This is a pretty cool place to go if you're looking for a feeling of being in a little cafe in the mountains or a little valley in Italy. It's a quaint little place with a very laid back atmosphere. It carries on the Italian's happy hour charm and tradition. Serving traditional Italian cocktails and offering free appetizers/finger food during happy hour. My wife and I went to check it out. I ordered a NEGRONI Classic. It reminded me a bit like an Old Fashioned with a little bitterness to it. It was different, but I liked it. I would order it again. My wife ordered the APEROL SPRITZ Classic. This is a really light and refreshing cocktail. My wife and I haven't had anything quite like it. We both liked it and would order it again. They offered a nice little appetizer bar that had a variety of finger foods and appetizers to choose from. We both tried a little bit of everything and some things we liked and some things we weren't too fond of. But hey, it was free. It's probably all good, just depends on your palate and taste preferences. We didn't order anything from the menu this go around, but will the next time we return. The employees/staff were nice and polite. They aren't very talkative. The girl took our drink orders and brought them to us in a timely manner. This would have been a fun place to go while the Olympics were on. They did have a TV inside. They also have a patio area if you prefer sitting outside. read more

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My first time at Uncle Nicky's...looks like a neighborhood Italian joint. It's a small place with indoor and outdoor seating. They have the standard Italian fare along with sandwiches and other bites. I got there in time for the breakfast, so I had the breakfast sandwich. During the week you can get the breakfast sandwich and coffee for $8, quite a deal. The breakfast sandwich was on a Kiser roll and normally came with ham. I asked if I could substitute for turkey, and my request was granted. Huge kudos for this massive breakfast sandwich! Also, the cheese was melted. I can not tell you how many time I have ordered a sandwich cheese elsewhere even a melt and the cheese has not come out melted. The sandwich flavorful, hot and delicious. True confession...it was just a bit too much bread for me, yet quite a tasty sandwich. This was a bit amusing being an Italian restaurant and they were playing country music. Some tunes included: Where Hall All the Average People Gone, Devil Woman and Streets of Bakersfield. Definitely will be returning when I'm in that area... read more

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I got the roasted chicken Alfredo, which was $20 after tip and tax. The bowl was pretty small, which isn't a big deal, but I'm not exaggerating when I say it's one of the blandest pasta dishes I've ever tasted. The sauce was almost watery, and I had to season it myself. It wasn't salvageable. Not only that, the noodles (they used spaghetti) were overcooked and mushy, and they fell apart while I was moving my fork through the bowl. The chicken was bordering on tough, and it tasted like the frozen chicken from Costco. Positives: food came out quickly, there's parking in the front and around the back, and the patio looks like a nice place to sit with a group. read more

Wow this kale salad was so refreshing and tasty. The dressing was lemony with olive oil, so I assume, definitely worth the try if that hits your taste bugs! I added grilled chicken to it for my protein. Mind you this is the half portion, which worked out well for lunch. I imagine the full size is good for dinner and sharing with others. The server was very helpful in answering questions. I loved sitting outside under the umbrellas, the weather was nice. read more

Uncle Nicky's - Aperol Spritz and Kale E Tartufo - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

The best part of uncle Nicky's is the location for sure: nestled in a quaint, intimate corner of Hyde Park, the spot oozes neighborhood charm. We opted for outdoor seating, and indoors felt cramped. They have a bar and nice drink options. The food was just ok in my opinion. The pasta portion was quite small for the price. The sandwich bread was really squished and dense, I would've wanted it to be springier/more fresh. Service was quick, although it was relatively empty when we went. In summary: it's a good place for quaint vibes and a treat at Quack's afterwards. read more

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Pretty good! Definitely depends on the dish. I got the basil pasta the first time I went. It was okay. Today I got the rigatoni de la casa and it had a nice creamy flavor. The meatballs were the best. They were served in this delicious sauce that I could drink. The tiramisu was ok. It had a nice flavor, but the texture was firm/creamy and I prefer a more wet tiramisu. Would go back again. read more

