Nino's Restaurant Reviews

I've been here a few times for dinner and lunch. Food is excellent. Many pastas are homemade. Veal scaloppini is excellent. Service is polite attentive and on point. Owner, Nino, is a gracious host.

There are many restaurants in New York named Nino's. This restaurant is on First Avenue between 72nd & 73rd Street on Manhattan (there are others under the same management but I think this is the original). I have been having treatments at Weill-Cornell; we have lunched at Nino’s many times over the last two years. Nino’s is fine dining, service and ambiance at its best. Good for a romantic evening, piano player, food and service excellent. We have got to know the very friendly staff: Caesar, Ilir and Carlos; outstanding service, one of them is always in reach for special requests from the table. The prices are reasonable for the high quality of the dishes. I write today, after many visits, because I was very much in the mood for a fine lunch, and the visit was memorable; I started with a perfect martini (Beefeater, not shaken, not stirred, swished gently and poured quickly, olives – what does James Bond know {apparently nothing}). This was followed by Dover sole meunière, my favorite fish dish, prepared European style, with the complete fish – head, tail and particularly the roe (a delicacy often discarded in New York) on a very hot plate for me to filet myself (there are whole fresh fish selections for inspection in a bed of ice as you enter the restaurant plus a lobster tank.) An excellent Sauvignon Blanc was available by the glass. As a dessert I had a bananas Foster style dish and this was followed by a complimentary fresh, decorated fruit plate. My wife had the $25 3 Course Restaurant Week special lunch with Osso Bucco ,no less, as the main course. I cannot recommend the restaurant too highly.

Excellent service, staff is very attentive,good food, love the lamb shank,surf and turf,home made tiramisu,not to forget the best meatballs ever,best ambience,Mr. Nino's himself is very gracious to his customers.

Don't order a custom meal unless you ask the price first two little pieces of veal called veal picata for 40$$$$ come on,big on atmosphere very small on quality Italian food and way overpriced try Italanisimo on E84 st instead great Italian food that's worth the money,and great wine list by the glass something Ninos is really missing.

My family and I used to love to eat at Nino's for many,years and we were always happy to celebrate Mother's Day, my mothers birthday my birthday and all our special celebrations. Last November for my sister birthday, we went to Nino's with family and friends.One of them had the same birthday as my sister. We had brag so much abut how fantastic Nino' restaurant was. And we were so desappoited with the food the service and Nino's, that night. We went there a month early, in May and June. So we felt like they didn't care anymore.In the past Nino was always such a gentleman but making sure that we were taking good care. This time it was so different Nino never came to our table. He was in the other side of the restaurant looking at the window the all the time. When it was time to sing happy birthday we were dancing the piano music At the dance floor. The waiter had the the two plates with a pice of cake and a candle. Instead of waiting for us to finish dancing,he let the two plates in top of the piano. I had to grab them and bring them to our table I was so mad, no one make any fuss abut singing happy birthday like they did before. We left the restaurant talking abut how bad the service and how careless Nino was this time. We were a good costumers,I love fine dinning, and I don't care abut prices. We order couple of bottles of French champagne every time we go to Nino's . To bad for them but we don't plan ever go back to Nino's

What a pleasant surprise this restaurant was. This is the place for intimate or romantic dining, with excellent food, marvelous service and live, low key piano music to offer the perfect background for an elegant dinner. Veal was perfection. This is a classy little restaurant on the upper east side. Good neighborhood. Good wine selection.

My husband and I ate here on a TravelZoo coupon, yet we were treated with great service. The food was delicious: the menu says the meatballs are "world-famous" and we believe it! The only (and I mean only) negative to the entire meal experience was that the bread was only the traditional white Italian and it was served with butter, not olive oil. My husband had the salmon and I had lobster fra davilino; we both had the cheesecake for dessert--all were excellent. The restaurant had a pianist/singer: he added a nice ambiance.

I heard about this place because years ago Regis Philbin mentioned he liked it. For awhile every time I would go to NYC I went to Nino's. They had a piano player, great food and wonderful service. It felt like a "NYC experience"....I cannot pinpoint exactly what has changed. The last time I went there it was deserted. Very empty with loud music blasting through the speakers (kind of surprising because the ambiance used to be great). Food was good and service was always wonderful. I am assuming it had an off night.

Lovely restaurant, old world service. The surf and turf were good portions and delicious. Would recommendto a friend.

We loved Nino's ristorante! The food and the wine were excellent, and Christian is a great waiter, ready to do everything to make our lunch unforgettable.

My boyfriend and I dined here last month. We had the Travelzoo voucher which was definitely a good value. The food was delicious and we left very satisfied. The staff is very attentive, however it was kind of strange that we never had a dedicated "server;" it just seemed to be a couple of people that were waiting on us. The one thing that was very strange and left us with a bad taste in our mouth was that twice during our time there, the main person waiting on us kept saying "Congratulations on finding such a great deal." We weren't eating for free and I think that he may have thought were weren't going to tip on the original bill, which we had planned on doing all along with both of us having worked in the service industry. Overall, it's worth a try because the food was delicious and it has a pretty nice atmosphere.

Nino is a wonderful Owner/Maitre d and really made us feel like old friends from the minute we walked in. Man the place was bussing, thats some business they are doing there and we went on a Thursday nite! I can only imagine what the weekends are like. The food was good, surf n turf grilled to perfection. Meatball starter was very tasty as well as the carpaccio. A live piano player added to the lively atmosphere. We would go back in a heartbeat!

I really feel good when eating here as the Italian atmosphere is authentic and service is exceptional. It's almost like going back to earlier days where service and quality were highly regarded. I will have to say you will have to pay for that premium level. There is a great mural on the wall depicting past ccelebrities who have dined at Nino's which is worth seeing. At least have a drink at the bar and enjoy the atmospere. I went early each time so not sure how it is during prime dining hours. For you visitors to the upper east side, it feels like NYC should feel.

Recommended by a very nationally known surgeon who is also Italian; this place has a large room, very nicely appointed. My first dinner the Osso Bucco, and it was superb. My wife had a veal dish. There was an excellent Ceasar's salad. Finish with the best Tiramisu ever. The waiter then brought a complimentary addition-a marvelous, sculp- tured arrangement of apple,and other fruits that was quite striking and edible. While I would consider it a high end restaurant, it's worth while without question.

Okay, I know it sounds crazy. I thought that too when my boyfriend (now husband) told me he wanted to fly us to New York for his birthday to fulfill his long time dream of eating the $1,000 pizza at Nino's. The pizza was phenomenal, the wine was delicious, Nino was so charming!, and all of the other food we had (prawns and fruit dessert) were beautifully presented and great quality. The staff even sang to my husband and threw in some champagne for his birthday! The ambiance was simply pleasant and the staff were so friendly. Maybe one day we will return with a group of friends to enjoy this establishment and see Nino once more! I certainly hope so :) Thank you, Nino and staff, for making my husband's dream come true!!! (Our visit was in June of 2013, but the drop down option doesn't allow for us to select this date)

Nino along with the entire staff could not have been more attentive, polite, diligent..and, well, nice. The food was delicious. My guests had steaks, salmon, mushroom ravioli, salad..I recvd so many compliments from them. There's an undeniable warmth to this place that one notices as soon as you walk in. The live piano music adds to the exciting atmosphere. I did not want the night to end! The pride that is evident from the owner to the staff is well earned.

The restaurant was not crowded at all (on a Monday evening) and very comfortable for conversation. Food came out in a reasonable time and was quite good for both taste and value. We ordered the spinach ravioli and duck risotto for dinner and tiramisu for dessert. Would definitely go there again and high recommend for those looking for a good meal in a quiet place.

My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of dining at this wonderful eatery for the third time last evening. The service was on point as always and the food was spectacular! We had the classic Caesar salad that is always made from scratch tableside and it was excellent. We followed that with a special menu item that manager Aldo dreamed up. It was a homemade linguini with four types of mushrooms, black truffles and shallots flambayed inside of a giant wheel of Pecarino Reggiano. It was one of the finest dishes I have ever tasted. If you want the best service and truly authentic italian food on the upper east side- you need to eat here.

While Nino's has been an UES fixture for quality and service for higher prices, my last visit does not live up to their reputation. The Branzino fish should have been returned, but service was so slow, my quest did not want to wait. Long waits for dishes and wine orders, etc. At over $55 per person, will not be returning so soon.

Have visited Nino's many times since my last review. Have dined here for lunch as well as dinner. I dined at Nino's two weeks ago with family. It was a Saturday night and to our delight there was a piano player! Our waiter was fantastic and service was extremely professional. We had the mushroom appetizer and for the main dishes-vegetarian entree, the steak special and pasta with shrimp. Portions were ample and flavorful. Dessert was shared and my companions had coffee and a double espresso. Prices were reasonable. I highly recommend this restaurant. (Good neighborhood spot and child friendly)

My family went to NY for the day and after walking for several hours we decided to have an early dinner at Nino's. We had been there many years ago and remembered that we liked it. It did not disappoint us. We were seated in the front since we were with our 2 children. We did not mind at all since we were in front of the window and we could people watch. I did see other couples request the back room which is more elegant. We had the clams zuppa and calamari for appetizers. Both were great. All of our dinners were wonderful as well. My husband had the Tuna special. It was a very large beautifully cooked sushi quality piece of fish. I had the homemade linguini with lobster, asparagus, and mushroom in a beautiful olive oil sauce. My daughter who was very hungry after all our walking had the veal chop. She finished her whole plate and this is from a girl that normally picks at food. My son had the papiedelli with duck ragu. We all shared and we all thought the dishes were wonderful. For dessert the children shared a chocolate mouse cake. I tried a piece and thought the cherry sauce was a nice touch. My husband and I had coffee and they provided Biscotti to go along with the coffee as well as fresh fruit. It was a little pricey since our cocktails were $17.00 each but it was a very nice dining experience.

