Very cool, laid back vibe in a repurposed bank. The hostesses and waitstaff are super friendly. The cocktails are handcrafted and delicious. The food is always a hit. Great place for special occasions or just to celebrate life with loved ones. read more

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Service was excellent and the ambiance is nice. Best part is the bar service- they do great drinks! The wall behind the bar is incredible and I hope they don't junk it up by hanging things on it. I just can't get over how average the food is. Same with Ocean Blue. It all tastes the same. The veal meatballs were yummy and they definitely make crispy potatoes with the steak (fries are also crispy) but literally the worst cooked steak I ever had. In all fairness pasta does not excite me as it should a Utican but for the price you pay you want something outstanding. The tiramisu is yummy but the bombalones had weird hard parts on them so I recommend for the best experience- go to the bar or sit in the couches by the window and get a few drinks and a tiramisu. Skip the full dinner because you wake up feeling uncomfortable and never wanting to eat food again haha read more

This is not typically a wedding venue let's be clear it should be ! We had a wonderful time the food was good the staff omg what a great bunch of people who were diligent in their duties; kind attentive; extraordinary. Thank you this wedding was beautifully arranged and a wonderful evening for all . read more

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Lovely environment. Limited menu but nicely thought out. Excellent service. They make a good drink here. There is Talent in the kitchen. This place has a decidedly Italian flair. Reasonably priced. read more

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Whenever I come back to town to visit, I can't resist this restaurant and it never disappoints! As a matter of fact it reinforces my opinion every single time!! And always plenty of leftovers for the next day. Surprisingly, even a dish like pesto tastes as fresh as it was at the restaurant! read more

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Holy guacamole! Nostros is THE place to go! We came for drinks and ended up getting desserts as well. We got the tiramisu and bomboloni and let me tell you - yum yumm YUM! The drinks are also amazing. You can't tell that there's alcohol in it - but there sure is!! The bartender and all the other staff are also great!! They crack jokes and are so friendly. It was very quiet when we came so it wasn't busy at all. It's a very relaxing and "chill place" to go when you want be low key. Every drink on the menu is amazing. Never had a better espresso martini Definitely give this place a try!! read more

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Few places get five stars in my book but Nostro made the cut. Why? Well for this city Nostro hits high scores in all the categories - from food , flavor , quality, drinks, ambiance, and service all of it is good Definitely get the truffle bread. it is one of my favorites on the menu. crispy and flaky on the outside and soft and stretchy with butter in the inside. it's melts in your mouth. We usually get the Arsenale. 65 dollars for more than enough food and you get a good variety to taste everything. the vanilla merengue cake is a must get! read more

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End up here because our first choice was to packed. Beautiful ambiance and decor very contemporary. I had a cosmo and my husband an IPA both were very good. Started off with the calamari it was fried perfectly just wish it had a bit more sauce on it. My husband had the half chicken, I had the Fusilli and my son the chicken parmigiana with a side of roasted potatoes. Food was cooked very good and our waitress attentive. read more

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Went in August 2025 & this quickly became a go to restaurant when visiting Utica. Great ambiance, food & drinks. Sad to be here on Sunday & Monday this time when it's closed! read more

The food was good and the atmosphere was beautiful but I didn't have the best service. I travel for work typically alone and tend to sit at the bar so I don't have to be waited on and take up a table. The bartender needed to be notified I was there and took my initial drink order then never returned. I wouldn't say it was an extremely busy night and he continued to serve people near me but then never came my way. I had to ask another server passing by to put my food order in. I was never once approached again until sometime after I was done with my meal, and waiting patiently for the check. Felt suspiciously unwelcome. read more