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What's not to love? The food is incredible. The drinks are incredible. The service is incredible. It is very reminiscent of being at a small cafe located in an Italian village. I dig the little happy hour snack bar. When ordering, it is done at the counter (European-style) and the food/drinks are brought to your table. We sat inside but they have outdoor seating as well. I look forward to returning to this location. read more

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Stopped here on National Ice Cream day for discounted soft serve. I added chocolate espresso sauce and crushed cannoli shells, and it made it a very delicious treat! Great service and cute location that feels totally different from the South Lamar spot. We sat on their little enclosed patio on the side and enjoyed our ice cream. We'll be back! read more

Uncle Nicky's - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Ever since I saw a segment during the Milan Olympics about Italian Aperitivo Hour, I have wondered if there were an authentic Italian restaurants in Austin that have complimentary Italian snacks with purchase of a Aperitivo drink. I found that perfect place at Uncle Nicky's in Hyde Park. It's a quaint neighborhood eatery with both covered and uncovered outdoor seating. They have Aperitivo hour every day from 2-5pm. My husband and I decided to try something new and opted for typical Italian options. I had an Aperol Spritz and my husband ordered the Classic Negroni. We both enjoyed our cocktails and I found a tasty new, light drink for summer. The complimentary snacks included marinated artichoke hearts, olives, chickpeas and mozzarella as well as pasta salad and mortadella finger sandwiches with mayo. They were all flavorful and appetizing. Several other guests were ordering meals and all of the food we saw going by looked amazing. We didn't have time to stay for dinner, but definitely plan to visit Uncle Nicky's for a full meal soon. And I look forward to trying their other location on S. Lamar. read more

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I have neber been to the other location but this review is specifically about the Duval location Love all the food LOVE ALL THE DRINKS - great HH with free eats Brunch is perfect ! Got the meatballs- sauce is white meatball has no Seasoning sauce does all the heavy lifting and the bread does some of the work as well. Really good but could use just some season in the meatball Also the pane tostato - classico bread meat honey chili peppers soft cheese - salty sweet floral Really great bite if you eat the meat first salt bomb then cheese bread honey cream bomb oh so good Love the small quant vibe inside just a cool lil spot in a quiet lil neighborhood vibe. Parking right out front on the curb in the neighborhood- I used to use the lot but now it's a pay lot ? Idk skip that part if you can. read more

Came in here on a Monday night and was surprised by how empty it was. There were a couple of folks sitting in the little area in the front, but that was it. There was just one guy working behind the counter. No one else was there when I arrived. I waited a bit for a friend and still no one came through. We ended up sitting in their covered outside area since the weather was just right for it and it was incredibly warm inside, like definitely uncomfortable. Our food was brought out and Oh My GOODNESS the lasagna was delicious. There's no meat in it so it's a veggie safe option and it was so good. The portion size was substantial I couldn't eat my last two bites. My friend got the chicken alfredo and said her was good as well. She too didn't eat all of it and didn't think she had enough leftover to actually take back home with her. While we were eating more folks showed up and sat in the same area we did. It still wasn't the amount I would expect for such a solid restaurant. I'll definitely be back for sure. read more

Uncle Nicky's - Nice lasagna portion that was delicious and hot - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Went to happy hour at uncle Nicky's and wasn't too satisfied. We went because there is supposed to be a complimentary snack bar for those who get a drink during HH. When we got there, the entire snack bar was empty and they only refilled it after we asked twice. The drink itself was good (espresso martini). Might return to try the food on their menu read more

Uncle Nicky's - Happy hour - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

