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Max
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
51 Ave BNew York, NY 10009
Neighborhoods: East Village, Alphabet City
(212) 539-0111
- Nearest Transit:
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2 Av (F)
Essex St (J, M, Z)
Delancey St (F)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 12 am
Sun 5 am - 11 pm
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Three of Cups Restaurant is where old world charm meets East Village Funk. Step into an atmosphere of exposed brick walls, wooden tables and candle… read more »
291 reviews for Max
Review Highlights
"A close second is Cacio e Pepe mushroom lasagna."
(in 103 reviews)
"There's also a black spaghetti with seafood that's very..."
(in 22 reviews)
"Caprese ($10.95) - mozzarella di bufala (3) was excellent."
(in 4 reviews)
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291 reviews in English
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Review from Tina L.
Since 2008, Max has been my go-to for pasta in the EV, and its amazing how little they've changed (at least in terms of restaurant, service, and menu items). They now offer catering and have a second location in Tribeca.
My favorite is still the black ink spaghetti with shrimp, but the homemade beef lasagna on a recent visit was really good. On my last visit, our table of 8 tried most of the menu, and I discovered it's actually more delightful to share the pasta dishes. The too heavy black ink spaghetti and the too rich lasagna were better appreciated when shared with family and close friends.
Only two desserts on the menu and they're both amazing: tiramisu and panna cotta. But if I had to choose one, it'd be the tiramisu.
Oh, there was one grateful change, they now accept credit!Listed in: Favorite Dishes
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/15/2008
We arrived around 6:30pm, and it was just right; the restaurant filled up and there was a queue… Read more »
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Review from Saara H.
1/12/2012
I like this place/would come back if I were in the neighborhood again, but wouldn't go out of my way for Max.
The bread was hard as a rock but the entrees were decent. I really didn't like that the seafood in the seafood ravioli was ground up so that the dish was left without any real texture.
We enjoyed our food, were thankful not to encounter a wait, and appreciated the young vibe on a Saturday night but nothing else was particularly memorable. -
Review from Em Y.
West Bloomfield Township, MI
1/1/2012
I went to Max late at night on a Friday, only about a half an hour before it closed. There was only about 3 other groups there so we were seated immediately. We were served in moments (probably because they wanted us out of there) but I wasn't going to complain. I got penne with marinara sauce which was delicious, although it is pretty hard to mess that dish up. My mom got the gnocchi which just melted in your mouth. My dad got the lasagna, which he loved, but everyone agreed it was super rich. My sister got the eggplant parm which had a perfect eggplant to bread crumb ratio.
The ambiance was quite dark and the music was quite loud, but it worked with the entire vibe of the place. Overall, it was one delicious post broadway show meal. -
Review from Melush F.
Manhattan, NY
2/3/2012
For good italian, call Max. I use them for delivery like once a week and the food is always yummy.
I've had most of the pasta dishes and liked them all. Once I ordered the chicken cutlet and it was also very good too. -
Review from Dan G.
Brooklyn, NY
1/29/2012
Wonderful food. Great atmosphere. Decent prices
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Review from Richard H.
Bayside, NY
2/5/2012
This place is great. Everything was cooked just right and is a great place to spend time with friends and family.
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Review from Yan T.
12/12/2011
Max does what it knows well and knows what it does well: pasta. I can't speak to the game, meat, and fish dishes, but the pasta here is outstanding. For ~ $15 or less, you'll get a perfectly sized portion (rare for an Italian place) of perfectly al dente pasta--homemade with fresh tomato sauce, basil, shaved cheese, and other semolina favorites.
Space is tight and there are lines, but come off-peak and you'll be seated promptly. -
Review from Justin B.
ASTORIA, NY
1/24/2012
The gnocchi here is one of my favorites. It's always soft and delicious and the sauce is a perfect complement with the fresh basil and gobs of fresh mozzarella.
