Il Violino
The chef Vincenzo Mariani, formerly the executive chef at Monsignore (one of the top restaurant in New York City in the 70’s and 80’s), leaded the kitchen with his international experience and created an original and innovative Italian menu.
In 2009 the owner, decided to write a new page. The restaurant has been renovated and transformed into a Trattoria: a warmer and cozier ambiance, one of those that you can easily find in any small town in Italy.
It was a birthday get together and it was great! I would recommend. Overall above average.
Decent Italian food where you can take a friend(s) or/and whole family to go eat. Highly recommend you reserve a table so there would be no hassle.
Great food and service ! Near Lincoln Center so perfect for pre -theater !!
Staff was noticeably unfriendly, appeared glum and not responsive to our needs.
cute restaurant in a nice neighborhood. food was very good.
overall one of the best places we have been to. Cheesy spaghetti Carbonara, tasty fish, well prepared veggies. Its a bit tight on space but perfect for pre theatre. Actually , i dont think there is another better or closer to Lincoln Center. Enjoy
Great lunch and service. In a neighborhood setting. We will return the next time we are in town. Thank you. Joan and Peter Cahill
Service was excellent and food was great. Asked for a specific table and was granted my request. Place leaves something to be desired, but would definitely come back again.
We like to come here before heading over to Lincoln Center for a performance. The prices are good, but the menu can be disappointing. Italian classics such as the Caesar Salad or even a simple Spaghetti Bolognese often fall short of NYC expectations. The more expensive the dish the less likely you are to regret your choice. The wine list is great and the service is friendly and accommodating.
Great neighborhood restaurant and convenient to Lincoln Center.
Very good neighborhood Italian restaurant.
Every course was outstanding, from the mozzarella to the chocolate gelato.
The vodka sauce on the fresh penne was outstanding. The lasagna was very good and a large portion.
Always an enjoyable, pleasant experience dining at Il Violino. Every time I dine there I feel welcome and special as a diner. The food is always fresh and the service exceptional.
The cozy place is popular, but we were seated immediately with our reservation. The zuchinni potato soup was excellent as well as the entrees, fettuccini in a butter truffle sauce with shrimp and crimini mushrooms, and the spinach ravioli in a cream sauce. Italian cheesecake and cloudless chocolate cake were average for dessert. The service was very good and always there if you needed something. I would definitely go back.
Good place. Everyone enjoyed their food. The space was a little small for a table of 7 but all in all...perfect place after the Opera.
Good neighborhood place for comfort Italian and quiet cozy environment. It is an easy walk to Lincoln Center.
Delicious and convenient. Fast service. Reasonably priced.
Pleasant local Upper West Side Italian. Low key, but homey. Moderate prices, but not cheap.
Great service! The waitstaff and hostess were impeccable. The food was delicious and it was a special experience.
The proximity to Lincoln Center is the best attribute to Il Violino. Dining on a weekday early evening was quiet and pleasant. On a weekend pre-theater evening, the wait for our reserved table (2 hours before curtain) was about half an hour. The maitre d' was apologetic. The ambience was bustling and cozy. Once seated, service was efficient, polite and friendly. The night's special pasta was as expected but not exceptional.
Food and service is always excellent here. Been frequenting Il Violino for at least 10 years.
Friendly neighborhood decent Italian restaurant and very accommodating. A bit over priced
The ambiance is very nice and the service was decent, but the salmon was tasteless and so was the branzino. A bit overpriced as well. VERY disappointed.
Very good chicken parmigiana as a dinner special including salad, soup and dessert. Dessert could have been a better choice for the special offer. Details like cold bread ( on a very cold night) and grated cheese that apparently went missing in action, were disappointments. Waiter seemed tired, bored, or, out of sorts.
Nice place for pre-theater dinner. Friendly staff. Cozy traditional Italian. The octopus appetizer was outstanding.
Great service....Constantine was a great waiter and Daniel is a wonderful host. Food was amazing
Great spot for a nice lunch. Good service friendly wait staff.
Neighborhood gem
My home away from home! Friendly loving people serving delicious food.
Always gracious, especially to frequent guests. Convenient to Lincoln Center. Very good choices and always delicious.
The restaurant was recommended to us by friends...we went for Sunday brunch..the food was very good and the service was excellent..very pleased
I had to wait 10 minutes for my reservation. Also, just another overpriced Italian place in the Lincoln Square area.
I come here often especially before the opera or a concert at Lincoln Center. The food is always amazing and the service is wonderful. I have been eating here for years and never have had a problem.
I have to this restaurant many times and it continues to be one of my favorite. Everyone I take to this restaurant always thanks me.
The special pasta dish was very tasty.
The Pasta Fagioli soup was piping hot and delicious.
And the bottle of wine was a good pairing.
This is one of our go to places for a very good meal at a moderate price. And the service has always been very good.
They also have a Prix Fixe menu that looks great. Although we have never tried it.
Food was very good. Service was careful and attentive. We will be going back. We sat is the glass enclosed area that is an extension onto the sidewalk. It was a chilly and windy night but we did not have any discomforts.
Il Violino is one of our standard go-to places for pre-Lincoln Center events. It is lively and filled with a happy, event going crowd. The wait staff is very efficient without being annoying. As the name implies, it is Italian food, and there is a musical theme in the posters and photos on the walls. My favorite dinner is the braised lamb. Totally tender with no need for a knife. We always have a good experience there.
Lovely pre-Opera meal. Unfortunately someone stole my husband’s fleece. And there was a person yelling at the bar. All perils of dining in New York I guess
Great food and excellent service ! One of the best values in the Upper West side. Would definitely recommend.
Il Violino is a real treasure for the UWS. The food is consistently good and the weekday lunch, which includes a glass of wine, is a real value.
Since this is just a short walk from the Museum of Natural History, I'm sort of embarrassed that I've never been here before. we had a very nice NYE price fixe meal, including silky lobster bisque, tender short rib and light tiramisu.
We will certainly re-visit Il Violino on a future trip to NYC