Nino's has done the impossible. It has revitalized my jaded palate. This is the best dining experience that I have had in many years. And it is the best kept secret in Manhattan. It is so rare to find so many good factors coming together: the ingredients were fresh, and in the "just right" amount so that the taste, texture and presentation enhances and satisfies the appetite. And the wait staff is so refreshingly well trained! Polite, attentive and unobtrusive!. And the table is set with such elegance. I would highly recommend this Italian restaurant. Bon Appetito!

Our group was looking for good food and entertainment. Nino's was highly suggested. The food was really food. Our server Donna was excellent. The pianist-vocalist Al de Leon was awesome. A customer brought his sax and played several tunes. Ladies were dancing and several men sang with Al. Glad we came.

Went there for New Year's Eve. The place was rocking. Great music, dancing, open bar. Four-course dinner with the most tender beef, freshest seafood and excellent service. It was a night to remember.

Like many reviewers, we purchased the Living Social deal for $79 Pre Fixe menu for two. We had 8pm reservations on a Tuesday night. We arrived early, so we waited at the bar for our table. We each ordered a glass of a different variety house wine, and while the pours were generous, the quality was awful. They must have forgotten about us, because we sat at the bar for nearly an hour. We were finally seated as we were about to leave. First impressions of the decor were less than favorable - the restaurant has an old, musty (and certainly dated) feel. In the center of the ceiling is an old, tacky chandelier and under that is an artificial plant that looks like it died in 1975. After sitting for about 15 minutes, we were given menus and eventually flagged down the waiter to take our order. As a side note and worth mentioning - the menus smelled of urine (???) We waited 55 minutes for the appetizers to arrive - I had the meat balls, which were delicious. The serving size was a bit small, as they were cocktail size, but still yummy. My husband had the marinated sea food salad, which was average. When the apps were delivered, I asked the waiter to please check on our entrees as we would not wait another hour for our food. Lo and behold, only 25 minutes later our entrees showed up. We each ordered the surf and turf. The steak was very tender, though nothing special, and the lobster was just ok. We ordered broccoli rabe and spinach as sides, and they were tasty but a bit oily. Even though dessert was included in our prepaid voucher, we couldn't stand to be there another moment and asked for our check. The waiter insisted we should have dessert and even sent the manager over to inquire as to the problem. We firmly asked again for our check and finally got it. The manager kept apologizing for all the issues, but didn't offer anything to rectify the situation. (I felt he could have comped the $30 for the spinach and broccoli, since that's the only thing we had to pay for). Another side note: the bathrooms were filthy and not properly stocked. So that was our Nino's experience. A tip for restauranteurs: If you cannot handle the volume, do not offer special promotions! In this case, it certainly backfired, as we heard several patrons around us also complaining and vowing never to return. If I would have paid the full value for our meal - allegedly $212 - I would be livid. As it is, I'll chalk this one up to a $79 lesson.

Excellent restaurant if you looking to have good time and good food you at in the right place.Best owner in New York city in restaurant busines Nino Selimaj with great presentation and respect.

What a lovely restaurant ! This restaurant has been decorated beautifully. The dinnerware is tasteful as is the silverware . The service was very good and management makes you feel special. Niño's has a prix fix menu but you have to get there before a certain time. They also have a lunch prix fix. I really enjoyed my veal dish it was very tasteful and the side of vegetables were fresh. Portions were generous. I would recommend making a reservation if you are dining for dinner but lunch you can drop in. Enjoy your meal if you go to Nino's

For over 20 years we have been dining at NINO'S RESTAURANT NYC and always know we will consistently enjoy superb Italian cuisine and the total five star dining experience with impeccable service and of course, the charismatic owner Nino greeting us at the door! We decided to have a light lunch today of several appetizers. Mozzarella Caprese, Nino's Meatballs, that are small bombs of perfection, lentil soup with spinach (sorry mom, Nino's was better than yours) and roast pepper Raviolis. The masterpiece of this meal, was the duck risotto, so delicious and chock full of tender duck meat! The crispy duck drumstick on top sent this dish over the top! The complimentary fruit sculpture at the end was a perfect ending to this perfect feast! Bravo Nino for being our "go to" Italian nirvana in Manhattan! @ninosnyc #manhattandining #manhattanrestaurant #manhattanitaliancuisine #nycdining #nyccuisine #nycfood #nycrestaurants #thebestofnyc #thebestofmanhattam #byceats #nycfoodie #nycfoodblog

we had a surf and turf coupon with a bottle of wine.we were greeted at the door with a smile that everyone who took care of us had also.I am sorry I didnt get anyones name but I can tell you that even though it was a busy Saturday night(make res) we were lavished with attention all night.We were given a choice of four entrees,Sharon had the surf(big tail)and turf(perfect filet) (veggies ala carte and there was enough for two in each dish) duh what a surprise Honey had lobster lol I on the other hand was torn between the braised lamb and what i ended up with Zuppa de Pesce.The wine was top shelf the coffee and desserts also. we will be back.

Take a trip back in time to your mom and dad's special Italian restaurant in 1955. If you apparently got to eat here on a promo it is great and if you are from out of town it is fabulous. But, if you live here and eat here all the time, you will see all the flaws. See all the reviews before this one and check the home town of the writers. You can do much better for much less with a less tired atmosphere and better than this generic Italian food. If you do go be careful to NOT allow them to bring you things you didn't specifically order and ask the prices of the specials (they do not provide them unless you ask - and unless you are on an expense account you will be very unpleasantly surprised.

Favorite Italian restaurant in NYC. Delicious food and wonderful service. Good subway and bus connection and good for private party.

We decided to utilize a Living Social deal but it had expired (even though dates are clearly specified) and Nino's offered to honor it anyway (we obviously went way beyond the $79 deal), which was professional of them. Despite a few mishaps, the dining experience was fine indeed. Though Nino's is forward thinking and attempting to handle reservations/cancellations via an iPad, they need a bit more practice. I made reservations weeks ago but they had no record of it even after I showed them an email confirmation from THEM 😒 Whatever, moving on...they then handed out pieces of paper for contact info (prior to meal) and feedback (after meal) which I thought was so odd. I obliged because I was sitting in the best seat in the house (by the window, I was gladly people gazing), the service was great from Roberto (though he did not offer us a wine list) and the meal was wonderful!!!!! The lobster/goat cheese ravioli and shrimp/clam linguini appetizers were to die for (they trim down pasta dishes as appetizers, upon request). The 16oz rib eye ($49) and lobster/linguini fra diavolo ($49) were delicious, so flavorful and fresh. By the way, for being such a nice little place, the ladies room could have used a bit more maintenance.

Nino’s restaurant is a very nice Italian restaurant on the upper east side. Food was very good and nice service. Recommended.

This is a solid place. Good food, good wine, great service and nice live music (from the great Irving Fields). I want to focus on the service, as we worked with Christian that evening and he was great. Knowledgable about the food and the wines. Great suggestions. He made the night that much better. On the hostess was great, too.

This place filled up, so obviously popular. We were not that impressed. Expensive, slow service, and we were early! Beef, excellent. Lobster, frozen?, mushy. We also ate nearby at Il Tesoro, felt it was better...not so tight and cramped. Your mileage may vary!

Hadn't been to Nino's in quite some time. Working in the city yesterday, my husband and I decided to stop in. Greeted at the door by the impeccably dressed and delightful Nino, himself, enjoyed a drink at the bar, with yummy home made potato chips and excellent reasonably priced house Chardonny, my husband had mixed drinks, great bartender nice way to start the evening. Sat down in the beautiful dining room, it always seems special! We just had to have the Nino's "classic" dinner, Ceasar Salad for two and Lobster Fra Diablo for two! No one does Ceasar Salad like that anymore! Our super salad maker,Henry proceeded to make the perfect ceasar salad right next to our table, with all of the proper ingrediants, working away,at a wooden salad bowl, he carefully mashed the capers, anchovies, egg yolk, garlic, cheese, oil, to produce the perfect "classic" Ceasar! So ample that even dividing it in two--I could not finish mine, although I did try! Now the best part, our very delightful waiter Ernesto served us the most fabulous Lobster Fra Diablo, the lobster comes right out of the tank and is carried to the kitchen and again, finished at table side on a portable stove, the lobster is split and accompanied by the perfectly cooked pasta, we ordered al-dente and it was, each plate is heaped with the succulent lobster, wonderful sauce and pasta. What a perfect meal! Dining at Nino's is really not just a great meal--but an experience the waitstaff are very educated in the "proper" way to do things and unbelievably good natured one and all! The room is dimly lit, beautiful decor, nice colors, a piano player adds to the ambiance. After the lobster a waiter came and poured hot water and squeezed fresh lemon on napkins and gave them to us to clean our hands--a very nice touch. We simply could not eat desert, but ordered espresso, and were treated to complimentary fruit, a gorgeous display, and the best biscotti, so light and delicious--made in house ( glad we did not order desert ). You can eat here very reasonably, or you can splurge a little, as we did, but it was worth every penny, super meal, and just a wonderful respite from a busy, busy day. It doesn't feel "ordinary" at Nino's!

Nino's is always excellent. Had not been there in years because of the pandemic but so glad to be back. It is quiet elegance starting with Nino greeting you at the door. An outstanding Negroni and a very ample glass of the cocktail. The old style made-at-the-table Caesar Salad was fantastic, almost a meal in itself. The duck stuffed quail was exactly how I remembered it. Go on a weeknight for a lovely mid-week treat.

My friend treated me to a wonderful dinner at Nino's during my recent short visit of the Big Apple. Most impressed with the service here, top notch! Cordial, accommodating, professional, just heartwarming. The number of specials offered here is amazing in addition to the already comprehensive menu. For appetizer, we had seafood salad, which was very fresh and tasty. the Dover sole I chose from the special of the day for the main course was prepared whole and therefore retained good flavor and fileted at the table. Absolutely divine! My son shared a porter steak with our host of the evening. Generous portion and well cooked. The fruit plate on the house for desert was elegantly presented and with good quality fruit. Refreshing. Did I mention that someone started to sing at the piano towards the end of our meal. What a beautiful experience we had that night! Will definitely go back next time in town.