My husband and I decided on Uncle Nicky's for our anniversary lunch after much deliberation. We're both foodies so we tend to weigh the pros and cons of each restaurant option outing before reaching a final decision. Uncle Nicky's was a gamble, but I'm happy to report that it paid off. We were both very happy with the outcome. We had the three cheese fonduta and the caprese as appetizers, and shared a rigatoni as the main meal. We also ordered two coffees (one was on the house, offered by the barista when she learned it was our anniversary, nice!) and he had a negroni. I ordered the custard for dessert and he had the cannoli. Everything was very tasty and exceeded our expectations. The fonduta and the rigatoni especially were each a nice surprise, something we'd order again in a heartbeat. The caprese was fine, although I've had better and possibly even fresher mozzarella before - this one was a bit too firm, I think. The coffee was good and the custard was delish! My husband liked his drink but did mention that Mandola's cannolis are superior. You can't win them all... But overall this was a success, a very good meal. The ambiance is very laid back (my style) and the staff was beaming. That's always a plus! The bathrooms were clean (I remember when this very same location used to be the Italian coffee shop Dolce Vita a few years back... clean / working bathrooms were not guaranteed due to failing plumbing) and so was the restaurant, both the outdoor patio and the interior section. I think we'll be back, we had a good time, plus that rigatoni is calling my name, I can hear it miles away... read more

Uncle Nicky's - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you're looking for a relaxed spot for good coffee in Hyde Park, consider Uncle Nicky's. The light filled space was clean and inviting. Both indoor and outdoor seating were available. We enjoyed our coffee on the outdoor patio as it had air conditioning -- sooo nice as summer-like temps continue to stick around. A friendly server behind the counter made our hot bevs. Their coffee cake looked tasty so we had that, too. Lovely afternoon break! read more

Uncle Nicky's - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Since I ordered takeout I won't be able to comment about the in-restaurant service, but the two servers behind the counter were very friendly! I ordered the pane tostata and the rigatoni. The tostata was super good - the meat, cheese, and honey were such a good combination of sweet and salty. The rigatoni was good as well. I added some black pepper and chili flakes on my own which added a nice little kick. The only part I didn't like about the pasta were the artichokes. They were a little sour(?) and I'm not sure I've had artichokes before so I'm not sure if that's how they're supposed to taste or if they were just a little old. Overall, though, both dishes were solid. I didn't get the best look but the restaurant looked a little small inside, but there is an enclosed outdoor dining area too. There are a few parking spots in front and a parking lot in the back, but the lot does have signs instructing you to pay. read more

Uncle Nicky's - Pane tostata - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Cute place that has indoor and patio seating. We opted to sit at the counter, which was not an ideal location. Since you order at the counter and there is a single point of sale contact, the line tends to get long. Once you order, a number is given to you and you grab a seat anywhere. We chose this restaurant due to previous reviews, but apparently older information. They no longer have a happy hour option. Instead, there is an "Apertivo Hour" on the menu, but that wasn't valid either when we went. Instead it was an ice cream special, but I didn't see that anywhere. Regardless, we ordered an Aperol Spritz, which is the reason we went in the first place. The bubbly was flat, which didn't make the cocktail enjoyable. We also ordered meatballs and Clasico Pane Tostata. The meatballs were the highlight... and the bread dipped in the sauce was delicious. I would order that again. However, I don't know if I would go back again just for that as it got so busy and having to get up each time to order something was not ideal. It was a bit chaotic for us. It may be a better spot geared towards families with kids to grab a bite to eat and some ice cream. Not a relaxing cocktail vibe. Just a thought. The restaurant is small enough that table service might be a better option rather than counter ordering, especially if someone wants to keep their tab open... and if gratuity is involved. read more

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The server was so apathetic and borderline rude. We came for the apertivo hour specifically the Italian margarita. The frozen machine was down, so we couldn't get it. He begrudgingly told us he could make the drink but it would not be frozen. When we confirmed we'd take the drink, he charged us full price, I questioned it and he didn't adjust the price. Also, the menu was out of a lot of items. That information is easily shared before a patron orders. Just a disappointing visit. read more

Great location and overall ambiance. The prices are a little high, but the portions and quality are good. We got the meatballs in cream sauce and a Porchetta sandwich, and I would strongly recommend the Porchetta. The focaccia bread pairs really nicely with it, and it's one of the best versions of this dish that I have had. read more