Last time I tried the black spaghetti with shrimp in a spicy tomato sauce. Being someone who doesn't like spicy things usually I was quite surprised. It was perfect for me because it wasn't truly spicy at all but had a really nice kick at the finish that was just enough to let you know it was there. I'm sure you could ask for it to be extra spicy but for me it was absolutely perfect (and delicious.)
Definitely a great place to try if you're in the neighborhood. -
Review from Jessica W.
Hoboken, NJ
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
max is such a cute little spot, and the prices are just right. Their fettucine with meatsauce is amazing, as well as their eggplant parm!!
i've had group dinners here as well as one-on-one, and always a good experience. Also the bread comes with really yummy olive dipping sauce !! -
Review from Jesse G.
Bethesda, MD
1/25/2012
Terrific food, good wine selection. Very reasonable prices. Very high quality food, yet not complicated or fussy. Simple, pleasant, unassuming, not the slightest bit pretentious or overblown. Noisy when crowded, but a nice crowd and staff as well. Went recently as party of 5, tried everything, great eggplant parmegiana, lovely scallop appetizer, great pasta, and a nice chocolate souffle for desert. Enjoy!!!
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Review from Jia L.
New York, NY
12/12/2011
Came here for a 6-top on a Saturday night, which was surprisingly not crowded at 8 pm - guess it must be a late dinner crowd. We got seated in the back room which was drafty and accompanied by the on and off cycles of a heater. The off cycles were unfortunate.
While Max means well by the food, the execution is hit or miss. Starting off, the first glass of wine from the bar was a bit off, which we confirmed by opening a new bottle. For the appetizers, we ordered both the pate crostini and the special for the night (avocado and goat cheese crostini), along with a few salads and the soup for the day. The avocado and goat cheese crostini was especially disappointing as we were served what I can only assume to be a spread from blending the two ingredients. I do remember the soup of the day being quite fulfilling and satisfying.
I must give credit that the pasta itself is delicious and well made. The gnocchi was light and soft and the lasagna well constructed and appetizing to the eye. For the portions, the prices are quite appropriate, even modest by New York standards. While I can see how many would love the food, I personally have to admit that it the preparation style is not suited to my preference. I find the dishes to be overwhelmed by cheese. Many times, I could hardly tell if a piece on my fork is gnocchi or a lump of cheese. In my bites of lasagna, I also got many servings of cheese, hardly any sauce, and no taste of meat. The amount of cheese left me full (and a bit nauseous) after only one quarter of entree. My side dish of meatballs was left generally untouched due to a combination of bland seasoning and lack of appetite.
I'm not crazy about the service but for a hipster east village joint, it could be a lot worse right? For the most part, we got apathy and I'm okay with that. But methinks a 20% (!) mandatory service charge for large groups is a bit presumptuous.
For those in the neighborhood with a craving for pasta, I'd say this is a decent local option. For the rest of us, I can't say it's an experience worth making the trek to E4th and Ave. B again. -
Review from Carlos L.
Manhattan, NY
1/21/2012
This is a nice little hole in the wall. The meatballs were pretty good, and the portion size was perfect. Only downside was the limited drink selection.
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Review from Pat R.
Manhattan, NY
1/13/2012
Food 3.5
Service 3.5
Ambiance 3.5
Overall 3.5
We loved it the first time we went but the second time around, we were greatly disappointed. My pasta was overcooked and congealed, and the other dishes at the table just tasted off. Thus, the food rating is the avg of our two visits--a 4 balanced with a recent 3. I really wanted to like this place.
The service was unreliable as we had to ask for a lot of utensils and other basic things.
At the end of the day, at worst...the food is bad; and, at best, the food can be very good but is unreliable. Not worth the risk given the quality of other italian joints nearby. -
Review from Eric N.
Baltimore, MD
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here after reading countless reviews on how great this place was. Our waiter was a bit on the rude side, and never once asked about our food, and seemed annoyed that we asked the price of the special.
