Reviews & Ratings for Antica Venezia
23 reviews
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Antica Venezia by Yvette G. at InsiderPages
Contributor
September 18, 2008
This is my favorite NY restaurant. It's a little neighborhood gem on a corner surrounded by residential buildings. It's well worth going to when you are out in the city. And we somehow always find parking on the street.
Attentive service, value for money, excellent food
by AVLS
May 07, 2008
As a foodie in the city I have seen my fair share of good restaurants, though this retaurant is a rare. With attentive staff that are eager to please, excellent food selections, and reasonable prices, this restaurant is one of a kind in NYC.
- Pros: Attentive service, comfortable dining atmosphere
- Cons: Location is out of the way
Very disappointed
by courtney30
February 19, 2008
I went here on a Sat night for dinner and was so disappointed by both the food and service. They sat us 50 minutes after our reservation without so much as an offer for a drink or food on the house. They were too busy that they 'forgot' to bring the friend zucchini and cheese (which in the past had come complimentary with the meal) which was also frustrating. The food here is just mediocre but I had wanted to go back because of what I thought was going to be the exceptional service - not any more! There are at least 10 other Italian restaurants in the west village with far better food and at better prices - I will not bother going here again and do not recommend it for others.
Excellent Service, Excellent food
by sebineurope
December 12, 2007
My husband and I went last Friday and had both excellent food and excellent service. The special (fish) I ordered was not prepared correctly but when I brought the waiter's attention to it he fixed the problem promptly. My husband had one of the veal dishes and said it was tender and tasty. The house wine was very good and they were generous with the pour. The staff also brings around a complementary after-dinner drink. Nice touch. When we were there the water fall became a bit overenthusiastic and my husband's chair and back got pretty wet. So I'd avoid sitting over by the waterfall wall, if possible.
- Pros: Great Service, great food
- Cons: watch out for the waterfall wall
Horrible Service! Would NOT Recommend this restaurant
by jumpy37
October 19, 2007
My boyfriend and I went there with a gift certificate from my Mother last Saturday night. The restaurant itself is cute, dark, brick, typical Italian West Village. But they made us wait 40 minutes for a table even though we had a reservation. They said we'd be the first couple seated since we were the first to arrive, but since we at the back of the bar, they seated 2 other couples ahead of us. We had to complain twice. THEN.. I had presented the gift certificate to the waiter in advance (so they'd be aware), but when it came time to accept the certificate at the end of the meal, they refused... saying they didn't take them on Saturday nights. To make it worse the Manager refused to come out and talk to me about it. Finally, I saw the manager walk by - and grabbed him. Both he and the waiter were so RUDE. They said they changed the rules about certificates and the new rules are on the website. Who reads a restaurant's website? I explained I had given the certificate to the waiter, but he actually said "I don't have time for this..." and other similar unbelievable sentiments. II started to get loud and he snatched it out of my hand and threw the check back down on the table with the certificate amount deducted.
What kindof manager acts like that? They should have said "I'm so sorry for the confusion, I'd be happy to make an exception for you.." The food was good, but it wasn't amazing or it isn't like there aren't 10,000 Italian restaurants in the city. Who the hell wants to trek to the West Side highway anyway?
Find another restaurant.. they are arrogant and don't understand customer service.
- Pros: Typical Good Italian, not outstanding, romantic vibe
- Cons: Customer Service, Prompt Seating, Manager/Host are Arrogant and RUDE
Positively Perfect
by altamuratj
June 15, 2007
The occasion: My finace's b-day. The scene: Antica Venezia with one table occupied when we arrived. The immediate impression: The owner greets you, the staff draws you in and seats you, and then from there you are whisked into the most delightful dinner you might ever have at these prices. Abandoning the whimsy for a moment, let me tell you how utterly delightful this restaurant is. Free apps right off the bat. Calamari and focaccia. Delicious. Crispy exterior to the squid, a loose collection of northern Italian style bread crumbs clinging delicately to the meat and on the inside a perfectly cooked cut of calamari. The focaccia is elegant and warm. The wine is moderately priced, extensive, and unique - I purchased one bottle. The service trumps all of this at this point - our waiter, the busboy, the owner all coming together for a non intrusive, wonderful sense of being wanted, you feel happy to be there and feel they are happy to have you there. The entree's were unforgettable - they have it all from branzino served whole, to original gnocchi dishes, to homemade pastas, long and al dente. After that the free b-day dessert but right before they grace us with this they do a very theatrical presentation in changing the table cloth while you sit there, before your eyes and everything's clean and crisp and it feels like nothing moved. The dessert: tiramisu, obvious but her choice - and it was of course, perfect. See a pattern? I swear I don't work there or know a single soul there. Next came complimentary digestifs - limoncello, grappa, your choice and all served on a rustic cart, mixed and poured tableside. For all of this I pay 100 dollars. They took our pictures, the owner chatted us up, invited us back for a special occasion dinner with his family - we left floating. Till we got to the Fat Black Pussycat and left there in there in wheelbarrows. Highly recommended, as high as I can recommend a place. Go there. Now. Run. Simply the best!
- Pros: Impeccable everything: service, ambiance, atmosphere, food, wine, so romantic...PERFECT
- Cons: They won't let me pay rent to live under a table there...
Authentic!
by lianka
March 30, 2007
This has to be THE BEST Italian restaurant in NYC! From service to ambiance to most importantly food, everything was perfect. We (3 couples) dined there on a Saturday night and though on time for our reservation, they were running a little behind schedule because of a big birthday party they had in the main dining room. They offered to sit us in the other room but we didn't agree because it's not as nice as the main dining room and close to the bathrooms and coat check. Because we had to wait, the host told the bar tender that all drink while we wait would be on the house. Great Great Great place and people! I can't say it enough. The food was mouth-watering! Definitely a must on anyone's list of to-go places!
- Pros: Everything!
- Cons: Nothing!
A gem on West Street
by dnelson50
March 22, 2007
Having lived in the West Village for several years I often jogged past Antica Venezia wondering what the orange awning was hiding inside. Well last night my fiance', another couple and I went past the awning into one of the most romantic hideaways. The low lighting and fireplace immediately set the mood. This was accompanied by excellent attentive service, uncrowded seating, a low noise level, and great food. In an era of large loud trendy restaurants it is a pleasure to dine in an atmosphere which Antica Venezia offers. I will become a regular at this West Village gem.
- Pros: ambience and service
Great food, Premier Service, A place that "Nails" Ambiance.
by thebooch
January 02, 2007
I picked this place due to the fact that there was not one negative review here. I am very happy to report that I will be adding a glowing review as well. I picked this place for a nice dinner for us and two close friends; all of which came to meet in NYC from Chicago and San Francisco. We had reservations, but had to wait at the bar for a short time. This wasn't a problem, since the bar was empty, and Tony (bartender) took very good care of us. The restaurant lighting was perfect, and they obviously set just enough tables, so you weren't dining with your neighbor. The decor included a glass waterfall visible from the bar and the main dining room. The waitstaff was unbelievably attentive. From the time we called for a reservation to the time we walked out of the door, everyone was working together to make this a special event. The Food was fantastic, and was served the exact way it was ordered. Be prepared to spend some money, but it was worth every penny. Don't pass up the limoncello or "Mama's" Tiramisu
- Pros: Great service, Food on par with the service
- Cons: Only been there once, couldn't find anything wrong.
