Il Bagatto

My friends and I traveled from DC to NYC this past weekend and made our reservation at Il Bagatto well in advance since we'd heard wonders about it. They sat us down quickly (10 minutes prior to our reservation, which was nice). But that's where the niceties end. Our waiter read the specials of the evening and asked us for our drink order. His personality was a cross between a drill sergeant and a baseball umpire. When we were ready to start ordering appetizers, he told us that we needed to order the appetizers and the main meal together. I've never heard anything so ridiculous. Did he think we were going to fill-up with the appetizers and not order the main course? Oh, and they do not accept any card but American Express or cash. But don't ask the hostess about this. When I gave her my -gasp! - MasterCard, she told me in a very crude way that they do not accept that. She was as icy as the restaurant's freezer. Overall, it was a very disappointing experience. It is regrettable that we spent time and money in this place.

I have eaten here several times with friends, and I love their pastas. The portions are small, so I recommend sharing three between two people if you're making this your dinner. The server was charming, and his knowledge of wine was phenomenal. We enjoyed an excellent (albiet costly) bottle, which complimented our meal perfectly. It does become busy, and there is limited seating, so I would not recommend taking a large group here. It also took quite a while to get our food when we went late (around 10), so I think it is best to catch the kitchen earlier in the evening. I think it is a lovely spot for a dinner date or a drink with a friend.

This is truly a special place. One of my favorites for sure! If my traveling an hour and a half just to get there isn't enough to convince you, all I can say is it's definitely worth the trip. Not too large a menu, or restaurant with delicious specials , trust me you can't go wrong........you'll have a memorable meal everytime and the prices are very inexpensive. I would pay more! I have so many favorites, from the fried calamari, to the gnocci and on to the torta del nonna dessert i will never get enough! yummm Italian Girl

On our last night in NYC we found this treasure, I do not know of what others have spoken here.....we were 1/2 hour early for our reservation, the hostess found us a table immediately, and the waiter was extremely helpful in explaining the menu. It was Fri night, very busy and noisy but still comfortable. The food was excellent.....my 12 yr old son sopped up every last drop......and the Chimay..........oh, the Chimay........my kingdom for a Chimay. Can't wait for the next trip, this will be our first stop

I used to come here in 2000 and would put up with the service and hostess because the food, environment, and prices were worth. I revisted last month and was overwhelmed by tacky valentine's decorations and the disinterested, cold hostess (you would think she might be more interested in being nice to some of the only people filling her place on a cold winters eve). The food was average and my fond memories were destroyed. I was embarrased that I had spoken so highly of it to my friend and wondered how such an average place could get by for so long.

My friends and I stumbled upon Il Bagatto last night and I'm so glad we did. It is currently decorated for Valentine's day which is so nice. It was about 7 degrees out, but inside the restaurant was very cozy. The drinks and food were fab. It's one of the few times I've ordered a dirty martini extra murky and actually got it extra murky. Our starter was grilled calamari. I would absolutely have that again. Two of us had the Tortellini con Ragu which was so delicious. I didn't have desert (instead opting for a glass of Moscato D’asti), but my friends ordered the triple chocolate cake and tiramisu which they both loved. I will definitely spread the word about this lovely spot.

This is an East Village standby. it's been delivering for years. the food is delicious and worth a try.