Zia Maria Little Italy Reviews

We decided to try a different restaurant than our usual because they had homemade pasta and the guy hustling out front is very good at his job. Everyone was friendly enough, but they were extremely inattentive once they got us to the table. The pasta seemed undercooked and doughy, and my meal was so salty that I couldn't finish it. I wish we had just gone to our usual place. Nobody checked with us to see if we were enjoying our meal, to see if we needed more or different drinks, and nobody ever even offered us dessert or coffee. We were sitting there at a table already with money, and they just ignored us. It took forever to get the check and we had to ask for it. We hesitate to leave a negative review during COVID 19, but everything that we disliked was completely avoidable. It was just terrible service, and the food was not good.

While visiting family in NY we looked up for best Italian restaurant and this restaurant and the great reviews it had brought us there. We had the worse service ever, server never came to check on our orders or to get us refills on our beverages. The manager or owner was too busy bossing his staff around but not because the service was improving. He walked by our empty table multiple times and never even bother to check out our empty drinks. The food came and finally we go someone else’s attention and ordered another round of drinks which took forever again. We got the drinks and we were mostly done with our dinner. They brought the check and as soon as we signed the receipt the manager came to snatched the signed receipt from our table. We all still had full drinks in our glasses since they got to the table late. It wasn’t a busy night. Plenty of open tables inside and outside. My family and myself have all worked in the food and business industry and we know better than that. Food was not the best either starting with the bread and oil and balsamic vinegar, it was runny and the bread was burnt. Sorry but not worth it for the hype and money.

I felt like I was in the heart of Italy! The food was outstanding! The amazing pasta in the cheese wheel was rich and flavorful - made with heart and soul by Burano. Not to be missed is the burrata with eggplant - wow and more wow! And don't pass on dessert - even if you are full - the tiramisu is light and scrumptious. The owner, Ayman greets everyone with a smile and I know we will be back to see him and enjoy his gem in Little Italy!

This a quaint Italian restaurant with excellent ambiance. The staff was extremely attentive to our needs and preferences. Their wine selection offered a variety of pairings. The meal was outstanding. They feature homemade pasta that melts on your tongue. All of our meals were outstanding. This will be a regular place to go to for dinner for my future visits! PS- If the server offers a half order, take the half order.

We came to visit little Italy recently and found this gem for a lunch special. It was absolutely delicious, so generous and such good quality food Highly recommend!

Unfortunately it is not possible to assign zero stars. If you are a poor Italian who inexplicably decided to bring his whole family to eat Italian in Little Italy, come to your senses and enter the first Mac Donald available. It has absolutely nothing Italian about it, from the names on the menu (the arugola) to the 80s compilation of Italian melodic music up to the meal. I dared to take the pasta and never again was the experience terrifying, with my wife and children looking at me with a mixture of pity, resignation and profound hatred. Needless to say, I left everything at the first bite. I think for the first time in my married life I seriously risked divorce. If you're not Italian, go ahead, it's unlikely you'll eat better in your country.

Not very professional! Not very professional and personal harvesters to dead harvester! Pizza correct but seen the price thought they had better!! You can eat better and cheaper

After a walk through of the fabulous Banksy exhibits, we happened upon this touristy spot, which had good food, surprisingly. Though it’s right there, in the mix of Little Italy NYC, we had court-side seats one week prior to the world famous San Genaro Festival. It was busy and full of life yet. The sunny skies made it all that much better. #i♥️nyc 👍🏾 👍🏾 We enjoyed mozzarella sticks, pizza, bolognese w/ buccatelli pasta, and we shared a slice of birthday tiramisu. Happiness is sharing good food 😊

Lovely little restaraunt. Weather was unseasonably warm so we were able to sit outside. Portions were very big and they did gluten free pasta which was a bonus for one of our party.

They threw the hook and we fell for it. Low quality food, supermarket pizza, skyrocketing prices. us in 6 with 3 plates of truffle fettuccine, (off the menu without telling us the price in advance, but that's our fault that we should have asked before but honestly we did not think it would cost us 70 dollars each,) a pizza margherita, half sleeves with pesto and a fettuccina alfredo and 4 bottles of water 400 dollars. all dishes obviously with cream. of Italian there is very little even the writing on the menu. if you can avoid

.Juanito, the Manager, is Five stars. He is the restaurant soul. Best Napolitan food in Little Italy. The staff was perfect.

Thank you for this amazing food. The guys outside of the restaurant bring us in a very cozy/lounge restaurant. The food was incredible and very cheap for this quality. The guy told us that pastas were made everyday and we can definitely taste it. Our waiter was amazing as well (sorry I can't remember your name). It was very pleasant to have dinner in there. Your Instagram is pretty good as well. Thank you

After struggling to find a table at our usual Italian we came upon Zia Maria and spoke to the friendly host who said he would find us a table. We were seated quickly and our waiter (Leo) was amazing. He literally didn’t stop all night. We all ordered different dishes and all were really tasty. The bruschetta to start with is a must. The cocktails were so tasty I had to try a few. The atmosphere was lovely and we were not rushed at all- felt part of the family. Will definitely return.

We spent a pleasant time in this establishment thanks to the welcome of the charming manager very attentive to his customers. The meal was excellent and the setting is not only welcoming but also exotic. Well located in Little Italy for a gourmet break. We have eaten twice during our stay in New York and highly recommend it.

Over priced, incompetent servers. 20.00 for a small piece of lasagna. Came with 2 tiny pieces of bread. Never asked us if we wanted more. Ordered a vegetable , separate price , came after we were done eating. Would not recommend it.

We popped by here by random, walking through Little Italy. We were met by Bruno, cannot say enough how great and lovely he was during our stay. Lovely conversation and brilliant service.

Authentic Little Italy, quick and attentive service for a Saturday night. Food was very good and I would recommend for sure !

