(212) 614-0473

98 Rivington St (Cross Streets at Ludlow)
New York, NY 10002 40.7202 -73.9885

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Neighborhoods: Lower East Side, Downtown

INOTECANYC.COM

Hours:

Daily 12pm-3am

Price:

$$

Last updated 7.20.11

Category:

Restaurants, Wine Bars

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Breakfast, Romantic Dining, Brunch, People Watching, Family Style Dining, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Italian

What People Are Saying About 'inoteca

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – The neighborhood's barflies and gourmands converge upon this airy, timbered room, where wide retractable windows open onto a bustling corner. Think Metropolitan Home meets Tuscan farmhouse: The blocky wood tables and a sleek bar welcome everyone from brunello-sipping business sophisticates to casual groups on the cheap. The down-to-earth owners--a triumvirate of Otto, Lupa and 'ino alums--are generous with wine tastes, pours and pairings. – – The Food – The pan-Italian menu forgoes the appetizer-entree format in favor of fairly priced small plates, which…

Editor's Tips

Where to Sit:
A subterranean private dining room offers respite from the buzzing upstairs scene, with low vaulted ceilings overlooking temperature-controlled wine storage.
What to Drink:
The mark-up on the 350-plus Italian-dominated bottle list is remarkably low; the dozens of wines by the glass or quarter-bottle are well-suited to sampling. From northern Italian bubblies to southern Italian rarities, like Ciro's spicy red Felice San Ducal, are all available at great prices.
ambiance
84.37999725341797% positive
  1. The atmosphere is nice and warming with soft lights and oak furniture.
  2. The atmosphere was casual yet hip and despite a drunk party taking pictures of themselves and "wooing" loudly, the overall ambience was quite nice.
  3. The wine was great, the ambiance in the wine cellar where we ate was festive, they accommodated 3 guests with serious food allergies, and generally just took care of us.
  4. The atmosphere is great, and this just such a refreshing non-typical-NYC experience.
  5. Good price, fun atmosphere, average food
  6. Everything was delicious and we really enjoyed ourselves in this relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
  7. On the small side but so cozy- I have loved everything I have eaten here.
  8. This restaurant is a cozy and yummy place for a chill night.
  9. Very nice staff, a very comfortable and warm atmosphere.
  10. The best of the Lower East Side wine bars, this perpetually packed wine and food bar is built for those who can endure tight seating, eternal wait times, and a noisy, chaotic atmosphere for the sake of great tasting, perfectly portioned food that pairs ni
  11. The atmosphere is wonderful and it is reasonably priced for a wine bar, but it's def.
  12. wouldn't recommend this place -- there are much better places in the LES and E.Village in the same price range, and just as fun.
  13. Everything about Inoteca was fantastic, service, food, atmosphere!
  14. Excellent wine selection, good small plates to share, great ambiance
  15. We were taken to a table in the basement, where the decor is just plain ugly/non-existent, and the acoustics were awful so we could not hear each other no matter how we tried to modulate our voices.
  16. Atmosphere is cozy, feels a bit Pastis, with wood tables close together etc.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. If you are in the dessert mood, the ice cream that comes with espresso is a mix of a gelatoy/milkshake heaven that I highly, highly recommend.
drinks
97.55999565124512% positive
  1. Excellent food (especially the cod specials and cheeses), great wine, and very friednly service.
  2. The wine list is impressive and the staff is always knowledgeable and eager to help you make good choices.
  3. great foods, great wine, reasonable price!
  4. Excellent wine selection, good small plates to share, great ambiance
  5. Inoteca could be quieter, (I think get there by 7ish to get a table with no wait) but the wine is amazing, and yes, the plates are small, but ohhh so tasty.
  6. It doesn't get better than the best cheese selection, wine selection and friendly staff.
  7. And the wine list, while focused on some interesting Italian wines, is not cheap.
  8. The best of the Lower East Side wine bars, this perpetually packed wine and food bar is built for those who can endure tight seating, eternal wait times, and a noisy, chaotic atmosphere for the sake of great tasting, perfectly portioned food that pairs ni
  9. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way: It's always extremely crowded and service can be slow, but their prices and small plates are absolutely delicious, not to mention they have a great cheese and wine selection AND unlike a lot of other waiters in the
