Love this restaurant and the vibe. Always feels like a good atmosphere that's darkly lit with candles. Definitely good for a date night or small group of friends. Just be ready to wait for a table since it's such small place. I've been here a couple times. Both times I was able to get in pretty easily. The menu changes for the season. Overall great experience. Good wine list and great appetizer and pasta options. We ordered the Spaghetti with Clams and the Rigatoni Bolognese. Both were incredibly tasty but the Rigatoni blew it out of the water. read more

I will admit that after the mixed reviews I was a little dubious, and I almost didn't order the roast-pork sandwich because I was so afraid that it would be a repeat of the disappointing sandwich at the White Dog in Philly. But oh, I am so glad I did. The bread is crusty and substantial. The slices of pork are thick and savory (but there is actually only a comfortably modest amount of meat on the sandwich). The pickled tomatoes and hot peppers were actually plentiful and flavorful and made the sandwich. The bit of cheese brought it all together. The rest of the service, etc. was perfectly pleasant and adequate, but this is the best sandwich I can remember having in a VERY long time. read more

First time visiting this restaurant and Brooklyn. Rucola was recommended by my hotel. The location seems odd because it's in a residential area . I eat out often so it is hard to impress me. The food and service at Rucola however is amazing!! In addition, prices are very reasonable. Entries max out at $25. Portion are fairly large. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the area! read more

HOLY MAN, OH, MAN is this place is super cute, cozy and delicious! It's one of those places that makes it worth it to hoof it on the F train to BK even on a rainy Saturday night. I had the roasted sunchokes, eggplant stuff, and Spaghetti with walnut pesto, smokey cabbage, Caciocavallo. Each dish was incredible. My mouth was so happy! I wish we had nice food like this in the East Village. The atmosphere and decor reminded me of the now closed Northern Spy on 12th. Highly recommend checking this place out. The bartender dude was a bit on the cold side, but other than that I'd say this place is the best there is. Note to Rucola: PLEASE open a spot in the East Village. We need your type of charm and awesome food over here. Come on, ovah! Also, please add an email address to your site, would've liked to email you about possible allergens in your food before coming. Also would like to officially request some tasty vegan items (not a salad). Seems like your chef knows his/her stuff, and would likely be able to sub in almond milk/cheese and invents something amazing. read more

Loved this place! One of the finest Italian restaurants in the neighborhood. The ambience is nice, the place is super cute. Have a decent selection wines, and if you are not into wines they have a good selection of cocktails too. The food was delicious we got spaghetti and steak both were delicious. Highly recommend this place. read more

Rucola - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Yum yum yum yummy yummy yum great Svgnon Blan and farrotto. Nice neighborhood bistro vibe

Love the concept of communal tables. Your party may be seated next to complete strangers. The rustic decor is warm and welcoming. Not many vegetarian or vegan options but you can substitute things on the menu. I ordered the heirloom tomato salad and the home made pasta. This was a farm to table restaurant so the salad was very very fresh. The pasta was homemade and quite good. Overall a must try at least once kind of place. read more

I echo Balthazar. This is my second time giving this restaurant a chance. I am on business so I don't have the local inside track but... drinks/cocktails are great. Food -way over engineered. First time here not overly impressed with pasta dish I tried . Tonight tried the fried quail which sounded interesting and the line caught cod. Fried quail appetizer was like eating chicken wing flats without the meat- all breading. Cod over a risotto main course- while tasty and ingredients fresh was presented on an appetizer plate. While not expecting "family style" my 8 yr old would have scoffed. I'm sorry but good Italian food is good basic food and best in a simple setting. I can not recommend this restaurant. read more

Went for the valentine's pre fix. It was fine. But the problem is the quality of the food was 3 star and the price was 5 star. This place is charging high end prices for at best a mid-level experience. Really disappointing end to an evening. read more

I love Rucola. Rucola is one of those neighborhood gems, a "go to" spot that transports you to another place in time and has a solid and delicious menu. My husband and I (and now along with our 10 month old babe) come here often for lunch and dinner dates and it's always a no brainer. The charcuterie is tasty, the schnitzel was quite good, and the polenta was superb. I have nothing but fond memories of the dishes we've eaten here. But don't stop there! Dessert is also delish! They always have pies from Four & Twenty Blackbirds and an ice cream creation. Yum. read more

Just had THE BEST dinner here in the middle of this insane pandemic time. Shared the fish, chicken dish, escarole salad, and a cocktail. Everything was absolutely incredible- best food I've had in so long. The service was amazing I have to come back ASAP. We sat outside- even though it was 32 degrees, they have heaters and we felt fine. Thank you so much @rucola for an amazing dinner that made us feel normal. Please support this phenomenal establishment.Whole Roasted Brook Trout read more

Good brunch, lunch, cocktails. I live in the neighborhood and appreciate the consistent food and service in a pretty setting. Whole fish, wine list, salads and pastas are easy to praise. read more

I heard so much about this place and had such high hopes - maybe that was the problem. But I was very much let down for a few reasons: the service was very subpar for this area of Brooklyn (don't need to give me attitude, host! I'm simply just asking how long the wait is), the pasta didn't taste quite as fresh (and it was nearly flavorless - I got the cessoli or however it's spelled), and there are VERY very few vegetarian options! There's the pasta, and then the side dishes and cheeses are vegetarian, but that's really it. We also started with some sweet potato and fig dish... which was pretty flavorful but wow those figs just tasted very out of place and did not mesh well with the rest of the dish. read more

Yummy food and nice ambiance. Pasta was cooked perfectly and you can tell they use fresh ingredients. Our waitress was also very kind and attentive. Would highly recommend! read more

Lovely dinner in a very quaint, rustic restaurant in Boerum Hill. We were able to easily get a table for two at 7 pm on a Thursday night but Rucola was full by the time we left. At the waitress's sublime suggestion, we shared a delicious cheese to start (Toma Della Rocca), served with bread and a fabulous fruit compote. It was an amazing softish, spreadable cheese. We also started with the beef carpaccio - perfectly done! Both entrees - the spaghetti and the roasted chicken - were fantastic and we scarfed them down, barely pausing to breathe. Yummy meal. Not cheap, but very good quality for the price!! read more

I'm not sure when this happened, but sometime between now and the summer this has become one of my favorite neighborhood eateries. Brunch is great (and well-priced), though I wish the portions were just a taaaad bigger. Coffee refills cost $1, sorry caffeine addicts. The potatoes au gratin are a must! But what really revs my engine here is dinner. It's such a great spot for a rainy day, when you want top shelf bread and piping hot soup to warm your heart. And did I mention the pasta? No? Well...it's carbolicious. Service is outstanding -- I've never had a bad experience with a waiter. Plus, one of the dudes looks like Aaron Paul, so you're going to want to bring your Breaking Bad fanboy here. read more

Great place for brunch! Gorgeous decor with a really distinct rustic weathered-wood theme going on -- I would kill to have this place be my kitchen / dining room. I came here with a few friends for brunch on a Saturday -- prices are reasonable, and servings are also fair for the price (especially sandwich plates). I had the smoked salmon platter with deliciously crispy potato pancakes and sour cream, which was good and filling, and also the (very creamy and rich!) yogurt topped with granola / berries / local honey. The coffee selections are a little bit on the pricey side. Overall, adorable farm-themed place that I will be looking forward to visiting again for dinner or regular lunch! read more

