Had a lovely meal here. Started with the roasted radicchio salad, which I didn't care for because it was bitter in the way that broccoli rabe is (not a fan), but the tagliatelle bolognese was fantastic and the brick chicken was delicious and juicy. I would definitely recommend those dishes! Great service and ambience. read more

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I'm willing to play a little "defense" when I'm doing out, but our whole experience was stressful. This place is SHADY (not to be trusted). The service was bad at the beginning and end (good in the middle). First with a bottle of wine, and lastly with the check. The manager took our wine order, and when she brought the bottle out she showed it to me to verify the vintage, then took it away to the server stand with her back to us - hiding the bottle opening - and proceeded to use a dirty glass (with some wine still in it) to do the tasting (a nice big gulp of it). I confronted her about not letting me touch the cork nor do the tasting myself and she pushed back. So I said, "Fine, just give me the bottle" and when I grabbed the top of the bottle she got all "woke" on me and exclaimed "DON'T TOUCH ME!", and I said, "I'm not touching you I'm touching my bottle... but now I don't want this bottle." I was willing to take it despite her abnormal service, but her lie about what I did pissed me off. Our server brought out a new one and did a proper opening service. The menu has an "administrative 18% charge" warning on the first page, so they are allowed by law to add this to the bill. But I always ask the server what the charge is for. Sure enough, the server - who had been quite good - said that it was to pay the cooks in the back, which is a lie, angling for a double tip. The line item on the credit card slip said "Tip" not "Additional Tip," which is what it should say (at least in spirit if not by law). I could talk about the octopus app being 2/3 potatoes and one small tentacle, or the server pushing the Dover Sole with Market Price ($110) over the halibut my wife wanted ($42) but I expect such hidden fees. However, this place goes beyond the normal shenanigans of dining out in NYC, and I'll definitely not be coming back. read more

4.5 stars. This really is a great local place easy to miss if you're on foot. Last night's meal was outstanding. Tuna crudo sits atop a green sauce I can't describe but loved. The spaghetti is wonderful. I love those giant pasta bowls---where the rim is three times the size of the bowl itself. This was just a plain spaghetti but housemade thin pasta (like a thin, almost translucent fettucini, really) and sheep milk. I loved it. I ordered the gnudi with lamb. Gnudi is like gnocchi but made of ricotta. The spicy dip with pita is a must to start. read more

