It's still the best. We hadn't eaten here in a few years after moving from the Heights and decided to go back. Two of the guys there recognized us and asked where we'd been. I loved that. We wondered maybe if we'd overrated the place in our minds since it was the local place right in our old hood but the food is as outstanding as we remembered. Incredibly flavorful, rustic, interesting, diverse. It really is still exceptional. read more

Ok, the name stinks. It also stinks that there is literally no sinage outside, so you walk around for a bit before noticing the street number on the building next to it. Maybe they know the name stinks and they do not want to advertise it? Oh, CASH ONLY with no sinage near the door, too ( no ATM so you have to go outside to the grocery store) Anyways. Walked in and had a few waiters stare at us for a while by the bar. NBD....until I needed to go over to the group of guys and say "table for 2?". Finally, we are seated and our waitress comes over and takes our order- she seems a little out of it, but it was busy and my mom was a server when I was a kid, so I totally get it ( although, the place LITERALLY just opened for dinner service at 5:30 , so....) We order a glass of wine and an app. The app we got was "Garlic Bread". I am not sure in what world that qualified as garlic bread, but it is not what you are thinking- it's not bad, just not garlic bread. It's really Bruschetta/ focaccia. My wine does not come. Our waitress is MIA. Other people are getting their wine. I flag down a guy and he brings me my wine. Anyways, our pasta is good- got the cacio e pepe with asparagus and egg and I have no complaints. As we are eating we notice every single table near us has a loaf of italian bread ( looked fresh) and olive oil....even the table near us that ordered a bread app, too. I gotta say, this is one of my biggest pet peeves. You give everyone free bread, not just some. Again, waitress is MIA and out of principle, I ask the buser for bread. We get the bread and it blows the dry "garlic bread" out of the water. Waitress is still MIA. We are just about finished and she comes over and asks us how everything is- that was it. We ask for the check...........MIA waitress charges us for 2 glasses of wine. Kicker? she sees me looking at the check and says "did I make a mistake". Here's the deal: you made a mistake and you knew it was wrong and you were hedging on me not noticing. Bottomline, We tipped 20% because we are not jerks, but we wont be back. There are too many good italian places around that have better service. I have no idea why people think this place is special ( I'm Italain, so I know good Italian food) Save yourself the hassle. read more

With so many options - why would anyone ever go to the same restaurant twice? Noodle Pudding's answer is their gregarious owner and clientele. The italian food is medicare to good depending on your dish BUT there is always something going on here to capture your attention. They held an impromptue Operetta with a few local performers who were dining during with us the last time I ate here. Overall the food should be rated 3 starts, but the atmosphere is a solid 4. read more

This is my new favorite place. Classic, well-priced, delicious, cozy but still vibrant ambience. Perfect.

Atmosphere is warm and potentially pleasant. We were there tonight, enjoying beautiful, delightful unusually mild weather. The restaurant's large front windows open creating a semi-al fresco experience. A nice relaxed local feel to this cozy place set the stage for a delightful dining experience. We ordered a pasta dish and a main course and our food came promptly. However, all of this good feeling was trashed as we were simply forgotten about and ignored once the main course was over. I understand that it's a relaxed local place and one lingers over one's food and no one is in a rush ... however, after quite some time had passed, and we were keen for dessert, we sat around while our waiters studiously looked in all directions except ours as if we didn't exist, schmoozed with other customers and just disappeared in general. Finally getting our waiter's attention we requested a dessert menu. Another seemingly interminable interval transpired as we waited for the menu to arrive. They must have felt that the we might be daunted by the five or so choices on the dessert menu since eons transpired without any one coming back to take our order. Finally, my boyfriend had enough with this shtick, and spoke to the manager -- who apologized, took our order and put it on the house. I saw the manager speak with the waiter and our dessert soon arrived. The server was cold and aloof, apparently feeling there was no reason to acknowledge -- in any way, shape or form -- that we had complained about his inexplicable lapse in service. Apparently, he wasn't interested in a generous tip ... and he didn't get one. OK, so you'd think now, after dessert, having already complained once, that at least our check would come promptly, especially since we asked for it. But nooooooooooooooo. Again, the averted eyes, the "we don't really see you or believe you exist" attitude persisted. And another very long wait ensued. Finally, the check came, and we paid. My boyfriend complained once again to the manager who we passed on our way out, and once again he gave us a pro forma apology. The food: we had the Tagliatelle Bolognese and the Grilled Sliced Chicken Breast with garden salad and shared the above-mentioned Apple tort with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Tagliatelle was delicious. The grilled chicken was an uninspired, bland affair with a few greens , some sorry ass iceberg lettuce, part of cucumber and half a tomato being the salad part. The tort dough was tough or stale to chew and it came with a minuscule scoop of ice cream. Bottom line: nice atmosphere, horrific service, good pasta, mediocre chicken dish, sad dessert. I don't like attitude from waiters, especially when people are being nice and not causing any trouble as we were. We just wanted a pleasant dining experience and were treated poorly. read more

