A home run. This restaurant is the real thing. A greeting, waiters in tuxes, things overlooked in so many restaurants. And then there's the food. First of all, bread on the table- many Italian restaurants skipping this. All four adults were pleased with the meal. And Todd's family is in the business. A treasure in RVC. read more

I had a really nice time tonight at Dario's. The food was spot on, I ordered the chicken dario which had mozzarella, hot peppers, mushrooms, and onions (ask for it since it's a special) and my wife had the chicken dish with ham. The ambiance was really nice, our servers were old school italian. I would definitely come back for the charm and fresh food. read more

Dario's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Rockville Centre, New York

We've been coming to Dario's for over a decade. It's the kind of old-school neighborhood Italian restaurant you return to for the food and familiarity -- not for polished service, but for consistency and charm. Or at least, that's what it used to represent. We dined on Wednesday, February 8th -- four of us: my brother, my best friend, and my 12-year-old nephew. A rare night where all of us were finally in the same place at the same time, and we were genuinely looking forward to it. The evening started simply enough. As always, service was direct and transactional -- order taken, minimal engagement -- nothing new, nothing unexpected. Where things began to unravel was around a very clear and important dietary restriction. Before ordering, we explicitly stated -- twice -- that one guest was pescatarian with a strict avoidance of any meat products, including stocks. We asked the server to guide us accordingly. We ordered a beet salad to start, followed by two shared dishes: Veal pasta Calamari fra diavolo (With four entrées to follow.) We also made a specific request for pacing -- the beet salad first, then the hot dishes. Instead, everything arrived 40 minutes later, all at once. When we calmly questioned the timing -- particularly why the salad hadn't been sent ahead -- the server immediately became defensive. Rather than addressing the sequencing, he defaulted to explaining that "the pasta takes time," repeating himself without actually answering the question. It was during this exchange that we learned something far more concerning: many -- if not most -- of the dishes are prepared with beef or chicken stock. This directly contradicted the dietary restriction we had clearly communicated at the outset. When we reminded him, his tone shifted further -- dismissive, irritated -- and he walked away mid-conversation. At that point, we asked to speak with a manager. A man approached and, when asked if he was the manager, responded: "I guess so." This was Paul, the owner. What followed was not leadership. Instead of listening, Paul immediately became defensive -- reiterating that dishes are made to order and that most items contain meat-based stock. There was no acknowledgment of the oversight, no ownership of the breakdown in communication, and no sense of urgency around what could have been a serious dietary issue. In fact, he said there is a minimal amount, further dismissing our one request. As someone who has spent over 30 years in hospitality, I made it clear: dietary restrictions -- especially those involving allergens or strict avoidance -- must be treated with precision and care. His response remained surface-level, disingenuous, and overly agreeable without any real accountability. One of our guests expressed that he felt uncomfortable -- not just with the mistake, but with the tone and lack of respect in how it was handled. He stated plainly that he did not feel welcome. At that point, Paul -- visibly insulted -- told us we were free to leave if we were uncomfortable. Then, in a moment that was both shocking and deeply inappropriate, he pointed at the table -- where my brother and his 12-year-old son were still finishing the beet salad -- and said: "Put those forks down." We could leave, but we had to stop eating immediately. It was an astonishing lapse in judgment. There were countless opportunities to de-escalate the situation with professionalism, humility, and grace. Instead, the interaction turned adversarial -- and unnecessarily so. My nephew was visibly shaken. Upset. And ultimately left the restaurant hungry. For a business that has long been part of the community, this experience was not just disappointing -- it was disheartening. Hospitality is not tested when things go right. It's defined by how you respond when things go wrong. On this night, Dario's failed that test completely. And as someone who has supported this restaurant for years, that is incredibly disappointing. read more

I was shocked with how rude Paul was last time we were there. I used to go here often when I worked locally and made the mistake of traveling with my family recently We were dining with a vegetarian and when we called out that the food tasted off he admitted that all the fish is prepared " in just a little bit of chicken broth" When we expressed concern that he had a complete disregard for the dietary preferences we clearly communicated when we ordered , he rolled his eyes in disgust and basically asked us to leave - which we did . If you're not able to accommodate dietary preferences - it's no big deal - just communicate that in kind / respectful way when your customers order read more

