Giginos At Wagner Park

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ClCl

Joined 3 years ago

Disturbing Experience. I am not writing to review this restaurant - the setting is lovely and the food and service are decent. I am writing because my husband and I took my sister here when she was visiting. We, like the rest of the patrons on a warm, busy Sunday evening, sat on the outside patio. My sister went inside to use the bathroom and while she was waiting to get in she was cornered and verbally accosted by two men her called her a c--t, a s--t, and told her to lift up her skirt, etc., etc. She was trapped between them and the locked bathroom door and managed to get through them and escape. It sickens me to think of what could have happened were the bathroom door unlocked. They were able to do this because at that time there was no one inside the restaurant - all of the staff were outside.

When we told the management and staff, they knew exactly who we were talking about because these guys are regulars at this restaurant - apparently they live nearby - it was a large black guy and large white guy (vague description I know but the staff will know who we are referring to). I am writing this in hopes that not only will these guys be banned from the restaurant, but so the restaurant changes their policy and makes sure that there is a staff member inside the restaurant at all times. These guys aside, the bathroom is right beside a set of unmanned and unlocked doors leading to the outside and anyone could come in from outside and potentially attack someone alone in this part of the restaurant or in the restroom. As an extra precaution if you go to this restaurant, do not let a single female go to the bathroom alone.

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FoodSeeker

Joined 3 years ago

Triple threat - Great food, service & view of Lady Liberty. Love coming here w/ just my husband and bringing family and friends from out-of-town! It's like taking a mini-vacation - being an in-the-know local is fun.

It is a destination restaurant - we come from uptown just for the authentic pasta - tons of specials that make it hard to decide and the relaxation of Hudson River air.

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TransplantedTexan

Joined 4 years ago

Incredible view, great pasta, great service. went here with a few friends last year; we'd walked for 2 hrs for a walking photography contest that ended in battery park so we just discovered this gem; this is THE PLACE for a romantic sunset dinner and/or a nice 'chillin out with the girls' evening at a place that isn't overrun with tourists (yet?!); the killer view of the sunset, Hudson and Jersey City clock was sublime; the pasta was fresh, our waitress was so cool, helpful and didn't interrupt us, like she knew how to actually give good service! my regret is twofold: first, that i didn't get her name and second, that i didn't know about this place earlier! everything is so reasonable. when you see the prices and then the awesome relaxing view and cool vibe and great breeze you wonder why other places that suck charge the same amount. the $$ is well spent here. you won't regret coming here. too bad it's underrated but maybe that's good to keep the tourists with wailing bratty kids away.

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belladiamondz

Joined 8 years ago

Beautiful Views. I came here with a few other couples, drank a "Positano" OMG! What and Amazingly refreshing cocktail. You must try it!

For appetizersm I tried the fried calamari which were great, and the fresh mozerella with tomatoes which was also very fresh and delicious. I also tried a salad with pears, peppers and freshly great parmeggiano cheese...it was very light and crisp, great tasting.

My entree was salmon and I ordered a side of steamed brocoli. The salmon had some skin left on it, even though I requested it be removed, that turned me off a bit.

But the amazing scenery and beautiful setting made me forget about that...

oh and the fact that Jay-Z and Beyonce were sitting a few feet away from us was also a great highlight!!!

=)

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Justin Hartung

Joined 9 years ago

The tourist-baiting view includes Ellis Island, where some of the Southern Italian recipes may once have passed.. The Scene
Battery Park is so full of eye candy, it's easy to overlook the entrance to Gigino. Located in the brick viewing station adjacent to Wagner Park's patch of lawn, the restaurant's stylishly spare interior plays second fiddle to the outdoor tables, shaded from the blinding sun by oversized white umbrellas. Service is amicable, even when tourists' attention wanders to the views of the Statue of Liberty and the ocean beyond.

The Food
The setting is so breathtaking, it makes one want to root for the kitchen, even through its rough patches. Appetizers like plump cornmeal shrimp and smoky, well-marbled bresaola get the basics right, but mealy, yellowed greens rankle. Beets lend a signature spaghetti dish a vibrant color, but anchovy overwhelms, and though braised lamb shank is sufficiently succulent, it comes drowning in a heavy sauce better suited for fireside consumption. Potent espresso revives spirits better than a microwaved ricotta tart.

Hits: The view is pretty much the perfect place to change the minds of visiting parents whose only image of the New York shoreline is the seedy crime hubs of 40s gangster movies.

Misses: The inconsistent kitchen and odd pairings mean the food doesn't live up to its breathtaking surroundings.

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nysp

Joined 8 years ago

One of the best views in New York City. My wife and I live in the area and we love going to Gigino during summer. The views of the Statue of Liberty are just wonderful, service is attentive, and the food is definitely good considering the price range. I would recommend going there on a Saturday afternoon to have lunch and a few drinks with friends. It is just one of the most pleasant experiences available in New York City.

Doesn't Recommend

opheliagirl

Joined 7 years ago

Nice view. Went here with a large group and found the staff to be nice and fairly attentive. Polenta appetizer was largely tasteless, as was the bread pudding dessert. The chicken ossobuco was good. The pork chops were dried out and a little burnt, which was surprising considering our group had the restaurant pretty much to ourselves. It was raining, so we were inside and didn't experience the vermin problem some reviews mention, but there was this faint, terrible smell--garbage??--that permeated the restaurant.

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irvinsha

Joined 7 years ago

Great view, mediocre restaurant. Yet another case where you end up paying an exorbitant amount of money for Italian fare that you really could find anywhere else in New York. Still, you can justify the cost by the environment. You get to sit outside and look out over the Hudson at the Statue of Liberty. The food is fine, if expensive. Take the place for what it is, a very nice tourist trap.

Doesn't Recommend

rrlevy212

Joined 7 years ago

avoid at night. this restaurant is so cute and charming looking, but the vermin/ small animal situation is unbelievable. We sat outside and admired the amazing view. As soon as the sun set, they all came out, all them and I don't mean squirrels and chipmunks. It was vile and the food wasn't good either.

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sugarplane

Joined 7 years ago

Bring Your Out-of-Towner Family & Friends. The view and the outdoor ambiance will make you think to yourself, "Damn, it feels good to live in this beautiful city." And, that's the main reason you go to this italian restaurant; To show off to your non-new yorker friends and family that your city rocks their city ten times over. The main courses are decent, not spectacular. But, I would give Gigino applause for their decadent desserts like the chocolate lava cake.