Great food and good service. Enjoyed our lunch today. Very good authentic Italian food reasonably priced. Service was very good

Okay, so I wasn't in the mood for pasta when I went here but even if I had been I wouldn't have liked it. First off, the server, who I suppose thought he was being "charming and funny", decided to tease me about not wanting a glass of wine. I forget exactly what he said, something about a glass of milk maybe? That was right at the beginning and immediately put me in a foul mood. I ordered a salad (Spinaci, Mele E Noci) and the lentil soup. The salad was disgusting. It was essentially a plate of spinach drenched in olive oil with four 3mm thick slices of green apple, five walnuts and a few bits of cheese. For $7.50? The spinach was so soggy with olive oil that I couldn't even eat it. Strike two. The lentil soup I'll admit was good - well seasoned, not too salty, fresh, but by then my experience was soured. Not sure it's worth going back, particularly since you always have to wait (~30mins or more). read more

Very very cramped, food isn't great. The handmade pasta was a little overdone, sauce was okay. The biggest problem... Service was terrible. For some reason they decided to sit people who had arrived after us before us (same number of people) should have walked out then. But, with the good reviews we thought we'd "check in" and we're unapologetically seated next. Also, apparently we were sitting next to some friends of the owner/manager and he kept body slamming my chair when talking to them. Rather than apologizing he gave me dirty looks like I was the one moving and gesticulating wildly. People seemed to like the pizza, but I would never go back for poor service and mediocre food. read more

I was sure I'd reviewed this place before and given it five stars, because until this past Sunday evening, it was my favorite restaurant on the UWS. My husband and I used to go here once every couple of months (sometimes more), and whenever we had friends in town, or new people at work, we'd taken them here. Not any more. Here's how things went for us on Sunday evening: We entered (just the two of us this time) and sat down, and my husband, seeing the bathroom free, jumped up to wash his hands. While he was gone, a waitress with enormous cartoon glasses starting reciting the specials to the table next to me. When my husband returned, the owner stopped by (he likes to make the rounds) and asked whether we'd heard the specials. My husband said no, and so the owner asked the waitress to tell them to us. She came by, but the first thing she said was, "I already TOLD you the specials." Naturally, as is my way, I started apologizing, saying that I was sorry, but my husband had been in the bathroom and that I didn't realize she had been including me with the other table. She sort of harrumphed and rattled them off, and inexplicably, I apologized again. This is who I am with strangers. We both ordered an appetizer and an entree, along with a beer for him and some wine for me. The appetizers came, but the drinks didn't. No big deal. I apologized, as is my way, and asked where they were, so she brought them out about five minutes later. So, still not a problem here. I don't mind attitudes so much as long as I can enjoy good food. But my appetizer wasn't nearly as good as usual (I always get the artichoke salad - and on Sunday it had big chunks of what are normally artichoke slivers, and they weren't marinated they way they usually are, so it was pretty bland), and then... no entree. I'd ordered a meat entree, so I thought maybe it was taking longer to cook. But while we waited, my husband finished his entire dinner (my salad was long gone), and we ended up sitting there with no food on the table for about 15 minutes. The owner came by and asked if we'd like dessert menus, but we told him that we were still waiting for my entree. I thought he'd look into it, but he just said okay and returned to his post by the door. More time passed, and the waitress didn't stop by at all, even though we could see she was taking some down time standing by the counter. Finally we managed to get her attention -- at this point, we'd been sitting there with our food gone for about 30 minutes or so -- and asked where my entree was. The waitress looked at her order slip and made a face like "oh no; I forgot to put it in." It was clear then that it hadn't even been started, and she couldn't tell us how long it would be. We ended up cancelling the entree and leaving for the grocery store, and making dinner for me at home. I understand that people make mistakes. I make them all the time. But here's the thing: when the waitress discovered that my entree order had never been put in, and that we'd been sitting there waiting for it for a half hour, she could've at least APOLOGIZED. She could've said, "I'm so sorry -- let me put this in right away, and in the meantime, would you like some more bread?" I'm very forgiving of service errors, and that would've been enough for me. Instead, when we asked about it, she just made that face and indicated that she hadn't put it in. And then, when we said (nicely) that we should just leave, she was just like, "Yeah, whatever," and tossed the bill on the table. Couldn't she have comped my glass of wine (which I left unfinished, because I'd been saving it to go with the entree), or offered dessert, or simply APOLOGIZED? So, the waitress with the cartoon glasses is the reason that I'm rating Celeste with one star. We're switching to Gennaro from here on out, where the food is just as good, and the service much friendlier. read more