The interior is beautiful. It is an old bank with its semi-3D map of Oneida nation people on the wall that most townies remember, but being a transplant I had no idea of the nostalgia the building holds. It is an eclectic mood interior of 1950 Madmen episode. My only complaint is the round spotlights on the Oneida indigenous heads on the wall. My husband and I both agreed they would be benefited by being lit by a more soft light. Food was amazing and although we did not try it, they do offer gluten free pasta substitutions on a dishes. A rare find in Utica. But the one thing that truly did not match the overall vibe was the 1980s music playing a bit too loudly while dining. I felt like I was back in 1983. I expected more of a jazzy, fusion eclectic mix of a dinner playlist. It really was dinner-buzz kill. I truly hope someone realizes this and matches the mood of the music to a more eclectic interlude. It will aid in the full digestion of the room. Might go back but perhaps sit at the bar next time for tapas away from the spray of Madonna, Michael Jackson and Foreigner jams. Also; It is pricey so big eaters will tap deep into the wells the credit card limit. Beef TenderloinArugula SaladVanilla Meringue Cake read more

Nostro Restobar and Lounge - Inside mural - Italian Near Me - Utica, New York

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Wow..what a nice remodel on this old bank! The interior is absolutely beautiful. Nostalgic but also modern. A must see even if you just stop in for a drink. We had a few pasta dishes,legit homemade pasta and fresh ingredients in each dish. As well as as a few apps. Again,excellent. The cocktails were also on point and flavorful. Service was attentive and with a smile! The restaurant was full on Saturday night,so be patient. It's definitely worth it! And make a reservation. Nostro is a nice step up for Utica. A welcomed addition to the restaurant scene for sure. read more

Nostro Restobar and Lounge - Interior - Italian Near Me - Utica, New York

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Ambiance is good, service staff very friendly. For the price I would expect the food to wow and be memorable so it was a bit of a let down. Utica is famous for it's italian food. Out of 5 meals from our party, only one stood out which was the Burro e Oro. One person ordered a soda and never got it. The sommelier was very knowledgeable in his assistance of a wine selection. read more

Came here for a work dinner, visiting from out of town. In short, Nostro is like a crown jewel in the Utica dining scene. Get here if you can, soak in the historic and unique setting, experience the super friendly and excellent service, and of course, enjoy the great dishes that Nostro is serving up. The old bank backdrop and layout of where the main bar is just sets to the tone, and you feel like "this is where I should be". The comprehensive cocktail menu and knowledgeable bartenders are amazing, and the eclectic lounge area sets up for lingering conversation. Get some apps there as well - the veal meatballs and white truffle garlic bread are great social starters. For the dinner experience, we did the Arsenale - essentially the chef's selection of dishes from the menu for the party. Standouts included the beef tenderloin, fusilli, and crispy potatoes. Not even an exaggeration in saying that everything tasted great, the service was attentive, and we ended with basically every dessert on the menu. Excellent all around. Come here for a special occasion or for nice evening out - I'll definitely try to be coming back whenever I'm in town! read more

I think all of Utica has waited awhile for this restaurant to open. We were so excited to finally see a date announced and made reservations through Open Table. Would highly recommend a reservation if you are planning to check it out. The place had a very nice vibe as they embraced much of the architectural elements from the old bank. The restrooms were a bright and cheery yellow and blue. The wait staff were attentive and came to the Tables frequently which is fabulous. Hope they keep that up as Ocean Blue wait staff started out being attentive but now it is hit or Miss and more often than not a miss. Given the food at their other two restaurants we were so excited for their third restaurant to open. The meal was OK but definitely was not as good as their other restaurants. The pasta was bland and under seasoned and the chicken was dry and burnt around the edges. Some of side dishes were great while others were not. Food was served quickly and again wait staff were amazing. Know we will go back and try some other dishes but we're kind of disappointed in the food Hoping maybe with some time the food will be amazing read more

Food (9/10): After trying almost everything on the menu, I can say that it is all amazing. Ordering a few small plates and pasta dishes and sharing them with your party is the way to go so you get a taste of everything. The Prosciutto di Parma is a personal favorite. Service (8/10): The staff is great, but sometimes overspread on busy nights. They have a designated man to help with wine selection. Ambiance (10/10): One if the coolest restaurants I've been in. An old bank remodeled into a restaurant, it shows an aesthetic display of the local area including indigenous tribes on the wall. Total Score: 27/30 read more

My wife and I are from Seattle, first time in Utica. Nostro did not disappoint, the food, the service and their wine selection was top notch! My favorite was the Rigatoni al tre Funghi. read more