The dishes that we ordered were the lasagna (that everyone raves about), and the ravioli special (tonight it was a smoked mozzarella and asparagus in a pink sauce). The ravioli special was actually quite good. The lasagna was just eh, and I can't figure out why so many folks have commented positively about this dish. The portions were good, and the prices were very fair.
The ambiance was nothing special. Nondescript, and not very cozy. The music selection was awesome - if I was riding in my car with the top down on a summer day. It was all 80's rock - my favorite. Just not when I'm trying to enjoy a quality meal AND digest at the same time. Turn it down you knuckleheads! My waiter, was thoroughly enjoying the music, though, and was head bobbing to the rhythmic beat.
Skip this one, and try another in the area. -
Review from Amir S.
Manhattan, NY
12/1/2011
Came here last night for dinner with a date.
Absolutely charming venue. Easy decor. Dim lighting. Not loud. Perfect spot for a date.
I got the fettucini in meat sauce which was absolutely divine.
My date got the eggplant spaghetti which had a very original spin on it.
I absolutely plan on coming back.
4 stars, because we got sangria that lacked flavor, or alcohol.
Otherwise, a total win. -
Review from A M.
Manhattan, NY
12/15/2011
Heard great things, so came to check it out. Everything seemed ok, if not mind blowing, at first. Prices quite moderate, atmosphere cute, servers attractive if not super friendly...
But then we got our entrees. The three of us each got different pasta dishes (gnocchi, siciliana, and meatballs) and the tomato sauce was so overwhelmingly sweet on all three that a) they tasted exactly the same, and b) they were hard to eat after the first few bites. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, but the sauce tasted like something from a bad school cafeteria. When we asked our waiter whether the sauce was always so sweet, he just mumbled something about the super fresh seasonal tomatoes & carrots they use, which is fine - but then why add all that extra sugar? If you got a particularly sweet batch, why not cook the sauce accordingly?
Bottom line is we came because of all the good buzz, and I see all the good reviews, but I guess I just don't get it. For my money, go to Frank, Supper, or Porsena - your tastebuds (and your dentist) will thank you.
We left with most of our food unbeaten. Won't be coming back either. -
Review from Lauren N.
New York, NY
1/10/2012
Pasta dishes are great, romantic dark atmosphere, but beware, tables are very tight!!
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Review from Kevin W.
12/24/2011
Still the best lasagna in NYC, or anywhere I've had for that matter.
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Review from George O.
Forest Hills, NY
10/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food here is great. The zucchini soup was very refreshing and not too creamy. Be careful it is very hot.
The bread was not my favorite but the olive dip was delicious.
The homemade fettuccine in a duck ragu had a very flavorful sauce with just the right texture to the pasta.
The lasagna that everyone raves about I am not a fan off. The pasta was too soft, almost mushy and the sauce just was not to my liking as the duck ragu did. -
Review from Melinda C.
New York, NY
10/1/2011
There are a lot of solid, rustic-style Italian restaurants in the city. This is yet another one. Reasonable prices. Simple seating... cozy, not in the cuddle up kind of way, but made for easy and friendly conversation.
Of the couple of dishes I've tried, it's clear that the food is good, and pastas, pretty great.
Quick recommends? the spaghetti del marinaio (black pisgetti in spicy tomato sauce), polpette al ragu (meatballs in tomato sauce), and the tiramisu. yum. -
Review from Eugene K.
Bergen, NJ
Came in here for their lasagna and also got black ink pasta.
Their lasagna is really interesting! That bechamel gives the lasagna a really nice interesting taste. The black ink pasta was really good, it was my first time ever having it and loved it! -
Review from Stephen C.
New York, NY
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Used to give this 5.
Lasagna has lost its jive.
Hope it finds it soon. -
Review from Jane K.
Updated - 7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Prices are about $2-3 higher on both food and wine, making it less of a cheap eats find and more of a typical EVill eating oasis.
