Great service, great staff, great food! Eggplant parm is a standout but everything we ordered was great too! Plus it’s such a nice atmosphere!

No complaints whatsoever. The food was delicious, and the dessert and espresso were amazing. Service was top notch, and the atmosphere was very cozy and comfortable. It's definitely one of the best Italian restaurants we've been to.

What should you order if it's your first time? Don't know about the pasta but if you're craving mashed potatoes and you want the fluffiest lightest tastiest version ever then order the Salmon or Braised Lamb (cooked with Marsala wine). Both dishes are just standout. Honestly the lamb portion is really generous and I would ideally share it

I've been going here for dinner after movies with my sister for ~7 years. Always been a top notch restaurant, great service, friendly staff, and fantastic food. I feel selfish writing this review because I wish I was the only person who knew about it. No better Italian place in the city.

A fantastic Italian experience with great food and service! Highly recommended. The greeter is very friendly, we got our preferred table and a great intro. Then our waitress was helpful, fast and friendly. All food and drinks were delivered on time. Excellent service. The Seafood linguini was very tasty, well prepared pasta with great flavor and plenty of seafood. The Gaspaccio Pomodoro was great for a very hot summer day (highly recommend to pair with Prosseco or Cold Beer). Burrata with Prosciutto was a great appetizer for 4. The risotto and the chicken Parmigiano were also very well prepared, with the risotto being the strongest because it gave us a great party of cheese flavors! We could not get to dessert, so we will come back soon and will do an update! Until then, a perfect score for a well rounded experience, service and food!

What an amazing Italian place! It's a must-visit for the incredible food and service. We tried the brodetto di pesce (soup), ravioli Alfredo, and penne alla vodka. Everything was creamy and absolutely delicious!

Review is at lunch: Great local spot. Fresh food, excellent service. Very reasonable for New York City (especially Manhattan).

+3

I’ve been coming here for years service is absolutely incredible. It also helps that they have the best chicken parm in New York City. 10/10

Pasta Amatriciana was A1, also had the lasagna and it was amazing. Please have their Tiramisu it has to be one of my best one.

I love the food here. I’ve been going since I was a little kid probably the best chicken parm in the city.

Great location for Pre theater @ Lincoln Center. Cozy atmosphere, we were checked on frequently by staff and I believe one of the owners. Nice Northern Italian menu and had a nice Brunello wine.

Great food. Great wine, and ambience next to AMC movie theatre. Food is a little pricey. Our meal came up to $142 for two entre and a bottle of Merlot

Very nice European spot. Surprisingly fast service even with a quite full restaurant. Very nice desert and coffee. The menu could use a little more choice but there are always a couple nice specials. Very cosy and romantic spot, defenetly would come here for a date.

Family arrived to New York with accommodation near this restaurant, we walked in our first evening and we were welcomed with not just good service…but what we all felt was more of a hospitality! DELICIOUS food and warm greetings and service for our whole family of 5…kids to grandparent. Carmen is a gem as is all the staff. We have been on the go and keep trying to get back to our accommodation early enough from our long adventurous days to end it with another good warm meal here. We all ordered something different and they all were so incredibly good—Recommend this restaurant wholeheartedly!

Good place with good food and service. It is near by the Met. Good place for going after / before show at the Met.

+1

This place is really nice! The mark of a good Italian restaurant: the bread is served with olive oil (nottt butter!). The things on the menu are fresh and not boring like a lot of Italian places. The pasta was cooked perfect. Nice and firm (bc mushy pasta is the worst!) They serve dessert coffee and drinks too. Bottles of wine are cheap at less than $40

It’s my favorite restaurant now! I like the atmosphere a lot. And the food was very tasty. 10/10.

This is my favorite restaurant in Manhattan. My brother and I have been going here for over a decade. The service is always impeccable, and the food is excellent. They have beautiful picture windows for people watching, and it is a close walk from the AMC and Lincoln center. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Both lasagna and desserts are extra rich and creamy

Lovely neighborhood restaurant with amazing food! Service at the bar was attentive and wonderfully friendly. I felt so welcomed and enjoyed the experience so much. I will be back!

