(212) 274-8881

55 E Houston St (Between Mott and Mulberry Streets)
New York, NY 10003 40.7249 -73.9946

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Neighborhoods: NoLita, Downtown

Hours:

Mon-Fri 12pm-11pm

Sat 4pm-12am

Sun 4pm-11pm

Price:

$$

Last updated 9.11.08

Category:

Restaurants

Restaurant Special Features:

Prix Fixe Menu, Private Rooms

Cuisine:

Italian

ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “genuine Italian romantic lunch”
  2. “If you are looking for a romantic lunch/dinner and you are lucky enough to be with someone that you will get lost in their eyes, Emilio's will not disappointment.”
  3. “the ambience is cozy and secluded with wonderful art on the walls.”
  4. “Ballato's - great homelike atmosphere, prompt staff, good service, and the food was excellent.”
  5. “Ballatos is the best there is no other restaraunt compares from its homemade pasta from its warm crspy ficaccha bread the atmosphere is great emilio the owner makes you feel right at home being there everyday and making you feel welcome there they pasta i”
  6. “The decor has a shabby chic, warm feel to it and they play great Italian music (lots of Sinatra too) which adds to the ambiance.”
  7. “The front dining room is fairly small with a spectacular, authentic ambience.”
  8. “Has a very nice warm lofty look for ambience and i really liked the menu choices.”
dessert
0.0% positive
  1. “The service is a little disjointed and the desserts are mediocre, but I'll definitely go back.”
food quality
97.82999992370605% positive
  1. “The bread was awesome, the food entrees were amazing.”
  2. “Simply the best food in the city!”
  3. “You will aboslutely enjoy the food and service at this consumer friendly restaraunt.”
  4. “The front dining room is fairly small with a spectacular, authentic ambience.”
  5. “try to go back several times with my wife, we have both love and would love to go more often, the simple creations of Emilio's food are mouthwatering - from a single plate of Spaghetti pasta to a Sausages and Broccoli old school.”
  6. “the food here is good, the vine is good but you really pay everything almost the double of the fair market value.”
  7. “Ballato's - great homelike atmosphere, prompt staff, good service, and the food was excellent.”
  8. “recommend this place to those couples out there who need to getaway and enjoy a genuine Italian dish with quality flavors.”
  9. “They were arguabley the best pasta dishes either of us have ever enjoyed.”
  10. “From the opera playing in the background, to Emilio, the owner wishing everyone a good meal, this should be the highest rated Italian restaurant in the city.”
  11. “The food portions are big so you get your money's worth.”
  12. “I've never had a bad meal nor a bad expereience at Ballatos and I look forward to my next dinner there in a few weeks.”
  13. “Small, family owned with incredible food!”
  14. “Best pasta pomodoro in the city (second to my wife's) and the ravioli is perfect.”
  15. “Ballato's is consistently delicious authentic italian food.”
  16. “They have the best bread and olive oil, the food tatses amazing and we leave feeling like we had a true NYC Italian experience.”
  17. “The food here is good, if unspectacular, Italian.”
  18. “Tuesday evening with some friends out for dinner, at this delicious highly reccomended restaurant on Houston street serving older Southern Italian dishes,superbly crafted and "al dente " pasta's.”
  19. “Good people and good food with reasonable prices.”
  20. “The only scent that's there is that of a normal Italian restaurant -- that is, the scent of delicious food coming from the kitchen.”
  21. “Very good primarily southern italian food, though considerably more sophisticated than a typical red sauce joint.”
  22. “Ballatos is the best there is no other restaraunt compares from its homemade pasta from its warm crspy ficaccha bread the atmosphere is great emilio the owner makes you feel right at home being there everyday and making you feel welcome there they pasta i”
  23. “everything is just delicious.”
menu variety
50.0% positive
  1. “Slow service, got expensive as Hell and no much to offer on the menu.”
  2. “Has a very nice warm lofty look for ambience and i really liked the menu choices.”
return potential
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “The service is a little disjointed and the desserts are mediocre, but I'll definitely go back.”
  2. “great for dates and we cant wait to go back!”
  3. “try to go back several times with my wife, we have both love and would love to go more often, the simple creations of Emilio's food are mouthwatering - from a single plate of Spaghetti pasta to a Sausages and Broccoli old school.”
service
57.14000225067139% positive
  1. “You will aboslutely enjoy the food and service at this consumer friendly restaraunt.”
  2. “Good people and good food with reasonable prices.”
  3. “The service is a little disjointed and the desserts are mediocre, but I'll definitely go back.”
  4. “would recommend this restaraunt to anyone seeking a very nice Italian dinner and great service!”
  5. “found it overpriced, smaller portions and the service was not attentive at all.”
  6. “Slow service, got expensive as Hell and no much to offer on the menu.”
  7. “Ballato's - great homelike atmosphere, prompt staff, good service, and the food was excellent.”
value
57.14000225067139% positive
  1. “Good people and good food with reasonable prices.”
  2. “Expecially the vine is overpriced.”
  3. “The food portions are big so you get your money's worth.”
  4. “the food here is good, the vine is good but you really pay everything almost the double of the fair market value.”
  5. “found it overpriced, smaller portions and the service was not attentive at all.”
  6. “Slow service, got expensive as Hell and no much to offer on the menu.”
  7. “The portions are big so you can split an appetizer.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “very long time ago I had the pleasure to be introduced to this little very unique Italian place.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