My wife and I, upon a friends recommendation, suggested this place for our 10th Wedding Anniversary. Having not lived in NY for a decade we were so out of the loop in terms of the BoCoCa food scene any suggestions were welcome. We were not disappointed at all. I had open tabled a nearby restaurant but figured I would give them a call to see how it was looking for a Saturday night at 7. As soon as I mentioned our special occasion the kind gentleman on the other end didn't flinch for a second and welcomed me with open arms and a solid guarantee that he would be able to seat us. It was one of the best meals my wife and I have had in a long time and were so happy to dine at this excellent restaurant. It reminded us a lot of Peasant on Elizabeth Street one of our favorites and similar in cuisine and atmosphere. Thanks man with glasses and a hat and your warm disposition and attentive staff! We walked over to Brooklyn Social for a night cap and vowed to be back to Rucola in the near future! read more

I was seated at the bar. The bartender took my drink order, but after taking my non-alcoholic drink order, he started to ignore me and talked with other regular customers and took their orders. He did not even come to take my food order. Without even asking me, he took the food menu away from me and gave me the check. I wanted to ask him to have it back, but he kept ignoring me. After all, another waiter came to me to tell me to get out of the restaurant because other customers were waiting, which turned out to be not true. In a word, horrible service and would not recommend. read more

Extremely rude host . Told me they only took reservations for parties of 6 or more guests which is fine. Then laughed at me when I asked how long the wait was . I asked to put my name down and she told me it was an hour wait and showed me her reservation book , which again was unnecessary. As I waited for 20 minutes there was a perfectly good table for two guests that wasn't occupied. Not quite sure what the house policies are but makes me wonder. read more

Seven of us stopped in a week ago for Sunday brunch. The cocktails were delicious but our server was distracted and had to be reminded to bring them to the table. The food was fresh, wholesome, and beautifully presented. Their signature breakfast dish appeared to be the Dutch Baby pancake, topped with seasonal fruit and an awesome custard. We shared a couple at the table - yum. I had the smoked salmon with a side of scrambled eggs which was an essential compliment, and the salad that came with the dish was very flavorful. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their relaxing breakfast. A big shout out to the chef and staff for a lovely time! read more

Rucola - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

My cousin I meet up once a month for a dinner date, and when she suggested Rucola I was excited because she is a bonafied foodie and knows what she's talking about and I had been meaning to come here for awhile. This is a cozy, slightly rustic space with an intimate feel - perfect for date night or a catch up with a friend. We were seated without a wait at the communal "farm" table and service was swift and attentive, starting with drinks (the Jack Rose and Shozu Fizz...delicious!) complimentary bread, and escarole salad. The honey-vinaigrette dressing was some of the best I've ever had, and paired with the cocktails was the perfect start to a beautiful late spring evening in Brooklyn. Opting to for once not order pasta (there were only 2 options) we went with the whole trout and chicken dishes, which were small for the price but probably for the best (we left comfortably full). I personally thought that the chicken was a bit dry, but it was nice when paired with the artichokes and onions. The trout was relatively flavorful, though I feel that I wanted wanted more out of it. While I like a place that has a smaller, more specialized menu, I felt that the choices were limited in terms of entrees, and less so when it came to charcuterie and small plates/sides. Though tempting to go back and order a series of smaller dishes in lieu of an entree, doing so could result in some pretty big spending. As a reward for not getting pasta, we ordered the ice cream special: tahitian vanilla with chocolate fudge. This was probably the highlight of the entire meal - perfectly minty, salty and sweet. A part of me wants to try dinner here again, and I've also heard great things about brunch. But if after that the entrees don't completely stand out I may just swing back around when in Boerum Hill for some yummy appetizers, drinks, and hell maybe even dessert. read more

Rucola is cozy, warm and packed to the brim with hungry happy diners. We sat in a tiny table for two and successfully scraped clean each and every plate. Every dish we tried was a stand out - get them all! - Escarole salad. I've legit never been this excited over a salad before. - Crudo. Unbelievably fresh and flavorful. - Rigatoni. Home made pasta speaks for itself. - Apple and salted caramel pie OMG I will be back (again and again.....) read more