Very good food with delightful counter service and indoor/outdoor seating. The Kale e Tartufo salad is fresh & simple, an easy pairing with heartier Italian dishes (note to kitchen - would recommend massaging in a touch more dressing for flavor & improved texture). A Classico Pane Tostata has spongy housemade focaccia topped with fresh ricotta and the best Prosciutto San Daniele then dressed with spicy/sweet honey and garden-fresh herbs. Loving it for a lighter lunch or alternative to pizza dinner. Uncle Nicky's Meatballs are incredibly rich in a white Masala sauce (a little heavy on the salt when I visited), but springy and moist with lots of toasted focaccia for dipping. Cute neighborhood hang spot for dining in or quick carry out! read more

Uncle Nicky's - Classico Pane Tostata, Kale salad, and Uncle Nicky's Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Dear God How could I miss this Gem! Perhaps my reluctance to not rehash the fact that Dulce Vita has closed has kept me away from this late night eatery nestled in the heart of Hyde Park. First and foremost the Ambiance is humble and quaint, reminds me of this lovely Restaurant/Cafe called Cafe Matisse in Dobie Mall 15 years ago. This simple Italian cafe is local, chill, and filled with amazing food and drinks. While the chairs and tabare basic, it's all it needs to be honest. Let's review The Must Haves! 1.) The Chicken Parmesan Sandwich! Perfectly toasted bread, balanced sauce, and tender chicken cutlet. 2.) The Mambo- I hereby nominate this sandwich as the best Italian Sandwich in Austin! 3.) The Spaghetti and Meatballs- Sauce has no meat, and the meatballs have a nice kick. It's fairly good given the price and the time you can get it. My only real criticism is that mine came with a sprig of rosemary in it. Please don't do that lol. But good either way. 4.) The chicken Alfredo. Very good! It's more like a carbonara with fried chicken. Ask for extra sauce it's good 5.) The cortado- honestly I sucked one of these down while waiting, very pleasant So is the Italian food gourmet and 5 star Michelin? Absolutely not. Is it yummy, filling, and delicious addition to any late night? Yeah it is. The staff was super lovely and the crowd was just a chill group of people. I recommend this place for any late night eats. Also they have a full bar! read more

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I was so excited to try this place because the reviews and photos are so good, but I ordered Uber Eats today and was really disappointed. The chicken alfredo was really bland, and the noodles were not the fettucine I was expecting. The chicken itself was very dry and also quite flavorless. I got the prosciutto ricotta toast, and that was quite nice. I really like the honey on top. I would definitely try Uncle Nicky's again because it seems like they have a lot of fans, so perhaps I ordered the wrong thing. read more

I met my cousin here for lunch since he loves Italian and we like trying new spots. It's in a great part of town next to Quack bakery and Antonelli cheese shop. I ordered the piadina which was cheesy and meaty with marinara dipping sauce. My cuz ordered the della casa which he thought sounded interesting but tasted delicious. He also got a salad. All of our food was fresh and scrumptious. We also ordered drinks which were amazing! I ordered the purple rain and I can't remember what he got but it looked fantastic. It's a pretty chill spot with Italian cafe vibes. The staff was nice and accommodating. read more

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Great quick and casual lunch spot with great drinks and food. Love that you can order at the counter and there is a cute patio! The meatballs, pasta and salad all were tasty. read more

Uncle Nicky's - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

The Aperitivo Happy Hour can't be beat! With the purchase of a drink, you get access to the complimentary snack bar. It's such a great spot to catch up with friends, and they have indoor and outdoor seating! The 4 stars is for the happy hour only, I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs here and was not impressed (the noodles were not al dente and the sauce tasted canned) The lil snacks however - amazing! This is the spot to go to to get your girl dinner fix read more

Food was surprisingly flavorful. Did not expect the food to be so full of flavor as it was. Service was quick and straight forward. Sat in the patio section, great time read more

