Women - GET OUT, GET LOST, GET A DATE Nicola's has been my family celebration restaurant.......anniversaries, birthdays, promotions, relatives from out of town. My husband and I had our first Amarone here. Though we have been patrons over a decade, we are not known to the staff. The thought of their fettuccine alfredo brings a smile to my tummy. My husband is a fan of their chicken cutlet parmigiana. This is the place else on the UES for clams casino. Imagine my surprise, no my SHOCK, when I took a female friend here. First the maitre d did not want to seat us, though I had a reservation. My friend, Maria speaks fluent Italian, and was translating what they were saying, which was to seat us at the bar. She responded in Italian, and we were eventually seated. Apparently, two women for dinner on a thursday evening are shunned here. The waiters ignored us except when they thrush the pepper mill on the table top. Complaining didn't help, the action that expresses my disappointment with their service, treatment and food is not to return, and to warn others. GIRLS don't eat at Nicola's, they don't want our business (unless we have a guy with us). read more

I went on a recent Friday evening for dinner with a friend. We were seated promptly. It wasn't very busy for a Friday night, which concerned me a bit, but the server was accommodating and knowledgeable. I thought it was a bit odd that we weren't offered a drink menu, or wine list, but no big deal. The server reeled off the somewhat limited beer and wine list (4 beers, 6 wines by the glass). My friend had the house pinot grigio, which wasn't great, but wasn't awful. The atmosphere is interesting. It's right out of the 80s, intact with pictures on the wall from that era. I don't think this is as much an intended look, as it is that the restaurant hasn't updated it's decor much since then. However, it's certainly not an unpleasant look. It's a decent sized, open room, and very quiet. So it's a good place if you want to have a conversation. I decided to go the Pollo Scarpara (described as Chicken sautéed, white wine, garlic, lemon and rosemary in a brown sauce), and my friend went with the spaghetti bolognese. The Pollo Scarpara was interesting. Not quite what I expected, but not a problem. All I care about is the taste. It was 8 rounded balls of chicken, served on the bone. Unfortunately, I found it to be a bit too dry, not very tender, and a bit crunchy for my taste. The sauce was light, but not very pleasing. It was almost like Chinese-style General Tso chicken, but without the heavy Asian sauce. My friend got the Spaghetti Bolognese. It was cooked well, but very salty. Probably the saltiest pasta I've ever tasted. And I've had a lot of pasta. The dishes weren't terrible, but neither of us finished them. In the end, Nicola's seems like a nice, neighborhood Italian place, with servers who have worked there for years. It probably draws in the locals, who go because the servers know them, and there's 1 or 2 dishes they like, and it's close by. And who knows, maybe there are other items on the menu that are much better than the ones we had. But for the price, and the food quality of the dishes we had, I can't imagine it's drawing too many people from other parts of the City. read more

Solid old school NYC Italian in the UES style. Dark wood. Fossilized clientele. And a strange collection of ad photos on the walls. It's like a trip back to the 1990s. You might feel the need to tuck in your shirt and wear a belt. The prices are high but there is value of you order well. I don't know why some dishes seem very generous and others not so much. Good selection of specials. Ordered a red snapper livornese, which was $50 and enough for two people. Mussels entree was more than enough for $33. Both were delicious. Pasta special was spaghetti and meatballs. You get the idea. I would go back when I'm in the mood for this type of place and don't want to walk too far. read more

The food here is stellar, the atmosphere timeless. Stick with meat and fish entrees (veal dishes and dover sole are particularly succulent). Wonderful specials include lamb chops--once part of the regular menu-- and sauteed soft shell crabs (in season). The ricotta cheesecake epitomizes everything that a real cheesecake ought to be--moist, playful, and seductive, just how I like my... read more