Curious to visit Little Italy and finally be able to eat a good Italian pizza after days of fried and hot dogs, we had the biggest gastronomic disappointment of the trip. My order was a simple pizza margherita: it was covered with a kind of sweetish red sauce - I doubt it was tomato - so much so that I had to add salt over and over again; even the string cheese passed off as mozzarella was tasteless. Result: The Worst Pizza Ever Eaten on Many Trips Abroad. The service was no exception: we ordered a second beer that never arrived, despite two reminders, and the coffee was brought to us without sugar, which we had to request and wait for several minutes. Probably the attention was all turned to the next table, where there were orders of wines and courses decidedly more expensive, but from a place that presents itself as an Italian restaurant, however, I expect a very different quality!

After a lengthy wait at the table and many empty tables nearby, we were finally greeted. Food was bland. Don’t recommend.

The most HORRIBLE food we have ever tried in our lives. The first thing they put on the table was a basket with pieces of OLD BREAD and a small bottle of OLIVE OIL, it was an OIL OF PERHAPS VERY LOW QUALITY, inconsistent and unpleasant to taste. We ordered a BEET SALAD, they brought a plate of ARUGULA and BEET SUNKED IN MAYONNAISE, inedible. Then the main dishes arrived which were GNOQUI and CARBONARA, the PASTA WAS OVERCOOKED, the BACON was raw and the SAUCE EXTREMELY HEAVY. The only ones that weren't bad were the bottle of sparkling water and the glass of red wine we drank. In the end we ended up paying over $126 just to sit and drink the water and wine. We leave the waiters their 18% tip because they are not to blame for serving those of us who go to LITLE ITALY to look for a good taste, there are good restaurants there but it is not exactly ZIA MARIA LITTLE ITALY, NEW YORK CITY

Not the greatest food service. I was charged a share fee of $4.00 for sharing a pizza with a friend -- a share fee ?? since when you have to pay to share a pizza share fee ??? is this even legal ?? this in addition to the overly prize small pizza price we had ??.... when complained to the manager he really didn't want to be bother to explain

The restaurant was classy, would even go far as to say a casual fine dining experience. Bruno was lovely and they kept bringing complimentary food which was sooo delicious. I went with my best friend who is italian and we both loved the experience. The restaurant in immaculately clean, great music, good lighting and decor. We went early in the day so the house wasn't full but it didn't bother us.

I was stopped by a guy outside the restaurant and guaranteed that the pizza was as beautiful as in Naples! In my opinion they have never eaten Neapolitan pizza.

We were staying nearby for a couple of nights celebrating our 25th first date anniversary and we choose this place for dinner. It was great! The staff welcomed us as if we were home. The food was out of this world. I had eggplant parm and my fiance had chicken parm. The portions were also big. We will def go there again!

Incredible pizza and black truffle capellini. This seemed genuine and reminded me of being it Italy. The food the atmosphere and the people were phenomenal. would highly suggest this especially if you are missing Italian food and people.

We walked by Zia Maria looking for the address of a nearby place where we had a reservation. We cancelled and opted for Zia Maria cause we met the friendly italian chef outside taking a brake from making fresh fettuccine on the window. We are so happy we found a really authentic Italian in this touristy neighborhood. We had the delicious fresh pasta and we tried the cocktails. All Amazing; knowledgeable and Friendly service, vibrant atmosphere and the most delicious italian food we had in NYC so far! We will be back!

I rarely eat pasta but if I do , I want great homemade pasta and this place had great reviews . Boy , what a disappointment and waste of carbs ! . The bread and olive oil came - expected bread to be a little crustier but olive oil was watery ? My friend also commented on it so it wasn't just me . We ordered fettucine with meatballs. - the pasta was overcooked and mushy and the meatballs were mushy as well . the consistency was not good at all. The pasta was swimming in sauce also which is not usually the case in my many trips to Italy Would love to recommend but man, was not impressed .

My best friend and I stumbled upon Zia Maria's last year after watching a Broadway show. She has celiac disease and is limited where she can eat. The man waiting outside said that they made homemade gluten-free pasta and man did they EVER! It was excellent! I couldn't taste the difference between my regular pasta dish and hers which was gluten-free. It was so good that we were sure they'd made a mistake. Hours after she and I had gone home for the evening, I kept checking with her to make sure she didn't have a "celiac attack." She was FINE and still says to this day that it was the best gluten-free pasta she'd ever tasted and she is a tough critic. My meal was fantastic as well. I too am a tough critic as I have visited Italy several times with my husband. The food is excellent.

Not bad but very expensive (well, it's New York) and above all very noisy (Saturday evening?) and tables relatively close to each other. In summary, good but not exceptional

Stopped here for happy hour. Peter was an amazing waiter recommended a lovely wine which I'd never tried before and a beer for my husband. Very helpful provided excellent service. I had mushroom risotto, the risotto was amazing I loved it as much as the risotto I had in verona Italy and I've never tasted risotto that good since until tonight, So tasty and delicious. My husband had spaghetti and meatballs which was equally delicious. Definitely recommend Zia Maria as a wonderful place to eat. Bruno was amazing too. He also recommended a beer for my husband to try which he loved and he usually drinks lager.

Beautiful outside dining at Zia Maria Very friendly and welcoming staff We had the lobster ravioli which was amazing and the spaghetti bol All authentic tasting food with home made pasta We also enjoyed a very reasonably priced house carafe of pinot grigio An excellent restaurant with delicious food right in the heart of little italy 🇮🇹 x x would highly recommend

Food and service were decent. We finished our plates. The outside host did a good job luring us in as all the restaurants are competing for customers. They pushed the wine hard, bait and switch. A bottle with a meal was advertised $25, then the sommelier said he makes the wine list and that $25 bottle was terrible and insisted on the $50 bottle instead. The most annoying part was the bill already had 20% added automatically, typically you see that for a party of 6 or more and it's 18% and it's advertised. We were 4 people. When the credit card slip arrived there was a line for gratuity and it's deceiving and bad business practice. Maybe all those places in Little Italy do that, so be mindful and read your receipt.

NYC can get really HOT after walking around all day. This place has the most amazing food AND A/C. I had the Bolognese made with beef and lamb. Unbelievable!

