We took our mom here for a belated joint birthday celebration, and a lovely time was had. The restaurant has a sophisticated, coastal look about it that feels like a reprieve from the blistering summer heat; perfect for a celebration. Our waiter, Thaddeus, was wonderful, personable, and as effervescent as my Italicus Spritz! He explained the menu beautifully, and gave genuinely great recommendations. FOOD: To start, we enjoyed some of their amazing focaccia bread with Pianogrillo olive oil--luxurious, thick, delicious cuts (my family loves bread, so take my word for it). For appetizers, we had the arancini and fried calamari (with the calamari being the standout) along with broccoli rabe on the side, which was a bit bitter, though it's possible that's how it's traditionally prepared. For mains, we also shared the pesto fusilli, and the pistachio rigatoni pastas. The latter rigatoni was a universal favorite, though next time, I would like to try one of their secondi. We finished the meal with a generous portion of tiramisu that the three of us were struggling to finish--but did, because it was simply that good. Overall, one of the best Italian restaurants I've been to in New York. Fantastic food, fantastic service. Highly recommend! read more

Sempre Oggi - Pesto fusilli, broccoli rabe, pistachio rigatoni - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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My husband and I were on the way to another spot to grab dinner when I spotted the prettiest bar through the window. As we walked back to look, there was sign for Aperitivo Hour. Done! We walked into one of the most gorgeous bars I've seen. The staff and bartender welcomed us in as we took seats at the bar. Their Aperitivo Hour menu had plenty of choices but I decided to start with a glass of spumante. The wine pours here are generous and their selection is great. My husband's negroni was also well made. The bartender (sad I didn't get his name) was so friendly. He made sure our glass was always filled. We kept seeing everyone food around us and it all looked so delicious. We ended up deciding to split the Uni Crab pasta as a snack. Delicious! The pasta was perfectly al dente. We were tempted to order another dish, but decided we would have to come back. We did get the Ogge Martini and Spritz. Both were great but the martini was so well made. I don't like gin martinis but this was so good and you couldn't taste the gin. We were so happy with our meal and the service from the bartenders was excellent. We can't wait to come back! read more

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Went back last night for our third visit. Food was great again as was the service. One comment was that the portions are small. A pasta + appetizer or salad + starch is a small meal. So unless you have a light appetite I would recommend 4 courses. Ambiance is still great read more

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Wow. Enjoyed the restaurant week dinner on a Saturday - it's a MUST! Service was impeccable, we never felt rushed between the courses or like we needed to get out quickly. The spaghetti was done so well and the rigatoni was one of the best pastas I've had in a long time. Definitely recommend !! read more

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Very good Italian place. Large venue and nicely laid out. Definitely bigger than a typical Manhattan restaurant. Good value in the price fixe menu for 45 dollars. Went with the Straciatella with snow peas and toast. Was great. Main was pasta in a pistachio sauce. Really excellent. Followed up with their excellent tiramisu. Highly recommend it! read more

We came here because we were walking by and noticed they have a happy hour. We sat at the bar which had a nice anesthetic. The 10 dollar cocktails and wines were delicious. I didn't get our bartenders name but he was excellent. We tried the uni crab pasta which was delicious. We will definitely come back. read more

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Great ambience and service nice space and bar. The salmon Crudo was very good. The standout was the Bronzino. The Bucatini was also delicious. The only wine I had was the Chardonnay, which was also very good. I will definitely be back to this place. I don't get up to the upper west side often but definitely worth the trip. read more

3.5 stars. Had a pretty average experience compared to my stellar first time a year ago. We were seated relatively quickly and put in our order. For our appetizers, we had the crispy artichokes, the bib, lettuce salad, and the strattaciella with beets. Everything was lacking serious seasoning. The beats with cheese had no flavor at all. No salt, no olive oil, no vinaigrette, just liquidy cheese with a few slices of beets on top. Not good, don't know where they were going with this one. The bib lettuce salad looked good adorned with cheese and soft boiled egg quarters, but again seriously lacking flavor,- under seasoned. The artichokes were decent but far from perfect. They were not fried crispy enough and they trimmed off too many of the valuable leaves. The Calabrian chili aïoli was good though. For our entrées, we had their famous chicken, duck breast with orange, and a pasta with duck. We also had an order of crispy brussels sprouts for the side dish. The chicken was just OK. I thought for their signature dish. It would have more flavor, the mushrooms that came with were OK. It needed some kind of potato to bring it together. The pasta was a bit disappointing. We literally were served four noodles in a sauce. I was sharing this and we each had two noodles each, not exaggerating. If you're hungry, I would suggest treating the pasta like a side and sharing them. The duck with the orange was good, the breast tender, a classically executed dish. The brussels sprouts on the other hand were perfect. Nice and crispy with great flavor. The service was also a bit disappointing as well. Always had to flag someone down for water. No one came to check on us throughout the meal, just came to take our order and fill up water occasionally. I feel like at this caliber of restaurant service needs to be tiptop. All in all a decent dining experience, a solid B/B plus, I will come back on the menu changes. read more