Ugh... where do I even begin. I took my mother out to dinner on a whim; I figured I was doing something nice by taking her out to an Italian restaurant. Well, let me tell you we had one of the worst experiences I could even imagine. First of all, we walked in wearing what you would consider your "Sunday best," and the stares we got were innumerable. SORRY I DON'T WEAR MY PEARL NECKLACE EVERY WHERE I GO. As we were walking to our seat, the UES b*tches were staring at us and shaking their head. When we got to our seats, there was an older couple sitting across and facing us. Well, I must say, we were the talk of their dinner. That is SO not a community I would ever want to be around. While all of this is happening, the server didn't even recognize we were there until at least 10 minutes into us sitting, THEN we got our menus. My mother and I were starving, so we figured we would just stay and eat. They were snarky at the fact that I didn't order a glass of wine. So, just to tick everyone off even more, I ordered a cheap pasta, and my mother ordered the least- expensive chicken dish. After our food came out, our check was dropped before we finished eating. Ohhhhhhhhhh honey, don't worry, I wanted to get the hell out of there faster than you wanted me out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAVE YOUR MONEY AND YOUR TIME and GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. [Unless you're an UES brat with lots of plastic surgery, then ENJOY!] read more

A throw back to the (slightly more sophisticated yet still charmingly antiquated) old country. My Nana Fracaro and Great Grandpa Julio would surely approve. Check this off of my list of "places I pass and will one day go into". A large blazing yellow sign in the front gives way to an unassuming entrance, then it goes back...further...further...further! I was surprised as how large this place is! Low lighting, antiquated yet charming decorations of old posters and scantily clad 80s-era models in Nicola's t-shirts, and authentic Italian waiters make this a low-key yet sophisticated place for a bowl of delicious pasta. One, admittedly, I felt slightly underdressed in nice jeans, a nice shirt, and a cardigan. It's not fancy, but not a jeans and t-shirt place, I feel in hindsight. Two, I was definitely the youngest customer in there by a good 20 years. My aunt took me there for a birthday dinner, the big 2-8, and I felt as though the patrons could be my parents, even grandparents. Not a bad thing, merely an observational anecdote. I chowed down on some Spaghetti Amatriciana - pasta with pancetta, onions, wine, tomato, basil, and prosciutto. Except for one fatty piece of pancetta than made me squish my face up a little bit in a childlike "Ew! This food is GROSS!" way, it was extremely delectable. The bowl was large enough, but I didn't feel weighed down with pasta after I finished it. It really was a perfectly sized portion of pasta. My aunt got the veal parmesan; perfectly cooked, perfectly fried, and perfectly covered in mounds of mozzarella cheese. It really melted in my mouth. I am glad I checked this place off of my list! Family member-bought birthday dinner successful. Food baby conceived. Satiation established. HUZZAH! read more

Totally sophisticated and 100% authentic Italian. Service: 100% Fabulous. I love these business men Italian servers. Food: We had the artichoke salad special with goat cheese - with a sizable portion of artichoke, and delicious. (Not jarred or overcooked, of course.) The house wine was delicious and a large pour, making the Ziti taste even better. The shrimps were tasty and the food was the perfect temperature to comfort. There were a lot of older people, dressed nicely, and we equated it to people knowing what they like. The tiramisu was fluffy. read more

Prior ot going I saw the three star review and at first I was disappointed that this restaurant was chosen for our mothers day dinner. In short , we had a spectacular meal. Service/ Vibe/ large round tables / Excellent food. The restaurant was filled with what seemed to be regulars. The restaurant is worth a visit. read more

Delicious Italian! Chicken Parm was the best thing on the menu! Great Oysters; loved also the soft shell crab.

Excellent restaurant with a genuine feel for the classic untouched Upper East Side. Preserved in time and timeless. But one annoying irritation. I get it: this is an old standby and it is something of a pricey and discreet little red sauce haven. It has rules and time-tested ways. I respect that. That is what makes these classic New York institutions special. As a lifelong New Yorker, I personally appreciate that. But still. I had a full course meal and cocktails to the tune of a substantial bill. As I was leaving the bar, I snapped a quick picture of the place to keep a memory. To my surprise, I got a very stern and condescending finger wag declaring "No" from the host: Do not take that picture. Cmon man... A respectful and paying customer isn't allowed to snap a picture? This isn't the Pentagon. read more

