Ambience: nice Service: good Food: very meh Expected it'd have good food because it was kinda cozy in there. They can do much better. They should hire a chef who can cook, that's all. And it ain't cheap.. read more

Started with the minestrone which was thinner than what I'm used to but still chunky. Ordered the Capesante (scallops), so buttery and fresh. read more

There's literally always something wrong every time I come here (I've come three times and no more moving forward). Whether it's the rude waitresses or the incompetent ones, it's never ever a smooth and enjoyable experience. read more

Beware !! They charged us $36 for chincken tenders and fries , we had four kids so it totalled $144 , they did not have a kids menu so we couldnt see the price before read more

Old School Italian restaurant. Very friendly staff - host and waitress. Service was indifferent but the people were very nice at the restaurant. Nice looking restaurant with open feeling and great seats at the windows. Chicken Parm is very tasty and nice big portion. read more

Il Violino has been on the UWS a long time. Many years ago I ate there several times but, when the food wasn't up to the standards I expected, I stopped going there. I walk by this place hundreds of times during the course of a year; so today I decided to try again and see if it was any better. It wasn't. For what you get it is overpriced. I sat in the shed, which was pleasant, and ordered the eggs benedict $24.95 and, for an extra $5. you can get a mimosa or sparking wine. I really wanted a screwdriver or bloody mary but wasn't willing to pay an additional $14. The drink came promptly, and they brought a nice piece of bread with olive oil (actually the best part of the meal). Unfortunately they didn't bother to give me a napkin; so I had to use my handkerchief. When my benedict arrived, they still hadn't given me a napkin or tools to eat with (ridiculous). I had to ask for them. The benedict overall was disappointing. It was two small eggs, with very little sauce over a mound of sauteed spinach and a small piece of Canadian bacon served on the typical English muffin. The spinach was stingy and not too tasty. I would have preferred either no spinach or having it on the side. They pile on the spinach to bury the fact that the rest of the portions were very small and inadequate. On the plate, also, were some chopped up potatoes with onion & red pepper (ok but not great). I ate the benedict (what there was of it) & left most of the potatoes. Overall, this was a disappointing experience, and I think I should have stuck with my original resolve; however, after so much time, I thought I would give them another chance. I may return one more time and try a pasta dish. If that disappoints, then I'll never again go back. read more

Quaint corner spot in the upper west side of Manhattan. Live music ... perfect summer Sunday afternoon in NYC. The food was superb. And it's dog friendly read more

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Great spinach salad. Tossed in a tangy lemon or not sweet vinegarette - then drizzled with balsamic reduction. Perfect conbination of flavors. Also only $12. My husband got the meatball sub & liked it. The dipping olive oil was also very nice. read more

Il Violino - Spinach salad - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Came in for a late lunch and ordered the prix fixe menu. Tasty!!! Great value. The pasta primavera was excellent! read more

Il Violino - Pasta pimavera - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Very disappointing experience! Food is ok but the service is horrible! Will never recommend this restaurant to anyone!

We had attended the NY Film Festival, & wanted a meal as we headed out. Il Violino looked inviting, & seemed to have a decent Italian menu. It was a busy Sat. night, but they seated us reasonably quickly. Our server had a funny-sort of attitude when we first sat down -- perhaps she was having a tough night? (She warmed up to us by the end of the dinner, when she realized we spoke Spanish -- she was clearly not Italian.) The food was not memorable, but was decent. My fish entree was well-prepared. The wines were about the same -- good, but not memorable. We'd been spoiled by a truly bonafide Italian restaurant the night prior much further north up the West Side, so this was more touristy, perhaps, being close to Lincoln Center. We've lived in Italy, so are a different sort of clientele. I don't think I'd want to return or would recommend it. But it was an adequately pleasant Sat. night dinner. However, a caveat: of course, this is Manhattan!, But be aware that it was not inexpensive. Our two glasses of wine & two entrees, no appetizer or dessert, cost $100. read more

Worst restaurant experience ever. They tried to ID me for ordering Penne Alla Vodka and then kicked out my entire party because some people were sharing dishes instead of ordering their own. Overpriced mediocre Italian food. Cant believe how poorly this place is run. By the way Penne Alla Vodka is a PASTA not a DRINK. Smh. *:(* read more

