Restivo Ristorante

“This food is real Italian food.Their Prix Fix lunch menu is one of the best deals in Chelsea.”

“My excellent, friendly waiter Jose, recommended the red wine which was the perfect complement to my unexpected "heavenly" dinner.”

“The 1/2 carafe of house pinot grigio is REALLY good, I highly recommend it. 🙂

The decor is a bit old and dated, but the food is good, so go give it a try!”

Restivo Ristorante

Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes

Price range.

$$ Price range $11-30

8 reviews

  1. I have to say, I was disappointed.   Co-workers who ate here the week before raved about the food, especially the lobster crab cakes and I really don't know why.   They are all from other parts of the U.S so perhaps they just don't know what really good Italian is.

    I had a caesar salad which was good but the crab cakes were nothing to write home about.  I wish I'd tried one of the other entrees as they looked like better choices than mine.

    Restivos is definitely not a bad restaurant but there's nothing special about it either.     I'll try somewhere else next time I am in Chelsea.

  2. The food was OK- they should have toasted the bread.
    Atmosphere's alright, go somewhere else for brunch instead.
    They tried to seem fancy, but it was a bit of a show-
    Just wanted to write a review and let you guys know!

  3. Actually, I had a great time here. Didn't have any of the food, so I can't speak to that, but we did have a few of their mixed cocktails. Tasty, not too sweet, and the Bartender was incredibly friendly. Don't know if I'd go back; not a huge fan of Italian food, but if I'm looking for moderately priced drinks ($10-$12) and free condoms, you could do worse!

  4. The outdoor, cafe style seating is a great touch for the warmer weather. While the food was tasty, the servers were a little slow and negligent. Other than that, I would not hesitate to come back again. Plus, great prices doe NYC.

  5. Nice enough place for lunch and inexpensive at $9.95 – limited selections.  Today I had the lentil soup (quite nice) followed by spaghetti bolognese (good).  It was not traditional bolognese which would be served with  tagliatelle but a good Italian-American version. Bread could be better but came with a small plate of olives and olive oil.  I thought the olives were very nice. A glass of the house red wine was no bargain at $8.50.

    Decor is green and white which is echoed by the staff uniforms of green shirts and khaki slacks. The place looks rather dated and would benefit from some redecorating. Linens on the tables; background music was set low – American contemporary pop.

    The front of house manager spent too much time in personal conversations and on the phone but my waiter was attentive and professional.

    Decent place for an office lunch but I would not bring a client.  Someone suggested this as a date night place – I don't think so.  Price value is OK.

  6. I LOVE this place, why? I finished a MIMOSA!!! My second alcoholic drink that I've ever finished. Unfortunately, this was the only place where I can finish a MImosa 🙁
    I went there with my friend on a weekday for brunch. Love the carrot puree. I believe i ordered the … omelet with salmon and cream cheese? I tried my friend's drink; bloody mary, did not like it 😡
    I must say, out of all the places I've been to for brunch, this was the cheapest place to go to that comes with a drink! Soup, entree and a drink, for just $11.95 !!! Come on!

  7. Three stars for the food, but I'm subtracting a star for the prices.

    The food is nothing mind blowing, and nothing new. They serve standard, reliable dishes. I've tried the lobster crab cakes, and the shrimp scampi. Both were tasty, but I didn't go home craving more. Also, not really too much value. I don't mind spending $$ on a good meal, but I'm not spending for mediocrity.

    There's so many good Italian restaurants in NYC that provide the old standards along with new dishes at a lesser price.

    Overall, a very average restaurant with average food.

  8. One of your best bets for a bite to eat before an event at MSG; any closer to the venue and your sit-down options are limited to sub-par Irish pubs and sport bars. Restivo was cheerfully decorated for the holidays when I was there for dinner, and its small, warm, low-lit darkly-painted space felt cozy rather than cramped. The calamari fritti were perfect, and the farfalle con (lots of ) salmone were served in a great tomato sauce. Service was attentive.

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Monday, 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Tuesday, 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Wednesday, 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Thursday, 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Friday, 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Saturday, 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Sunday, 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm