On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
W 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
9th Street (PATH)
Christopher St (1)
Mon-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Loading...
I was SHOCKED at how good it could be!!!!!!!!!!
One of the best meals I have ever had in my life!!!!
I so thought this place was going to be some fake disney resort restaurant all hyped up from who he was from the food network. I was SO WRONG! Everything was seasoned and cooked to literally perfection in every bite. My girlfriend and I had a pasta dish for our appetizer and split a meat for our entree. We also had a side of brussel sprouts. The dessert we had was lacking a little but I did not hold it against them. The place was so busy and it was so hard to make reservations right before christmas of last year. WELL worth it!!!!!!
As of today, almost 380 reviews...so, what more to say?
Put simply: whatever hassle you go through to get a reservation, how ever long you have to wait - it's all worth it.
Perfection: atmosphere, service, food. Everything just the way you want it to be.
This is going to be a generally positive review, so I'm going to get the bad stuff out of the way first. I have never seen a restaurant so unwilling to accomodate someone who can't eat pork, especially in NYC. We ended up subbing out the pork tenderloin course for a braised beef shortrib dish for the entire table. The manager said it was "because their kitchen was so small" that they couldn't make a substitution just for one person... Which might have made more sense if we weren't there at 10:30pm on a Sunday night with a half-empty dining room. Get over yourselves Babbo.
We did the traditional tasting menu with the riserva wine pairing. I have to say, this is the way to go if you're into wine because you get a chance to try some really interesting choices. For example, the first pairing was a sparkling Nebbiolo, not something any of us had seen before. And there was never a pairing that anybody thought unworthy either.
The food and wine are really quite good, and especially a great value given the price so 5 stars for that. -1 star for the service.
My husband (a Spaniard) and I finally decided to go because we became Mario Batali fans after seeing him eat his way around Spain with Mark Bittman and Gwenyth Paltrow on the PBS show On the Road Again. This guy knows food.
And Babbo did not disappoint. The food was perfect. Fantastic wine list. The service was equally perfect. If I were a bigger fan of Italian food, I'd have given it 5 stars.
In case you haven't heard, there's a line at 5pm to get a seat at the bar right when they open. Great idea if you are on a business trip or visiting from out of town since you need to make a reservation 30 days in advance if you want a table in the dining room.
We didn't have a reservation, but put our name on the list at about 7pm for one of their open tables at the bar. Worked out great!
For my birthday, this year, I was treated to an unparalleled meal at Babbo. The three of us arrived for our reservation with empty stomachs and a commitment not to count calories at least for a few hours. That was a good move.
To compare this experience to my grandmother's cooking would not be fair (I should mention that my grandmother was from Napoli). She was from the south of Italy and Mario is from further north. Also, she was of peasant stock and Mario has certainly achieved a higher social class. Yet, I could not help to think of my grandparents while eating at Babbo. Rich food and plenty of it, along with a very welcoming feeling probably had a lot to do with that.
When you walk in downstairs, it definitely feels like you're walking into a restaurant with the bar in front and tables to the back and to the side. However, once you go upstairs, it is a very different world indeed. You get the feeling like you've been invited to someone's home. The staff, being very friendly and knowing when and when not to show up, feels more like that avuncular relative who always gets a kick out of taking care of everybody else.
We were greeted with a plate of crostini with chickpeas, oil and herbs. It was the perfect amuse bouche to set the tone of the rest of the meal. This was going to be rich and yet not overplayed, indulgent but not obnoxious - it can be a difficult balance.
We had done our research so, we knew where we were headed (hat tip to Chun). I had a Bellini - a girly drink I realize but I will not be ashamed by my sweet tooth, my girlfriend had her usual vodka/cranberry concoction and my brother, the lightweight, had ginger ale (which he remarked was mixed to perfection). Everyone was happy with their respective first drink. Our strategy, which they picked up on quickly was to order and share. To our delight, there was no problem at all with that. Appropriately, the two middle weights continued with a quartino each of red wine. Mine was the Tuscan red. It was light, full and fruity and I smiled broadly and enjoyed it slowly, as one should.
We began with an autumn salad topped with goat cheese. The mix of vegetables both in taste and texture was well considered and the goat cheese was velvety and room temperature - perfect. There was an order of the octopus which was cooked to perfection and served very simply. Finally came the clams in a spicy red sauce which was the surprise of all the appetizers.
Next, the primi: Pumpkin lune proved to be light and sweet with a buttery hint. Papardella stained with Chianti and served with a wild boar ragu lived up to all my hopes. The flavors were deep, bold and rich and the noodle had the perfect al dente consistency. Rounding out the course was my surprise favorite the black spaghetti with rock shrimp. Words cannot describe the skillful way that sweet and savory are blended together with this delectable pasta dish.
The secondi: For my brother, rabbit. For us, the steak for two. The rabbit was sumptuous and moist. The flesh fell away from the bones and you barely noticed. The steak was prepared exactly to the medium rare we requested. Somehow, they also managed a perfect sear on the outside so it appeared to be slightly charred. To bite the steak was to take a journey of flavors and textures from the crisper outside to the tender, juicy middle.
Contorni: Rapini and Babbo greens sat amongst the carnage. The Rapini were done nicely with no sense of bitterness (something I have yet to achieve so, I am always in awe) and the Babbo greens were as tasty as the steak.
