10/27/09

Genuinely home-made food in a pleasant atmosphere

by Food I love you

Amazing experience!!! I was over last Friday with few friends and everybody was really happy!! We reserved our table online (yes you can... although we had to wait about 10/15 minutes to be seated). Many "yummy" things in the menu, which our super-nice waiter explained to us almos item by item, Interesting wine list, many, many different wines but only Italian. The food is really great: we had the truffle pizza, whole wheat pasta, the "gnocco" bread with prosciutto, beef carpaccio, filet mignon with wine reduction and few other things I cannot recall right now. The staff is great, everybody seems on top ov everything, from the waiters to the bus boys, especially the manager, a big guy with a big warm smile, who was constantly checking about our "happiness" and make sure we were feeling at home. A delicious desserts trio (tiramisu', Italian Cheese Cake and the AMAZING nutella calzone) has been the triumphal end of our meal.

Thank you guys for this experience: great people, friendly/family atmosphere, very nice and friendly staff, great food and wine choice... and the price wasn't that bad.

I'll be back, for sure... I would suggest to reserve your table in advance, especially Friday and Saturday night.

• Pros: Delicious food, great staff, homey/cozy enviroment
• Cons: Very crowded over the week end

05/16/09

WORST SERVICE I'VE EVER HAD -- DO NOT DINE HERE

by rellybois

I went here for brunch with 3 people, and after 22 years of living and dining in New York City, I must say this was the worst service I've ever been subjected to in this city.

Although the service was extremely slow in an empty restaurant, that issue is to be expected at times. What was unforgivable was the rude, condescending and outright hostile attitude of everyone who works there -- even the busboy.

We waited 30 minutes in a near-empty restaurant to have our orders taken. One of us asked if he could get mushrooms in his omelet, and was told "No" with no explanation. When we got our food I asked for ketchup, and I was told that it was not possible. We were offered refills of our coffee cups (did not ask for them), but were charged for each one on the bill. When we asked about it, we were told by the hostess "This is not a diner" and that we should feel fortunate because they decided not to charge us for all the refills. Then came the real zinger: "But, if it's a huge awful problem for you, I guess we could take it off." What the hell is that?!? To top everything off, when we tried to pay we were condescendingly told that our cards were not acceptable and that they only take American Express.

All in all, the entire experience was uncomfortable and even hostile. A restaurant should never make the customer feel unwelcome and afraid to make even basic requests. The admittedly pretty good food was nowhere near good enough to justify the hostile, rude and disgusting treatment we received. And from the looks of other reviews, this behavior appears to be a trademark of Gnocco.

• Pros: Decent (but overpriced) food
• Cons: WORST SERVICE EVER, overpriced food, awful awful service

05/04/09

Leaving husband and running away with the waiter!!!

by CSMobileUser

A fantastic experience!! I went with a group of friends last night. We sat in the garden. The atmosphere was wonderful. The service was impeccable. We had amazing truffle pizza, pumpkin ravioli and wonderful fried artichokes. It was balanced perfectly by a Morellino Scansano wine our waiter suggested. I highly recommend Gnocco for the food, atmosphere and georgeous Italian waiters with dark eyes and accents from the old continent!! My favorite Italian restaurant in New York.

11/04/08

BEST italian food in NYC

by MC10021

Gnocco is a great discovery for me. This place would be high standard in Italy as well (and I know what I am talking about). Their famous dish "Il gnocco" is the perfect merge of soft and crispy and moreover is not as greasy as you sometimes find it in Central Italy; the rest of the menu tasty and with a twist of fantasy (enough of meatballs and alfredo sauce, they have real ideas in here) and the internal garden lovely in every season. Definetely the best meal I had in Manhattan and reasonably priced (that is not easy in the city where everything is over-rated)

• Pros: the food, the garden
• Cons: they rush you a bit

08/23/08

got sick from the beef carpaccio

by agent99712

service was mediocre, yellowed greens, no effort made on presentation or quality. hadn't eaten anything all day, had the beef carpaccio, became ill 5 hours later. not surprised, this restaurant has seen better days and needs to reinvent themselves.

