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Sauce
Sauce

Sauce Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Dining
  • Website: http://www.saucerestaurant.com
  • Phone: (212) 420-7700
  • Hours of Operation:
    Lunch: Friday - Sunday: 11:00am - 4:00pm.
    Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 12:00am, Friday - Saturday: 4:00pm - 1:00am.
  • Payment Options: AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Executive Chef: Frank Prisinzano
  • Dress Code: Casual Dress
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Beer, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Private Party Facilities: We have a private dining room that can sit up to 14 guests. We offer two different pre-fixe menus and bar packages.
  • Private Party Contact: Tanya Tyrrell (212) 420-7700

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Allen St
  • Public Transit: F train to Second Avenue.
  • Parking: Street Parking
A word from Sauce
Sauce is Frank Prisinzano's fourth neighborhood restaurant in lower Manhattan. Sauce's nose-to-tail red sauce trattoria approach fuses culinary tradition & innovation with the freshest local ingredients.
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Diner Reviews
  • "I Forget the item's name, but the description made it sound like a charcuterie plate, which it was not. It was a few pieces of meat on a plate. The meat plate was filled to the hilt with a hot ham water--which, by the way, was ruled a non-sauce in 2005 by the US Sauce Commission, a federally-funded vestige of the Carter era. "
    Dined on 4/16/2014
  • "The saucy selections at Sauce were quite tasty. Even walking into the restaurant, you could immediately smell the goodness of the ingredients and the food. However, the service was lacking. Although we made a reservation and were there on time, we waited at the bar for an hour with no explanation, apologies or a comped drink. The wait staff was pleasant and friendly, but it wasn't quite enough to make up for the extremely long wait."
    Dined on 4/12/2014
  • "It was so loud you couldn't hear anything. Tables were so close I sat there uncomfortable the whole time. When I told the waitress that I couldn't hear the specials, she rudely said that it wasn't her fault it was so loud in there. The food was totally unappetizing. I went in very hungry, until I saw a gross hunk of buratta cheese that we ordered slapped on a plate. I felt rushed to leave. I was given half the amount I left on the plate to take home. This was one of the most dissapointing and unpleasant dining experiences I have ever had. If I had known, I would never have made arrangements to eat at this place. Nice service and good food are the essentials, and Sauce can't even deliver that."
    Dined on 4/4/2014
  • "It's regrettable that the service was awful. It took a quite long time for the waitress to come to our table. She attended the couple seated next to us, who came 5 mins after us, first with detail menu explanation. When finally she came back to us, she just asked what we wanted. We asked about the octopus that is shown on their website, but she said "we don't serve seafood because this is an Italian restaurant." (then, take out the octopus pix from the website) Fried zucchini could have be very good if it was served hot. (was lukewarm) and iced raw fennel was too salty. Mozzarella and meatball pasta were good, but not memorable. We're constantly asked if we're done or not. Didn't feel like ordering desert and left. I won't go back."
    Dined on 4/3/2014
  • "I found Sauce on Zagat, and the 26 in food made me make a reservation. The menu was unusual and a little complicated at first but the wait staff was helpful and it turned out to be manageable. LOTS of vegetable-based items, and the gnocchi with kale were delicious. My salmon was perfectly cooked, with plenty of veggies. Here's my favorite part: they cranked up the music as we sat down and the WAITRESS suggested that she turn it down!! And so she did, and we were totally fine with it. The panna cotta was a little gelatinous, but really, you shouldn't get dessert at an Italian restaurant anyway. The wine list is very reasonably priced; we had a Nero di Troia for $40 and loved it. Very fair prices too."
    Dined on 3/28/2014
  • "The food is fantastic, the staff is knowledge and the price is right. Worth the small wait you may encounter sometimes. Have the zucchini matchsticks, you want them instead of French fries going forward."
    Dined on 3/28/2014
  • "Honestly, I can stop any time I want to -- I just haven't wanted to yet ;-) I'm weak for their zucchini and kale soup, and grilled salmon with arugula; the collection of rock stars on their staff; and the comfortable, inviting ambiance. I'm in NYC on a three week visit, sampling a lot of other great eateries too, but not too many nights in a row have been going by between my Sauce fixes."
    Dined on 3/21/2014
  • "My boyfriend and I had Sauce on our list for a while since he lives a few blocks away. Sunday we finally got to try it out. The food was bland, the pasta wasn't fresh. I had the carbonara special and it was very runny as opposed to creamy. I was very disappointed as I was looking forward to a neighborhood Italian place. The waiting staff was extremely friendly."