Very very good food ..and the atmosphere is relaxed and they made my mom chicken cacciatore with dark meat ..and its not on the menu ..very friendly staff ..i had shrimp with linguine in olive oil with garlic ..it was nicely done ..just the right amount of garlic and a lot of shrimp The price is fantastic for an upper Eastside white table cloth place and the fact that the food was great ..and the staff are old school ..helpful but not trying to turn the table over in a second ..highly recommended and my mom was very happy ..it will be a got to place for nice Italian food in the neighbourhood read more

This restaurant is old classic Italian place. If your an old timer of New York City in upper east side you'll know Nicolas! Excellent establishment amazing staff but the food was okay. It's too much food and it lacks flavor ... had the pasta it was bland and the fish was fresh but okay served. Meaning that the flavors didn't pull the fish flavors it was not well thought thru.not impressed but ambiance and staff amazing. read more

I'm glad I didn't yelp this restaurant before deciding to dine -- we might have gone somewhere else as the reviews are all over the board. Makes me wonder if it's the reviewers or the restaurant that is inconsistent. Based on all the awards posted inside, I'm guessing it's the former. Without reservations, my husband and I ducked in on a rainy Sunday night and liked the vibe: established, Italian, classy. The host was gracious, provided us with a requested menu (not posted outside), and did not press us to be seated. Shortly after we were seated and served our cocktails, friends called and wanted to join us. The wait staff swiftly and cheerfully relocated us to a larger table. From then on, the fast-food generation might have been impatient with the service, but we found it relaxed. The veal scallapini marasala and pasta carbonara were excellent, as were the green beans and spinach. Staff was attentive without being overbearing. Would definitely return. read more

I have to admit I was a bit disappointed here. I came on a Friday night, popping in out of the cold and wanting to try this place since I'd never been. The restaurant is big, so While no one was there the service was great. When it got crowded, my water wasn't filled, and it took forever to get the check. It's kinda pricey, and the food didn't make my mouth water. The French onion soup had a blend of cheeses that made the soup taste so oily. The limon chicken was ok, and baked salon was ok. Again, I had high expectations and since I rarely go out for Italian, I was hoping for an awesome meal. Id maybe come back because it's convenient, and the other reviews seem ok. I'd try it out for yourself on this one. read more

My boyfriend and I went one night and sat at the bar for dinner. They were supposedly "quiet" for a weekend night because it was during spring vacation and a lot of people were traveling, but it still felt full to us. The restaurant attracts an older crowd, and boy do they get rowdy! It is fascinating to watch people leave dinner, after one or two too many drinks. The food was very good, I got the spaghetti bolognese and my boyfriend got the veal parm. We enjoyed every last bite, and we even got a side of string beans which were obviously lathered in butter and it was so yummy. The manager did stare at us quite a bit, probably because we were the youngest ones there (30). I was a bit uncomfortable but I am not holding it against them. My only complaint is the cost. It is VERY expensive. But they do pour a large wine glass! read more

This place is very interesting. We felt like we accidentally walked into a restaurant that we weren't supposed to be in, kind of like if you were a tourist who strolled into a restaurant in Sopranos and all the mob bosses stared at you. The crowd is old italians who all seem to know eachother and talk quitely and close to each other. The food was really good though. We had the clams casion which were good. The people I was with got pasta dishes which they enjoyed. I had a ravioli special which was delicious. read more

Nicola's Restaurant Loved loved it. The whole place has a great vibe. Everything here has amazing flavor and taste. Service here is awesome. My heart belongs to Nicola's Restaurant. read more

This place sucks. I can't believe this. I came in early for a 6:30 reservation and got a drink at the bar. There was one other person only at the bar. I gave the bartender a $4 tip on a $13 bill for a glass of wine. I hadn't even gone through 1/3 of the glass of wine when the bartender asked me to move to another seat because 2 people wanted to sit where I was by the window. I told him I was waiting for a dinner reservation and when I'd get up that he could have the seats. The people were not even there!! This was plain ridiculous. You were moving a professional woman who was waiting by herself to save seats for people who were not there, even when I went to my table. Awful experience. read more