This place is pretty yum. It definitely stands out amongst the blandness of Brooklyn heights eateries. The only complaints I have is the service, while cheerful, is sometimes painfully slow. Usually I don't mind because it reminds me of Italy where nothing is quick, except the espresso. read more

After 30 minutes wait on a Friday night for party of two, we were so excited for the dinner since I read so many positive reviews. Their wine by glass doesn't allow much selection, but starts from $4 which is unbelievably cheap. The bread and spicy olive oil were delicious. I would say that was the best part of the dinner. The appetizer, tuna calpacho was wrong. Tuna was too thin. Didn't really go with the olive oil. My main, pork chop was lack of flavor. My sister's main, the day of risotto - lobster - had too many corns which destroied the flavor, and also tasted cheap. Service was not quick, but nice and friendly. The portion was large. Overall, I enjoyed the dinner, but not positive if going back. read more

This place has incredible Italian food! If you are looking for good pasta in Brooklyn Heights, Noodle Pudding is a must. Their gnocchi in particular was the best I have ever had, it was the perfect fluffy consistency and the pomodoro sauce on top was absolutely delicious. read more

Lovely old school Italian American vibe and thoughtfully prepared dishes. Steak is great, tiramisu is heaven, and the servers know their stuff. read more

For a local New Yorker with high expectations of Italian food, Noodle Pudding is as good as it gets for me. My family has been eating here for years since my aunt moved into the building complex across the street. I love the food here so much, sometimes I will even go in by myself on a whim, crawl onto a bar stool (it gets packed rather quickly on weekends), and order up a plate of pasta. The bartender always has excellent and sensitive recommendations for wine pairings and Noodle Pudding is a place I love to indulge, spend a little extra but I can do it in my jeans. One thing to note, it IS a popular restaurant and the space is often crowded and very noisy so if you're looking for soft candlelight, dimmed private spaces and intimate romantic whispering, this might not be the best place for you. I personally have never minded the excited chatter of customers and the waiters are always professional, helpful and polite. I haven't found the noise level to be that big of an issue. The food is expertly prepared and delicious every time. Very reasonably priced, too. High end food in a more casual setting. Show the place some respect, dress casually and smart. Their soft bread arrives warm with a plate of delicious olive oil and herbs for dipping. It's so good, you'll want to order more than one basket. My girlfriend is addicted to it. Do try their seasonal seafood offerings when they become available, you won't regret it. Their menu changes with the season and what fresh ingredients are available so you know there's attention paid there and the food will be quality. Their fresh pasta dishes are made in-house and can't be defeated. But if you're not sure what to order, they'll gladly split a pasta dish between you and your date as a secondi course and you can then order that tempting roast rabbit or grilled steak you're in the mood for. When in doubt, order their pan-seared salmon with a side of white bean and escarole. Can't go wrong, trust me. Their desserts are simple, elegant and a perfect way to finish your meal. A truly delicious Brooklyn experience without breaking your bank. I cannot recommend this place enough! In fact, I'm on my way there right now! Cash only but whatever. Come prepared, that's all. read more