The back garden still makes it a magical hidden gem, though there's no breeze back during this summer heat wave. My new favorite dish is also the homemade fettuccine with Max's meat sauce. Perfectly cooked and flavored, while the lasagna has lost some of its pizazz. It's been tasting more tomato pasty and less béchamel cheesy.Listed in: Eat Everything in The East…, Cheap Date in New York, Things To Do: Summer In NYC, Transformative: Review Updates, Outdoor Seating: You know you…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/26/2009
This restaurant is so cute I just want to squeeze it's cheeks and use baby talk. I've never sat… Read more »
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Review from Bob S.
New York, NY
12/7/2011
Had a great lasagna here the other night. Not to meaty, lots of sauce. Very good! Nice wine, attentive service and luckily saved room for the pannacotta!
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Review from Diego S.
Manhattan, NY
7/16/2011
I've ordered delivery from this restaurant several times, and the food quality is decent. Not the best Italian in the East Village by far, but a good lasagna and black pasta with shrimp.
Last night my wife and I went to the restaurant, and wanted to be outside since the weather was so nice. We waited 15 minutes (not bad) and were seated under the only outdoor speaker.
Unfortunately, the music was in da club loud, and I nicely asked the waiter if they could turn it down. He immediately copped an attitude and said he had to "check with the manager." Then he disappeared for a while.
I finally had to flag him down, since it was clear that he wasn't going to come back anytime soon. He said the manager would not turn down the music.
I then asked if we could be moved to a table farther away from the speaker. He refused that as well because apparently the manager wanted to save the available two-top to be combined into a 4-top...even though there was no one waiting and the restaurant was empty inside.
This is when I admittedly lost my cool. They weren't going to turn down the music or move us, I guess expecting us to suffer through a meal with music blaring in our ears and no opportunity for conversation.
After expressing ourselves for a bit, my wife and I came to our senses and walked a few blocks to Supper, which is where we should have gone to begin with.
There are too many great restaurants in this city to put up with this bs. -
Review from Jillian C.
Astoria, NY
8/19/2011
I'll start by saying that the two stars I'm giving this place is not for the food. The food was actually really good. The two stars was for the totally rude service.
Let me start with the ordering process. It was fine until I asked how much a special cost, where the waiter proceeded to tell me that everything at Max was reasonably priced so I shouldn't have to ask. Um what? Why not just let people decide what they can and can't afford.
Then at the end of the meal, the waiter overcharged us by $10. When we pointed this out and it became clear that he thought something that said $20 was really $10 on his own handwritten bill, he didn't say sorry once. Then to top it off we paid in cash and instead of bringing the change back and letting us leave him a tip, he took the tip that he wanted out of the change and gave us the remainder!! I have never seen a waiter do that in my entire life! I will never return here, which is too bad since the food was actually good and the back garden was very pleasant. -
Review from Rhonda W.
6/1/2011
Don't do it - if you can help it. This place is tired looking and run-down, but sorta designed to be that way - but can be a bit depressed feeling., especially if you're hungry and looking forward to a good italian meal. The worst part really was the food thou :( I felt very very sad, disappointed and a little ill after I finished the 5 or 6 bites of food that I could eat here. Italian food shouldn't make you feel that way...
I ordered the lasagna as my main meal and it tasted a lot like chef boyardee - which is okay, if your're 5 years old and eating it at preschool on a rainy day in. I really did try to like this dish, tried it with bread, I tried it after a swig of prosecco, I tried different sections of it, tried it with a smile on... but it just didn't go down well.
I was in and out of this restaurant in probably 20 minutes - tops; felt like I barfed up way too much cash (cash only) on what felt like a very poor dining experience, when really, I'd much rather have barfed up my meal...
meh... i've experienced a lot better. -
Review from yanwen j.
Brooklyn, NY
7/16/2011
I came here last night with three other friends and left full and impressed with the food. For starters, we had their special shitake mushrooms with gorgonzola and bruschetta. Since I do not eat a lot of dairy, I found the mushrooms to be too creamy. However, my friends enjoyed it. The bruschetta was one of the best that I have had - lots of tomatoes on crispy bread, making for a refreshing start.