Great Italian food and welcoming, cozy atmosphere. The service was friendly and attentive and we felt at home as soon as we arrived. The food was also great! I particularly enjoyed the Caesar salad and beef carpaccio. The cosmopolitan was also great. We sat in the covered outdoor area and enjoyed the beautiful city views and cool spring breeze. I'll definitely be back.

The place is very pleasant and the service is spectacular! Their lunch menu has a prix fixe which is a great deal for lunch with an entree, wine and salad/soup included. Everything tasted delicious and we had a great time.

+6

We moved back to Manhattan, Il Violino is just around the corner, and was our regular go-to Italian place before and now is again! Great Food selection, engaging Waitstaff and reasonable Prices.

A quaint neighborhood restaurant with delicious meals and impeccable service. The lunch menu includes a pre fixe menu with several entrees which include a glass of wine. Try the fish choice!

Genuine delicious Italian cuisine. Very cozy family spot. Nothing fancy and no frills, just damn good food and wine. Not pictured here, but we also got the penne vodka which was expertly done. Every bite was scrumptious and RICH!

Exceptional!!! Being italian, we are hard to please. The food is outstanding. Fabulous service and atmosphere. Highly recommend. If you want great italian...this is the place for you!

One of my favorite places near the Lincoln center. Some of the best Italian for I’ve had so far in NYC and the staff if amazing. I come here regularly for lunch/ dinner and it never disappoints.

+2

What a find! During Covid, I saw this Italian restaurant which built a gorgeous street shack covered in Christmas decorations including giant toy soldiers. They had live music, a singer and piano player so we decided to fall into this spot for a snack and so happy that we did! The lobster bisque was incredible. The mussels delicious. The service was incredible. The ambiance was friendly, all the customers know the staff here and vice versa, so this is probably a great neighborhood spot. Delicious food, great service, wonderful ambiance. What more can you ask for? Come discover this place for yourself too.

Have a great lunch here. Food was great and so was service. It’s a small place with amazing atmosphere. You’ll really enjoy it.

This is my favorite restaurant of Italian cuisine near the central park! For many years, this is pleased with the high class of service and delicious food. I always ate pasta, tried everything, all the pasta in this restaurant is delicious and at a high level. Today we decided to try something new. They were salmon and fillet mignon. What to say? Ideally! Sumptuously! Sorry for the rules of decency do not give lick the plate, I would do it.

The service made our experience ! On top of the amazing lunch we had, our server Daniel was great. Can’t wait to come back

The noodles were very fresh and the pomadoro was super flavorful! We sat near the sidewalk by the large open windows, I enjoyed being in the restaurant but still getting the patio feet!

Saturday night dinner: really good food, we tried the special of the day, fried calamari, lasagna and one of the fettuccine. The service was very good. The only think is a little pricey but remember that the restaurant is located in Upper west side!!!

Ate here after a show at Lincoln Center and it was super cozy, tasty food, great service and warm atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Excellent food. Small, cozy restaurant with tasty Italian food! I will be coming back.

OMG! Such perfect quaint true local Italian spot! The service was amazing. Our group of 4 had lunch at the bar and had the best time for a 30th birthday! We had the Calamari, chicken parmesan sandwich and lasagna. Everything was delicious! Friends that have spent lots of time in Europe say the lasagna battles what they have had there. Highly recommend this spot!

When others say a restaurant is a 5 star usually consider it to be a matter of personal taste but this one……this restaurant tops all the other Italian eatery’s I’ve been! The lasagna was tremendous! The shrimp bisque was tremendous! The simple fettuccini sans anything was tremendous! The penne alla vodka was tremendous! Carmen at the door was tremendous! Our waiter whose name I didn’t catch was tremendous! The flourless chocolate cake was sublime! Thank you for this experience for our galantines trip. I’m gonna go grab my husband and fly back to NYC just to come to dinner here!

Julie Nyman

We were a large group of almost 50 people. From booking our reservation through our meal, Il Violino was nothing but fantastic. Excellent food and service. We look forward to returning to this hidden gem!

