La Focaccia

Terrible service, so-so food

by kabukiman

Skip this beautiful and overpriced Italian restaurant. Two friends and I went for lunch to this nice looking place, and will never return. The focaccia bread was a bit over toasted and falling apart, and was too big for the actual contents of the sandwich. Also, the pizza was stone hard. To top it all, we had Olga, the worst, unhappiest waitress in Manhattan, and we were forced to pay 20% tip because it was included in the bill - we were 3 people having lunch. I understand that for parties of 6 or more service charge is included, but 20% for three at lunch time, AND with the terrible service we had, seems unethical. The West Village has a lot better things to offer!

• Pros: Nice decorations!
• Cons: Olga, the very unhappy waitress...

La Focaccia is Al Pacino Italian Ristorante destination in W

by Delfine

The Ristorante La Focaccia location at a prime people watching corner, the roar of the wood burning brick oven open flame, its modest prices for the quality and amount of food on the plate, this is an excellent value. Delicious Italian food with a wonderful atmosphere.

I eated a flavorful grilled Italian sausages from the brick oven not overcook just right. These well seasoned and juicy, large salsiccie were split down the middle and spread wide across a shallow puddle of tomato sauce and several lego sized blocks of polenta.

Northern Italian menu highlighted by substantial portions of pasta and oven fired meats and fish. A mixed grill for two, with baby lamb chops, Italian sweet sausages and a daily fish. The homemade fresh Focaccia bread. A generous, vegetable-heavy antipasto includes zucchini, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, cauliflower, fennel, smoked mozzarella and proscioutto, or rosy, tender beef carpaccio, piled with peppery arugula and misted with lemon.

Beautiful dessert tiramisu and wines Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese Chianti and Barolo. Magnifico! My best place to eat and drink.

We have brought friends there and they have also loved it. We even saw Al Pacino there one night.

The best part of the experience, however, goes back to those windows, with their advantageous people watching and the delicious satisfaction of finally being on the inside looking out.

La Focaccia is really the best Italian Ristorante destination. Highly recommended!

— Delfine

Ristorante La Foccacia

(212) 675-3754

51 Bank St W 4th, West Village, manhattan, New York City, 10014-2144

• Pros: Ristorante wood burning brick oven
• Cons: .

Fantastic staff, awesome food!

by Kristina10

I have been to la focaccia several times now and absolutely love it! The staff are friendly and attentive and the food is awesome. I particularly love the penne vodka....it is the best in the city!

• Pros: Best penne vodka
• Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Bad Food, Bad Service - Not Recommended

by henry01

At a recent brunch here, we had our second bad experience at La Focaccia. The arugula salad was old and had too much oil. Actually, everything had too much olive oil including the bruschetta and the toasts with goat cheese and roasted red peppers. We ordered a soup with the bruschetta, but the latter came 15 minutes after the soup. Chasing down the wait staff to request a fresh bowl of hot soup, they brought back a bowl half the size. The portobello ciabatta was suppose to come with Parmesan cheese, but was slathered with melted fontina. And the bread that came with the meal was stale. The wait staff, as alluded to above was inattentive and aloof. The ultimate insult was the 20% service charge that they automatically added to the check. Neither the menu nor any postings at the restaurant noted this charge. Our prior dinner visit a few months ago was similarly poor, which we had hoped was a aberration. Now it's a trend. Go elsewhere.

• Pros: Nice corner of the West Village
• Cons: Bad food, poor service, automatic 20% gratuity charge

What a great find!!

by Jenna1070899

After scouring Greenwich Village - which is absolutely gorgeous - we found this litle place on the cnr of Bank West 4th. It has a real style to it: a small place, with couch seats along the wall and the decor on the walls, it had a really nice feel to it.

This is some of the best Italian food I've had in a long time! They have homemade pastas, and real Italian crusty bread. The others in the party were also delighted with their dishes, and we all had pasta, so I would definitely recommend coming through here! Plus, it was extremely reasonably priced, especially for Greenwich!

The service was also prompt and friendly, and our waiter suggested an excellent complimentary wine! We received the bill promptly, the meals took barely 20 minutes to come out, and they cleaned the table before we had to ask.

Excellent!!! Two thumbs up! If you like good Italian, I would certainly recommend this little gem!

• Pros: Food was excellent, especially the homemade pasta; decor was nice; prompt and friendly service; waiter suggested an excellent wine.