Just phenomenal! Great waiter, great food, no loud music playing, old school Italian in Village!

Met my friend Frank who was in from China. We have been there several times. Love the place. Love the vibe and atmosphere. Service was spot on. However the food was Meh. I tried Franks veal. It was not tender. I got the gnocchi in a sage butter. It was good. Not special. Prices are fair. Maybe it was an off night. Forgot to mention. Baked clams were delicious read more

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One of my go to Italian places not in Little Italy. Good food and service. Try their specials...i got lucky with their pasta special with prosciutto and arugula. So creamy!!!They close at 11pm...make your reservation...it gets packed and it gets boisterous..they have a second floor for larger groups. Best as a post theatre dinner and you may spot some celebrities like Hugh Jackman who is currently in a play around the corner. Always check the bill as they may give you someone else's. Not intentional. It happens because they get so busy. Will definitely come here again, though. read more

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Made a reservation for 4 same day as the night we wanted to dine (friday) at 7pm, came in with 5 people and they were still able to accommodate us despite a full restaurant. We had a carafe of wine, and some drinks which were all delicious. The burrata and prosciutto, and asparagus were our starters, would get again. I had the homemade pasta with mushrooms which was perfectly seasoned and creamy. Tried my friends mussels with white sauce which were cooked less than I'm used to which to my surprise were really yummy (briney, fresh). Our waiters were kind and attentive and interactive! They spaced the drinks, apps and entrees well and we never felt rushed or had to wait. Cozy bustling interior, upstairs was perfect for us, we would come again, reasonably priced as well. read more

This place is the best vibe ever I love going up to the bar and having a great conversation with my bartender they always treat me so well all of the waiters are so fabulous. They know everybody who walks in there with the pleasure of going upstairs and having a private party where we had some of the most amazing meals, it was absolutely delicious. My favorite was the shrimp pasta, and a bunch of others that I'm gonna mention in this I loved it. It's delicious and I'm always gonna come back. It is my go to staple and it's always near a bunch of other things like comedy and blues and there's tons of places on McDougall st . read more

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Monte's loaded with celebrity photos harkens to better days. The food would benefit from a reboot. I struggle to give 3 stars. One extra for the spacious room & lovely private dining upstairs. Ate: Bread Spaghetti carbonara Mushrooms ripen Scallops & veggies Short ribs & gnocchi Pesto Where I begin? Bread meh. Spaghetti carbonara was the best dish because you can't mess up Witt butter, cheese, & pasta. Other dishes also meh & the service left the mushy plate on the table when finished. Glory days are gone, I would not return. read more

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Tony, our server, was fantastic! Delightful and surprising, we would have enjoyed the experience with just drinks, but of course the food, by Chef Pietro Mosconi, was amazing! We even got a visit from the chef. An old-school step-down in the Village, some things need never change, and Chef Pietro has preserved the flavor and history of Italian New York! read more

Monte's Trattoria - Old-school dining - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Great service and atmosphere , IF you get sat upstairs. Downstairs is a nightmare, way too many tables! However, my food was delicious! I loved the gnocchi, it wasn't my favorite ever but I had a great time there! read more

Monte's Trattoria - Gnocchi Con Burro E SalviaGnocchi - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

We found this place several years ago. Fantastic food. Terrific service. One of our favorite places for a special meal.

As others have mentioned in reviews, Monte's is indeed a slice of Italy in New York. Yes, the dining room can be crowded; yes, service can be a bit slow; but yes, the food is fantastic and the old world charm still exists in this walk down restaurant. The varied reviews all likely have to do with what you expect out of a restaurant. If you're going for an airy restaurant with fast service and an inventive menu, I'd pick a different venue of the thousands you have in New York. However, if you are looking to slow down a bit in the big city and enjoy a delicious classically Italian meal that you probably could have enjoyed decades ago - this is a fantastic example of classic Italian dining. read more