CallmeZ

Came in for lunch with my mother and had a wonderful time. The inside is cozy, like you’re in an Italian grandma’s living room. The music was aromatic and set the mood beautifully. The food was absolutely delicious, I had the prefix lunch deal ($35) that came with a glass of wine, an appetizer and an entree. i got the John Dory fish which is amazing. Me and my mother sat on the side at a two person table where we were able to watch the people and the street. It was beautiful. Would definitely come back and recommend others to come here.

Rebecca Bugarin

This restaurant is a must!!! Absolutely incredible!!!! Food was incredible!! This is by far the best Italian food in the state of NY! What an incredible experience we had! As well…Daniel is just a joy. My sister and I took my mom to the opera for the first time to see Andrea buccelli and what an incredible night. Not only the opera but at the restaurant before hand too. Daniel was such a sweetie man. He made us laugh many times and made the experience for my mama, so special! Thank you Daniel for a beautiful dinner and experience!

Darwin Jimenez

My family and I entered after the 2025 New York City Marathon. Even though it was a busy night, we waited about 15 minutes. The waiter gave me a great suggestion that was perfect. My photo isn't very good because I shared my dish with my sister, but everything was delicious. I ordered the pasta the waiter recommended, and my sister had that tasty lasagna.

Tara Kelly

Had a fantastic meal here before a Lincoln Center show this week. The food was outstanding, and the wine list was excellent. Wonderful service. Impressed all around and looking forward to coming back!

Anu P

We had lunch at this cozy restaurant. Our waiter Amar was great and he replaced meat with eggplant for my panini order when i told him i want a vegetarian option. We also ordered a Cesar salad and Scampi oreganata and everything was delicious!!

Monica Terteliu

The food was excelent! And Daniel did a great job recommending italian dishes and good drinks, but what mattered most was that we met a romanian in New York and talked a lot about different subjects. It was a great experience! I recommend!

William Ho

It is a convenient restaurant to dine in when we're watching a performance in Lincoln Center or near Central Park. The family run restaurant was established in 1993 and serves great Italian cuisine. The ambience is warm and cozy, but it is not a place for romantic dining. The restaurant fills up quickly during dinner and gets very lively. The Risotto Al Frutti Di Mare and Scaloppine Di Vitello Marsala were both delicious. The seafood in the risotto was fresh, and the veal was tender and flavorful. The service was excellent. We ordered the Torta Al Cioccolato, which comes with a topping of vanilla gelato. The gelato of the day was Coconut Gelato. We asked if we could swap the gelato from vanilla to coconut. Our server acceded to the change. The dessert was super yummy. There is enclosed outdoor seating. Dinner reservations are strongly recommended.

+8

Liz Window

This restaurant has excellent food and is great for people watching. I ordered a bottle of wine and drank about half and got to bring the rest back to my hotel. The endive salad was really amazing with the avocado and parmesan, and the fettuccine was perfectly cooked and delicious. I had dinner by myself and felt really comfortable the whole time I was there.

Kristen (Gypsy Monkey)

I had this placed saved to try when I was on the West Side and the minute I walked up I had a feeling it was going to be great . There is a nice energy to this place . Plenty of outdoor seating should want it . I did enjoy seeing them open a large window for a family that wanted a little of both . I also thought it was nice that someone in addition to the waitress came by to check how I was enjoying my meal . A wonderful first time experience and will definitely be back for the homemade lasagna next time . Would like to point out that I loved that Freshly baked bread was included in my meal . Delicious and the perfect touch .

+1

Shannon Fassler

We had the brunch set menu and it was fantastic. Very classic Italian service (attentive, ladies first). The set brunch came with high-quality mimosas and coffee at the end and the coffee was truly excellent. Warm, homey atmosphere with photos of stars who have visited and an original Al Hirschfeld drawing! A little on the pricier end, but definitely worth it, especially the frittata with spinach and goat cheese.

