It's got everything you need from a classy Italian restaurant, the warm welcome, the sexy space, great wine list with a lot of excellent choices below $100. Bread sticks are addictive, pasta can be had a half portion starter, the Carbonara is amazing. This last visit we had lamb shank, delicious, veal parm, branzino. Deserts are excellent, coffee perfect. The service is old school as are the linen table cloths and napkins. A lovely treat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Top UES choice. read more

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We came here on a Sunday evening close to closing and they were very sweet and happy to seat us. Ambiance: The bar area is really nice. They have done a great job with table set up as well and I love the colored water glasses. Sandro's is great for big groups, small groups and dates. Service: everyone was very friendly. Our waiter was very helpful on giving us suggestions on what to order based on our preferences. He also gave us advice on whether certain modifications would work with our meal choices. Food: They started us off with complimentary bread and bruschetta. The bruschetta was really yummy. A classic and simple take on bruschetta which was perfectly seasoned. The bread was also nice and soft. As our entree, I got their vodka sauce with house made fettuccini. The pasta felt perfectly cooked and I really enjoyed the sauce with it. The spaghetti pomodoro was also on point. It had the right amount of pasta or sauce ratio and the sauce was really flavorful. Price: we got 4 entrees and 2 glasses of wine and our meal came out to about $50/person. read more

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I lived on the UES by this restaurant and never went until I went for an event. How embarrasing. If you live on the UES, and haven't been here, you absolutely must. It's really a gem. I went with a group. We each got different dishes. I started with the pear & walnut salad, got their signature dish the Bucatini amatriciana, and ended with the pistachio. That amatriciana was delicious. I can see why it's their signature dish. The pasta is the perfect al dente with a great bite. The sauce is just spicy enough to let you know it's there, but not spicy enough that you have steam coming out of your ears. It's the perfect balance. The desert was amazing as well. Pistachio cake was to die for - sweet - but not coyingly sweet. I think this place is amazing and I would 100% go back. It's a small place but service is fast and everyone is friendly. read more

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I went to Sandro's with my family at the suggestion of a friend. The restaurant is medium sized. We were a larger party of 8 people and were seated in the semi-private room in the back, which was nice. The ambiance was cozy. Service was just okay, I felt like we were left back there alone at times. The meal comes with breadsticks, which were great, and bread, which was good. We also got a lentil soup to start, which was fine. I tried the following dishes: Sandro's Caesar (4.5/5): I liked this Caesar salad. The lettuce was fresh, and the dressing was nice and tart. Spaghetti al Limone (4.5/5): I liked this dish a lot. It was simple, buttery, and the lemon flavor really shone through. Would order again. Spaghetti al Pomodoro (3/5): This dish was okay. I thought the pomodoro was a little acidic and lacked depth of flavor. Cacio e Pepe (1.5/5): This dish was not good. It had clearly been sitting out for a while, to the point where the sauce had solidified. The pepper flavor was weak as well. Pollo Bolognese (3/5): Without the prosciutto. This dish was okay. The chicken was breaded, and the cheese was fine. It was nothing special. Overall, I had an okay experience at Sandro's, and my dining mates would say the same. I think if I lived in this area, I would consider trying it again, but given that it's so out of the way for me, I don't know that I will return. read more

Sandros was recommended to us by the owner of a small vineyard in Frascati outside Rome. Run, don't walk. This was the most delicious and authentic Italian meal I've had since being back from Italy. Cannot wait to come back to try more dishes! We shared the Burrata appetizer, it was perfect. The roasted peppers were delicious and sweet. The balsamic they put on the table was the best I've ever had. Then we had the real Milanese and lemon pasta - both were the best versions of each I've ever had. Will be back as soon as possible! read more