Nicola's Restaurant - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

If you are not a regular, don't bother to come here, or more specifically, don't bother to sit at the bar and expect the bartender to serve you with courtesy or decent hospitality. My friend and I are both long-time residents of the UES and have been to this restaurant a couple of times in the past. But we are clearly not good enough patrons for this bartender who's working last Thursday. The restaurant was busy when we walked in so we decided to have dinner and drink at the bar.... The bar was fairly empty except for an occasional person sitting down before going to table, or someone picking up to-go food. The bartender spoke to everyone else with a sense of familiarity, but chose to ignore me and my dinner companion completely. I had to wave him over continuously throughout our dinner to get us more water, more wine, to enquire where the food was after a long wait and "can you please clear away my plate?"... I even jokingly asked him if we were being ignored for any unknown reason but he just continued to act as if we didn't exist. When I got his attention again to clear away the plates and pack up my uneaten spaghetti, he did it begrudgingly and still not a word of friendliness. Afterwards, more waving from us to get the bill and then I asked for my doggie bag. He was so obnoxious that he immediately blamed the kitchen for being slow to pack my food. The bus staff responded to him that it was handed to him 10 min prior and he gave it away to a friend of his waiting for something else at the bar! They apparently know each other well and the bartender called this person on his phone to ask him to bring my food back. The final act of rudeness came when he tried to force this "returned" bag of spaghetti onto me and refused to offer at least to take this part of my meal off my bill. How can I feel comfortable take home a bag of food that's been with a stranger for 20 minutes?? Who knows where??? The bartender didn't even apologize until I asked for the manager. For those who like to sit at the bar to eat dinner, we all do it for the common understanding that we'd be well taken care of by the bartender due to the intimacy of the bar setting - we expect to receive a quick service, and to have our wine glasses filled even without asking. This bar must be losing money for the restaurant if this bartender continues to act this way! He gave very generous pours to his buddies, not so to non-friends, and then failed to sell more wine to us when we were sitting with empty glasses. He refused to take off the price of a half-order spaghetti from our bill when he screwed up, and expects us to tip him based on the total price of a ticket. Such rude and scheming bartenders really shouldn't be hanging around too long! read more

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice.. you just straight suck! I am so disappointed by Nicola to say the least folk. The place needs some extreme changes in my opinion. Starting with the food: Overpriced, Over-sauced and overly obnoxious are what this place should be stamped. Yet, I came here on a saturday night, and it was packed. With no surprise, I heard a few tables complaining about the service and the food. Now lets start from the beginning... way back. I was first introduced to a restaurant called Parma, which is an italian restaurant on 3rd and 80th, a few doors down from the impressive kitchen at Due. I didnt like it one bit, the servers were not friendly and rushed service as if trying to get rid of its hard working and paying patrons. I figured Nicola, a higher end sister restaurant, would be on the better scale, much to my dismay, it actually mimicked its characteristics. Servers are running around being loud, rushing customers and screaming across the room to each other. Don't get me wrong, Nicola, is actually fairly nice and clean. Long attractive wooden bar at the entrance and a beautiful flower arrangement at the very end, nice touch. The tables are placed very close together so that you can hear everyones conversation and restricts those who are sitting against the wall from exiting without bumping into the next table. Again, my disappointment was solely with the food, service and the extreme pricing. First off the food is not appealing to the eye when placed in front of me. Salads are overpriced at $10 and up, I ordered the mixed green salad. Bear with me when I tell you this, it was chopped up iceberg, with a fourth of a tomato on the corner topped with a tasteless dressing. Im not being mean just being honest. The salad.. I mean the "Lettuce" was chopped from the heart and was really bitter, perhaps it should have been inspected before it came out.. I mean truly bitter. No one came by to ask us once how anything came out, to see if we needed a refill or utensils, or even to offer fresh pepper. Im just gonna cut it to the chase. Servers dont describe dishes effectively, everything is topped with bacon!!!! I dont eat bacon, so perhaps it would have been nice to mention what comes on top of my soufflé or anything as a matter of fact so that I wouldnt have to pick around the bacon bits scattered everywhere. Sorry to those who love the seared animal fat, im not one of you. The soufflé was extremely heavy from the first bite, I couldnt make it past bite 3... And keep in mind that I started with a lettuce salad. HAA! Another major thing that baffles me are the crazy prices. Any fish filet is at least $45..................And for what ???? Thats right, for absolutely and positively nothing.!!! All of the dishes are unappealing with tons of sauce and all the ingredients mushed together and toppling over the plate, talking about lack of creativity or plating skills. I mean, who is in the kitchen preparing these meals ???? Kids?? My mothers family style cooking has better presentation and she plates to share amongst 10+ people. No one at my table finished their plates.. Not one soul. I had higher hopes because of the pleasant italian dining room and old school art. My recommendation is if your gonna spend the money, find another place to dine because you wont be happy leaving here. Funny thing is, if your reading this, you already don't belong. Did I mention the restaurant demographic is 65 and over. Not that it matters since I'm writing this review because I'm certain none of them ever even heard of a thing called "Yelp." In closing, THIS PLACE IS DEFINITELY NOT FOR ME OR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF RETIREMENT. read more

