Masseria East Reviews

The old school Italian staff is what makes this place. Food is quite good.

Old fashioned Italian neighborhood restaurant that's probably been where it is for 20 years and very much run with owner eyes. Clientele is mixed between neighborhood people in their 70s and 80s and some B&T people in their 50s. Portions are large so Dale & I shared an appetizer and an entree. This cuts the cost down substantially. It's actually a place we will return to though we haven't in years.

The restaurant itself has no ambiance. Brightly lit, with crowded tables, so it is very noisy. It was busy and crowded on a Saturday night. The menu selections were good and the food was prepared well and delicious. Apparently, there are a lot of regulars who enjoy the atmosphere.

Took my family here for my wife's birthday. Have been here before because it is one of her favorites. She always raves about the gnocchi. Always have a good meal but this time I decided to try the gnocchi. Wow! The best I ever had without a doubt. Appetizers were great. The staff is very friendly and doesn't rush you.

I have eaten here for over ten years when visiting New York City. Small place with fabulous Italian food. Large varied menu with large portions. typical NYC service with a serious tone, but they don't rush you. Nice wine list and many options. I always call ahead before I get to town for a reservation as it is always crowded. Great for business entertainment.

It is comforting to return to Parma and be assured that your meal will be delicious and all the ingredients fresh. On the coldest night of the decade, January 7, 2014, Parma was FULL, while other restaurants were almost empty...this clearly speaks volumes that even during a Polar Voltex the food at Parma is worth braving the Artic Conditions ! Their chicken, veal, fish dishes are wonderful and the pasta dishes served el dente are so fulll of flavor. The waiters are attentive and able to recite the many specials of the evening without having to look at any notes. Desserts are homemade, and their melon ( in the middle of winter) is always sweet! Consistently good food, and packed with regulars who demand a good meal ! Bravo Parma.

Our expectations were very high, and not met, however, this is a solidly good neighborhood italian fare restaurant. I particularly enjoyed the linguini white clam.

We went on a normal saturday night but without reservations and they were kind enough to seat our party of six. The restaurant is small and rather cramped but not enough to be so much of a bother. The wait staff was very nice and well versed in the menu - service was very good I would say. They start you out with a nice basket of fresh bread and breadsticks and not sure if we were just hungry or it was extra good would have been better with a little olive oil on the side. They did have a few dinner specials one being the branzini which was excellent! The pasta dishes were also very good and what was nice is that they do offer angel hair as a pasta choice. The food tasted old school and would be a place that if you lived in the area you would clearly go back again - everyone was very pleasant and the food all very fresh.

Restaurant has big portions and price is reasonable. Has another location on Vesey Street, 1 block away from World Trade Center ne

Slightly dowdy and shabby but the meals can be phenomenal. Dine with a particular private school social set. Financial masters of the universe in an unlikely venue. Best meals include veal Valdosta, chicken Parma and linguine carbonara.

A comfortable, quiet and great food restaurant in the Upper East Side. Elegant and relaxing. Worth visiting and within walking distance of the Met.

when you walk in this spot, you see a small handsome Italian man gazing at the customers and taking in the vibe of the scene. He is Parma, his name is Enyo. He is the man. The restaurant is like home, if your lucky enough to stay here. I've been maybe 5 times and I always think it's about the best food in the city. Not just for the food, but the whole deal. I had the veal piccata the other night after we had the chunks of cheese and meat. Wine list is also great. The Chicken Parm is epic as is so many other dishes. So, go in...look for that man Enyo and tell him you want to eat! he will do the rest.

The place can be enhanced but it has a certain appeal to it. The wine was great and the fook was ok. But the portions are way too big. The servers should say something before the aptrons place their orders.

Service was pleasant. Nice ambiance. But the food was very disappointing and below average. We love italian food and have visited Italy a few times. The gfoid here is far from meeting what you would expect from a hight scale or even basic Italian restaurant. I had the spaghetti alla vongole and my husband the grilled chicken. Both were tasteless with low quality ingredients. Overall this turned out to be our most expensive meal in town and the less interesting.

