Babbo

This is the best restaurant in New York, pure and simple. Never a bad meal. The garganelli is a dish I would choose as my last meal. Had the guinea hen and have not found any other restauarant that can make it as well. My wife had the pork last night and no one really makes great pork - this was loin of pork cooked in rock salt and milk with fennel on top and it was wonderful. The broccoli raab was amazing with its hint of lemon. Although our waiter was not very warm or giving the rest of the staff are simply great. The sommelier and the maitre'd and all the other personnel are attentive and warm. If I could get a reservation I would go every night.

I grew up in Little Italy during the '70's before the boutiques and condos, when it was all about being Italian and having a ten block radius of some of the best cooks in the world! I now live in Los Angeles and the first place I run to when I get back to New York is Babbo. I'm addicted to the tripe! I order two helpings of it to start, Mario outdoes every Mama or Nonna's recipe with this, and his delectable pastas. And the duck...to die for! I recently brought my childhood priest there, now retired from Old St. Patrick's on Mulberry Street, and the food experience was so amazing it brought tears to his eyes. He hadn't tasted such incredible Italian food since he left his hometown in Italy in 1957! If you love Italian food, do what you have to get a reservation. Treat yourself to a little taste of heaven!

The tasting menu with accompanying wines is a three-hour experience everyone should have. Batali is a genius.

One of the best dining experiences in NYC. I have been here four times and each time Babbo has lived up to it's excellent standards on both food and service. The quality of ingredients are second to none and the staff are exceptionally knowledgable about the food and the wine! The pasta is unbelievable, specifically the mint love letters, sweet potato lunes and beef cheek ravioli.. rich but amazing..the pasta does a dance in your mouth. The lamb chops and duck for an entree are both awesomely special and the desserts are to die for! Make sure you have three-four hours to dine here..it's a progressive meal that takes time to eat, digest and appreciate..So hard to get a reservation but definitely worth trying and waiting for!

WOW. A truly magnificent restaurant experience. While the food was superb, the service was even better. We were asked repeatedly how we were doing. I don't know about this Kramer guy - clearly he upset someone. Enjoy the food...love the service! Kramer, please cheer up and maybe you could be more polite to the service in the future.

I have only been to Babbo once. The pasta (spicy linguine) and meat (rabbit) main courses I had were exceptional. The dessert (chocolate/pistachio semifreddo) was out of this world. Unfortunately, the service for this type of restaurant left much to be desired. (Just one of a few examples: The waitress NEVER came over to us throughout the entire meal to ask if everything was okay) I also found that there were few dishes on the menu that intrigue me enough for me to run back to this restaurant. If I do return, I would consider doing the pasta tasting menu. Because Il Mulino has great food AND great service, I still think it is the best Italian restaurant I have been to in NYC.

Do whatever you have to to get a reservation. After seventeen visits to this eatery I have never been even slightly disappointed. The food is second to none, the service nevers misses and Mario seems to always appear. In my opinion it is the ultimate dining experience.