We all took something else and tasted eachothers food. What an amazing restaurant !! Best Italian we ever had and not even the pizza becourse we didn’t have any .

Nino’s is on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The food is wonderful. There is a huge painted mural of celebrities and it’s fun to pick out the celebrities you know. A great conversation starter.

the music by a Sinatra impressionist complete with keyboard — drums, clarinet, full orchestra — drownd our all hope of conversation. An excellent sound system of course. Only on weekends — lunches have been great.

Unfortunately, the fact that the restaurant did not honor our reservation for close to 30 minutes, our lovely before theater dinner, was rushed and not as enjoyable as previous dinners at this establishment. A party of ten was forty minutes late getting to the restaurant. Instead of seating those patrons that did arrive on time, the hostess had these patrons wait until after enough tables emptied and the late party was seated. Nino's is very accommodating to individuals with food allergies and we frequent Nino's every time we are in NYC. This is the first time we encountered such a lengthy wait to be seated. Our food was excellent and the wait staff rushed our order through the kitchen so we would not be late to the theater. We will return to Nino's, and I hope they will seat patrons who arrive on time for their reservations and have those who arrive late wait until tables empty.

Very romantic nice piano player both food and service excellent very friendly waiters ,right price for the plate you get , I have homemade black and white linguini with mix seafood in light spicy marinara ,excellent dish, my wife has Mediterranean see bass broil side table filed garlic white wine and lemon sauce , as compliment at the end of the meal we get fresh and nice decorate fruits plate.

I had been to one of their other restaurants and didn't really think about which one was the original. I really enjoyed the pastas & the veal in this restaurant. Definitely a locals' restaurant.

Ninos is a staple of the community, exceptional service and food that can put a smile on your face any day of the week. Every time I walk in I’m made to feel like I’m home. Nino is always welcoming and will make you feel like you’ve been coming here for as long as you can remember. I had the buffalo mozzarella and as well as the salad with grilled octopus followed by the soft and tasty branzino and the chicken parmigiana. Order anything off the menu you won’t regret it and you can take my word for it. I love this spot and will be coming here again and again! Top shelf everything thank you Nino what a pleasure.

Very friendly staff excellent service The best food ever definitely come back again highly recommended A+++++

This restaurant is Old Fashioned, it's been going on for over 25 years, and as soon as the bread arrives to the table you will understand why: It is crusty, fresh, with a delicious aroma and tasty flavor that combined with the white bean spread is the best way to start any meal. Service is courteous and efficient and never overbearing The salmon is never overcooked and always moist, a great rarity these days. The Chicken Milanese is a must have, for dessert try the chocolate cake and be shocked at this delight.

A great neighborhood restaurant on the upper Eastside. We joined friends who live nearby for dinner at this elegant yet comfortable restaurant. Everything from our welcome by the host to our hugs as we departed was friendly and fun. We were celebrating a birthday, so the staff celebrated right along with us. We enjoyed pasta specials and veal specials, and all were delicious. Service was exceptional. Our friends are fortunate to be able to visit frequently, and they do. Highly recommended.

Nino is still doing things right at his establishment. Great service, food, and ambiance! Cant wait to go back, again!!

This upper east side italian gem had a friendly matre de, and wait staff. I had the fortune of purchasing a $79 pre-fixe deal for a three course, appetizer, surf & turf, dessert + bottle of wine for two on Living Social. What a steal. It was my best friend's first ever trip to the big apple and after a long day of sightseeing and a Yankees game the service and food here was a delicious treat. I would definitely recommend the lobster tail and aged filet...it was like butter! It is a quaint neighborhood restaurant with old world touch and live pianist playing frank sinatra tunes. I loved it.

Absolutely delicious meal in a classic New York setting, with superb old school service. The table Side prepared Caesar salad was the best I’ve remember ever having!!! The fettuccine with Manila clams was perfect. And the chocolate moose cake nearly killed me… What else can I say? Can’t wait to return.

Looking for a restaurant near Memorial Slone Kettering Hospital and Nino's was suggested. Service was good, staff very accommodating . I grabbed a waffle chip from the bar on my in and the staff was nice enough to bring a bowl of chips to my table. food was good, prices reasonable ( for NY) . I was happy that I was able to get a half order of pasta for a appetizer (not mentioned on the menu). Bill came to 85 plus tip for two people; one salad, half pasta and two entrees. Would go again

The service was very attentive and the food was fine, but the decor needs an overhaul. The dropped ceiling, as well as the fake plants along the wall, cheapened the dining experience. There are so many New York City restaurants that offer delicious food, excellent service AND beautiful ambiance that I don't see a reason to re-visit Nino's Restaurant at 1354 First Avenue until a refurbishment is undertaken.

What an outstanding event we had at Ninos’. The meal options were varied and met everyone’s expectations. Outstanding service was provided to our group of 34. We had 27 adults who enjoyed great wines, perfect meals and espresso or cappuccino to go with the great desserts. The staff treated the 7 children to meals that they devoured along with making them feel so important. We were honored to have Nino himself stop by to meet the bride and groom along with family members while he made sure we happy with everything. We enjoyed a previous meal and will be back. The Staff is superior and truly makes you feel at home Bill

We went on a Saturday evening and it was busy however nice to go to a vibrant place. The decor was dated but made it charming to be a visitor from out of the country. It made me feel like I was in New York City. We have a 3 course meal and wine and all was good but my veal had to have been the best I have had. The piano playing was a nice touch. Glad to have had a new york restaurant experience!

A very disappointing special birthday dinner. Previous posts about Nino's noted the elegant service and wonderful food. Not even close this time. Service was terrible, not just slow; it felt like we were invisible. The Caesar salad, usually made at the table, was brought to the table already prepared, though other tables had the salad made in front of them as usual. The intensity of the anchovies was unpleasant and would have been avoided if the waiter asked us how we like our salad. The chicken scarpariello was undercooked, not raw but close, had no flavor, and was accompanied by cold mashed potatoes. There will be other birthdays just not at Nino's.

Service was slow. They were reluctant to let us see the wine list, then managed to drip it after each pouring. Some of our party ordered from the specials list (recited by the waiter) and when eaten realised the main ingredient was missing, because the chef had "forgotten" to put it in! Never again.

A restaurant experience comprises of 3 components: food + service + management. Respectively I rate: 3 + 4 -3 =1 star. We were a party of 10, so we had various entrees ranging from fish to pasta to steak and there were no complaints. The waiter at the onset suggested a large hot and cold antipasto to start, and for a large party that made sense. The hot antipasto was served individually and comprised 6 pieces of fried calamari, 1 shrimp, and 2 baked clams. The cold antipasto comprised of 2 plates of cold cuts, olives and hot peppers. Again, food was good. The 2 hours we were there, service was good and the food was hot. We get the bill and this is how an experience is ruined. One number stood out: $32 per person for the appetizers! Now, I am used to overpaying in NYC, so I kindly asked the waiter kindly that the appetizers cost more than the entrees, and if he can ask the manager (which was Nino himself) if this was right. If so, I would appreciate to talk to him so we can straighten this out. The waiter goes back to talk to Nino, he sends him back to let me know he does not want to talk nor change the price. The amazing part then Nino leaves the restaurant! What owner leaves his restaurant during dinner time to avoid a conversation with a customer that just spent over $1000! Of course, this is not the waiter's fault, so we tipped them appropriately for the service they provided. I hate to do this, but restaurants do not last when ownership treats their customers in this way. If he came to the table and told me this was the price and appreciated our business, I am totally fine. Instead, he lost 10 customers and a received a poor review.

Visiting Nino’s is a charming experience which I find myself constantly recommending. Although I have only been there a few times I am always pleased by the excellent service, and friendly conversation with the owner who is almost always standing at the front to greet his customers. This is a romantic setting which is completed by a live pianist, the food was superb and served beautifully.

The service and the food was some of the best on the UES. Try the stuffed quail or the duck risotto. The table zambioni was to die for, desert.

My husband and I came in for a late light meal and had the Caesar Salad for Two and an order from the pasta special.. Home made Fettucini and Bolognese sauce with Ricotta.. The sauce reminded me of the sweet pomodoro sauces I have had in Italy. Simply divine. It was lovely to hear some live piano music which is a rarity these days..The place has an old world feel and not so trendy like all the restaurants you see in NY. It has a lot of character and from what I read about this restaurant it has been visited by many celebrities and politicians. I also think it is a favorite restaurant for the neighborhood..

I periodically attend UN sessions and at the breaks the local area eateries get mobbed, yet Nino's always had a table for my group, or if you are alone, eat at the bar. Great italian food. Loved the crab salad and any choice of pasta will make your day. In warm weather you can eat outside. Nice place, friendly staff.

We been going to Nino's for a long time,and we always enjoy it. The restaurant is so elegant with a lovely admosfera, the staff is so friendly and helpful,food is so good. Nino always come to the table to greet you and make sure that everything is okey and we are happy. He also send us drinks on the house. On weekends they have a piano man singing and playing danceable tunes which we Enjoy dancing after a great meal. At Nino's you feel very special and the prices are so reasonably that you leave happy satisfied and Looking forward to go back again.

Nino's was a perfect restaurant for us. The food was very good-we had the surf'n turf despite the fact that italian food is the thing here. The place is perfect for an older crowd.........and as it filled up while we ate most of the people coming in were seniors. It's quiet and the service is terrific. And dessert was excellent.

This is the Top of Line for delicious Italian Food. This place is often frequented by celebrities and politicians. The food choices are many and they will make what you want. The cesar salad is made to order right in front of you. The seafood lobster dish and pasta is out of this world. The owner Nino is generally on hand and a great chef! Highly Recommend.