Il Violino - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

My son and I were looking for a place to eat while out walking in this area. We passed a few others and decided to give Il Violino a try. The service was excellent and the food was good. My son loved the pasta. My steak could have used a bit more flavor. The waiter, knowing we were tourists, brought us out a tiramisu on the house that was the best I've ever had. I'm glad we ate here and not one of the other choices up and down the block. read more

Loved it. Delicious good sized portions and nice ambience and quality service. Pass on the calamari, i wasn't a fan. Spinach salad , lasagna and one other pasta dish (can't remember the name) were very good. We went there after seeing Loretta Swit eating here one night while walking by and needed a good meal close to the Phillips Club, glad we chose it. read more

My boyfriend and I love this restaurant. It's definitely our go-to place in the neighborhood. Our waitress Georgiana is always a pleasure!! She's very friendly, considerate and courteous. We always feel very taken cared of- we thank you! The service and waitstaff are very swift and prompt. I'd like to point out how delicious the food is ! Everything on the menu is delicious, Everything ! Thank you chefs..Soooo tasty. They have a brunch prefix menu which we always order from that includes a drink. We usually order the eggs benedict (amazing) with a mimosa or Bloody Mary. Today I decided to try the main menu and I'm so happy I did. The chicken marsala is ridiculously delicious. Also, who ever made my old fashioned, thank you ! The ambiance is very warm and relaxing yet also professional. read more

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Very good atmosphere and our waiter was very good. Very pleased with our service and food as well. We also ordered dessert and coffee and it was comforting to end the meal with. The interior is tight but great! Very unique set up and it is for sure a good time! The outdoor street seating can get quite cold in the winter but perfect on warmer days. read more

You walk in and you're welcomed into a small but such a great restaurant. Came in around 4 sat at the bar. Had great drinks, caprese salad and then lasagna. We will absolutely be back. Love the ambiance and everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Can't wait to come back!! read more

Pictures do it no Justice. The waiter kindly explained all details, no need to egen read the menu! We had - Cold seafood salad with fresh calamari and endive leaves - Black linguini with prawns - Lasagna - Valpolicella Zena - A biscotti each Munch, much bytter than most places... read more

We were in the city for the Nutcracker ballet. Of course everything around the Lincoln Center was 45min+ wait, (we missed our reservation due to traffic) so we ventured a couple blocks looking for something good. This place had seating for 4. Food was good. I had the risotto seafood dish, it was a little too wet for me but good nonetheless. The waiter told use they had a full bar when he gave us a wine list. I wanted a Moscow mule, and was then told their was no ginger beer so idk what a full bar is then. Anyway, I would recommend read more

This is one of the first places where I had the pleasure of dining at with my girlfriend at the time. At first, the super quiet environment felt different as this was my first time dining at a fine dining restaurant. The service however was welcoming and truly made me feel at home. I ordered the bolognese and she ordered the Linguini Vongole, while waiting for our food, we were blessed with bread that was truly wonderful. Although we are no longer together, the memories of the food here live on and I can tell you I have never had a Bolognese anywhere else in New York. Seafood wasn't my thing at the time and i can say that the vongole was amazing and as I mentioned earlier, the bolognese really hit home and knocked my socks off. Over all a super memorable experience and would highly recommend to anyone looking for a quaint delicious night out read more

i always find something I'll enjoy on the menu. Service is professional. The place is always clean. This little place has been a neighborhood staple for many years. They know what they do well and stick to it! Great for lunch or a romantic evening for two. You can sit by a window and people watch. It has an upscale appeal and atmosphere with out the price. No complaints about the price, service, pasta, bread, and quiet atmosphere. read more

Il Violino - Great little restaurant on UWS. Been there for years! - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

The food was so delicious. The spinach salad was very tasty. The service was good, especially considering that it was a very busy day

Great Italian classics served generously, with kind and friendly service. A solid neighborhood spot that never goes wrong.