If I were to make unsolicited recommendations, I would point to the black pasta, the steak and the Babbo greens. That being said, I have a hard time imagining not being blissfully happy with anything from their menu.
Few places are worthy of the money or the praise. Luckily for me, Babbo was worth every moment. A perfect dinner.
Walking up 5th Ave near 8th St. on a midsummer's evening and I saw a man on a Vespa making his way towards Washington Square Park. He wasn't just anybody...he was distinctly distinguishableby his orange Crocs with shorts and his reddish hair tied back in a nonchalant manner. HE SMILED AT ME and I smiled back trying with every facial muscle to be as indifferent as possible during this 15sec interaction between Mario Batali and I. #_#
That was THE SIGN... now I had to try MB's restaurants... the rumors of him being an a-hole was not true...at least not to me. :0
Little did I know reservations for Babbo was required at least one month in advance, my friend SP, being the patient person, made this experience possible. HOORAY! :)
The entrance of Babbo was a little chaotic with the bar being full, which happens to be the place where you checked your coats and where people waited for the host(ess).
We were seated upstairs w/in 15mins of our reservation. This was very much a SATC moment where 4 girls enjoyed eachother's company with great Italian fare. I liked the decor, which is in many fine restaurants already but never really gets old... it has warm and earthy elements with a Pottery Barn-esque yet tasteful type kitsch. :)
The wine list was not too overwhelming but manageable and also a sommelier was on hand for advice. We were all on the same page with the Lambrusco, the boast of the Emilio-Romagno region of Italy :)...You really can't go wrong with Lambrusco unless you do not chill it enough or let it sit out too long. It is arguable the most adaptable wine for all types of food and palates...and the only red that is best served chilled.
The menu @Babbo consists of the traditional a la carte with the antipasti, primi, secondi and contorni and also 2 tasting menues.
Prices were not outrageous....although some of the specials with the table-side white truffle shavings did seem a little bit extravagant for $80-$120....I was never going to justify that gluttonous behavior at this stage of my life yet...maybe some other time.
I was starving by the time we received the menus when they offered us a chickpea and olive crostini with olive oil and a hint of spice...I devoured that within seconds. Out waiter was a older gentlemen with a great memory and recited a detailed description of his recommendations and their specials. *()*
I ordered the Autumn vegetable salad with pumpkin seeds and goat cheese crostini and also the milk braised goat shoulder... The salad was warm and comprised of vegetables like yams and brussel sprouts etc. I had a wonderful time with the goat should because it was SO TENDER and flavorful, I just fell in love with it. @_@
I also had the pleasure to try the venison, which was beautifully cooked and topped off with a red wine reduction. The goat cheese tortellini was like a little gift wrapped up in homemade pasta...yum! ^_^
The dessert was a DREAM COME TRUE! I had their maple marscapone cheesecake...There are not enough words to describe how much that cheesecake BLEW MY MIND! I left with a permanent smile because of that cheesecake!!! It was so light and fluffy yet rich and full of character, I cannot believe every bite I was taking. ^(0)^
Alright so to top everything off I ordered with an espresso, which came with a smorgasbord of sugar selections of which the sugar crystal wand just gave a perfect fuzziness to warm my heart. :)
Alright, this place was just a little overhyped, but I am so glad to have finally came and experienced it in person. It's definitely worth it.
Sat at the bar.
They had 2 types of beers on tap, a hoppy beer and a blonde one. I liked the hoppy one so I had 2 of them, 9$ each.
For the first course I had the beef cheek pasta, it was tasty but not amazing. My friend had the pumpkin ravioli which was a little sweet and very good, but it didn't have much sauce on top.
For my second course I got the sweetbreads, one of my favorite things to eat if I can find it. The outside was crispy and sweet. It was served on top of Duck Bacon and I believe a few pieces of carmelized ginger and onions. The bacon was surrounded by I believe stewed green onions. This all sat in a sweet broth, possibly red wine or a red vinegar. This dish was my favorite part of the night.
The Bartender that served us was very nice.
Had our post-NYC Marathon celebratory dinner here. I got up at 6:00 am one month before to make the reservation, so we ended up with a great dinner time -- 7:30...just enough time to get home, shower up, and rest the post-marathon bloated tummy - prepping for the fine meal ahead.
And a fine meal it was - started with the grilled octopus and artichoke appetizer - both of which were highlights of the meal. Octopus was exceptional, and something I could not pass on should we eat here again.
Second dish was a black spaghetti with shrimp, green chilies and hot salami, which we shared. I loved it, but my husband thought it was bland, saying that he didn't feel any heat in the dish, and that it was strangely heavy handed on the oil...I could detect plenty of heat, and while it was heavy, it wasn't offensively so...so we switched plates -- husband agreed that I had a decidedly different dish.
Next course: Pork chop and braised beef, side of potatoes and brussel sprouts. Delicious, and imho, generous portions - and that's coming from two people who normally clean their plates...
Dessert: shared a saffon panna cotta with quince...omg.
I'm four months pregnant, so sadly, we skipped the wine pairing =( ...just a glass of nebbiolo for him.
Dinner for two and one glass of wine was $170 before tip; worth a return visit one of these days...
Exquisite pasta! I wouldn't waste your time on anything else here.