2 things you need to know about Noodle Pudding. 1) The food is good. 2) There is definitely something strange when it comes to the hospitality. I totally understand the negative comments from other posters after eating there for the first time. When you first walk in, you just stand there. Nobody acknowledges your presence and its like you have to know something to be noticed. Two well dressed, groomed and polite patrons seem like a layup customer to me, especially right at the opening before you are really busy. I can't find any downside to making people feel welcome, but hey I don't own a restaurant, so what do I know. It could also be that all their good food makes up for this shortcoming in the eyes of their patrons. This place is seemingly proof positive that a fair segment of the population is willing to overlook certain idiosyncrasies in favor of a tasty meal (the food WAS good). Me personally I am somewhere in the middle. I'm not completely put off by my experience, but I doubt I'll be in a rush to go back. Instead I'll keep trying new spots, and rewarding those that have BOTH good food and service with my patronage dollars. For me Noodle Pudding will have trouble becoming a favorite destination since I'm past the point in life (high school) where I feel the need to impress someone I don't know simply to feel like I belong. A note on the service: It was VERY hit or miss. Our first waiter asked if we were ready 3 times within 10 minutes of our arrival. Both of our menu's were still open... and we were clearly discussing our options every time he came over. What's the rush, really, I must know... it's not like your shift is about to end (you just opened) and you don't have other tables to wait on so please enlighten me. Our 2nd waiter (who seemed to take over for the first on his own) was MUCH better. Friendlier, more helpful and patient. I left him an out-sized tip, hope his coworker figures his job out. I can forgive the establishment for their somewhat cold reception, but not someone who's job is service... wake up dude whoever you are. read more

Noodle pudding is my favorite restaurant. I've been to all high end fancy restaurants noodle has them beat hands down. Antonio is a Magician in the kitchen. The bolognese is out of this world, the reason everything is so good is because he puts his heart and soul Into every dish. Nothing is bad on this menu. Highly recommended. read more

This place is a must try ! It's hard to find since there's no sign but believe me it's worth it ! My favorite pasta dish there is the Gnocci , they are so accommodating and prepare it any way you'd like. April is usually our waitress and she's so funny ! Just be prepared to grab a drink by the bar and wait for a table ! read more

Would like to add to what others are saying here -- the place has good food, is very reasonably priced, good service and atmosphere. But would like to give particular props to the bartender (Mike, I believe), who served me my meal the other night when I wandered in solo on one of my last nights in the neighborhood after giving up my apartment of 10 years. The guy just handles himself and those he serves well, is attentive, engaging, not overbearing, and has an innate feel for the vibe on any given night. Makes a huge difference when one is eating on his or her own. This is an invaluable addition to any restaurant, and most particularly one that doesn't take reservations and deals in cash. read more

I noticed in some of the reviews that there are some people wondering what all the fuss is about. It's like this: You either "get it" or you don't. I will admit that the food is not spectacular and doesn't compare with the best cuisine in the city but it is solid, delicious and home madey feeling. The waitstaff is great and some of them including the barman has been there since My-then girlfriend and now wife- first went over 12 years ago. They are always friendly and helpful. It is a 'regulars' kind of place and a great place for a date or a birthday party. I always go for the specials menu and choose game or lamb. Dipping oil is delicious and you will want at least two helpings. It is one of the few places left where you can still have an old-school New York dining experience. Go for the experience and you will be delighted by the food. Go for the food and you will be disappointed and miss the experience. Enjoy read more

Used to come here about once a week. But I think the hood has just become too crowded for them to accomodate. Have been treated poorly three times now and the food has been going down in quality... Head over to Bevacco down the block. I am happy to report that after being really awful for a long while, they hired a new manager and are much much better now. And they have WAY more space. read more

Excellent place to have a quiet, cozy night with friends, and really affordable for the quality. Spent three hours here finishing our bottle of wine after dinner and was never pressured to leave. Great service, food, and atmosphere! read more

I had the lasagna last night. Tasted good, but I was throwing up an hour or so later. Food poisoning? I think so, and this place has a B grade from the city. Service was very good, but I was charged $12 for a small glass of Chianti at the table when it only cost $8 at the bar. I feel like I was overcharged, but was on a date and didn't want to make a scene. read more

Where do I begin. Amazing home-cooked Italian food that will not break the bank. Only negatives -- this place gets really busy and you may have to wait awhile for a table, and it's cash only. read more

The food is always fresh and that's not surprising. The owner of the restaurant can frequently be spotted buying fruit and vegetables at the local farmers' market. The food is delicious and their Tiramisu is heavenly! The atmosphere is hard to describe. The place is large and buzzing with energy. Unfortunately, they don't take reservations. I especially recommend coming in the summer and trying to get a seat near the open windows. read more

A hole in the wall, but this place is gold. I found Noodle Pudding when I first moved to Brooklyn by asking a random person on the street where my family and I could get some good Italian food. We've been regulars for years now. The staff is amazing and always remembers us. The location is awesome -- walking your food off around the promenade afterward is always a good idea -- and the food is worth every penny. Definitely pay this place a visit, it's worth the wait! read more

