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Il Bastardo Lounge

4 star rating
based on 16 reviews

Categories: Italian, Steakhouses  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Manhattan/Chelsea
191 7th Ave
(between 21st St & 22nd St)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 675-5980
  • Nearest Transit:

    23rd St-7th Ave (1)

    23rd Street (PATH)

    23rd St-8th Ave (C, E)

  • Price Range: $$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Attire: Casual
  • Good for Groups: Yes
  • Good for Kids: Yes
  • Takes Reservations: Yes
  • Delivers: Yes
  • Take-out: Yes
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Outdoor Seating: Yes
  • Alcohol: Full Bar

16 Reviews for Il Bastardo Lounge

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Photo of Barbara C.

Elite '08

40

140

Barbara C.

New York, NY

3 star rating
07/02/2008

They offer a great deal with their 5-7pm prix fixe dinner.  You get to pick either one app and one pasta or one pasta and one secondi (meat) with a dessert at the end.  There are about 6-8 choices per section, so a good variety.

The food was all pretty decent.  Nothing to complain about, but nothing to make me go here as opposed to any other Italian restaurant.  My Chelsea Crush cocktail was fab though--wonderful muddled strawberries and such.

They DO have a nice outdoor seating area, which was key because we had a dog in our party.  Lots of other dog-owners too (this IS Chelsea ;) ), which was nice.

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8

25

nayoung j.

Plainsboro, NJ

3 star rating
05/23/2008

Not bad.  Tad overpriced.  Roomy inside with multiple rooms; didn't get to see the lounge.

I think the staff is also aware that they are overpriced.  Right after I ordered a pitcher of sangria, the waiter felt the need to shout out the price at me.  

I ordered the ravioli with sausage special.  Again, NB.

Can't think of anything to really complain or rave about.  I'd recommend this place for small group outings!

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Photo of Maria W.

Elite '08

305

303

Maria W.

NY

5 star rating
05/27/2008

For my 300th review I wanted to Yelp about my favorite Italian spot. Gracious servers, authentic quality food, large varied menu. On the spendy side but you get what you pay for. This past weekend was balmy and bright, perfect for their outdoor seating.

My salad of pears, arugula, gorgonzola and walnuts was fresh and delcious. It complimented the glass of Gavi di Gavi I had chosen and the waiter was quick to return to ask if we needed more wine. Yay! More wine!
Next we went on to hot appetizers. The Melanzane alla Parmigiana, a traditional baked eggplant with tomato, basil and mozzarella, was a good size and enough to share between the three of us. Roasted to intermingle the flavors, it was well paired with the fresh crusty bread.  We just had to order the fried calamari, perfectly cooked with a very light breading.

I had a difficult time deciding between the lamb shank  braised in chianti with porcini polenta and the La Tagliata, the sliced rosemary crusted sirloin steak steep in a Barolo wine reduction. Having just come from a week long conference with my vegan and vegetarian friends, I went for the beef.  It arrived rare-medium, exactly how I had ordered it. Melted in my mouth.

I'd made sure to only eat half my dinner to keep room for dessert. Dessert is a must have here. Again I had a tough time choosing. I went for the standard Tiramisu which is anything but standard here. Best I have ever had anywhere. Fortunately one of my friends chose the other dessert I was slavering over, the chocolate mousse. I've never been a big fan of mousse, thinking it a bit on the bland side, but their mousse has bits of bittersweet chocolate interspersed in a rich heavy cream base, so decadent.

This is a a perfect date spot or for a gathering of a group of friends.

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Photo of Kristyn W.

 

2

5

Kristyn W.

New York, NY

4 star rating
04/13/2008

I recently ordered from Il Bastardo, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fast delivery and great food.  They even included fresh bread (which doesn't always happen with delivery), and homemade biscotti.  This is the first authentic Italian restaurant I've found that will deliver in Chelsea, and I will definitely be ordering from them again!  I had the Gnocchi di Ricotta alla Genovese, and it was amazing.  Their gnocchi were actually some of the best I've ever had, and the pesto sauce was great as well.

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Photo of Rachel S.

 

47

16

Rachel S.

New York, NY

2 star rating
03/04/2008

Went here because I was invited for an event.  The decor is quite nice with a pleasant ambiance which was later disturbed by very wacky sounding music that was off-putting.  
The food on the other hand was nothing to write home about. Not too sure if I'd go again.

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Photo of Sarah D.

 

31

30

Sarah D.