The food is mediocre but the maitre'd was very annoying and made us all very uncomfortable from the second we got there. He kept coming over and interrupting our meal and making weird aggressive comments. Was very creepy and honestly ruined our night. read more

I have been to Celeste perhaps 50 times in the last 15 years, as despite living in Connecticut, I routinely have rehearsals on the UWS. No, Celeste isn't fancy or spacious and the service isn't overly hospitable, but the service is at least efficient and, most importantly, the food is consistently outstanding. Call Celeste a "neighborhood restaurant" if you will, but to me that means that it's mostly populated by locals who are eager to pay reasonable prices for authentic Italian preparations of food of excellent quality. So Celeste is welcome to be my "neighborhood restaurant," despite living 35 miles away. I can't speak for the meat dishes or the pizzas, which are the focus of some of the opprobrium of negative reviews, but I have had virtually every appetizer, salad, fish, and pasta dish the cook has prepared, and they're uniformly excellent, with generous portions, attractive presentations, and creative preparations. And one underrated plus: in no other restaurant does your food come out so hot! Cynics might call that a result of the cramped space, with every table being within shouting distance of the kitchen, but if tight quarters is the price I have to pay for fresh food right out of the pan or boiling water or oven, that's a price I'm eager to pay. I guess the kitchen's too small for heating lamps! read more

I don't even know where to begin with this place. I am here visiting NY from SF with my boyfriend. We are staying on the UWS and showed up for dinner at 10:30 (they close at 11:00). The owner greeted us graciously, but the waiter cursed as we walked in the door. The entire time we were rushed through our ordering and then told we could not order pizza because it was too late. Umm....they don't close for another half an hour. The owner came over and told us about these special cheeses he "hand cured" himself that we simply must order. When the waiter came over for the third time to take our order we ordered the Italian meat plate, the "hand cured" cheeses and a spinach salad. We also ordered 2 glasses of wine, which the waiter took as an opportunity to condescendingly correct my boyfriend on the pronunciation. About 5 minutes after I ordered the waiter came back over and asked me what I ordered because he couldn't remember. Miraculously though the food showed up only about 2 minutes later. I was about to start eating when I realized we were not offered any bread to eat with our meats and cheeses. I POLITELY asked our waiter for some and he shook an empty bread basket at me and told me they were out. He realized that wasn't going to cut it and went to look for more. Then he threw a basket on the table and said, "It's not the freshest, but it's what we've got". WHAT?!!?!? How is that acceptable? I complained to the owner about the bread, being rushed and just general rudeness. He didn't care and made excuses for the poor miserable excuse for a staff. So I told him what he could do with his food and his restaurant and we left the place without dinner, all by 10:50, well before they close. We walked up the street to Bello Sguardo on Amsterdam & 80th. We had a wonderful meal and were treated very well. Not once were we rushed. Quite the opposite. It was wonderful, and they got my $115. In this economy every dollar counts. Why the hell would I spend my money in a place where I'm treated like garbage, I don't care what the food tastes like. However I certainly won't spend it on "It's not the freshest, but it's what we've got". No one should. read more