Sandro's - Veal mayonnaise and pasta lemon - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I have not been here yet but have ordered from here now multiple times. Everything I had ordered so far has been tasty. The rigatoni with meat sauce, L'Avocado Red and green leaf, avocado, basil, lemon vinaigrette salad was delightful. And I had the spaghetti limone which has a lemony zesty taste to it obviously. The bread that send is tasty as well. I also got the chicken milanese which is a good portion size. It is big. Fried just the right amount and comes with arugula, and cherry tomatoes and a lemon to squeeze lemon juice if you please. read more

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A fine dining NYC chef recommended this spot to me, so when I was in the area for a holiday party, I decided to stop by for dinner with some friends. Now I have to wonder how high that chef was. This was one of the worst Italian meals I've ever had in the city--which is saying something because this city is full of bland, terrible Italian restaurants. The complimentary lentil soup we began with was probably the only thing I really liked. I should've just stuck with a big bowl of that. Instead, we decided to order a few dishes to share: the Bucatini Amatriciana (overcooked), the Spaghetti Con Vongole (watery and bitter), the Fettucine with White Veal Ragu (decent), and the Gamberi Alla Marinara (not spicy in the least, despite the menu warning otherwise). I do appreciate the complimentary lemon cookies at the end, but I wouldn't venture back here even if all of NYC's Michelin-starred chefs proclaimed it their favorite restaurant. Maybe my palate isn't refined enough? Oh well. read more

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I had been to Sandros before and although impressed by the service, I was underwhelmed by the food, especially in view of its high prices. But that was a few years ago and when I was invited to a hosted event, I read the excellent reviews and was looking forward to giving it another chance. Maybe the chef is off on Mondays. The service was still excellent but the food ( other than the salads) was disappointing. The portions were substantial and the quality of the meats seemed excellent but my veal chop and the dishes of several of the others was substantially under-seasoned. The rice balls were a particular disappointment. At least one of the party sent his dish back- for seasoning . I think more would have done so except that the host had personally selected Sandros. I have had better Italian food at several of the much less costly local restaurants in the neighborhood . read more

This was my first time to Sandro's In the Yelp era and the 86th St space. The vibe was warm. Our host, hostess and waitstaff were all lovely. We were started off with excellent bread, breadsticks and cups of tasty lentil soup. Cocktails were generous and potent. There was a good assortment of wine. We all started off with half orders of pasta. It was all excellent. I had one of the best orders of bucatini Amatriciana ever. The main dishes were good, but not up to the level of the pastas. We had chicken Bolognese, branzino and the special of veal osso buco. We were comped delicious lemon cookies for dessert. The cappuccino and affogato were very good. I'm glad to have rediscovered this UES institution. When I will return, I will order an appetizer or a salad and pasta as a main course. read more

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WHAT A FANTASTIC RESTAURANT! Food quality and portions were excellent! Host was extremely friendly and hospitable! Can't wait to go back again! read more

Sandro's - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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The curb appeal attracted me and I was so impressed! My friend knew the restaurant from its original location, and the ambience, cuisine, and service are all excellent. I came on yelp expecting to see 100% 5 stars! Dishes seemed familiar, but elevated and very purposeful. The staff was very knowledgeable and made great recommendations. I had never tried swordfish and it was YUmMY!!! read more

Sandro's - Place setting - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

The food is okay here. Came here for dinner, had the burrata with roasted peppers, escarole, the osso buco, and spaghetti vongole. The burrata was the star, which was arugula, burrata and roasted red peppers with a balsamic glaze. The Osso buco was very very tough and dry. It was also incredibly salty. The escarole was good but also VERY salty. Lastly, the vongole was ALSO too salty but the clams were cooked and cleaned well. The desserts were the standout, with the pistachio gelato and a lemon sorbet with vodka, limoncello and Prosecco. The service was a bit slow, but nice. At least we weren't being rushed through our meal. Probably come for dessert and an appetizer as it's a local establishment. read more