Food was great. Server very professional, wine chilled perfectly. Everything in time to leave for the Met Opera a short sprint away. A 4 because they need updated tables -- not enough to make me not happily return. read more

"The Violin" is a charming corner ristorante near Lincoln Center." Old schoolish" Italian fare- I say "ish" because there are some updates with nice salads and some more modern mains. We had a nice dinner here albeit pricey. You can either sit at the spacious corner window(we did) or inside surrounded by violins and woody interior. Ate: Tri-color salad Chicken parm w/pasta of the day Peroni Total: $38 The tri-color salad was tasty with endive, arugula, radichio. My cousin's ceasar was respectable. The chicken parm. was good. Not as amazing as the veal parm at Randazzo's, but good. Nice sauce, cheese check., good breadcrumb action. The pasta of the day was puttanesca- my pasta tasted like filette de pommodoro- no matter it was delicous- great sauce fresh cheese added, freshly cracked pep. The service here is very attentive and good. Overall, quite an enjoyable and elegant meal. read more

Il Violino - Chicken parm. - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I had dinner here last evening, April 25th. I made a 5 PM reservation through the restaurant's website which utilized Open Table. The reservation for 2 made the day before was easy to make. Our table was available when we arrived and all was going well. The food was very good. I had the Lasagne, which was a good sized portion and was very good, not the best I have ever had, but good. Dessert however was a disappointment. My dinner guest and I decided to share an order of Tiramisu. The waiter tried to explain to us how it was served but we went ahead and ordered it. what we got was a small cup filled with something approaching my idea of what Tiramisu is supposed to be but wasn't. There was little cake in it and it was mostly a creamy combination that, while very tasty, was way too small for the price charged. After we finished dessert, we were presented with the check. After it was paid, the maitre di came over, interrupted our conversation and asked us to leave as the table had been reserved by another party. We had only been there for less than 90 minutes and when I made the reservation, there was nothing said about any time limit. I and my guest were quite offended, especially after I had plunked down $100 for just 2 entrees and one tiny dessert. I will not being going back there again. read more

Convenient location. Ok food. Nice staff. Don't go on Sundays in the warmer months, because there's a not great singer who blasts his singing outside the restaurant. read more

Il Violino is the quintessential neighborhood Italian restaurant, except it's located on the Upper West Side (which translates to $$$). It most definitely caters to the 50+ crowd with their children and grandchildren. My boyfriend and I came here this past weekend after watching a movie at the nearby AMC theater. We were definitely the youngest people in the restaurant as per usual and were treated as such like at most restaurants I go to. What I did like about Il Violino was that we were seated right away and in the atrium overlooking Columbus Avenue. Perfect for people, or puppy watching! The bread service was nothing to write home about. We were each given two slices of bread, which were fairly large but lacked any real texture. I'd say the bread was a step above Wonder Bread. A nice crusty rustic bread to dip into the olive oil would have been more pleasing. The real highlight of the dinner though was my lasagna entree. Calamari Fritti [$16]: I thought the fried calamari was a little bland and not crispy enough. It's like the calamari was pulled out of the fryer a minute or so too soon and someone forgot to sprinkle the salt on top. The marinara sauce it came with was fine, but it didn't add anything to overall flavor of the fried calamari. Lasagna alla Bolognese [$23]: Is $23 a little expensive for lasagna? Yes, it is. Was the lasagna the best I've ever had? Yes, it was. The first bite was a perfect piece of bolognese ragu. I can't tell you why it was perfect, it just was. The lasagna itself was smothered with cheese, the edges of the pasta were crispy and delicious. I'm still dreaming about the lasagna. Tartufo [$11]: Ugh. They tried to fancy up the tartufo by coating it with cocoa powder. Any old school Italian place in Brooklyn coats the tartufo (usually filled with vanilla ice cream) with a hard chocolate shell. This is the only way it should be done. I had a glass of the Riesling [$12] which was fine, I like Riesling. My boyfriend had the Linguine con Cozze e Vongole [$27] which had clams and mussels in it. He said they were fishy. I could attest to this as I could smell it across the table. The bill came out to close to $120, not including tip. I'd come back just for the lasagna and skip everything else. read more

