Basso56

Great food, good value. Our waitress seemed quite harried and her accent was a bit difficult to follow.

The only problem was that we were a party of 2 surrounded by large, loud tables.

Disappointed. Food was just ok. I ordered the linguine with clam, very dry and not very good. The appetizer was just ok we ordered the calamari and tomato mozzarella. We were seated next to washroom and can smell the washroom.

This is a great restaurant. Everything was absolutely perfect. I was very pleased with the variety of options on the menu. I will definitely be returning.

Wanted to go with our two teens to a nice Italian restaurant in Columbus Circle area. Yelp gave Basso a great a review and it did not disappoint! Will definitely visit again!

The food and service were good. The one reservation I have is about the physical structure of the restaurant. Like many dining spots in New York City, Basso56 is long and narrow. We were a party of four and my chair projected into the aisle, which was heavily used by wait staff and customers. No one bumped into me, but if you don't appreciate the bustle immediately behind you, be sure to request a table (there are a number of them) that is off the main aisle.

Restaurant came highly recommended - definitely did not disappoint! My wife had the lamb shank special and I had the pasta bolognese - both were fabulous. Portions are huge, wine list is affordable and service was spectacular - give them a try when in town.

We were so pleased with our lunch on Thursday, we came back on Friday. What can we say; we dined again on beautifully prepared dishes by Chef Paolo. Elona, our server, took excellent care of us. They started us off with a nice assortment of breads to go with the marinated red and green olives. My husband enjoyed the Crocchetta Di Formaggio Di Capra (goat cheese croquet with roasted eggplant puree over mixed field greens). It was very cold outside and soup was what I needed and wanted; so, I had the soup of the day, which was a zucchini, potato and onion puree. It was hot, delicious and satisfying. My husband asked if he could have fettucine instead of rigatoni Bolognese, and they cheerfully made the swap of the pasta type. I knew I wanted to try Chef Paolo’s homemade ricotta and spinach ravioli in a sage butter sauce. They made me think of the raviolis I have enjoyed in Italy. They were that good! For our sweet ending, my husband had 3 scoops of chocolate gelato, and I had the ricotta cheesecake with strawberries and apples, along with fresh coffee. We wish we lived in Manhattan so that we could enjoy Chef Paolo’s dishes more often.

This is my go to restaurant in NYC. It is consistently very good. I had a colleague with me who had never been to this restaurant before and he cannot stop raving about the restaurant. Enough said.

We return annually in Feb with guests from Canada. They insist and we happily comply
Every aspect of the evening was A+: food service and atmosphere.

What an excellent choice we made with Basso56. We arrived a little early for our reservation. We were warmly greeted by Mihaela, who showed us to our table and explained that the Chef would arrive in about 10 minutes. We were happy to come in from the rain and have a warm place to sit. Chef Paolo arrived and came out to greet us. We were pleased to learn that he was born in Abruzzo and had worked for Cipriani in Venice. He explained that they make all their pastas by hand. I knew then we were in for a real treat. The restaurant offers a 2-course lunch for $18.95 or 3-course lunches for $24.95 – Monday thru Saturday, both include coffee, tea or soda. This has to be the best offer in New York.

My husband and I decided we would do the 3-course lunch. They brought a basket of different kinds of bread along with a dish of marinated red and green olives to start us off. We started off with the Insalata Di Bietole e Spinaci (mixed field greens, roasted walnuts and dried cranberries) and Mista Della Casa (radicchio, endive, baby arugula and tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar). The salads were fresh and bursting with flavors.

I was so pleased to see that they had Fettuccine Con Funghi, Piselli e Panna I could not wait to try it. It is homemade fettuccine with mixed mushrooms and green peas in a light cream sauce. My husband ordered the Ravioli of the Day which was ricotta and spinach ravioli in a sage butter sauce. I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I was when they placed my fettuccine in front of me. The smells and then the taste immediately transported me back to Italy. My husband felt the same about his raviolis. There is something about fresh-made pasta that changes everything in the taste. We ended this fabulous meal with Panna Cotta and Chocolate Cake garnished with strawberries and apples. Mihaela and Ardid took excellent care of us while we dined.

