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33rd St-Park Ave (6)
"I was about to give this place 4 stars... But you know, there is nothing wrong with this place, as far as I can tell. The servers were…" read more »
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Highly recommended by a close friend!
Party of 5ppl at 6:30pm Tuesday night!
Grilled Calamari, Grilled octopus and The famous pizza appetizer robiola all were a hit and cooked perfectly.
Veal meatballs were excellent but very small. Pork and all the pasta dishes were a hit with everyone.
We really enjoyed the quaint, small out of the way location.
I was frankly surprised at how expensive this place is because their dishes aren't particularly interesting, tasty, or well-plated. I orderded what seemed to be the most unusual dish, a fetuccine with rabbit ragú, and it was far from extraordinary.
My biggest complaint it that the pasta was overcooked and sticky. This is unacceptable form an italian restaurant that mostly serves pasta, in my opinion. The risotto with mushrooms was OK, but the sauce looked like it came from a can. The pizza was the only acceptable dish on our table.
The service was good and friendly, but it did not make up for the overprices, tasteless food on the menu. I wouldn't recommend this place unless you have very low standards for $23 pasta.
Not usually a negative reviewer, but the food was expensive, the service horrible, and they were blatantly patronizing because we were dining with a child. And this is not a child who climbs on the table and can't behave in a restaurant. At one point in the meal, the waiter actually interrupted us to tell us that our car alarm was going off- a mini-van with a car seat. First of all, our apartment is on 36th and Park (we didn't drive), and second of all, we wouldn't expect that someone would assume a random minivan going off in Manhattan was ours, simply because we had a child with us. Honestly, it was the whole attitude of the waiter that made this the last straw.
Now onto the food....I don't know how this place is described as having "regional Italian cooking." Unless that is, Chef Boyardee and the region of Canned, Tasteless Food is considered the origin of fine dining. Let's start with the prices. I have no issues with spending good money for an excellent meal. Here, your money will not be well-spent. I had the chicken, which was as bland as eating a brown paper bag. Similarly, the people with whom I dined were disappointing with their pasta, which was mushy and covered with what was described as a "ragout"." They should change their menu to described it as Spaghetti with Lumps of Tasteless Slop.
Later, upon checking our credit card statement, we realized that we were overcharged. Whether intentionally or not, we can't determine. When I called the restaurant and asked to speak to a manager, our waiter got on the phone (Marco). I asked to speak to a manager, and he pretended to be him. He said he couldn't help us with the fact that we were offended during our meal (just asking for an apology-not a credit or anything), and continued to insist that he was the manager, refused to give me his name, and when I continued to press him for his name, he said "Why, so you can write a review about it?" I said "I'm not from a newspaper, and I'm not writing a review. I'm a person who spent a lot of money in your restaurant tonight, and I just want an apology." He hung up. This was not a manager. And here I am, writing a review.
This place is probably ok if you want to just judge it by their food-and by that I mean JUST ok. But seriously-how much basic kindness worth? I live in Philadelphia full time, so when someone can disrespect me to the point where I flinch, it's impressive. And a P.S. to our waiter, Marco- I usually tip between 25%-30%. Had you been a bit better at your profession, I would not have to spend a majority of the tip that you would have received to write a certified letter to the owner.
I've been going here for 8 years. Here's the deal with this place. You have to know what to order. Some is great. Some I wouldn't feed to my dog.
Backstory: Mr. Ciro is the old pizza maker from Fred's in Barney's. He left many years ago to open Da Ciro.
Pizza-You can't go wrong here. Try his signature pizza, the Robiola with truffle oil. Its the best thing in the place hands down. They cook all of them in a wood-burning oven. And they know how to do it correctly!
Soups: The Minestrone is the best I've ever had. And I'm Italian.
Pasta: This is where things go wrong. I've never had a pasta here that I enjoyed. Overcooked, sauces are off, etc...Skip all of them. That being said, Thursdays are Gnocchi night. I had it last week, and it was pretty good. Gnocchi were a bit soft, but the sauce was great, and the seasoning was nice. I'd definitely order it again!
Salads: Yum. The Marco salad is great if you want to keep things light. Its really big too. The grilled calamari salad is excellent!!
Entrees: Haven't had a ton of the entrees. I usually go for everything else I mentioned above (except the pasta) so I don't bother with them. The few times I ordered the chicken or fish (I don't eat red meat), I wasn't super impressed, nor was my husband. Order with caution...
Dessert: I have only had a few. The only one that stands out is the tiramisu. Its very, very good. Pretty creamy as they use a fair amount of whipped cream, but its got a nice rich cocoa flavor too.
