Good food, close quarters atmosphere and top notch service. I came here with my fiance for Valentine's Day dinner and they had both a regular menu and a Valentine's day pre fixe menu. The only reason why they don't get a five star rating is because the best dishes I had were only on the pre fixe even though in the past I know they had it on their regular menu. I would've liked the choice to have picked a combination of these dishes. To start, my fiance and I ordered the Carpaccio made with beef, brown butter, sage, parmesan, and grilled asparagus. It was delicious and the beef was so soft and smooth it literally melted in your mouth. We also ordered the Funghi, mushroom with shredded cheese and diced cabbage. The dish was lite but not very flavorful, save the drizzles of vinegar over the plate. I guess the flavors of the mushroom were never really meant to be strong or intense. For the main we ordered the Parpadelle and the Agnello, lamb chops. These two dishes were delicious, all the way from the way the lamb chops were cooked to the sauce in the Parpadelle. The grilled lamb chops were cooked medium rare and garnished with hazelnut pesto with roasted artichokes on the side. The pesto gave a great oily garlic coating to the lamb. The Parpadelle was cooked with a parmesan oyster mushroom sauce which was paired extremely well with the texture of perfectly cooked pasta. I would like to have both of these dishes again, but knowing it was once on their menu but now no longer stands as a regular menu item, I feel a bit let down and makes me mark Orso a star lower than I would've. Hopefully, if by chance I come upon this restaurant again and see either one of these on their menu, I will return for another delightful night of dining with my fiance. read more

I went to this restaurant with high expectations, based on the previous Yelp reviews I read. I was very disappointed. First, my waiter was distracted and indifferent; he was also very familiar in his demeanor...not what one expects in a higher-end spot. I had to ask for oil and vinegar, several times, which was ultimately delivered in a little tin can (oil) and a bottle (balsamic). On the upside, the beet salad with nectarines and cheese was outstanding...worth having if you choose this place. My entree, unfortunately was uninspiring; I ordered the sausage with broccoli rabe and sweet peppers. The broccoli was not very tasty and the peppers to few to make a difference in both the flavor and presentation. If the waiter had been more attentive, less informal and welcoming, I'd add a star. Based on past reviews, I am willing to give this place another try, but with so many great choices in Hell's Kitchen, it might require an invitation from the owners to do so. Under the best of circumstances, I could see this place earning a maximum of four stars, so caveat emptor! read more

If you have ever been to Italy you know what authentic pasta is supposed to be like. Well I have been to many "fancy" Italian places in the city including Scalinatella and Del Posto...so far no one has had authentic pasta except this place and Bruno Pizza. The service here was a little spotty, my dad got a little pissed at the waiter which takes a lot. But the food was good. Good place for pre-theater. Make sure you make a reservation far in advance, otherwise even though they have tables they will tell you they don't have one unless you're some important famous or rich person. read more

I have been here twice. The first time was excellent, the service was great and the food was even better! The second time however was horrible. My boyfriend and I had just come in after seeing a play for my birthday, then we meet our waiter. He was extremely dismissive, and inattentive. As we were ordering my boyfriend was asking him a few questions about the wine, and the entire time the waiter looked as if he had something better to do, and seemed annoyed that we were taking up his time. Regardless of the waiters attitude we were excited for our food. Then as we are eating, a roach pops up on our table, and we had to kill it with our fork. Needless to say I was done eating. I would've given Orso 1 star, except that they have great management and our meal was comped. read more

We had theater tickets and I Yelped for a restaurant nearby. Orso looked good so we called on the way into NYC and made a reservation for 6:50. We got there closer to 7. The maitre d' Frank seated us right away and told our waitress we had to be out in time for the 8pm showing of Addams Family. We hadn't even told him what we were seeing, he said he figured it was the one nearby. Our waitress advised us what on the menu would be prepared in time to make our showing and we ordered. I got an arugula salad and the ravoli. Both were fantastic. My husband got a pizza and it was really crisp and tasted really good. We can't wait to go back when we have more time to enjoy our meal. read more

What a lovely dinner after the matinee. The starters were delicious, service was on point, the bottles of Etna Blanco were delicious, and so was my quail. We had a great time! Thank you! read more

