There are some great Italian restaurants on the upper eastside, but I think I found my favorite: Siena Cafe on Third Avenue and East 89th Street. Other than the noise level -- it's a popular place! -- Mother's Day dinner couldn't have been better. As we're known to do, we shared everything, sampling a little-of- this/a-little-of-that. There was a lot of food. We started off with an avocado salad of pears, pecans, red grapes, mixed greens and champagne dressing. A single order was more than enough for the three of us. We topped the greens with delicious fried calamari and cherry peppers. Then we dug into two chicken entrees -- parmesan and limone. I was particularly partial to the lemon chicken which was plated with roast potatoes and garlic sauteed spinach. There are leftovers of both, which I'm happy to have! But we're not done: linguini with white clam sauce. I'm not a pasta fanatic, but I loved Siena's which is made in-house. For dessert we split carrot cake -- I'd get it again -- and banana bread pudding which my husband favored. Considering their location, prices are pretty good. The wine list is affordable with us choosing a $42 bottle of Montpulciano. We'll surely be back to take advantage of their special deals. On Monday it's lobster and half-priced wine on Wednesdays. Reservations recommended. read more

See all

Hot, hot, hot...doors are open when it's 88 hot, hot, hot degrees. Need Air Conditioning ON. read more

My favorite local spot in the neighborhood. Every dish I've tried has been great. Peter behind the bar is amazing. read more

Siena Cafe - Americano Burger - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Ambiance: very cute cafe with a bar in the front. Smaller 2 tops in the front and larger tables towards the back. Service: very attentive servers. Kept the drinks full. Food: This was the best pancakes I've ever had. The lemon flavor gave it a nice citrus with a hint of sweetness. I absolutely LOVED it. I also had the Rossini and it paired great with the strawberries that I opted for instead of blueberries. Overall: had the best brunch in NYC!! Quite affordable as well for $35: bottomless mimosas + a meal for 90 minutes. Definitely will be thinking about this for years to come!! read more

Siena Cafe - Lemon Ricotta pancakes - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Walked in on a Saturday night with no reservations needed for two at 7:30! Absolutely beautiful interior, whimsical and folksy! Overall, great portions, fair price, great service and good taste. Though if I'm in the neighborhood for Italian food, I prefer La Voglia. I didn't enjoy their complimentary bread :( Their appetizers were huge! We got the charred octopus salad and mussels with marinara sauce. I love mussels and though they were frozen, they were delicious! I thought the octopus was good, salad was not great. Shared the linguini with white clam and it was yummy and just what we needed! Shared two appetizers and one pasta for two and we had leftovers, $67 pre tip. read more

See all

Stopped at Siena cafe for happy hour with a friend. We were grateful they allowed us to grab happy hour drinks and sit at a table in the dining room. Happy hour is 4-7pm. I had the lime mamasita $10 which was strong and delicious! The service was excellent and I would definitely come back for dinner! read more

Got the steak and eggs (+$5). Bottomless brunch is amazing. Had a Rossini and mimosa. Not the first time here, and it's been an amazing time every time I've come The steak is well seasoned and the refills are quick! read more

Siena Cafe - Bottomless brunch - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I visited Siena Cafe on a brunch reservation. I found the place while looking for a restaurant near The Met and Guggenheim museums. It's a short walk away from both museums as well as central park. Street parking was easy enough to find. I was able to find a spot a block and a half away. We arrived pretty early for the reservation, and the place seemed busy but they were able to accommodate us. Not only did they do that, but it looked like they paid attention to the note I left as part of the reservation, specifically a table in a spot away from high foot-traffic and drafty areas. They sat us at a nice, warm, beautifully decorated corner of the restaurant. They still had winter holiday decorations and we loved it! Boozy Brunch was like $32.oo, a solid deal in my book! I stuck with the bellinis which were nice but had an apple-like taste that I wasn't expecting. I'm not sure if that was from the champagne or the juice used. My companion liked her mimosa's but I never tasted them to see if there was a similar apple taste to the champagne used for her drinks. Keep that in mind when deciding what to drink. In any case, I had the breakfast spaghetti. Had I read the other reviews here, I might have second-guessed that decision, but the pasta was cooked to the right firmness. It was Al Dente from my perception. So perhaps they've adjusted to the written "opportunities for change." My guest had the egg-white Fritatta (I think) and she loved it too! So besides the curious bellini taste, I couldn't really pull an points from the meal. I should mention here that the service was excellent. I downed my initial glasses of water very quickly and they were immediately filled by this chill Hispanic/Latino fellow (I regret not getting his name). We also had this pleasantly cheerful Phillipino waitress. I think her name was Kim. She was kind and efficient yet we never felt rushed. It was an excellent balance in service. Bottom line: If you're in the vicinity of the "Museum Mile," on the Upper East side, please consider this place, especially for brunch. I think you'll enjoy yourself! read more