Food is only fair in relation to what they charge. Many other restaurants in the city that I would rather visit if I am going to spend their prices.

You wander into these places thinking is it REALLY Italian food or just bought in from the supermarket? This was good stuff. He had spaghetti in a home made Amatriciana tomato sauce,with fries (not sure why the fries but there you go) The portion of both was huge, The sauce was really interesting and tasty and just the right consistency to coat the excellent pasta, He had to concede defeat and leave most of his fries and some of the pasta. I just went for parmesan fries, which is an understatement, yes there was parmesan, but subtle herb and spice additions.Absolutely gorgeous, but again too much. If you dont go, you are missing a BIG TREAT

In need of facelift, Parma shows its age. The decor could really use a renovation, as could the menu. With so many good Italian restaurants on the UES, you could do better.

Parma never disappoints---the food is delicious,great and numerous specials to choose from every night, and perfectly prepared and presented. For me one of the joys in eating out is having food of high quality and served HOT!!!! Parma continues to be one of my favorites----always a nice group of locals who make this feel more like a family restaurant and waiters who make sure you are satisfied. Always a good meal-----that is a guarantee---so manga!!!

have been going to parma for years and been so pleased with the quality and choices offered by this wonderful restaurant. it had been almost a year since the last visit and we were curious whether the food would be as good as it had been---the answer was a resounding yes!!! terrific specials, good portions, and waiters who are happy to assist you. parma is located on the upper east side----a small restaurant but always busy with the locals----which gives you an idea of how good the food is! the sound level is not too loud and you are not rushed over your meal. parma is just a good, comfortable, quality restaurant with excellent italian cuisine and fair prices----and food that is always fresh and delicious.

I moved to Florida about a year ago after having lived in New York for 31 years and only two blocks from Parma. This was the neighborhood restaurant for me and my husband. In fact, we were such good customers that the owner/manager would call my husband at work when lamb chops were the special that evening. He loved their lamb chops that much! However, I believe Parma makes the best Bolognese in the city. I've tried the Bolognese sauce at many other places in the city, but Parma's is the best. I have brought various friends who also love spaghetti Bolognese and they have agreed with me as well. I always have the Parma salad to start and then the spaghetti Bolognese. I crave it living here in Florida, so whenever I visit NYC Parma is one of my first stops. The place is not sleek, and probably could use a little updating on its decor. But that's what keeps the place homey and comfy. The waiters are all old time professional waiters. The crowd can range from families and neighborhood people, some of whom are well known and not so well known.

Attractive exterior and comfortable interior...that is all... terrible limited wine list...expensive and lacking in Italian quality reds and whites pasta was second rate, nothing unique about the sauces or presentation. veal was OK but we can do much better at home! this is a poor representative of the great Italian places in NYC.. never again...

Good food, nice atmosphere. Servers were attentive. Food was great! Long wait (which shows just how good it was) but you can leave a phone number and they'll call you when your table is ready.

This restaurant was recommended by one of our foodie friends. It did not disappoint. Service and food were excellent. The calamari was the best I ever had. The fresh mozzarella ball was also good. I will defiantly visit next year when we celibate again.

