Besides the fabulous menu and rotating specials, what makes this place so special is the people who work there. Mark, the owner, goes above and beyond to ensure your dining experience is the best it can be. When I come to NYC and Hells Kitchen, going to Aria is like eating with family. But don't overlook the food! This is the ONLY place I order the grilled octopus special. Never chewy, lightly charred, absolutely delicious. Other items that are repeat must try's include the lobster ravioli, the bolognese and burrata specials. I'll be back again! read more

The food is amazing, but the host at 9 PM on August 26th is an absolute asshole. I walked in expecting a decent experience, only to be met by a host who looked directly at me with complete, visible disinterest. Instead of actually greeting me or doing his job, he just waited for a waiter to walk by, pointed at him, and silently pawned me off to be seated. Meanwhile, right before I walked up, he had no problem chatting up and happily seating a group of guys he clearly knew. Fire this guy. He sucks at basic hospitality. I don't care how good the food is--if the very first impression and person representing your restaurant treats paying customers like an inconvenience, the whole experience sucks. Train your front-of-house staff or get rid of people who ruin a meal before it even starts read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Vibe good, host on Aug 26 ruined it. Not coming back . - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Wow the bread. I almost overlooked it. They gave it to me timidly, like I shouldn't fuss about it. But this is not just bread. It's chewy and full of flavor. And then there is the mushroom fettuccine that - for a change- isn't smothered in cream but instead had a flavorful truffle broth. Really nice pasta dish! I enjoyed the beet salad for my appetizer. I maybe didn't read carefully but I liked the surprise of green beans in there. Nice crunch but not too crunchy. Nice staff. Nice environment. Quiet on a Monday night before closing but after deliberating, I know I chose the right place for dinner. read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Staff were so lovely and accommodating for my friends birthday and lots of last minute changes. Food was solid enough. Some hits and some misses but it's a solid pick right before the theater, and they bring out the food quickly is you tell them you're on a time crunch. Good atmosphere. read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Rigatoni e Gamberi - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Visited this restaurant for Italian food and it was 3 blocks away from my hotel. We ordered our meals off the specials menu which was the risotto of the day, black truffle gnocchi and the branzino. My dish, the risotto, came with lamb which was tender and fell right off the bone. The sauce was tomato based but not a marinara. Great balance of flavors and so filling! Our server was well educated in each dish that we had questions about and spoke beautiful Italian (which gave us an idea that this may be a true authentic Italian experience). Her service was spectacular in that we could ask questions freely, received our food and drinks promptly, and we were not rushed at all once we had finished up our meal. They allowed us to sit, enjoy, converse without feeling like we were taking up space. The restaurant itself is romantic with mood lighting and an open aired dining space. You can eat inside or outside as the dining tables are split between glass doors that stay open throughout the restaurant. Truly felt like something out of a movie. I'm not normally a fan of Italian and it wasn't life changing food, but I will definitely like to visit again to try more one day soon. read more

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Stopped by accident at this inviting small Italian restaurant on the way to the theater.Mark, the owner was kind enough to hold an outside table for three, while I waited for the others in my party. The outside seating was very noisy with the tables very close to the sidewalk. As for the food, I'm sorry to say was much below our expectations. I ordered the special sea food pasta, with shrimp, clams and mussels over fettuccini in a red sauce. The seafood tasted like it was not fresh, and had 2 little clams and 2 mussels which tasted fishy. There was a generous portion of medium size shrimp which was just OK. The fettuccini was overcooked and the red sauce had no taste, and was obviously not made fresh.my daughter had the orichetti with broccoli rabe and sausage. Nothing to write home about. On the positive side the bread was outstanding and the service was excellent and the restaurant is convenient to the theaters. read more

Aria didn't quite hit the mark for quality authentic Italian. The place is packed so we assumed it would be great and based on a review from a few friends, we were excited to give it a try. Broccoli rabe - 2/5. Pretty much had no flavor. Would recommend they load this thing up with garlic Burrata and prosciutto - 3/5. Quality of the Burrata is questionable and the tomatoes were not great Cacio E Pepe -2/5 Pasta was overcooked and the sauce itself was watery vs a creamy sauce Lasagna- 2/5 pasta was also overcooked with a very mushy meat sauce. The overall yelp rating is pretty spot on. Unfortunately Aria will not be in the normal rotation of Italian restaurants The overall Yelp rating is spot on for this place. It's all edible read more