This isn't authentic Italian cooking. I was pleased somewhat with the Caesar Salad, but when the main dish came out. It made me nuaceous. The chicken tasted not safe to eat. I paid $66 for this fail. Lesson learned. If you are going to a great looking restuarant with pretentious prices. This is the place for you. I have a palate for fine cuisine and I rather go home hungry than eat food which should be tossed in the garbage. As luck would have it on my way home I stumbled into a small Italian restaurant. so I went to another Italian restaurant Pavin 86. The cook was made me an off the menu dish which I totally ate up. Chef David from Pavin 86, said he was taught by his grandmother. read more

Popped in here for lunch. One of the best lunch experiences I've had! Great wine selection. The sandwiches are HUGE and delicious. It was quick and the owner was so welcoming and kind. Really feels like a classic, delicious neighborhood joint! Can't recommend enough. read more

Sandro's - Piccante Mortazza - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I really like this restaurant on the UES for good quality Italian food. Came here for date night with my boyfriend and the breadsticks and soup at the beginning were a nice touch and the small cookies at the end were great, too. Giving 4 not 5 stars because we were stranded without a waiter at the end of our meal (we literally saw him leave the restaurant and we didn't get a replacement) and I had to walk up to the hostess for our bill which was odd. Overall, I'd like to sit away from the door next time but liked the food overall. read more

Sandro's - Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Good vibes at this restaurant but the food was good not great. Chicken parm was solid. The Cacio Pepe was really dry unfortunately. Portions were just okay for the price. Good restaurant overall. read more

Sandro's - Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Everything was delicious! From the warm delicious bread and bruschetta to the insanely delicious burrata and tomatoes. We enjoyed each dish and course more than the last. Just returned home from Rome and came here and was blown away. read more

Birthday dinners were excellent! Great service! Pastas included alla Norma, anatriciaba and limoges. read more

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I heard about this through a friend of a friend and it's an amazing authentic Italian restaurant. Great dates great spot for families great spot for catching up with friends. I really enjoyed it and hope to come back another day. read more

Sandro's Our first visit to Sandro's was so very good. The warmth and attentiveness of the staff was exceptional. From the host and hostess, to the waiter, to the busboys, everyone is on top of their game. Our excellent waiter made spot on wine, appetizer and entree recommendations. The lemon pasta was very yummy. The halibut special was delicious, perfectly cooked in a tasty, light sauce. The thinly sliced ribeye over broccoli rabe was simple, plain and thoroughly enjoyed. The atmospheric warmth and "neighborhood gem" vibe was palpable. (Sadly, it's not in our neighborhood.) The birthday cookies and grappa were lovely, complimentary additions to an already great meal. Sandro's is worth the 30 block uber ride, even on a frigid January evening.... We will happily return. read more

Simple, elegant, high quality and delicious. After two years of slumming the UES through a handful of overhyped and overpriced subpar Italian restaurants, I finally found a gem. Sandro's brings to life real Italian food through using high quality ingredients, coupled with perfect execution. It drives me insane when Italian restaurants serve overcooked low quality pasta. I've been to Sandro's twice so far, and they make the perfect noodle. I would describe it as a bouncy al dente. The spaghetti limone is enough to make you want to go back, but all their pasta's are great. Very balanced, not overly saucy and again, super fresh. In addition to making the best pasta on the UES, they have created a very pleasant dining experience. It is a family ran restaurant, so you are greeted by the original owner and then receive a visit from the second generation Sandro who is a killer sommelier. Both times I went, he pushed me away from ordering a typical Antinori wine and directed me to two unfamiliar producers, one time for a Dolcetto and another for a Barbera d'alba. He was so confident in his wine choice that he said that if I didn't like the wine, then he would grab me the original bottle I ordered. Anyway, both wines were spectacular and very reasonably priced. For a wine person like myself, it just makes me smile. Moving on, the meal opens with delicious bread sticks and bruschetta, and they close it with a fresh baked lemon cookie and I believe grappa. The little touches that create value and show you that they truly care about your experience. Great food, great environment, solid service, probably my favorite restaurant on the UES. read more

Sandro's - Spaghettini al Limone Bucatini Amatriciana clam sauce - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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We ate here for the first time last week and had a great time. The food and service were fantastic. We will return for sure.