I hate to write such a negative review but I am being totally honest to save other people from the 3 hour agony my husband and I just endured with another couple. We had friends in town from London and were looking forward to trying the new incarnation of the long running restaurant Parma. I can tell you that the food at the original was 10 times better and the service 100 times better. Because we were entertaining special friends from out of town, I asked for a nice table when I confirmed the reservation. Well we didn't get the worst table in the house - we got the second worst with the people from the worst table practically in our laps. From the moment we walked in, I had a bad feeling. We ordered a bottle of sparkling water and received a bottle of still water. After 20 minutes no one had come over to take our drink order. Then the waiter arrived and said "would you like to order"? Well no, we would like to order drinks and then hear the specials! Finally we got our drinks and then waited another half hour to order food. From bad to worse an hour passed and no food was served to us. I had arrived at the restaurant hungry, had half my cocktail which was going to my head and really needed food, as did my husband and our friends. There was literally one waiter for a dining room filled with 100 people. He had disappeared so I complained to the busboy then the sommelier and finally I was that awful customer screaming at the Maitre d' "bring our food NOW." I did not want to be that person. The table next to us that had sat down after us had been served their appetizer and entree by that time and they were on dessert, lucky them. After about another 15 minutes the appetizers finally arrived. I received a plate of grey tuna that looked like it was 5 days old and was way over salted. I immediately sent it back and my friend was kind enough to share her appetizer with me. Before the appetizers were even cleared, they brought out our entrees. My chicken was equally disgusting but I was so hungry by that time that I forced myself to eat it. The restaurant comped desserts (duh!) which were not as awful as the other food but not good. Also, the red wine I had by the glass was terrible. Everything was just horrific and we paid $400.00 for this nightmare. The crowning touch was when a busboy came over and picked up the bottle of olive oil and was about to pour it into our wine glasses, thinking it was wine, before we stopped him! Please do not go to this restaurant. I have no reason to slam them other than my anger over them ruining an evening that we had been looking forward to for weeks. I assure you that everything I have written is 100% true.

We had a great dinner for 4 there - impeccable service, broad selection of salads, antipasti and main courses. They have also a wide selection of wines and will help pair them with your meals. Their saltimbocca is better than any I've had in several restaurants in Italy - a surprisingly nice find in NYC.

This is a great authentic Italian "neighborhood" restaurant. Always listen for the specials and if there's anything you want (or don't want) the waiter will make it happen! Think of the menu as suggestions. Very easy to get vegetarian options............just ask! The food is fantastic, and if you're open to it, the staff really wants you to feel comfortable, like being "home!" Plate of cookies is a nice touch at the end of the meal.

Just not what it used to be. Lives off its reputation. Food and service ordinary and priced like much better places.

We had dinner at this restaurant after spending the afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is an easy walk. The atmosphere is family oriented and they make you feel as if you are their family. Menu and wonderful with many daily specials. Bountiful flavors in the food and so very fresh. Portions are generous so you can leave with a box as we did and the food was just a delicious the next day. They have a large dedicated group of locals who have been going there for years. This is a family owned business and they take pride in having you dine with them. Wine list is varied. A must visit.

Just go for the lasagna. They only have it on the weekend. But it is still so consistent after all of these years. Yes it’s expensive but what isn’t in NYC. And this is a case of the quality living up to the price. This is Italian cooking done right.

Have excellent Italian food. I enjoyed their Linguine al Pesto.

We always like this Cornelia Street gem. New (since our last visit) covered back garden meant dining was al fresco without the rain being a concern We had their fish special and sea bass -- both perfectly prepared.

Six of us dined last night, excellent service, delicious clams oreganotta, veal saltambocca, dover sole, salads, etc...a real NY place obviously family owned by people who care...very good service by men that appreciate people who enjoy good food and know how to treat senior staff.

Recommended by Mario (mgr at Banana Republic in Soho....Thx Mario!). Tight space with limited menu but best Italian I've eaten outside of Italy! Split baked ziti with daughter and we loved it. Boys had the Classic Italian subs on homemade sesame seed buns...best ever. Had the fried mozzarella sticks (hey, it's vacation...had to live a little) along with the garlic bread and both were outstanding! Drinks are small and they charge for refills but this small setback did nothing to deter our enthusiasm. Love this place!!

This is one of the nicest and most welcoming of the many Italian restaurants in Manhattan. The staff are warm, informed and engaging. The food is wonderful with a homemade twist. We love eating here anytime.

