I moved to Hudson Heights 3 years ago and have loved Saggio since they opened. They have quickly become a neighborhood gem. I've hosted my birthday in the back patio along with my mother in laws (twice). You cannot go wrong with their gnocchi (dinner) or the baked eggs ragu for brunch. I also LOVE the molten chocolate cake with ice cream and fresh fruit. If you are in the area, definitely check them out even if that means i must wait...As they have become busy even Sunday nights now. read more

Saggio has provided our neighborhood with consistently excellent, delicious food. The crowded scene during peak hours is only illustrative of how popular and in demand this place is. After several years in business, they continue to turn out excellent dishes and rarely disappoint. I have even found myself trying to desperately replicate some dishes at home so that I can enjoy them more often. Try the salmon, the spaghetti al limone, the rigatoni or the tagliata sliced steak. Brunch is also superb. Treat yourself to a wonderful meal if ever you find yourself in Washington Heights. read more

Bad brunch - scrambled eggs were over done, pancakes definitely not good, and coffee cups are tiny. They also don't have Splenda, which loses them points right away. read more

This modern Italian restaurant is very welcome addition to Washington Heights. The Spaghetti al Limone and the homemade gnocchi are my favorites. I love the Spaghetti al Limone, especially in the summer - it's a light & flavorful dish that leaves you perfectly satisfied on a hot summer night. In the winter, the gnocchi serving is huge - when I order it in, it's definitely enough for two people. The sauce is excellent, and the gnocchi themselves are light & pillowy soft - not at all like the leaden gnocchi you so often find at other restaurants. read more

This place is solid and a great option for dinner. Also, it's probably the best brunch for your money in the neighborhood. The service is always great and the menu is unique from most Italian places you'll find in New YorkS read more

Not sure what happened. Saggio used to be a consistently good experience. Service has now become consistently rude and slow. Not sure if they let all the good reviews go to their head or if no one that really cares actually works there anymore. Food is still above average once it gets to your table. read more

Food is good. Not the best Italian. 1 star for rude hostess who had the worst manners. She led us to our table with a grumpy face, not even hello or welcome or even eye contact. and when we asked if we can be seated on a different table she just ignored us, turned her back and walked away!! read more

This is an amateurish attempt at Italian cooking. It is really some sort of fusion American Italian. It has gone downhill since the first time I went there. There was a fulsome amount of formaggio shaved over greens ( pieces the size of deli slices) , lukewarm tagliata in Balsamic? , ravioli soggy from too much sauce, gelato that has the suspicious texture of ice cream. And they rush you from the moment you sit down until the time you get up to leave. It's too bad this is the only restaurant of its genre in the neighborhood. It needs a competitor. read more

Our dinner here was incredible. Started with a really great wine list. The soup was my favorite - I ended up ordering extra to take home! We shared an awesome seafood pasta and of course dessert was delicious. Authentic italian, really great service, just everything here is done really well. It's not a huge place, get a seat fast! read more

What makes a place successful it's the people. At Saggio you can expect owners to greet you with genuine smile. Cristina will ensure your drink comes out to perfection. The food was delicious! We came in by accident but will ensure to return when I'm back in town! read more

You could relax here, especially in the garden, and not each much more than the apps or small dishes. Everything is good, but lasagne is unbelievable, plus salads and Very fresh and tasty and great portions. read more

The food tasted like it came out of a can. When the check came they told us that there credit card machine was down and were taking cash only tonight. When other tables heard they started to ask questions and one table walked out. Once they noticed people were getting restless, they quickly said oh wait the credit card machine was back on. The service was slow and the food wasn't great. I will definitely not be going back to this place. read more

FINALLY a neighborhood place that combines the most delicious food, reasonabley priced menu and GREAT SERVICE. First dates, old marriages, parents, kids, you name it... all will be satisfied. The best calamari I've ever had. Honestly. Waitress was attentive & personable. Way to go guys! read more

WOW!! Fantastic food, impeccable service! Best thing to happen in the Heights in years! Last-minute decision to stop in for a quick bite -- white bean crostini, mussels, fennel and arugula salad, served by a friendly, knowledgeable bartender. Run, don't walk!! read more

i went with my friends on friday night. Food was delicious, great selection of wines. Loved the cosmo!!!! The waitress gave us a great attention. The lights were dim which made the place very cozy. We will definetely visit this restaurant again. I highly recommend it. read more

I Love this Place!!!! Just moved to the neightborgood and this is one of it's gems. They have a happy hour menu from 4-7 for food and drinks and it's really cheap. Great decor, the owners are very hospitable, and the food is excellent! The black linguine with calamari is a sensual experience and i suggest to try the caponata. read more

Great food! Great staff! Seriously feel incredibly lucky to have this gem in Washington Heights!

