This place is always busy, no matter the day, and it's easy to see why. The food is delicious, the…read moreservers are attentive, and the drinks are on point. We started with the fried calamari, and for my entrée I had the pork chops--easily some of the best I've ever had. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to!

We arrived on time for our Opentable reservation for 3. We were told that there were no tables…read moreavailable and there would be an unspecified wait. The place was extremely noisy. While waiting, we noticed an empty table. When requesting to sit at that table, we were informed that it was being "RESERVED" for a party that was late. After 30 minutes, we were finally seated and provided menus. Then we waited another 15 minutes and no server. VERY DISRESPECTFUL! We walked out and ended up at another neighborhood Italian restaurant where the food was excellent and we were treated like appreciated guests.

Family dinner for my mom's birthday at Gio's Atlantic Beach proved one thing: Italians don't…read morebelieve in leaving hungry... they believe in needing a forklift to get you back to the car. We kicked things off with the Zucchini Fritti--crispy fried zucchini strings that disappeared into marinara faster than anyone would admit. Then came an espresso martini that was absolutely flawless. Smooth, rich, perfectly balanced, and topped with three coffee beans symbolizing health, wealth, and happiness. After one sip, I was ready to believe in all three. For dinner, the veal cutlet Parmigiana over penne with marinara was pure comfort food done right. Crispy, cheesy, and packed with flavor. The Chicken Francese was incredibly juicy, swimming in a buttery lemon sauce over rigatoni that made it impossible to stop eating. Then came the special: Chicken Cacciatore with melted mozzarella, sautéed jalapeños, red peppers, and white wine sauce over spaghetti. It brought the heat--and I happily accepted the challenge. Dessert sealed the deal with a rainbow cookie cake layered with colorful sponge cake, covered in chocolate ganache, and finished with whipped cream. To top it all off, the staff surprised my mom with a sparkling candle that made the celebration even more special. Amazing food, outstanding service, and a great night with family. The only thing hotter than the Chicken Cacciatore was the argument over who got the last slice of cake. That's how you know you picked the right Italian restaurant.

The atmosphere is very aesthetic and beachy the food was pretty good but the eggplant salad was not…read moreas good and neither was the bucatini. The outdoor patio is also very inviting I would recommend going to Gio's but it is very expensive so this isn't you're average dinner spot

The ravioli was sooo good! The staff was friendly and everyone loved their dishes! Would definitely…read morecome back again!

Great food, service and ambiance! 10 outta 10!!!! Veal…read moreChop and Parm dinners are the best! Hang at the bar for an after dinner drink and discuss what a wonderful meal you just had!

Great food amazing service Great specials…read moreBig selection. Nice atmosphere recommend highly

Located in a lynvrook this charming resturant looks like a family favorite for those in the area…read more While for us it had a few hit and misses...other patrons seemed ro enjoy. We were lucky enough to stop in during long island resturant week and participate in the prefix meal. I had the research salad which was fresh and sauce. The shrimp scampi with spaghetti...the sauce was soo good and the apple tart for dessert. The chicken parm was ok but the vodka sauce another hit. Unfortunately the caprese salad and eggplant balls fell short. Will go back again for light bites

I order from Friendlier Restaurant for the past two years, almost once a week and every single time…read morethe food is absolutely delicious! I've order so many different types of foods and every single dish is fresh, tasty and so similar to the Italian foods I grew up eating! The owner Vito is a sweetheart! Even at his busiest hrs he'll take the time to answer any questions I may have! It is my favorite restaurant out of all that I've ordered from & that's saying a lot!!! Love this place. Today I had sausage and peppers hero & broccoli rabe! Fresh, delicious and huge portions!

They always make the best eggplant The pizza is delicious too. I frequently stop in when visiting…read moremy family in the five towns where I grew up Yummy !

The service is good and the owner is very kind hearted and very kind to her employees and the…read moremussels are so good the steak is on top and the calamari is very delicious and the crunch is soothing

Great options. Friendly staff. Be it for dine in or take out it's always great food.read more

On a early summer Sunday, Marinara saved dinner with their fresh pastas. Our selection: a ziti, a…read morepenne in garlic sauce and the pesto, mozzarella linguine were seasoned to perfection the right balance of Italian flavors. With a side of garlic knots dinner on a lazy Sunday afternoon was right on the money!

Service. Been out go to for over a decade. New guy behind the counter with the glasses is not…read moreonly rude but thinks his attitude is a joke. Family talked me into trying again. Guy thinks he is funny being rude. Not again

I can't believe I didn't know this place existed right in my backyard in Valley Stream. I'm a huge…read morefan of Neapolitan-style pizza and have tried many places throughout New York. I've also spent time in Napoli, and Via Cuma is about as authentic as it gets. The pizza genuinely reminded me of the pizza I had in Naples. The owner told us they import their ingredients directly from Napoli, including the dough, and you can absolutely taste the difference. In my opinion, this is the best Neapolitan-style pizza I've tried in New York so far, and that's saying a lot because I've tried many! The place also has a cute, quaint ambiance that makes it feel warm and inviting. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, which adds even more to the experience. Great pizza, great people, and a charming little spot that I'll definitely be coming back to. If you're a fan of authentic Neapolitan pizza, Via Cuma is an absolute must!

Highly recommend Via Cuma in Valley Stream. Our waiter, Ivan, took the time to explain how many of…read moretheir ingredients, including the flour, tomato sauce, and ricotta are imported directly from Naples, Italy, with the ricotta coming from Sicily. The entire experience made me feel like I was back in Italy. The sourdough pizza was outstanding, and unlike most pizza I get elsewhere, I didn't feel heavy or sluggish afterward. You can truly taste the quality and authenticity of the ingredients. We'll definitely be back. The Pizza Polpettina was out of this world!

If you come on a Saturday night, I'd recommend reservations. The decor is beautiful inside. You'd…read morenever know from the outside that it looks so elegant inside. They have valet parking. Now let's talk about the food, the tower of salad and cheese with prosciutto was well dressed. Tortelli soup hit the spot as a summer soup that included summer squash and zucchini. The carbonara needs some works, it was too soupy/watery. I really enjoyed the almond chicken. I'm not sure if was gluten free (I don't need gluten free) but if it was, this was an excellent option. They also had gluten free options for pasta.

I went to Gran Paradiso this past Sunday. The food the last time we came was good, so we gave it…read moreanother try. It is a clean space with an older facing crowd. The server had an attitude the second he came over to us, it wasn't too busy just yet so unsure what his demeanor was about. He told us the specials and walked away. We ordered the fried calamari which came out in a timely manner. After that when we placed our entree order the server didn't come back to ask if we needed refills on anything. The entrees took a lot longer than expected. A table that came in 15 min after us got their food very fast. Once we got our entrees they were good, the food is consistently yummy here. But again our server did not come to see if we needed anything after the entrees were dropped at the table. I had the pasta with clams, it was good but lacked a flavor in the sauce. The calamari was great, crispy and flavorful. And the gnocchi bolognese was good as well, very ricotta leaning. Over all it was good but the waiter put a bad taste in one of my guests mouth which was disappointing. Overall I would give Gran paradiso another shot because they have good Italian but not rushing there due to the service.