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Delicious food, outstanding service, and lovely atmosphere. We came for specific Italian dishes, unfortunately they didn't have risotto and pasta with rabbit, but we try pasta with duck and linguine alla vongole. Very delicious. Also, we were told by waitress that restaurant change menu every week, which makes it interesting to try/taste different dishes but makes difficult to rely on people suggesting to try certain dishes. Overall, will come back again when in the area. read more

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10Sept2025: I was looking for a decent spot to have an early dinner near AMNH on the UWS. Found Sempre Oggi on The Infatuation (https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/sempre-oggi) and walked over. Not much to say here. Crudités (pictured); fine. The two pastas we ordered; okay. Ambience and service; so so. Prices and value proposition; comme ci, comme ça. We ate. We drank. Sempre Oggi sufficed. read more

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Went for the first time for restaurant week! Been told about this place very many times. The flavors are so unique and distinct. For the app I felt the bread was overcooked. Tasted a little burnt BUT every other part of my meal was superb! The martini I had switched for vodka and it was delicious. The broth in the seafood stew was so memorable. I kept eating it and repeating how good it was. And then the tiramisu was one of the best I've ever had. Would definitely come back again! read more

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Absolutely wowed by the food quality and the dining experience at Sempre Oggi, reminiscent of a recent trip to the Dolomites. The meals in the northern Italian Alps are rich and hearty and the efficient, seemingly effortless service at our bar seating amidst the hubbub of the teaming, ebullient restaurant turmoil was charmingly like that at All'Antica Segheria in Carisolo Trentino. We were a large demanding party headed to a Tribeca Film Festival movie premiere at the Beacon Theatre looking for substantial drinks and eats in what one might describe as NY time - and delightfully, that is what occurred. Brits may famously queue patiently but NYers are known for their own sense of timing, aka a NY minute. Perhaps this is the Roman influence in American culture. If you've ever awaited a Dolomiti gondola, you'll become inured to those pushing forward to jump the line. As a NY'er, I've found the unnerving skill to wait patiently for food seems better accomplished when everyone at the table already has a round in them with another on the way. We ordered most of the Antipasti, Insalata and Primi Piatti on the menu to go with cocktails, wine, hot tea and were literally seated, served and ready to pay the bill by the close of the hour. Kudos to the patience and fortitude of the front end brunette server and her team. Sorry- not sorry- we'll be back for more. read more

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We were a party of four during winter restaurant week. The ambience was nice, nothing fancy, but pleasant on a bitter cold night. We all went with the restaurant week 3-course prix fixe menu. I ordered the WHIPPED RICOTTA BRUSCHETTA w/ pear agrodolce appetizer, spinach lasagna entree, and CHOCOLATE BUDINO dessert. I loved the appetizer, particularly an unexpected smokey flavor from the charred bottom of the bread. Note this bruschetta was softer, less crunchy than bruschetta usually is. The lasagna was slightly on the small side but I've had smaller. It was delicious and had an interesting crunchy top layer. Don't think I've ever had lasagna with a crunchy top. It was the best part but be aware the butter knife is no match for it, so expect to make a mess on your plate. The budino was very tasty, but I did have a taste of my companion's tiramisu and that seemed like the better choice. A particularly good tiramisu with a generous portion of cocoa powder on top. One other member of the group ordered the bruschetta while another ordered the fried artichoke hearts as their appetizer and another the little gem salad. Three of us had the lasagna while one had the BEEF BRASATO. My three other companions went for the tiramisu. Everyone seemed to enjoy their orders. The waitstaff was punctual and frequently refilled our water glasses. read more

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Honestly some of the best food I've ever had. The toast was really great. Not as much honey as I would like but the bread to topping ratio was nice. The shaved asparagus salad was also very delicious and I liked the giant pieces of shaved cheese. The grilled kale was also delicious but not much horseradish flavor. The spaghetti was good but not a great dish definitely the least memorable. The chicken and grilled fish were standouts. The fish was especially one of the best I've had. We ended with the tiramisu which was huge and honestly one of the best I've had. The gin summer cocktail was herbal and a huge standout. The service was also impeccable although the general ambiance of the back room with the decor was a bit off. Would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