Absolutely spot on! On every level. I lived in this area of Lawn g'island for years and somehow never noticed Dario's. I finally visited during a trip back home for my birthday month and brought my mom and her "Old Lady Gang" out for dinner. They love classic, old-school cuisine and a mature atmosphere, white tablecloths, no paper napkins, and this place delivered perfectly. From the moment we walked in, the experience felt elevated. The host greeted us immediately and offered to hang our coats. The staff was polished, professional, and clearly took pride in creating a great dining experience. We were welcomed with a complimentary spread of fresh bruschetta and a warm, toasted bread basket with olive oil and butter... such a simple but perfect start. For dinner, we went all in: the Branzino specials (x2), split pea soup, calamari, baked clams, goat cheese walnut salad, beet salad, and a Chicken Francese. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared and absolutely delicious and insanely clean feeling. For dessert, they brought over a selection to try, we especially loved the cheesecake and a warm dessert that I wish I could remember, because it was incredible. Huge thanks to the Dario's team for such a classic, sexy dining experience. This is the kind of neighborhood gem where you just know real business deals are going down in the corner. Loved it...and I'll definitely be back next month! read more

Amazng restsurant . Outstanding service. Everything made to order so it is it was almost two hours. Could have been longer with dessert and coffee. Appetizers Beet salad, Onion Soup and Veal Meatballs were all yummy. My stuffed veal with cheese and mushrooms in a brown sauce was absolutely delectable so tasty. My spouse's rigatoni with spinach and crumbled sausage in garlic sauce was also delicious. They made my son who is a picky eater a plain spaghetti and meat sauce not on menu which he really liked. We had drinks nice wine pours. Service was incredible. Nice ambience Will definitely return. Expensive $90.00 pp with tip and tax without room for dessert, but you get what you pay for. read more

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Has amazing food. Employees are kind and will always be ready to help you. There is picture of Italian structures and is a very warm environmen. I really recommend. read more

Walked in, it took maybe 4 minutes for someone to acknowledge us which I didn't like because the restaurant is small as hell. We did get seated immediately. I got a lemon drop which was strong just the way I like it. My husband got jack & ginger. For appetizers we got clams casino and a Cesar salad. I will say the clams casino was good and flavorful. The Cesar salad was basic I didn't really like the dressing too much I didn't think it was worth 15 dollars for the portion but whatever. Main course we got chicken francese with angel hair and veal parm with rigatoni. The food was all good. No complaints on that! I am also a sucker for a cannoli so of course I got one and it did not disappoint. This was a very solid restaurant especially since the bill was $191 for everything we got. read more

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i cannot stop thinking about this meal. the veal chop radio lives rent free in my head. i dream of eating this again soon. the linguine with white clam sauce was sooo fresh the clams were excellent. burrata was delish. service was adorable love the crowd they employ. read more

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We had 7PM reservations and were seated on the spot. Service is very attentive, but not overwhelming so. The tuxedoed waiters give a feel of old world charm My wife's branzino and my veal chop were excellent, following appetizers of baked clams and a glorious beet salad. We chose to forego desserts as we were too full from the delicious entrees. Totally recommend Dario's in RVC. read more

This is one of the best spots on Long Island. Paul and the staff are classic and the food is unique and amazing. All of the food is wonderful, but the veal chop all Dario is one for the ages read more

While I have great respect for the restaurant staff, I believe management/owner, Paul, should uphold a standard of courtesy and professionalism toward its clients. If there is a minimum order policy, it should be clearly communicated upfront. The way we were treated today was highly disrespectful, and I have no intention of returning to this place. read more

Recently had dinner there and the seafood ravioli was very good. Went during the so we were seated right away. I had dinner from there earlier in the week and had to go there to dine in person. Service was good and the food was great. read more

It has been a long time since we visited Dario's Restaurant on North Village Avenue. The restaurant has an upscale Northern Italian cuisine with veteran loyal staff to serve you. Their most popular pasta dish is the fresh Pasta with veal sauce. Another immensely popular item is their signature veal chop, which is a veal pounded with cheese melted on top. I ordered the veal, and it was delicious. The menu is a la carte which we neglected to notice; we forgot to order a vegetable. They also introduced to the table before we reviewed the menu their fresh fish of the day. That was the first time that I have seen a fresh fish for assessment at a dining room table. The restaurant has a small bar as you enter the restaurant, and a cozy unassuming dining room which is comfortable and not noisy. It is apparent that this is a popular neighborhood restaurant where some of the patrons the owner knows by name. Although it is a bit of a drive to visit this Northern Italian restaurant in Rockville Centre, overall, the trip was well worth it. read more

Dario's Restaurant - Veal Chop Darios - Italian Near Me - Rockville Centre, New York

Not sure what happened to my prior review but I cannot say enough good things about Dario's....a must visit whenever I am on Long Island. One always gets on my good side when they serve a warm, fresh baked basket of garlic bread--as they do here. The Caesar salad is consistent but the star of the show for me is their Veal Parmigiana, which I have had in cutlet and chop format. The flavor profile in both cases is outstanding as Dario's only sources it's products from the highest quality suppliers. They typically serve it with a side of delicious vegetables and I usually split a plate of their mouth watering red sauce penne; in fact it was so good I came back for lunch and ordered it the next day before heading to the airport for my flight back to Miami. Manhattan caliber Italian food at reasonable prices and impeccable service from a staff that has been around for years. Cannot recommend this place enough. read more