Went here with a couple of friends. I had their risotto of the day..I believe mushroom? Very very very good. One of the best risottos I have ever had. The brick chicken is also very well done. Compared to the chicken and risotto, the butter and sage gnocchi was good. Not their best dish. Bread is also awesome especially if you get the mussels which has a delicious tomato based sauce! So good, we asked for three servings of it and they didn't care :) which i always like in a restaurant. read more

Great neighborhood restaurant. Do not go if you want to get in and out but if you're looking for a long sit down meal it's great. Food was good, nothing that wow'd me but the restaurant had a good vibe that makes me want to return. I had the roasted chicken with potatoes. The chicken was moist and tasty. My two friends ordered pasta dishes which they both enjoyed. There is usually a wait on weekends. read more

Noodle pudding was great. I got the spaghetti with lemon, which was terrific. My friends got the pasta with meatball and sausage, and the pasta with clams. The appetizers were delicious too - garlic bread, burrata, tomato and mozz, and Caeser salad. Only complaint is the burrata came on two pieces of bread so it was rather hard to share. Service was a bit slow, but not horrible. Would definitely come back! read more

4 stars, because they do not take credit cards. What's up with that! I have been to this restaurant several times, and it has become one of my stand by Italian spots. The food is not of the same calibre as Al di La in Park Slope, but what Noodle Pudding does, they do very well. The food is consistently strong. I usually order off the specials menu, as they offer interesting rotating dishes. For my most recent visit, I had the mussels in a white wine base to start and for my main course, pasta with a seafood ragu. The sauces were done very well, always the hallmark of a strong Italian kitchen. Final notes: Noodle Pudding has only a few wines by the glass, but the menu does have bottles in the $30 range. The staff is always extremely friendly and helpful. All in all, this is a stand-out neighborhood restaurant. read more

I'm so sorry but I have been coming here for years. I think they have a new chef. The food dosen't taste the same. The wait staff is still great but I'm disappointed in the food. read more

Awesome italian place in brooklyn heights! Went here a few weeks ago with family and everything we had was amazing! I had the pasta with eggplant and it melted in my mouth. It was some of the best pasta I have ever had. My boyfriend got the pork chop and his father got the fish special and they both loved it as well. Perfectly cooked with some greatly seasoned vegetables. Their bread was awesome and their Italian wines are great. Highly recommend! read more

Happy Valentines, Noodle Pudding. The place is bedecked with decorations, including Valentines hearts with crayoned names posted on the mirror behind the bar. It was cheery if crowded on Friday night, when my wife and I made one of our occasional pilgramages there. When we were courting, she lived just around the corner, and it was our favorite spot, by turns romantic and comfortable. As a result, it is in the running for my "favorite restaurant of all time" status. The pastas are always excellent. I had the rabbit and a simple arugala salad to begin. The fairly priced Primitivio was warm and rich. The owner inadvertantly bumped into my wife, and as recompense sent over a dessert. My only complaint is with the failure to take reservations, but I suppose the managment has its reasons. Splendid, once again. read more

Without question the best Italian food in brooklyn heights. Tony, the owner and a real Italian from Italy, has been in the neighborhood before it was chic to be in Brooklyn Heights. The food is authentic and simple, tasty and reasonably priced. the service is attentive and professional. Bring cash, no credit cards accepted here. Great for dates too! The pastas are al dente and usually homemade, they way they should be. During the warm months, the entire front of the restaurant opens up (almost like a garage door) giving it that indoor/outdoor feeling. My in-laws are from Florence so I have spend a lot of time in Italy. Take it from me, this worth the trip. read more

Well, looks like Yelp was right again. In short, good food, not so good service. Dinner for two on a Sunday evening, the place crowded but not packed. After waiting more than 15 min for menus, we had to flag someone down to get them. We had to flag someone down to order an appetizer. Then get another person's attention to order our meals. Then another person to get some cheese. No one asked us how everything was. No one even offered us dessert. The staff weren't unfriendly, they just forgot our table existed. The couple next to us got slightly better service. A waiter actually came over to them and asked if they wanted dessert. They replied they were never given menus and didn't know who their original waiter was. Food: Caesar salad - one of us liked it and the other thought it was fair. Gnocchi w sage/butter - very tasty, especially after I was able to find someone for a little cheese. Pasta w eggplant, basil, cheese, tomato, etc - very tasty. The bread with oil they had on the tables was also very tasty. Overall, go, enjoy the food, just be proactive about the meal read more