My favorite pasta is the Beef Cheek ravioli followed by the Pappardelle Bolognese.
Also, I've seen Mario, complete w/ his orange crocs, at the bar a few times that I've been there!
P.S. Be sure to have lots of water handy after the meal because they tend to use plenty of salt in their dishes.
My dad was in town over Labor Day weekend and our conversation went something like this
Dad: Ahu, my friends scored a reservation for tonight at a really great Italian restaurant, do you want to come along? It's called Booboo.
Me: Booboo?
Dad: Maybe Beebee. or Bobo. Baba? Beebo? Bobee?
Ok that's an exaggeration but not by much. Once I realized we were going to Babbo I was cautiously excited. Same day reservations for a Friday night on a long weekend for 6 people? Unlikely. But as we arrived at the restaurant and were shown to the best table in the house, my suspicions melted away.
The restaurant is understated and homey. Our server was very gracious - rolling with the raucous and rowdy punches of my dad and his 4 high school classmates.
The food... the food was excellent. The chickpea amuse-bouche was delish as was the skirt steak I sampled from my dad's friend. I ordered the Pumpkin "Lune" with Sage and Amaretti. It was very good, not the best dish at the table. The crunchy amaretti cookies crumbled on top were a great touch. I also tried my dad's Papardelle dish and it was DIVINE. I wish I had ordered this. We were far too full to eat dessert, which in my book was somewhat of a failure but it was worth it. The food was super excellent, service fantastic and my dad and his friends all had a great time.
5 stars!
We actually hadn't planned on going to Babbo but we happened to be in the village after having dinner at Perilla so thought we'd walk over and see if we could get a table to have dessert and coffee. I remembered the delicious food and long waits for Batali's flagship restaurant so had some doubts whether we'd be able to get a table without prior arrangements but I'm glad we took the chance because there were two open seats at the bar that were available when we arrived.
Since we had just eaten dinner the plan was to have dessert but I couldn't help but longingly look through the menu and take note of all the different pastas. It seemed like such a waste to come all the way out to NYC, get a seat at Babbo walking in, and then not have their delicious pasta which happens to be my favorite... It took a lot of willpower to put the menu down but I eventually did and instead turned my attention to dessert. After some thought, I decided on the Saffron Panna Cotta with Poached Quince, Pink Peppercorns and Quince Sorbetto and a pot of Chamomile tea while my boyfriend ordered a Fig Apple Crostata and an Espresso. Both desserts were gorgeous both in taste and presentation, the crostata warm and inviting while the Panna Cotta was delicate with floral notes. It was an ideal way to unwind and end the night, sitting back and enjoying the simple pleasure of good food and company.
I love you New York.
I heart Mario Batali. He can do no wrong in my eyes. That said, I still feel like I can tell whether… Read more »
I was lucky that a couple of friends who are staying with me while visiting NY decided to treat me to Babbo's. It's a wonderful gift that I remember for many years as the food is unlike anything I've had.
As it was the first time for all of us, we decided to do the tasting menu. Before the dinner, there's a complimentary bruschetta of chick peas that start the buds going.
The first item on the tasting menu was duck bresaola with a parmesan fritter, and a soft cheesy custard. The fritter added a bold taste along with the crisp flavor to both the bresaola which melted on the tongue and the cheesy custard. But what bought it all together was the Aceto Monodori. I am not one of these people who goes all out to buy the most expensive condiments, certainly not the balsamic vinegar. But this dish won me over to the expensive balsamic vinegar. It had all the dark woodsiness of balsamic without acidity.
Next was the Pappardelle. There is sheer audacity in offering such a simple dish at a high-end restaurant: a wide ribbon of pappardelle with only chanterelles and herbs. The audacity paid off as this was one of the highlights of the meal: fresh pasta perfectly cooked with the right balance of flavors. I can't count the number of times I've had pasta that was gloppy or undersauced (yes, undersauced as most places try too hard to play exactly by the rules of trying to be Italian) at high-end restaurants. At Babbo's, the pasta was chewy without being hard. Plus, the minimalist approach with just the chanterelles, thyme, parsley and olive oil all combined to showcase the perfection of the pasta.
Duck Tortellini with Sugo Finto: I don't pretend to know a good deal of food, so I had to look up Sugo Finto. It turns out to be a mock meat sauce. The duck tortellini was my least favorite. The duck inside the pasta might be too refined for my palate...as I could have used more of that strong duck taste. However, what was certainly strong is the Sugo Finto sauce.
Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Corn Fregula and Black Truffle Vinaigrette: I feel like I've never had pork until Babbo's. Biting into the small slices of pork tenderloin was a realization that there must have been a time when pork had flavor. Eating the pork tenderloin was a justification of the best food that a restaurant can cook: that it's not about fancy schmancy magic, but about the best ingredients with the exactly right combinations. Topping the pork tenderloin were greens that were perhaps a cousin to scallion, a crisp bite that balanced the buttery richness of the tenderloin. On the bottom of the pork tenderloin was the sweet corn giving a chewiness to the dish.
At this point, one of my friends who had been eyeing the rabbit dish on the menu decided she really really could eat the rabbit along with everything else on the tasting menu, so we took a breather and ordered the rabbit. I've only had rabbit a couple of times in my life, so I can't tell you whether this is better or worse rabbit than other rabbits. However, I will say that the bits of pancetta dotting the dish were one of the highest concentrations of flavors to be had.