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Great attentive service from start to finish. The halibut was tender, the mushrooms are cooked in a delicious sauce, a very generous portion! Beautiful interior, close to the Beacon theatre. read more

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Walked in on a Saturday evening (on the earlier side), and we were able to get seated at the "chef's counter." We started off with drinks at the bar ($10 cocktails from 4-6 PM!), which had a nice vibe, before moving to the chef's counter right in front of the kitchen. It was nice to be able to see the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and take in the aroma of the various dishes being prepared. We started with whipped ricotta and fig bruschetta; the balance of savory and sweet made for a nice bite, but some parts of the bread were grilled a bit too long and were burnt. For mains, we had fettuccine with white bolognese and fusilli with basil pesto and spicy sausage. Both pastas were very good. The white bolognese had hints of liver to add to the layers and richness of the flavor. The fusilli had a brighter flavor, with a nice dash of heat from the sausage. Dessert was torta di formaggio, which ended up being a chocolate cheesecake. The upper shell was hard, which added to great textural contrast. The orange cream also balanced out the decadence of the chocolate. Service was friendly and informative. The vibe was a bit more fancy than your average neighborhood spot, but not so fancy to be stuffy. read more

I used to like his place, but my recent encounter has been so upsetting I won't be returning. The hosts and layer the "manager" were so rude, nasty and unwilling to be accommodating, it's a shame. The good has become mediocre as well - what happened with the previously crispy skinned chicken? Yikes. read more

We liked everything, the food, the service and ambience. Would recommend it to anyone. We will be back!

Came here last week for dinner with my friend as I treated her to a birthday dinner. We were both blown away by the size of this restaurant. It kept going and going we felt like. The main dinning room area is in the back. The Bar area seemed very nice though too. The decorations on the celing and the art on the wall was all very cool and nice. We both had a cocktail each. I had the Italicus Spritz and my friend had oggi spritz I think. We both enjoyed our cocktails. For food we shared the WHIPPED SHEEP'S MILK RICOTTA with corbezzolo honey & crostini. The Crostini was way too hard for me but the Ricotta with Honey was tasty. For a main course I had the ORECCHIETTE with broccoli, calabrian chili, meyer lemon & pecorino calabrese. I had mine with out the Chili and the pasta was nit Orecchiette on the night I went it was a different kind. I was a bit bummed since I enjoy having orecchiette. My friend had ALMOND CRUSTED HALIBUT with parslied little potatoes & salsa di mandorle. She said it was good but it was a pretty small piece of fish for the price it is and she wished it came with something else. It does come with small potatoes but as I told her the plate looked sad and empty. If they added like a vegetable too or just something else. I would come back here to try out the brunch menu. When we left the restaurant was very packed! We were like woah it was sooo crowded. No wonder why I couldn't change our reservation to a later time. read more

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Sempre Oggi (always open) is a wonderful local restaurant on the UWS, open from morning to evening. The staff is experienced, friendly, and the menu is terrific--with something for everyone. The kind bar tenders, Danny and Jesse, are great at creating whatever sort of cocktail you'd like, even if it isn't on the official menu. Eating at the bar is a lovely experience, since everyone there is friendly and open to conversation. That camaraderie is a bonus for everyone! We LOVE their salads, pastas, and contorni, and can easily put together a perfect dinner without trashing our bank account. I highly recommend this terrific local joint for anyone who enjoys nicely prepared foods, friendly service, and a warm and inviting experience. Can't wait to return!!! read more

Worst. Dining. Experience. Ever. Time: dinner, May 2026 Waited a half and hour for a previously requested preferred table. Once escorted to said table (wasn't correct preference anyway) observed at least 3 perfectly available tables on the way. Frustrating since we 'd asked the front door greeter to be seated anywhere. Really, does it matter after 10 minutes of polite waiting?? Unbelievably, once seated, no one came to take our order! Had to get up and plead for a waiter. This astonishing lack of service continued throughout the meal with wine and check interactions similarly inefficient and basically broken. Blasting loud wedding party of 30-year-olds adjacent to our table made speaking at a normal volume out of the question. My advice to these careless freaks? Get a private room next time! This is a restaurant not a ballroom. On and on the evening went. Maitre'd was astonished when someone, me, complained. Even got into a slight pushing match making a crude attempt to leave our conversation first. Yes, that's right, "I'm going to walk in front of - um - THE PAYING CUSTOMER." Don't let the door hit you on the way out ... Conclusion? Avoid this place at all co$$$t. It's a three-ring circus with no act. read more