Together, we ordered the lamb ragu, black spaghetti with shrimp, and mushroom ravioli. Everything was absolutely delicious. The black spaghetti was not fishy whatsoever and the sauce was divine. The lamb ragu had just enough lamb for you to taste it but it did not overwhelm the tomato sauce. The mushroom ravioli was creamy and rich - the ravioli was well made. For dessert, we had the tiramisu which actually comes in a cup, like a mousse and the chocolate souffle.
The food was absolutely wonderful. We sat outside and the weather was beautiful, almost making you feel like you were no longer in Manhattan.
The only complaints I have are that the service could be a little more attentive - I did not have utensils for about 10 minutes after I sat down. On their menu, they say that they take all major credit cards but when the bill came, we were informed that their credit card machine was broken. That is something that should be said much earlier on, upon seating, if possible. Thankfully, there is an ATM right across the street.
I will definitely return to Max on a warm summer evening with friends. It reminds me of all the good parts of what an Italian restaurant is supposed to be. -
Review from Persia T.
New York, NY
6/1/2011
Their Gnocchi & lasagna both rock my world.
The backyard dining is east-village nice. The indoor seating is a bit cramped (-1 star for that), but otherwise love this place and I always recommend it when people are looking for a good italian restaurant or a good restaurant in the e. village. -
Review from Sayaka N.
New York, NY
6/27/2011
With In Vino, Supper, and Il Bagatto within a couple blocks of this place, I really see no reason to go here- maybe only if you are starving and avoiding a wait. We were out on a Saturday night and put our name down at Supper, but then we headed to In Vino to see if they had less of a wait. Along the way, we saw Max and decided to give something new a try. People always give me crap for being an almost pathalogical creature of habit but I find it often justified!
There was no wait here and plenty of open tables, but they put us in some crappy table right next to the door and the whole place felt very cramped. The service was...confusing. Incredibly slow and somewhat "cool". Some places, because they are so popular and the food is so good, can pull off an indifferent waitstaff. Max- not so much, it was not even full on a saturday night at prime dinner time, and the food is an entirely different story. What was wierd was they didn't even try to take my drink order- I had to flag them down after we were initally greeted and given bread to order a glass of pinot blanc.
The food was not very good. I ordered the grilled vegetable plate. This is my absolute favorite thing to get at Supper and it's incredible there. Here, it was slimy and cold and overly oily and had some wierd fishy aftertaste. My date ordered the lasagna, and he barely touched it after a few bites. It was all mushy and all mixed together like this wierd blob and he did not like it at all. -
Review from justin g.
7/4/2011
A perfect neighborhood restaurant. After sitting in the back patio on a warm summer night, I didn't want to write a review for this place to spill the goods. Damn, good, no doubt, and right around the corner from my house. Cheap and tasty entrees ($10-$16), nicely priced wine, friendly service. And that back patio. Hot poop.
Since Orologio closed this has/will become our new regular neighborhood Italian joint. Every neighborhood needs one. -
Review from Lindsay S.
New York, NY
6/8/2011
I came here for the FETTUCCINE AL SUGO TOSCANO and you must do the same. Max's tomato meat sauce is like nothing I've ever tasted... a standout.
Inside is small (like every east village restaurant) but there's a nice outdoor garden in the back. -
Review from Ian M.
Manhattan, NY
7/14/2011
I had a fettucini special. It came in a buttery sauce with porcini mushroom and asparagus. The noodles were handmade and tasted very fresh, as did the mushroom and asparagus.
The atmosphere was cozy, rustic. The waitress left little impression, save her perceived impatience and unwelcoming attitude when we first arrived.
If you're in the mood for Italian and by or in Alphabet City, it's a great choice. -
Review from yo sub k.