Coach Farm cheese with fennel honey: I am not certain what kind of cheese we had (as I said above, I don't pretend to be an expert). However, it was a medium firm cheese with a little tang. The fennel honey added not only the expected sweetness but a chewiness that took a regular cheese course up a notch. There were small discs of bread for the cheese, but the fennel honey and cheese were such perfection that I felt the bread would just be extraneous.
Gelo alla Siciliana: At this point, we were all eyeing the tasting menu (a copy of which is considerately left on the table) and hoping that we were done with the heavier and savory portions of the meal. The Gelo alla Siciliana comes at the perfect point of the meal: a palate cleanser of watermelon and blood orange dotted with pistachio and just a few teeny tiny pieces of dark chocolate. Who knew that blood orange is a perfect pairing for watermelon, the bitter balancing the sweet.
Chocolate Tartufino: It was hard for me to figure out the exact components of the dish. Certainly, it's chocolate gelato with a shell...but there are these crumbly bits that add another texture on the tongue.
On the tasting menu, the last item is one specific dessert dish. However, the servers gave us three different desserts, giving us a chance to share the three: a panna cotta, a crostata, and a cake. The blackberry crostata with the sweet corn gelato was unbelievable. First off, it's hard to believe that gelato can be made so deliciously with sweet corn. But pair that sweetness with the acidity of berries, and it's perfection. At the end of it all, there is a final little dish of biscotti, small dots of chocolate cookies, and the sweetest sparkly dots of white meringue.
Service was perfection. I hope to have a second meal here.
I saved my 500th review for a worthy place, one I have been wanting to try for a while - the great Babbo. While I tasted many dishes on my first visit, the ones I enjoyed the most were those I ordered myself. For starters I had the Beef Cheek Ravioli, which came at the recommendation of several yelpers. It lived up to its reputation.
For my main course I chose one of the specials, beef tongue, which I had never tried before. For those that have never had it before I can only describe it as the texture of high grade sushi combined with the flavor of fillet mignon.
Finally to wrap it all up was the delicious pistachio semifreddo, which was just awesome. In fact the entire experience went that way. The service was extremely knowledgeable including the gentlemen who informed a few members of my party which dishes you would or would not want to put parmigiana, salt, etc. on. We sat upstairs which has a nice skylight and overall great ambiance.
Overall I have to say that Babbo is near perfect. I have nothing but good things to write about the food, service and decor and look forward to returning.
Vacation time in NY=Eating Extravaganza!
Auntie got reservations for here and I was excited to try it!
The service and food was impeccable. I was not disappointed at all. The dessert - Maple Cheesecake was the perfect way to end our meal. I would love to go back again!
Forget Per Se (nevermind that their outrageous prices led to all of the other 3 stars raising their prices), or Jean Georges (though phenomenal). Babbo is absolutely my favorite restaurant in town -- for the price, the food, the service, and the ambience (upstairs at least). The folks at Michelin have it wrong -- the fact that this place doesn't have 3 stars (or even one for that matter), is an injustice.
The price: With wine, well south of $200. Yes, it's not cheap. But for a restaurant of this caliber, it's a steal. Went to Esca (Batali's 3rd best in my opinion) and it cost more. Criminal.
Food: I've never had anything quite link the goose liver ravioli or the beef cheek ravioli. If you try nothing else, make sure these dishes make your list.
Service: Completely unobtrusive upstairs. Wine glasses were refilled with out my friends even realizing. And the recommended port to pair with my dessert was spot on.
Ambience: I can only speak to the upstairs, but love it. Not stuffy, warm, and the perfect spot for any occasion.
Babbo is one of New York's most famous and favorite Italian Restaurants. It is also one of the most busiest and hard to get reservations in the city. If you have dined at Babbo you will understand why it is busy and hard to get a reservation. Being a small dining room and small bar of eight seats Babbo is always busy and almost impossible to reach on the phone.
Having dined here for many years and about fifteen dinners I rarely eat here due to the difficulty in geting a table.
Babbo deserves the much publicity it receives but being a daily diner I can not wait for weeks to get get a table. If you plan on going to Babbo; plan several weeks in advance and be patient with them answering the telephone.
We had a group of 5 people so we had late reservations, but this seems to be the typical thing for New Yorkers. =)
The restaurant is so charming, quaint and busy. We ordered appetizers and shared everything. They gave us each a plate so we took a bite and just passed it down! =) We shared the Grilled Octopus, Beef Cheek Ravioli, Warm Lamb's Tongue Vinaigrette and Pig Foot "Milanese". They were all so delicious and the ingredients served with each brought out great flavors!
For the entree, I got the Beef Tongue and it melted like butter in my mouth! I also tried a bite of the Barbecued Squab, oh my, another great dish!
The service was superb, our server explained every detail of each dish when we asked questions! He knew how each ingredients was cooked, the flavors, everything!
Oh Mario Batali, we need one of your restaurants in San Francisco!
We made reservations exactly a month ahead of time and still could only get a 6:30 seating! But the meal was amazing.
