Best Bolognese in world but don't use the ATM because I'm 90% sure it's where my card number and pin were stolen...how, I have no idea. Was only place I physically used card and pin in combo in a 1 month window so it had to be...done using outdoor ATMs. read more

I wish I could rave about this place, but I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt with the 4-star rating. I definitely want to go back to solidify that or go for the 5-star. The atmosphere is quaint and charming. Prices are low but flavors are plentiful. I ordered the butter and sage gnocchi, and while the flavors were on point, the gnocchi were just not cooked right. They were just a little too dense, and didn't melt in my mouth. Totally could have been a fluke. But the fried calamari appetizer we ordered was fantastic. Most places these days over-fry or overly bread the calamari, so it was a nice surprise. Overall, this is a great little spot, as I already said, I'm definitely going back. read more

I drove past this place literally hundreds of times, and always glanced at it but shrugged it off. Shame on me. Had I known it housed such quality food at such affordable prices, I'd have been a regular here long ago. It looks, feels, and most importantly tastes like a place which should cost way more. $17 steak entree was cooked according to specified doneness, well seasoned. Hand made tagliatelle with a lamb ragu was clearly a fresh pasta, and cooked to perfection with just enough bite and that texture that you just KNOW didn't come from a dried pasta out of a box. And for only 10 bucks? Incredible, considering the sauce was not short on meat at all. It had a very rich taste to it. Also tried one of the $7 flatbread specialty appetizers, with meat (was it prosciutto? Can't remember) and fontina cheese, which was basically a quesadilla with an Italian kick, something I could make in my kitchen and nothing fantastic, but good quality ingredients were obvious and it's kind of the perfect munchie food. The ONLY reason this place gets 4 stars is because the service felt just a tad too slow and unattentive. And an offering of fresh parm for my pasta (never happened) would have taken the dish to amazing level.This is not enough to keep me away. They'll see more of me. Especially for those butternut squash ravioli in the truffle oil for 9 bucks. YES. And check the specials board, they had some solid offerings on it! Dinner for two, without alcohol, and including $10 tip -- $50. Left with some pasta leftovers even, thanks to freely flowing bread and olive oil throughout entire meal. Major win. read more

The ambiance is cozy and delightful, and the service was friendly and relaxed. But the food itself didn't deliver, unfortunately. Reading the reviews here my sister and I were very excited, but neither the gnocchi nor the beet ravioli inspired the sort of poetry I thought it would. Too bad! read more

I love this place! Great fresh food. Homemade pasta. I can't even list my favorite because I love them all. The staff is so nice and it goes well with the awesome food. I know I repeat myself but the food really is great!!!!!!!!!! read more

This is a great addition to the neighborhood. The owner Max is a lovely guy, the salads are beautiful and original, the pasta is homemade, the fish is fresh and cooked perfectly, and a short but well chosen wine list (the Salento Primitivo is a great value at $26/bottle). And to finish off the excellent meal, a lemoncello made in house that will send you home happy! read more

Authentic Italian! Loved this place so much. Glad the restaurant we had went to eat originally closed their kitchen early! This was far better than what we would have eaten. Do yourself a favor and try this place. So, so good! I want to eat there now and I just ate! read more

Can't wait to come back, Genuine Italian Kitchen trust me you wont regret and when you see the check you'll understand why this restaurant is a true gem.... read more

Small hole in the wall with some awesome Italian bites. Came here on NYE after calling for a last minute reservation after arriving at another restaurant nearby who has a special menu we were not made aware of. The hostess/waitress/runner (only two FOH staff members for about 40 seats) took our call and helped us out, she really saved our evening. Very Brooklyn feeling ambiance that gets the job done. I wouldn't suggest if you're looking for an over the top or luxurious setting, but if you and your date want a cute spot with solid food at a great price, think about considering Testo. CASH ONLY. They have an ATM right outside of the restaurant. As for the dishes we had the grilled octopus appetizer which was good, but not great, well cooked but missing the piece that brought the whole dish together. The chicken liver pate bruschetta was excellent, definitely need to give it a shot if you enjoy the taste of chicken liver and know what to expect. The caprese salad was very fresh, the mozzarella just properly seasoned with salt/pepper and Italian olive oil, simple but with the fresh properly sliced tomatoes made it a very solid traditional option. We went with some Italian white I can't exactly remember the varietal of the wine but it was an Italian grape, not a Chardonnay or Sauv Blanc. Held up well with those lighter appetizers. Calamari was standard but delicious, marinara sauce had a nice kick of heat. As an entree we had the ribeye with a port reduction and chanterelles, IF THIS IS AVAILABLE GET IT!! Perfectly cooked and absolutely mouth watering. Nice fresh salad to give you a break from the robust flavors of the ribeye port reduction and earthy flavors of the chanterelles. Also enjoyed a red sauce with lamb and pappardelle noodles. Noodles themselves nice density and body, the sauce needed just something else to give it a really stand out flavor. Abundant amount of cheese on the top to say the least. Enjoyed a Super Tuscan with the entrees which was funky and delightful, held up well against the ribeye. No gimmicks here if you need to get their attention since there are only two staff members working feel free to get their attention, very straight forward and very welcoming. Both staff members were extremely personable and provided us with a great experience. Will be going back to try some other dishes, and try some of the other wine options. Definitely worth a look if you want solis Italian, not a stuffy environment, and a very cost effective meal, but remember cash only. read more