Van Nuys, CA

4 star rating
02/24/2008

I went to Il Bastardo with a friend on a Sunday night.  Perhaps it was because of the Oscars, but we were the only ones in the place.  It was pretty, quiet, and calm.  The music was a bit erratic and odd, but the food was excellent.  I had the organic salad and sea scallops, while my friend had the lentil soup and vodka ravioli.  Both of us were very satisfied.

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Photo of Amanda B.

Elite '08

327

311

Amanda B.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
02/22/2008

Gawking is almost required here, and it sometimes seems more important than the food for Il Bastardo's studiously sleek crowd. Each & everytime I'm here, I run into some Gucci, Dolce & Para models.. It's a very fascinating crowd... Especially on Sunday afternoon.... No that it matters but to be around beautiful people, great food & good wines.... what's a combination right?

The restaurant's architecture is beautiful &with rustic look. Mirrored ceilings and a sprawling space encourage stargazing, as do the floor-to-ceiling sidewalk windows and the otherworldly glowing-red forty-foot-long bar. Like a New York City set built in L.A., the incongruously rustic brick lounge in back seems to have brought old-school Italy into an otherwise futuristic setting.

The grigliata mista appetizer exemplifies the restaurant's largely Tuscan approach: Fresh scallops, shrimp, and calamari are touched with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper, and grilled until tender. Pastas include typical Genovese dishes like gnocchi with pesto, potatoes, and string beans, and hearty rolled-pasta "priest stranglers" with veal rag.

Seafood and steaks make up the majority of the menu's mains and grilled entrees. The cooking here is far more focused--there are no special effects, just fresh ingredients, sparingly flavored dishes, and expertly simple Tuscan cooking.

Extra
A wood-paneled VIP party room resides at the back of the restaurant. Also connected to a wine bar next door.

$15 All you can drink mixed-drinks (it used to be $10) on SUNDAY from brunch to 4 PM ;-)

Recommended Dishes:  Grigliata mista, $14; bistecca con salsa verde, $19, Mussels al Vino, Bistecca alla Fiorentina   prime aged 36 oz porterhouse for two $60 for 2... Yummy!!!

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Photo of Mary Jane G.

 

1

4

Mary Jane G.

New York, NY

3 star rating
03/31/2008

...I'm trying to keep up. Sometimes, however, I eat a brunch and then go off and have a day and then collapse that evening without writing about it, and hours become days become weeks....

Anyhow, Il Bastardo. A month ago. Scott and I picked up a paper and went local. We were looking for the place next to Il Bastardo (which is supposedly reopening soon), but ended up settling for grub as soon as we could get it instead.

So! It's a big space, sort of wine cellar cavernous. We got a table right away. We got coffee and bloody marys right away. We settled in to read the paper and were satisfied. Our meal was only marred by the party of four next to us loudly discussing Obama and the unlikelihood of his winning the Democratic nomination because, as one of them said, "America isn't ready for a black president." Embarrassing. Really. We're sitting in a restaurant in Chelsea, reading the New York Times, which had a cover story about Obama being ahead in pledged delegates and polls and popular opinion, and these yahoos are proclaiming to the world that America isn't ready. No, fool, maybe it's you who isn't ready.

Anyhow, our food showed up and looked lovely and tasted wonderful. My egg was perfectly poached, the accompanying ratatouille was hearty and healthy enough to make me feel decent about my choice, and the grilled bread was a nice change from cold toast. Scott had a decent steak and eggs. Coffee was replenished a couple of times, and the servers left us at peace. The bloody mary was just horseradishy enough. The sticker price was a little high but not a terrible shock (although I guess I've adapted to New York prices). All in all, barring our neighboring politicos, it was a nice meal. Damning with faint praise, I suppose, but I'll need another visit to make up my mind.

Il Bastardo
191 7th Avenue
212-675-5980

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Photo of Jen D.

Elite '08

88

723

Jen D.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
01/19/2008

Came here for brunch last weekend with my gay husband. While we were waiting for our other two friends, we took advantage of the all you can drink special for $10. Our friends were an hour late, but who cares?! We were drinking and giggling and carrying on like two teenage girls.

The food:

Grilled Chicken, Fresh Mozz, Caramelized Onions and Tomato on a grilled panini - YUMMMM.. I think they drizzled a little olive oil and pepper on the sandwich. That was a nice touch.

My friends all got eggs...

But the best deal here is the all you can drink special. They come and refill your glass without you even having to ask. And the glasses are HUGE.