• Pros: outdoor seating with a caveat
• Cons: poor food quality

08/11/08

Horrible Service! Rude Server!

by askinnygirlwholovestoeat

I went for a first date on a Friday night around 9pm and was seated promptly by a very pleasant young woman. The menu selection was lovely and the food was very good - not the best I've had in NYC but for the price, I'd say it was comparable. The decor was nice - we were able to sit in the outdoor garden area. BUT OUR SERVER! So unbelievably rude! Everything was done with a sigh and an eye roll! It took him forever to get to our table and then with a slight eye roll he condescendingly asked if we were ready to order - as though he had been waiting on US for 15 minutes! But before we could answer him he took up a conversation with another server! When he finally did get back to us, everything we said or did seemed to not be worth his time. I wasn't starving so I ordered an appetizer as my meal and that just aggravated him to the point he felt it was relevant and necessary to abrasively remind me it was an appetizer. We had two bottles of expensive wine and yet we were still treated as though we were below his standards. I WILL NEVER GO BACK! There are too many restaurants in NYC - they should seriously re-evaluate the attitudes of their servers if they want to stay open with so much competition out there.

• Pros: Outdoor Seating
• Cons: Awful Service

07/23/08

Awesome every time I've been!

by trendyresistance

I don't know who waited on the other reviewer, but I've had a fantastic time every single time. Though at times the service can be slow, but other than that no complaints.

I've never heard of the mandatory gratuity, maybe the other reviewer was there with a group larger than 5? It's been my experience that it's customary for restaurants to do that for larger groups.

The food is delicious and the ambiance perfect! My husband and I have been going every week since we found this place, and we recommend that you do to!

• Pros: Fantastic food
• Cons: At times a bit slow

07/16/08

Ugly experience!

by joezipper617

Ugly service, okay food depending on what you get (pizza is fantastic, main dishes are mediocre). The waiter we had was rude, not attentive and very moody. At one point, he got angry and asked us if he was "comic" (???). Towards the end of the dinner, I was suprised he didn't sit on the table and ask me to serve him. Although they didn't state it in their menu or anywhere else, they put a mandatory gratuity. When we disputed, the manager took it off and asked us to never come back there again. This is the first time I am experiencing something like this in New York and it is outright unreasonable, silly and rude. It seems like recent reviews are much worse than earlier ones. Do you want to gamble? Next time I want good italian food, I will go to Lil' Frankie's on 1st avenue.

• Pros: Pizza
• Cons: Service!!!

11/03/07

Bad vibe at this place, stay away!

by salvatored

I just had dinner at Gnocco on 10th Street in the East Village. It was my third time there, and for the second straight time had a bad experience. My first time there was good. Good food, good service. My second time there, I felt the food was not as good, and there was a strange vibe among the crew, including the Maitre'd. Seemed like everyone was angry with each other. And it spilled over to their attitude toward customers. I though it must have just been an unusual night where something was going on behind the scenes. But on my third visit tonight, it happened again. And the Maitre'd was worse this time. Outright hostility about the silliest thing. So unless you like this kind of atmosphere as you're tring to eat over-priced Italian food, I would stay away. Two other couples we know have had a similiar experience lately, so I don't think it's about my wife and I. Place started out well, but boy is there a bad vibe there now.

05/05/07

Great Place, worth a try, not too expensive, decent food

by dazeddarla

I thought the food here was okay, but the truth is, I don't think I ordered the best choices on the menu. The Insalata Veronica wasn't very good, I forget what was even in it. The sizes aren't too big, but I found that refreshing, because it's easy to overeat Italian food. My main course was the gnocci special with gorgonzola and a walnut sauce. Sounds delicious, but the food seemed to lack something, and wasn't served very hot. The dessert, nutella and ricotta cheese on pizza dough was certainly the highlight. I have a feeling there were far better choices on the menu. If I ever go back, I will update.

The best part of the place is the atmosphere. It wasn't too sceney and felt social and fun, without being too crowded or too noisy. The staff seemed a little spacey but sweet and accommodating. The floor was on slant in the back, so the chairs weren't the most comfortable. But all in all, a pleasant experience, with prices that were quite the bargain. With wine and appetizers and desserts, came to 60 each with tip.

• Pros: Atmosphere, affordable, decent food
• Cons: Food could use improvements