We've been wanting to visit Sandro's since pre-pandemic and happy to see this place open and thriving. We had a nice table outside. While the service abs food was amazing only thing is with the spaghetti with clams was not as expected. My expectation of this dish is of fresh clams in their shells however what we got were chopped up pieces of clams and mussels that were not very fresh. Definitely do not recommend this. However, we loved the veal parm, Caesar salad and octopus salad! read more

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Great service and so many little treats - bruschetta, help with the menu, tons of little surprise treats and the most helpful staff Got the pennette and it was very delicious - so fresh! read more

Sandro's - Pennette Francescana - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Very lovely neighborhood Italian restaurant. Nice decor, fairly quiet ambiance. Food generally fine (wonderful olive oil on the table!) and nicely served. Companion loved the swordfish. I found the caccio e pepe pasta lacking - not very well prepared and lacking in pepe! A decent choice, especially if this is your neighborhood. read more

Some of the best service in Manhattan. We came for Aperitivo Hour and had some Spritzes and snacks. This is the place to come for classy but casual happy hour, it's a timeless dining style. It's all very European, from the menu items, to the free lemon cookies and shots that our wonderful server brought us, to the overall atmosphere. We had a wonderful experience. Thank you, Tomas! read more

Sandro's - Hugo Spritz, Aperol Spritz, burrata & tomatoes - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Wow! This restaurant was very unassuming when you first walk in, but everything from the service, to the food, to the authentic experience you get here cumulates to an experience you cannot miss. There were only a couple tables set up outside this UES establishment, and only ~10 tables indoors, all separated by empty tables for distancing. Two of us went on a Sunday evening for a date night, and it was a perfect ambiance a quiet and romantic night. There was no music playing and it was a quiet little restaurant. We had our temperatures checked upon arrival and were seated immediately. The hosts and the servers were definitely a highlight of this restaurant. So friendly and welcoming! They served us complimentary breadsticks and bread upon sitting. We ordered glasses of moscato and a cabernet based on the server's recommendation. For appetizers, we had the bruschetta and the burrata (pictures attached)- both delicious! For our main course, we had their highly recommended dish, the spaghetti al limone, which did not disappoint, and the potatoes. We weren't going to order dessert, but they brought us complimentary lemon cookies and pear affogatos! So nice, and a rare wonderful touch for a NYC restaurant. We will definitely be returning soon! Highly recommend. read more

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Next level to the max. Top 5 meal in the city if you sit down and do it right. Best Italian in NYC by many accounts, my own included. Everything is incredibly rich and wonderful. Seafood dishes have an incredible ocean brine taste to each... meat is INCREDIBLE.. and pasta was over the top. Just an incredible meal with amazing service. One of the nicest places on the upper East side by far, and also in all of Manhattan. Total game changer. read more

Sandro's - White truffle pasta special. Absurd. - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Had just gotten to town and was looking for a smaller Italian dinner restaurant. Read online reviews of Sandro's and decided to give it a try and made reservations ahead of time. Located on the Upper East Side, this Roman trattoria fit the bill. Upon arrival, we were immediately seated. And although they had reserved another table for 2, it was next to a large table celebrating a birthday and they moved us away to a more quiet table. Nice! Ambiance is casual, yet loud with families and friends enjoying dinner. They immediately brought waters, breadsticks, and warm lentil soup to warm up. We also ordered a Tuscan bottle of wine. Prosciutto e melone. This was a special this evening and the aged prosciutto was savory paired with sweet melon. Bucatini Amatriciana w/tomato sauce, onion & pancetta. Thick, fresh spaghetti noodles and a rich thick sauce of cured pork and tomatoes. Delicious. Affogato Vanilla ice cream w/espresso. My favorite mix of bitter and sweet and a little pick me up. Our server was friendly and attentive. A wonderful spot for dinner. read more