There is no doubt that the whole experience was exceptional, one of the very few places with an authentic creative Neapolitan Chef in the neighborhood. their fresh homemade fettuccine meatballs are simply delicious. Service is knowledgeable and attentive. The atmosphere very warm and cozy. We will be back soon!

The food was not worth the money and a mandatory tip of 18% came as a surprise as well as another addition. Unfortunately exactly 1,5 h after visiting this restaurant both me and a family member had to run to toilet with upset stomach. Totally overpriced for what it was.

Run, catastrophic place. We were received as dishonest. Completely unsympathetic boss. A crazy world. We had booked and waited 30 minutes before seeing three people pass in front of us. After saying what I was thinking to the boss, he got angry. I absolutely do not advise this place.

Friendly and quick service, fantastic food with freshly made pasta. I had the Grandmas Lasagna and was the best Lasagna I’ve ever had.

Food and service was very good. Some of the pasta is made in-house. Actually, the pasta is made in the dining room at the front window. Thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience.

Went for lunch and had the lunch pasta. Wow, what a wonderful sauce. Best I have had since time in Italy. My wife had the alfredo and loved it as well. Great service, great food and prices were reasonable. What more could you ask? Give it a try, you wont be disappointed.

We went to Little Italy for the atmosphere & it did not disappoint. Food was average - definitely had better in NYC. Portions were fine but priced a little high for what you got. Some pasta was cooked well & some was overcooked.

We had an almost unexpected amazing experience at this restaurant! The atmosphere on Thursday for our dinner was super vibrant and lively and we can just imagine what would be on a Friday or Saturday evening. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, from the nice host at the door to the servers and bus helpers. One note: as the waiter learned that was our first time at his restaurant gave us a very special treatment, and also brought to the table a limoncello shot for everyone at the end to "rinse out" our mouth" . We were impressed and totally satisfied by how delicious their fettuccine pasta and their pizzas are. The cocktails made by their cute bartender were also top-notch, and I enjoyed trying a few different ones throughout the evening. Service was impeccable, attentive and fun to be around. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for great food, drinks, and a fun atmosphere in NYC!

Amazing food the best we have had this week while visiting New York Would definitely recommend Great service by all staff

Was here with my family during Christmas 🎄 Had am amazing dinner and a great experience... I do recommend This place to everyone

Bland, tasteless pizza and pasta. But overpriced and unmotivated service. The crust of the pizza wasn't even cooked through. Especially in New York, you can get better and cheaper pizza on practically every street corner

The food was below average, the staff do not want to take orders they are busy on the streets calling other customers to their place. I ordered pasta and pizza and both tasted bad it looked like they were made long time ago might be the gravy and dough. There are good restaurants further on the street, please visit them for better options.

Nice service. I was corralled off the street basically by a tall guy working there, in the rain, in the dark who thought I wanted "pizza". I was pregnant so he thought I was fat and hungry... which is fine. I will come back, this time with my husband ..haha

We have been eating around the area for few days in different venues cause we love Italian food. The ambiance is modern and sleek, yet the atmosphere is very cozy yet energetic. We went there in the weekend and was extremely busy but we were welcomed nicely and promptly by a friendly host. We shared some classic appetizers and various pastas and classic main dishes. All was super delicious and perfectly cooked. The staff is very friendly and everyone was happy and a little "tipsy" at the end, also because we had some free shots on the house :) We will be back soon!

We visited Little Italy and decided to eat here from the vast amount of restaurants and we are glad we did, the staff were very friendly, efficient and accommodating. The food was excellent and we have no hesitation in returning or recommending this restaurant.

Loved this small restaurant in Little Italy. The food was on point. There were four of us in our travel group, we each ordered something different...Fettuccine Alfredo, Cheese & Spinach Ravioli in Vodka Sauce, Meetballs with Marinara, and Spaghetti Carbonara with Shrimp. We all raved about our meals. Portions were generous. There was even an accordion player going table to table to serenade. Definitely will return here again!

A really lovely meal. Great food, fab seecice and wonderful staff. We loved it. Especially Leo. Thank you!

Very good and comfortable treatment, the food was very good, the Venezuelan waitress was very friendly, and they invited us to the cafes

Very good. We had butrsta to start. Very refreshing. I had the fettuccini with olive oil tomatoes & ferried artichoke. Very good they also gave me a sample of their marinara sauce. Yum yum My husband had the ravioli special, 5 types of ravioli with a white wine sauce. It was all so good. The pasta was all homemade. Tony our server was German but a great server. The wine was very good too. You can’t have Italian dinner without red wine 🍷. Such a wonderful experience. Thank you .

First off, I cannot review the food. The “person” at the door was so rude we immediately decided to keep going. Absolutely ridiculous that a grown man would act this way. We stopped for literally 10 seconds to make sure our party of 10 was all together and if we could get a table. He was rude and aggressive to our kids. Demanded that we not stop on his sidewalk and keep going if we didn’t immediately enter his restaurant (FYI, we were not blocking either the tables, which were empty, or the public walkway and pretty sure we weren’t even directly in front of the restaurant). Decided to go next door and very glad we did. Paesano’s was great. I recommend the 3 second walk away from this establishment. FYI, he was equally aggressive and rude when we left. Kids exited first and the adults exited to a loud, obnoxious moron walking aggressively towards teenagers in a threatening manner (at this point they were not even in front of “his” restaurant but the establishment on the other side). He was a little less aggressive when the adults came out. Should really evaluate impotent thugs at your front door. If you are the owner, I feel sorry for anyone that works for you…

I do not recognise the negative reviews, as we had a very good visit. Also, the place was packed with people. Staff, some of them Italian, were very friendly and courteous, especially if you speak a little Italian. Our son got a very especially born day threat, and we got four limoncello shots on the house. Which was nice, as we paid a NYC price for our meal ;-)

Trap for tourists (non-Italians) We wanted something similar to Italian cuisine to break the rhythm given the recent meals made of hamburgers, entered here we had a salad ceasar salad, because everything else did not convince us, they managed to make the chicken burnt and full of pepper, the salad arrived already seasoned with vinegar. Very low quality, very dirty place. The menu is obviously not remotely Italian. Not recommended

We celebrated the Christmas season on the last weekend of indoor dining in NYC in little Italy. We were drawn to Zia Maris for the great menu and the fantastic live music. We enjoyed a special night out where diners were trying to make the most of the situation. The Sinatra singer was amazing. The restaurant erupted in a fun community party feeling where everyone was roasting and dancing in their seats. The food was delicious and the staff was attentive and friendly.

