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44 Southwest Ristorante & Lounge
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
621 9th Ave(between 44th St & 43rd St)
New York, NY 10036
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West, Theater District
(212) 315-4582
- Nearest Transit:
-
42 St - Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E)
Times Sq - 42 St (7, 7X)
50 St (A, C, E)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
67 reviews for 44 Southwest Ristorante & Lounge
Review Highlights
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"I had the mushroom ravioli, and it really hit the spot." In 5 reviews -
"The wine list is small, very small." In 5 reviews -
"The wait staff is friendly and "mama" is always around..." In 3 reviews
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67 reviews in English
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Review from Matt B.
Manhattan, NY
2/5/2012
This used to and still should be my regular Italian place. If I remember correctly, they offer half carafes of their house red, which I always appreciate since a bottle is a bit too much for my girlfriend and I. Whenever we go, we still get what we ordered the first time we ate here: chicken fettucine and chicken parmesan. The chicken fettucine is creamy and rich and the parm is served with ziti and a great tomato sauce. Whenever we go, we say we'll try something new but we never do. I can only assume that if our first picks were this good, the others must also be excellent. We've had a few desserts there, including cheesecake and tiramisu. Both very good.
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Review from Onneesha G.
Woodside, NY
5/22/2012
Stumbled in here before catching, The phantom of the opera on Broadway.
Nice decor, love the red!
It was early, maybe 5ish-6.
No huge crowds, no waiting time =)
Ordered: Baked clams, Mama's original spaghetti, a mixed seafood pasta dish, can't remember the name.
Baked calms- good and tasty.
Mama's spaghetti- nothin' to brag about, sauce was fine, I think my sauce is better.
Seafood pasta- very plain and bland, crappy presentation of dish. This is how it went; seafood on top of pasta, red tomato sauce. That's it, nothin' more.
Every dish was eh, blah, had better.
Crappy Pinot Noir.
Our waitress was very attentive and made sure everything came out in- time for the show. -
Review from Nick C.
West Islip, NY
5/14/2012
L allegria is better but the two are pretty much the same.
Small Italian joints. -
Review from Melissa C.
Rego Park, NY
3/31/2012
There are three things that I look for in a great restaurant: food, service, and ambiance. Well... two outta three ain't bad?
I've walked past this place a bunch of times and have always wanted to try it. I needed to kill some time tonight, and happened to be in the area, so I decided to splurge.
Upon entering, I really liked the look of the place. Not too bright, not too dark. The tables were close together but I didn't feel like I was sitting on top of strangers and participating in private discussions. They even re-seated me near a window when I asked. Ambiance: check.
I was given a basket of bread to nibble on while I waited for someone to take my order. And waited. And waited. Eventually, the hostess realized I hadn't been approached yet, and sent someone over. I decided to ask her opinion on some of the dishes. Her response was, "I dunno, do you feel like having chicken, or eggplant?". Um. I asked your opinion on which one is better because, well, you work here. Oh, well... no big deal. The big deal is that He started walking away without asking me if I wanted a drink, which I did. I managed to grab her to order a wine, which she plunked down on the table without looking at me or even breaking her stride.
The food was delicious. Not the best I've ever had in my life, but definitely tasty. The sever never bothered to come over to ask how it was, if I needed anything, nothing. The hostess did, at least.
When I was finished eating, I waited for a while for the check. Once again, the hostess tended to me rather than the server. Once again, the sever practically threw the check down on the table without breaking stride.
I paid, left a low tip, and walked out without a backwards glance.
P.S. I tried smiling at several other several who walked past me numerous times, and got only a grimace in return.
TL;DR: good food, nice restaurant, crap service. I won't be going back. -
Review from Syd M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/15/2012
Whilst in NY for work, I was craving some Italian and happened upon 44 SW while meandering through Hells Kitchen.
The menu looked good and it had a bit of history so I was intrigued. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to history behind the restaurant.
Knowing I had a full kitchen back at my hotel, I opted for a FULL meal thinking I could have my leftovers the next day, so I chose the following:
Gnocchi w/ Marinara- I LOVE gnocchi, love it! This gnocchi, not so much. They were dense, chewy and a bit hard. Normally gnocchi should be light and fluffy pillows of potato deliciousness...these definitely were not. The marinara had a nice light texture but was lacking in flavor, you get the acidity of the tomatoes but no garlic or basil or even salt and pepper. It was bland. The highlight of this dish were the bits of melted mozzarella scattered throughout the dish.