I already know I'm going to run out of characters. Don't say I didn't warn you. We did extensive research on prix fixe menus before finally landing on Amali for Valentine's Day. We want options. Prix fixe means fewer options. That doesn't sit well with me. But on Valentine's Day, it's quite difficult to find a nice restaurant - at least in New York - that is offering something other than prix fixe. So when we noticed that Amali, a sustainable Mediterranean restaurant that had been on my list for some time, was giving us substantially more options than most Mediterranean spots in the city, it was settled. In short, this is not a review of the full menu - but we still covered a lot of ground. The vibe at Amali isn't at all cohesive. It's slightly rustic, slightly industrial, quite intimate, sophisticated in certain ways and banal in others. It's more upscale that your average restaurant, but not in any sort of pretentious/snotty way. Thankfully, that lack of cohesion is not at all reflected in the menu. All options - prix fixe and beyond - make sense. Clean, Mediterranean flavors with an emphasis on seafood, punctuated with some standout cheeses. While most dishes were big hits, there were a couple that missed the mark in subtle ways. So while I'd love to give Amali 4.5 stars - if Yelp allowed such a thing - I'm rounding down to four. A short tangent first. While waiting for our food, we noticed - and don't tell me you haven't done the same thing - that the couple next to us was enjoying a burrata dish that looked nothing short of a masterpiece. Much to my parents' chagrin, I never really learned how to use my "inside voice". So of course when my equally eager company and I realized what was so close yet so far, we had to take note. Apparently, we were not in the least bit subtle about this. The couple, perhaps floating on their appropriately-colored pink cloud due to a romantic dinner on Valentine's Day, gracious offered us this plate. They insisted that they were done. We'd be fools not to accept! So we did. And man, this was debatably the best thing we consumed all night. Fluffy perfection - I truly believe that's what the clouds in heaven, if such a place exists, are made of (some dairy-free for my lactose intolerant friends, of course), Now for our order: Feta dip: A. Ain't much to say here. Hard to screw up feta dip - this was no exception. My only wish: more pita chips! We got maybe six small chips for that whole bowl of wonder and running out of them quickly detracted from the overall enjoyment. But still a very yummy starter. Octopus a la Plancha: B+ The disappointment of the night. There was nothing ostensibly wrong with the octopus, but it fell short for me. The preparation was just okay, the flavors were more muted than I typically like, and the preparation, for lack of a better word, was boring. I'm kind of an octopus slut - I can't help myself - so I've been around. This is far from the best I've had. I wasn't BAD, but considering the venue, I expected more. Scallops w/ black-eyed peas: A- I adore shellfish. Scallops have never been my favorite - that award has definitively been given to mussels. But I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this preparation. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the black-eyed peas were a nice, muted counterpart. It didn't wow me in any particular way, but it was really good nonetheless. Lobster pasta: A-/A Creamy, dreamy pasta starring the fanciest of crustaceans. My indecision around the rating is due to the lack of actual lobster in the dish. It's not a large serving of pasta to begin with, but if we're paying for lobster, I expect there to be a more gracious ratio. That said, what we did get was delicious. Don't think it's offered on Amali's normal menu, but it's still worth keeping in mind in the case of specials. Mussels: A- As you may have guessed, I'm a snob when it comes to my mussels. So to receive an A from me is saying a lot. These were prepared in a white wine sauce and seasoned very nicely. I can't give them an A, but I'd definitely recommend to seafood-lovers looking to share an appetizer. They come with a generous helping of bread, which can conveniently be dipped into the oft-gratifying mussel bath. Potatoes: A Crispy and buttery. I never opt for potatoes on a menu. Never. But on Valentine's Day with wonderful company, why not? Our waiter (who was lovely, by the way) recommend them and we embraced the YOLO moment. Neither of us are dessert people, so these seemed like a natural sub. Finally, I'll mention that the wine list here is frighteningly expansive. Had we been in the mood for wine, I'm sure the decision process would have been onerous. For a wine spot, the cocktails here were actually quite good. I had a rye-based drink and a rum-based drink, both of which were yummy. So overall execution here was great, but just not "as good as it gets". It's called the Hall of Fame; not the "Hall of the Very Good". read more

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What an awesome lunch spot in Midtown! Arrived around 2 and sat in the back room. I was dining solo so it was great to sit in a garden-like setting with a great book and enjoy some great jazz and an amazing sandwich. I ordered "The Calabrian" which was an incredible pork-bomb with crunchy, spicy giardiniera on beautiful fluffy ciabatta. I had a couple delicious iced teas (need to find out what brand they use- it was so delicate and flavorful!) which took care of any potential food coma. Finished my meal by paying with Cover and made it back to the office in under an hour. Super awesome. Amali is gorgeous and I can't wait to go back for dinner! read more

Amali - The Calabrian - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Amali looks nothing short of out of place on East 60th Street. In a neighborhood dominated by looming skyskrapers, chain stores, and an omnipresent corporate atmosphere, its nearly hidden, below-sidewalk level entrance is easily passable. Enter, though, and you'll be greeted by a dimly-lit bar and dining room, with pale, corrugated walls and wooden tables. The menu, at first glance, sticks closely to the origins of the restaurant's name, which is taken from a region once shared by Italy, Greece, and Turkey. As such, pasta dishes share the same page as plates featuring labne and octopus, and there's an unabashed use of olive oil in many dishes. Our table began with a few shared plates. The first, the Burrata di Campagna, featured a generous portion of silky, creamy burrata cheese lighted dressed in kritiko olive oil. The fresh, mild flavor of the mozzarella was a solid starting bite, and a touch of acidity and sprinkling of crushed black pepper were much appreciated additions. The Crispy Baby Artichokes were also surprisingly aromatic, served with a touch of mint and a parsley-lemon aoili. I didn't taste much of the promised pecorino, but the additional meatiness would have been an appreciated contrast. As for the Duck Liver Pâté that I ordered, the pâté came in two generously sized cuts with grilled country bread. The texture was spot-on - smooth, spreadable - and the richness and minerality of the liver was present in each bite. It became monotonous halfway through, however, and I wished for some kind of compote, a sweetness or acidity, to help counter the richness of the liver. The second block was left untouched, but the staff was happy to place it in an (albeit ridiculously large) container to take home. I had, of course, been curious about the three pastas listed on Amali's menu. The Spaghetti was modestly portioned, a bright serving of pasta with cured San Marzano tomatoes, a sprinkling of Fiore Sardo, and several leaves of basil. The spaghetti itself was a little confusing; the noodles were flat and limp, and had almost no chew to them. While I did love the acidity present in the tomatoes and the fragant edge from the basil, I couldn't find much that the pecorino contributed and the overall flavor profile wasn't particularly remarkable. Amali falls into that grey area for me; while the ambiance and service were fitting, the food had its highs and lows across the board. Make sure to plan accordingly, though, as arriving later will mean a more crowded, louder dining room, magnified by the lack of windows and the fact that the venue is situated underground. But for those looking for a cozy dining space in the Midtown East neighborhood, Amali will fit the bill. It's perhaps best suited for a glass or two of wine from their extensive wine list, and a variety of shared small plates. read more