I've been to uncle nickys a couple of times and have never been a super huge fan of the food. But I was excited to go for happy hour. We got there towards the end of the happy hour, and normally they have a complimentary appetizer set up for anyone who orders a cocktail but since we were there about 30 minutes before most of the food was gone. I ended up ordering a tea instead of a drink, and noticed that the tea for a really small cup of chamomile was the same price as a glass of wine. I think the happy hour is definitely worth checking out if you're getting drinks, but the coffee and tea is pretty overpriced in my mind. There's also limited parking and all of the neighboring businesses seem to have signs for towing if you park in them the only other option is a paid parking lot which feels ridiculous in Hyde Park. The vibes inside and the patio are really cute though, and I would highly recommend coming with a group of friends or even just alone to chill and read a book! read more

Uncle Nicky's - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Great food! with amazing customer service The food was amazing,had a little drink as well It was an amazing atmosphere and great music! Definitely will be coming back when we visit Austin read more

Uncle Nicky's - Spaghetti Drink sour cherry bomb - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

Only went here for quick coffee on a date night. It was good coffee and the place was busy but not overrun. Pizza smelled delicious! It was a very friendly and helpful staff that was there at the time we were. Menu is straightforward and easy to navigate. Definitely want to come back and try other menu options. read more

I came here for their second location opening and have to say that I thought the food was decently priced but nothing really stood out to me. We got the famous breakfast sandwich, pesto pasta, and vanilla custard with uncle Nicky's special. Everything was tasty but felt like it was missing something. The breakfast sandwich had good flavor but I wish the bun was toasted, just felt like what you could get at a late night food truck. The pesto pasta was kind of dry although the pesto tasted fresh and had a little zest in it. My favorite item was by far the vanilla custard with the Nutella and espresso topping. This was really delicious. I'd say come here for snacks and drinks but maybe not a full meal. read more

Uncle Nicky's - Vanilla custard - uncle Nicky's special - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The meatballs really stood out. Came for their everyday happy hour and I got the cheese plate, meatballs and caperse. For the value it was great, their entrees/ sandwiches were okay. Service wasn't out of this world especially when you tip before the service. The area and inside is cute, I would sit outside since inside there's something in the air that makes your eyes watery. read more

Uncle Nicky's - The Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

I have been Jonesing for a good simple Italian restaurant forever. I just happened to notice this place driving by today so I popped in. Best move. I've made in a long time! Of course I had to order the lasagna with a side of focaccia bread. I also ordered one of the house spritzers . This is definitely the best lasagna I have had in many years. It ticked off every box; overflowing with delicious mozzarella cheese, packed with succulent Italian sauce, and smooth, creamy ricotta cheese, it really doesn't get better than this! Also, during happy hour they have a free Meze collection to enjoy with your cocktail, this takes me back to the good old days in Greece. Definitely an excellent five star restaurant experience, I will definitely be coming back. read more

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My friends and I came to Uncle Nicky's for lunch this week. First, I was surprised to find Uncle Nicky's wasn't terribly big, but it was a super cute spot. I loved the bright, natural light. Next, the service for our meal was great. Suzy took our order and got everything right. She was very friendly and helpful as we made our decisions as well. Now, on to the food/drinks. I got the Sunset Spritz cocktail which I highly recommend. The three of us pretty much split the food. We had the Fonduta, Cesar Salad, Chicken Alfredo, Mambo sandwich, and a cannoli. The Fonduta we really tasty. It's like the Italian version of queso fundido with red chili paste, pesto, and a raw egg. It went great with the foccacia. The Cesar and Alfredo complemented each other nicely. I didn't feel either the salad or the pasta was over dressed. While I didn't get a bite of the Mambo sandwich, it sure did look good. Finally, the cannoli was great. The shell was nice and crunchy and was perfectly filled with cream. I look forward to coming back to try more items on the menu. read more