+2

Yuliia Zinchenko

Amazing food and service, very cozy and delightful atmosphere. I definitely recommend this place if you want to have a relaxing time and enjoy a pleasant evening with your loved ones.

Lara

I had this lovely gentleman from UK bring me here. It was Halloween. The service from the waiter was amazing. Service is a little rushed I felt considering we had a whole bottle of red wine. However the food was nice. They brought out some seriously thick fresh bread, was light and fluffy… He had the gnocchi with bolognaise sauce, he really enjoyed it. I had the linguini with mixed seafood that sauce was so tasty and the seafood was cooked to perfect the prawns where small so they where a little over cooked. The linguini was over cooked could of done with 1-3 mins less so it had more texture. It’s a nice fast pace restaurant. I enjoyed my Experience here

+2

Our visit to II Violino in NYC was truly outstanding. The service was impeccable, and the staff made us feel incredibly welcome throughout our meal. The food was exquisite, offering a delightful journey through Italian cuisine. While portions were slightly smaller for the price, the quality of the dishes more than made up for it. The cozy atmosphere added to the charm of the evening, though we did have to fetch our check from the hostess stand as our waiter was elusive. Despite this minor inconvenience, our overall dining experience was flawless. We can't wait to return for another memorable meal.

Fresh and flavorful food. The flourless chocolate cake is delicious. Excellent service.

I love the food , the service and they have the best hot chocolate and Ravioli

The food was decent and the staff was very friendly and inviting.

I like that this is a No frills Italian place. The calamari wasn’t good. However, everything else was delicious.

Really lovely spot that my best friend is a regular at. Was very happy to finally join them for dinner and was very impressed.

Very solid local Italian place. We had a private party of 20 and they did a very good job! Everyone enjoyed the food. I had a rocking pasta e fagioli. And the braised lamb was surprisingly very good too. I WOULD definitely come here again

It was okay only the calamari they were not really golden just white and not sure were they came from because they were not testicle and it's not from USA plus the risotto scampi fish was good rice so so, penne with vodka sauce was not spicy enough.

As a lover of Italian dishes, we decided to try this place for my graduation lunch . My friends didn't like the Merlot much, but that could just be their taste. We absolutely loved the main courses, although the portion sizes could be slightly bigger. We sat outdoors and it was really nice. Friendly staff, good food and nice ambience. Will visit again.

Really delightful spot near Lincoln Center - the glassed in patio makes for great people watching. I recommend the tartufo for a treat not often found in American Italian restaurants.

Wonderful Italian food! Very tiny space, very small table which is frustrating if you’re sharing! Great first date spot!

I was walking by II Violino this evening and decided to give it a try for dinner. I received a friendly greeting and was seated right away. The waitress that I had was pleasant but she was not helpful when I asked her what did she recommend. She basically said, "It depends on what you like". I saw another waiter tell his table about the specials for today and even recommended some dishes. That wasn't told to me, so I just played it safe and ordered lasagna, salad and a glass of Moscato. Overall, no complaints, the food was good. A bit pricey but that's expected for the neighborhood.

Got tiramisu and lasagna tonight. The lasagna was very good. The volume was a little bit too much for a girl but the taste was amazing. Tiramisu was a bit too sweet as I imagined a more bitter taste of coffee. Yet, the overall experience was really good with friendly staffs. Would love to visit the place again!

We had a lovely dinner here at Violino, with kind staff and a comforting atmosphere. The restaurant felt like a little house, and it had a very charming feeling to it. Our waiters were a bit busy, but they still gave us great service. They were quick to clear tables and get people seated who were waiting outside, including us. The Spinaci e Caprino and Caprese salads were simply refreshing and tasty. Then we got the Fettuccine all’ Amatriciana and the Bucatini All' Amatriciana, both with delicious sauces. The deserts were also good, with nicely small portions. I would say that the vanilla gelato is a little on the sweeter side, but the chocolate flourless cake and the lemon ricotta cheesecake were light and fluffy. I’d love to come again!

Jonathan Aitken

A classic neighborhood Italian joint. Prices for NY are not bad. We had a starter special of octopus which was great and then two pasta dishes. I did. It enjoy the sausage orchete as much as my wife liked her pasta primavera. Service was great.

