This is one of the many Italian places in the surrounding neighborhood and I went here a good while ago with a small group. The staff was friendly and the inside has a nice atmosphere with somewhat dim lighting so my hastily taking photo of a special pasta did not come out well at all. I didn't have a drink though they do have a nice wine selection along with cocktails and a full coffee bar. They gave some warm bread which was tasty. Our shared appetizer was the Chef's selection of cheese, meat and vegetable antipasti for $27. It was a nice mix with Pecorino, Salame Napoli, Prosciutto, Eggplant Caponata, Castelvetrano Olives, Pickled Fennel, and I believe one other meat and one other cheese along with a jam (I believe fig) and some toast points. The portion size was decent and it would be good to split between two or three people with the pickled fennel being a unique option with the caponata being good quality. We enjoyed it overall and it went well with the general bread along with the toast points. My pasta was a special of the day so I don't have an exact description but it was a ragu of some type with some ricotta on top and I presume it was around $28 or so. I remember the pasta texture being alright (could have been more al dente) and the flavor was pretty good. Compared to other pasta places in the area, I think Gersi has better quality pasta and there's other spots which charge less or have bigger portions which are just as good quality if not better. The food was overall good/decent. Nothing particularly over the top to justify the price point outside of the neighborhood and design. read more

Rucola - Bad photo of an alright pasta special. Nice ricotta in particular. Decent ragu - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Food is delicious, nice atmosphere with dim lighting, good selection of cocktails but I have to say the service isn't the best or the friendliest, which made me have to take 1 star off read more

Walked in around 5:40pm and were seated right away. The restaurant filled up by around 7pm. The restaurant is dimly lit Ordered the rigatoni, fusilli, and burrata. The burrata was refreshing and relatively good. The bread was warmed up. The pasta took quite a while to come out. The rigatoni was quite salty due to the meat. The fusilli was on the sweeter side, but not bad. These were the only two pasta options on the menu. Would not recommend ordering the rigatoni. Overall a really average dining experience. read more

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A really lovely setting in Brooklyn for brunch. I met a friend for lunch on a Tuesday about 2:30pm, an hour before closing. The waiter was very friendly and let us sit at the corner restaurant by the windows. We both had the escarole salad with tuna. Delicious! I ordered a mocktal which showed up lte so he comped it. A very nice gesture! Great place for brunch/lunch. read more

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Few can deny the charm of these sections of Cobble Hill and Clinton Hill in the late evening, when the canopied streets get dark and are lit by the occasional candelit corner restaurant. Rucola is one such moody establishment, and even if we had some qualms about the food, the vibes are undeniably pristine. We shared the sweet potato salad and the pesto garganelli. My favorite bite was the breaded goat cheese in the sweet potato salad, which I distributed over the greens to lend a bit of decadence. The pasta didn't leave any strong impressions - perhaps only a bit of enjoyable crunch from the asparagus. read more

Rucola - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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What a fun spot to grab drinks and dinner! We came here to celebrate with some friends through a recommendation and it did not disappoint! This place has such a cool ambiance. The drinks were on point and service was outstanding. My only regret is that I don't live locally, because it would be my Friday night go to. Thanks for a great evening! read more

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First off, the food is really good. But they do not offer good service. Our reservation was delayed (over 30 minutes). A table opened up and they told us we couldn't have it as it was reserved for6. They then set it for 4 and after a little sat 2 people. Most unfortunate: our table of 4 only got 3 of our orders. They completely forgot the meal for one of our party. It eventually came after the rest of us were about finished. No apology. They took it off the bill but very very poor and no effort to offer any further hospitality. Love having it in the neighborhood but they could try to treat their guests better. read more

The vibes in this restaurant is truly immaculate!! I would highly recommend this spot for a cozy dinner vibe, especially if you want to lean in real close to your date (hehe) not only are the vibes 10/10, the but the food is sooooo scrumptious. Definitely a favorite local spot in this area read more

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Pretty good restaurant in Boerum Hill. Would allow yourself some time to get seated as the restaurant doesn't get take reservations. Maybe have another local bar lined up to wait at. Food was great. Ambiance could be a little better - tight quarters, kind of loud. Staff was nice and helpful on the menu. We ordered the following: Squash and trumpet mushrooms Brussels sprouts Potato croquets with caviar - very very good Duck breast - very thin slices but good Rigatoni bolognese - average/below average. No depth in flavor Butter sage casarecce - pretty good Apple pie - very good Biscotti with chocolate chips - dry but good with the cappuccino Tequila cocktails - excellent Negroni was good Ordered a Barolo if I recall that was very good Great spot and would come back if there wasn't a huge wait read more

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This is a small local restaurant with lots of charm. Great wine and cheese selection. I had the whole roasted brook trout which was phenomenal! I would come back just for that. The only downside is the menu is a little limited and I was kind of disappointed they didn't have any special when we were there. But the food we did share was all very good. I would skip the sunchokes next time. read more

Rucola - Whole Roasted Brook Trout - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Excellent atmosphere, food and service! Interesting cocktail selection. I'll be delighted to hurry back!

