Bono Trattoria Reviews

Great, Italian restaurant. Small but delightful menu. Interesting variations on typical Italian dishes. Enjoyed a Sunday afternoon meal with a full lunch/dinner menu plus a few special Sunday brunch menu items. The beet salad was delicious with a combination of yellow and red beets on a bed of greens with a vinaigrette, goat cheese and walnuts! Yum, yum. Then, we had two pasta dishes with one with the cream sauce with mushrooms being the best! Split a fig cake with rosemary special for dessert with a side of delicious gelato. Sounds weird but tasted wonderful!!! I would go again to the cute little Italian place! (And I felt safe in this neighborhood!)

BONO is consistently great. Tonight tried The stuffed focaccia which was a great starter. Arugula salad was solid but it was the linguine al sud that was a knockout. The staff is always friendly. Highly recommend if you are in upper Harlem (and worth traveling from anywhere in city).

This place is a great option for Italian food in a restaurant desert. Beautiful interior and tasty pizzas and pastas are worth a trip uptown.

We really enjoyed our dinner, the staff were fabulous, the food was delicious. We were there on a Monday evening and there was no wait, the facilities were clean. We would recommend this place for an evening out. I had the pork chop (very good) my son had the Penne, one daughter had the Chicken Marsala and the other one had a mushroom pizza, everyone enjoyed their food.

Beatiful, unpretentious locale with a brick-oven separate from the kitchen that prepares the most delicious, flavorful southern Italian food. Lucca, the owner, tends the bar and has an excellent, relaxed relation with the clientele and staff so that the quality of service is great. Prices are very reasonable. buon appetito!

Came in and satisfied my Italian cravings! I wanted pasta really bad and man this place delivered on all counts. Homemade pasta, killer sauce and al dente perfection. The pizza was pretty good. Not my fav Neapolitan style pie I've had in this city, but up there on the list. The dessert was top notch. I loved the dessert of the day, oh my god that pistachio and lemon tart was a real treat. Two of my fav dessert flavors put into one. Couldn't have asked for anything better! The service is what fell just a tad bit short. Everything seemed to take awhile, we didn't get bread right way, had to ask a couple times for us, one of our dishes must have been forgotten since it came out awhile after all the rest of the entrees, we wanted refills on our olive oil and had to keep reminding them for it, and the check took a long time. I would just work on ramping up the service to match the food and this would have been five stars all the way.

I had dinner once and I can't wait to come back to have a pizza. I had strozzapreti and my friend had risotto. Both were great. Also pizza and focaccia ripiena looked delicious. I truly recommend this place, also because of the price, super reasonable for nyc's standard!

Agreeable ambience, friendly waiting staff, and very good food. We shared the eggplant parmigiana as an appetizer; I then had the ribeye steak with mushroom sauce; my wife had two vegetable dishes. I had the buttermilk panna cotta for dessert: it was something special! My wife's gelato dessert was less outstanding. All in all the food was very good. Definitely recommended!

A cute place with nice decor. High tables as well as regular ones. The bread came warm and was quite good. I had a pizza with figs which was rather delicious! Fair prizes. Good waitstaff.

Heard about a new Italian restaurant opening up in Harlem and wanted to try it out. My friend and I took the Triboro bridge to get to the upper side of Manhattan. It was just the easiest way to get there, avoiding a lot of Manhattan traffic. The area has many parking, therefore no trouble there. The restaurant is right at the corner. It has an inviting entrance. We went for an early dinner and there were many seats available. The restaurant is not small, and did not feel cramped. We sat down, was served water right away with menus. The menu has many choices and there is also a wooden fire oven for pizzas. For antipasto my friend got a salad and I got the polenta with sweet sausage. The polenta was delicious! The sausage was enough to be tasted and not be overpowering. The portion for the antipasti were perfect. For the main meal my friend got a pizza and I got the parpadelle with cinghiale (boar) sauce. The parpadelle were home made and the cinghiale sauce was great! There was a bit too much cheese for me but it did not ruin the taste. The portion was perfect. For dessert we got the chocolate cake with ice cream - good. The restaurant left a great impression. I like the ambiance and the food and definitely will go back and recommend it. Complimenti.

We enjoyed a nice, quiet casual dinner here. Had both the fried calamari and the grilled octopus as our appetizers. The calamari was just ok but the octopus was great! For dinner I ordered the Funghi pizza and my husband ordered the Parma. Both were delicious. Our dinner companions have been here numerous times and I can understand why.