Focaccia- the best dish I had, but nothing super stellar. Nice thin piece of bubbly bread loaded with mixed herbs and lightly oiled. Great for dipping in the marinara.
Caesar salad- the lettuce was bit wilted and definitely over dressed. The dressing did have a good flavor and would have been a pleasant light creamy dressing, but was overwhelming in its abundance.
Now, I should note that my order was to go. But I can't justify that as an excuse. I've picked up gnocchi from Maggiano's and have had far better quality (and a lesser price!!). Salad...well yes, it shouldn't sit, but they also shouldn't over dress it or dress it at all knowing it was to go!
Needless to say, I didn't save the left overs. I hate wasting food, but it just wasn't a great meal and if it wasn't good 15 mins after getting the food, I can only imagine it being reheated the next day :(
The staff was pleasant, but food wasn't great and overpriced. I know NY has far better offerings at much better prices! -
Review from Jonas J.
Chelsea, Manhattan, NY
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Really good Italian food and decent wine. Price wise fair
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Review from Amanda A.
6/27/2011
Two words: pesto ravioli. This is why we keep coming back.
They're an appetizer on the menu- these tiny ravioli drizzled with pesto and they are delicious. On a previous visit, my friend and I ordered the ravioli app, enjoyed our entrees, and when the waitress asked if we'd like to see a dessert menu, we looked at each other and ordered more pesto ravioli.
I've been to 44 Southwest a few times now. It's a nice place to get dinner before a show. Not as pricey as some places and just far enough away from Times Square to feel like you're not eating at Olive Garden. It's only about three blocks west, though. I've enjoyed everything I've gotten here, as have my friends.
Cozy and cute on the inside. Now, we all know what "cozy" means. Yeah- cramped. But not so bad if you're at a table for two along the windows. However, if you're along the wall or the 9th Ave windows, you might as well make friends with your neighbors, because you'll be squeezing by them to get in and out of your seat and accidentally overhearing each other's entire conversations. That's just how it goes in a tiny Manhattan restaurant. -
Review from Josh Z.
Los Angeles, CA
12/13/2011
There's a radius around Times Square within which you should never eat. Culinary philosophers have long debated exactly where that boundary lies. Thanks to this restaurant's soggy, tasteless meatballs lying limply on $16 of overcooked spaghetti, I can confidently report that the radius lies, at least, somewhere beyond 44th and 9th.
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Review from C F.
Brooklyn, NY
6/29/2011
I would have given this place 3 stars but I had to take it away because honestly it just is not that great of a place for me. Here is why
I went here for lunchtime wanted to finally try out 5 Napkins but every time I have to time to go it is always crowded and the wait is too long soooo I began my search for somewhere else. This looked like a great place because it was empty so I thought what the hell can definitely get my food eat and make it out of here in under an hour and there will be no rush -_- boooyyyy was I wrong. What I did not realize was that there was a HUGGGEEE party in the back a group of children (I kid you not around 20) and their parents but everyone had a plate in front of them so I thought ok no problem. Besides that huge party in the back there were i would say about 3 other parties one was made up of 2 people the other 3, and the last part had 4 people but they left shortly after we got there.
Now I was looking through the menu trying to figure out what I wanted and really there was nothing that was completely catching my idea but I was on a mission to find something. **I chose the manicotti and my bf the primavera** neither was stellar but mines was definitely the better out of the two.
The wait for the food was INSANE we spent 45 minutes waiting for the food and roughly 15 mins before it came they bought us some bread *which was stale and the butter was frozen* after I made a comment about sitting there with nothing but some water. *Personally I do not think that I should have to say something like that to get service that I deserve but I suppose drastic times call for drastic measures*.
So where do I start there was only ONE waitress ONE bus boy and by the way the food was coming out there had to be only ONE chef and ONE pot to cook all of the food in I kid you not. The waitress was extremely flustered and running around but was not really worried about the customers never once did she apologize about the wait or the inconvenience of us having to sit there and wait so long for food that ended up being sub-par. Added I was offended that we were seated and not told that there was a long wait but a couple that came in after us were told that there was a long wait and thus had the option to leave. If there was more time left then we definitely would have left and went somewhere else but we had to stay here because of a time crunch. After this bad experience I definitely will not be a repeat customer -
Review from Rocco G.