We went on the evening of December 31st with 10 people. We booked for 8.30pm, we arrived exactly on time and there wasn't a table ready. They moved two girls who were eating so we could all sit. Then as soon as we sat down they told us to order immediately because the kitchen closed at 9pm. The food that arrived was really poor, the service terrible, the bathrooms very dirty. As soon as they served us they brought us the bill. At 10pm we were already out! There is nothing Italian about it: not the menu, not the staff and even less the owner. Strongly not recommended!!

Disappointed. Bread and olive oil were great. Red sauce had no flavor. Good service , good espresso martini but mediocre food.

Our family of 3 went to Zia Maria’s for dinner while visiting NYC. It was the pits! While the food came out quite fast and the portions were good, it was bland and flavorless. At that point our waiter abandoned us. Never came back to see how the food was, top up our drinks or check to see if we wanted dessert or coffee. After waiting 20mins after our plates were cleared, we went to the front to ask for the check. The greeter seemed annoyed that we wanted to pay. It was not a good experience. An 18% gratuity was added to the bill, so avoid double tipping. Better yet avoid this place altogether. I would never recommend this place or waste my time and money there. There are way better food options in NYC.

We came here for a private party. A group of 100. They are simply great! We were fortunate to have BRUNO as our server. He is AMAZING, warm, professional, and full of Italian energy!

We were just passing this restaurant and popped in here for drinks. The waiter was accommodating, and helpful, and there was live jazz playing at the time of our visit. Nice atmosphere and good service. Would recommend.

Food well served and delicious. Delicious wine. Bland starter bread. There are no baby changing tables in the bathroom and I didn't feel very welcome due to the fact that I was with my baby (there is no children's menu and smaller cutlery, and they served spicy noodles, even though I knew it was for a 1 year and 6m baby) . 8 dishes and 4 bottles of wine totaled an impressive USD 785!

Went here with my husband and son for lunch to celebrate our new union. The food was amazing! You can taste all the fresh ingredients and layers of flavor. The staff was inviting and constantly making sure that we didn’t need anything else. We also loved the modern, sleek decor. A++++ in our book. We will definitely be back.

The pasta was not homemade but was ok. There was water in the bottom and steam from the inside which could suggest that it was microwaved. Then in the end they add a 18% tip already to your bill. Nice people working there, the only highlight. Do not reccomend.

We went there based on reviews. Unfortunately it was quite disappointing. We ordered the spinach salad, Pizza Bonasera Mi Carne, Cacio a Pepe, Roasted rosemary potatoes and roasted wild mushrooms. The Cacio a Pepe had not much taste and was swimming in a sauce of butter and?? Couldn’t taste much of Parmesan cheese, nor fresh pepper. The wild mushrooms were plain Shitake Mushrooms!! The pizza was ok but lacked of carne…

Came here with friends. Zia replaces my favorite restaurant, Pellegrino’s when they closed down from a flood. We figured we would try it out. Pleasantly surprised. The new owner gutted the place and it’s a nice blend of modern and European without being over the top. Service was great. Hopefully it’s as consistent when it’s more crowded. Food was tasty, good portion sizes. Prices seemed within limits of all the other restaurants on Mulberry. Would visit again.

Delicious Fettucinni with Meatballs! Good service and it is a very pleasant place. The price is just what you pay for a good meal.

I did not have many expectations because you know that everything abroad is passed off as Italian, Italian has only the name on the sign! In 4, a daisy each (to be careful) at a cost of 22$ each. Pizza clearly thawed, baked and passed off as a Neapolitan pizza with pseudo mozzarella, which does not come close to the flavor of real Neapolitan pizza!

Took my boyfriend to NYC for his birthday weekend. Was down near Little Italy so did the trek through the restaurants to see what was open during Covid. Happened upon Zia Maria's and am so happy we did. Fantastic food, ambience and drinks. ZM's has the chef and a few other staff members join them from the famed Angelo's that recently closed down. We'll definitely be back for more of the seafood (mare) special but next time we'll stop at one drink each. Drinks rang the bill up pretty high. Priced a tad high but all of Little Italy seemed to be the same.

We had zia Maria chicken it was amazing!!! Also Calamari it had the best light breading I have had in a long time. Would visit restaurant again!!

What a cool place to get authentic Italian food. Service and staff were amazing. We even went back twice to get chicken Parmesan. The pesto, Alfredo, expresso and chocolate martinis are to die for.

This place was delicious our waiter (older gentleman) was so attentive respectful and so nice! My only suggestion is for management to encourage all staff to not give attitude when customers change their mind about moving tables. If the guy who had to change the menus and tables for us wouldn’t of rolled his eyes and given me an attitude about it then I would rate this excellent but he did. But again the older gentleman that took our order was awesome!

Absolutely awful. The food was mediocre at best. The service was virtually nonexistent. They never once came back to our table and asked us if we needed anything. Worst of all, when the bill came, it had a number of unexplained charges and fees - for instance, 3 1/2% extra for using a credit card. Even worse, they added their own 18% tip, somehow without disclosing it anywhere. Then they added on “suggested tips“ starting at an additional 18%. Absolutely disgusting.

Perfect family experience! Good food, great service by Oscar!!! I recommend carbonara and spaghetti bologneise!

Went back in March. We were three girls looking at pastas at USD 24 and the waiter proposed the pasta of today instead which was a pasta dish with chicken and a touch of truffle. Two of us ordered the dish, stupid enough not to ask into the price. We naively thought that the price would be maybe just a bit higher. When the bill came we were charged USD 75 for the pasta each. There were no written communication about this in the many or anywhere. We complained of not being informed about the price or the size of dish beforehand, but there was nothing to do about it. We did not pay any tip. It was such a food waste. More than 2/3 of the food had to go to the waste as the portions were enormous. The waiter should have been honest and guided us to share the dish. I don’t trust this place and none of us will come back again.