Dario's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Rockville Centre, New York

Darios is an old school Italian in RVC. Dining room is nice, not low-frills, nothing ornate. Tables spaced nicely due to pandemic protocol. We sat down and felt nice and unrushed. We were excited for a nice time and the maitre d was great. He shared some good insider information about the restaurant and the menu items. The feeling of unrushed shifted to a feeling of unresponsive. We didn't order for a long time. The dining room was busy. The servers were ambivalent to our table of six. We were so starving when we got in that I couldn't resist the table garlic bread. Drinks came, and eventually orders went in. The special salads were all incredible. Apps were incredible. Burrata app was to die for. Artichoke and red peppers in the dish were memorable. We wanted to taste the gnocchi so ordered one of those too. It was small enough of a portion, we portioned into plates. This is very much an order for yourself place. Not conducive for family style or sharing. A few of us wanted the special beet salad with pancetta (increds), so the answer was to order it individually if you wanted it. I'm not a fan of ordering something that someone else got. The stuffed veal is the way to go. The one with chestnuts really is incredible. I got the mushrooms and was not disappointed. I found the food to taste like incredibly cooked homemade food. Not over seasoned, delicious, good ingredients. I really don't like eating out at Italian restaurants but Dario's truly is different. Spumoni iced cream was very good, as was the tartuffo. All in all, a great place and I'll go back. Service was ok. read more

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Excellent in every respect except that the ambience could be nicer. However, the food and service is so good, that it doesn't matter. It is one of our two favorite Italian places. The desserts are also incredible. read more

4 stars means Good and this place is a Good Restaurant. Service is attentive. The atmosphere is dated but nice. The food is can be good but could be better. Some of their presentations leave much to be desired. It would be nice to see something different on the menu. I am a Lunch customer and order a few different items. Some are rock solid and some are different every time. I will be back read more

Excellent food!! Excellent service. Waitstaff was phenomenal! Couldn't ask for anything better!

Service was great food over priced we order a appetizer there were 3 small shrimp we each have one and split the third we pay about $30 for that it was on the specials read more

Old world tradition and ambiance professional service staff. Great neighborhood place

If you're looking for a authentic Italian restaurant, Dario's is the place for you. I've been coming here for years and the staff and service has always been amazing. I highly recommend getting the veal chop and trying their past read more

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Food & service always 5 stars! A staple in RVC. Voted best stuffed veal chop by us! Always a huge selection and fish is always wonderful!

Excellent food and service. We felt very catered to, without feeling overwhelmed by the attention. It felt like a place you would incorporate into your external dining traditions. read more

Always outstanding service and authentic and delicious food. The decor is old school NY Italian restaurant. I've been coming here for over ten years and think this is the best Italian restaurant outside of Italy that I've ever eaten at. read more

Italian restaurant located in downtown area. Great service and ambiance. My lobster ravioli was tasteless. Hot antipasto was ok. Popular local place. Been here a few times to dine, tonight was not a good one. Will give another try in near future. read more

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Very good service and food. We definitely will go back soon. They didn't rush us and were very accommodating

I don't even know what to say about this Northern Italian restaurant. I have been coming here for more then 10 years. Paul greets you at the door with a big hello and welcomes you. The food is top notch. All I can say is the Veal chop Dario is amazing. Like nothing You have had before. It melts in your mouth. Yes it's that good. Also the portobello mushroom appetizer in the balsamic is tops. I've brought so many friends here over the years and they are all blown away. Make a reservation. Especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Enjoy, One of the best on the island. read more

Dario's Restaurant - Mushroom appetizer in balsamic - Italian Near Me - Rockville Centre, New York

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Outstanding Service! Our service was truly memorable The food is good but leaning to OK. I had the Veal Dario which was very good but my wife had veal marinara and said the sauce was very light. She also and the lobster bisque and it tasted good but was very light almost like a bouillabaisse, not a bisque. It also seemed like they gave us 2 hours for dinner let us know several times, that we needed to order to be sure to get out in 2 hours. Didn't leave us with the best impression. read more

the veal chop is the best ever,worth every penny! The staff is super nice and always make you feel like family. read more

Dario's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Rockville Centre, New York

Dario's is our special occasions place. We come here to celebrate all our special occasions, The prices are a bit steep, but the food is very special, you get what you pay for as they say. Also the wait-staff are as nice and as qualified as they come. And they have Valet parking as well, read more