Sandro's - Affogato - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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The spaghetti limone was so so good!! Super creamy, and the perfect amount of sour. Really really good and would totally recommend. Although I did add black pepper to the dish because I like that flavor, and it was a great add!! read more

Last night was our first time here but won't be our last. The service was amazing, Edwin was our server and was very sweet. We had 2 cocktails at the bar, both the old fashioned and espresso martini were great. The two pastas were hot and delicious. Great portions. They split the veal in half for us, the below is a half order. Very large. Will be back in the near future. read more

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Loved our dinner at Sandro's. The cacio e pepe and the rigatoni were very delicious and the prosciutto was paper thin, very fresh and just melted in our mouths. Lovely host and a friendly bartender that was on point with his recommendations and cocktails. The restaurant is cozy and modern. Sandro's moved to the area from their old home on 81st street and we are glad that they did! We'll be back. read more

Love coming back to Sandro's all the time! When the boss is in, it's the best. Pro tip - listen carefully to the specials and what's recommended to order off the menu. Never disappoints. The service is great, staff is extremely friendly and always goes an extra step! On top of that, our favorite time is during the US Open with our friends! :) See you guys soon!! read more

Had small party there in private room at the back. Good Italian wine selection. Food was wonderful, all we had heard about. Service was friendly, attentive and totally professional. Absolutely the kind of eating place for any occasion. read more

Delicious food and amazing service. I ordered a rigatoni with bolognese pasta and chicken Parmesan to split with my friend and they gave us two well split large portions. Can't recommended it enough! read more

Had high expectations given the reviews and was sadly disappointed. The service was great, complimentary soup, grappa and dessert - servers were very attentive and helpful - but the food was subpar at best. Had the $28 prosciutto and burrata - was sour. Rigatoni and meatballs - sauce was completely lacking in flavor and the meatballs had no moisture. Papradelle and wild boar - boar was chewy as was the homemade pasta - taste more like egg noodles and stew. Maybe the name has a following which is why there are so many positive reviews - maybe chef retired? Ambiance was nice though! "grandpa would call it cafeteria food" - a service industry veteran read more

EXCELLENT meal, all around! Food was exceptional and delicious and service was great. What a beautiful neighborhood gem!

Came here specifically for the off menu legendary Cacio y Pepe made by the owner himself. Service here was phenomenal. For starters, they provided bread with an interesting jalapeno topping. They also provided really long, thin, and crispy breadsticks, not really sure what name these are referred by. This spot had a laundry list of specials, which I find a little insane to require a waiter to remember, but I ended up getting two starters before ending with the cacio y pepe. First up was octopus in a nice hot pepper sauce. Perfect texture and the sauce was really good. I soaked up a lot of it with the bread too. Then I had some squid ink gnocchi. Was rather good as well, though I'm not sure the ink added much to the dish. The cacio y pepe was good, but not as good at the CyP at Lupa, where I was first introduced to the dish. I was stuffed after all of that and skipped dessert, but they also provided some complimentary lemon cookies with powdered sugar on top. A fine touch. Definitely a nice neighborhood Italian spot that I think would be perfect for groups or just a night out with the Mrs. read more

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Very mediocre , food , The galletto alla diavola was deep fried the tiramisu was mostly whip cream , Very poor atmosphere . And poor dishes . read more

Started off great when they opened, pricey and very yummy and justifiable Well a month later braised lamb 4-5 oz small portion turns out to be lamb neck respectable preparation but mostly neck bone (where's the meat) I got 3 bites of meat 70% bones BTW lamb necks cost $4.00 -$5.00 per lb/ Not a $55.00 entree with a bit of mashed potatoes It was a special but the server neglected to tell me the price or cut of meat or cut of bone in my case Service good still, ambiance lovely food well you decide, my table will be available for a long while read more