    Dined on 3/23/2014
  • "I owed my oldest friend a good dinner. This was unacceptable in every way. Absolutely clueless. I ordered a martini. It arrived 10-15 minutes later and was watery and warm. Either the bartender is a hack or the waiter forgot to bring it. We ordered a raw fennel appetizer, the slab of polenta with Bolognese for two they are "famous" for, a side of broccoli rabe and a salad. They brought everything at the same time! That is just pathetic. The appetizer was miniscule. The side of rabe came in a dish that was small enough for an elementary school lunch room. The polenta, which was the entre at $9:95 each, was the size of an appetizer and was cold by the time we got to it. The endive salad was okay. The bill came to over $100 plus tip."
    Dined on 3/19/2014
  • "Sauce seems to have a lot of potential, but the menu was not inspiring. I got the pecorino kale salad and either the dressing was bland or there wasn't enough of it on the hearty kale. The meatballs and sauce were the best out of everything we ate that night. The meatballs were seasoned well and tender, and the sauce was quite good. One of my friends got the special of the night--pasta carbonara. It was a very small portion and he was still hungry after. My other friend got the chicken parm with spaghetti and while the pasta was good, the chicken needed salt and was flavorless. All and all, this place has a pleasing ambiance and potential to be better, but the food just fell flat."
    Dined on 3/22/2014
  • "very average food, friends pasta was way over cooked. had the braciole, it was ok, the polenta was more like grits. it's more of a place that can accomodate large groups that aren't concerned about the food so much."
    Dined on 3/20/2014
  • "Had a great time, we had the two specials of the night: carbonara and kale raviole. The ingredients were flavorful and fresh, and we had a big appetite and ordered yummy zuchini sticks to snack on and flourless cake for dessert. Love the great prices for the variety in the menu, and we sat in the side room where there was a little more quiet. It was our dating anniversary dinner. :)"
    Dined on 3/18/2014
  • "We arrived at Sauce and were sat quickly. The server was lovely and took our drink order while telling us the specials. We have a meatball app that was fantastic. I had carbonara special.. It was "deconstructed" and delicious with a an extra suprise of egg which I loved! If you like authentic places with homey charm you must visit."
    Dined on 3/14/2014
  • "I do enjoy the food, but I think it's the staff that really makes this place rock. They make me happy to be there. I must also mention those spoon chandeliers -- that's right -- and they pretty much capture the essence of Sauce: charming, fun, and defiantly quaint, yet very hip."
    Dined on 3/14/2014
  • "Food was amazing!! Melt in your mouth homemade pasta."
    Dined on 3/13/2014
  • "So happy to have discovered this lower east side gem. Service is very gracious but in a down-to-earth way. Food is is not haute cuisine, but high quality and definitely delicious -- and VERY reasonably priced. The decor is old world shabby chic with exposed brick, wood, and chandeliers. Really charming ambience. Loved it!!"
    Dined on 3/12/2014
  • "Food and service was excellent. Buratta is a must have"
    Dined on 3/7/2014
  • "Great little restaurant packed with big surprises. We loved the communal table and the chance to meet some interesting diners. Everything we tried was made from scratch. The imported mozzarella was out of this world. Portions were not over the top, but just enough. A definite second visit is in order."
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "Fantastic fresh and innovative at terrific prices. Homey Environment. Friendly service Will definitely return."
    Dined on 3/2/2014
  • "When my two friends and I arrived at 9PM on a Friday night, the restaurant was so packed we could barely get in the door. We struggled to get to the bar and waited for 20 minutes for our table for be ready. It was very overcrowded but on top of that, they were blasting rap music all night, which made it difficult for us to talk, and definitely upset the atmosphere. The service was good, but the food was fabulous. We shared the polenta, kale salad, meatballs, carbonara, tiramisu and vanilla panna cotta. In particular the carbonara with poached egg, bacon, and brown sauce which was as excellent as the waitress said. The vanilla panna cotta with strawberries and mousse was phenomenal. It quieted down at the end of the night, and we left happy."
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "We were a group of 4 with two kids on a busy friday night. Service: My server was very explicit and enthusiastic with the house specials. Food came on time. Food: We had the polenta with ragu, good presentation. Burrata with tomatoes and we also shared pasta with 3 different ragu sauces. Overall, all the plates had good presentation and the taste was outstanding. Plates have a decent size, the way every dinner plate should be. Ambience: Very relax atmosphere where a group of friend can have a nice time over dinner. Music was never loud Cons: The food was a little warm. I'd rather have it a little hot"
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "We sat down to dinner on a Friday night and were done in 45 minutes. We ordered several courses, I felt so rushed the food was thrown at us. The whole meal happened so fast, it was over in an instant. We were so dissatisfied that we went somewhere else for dessert. The food was good but I felt as if I was dining at a fast food restaurant."