  10. Also, if you are a wine novice, the wait staff is very knowledgeable and can help you select the perfect glass of wine to suit your meal and your general wine preferences.
  11. 'inoteca should just serve their food at a cafeteria counter and serve great wine by the glass.
  12. By the way if you are looking for a good wine bar try punch & judys on Clinton, it's 100 times better then this place!
  13. Best wine bar in the city!
  14. The food was fantastic & the wine selections were amazing.
  15. That was totally acceptable and we found some great seats at the bar.
  16. The wine list is very reasonable & great deals.
  17. The wine was great, the ambiance in the wine cellar where we ate was festive, they accommodated 3 guests with serious food allergies, and generally just took care of us.
  18. It doesn't get better than simple Italian food, professional yet personable service, and excellent wine.
  19. and not a bad spot to just get some wine!
  20. the staff and owners are very helpful in suggesting wines based on price and taste, without any of the usual elitism that can accompany this type of place.
  21. I've heard that this place is great, that they pair your food with your wine.
  22. Our waitress was very friendly, helping us navigate the menu, making recommendations and having someone help us with our wine selection.
  23. We started at the bar with a nice bottle of wine, which was priced fairly and sampled several different cheeses.
  24. the wine list offers a nice variety.
  25. Joe (one of the owners) was a darling, the place was totally packed, the wine delicious and the food outstanding.
  26. The food and wine were both amazing!
  27. The food/wine is so good that it is worth doing all that, just as long as the service stays good.
  28. mustn't forget- the coffee was excellent (no shabby Mr. Coffee machine used here).
  29. Good food, service and a nice Italian wine list located within a festive LES neighborhood.
  30. We got to try the wines before buying them, the service was fantastic and the food was delicious.
  31. Joe who assisted with the wine had a wealth of knowledge and made a great recommendation for our second bottle of wine.
  32. They have one of the best wine selections in the city and the staff is always able to reccomend something wonderful.
  33. If you are in the dessert mood, the ice cream that comes with espresso is a mix of a gelatoy/milkshake heaven that I highly, highly recommend.
  34. The service was excellent- the owners were so attentive, and the wine list was fabulous.
  35. The bottles we ordered were very good and we'll be back to try the one they didn't have in stock (and to eat&drink).
  36. The atmosphere is wonderful and it is reasonably priced for a wine bar, but it's def.
  37. This place is great for hanging out with friends, sharing good food and good wine, either before going out or after.
  38. Great food, great service, good wine, but please translate the Italian stuff on the menu for us non-polyglots.
  39. Service was good at pairing wines with the food but we got a few of the waiters recommendations over what we had actually ordered which confused us a bit.
  40. ;) Go to have wines you have never heard of and will want to remember the names of, whose compliments are tasty little bits to help them along.
  41. The wine is DELICIOUS, the food is great, the waiters are friendly and knowledgeable.
food quality
88.19000244140625% positive
  1. Fontina, onion, rugola, tomatopesto panino is great, calamari salad w/beans so tasty and a very exciting selection of cheeses - try the 2 latte robiola!
  2. I've heard that this place is great, that they pair your food with your wine.
  3. The food and wine were both amazing!
  4. Joe (one of the owners) was a darling, the place was totally packed, the wine delicious and the food outstanding.
  5. The meatballs were not fresh and had lots of filler.
  6. ...I hope you enjoy your meal.
  7. The service and the food were outstanding.
  8. The food was great, small but very tasty.
  9. The food was wonderful, our waitress was both knowledgeable and friendly - she took the time to describe each of the items on the menu and it made me want to try all of them.
  10. Never had dinner there but lunch was great, i am told paninis are specialty and we tried a couple.
  11. Must try the truffled egg toast w/ bottarga-your mouth never had such a delightful experience.
  12. The food/wine is so good that it is worth doing all that, just as long as the service stays good.
  13. On the plus side, the egg-plant lasagna and gorgonzola bruschetta were good (although the lasagna was a little too rich).
  14. go early for great service and food
  15. The food is good but not great.
  16. Also enjoyed the pasta-less lasagna and the meatballs.