You can easily pass by this little Italian joint if you're not careful. It is a step down from the street and there is nothing flashy about it at all. Brown facade with a glowing 'Orso' sign. I don't remember much about the meal and that is never a good thing. They bring the wine to the table and then go on to tell you that they're not going to pour it for you. Umm, ok. My friend said that was casual but i was thinking that i plan on tipping and you need to give me some service, please. Later in the meal they brought some nuts to the table and we had to crack them ourselves. I was just thinking how much work must i do to enjoy my meal. I just worked a 9 hour day and i am tired..can you please just crack my nuts and pour my happy juice. For dessert we had the nuts and fresh fruit...there should have been an asterisk next to the strawberries. I couldn't place the taste but it wasn't the taste of a strawberry. It must be all those chemicals that they pumped into them down in FL. My main was a pasta dish and it just wasn't memorable at all. Maybe i missed something. Overall though the staff were friendly just wouldn't come back. read more

Orso is a nice cosy relatively out of the way little spot for northern italian style cuisine if you're in the area for a show, or if you're simply just in the area. The place is small, and it could do with a bit of a redesign of the interior, as it's kind of dated. That being said, the service is very attentive, and the servers are very knowlegeable. The food is quite good, and they feature a few dishes that you simply don't see other places. I wasn't BLOWN AWAY, but the food was more than competently prepared, and it was a nice spot for a little romantic dinner. I'd consider going back. read more

Orso should be re-named Worse-o! I understand that on "restaurant row" the prevailing attitude might be "we'll never see these tourists again" but the rudeness level was off the charts here as our 4 couples showed up for our last minute reservation a couple of days before Christmas. We had tried to get a reservation at Beckos down the block, but no such luck at short notice. Beckos was jam packed at 7:30 PM. Orso had about 3 tables filled. We ask for bread for the table, which came out COLD (as if refrigerated) after about 20 minutes. The olive oil came 10 minutes later. Can you please warm the bread for us? "NO, we don't do that here. If you want to purchase an order of Pizza bread (for $16) it will be warm." We'll just keep this bread. Can you please bring us plates for the bread? "NO, we don't do that here." Why not? "We serve trattoria style, as if you were in Italy, no bread plates". Now, with breadcrumbs and olive oil dripping all over the white linen table cloth, we are in disbelief. My wife asked if she could substitute brussel sprouts for the spinach her $38 steak comes with. "NO SUBSTITUTIONS", we can bring you a side order for $9. Someone else in our party at this point dared to ask for separate checks for each couple. "We don't do that here" said Colin our waiter in an incredulous deadpan stare. Why not? "Well, It would be EXTRA WORK for us!" came the reply. At this point I explained that if we heard ONE MORE NO, we would bolt from this place and that I was fully ready to flip the table over and cause an insane scene unless some modicum of customer appreciation and SERVICE started happening...NOW! I think I scared poor Colin, who explained he's only following policies from the manager, who did come out and admit "this is the way do things here". The turn around in this story that still earns Orso 3 stars was the 5-star food that started to arrive. Although mostly a la carte and over priced, every dish was a delicious gourmet work of art. From the split pea soup, to the eclectic and really fresh salad, to my double cut thick grilled and perfectly spiced port chop, the spinach, fingerling potatoes, and even the cold bread...was mouth watering. Nice hearty portions, too. Our friend Arthur, who ordered a pasta dish was not so fortunate. $27 for what was considered the "full size" portion...did not even qualify as appetizer size. Another friend who ordered the sea bass needed a microscope to SEE the bass! So, it was hit and miss on portion size, service was a new low for us, even for NYC which is famous for it's snooty rudeness, and what we ordered was actually delicious. read more

Great place to meet an old business colleague or friend. The chicken parmigiana was enormous. Who eats these portions in Manhattan?! Decent food. Great House glass of Pinot Grigio. Anyway, my server was this pretty girl who looked like Kirsten Dunst. I AM SMITTEN ALREADY. Her smile alone was worthy of 4 stars. read more

