This place is cute and delicious! It is a bit pricey but the food was worth it. I had the duck and it was so juicy and flavorful, my mom and Aunt got the mushroom pasta which was also great! read more

Overrated is an understatement. The menu is neither refreshingly creative nor comfortably classic. It's just boring, and the food mirrors this accordingly. The arugula salad swims in an overbearing and synthetically tangy tasting dressing that leaves the poor rocket defenseless. The Bucatini was the only pleasant surprise of the meal, having a decent texture and a sauce that was blessedly not too salty or heavy. The lamb was unremarkable, and again, just boring. The Pizze Margherita was the definite low point: limp, soggy, greasy, and a waste of perfectly tasty basil. My biggest beef is the price, which is as much or more than a handful of truly excellent places in the city. Spend that money on a cab downtown and get further away from the "Oh jeez, this is even better than the Olive Garden!" district. read more

Fabulous very fresh salad and pastas also near Theater district

After seeing a show we were looking on yelp for a good dinner spot in the theater district. Orso lived up to its good reviews. This place was SO good. I had Wine, pizza and a salad and it was delicious. The service and staff we so attentive and friendly. It was so cozy, I could have drank wine in here all night. I would absolutely recommend this place. read more

Last night four of us went to dine at Orso. My husband and I had been once before and found it amazing. Last night we made a reservation for 7:45, everyone was there by 7:50. We had appetizers, entrees, wine and desert, my husband and I each had a glass of champagne with dessert. A waiters dream, we ordered every course, we finished eating by 10. About 10:15 after we received the check but before were ready to leave the manager came over and said "I NEED THIS TABLE NOW." We looked and saw the after show crowd had arrived, but really to say get out NOW after we'd had a lovely meal. The food was delicious and the service perfect. There are so many other polite ways for the manager to have handled the situation, it ruined our wonderful night. "I NEED THIS TABLE NOW," he had the nerve to kick us out in about the rudest way possible. I will never be able to go back in fear of getting rudely booted out the door. The food is great but go in with a thick skin, you might get booted. read more

This should be at least a 4 star review but sadly it can not be. I have been a customer for 35 years and have gone out of my way to make it from nj as often as i can. I made a reservation on a sunday for 12 people on my birthday the following saturday. I received a call on thursday to say that they could no longer honor our 12 person reservation and that they could only accommodate us at 2 separate tables. I asked for a call back from the manager on friday. I never received a call back. There is no acceptable reason for 12 person reservation to be cancelled 5 days later. Believe what you read about their lack of customer service. They lost a very long term customer. read more

The quail was out of this world. And the service was attentive without being obtrusive. And even though we closed the restaurant, everyone was still cheerful and lovely to us on our way out. It was a blissful evening. read more

This is a great place for dinner any time but very difficult to get a table around theatre times. It's in a great location and the staff is amazing. Most of them are actors so in some ways you're supporting the arts. great food great wine. read more

I want my last meal to be at Orso. I want EVERY meal to be at Orso. I can't believe people are reviewing the atmosphere. It's clean, it's nice, everyone who works there is brilliant and lovely. What do you care who is sitting around you. The food is MAGNIFICENT. Every single thing on the menu. It is not at all pricey, and when the universe smiles on you, you can walk off the street directly to a table, especially after curtain time. There really is no better Italian restaurant in the City. IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, Disagree if you will, but I know my food and I know what I'm talking about. ;-) xoxoxo read more

Beyond amazing experience. We actually couldnt find this restaurant at first! We had passed by it twice! It is the cutest place. Very classy and was not very busy (we went during shows so the theater crowd wasn't there). The pizza bread was very unique. I had rigatoni and it was delicious. Our waited was GREAT. So kind in helping explain options and he seemed to truly enjoy working there. read more

We made reservations (via phone, not online) to dine here after a show on a Tuesday night (our anniversary). They had a table immediately. Orso is a small, tucked-away, romantic spot. Our meals (orecchiette and salsiccia) were excellent. Service was very good. This restaurant is not touristy at all (I felt silly carrying my plastic cups from our show). This was the best meal we had in New York, and if we return to NYC, will be a 'must' for us again. read more

In town from Chicago - Great service - Good menu, teen friendly. Food was classic Italian - way better than Olive Garden in Times Square

Fine Italian food at a theater-row classic. Orso was new and inventive once. Now, it is still great. The food is delicious, classic Italian fair (for visitors-- very much not Italian-American like several others on the block). The service is friendly and fairly casual. The restaurant can be busy, and though handsome and softly lighted, can be noisy. If you want to eat at peak theatre time, probably book over a week ahead. read more

Place is mediocre. Desserts also mediocre, however around the corner is Schmackary's which has fabulous dessert. Don't waste your calories on dessert here, walk around the corner!!! read more