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Amali has everything you could ask for in an upscale NYC eatery: ambiance, impeccable service, and delicious, fresh, and authentic Greek/Mediterranean cuisine. It is my go to spot for a proper date night with the gf or a casual meal/drink with a friend or colleague. Give them a try! read more

I am still upset about this. I went here with my girlfriend to surprise her for her birthday. Traveling from Baltimore, I wanted to find a special place and having recently travelled to Greece and enjoyed their indigenous wine I chose Amali. I want to make it clear the wine and food did not disappoint. I didn't love the heirloom tomato salad (too salty and sour) but the pasta with red sauce more than made up for it. What was so disappointing was the service. As my girlfriend said after - wow that waiter was an a**hole. Never a good thing to be saying after a birthday dinner. No he could not mess up our night, we still had a great time but it was not because of Amali. I strongly believe that a restaurant should go above and beyond always, but especially when patrons are celebrating a special occasion. We received the evil eye for being the last patrons there. It is not our fault we had a 10:15 reservation and considering we were in and out in an hour its not like we overstayed our welcome but then again we never really felt welcome. To top it all off the toffee bread pudding was dry and not as sweet as I personally would have liked. It did come with a candle but thats all they did for her birthday. read more

Amali - Pasta - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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Food is good though portions pretty small. Loved the octopus and the roasted veggies. Salmon tartare was ok. The drinks are very tasty but seriously weak on the alcohol - they taste more like slightly spiked juice. The service was friendly. Solid Upper-East-Side-mom vibe. read more

Our first night in NY, and a wonderful way to start our trip! The dinner was amazing. We loved all the dishes, the portions were large, and we really wanted dessert, so we had to take the Portuguese cheesecake to go! And we're glad we did. That was a beautifully done cheesecake. Dense, rich and tangy. Wish we lived in NY so we could get another. And yes, they have amazing pasta dishes, too. Can't say enough good things about how delicious everything was.... Wish we'd taken photos of the food. read more

I didn't pay for my meal, so I am just relaying what my non-practical senses are telling me. Food was spot on, maybe minus one item. Most diners will be downstairs, where there are not that many seats, but feel cozy and welcoming. Loved the vibe. I sat upstairs, in the private room. I loved the concept which is seriously eating at a long dining table, next to an open kitchen (they weren't cooking anything there), but the table with the window and exposed brick was awesome. 1. Salad: So this was the only item where I was disappointed. It was just a few very veggie-tasting leaves with mild vinaigrette. Very plain. They could at least done with some cheese or tomatoes - yeesh. 2. Polenta: Wow! Best polenta ever. Great consistency, with a subtle creaminess and a kick. I could eat bowls of this stuff. A must try. 3. Potatoes: This was also surprisingly good. Soft in the middle, slightly crispy on the outside. Even after sitting out for 10 minutes, the crispiness of the potato was maintained. Impressed. 4. Steak: Medium-rare with amazing seasoning. This was perfect consistency, and wasn't too salty or heavy, which is a frequent complaint of mine. I wouldn't change a thing about this dish. 5. Organic salmon: Also done perfectly. The meat of the salmon is good, which is nothing special. However, the best part of this dish is the crispy skin. It gives this dish that little extra something. 6. Greek yogurt with cherry: Very light but satisfying way to end this meal. The cherry was mildly sweet, and the greek yogurt was thick. I heard that the rhubarb with the yogurt was too mild of a dessert. Meals come with crispy thin bread. I had a white wine that was out of this world. read more