This is your perfect neighborhood restaurant where tourists will always feel at home. This has been my go to neighborhood restaurant and even though I moved cross town I still do not mind the trek to eat here. The service is impeccable; attentive but not hovering. The drink sizes are ample. My favorite dishes include the fried zucchini as a starter. Very lightly fried and tasty. My friends enjoy their minestrone soup. I really enjoy the range of salads they offer. You should not hesitate to share. For main courses I love their preparation of veal chops made as u like it. I also like the chicken with peppers. My wife likes their Bronzino. Their cheeses cake and Tartufo are my preference. The prices are very reasonable by New York standards and I defy anyone to leave without feeling the dining experience was of great value. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough.

This place is as good as it gets! Food is fresh, yummy, and traditional Italian. You will have a hard time deciding between the menu and the long list of daily specials. I have been going here for the last 15 years and hopefully another 20 more. Best Chicken Parmesan ever. Service is both efficient and attentive to each table. Enjoy!!

ate here 6 weeks ago, and happy to report the food is just as delicious and fresh as always. there are always many, many daily specials to choose from, a nice wine selection, and you will never go wrong with their standard veal and pasta dishes. all entrees are served with fresh green beans, steamed to perfection--and if you have room for dessert, again you have many homemade choices to pick. the waiters are very welcoming and attentive---water glasses filled throughout the meal without having to ask. for the dollar value parma is a great choice. the owner is always there to welcome you personally----and with a ready smile---he remembers his guests and makes you feel very at home. if you're looking for a good italian meal, with fresh food and tasty sauces, this is the restaurant for you. it is a neighborhood favorite, and i am happy to continue to go there and always see people i know. i guess we all know a good restaurant when we find it, and parma is that for sure!! if you are on the upper east side, make a stop at parma----you will be glad you did.

Parma and its sister restaurant Nicola's uptown on 84th Street are family run iconic Italian restaurants on the Upper East Side. The founder died a couple of years ago and his only daughter runs the places now. Food is very similar at both restaurants; the only substantial differences are somewhat different ambience and decorations and of course the waitstaff -- most of whom have been at Parma for many years. The owner and all of the staff are very friendly and helpful, reciting long lists of special, answering questions, modifying dishes to order. Parma is small but the noise level is manageable, and it is fun to see how the regulars interact with the staff and other diners. Cleanliness is excellent, including in the Men's Room. Portions are gigantic; it is easy to get two or even three meals out of one order, which moderates the rather high prices. My three star rating is on the verge of four stars based on those points. But -- the food tends to be heavy by today's lighter cooking Italian styles. If you like the Italian food of thirty years ago, you will love the place. For my companion and myself, though, the new sparkle and lightness of Italian favorites is too compelling. Nice touches include bread and breadsticks on being seated and a plate of cookies at the end of the meal. The wines are fairly priced for NYC but the list is very limited. Hard drinks and cocktails are very generous.

The food is good, the room is beautiful and elegant, and the staff fantastic - always warm and welcoming. Its quickly become a top choice in the area

Arrived at the restaurant and the worker was to engaged on his phone to see us standing waiting to be served. Practically ignored. Another worker took initiative and guided us to our seat, Food was ok but nothing special. Service after being seated was good.

It is wonderful to eat at a restaurant where you know you will ALWAYS be served an excellent Italian meal. My family has been coming here for over 20 years. We consider it our " neighborhood" restaurant and see many of the same diners each time we go. Enzo is always there to welcome his guests, with a hearty handshake and embrace. The food is not only fresh, but the specials change each night, and if you call in advance quite often requests can be made and ready for you when you dine. The veal chop is superb, the lasagna melts in your mouth, the fish choices made any way you wish... just be sure and leave room for their fresh peaches with raspberry sauce, and biscotti cookies to top off your meal!!

Been eating here for 17 years and the quality has been consistently excellent. Have never had a bad meal here. One of my favorite dishes is the Chicken Bersaglere which has juicy chunks of chicken, loads of veggies and a dash of fresh, light tomato sauce. Wait staff have been here many years and they treat you like family. Good desserts and a generous pour of wine by the glass make this a great place to bring all generations.