I was meeting up w a friend who was in town on business near Times Sq and after figuring out what we wanted to eat, good old yelp mobile had Orso listed pretty close to the top of highly rated eateries in walking distance. Being understandably skeptical of any restaurant near the touristy restaurant row, we decided to stay open minded and marched in. Overall I thought food, atmosphere and decor were tastefully understated and the service was great. The paparadelli pasta and carpaccio appetizers were fantastic, and unfortunately having eaten there over a week ago, I forget what else we had, but the dining experience was great and I strongly recommend it to others. read more

Can I just say that I was just surprised at how delicious the food was!?!? You def get the theater viewing crowd so the placed was just PACKED. We were immediately seated and were very "cozy." Apps - ordered the arugula with shaved parm and buffalo milk mozzarella - they were both really good. The pan fried artichokes was the best. You got a hint of lemon, hint of spice - so delicious and refreshing. Have you ever had shimeji mushrooms? Did you know that they're tiny?? The entrée I had was the tagliarini pasta with shimeji mushrooms - small tiny mushrooms scattered in the pasta. I love mushrooms and this was amazing - full of flavor but not at all empowering. Our waiter Ron was just the friendliest and he was quick with our order. You could really tell that he truly enjoyed working there. We overheard him mention that he had been with the restaurant for 8 years!! If ever near and in the mood for Italian - really recommend Orso! read more

My sister, mom, and I just ate at Orso for the first time and it did not disappoint! Nice quaint spot with great waitresses! The risotto was out of this world!!! My sister had the stuffed quail which was super and mom had the fettuccine also very good. Will definitely stop here again!! read more

Orso - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I went for a brunch spot.....Pizza!!!! Ok, no your typical Neapolitan pizza, it.s not the chewy type of dough, it.s crusty thin and light! The dough must have a mix of flours...it.s a little yellow an. It also changes the flavor of the dough in a very good positive way. Pappardelle was good too..... Roast beef burger was excellent too and it came w these amazing fried artichoke bits w dipping garlicky mayo.... Maaaaaaaaan, they should sell these in a bag...I would munch on these all day! read more

We had a very nice pre-theater brunch on Sunday and enjoyed the whole time here. Service was excellent as the servers were friendly and accommodating. Choices in the menu were limited to the brunch but was perfect for the four of us. The place is quite small but there was plenty of room and the atmosphere was quite relaxing. The food we ordered was very good and served up promptly. We want to come back here to savor the dinner choices the next time back in New York. read more

3.5 but I'll round up because I did enjoy my food. Came here because my out of town relatives made a reservation before a show. I was skeptical but didn't have a choice. I was expecting a tourist trap but was pleasantly surprised which is probably why I chose to round up. I wish I could go into actual famed eateries with these kind of expectations and I'd probably forever have pleasant dining experiences. Anyway I got the arugula salad to start and the rigatoni with eggplant ragu and mozzarella. I'm a sucker for arugula and while I usually expect it with shaved parm I enjoyed the way they prepared it with hearts of palm and tomatoes. Pasta was also tasty. Not over the top anything to write home about but good and edible. My fellow diners also were all pleased which is hard to do in my family. Decor and service are fine. Again not impeccable but decent read more

Cute place over on the edge of midtown west, very un-assuming, gets INSANELY busy, great place to hit right after a matinee show before the dinner rush. Have reservations otherwise. Food was northern Italian, very tasty. A bit on the pricey side though, so be prepared to spend $100 for 2 people if you get say, desert or a glass of wine. I loved the meatball appetizer. My girlfriends dish had I BELIEVE Raw tuna in it that had a bit of an overpowering fishy smell. Once this place gets busy service can slow down a bit. read more

Go here if you are looking for a post-theater restaurant where you won't feel rushed and it isn't a zoo (like most of the places on this street). The pasta was just OK, and pizza downright mediocre, but there aren't a lot of options for a quiet place to talk and the ambiance is that of a nice little neighborhood Italian place. Wine list is lacking, but works if you're all right with inexpensive and nondescript. read more

We had a delicious post theatre dinner. Tasted like we were back in Italy. Just yummy and friendly and attitude free although clearly surrounded by regulars as well as visitors. Artichokes, salad, pizza and pasta were so thoroughly satisfying late at night. Thanks Orso we will return! read more

