Sauce
“I can't say whether it'll be noisy at night or crazy packed but I can say that for a relaxing, late morning brunch, this place is a good choice.”
“Frank and Lil Frankie's. This third addition to the LES is just what everyone needed.”
“We ordered the garlic bread, burrata cheese and tomatoes (came with a nice side of spinach tossed in a olive oil/vinegar dressing).”
Sauce
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Sauce is under new management and invited me and boyfriend to give Sauce another try. We really enjoyed ourselves! The staff was attentive and the quality of food was much better than last time.
We started with the mozzarella caprese salad – the tomato was juicy and ripe and the basil added a great fresh flavor. Skip the garlic bread and get the crostini stracchino — melted cheese on bread. Yum!!!
The kale gnocchi w marinara was very flavorful – I would highly recommend getting it with sausage. My boyfriend had the fungi pappardelle and that was my favorite dish of the night. It was light and the texture of the mushroom and pasta meshed perfectly.
We finished off the meal with the panna cotta with pistachio and they are heavy handed with the delicious chocolate sauce they pour on top.
The phrase 'awesome sauce' could be used to aptly describe this restaurant.
Similar to the sister restaurant Lil Frankies, this spot serves quaint italian food, large on portions and glasses of wine. I find it hard to go out and find a decent menu with affordable wine options, but this place satisfies that need nicely. They have outdoor seating and their corner is not terribly noisy, so if you have the option, dine al fresco.
The bar circles around the kitchen which features a massive stainless steel pot full of sauce. We tried the following:
The plank – they come to the table and prepare this polenta and beef concoction. They say it serves 2 but I think as a starter it easily serves at least. Beautifully flavored with an excellent olive oil drizzled on top.
Kale Gnocchi – so the sauce with this pasta was amazing, the gnocchi itself probably didn't need the kale in it but kale is still a trendy vegetable, so I see why it's there.
Broccolini – nicely seasoned and cooked, a perfect accompaniment
I've been told to try the burrata; however, cheese is technically not my friend. That being said, it looked amazing and fellow guests were raving about it. So I'll recommend it too!
Definitely recommend checking this spot out.
I think I'm over my initial excitement of Sauce. A couple years ago we'd dropped by on a whim and loved our food, but now, not so much. I'm sorry to say the food has declined each time.
Last time my date and I went, our wine tasted like CH2O (formaldehyde). Items we've had over our many visits: the gnocchi in Dad's marinara, the brown butter sage pasta, Grandmother's gravy with meatballs, the bolognese w/spaghetti. They're all…just, well, fine. Nothing mind-blowing or spectacular. It also doesn't help the dining experience if you're practically seated shoulder to shoulder with the patrons at the adjacent tables.
And, as others have pointed out, the music is LOUD and terrible. The music selection at Port Authority Bus Terminal is better.
Way too loud. Mediocre service. Unimpressive pasta (and sauce).
The decor is nice – cute and rustic, but totally offset by how loud this place is. Maybe it's trying too hard to be an LES bar and not doing enough at being a restaurant. The pasta is fresh, but not very impressive beyond that – pasta itself doesn't taste outstanding and the sauce ratio was off (some dishes had too much, others had not enough). There's so much good Italian in the city that Sauce just did not cut it for me.
Recently after a night out downtown we were hankering for a late dinner and while walking by Sauce decided to give it a try. Who doesn't like a good sauce? This place have a big list of them and is the basis for their existence.
Walking in even as late as it was the place was packed. They did squeeze us into a small table for two right away so that was no problem.
The major problem of this place is the noice level. Holy cow I thought I was deaf when I left here! Horrible acoustics with loud music and everyone trying to talk over it. Hey, I love loud music and rock concerts but not when eating dinner.
Terrific decor though. Very cool comfy kind of look from what I saw. Decent service. Very cozy spot with dim lighting and candles. Pricing was ok for what it was.
We went with the Buratta appetizer, and the Polenta with meat sauce on a "board for two" was delish! Cool plating.
It is a unique spot with great decor. Weekends are obviously the most crowded as we found. Not a good spot for an intimate date though. You'll go deaf trying to hear each other speak. Try a weekday for that.
Charming neighborhood gem on the LES. I met a friend here for a casual bite after work on a Monday and it was quite busy which is always a good sign on such a random weeknight. The wine selection by the glass and bottle is nice and fairly extensive for such a small moderately priced restaurant. Bartenders are happy to give you a taste before committing to a selection too.
The corner restaurant has a few dining areas adorned with wood furniture. The doors were also open to the air on a cool fall evening which was refreshing. The bread is served alongside pickled green peppers and chunks of carrots which are salted and dressed with good quality olive oil. I had a glass of the Chianti and my friend enjoyed her Barbera.
We shared a special romaine avocado roasted corn salad which was seasoned with EVOO and coarse salt and super flavorful. I had the zucchini alla limone which is an entree portion of zucchini served spaghetti style with butter olive oil tons of lemon and Parmesan! Sensational….the salmon entree with arugula also super fresh and nicely grilled-a bit on the salty side.
Service is very caring and they aim to please. Had a lovely cappuccino to finish our meal. Just a nice place for clean rustic simply prepared Italian food. Truly a neighborhood favorite without the trendiness you find down the street in soho or the east village. Would love to come back to try the crostinis and the gravy and pasta!
Great food, great LES vibes. Popped in here one night before going to a show on the Bowery and even though it was really packed we managed to get a seat right away. The menu is really solid with a wide variety of pastas and mix-n-match sauces. I was thrilled at how many things looked amazing that weren't even carbs! Paleo and Italian dining don't always go together, but in this instance I was over joyed by all of the yummy options and ended up ordering the meatballs and kale salad which did nit disappoint. I would definitely stop by if you are in the area and get your sauce on.
I went to sauce with a large group, and I have to give them huge recognition for the way that they managed our group and remained so attentive throughout our experience. The menu is fairly standard Italian fare with a strong emphasis on pasta and sauce (thus the name of the restaurant), so don't come here if you're counting carbs. There also is a pretty heavy emphasis on meat, so vegetarians may find fewer menu options here. I had the bolognese, which was perhaps a bit gamey in taste, but it was generous in portion and delicious. I loved the atmosphere, and the servers all were very friendly. This is not a "fine" Italian restaurant, but it's a charming, fun and friendly one with some good food.