Wonderful restaurant! Beautiful interior! And above all else, absolutely delicious food! I was first brought to Rucola by friends who were so excited to have this great new addition to their neighborhood. I have since been back no less than 3 times! (in the short time they have been open, this means I'm a HUGE fan). The menu that some described as being too short is entirely seasonal and fresh, has been different every time I have been, and is quite complete as of my last dinner. Last night, an amazing Pork Loin was the perfect combination to a rich and unctuous Bucatini. The salads are to die for, and this might be the only place in the city where you can have a delicious wine for less than $30! Speaking of price, I have never paid more than $40 per head (appetizers are around $9/10 and entrees $17-20), including wine and desert (so good! save some room). Portions are straight out of Italy, enough for a normal appetite, might want to go appetizer, entree and desert if you are feeling ravenous. I recommend 100%. Dining here is wonderfully pleasant, service is great. Mosey down to that lovely corner, and open your eyes for the beautiful plants that decorate their facade. Love it! read more

Walked in at 9 pm, 2 of us. Cute small place with cosy ambiance. Great wine list even if a bit over priced for some of the wines. Rosso di Montefalco priced like a Sagrantino. A bit too much. I have a good value for money bottle of Negroamaro. The bottle was a bit too warm for a young wine that it should be served at 14 C if not too tannic. Small menu, which is better than a long one. I would have had more pasta choices and not just 2. The restaurant claims to be Italian. Finocchiona and veal spiedini to start. Finocchiona is a fennel flavored salami, originally from Tuscany. It was definitely sliced too thin. For us italian is a bit frustrating to feel the bread over the charcuterie. Veal spiedini, excellent. I thought of my nonna style. Average the strozzapreti pasta. Duck with wild rice, artichokes and rhubarb. Perfectly cooked. I didn't like the pannacotta, it was more what we call Lattaiolo. The consistency was too creamy and felt like a yogurt. Good combination with pistacchio nuts and rhubarb sauce tough. Service was slow but I enjoy it like that so I was pleased. Bill, $ 109.00 excluded gratuity... read more

I love this place! I called them about an hour before on a Saturday night trying to get in for dinner with a group of 6 people. They said it was busy, but they would try their best to accommodate us. I mentioned that one of the people in the party was elderly (my grams!) and they said that they definitely didn't want her to wait, so if we could be there in a 30 minutes, they would hold a table for us. We ended up being there in more like an hour because my grandmother isn't as quick as she used to be, and they immediately sat us at a big table in the back. I was so sure they would have given our table away as the place was packed, but they honored our reservation ..even though we were late! So impressive. Everyone was so warm and friendly, and the food was delicious! I had the pasta with walnut pesto (I don't even like pesto, and I loved this!) The best was their tomato salad with potatoes and greens. The overall vibe of this place was just so warm and cozy, lit up by candles- we all felt so at home. I would highly recommend this place to anybody looking for a cozy, quaint, no frills rustic italian spot! read more

Great neighborhood joint. Went here recently for a birthday party and it really worked for a group. Nice vibe and good food. Will definitely come back again. *** *** Edit - I've had enough. I just changed my review from 5 stars to 3 just because of this ONE GUY that works here and just has a lousy attitude. I don't know his name. Tall white guy. Short brown hair. No Glasses. I hope he reads this and knows I'm talking about him. I go here all the friggin time and - less and less lately - because this guy always ends up waiting on us and every goddamn time, he makes us feel like we are putting him out. A great waiter will make you feel comfortable and welcome. This is especially important when you are a "neighborhood joint". This guy is curt, cold and honestly makes us feel like we are bothering him or not cool enough for him to be nice and welcoming. I hope he grows out of it. Other than THAT ONE GUY - this is a lovely restaurant. read more

This has to be the most insulting and obnoxious dining experience in Brooklyn! After giving this place numerous tries because it's in our neighborhood, we have finally given up!! The rude inhospitable staff is clearly overwhelmed, overworked, and poorly suited for service as they directly curse at their customers and nearly pick fights over the simplest of questions!!! And that goes for the completely unprofessional manager as well. And they expect a 20% tip!!!! If this is what dining out in New York has come to, save your money, self respect, and sanity and order in!!!!! And NEVER EVER EAT AT RUCOLA!!!!! After leaving our name at 6pm and being promised a table at 7pm, we arrived on time to see empty tables that we were not allowed to sit at. After waiting read more

What a great place!! We were renting a place on Dean St. and the owners recommended this place. It was a short walk for us and are we glad we went. We got there a little early on a Tuesday and glad we did because by the time we left, the place was packed. We were greeted by friendly people and seated promptly. Service was great. My wife started with the leek soup and I had the Olives and a cheese plate. We shared a bottle of wine that was recommended by the waitress and it was a home run. For our mains we both had Rigatoni and again, so good. Delicious. For desert we had a salted caramel apple pie which rivaled the best. This place is terrific and a must go. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star is because the tables are quite tight together. read more

By far the best Italian I've had in as long as I can remember. The cheeses are So delicious, the veggie appetizers as well.very good wines, concise list. The summer squash pesto pasta was so incredible. Amazing flavor and so light- not a heavy pesto pasta that sits for ever in your stomach. I could've eaten another plate. The prices are not bad- it's well worth it, and the service was very good. The space is also so beautiful! I can't help but write a highly positive review. The one thing I didn't love was the Honey pie- it had a weird taste and was not as good as other honey pies I've had (like the one at smile to go in soho which is incredible). Either way, I can't wait to go again. read more

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Rucola, and it truly exceeded my expectations. The restaurant exudes a cozy, inviting atmosphere perfect for a relaxed dinner. The menu is diverse, offering an array of delicious options, but I was particularly impressed by the fresh, homemade pasta paired with rich and flavorful sauces. The intimate setting made it an ideal choice for a romantic date night, and the service was outstanding--attentive without being overbearing. I can't wait to return and enjoy another memorable meal at Rucola! read more

I wanted to bring a group of 15 People into the restaurant as an office event and told them only one person is Jewish and will bring his own food as he eat Kosher. Annie said the policy is that no food in and he can seat but not bring his own food. I told her that it is rude to invite a person and as him to look at us eating...Still refused to accept the group. So the group will not go to this place because they do not accept Jewish a co-worker and I will never go to this place !!!! Thank you Annie for the bad service read more

Went there last night before a concert at the Barclay's Center. We arrived at 4:30 which gave us enough time to investigate the wonderful menu! Dinner began at 5:30. If you're looking for AUTHENTIC northern Italian cuisine, look no further! The trout melts in your mouth! That appetizers are right out of Italy! This place is rustic, cozy, and the staff is friendly and attentive. Order a bottle of wine and enjoy! My Sicilian friend and will definitely be back! read more

Tried a yellowtail neck they cooked for a food event in Brooklyn yesterday. It was barely edible. Tasted like canned tuna fish mixed with arugula. And on top of that they were the only chefs that didn't say anything when they handed you the plate of food making it seem like you were hassling them. Keep in mind, this was an event that everyone had to pay to get in for. Easily the most disappointing dish out of all. read more

It seemed like a nice neighborhood restaurant worth trying. Service was very friendly but food was mediocre and took a very long time. I ordered the whole trout. It was bland and on the coldish side. Not sure how they came up with the idea of putting a large amount of cold olive tapenade on top of a fish that is supposed to be served hot. The result was a coldish, not very appealing fish. read more

Great location! Got impromptu brunch on a fall day, sat outside, and it was perfect. I personally wasn't a fan of the menu. The food was fine, nothing great. Small portion sizes for a restaurant (more like what you would serve yourself at home) but the prices seemed high! Difficult to get attention from the server, maybe because we were outside. read more

this place is small but you can feel lots of passion within, i booked this restaurant with my friend's help to have my engagement dinner here. they arrange it out well, thanks for all the staffs! about the food, it is delicious and fresh, we choose couple of the sides and have Whole Roasted Brook Trout and Skate for our entres. feels like home. read more

This is one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants. I pretty much like everything on their menu and the fresh pasta really makes a difference. The only complaint (but not really) is they seem to take awhile to take your order even though they seem adequately staffed. However, that will not stop me from going when I need my pasta fix. read more

The best of Brooklyn I think! I found it on Supper; Brooklyn eatery perfect catering for a slightly older crowd - pricey, small portions of traditional Italian food. An extremely cute setting in a beautiful brownstone building. Get their FREE app: http://supper.mx/places/rucola-brooklyn/ read more

Enjoyed a fantastic meal at Rucola! The cocktails were excellent -- flavorful and well-crafted. The risotto was creamy and fresh, while the chicken was tender and delicious, perfectly paired with a refreshing salad. A great spot for authentic Italian flavors and a cozy atmosphere. read more

Arrive early to ensure you get a seat at this delicious spot. The cocktails are all winners, the food is fantastic, but it all comes down to the olive oil chocolate pudding. I don't even like chocolate! But this is transcendent. Highly, highly recommend. read more

Great place and probably my favorite stop in spot in brooklyn. Chef is super talented and is always coming up with fun additions. The place is casual and comfortable and the service is always friendly. Big plus for me. read more