(212) 265-2610

234 W 56th St (Between Broadway and 8th Avenue)
New York, NY 10019 40.7656 -73.9822

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Neighborhoods: Clinton, Midtown

BASSO56.COM

Hours:

Mon, Fri 12pm-11:30pm

Sat-Sun 5pm-11:30pm

Price:

$$$

Last updated 1.24.11

Category:

Restaurants, Catering

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Theater District Dining, Business Dining, Lunch Spot, Group Dining

Cuisine:

Italian

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Basso56

Featured Review

Justin Hartung

Contributor

The Scene – This midtown spin-off of the East Village's popular Basso Est streamlines its look for crowds of theatergoers and business diners. Clean lines in the long rectangular space lead all the way to the open kitchen in the back, a touch that mirrors the staff's straight-shooting warmth. A gleaming white color scheme keeps the sub-street level room from feeling dim, while a large wood wine rack and beige wall accents provide terrestrial accents. – – The Food – The move uptown hasn't diminished chef-owner's Paolo Catini's casually elegant central Italian cuisine.…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Try the $28 bottle of Primitvo Cantele, a bright red that pairs well with both pastas and meats.
Where to Sit:
A seat in the back guarantees a peek into the inner workings of the kitchen.
The Extras:
Visit the restaurant's downtown progenitor, Basso Est
ambiance
90.0% positive
  1. “Great food & atmosphere”
  2. “Exellent food, beautiful decor and great service.”
  3. “In my mind what makes this restaurant so enticing is that it is so beautiful and comfortable with outstanding food, and yet extremely affordable especially when you consider it is located right in the heart of midtown Manhattan.”
  4. “The interior of the restaurant is the romantic and you feel you have escaped city life and are in another place.”
  5. “The ambience is also warm and romantic.”
  6. “Not in a bad way, but the service was good, the meal was great, the ambiance was ok.”
  7. “The place is very clean and cozy.”
  8. “The atmosphere is not romantic, as it's just plain decor.”
  9. “Wonderful location, with a quaint feeling to it, even if others may feel it is too small.”
  10. “Food, ambiance, service was AMAZING”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “The burrata (mozzarella and cream) appetizer (a special) is my favorite appetizer in the city.”
  2. “The dessert was amazing as well.”
  3. “We also tryed a very flavourful Striped bass in a white sauce and at the end the same amazing dessert: crepes with chocolate sauce.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “Also great recommendations on the wine list which has a nice extensive selection of all-italian by the glass or on the $28-32 price range bottles.”
  2. “We were very pleased with the friendly service who helpt us out to choose a great bottle of wine from their extensive all italian wine list.”
  3. “particularly like the raw soft wood columns and wine display.”
food quality
91.99999809265137% positive
  1. “That being said, the food and the friendly staff outshine the rest.”
  2. “In my mind what makes this restaurant so enticing is that it is so beautiful and comfortable with outstanding food, and yet extremely affordable especially when you consider it is located right in the heart of midtown Manhattan.”
  3. “We also tryed a very flavourful Striped bass in a white sauce and at the end the same amazing dessert: crepes with chocolate sauce.”
  4. “The food was so delicious.”
  5. “Whenever this dish is on a decent italian menu, i order it, but have not had as much enjoyment eating risotto as I've had at Basso.”
  6. “So are the lambchops, but the fish is not always fresh, and occasionally, there is a fishy smell to it.”
  7. “know there are a lot of good Italian restaurants in the city, but you combine the great food and great feel to the place, and I honestly think it is the best overall Italian experience in the city.”
  8. “The food was not appetizing.”
  9. “would recommend this dish to everyone.”
  10. “And, it also has outstanding food (Paulo is creative and talented)--the pastas are fresh and inspired; the veal chop is thick and tender; and the fish is light and perfectly cooked.”
  11. “It is my absolute favorite pasta dish and here it is done just right.”
  12. “Great food & atmosphere”
  13. “Basso is great for a quick casual meal.”
  14. “EVERYTHING we had was tasty (and I travel a lot in Italy and definitely appreciate good food).”