First impressions & attitude mean everything to me. Very important. At Nino's Restaurant, I felt welcomed. I was eating solo, because my lady was in a hospital around the corner. Having a tough day, I just wanted to relax, unwind, and have a great meal. My server Cesar, was attentive, friendly, and got me a nice table too. The food & drinks were great. Meatballs, like family meatballs. I knew everything would be delicious. There are a million places in the city that have good food.....but nothing else. Having a good conversation with Cesar, being made welcome, plus enjoying great food, made it an excellent experience. That makes you want to return. I know I will. Thank you for helping turn a day with worry into a better one. That meant a lot. Cheers! ---- Ken

From the moment you step inside, this is Italian! The table setting, the waitstaff, the ambiance...it's all Italian. The menu is fine, the daily specials are brilliant...and the chef is open to suggestion for your dining pleasure. Just ask! We have, and the results were brilliant. A special treat awaits the after dinner time...an on-the-house presentation of fruit. Delicious and well done. All in all...a wonderful evening topped of by not being rushed out the door. Sit, enjoy!

Food was ok,but staff under pressure as it seemed to be mainly a bust bar. Hard to serve both markets well. Service slips as a result...they triied there best but splitting both parts maybe better..bar and dining ...

An excellent place for great Italian food. I *almost* feel guilty for using a TravelZoo coupon. Almost. Papa D and I had a fabulous dinner and I’d return in a heartbeat, coupon or no coupon. The service was stellar – we had three people serving/waiting on our table. Enough said! We started out with a bottle of Malbec and Papa D got the meatball appetizer and I ordered a salad. My salad was very plain, but the meatballs were mouthwateringly delicious. I was seriously salivating watching my husband eat them. I ordered the lobster prepared tableside and served fra diavolo style over linguini. It was a very large portion leaving me happily satisfied, not too spicy either…it was just right! We ordered tiramisu for dessert (you’re kidding, right??? Me order tiramisu? Get out!) and thought it was fabulous!

My husband & I arrived early for our 7:30 reservation Sat. Dec. 10 and were seated immediately. When the rest of our party (7 in all) arrived a waiter appeared with menus and told us about the specials. After he took our order we never saw him again. We sat and we sat. We were at a table right near the door and the bar and the place was packed. Lots of wonderful people watching! It became clear to me that they'd overbooked and people with reservations were waiting for about an hour to be seated. Only in NYC would people put up with this; however everyone seemed to be in good spirits and taking this in stride. Our waitress was excellent and she tried to find out where are food was. Finally after about 1 1/2 hours we were served. I had ordered the rack of veal which according to the menu comes with fried baby artichokes, perseco, sage, diced prosciutto and shaved reggiano. My husband ordered the seared berkshier pork chop with celechino, green lentils, home fried potatoes and onions. We both got only french fries--not a vegetable in sight. The pork chop was dry and tasteless; my rack of veal was excellent but where were the side dishes that we were supposed to get? Everyone else in our party got what they'd ordered. No waiter in sight. Since we were hungry, we ate what we were served. Finally my husband spoke to a wait staff person who said he'd get the manager. He was told we should have said something when our dinner came but there was no one to speak to and after waiting 1 1/2 hours, he was afraid if we did send our plates back we'd never see them again. After quite some time, Nino appeared. He apologized and said the kitchen staff was shorthanded. We were never told why our side dishes weren't served. He offered complimentary desserts and coffees. Nice but the desserts were only so-so--nothing wonderful. For us suburbanites this was an interesting experience, but we won't return. Don't understand why this restaurant draws such crowds--since at best, the food is mediocre.

Close your eyes and walk in any direction in New York City and you can run into an Italian restaurant. It's useful, though, to have a list of the best ones around town when you want to go out on that special date. You can put Nino's on that list. This Upper East side gem presents a very comfortable atmosphere and delicious food from the caponata to the tiramisu. The service also matches for a delightful dining experience. Give it a try.

When I bought a Groupon for Nino's for a "Surf-and-Turf Dinner for Two" including two appetizers, two filet mignon and lobster entrees, a dessert, and bottle of wine and two coffees/teas, I was very excited. The reality was far less than we had hoped for. When we told the waiter we had a Groupon, he was very rude and visibly annoyed as he handed us our "special menu." He was quite short with us and did not reappear at our table aside from taking our order and left the rest of our interactions to the waitstaff filling our water. We were made to feel like second class customers as though having a Groupon were an aberration. Although we had made a reservation and came quite early in the evening, we were told they had no lobster and instead would offer "shrimp scampi" as if that were a comparable replacement. They were out of all but one of the desserts as well. The selection offered on the "special menu" was quite scarce. We opted out of the bottle of wine, as well as the coffee/tea but despite this were charged for our $9 bottle of still water, as if this $9 dollars would have been greater than the amount of the wine and coffee/teas we could have ordered. The Groupon listed the value as paying $79 for $235 worth of food/service, however, the bill was $99 and yet we were charge $17 on top of the Groupon cost, so basically we paid almost as much on our "deal" as we would have just coming to the restaurant, but without enjoying the whole reason we came (the surf and turf meal). The food itself was only average, the appetizers (carpaccio and meatballs) took forever to come out and were not spectacular, the filet entrees were stringy although the gravy was good, and the cheesecake was average. Overall, we did not feel the price we paid equal to the quality of the food and service we received. There are far better restaurants of comparable price in NYC and we will certainly be choosing them instead in the future.

Every time we visit Nino's it is very relaxing and enjoyable experience. The menu has a great selection of entrees and anything you choose is always excellent . The staff is friendly and very helpful in choosing a delicious dinner and wine. Nino is always the perfect host.

We had been eating at Nino’s for more than 10 years, we had come to this restaurant for very special celebrations and we always have a good time. For the last 3 or 4 years this restaurant has been a big a disappointment, the cervice still very good and the same with the food but is the owner Nino’s who doesn’t care abut his clientele he hardly smiles at us and he knows who we are. When we had dinner there we usually spend a lot of money we like to eat well we drink expensive wines and champagne but he doesn’t care and he never makes an effort to Acknowledge is. In June we took my mother there for her birthday and it was a desastre , he was short of staff the waiter was serving tables and making cocktails in the bar and NIno was totally unaware instead he was distant and looking at the window. Instead of making sure that his costumers are well look after. The problem with Nino is that he is tired and he also has other restaurants, I'm not really sure why he is a restaurateur and he does such bad job . He should just close. For sure my family and I will go and spend money in some other restaurants after all Nino’ is not the only Italian restaurant in New York City. I use to recommend to friends and family but now I don’t recommend to anyone.

Ninos is a great date restaurant and great for anniversary's birthdays and graduation. While it has come down somewhat from its hay day in the l990's it is still a classy operation with Nino himself manning the operation and there to greet you. The food is very good and the presentation of the food is even better. If you are able to splurge, splurge at Nino's. If you go when they have the singer/pianist it is like a show and a dinner combined into one. Some stuff is prepared at the table and they make the preparation exciting. For example they whip us table-side a great Caeser salad to start off with and the best Zabaglione in town, also by the table and complete with fire.

We reserved at Nino's for Valentines Day. The hostess was a sweetheart and the maitre 'd professional and friendly. Those are the only two positive things to be said. We literally had to flag down waitstaff for water, menus (no menus? Didn't they want us to order?), milk, sugar (all of the packets were soaking wet at the bottom-- no one noticed or cared?) Wrong orders (hey-- maybe we should have taken them just to see what would happen) arrived at our table twice. We looked down at the plates being placed before us, in confusion. Never have we seen such stricken, frightened servers. If it wasn't so weird I guess it could have been seen as comical. Not a smile on any server's face as they tried valiently to figure out what to do. Finally (or should this have been first?) the food was completely mediocre, from the not-fresh bread to the salty soup to the average chicken and later equally average desserts. With a $100/per person tab with tax and tip, this is not okay. Sorry we made the reservation and hope to save you, reader, from making the same mistake.

I remember eating here at least 30 years ago, so it has not changed. The food was well prepared and did not disappoint. The only change was Latino rather than Italian wait staff. Service was friendly and efficient.

We enjoyed the red snapper - interesting ingredients. Lots of food. The caesar salad was pretty good as well. Dessert was good, not special.

Recommended by a friend we felt special from the time we entered the door. Greeted by the owner and taken care of by a very friendly staff. Menu is creative, portions generous and ends with a comp fruit platter and apertif. Nice live piano music and an unhurried atmosphere. It's fine dining at steep prices but well worth a special occasion.

We used to live a few blocks from this restaurant and had eaten here periodically years ago with great enjoyment - I always considered it top notch northern Italian. When I saw a Groupon for a pretty fabulous sounding deal last summer I jumped at the chance to go back. My verdict: ehh. Not the same quality place. Decor has not been updated in ten years and while still on the elegant side, it is getting tired. The bigger problem was with the Groupon. While some Groupons are simply extraordinary values, sometimes the restaurant decides to treat you like second class citizens. Here the Groupon menu while limited still had some fantastic sounding options, like a surf and turf dinner. Why the disappointment then? Well it just seemed like every course (it was still a solid value) was made specially for the Groupon price point and was not of the normal quality I would associate with this type of restaurant - either that or the restaurant had gone totally downhill. The turf and turf was not a $70 entree! Tiny steak that seemed like Sirloin, not Filet. All in all, it just left a negative taste in my mouth about Nino's and about Groupon in general (although they just redeemed themselves with a fabulous Groupon meal at 42 in White Plains). I will not be back to Nino's.

We used our TRAVELZOO voucher and really enjoyed the meal. The food was good and the staff was extremely attentive. Its worth the visit.

Our group of eight for a milestone birthday celebration enjoyed our meals and every moment at this restaurant. There were no complaints about our table, food, or service. The restaurant was prepared for our arrival and quickly accommodated us. Our server was most courteous, attentive, and accommodating. Due to our group size, we were able to order from the fixed price menu which suited everyone's taste. I personally had the lamb shank main dish which very tender, well seasoned, and simply divine. Our meals were complimented with wine, and oh, yes, the music from the piano bar. It was a fairly pricey night, but worth ever bit for this special occasion. The Birthday Girl was all smiles. Priceless!!!