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I came here with my wife on the way to a show in midtown. I normally wouldn't come to this area to eat because it's kind of random (not quite upper east side and not really midtown east) and touristy given that Bloomingdales is so close. We heard it was good so we tried it and boy were we glad. Let's start with the wine. They have a sommelier which is awesome for people that can't decide what to pick when given so many options. After describing what we were looking for, the somm recommended a really cool wine from Santorini. It was excellent and paired really well with our first dish, the octopus a la plancha. Probably the best or close to the best octopus dish I have ever eaten. The tender octopus came with fingerling potatoes, olives, roasted red peppers and I believe some jalapeños were in there, all in a white vinegar sauce. It's a must try. Moving to entrees, I ordered the pappardelle bolognese and my wife ordered the spaghetti a la chitarra. Both were amazing. The pastas were so fresh and the sauces were delicious. Amali nails these classic simple Italian dishes. I read someone complaining about the size of the portions, but found them to be pretty generous. For the quality of food/service you are getting at Amali, the prices are a steal. Do yourself a favor, weave in and out of the Bloomingdales tourists and get there. read more

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We wandered in after an exhaustive search of moderately-priced restaurants in the area after a Yelp event. Pleasantly surprised that there was no wait, we followed the hostess from the dimly lit main room to the brighter, more spacious skylight room in the back. I actually didn't expect to eat anything besides a salad because I wasn't feeling well. But once our server began to list the specials, I was sold. That homemade black squid ink pasta with a spicy meat sauce (he said it's like chorizo), squid, and bread crumbs was PERFECTION. Although the dish wasn't visually pleasing (thank goodness I don't have arachnophobia), the saltiness of the pasta and the spiciness of the sauce juxtaposed with textures from the dense, al dente pasta, chewy squid, and crunchy bread crumbs progressed into a culinary adventure in itself. The honorable mention goes to the ricotta donuts with chocolate cremeux (and hint of espresso). You couldn't taste the ricotta, but you could definitely see the difference in texture. The octopus a la plancha appetizer was good, but not as mind-blowing as the aforementioned. They also brought out rye bread with olive oil but my stomach didn't agree with it. We mostly really appreciated the fact that the server never rushed us. Whether it was me eating at a sloth-like rate or us staying an additional 30 minutes after dessert because of a most engaging conversation, not once did he express displeasure, frustration, or urgency for our table. In fact, he'd peek in non-intrusively, refill our waters, and then back away with a smile. Too cute. Next time I'm not feeling well, I'm coming here. Recovered instantly, haha! (I'm sure good company helped a lot too ;]) read more

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I don't think I've ever yelped an establishment twice, let alone three times, but I wanted to applaud Amali for responding to my latest review (which was kind of a bad experience). I spoke with the owner James about the dinner and I think we both agree that it could have been better on all ends. It was a rational conversation and I appreciate an owner that is willing to try to make things better. Further - and what is a great outcome (especially in the holiday season) - James is going to donate the cost of our dinner that night to a local charity. He seemed genuine throughout. My wife is also happy because I can still take her to her favorite spot on the UES. Winners around. read more

Summary: The Atmosphere: Cute little restaurant stuck inbetween midtown and the upper east side providing great farm to table options. Would make for a fun date spot if you're in the area. The Food: Very tasty! My group and I had the cheese and meat starter along with a juicy burrata. I ahd the lobster pasta which was amazing. The pasta tasted very home-made and the lobster was quite juicy and fresh. These are healthy sized portions, where our mistake was each ordering our own desserts. That proved to be way too much food. Don't get me wrong. It was delicious. The pumpkin dessert was the better of all of the options (we got all of them). The Drinks: A great selection of wines by the bottle. Very solid. The Service: Our waitress was very nice. She made some very appropriate suggestions which all came out on point. The other staff were very cordial. Can't complain one bit! read more

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Bought the hard sell on the tiniest plate of pasta I've ever seen for 80 dollars. But hey- at least their coffee is delivered by bicycle because that's important and means they're good people. read more

Amali - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

This was probably one of my worst dining experiences. It was my first time there. I asked about the pasta and the waiter told me it would be cooked al dente, (I mentioned that I preferred that, not well done). And of course the spaghetti was 100% cooked! The waiter changed it for me and never asked me if the 2nd round was better. (Actually the veal was too salty and there was hardly any tomato sauce). My waiter checked on the tables around me multiple times and asked them if everything was ok, dessert... but he kept skipping me. He never asked me if I wanted dessert. Finally after 3 rounds or asking the next tables he finally came to me and asked if everything was ok. I just asked for the bill. Will never go back! read more

Overpriced sewer. Incant stand it when fruit flies are hovering everywhere especially when everything on the menu is so expensive.