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We came for the $7 aperol spritzes and pasta but was only able to order one of those things...... Me and a group of friends came at 4:30pm on a Saturday to celebrate a friend's birthday. Happy hour was great with aperol spritzes and a $10 cheese board, but when we went to go order pasta at 6pm we were informed that they only had 2 out of 6 pastas available and they were not going to be taking any orders for at least 30 minutes. This was quite frustrating as neither the menu, or capacity of the restaurant are big so I was not expecting this. We ended up having to wait over an hour to place our food order (let alone receive our food), and by this time we had resorted to eating dessert first. The gelato was good (but not as good as Mandola's in my opinion). In summary - what I had (aka the spritz, cheese board, and gelato) was great, but what I couldn't order because the kitchen stopped taking orders at 6pm on a Saturday was very frustrating. I would also not recommend this spot for big groups. All except for a few tables are 2 seaters. Most of the seating is outdoors, and while they do have a few heat lamps, it is not well temperature controlled. I would definitely go back for the $7 happy hour spritz, but with the understanding that I may have to restaurant hop in order to get an entrée. I would also say this is a good spot in Hyde Park for a first date! read more

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Aaahh!! We're still here, we haven't even finished our food, and I could not wait to write this review!! We came for the happy hour (2-5pm) and were pleasantly surprised at the variety of options here. They have a full bar, breakfast all day, coffee, sandwiches, pasta, salads, desserts, and a free happy hour snack spread when you purchase a cocktail! We ordered the porchetta sando, the happy hour meatballs, a cocktail, and the frittata. With a grand total of $48 including tip - we were extremely enthusiastic. We started out with the happy hour spread: Marcona almonds, cucumber finger sandwiches, marinated artichoke hearts - just a fun little beginning to happy hour. A little tea sandwich and charcuterie moment. We waited a mere 10 minutes and our food was here! Holy moly was everything so delicious!!! The porchetta was insanely flavorful, the meatballs were savory but not too heavy, the frittata was light and simple but so yummy. This is one of the best happy hours we've been to recently. My partner and I always rate our foodie experience and this one scored a well deserved 9.5 for us. Leaving now, so satisfied and we cannot wait to come back to try more of the menu! :) read more

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Super fast and friendly service, I had the turkey pesto sandwich and my boyfriend had the chicken Alfredo. Both were amazing! I wish my sandwich had a bit more pesto but despite that, it was so delicious. The turkey and veggies were so fresh. The chicken alfredo pasta was buttery and hot and some of the best I've ever had. The Caesar salads were tasty! read more

Uncle Nicky's - Turkey Pesto Sandwich, Chicken Alfredo Pasta, Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - Austin, Texas

quaint lovely north austin Italian place. authentic Italian food, great service and a cute indoor and outdoor seating area. We have been here a few times since this location opened (I miss the east austin location!!) and I'm never disappointed. 2 sodas, an appetizer, a sandwich and a pasta for less than $50. A lovely date night spot with wonderful vibes. A very lowkey date night! read more

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I didn't expect it to be an order at the counter type of place but that wasn't a problem at all! There was plenty of seating - just the pasta was super oily, nearly soupy which just wasn't for me read more

Is it a cafe? A bar? A sit down restaurant? Kind of hard to figure this place out. Went in there for lunch on a weekend and the place was empty. Got an (unwarmed) croissant for my kid but I was hungry so tried the rigatoni that can only be described as mid (kind of like when you make pasta with whatever you have in the pantry? Tasted like canned goods.) Wasn't bad but I can't think of a reason to go back. read more

One of my favorite spots in the city. Very casual, very delicious, very great vibes. One our most recent visit, we got: -breakfast italiano - the focaccia is scrumptious -ricotta pancakes - these mini boys are SO GOOD -breakfast sandwich - Taylor ham, SPK, good in theory but I prefer this set up on a bagel sandwich! read more

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The service was good but food was un-eatible. The appetizer was dry, drink was not mixed (not drinkable), roast beef sandwich was just bad. Chicken parm sandwich was much better then the beef sandwich. The tables was dirty, ac leaking. Bad experience. read more