Bamonte’s
“Have u wondered what it would be like to eat at one a Classic old-school authentic Italian joint depicted in the movies..”
“If I had to recommend a dish, without a doubt it would be their Seafood Fra Diavolo, probably the best I've ever had.”
“We were looking for a classic, authentic Italian restaurant in Brooklyn and stumbled across Bamonte's. When we got there, it was like being in a mob movie, so we were off to a good start.”
Bamonte’s
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Bamonte's is clearly thriving on its old school charm, which is about all it has going for it. Food and service is completely underwhelming and below average.
Baked clams oreganato: overcooked and lacking flavor. Entirely too much bread crumbs.
Homemade ravioli: nice red sauce but the ravioli was overcooked and mushy.
Vegetable of the day was green beans and garlic… horribly overcooked. The potatoes were good.
Our server was good in the beginning but after bringing the entrees we never saw him again. Tiny water glasses were never refilled without asking. We had to flag them down to order drinks and ask for water. No sugar was brought with our espresso and again, we had to flag them down. Sat there for 10 minutes after espresso and desert waiting for the check. I appreciate not being bothered but the lack of attention was beyond that. The hostess saw me looking around and asked if we needed anything. Yes, the check. Check came and I put the card down, only to wait another 10 minutes for it to be taken.
Making History Since 1900
I can just stop the review now as having a business open for 115 year is on a whole nother level, but let me break it down.
Atmosphere – as old school as it gets (you are in a mob movie)
Food – classic italian selection and large portions (nap time after)
Service – a bit slow but that's because the staff has been here for ever and are a bit older (they get a pass)
Location – hidden in Williamsburg on a residential street (one of the few non hipster things in the area)
I tried the calamari, seafood fra diavolo with clams, mussels, shrimp, and pasta, and chicken francese. All of the food was rich and made just right.
Good vibe here. I ordered the Baked clams and ate them faster than I could have ordered them. I should have ordered two plates of them because I could have easily gobbled down 3 servings. I took a bite of a stuffed mushroom(I hate mushrooms) that my lady ordered and the stuffing was tasty. I ordered the manicotti and it was decent. I think there are like several specific things that you need to order in here to get the best taste(from what I am reading the chicken parm is one of them)..I noticed a lot of people eating muscles and maybe next time we will order them. Great gem in Williamsburg for sure.
Braved the Mothers Day traffic and drove to Williamsburg Brooklyn to have a great family dinner at Bamonte's Italian Restaurant. After an hour trek we pulled up to the valet who took the chariot and parked it in the corral next to the restaurant….a great service on a busy holiday. We entered to a full house with a 6:30 rezzy and were pleased to be seated in about 5 minutes!! We were served by our stalwart waiter; Mario who has taken care of us as far back as I can remember…35 years +++. Eating here is like a large family gathering…lots of banter and good food passing on all sides.
We started with a super large bottle of maltapuciano de Abruzzo red wine that is great for swigging when eating southern Italian fare. Our favorite appys are the Zuppa de Clams and today an Stuffed Artichoke….They brought our garlic bread…loaded with garlic and delicious to sop up the Zuppa sauce…its that good! Next we got Cappelini with Clam Sauce…two for 3 ppl and there is nothing to compare with the taste…its addictive and we always order it.
The mains were also great; Veal Valdostana in a madera wine sauce. Shrimp Parm…always a favorite and delicious and I had Eggplant Rollatini. Honestly, cant remember the other dishes, was too far gone celebrating Mothers Day. Mario saved us a Blueberry Pie for dessert. Can t say enough except to say order it! We of course had coffee with Anthony offering after dinner cocktails to us all.
We all left full and happy we celebrated Mothers Day in such a festive atmosphere! We will probably return for Fathers Day!!
I have been coming here for over 15 years. This is by far my favorite Italian restaurant. The movie industry also seems to think so too! Because currently blue bloods (Jerry's) and Gotham (used the real name) are using it for frequent scenes on their episodes. My favorite dishes are the baked clams, the sautéed escarole and usually something off their specials menu. I love the chicken francese but I also enjoy their chicken with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes in garlic and wine sauce. It only offered on the specials menu. All entrees come with a side of sautéed escarole and potatoes. If you ask nicely they also give you spicy peppers. This is something only known by the patrons who have been coming here for ages. I don't see them put it out anymore unless you ask. Ask for deasel who is there on weekends and the best bartender! To drink I usually order Pinot Grigio which goes nicely with my meal to come. They have their own valet so you don't have to go hunting for a spot. In July they have he lady of mt Carmel feast. I try to go with mom each year. Block party with no traffic, live music, eat from the vendors some apps and head over to bamontes which is down the block for drinks and dinner. They also opened a hotel (Joliet) two years ago. So if you want an unforgettable evening and a place to stay After that's right next door. Why not. Cheers!