Arlington, VA
1/7/2012
Great atmosphere and service. The food was good with the perfect portion size. They prepared the muscles excellent with a great sauce. Thumbs down on any of the salads.... Wifey had me put that in.
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Review from Michael I.
Merrick, NY
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Small space. Standard italian food. Good service though.
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Review from Pixel F.
Queens, NY
8/6/2010
Last night I was in the Theater District and decided to just walk and stumble into a restaurant based solely on menu selection.. FUN HUH???
This one caught my eye - I was in a mood for Pesto sauce and it was on their menu, combined with Sundried Tomato.. GOTTA LOVE IT!!
OK so here goes.....
Pretty small interior and cramped seatings. However, We sat by the window on the leather bench and had ample room. I couldn't say the same for another table which just seemed to be in the way. DIDN"T LOOK LIKE IT MATTERED. There were enjoying their meal and so were we.
Service: Our waitress was very attentive. She was right there when we needed more beverages and bread and to take a timely order
Food: I have to tell you.... I didn't have high expectations. It is afterall, the Theater District. Tourist Neighbourhood. The Food was Amazing!!!
My Pesto Dish was delicious. My only complaint would be that they added roasted peppers and I don't think it belonged in the dish. Hubby order the Pasta del Giorno and I must say it was cooked to pefection.
Pricing: Another plus.. was very reasonably priced.
I will definitely return to this restaurant if i'm in the neighbourhood. A decision based SOLELY ON THE FOOD... it was absolutely right on point -
Review from Jennifer S.
Charlottesville, VA
9/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I use to go here in the 90s and it was awesome. Now it's just mediocre food at outrageous prices. Service was awful. Will not go again and would not recommend.
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Review from Emily A.
New York, NY
2/16/2009
Love the bar on Wednesday nights! The bartender, Sarah, is super friendly and, for the guys, super cute. Who doesn't love a tall blonde holding a bottle of booze?
The bar is tiny (probably about a dozen seats), but it's the perfect cozy spot to catch up with friends, especially if you need to meet up in a central location. Plus the lighting is soft and warm (read: flattering). -
Review from Lauren H.
2/25/2010
I hope the ownership reads this. It will save them the cost of a consultant.
A few things: The layout of this place is terrible. What should be some of the best tables in the house are routinely passed over because they lack seating. Instead of chairs with backs, they have opted for those not-quite-seating tufted faux-leather cubes. Since large parties had taken over the front of the restaurant, (here's a hint: large parties should generally be seated in the back) we had to head to the back. The back banquet could also be prime real estate, but is, instead, located right next to two restrooms that open directly into the dining room. Why would you do that? Ick. At least they use air freshener. It could be worse. But it also could be covered. Walls, curtains: whatever. No one wants the dining room to know about their bathroom habits.
The floors are rather awkwardly covered in industrial floor mats that all seem to have curled up around the edges. I watched more than one person trip on their way to the restrooms. How awesome for these folks, not only can we all see them go in and out of the restroom, but we got to see them trip on their trip. Also, I would consider table cloths.
The music? Loud. I should not hear New Age, Kelly Clarkson and Ella Fitzgerald in the space of one meal. Pick a genre. (hint: the correct choice is Ella)
The cocktail list is designed for teenagers and the wine list was chosen by a liquor rep.
Our server was lovely and the bartender pours a good drink, but as far as the food was concerned, the appetizers were alright but the mains, not so much. Too sweet marsala sause and overcooked, dry chicken. The prices were good, but I would prefer to pay more for better food.
Perhaps because of it's proximity to the theater district, 44 Southwest can afford to just slide by. But as a resident of the area, I have no reason to revisit when there are so many more options. Overall, there is a real lack of attention paid to detail in this place.
I know it sounds nit-picky but god is in the details, people! Particularly when it comes to restaurants. -
Review from Billy A.