My family has been going to Ninos every Dec for the past 15 years. The attraction had been the great service, the fine food, the presentation, and the festive atmosphere. No more. This year we had to interrupt lazy bar staff to order cocktails who were otherwise engaged in private conversation and ignoring the 6 of us who at the time were the only patrons in the whole place. Every year we order their signature angry lobster dish and have always been impressed with the generous portions. This year they tried to pass off 1 pound lobsters as 4 pounders, which they only acknowledged after we pointed out the shortage and the fact that lobsters generally have 2 claws. The evening was a huge disappointment down to the very end when they asked is if they could validate our parking ticket. After handing the ticket to the parking lot attendant he chuckled and told me they do not have an agreement. I don't know what happened to this great Italian restaurant but we will not return.

It was my own bias but I was brought here after visiting a patient at a nearby hospital and expected typical red sauce joint. Boy, was I proven wrong! First, the service is world class. The decor borders on the ornate but is quite comfortable. To start, we were presented a couple of grilled, spicy peppers with tapenade and warm bread. The wine list was adequate as were the offerings by the glass. I had a starter of beef carpaccio with arugula wrapped in bresaola, while my dining partner had mozzarella di bufala. Both were outstanding. For entrees, we had linguini in clam sauce and a vegetable "Napoleon". Once again, both were quite tasty. We enjoyed chocolate gelato (which seemed much more like ice cream) and a complimentary and quite artistic fruit plate for dessert. An very enjoyable meal.

After reading the previous comments on this restaurant, I couldn't believe it was the same place as I had eaten in last night. First of all, it was crowded but Nino and the staff were all friendly and there was excellent service. Even though I had a living social certificate, we were made to feel very welcome. They had a special menu for this purpose of 5 appetizers and, at least, 9 entrees. Dessert and coffee was also included and a bottle of wine. Food was absolutely delicous. The meaball appetizer was the best meatball I ever tasted and will go back to have this for an entree. The filet mignon was tender and the lobster tail yummy. I look forward to returning to this establishment. Recommend highly.

Ninos helped us with a large gathering of family, late in the evening--hosted us graciously, served us brilliant food, and went out of their way to make our special occasion perfect. The food was beyond our expectations--simply, but exquisitely prepared and the wait staff are top-notch professionals. What a glorious evening!

First, the food. Delicious Northern Italian. I strongly recommend their specialty, Fra Diavolo. Everything on the menu is excellent. Next, service. Wonderful wait staff. Very friendly and attentive. They don't just list the specials, they enjoy telling you about them. My water glass was constantly filled and they handled special requests I made. Nino is the perfect restaurant owner. Always a smile (by the way, he is very handsome), and wants to make sure your dining experience is a good one. Finally, ambiance. A lovely atmosphere. Most of the people who dine there are New Yorkers. You might even run into Regis Philbin or Joan Lunden. They are frequent diners there.

One of the worst experiences ever. And Nino the owner was sitting at a table next to us eating dinner with his date, ignoring the situation. My husband ordered the veal special. They brought the regular veal. Since he started eating it , he said he would keep it. They charged us for the more expensive special!!!!! When we pointed it out they offered free dessert- but did not adjust the bill! Bizarre. Food is very average and in NY, you can get great italian food.

As noted by previous reviewers, the decor is a definite blast from the past. However, the service more than compensated, being professional, patient, and good-humored throughout. Excellent Caesar salad, decent pasta. Would recommend.

I have a standing monthly dinner date with girlfriends. The place we had planned on going to was unexpectedly closed. Nino's was able to accommodate us. The service was pretty good. I had the eggplant parm dinner. I'm a huge eggplant parm fam - I go out of my way to get it everywhere I can. I can't lie. The eggplant was rather bitter. The price doesn't match the quality...especially for Little Italy.

This is my first time since I received the recommendation of my friend from Italy. Everything was excelente, from reception, food, wine and service. I would strong recommended it and i'll definitely come back again.

Ever been in a place that could care less if you were there? That's Nino's same ownwers of Bruno's now Club A and Osso Buco on University Street. Bruno's brother Nino runs the place but he could care less and the waiters try and act even more cold than him. The old days of Bruno's hospitality are long gone. Nino's is a NO GO

Comfortable ambiance, meals very satisfying,prices standard. Location, very good not in the midst of busy midtown.

We were looking for a restaurant where Loew went not just stores so I asked our waiter where's the best restaurant in New York City. He replied, "Nino's" and he was soooo correct! From the moment you walk in the front door you were greeted with a friendly smile everyone in the restaurant. Food was amazing. I have chicken Parmesan it was so tender and delicious. My sweetheart had the Bolognese which really wasn't even on the menu, but they made it for him. He says we had to go to the theater we miss the piano player who arrived shortly after we left. Next trip will plan a whole evening at this restaurant!!

The restaurant is very dark and it is more or less impossible to read the menu. The food was very average and too expensive based on the quality of the food we ordered. It seems that they try to profit from the dark dining room, because when I checked the bill after returning to my hotel we had been greatly overcharged. They charged us for three instead of two hors d'oeuvres, and whilst we got house pinot grigio at the bar to USD 9,00 for a glass which was ok, they served another pinot grigio for the meal priced at USD 16,00, without asking for our preference. Thus the final bill for two persons for the meal and the two glasses of wine at the bar amounted to USD 160 (inclusive tax). The restaurant should concentrate on their "promotion deals" to USD 79 for two, and stop overcharging normal guests.

There were 40 people for a post Memorial Service lunch. I had Mozarella Caprese-exceptionally good cheese, the tomatoes were not flavorful.The filet mignonette was tender with mushrooms and a nice sauce,delicious! Their tiramisu was out of this world, they make it themselves. The service was excellent and the atmosphere delightful. This is my 2nd time here and I can’t wait to return.

We have lived in this neighborhood forever and have never frequented Nino's. We loved the food and the service was amazing! We highly recommend Nino's for a dinner with friends or family

There are many restaurants in New York named Nino's. This restaurant is on First Ave in Manhattan not to be confused with the others. Nino's is a lovely restaurant with gracious service. Caesar salad is still made table side and it's a real treat to experience what a Caesar is supposed to taste like. The soups are freshly made, butternut squash particularly delicious this time of year. There are whole fresh fish selections in a bed of ice as you enter plus a lobster tank. Dover sole meunière was boned table side expertly. As a special I had a loin in veal chop grilled perfectly with a side of broccoli rabe sautéed in garlic and oil. Delicious! Desserts are wonderful. The chocolate mousse and tiramisu terrific. The restaurant is what fine dining, service and ambiance is all about.

A fine classic Italian meal with excellent service in a very lovely room . There is on some evenings a piano playing doing old favorites and requests .We chose this restaurant by location on the east side near N.Y. Hospital .Suggest the Dover Soul as an excellent choice as well as the home made pastas .They also have a very fine wine list .

I had a meeting nearby and two of us were wandering along 1st Avenue at 5.30pm one Thursday looking for somewhere to eat. Nino's looked inviting so we went in. The welcome was warm and they immediately took our coat and found us a well-placed table. Bread and olive oil appeared almost immediately (excellent bread!) together with the menus. We wasted some time reading the menus before our waiter came to the table and listed the specials, and we promptly both ordered one of the specials. My Dover Sole Meuniere was exceptional - beautifully fresh fish perfectly cooked and pretty large. The accompanying mashd potato and spinach were perfect. My colleague pronounced he seared scallops excellent and again the portion size was generous. My wine was an Italian Sauvignon which was superb. Detserts of Tiramisu and Apple Tart with Ice Cream (home made and creamy) were delightful, as was the complimentary dish of beautifully presented fresh fruits.A herbal tea and an espresso rounded of a wonderful meal - the espresso presented me with my only complaint of the evening because it wasn't properly hot. Service throughout was exemplary. The bill was $177 before tip which was somewhat high even for Upper East Side, but I will certainly return to Nino's and I won't wait until I next "happen to be passing".

Stop in as soon as you can! Every time I come to Nino’s I feel like I have stepped into another world it’s in that moment I walk through the doors I am greeted and treated as if I have been coming here my whole life. The food will take your taste buds on an adventure. They have found a way to take traditional Italian dishes and reinvent them into these masterpieces of culinary excellence. The drinks flow and the foods aroma fill the atmosphere, I don’t know how I got so lucky to stumble on this place but I try and recommend it as much as I can to whomever will hear me.

Nino? If you want your patrons to enjoy a better dining experience then respect your customers and help make their wishes for a pleasant evening one that THEY want, not what you want. A friend told me they had dinner there recently and I laughed. I haven't been there in 20 years, but I never forget a restaurant. We had a reservation for two and we sat in the front of the restaurant and perfectly happy. We were then told that they made a mistake and gave us the wrong table and escorted us to the back area where they were setting up for a table of 20 LOUD people. I heard you tell the waitperson that you didn't want two women seated alone in the front. No men with us. Scandalous. 20 years ago were really good looking too. Mother and daughter in fact. I had the same experience when I was visiting Italy but at that time I spoke up and told them NOT to put us (again, two single traveling females) in the back by the kitchen door and that I would be choosing the table. It was all very pleasant. To hell with what the restaurant owner wants or thinks is appropriate. My money is green same as everyone else's. Where do you seat lesbian couples? In the coat room?

I purchased a 3 course lobster-for-two "dinner value" on-line through Travelzoo for $75 for a dinner costing up to $212. I have used Travelzoo a few time before at different restaurants and have not been disappointed until now. When I presented the voucher, we were presented with the "Travlezoo Menu" not the regular menu (first clue). I explained that we had purchased the lobster dinner. This is advertised as a "pick you own 4 lb from the tank. The tank was empty, and we were presented with at best was 1lb lobster (the tail yielded 6 small bits in total) that must have been pre-frozen. This was served fradaivolo style over spaghetti and included a California table wine. The food was at best average, the wine mediocre and overall not really worth the reduced price much less the suggested value. Nevertheless, the service was very good. Since this is a pricy taxi ride from where we stay In NYC, we won't be back. Larry & Kelly

Their Restaurant Week for $29 was a very good deal - portions were large and the food was yummy. Would have been a good meal in any case - the salmon was cooked to perfection - service was a little slipshod but the owner/maitre d' took good care of us. Soda and ice tea, however, were out of line pricing.