It is a tiny restaurant, but I find that inviting. It's quiet and you don't have the hustle and bustle of a typical upper east side restaurant. The wait staff are very accommodating, as is the chef. I've never had a bad meal here. Shrimp marinara is very tasty. The veggies (as mentioned elsewhere) have never been overcooked and seasoned perfectly. As for the pasta - it's cooked the way it should be without asking - al dente.

Note, this restaurant has been renamed Parma Nuova. It’s an elegant UES space with wine bottles in dark shelving lining one wall and rows of tables, some in the center separated by a glass divider. We began with the mixed meats and cheeses for my spouse and the house salad for me which was greens with roasted peppers, mushrooms, and a few black olives in a balsamic vinaigrette. Both were ample to large portions. I had the veal scaloppine with lemon and capers which was excellent and came with roast potatoes and somewhat overcooked green beans. My spouse expected to love his gnocchi in Parmesan and black truffle sauce, but was disappointed. The gnocchi were not soft and pillowy and the sauce was lacking in both quantity and flavor. We had wines by the glass with the meal. Service was friendly and professional.

Reliable food over the past 25 years that I've had dinner there when in NYC and excellent (and I mean excellent) service. Lasagna (only served on Saturday night) is epic (but only if you like lasagna). My only gripe is that they charge $6.00 for a glass of Coke, something I buy in the supermarket all the time for anywhere from $3.00 to $4.00 for 12 cans. I understand that restaurants deserve a mark-up but A $6.00 WHACK when you teen age kid wants a soda is a bit unconscionable.

An elegant atmosphere , a bit expensive but worth the money to have A respite of loud places. The have most of the classic dishes and wonderful bared desserts including fruit tarts And seasonal fare. Try this jewel girls positive changed pace.

Have been eating at Parma for 20 years.....each meal is DELICIOUS...perfectly cooked and the most generous portions. What amazes me is that it is truly an upper Eastside family restaurant.....with that old world feeling. The waiters are the same working for the last two decades--- Enzio is at the front of the restaurant to reach his " guests" and make them feel welcome. All veal and chicken specialities are delicious, many specials each evening, desserts all homemade......eating at Parma is sheer joy. NEVER had a bad meal there. BRAVO PARMA.!!!!!

Been going for 25 years. Great food, great professional service. White table cloths, rug on floor, not noisy. Perfect.

Two of my friends recommended Parma several years ago and we haven't ever been disappointed. Owners, food, service, atmosphere are great. While some reviewers talk about a tired interior, I love it. Old New York, just what I love.

Can't remember the last time I've had such inept service. Drink orders were missing. Had to wait for them forever and it seemed that they were probably sitting on the bar but the waiter neglected to bring them. One of the drinks had one ice cube left floating ( apparently was sitting around for quite a while). And quite honestly, I found our waitress non apologetic borderline rude. Food was just ok. With so many places to eat in this area I would definitely pass on this one

Our group of 4 stopped at Torrisi first, but it is a tasting, fixed price menu and more than we wanted at lunch time. We were recommended to go next door to Parma and walked in and were seated within a few minutes. The restaurant is very small, but it is cozy. The food was very good - some of the best Italian we have eaten, this being said by 1 Italian and 3 who frequent Italian restaurants. It was a bit pricey, but that is NYC! It was a little surprising that they even charged for plain bread!! Would definitely return to Parma!

This restaurant was a recommendation from our concierge at our hotel. We though it had an energetic vibe. It was very busy and alive! Family friendly & good food at a reasonable price. The cocktails were great!

We celebrated my nephew's wedding the evening before in a private room with 16 family members for both sides of the family. The food was very Italian and tasty. The staff was very helpful. The atmosphere was very warm and inviting.

This restaurant was a lucky find for us during a night out in Manhattan. The food was outstanding and it was a very cosy. It was a nice meal with great Arancini's to start., some great pasta for main, and some good wine. Wine list is a little steep in price.

A great location in Upper East, Manhattan. Attention “frendly”. Spectacular food. It is worth both for lunch and dinner!