Overall, a great, inexpensive spot you can almost always get in. Good for families, Service can be a bit too lazy (waiting for water to be refilled, check to be dropped) but good for a casual dinner. Just avoid the pasta. Also, they will do to-go, but not delivery...
This place was extremely over priced and has awful customer service for those dining with children. DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU HAVE A KID!! THEY WILL LOOK DOWN UPON YOU AND GIVE YOU SERVICE THAT MAKES IHOP LOOK LIKE A 5 STAR RESTAURANT!
This place has some awesome Sambucas, pricey but worth it. Be weary of the friendly older men parked at the bar, don't worry they're harmless. The service never disappoints. And the reason I've continued to go here for the past 11 years is the Focaccia Robiola Di Ciro with the spicy truffle oil ... and somehow you fall back into your seat, close your eyes and just feel sublime. Sometimes, depending on whose making it & if you're sitting at the bar like I do, they'll hook it up special.
I thought this place was just ok :( I was looking for some truly great Italian food while in NYC- It was good but not great, service was strange. The waiter over herd our conversation and came over and started talking about what we had been talking about 5 min ago. The homemade pastas were good and the polenta too but the rest was not great. Presentation of food not so good and atmosphere was seriously lacking.
Just your average run-of-the-mill italian restaurant in new york city. The food wasn't particularly lacking; I enjoyed the homemade pasta and the taste and consistency of the sauce, and the recommended wine was quite good as well. The service was just alright but the atmosphere and presentation of the place weren't as classy as the prices suggested. If you're tired of going to the same places and haven't tried Da Ciro, then give it a try and maybe you'll see something that I'm not!
Ate here last night with some friends and new acquaintances, and it was fun for us. I would definitely consider going back again if I needed a quiet low-key Italian date place, but it just didn't strike me as amazing.
Food:
We started out with the fried calamari and the portobello mushroom with mozzarella, goat cheese and tomato. Both were great, and more than enough food to appease us for appetizers. The calamari was spicy, even without the marinara sauce, but still crisp enough to satisfy without being overly greasy. Now, these weren't overly battered and fried pieces of dough with tiny pieces of squid in them; these were large rings of molluscs with just the proper amount cornmeal and crunch to still taste substantial. The mushroom was creamy, but a little bland, I would have enjoyed some more punch to it, but everyone else seemed to really like it.
So, going clockwise around the table starting with me we had: manicotti of ricotta and spinach, ceasar salad and lentil soup, involtino di pollo, cotoletta di vitello and risotto with scallops. My manicotti was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The ricotta and spinach melded together and the tomato sauce on top was the real-deal homemade. The ceasar was typical but not too anchovy-ish, which was nice. The lentil soup was the soup of the day, and it was pretty standard, but filling for sure. I had a bite of the chicken, which was stuffed with zucchini, shitaki, roasted peppers, goat cheese and mozzarella, and served with mashed potatoes. That dish was definitely the best of the night, because the chicken wasn't overdone and the stuffed medley really brought out the seasoning in the chicken. A very well crafted meal, indeed.
Didn't get a bite of the veal, he wolfed that down pretty quick, but it was served with a veal and mushroom reduction, spinach and roasted potatoes. Definitely looked delicious, and something I'd like to try, although I have to admit, I'm struck by the redundancy of some of these dishes. I'd have liked to see some more variation among the ingredients, seemed like every option had some sort of cheese and spinach in it. Granted, that's Italian food, but some attempt to inspire would have been nice. And that's where the risotto came in. It was made with pearl scallops, and I have nothing to say except yummy! It was one of the specials of the day, and I stole more than a bite or two because it just melted in your mouth.
Venue:
Just off of 34th St, Da Ciro's pretty easy to get to, and it's space is nice. There's a bar in the back where their brick oven is, and the downstairs area sits about 40, and upstairs a bit more. The area's quaint and cozy, and probably warm if they keep the door close.
We had gotten there sometime after 5, and had to pull together our own table to seat the five of us because no one came to seat us when we walked in. Now, granted, it was early, but the bartender told us they weren't quite open yet. The door says they open at five, and there was a couple sitting at the bar, so I would have at least anticipated someone taking an interest in us. It wasn't until another 15 minutes passed that we got menus. It was another 10 until someone asked us for drinks or told us the specials, and by that time more people were siting down.
The service wasn't terrible, but it wasn't entirely spot on. There was a rather long gap, probably five minutes between when we got the first three plates and the last two came out. They were also rather quick to get us out, despite the fact they hadn't seated anyone upstairs yet. The service left a lot to be desired, but it wasn't horrible. I would go here again when I wasn't in a rush and wanted to have a long drawn out dinner.