We stumbled upon this little gem while searching for somewhere still open after 10pm. We were greeted with friendly smiles and seated. Our waiter went through the many specials and brought out lovey bread and oil. We just had main courses and both chose pasta dishes that were both delicious. Service was fast and friendly. Cocktails were strong and lovely too. Would definitely recommend.

Nino's is more then just a restaurant, its an experience. It's a culinary adventure that takes you back to Italy. Its funny to brag about a ceasar salad, but I'm bragging about it. Get the ceasar salad, made fresh tableside ever time you go. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu, but some of my favorites include beef carpaccio, baked clams, and my personal favorite lobster fra diavolo! They even let you pick your lobster from their lobster tank! New York dining at its finest!

Excellent staff and service. Love to be greeted and seated by the owner or management of a restaurant and checked on after food served to be sure everything is to your liking. Food is very good. Piano player was coming on as we were done dining but we ate early. We both had specials and they were very good.

Wonderful service. Great food. The house Cabernet was okay. Beer menu was poor. I liked the location, the building, and the music. I’ll go back.

We've lived right around the corner from this place for years and never ventured in as it looks a little 1980s. Well, not everything about the 80s is bad! We were just happy to find a place on a Saturday evening that was busy but still had a table for drop-ins. We started with a white salad that was crisp and fresh, and went on to the Sea Bass and a Lamb shank, both of which were correct, not amazing, but more than acceptable. Nino himself was the archetypical Italian life-long restauranteur - seating us and generally being suave. They had a terrific female singer and a pianist and the atmosphere was fun without being too loud of obnoxious. People were dancing and, although the average age was close to 70, we sat back and enjoyed the unpretentious charm. A mural above our table (painted 20 years ago) had the Clintons and the Trumps hanging out at the bar together - you couldn't have made that up!

The food is just ok but is soooooooooo expensive. This is not a place you are likely to stumble upon as its not well advertised form the road. We went on the recommendation of the concierge. We ordered steaks ($48 each) and this didnt come with anything it was then $12 for veg and $11 for potatoes. This was by no means a $120 meal. add drinks, tip and starter to this bill it was over $200 which really wasn't worth it!

Great atmosphere....beautiful setting...excellent food and handsome Nino....what else can you ask for? Food is fresh and beautifully served...I love to go there when there is the piano player...It's nice after a busy day to just relax and enjoy!

Manhattan dining at it's best today!! We hadn't been to Nino's in years, but it is the same excellent dining experience we remembered from years ago and the owner Niño always looking suave never seems to age! We took a table near the window in this beautifully decorated restaurant to people watch as we feasted on a culinary extravaganza!! We started with Nino's Homemade meatballs which were unlike any meatballs we ever had made with veal, beef and pork in a fresh chopped tomato sauce! The imported Buffalo Mozzarella was so heavenly creamy with fresh basil, gorgeous juicy ripe tomatoes and roasted peppers. They have a dinner special of appetizer, entree and dessert for $38, which is a deal in Manhattan! My partner ordered chicken martini Parmesan crusted chicken with lemon and white wine butter sauce that was melt in your mouth amazing!! On the side was homemade sun dried tomato ravioli that were sweet and tender pockets full of goodness in a tomato purée. I had their special of the day of fresh made pappardelle pasta with huge lumps of lobster and clams which was a dining experience I won't soon forget. Everything was perfect and so, so delicious!! This dish is better than sex!! The desserts we chose were raspberry sorbet and cannoli with fresh berries which were both the happy ending to a well composed symphony of flavor! They presented us with a complimentary sculptured fruit swan tower of apples, oranges, pineapple, grapes, kiwi and honey dew melon that put this dinner over the top!! Thank you Niño for keeping your restaurant consistently beautiful and delicious all these years! We know when we dine here, it will be an exceptional meal!

We purchased a Living Social Deal for about $80 which included appetizer, entree, a bottle of wine and dessert for two people. For our appetizer, my husband and I ordered the Nino's famous meatballs and Lobster Bisque soup. Both were delicious! For my entree I ordered the Jumbo shrimp and Chicken sauteed in cognac shallots, shitake mushrooms served with mashed potatos which were all cooked just right. I'm not sure how marsala sauce is made but it tasted very similiar to that. While the dish was pretty good, I didn't love it. My husband ordered the Pollo Martini which is parmesan crusted chicken in a lemon white wine butter sauce. This dish was very good and I liked it much better than mine. As for dessert, we got the tiramisu and the cheesecake...both were bad in my opinion. Tiramisu was overly sweet and I felt like I was eating a piece of cake with butter cream icing rather than mascarpone. The cheesecake was not moist but instead grainy. Service was excellent throughout the night. The waiters made sure we had everything we needed and promptly filled our cups whenever it got low. The major disappointment was dessert but everything else was very good. We accidently ordered a bottle of water which turned out to be $10! Good thing we only ordered one and stuck to tap water the rest of the night. The restaurant is a too dimly lit for me but it created a nice romantic ambiance. My friends went another time and they ordered the two person lobster pasta dish - they said it was very good and they also had great service. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant.

I have been here 3 times, 2 using groupon. I will be back again. I love all the Ninos. There are several across the city. I will be back again! I loved the food and the atmopshere and everything. Service could be better sometimes as I feel a little rushed-not as table oriented, but other than that, it was great. Great 90year old piano player that is in most nights. Thanks for a nice experience.

Just used travel zoo discount coupon.Paid $79 per couple ,and went with another couple. I had the surf and turf, which is supposed to be $75 on the regular menus. If that's true, it's a joke. the surf and turf was o.k, but I left te restaurant starving. The portion was tiny. The meatball appetizer was pretty good. The other 3 people in my party agreed. The food was only fair, and none of us felt it would be wise to ever return here.

Had their surf and turf. bottle of fine wine with dessert. great food! Our waiter could not have had any other table to tend because of the personal attention we had. Saturday night at 8pm. Wonderful restaurant

I recently finally checked out Nino's, a neighborhood restaurant that always intrigued me by walking by. I could never tell what was inside this place by walking by, but always heard great things. Upon entering this restaurant, we were greeted by Nino himself! This made the dining experience seem much more personal. The menu had so many good options on it that my dining partner and I had a lot of trouble picking one out. We chose the Mozzarella Di Burratta to start, the Mignonette Rossini & also the Pappardelle All Anatra. All great selections! In addition to great food, this restaurant had top notch service! We were checked on several times throughout the course of the evening to make sure we had everything we needed. Check it out!

Critical" violations are displayed in red. Violation points: 30 Sanitary Violations 1) Evidence of mice or live mice present .

A wonderful, wonderful restaurant with amazing food, and even better service. Orchestrated waitstaff attend the tables with a head waiter overseeing everything to perfection. Mr. Nino himself went to each table to ensure satisfaction. The food was amazing, with my filet being incredibly tender. The tiramisu was impeccable. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone!

We paid $79 for the Travelzoon coupon for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees,2 desserts and 1 bottle of wine. Pretty much all the coupon holders were seated in the front of the restaurant and given special menu. The restaurant is quite old and crowded. The look from the street is kind of crappy. The service was very good. The appetizers were well plated and nice refreshing. The entrees were awfully small in portion. The lobster in the surf and turf was tiny and tasted frozen meat - having lived in New England for more than 10 years, we tell immediatly this was not the live lobster from Maine as described on the menu. For desserts we ordered cheese cake and Tiramisu and they were very pretty and fresh with right amount of sweetness. Overall it is an okay restaurant among over 7,000 of restaurants in Manhatten. If the food is priced as low as the coupon value, I may try again. Otherwise, the food is overpriced.

This was truly an excellent restaurant. Wait staff was conscientious and attentive. Food was exceptional and the atmosphere was very pleasing. The maitre d' made a point of coming to each table and inquiring about the service and food. We plan on returning to this gem on 1st Ave.

I was previously at this restaurant about three months ago. It was a wonderful experience, and I wrote about it in TripAdvisor, giving it 5 stars. However, I am sad to report, that my dinner last night there, was an extreme and utter disappointment. The pasta was so soggy! And the service was so rushed. And the waiter did not understand my order, double ordering my entree.. It is as if I have gone to a completely different restaurant. And the owner, even though he knew that I wrote a good review for him,just gave me artificial smiles. I am not looking for free stuff. I just wanted a warm welcome. And that was absent. He could be an AI for all intents and purposes. And basically the food was not good at all. Not delicious. I will not go back there for a long time.

We visited Nino's on our first dinner out in NYC. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant. The ambience was very pleasing. Staff very friendly and attentive. Although we found the service to be rather slow and it seemed to take forever for our waiter to read through the specials. Food was delicious and worth waiting for. This is an expensive Italian restaurant 3 adults with 2 courses and a bottle of chianti set us back about $250. Great place, nice piano playing and atmosphere but expensive.

Near NY Hospital. Frequent locale for after apointments. A bit expensive but worth it. Went during REstaurant Week. Love their fish dishes and pasta.

Two of us went on a Saturday evening to this restaurant using a Groupon. This was absolutely the best restaurant we'd ever been to. The food and service were superb. One had surf and turf with pasta while the other had chicken and it was unlike anything else we ever tasted. A bottle of wine was included with the meal. The surrounding neighborhood has a wealth of fine restaurants, each offering something special. We will definitely return to this restaurant when we come back to NYC as it was such a pleasureable experience. Kudos to all involved in this fine dining experience. We can't believe it was so phenomenal and yet willing to offer Groupons.