Came on a Saturday for brunch. If you walk by to fast you will miss the place...inside is Okay but very small. Food was decent. Fried calamari was really good. I had the rigatoni which was ok...I prefer my noodles softer. My husband had the grilled pork chop and veggies (which was a huge portion) that he enjoyed. We left full and satisfied. read more

I went here about two years ago for my birthday and I was in love with this place! The lighting was dim and very romantic and the drinks and the food were amazing. A must try restaurant! read more

Husband and I took our best friend out to dinner to celebrate his birthday. He suggested this restaurant after having passed it several times over the last few weeks. Went on Monday, March 19th at 7:30pm. Place is relatively small. Tables slightly crowded and all dimly lit. Not too bad with the crowd since it was a Monday night. Waiter was very sweet. Wine my husband wanted was not in stock but waiter was kind enough to bring two sample glasses for my husband to try that were as close to the wine he originally wanted as possible. Again, lovely gesture. Appetizers were a nice portion and delish. We had the burrata as well as the goat cheese crostini w/ roasted tomato. Again, just lovely. For entrees, I ordered the rigatoni which was tossed w/ sausage and meatballs, my husband the skirt steak and our friend the penne pasta w/ tomato. Sorely disappointed with all three dishes, unfortunately. I had about 4 or 5 bites of my pasta. I had to literally use my fork as a spoon to just scoop up the pasta because it was severely "limp" and tasted like mush. I attempted to add some flavor to my pasta with salt and pepper at least twice to make it more pleasing to my palate but it was to no avail. Ultimately, I just gave up. Our friend had a very similar experience and added that he tasted an extreme level of acidity in his pasta. Now as far as my husband is concerned he ate all of his steak. He said it was bland but ate it anyway. We opted not to bag our left over pastas. A few hours into the night my husband got a severe case of food poisoning causing him to miss two days off of work. Not sure if the meat was not kept under the proper temperature or just all around mishandled. Would've loved to have had a better experience since it's a restaurant that is relatively close to home that serves our favorite type of cuisine but it just didn't work out. read more

For the area, it is pretty good place. Lots of tables packed into this busy place. Service was great and if you can score a seat outside, do it! read more

Alas, service is still lacking at Saggio. We've eaten here several times now, and have gotten takeout two or three times as well. Mostly the food does not disappoint, though the done-ness of the pasta can be hit or miss. I'm giving Saggio 2 stars now (down from 4 the last time I reviewed it) for the following reason: Tonight we walked in, waited several minutes for anyone to even acknowledge us (there seemed to be no host/ess), and once we were acknowledged by a server were told that we could sit at the bar. There were two open tables - one 2-top and one 4-top. When we said we didn't want to sit at the bar because it was right by the door and it's a chilly night, the server said it wasn't cold because the heat was on (but it was cold!). She basically said that was our only option because she had a couple who had been waiting for the 2-top, and that she couldn't seat us at the other table "in case 4 people show up." In case?? So we left. I appreciate that it's not a big space, but we definitely didn't appreciate that we had basically been dismissed for the hopes of a bigger table. A bird in the hand... So we ate at the restaurant next door, where we were seated at a roomy 4-top. read more

After having an extremely emotionally rough day, I needed me a good drink. After stopping in somewhere else for a quick shot of whiskey, I made my way to Saggio for something a little more low key and decompressing. There, I was greeted with a smile from owner/manager Peter and guided to a great spot for one at the end of the bar. Instantaneously I felt at ease and as though the night I needed to forget my day had begun. Bartender Teddy asked what I'd like and when I responded with "well, I've just had a whiskey, and now I'm looking for something sippable to go along with that" he did not scoff or gripe at me being a needy patron not knowing exactly what she wanted, instead he talked it out with me, and created a concoction derivative of the Sidecar called the 'Tidecar' (Maker's Mark, OJ and sour mix). This was the moment I knew I'd found a good spot with a caring bartender. That's right, a bartender who cares. As a light drinker looking to get drunk on this rare occasion, this was a phenomenally tasty drink that did the job well. As a customer, I felt valued, I felt cared for and I felt free to relax, three things I desperately needed. I probably would have ordered another but I'd stopped in late and it was now closing time, though I was urged to continue enjoying my drink and felt comfortable in doing so. Great spot with music in the air that takes you where you long to be - out of your head. Will definitely return. read more