We have been several times since they opened. I like that it is small and kind of plopped down in the middle of East Williamsburg. It's a little Italian oasis. The servers and owner are friendly and accommodating and don't rush you at all. The decor is kind of rustic, not trying too hard but still classy. We usually split the kale salad and then each get a vegetarian entree. We've enjoyed everything we've ordered here. The prices are also quite reasonable. read more

Testo is authentic Italian cuisine. Our trip there from upper Manhattan was quick and easy. We took the A train to West 4, and transferred to the M. We got off at Lorimer, walked north towards Scholes st. , made a right and walked one block to Leonard. The restaurant is at the corner of Scholes and Leoanard. We were weary about going in at first because it was nearly empty with the exception of two women sitting at one of the tables. We were greeted very warmly by a male wait staff who gave us the option of sitting wherever we wanted. We were given 2 simple wooden menus. One with the food, the other was a wine list. We were given ample time to look through the menu and make our choices. The waiter was very patient in answering our questions. I loved that he said the lasagna would take about 25 minutes to cook because it was made fresh to order. We got a soft complimentary bread, along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We ordered the mozzarella, arugula and tomato piadini. It was savory, without the salt. This was enough food to keep us busy till our entrees were ready. The food came out wonderfully hot. My lasagna was heavenly. The correct ratio of sauce to cheese and veggies. I used the complimentary leftover bread to soak up the sauce. Yummy! My daughter ordered the ricotta and mushroom ravioli. It was cooked to perfection and the gorgonzola sauce was creamy, not pungent nor overpowering. I loved both dishes. I ordered red wine which was not served in a wine glass. I found it odd, but I figured it might be the Italian way. We ordered the Tiramisu, which came with some very deliciously fresh strawberries. Both the male and female waiters were attentive, but relaxed. Testo has a casual vibe, romantic enough for couples, but also welcoming to families. There are about twenty tables and it has outdoor seating.The space is small, but it doesn't feel crammed.The bathroom is very clean. Later that evening candles were lit. At the end of our meal we received complimentary shots of limoncello. Wow! That surely cleansed my palate.This restaurant delivers high quality food and service at cheap prices. I highly recommend making the trip out to this hidden treasure. I did. I will probably be going back often. Another great find! read more

This is my go-to place for take out pasta. The strozzapreti is outstanding and always good. I've also had lamb ragu and ox-tail ragu and both were outstanding. Amazing, zesty olives are a great appretizer. I've also eaten there for dinner and it's cute and cozy. Great atmosphere and friendly people. read more

I live *across the street* from this gem and it took me almost a year to finally eat there. The restaurant is adorable, small, quiet. The waitstaff are friendly. The food is unbelievably good and properly priced (cheap even! that $7.50 bowl of mussels is huge!). In short, this is everything a go-to neighborhood restaurant should be. read more

This place is fantastic--good service, excellent ingredients with pasta often prepared in-house, and a refreshing lack of pretension. We particularly like the bucatini and the tiramisu, but nothing on the menu has disappointed yet. There are fewer and fewer reasons to come to the increasingly overhyped Greater Williamsburg, but this place is worth the trek. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! It is sooo gooood. It's very intimate, and I love taking a few friends there for dinner. I highly recommend the Tortelli di Zucca, Linguine allo Scoglio, and Ravioli di Rapette. Delicious. The gnocchi was not my favorite, but if you do get it, order it with the red sauce instead of the butter sage sauce. I can't wait to try the rest of the menu! *cash only read more