The service is excellent, the atmosphere is inviting, great piano bar, good Martinis and wine, My Chicken Parma. was the best, great vegetable melody, fresh bread, nice size salad, side of pasta, fantastic Cappuccino, Great Dining esperience.

Very pretty restaurant with lots of pictures of politicals from both parties, tonight featuring a young Trump and a somewhat older Clinton. Very welcoming reception with attentive service. Very good cleanliness, including the mens room. Excellent opera music, perfect sound level for an early meal at 7 PM on a Wednesday. Crusty bread with a delightful yeasty taste, served with a blended eggplant. Very good Stracciatelli (spinach and egg) soup. Mild, cheesy sauce with very fresh spinach lightly cooked. Mine is only a tad better. :) Osso bucco melting in my mouth -- the marrow was superb. The tomato sauce was the fresh version; I strongly prefer a long, slow cooked tomato sauce with Osso Bucco which better enhances the subtle flavor of the meat to my taste. A large, extremely large, portion of rice nicely creamed, with a distinct taste of fish, somewhat jarring with the taste of the meat. Risotto alla milanese here must've picked up it's fish flavor from the broth. I strongly prefer a vegetable broth which allows the saffron to shine through. Not in this version. Tiramisu was the very frothy version, and a very good example of the very sweet type. A very cold Peroni beer went well with everything, including dessert. The two-top at the front of the restaurant provides a marvelous perch for people watching.

I was treated to a wonderful birthday dinner at Nino's. Although it was pouring outside, I was surprised at the number of diners on a Monday night. The food was delicious, veal dishes for both of us. I was disappointed, however, at the way the waiter keep pushing salads and appetizers after we said we did not want any. The chocolate cake was shared and outstanding. I would definitely call this a neighborhood restaurant, and you can eat at the bar. Lively bar too.

I had a fun night out here with my friend! The waitstaff are both attentive and friendly, the food comes out at a good pace, and what I ate for NYC restaurant week was decent, especially given the price. Nino's has one of the most unique wine displays I've ever seen and is a great place for a more relaxed outing like a date or a quiet, smaller birthday celebration.

We were very pleasantly surprised with this choice for Restaurant Week dinner. We wanted to try a new neighborhood restaurant and this one sounded good. Menu offered had many good choices for appetizer, entree and desert. Very, very good food. I had the grilled veal and my husband had lamb shank, which fell off the bone. A famous opera singer came to eat right across from us and our table was situated near the piano player too. Sit at Table 18 for the best seat to view entire restaurant. Waiter's, and staff were very pleasant and accommodating. Along with our desert, we received a beautifully decorated fruit platter with apples, kiwi, and cantaloupe. We would definitely return to this restaurant.

Went last night w/BF b/c I purchased a travel zoo deal.I can't say enough fantastic things about this place.I have been before &it was good...this time was def WOW!From the minute we got there&were seated by Nino himself&greeted by our waiter Michael(who is amazing) I knew this was going to be a great night.The service is soooo friendly&they were so warm&friendly even after they found out we were using a voucher. Food was deeelish! I had lobster fra diavolow/linguine(awesome),BF had lamb shank,which fell off the bone&was so fantastic.Starters were good too,seafood salad& beef carpaccio.Dessert was yummy tiramisu&choc cake,they even put a candle on&the piano player sang to us..how special! This place is uber romantic&wonderful.Thanks Nino's!

While visiting our son in New York City, we took him for dinner at Nino's Restaurant, location near his apartment. The place has a nice, warm decor and we were welcomed by attentive staff. The menu has quite traditional Italian food, but I made a special request for Fruit de Mer (oysters, clams, shrimp, crab, etc.), which was enjoyable ($69). My wife and son each ordered linguine a la vongole and I ordered veal scallopini, but of which were good. We didn't have room for dessert. The prices are reasonable (only by New York City standards!).

I have actually been to this restaurant many, many times but I’ve never reviewed it here in Trip Advisor, so now is a good opportunity to do that. And, if I didn’t feel the way I do about this restaurant I might pass on a review as I had before. But…I don’t want to do that. The last time my wife and I had been at Nino’s was probably over two-years ago. Why we hadn’t been there again more recently, I’m not sure, but it certainly isn’t because the two of us don’t like it there. My niece was coming to town with her husband, from Texas, where they live, and they asked us to have dinner with them on the Saturday evening of their stay…and they specifically asked to have that dinner at Nino’s. We’d brought them there before and it had a lasting impression on them, which is something that is worth mentioning. Even more so, I’ll note that they are big into going to the the “best” restaurants of any city or town when they go on their frequent visits away from home. To place things in some context, Bouley, the dining rooms at the Whitney and MOMA are among the other restaurants that they dined at during this visit to NYC. Daniel, Per Se and Daniel were all destinations of theirs on other visits to NYC. So…How does Nino’s come into the mix for them? And what’s my take on it and why? Well, I’ll start off by saying it isn’t the kind of restaurant that seems to fit into that group. It isn’t haute cuisine and doesn’t pretend do be. Rather, it’s an Italian restaurant. And, I’d say it’s a terrific one. When you walk in, you’ll find in front of you a small bar…maybe seven or eight stools. But, it’s a very nice bar nevertheless, and a very pleasant place to have a before-dinner drink. There’s a mural on the wall there that includes a ton of famous people and celebrities…I don’t know if they all had eaten at Nino’s or not but it an interesting painting to look at. The dining room is beautiful. It’s not minimalist or modern or “trendy,” like you might easily find in NYC…but it emanates a warmth and charm that this writer finds thoroughly comfortable. I’ll mention at this point that on Saturday nights, as there has long been, there’s a piano-player/singer who does songs (from the Great American Songbook and the like.) And, he’s terrific. He sings in such a tasteful and pleasant way; never too loud to interfere with conversation but just right so that you can appreciate how good he is should you want to pay attention…which my bet is….you will! By the way, our table was quite close to the piano…may at most 10-feet away so I can assure you that you won’t be overwhelmed by the music like you very often are at other restaurants which feature live music. I should add that I believe that there is live music at Nino’s on other evenings of the week, but I’m not certain which, so if you’re interested, call ahead and ask. Okay…the food. I can say, categorically, that I’ve never had anything but excellent food and excellent service at all of the dinners that I’ve had at Nino’s and as I mentioned, that is a large number of dinners over many years. In fact, in addition to having been there many times with my wife alone, whenever we’ve had guests from outside of NYC we took them to Nino’s. That includes people from many different places all over the USA, but also from Germany, Israel and Italy, as well. And, every one of them enjoyed it there. (Geesh, as I’m writing this, I can’t believe it’s been so long since we had been back to Nino’s before this most recent dinner.) But, I guess I’ve digressed and so…back to the food. The menu is very appealing and even still, three of the four of us at the table ordered the quail stuffed with shredded duck for our entrees. I have to say…and my wife and my nephew agreed…it was absolutely excellent. I mean it! It was served on polenta that was so tasty that it reminded me of exactly how delicious polenta can (and should) be, though it isn’t in the vast majority of cases. If you do go to Nino’s and you don’t have limiting food requirements…have that dish! The fourth diner at our table had the salmon and also thought her dish was excellent. I’ll mention, too, that for appetizers at our table, we had meat balls, clams and portobello mushrooms and each was…at the risk of sounding repetitive…excellent. There’s something else I want to mention about Nino’s in this enthusiastic review. There are quite literally countless Italian restaurants in NYC. Many of them are excellent and a places at which one can have an excellent meal and an excellent time. But, Nino’s has a certain quality to it that very…very…few, and I’d venture to say almost none of the others do have. And that’s, ironically since it’s an Italian restaurant, the difficult to describe but palpable New York City feeling that I know I have when I’m there. And, I am a New Yorker, though I live in northern Westchester now. It just plain imparts that feeling to me. That’s surely one of the reasons why I like to take people from other places there…and I benefit from that, too. The fact is, that I don’t often feel quite this energetic about a restaurant. And, now having been there again I would like this review to capture that energy and then maybe…just maybe…it’ll make up for all the times when I’d had excellent food, excellent company and an excellent time…with consummately enjoyable music there…but, I didn’t review Nino’s afterwards. I’ll close by saying that I feel that anyone that goes to Nino’s will have a great time with excellent food as I’ve invariably had. But, if you’re from out of town and considering which restaurant to go to on one of your precious few days in NYC, then I particularly recommend Nino’s for at least one meal on your visit here.

I had a Travelzoo voucher for this restaurant and wanted to use it. I was afraid of what we'd encounter after reading all these reviews on TripAdvisor. All I can say is we were pleasantly surprised. It probably depends when you go, but we went on a Sat night. The place was decently filled, but we were seated promptly and had great service the whole night. The atmosphere was very nice. We had a very nice Pinot Grigio. I had the meatballs for an appetizer (slightly overcooked), and my wife had the potato soup (light but tasty). She had the surf/turf and I had the zuppa di pesce (both were good not amazing). Dessert was definitely the best. I had excellent tiramsiu and my wife great chocolate mousse.

My son and I had a Travelzoo voucher for dinner for two. It was quite a deal and we did enjoy the food...but did you ever feel that you were at that isolated table where the employees zoomed past? When we did get served (by each of the what seemed like ten or twelve employees), it was great. Only one dessert? The chicken and salmon entrees were very tasty and perfectly cooked...just wish I could remember the fancy Italian names/

I had a Travel Zoo coupon for dinner for 2 for $79, that included 2 appetizers, 2 dinners, 2 desserts and a bottle of wine. We were a party of 3, so we bought one other appetizer and dinner. The food was delicious. I had surf and turf, it was very good, but did not come with any sides at all. We were quite satisfied when we left. The restaurant was very dark, hard to read the menu. All in all a nice meal at a great price.