See all

The best restaurant ever !!!!! The food is always perfect and delicious I want to come here every day ! read more

See all

The food at this pasta place is absolutely delicious! you can truly taste the freshness in every bite. The pasta is clearly handmade, perfectly cooked, and the sauces are rich and flavorful without being heavy. Every dish we tried was impressive, from the appetizers to the main course. The only downside (and reason for the four stars) was that we had to wait for a table despite having a reservation. It was a bit frustrating, especially since we were looking forward to a smooth experience. That said, once we were seated, the service was friendly and attentive, and the food more than made up for the wait. We'll definitely be back, but hopefully next time we're seated on time! P.s: it's also really romantic looking in there read more

See all

Food is amazing and delicious!!! Staff brings a great vibe and makes your experience enjoyable especially Ryan and Peter if you're sitting at the bar. read more

Siena Cafe - Pat Lafredia Burger - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Came here with a group of 5 on a Saturday night and it was pretty easy to secure reservations. The inside is very cute with light decorations. The food was great too! For apps, we tried the truffle fries, which were delicious. I got the rigatoni vodka, which was tasty and had good portion sizes. I got bit by two mosquitos on a summer night while indoors, which is why I took off one star. I wish the AC was higher. read more

See all

Solid spot in the UES neighborhood but recommend having a reservation if you're in a group. Service could have been more attentive and menu could be displayed in a more organized fashion but overall if you're looking for an Italian restaurant with good vibes then this is a good option. read more

Only for take out order. Ordered classic carbonara. Light taste, little over cooked. Not really Italian pasta ... It a was just ok read more

Siena Cafe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

It had been one of my go-to Italian restaurants in the UES but I received a delivery order of chicken parmesan that was simply disgusting. Not just lacking flavor, actually disgusting to taste. I contacted the restaurant that night to provide feedback about the terrible food and they never responded over the past many weeks. I've ordered from them for years but I haven't ordered from them since this awful dinner and I hesitate to order food from Siena again. It was that bad. Ignoring me when I contacted the restaurant was a missed opportunity to save a customer relationship. read more

Great happy hour. Great wines. Great service- nice and on the ball waitress. She also told us about 50% wine bottle Wednesday but we couldn't do one bottle btw the two of us so we got $8 happy hour wines and they were good wines, not 2-buck chuck. Bread was forgettable. Food choices were good and you get a lot of food. Prices decent for NYC post covid / post Trump. Environment really really nice. Fairy lights and vines all over, it's like a secret underground restaurant form a Tolkien book. We will go back absolutely. read more

Siena is a cute restaurant on the UES. The decor and inside of the restaurant is very cozy and cute! Great for a drink with friends or a happy hour. I would skip the pastas and maybe stick with a bottle of wine and an app. I thought my pasta was just slightly over cooked and the sauce didn't wow me. read more

Siena Cafe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Came back to Siena Cafe for a low key Sunday night dinner. To my surprise they still have happy hour drinks! Hubby was able to get a beer for the hh price. We arrived for an early-bird dinner, around 5:30pm and restaurant was lively! Bar was full and large groups filled the indoor tables. The service was rather slow this time, however we were in no rush whatsoever so we told them to take their time. We ordered several apps to share, we got the crispy calamari, polpette (meatballs) and the eggplant rollatini. Wow! The calamari was delicious, the meatballs had such flavor and I always love a chunky tomato sauce. And the eggplant rollatini was my fav! In fact I prefer this dish over the eggplant parm (which I got last week). I enjoyed this dish very much. For entrees, we shared the chicken parm and lasagna Classico. The chicken parm was ok, slightly on the dry side. However the lasagna made up for this. It was one of the best lasagnas I've had, full of chunky meat sauce. Normally lasagnas I think they are mushy with the pasta in between however this was not the case at all. Overall Siena is becoming our go-to spot, love the service and the food is on point. And to top it off, the prices are very reasonable! A staple client, for sure. read more

See all

(Brunch review) A group of 17 of us came in hot and sweaty from just completing a run, but Siena still offered us a huge table right at opening. Genuinely appreciated the accommodation, especially in the state we were in. Unfortunately, Siena for us suffered from food that looked and sounded great but did not taste great. I love brunch. I ordered the berry waffles, which were served beautifully, and a lot of food comes with the plate. The waffle itself just tasted slightly old, as if it had just come out of the refrigerator and was warmed up in the microwave. The waffle was dense and slightly soggy/chewy instead of light and crispy. I also got to try the drunken chicken parm pizza, which sounded amazing and I was so excited to try it. That one was better than the waffles, but still fell short because the description didn't match what was actually served. It wasn't a thin crust pizza, and it didn't seem like there was any vodka sauce, or any sauce, on it at all. Doesn't seem like brunch is the move-- maybe dinner? read more