While the food here is very good, you go to Bamonte's for the atmosphere and the vibe. Having been around since 1900, I wouldn't be surprised if Bamonte's interior has been left unchanged since its first days. The waiters wear suits, gold chandeliers decorate the ceilings, and signed photos cover the walls. Bamonte's is a place of NYC lore, dinnertime deals, and many a good movie and TV show. Just sitting there today felt like an honor. Old school places like these are my favorite type of restaurants and one of the many reasons I love New York so much.
Now to the food! My friend and I started with the fried zucchini and baked clams. While the latter were quite tasty, I loved the zucchini. The breading was crispy, but light (never drowning out the zucchini), and their red sauce tastes vibrant and fresh. For my entree, I went with the veal marsala. The sauce was nice and rich, only bolstered by the mushrooms. (Finding tasty, properly cooked mushrooms is harder than you might think.) I also enjoyed the string beans and roasted potatoes on the side. Both well prepared, if not groundbreaking.
Best of all, the entire staff is incredibly friendly and warm. If you want a taste of old New York and classic Brooklyn hospitality, it's hard to do better than Bamonte's.
After visiting my sister in NYC for going on 18 years, Christmas Eve marked our first time checking out the famous Bamonte's of Williamsburg.
I was excited to visit Bamonte's, first because of the reviews that accurately describe the mob-stalgic feel of the place –in fact, my sister mentioned at dinner that the open view kitchen allowed the big boss to carefully watch his food being prepared…hmmm! We made a reservation several weeks ahead of time, and they were flexible when our party of 6 with one child ran late.
The restaurant was bustling with food, wine, and overall Christmas Eve merriment – a memory I'll gladly savor!
The waiters wore their fancy jackets and courteously served my family and I with plates, and plates full of traditional Italian-American fare. For appetizers, we had mussels, prosciutto with melon, stuffed mushrooms, and calamari. The highlights for me were the calamari, that was breaded and fried crisply and light, with a lovely marinara sauce. The mussels were a hit – perfectly steamed with a delicious and utterly garlic broth!
My husband and I shared entrees – the linguini with white clam sauce and the pork chop parmigiana. The pork-chop was an utter mouthwatering delight – perfectly battered and broiled with a healthy dose of melted cheese and red sauce. I could see the many slivers of garlic just calling my name…"Lidiiiii you know you waaaannnt meeeee!" Agh, awesome!!! Anyway, the linguini with white clam sauce was also a huge hit, and we had plenty leftover for a midnight snack and breakfast. We did not do dessert, but next time we're gonna definitely going to take them up on it.
Overall, Bamonte's is perfect for a loud Mexican family like mine, or any group, large or small, that is cool with a fast-paced and classic NYC dining experience. Service is great, flavored are classic, and I can't wait to go back!
I feel like I'm insulting somebody's grandparents writing this (and I know I am), but this place is pretty terrible by modern New York food and service standards.
My boyfriend and I came here looking for an "old school" Italian American experience and they definitely delivered on that aspect. Everyone is like family; they all know each other, people look like they've been working there for 30 years. A guest of the restaurant even started belting out an opera song right in the middle of nowhere. It was odd AF, hilarious and charming all at once.
Made a 730 res, were told it would be 10 mins; after 35 mins got the worst table in the house (two-top seated right at the mouth of the LOUDEST most ridiculous fluorescent-lit kitchen I'd seen in de ages) and asked politely if we could be reseated. The hostess said no, it would be 45 minutes; other bigger tables were reserved for larger parties. I said OK, sat there for a few while one bus boy was getting ice next to my ear and another was slamming down condiments next to my other ear and told our server I was really sorry but we needed another table. My boyfriend's reflection was bright white from the fluorescent lights, I couldn't hear him, and the only thing he could see from his seat was into the kitchen. Hostess comes over and argues with me that it's not a bad table, "people love sitting here!" (Yeah okay!) and we don't get seated again until about 830, a full hour after our reservation time, and it was at one of the same larger tables she refused to give me at first. I also think she gossiped about me to the bartender because he refused to make eye contact after that. For awhile I thought we were just blacklisted and I started looking up other restaurants nearby.
The food… Not good. I wanted old school spaghetti and meatballs and it was somewhat nostalgic but also tasted kind of like cafeteria food. No flavor; cheap, chunky meat sauce. I covered it in Parmesan cheese and salt to make it palatable. See pic.
My boyfriend got rigatoni with sausage and broccoli rabe. He described it as "pretty straightforward" (he's way nicer than me obviously) and when I tasted it I laughed. It was literally plain pasta, chopped up sausage and steamed broccoli with no seasoning or flavor. Oh, and they didn't really drain the broccoli or pasta because once he ate through part of it, it revealed a watery "soup" underneath (see pic; def not intentional).
I vowed I would maybe come back with my parents (they appreciate Italian American cuisine, old-school NY experiences and the like) but ONLY for entertainment value. I would never recommend this place to friends or anyone looking for a serious dining experience.