Nostro Restobar and Lounge - Rigatoni al tre Funghi - Italian Near Me - Utica, New York

Very unique atmosphere.. great food ... friend staff... but in need of additional servers ... parking is an issue

Amazing restaurant in the heart of Utica located in an old bank. Food was outstanding. Started with meatball appetizer, fried calamari, and garlic cheese bread. The bread stole the show. Full loaf with ricotta baked inside. Showstopper. For the main course, had the Fusilli w/ sausage and broccoli in a creamy cheese sauce and topped with more cheese and red pepper flakes. Simply decadent. Finished it off with the Vanilla Meringue cake. Delicious yellow cake layered with butter cream and topped with a heaping meringue. Very good, believe the hype. Finally, the service was stellar. Took care of our every need. Can't wait to come back and try the Arsenal, a sampling of multiple dishes designed as a tour of the menu. Great dining experience, highly recommend. Will definitely be back. read more

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Very good but short of amazing. I want to give it 3.5 stars for the food flavor, portions, preparation, and price, but since I can't it seems more fair to round up in this case. Especially considering I got this through GrubHub delivery, and it was still great despite having sat in its containers for the delivery time. In the end, it was the flavors that made me a little underwhelmed. I had lemon pasta, arancini, and truffle ricotta bread. The portions were generous and everything was cooked impeccably. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the outside of the arancini was crisp, with a melt-in-your-mouth center. The arancini came with a little cup of sauce that was also good. The truffle and ricotta bread was delicious and really generous--I loved it and it was enough for lots of leftover snacking. The texture of the arancini was perfect but I thought the flavor was a little bland... I was expecting something a little meatier and saltier tasting. It was still very good but for the price, I would pass next time. Same goes for the lemon pasta--this is my go-to dish at Lil' Frankie's in NYC, and I was excited to see it on the menu. It was lacking a little bit of the lemony, salty, fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano flavor I was expecting and was a bit on the bland, oily side. Again, not bad, but I probably wouldn't order it again. It came with half a lemon but seemed like it needed some of the zest in the pasta. My order was correct and everything was packaged well. It was expensive, but it was also high-quality and had a homemade quality I appreciated. I'd like to dine there in person and try some of their other dishes. read more

Food was excellent.!Must try White truffle bread for appetizer, Then the Corn Ravoli. And the Vanilla cake with meringue ! To die for!! Excellent choice! read more

Came here with my girlfriend for our 3 year anniversary last night with some friends. Awesome space, friendly service. We all did the Arsenale which I highly recommend with a group of people. Multiple courses and the food was great read more

Nostro Restobar and Lounge - Bar - Italian Near Me - Utica, New York

Made a reservation on 10/15/21 for 7:30PM. Arrived at 7:25 only to be told they were running behind a little bit. So we took a seat at the bar like the hostess recommended and she said she would come get us when our table is ready. 30 minutes goes by, and at least 5 other parties walked in and were sat immediately. We then got the attention of another hostess about us waiting 30 minutes to be sat and it seemed to be they forgot about us at the bar and were seating others ahead of us. We finally got seated almost 40 minutes after our scheduled reservation. Onto the food. The food was average at best. Was expecting a better portion for the price of the dish. The chicken parm marinara sauce was on the cold side when served. The Calamari appetizer was also on the cold side making the first two courses less then favorable. The desert was fantastic. The service was really the only thing that made the experience good. If not for the service, I wouldn't have given the review even two stars. Our server was attentive and very friendly. He continually checked on us to ensure we didn't need anything. Conclusion. You can find much better food for a fraction of the price elsewhere. I know good help is hard to find these days and may have been a contributing factor for our bad experience, but I recommend skipping Nostro and finding somewhere else. read more

I'll start with the food... it was average. Nothing incredibly good about it and nothing incredibly bad. Not worth the menu price though. The service was not what I would expect for a restaurant that's presenting itself as a higher end dining experience. Our waiter was not very familiar with the menu. Drinks were slow to be refilled and my beer was served in the can. Again, not a big deal, but not what I would expect from a restaurant presenting itself as finer dining. Swing and a miss with this one. read more