10/14/2006
There's a lot going on here. Sangria, lasagna, swanky crushed velvet chairs and decor, and really loud 70's R&B and disco. The very lively bar corner unfortunately overwhelmed conversation at our table. Traditional Italian menu does not match the decor which does not match the music and bar scene. Seems very confused about want it wants to be, although our waitress, the daughter of the owners, says it's been there for 36 years in various forms.
The food was delicious, but good Italian food can be found without the noisy setting and the confusing point-of-view.Listed in: My Firsts
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Review from Marissa B.
Manhattan, NY
1/2/2011
Had dinner here the night of the blizzard (don't ask). Add a star for the fact that they were open, welcoming and accommodating in the midst of that mess.
We warmed up next to a portable space heater, filled our bellies with cocktails and hearty Italian food. I had the mushroom ravioli, and it really hit the spot. I would have to say it's above average Italian food - maybe I'm being generous given the circumstances but I'd definitely go back and see.
The only glaring negative was the placement of the restrooms - why are they basically IN the back dining area?? -
Review from Vanessa S.
Miami, FL
11/16/2009
Italian in NY who knew this could be so hard to get done right?
I Yelped, I called places and google mapped all around my hotel and finally came upon 44 Southwest.
Like many NY restaurants 44 Southwest is small and packed, our table was right up against a wall and the front door. The decor was nice, neutral colors, dim lighting and traditional Italian red.
Our waitress was a very woman who politely recited all the specials and made some nice suggestions.
I opted for the mushroom ravioli topped with goat cheese and truffle oil! Hellooooo they were awesome!! I was literally taking the sauce off the plate with a piece of bread as she came by to ask if everything was ok.
Another great dish ordered was the penne with calimari, it's served in a spicy marinara sauce and was super tasty!
Then, the best part.. they make their tiramisu fresh daily and it shows. It was incredible!
One thing is, if you're not going to see a show you will wait a little longer for your food as they try to make sure no one is late for curtain call.
I hope to definately revisit 44 Southwest next time I'm in town!Listed in: Tri State Trips
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Review from Sandra M.
Jersey City, NJ
7/30/2011
I couldn't decide between the Penne Vodka with chicken, some other chicken dish with rigatoni, and the Chicken Penne Pasta. I asked the waitress for a recommendation and tho she said it was hard, she loves pesto sauce so I went with the Chicken Penne Pasta. Now I love Penne sauce too! I've had it before but not sure what it was about it here...it may have been a combo with the sun dried tomatoes and green peppers in the mix that made it wonderful. I even had 4 bites left and she wrapped it up for me with the rest of the table bread so that I could let my hubby get a nice sampling and convince him to go back with me there one day...nothing went to waste.
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Review from Kristin M.
New York, NY
5/3/2009
Ya know when you walk past a restaurant 20 times and always say "I really want to go there." Well, that's this place. It's super inviting. Menu is mid-priced for any type of Italian food off the menu.
But, as many restaurant that LOOK good, the inside is little to rave about. Sure, it's a good little area and it's packed for Saturday lunches. But, when you have to beg for water and the meal comes out a LITTLE too quick. (I kept thinking it was a Bertolli commercial or something in the back. Like they put my gnocchi in the microwave and 10 minutes later. Poof! BERTOLLI!)
Will I be back? Eh. I think there are better places.Listed in: Hell's Kitchen-Good Eats
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Review from Mark Anthony B.
New York, NY
1/3/2010
Unique mushroom ravioli with feta and truffle oil was absolutely delicious. Lots of choices, a bit pricey on almost everything. That's probably why we were seated quickly for a party of 9. It's been a family-run business for a couple of decades (or so what our hostess said) with the mother leading the pack in the kitchen and her daughter as the hostess. After the hostess kept interrupting our Ukrainian waitress about not forgetting to tell us about the specials, although we would not change our minds 5 minutes later, our hostess was satisfied with our choice to stay. She was almost relieved and grateful we went in. It was flippin' cold out.
Truly good ambience, good-natured staff and quite the cocktail menu (mojito and some martini selections). If you sit in the back where the bar is, that's the best place for a reach-around toward the bar. I went here with some high school friends for a birthday dinner. Although we sat close to the restrooms (small, almost "dive" restaurant), our minds were on the food. And the restrooms had attractive doors to boot. Who says you couldn't step outside Arthur Ave? Well, I did. 44 Southwest begs to differ. -
Review from Lauren F.