Orso was lovely! This was my best theatre district restaurant experience ever. The staff was gracious and thoughtful, like being welcomed into a good friend's home. A small menu, but everything is done very well and tastes great. Each dish had a nice touch that really brought it up a notch--the flank steak was served on a beautifully chopped broccoli rabe, the lemon sorbet had rosemary in it, etc...This is not a place for tourists. Yes, there are famous people eating here; but at Orso you shouldn't plan to gawk or take pictures. Enjoy your meal, enjoy the company you come with and without stress make it to the theatre in plenty of time. read more

My husband and I had an amazing dining experience here before seeing Wicked. The pasta was delicious, but the chicken - I still think about the chicken! And my husband, who doesn't usually like dessert, raved about the tiramisu. Only downside is that we initially walked by the place since its location isn't as obvious as other restaurants on the street. But that's a tiny complaint - we'll definitely visit Orso in the future if the chance arises. read more

This is an awesome gem of a restaurant! From start to finish!!! Their appetizer tripe is to die for! Then the rigatoni with meat sauce , wow!! Last but now least, the lemon olive oil cake ...... amazing!! Great service, great everything!! A must visit when visiting the theater district! read more

I wanted to make a 6pm reservation for 4 on Sunday . The earliest on open table was 7pm I called the restaurant and the host told me the earliest they have was 8pm. I made the 7pm on opentable. We arrived around 6:45 and the restaurant was 2/3 empty. By the time we were on our main course we were only 3 tables left. We ordered the most expensive bottle wine on their menu and after tasting it the server place it on the table and said that their policy was to let us pour our wine ourselves.... he had no other tables to tend to. We shared a pasta dish... of course they let us split it ourselves instead of doing it for us in the kitchen. There are at least 20 other restaurants on this block. Next time we'll definitely try a more welcoming place than this. read more

Good wine-by-the-glass selection, you can get a very good quartino of house Primitivo (this is considered the Italian Shiraz-Sirah) for 10 bucks. I had a classic dish: Penne ai Fungi, great earthy flavor! But the bomb was the dessert: warm dates cake with chocolate and pecan! Just try it and you will not regret it. It actually help raising the bar with one more star ;-) read more

My date and I decided to dine at Orso this past weekend for a post theatre treat. And what a treat it was! First off, the service was impeccable. It's a popular restaurant, and it was busy, but we felt like we were given very good service. I had the roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts (roasted to perfection). My date had the grilled pork chop and said it was one of the best he's ever had. For dessert, we shared the lemon cake and we highly recommend. I can't remember the wine choice as we followed the waiters recommendation, but it was very good. We were thinking to call to see if they could bring up the check as we'd like to order it again sometime. Whether you're visiting or a New Yorker, Orso is a great choice for an evening out in the city. read more

Authentic Italian food in an authentic Italian atmosphere. This place is a breath of fresh air compared to the many restaurants in this area of Manhattan. It is not touristy at all, the service is great and personal, the food is fantastic. The pasta was cooked to perfection. Our desert, the chocolate cake with coconut ice-cream was really good. Reservations are recommended. read more

Just got back from a great dinner on a Monday night. Orso is quiet and beautiful - I felt like I was in a different city or country the whole time. Handcrafted ceramic plates from Italy, Italian landscapes, etc... Hole-in-the-wall done perfectly...and there were no tourists! Service was as quick as it gets without being overbearing. No conversations interrupted. The staff was also funny, friendly, and gave great recommendations. I tried 6 different dishes and they all rocked. Food could not have been better. Plus, it's not super expensive. Food ordered: Arugula salad, roasted peppers and buffalo mozz, Bolognese, bacon pasta thingy, chocolate cake, and some others i forget. read more

Just enjoyed a very good casual dinner. Stopped on a lark to see if Orso did carry out, was told "no", but was encouraged to stay albeit in slacks and sneakers. Enjoyed a very fresh spring greens salad and a margherita (sp?) pizza. The staff was friendly and efficient. Nicely decorated dining room, air conditioned, with a full bar. Beautiful dishes. Quiet noise level. Only a block and a half from Times Square and a block from the theatre showing Hamilton. I highly recommend Orso. read more

Orso - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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We had never been here and joined another couple for 6pm dinner before an 8pm performance. The place is lovely in its upscale simplicity. Wonderful black & white art on the walls. Service is terrific. Food is great. I had the liver and it was sensational. Everyone was happy. GO AND ENJOY. read more