We sat upstairs, which I liked better than downstairs. Overall everything was great. We were a party of six and each got a starter and entree, so I got to try a lot. There were no complaints. As others have mentioned the beef cheek raviolis were delicious, not as heavy as I thought, so was happily surprised.
Other standouts were the pig foot and grilled octopus. The pig foot was nothing like it sounds. It was pounded thin and breaded. The grilled octopus was in one word...PERFECT.
The sommalier was also a highlight of the meal, great, great, great.
Mario Batali, I don't know what you're doing on the Food Network with the inane, incompetent, and inexcusably incompetent ingrates (or celebrity chefs, whatever you want to call them), but you are a cut above the rest. It doesn't matter that your servers were slightly snobby or that it was obviously overcrowded, but the food was simply, utterly fantastic. I would give this place 5 stars but actually, my own dish wasn't quite as delicious as my friend's pork chop.
Here's the low down on the dishes:
Goose Liver Ravioli: 2/5 I like my goose liver in fois gras but not necessarily with my pasta. I thought it was overdosed on butter flavor and didn't have enough flavor.
Grilled Pork Chop: 5/5 Absolutely must order this if you come here. This chop is the size of a small horse and definitely enough for 2 people. So tender, juicy, I thought I couldn't possibly be in a restaurant that's affiliated with the Food Network.
Papperdelle Bolognese: 4/5 Your standard flat noodle pasta with meat sauce, I didn't think that it was more special than other restaurants that make this same dish, but it was still definitely tasty.
In short, the pastas actually didn't amaze me (is this supposed to be a pasta house?) but I did love the grilled pork chop. Perhaps I will stick with the main protein dishes next time i come...but remember, book your table EARLY since this place fills up fast!
Very good, filling, and good price for a restaurant owned by a popular chef.
We had the Spaghettini (spaghetti w/ chives and lobster meat), Black Spaghetti (w/ rock shrimp, salami, green chiles), Brasato al Barolo, and a fish dish.
While the lobster meat was a bit tough, the rest of the dishes were delicious!
If you plan to come here without reservations, it's best to show up no later than 6pm (we got there at 5:30pm) or else you won't get a seat!
Some dishes, such as the anchovies, were outstanding. Others were not much more than mediocre. An uneven performance and a real disappointment given our high expectations.
Who would have thought I'd have borderline inappropriate thoughts about a husky italian man with a beard!?
Mario Batali....
I want your....
FOOD.
OMG, is Babbo not Fabbo!? (dorky! dodges shoes) Really, I was so glad I came here, despite the difficulty in getting a reservation in the short time that we decided to eat here.
The decor from the outside was cute! From the exterior, I got the impression that we had just pulled up to a homey euro cafe. Decor from the inside was darker with a lively din, but not so dark you couldn't see your company (or your food). The second floor was much quieter and brighter, and I loved the beautiful wide staircase that was smack in the center of the first floor dining area. If you're weary of the corporate type, this seems to be quite the suity hangout, especially on the first floor. The dress code seems to range from dressy casual to suits, and we even saw a family in shorts and t-shirts eat here...I suppose it really just depends....
The food was severely tasty and consisted of:
Tripe Alla Parmigiana: Who knew Asians and Italians have something in common!? What was the very familiar tripe to me turned into something completely different, which was really nice! Tripe was chewy but not tough, and thinly sliced with a tangy tomato sauce sprinkled with melty cheese on top and baked. How does that sound for a change!? It really was fabulous, and could possibly be one of the favorite things I had at Babbo. Not only because it was simple and very very good, but because it turned something I'm so used to into something completely different. Great Surprise! :D
Duck breast: I can't comment too much on this duck, but from the piece that I did have, I can say that it was juicy and not too tough, doesn't have that weird taste that duck can sometimes have. The sauce was very nice, and complemented the duck with a very gentle sweetness. The companion did say it was THE BEST DUCK that she had tasted...EVER. So, let me take her word for it. If you like duck, try this out!
Braised beef with porcini mushrooms: Soft, juicy, falling apart once touched beef, with a sharp sauce and tender porcini mushrooms sitting in a cream sauce. I have to say, this was good, and the only downfall was I could have eaten 10 more! :)
Selection of Sorbet and Gelatos:
1) Blueberry Gelato - tasted a bit cinammony too, almost like a blueberry cinnamon muffin... :) good
2) Hazelnut Gelato - too sweet
3) Coconut Gelato - too sweet
4) Olive Oil Gelato - i am not too sure how I felt about, in my mind olive oil is not sweet...its strange, but I can't say i didn't like it. the small scoop was probably just enough...
5) Plum Sorbet - refreshing, and really tasted like a tangy plum should taste
6) Apricot Sorbet - also very close to the original taste of the fruit, had a very sweet aftertaste though...
7) Pear Sorbet - my favorite of the bunch, not too sweet, not too icey, had a great balance between the two flavors and a great ending to a heavy meal...too bad they don't serve flavors by themselves...
Overall, the dessert was nice, but maybe you should try the other ones, since I'm sure you could get gelatos and sorbets anywhere... :)
Again, applause for Mario Batali and his grade A restaurant. The staff are polite, but not overly so, and they make great wine suggestions.
My only gripe is about the bathroom - you are literally kissing the wall and if you are anything near the size of a normal guy, you probably will find it difficult. You've been warned!
But for the food, that's LOVE. Four stars for now, until I get to try it a couple more times! :) Lucky me!