Cresskill, NJ
6/14/2009 1 photo
I'm very much in love with this restaurant. I took a trip into the city with a list of possible restaurants I wanted to eat at. After all of them fell through, I decided on 44 SW and I'm so glad I did!
Very nicely decorated. It's got almost a modern cozy feel to it and I especially loved the sheet music covered wall lights.
They had a nice drink menu that included Italian Sangria. My friend ordered one towards the end of our meal but unfortunately it never came so we told our waitress to forget about it.
We shared the friend calamari for an appetizer. Most of the calamari I've had before constituted of large rings with a lot of batter but that wasn't the case here. It had a very thin coating of spices and breadcrumbs, and the rings were very small and tender. It was so yummy I ate the whole thing. Luckily I had enough room for my entree which was the Fettuccini Chamignon. OMG it was sooo good! It was homemade tricolor fettuccini in a very creamy/buttery mushroom cream sauce. Even my friend kept commenting on how good it was. She had a daily special of tilapia with spinach. The fish was very tender and buttery. Both she and I finished our plates.
FYI they also have a vegetarian menu available.
The dessert menu didn't wow me. They had a lot of typical desserts, such as canoli, cheesecake, tartufo, etc. Service was decent but it could have been better. There seemed to be a lack of communication in the kitchen since they never brought out the sangria and accidentally gave us a second order of calamari after we had just finished eating it.
The prices generally are in the upper teens, but quite reasonable for good NYC cuisine. I would highly recommend 44 SW. I only wish I lived so much closer to it because it would be my new favorite Italian restaurant. -
Review from Jack B.
New York, NY
11/5/2008
I had lunch here today with a couple of colleagues for the first time... I saw the reviews and decided to take the risk as there were many good and not so good. The food was good, and I particularly liked the sauce. I had the baked manicotti. My colleagues enjoyed their meals as well.
Overall the food was good, not great, the service was average, as it seemed they only had one waitress on for the whole restaurant and it was 2/3rds full for lunch. Had they had another server on, I would have given them props.
I probably won't run back there for another meal, but I did like it and was satisfied when I left. -
Review from Alex E.
New York, NY
11/13/2008
My mom is Italian (from Italy as I like to say) and this is one of the better places for Italian food. Everything I've had from here is delicious and it's good for dates, taking out friends etc
The only reason I gave it four stars is that 1 out of every 5 times or so the food comes out a little slow and the waitresses(the non-Italian ones) can be a little abrupt some time. -
Review from dana p.
Austin, TX
4/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. In part, because one of my best friends repeatedly took me here as a teenager, but also because the atmosphere is wonderful. The food is incredible. I've never thought of pasta as being a fancy dish, but 44 Southwest has a way with pasta. It's impossible to have a bad time here.
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Review from Lindsey S.
New York, NY
11/2/2009
I have been to 44 Southwest twice and have had a pleasant experience both times. The first time I had the simple but delicious spaghetti and meatballs. I had fettucini champignon the second time and it was amazing. The salads are excellent as well. It can get a little crowded on busy nights with only inches between your table and the next, but it is a warm & cozy environment. And try the sangria!
I've always had good service here as well, but I noticed that some tables did not get served very quickly. The wait staff is friendly and "mama" is always around keeping a close eye on things. -
Review from V S.
New York, NY
10/3/2010
We came across this Italian rest while walking down through the streets of Hell's Kitchen. The ambiance was nice and there is outdoor seating during the summer. The seating is a little tight though. After a lot of people ran into us, we asked for a different table.
The food itself was mixed bag. The appetizer of Italian string beans were avg, the bread was cold, the Sangria pitcher was terrible and my entree (Spinach and cheese ravioli with pesto sauce) was really good. -
Review from Ben K.
12/15/2008
This is a great little spot, and worth stopping, especially if you have some time to enjoy a meal. Things don't move to fast, but if you know anything about Italian food, you know it isn't supposed to move too fast.
Not the best Italian food I've ever had, but damn good, right up there. I found the best part to be the fact the staff treated me and my coworker as family. It is a family place, and they make one feel at home.
