What a disappointment!!! For many years we dined regularly at Cafe Fiorello when attending a LIncoln Center performance. Over the years we have watched the prices sky rocket and the quality plunge. After taking a year or so off we decided to give it another try. We wish we hadn't. The meal was so mediocre we could not believe it. I had something called eggplant parmesan over pappardele for $24. I could not find the eggplant. Perhaps it was the small mushy bits on top of the noodles. It was hard to tell. My husband's veal piccata was dry, overcooked, and unappealing for $29. The only good part of the meal was the delicious lemon tart, excellent but $11. Service was very nice. It is unlikely that we will return. Since the restaurant is always mobbed, there appears to be no incentive to improve the quality of the food. read more

Having arrived 30 minutes before our confirmed reservation on a Saturday, we were immediately seated to enjoy outstanding appetizers comprised of fried artichokes, fennel sausage with peppers, fried shrimp and calamari. Our entrees were the crab steak and glazed balsamic tuna accompanied by a bottle of chardonnay. Desserts of meringue cream cake and strawberry cheesecake completed our most delectable meal. The atmosphere is quite friendly and hospitable. Our waiter Brian was outstanding for his courtesy, friendliness and his attentiveness to our needs. It was well worth the day trip from Philadelphia and the ballet at Lincoln Center. read more

Good choice, especially if you plan to eat prior to a Lincoln center event. We were unhappy with a restaraunt across the street so we wandered into Fiorello's without a reservation. We were seated very quickly at an outside table. Extremely pleasant service staff. Very attentive. Clean, neat etc., etc. I ordered a whole fish...ain't no thing as a whole fish. The waitress informed me BEFORE I ordered it and even asked the chef if he could cook one that was not filleted yet. Nope. Why do they say "whole" when all it has is a tail? Needless to say, it was very good...not extraordinary but good and satisfying. The wife had some sort of Chicken doodad. Also very good and tasty, lots of melted vheese and pepperonie. Price was very fair for a New York eatery. Only problem was the service was so good that I felt obligated to over tip. They deserved it. I highly recommend this place. read more

My daughter and I came here for late lunch. The food and service were decent. So, I probably would have given it 4 stars. Why only one? Well, If you ever, by crazy chance, leave your cell phone in here, don't expect to get it back. Even if you came back for it 30 minutes later. Nowhere to be found! Shameful!!! read more

Had pre-show reservation for party of 5. Place was packed and we had to squeeze into a table for 4. Staff could not have been nicer - apologetic, brought us free drinks, antipasti, and comped our desserts at the end!! Every single person we interacted with was friendly and warm. The food was delicious! We had scallops, pasta, the lasagne special and delicious chocolate mousse and tartufo. This was our 3rd time here and while we hate crowded places - the food and the restaurant workers always make us feel at home. So worth it! read more

We came early because we were going to a movie at 1:30. They were out of some items. It was New Year's Day and they didn't offer omlettes or brunch foods because they considered it a week day. I think holidays should be treated like weekend because people sleep late. read more

The salad with carrameled pears was terrific. The lamb shank main course was perfectly prepared and melt in your mouth tender and delicious. Wait staff attentive but not hovering. read more

We, group of six, had a great meal. Very busy Friday night, just before the opera at Lincoln Center. We had a 5:45 reservation which was honored immediately upon our prompt arrival. Table was kind of small and crowded but that is true of all NYC restaurants. Food was great and so was service. Very professional. We had 3 moderately priced bottles of wine. We shared a large antipasto. No deserts and a few coffees. Price per person was $80 including tip. The lamb shank was delicious. read more

We were there on June 29th, 2013 and the worse experience ever. We were forced to go there due to our schedule, we had a group of 6 and had a terrible experience trying to get a decent table next door at The Smith (read my review), this looked good and seemed to have many tables, so off we went. The servers were so slow to even give us water, then we got worried when we saw a lady at the table next to us complaining about the meal that took forever to get to her... surprise! That happened to us. Our waiter would go away and not return for long periods to even take our order... remember the restaurant was not crowded then. The food was expensive and the main course portions were like appetizers, one of us ordered a shrimp and scallops at around $17 main course and there were literally 4 shrimps and 4 scallops on a large plate! The service was terrible the entire time, we can't get attention of anyone to refill water even! The hostesses, they had 2 - 3, were all rude, a simple question of where the ladies room is, would be answered with a rude comment as if we should know where it is. Then we see some waiters dancing around in the back and doing nothing! This place needs a visit from Restaurant Impossible! read more

