in food. Its also one of the better places in the Windsor-area. I find that their gnocchi, lamb and tiramisu are good, although on future visits you'll notice its sometimes better, sometimes worse. Three stars because this is the minimal level I expect when going to restaurant. Overall, good Italian food for the Windsor-Area but its not exactly hard to replicate/make better at home. read more

Our server was great, food was not to our specific tastes. We got one special and one beef short rib. The chicken in the special lacked flavor, the beef short rib was tasty but too much going on in the rest of the plate.The fresh bread is whole wheat with whole grains on the crust, we wished it was a white Italian style. We personally won't be back, but a lot of people seem to enjoy it. One at our table got the other special, a seafood medley and loved it. read more

Wow, this place is amazing. Started with the calamari, then shared some gnocci and each ordered an entree. Everything was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. You can even bring your own special bottle of wine for a $20 corkage fee. Service was excellent. It's a small restaurant, so a reservation would be necessary on the weekend for sure. I can't wait to go back! read more