Great relaxed atmosphere. Affordable menu. Very pleasant staff. We had the Salsiccia pizza and the fettuccine alfredo- excellent. Dinner arrived very quickly which was great for us because we were short on time that evening. Highly recommend.

We were craving some authentic carbonara and found this little place. It didn’t disappoint. Carbonara was delicious. We also had a pizzaparma. It was very good. Thin crust. Nice atmosphere. I’d recommend.

We tried fried calamari, wild funghi pizza and lasagna. Taste is very good. Reservation is important; they don’t keep the table but they help to arrange the table quickly if you have reservation. Service is good enough. Place is very crowded.

Food was excellent, service was great and restaurant had a great friendly atmosphere. Lovely end to the day after a day’s sightseeing.

It proclaims itself an Italian restaurant, but only its name is Italian. Inedible pizza at greatly exaggerated costs!

Do NOT eat at this egregious tourist trap. Quality is mediocre. Service is slow. They charge $16 for a glass of house wine from a jug, and there’s constant upsell all throw the meal. The grand finale is a 3% convenience fee for using a credit card. An awful restaurant!

We saw this restaurant's outdoor seating area was crowded while walking through Little Italy, so we decided to stop another day. Glad we did. Our meals were fantastic. There are a billion restaurants along this stretch of New York, but this one is worth visiting for great Italian food.

Prior to COVID-19, this was one of our favorite restaurants in the city but it has since become a second home for us. No other place in Little Italy has the combination of great food + drinks, incredible live music, professional fun-loving wait staff, all while maintaining incredibly high standards of safety. Zia Maria features a classic Italian menu rooted in the classics that taste as if they just came out of Nonna's kitchen. The staff are always extremely friendly, attentive and quick with drinks (shout-out to Zach and Triumf). The highlight of the experience on Friday's and Saturday's is the house crooner Gian Faraone. When I first passed this restaurant, I thought they were playing a live Sinatra recording...and we were shocked to see it was a live singer who was an auditory dead ringer for the late Old Blue Eyes and the consummate entertainer. We love you Gian! Finally, a restaurant is only as good as it's owner and you won't find a better host than Eddie. He has made every experience at Zia Maria a night to remember and prides himself on operating the crown jewel of Mulberry Street!

The best lasagne we have eaten in an Italian: very good, big, spectacular and, the pizza was huge, the dough very good and the ingredients good quality. You can tell that they do it with love and so they transmit it. We couldn't taste tiramisu because we couldn't fit any more food. Too bad!! I told the waiter that I liked cold beer and he said, smoothly, he brought me a small bucket and there was my fresh Moretti. I've been served a beer like that in my life. To facilitate digestion we ordered SPECTACULAR Aperol Spritz. Super recommended, super on everything. Thank you.

I was there with my friends and we definitely loved the food and the friendly ambient.I tried RISOTTO FUNGHI, it was delicious.Can't wait to go back there and taste all that they have in menu.👌🏻

You can’t go to New York without visiting the “Little Italy” neighborhood! Surely today it does not reflect what it was at the beginning of the last century but it always has its charm full of memories. One of the restaurants/pizzerias in sight is Zia Maria and already the name says it all. The staff (not all Italian) is friendly and welcoming. The place is comfortable but if you want you can also sit outside. We went twice and got to try both pizza in the evening and pasta for lunch. The pizza: really good, well cooked and well seasoned.... practically like in Naples! The only thing you have to observe is the time because in the big New York metropolis at 21:00 there is a curfew! After two days we returned for lunch and we had the Fettuccine with Mushrooms and I must say that they were really good and very similar to those that we cook in mountain areas. Even the bathrooms were up to the local and well cleaned. So what about: if you go to Manhattan stop by and say hello to Aunt Maria!

The best bruschetta and pasta I have ever had!!! Oh and the house Sicilian wine was AMAZING!!! Brilliant wait staff and fantastic food!!! A must visit! Omar and Pepe are the best!

Truly spectacular Host Service waiters made us feel at home recommendation of Osobucco spectacular thanks for the limocello see you soon on a next trip to new york greetings from Utica and Cdmx and Acapulco

Compared to most "Italian" restaurants that have very little Italian, Zia Maria was a pleasant surprise. Very nice place, with staff (including the chef) also Italian, which offers quality dishes. We had 2 starters (bruschetta and meatballs with sauce), 2 first courses (lobster ravioli and mushroom pappardelle) and 2 main courses (eggplant parmesan and Rib-eye cut), really good. The bill was a bit high, but we were warned when ordering that only the cut was around $80. A special thanks to our waiter Fahd, a boy born in Morocco, raised in Bordighera and moved to New York, who served us in an exemplary way, without neglecting sympathy and courtesy. Recommended

Warm welcome from Lautaro, the dishes are succulent with Italian ingredients. The servers are nice and attentive, especially Cristiano and Luiggi. I highly recommend this restaurant.

I loved the homemade pappardelle pasta With the creamy funghi sauce, and for dessert the homemade tiramisu was delicious too, the service was excellent and staff was welcoming ,definitely would recommend .

The place is very clean, neat, and cozy. The staff let us sit where we chose. They were friendly, and let us choose from their lunch menu even though the lunch was over right before we came in. The food was great. I ordered Penne Vodka, and my husband ordered Gnocchi Bolognese ($24). Both dishes were authentic and delicious. Reasonable prices. Penne Vodka lunch special cost $14.95, and included the choice of salad or soup and garlic bread. Will be back for sure!

On a recent family trip (ages 5 - 60) we found outselves in Little Italy at lunch time and walked into Zia Maria Pasteria. we were immediately made to feel welcome and like they were waiting for us to come home! The attention to service was refreshing. We ordered the special for the day - pizza, salad & drinks, and we were not disappointed. Everything was delicious. The atmosphere was so welcoming that we lingered for a while after finishing the meal. We've never been a part of a large Italian family, until that day! I highly recommend this restaurant!