The space is good for events, especially with the upstairs area available for sit down dinner. We did talk about the iPod speakers propped up over the bar as the only source of music, and it's probably illegality, but oh well. Overall, I would recommend it both for a dinner date and a dinner party. The food is good, the ambiance is nice to hang out in, I just wasn't wowed.
Came here on a Saturday night around 7pm without having had reservations. The restaurant was fairly empty on the first floor and we were seated right away. The menu was a little limited for my taste, but then I saw the back of the menu had a whole page of different pizzas. You can see right away from the menu that their "brick oven" is used for many of their dishes including the pizza.
I ordered the veal meatball appetizer. There were 3 meatballs sitting in a pool of oil with some tomatoes. The meatbalsls tasted okay but the amount of oil was so unappetizing. For my main course I had the branzino which was cooked in the brick oven with lemon, oil and capers. It was okay- nothing really special. The service was prompt but not very friendly.
It will be easy for me to forget about this place. Nothing particularly special and I probably won't be back.
If I lived in Murray Hill, I'd be fat and broke. Da Ciro is - by far - the best Italian food in the city. I try to make it here at least once a month - everything on the menu is delicious. I have probably had everything on the menu - but my favorite entree is the Black Linguini. I wish it was socially acceptable to lick plates in public. And if there's one thing everyone should eat before they die, its the Focaccia Robiola - its indescribable.
The brick oven and warm lighting contribute to a cozy atmosphere as well.
I live down the street and have never been. Went last night, service was v. attentive. We had a proscuitto-wrapped mozzerella appetizer - was so delicious! Pastas were really great also, portion sizes were perfect, I finished everything (and was a little bit realllllly full, but hey, if i can finish, i'm going to)!
yum yum yum
Normally I go to Christina's on 2nd Ave. I wanted a change. Due to some diet restrictions I could not eat anything with tomatoes so the bad order effect could affect this review.
I ordered grilled octopus which was good, great taste - a little chewy but good if like griled octupus.
I had ravioli with chicken/pepper special in a pink sauce - it was just ok.
My gf had the eggplant rollatini app and loved it - had the griled chicken - didnt love it so much.
All in all the prices were stupid for what we got. With tip/ 4 glasses of wine/1 slice cheesecake the bill was 139 - i gave 170.
I felt like I could have had 2 meals that would ahve been much better at christinas.
I think when i can order pizza again i will go back, sit at the bar on a cold night and have some wine there and i bet I would then give the place a 4 - for now - its a bullshit boring italian joint with theater district NJ clown prices
Great white pizza (special one with truffle oil) and solid pastas.
Atmosphere is nice but nothing special, service is pretty good. But for the price, the food is not what I expect.
We had 2 pizzas (white was great, the Da Ciro one was not good). The pastas were good, tasty but the portions were not big and not as hearty as I would have liked.
Desserts were NOT good.
Not the worst place at all, but probably wouldn't go back.
I've been here with co-workers since its just around the corner from my office. Small traditional Italian rest. Nice and comfortable, just too my people working at one time for the space of the rest. And when we needed something we never knew who to ask because 5 people were waiting on us?
Everything is so-so - not really worth the cost for what we received for lunch.
From start to finish, dining @ Da Ciro's is a spectacular experience. Everything from the ambiance, service, and detailed attention was praised. Unfortunately, the execution of the various courses failed to live up to the hype and took away from the overall dining experience.
The Decor: At first entry to the illustrious Da Ciro's, the candlelit ambiance and serene glow of the harmonious color textures provided an at ease feel for it's dining patrons. The decibel level remained low throughout, which greatly aided in the calm atmosphere. The well balanced decor of exposed brick, deep mahogany wood, and candle light provided one worthy dining experience for it's patrons. The second floor decor was slightly more welcoming and upscale than it's first floor counterpart. For starters, the ambiance of the second floor provided more of a date atmosphere. The lighting provided a well balanced combination of dimmed lighting from overhead and candles placed at each dining table. In addition, the wood panel decor aided in the romantic feel of the restaurant.
The Food... My girlfriend and I had already set our hearts on what we were going to order...
Focaccia Robiola Di Ciro - The infamous pizza of Da Ciro's. The Focaccia is made by slicing open a baked Pizza crust. The insides of the crust are then coated with a layer of Robiola Cheese. The top of the crust is then replaced, for which the pizza is returned to the coal over for a final bake. The Focaccia is finished with a drizzle of truffle oil. Upon presentation of Focaccia, the aromatics of the pie produced the essence of the truffle oil used in the application. The secondary vapors generated by the pie was of that of freshly baked bread. This well balance of the Truffle Oil and Fresh Baked Dough allowed for the salivary glands to begin watering. At first bite, the Focaccia produced a nice crispy crust that mended well with the Robiola Cheese. Although the cheese was somewhat runny (due to the heat of the crust), the balance between the crispy and lightly salted crust and the creaminess of the Robiola cheese, allowed for this particular dish to produced a welcoming hearty consumable, that's well balanced in both taste, texture, and quantity.