The portions are huge, no mortal should be able to finish one. But hey, in Italian, food is love, so one can only assume these portions are because they love their customers.
The wine list is small, very small. They were happy to let me have a taste of a few before making a final decision (all options are by the glass or the bottle). None were bad, and none were exceptional. I did think the Super Tuscan was a good value as Super Tuscan is usually 1) not available by the glass, and 2) rather expensive. All in all, the wine list, though small, is a very good value.
All in all, a good value for a decent dinner in Theatre District, the staff is kind, and food hearty Northern Italian. No one should go away hungry, nor thirsty. The kindness and attention of the staff really wins it. -
Review from Karin G.
12/21/2009
44 is a really cute place, but the noise level is horrible~far too loud to carry on pleasant conversation without yelling at each other
I've had some great food here. Its just basic, good Italian. I wont come here with anyone though, only dinner before class at Fordham.
Service is great, wine selection is good.
If your hearing is perfect, you'll not have a problem! -
Review from Lauren C.
Montclair, NJ
11/8/2008
Cute find if you are wandering around HK/Theatre District and want to avoid the tourist rush and be tucked away for a few amongst a small group. Loved the tiny bar and the lush reds surrounding it.
Hopefully will return for some eats, as the menu had some good choices. -
Review from Jen C.
New York, NY
3/24/2009
Simple food and very hearty portions. My penne and calamari were swimming in oil. While I'm all for good olive oil, I don't want my food swimming in a pint of it.
This place gets an extra star for the smiling staff. -
Review from Keiko T.
New York, NY
10/16/2009
I went there with my friends. All of us ordered different kind of pasta and we all liked it but it was not amazing.
I would rather go to Gallo Nero for Italian. They are only a few seconds away on 44th St btw 9th & 10th Ave. -
Review from Juni D.
New York, NY
12/5/2008
Excellent authentic food! Everything's made to order, which allows you to substitute/add ingredients if you want to.
The restaurant's decor is that of an old and cheap Tuscan home, so it's a bit outdated, but sort of cute otherwise. You're definitely not going there for the atmosphere, I'll tell you that.
The staff is not very attentive. I stood waiting for someone to sit me, and although several staff members walked past me, not one single person acknowledged me. Not a very welcoming feeling!
Great prices for the quality and quantity that one gets.
Definitely go for the food... I have to say, it's the best in HK. -
Review from Luda P.
New York, NY
10/5/2008
We ended up here as a last resort as everywhere else we wanted to go was full. I'd always been curious about it, as it looks nice from the outside, but inside it's a bit more dated than I was expecting. However, apart form the waiter who just dumepd a handful of cutlery and napkins on our table and left us to divvy them up, the rest of the staff were all really nice and friendly (wihch must have huge self-control when dealing with the tosser sitting on the next table to us).
Food was expensive-ish I thought, for what it was and was quite nice. Just nothing to write home about.
I have to say the main thing that would put me off going back again was the awful smell in the place - like someone else said, it's as though the kitchen has no venliation other than directly into the restaurant, so that was very unpleasant. -
Review from r b.
New York, NY
7/24/2011
Not the best name for an Italian restaurant, but worth checking out. My friends and I got roped in the Italian way, by looking at the menu on the street and having a staff person come out and talk to us about eating there. They have been there for 41 years, so we figured that was a good sign.
It was a very pleasant experience. The staff are down-to-earth and the food is clearly cooked to order. Heard good things about my friend's manicotti and my chicken and grilled vegetable salad was generous with the amount of both chicken and vegetables, unlike other places where it can be mostly lettuce. One of my friends raved about the tilapia, which I now want to try. She has to eat gluten-free food and they were very accommodating.
Prices were decent. Cool wall lighting made from music scores. The place has a different feel than most restaurants that are newer; you can definitely sense that this one has been around for a while.
While I can't say I was blown out of the water, I would definitely go back to 44 SW and trust it as a reliable and comfortable place to get good Italian food. There are many options in that area but tried-and-true wins. -
Review from Michelle R.