  17. Also, if you are a wine novice, the wait staff is very knowledgeable and can help you select the perfect glass of wine to suit your meal and your general wine preferences.
  18. The beet salad had a touch of tangy and sweet; orange, roasted hazelnuts, shaved cheeze with a perfect pinch of mint!
  19. Included small piles of various items, including a delicious eggplant-caponata, pickled onions, and a slice of a VERY dry fritatta.
  20. The food just isn't as good and the menu is nearly impossible to read.
  21. This place is great for hanging out with friends, sharing good food and good wine, either before going out or after.
  22. It doesn't get better than simple Italian food, professional yet personable service, and excellent wine.
  23. strongly suggest the truffled egg toast.
  24. The best of the Lower East Side wine bars, this perpetually packed wine and food bar is built for those who can endure tight seating, eternal wait times, and a noisy, chaotic atmosphere for the sake of great tasting, perfectly portioned food that pairs ni
  25. Good food, service and a nice Italian wine list located within a festive LES neighborhood.
  26. Inoteca could be quieter, (I think get there by 7ish to get a table with no wait) but the wine is amazing, and yes, the plates are small, but ohhh so tasty.
  27. My favorite dish was the eggplant lasagne which was a delicious, hearty dish with a heavy tomato sauce and ricotta baked to a perfect brown.
  28. Tried a Legrein and loved it almost as much as the delicious panini- try the pork one with walnut (noci) pesto and mozzerella.
  29. The service was terrible we waited an hour and it took 2 hours for the food to come.
  30. We got to try the wines before buying them, the service was fantastic and the food was delicious.
  31. Amazing truffled egg toast
  32. The food is good, and though the menu is completely in Italian, the wait staff are super-patient in translating, explaining, and describing everything.
  33. (unless you speak italian) Where did all the delicious panini from 'ino go?
  34. The mozzarella and tapenade tramezzini were deliciously addictive (although made me giggle as they looked like a kids pb&j sandwich on white bread with the crusts cut off)!
  35. Everything was delicious and we really enjoyed ourselves in this relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
  36. ;) Go to have wines you have never heard of and will want to remember the names of, whose compliments are tasty little bits to help them along.
  37. Although good food, I know in NY we can find better food without the attitude and treatment.
  38. The wine is DELICIOUS, the food is great, the waiters are friendly and knowledgeable.
  39. have never been more disappointed in a place, food is ok, and the wait was ridiculous.
  40. The service was some of the best I've ever had, and the food was authentic and delicious.
  41. Service was good at pairing wines with the food but we got a few of the waiters recommendations over what we had actually ordered which confused us a bit.
  42. the tapas and paninis are delicious, the music good, and the spirits high.
  43. Haven't had a bad dish yet.
  44. love the cheese & the egg in a hole!
  45. Because it was late, we just shared a few small plates - the food was excellent and it was perfect for a late night bite.
  46. We weren't very hungry, so we just ordered some bruschetta (walnut, chickpea, and roasted tomato - all very good) and one of the daily specials, a goat cheese torta salata (savory flan).
  47. The waiter had a huge attitude and was impatient when we asked him to explain the Italian dishes we were unfamiliar with.
  48. Speaking of beef, the Wagyu (Japanese beef) panini was amazing!
  49. This restaurant is a cozy and yummy place for a chill night.
  50. It was delicious, and came with a salad of roasted heirloom cherry tomatoes, beans, and fresh corn.
  51. great paninis, love the cellar room, great service in the cellar
  52. Among the must haves are the truffle toast, cheese selections, panna cotta, and afogado- Really the best food in town.
  53. All delicious but especially the triple creme coach goat cheese.
  54. I'm shocked to see negative reviews of the service or food here because my fiance and i had a wonderful experience here.
  55. The food was very good, especially the beet salad, truffle toast, and antipasto sans meat for our vegetarians among us.
  56. Good price, fun atmosphere, average food
  57. The paninis are wonderful and the truffle egg toast is to die for.
  58. Regardless, everything was delicious that we did get and he was very nice & apologized profusely when he realized the mistake.
  59. The food is DELICIOUS: the salads are fresh, the truffeled egg toast is amazing, and the cheeses are out of this world.
  60. There is nothing more insulting than overpriced, bad Italian food.
  61. We both got paninis, both of which were incredible and very authentic.