12/17/10

Best in New York

by JS31 at Citysearch

I went to this restaurant last night after hearing fantastic things about it. It is gorgeous on the inside! My friend I was with and I were seated past the kitchen in another area, which looked really cool because there were pictures of celebrities with Emilio autographs on the walls. I had the best bread I've ever had in my life there! Haha not kidding! And then I got chicken parm and it was AMAZING. I am still thinking about it today. Someone on here wrote that the portions were huge, but I disagree! I was able to finish my whole meal! I thought the portions were just right and not too much at all. This is truly my favorite restaurant now in New York and I will go back as often as I possibly can!!!! And Emilio was sitting at a table near mine, chatting with some friends of his I assume. He was really nice.

Everyone must go there!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/13/10

Great little Italian joint

by JPaucke at Citysearch

Warm ambiance was low key, perfect with a little Sinatra and the like in the background. Portion was perfect, not too much like most places and taste was very, very good. Bread beginning and tiramisu dessert end was luscious. I highly recommend if you like great service, great food, reasonably priced $17-21 entree. I can't wait to return and try something else, as the tagliatelle bolognese was superb.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/08/09

Our new favorite place!!!!!!

by DanaD52178 at Citysearch

We happened to stumble upon this place by accident and we're so happy we did. The place is a treat! The decor has a shabby chic, warm feel to it and they play great Italian music (lots of Sinatra too) which adds to the ambiance. The food portions are big so you get your money's worth. They have the best bread and olive oil, the food tatses amazing and we leave feeling like we had a true NYC Italian experience. This place beats any Little Italy joint. Its romantic, but spacious at the same time....great for dates and we cant wait to go back!!!

  • Pros: food portions and quality, ambiance, friendly service, no wait for a table
  • Cons: a bit pricey but worth it
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/31/09

This place is a rip-off -- comparable Italian can be found for much less

by patsy2000 at Citysearch

The food here is good, if unspectacular, Italian. However, the prices are absurd. I went with a friend, and we split an appetizer, each had an entree, had one bottle of wine, cappucinos, and shared a desert. The bill with tip was $200. The entrees were specials--I had chilean sea bass and she had lamb shank--and they were $35 each! To be fair, I should have asked the price when they were described, but I think when you charge twice as much for specials as you do for normal entrees a restaurant has a duty to state the price along with the description. I was left feeling cheated, and will never go here again.

  • Pros: food
  • Cons: price
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

12/14/08

THERE IS NO FRIED SCENT WHATSOEVER - JUST GREAT FOOD!

by ask123 at Citysearch

I read a couple of reviews here citing a fried food odor that comes from the kitchen, and I thought I had to set the record straight. I have been going to Ballato for years and have NEVER noticed that. The only scent that's there is that of a normal Italian restaurant -- that is, the scent of delicious food coming from the kitchen. There is NO fried odor whatsoever. In fact, there are almost no fried foods on the menu. It seems that these other reviewers can't tell the difference between the scents of fried and un-fried foods. Also, the scent of food in no way "sticks" to your clothes. I have never left the restaurant smelling like food. One reviewer said s/he couldn't remove the odor even with dry cleaning. This seems preposterous to me. It couldn't be further from my experiences. I've never had that happen to me in the many years I have been going to this restaurant. The only thing you leave Ballato with is a full and satisfied stomach!

  • Pros: amazing food; friendly owner who is present each and every night; not crowded -- still under the radar after all of these decades thanks to no listing in Zagat's
  • Cons: the menu is a bit pricey but not out of the ordinary for this quality level of food

The Details on Ballato's

Place Categories:

  • great authentic italian food
  • nice service
  • authentic ambience
  • recommend italian restaraunt
  • just delicious everything
  • warm crspy ficaccha bread
  • recommend italian place
  • satisfied stomach
  • perfect best pasta pomodoro
  • never bad meal
  • very nice warm lofty look
  • overpriced vine
  • great homelike atmosphere
  • great prompt staff
  • love pics
  • best pasta dishes
  • great cant
  • wonderful art
  • great italian music
  • best olive oil
  • beautiful soho restaurant
  • bad expereience
  • good italian eats
  • big food portions
  • mediocre desserts
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