Isle of Capri
“It has red walls and traditional Italian fixtures that scream old school, family Italian.”
“Last minute reservation very early on NYE so we were right down in the bowels of the restaurant – an adventure just getting to your seat.”
“The classics like lasagna and spaghetti are a definite must.”
Isle of Capri
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Capri is an exceptionally large, and beautifully decorated old-school Italian American. It harkens to the days when the Upper East Side was a dining destination. The decorations are so uber charming and ornate inside- it is MUSEUM like. Sitting by the window with attentive waiters it is a nice place to eat. Is it a good place to eat?
The bread was not fresh- it was warmed, but not fresh- so that started off my meal. I had the Grissini from Torino instead- ok. The baked clams($11) were good, but the sauce was a little Undergarlicked…..and oily. The redeeming part of the meal was the housemade Linguine Carbonara($15.75)- butter, egg yolks, parmesan & pancetta- oh my…it is what it is!
Little cookies come at the end of the meal, and they gave me an extra serving. Nice!
From the food to the service everything at Isle of Capri was perfect! My friends and I stumbled upon this restaurant while having a lovely day in the city. We were greeted warmly by the staff and even though we did not have reservations for a Saturday night, they were more than accommodating. Everyone's dish at our table (chicken parm, chicken bolognese, manicotti, and angel hair pasta with veggies) was delicious, and the complimentary cookies at the end was a nice touch. After paying the bill, our waiter offered us a complimentary Limoncello. We had a great time AND a great dinner at Isle of Capri. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone and anyone!
Restaurants like this are the reason why my Italian Stallion husband doesn't like to go out for Italian food!
We have been wanting to try Isle of Capri for a while. On many trips to Bloomingdales, we have walked past this restaurant and admired its kitschy Italian decor. When we checked the Yelp reviews, they were very positivie. We tried to walk-in one night before a show but was told there was a 90 minute wait. That definitely piqued our interest.
Yesterday afternoon we made a same day reservation for dinner. The heavy Italian accented maitre de was friendly but when he kept mispronouncing my very Italian last name (named after a region of Italy) that should have been a hint.
We arrived on time for our reservation and was shown to our table pretty quickly. In the entry way, they had a half wheel of parmigiano cheese that the waiters would frequently dig fresh pieces out for appetizers – pretty good start!
After we were seated, we were given our menus and the bread basket which was disappointing. It consisted of semi-toasted Italian bread and a packet of thin breadsticks.
We also couldn't help but noticed that most of the people there were regulars and members of the UES blue haired set. That being said, there are several other establishments on the UES that have the same clientele and are terrific!
We ordered the following:
– 2 glasses of Prosecco – good and filled to the tippy top of the flute
– Shrimp Cocktail – very good and fresh
– Beef Carpaccio – terrible! It looked like roast beef and tasted like roast beef. We aren't even talking about superior roast beef, more like supermarket lunch meat.
The hubby (who attended culinary school) said the beef should be sliced and pounded just prior to serving. This almost had a refrigerator taste and was very dry. The beef should have a little peppery arugula, thin slices of parmigiano cheese and aged balsamic vinegar on top of it. This was served like you would get a steak salad (steak on top). There were several slices of beef on top of a pile of (not peppery) arugula and several huge pieces of cheese. It was served with cruets of oil and (not aged) balsamic vinegar.
– Linguini with white claim sauce – no flavor at all
– Linguini with carbonara sauce – needed a lot of pepper and tasted more like alfredo with small pieces of Boars Head ham (instead of seared pancetta). In the pictures, you can see how the sauce isn't fresh and had an almost congealed look to it. It was way too heavy.
To add insult to injury, our Saturday night dinner was over in 30 minutes. Seriously, 30 minutes from seating to check.
Next time I go to Bloomingdales, no more peeks into this kitschy Italian restaurant. I will just keep walking.
The pasta is the star of the show. The classics like lasagna and spaghetti are a definite must. I had food envy all night because a fellow diner ordered the carbonara. It was absolutely scrumptious and I would lick up every bite of her plate if I could. I had ordered the green and white pasta with pancetta and peas. The peas were undercooked and just eh. The pasta and sauce was cooked perfectly. It was homemade pasta and it has that nice bite to it. The portions here are huge..I think family style would be the smarter way to order. The service was friendly but not overbearing. It's a gem.
Always wanted to try this place for years !!!Came in this afternoon , wanted something good. The place looks a little outdated but it seems busy all the time. Order some appetizers to give it a try, staring with the Cipriano salad, Portabello with olive oil and garlic and the Baked Clams, really nothing special. The Portabello was perfectly cooked but bland. The oyster looked poor and they were so insignificant that left me wanting something else.
Now coming down to the service, The waiter was attentive, courteous, and he make sure we were care for. Not sure if am coming back is a I will SEE. Lolz. Not my favorite. Sad is so close to my job, would have been there more often for sure.
Oh man, 2 words… Chicken Parm.
The rest of the dinner was a blur, a good blur
I'm glad I stopped in. Service was just as good.
The family was as beautiful as they were gracious. Just a great meal and time!
I enjoyed Isle of Capri. The inside of the restaurant reminds me of a train-car and I liked how quiet and intimate it is inside the restaurant.
My boyfriend and I met my boyfriend's cousin here for dinner on a Monday evening. We had a reservation for 6:30pm, but we probably could have done without. We were seated right away and were asked three different times by three different people if we'd like water before it was actually brought out (we thought it was funny).
Everyone in our party ordered a different pasta dish (I ordered Spaghetti) and we seemed to enjoy them since we all pretty much ate all of our food. They did bring out bread before the main course was brought out and the bread was hot and fresh. I also ordered a glass of Merlot, which hit the spot with the pasta dish.
I think that the service here was helpful and nice for the most part. Prices were on par with the location — most dishes were about $15-20 each and wine was about $10 a glass.
I'd come come here again next time I'm in the city and am craving Italian.
Cheers!
In memoriam.
The picture of Angelo L. Schiavetta glancing ever so tenderly at the entering patrons of Isle of Capri reminded me that life is full of bittersweet moments. Mr. Angelo, as I affectionately knew him, would no longer escort me to my favorite table nor promptly summon up a courtesy plate of cheese and mixed pickled vegetables. After 45 years of managing one of my favorite restaurants his spirit lives on within the staff that served loyally alongside him and within the very walls of this Upper East Side institution.
Upon learning of Mr. Angelo's passing my appetite quickly vanished. But I thought to myself that a meal of spaghetti Bolognose, and a nice bottle of Chianti would serve as my own private memorial to a man I knew so little about but that made me feel as I though I were family. This is the art of the true restaurateur.
Consistently good, rustic Italian food, is half what Isle of Capri is about. The other half is service and true to form they delivered splendidly on both. Mr. Angelo I will miss you but there's some sweetness in this otherwise bitter moment that your life's work continuous on.