  62. Excellent food (especially the cod specials and cheeses), great wine, and very friednly service.
  63. The food was amazing, everything we had, esecially the truffle egg toast, was delicious, and the service was perfect.
  64. the service is quite good -- the servers are attentive and friendly, but we found the food to be just average.
  65. Overall great meal, great value
  66. The wine was great, the ambiance in the wine cellar where we ate was festive, they accommodated 3 guests with serious food allergies, and generally just took care of us.
  67. hate to sound harsh, but 'inoteca is good for those with people they want to talk with, not for food you want to talk about.
  68. 'inoteca should just serve their food at a cafeteria counter and serve great wine by the glass.
  69. Everything about Inoteca was fantastic, service, food, atmosphere!
  70. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way: It's always extremely crowded and service can be slow, but their prices and small plates are absolutely delicious, not to mention they have a great cheese and wine selection AND unlike a lot of other waiters in the
  71. The wide was delicious, the food was divine.
  72. The panini was not even good, the bread was like eating a rock and -would you agree that when a dish is going to be super spicy, it should be written somewhere on the menu-?
  73. Bacon wrapped prawns, cod fish, panini's were all very good dishes to remember.
  74. Great food, great service, good wine, but please translate the Italian stuff on the menu for us non-polyglots.
  75. (we sat off to the side which was nice and more quiet than sitting in the middle of the room) The assorted bruschetta was great with samplings of chickpeas, butternut squash and basic ricotta and tomato (which was very tasty) The assorted meats was also r
  76. The panini sandwiches were excellent.
  77. The food was outstanding (try the shrimp dish - yum) and the service was even better.
  78. The food was fantastic & the wine selections were amazing.
  79. Our waiter removed the full, uneaten dish without a word.
menu variety
86.3599967956543% positive
  1. The menu's a little hard to decipher if you don't know italian, but the waiters are more than happy to help you.
  2. The food was fantastic & the wine selections were amazing.
  3. Fontina, onion, rugola, tomatopesto panino is great, calamari salad w/beans so tasty and a very exciting selection of cheeses - try the 2 latte robiola!
  4. the wine list offers a nice variety.
  5. The food just isn't as good and the menu is nearly impossible to read.
  6. We also split the cheese plate (all selections chosen by our waitress, who was very friendly as well as knowledgable about the menu).
  7. The waiter was incredibly helpful and kind though, explaining the menu and making jokes and conversation with us.
  8. ALL the waiters/waitresses/owners/hosts are warm, welcoming, and know EVERYTHING about EVERY item on the menu.
  9. It doesn't get better than the best cheese selection, wine selection and friendly staff.
  10. Our waitress was very friendly, helping us navigate the menu, making recommendations and having someone help us with our wine selection.
  11. Among the must haves are the truffle toast, cheese selections, panna cotta, and afogado- Really the best food in town.
  12. Saturday night - 17 people squeezed into a big table and a fantastic prix fixe menu.
  13. The food is good, and though the menu is completely in Italian, the wait staff are super-patient in translating, explaining, and describing everything.
  14. The rustic setting of Inoteca would hardly suggest the inventive and daring menu that it holds.
  15. The wine list is impressive and the staff is always knowledgeable and eager to help you make good choices.
  16. Excellent wine selection, good small plates to share, great ambiance
  17. The panini was not even good, the bread was like eating a rock and -would you agree that when a dish is going to be super spicy, it should be written somewhere on the menu-?
  18. They have one of the best wine selections in the city and the staff is always able to reccomend something wonderful.
  19. Great food, great service, good wine, but please translate the Italian stuff on the menu for us non-polyglots.
  20. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way: It's always extremely crowded and service can be slow, but their prices and small plates are absolutely delicious, not to mention they have a great cheese and wine selection AND unlike a lot of other waiters in the
  21. The food was wonderful, our waitress was both knowledgeable and friendly - she took the time to describe each of the items on the menu and it made me want to try all of them.
  22. The best of the Lower East Side wine bars, this perpetually packed wine and food bar is built for those who can endure tight seating, eternal wait times, and a noisy, chaotic atmosphere for the sake of great tasting, perfectly portioned food that pairs ni