Cute place with a nice range of seating options. We went early (like 5:30 on a Saturday) and elected to sit near the open window, which allowed for some enjoyable people watching. We ordered garlic bread to start (we were starving) and I got the perfectly cooked gnocchi with butter and sage for my main. Had a glass of the Penedes with dinner and another with Tiramisu for dessert. I'm a bit of a tiramisu connoisseur and this was good but didn't knock my socks off. Definitely a heavy, carby meal, but sometimes that's just what you're in the mood for. I think this would be a great mid-winter place. Service was good for most of the meal, but our guy kind of disappeared toward the end. We waited a long time to get a receipt (this was technically business travel, so could have expensed it) and then he eventually just brought back change and ran off before we realized there was STILL no receipt. Rather than wait another 20 minutes for him to orbit back, we just left. Oh well. Still a nice experience. Maybe not a destination place, but I'd definitely recommend a trip if you're in the area. read more

I love this resturant. It is always full house and will take reservation for larger groups. The food is excellent! We go there for most special occasions. I just came back for my birthday dinner and had a great time. One of the appetizers we had was the bass salad. It is so good! highly recommend! read more

Come for the food, not for the service. Since moving to Brooklyn all I've heard about is Noodle Pudding. We finally took our chances on a Friday night and walked in around 7:30 - it was already very crowded. It took a good two minutes before anyone came over to us to ask if we wanted a table and when they did come over they said it would be "a couple minutes." It actually was, which never happens in New York. We were absolutely famished but it took forever for our waitress to actually come over. We could tell the people next to us had been waiting for a while as well. Started with the calamari which was incredible. Maybe not the calamari itself but the sauce is INSANE. It's a sweet/spicy aioli I believe. The bread was also great but took forever to come out. It comes with an amazing bruschetta dip. For my main course I got the linguine with clams, zucchini and cherry tomatoes in a white wine / garlic sauce. It was REALLY good. Pasta was cooked perfectly and the portion was huge which I liked. Ended up taking half of it home actually. I would've liked someone to have come around with cheese and pepper but that never happened. Couple other notes: cash only and the ambience is lovely. Very rustic. read more

$12 bottles of wine, decent food, friendly service, relaxed atmosphere, enough said.

Food was good but it didn't blow me away I ordered the short ribs and noodle pudding it was good but like I said it didn't blow me away I don't know just didn't really wow me it had good flavor just wasn't on my ratting for it to be a must try now for me it was an indifferent read more

I've visited several more times in 2010 and just wanted to add that there is really nothing that they make that isn't fantastic. Case in point: on a recent visit, I had a straightforward and simple pasta that was fabulously tasty, perfectly cooked cannelloni pasta in a deeply flavorful tomato sauce topped with light, refreshing ricotta cheese. My friend had the fettuccine with seafood, a beautifully plated dish that catches the eye; the seafood was some of the best I ever had, especially the enormous, plump, and perfect mussels. Such consistently high quality at this price point is really hard to find. Continues to be one of my favorite Brooklyn restaurants, and one of the top for value, experience, and quality in NYC. read more

I always enjoy eating here, it's a solid spot with lots of options and a great place to take out of town visitors, family, and those looking for the white tablecloth experience and great old school waiter/waitress service. Lots of classic American Italian fare for those looking for the standards as well as ever-changing, interesting specials. I also really like their house wine - bottles are super reasonably priced as well. Eat your pasta, drink your wine and head to the promenade for a walk... just don't forget to bring cash. read more

This has to be one of my favorite pasta places in NYC...Well I mean, I am just a college student that doesn't splurge on $$$$ restaurants but for the price and service and atmosphere and food, Noodle Pudding is on the top of my list, Also its in a great location to go for a stroll around Dumbo or Brooklyn Bridge Park. read more

One of my absolute favorite "neighborhood" restaurants ever. Always delicious food, stellar service and a cozy, fun atmosphere that can't be beat. Try the specials, they are sometimes unexpected, and more than often delicious. read more

This is my favorite Italian restaurant in Brooklyn. The food is excellent, and the staff is incredibly friendly and attentive. I've been to Noodle Pudding 10+ times and have never been disappointed. My two favorite dishes are Lasagna Bolognese and Gnocchi with butter and sage. A secret tip... they have a 15 dollar bottle of house red wine that is surprisingly good. ENJOY read more