I took my girlfriend here for a date and all I have to say was the food was amazing. She got the rigatoni and I got the chicken and we both loved our foods, even the table next to us was saying how good the food was. The Gelato we had was also amazing. The service was great our waiter was so nice and made sure we were treated good, I would 100% go back one day read more

The chicken stuffed ravioli is great and the green leafy salad is amazing! Friendly personable staff..relaxed atmosphere..all around a great restaurant read more

MMMMMMMMM! Pan fried artichoke hearts! Pizza bread! Pasta w/meat sauce! And the star of the show......Sauteed Calf Liver.....plate licking good!!!! Great service and a short walk to theater after a most delicious experience! read more

The food was good HOWEVER the service was really bad! We came there as tourists and saw that the americans weer being treated totally different then us: they wanted us to leave as soon as possible! We came in and were being welcomed nicely but when going to the table we saw that americans got free water like usual while we got bottled water we had to pay for. When ordering, the waitress got really unfriendly when she found out we weren't having starters. By the time we finished, we were asked for a dessert before having cleaned the table properly. When they brought us our coffees two minutes later, they brought us the bill straight away! In the following minutes they looked at us a couple of times to make us understand we had to go even If the place was half empty! Finally when getting our coats, the lady was rude enough to put forward a basket for some money. As If we hadn't payed enough already for such a poor service! Too bad the staff is so unmannered and rude towards their paying customers! It's a disgrace! read more

We enjoyed the food especially the pizza but my husband got sick about an hour or two later (with diarrhea). I got sick in the same way the next morning. I called the restaurant and spoke with one of the managers, Kevin who offered for us to come back for a free meal at a later time but I don't want to return to a restaurant where I got sick so asked if he would take something off the bill instead. Kevin said he would speak to the other manager and get back to me and never heard back from him. read more

One of the best and most highly acclaimed restaurants in NYC. Celebrities, theater crowd. Perfect ambiance. Excellent food & service. Very highly recommended -- loved by Italians ! read more

Definite favorite on restaurant row. Guanteed good meal; service always friendly and warm. And they get you out on time all the time. Love them. read more

Orso is an excellent alternative to the overpriced, bland food offered in most theater district restaurants. The pizza bread is crisp and delicious, and the pasta is very fresh. I loved the pomodoro sauce, and I gobbled up the white bean dip that was served with the bread! Orso also offers inexpensive quartinos of wine, which is a major plus in my book. I wish I could tell every person visiting NYC that this is the place to go before a show. read more

Gnocchi was below average. Lamb chops were good. We had chocolate orange almond desert and it was dry and Taste less. Very disappointed.

Dined here tonight for an early dinner with my husband and 26 year old daughter following a matinee of a Broadway show. (School of Rock, which was quite entertaining.) Restaurant has a pleasant, warm atmosphere. Ordered the mussels, caprese salad and sautéed artichokes for starters. All were very good. Artichokes were particularly tasty. The buffalo mozzarella in the caprese salad was very creamy and delicious. The red sauce for the mussels was very tasty and we all dipped the wonderful, crusty Italian bread to lap up the sauce. My daughter had the Orso special pizza. She enjoyed it very much. Took a few slices home. A number of people were ordering pizzas. Interesting combinations available. They seemed to be very popular. My husband ordered the pasta bolognese which he really enjoyed. I had the stuffed quail served over farro, which was amazing. I brought one of the quail home with half of the farro. It was a generous entree. No room for dessert. Very nice wine selection. The house Primitivo was very good and reasonably priced. In fact, the whole meal was well priced considering the restaurant is on Restaurant Row only blocks from the Theater District. Service was prompt and appropriate. Overall a great experience. Will go back for sure. If half stars were available for reviews, I would give it 4 1/2 stars. Nice place for dinner before or after a show. read more

Hands down my favorite restaurant in New York. I've have brought countless friends and family of very demanding tastes here and it never disappoints. The atmosphere is understated and not pretentious, and the food is always superb. Go there! read more

Try to easy here at least once when I am in the city. Wonderful Italian food, good service and a nice atmosphere make this place a winner.

Great restaurant and I have been eating there once a year for about 6 years. Little has changed. The service is great, the pizza bread with rosemary is special and all the entrees and up to par. My son has the pizza, daughter the seafood plate, husband the clams and pasta and I had the pasta with bolegne sauce. The date dessrt with marscapone was very special. This is not a place to miss. Make sure you have a secure resevation.They and very onscious of the theater schedules and getting oyu out on time. It is very open at 8:00 pm at curtain time. read more

Delicious food and great service. I overheard someone say how delicious their meal was at Orso so I decided to check it out. I ordered the salmon and it was cooked perfectly. read more

Either they've slipped or it was an "off" night for them: marinara sauce was far too heavily salted; wine list was so-so, service mediocre: 4 different servers paid scant attention in turn without a single one truly "committing." I hope they are better than what I saw tonight. If not, they need to regroup. read more