Ate brunch here today. It was fine. Nothing to complain about but nothing overly unique or special or memorable about it. French toast was probably better than their eggs benedict which is a weird sign for a restaurant. That said, the server was excellent and amiable. read more

This place is adorable and the food is excellent. The portions are on the small side but priced fairly. The only downside is that the service was a bit slow, if you're on a time crunch you might want to find somewhere else, but if you're in the mood to kick back and relax this place is perfect! read more

Testo has the most authentic Italian food in the neighborhood. This hole in the wall spot has an amazing wine selection, great pasta and the best brussels sprout salad. I love the low key vibe of this place and the prices are very reasonable for the quality of food you get. read more

Stumbled across this place with a friend for dinner. I liked that the place didn't overwhelm you with options so you know everything you could order is really good. Ambiance was cool too.. Food also came out impressively quickly but we didn't feel like we were rushed out and could chat over coffee after our meal. I will definitely go back and recommend to friends. read more

This place was decent, but it did not exceed my expectations by any means. The service was slow and we waited a long time for our meal. The bread served is not very good, it tasted a bit stale. I also ordered the butternut squash stuffed tortelli. The pasta itself was good, but the bits of butternut squash that garnished it were undercooked. Overall, not impressed. read more

I can see myself going here weekly. The food is great, the prices are fair and the people are nice (it also helps that it's a two minute walk). Looking forward to them getting beer and wine. Almost wish they would open for espresso and pastries in the morning. read more

The piadina were warm and comforting. The pasta, too, was proportionally perfect and the wine selection was ideal for a menu this size and price range. It's a wonderful neighborhood staple to enjoying a night out whether or not it is a special occasion. read more

Quite place with great food, hidden gem for sure

Best Italian place in the neighborhood. Food is from the Emilia-Romagna region, so it's rich but delicious. The sauteed chicken breast with spinach and fontina cheese, the Brussels sprouts salad, and the Strozzapreti al Ragu are all excellent. Grilled octopus is great as well. read more

I love everything about this restaurant. Adorable Italian waiters. Cute and cozy interior. And the food is delicious. I especially liked the calamari as an appetizer. The butternut squash tortellini was just perfect. And the place is very reasonably priced. Wonderful all around. You should go. read more

Good food and a nice place. I appreciate the glutenfree sections. The food was ok but nothing special

One of the better meals I've had in NYC! My boyfriend and I came here last weekend because we had a party to go to nearby. We decided to check it out because of the great yelp reviews and we were NOT disappointed! The place is tiny - with about 12 tables or so. It is very cozy and warm inside, lit by Christmas lights and candles. The tables are kind of close together, but we didn't mind as everyone there seemed to be on a date. We arrived at about 830 on a Saturday night and the wait was short, only 5-10 min. To start we ordered a bottle of the Chianti Reserva, which was awesome! Full bodied, warm, with spice & cinnamon tones, it was perfect for the cold and wet night. We ordered the charred octopus salad and the mozz & arugula flatbread for appetizers. The octopus was OUT OF THIS WORLD. We love octopus and order octopus at every restaurant we go to that has it on the menu. This salad is amazing - the octopus was cooked just right, not too chewy (which I find happens at most places), and it came sliced in pieces, so every bite had that delicious charred flavor. The flatbread was good also (it's called a fontia), although I probably will try something new the next time I go. For entrees I ordered the grilled branzino and my boyfriend ordered the special which was lobster fridiavlo. Both UNREAL!!!! The portions are perfect - not insanely small like other upscale Italian places, and also not the massive size of some little Italy restaurants. They left us full and satisfied without putting us into food comas before we headed over to a party. Both fish we cooked perfectly and the fridivalo sauce was so yummy my boyfriend practically licked his plate clean. We were full but decided to order tiramisu to split for dessert. It was rich, creamy, and flavorful. Definitely something I would try again. All in all, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, dessert, and a bottle of chianti came to $96. (dessert was on the house!) SUCH A STEAL FOR NYC!!!!!! And the free lemoncello shots at the end really sealed the deal for us. Will be returning ASAP - HIGHLY recommend. read more

Enjoyed it a lot. Very personal service, great food. Nice neighborhood joint.

