Maialino

My husband and I are big fans of Danny Meyer restaurants are were excited to go to Maialino. We had a lunch reservation at 1:30, and got seated after waiting a few minutes. Unfortunately, by 2pm, we still haven't gotten a menu. No one came by to see if everything was OK, nor were there any waiters that were not busy enough from whom one could get any attention. Even if we did get our menus by the time we decided to leave, I'm wondering if it would have taken another half hour for the waiter to come back to ask for our orders.

Delicious. Amazing. I have plans to be a regular. The decor was incredible, the bread delicious, the food delectable. Wonderful menu, knowledgeable service, and a fun, vibrant atmosphere. Definitely check out Maialino!

I stopped in for lunch today and the dining room was booked solid (on a Monday!) so I sat at the bar for lunch. The 2 bartenders Steve & Isaac were super friendly and knowledgeable about the dishes. They helped me pick out a few dishes (the fried artichoke app & cacio e pepe main) that were absolutely delicious. I also had a glass of the Brut Rose which was perfect. The manager Sam came over to say hi and the runner Ellen was also very friendly. I have 2 complaints tho. The hostess offered the dining room or the bar and when I chose the dining room she said they were fully booked. Why even offer it then? Also, those bar seats really to be changed. The are small, hard and uncomfortable is an understatement. Danny Meyer can do no wrong by me but I felt like I had a bruised tushy when I left! Other than that though, I would highly recommended this restaurant... if you can get in, of course.

Good crossaints and decent egg dishes. Worth going to for brunch.

Had dinner at Maialino on 12/26/09. We had a fabulous experience. Food great. Service wonderful. Atmosphere delightful. Nothing less than perfect from Danny Meyer. Will go again if I can get a reservation.

my wife & i dined at maialino last night. we started with a bottle of casavecchia @ $62. it was perfect. for our pasta dishes we ordered the cacia e pepe & a ravioli with egg yolk. both were delicious. we followed them with the maialino for two, sided with brussel sprouts & chestnuts which could not have been better. tack on the pine nut tart & the apple cake & we were good to go. did i mention the beautiful view of the park? the service was typical danny meyer.

So Danny Meyer sensed New York doesn't have enough Italian restaurants. What's next for him, a tapas bar? The interior is inoffensive, but it won't win any awards. I'm not sure whether a Roman would feel at home here. The bathroom area is downright gloomy. Haven't we moved past communal washrooms? The bar stools, with its not-quite seat backs, are uncomfortable if your ass is bigger than 12-year old's. Sound level is more than lively when the room is full. Staff is friendly, but can get inattentive when they get slammed. Staff also is not entirely well versed with the items on the menu. Granted the restaurant has been open only for one week, but one expects better from a Meyer restaurant. Clientele comprised mainly of couples of a certain age and local Louis Vuitton-toting yuppies holding their wine glasses by their bowls. The selections of wines by the glass were good. The menu sources classic Roman cuisine. All the usual Roman suspects are there: Stracciatella Romana, Trippa Alla Trasteverina, Bucatini All'amatriciana, Coda Alla Vaccinara, all things al forno. I learned the hard way that the bar does not offer a full menu - only a bar menu. Why? Dunno, but the bar food is not nearly as compelling as the full menu. The Frito Misto and the Pollo Alla Diavola both were standouts. The eggplant parmigiano was over seasoned. The flavor of the eggplant was hidden beneath the red sauce. At $18, I'll take a local pizza joint's offering. The Carpaccio Di Polpo, an unappealing dish composed of cold boiled purple potatoes and cold braised octopus slices, was returned to the kitchen. The potatoes were undercooked. I was promised a new order, which never arrived. The Torta Della Nonna, actually a Tuscan dessert, was good. The Affogato, not so much.