overall
100.0% positive
  1. My sister and a friend and I went for a late lunch on a Sunday while on vacation in the city for the weekend - we were walking around in the neighborhood and thought it looked like a nice place to try.
  2. Big part of the reason why the LES is such a great restaurant spot now.
  3. By the way if you are looking for a good wine bar try punch & judys on Clinton, it's 100 times better then this place!
  4. This is a great 'brasserie' like place, though its italian themed, in lower east side right around THOR and the rest of the hotspots here.
  5. NOT a good place for lunch!
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. The bottles we ordered were very good and we'll be back to try the one they didn't have in stock (and to eat&drink).
  2. All in all a great experience and i would go back.
service
84.02000427246094% positive
  1. Service was generally attentive and fine, EXCEPT: when I tried to order a bottle of sauvignon blanc, a very obnoxious waiter first said that he only had one bottle left and he wanted to keep it so that he didn't have to tell guests he ran out.
  2. The waiter was incredibly helpful and kind though, explaining the menu and making jokes and conversation with us.
  3. The list can be intimidating but our waiter (although in his first week) was friendly and helpful in making suggestions.
  4. The food was amazing, everything we had, esecially the truffle egg toast, was delicious, and the service was perfect.
  5. They have one of the best wine selections in the city and the staff is always able to reccomend something wonderful.
  6. great paninis, love the cellar room, great service in the cellar
  7. The wine list is impressive and the staff is always knowledgeable and eager to help you make good choices.
  8. We were greeted rapidly by our friendly server who was happy to answer any questions for us.
  9. Every one in our party was put off by the rude welcome and felt that it showed gross disregard for our dinning experience.
  10. The staff was rather friendly&gracious, doing their best to accomodate our large walk-in group.
  11. The service was excellent- the owners were so attentive, and the wine list was fabulous.
  12. The service was some of the best I've ever had, and the food was authentic and delicious.
  13. They were very gracious and I really appreciated their warm friendly service!
  14. Excellent food (especially the cod specials and cheeses), great wine, and very friednly service.
  15. I'm shocked to see negative reviews of the service or food here because my fiance and i had a wonderful experience here.
  16. Our waiter removed the full, uneaten dish without a word.
  17. It's a tight space, typical of LES, but the crowd is friendly, so it's not so bad.
  18. Disappointing business practices, rude hostess!
  19. The service was terrible we waited an hour and it took 2 hours for the food to come.
  20. The food was wonderful, our waitress was both knowledgeable and friendly - she took the time to describe each of the items on the menu and it made me want to try all of them.
  21. We also split the cheese plate (all selections chosen by our waitress, who was very friendly as well as knowledgable about the menu).
  22. Try asking if you can sit downstairs, it tends to be less crowded and the service is wonderful
  23. The servers are super friendly, and it is always bustling in here.
  24. Noisiest place ever, terrible service
  25. Even that wasn't too bad since the service was so good.
  26. Saturday night - 17 people squeezed into a big table and a fantastic prix fixe menu.
  27. The food is good, and though the menu is completely in Italian, the wait staff are super-patient in translating, explaining, and describing everything.
  28. the service is quite good -- the servers are attentive and friendly, but we found the food to be just average.
  29. The menu's a little hard to decipher if you don't know italian, but the waiters are more than happy to help you.
  30. the staff and owners are very helpful in suggesting wines based on price and taste, without any of the usual elitism that can accompany this type of place.
  31. hate to sound harsh, but 'inoteca is good for those with people they want to talk with, not for food you want to talk about.
  32. our waitress was friendly and attentive.
  33. It doesn't get better than the best cheese selection, wine selection and friendly staff.
  34. Great dinner, very nice people!
  35. The waitress was absolutely wonderful and tried so hard to accomodate my 17 year old picky nephew to find him something to eat.
  36. My only complaint is that we were there during shift change, and the new waiter who took over our table was a bit slow - although he was able to answer our questions, it was hard to get his attention.