I live just down the street and have been here around 6 or 7 times already. It is pretty damn good and ridiculously cheap. The specials are actually special - lamb ragu, branzino, wild boar ragu, spinach tagliatele with peas and prosciutto. Amazing. read more

Awesome value - the chef is incredible, generous with portions, and even offer delivery. I frequent as much as I can.

Everything here was out-of-this-world delicious. Very small and out of the way and I think the kitchen must be the size of a closet , but you wouldn't tell by the deft service and delivery and presentation of the food. For a table of vegetarians, we had lots of options, tried several salads and pasta dishes, and shared bites. Not a single thing on the menu we wouldn't recommend. Finished the meal of with small glasses of pompelmocello (limoncello but made with grapefruit) - highly recommended, if you like grapefruit, of course. read more

After reading all the reviews I was excited to try this place. Ordered delivery last week and [sadly] found it very underwhelming. I'll give it one more try, I guess.. read more

Testo is the quintessential delicious neighborhood Italian. Both the price and the yum factor are unparalleled! Stick with the homemade pasta. Pro tip: tagliatelle with lamb ragu, and give brunch a shot. I celebrated two birthdays in a row here and Testo does not disappoint. read more

My husband and I have been regulars in Testo not long after they had their grand opening. This place is a hidden gem, and my favorite place to have a romantic & delicious meal. The owners are very kind as well as the rest of the staff. Ultimate favorites would be their mussels in red sauce, mushroom ravioli with a creamy gorgonzola sauce & a new item on their menu, an octopus salad with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon! They always offer amazing specials & in season ingredients! Good job Testo you never disappoint! Keep it up! 5 stars is very well deserved! read more

One of the best Italian restaurants!!! Great service and a warm atmosphere. Everything I have tried so far was delicious and consistent.

Hands down, this is the best place in the neighborhood for delicious Italian food at a good price. Their pasta dishes are incredible, especially the vegetable lasagna. And that brussels sprout salad will change the way you think about tiny cabbages forever. read more

I come here almost every weekend and I love this place. Great food, nice atmosphere, reasonable prices and friendly staffs!!!! read more

I had an awesome time at Testo! I met with my friends, who live in the area, and they have just recently discovered this neighborhood's gem. We stayed there for a long time, talking and enjoying our night out, and even long after our delicious meals were gone, we did not feel pressured to leave or to order more. The staff spoiled us rotten, being very friendly and attentive, but also giving us a lot of space. The decor of the place is simple yet charming and so soothing and cozy that we just did not want to leave! Now food...super yummy! I had squash raviolis that were so soft and fluffy, just melting in my mouth, hmm...I want more just writing about it. Too bad that I live in Queens but I will be back for sure. Summarizing: this place is a MUST! Outrageously good food, great atmosphere, super friendly staff and reasonable prices, should I say more? Highly recommended! read more

After a very long day of moving, we walked out the front door of my new apartment and stumbled across Testo around the corner. It's a cute place and immediately homey. If you've ever been to Italy, this restaurant will be very familiar. The food is very simple, in a nice way. My dorado was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Was I blown away? No. Can I come up with items that could be tweaked? Yes. Will I come again? Frequently. Our meal for four was $70, BYOB. Get in quick, though: they will be getting a liquor license shortly. read more

I've been living in the East Williamsburg hood and have passed Testo several times. The menu is comprised of very affordable homemade Italian dishes and the location is perfect for a small cozy neighborhood restaurant and they finally have a beer/ wine selection! My gf and I decided to try walk in service on NYE. They were all booked up w reservations but the owner was very accommodating and let us sit at the bar (main reason for the 4 stars). We started with the spinach salad special. It was a delicious simple salad w spinach & fruit ( pears & berries) with a light oil dressing. Very tasty, nothing too over the top. For entrees my gf ordered the Spicy pasta w half lobster for $15. The dish was delicious, steaming hot half lobster in the shell with homemade spaghetti and a spicy fra diavolo sauce, A fantastic dishl for the price. I ordered the butternut squash tortelli for 8$. Another extremely affordable and delicious dish prepared with homemade tortelli and a butter cream sauce that was to die for. Along with dinner we had a half caraff of house red for 14$ and for dessert the Panacotta, which left something to be desired but was still enjoyable. All in all we enjoyed our experience at Testo and was happy to find out they are the same owners of another of our favorite local eateries, Il Passatore. The owner was very accommodating and the environment felt right out of an Italian neighborhood bistro. We will be trying Testo again in the future. read more