You want authentic Italian food with a cozy, yet elegant atmosphere? You can have it at Dario's! While I was expecting something a little more upscale, Dario's did not disappoint. Both the service and the food were phenomenal. The outside of the restaurant is very discreet. Blink and you'll miss it. The inside is rather small, but large enough to hold a few large parties. We were promptly seated. After browsing the drink menus, I ordered a glass of wine and my boyfriend ordered a martini. We were served our drinks along with a delicious basket of warm garlic bread and complimentary bruschetta. Our waiter recited some specials in detail, while even displaying some of the ingredients (like fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, fish, etc.) He then offered us the full menu to review. We shared: Caesar Salad for 2 (perfect amount of dressing) Fresh mozzarella with tomato and roasted red pepper -the roasted red pepper was a nice touch to the otherwise traditional Caprese salad Veal a la Dario (basically veal parm without the tomato sauce)-This was so delicious. Served with a side of mashed potatoes with escarole. Penna "a la vodka", or, how our waiter put it-"pink sauce with a touch of vodka"-I wish this was a little creamier Chocolate Mousse Cake-Way better than I expected, super moist and dense chocolate with whipped cream. We enjoyed our whole meal in peace. No one rushed to give us our bill. The only reason I am giving Dario's 4 stars instead of 5 is because it was slightly expensive in comparison to similar restaurants. It was definitely great Italian food, just not the absolute best I've had. Notes: They take reservations only 10 days in advance. read more

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This is one of the best authentic Italian restaurant in NY, right here on Long Island. The food is the freshest and if you are a veal lover , there is not a restaurant that prepares better veal dishes that Dario's! The wait staff are the old school guys that can recite all the specials with a passion as though they are cooking them themselves. Homemade pasta's ( little purses with meat sauce and fresh spinach) to die for. If you like fish they bring out fresh fish on an ice platter for you to choose your special. This is old school Italian and was very impressed and I don't impress easy. If you are a foodie and truly passionate about fresh quality individually prepared meals made custom tailored for you..... Run! It's a family run business that has it right , and knows how to entertain in their House! Ciao! read more

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Went there tonight for the first time and all I can say is amazing, one of the best meals I've had in years, the last time I are this good was at commanders palace in New Orleans. The staff is attentive but not intrusive, the presentation of the food is simple when you are serving food of this quality you don't need all the fancy garnishes. The baked clams oregantat were tender and delicious, the eggplant rolatini apppetizer were like pillows they were so light and delicious. The entrees were even better the veal chops were incredibly tender we had the veal Dario and the stuffed veal with the chestnut sauce that sauce should be illegal it it's so good, the cappellini San Angelo the shrimp were seasoned to perfection and cooked just right, the whole bronzino was one of the tastiest fish I've had in years roasted whole and deboned almost tableside with garlic olive oil and parsley it was reminiscent of the sole munierre in Paris it was cooked to perfection. To compete the meal wet had The creme brulee and it was pure perfection the ideal item complete this wonderful meal. The only issue I had was I didn't have another stomach to eat more. if you want a real fine dining experience Darios is a must. Thank you to everyone at Darios for such an amazing night out you have not only impressed me but have made a life long customer. read more

Food and service are amazing. Our server was so helpful in making our decisions. I will definitely recommend this place to people and also go back read more

Old school staple with outstanding food & service!!! Small, quiet, and cozy ambiance. Tuxedo dressed servers filleting fish table side and pumping out amazing veal dishes!!! read more

Went there with my client and good friend Lowell. This is the best restaurant on the South shore. Service was great as was my chicken parmigiana. Now have have a place to bring clients in western Nassau county south shore! read more

Old School Northern Italian cuisine, with generous portion sizes and a classic mid 20th century vibe. Since this is of the northern variety, it means you're dealing with white sauces instead of red. So be advised if that isn't your thing. Service is top notch as the waiters are on their game at every step of the meal, from replenishing your beverage, to highlighting the extensive specials list, which can be as long as the menu at times. It's definitely not cheap, so I'd save this one for a special occasion. Or maybe you just want to treat yourself. I don't know. Don't ask me things! I didn't sign up for that! Protip: get the gnocchi and you'll have a good time. read more

Dario's Restaurant - Low Key Gnocchi. Primo stuff. - Italian Near Me - Rockville Centre, New York

Paul and his staff have worked together for so long that every aspect is done seamlessly. Food is always great and wine is always enjoyable. This place never gets "old", and is always packed. read more

So we finally got to go here. The place is small but clean. Needs a lot of updated. Starting with their silver wear that is light weight and exhausted! The waiters and the boss boys were very tentative. Not pushy in selling or trying to give you the bill quickly to clear the table. Maybe because we were there earl. But they were nice. We ordered the clams for appetizers and they were over salted. My wife ordered the chicken Marsala. The sauce was very good and the side dish was fresh mash potatoes. I had a pasta dish with pieces of veal. It did not taste good and again salty. Many better Italian places to go. They really need to stop with the over salting! Also the prices were high and portions were small. read more