Nicola's is by far one of the worst restaurants I've ever experienced.The crowd was all UES senior citizens (65+ and above.). Their food was terrible. Their steak was hard, bland, and tasted like pure chemicals. Their "dessert" was home made, which means they rip you off with some disgusting ice cream that looks like whip cream. You can tell their cake had been in the freezer for quite a while. I wouldn't wish this horrible experience on anyone, so please stay away. FAR AWAY! read more

My girlfriend and I came to Nicola's on a Tuesday evening - late, around 9pm - after the Gladwell/Gopnik talk at the 92nd St Y. When we stepped through the door, the hostess looked us up and down, and asked if we wanted to check our coats. We replied no, and she called out in a stentorian voice, "Table for two...they didn't want to check their coats!" She might as well have said, "Table for two...these guys look like cheapskates!" Although the food was passable, the other major issue came when we received the bill. I ordered a diet Coke halfway into the the meal. Upon receiving the check, I found out that Nicola's had charged $5 for the diet Coke. Incredible. We will never be coming back here. read more

Do you like being treated like your presence is a burden? Do you like small portions of over-cooked, under-seasoned food? Do you like being pressured and rushed? Do you like paying out the nose for the privilege of the above? If so....Ding! Ding! Ding! Nicola's is your new favorite restaurant. The restaurant was half empty when we arrived on a Friday night, and after asking for a table for 3 the waiter gestured to the closet with a slight eyeroll and asked, "Don't you want to check your coats?" Totally unnecessary, but sure, why not? After being seated and treated to more eyerolls because only one member of our party ordered alcohol, and one ordered (*gasp*) water, we had the "specials" mumble yelled incomprehensibly, which was promptly followed by, "so what do you want?" We ordered pasta all around, and it arrived quickly. The "homemade pasta" was hard, stuck together, flavorless and generally gross. The capellini was spaghetti, and the bolognese looked suspiciously like Boyardee. We apparently ate too slowly because 5...FIVE different waiters asked if they could clear our plates until we just finally gave up and said yes. The cheesecake *was* delicious, but the pleasure of eating it was dampened by the $150 bill and expectant foot tapping that came with it. Why?! read more

Clams casino, veal cutlets, decent wine list with full picture pages. Bit of a wait to see menus and order drinks. This place is a classic and classy Italian restaurant in UES. Waiters very professional, knowledgeable and efficient. Host very welcoming. We will be back. read more

Came here once on a date, and had a really good experience. The service was spot on but not too obtrusive, and the food was excellent. My parents used to come here, and apparently the atmosphere has not changed, with all dark wood and low lighting. Mostly an older crowd, but I guess that's what you get for a great neighborhood spot on the UES. Would definitely recommend. read more

Wait staff was really unfriendly and not very helpful I ordered a fish "special " which came with Two bad clams one mussel and two tiny shrimp and it was $50!! Rip off and I don't recommend it at all . There are so many great options in the area Stay away read more

I have been meaning to come to this restaurant for quite a while! I was not disappointed! The service was wonderful! Our dinner was delicious! We arrived at 6 and had a lovely and leisurely dinner which lasted until 9. The ambience is beautiful! All in all a pleasurable experience! What's not to like? :) read more

This is the best Italian restaurant in NYC. One of the first restaurants I visit when I visit NYC. Great food (reasonable prices), great services. Everything I've ever had here is fabulous! Great quite place to get away from the Square. read more

