Via Emilia

Recommends

nikisch4563

Joined 7 years ago

An enjoyable evening. I met a friend at the restaurant Sat. night at 8 p.m. My friend had already been seated and I promptly joined her. We had met each other only recently, so we had gotten into a lengthy conversation before even looking at the menu. The waitress came back a couple of times to check on us (and was not annoyed). Finally, we ordered. I had the chicken tortollini with mushrooms and it was outstanding. Subtle flavors inside and handmade pasta. My friend had the pumpkin tortollini, which was also outstanding. The wine was good. You can carry on a conversation with your party. All-in-all, it was pleasant, enjoyable and a great meal. Would make a nice date place as well. I would go back.

Recommends

stilastar

Joined 8 years ago

Eh. We only waited a few minutes before we were seated, and the menu looked promising. We were given a bread basket and the bread looked like someone had taken a bite out of it and put it back in, so we passed that over. The appetizer was good - pastry puffs with meat, but the entrees completely lacked flavor. I had the chicken and mushroom tortellini, which had no flavor whatsoever. If you have to add a lot of salt, pepper and grated cheese to a dish then something just isn't right, and that's what I had to do. My date had the ragu with meat sauce, which also had no flavor. It needed garlic, onion, something. We could only stomach half of it and decided to pack it up, knowing we could spice it up in our own kitchen. It was just disappointing all around.

Recommends

nycjeannef

Joined 8 years ago

If you are in the area . .. stop by this place. But only if you are in the area. Don't consider this place a gem that is worth travelling to. The service is probably hit or miss - we had sufficient service but the table next to us didn't - they had to keep asking for things. The wine list is small but satisfactory for the type of place it is. We enjoyed our meal (try the gnocco fritto - this would be a 15 dollar antipasti course anywhere else) and we would return. They are known for their tortelloni . . . and for good reason. Stick to the homemade pastas.

Recommends

mja39

Joined 9 years ago

Very good food. This place has excellent pasta dishes. It's a great, inexpensive choice when you're in the area. Service is a little slow, even though the restaurant is small, so sit back and enjoy your company!

Recommends

theaterjunkie

Joined 11 years ago

Ok, I guess.... This is a "fine" restaurant--nothing was spectaular. Based on reviews, I was expecting it to either be super-cheap with good food (a good value) or typically-priced with fantastic food (an even better value and rare gem). My experience was that it was a combination of those 2 expectations. It's a good restaurant if you are in the Union Square/Gramercy area, but don't make a special trip to get there. PS--You most likely will have to wait, and there is no bar or enclosed waiting area.

Recommends

DrLove

Joined 10 years ago

Go for the lambrusco!. Via Emilia really deserves the praise it gets for being a gem in the midst of the high profile and high priced restaurants in its neighborhood (not saying that there aren't several restaurants in that grouping worth visiting...). Lambrusco is such a nice treat in the summertime, and, being a cheap wine, it is difficult to find on most wine lists and wine stores in this city. We've never had to wait unreasonably long for dinner, as long as we were realistic in our expectations. The food is solidly good and reasonably priced. The service is smooth but not overly friendly. The space is somewhat noisy because it is unadorned and simple, so sound really reverberates. However, will remain a staple for us and we're never reluctant to bring out-of-town guests.

Recommends

punky21

Joined 10 years ago

Tortellini done right!. The bill was less $100 for four us. We all had a glass of wine and shared an appetizer. There is a variety of tortellini and all are fabulous. The wait is kinda crappy but totally worth it. AND they won't seat your party unless you are all present. But go during the week and it won't be as crowded...

Recommends

citywoman336

Joined 10 years ago

Get there early. There are no reservations, so plan for an early dinner to avoid wait times. Once seated, the place can get a wee bit loud, but waiters are wonderful and will never rush a table, even if there is a line out the door and onto the sidewalk.

Pasta is good, specials are usually worth a try. Incredible value.

Recommends

ginamog

Joined 11 years ago

totelloni. if you like totellini you'll love this place. big servings and fresh pasta. not my favorite italian place in the city, but still very good. it's very small and there is a chance you may have to wait a few minutes, but if you're in the neighborhood and in the mood for italian check this place out.

Recommends

wholia101

Joined 10 years ago

an italian gem. The deliciously hearty lasagne and home made ravioli (the chicken and wild mushroom with truffle oil tortelloni is amazing) at rock bottom prices make this place a gem. The decor is functional and basic, with dark stained wood and individual candles at each table. Be prepared, it's cash only.