Freddy Villalona

This was an elegant nice neighborhood restaurant. The food was good and the ambience was also good. The host will make everything he can to make you feel at home and the drinks where OK. I recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area looking for a nice comforting meal. The portion are also big enough to fulfill yourself. #good #italian #art #host #elegant

+2

Lunch was sadly mediocre, especially for the high UWS price point. The Bolognese was decent in a home made way, pasta was precisely al dente. Maybe grabbing just a pasta dish is the way to go here since everything else felt underwhelming - thin watery minestrone with a ton of cabbage in it, bread that wasn't the freshest (though the dipping olive oil was great), tiramisu that felt like 2 unrelated stacked desserts, a cream lauer that wasn't sweet or rich enough and a ladyfinger layer that was too coffee infused and didn't retain any texture. Also it's smallish for $14, I've had 2 inch cube portions for a bit less. Lunch deal does include a glass of house wine which is a blessed generosity and the bartender was lovely and attentive.

The restaurant is better than average. Service was attentive and accommodating. The food was tasty but nothing special. IMHO it's a good neighborhood spot for eating out on a regular basis. But, for an occasion, I'd choose someplace else. Though, I did think their tomato sauce was very good.

We were seated near the door on a cold fall Monday evening. It was pretty crowded in there. The food was just okay, nothing to write home about. I had calamari and mussels. It lacked flavor but was hot and fresh.

I came with a group of friends. It was a rainy day and as we sat in the outdoor pavilion, the water dripped on some of us. It would be good if the restaurant would fix that for the future. The staff and servers were a bit overwhelmed, it seems, with the big group we were. They all looked stressed and no smiles. 😬 Also, many of us order the prix fix menu with no alcohol, the restaurant charged us the same. It would be good if they have another version of the prix fix menu for non-alcoholic customers. Overall, the food was good but pricey. I wish for better dining experience with a more reasonable price, a more considerate restaurant owner/management and less stressed out staff.

The restaurant is ok. We waited a long time to get our food. The food itself was good.

+6

I came back to adjust my review, ordered the special of the day, fish with almond n lemon butter the taste wasn’t bad but to charge $38 for a muddy taste tilapia!!! Come on restaurants, loved the Risotto with seafood,v nice service,

We stopped by for a bite after an evening movie. It’s a nice location with great seating for people watching. The food was mostly fine, but definitely overpriced for the quality. I get better pasta dishes for much less in my uptown neighborhood. I also get treated better there. The biggest food disappointment was the bread. It was very dry, hard and stale. I would personally have been embarrassed to serve it.

The food is ok, not particularly memorable except for the price which is too high for what you get. Service and atmosphere are good.

I recently dined at Il Violino and ordered the gnocchi. It was okay; I finished it, but it wasn't memorable enough for me to return. The service was also just okay – our server was largely absent after taking our order, only reappearing to drop off the check.

Kim S

Dinner Monday night. Bread was not warm; Caesar salad comprised of lettuce and nothing else, just a little cheese and a few capers; Black truffle and mushroom risotto was bland; Seafood pasta was mostly just shrimp and clams. Seems this place is becoming victim to our hard economy, and cutting costs. The cappuccino was good.

Marta Galmozzi

We ordered bucatini all’amatriciana and fettuccine bolognese. As an Italian, I can say this is not an authentic Italian restaurant. The quality of the food was low and it was hard to digest for hours afterward. The service was kind, and the place is cozy.

Berele

A charming old-style Italian restaurant with a nice atmosphere but uneven execution. The cappuccino was excellent, rich and perfectly made, easily the highlight of the meal. The rest of the food was just fine. The bread didn’t seem fresh, though the olive oil was high quality. The beef was tender but overly salty, which made it hard to enjoy. The service felt detached. Our waiter seemed in a hurry and never quite connected with us, though he became much friendlier when it was time for the check. The place itself has a lot of character with its brick walls, framed photos, and cozy layout, but small details held the experience back. It’s not a bad spot, just one that could be great with a little more care in both the food and the service.