Siena Cafe - Berry Waffle - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

The service, the food, the ambiance were perfect for a late meal on a cold Monday nite! And just my luck it's the $30 Monday lobster special. The value and portion sizes for this area were amazing! It was a cozy, inviting and delicious meal. read more

Siena Cafe - Lobster and rigatoni with chicken and Broccoli Rabe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Friday 6:30pm Finding space at bar was a challenge and hence decided to check out this spot post dinner as there were 2 seats waiting for us . Happy hour was until 7 which made it an easy choice to come here as well . The bartender was friendly and welcomed most of the customers as they walked In and seemed to have known them ( frequent customers perhaps )? I was excited to try the wings as despite having had sushi prior to coming here , I was craving for wings . Unfortunately, it was disappointing as it's evident it was pre fried and was overcooked when I had them ( it looked better than it tasted ) . Got the Parmesan fries as a side dish and was good . Other people who had food looked to have enjoyed their meals so maybe I just ordered the wrong dish . We sat at three bar but the restaurant looked decent and was full of diners . Good place to meet up friends at the bar or to have food if you live in the neighborhood. ( which I don't ). read more

Siena Cafe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

We were looking for a place to eat after the museums. We saw this place packed. So must be good. Luckily we got a table. Cute busy place. But service is a little slow, took like over 20 minutes after we sat to get someone to take out order. Food is great. We had Gnocchi w short rib ragu, shrimp scampi, lobster ravioli and caccio peppe. All perfectly cooked. Passion Margarita was $12 nice n strong. The bathroom door is right by the kitchen, can be a disaster if you don't pay attention w dishes coming through so be careful. Find us great, I'll definitely come back if I'm in the area. read more

See all

Great service and really tasty food. Avocado Salad and Vodka Rigatoni was really great. Caesar Salad and Bolognese Pasta was equally great There was always someone there to fill out glasses and suggest other items! read more

Hubby and I tried this restaurant by accident. We were planning to go to the Greek restaurant by the corner on the same block, but after looking at the tomato sauce and gaining a pleasant smell while passing by, we decided to stop. We went back for dinner the following week. Our first dinner was excellent, from the service to the food. We enjoyed it so much. We had Ella as a server. She was professional and helpful. We sat outside in a beautiful garden-like area. We had amazing baked clams, black fettuccine with shrimp, smoked salmon, and crispy artichoke. Everything except the artichoke was delicious! That tomato sauce was unique. I love solid and rich tomato sauce. This one was meant for me. We came back the following week and sat inside. I had branzino and Hubby had chicken Milanese. We also had baked clams again. Just when I thought I would lose some weight, this kept pulling me back in! I can't escape! Everything was perfect, except we didn't have a friendly server. Our waitress this time was unfriendly. Regardless, we enjoyed both dinners! read more

See all

Came here for a Friday night dinner for two. Place has a nice romantic aesthetic with string lights and plant vines on the ceilings. It was very busy and loud in the main dining room but the servers moved at lightning speed. Only slow part was getting our drinks but that's because of a backup at the bar. The octopus ceviche was a great starter. The octopus by itself was a little salty but was nicely balanced and refreshing when combined with the fresh salad and vinaigrette. The pasta dishes were an absolute knock out. Perfectly cooked pasta, flavorful sauce, healthy portion of protein. The tiramisu was also tasty and respectably portioned. I was a little nervous about coming here after seeing the lower Yelp rating but was very pleasantly surprised and think they deserve better. I will be back. read more

See all

Ambiance is great, good music. The food is spot on, had the rigatoni vodka and right away you'll know it's fresh. Service was good and servers are friendly. Will come back 100% read more

Went for bottomless brunch and it was great. Price was a great deal - 32$ for food and unlimited cocktails? Best in manhattan The food and drinks were good, drinks were also heavy pours which was great. Restaurant was super cute and clean, and service was wonderful. read more

The food was amazing ! We came for our anniversary and it didn't disappoint. The establishment is very pretty and dim lighting. The staff was nice as well. read more

Siena Cafe - Italian Cheesecake & Flourless Chocolate Cake - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Siena cafe is an amazing hole in the wall!!! We ordered the rigatoni bolognese and eggplant parmigiana spaghetti. Everything was cooked great and very tasty!!! Must try The ambience is cozy and warm. The staffs are friendly and very warming. Overall, this is great spot for brunch/lunch/dinner!!! You should come here, located at Upper east side! read more