I visited on a Saturday night and it was very busy but the host fit my friend and me in. The bread was very good and helped considerably since the wait time was very long. The dishes that we ordered were very tasty although the portions were not big. The ambience was very romantic, although it didn't seem so because there were so many people and a lot of noise. The quality of the food was great. I just didn't like that the place was so small and the wait time was so long. The portions could have also been bigger, but the quality was not compromised, which I appreciate. read more

If you want to impress a special someone and appreciate small plates of amazing Italian food together, THIS is the SPOT! For starters, every mouth feel you can imagine is present in their burrata with spicy sausage, marinated roasted red pepper, and toasted rustic bread. Follow that with a cacio de pepe made richer by the little fatty bits of guanciale that will swirl around your tongue. Up the ante with their porchetta covered in celery and fennel salad. One of the best pork chops you will ever eat. Close out your evening with an olive oil dark chocolate pudding. It's lighter than you think and beckons to be shared. You're welcome! read more

Rucola - Burrata, oofa! - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

My wife dined there this last Sunday night because we enjoyed our previous experience. our initial server was very nice and friendly but our food was served by the manager and she was NOT friendly or nice. She rushed our meal and although we liked the food we would reconsider eating there again if she is working. read more

Had a lovely ladies night dinner at Rucola recently. Loved the vibe - simple but cute with lots of wood a wrought iron. Definitely a cute spot. We had some wine and shared a chef selection of charcuterie- it was well paired and enough for 3 people. We also had the brisket and the shells and Brussels sprouts. Everything was well cooked and tasty. Very cute spot hidden away from the hustle and bustle. Will go back. read more

Rucola - Menu - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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If you're craving an intimate dinner, there's no better spot in this neighborhood! I go at least once a month, the food is fantastic! Also they have a daily cocktail special that never stays for more than a day, it's always a great surprise. Last one I had was a pomegranate daiquiri, I still think about it. Kevin kills it behind the bar, be sure to ask for their lemoncello if you visit read more

This Italian spot came highly recommended to me from one of their regulars. It did not disappoint! Their menu is small, but absolutely everything is divine! Except their arugula salad- there was nothing special about this. In fact, it could have used cheese or more than 1/2 a radish;) Back to the good stuff- your table is very close to your neighbors table... which makes sneaking peaks at what they ordered so much easier;) We were between 2 pasta dishes and we finalized our answer by seeing what the table next to us ordered! The lighting is incredible- everyone looks so sultry! This is a great 2nd or 3rd date spot! In fact we saw a few "early dates" in the restaurant. Good luck to them! I wished I lived closer because I would definitely make this my neighborhood spot. Thanks to my friend Melanie for introducing me- she's a regular here! read more

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It's not bad but ok. Salad was great, fish was pretty fresh and soft. The pasta was a little on the salty side read more

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A lovely neighborhood spot! My friends and I all live around here and we met up for brunch around 10am. It was quiet, cozy, and charming! The staff was very friendly and helpful. We shared the French toast, salad, and two breakfast plates. The food and coffee were great. I would recommend this place to anyone who wants a peaceful, Saturday morning brunch :) read more

Rucola - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Cute Brooklyn neighborhood restaurant. Very tight seating. The Risotto and Fusilli were very good. This place is pricey ($200 for 2 risotto and 2 fusilli plates and ginger beers). Can we have some light please? Why is it so dark? read more

Cozy, intimate, and yummy food. We happened upon this restaurant while hanging out in the area, and it was a great find! I got lumache, which was pretty hearty with the panko crust and greens topped over it. It took a bit for the food to come out, which was expected since the store was pretty busy when we got there. read more