ARROGANT OWNER LOSES LONG-TIME CUSTOMER I was a regular for five years, usually chatting-up Carmine, the owner, whenever he'd strut past my table. The fact that he never knew my name should have told me something. On one visit, the entire restaurant was disrupted when a man began shouting at Carmine, exclaiming that he'd never been treated so rudely in his life. He'd brought a friend for her birthday and after 20 minutes of waiting to order, they complained, only to have Carmine tell them they should just leave. It was shocking, but I assumed that there must have been two sides to the story. Ironically, five months later, I was there for my birthday with friends. At one point I crossed to go to the men's room. I asked a waiter to let me pass between two tables with a proper "excuse me." I got a smug, defiant look, followed by a pointed arm and a command to "go over there." I said, "Excuse me? Please step aside." He refused. I immediately went up to Carmine who was standing by the kitchen. I told him what had happened, made it clear I was offended, and that of all things, it was my birthday. Without responding to me, Carmine yelled across the restaurant to the waiter, causing many heads to turn. They exchanged words and then Carmine shrugged his shoulders, looked at me and said, "What can I do, he said he wasn't rude." I returned to my table; Carmine never came over to apologize. Know this -- when you show up at Celeste, you are just a body with cash, and nothing more. read more

Though the food is very tasty here, the policies and management could use significant improvement. Actually, the woman managing was probably the rudest person we have encountered in a restaurant, and we eat out a lot. While waiting for my husband, who was 5 minutes behind us, in a restaurant that was more than half empty, she refused to allow me to order for my young children, who were famished and tired. Then she was rude enough to tell us that if we didn't like it, we could go elsewhere, which is exactly what I would have done if they weren't so hungry and tired. Unlikely we will be back. read more

I do like the food here, especially the fresh pasta, and the prices are quite good, but the service truly ruined it for me. When I was last there, our bill came to about $62 so I put down $80 in cash. The waiter picked it up, asked if I wanted change, and I said "yes, please." He then repeated "yes, please" in a mocking tone to another waiter as he handed him the check! It was incredibly rude, not to mention unreasonable to apparently expect an $18 tip. read more

Yes, the food is good here. What I cannot stand about this place is how crowded it is is, and how loud. The last time I went (2nd time) I was so crammed in to a table that I could barely move, and I felt like the waiters were flinging food at me. I'm pretty sure I did not get what I ordered (it didn't seem like what I ordered) but I had such a hard time communicating with the waitstaff (based on the volume of the restaurant) that I let it go. Yes, the food is traditional and as good as some trattorias in Italy, but if you are looking for a pleasant dining experience, this may not be for you. If you love loud, crowded, overhearing conversations where the diners are yelling, go for it. Also, we really felt rushed. So I would give this 4 stars for food, but 0 for atmosphere. I couldn't wait to get out of there. read more

Small tight space, loud, they rush you in and out, aggressive rude owner!

i've eaten here a few times and brought different people with me each time and everyone seems to enjoy themselves. celeste is a pretty small restaurant, so get there a little early for dinner to avoid a wait. groups of 3 or 4 are optimal. the pasta is pretty tasty - i really like their gnocci. the pizza is so-so. service is pretty attentive, and they definitely play up the italianess. read more

Decent pizza, crap service. I make better food than this from frozen stuff at Trader Joes. Honestly this place barely deserves a review.

i have always wanted to love this place...hoping for good food,wine and cash prices...i have never been proven right about this. the food has always been hit or miss after almost 10 years. Careful of the wine switch...i asked for a nice glass of wine and they brought me something that tasted like acid. i asked for a re-pour in front of me...and got a a COMPLETELY different wine. they totally were trying to feed me boxed wine at a premium. never accept a wine poured in the back at this place. weak food and wine...i live 2 blocks away and have never returned after trying this place 2-3 times doing my best to give it the benefit of the doubt. AVOID!!! read more

I ate at Celeste the other night when the host, after speaking to us inappropriately throughout the meal, touched my friend in a very violating manner. He reached his hand onto her chest and pushed her shirt down to her bra line. It was SO inappropriate, disgusting, and appalling. He is AWFUL. This place is AWFUL. Until this man is terminated, I will never return and would never feel comfortable recommending it to a friend. Beware. read more