What really amazes me is how packed this place is, but I guess it shouldn't surprise me, as 80% of restaurants in manhattan are mediocre. I tried to get a handle on this place on Yelp, but, as usual with this site, half the people love it, half hate it. Whatever. Bottom line: Medicore crab and shrimp cocktails. Mediocre special chicken crepe appetizer. Mediocre dover sole. and extremely mediocre linguini and clams. Every self-respecting joint serves clams in the shell. this place looked like chopped clams w/ pasta from the grocery store down the street. Oh. And we had to ask three times for menus. Never again. read more

Love sitting at the bar at Nicola's. Met some great people tonight. Virgil, Ramona & JMc. Bartenders were excellent. I had an awesome night there enjoying the company of strangers that became friends in 30 minutes. Food was just ok. Had the veal parm & side of spaghetti Bolognese. Both were surprisingly bland in taste. House salad was great as was the house dressing my experience tonight was a 5. Service was 5 stars too. The food was a three tonight. Sorry. But I will be back. I'll just stick to my core selections of the Marsala & piccata dishes. They are awesome. read more

I have been coming here for 45 years and it has been consistently delicious. Special occasions, first dates, every day casual, business- it fits all. read more

Excellent traditional Italian food. Went with a group for a birthday dinner and everyone was very happy with their food. I tasted veal parmigiana, spinach manicotti, grilled vegetables and ricotta cheesecake. All perfect. Very attentive service even with full capacity. Would go again. read more

By the way...You are going out to dinner on the UES. I recall back in the day people were turned away for not dressing accordingly. Dad wears a dinner jacket and mom put on something nice. Kids behaved. Why is this such a shocker to people? Dress nicely for dinner!!! Where did you grow up? Why on earth wouldn't you dress accordingly!? Shame on you. Lol read more

I've been coming here since I was a little girl and it has yet to disappoint. The food is solid, classic Italian fare. The service is excellent. They are attentive, but know when to back off and disappear when your table is chatting. It is always packed, no matter what night of the week or time of day so definitely make a reservation. The clientele is a mix, has sort of a "club" feel. The salmon appetizer is delicious, as well as the scallop entree. I've been eating here for 20 years and don't see that changing in the next 20! read more

This review is based purely on BAD customer service and not the food. I often times make reservations for my boss and I called a month in advance for a reservation (too early). I was asked to call back. I asked for the exact day I should call back (to ensure I got the reservation) and they obliged with a date. I called on that day (as instructed) and the woman over the phone told me I needed to call back after ANOTHER week. I explained that I had aIready called and was told to call back on this exact day. I proceeded to ask if I could call back in 4 days instead of a week because I am out of the office on Christmas. She said 'WE ARE OPEN NEXT WEEK CALL BACK" and HUNG-UP on me mid sentence!! I sure hope the in-house customer service is more friendly than over the phone. Being hung up on while still speaking in a nice manner more than discourages me to come in and personally spend an evening here. read more

Fantastic, simple food. This isn't typical hip and young Italian fare. Think more "Godfather-style" decor and very old school service. That being said, all of that just adds to the charm of the place. Quality of food ingredients was stellar and there wasn't a single item I didn't enjoy. The chicken parmesean was heavenly. Incredibly nice and helpful wait staff. I will be back! read more

I still don't get it. This is one of the most ordinary, non-creative restaurant that we've visited. I've not been here for 3 years and had found the place absolutely boring and indifferent. I'm pleased to observe that they haven't changed one wit over that period of time.........at least they're consistent.............. By the time we got home, none of the 4 of us could remember what we had for dinner.......service was ok. read more

old school Italian on the Upper East side! Menu is classic but not stuffy. Everything is delicious and the wait staff know their stuff! Will definitely return! read more

I love this sweet restaurant, the atmosphere is welcoming and charming. I love the chicken scarpara, it is delicious and a generous portion. Most of the waiters are very nice, I think they do an excellent job there. This is one of my favorite restaurants, I always enjoy going there. read more

Old New York italian. Get the chicken parm, or soft shell crabs if they have them - 2 of the best things on the menu. Very cozy, great for a meal with family or friends. read more