Rucola - Lumache - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Absolute gem for dinner in Brooklyn heights! I didn't see a place for reservations so I just arrived and it wasn't too bad to get a seat for dinner however I do remember seeing it packed on weekends and throughout the summer because it's such a beautiful location. (And you know everybody in brownstone neighborhoods love a restaurant in the corner) We had the best server and really enjoyed our time here and just felt very cozy and inspired with the decor and the way we were treated! The vibes were amazing! We started out with some bread, which was so soft and tasty. Their olive oil really hit the spot. It was super flavorful. We had the crudo, clams and the salad to start and I must say the crudo is here is probably the best crudo I've had out of many Italian restaurants I've had and I was so impressed and it was so flavorful. The salt they use is so high quality and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The escarole salad was also so so good- it was so fresh and tart but the cheese cut it beautifully. Possibly the best salad I've had in a long time. They use a lemon wildflower vinaigrette and it had the best flavor to pair with the toasted almonds. The clams had a really interesting tomato sauce. Slightly bitter, it tasted very good when it's used in minimal amounts. Perfect for clams because you don't need to douse your clam with sauce to get that aromatic flavor. For main entree we ended up sharing the special which was a truffle carbonara and it is only available for winter season. Literally blew my mind. They left us a plate of salt and a pepper shaker and we added a little and it was perfection. The noodles were cooked so well and felt so springy and the truffle was beautiful. It wasn't heavy which is usually the case with many pastas but it was more on the light side which was what I was looking for! Spot on! In the end of the meal, we wanted to try a dessert since you can't leave without one especially after a really great meal. The chocolate pudding almost tasted like if you were making a really good cake and you wanted some batter. The fresh whipped cream paired so well with it and I can whole heartedly say that was the best pudding I had. I loved this whole experience and will definitely be coming back to try another pasta special! And to relive my memories with the crudo. read more

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Just the perfect, cozy dinner or brunch spot. They also have a place about a block and a half away named Anais, that's great for wine, or a coffee or pastry during the day. read more

Tasty, cozy brooklyn spot. We came here in a group and were seated after about 10 minutes. They have a long communal table in the middle of the restaurant so be prepared to sit next to other parties and get cozy. Food is great, we ordered a few apps and the scallops and bolognese pasta for our main. Everything was good and comforting. Service is solid. Great wine list by the bottle or glass as well! read more

Food was Blah, not much to it. Not much food options. Nice but very dim ambiance. Very Long Seating Time, Expensive for no reason.

This Carroll gardens restaurant is mostly amazing. I'm basing this review of 2 visits. Visit #1 Me: flank steak Friend: shell pasta (I think) Dessert to share: four and twenty blackbirds Apple pie. Amazing experience. The outdoor space was comfortable. Menu available in print at the front and via your smart phone and the QR code. I loved my steak. It was at a great temp and done to perfection. I tasted my friends pasta and it was amazing as well. The apple pie was so good that i was craving apple pie for the rest of the week. This needed an encore, correct. Visit #2 I recognize that this is wasn't a big deal and I didn't really mind too much, I think they were just setting up their more covered outdoor space. I understand this is a new thing for restaurants as we have colder weather but it's still safer to dine outdoors. We waited 10 minutes for them to set up their lights. The space was still very cold. It was the beginning of lunch but this needs some adjusting. The food was very slow to come out. And the steak was cold. The slices were thinner than last time. We had 2 hours available to eat and much of the time was spent waiting. So I had no time to send back my steak. It tasted good but the experience overall was disappointing, especially in comparison to the first time. We had to take the dessert to go since it took a while for it to come out. Still worth a shot. read more

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We came in to put our name down on the list and we were called 2 hours later that a table was ready. The space inside is small but they fit a lot of seats in there. The service was great, they have wonderful recommendations. A bottle of wine is a must and their pasta - get the rigatoni. We ordered the rigatoni twice, it was so good. Also the chocolate pudding was so rich - we shared it amongst three people. I highly recommend it but call ahead for a sense of the wait. read more

Rucola - Rigatoni, Beef brisket - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This is a great local/neighborhood Italian spot. It's perfect for date night or small groups! They've pretty much doubled their seating with their added outdoor areas (corner restaurant ftw !), but now that temps are dropping, I'd still rather sit inside. The only downside is they have one long table in the middle, and tend to squish multiple parties on there. Both times we've come, we were seated very closely to the people next to us. So, I'd recommend making a reservation to snag one of the private tables! I believe they have a rotating menu, at least for their pastas! They only have 2 pastas, but you'd think that means they've perfected it? If you're going to start with charcuterie, I think I'd recommend getting the chef's selection if you want more bang for your buck. However, if you're picky and want to choose your meats and cheeses.. just know that the portions are very small. Our favorite app is the octopus!! Nice crisp on the outside, and actually pairs well with the potatoes, crispy meat pieces, and sauce. Most recently, we tried their risotto with mushrooms, kale, and butternut squash. YUM very hearty, but not too heavy! The shells pasta was lackluster for us. The cauliflower was a bit too mushy, but at least pasta was not overly al dente! read more

