06/24/08

HIGH PRICED DIET!

by redrum22

Great looking menu and average food and HIGH PRICES. But everytime I have gone, every item I have tried is ok but what is up with the single portions???????? They are like high priced kids meals!!! I ordered seafood salad, pasta, baked clams and the single portions are tiny tiny tiny tiny portions and you try to to justify the price you just paid!!! Family style? Family style looks like a regular average meal at most reataurants but not the price? I went there the other day and ordered the 'special of day' which was a single portion of their rac of lamb. I was deciding on the family style or the single portion of the rac of lamb. I was thinking that the family style rac of lamb may be too much for me either way at that ridiculous price! So I ordered the single portion. When it came out I felt like I stepped into that mastercard commercial where two people go to this fancy schmancy restaurant and get this one carrot, one tiny little game hen, and a piece of bread. There it was 4 tiny puny lamb pieces!!!! and whole load of spinach??? I was wondering if I should have opted for the Family style puny 8 pieces for half a Bengie!!! What the hell was that? I was p*ssed off. The special of the day?? The food is really not that great, service is ok. At the end of the mastercard commercial, the two people run to the deli and get bags of chips and soda....and you know what...that is exactly what I did. This place is good for people on a HIGH PRICED DIET!!!! I will never come back here.

• Pros: Looking to waste time and waste money
• Cons: wasting time and money that could have been well spent

03/01/08

Helicopter waiter...

by MaudiePie

Osso Buco was recommended to us by a reliable source who had been there for a bachelor party. I'm not blaming him, but MAN...our waiter was pretty much the worst. Sat down with my pal, ordered glasses of wine, and got down to the business of catching up. THREE different men came over to see if we were ready to order, despite the fact that we'd arrived all of 8 minutes prior and had opened our menus after the first query. We were constantly aware that they were looking over or hovering nearby--never indicates good things for the experience to come. We ordered fried zucchini to share (it was, actually, fabulous), more wine, and an order each of linguine vongole and chicken parm. Extremely quick delivery leads me to believe that nothing is *exactly* cooked to order...when my friend asked for clean smaller plates, the waiter sniffed that he didn't realize we'd intended to share and quickly busied himself DIVIDING UP OUR FOOD FOR US. Absolutely not allowed! No! Never! We tried to dissuade him, to no avail. My friend was laughing so hard she had to excuse herself and go to the bathroom, leaving me with the surly bald faux- Italian, his hands all over my dinner. After a hundred, "thank you, we can do it, really, really, really"s he finally left in a huff, only to helicopter around behind us for the remainder of the meal. $90 later, we were through, and it was time to pay the check. He put it down for TWO SECONDS, walked away, returned, picked it up, and GLARED at us because we hadn't yet paid. Seriously? I'm ashamed to admit that I left the guy a 20% tip *JUST* to avoid having to ask for change. I wanted it to end. End end end. Sidenote? The food wasn't anything special AT ALL. Edible, sure, and the clams were shucked, which I always appreciate...but the red sauce was a little off and our dessert Napoleon wasn't actually a Napoleon at all. Ugh.

• Pros: Close to the subway? Inexpensive and decent wine.
• Cons: Surly, hovering waitstaff. Boring food. Cheesy atmosphere.

02/18/08

Great Italian Food, Family portions Avaiable

by luciferfidel

Let me say this restaurant is very nice place to dine for dinner. Atmosphere is typical for restaurants of this area, with dim lighting (not too dim) with average size tables good enough for two. The waiters are superb with an emphasis at making your experience comfortable. They are very knowledge about each dish and can even offer wine to complement your dish of choice. The restaurant's signature dish, Osso Buco, is terrific, perfectly cooked and comes with a surprising bone marrow which just melts in your mouth good. Along with their Italian offerings, you may be surprised that they will make dishes not offered on the menu if you should ask (spicy chicken riggies, penne a la vodka, chicken francese, etc.) Desserts are made excellent and vary from day to day to ensure freshness (gelato, tiramisu, napoleon). Overall, I do not find fault in this restaurant and have always left satisfied and content.

