Da Nico Ristorante
“Complimentary fresh foccacia bruscetta appetizer, generous entree portions, and fresh zeppolis for dessert.”
“Came here years ago as a tourist to the city (hence being in Little Italy) and enjoyed a wonderful lunch in their huge outdoor patio area.”
“We orders Involtini Di Melanzane, Spaghetti and Meatballs, and Rigatoni alla Vodka.”
Da Nico Ristorante
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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My sister wanted to go here because it was one of the restaurants in the area that do Open Table. But after eating here, I'm nonplussed. A restaurant in Little Italy that didn't really live up to any expectation of its locale…pretty sad if you ask me.
We were seated towards the back of the restaurant, where it was virtually empty except for a single diner finishing paying. The table next to us hadn't been cleaned from its previous guests and remained uncleaned for the next 10-15 minutes, despite the restaurant being empty. That was the first flag that it was rather off to me.
When the waiter put the bread and olive oil and vinegar, he must have forgotten to make sure he wasn't putting empty things on the table. The oil was completely empty, which was a shame because after walking for more than an hour in the heat, we kinda scarfed down the bread anyway. It would have been nice to have the oil to go with it. When we were able to get his attention, he filled it promptly. But at that time we had finished the basket.
We let my sister do the ordering and she ordered fried calamari and two pizzas, a fiesta pie and an anchovy pie. She did this while I was in the bathroom, but half of our group were not fans of anchovies (including me), so that's on her. And if she reads my review, which she might, she still won't care. While I didn't enjoy the anchovies, I did like the capers on the pie. The fiesta was just alright as well. I was also the odd one out on the calamari, not really enjoying that either. The battering lacked flavor.
What really nailed my dissatisfaction was the little zeppole at the end. Wouldn't you be surprised when you get a dish of zeppole at the end of the meal unexpectantly? Right?? Well, my excitement vanished quickly after biting into one. These weren't fresh at all. They were room temperature and stale.
Remember that lonely diner I mentioned before? She had been talking to the waiter about the large plate of zeppole brought out to her because she was only one person and it was going to go to waste. She was pretty sad about that, and it's true, wasted food is very sad. The waiter took the entire plate off her table, and I have a hunch he brought that same plate to us at the end of our meal. Why else would the zeppole be stale and cold? I try to give every restaurant the benefit of the doubt, but there were just too many pieces to this puzzle that spelled out a different story for me.
My hubby and I always try to do the Little Italy stop whenever we go to NYC, and decided this time around to forgo our normal stop at Vincent's and try out a new place. We stumbled upon Da Nico, but when we walked upon it were a bit sad to see their outdoor seating was minimal….HOWEVER WE WERE HUGELY MISTAKEN because this little gem has a hidden garden. We checked in with the host and he graciously took us through the restaurant and out the back door and voila! (imagine hearing angels singing and sun rays lighting the way) he sat us at a charming table in their back courtyard area, full of mature Sycamore trees, twinkle lights, and cute red umbrellas at every table. It was a late summer evening and the air was light. We couldn't be happier. Until we got our food. My husband is always on the search for the perfect penne a la vodka, and he got just that! 4 months later and he's still raving, and craving, for his new favorite dish. I got their black linguine with vodka sauce and lobster. OH. MY. FREAKING. GOODNESS! It was the best pasta dish I've had in a while and I too am still craving it 4 months later. NOTE: We did go back once again in October, and although our meals were still just as heavenly I will say I was very sad to learn that my dish from that lovely summer evening was a "special" and wasn't on the regular menu. Sad sad sad. If I could say anything, I'm pleading with the chef to put this on a regular rotation. Also, they have amazing bruschetta served in the form of a pizza and at the end of your dinner, even if you don't order dessert, they bring you a lovely plate of fresh fruit and fried dough that melt in your mouth. Counting the days until we return.n
Came here with a couple of friends that were in town visiting who said that the service and the food was phenomenal. To me, it wasn't anything special. I will say that they have a cute outdoor seating area in the back with lights and trees that I was pleasantly surprised by. The service was just alright. We had to ask for a basket of bread when every other table around us automatically got one. Our food came out fairly quickly; maybe 10-15 minutes after we ordered. I was disappointed by the waiter who was eager to refill our soda glasses; come to find out they charge for refills so beware. I ordered the gnocchi with pesto and added chicken for $24; just alright. The portion sizes are fairly large through so everyone at the table had leftovers. The zeppoles as a free dessert were a nice touch. Overall, if you're looking for authentic Italian food, I would give this place a B. Have yet to find an Italian place in NYC better than restaurants in the North End of Boston or on Arthur Ave in the Bronx.