I've been to this restaurant a few times and the food is very good for a neighborhood Italian joint. Certainly not the best Italian food on the UWS and DEFINITELY not the best in NYC (as some reviews have claimed). The pizza is delicious and the pasta is pretty good. The entrees are decent. Tonight I went for a quick bite with my boyfriend and ordered the special pasta and the special pizza. The pizza was amazing, but the crab pasta dish I ordered was not good. Not good at all. I have never sent a dish back, until now. When I did, it turned the wait staff into a tizzy. The (usually) charming restaurant owner came over to tell me that it's seafood pasta and that's how it tastes. He claimed that it was fresh crab, 20 people had eaten it and no one said a word. I have had crab pasta, as well as seafood pasta all over the US and Italy and it has never tasted so fishy. I'm from Florida and grew up eating seafood/crab and have never had food so fishy. The owner then told us exactly how much the crab cost and that we would have to pay for it, even if we wanted a cheaper dish to replace it. He never once apologized for the dish, instead told me I was wrong. Meanwhile, the fish a woman at the table next to me ordered smelled horribly fishy, as well. The pasta bolognese (my replacement dish) took forever to come out. This is a dish which should have taken no time, as I'm sure the sauce is stewing all day. I am moving out of the neighborhood and will never return to this restaurant, as it is only worth a visit if it's extremely convenient. read more

Sophistication, knowledge and taste have certainly left NYC. I used to go to Celeste quite often when they first opened nearly 20 years ago. The food was the best Italian in the neighborhood but the service was always quick and abrupt. If anyone wanted to linger a bit and talk for a few minutes after the bill came they were stared down and made to feel uncomfortable. However, a recent visit made me see how not only service is a problem here, but the food is in serious decline, as well. How this restaurant remains a packed UWS eatery is beyond my understanding. If day old bread, cold burrata, cold tasteless tomatoes, acidic pasta sauce made with a large amount of tomato paste and not nearly enough actual tomatoes, is your idea of a good Italian meal, this is the restaurant for you. The service is still a bit too rushed and tables are still small and cramped. Nothing much has changed, even the menu is exactly the same as it was from day one, but the food is typical NY Italian red. There's no finesse, no authenticity, and eating a bowl of tomato paste is certainly enough to send you home with gas - and at 22 bucks for my pasta dish, an empty wallet, as well. I lived, studied and worked in Italy since 1987. This is nothing but phony food served for profit and nothing more. Yes, the quality of the pasta is good and made al dente but that's it. Nothing more! This place is a definite skip. More of an example of how real estate and greed are ruining our city. We're paying for square footage and receiving a lousy product to boot! read more

May I please have some parmigiano cheese for this pasta...waiter stares, picks up the phone, pauses then says no, and returns to the phone. What the F@*# kind of service is that? The food is mediocre, the space is way too crowded, the wait staff are rude and inattentive and the owner just creeps around clogging up what little room exists between tables. On the topic of the creepy owner, he is super impressed with himself and incredibly imposing. There are dozens of Italian places on the UWS, spare your money and skip this one. Oh yeah cash only, IRS are you reading this? read more

yes yes yes! you are my NY equivalent of 2Amys pizza!! so good and very cheap. nice wait staff and diverse menu. i'll be back. read more

convincingly authentic & very charming restaurant. it is totally cramped and noisy but while ordinarily this combination would make for an irksome atmorsphere, at celeste it is somehow endearing. the restaurant is lively and they really want you to enjoy your food - which is amazingly fresh and is cooked & served by real italians. read more

As countless others have said, the service here drags them down a star or two. However, if you're not in a rush and can adopt an amused, detached attitude about bad service (which I can never do when I'm expecting good service, but which I find to be quite fun if I'm prepared), this place can be delightful. Mostly very authentic Italian staff seem to switch off (I think we had five different servers) whenever it suits them, and pauses between attention paid can be LONG, even when your glass is empty. Also, the cash-only thing is a pain. On the other hand, in return for enduring the problems listed above, you get lots of great Italian food, cheaply. We enjoyed a vegetable fritto, tagliatelle with shrimp and farmer's cheese, and a lamb shank special. All were delicious; even the mixed salad was well-composed and perfectly dressed. Check it out - just make sure you don't have theater tickets for that night (or for the next). read more

Yes, this place is quirky, but I love it! I can't wait to bring my husband here after being away from New York for a few years!