• Pros: Italian Food with Single/Famiy Portions, Superb Service
• Cons: Have not had any problems..

09/15/07

Good food, good service

by ducksauce001

I was there to celebrate my birthday with two of my friends. My friend made the reservation for 9:00pm, but we arrived around 7:30 instead. The hostess was very nice and told us it would take about 10 minutes. My friends and I went to the bar and had some drinks, and it took less than 10 minutes to get our table. The food was good, the pasta was cooked al dente. Maybe some reviewers who complained about the food doesn't know about al dente? The portion was decent, we ordered family size mussels and calamari, along with some seafood pasta. By the time we finished the appetizers, we were already getting full.

The bus boy was more attentive with bringing us more water and newer plates. I do agree with some of the reviewers that the waiters are a bit less attentive. I don't know about the racial comments and the profanity because I'm Asian, and my friends are Black and Asian.

I really didn't have any problems, especially being my first time eating at Osso Buco. Seriously, besides the waiter (a minor problem), I really enjoyed my first visit here. I will go back again!

• Pros: Food, ambience, service, friendly staff.
• Cons: Waiter needs to be more attentive.

01/19/07

Rude, Crude and Tasteless

by kinglear

Having dined here before and leaving slightly irritated with the slow service, I decided to give this place another shot with four friends, two of whom were black. We were seated and there was no one else in the restaurant save one couple that was finishing up. I was shocked at the treatment, with RACIAL slurs and derogatory comments about my friends being hummed by the waiter, who hovered over our table like a shark to meat. I would rather not repeat the words that were being used, but shocking nonetheless...

My two friends were embarassed to be eating from their plates and I invited them!

NEVER AGAIN!! As we left, the waiter even had the NERVE to complain about the lack of tip! Please spare yourself if you can. Head over to Patsy's instead. It is right across the street, and much more respectable

• Pros: None
• Cons: Everything

09/15/06

Horrible food and service

by rao101

I ate here before. Save your money. Buy a Italian cook book and eat at home. The host is arrogant and high on himself. The food and service is terrible.I ordered fettuchini alfredo. The sauce was watery and the noodles were under-cooked. The waiter was very slow. Don't waste your money here.

• Pros: All cons
• Cons: All cons

05/21/06

rude host, slow service, uncooked pasta

by misschristina

had advance reservations for group of 15 for 8pm. two of my friends were running late, but 13 of us arrived at 8 sharp. the host refused to seat us because our entire party was not there. meanwhile, the restaurant was empty, and my friends stood huddled and crowded in the narrow entry-way. after complaining, another hostess gave us our table. but first host told us we had to leave if the other 2 guests did not arrive. has anyone ever heard of this practice?? then, our food took over an hour to get to our table. portions were small. 1 plate of pasta fed 3 people, tops. the penne ala vodka was under-cooked. penne was hard.

• Cons: Rude Incompetent Host, Slow service, Under-cooked Pasta

01/15/06

Absolutely Excellent.

by bklynknight81

Dim Lights, Great Food, Great Service, Excellent Price and good Location. I strongly recommend this resturant.

• Pros: Inexpensive, Great Food, Great Location

12/26/05

Wonderful food and service!

by scarroll27

I have been going here for years for the excellent family style Italian food and good value. We had our rehearsal dinner here and the sevice was outstanding and the wide selection of food was great for a large group. Everyone raved about it! I would recommend this place highly both for service and delicious food!

• Pros: delicious food, good service, good for groups

12/22/05

HORRIBLE SERVICE!!!

by doctorinvisible

NOT RECOMMENDED!!! Ambience and food were overshadowed by the worst service I've ever experienced. Our waiter never once came to our table unless we asked the bus-boy to ask the waiter to come by. WE had to ask about specials, desserts, and basically had to beg for more drinks. Upon leaving a 10% gratuity, the manager asked why the below-average tip. Upon explaining, the waiter confronted us as we left and spewed a stream of profanities at us as we walked out the door. Never again.

• Pros: location, ambience
• Cons: service, service, service