Looking for an Italian restaurant walking distance from where I was staying the night I flew back from Barcelona. Scrolling thru Yelp and found Sempre Oggi with solid reviews. At 5:45pm the restaurant was filling up with patrons. The decor of the dinning room was modern and gave us a spacious feel even though the tables were close. Noise level was better than expected. Service was prompt but could benefit from an experienced manager. We enjoyed the whipped sheep's milk ricotta but were disappointed with the fluke crudo - it didn't give a refreshing, appetizing flavor we were expecting. The pasta dishes were better and were probably the stars of the evening. Both the rigatoni and tumminia busiate were rich and hearty. Onto the main course. The bone-in veal Milanese lacked seasoning thus after the initial few bites, we left it. The almond crusted halibut was well prepared but it wasn't memorable. It was a long day with cross Atlantic flight so I was tired and my taste buds were probably asleep. Looking forward to come back for another dinner in the near future so I could write another review. read more

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For apps we has the Bibb lettuce, artichoke and beet salad. The beet salad had too much cheese and literally 3 slveeybthin slices of beets. Zero flavor The salad was ok. No flavor. I has to ask for salt and pepper. The artichokes were good. For the main course we had the papas Della with duck. They served us 4 pieces of pasta. !!! The flavor was good. For $34 and 4 pieces of pasta!!! I don't get it. Probably solid have sent it back We also order the duck which was the best if the entrees Their signature chicken dish was lackluster. I would not go back Especially at those prices read more

Wonderful place, everything was just perfect, the food, service and ambiance. We will sure go there again.

Excellent, Excellent! I have been dreaming about this meal since visiting. The service was outstanding and the restaurant is beautiful. I had the privilege to attend a wedding reception with five courses. Every course was well paced and so delicious. Literally some of the freshest and tastiest food, ever. This visit is easily in my top 5 dinning experiences. The dishes that stood out the most included the Blue Crab Crostini, RIGATONI ALL'AMATRICIANA, the Grilled Herb Roasted Chicken and the Tiramisu. The bestttttt tiramisu I've ever had. Omg. I cannot wait to revisit. Thank you so much for making my cousin's wedding so special. Everyone had nothing but great things to say about the food and the staff! AMAZING! read more

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In my view there aren't too many restaurants in the UWS whose food, quality of ingredients, and ambiance are consistently high - Sempre Oggi might be one of them. We had a delightful brunch with our family this weekend there. We had an eggs entree, some pasta dishes, a salad and an appetizer. Each dish hit the spot and you could tell they use quality ingredients. Service was attentive. The ambiance was refined but comfortable and warm with earthy tones & comfortable seating. We'll be back again for brunch and dinner! read more

Two and a half stars Pleasant, bright restaurant, a little glossy and generic, but comfortable. We ordered three pastas, one as a beginning, two others as mains. The Amarticiana was dry and way too tomatoey. The Limone was dry and tasteless (we had just had a Limone at the Union Sq Cafe and it was terrific. This is a subtle dish. It has to make up in texture what it lacks in punch.) The braised duck papardelle was good--juicy, tasty. The people at the front desk were less than welcoming. Someone should tell them there are only so many people who go to a restaurant like this and alienating first time customers is not a way to stay in business. The last restaurant in this space, Cesca, was a very good restaurant (much better than this one), and it still went out of business. The front desk needs to be friendly, welcoming, and seat people where they want to be seated (Ci Siamo took out most of its banquette seating and put in many many booths. They've learned to give people what they want.) The kitchen needs to up its game. read more

Loved that we were greeted as soon as we walked in... Marvin gave amazing selections at the bar... try the Sloan... refreshing light drink... not as overpowering as an aperol spritz. Nick the head bartender came by for a hello and to check on us as we enjoyed our cocktails while waiting for friends to arrive before heading to our table. This place is a lot bigger inside than it looks. The staff is outstanding our server for Michael was incredible. We decided to share the family style. Focaccia the thickest bread I have ever come across... check out all my photos for what we ate... fantastic wine selection. We definitely recommend coming with a group so you can try more food and share bites. The veal was by far some of the best I've had in my life. I cannot get over how crunchy and crispy the breading was... seasoned perfectly. Pasta is all made in house. Can't wait to return!!!! read more