The menu is limited but I really adore some of their dishes. I love that they include small fried fish along with the fried calamari. The flavors are simple and delicious. I usually order the pasta dish with cabbage, shrimp and cheese. Considering how low the prices are, this is a gem on the UWS. read more

1 of my fave Italian spots on the UWS. Really tasty food for great prices. Massimo the owner does get VERY excited telling you about how he packs suitcases full of cheese every trip back from Italia. The spinach ravioli is AWESOME! read more

The food is fantastic - definitely has a authentic, heart flair to it. It's a small spot, which explains the constant line for a table, but the ambience inside is worth it. Not too pricey either for quality food and decent serving size. read more

Celeste is my husband and I's go-to Italian restaurant. We probably go there at least once a month and we've memorized everything on the menu. The food never fails to please and the prices are reasonable. Everything is fresh, simple and of good quality. We've tried to find a better authentic Italian restaurant in Manhattan at the same price point but have failed, so to Celeste we go! Its even better than some of Manhattan's more expensive Italian restaurants such as Lupa which was a big dissapointment. My favorite menu items include: the raw baby artichoke salad with parmesan cheese, the fried calamari (one of the best I've tasted), the spinach and pecorino salad, the spaghetti with clams, the paccheri with ricotta cheese and tomato, and the tagliatelle with cabbage, shrimp and pecorino cheese. My husband also likes getting the stracetti from time to time. I honestly found the ravioli a little too eggy for my taste the first time I tried it but I decided to give it another chance a few weeks ago and I really liked it this time. I'm not a big fan of the cheeses which the owner makes himself by the way because I find them a bit too strong for my taste but I suggest you give them a try! The pizza is really good but it doesn't compare to Keste in my opinion (I don't think anything does!) The olive oil is amazing- one of my favorites. Also the buratta cheese and tomato special is to die for and I definitely recommend ordering it if its available. By the way, the owner of the restaurant is a little bit of a character. He talks a lot to his customers and is definitely part of Celeste's dining experience! read more

I don't usually leave reviews. I should say first that the food was great. I've been here before and was prepared for the cramped space and waiters hovering over you. It's kind of NY charming. What I was not prepared for was the owner coming up to me as I'm enjoying my dish and telling me that the way to eat it was to put lemon on the chicken cutlet and cover it in salad. He's standing there, hovering and watching me eat, so I say ok... And I started to squeeze the lemon over the chicken. He grabbed the fork OUT of my hand, stabbed my lemon with it and said you have to guide the lemon! I wasn't even squeezing the lemon to his liking. I felt five years old. Would he do that to a man? It was rude, controlling and sexist. I smiled through the meal, did exactly as he insisted and just ate because I was too tired and hungry to deal. I wanted to have a good time with my boyfriend and not make it a thing. Afterward, it hit me how ridiculous that was. If that's how you want people to eat the dish, then serve it that way. Or here's an idea: let people who are paying you just eat it however they damn well please. This was my first time back in years to give things a try because I've also been passed over for a table when he plays favorites with the regulars. And coming up with cash is a hassle. read more

I met a friend here for dinner. Got there at about 7:30 on a weeknight and had to wait about 30 minutes for a table. Not bad though. The restaurant was very crowded and the tables are close together. Still, I didn't feel like I was sitting in people's laps, and it wasn't that noisy. I was able to talk to my friend without shouting and without straining to hear her. We both got pasta dishes, which were good. Even though it was crowded and there were people waiting for tables, I did not feel rushed. We were sitting at a table next to the glass area where they prepare food, and toward the end of our entrees, there was a small bug crawling along the outside of the wooden counter area that sort of grossed us out and ruined the peaceful, relaxing meal we were having. I was considering staying for dessert, but after that, just decided to get the check and go. The kitchen and food prep area is prob not the cleanest. CASH ONLY. read more

really can't go wrong here. super crowded all the time, but i suppose that's part of the charm. great italian at a reasonable price. a great place for the family on the upper west side - definitely a neighborhood hang out. read more

Great pasta dish with cabbage and shrimps! Place with way too many tables for its size, we were almost talking to the guy sitting next to us... Service was good read more