I'm new to the neighborhood and established this as a regular spot yesterday. Outdoor dining is prime people/cyclist-watching, plus soak-in-the-season time. All over a glass of Lambrusco, divine. They give you perfect chewy, pillowy Focaccia(?) and Olive Oil - I could eat a loaf of this, and asked for another slice to mop up our sauces at meal close. They obliged, a highlight! We ordered Escarole Salad, 3 Vegetable Antipasti, Lumache and Garganelli Pastas. The texture of fresh pasta just can't be beat - trust them wholeheartedly here on using best sauce and seasonal veg. Of the Antipasti, I'd skip the Pickled Fennel (flavor's great, it's just a tough format!) and try the Giardiniera next time. Salut! read more

Rucola - Lumache, Garganello, and Vegetable Antipasti - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Wow wow wow, brunch is to die for and I love the broad menu that fits any group!! What a fun place to go for delicious food.

After walking past Rucola many, many times over the past couple months, we finally tried it when we had a big occasion to celebrate! It was so good that we went back within the same week. Seriously. There is almost always a wait, so we decided to come a little bit later in the evening and were seated right away inside. The ambiance is cozy and delightful. I love the lit candles and dark atmosphere. It's fantastic for a date night. We decided to go whole hog and started with the burrata/nduja plate, and we each got a pasta dish. Additionally, they bring the most flavorful, delicious bread to the table with a small bit of olive oil to dip. We devoured it. I could eat that bread forever. The burrata and nduja plate was the perfect start to our meal. The sausage was so flavorful and the burrata was perfect! I got the pumpkin pasta dish (I forget the name) and he got the fennel/sausage pasta dish. The pumpkin pasta was your classic fall pasta dish - pumpkin, sage, pecorino with fresh pasta. It was so, so good. I am not a fan of fennel, so I didn't personally enjoy my boyfriend's dish, but he raved about it. Plates were cleaned very, very quickly. We were told by friends to save room for the chocolate pudding dessert, and we were so glad we did. It comes in a glass topped with whipped cream, salt, and a dash of olive oil and WOW it is so delicious. We are dessert lovers, and it would be amazing if we could just pop in for the pudding, it was that good. I can't believe we waited so long to try Rucola, because it's top notch and I can't wait for my next visit! They are also open at 8am for breakfast and serve lunch as well, so there are tons of opportunities to dine here. read more

Went here for brunch, which is probably not their forte, but food came out of the kitchen lukewarm (toast was cold), and they do that very annoying thing of not letting vegetarians sub out bacon for avocado (why, because 1/4 of an avocado is more expensive than high quality bacon? I don't think so). Atmosphere was good, though, and I'd be open to giving them another shot. read more

A friend and I stopped by Rucola around 6PM this past weekend. There were already plenty of people seated inside, but still some tables available, including the large communal one in the middle of the restaurant. The restaurant is cozy and warm, and by that, I really mean it is TINY. Everyone is literally on top of each other, which wasn't okay pre-pandemic and certainly isn't in the midst of one. There is a covered outdoor situation though, everyone working was 100% masked up and we were asked for proof of vaccination upon arrival. With that being said, I think Rucola is a very nice neighborhood restaurant with quality food. Sure some things could be improved upon but this isn't Michelin star dining. I had the Shells [$23] and my friend had the Rigatoni. I do love a house made pasta which, this in fact, was. The shells were a little too al dente for my liking. Could the pasta have been cooked maybe like a minute more? Yes. Could I make house made pasta at home? No. This is still a win. Upon first bite, you did get a pow of cauliflower and then intermittently, there would be a surprise caper in your mouth. The breadcrumbs made me feel like I was eating a decadent pasta bake and the lemon was a nice reminder that I'm still alive and love the nuisances of food. We also shared a plate of marinated olives [$4] and the Robiola [$10]. I probably could have gotten the same olives and cheese at Sahadi's [LOL] but it's all about the experience of sharing food. I liked the smattering of chili flakes on the olives and the robiola was a nice fresh goat cheese with some fruit preserves on the side. The complimentary focaccia bread though was A++, baked to perfection and slightly salty. I asked for a second basket. This is a very tight menu all around and there were three options for dessert, one being the Four and Twenty Blackbirds chocolate and pecan pie [$7]. We ordered that. It was fine, I like pie and I like chocolate. There was fresh whipped cream on the side. I'd have probably gone with the chocolate pudding since it was specific to the restaurant. I also had a very nice glass of red wine [$20], supposedly it was from some special bottle they opened and were serving glasses of it. It was fruity and light. I wish I remembered the name. The bill came to $63 each after tax and tip. It was a satisfying meal, not overly expensive, and I'm especially grateful that I didn't have to eat something again from my own kitchen. read more