Great authentic Italian food. Cozy bar and cafe/bistro feel that allows you to people warch or just gather with friends after work. Reminds me of some of the cafés in my hometown San Francisco North Beach area. They don't have a great wine list, however, for us who are used to bold California cabs but they did make a Margherita for us instead that was tasty. All in all, a nice casual spot that we enjoyed with good Italian cuisine. Would go back if in the area again in NYC! read more

The food is very good! Apps, mains and desserts, all of it. Service was pretty good, a little bit slow but the pace was packed. It's a small restaurant and the tables are very close together. You almost have to walk sideways to get between them. Only 1 bathroom for both men and women. All of the drinks were very good. They DO serve beer even though the menus don't show it. Prices are very good for what you get. read more

Had a late lunch here. The first thing that stood out to me about Aria was the open setting of the entrance, which allows you to dine inside yet still feel like you're seated outside and enjoy the weather. We were in time for happy hour, and so I enjoyed a glass of Pinot Grigio and Montepulciano, which were lovely. We shared two of the specials, the Proscuitto and Burrata and the Grilled Octopus Salad. Both were great, especially the fresh vegetables on the octopus. I do wish they used a different kind of tomato for the prosciutto, but it was still great.' Our server was courteous and prompt with helping our table. I would recommend this little spot if you're looking for some casual yet delicious light Italian bites in the area! read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Prosciutto Burrata Pinot Grigio - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Came for dinner and overall had a good experience! I got the lobster ravioli which was tasty but the lobster wasn't really coming out in the flavors. Cute spot forsure! read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

This is my 3rd time dinign at Aria in Hell's Kitchen, never a bad meal here! The specials are always delicious & hard to choose from. A few times they've had this dish, black truffle gnocchi, it is soooo good! The drinks and wine are great & if you need a wine pairing suggestion for anything you order, the manager & staff have got you covered! This time we ordered the Fettuccine Fungi & the special black truffle gnocchi, along with tuna tarte. Everything hit the spot! read more

We had a great time here! There were plenty of tables open when we arrived. I got a Caesar salad and added chicken into it, which was great. My table shared the warm chocolate soufflé and the cheesecake. The cheesecake was the best dish out of all of them! read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Cesare - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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A beautiful display of Sicilian cuisine. Presentation is A+, service is extremely attentive and atmosphere cozy and comfortable. We ordered several small plates which we recommend you do so that you get a flavor of many different dishes. read more

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10/10. This place is AMAZING. From the atmosphere, to the service, to the food and drinks, it's the perfect spot for a cozy, delicious dinner. Our group was larger, so we sat at the high top right next to the bar (though, arguably most everything is near the bar). Water was brought right away, along with menus and the specials board. I loved that it was handwritten! We started off with some drinks (which I forgot to get photos of) and then started to explore the menu. To start, we got the prosciutto special and the grilled octopus salad special. While we were waiting, they brought bread (YES) and olive oil + balsamic. I probably could have just eaten the bread but, alas, there was pasta, so I held off from devouring all of it. The two specials they brought were so good. I have had a lot of prosciutto and burrata starters, and this one is right up there with the best of them! But the tastiest was the grilled octopus salad. We had a few people who were not fans of octopus, but they tried it and were blown away by how flavorful it was! Grilled perfectly, with great but not overpowering seasoning. It was incredible. We still had pasta to order! And I don't know what I was expecting, but all the pasta was listed at the same price, and from previous experience I just assumed that the portions would be tiny, so each of us ordered a dish and then decided to share. That was our biggest mistake, because when the pasta came out, the portions were much larger than we expected! I got the tagliatelle bolognese (I personally think a great way to judge an Italian restaurant is by their bolognese sauce), while others got the menu gnocchi dish, the gnocchi special, the truffle Mac and cheese, the Orecchiette Salsiccia e Rapini, and another bolognese. oh my gosh. Everything was fantastic. Like, could not stop eating even though we were already maxed out on stomach space. The bolognese was wonderful, the gnocchi was pillowy (oh my gosh the black truffle gnocchi special), everything we had was so dreamy. The worst part was having to leave behind the pasta we couldn't finish (we tried so hard to eat it all) because we were heading out to a jazz club and couldn't bring it with us. Definitely check this place out if you are a fan of Italian. It won't disappoint! read more

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Gracious owner. Helped prepare a special meal for a 5 and 10 year olds first visit to New York. Food and service was excellent.