After seeing the mention in the NYTimes some months ago, I was excited at the prospect of a new, decent restaurant (and Italian, for a change) in the neighborhood and was looking forward to a pleasant meal by myself after a long day. I could not have been more disappointed. I first ordered a Grey Goose martini with a twist of lemon. And waited. I was morbidly distracted by the hipster couple and their unaccountably beautiful children at the table opposite eat their pasta, adults included, with their fingers. Eventually the waitress took my food order, the polenta with broccoli rabe and gorgonzola appetizer and the pappardelle with lamb ragu entree, both specials. The polenta arrived first, a huge bowl of the blandest mush imaginable (the chef seemed unacquainted with salt or flavoring of any kind), a wisp of broccoli rabe and, I do not jest, a FROZEN, not chilled, FROZEN ball of gorgonzola. I'd planned to order a glass of wine for the entree, but as the martini didn't arrive until AFTER the entree, I decided otherwise, particularly since the waitress didn't give me a chance to ask. The martini was served in a wine glass and if there was vodka, let alone Grey Goose, in the glass, I certainly didn't taste it or feel it, making me wonder if it had been a seltzer with lemon, gone flat, abandoned at the bar. I almost said something, but didn't want to make a scene and, besides, whatever was in the food apparently rendered me invisible. Meanwhile, about the entree: a good ragu takes hours to prepare and it's nice if the pasta absorbs some of the sauce, but this had been sitting around, if not having been defrosted from a previous date, long enough to turn into a congealed mess. It's predominant flavor was acidic, lemon or vinegar, or both. Why one would or how one could cover up the taste of tomatoes and lamb is a mystery. The gelati were okay, the espresso as bad as anywhere else. Although disapponted, I was willing to consider returning and ordering off the regular menu - it's a new place, give it another chance, maybe it was an off night, maybe the specials were anomalously bad. However, the coup de grace was when paying with my credit card, it was returned with (2) receipts, one for my meal, the other for another party for over $300. When I pointed this out to the waitress, she claimed it must have been a "computer error", offering no apology. The owner or manager came over 10 minutes later and reiterated the "computer error" rather than simply admitting that someone had mistakenly run my card through twice, again with no apology whatsoever and not even the grace or hospitality skills to comp the espresso or bring over an after dinner drink for having me sit there for 20 minutes while waiting for them to correct their mess. I did not complain and had been quiet and respectful the entire time, but I began to wonder if they didn't want my business. When I got home, I immediately called my credit card company. It took over a week before the restaurant straightened things out with Visa. When Hell freezes over like that ball of gorgonzola, perhaps I'll consider the possibility of returning. In the meantime, maybe Yelp! will allow reviews with zero stars. read more

We took some out of town friends to Saggio last night and it was a terrible experience. After waiting about 10 minutes to be seated, the host ignored us and took another party of the same size who had arrived after us, to seats. When we complained, he found seats for us, but before we could even sit down, the room manager jumped on me about wearing a baseball cap which he claimed is against their DRESS CODE! WHAT? I was in the process of taking it off anyway, but don't need to be treated like I'm some kid in church! The muzak was so loud and obnoxious we had to shout at each other over it. Instead of setting a relaxed romantic intimate mood it was totally inappropriate for the place. No attempt was made for sound damping on otherwise hard walls and floors so it is loud, loud, loud, just from people talking over it! The food was okay but I thought $20 for a piece of fish with a little sauce over it and nothing else with it was a bit pricey! Bottom line is we won't be back again! read more

What a wonderful evening! This gem a few moment's walk from the 181st A station is truly welcoming, from the warmth of the staff to the delectable wines offered at a wraparound bar while we were waiting for a table in the charming but somewhat small dining room. My friend was enthusiastic about her calamari salad special, and I just loved the grilled vegetable platter--especially the fennel bulb, which I thought I didn't like, until I tasted it prepared the right way. For entrees, we opted for classic pasta dishes--I had the rigatoni with sausage and meatballs smothered in a luscious bolognese sauce; my friend chose the penne with sauteed fresh vegetables. We heard from our neighbors that the giant meatball meatloaf was luscious (and saw with our own eyes that it was ENORMOUS); another couple loved the branzino special offered that evening. No room for dessert, alas, but we had a great time, and we will be back! read more