Our large family came from all over the country and beyond to meet in New York. We had an important family dinner at Bono Trattoria. The server Jonathan was very patient, helpful, and attentive. They don't take reservations, but easily accommodated our party of eight when we called ahead. The appetizers, salads, pasta, dinners, and desserts were all delicious. They had some nice vegetarian options for our several family vegetarians. The restaurant was not too noisy, so we could talk together nicely.

My daughter and I came here on a Friday night. It was hopping. The initial service was a little slow but the food was excellent. We had pizza, the beet and goat cheese salad as well as the most delicious creme brûlée ( yum!). Would definitely come again

A very bold move to open here which will pay off. Feels like the,area is anout to open up more here with this,italian restaurant. Try the pizza from an oven imported from italy and pasta is made freshly made. No full bar as of yet but beer and wine .. great lil gem

We discovered Bono in an unexpected place: Todi, Italy, a tranquil hill town in Umbria, Tuscany's hot sister. The father of one of Bono's proprietors (Luca Valeriani) lives in Todi and has encouraged the Americans there to eat at his son's trattoria in New York. We called a couple weeks in advance (Bono doesn't take reservations) and chatted with Luca, who was very friendly and gracious. He was going to be away on vacation, but let his colleague Graziella know we were coming. Graziella treated us (my wife, daughter, son-in-law and I) so warmly. The menu -- a blend of Luca's Umbrian flavors and Graziella's Sicilian touch -- is amazing! We shared grilled octopus and bruschetta appetizers, both of which were sumptuous. The pastas -- we had the strangozzi (a hearty Umbrian pasta) with shrimp and the pappardelle with cinghiale (wild boar) -- are handmade and light, yet substantial enough to stand up to seafood and cinghiale. The skirt steak is juicy, cooked to perfection and marinated in a savory blend of garlic, olive oil and spices. The sauteed chicken cutlet with lemon was simple, moist and exquisitely seasoned. We didn't get to try the pizza, but the brick oven tells me that it's done in the Neapolitan style (with an Umbrian twist) and is undoubtedly incredible. For those who have been to Umbria, Bono's simple but elegant cuisine will make you feel as though you are there again. If you haven't been to Umbria, one meal at Bono will put the green heart of Italy on your bucket list. We can't wait to go back -- to Umbria and to Bono. Grazie to Luca and Graziella for this absolute gem of a trattoria.

Having read several glowing reviews on Tripadvisor, we were excited to visit Bono. My wife owned 5 restaurants in Manhattan (including Italian) and has a good sense of what differentiates a great restaurant from the pretenders. This place has it all: unpretentious and charming decor, authentic delicious food, a thoughtful selection of wine and beer, and a wonderful, helpful staff. There is both inside and outside seating. We chose to sit inside, as the the neighborhood is not quite as inviting than the transporting ambiance of the restaurant's interior. We were attended to by a charming principessa from Trieste. By the end of the evening, my wife, who these days runs a retail business on the UWS was ready to hire her away. The food was faultless. A pesto pizza for the table was colorful and perfectly charred. The mains included two wonderful pastas (one made to order) and a bronzino. The three of us argued which was the best dish of the lot. Our 13 year old son declared BoNo his new favorite restaurant. BoNo has a nice selection of beer and wine. A SuperTuscan for $14 was a nice special of the day. Beer included Narraganset Lager on tap, a personal favorite. We don't live close by but are sure to be back....again and again!

Great, kindness and courtesy, wonderful and welcoming owners. Super good food, very friendly local. It deserves to be absolutely visited!

We were staying in the area and were tired and hungry after a long day of travel and exploring. We were surprised at the interesting ingredients on the menu selection of cocktails because of the unassuming location and outside appearance. We were thrilled that the food was better than it sounded. The atmosphere was nice and the staff very attentive. We’ve been to Boston’s North End a few times and would say this place was as good or even better than many of the family owned places we’ve eaten at there. They had a perfectly cooked Octopus appetizer we came back a second time for. Even our kids loved it! We were only in town for 3 nights and ate here twice because it was that good! It’s a hidden gem that most travelers won’t find unless they are in the area. Highly recommend!

BONO is relatively new and much needed addition to North Harlem. The food is very well prepared and not super expensive. As a vegetarian I do wish they had some additional vegetarian items but the eggplant pizza is the best I have ever had; the eggplant is done so very, very well I would take home a jar of it if I could! The eggplant parmigiana is lovely as well (the eggplant is prepared as it should be and not the same way as the eggplant on the pizza). The animal protein based dishes (as per dinner companions) and salads are also quite delicious as is the house sangria. The portions are not super sized, which is refreshing, and each dish I have had is well prepared and flavorful; each dish is as it is meant to be and you do not find dishes that taste the same with the exception of the protein. Enjoy!