Oh wow, my favorite caviar experience! I've never been drawn to Rucola before but quarantine made me bored of my own cooking. We ordered the tomato/peach/cherry burrata, the corn crema shells (100/10!), the spinach pasta, the chocolate mousse/pudding, and my partner had the roasted chicken. Omg, wow. Order from here. This is amazing. Literally the best meal I've had since covid shut down AND it was delivery. Yum! read more

An intimate restaurant with great menu. Fabulous cocktails. This is a wonderful restaurant to host a friend at. I have been a fan for years, and have dined here several times. By day, I recall they serve coffee and simple plates: it's a great place to arrange to meet. Great as a spot to celebrate. read more

Great spot. Had a business lunch and found this place because nothing nice on court street is open before 5pm. Felt like I was back in Florence on vacation. Worth the trip. Great food. Very fresh. Had the crostini and the mozzarella sandwich. Amazing. Will definitely go back. Great service!! read more

Party of 6 celebrating a birthday and could not have been treated worse by the staff, specifically the male waiter. He treated us as if we were an inconvenience and was overtly aggressive and snapped at us every time he came to the table. It became quite entertaining but got old fast when he gave himself a fat tip and claimed the automatic 20% was stated on the menu (it was not). Many of us worked in the food industry ourselves and were just amazed by his attitude and treatment towards guests. He apologized at the end of the night and said he didn't mean to be rude, so he must just be an asshole by nature... Giving it a two because the setting was cozy and food wasn't bad! Would I come again even if it weren't for the staff? Probably not. But now I am DEFINITELY not spending another dime where I don't feel welcome.. I wish them the best of luck. read more

The food though delicious, come in really small portions for the price. I had the duck, delicious and that portion was decent. My wife had the chicken and that was really small. She felt hungry still after. We did however chow down on many pieces of their focaccia bread. I seriously would like to go there and give them $20 and just ask how much of their complimentary bread can I buy to take home with me and that's it. That's literally all I want. Seriously. Their bread and their olive oil, but I'll just buy their bread. Please? read more

A friend of mine recommended Rucola for great food and cocktails - I was so happy that I listened. We arrived right around 5:30 PM on a Sunday and the bar was already nearly full. The tables filled quickly, though I overheard people calling to get on the wait list. Our drinks were fantastic - I wish I could remember the name, but it was made with scotch, fernet and brown sugar. Not usually a fernet fan, but this drink was very well balanced. We shared the pimento crostini to start - it was a bit spicier than I expected, but the sweetness of the squash really helped. The chicken entree was great - I do think the chicken could have used more sauce, as it had started to dry some - but overall a solid dish. The star of our meal was actually a special - the seafood risotto. It was so flavorful, and I was really disappointed when it ended. Great, intimate spot for tasty drinks and delicious food. read more

Rucola was my spot for the four years I lived in the neighborhood. Sometimes I still head back that way to visit! What I like about it is that, even though the menu changes seasonally, the basic structure of it is pretty consistent - and the quality is consistent as well. You really can't go wrong, though there are some things that are total must-haves. If they ever have duck on the menu, order it. It will be the best duck you ever have. The chocolate and olive oil pudding is to die for. Octopus on the menu is always a good sign. Pasta is top-notch, as are the veggie antipasti. The only thing I've never quite enjoyed at Rucola is the cocktail selection, but I think it's more a palate difference than anything. Early weeknights are the best times to go for dinner. It also makes a great spot for solo weekend brunch. Just post up at the bar with a book and people watch - it's extremely cozy in the autumn and winter! read more

Squash salad. My lordt. Tight space, delicious meal and great location. House made pasta is a game changer(although very al dente). Did I mention the squash salad? Thank you read more

Must have walked by here 100 times before finally trying it. Came for dinner and it was packed, so we sat at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable to help us pick a delicious wine. Nice enough to let us try a couple of opened bottles to make sure we liked it. The food was fantastic. Very well prepared and delicious flavors. Only reason this wouldn't be 5 stars is we were constantly getting bumped as it was so crowded. Need to come back when it's not as busy. Highly recommend though even with the minor inconveniences. read more