Love this place. The best white clam linguine I've ever had in my life. Their service is warm and familial and the no frills decor feels like Nonna's living room to go along with old nostalgic flavors. It's simple and unglamorous, yet the coziest meal. Feels like home. read more

My husband had wandered around one night and picked me up the best spaghetti and meatballs I had ever had. We went on the search for it. He thought this was the place. It was not. The dish was ok. My husband did enjoy his eggplant parmigiana. The service was horrible. My husband had to ask for bread. Pictured below. We've never had to ask for bread at again, an Italian restaurant and it never came like this. Once our entree came, the waiter never came back. My husband had to ask someone else for some grated cheese and a spoon. No one came to refill our waters either. Will not be coming back here. Tourist trap. read more

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This place is old school and your uncle Tony works here. Solid Italian food that is well executed and won't break the bank. And the olive oil- so good. Mind you they don't keep it on the table, you have to ask for it but it is robust and the real deal. Extra bread and olive oil was my dessert it was so good. So get the bread and ask for the olive oil on it ! This is not your trendy hot spot, but this is the family owned place where the waiters have been working here for 20+ years. Locally owned and locally run so you want to support it that much more. It was cold out and I started with the Pastina in Bordo soup- noodles in a very rich, deeply flavored chicken broth and it was delicious and soothed the soul. Nothing fancy but incredible. For dinner I had the Orecchiette with broccoli and sausage- it was delightfully light and flavorful. And the sausage was fresh and light with zero gristle- this is GOOD sausage. At first I was disappointed it wasn't crumbled but then when I took a bite it didn't matter- it was delicious. There were some unique menu items and this is a place I would come back to - and half of the pasta dishes are made with freshly made onsite noodles too. You have interesting pasta dishes, chicken and veal dishes and good antipasti. This is where you come to have a good meal that won't break the bank. It's a simple but nice ambiance- maybe a little tired and maybe the flatware was a little worn but the food makes this place special. Nice white table clothes. Service was good not great, I had to keep asking for things but they kept my water glass filled and cleared the dishes quickly. The waiters were a little slow but very nice and proud. They've been there a long time so don't come here in a rush. Very pleased. Classic Italian food done well. Worth coming here! read more

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What a gem in the heart of the West Village! Love the old school vibes of th this quaint Italian restaurant. Excellent service and delicious food. The entire staff are so welcoming and make you feel like you're dining with family. I chose to dine at the bar and Adam was friendly and very knowledgeable about the area. He gave me some great recommendations for clubs with live music. (I did make it to Smalls and Arthur's both awesome! Thanks ) I ordered the Veal Milanese and it was fabulous! It was tender, moist and crispy. I loved the arugula salad topping. It was one of the best I've ever had. If you're in the West Village give them a try. You'll have a great dining experience. read more

Monte's Trattoria - dining room - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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First time back in about 20 years and is exactly how I remembered. Impeccable staff, great food, great ambience, and overall could not be happier with my meal and service. It's no reason this Trattoria has been around for over 100 years in the West village. read more

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Traditional Italian comfort food. Walking into Monte's is taking a trip back in time. The menu may not have changed for 50 years. I enjoyed the Lasagna. The cocktail menu also may be the same as it was 50 years ago. The was helpful and attentive. The room was comfortable. read more

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Terrible food. Canned clams in the vongole. Old fashioned cool vibe. Definitely there are much better restaurants in the neighborhood.

Came back to Monte's with a rather large group. They sat us upstairs (didn't realize they even had an upstairs), and we were the first group up there so it kind of felt like we were in our own private dining room. The service is still fantastic, and the food is even better now than it was then. I love this place. read more

My husband and I have been going to Monte's since 1993. It's one of our favorite restaurants in NYC. If you want a taste of how quality restaurants used to be in the West Village, go to Monte's. The homemade pasta is the best around. One bite and you know it's homemade. My favorite is the penne bolognese, it's exquisite. My husband usually gets the meat ravioli in a bolognese sauce, no one else rivals this dish, it's amazing! The minestrone is so good - the veggies are just the right amount and not overwhelming, and the broth is so tasty! For dessert, we split the homemade tiramisu - fantastic! I hope this place stays around forever! read more