Easily one of the best Italian restaurants in TSQ. Mark and the other servers are impeccable and just genuinely kind and nice. We work in the area and there is a clear group consensus to go here for Italian food. Anything with sausages is great). Love the gnocchi, shrimp and pasta, orecchiette. read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Great ambiance ! The food is amazing ! Lamb chop appetizer is sooo good And the Tagliatelle Bolognese is great I will definitely be back read more

Had to leave a review. Let's face it. Taking two daughters and son-in-law to show and brunch on Easter Sunday is an expensive day. Could not be happier with Aria. Bright and airy spot on 51st. Started with several appetizers and a cheese board. All were super fresh and delicious. Always a fan of oil and balsamic with bread. We also ordered several dishes. Bolognese over homemade pasta was outstanding cooked perfectly. Crab cakes delicious. What really made day was attentive service . Never had to ask for clean plate or bread. I think our server was Kathrine or Katrina. Fully explained all dishes and recommended several items. She really helped make our day special. Just can't say enough good things Thank you. read more

Came back here for a second meal and it did not disappoint. I had 3 choices to choose from and it was so hard to decide, but I finally went with the lamb shank and risotto (again). It was so good last time, I couldn't pass it up. My friend had the seafood pasta which was delicious and we had the meatballs app to start. While the app was good, $16 is a lot for only 5 small meatballs. For dessert we had the chocolate souffle and strawberry ricotta cheese cake, equally delicious. The service was very kind, patient and attentive. Love the indoor space but we sat outside since the weather was beautiful. Great wine selection as well, would definitely recommend. read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Chocolate souffle - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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A rustice establishment, ria Hell's Kitchen serves Italian style cuisine however, we were overcharged by $10 when we visited the establishment. I had the Tuna Nicoise Salad $15--the seared tuna (a couple of pieces) was encircled by anchovies and hard boiled egg and greens. My friend's calamari stew settled in a mild tomato sauce. We each had a glass of wine, mine was $15 and hers was $14. The bill, $80. Sadly, we were in a hurry to go to the theater so just handed over a credit card and ran out. Conclusion: the food is fresh, albeit under flavored, good wine pours, distracted service, and padded bills. read more

My sister and I stayed in HK around the corner and we lucked out since they had two spots for dinner. The servers were busy but attentive and friendly. The eggplant app with ricotta was the best ricotta I've ever had! I love me some warm bread with olive oil and my gnocchi pasta was delicious & just the right portion. We sat at the bar and several parties had chosen Aria to celebrate birthdays. It was a great vibe! read more

We went to Aria's for dinner tonight and we were so impressed! The staff was friendly, helpful, and very attentive! Our food was so delicious, I had stuck with a classic spaghetti & meatballs dinner, others had shrimp risotto, lasagna and even octopus! Everyone agreed it was the perfect dinner and not too pricey! read more

We had a wonderful dinner here - sat at the bar. Service was attentive but not unhurried - these days it's rare to not feel rushed in an NYC restaurant. Great space - a subway tiled bar, low lighting, and plenty of brick. We ordered the octopus (one of the best I've had recently, and I'm a huge octopus fan), a crisp beet salad, the truffle gnocchi (decadent), and the orecchiette with sausage (cooked perfectly al dente). We'll be back! read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Octopus + beet salad - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Our experience at this restaurant was really really bad. Our server was really rude to us, he didn't tell us the specials or give us the full wine and drinks menu, he took our orders very quickly without asking about our allergies. He was very impatient serving us the entire time. In the end he didn't even ask us whether we liked some dessert or whether we liked the food, instead, he just pulled out the payment machine and asked us to pay. Additionally, the wine was very bad-we ordered Chardonnay and Chianti but they seemed like they had been open for a very long time and tasted very off. The food we ordered, Linguine Vongole was really poor quality. The pasta bolognese was slightly better. Overall it was a poor experience and will never ever come back again. We have been to their sister restaurant, Briciola, right opposite to Aria Hell's Kitchen, and had a wonderful experience. It was disappointing to see that Aria Hell's couldn't keep up the standard. read more