  37. It doesn't get better than simple Italian food, professional yet personable service, and excellent wine.
  38. go early for great service and food
  39. Everything about Inoteca was fantastic, service, food, atmosphere!
  40. Great food, great service, good wine, but please translate the Italian stuff on the menu for us non-polyglots.
  41. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way: It's always extremely crowded and service can be slow, but their prices and small plates are absolutely delicious, not to mention they have a great cheese and wine selection AND unlike a lot of other waiters in the
  42. ALL the waiters/waitresses/owners/hosts are warm, welcoming, and know EVERYTHING about EVERY item on the menu.
  43. Good food, service and a nice Italian wine list located within a festive LES neighborhood.
  44. Very nice staff, a very comfortable and warm atmosphere.
  45. The service and the food were outstanding.
  46. The food/wine is so good that it is worth doing all that, just as long as the service stays good.
  47. Service was good at pairing wines with the food but we got a few of the waiters recommendations over what we had actually ordered which confused us a bit.
  48. Very poor hostess.
  49. Our waitress was very friendly, helping us navigate the menu, making recommendations and having someone help us with our wine selection.
  50. It got to be pretty irritating, a number of simple requests seemed to be pretty tough this waitress to follow, but thankfully she wasn't the only one we had and the other waitress was pleasant.
  51. We were thankful for our incredible server, Jeffrey.
  52. Also, if you are a wine novice, the wait staff is very knowledgeable and can help you select the perfect glass of wine to suit your meal and your general wine preferences.
  53. We got to try the wines before buying them, the service was fantastic and the food was delicious.
  54. Never in my life have I witnessed, regardless of time of night such ridiculous, cartoonishly poor service amidst insipid and retarded "knowledge" of any thing epicurious.
  55. The food was outstanding (try the shrimp dish - yum) and the service was even better.
  56. Everything was delicious and we really enjoyed ourselves in this relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
  57. not cheap enough to be worth putting up with bad service.
  58. She also did a couple of other things that definitely didn't show much awareness of good customer service either.
  59. The waiter had a huge attitude and was impatient when we asked him to explain the Italian dishes we were unfamiliar with.
  60. The wine is DELICIOUS, the food is great, the waiters are friendly and knowledgeable.
  61. The portions were perfect for two people and actually pretty generous.
value
70.0% positive
  1. And the wine list, while focused on some interesting Italian wines, is not cheap.
  2. The food/wine is so good that it is worth doing all that, just as long as the service stays good.
  3. The waiter had a huge attitude and was impatient when we asked him to explain the Italian dishes we were unfamiliar with.
  4. Completely reasonable prices too.
  5. not cheap enough to be worth putting up with bad service.
  6. Good price, fun atmosphere, average food
  7. do not recommend this place at all, to paid a high price to sit uncomfortable.
  8. wouldn't recommend this place -- there are much better places in the LES and E.Village in the same price range, and just as fun.
  9. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way: It's always extremely crowded and service can be slow, but their prices and small plates are absolutely delicious, not to mention they have a great cheese and wine selection AND unlike a lot of other waiters in the
  10. The wine list is very reasonable & great deals.
  11. the staff and owners are very helpful in suggesting wines based on price and taste, without any of the usual elitism that can accompany this type of place.
  12. Overall great meal, great value
  13. There is nothing more insulting than overpriced, bad Italian food.
  14. The portions were perfect for two people and actually pretty generous.
  15. great foods, great wine, reasonable price!
wait time
62.5% positive
  1. My only complaint is that we were there during shift change, and the new waiter who took over our table was a bit slow - although he was able to answer our questions, it was hard to get his attention.
  2. The food/wine is so good that it is worth doing all that, just as long as the service stays good.
  3. Let's get the bad stuff out of the way: It's always extremely crowded and service can be slow, but their prices and small plates are absolutely delicious, not to mention they have a great cheese and wine selection AND unlike a lot of other waiters in the
  4. perfect place for catching up with a long time friend (thats what i did).
1 Star Rating: Poor