And the bathrooms downstairs are AWESOME. This is another place that has bathrooms with kinky possibilities. Just sayin'....

**Note**
They also offer space for private events. They have a large space in the back with a separate bar that can hold up to 100 people.

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Photo of Carolyn B.

Elite '08

65

361

Carolyn B.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
04/26/2008

good italian-inspired food, very hip atmosphere.  they do have lots of outside tables as well.  i enjoyed my dinner here, but it wasnt anything too special, not sure if i would go back.  delicious pomegranate margaritas, although i thought that was a little strange for an italian place!
we started with salads, and then i had the lamb chop special for my entree.  the lamb was very tender, cooked perfectly.  i liked the sides that it came with - spinach and butternut squash.  my friend had the salmon and said it was good too.  our service was just ok, the waiter was attentive at first, but then took forever to come back at the end to give us the check.

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Photo of Michael M.

 

9

32

Michael M.

Atlanta, GA

4 star rating
11/01/2007

Had dinner here last night for Halloween...Food was excellent....had the stuffed mushrooms, mozzarella caprese, orrichette, and veal scaloppini...I did try to get chicken scaloppini instead of veal scaloppini but was quickly told that would upset the chef (Wouldn't want to do that!!! Ok, I did a little) but, I smartly agreed to the Veal scaloppini.

The cheesecake for dessert was fabulous, great prosseco, wine, port and grappa,

Overall a great restaurant and fantastic service.

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Photo of PJ G.

Elite '08

126

168

PJ G.

New York, NY

5 star rating
10/09/2007

Big fat juicy veal chops! YUM! fabuloso bread! Great view of the parade (7th avenue), relaxed atmosphere and a table that seats four comfortably.

What I like about this place is that you can come here with friends or a date and you're treated the same way- with polite friendliness.

They won't toss you out on your ear if you're wearing jeans, and dress up (moderately) works well here too.

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Photo of Scott H.

 

2

35

Scott H.

New York, NY

5 star rating
12/09/2007

All you can drink BRUNCH in NYC - what more does one need to say?!  

But I'll say a few more things.  Great place to bring out of towners.  Fresh brunch, good service.  Nice selection of entrees, crispy bacon.  Comfortable and sleek decor, beautiful common bathroom.  

And, of course, all you can drink mimosas and bloody mary's are always a winner with your friends.

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Photo of Michele W.

 

32

189

Michele W.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
08/05/2007

A great space and good location. And for the price ($35/person, prix fixe menu, included appetizers, wine, entrees, desserts, and coffee for a party of 17), there's no way you could complain. The carpaccio appetizer was fantastic -- and so huge I couldn't finish it -- but the roasted chicken entree was just so-so.

Because we had a large party, we were given the back lounge area -- private, intimate, and with plenty of room for everyone. My impression is that the reservations were made at the last minute (like, three days before the dinner party) yet the staff was incredibly accommodating and helpful. Definitely a place to return to.

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Photo of Kuv S.

Elite '08

40

114

Kuv S.

New York, NY

5 star rating
06/06/2007

IL BASTARDO!!! Sorry, but with a name like that, I can't help but it say with some enthusiasm, some cojones. Try it with me, "You guys wanna grab some lunch? I know a place in Chelsea, what's it called? oh, well, it's, IL BASTARDO!"

Late lunch. Two very simple words when combined create a magnificent happenstance, and a late lunch it was last time I was here, 5pm - we ordered Mozzarella Caprese (awesome), Caesar Salad (eh, not so super), Mussels al Vino (good), Lasagna al Forno (didn't try, but looked good and was finished), and Panino Skirt Steak (mine- it was cooked well, well-served, and just, well, swell).

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Photo of Hannah C.

 

9

24

Hannah C.

Flushing, NY

5 star rating
08/29/2007

Had a late dinner with a friend on Tuesday evening after class and couldn't be happier with the service and food. We were actually on our way to cafeteria just down the street, but the il bastardo just caught my attention before we walked down the street.

I am all about the decor and atmosphere of a restaurant and il bastardo is pretty nice inside...especially the bathrooms downstairs.  I ended up ordering the pollo ripieno and my friend ordered the bistecca con salsa verde. both were delicious and perfect portions!! ended up getting dessert -- apple something...wasn't that great.

at the end of dinner, my friend took my back to the cutest lounge area all the way in the back of the restaurant and realized it would be a perfect place to throw an intimate bday party or something of that sort.

i would definately go back.

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