If I could give zero stars I would . I had dinner and drinks there with friends and was terribly disappointed with the Beal picante . Over priced , bland flavoring , small portion . Drinks are $12 . They think they are in NYC ! It's Utica and there are far better choices to spend your money . The owners wife came Over to ask is how the meal was and we told her it was just ok and she made excuses , said we'd try again another time and she said " that's if we'll have you " ! Arrogant woman . Will not be back . Save you're money , it's not worth the ambiance. read more

New in town and this place was excellent! The food is amazing and so was the service. Sat at the bar and was served by Joel- he was fantastic, great recommendations and very friendly. read more

Grooved on the fifties decor, lounge furniture, and had a really good martini that wasn't too over priced. Surprised to find this spot in Utica and hope it continues to thrive. (Oh and make sure to check out the bathrooms! Very cheeky.) read more

Modern ambience but food very average. Waited 25 minutes after our reservation time to be seated. Only one of the appetizers arrived (ricotta bread was good) until we reminded the waitress about the other two. Pasta entrees were fairly bland and salmon was overcooked. Ice cream was excellent but sad when that's the highlight. read more

Well food was good a little to overpriced and when I asked for a straw for my drink she said they had none but then went to the bar area came back with a bar straw no wrap in her hand and threw it on the table now I don't know about you but again unsanitary needles to say I didn't use it shame on them read more

Great atmosphere and service Salad was very salty and they replaced right away They didn't understand their wine offerings so wound up getting multiple glasses instead of bottle Would go again read more

The space is beautiful. The music was too loud for comfort when we arrived; loud enough that we almost left, but they toned it down as more people arrived. The menu looks appealing, but none of our choices met expectations: the duck breast was overwhelmed by the sausage stuffing, and overcooked-we left most of it on the plate. The sweet corn ravioli was overwhelmed by its sauce, as was the baked pasta with peas and Parma ham. Our salad choice, Panzella, might be better in tomato season--it was a risk to order it in April. I normally don't comment on a restaurant after one visit, but it would be nice for the city if they can succeed. They have put a lot of thought into their space; now for the food. read more

My Husband and I were due for a date night so I booked a reservation two days in advance via open table. I would recommend getting a reservation as it seems to be a popular place. We were seated immediately. The first thing I will mention is the ambience. The lighting, decor, tables, even the bathrooms are amazing. The best part is that they kept the bank decor that celebrated the Native American history of this area. Second, the food was amazing. High quality and delicious. We got the prosciutto plate, the chicken parmigiana, the carbonara, the crispy potato side, and a bottle of wine. Probably the best chicken parmigiana I have ever had at a restaurant. Third, the service was great, attentive and friendly, even though you can tell they were short staffed. I let her know that we only had an hour and a half before our show at the Stanley, and she definitely expedited everything. I want to specifically note the type of place it is, after looking at some of the 1 star reviews. This is not a Thursday night last minute replacement for dinner after a busy day. This is not a jeans and T shirt place. Yes it is a little more expensive, (though not as expensive as some other fancy restaurants I have been to) and the price is warranted due to the quality of the food. The way that it works is a little hip for the area, so many people may not understand or like this, if they are used to giant cheap quality portions like Babes or the Olive Garden. It may be more closely compared to Tavalo, Ocean Blue, or the Tailor and the Cook. Most of the food has a hip/modern/unique twist, to be appreciated by those who understand quality food at the higher level. They do shareable plates, so it is encouraged you order a meat entree, a salad/appetizer, and a risotto/pasta for the table. You also need to order additional sides if you would like. With what my husband and I ordered noted above, it was more than enough for us and we were quite stuffed. It definitely would have stretched to 3-4 people, as we brought leftovers home. We will definitely be returning, but not for a regular date night. This will be reserved for anniversary, birthdays, celebrations, and special occasions because it is that kind of a special place. read more

Good vibe, just enough noise but manageable. Huge, open room with a high ceiling with spot lights emphasizing busts of native americas. The food was very good, try the garlic Brussel sprouts, excellent. The 3 star review reflects a staff that is clearly missing a few people. It was 40 minutes from when our entrees arrive before I could flag anyone one down. Our plates sat at the end of the table forever. read more