Il Violino - The Calamari Fritti [$16] and bread - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Fantastic!! Sauces for all three dishes, Alfredo, Bolognese. Mussels, Gnocchi, Caprese, service, ambiance, just fantastic all around! Will recommend to anyone for a great night out in NYC! read more

Don't ask to split a check. They won't do it in the obvious way. They will give a total bill and you have to do the math. And if 2 order the same item, one has to pay for both and work it out between you. read more

It's a nice restaurant with Really good Italian pasta--half of which is homemade! Located on the corner, it has seating that feels like you're in an open-air cafe, but is enclosed in the winter- so you can keep the people-watching view from the comfort of being warm inside as you're served a delicious meal! read more

Solid three stars for Il Violino based on the entree I tried on my recent visit. The Orecchiette Broccoli E Salsiccia (shell-shaped pasta with broccoli rabe & Italian sausage in a garlic and olive oil sauce) was good, but it didn't wow me. What I liked about it was the fresh pasta and chunks of Italian sausage. What I didn't like was that my friend and I ordered identical dishes and mine only had two pieces of broccoli in it while her plate was full of broccoli - that's really inconsistent considering the chef must have prepared both dishes at the same time. The other thing I didn't like was the lack of flavor - without the parmesan and black pepper I was offered when the dish came, it would have been pretty bland. Definitely could have used a bit more salt. Service was polite. While I've loved watching the people sitting in the window seats while walking past it outside, it was quite a different story from the inside. Those few tables by the window are spaced waaaaaay too close to each other. As in neither of us could get in and out of our seats without hitting the people behind us, which was extremely uncomfortable. If I were the manager of the restaurant, I'd sacrifice the external appearance for the comfort of my patrons. Wouldn't mind coming back and trying other items on the menu to see if other dishes are better. read more

Good pasta with a cozy ambience. The calamari was the best I've had in a while. It fits Lincoln Square very nicely.

Happened to pass by on the 12th. Did not eat here but certainly experienced the spirit of the season! The light display with added Pazzaz from the tractor trailer was over the top. read more

Il Violino - Did not eat here on Dec 12th, but enjoyed the Christmas light display from the restaurant and passing tractor trailer. - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

My party of five dined here before going to a Ballet at Lincoln center. They were very accommodating in getting us a table (after arriving late and having to leave quickly) and serving us quickly. The prices were a bit high and the food mediocre. I would be extremely surprised if anything was homemade. The gnocchi was rubbery and the spaghetti was sorely overcooked. I commend this restaurant for facilitating our entire meal in exactly 1 hour, but I'm not sure if the quality is good enough for another try. read more

I have been going to this restaurant for a few years. I have always enjoyed it. I WAS ESPECIALLY PLEASED with Thanksgiving. I ate outside in the safe newly made wooden framed outdoor arrangement It was wonderful! It was festive,the service was amazing, food was top notch, every course, beautifully prepared, happy surroundings, Very clean, very safe. The three of us all felt the same. In fact, i want to make it a new tradition. Whatever the circumstances going forward regarding travel, and eating. I want to come back year after year. I could not have been more pleased! read more

I went here with a friend and really enjoyed it. The atmosphere is also great. On the weekends, they often have live music. Delivery also holds well. read more

Walked in here hoping for good food since the space felt cozy. However, the food was very disappointing. It is definitely overpriced as well. We got the carpaccio, endive salad, and fettuccine con scampi. The bread for the table was stale and it tasted like it was toasted hours before being served. The carpaccio was lacking depth. The endive salad was ok -- something you could quickly throw together at home. Lastly, the pasta tasted like pasta you would expect at a food truck, but for the price of $34. The server was okay, but had a little tude. read more

Love this place. What a great little neighborhood gem with a tiny bar to have a drink before you sit down to eat. They do a great job with the classics like chicken parm, and their orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe is fantastic. Is it gourmet Italian? Not really. But if you value a great old school vibe as much as the food you'll love it. read more

Il Violini is a cute little Italian restaurant in the upper west side. They serve no fuss classic Italian dishes at reasonable prices. Their spaghetti and risotto are both excellent choices. It's a great place to grab a yummy meal after watching a movie at The Lincoln Center Theaters around the corner. read more

Il Violino - Italian Near Me - New York, New York