Wonderful. Seriously with all the little Italian restaurants located in the ever shrinking Little Italy where my grandparents lived on Mulberry Street, I am glad we came across this jewel.
It was the St. Gennaro Feast after all and we could have opted for strictly street eating but I was with my two favorite girls and wanted to sit and chat with them before walking around.
We were lead to the back garden area, it was a perfect night for it. We each had something in mind to eat. The linguini and clams was packed with vongole clams, most delicious, the veal was also superb and let's not forget the orecchiette, broccoli rabe and sausage. Everything was mouth watering. Dessert we were heading street bound but next time I'm here visiting friends, we will be back.
Amazing! My parents are in town and wanted to go to Little Italy for dinner – after trying a few places and being turned away for not having reservations we ended up here. Let me say I'm happy we did!
Service was great and quick, we were seated immediately and enjoyed an awesome meal. I ordered the spiral pasta with olives, mozzarella, and tomato. I will be dreaming of this pasta for months!
We tried the cheesecake and cannoli for dessert not knowing that they bring out complimentary zeppoles too. We were very full and happy campers by the end of the night.
Definitely worth the stop – you won't regret it!
Stopped by here with my sister after our stroll in Soho. We perused the menu that they had on display before entering and saw that the prices were decent.
As we stepped inside the restaurant we saw only a few tables and the person who greeted us had wanted to seat us at a four person table right near the door. But the gentleman standing at the bar ushered us to the back of the restaurant instead where there was a bigger room with more tables. Although it was lunch it was a full house.
The decor was amazing. Everything down to the deep voiced Italian waiter was perfection and really made me feel as if I was in Italy.
The menu was simple and to the point, so I ordered the Chicken Picatta and my sister opted for the Fettuccine Alfredo. As we waited two small rolls of cold bread were given to us with butter. Surprisingly they were still soft when we broke into them.
When the main course arrived I received my chicken on a different plate on its own with the spaghetti on the side. The chicken and the sauce had a bit more lemon than expected and the spaghetti sauce was also more on the saltier side which kept me reaching for my water but I still enjoyed it and even used my unfinished bread to dip in the leftover lemon sauce from the chicken.
My first time trying authentic Italian food was a good one.
I literally just came back from Da Nico's as I type this review. Located right in the heart of Little Italy here in New York, it is exactly the type of restaurant you would picture for a Godfather movie. It literally has that old New York meets Italian first generation feel to it. Anyway, onto the great food!
Everything on the menu sounded so good, so I actually ended up ordering two pastas. Yes, that's right, I came to EAT!. My first pasta was the Linguine with Clams (the white wine version) and OMG it was heaven. It had the right balance of sweetness, salt and garlic that a good Linguine Vongole is supposed to have. My second pasta was the Tortellini Romagnola, which is a cheese filled tortellini with proscuitto and mushrooms served in a cream sauce. I didn't think anything would top the Linguine with Clams, but I was wrong, the Tortellini was even better! The pasta was cooked just right, and the alfredo sauce was soooo creamy and rich.
Definitely give Da Nico a visit, you will love it and keep coming back for more!
In my opinion, Da Nico gets a bad rap. Is it the finest Italian restaurant in all of New York City? No, it's not. Is it good? Yes. Is it a good option if you want to eat in Little Italy? Absolutely. The restaurant itself is lovely, and the outdoor patio is fabulous for dining when the weather allows. I've been to Da Nico numerous times over the past 15 or so years and have never had a bad experience. The service is always on point. Attentive without being overbearing. The meal is always served with proper timing, allowing just enough time in between courses. Complementary bread is always served before the meal. The meal is typically ended with complementary fried Italian donuts. I've enjoyed everything I've ever tried here – salads, manicotti, chicken parmesan, gnocchi, etc. The pizza is good – but it's not NYC style. The crust is very soft delicate and the tomato sauce is sweet and flavorful.