Came here for a work lunch and the staff was very attentive! I ordered the grilled octopus for appetizer and it was the best octopus I've had in a long time. The baked Mac and cheese with truffles was very heavy. I couldn't finish. Staff was incredible and for that I'll be back! read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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As a new explorer of places to dine in the city, I came across Aria Hell's Kitchen after catching a show. Even at this later hour, there was a good presence of folks who appeared to be enjoying themselves. I settled on a snack and a beverage to take fill in a gap after having dinner earlier in the evening. For starters, the service here couldn't have been better. The crew was extremely friendly and were very attentive. From the bar crew to the manager, they were great. I settled on a bowl of olives with feta and a side dish of lamb chops. The olive dish was far greater in volume than I expected and the approach was even better. This was served up with Feta, a bed of Spinach and a spot of what tasted like balsamic (apologies if I called the Balsamic erroneously). Nevertheless, it was a great combination. Could not finish given the portion. The Lamb chops were even better and were perfectly cooked. They were slightly dressed with an Aioli which added a nice color and flavor to the presentation. A portion of small redskinned root veggies were tasty additions. Overall, this is a very solid place which will see me again on my next jaunt to New York. I was especially impressed by the entrees being consumed by others around me. They appeared to be well prepared and from the cleaned pates, the patrons really enjoyed the array of pastas and other menu items. Aria has a great local vibe with good music in the background. Again, the team working there is outstanding and would suggest a table for those who stop in. If I had one suggestion, the bar seats could use an update as they were pretty rustic. I'll be sure to update this review once I sample an entree. Give this spot a try, it's pretty solid! read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Olives with Feta - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Tried to get a table across the street, but they had no openings at 5pm on a Thursday. Sent us here, where they had plenty of openings. Got our food within minutes after ordering, assuming the noodles were partially cooked before we ordered. Place is used to quick service and turnover for patrons attending theaters nearby. Wife's $16 Rigatoni Gamberi came with 6 grilled shrimp with rigatoni noodles in tomato sauce. My $16 tagliatelle Bolognese came with ground beef particles over a very mild tomato sauce based flat noodles. Both of us wolfed down the food in minutes after receiving it. Should have ordered $14 salad and $10 minestrone soup beforehand, as had plenty of time to make the 7:30pm show on the next block at the New Stages. Great value for the food prices. Only drawback was the napkins covered about as much as a thong bikini front, so dress in black in case of spilled speckles of sauce. read more

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The service at Aria is always top tier!! Not only is the staff amazing and attentive everytime i visit, but the food is so great! I could never reccomend aria's enough. read more

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Aria is an awesome Italian dining experience. First of all, the restaurant had a nice relaxed neighborhood vibe with a nice wine and bar selection. The host and servers were super friendly and paid attention to details. We had a party of 4 adults and 2 kids, but they accommodated us promptly, even without a reservation. But now to the food... We started with the Tuna Tartare that also had avocado, capers and green sauce and crostinis--amazing. There were several depths of flavors going on that made this dish a perfect starter. I'm normally not a seafood person, but I made sure that I finished this dish. My party tried several pastas: Orichietti with Salciccia and Broccoli Rabe, Tagliatelle Bolognese and the Spaghetti and Meatballs. One of us also got the daily Bistecca special and it was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. Roasted beets and roasted potatoes were ordered for sides. All were delicious! (Sorry, I forgot to take pictures before we started eating!) Definitely a great place to grab dinner or lunch, or evening drinks. I'll have to try dessert the next time I'm in NYC! read more