  15. “Not in a bad way, but the service was good, the meal was great, the ambiance was ok.”
  16. “did have an excellent meal here.”
  17. “wish they still had calamarii fritti on the menu, but the calamari griglia is just as tasty.”
  18. “The crabcakes and salad were delicious.”
  19. “Also the papardelle with lamb ragu' sauce and the red snaper special with crab meat crust were amazing.”
  20. “The food and presentation is wonderful as I have tried different dishes and they always have made me yearn for more.”
  21. “Exellent food, beautiful decor and great service.”
  22. “The two times we've been here, we've been served by (I believe) the manager, who has this charming and funny way of saying, "Perfect," whenever we tell him the food is delicious.”
  23. “The pasta is fresh and delicious and the whole branzino is amazing.”
  24. “If you are looking for good Italian food this is a sure bet.”
  25. “The food was amazing from the ossobucco spcial to the gnocchi and pasta dishes.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Also great recommendations on the wine list which has a nice extensive selection of all-italian by the glass or on the $28-32 price range bottles.”
  2. “We were very pleased with the friendly service who helpt us out to choose a great bottle of wine from their extensive all italian wine list.”
  3. “The staff is very attentive and knowledgeable; they tell a long list of specials at the table besides the menu.”
  4. “Whenever this dish is on a decent italian menu, i order it, but have not had as much enjoyment eating risotto as I've had at Basso.”
  5. “wish they still had calamarii fritti on the menu, but the calamari griglia is just as tasty.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “know there are a lot of good Italian restaurants in the city, but you combine the great food and great feel to the place, and I honestly think it is the best overall Italian experience in the city.”
  2. “This is a great place.”
service
100.0% positive
  1. “Basso 56 distinguishes itself, however, from the myrid of Italian restaurants in town (not to mention the tourist trap, Patsy's 100 ft away) by creating a friendly and unpretentious environment.”
  2. “All the staff (from the beautiful pleasant hostess to bartender, manager, waiters, bus people) were friendly, helpful without being pushy.”
  3. “Food's great, of course, but the service is off the hook.”
  4. “We were very pleased with the friendly service who helpt us out to choose a great bottle of wine from their extensive all italian wine list.”
  5. “The two times we've been here, we've been served by (I believe) the manager, who has this charming and funny way of saying, "Perfect," whenever we tell him the food is delicious.”
  6. “The staff was all very attentive and professional.”
  7. “Not in a bad way, but the service was good, the meal was great, the ambiance was ok.”
  8. “Exellent food, beautiful decor and great service.”
  9. “my family and friend had a great dinner experience at BASSO the staff was friendly and accomodating.”
  10. “The hostess was very pleasant as she sat us at a quiet corner table.”
  11. “The service was amazing, our waiter's name was Silvio and he was very attentive as was all the waiters.”
  12. “The restaurant has a very inviting "neighborhood restaurant" feel--very friendly, outstanding service and it feels like most of the people are regulars (including us).”
  13. “That being said, the food and the friendly staff outshine the rest.”
  14. “The wait staff are incredibly attentive!”
  15. “Food, ambiance, service was AMAZING”
  16. “The staff is very attentive and knowledgeable; they tell a long list of specials at the table besides the menu.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “Also great recommendations on the wine list which has a nice extensive selection of all-italian by the glass or on the $28-32 price range bottles.”
  2. “In my mind what makes this restaurant so enticing is that it is so beautiful and comfortable with outstanding food, and yet extremely affordable especially when you consider it is located right in the heart of midtown Manhattan.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “It is such an imaginative and creative solution to the traditional New York long narrow ground floor space.”
  2. “Basso is great for a quick casual meal.”
  3. “The staff is very attentive and knowledgeable; they tell a long list of specials at the table besides the menu.”
3 Star Rating: Average