We had a lovely dinner here yesterday. Amazing risotto special with crab and shrimp. Friendly server. Good value for money. Nice neighborhood feel.

Wholesome food, fresh and delicious. The three of us had 2 pizzas (one w/ arugula and prosciutto etc. and the other with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, etc.) plus a side of kale w/ great northern beans. Hands down the best pizza w/ thin crust and lots of toppings - just right. Craft beer. The kale was also delicious - I'm guessing a lemony olive oil dressing. It was cooked to perfection. The environment is ample and relaxing. Brick walls painted white w/ an industrial/rustic vibe and outdoor seating. Another table was set up for a party of 10 for a celebration (?).

I went with my two sons after reading the reviews and the food did not disappoint. Real pepperoni and mozzarella in the pizza, and the pasta was absolutely the best I have had in ages. You don’t need to go to Little Italy for great food at very reasonable prices.

I have been here many times and have tried almost everything on the menu. The food is great. Luca the main man is great, funny and a real Italian born and raised in Italy. He works the bar and knows his wine. He is an engaging host that really tries is best to make you feel and home and ensure your satisfaction. Don't forget to the pizza and calzones! Made in a real brick oven right out in the main dining area, not behind in the kitchen somewhere. The rest of the staff are friendly and great people. The real deal, worth the trip uptown.

Excellent food, atmosphere and service. Three appetizers and two personal sized pizzas was plenty of food for four. Pizza crust was tasty and not tough. Brussels sprouts were only OK but then we have had so many great similar dishes recently the bar was set pretty high. Unhesitatingly recommend.

Found this on trip advisor -- lucky us! Great salads, pizza in a traditional pizza oven. Swordfish carpaccio- delish. Friendly staff. Check it out!

Found Bono trattoria to be a great place for a low key lunch. The decor is rustic with a modern touch which is quite inviting for the area. Overall, Bono is unpretentious with a very friendly & attentive staff (not overbearing). Prosecco, the Parma pizza and great convo, equated to an absolutely excellent experience. I will definitely return. Wish the owners continued success!

Uncommonly furnished very pleasant place , nice to the eye and good food tastes. Especially the grilled octopus and scallops. They also have brick oven pizza which smelled good . We had lunch with an excellent Sangiovese wine glass. Surely recommendable if you wish to taste authentic Italian cuisine!

I know people go there for the brick oven pizza, but I have eaten at Bono three times and only had pasta.Good quality food.

When my wife and I stayed in Hamilton Heights early in 2018 we had lunch at Bono Trattoria and liked the place. Back in the area again, we decided on dinner and found that we liked it even more than last time. We shared a squash salad; my wife had the chicken Marsala, while I had a pasta, Strozzapreti alla Norcina. Both were excellent. We shared gelato for dessert. A pleasant surprise: the restaurant has Ommegang IPA on draft. Happy thoughts of Cooperstown. Should you make it this far up Broadway, you won’t go wrong with a meal at this place.

We were here for a late lunch, sharing a salad, having a pizza each, and sharing a panna cotta, which we loved last time we ate here and which is really quite excellent. The service is friendly and competent, and the ambiance is agreeable. A fine neighbourhood restaurant: good service, good food, good value.

Owned by an Italian couple, with artisan pizzas and mains that are very well done. The grilled octopus and pork chop are my personal favorites, but honestly everything is fantastic. Not the kind of high quality Italian you'd expect to get in a largely Dominican neighborhood, this one is out of the tourist eye and that's good for the locals.

Good food, good service, good atmosphere. Just what the area needs. We have tried the pizza which was excellent, the half roast chicken, and the kale salad, and the calamari. Everything was really good, we have been twice, and will most definitely be coming back. So glad this lovely restaurant has opened here.

I came here for dinner last night and I enjoyed it so much!! I’m always getting noodle soup but I need some different types of food sometimes so I came here!! I think Italians have the best pizza!! I got some pizza with arugula and Gorgonzola and prosciutto that was very good!! I was enjoying my pizza and then I heard them playing rocketman by Elton John!! I am a very big fan of Elton and I was very happy they were playing him!! I was once in a ramen place and they started playing C.R.E.A.M. by the wu tang clan!! If you mix wu tang and ramen and Elton and pizza that is something that will get me happy!! Anyway you should come here!!

Nestled in the middle of what has become a well-known Dominican neighborhood, Washington Heights, is a non-showy Italian eatery. We experienced Bono with friends who have been fans for a long time. Can definitely understand why. Ambiance is quaint and low key, food is fantastic. Service charming. Best grilled octopus ever. Wine outstanding. Entrees totally delicious. Worth the trip from anywhere!