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This is one of those old school joints that has been in the neighborhood for over 100 years. Literally! Those are the kinds of places I love... just your basic, no nonsense type places that don't invest in all of the glitz and fancy stuff. We each had caesar salads and both commented that they were among the best we've had. My fun companion had the chicken picatta and thought it was very good. I had the shrimp marinara and thought the same. Cheesecake was meh but the tartufo was excellent. It's a very small and tightly packed restaurant and unfortunately our table was right by the door and it's so small that people standing and waiting for tables are essentially on top of you watching you eat dinner, and that wasn't so pleasant, but I guess you could say it's part of the charm so can't ding them for that. read more

Delicious gnocchi, our server was attentive and knowledgeable. Yummy tiramisu. At one point, Chef came up front to take a phone call and some old man who seemed to be a regular came in yelling at him about nonsense,(chef let him "yessing" him in an effort to get him to shush if I had to guess) old man then sat at the table 3 inches from us and proceeded to blow his nose. I'll go back in an effort to make a new memory (and get some more gnocchi.) 4 stars because I can't blame them for the grody boomer. read more

The pasta here is pretty good. I had the tortelloni, which had a perfectly chewy al dente texture and slightly caramelized flavor from being grilled a bit in the pan after boiling. The cream sauce was pretty standard. There's also two types of bread soaked in olive oil served with the meal, and both breads were delicious and fluffy. The dish came out to $26 before tax and tip, which is slightly expensive, but in line with other West Village spots. The restaurant has a relaxed, homey feel to it. Out of the pile of overpriced Italian fare in the neighborhood, this is one of the best and more reasonably-priced choices. read more

Monte's Trattoria - Tortelloni Montes - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Monte's Trattoria is an old school Italian restaurant that serves classic Italian dishes. They are low on pretense and fairly high on food quality. Basic Italian dishes such as fried calimari, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parm., and eggplant rollatini are all fine in flavor and size of portions. Wine comes in either bottles or carafes, garlic bread is served... you get the point. Service is chummy if not "professional" and that also is fine. What it really is- It's real food served by real people. Italian ricotta cheesecake and fresh strawberries for dessert put the explanation on the night. Value extended was good with exception of fried calimari starter ($25) which may have been a double portion? The trip to what Italian restaurants used to be like was actually very refreshing and reminiscent of simpler times. read more

Great spot! We saw this place on tv so we had to visit. Cozy and inviting. Food is delicious, nice portions. The gnocchi...heavenly...wow. The appetizer sampler was a fantastic variety. read more

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Found this place by accident, sat us right away and the food was better than we could ever expect! The chef came around for everyone to try a pizza he made and it was to die for!!! The waiter (Tony) was great funny and kind! We are going back soon with rest of family read more

Absolute gem of a place in the West Village! Staff is the sweetest, most welcoming people you will ever meet, food is really tasty, and the small place creates the perfect vibe for immaculate conversation. read more

Monte's Trattoria - Angel Hair Bolognese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Unbelievable! The food was excellent and the service was excellent and the ambience was excellent. We had a Caesar salad with spaghetti and meatballs & manicotti! read more