Siena Cafe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Had a very underwhelming experience ordering delivery from Sienna tonight. We order Radeon them all the time and are usually quite pleased. Noticed they have a new option on the menu, "Family Meal for Four". Seemed like a good idea. Was not. Here is what we received, Small salad (successfully divided into three small portions. No way to get four.) Two pieces of bread. Individual sized spaghetti with marinara. Individual sized chicken picatta (two halves of a filleted chicken breast with some pasta) Total cost $90 If I had ordered Individual portions of each of those three items would have been about $56 for the same amount of food. This is just an FYI. The meal option is not a deal. Stick to your usual orders. Quick follow up here. Had to order more food to feed the other half of my family. The spaghetti with meatballs and the chicken parm picks are what an "individual" portions i ordered look like. Owners were adamant that the first delivery was correct. This is either incredibly bad customer service or a very bad scam. read more

See all

foods are amazingly good! must try rest in Upper East Side! The service is good, very helpful servers. And the ambiance of the restaurant is very classy. Fyi! they have Lobster night every Monday!! read more

Siena Cafe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

The staff was amazing, the food was delicious and the ambiance was lovely! The homemade pasta is amazing! The Buratta is fresh and delicious, creamy and light. read more

I came here for my birthday. I made a reservation for 2 at 6:30, and confirmed twice, first on open table then over the phone. We had to wait 35 minutes to be seated, despite having a reservation. After 20 minutes they said it would be 5 minutes, but we ended up waiting another 15. The bartender gave us drinks for free, which was nice, and he had a good vibe. Once we were seated, no one brought us water and after 15 minutes we had to flag down the waitress to order and asked for water. We still did not receive water and had to ask again. When they did bring us water, 20+ minutes after being seated, one of the glasses was dirty with lipstick around the rim. They also never gave us bread, which they brought to the tables around us. The waitress also forgot to put in one of our appetizers and gave us a hard time about it. Service was generally slow. When we asked to speak with the manager they told us there was no manger and the waitress had an attitude. We were incredibly polite, both of us have worked food service before so we try not to be difficult customers. There were just several missteps that were never righted. It also seemed to just be directed at us, other patrons didn't look like they were having these issues. Food was fine, but we won't be coming back here because the service was so bad. read more

(4/20/24) Did brunch here today. 8 of us. Absolutely a must do. The best brunch deal of the entire Upper East Side. $32 for bottomless 90 minute brunch drinks plus entree. Amazing staff. The Parmesan pizza with chicken was enough for 3. read more

See all

Was recommended here by a local friend who said the burger and service were great for brunch. Got the burger, vodka pizza and chicken ceasar panini and bottomless brunch drinks. An amazing deal! Kept refilling our drinks, food was great! Sat outside which was so nice but the ambiance inside is so cute! Highly recommend! read more

Siena Cafe - Brunch Burger, Chicken Caesar Chicken Panini, Vodka Pizza - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Siena cafe seems to be packed a lot of times especially from the outside looking in. We have given this place multiple chances and it just keeps falling flat for us. Everything we have had has just been lacking and depth of flavor or seasoning. The place has decent decor and I could 100% see myself getting a drink here but that is about it. Come and try this place out if you haven't yet! read more

This place was decent. We were seated promptly outdoors but service was a bit lacking. Our appetizer came out with the meal (and wasn't very good) and our server seemed to have very little training or attention to our table. read more

See all

I cannot get enough of Siena!! The staff is always so welcoming and attentive. The vibes we're fun and upbeat today. Literally tried half the menu today. Couldn't decide which to get won or got both of The Gnocchis, and both are delicious!!! The crostinis were superb. Just got back from Europe and I swear the mushrooms tasted the exact same, fresh and delicious. The salads are always so guilt free and yummy. The clams were perfectly seasoned and the salmon crostini was the perfect bite to share. The flavors complement so well! I'll be back to try the rest of the menu for sure!! read more

See all

I'm surprised at the low rating for this place! I thought it was a solid Italian spot on the upper east side. Ambience:: I love the location! After a day at the met or the Guggenheim this is a great spot to come and get some food. The outdoor space is nice and has a romantic vibe. You forget that you are on a busy street bc it's well protected from the cars. Service: good service. They didn't rush us which I really appreciated and were extremely friendly Food: the Arancini is a must! So flavorful and cheesy. We got the mushroom risotto as a larger size - instead of small plate and it was very good! I would come back just for the risotto! I got the pest gnocchi which was very good and felt very fresh. I appreciated that they gave us Parmesan and chili flakes to add to our meal at our convenience Price: very reasonably priced - especially for portion sizes read more

Superb Happy Hour. Goes until 7PM and all day Sunday. Nice array of choices for food and drinks. Portions are substantial and prices are good. The staff is friendly and attentive. Spacious bar. Stream of regulars. The music does not interfere with conversation. read more