Posted by Nanci E. from NYC Best Tuna Nicoise Salad I've Had After coming from have epidural shots for severe arthritis on 8/12/13, it was so difficult to find a good restaurant serving at 4pm. Fiorello has been in my neighborhood forever. It's Italian. The front food bar was not set up yet, but they'd still serve from the menu. I asked for the coldest seat and there was what looked like a fabulous salad...fresh sushi/sashimi grade Tuna Nicoise. This gigantic plate arrived with 3 pieces of the most gorgeous rare tuna steak, along with cous cous, green beans, beats, little onions marinated (I think...just delicious), olives, fresh artichokes (big slices) & I ordered dressing on the side. They had amazing bread on the table. Since I'm on meds, I could just have a diet coke. My server was marvelous. Friendly, knowledgeable and experienced. I was the only one there and I had my cold air table, felt welcome, and that salad..Mon Dieu! The mélange (that's the only word that I can think of) of textures and tastes were perfection and I haven't seen that quality tuna in the numerous Asian restaurants in the neighborhood (none who seem to be able to get an "A" rating). I've eaten at Fiorello (inside mostly, but also out) and have never had anything but great good and service. I'm a foodie so maybe I'm crazy, but this place now has a lot going for it. $25 for such a salad with such gorgeous tuna steak is not outrageous. No, I'm not related to the group that owns it. I just had a good time with myself and came in with a great attitude. read more

You haven't had lasagne until you've had it here. It's a whole new take on this traditional, layered dish. Hint- deconstructed and no layers. Magnificent and out of this world! read more

I expected much better food, but was disappointed. I started with prosciutto & mozzarella appetizer. The mozzarella was good, but the prosciutto had been sitting on the plate (I'm sure prepared earlier) and had to be scraped off. The house specialty, lasagna, if you can call it that, was just some sauce, a little cheese and tasteless meatballs on a flat bread, folded to make it look elegant. The tiramisu and coffee were okay and so was the bread (which doesn't come with olive oil). Would never return, especially with all the other choices in the neighborhood. read more

Let me start out by saying that I have never felt inclined to write a yelp review. One year, my husband and I decided to take a weekend jaunt to NYC from DC. We stayed at the Empire Hotel. I got the flu and it was superbowl weekend. That's said, I didn't want to begrudge him watching the game so we went across the street to Café Fiorello. It was close, convenient etc. He ordered the margherita pizza and oh my - in the thick of my agony - I found heaven. I have since been back and it never ceases to amaze me. The crust is thin and crusty and chewy, spotted with cherry tomatoes and little plots of mozz - all topped with fresh basil and drizzled with olive oil. Please try with a dry rose... read more

One of my favorite neighborhood stand-bys. I've been about 3 dozen times over the years. I'm extremely partial to the antipasta bar, both the veggies and the seafood. There's nothing else quite like it in New York. And the main server behind the bar (Cleber) is a first-class professional. He makes going to Cafe Fiorello a treasure. This restaurant is distinctive and distinguished. Just right for a relatively light, quick and tasty yet somehow still elegant meal. read more

Stopped in for drinks and dessert after a Lincoln Center performance. We were initially seated at a table that had almost no clearance behind my chair. A waiter suggested we move (perhaps because he was afraid of dropping a plate on me). The host then seated us at a table directly behind the host station--action central. A little surprised because there were empty tables in various parts of the restaurant. Chocolate mousse for two was very good. A highly expensive experience--$80 for three drinks total and the order of mousse (served for two). read more

Way overpriced for food that is not any better than you can get in a diner. I ordered the Cesar salad and was given a plate with five romaine lettuce leafs and some Parmesan cheese on it. Very unimpressive! I also ordered the Veal picata which was flavorful but the veal was very tough and chewy. The piece of tiramisu cake I ordered was a huge portion but not that good. This is an overpriced chain restaurant looking to cash out on tourists and Lincoln Center opera attendees. Never again!!! read more

I have been a long-time fan of Firoello's and go there about once a month. After my experience tonight, I will not be going back. The service was poor, and they did not have half the items they normally have on the antipasto bar. What happened to the potato pie and the roasted red peppers???? So many of the classic dishes were gone or changed. I was charged $11 for two iced teas and could not even get any ice. There was no refill as there previously was, and the entire meal was just lacking. It is like the quality and service have gone downhill, and the cafe has become a tourist trap rather than the beloved NYC cafe of previous years. I tried to speak withe manager, but he was too busy chatting with an employee to engage in any real constructive conversation. I hate to say it, but I'd avoid this place in the future. read more

Been going here for years pre-Lincoln Center, and always had their 3 veggie 2 fish antipasto which was sublime and healthy. However, I was there this week and they DISCONTINUED the fish part! So now the antipasto is not big enough for dinner, and too big as an appetizer. Had to order off the menu. Not happy. Menu is extraordinarily expense, which is why I suppose they discontinued the fish part of the antipasto so people can't order that $28 dish as a main course anymore. read more