Another lovely local experience with homemade pasta, farm to table freshness and terrific service! Absolutely a local fav as it was packed and an hour wait for a table but full service at the bar with open seating! Delicious, warm, friendly and fun!! read more

Amali - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

What the bloody hell happened to this place? First time back in about six months and all of the dishes we tried are now overly salty and not really edible. The availability of 1000 point tables for a late lunch on Saturday along with a near-empty restaurant should have been the first clue as to how far this place has fallen. We ordered pretty much the same thing as we ordered last time. The biscuits first followed by pasta. This time we also had the farro salad as well. The biscuits were now smaller - quantity same. The quality of the biscuits were as we remembered but we could not finish the pasta or the farro salad as they were both offensively salty. Unfortunate and sad to see the wheels coming off like this. It would otherwise have been a four star based on what we experienced there before. read more

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Any menu that starts off with cocktails and drinks and is immediately followed by charcuterie and cheese is a winner in my book. Also any establishment that has a separate menu - nay booklet - for a wine list has quickly joined the shortlist of my favourite places in New York City. My visit to Amali was the quintessential lazy Sunday brunch. There was no rushing to order, to eat, or to pay the bill. And the decor was so effortless and tasteful - I loved it. First of all, their rosé flights - inspired. There is nothing better on a hot summer afternoon than, not one but three glasses of rosé. The sommelier at Amali seriously deserves a standing ovation for not only selecting such an extensive wine list and tasting, but also for selecting one of the most unique selection of liquors at the bar. I literally stood there for a good five minutes gaping at the artistry. Okay food-wise. The Shakshuka was phenomenal. Not going to lie, I literally went straight home and ordered a cast iron skillet because I loved this dish so much I wanted the illusion that I could recreate it at home. There was a balance in this dish between the hearty tomato sauce and the spicy green harissa, with the light pita bread and crisp green onions - that just left me feeling satisfied without feeling that heaviness that comes with eating eggs. read more

Amali - Shakshuka and Rosé flights - Mediterranean Near Me - New York, New York

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This restaurant is so cute and has really nicely vibes. If you're looking for a good spot for a date this is a good pick. Their brick chicken is prob the best chicken dinner dish I've ever had. Their spaghetti is AMAZING and the little crunches in the dish are great. Their menu is always changing but they had these little "dumplings" that were a great appetizer. Wine selection is great! read more

We choose most restaurants on atmosphere and buzz. Amali's scored on both. The lighting was low and the energy was up. Couples, friends and several large parties upstairs or in a back room. Food was good. Spicy lamb rigatoni was quiet good and my wife had the toasted feta dumplings with spinach, squash and mushrooms. Good but rich. Both had great flavors and good presentation. Wine selection from Greece, Italia and elsewhere where solid and you can get a decent bottle of wine without breaking the bank. Service was pleasant and there when you needed them. We will go back. read more

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My biggest regret is that I didn't take pictures of this space and the food. I was there for a big group dinner and just never had the time. But my highest praises for the private dining space, the service, and the food. The herring made all the heads turn in the room. Family style service was a nice touch. Excellent wines. Bravo! read more

Cannot say enough about this place!! The food, the staff and service were incredible. Appetizers were perfect, roasted chicory salad. Squash ( delicate ). With feta were both to die for. The pastas, homemade and PERFECT . Watch this chef! read more

So glad that I selected this spot for a group dinner. The main dining area is very welcoming and the service was great from start to finish. The diverse menu really encourages you to explore and share apps. The steak was perfectly prepared as were the pasta dishes. Only wished for the timing of drinks / wine to be a bit quicker. Overall - would def return. A great atmosphere away from a very busy area. read more

Food was good, service was great and the price was good. Had no reservations but they accommodate us. I appreciate that

We've been coming here for Marcos ever since he started in October. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere is wonderful- a perfect mix of upbeat, upscale and casually elegant. Our waiter Marcos made our special occasion extra special with his patience and positive attitude. We absolutely loved our time here and will definitely be back again. read more

I haven't been to Amali in a few years as there are so many restaurants to check out in this town, let alone revisit, but this one deserves a repeat..repeat...repeat. The atmosphere is very comfortable with tasteful decor. The pastas are unique, made with different and fresh ingredients. The brick chicken is a great entree choice and delicious. Farm to table comfort Mediterranean cuisine is the best description of this place. read more