Fabulous place, friendly service and some excellent food. The lamp chops were by far the best item order from our table. They were cooked and seasoned perfectly. They only complaint was there were only two on the plate. The best pasta dish of the table was made in a pesto sauce. Followed by the pear salad. Which not only looked pretty but tasted amazing. Thin sliced pear over mixed greens in a balsamic vinaigrette. As for desserts we had all three. The cheesecake was my favorite. They topped it with sugar and fired it up making a hard crusty shell on top with a smooth tasty cake below. read more

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Wasn't sure where to eat after seeing Glengarry Glenross. Aria offered outstanding service outstanding food, reasonable prices we are fussy. highly recommend this place. The ambience was fantastic with a beautiful the porch, the beautiful enclosed al fresco seating with great ceiling lighting and plenty of heat. read more

My friends and I were supposed to meet up at the sister restaurant across the street but they weren't able to accommodate our group; BUT, the host graciously directed us to speak to Maria at Aria. Thankfully they were able to accommodate, so the customer service was A1. (If you do have a bigger group though, I would suggest making a reservation just to be on the safe side). The restaurants ambiance was romantic and intimate with the low lights and rustic decor. LOVED that. As for the food, I was really looking forward to the oysters but unfortunately they are off the menu temporarily BUT our waiter had awesome suggestions. I ordered the rigatoni and it was chefs kiss. Wine options are plentiful and the best thing about my meal was that darn cheesecake! My goodness! Probably top 3 cheesecakes I've ever had and I've had a LOT of cheesecake. Hahaha! Overall it was a great night with even better food and friendly staff. Would definitely return. read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - BAKED CLAMS WITH OREGANO LEMON SAUCE - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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I recently attended a private event here, and the person who managed all the planning and logistics for it was so wonderful. Mark! Was incredibly thoughtful, flexible, easy to chat with. Bar was flowing, snacks were great. Really enjoyed the experience. read more

Such a great place! Such a warm and welcoming environment! So cozy, great food, and great music! I would recommend this place to everyone! read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Seafood pasta - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Went out for a late dinner after our broadway show. They seated us quickly after checking vaccination card. The place has a very cute decor and the staff is very friendly. I had a glass of montepulciano wine. The wine was really good. I wanted to try another glass of a different wine but the staff was busy so I didn't get to it. We order the shrimp rigatoni, penne pesto and lamb chops. The shrimp rigatoni was very good but my favorite was penne pesto. The lamb chops were somewhat hard to eat and a little less flavorful than our preference. We ended the meal with some tiramisu and cheescake. Both were phenomenal! read more

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Food is really good, staff is nice, music selection is eclectic and not super super loud. And they bring bread w/o asking for it which is rare in NYC (and really enjoyable as a French person ) We did not expect that at all so excellent surprise! They forgot a dish, the boss came to apologize and then came back to offer a dessert for free. Also rare in NYC ! You will see us again Aria read more

Aria Hell's Kitchen - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

A quaint Italian restaurant with delicious fresh pasta and delicious dishes. The service is excellent, the staff is friendly and the dishes were amazing. Will definitely be back. read more

Excellent food, service (very accommodating), ambiance (warm, welcoming). Have been there a number of times and it never disappoints. I've had grilled octopus, lamb shanks, mushroom bruschetta. We keep coming back. They kept us, a party of twelve, very happy read more

I placed an order on ChowNow which turned out to be delivered by DoorDash. If I wanted to use DoorDash I would have used DoorDash but anyway... About two hours (the restaurant said ChowNow had a software issue or something) after placing our order we received the most amazing fresh pasta in my entire life and I'm almost as old as dirt! The shrimp scampi was a bit salty but that fresh pasta with the truffle was amazing! I'm probably going to mention it a time or two more. The tiramisu was pretty good. We didn't try the soup yet even though it's almost 24 hours later so I can't review that but get the pasta! I am not a pasta person but this sooooo hit the spot! I'll order again but it'll be takeout instead of delivery. I really never understood fresh pasta until last night. My God! Get. The. Pasta! It was the wild mushroom pasta just FYI. Get. The. Pasta! read more