The food is really lovely (if expensive) and the location is quaint, quiet and neighbourly. I just don't know why the staff are so rude. Am I missing something? Do you need to be obnoxious to be cool these days? Maybe you do. Ah well, I wish them the best but I'll not be making this our local. read more

I really wanted to like this place based on the glowing reviews by my fellow yelpers but I couldn't. 3 stars for the lovely decor and good neighborhood but-2 stars for the slow service and the food. My friend and I ordered two of the warm farros, pizza of the day, latte and coke. Everything but the farros was good and that's a shame because the farros were the main entree. The warm farro tasted bland and foreign, it was recommended by the server so we decided to give it a shot. Sadly it did not taste that good and it was $30 down the drain. Our server although very kind, was slow to attend us and we were constantly looking for her. I'll probably give Rucola another shot by coming for dinner time though. read more

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I came for lunch with a friend. Cute cozy place. Super friendly server that was very knowledgeable about the items in the menu. Slim pickings for vegans! Salads can be had without cheese and meat but it was super chilly. I opted for the only other two items the side of cauliflower and the caponata appetizer. Both were great I got a good amount of bread with the caponata so it was a bit more filling as the portion itself was really not a lot. Not sure if I'll be back it's pretty sad there was not more that could be adjusted Two glasses of Sangiovese wine plus the little side dishes came to over $40.00 It's not a fancy place. Hmmmmm read more

Delicious food and a great atmosphere! There is always a wait at Rucola, so go early\ier than you plan on eating in order to get on the list. We started with a selection of cheese, such a good choice! Then because we couldn't decide on entrees, we got three to share. The trout was by far my favorite and what I would get again next time (and there will be a next time) I eat at Rucola! read more

This place is SO AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, but I came out feeling much more claustrophobic than I initially ever want to be. If you have a larger group and you're by the windows, that is probably the best spot in the house. Now, the cramped quarters of a place doesn't deter me from trying new places because I like my share of hole in the wall areas, but trying to fit everyone in and then trying to provide service for all the tables was more of a nightmare than anything else. Granted it was rainy so it may have been more packed than usual, it seemed that there just wasn't enough people to wait on all the tables. It took a while to get our coffee and then a while longer to receive our food. I went in a group of three and it was pretty difficult to hear the other two people I was with because conversations surrounding us would cut into ours. For the price paid to coffee and breakfast, the food was mediocre and I wasn't a particularly huge fan of the taste of their coffee. For some reason, this place can get pretty packed during brunch time, so I'm hoping my experience was just an anomaly! read more

Five stars for quality and deliciousness and atmosphere We stopped in for brunch There was a large selection of wines, cocktails, beers, and brunch drinks (try the Italian) I like their minimalistic approach to food Excellent quality, excellent pairings, and delicious The atmosphere was rustic and peaceful, clean and calm The crowd was calm as well. Not noisy. Get there early as it gets crowded I think maybe the seating arrangements were a little too close for comfort. The smoked salmon was delicious Pulled pork was great for spicy lovers Avocado toast is a must try The only down side was the menu is heavy with bread dishes (sandwiches). They dont have too much variety in terms of meat dishes and sides They serve one type of desert from four and twenty blackbirds bakery (which is oh so good). read more

We came in for a late dinner on a Friday night. The wait was about an hour however the hostess recommend a bar close by for a drink while we waited, she would call when they are ready for us. Well worth the wait. Salad and Charcuterie for starters and Pasta for main. Lovely service and fantastic food. read more

Rucola is such a gem of an Italian restaurant! I ordered the escarole salad, the crudo, the chicken entree, and the pie! Everything was beyond my expectations. The escarole salad was so fresh and simple yet flavorful at the same time, by far my favorite out of everything ordered. I came here with a bunch of friends but the ambiance is perfect for a date night. Overall, I highly recommend it here and can't wait to come back! read more

Rucola - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York