Linguine Nere Ai Fruitti Di Mare - The second dish of the evening was that of the Black Linguine with Seafood in Spicy Tomato Sauce. The aromatics of this dish presented a bold, rich, spiciness commonly found in comfort foods. At first bite, I was disappointed that the texture of the pasta produced evidence of overcooking. In addition, each piece of seafood used in the application was rough in texture, thus evidence of additional overcooking. Although the balance of the oil and spiciness of the tomato sauce produced a welcoming heartiness, the dish ultimately failed to produced a welcoming taste through the overcooking of the ingredients.
The overall expectation of Da Ciro's was sadly disappointed. Despite the high praise given to this restaurant for it's service, decor, and hospitality, the food failed to live up to it's hype. Hopefully other dishes @ this establishment are better executed than the Linguine dish. Nevertheless, I'm glad I had the pleasure of indulging in the infamous Focaccia Robiola...
This place is great. Every time that I come, I really enjoy my meal. Their pasta is so fresh and it is really satisfying. The wine has been good both times I have been here. The appetizers are pretty large and very filling. The service is also good and the I would totally eat here more if I lived closer!
This was great Italian food. I went here on Valentine's day (a day on which most restaurants are known to have faulty service and sub-par food), and both the food and the service was excellent. The portobello mushroom with goat cheese and mozzarella appetizer was fabulous! The waiter was very attentive, as well as the host. I will say that this is one of my favorite neighborhood italian restaurants in Murray Hill and I will most definitely be going back (although, if I wasn't in the neighborhood I don't know that I would make the trek seeing as there are plenty of good neighborhood italian restaurants in the city)- 4 stars if you live in Murray Hill, 2.5-3 stars if you don't...
A very friendly place with a warm atmosphere on the first floor--due to the open wood burning oven--which turns our excellent individual pizzas. Try the mushroom pizza and some house wine. Good selection of chiantis and other reds by the bottle. Almost anything from the oven is very good--but avoid some of the higher priced selections. Stick to pastas and pizzas and you won't go wrong. Try the oven roasted calamari, too. This is a great place to hang out and the wait staff are wonderful and will make you feel at home. The bar is a great place to eat, chat and stay warm b the fire, but is almost too small. The second floor dining room is spacious and quieter; but I enjoy the downstairs.
Good Italian restaurant that won't disappoint. I went here and had the cavatelli with veal ragu, which was excellent. I also tried the fettuccine with mushrooms and was pleased with that dish, too. Most of the pastas were homemade and the portions are pretty big, so don't let the prices discourage you from going. My only complaint is that the wine list was pretty expensive, even for NYC standards. I would recommend this place.
I came here to try the Focaccia Robiola. I heard Bobby Flay raving about it during a pizza challenge on the Food Network. I asked our waiter if "one pie" was enough for me and my girlfriend to share. He said no, and proceeded to show us how small it was with his hands. So we each got a pie and some appetizers. First off, one pie was surely enough for two people to share. This waiter was just trying to sell us the more expensive items on the menu. That really pissed me off after the fact! He really mislead us (on purpose) with his description of the portions. As far as the Focaccia Robiola goes, it's not pizza! It tasted like a toasted bagel with really good cream cheese. I'm not sure how this dish falls under the "pizza category". And why Bobby Flay would enter it in a pizza challenge is beyond me. It was good but very rich. The problem for me is that it tasted like something I would want to eat at brunch, not dinner. Bobby Flay must be really good friends with the owner of this place.
I love Da Ciro's! Everything I've ever had there has been excellent. They make this pizza appetizer thing that has some kind of creamy cheese in the center with truffle oil on the top...I still fantasize about it. It's a bit expensive but since I've never picked up the check there that aspect has not phased me. The owners are straight outta Astoria so if you are going to whine about a draft or argue the year of the house wine I'd suggest a more "pinky's out" venue. You can take the boy out of Queens....
Went here based on what I saw on the Food Network about this place and their "amazing" truffle pizza. The service was pretty much non-existent. We constantly had to get someone's attention. The pizza ended up being really good...but it was not worth the trouble of dealing with sucky service.
The house red wine was terrific, the service was exceptionally helpful, the food, however, was just o.k.--and especially at those prices! All in all, I find this place to be charming, but I would not say it is the greatest Italian restaurant that I have ever been to--or even close to it.
Fabulous Brunch now served…
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Lunch or Dinner & a movie $28
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Category: Italian
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