    Dined on 2/28/2014
  • "A beautiful restaurant with home-y decor and an aroma of aromatic seasonings. Very rustic and traditional Italian interior design along with a friendly wait staff and ambient music playing slightly overhead, this restaurant is a real find!"
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Great spot to get some drinks in before going out. The music was blasting out loud where conversation was more of screaming but again, great spot to get hyped for going out for the night because of the loud music. To the food, it seemed like they seriously threw pasta in a pot and then threw some Ragu on it and called it a day. Nothing unique. Nothing that made it "restaurant good" at least. Very disappointed with the food. The sauce was very mediocre at best (seriously, like Ragu from your corner store). The pasta was forgettable and very generic unfortunately. I'd like to say it was only my plate but unfortunately it wasn't only mine that was blah.The server was good though; she did a good job being attentive and personal with us."
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "The music was so amazingly loud we could not hear the waitress or each other at our tiny tables. Drinks were good and food was good... But relatively expensive for the basic quality level"
    Dined on 2/15/2014
  • "Don't let the size of the portions fool you! In my party of 4, we each ordered a different pasta dish and were a little surprised with the size of the bowls. But honestly, half way through our meals, we were all feeling full. The pastas and accompanying sauces were delicious! Our waiter was so patient with our numerous questions and made great recommendations."
    Dined on 2/16/2014
  • "Happy to try new restaurant. Food with a slightly different twist; very naturally grown; delicious; service very good; questions answered; explanations given; prices reasonable. Will definitely return and recommend. Have to remember cash only."
    Dined on 2/14/2014
  • "Food excellent, with small but appropriate size portions. Rude host, terrible service---only one waitress for entire back part of restaurant. Had to wait 45 minutes after our reservation time. Very small, cramped space with wall-to-wall people and tiny tables. Good for 25 year old set, not good for anyone who loathes tight quarters."
    Dined on 2/8/2014
  • "Five grown children of Italian immigrant grandparents, all great Italian cooks in their own right, loved every single dish. Home made pasta was incredible. The meatballs were almost exactly like the ones my mother and grandmother made. The ambience was right in line with the food. I only wish I lived closer so we could eat here all the time! This is a great place to go before or after a visit to the nearby Tenement Museum. If you're accustomed to real southern Italian tastes, don't miss it. Love Love Love it!"
    Dined on 2/9/2014
  • "Lots of options for all! Delicious food and fun atmosphere."
    Dined on 2/7/2014
  • "The food at Sauce is delectable, home made, fresh and flavorful! The ambience that night was energetic with 50s and 60s music playing. Our waitress was very personable and tentative. I love this place!"
    Dined on 2/6/2014
  • "The atmosphere of an old-time friendly Italian place, but with modern food values. Great meats. Good wine. Great time."
    Dined on 12/21/2013
  • "Make sure you get a dish with their homemade sauce."
    Dined on 1/31/2014
  • "A friend recommends different restaurants each time we go to New York City. He never lets us down. Once again, an outstanding restaurant. Sauce has great food, prepared so well. Great wines on the menu. The service was great too! We have already recommended Sauce to several people. We will have dinner there again."
    Dined on 1/17/2014
  • "We were seated immediately and the waiter was outstanding. I am a vegetarian (eat fish) and my friend can't eat cheese. The waiter was very helpful with recommendations. We shared the potato linguine and the salmon. The salmon was delicious and cooked perfectly (i'm very love or hate on salmon). The potato linguine was also really good but could have used a vegetable of some sort in the mix to add some color (it was very white). The bread and peppers/carrots were delicious before and necessary as the portions were a little on the small side and we both left hungry."
    Dined on 1/23/2014
  • "The food was quite disappointing. We started off wonderfully with the meatball appetizer. The burrata was ok. For the price, I would have expected it to be amzaing. Ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. Unfortunately, they do not use the same meatball sauce as the entree, so a tad underwhelming. The braised beef toretellono was ok. The beef was dry and not as tasty as I imagined. We finished it off with a tiramisu. It had been delicious in the past and was excited to have again. Unfortunatley, the portion was inadequate and the desert was not even cold. I have been to this restaurant before and it was delicious. Unfortunately, it was definite miss this time around. On a good note, the beer was cold and delicious."
    Dined on 1/18/2014
  • "Not sure what all the hype is about. Next time will try other dishes"
    Dined on 1/18/2014
  • "The food at sauce was fantastic, service was personal but not intrusive. Amazing spot in the LES to start a night out."
    Dined on 1/13/2014
  • "everything is a little heavy-handed and overly saucy (hence the name i guess) but it has a great vibe, good staff, takes reservations and credit cards and is a good local joint. i will be back."
    Dined on 1/13/2014
  • "The service is great - everything else is forgettable (except the arugula salad which was great) and NOT worth the money at all. VERY noisy."
    Dined on 1/12/2014
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