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I went to dinner tonight with a good friend tonight at the most charming cafe: Monte's Trattoria at 97 MacDougal Street here in the city. My friend's husband was trying to find a restaurant near a theater where she was planning to see a show at 8:30 tonight when he found Monte's Trattoria last night for us on Open Table and made reservations. And how charming it was, what delicious food they serve there, and what a treat it was--not only to get to chat with my very busy friend about everything, but to get to meet the owner of the restaurant who came to our table several times during the evening--Chef Pietro Mosconi. The owner's son is the maître d there so it is a family affair, but such a loving one. What was so charming is how much the son and father both care about the experience their clientele has at their family restaurant. It was refreshing to learn a little of Chef Mosconi's story, his son's story and to see a chef and restaurant owner want his customers to have a wonderful time at his restaurant. The food was scrumptious--artichokes, Caesar salad, and two wonderful pasta dishes (mine Carbonara which I love so much). The Chef brought us both slices of bresalo on the house. The pasta was delectably al dente. I reminded myself that moments like this--a meal at a charming restaurant--is part of what makes life invigorating and worth living. To have owners who really care that their diners have a beautiful evening out--two men taking pride in their work, and happy to have the confluence of people of all ages and of all nationalities in their restaurant enjoying each other's company (beautifully shepherded by the owners) is a precious moment. I must not let moments like that pass unnoticed, for they are remarkable. They matter. They elevate life if only for a moment. Treat yourself to a nice meal there sometime with Chef Mosconi and son like I was kindly treated to tonight. You won't be sorry. read more

Monte's Trattoria - Melissa Errico, Broadway and concert star with Chef Pietro Mosconi tonight at Monte's Trattoria - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

This is one of our favorite restaurants in NYC. The food is always amazing. The staff is even better. They always ensure a wonderful dining experience. The atmosphere is authentic New York Italian. read more

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My brother came to the city recently and I wanted to take him out for a nice meal somewhere. He's not quite as adventurous an eater as I am but I've yet to meet a person who dislikes Italian food, so Italian it was. I Googled something to the effect of "best Italian Manhattan" and this place was spoken highly of, had good prices, and reservations were available. We arrived at 7pm on the dot (our reservation) and were seated immediately. The restaurant was already fairly full, and the tables were quite close to each other. The decor of the restaurant was charming in the classic "NYC restaurant with many famous patrons" sort of way, with pictures of various famous people on the wall. One item that caught my eye was an old menu (not much has changed) on the second floor. We began with pre-dinner drinks. I chose a negroni and my brother had a Peroni. The Peroni was fine (pretty hard to screw up), and the negroni was just like I remembered (forgot how sweet they are). Bread arrived around the same time, and was good. Once we finished with drinks, we got a carafe of the house red to split, which at $36 felt like a fairly good value (we had a slight snafu ordering the wine, as we flagged down the wrong server to order, but this was quickly, if not particularly elegantly, handled). I ordered a Caesar salad, while my brother did not. Fantastic Caesar salad as they go. There was anchovy and caper in the salad, which is always a great sign, and the salad was about as good as a Caesar salad could be. The only other thing they could have done was tableside prep, but that just wouldn't work in the space. Unfortunately, the Caesar salad is probably my best memory of the food. Out came the entrees. I opted for spaghetti and meatballs, while my brother went with the rigatoni bolognese. Shortly after service, one of the waiters came by with cheese, which was certainly welcome. Neither of our meals were particularly remarkable, though they certainly weren't bad. We finished our meals, finished our wine, and split the check (pleasantly, they figured splitting the bill evenly out on their own after we put down two credit cards). Dessert was on offer, but neither of us were particularly interested. Perhaps I had expected too much out of the place, but the meal simply wasn't as memorable as it feels like it should have been. The restaurant has all the bones of a great, classic red-sauce Italian-American restaurant, but the food just isn't quite there. Maybe I should have ordered differently, but the meatballs simply weren't as good as my own meatballs (which are becoming a Christmas Eve tradition in my family), which feels inexcusable for a place that bills itself as one of New York City's top Italian restaurants. Would I go back? Sure, if I was invited. But would I choose this place again? I might spend some more time looking around for Italian places. read more

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Traditional Italian food that everyone loves without all of the fancy changes some other places do. This feels more like a family restaurant in Italy not to mention the food was amazing with homemade pasta. read more

We love this place!!! Chef Pietro is the best!!! Food, atmosphere and service is beyond perfection!! A must visit Italian restaurant in NYC!! Gracie Chef Pietro and staff for being so awesome!!! We love you!!! read more