Beautiful restaurant, awesome drinks, amazing food! Staff is very welcoming and knowledgeable. Finally another classy place in Utica :)

Had a great weekday dinner. Arrived during Happy Hour. Great appetizers and drink specials. Will definitely be returning. read more

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My fiancé and I had heard great things about this restaurant so we decided to give it a try last Friday night. When we arrived, we were asked multiple times what our names were and what time we made our reservation. Like they didn't believe it was us or something and the hostess using the excuse "we just wanted to make sure" for asking so many times. Once we were seated, my fiancé noticed that three other parties who arrived after us were already being serviced. After 30 mins of waiting, the hostess noticed that we hadn't been helped yet and he had to tell our waitress himself that she hadn't helped us yet. We were very appreciative of the hostess. However, our waitress practically ignored us the whole night. We were very disappointed in Nostros service and we will not be back again. read more

Update: Having been here two more times, each time has yielded diminishing returns. The first time was so good, I went a week later by myself and sat at the bar. They had already taken both of my favorite items off the menu. Fine. I had the blackberry marg (waaaay too sweet), the mozzarella tasting plate, which was totally flavorless, and the arugula salad. The salad was fine, but not at that price point. For those two drinks, the cheese and salad, plus tip, the meal was $80. Definitely not worth it. The last time I was there my husband and I had made dinner reservations for our anniversary. The server was walking over to us and almost fell on our table. I would say good thing he wasn't carrying drinks, but he wouldn't serve me. I had forgotten my ID at home, and after realizing he wouldn't relax the rules we got up to leave. He told us to wait, and he would ask his manager. Okay. We waited five minutes for him to come back and tell me it was only water for me tonight. Fine, there are other places to eat out that won't be so stringent, so we left. At the door we were asked by the co-owner what happened, who said, "No, it's okay, I told him it was fine." And that was it. I understand the server is personally liable if someone is underage and they serve that person, but the co-owner should have lead us back to our table and brought the drinks themselves if they thought it was fine. All in all a weird/disappointing experience. I don't know how I can recommend Nostro to anyone. What a great first experience at Nostro. They were supposed to open in March 2020, plans were scrapped because of covid, and I'd been impatiently waiting for their opening ever since. The ambiance, décor, lighting and music were all great. The bathrooms are super cute. This used to be the Oneida Bank Building and the owners leaned heavy into the mid-century modern theme, to great effect. They kept the original mosaic and bronze reliefs of the American Indian Tribes native to the area, which was an excellent choice. The food was absolutely outstanding. I have had mixed experiences at Ocean Blue, another of the Commonwealth Restaurant Group's restaurants. With Nostro, I wasn't sure what to expect. The meal was absolutely superb, as were the drinks. Everything is served on small plates (but not too small) and is meant to be shared. Our group had the zucchini chips, a selection of cheeses, truffle bread, arugula salad, chicken parm, pappardelle, fusilli, and beef tenderloin. The beef tenderloin was melt in your mouth, cooked perfectly. The zucchini chips were another standout, surprisingly, and were so crispy and well-seasoned. Do not miss the truffle garlic bread, there is a purse of ricotta baked inside and it is just a dream. It may seem like a lot of food but our party of four polished it right off. I would very much recommend ordering many, many pla My only criticism is that there was a long wait for drinks, and two of our dishes got forgotten about in the kitchen and came out after we had almost finished our meal... but honestly, we treated it like dessert and ate it anyway. The restaurant has only been open a week so there are a few kinks to be worked out with the service, and that is to be expected. 10/10 experience despite that. Can't wait to go back. read more

The restaurant is beautiful. We were looking forward to an excellent meal. The selections all looked appealing. Unfortunately our four main courses were all way too salty. The truffle bread was overcooked. My pasta was warm and dry as if it were sitting out for a while. Four bites was all i could take. The coffee and desert were excellent. Service was only fair. read more

Everything was amazing from the food to service and the ambiance was fantastic- we had a very memorable time with our friends and family.

What a delight and surprise - late reservation because it's all that was available. Incredible service, food and atmosphere...until 10pm when they started BLASTING the music. Aside from the music blasting everything was incredible!!! read more