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Meal was very good. The flavors are there and I found healthy options that tasted good settling on poached halibut with whitebbeans, and charred kale and cabbage. This is exactly whatba good Italian meal should be. The one quibble is service. No real problems but not on par with the food. read more

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Delicious food served in ample amounts, at fair prices, by very freindly and attentive staff. Shoult out to Hillary C. our server who treated us like family. My kind of happy dinner experience... read more

Beautiful restaurant with delicious food. We ordered the duck and cod entrees...and Brussels sprouts. Delicious! Oh, and excellent service...not rushed, but attentive. read more

If you happen to be in upper west side at the museum or coming from central park, this is where i recommend you go to satiate you rumbling belly. This restaurant came highly recommended from a friend and I had to try it and it did not disappoint. You are instantly thrusted into Italy with the friendly staff and spacious accommodations. The food was amazing, fresh and came out hot. I can't wait to come back here for brunch and try some more of the appetizers read more

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A wonderful addition to the neighborhood! We had such a delightful experience here with friends. I would be remiss if I didn't mention our amazing server Connor. He was extraordinary in every way and what every server should aspire to be. They are lucky to have him. The food is delicious, with some items standing out more than others. For example we loved the Rigatoni but the Orecchiette was fine. We were able to try 4 desserts with the budino and lemon pudding taking the top spots. So many good things on the menu we can't wait to get back to try them. The restaurant is decorated uniquely and is quite large once you head towards the back. The bar is an eye catching sight and a great place to dine as well. I suspect this place will thrive in this neighborhood. read more

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I tried Sempre Oggi for the first time a few days ago. My impressions are set out thusly: The food was very good, the prices are pretty steep, the atmosphere is bustling, and the service, while well-meaning, was lackluster. To illustrate the last point, I offer this: I waited nearly half an hour for an appetizer and was literally unable to inquire as to its whereabouts because the staff would whiz by so quickly it was impossible to get anyone's attention. Finally, the waiter appeared and said my entree would be arriving momentarily, whereupon I had to break the unfortunate news to them that I never received the appetizer. They seemed surprised, perhaps annoyed, but definitely not apologetic, which I found surprising. So in summation, despite the good food, the bustle is a bit much for my taste and I'll refrain from future visits. read more

Excellent food. Great location close to my apt. The restaurant very specious We were a party of 4 our second time there. Our waiter Michael was fine at the beginning but half way through the meal he disappeared! We ended up calling a bus boy to help out with our meal. Towards the end after our deserts he showed up without even apologizing . We informed the manager for the evening who handed us his card so we can contact him when we come back. read more

Walked in for a late dinner after a show at the Beacon Theater nearby. Originally was planning on going to a different (with no reservation) however the hostess was showing us only a table (out of several still open tables) that was right next to door on a chilly night. I had just learned about Sempre Oggi after its addition to the Michelin Guide. What a nice surprise after walking into the restaurant. Spacious setting that was calm, warm, and so inviting. We were so lucky this was nearby and the experience here totally knocked out the original restaurant not just lower, but completely off my list. Even without a comparison, the ambiance, service and dishes were perfect for any night out. We got the focaccia and the fried calamari appetizers which whet our appetite. For pastas, we tried the unique pesto pasta and also the seafood pasta with blue crab and uni butter. We could've stopped there and be satisfied but why- the entire menu looked so good. We also tried the grilled branzino and the grilled chicken dishes which were so tender, moist, and delicious. The panna cotta, which seemed more like yogurt, topped with strawberries and capped off our perfect meal and perfect experience. I think I just found my favorite Italian restaurant in the Upper West Side. read more

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Came here tonight for my birthday and am so glad I did. This place is outstanding. The staff really go out of their way to make your night special and it is so thoughtful. Nice ambiance, good size space, and phenomenal food. WOW. 10/10. Will be back. read more

Food was ok. Focaccia came is 4 large portion. Olives were good Calamari was ok. Rigatoni and spaghettini pasta was ok. Veal Milanese was huge but kind of dry. Swordfish was delicious but small portion Porchetti was delicious. Caesar salad was great. Not sure if the appetizers were greasy for sgston read more

Really good Italian. Excellent varied menu. Attentive service great ambiance. Highly recommended

Fantastic food, service and value. Nice location on UWS. They frequently update the menu for the latest and freshest meals. Top shelf liquor and wine. A little on the loud side but not too bad. Plenty of tables and the place fills up fast. No surprise. This place deserves a Michelin Star. Will be back. read more