We all need to try new things, as my favorite Barry's instructor says "you need to explore your boundaries". So I went on a date with a guy "in tech" I'm not even sure what that means but I assumed he could fix my Tv which has not worked since I moved from the west village to Tribeca. The WV is basically Murray hill since Covid. I think "In tech" is some sort of alibi for dressing like you're homeless. It seems to universally apply. It makes sense the industry is based in a city that glorifies the homeless. I get it they're just dressing like their homeland. Any how. Montes. I usually don't enjoy eating in basements, but the chicken parm made it ok. The cheese was gooey and delicious. The chicken was crispy and thin. It reminded me of my first boy friend in middle school, he was 5'8 and 120lbs. The drinks are pretty...well not great. The scene is full of local curmudgeons and neck beards. I'd order takeout next time. read more

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Not my favorite Italian. Waiters were super kind but the food was just not a hit for me. Everything seemed a little bit more oily than it should have been. The complimentary bread with olive oil was delicious. Had a nice crunch! Fried calamari wasn't super crispy and didn't have a lot of flavor to it. Ziti with bolognese (8/10) good flavor but a little too oily Gnocchi con burro e salvia (6/10) smelled better than it tasted. It needed some extra herbs or some other kind of flavor added to it. The sage didn't do much Veal pizziaola was decent. The peppers were good but the veal seemed a little over cooked. (6.5/10) Chicken cacciatora was better than the veal taste-wise in my opinion (7.5/10) read more

So we were visiting from Miami and decided to try this Italian place. I have to say it was one of my best experiences. Ask for the specials for the day because we ordered the Veal OSSO BUSCO and man it was the best I have ever had it truly melted in your mouth and the flavor was tasting my amazing. We also ordered the lasagna which is a must cause you will experience one of the best in town. We also ordered the strozzapretti pasta with prosciutto arugula cream it was great. Now for dessert you need to order the TIRAMISU DELICIOUS SOFT AND TASTY, the panecotta was creamy and delightful and finished it up with an espresso with ice cream. From 1-10 this was a 10 and tops it all up our Bartender ADAM WAS so attentive and excellent service. read more

In my opinion has to be one of the best Italian spots in NYC, if you say otherwise I'd love to know where. Always start with the fried mozzarella. I had a chicken Parmesan with angel hair (garlic & oil). My other friends had a chicken Marsala and the fettuccini bolognese. We sat outside which was a nice plus. Weather was a perfect fall evening. MAKE A RESERVATION. It tends to get busy and book up. read more

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I am from Syracuse, NY but had to plan a rehearsal dinner in the area as my son was getting married in NYC. I did my research and ended up choosing Monte's Trattoria as it was 1/2 mile from the church and the menu sounded great. After emailing with the owner, we got it scheduled. I am so glad we did! Everything was perfect! The appetizers were amazing, the pasta was fantastic, our entrees were delicious and so were the desserts! I am Italian and it was some of the best Italian food I've had. The staff also was incredible! They were so professional, accommodating and very friendly. We could not have been happier with the entire experience and I would return to NYC just to dine at Monte's again. Check them out, you will not be disappointed! read more

This is such a popular restaurant that has been open for over 100 years. There were many people standing and waiting to be seated at their tables. The dining room and bar are small but it feels like you are in a home. The food was delicious and excellent service. I look forward to visiting again. read more

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We went here today for lunch and had an awful experience. We sat outside. It took forever for our food to come, and when it came, the orders were all wrong, and the food was mediocre. When we complained, they finally told us that at first our orders weren't entered into the computer, so that's why it took so long, and then I guess our orders were messed up because they couldn't remember our order as correctly and didn't want to ask us. I personally think they should not have charged us for the meal. My husband didn't even get his lunch. We definitely won't be back. read more

Great atmosphere for nyc old school italian however dined on busy Friday night waiter totally ignored us while spending time with others around our table maybe locals took half hour to get a glass of wine while others were served wanted to like this spot but our wait experience left much to be desired read more