Recommend this business?
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- Neighborhoods:
- Downtown, Bowery, Lower East Side
At a Glance
?
100% ambiance
“It's the perfect atmosphere to bring a date, your boss or your parents.”
100% dessert
“the newly redone desert menu is also great.”
100% drinks
“and the food & wine is great.”
78% food quality
“The garden out back keeps you relaxed all through the summer, while the red lit brick interior, and awesome food keep you cozy all winter.”
75% menu variety
“the newly redone desert menu is also great.”
66% overall
“don't recommend this place at all, and I was very disappointed and surprised especially since I saw good reviews of this place.”
100% return potential
“We had a great time and would 100% go back for more of the delicious food.”
67% service
“The waitstaff is not only knowledgeable and helpful but also extremely friendly.”
38% value
“It is cold - seemingly completely unheated, loud and the worst music i have ever heard in a restaurant (i'm not kidding - they were playing 80's rock), the food was just plain disgusting and so overpriced that it is a joke and the service - i would hve re”
0% wait time
“Over-priced, subpar food, served by an unfriendly, slow staff.”
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Grotto
Tips for Grotto
July 27, 2012
Hi. Do not eat here. This place is ok
for drinks, and I am sure the garden is gorgeous though we were rained out from accessing it.
The short summary is an Italian place should be able to prepare pasta. My pasta and my partner's was overcooked. His carbonara was heavy with cream and the kitchen thought it was acceptable to replace pancetta with bacon. Overall a gross mush of pasta.
The manager was absurd. She was borderline yelling at us and even said, "If you don't like [the carbonara], and want a real carbonara, then ...." The point is, she knew she was not making quality food, nor real carbonara. Do not take the risk, there are plenty of delightful Italian places that can cook pasta.
We were there for a friend's birthday and I did not want to be unpleasant about the poor food quality. I did notice that no one else was eating, I wish we had known the food was going to be so terrible.
0
Heart
October 21, 2011
worst service i've ever experienced. went to grotto on a groupon. i was there for 21/2 hours with my friend. when we got there it was 6 and we were the first people there. it took 20 miniutes for someone to come and take our drink order and i only got her to come over because i asked if she was out waitress. they brought the wrong food to us after 1 hour and then came back 20 minutes after with the correct mediocre food. The prices are high and the service is not just bad, it's abusive. I don't know who would have written such positive reviews as there are maybe 10 tables in the restaurant and everyone looked miserable. one of my worst dining experiences in manhattan in 30 years.
1
Heart
October 10, 2011
GREAT FIND. We had a special night out thanks to The Grotto. The restaurant is unique and inviting but not easy to find unless you're really looking. We found this place thanks to Groupon, and by far it was our best Groupon purchase yet. Both our dinners were delicious, especially the smoked trout ravioli, and the tiramisu was outstanding. Plus the service was very professional and friendly. We hope to return again soon with friends in tow.
0
Heart
March 02, 2010
Superb, a little modern Italian. Great cocktail bar too..
I discovered Grotto recently and it's my new favorite spot. This hidden, casual, romantic and fun place has an amazing Italian menu, fun waitresses and real bartenders.
I'm in love with their melted smoked cheese on a board with garlic toasts, the most tender polipo (octopus) I ever had and arancino with prosciutto and mozzarella. Other times I had carbonara, some pasta with wild boar, steak (!!!) and whole fish, I think branzino. Everything was always excellent, fresh and full of flavor.
Bartenders in Grotto know what they are doing following high mixology. Cocktail list is small, but every cocktail surprises with unique taste (I had them all).
Grotto is great! Very casual, but high quality.
And everybody there are always so welcoming.
0
Heart
July 25, 2009
Stay Away. All I can say is that you would be more than a fool to spend your money in this place. Food is awful and the service worse. And it is in a basement of a less that glamorous area. Why on earth would you bother??
1
Heart
July 16, 2009
truly delicious italian food in the LES. I just happened to come here for dinner one night and def was not expecting the really tasty italian dishes. The food really tasted homemade italian style. The service was spectacular! I highly recommend Grotto and trust me I am not the owner! :)
0
Heart
June 28, 2009
DISGUSTING - GOOD REVIEWS WRITTEN BY OWNER AND MANAGERS!!.
TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO READ REVIEWS FOR REAL AND HONEST FEEDBACK PLEASE BEWARE!!!!!
You do not have to be Einstein to work out that the positive reviews of this DISGUSTING place are written by the owners and management. The fact that 7 'rave' reviews are written on the same day (APRIL 13) is more than a flag to this being the case. Me, I want this kind of website to work as it should - as a medium providing true and honest advice to people, and not as shameless advertising for a place that no one should pay a cent to go to! DO NOT BE FOOLED! If you want to be treated badly, eat bad food, endure the worst service in NYC then Grotto really is for you. For anybody with even slightly discerning taste, please take my advice and go ANYWHERE else. It will undoubtedly be better than this smelly foul basement they call a restaurant.
AND PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE write REAL reviews so that people are not fooled into giving these disgusting people your money!! They do not deserve it!
0
Heart
April 26, 2009
Hidden Gem in LES. Cozy little spot in the lower east side, hidden a little below street level. The kitchen turns out what could be called modern Italian - well executed, bright flavors that occasionally veering off into other regions of the Mediterranean. Nothing groundbreaking, but I can appreciate the simplicity that allows the ingredients to shine and the ability to consistently turn out solid food. Good accompanying cocktail menu and fun, attentive staff round out a solid 4 out 5.
0
Heart
April 26, 2009
Grotto. there is something special about this place and it all starts with your descent down those steep stairs beneath the glowing sign. it's kinda dark at first but that's all apart of the beauty of the place, like you are leaving that noisy pushy street level NYC behind and now are in a place you can relax and enjoy yourself. The staff is top notch here: informed, friendly, courteous, there when you need them and away when you dont. the food here is also very very good and the cocktails are amazing. it's a great place to go escape by yourself, bring a romantic date to or hang out in their nice patio garden with friends. i dont think there's anywhere in nyc that compares to the grotto experience! have fun and enjoy!
0
Heart
April 24, 2009
Very good, I recommend this plae. I enjoyed this restaurant so much that I am going back again tomorrow. Be sure to save your appetite! You will not be disappointed and will come back for more...I''m sure. I can't think of a place recently that compares--- ENJOY!
0
Heart
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