Amali vs. FISHTAG I dined at these two restaurants four days apart, and found Amali better in every way. Granted, I was at Amali on a Tuesday night when the restaurant was not too busy vs. Friday night at FISHTAG--I will hazard that the service was off because of the volume... Came here at 8:45pm with no reservation Tues 2/11. We also preferred Amali over All'onda in Union Square. Anyway, menu offerings were similar, but... THE OCTOPUS HERE IS OFF THE CHARTS! $18 "spanish octopus" (castelveltrano olives, yukon potatoes, wild oregano) was way better than FISHTAG's (sorry). It was also pre-cut into little forkable bite-sized pieces which made it look less scary Kraken. We LOVED the $17 "warm hen of the woods" salad (marcona almonds, shaved kohlrabi, tender greens). It was very light and summery but somehow worked for this cold winter night. The pasta, made in-house, is very impressive. Chewy and semolina-flavorful, a shareable portion (if you get a couple starters) or enough for a meal. We had orecchiette with merguez, broccoli rabe, and fresh chili. Pasta here was also way better than For dessert we had the ricotta doughnuts--which were like classy sugar munchkins on lemon curd. Now, any excuse to eat lemon curd is a good one. The order came with 5 doughnut holes so you can easily share it 5 ways to be less of a fatty. We actually had wanted to try the apple crostata with salted caramel gelato. Will just have to come back for it. Very extensive wine list of about 400 wines, detailed about vintages, several nice options available even in the $40 bottle range. Seriously one of the best selection/value wine lists I've seen in midtown. Really great. A midtown jewel. Go here. read more

Be warned against them for large groups. At a work lunch, they told us we must all get the same main course, and eat family style. It's not clear why such a rule should exist. Like, how does the size of the group matter, when clearly they wouldn't tell the same number of guests arriving in separate parties to get the same food. Not clear either is why they didn't see fit to warn us of this policy in advance when we made the reservation. We made them agree to let us have at least *some* choice in the menu, and rather officiously they deigned to give us a small selection. Then they took forever to serve the food. Said food is quite decent, and one appetizer (an octopus dish) was actually rather good. But it is unpleasant to cope with such service. Plenty of good places in the area. read more

Overall impression of the restaurant remains good. Very good service. Food: 1. Octopus, eggplant. 5 2. Lamb. 5 3. Chicken. 4 / tooooo salty / 4. Donuts. 5+++++ read more

Actually had an amazing food experience at this place. The octopus was amazing, the ravioli and the steak! Everything was just amazing. The waitress could have been nicer, and the drink service was a bit slow but I would go again for the food read more

Fantastic food. Every dish was great. Service could be better - we waited over 20 minutes to order drinks. By that point we put in our food too. And we had a wonderful time afterwards lounging, ordering round after round of drinks!! read more

We held a private wedding dinner reception for our families at Amali and could not have been more impressed with our experience. Kelsey was our contact person and she was available and accommodating from start to finish! We had our event in the Fireplace room and the staff at Amali flexibly adapted to our planned timeline for a standing cocktail hour, seated time for toasts from our families, and dinner service. Not once did anyone find themselves with an empty drink and the timing of the dinner service was perfect! Everything was absolutely delicious! Kelsey was also very helpful with menu suggestions, and accommodated special drink requests within our party. Frankie, the sommelier selected great wines within our price range for our families to enjoy during our event. Overall, we had such a positive experience. The staff at Amali ensured that we had a special and memorable celebration with our families. I would certainly recommend Amali to anyone looking to host an intimate private event. read more