My husband and I returned to celebrate his birthday after a show. The food and service was excellent! I had forgotten how crowded the seating was. We would go back, nonetheless. Good job! read more

My mom recognized this place as the restaurant where her father used to bring her for lunch before the opera when she was young, so we decided to try it. We sat outside under heat lamps, and it was a great atmosphere with Lincoln Center across the street. We shared a bottle of wine recommended by our server which was good. We shared the antipasto and got the fava beans, cippolini onions, and caponata. All were delicious and a good portion size. I ordered the gnocchi as my entree, and the smell of the pomodoro sauce was wonderfully strong and appetizing. It was a good, basic gnocchi dish with great cheese, sauce, and not too mushy gnocchi. It also wasn't enormous so I actually finished my dish! My mother got a shrimp dish which she seemed to enjoy. Our server was helpful, but we also got the sense he was rushing us a bit by hovering around our table, which was irritating because it interrupted our conversation. But he bring out my lemon tarte with a birthday candle for me and sang happy birthday in his thick accent which was very sweet and attentive! I appreciated this place, would definitely come back if I was going to Lincoln Center. read more

Went there for brunch on Saturday and love it. The manager Mateo was great, gave as a nice table by the window with a great view, the Cacio Pepe eggs well executed, the service professional, fast and delicious. Always a pleasure to be here. read more

Such great food and service! But! If you go at prime time you will be sitting inches from other diners. Still, great overall.

The food itself was actually really good, but I had a problem with the "attitude" (for lack of a better word) of the place. I don't really mean the servers or employees, they all seemed very nice and polite; I'm referring more to the restaurant itself and its policies. First of all, there's a $30 limit per person, which is especially difficult for someone like me who tends to be a light eater. I ordered a cocktail, which helped bring my total up to $30, but I'm not sure what you would do if you had younger kids. Luckily for me (or maybe unluckily), the portions were tiny despite their huge price, so I didn't feel like I had ordered too much. However, the one thing that really annoyed me was the fact that there was a splitting charge of $10; maybe it's just a personal preference, but charging people if they want to split a dish is a big pet peeve of mine, especially if the restaurant already has a spending minimum. Like I said, the food was really good (I got the pesto ravioli, which was delicious), so that was definitely a saving grace for me. I wouldn't advise people not to at least try out Cafe Fiorello, but just make sure you know what you're getting into! read more

We had the best brunch ever! Cafe Fiorello is excellent! Our waiter, Brian, was outstanding-attentive, warm, funny. Our food was terrific. We will be back! read more

The old Fiorello's is back! Hallelujah!! I've been going to Fiorello's for 40 + years, and somewhere along the way. things started to slip, food-wise, service-wise, every-wise. But a festive lunch a few weeks ago reminded me of the great, fun, deliciouos restaurant so many of us enjoyed for so many years. Brunch food was spectacular, and our waiter was fun, patient, answered every question cheerfully and clearly, And -- when we ordered an unplanned birthday dessert, he bought it with candle, smiled, and said, "It's on me." Bravo Fiorello's! Welcome back! read more

Service lags.but the breaded veal escalope is worth it! It is delightful and must be shared by two. Salads are great and pizza is made from real burrata mozarella! read more

I ordered a pasta dish and it was mushy and overcooked. The sauce was something out of a Chef-Boy-Ardee can. The waitress was very sweet, however. It was embarrassing in front of our relatives visiting from Europe. No one mentioned the food while we were eating because what could you say? We got the check as fast as we could without ordering more wine or dessert and coffee. A truly terrible waste of money! read more

My mom and I needed a quick bite before the opera last night. This was perfect! We sat at the bar, I had a glass of wine and mom had a beer. We ordered the polenta with bolognese and a bruschetta special with avocado and crab meat. Both were delicious. The service was great, our server was greeting us within a minute of taking our seats, and our quick meal was delivered in a timely fashion. We'll definitely come back! read more

The food was delightful!! We came here for Thanksgiving.The gnocchi ,risotto and the turkey were excellent.Our server,Katalin was attentive, knowledgeable and funny.We will come back! read more

I have been going to Cafe Fiorello for many years. You can't beat the convenience aspect, as the restaurant is across the street from Lincoln Center. I have watched this restaurant change hands and go through many changes. Most unfortunately, whoever is in charge of it now, has brought it to a new low. It is no longer worth going to, not even for the convenience factor. How can you ruin a salad! A Caesar salad that tastes like pure mayonnaise and has one anchovy! Back it went. And, their signature lasagna dish is just dreadful! Mushy pasta with sauce that tastes like a bad jar brand and a tiny amount of cheese and meat on top. With all of the choices in NYC, do yourself a favor and go elsewhere! read more