$100 for 2 pizzas, 1 plate of carbonara pasta and a 1-liter bottle of water ($8). The quality/price ratio is not there. Lots of pizza dough with very few toppings. Nothing to do with an Italian pizza made in Italy. Yet we are in the Italian district of New York. Women's toilets not clean.

The food was excellent! The best pizza so far and the home made pasta was just incredible. I am coming back at this place, for sure! Thank you Granit for being such a great host!!!

My partner and I got food poisoning after eating here on Monday 8th April. I was vomiting on the way to the airport and then on the plane. The service was also poor - for example, one waiter poured the wine on the table seemingly without knowing or acknowledging it. This all cost us $170 with a mandatory tip included. Avoid this place.

Very popular family restaurant. We ate very good pizzas. Good selection of wine by the glass. Friendly, efficient service. Well priced.

Authentic Italian food region Naples. Hospitality and service excellent. Nice explanation about the menu. No hurry you have plenty of time to make a choice.

Food was just about okay but the service was slow and the food took forever to arrive. The guy who was responsible to take order vanished after the first conversation- the only redeeming feature was the lady who did the table service. She was great and took good care of us. Very slippery with the bill as well - they added 18% to the bill as gratuity but requested a tip on the credit card slip as well (which is the more normal practice). If you did not read the bill carefully, you would end up tipping twice!

Food was very low quality pasta too salty, pizza marguarita had no interest. A the end, they charge you a mandatory 18% gratuity fees and they add an additionnal 3% fees for using credit card. Not acceptable. Find another restaurant.

We went here for dinner because of the many positive reviews. According to him, the boss who claims to be "200% Italian" comes from Salerno, i.e. from southern Italy, where we know that food is very good. We ordered a halfway acceptable lasagna and a disgusting portion of spaghetti carbonara (the price of US$30 may be due to the tourist trap). We are convinced that the 200% Italian has certainly never let this own "creation" anywhere near his mouth. The noodles themselves were the cheapest thing there is, cooked to perfection. The "Carbonara" also never saw an egg, the sauce resembled the grayish color, taste and consistency rather mortar. We were so negative about this experience that we never dared to order pasta again during our two-week vacation in the USA. Conclusion: Same fault if you expect good and honest food in a tourist-only nub-oriented neighborhood. Definitely not recommended!

Super service and friendly People. Pasta with pomodoro was ok Their Tiramesu is fantastic. The lemon cello was fresh but a bit sweet.

We were not planning to eat at this restaurant, the manager kind of showed us the menu while walking through Little Italy so decided to stay and eat lunch. The food was fresh and tasty, the wine was great. The owner was there and was very attentive.. Glad we ate there. A little pricey, but I guess that's what you get for in NY.

Mediocre food and high prices for the quality offered, but what really stinks is the behavior of the manager. I asked for an explanation as to what the 18% fee on the receipt was and the waiter replied that it was the tip, for that matter already included. To which I ask him why it was already included if voluntary and moreover decided by them the amount as well. The annoyed waiter goes away telling me he would remove it. Along comes the manager who with a haughty air and high tone explains to me that he is legally allowed to put the tip included. I reply that I am legally authorized not to give it to him, if I don't want to, as it is precisely voluntary and optional, but that he could easily take the $12 requested, even though it was a steal. So he tells me he would take it off, makes me pay by card, I sign and he reconfirms that he had taken the tip off. As soon as I leave the restaurant I see on my bank that the tip was present on the amount paid. So dear manager, to me $12 doesn't change my life and I imposed myself simply as a matter of principle and because of your rude behavior, despite in the face of your rudeness I had said I would pay. But you really hit rock bottom by lying even to the customer, confirming multiple times that you had taken the tip off when it was not true, despite my telling you that you could take it. Next time, shut up and take the tip, as I said.

👌😆 it’s very great pleac to eat food with my family in that restaurant. I’m definitely going back.

I really like this place, and there is the tastiest pizza I've ever eat. I suggest everyone to try it .

poor service - rude manager - and if you want to share a pizza, be ready to pay an additional $4.00 share fee - which is an illegal fee added to your bill at the end

Very nice cozy Italian restaurant. Went for lunch and had the best margarita pizza! Also had an espresso martini that was very good! Staff was also very friendly.

Wow, when you get the bill, you might think you’ve bought shares. A bottle of wine, 2 basic mains and 2 desserts and the bill is over $190. Food is good but so overpriced

We had an excellent pizza. Real Neapolitan experience and people are super friendly Around 22 to 26 usd for a pizza and made man fresh pasta if you want

Took my Mother for Mother's Day lunch. First time here and I recommended it. Staff were super nice and food was very delicious.

Ordered take out from here earlier. When I got home, I started eating my pasta and there was hair in it. I called back to notify the restaurant and the young lady who greeted me when I came in answered the phone. Upon notifying her of my issue, she put me on hold. Thinking that she was going to grab a supervisor, I waited. She came back and said “All of the guys who were in the kitchen have hair nets.” I then asked “Do they have facial hair because it wasn’t a long piece of hair?” She replied “no”. When I insisted that there was in fact hair in my food, she issued an extremely dry and insincere apology. This needs to be addressed because as someone who’s previously worked in service industry for years, this is absolutely unacceptable.

Amazing finest lasagna I have ever had the staff treat you like a long lost friend and can’t do enough for you this is a must if your in New York please treat yourself to the fine Italian food and service 5 stars all day long

I must say the gluten-free pizza was delicious when I finally got it. However... the middle-aged male servers could care less about serving you. Wait was extremely long for the food, this could be because of the GF crust (for which I did pay quite a bit extra). Shortly after I ordered my sangria, they put a big sign up for drink specials. They wouldn't give us the deal on our drinks because we had already ordered it. Just extremely poor customer service. They have a nice young man standing on the street to talk the tourists into coming in... then it all goes downhill. Luckily Visa caught them putting the charge through twice on my bill. Not worth the price!