Made my second visit to Mario Batali's Babbo Ristorante last night. I've had a gift certificate for over a year and never found a date who was either worthy or too picky of an eater to fully appreciate the menu. I finally decided to go with a buddy for both of our b-days. Getting a reservation here is impossible. We decided to just go in and wait for one of the walk-in tables. I arrived a few minutes before my friend and they had a table but wouldn't sit me even though I promised I would start ordering pronto. Other people came in and snatched it and we ended up waiting over an hour for the next table. $50+ bar tab later, we were seated. Totally annoying, but I guess that is the rite of passage to dining at one of the best spots in the city.
Luckily both of us recognized our waiter as a former waiter from Mercat, and he totally took care of us. We had both checked out the menu and knew what we wanted, and he suggested a few other additions and wine pairings. We started with the Antipasta menu and had the Grilled Octopus with "Borlotti Marinati" and Spicy Limoncello Vinaigrette. So perfectly cooked and fresh. I could eat this dish everyday. Also per our waiters suggestion the Pig Foot "Milanese" with Rice Beans and Arugula was good but not mind blowing. It actually tasted and resembled scrapple to me. From the Primi menu we went with both ravioli options: Goose Liver Ravioli with Balsamic Vinegar and Brown Butter, which was drowned in Balsamic that totally overpowered the dish. I would suggest staying away from this option unless you really got a thing for balsamic vinegar. I almost sent it back as I couldn't taste any other flavor. Our waiter brought out a very sweet wine to pair with this dish and I couldn't really get into it, but it was a nice gesture and was on the house. Luckily the Beef Cheek Ravioli with Crushed Squab Liver and Black Truffles made up for it. Wow. How the hell does the Crimson Dago come up with these?! Our main dish from the Secondi menu was the Grilled Lamb Chops "Scottadita" with Sunchokes, Grilled Onions and Lemon Yogurt. Perfectly cooked, tender, juicy and packed with flavor. Another excellent big bold red wine was poured for us without asking. Delicious and the perfect compliment to the lamb. We had the brussel sprouts with pancetta as a side and that was the perfect amount to walk out and not need to be rolled out.
I give the food and service 4-5 stars and the overall dining experience 3 stars. The room is nice but crowded and loud and the music is great but I seriously heard 2 full Stevie Ray Vaughn albums in a row. Awesome choice, but mix it up a bit more. I remember the first time I was there I heard GD, Marley, Zeppelin, etc and loved that vibe of 5 star dining without pretentious dinner music.
Honestly, this place is amazing, but I feel the hassle of eating here detracts from the overall experience. Who needs the stress of wondering if I'm next in line to be seated and feeling like a hawk watching tables get their bills and lounge around for another half an hour? I would go back, but only with a reservation, and I never have the luxury of knowing where I'll be in a month. The whole night took over 3+ hours and that is just way too long for my tastes. Our bill was around $200 (not including the $50 spent at the bar while waiting), and I can't help but wonder how far that might go at some other upscale Italian spots that one could walk right into and be seated.
I've been to NYC 3 times in the past 3 years. Each time I have tried to get reservations here only to be told that there is no availability, but if I show up at 10 PM on Sunday night, they could try to squeeze me in. Whatever. I'm sure they're great. But I don't care anymore.
We had 10:30 reservations but didnt want to eat that late so we got there early at around 6:30 and sat at one of the bar tables (which are actually normal tables). In short here's the breakdown of the hits and misses.
Hits - Grilled Octopus App, Gnocchi with braised oxtail (my highlight of the night), Sweetbreads entree, and brussel sprouts side.
Misses - Beef Cheek raviloi (it was decent but I was expecting a lot more. Plus it was to al dente for my taste and not enough filling). Lamb Chop entree and Beef tounge entree also didn't do it for me.
For the price there were too many misses. Service was good though.
There it is, quick and dirty.
This place has been one of the very few times that I loved a meal and my beau hated it.
He's not the fussiest eater, so he is usually pretty happy with decent food.
But not here. He hated the fact that we arrived on time for our resy, only to have to wait forever and then be escorted to a nearly empty dining room. He didnt love his lamb, and thought the sides were bland.
I, on the otherhand, was able to overlook all this and more because the goose liver ravioli was so f-in' good that I didnt care if I had to eat it off a paper plate.
So, I have been back a few times for it, without him.
The problem with Babbo is that you never know how its going to be: service is piss poor one night and perfect the next..
For this reason, I would never go here with anyone I wanted to impress. Or go here with anyone who doesnt think that goose liver ravioli makes up for indifference in the front of the house
Getting a reservation for 4 the day of because of cancellation? Score.
Sooo, we meander over for our reservation and there's one thing on my mind...hype. Hype scares me. It has ruined a lot for me in the past. Fortunately, this was not one of those situations. We had an unbelievable meal in a relaxing and intimate atmosphere (upstairs).
The entire staff was friendly without being overbearing or stuffy. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable. The sommelier was incredibly informative, took the time to make suggestions and answer questions. Furthermore, he manned our glasses with precision, which is impressive for a full dinning room.