05/09/10

Not great

by foodieLES

On the plus side, the egg-plant lasagna and gorgonzola bruschetta were good (although the lasagna was a little too rich). But the prosciutto cotto and spicy mayo tramezzini tasted like a regular ham sandwich and we wouldn't be surprised if it was luncheon meat not prosciutto. The meatballs were not fresh and had lots of filler. We expected more from a restaurant which has it's menu in Italian, which to be honest is a little arrogant and leaves diners having to ask about most dishes unless they're fluent in Italian. Not a great experience. The wine was just ok for the price. Plenty of other restaurants in the area which are better.

  • Pros: Good service and atmosphere
  • Cons: Poor food
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/24/09

Plan your next event here

by G123

I arranged a bachelor party dinner for ten and couldn't have been more pleased. From the manager who booked the party, to the staff that served us, 'inoteca was on point. We went for the Classic Party Menu for a mere $39 - this is a family style dinner, and sometimes that means the portions can be meager. Not in this case. We actually had food leftover, and we're talking about 10 hungry male adults. A big shout out to our waitress who realized she'd given us the wrong bill, which we paid, and came running out of the restaurant to reimburse us the $160 we got overcharged. The wine was great, the ambiance in the wine cellar where we ate was festive, they accommodated 3 guests with serious food allergies, and generally just took care of us. Thanks 'inoteca.

  • Pros: Food, service, price
  • Cons: None at this point
4 Star Rating: Recommended

09/02/09

Great place to grab some vino...

by stan2009

Late night expeditions for some vino and a charcuterie and/or cheese plate is my favorite activity. The servers are super friendly, and it is always bustling in here.

  • Pros: Cheese selection is awesome
  • Cons: Lines are long sometimes
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/11/09

My Favorite New York City Restaurant!

by Giro

It doesn't get better than the best cheese selection, wine selection and friendly staff. On the small side but so cozy- I have loved everything I have eaten here. Among the must haves are the truffle toast, cheese selections, panna cotta, and afogado- Really the best food in town.... and not a bad spot to just get some wine!

2 Star Rating: Below Average

12/05/08

Good price, fun atmosphere, average food

by whateveruwant

Went here a few weeks ago for a friend's party, and we sat downstairs. The downstairs area is nice for large parties, and the atmosphere seemed fun upstairs too. The food was well priced, although below-average and nothing that really wow'ed me. Service was generally attentive and fine, EXCEPT: when I tried to order a bottle of sauvignon blanc, a very obnoxious waiter first said that he only had one bottle left and he wanted to keep it so that he didn't have to tell guests he ran out. He then tried to sell me on other (more expensive) bottles. When I asked again for my original selection, he called my wine selection "cat urine" (he actually used a different word that citysearch won't let me publish!) and, again, tried to sell me on others. After me insisting again, he finally brought me what I wanted. I have never had anything like that happen to me before! Not very professional. I wouldn't recommend this place -- there are much better places in the LES and E.Village in the same price range, and just as fun.

  • Pros: Fun atmosphere, good location
  • Cons: Bizzarely rude waiter, below-average food

The Details on 'inoteca

Place Categories:

  • great average food
  • great friendly service
  • not recommend place
  • great wine
  • great experience
  • eager wait staff
  • delicious paninis
  • friendly other waitress
  • nice fun atmosphere
  • friendly waiter
  • friendly servers
  • absolutely delicious price
  • favorite hearty dish
  • terrible service
  • simply awesome inoteca
  • overpriced italian food
  • nice bottle
  • enjoyed meatballs
  • loved assorted bruschetta
  • absolutely delicious small plates
  • rude hostess
  • great deals
  • amazing wine selections
  • delicious everything
  • favorite restaurant spot

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