+6

Slava Z

An Italian cafe with a claim to authenticity, but unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations. It started with the fact that they brought me an uncleaned soup spoon, this concerns the service. Well, the food was not impressive; seafood soup (cioppino) has been much tastier. and everything else is a 3. So the guys need to really improve the kitchen and the service.

When I ate here recently, the restaurant accidentally messed up the credit card charge and charged me a 100% tip. I went back today to get it sorted, and they were able to refund me the erroneous amount, but it was a hassle, and I imagine it would be even more of a hassle for an out-of-town visitor. The bigger problem is that the food just isn’t very good. It’s edible, sure, but not delightful, and probably worse than what you could cook for yourself. My favorite Italian places on the island are in the Soho/Nolita area, but if you must have Italian on the UWS, walk 3 blocks north to Polpette 71, order any dish featuring the meatballs, and thank me later :)

Service from the waiters was prompt but cold and curt (save for what we assumed was the manager who came by the table to offer us dessert and exchange some pleasantries.) The food was mediocre - cooked well but lacked much flavor and seasoning and was very expensive. Besides the waiters rushing around the small, tightly packed restaurant there is a cozy atmosphere and nice decor - but that is not enough to bring me back.

I gave the place an extra star because the customer service was good. However, the menu is very limited and lacks variety. I wouldn’t consider it the best version of an Italian restaurant. I ordered a chicken parm which isn’t authentic Italian but I gave it a try since it’s easy to make. It was overpriced. The sauce was bland and the chicken was too thin. The cheese on top was thicker than the actual chicken. I got a small handful of pasta with EXTRA sauce. I was charged for my water so the total was $40. I could spend less and get more in SoHo which is upsetting. Overall, I will most likely not return. There are more affordable and better quality places in hidden spots of Manhattan. Not an ideal spot for lunch on your day off.

The food was tasty but greasy. A bad stomach night after. The service was not nice, a bit rude. Not worth the price

Food wasn't bad but we got sick. I'm giving them 2 stars because service was superb, but not coming back!

The atmosphere and experience was overall fine, but my food was really quite bad. I had the orchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe. It was very watery. The pasta truly was in a pool of a saltwater. This dish is typically my favorite at Italian restaurants and this was the worst version of it that I’ve had. It just tasted like salt water 🤷‍♀️my husband had chicken Parmesan and it was fine. Not good Italian food, but mediocre Italian American food.

My experience here was so disappointing. The server was very unenthusiastic and disinterested. The food here is so overpriced for what it is. Neither the portions or flavor make up for the pricing. While the interior is pretty it doesnt make up for the above. This restaurant seems as though its location is all it has going for it.

The food that I had here was just ok. The beef carpaccio was not good at all. The arugula to beef ratio was way off and it was served with this disgusting sauce that ruined the whole dish. Made it taste all sour. The bucatini was alright but it was rather ordinary. Nothing special there at all. The highlight of the meal was dessert — I highly recommend the flourless chocolate cake. It was sweet and flavorful.

Adam Brock

Their chicken parm used to be good and well worth it. Not anymore. $38 for a paper thin chicken cutlet with a small side of pasta. Highway robbery.

+1

Long wait for food to arrive Nice waiters Expensive & low quality food

After being seated I waited 15 minutes before the server asked me what I wanted to drink. She was very dismissive and looked at me wild. The menu she brought back was disgusting. The pictures I took don’t do it justice. I ordered a Caprese salad and some noodle dish with meatballs. The caprese salad was straight trash. Look at the pics. It’s Trader Joe’s precut mozzarella from a pack with very to little no olive oil or pesto. Then after that disappointment, I got severed spaghetti and meatballs. I cannot recall the dishes name but I know I didn’t order it. I thought about sending. It back but I got “ spit in your food vibes” from the waitress. The spaghetti and meatballs were not fresh and tasted like it was reheated. The tomato sauce tasted fresh… fresh from a can. I’m never going back again and would not recommend this to anyone… not even to someone I did not like.