Ok, the food. A few of the things we ordered: soft shell crab, beef tongue, octopus, pig's foot, black spaghetti, ravioli special, skirt steak, donuts and a few other desserts. (Sorry the donuts were too impressionable, that I forgot the rest.) Everything excelled. I rarely get too exotic with food, except for in situation as such, and I was floored.
It was such a memorable dinner. I will be back, unfortunately, I don't think I'll have the same luck with a reservation as before.
I'm sorry, I dont think I can do this. Trying to recall the sights, the sounds....the tastes......its all too painful (by painful I mean painfully delicous).
I will try and recall what I ate, but that is all I can muster:
appetizers:
Pig foot
Prosciutto San Daniele "Riserva"
Armandino's Salumi
Primo:
Black Spaghetti
Beef Cheek Ravioli
Mint Love Letters
Sweet Potato Lune
Secondi:
Grilled Branzino
striped bass
beef tongue
dessert:
warm cherry crostata w/ mint gellato
....and LOTS of wine
just order anything...you cant go wrong...
Is it possible to give a restaurant a 4 star rating and still feel disappointed? I came in here expecting a transcendent experience and left merely satisfied. The food was very good, even at times(especially some of the pastas) great. With six people, we ordered six primos to share and a secondi on our own. The six primos were:
Black Spaghetti
Beef Cheek Ravioli
Mint Love Letters
Goose Liver Ravioli
Fettuccine
Gnocchi
I especially enjoyed the Beef Cheek Ravioli with the Fettuccine coming in a close second. The black spaghetti was very good as well. Both the Mint Love Letters and Goose Liver Ravioli were unique, but they felt a little odd to me. In particular, the Goose Liver Ravioli just got overwhelmed by the balsamic vinegar over it. As for the Gnocchi, it was good, but neither unique nor especially high quality.
Next, I went with the Veal Breast for my secondi. It was very fatty, and consequently pretty tender. Flavorful, I definitely thought it was the best entree the table had ordered (The lamb chops were pretty good as well, but the Whole Grilled Branzino looked dry and tasted fishier than your typical sea bass). Still I couldn't shake the feeling that it was just merely very good.
We ended the night with dessert: Panna Cotta, cheesecake, and assortment of gelatos and sorbets. The cheesecake was definitive winner here. This is probably the best cheesecake I've ever had. The Panna Cotta was as advertised, very light. Meanwhile, the gelatos and sorbets were nothing special.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Babbo. In particular, I was very amused when they started playing the entire Phrenology album by the Roots. It made an interesting ambience I must say. However, I guess it just wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Just head in with tempered expectation and you'll be good to go.
Okay so me and 3 friends happened upon Babbo one night w/o reservations and just asked if ther was a table. There was bc a group never showed up. The guy up front was an old man and VERRYYYY RUDE. When we asked to see the menu (lol) he was insulted and told us that we would only have 2 hours to eat so if we wanted the table we better just take it..
Even though he was rude and jerky, we took the table and our dinners were delicious. We ordered from the regular menu. The papardelle bolognese was really good (not the best ever ie. not worth 22 dollars)
the service was really great and It was a great dining experience.
the desserts are kind of small but still rather good.. WE had a great time and it was an elegant yet cozy place!
I can not agree more with some reviewers about their "reservation game". That is so ridiculous! After trying 2 times (meaning calling all day long with 1 hour periods of non stop dialing) I lost my interest in this restaurant (as well as Mario B. cuisine) for good. This attitude chills me off no matter how good the experience would be. Ether do not take the reservations or answer the phone, because no reasonable person would believe that lines are busy all day long due to so many calls but not your own intention to keep your line busy all the time.
It's hard to really rate Babbo. By the time you get in, you're kind of convinced nothing could be worth the wait. This was, sort of.
The service is really perfect but the food, while very, very good, isn't. We had the pasta tasting and while some things were plain excellent, other things were kind of plain. We rated the pastas as we ate them and while 1 was an A+, another was a C. Also, we had recently been to Scarpetta and couldn't help but make the comparison; Babbo came up second-best.
I thought this place was fantastic - The service is spot on and the food was wonderful. My favorite dish was by far the grilled octopus appetizer followed by the sweetbreads. This restaurant is perfection
.
One random trip to NYC with my dad, he decided to go to each Iron Chef's restaurant in the three or so days we were there for. And so one day, after having lunch at Morimoto's self-titled restaurant, we had dinner here... at Batali's restaurant. Given the fact that I stuffed myself full with sushi a couple hours earlier, I couldn't possibly pass up the chance to stuff myself with my second favorite food from America's own Iron Chef. Sushi AND pasta in the same day? This was WAY better than my birthday.
Well, I don't remember exactly what I ordered, but let's just say I licked my plate clean. Plus I had this saffron pannacotta for dessert, which was just the perfect ending to my day.
Just wanted to leave a mark that I've dined at this super famous Italian restaurant.
Very good! Their pastas are great. Well, this place is more for the experience, but it's worth coming at least once in your life.
Okie dokie... where do I begin? This place was very cute from the outside and as soon as we entered we loved the bustling and lively atmosphere.
Let's back up to when we made the reservation (30 days before the day you're planning to go at 10 am) The line was busy for the first 30 minutes and then we got through... Personally I think they keep it busy until 10:30 lol. We requested to sit upstairs (a bit more intimate).