Decent food. The dulce de leche lava cake is divine, affordable wine selection.. If you are in the neighborhood and craving Italian food this is the best choice.

I visited this Italian restaurant during my holidays in NY. Some friends of mine recommended it and it was actually a very nice place for a dinner. They serve you bread with very good olive oil to start and we ordered an amazing antipasto with real mozzarella di bufala, Italian ham and figs, a pizza and a pasta ending up with a very nice dessert. The price was quite affordable for being NYC. As Italian, I 100% recommend it!

We had our dinner with my husband after a long flight. We were tired and hungry and we really appreciated the fast service. Ordered fungi and siciliana pizza, both delicious with reasonable prices.

After a long day traipsing through the city this looked like a great place to eat. It was! The pasta was delicious and the seafood cooked perfectly. The restaurant itself is very pretty and the staff s top notch. Pretty sure we will be eating here again this week.

We walked around the area looking for dinner - this place looked busy and popular. The servers were friendly and welcoming. Food was tasty and not huge wasteful sizes

This place is astounding! Some of the best food we had during our 10 day stay in NYC. The grilled octopus was so tender and delicious. We had the seafood pasta and the sausage, mushroom, truffle pasta. Both were excellent. Service was great. And the prices are fair. The pizza coming out of the oven looked wonderful. Just wish we had discovered this place sooner so we could have gone again for the pizza.

Wowser! a first rate, artisanal pizzeria in my neighborhood. free at last, free at last to stay in the 'hood for a delicious dinner. We had the parm pizza and brussel sprouts as a side and were wowed by the freshness of the ingredients. The special dessert - a fig tart with Greek yogurt - was inspired. More reviews to come as we continue to sample our new neighborhood fave.

Ordered delivery. Said it would come in 65 minutes or I could schedule for later. 65 minutes was good, so I left it. Had run a bath, was just climbing in when buzz, buzz, buzz. Yup, it came in 15 minutes. Don't LIE. This is a CYA move: in case it took an hour, I wouldn't be able to complain. But don't make it an hour when it is practically on its way. I ordered a margherita beause I like tomato sauce. It had none. I added olives. It had 4 on the whole pizza. I added pepperoni, wanted a little. It was a pepperoni pizza, with the saltiest cheese I have ever tasted in my life, undetectable tomato sauce. And expensive. All around a bad experience.

I has a pear & gorgonzola pizza. Delicious. Modern decor , very pleasant Place to eat or enjoy a drink at the bar.

A good choice if you are in the area, where I believe there are not many options like this one as it is in downtown. Industrial style decorated place with very good real italian cuisine. Kind staff.

We were staying in the area so decided to look at TripAdvisor for options nearby, we didnt expect much however both the place and the food were pretty good. The menu has great out of ordinary options. We tried a pesto pizza with pistachios, salmon pasta and a pumpkin pie, all of them were delicious.

Casual restaurant with a broad selection and friendly service. I enjoyed a good pizza and drinks with a buddy.

Or is it popularly called Hamilton Heights now? In any event, BoNo is one of the best reasonably priced restaurants in NYC. Great brick-oven pizza--watch it made in an open space with a large, domed, wood-burning kiln imported from Italy. Rest of menu--excellent. Salads and deserts--excellent. Comfortable bar. Space flooded with natural light. Tastefully relaxed decor. Staff--friendly and efficient. Music--hip and soft. BoNo's food and ambience are an exceptional departure from the age of hustle.

Nice place. Great coffee. Good pasta. Had a linguine with shrimp and green salad with avocado and had a great time. A bit slow on the service but that’s ok.

Very nice pizza. Freshly made. Efficient service. Good selection of food and drink. Would have given 5 stars but neither of my credit cards would work although I used them both the next day.

Love, love this restaurant during our NYC trip with it’s Fabulous pizza’s, great service with a wonderful & welcoming owner. Word is out that Bono himself will be popping in to dine here out of the blue very soon…!!!

That's exactly what makes this restaurant so nice. And they paid so much attention to the detail of the decor (check out the lightbulbs over the bar). Keep this address in mind for a delicious evening out!

Went out to dinner on a whim after a long day with the kids. My sister-in-law had seen Bono and we decided to take a walk down and check it out. SUCH a delight. Very friendly, efficient service and the food was absolutely wonderful. It was very busy but not with that frantic NYC vibe that is sometimes overwhelming. Very reasonable. It's casually elegant so it works for a quick lunch/dinner, but also for a special, full on romantic dinner. A real find. We'll be back.

This is a great place to have lunch or dinner. The food was delicious - I had a pizza and my cousin had a chicken dinner that was delicious. It was baked and not fried which made it very juicy. Service was great and the atmosphere was just so cozy.