Food was very good. Excellent gnocchi! Good wine selection.

It’s really good💕
I love how flavorful this soup is with all the fresh herbs and vegetables in it.

Alex and his staff are always courteous and prompt. The food is exceptional and is fresh. I have been coming here since 2012 and I will not go anywhere else in the city for Italian food. The restaurant is quaint and beautifully decorated.

Thank you again Alex for treating my guests and me like family. Cannot wait until the new location opens.

I used to go to Basso regularly and then, for whatever reason, stopped going as frequently. Decided to go back and so glad I did because it was great. The food was delicious and it is one of the best values in the City for Italian food!

Unfortunately my experience was nothing special. It was all OK and perhaps I was disappointed due to my expectations being too high. It was not too expensive so I guess I got what I paid for.

This is our second visit to Basso because we loved it so much last year on our annual NYC weekend.
The food, service and atmosphere are what every restaurant should be.

Excellent, unusual food choices... great value (inexpensive)...we had an amazing server: attentive, polite, friendly but appropriate

Reservation 26101 here.... Very well-prepared food. Great sauce and pasta. Excellent trout special. Desserts admirable. Service-- Always very attentive without hovering. Marius was an outstanding waiter. I jokingly told a friend that my wife and I wanted to adopt him. Pleasant and quiet atmosphere. Very affordable. Hope that we can return when we visit NYC again.

The whole dining experience was exceptional!

I’m not the most unbiased reviewer about Basso but, with that said, lunch was marvelous! I had the grilled calamari over arugula — perfectly cooked and tender. Then I ordered the striped bass lunch special. Again, perfectly cooked and attractively served! My favorite white wine is the Kerner Gruberg Veltliner — mine rally and dry. Service is always efficient and pleasant.

Food always good.
Service excellent.
Nice space.
Good value.
Will return!
Thanks!

Food was delicious. Very courteous service. Good value.

Marius was a fantastic waitor with lots of personality. My friend's shrimp was over-cooked. Overall a good night.

Basso is a favorite of mine. Always fun with friendly service. Great for a meal before an event at Carnegie Hall or Jazz at Lincoln Center

This was our first visit to Basso 56, and we will return. Our pasta dishes and dessert were delicious. The service was attentive and efficient. We enjoyed our evening there.

Everyone in my party enjoyed their food. Most felt that the pasta portions were a tad small. However the vela parmigiana portion was huge. Personally I did not like the red sauce they use (tart, thicker gravy style) but that’s my personal preference only. The quality of the food and the execution was excellent.

Will go back. Food was great!

Arrived early. Raining. Kindly seated me before restaurant service began so I need not wait outside for my companions to arrive.

The food was delicious and so artfully presented

Food was very bland lacking in salt pepper and garlic

Food was delicious. However, the mashed potatoes served to one of our members was cold.

Always delicious!!

When in New York, Basso56 is always a must for us. We dined about a week ago. The food is consistently delicious as it is prepared with fresh ingredients and care. The wine list is comprehensive and price points reasonable. The most important aspect of a dining experience has always been the wait staff. We were fortunate to have Marius assist us with food and wine suggestions. We have had him serve us in the past. Simply stated, he is the epitome how excellent service is described in the restaurant operating manual.

We loved Basso56! Everyone from the owner to every employee seemed to love working and being there. The food was excellent, the wine was excellent and the experience was great. We went out of our way to find the Owner and thank him in person.

The service was outstanding and the food...I enjoyed every part of our meal. This is now our favorite Italian spot in NYC!

We loved the service and location. My wife was smart and ate excellent pasta. I was not that smart and the veal was chewy and not quite up to snuff. My fault... will order better next time in Manhattan. Overall nice experience.

Service was great, food was great, prices were very reasonable. Extensive menu with a ton of choices, all of which looked fantastic. I would come again!

ALWAYS great dining!

The food is excellent. The ambiance is very nice. My husband had the brazino which he said was the best he’s ever had. I had perfectly grilled lamb chops. This restaurant is a gem.