We started off with a shrimp appetizer which was pretty good. Our first server who took our drink orders was pretty uptight and boring but after that we just dealt with the sommelier who was very helpful and took care of our wine pairings. For our main entree we ordered the Pappardelle Bolognese (very yummy, but I wish it had a little more bolognese sauce as the pasta underneath was stuck together) and Garganelli with "Funghi Trifolati" (very delicious but also very decadent). We also ordered the corn as a side dish... it had polenta which we're not a fan of.. otherwise it was good.
The only thing that bothered me was that they brought out the bread with no butter, olive oil or balsamic. It was a bit strange...? I'm a big bread person and expected something more to start.
Anyway, for dessert we ordered the assortment of sorbets and gelatos. They were pretty refreshing - the olive oil flavor btw is surprisingly good.
Hearty portions, heavy food, but all good ;)
I came here last night for a friend's farewell NY dinner, and thought it was the perfect spot. My first impression of the restaurant was that it wasnt as cute and quaint as I thought it would be (it looks small on the outside!) The place was also a lot bigger than I had imagined with upstairs seating as well.
For food, we tried a variety of good eats. I wish I had photographed some of the food - but for appetizer we started off with the asparagus quail egg combo as well as the prosciutto. Both were good, but not too special. Just like with the other reviews, this place specializes in pasta, and in order of deliciousness we tried goose liver ravioli (very different sauce), homemade orrechiete and beef cheek ravioli. I love pasta so much.
The main dishes were also good, but were shadowed by the pastas.
And a bottle of good Tuscan wine always makes for a great meal.
I've always wanted to try Babbo (I'm sure it's on many people's to try list) and I'm glad I did ... but because there are so many places I have yet to test out in NY, it may be a very long while before I come back. But overall, everything was just very good!
EXACTLY what I was expecting...Mario was out of town for the week, but is always there everyday when home.I sat at the bar, 2 darling gals were tending bar, as a bartender myself, it was too good to see gals behind a bar, they were gracious, kind, and very accomadating. Complimentary fennel cured Sicilian Colosal Olives, breadsticks, a perfect Negroni, and we're off! I started with the succulent Grilled Boipo with lemon pomagranate mint sauce. Lambrussco was a perfect fit,, moving on to Chianti infused Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu.Perfecto ! I couldn't have felt more at home. I was hoping to move to another course but the pasta was a huge meal in of itself.
My new favorite Grappa di Teroldego...a few complimentary Italian cookies and we are done!
I cannot wait to come back to NY, and when I do Babbo is th first place I go...Thank you all at Babbo for making my visit the best and serving me food that is EXACTLY from my heritage !
xo,
Victoria
Two out of the three visits I've had were simply divine. So let's get the bad one out of the way: Don't order the traditional tasting menus! I'm not talking about the pasta tasting, which I haven't had, but the eight-course menus with everything.
I expected the small portions, of which they were, but somehow on the day I visited the combination and the progression seemed off. The two pasta dishes were great as usual--pappardelle with Chanterelles and thyme and duch tortelli with "sugo finto"--but the hanger steak was disappointing. I'm not a big fan of the desserts here, which made up 3 out of the 8 courses.
Now to the two great meals: grilled octopus, beef tripe, black pasta, linguine with clams, gnocchi, lamb chops, duck...I can still see and taste them in my head!
I also enjoyed having a Bellini at the bar and chew on those spicy and addictive thin bread sticks.
Reservation is hard, but if you're willing to wait in line for an hour before it opens for dinner, it's possible to get a table out front. It's cramped and noisy there, but it's nevertheless fun and energetic. I don't recommend just walk in after they open because there's no room to wait and they require you to be physically present to wait for a table, which is rather crazy given the space (the bar is always packed too!).
Fans of the restaurant will surely enjoy reading about it in "Heat" by Bill Buford. He reports his experience trying to work in the kitchen of Babbo even though he's a writer by trade. It provides plenty of inside info on Babbo and Batali's empire.
Hands down one of the best meals and eating experiences I have had living in New York.
My girlfriend and I celebrating our anniversary decided on the Pasta Tasting Menu and it was absolutely incredible. The wine pairings each worked so well their dish and also built wonderfully from the previous wine.
In a moment of sheer eater bliss I decided to add to the Tasting menu by also ordering the Beef Cheek Ravioli (my favorite dish there) to the menu creating a 6th pasta dish and it absolutely put the meal over the top. The addition really made the meal large, I am luckily a huge eater and had no problem finishing every plate but I wouldn't recommend this to a normal food lover. I was sent to heaven!
The Pasta Tasting Menu with the wine pairing is truly an experience every Italian food lover should experience.
One last tip on reservations, it is so much easier if you are able to show up at the restaurant around 9:45AM a month to the day away from your expected reservation. I know that isn't an option for most, but it is so much easier than sitting on the phone hitting redial over and over hoping you get through. I was able to get an 8PM Saturday night reservation with absolutely zero stress.
Offer of the month
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Just for Yelpers!
Neighborhood: Theater District
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Meatpacking District
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: American (New)
No Big Apple native am I, but I'm eating my way…
Food tourism is a great reason to come to New…
Good Italian places to check out, ranked from best…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
My personal favorites--the list changes from time…
Looking beyond the 'red sauce' Italian…
I think some of my favorite restaurants are…
When I take a bite of the big apple, here's where…