Had a friend visiting all the way from CA so wanted to make sure we chose the right place. This place had so many positive reviews and delicious looking dishes we were so excited and HAD to give it a try. Everything was going well- got seated relatively quickly, waiter took our orders nicely, and I got the spaghetti alle vongole. I bit into my first clam to find little rocks/pebbles in my bites. Took me 3 more clams to realize this was actually ruining my dish- I was literally finding black rocks my mouth. I thought ok, it's normal to have tiny rocks in some clams- my teeth could handle them. But by my 5th clam, I had to say something- this was not ok. The manager is then called over and after consulting the chef, she says what ultimately ruined my night. She says that they have been serving this dish all night, and that there has not been any complaints, so there's nothing she can do about it. Excuse me? I don't care if no one had problems with their clams. That does not nullify the fact that my dish's clams had problems. Was she essentially calling me a liar then? Because I was apparently the only one having issues? I don't think the fact that nothing could be done was what irritated me the most; it was her response. A simple apology for a dish not done properly would have pacified my discomfort. I ended up paying full price for the dish. I am never going back to this place again- ever. read more

LOVE this place and go regularly. Great Italian food, atmosphere and service. A gem on the Upper West Side!

Now this is a great Italian restaurant. We love this restaurant - the vibe is casual yet energized. You must try the halibut and CHEESE PLATE. The owner schmoozes with everyone. Be warned - they don't take reservations and so you should be prepared for a wait. read more

Wonderful establishment. The food is served in generous portions and is delicious. The prices cannot be beat on the UWS. The only disadvantages are that they do not take reservations, they do not accept credit cards and the restaurant tends to be pretty packed. read more

Food was fine but the awful service and unbelievably rude and discourteous owner spectacularly ruined it for us.

This is a great little Italian restaurant with delicious food and reasonable prices. The pizzas are one of the most delicious. The desserts Tiramisu is the best I ever had. Just make sure you go at a time which is off-peak as the wait time can be considerable (Celeste does not take reservations). We have out of town friends who always want to go there when they visit. The staff is accommodating for the most part though on one visit they were very abrupt and unfriendly. read more

I'm a local resident and recently ate here after not dining here for some time. I've also read many of the reviews here and the common theme is: some don't like Carmine's (owner) shtick and seating/wait time could be frustrating. I agree with most of the thematic complaints and would say this: the food is decent, Carmine seems to take pride in the quality of the ingredients and he does stop by your table multiple times throughout the meal to see how the food is, etc. Relative to NYC prices, this place provides good value. I recommend if you can sit down right away and at a table which is comfortable for your party, go for it. If there is a wait and/or your encounter with Carmine upon walking in is anything but pleasant, turn around and walk out as there are plenty of other options in the neighborhood..even on the UWS! If sticking with Italian theme, try Sirenetta or Salumeria Rosi, both within walking distance of Celeste. read more

With so many wonderful places to dine in NYC, you really should not waste your time or money at Celeste. The food was, at best, mediocre and the pasta (we had the gnocchi and tagliatelle) was of diner-type quality (which is why folks do not order pasta in a diner!). The host was pretentious and rude (we, too, were asked to pay the check and move on despite us each having a full glass of wine left) and the place is so overcrowded it was stifling. Celeste was unpleasant, for so many reasons, and I am astounded that it has received so many good reviews. read more

The food is above average but no more than that. And it's definitely not good enough to warrant their attitude. I don't mean your garden variety snooty-ness. These folks are seriously obnoxious. I know it's hard to imagine that their attitudes could be THIS bad, but sadly, they really truly are. It's just not enjoyable to go to a meal and be in fear of the owner or your waiter. Add to the fact that they don't take reservations, forcing you to wait outside like a college student trying to get into a club, and the fact that they don't take credit cards---the place just isn't worth the hassle. If I am going to be inconvenienced, condescended to and made uncomfortable I ought to at least get amazing food. But it's not amazing it's only.....ok. If we want italian we go to Spiga, it's literally steps away from Celeste but the food is better and the service is great. Probably a bit more expensive though. read more