We had a 7pm curtain. Orso opens at 5, exactly at 5..so 20 people are waiting outside and we all walk in together. Totally Dumbing of America. Waited 15 min for just a drink!1. Food mediocre, service slllllloooooowwww! read more

Wonderful atmosphere!! Great stop on restaurant row. The beef carpaccio and buffalo mozzarella we're delicious. I came with a group of 5 and everyone loved their pasta dishes. The white bean dip that comes with the bread was amazing. Also, gluten free options!! Great experience. read more

This hidden gem has a great warm atmosphere where smiles by the staff are sincere and constant. We had a small meal between the two of us with the Italian sausage pizza with a side of broccoli - both were amazing. The roasted broccoli was a great surprise - the flavors were something special. Would highly recommend all aspects of this place and last but not lease they are very accommodative to any time restrictions that you may have due to a show for that night. read more

Avoid the risotto. Tasted like it came out of a box at the grocery store. Terrible. Partner had rigatoni, which was ok. Either I ordered the one worst thing on the menu or this is someplace that primarily gets business because it's close to theaters. read more

Had an amazing experience at this restaurant. The food is absolutely amazing and fresh. Everything arrives piping hot and promptly. The service and staff is excellent. Received two free desserts for my birthday celebration. Just an overall special destination. You could not go wrong at this lovely restaurant. Thank you Orso!!!! read more

Food was excellent for what they have available which is half their usual menu. Yummy hearts of lettuce salad and rigatoni . No news as to when they will be fully up and running. Unfortunately the Maitre D is grumpy as usual . I feel sorry for the wait staff that has to deal with him on a daily basis. This time he was angry because we didn't want to check our coats. The people at Joe Allen are always cheerful . What's up? read more

Was galavanting around the Bryant park area and searched open table + Yelp for a good restaurant for a dinner date and what we came up with was found was Orso. What we have here is 4.5 star food and 2.5 start service. I lean toward four stars because there was not a 3 1/2 option and the chef plus the owners shouldn't suffer from poor help. Waited forever for bread -3 tables that arrived after us got bread before us. We each ordered a delicious pasta (home made fantasticness)!!! and Brussels sprouts to split. We also got served 3rd in line of ordering although one couple didn't have drinks ... so I guess that's ok. But the Brussels sprouts never came out. We had to flag down somebody else's waiter to put the order in. They came out fairly quickly and thanks to the pasta being extremely hot we were able to enjoy the meal altogether. But the fact of the brussels sprouts were on a separate bill afterword let me know that our original waitress (lousy) did not do her job properly. I could let this go at a tiny mom-and-pop joint but this a sort of upscale(ish) restaurant. I expect more in NYC with the plethora of choices nearby. Not sure if I'd return without trying somewhere else first. read more

You are in the theatre district, specifically, restaurant row...just like Becco, across the street, the food is decent, and the ambiance older and mostly tourists and day trippers....they get a LOT of customers, because the equation is very simple--tons of tourists, day trippers and bridge and tunnel...so you will pretty much be full all the time......look, it's decent food and decent service........but, way too expensive for what it is--seriously, it's pasta.... read more

Went to Orsos based on reviews. If you go to a restaurant just for service then I would give Orsos four stars. We were a party 4 and had three pasta dishes and a fish entree. When we left, we all came to the same conclusion that the food was mediocre at best and overpriced. The local italian restaurants that my wife and I patronize in our town on Long Island do a far better job in there food preparation and are more reasonably priced. For our next trip to a show in the city I will not be considering Orsos for dinner. read more

My brother-in-law and I had one fine meal at Orso this past weekend. Excellent waitstaff person who recommended the halibut and quail, as well as the right wines to compliment the cuisine. We were not rushed and had a wonderful time. Also had the added bonus of noting that Stanley Tucci was enjoying his meal, too in the back room. Walt R. read more

Food was marginal, as was service. How could they possibly screw up pizza! And the Risotto was like mush - chef boy r dee style. If you can't cook Italian food in NY how are you in business, oh yeh, theatre district for tourists. Anyone that thinks this is good Italian food probably benchmarks it with Olive Garden (which is better by the way). read more