NY
8/15/2007
Although the food is good overall, I can't say I'd run back to this place. I had gone there twice in the past few weeks when my husband was entertaining out of town coworkers that were staying in midtown. They really loved the food and thought the place was great. I might have too if I came from a part of this country where there aren't very many good authentic Italian places. I did enjoy the wild mushroom ravioli I had there the 2nd time. The first time I ate here, I had a chicken dish - the portion was huge, the chicken was overcooked and the sauce was too acidic. Also, sadly, for an Italian restaurant, I found their wine list to be seriously lacking in good Italian wines...boo!
I think the thing that annoyed me most about this place was the fact that they have some sort of ventilation "issue" - instead of having some sort of exhaust for the kitchen, the air seems to go right into the dining area, leaving you and your clothes stinking of fried food and grease...even my bag smelled for 2 days afterwards! That's enough to not make me want to go back anytime soon, thanks. I don't like getting on the subway and having people look at me like I'm a walking french fry thanks.
So even though this place is better than most of the hideously touristy chain restaurants in this area (and probably cheaper), there are at least a dozen better choices right nearby on 9th Ave. -
Review from Cameron B.
New York, NY
7/8/2011
Me and my brother waited for our food for 45 minutes before we decided to leave. We ordered very basic food - spaghetti & meatball, chicken parmesan. This should take 20 minutes at most and most likely they forgot our order. I would never come back to this place, AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!
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Review from Sandra S.
Brooklyn, NY
7/9/2010
Been there twice- both times the food was great, service a bit slow...but at the end of the day we dont go there for the service(even though it would be nice to get great service)...had mushroom chicken , came with mashed potatoes and veggies, pretty yummy.
will come again -
Review from Kate W.
Chicago, IL
9/21/2011
If I was rating on the food alone, I'd give it 5 stars. However, the service drastically drops down their rating. We were a group of six with reservations. It took our server about 10 mins to even acknowledge us and we immediately told her we had theater tickets and therefore needed to leave by a certain time (an hour and a half from our reservation). She looked at us like we were completely crazy. We decided to not even attempt an appetizer and just ordered wine. She dropped it off and quickly left so we had to flag her down to take our order. Then it took about 40 mins to get our food. Our friend with the salad received his meal about 5 minutes after our pasta dishes were served. Freshly grated cheese was offered after we were well into our meals but that was the only time our server came to check on us. My meal, penne with calamari and a spicy marinara, was delicious. Everyone else seemed to like their food as well. We then had to ask a busboy for our check because our waitress refused to look our way. She gave herself a generous tip but we couldn't argue because we really needed to leave. The food was good but the experience was poor. I want to say I'll go back but I'll have to allow myself at least two hours and that won't even include appetizers or dessert. Huge disappointment.
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Review from Madeline M.
Manhattan, NY
5/2/2011
I really wanted to like this place more, because the service was so exceptional. We were lingering by the menu when someone accosted us outside, which is always a bad sign to me. I don't need to be poached as I walk down the street looking for food. But the hostess was friendly and sat us at the table of our choice. Our waitress came over and again was very friendly. However, a couple behind us started having an extremely loud, obscenity-laced conversation and we were getting increasingly uncomfortable. Our waitress came over and was extremely perceptive and asked if we would like to be moved. We agreed and she was very accommodating.
She also was very friendly and attentive-- I honestly can't say enough good things about this waitress. She was one of the few servers I would say in my recent dining experiences that really goes above and beyond and not in a fake way that seems like she is grubbing for a tip.
However, the atmosphere was strangely awkward in this place... The aggressive customers in the back were not this place's fault, but we also saw the owner get in a very heated discussion with one of the busboy's, and we also heard cursing from the kitchen and two waitresses seemed to be arguing with each other over something. They were being loud enough about it that my date and I both felt a bit uncomfortable, which isn't something you want to feel when you're trying to enjoy dinner.
The food itself was barely average. The fried ravioli appetizer was delicious, but the main meals were very disappointing. The pasta clearly was out of a box and the marinara sauce had a strange taste to it. I don't want to say for sure that it was out of a jar but that is what it seemed like. The food wasn't particularly well seasoned or well prepared. It was something you could have easily made at home with some sauce in a jar, mozzarella, and pasta.
Again, the service was great; our water glasses were well tended to and they were very apologetic about the situation with the other customers, but overall, I would not go back to this place just because the quality of food for the price was very meh. Don Giovanni's across the street was twice as tasty and a few dollars cheaper.