3/26/2011
Love me some ravioli. I asked the waiter to pronounce "porcini" because I wasn't sure if it was por-chini or por-sini.
With his great Italian accent, he says "porchini."
"Yeah...that one." -
Review from Angela L.
5/8/2011
CASH ONLY, we learned the hard way
Very solid Italian joint - had the penne with eggplant and squid ink pasta, both very fresh, hearty, and steaming hot bowls. Easily family style plates at reasonable prices, will definitely be back to try more dishes. -
Review from Gaby V.
Manhattan, NY
7/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Came here for a birthday dinner for a friend. What a cute, quaint little spot! The restaurant gets a bit crowded in the front, but the tables in the back and on the patio are less cramped.
I had the spaghetti del marinaio, a piping hot and deliciously chewy homemade black spaghetti. It is served with shrimp in an incredibly flavorful and spicy tomato sauce. I crave this dish. Many of their pasta dishes looked good and I'm excited to return to try some of the other ones. -
Review from Sascha T.
Manhattan, NY
8/2/2011
I found Max as a result of a lasagna craving I had. Being new to NYC I turned to Yelp to find what other new yorkers had recommended. The first time I came here I was mesmerized by how quaint & homey the atmosphere was and had definitely been taken by surprise by how delicious the lasagna was.
The last time I went I was a bit disappointed because the lasagna wasn't as good as before. It was late in the evening so I'm hoping that had something to do with it. The noodles were a bit soggy and overcooked. My cousin ordered another pasta dish that was from their specials and it was fantastic. I'll definitely make another trip to Max sometime very soon! -
Review from Melissa S.
New York, NY
Updated - 3/15/2011
Still like the food but had a bad experience with the service last night. My boyfriend's fish tasted like ammonia. It wasn't a big deal, sometimes stuff happens, he just wanted to send it back since it was tasted like chemicals. His assertion was challenged by the waiter, and then a minute or two later the manager came out and started going on and on about their food source and the quality and basically telling him that he was full of it. It's too bad because we weren't making a huge deal of it, but by the time they got vocal about it and paraded half the kitchen to our table, all the other diners were definitely paying attention.
They were good about not charging us for it and quickly making him something else, but it really put off us and others that they went through the effort of trying to tell him he was wrong. The bad fish wouldn't have even merited a mention to friends, let alone a Yelp post but the fact that they went out of their way to embarrass him is definitely worth mentioning.
.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2010
Walked by it a million times and always swore we'd go in. We finally did and I was sad we hadn't… Read more »
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Review from Monique S.
Somerville, MA
5/18/2011
They now accept credit cards!!!
This place is very intimate. It's tiny, and you will be on the date with the couple next to you. It's hard to get by, but it's worth it. A cute little spot with delicious food.
The lasagna is hearty and really enough for two. They were out of Primitivo when I visited. The service was prompt and friendly.
The truffle ice cream was nothing special. It tasted like regular ice cream from the bodega.
There's a cute little bar in the back too, a perfect place to grab a drink while you wait for a table. -
Review from Blair C.
Manhattan, NY
7/18/2011
I can't say enough good things about Max. We live close, so it's a frequent dinner choice for us. They do traditional Italian to perfection. You won't find anything adventurous or overly interesting on the menu, but you should dine elsewhere if that's what you're looking for. Prices are AMAZING & it has the perfect ambiance for date night OR friend night. It's low-key atmosphere that is laid back & could be good for a small group (wouldn't do over 8 ppl... it's pretty small). The service is super friendly & the bartender is usually hot :)
Favorites:
The bread & dip
Lasagna (warning, it's lava-hot, but so, so worth it)
Beet salad
Rigatoni alla siciliana
Rigatoni al ragu napoletano
Pretty decent wine list as well that isn't over the top expensive.
Try to sit in the garden in the spring/summer months if you can!
PS - NOT a good choice to take the visiting parents to if you have to sit inside... it's very dark & they'll complain! Just fair warning