Maybe the name makes you want to go to Italy but... The waiters make the effort to be Italian, but are they really? For an Italian family coming to visit Little Italy... we can answer the question that we don't. Otherwise, we took pizzas, good but not “amazing”. Our general opinion remains that this is good enough for New York.

We had a great meal here. Service was excellent and the food was amazing. Leo looked after us and the head chef made sure we enjoyed our food (specials were great) Highly recommended.

I pulled in to this subtly elegant restaurant on a whim during a recent trip to Little Italy and I couldn’t have been more delighted. I expected good pizza. My Zia Maria special was absolutely excellent. I expected a nice drink. My basil mojito blew me away. I didn’t really expect an appetizer but was given a basket of sliced bread with a dish of herbed olive oil that made me nearly swoon. These people seem to really know what they’re doing and I would make it a point to return if I get the chance. Thank you for a wonderful meal!

Awesome waiting staff. Great atmosphere. Great food. Warming welcomed on arrival, they even remembered us the next evening and provide us with a very nice complementary drinks

Great food Original Italian Master chef makes difference Great stuff Original Recepies Strongly recommend! Not the usual fake Italian

A great option and really very homemade Italian flavor, very good service and attentive. The pesto sauce is a delicacy. You can not lose this

Maybe it was the night (Tuesday) or maybe it was us, but the service was not good. The food very average and actually pretty tasteless. I feel pretty certain the chef put no marsala in my chicken marsala. It was bland as it could be. Not impressed. People were nice enough, just not as attentive as I would have thought.

Really very expensive restaurant, $ 15 for a pizza with just cheese, the average price of the small dish costs $ 20, there is no child menu on the other hand the restaurant is very clean and welcoming

Fabulous food, huge tasty portions, wonderful wine selection, great location and ambiance, service is super. I wanted to continue eating the fabulous food. Forgot to add, the ravioli is made on-site and the linguini with class is the best my sister ever had- the playe was overflowing with class. This place is a must!!

We fancied trying an Italian in little Italy, as we walked through we were spilt for choice. We saw this place, it looked nice and busy ish for the time of day it was. Then a front of house staff came over and got talking to us. He showed us a TikTok video of all the food, he then said “if you don’t like my pasta I’ll pay the bill myself” which made us laugh. We were sold and walked in. We had mozerlla sticks for a starter and I had linguini/ tagliatelle with meatballs in home made sauce and my fiancée had carbonara. With a few beers and soft drinks to wash it all down. Service was great, food was even better. I’m glad we chose this place and would happily come here again when we next visit New York.

We arrived to find Zia Maria’s packed with customers. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. The service was quick and friendly. We ordered lasagna and Alfredo for our meals. Hands down, the lasagna was the best we’ve ever had. The Alfredo was great too, but the lasagna stole the show. The portions were big and shareable. Thank you for a great evening in Little Italy - the girls from Tennessee.

Total disappointment! We spent 150 euros on 4 bad daisies and they even added 20 euros tip without asking. They tricked us into showing us a video of a pizza they didn't serve us. Finally, they gave us tap water in a bottle of Cream Water. Shameful to be cheated like this, especially by Italians!

This experience started as we were approaching the restaurant. The host (didn’t get his name) did an amazing job getting us in and we watched him get others in as we ate on the patio. The food was sensational but what really amazed us was the operation they run. Sense of urgency, friendly and competent staff, and the energy and atmosphere there. What a wonderful experience all around. This place is run right and you can see that EVERYTHING is about the guest experience

Very nice home. Fast and friendly service. We ordered pizza. Very good, not very big but more than sufficient. Correct quality-price ratio.

I tried the homemade pasta and it was delicious,I loved the pappardelle funghi, the service was friendly,I recommend Zia Maria to anyone who wants to enjoy a real delicious Italian food

An amazing Italian restaurant In the heart of Little Italy. We ordered a Pepperoni pizza and some meatballs. The Pepperoni was the best I have ever tasted. Absolutely delicious

Worst Italian I have ever had and I have been to Italy multiple times. The Italians serving this dog food should be ashamed. No service Bland food Waiter disappears and a $200 bill for (4) Do yourself a favor and avoid at all costs

Great restaurant in Little Italy. Chicken Parmesan was excellent. The bread was also very good. Very nice environment and ambience.

Now I know why they had a man outside street soliciting customers. Over priced presumptively cause it’s in Little Italy. (e.g. 4 cheese sticks $15) Tasty enough as we were starved.

I had pappardelle with mushrooms and truffle oil. It was Perfection! My son had the stracciatelle soup and later chicken parmigiana. He complained it was too much but wound up finishing the plate. He loved it that much. Go try Zia Maria!

Be careful, this restaurant is a scam in terms of value for money. The gratuity, tip of 18% is already included in the invoice presented but not reported at checkout. In addition, we suggest you leave a tip, never seen before! We paid over $195 total for 3 pasta dishes and 3 appetizers, from bol manifesto. To flee

Yum! We were walking through Little Italy looking for an authentic Italian meal when we were waved in to look at the menu. Ate on the patio. Service was great. Food was delicious. Portions were just right for serving (no leftovers). One part that was hard was the tobacco store next door had music cranked up. They were playing some old school dance hits which were entertaining to us 40 yr olds but were quite the contrast to the instrumental music coming by from restaurant.

Found this place off of Yelp with a 4.3 rating. After we sat down we realized there were only 12 reviews. Danny, our waitress informed us they had only been open one month, which explained the 12 reviews. Started off with fried calamari (9 out of 10) sauce was a little spicy. Four entrees, risotto with mushrooms and truffle oil (10 out of 10). Gnocchi with bolognese sauce (8 out of 10), a ton of Bolognese sauce. Chicken Parmigiana (9 out of 10) huge chicken breast, just a little to thick but still juicy. House special Chicken Zia Maria, grilled chicken with Gorgonzola cream sauce (10 out of 10). Total with tip $131.00.