Sure, the food here is good. However, I'm rating it one star due to several other unacceptable factors. I was a regular customer at Saggio until I encountered rude staff not once but THREE times on three separate occasions. In short, this restaurant is not customer friendly. A few years later, I decided to order delivery (not many Italian restaurants in the Heights area so I thought let me forgive and forget...a decision I would eventually live to regret). The most recent delivery contained a wiry piece of something that resembled a Brillo pad, and the kale leaves in the kale salad were practically rotted. The "best" part was how it was smothered in caesar dressing and parm cheese so as to conceal that the kale had gone bad. The nerve. I've ordered this salad a few times before and I KNOW how it's normally prepared. I then sent a photo to Seamless clearly illustrating the state of the salad. While management agreed to refund the Brillo pasta, they refused to provide a refund for that disgusting excuse for a salad. Shame on me for giving this place yet another chance after all the previous experiences. Don't suffer the same fate...save yourselves (and your wallet) and keep it moving to another restaurant! read more

this is a good place to have brunch if you're on a diet....meaning the portions are small and some items are missing. i ordered an omelet with mushrooms and fontina cheese and there was virtually no cheese in the omelet. it was supposed to be served with a "goat cheese salad" on the side, but instead it had mixed greens.... when we asked the waitress what happened to the goat cheese, she said "it must be mixed in with the dressing" but it was clearly not. also the hash browns were literally 5-7 small pieces of potato. the food was tasty overall and it was a good light breakfast and thankfully it was pretty cheap($7 or $8). however, our table had to specifically ask for basic condiments (milk for coffee, ketchup, maple syrup, butter), which should really just be on the table. overall i think the food is tasty and prices are reasonable for this place, but clearly the wait staff and the chefs are incompetent. they need a new manager that is stricter with the staff. i won't be going back for brunch, but i might try it some day for dinner. read more

WE LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Saggio has become a staple in our family. My mother lives nearby and we frequent this amazing dinner spot for moments of celebrations, just needing some great food, or some want of a reconnecting in our busy city-paced lives. I decided to write a review after our experience this evening. I realized that while we adore the kind and friendly staff that serve beautifully inspired Italian food, we don't take the time to let the world know (beyond our friends and family circles). Tonight, my mother and I decided to meet for dinner. It was pouring rain...first off Saggio's was packed on a Thursday night in the rain (that says a lot about the place). We were seated promptly and when we finished our dinner as we stood in the awning looking into the rain wondering where to get a cab, a gentleman from Saggios' happened to walk outside (not sure of his work at the place: owner? manager?). We had some small talk and after he heard we wanted a cab, he immediately took his phone out and called a cab for us.. So kind! We saw one we thought was the cab we were looking for and he shared that he would go into the rain to help the cab see us. We did make it home pretty dry and with incredible food in our bellies. We will be going back, and so should you!!!! read more

I live in the neighborhood and have been to Saggio several times and found the food to be quite good, so I took some out-of-town friends there for dinner. It tends to be a busy place and we were early enough to get a seat. We ordered and when our food arrived, one of my friends had gotten the wrong entrée. Hey, it happens. The waitress was apologetic and within a relatively short period of time the revised order appeared. Unfortunately, the guy placing it on the table had bled on the plate, yes, I said there was human blood on the plate. We sent it back and all of us pretty much lost our appetites; he, of course, cancelled his order altogether. Again, stuff happens, but this, as restaurant things go, is a big deal. The waitress apologized and said she'd take it off the bill (gee thanks). We asked to see the manager, who in my view, should have stopped by anyway and said 'sorry', we'll comp you a cup of coffee, but didn't. The manager, Sara, arrived at our table and was brusque to the point of rudeness saying, "i heard about it and I've taken care of it." In other words, don't bother me. Holy cripes! I was pretty much shocked and beyond disappointed. So the food is OK, but I doubt if I'd go back -- every time I think of the place I see that blood on my friend's plate and how the manager treated us. read more

My husband and I just got back from our third dinner at Saggio. It probably would have been our fifth or sixth but we were out of town for ten days. This neighborhood has been longing for a real Italian restaurant for as long as we've been here and now we have one. Between us we've tried several appetizers, fish, meat and pasta main courses and a couple of desserts--tonight the fabulous fig gelato. Everything has been well presented, with fresh, clearly good quality ingredients, well and thoughtfully prepared. It is crowded, (with lots of our neighbors!), but the tables turn over with relative speed because of the efficiency of the kitchen. This last is not unimportant as other nearby restaurants that did not survive were very inefficient. So, welcome Saggio--may you have a long life and continue to feed us well. When my brother published a book I only gave him four stars on amazon and I'm doing the same for Saggio because everyone needs a reason to continue to work at excellence. In the meanwhile, bravo! read more