KenScale: 8.0/10 Amali is a restaurant on the Upper East Side featuring "farm to table Mediterranean" cuisine. I visited the restaurant on a recent weekend, and liked many of the dishes, especially vegetable dishes. I was with a fairly large party, and was able to share a variety of starter dishes. I liked the soft texture of burrata di campagna with olive oil and sea salt that went well with bread. Salumi with cheese was forgettable, although I very much liked eggplant with chili honey vinaigrette, cilantro, sesame and yogurt that gave a very interesting flavor (I usually am not a huge fan of eggplant due to its murky texture, but I did really like this one). Spanish octopus with gigante beans was also pretty solid. I also enjoyed the two vegetable side dishes. Oven roasted broccoli had a crunchy texture enhanced by pistachios, and brussels sprouts with house-made mustard, maple syrup and pecorino were well-seasoned. Unfortunately, my main dish was not quite on the same level as the various vegetable appetizers. I had chicken under a brick with grilled broccoli rabe, capers, parmesan and herbs. While the chicken was cooked very well to give that tender meat, I thought it was a little bit too overseasoned. My group finished the meal with two desserts. Both chocolate amaretto cake (with honeycomb candy and preserved lemon gelato) and apple crostata (with salted caramel gelato) were delicious without being overly sweet. As long as you book a table several days in advance, getting a reservation shouldn't be particularly challenging. The restaurant has a modern decor that appeals to younger crowd hanging out on the southern border of Upper East Side, with a charming dining room on the inside that can fit in larger groups. I feel like, based on the vibe and cuisine, the restaurant is designed just for the locavore New Yorkers who are conscious of what they eat without sacrificing the quality of food. You could totally have a vegetarian-only dinner here. The restaurant has a very extensive Greek wine menu (which is not as ubiquitous as, say, French or California wine), so I do recommend trying a glass or two. read more

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The restaurant was very inviting and the staff were very nice. I also liked the fact that the Chef came out to speak with us and to make sure the dinner was to our liking. The food was very good. We had the fish for two and it was more than enough. However the prices were a little high We also had a problem wit the bill, there were two items on the bill that we did not order. We brought this to our waiter's attention and he removed them from the check read more

Nice atmosphere, great waiters who are attentive but don't pry. The theme here seems to be "relaxed Greek/Mediterranean". One night I saw a certain celebrity dining here (I'm not gonna blow up his spot though) and no one was bothering him/taking photos, which was kind of cool. Very chill vibe. Food is awesome and locally sourced/organic. It's reasonably priced for the quality. Whoever complained about the ribeye $ price earlier - you should know that that thing is MASSIVE and also it's grass fed. You get what you pay for, as they say (I'm just saying...watch "Food Inc." and you'll see the horrors of eating meat from places where the animals are fed hormones, grains with byproduct instead of natural grass, and antibiotics etc). We should all demand to know where our food comes from. I like that this restaurant is transparent about that, changes things up constantly and buys what's in season. We also had the veal special one night and it was phenomenal. Pasta special was handmade I think. For the beer drinkers: I like that they had a special "Donkey" brand beer from Santorini and some really nice white whines from the Greek islands I haven't seen in other restaurants before. In the bathroom: they provide Korres products from Greece, which smelled nice. Oh, and also it was spotless in there. I will be back! read more

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A bit pricey but use a Yelp check-in for 10% off. Nevertheless, a nice brunch. Octopus app is really good, fancy plates but could use more octopus. Really thick slices of grilled bread came with everything. Beautiful back seating area. read more

Came here for friend's baby's 1 year old birthday celebration (~28 ppl). We had the space upstairs to ourselves and had a family style feast. Since I didn't see the bill, can't comment on the value but the food we had tasted were delicious! Started off 3 types of cured charcuterie from Ends Meat (Brooklyn). Then followed with 2 salads - one was an organic baby lettuce salad with red wine vinaigrette. Didn't see any dressing in the bowl but it was pre-mixed with the perfect amount of dressing. It was a nice refreshing way to start the meal. Then we had the Tuscan kale Caesar salad with Grana Padano cheese and bread crumbs. The crispy bread crumbs and the slightly melted cheese went so well with the kale salad. YUMMY! Vegetable never tasted good! Then came the Cascun Farms roasted chicken "Under a brick" - the chicken was juicy, tender and tasty. It was cooked very well but not unique in terms of flavoring. The pieces were cut for easy/neat eating though. The Happy Valley grass fed beef skirt steak on the other hand was really outstanding for me. The seasoning on the steak was subtle but had a slight kick in the end. This was passed around in a big plate with cut up strips. There were some medium-well cooked pieces from the edge of the steak while the middle parts were more medium/medium-rare. It was quite delicious. Dessert was yogurt panna cotta with pomegranate seeds. it was okay. I like my panna cotta a bit more firm. There was one room we had to pass through to get to the dining room and that was where the cake and gifts were. It was nice to be able to get up from the table to sing happy birthday and cut the cake. The decor of the dining area was classy and with some exposed bricks, it felt like someone's home. There was a semi-kitchen and it looked the space can be utilized for private cooking parties or any other kind of private parties. My friend had decorated it in a cutesy bear/balloon theme. Great place. Would come back to try other dishes in the regular dining area read more

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