The small muffin placed on my bread dish was salty. The wedding soup was very salty and too cheesy. The pasta dish was so salty I asked my husband who had the same pasta if it might be spicy when I was thinking it salty. He said it was too salty. The tiramisu was very good and the lemon sorbet was good. The service was excellent but I won't return because of the salt. read more

Over the years this place has had it's ups and downs but definitely more ups! The anti-pasti was yummy. Service by the host and waiter was excellent and friendly. Our entrees were delicious and my husband's lemon tart for dessert was divine. We also ordered a margerita pizza because a friend was meeting us at our hotel - thin and crispy - best restaurant in the area for character, taste and ambiance. read more

The best way to describe this restaurant is a tablecloth pizzeria , overpriced and the worse Italian food I ever ate, now I know why everyone you pass are eating salads and thin crust pizza, I ordered two pasta dishes that had the cheapest portions I ever seen in a Italian restaurant , we had to send back as there was nothing in the dishes, a chicken Parm with pepperoni that was so thin and flat that it was laughable and also they do not serve Italian bread but bread that would be nice but not for Italian food. The bottom line is this place is not Italian in any way but a Shelley Firestein chain, that has lousy portions to rip people off, it's a shame as the atmosphere is nice, and also the nonnas meatballs had no taste no seasoning at all and yes they were very small, beware of the fact that this a fake Italian wannabe. read more

My "frittata" (which arrived as an omelette) was nothing like it was described on the menu and was basically inedible. The pancetta was rubbery and the caramelized onions were nowhere to be seen. The service didn't make up for the bad meal either. We assumed there was no kids menu or other kids amenities (plastic cup, crayons) which was fine with us, until we saw a different server bring these items to his tables. They offered to bring something else, but with a toddler and infant in tow, I was unable to wait. The complimentary brunch breads basket was tasty. read more

I am giving them 3 stars only because of their two strengths: location and the appetizer bar. This is what I've experieced: Great location across the street from Lincoln Center. Menu is decent and does not seem to change much over time, which in my view, is a negative when you just have an ok menu. Their appetizer bar is their strength; you can combine different very tasty vegetable dishes at will while seeing the selection, and being able to chat with the bar waiter, ask questions, etc. Staff at the bar is fine but service in general is the weakest I've seen. From forgetting things, to forgetting about you, to bringing you the wrong dish. Turnover seems to be high and the quality of their waiters/waitresses is all over the place, from very bad to very good. Seems to be a consistent theme, waiting staff is not professionally trained, does not have the right attitudes, with exceptions (as usual). Take away the location and the appetizer bar and they would have gone out of business a long time ago. Lunch time seems to be the weakest time. Nightime staff is better. Pricing is reasonable for NYC. I wish they learned how to train their staff like Bistro Boreal in Quebec City. Speak of an amazing customer experience, visit Bistro Boreal: young and extremely professional, very knowledgeable and sociable, superb customer experience. read more

Went there expecting fine Italian food - it turned out to be a nightmare!!!! Each and every dish was so utterly salty!!!! Looked like the people who prepared the dishes forgot to count the number of times they'd added salt. Shockingly, this turned out for each and every dish we'd ordered!! TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY - NEVER AGAIN!!!!! When I compplained to the manager, he provided a stupid free dessert!! Don't waste your money here - a pizzeria has better food than this place - rip-off!! read more

Just had Christmas dinner at Café Fiorello's. WHAT A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. Most items on the menu were not available. We waited a long time for appetizers. My salad and entrée arrived at the same time. REALLY! All the bread brought to the table was stale. So, I ordered garlic bread, to be told that the kitchen wasn't able to accommodate that request. We had a guest from out of town and were embarrassed to have brought her there. NEVER AGAIN read more

Went here for a drink after a ballet. Amazing service -- got some great bread, a taste of soup, and a complimentary dessert with our glass of wine. Waiters/bartenders were extremely talkative and attentive, and I cant wait to go back for a real dinner when I have the time. Highly recommend! read more

What a disappointment! Last night, by 6PM, they were out of all veal dishes, and many fish dishes. Then they found a veal piccata - so I ordered it - must have been frozen because it was extremely tough. And the meat lasagna was more a pizza-like dish than the usual lasagna. What on earth happened? The manager did not apologize for too long, because he was dealing with identical complaints from other diners nearby. Will not go there again! read more

The best bar-dining experience in Manhattan. Clever (bartender's name) has a special way of always taking the extra step to make our visits special. And the food.... great traditional Italian. Burrata Mozzarrella with Prosciutto to start and finish with the bolognese! read more