Looking around Little Italy for a last night meal most restaurants full over the festive period, however, the host found us a table for five the food was fantastic thanks chef, two bottles of excellent Italian wine converting a non wine lover. Leo man, what can I say, thank you for making our last meal in NYC one to remember can't wait to return.

So the moment we were lured into Happy Hour from the outside into a restaurant with foggy windows, we had our doubts. Once inside (we were totally looking for some nice pizza as a snack and a drink), we were impressed! This is why I’d taken so many pictures. The waiters were incredibly friendly. They catered very well to wheelchairs. There was a great ambience, it was quiet. I couldn’t have asked for more. I had feared the “happy hour” was a sham, but two glasses of white wine later (initial cost $14), the price on the receipt read correctly.

Stopped in serendipitously. Staff could not be nicer assisting us through menu given a food allergy. Outstanding food and attentiveness to guest experience. Kudus to Fred our Waitstaff and Manager who checked in periodically.

I recommend this italian restaurant because they have delicious food, good prices and the waiters are really nice. Zia Maria is a good option for tourists that want a nice and very clean place to eat.

We booked this after doing a trip advisor search of the area and reading reviews. It was lovely, pasta made on the premises (you can watch that happening), attentive service. Take care not to be a tourist and fall for the up-sell of daily specials…… we didn’t ask and they were pricey!! BUT…… very tasty indeed.

Friendly and welcoming staff Fast service Italian chef and also the “caposala” of origin Prices a bit high i, but average as well Good pizza I would say, and even at sight the other dishes gave a nice impression to way already included in the bill, you do not pay the covered

Stopped at this restaurant as we liked the look of the outdoor sitting area. I blame myself for not reading the reviews about bad food/food poisoning and terrible service before choosing but it was a spur of the moment decision. I would NOT recommend and would not go back. The linguini vongole was probably one of the worst I have had ever and it’s my go to dish whenever I have pasta in a restaurant. Chewy clams that were not fresh, (several of them not open) and overcooked and there was way too much garlic (huge chunks in the plate), probably to hide the rather stale tasting clams. Had it not been late we would have left without eating. To top is off, service was expedited and so clumsy! The waiter managed to shower my white skirt and handbag in balsamic vinegar and given his reaction/nonchalance it seems to happen often. Should have been a que to leave…

Never eaten such awful truffle pasta for so much money! Unprofessionally prepared pasta with far too much cream and no salt, with a few slices of truffle! Maybe the waiter should be told this before he prepares it in front of the guest Awful!!!!

Great food with excellent service!! I ordered a gluten free pizza online to grab and go for lunch. I didn’t realize there were two locations and of course ordered from the wrong one. When I showed up at the Little Italy location, there was a very kind man who helped me sort out the issue and even spoke on the phone to the other location to let them know he would have my order made there instead. I always appreciate kindness and being extra! The pizza was great too!

Tired after grinding km we arrived in little italy and driven by google reviews we chose aunt maria. Warm welcome, really nice location, very kind staff and delicious food. The prices are alas in line with New York prices, expensive everywhere.

All pros, no cons! Food was amazing! I had the mozzarella stick starters and carbonara for my main. Honestly perfection and will 100% go here again when we are back in NYC!

Delicious!!! 😋 If you pass through here you have to try Pappadella Bolognese and ask for Cristian’s attention 🎉 Loving Little Italy 🇮🇹♥️NYC🍎

The food was extremely good, the seasoning was amazing, the customer service was an A+. My first time in NY and obviously in Little Italy and im dying to come back.

Whilst visiting Little Italy we popped into Zia Maria’s for some lunch. The service was really good and the food was nice. I went for the Vodka Penne pasta which was nice and spicy, the kids also enjoyed their pizza and pasta that they ordered.

Nice restaurant many dishes according to our real family business. Food was top notch and plenty well arranged. Nice location in little italy

I did live for experience like that, such a cool place with such care with customers I did love the whole experience

The food came out hot, fast, and with bigger portions than expected. We were there on a busy Saturday night and had a great experience. The arancini was the best I've ever eaten. The whole fam enjoyed their meal! Recommended- spinach salad with pear, lobster ravioli, fettuccine with meatballs.

What a great place to chill, eat and drink. We had a blast and were very satisfied with the suggestions that were made. The chocolate martini was superb! We came on the last day of the San Genaro and were treated like royalty. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating (both were packed). Pleasant host, great waiters and waitresses. Food was exquisite. We were NOT, however, thrilled by the mandatory 20% for a table of 2.

During our visit to New York, I was adamant about having Italian. We did a Yelp search and found this adorable gem. From the moment we walked into the restaurant to leaving, our experience was phenomenal. Verano was our server and he was soooo wonderful!! He gave us great food and wine reccos and exceptional customer service. We talked about Italy, one of my favorite places to visit and also where he was from, which was a cool connection. We ordered cheese & rice balls with marinara, and bruschette for appetizers. For dinner we ordered margarita pizza, lobster ravioli and bolognese gnocchi. All exceptional in their own way. We forgot to take pics, but felt it was worth writing a review to share our experience. When you visit, you’ll agree that the service is great from the host to the servers and the team cleaning the tables, but Verano was so great. Request him!

We accidentally went to the little italy area. Once there we were tempted to try some Italian food. Went into the one where the sales people were most active and attracting the customers walking by. The "tony" pizza was great. The spinach ravioli was better than expected. Service was a bit slow but was tolerable. Would visit again.

Stopped in for lunch. Restaurant was clean and nice, staff was friendly. Food was moderately priced and the taste was pretty mediocre as well. I was with a party of three. No one had any complaints but all said they had had better.

Leo is the best waiter ever. His recommendations were amazing and his kindness made us have a great evening. I do not regret this decision at all. Bistec alla Pizzaiola is a wonderful choice for meat lovers.

Came across this restaurant when we were walking around Little Italy trying to find somewhere to eat. The menu was varied and the food was lovely! Staff were attentive and helpful, drinks were also on a happy hour deal which made it better value. The seafood special was huge and tasty, which made it worth the extra money. Well worth a visit!