We went there during very bad weather but were glad we made it there. It was restaurant week. However they have a prix fixe menu for $38.00. There were 4 of us and we all loved our meal. They brought some bread and 4 green peppers for us to enjoy. The appetizers were very good including the beef carpaccio and mozzarella with red peppers We all had the veal scallopini which was excellent. For dessert, I had the cheesecake which was really wonderful. The waitress was excellent, having memorized all the specials (there were a lot) and was very helpful in making our choices. It was an excellent meal and would gladly go again.

Truly average Italian...and why bother with that in NYC!!! Had restaurant week prix fixe. Meatballs okay, but far from awesome. Pasta alla vodka okay, but definitely nothing special. Chocolate mousse - meh! The restaurant is pleasant. Was near empty at a mid-week lunch.

Nino's has been my "neighbourhood" Italian go-to for years - including all the years I lived on the UES. Imagine my surprise to find my Sicilian significant other consistently prefers it to any Italian anywhere else in Manahattan! This family owned restaurant, where the owner is always present, the service always impeccably unobtrusive, and the meatballs - evidently, "just like grandmother's". Worth a visit from across or downtown (even that area known as "Little Italy" as well as the best, by far, in the neighbourhood. I have literally, in decades of eating here, had a bad meal.

Four of us have reservations on a Friday night. We made it with a 30% discount, and it was obvious that the host at Nino's knew of our discount prior to seating us. While there must have been 10 empty tables, he only gave us a choice of 2 - one right next to the VERY LOUD piano player, and the other in a dark corner just in front of the VERY LOUD piano player. The piano player was so loud that even though our table was small, we couldn't hear each other talk. I love how in Zagat's it says "Led by 'Nino himself', the 'charming' staff 'aims to please' at this..." Hah! Don't believe it! It wouldn't surprise me if Nino's paid off Zagat's for that comment. They definitely DO NOT aim to please. They're pretentious and could care less about their customers. This was obvious when I asked for lemon 4 times. This was also obvious when I asked the waiter if he would substitute the potato for another vegetable and he said that the chef would not do that - that it's not his policy. So while the waiter was still at our table, he asked if we were ready to order. When I said I needed a few more minutes, instead of walking away, he proceeded to take everyone else's order, making me feel as if I had to find something else real fast, or tell him to come back. Since where we were sitting was so dark and I was having difficulty reading the menu, I told him to come back and 30 MINUTES later he did. Oh, we tried to get him before that, but he was no where around. So at this point we were not happy with the ambiance or the service. Then the food arrived (after too long a wait). We all ordered different dishes, and not only was the food tasteless, but it was way over salted. In fact, the next morning I couldn't see my ankles. We live on the UES and only a few blocks from Nino's so we were looking forward to Nino's being a good experience and finding a place where we could go regularly. For $37 for many entrees, I expect great ambiance, great service, and great food. You're not going to find any of that at Nino's - except of course the $37 for an entree. But if this criteria is what you're looking for, Nino's is DEFINITELY NOT the place to go!!!

Nino is always there to greet you in person to this Northern Italian restaurant. The food has always been top notch when we have visited. The veal chops are superb as is the pasta. Great atmosphere for a romantic dinner or small gathering. Service is generally good although the lady who took our order one recent evening failed to split our pasta first course as requested so that we could share. This was quickly rectified, however.

We took my mom there for her 80th birthday and the service and food were wonderful. The pasta was melt in your mouth good. Very nice wine selection and the atmosphere is so warm and comfortable. The prices were inline with a great meal.

After going to several places in New York and hearing the reviews, I expected more from my meal. A friend and I used groupon to get a three course meal. I got the soup, veal, and tiramisu. The soup was standard. The veal was over cooked and not tender at all. The tiramisu was soggy and thought I could have made a better one. The atmosphere was cramped and the pianist wasn't helping the mood.

I went here with friends last week, inside was the classic tacky New York try to be fancy Italian decor. Hand painted murals on the wall, stuffy atmosphere....But the staff was very attentive (a bit pushy at times) and the food was good. One complaint, I ordered the surf and turf (lobster tail and filet) but it didnt come with any side....I thought that was a bit odd, but its alright, less carbs.

Simply stated, the food here, along with the service was excellent. This is not a trendy, "happening" place, but to some degree, that makes the food and service even more of a revelation. A very enjoyable evening and highly recommended.

Food was excellent… we had the meatball appetizer and the carpaccio salad. I had the lamb shank and my wife had chicken francaise .. our desserts were the chocolate mouse and the tiramisu. The service was old school to say the least. The restaurant is a flashback to the 1990s in a good way. I can’t say enough good things about the service and staff. My wife and I wanted to go to Ninos since they had the old commercials… where Nino was everywhere from front of the house to the kitchen and back!

We attended the restaurant on restaurant week and the clams were to die for! Amazing! The food was great but the service made the experience even better. Must try the Little Neck Clams steamed in a light tomato, fresh basil broth amongst all other food. Will return.

Tough to mess up a grilled portobello appetizer but they were actually two tiny little portobello mushrooms with about 10 pieces of grilled zucchini underneath it taking up space. Not what we wanted it all. And the Carpaccio was relatively flavorless with a pretty boring hard cheese surrounding it. We ordered the bronzino and surprisingly it didn't actually even come with anything. They prepared it at the table and it was very good but there were too many bones. The seafood pasta fra Diablo was quite good. Overall we enjoyed but.....

We ate here on a prepaid promotion which included 3 courses and wine. The meatballs were bland and heavy, salad was bitter. Had to ask for a glass that wasn't chipped. Sliced filet mignon was fatty like it was scrap pieces and wasn't very good. Was brought a new pasta dish which was tasty but by the time my second meal came out my dining partner was already done eating and I was bummed. Cheesecake wasn't good and neither was the chocolate mousse cake. Place was quite dark, possibly to hide the outdated, cheesy decor. We will not be going back here.

Went here on a Saturday night with my gf to use a Tzoo voucher I purchased months ago. Nice, casual dining. The waitstaff was very attentive and made sure they brought our "special menu" right away. She started with the mussels and I with the minestrone. Her mussels were very good; the minestrone..so so. She really enjoyed her lobster ravioli as well. My veal parmigiana was excellent. The meat was pounded thin and cooked to perfection. The chocolate mouse for dessert was ho-hum. All in all, the restaurant was definitely solid and overall a pleasant surprise.

Not only was the food horrible but the restaurant was not at all appealing. We will never be returning. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!

Upper east side Italian that is always good. A lively spot whose owner is usually greeting you on arrival. Piano most evenings adds to a enjoyable atmosphere.

We bought the LivingSocial deal. We thought everything was good and fine. Everyone we encountered was friendly, the food was good, and where we were sat (right at the front) overlooked all the busy people passing by on the streets. We enjoyed it!

The nice thing I can say is that they have lowered their prices on many items to help everyone out during this time. Unfortunately the dish I ordered last night was really awful. I don’t know how you can mess up linguine Primavera but they did. This is a dish I eat all the time in all the Italian restaurants. I have never seen it with whatever this was, it looked like it was spinach or kale. It was a wilted green leafy tasteless And the tomato sauce was very watery and had no taste. Very disappointed as we have lost many of our very nice operations side Italian restaurants.

With our Travelzoo voucher in hand, my husband and I had a Friday night dinner here as a belated anniversary celebration, thanks to Hurricane Irene. Beautiful ambiance -- I loved the wall mural and piano playing in the background, which gave the feel of a different time and place. All courses of our meal were fabulous and the wait staff aimed to please. All in all, it made for a fun and romantic night out.

I am not sure what the previous travel zoo reviewer was expecting. When we bought the 75dollar deal for 2 including wine, the menu was supplied. We had the lobster - excellent. service excellent, wine - the malbec was superb, and an excellent jazz pianist added to the atmosphere. Altogether absolutely fantastic.

They said they had the best coffee and they were right!

So, me and my friends came there as a reference from a friend. Place looks bad, nothing special and servers dont make u fell special at all. I don't expect royal treatment, but for the price, they should at least be polite to their guests And it doesn't help that owner (or GM) is running around and yelling at his staff Anyway, I order lobster diablo It was table service, server was cooking it next to our table I understand when restaurants do that, but in this case it didn't work, server was to awkward and it didn't taste good.. Very disappointed

We had a family celebration dinner with 35 people. Nino (himself) was there to greet us and was very attentive to our party. The food was delicious and the wine list was extensive. We had all age groups and everyone who needed (or requested) a change to their meal was accommodated. The chicken was moist and everyone who had the mushroom raviolis found it delicious. All the desserts were exceptional. The decor was perfect (they even had fresh flowers on the table at no extra charge!). Take a moment to enjoy the spectacular mural. Thank you Nino for making our celebration dinner perfect!

Wonderful food, great service and a great piano player. You really can't ask for any more. Would gladly go back.

After eating at many restaurants throughout NYC I have to say if I had to choose my last meal on earth, Nino's would be the place I'd go. The surf and turf is DIVINE!!!!

Living Social deal for the Prix Fixe menu, app (Carpaccio salad was excellent and ample), Filet (super tender MR) and Tail (pretty tender), for dessert do the tiramisu or choc. mousse - both very fresh and good! Go early like we did (6pm) for a nice quiet, leisurely dinner.

Waiter was good but food was horrible not cooked how we asked n brought back even worse..

We ordered the special -squid ink pasta with seafood. We inquired whether it was homemade pasta and were assured that it was. The pasta was definitely not homemade and the seafood was overcomes and tasteless actually it was probably frozen fish. But here's the best part-they charged $51.00 for this dish which is the biggest rip off ever!!!! It was my husband's birthday so I didn't want to make a scene but when I called that same night I was told there was nothing they were prepared to do. Nino's is only interested in ripping people off! In a location where there are Michelin starred great restaurants all over don't waste your time and money on this place. Go to marea and have real homemade great pasta

Visited Nino's for lunch durning restaurant week 2014. While the appetizer and the entree choices were average (caprese salad, meatball appetizers; rigatoni in vodka sauce and a lamb shank entrees) the chocolate mousse dessert was incredibly decadent and very very good. The service was very attentive and extremely professional.