Went for dinner with family and friends. All our starters were delicious. We had the artichokes with parmesan cheese and the arugula salad. They were to die for. Then as a main course we had different plates of pasta. All dishes were very tasty! It s a gem in this neighborhood where usually restaurants are pricy and not good. Orso is a great place specially for a pre-theater dinner! I definitely recommend it!! read more

Stumbled upon this place pre-theater, unassuming from the outside, and very upscale inside. When we entered we were very politely asked about a reservation, and when we said we didn't have one, he gave us two options - 1. to sit at a very nice table in the back, as long as we were done by 2pm because he had another reservation, or to sit at a smaller table up front near the bar, and stay as long as we wanted. We opted for the larger table in the back, because 2pm was over 90 minutes away. I immediately knew we were going to have a great experience because they respected our time and gave us the option rather then trying to rush the meal, which they could have very easily done. I had the Risotto and my dining companion had a brunch item with scrambled eggs, sausage and potatoes. Both were incredible meals, and we topped it off with chocolate gelato which was equally impressive. Would definitely go back. read more

The Orso of yesterday is DEAD.. poor service, no more theatre/ celebrities stars and only average cuisine. Sorry to see you go the way of your sister restaurant Joe Allen's which is even worse. read more

We were looking for a dinner spot before seeing a show on Broadway so we tried a few spots on Restaurant Row but several had a long wait. We popped into Orso at around 6:15/6:30 and got seated right away. The host was very friendly and welcoming. Our waiter asked us right away if we were seeing a show and what time it was at (8pm) so that he could keep our dinner on time which was awesome and so courteous. Our waiter was very friendly and interested in what show we were seeing which was nice. The fresh bread and white bean dip was delicious. The bread was very messy and we got crumbs everywhere since we weren't given plates. I ordered a mixed green salad which was just an $11 bowl of lettuce with dressing but it was good anyway I guess. We both got the flatbread pizza with the peppers, mozzarella and pesto and besides being super oily, it was really good. We were too full for dessert but it was like 7:45 anyway so we had to head out. Around the same time the restaurant was clearing out too... Apparently everyone eating there was also seeing a show on Broadway! Luckily our theater was only 5 mins away so we made it to our show just in the nick of time! This is definitely a good spot to eat before seeing a show on Broadway! read more

once i discovered this gem, i was coming back twice a week as i could not get enough of their fresh, home made pastas. great choice for lunch or a night on Bway. You can spot some celebs here too often as well. read more

didn't like the space but surprisingly good food. had an unusual pseudo-croque monsieur for brunch that was excellent. good pre- or post-theater read more

First of all - while not a native New Yorker, I've lived in the City (or suburbs) since 1981. During that time, I've enjoyed meals at Orso's for as long as I can remember, usually accompanied by my dear father who loves the restaurant and enjoys going to the theatre. Our visit yesterday evening did not disappoint. Wonderful food and service, highlighted by the pasta with pancetta and a fried duck egg on top - seriously, it was sublime. Everyone's meal was delicious and while the food is on the pricey side, there are affordable pizza options for those seeking a more wallet-friendly meal. The only cautionary note: it's noisy, but I like the atmosphere and pre-theatre buzz. For those who read this in time to see it, FOLLIES is just down the block at the Marriott Marquis. Another sublime experience! To sum it up, Orso's is our restaurant of choice for the theatre district, but it also stands on its own as a superb dining experience. read more

I have been going to Orso once or twice a year since 1999. It has never, ever failed me. With family, with work peers and with clients it remains one of the best, most consistent restaurants in Manhattan. Orso takes itself just serious enough to be great, but playful enough to include pizzas on the menu each day. Nothing here is the largest - not the wine selection, the beer list, the menu or the portions. And that's a good thing, because you can count on what is being offered to be well worth it... and to come at some of the most reasonable prices in the theater district. The white bean spread with fresh bread sets the stage for a meal that will please at every course. Orso? Yes. read more

We came for dinner...Decor was simple and not a distraction, but the food was just delicious. Service was competent, efficient, and attentive, as needed, but the food was most enjoyable and means we'll be back. read more

Great dinner! Sat next to Al Pacino. I heard he was there sitting back to back with me but I never turned around to respect his privacy. Food was a bit $$$$ but great service, great cozy atmosphere. read more

Ah yes, the Trevisano salad...I spent quite a while deliberating if I would have a second one for dessert...absolutely delicious. As I started to dig in to the salad, the bread arrived with the white bean spread. I have had similar spreads before, but this one was far superior and it took quite a bit of will power to turn down the waitress when she suggested bringing more bread to sop up the remainder of that delectable dip. For the main course, I selected a scallop dish (scallops perfectly seared and moist) that arrived with porcini mushrooms and the much lauded gnocchi. Complementing this outstanding meal was equally outstanding service -- knowledgeable, attentive and welcoming. I look forward to a return visit. read more