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Bummer - was very excited to try this place and we sat down and were left unattended for 18 minutes. Not a server came over and asked us for drinks or food. We were waving our arms for attention and absolutely nothing. We finally told the host we needed to leave and he said "okay:" read more

The food is delicious, but the "manager" is absolutely unbearable. I've never had a more unhelpful and negative interaction with a front-of-the-house staff member in any restaurant, in any country or city, at any time. It's really too bad, since the wait staff is always lovely and the food is delicious as I've mentioned above, but having to deal with this troglodyte makes coming here impossible. So, you've lost a loyal neighborhood customer. Based on other recent reviews, it seems this isn't an isolated incident, so good luck with everything. read more

Thanksgiving lunch for 9. Winner - pumpkin ricotta lasagna Charcuterie board - decent, pickled veggies were tasty Turkey - ok Salad - delicious! Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pecan pie - amazing with a chocolate layer above the crust Haven't been here for the regular menu but the lasagna has made a statement about the pasta. A few friends have also recommended so I'm looking forward to returning for dinner. Ambiance is warm and charming. Love the decor, lighting and wood ceilings. There is also a bar for those dining in smaller parties. read more

Went for brunch and was certainly crowded. Waited about 15 minutes or so. Food was excellent. I had the steak and eggs and was able to try a hash brown and a piece of French toast. Also, the chocolate pudding is dark and not overly sweet, and the whipped cream had olive oil on it and it worked. read more

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A bit heart-broken as I had high hopes for Rucola to be my go-to restaurant but as a former restaurant owner myself, I felt that owner Henry Rich and the managers at Oberon Group Project should know how me and my girlfriend were recently treated. I ate at Rucola for the first time early summer and the food was fantastic and the wait staff professional and welcoming. All summer long, my girlfriend and I talked about getting back to Rucola for another meal. This past Saturday Sept. 17 was the day for meal #2 which was actually my girlfriend and I's one year anniversary, so we were looking for someplace romantic and special and chose Rucola. We were running late, called the restaurant to make sure kitchen would be open, staff said they'd be open till 1130 and we arrived at 11pm. Upon arrival, was rudely told by the managers on duty, both males, that the kitchen was closed and basically too bad. I told the managers that I had called before and just driven across Brooklyn to get there but again "too bad". Managers wouldn't make eye contact, didn't stop what they were doing and it was clear they were hell bent on closing shop. I thought about making more of a stink but saw the kitchen staff breaking down the kitchen and turned to leave with my girlfriend. Getting ready to leave, the manager behind the bar, without looking up from the glass he was drying stated in a snarky and cynical manner "Have a good night, kids!!" I really wanted to turn around and say something in return but didn't want to ruin my anniversary night. Any case, it's been a long time since I've been treated so rudely and with this much disrespect. In no way should these two managers be the front of the house and the face of Rucola. I can only imagine how they treat the kitchen and wait staff. Given their rude snarky attitude, I will never eat at Rucola again. Plenty of other choices in Brooklyn where the front of house staff is kind, welcoming and happy to have you as a guest. Mr. Rich, as a former owner, please look into these managers as they are going to run all of your hard work and investment into the ground!! read more

I loved their food.so happy we went here.Plog loves it!There pasta was amazing and the squash was wonderful

My friend lives a block away and walks by all the time so asked if we would try it out with him. When we arrived, we were greeted by friendly staff and a cute ambience. Although there were so many people working, I was a bit confused at first if just one of them was our server or if we could order from anyone. We decided to order the chefs selection of meats, cheeses, and vegetables as an appetizer to share. The platter was much smaller than I expected for $27. I liked the eggplant and the sauce that tasted like apples, but everything else was just alright for me and did not taste much different than some of the meats and cheeses I pick up from Trader Joe's. After a quite long wait, the burrata came out. I was not really a fan as I've had much tastier burrata elsewhere. After an even longer wait, our pasta and our chicken dishes came out. The chicken was a bit dry and the pasta texture wasn't great. For this price point, I won't be coming back. read more

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