03/20/11

Not great

by EpicureanNYC at Citysearch

Yes, Basso 56 is an okay restaurant, but not always consistent. The fish is okay, aside from the occasional worm. I found a live red worm in my cod the final time I ate there. I was startled and let out a slight scream, but the manager was not accommodating-- they were irritated!! I walked out, but they charged us for everything before we left. Including the fish with the worm in it! It is by far the worst managed restaurant I have ever patronized in Manhattan. I live in the neighborhood and had been a regular at the restaurant, yet they still didn't have the courtesy to at least apologize and not charge me for the untouched meal. We were disgusted.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/31/10

Always a Safe Bet; Always Good

by babubbie at Citysearch

This is a the restaurant that is always the safe bet: No matter who the company is or what their tastes are, Basso56 will always please...

Reasons not only include exceptional food prepared and supervised by a seasoned, authentic-Italian, in-kitchen chef, but also boasts a wine list and desert menu that is perfectly merchandised and dish-paired-too.

The staff are accommodating and, carefully doting ensuring client satisfaction. Each member of the wait staff are gifted with character and appropriate humor.

Impress your family; impress your friends. This is the NYC cuisine equivalent of a place of safe harbor.

3 Star Rating: Average

07/19/10

Midtown retreat

by jayGeorge at Citysearch

If you, like I, are put off going to this place due to the "okay at best" review left by NYC Designer Girl, please take the time to read this review for a much less ego-driven perspective. Anybody that finds it reasonable to go by that moniker doesn't garner much stock from me when it comes to reviewing restaurants. Rant over...

Here's my take. My date and I got here a little later for our meal, and they were very accommodating. Once we were seated, I took in the space and got a feel for the environment. Very clean, very modern white walls in the slightly subterranean room give a feeling of airyness despite the lack of windows. This place is modern without being sparse or harsh - it still feels friendly in it's Spartan minimalism. The music is louder than an average restaurant and is much livelier than the stock Italian music you'll normally get.

Our waiter was a genuine treat. Very friendly, very enthusiastic and very eager to please. We ordered the fried calamari and prosciutto wrapped burrata for apps, and they were both very good. The calamari was crispy without being chewy, the burrata was creamy and worked well with the smoky wrapper. Our mains were both pasta-based. My date had gnocchi with a creamy tomato sauce, and we requested an addition of Vodka to the dish which was duly accommodated. I chose the special: linguine with scallops and rock shrimp. Large portions of steaming food promptly arrived and we wated no time tucking in. My date was Italian and was very happy with the authenticity and taste of her dish. My dish was slightly less impressive. Without a sauce to bind the ingredients, it seemed too dry and dislocated to be impressive. Passable, but I wouldn't order it again.

For dessert, we had Tiramisu and Creme Brulee. The Tiramisu was very tart and lemony, which we didn't expect and didn't much appreciate. The Creme Brulee was decent: the custard was a little too thick, but worked fine with the extra brittle glaze.

Our waiter was always attentive and kept the wine and water topped up. After paying a very reasonable price, we made our way out to our next stop.

In summary, this place isn't supposed to be the most impressive Italian in an already restaurant-soaked area. It provides a moderately priced alternative to the sometimes-cheesy trattorias or over-expensive Italian swankhouses of midtown. Don't try to impress with this place, because it's not that sort of venue. As we were leaving, the music was louder and a couple of girls were dancing near the entrance. It's not a clubby sort of place; I can envision families eating here perfectly comfortable too. And that's exactly what you should take away fro this review: comfort. Enjoy!

  • Pros: Great selection, excellent service
  • Cons: Specials were uninspired, one toilet cubicle per sex!
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/05/10

Food, ambiance, service was AMAZING

by Foodnyc at Citysearch

The service was amazing, our waiter's name was Silvio and he was very attentive as was all the waiters. He told us the specials and was very nice and patient. The food was so delicious. We had the best crabcake for appettizers. I would recommend this dish to everyone. I then had the shrimp pasta and it was so fresh. The dessert was amazing as well. I have no complaints. Our table was cleared for each meals we ordered and received new silverwares. I will definetly go back!!

  • Pros: Service, food and Ambiance
  • Cons: Nothing
3 Star Rating: Average

01/27/10

okay at best

by NYC Designer Girl at Citysearch

Basso is great for a quick casual meal. The atmosphere is not romantic, as it's just plain decor. The crabcakes are great. So are the lambchops, but the fish is not always fresh, and occasionally, there is a fishy smell to it. I also feel it's overpriced for what it is. But I dine out every evening, and I sometimes prefer a more casual atmosphere, which this is. Recently a patron found a worm in his fish, which really horrified me, as I was at the next table.

  • Pros: Good crabcakes
  • Cons: Not good for seafood

The Details on Basso56

Place Categories:

  • great italian food
  • friendly wait staff
  • outstanding service
  • fresh pastas
  • recommend place
  • great italian restaurants
  • beautiful pleasant hostess
  • clean finishes
  • delicious crabcakes
  • favorite pasta dish
  • not outrages prices
  • romantic ambience
  • nice host
  • unpretentious environment
  • nice italian dinner
  • great meal
  • great dinner experience
  • not romantic atmosphere
  • amazing dessert
  • beautiful decor
  • great recommendations
  • amazing whole branzino
  • highly recommend risotto frutti di mare
  • creative paulo
  • good reviews